Thirty years on the firing-line, shots from the battery of truth which have been somewhat effective against the entrenchments of sin, the follies of our days, and the errors of the religious world

Contents

PAGE

Foreword 5

Personal 7

Foreword

PAINFULLY aware of my limitations, yet joyously conscious that God has used me as one of the "weak things of this world' ' in blessing many by the preaching of the gospel through an uninterrupted period of more than thirty years of continuous evangelism, and having been urged to leave some of my discourses in permanent form, I have at last gotten my own reluctant consent to undertake the task, and herewith present the result.

PERSONAL

1WAS born near Antioch, Monroe County, Ohio, August 16, 1857. "Born again" on August 23, 1875, at Stafford, Ohio. My first birth might have been nothing short of a calamity had it not been for the second. My father was Enoch Martin; my mother, Nancy Huffman Martin. I have one brother, Roseberry A. Martin, of Los Angeles, California. I was married December 23, 1876, to "Mary" Catharine Barnes, of Summerfield, Ohio. Our three children — "the girls" — are "Nina," "Lela" and "Minnie." We have four grandsons; viz., Charles Martin Hatcher, Richard Martin Thatcher, Robert Martin Shuey and Franklin Martin Shuey.

I was ordained to the ministry by the church at Bowling Green, Missouri, on the 19th of July, 1885, having been a teacher for thirteen years, and for the next two years I combined the two professions. In the spring of 1888 I was called to be the State evangelist of Missouri, beginning the work April 24, and continuing until July 1, 1891, at which time I entered the field as an independent general evangelist of the churches of Christ,

Introduction

THE outstanding personnel of a great movement is always interesting. Who originated it? Who carried it on to success? These are among the questions the historian asks.

The Restoration movement has already acquired a large place in religious history, and its phenomenal growth and influence will interest future historians tremendously.

The names of influential men will shine in the history of each period of the movement to restore apostolic Christianity, and among them will be the name of S. M. Martin. For thirty years he has served continuously as an evangelist in the field, and the great meetings he has held have left an impress which time will not erase.

This eloquent preacher is not yet an old man — he is in the prime of life, and is still in countrywide demand. He is ever "booked up" a year or more, and wherever he goes the crowds gather and the community is stirred.

S. M. Martin has never been known to put on the "soft pedal," nor has he delivered the Restoration message in a way that repelled. In choice language and with eloquent tongue he has pro- 9

INTRODUCTION claimed the gospel in the spirit of love. Hence, the great success which has attended his ministry.

For years his friends have urged him to have a few of his great sermons preserved in book form. When, some years ago, he held a meeting for me in Columbus, 0., I insisted that he should issue a book of sermons. He suggested that he might — some day.

He finally decided the matter and requested me to write a brief introduction to the book. Having heard the sermons presented in this volume delivered, and having also read them in manuscript, I can most heartily commend them as messages that should be read by every disciple of Christ in the land. They are entertaining and instructive, and they will therefore be doubly profitable to the reader. The book will likewise be valuable to lend to one's neighbor, whether he be an inquiring believer or a man of the world.

Geo. P. Rutledge.

Cincinnati, 0., Feb. 27, 1920.

PERSONALITY IN EVANGELISM

I

PERSONALITY IN EVANGELISM

A STRONG personality has always been regarded as a very important factor in the equipment of a successful evangelist. He should possess those characteristics which challenge the attention instantly, and impress favorably and strongly. He thus secures predisposition in favor of his message. Personality is merely the sum total of those qualities of body, mind and spirit which stand out prominently, and tend to predispose the hearer in favor of the speaker and assure a more favorable consideration of his message.

Natural characteristics may be advantageous or otherwise. If unfavorable, they should be counteracted as far as possible, and all natural endowments should be supplemented by every acquired grace and accomplishment.

Even the most attractive people will not be attractive to everybody, while the least attractive will be able to impress some people favorably.

The more nearly one approaches to mental, moral, physical and spiritual perfection, the 11 stronger will be the personality; and glaring defects in any one or all of these particulars, will weaken the personality correspondingly.

Physical endowments are first noticed, then mental accomplishments will be flashed upon the attention, followed by a discernment of the moral qualities; and lastly the spirituality of the individual will be in evidence. Eeal spirituality is never obtrusive, and that person whose religion is always painful to other people, lacks both spirituality and mentality.

Most of the great union evangelists have been men of striking physique; e. g., Moody, Chapman, Torrey and Gipsy Smith.

The same is true of our own evangelists. I do not mean that they are handsome men, though some of them are that. But they are strong, healthy, even athletic men, and have good bodies, and are thus able to stand the greatest amount of effectual labor. The demands on the physical strength of the evangelist are very great.

As far as possible, the evangelist should be free from offensive mannerisms, and all habits of doubtful propriety, such as the use of tobacco and other narcotics. A fine, commanding, attractive physique is exceedingly advantageous. But where one is not possessed of such a presence, then superior mental accomplishments may largely compensate for the defect. Physical and mental endowments supplement each other, and each renders the other 12

PERSONALITY IN EVANGELISM

more effectual. Personal influence is often called "personal magnetism." The expression is often heard: "Christ alone can save, but Christ can not save alone." We might also say: "We alone can save ourselves, but we can not save ourselves alone." We are workers together with Christ in our own salvation and in the salvation of others. The preaching of the gospel is committed unto men, not to angels. "It pleased God by the foolishness [simplicity] of preaching to save them that believe" (1 Cor. 1:21). Strong personality increases the effectiveness of our preaching.

Magnetism is that force or power in nature which gives rise to the phenomena of attraction.

This power was first noticed in protoxide, or octohedral iron — natural magnetic iron ore. Artificial magnets are now made which are capable of lifting forty thousand pounds at one time when charged with a powerful current of electricity.

Magnetism exerts its power by attraction, while steam and gasoline are repulsive forces.

The work and transforming power of the gospel are accomplished by attraction. Christ says: "If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me" (John 12:32). People are attractive, or magnetic, when they are Christlike. We must be magnetized by having "Christ in us the hope of glory."

The force and value of a great magnet depend upon the proper treatment of the metal of which it is made. The same is true of the religious 13 force of men and women. Even at the best, we have our limitations; so has the most powerful magnet. The most powerful evangelist will not be able to attract and convert all who hear him. Paul says: "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."

God's power to save is the gospel. Satan's power to destroy is anything that opposes or renders the gospel ineffective.

As the gospel is applied through us, whatever will increase our personal influence will render the gospel more effectual as a drawing, rescuing, saving power.

This gospel current is conveyed to the world very largely through evangelistic effort, hence we should have such training and equipment as will make us the most powerful in drawing people to Christ.

Certain rules have been formulated by writers on the subject of personal magnetism, the observance of which has been found to greatly augment the personal force or attractiveness of the individual. I will note some of these rules: (1) Cheerfulness; (2) gentleness; (3) self-control, coolness; (4) a steady eye; (5) courage; (6) perfect mastery of temper; (7) a pleasing, modulated voice; (8) personal neatness and cleanliness; (9) good health (or no complaint of illness) ; (10) politeness; (11) work, work, work; (12) charity for all. 14

PERSONALITY IN EVANGELISM

The application of these rules will give one power over others for either good or evil, being merely personal qualities which render their possessor attractive, or influential. If the possessor is a sinner, he will be an influential sinner, but if he is a Christian, he will have much power in leading people to Christ.

The Christian's power will be in proportion to his faith in God, and his faithfulness in service, adding the above rules.

There are very few people who are so perfectly and harmoniously developed as to show no defects, especially to those who are most intimately associated with them. It is these flaws and defects which "get on our nerves,' ' and when we get on people's nerves, we have lost our magnetism so far as they are concerned.

The personal element, or mere personal regard, must never be used to induce people to merely join the church in order to please the preacher. It should be used only to forcefully apply the divine message, which is the saving power. Some people exert their power spasmodically, like a broken trolley-wire, writhing, twisting, spitting fire and producing consternation, and even death. They seem to burn out the transformer, or the fuse ! We should be earnest and constant, a dependable force, and not erratic fanatics!

Self-indulgent, unconsecrated disciples do not attract people to Christ. They are demagnetized. 15

The unconverted sinner has a very high ideal as to how a Christian ought to live, and of how he, himself, is going to live when he joins the church. A young lady, a member of the church, went to talk to a young gentleman of her acquaintance on the subject of his becoming a Christian. He listened rather impatiently for a few minutes, and then said: "See here, Jennie, you are not the one to talk to me." She asked, "Why?" and he replied: "I've seen you too often in the ballroom, and I don't think that's any place for a Christian to go." The ballroom had demagnetized her so that she had no influence to bring the young man to Christ.

Occasionally there is found one whose personality is so strong, and whose influence is so transcendent, as to provoke wonder and amazement. They become great leaders, and are accused of hypnotism, or are accredited with supernatural powers. Illustrations will readily occur to my readers. We should never allow the strong personality of the messenger to obscure the person of Christ, or the message of salvation, and neither men nor angels should take honor or glory, which belongs to God alone. "And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God" (Rev. 19:10).

II

Text. — "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' * — Acts 16: 30.

THIS is the greatest question ever asked by human lips, and the greatest one that Heaven has ever condescended to answer.

"In all cases of doubt and uncertainty the safe course must be taken, and no risks run" ("Guide to Railroad Employees") .

An employee of the Gulf Eoad, the day after he had obeyed the gospel, handed me a slip of paper upon which were written the above words. He said: "I have never violated that rule as a railroad man, and no accident has ever been traceable to me, but I have been more faithful to the railroad than to myself, and I decided last night to run no more risks with my soul."

There are thirty-four thousand persons killed on the railroads in this country every twelve months, or one every fifteen minutes. Twenty-five thousand of these are due to the violation of that one rule. We should certainly be as cautious in matters pertaining to the soul as in those pertain-

2 17 ing to ordinary business. Why take risks when there is an absolutely safe course? Life here has a limit; that beyond has none, hence the importance of being safe in our religion.

"We shall not attempt to settle the many controverted points of religion any further than to show an honest, conscientious person what is a&- solutely safe in any event, and "Safety First' ' will point the way. "We make but one trip.

Faith versus Unbelief.

The believer risks nothing if there is nothing to lose. Infidelity takes away everything and gives you nothing. It knows nothing, believes nothing, promises nothing, hopes for nothing.

Mr. Campbell, in his introduction of the debate with Robert Owen, the world champion of infidelity, in 1829, said: "Infidelity, as opposed to Christianity, is not an institution, but a mere negation of an institution, and of the facts and documents on which it is founded. It has no essential formal existence. It has no facts and documents, and therefore it has no proofs. It merely assails Christianity, but offers no substitute for it, and it has none to offer."

John A. Bingham, of Ohio, once said to Mr. Ingersoll: "Robert, if you are right and I am wrong, neither of us will ever know it; but if I am right and you are wrong, I shall be conscious of it, and so will you, throughout eternity." 18

It is always safe to hold to what you have until you find something better.

When Ingersoll was to lecture in Little Rock in 1898, a drunken Irishman said to me: "You preachers is afther Bob, and I'm on your side, for if Bob's right, the preacher is safe, but if the preacher is right, Bob's in a bad fix!" If Christianity is true, then "he that believeth not shall be damned," and the infidel runs the risk; the faithful Christian is safe.

Universalism versus Orthodoxy.

Universalism is very broad and liberal. It demands nothing of saint or sinner, but promises salvation to both. If all are to be saved, the Christian will be included, and is safe in spite of his Christianity; but if the Christian only is safe, then the Universalist is lost for lack of Christianity. Universalism is a risk; Christianity is safe.

Baptism versus No Baptism.

Is baptism (in water) essential? I do not need to know. You do not need to know. John "Wesley said: "God has bound us to it, though he may not have bound himself." So, you attend to it, and you will be safe. You know it is one of God's commands ; it is safe to obey, and unsafe to disobey.

Those who are baptized do right, and those who do right are safe. The unbaptized occupy the unsafe ground; the baptized occupy the safe ground, and that is what we are searching for. 19

Immersion versus Spprinkling and Pouring.

Even when the safety and importance of baptism are conceded, the question arises, "What is baptism f Is it immersion only, or is it also sprinkling and pouring? Here again we answer, You do not need to know. Just select the form of baptism which is not in doubt, and has never been in question, and you will be safe.

John Calvin says: "It is certain that immersion was the practice of the ancient church. The very word 'baptize' signifies 'to immerse' " (" Institutes," Book IV., Ch. XV., Sec. 19).

Philip Schaff says. "Immersion, and not sprinkling, was unquestionably the original normal form" ("History of the Apostolic Church," pp. 568, 569).

Joseph Henry Thayer — "Harvard University" Lexicon — says: "Christian baptism — this, according to the view of the apostles, is a rite of sacred immersion commanded by Christ." The real scholars of the world teach and affirm that immersion was the primitive, apostolic baptism.

Jesus was baptized but once, hence but one way. Were you baptized as He was? Paul says: "We were buried with Mm in baptism." If I owed you $20, and I tendered you in payment a $20 gold coin, and my personal note for $20, and your pastor's note for $20 with my endorsement, which would you accept? Ah, the $20 gold coin, of 20 course! My note may be good, your pastor's note may be even better, but you are absolutely safe in taking the coin, for it is money, and the notes are substitutes for money. Immersion is baptism, while sprinkling and pouring are substitutes for it. They may pass, but it is a risk. Christ commanded baptism, and practiced immersion.

The Pope substituted pouring for immersion. John Calvin substituted sprinkling for pouring (says Dr. Wall). Each of these endorses the other, both endorse Christ's immersion, while Christ endorses neither of these substitutes.

Jesus was baptized "into the Jordan" (eis ton Jordanen), and all the persons of the Godhead witnessed and participated in it.

Jesus said: " Suffer it to be so now." The Father said: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' ' The Spirit descended as a dove and abode upon him. Baptism is the only thing which is commanded to be done in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Here is where the entire name of the Godhead is recorded. As God's name was recorded in Jerusalem, and there the Passover was kept, and there God met to bless the children of Israel (see Deut. 16 : 16 ; 2 Chron. 6:6; 12:13), so he meets us here when we are baptized into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. It is certainly safe to be baptized (immersed), and unsafe to refuse or neglect it, or substitute anything else for it. 21

The Name "Christian" versus Other Names.

Some names are important, others are not. The importance of a name depends upon what it represents. "The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch" (Acts 11:26). Whether this name was given in derision by their enemies, or by the Holy Spirit (as I believe), it was most appropriate. "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named " (Eph. 3:14, 15).

A. J. Gordon ("Ministry of the Spirit," p. 206) says: "It was not by accident or as a term of derision that the first believers received their name, but the disciples were divinely called Christians first at Antioch." This was the name preordained for them — that "honorable name by which ye are called" (Jas. 2:7). John Wesley said: "Would to God that all party names and unscriptural phrases and forms were forgot." Albert Barnes says: "Should not, and will not, all these divisions yet be merged into the high and holy name * Christian'?" Henry Ward Beecher once said at the communion table: "Let me speak the language of heaven and call you simply ' Christians. ' "

Christ is the Bridegroom; the church is the Bride. You would not want your wife to wear some other man's name as long as you are living.

''The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord" (1 Cor. 7:39). But Jesus is not dead, and we are not at liberty to be married to any other, or to wear any other man's name, such as Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Campbell, Methodist, Baptist or Presbyterian.

Four years after the death of my father, my mother married a good Christian man, as she had a Scriptural right to do, but it never did seem just right to me to hear my mother called by any other name than Martin — though in this case it was right, for my father was dead. But it is not right to put some other name where the name of our living Lord belongs. No name is good enough to be substituted for His, and I protest against it. I love and honor Luther, Calvin, Wesley and Campbell, but neither of them is my Saviour; neither of them shed his blood or died for me. I will not, I must not, wear their names, not even jokingly; it is too serious for that.

But some one asks: "What right have you to the name 'Christian,' or to say you belong to the church of Christ, or church of God?" I answer: "No exclusive right, but merely the same right that any saved person has. I merely deny to myself, and to all others, the right to wear any other name, or names, than those given in the Book of God." "The Lord added to the church, day by 23 day, those that were being saved " (Acts 2:47). It is absolutely safe to believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God; to repent (for "God now commandeth all men everywhere to repent") ; to confess Him before men ("If you confess him, he will confess you, but if you deny him, he will deny you") ; to be baptized (immersed) into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, to wear His name, and to be faithful unto the end, for "he that endureth unto the end shall be saved.''

III LOVE'S TRIUMPH

Texts. — "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ. ' ' — 2 Cor. 2 : 14.

"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity" (or love). — 1 Cor. 13: 13.

GOD loved us while we were yet sinners, and sent Christ, who also loved us and gave Himself for us, and ' ' we love him because he first loved us." Salvation is love's triumph, beginning, middle and ending.

But triumph implies enemies. If we gain a triumph, it must be over something that is against us. The Christian has enemies, and these are classified in the Bible as the world, the flesh and the devil. I sometimes call these the "trinity of hell. ,, These all lead to one result, and that is sin, "and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.' ' John says: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15). It is all right for Christians to be in the world, because the world needs them in order to 25 give it light and salvation, but it is all wrong when the world gets into the Christian!

The flesh is another enemy. Gal. 5:17: ' ' The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. ' ' Also read Rom. 7 : 15-25.

It is not possible to convert the flesh. The flesh can not obey God. But the mind is converted, and with that we serve God, and with the mind we control the flesh through the Spirit. ' ' So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin" (Rom. 7:25). " There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Rom. 8:1).

The devil is the third of these enemies. 1 Pet. 5:8: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."

These enemies are all aggressive; we do not have to go out and hunt for them. We are in the flesh, and in the world, and the devil seems to be in many of us!

But whether we are controlled by the world, the flesh or the devil, the result is sin, sin, sin!

So we must triumph over sin. There are three things about sin over which we must triumph. They are: (1) The love of sin; (2) the power of sin; (3) the guilt of sin. 26

We overcome the love of sin by the change of heart; this is brought about by faith.

We overcome the power of sin by that reformation of life which is brought about by repentance.

We overcome the guilt of sin through pardon, when we are baptized. See Acts 2 : 38 and Acts 22 : 16.

The next enemy we must triumph over is the grave, and that will be in the resurrection.

The last enemy to be overcome is the second death, or the lake of fire, which follows the great judgment-day. If our names are written in the Lamb's Book of life, He will confess us there, and all danger will be past, all enemies overcome forever. "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ."

How thankful we should be, and how full of rejoicing, yet many of us never say anything about it. The victories we have in Christ ought to set "the joy-bells ringing"! We ought to shout and sing our gratitude, and tell our love for Him. Do you love the Saviour? Then say so.

Some men never tell their wives that they love them. They should do so, for there never was a woman who was not made happier and better by kind, loving words of appreciation from her husband. George Eliot says: "I like not only to be loved, but to be told that I am loved; the realm of silence is large enough beyond the grave." And there never was a man so mean, careless, hard- 27 hearted and hateful that he could not be touched by a " little bit of love."

Parents, do you love your children? Of course you do, but do you tell them so? This is the great mistake which many parents make. It was the mistake made by my own father, as the following will show: Friends have told me that I was considered a pretty bad boy — not vicious or wicked, but one of the mischievous, nerve-wrecking kind. My father evidently shared fully in this opinion, and his frequent efforts for my correction were painful — extremely so. I came to believe that father and I were never intended for each other. I remember wondering if I had not been an orphan boy adopted by my parents. I was nearing my fourteenth birthday. From my earliest recollection I had been whipped unmercifully for what I now regard as trivial offenses — things for which children are but mildly reprimanded these days. I look back to those days with bitterness, but I do not censure my father. He knew no better, and was himself the victim of circumstances, which in turn made me the victim of the unspared rod. My father was Jiis father's oldest son, and became a schoolteacher about the time his two younger brothers were born. He was the teacher of his own brothers and sisters, of whom there were eight. My grandparents delegated to him the control and discipline of the children at home as well as at school, and it was no unusual thing for him to 28 punish them any time, anywhere. I was my father's oldest son, and the first grandson. Two of my uncles were only five and seven years older than myself.

I think I was spoiled, and of course my father must punish me for even slight offenses, to justify the tight rein he held over his brothers and sisters. They feared him, and so did I. As I grew older, my whippings grew more severe and dreadful. As already mentioned, I was nearing my fourteenth birthday — a lusty boy, with big bare feet. Father was easily provoked, and I was always running foul of his temper. He could not bear to be contradicted, and contradiction was my fatal weakness. I had escaped whipping for some time, when, one day, I happened to contradict a statement he had made to some one in my presence. His face flushed like fire, and I knew a storm was coming! He ordered me to an unoccupied apartment, to await an interview with him. I retired to the room, closed the door and proceeded to get very angry. I resolved Tie should never whip me again, and, should he attempt it, as I expected him to do, I would fight! Oh, how wicked! (I was not a Christian then, not until &ve years later.) I waited. some minutes, then the door opened and he entered. I was standing. The psychological moment had come. To my surprise, he was not angry or excited. He asked me to sit down and he sat down close, facing me. He began to talk to me mildly, kindly, tenderly. I was dumb with amaze- 29 merit! It had never been so before. What did it all mean? Was I dreaming? Then, with his big blue eyes full of tears, he said, for the first time in my life: "Ves, I love you, and it hurts me for you to do wrong." I was speechless; a big lump had been rising in my throat, and now it seemed I must choke. I burst into sobs, and promised not to contradict him any more, and asked his forgiveness. I told him I didn't know he loved me; that I thought he hated me, and would be glad if I were dead, and that I had always thought so. When he asked how and why I could think such awful things, I told him of how he had beaten me all my life, but never, never before had he said he loved me. From that day until his death all was changed. I had found my father's heart and he had found mine. Oh, how we loved each other! His love had saved me, saved us both.