Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-08-19
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning Aug. q, 1904
BY REV. 5. H. DOYLE.

By REV. 8. Ii. DOYLE.
Topic. = Vacation religion. = Mark vi.
oo.A
Christ recognized both the need and
the justice of rest. The apostles had
been out doing missionary work. In
their absence John the Baptist was
put to death by the infamous Herod.
When they heard of it they gathered
ctogetheran and buried him in tomb. Then
they returned to Jesus land told Him
all things, both what they had done
and what they had taught" They
had labored faithfully and now made
their reports. The death of John and
its manner would naturally fill them
with great distress of heart and mind.
The Master, who could read the heart
as well as the outward lives, realized
all this and with it that they needed
and deserved rest; hence He said to
them, Come We yourselves out into
q desert place and rest awhile, for
there were many coming and going,
and they had no leisure so much as to
eat" Thus Christ recognized that he
who labors deserves rest, vacation,
- we call it today.
az The apostles were therefore to have
q vacation and with Jesus with them.
oh, that Christians today in larger
numbers sought the quieter places for
rest and recreation and took Jesus
with them! How much more profitable
physically, spiritually and mentally
their vacations would be, Instead Of
the noise and dissipation of the mad
ding crowd" to go into the decent
place" and be with Jesus. But the tend
ency is just the opposite. The crowded
places are sought. Conduct that we
would not practice at home is freely
INDUCED in. Jesus is left at home.
The Bible is in secure, safe place,
while light and often immoral litera-
ture take its place. Religion is left at
home, and flirting and dancing and
drinking are the gods most frequently
worshiped. Rest? Recreation? 1t is
neither. Riotous living would come
nearer to describing many vacations
than rest.
That there is vacation religion diff
ferent from religion itself is an abb
surdity. Yet many believe it How
many say, I'm Rome do as Rome
does" and their consciences are quiet
ed? But religion that won't be in
Rome or any other place the same
Is no religion. Rome went to ruin.
and with it those who in Rome
lived the sinful lives of the Romans.
1t is eminently proper when in differ
ent places to follow the customs of
these places in SO far as they are
right, but when they are wrong the
line Of the Christian at least should be
drawn. Where no moral question is in
volved it is courteous to do in a
strange place what others do. but when
morality is involved no such obliga
.tion rests upon us, no more than il in
China because we followed the custom
Of the Chinese in riding in a jinrikisha
we must also bow down before Chinese
Idols.
Christ and the apostles teach US that
vacation religion should be religion,
not irreligion. They went to a desert
place to rest, but the people followed
them, and they administered both to
their physical and spiritual wants
How many of us follow their examplei
We should, for they are our examples
In all things If we are Christians.
bible HEADINGS.
Gen. ii, 1-3; Ex. Xxx, $40; Feel. 2. %
rs; iii, lila; Jer. vi, 16; Matt. ri. IS
Phil. iv, 8, 0; Pet. Ii, 9-12; Heb. iii
LIP,