Effective Appeals for Decision

For more than fifty years I have attended and participated in camp meetings, tent ef­forts, and other gatherings where revival efforts have been held by our workers. At meetings in which converts have given their hearts to the Lord and in which backsliders have been re­claimed, I have jotted down from time to time some of the expressions used that revealed the deciding factor in causing souls to yield, and make a start for the kingdom of God.

Of course, no words we can speak will win souls unless accompanied by earnest prayer and the mighty influence of the Holy Spirit. But when the Spirit of God is present in great power and souls are under deep conviction, the words that are used by the soul winner, the earnest manner in which he speaks them, and the tone of his voice have much to do in helping sinners make a decision for God. "The preacher sought to find out acceptable words," said the wise man. "The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shep­herd." Eccl. 12:10, it. Sometimes after a lapse of years, a Christian can remember the very words that were used by the soul winner in helping him make a decision for right and truth. Sometimes these words were spoken from the pulpit, but often they were spoken to one person face to face. However spoken, they were re­tained in the memory as if nailed there se­curely by "masters of assemblies." Truly, "The words of the wise are as goads." A goad is a sharp, pointed instrument used to urge oxen for­ward. Words that are as goads in soul winning are those that are sent home to the heart by the Holy Spirit with sharp arrows of conviction.

The words of the wise soul winner are words of reproof spoken in kindness—words of earnest entreaty, of deep pathos, of faithful warning to flee from the wrath to come, of ear­nest invitation to yield the heart to God and to come to Him before it is everlastingly too late. I heard Mrs. E. G. White speak before a large congregation with intense earnestness and power as she pleaded with sinners to come to the Saviour. And they came. That was more than fifty years ago, but I can still remember words she spoke on that occasion.

Following are some of the expressions soul winners have used when con­verts have been won and hearts have yielded to the Lord.

"How many of you are convinced in your soul that what you have heard here is the truth of God? How many who are present are pre­pared to obey their convictions ?"

"The only safe thing to do is to accept the

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Saviour while He is pleading for us. Some­time we will come to our last opportunity. This may be that time."

"How many who are present want to be saved in the kingdom of God? Just how much do you want to be saved? Do you want badly enough to be saved to give Christ your heart ?" "When God by His Spirit speaks to your heart and says, 'Come,' that is the best time you will ever have to come. We will never have so much time in which to serve God as we have before us now."

"You believe the truth, don't you? You be­lieve it is right? Why wait to do right? Don't you expect to be a Christian sometime? Why not begin today? When will you ever have a better time than now ?"

"What we need is to buckle on the harness and put all the energy and all the means we can into this message. Though the enemy may make it hard for us for a little time, his end is coming. Let us put away our sins and doubts and unbelief, and put our all on the altar. Some of our loved ones may go down to the grave, but we shall soon see them again. Let us be sure to meet them in the better land."

"The mighty God who is from everlasting to everlasting can take all the sins that have ever existed and blot them out and wash them all away. The evil tendencies in our nature, the lusts of the flesh, which are stronger than we are, and which have bound us, can easily be snapped asunder."

"The greatest gift you can make to the cause of God is worth more than one million dollars or even one hundred million dollars. It is this —the full and complete surrender of your heart and soul to Christ."

"Doctor Barnardo, founder of the great or­phanages in England, once met a ragged boy on the street, who asked him for a home. He said, 'I have no father, no mother, no brother or sister, nothing to eat, no place to sleep.' Said the doctor, to test him, 'How do I know that you are telling me the truth ? Run and get some of your friends and let them speak for you.' The poor little fellow, lifting up his hands to heaven, replied, 'If these rags do not speak for me, I don't know who can.' Then the great doctor put his arms around the boy and said, 'Come with me; I have a home for you.' In like manner God invites sinners because they are poor and needy and sinful. Come just as you are."

"How many would like to exchange their sins for the righteousness of Jesus Christ? We can come and bow down at Jesus' feet and leave our sins right there."

"With all Satan's venom, there comes to him the recklessness of despair as he marshals all his hosts against the remnant people of God.

Is it any wonder that Christ, who knows of Satan's fearful warfare, invites us to come to Him, to let Him into our hearts, that He may strengthen and defend us?"

"The only way we can attain unto the char­acter that we must have is by making  com­plete surrender to Christ. Are we ready to let Christ have absolute control of all our affairs?"

"If God could take care of you when you were rebelling against His commandments, surely He can care for you when you obey Him. Will you not come into the fellowship of the one who is the dearest Friend on earth ?"

"Sin is the bite of that old serpent, Satan. The moment he strikes, we should go to the Great Physician who will apply the perfect remedy."

"If we are quick to confess our sins when we know that we have done wrong, our act will yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness. We should keep our sins forgiven day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment, and hourly live with Him."

"I am going to ask for every heart that has something that needs to be surrendered to make that surrender right here at this time."

"Do you think that anyone who goes to live in the New Jerusalem will speak cross, impa­tient words? Do you ever have a desire in your heart for something better ? It is the Spirit of God that creates that desire. He does not put that desire in our heart to mock us. With the desire He will also send the power to perform it."

At the close of a recent national broadcast by H. M. S. Richards, the following appeal was spoken with ardor, fervor, and earnestness, and was the most striking fea­ture of the entire address : "Will you not let Him hold your hand in His ? If you do, He will lead you and keep you until you are safe home on the other shore. Will you do it now ?" Of course this appeal was carefully thought out beforehand.

Let no one imagine that any of these expres­sions, or all of them—with others added—will accomplish anything unless sent home to hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit. Let us seek God earnestly that we may be enabled by His Spirit to speak to the hearts of our fellow men, so that they will yield all to Him.