The farmer and mechanic., 1915-03-23

Prayer Meeting Topic of The Young
Peoples Socicsie~--Chfissian En-
dcavor, etc.-for March "S-'Home
Mission Opportunities That sum
mon CS.'-EZck. 34:2O-31.
(By William L Ellis.)
From the great war have come
many MESA ses to the people who sit
III safety in this Western Continent
None is more stirring than the eX-
amples Of patriotic devotion. With
real heroism, and sublime passion.
men and wohen have surrendered
their all. III shining loyalty to the
cause OF their nation. II does seem |
as ii this has been q purifying
fire, to cleanse commonplace lives Of |
lgnoble purposes, ana to make re- |
splendent the gold Of sincere patriot |
| ism. The master passions Of religion |
and patriotism have come to first |
place. All Of this should not be lost !
upon us Americans. Patriotism is as |
urgently needed in days Of peace as
| in nights of war In all soberneSs.
we declare that the present need of
| our nation for the passionate and ex-
alted devotion OF her people is as
| great as that OF any Of the European
| powers. A deep and sincere concern
| for the highest welfare of America
| is the duty Of every Christian in this
| hour.
The Church purifies and strengthens
| the State: that is still the greatest Of
all home mission opportunities
Not all mission work is to be done
through church boards. These are in
dispensable, in enabling us TO go rep
reSentatively where we cannot so in
person. and to do forms of service
that are beyond our own powers New
ertheless, it is the direct personal
touch. the ministry which has life
behind it. that counts for most. Aims
, lovingly given to the neighborhood
poor. a guiding word to the perplexed
| immigrant on the train. a Sunday
| school class taught, a visit made to
; the prison-these are the forms Of
home mission ministry which count
for most
moral wave seems to be sweeping
/ our land. for the cleansing Of politics
e for the eradication Of vice and for the
q abolition Of the liquor traffic. Ciearl,
t it is real home mission work. as wei
S as good citizenship, for the Christian
to put every ounce OF his influence
9 squarely behind these movements. The
o country is coming to the conviction
: that q voter cannot at the same time
i be good man and supporter OF bat
j politics. Odium now attaches to thu
It church-going, personally pious mai
a who is the friend and assistant ant
; defendant OF corrupt political prac
tices. And when the gangster can n
= longer count on the help Of tn
y churchman. he will have to fold hi
4. tents and depart.
t. Every immigrant is some Chris
lg tian's opportunity to serve Christ an
n country.
le One door Of opportunity for hom
to mission service is the door into tn
,e prayer closet.
to A reader Of the days problem lii
So | erature" Of which there Is SO grea
g an abundance; is bewildered by tn
s, tasks Of human betterment that nee
IN doing in our land and time. C1earl.
he cannot do all Of them. His per
is that he will do none, substitutin
a vague sympathy for definite servic
eo After all. though, every Christian ma
rs help keep the Gospel, with all its So
e cial implications, pressed close to tt
DIS teeming perplexities Of our time. TT
n cross is still the sign of conquest j
ne all our battles for the worlds bette
NJ ment. It symbOlizes service, sacrfit
ne and salvation. Crusaders who wes
ne the cross hidden in their hearts al
nc the deliverers of our land.
ife Sense and sentiment must go har
II in hand. If we are to count at all
iai service, we cannot do everything. Pc
ISL haps one reason why we church 70
are such putterers is that we attem
ny too much. Take the immigrant,
I'll question as a present and pressil
nd case in point. Shall America Op,
to her gates to all people who want
asst enter, irrespective Of their capaci
of for citizenship? Some sentimentalis
nj say so. What, then, is to become
est the homOgeneity and solidarity of t
gh | nation fifty years hence? Would it
the a real service of the world to deStr
on, | the American type. and Americ
in | ideals? If we accept more aliens tn
ew We can assimilate we destroy our po
in er to serve any. The strong man "
US tries to carry a load too heavy 1
-. MIN is as badly off as the weak m
who cannot lfad Al Ill z