The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-11-26
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

The man who is worse than a
heather. according TO the Apostle
Paul, is he who fails TO provide for
his own. That applies TO religious
affairs us web as to material things.
| The divine injunction To the apos-
Ties was that they should begin al
Jerusalem. Home comes first The
| person whose interest in China Is
| so great that he neglects Christian
work In his own neighborhood is
not 10 be called a missionary en-
thusiast: he is merely an ill-bal-
anced fanatic In this day Of in
creasing missionary interest we
may not lose sight Of our primary
responsibilities 10 the opportunity
which is nearest. Work abroad
be preceded and accompanied by
work at home Usually fairness
con pels me to add. II is the person
whose sense of responsibility for
the uttermost parts is keenest who
is most indefatigable In labors for
his immediate neighborhood Among
| the heroes OF missions must ever
shine the names OF the men who
helped give and save this homeland
TO a Christian civilization.
Home" and foreign" are PERM
! Cious words that will one day be
eliminated from the missionary vo-
cabulary. II is not just 10 God TO
divide his world fields up into sec
lions that provoke partisanships.
Moreover. IL is beyond the power OF
man TO make the division fairly.
Who can tell where home" ends
and foreign" begins? BY what
token shall We determine which is
which? Holy writ defines It: The
/ field is the world D."
There are no geographical lines
in Gods thought of missions. He
$50 loved the world
The man who invests his life In
Looping 20 AZ and ennoble the ideals
Of community in its formative
period has achieved the mission of
patriot.
The modern pastor OF down
town city church Is nowadays as
truly home missionary as is the
rircuit-riding frontiersman.
Let me live in a house by the side
Of the road.
Where the race OF men go by
The men that are good and the men
hat are bad
As good and as bad as I.
{ would not sit in the scorner's
seat.
Nor hurl the cynic's ban.
Let me live in house by the side
of the road,
And be friend - man.
Sam Walter Foss.
Every Christian has his own par
ticular mission field II is his own;
no one else can occupy II. There
are deeds to be done, and words to
be spoken. which he alone can do
and speak II he fail in that field
II may even mean the failure OF the
whole kingdom of heaven there. II
IL for this special individual work
that We must render an accounting
M the great day of judgment.
To be a good neighbor 10 the |
highest alien is one expression at |
patriotism and OF religion.
The time has come TO ask. What |
Is home missiuns?" IL In that term |
Is included the needless duplication !
OF churches In small communities. /
merely for the sake or perpetuating !
sectarian names or clarifying de
nominational agencies. then the
great Christian public will turn It's
back in disapproval. But II home
missions means a practical, organ
lied effort to give the stimulating.
conserving and transforming power 4
Of the gospel TO every last man and
woman under our country's flag.
then the judgment OF Christendom
gives hearty favor and assent.
There are lonely ranchmen and min.
ers who are beyond the touch Of
Christian influences. There are
multitudes OF children growing up !
outside OF the pale Of religions
formative touch A vast multitude
OF aliens. as foreign in tempera-
ment TO the spirit OF this new land
as they are in language to its ton.
que, need to be leavened by the