Newspaper Page Text
Women's Societies
SUGGESTIONS.
By Miss C. L. Campbell.
"If any of you lack wisdom, let
him ask of God, who giveth to all
liberally and upbraideth not; and it
shall be given him. But let him ask
in faith." Jas. 1:5-6.
This Box Demonstration was given
^t the Virginia Synodical last fall, and
ias been used several times in Sunday
schools with lasting effect. It is given
lere by special request, and may be
lused also in missionary meetings, es
pecially Young People's meetings.
First get together a cigar .box, a
'candy box, a flower box, a hat box,
a chewing-gum box and a mite box ?
Lsix boxes in all.
Tell your audience that you are
;oing to show them how some of
America's money is used. Then call
lumber one to come forward, and be
sure to have these girls stand where
the boxes can be &een; for the whole
effort Is useless "except to be seen."
Number one holds up a cigar box,
out of which she slowly draws a long
strip of paper on which is written in
?clear, large figures 1416,000,000.
And the leader says: "This spent for
k tobacco in the United States in one
year, according to census of 1910."
Number two comes up with a candy
box, out of which she draws a strip
bearing the figures $200,000,000.
Number three brings the hat box,
fwhlch. tells a tale of $105,000,000.
Number four, a florist's box, $69,
[000,000.
Number five, a chewing-gum box,
(21,000,000.
And last of all the mite box, out of
fhich number six slowly and with
lhamefacedness draws a small, nar
low strip on which is written $18,
100,000.
L Allow each girl to stand with box
figures well In view until the
are all in line ? do not rush
(ugh any part of this ? and give a
t. minute or two, when all are in
that the different figures and
I boxes to which they belong may
t themselves on the minds of all
io are looking at them ? and all
present will be looking.
If In a remote place and It is dlffl
It to secure all these boxes, do not
re up using this demonstration; even
|ith the mite box and one other the
*'story the boxes tell' would not be
lost.
While the girls still stand holding
le boxes, ask some sympathetic soul
pray, Just a few strong words, that
fod'a children will see to it that the
lite box may grow larger ? large
lough to supply the immediate an1
frying need.
A CALL TO SERVICE.
In the mountains of Virginia there
great need for two women, one
hunger and one older, to take charge
once of a mission school already
fablished. It is real work, but worth
bile and encouraging. If you feel
kny stirrings of response to this call
service for the Master, will you
pease write at once to Rev. William
1. Hudson, Staunton, Va.?
' MESSAGE TO ALL SOCIETIES OF
THE VIRGINIA SYNODICAL.
The little Japanese play given at
fontreat last summer has been pub
jshed, and It "tells a tale." Any
Corker interested In presenting the
Appeal for missions, "A Call From
Japan," can have a copy for the ask
Just write, sending postage, to
Carrie Lee Campbell,
Synodical Sec. For. Mission*
THE FAMILY ALTAR LEAGUE ? ITS
PURPOSE, PLAN AND PROGRESS.
The Christian people of this coun
try, or of any other civilized country,
need not bo told of the profound sig
nificance of a thoroughly Christian
home. Genuine piety in the homes of
the world will settle all its problems,
national, social and industrial, as well
as domestic.
W. H. Grady, who was a true pa
triot, said to a friend when he look
ed for the first time upon the White
House in Washington: "That, sir, is
the home of my nation." But a few
days later he went for a trip through
the Southland and stopped over-night
at a plantation where the planter and
his wife were Christians, and in the
evening they gathered the children
about them and together read the Bi
ble and prayed, and Henry W. Grady
said: "I was mistaken when T said
that glistening pile of marble at
Washington was the home of my na
tion; the home of my nation is the
homes where the Bible is read, where
Jesus Christ is respected, where God
is honored, and the children are
taught to pray."
Old John Randolph said: "I should
have been an atheist had it .not been
for the recollection and memory of
the time when my mother used to take
my little hand in hers and cause me
on her knees to say, 'Our Father, M(ho
art in heaven.' "
The Purpose.
There was a time when the family
altar was not an exception, but that
time, alas, is gone. We have traveled
this broad land over from corner to
corner, and have been amazed, as you
would have been and no doubt thou
sands who read this article have been,
at the sight of the holy influences and
environments of home, which make
for godly character, all forgotten
while the father and mother join with
the children in eager and sometimes
frenzied pursuit of the world's pleas
ure and its treasures.
Surely any plan which will serve
in any degree to call us back ? back
from the spirit of materialism from
unconsecrated commercialism, the
epicurean indifference to the things
of God, all true Christians will greatly
approve. This is the purpose of the
Family Altar League, inaugurated
after many months of prayer and con
ference with God's chosen leaders in
religious work. ?
The Plan.
The plan in brief is this:
1. Christian people are urged to
sign the following covenant:
"Believing myself to be largely re
sponsible for the eternal salvation and
religious training of my children, and
realizing the need of God's grace for
my own Christian life, I covenant with
God to make it the rule of my life
to gather together each day, so far
as possible, the members of my
family and together read some por
tion of God's Word and pray for His
blessings upon my home."
2. Each covenant is given a special
number, and the home thus enrolled
is registered in the Family Altar
League and its number kept on record
at headquarters.
3. The pastor of the parties sign
ing the covenant Is then furnished
with a card as a reminder that the
home is regarded in the Family Altar
League as a household of prayer.
4. To every home thus enrolled
there is sent in exchange for the cove
nant card a beautiful wall card, made
from five plates, to hang upon the
Vail, as a dally and constant reminder
of the covenant taken. This card Is
designed by one of the beat artists,
Is In size 10x12 inches. It is a thing
of beauty and is furnished, free of
cost, to all those homes which are
enrolled in tho League. Homes where
the altar already exists may also be
enrolled by signing the covenant card.
6. Into the homes of the League
is then sent each month, at an an
nual expense of 25 cents, the "Family
Altar," a 32-page monthly, contain
ing the following departments:
(a) Daily Bible readings, with com
ments by the world's best Bible stu
dents.
(b) A number of suggested family
prayers.
(c) A Bible study department, un
der the direction of well-known Bible
teachers.
(d) A department for beginners in
the Christian life.
(e) A department of reports from
the field of evangelism and general
Christian work.
(f) A sermon each month on the
home, or some kindred subject.
It is more especially for the help
home will derive from the daily Bible
reading that this monthly is issued,
although the suggested prayers and
other departments have been pro
nounced by many to be most invalu
able. All this it has been taught, and
experience has shown it to be true,
will assist much in emphasizing our
obligation to honor Christ in this par
ticular way in the home. It is the
intention of the League to keep in
touch with all homes enrolled and to
help them in every way possible.
Though already upon a solid footing
and doing great work, the undertak
ing ia in its formative period, and any
suggestion looking toward its greater
efficiency will be most gladly welcom
ed at headquarters.
The Progress.
Far more even than Its founders
anticipated has this movement taken
hold of the churches and Christian
public. Qod has set His seal of ap
proval upon the League. Its growth
has been phenomenal. Up to the pres
ent the work has been promoted by
the volunteer service of some promi
nent ministers and a few special
friends; and yet requests for more
than '300,000 cards for signatures of
those covenanting to establish the
family altar have been received.
It is estimated that more than 60,
000 new family altars have been estab
lished, and 250,000 lives are being
touched and influenced every day in
the home because of the efforts of the
League.
Letters pour In from every quarter
of the United States and from for
eign lands, three-fourths of which are
from ministers. Pastors everywhere
are presenting the plan to their peo
ple. Headquarters are being estab
lished in foreign lands, and if it please
God He will carry the work around
the world.
Plans for a Larger Work.
Much has been accomplished, but
the directors have planned for bigger
things. "An altar in every Christian
home in America" is the motto.
To meet the increasing demands a
general secretary has been elected,
who will devote all of his time- to the
promotion of the work, as Dr. Bleder
wolf, owing to his other duties, could
not do. New headquarters have been
opened in Chicago with an up-to-date
equipment. A vigorous campaign of
extension will be prosecuted immedi
ately. The country will be divided
into sections and each section will be
in charge of an advisory director.
The general secretary will conduct
conferences throughout the country,
and whole cities, towns and counties
will conduct simultaneously a Family
Altar Day through all the churches,
closing with a general conference on
family religion. The work Is to be
presented at ministers' meetings, con*
ventions and dther associations.
How Is This Greater Work to Be
Supported?
There are no fees or dues, conse
quently some plan must be provided
to support It. This greater work is
to be financially supported, first, by
an endowment fund of $100,000, the
interest of which will be used to pro
mote the work. Further, an effort
will be made to build up a sustaining
membership in the Family Altar
League of those who will contribute
a dollar or more annually. $36,000
has been subscribed to the endowment
fund, in amounts varying from 60
cents to $11,000.
Won't You Help in This Glorious
Work?
Every dollar you give will live, will
have its dynamic part in quickening
real homes to be truer and better
Jiomcs because of family prayer life
which you thus help to bring to pass.
There is no limit to what can be done.
The homes already affiliated may be
greatly multiplied.
No matter how small your contri
bution, if it be only a dollar, it will
be gratefully received and acknowl
edged. Send your contribution and
address all correspondence to The
Family Altar League, 508 Lakeside
Building, Chicago, 111.
Yours for Christ in the home,
The Family Altar League.
THE PRAYER MEETING
THE MEANING OP CONFESSION OP
FAITH IN CHRIST.
By Rev. Russell Cecil, D. D.
For week beginning January 28.
Read Matthew 10:32-33; Romans
10:1-13.
Of these two passages the first con
sists of the words of our blessed Lord
to his apostles when he first sent them
out to preach. His instructions in re
gard to confession were Intended,
first, as a ripur to the apostles them
selves in their work, and, second, as a
criterion by which they could judge
of the effect of their preaching upon
others. The second passage consists
of the words of the apostle Paul, in
which he emphasizes the importance of
an open confession of faith in Christ.
There is quite a disposition on the
part of many in the present day to dis
count the importance of confessing
Christ. They contend that they may
live the Christian life just as well
without it. Seeing that our Lord and
the apostle Paul are so clear in their
teachings upon this subject, it is im
possible to imagine where any serious
minded person could ever have gotten
his information upon this subject If
he takes the position that confession
is unnecessary.
That it is necessary to personal sal
vation could not be more strongly
stated than in these two passages. It
is not necessary, of course, in the
sense that It saves the soul. But it
does mean that the man who will not
confess Christ has not accepted him as
his Saviour; and if he denies Christ.
Christ himself denies that such a man
is his disciple. Confession seems to
be the necessary product of faith. If
you are a foreigner and come to this
country, how can you become a citi
zen unless you take out your natu
ralization papers? It matters not how
long you may stay here, you cannot
vote, or hold office, or exercise the
privileges of citizenship until you be
come naturalized. So you cannot be
called a Christian, nor are you enti
tled to enjoy the privileges of a Chris
tian until you have confessed Christ
before men. It is possible, of course,
for r man to bs saved who believes In