Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-09-21
CHRISTIAN eNDeAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning Sept. IS, 1910.

Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning Sept. rs, 1910.
Topic.-My denomination at work for
ny country.-Ps ixxxtx. lis. Edited by
Rev. Sherman Fl. Doyle. d. d.
There is little doubt that every one
" the great Christian denominations
q doing something for our country or
working along some lines of home mis-
sionary work. The probability also is
that the majority Of them are doing
the same kind of work. One great evil
b the great west at least has result
I'd from the haphazard and unsystem-
attic manner In which the mission work
was begun. There was no cooperation
among the denominations, and the re-
suit was that in small towns varying
from 1000 up in population contained
from six to eight or ten churches. all
Of them having only a name to live. II
some arrangements bad been maze
BY which the country had been dfvfd-
ed there would have been one or two
strong Christian churches in each one
Of these places, and not large num-
Der. almost on the point OF starvation.
and the ministers lives worn out by
having four or five churches under
their care and preaching In each one
once or twice in four or i've weeks.
Too late the great mistake has been
seen, but 1t is hard TO change present
church arrangements, and the struggle
goes on by pastors and churches for
mere existence. This is the saddest
feature Of our UNCONVENTIONAL work,
especially In the western part OF our
country.
1.-The Christian denominations Of our
land will never be organically united
Such a hope Is as impossible as the
realization OF a future Utopia on earth.
But experience has taught the church
that it must unite in cooperation and
fellowship, and especially in the mis-
sionary cause, II 1t is to be done In
sensible, businesslike and economical
way. Such union is becoming closer
and closer every day. 1t Is manifested
especially In home mission fields, In
our newer felds--Alaska. Cuba and
Porto Rico, with the exception OF the
large cities, where all may go-these
lands are apportioned to the different
denominations. Fer instance, the Pres
byterian church, because first on the
ground, has received as her allotment
the southwestern part Of Alaska and
the upper part Of the Yukon valley.
So that. instead Of there being num-
Der Of churches at points Ike Eagles
and Point Barrow, there is In each
but one-a Presbyterian. In other por-
tons there are only Methodists or
Episcopalians, and. by the way, Point
Barrow Is the farthermost northern
missionary point In the world. The
only white people it contains are the
faithful missionary, the Rev. Dr.
Campbell and his wife. A year or so
ago their church and other buildings
were burned down. But they still
stood .fast as good soldiers Of Christ"
They usually get mail once year, but
sometimes but once in two years. Such
examples of obedience to Christ's
great command should spur us with
a greatly increased interest In and
labor for this cause.
The methods of work used by each
denomination should be studied by the
societies belonging to it. 1t will be
a most interesting study from the be-
ginning to the present day. The meth
DDS of all are preaching, evangelistic
work. the distribution of Bibles and
tracts and the education Of the chill
dren. spiritually. morally, mentally
and industrially. But we should know
our workers. where they are located
and the story OF our school work. The
methods may be the same. but there Is
great variety in using them.
BIBLE READINGS.
Ezra vi. $40: Neh. Ii. Is; Ps. Ii. IS;
cxlvii, 20; Prov. xiv. 81: Jer. XXX. Z;
Matt. xviii. 49, 20; Mark xii. 1877;
Acts /. s; Rom. tx. Is: x. IA. Is; Ps.
cxxii