Manuscripts

A SOUL WINNER FOR JESUS by Ernest L. Maiwald III Ernest Maiwald graduated from Southwest School of Bible Studies in Austin in July 2001. Ernie and Melissa were members of the Dripping Springs congregation while he attended SWSBS. He is currently taking classes at Southern Christian University working towards a degree in English. He is the full time preacher at the church of Christ in Johnson City, Texas and has been preaching there since August 2001. Ernie has been married to his lovely wife Melissa for 12 years. They have three beautiful children: Trenda, 11, Shannon, 8, and Marshal Dillon, 4. A Soul Winner For Jesus was written by the late Brother James W. Ferrill. Brother Ferrill “was born October 31, 1879 in Limestone County, Texas near Groesbeck. He was raised on a farm and left the farm to attend North Texas Normal College at Denton, Texas where he received his Literary Teachers Degree” (Finley, 190). Brother Ferrill was around fifteen years of age when he began studying music. He took a course in The Analytical School of Music. In 1901 he conducted his first singing class at Forace Chapel near Groesbeck, where he taught many singing schools from 1901-1932, sometimes teaching up to fifteen schools in a single year. Brother Ferrill became director and partial owner of the Quartet Music Company in 1904 and remained with them for the next thirty years of his life. “On December 20, 1905 he married the former Callie B. Anderson” (Finley, 191). In 1932 brother Ferrill and his faithful wife returned to the family farm in Davis Prairie, Texas near Thorton, which consisted of sixty-five acres, where he lived until 1967. He spent the last few years of his life in the Park Plaza Nursing Home in Mart, Texas where he passed away at the age of 94. A lady at the nursing home (L.D. Johnson) said: “He is a man of deep religious convictions. As an active member of the church of Christ, he was motivated to put into song that which he held most dear, the love of God for all.” Brother Ferrill published forty songs, most of which are in our song books. The song titled A Soul Winner for Jesus was copyrighted in 1907, and was written in an interesting situation. While Brother Ferrill attended the Analytical New Light Normal School of Music, the class was given the assignment to write words to the title, “I Want To Be A Soul Winner For Jesus.” After two years of work on the song, brother J.W. Ferrill submitted it to the publisher with the title “A Soul Winner for Jesus.” Brother Ferrill was a great man and most importantly a strong Christian working continually for the cause of Christ. Let us now examine the song A Soul Winner for Jesus. The first verse describes how the saved are to help those who are lost. The verse reads as “I want to be a soul winner for Jesus everyday, He does so much for me; I want to aid the lost sinner to leave his erring way, And be from bondage free”. During Jesus’ time on earth, He showed those who would become known as the church that it was our obligation to help save the lost. Jesus clearly states his mission, which also is to become ours. “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost” (Luke 19:10). Soul winning is therefore the primary job of each individual who is a member of the church. When the church stops winning souls, it loses one of its primary purposes. Let us feed upon the words of wisdom given to us by Solomon, inspired by God “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise” (Pro.11:30). Winning souls gives each individual involved a sense of purpose in this life and allows one to become closer to that final goal - which is eternal life in heaven. Jesus gives us these words of winning souls. “Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring fourth more fruit... Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples” (John 15:2, 8). Christ describes how important it is for us to want to bear fruit (win souls). Notice His words; it is the responsibility of all Christians to have a part in bearing fruit (winning souls). Notice also in this verse how it states it will free the erring sinner from bondage. All that are a part of the world are in bondage to sin. Once one turns over their soul to Christ they then become free from sin. “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:17-23). Winning souls to Christ and helping them to grow is one of fulfillment and joy. There is no joy comparable to that of helping, guiding, and leading one to Christ. The second verse describes how one should want to continue in this work of being a soul winner for Jesus. “I want to be a soul winner and bring the lost to Christ, that they His grace they may know; I want to live for Christ ever, and do His blessed will because He loves me so”. Why should we continue this work? Because it is necessary, very urgent, and because the harvest is plenteous. “Then saith He unto His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send fourth labourers into His harvest” (Mat. 9:37-38). Brethren, the same is today as it was then when Jesus was moved with compassion, the fields are just as plenteous, perhaps more today than in the first century. Saving souls is the greatest work to be done and continued once we start. What is the value of a soul? People put so much time into their worldly belongings, but often forget those out in the world who have souls that are worth much more than any item known to man. Hear the words of Jesus discussing the value of a soul. “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul” (Mat.16:26)? Each individual has to continue in the winning of souls for it to be successful. We cannot sit back after winning one or two souls, thinking to ourselves “I’ve done my part now I can rest.” Imagine if that had been the attitude of the one who helped win your own soul to Christ. It takes work and continued determination. The great thing is that at the end of our life we can look forward to happiness and peace with Christ. This brings us to our final verse in our song of study. “I want to be a soul winner till Jesus calls for me, To lay my burdens down; I want to hear Him say, servant, You’ve gathered many sheaves, receive a shining crown”. How great it will be to hear those words said to us on that final day. All our hard work and burdens will have paid off in the end, for we can surely say “Yes, I have done my part in continuing the work of Christ.” Then in the end we can look forward to our rest. “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Mat. 11:28-29). Hear the words “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Rev.2:10b). Let us always pray and have hope that there will always be those continuing to be A Soul Winner for Jesus.