<TITLE>16. Par 56-59</TITLE>L-56 When we see America, the great last civilization, brother, as great a nation as it is, we've got to give away everything. Mortal has to give away to immortality.
I stood here some time ago up in the woods and cried like a baby. I went over here to my daddy's grave. I used to see him wash his face, his little short, stubby arms. He's a little log man down stout as he could be.
And I'd see how Mr. Coots told me, said, "I seen your daddy single-handed, Billy," said, "you ought to be a stout man."
I said, "But I'm not."
He said, "I seen your daddy single-handed load an ash log that weighed nine hundred and fifty pounds." And I thought, boy, that--my daddy will live to be a hundred and fifty years old. He died at fifty-two.
What was it? We have no continuing city here. Everything mortal gives way. I don't care how strong you are, how healthy you are; your breath lays in the hand of Almighty God. He might take it in the next second. That's right.

L-57 I stood by an old tree up here when I was first saved. I didn't know how to talk to the Lord, but I wanted to get right. I never did speak to Him. So you know how I prayed my first prayer? I was going to write it out on a piece of paper. Being a woodsman, I always lived in the woods, mostly. And I--I noticed that out here; I'd see Him in the woods. I could hear Him. I could hear His footprints, like, as He come through the nighttime in the whirlwind. Oh, He rides upon the whirlwind. Hallelujah. His wave is in a whirlwind.
I could see Him as He claps His hands with the leaves like that. Everything in a voice saying, "Adam, where art thou?" Oh, laying down under the blanket with my head sticking out, looking at the stars. I knowed He stayed in the woods.

L-58 And I wrote out my prayer. I said, "God, I've been an awful man. If You'll just forgive me." I took it and tacked it on the tree. I didn't know how to ask Him. I thought if He come by, He could read it, and know that I was sorry for what I done. I didn't know how to pray. But the God of heaven understood that, and He saved my lost soul. Yes, yes, sir.
I stood with the old trees up there in the woods other day and I started weeping. Brother Wood and I was out in the woods. And I noticed it. That great big tree had its great, strong branches out like that. I thought, "What a wonderful tree." I used to break pieces off of it, couldn't afford a tent, and make a little shelter rest and get back under it at night when it was raining when we would be fishing, staying out all night.
And when I, just as a kid, and I thought this tree will stand here for hundreds and hundreds of years. It's nothing but a snag now. What is it? No, matter how strong and how powerful it was, everything mortal has to give away to immortality.

L-59 And brother, we've been a great nation. We've been a great people. We've been a great church. We've been a great everything. But I'll tell you; everything mortal has to give away. And this--the time is at hand. I tell you; everything is laying in it. And the world has become to one great big chaos of just--of corruption and stink before God. This nation, its whiskey drinking, beer drinking, and our taxes has paid on this whiskey and stuff which supports our nation, and its blood money.
If you think it's wrong to drink whiskey and you say, "Leave it alone, preacher, you oughtn't to say nothing about drinking. It's our American right." I know it's your American rights, but it's not your heavenly rights.
And brother, if your willing before God, you'll--you will be able--you will in your heart forfeit every filthy right that you have to serve the Lord, and will purpose in your heart that you will not defile yourself with the things of the world.


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