Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-03-24
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Tepie For the Week
/ Beginning March %, 1909.
BY REV. S. II. DoYL.

By REV. S. II. DOYLE.
Topic.--Great missionary books home
and foreign.-Isa. xii. S-12
The Importance Of reading the best
books upon any subject In which we
are interested need not be emphasized.
THE student of history takes great
helight in porting over the standard
works of history. and so 1t is with the
student of literature, philosophy or
any other subject on which informa-
tion is to be found in books. What Is
true of other subjects should also be
true of missions. both home and for
eign. If we are deeply interested in
missions we should read the greatest
missionary books and biographies
upon the subject. And II we are
Christians and not interested in mis-
sions there is all the more reason for
our reading such books, that mission
airy interest and zeal may be aroused
In US. Every disciple of Christ should
be interested In missions, and nothing
will so readily tend to derelop this In
terest as the reading of the best mis-
sionary literature.
The missionary literature Of today Is
especially worth reading. There was
q time when missionary periodicals
and books were most undressing
They were about as dry as the bones
in the vision of Ezekiel. But the dry
homes have been revived, and there Is
no more interesting reading In the
world today than the stories or mis-
sions and missionaries. Their pages
contain wonderful events. stranger, in-
deed, than the best fiction. Nowhere
can more interesting reading be found
than in the accounts OF Christs discl-
ples In their work Of evangeliZing the
world in accordance with His COM
mand. The life of John G. Patton
among the cannibals Of the New Heb
rides cannot be excelled In its thrill
ing incidents and for the miraculous
account Of the way in which God
Kept him and gave him power among
these barbarous peoples. What Is true
of Paton's life story is true of many
others. and no one need feel In dan
ger of ennui in reading such mission
airy biographies.
The benefits to be derived from read
ing missionary literature are also OF
Importance. a. Information. Ignorance
Is the cause of much missionary III
difference. The reading of first class
missionary literature will dispel this
ignorance and with it the indifference
No one can read the life of William
Carey or of Judson or Henry Martyr.
etc, without having the keenest inter
est in missions aroused in him. II
he can, there is something he lacks as
q disciple Of Christ. (2l Inspiration.
Missionary literature is conducive to
great inspiration. 1t inspires us to in
creased effort for the advancement of
Christ's kingdom and awakens in many
hearts strong desire to devote them
selves to the life of the missionary.
The reading of the life of David Brain
erd by Jonathan Edwards was the
immediate influence that led one of
England's greatest missionaries to go
to the foreign field.
Missionary literature is popular to-
day. Many books have been written
upon it. We cannot read them all
and hence should select the very best.
First among all stands the Acts of
the Apostles. Among the best of the
others are the biographies Of Living
stone, Moffat. Patton. Martyr. Carey.
Judson, John Eliot. David Brainerd.
Marcus Whitman. "Beach's Geogra-
ply of Missions" Barnes Missions
Before Carey" "Thompson's Mora
Wan Missions" "Pierson's Miracle of
Missions" presbyterian Foreign Mis-
sions," Presbyterian Home Missions"
Let each Endeavorer strive to read
at least one missionary book who has
not done So II this is done and some
thing interesting Of each book is told
at this meeting. it will be instructive
and inspiring.
BIBLE READINGS.
lisa. Lii. Z; Nah. 1, ID; Matt xviii,
10, 20; Acts /. 10; xiii, 1-3: xvi. 1884;
xvii. 10, IL; xix, 1920: XVI, %; Rom.
Z, 1915.