CHAPTER X CHAPTER X III
T. MARTIN, LIFE STORY 139
on." This kind of opposition is no new thing. It is the old trick of the Devil since the dawn of Creation. Did not the Pharisees say about Jesus, "He is mad (crazy) why hear him?" "He hath a Devil," "He is a wine bibber," "He casts out devils by the power of Beelzebub," "They took up stones to stone him," etc. When Jesus on earth taught the people, some believed and some believed not and from that moment went away plotting His downfall.
This is no strange thing; it is history repeating itself.
From time to time, all through the ages, there have been periods of doctrinal depresison in preaching the doctrines of grace-hence followed dense darkness and great igno- rance in Bible knowledge to an appalling extent. And always in such times when God raised up a prophet or some mighty preacher of the Word there was always some who accepted and rejoiced in the truth while there were more that rejected the truth and tried to defeat the mes- sage by finding fault with the preacher; by calling it after his own name-a mere man's idea foisted on the people.
Hence the term "Martinism."
At such a time of general low religious condition, a prominent Minister said, "Half the Church members (Baptist) are not saved." Whether or not this statement was one hundred per cent true, it was a fact that much preaching was general, haiy and indefinite on the question of how to be saved. So "like priest like people" (Hoil. 4:9) revealed the general religious condition. This is true in any age and the dense ignorance now so prevalent in Bible knowledge, must be placed at the door of the preacher!
fIe is the responsible man! When Church members are hazy in their faith, uncertain in their salvation, and notice- ably lacking in spirituality, it can mean nothing else but
140 T. T. MARTIN, LIFE STORY
that the preacher is hazy in his explanation of the way of salvation, and there is no· yearning in his heart to see Sinners saved. There ought not in all the past to have been one such preacher; and, may I modestly say, there ought not now tobe one preacher in all the land hazy and uncertain on the doctrinces of grace-The plan of salvation!
At such a time of low religious knowledge and dirth of spirituality, the ministry of the late Prof. M. T. Martin began. His message was definite, clear and pungent, and with his great intellect and tender sympathetic yearning heart he sought to lay upon the hearts of men the great doctrine of grace, wherein Jesus saved the ungodly from all his sins and guaranteed him a home in heaven. Hut when he put his characteristic question to Mr. Church
·Member, "are you saved?" he got all kinds of evasive answers, namely: "I hope so," "I am trying to be," "I belong to the church," "I have been baptized," "I pray," "I will be saved if I hold out faithful," etc., etc. Then Professor Martin would open the word of God and begin having them read for themselves, "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself" (I John 5:10). If you do not know that you are saved, it proves something- that you have not believed on Jesus, for he said, "He that cometh to me shall never hunger," never be dissatisfied, and "He that believeth on me shall never thirst" (J olm 6:35).
If you are hungering and thirsting you are lost because you have not believed on Jesus, for everyone who belieyes on the Son of Gad hath the witness in his heart. If you are without the witness you are without salvation-a lost sinner, because you have not believed on the Son of God.
Jesus did not mistake the truth to the poor woman at the
T, T. MARTIN, LIFE STORY 141 well when he said, "''''hosoever drinketh of the water that J shall give him shall never thirst, but the "water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up
<an artesian well) into everlasting life." Jesus here says,
"Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst." So then if anyone is thirsting it can mean only one thing, namely: he has drunk at some other fountain apart from Jesus.
Such was the message of M. T. Martin and literally church members by the scores, hundreds, and thousands, wherever he preached were saved, and ever afterward they knew they were saved. Their lives showed ever afterward that they were saved. Pastors never had to dread the after- effects of one of Professor Martin's meetings. Likewise with his son T. T. Martin! The Martins' meetings lasted.
They 'were never based on emotional debauches!
Thus in general ministers came to make a new study of the Great Doctrines of Grace and the fog of doubt, hazi- ness and vagueness in preaching gave way to a more clear, definite note in preaching and this form of persecution disappeared, for some of the most influential Ministers were found placing definite and great emphasis on the doctrines of grace, and making heavenly clear the plan of salvation. This is proven beyond any question by the fact that T. T. Martin, the son of M. T. Martin, took up the same identical message and for more than 40 years, criscrossed the whole country preaching that men are saYed by grace through faith in Jesus, apart from any and all works of man. Hundreds of noble pastors T. T. Martin helped in meetings will gladly say, Amen, to this fact.
Now that T. T. Martin is dead this same clear cut mes- sage is found in his writings and possibly the clearest
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142 T. T. MARTIN, LIFE STORY
statement will be found in "God's Plan with Men," his first published book of sermons. This book can still be had from the editor and publisher of the present volume, Evangelist A. D. Muse, Box 505, Louisville I, Ky. Price
$1.50. Get it! Read it! and life's highway will be made smoother for you.
At one time M. T. Martin attended, not as a messenger, but as a visitor an association in Mississippi and some one spied him in the audience and made motion that a place on the program be made for Professor Martin to preach. In- stantly he was on his feet protesting against the motion.
He said, "If desirable I can preach after adjournment this afternoon." So it was announced Professor Martin would preach at 5:00 P. M. Everybody was tired and hot and worn out, but not a man left-all stayed! He preached forty minutes and then said "How many of you not saved will trust Jesus for Salvation? Come and give me your hand." Without any music, quietly some sixty people, many weeping, came down the aisle to make their profession of faith in Christ Jesus.
Again he was on his way to Texas to begin a meeting and unexpectedly met his son, T. T. Martin, who was a professor in a Texas College, also on his way to begin a meeting. T. T. Martin said to his father, "You do not begin your meeting till tomorrow night, come by and start mine tonight," to which he readily agreed. He began preach- ing that night on Predestination. T. T. Martin could not have been more put out, for he' was sure his father had absolutely ruined his meeting, but by and by M. T. Martin began closing in his arguments and pressing home the claims of Jesus on Lost men. \-\Then he made the invitation, people began coming, and kept coming till there was not