Prayer Meeting at the Schoolhouse

Along in the fall of the year, as Robert was breaking ground for wheat, he got an invitation to attend a neighborhood prayer meeting.

“Good evening, neighbor,” said a voice, “don’t you want to go to our prayer meeting next Wednesday night?”

Robert looked up from his work and saw it was old Peter Newby.

“Why, yes, I guess so. Sure,” said Robert. “What kind of a prayer meeting is it?”

“We have a good one,” said Peter, “come and see.”

“All right, we’ll come,” said Robert.

This prayer meeting was held at Fairmount School, a fine schoolhouse situated on the brow of a lilac-covered hill. At the bottom of this hill one of the finest and largest springs in the country gushed forth. It was, as stated, ostensibly a neighborhood prayer meeting, but Peter Newby just about dominated it, and was carrying it on just about to suit himself. The method pursued was to read a chapter, and follow with a free-for-all exposition of it. Everybody had a chance to speak and expound the texts, whether he knew anything about them or not. Some queer theories were advanced in these discussions, which we have neither time nor inclination to speak of now.

Robert Davis and Mary began to attend this prayer exposition meeting as soon as they could. The Book of Romans was being read and studied at this time, and chapter 5 was up for discussion. After the reading of the chapter, Peter Newby, as usual, was on his feet ready to tell the class all about it. He noticed Robert and Mary and, knowing that they were strangers, he put on his most condescending and insinuating air. Raising himself to his full height, and giving his grizzled head just the right angle for incisive speech, he said:

“What is the apostle Paul writing about? Now, if you want to understand what any given text means, you must know three things, my friends. First you must know who was writing; second, you must know to whom he was writing; and third, you must know what he was writing about.” And then he cocked his head at a different angle, and shot glances around to see how his profound statement was being received. He looked especially at Robert and Mary, and some of the others glanced first at them and then at Peter, to see if there was a prospect of striking fire.

Giving his head a backward jerk, Peter continued: “The apostle Paul was the writer of this epistle, and he was writing to the Romans. They were a Gentile church in Rome, and Paul was writing about how Christians were to live. Now, see here friends, we are all sinners, every one of us, sinners saved by grace. Paul said in one place that he was the chief of sinners. I am a sinner, but I thank God through Jesus Christ the Lord, that Christ died for us, and some day I expect to land in the glory world. I know there are some who say that they can’t sin, but I am sure I sin and they do, too. No one can live without sin in this low land of sorrow.” And Peter again poised his head at a quizzical angle, and glanced around to see how his talk was being taken. He paused a moment, and, before he knew it, Robert was on his feet.

“I beg to differ with the brother who has just spoken about this matter of committing sin. Paul says, in the twentieth verse of this chapter, “But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound,”* (Romans 5:20) and in verse 17, “For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.”* (Romans 5:17) And the very first verse says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”* (Romans 5:1) It is true that “all have sinned,”* (Romans 5:12) as verse 12 says, but Jesus came to save us from our sins. Did you never read Matthew 1:21, “And thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins”? Through Adam’s sin we all became sinners, Paul says, but through Christ “shall many be made righteous.”* (Romans 5:19) Through Adam we died in sin, through Christ we died to sin and live unto righteousness. This chapter teaches very plainly that Jesus came to bring grace sufficient to save us from our sins.” And Robert sat down.

Peter Newby had been standing all this time. He looked at Robert very quizzically. Here was a new type of opponent, one who spoke with the utmost frankness and confidence, and yet without the least taint of braggadocio. But Peter never had been beaten in debate or argument; so he returned to the discussion with great vim and determination.

“What does this young upstart know about the Scriptures? Why, I have been a student of the Scriptures for fifty long years, many years before this young man was born. I have heard many great preachers in my time, and they all said that man was born unto sin as the sparks are to fly upward. ‘He that saith he liveth and sinneth not is a liar, and the truth is not in him.’ This is what the Scriptures say. And I have read where Solomon said that “there is no man that sinneth not,”* (1 Kings 8:46) and did not John say, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”? Yes, he said that in 1 John 1:8. Ah, young man, you have much to learn yet about the Scriptures. As long as we are in this old sinful flesh we will commit sin.” And Peter sat down, with an air of triumph.

Robert Davis arose immediately. Everybody present was on the tiptoe of expectation. What would his reply be? They had not long to wait.

Turning directly to Peter Newby, he asked him a pointblank question: “Sir, how much sin is there in this stove?” pointing to the stove in the corner.

“None, I suppose,” answered Peter, rather feebly, as if he feared a trap were being laid for him.

“How much sin is there in the wood or stone of this house?” Robert asked Peter next.

“None, I suppose,” he replied.

“Well, then,” asked Robert, “how much sin will there be in this old body when it is dead?”

“I suppose there will be none,” Peter replied in a tone that registered defeat.

“Well, then, will you make death the salvation from sin? You say that as long as we are in what you call the ‘old sinful flesh’ we must commit sin, and yet you admit, as you must, that there will be no sin in the body when it is dead. Where, then, does sin reside? Jesus answers this question once for all in Matthew 15:19-20: ‘For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, fa1se witness, blasphemies.’ It is the heart that sins; ‘the soul that sinneth, it shall die,’* (Ezekiel 18:4) says the prophet Ezekiel. The body will die and return to dust from whence it came, but these immortal souls of ours will live on eternally. It is the soul that sins. When in our intentions we purpose to sin, we are guilty of sin before God. He that searches the heart, who looks not as man looks, who sees the secret motive, he knows when the will consents to do evil. Not a theft was ever committed, except that there was a will to steal; not an act of dishonesty, except that there was a will to deceive; not a lie was ever uttered, except there was a will to lie. It is our souls that must be saved. ‘Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.’* (1 Peter 1:9)

“Our text says, ‘Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’* (Romans 5:1) I wish to publicly thank God for this peace in my soul. Jesus saves me from my sins. I know that the verse, John 1:8, is a stumbling-block to many, yet it is simple when understood. John was stating fundamental propositions. He began by saying that, ‘if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.’* (1 John 1:7) Then, as if turning back to state the basis, or antecedent of his remarks, he said, ‘If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.’* (1 John 1:8) In other words, there was sin to be cleansed from the hearts of sinners, and to declare there was no sin to be cleansed from, was only to deceive themselves. The same arrangement follows in verses 9 and 10, where the truth is first stated that ‘if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,’* (1 John 1:9) and then John stated the basis or antecedent of forgiveness, which is the fact that all have sinned.”

“Yes, yes, you can explain all you wish, young man, but you cannot get around those other texts I quoted. ‘He that saith he liveth and sinneth not is a liar and the truth is not in him.’ That’s Bible, I tell you,” said Peter with vigor.

“Where is that in the Bible?” demanded Robert.

“It is there somewhere. I will find it soon,” said Peter as he started thumbing his Bible. The congregation waited in expectancy.

“I will give you five dollars if you will find that in the Bible,” said Robert.

“Oh, you don’t think it is in the Bible? I will get it. Maybe I cannot find it now but it is there, and I will find it,” said Peter. “But what about Solomon’s sayings, ‘There is no man that sinneth not’* (1 Kings 8:46)?”

“Solomon lived a thousand years before Christ, Mr. Newby, and do you not think that Christ did something for us that the law could not do? ‘He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises,’* (Hebrews 8:6) says Paul. It was probably true that, in Solomon’s day, no one lived free from committing sin, but since Christ came to redeem us from sin, we can be saved. Of course, anyone can sin, and there is danger of sinning, but if we live close to Jesus, He is able to keep us from falling, as Jude 24-25 says,” replied Robert, as he sat down again.

Peter Newby closed the debate by saying: “Next week we shall study the sixth chapter of Romans. The young man who spoke tonight seems to know considerable about the Scripture, so we shall appoint him leader. I will find that text he asked for. It is in my old Bible at home.” And the crowd dispersed.