The Detroit times., 1915-11-26
sy WILLIAM 7. ELLIS.

6y WILLIAM 7. ELLIS.
The nan who is worse than a
heather, according to the Apostle
F5ul. is be- VINO fails to provide for
his own That applies to religious
affairs as well a TO material things.
The divine injunction to the apos
ties was that they should begin a.
Jerusalem Home comes first The
person whose interest in China ia
20 great that be- neelects Christian
work in his own ncighborhood is
not To be- called missionary en-
thusiast; he Is merely an ill-hal
anced fanatic In this Gay Of IN
creasiue missionary interest we
MAJ not lose sight of our primary
responsibilities 90 the opportunity
which is nearest. Work abroad
be preceded and accompanied by
work at home Usually fairness
con pels me to add it is the person
81 lose sense of responsibility for
! the uttormosIparts is kecnes' who
is most interchangeable In labors for
mis- immediate nciehborhood Among
The heroes OF missions must ever
shine The names Of tho men who
helped give and save this homeland
10 a Christian civilization.
Home" and foreign are PERM
,Ious words that will one day be
eliminated from the missionary vo
cabulary Il is not just to God to
divide his world fields mp into sec.
tons that provoke partisanships.
Moreover. it 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 4"
There are no geographical lines
in GODS thought OF missions. lie
$50 loved the world
:
che nan who invests his life in
ping 10 Hv and ennoble the ideals
1f community in its formative
plt,od has achieved the mission OF
patriot.
The modern pastor of a down
Town civ church is nowadays as
r1ll q hnme missionary as. is the
eroni. riding, ffouricrsman
Les ne live, i'm house by the Side
OF the road.
Where the race Of men. go by
Tie men that are good and the men
that are bad
As good and as bad as |.
would moi sit in the scorners
seat,
Nor hurl the cynic's ban.
Let me live IN a house by the side
of the road,
Md be- friend - man.
Sam Walter Foss.
Every Christian has his own par
ocular mission field II is his own
nc one else can occupy it, There
are deeds 10 be- done. and words 10
10 spoken. which he alone can do
and speak. II ne fail I'm that field
@ may even mean the failure OF the
whole kingdom OF heaven there. II
g for this special, individual work
that We must render an accounting
al the great day OF Judgment.
To be good neighbor TO the
highest alien is one expression at
patriotism and of religion.
The time has come TO ask, what
is home MISSIONS II in that term
is included the needless duplication
of churches In small communities.
merely for the sake OF perpetuatins
sectarian names or clarifying de-
nominatonal agencies, then the
great Christian public viii turn its
back in disapproyal. But II home
missions means practical, organ
lied effort to give the stimulating.
conserving and Transforming power
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 arc lonely ranchmen and min
crs who are beyond the touch Of
Christian influences There are
multitudes Of children growing up
outside of the pale OF religions
formative touch. vast multitude
OF aliens. as foreign in tempera-
ment 70 the spirit OF this new land
as they are in language TO its ton
j que, need to be leavened by the