THE K I NG ' S BUS I NE S S th is world and for .whom no prayer has ever been offered! The soul is of priceless value. A lost soul is etern ally separated from God and from all th a t is good. A soul saved from death dwells forever w ith God in glory and serves Him th roughou t endless ages. No o ther work can compare w ith th a t of “w inning souls. Since th e sins of the one converted are blotted out, th e one who is in strum en tal in his conver sion has been th e means of hiding a m u ltitude of sins. SATURDAY, Aug. 9. Acts. 8:26-39. The Word and Soul-winning. The work of God is carried on by means of an agen t and an instrum ent. The agent is a man of God and th e in strum en t is th e Word of God. W ithout the Word th e man is helpless and w ith ou t the man th e Word is useless. If one of these could suffice, it would be a g reat saving of men and money to send out ship-loads of Bibles .and tons of trac ts and scatter them like autum n leaves th rough heath en lands. A man is more th an a book and a woman is b etter th a n a tra c t— God w ants flesh and blood as well as paper and ink. The Word of God depends upon a man of God for i,ts communication and w ithout dh e Word of God, all th e efforts of the man of God are fu tile and fruitless. God has prom ised to honor His Word. Isaiah 55:10-11. Therefore man is commanded to preach th e Word. 2 Tim. 4:2. The less of m an’s word and the more of God’s word th a t can be woven into prayer and preaching tne g reater the likelihood and the su rer th e sequel of fru itag e and blessing. I t is in terest ing and expedient no doubt to know everything possible about the compo sition and construction of th e Word. One may be an expert swordsman how ever w ithou t understanding eith er the a r t or process of tem pering steel. The only indispensable qualification ror the Gospel w orker is to know how to use his Bible in rebuking, convicting and converting sinners and in com forting, nourishing and edifying saints. SUNDAY, Aug. lO. Acts 20:18-35. The Soul-winner’s Devotion. If anyone will sit down and read th e tw entieth chapter of Acts aloud, slowly, though tfu lly and w ith proper inflec tions, he will discover such power and pathos in th e n arrativ e th a t it will seem to be one of th e most rem arkable chapters in th e New Testam ent. The main featu re of th e ch ap ter is P au l’s valedictory address to th e elders of
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Ephesus. Its object is to impress them w ith th e responsibility which rests upon them and to teach them how to meet it. To th is end he reviews his th ree y ears’ work among them , inform s them of the sorrows and sufferings which aw ait him and tells them th a t they are looking upon his face for the la st time. An undertone of sweet personal persua sion pervades his words, revealing the depth of affection and th e streng th of th a t fellowship created by Christian life and Gospel work. An ideal of service is suggested by the th irty -first verse th a t should be the inspiration and p at te rn of all Christian workers. “ I ceased no t to w arn every one n igh t and day w ith te ars.” It was personal. “Every one.” I t was ceaseless. “N ight and day.” It was earnest. "'With te ars.” How could they help loving h im ' He was compensated for th e b itte r h atred of th e Jews by th e burning love of his fellow Christians. They say “Good bye.” P au l goes on board th e ship The cables are cast off. It slips out of th e h arbo r w ith th e ebbing tide. They follow it w ith tear-dimm ed eyes un til its hu ll is down on th e horizon. P aul is off on th e la st lap of his journey to Jeru salem and Rome. MONDAY, Aug. 11. M att. 28:16-20. The G reat Commission. Some one has said if our religion is false, we are bound to change it, but if our religion is tru e we are bound to propagate it. Ch ristian ity is tru e and th erefo re it is a m issionary religion. A certain w riter en tertain s th e supposi tion th a t when our Lord retu rn ed to Heaven, th e angels inquired w hat a r rangem ents He had m ade concerning th e continuance and extension of His cause on earth . The Lord replied th a t He had left th e m a tte r entirely in the hands of H is disciples on th e earth. Is th ere no altern ativ e?” asked the angels. “ Suppose they prove un faith ful! Is th ere no provision made in case they fail?” “No, th e re is no alternativ e and no provision made for failure. If they do no t attend to the work, it will never be done a t all.” We are not only confronting th e du ty of obedience to th e g reat commission b u t also of pos sessing th a t type and quality of Chris tia n ity th a t is worth exporting. When we look off on the w arring worldly sects of Christendom th e question risès in our minds, “Wherein would the h eath en be any b etter off by the exchange of th e ir p resen t religion for the average prevalent type of C h ristian ity ?” We
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