The other day a lady was handed a tract in a public place. Although the daughter of a minister she said she did not approve of using advertising methods in religion. The excuse was that it cheapened the message.

We reminded her kindly that this was the only way in which some persons might be reached. Surely we may rejoice that countless numbers are saved in this way, by the Word of Life.

A sister living near Manchester, England, desiring to serve the Lord, but somewhat timid, would drop tracts from her carriage. Some time after a man testified that he had picked up one of these tracts and, carrying it to Australia, had there been saved through it. Now on his return he bore witness to the saving power of the blood of Christ, to whom this tract had introduced him. "Be not weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not."

Some folks object to what they call "parading your religion." But the people who "parade religion" are not the ones who give out tracts-a work too humble for the proud. Prayerful tract distribution is displaying Christ. Tread softly here. It rescues the perishing. J. Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, which now has a thousand missionaries in China, was led to Christ through a tract.

Indeed, one of God's names in Holy Scripture is Jehovah-Nissi, which means, "The Lord my Banner." And banners are meant to be displayed. So Christ must be displayed before the world in the lives and words of Christians (Exod. 17:15). The famous preacher Murray McCheyne made tract distribution part of his regular work. Wesley, Spurgeon, Wycliffe, Whitefield, Mueller and Pierson employed tracts extensively. A tract leads a man to think of his Saviour, and gives Christians occasion to "show their colors." Christ is our Light. Let us then not hide our Light under a bushel-of business, of pleasure, or any other thing.

The hem of the robe of Aaron, the high priest, carried bells of pure gold between pomegranates worked in purple, scarlet and twined linen,-"a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, round about the hem of the robe to minister in, as the Lord commanded Moses" (Exodus 39:26). The bells speak of audible or spoken testimony, while the pomegranates speak of a holy life, the fruit of the Spirit of God, as the witness of life-works to the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ. This does not mean the "good works," religious or otherwise, of the unconverted, for these are called "dead works," and they issue only in death.

In view of these considerations may no Christian be misled as to the true source of all suggestions against the spread of gospel truth in any form. Paul rejoiced that Christ was preached in every way. All contrary suggestions are inspired by Satan. But good tracts silence false doctrines. May our trumpets of testimony have no uncertain sound.
That class of unbelievers called Modernists have no powerful convictions, and put out few tracts. But Christian Scientists, Spiritists, Seventh-Day Adventists, Millennial Dawnists, and other cults which seek to pervert God's truth, spread their false doctrines by the lavish distribution of literature. The recently formed "Society for the Propagation of Atheism" aims to kill the very idea of God in the minds of men by millions of its blighting tracts. These are the tares sown among the wheat. "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light" (Eph. 5:14).

Then let us who walk by faith, in grace, not disobey God's plain command today:"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season." Why does Satan seek to make this work seem unimportant to some? Just because the Word of God is the seed, which, when planted in good ground, bringeth forth some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred fold (Mark 4:20). May we not each ask ourselves, What fruit is there to show that I am good ground?

Remember how the Lord Jesus promised that he who gives a cup of cold water in His name shall not lose his reward. Now the Word of God in the tract you give is the water of life. Will you hold it back from the thirst-dying sinner? Tracts lead sinners to gospel meetings or into conversation about Christ. They comfort the sick and dying. They also refresh the giver.

We are commanded to begin our witness "At Jerusalem," that is, where we are. A good way is, as the Lord brings appropriate tracts to your notice, to get quantities to distribute.

And you who engage in the blessed work of giving out tracts, be not disheartened by scoffs and sneers. Remember whose ye are and whom ye serve. "Ye serve the Lord Christ"-God manifest in the flesh, the brightness of His glory, the express image of His Person-seated today at the right hand of the Majesty on high, whence He is coming again for His own, and His rewards will be with Him (Col. 3:24). Be prayerful, be courteous, and tactful, patient and faithful, "sorrowful yet always rejoicing." Give tracts on street-cars, trains, in stations, hospitals, on street corners, in cemeteries, at schools, in churches, and from house to house. Enclose tracts in letters, give them to the waiter, the cashier, the butcher, the grocer, the milkman, and along with the sandwich to the beggar.
"Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters." "Therefore …. be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Cor. 15:58). What monstrous dearth and perversion of the Word of God exist today, and yet-"He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him" (Ps. 126:6). Indeed, may we not take warning here? "He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully (2 Cor. 9:6).

"There is the classic instance of a tract being handed to Richard Baxter, which was the means of his conversion. Baxter wrote the 'Saint's Eternal Rest,' which quickened Philip Doddridge to seek after his soul's salvation. Doddridge wrote the "Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul,' by means of which Win. Wilberforce was converted. Wilberforce in turn wrote a book, 'Practical Christianity,' which fell into the hands of Thomas Chalmers, who was the founder of the Free Church of Scotland."

And should this fall into the hands of one who does not know Christ, oh, what a wealth of love and mercy awaits your surrender of yourself to Him! Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things prepared for them that love Him (1 Cor. 2:9).

But the grace and mercy of God can mean nothing to you unless you accept Christ. God's government of the universe will stand, and every enemy, every rebel, every negligent or careless one, wicked in rejection of His Son, must come to ruin.

The Wages of Sin

"Stand in awe, and sin not." "The wages of sin is death." And what is that dying? In the death-bed scene of a sinner, God lets us view the awful guilt and ill-desert of sin. His real dying is but the opposite of eternal life-the opposite of joy and peace with Christ forever- an unending death agony-through the days, the years, the ages. Why? He would not come to Christ, and where Christ is not there is Hell. Eternal death is eternal existence without God.

Yet some sinner says, "Give me my wages. I'll not be indebted to Christ." God will pay the sinner's wages in full. But hold! God has offered a remedy-and pardon, and peace-grace to a bankrupt, who has nothing to pay. The precious blood of Christ flowed for you. In agony yet tenderness He looked down from the cross, "Father, forgive them." Sinner, will you not accept Christ, and forgiveness as from His pierced hands?

He will make of you a new creature-new joy, new thoughts, aims, desires, ambitions, with power over yourself, and sin, and Satan, and habit, through Him in this life and afterwards life eternal with Him. One condition, and it is all yours:Believe God's Word by accepting Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).

Things are not going on forever as now. Your body will be lying cold and dead. Pleasures gone forever! Where will be your undying soul? Believe God's word by accepting Christ (Heb. 9:27). R. Carroll