The Green Forest tribune., 1918-01-18


 fore we wake up to see our sin and need of God; but it will com. true. It must come
 We boast of our righteousness This is sure sign of our sinfulness ard distance from God The farther any, one is away from God the less he real izes his sinfulness. The closer we get to Him the more we see our sin and need
 We hoast of our righteous conditions We tell how much we are doing for God. We make large report about our progress. Too much of it is only a feigned service. When we are making our great reports l wonder if we have ever stopped to find out how many homes in our churches held family prayer; how many read their Bible daily; how many were filled with the word of God; how many could go and kneel down by a sinner and pray for him; how many could go into home where God is not known and read God S word, talk of Christ and pray? Not long ago heard brother say that he had been in the home of a sister who was reputed as a great Christian work CT, but she never had prayer. She would go whole week without read ing Gods word. and her conversation was worldly. Brethren, such service rendered by q Christian counts for noth-
 ing in the service of the Lord. It is of the flesh. The one who gives the most teas or ice-cream suppers to raise money is not always the one who is abiding in Christ. and oftentimes that is an inconspicuous person. This is the kind of service that pleases God. The real service is that which puts God to the front and leaves the doer in the background. So, say we have only rendered the Lord feigned service and have fooled ourselves into believing that we are righteous people.
 You ask why | say that. judge a tree by It's fruits. Since coming to the army 1 have been placed in a position to know something of the religious and moral temperature of our people that l never knew before We might as well face the truth; we are an unclean pc ople with unclean lips. Not our boys only, but our women as well, for our young men are to more or less extent merely a reflection of the homes and communities from which they come. Unless something happens to preventit, after the war is over there will be turned back into our country veritable flood of gamblers and soci- ety vultures. 1 acknowledge the fact the army authorities are endeavorin 2 to sto D these things, but they cannot be stopped by the flesh, but only by the grace of God. Nothing but the grace of God and his spirit in person S heart can keep him clean amid the en- vironments of army life. And, Chris tian friends, that is the only safeguard to the virture and purity and safety of our home life. The reason home life is decaying in America today is because we haven't built on the Rock Christ Jesus. We have given God only lip service while our hearts have wander ed far from Him. e appeal to the fathers and mothers of the boys who are in the army Your boys are in place of sin. If you could just know the half, how differently you would act! They are going to France and Paris. and God alone knows the temptations awaiting them there. Then they are going to the front and many of them to death. Have you re- alized these things? If you have been neglecting to attend church and prayer meeting it is high time you are turn ing back to the Lord with an open heart. As long as the churches are only half-filled, the, prayer meeting and Sunday school neglected, and our people go on in gay, indifferent manner, just that long these con ditions are going to remain and the war continue. Brethren, believe more in the power of God than in all the armies that ever assembled. When Gods people forsake their sin and return to him, his hand will stay the hand of slaughter. Not the guns and icannon, but the prayers of God S people will terminate this war.
 Now this article may seem broken and rambling, but have Said some of the things that are on my heart. I don't want to seem pessimistlc: do not believe l am. I see a rift in the God. 1 am always optimistic when 1 people to come to. 1 could not tell you the black side if 1 tried. But I know when sin abounds grace is more abounding. Though the power of sin is great, the power of God is greater. "Therefore let us return unto the Lord, for he has broken and he will heal Let us seek out the old paths for our feet. Before this war closes many knee that has not bent will learn to plead fervently with the Bord Many indifferent Christians will have their hearts Wrung and learn to turn from their broken cisterns to the fountain of living waters. Then I be- seech you to turn back to God. Renew your long-broken fellowship with the Lord. Open the channel of communi- cation and power between you and Him. Let your earnest, sincere pray CTS overshadow that boy of yours and keep him from harm. God awaits to send his angels to protect him if you will only put yourself in position where faith can play her part. They are safer with God on the battlefront than with you in worldly unspirtual home. Many of them, too, are going to find God out yonder. Onlyj recently a young man threw his dice away and told me he was going to make peace with God. Read the 91st Psalm and rest upon its promises. Let him cover thee with his feathers, and let your trust be under his wing. No harm can befall thee there. "A thousand may fall at thy side and ten thou sand at thy right hand, yet it shallnot come nigh thee. !" This world puts it's trust in the power, of arms and skill of man, but I prefer mine to be here. There is peace and salty and rest there. It is my sincere prayer and desire that God will use these scattered remarks for his glory.
 G E I0pos