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Address
all matter for publication in the department of the W. M. A. to Mrs.
A. R. Kiracofe, 119 N. Summit St., Dayton, Ohio.
Editorial.
Whatsoever
thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. Ecc. 9:10.
OUR
OPPORTUNITIES.
"As
we have therefore opportunity let us do good unto all men" is
Paul's injunction to the Gallatians. He himself went about preaching
and teaching and doing good as opportunity offered. He was instant in
season and out of season and the result of his life work greatly
strengthened and extended the church and blest the world. His life and
works should be a continual inspiration to all Christian believers.
Are Christians everywhere prompt to improve every opportunity to do
good unto their fellow-men? It might be well for us to review our
individual opportunities for doing good to others, and determine
whether or not they have been faithfully improved. Can we not call to
mind times when opportunity was at hand for us to speak words of
encouragement to a discouraged one, words of warning to an erring one,
words of entreaty to a fallen one, words of commendation to a faithful
one, and words of inquiry and persuasion to a wavering one; but we
remained silent, though the spirit prompted? Have there not come to us
opportunities when we should have heroically stood in defense of the
right, for the good of the church, the home and humanity; but we did
not grasp them and the good that might have resulted from their
improvement is not placed to our credit, but in its stead is recorded
lost golden opportunities? When opportunities confront us to give of
time, talents and means to the furtherance of Christ's kingdom, have
we not frequently considered our time too precious, our talents too
valuable and our means too sacred to be thus appropriated? We may not
have said this much in words, but have we not acted it in our lives?
If we would improve the opportunities that present themselves, we must
be continually on the lookout. It is said that "in one of the
Greek cities stood, long ago, a statue. Every trace of it has vanished
now, as is the case with most old masterpieces of genius; but there is
still in existence an epigram which gives us an excellent description
of it, and as we read the words we can surely discover the lesson
which those wise old Greeks meant that statue should teach to every
passer-by. The epigram is in the form of a conversation between a
traveler and the statue. 'What is thy name, O Statue?' 'I am called
Opportunity.' 'Who made thee?' 'Lysippus.' 'Why art thou standing on
thy toes?' 'To show that I stand but for a moment.' 'Why hast thou
wings on thy feet?' 'To show how quickly I pass by?' 'But why is thy
hair so long on thy forehead?' 'That men may seize me when they meet
me.' 'Why, then is thy head so bald behind?' 'To show that when I have
once past, I cannot be caught.' We do not see statues standing on the
highways to remind us of our opportunities for doing good and being of
service to others, but we know that opportunities come to us. They are
ours but for a moment. If we let them pass they are gone
forever." |
A
missionary to Africa readily perceiving what he thought would be
required before it would be won for Christ said, "I think it is
with African missions as with the building of a great bridge. You know
many stones have to be buried in the earth, all unseen, for a
foundation. If Christ wants me to be one of these unseen stones, lying
in an African grave I am content."
23,000
is the number given of Indians unchristianized who daily pass into
vast eternity without hope in Christ, without the Christian's blessed
assurance that in the beautiful beyond there is joy and peace and
safety. Like proportions from Africa, China, South America and other
lands pass away without even having heard of the sinners' great
friend. And this is happening while the large majority of nominal
Christians recline at their ease and contribute not so much as the
average of a penny a day, or a year to give to them the glad tidings
of great joy.
Mrs.
Rhea is quoted as saying that "it would be a blessed thing to
look at Christ through the eyes of Moses the friend of God, or David
the Messianic psalmist, or Isaiah, the Messianic prophet, or John, the
beloved disciple, or Paul the chosen vessel, but that she would rather
see Jesus through the eyes of a converted pagan woman, than through
those of a prophet." And why? Is it not because that through such
eyes there would be seen greater depths of His matchless love and
goodness because of her exaltation through him, and the blessed
assurance that she was not soulless but that in the hereafter she
would realize the joys of heaven?
The
population of Central America is said to be about 3,210,000 composed
of a few whites, 1,500,000 pure Indians and the remainder are a mixed
race of white and Indian blood. The five republics which constitute
Central America are but sparsely supplied with missionaries and
teachers. In one of the republics there are two missionaries and their
wives, two native missionaries and one teacher to give the Word to
1,500,000 inhabitants; the remaining four republics are no better, if
as well supplied with Protestant missionaries and teachers. Entire
Central America neglected and unchristianized appeals to Christians
everywhere to reach down and lift them up to a better life.
Mr.
Stanley gives the following good re suiting from one Bible: "In
1875, Miss Livingstone, the sister of David Livingstone, presented me
with a beautifully bound Bible. On a subsequent visit to Mtesa I read
to him some chapters, and as I finished it flashed through my mind
that Uganda was destined to be won for Christ: I was not permitted to
carry that Bible away. Mtesa never forgot the wonderful words, nor the
startling effect they had upon him; and just as I was turning away
from his country to continue my explorations across the Dark
Continent, a messenger who had traveled two hundred miles came to me
crying out that Mtesa wanted the book, and it was given to him. Today
the Christians in Uganda number many thousands; they have proved their
faith at the stake, under the knobstick, and under torture until
death."
"Trust
in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily
thou shalt be fed."
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