HIS MAGNETIC LIFE

"There was a holy magnetism about Him which drew people unto Him. It is so often written, 'They came unto Him.' They drew near unto Him. Multitudes 'followed Him.' and 'were gathered together' unto Him. Publicans and sinners drew near unto Him to hear Him. The little children felt his magnetism. Mothers instinctively drew near and thrust their little ones into His arms. A strange, sweet attractiveness, a holy magnetism, a heavenly power, a strong drawing power, dwelt in Him. "People would drop business, quit home, travel far, to be near and hear Him. This holy attractiveness was peculiar to Jesus, and just such magnetism, in kind (not in degree), exhales from the believer who is anointed with the Holy Ghost."

It is our purpose in this chapter to demonstrate and illustrate the proposition that all who have truly been partakers of His spirit have emanating from their lives in kind, though not in degree, a Christlike magnetism that convinces and draws men to God. We make the statement without fear of contradiction, if all nominal Christians had imbibed as largely at the fountain of living water as examples herein given, a similar power to influence and bless men would flow from their lives.

Christ in a man's life cannot be hid! He says of His followers, "I am glorified in them." Literally, scholars tell us, "I burst forth in them in glory." The normal condition of their lives is one which continually glorifies God. To illustrate. We were passing through Richmond, Va., en route to Va. camps. A friend said, "You will meet at the Union Depot this morning a sister you never saw before, but you will know her." "Know her," we replied, "How? .... O," said he, "she has peace all over her face." "All right, I'll recognize her if she wears that badge." We had not looked long among the many travelers until we saw a bright, sun-shiny face, beaming with heaven's light and radiant with peace. Hastening to her side, and tipping our hat, we said, "You are sister M____, bound for the camp meeting, are you not?" "Yes," was the prompt reply. Christ in one's life will out.

He saw fully enthroned in her heart, and any one could tell by a look at her radiant, spiritual face she was a child of the King. Everywhere she goes with her beaming face people take knowledge of her that she has been with Jesus, and glorify God for the grace given her.

O, It Was Mother's Way!

Two young girls suddenly gave their hearts to Jesus and applied to their pastor for membership in the church. He interrogated them what led to their conversion. "O," they replied, "It was mother's way; she was always happy and singing. One day, after she had swept the house, the boys came in with mud on their boots and littered the floor with dirt. Mother kept on singing as she again brushed up the dirt. We said, 'Why don't you scold the boys, mother? We believe you would go on singing if we were dying.' 'Yes,' was the response, 'I know I would if I knew you were dying happy and saved.' We could stand it no longer, so, going to our room, we cried out, 'O, God, we must have what mother has,' and now we are converted. It was mother's way that did it." God help the mother who reads these lines to see what her influence on her loved ones might be if she were only in proper touch with God!

I Owe It All To You

In the early days of our Christian life we worked in a rail-road office. By our side sat a large, portly man who was skeptical concerning things religious. The daily routine of his work, eating, drinking, and chewing tobacco constituted about all the pleasure he derived from life. While not universally disliked, his age and personality kept him from being a favorite with the younger men; consequently he was largely left alone to his work, which he thoroughly understood, and to himself. He had but recently moved from a distant town and felt like a stranger in a strange land. Somehow our heart, sympathy, and love always go out to characters who, for any reason, are set at naught by others. We resolved to be kind and courteous to him.

The work piled up high on our desk and he would frequently remark, "You are swamped, snowed under," etc. But God's grace kept us from murmuring or complaining. We were cheerful and replied, "O, there will be some way out; we will get through somehow." So the days came and went until God's call to preach was felt and through prayer the way was opened for us to go to Indiana to school. After a year's absence we returned to Virginia and called on our old friend at the office. As we entered we noticed his face lighted up unusually, and as he reached out his great hand the tears, unbidden, rolled clown his cheeks. Presently he said, with evident emotion, "I am a changed man, and I owe it all to you." We were surprised and asked, "What did we ever do to change you? .... O," he replied, "you sat there by my side and showed me how. You were patient when your work increased and did not murmur, but kept patiently at it without complaint, and I was convinced there is something in it, and I have joined the church and am a changed man and owe it all to you. Your spirit showed me how." Shortly after, the dear man was taken home to heaven, guided there by, through God's enabling grace alone, a manifestation of the Spirit of Christ.

I've Seen It

A brother (newspaper editor), who was stone deaf, arose one morning in service with a wondrously illuminated face. Said he, to the surprise of all, as he had attended but a few times, "I have a pure heart." We asked if he had heard the preaching. "No," he replied, "I haven't heard a word of it. But I've seen it illustrated in my home." The Evangelist's wife, though paying her board, in addition to the care of her baby, had with good spirit pitched in and helped his wife with the house work, singing, as she went about her duties. He observed her, saw it was genuine, went to God in prayer, and said, "O Lord, I want it like the sample I've seen!" Yes, it is holiness that wins, not the mere parrot profession of it. The real life invariably gives influence and creates hunger and makes converts to the grace.

The Psychological Moment

We were in attendance at Conference in the West. A Revival Symposium was on the program, if the reader knows what that is. Each preacher was supposed to tell what he had seen of "Revival Power" under his personal ministry. One after another the brethren arose and told their stories and advanced their opinions. Presently one young man arose and confessed he had never seen much if anything under his own ministry of "Revival Power." (There was a reason.) But he believed there was a "Psychological Moment" at which men could be saved, and it was our duty to be on our watch tower and look out for the psychological moment's approach and then cast the net. (Of course, nothing was said of the souls who would perish in hell while waiting for P. M. to come.) He was quickly followed by a young Evangelist who challenged his fallacious position. He said, "Brethren, I don't know much about the 'psychological moment,' but I have noticed there are some Christians who carry about with them so much of the 'Spirit of Christ' and whose lives are so fragrant with heavenly love and sweetness, and who remind us so much of Jesus that wherever they go, the psychological moment goes with them and the revival is on!

It is said Alfred Cookman was so Christlike in appearance, and from long seasons of communion with his Lord, so imbibed and caught the Spirit of Christ that his very carriage and bearing, as he walked the street, reminded people so much of Jesus they would stop and gaze at him when he was squares away.

The same (in kind) Christly bearing and holy magnetism which abode in Jesus God would put on us. How often it is written, "Men drew near unto Him, and multitudes came together to hear Him." "Mothers instinctively thrust their little ones into His arms." They felt they could trust Him; He was their friend. O, for this holy, Christlike magnetism in all His followers, drawing others to Him! How many are repellent and repulsive, obnoxious, because un-Christlike. The homliest may be magnetic. The Spirit of Christ will make all lowly in heart and companionable. How many Holiness People owe the world and church an apology for so grossly misrepresenting Jesus to them! Max Muller said the Christianity of the twentieth century is "both a misinterpretation and a misrepresentation." It is not the Christianity of Christ and the Apostles. Our impartial observation would apply similar language to much that goes under the name of holiness. "If they have it, we don't want it," is a common expression of opposers, and more's the pity it is often justifiable. When these same ones see the genuine, they recognize it, and go in for it, and get it.

Come Unto Me

It is said a famous sculptor, after working long on a life size statue, in marble, of the Man of Galilee, called his little girl in and asked her whom it represented. She looked a moment and then, with face all aglow, said, "O, I know," and quoted, "Come unto Me all that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Surely, "He could not be hid," and if recognized in marble He would be if we reproduced His character in our lives.

A poor beggar, half starved, was walking the streets of London, peering intently into the faces of the passers-by, studying of whom he could likely ask an alms without rebuff. A lawyer and clergyman, eminent for his Christlikeness, were coming toward him. An instant's look into the lawyer's hard, cruel face convinced him he would get no help there, and, looking up into the Spirit-illuminated face of the servant of God, spontaneously cried out the impression the beaming face had made on his poor heart: "O, Mr. with heaven in your face, give me a penny."

A sister passed us on the street car in Chicago, whose face wore a veritable halo of glory. As she came toward us, we were so sure of the Christ enthroned in her heart reflecting the celestial light on the countenance, we could not refrain from saying as she passed, "Praise the Lord." She recognized the password and replied, "Glory to God," and passed on. We never saw her before or since. Another confirmation of the fact Christ in the life cannot be hid. There are many similar illustrations. For example, the French going to hear Fletcher (the saintly Episcopalian) preach when they could not understand a word. They went to see the glory of God illuminate his face. Or the girl who was converted by a saintly servant of God merely looking at her or "beaming on her face," as she expressed it. Or yet of the woman who said of a company of "full cup" Christians, "Their faces looked as though they were illuminated with electric lights."

We close this chapter with the touching story of Father Ogden, of whom Brother Smith tells. He was a superannuated octogenarian preacher of New York whose declining years beautifully illustrate the Spirit of Christ in action.

His wife sent him to the grocery store, kept by a very profane man, for supplies. He patiently set out and came back with a number of things not sent for and also having forgotten many things ordered. His wife said, "Dear, will you take them back and get what I want?" "Yes, dear, I'm sorry I'm so forgetful." Off he trudges, slowly and patiently, to the store. The storekeeper, on learning his errand, breaks out in a stream of horrible oaths and abuse, reproaching the poor old man for his forgetfulness. Father Ogden waited until he finished, and, lifting his trembling, palsied hand, said fervently: "The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, the Father, and the communion and fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with you ever more. Amen." "What do you mean?" said the now astonished blasphemer. "O," replied Father Ogden, "it has been so long since I had a chance to bless those who curse me, I thought I would not miss my opportunity."

Dear professor, is this the way your experience works when you are under fire? Do you bless those who curse you? Do you return good for evil? Do you pray for those who despitefully use you?