The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-05-13

bring in every woman connected with
our own home church? Have not some
of us been afraid of Lenten envelopes
forgetting that we as well as any
church of Christ have a right to remem-
Der in a self denying manner the surfer
ings and death of our Lord, and to
bring with rejoicing our offerings on the
glad day of his resurrection? Or, have
we not been afraid to ask for extra of
ferings at all? Have we made trial In
our meetings of lessons prepared by wo-
men wiser than some of us are? Have
we used tracts and leaflets to the best
advantage?
OF course it is not to be expected that
all methods can be tried in every auXili-
airy, but, having used our judgment and
common sense in selection can we say
that we honestly have done all We might
with the methods which are suited to our
needs?
And, really, we have no power to fore
tell what possibilities may be hidden in
these means which lie close at hand.
When the artist takes his plain brown
canvas nothing can look more unpromis-
ing to the uninitiated eye, but here a
touch and there another an outline here,
a wash of color there, and thing of
beauty is growing under our eyes.
What may we not accomplish with these
materials lying ready for our use, If only
the Master Artist guides the hand that
holds the brush?
! And this brings us to the thought of
another method still--one suited to every
individual, to every auxiliary one
which was a weapon in the hands of
those women of 1868, and one which we
may WELD as long as we have needs, or
as long as our world requires blessing
the mighty power of prayer. Is there
one of us who has tested the measure Of
this help to it's utmost?
Ian McLaren says He who would
work for God must live with God
A paper by Miss Hopson, of Kent, was
given in introducing the next topic,
BETTER USE OF MISSIONARY
LITERATURE.'
my topic does not read Better Lite
rature.' We have 1t full of inspiration,
| interesting, stimulating, in good literary
form, spiritual, uplifting.
We have at least nine missionary peri
odcals issued by our Congregational
boards. 1t is said that one-fourth of the
output Of the religious publishing houses
has a missionary tone.
Further every telegram from Otis
army, every letter upon the new Sab
bath in Havana, every newspaper item
about the Cape-toCairo railroad, every
| reported move for the development of
China,-yes every Sam Hose story of
worse than African barbarism-is mate
rial for missionary literature, bearing
upon the progress of the kingdom, and
calling upon the soldier of Christ to hold
himself ready for the word of command,
and to press forward to the final victory
For. consider to what end we are to
use our missionary literature. I hold it
is for nothing less than the enlisting Of
an army of men, women and children In
sending volunteer movement, whose
zeal and whose conservation Of time, tai
ent, labor and money shall be no whit
behind that of the student volunteers
who are pledged to the same obedience
to the last command of Christ.
Now If we use the literature of mis-
sions for a high, definite aim, 1t fol-
lows that we will study that literature
with the eagerness, and more than the
eagerness with which some clubs study
ceramics or civics. We shall have done
with playing at missions" We shall
study that we may know, that we may
feel that we may tell that we may in
fluence people
Our methods of study will be deter
mined by our opportunities and urmen-
tai habits. Some of us will take the
careful courses prepared for the student
volunteers, or the Golden Rule Mission
IL, 80 x,,in all ha Cd
mirable outlines in our own Life and
Light"
have only space to suggest, briefly
/. The assignment Of topics for the
missionary meeting of the auxiliary in
such a way as to give everybody some
thing to do during the year-the assign
ment to be made, perhaps, six months in
advance, and the methods varied. The
topics to be treated orally, or by writ
ten reports, rarely by selected readings.
Our own missionaries and our own field
to have the first, but by no means the
exclusive attention.
g. That we provide material for the
study of topics. Lst every auxiliary and
mission circle have its own file of Life
and Light" Herald" "Dayspring."
Missionary Review" (The last is un-
denomina tional and should be put into
every public reading room) Miss
Prichard's new index to Life and
Light shows where to find articles
needed to develop topics. The Branch |
bureau will loan back numbers Side |
Lights from Periodicals" is invaluable |
in this connection, as also the Book
Table" We would recommend occa
sional book reviews in our meetings, and
the accumulation of a missionary libra
ny, placed in most cases in the Sunday
school,
3. That we SOW literature broadcast cir
culate mimeograph letters among men,
bers absent from the meetings; canvass
the church for Congregational Work"
and either by subscription (ten cents a
Year,. or by gift, get copy into every
family; send the "Dayspring" through
the Sunday school and to the mothers of
the cradle rolls; talk about the Life
and Light" and the Herald till people
are ashamed that they haven't read the
last number; enclose the envelope Sc
ries" FURNISHED gratis by the American
Board) and other telling leaflets, In let
tiers to our friends.
And finally that we hold to the Bible
H. i1etr