The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-11-05
(BY WILLIAM T. ElliS.)

or PROFOUNDLY serving our time AZ
our race Is to live consistently foi
those things which are true and
beautiful and ideal and divine. The
lofty life lifts.
"Doe,ye next thynge." We are to
begin our service by taking up the
duty next at hand. Only on this
line OF duty can we progress into
wider service. Nehemiahs splendid
company OF Christian Endeavorers
built every man over against his
own house. So should we.
We may serve Christ by serving
the church. II Is possible for us to
run too far afleld in search of spe-
cial work to do for the Master, when
right at hand in our own churches
there are pressing and important
duties awaiting US. There is some
thing radically wrong with the Chris
tian Endeavor principles of the
young person who is active and
prominent I'm outside work but non
effective In the affairs of his own
church.
Peter wanted to tarry on the
mount OF TRANSPORTATION. He felt
that he would be supremely blest IL
he could remain there in the pres
ence of the TRANSPORTED Christ. But
II was not to be SO; the wise Mas
ter led the disciples down to the
plain, where the sick and sordid and
needy multitude waited.
The church as the organized, Wis.,
ible kingdom of Christ on earth has
great work 10 do. She has to fulfill
the purpose Of mighty army,
sweeping solidJy and compactly for
ward against organized foes. There
are tasks to be done for Christ for
which only a mighty and united
church Is equal. The church. as a
church, has a definite mission to
perform. Nevertheless, the greatest
work of God among men is to be
performed, not through the instru-
mentality OF his church as a whole,
but through the instrumentality OF
individual men and women. Ii is by
the faithfulness of single souls that
the kingdom is TO come. The one
indispensable human factor in the
divine plan is the individual Chris
tan. witnessing and working.
love Christ.
John puts TO practical test our re-
ligion. II you have, he says in sub
stance. ana your brother has not,
and needs. and you do not share
why how dwelleth the love of God
in a stingy man? Impossible, All
the loud and elaborate professions
Of man cannot prove that the love
Of God is In him. He is only a
sounding brass, If his practical deeds
of charity do not equal his declara-
tons.
Let every hand find work to swell
the store
or common welfare. and let all
hearts pour
Their offering of service. till the
best
That each can bring is shared by all
the rest.
Washington Gladden..
The test of religion is what it
can do for the average man &C. Sill
vester Horne.
Self-sacrifice is the royal law of
the new life. Because Christ laid
down his life for U.S." I'VE ought to
lay down. our lives for the brethren"
This is a high, hard teaching. but It
is the Lords. We can never enter
into the likeness OF Jesus until we
have learned how 10 surrender self.
and how to deny self for the sake
OF men who may not be worthy, and
for the sake Of the Master who Is
surely worthy. The call OF our Lord
today, especially to young people, is
for disciples who will literally lay
down their lives for Him, through
tedious and toilsome years. He
needs servants whom He can send
anywhere; upon whom He can Law
large responsibilities as well as bum
BILE, obscure duties. The person
through whom Christ can best ex-
press His mind to the world Is one
who Is consumed by passion for
doing only the will OF God.
Christianity Is not to be played
with, but to be practiced. II is not
a toy, but business; not an avoca.
ton, but a vocation. Il is not an
incident OF life; II is all OF life.
We arc set among men to live our
own hest life for their good and for
Gods honor. We dare not live for
self alone. Our mission is TO be az
widely and as deeply helpful az pos.
sible. All our powers are for the
benefit of our fellows. What we are
and what we may become belong To
the world to which God would have
us minister.
What IL tha hn.k IL