Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1912-05-08
CHRISTIAN ENOelvOR
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
BEGINNING NAV r. 1912.

Prayer Meeting Topic For the week
Beginning May II, 1912.
Topic.-The value of initiative. IL Kings
xiii t4-l9 "a leaderiess neeting.) Edited
by Rev. Sherman Ii. Doyle. d. d.
The method which the dying Elisha
took to assure to Joash, king of Israel,
of complete victory over Syria was
indeed new and novel one. The
king Is made to shoot an arrow out of
an open window and to smite the
ground With a bundle of arrows. That
Joash lacked enthusiastic faith, which
caused him to smite the ground but
thrice instead of many times and thus
to lose the assurance of continued and
complete victory. was not reflection
upon Elisha or upon the new method
of prophecy which be had adopted.
Too often men of initiative must de-
pend upon others to carry their plans
into effect. and many times they fail
In the accomplishment of their full
purpose because of the lack Of faith
of those who must carry them out. IL
any part of new plan of Christian
word depends upon us, whether we or
another originate it, let us conscien-
tiously do our part to make it COM
plete success.
The Bible In this instance places the
stamp OF its approval upon new and
original methods In religious work.
Indeed, there are numerous examples
in the Scriptures of most unique meth
DDS used In doing the will of God and
in advancing His kingdom. Broken
pitchers and flashing lights and sound
ing trumpets are used to win VIC
tory bottle was broken to teach
and exemplify the truth. A vision OF
dry bones revivified was used for the
same purpose. The tabernacle was
but a tent. and services held In it were
tent services" Christ Himself when
necessity arose used the mountain side
or a boat in the sea as pulpit He
pointed to the flowers of the field and
to the birds of the air to emphasize
spiritual lessons. Paul preached In
the open air. organized churches in
homes and conducted prayer meetings
by the seaside. There is no suggestion
in the Scriptures that new and unique
methods of teaching truth and Of ad-
vancing the kingdom of Christ are not
to be adopted. Indeed. it is very much
otherwise The whole trend of Bible
teaching warrants US In the use of
such methods. The value of initiative
is emphasized and its use commended.
The value of initiative In Christian
work cannot be priced too highly. va
riety is the spice of life" Frequent
use dulls effectiveness. The common
place loses its power to charm and to
attract There must be a constant
turning to new and attractive meth.
DDS. Principles and purposes always
remain the same. but methods change
and must change If the best results are
TO be achieved. The Christian En-
deavor movement strikingly illustrates
the value of initiative in Christian
work. There had been hundreds of
young peoples societies in the Chris
tian church before the first Christian
Endeavor society was organized. but
they lacked uniqueness. originality. at
uCg NCAE
largely after other church organiza-
tons. What they lacked the Christian
Endeavor society possessed. and it is
not surprising that in the providence
of God it should have accomplished
what it has. Let us be encouraged,
therefore, to study new plans, to inau-
gurate new methods and to strive al
ways to put freshness and newness
into our endeavors. 10 carry forward
the work of Christ and the church"
Novelty Is not to be sought simply
for the sake of novelty. No old meth
cd should be discarded simply because
it is old and no new method intro
duced simply because it is new. The
value Of any method depends upon re-
suits. Methods are nothing; results are
everything. A method is not an end In
itself. but means to an end. II for
the accomplishment of the end aimed
at tallow dip is better than elect rici-
ty, use a tallow dip But where cleo
tricity is infinitely better do not dis
card 1t simply because electricity Is
new and the tallow dip is hoary with
age. "A word to the wise is sufficient"