THE one thing prominent in God's work through all the past of this world is man, man generically, mankind; and mankind as individuals. The one thing above all other things which God has used is the individual man who was willing to be used by Him. Ever subordinate to that man and his associates has been the institution, the building, the system, not of truth, but of labor. The system of truth is divine; the system of method, of labor, is subject to field, to environment, to soul-needs, to God's men for the hour. Yet it is a sad fact that as God's children have departed from Him, they have exalted institutions above men. When God led Israel out of Egypt, it was "Moses, the man of God" whom the Lord used and honored, and he led them, when they followed, to victory. When they were backslidden, they exalted the ark of the testament, and the ark was captured, and they went down to defeat. When Solomon humbled himself, God honored him, and made him a world-center of wisdom; but later when God was forgotten, the temple and the city which Solomon builded and beautified became the nation's idols, and the idolatry preluded their complete overthrow. A few centuries pass and the Man Christ Jesus appears, the central lodestone of righteousness of all subsequent ages; but when backsliding came in, the church worshipped His sepulcher, and turned their back upon the Man. We are in the last great crisis of the world, and God's work in the world to-day needs both institutions and men; but, O, it needs men above everything else. More than the shining metal gold it needs men with the gold of character. More than great buildings it needs men who under God can mine and quarry and carve and polish living stones for the eternal temple of God. "God, give us men! a time like this demands Strong minds, great hearts, true faith, and ready hands; Men whom the lust of lucre can not kill, Men whom the spoils of office can not buy; Men who possess opinions and a will; Men who have honor; men who will not lie; Men who can stand before a demagog, And spurn his treacherous flatteries without winking; Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog In public duty and in private thinking. For while the rabble with their thumb-worn creeds, Their large profession, and their little deeds Mingle in selfish strife; lo, Freedom weeps; Wrong rules the land, and waiting Justice sleeps." God wants men; wants you, young man, that He may make you more precious than the gold of Ophir, a MAN that shall stand for truth, for righteousness, for loyalty to God and love of humanity. Now is the hour of need. Now is God's time to use men. Now is your opportunity.