The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1903-12-24
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
q'cric For the week Besisns~u Dec.
2.-Cousment by REV. =. n. Doyle.

Is-eousWeut ny NeN. y. ". Doytes
Tcplc.-An optimists missionary meet
ing. lisa IL. 10
Many missionary meetings are not
optimistic. There ARE So many seeming
discour rempnts IN the way of mission
WORK that Gods people do not always
enter into missionary meetings md
service with nn optimistic Wlrn. When
We tlsnk ci tie uumugr "a those who
uip IN hrnthtu jurSn ss and their con
dition morally ANA spiritually we are
almost overW hclmCd with the problem
before us aud feel like crying ont,
"Whn Is sufficient for these thiugsr
The result Is depression rather than
elation and many good Christian peo-
pie are often murh depressed over the
conditions and outlook of missionary
work Rut while these things are dark
and appalling there is another side 10
the question The cloud has n silver
lining as Isaiah shows when he calls
upon the church to "nrisr shinrr
I. Misstonar, optimism is possible I've
cause the chu,Ch's light has come. The
church Is To tighten the darkness Of
hcathcndnm, and it's light hns come
lcsus, the saviour ot the church and
the Light of the world, has come.
christ came first ~ tighten liis church
and then through His church to Tighten
the world The first sryat step IN the
cnlightenmcnt and salvation of the
world has been taken. christ has come,
and hcuce Isaiah calls ~ the church:
Arise. shine for the light Is come, and
the glory of the lori Is riscN uron
thee. For behold, the darkness shall
cover the earth and gross darkness the
people; but the lori shall arise upon
thee, and His glory shall be seen"
Gods method IN saving the world wns
MOI 10 dispel its darkness NJ n single
stroke, but through an enlightened part
10 cnnghten the whole. Israel was the
part. and lsaers light has come in the
person of the divine Messiah, Jesus
Christ, who Ia also the Light of the
world"
2, Missionary optimism Is possible
because the enlightenment and saliva.
ton OF the world are assupd The light
has come and IN due time viii enlight-
on the entire world And the uentilcs
shall come to Thy light and kings III the
brightness OF Thy rising" This is the
prophets prediction that the gentiles as
well rs the Jews viii come to the light
which God has sent into the world.
And this prediction will come true. II
was given under the inspiration of God
and cannot fail. The Scriptures re
pestedly predict the salvation OF the
world 'TSod no ,oved the world that
He gave HIS only berotten Son" for
It and the entire world will some time
hear HIS name and believe in Kim.
But Furthermore, the prophet In vision
sees the rulfllment OF hts prophecy.
Lift un thine eyes roundabout and
see. All they gather themselves to.
gether; they come 10 thee; the
abundance OF the sea shall be convert
ed unto thee; the forces OF the gentiles
shall come unto thee" And as we look
about us today we see In reality what
Isaiah saw in vision. The light has
come. The church is spreading il
abroad. and the gentle nations are see
ing It and in large numbers, presaging
ultimate entire success, are being gath
cred In. The first sheaves have come
and the full harvest Is assured.
BGBLE READINGS.