Newspaper Page Text
Janua-y 2.7, 1909. THE PRESBYT^Rl.
Young People's Societies
WORLD WIDE ENDEAVOR.
Topic for Sunday, February 7?Our Christian Endeavor the
World Over. Psalm 97: 1-9.
DAILY READINGS:
Monday, February 1: A universal God. Romans 3: 27-31.
Tuesday, February 2: Universal worship. Psalm 66: 1-20.
Wednesday, February 3: A universal kingdom. Matthew
12: 31-33.
Thursday, February 4: Universal fellowship. 1 Corinthians
1: 1-9.
Friday, February 5: Universal service. Mark 16: 14-20.
Saturday. February 6: Universal brotherhood. Matthew
12: 46-50.
So much wrong use has been made of the expression "the
Brotherhood of Man," in connection with an improper use of
the twin expression "the Fatherhood of God," that a certain
measure of prejudice has arisen against it.
There is a right sense in which both the expressions can be
used, and because they have been misunderstood and misapplied,
even though it has been general, they should not be
rejected as altogether wrong or misleading.
There is a unity of heart which underlies all true Christian
service. Every act of loyaity to Christ and every moving of
the affections towards Christ's people because they are Christ's
is right in the sight of God and helps to develop the Christian
character.
The Christian worker who tries to live and to be active without
sympathy and a consciousness of possessing others' sympathy
may do a little for Christ, but how much he misses of the
Joy of the work which comes from companionship! He cannot
afford to be without it.
But sympathy in work is not all of united, fraternalized
effort. There's a mighty power for good in union which is horn
of unity. There goes from it an indefinable yet powerful something
that thrills and moves the world. It is singular how the
world always likes to look at a procession!
Add to this the effectiveness which union born of unity gives.
Besides the economical division of work, there comes the
benefit of combined and simultaneous effort, the knowledge
that others' experience imparts, and ability and ease in avoiding
the errors and failures which experience shows.
The enlargement of Christian vision is by no means a
small element to be considered. Broad views, not in the sense
of loose ideas or low ideals, but in the sense of large expectation
and large faith and large service, bring within the range
of sight great responsibilities, great possibilities, great promises,
and great realities.
I"
World wide effort and unity derives all its significance from
the fact that Jesus is to be proclaimed everywhere as the
Savior of men and that his offer is to be made to all men.
"Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every
creature." "Let him that heareth say, Come." The Gospel is
"the power of God unco salvation to every one that believeth;
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
If ever the various churches get together it will be through
Iike-mindedne8s that expresses itself in united work to witness
for Christ, to give his word in its purity and power to all men,
to yield a ready obedience to his command and the order of
his kingdom, to declare the whole counsel of Qod. This unity
of soul, of thought, and of work Is we llworth working for. It
Is that for which the Savior prayed when he asked his Father
that all his people might be one.
* 4 '
AN OF THE SOUTH. 15
Prayer Meeting
HOME AND FOREIGN MISSIONS.
Week Beginning January 31.
In the published program for the Monthly Concert of Prayer,
the topic that is announced for the department of Home Missions
for our January study and petit'on is "The Immigrants."
This :'s becoming an increasingly important and urgent department
of Christian study and work. There are lofty considerations
summoning us to interest and effort in behalf of our immigrant
population. The chief of these is the fact that these
foreign-born people who seek liberty, or fortune, or reputable
nlHianokln ?1 " ~
V.V..VUOUI!) uu uur snores are comprenended in the provision,
of Christ's redemptive work. In a deep, solemn and tremendous
sense his blood was shed for them. The work was complete.
Pardon and life are freely provided and offered through
the cress. Whosoever will may come. The souls of these
people are as precious as our own souls. They are immortal
and capable of being endowed with endless happiness. The
fact that Christ's sacrifice is sufficient for them, is offered
freely to them, and that it is the expression of his love for
them, appeals powerfully to our sense of responsibility. Shall
we do the part that remains to be done, under the blessing of
God's grace, in brineine thpso no/mio intn ' ?*? r
, ? 0?o ? ? w j-wj/iv. *ubv iuc ivuiguuui : WC
must tell them that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. We
must tell them that if they believe on Christ they will be
saved. We must pray them to be reconciled to God. We must
entreat them to bring forth fruits meet for repentance. We
must encourage them to "live soberly, righteously and godly
in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and the
glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus
Christ."
Another pnnftlHpmiinn nmmntit,. ?- -1-11- ?* ?
?u ^.uuiyuue us iu (ignauce tuia enorc
in behalf of our foreign-born neighbors is that of self-preservaticn;
the perpetuation of our institutions as a self-governing
people; the purity and integrity of social and domestic life;
the maintenance of high moral standards of principle and
conduct, and the perpetuation of all that is worth preserving in
our distinctively national life.
Again, immigration presents an inviting field of opportunity
for the Church. The strength of our membershiD now con
sists, in a large measure, of immigrants from foreign lands, or
their immediate descendants. Grace can make the sons of
Southern Europe as pure and strong as it made representatives
of their race in the periods of reformation. The heroic Waldensian
of Northern Italy is of the game stock as the Romanist
of the lowlands. Grace has made the difference, and grace can
make splendid men and women of Italian immigrants. So of
all who come to our land from afar. The Gospel that we
cherish and the Savior that we glorify are the supreme need
of the immigrant, whatever be his nationality.
I
In foreign missions this month our topic is, "The Field is the
World." The great commission is, "Go ye into all the world."
We grasp more readily perhaps than our fathers did the conception
of the world as a unit. The meaning of "the human
family" is more comprehensible, for nations and races are becoming
intermingled and inter-dependent in their commercial
unit notional intorosia W*? oi-? <v"' ?? 1
? ?w. ..v u>s i?iui.u5 iuai every uuman
being is our neighbor to whom our responsibility extends, and
whom we are commanded to love. It is an inspiring thought
that the Church seems to be girding itself to meet that responsibility.
One thought is urgent for recognition here. How shall we
meet, so tremendous a responsibility? How can we succeed?
0