"To All People"; Comprising Sermons, Bible Readings, Temperance Addresses, and Prayer-Meeting Talks, Delivered in the Boston Tabernacle

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1877. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... SUDDEN CONVERSIONS. You hear considerable said nowadays about sudden conversions. There are a great many people that say they don't believe it is possible for a man to be converted all at once; that it is gradual. Now the Christian life, the growth, of course that is gradual: that may be fifty years, in fact if a man is living as he ought to he will be growing all the while, from the time that he was converted till he goes to his grave. But the new birth must be sudden. Now I want to just call your attention to a few conversions in the Bible. In the 5th chapter of Luke, 27th verse, we find how Levi, the publican was converted. And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. That's all there was to it . Just Follow me. He belonged to the Custom House, you see. There he was busy at work, and the Lord called on him to follow. It does not say there was any weeping or crying or praying; he did just what the Lord told him. And he left all, rose up, and 'followed him. '* There is obedience. But he did more than just follow i* Him; he went to work for Him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and others that sat down with them. ). He got all the tax collectors together, got toother all DEGREES that belonged in the Custom House. 'But their Scribes and Pharisees murmured against ut, / SUDDEN CONVERSIONS. 247 his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering, said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. That is all there is about the conversion of Levi or Matthew, who afterwards wro...