The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-03-23


James should havelreserved for his
on earth FOR all ages this supreme
We have always considered the last
words of any prominent character as
peculiarly significant l have a list
of the last words of eminent Chris
fans First those of st. Paul
am ready" and the last in the list
those of Woodrow wilson, am
ready" St. James was not dying when
he uttered these words but they con-
stitute his last recorded message to
fine church. Among the last words of
our Savior the last evening he spent
with his disciples was a lesson on this
same subject in the parable Of the
vine and the branches, the clio sing
sentence of which is, Herein is my
Father clorified that We bear much
fruit, so shall We be my disciples.
80 convert signifies to turn
around" If a man is going direct
| " west and one converts him from
his way. he would turn him completely
around and start him eastward. If
man is going toward death it is
possible for friend by word, act or
| Influence to turn him around and start
the desert it is possible to turn him
around so that he. shall face toward
the fountain, 1t is not possible for
any man to give life, to supply the
spring but it is possible for him to lead
his brother to the source and foun-
tain of life. 1t is possible for one man,
if he undertakes the job in earnest
and makes it his supreme task, to turn
his fellowman from the error of his
way; to turn him frem darkness to
light. from sin to righteousness and
from eternal death to eternal life.
II is possible to stop a career of sin
and a tide of wicked influences and
in the stead set up current of
righteousness If every. righteous MEM
Der of society in the city of Birmingham
should vigorously undertake the task
to convert each year. only one sim
ner from the error of;his way to change
only one life from scattering the seeds
of sin and death, to . spreading the
propaganda of righteousness and life,
the increase of righteousness and the
decrease of sin could hardly be, esti-
mated. The very dream of such a
course of conduct on the part of Chris
tian men and women is thrilling.
The fact that each and every Chris
tian does not within course even of
one year turn at least one person from
wrong to right, from sin to righteous
ness, from eternal death to eternal life,
is the mysterious, unanswered query
of the skeptic. William Booth, stand
ing with a promiscuous group in the
streets of London, listening to an in
fidel criticising and beratin Christi
anity, heard him utter in substance this
THE strongest argument against
Christianity is the conduct of the pro-
fessed Christian. If the Christian
really believed in eternal death and
really believed that his neighbors and
friends were on the road to such dis
aster, could he be so absolutely in
different to the fact?F Booth turned
away saying with clenched fists, Il
will answer that challenge; l believe
| in my religion will devote my life
to the rescue Of the perishing." He
began from that day the life and task
which resulted in the organization of
the Salvation Army and closed with
the universal testimony that The had led
more extremely sinful people to Jesus
Christ than any other man who has
lived on the earth" Kathryn Booth
says, when my mother was dying
she drew my head down beside hers
on the pillow and whispered, Katie
shall look for you and all the child.
rem up. there but do not forget the
sheaves.' IN. =
Mr.. Carnegie, to encourage heroism
in the saving Of human life, has of
| fered a series of medals and cash prizes
One of the current periodicals short
time ago gave a history of the heroic
deeds of the various characters who had
won these prizes. Many of these win.
ners performed their heroic deeds un-
conscious of the fact that they were
winning any other prize than that OF
the conscious joy of saving fellow
from death. The heroic deeds in fire,
on water, in storm and disaster in the
rescue of human life thrill us as we
read the accounts sent out by the press.
Heroism is not dead mans interest
iii his fellowman was never greater
benevolences in healing the sick, re-
storing the blind, relieving the cripple
and helping the umfortunates were never
so numerous and praiseworthy as to-
day. Is not this. the period for the
church to take up her supreme task
Sir john Seeley, the author of "Ecce
Homo" one of the finest works on
the human character of Christ which
has been produced, says, when the
power of retaining the. lost dies out
of a church it ceases to- be a church. ~
DR.. +. b. Myer says that life itself
is wreck unless Crusoe can find
his man Friday to elevate by his per-
sonaI influence" -.
John Stuart Blackie.- the eminent
professor of Greek in tire University of
Edinburg in gruff moment called up
ON his class to line up.before his desk
and hold up their papers in the right
hand. One of the number held. his
paper in his left hand. He looked at
the lad and commanded gruffly,
Hold your paper in the right hand.
The lad lifted his paper a little
higher in his left hand. The
professor, cycling him said more
gruffly, You loon, why dOn't you
hold that paper in your. right hand? p
The lad holding up the stub of an
arm, said, Sir, have no right hand.
The class Missed, the professor stepped
down from his platform, put his arm
around the boy and with big tears
dropping from his cheek, said, "Laddie
forgive me that / was over rough.
dinna mean to hurt We, laddie; l
dinna KEN" The students applauded
and the professor turned to them and
said, Il thank God that l am asso.
ciated with gentlemen who correct me
when 1 do wrong" The erring world
is pathetically waiting, the dying soul
is struggling, the tide of sin is going