The Alaska citizen., 1916-08-28

:. tated by self interest . C Q :, . . q (. (, (, . . . . . . q THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH.
 "Whosoever shall confess me be, fore men him will confess also be. fore my Father which is in heaven. Matt l0:32
 lie that k not with me is against me" Luke 11:23.
 Cl.i=l l. here appealing to the heroic iu His followers. He ever approached His disciples on the side of loyalty In the world move ment He launched there was to be a constant element of danger. and those who took upon themselves to continue that which he had in ausurated by His teaching and dedi- cated by His life. must be out ard out men There was no room ill His enterprise for the nerveless, the undecided the well wishers or the drifters He announced that men must come out boldly and de clare where they stood. It is not possible to be friendly to Christ and conceal that friendship, for friendship to Him is as open as the day and enlightening as the sun
 No man can be loyal to his coun- try and hide that loyalty. One April day in l775 horseman rode into the sGuar, ol Worcester. Massachu sets His steed was covered with foam. and fell dead The rider was the father of Theodore Parker, and brought the news that the British troops had fired upon a group of Colonists with fatal results. EX citement ran high and bitter words were spoken There is a tradition that the horseman who brought the news of the attack by King George $ soldiers proposed that all colonists who Were against the British sol diers and in support of self govern ment should stand on the right, and those loyal to King George to go to the left But when the two groups had separated third group of un decided men was left in the center Strangely enough, both the British side and the cOlonists accused the undecided group of disloyalty; the one charged disloyalty to the king the other to the colonists. And disloyal they were. He that is not with me is against me- said Wash ington. and all men who have fought for a great principle have borrowed this saying of Jesus. It is impos sible IOr one 10 be in two places it the same time. as also it is i'm possible for man to be on both sides of great question. There are no neutrals with God. You are either for the things that are right in the community or you are foI the things that are wrong in the community. Some there are who claim that the Social Settlement work and, indeed all forms oi philanthropy, can be carried on best by concealing ones religious faith They desire that the soldier shall pull down his leaders flag and con ceal his convictions. But people never respect the man who is asham ed of his principles. Men may not agree with you, indeed, they may greatly disagree with your opinior and principles, but they have al added respect for the man who as serts his faith and gives reasoI for the convictions that uphold him
 Conscious that His earthly career was to be very brief, Jesus pre- pared His program for a worldwide kingdom, and then handed the move oNtl u q SiOuP oi iiPiiNi HI S' and women. Such confidence dit He have in their competency for the task that He handed it over tt these young disciples. It was nov theirs All the work that He hat been doing for the past three year! they were to do through the res of their lives. His future service was not founded on high office O ,cAll ,rshtp. but on the faith of hum ble fishermen who would go fortl to battle and to win. The worl of Jesus was to be carried on. An, what was that work? Is it no that He went about doing good What expression can so cover thu life and work of Jesus career ol the earth? Looking backward t. that far off time, We see Him gC ing up and down the hills and dale of Palestine, speaking here wor' of comfort. there healing one pos sessed with devils, wonder minister ing to the physical needs of man kind. At eventide He gathers tn people about Him and gives then something to eat, as He talks ove their poverty on earth and tn riches He will offer them if the will follow Him and teach other bou to follow He tells them tha