“Now if I could tell you,” said a pastor to an unsaved business man, who had been relating how much a friend had helped him in business, “how much Christ has helped me, and what he has been to me, I believe I could win you to him.”

The value of tact was well illustrated in an incident which occurred during Mr. Finney’s meetings in New York City.  The big cutlery firm of Sheffield, England, had a branch house in New York.  The manager was a partner of the firm, and very worldly.  One of his clerks, who had been converted in the meetings, invited his employer to attend.  One evening he was there, and sat just across the aisle from Mr. Arthur Tappan.  He appeared affected during the sermon, and Mr. Tappan kept his eye on him.  After the dismissal, Mr. Tappan stepped quickly across the aisle, introduced himself, and invited him to stay for the after-service.  The gentleman tried to excuse himself and get away, but Mr. Tappan caught hold of the button on his coat and said, “Now, do stay; I know you will enjoy it;” and he was so kind and gentlemanly that the cutlery man could not very well refuse.  He staid, and was converted.  Afterwards he said, “An ounce of weight upon my coat-button saved my soul.”

To watch for opportunity, and then to know how effectively to make use of the opportunity, is all-important in soul-winning.  And there is no better teacher than the Holy Spirit, of whom it is said, “He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance.”

STUDY XVII.

EARNESTNESS.

Memory Verse:  “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy
    might.”—­(Eccl. ix, 10.)

Scripture for Meditation:  Mark ii, 1-12.

The testimony of Charles H. Spurgeon should have weight here.  He said:  “If a man is to be a soul-winner, there must be in him intensity of emotion as well as sincerity of heart.  You may repeat the most affectionate exhortations in such a half-hearted manner that no one will be moved either by love or fear.  I believe that for soul-winning there is more in this matter of earnestness than in almost anything else.”

When we become as much in earnest to rescue our friends and dear ones from eternal death as we are to save them from physical suffering and death, then we shall see the rapid spread of the kingdom of Christ.  A man falls overboard from the deck of a vessel, and his wife screams:  “Stop the boat!  My God!  My husband is drowning!” But no one criticises the woman for her passionate outcry, or bids her keep still.  It was so natural for her to cry out for help.  And when the Church of Jesus Christ becomes thoroughly awake to the worth of a soul and the awful danger to which all out of Christ are exposed, it will be the most natural thing in the world for them to show an undying earnestness in seeking the lost.  Then propriety, and reticence, and restraint, and rules of rhetoric will be thrown