<TITLE>09. Par 52-58</TITLE>L-52   I was looking in this week's Life magazine; down at, well, down at Little Rock, the other day, or, rather, Hot Springs. And there I seen, I believe it was a governor of the state of New York, with some kind of a striptease over in Honolulu, dancing with her, now. And here, below that, was another renown man. Oh, what a disgrace! Look at our nation today. Look at the condition of our--of our nation. Look where she's went to, how low she sunk.

L-53 Look at our religious system today. How can it be that the churches can ever get into the condition that they are now? Is because they have rejected and refused the Message of God, the invitation to come to the feast. Could you call a life like that worthy of the Gospel? Could you call a life, that could set and permit their--their people to do the things, to smoke cigarettes?

L-54   The other day, down here, a certain church, a little league team was playing down here at the park, and my brother-in-law's little boy is a pitcher for one of the teams. And so he was out there pitching, and there was a church league playing. And there was the pastor with these little fellows, out there on the ground, playing. And the pastor smoked cigarette after cigarette, of a real neighborly church right here by us. And could you imagine a man... And even people setting in the audience noticed it. But it's getting so that they don't even pay any attention to it.

L-55 A certain great church, a Baptist church, that I know of, let's the church out from Sunday school, fifteen extra minutes, so that the pastor and all of them can stand outside and smoke, before they come back in to serve the duty of the Lord. John Smith, the founder of that church, prayed so hard, that God send a revival, till his eyes swolled shut at night, and his wife had to lead him to the table and feed him with a spoon. If... That man would turn over in his grave if he knowed that church had got in that condition. What is it? They were bidden to come, and turned it down. That's the only thing. And you remember, Jesus said, in here, that, "Those that were bidden, and turned it down, would not taste His supper."

L-56   When God sends the Holy Ghost and knocks at a man's door, and he deliberately turns It down, sometime he's going to turn It for his last time, and then you won't be a privileged character. You can set in a church and listen to the Gospel, and agree with the Gospel. You might do so much as say, "I know It's right," but never put a finger on It, to help It, yourself. See? You just listen to It, 'cause you say, "I believe It's right." That's just sympathizing with It.
I could say, "I believe that's a ten thousand dollars." That don't mean I got it. See? I could say, "That's good cold water," but refuse to drink it. You know what I mean?
And this is Eternal Life. And to refuse to do it, one day you'll cross the line between judgment and mercy, and then you won't be have the privilege to come and receive It.

L-57 To you people who come here. I'm not responsible for those who... or--or other ministers are speaking to. But, if It's right, you owe your life to It. What more could you ever find, that would be more of a benefit to you, than to know that you can have Eternal Life?

L-58   What if I was giving away capsules here, that, scientifically proven, scientifically proven that this capsule would make you live a thousand years? Well, I--I'd have to get a militia out here, and swarm them away from the place. You wouldn't have to make an altar call for it. You just have to beat them away from it, to live a thousand years.
And, yet, scientifically proven that the Eternal God, all His power of His resurrections, which promise you Eternal Life, and Satan will put his legions out there and keep you away from It. See? Yet, you can look, and sensible enough to look in the face of It and see It's right, but then turn It down. See?


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