"I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred." John 5:7
Are there not many unsaved people in every community who might also say, "I have no man to bring me to Christ"? There are many lost souls, for whom no one is caring. Christians must not forget that the unsaved can receive grace, only through the saved; that those who are forgiven, must carry the news of mercy to the unforgiven. The redemption is divine, none but Jesus can save; but the priesthood is human. God's ordinary way of finding sinners and bringing them to the Savior, is through the love and pleading of other saved ones. Christ's commission ran: "As the Father has sent me, even so send I you." We are to do for the unsaved, just what Christ did when He was here, what He would do now if He were living just where we live, among them, go to them and ask them if they will be made whole.
Are there not lost ones about us who can say at God's judgment-bar, "The Christians about me would not lead me to the fountain — they never even asked me to come to it for cleansing!" This man waiting at the fountain's edge, is a type of many about us — close to the healing waters, with hungry, unsatisfied hearts, needing but the help of a human hand to lead them to the Savior — yet never getting that help or that sympathy, and sitting there year after year unsaved. Surely we should not allow any unsaved ones about us to perish, without trying in every way to lead them to the cleansing, healing waters.
What evidence have we, that we are saved ourselves — if we are not interested in the salvation of other lost ones? Let us look about us and see if any of our neighbors could say what this poor man at Bethesda said. Then let us go quickly and invite them to the Savior.
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J.R. Miller (1840 - 1912)
Prolific author and pastor of Presbyterian churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois, Rev. James Russell Miller served the USCC as a field agent in the Army of the Potomac and Army of the Cumberland.J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia. J.R. Miller D.D.'s lasting fame is through his over 50 books. Many are still in publication.
James Russell Miller (March 20, 1840 - July 2, 1912) was a popular Christian author, Editorial Superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication, and pastor of several churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois.
In 1857, James entered Beaver Academy and in 1862 he progressed to Westminster College, Pennsylvania, which he graduated in June, 1862. Then in the autumn of that year he entered the theological seminary of the United Presbyterian Church at Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Mr. Miller resumed his interrupted studies at the Allegheny Theological Seminary in the fall of 1865 and completed them in the spring of 1867. That summer he accepted a call from the First United Presbyterian Church of New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. He was ordained and installed on September 11, 1867.
J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia.
Five years later, in 1880, Dr. Miller became assistant to the Editorial Secretary at the The Presbyterian Board of Publication, also in Philadelphia.