Newspaper Page Text
February 24, 1909. THE PRESBv^xn?!t
very significant statement: "If any man willeth to do my will,
lie shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether
1 speak of myself." It will be well at this point to get a very
definite and clear conception of what is meant by "the Trnth
in this connection. What is it the eunuch must find, if he is
to have in all reality "the Truth"? It is Christ himself. The
Master aid not, in his teaching, say "I have come to proclaim
the truth to you," but he said, "I am the Way, the Truth and
the Idfe, no man cometh unto the Father but by me." The
central truth of the* Gospel is not a dogma, nor a creedal statement,
nor a doctrine, but a person. Doctrines, creeds and
dogmas nave their place and effectiveness, but they must never
USIll'l) that heloneine tn Christ Thp mnrp this fnr>t is ronlWo,!
in our preaching and teaching the more effective will they become.
III. Finding the Truth, 29-34.?The Divine guidance of
Philip continues. He is directed to join himself to the man
in the chariot. Running up he finds that the eunuch is reading
the prophecy of Isaiah. It is probable that, while in Jerusalem,
the worshipper from Ethiopia had heard of the new doctrine
that was being taught and of the Messiah. Desiring to
know the truth he has obtained a roll containing the great
Messianic prophecy and on the way home is giving diligent
study to it. It is not all clear to him, however, and this becomes
Philip's chance. Philip said to him, "Understamlest
thou what thou readest?" And he said, "How can I. except
some one shall guide me?*' (Those which have Dr. Howard
Agnew Johnston's little boos, "The Famine and the Bread,'"
will do well at this point to turn to page 31 and read the story
of the Siamese Governor.) Philip is invited into the chariot
and finds that the eunuch is reading the well-known passage
in what we know as Isaiah 53. The seeker after the truth is
to find it. Beginning at this Scripture Philip "preached unto
him Jesus" and preached him unto Jesus. Philip had, in the
passage from Isaiah, a wonderful text. There is a question
of a personal nature that is sure to obtrude at this point and
it is worth considering carefully. This is it: "Could you tell
a man who was ready to learn, exactly what it is to become a
Christian?" What is a Christian, any way? The writer
would say: Being a Christian is being personally related to
Jesus Christ. Let us get a clear conception in our own hearts
and minds to the end that we may impart it to others.
IV. Obeyina the Truth. 36-40.?To hear the truth is not snffi
cient. It must be obeyed. Philip had carefully and fully
preached the word and the Spirit applies it to the heart of the
Ethiopian treasurer. He asks for baptism and it is administered
and Philip, having accomplished the work he was sent to
do, is "caught away" and the convert goes on his way reloij'n*?.
Note that three times in t~e account of this incident the Divine
guidance is mentioed. First, in verse 26, the angel directs
Philip, when he sees the eunuch, verse 29, "the Spirit"
tells him to join himself to the man and in verse 39. we are
told that the Spirit caught Philip away. Even the details of
"the campaign of Testimony"' inaugurated by the Savior are oeing
divinely directed. We believe this in a general way, but it
is well to have these plain statemehts to base our belief.
The fdllowlng words of a distinguished Church of England
scholar are worthy of consideration in this connection: "This
incident represents* to us the power and strength gained for
) the cause of Christ by intellectual training and by wider culture.
It is a lesson needed much in the great mission field.
It has hitherto been too much the fashion to think that, while
the highest culture and trninlnir are rnnniro.l fnv tho
> at home, any halt-educated teacher, provided he be in earnest,
will suffice for the work of preaching to the heathen. This is
a terrible mistake, and one which has seriously Injured the
progress of religion."
Geo. D. Booth.
1
\N OF THE SOUTH. 17
Prayer Meeting
THE PRAYER MEETING.
For the Week Beginning February 28.
Home and Foreign Missions.
ProbaDly some extracts from current missionary literature
will render the best service in guiding our thoughts and helping
us to earnest application.
What was meant when Jesus said,
"Let the dead bury their dead?"
He looked with the eye of prophet and Ixird
On the near at home and the far abroad;
Looked o'er all the world and said,
'"Let the dead bury their dead."
But love was meant. God's love was meant.
When to the world His Son was sent.
What was meant when Jesu3 wept
By the grave where Lazarus slept?
He saw the world before him lie
In that lone grave when he did cry.
Through his great love for you and me
"Come forth!" God's peace be unto thee.
1'he Divine God our love to win.
The Savior sent to cleanse of sin.
What was meant when by the sea
Jesus said, "Come, follow me?'
To save the world in His Dear Name,
And to all peoples Him proclaim,
To do it not were burning shame;
And shows in the grave you still are lying.
While loudly to you the Lord is crying,
"Come forth!"
Hath Jesus neeft of thee
io tell or His great Charity?
The Savior Go<l to set us free
Endured the Cross on Calvary;
And he is free who frees another,
He saves himself who saves his brother.
?Christian Intelligencer.
In "The Missionary Review," Rev. Walter Phillips, of the
Presbyterian Mission in Manchuria, writes:
"The whole Manchurian Church seems stirred to its depths.
The leading men are transfigured, and their ideals of sin and
prayer have moved as from pole to pole; the members are
one and all filled with a new zeal to go forth and tell their
friends and neighbors. The very schoolboys are in the streets,
preaching and selling books. The girls, under charge of 'some
matron, spend their half-holidav in tranms tn nntivtnc viiioorM
where they gather the women together and preach and pray
half the night. In hospitals and public institutions old jealousies
and frictions are swept away, and the workers meet
daily to pray for their own weak hearts and the coming of the
kingdom. Enemies have been reconciled; old feuds healed up;
gamblers have been restored; opium-smokers reclaimed, and
men made new."
Since the beginning of the Laymen's Missionary Movement,
there has been a marked increase in the development of missionary
enterprise in this country and in Europe, according
to the "Missionary Review of the World." Protestant churches
in America, it is said, have increased the number of their
foreign missionaries in five years by fifteen ner cent, or nonriv
twice the ratio of the increase in their own membership.
British churches, meantime, have increased their foreign missionary
force by thirty per cent, and Protestant churches in
continental Europe by twenty-five. According to the "Review's"
calculation, the American force in the foreign mission
field is now over 6,500; that of Great Britain over 8,000, and
of the continent over 3,000.
<: