Editor’s Note:
It was a Thursday night in early 1925. Aimee Semple McPherson and her mother, Minnie, after a busy day of ministry, were hoping to catch a little time on the beach “before the stroke of twelve.” On the way, they pondered subjects for Aimee’s sermon the coming Sunday night, when 5,300 people would pack Angelus Temple. But nothing seemed to click.
The road was mostly deserted at that hour. Suddenly, they heard a siren, and two motorcycles came alongside them. “My blood seemed frozen in my veins,” wrote Aimee later. After pulling over, she was ticketed for driving 31 mph in a 20 mph intersection speed-trap. When the officers drove away, Aimee and Minnie continued their journey “at a most circumspect pace.”
Then the sermon idea hit. Just like many other messages where the famed evangelist drew material from real life, she’d preach a message based on what just happened. She titled it “Arrested for Speeding,” and she first preached it 100 years ago this month, in March 1925. It was so popular she preached it again in 1928, 1931 and 1936.
The background illustration behind her was a broad, winding road showing the cross of Christ at the intersection. The concept she conveyed is that God sends various “traffic officers” (evangelists, mothers, teachers, consequences and our own consciences, for example) to keep us from speeding past the cross. And no—to dispel an urban legend—Aimee didn’t ride a motorcycle down the aisle. But there was one onstage.
What follows is an excerpt from this famous sermon, adapted from the full-length message published in The Bridal Call Foursquare magazine in May 1925. It may be set in its time 100 years ago. But the truth it contains is timeless.
Arrested for Speeding
God has sent forth His traffic officers on motorcycles of mercy, warning and judgment ever since the eyes of Adam and Eve were opened, and they sped to cover in the Garden of Eden.
The world was arrested for speeding in Noah’s day when, in the midst of their eating, drinking, dancing and merrymaking, God opened the windows of heaven and sent the food.
The peoples were arrested for speeding at the tower of Babel, when the Lord confounded their language and scattered them abroad.
Pharaoh and his hosts were arrested for speeding through the Red Sea in pursuit of God’s children, when the Lord took off their chariot wheels and caused the waters to cover them.
Absalom was arrested for speeding by Almighty God. He said: “No one will find out. No one will catch me! I am not afraid.” One day, as he fled down the road of sin, pursued by his guilty conscience, his steed galloped under the thick boughs of a great oak. A breeze was blowing. The branches of the tree dipped down. Absalom was caught up off his horse and hanged by the hair of his head, and left to die.
Saul of Tarsus was arrested for speeding on Damascus Road as he hasted upon his high horse of authority to destroy the Christian converts. Suddenly from the distance there came a sound. God’s traffic officer rode up beside the now trembling Saul. Piercing, blinding, searching, there shined ’round about him a light from heaven; and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” Lying there upon the road, Saul asked, as meek as a lamb, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” and was changed from a “Saul” to a “Paul.”
Time does not suffice to make mention of the arrests of Ananias and Sapphira or the many others; because we long to get down to the present day and talk about you. The Master still has His motor officers upon life’s thoroughfares. The cross of Jesus Christ still stands at the intersection, bidding us STOP on the road to destruction; LOOK to the Lamb of God; and LISTEN that we may hear His voice and accept His great salvation.
I wonder how many times the Lord’s motorcycle officers have arrested you? Do you remember that first smoke out behind the schoolhouse? And do you remember how suddenly you were arrested? So deathly sick did you become that you knew not which way to turn. The Lord was seeking there and then to deliver you from a filthy habit that should never defile the temple of the Holy Ghost.
The Master still has His motor officers upon life’s thoroughfares The cross of Jesus Christ still stands at the intersection, bidding us STOP on the road to destruction; LOOK to the Lamb of God; and LISTEN that we may hear His voice and accept His great salvation.
-Aimee semple mcpherson
Mothers have made some very striking arrests when we were children, too.
There was that time when Mother had forbidden us to touch the new baked cookies in the cookie jar. We decided that we would climb up the shelves and take a look at the cookies anyway. Suddenly a cleat pulled loose from under the shelf, and we skidded to the floor and sat among the wreckage. Before we could do more than give one startled yell, down came Mother with a switch and in a moment, having all the ingredients at hand, had a layer cake all beaten up.
Oh, had we only stopped with the first bit of deceit, with the first falsehood, with the first thing that was unlike God! But we said, “Oh, well, we won’t go much further.” But before we knew it our pace was increasing, the finger on the speedometer creeping up, and we were speeding past the cross on the byway of disobedience.
God has spoken to us again by the traffic officer of example—by the wrecks we have seen along the way. “Oh, Brother, stop! Oh, Sister, stop at the cross tonight! If not for your own sake, then for the sake of your children, your neighbor, the passersby at life’s crossroads.”
While I am talking and leading you step by step toward the altar, that Someone of whom I spoke is riding up and down the aisles. I hope you can hear Him. Ah! A hand is laid upon your shoulder. That Someone is the Spirit of conviction.
He speaks close to your ear: “Young man, it is you I am after. Young lady, it is you I want. Pull to the right and stop at the cross of Calvary.”
Well do I remember when I was a sinner and had started on the road of worldly amusement. God’s motorcycle officer, an evangelist, with earnest men, sounded the gospel siren, and the Lord arrested me. For three days I tried to outstrip officer conscience; but he stayed close beside me. It was impossible to escape him.
The third day after that mighty sermon, I was driving home from high school, the motorcycle officer of conviction still riding beside me saying: “You are a poor, lost, hell-deserving sinner. Stop! Turn to the Lord and seek salvation.” Right there in the country road I was arrested for speeding. “God be merciful to me a sinner!” burst from my lips, and surrendering all, I yielded to the Spirit.
From that moment the work was done. My sins were forgiven. My pardon was won. I did not even have to pay my fine—the Lord paid it for me. Yes, my debt was canceled. He had given me a new lease on life.
He not only turned me about that day, but commissioned me to become a motorcycle officer for Jesus Christ—an evangelist of the Foursquare Gospel. As such I ride up beside you tonight, and plead with you to stop speeding past the cross. See, His arms are out to you this moment. His voice invites you. Will you not say to Him, “Loving Savior, I surrender now to Thee”?
He will set the joy bells ringing in your heart. You will go out of this building feeling as though you were walking on air, and your life will be a happier one than ever you have known.
