995
THE KING’ S BUSINESS
UNIVERSAL WEEK OF PRAYER
Obvious Need of Intercession Owing to World’s Present Condition of Unrest—Announcement of Topics
sion in these days o f the reconstruction of nations out o f the ruins o f a sinful past: and He calls us to united intercession: “ I pray,” said He to the disciples, “ for them also which shall believe on Me through their word, that they all may be one: even as Thou, Father art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.” “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst.” That our prayers may prevail, and that the earth may be filled with the glory of the Lord, we entreat that -‘the grace o f our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion o f the Holy Ghost be with us all.” SUBJECTS FOR THE WEEK Though many o f our subscribers will receive this November issue o f T he K ing ’ s B usiness early in October, it will be nearly November before those in distant lands have it in their hands. It is none too soon to begin to think about and prepare for the Week o f Prayer. W e hope that there will be a far more universal observation o f the week’s intercession this year, and a far more intelligent and earnest obser vation o f it, than has been witnessed in recent years. The subjects announced by the World’s Evangelical Alliance are as follow s: SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1916- TEXTS f o r S e r m o n s a n d a d d r e s s e s : “Another year’s respite.”—f' Luke 13 : 8 , 9. “ Christ the Head o f the Church.”—Eph. 1 :22, 23. “ The triumph o f faithfulness in national life.”—Hab. 2 :4. “The only ‘if.’ ”—John 12:31, 32. “The God o f our fathers.”—1 Chron. 28:9. “ The constraint o f Christ’s love.”—2 Cor. 5:14. MONDAY, . JANUARY 1, 1917- THANKSG IV ING AND HUM ILIA TION. Thanksgiving —For the witness of- the living Church and of the Holy Scrip tures. For the two eternal facts: “ He hath made Him to be sin for us Who knew no sin.” “ He . . . . liveth, and was dead.” For the spirit o f sacrifice that has been purging human life. For the deepen ing o f spiritual thought and life within the Church. Humiliation —For our failure to live in “the communion o f the Holy Ghost.” -
V T EVER in the history o f the church has ’ there been a more obvious need o f a Week o f Prayer, real prayer, than at the present time. The universal Week of Prayer is to begin Sunday, December 31, and close Saturday, January 6 . H. M. Gooch sends the following letter, addressed to “Those who follow Christ in every land” : “ Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” In sending to you greetings and salutations, we call you once again to unite in prayer to Almighty God for blessing on the church and the world. It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto Him, and-there are special reasons for thanksgiving as' we enter upon this year. While God’s judg ments have been in the earth, many have been learning righteousness. These are testing-times for each man and for each man’s work. We have witnessed the hope less failure o f all systems and philosophies built upon other foundations than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. He has not failed.' Tbe Spirit o f Christ is spread ing over the earth. The Kingdom of God is coming. The walls o f the city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God, are arising faster than Satan can cast them down. There is ground then for special thanks giving; but when we think o f those things within the Church of Christ which weaken its influence, and o f the supernatural forces o f evil which are -arrayed against it from without, we recognize the supreme need for penitence and for intercession. Let us each personally lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set befone us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher o f our faith. Let us further seek from God power in prayer. As we have seen the spirit o f Satan in materialism and militarism, in lust and intemperance, in the thousand evils that curse human society, we have again and again asked with the disciples o f old, “Why could not we cast him out?” The reply o f our Lord still remains true—“ This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer.” It is our Lord Who calls us to interces
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker