The Man Who Is Sincere
By J. W. McComas
THE popular adage is, "It makes no difference what a man believes, if he is only sincere." Let us see. A man indorsed a note for another, whom he sincerely believed to be honest. This latter man was a scoundrel, and left his friend to pay the debt. Did it make no difference? A traveler takes the train going north, sincerely believing it is the south-bound one. Will it make any difference? Will that train take him south? The popular adage is not correct. If a man is sincere, he will take pains to know the truth. Where facts are concerned, all the thinking in the world will not change them. Before the year 1810, America had no foreign missionary organizations; but the young Adoniram Judson, who was reared and educated for a Congregationalist minister, became interested in missionary work. After earnest prayer, he gathered around him other young men whose hearts burned to help the lost, and a missionary society was organized. These young men were very much in earnest, and the Congregationalists urged them to go and establish work in India. After some time, arrangements were made, and young Judson, with his wife and friends, started for Calcutta, India, expecting to meet, on their arrival, the English Baptist missionaries, and establish a mission near them. Judson realized that this would make it necessary for him to explain to the natives the difference between the organizations. He therefore spent most of his time on the journey studying his Bible; and when he arrived in Calcutta, he and his wife were baptized, having been convinced that the Baptists were right upon the doctrine of baptism. The Bible admonition to all is, "There is85a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Prov. 16:25. The sincere man takes time to find the truth. J. W. McComas.