Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1912-04-24
CHRISTIAN EnDEhvOR
Prayer Meeting Topic For Week Be-
aiming April 28, 1912.

Prayer Meeting Topic For Week Be-
ginning April %, 1912.
Topic.-The home missions of my de-
nomination. a bi-dseye view. Edited by
Sherman II. Doyle, ID. ID.
Ours is a great inheritance. The
story of the westward march of the
pioneers is a thrilling chapter in Amer
ican history. The dark spot in that
bright picture of manly enterprise Is
the indifference of the church to the
spiritual needs Of that thin white line
of advancing civilization. We are glad
to say the church has set herself to
redeem that initial blunder. The story
of the last fifty years shows the church
alive to her obligations and earnestly
taking her place and part in the build
ing up of a great Christian nation be-
tween the two seas. Very significant
is the work among the mountaineers
of the south. -Four millions Of our own
stock without school or church. for
long years sidetracked on the noun
tains of the south far from the beaten
path of swiftly moving progress. are
coming by leaps and bounds into the
enjoyment of all the privileges of our
Christian civilization. Westward no
has still it's magic charm. If men do
not flock thither now under the lure
of gold they are drawn no less by the
magical fashion in which the govern
ment by her great irrigation plans has
opened up vast tracts for settlement
Thus large communities spring up in
q single year which call for the adj
vance of the church with Sunday
school and preaching station. This
same need has followed the opening up
Of the new lands everywhere. Within
a generation 10000 churches have been
built between the Mississippi and the
mountains. In the state of Kansas
alone $40 Presbyterian churches have
been planted by the mission board, but
religious restitution yet abounds and
in many places it is quite alarming. In
Colorado there are 100 villages of from
$50 to 1000 population without any
Christian ministrations. either Protes-
tant or Catholic. and this is true in
measure of q dozen other states.
The tide of immigration sweeps on
ward over the whole land. No state is
exempt from this ever pressing prob
lem Arizona has 10000 Spaniartis.
Colorado has 100000 foreign speaking
people. Texas has 100000. with Gal
weston holding the fifth place as port
OF entry. In New York city the Pres.
byterian church has allotted to her a
community of 100000 foreigners. Last
year 1.041 $40 immigrants entered our
ports. constituting a tremendous prob.
lem in industry, politics and religion.
To weld these alien forces into the
strength Of the nation and the church
is at once a task and challenge to the
church
The Indian is an old problem and has
the first right on our interest and help
Much has been done. Whole tribes
have been civilized and Christianized
but there are yet great needs to meet
and wrongs to right before we can re-
pay the debt we owe them. Space is
denied us to mentinz the doors which
Providence has opened at our gates.
A great awakening has dawned on the
islands of the Caribbean sea. A new
Importance has come to them with
fresh life and hope under the foster
ing care of our republic. Twelve years
ago there was not a building erected
for school purposes in all Porto Rica,
Today there are thousand. with hun
dreds of Protestant churches. Roads
are being built, a new civic and reli
gious atmosphere is being created
which augers well for the future A
fore the church Of God, but the task is
worthy of her enterprise and calls fol
that spirit of conservation and sacri-
fee which has given her greater Veto
ries in the past