The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-11-08

possible worse than this, that the is
not an ounce put forth where a pound
yea, ten pounds ought and should be
put forth. sometimes grow impatient
with this waste of effort In new or
ganization and this constant call and
cry for money, money, when the world
needs above all the help that we can
give and ought to give, though that
has been already given to us to give,
or which tits possible for us to have.
1t woud seem, then, that the problem
of all problems in this work of doing
the most in the shortest and easiest
and most practical way to give the
good news of the gospel, the salvation
which the Son of God died to bring
to the world that there might be laugh
ter instead of cries, JOY instead of sor-
row, peace instead of horror in human
hearts, is to arouse and inform and
inspire and get more out of the lives
of those whose business it is to do this
very work. Now how shall this be done?
believe the work of this International
Christian Workers association through
these conventions and others, is but
possible answer. Something may be
6one by appeals on denominational lines,
but l contend "for Christ's sake" is
a more effective appeal to anyone who
deserves the name of Christian than
"for denominations sake" Self in
terest may be another method of APP
pealing, as for example, We know that
every boy saved from the street saves
| the expense of caring for a criminal
and there may be many other methods
of arousing, but, after all, they
are not as potent as those that will be
brought before you in this convention.
Her we hear the cries of help; here we
hear the voice of our Christ bidding us
help; here we receive a new sense of the
reality Of the Gospel. God and heaven
are made more real to us. The love of
Christ takes on a new meaning. We
realize our opportunities; we see that
weakness and ignorance can be used;
/ that it is not to the great and So-called
| learned alone that God entrusts His
work. Here we realize our individual
responsibility. In these wonderful stor-
les of what God has done in unexpected
and marvellous ways, we catch a glimpse
of things possible to do. We see that
things impossible with men are posi-
BILE with God. Faith is strengthened,
hope arises within us and we venture to
do the little things which by Gods wa
| tering and care later become the great
things. We realize that if another has
kept boys from lives of wretchedness
| and taken thousands of girls from the
4 street and misery and shame unspeak-
able; If another has stemmed these tides
of evil who did think that He would
do it; we, too, may be able to do what
we think we cannot do. We are led,
too, to see that there is no difference as
to responsibility; never again can one
who goes through the days of this con-
| vention roll the burden Of responsibility
on to the minister or, in a vague, indie
finite way, upon the church. We may
properly recognize that there is place
for the minister, and that one man ie not
called to the work or the office Of anoth-
er. but hereafter every such one will
know that God has work for him or
her to do. 1t is this taking In, new
sense of the reality of. the Gospel that
makes a knowledge of methods of any
value. Methods are but machinery. If
the life and love are not there they are
and always will be but machinery But
methods are transfgured, so to speak,
by life and love, and, thus and only
/ thus, become a sharp sword welded by
a mighty hand. A convention of Christ
fans at work who simply come to COM
pare methods might do good. It's great
i est work can only be brought about by
the power Of the Spirit in and over all,
as I believe you will witness in this
convention.
Again. / believe that one of the most
effectual bars ITO progress of Christianity
is imperfect Christian living, if 1 may
so phrase it. 1t is easier to live a
4 Christian life well than to live it poorly
or half live it. Alas! that so many of us
live 1t in this latter way! The life of
the so-called Christian often blocks the
preached word. I am almost prepared
to say that If the mouth of every preach
er in Christendom We're stopped and
never a word said from pulpit, platform
or by personal solicitation to bring men
to Christ and every Christian should
| live in the power of the Spirit, clean,
eS, l.
most prepared to say that more would
be won to Christ by far by the Christian
lives than by, the preaching. But if the
preaching We're sustained and backed by
the Christian living how much mightier
a power would the gospel become, And
how shall we get this Christian living
Only by Christian doing Many back
slide in heart and life simply because
they have held fast to a creed and have
their name on the church rolls and go
no farther To belong to Christ means
that we must follow Christ, and His
footsteps lead down among the wretch
ed, the sinful and the needy. Follow
ing Him there is the power of the Spirit
and searching His word for direction
| makes Christian living far easier.
have no sufficient data to name cor
rectly the number of those who have
gone out from these conventions to do
and to live new lives in Christ's name,
and I believe that thousands have done
so. If there were but hundreds their
lives would make the gospel of Christ q
new power to those among whom they
moved
God has raised us to do for Him? This
is His work; the world needs this work.
Its bleeding wounds call to US to hast
en-. The prisoners in the cell, the boys
% Y,o5 ,xdl,o Ell