The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1917-03-23

Axn~s M necessary to sub
scribe to maya
zine In order to secure the comments
for the lesson of the day. For this
reason, and for the further reason that
in spite of all that is being done, there
yet remains large number Of pro-
Tossing Christians who are doing no
systematic reading of the Bible, and
millions of others who almost ignore
the Book, the institute has felt led to
open up 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
its benefits.
How to induce them to do what they
already admit is their duty, is the
problem before us, as 1t is before
every pastor and church leader. To
scOld them is worse than useless.
Questions to Consider.
Question-Can you give any reason
why 20,000,000 church members, with
opportunity from week to week to
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-Yes. The words Of the
preacher fall on hearts full of the
cares and pleasures of this life, and in
soil unprepared by the indwelling Of
the Spirit and the water of the Word.
Question Without increasing
churches or pastors, how could their
efficiency be multiplied one hundred
fold?
Answer-By proper preparation Of
the heart to hear the messages pro-
claimed by the ministers of God.
Question-How can this preparation
be brought about, without any more
organizations or expendi-
ture of money?
Answer-If 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 a blessing to his church as the
world has never known. The people
would be 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 to teach you, who have
long and prayerfully pondered this
problem. But we have vision of q
widespread and appalling need, a
mighty famine Of the Word Of God !;
and we believe that wise and persist
ent campaign to promote daily Bible
reading Is greatly needed. BY CAM
paign such as you and we can carry
on, together with multitudes of lay
men who will gladly cooperate, and
scores of religious papers which we
hope to enlist in the same work, be-
lieve that thousands of church men,
bers 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 suffi-
cient for every need. And we be-
lieve that with your cooperation we
can let loose some Of that power and
make these columns blessing to null
titudes of hungry hearts and homes.
Now, will you join hands with us in
this great campaign? Will you preach
on the theme of daily Bible reading,
and stir up your people on the SUBJ
ject? VIII you tell us of any plans
which you have found helpful in arous-
ing an interest in the Bible? And
will you pray for us, as we do daily
for you?
To Lay Workers.
You too can help us 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 to sue
cessful issue. Will you do 1t?
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.
fulness was greatly increased. 1t is a
plan which we believe all pastors will
find easy to work, though not without
WORK, and unspeakably helpful to
themselves. Watch for 1t next month.