12 Not long ago, a certain young lady in our city, had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. She came up to the Tabernacle. Another young lady of the city, very popular, belonged to a modern type of religious group that denies the Blood and the covering, and said that we were a cult and a bunch of--of holy-rollers, because that we believe in the saving grace of Christ. If that's what it takes to be a holy-roller, then I am one; for I believe in the Blood.This young lady went to dances and shows, but she was the Sunday school teacher in the church. The church denied the Blood of Christ, said there was no such a thing. The pastor said it dried up nineteen hundred years ago: a social gospel. And by and by the young lady got out with some boys, fine looking little lady...
13 This little girl come up to the Tabernacle. She kinda dressed kinda old fashion. She used to go down the street, her hair combed back just as tight as she could get it without these, ever what you call the manicure on her face, and--or ever what the stuff is that they wear. On down the street she would go.Yes, it's the truth; we teach against it. God help preachers to get down to the Gospel. Listen, ladies, there was only one woman in the Bible that ever painted herself to meet a man, and that was Jezebel; and God fed her to the dogs. So when you see them wear that, say, "How do you do, Miss Dog meat." That's exactly what it was: God fed her to the dogs. You don't want to be like her.
God will make you pretty in your ways: pretty is, as pretty does. But even our holiness churches are letting down. You know that's the truth. You better come back to the old hewing line again then, back to the Gospel.
14 Now, notice. And this young lady, she just carried on every way: went out to dances and parties and so forth. She taken sick. They didn't understand what was the matter, and when the doctor got to her, she had a venereal disease, she was too far gone. Tried some shots, but it didn't work...So the pastor told her she would go right on to heaven, because she was a Sunday school teacher. So they all gathered in the room to see her go out and the Angels of the Lord come to get her.
I just passed by that...?... a little while before that. The pastor was setting out in the hall of the home, lovely big home, fine people. Just stepped out of the room, and the Sunday school class with all in, singing songs to see her go to heaven. And the pastor stepped out to smoke out in the hall. And when death struck the girl, she begin to get hysterical; she said, "Where is that girl?"
They said, "What girl?" Said, "Here's all your class."
Said, "I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about that girl that (called her name), that's from up there at the Tabernacle, that used to speak to me about my soul?" Said, "Go get her."
15 They went to the pastor, and he came running in. He said, "Now, honey, listen." Said, "We'll call the doctor and give you a shot. You're getting a little hysterical."She said, "I'm not hysterical." She said, "You deceiver of men, I'm lost, going to hell, because you taught me that." And the girl died and went out to meet God, lost, crying for the girl that had tried to tell her what was right.
Look, brother, when you drop down to the end of this life's journey, you'll wish you had lived a holy clean life when you to face God. Be sure and remember that.
Now, about your church, what you belong to, that doesn't mean nothing to God. It's what you are in your heart. That's right. God ain't going to ask you whether--what church you belonged to; it's what you are in your heart is what God is going to look at.
Excerpts from the message Prodigal Cleveland, OH USA. August 27, 1950
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