The copper era., 1909-09-09
The PrOaram of a Christian Life.

Words like people are alive. Neg lect them and they will die. Honor them and they will unfold to you Dyke, bending over his writing, prayed, 70 Lord, help me to deal honestly with words and people, for both are alive" Words, like men, grow deeper with age and larger with experience. Many word, harsh and heartless in youth, has become won drously tender in old age. Spirit" was once but Ipassing wind with icy breath. Spirit" grown old, has be- bome religious, and represents for us the tender touch of God.
 Words are cups in which truth is measured, and when they grow larger our truths become more. "Patriot- ism" became a new word after Wash ington. Freedom" grew tenfold richer after Lincoln. "Love"-we never know love even from our par ents. It is not until we have child ren growing that we know for fact that Glove never faileth." So words grow. and therefore it is not only in- teresting, but necessary to continual ly study them, and every now and then get acquainted with them all over again.
 So we have defined anew the words s'Religion," Christianity" n d Christian" On the last, some have stopped me and asked me to say more.
 We admire Bunyan's definition of Christian, because of the picture it gives us of the escape from sin, but we find fault with it because it has no salvation of the world. Too long have we felt the idea expressed in many of our hymns, ito sit and sing ones self away to everlasting bliss" Too long have we been like the wo- man in Peter Cartwright's meeting. One night she "got happy" and shouted, "Oh, if I had but one more feather in my wings I'd soar away to heaven" And the good old preacher reverently bowed his head and said, 70 Lord, send the other feather and let her go."
 A Christian is a life with a pro- gram. It is not only being but act ing. A Christian is like heaven. When Christian gets into place, he makes things rise and move as yeast does bread. A Christian man is not only a light for the world but the light of the world, and the salt of the earth. If anything will keep this old world from rotting it is Christianity. Matthew Arnald said, ''Show me a spot on this earth where Christianity has not gone and where life and property are safe and 1 will give up faith in Christ"
 The first word then in the Christian program is service. Too long has the church been saying, "A little more sleep, little more slumber, a little more folding of the arms. :" Too long have it's members been like sponges in the pews or more likely in have been talking for the people, and the protestant preachers to them. Thus the church has become drowsy from overeating and lack of exercise. God was the first worker. Jesus worked with brain and hand and heart. If we would be Christ ians, we too must serve; for service is the pathway to power.
 The next word in the Christian pro- gram is "holy." Holy does not mean to cry or pray or feel one's self above or apart 1TOm the WOTlQ. A 0Oly man is one who is set apart for some particular service. There are men who set themselves apart to risk their lives in case of fire to save property and life. They are holy men. see those men dressed in uniforms practicing with arms. They are ready to be called out to put down riots and insurrections. They are holy men. Certain people set themselves apart to help the needy, sick, poor and fallen. They are holy Christians. The great general, Pom pcy, was once going to meet dan gerous enemy of Rome. His friends tried to dissuade him from going, saying he would lose his life if he went. He replied, "It is not neces- sary for me to live. It is necessary that I go." So men have followed the flag. So men have followed the queen. So shall they not follow Christ? So shall they not follow the King?
 JOHN G. DEININGER.