Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-01-27
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.

Copic lFor the Weei beginning Jaa.
3I-Commeet by t-ev. 5. n. Doyle.
Topic Eveis Christian called TO be a
missionary Luke xiv, 44-49.
There are few ttls more plainly
set forth in the New Testament than
that every Christian should be mis-
sionary. Christ plainly teaches that
the disciples should make disciples OF
others and they of Still others, and thus
the world was to be won for Him.
The commission of Christ 10 His dis
ciples concerning the evangelization of
the world was among the last com
mands of Christ and should therefore
have the u.ore weight with His disef-
pies. Just before His ascension He
said to them, "Ye are witnesses of
these things" referring to the things
concerning His life and death. 1t was
at this time that He said, go We into
all the world and preach the gospel to
every creature" Nor did these com
mands simply apply TO His immediate
hearers, but to all who in future time
should become His disciples. The COM
mand This do in remembrance OF Me-
was given to the disciples, yet no one
would claim that it was for them
alone. No more were the missionary
commands of Christ. The disciples
stood for all coming disciples, and
through them Christ gave US our COM
mands for today.
According to-the commission of Christ
every Christian should be both home
missionary aud foreign missionary
that is, an interested supporter of both
home and foreign missions He de
clared that repentance and remission
of sins should be preached in His
uame among all nations. beginning at
Jerusalem" The fact is, Christ made
no distinction between home and for
eign missions, and it is unfortunate
that the church has done so. All work
of discipling others is missions, wheth-
er it is done at home or abroad Mis-
sions Is tue one word that should be
used. The making of this distinction
gives many person a loophole of es
cape from contributing. When the for
eign missionary offering is being taken
up they are in favor of home missions,
and vice versa. Missions is the one
great work-the sending of the good
news of salvation through the only be-
gotten Son of God.
Instead of trying to escape our mis-
sionary duties every Christian should
look upon it as a great privilege to have
some part in winning the world for
90 ssha s., 10
there had been no missionaries we
would never have known Christ
Through missionaries He came 10 u.s.
and through them we should do all
we can to send Him TO others. Graft
tude demands ii as well as duty. Then.
too. we should remember that Christ
Himself has taught US by example to
be missionaries. He left His home in
heaven and came TO earth ito seek
and to save the lost" The disciple can
not be above his Lord. Where Jesus
leads we must follow. Are we follow
ing His missionary example? If not,
let US take up the work which comes
to us along these lines. THE world for
Christ" should be the watchword of
every Christian until the kingdoms of
this world shall have become a part of
the kingdom Of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ.
BIBLE READINGS.
Neh. ii, is; Ps. Xxi, s. 1910; Feel
tx, 10; lisa. vi, is; Nah. i, Is; Jonah ill.,
ITO; Matt. Y. Is; Acts i, Ill; xiii. 1-3;
Rom. x, IA, 10.