that we had colored motion pictures of all our mission fields! Secular educators recognize the value of visual education. We may well emulate them. Finally, let us make missions signifi cant. That they are important the Scrip tures bear record and the dark condi tion of the world about us underscores the need. When something is important it is stressed. Let our churches do more to feature missions. Let us sponsor an Annual Missionary Conference. All de partments should co-operate in a Mis sionary Week or even a Missionary Month. Let some society organize and GOD CLOSED THE DOOR God closed the door, and I gazed long ingly A t that blank wall, in hope that I might see What would have been my life, could I have gone Beyond its portals, to paths I would have drawn. Tears filled my eyes; I could not under stand The reason that thus moved His mighty hand, Until I heard, "I knew what lay before; It is M y wisdom that has closed the door. "I knew that what, to human eyes, looked fair W as but a hidden pitfall and a snare, And where it seemed that pleasant paths were worn Are boulders sharp, and briars would have torn." Enlightened now, I bowed my humble head, And, grateful that the way was barred instead, With joy I turned to find new paths once more, Content to know 'twas God Who closed the door. — Dorotha Strayer publicize a Missionary Library, geared to the level of the young readers. The Sunday school may sponsor a Mission ary Contest, requiring the reading of books, memorization of selected verses, drawing of maps or posters. Let us or ganize a Junior and a Teensters’ Mis sionary Club with accent on doing things for missionaries. One such group of Teensters made nineteen dozen cookies which were sent at Christmas to a mis sionary family laboring among the American Indians. Sacrificial mission ary giving must be emphasized as a privilege and duty but most of all, as one of the great joys of the Christian life.
A LETTER FROM JOSEPH To Dr. Louis T. Talbot The following completely unedited let ter was received by the Editor in Chief after his return from a recent missionary journey to Japan. Japan February 25th Mr. Louis : I am very glad that I can send you a letter. I was very glad to see you when you came to Urawa with Mr. Carter. I am a boy who offered you the firstest to be written you address. And I beg your pardon that I didn’t send you a letter soon. I had to do many kind examina tions, so I was very busy, and I didn’t go anywhere but church. From that time, how did you spend your travel? It was a lot of fun, was not it? I had wantted to go with you. I could not understand what you spoke, but I understood that you were very good Christian and gentleman, and I have made up in my mind to become a gentle man like you. I am now learning. very hard about Jesus from Mr. Carter. For that I must learn English conversation. I think we can not become a good Chris tian without English. For teacher is an American. So we are learning English very hard. Then I am thinking about world, specially Russia, and I believe that Christian can lead the world into Peace, but this is very hard. What shall we do? What shall I do? Russia is not good, very bad. Please tell American people that a Japanese boy want Amer ica to keep your mind closely against Russia. Well, this year is last year of my High school life. I want to go to Christian University, but 1 don’t know wheather I can go to School, because living condi tions of my house is not so good, so I want to be taught about Jesus from you through letters. Please teach me and lead to a Christian. Remember me to all your kind family and people of Bible In stitute. Yours faithfully, Joseph P.S. — “Joseph” is my Christian name. Japanese name is “Shizus.” Joseph Okada . Let us be certain of our own zeal and devotion too for the salvation of souls. Children are not deceived. If our souls are on fire for God, our children’s small candles will soon be lighted. I read of a Canadian mother of fourteen children who prayed daily for the lost. She never became a foreign missionary herself but eight of her children are now on the mission field! We are told that Christian parents should be willing to let their children go as missionaries if God calls them. Should we not rather offer them for His service, pray that He will call them and do all in our power to influence them to want to go? T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
didn’t have a Daddy! Should not our children too be bring ing their pennies, pennies which come from their own piggy banks, to help Mr. Mahaffy tell Nasir Pasha about Jesus? Would they not be much more interested in doing this than in merely bringing money from Daddy for “ Missions” ? The best way to make missions per sonal to children is to establish a per sonal acquaintance between them and “ real, live” missionaries. Missionary speakers in the church exercise a potent influence upon young hearts. But that tie is greatly strengthened when the missionary is invited to the home, joins the family at dinner and perhaps stays overnight. What an honor it is to have God’s ambassadors in the home! How it creates an interest in missions in young hearts! But this personal contact with mis sionaries must not stop with these occa sional visits. Letter writing and gift sending may be carried on as the mis sionary goes to his field. Father at fam ily worship should never fail to bring these missionaries before the throne of grace. The children will remember them in their personal prayers, too. Two-year- old Carol, one night at dinner following a visit from two missionaries from China, prayed, “ We thank thee for the Gaffins who were eating here before.” As mother reads, the story of Little Black Sambo, for instance, she should remember to call attention to the fact that India is where our missionary friends, the Thomases, are. They see tigers, too. And they are telling little black boys and girls like Sambo about Jesus. Let us make missions adventurous. Life on the mission field is arduous and fraught with danger, discouraging and trying. But it is life in a far-away, vastly different land from ours. Mis sionaries work with people who look and act and speak in a way different from ours. There are strange animals— snakes, scorpions, hyenas, elephants! These things are interesting to children and young people. Let us make use of them. Pictures and stories of them will strike a response in most young hearts. Let us make missions attractive. Some missionaries stir their hearers. They make missions attractive. Simply pre senting facts, dates and statistics is dull. Let us be enthusiastic ourselves and let our zeal overflow to the young. Let us make missions graphic. Let us for instance ask Mr. Mahaffy to send us pictures of Nasir Pasha. And we should be sure to have a picture of Mr. Mahaffy himself, and his family. We can make use of maps of Eritrea, pic tures of scorpions, date palms, Moham medan mosques. We should display na tive clothing, camel bells, and pottery when possible. Recently a missionary sent enough sets of Korean chopsticks so that every member o f the church now owns one. Good books and record ings o f missionary lives, such as Paton’3 and Livingstone’s, are helpful. Would Page Sixteen
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