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14 THE PRESBYTERI
Young People's Society
GREAT MISSIONARY BOOKS.
Topic for Sunday, March 28: Great Missionary Books,
Home and Foreign. Isaiah 32: 6-12.
DAILY READINGS.
Monday: The Book of Jonah. Jonah 4.
Tuesday: The Book of Daniel. Daniel 2: 28-45.
Wednesday: Ruth, the immigrant. Ruth 1: 15-22.
Thursday: The Book of John. John 3: 1C; 20: 30, 31.
Frida>: The Book of Acts. Acts 1: 6-12.
Saturday: The Rook of the Revelation. Revelation
11: 15; 22: 1-5.
The Dible is the first book of all as a "missionary book."
From Genesis down it is full of missionary spirit and principles.
First of all it offers and teaches a world-wide religion, a
faith which knows no bounds. It provides a gospel that is
for both Jew and Greek.
As specimens cf its religion and of the nature of its covenant.
it brings in Tamar the Canaanitess, Rahab of Jericho,
Ruth pf Moab; Bathshcba the Hittite, and puts them in the
verv line of Christ.
It tells of the mission work of the little Hebrew maid, a
captive in Syria, of Christ and the centurion, of Jesus in the
coasts of Tyre and Sidon, Caesarea Philipjii, Decapolis, Samaria,
and Perea.
It gives the scene of the housetop in Joppa, the vision of
the sheet let down from heaven, of the call of the messengers
at the tanner's door, of Peter's immediate journey to the house
of Cornelius.
It gives the whole Rook of Jonah, devoted to the wesr>r
aracr. to a Gentile citv. an account of the repentance
and saving of Nineveh, and of God's rebuke of his servant
Jonah beca-use of Jonah's grief that Nineveh was saved.
At the forefront of all, however, in the Bible, In the way
of a missionary record or book, stands the narrative of the
three great missionary tours of the Apostle Paul, brief, but
giving glimpses of a work rich, fruitful, and clearly showing
the true nature of such work.
Of books of men, there are two classes to be selected
from, the one being of those discussing the principles of missions,
the other being of those which describe actual missionary
work. Of the first, one cannot find a better than our
own Dr. T. C. Johnson's lately published "Introduction to
Christian Missions."
Dr. James S. Dennis' great work on missions deals with
both the principles and results of missions, showing especially
what they have done for the uplifting of men, the revolutionizing
of nations, the betterment of the social, civic, and
economic conditions of mankind. Such a study is of rare
All the books covering the lives of missionaries and describing
their work in its details are, of course, very modern.
The biographies of Livingstone, Moffatt, Mackay, Bishop Hannlngtou,
Chalmers, Morrison, Paton, Selwyn, Heber, Martyu,
Carey, Judson, Boardman, Duff, Brainerd, and many others
v^ll be found thrlliingly interesting and illuminating.
The little books supplied by our own Committee of Foreign
Missions for Mission Study Classes are admirable and
very moderate in price. They may be had dealing with the
several countries in which we have special interest. Where
faithfully used they have been found most effective in stimulating
interest and giving information.
AN OF THE SOUTH. March 17, igog.
Prayer Meeting
TOPIC?DOING ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD.
1 Cor. 10: 27-33.
For Week Beginning March 21.
Though the trend of the discourse in this part of the
l'Jpistle is somewhat tedious and involved, its meaning is
apparent. The supreme rule of conduct for all Christians
was that their conduct in all things was to be of such a
character as to show the excellency of the gdspel, that
others might be influenced to embrace it, so that Christ
might be known, honored and glorified by them. Whatever
conduct or policy might hinder this supreme end was
10 bo avoided. Every pursuit, interest and privilege was to
be made subordinate and indeed subservient to this highest
end. They were to carefully avoid placing stumbling blocks,
however innocent in themselves, in the way of either Jew
or Gentile. The hindrance might be mainly due to the weakness
or even the folly of a misguided brother, yet the instructed
Christian was to avoid using the liberty which his
' intelligence assured him of, as a means of causing his weak
brother to stumble. "Let 110 man seek his own, but each his
neighbor's good."
The occasion of the discrimination here made was 'a
preceding discussion of the sin of joining with idolaters in
their* feasts at the temples of their idols. That conduct was
condemned as an act of communion with the idol in its
v/orshiii- at least in form ?nr) annparance Hnct oa nartolrimr
* ? ? *"* J
of "the cup of blessing" was the communion of the blood of
Christ. Having disposed of that question by showing that
feasting in the idol temples was a direct act of idolatry, the
apostle ad\anees to the discussion of the abuse of liberty
In the use of those things which are in themselves lawful.
These, while lawful, might not be expedient; while consistent
with the dictate of their own enlightened consciences, might
give ofTense to another's conscience. The brethren at Corinth
were therefore not to minister to their own indulgence exclusively,
or eliieily, but to consider the spiritual advantage
of their brethren, for whose greater good they might well
forego their own inferior gratification.
Whatever they bought in the market might be used as
food, even though it had first been used as an offering to
idols, provided the question of its religious use was not
raised; because it was a part of God's bounty. "The earth
Is the Lord's and the fullness thereof." Also in enjoying the
hospitality of a friend the same liberty was to be exercised.
But if a misguided zealot should object, by saying, ."This is
offered in sacrifice unto idols," then duty demanded that the
believer should "eat not for his sake that showed it," out
of deference to his conscience, and out of consideration for
his personal welfare.
Three classes were liable to injury by such abuse of
liberty as was under discussion. The Jew would infer that
Christianity was out of harmony with the law and the
prophets. The Gentile might infer that their professed abhorrence
of idolatry was not genuine, and the weak Christian
might be tempted by the example of the stronger, to
oat "with conscience of the idol" or to reject the faith altogether,
v. 32.
The application of the principle here expounded is - wide
and varied; Christians are often complacent in maintaining
the innocence of various worldly amusements. But if they
are innocent are they expedient? Do they conduce to edification?
Do they contribute to the strengthening of the weak
and purifying of the unholy? Prudence, temperance, cleanness
/ .