Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-15
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
WINNING THE WORLD TO
CHRIST.
Matthew, 5.13-16, 3S.1s-20: Acts,
16.6-15; Nehemiah, 1.1-11.
Golden text: Go 70 Into
all the world, and preach the
gospel to every creature
Mark, 1915.
By Rev. Hugh T. Stevenson.

war and every Christian must neip
win the world to Christ. Studd has
suggested that God has permitted
this war to come along to teach" the
followers of Jesus how they are to
win the missionary warfare for their
Lord. If during the centuries that
have passed men had entered into
the battles to conquer the world with
the same unselfish spirit Of sacri-
fetal service that characterizeS Amer
lea today Under the lead Of our Presi-
dent in her battles for democracy
Christ and His church. Russia wou d
not have failed the allies last year IL
there had been, money spent out as
there ought to have been during the
preceding periods of history to evan
gelize that mighty country that to-
day is struggling to find itself. The
same is true Of Mexico. and other
lands where there is a need for men
to understand the mission OF Chris
tianity.
son. chosen from Christ's sermon on
the mount, Jesus pointed out the
function of the Christian by His illus
trations drawn from the oriental lie
in reference to salt and light The
mission of the Christian calls for
worldwide service of two-fold ma
ture. AS "the salt of the earth .ney
are to be the antiseptic tnf1uenc that
would preserve society from peconi-
ing utterly corrupt through its sinful
tianity is the worlds hope today. Re-
move it and the foundations OF So
ciety will totter because OF the
worlds sin. The danger that the 1o,-
lowers of Christ face is that through
compromise with the world they may
become useless, like the ancient salt
which had a tendency to loose ITS
saline elements through absorption
by the earth. The nominal Christian:
or hypocritical pretender, Is desplseo
for Christian to make his life count
is by keeping 1t pure. for salt is an
emblem of purity and of holy lie
influence upon others. The Gresks.
Romans and. Jews used it IN 1ne'r
sacrifices as an emblem of purity: Inc
Christian is not only to preserve the
world, but also by his life renect the
Masters life and enlighten the world.
He cannot hide his light, oeca1se
it is derived from the LORD ana ns
giving His gospel , to mfn ne bower
| in the world.
When Jesus appointed His apostles
He gave them an outline OF tne
duty. When He was about to depafl
from this world He gave His disciptes
the commission to win the world Tor
Him and His kingdom. TO His PEI
ple. who had been discouraged py ms
death. Jesus gave His program .ma
called for them to WIN t.s worio ai.u
were He would give tfefn power ,, 70
carry out His worldwide policy. INC
statesmen who have dreamed OF
| worldwide dominion have. IKE tne
| kaiser, planned to secure II through
the power of the gospel message.
The conception of Jesus for Worio-
wide religion g uDi"ue among the
| religions Of the world It Is test,
monial to the character Of Jesus ana
forth His disciples to conquer where
He had failed during His puonr MIN
| istry. His program is seen In las or
ders, which called for the evans eliza-
ton of every creature; prena[.ns
them for citizenship in the kingdom
to share with them in their mission,
ary endeavor when they paptIZea
them as a profession of their LOYALTY
to Christ, and educating sa' mem r
that He had given to His followers.
The supporting promtFe that
s+renethened them was the assuranca
that if they obeyed HIS comma anS
they would nr De His su p9ssenee with
them. even unto the end of this dis
nensation. They would not be leIt 10
their own power, for He has prom
ised to be with His church IN their
endeavor to carry out His program 70
1rin the world for Him. Tho duty to
carry out the Masters pol-c5 LOT ehe
conquest of the world. not h. misni
nor by power. but by HIS solrituai
presence working in and tnrosEn i ~
| 5iscinJes rests upon every CHRISTIAN.
IF ali will follow the call of Goo ana
he obedient to the heavenly vision.
like Paul, the first ambassador TO ING
| pentiles. the world would be quickiH
won for Christ and>he made safe TOT
de Two records of missionary victories
.re recorded in the lesson. They are
suggestive of the triumphs OF mlssion
| ary work in all ages and lanos. an
heard the call of foreign service W. u
carried civilization into Europe wnch
he sailed in a small boat for the "iher
| side Looking back over the cen;ur-
les. the student of history and rehg'"h
can trace back to the missionary a.
tivities of Paul the beginnings OF moe
ern civilization, that is meeting IA
final conflict the powers of the old au-
| tocratic civilizat ton upon the oattie
line of the western front. America
stands today as the champion OF the
principles of Christ, because IL was as
founded by men who were moved by
spiritual ideals and vision to help estap,
Iish a new civilization here based
upon the principles of the LORD Jesus
| America is the product OF missionary
activities of the preachers OF tRe COS
mel of all faiths, who, out OF love Tor
God and humanity, have been moved.
like Paul, by the needs of humanity
to preach the gospel to all creatures.
] In Nehemiah the prophet one can
see some of the spiritual results that
will come to America as an outcome
of the war. After the war is over
men will come back from Europe I'LL :
ed with love of country and Christ,
who will influence the life of Ameri-
can churches, just DIS Nehemiah did
when he returned to Palestine to restore
the worship of Jehovah. He left tbs
hieh position that he had attained uu-
ider the King of Persia as Jew a,
cantiye. The reports that reached
him concerning the state of religion
lin Jerusalem filled him with distress.
In the hour of trial he turned unto
God, Just as every true missionary has
been compelled to do. to secure divine
guidance He returned to call his
lcountrymen to the work of the Lord
and re-establish the true worship OF
Jehovah, based upon the commands
of the Scriptures. His work with his
own countrymen was success, be-
cause of his prayerfulness and per-
sonal purity in all religious matters.
Both Paul and Nehemiah succeeded.
lust as missions have throughout the
ages. by obeying the divine com
mands, The Christian that is not
missionary is apt to become worldly
in thought and actions. and be like
the salt that has lost it's SAVIOR. The
missionary Christian is the hope Of
the world by his spiritual, anti-skepti-
cal influence, and also by the light OF
the gospel, that frees men from the
bondage of sin, he has been the great
est political power in establishing. in
directly, democratic governm ents
among the nations of the earth. Every
iChristian must either go or help send