Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-07-01

i'll the york stopped. The new inter-
est in missions will call boarded more
rigidly to account for their methods
of administration. 1t Is better not to
try to occupy each inadequately. Paul
did his missionary work in association
with variety Of comrades, even as
the present day missionary propaganda
presents many fronts to the world.
1t is worth noting that this Is
Spirit-gllided company Of men. Thsy
took counsel together, of course, and
yet ultimate decision in all their &C
tons rested upon the illumination OF
the Divine Spirit. When the Spirit
babe them hasten through Asia with
out preaching they did SO. Their
power to win resided wholly in their
willingness to obey. They knew them.
selves to be men under authority, and
it was in loyalty to that Voice that
they found success.
The Men Who Hear Calls.
This was band of idealists and
dreamers. who. regardless of the hard
ships by the way, pressed on toward
new fields of service They belonged
to the endless train of Missionaries into
whose hearts God has put the pioneer
spirit. These men who hear calls to
the new and undiscovered regions
have ever been the champions of his
tory's charging sphere. To them all
new discoveries are owed. They are
like Columbus. adding new continents
to the worlds dominions. Some types
of men work best in well-wo'n
grooves. They like the accustomed
ways and the voice of human direc
ton over them. Others are forever
dreaming of new ways of doing the
old service They are the inventors.
the explorers and the captains OF civ
ilization. 1t would be a sad day for
mankind if ever this divine fire de-
narted from the hearts of men.
Paul, standing on the edge Of Asia.
saw in vision man in Europe, and
heard his voice calling Come over
and help U.S. 1t was the sensitive
souls perception of the spiritual needs
of an unevangelized region. The
Macedonian call has become shop
worn missionary phrase. Most per-
sons, more familiar with this incident
than with the actual facts Of today s
missionary conditions, believe that
the heather today are calling even as
did the Macedonian man of old. There
are one or two non-Christian lands
which are like unto Macedonia in that
their call for the better things Of the
Gospel is articulated. In the main,
though. it Is call Of need rather than
of desire that is heard from the mis-.
sion field.
When Paul finally got to Philippl'
instead Of eager, waiting multitudes he
found only a praying woman, ready to
hear his message. Perhaps he expert.
enced something OF the shock of fini'
ing himself not wanted and not con
sidered which has come to hundreds
Of missionaries since, as they reached
the land of their desire. Ordinarily
the missionary is not desired, but lie
is needed none the less. 1t takes q
deeper vision and a higher courage tt
do service in these conditions than !
go where one is welcomed with oper
arms.
The Christian church is not engaget
in the business of giving men wha
they want, but of giving them wha
they need. The twentieth century il
vocal with clamorous appeals fo1
many things. In their social unres
men say they want new order of pol
itics, new kind of economics, new
kind of social relationship. This Is
their expressed desire, but their rea
need is for more of the brotherly ant
unselfsh spirit of Jesus in theil
hearts.
The New atrlotism.
r,.r,,, ~, 4bo ,.,ro, ho,,ly re phi1inr
Paul found woman merchant, de
vout proselyte. 1t may have secured
bit of irony to him that his first con
vert in Europe should not be Euro
pean, but an Asiatic. Lydia was ;
seller of purple from Thyatira. Then
as ever, women were the best friends
of God. The first converts and fina
defenders Of faith are usually WON
en-. This prosperous business womal
was baptized with her whole house
hold, and with the hospitality whicl
characterizes simple Christian faitl
she welcomed the band of evangelist
to her home with an urgency tina
would not be gainsaid.
So began the career of Christianit
in Europe. With that bit Of outreact
ing endeavor on the part of Paul W
see prefgured the history Of Christer
dom For the Christian nations ar
the pioneer nations. Stagnation beset
pagan peoples. The ships that sail a.
seas mostly fly Christian flags, and tn
commerce of the world is done almos
exclusively by Christian nations, or b
nations that have lately come unde
the impulse Of Christian sentiment
Now because the Gospel was so earl
borne to Europe. Europe and her chile
America, are bearing the Gospel bac
to Asia.
The new patriotism is milder tina
the older jingoism. 1t is saner, but
is stronger. No longer do we hea
the cry MY country, right or wrong,
but, from all quarters, the conceptio
of our nations welfare for the world
sake is echoing. 1t is literally true tt
( day that over the flags of Christia
nations, at the mast heads of thei
ships. as well as in the realm of MI
taphor, there flies the flag of the Cross
| The best patriotism is that which give
its best possession for the welfare {
all nations.
LEE EnR THE I AND