Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1901-01-03

passions, and finds employment for
the most vacant hours of life. Men
of noblest dispositions think them
selves happiest when others share
their happiness with them.
If had but one word in which to
express the benefits of missionary
work derived from the family I would
place it all in the one word mother
Jesus, mother, home and heaven
these are tie sweetest words in the
English language, and mother was
the first one our lips learned to lisp.
She it was who first told us of Jesus:
mother made home what it was, and
she it was who pointed the way to
heaven. The source and center of all
earthly love is found in mother.
A child'S religion is shaped more by
the personality of its parents than by
their formal religious teachings, hence
the best method of education for par
entO to pursue with their children is
always to be themselves in personal
character what they wish their chill
dren to be. Children should be taught
religious truth from their earliest in
fancy. Not in the sense of reasoning
about this or that, but rather in the
sense of learning the essential truth
about God and his commands to US.
One writer has said: ''If not led to
Christ in early childhood youth is full
of snares and pitfalls" The elements
of youth, which, if properly directed
inside of Gods kingdom, are elements
of power; unrestrained and indirect
ed are fraught with evil. Having
come to God early in life it is much
more simple and easy to serve Him
and work for Him than if our return
were delayed by years.
We are creatures of habit. We ac-
quire habits easily and rapidly and
soon they exercise great power over
us. The child who comes to God in
tender years is free from these habits,
never having acquired them, and can
devote all his energy and strength to
the service of his King, while the one
who comes in later life has to devote
possibly half his strength in overcom-
ing his old habits. Those who come
in childhood are much more likely to
be faithful to the end. Mr.. Spurgeon,
a pastor of vast experience, once said
that he never had to discipline a
member Of his church who came to
Jesus in childhood. The wise mother
will not seek to find a full grown
christian in her child, but rather to
encourage a religion for child. What
applies to a family applies also to a
community. For what is communi-
ty but a large family?
What constitutes missionary work
in community? Whatever promote S
prosperity and personal happiness.
How can we better do this than by
our influence? Some one has SAID that
the life of true christian should ex-
ert an influence for good over others
foS a radius of five miles. The heart
is strengthened by enlarged comrade-
ship, the soldier is invigorated and his
pace quickened.
Not the least beneficient aspect and
influence of this great gathering will
be found in the christian union that
it evidences. The value of this is
great at home, but ten fold greater
in a community where different
church divisions suggest dissimilar
prophets. Here is the perfect altru-
ism, here the true appraisal of men.
Where else is there scale SO true?
Where brotherhood so wide and per-
feet? Labor is made noble, the King
credits the smallest service. No coin |
of love is base or small to him. The |
widows mite he sets in his crown. |
Life is sweetened; the poor man be-
comes of account. Where else is found |
a philosophy of life SO sweet, and |
philosophy of death so |
The first great benefit derived from |
a nation is the spread of the gospel
and the education of an ignorant class
of people. They seek christian help |
meets and form christian homes of
their own, and in this way we eStab-
lish christian centerS among the peo-
pie which in little time become real
live mission stations. With the spread |
of the gospel there arises the fierce
fires of savage prosecutions, but these
prove to be simply a severe test in
which is tested the fiber of christian !
ity, and in that fiery test there shines
as pure gold the enduring
faith and splendid devotion of the
christian men and women of those
countries. The missionary is a fore
runner of the commercial traveller.
Commercial value is one of the great