The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-07-03
The Springs Of Religion
And Springs Of Patriofisn1

spirit-euidsd company o. men. Thsy
took counsel together. Of course. and
yet ultimate dscision In all their act
ions rested upon the iiiumination Of the
Divine, Spirit. When the Spirit bade
them hasten through Asia without
preaching they did %. Their powere
TO win resided wholly in their willing.
ness to obey. They knew themselvss
In loyalty to that Voice that they
TAs Men whs Hear Calls.
This was . band OF idealtnts ana
dreSmers. Who, regardless Of the hard.
ships BY the way. pressed on toward
new fields Of service. Ihey belonged
to the endless train Of Missionaries into
spirit. These men who hear calls, TO
the new and undiscovered regions have
ever been the champions Of historys en-
iarging sphere. To them all new
discoveries are owed. They, are Ike
Columbus. adding new continents to
the worlds dominions. Some types OF
men work best In weli-worn grooves.
They like the accustomed ways and
the voice Of human direction over them.
Others are forever dreaming OF new
ways OF doing the old Service. They
are the inventors, the explorers. and
the captains of civilization. 1t would
DO . sad day for mankind II ever this
divine IRE departed from the hearts Of
Paul. standing on the edge OF Asia,
saw IN q vision Q man In Europe. and
heard his voice calling "Come over and
help u.s." It was the sensitive souls
perception OF tho spiritual needs OF an
unevangelixed region. The Macedonian
call has become . shop-worn mission
airy phrase. Most persons. more Ia
miliar with this incident than with the
ditions, believe that the heather to-
day are calling even ~ did the Mace
DOMAIN man Of old. There are one or
two non-Christian lands which are like
unto Macedonia In that their cali for
tho vetter things Of the Gospel 10 ar
ticuikted. In the main. though. II 10 Q
call Of need rather than of desire that
IL heard from the mission field.
When Paul finally got to Phiiippi.
instead OF eager. waiting muititudes
he found only praying woman. ready
TO hear his message.. Perhaps he 81.
perienced something Of the shock OF
dnding himself. not wanted and not
considered which has come to hum
dreds of missionaries since. ~ they
reached the land Of their desire. .Ordi-
narily the missionary - not desired.
0ub nC - nSU0o1 ASAAg sstS
takes q deeper vision and q higher
courage to do service In these condi-
lions than to 70 where one 10 well
coined with open arms. ~
The Christian Church is not engaged
In the business Of giving men what
they want. but Of giving them what
they need. The twentieth century 10
vocal with ciamorous appeals for many
things. In their social unrest men say
they want . new order Of politics. o
new kind Of economics, q new kind OF
social relationship. This 10 their ex-
pressed desire. but their real need 10
for more OF the brotherly and usselfish
spirit Of Jesus in their hearts.
The New Patristism.
Down by the river bank Of Phiifppi.
Paul found . woman merchant, q de-
vout proselyte. It may have seemed .
bit Of irony TO him that his first con-
vert 10 Europe should not be q Euro.
pean. but an Asiatic. Lydia was .
seller OF purple from Thyatira.s Then.
as ever. women were the best friends
Of God. The FIRST converts and final
defenders Of faith are usually. women
This prosperous business woman was
baptized with her whole household, and
with the hospitality which character.
ICES simple Christian faith. she welcom-
ed the band OF evangeiists to her home
with an. urgency that would not b.
gainsaid. .g@.d
30 began the career Of Christianity
In Europe with that bit of OUT
reaching endeavor on the part Of Paul
we see prehgured the history OF Chris
tendon. Eor.the Christian nations are
the pioneer nations. Stagnation besets
pagan peoples. The ships that sail
ali seas mostly fiy Christian flags, and
the commerce OF the. world Ia done al
most exclusively by. Christian nations.
or By nations that have lately come
under the Impulse OF Christian senti-
ment. Now because the Gospel was
SO early borne to Europe. Europe and
her child. America. are bearing the
Gospel back to Asia.
+ The new patriotism r. milder than
the older tingoism. II IL saner. but
Il Ia stronger. No longer do we hear
the cry my country. right or wrong"
but. from all quarters. the conception
OF our nations welfare for the worlds
sake is echoing. It IL literally true
today that over the flags OF Christian
nations at the mast heads of their
ships, as well as in the reals Of meta
phor. there dies the nag of the Cross.
The best patriotism is that which gives
It's best possession for the welfare of