January 1929
46
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
A pessimist and an optimist, says Dr. Lyman Abbott, were once discussing this world. The pessimist, who was, as most pessimists are, something of a cynic and egotist, brought, as he thought, the dis cussion to a triumphant conclusion by saying, “Well, I believe I could have made a better world than this is myself.” “True,” replied the optimist; “that is what we are here for. Now let us go and do it.”—S. Y. Chronicle. Dr. Floyd Tompkins of Philadelphia said to the delegates at the International Y. M. C. A. conference at Washington: “I have in my study a little plaster cast of Atlas with the world on his shoulders. His muscles are knit and there is a strain ed look on his face as he supports his great burden. Are you burdened in your prayer for this great world? Is it all on your heart, and do you find your spiritual muscles getting taut when you think that the salvation of the world rests upon you in a certain but very real sense?” January 13, 1929 Loving as Jesus Loved John 13:1-17 D aily S cripture R eadings Jan. 7—Love for Children. Matt. 10 ¡IS IS. Jan. 8 —Love of Neighbor. Luke 10:25- .27. Jan. 9—Love of Strangers. Mark 7 :24- 30. Jan. 10—Love of Friends. John 11 :l-5, 35. Jan. 11—Love of Mother. John 19:26, 27. Jan. 12—Love of Enemies. Luke 23:34. JESUS CHRIST J ust to sinner and saint alike, Exemplifying love divine, Peeking the lost to recover. Unselfish was His life sublime, Such love can no language define. Conceived as the world’s Redeemer, He sought all, by sin fallen low, Revered most of names will His be, In the ages that come and go, So spiritual, pure and humble, The world can no greater one know. i A missionary in China once heard a group of Chinamen discussing China’s various religions. At last one of the group said: “It is just as if a Chinaman were down in a deep pit and wanted help to get out. Confucius came along and said, ‘If you had only kept my precepts, you would not have fallen into this pit.’ Buddha also came to the mouth of the pit, saying, ‘A h ! Poor Chinaman. If you were only up here where I am I would make you all right.’ Then came Jesus, with tears in His eyes, and jumped into the pit and lifted the poor Chinaman ou t” This is the true philosophy of Christian ity, and a life that comes to censure, like Confucius, or who comes to pity only, like Buddha, and does not, either with censure or pity, lift the life of another, cannot be said to be truly Christian. The Rev. John Fawcett, of Moinesgate, in Yorkshire, on a salary of about $22 a year, had a much louder call to a church in London. He had his goods all in wagons when his loving, heartbroken people, as they clung to him, seemed to call to him more loudly than the London
has given me a life-boat, and said to me, ‘Moody, save all you can.’ God will come in judgment to this world, but the chil dren of God don’t belong to this world; they are in it, but not of it, like a ship in the waters; and their greatest danger is not the opposition of this world, but their own conformity to the world. This world is getting darker and darker; its ruin is coming nearer and nearer; if you have any friends on this wreck unsaved, you had better lose no time in getting them off.” The sower soweth the word. Four years after the Titanic went down, a young Scotchman rose in a meeting in Hamilton, Can., and said, “I am a sur vivor of the Titanic. When I was drift ing alone on a spar on that awful night, the tide brought Mr. John Harper, of Glasgow, also on a piece of wreck, near me. ‘Man,’ he said, ‘are you saved?’ ‘No,’ I said, ‘I am not.’ He replied, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.’ The waves bore him away; but, strange to say, brought him back a little nearer and he said, ‘Are you saved now?’ ‘No,’ I said, ‘I cannot honestly say that I am.’ He said again, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,’ and shortly after, he went down, ^nd there, alone in the night, and with two miles of water under me, I believed. I am John Harper’s last convert .”—From “The Wonderful Word." I heard the voice of the Lord .—-“I am so deaf now I can scarcely hear any one’s voice any more, but God’s,” said a sweet faced old lady to some young women who had dropped in to see her. It was uttered partly by way of apology, but uncon sciously it expressed a beautiful attitude on the part of the aged speaker. Many people come to a time in life when they can hear no other voice but God’s. Through the buffetings of misfortune, through pain and sorrow, through sick ness and poverty, all other voices are drowned out. How clear His voice sounds to the weary sufferer upon the sick-bed! How plain its accents to the bereaved mother! Is there any music like the music of God’s voice at such a time? As the heart thrills at the familiar tones of a dear friend, so thrills the heart of God’s servants as He speaks in the hour of need .—Presbyterian Banner. “Laid on thine altar, O my Lord Divine, Accept this gift I make for Jesus’ sake; I have no jewels to adorn thy shrine—- No far-famed sacrifice to make; But here within my trembling hand I bring This will of mine—a thing that seem- eth small, But Thou, O Lord, canst understand How when I bring thee this—I bring thee all.” Give to the world the best you have, And the best will come back to you; Give love, and love to your life will flow, A strength in your utmost need; Have faith, and a score of hearts will show Their faith in your word and deed. Give truth, and your gifts will be paid in kind, And honor will honor meet; And a smile that is sweet will surely find A smile that is just as sweet. Madeline S. Bridges
January 6, 1929 Forces That Are Making the World Better Matt. 13:1-9 (Consecration Meeting). D aily S cripture R eadings Dec. 31—The Gospel. Matt. 28:18-20. Jan. 1—The Church. 1 Tim. 3 :15, 16. Jan. 2—Individuals. John 1:6-8 Jan. 3—The State. Rom. 13 :l-4. Jan. 4—The Law. 1 Tim. 1 : 8 , 9. Jan. 5—The Pen. John 20:30, 31. A Prayer B y R ev . E dward L eighton P ell , D. D. Lord, help me to show towards my fellow men that kindness which I have so often craved from them. May I think of my neighbor not as my rival who would undo me, but as my brother who needs me. Give me the compassion of Jesus, that I may never be able to turn coldly from any man who needs me. Make me quick to hear the cry of the suffering. Turn my feet toward the house of sor row. May I know the joy of carrying hope to hearts that have long been strangers to hope. I remember how lone ly I have been in sickness; help me to relieve the loneliness of the sick. I re member how often I have longed for the touch of a friendly hand; help me to re lieve the heart-hunger of the neglected. For Jesus’ sake. Amen. Some Objectives for 1929 B y R ev . H erbert A. J ump , D. D. A BODY—cheerfully healthily, flexibly efficient, serving the Lord. A MIND—abhorring sloth, unstupefied by vanity, unwarped by petty bigotries. A SOUL—supremely eager to serve; willing on occasion also to be served. A FAITH—using the speech of today, reaching upward toward the God of eter nity. A HOME—where personal relation ships are not altogether smothered by public engagements. A CHURCH—not ambitious to do everything, but not ashamed to do its full duty. A CITY—built of brotherly citizens, ready to spend money on nobler objects than electric lights. A NATION—aspiring to genuine de mocracy, unabashed by the dignity or antiquity of existing institutions. A WORLD—turning its eyes more frequently, more universally, both toward Bethlehem and toward Calvary. Moody’s Idea of the World.—“I look on this world as a wrecked vessel. Go'd
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