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selected these topics in thinking that
this passage has anything to do with
"Cleansing our Cities." The lesson
taught is very clear and distinct, and
it is that of reverence for God's house.
The Saviour found that the temple
was being desecrated and drove out
those who were making it a den of
thieves. We should be exceedingly
careful in regard to the use of a house
dedicated t; 3od's service. There
should be nothing done which will de
prive it of its sanctity. This applies
not only to the outward acts, but to
the state of heart and mind with
which the worshippers go to the house
of God. A man may preserve all out
ward decorum and sanctity as he
goes to the public service of God's
house, and yet really carry his oxen
and sheep and money changing into
the house of God. He does this by
devoting the time that he is there to
thoughts about his business, instead
of giving his whole thought and heart
to the worship of God. It is true
that a man whose heart is right and
who worships God in sincerity and in
truth is likely to do all in his power
to make his city and community clean.
There are some shops which are de
voted entirely to the repair and sharp
ening of tools which are to be used
elsewhere. So the Church and its or
ganizations ought to be the places of
preparation of its members for the
work which they are to do in all the
walks of life, whether it be in the
social life, or business, or in their
civic relations.
Working for Peace (Matt. 5:9): In
bringing peace into the world we are
to act upon the same principle upon
which our Saviour bade the disciples
preach the gospel. They were to begin
at Jerusalem, go out into Judea, and
then into Samaria, and. then to the
uttermost parts of the world. So we
ought to begin by making our peace
with God. This is done by accepting
Jesus Christ as our Saviour, and until
we have done this we are not in a
position to do anything for'God. Then
we are to see that we individually are
at peace with all of our fellowmen.
If we have done injury to anyone, we
should go and confess it, and ask for
giveness. If any has injured us, let
us forgive him, as we hope to be
forgiven by God. We should then
seek to bring about peace between
others and God by bringing others to
accept the Saviour. When this is
done, we should use all of our powers
to bring about peace of our fellowmen.
If we know of any persons who are
not at peace with one another we
should use all legitimate means to
bring them together and get them to
forgive one another and be at peace.
If all men individually were at peace
with ont another, there could be no
violation of peace on the part
of nations, for nations are made
up of individuals, and a great
deal has been said in recent days
about the duty of the Church to bring
about peact between warring nations
of Europe. It should not be forgotten
that the mission of the Church is to
save souls and build them up in their
faith and fit them for their duties in
life. The Church has no right to un
dertake to regulate the policy of the
government in any matter. If it feels
aggrieved at any action which the
governmen has taken It may petition
the government for relief, or protest
against any actions which the govern
ment takes affecting the Church. The
Church does teach the doctrine of
peace between man and man and,
therefore, teaches those in authority
that they should use all legitimate
means in securing and preserving
peace among nations, but the manner
In which this is to be done must be
left to those who control the govern
ment If the Church has the right to
dictate to the State what It should
do, the State in turn would have the
right to dictate to the Church as to
ita policies. Our Saviour taught the
entire separation of Church and State
as organizations when he said, "Ren
dor, therefore, unto Caesar, the
things that are Caesar's, and unto
God the things that are God's."
Visions an<l Tasks (Joel 2:28, 29;
2 Chron. 34:1-7): The one thing
necessary In order to seo the visions
that the Christian ought to see is to
have God's spirit poured out in rich
abundance on the heart. God has
said that He is more willing to give
His Holy Spirit to them that ask Him
than earthly parents arc to give good
gifts to their children. If we want to
see the visions which God wishes us
to see, and which will open our eyes
and hearts, we must ask for God's
spirit. He will enlighten our minds
and fill our hearts and thus we will see
wonderful things. He will guide us
unto all truth, and will show us the
things of Christ, than which no man
can have a greater vision. The great
task which we have to perform is over
coming evil, and getting rid of sin. Jo
siah the young king when only sixteen
years of age, saw the evil that there
was in his kingdom, and went to work
earnestly and zealously to drive It
out. No doubt it cost him his pop
ularity with many of his subjects, but
young as he was, he was determined
to do right. So we ought, with God's
help, to drive out sin from our own
hearts, and then just as far as possible
to drive it out of the world.
How Call We Show Our Willingness
to Serve? The best way to show our
willingness to serve is by serving. Do
what God gives you to do when He
gives it to you with all earnestness
and zeal, and leave all the conse
quences to Him.
How Do Tasks Prepare Us for High
er Tusks? The tasks which we do fit
us for higher tasks because the doing
of one strengthens our powers of mind
and heart so that they are the better
fitted for doing other tasks. This is
just as true of the mind and heart as
it is of the body. The music pupil be
comes expert as a musician by doing
what seems to be very simple things,
but the oftener these simple things
are done and the more zeal he
shows in practlcising his exercises on
the piano, the better will he be fitted
for a higher grade of music.
What Claims Has Christ Upon Us?
Christ has a claim upon us for ev
erything. We belong to him because
he created us, because he bought us
with his own blood, beause he gives
to us salvation and all of its benefits,
because he takes care of us, and be
cause he loves us. He, therefore, has
a right to all that we have, and all
that we are and we should be willing
to be used by him as he sees fit to use
us.
The Sunday School Times tells of a
young girl, bright, winsome, attract
ive, with a marked musical ability.
Her parents lavished money on her
musical education, and at last she
startled her home city at a remarkable
recital that demonstrated her touch
and skill. PlanB were being made
for her study abroad, when God called
to her and said, "Edna, I want your
life." Without hesitating she replied,
"Yes, Lord, here I am, use me. He
called again, "Edna, I want to speak
to the people of China through you."
Again came the answer, "Yes, Lord,
here am I, use me." Over the pro
tests of friends, who urged that she
go on with her music, she obeyed God.
She took a course at the Moody Bible
Institute, and she is now in China,
giving her life to the teaching of the
gospel. She wrote back home: "Oh,
how happy I was the moment I set foot
on Chinese soil, because 1 knew I way
Just where God wanted me."
THE BEST PREACHER.
Martin Luther In his autobiography
said: "I have one preacher that I love
better than any other upon earth; it
is my little tame robin, which preaches
to me daily. I put his crumbs on my
window sill, especially at night. He
hops to the sill when ho wants his sup
ply, and takes as much as he desires to
satisfy his need. From thence he al
ways hops on to a little tree close by,
and lifts up his voice to God, and sings
his carol of praise and gratitude, tucks
his little head under his wing, and
goes fast asleep, and leaves tomorrow
?to look after itself. He is the best
preacher 1 have on earth." ? Our
Dumb Animals.
EVERY DAY H EltOlN ES.
They are all around us, doing life's
commonplace things, not much like
the heroines we find in books, perhaps,
but deserving tho name just the same.
They do not think of themselves in
that way; their hearts and hands are
usually too busy to think much of
themselves iu any way. If anyone
should call Margaret a heroine her
honest gray eyes would wear a look of
surprise for a minute, and then her
merry laugh would ring out at what
she would consider a bit of fun.
Margaret was the only girl in a fam
ily of half a dozen boys ? a family
where it was necessary for each one
to get out and earn for himself as
soon as possible. School days were
naturally limited to the bare funda
mentals of an education, but Margaret
had a knack with her needle, and
when her brief apprenticeship to books
ended she found a place in the mil
linery department of a dry goods
store. Her industry, adaptability and
ready good nature won her friends
among patrons, employers and fellow
clerks alike, and she still holds the
same place, somewhat advanced,
though she is no longer a young girl.
The years havtf brought many changes.
The boys in her home have gone here
and there to find for themselves, and
the father and mother, growing old,
the latter an invalid, were left to Mar
garet's care. To be housekeeper and
nurse mornings and evenings, and still
keep up at the store the work which
meant the family support, was a hard
task, but no one ever heard Margaret
complain of it or express any self
pity. Her quick sense of humor and
her ready obligingness brightened
many a day for fellow employees
whose lot was not so hard as her own.
The worn-out mother was laid to
rest at last, and then ihe whole bur
den of the home fell upon Margaret.
A little orphaned nephew came home
to live ? and incidentally to Be pro
vided for ? but "Buddy's" sayings and
doings, his needs, ambitions, and
schooling brought a new incentive to
work and to life for Margaret. Every
Sunday saw her at the church of her
faith ? simple, earnest, devout for the
one service she could compass, and
faithfully she trained Buddy to go
with her. Then she must use the rest
of the hours as best she might for
duties that must be looked aften on
that one free day. Too early rising
and too busy evenings told on her
strength for a time, and friends urged
her to rest. "Why, I can't stop!" she
answered truthfully but cheerily, a
little amused at the suggestion.
The sunny spirit, the brave, clean
life finally conquered, and she still
goes on her way. Ailing her humble
place, doing her work, fulfilling as
best she may each task that changing
condition brings to her, getting the
most of good and joy out of life that
she can, but never sitting down to
take mock of herself. And she is not
alone. All around us, in many walks
of llie, in countless homes are others
like her ? faithful, loyal, unselfish
souls that are a blessing and example
to others, tbough they never think of
themselves in that way. When we are
looking for heroines let us not look
too high or too far away. ? Queen's
Garden.
ONE MILLION NEW DOLLARS FOR
MISSIONS.
Jno. I. Armstrong, Educationel Secre
tary.
Christian Endeavor societies are
called to celebrate the 36th birthday
of the organization by observing
Christian Endeavor Week, January 28
to February 4, 1917.
A leaflet by A. J. Shartle, giving the
plans in detail, may be had from the
society general offices in Boston or
Chicago at 50c. a hundred postpaid.
One feature of the plan is a week
of self-denial followed by a special
offering for missions on Sunday, Feb
ruary 4th. The money given on that
date is to be sent to denominational
mission treasurers, of course, but will
be counted toward the great offering
of one million new dollars for mis
sions, which the United Society of
Christian Endeavor expects on its &4>th
Birthday to make as a gift to the
King.
The whole plan is deserving of the
hearty and intelligent co-operation of
every society in the Southern Pres
byterian Church. The gifts might
very properly be divided between
Home and Foreign Missions, the for
eign mission part being applied to
the support of Dr. and Mrs. Stlxrud,
the Christian Endeavor missionaries
of our Church, working at Luebo, Af
rica, under the Foreign Mission Com
mittee, and the home mission part be
ing applied as the Home Mission Com
mittee in Atlanta may approve.
Each local society is free to direct
its own gifts, but certainly Southern
Presbyterian Christian Endeavorers
will not fail to do their part In this
great birthday gift.
BILLY SUNDAY'S TEAM AT WORK.
Evangelism has become a science.
The fundamental problem which ev
ery evangelist ha3 to face is how to
reach the people. He can do nothing
unless he gets a hearing, and conse
quently all modern evangelists have
adopted some special means of get
ting at the crowd.
Moody had his Sankey, and Sank
ey's' singing was a real novelty in
those days. Then evangelistic teams
came into being, timidly at first, two
or three preachers and singers work
ing together. Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman
carried this principle further by hav
ing a corps of workers with him who
held meetings in the suburbs of cities
in which he conducted campaigns.
And now comes Billy Sunday, former
ly an assistant of Dr. Chapman, with
methods for reaching the multitude
far surpassing anything that has ever
been seen in the field of evangelism.
He has seized upon the best experi
ence of the past, and has developed
methods of his own to meet modern
needs.
The centre of a Billy Sunday cam
paign Is, of course, the tabernacle. As
brooks flow down the hillside to feed
the river flowing In the valley, so the
efforts of Billy Sunday's corps of
workers are tributary to the taber
nacle. It is true, of course, that they
do independent work, for all are ar
dent soul-winners, but it 1s work that
quietly feeds the tabernacle services.
The Interest aroused In the number
less auxiliary meetings ? about forty a
day ? held by these workers Inevitably
attracts crowds to the central gath
ering. Without this co-operation a
smaller tabernacle would shelter the
crowd, and Mr. Sunday is the first to
acknowledge the fine service that his
helpers are rendering.
Months before a Sunday campaign