Influence, on Others, of Personal Conviction
A man’s belief of what he proclaims goes far to make it believed by others. So long as he himself has any doubt on the subject he is not likely to convince those who are in doubt This is true in every sphere of life. If a man sees his neighbor’s house on fire, in the dead of night, his wild, ringing shriek of “Fire! Fire! Fire! Turn out! Turn out! Your house is afire!” sounds out on the midnight air with a force that is itself convincing. All who hear it know that the one who utters it feels its truth, and wants others to feel it
How different it would be if a man should knock timidly at the house door, and say gently that he had reason to think that a fire was kindling in the vicinity, and that he thought it would be well to look 177 liMpiMial VHocli
into the matter. How could he expect dull sleepers to be aroused on such a call? If his knowledge did not stir him more than this, how could he expect those yet asleep to be aroused from their torpor by him?
Peculiarly is this the case with one who sounds a call to stir a sluggish soul to ac* tion, in view of truth that he deems precious and all-important, but which the other is not very anxious about or fully convinced oC Any show of doubt, or indecision, on the part of God’s herald, is calculated to shake the confidence of the hearer of the message. This has been found to be the case by every gospel preacher, or winner of single souls, in any sphere. Every show of earnestness, or evidence of intense conviction, on the part of those who stand for Christ, gves added weight to each word of the message from the Captain of our Salvation. Hearty Governor Andrew, of Massachusetts, said of Abraham Lincoln, when he had assumed the presidency, “I’m 178
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glad we’ve got a man who believes something.” If a man would have another believe something, he must believe something himself.
An earnest young clergyman in New England, whom I know well, began his ministry in a parish where his predecessor had lacked strong conviction, and had encouraged, if not cultivated, doubts. The new clergyman’s beliefs were startling to his congregation. One Sunday, after the service, a bright young man came up to the minister, and said:
“* I don’t believe what you are preaching, and I want to discuss your beliefs with you.”
‘’Well, my friend, there’s no use in our doing that I am convinced, and you don’t want to be. I am set here to preach the truth that I believe, whether my hearers believe it or not”
Weeks went on. The minister saw his young friend, Sunday after Sunday, in the gallery. One Sunday the minister invited 179 all who wanted to converse with him on the matter of personal religion to come to his study on Monday evening. That evening this young man appeared. G>ming up to the pastor’s study table, where the pastor sat, he said:
“I am here to-night, not lor argument, but for counsel I’ve watched you and have heard you for weeks. I know that you have got something that I haven’t Now I want you to tell me how I can get your crucified Christ”
The preacher was ready to help that seeker. And another soul was won to Christ through the counsel of a believer who had convictions.
It is the same with a Christian preacher as it is with a Christian layman in work for Christ The truth in each case is the same, and the power of a conviction is felt alike by the hearer, whoever is the declarer of the truth. One who was widely known as faithful in good words ahd good works in 18o
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Eastern Massachusetts told me of his experience in this line. He was accustomed to ride out from Boston daily to and from a suburban town. One who was frequently his seatmate was a man prominent as an unbeliever, and who edited a free-thinking periodical. Again and again this man endeavored to draw my friend into discussion on the subject of religion, but without succeeding in so doing. One day my friend openly met the matter in this way:
‘^I do not want to have a discussion with you on the subject of religion. I’m no match for you in argument You’d get the better of me every time. But, apart from that, one thing I know, that the Lord Jesus Christ is my Saviour, and I trust him all the time. This is the comfort of my life, and I wish you had the same comfort”
At this his pertinacious seat-mate brought his hand down sharply on my friend’s knee, and said heartily:
“There you’ve got me, my friend I’ve nothing to offer against that” 18i
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My friend’s conviction was his best and his resistless aiument ‘’I know whom I have believed” will convince another if ansthing will. No method of discussion will take its place with any hearen
An experience of my onm in the modern Athens emphasized this truth. I was in an office where I occasionally had business, and, as I was talking with the proprietor, I said, as he asked my opinion in a matter of principle:
“The Bible says so and so.”
‘’What Bible?*’ he inquired sharply, almost defiantly.
“The Bible,” I replied to this question, quietiy but firmly.
“Muhammadans have one Bible. Booddhists have another Bible. Jews have another Bible. Chinese have another Bible. Which Bible do you mean?” he responded
“The Bible,” was my response.
‘’Well, I suppose I know what yrou
mean.”
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That was a point gained to start with. He admitted that “The Bible” was not to be put on a plane with the others, so that he was really in no doubt on the subject
“But,” he added, “I don’t agree with you as to the value of the Bible.”
‘’I’m sorry,” I replied
“You think, I suppose,” he went on to say, ‘’that the Bibb is God’s word”
“Of course I do.**
“Well, won’t you try to prove to metha it is so?”
“No, indeed”
“Wouldn’t you like to have mc believe the Bible?”
“Of course I should”
“Well, then, why not try to convince me?”
“If God has Med in this, with all that he has done for you in a third of a century, I don’t propose to set my little hazel-nut brain at the task at this late day.”
“Why, then, won’t you prove to me that God is what you believe him to be?” 183
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The subject is too sacred for ordinary discussion. I wouldn’t consent to discuss with you the question whether my mother was really my mother; yet God is dearer to me than is my mother or my fiither.”
At this I left the office widiout further comment A few weeks later I was there again. He said:
“I understand, Mr. Trumbull, how you feel about the Bible; so I won’t ask you to discuss it But have you any objection to telling me what you understand the Bible to teach on certain points?”
“Not in the slightest,” I replied.
Then the way was open for a frank, free, and reverent conference over the teachings of the Bible; and the man who had been a scoffer was ready to be told the truth as to Bible teachings by one who had no doubts on the subject, and who therefore commanded confidence. Several suchxonferences as this seemed to bring this man into a different attitude toward the Bible and Xs teachings. After a longer absence
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than usual from Boston, when I was once more in the ofSce of this man, he said to me:
“Mr. Trumbull, will you tell me just where is your home?”
As I told him, he said:
“I’ve been very sick. I thought I was going to die, and I wanted to send for you.”
Then, as if to show that he had not wholly abandoned his disbelief, he added:
“Not that I was really troubled about myself or my beliefs, but you seem so confident in your beliefs, that, if I was going to die, I wanted you to talk with me.”
The way was then open for a free talk about Christ and his salvation, which I tried to improve for that needy souL “For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.” We surely ought to be confident in our beliefs, and impress others by this confidence, as we seek to win them to their Saviour and outs. We have every advantage, and we 185
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should show this in our loving labor for souls.
Intense conviction, showing itself in intense personality, marks the difference between an ordinary leader, or counselor, and an exceptional one. It was not the number of his soldiers, but his power to use every man as if he were ten men, or a hundred, that made Napoleon, or Phil Sheridan, the general that he was. Surely he who has Christ back of him in his every word and his every deed, ought to fed that he is wielding the power of the Almighty when he acts or speaks for his Saviour in that Saviour’s work.