Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-18
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR HOUR
Conducted by
GRACE LIVINGSTON HILL.
For July 10.

GRACE LIVINGSTON HILL.
For July 10.
Topic: Religion Between sund.ys"-Acts, iii
AZ. And they continued steadfastly in tho
apostles doctrine and fellowship. and In
breaking OF bread. and in prayers.
43. And fear came upon every soul. and
many wonders and signs were done by the
apostles.
a.. And all that believed were together,
and had all things common;
45. And sold their possessions and goods.
and parted them to all men, as every man
had need.
46. And they. continuing daily with one
accord in the temple and breaking bread
from house to house. did eat their meat
with gladness and singleness of heart,
Al. Praising God. and having favor with
all the people. And the Lord added to the
church daily such as should be saved.
The Lesson.
The feeling forces itself upon US some
times that it would be less difficult than 1t
Is to lead a consistent Christian life II we
could be in some way set apart at CONVEX
sion and have no further intercourse with
the people and things Of the world. 1t IL
not hard even for Protestants to understand
how converts came to be built. But the
thought springs from a false conception OF
the aim Of Christian life: mo man liveth
unto himself" Eye are the salt Of the
EARTH" and in another place Christian
life in worldly home Is likened to tho
little leaven with which the whole lump Is
presently leavened. We are saved that we
may save others: we are set in families.
united in a network Of tender ties. In order
that our influence for God and good may
counteract and overcome the evil influence
of the world.
No true Christian ever asks complaining
ly. like Cain Am my brothers keeper
but rather does as Andrew. who. when he
had found Jesus, went Immediately ana
sought his own brother, Simon Peter. and
said I'VE have found the Christ and
brought him to Jesus.
Whose influence can ever equal that OF
mother over her SON. a wife over her nus
band. brother over his brother? Only
eternity will suffice for the telling OF the
story of the souls brought to Jesus by
means of the silent, powerful influence OF
the home. 1t Is a responsibility that rests
upon us each one. a talent for the use OF
which we shall be called to give an account.
= Yet how often we disregard this holy
power given into our keeping. How often is
the Sabbath influence. the holy example of
Christian activity and devout attendance
upon services dispelled by the cross looks,
the short, angry words the untrue acts of
Monday
A young man hears his father read at
family prayers and speak in the prayer
meeting to the effect that "a mans life
CONSISTENT not In the abundance Of the
things that he posseSseth,' but as he fol-
lows his father into the Office and to Wall
street he gathers very different idea.
Nor Is 1t his father alone whose life he
reads. but each of his friends This Chris
tan man. that Christian woman girl.
whose face he has watched at church as
1t kindles with emotion at sermon song,
on the week day does all the questionable
things. or some of them. that the people
do who have no higher goal than earth
What can he think?
Spirituality is best manifested on the
ground. not in the air" says Maltbie D.
Babcock. "Rapturous day dreams, flights
Of heavenly fancy, longings to see the In
visible. are less expensive and less ex-
pressive than the plain duty Of living To
have bread excite thankfuness and a drink
OF water send the heart to God is better
than signs for the unattainable. To plow
straight furrow on Monday or dust a room
well on Tuesday or kiss a bumped forehead
on Wednesday is worth more than the most
ecstauc thrill under Sunday eloquence
Spirituality Is seeing God in common
things, and showing God in common tasks
If once all the Christians could take this
AS their rule Of service criticism would be
disa a The world would see the power
or God as 1t has never yet seen e. and be
brought to It's knees in wonder and awe
before the miracle of sin-washed sane
titled consistent church. Then. indeed. If
Christians were consistent. might new
members flow into their numbers and the
coming of the kingdom be close at hand
Look how 1t worked in the first days of
the church-"daily' the Lord added to their
many are there all about our neiehbor-
hoods who should be saved. and yet for
your 1nconsistence and mine they are be-
Ing kept outside the fold of God. for say
he ~ hove Ia IN ~.
that man during the week from cheating
his fellow men,. or from yielding to some
besetting sin, II there Is nothing in re-
ligion to keep that woman from selfish and
frivolous use of her time and talents. then
how is she better off than am I?
Study the text carefully. Those first
apostles gave UP all worldly ambitions.
They looked upon life in larger way.
and counted the good Of everybody, not
the good OF their individual selves. There
is common belief everywhere rife that
man must look out for himself in this
world. Now and again when some unset
fish soul arises who forgets himself and
sacrifices all for love of the brethren, he
IS called fanatic by his friends, and we
sadly shake our heads, think he is un-
practical and will soon be thrown upon
others for his support We even wink at
little lapses of conscience II a man is sue
cessful. and set about to copy him as fast
possible.
Another secret of the wonderful power
of the apostles was found In the fact that
they continued in prayer and daily attend
ance at the temple. Theirs was not merely
a Sabbath religion, but continued all the
work.
Applied Truth.
For twenty-five years a lovely Christian
woman prayed that her husband might be
brought to know and love her Redeemer.
She could n0 speak to him, he grew
very angry at any reference to personal
religion and became profane and bias
phemous. In silence, therefore. she watched
and prayed. living a consistent Christian
life every day. When the hair had grown
white upon his temples he went one day
to her minister. and with tear-filled eyes
asked to be received into his wife's church.
saying that he wanted a religion that could
help her to live with him and keep sweet
under the provocation he had given her.
young girl whose heart was stirred on
the surface by some special meetings that
had been going on in her neighborhood de-
sired to unite with the church when her
Sunday school companions did. Her
mother objected and the pastor went to
talk with the mother about It, Your
daughter thinks she has met with a change
OF heart" the pastor said.