Scripture for Meditation:  Matt. xvi, 24; 2 Cor. iv.

The words of Christ, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me,” can not be mistaken.  The earthly life of Jesus was a supreme example of self-sacrifice.  All the way from Bethlehem to Calvary his life was a constant denial of self.  The early Church followed their Master.  They were ready to sacrifice all.  Men sold their fields and houses for the work’s sake.  They counted nothing too good for sacrifice, even to life itself; and many went gladly to the arena and the fiery stake rather than be untrue to their Lord.  As long as the early Christian Church maintained this spirit, she went from victory to victory.  Nothing could withstand her progress.  And when the followers of Jesus Christ in this twentieth century shall again put on the beautiful garments of self-sacrifice, the Church will become invincible.

There is now a great opportunity for men and women to sacrifice, in personal liberty, in popularity, in social standing, and personal comfort, for the sake of the perishing multitudes.  None are too poor, none too old, to do something to win souls.

An aged widow, who had all her money invested in a farm in a drouth-stricken part of the West, found herself almost penniless.  She was compelled to find shelter in a Refuge Home.  At first she was discouraged and heart-broken; but God put upon her heart the multitudes of perishing women in India.  She tried to occupy her mind piecing a quilt.  This she sold, and the money was sent to India.  Then she made another for Africa, then another for Japan, until now, in six years, she has given four hundred dollars to home and foreign missions, and has six people at work as her substitutes in foreign lands.  And she says, “I was surely called of God to teach that no one is too poor to give to missions, or too old to work for God and souls.”

A young man, twenty-four years old, working on a farm for twenty dollars a month and board, has, in nineteen months, sent six substitutes, and says, “I pray God to make me a Christian drunkard, that I may spend my time and money for him as the drunkard does for the devil.”  And when the whole Church shall begin to show the same spirit of self-sacrifice in giving time and money, and in sacrificing pleasure and comfort and social standing for the Lord’s work, and for dying multitudes about them, then we shall soon see the dawn of the millennial day.

THE SOUL-WINNER’S EQUIPMENT.

“COMPLETELY FURNISHED.”

STUDY XV.

KNOWLEDGE OF THE SCRIPTURES.

Memory Verse:  “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all
    wisdom.”—­(Col. iii, 16.)

Scripture for Meditation:  Heb. iv, 12; 2 Tim. iii, 13-17; Ps. cxix,
    1-11.

A thorough knowledge of the Word of God is essential to success in soul-winning.  The Word is “the sword of the Spirit,” “the hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces.”  If we are not skilled in the use of the Divine sword and the Divine hammer, then we can not expect that the Spirit will use us.