thirty years as a workman among men, and then spend three and a half years in service with common work men whom He called to follow Him. Our Lord ’s mission, also, was comprehensive. Its object was large, including all men as sinners. It was not for any particular class of men, but for sinners, and “ all have sinned!” It was conclusive. He came to save sinners. He did not come as an example only, though He is that. He did not come to show us how to live a nice, respectable life One may live a respectable life in the sight of men but if he has not been begotten from above, he cannot live a respectable life in God’s sight, for he is a sinner, and a sinner is a law-breaker, and no lawless man can be considered respectable. A sinner must livfe forever. He cannot avoid eternity by committing suicide. They are doing that every day now, but such a course only means “ into the fire. _ Nor does death rob the sinner of his identity. He is the same restless, hopeless soul in the next world as in this. I f this were not true then our Lord made a mis take in laying down His life to save men. Then, again, the mission of our Lord was contin uous— ‘ ‘ seeking.” Follow His earthly life history for a little while. With whom did He live ! Where did He g o ! Whom did He seek and whom did He find! Very few people have ever made an analysis o f His service bv making a memorandum o f whom, when and what He sought and found, but it is well worth while to do so. We hear much in these days o f the example of Jesus Christ, but few preachers ever paint the real picture of our Lord ’s life and purpose, as expressed in the verse we have quoted: “ For the Son of^Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Why no t! Of course, it is not pleasant to hear the explanation of what the word “ lost” means, but Christ explained it and emphasized the horrors o f it in His own definite way: “ Weeping and wailing and gnashing o f teeth! Perhaps a preacher might lose his job for that kind of preaching, but he will lose something far more impor tant when “ the books are opened” if he trifles with the solemn truth. Is it true that men and women and young people are lost in sin! Yes! YES !! Y E S ! ! Are they as much lost as were the people who perished in Sodom and Gomorrah! Yes! Can they be saved! Yes. How can they be saved! By accepting Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. Who is responsible for telling them the story! Those who are included in the command, “ Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel.” Who is* included in that “ Y e ” ! The writer of this editorial, the reader of this editorial, every real believer in the atoning work o f our Lord. Two lit tle words embody the gist o f it all, “ GO—GIVE!” Hungry-hearted, restless, troubled souls are all around us every day. We pass them, touch them, evade them, ignore them! They are hopeless and help less, and the cry of their hearts is “ No man cares for our souls!” Will we seek to follow our L ord ’s example ! I f there is any real love for our Lord in our hearts it will not be expressed in words only, but in depds. Are we “ soul-seeking Christians!” Then we are following in His footsteps. I f we are not, then God pity us, and
Has thè Twentieth Century changed human nature ! No. The same selfish, Satanic spirit controls it. Every country would like to have peace—provided they could pay their debts and have their own way in the future ! The same spirit which put the Son of God on the cross would bifid one another in chains today. Can there ever be any change in human nature t No. Is there any satisfactory solution of the problem! Yes, and it is to be found where the solution o f every other problem is to be found—in God’s unfailing, unchang ing Word (Mark 13:7, 8 ) : “ And when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be ye not troubled; for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. “ For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be earthquakes in dlT«rs ¡¡laces, and there shall be famines and troubles; these are the beginnings of sorrows.” (Matt. 24 :44) : “ Therefore be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." These are the words of our Lord Himself, and in 1 Thcs8. 5 :l-3 we have the Scripture as given through the Apostle Paul : “ But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. , . T . “ For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Bora so cometh as a thief in the night, “ For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.” The Bible is the picture book o f future events, and its fulfilled prophecy is the testimony to its truthful ness. What is written must come to pass. The Bride groom is coming (Matt. 25 :6) j “ And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Our heart aches for the poor, sin-stricken sons of men, and for the sleepy saints who slumber with the Bible on the table, but— it is written! What can we d o ! The one thing which the Lord emphasized, and which a loving heart for a lost world demands, is to warn and win the souls of men. Tell the old sweet story to the lost. Arouse the sleepy saints and tell them their obli gation, and practice what you preach! Pity the men and. women who profess to love their Lord but who never offer the Bread o f Life to hungry souls ! The greatest need of the world today is for per sonal workers who will walk in the footsteps of the Saviour o f men and seek and save the lost. Now is the needy time ! Now is the opportune time ! Now is the best time to go forth, with a heart of love, to gather precious souls for the Lord o f the har vest, remembering that “ he that reapeth receiveth wages !’ ’ SEEKING TO SAVE SINNERS The mission of our Lord on earth is described in Luke 19 :10 : “ For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Here our Lord Himself tells us in concise terms WHAT He came from Heaven to earth for, and WHY He humbled Himself to be born of a virgin, live for
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