Down by the Waters of Trembling,
Brother, we stand.
Many are they who have left us,
Slender our band.
Yonder the host of oppressors
Shout for the fight.
Forward! our Leader bids us;
Strive for the right!
Over the Waters of Trembling
Onward we press.
What! are there those among us
Feel not the stress?
Stay they in careless pleasure,
Stooping to quaff?
Before the frown of the battle,
Leisure to laugh?
Out of the thirty-two thousand,
Ten only remained;
Through the Waters of Trembling
Three hundred have strained.
Who shall order the battle
With fifteen score?
Fateful the Waters of Trembling
We struggled o’er.
Think on your homes and hearth sides,
Ye brief of breath,
Stretched on the bloody altar,
Oblation to death!
Nay; for the thought is unworthy!
Face toward the foe!
In the name of Jehovah, to-morrow
To victory we go.
He shall order the battle;
How, is for him.
Loud blare your trumpets, nor suffer
Lights to grow dim.
Hail to the coming battle!
Brother, your hand!
Tried by the Waters of Trembling,
Dauntless we stand.
Hendersonville, N. C.
Ways of Working
By F. M. W.
How I Was Won, or How I Won Others, for Christ
In your conversion to the Christian life there stands out in bold relief some service or incident which you feel was chiefly instrumental in leading you to Christ. It may have been a revival service, the prayers of friends, the kindly interest of a neighbor, the example of a godly life, even a pleasant smile or loving word. In turn, you may have found these or similar methods effective in reaching other hearts. In a few short, well-chosen sentences, tell others of your experiences. It will prove an incentive to Christian service. These experiences will be printed in this department, under the above heading, as received. Let all our readers contribute missionary incidents to this symposium.
Christ's Manner of Working
Personal work is the chief factor in successful Christian ministry. This has been illustrated in the lives of all great Christian workers. The earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus was very largely one of personal labor. While he oftentimes addressed the multitude that thronged his steps, it was the service of personal ministry which gave to the world the great proof of his divinity. By tactfully asking for a drink of water from the woman of Samaria, Christ opened the way for the conversation that followed, resulting in her conversion to the Lord, and later in the conversion of many of her associates. See John 4. The earnest personal effort which the Master put forth in securing the salvation of even one soul is forcibly illustrated in the long journey which he took up to the borders of Tyre and Sidon in order to give the gospel to a Greek Syrophenician woman. Mark 7:24-30. The only work that he did in this region, so far as we have any record, was to heal this woman's daughter and to bring to the mother comfort and salvation.
Some Methods Employed by the Disciples
The first impulse of the truly converted soul is to carry to others the good news. How beautifully this is illustrated in the experiences of the early disciples as brought to view in the first chapter of John. Andrew first found the Lord. He went in search of Simon, and brought him to Jesus. Philip was converted, and he in turn sought Nathanael, and through this personal ministry “an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile,” became a disciple of the Master.
In the gospel record we find many encouraging incidents which show how God prepares the heart to receive the gospel message at the same time that he sends the messenger to sow the gospel seed. Philip was sent from Samaria down to the road that led from Jerusalem to Gaza to preach the gospel to an Ethiopian eunuch. At the very time that Philip met the chariot, the eunuch was reading a prophecy relating to the Lord, and was questioning in his own heart the meaning of the scripture that he was reading. This afforded Philip the opportunity he sought; and beginning with that scripture, he preached to him the Lord, which resulted in the conversion and baptism of the eunuch. Acts 8.
Peter was instructed by the Lord to go to Cesarea to preach the gospel to Cornelius, a Roman centurion. Previous to Peter's arrival, the Lord by his Spirit had prepared the heart of the centurion to receive the instruction that Peter was sent to give. Acts 10.
There are many ways of working for those outside of Christ. A study of the lives of the Master and the early disciples reveals the employment of various means and methods in order to find entrance for the truth. The apostle Paul was a tent-maker by trade. On reaching Corinth in his travels, he found a Jew named Aquila, and his wife Priscilla. These followed the same trade that had been learned by the apostle. This created a common interest. Taking advantage of this, Paul abode with them and assisted them in their work, at the same time preaching to them the gospel of Christ. Acts 18:1-4. This worthy family, in turn, after they had received the gospel, made personal effort for others, and through their ministry Apollos, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, but knowing only the baptism of John, was instructed more perfectly in the Lord, and became an efficient laborer in the gospel cause. Acts 18:24-28.
These are but a few of the many instances which the Scriptures give of personal missionary effort. We invite all our readers, in this column, to tell others of the manner in which they were won to Christ, and the simple, direct ways they have effectively employed in telling the gospel story to others.
F. M. W.
Good Work Done in West Virginia
By D. W. Reavis
THE last two weeks in October our workers and members in West Virginia joined the organized temperance forces of that State in a vigorous temperance campaign, and materially helped in winning a great temperance victory through an overwhelming vote, on election day, for the State prohibition amendment. In this work our people not only discharged their duty by assisting in a good work for the general improvement of society, the defense of homes, and the saving of men and boys from the curse of licensed liquor, but they set themselves and the work they represent right before the people of that State. To-day Seventh-day Adventists have a more favorable standing in West Virginia among the temperance people of that State, as the result of their recent effort.
How the Work Was Done
Enough money was raised to purchase 30,000 copies of the Temperance Instructor for free distribution. These papers were sent by the publishers direct to leaders in different parts of the State. These leaders organized bands of distributors, as circumstances required, and thorough work was done in each locality. The leaders themselves reported to the local headquarters of the Anti-Saloon League, and were assigned territory for public lectures. Arrangements were also made for each lecturer of the league to have a supply of our papers sufficient to give a copy to one member of every family represented at their meetings. So, not only our members were busy with our literature, but regular lecturers of the league were placing the Instructor in the homes of the people.
The union conference engaged Brother James Jeffreys, who is a regular lecturer for the Anti-Cigarette League, and sent him to a large number of towns and cities which could not be reached by the regular workers of the conference. In these places he called upon leading temperance18people in the different temperance organizations, and arranged with them for lectures and a generous distribution of the Instructor. Our literature was the strong feature of this campaign, and our workers assure us that it was very effective.
Brother I. D. Richardson, who was very active in the work in West Virginia, says:—
“In towns where we hope to hold a series of meetings soon, our people placed a Temperance Instructor in every home. Some told us that the Instructor was the first temperance literature they had seen. We know of votes that were changed from ‘wet’ to ‘dry’ by the Temperance Instructor, and of prejudice so removed that the people read our literature, and admired our work. One of the business men told me that he had heard more about our work in the campaign than that of any one else.
“While the liquor party spent and lost about one million dollars in this campaign, the few hundred dollars we invested in literature will soon be returned to us; for when men spend money for drink, they do not spend it for books. Our book sales are very small in the cities. When the husband is loafing in the saloons, he is not attending our tent-meetings with his wife. Liquor robs a man of his reason; consequently the truth does not appeal to him. The liquor traffic hinders the advancement of the message of God in every way; so, as the saloon in West Virginia is to pass away, our work will be the less hindered; and, besides, it would not have been possible for us, with the same amount of expense, to promote our general work so effectively in any other way. These temperance campaigns are most favorable opportunities to make our health and temperance literature powerful ‘entering wedges’ for our full message, and to bring our workers into a close, friendly, working relation with the temperance people of other churches. Conferences failing to use these providential openings make a serious mistake.”
D. W. REAVIS.
Week of Prayer Greetings
Jerusalem
Ludwig Krug: “Our little church is strong in faith and happy in the Lord. In these days when war-clouds hover over and trade is down, we can say that the Lord is blessing us all the time, and opening doors for his precious truth.”
Southern Brazil
Waldemar Ehlers: “The Rio Grande do Sul Conference sends greetings to all. The Lord is blessing us richly in the advancement of the message. Our ten churches and nine companies, with 545 members, contributed eight thousand dollars for the work the past year. Ten church buildings are finished, and three more are being built, one in Porto Alegre, the capital, which has one hundred twenty-five thousand inhabitants. Our staff of workers is very small, but all are of good courage. Our ten canvassers have had much success, and souls are coming into the truth. The cause is the Lord’s, and it goes forward amid trials and difficulties, and we have all decided to hold fast to the work until Jesus comes.”
Jamaica
D. E. Wellman: “Greetings to our brethren everywhere from the island conference of Jamaica. Our hearts are filled with courage as we see the work of the Lord extending to all parts of the earth. We are having our struggles, trials, and perplexities, but the Lord is giving us the victory and filling our hearts with faith and hope. Our work is onward. Throughout our field our people are looking forward with earnest expectation to the week of prayer, when we shall all meet at the altar in our Father’s house.”
Hong Kong, China
Miss Ida Thompson: “We in Hong Kong have special blessings. During these months when so many have been called to leave their stations on account of the revolution, we have been free to sow seed and see it ripen into fruit. We expect to see an earnest company soon organized here. ‘Come ye apart, and rest awhile’ did not release the disciples from obligation. It released them from going out to the people; but the sea once crossed, the multitudes came to them, and Jesus said, ‘Give ye them to eat.’”
“Rest is not quitting
The busy career;
Rest is the fitting
Of self to its sphere.
’Tis loving and serving
The highest and best!
’Tis onward, unswerving,—
And that is true rest.”
“We need your prayers. I believe we are in a most important time in our work in China.”
Society Islands
F. E. Lyndon: “When we see native men and women dropping off their tobacco and coffee and worldly pleasures, and rising in meeting to speak of the love and goodness of God, and when we see the young desiring to work in the cause of God, we can but feel that the Lord is at work here, and is gathering out a people for his kingdom. Five or six will be baptized shortly and added to the church of believers in these islands. What a blessed time when all the believers are gathered together in the kingdom!”
Porto Alegre, Brazil
E. C. Ehlers: “We hope in a few weeks to have another baptism in this city. Catholics and others are studying the message. One business man told me the other day that he never felt satisfied with the Catholic religion and ‘Latin-murmuring priests.’ While we do not know just how some of these souls will turn, we believe in prayer, and it gives us courage to know that our brethren in the whole world are remembering the missionaries before the throne of grace.”
Amoy, China
B. L. Anderson: “My message is this: Another company in the Hokklo district, numbering twenty, has decided for the true Sabbath. Pastor Ang writes encouragingly of this company, and says the evangelist in charge has taken his stand with the members. From one of the stations north of Amoy comes word that ten persons are awaiting baptism. Thus the living message is onward. Pray the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers into this needy field.”
Publishing Headquarters, Brazil
Augusto Pages: “Though we have to battle against the weaknesses of the flesh, and the attacks of Satan leveled at the little company in this great field, we thank our dear Lord that he has chosen us to be workers with him. Three weeks ago we had the first baptism of four souls in Sao Paulo, the capital of our state, and others are soon to follow. The publishing work looks prosperous. Remember us in your prayers, dear brethren, that the Lord may keep us in health and in the faith.”
The Press Bureau Work
By W. L. BURGAN
THAT the brethren in the United States are planning to conduct the newspaper campaign in connection with our work along more organized lines is indicated by the action recently taken by the Ohio Conference Committee in establishing a press bureau for that conference. That Ohio has taken the lead among State conferences in adding this important department to its force of operations for the dissemination of the gospel, ought to serve as an incentive to other State conferences to do likewise. Two union conferences—the Southeastern and Pacific—also have bureaus, and the work that has been accomplished through them was described in recent issues of the REVIEW AND HERALD.
Since the Ohio brethren joined heartily with the movement, begun the first of the year, to bring our doctrines more prominently to the attention of the world through the newspapers, they have had success in their efforts. Quite a number of articles have been published in the newspapers in various sections of the State, with the result that Seventh-day Adventists there are to-day much more widely known than before making use of this powerful medium.
That Elder E. K. Slade, president of the Ohio Conference, is in favor of continuing to give our message publicly through the newspapers of that State, is evident from the following statement made by him:—
“I wish to say that I consider the use of the public press a splendid means of giving publicity to the great movement with which we are connected. I believe that the Lord designs that all agencies providing for rapid transmission of knowledge in these days should be brought into operation in helping to make prominent these truths that mean more to humanity in this time than anything else one could know or consider. The work that has been accomplished through the Press Bureau during the past twelve months has been effective, but I believe that it is only a beginning of what we may do in the future if we properly avail ourselves of the opportunities afforded by the public press.”
There is just as much news among the other conferences in this country as there is in Ohio; and with a press bureau secretary to gather up the information and prepare it for the newspapers, the reason for our existence as a denomination would be made known to the vast concourse of people in this country much faster than it could did we not take advantage of the many opportunities before us.
W. L. BURGAN.
Charity Begins at Home
“CHARITY begins at home, and often ruins its health by staying there too much.”
Report of the Young People's Work
By A. L. HINDSON
Of the Australasian Union Conference, for Year Ending June 30, 1912
NUMBER of societies .......... 92
Present membership .......... 779
Present associate membership .......... 852
Members in state home dept.... 56
Associate members in state home department .......... 223
Total membership .......... 1,910
Number taking Reading Course .......... 76
Number taking doctrinal studies .......... 448
Report of Work Done
Missionary letters written ..... 3,054
Missionary letters received .... 1,412
Bible readings or cottage meetings .......... 1,915
Missionary visits:—
With individuals .......... 9,991
To hospitals .......... 768
Other institutions .......... 578
Ships .......... 429
Copies of papers:—
Subscriptions taken .......... 767
Sold .................... 51,750
Lent .................... 8,879
Given ................... 182,160
Pages of tracts:—
Sold .................... 63,835
Lent .................... 206,052
Given ................... 467,239
Books:—
Sold .................... 1,588
Lent .................... 1,408
Given ................... 877
Families or individuals supplied with food, clothing, etc. .......... 693
Treatments given .......... 949
Hours of Christian Help work.. 13,718
Offerings, local society work...$ 195.07
Offerings, home mission work.. 582.44
Offerings, foreign mission work 4,016.56
Collections, work for the blind.. 49.92
There are some very encouraging features in the young people's report for the year 1912. With its 92 organized societies and 279 isolated young people scattered throughout our field, we have an interested band of Volunteers, 1,910 strong. Since the beginning of the year, 83 have joined the ranks.
One of the most interesting features of the work, and one in which the greatest progress has been made, is the study of the doctrinal texts of the message. During the past few years these studies have covered quite a wide range of subjects, so that it is really surprising what the youth, and even quite young children, have learned of the Word of God through this systematic effort. Examinations are conducted at the close of each quarter on the subjects studied, when the questions asked must be answered with closed Bibles in the words of the texts, and references given. The last quarter of the year the examination on the millennium was taken by 448, and each quarter the number has increased. Thus these studies seem to be creating a taste for the Word of God, and acquainting our young people with the doctrines we hold as a people, as well as preparing them to give the light to others.
Next perhaps in importance to the study of the Bible is the Reading Course provided for our young people. In this way a desire is being formed for solid reading. The first book of the present Reading Course was the “Story of John Paton,” an abridged edition especially prepared for the young. Of this about 450 copies were taken. The next book of the course is to be “Christ’s Object Lessons,” and copies of this book have been specially bound for our use, retailing at sixty-one cents a copy, thus bringing the book within the reach of all our young people. That a large number of our youth may avail themselves of the study of this excellent book, the hearty cooperation of all our workers is needed.
In the home missionary work done by our young people there has been an increase in some items, and a falling off in others. In the letters written there has been a slight decrease, but a larger increase in the letters received. There has been an increase in the Bible readings held, but a decrease in the visits made, save to ships, which have received more visits than the previous year. We have taken a larger number of subscriptions for our papers and given away more copies, but have sold and lent fewer copies. In the tract work fewer pages were sold and lent, but more were given away; this is also true of the circulation of books.
It was recommended last year that we encourage our young people to make the distribution of literature the prominent feature of their missionary work. In harmony with this action, we shall need to devise plans along such lines as are adapted to their capabilities, and keep this work well to the front.
The poor and sick have received ministry at the hands of our young people, as shown by the 693 families supplied with food and clothing, the 949 treatments given, and 13,718 hours of Christian Help work done.
During the year funds were raised by our young people as follows:—
For local society work .......$ 195.07
For home missionary work .... 582.44
For foreign mission work ..... 4,016.56
For work for the blind ........ 49.92
Total ....................$4,393.99
It will thus be seen that our young people have given almost $5,000 to the Lord’s work during the year. As compared with the previous year, this shows a gain of $298.80.
One very helpful plan in the New South Wales Conference has been to call together all the officers of the young people’s societies within reach of Sydney, at the close of each quarter, for counsel and instruction. This has tended to promote unity of action and to strengthen the work.
It will be interesting to know to what workers in the mission fields our young people have contributed:—
New South Wales is supporting Brother and Sister Sterling in the Cook Islands. The Sydney café workers have also given $73.05 toward the support of native workers. New Zealand is supporting Brother and Sister Howse in Samoa; Queensland, Bennie in New Guinea; South Australia, Paullasi Bunoa in Fiji, and Brother and Sister Thorpe (partial support) in the Tongan group; Victoria and Tasmania, Brother and Sister Stewart in the Cook Islands, Brother and Sister Carr in the New Hebrides, and Moapi, a native worker in Fiji. They have also purchased an organ costing $48.70 for Tonga.
Thus the interests of our youth and children are bound up with the interests of those in the mission fields; and the names of their missionaries and their fields are becoming household words in almost every home. Our young Volunteers do not need to ask what missions is, as did the little girl who said that she thought he must be very poor and cold to need so many warm socks as her aunty was always knitting for him.
One feature of the work that has received special attention this year is that of interesting young people not of our faith in the cause of missions. This has met with encouraging results in some instances, and substantial help has come from them to swell our offerings.
A. L. HINDSON,
Secretary of Young People's Dept.
The Morning Watch — A Symposium*
By GEO. W. MILLER.
The Morning Prayer
In the stillness of the morning,
Ere the starlight fades away,
Ere the holy hush is broken,
Or begin the cares of day,
I would spend a quiet moment,
Undisturbed, to watch and pray.
Let me now commune in secret,
At the trysting-place, to meet,
Lord, with thee, who daily wakeneth
Thy belov'd from slumber sweet:
Place upon me any burden;
I my plans lay at thy feet.
Be the path o'er rugged mountain
Or green vale, not mine to say;
Only give me grace to follow
Where thine eye directs the way;
Use me wholly in thy service;
Give me strength — just for to-day.
GEO. W. MILLER.
The Greatest Remedy
By J. A. P. GREEN
THE greatest remedy for this busy and perplexing age is the revival of the prayer spirit. To begin the day aright is the first step toward getting right with God. Draw near to him, and he will draw near to you. David was aroused to the necessity of early consecration. He said, “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”
So in the early morning hours open your Morning Watch Calendar, and there find the text for the day. Read it, not in a critical spirit, but as the voice of God speaking to you, and read more than the one text. In the Bible you will find a panacea for every ill. If your faith is not strong enough to begin the day with, sit down and have a quiet talk with Paul. If troubles threaten on every side, read the Psalms. If your future is not so bright as it should be, read the inspired visions of Isaiah and the apostle whom Jesus loved. Thus fortified, you can to far better advantage take up the duties of a new day. J. A. P. GREEN.
Young People's Work
Conducted by the Young People's Missionary Volunteer Department of the General Conference
M. E. KERR - - - - - Secretary
MEADE MAC GUIRE - - - - Field Secretary
MATILDA ERICKSON - - - Corresponding Secretary
The Recall and Religious Liberty
In the New York American of October 29, there appeared an article by Charles D. Hilles, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, in which he discussed the bearing of the proposed recall of judicial decisions upon religious liberty. As the election is now in the past, and this article can therefore not influence any votes, we reprint it entire. The fact that it mentions Seventh-day Adventists several times shows that this denomination and its teachings are recognized by public men as a factor in the general situation. The letter follows:—
“The terrible menace to Jews, Catholics, Christian Scientists, Seventh-day Adventists, and probably to members of certain other denominations, which is contained in the Bull Moose platform, and is involved in the policy of the recall of judicial decisions, has been strikingly pointed out by Col. Abe Gruber, of New York, who has been the first to perceive the danger of the people of his race involved in this proposition.
“The Constitution of the United States contains a guaranty of religious freedom to all citizens of the United States, and many of the State constitutions, being modeled after that of the nation, contain similar guaranties. But with every decision of the courts to the effect that a given law was unconstitutional, subject to popular vote, on petition, any law violating the guaranty of religious liberty could be maintained, despite its unconstitutionality, merely by a vote of a bare majority of the voters.
“Should the Jews, the Catholics, the Seventh-day Adventists, the Christian Scientists, or other denominations become for the time being unpopular with a majority of the people, the constitutional guaranty of religious liberty, which has been the proud boast of this country, would promptly become null and void on a vote of a bare majority of the people. Or, on the other hand, should any denomination become so powerful in any State as to seek to repress and oppose the members of another, it would be necessary only to secure a bare majority of the voters to recall a decision of the courts declaring an oppressive law unconstitutional, and the same guaranty of religious liberty would be nullified.
Question of Sabbath Observance
“It is a decision of the supreme court of New York, declaring the so-called Bake-shop law unconstitutional, which Mr. Roosevelt has used to illustrate his cry, ‘Shall the people rule?’ and to point his argument for the recall of judicial decisions.
“There is another law in New York which was passed to effect the observance of Sunday, but which contains a clause designed to protect those who, like the Jews and Seventh-day Adventists, observe the Saturday, or Sabbath. This clause provides that it shall be ‘a sufficient defense to a prosecution for work or labor on the first day of the week that the defendant uniformly keeps another day of the week as holy time, and does not work on that day,’ etc.
“Under this provision thousands of Jews observe Saturday and work on Sunday; but suppose that their business rivals should decide to compel them to keep Sunday, knowing that from religious conviction they would be obliged to keep the Saturday as well, and thus to reduce their labors to five days out of seven, just as a few years ago the large manufacturers of cigars attempted to drive out of business those small cigar makers who manufactured their product in their homes?
“To amend the law by striking out the exemption of those who keep holy some day other than Sunday would be comparatively easy. Under the present system of an independent judiciary, however, such an amendment would undoubtedly be pronounced void because a violation of the constitutional guaranty of religious liberty. With the recall of judicial decisions proposed by Mr. Roosevelt, however, such a decision of the courts might be promptly nullified if a majority of the voters chose to ignore the religious rights of the Jews and Seventh-day Adventists, and to ‘recall’ the decision of the court.
Fears of Religious Oppression
“Is it surprising that Colonel Gruber says feelingly that if Oscar Straus, the third party candidate for governor of New York, says ‘that the right to religious freedom shall be voted on by petition and without a constitutional convention first convened, then God help him and his and my people.’
“It may be argued that in this day and age the American people are too tolerant to undertake [to invade] the religious freedom guaranteed by the Constitution; but, as the New York Tribune remarks, ‘The answer is that they have tried to invade them time and again—generally in ignorance of the full effect of their acts, but not less really for that. Nor21is religious and race prejudice dead. It is still alive and always liable to break out under the stress of economic pressure; and that is just exactly the pressure which foreign races coming here put upon the older settlers. Open the door to legislation, making these people conform their religious habits to the prejudices or interests of others, and there is no limit to the oppression to which they may be subjected.”
“There is at least one State in the Union in which the majority of votes are cast by Roman Catholics. Now, it is well known that Catholics do not approve of a system of public schools which excludes religion from the teaching of the child. But were the Catholics to attempt to [close the doors] of public schools which exclude religion from the teaching in the public schools, any law the passage of which might be secured would be pronounced unconstitutional by the courts. But under Mr. Roosevelt’s scheme for the recall of judicial decisions, the majority could amend the law in any way it chose, without regard to the constitutional guaranty of religious freedom.
“It may be that the Catholics would do nothing of the kind.
“It may be that no one would attempt to deprive the Jews of their religious liberty.
“But does any patriotic American believe it wise to throw away the safeguards provided by the Constitution?”
Prayer an Inspiration
By HELEN DEVORAK
It is the cool morning dew, day by day, that imparts a freshness and sweetness to the flowers. Through the heat of the day the little drop lies close within the heart of the lily, until it is consumed. So it is in our lives. We need to renew our thoughts of God; we need a daily inspiration from a pure, untainted source,— a dewdrop that will be cherished throughout the day, and again renewed in the early morning. The heavy rain that comes only at intervals can not sustain the life of the flower, and impart to it the fragrance and freshness that a tiny dewdrop can give each day. We may have earnest and long communings with God when we have come to a realization of the barrenness of our lives, and have sensed the oppressiveness of guilt; but it is in our daily commitment to God—the time when we ask him for guidance in the little things, and can better listen to his voice in the still, new morning—that we gain grace and power.
On a mountainside, alone with his Father in the gray of the morning, the Saviour spent a long while before beginning the day that was crowded so full of toil for him, and blessings to those who sought his help. The Saviour himself felt the weariness of toil, and found it necessary to renew his strength each returning day. In our human weakness, how can we pass by the daily opportunity of obtaining a vigor and strength that will enable us to bear with grace the petty trials and cares that come with every day? Is not each new morning given to us for a new beginning, another chance to do better than we did yesterday? HELEN DEVORAK.
Daily Preparation
By Nellie Jenkins
WHEN the light of day is dawning
And the darkness fades away,
As earth wakens from her slumber,
I can hear my Saviour say:
“Come with me, this early morning,
Ere the labors of the day
Shall have worn and made thee weary;
Let me lead thee in my way.
“I will help thee bear thy burden,
I will keep thee from all harm,
I will share with thee thy sorrow;
Only lean on my strong arm.
“Bitter trials will come upon thee,
They thy character will mold,
Even as the fiery furnace
Always purifies the gold.”
So I trust my all to Jesus,
Trust in him, then come what will;
Though the tempest rage about me,
I shall in his love lie still.
In the secret of his presence
Every morning I would be;
And I ask my Lord to lead me,
Yea, through all eternity.
NELLIE JENKINS.
The Breath of the Soul
By W. E. LANIER
It has rightly been said prayer is the breath of the soul. Prayer brings us into a closer relation with God, thus fitting us to receive his blessings. Communion with our Creator is a positive requisite to spiritual development. This has been demonstrated many times in the lives of the prophets of old. We read of David and Daniel praying three times daily. If these godly men found it necessary to have definite hours for prayer, how much more we!
There are special reasons why we should observe the Morning Watch. If, as Jeremiah says, the Lord's mercies are new every day, then we are under renewed obligations to God, and should joyfully render unto him the thankfulness of our hearts. We should praise him for sparing our lives through the night, that we may spend another day in service for him.
Each new day presents to us a spotless page; and since all heaven is interested in the record to be made during the day, how necessary it is to seek God's help early in the morning, that he may enable us to keep our page for the day unspotted from sin.
In the morning we are refreshed, our minds are clear, and our bodies are rested. Thus we are in a better mood for spiritual worship than we could be after a day of trials and cares. The psalmist said, “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.” W. E. LANIER.
State and Church
By W. W. Prescott
Reports, Notes, and Comments Pertaining to the Current History of Religious Freedom, and the Campaign “to Make America Catholic.”
Conducted by the Religious Liberty Association.
W. W. PRESCOTT - - - - SECRETARY
Business Notices
Move South before winter. Buy my pleasant Memphis home. Seven rooms. Gas, electric lights, all modern conveniences. Fruit-trees, shade-trees, vines, and roses. Finely fitted for poultry. Illustrated booklet, prices, terms, etc., sent free. J. S. Washburn, 665 Decatur St., Memphis, Tenn.
For Sale for Missionary Purposes.— A brother and sister offer for sale at prevailing market prices irrigable lands at Moffat, Colo., and Mercedes, Tex., also a town lot in each of these places, a part of the proceeds of which is to go to foreign missions. Mercedes is in the rich Rio Grande Valley of southwest Texas, where vegetation grows the year round. Lands in both places on irrigating canal, with water rights. For further particulars and prices, address North Texas Conference, Keene, Tex.
