The Detroit times., 1915-11-05

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. Nehemiah's splendid
company Of Christian Endeavorers
built every man over against his
own house. SO should we.
We may serve Christ by serving
the church. 1t Is possible for US to
run too far afield 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 IL some
thing radically wrong with the Chris
tisn Endeavor principles of the
young person who Is active and
prominent In outside work but nom
effective in the affairs Of his own
church.
Peter wanted to tarry on the
mount of TRANSPORTATION. He felt
that he would be supremacy blest II
he could remain there in the pres
ence Of the TRANSPORTED Christ. But
It 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 to do. She has to fulfill
the purpose of a mighty army,
sweeping solidly 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 whole,
but through the fundamentally 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
tian. witnessing and working.
We should serve men because we
love Christ.
John puts to practical test our re-
ligion. II you have, he says In sub
stance. and your brother has not.
and needs. and you do not share
why, how dwelIeth the love of God
in 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. II his practical deeds
OF charity do not equal his declara-
tons.
Lot every hand find work to swell
the store
OF 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 a religion Is what IL
can do for the average man.-C. Sill.
vester Horne.
Self-sacriflce 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 q high. hard teaching, but Il
Is the Lords. We can never enter
into the likeness of Jesus until we
have learned how to 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 IL
surely worthy. The call of our Lord
today, especially to young people, II
for disciples who will literally lay
down their lives for Him, through
tedious and .stoilsome years. He
needs servants whom He can send
anywhere; upon whom He can lay
large responsibilities as we'll ~ hum.
Bile, obscure duties. The person
through whom Christ can best a.
press His mind to the world II one
who IL consumed by passion for
doing only the will Of God. ~
Christianity is not to be playsd
with, but to be pracuced. II 10 not
q toy, but q business; not an avoca.
ton, but q vocation. II is not IN
incident Of life; It IL all OF life.
We are 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 10 to be az
widely and as deeply helpful - DOS
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