Newspaper Page Text
16 TH]
Contributed
OUR SRIGHTSIDE LETTER.
All Things Come?to Whom?
Some old wise-acre, not of our ac
quauuance, aeciareu oraveiy t.nai "an
tilings come to him who waits." That
is quite optimistic, the optimist's motto,
it is a passive side of life, it has a
place in the Christian life. It is patience
biding her time. It is contentment,
thankful for the good we have, and
trustfully waiting for the unfolding of the
loving care of our Father in heaven. And
in sucli patient waiting there is surely
a rich blessing. There are unexpected
gifts. There are surprises, opening the
way that was closed, discovering a new
mercy, breaking a rift in the dark cloud,
sending light when we most need it.
But the optimist's motto is not the
whoie of life. It may lead to the folding
of the arms to sleep, and idleness and
Deglect of duty?and good things do not
come that way. Our garden did not prosper
when we waited. The erass and the
weeds came and took possession. No
sermon ever came while the preacher
waited. No learning ever grew wniie
the book stood unread on the shelf. No
good enterprise came to success while all
men stood and looked on. It may be a
good sentiment for the old, whose days
of activity are passing away. The Christian
who can look back upon well spent
<lays, opportunities not neglected, duties
accepted as they came and faithfully
discharged, may rest in patient hope.
""They also serve who only stand and
wait." "Rest in the Lord and wait, patiently
for Him" is surely written for the
comfort of older years, "and He will
tiring it to pass."
One of our friends has amended the
old saying, and over the mantel in his
library, worked in fine colc^s, you may
read "All things come to him who hustles
while ho waits." That is quite a
different thing. That is the active side
of life. It is the active use of strength
and faculty, of time and opportunity.
That is energy and work and progress,
ft is a fine motto for the man or woman
1n the midst of life's duties, hearing
the call, answering the appeal, going out
to battle. The good book has no use
tor the sluggard. "If any man will not
work, neither shall he eat." "Six days
shalt thou labor and do all thy work,"
ts a part of the commandment as needful*
and binding as the rest of the Seventh
Day. And in good ways the "All things
come" to the hustling man. It brings
health for body- and mind, and self-reapect
and confidence; and growth and
much reward. It means advance among
men, and honor and stability and the
true success. There is a good conscience
rewarding the faithful effort. Whatever
fails to come, the best things which are
within the heart can not fail to come.
Fortune may not come, but peace will
come within, which is far better a
peace which fortune does not always
bring, and without which fortune is
a burden and sorrow.
lfu you Know mac tne oia saying has
another reading? "All things come to
him who waits, and is ready"! That
must be for the young. The old version
was for the old man and woman. And
r ,
E PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOUT]
our neighbor's hustling version was for
those in the midst of life; but this is
for youth. Tue rewards of life come
to those prepared for them. This means
educaTion and training. It is a promise
to that great army of young men and
young women, who have now completed
school life, and have come to their commencements.
They stand expectant and
look anxiously for what is to come. Sure1
\r mancurn <~?f thai 5a
J UIEHOUIV Wl vuut VUUIU15 5UUU 10
the preparation. Opportunities come every
day, and some are not ready to use
them. Doors are opened on the wayside,
aud many have not the badge of fitness.
But every day some one is entering
in, some one is climbing the rounds
of the ladder, some one is finding the
way to a career, fitted, worthy, honorable.
Many things are awaiting those
'who are ready."
QUESTIONABLE ENDORSEMENTS.
Two or three times every year I have
a visit from a pair of Orientals who represent
themselves as Syrians, Assyrians,
or converted Turks. They are always
dressed in clergyman's garb. Usually
they claim to be Nestorians and are seeking
aid for a historian orphanage. They
always go through exactly the same pro
gram. First, they introduce themselves.
Then they begin to pull out letters of introduction
until I am completely overwhelmed.
Some of these letters are from
strangers to me, and some from my own
brethren in the Southern Presbyterian
Church. These letters say that the writers
have examined the credentials of
these Orientals and believe them to be
genuine. Finally, J get back to the credentials.
They generally consist of one
letter written by the patriarch of the
Nestorian church in a language that is
foreign to me. Sometimes it is written
in hlnglish with a typewriter. I am always
at a loss to know how my brethren
who wrote the other letters ever arrived
at the conclusion that this letter is
genuine. It may be and it may not be. 1
always feel that I have no means ot
knowing. But here is a letter from Dr.
James D. Barton that helps me. Dr.
Barton is secretary of the American
Board of Foreign Missions. The American
Board does more work in the Turk
isn empire than any ether board, anil
Dr. Barton probably knows more about
the Christian Church (there than any
man in America. His words ought to
carry weight. The letter speaks for itself:
"It is a source of no little embarrassment
to the officers of our National Benevolent
Societies, as it mus{. be to many
of the pastors of the churches, that so
many well known pastors give unknown
and irresponsible Syrians and others letters
of commendation to be used in soliciting
money among Christians in this
country for the support of alleged work
of which nobody has any authentic information.
There is no doubt that the
easiest way to get rid of these muny solicitors
is to give them a dollar and a
letter of general approval. But is it fair
thus to impose upon others and to encourage
the Oriental adventurers in their
endeavor to secure money for which ho
account is ever rendered the donors, and
for something said to exist at the other
side of the world? Do any of these endorsers
have any idea ot what per cent.
H. June 23, 1909.
if any, of these collected funds are ever
used for any kind of benevolent or needful
work?
'If every pastor and layman would refrain
lrom endorsing any one or any
cause that he does not know to bo
worthy, an increasing burden would be
lifted from the shoulders of others, and a
great leak in the beneficence account ol
the churches would be stopped."
W. W. L.
"THE CHURCH OF THE GOOD
SHEPHERD.''
By Rev. R. D. Campbell.
This is the name at the Mexican
church recently organized at Darwin,
Texas. It was chosen by the congregation.
Somehow the "First Church of
Darwin" didn't sound right?even down
on the Mexican frontier and among a
people who are not supposed to be well
versed in the theories of creation and
kindred subjects. But the name is not
the only good thing about this young
church. Its faith and love, its zeal and
devotion, its activity and liberality, its
patience under persecution and its sacrifices
for the gospel's sake are striking
reminders of apostolic history.
Darwin is a mining town situated on
the bank of the Rio Grande, twenty-five
miles northwest of Laredo. Its population
consists of about twenty Americans
and a thousand Mexicans. In times past
drunkenness, dancing, debauchery, cockfighting
and men-fighting, Romish fanaticism
and hatred of "Protestantism all
combined to keep the poor miners slaves
of vice and superstition. Now. in the
goodness of God, these are fast yielding
to evangelical influences brought to bear
upon them, both directly and indirectly.
About two years ago our regular work
was established there. Two former members
of the I^aredo church formed the
nucleus. On March 28 a church of fourteen
members was organized and immediately
'afterwards five more were received?and
a number of others deeply
interested had to be left for another visit
because of the evangelist's engagements
ahead. The church was left with nineteen
members, one ruling elder and one
deacon. Two more of the nineteen had
formerly belonged to evangelical
churches and renewed their vows. Seventeen
trophies of the gospel's saving
power as the result of an occasional
visit for this brief period! Seventeen
turned from the service of idols "to
serve the living and true God"!
Among many remarkable cases is the
one of the elders, who was formerly a
slave of drink and whose conduct when
in an inebriate state had earned him
the sobriquet of "The Tiger." Now his
character is much more lamb-like than
tiger-like and his zeal is a worthy emulation
of that of the apostle to the genliles.
A young lady, bright, attractive an.l
with natural gifts for leadership, had
been serving as choir director in the
Catholic chapel and was known for her
zeal and efficiency. Now her talents are
dedicated to rescuing her people from
cuui uiaiutiu ui reittiiiiug mem in u.
It is evident that the Lord has "much
people" in Darwin. Let's pray that he
may claim them soon.
Beeville, Texas.