THE KING’S BUSINESS 551 we should not neglect our duties to our home church, and our duties to the community in which we live, and above all, our very solemn obligation to those who are perishing in the darkness of heathenism. This has-been well expressed in a leaflet that has recently been sqnt out by Mr. R. D. Smith, Secretary- Treasurer, of The Bible House of Los Angeles: “ There is a strong tendency among Christians in these days to abandon the regular work of the church at home and abroad in behalf of the present particular service of ministering to the soldiers and sailors of the various nations. That these men are in great need is certain and that the serious mind edness of those at the front futnishes a special opportunity to lead many of them,to Christ is beyond disputing. But to our mind this does not give warrant to what is going on, namely, a mass movement, both in giving and serving, in their direction at the expense of overwhelming and ever existing needs in other directions. Besides, we fear that if much of the effort in behalf of the soldiers and sailors, were analyzed it would be found to be more patriotic than religious. The spectacular is ever attractive and it is easy to become enthusiastic over what appeals, to the imagination. At the same time the common-plac6 and the prosaic may constitute a greater need and demand a more constant sacrifice. We commend any and all true spiritual work being done for soldiers and Sailors to our friends, not because they are militants but simply because they are men in need of salvation. But we also commend to them the suffering and rapidly dying hundreds of millions of the human race who live in the regions beyond, whose spiritual need is beyond all describ ing and for whom fewr are caring.” We were asked yesterday, as we have been asked so often before, when we thought the war was going to end. We do not know. A while ago, while in Phbenix, Ariz., a Phoenix paper published the following poem from a Lieutenant in the army, who had gone forth from Phoenix to the war, in which he undertakes to answer the question. We think his statement is a suggestion of the accuracy and reliability of much of the knowledge we have regarding many things connected with the war, as well as to the time of its end. We never felt less like becoming a prophet as to dates than at the present time. While we do not know when the war is going to end, or when the Lord is coming, we do know our Lord is coming' some day and then there will be an end to this war and of all war. “ Absolute knowledge I have none, But my aunt’s washerwoman’s sister’s son W HEN THE WAR WILL END.
Heard a policeman on the beat Say to a laborer on the street That he had a letter just last week Written in the finest Greek From a Chinese coolie in Timbuctoo Who said the negroes in Cuba knew Of a colored man in a Texas town
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