The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-09-15
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR.

Comment by Rev. =. n. Doyle.
ToPIC.-The need OF home missionary WORK
lisa. lxii, liz
The need Of home missionary work |
lies principally in the fact that there
are so many people in our country |
who are not Christians. who are not
saved. We speak of our country as
Christian nation. AS generally applied
TO nations, this is true, and yet IN
Christian America there are whole sec
tons and entire peoples that are not
Christians. Many of these have not the
opportunity TO hear the gospel, and
these millions express our greatest mis-
sionary need. Twelve millions OF chill
dren in America are not in our Sunday
schools, and 40, 600, 600 Of our inhab-
itants are not members of any church.
A glance at some of those who are not
Christians will demonstrate how great
is our need.
1. The American Indians There are
in America today $50, 900 Indians, dis
tributed in every state in the Union,
but living principally in Indian Terri
tory. The general impression is that the
"Indians are rapidly dying out. This
| is "a mistake. The birth rate is increas-
| ing. One tribe has doubled its numbers
| in the past years. These native Amer
leans need the gospel of Christ. They
have special claims upon us because OF
| the treatment that they have received IN
their own country.
| 2. The mountain whites of the south.
| We speak of America as Christian ma
ton, and yet within "a hours ride OF
| New York city there live almost 2, OOO,-
| 900 of native born Americans in the
mountains of the south whose moral
| and spiritual condition should appeal TO
| every American heart These people al
so have special claims upon us. Their
| forefathers conquered the wilderness and
the savage and were foremost in the
Revolutionary war. They were reli-
gious people, being Scotch Irish Presby-
terians BY losses in the Revolution and
because they were opposed to slavery
they were driven into the mountains
and compelled to obtain living by
hunting, fishing and rude farming. Re-
moved from civilization, they have sunk
into moral and spiritual degradation
that is indescribable. What great need
for missionary work.
8. The freedmen of the south. In 1918
slavery was introduced into this coun-
try. 1t existed until the civil war, and
the result was not only the physical
bondage Of several millions, but, III q
large measure, mental and moral degra
dation, accompanied or followed as re-
suit of physical degradation. The Negro
, race is rapidly increasing in numbers
500 of them being born every day. They
are here to stay. They cannot be re
, moved TO any other part of the world
; The United States government could mo-
, build ships fast enough 10 deport them
: They need two things to make thell
| presence Observation-Disclosures ant
, | istianization-another great need FOL
{ | missionary work.
[ 4. The irreligious masses OF our grea
, | cities. From the time that the descend
ants Of Seth followed pastoral life
I | while those of Cain built cities ant
a dwelt in them, the one life has beei
8 conducive of morality and religion
while the other, TO large extent, ha
o not. Our great cities have been and ar
: today the centers of vice, immorallt.
b and irreligion. They are rapidly increas
n ing in number and i'll population. Chris
|? tianity has not kept pace with thel
g rapid growth. There are millions III on
d cities who are not Christians. What
: great need!
: 8. Our great west The size Of thi
t country west of the Mississippi river
It incomprehensible. 1t is rapidly film
}. up. The center of population is rapid
moving westward. The life in man
parts of the west is not naturally COZ
ducive to religion. Yet this section
n our country should be Christianized.
is rapidly becoming the controlling fa'
" tor in the government of the countr
and will more and more become 81
a Schools and churches should keep pat
with the rapidly growing west.
n Rible Readings. Gen. vii, /; +
r. cxxii, 10; cxxxvii, lie; lisa. lii,
% Nah. i, is; Hag. ii, 10; Nal. iii,
Math. v, 1916; Luke. xiv, 45-4'
m John XIV, 81; Acts i, 8; iv, 1913; XIV
re 6-12; Rom. TX, 10; K, IA, 10.