Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-02-05
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.
Prayer Meeting Topic Fer the Week
Beginning Feb. 6, 1908.

By REV. s. H. DOYLE
Topic.-Ministeri1g to strangers and the
nck-Matt XIV. a-4S.
The life OF Chiist was life of min
ktering. He Himself said. The Son
Of Man came not to be ministered an
10, but to minister snd TO give His life
Q ransom for many The supreme
service that Christ rendered unto the
world was the giving of Himself on
the cross ''as ransom for many" but
He who gives the greatest was also
willing TO give the least. and during
His public ministry Christ gave Him.
self in service to His fellow men. The
sacred historian tells US that He vert
about doing good" In this respect, as
IN all others, Christ is to be our ex-
ample In His name we are to be kind
10 strangers and to visit the sick.
The stranger and the sick" refers
Of course, to those outside Of our own
households. Yet we need to remember
that In our wider service for Christ we
are not to neglect the members Of our
ewn family circles. Christ believed in
beginning at home in all things. He
came first to His own people. then to
the word. He healed Peters wife's
mother when she was sick with the
fever. He visited Martha and Mary
when Lazarus died. On the cross He
provided for the future Of Mary. His
mother Contrary to the spirit Of
Christ. many Christians speak kind
words to strangers and harsh ones at
home. They can carry flowers to the
distant sick. but not blossom to a
lcved one sick In their own household.
Many mans work In the sIums and
many woman's zeal In foreign mis-
sions is entirely discounted By the well
known fact that they neglect their
own homes. This is false conception
Of Christianity. Christianity begins at
home and widens from that as a center
Or 1t has no beginning Young people
think no less Of the waists and needs
Of outsiders, but think more Of anxious
fathers and wearied mothers who are
giving their lives for you. and. while
ministering to others, do not neglect To-
minister unto them by kind words and
deeds and thoughtful care for tier
needs and desires.
But, while Christianity begins al
home, 1t should not end there. Some
people make this mistake. They have
NO interests beyond their own fire.
sides. Lazarus may stave at their
gates 90 their tables are well supplied.
A neighbor may be sick, but what Is
that to them II only there be no sick
ness among those dear TO them: Bat
this is not the spirit o. true Christian
fly. Our sympathy. prayers and min
4stries are to embrace the stranger and
the sick beyond our own doors. even
to the uttermost parts of the earth.
Strangers visiting our churches AM
Ende2vor prayer meeting are to be
welcomed. The stranger to God IS to
be led to Him through Jesus Christ.
The unsaved strangers across the seas
and in our own land are to have the
gospel sent to them. The sick are
especially to be the objects Of our care
To be sick is grieyous enough, but to
be sick and aforementioned and uE-
visited makes the heart sick In addi-
ton to the body. Sin sick souls are
to be led to Christ. In a word, in the
name Of Christ and for His sake let
MS be polite and kind to all and
thoughtful Of the rights. the feelings
and the needs Of all. Then Christ
can say to us, We'll DONE"
BIBLE HEADINGS.
Matt. ", Ill: K. 1912; xx, %; Luxe
], So; Gen. xviii, 1-s; Luke xiv, 1875;
Rom. XII, 921; Heb. Kill, /. 2; Jas v.
"A, Is; Gal. vi, Q, 10.