Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-07-11
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.


1opic For the Week BEGINNING July
1S-Comment by Rev. 5. II. Doyle.
TorIc.-How mission work win gain success
Acts 4. Ella. Quarterly missionary meeting-)
The success of mission work in the
past Is guarantee of the success of
mission work in the future. All has
not been done that We would like to
have seen done, but much more has
been done than many imagine. Chris
tianity has been tremendously felt in
the whole civilized world. Christianity
rules today N the rulers, laws and in
situations of the nations which control
and govern the earth. The poetry.
philosophy and science of the world
are and have been predominantly
Christian. The grain of mustard seed
has become great tree, the little leav-
en- has leavened the whole lump, and
the stone has become a great mountain
that is filling the whole earth. What
has done it? What has been the secret
of missionary success in the past? The
answer to these questions will solve
the problem of missionary success for
today. and they are answered by Christ
essential elements of missionary sue
cess are pointed out-(D divine power
and 90 human effort in presenting
Christ to the world. The early church
was a remarkably successful mission
airy church, and its success was based
upon these two elements. So it must
be today If missionary effort is to gain
success.
l. Divine power Is necessary to mis-
sionary success. "Ye shall receive
power after that the Holy Ghost is
come upon you" The apostles waited
at Jerusalem until they received this
power of the Holy Ghost, and then
they went forth and preached Christ
with great success. The most essen
tial element of successful mission work
is the power of the Spirit. 1t is abso-
lutely impossible to gain success with
out 1t. There are other things that
are very necessary, such as wealth, or
ganization, knowledge, but these are
all secondary to the one great essen
tial quality of spiritual power. Paul
had no wealth, no great organization,
but he had divine power. the power of
the Spirit and with that he was the
most successful of missionaries. In
mission work. of all work, ii is not by
might or by power, but by the Spirit of
God.
.. Human effort Is necessary TO mis-
sionary success. "Ye shall be witness
es unto Me" Divine power is TO be
coupled with human effort We are TO
be colaborers with God. God is TO
supply the power. Man is to be the
channel through which the power Is to
be transmitted and diffused. 1t should
be delight and an honor TO all men TO
bear witness unto Christ through the
power of the Spirit. Let us do it faith
fully both at home and abroad, at Je-
rusalem and In Samaria. Sincere hui
man effort put forth in the power of
the Holy Ghost will make missionary
success absolutely assured. The sword
of the Lord and of Gideon" won the
victory over the Midianites, and it can
win the victory over sin, unbelief, idol
airy and heathenism and can win the
world for Christ.
THE PRAYER MEETING.
Use the United society's special pro-
gramme or let one be arranged by the
missionary committee.
BIBLE READINGS.
Ps. Xxi, SEQ; lisa. xxxv, Ito; Xix,
20-23; Zech. iv, 6; Nah. /, 10; Math,
xviii, 10, 20; Acts xiii, 1-3; Rom. <,
IA, Is; Cor. iii, 81; Rev. xii, II.