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February 2* 19^1- THE PRESBYTER!
In South India the London Mission, after a hundred
years, shows a people uplifted, transformed, with three
hundred and fifty churches, and over seventy thousand
worshippers. Centennials will come rapidly on, and
the missions around the world will tell a surprising
story.
A remarkable change has taken place in the tone of
the secular press in Great Britain and in America with
reference to the great missionary enterprise. In reviews
and monthlies and great metropolitan dailies for
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lers and diplomats and editorials expressing the highest
appreciation of Christian missions and their fruits
around the world. The secular press is fast becoming
the friend and supporter of the great movement to evangelize
the world.
A striking fact is the testimony to missions and missionaries
given by men of high station, men of intelligence
and character, who have had opportunity of observation.
Mr. Taft and Mr. Bryan have been pronounced
witnesses, and a long list of notable men, ambassadors,
statesmen, Mr. James Bryce, Lord Curzon,
Sir Robert Hart, Sir Bartle Frere, and many others, who
have lived and served in India, in China, in Africa, in
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In China the changes are continuous, and though affecting
a vast people in a gradual way are none the
less marvellous; the overthrow of the ancient educational
system with the old government examinations,
and the establishment of colleges and universities, reaching
out to Western learning; an edict abolishing footbinding,
and the destruction of the opium traffic. Onefourth
of the world's population is opening the door
to the coming of light and truth. Nearly two hundred
thousand bear the name of Christ, and everv nmvincp
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forgetting its hatred of the foreigner, is welcoming the
missionary teacher, doctor, and evangelist.
A new cloud of witnesses, martyrs faithful unto death,
men and women bearing testimony to a divine Savior in
the midst of heathen darkness, men redeemed and empowered,
are standing up among all the nations to say
"We have found him." A new eleventh of Hebrews
could have been written in every age since the apostles,
and none more full or rich than that of our day. Nearly
two million Protestant followers of Christ are members
of mission churches.
"All hail the power of Jesus' name.*'
LAYMEN'S CONVENTION.
The first general convention of the Laymen's Missionary
Movement will be held in Birmingham. Ala.,
from the 16th to the 18th of February.
The provisional program is one of unusual strength
and attractiveness. It includes the names of great leaders
in mission work, both at home and in the foreign
field.
Opening Tuesday afternoon, February 16th, the con
vention continues morning, afternoon and evening, closing
Thursday night. Of our own laymen, we find Gov.
R. B. Glenn, Prof. Williams of Missouri, Prof. Martin
of Davidson College, Prof. Howe of Washington and
Lee, Mr. F. T. Glasgow of Lexington, Va., Mr. Raymond
of Nashville, Tenn., Mr. Davis of Richmond, Va.,
and Alfred D. Mason of Memphis. And of our mission*
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[AN OF THE SOUTH. 5
aries Rev. Motte Martin, Dr. James B. Woods, Dr. Wilkinson
and Dr. Bradley. It will be a great meeting on
which we should pray for God's blessing. Information,
as to hotel rates, can be obtained from Mr. C. W. Mills,
Birmingham. Ala. Railroad rates are one fare, plus
half a cent a mile, for the round trip.
NOTES IN PASSING.
By Bert.
"The truth shall make you free." There arc two kinds
of bondage to which truth is antagonistic, intellectual
and moral. Intellectual bondage has the two forms of
ignorance and error. The Japanese and Chinese are
highly intellectual peoples, each has a civilization centuries
old, and yet how poorly they show up in compari
son with the intellectual attainments of the Christian
nations of the west. When Japan was first opened to
the world by Commodore Perry they were in all things
which we understand to be embraced in a civilizaion
more than 1,000 years behind. Their minds were bright
and of good calibre yet their progress was nothing. ' In
arts and sciences, judged by our standards they were
hopelessly in the rear. They had no such comforts of
life as we have; and their standard of living was low.
Under the influence of the Gospel they not only quickly
embrace western ideas but their minds seem to clear
UD. a new look comes into flip face a rtfw ?>nrt mr\r<*
manly bearing to the carriage. They learn how to master
great problems, even the greatest problem of all, self.
The entrance of the Gospel awakens an ambition to be
something unknown before. The truth makes free. Under
its gracious influence the whole man moves up. It
is not only the cure for sin, it enriches every faculty,,
and spiritualizes every power.
Prayer is audience with God. Only a favored few
can hope to have audience with an earthly king, and
they only for a brief time and at a specially appointed
hour. The utmost that can be gained from such an
audience is a brief earthly advantage. It is very different
with the King of Kings. The humblest may come
into his presence at any moment, stay as long as he
pleases without previous appointment, and gain eternal
privileges. Things that can be had from earthly powers
may be more easily had from God. Things no earthly
power can bestow can be had from God for the asking.
How vast then is the gain of prayer. You have a time
to eat when the body may take its necessary food, you
should have a time for oraver. for nraver is the soul's
food. You have a time for sleep when the weary
body may rest, you should have a time for prayer, for
prayer is the soul's rest. You have a time for pleasure
and recreation that the body may know something besides
mere slavish drudgery. You should have a time
for prayer, for prayer is the pleasure and recreation of
the soul. Let it not be forgotten that whatever affects
the body also has influence uoon the soul. If all vnnr
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care and study is for the body the soul will become dull
and unresponsive, it will lose its power of spiritual discernment,
carnality will disfigure the life. But if the
emphasis be placed upon the spirit the body will brighten
up and reflect the growing light within. In your
daily schedule fail not at any cost to have a time and
place for prayer.