The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1894-01-11

enthusiasm. $4,000 churches have
annual additions on confession of I
faith OF only five per cent of their
membership, instead of an increase
of thirty and sixty and hundred fold /
of which Jesus talked. With 100000 /
church members it takes twenty of
them twelve months to make single
convert. 1t means mighty faith in
God, glorious hope for humanity,
and great love for both. Adoniram
Judson the pioneer missionary in
Burmah, after three years of lonely |
labor in his field said, ''if a ship were
lying in harbor ready to convey me
home and that with the entire
appreciation of christian friends, /
would prefer dying to embarking."
Five years after this he wrote, 81 would
not leave my present situation to be
made king" If such an enthusiasm
were common in the christian church
how vast work we might do. Let
us emulate the Pilgrim spirit of
sacrifice. They suffered privatlon
and persecution for Christ's sake and
for the sake of their homes. Their
example in this respect is worthy of
our imitation. Caste and social
position cannot survive the teaching
of the brotherhood of man. Any one
who feels enthusiasm for humanity
recognizes the possibilities of
humanity, it inspires men and women
of all conditions of life to give their
time and strength and fortunes to
working among the outcast. This is
the Pilgrim spirit because the Christ
spirit. 1t makes us overcome diff
culties, Christ works through us. We,
Through love are to be servants one
to another" what one of the church
fathers calls san Unsuitable desire of
doing good"
1t is true of all men as of their
Master that the saving power is the
sacrificing power. It is said that
Napoleon once stood before his guards
and asked for a hundred men to lead
forlorn hope. He explained that
every man would doubtless be killed
the moment the enemy opened fire.
Now, who would die for the Emperor?
"a hundred mon forward! Step out
of the ranks" and not hundred men,
but the whole regiment as one man,
sprang forward in solid line and rang
their muskets at his feet Should
Christ and country and humanity fail
to command an enthusiasm which a
man like Napoleon could? The
heroism of martyrdom has not been
rare in the church but we need a
higher heroism, more costly
martyrdom, "a living sacrifice. We
the descendants of the worthy
Pilgrim Fathers have need to use the
riches of our legacy. There is a
place for sturdiness, for sacrifice, for
liberty, for love. We glory in their
deeds, the freedom they gave us. Let
us not use this legacy for an occasion
to the flesh but for the good of
humanity. "a light has come into
the world" a political, social and
mo2al light. What a contrast! In
1920, barrenness, poverty, hardship,
danger, primitive meeting houses
Men were driven from home, perse-
cuted for conscience sake, put tC
death.
I behold in vision the future. The
mountains and valleys blossom like
therose, there is much happiness
tolerance and justice sit side by side
all sects are around a common
communion table, and clasp hands
, over the centuries and together sing
the doxology,a church in every hamlet
a school on every hill. The saloon
and brothel are unknown, every one
loves his neighbor, the workman Sings
at his work, sobriety sits enthroned il
the drunkard's rea IN, the Sabbath is
+ reverenced, again there is Paradise
) our land christian; n fact aud not ii
, name only. This and much more VIZ
[ owe to the Pilgrims who built OF
: Gods word and followed his Prov
idence. Let us do likewise.
"a light has come into tie world.
Dean Stanley tells that Oh Easte
=, morning in the church of the Hol,
>, Sepulcher in Jerusalem a priest enters
= the chapel, and after a short time
2 thrusts out torch which he ha:
lighted at the supposed sacred fire
7 within, others take the light and al
through the temple and into tn
+ streets the light is carried. The ligh
| of Gods word and of liberty is gu
, legacy Slet us not use it for ourselves
r but for the multitudes in the darkness
l let us carry the light everywhere a:
t they brought it across the seas. Gu
+ legacy is large one. God gave it t.
7 the Pilgrims aud they gave it to us
Q Let us cherish our inheritance, low
Q our liberties, and "by love serve ON
r another" May our prayer be:
5 II live for those who love me,
) For those who know me true;
= For the Heaven that smiles above me,
And awaits my spirit too.
For the cause that needs assistance
, For the wrongs that need resistance;
. For the future in the distance
t And the good that can do