“An excuse is made by many Christians, which I conceive will not bear the scrutiny of the judgment day: they say they have not the talents for addressing the impenitent and conversing with them on the subject of religion. But are the simple truths of the Gospel so dark, that only the learned can understand them? Are the words, ‘He that believeth shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned,’ so obscure, that we cannot properly impress them upon others? Is the road to perdition so plainly described in the Bible, and can we raise no warning voice to the throngs who travel it? Are the happiness of the righteous and the everlasting torments of the impenitent so clearly described, and can we see friends around us crowding their way to despair, with our lips closed in perpetual silence? The truth is, our faith in eternal realities is weak, and our sense of duty faint, while we thus neglect the salvation of our fellow-beings. Let us awake to duty; and while we have a tongue or pen, devote them to the service of the Most High, not in our own strength, but with strong faith and confidence in him.”

Over a decade ago I came across a wonderful biography of a godly man that lived during the Second Great Awakening. Harlan Page (1791-1834) was a carpenter who worked on houses (they called them “house joiners” then) who devoted himself to witnessing to the lost around him and encouraging Christians to live faithful, godly lives. What I appreciate about Page is his tenacity, discipline, and fervor. The previous paragraph was from his biography, Memoir of Harlan Page, or, The Power of Prayer and Personal Effort for the Souls of Individuals.