The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-10-04

portant than anything else is to impress
every soldier with a sense of his individ-
ual responsibility He is a unit of per-
sonal and imperative Importance. Upon
the fidelity, skill, bravery and endurance
of him depends not only the success of
the hours struggle, but of the cam
paign as well. With him 1t is cur COM
pany, our division, our flag and our coun-
try. He realizes that victory means to
him and to his, peace, security, prosperi-
ty, glory. While upon the other hand he
knows that defeat means shame and dis
honor to himself and loved ones. He
is but soldier in a great army yet he
is vastly important to its prosperity and
he knows it.
This Is what we want in the church
ndividuality-deeply conscious of respon-
sibility and opportunity for service. How
different upon the other hand are the
facts as we often see them. The indi-
viduality and consequently the respon-
sibility of the membership is lost in the
| mass. The church instead of being un-
derstood as an assembly ground, where
we line up for orders and act, is looked
upon as kind of armory where we stack
arms. or barracks. where we are pro-
! miscuously and leisurely quartered. -
could not begin to tell you how many
time members of~the church in the pro-
cess of the erection of this building have
said: How is your church getting along?"
| Doubtless with many it was an uncon-
scious and unfortunate expression of a
| real interest in and pride. But still in
some cases may we not believe 1t sad
F., lack of personal responsibility.
| Presbyterians, whether you are a men,
Der of this church, whether you are a
professor or not, will you not think of
| this church as your own? VIII you not
1 remember what is the business or oppor-
tunity of the church-is the business and
opportunity of every one of you? In the
movements and actions of the body there
| is the movement ofeach limb organ and
sense, and all are animated by the one
vitalizing guiding and impulsive soul and
each contributes each measure of service
in accomplishing whatever is achieved.
! Collectively, we are a church. but as in
diyiduals we are the units that deter
mine the life, light, power and the
fruit of the church. Would you pray
today: .Oh, Lord, Nsend now prosperity
TO the Sabbath school?' Then bring your
| life and influence into the Sabbath school.
Would you pray this prayer regarding
/! the public services of the church? Then
| speak it in person, saying unto others,
| LET us go unto the house of the Lord
| Would you pray regarding the young
! peoples societies? Then live it in fidel-
| ity to the church and interests for the
unsaved boy and girl Would you pray it
respecting anything you are lamenting ?
F, Then let it be manifested by your own
| spirit of interest to correct this objec-
| ton Yes, if T mistake not, all we need
| is for God to show us that true prosperity
| must, after all, come from a loving in
| dividual service in seeking only Gods
glory. In conclusion observe the psalm
| list prays ooh, Lord, send now prosper
| ity'' 1t must ever be remembered that
after all of our efforts God is our
strength. From him are we to derive all