Democratic messenger., 1917-03-24

sNszz reach only liu-
TaNk tied number of
people, owing ,o
q. q 'hc fact that b. .-
.sseSsSs sAssx~s< "a necessary to sui
=. scribe toa ma.a
zine in orf. 10 secure thc comment,
for the lesson If the day For lhl~
reason. aud for the further reason that
In spite Of all th;,i is being done. There
vet remains large number of pro-
Tossing Christians who are doing no
systematic reading nt the Bible. and
millions of others who almost ignore
the Book the institute has felt led to
open up Il campaign for the promotion
of daily Bible reading and we invite
the readers of this column To Join
with US In this effort and to share IN
It's benefits.
How to induce them to do what they
already admit is their duty. is the
problem before US, as II IS before
every pastor and church leader To
scold them is worse than useless.
Questions TO Consider.
Question Can you give any reason
why 20,O0o000 church members, with
opportunity from week to week 10
listen to sermons and admonitions
from nearly 100000 pastors. do not
more closely follow Jesus and more
fully represent him to and in the
world?
Answer-ies. The words of the
preacher fall on hearts full Of the
cares and pleasures Of this life. and in
soil unprepnrcd by the indwcllng OF
the Spirit and the water Of the Word.
Question Without increasing
churches or pastors, how could their
efficiency be multiplied onc hundred
foldf
Answer-By proper preparation Of
the heart to hear the messages pro.
claimed by the ministers Of God.
Question-llow can this preparation
be brought about without any more
institutions. organizations or cxpendi-
ture Of money:
AnSwcr-lf all church officers
would. with the pastors insist upon
daily worship and daily Bible readings
In the homes of all the Christians in
the land, themselves becoming exam
pies and inSpirers therein God would
answer the effort and service with
such Il blessing 10 his church as the
world has never known. The people
would he more godly and the world
would have preached to them the
greatest sermon of these nineteen cen
turtles.
And now, pastors. will you help us,
and will you let US help you? We do
not claim to have any special light or
wisdom on this matter, and We would
not presume 10 teach you, who have
long and prayerfully pondercd this
problem. But we have vision Of
widespread and appalling need
mighty famine of the Word of God
and we believe that Il wise and persist
cnt campaign to promote daily Bible
reading is greatly needed. By Il Cam-
paign such as you aud We can carry
on, together with multitudrS OF lay
men who viii gladly cooperate, ana
scores Of religious papers which we
hope to enlist In the same work. be-
licve that thousands Of church mem
hers can be induced TO read the Bible
more regularly than they are now do
ing.
We know there is power in the
Word, almighty power, power suni-
cient for every need. And We be-
lirve that with your cooperation we
can let loose some of that power. and
make these columns n blessing 10 null
titudcs of hungry hearts and homes.
Now. viii You Join hands with US in
this great campaign? VIII you preach
on the theme Of daily Bible reading.
and stir up Your people on the sub.
ject? VIII you tell us Of any plans
which You have found helpful in arous.
ing mn interest In the Bible? And
will you pray for us, as we do daily
for YOU?
To Lay Workers.
You too can help MS by calling the
attention of your pastor to this col
umn. by asking him to preach on the
subject of daily Bible reading. and by
sending us any helpful plans or Illus
trationS which bear upon this subject
Above all you can pray that God will
give us wisdom and grace sufficient to
carry this great campaign 10 sue
cessful issue. VIII you do it?
To all Readers.
Next month we purpose TO describe
a plan by which one pastor was able
TO interest his people. young and old,
In Bible reading. in an unusual way.
and by which his own ministry was
completely transformed. and his use
Ifulncss was greatly increased. II is a
plan which we believe all pastors will
find easy to work, though not without
work and unspeakably helpful TO
IsAtnSplypS Witch for n next month