Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1916-07-05
OUR SHARE IN THE PROPAGATION
OF THE GOSPEL.

the great majority ignore the fact that
they themselves are responsible for
some definite part. The primary part
is that we must have personal exper.
mental knowledge of Jesus Christ our
selves. Ruskin reminds US of South
ey's statement that "No man was ever
yet convinced of any momentous truth
without feeling in himself the power as
we'll as the desire of communicating
it." Yes, the world needs Christ and
upon those of us who realize this need
rests the responsibility of arousing
Others Today, all parts of the world
are brought into closer contact and all
may become acquainted with the great
need in foreign lands. However, three
great difficulties must be faced-A.lac
of necessary information; lack of
wholehearted conservation and lack
of the spirit of self-forgetful love.
"Despise not the day of small things"
is word of Divine not human teach
ing. The best way to arouse interest
in others is to become informed and
enthused ourselves.
Oliver Wendell Holmes has said that
"The training of child began one
hundred years before he was born," SO
the training of the missionary spirit
must begin in the cradle of its leaders
or before. He who has knowledge
that is essential to his fellowmen is
under obligation to convey that knowl-
edge to them. 1t makes no difference
who those men are, where they live, or
whether they are conscious of their
need or how much expense he may in
cur in reaching them. The very fact
t lat he can help them is reason why he
should help them.
The needs Of all should apply equally
to us-whether they be our neigbbors
or the natives of China or Africa. It
has been said-"Any man can love his
own family but it takes a high-souled
man to love all men,"
Our third point is the comm and of
Christ and the solemnity of the cir
cumstances makes this command more
impressive. There is no gainsaying
that command, whether we consider
the person who gave it, the circum-
stances in which it was given or the
duty imposed. We must ever regard it
as the strongest of utterances. Christ
knows no distinction of race or caste.
He loves all men and as someone has
S laid 1.-THE most attractive spots toHim
are those which are crowded with the
neediest masses of human beings.' If
man love me he will keep my COM
is "Go-preach."
These words surely mean that Christ
intended every one to have some share
in the work of making Christ known
to all men, whether by personally go.
ing or giving freely toward the support
of those who do go. Let US look to our
marching orders.
Foreign missions are not side issue
and the object of an occasional collec-
ton. 1t is, or ought to be, the SUI.
preme task of the Church, and though
it may seem an impossible task, God
commands US through faith to attempt
the seemingly impossible duties.
= The Bible overf1ows with seemingly
impossible commands and then goes on
to tell how mortal man obeyed them.
A glance at the lives of our mission
aries will reveal fnarvels just as great.
General Armstrong has said, "What
is Christianity for but to achieve the
impossible" and the Bishop of London
tells us that if we wish to evangelize
] any home slum we must begin by evan
gelizing China or India.
give, to pray, to study, is everywhere
awakening the church to the need of a
higher level of spiritual life. In the
meantime fields are white unto harvest,
and children ready to be taught; for
getful ones willing to give; energetic
workers only awaiting a leader; we
hear from all round US the old, old ex-
cuses, ~ could never do that" or "I
cannot do this" Possibly none of US
would refuse that Office in the Aux
iliary, the soliciting, or the leadership
of the Mission Circle if we knew we
had laid away in some vast storehouse
all the power, ability and patience we
should require, but let US remember
that only morning by morning did the
mama fall, only as the meal wasted in
the barrel was it renewed and only as
the need of every day requireth are we
assured our strength shall be. Camp
bell Morgan declares ut is when you
begin to do what you can't that you do
it in the power of the Spirit" The
people do the things they can, the
growing, useful and victorious Christ
ian must do the things he can't,
If we will but do whatsoever He saith
to US to do, easy or hard, agreeable or
disagreeable, within our powers or be-
yond them, we shall at last realize that
He is able to do Exceedingly abundant
ly above all that we ask or think.
The gist of what we have tried to
point out is that having had personal
experience with Christ as our Saviour,
we should realize the great need of the
nom Christian world; accept the COM
mand which Christ has given to all His
followers and according to our faith be
willing to attempt the seemingly i'm
possible task of making the Gospel
known to all peoples.
Let Us take suggestion from the
late D. L. Moody. Pray as if every.
thing depends upon God and work as il
everything depends upon US.
The Old Man SHED.