The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-20
REV. s. ]. FOSTER
 NOW THE PASTOR
Continued from Fifth Pase)

infinitely more value, than the body. To heal or relieve a mans physical in l hrmities in the name of the Lord Jesus while neglecting the far more important matter of his spiritual welfare, is un- speakable folly. For what shall 1t profit man if he gain the whole world ana lose his own soul
 And another thing to be remembered Is, the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen, are eternal"
 To make the present life sweet and wholesome, to beautify the lower home, to cultivate the mind in love of things charming and picturesque; what are these when one reflects that life is only an handbreadth here, while the life here after is for intending ages.
 Central Thought.
 The central thought of the gospel is salvation. The greatest need of man, any man, wherever found on the face of the earth, is always a spiritual need
 Bethesda" where the bodies are heal ed, is not the central fact of Christianity Calvary is the center God so loved the world that He gave His" etc
 Permit an illustration. Long years ago there was in Scotland a chain bridge, famous for it's strength. A French en- gineer came over and took it's dimensions with a view to building one like it on the | Seine at Marley. It was much lighter, and not so substantial as the pattern. When completed, and it's gates were open ed to the multitude it began to sway to and fro ominously beneath their footballs, and at last gave away.
 | The trouble with the bridge was that it's architect had left out the middle bolt. thinking it unsightly and unnecessary. But 1t was the master bolt' of the bridge.
 There are those who are making sim liar mistake in these days, in their eager ness to press the application of the gos- pei upon the temporal wants of mankind. The middle bolt of the whole gospel plan and structure is the cross of Jesus 1 Christ-God's scheme for the deliverance from sin and suffering. So, l am prepared to say, that this Christian nation will not have done it's duty by simply removing the tyrannlcal yoke of Spain from the Cuban neck. But the army of Christian missionaries must be put into the coun- try, not by the government, lut by the | Christian church of these United States, | immediately and thus seek to release the ] souls of that down. trodden people from the pofer of Satan and sin, as well as their persons and estates from the tyranny of the Spaniards.
 It was well enough for our nation to be 
 of arms relief to suffering humanity in l Cuba; but the work is not complete un- | til our Christian churches shall have re- sponded to the wants of their souls with l the pure bread of eternal life.
 Missionary Century. | Again, the times in which we are living may be characterized as the missionary | century," More has been done for the | propagation of the gospel among the na- | tions of the earth in this century than in all the ages that have gone before it. The "key note' of the ohurch's great commission is the word "gop' Our Lord came back after His cruchxion and marked out the campaign for the con- 1 quest of the world.
 He said to His disciples: "Go ye into | all the world.' But for eighteen centuries the church seemed unwilling to believe that He really meant it. Then came Will liam Carey, the consecrated cobber, and with him other consecrated souls who heard the Masters marching orders and were prepared to respond with prompt obedience. And, so the glorious work began.
 No sooner did the church hearken to the marching orders of her great captain than the doors of the nations began to fly open. The millions of souls in Japan, China and throughout the priest-ridden ! | Christian missionaries. In the meantime the last of the worlds continents is be- ing prepared for the same gracious in- I Vason.
 The walls of Africa have fallen down as flat as the ancient walls of Jerico, that the army of the cross may enter to pos sess the land. Ethiopia is now stretch ing out her hands toward God, and the gates are all wide open, and God Himself has sprung the bolts and rolled back the mighty doors
 And the missionaries have gone mo- where alone. The great head of the church has always accompanied them with His benediction. That was wonderful declaration of our Lord: "All power is given unto Me, in heaven and on earth. Ge ye, therefore and teach all nations, teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you; and To, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world'
 Mark the comprehensiveness of the one word, "alr'-"all power" "all nations, "all things" always
 Missions a failure? Nay, verify. They are proven by the logic of history. as ir every way, a success
 At the beginning of this century the East India company said: The sending of missionaries to evangeize India is the maddest dream that ever entered the hu- man mnd.'
 The lieutenant governor of Bengal now says: Christian missions have accomp- lished more for the good of India than all other agencies combined"
 God Pledged to the Work.
 And how could it be otherwise? The word of the all-wise and omnipotent God is pledged to the work.
 It is a calamity for any man to De be- hind the age in which he lives. And yet no man can be abreast of this age who does not fall in with the great movement for the evangelization of the nations. "Theres a font about to stream, | There's a light about to gleam,
 There's a midnight darkness changing
 into day:
 Men of thought and men of action clear
 the way"
 It is glorious to live now.
 The gleanng of the grapes of Epraim is better than the whole vintage of Abiezer.
 So we say farewell to the past, 10 the darkness of vice and superstition, to ig- norance and expressions and welcome the future. the appearance of the Son of Mar | in the midst of the seven candlesticks. ano with q golden girdle of light, dispelling the darkness of sin.
 We may hear the footfall of a mighty company, turning the spur of Olvet; and those who go before cast their garments in the way and join with those who fol low after, saying: "Hosannal Hosanna to the Son of Davidl Blessed Is He that cometh In the name of the Lord So Tennyson sings: