Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1907-07-05
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GREAT NEED OF WORLD.
By Rev. Henry Marsh Warren.

"Ye shall be witnesses unto Me. =
Acts g.
While our Lord was upon earth the
disciples were not asked to be wit
nesses; they were simply to follow
their Master, to listen to His marvellous
teachings and to observe His wonder
full works. "Ye are my witnesses.
Hereafter you must stand in my place,
take up my work, fight my battles,
manifest my love and gather in my
Jewels" In other words, He then in
trusted to His disciples and to His
church both the honor OF His name
and the great work of redeeming the
world for God.
A witness for God must live Christ
like life. 1t Is far easier to stand up
and proclaim that Jesus is the light of
the world than it Is to live exemplify=
Ing the saying, "Ye are the light of
the world" And by the Christ-like life
we mean representing Christ at all
times and in all places, not only in the
house of God on a Sunday, or in the
prayer meeting, but also in the home
and in business and social life.
Another way by which we may be-
come faithful witnesses is by direct and
jealous labor to help the many unfor-
tunate people about us. l believe the
church fails in this respect more than
any other. Churches provide well for
the comfort Of their members, and our
preachers are able and consecrated men
Of God, but individual labor for the in
dividual soul is lacking. 1t is a wrong
Idea that personal labor and oral wit
Messing for God are for ministers only.
One verse in the Bible beautifully de-
scribes the life of Christ, viz: "He
went about doing good"
This should characterize the life of
His followers. We should "go about
doing good"
But how" some one may ask, "are
we to do it?" Let me mention two or
three very simple and practical ways
by which we may do good and In so
doing bring the world to know and fol-
low God, and 80 prove that we are
faithful witnesses.
l. By helping those who need help.
There are hundreds and thousands of
opportunities in this great city and
over the world. What they need Is the
helping hand. If the church Is to give
salvation to the masses who are out
side and are living lives of sin and sor-
row, she must give her attention to
ministering to the needy.
2. BY sympathizing with those who
need sympathy. Jesus was a man Of
sorrows and acquainted with grief. He
had a heart Of great sympathy and
never failed to express 1t when occa-
sion afforded. The worlds great heart
to-day longs for expressions of Chris
tian sympathy. oh, the opportunities
we have Of doing good in the way Of
sympathy with those who need it. If
we will put ourselves or our money at
His disposal, God will open some portal
through which we may enter and tune
the heart-strings Of some discordant
life to play the music of heaven.
And then We may do good by en-
couraging those who need encourage
ment. A few years ago big hotel
was burning and young woman in
one Of the upper stories would have
perished but for the cheers Of encour-
agement that went up from the crowd
Of lookers-On. When the brave fireman
landed his prize safely he said: "You
have no idea how near l came return
Ing without her. 1t was the cries Of
encouragement that nerved me for the
task"
God only knows how many faltering,
trembling weak souls there are to-day
who need just such cheer. How many
times the clouds hang over us, with no
pillar Of fire to guide. How many
times we stand by the waters Of the
Red Sea, where the angry waves roll
and break, and there seems no way of
escape. Oh, that some strong hand
were then outstretched to save us, and
kind, gentle voice to encourage and
comfort us.
There are so many who could be
saved from great mistakes and from
falling If the right thing were said and
done in the right way and at the right
time. God help us to be on the alert
for such opportunities Of doing good.