Keep Away From Christ


because they are looking for the experience of some dear friend or

relative. They should not judge of their conversion by the

experiences of others. They have heard some one tell how he was

converted twenty years ago, and they expect to be converted in the

same way. Persons should never count upon having an experience

precisely similar to that of some one else of whom they have heard

or read. They must go right to the
ord Himself, and do what He

tells them to do. If He says, "Go to the pool of Siloam and wash,"

then they must go. If He says, "Come just as you are," and promises

to give sight, then they must come, and let Him do His own work in

His own way, just as this blind man did. It was a peculiar way by

which to give a man sight; but it was the Lord's way; and the man's

sight was given him. We might think it was enough to make a man

blind to fill his eyes with clay. True, he was now doubly blind; for

if he had been able to see before, the clay would have deprived him

of his sight. But the Lord wanted to show the people that they were

not only spiritually blind by nature, but that they had also allowed

themselves to be blinded by the clay of this world, which had been

spread over their eyes. But God's ways are not our ways. If He is

going to work, we must let Him act as He pleases.



Shall we dictate to the Almighty? Shall the clay say to the potter,

"Why hast thou made me thus?" Who art thou, O man, that repliest

against God? Let God work in His own way; and when the Holy Ghost

comes, let Him mark out a way for Himself. We must be willing to

submit, and to do what the Lord tells us, without any questioning

whatever.



"He went his way, therefore, and washed, and came seeing. The

neighbors, therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was

blind, said, 'Is not this he that sat and begged?'"



"Some said, 'This is he'; others said, 'He is like him.'"



Now, if he had been like a good many at the present time, I am

afraid he would have remained silent. He would have said:



"Well, now I have got my sight, and I will just keep quiet about it.

It is not necessary for me to confess it. Why should I say anything?

There is a good deal of opposition to this man Jesus Christ. There

are a great many bitter things said in Jerusalem against Him. He has

a great many enemies. I think there will be trouble if I talk about

Him; so I will say nothing."



Some said, "This is he"; others said, "He is like him." But he said,

"I am he." He not only got his eyes opened, but, thank God, he got

his mouth open too!



Surely, the next thing after we get our eyes opened is for us to

open our lips and begin to testify for Him.



The people asked him, "How were thine eyes opened?"



He answered: "A man that is called Jesus made clay and anointed mine

eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam and wash: and I

went and washed, and I received sight."



He told a straightforward story, just what the Lord had done for

him. That is all. That is what a witness ought to do--tell what he

knows, not what he does not know. He did not try to make a long

speech. It is not the most flippant and fluent witness who has the

most influence with a jury.



This man's testimony is what I call "experience." One of the

greatest hindrances to the progress of the Gospel to-day is that the

narration of the experience of the Church is not encouraged. There

are a great many men and women who come into the Church, and we

never hear anything of their experiences, or of the Lord's dealings

with them. If we could, it would be a great help to others. It would

stimulate faith and encourage the more feeble of the flock.



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