Church of Christ Studies

The Conversion Of A Civil Officer 

I am exceedingly grateful, ladies and gentlemen, both to you and to Almighty God for that disposition that characterizes this splendid audience in manifesting its desire to hear proclaimed, not the opinions of men nor fancy's stories that might be related, but the sound, sober, and sane announcement recorded by inspiration. I rejoice that I have been able to present to you the unvarnished truths of the word of God. I believe that I have from time to time before me an audience made up of honest, earnest, sincere, unprejudiced, and unbiased people. I think I can read in your very countenances and expressions that anxiety for the truth which alone can make us free and which only will be worth while when time and timely things shall have passed away.

 

I want to get before you to-night the story of a conversion under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and I want all of you to listen very carefully to the recitation thereof. From the eighth chapter of the book of Acts, commencing with verse 26, I read.

 

But before I give you that reading I want you to see the geography of the places about which I expect to read. There was the city of Jerusalem, which if this table here were to represent it, the town of Samaria, thirty-six miles north, would be just about the center of the gallery; then coming down from Jerusalem in a southwest direction, there was a road down to the seacoast unto the old town of the Philistines by the name of Gaza. After the stoning of Stephen and the persecutions following, the members of the church, save the apostles, "were scattered abroad" and "went everywhere preaching the word.,' Then Philip— not Philip the apostle, but Philip an inspired deacon and an evangelist—governed and guided and directed by the Holy Spirit, went down to the city of Samaria. He there preached Christ unto them, and a number of both men and women were baptized.

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I begin now the story: "And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert." Now, he was very specific about that. There are in the geography and history two towns on the coast by the same name "Gaza." One of them was the old town that had been deserted, and the other was the newer town and the one in which the people then lived. Now, the angel said: "Philip, you arise at Samaria and go down toward the south unto the road that goes down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, that is desert, or deserted." "And he arose and went: and, behold a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: in his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what cloth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believes" with all shine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of Clod And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him And when they were come un out of the water the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing."

 

Most of the revivals of modern times consist, ladies and gentlemen, of the recitation of various cases of conversion that have come under the vision and definite experience of the preacher of the hour. Now, they are told for two purposes—viz., first, that by the recitation of the certain cases sinners may see just how the matter is done; and, second, that by concrete examples sinners will be encouraged to "go thou and do likewise." While I grant you there is a wonderful power in example, I want to say to you that the Lord found that out a long time before the preacher did, because when he went to have the New Testament written he said to the holy spirit: "Let us just take one book itself and devote that particularly unto the reciting of various and sundry cases of conversion." And, out of all the multiplied thousands that were converted by the apostles as they were thus guided, Luke, the writer of the book of Acts, selected quite a number for our example and pattern.

 

As a matter of fact, I think you and I ought to congratulate ourselves in this respect. There are two classes of conversions and two classes of examples from which to make a selection. Now, we can select a modern case of conversion or we can have the privilege of selecting a Bible case. Then it is just a question as to which one we prefer. But be it remembered that those in the Bible practically have passed twice under the supervision and vigilance of the Holy Spirit. At the time they were being enacted the preacher of the occasion was guided by the Spirit of God direct; and, again, when Luke went to write the record and given us the story, the Holy Spirit governed and guided him there. I have no hesitancy in announcing that those in the Bible are genuine, cannot possibly be frauds; and any one in this splendid audience who can say truthfully, as we study this or any other case, that the essential features thereof are identical with his, ought to rejoice and be glad.

 

I want to call your attention to another fact and a precaution God has taken in this important matter of conversion. In the schoolroom we have our textbooks written in the very best possible way, and I recall what I think is a good illustration just here that might help to get the point before us. In some of the rather difficult and complicated matters and problems there is this procedure in, for instance, "Partial Payments." On one page there is a recitation of Chancellor Kent's United States rule for computing the interest in a partial-payment problem—item No. 1, then item No. 2, then item No. 3, and so on down the line just what to do until the end is reached. Then on the other page the author solves a problem for you, gives all the facts unto you, and works it all out. Many a time I have read the rule and, in the words of the schoolboy, "kinder gotten balled up" on it. Now, do you know what I did? I went back and saw how he applied this part of the rule to his problem; and then when I got the problem, I went back and read the rule again. By having both the rule and the example, we can thoroughly master any problem.

 

Now, I want to say to you that the rule of salvation with us is just as simple and just as easy. God gave a plan of salvation as presented last night. We studied the great rule of conversion as laid down by the master Teacher upon the pages of the Bible. And now to-night God proposes to solve a problem by this rule. If any here tonight do not understand the rule, let us go and see how it was applied by inspiration; and if we get somewhat confused in the problem, let us go back and read the rule again. Now, then, I think it but just and right before further proceeding to ask these questions: Who was this man about whose conversion I read? Where did he live? In what condition or state was he? What-was done for him? What was said to him ? What intelligence or obligation was communicated? In the next place, what did he do? And by tracing all the steps carefully it looks to me like we ought to be able to see the plain truth as intended. We cannot afford to be otherwise than strictly honest and earnest about it, because, as I have said before, it is not a trivial matter. I am not taming about frivolous and light affairs. It is no child's play in which we are engaged. I am not simply dealing with the emotions and passions of men, but am trying to address myself unto that part of you that is cool, calm, and deliberate, that recognizes responsibility, and that is accountable to God for not only the deeds of tonight, but of every day; and I am conscious that I must give an account not only for the way I must live and my attitude toward Heaven's truth, but my proclamation of that truth tonight.

 

Well, the Bible is specific along this line. The record says that there was a man of Ethiopia. Now, just what his name was the Bible does not say, but it does tell the position he occupied and the condition of the man. He had charge of the treasury under Queen Candace's government, corresponding, if you please, unto the position of Secretary of the Treasury held by Mr. Mellon in the American government, and which, if offered many people of this good State, would not be turned down with a frown, but most of us would be glad to have the privilege of serving in a capacity like unto that.

 

Now, I mention that, not because of the fact that a treasurer is more appreciated in the sight of heaven than any other man, but because of the fact that sometimes I have heard it said in ridicule that he was only an Ethiopian, just as though that rendered him less favorable in the sight of God.

 

But here is a man occupying a prominent place; whether he be a Jew or a proselyte, I do not know; but be it said to his credit that by his faithfulness and his business ability he had gained the confidence of the queen of one of the richest and most influential countries of the age; and when the time had come for the make-up of the cabinet, for the selection of those men in whom she proposed to trust the wealth of her land, to have charge of all her treasure, this man stood out prominently and received the appointment at her hand.

 

Now, further, the record says that this man had gone to Jerusalem "for to worship." That is why I knew he was either a Jew or a proselyte under the Jewish religion; and I think, just in passing, those of us who claim to be Christians ought to get a lesson here. You figure out how far he would have to go—a distance of about a thousand miles. By what means of transportation ? No locomotives, no cars, no automobiles, no flying through the air—nothing of that sort. The Bible states that he was riding along in his chariot, perhaps at the rate of about three, four, or five miles an hour. But the point I want to make is this: He had his heart set upon worshiping God after the law of Moses and according to the Jewish idea that then prevailed; and he found time he took time—to absent himself from his business so that he could go and worship God according to the light that then shone about him. Let me tell you: The person, ladies and gentlemen, that makes his business first and his religion second, I have an idea, is just about as near heaven as he will be when Gabriel sounds the last trumpet. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness."

 

I sometimes get ashamed, therefore, if perchance I happen to miss the meeting of the saints on the first day of the week and put up some kind of a trivial, shameful, and ungodly plea to let it pose as an excuse for not attending to the obligation binding upon me.

 

Here is a man whose business in every way is more weighty than ours and upon whom more responsibility rests than perhaps any man in the city of Nashville; and yet, notwithstanding the fact that he had charge of the treasury department, his convictions toward duty and toward God came first. I want to say to you that wherever there is a man of that sort that is honest and in earnest and interested in his soul's salvation, you can just put it down that the hand of the Lord it not far from him, and a way will be provided in the providence of God for that man to be translated out of the darkness into the marvelous light of the Son of God.

 

Well, now what? This man had been to Jerusalem "for to worship," and was returning. I have indicated to you that God was interested in the conversion of a man of that sort, and I know this is true because of the feet that God moved toward that very aim, and you note the process. God sent from heaven one whose business it was to minister unto those who shall be heirs of salvation. But he did not send the angel unto this man that was to be converted, but, thirty-six miles away, God sent the angel down to the city of Samaria; and the angel appeared unto Philip, a preacher, an earthen vessel, to whom had been committed the terms of reconciliation, and the angel said unto Philip: "Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert."

 

Now, I presume Philip had to leave Samaria before the officer left Jerusalem; but to show you the accuracy of Heaven's calculations, just as Philip came to the very road in which the officer was traveling, there was the chariot before him. And as Philip thus approached the road, he had done all the Lord told him to do. He just simply stood there and heard this man read from the prophet Isaiah. Then what? Why, the Holy Spirit wants this man converted because there never was a conversion under the reign of Christ Jesus our Lord but that it was begun and carried on and consummated as a result of the Holy Spirit's working to bring about the end in view. \ So the Spirit has a part in this; but I call particular attention to the fact that instead of the Holy Spirit's coming to the man to be converted, like the angel, the Holy Spirit went to the preacher. How unlike these modern days! God's angel and God's Spirit working for the salvation of an honest man; and yet instead of going to him, both the angel and the Spirit go unto the preacher and both of them give this kind of suggestion "hereunto: "Go near, and join thyself to this chariot." And Philip ran thereafter, and heard the man reading. That throws a little further light upon the matter. That man was reading aloud, because the Bible said that Philip heard him.

 

I am sure that he had learned what a great many of us have learned in our time that you can better center your attention upon a printed page by reading aloud than you can in silence.

 

But there is another statement also. In passing up and down the country on the public thoroughfares and round about, it is not uncommon for us to find people reading. I never think anything about that. But what are they reading? Some of our splendid secular papers. The good ladies on the journey are reading, perhaps, a magazine or various articles, and we think nothing about it. There are some of you who have lived here in Davidson County quite a while. Have you ever seen a man riding along some of your splendid roads reading from the word of God? You never saw that. It is a little embarrassing to get on the train and begin to read the Bible. It is such an unusual thing that all the eyes are staring and some one will say: "You must be a preacher." Why? Because it is not common to see folks reading the Bible. If you were to open up a paper on the sport page and begin reading about Babe Ruth's home runs, that would be all right; but if you read about Isaiah, the prophet, that is a different thing.

 

Here this man had not learned modern affairs, and he did not know any better, and did not have any better judgment than to be interested in his soul's salvation, and the strange part of it is that he was reading the Bible.

 

Well, I have often thought about how Philip introduced himself to him. He just simply followed after him, and said: "Sir, do you understand what you are reading ?" Now, think of that just a moment. If I were sitting in the hotel reading an article and a rank stranger came up to me and said, "Sir, do you understand what you are reading?" don't you think that I would take it as a little offense? And I would say: "Certainly I do. Do you mean to insult me by imagining I would be reading something I don't understand?" Now, I do not know why Philip "butted" in that way. He cut loose from all formality. He did not say, "Excuse me, please I" or, "I beg your pardon ;" or any of the little courtesies we have now; but he just said: "Sir do you understand what you are reading?" It may be that he could tell from the tone of the man's voice and the expression on his face that he was troubled. Time and time again I have been able, I think, to detect that. I have seen students down over their books delving and doing their very best, and I would not hesitate to say this to them: "Do you understand what you are reading?" How did I see that they did not understand? By some kind of an expression they had. The very way they bowed over it was indicative of the idea that they were puzzled, bothered. "Do you understand it?"

 

This man, without taking the least offense, said: "How can I, except some man should guide me?" And he just slipped over and said: "Philip, I want you to sit with me." He perhaps thought from the countenance that was presented by Philip he might secure aid. "Maybe you can help me, and I want help, I want light, and I want the truth, regardless of the source from which it comes."

 

Now, Philip got up into the chariot and started in on the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah as now marked off in our English Bible. The passage is as follows: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: in his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth." And he said: "Sir, of whom does the prophet thus speak? Was Isaiah talking about himself or of some other man?"

 

Now, do you want to reflect upon that treasurer's intelligence by saying: "Certainly he ought to have known to whom that refers?" I submit to you to-night that but for the fact that we have the revelation of Christ Jesus our Lord, there is not a man in this audience but that would be in the same condition as was that officer.

 

Let me say in all kindness and with absolute respect (hear it): There is not an unbelieving Jew on the face of the earth to-night that can explain Isa. 53.

 

"Philip preached unto him Jesus." I wonder what that means. What is implied in preaching Jesus unto the officer? If I were to preach unto you to-night some other man, I think I would begin after this fashion—to make a concrete example of it, let me say this: If I were to preach to you of some splendid, great, good man, like John Wesley, whose memory I respect and whose work I appreciate to the fullest, I would give a review of his career and teaching and influence. I regard him as one of the great men of his age; and if I were to tell you and to preach unto you John Wesley, I would go back unto his old grandfather, Bartholomew Wesley, who was born about 1600. I would tell you something of his ancestry and of the line from which he came. I would tell you still further of his father, Samuel Wesley, whose determination and persistency should encourage every boy, and of his mother, Susannah, who guided her children in honorable PATHS. I would tell you about his purpose and the desire that he had to reform and to revive the church that was characterized by the cold, formal sort of religion that then prevailed. I would tell you how, in company with three others, he started a society that by and by spread in prominence and influence until at last the result swept across the Atlantic and aroused the land of America, especially the land of Dixie, from the center thereof to the outermost parts. I would tell you of the wonderful influence of John Wesley, of the life that he lived and the death that he died in 1791, and of his last statements. If I had done that correctly, I would feel like I had preached unto you John Wesley.

 

Now, my friends, how would Philip preach Jesus unto that man? I have no doubt in the least but that he went way back in the line and began in the ancestry of our Savior to show how he came according to the prophetic declarations—how that by and by he was born of the Virgin Mary in a stable and cradled in a manger; how, to evade the edict of old Herod, his father and mother took their flight into the land of Egypt, and there stayed until Herod had died; and how at last they came to dwell in Nazareth. I would tell you how he came from Galilee, skipping over the hills and across the plains, until he came to the rolling waters of the river Jordan unto John, his forerunner, and demanded to be baptized; and when John forbade him, Christ said: "Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." My friends, if the Savior thought that to be baptized was becoming in him, what right have you or I to think or fancy that it is unbecoming in us?

 

"Then he [John] suffered him."

 

In telling that story further, I would tell you that Jesus, when he was baptized, came up out of the water, the heavens opened, and God's Spirit descended in the form of a dove alighted upon him, and a voice from the eternal worlds said: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

 

In further telling about that wonderful life, I would tell how he was taken into yonder mountain height, where he wrestled with the archfiend of humanity, and at last wrested the power of authority and caused the angels looking out over the battlements of heaven to rejoice because of the victory won.

 

I would tell of his wonderful deeds, of the miracles wrought by him—how he called about him a few of the humble fishermen and illiterates of earth and schooled them for about three years, and at last, when the greatest opposition had been aroused, false witnesses were brought one after another; how his enemies carried him from court to court until they stood in the presence of old Pontius Pilate, the governor, who, after three different trials, rendered a verdict of "not guilty." But that bloodthirsty crowd was hell-bent upon setting aside that judgment passed in his favor while he stood humiliated. O. don't get it into your mind that Christ lost his balance! It doesn't mean that Christ's reasoning powers fled away, but that that judgment that Pontius Pilate declared in his favor was taken away, and in its stead there was the judgment of the multitude substituted in that they said: "Away with him! He is not fit to live upon earth."

 

I would tell you still further, as perhaps Philip did in riding along that day, how he was buried in a borrowed tomb; but by the power of God Almighty he burst the bars and came forth triumphant, and then led the disciples out and said unto them: "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." "Preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." "Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."

 

The Bible says that when Philip preached unto him Jesus, as they went along on their way, they came to a certain water, and the officer said: "See, here is water; what cloth hinder me to be baptized ?" I want to ask you, my friends, how came the man to think of asking a question like that? He had never heard a gospel sermon in all of his life. He had never heard of the Savior nor of his commandments until this occasion. How did he come to ask: "What cloth hinder me to be baptized?" There is but one sensible answer, and that is this: He had heard Philip preach unto him Jesus.

 

Sometimes there are friends of mine that tell me they like to hear me speak, and often suggest to me: "Brother Hardeman, why don't you go out into the world and just preach Christ and say nothing about baptism—just hold up the Christ idea, preach Christ, and leave the other out?" Well, do you know that as much as I would like to do the will of my friends, I would be wonderfully handicapped by trying to heed a suggestion like that? Why, I could not even get Christ introduced into the world, because the very first announcement regarding his public career was that he was baptized at the hands of John. I would have to leave off the beginning place. And then, further, if I were to just simply preach Christ and leave out baptism, I could not tell you his valedictory unto the apostles, because the last thing that he ever said was: "Go, . . . teach all nations, baptizing them." I would have to cut short the story at both ends of the line.

 

Let me tell you in all candor, in all frankness, in the presence of God Almighty, before whom I must stand at the judgment day, the man that preaches Christ and leaves out baptism preaches a gospel other than that recorded in the New Testament. Talk about preaching Christ and leaving out baptism! Impossible thus to do. Talk about preaching Christ and leaving out faith! It is a mutilated gospel if you do that, and you are untrue unto the authority of God. Talk about believing the gospel and preaching Christ and never saying anything about baptism! "I would be ashamed to be afraid and afraid to be ashamed" not to tell the whole story—not to declare God's entire counsel.

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But as they went on their way the demand was made: "What doth hinder me to be baptized?" Philip said: "If thou believes" with all shine heart, thou mayest." Get the response. That man said: "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." Having so done, he commanded the chariot to stand still. The Bible said (mark it): "And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him."

 

My friends, we have an example to-night given by inspiration. Does it correspond with your conversion ? Was Jesus Christ proclaimed ? You say: "Yes." When you were converted, did you believe on the Lord ? You answer: "Yes." When you were converted, did both you and the preacher go down into the water? If not, you just put it down that your case was unlike this one; but if you did that, you can put your finger upon this passage in God's word and say: "This is exactly like I did."

 

But, again. Going down into the water is not baptism; that is getting ready for it. Coming up out of the water is not baptism; that is the return therefrom. But after they went down into the water and before they came up out of the water, there was an act that transpired that God calls "baptism." "We are buried with him in baptism." Then what? They came up out of the water; the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more, and he went on his way rejoicing.

 

Now I am ready to make to this splendid audience tonight this statement, and I do so conscious of the fact that Nashville represents the intelligence of our State, that you have the most enlightened citizenship, possibly, along Bible lines, of most of our cities in this land; but I am ready to make this statement (hear it): Under the commission of the Lord Jesus Christ no man ever rejoiced on account of sins forgiven until after he was baptized. Find it and get busy in the search. I repeat it After Christ Jesus gave the commission, until the book of Revelation was written, there is not a single case on record where any man ever rejoiced on account of sins forgiven until after he was baptized. Now, my friends, this is either so or it is not so; and (hear it) if you will show me that it is not true, I will make public acknowledgment of my mistake before an audience five time this big, if you will get it together; but I will be here a week or so longer, and I am not the least bit uneasy about anybody's finding the man. It is not there--absolutely not.

 

But let us view this from another angle. As this eunuch went on his way rejoicing, suppose you had met him down the road; and there he was, with his face aglow, with the sunbeam of hope radiant in his every expression and in his very countenance, and you say: "Why, sir, what on earth seems to be the matter ?" Possibly he hadn't changed clothes, and the inquirer looks up and says: "Why, it has not been raining, has it?" "No." "Well, did you fall in the creek ?" "No." "Well, sir, explain yourself. Tell what has happened. I want to know."

 

Now, where would this officer begin to tell his experience? Would he commence by telling about the angel? O. no! The angel had a hand in his conversion, but the man knew nothing about it. Would he commence by telling him about the Spirit? The Spirit had a prominent part in the man's conversion, but he would not begin there. If I may repeat the story, it would be like unto this: He would commence in explanation and say: "I live in Ethiopia. I had been up to Jerusalem for to worship, not knowing that the system of Judaism had passed away and Christianity had been inaugurated. And as I was returning, reading along in the Bible, presently I met a man who asked me if I understood what I was reading. I told him I did not, and asked him to get up and sit with me, and he did so; and he commenced right at the very passage where I was reading, and he preached unto me Jesus. He preached and I listened. As we drove on down the road, we came unto a certain water, and I said: 'See, here is water; what cloth hinder me to be baptized?' And that man said if I believed with all my heart I could, and I told him that I believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God; and he commanded the chariot to stand still, and both of us, both the preacher and I, went down into the water, and there he baptized me; and we came up out of the water, and he went somewhere, I don't know where; and I am on my way home, just as happy as can be." Now, do you think that I have misrepresented that eunuch's experience?

 

I am glad to say to you tonight, ladies and gentlemen, that in every essential feature thereof that corresponds unto that conversion upon which my hopes are founded. I heard the gospel, I believed it, I repented of all my sins "hitherto committed, I acknowledged the Christ in the same terms as he did, and then Brother R. P. Meeks and I went down into the water, both of us, and he baptized me. We came up out of the water, and I rejoiced because of the faith that I had in God, who said: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." I had done that. I believed God's statement.

 

And as that man went on his way, it is interesting to mention a thought or two further just by way of suggestion. What was he? Yonder he goes down toward his home in Ethiopia. What is he? Of what church was he a member? I bid you think on these things.

 

Now, there is another feature to which I want to call your attention. Had he been like some of us, he would doubtless have said: "Well, Philip, I must say that that is a good sermon. I never heard anything like it in my life. It looks like it has sense in it; I am impressed with it; and I will tell you. I live down in Ethiopia, and next year I will be back up to Jerusalem, and I am going to think about this; and if I happen to see any of your sort, I may accept that preaching." O. my friends, that is not the kind of a man he was!

 

The man that is God-approved, that is not far from the hand that bestows the blessing, is the man that responds to his duty when he is convinced of its correctness. He never even stopped to think about what the folks back home would say. It is now. Now is the accepted time. I see the truth. What cloth hinder me from walking therein?

 

I come to you tonight, ladies and gentlemen, once more with this concrete illustration, taken from the pages of God's word. I want to ask that you duplicate that man's conversion in your own experience. Believe the gospel with all your heart. From all your sins be resolved to turn away. Confess the Christ as he did, and go down into the water, and there be buried as he was, arising to walk in newness of life, and be assured that God has forgiven your sins. If you will do that, it will make of you nothing under heaven except a Christian; that is all. It will make of you nothing in the world except a member of the body of Jesus Christ, the church of the living God.

 

It is a pleasure to extend unto you who have listened so patiently and so earnestly the gospel call again.

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