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ONLY OUR GOD.
-God is my strength and power."?2 Samuel 22: 33.
Only from God. comes strength for the battle
Gird thyself firmly, look thee above;
Grasp to thee close, the shield of B&lvation,
Bear In thy heart His heavenly love.
\
His power comes as light of the morning,
Guiding thy feet from each hidden shoal.
Placing them surely upon hills of Zion;
Teaching wisdom to each eager soul.
Only our God, yea, only the Father
Can give power to battle with sin,
Only our God in infinite mercy,
Maketh for us a pure heart within.
Waco, Texas. ?S. D. Gardner.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES IN MISSIONS.
BY DEL.AVKN BIEKSUN.
On the threshold of a New Year it is impossible
to judge of the advance made in comparison
with other years. The discouraging or
encouraging features of the campaign are too
apt to be emphasized according to the individual
mood or viewpoint of the historian.
We may, however, note some of the outstanding
events and tendencies of the year?indications
on the dial of time that show the progress
of the kingdom of God.
In the great Continent of Africa the contest
is with Mohammedanism for the victory of the
Cross over the crescent. North Africa is al
most wholly Moslem, but with the control ot
the government in European hands it is hoped
that there will be greater freedom in preaching
and confessing Christ. Morocco is now
under Spanish and French control, Tunis and
Algeria are French, Tripoli is Italian and
Egypt is now practically British. Only Abyssinia
is independent and almost closed to Christian
missionaries. Uganda is under Christian
kings and has a strong, growing Christian
church. The missionary societies are gradually
moving to occupy the neglected Sudan. In
A i a\ A . l l i ni A J
? est Airica tne most remarKaDie unristwara
movement of the day is in the Presbyterian
missions Kamerun country. The Kongo State
has been freed from Leopold's blighting control
and offers larger opportunities for missionary
work. In British Central Africa the
work of the Scotch Presbyterian mission is
bringing rich harvests and thousands gather
for the preaching and communion services.
/-it i l J1 Ci it.
Vyiiurcn union nas maae progress in ouum
Africa and a Missionary Conference has been
held. The outlook is also more hopeful in the
French Island of Madagascar.
In the Moslem lands of Europe and Asia
the Turk has been receiving the rewards for
past mi8government. The probability is that
this Moslem power is broken in the Balkan peninsula
and that the Turk will have only a
small strip of territory left in Europe. What
the effect will be on missionary work in Asia
it is impossible to tell, but with Turkish pres
tige gone it is possioie tnat tne aoor win De
open wider than ever for Christian truth. As
in China, when the old faith proves unsuccessful
the Western education and religion is welcomed.
Persia is still in a sorry plight, given
into the deadening grasp of Russia. Reform
is temporarily killed, for the friends of reform
are powerless. In Arabia a new station has
been opened at Kuweit and the progress of the
Reformed Church mission is steady and hopeful.
t 4 y '' -
PKLSBYTEEIAM OF THE 8
headings
India is so large a land that no one report
i!?n be made to eover all Thpra hnn h*on
distinct progress in Christian education; there
have been encouraging awakenings among the
Telugus. The Congress of All Religions gave
an opportunity for friendly discussion. Caste
show signs of breaking in some districts; a union
mission theological school has been started
in the South; the first Indian Bishop of the
Church of England has been consecrated in
Mr. V. S. Azariah.
In China the republic has had a year of unretarded
progress and some of the high officials
are strong Christians. Opium is being
stamped out, foot-biDding is discouraged and
other reforms are instituted. There is a grow
J J t* ur J * * -
mg uemana ior >vesiern books and learning,
and this often includes Christian literature and
teaching. Union mission work is growing in
favor and a Union University has been started
in Nanking. Revivals are reported from the
West, and there has been a great missionary
awakening among students in mission schools
and colleges.
In Japan and Korea the outlook is somewhat
clouded by the arrest and condemnation of
Korean Christians by the Japanese military
authorities. It seems like a blow at tihe work
of the mission schools and the influence of the
missionaries, but the strong character of many
Korean Christians has been manifested in the
trials and the work has gone forward with remarkable
success.
In Siam the new king continues the policy
of his father in giving full freedom to Christian
missions and in contributing to the support
of philanthropic work. In Europe, Portugal
as a republic offers fuller religious liberty
for Protestant missions than under papal government.
Russia is still in medieval darkness,
with a glimmering of light here and there?as
is shown by the remarkable attendance at
Protestant meetings for students and in the
opening of the new Baptist hall for Pastor Fetler
in St. Petersburg.
In America the Men and Religion Movement
has swept the United States as the Laymen's
and Women's Campaigns have done previously.
Now the more difficult "follow-up work"
is conserving the results. The mission study
classes among men, women and young people
are the most hopeful sign of growing intelligent
interest. The Hartford School of Missions
has completed a successful year and the Yale
Mission Library has just entered its new and
finely equipped building. The output of missionary
literature continues to be enormous.
The home mission problem is being taken in
hand by the Home Mission Council and the
Federated Council.
Such is a bird's-eye view of the progress of
the kingdom?too general to dwell on details?
which have been reported during the year.
The comments on statistics are given in another
Daracrranh ami ? atn/W nf
4 - 0 s 1 ? V. VA. LI1U IOU1CB
for the year will reveal many acts for encouragement
and for prayerful consideration.
?Presbyterian Examiner.
Make thy life better than thy works, that will
add merit to thy work, momentum to its influence
and benediction. The character of the
toiler has much to do with the work. "Whatsoever
thy hand findeth to do, do with thy
might."
O D T b [ January 29, 1913
A CHANGE OF HEART.
"The boys are late coming home tonight,"
said Mr. Stafford to his wife as they sat before
a blazing fire in the grate, one cold Sabbath
evening, near the. latter part of November.
jur. otartora, wno was pastor of the village
church, had been kept from the Christian Endeavor
meeting by a heavy cold. Scarcely had
he finished speaking, when the door opened
and his son, Roger, entered.
"Where is Frank 1" inquired MVs. Stafford,
anxiously, as she noted the absence of her
nephew who had come to spend the winter with
them and attend the village high school.
"lie hadn't finished his chat with the boys,
so I came on and thought he might come when
he got ready. Anyway, I can't help getting
provoked at the way he acts. He and Fred
11 a. ? -
l eiiningiou gei more Ultimate every day and
sneer at everything good."
"I am afraid Frank is going to be a worry
to us all," said Mr. Stafford. "Already I can
see how he is in a measure destroying my influence.
Still we must remember that since his
parents' death, the influences which have surrounded
him in his cousin's home, have not
been helpful, and we must not judge him too
harshly."
Frank's parents had died several years previous,
and a cousin, who lived on a neighboring
farm, had offered him a home until he should
make his plans for the future. In his home,
wnere tne tsibie was a closed book, and the
Sabbath was spent in social pleasure, Frank
soon drifted away from the religious training
of his parents.
When an invitation came from his aunt asking
him to make his home with them and be the
companion and schoolmate of their son, Roger,
his guardian, thought it wise for him to accept,
as his present home was in a community with
few school advantages.
The training he had received in his cousin's
home had taken such a hold upon him that he
was not easily led back to the path of right.
This was made even harder by the friendship
LL # ? - ?
ue soon iormea witn a schoolmate, Fred Pennington.
Fred's mother had been an stress,
who, failing to attain the success she longed
for, had married a man much older than herself,
whose wealth had attracted her. Fred's
father, even from his boyhood days, was known
as a scoffer at everything of a religious nature.
The Stafford family had retired when
Frank finally came home on this particular
Sabbath evening.
"I have an invitation for you, Roger," said
he, as on entering their bed room he found
that Roger was awake. "Fred is getting up a
sort of club for the boys, and his father says
we can meet at their house, and that he will
send his big auto for any of us not having a
good way of going. We can just have a jolly
good time, or we may take up a course of
siuay 10 suit you sober fellows. Now isn't it
a dandy plan, and of course you will be in
for it, won't you?"
While Frank was talking, Roger's face took
on a very serious expresion. Ordinarily he
\yould have hailed this plan with delight for,
although he was a hard student, he was also
fond of fun. However, he had frequently
heard of the various methods Mr. Pennington
had employed to lead the young astray, and
he saw at once that this was one of them.
"No, Frank," said he, "I can't go into the
club. You know father doesn't approve of
your being so thick with Fred."
"Fred Pennington is a lot better than some
of you church people," said Frank, angrily. "I
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