Every great preacher has always been a simple, practical preacher. This has characterized Clarence Walker's ministry and message. His method is to take a text or passage of scripture and by the use of simple, homey illustrations expound from this portion of scripture. Preaching is the vital part of his life. He is a man that loves to preach the Word of God.

      I would not feel that this biography would be complete without giving a few sermonettes, first, for the purpose of setting forth the plan of salvation to any who might be lost, secondly, to inspire and edify any who might be saved.

      These four brief excerpts from his sermons will give you a cross — a section of this great preacher's heart as he pleads with the lost to come to Christ, and for Christians to make a full and complete surrender. Many of his messages have been reprinted in many of the leading Christian papers and Digests of the land.

THE HELL OF THE BIBLE — August, 1954
— By Clarence Walker

      Once I was preaching and showing the errors of the Seventh Day Adventists. I stated that they do not believe in Hell.

      There was a Seventh Day Adventist sitting directly in front of me, and he with several others who had come to hear my sermon, sought to embarrass me and to make an impression on the congregation by shaking their heads and saying, "No! No! we believe in hell!"

      I stopped and looked them squarely in the eye and said, "What you believe about Hell is nothing to compare with the Hell the Lord Jesus preached and which is revealed in His Holy Word. You believe the souls sleep in the grave with the body until the resurrection, then raised and given another chance. And if the man does not take advantage of his chance, then he is piled in a heap with all other rejecters and are burned up as a farmer would burn a stack of hay. That is the Hell you preach. It is not the Hell of the Bible — God's Hell. It is God's Hell you are going into unless you turn from your wicked unbelief."

      The Hell of the Bible is God's sure punishment for sin. When a man dies his body goes back to the dust of the earth, but Ms spirit returns! unto God who gave it. If he is a lost man his Spirit awaits the judgement day in a place of conscious, suffering de¬scribed in Luke 16:19-31. At the resurrection day his body is brought out of the grave, his soul is brought out of the Hell described in Luke 16:19-31.

      Standing before God in his resurrected body the sinner will be judged according to the deeds done in the body. (The more sins he has committed the greater will be the punishment.) Then "Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15). They shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death (Rev. 20:21). And shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever, and they have no rest day or night" (Rev. 14:10-11).

FLASHES
— By Clarence Walker

DEFIES GUNMAN

      "What can I do for you?" asked the night manager at the Baltimore telegraph office.

      "Open the cash drawer and give me all your money," replied the man as he pulled out his gun.

      "I will not do it," replied the manager firmly.

      "There are nine slugs in this gun," said the man, "and I'm going to shoot you if you don't. You won't lose anything since the money is insured."

      "I'm not going to do it," said the manager again. The gunman glared at the manager, and the manager glared right back at him. Suddenly, the gunman turned and fled without firing a shot. So you see it pays to resist wicked people — sometimes. Reminds us of the Scripture which says, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

      This enemy of our souls comes to us with his subtle suggestions to do something wrong, or with a wrong motive, and we need to be on guard constantly. He may threaten or try to coax us to do something wrong, but if you say "no" to him a few times and really mean it: he will flee from you, even as this gunman fled. Try it and see for yourself.

SPEEDING AGAIN

      Engineer McCullom had been arrested for speeding in his locomotive, when he took his passenger train through Sylacauga, Alabama, at too fast a clip. He asked to return to his train for a minute, but when he reached the locomotive, he made such a quick getaway that the conductor almost got left.

     The police took off, too, and nabbed him again in the next town. Now his case will be switched into court Monday morning when he faces the charges of speeding, resisting arrest, and escaping from the police. Now he can explain everything to the judge.

      Many people are likewise guilty of speeding through this life at too fast a clip. They seem to find no time to think about God and their sins, and where they are going to spend eternity. They do not fully realize how bad they are in God's estimation, and so they do not feel their need of the Saviour.

      They, too, will have to stand before the great Judge of all the earth shortly. And will they be able to explain everything to Him? Hardly. Jesus said they will be "speechless." (Matthew 22:12). Then they will hear their just sentence "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25:41). Then they will have too much time to think on their hands.

COCK ROBIN

      That age old question about "Who killed Cock Robin?" has finally been answered. District Judge Leslie Darr says that it was Adolphus Kirk, of Fayetteville, Tenn.

      Kirk was accused of blinding droves of robins in trees at night, with a light. Then he would kill the robins with a stick. So Judge Darr gave him a 30-day prison sentence, with an additional year at the prison farm — for attacking the game warden who arrested him.

      There is also an age old argument about who was responsible for the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some Gentiles blame the Jews, and vice versa. It does no good to blame each other, however, as we are all responsible. Instead of blaming someone else -— take a good look at yourself and admit your own guilt in this matter.

      If you were absolutely perfect in God's sight, you would be blameless in the matter, but you are not perfect. You have sinned, and it was because of your sins that He came into this world and went to the cross for you. Thus you need to realize that it your sins which put Him on that cross. And Christ "His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree" (1 Peter 2:24). He suffered for you to save you from eternal suffering. If you appreciate it, why not tell Him so?

A BIG PLUNGE

      Little Roberta Renny, a three-year-old Brooklyn lassie, plunged from her 6th floor apartment to the ground and strange to say, she didn't even get a bruise! So sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

      The long fall was first broken somewhat when she hit a first floor television aerial and bounced off. Then she landed in some thick shrubbery. She was taken to a Long Island hospital, but the doctor reported that she had "absolutely nothing wrong with her."

      Likewise people sometimes hold back from trusting Christ because they feel it is a big plunge to take. And it is, but there is nothing to worry about. Just take it, and you will come through it safe and sound. God offers to save you from your sins and make you for Heaven; but you must surrender yourself to Him and trust Him to save you if you ever expect to be in that glorious city of God. If you appreciate His great love and kindness to you, then yield yourself to Him and trust Him how and you will be saved. "For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved". (John 3:17).

BE A SOUL WINNER
— By Clarence Walker

      The scriptures know nothing about "the Clergy" and "the laity" in a New Testament church. The Master plainly taught there were to be no bosses as "Lords over God's heritage." (I Peter 5:3). All were to be "brethren in the Lord."

      It is not just the preacher's duty "Gifts for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:8-12). Some have gifts which enable them to be pastors, teachers, leaders of God's people.

      It is not just the preacher's duty to win lost men to Christ, but it is the duty and privilege of every saved man and woman TO BE A SOUL WINNER. I have known some of God's humblest children to win more to the Lord than many preachers.

      God has given to His people many precious promises to encourage them in soul winning. One of the most precious ones is Psalm 126:6, "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."

      "He that goeth forth" emphasizes the truth that any of God's children, who will, can consecrate themselves to this supreme business of soul winning and be SUCCESSFUL. The promise is not to any select group, but "to him that goeth forth."

      "And weepeth." Tears come from hearts that are melted and broken, which feel, understand and are burdened for lost souls. It is useless for anyone to "go forth" to win the lost without the burdened heart. The burdened heart comes from the Holy Spirit and a knowledge of God's Word as to the state and condition of unsaved folks.

      "Bearing precious seed." This statement takes you immediately to the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-15). The Lord Jesus said "The seed is the Word of God" (Luke 8:11). It is indeed "precious seed." It not only reveals how God saves sinners, but describes in no uncertain terms the condition, state and eternal welfare of the lost man. The soul winner must not only have these "precious seed" in his mind, but they must live in his heart.

      "Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." The parable of the sower makes it clear — all the seed you sow is not going to bring forth fruit. The Savior described the four kinds of soil into which the seed falls. Out of the four, only one WAS SAVED. Two of the other three appeared to be saved. "But he that received the seed in stony places, the same is he that heareth the Word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word, by and by he is offended" (Matthew 13:20-21).

      This is the fellow some people see and believe he is saved and when he falls away they say — "It is impossible for a saved man to be lost." The fact is — those who fall away have never been truly saved — they do not have "root". Everybody you talk to about Christ is not going to get saved. But you can be sure there will be some who will "understand and bring forth fruit." God has promised this to the soul winner.

"Shall Come Rejoicing"

      Some years ago I was driving to an appointment. It was a hot summer day. We stopped near a spring to get some water and refresh ourselves. There was a large truck with a number of young people on it, apparently taking a hay ride — going somewhere for a picnic.

      As I got out of my car, one of the young men came up to me. He was smiling as he said, "Brother Walker, I know you don't remember me." I didn't. Then he said, "When I was a boy, you led me to Christ." Then he introduced me to the rest of the young people, and most of them told me how I had talked with them some years ago and they had been saved. This group of young people were from a meeting where I had held a revival. I don't have to tell you that MY CUP OVERFLOWED.

      It will be the same in Heaven — only the cup will be bigger and the overflow greater — much greater. I repeat, every child of God OUGHT TO BE A SOUL WINNER.

MY SIN-BEARER
By Clarence Walker

      In the sacrifices which were a type or picture of the Lord Jesus Christ — a lamb was brought to the priest. The sinner would then lay hands on the head of the lamb, confessing his sins.

      The laying of the hands of the sinner on the head of the lamb symbolized the transfer of the sinner's sins to his "sin offering". The lamb, bearing the sinner's sins, was slain and the blood sprinkled upon the mercy seat. When this was done, the priest would announce the sinner's sins — forgiven.

      A man must see his sinful condition - - lost, ruined and condemned to Hell, and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ — "the Lamb for sinners slain." When he accepts Christ all of his sins are placed upon Christ. The Saviour goes to the cross and in His own body bears the punishment — the penalty due him because of his sins. It is because Jesus is God — God almighty, that he can take the punishment due the sinner and in a few moments endure wnat it would take the sinner forever to suffer in Hell.

      I must stop here to say — "My heart is filled with love and gratitude to my Saviour as I tell, how in His own precious body, He bore all of Clarence Walker's sins. I love Him with my whole heart. The Lord Jesus Christ is my sin bearer!"

More Than Punishment

      Yet the Law of God demands more than that our sins should be punished. The Law and Divine Justice not only require our sins to be punished but demand A PERFECT LIFE . . . Just as the love and grace of God provided the Sin Bearer to free us from the penalty of our sins so the love and grace of God has provided a righteousness — a perfect life by which we can enter in into fellowship with God and dwell with Him in Heaven eternally.

      Here is where an old-time word walks in — "impute." This word IMPUTE means to "credit with" or "charge to." The life the Lord Jesus led during His 33 years upon this earth was perfect. No man, no angel — NO, not even God Himself could find a fault, a flaw, a blunder, a mistake or a sin in it. He pleased God in everything He did.

      Think of it — out of the billions of humans that have lived on this earth, He alone was sinless and perfect in all things toward God. He did everything He ought to have done. He had no sins of either omission or commission. His life was filled with good deeds with the right motive back of them — wonderful, wonderful Jesus!

      Oh! if men could only see that their so-called good life and good works are only evil in God's sight. (Isaiah 64:6). In order to be perfect, a man's life from the time he was born to the day he dies would have to measure up to the life of the Lord Jesus. Because he comes short of this standard of holiness, his every deed is evil. Then, having failed to reach God's standard, he is adding sin by his failure to see his need of Christ and to come to God by the shed blood.

      This is exactly what Cain did. He is trying to be restored to fellowship with God — without repentance, without acknowledging his wrong and sm against God and of satisfaction being made because of the broken law.

      No wonder David spoke of, "The blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth (credits with) righteousness (a holy life) without works (man's good deeds or good life) saying blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute (credit with) sin." (Romans 4:6-8.) This scripture teaches that if you will accept Christ as your Savior — Sin-bearer — God, then, will credit you with having lived the life the Lord Jesus lived when He was here on earth. THIS IS "THE HOLINESS WITHOUT WHICH NO MAN SHALL SEE GOD." God, from henceforth, will see him in his Substitute just as God credited Christ with all his sins.

      Isn't it wonderful when you have been saved through the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ — because Christ was punished for our sins and treated just as we ought to have been treated — that God sees us and treats us just as if we were Christ! Who can measure God's unsearchable riches!

SALVATION BY GRACE

      This is what we mean when we say — Salvation is by grace through faith alone. There were folks in Paul's day and there is a multitude in our day who cry out immediately when this Gospel of grace is preached in its fullness and say, "If this is so then men can sit and do as they please. There is no restraint upon them." They believe you must hold the fires of Hell over the saved man's head to keep him saved and walking in the Lord's way.

      The answer to this is simple — God does a work in the believer's heart when he is saved, called the "new birth." This new birth creates in the believer's heart a love for God which will compel him, "To walk even as the Lord Jesus walked." He will be an imitator of the Lord. The saved man serves the Lord because he loves Him — and LOVE IS A MORE POWERFUL MOTIVE THAN FEAR. ==========