Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1907-09-25
CHRISTIAN. ENDEAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
5Ssinning Sept. -.

Topic-Eosne missions: religious prog.
rcss in oar cities.--Jonah l. Ia; iii. lie: iv
e-fI.
The book of Jonah has been much
discussed because OF the one single
physical miracle that it contains. Sc
far as this miracle Is concerned. W,
may pass it by with the remembrance,
that with God "all things are posi-
BILE" and therefore that this supernat
ural action is as easily believed as
any miracle recorded in Gods word
With this attitude toward the whale
swallowing Jonah we can go on te
the spiritual miracles which 1t con
tains, which are far greater than the
one referred to-the salvation of the
city of Nineveh. noted for its wicked
ness. The conversion of our human
soul is great miracle. 1t can be per
formed only by the power OF God
through the Holy Ghost, and In this
case not one soul. but a great city. was
saved.
Christ commissioned His disciples t.
GO TO the cities as well as to the coun
Try. beginning at Jerusalem" was
His commission on the day OF His as.
cension. The city was therefore the
first place designated by the Master
for ChriStianization. And. going back
into the Old Testament history, we
find that an ancient heather city was
the object Of the earnest solicitude OF
God. Gods command was therefore
given TO the prophet Jonah to go to
Nineveh and pronounce the Judgment
Of God upon it.
1. Jonah dlsobeyed the command of
God TO 90 to Nineveh. He tried To
fee from God by going 10 Tarshish.
But no man can fee from God nor es-
cape the responsibilities that God
places upon him. Eut many. like
Jonah, try to fee from God. They
may have no interest In missions. cs-
pecially for city missions. believing
atants of great cities to repentance and
to Christ. The wicketlness may Seem
30 great that IL may seem an inpos
eihle task, and they prefer to 60 some
other direction and expend their Ia
bors. But our duty Is ito 50 where
He wants us to-" 1t is ours but
10 do. Results are with God The
fact that 1t was \ foreign city may
also have Influenced Jonah. as 1t does
men today. But this is no excuse
There are really no foreigners, espe-
cfally TO Christians. All men are
brethren in Christ, whether dwelling
In Peking, Tokyo or Bombay or In
New York. Philadelphia or Washing
ton For disobedience Gid punished
Jonah, and He will follow the same
course with US. We cannot select the
pleasant duties and ignore the unpleas-
ant ones. When God says Go" We
must go.
- Jonah obeyed the second con-
mand of God. God was most gracious
to Jonah and "came unto Jonah !.
second time"-gave him a second OPP
'portunity. This opportunity Jonah
embraced Jonah arose and went
INTO Nineveh" The result was that
the city turned from its sin to right
eousness with true repentance. and
God spared the city. Thus God saved
a city by the use Of one man. who
obeyed him. But Jonah was dis
pleased. He wanted his prophecy te
be fulfilled and Nineveh destroyed.
and excused his first disobedience
upon the mercy and grace OF God
But God Taught him a useful lesson
through gourd, and II is to he hoped
that he learned We should at least
learn that the greatest attribute OF
God is His mercy and grace Without
It none could be saved.
The Importance Of city missions can
not be too much emphasized They
are the dens Of sin and OF iniquity
but 1t must also be said that the Chris
tan people Of our cities live lives Of a
high standard and are aggressive in
Christian work. Moreover, 1t has been
time and again demonstrated that cities
can be saved Nineveh was saved.
lSamaria accepted Christ The great
rewivals have been held In cities. Let
rs do our part in personally seeking
the salvation Of all about us and in
giving literally Of our means to the
religious organizations that labor espe,
cially amid the great difficulties In our
cities. To win America for Christ we
must win the American cities for Him.
BIBLE READINGS.
Josh. /, II; Ps. xxxiii. 1920; Ps.
xxi, IT'S: cxlvii, 20; Prov. xiv, "a:
Ps. *, II: Acts /. s; Rom. ix,0-5: ).
IA. Is.
Pioneer Of Christian Endeavo- Society.
Rev. Alexander Smellie In his book.
'Sten Of the Covenant" relates the fol-
lowing:
In 1853. one Of the darkest years Of
the killing time. a company of girls ia