The Detroit times., 1915-03-26

Terse Comments on the Uniform
Prayer Meeting Topic OF the
Young Peoples soeieties--chris-
ltlan Endeavor. etc.--for March %. |
--"Home Mission Opportunities
That summon us"-Ezek. 81:
2o-3t.
(BY WILLIAM r. ELLIs.)
From the great war have come !
many messages 10 the people who
sit In safety In this Western con
tinent. None Is more stirring than |
the examples of patriotic devotion.
With real heroism. and sublime pas
sion. me. and women have surrend' |
cred their all. I'm shining loyalty 10 |
the cause OF their nation. II does /
seem a. II this war has been a puri- |
flying fire. 10 cleanse commonplace |
!. lives OF ignoble purposes. and TO
make Respondent the gold OF sin |
cere patriotism The master pas |
sions Of religion and patriotism have
come 10 FIRST place. All Of this
should not be lost upon us Ameri- |
cans. Patriotism "a as urgently |
needed In days OF peace a. in nights |
of war. In all soberness. Ne declare /
that the present need OF our ration |
for the passionate and exalted deyo-
ton OF her people is as great as that
Of any OF the European powers. A
deep and sincere concern for the I
highest welfare OF America Is the /
duty OF every Christian in this hour.
The church purifes and strength.
ems the state: that In still the great |
est OF all home mission opportun-
tiles.
-
Not all mission work IL 10 be done
through church boards. These are |
Indispensable. in enabling us to 20 |
representatlyely where We cannot go |
In person. and TO do forms OF ser
vice that are beyond our own powers. |
Nevertheless, IL Is the direct person |
nj touch, the ministry which has 0 |
life behind II. that counts for most |
Aims lovingly given TO the neighbor-
hood poor. a guiding word to the |
i psrplexed immigrant on the train,
Sunday school class taught. a visit !
y made TO the prison--these are the 1
forms OF home mission ministry !
which count for most.
A moral wave seems to be sweep I
ing our land. for the cleansing OF 1
politics. for the eradication OF vice
and for the abolition Of the liquor /
traffic Clearly II Is real home mis- !
sion work. as well "a good citizen. |
ship. for the Christian 10 put every |
ounce OF his influence sluarely be-
hind thc1e movements. The country |
Is coming TO the conviction that
voter cannot az the. same time be a
good man and a Supporter OF bad
politics. Odium now attaches TO the |
church-going. personally .pious man |
who IL the friend and assistant and I
defendant OF corrupt political prac- |
. tees And when the gangster I
can no longer count on the help OF |
the churchman. he will have to fold |
his tents enc depart.
Every immigrant IA some Chris.
tlan's opportunity to serve Christ
and country.
One door OF opportunity for home /
mission service Is the door into the
prayer closet.
A reader OF the days problem |
literature" Of which there Is so great !
On abundance. is bewIldered by the
tasks Of human betterment that need /
doing In our land and time. Clearly, /
lie cannot do all of them. His peril
n that he will do none. substituting |
vague sympathy for definite serv
ice. After all, though. every Chris
tiar may help keep the Gospel, with \
all It's social implications. pressed
close 60 the teeming perplexities OF
our time. The cross Is still the sign /
OF conquest In ali our battles for the
world& betttrment n symbolizes
service, sacrifice and salvation. c.
saiers who wear the cross hidden =
their hearts arc the deliverers o. our
land.
Sense and sentiment must go hand
IL hand. n we are to count at all In
service, we cannot DO everything.
Perhaps one reason why we church
folk are such putterers is that we at
tempt too much. Take the ImmIgr
tIon question as present and press
ING case In point Shall America
open her gates to all people who
want 10 enter. irrespective Of their
capacity for citizenship! Some sen.
timentalists say so. What. then, IL
10 become OF the homogeneity and
solidarity OF the nation so years
henceY Would II be real service
Of the world 10 destroy the American
fI..IsS