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thousand churches and more there are at least
three thousand deacons and two thousand
elders. What an army for God, and yet no
battle and no victory for our Lord Jesus Christ.
0 ye deacons, for what were you called and
set apart by the Holy Spirit? It is said in the
sixth chapter of Acts: "They chose Stephen,
full of faith and the Iloly Ghost." What was
he choscn for? To be a deacon. And the
obligations to save souls was so great that he
lost his life pleading with sinners and for the
Lord Jesus.
But, again, you have been baptized in the
name of the Father, the Son and the Iloly
Ghost. Your baptism in the name of the Father
has the same power as circumcision. It makes
you a servant of the Father to do His will and
help others.
Again, you were baptized in the name of
the Son and the Holy Ghost. Therefore, by
your ordination and baptism you are bound
to be devoted to Christ and the Holy Ghost as
tho priests and Levites were devoted to the
Mosaic ceremonies. So are you devoted to the
use and service of the Church. Paul says, "We
are bought." Then we do not belong to our
selves any more than a slave did. %He belonged
to his master and had to do the work he was
commanded to do or be punished.
O deacons, how can you so neglect your duty
and lose your reward? It is said the angels
in heavon sung a hallelujah over the repen
tance of one sinner, but the churches in that
black list starred no music on their harps, nor
songs in that angelic choir. If a man makes
a million dollars there is no joy in heaven,
but if one poor sinner by faith and prayer is %
brought to Christ there is great excitement in
heaven, the angels break forth into a glorious
jubilee.
It is said of Christ, when the paralytic was
brought to him to be healed, seeing their faith,
he said, "Son, be of good cheer, thy sins are
forgiven thee."
Some people are more anxious to save the
body than to save the soul.
Well, what about the elders? These re
marks apply with ten times more force to
them than to the deacons.
HOW ABOUT YOUR BOY?
By Rev. J. K. Ilitner.
The following story is told by Bishop Frank
Warne of his early boyhood days: One even
ing at the setting of the sun, my father said
to me, "Frank, water the stock." Some boys
came in about this time and, being a real boy,
I forgot ray work and played. A little later
my father asked, "Have you done what I told
you?" "Yes, father," I replied. He knew I
had not, and I even now recall how he said not
a word but walked away in the twilight, so
burdened and bowed because ?f hearing a
falsehood from his own boy that it suddenly
gave him the appearance of an old man. The
boys left and I watered the stock. Then, boy
like, I forgot, went to bed and slept. During
the next forenoon mother called me to her and
said, "Do you know your father neither went
to bed nor slept all last night?" I replied,
"No, mother, I did not know. Why didn't he
sleep?" Mother's answer was, "Your father
spent all last night praying for you." My
saintly mother's words and tears went through
my heart like an arrow, and rang in my ears
like a bell, and I became powerfully convicted
of sin. Just following this, a series of revival
meetings were held in our church and I be
came a seeker and found no rest till I found
it in penitence, and a consciousness of par
doned sin. The revival services continued sev
1 . "V " .
eral weeks, and a young boy of thirteen years
was the only convert, and the critics said, "He
will backslide in a few weeks. The revival is a
failure." That "small boy" himself now tells
this story.
The thought oft recurrcu to me, how
could I ever reward my now glorified father
for that night of prevailing prayer? I never
could, but God rewarded him by letting him
live to see that very boy become a minister,
a missionary and a missionary bishop. Just
a few weeks after my election to the bishopric
God said to him, "It is enough, come up
higher." Mother had entered into rest about
two years before. Never can I be sufficiently
grateful for such a parentage and such a home.
So, he adds, it is my hope and prayer that
the story of my father's night of prevailing
prayer may encourage other parents to pray
as he did for me. I do not believe that parents
through prayer can break the wills of their
children and compel them to surrender to
Jesus, but I do believe that my father prayed
until God sent such conviction through the
Iloly Spirit into my heart that sin became such
an unbearable burden that I gladly yielded my
will to the will of my God, and prayed until
my sins were pardoned, the burden removed,
and I was truly converted. Thus, I firmly be
lieve the same heavenly Father will hear the
cry of other parents, if they will but go to Him,
and bestow a like answer in return to their
fervent prayers.
Huntington, "W. Va.
LOVE.
By Nettie Mayers Allemong.
Love is the great eternal power
Within the human soul '
That drives the thoughts and acts of men
Beyond the will's control.
It is the heart's dynamic fire
Which threads its subtle course
Along the secret wires of life,
- With mighty, tireless force
It moves the energies anew
To nobler work each day;
Its recompense, a word of cheer,
Or smile along the way,
It is the Architect unseen
Of Fate's mysterious plans;
Who builds for us a structure strong
Beyond life's shifting sands. .
It is the rath to that pure fane
Both human and divine.
Where God's own hand has set a light
The sacred tapers shine.
It is the guide to Want's retreat.
And Sorrow's dark abode;
To lift the cross and set a crown
Where tears of anguish flowed.
It is the way that Pity takes
To find the world's distress;
While white-robed Mercy clasps her hand
With smiles of tenderness.
It is the Spirit ever bright
Which answers every call;
Tain's deep distress, Joy's fevered wants.
With tender grace to all.
It is the hidden fire within
To purify and bless.
And sheds o'er imperfection's face
A radiant loveliness.
Love is a mighty, moving stream.
Whose ever rushing tide
Dears sin and wrong upon Its breast,
Out to an ocean wide.
It is a beacon phining far
Across life's pathless foam;
A chart and compass ever true
Where'er our barque may roam.
It is the star that points the way
O'er moors of doubt and strife;
And safely leads the stumbling feet
To higher planes of life.
It is the Joy of that loved spot
Where faults are all forgiven;
It lights with glory every room,
And makes our home a heaven.
It id the language of the heart,
The warmth of friendship's hand;
The magic light of smiling eyes
Whose speech we understand.
It. is the bluBh on beauty's cheek,
The glow in beauty's eye;
The tear which trembles on her lash
Where hidden fountains lie.
It is the artist's haunting dream,
The theme of poet's rhyme;
The charm of music's melting note,
Of melodies sublime.
It is the vision shining fair
Through isles of happy rest.
Which pictures every joy fulfilled
Unto the lover's breast.
It is the music of the world
That or.ward leads through strife.
As swells from out the victor's heart
The triumph song of life.
O Love! of every life the Way
Th"t human feet have trod;
The s the Power in earth and heaven
Thai'ff.eads us up to God!
Roanoke, Va.
RANDOM REMARKS BY ERASMUS.
Selected by C. \Y. Sommerville,
Memphis, Term.
Had Luther Failed?
"The corruption of the Church, the de
generacy of the Holy See are universally ad
mitted. I doubt whether in the whole history
of Christianity the heads of the Church have
been so grossly worldly as at the present mo
ment. It was on this account that Luther's
popularity at the outset was so extraordinary.
. . . Luther wilfully provoked his fate. (The
Diet at "Worms was thought to have finished
him.) ... If the enemies of light are to have
their way, we may write on the tomb of a
ruined world, "Christ did not rise again."
Erasmus No Martyr.
"We have not all strength for martyrdom,
and I fear if trouble comes I shall do like
Peter. ... I shall take the safe side."
"I saw the peril of neutrality, but I cannot
and will not be a rebel." . . . "Luther has
been sent into the world by the Genius of Dis
cord. Every corner of it has been disturbed *
by him. For my self I am a man of peace,
and hate quarrels." . . . "I care nothing
what is done to Luther, but I care for peace.
They may boil or roast Luther if they like."
Lutherans Extremists.
"The extravagant Lutherans have most hurt
Luther. . . . I do not object generally to the
evangelical doctrines, but there is much in
Luther's teaching which I dislike. He runs
everything which he touches into extrava
gance. ... I would have had religion purified
without destroying authority." . . . "Luther
causes more harm than he cures."
Not Highest Appreciation of Veracity.
"Plato says you cannot guide the multitude
without deceiving them. Christians must not
lie, but they need not tell the whole truth."
His Estimate of Luther's Career.
"Perhaps . . . G<
used Pharaoh and i
could not have succeed.
not been with him."
" .... I regard L,utn
raised up by providence
pravity of the age." . .
the Church are afraid 4
Erasmus
"Great lords, bish
of whom I have u<
me to say nothinr
high prelates wh
With their com ome magnificent
presents. To L Jharles (V) I owe
man,
je de
men in
v
/ -
v'^rned men
rite daily to
d princes and
io all mankind.