The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-11-27

unselifsh Christian man Ia bis college daysg
II does to some. a part of the product
Of onr Summaries to-day was never sur.
pasHd. But why does not the claim OF
This great vocation press upon every such
an one until il b sohery settled one way
or the other2 IL r. not because Young
men are afraid. There was no difficulty
IN filling up the ranks of the Rough Rider
regiment though every man knew that he
was taking has life In bis hands when be
volunteered. There was no lack of youn.
teers for service when the Merrimac was
90 be sunk AZ the mouth of Santiago har.
nor, though 10 meant voyage into the
jaws OF death. Eight men were needed:
YOU know the response 10 the call for vol
unteers
win not believe tf,t there /, among
our young men q lack Of courage. a lacl, of
willingness TO suiier Can 10 be that young
men have made mp their minds 'hat wish
the present spirit in the church there is
little demand for the heroic in her minis.
try! They say that a minister makes his
church. He does leave his stamp upon the
church, but 1t rs no less true that the
church makes the ministers And the
minister viii not go far beyond what the
church requires, or at least he viii not 90
far beyond the point to which the church
viii follow him. ii the church of the Inv.
Z
eycombed with indifference permeated
with the dry rot Of lcthargy, il the heroic
element in the church Is diving. then the
church may hold itself responsible for any
diminution in number, and for any lessen.
ing Of stalwart efficiency in it's leadership.
NO man Of strength and self respect is
going to submit 10 being regarded merely
as a convenient adjunct to weddings and
funerals as a kind Of family pet to be
coddled and fed with sweetmeats. If the
church wants much that is heroic in her
leaders, she must have much that is heroic
in herself There must be a recognition
Of the TACT that the foes of Christ and Of
His followers are neither dead nor Sleep
ing; that eternal vigilance, eternal self
sacrifice, everlasting and strenuous strug-
gle. are the price Of progress and OF VIC
tory now as always.
Second-The insistent call for service
has not ceased. Dean Frederick W. Far
rar. who has but recently passed from
among us, has said: "Is not this fatally
true, that the lives OF very many are friv-
olous, useless, egotistical; that the lives OF
very many are wasted and self-ruined by
their own vilest passions; that the lives
Of some are like a mere poison and pesti-
lence to all around them; that it is the
lives Of few only which are noble and gem
erous brave and uuselfish. merciful and
/ Just, pure and true? And the main curse
Of most lives is that they think only of
/ self and live only for self" ] hope that
/ the words contain an eXaggeration. | can
but believe that each Of Tvs knows in his
own circle lives which, though they be
/ hidden from public view and knowledge.
/ are Grave and unselfsh," pure and
true" But the words Of the great church
/ man are a challenge and an appeal. The
| insistert call fo~ service has not ceased.
Thank God history shows that the call
| has not been in vain. In the social stream
of the life Of this world it is good to think
/ of men and women who have not pleased
/ themselves. but have gone about doing
! good. great souls who in their stubborn
devotion to the truth. in detestation of
faisehood and lies, have faced a lying
world and the hatred Of the base and the
storm Of weak and cowardlv criticism, not
holding their lives dear unto themselves.
I hear some one say, Owe have no such
call as they" hut we have The only call
/ they had we havP-the call of the need.
We might, the humblest NJ us, be useful.
PerhaDs very few eyes will be wet for VA,
and they not for lonG, while Others, with
less OF opportunity than ourselves have
gone down to the grave amid the henedic-
tions Of the poor. All. the iusistent call
for service has not ceased. Can we not
strive 20 rise, TO rise unifedly. to rise in
over strengthening fellowqhiD, into such a
life as is described nv the words spoken
of our blessed Lord, "He went about
doing good"
The great Methodist leader, John Yves
ley, the bicentennarv of whose birth has
Just been celebrated throughout the Chris
tan world, noblv said: az desire a league,
offensive and defensive, with every soldier
Of Christ" So say we. Let it be repeated
in ever increasing volume until the earth
shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea. owe desire
a league Offensive and defensive, with
every soldier Of Christ"