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tihvary of Che trheolo^icd ^tminary 
 
 PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 Rufus H. LeFevre 
 
 .1L.H& 
 
H- Z 
 
Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive 
 
 in 2009 witii funding from 
 
 Princeton Tiieoiogicai Seminary Library 
 
 littp://www.archive.org/details/churchinearnestcOOhoug 
 
CI)e CI)urcl) in earnest 
 
^'Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them 
 stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations; spare 
 not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; 
 for thou shall break forth on the right hand and on 
 the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, a?id 
 make the desolate cities to he inhabited. Fear not; 
 for thou shall not be ashamed^ — {^Isa. ^4:2-4.) 
 
• I 
 
 Jur; U 1952 
 
 The Church in 
 Earnest 
 
 A CALL FOR THE TRAIN- 
 ING NECESSARY FOR 
 WORLD ACHIEVEMENTS 
 
 A Word of Preparation by 
 
 Ediudbf. 
 
 General Secretary 
 Of the Foreien Miasionary Society 
 
 SECOND EDITION 
 
 Tht Foreign Missionary Society of the 
 
 United Brethren in Christ 
 
 Dayton, Ohio 
 
Copyright, igo8, by 
 
 The Foreign Missionary Society of the 
 
 United Brethren in Christ 
 
 Dayton, Ohio 
 
a ffiaorD of preparation 
 
 The demand of the hour is for the awakening 
 and training of the local churches in efficient, 
 broad service. There must be knowledge, vision, 
 and enthusiasm; but we dare not stop with these. 
 The awakened life must be led into practical serv- 
 ice and be trained to do the full will of God. 
 
 This volume is the best and most sane treat- 
 ment of the aims, organization, instruction, and 
 training necessary to make each church a world 
 force, that has yet appeared in our denomination. 
 Each of the ten chapters is written by an expert, 
 who has tested in practical experience what he pre- 
 sents. The church is ripe for the message this book 
 brings, and every pastor ought to possess a copy at 
 once, and study it closely for the suggestions and 
 enrichment it will bring not only to his own per- 
 sonal life, but also to his public ministry. The 
 output of power from our local churches could 
 doubtless be doubled at once if the teachers and 
 officials would study this book, and put its sug- 
 gestions and methods into practice. 
 
 The world is perishing for lack of knowledge. 
 The church is God's only agency for the advance- 
 
 X A / 
 
ment of the kingdom in the world; but the church 
 is weak and blundering, without clear and full 
 light. Nothing but a world-wide vision of the 
 work and mission of Jesus Christ will quicken the 
 heart of the church and fill her with the enthusi- 
 asm necessary for the largest development of her 
 own life, and the most speedy conquest of the world 
 for Christ. 
 
 This volume will help mightily in reaching this 
 goal. Give ear, every member of the local church; 
 obey God, honor Christ, and carry or send the 
 gospel to every creature for whom he died. 
 
 (Bishop) G. M. Mathews. 
 
 Chicago, III., August 4, 1908. 
 
Content0 
 
 Chapter Page 
 
 I. The Grace That Enlarges 
 
 Rev. J. 8. Kendall .... 9 
 
 II. The Awakening of the Men of America 
 TO Save the World 
 Rev. J. O. Ruber . ... 18 
 
 III. A Fourfold Advance for Foreign Missions 
 
 R^v. O. M. Roby ... - 27 
 
 IV. The Missionary Opportunity of the 
 
 Sunday School 
 
 Prof. W. O. Clippinger . - - 38 
 
 V. The Mission Study Class, An Indispen- 
 sable Agency 
 Rev. J. Edgar Knipp - - - 48 
 
 VI. The Conference Foreign Missionary 
 Committee An Essential IjInk 
 Rev. S. F. Daugherty - - ♦ 57 
 
 VII. AN Efficient Missionary Committee 
 IN Each Local Church 
 Rev. L. Walter Lutz - - - - 68 
 
 VIII. How May a Presiding Elder Make 
 His District a World Force 
 Rev. a W. Kurtz .... 79 
 
 IX. The Pastor the Pivotal Man 
 
 Rev. Q. D. Batdorf . - - - 87 
 
 X. Pray'er the Supreme Factor 
 
 Secretary 8. 8. Hough - - - 98 
 
 SlppmHicriB 
 
 A. The Weekly Offering for Benevo- 
 
 lences, and for the Local Needs 109 
 
 B. Helpful Missionary Books AND Supplies 122 
 
 vii 
 
Prefatorp iQote to ©cconD 
 CDition 
 
 Three thousand copies of this book were issued 
 from the presses of the United Brethren Publish- 
 ing House, August 12, 1908. It was thought that 
 the first edition would supply the demand for such 
 a book for at least two years. The fact that it is 
 necessary to issue this second edition, in less 
 than two months after the book first appeared, 
 reveals clearly that this little volume furnishes 
 the pastors and lay workers just what they have 
 been looking for. 
 
 How Use This Book ? 
 
 1. Scores of pastors have ordered from five to 
 twenty-five copies for their local officials and 
 teachers, who have studied the book and then 
 assembled to review its contents and adopt new 
 plans for the enlargement of their work. 
 
 2. This book can be used with great profit for 
 two or three lessons supplemental to the study of 
 the new foreign mission book, "Our Foreign Mis- 
 sionary Enterprise." Indeed, the study of that 
 book will not be complete unless the class at least 
 reads this book carefully, also. 
 
 3. Each family in the Church should be given 
 an opportunity to purchase the book and learn the 
 latest methods and aims in gospel work. It might 
 be an excellent thing to have some tactful, conse- 
 crated worker canvass the entire membership with 
 a view to putting one book in each family. Every 
 Sunday-school library and missionary library 
 should contain a copy of the book. 
 
 Dayton, Ohio, October 8, 1908. 
 
^6e (3tatt ^6at (Enlargtsf 
 
 Rev. J. S. Kendall, Cleveland. Ohio 
 
 The efficiency of the Church of Jesus Christ 
 depends on the strength of her individual 
 members. This being true, every child of God 
 should be anxious to meet every condition 
 that will lead to his largest development 
 and most fruitful service. Many sources of 
 strength stand out prominently in the Word 
 of God for the enlargement of the believer's 
 life. 
 
 / wish here to call special attention to the 
 grace of liberality or giving as a source of 
 strength. It may be difficult for some minds 
 to comprehend how liberality can become a 
 source of power. I am satisfied that if we 
 will stay close to the Word of God and 
 accept its teachings on this, as on other mat- 
 ters of revelation, we shall be led to recog- 
 nize this great truth. 
 
 There are many things that are indisputable 
 in nature, in science, and in religion; things 
 that I cannot fullv understand, but thev are 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 facts nevertheless. When Jesus declared the 
 necessity of the new birth to Nicodemus, he 
 did not give its philosophy, nor did he give a 
 very comprehensive answer. He only declared 
 it to be a fact. 
 
 It should be enough for us when His 
 omniscience declares that liberality is a grace, 
 and that by exercising therein it does lead to 
 the development of the believer. But there 
 are reasons that we can discern for the state- 
 ment that giving is a means of grace. We 
 desire to set forth a few of them. 
 
 I. How Liberality Becomes a Grace 
 
 The apostle in H. Cor. 8:7, in speaking of 
 it, classes giving with other graces, such as 
 faith, utterance, knowledge, diligence, and 
 love, and he says, "As ye abound in these, see 
 that ye abound in this grace [liberality] also." 
 I can point out only a few general principles 
 and then trust you to search for others. I 
 contend that liberality becomes a grace 
 
 1. Because it destroys selfishness. There 
 is nothing that so dwarfs the soul and hinders 
 the growth of the individual in the spiritual 
 life as selfishness. Jesus taught that to be- 
 come his disciples we had to deny self; and 
 
 10 
 
The Grace That Enlarges 
 
 experience has taught us that to live a Hfe of 
 fellowship with him we must live a life of 
 self-denial. There is no channel through 
 which the average man can put self to death 
 and destroy selfishness more quickly than by 
 the liberal giving of his means. 
 
 2. It develops love. Where our treasures 
 are, there will our hearts be also ; or, in other 
 words, where our investments are, there will 
 be our love and hearts' affections. If money 
 is myself, as Doctor Schauffler states, then 
 where our money is invested we are person- 
 ally invested, and as we invest ourselves in 
 any cause there is a growing love for that 
 cause. It was this that moved J. Hudson 
 Taylor in the declining days of his life to 
 long for China. It was the giving of fifty 
 years of his life to that people that produced 
 that deep love for them. It was the giving of 
 life and service in the defense of the flag that 
 caused such deep love for the Stars and 
 Stripes in the hearts of the old veterans. And 
 as we give bountifully, whether it be in service 
 or means, for the cause of Christ, it will in- 
 crease our love for him and the cause for 
 which he laid down his life. 
 
 3. Liberality has pozver to multiply the 
 
 11 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 service of the individual. We can go with our 
 money where we cannot go in person. It can 
 toil for us in avenues in which we are unfitted 
 and unquaUfied; it can speak all languages 
 and do all kinds of service; it can minister to 
 all conditions of life. With it we can per- 
 petuate the activities of our lives ; can educate 
 and train workers ; can provide medicine and 
 physician for those in dire need ; can build 
 churches and endow schools ; can put in 
 motion influences and activities that will con- 
 tinue when we are unable to serve. 
 
 It has been the writer's privilege, through 
 the little entrusted to him to labor in Africa, 
 China, Japan, and the islands of the sea. No 
 greater joy ever came to my own heart than 
 when we received the tidings that through our 
 individual offerings workers were able, in far- 
 off lands, to bring into the fellowship of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ precious souls out of 
 heathen darkness. 
 
 4. It leads to prayer and thanksgiving. As 
 our investments are made in the cause of the 
 kingdom, our prayers will increase in fer- 
 vency and power for that kingdom. When 
 the home church will give of its life and sub- 
 stance for extending the kingdom into the 
 
 12 
 
The Grace That Enlarges 
 
 regions beyond, it will then be led to greater 
 service in prayer for those parts. Hear Paul 
 in II. Cor. 9:11: ''Ye being enriched in 
 everything unto all liberality, which worketh 
 through us thanksgiving to God." As we be- 
 gin to praise, we shall begin to enlarge and 
 grow in strength. 
 
 Again, it will cause the benefactors to cry 
 unto God for us. See II. Cor. 9: 12-14 (R. 
 V.) : 'Tor the ministration of this service 
 not only filleth up the measure of the wants of 
 the saints, but aboundeth also through many 
 thanksgivings unto God; seeing that through 
 the proving of you by this ministration they 
 glorify God for the obedience of your confes- 
 sion unto the gospel of Christ, and for the 
 liberality of your contribution unto them and 
 unto all ; while they themselves also, with sup- 
 plication on your behalf, long after you by 
 reason of the exceeding grace of God in you." 
 
 II. The Method by which Giving Becomes a 
 Means of Grace 
 
 If we desire to have our giving a source of 
 strength we will have to adopt such methods 
 of giving as will make God a real factor in 
 our daily business. I am sure that God intends 
 
 13 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 that man's employment shall be to him an aid 
 in his spiritual life. We know that the present 
 tendency to money-getting tends to divorce 
 many from God, but this should not be so. I 
 am persuaded that when we get a proper 
 vision of the relation of our lives and sub- 
 stance to the kingdom of God, that farming, 
 or trading, or honest labor of any kind will 
 deepen and quicken the spiritual life. 
 
 The Bible plainly says that the Lord he- 
 comes a partner with him who gives the whole 
 tithe unto God. We know that a strong and 
 wicked partner is a power for evil ; and, on 
 the contrary, we are sure that a strong and 
 righteous partner is a power for good. By the 
 giving of the tithe God becomes a partner 
 with us and thereby hallows our business, 
 making it as much a means of grace to us as 
 prayer and Bible study. Let it be remembered 
 that the law of the sacred tithe is the defi- 
 nitely-appointed plan of bringing the holy God 
 into our secular life, thereby making business 
 sacred. 
 
 The giving of the tithe is a most logical 
 argument for growth in grace, for it brings 
 at once the individual to the observance of the 
 essential principles of growth — it puts God 
 
 14 
 
The Grace That Enlarges 
 
 first. It means that the worshiper brings one- 
 tenth of his harvest, or the proceeds of his 
 business or labor, first to the Lord before he 
 takes aught for himself. Many are apt to 
 make giving correspond with spiritual bless- 
 ings, but God puts it the other way; he 
 makes the spiritual blessings depend on the 
 right use of our substance. See Prov. 3 : 9, 
 id; Mai. 3: 10; Luke 6:38. 
 
 As we trace Israel's decline, the first step 
 away from God seems to have been the with- 
 holding of tithes and offerings. In the re- 
 vivals that brought them back to God, one of 
 the essential conditions mentioned was that of 
 honoring the Lord with their substance. The 
 people of Hezekiah's day recognized their sin- 
 ful condition, and they put away the evil of 
 their doings and brought into the house of the 
 Lord "in abundance the first fruits of grain 
 . . . and tithes of all things brought they in 
 abundantly." II. Chron. 31:5. As a result, 
 the priest Azariah said : ''Since the people 
 began to bring the offerings into the house of 
 the Lord we have had enough to eat, and 
 have left plenty, for the Lord has blessed his 
 people." 
 
 To be sure, the tithe is the least amount we 
 
 15 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 owe the Lord. Some should give, in addition 
 to the first tenth, many times that amount in 
 free-will offerings to meet the unparalleled 
 needs of the present world-cry for the bread 
 of life. 
 
 The greatest revival promise in the Bible is 
 contained in this: "Bring ye all the tithes 
 into the storehouse . . . and prove me now 
 herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will 
 not open you the windows of heaven and pour 
 you out a blessing that there shall not be 
 room enough to receive it." We are praying 
 for the revival. Why not meet the condition? 
 We have here in the prophet's declaration the 
 assurance that the key for spiritual enlarge- 
 ment is in our own hand. The many promises 
 of the Word of God on this subject have lost 
 none of their efficacy. The truth that "the 
 liberal soul shall be made fat" is just as sure 
 and powerful to-day as when first spoken. 
 
 We are confident that liberality does destroy 
 selfishness ; it promotes love ; it greatly extends 
 the working power of a life, and it leads to 
 definite prayer and praise. There are ten 
 thousand witnesses that have tested and 
 proven the fact that partnership with God, 
 as indicated here, is a sure guarantee for spir- 
 
 16 
 
The Grace That Enlarges 
 
 itual enlargement and victory. Reader, will 
 you abound in this grace also, and prove your 
 glorious Lord, that the richness and fullness 
 of his blessings may come to you, and through 
 YOU to others? 
 
 17 
 
^^t ^toafetnino: ot tit Q^en ot America 
 to &abe tge ddlotld 
 
 Rev. J. G. Huber, D.D., Dayton, Ohio 
 
 This subject implies two things: First, that 
 the world is not yet evangelized. After nine- 
 teen hundred years of preaching, the message 
 of salvation has not yet reached all the nations 
 of the earth. Millions are still living in dark- 
 ness. As we look upon the great continents 
 outside of Europe and North America, it 
 seems that only the rims have been touched. 
 
 The subject signifies, also, that the men 
 composing a large portion of the Christian 
 church have not been awake. An eminent 
 English bishop not long since said of the men 
 of his country, that while they were "inter- 
 ested partners, they were sleeping partners." 
 Is not this sadly true of the men in our own 
 land? Must we not face the fact that the 
 physically strongest portion of the church, the 
 wealth-creating and controlling part of the 
 church, has been asleep with reference to the 
 world-wide spread of the gospel? 
 
 18 
 
The Awakening of the Men 
 
 Napoleon once said of China, ''When she is 
 moved, she will move the world ; therefore let 
 her sleep." Of the men of the church it may 
 well be said, "When they are moved, they will 
 move the world ; therefore let them awake." 
 ''Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from 
 the dead and Christ shall give thee light." 
 "Awake, awake, put on thy strength." 
 
 Two factors are fundamental in the awak- 
 ening of men for the salvation of the world : 
 First, the relation of the men to Christ 
 himself as Savior and Master ; his supremacy 
 over their hearts, their plans, and their posses- 
 sions. Once again the man of Galilee is walk- 
 ing through the world, asking men to give 
 him first place. He is calling men to prayer, 
 and to strong, clear-voiced testimony for him. 
 Should not the men of our Church come into 
 a closer and more joyous fellowship with 
 Christ and then press forward in a positive 
 and irresistible Christian life? 
 
 The second fundamental is for the men of 
 the church to see the world's needs. How 
 often the eyes of Jesus must have scanned the 
 wide horizon from the high ridge back of 
 Nazareth ! And did he not think of the race 
 lying in darkness, and the need of his gospel 
 
 19 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 bearing light to all the world ? Would that all 
 of the men of our Church might to-day stand 
 with Christ at some such altitude and, while 
 seeing the world's need, catch the inspiration 
 of meeting it! One who has traveled in 
 heathen lands may shut his eyes and have 
 pass before him countless throngs of men, 
 well-formed, capable men, who have never 
 had a chance of knowing Christ, passing 
 blindly on in life. There are multitudes of 
 such in our own mission fields. The men of 
 Europe and of our land have a commercial 
 interest in Porto Rico, Africa, India, China, 
 and Japan. But should their interest be only 
 a selfish one? Should it not go deeper than 
 what they can get out of those lands? 
 
 A little while ago, when the conflict was on 
 in New York State between Governor Hughes 
 and the race-track gamblers, the latter de- 
 clared that to abolish race-track gambling 
 would lower the pedigree of our horses. The 
 governor manfully replied, "This country is 
 not so much interested in the pedigree of its 
 horses as in the pedigree of its men." When 
 the men of Christian lands see the world's 
 need as Christ saw it, they will have less con- 
 cern for the material resources and trade out- 
 
 20 
 
The Awakening of the Men 
 
 put of heathen lands and a far deeper concern 
 for the milHons of men who, with their wives 
 and children, are without a Savior. 
 
 But what are the signs of an awakening 
 among the men ? 
 
 1. The Young Men's Christian Associa- 
 tion is giving a sweeping vision to its men, 
 and is planting magnificent associations in the 
 cities of the Orient. When, a few years since, 
 a company of forty or fifty picked Associa- 
 tion men met in New York City to define the 
 four essentials of Association work, foreign 
 missions was placed on the list. 
 
 At the World's Jubilee of the Y. M. C. A., 
 held in London, Hon. John Wanamaker de- 
 clared : "There is not such a thing as a 
 stranger or foreigner any longer in this world. 
 We have learned how small the world is, how 
 near together it is, and how possible it is for 
 its races to be converted to God." Such an 
 utterance from so eminent an American lay- 
 man is significant both of the spirit of the 
 Y, M. C. A. and the rising missionary tide 
 among the men in our land. 
 
 2. The deputations of strong business 
 men, visiting mission fields under the direction 
 of our church boards. It was hoped that 
 
 21 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 during the last half of 1907 and the first half 
 of 1908 at least fifty men would make such 
 tours of inspection. But instead of fifty, 
 nearly double that number went out at their 
 own expense ! Among them were four lay- 
 men of our own Church. All these were con- 
 vinced of the value, power, and permanency 
 of missionary effort. They returned with a 
 deepened sense of responsibility. 
 
 On April 20, 1908, Hon. William H. Taft, 
 in a great address before the Laymen's Mis- 
 sionary Movement in Carnegie Hall, New 
 York City, asserted, *'We have got to wake 
 this country up to the fact that there are 
 other people in the world besides us, people 
 who have been thrust upon us and who need 
 our time, money, and help." Should not the 
 testimony of so distinguished a layman have 
 great weight with the men of America? *'The 
 biggest work in the world should be done in 
 the biggest manner in the world by the biggest 
 men in the world." 
 
 3. Men's foreign missionary conventions 
 have exceeded all expectations for attendance 
 and power. The men of the Presbyterian 
 Church have held two great conventions and 
 also have pledged themselves to a standard 
 
 22 
 
The Awakening of the Men 
 
 of five dollars per member for foreign mis- 
 sions. The men of the Methodist Church 
 South and of the United Presbyterian Church 
 have decided upon similar increases. Will 
 not the men of our United Brethren Church 
 follow these splendid examples? If the men 
 of Korea will come together in groups of 
 hundreds for the study of the newly-found 
 Word of God, and then scatter out to teach 
 their fellow-countrymen, is it not time for the 
 men of Christian lands to cease playing at 
 missions and do the world-work of the king- 
 dom with the energy and upon the scale its 
 importance demands? 
 
 4. Laymen's forzvard campaigns in our 
 chief cities constitute another factor in arous- 
 ing the men of our country. The plan of 
 operation is for a vigorous interdenomina- 
 tional committee to bring the question of for- 
 eign missions directly to the men through 
 meetings in the different churches. After 
 weeks of this kind of work, great mass meet- 
 ings are planned for a period of days, 
 addressed by forceful speakers from abroad. 
 A certain sum is fixed as the aim for the com- 
 bined effort of all the churches in the city. 
 Then each denomination takes its portion of 
 
 23 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 the whole amount and plans to reach it in one 
 or more years. Denominational assessments 
 and standards are left behind when the men 
 really lay their hands upon the task of mak- 
 ing Jesus King throughout the earth. 
 
 The movement was begun in October, 1907. 
 During the first six months, twenty-two cities 
 in the United States and Canada were 
 reached. In fifteen cities of the United States, 
 containing a total population of 2,546,000, the 
 number of communicant church-members was 
 310,585. They gave to religious work in 
 America last year $5,405,500, and to similar 
 work abroad $297,450. As a result of these 
 missionary campaigns, they have decided to 
 undertake to raise a total of $1,175,000 an- 
 nually for foreign Christian work, an aggre- 
 gate increase of $877,550. 
 
 During the same period, seven cities in 
 Canada, with a combined population of 950,- 
 000, and reporting 136,818 Protestant church- 
 members, gave last year to local Christian 
 work $2,043,775, and to home and foreign 
 missions $344,537. They voted to undertake 
 an offering of $997,000 to all missionary pur- 
 poses, an increase of $632,000. The total in- 
 
 24 
 
The Awakening of the Men 
 
 crease pledged by 447,403 church-members in 
 the twenty-two cities is $1,510,000. 
 
 It has been perfectly evident to those 
 actively identified with these campaigns that 
 God has been at work in a most wonderful 
 way. The conviction is deepening and spread- 
 ing that we are in the final campaign of the 
 world's conquest for Christ. When business 
 men will say, *T would rather save a million 
 men than save a million dollars," the coveted 
 end is not far distant. 
 
 The greatest physical undertaking of the 
 last century was the building of the Panama 
 Canal. The French wasted millions of money 
 and a countless number of lives, and finally 
 abandoned the task as an utter failure. The 
 Americans undertook it. One by one impos- 
 sibilities fled. Under the tropical sun the 
 work is going forward to a speedy and 
 glorious completion. 
 
 It will be so with Christian missions, when 
 our American men become thoroughly en- 
 listed. The men of America, with the Man 
 of Galilee, can save the world. The task is 
 stupendous ; but they have the means, the 
 talent, and the energy. When once they have 
 
 25 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 the vision and all-consuming passion of their 
 Leader, it will be speedily accomplished. 
 
 Our growing men's classes and brother- 
 hoods are bringing thousands of men under 
 the influence of the Bible. Vast numbers of 
 these will be led to Christ and into our 
 Church. They will unite their strength with 
 that of their brethren in taking the responsi- 
 bilities of our local churches. But should they 
 not have an aim, a grand objective beyond 
 this — an objective that will command their 
 prayers, their support, and their service; an 
 objective that includes the capture of this 
 whole country, and the world for Christ? 
 
 26 
 
Si JFouttolti janbanct tor JForelgn 
 
 Rev. U. M. Roby. Barberton, Ohio 
 
 A brief survey of the scope and nature of 
 the work which the Society is obHged to do, 
 will make it clear that our Foreign Mission- 
 ary Society needs at once a fourfold advance 
 in gifts from the home Church, or an income 
 of two hundred thousand dollars annually. 
 
 The Society is responsible for the evangel- 
 ization of at least one million heathen souls in 
 the fields in which it is now at work, and one 
 million five hundred thousand more, terri- 
 torially belonging to us, because of the fact 
 that in West Africa, east of the field in which 
 we are operating, no other churches are at 
 work for more than eight hundred miles 
 throughout that whole region. These mil- 
 lions bring to our Church the Macedonian 
 cry for the bread of life. 
 
 A Wide Range of Work to be Done 
 
 In reference to the nature of the work, this 
 needs to be said : The Foreign Missionary So- 
 
 27 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 ciety does the work, so far as it is done in the 
 foreign fields, that several societies do in the 
 home land. That is, the Society must sup- 
 port its missionaries, and native workers in 
 large part; organize Sunday schools and 
 churches; build chapels, churches, schools, 
 and missionary residences, and maintain the 
 same until such time as the work shall become 
 in part or wholly self-supporting. In addi- 
 tion, academies and training-schools must be 
 erected and equipped for the training of native 
 workers ; printing-presses are needed, and 
 medical missionaries must be sent out, and 
 dispensaries and hospitals established, and 
 manual-training and industrial agencies main- 
 tained. 
 
 The magnitude of the tasks to be performed 
 in our foreign fields can be more fully appre- 
 ciated when we remember that the work has 
 to be carried forward against false religions, 
 gross ignorance and superstition, and in lands 
 where the climate is unhealthful, and where 
 new languages must be learned, and the whole 
 work must be done at a long distance from 
 the base of supplies. 
 
 The present is probably the most critical 
 period in the entire history of our foreign mis- 
 
 28 
 
A Fourfold Advance 
 
 sionary work. God has wonderfully blessed 
 the seed sown. As a Church we have now a 
 good number of the best type of trained mis- 
 sionaries on the field. A large number of effi- 
 cient ordained native ministers are being pre- 
 pared. The outlook is full of hope. This is 
 the moment of supreme opportunity for the 
 home churches to press the battle vigorously. 
 Just now the need for chapels, schools, and 
 other equipment is extremely great. A lay- 
 man who made a tour of the mission fields of 
 the world a few months ago, sent the follow- 
 ing burning message to the home church: 
 
 ''Cannot you say something, or do some- 
 thing, to make the church in America realize 
 that just now is the Christian opportunity of 
 centuries? The situation is extraordinary. 
 If the Christian church has any conception of 
 strategy, any appreciation of an opportunity, 
 any sense of relative values, she will act at 
 once; not next year, hut now." 
 
 The reports from those who have just re- 
 turned from our own foreign fields show that 
 we need this year one hundred thousand dol- 
 lars for school-buildings, chapels, churches, 
 and missionary residences, to say nothing of 
 the other departments of the work. The chal- 
 
 29 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 lenge for a fourfold advance is thus squarely 
 before every pastor and local church of our 
 denomination. 
 
 How Secure Two Hundred Thousand Dollars 
 Annually ? 
 
 We come now to consider one of the vital 
 problems of our denomination ; namely, How 
 is the annual income of two hundred thousand 
 dollars for the Foreign Missionary Society to 
 be secured? Logically, we ask, "Can it be 
 secured?" To answer this question a knowl- 
 edge of the financial resources and of the 
 spirit of our Church is necessary. We are 
 not a wealthy Church. We have few mil- 
 lionaires, but as a Church we have some 
 means at our command. We have many who 
 are comparatively well-to-do, and a very large 
 number of our people are wage-earners. 
 When all the members of the Church give as 
 they are able, in a regular, systematic way, 
 we do not hesitate to say that it is well within 
 our ability to meet this need. 
 
 Our splendid increase in offerings to for- 
 eign missions during the last few years, when 
 not more than half of our people made any 
 contribution at all, should be an inspiration 
 
 30 
 
A Fourfold Advance 
 
 to attempt at once this larger aim. In three 
 years' time the offerings have increased from 
 $24,400 to over $52,800 annually for the For- 
 eign Missionary Society. The total receipts 
 for foreign missions, including the offerings 
 from the Woman's Missionary Association 
 for the last Board year (ending April, 1908), 
 amounted to $91,856.32, an average of thirty- 
 four cents per member for the denomination. 
 While this is better than some of the other 
 churches have done, it is far below what the 
 most wide-awake, aggressive denominations 
 are doing for world-wide missions. The 
 Methodist Episcopal Church last year gave 
 $2,094,410 to foreign missions, an average of 
 sixty-eight cents per member; the United 
 Presbyterian Church gave $261,693, an aver- 
 age of $2.04 per member; the Baptist Church 
 North, $915,000, an average of sixty-one 
 cents per member ; and the Presbyterian 
 Church gave $1,347,000, an average of one 
 dollar per member. And every one of these 
 denominations is aiming at a large advance 
 for the coming year. 
 
 When we remember that an average of but 
 one dollar per member for our whole denom- 
 ination would give to the Foreign Missionary 
 
 31 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 Society its two hundred thousand dollars 
 annually, and in addition provide for a good 
 increase in the gifts of the Woman's Mission- 
 ary Association, who can doubt that this can 
 be done, and ought soon to become an accom- 
 plished fact? 
 
 The Spirit of Our Church Lends Encourage- 
 ment 
 
 I need scarcely speak of the spirit of our 
 Church in the matter of missions. The large 
 number of classes that are studying foreign 
 missions, and the recent arousing of the 
 strong forces too long dormant; the remark- 
 able awakening of the men of the Church; 
 the coming of the broader vision, and the 
 keeping step with world-wide movements, 
 should convince any one that the United 
 Brethren Church is missionary in spirit and 
 purpose. I believe in God; I believe in the 
 genius and spirit of our Church; I believe in 
 our people. We have the resources, we have 
 the spirit, we have seen why we ought to do 
 it, but as yet many of our pastors and local 
 leaders do not know hozv to do it, and herein 
 lies our weakness. Tell the pastors and people 
 of the United Brethren Church what they 
 ought to do, and why they should do it; 
 
 32 
 
A Fourfold Advance 
 
 bring them the larger demands, but bring 
 with these some system or plan which can be 
 worked intelligently and conscientiously, and I 
 do not hesitate to say that, within a few years, 
 we shall have an annual income of $200,000 
 and more for the Foreign Missionary Society. 
 
 An Interest-Creating Campaign Necessary 
 
 I do not wish to be misunderstood at this 
 point. A constantly-increasing emphasis must 
 be put on the educational and interest-creating 
 work of the Society in the home land. A 
 great interest must not only be aroused, but 
 maintained, if we are to reach our goal — an 
 interest so great as to grip every member, 
 from the cradle-roll of our Sunday schools to 
 the official boards of our congregations and 
 the governing bodies of our denomination — 
 an interest that will make the giving of the 
 gospel to CTery creature the supreme business 
 of every church. This interest can be created: 
 
 First, by the presiding elder and pastors in 
 each annual conference co-operating with the 
 Foreign INIissionary Committee and the gen- 
 eral secretaries in educational and inspira- 
 tional missionary institutes, thus bringing the 
 freshest information and best-approved meth- 
 
 33 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 ods into the very life of every pastor, who in 
 turn must bring the same to his people. Syste- 
 matic instruction in the Sunday school and 
 Young People's societies must be introduced 
 and developed more thoroughly, and foreign 
 mission study classes must be organized and 
 missionary literature placed within the reach 
 of all. All this is absolutely necessary and 
 imperative. 
 
 Second, this interest can be created by 
 placing before our people a definite aim. That 
 aim must not only be definite, but also large. 
 The people must know just what is expected, 
 and that which is expected must be sufficiently 
 large to be thought worthy of their considera- 
 tion. *Tf the prophet had bid thee do some 
 great thing, wouldst thou not have done it?" 
 We make a mistake when we fail to bring 
 before our people the challenge of the difficult. 
 A man's spirit rises up to do a man's work, 
 but it will sleep on if the attempt is made to 
 interest it in a child's undertaking or in child- 
 ish methods of doing things. There is some- 
 thing in the human spirit which causes it to 
 rise and do the seemingly impossible, when it 
 realizes that this is the proper thing to do. 
 
 We can have men of the United Brethren 
 
 34 
 
A Fourfold Advance 
 
 Church follow us as the old guard followed 
 Napoleon, if we set world tasks before them. 
 The members of the United Brethren Church 
 will flock to our standard as did the youth of 
 Italy to the standard of the great liberator, if 
 the appeal is to the heroic and to the spirit of 
 self-giving ; but it is useless to say to our peo- 
 ple, "There will be no Alps," and attempt to 
 thrill them in every fiber of their being by a 
 passionate appeal, and at the same time set 
 before them the insignificant goal of an aver- 
 age of fifty cents or twenty-five cents per 
 member, as their contribution toward the 
 accomplishment of the mightiest undertaking 
 of all the centuries. 
 
 A Definite System of Offerings 
 
 We come at last to a definite and compre- 
 hensive system of offerings. After the infor- 
 mation has been given, after the interest has 
 been created, there must still be a system of 
 offerings that will reach the largest number of 
 our people, and reach them in a way that will 
 insure the greatest possible increase. Steam 
 and enthusiasm will avail but little unless 
 there be a judiciously-placed and well-ballast- 
 ed track. 
 
 35 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 It is with no thought of criticising methods 
 which have had their legitimate place, that we 
 say that now we have too many co-ordinate 
 interests — too many solicitors with equal and 
 ofttime conflicting claims, and that as pas- 
 tors and people we are confused by too many 
 appeals. 
 
 Why not, in securing the benevolences for 
 our Church, include all the interests in two or 
 three logical, well-defined departments ; elim- 
 inating all artificial and overlapping divisions 
 and doing away with oft-repeated and hurried 
 canvasses which spoil what would be, with 
 proper cultivation, increasingly productive 
 territory? Such combination, followed by 
 clear and forceful presentation, and a careful 
 canvass for subscriptions that shall register 
 the weekly amount (according to I. Cor. 16: 
 2) that each man, woman, and child who is a 
 member of the Church is willing to give to 
 meet all the claims of the local church for the 
 year, will result in largely-increased offerings 
 for every department of the work. Such a 
 system is business-like and scriptural ; it will 
 appeal to the best Christian business men of 
 the community, and it will develop likewise, 
 
 36 
 
A Fourfold Advance 
 
 as no other system can, the spirit of worship- 
 ful giving. 
 
 If the carrying of the gospel to every crea- 
 ture is of pressing and supreme importance, 
 is it not high time to introduce a method of 
 giving that will bring up every essential 
 department of the Church, and at the same 
 time be adaquate to meet the needs of world- 
 wide missions? 
 
 We have dishonored the men, and over- 
 looked that which no amateur in politics or 
 statecraft would dare to ignore, by putting 
 too much emphasis upon our penny collections 
 and mite-boxes and the insignificant tasks we 
 have called them to. Many of our men can, 
 and will give from one hundred to five hun- 
 dred dollars annually to the cause of foreign 
 missions when they see its real significance. 
 Hundreds and thousands of others will be 
 glad to bring their fifty cents a week or one 
 dollar a week for this great work. If we 
 give our men men's work to do, we shall 
 not find them wanting. Two hundred thou- 
 sand dollars annually for the Foreign Mis- 
 sionary Society will do for a beginning. 
 
 37 
 
Rev. W. G. Clippinger 
 
 Professor in Union Biblical Setninary 
 
 Two questions at once arise when missions 
 in the Sunday school are suggested: First, 
 Should missions be taught in the Sunday- 
 school? Second, Can missions be taught in 
 the Sunday school? Logically, an answer to 
 the first question should imply and compre- 
 hend an answer to the second. 
 
 Before proceeding to a consideration of 
 these two topics, it will be well for us to have 
 a clear conception of what we mean by mis- 
 sions. Let it be understood in the beginning 
 that unless the broadest and most biblical 
 aspect of world-wide evangelization be ac- 
 cepted as a working basis, the effort will, in 
 both theory and practice, defeat its own end 
 and purpose. So when we speak of missions, 
 we do not mean so-called "foreign missions" or 
 "home missions." These terms may be neces- 
 sary for purposes of administrative distinc- 
 
 38 
 
opportunities of the Sunday School 
 
 tion, but the further removed from the mind 
 of the child, the better. 
 
 Let niissioiis — the gospel to the whole crea- 
 tion — be the ideal, but let us be sure that in 
 the interpretation and application of Jesus' 
 command we get the conception he intended 
 us to have regarding both the message and 
 the field of missions. 
 
 I. Should Missions be Taught in the Sunday- 
 School ? 
 
 1. ^Missions should be taught because in 
 the Sunday school the greatest number can be 
 reached. The gospel, which is the message, 
 is world-wide. Not only m its objective ap- 
 plication, but it is likewise world-wide sub- 
 jectively; that is, it is impossible that all 
 unbelievers know the gospel unless all be- 
 lievers know their need and know the fullest 
 significance of the gospel in its application to 
 the unsaved. In other words, the gospel can 
 never be made known to all the world until all 
 Christians themselves have the fullest concep- 
 tion of its message and of the need of the un- 
 saved. The Sunday school, therefore, is the 
 largest medium by which and through which 
 this end can be accomplished. There are in 
 most communities more persons in the Sun- 
 
 39 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 day school, and there oftener, than in any 
 other church organization or gathering. 
 
 By introducing missions into the Sunday 
 school, the ideal situation will be reached — 
 that of instruction and training for an entire 
 congregation. 
 
 2. Missions should be taught in the Sun- 
 day school because it represents ideally and, 
 in fact, the educational institution of the 
 church. It includes all classes, the church- 
 member and the non-church-member; the old 
 and the young; the high and the low in social 
 rank. The gospel will never be sent to every- 
 body until everybody is sending the gospel. 
 In the Sunday school, therefore, we discover 
 the quickest and surest means of reaching this 
 ideal. Persons will never give to missions, 
 or act for missions, until they know about 
 missions. 
 
 Some have urged that the Sunday school is 
 a Bible school, and that only Bible truth 
 should be taught ; but the Bible is the greatest 
 book in the world on the history and progress 
 of missions. Missions is the Bible in action. 
 
 Missions should, therefore, be taught, first, 
 for the sake of the child himself — for his per- 
 sonal development ; second, for the sake of the 
 
 40 
 
opportunities of the Sunday School 
 
 world — those upon whom he may exert an in- 
 fluence. This involves, then, the two essen- 
 tial elements of ideal development — character, 
 and character for service. It is a most happy 
 and striking coincidence that, simultaneous 
 with the new pedagogical emphasis upon the 
 vital and practical in all education, there 
 comes this demand for the study and practice 
 of missions. In fact, it is almost certain that 
 this call for a study of missions in the Sunday 
 school is only one of the practical results of 
 the application of modern psychology. 
 
 President Goucher very wisely observes: 
 "Sunday-school education should secure three 
 things in particular — the conversion of the 
 scholar, the development of his Christian 
 character, and his efficient personal co-opera- 
 tion with the church in world-evangelization." 
 
 3. Missions should be taught in the Sun- 
 day school because here we have the most 
 impressionable ages. One of the greatest 
 pedagogical blunders and moral crimes the 
 church has been guilty of in all its missionary 
 effort, is its neglect of missionary instruction 
 to and for the young. It is only within the 
 last seven years that our Young People's so- 
 cieties have been doing systematic and orderly 
 
 41 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 missionary work, and here, as stated before, 
 few of the youngest children and only about 
 one-fifth of the number in the Sunday schools 
 are reached. While we need to interest adults 
 in missions for what new enthusiasm we may 
 awaken, it is high time we are learning that 
 the period in which to begin to create mis- 
 sionary spirit and to make missionaries, is in 
 the primary and intermediate departments of 
 our schools. Who can measure the worth 
 and weight of an impression made upon a 
 child at the tender, sensitive age of six? Who 
 will ever know the positive decisions to enter 
 upon a life of Christian service made by boys 
 and girls of sixteen to eighteen years, under 
 the wise counsel and guidance of a teacher 
 who is in turn under the powerful influence of 
 an intense missionary spirit ? In these times of 
 spiritual drought, when the army of God is 
 calling for recruits for the Christian ministry, 
 when our missionary societies, the Christian 
 associations, and other benevolent organiza- 
 tions are seeking for workers, why should we 
 not turn to our Sunday schools for the enlist- 
 ing of boys and girls who in a few years will 
 be ready to fill up the ranks of these various 
 professions? 
 
 42 
 
opportunities of the Sunday School 
 
 II. Can Missions be Taught in the Sunday- 
 School ? 
 
 If missions should be taught, then, under 
 God's guidance, it can be taught. 
 
 1. Objections, and How to Over come 
 Them. Difficuhies arise in every school, 
 which must first be overcome. Lack of time 
 and facilities, an indifference and lack of 
 preparation on the part of teachers and offi- 
 cers, a well-meant but ill-founded prejudice 
 against introducing anything but Bible study 
 into the Sunday school — all must be met and 
 overcome before the work can be successfully 
 carried on. 
 
 The time for it must be determined by each 
 school. Supplemental missionary lessons may 
 be taught once a month, or once a Sunday in 
 connection with missionary talks and prayers, 
 which should never be counted out of place in 
 any Sunday-school session. The teacher's 
 preparation should, in some form or another, 
 include instruction in missions. This may be 
 done either in the regular teachers' meeting 
 or by means of missionary literature wisely 
 distributed, or perhaps, best of all, through 
 the mission study classes organized under the 
 auspices of the Sunday school or Young Peo- 
 
 43 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 pie's society. We need not be alarmed at the 
 thought of supplementing the Bible with ex- 
 traneous material. The Bible itself is a mis- 
 sionary book, and anything which promotes 
 Bible instruction or throws light on its mean- 
 ing must be welcomed in our schools, 
 
 2. Missionary Materials. The materials 
 for missionary lessons and instruction are 
 rapidly assuming larger proportions. An in- 
 telligent missionary committee should be able 
 to select appropriate material from the vast 
 stores of literature now being produced. 
 
 One school (Summit Street United Breth- 
 ren, in Dayton, Ohio) uses material prepared 
 by the superintendent, once a month, consist- 
 ing of questions, suggestions, and references 
 to literature on the subject. This is prepared 
 and handed to the teachers one week in 
 advance, so that they may assign work to the 
 scholars for discussion on Missionary Day. 
 This material is usually based upon the 
 Young People's missionary topic for the 
 month, though other topics are sometimes 
 assigned. 
 
 3. Grading. Whatever be the method or 
 material, one thing should be consistently 
 observed, if possible — the lessons should be 
 
 44 
 
opportunities of the Sunday School 
 
 so graded as to fit the varying ages and con- 
 ditions of the scholars. Much time and energy 
 may be lost by trying to present material not 
 thus adapted. 
 
 Grade 1. In brief, missionary curios, 
 object lessons and illustrations may be used 
 for the primary grades. 
 
 Grade 2. Missionary biography, including 
 books like "Uganda's White Man of Work," 
 tales of adventures and heroism, stories of 
 real life among the natives, and similar mate- 
 rial, appeal to Intermediates. 
 
 Grade 3. Problems of missions, compara- 
 tive religion, principles and practices of the 
 natives in their worship and belief, should be 
 the material for adult grades. 
 
 4. Methods. As a brief summary of the 
 various ways in which this work may be car- 
 ried on in connection with the school, I make 
 the following suggestions as to time, place, 
 and methods. One or more of five plans of 
 instruction may be pursued: 
 
 (1) Supplemental material taught once a 
 month before or after the regular lesson, and 
 an entire missionary program carried out. 
 
 (2) An entire missionary lesson once a 
 quarter, with a complete program. 
 
 45 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 (3) Missionary interpretation and illustra- 
 tion with every Sunday-school lesson. 
 
 (4) Talks by the superintendent or others 
 at stated times on the subject of missions, 
 with missionary program. 
 
 (5) Special short-term classes taught either 
 in or out of the school. 
 
 5. Giving. Missionary instruction in the 
 Sunday school must be accompanied by giving 
 to missions. Although the primary aim of 
 missionary education is not to secure the chil- 
 dren's money, yet there must be an outlet for 
 the interest created. To arouse the child's 
 sympathy for others in need of the gospel, 
 and then not let him manifest that sympathy 
 in some tangible way, would not only be use- 
 less but harmful to his character. We are to 
 be "doers of the Word and not hearers only." 
 
 In every Sunday school provision should be 
 made to inculcate in the scholars the sense of 
 stewardship. The child must early learn that 
 what he calls his own is not absolutely his, 
 but that he simply holds it in trust. As a 
 steward, he must give an account for its 
 proper use. The failure to appreciate this 
 fact is the cause of much selfishness in the 
 church. It is also the reason why our mis- 
 
 4t; 
 
Opportunities of the Sunday School 
 
 sionary treasuries lack funds and the progress 
 of the kingdom of God is greatly delayed. 
 
 The missionary committee of the Sunday 
 school, together with the pastor, should plan 
 for systematic and proportionate giving to 
 missions. Some schools take a missionary 
 offering once a quarter. Many schools devote 
 the offering of one Sunday a month to mis- 
 sions; others give two offerings a month for 
 that purpose, while still others provide a plan 
 by which the scholars may make a missionary 
 offering every Sunday in addition to the regu- 
 lar school offering. 
 
 For a more extended study of missions in 
 the Sunday school, reference should be made 
 to the splendid book, "A Alanual of IMission- 
 ary Methods for Sunday-School Workers," by 
 George H. Trull; also Miss Martha Hixson's 
 manual, "Alissions in the Sunday School," 
 and Dr. Joseph Clark's pamphlet, 'The Smoke 
 of a Thousand Villages." 
 
 47 
 
J. Edgar Knipp 
 
 Young PeopWs Sec'y, Foreign Missionary Society 
 
 The movement for the organization of mis- 
 sion study classes is international as well as 
 interdenominational in its scope. The cam- 
 paign was started by the Student Volunteer 
 Movement in 1894, when its educational de- 
 partment was organized. At first the study 
 of missions was confined chiefly to the col- 
 leges and theological seminaries. When, in 
 1902, the Young People's Missionary Move- 
 ment first began the publication of its text- 
 books, there was but little mission study in the 
 churches. 
 
 Since then, however, the growth has been 
 almost phenomenal. During the first year of 
 the movement's work, about 17,000 persons 
 were enrolled in mission study classes ; the 
 second year, approximately 22,000; the third 
 year, about 50,000; the fourth year, a little 
 over 61,000; the fifth year, nearly 100,000; 
 
 48 
 
The Mission Study Class 
 
 and during the year 1907-08 there was a re- 
 markable increase to 175,000 persons enrolled 
 in mission study classes in the churches. 
 
 This wonderful movement along mission- 
 study lines in America soon attracted atten- 
 tion in other countries. The text-books of the 
 Young People's Missionary Movement are 
 now being used by Non-Conformist and Es- 
 tablished Churches in England, by the United 
 Free Churches of Scotland, and by mission 
 study classes in New Zealand, AustraHa, 
 South Africa, India, China, and Japan. 
 
 The question may well be asked, Why has 
 this movement spread in such a remarkable 
 way? Why has the mission study idea met 
 with such universal approval and response on 
 the part of people in the local churches, and 
 why do twenty-one mission boards in Amer- 
 ica each employ one or more secretaries to 
 give a large part of their time to the promo- 
 tion of the mission study campaign? 
 
 Some Fundamental Reasons 
 
 1. The mission study class affords the best 
 means of inspiring our people with God's 
 wonder-working in the world to-day. To take 
 up for eight consecutive weeks the study of a 
 
 49 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 great country like China, and to learn about 
 its people, their customs and their religions; 
 to understand the conditions existing in 1807, 
 when Robert Morrison began his work, and 
 at present, when there are nearly 200,000 
 Protestant Christians ; to see some typical 
 missionaries at work preaching the gospel, 
 healing the sick, translating the Scriptures, 
 educating the young, and training the native 
 workers; to investigate the problems that 
 must be solved in the evangelization of a 
 country containing a population equal to that 
 of North America, South America, Africa, 
 Australia, Great Britain, France, and Spain; 
 to see how the gospel of Jesus Christ is trans- 
 forming the lives of the individual ''heathen 
 Chinee," and at the same time is giving the 
 whole country a new idea of God and an en- 
 tirely new idea of man — all this produces a 
 deep and lasting impression of the fact that 
 God lives to-day and is working mightily. 
 
 It is true that information concerning 
 Christian work abroad may be imparted 
 through missionary meetings, through the 
 preaching of sermons, through the distribu- 
 tion of tracts and the circulation of books. 
 These methods each have their proper place; 
 
 50 
 
The Mission Study Class 
 
 but to study a subject for one's self, then to 
 meet with ten or twelve others and discuss it, 
 means much more than when one simply 
 listens to another or reads alone. By contin- 
 uing the study and discussion for eight or 
 nine weeks, by reviewing the most important 
 points, by talking over things not clearly 
 understood, by comparing impressions of the 
 facts presented in the text-book, and by sup- 
 plementing those facts with material from 
 outside sources, each member of the class 
 finishes the course a much wiser Christian, 
 and one whose heart has been inspired with 
 new faith in God and with new love for man- 
 kind and for the living and working Christ 
 who died to save all. 
 
 2. Through the study of missions an in- 
 telligent, enthusiastic^ abiding interest in the 
 evangelisation of the world is developed. 
 Knowledge must precede interest. One natu- 
 rally will not devote much time, thought, or 
 money to a cause of which he knows little or 
 nothing. Most of the indifference and preju- 
 dice towards the work of foreign missions is 
 the result of ignorance. The majority of 
 Christians do not know the needs of the 
 heathen world, the vast extent of the lands 
 
 51 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 to be evangelized, the wonderful changes 
 wrought by the gospel of Christ among even 
 the most degraded people. Therefore, the 
 greatest enterprise in the world — that of 
 establishing the kingdom of God throughout 
 the earth — lacks adequate support. 
 
 Before William Carey went to India as a 
 missionary, his motto was : *'My business is 
 to preach the gospel. I cobble shoes to pay 
 expenses." His burning enthusiasm for the 
 coming of the kingdom in all the earth was 
 based upon definite knowledge of the needs. 
 Through Cook's account of his travels in the 
 East he had learned the real conditions, and 
 notwithstanding strong opposition on the part 
 of ministers, as well as laymen, he continued 
 to press the claims of the heathen world until 
 a missionary society was organized and he 
 himself was sent out as one of its first repre- 
 sentatives. 
 
 The time is here when every Christian must 
 be possessed by Carey's spirit. Whether we 
 go abroad or remain at home, the same burn- 
 ing zeal must continually fill our hearts. This 
 enthusiasm, to be permanent and abiding, 
 must be based upon definite knowledge; 
 otherwise it will be mere fanaticism, or it may 
 
 52 
 
The Mission Study Class 
 
 be "a. passing spasm of meaningless emotion." 
 Thus we see the absolute necessity of definite, 
 thorough knowledge concerning this work 
 and our relation to it. 
 
 That the mission study class produces such 
 enthusiastic interest has been proven again 
 and again. Persons who before gave one dol- 
 lar annually for missions have increased their 
 contributions to twenty and forty dollars per 
 year. Many others, as a result of their study, 
 have decided to give a tenth of their income. 
 Another direct result of mission study classes 
 is the many hundreds of young people who 
 have offered themselves to go as missionaries 
 to foreign fields. Besides increased giving 
 and a growing number of missionary candi- 
 dates, many persons who before were indif- 
 ferent are now using, as a result of their 
 study, the greatest missionary force God has 
 entrusted to his people — intercessory prayer. 
 Even though the educational campaign did 
 not secure a single missionary for the field, 
 and even though it did not result in increased 
 giving, which things are inconceivable, it 
 would none the less be indispensable as a 
 means of securing more intelligent prayer for 
 the world's evangelization. 
 
 53 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 3. Through the mission study class, mis- 
 sionary leaders may he provided for the local 
 church. The task of evangelizing the world 
 is a stupendous one. God is commanding not 
 individual men and women merely, he is com- 
 manding the whole church to undertake the 
 work. Our aim, therefore, must be to enlist 
 every member, old and young, in making 
 Jesus Christ known and loved throughout the 
 world. 
 
 The pastor cannot do this alone, however 
 good may be his plans. Without helpers he 
 will be like Moses — wearing himself out try- 
 ing to administer justice for the Israelites. 
 Just as he needed to appoint able men to assist 
 him, so in the local church there must be mis- 
 sionary leaders co-operating with the pastor 
 in each department. These persons must 
 have clear, deep convictions on the subject of 
 world-wide missions, they must be prepared 
 to advocate the cause, they must be ready to 
 lead mission study classes and to interest 
 others in every possible way. To this end 
 there should be an efficient mission study class 
 especially for them. No other thing will help 
 the pastor more in carrying out a large and 
 growing missionary policy. 
 
 54 
 
The Mission Study Class 
 
 In his article on "The Missionary Oppor- 
 tunity of the Sunday School," Professor Clip- 
 pinger clearly shows the absolute necessity for 
 introducing missionary instruction in that 
 department. One of the greatest difficulties 
 in the way of doing this, however, is the lack 
 of knowledge and enthusiasm on the part of 
 the teachers. "It is impossible to transmit any 
 heat through non-conductors." The Sunday- 
 school teachers are the real key to the situa- 
 tion. If the teachers are full of missionary 
 spirit, the regular lessons will offer abundant 
 opportunity for effective work. 
 
 A similar difficulty is met with in the 
 Junior and Young People's societies. Unless 
 their leaders have caught the world vision 
 and know what mission work really is, they 
 are not able to make the monthly missionary 
 meetings interesting or attractive. 
 
 The idea is growing that every member of 
 every church in Christendom ought to know 
 not only why he is a member of the church of 
 Jesus Christ at all, but what he is called upon 
 to do for the salvation of the whole world. 
 To accomplish this result and to raise up the 
 needed leaders, the mission study class is an 
 indispensable agency. 
 
 55 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 In organizing the first class in a church, the 
 aim should be to enroll persons who are in a 
 position to influence its missionary life and 
 activity. Secure as members the Sunday- 
 school teachers, the Junior and Sunday-school 
 superintendents, the members of the mission- 
 ary committee and of the official board. In a 
 sense let it be a class of leaders and workers, 
 although its membership need not be limited 
 exclusively to such persons. If Christ spent 
 a large part of his three years' public ministry 
 in training the twelve apostles, can the busy 
 pastor do better than give much time and 
 thought to the training of those through 
 whom his whole congregation will get a vision 
 of the world's needs and fall into line with 
 Christ's world plan? The results produced by 
 such training will well repay for all the time 
 and effort devoted to that purpose. 
 
 56 
 
^^t Conterence jforeiffn ^i00ionatv 
 Committee an &0mtial Hinfe 
 
 Rev. S. F. Daugherty, A.M., Westerville, Ohio 
 
 The Conference Foreign Missionary Com- 
 mittee holds a unique place in making effec- 
 tive the organization of our whole Church for 
 world-wide missions. It serves as a connect- 
 ing link between the General Society and the 
 pastor or missionary committee in the local 
 church. Until our last General Conference, 
 when the home and foreign missionary work 
 was separated, and each was made a distinct 
 department, we were without such a commit- 
 tee. It is, therefore, a comparatively new 
 piece of Church machinery, and many of us 
 have not yet clearly apprehended what its 
 functions are. 
 
 In Article 12, page 111 of our Church Dis- 
 cipline, we have this statement with reference 
 to the organization and object of this com- 
 mittee : 
 
 "Each annual conference shall organize a 
 branch society auxiliary to the Foreign Mis- 
 
 67 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 sionary Society, consisting of three members, 
 naming one as its secretary who shall assist 
 the General Secretary in developing interest 
 in foreign missions, and securing gifts for the 
 Society." 
 
 Here, in a general way, is outlined the work 
 of this committee. The field for its activity 
 includes the pastors, and all of the members 
 of the local churches in a conference. What 
 a glorious opportunity, and how inspiring the 
 work in which this committee is to be en- 
 gaged ! 
 
 From the foregoing it will be seen that the 
 committee is to be a helper and worker to- 
 gether with the General Board, and with the 
 pastors of the local churches, for the promo- 
 tion of foreign missions, the supreme aim of 
 which is the conquest of the world for Christ. 
 
 This is Work for Every Member 
 
 Down through the centuries comes ringing 
 the command of our risen Lord, "Go ye into 
 all the world and preach the gospel to the 
 whole creation." It is a message from the 
 King Eternal, and it covers every man, 
 woman, and child beneath the scepter of the 
 Son of God. 
 
The Conference Committee 
 
 General Sherman said that the commanders 
 of the Army of the Potomac failed because 
 they did not get into action more than three- 
 fourths of their men, and that the com- 
 manders of the western armies succeeded be- 
 cause they got into action nine-tenths, and, in 
 some cases, all of their soldiers. 
 
 How can the church of God expect to con- 
 quer the world when only about one-third of 
 its members are thoroughly alive to the work 
 of foreign missions? 
 
 At the battle of Waterloo, in a critical mo- 
 ment when victory and defeat rested in the 
 balance, the Duke of Wellington sent this 
 command, "Advance all along the line," and 
 because that order was promptly obeyed, the 
 victory was won. When the church of the 
 living God shall advance, as one man, all 
 along the line, victory is assured in the great 
 conflict of conquering the world for Christ. 
 
 "The Son of God goes forth to war, 
 A kingly crown to gain ; 
 His blood-red banner streams afar, 
 Who follows in his train?" 
 
 So far as our Church, our division of the 
 army of Christ is concerned, we shall not 
 
 59 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 rest satisfied until every man, woman, and 
 child is enlisted in this war. Shall we? 
 
 The Conference Foreign Missionary Com- 
 mittee will become a vital factor in propor- 
 tion as it succeeds in enlisting every pastor, 
 and through him every member of each local 
 church, in hearty co-operation in this work. 
 Only when this is accomplished will the entire 
 organization of our Church be effective in the 
 conflict. 
 
 Why Promote Foreign Missions? 
 
 But why should the whole Church be en- 
 gaged in conquering the whole world for 
 Christ? To many this would seem a super- 
 fluous question. But when we recall that 
 there are yet some ministers and laymen who 
 do not have the world-vision, and conse- 
 quently are indifferent, and in some instances 
 antagonistic to the foreign missionary enter- 
 prise, you will at least permit the question, 
 and will be patient while I recount a number 
 of reasons for promoting this work: 
 
 1. Because Christ authorized and com- 
 manded it. He said : "All authority hath been 
 given unto me. . . . Go ye, therefore, and 
 make disciples of all the nations." "As thou 
 
 GO 
 
The Conference Committee 
 
 hast sent me into the world, so also have I 
 sent them into the world." This, in itself, 
 should be a sufficient reason. 
 
 2. There are eight hundred million human 
 beings now without the light of the gospel, 
 who have as good a right to the best there is 
 in life as we have. They are perishing with- 
 out the Bread of Life. And the church of 
 Christ is his only agent in supplying them 
 with his gospel. 
 
 3. Our prosperity at home depends upon 
 it. The life and power of the church at home 
 depends upon its loyalty to the world-wide 
 purpose of the mission of Jesus Christ. Jacob 
 Riis, who has done such splendid home-mis- 
 sion work in Greater New York City, de- 
 clares : 'T have learned what others learned 
 before me, that for every dollar you give 
 away to convert the heathen abroad, God 
 gives you ten dollars' worth of purpose to 
 deal with your heathen at home." 
 
 Organization Necessary 
 
 It will be readily seen that if the matter of 
 foreign missions is to be realized in the best 
 and quickest way, with the least expenditure 
 of time, effort, and money, that organization 
 
 61 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 is necessary. Marion Lawrance says : **Or- 
 ganization is system; the lack of it is confu- 
 sion. The difference between a mob and a 
 trained army is simply organization." 
 
 The Foreign Missionary Society's recog- 
 nized agencies for bringing about this result 
 are: 
 
 1. The General Board and Executive 
 Committee, headed by the General and Edu- 
 cational Secretaries who are our specialists 
 in this work. 
 
 2. The Conference Committee. 
 
 3. The pastor and the committee in the 
 local church. 
 
 Each of these agencies has its part to per- 
 form in making effective the organization of 
 our whole Church. The General Board plans 
 the campaign, selects the fields, appoints the 
 missionaries, supplies the equipment and 
 agencies on the foreign fields, reports to the 
 home churches the needs of the work, and en- 
 deavors to enlist all in supplying these needs ; 
 sends out helpful tracts and other literature, 
 and has the general direction of the adminis- 
 trative work. The pastor and local committee 
 in each church hold the key, very largely, to 
 the situation. If the pastor is a missionary 
 
 62 
 
The Conference Committee 
 
 man he will soon develop a good local com- 
 mittee, and his church will become, ere long, 
 a missionary force. Between the pastor and 
 his local committee and the General Board 
 stands the conference committee, which shares 
 in the responsibility of carrying on the work. 
 There is much that this committee can, and 
 ought to do, if it is alive to its opportunity. 
 
 In effecting the organization of the commit- 
 tee, great care should be exercised by the 
 conference in selecting persons having the 
 following qualifications : ( 1 ) They should 
 have an active interest in foreign missions. 
 (2) They should be students of missions. The 
 importance of this cannot be over-emphasized. 
 If practicable, there should be lay representa- 
 tion. (3) They should be broad-minded, 
 large-hearted, liberal-handed Christians — men 
 of statesmanlike qualities, able to take in a 
 situation and wrestle with it to a finish. 
 
 Preparation for Their Work 
 
 In order to successfully grapple with their 
 great work, it is very important that the mem- 
 bers of this committee secure special prepara- 
 tion. Among the numerous ways by which 
 
 63 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 this may be obtained, I mention the follow- 
 ing: 
 
 1. Attendance at one of the summer mis- 
 sionary conferences. 
 
 2. A thorough study of the new books, 
 "The Why and How of Foreign Missions," 
 "Our Own Foreign Missionary Enterprise," 
 and especially all the chapters of the book in 
 which this article is found. 
 
 3. Studying the aims and methods of local 
 churches that have succeeded in our own and 
 in other denominations. 
 
 4. Studying the conditions in your own 
 conference, the difficulties and the encour- 
 aging features. 
 
 5. By reading widely missionary biography 
 and the best of the new books that are appear- 
 ing on missions, as well as the current mis- 
 sionary literature of our own denomination. 
 
 6. Above all, by studying the resurrection 
 messages of Jesus Christ, and through ear- 
 nest, believing prayer. 
 
 Some Things the Committee Should Do 
 
 1. Each member of the committee should 
 seek to make his own church a missionary 
 power. A church has made a good beginning 
 
 64 
 
The Conference Committee 
 
 when its members, through the study of the 
 Bible, prayer, and the study of missions, have 
 become thoroughly imbued with a passion to 
 carry the gospel to others. The awakening of 
 such an impulse is not an end, but the first 
 firm step toward the desired goal. A mission- 
 ary impression must be followed by an ade- 
 quate expression. The awakened interest 
 must be crystallized into definite purposes, 
 and expressed in habits of action, gifts, and 
 prayer, or it is useless. Example is what 
 tells, and the members of the committee 
 should see to it that their church sets a good 
 example. 
 
 2. The committee should aim to have 
 every charge in the conference receive the 
 help that comes from a systematic study of 
 missions. It is not an unreasonable aim to 
 say that every local church should have the 
 inspiration and broadening outlook that will 
 come from the study of the new book, "Our 
 Foreign Missionary Enterprise," this year. 
 The committee should secure the co-operation 
 of every pastor, with a view to carrying out 
 this aim. 
 
 3. The promotion of Christian steward- 
 ship will be an important phase of the work 
 
 65 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 of the committee. Pastors should be induced 
 to preach on this subject and circulate the 
 excellent tracts now available. The commit- 
 tee should also seek to encourage the intro- 
 duction of a weekly, or at least monthly sys- 
 tem of offerings for the benevolences of the 
 Church, as well as for the local expenses. 
 This is a work of great importance just nozv. 
 
 4. The committee should keep before the 
 pastors of the conference the aims and plans 
 of the General Board, and by districting the 
 conference each member of the committee 
 might assist the pastors in a certain district 
 to hold local missionary rallies, ajtd to carry 
 out successfully well-laid plans. Doubtless 
 the committee cannot do a better thing than 
 to plan thoroughly for missionary institutes 
 that shall enlist the pastors and the laymen of 
 the entire conference. 
 
 Before preparing this article, I wrote to a 
 number of committee secretaries, asking them 
 to give me the plans and methods used in 
 their conference. Here are some of the re- 
 plies : 
 
 ( 1 ) A personal letter to all the pastors and 
 many leading laymen, defining our aims and 
 
The Conference Committee 
 
 purposes at the beginning of the year, has 
 been found very helpful. 
 
 (2) The use of the columns of the confer- 
 ence paper has been an important factor in 
 promoting foreign missions. 
 
 (3) The visit of many churches by the sec- 
 retary of the committee. 
 
 (4) Arranging tours for a returned mis- 
 sionary and the General Secretary. 
 
 (5) Making prominent the subject of mis- 
 sions on the conference and convention pro- 
 grams. 
 
 The universal testimony of all who have 
 tried the institute plan is that this is one of 
 the most important and effective means for 
 promoting our zvork. 
 
 The presiding elder, or conference superin- 
 tendent, is an ex-officio member of this com- 
 mittee, and he is in a position to promote this 
 interest as no other man in the conference. 
 With the hearty co-operation of the presiding 
 elder, pastors, and the committees on mis- 
 sions in the local churches, every foreign mis- 
 sionary committee can do a work of vast im- 
 portance for the extension of the kingdom of 
 God. 
 
 67 
 
jan (^ttititnt 9^i00ionatv Commitoe 
 in tit Eocal Cfiurcj) 
 
 Rev. L. Walter Lutz, Dallastown, Pa. 
 
 The whole church in action in the conquest 
 of the whole world for Christ, and every mem- 
 ber obeying the Master's last command, is the 
 only worthy ideal for any local church. To 
 create a missionary atmosphere that will lead 
 the local church to the realization of this ideal, 
 large responsibility logically falls upon the 
 pastor. However, the pastor must not be the 
 only missionary enthusiast, but rather the 
 leader and director of the missionary interest 
 and activity of the congregation. 
 
 A live general missionary committee is of 
 supreme importance in every congregation. 
 Provision for such a committee is made in our 
 Church Discipline, as follows : ''A missionary 
 committee may be organized in any local 
 church to interest and enlist the entire mem- 
 bership of the local church in the work of 
 both home and foreign missions, and to devise 
 such methods and measures as shall develop 
 the church into a strong missionary agency." 
 
 68 
 
The Local Church Committee 
 
 A Significant Committee 
 
 This committee is the council of war in the 
 local church for the extension of the kingdom. 
 The necessity for such a committee is very 
 apparent when we consider the vast amount 
 of work that is to be done in every congrega- 
 tion to awaken, instruct, train, and put to 
 service every Christian for the largest exten- 
 sion of the kingdom of our Lord. 
 
 Well has it been said, "The greatest prob- 
 lem which confronts us to-day is that of dis- 
 tributing the missionary responsibility which 
 has become congested in official centers." It 
 is the business of this committee in each local 
 church to lift up and set forth, in unmistakable 
 clearness and power, the great commission of 
 our Lord Jesus as the all-authoritative and 
 not obsolete marching orders for all God's 
 people. Every local church and every indi- 
 vidual believer in it should stand for the 
 immediate carrying out of these orders. The 
 church is not a hospital, but an army equipped 
 for world-wide conquest; not a field, but a 
 force; and the only thing that will save our 
 young men and young women from the en- 
 croachments of this materialistic age is to give 
 them the greater joy and enthusiasm of having 
 
 G9 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 a large share in the work of first importance — 
 the preaching of the gospel to every creature. 
 Speaking of the importance of such a com- 
 mittee, Mr. John R. Mott writes: "It is de- 
 sirable and necessary that there should be a 
 church missionary committee to insure unity, 
 harmony, and efficiency in conducting a varied 
 and extensive educational campaign. Let the 
 pastor regard this group of workers as his 
 missionary staff, and by most intimate asso- 
 ciation with them in all their plans and activ- 
 ities, seek to communicate to them his own 
 vision and spirit, as well as his deepest con- 
 victions as to how the church may be made a 
 mighty factor in the conquest of the world for 
 Jesus Christ." 
 
 Membership of the Committee 
 
 Only those who are at heart interested in 
 the work, and who command the respect and 
 confidence of others, who are energetic, re- 
 sourceful, tactful, persevering, and, above all, 
 prayerful, should be appointed on this impor- 
 tant committee. The committee should be 
 composed of from five to seven or nine per- 
 sons, who represent, if possible, all the depart- 
 ments of the church's activities, such as the 
 
 70 
 
The Local Church Committee 
 
 Sunday school, the Young People's Society, 
 the Junior Society, the Woman's Missionary 
 Association, and, in addition, the leader of the 
 mission study class work, the missionary 
 superintendent in the Sunday school, a live 
 class leader, and the person who should super- 
 intend the system of benevolences for the 
 church, the pastor being chairman of this 
 committee. 
 
 The Work to be Done 
 
 1. The committee itself must he instructed 
 and trained. The members of this committee 
 stand between the pastor and the membership 
 at large, and each one is to become a specialist 
 in co-operating with the pastor to awaken and 
 develop the missionary life of some depart- 
 ment of the church. The members of the 
 committee, therefore, must themselves study 
 thoroughly the great work of missions, must 
 know the world's needs, and the best methods 
 by which their own church may supply those 
 needs. 
 
 The persons on this committee must be able, 
 also, to communicate their enthusiasm to 
 others and set others to work likewise. Not 
 all the members will be recognized as trained 
 
 71 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 leaders at the beginning. The best persons 
 available should be chosen, and if there is a 
 willing mind and heart, their growth and 
 efficiency will manifest themselves to all as the 
 months go by. 
 
 2. This committee should conduct a great 
 missionary educational campaign for the en- 
 tire church. In some local churches not one 
 member in five has ever read through one 
 missionary book. Is it any wonder that such 
 persons are not interested, and that some of 
 them are even prejudiced against this work? 
 We cannot reap without sowing; we cannot 
 be interested without knowing. 
 
 One of the greatest needs of the Christian 
 church is that more intensive work be done in 
 behalf of those who are professed Christians. 
 They need instruction in the Word of God 
 and in the great work God is now doing in all 
 parts of the world. We suggest three ways 
 by which the committee may help forward 
 this educational campaign : 
 
 (a) By planning to organize and conduct 
 from one to five or more mission study classes 
 each year, enrolling, as far as possible, the 
 entire membership of the local church in the 
 study of the splendid missionary books now 
 
 72 
 
The Local Church Committee 
 
 available. Wonderful faith and enthusiasm 
 can be developed in any local church if this 
 mission study work be conducted in a thor- 
 ough and persevering manner. 
 
 (b) In addition to this general mission 
 study v^^ork, the committee should encourage 
 the study of missions in the Sunday school 
 and in the Junior and Young People's Society. 
 Such books as "A Manual of Missionary 
 Methods for Sunday-School Workers," by 
 Mr. George H. Trull, published by the Sun- 
 day-School Times Company, Philadelphia, 
 Pa., should be in the hands of every member 
 of this committee, and be studied especially 
 by the teachers of the Sunday school and 
 Junior v^orkers. 
 
 Missionary biographies, telling the story of 
 the life and work of both home and foreign 
 missionaries that are of thrilling interest, 
 should be placed in every Sunday-school 
 library ; likewise such series of books as "The 
 Juvenile Missionary Library," so that all the 
 members of the church and Sunday school can 
 have their faith increased and their spiritual 
 life quickened by the study of these books, 
 without much outlay of money. 
 
 (c) It will be an excellent thing to plan 
 
 73 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 well for an occasional missionary exercise for 
 the entire congregation. Let the whole pro- 
 gram be well thought out and arranged for in 
 such a thorough way as to make a profound 
 impression upon all who witness it. Much 
 prayer should be offered for, and during such 
 a meeting. The entire exercise should be con- 
 ducted in the spirit of Christian missions. 
 The service should be opened promptly and 
 carried forward with much enthusiasm. It 
 would be an excellent thing for a mission 
 study class to conclude its work by reporting 
 the results of its study at such a public 
 gathering. 
 
 In addition to what has been here men- 
 tioned, the committee should see to it that the 
 missionary magazines and church papers are 
 well circulated in the congregation, and that 
 the excellent tracts and booklets that are being 
 published on these live topics are well circu- 
 lated and read by the membership at large. 
 
 Returned missionaries should be secured to 
 address the congregation whenever possible, 
 and the pastor should be encouraged not only 
 to preach an occasional missionary sermon, 
 but to show forth the spirit of missions in 
 every sermon, and illustrate frequently his 
 
 74 
 
The Local Church Committee 
 
 discourses with the story of what Christ is 
 now doing in all parts of the world. Every 
 church that carries forward such a campaign 
 of missionary education through a series of 
 years with increasing faith and efficiency will 
 become a live missionary agency and a great 
 power for God. 
 
 3. The general missionary committee, in 
 counsel with the pastor, should determine the 
 church's budget for benevolences, including 
 home and foreign missions, and should assist 
 in working out a system of weekly, monthly, 
 or at least quarterly offerings to meet the 
 needs of this budget. This system of offer- 
 ings and the budget should be presented to 
 the congregation for the approval and co- 
 operation of all the members. 
 
 The committee, having studied the needs of 
 the fields and the methods to be introduced, 
 can do much to clear the atmosphere of the 
 local church for the complete co-operation of 
 every member to reach the largest possible 
 aims in the extension of the kingdom. One 
 member of the committee might be charged 
 with the special responsibility of Christian 
 stewardship. Tracts and booklets on this im- 
 portant subject should be circulated and 
 
 75 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 studied, and sermons should be preached on 
 the Bible standard of giving. 
 
 4, The committee as a whole should he a 
 hand of earnest intercessors with God in he- 
 half of missions; and not only so, but should 
 seek to introduce in the church a missionary 
 prayer-meeting once a month. Each family 
 of the congregation should be led to see the 
 privilege of daily, fervent prayer in behalf of 
 not only their own pastor and the local 
 church, but also in behalf of our home and 
 foreign missionaries, and the native pastors 
 and Christians in our foreign fields. Like- 
 wise, definite prayer should be made for God's 
 guidance and blessing to be upon the general 
 secretaries, and the executive committees and 
 directors of our missionary societies. 
 
 All that has been mentioned here is but sug- 
 gestive of the variety and importance of the 
 work of this committee. Every wise pastor 
 will find it to be of immense advantage to 
 have a band of coworkers similar to that here 
 indicated. One pastor who has had wide expe- 
 rience says: "A committee of this kind un- 
 consciously develops the idea in a church that 
 missions are not merely a side issue, but the 
 fundamental aim of the church." The testi- 
 
 7G 
 
The Local Church Committee 
 
 mony from other churches indicates that 
 where this plan is thoroughly worked, the 
 offerings to missions have increased several 
 hundred per cent., and the gifts to the local 
 work have also increased. 
 
 Such a plan as is here suggested will lead 
 to the following results : 
 
 (1) A larger and more enthusiastic co- 
 operation of the whole congregation with the 
 pastor in all the work of the church. 
 
 (2) The realization by the local church of 
 its responsibility to assume and plan for the 
 work of missions, without being constantly 
 urged by the pastor to do so. Every local 
 church ought to be so instructed and trained 
 that it will take the initiative itself in planning 
 for the instruction of its members in missions, 
 and likewise in the securing of adequate offer- 
 ings for this work. In a local church where 
 this method has been in operation, when there 
 was a change of pastors, recently, the new 
 minister found that the congregation, during 
 the month's interval before he took up the 
 work, had carried forward the missionary and 
 other departments of the work of the church 
 just as usual, and they had in the treasury 
 
 77 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 seventy-seven dollars for missions to begin the 
 work of the new year. 
 
 Why should not every congregation in the 
 land be thus trained to go forward with all 
 the essential departments of the church work, 
 whether the pastor is on the ground or not? 
 Is it not high time for the laymen to awaken 
 to their rightful place and co-operate with the 
 pastor in organizing each local church as an 
 agency for the evangelization of the whole 
 world? In no other way can the membership 
 of our churches be brought into that enlarged, 
 healthy, vigorous life that is absolutely neces- 
 sary to keep them from being overcome with 
 the incoming tide of commercialism and 
 worldliness now everywhere recognized. 
 
 Shall not the laymen assume at once larger 
 responsibility for the development of our home 
 churches? Is not this the time for a great 
 advance all along the line, until the whole 
 church of Christ shall move forward as a 
 mighty phalanx to claim the kingdoms of this 
 world for the kingdom of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ? 
 
 78 
 
2Di0trict a ^orld JForce? 
 
 Rev. C. W. Kurtz 
 
 Presiding Elder, Miami Conference 
 
 The task set before the church of Christ is 
 to carry the gospel to all nations. All the 
 ends of the earth are included, and no one is 
 excluded. What Christ is to you and me in 
 all his love and power, and what he will be to 
 us in all his glory, that he desires to be, and 
 by the grace of God he is intended to be, to 
 every man. Jesus said, "All power is given 
 unto me in heaven and in earth ; go ye there- 
 fore and teach all nations." According to this 
 commission, the essential spirit of Christianity 
 is missionary. The whole Christian church, 
 with all its numerous branches and separate 
 organizations, constitutes a mighty army 
 which is gloriously pushing forward into the 
 enemy's country, and each individual Chris- 
 tian ought to be a living factor in this world 
 conflict for Christ. 
 
 How can the presiding elder make his dis- 
 trict a world force in waging this war against 
 
 79 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 sin, heathenism, idolatry, and superstition, and 
 bring the blessed news of salvation to all 
 men? What can he do to line up the churches 
 in his district so that they may have a larger 
 part and exert a more potent influence in the 
 world? The presiding elder, as superintend- 
 ent of a district or conference, stands in close 
 relation to all the allied interests of the 
 church. He has the opportunity of molding 
 opinion, creating sentiment, and leading the 
 district into larger life, broader vision, and in- 
 creased interest in all missionary work. 
 
 We are at present in a period of transition 
 as to the place and work of the presiding 
 elder, and are asking whether he is still to 
 consume his time in conducting all the quar- 
 terly meetings and communion services, and 
 doing many things, the reasons for which have 
 passed away, and which the pastor can do as 
 well himself; or whether he is to give himself 
 to the more vital interests of the conference 
 and Church at large and make his district a 
 greater power for advancing the kingdom of 
 God. Without question, the successful pre- 
 siding elder in the days just ahead must grasp 
 the essential forward movements in the 
 Church, and reveal to the pastors and local 
 
 80 
 
The District a World Force 
 
 congregations the part they may have in ex- 
 tending the kingdom of God in this day of 
 marvelous opportunities. 
 
 In our polity, the presiding elder is the 
 connecting link between the bishops and the 
 general boards on the one hand, and the pas- 
 tors and congregations on the other. He is 
 the only one who stands in direct touch with 
 the pastors and official members of our local 
 churches, and who has the opportunity, there- 
 fore, and the authority to execute plans and 
 policies for the development of our churches. 
 We are entering upon a new era in every 
 department of our denominational life, and 
 the wide-awake presiding elder will have no 
 small part to perform in the advance steps that 
 must soon be taken. 
 
 The presiding elder, therefore, should be a 
 close student of missions, and by pondering 
 the Word of God and the needs of the world 
 should gain a world-wide vision that will 
 bring to his own heart such a revelation of 
 responsibihty and such a baptism of the Spirit 
 of God as shall enable him to carry the inspir- 
 ing conceptions of God's purpose to save the 
 whole world to every charge on his district. 
 
 81 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 In Public Addresses 
 
 The presiding elder should know our 
 denominational work thoroughly, and be 
 acquainted with, and call attention to our 
 workers and our fields of operation. He 
 should inspire the whole Church by relating 
 the victories that have been won, and by call- 
 ing attention to the urgent needs for enlarge- 
 ment in our foreign fields. By his spirit and 
 attitude toward our missionary work he can 
 exert a world-wide influence. He can assist 
 in planning the work of the year, and can also 
 help to carry out the plans when once laid. 
 His aim should be the enlistment of every 
 member of the local church for the world- 
 wide extension of the kingdom. 
 
 He can keep the aims and plans of work 
 before the pastors and official members as he 
 meets them in the quarterly business sessions, 
 and also before the congregations by his pub- 
 lic addresses. It is his business to present 
 these aims, plans, and standards, and cause 
 every congregation to become a vital factor in 
 world-wide movements for God. The elder 
 should preach on Christian giving and help 
 the pastors to inaugurate a better financial 
 system, laying emphasis on God's claim on 
 
 82 
 
The District a World Force 
 
 men's lives and their possessions ; setting forth 
 the tithe as the minimum bibhcal standard, 
 and aim to secure definite advances from 
 year to year. 
 
 He can often give new inspiration by call- 
 ing attention to the successes of other 
 churches in carrying out similar aims, and 
 thus assist the congregations to ever-increas- 
 ing gifts for the extension of the work. 
 
 A live presiding elder will be interested in, 
 and work for a revival on every field of labor 
 and give special time to the weak fields, for 
 the development of the spiritual life of such 
 churches, and for the salvation of men who 
 will be added to the working force of the 
 churches. 
 
 In the Sunday Schools 
 
 The presiding elder will find a splendid 
 opportunity in the Sunday schools of his dis- 
 trict. He can get in sympathetic touch with 
 the superintendent of the school and impress 
 him with the importance of his office and 
 inspire him with a broader view of his work. 
 The presiding elder can also make inspira- 
 tional addresses to the Sunday school itself. 
 
 In the quarterly conference the presiding 
 
 83 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 elder can keep before the Sunday-school 
 superintendent and the other official members 
 of the church the requirement of a monthly 
 or quarterly offering for missions, and urge 
 special missionary programs on missionary 
 days. He can recommend books that are 
 specially adapted to Sunday-school workers, 
 and can suggest a series of missionary books 
 for the library of every school. 
 
 The vast army of wide-awake boys and 
 girls in our Sunday schools constitutes a 
 mighty force in the onward progress of the 
 Church, not only in the money they may give, 
 but also in furnishing the men and women 
 who are to be the heralds of the Cross at home 
 and abroad. Here we will find also our future 
 pastors, superintendents, and teachers for the 
 
 In the Young People's Societies 
 
 In the Young People's and Junior societies 
 the presiding elder will find another fruitful 
 field for cultivation for the extension of the 
 gospel. He can consult with the president of 
 the Young People's Society and the superin- 
 tendent of the Juniors, and encourage them to 
 organize mission study classes. 
 
 84 
 
The District a World Force 
 
 At the quarterly meetings he can question 
 the officials concerning the number of mission 
 study classes organized both in the member- 
 ship at large and in the Sunday school and 
 Young People's societies; and can suggest 
 programs for conference conventions and dis- 
 trict and circuit rallies. The elder can also 
 inquire into the work of the Woman's Mis- 
 sionary Association and encourage them in 
 their splendid undertaking. 
 
 In General 
 
 The presiding elder has a first-class oppor- 
 tunity to carry out any new conception he has 
 in his heart for the advancement of the king- 
 dom. He can meet personally the strategic 
 men of each local church, can confer with the 
 pastors one by one, and can suggest for each 
 the book just suited for his needs; and in 
 addition, in missionary institutes, Sunday- 
 school and Young People's conventions, he 
 can hold before his district the aims and plans 
 they should strive to work out, and unite all 
 the workers in definite prayer for God's grace 
 and blessings for the accomplishment of the 
 tasks before them. 
 
 The opportunities before an aggressive pre- 
 
 85 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 siding elder are unlimited. With faith in 
 God and reliance upon the Holy Spirit, with 
 patience and perseverance, he should go forth 
 full of hope and enthusiasm in the business of 
 his King. He has a unique opportunity in 
 enlisting local churches in the glorious work 
 of making Jesus Christ known and loved 
 throughout the world. To the extent that each 
 local church recognizes its part in the evan- 
 gelization of the world, to that extent will the 
 presiding elder make his district a world 
 force. 
 
 86 
 
Rev. G. D. Batdorf, Reading, Pa. 
 
 No church has any right to exist that does 
 not spend its Hfe for the kingdom of God in 
 the whole world. Our Lord of the passing 
 years looks to us to obey his great commis- 
 sion and fulfill it literally to every generation. 
 The campaign of Christian missions is world- 
 wide. Upon the ears of the last needy man 
 in the uttermost parts of the earth shall fall 
 the music of Jesus' name. The final turning 
 of the battle into a universal victory for our 
 Christ depends upon the enlistment of the 
 whole army in the conflict. 
 
 It is a deepening conviction with me that 
 my subject is one most vitally important, and 
 the one that strikes to the very root of the 
 problem of the world's evangelization. The 
 problem of foreign missions finally presses 
 itself back upon the local church for a solu- 
 tion, and the pastor, more than any one else, 
 holds the key to the situation. The ultimate 
 battlefield of the foreign war is the home 
 
 87 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 church. Right here are the greatest obstacles, 
 and here also is the greatest danger of failure. 
 To make every local congregation a world 
 force is the real task of every pastor, and he, 
 indeed, is the pivotal man. The self-giving, 
 saving life of a church depends upon his wis- 
 dom, compassion, and leadership. "Like 
 priest, like people." The missionary pastor — 
 and he alone — will develop a missionary pas- 
 torate. 
 
 The first and great need in this campaign, 
 then, is a ministry whose life is aflame with 
 missionary consecration and devotion. If 
 every church in our denomination is not a 
 missionary church, it is because of a lack in 
 the pastor's own life. He must possess the 
 missionary heart — the God-touched soul. Doc- 
 tor Charles Cuthbert Hall, who recently 
 entered into his rest, has set up this standard 
 for every pastor : "A man who shall enter the 
 pastorate at home cannot be an able minister 
 until his torch has been kindled at this altar 
 of foreign missions, and his lips touched with 
 this living coal." Until this flame glows in his 
 deepest soul he will be satisfied to have his 
 church merely on dress parade, drilling it in 
 mock heroics, and happy if it holds its own. 
 
The Pastor the Pivotal Man 
 
 instead of it becoming a disciplined regiment 
 entering the conflict to fight and to conquer. 
 
 The church needs, above ah else, pastors — 
 missionary pastors; men who carry in their 
 hearts the pain of Calvary and the vision of 
 Olivet; whose love is world-wide in its out- 
 going compassion. Such men become God's 
 ambassadors to all nations, and their pastor- 
 ates widen into world-parishes. The battle 
 languishes ; soldiers are dying on their arms, 
 waiting ; the church is halting at home because 
 of the lack of a heroic and self-sacrificing 
 leadership. Our congregations are waiting to 
 be led. They are willing to be led, but they 
 will never go where we do not lead them. 
 The stream rises no higher than its fountain- 
 head. Ordinarily, the pew does not go beyond 
 the standard set by the pulpit. 
 
 The minister cannot inspire his people with 
 missionary enthusiasm until the fire flames 
 and glows in his own soul. When Alexander 
 Dufif came home after his life work in India, 
 a great throng assembled in Edinburgh to 
 hear him on the claims of India upon the 
 Christian church. After an eloquent appeal 
 of two hours and a half, the old veteran 
 fainted away and was carried out of the hall. 
 
 89 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 When consciousness returned he said : "Where 
 have I been? Take me back. I must finish 
 my plea." The great audience arose as friends 
 bore him back to the platform. Again his 
 strength failed him and he could not rise ; but, 
 gathering himself up for one final effort, he 
 said: "Fathers of Scotland, have you any 
 more sons for India? I have spent my life 
 there and my life is gone, but if there are no 
 more young men to go, I will go back myself 
 and lay my bones there that the people may 
 know there is one man in Christian Britain 
 ready to die for India's deliverance." 
 
 This is the only saving, conquering life. 
 The pastor who carries in his heart such a 
 pain for the lost of earth will unconsciously 
 but surely transmit the same spirit to his 
 people, and out from his church will flow cur- 
 rents of life to bless and save men unto the 
 ends of the earth. 
 
 Through the pastor alone can the ear and 
 heart of the whole church finally be reached. 
 Fully three-fourths of our people are almost 
 wholly dependent upon the pastor for the 
 extent of their vision and the breadth of their 
 sympathies. They see and feel the need of the 
 world only as it comes to them through the 
 
 90 
 
The Pastor the Pivotal Man 
 
 eyes and heart of the minister. As pastors we 
 are not true to our people if we neglect to 
 give them this larger vision and open to them 
 this fountain of richest blessing. The mission- 
 ary life begotten in the heart of a local church 
 through the faith and prayers and tears of a 
 faithful pastor, becomes in that church a well 
 of living water. The church that believes 
 and propagates a world-gospel has also the 
 strongest faith in its power to save the lost at 
 her own doors. "The Son of God fixed our 
 eyes upon that last man, that we might see 
 between us and him every other man." A 
 church can reach its best only by having the 
 world-vision and becoming a world force. 
 
 "The field is the world." Dayton is not the 
 world, nor Indiana, neither Pennsylvania 
 nor America. These are only sections of the 
 field. God loved the world and his Son died 
 for it. A narrowing of the field would dis- 
 honor our Lord and misrepresent his mission 
 to men. Life in the spiritual realm operates 
 according to law analogous to that in the nat- 
 ural order. Every time I strike my hand into 
 the air, I disturb this physical universe to the 
 very rim of things. In like manner a life lived 
 in spiritual and vital touch with God will 
 
 91 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 affect the kingdom of God in all its realms, in 
 the farthest earth and the highest heaven. 
 God gives to every pastor an audience of na- 
 tions and of continents. He cannot, nor dare 
 he localize his life; his church must afford 
 a parish as extended as the world for which 
 the Son of God gave his life. It is possible for 
 every local church to become such a world 
 force, but the pastor himself must kindle the 
 fire and lead the way. And God wills that he 
 should. But how shall this be accomplished? 
 First, by the faithful preaching of a full 
 gospel. Every pastor should magnify his 
 office as a world-messenger. I have not in 
 mind the occasional preaching of a missionary 
 sermon, but the general tone of all our preach- 
 ing. Every pulpit in our denomination should 
 be made to echo every Sunday with the great 
 permission and privilege of giving the gospel 
 to others, until our people will go away from 
 every service feeling that their chief business 
 is to preach the gospel to the whole creation. 
 If the membership will not read missionary 
 literature, then the pastor ought to give out 
 fifty-two Sundays in the year such missionary 
 information and enthusiasm that will stir up 
 any congregation, dying or dead, to a sense of 
 
 92 
 
The Pastor the Pivotal Man 
 
 its responsibility. No generation of men ever 
 had a finer opportunity for usefulness and 
 power than the ministry of to-day. ''The 
 world is before us, with all its gates ajar." 
 Unless our people are marching out with 
 steady tread, radiant in the joy of self-giving 
 life, to save the lost in the farthest regions, 
 we may well ponder whether our work as pas- 
 tors is not, after all, largely a failure. 
 
 Doctor Mateer has significantly said : 
 ''V^'lien a missionary gospel is preached in the 
 pulpit, then the people will give, and their 
 sons and daughters will go." Raymond Lull 
 dedicated his life to the Mohammedans under 
 the influence of a powerful sermon by an 
 unnamed friar. 
 
 \Mien Henry Martyn was a student at 
 Cambridge, he received his first missionary 
 impulse from a sermon by the university 
 preacher, and the fire then kindled in his heart 
 burned at white heat until his spirit went home 
 to God. Some time ago, after a sermon in 
 which the world vision was magnified, one of 
 the young people of my congregation, a bright 
 student and faithful worker, came up to me 
 with radiant face, while the tears flowed, and 
 said : "It is all settled now. My life is on the 
 
 93 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 altar for service anywhere." I bowed and 
 thanked God for such currents of hfe in my 
 church, and for the subHme privilege of 
 touching the world. 
 
 The pastor who develops in his church a 
 deepejted prayer Hfe adds untold spiritual 
 power to zvorld missions. Paul carried in his 
 heart the constant supplication for all the 
 saints and for the world. The pulpit prayer 
 which does not, with fervency, lead the con- 
 gregation of assembled worshipers into the 
 presence of the One who died for all and who 
 would have all saved, lacks its most vital ele- 
 ment. Prayer is the greatest of God's gifts 
 to the whole church. Then let it "rise like a 
 fountain night and day." From the time when 
 Jesus said, "Pray ye the Lord of the harvest," 
 until the little group of students gathered with 
 Samuel J. Mills in the memorable haystack 
 intercession, until the day when David Living- 
 stone went home to God from the ante-room 
 of the king in his tent at Ilala, pleading for 
 Africa, and until now, prayer has been one of 
 the mightiest agencies in re-enforcing and 
 sustaining the missionary campaign of the 
 church. 
 
 In this work it is also true that "zvhere the 
 
 94 
 
The Pastor the Pivotal Man 
 
 treasure is there will the heart he also." When 
 once people put their money into a world cam- 
 paign, their hearts will beget a world vision 
 and a world love. Hence it is due our 
 churches that they be led to give systemat- 
 ically and regularly, and that their giving ade- 
 quately expresses and represents their ability 
 to give. Let no one regard it beneath his 
 place as a minister to work this mine of 
 wealth for the enrichment of the heathen 
 world and the home church. Back of a system 
 of regular offerings to missions, and back of 
 the special individual gifts, is usually a pastor 
 aflame with missionary zeal, who preaches a 
 world evangel in pentecostal power, and 
 whose hand is constantly on the financial aims 
 and plans of his congregation. Every pastor 
 should study how to release this mighty 
 dynamic of the church's unsurrendered wealth, 
 and turn it into the channels of the world's 
 deliverance. 
 
 Missions are the church's supreme work. 
 All should be made to feel that a great cam- 
 paign is on. Let the whole church be com- 
 pletely organized and enlisted for world con- 
 quest. Every department must be lined up to 
 
 95 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 *'go," in money, in intercession, in work, and 
 in life. 
 
 The Christ of God is our perfect ideal for 
 the missionary pastor and the missionary. 
 How his heart yearned in bleeding compassion 
 for the shepherdless race! He was God's first 
 missionary. Scarcely had he begun his work 
 when the wicked heathen crucified him. But 
 his life was freely given. Close to him stands 
 Saul of Tarsus, who is also called Paul. What 
 a missionary heart St. Paul had ! After nine- 
 teen centuries we can still feel it throb. His 
 spirit was daily pained by the world's desola- 
 tion. Upon him weighed Asia Minor, Greece, 
 Rome; and still the ''regions beyond" beck- 
 oned him on. There is much to inspire us. 
 Our denominational history is radiant with 
 missionary triumph. Otterbein, who loved 
 his home and native land, the American con- 
 tinent and the world, has bequeathed to the 
 Church his love and his consecration. The 
 blood of our martyred missionaries on foreign 
 shores, and of those whose ashes rest in the 
 climes they loved, has doubly and forever 
 sanctified their consecration. I fancy their 
 sainted spirits are among us now as attendants 
 from heaven, and with them they have brought 
 
 96 
 
The Pastor the Pivotal Man 
 
 the lands for which they gladly died. Among 
 us are still some of the first heroes of the cam- 
 paign. Amid such influences may our lives be 
 dedicated anew to so glorious a warfare. For 
 the story must be told. Arise, O church of 
 the living God, and shine, for through Christ, 
 the Savior, Teacher, King, and through him 
 alone, the blind and weary of earth, the lost 
 and ruined race, shall reach at last the gates 
 of gold. 
 
 97 
 
S. S. Hough 
 
 Secretary of Foreign Missionary Society 
 
 Every Christian may release five factors of 
 power to bring the world back to God : 
 
 1. The Power of a Life. The whole per- 
 sonality is a living epistle, known and read of 
 all we meet. Hence, a sincere, loyal Christian 
 life is a constant witness for God. 
 
 2. The Power of Acts. By deeds of jus- 
 tice and kindness, small or great, performed 
 day by day, for Jesus' sake, one not only 
 strengthens his own personal life, but releases 
 a power on other lives that uplifts, changes 
 the social atmosphere, and wins confidence. 
 
 3. The Power of Words. When confi- 
 dence has been established, when we have 
 earned a hearing through ysitW-doing, our 
 words will have great power. By words of 
 personal testimony and invitation, our friends, 
 one by one, can be brought to Christ. Every 
 Christian should study his associates, all 
 through life, with a view to bringing to bear 
 upon their lives, in full measure, the three- 
 
 98 
 
Prayer the Supreme Factor 
 
 fold power of a pure life, noble deeds, and 
 words seasoned with grace, to the end that all 
 may be saved and led into active Christian 
 service. 
 
 4. The Power of Gifts. Money is power. 
 Through gifts we may release a power that 
 will work mightily for God in America, or in 
 the uttermost parts of the earth. One man 
 gave $100,000 for gospel work in one district 
 of India. As a result, missionaries were sup- 
 ported, churches organized, chapels built, and 
 in twenty years fifty thousand idolaters ac- 
 cepted Christ as Savior. Was not that a splen- 
 did way to release the power of money ? 
 
 5. Prayer the Supreme Factor. The 
 greatest contribution any Christian can make 
 to the saving of the world is through prayer. 
 Through vital prayer the personal life of the 
 believer is renewed day by day with energy 
 from God. Back of noble deeds, inspiring 
 words, and consecrated gifts you will find the 
 upward look of prayer. 
 
 But it is not the power of prayer as a work- 
 ing force in the personal life that I desire to 
 emphasize at this time. It is the power of 
 prayer, not for ourselves, but for others — the 
 intercessory prayer. Our Lord and King, 
 
 99 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 after his sacrifice for sin, ascended to the 
 right hand of God, and there "he ever Hveth 
 to make intercession for us." Christ is hving 
 and intensely active, and from the position of 
 supreme authority and power he is adminis- 
 tering his great saving work for the whole 
 world by receiving from the Father the Holy 
 Spirit and all spiritual blessing, and bestow- 
 ing them for the equipment of his followers 
 in service, and for repentance and remis- 
 sion of sins. (Acts 5:31, 32.) And he is 
 "from henceforth expecting till his enemies 
 be made his footstool." In an important 
 sense, all that Christ did while here on earth 
 was but a preparation for his present, vital, 
 and glorious work of intercession. 
 
 Again and again our Lord emphasized the 
 fact that his followers are called also to this 
 supremely important work of intercessory 
 prayer. Just before he departed, he gave this 
 promise : "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he 
 that believeth on me, the works that I do shall 
 he do also, and greater works than these shall 
 he do; because I go unto the Father. And 
 whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that ivill 
 I do, that the Father may be glorified in the 
 
 100 
 
Prayer the Supreme Factor 
 
 Son. If ye ask anything in my name, that 
 will I do." (John 14 : 12-14, R. V.) 
 
 God's Will Discerned Through Prayer 
 
 It is through prayer and the study of the 
 Word that the will of God concerning the 
 work he wants done is made known to us. 
 God's purpose to give the gospel to the Gen- 
 tiles was revealed to Peter when he went up 
 upon the housetop to pray. The church at 
 Antioch was fasting and praying when the 
 Holy Ghost said, ''Separate me Barnabas and 
 Saul for the work whereunto I have called 
 them," and thus the great missionary move- 
 ment was born. 
 
 Recently the writer, in making a journey 
 from New York to Porto Rico, was delayed 
 by a storm at sea. Attempts were made by 
 passengers on the steamer to send wireless 
 messages to friends on the island, but for 
 some reason no one was in the "receiving 
 station' at San Juan, to hear the faint ticks of 
 the instrument announcing the message. 
 After several hours of waiting, the operator 
 triumphantly reported, "We are now in com- 
 munication with San Juan." 
 
 Our Heavenly Father has many messages 
 
 101 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 he desires to send to his children concerning 
 his work in all parts of the world, and he has 
 a perfect way by which he can get into com- 
 munication with every one who enters the 
 ''closet of prayer/' the "receiving station," 
 and shuts out every voice but the one from 
 above. (Matt. 6:6.) 
 
 Hence, listening for God's voice is an im- 
 portant part of prayer. It is more necessary 
 that we should hear what God has to say to 
 us than that he should hear what we have to 
 say to him. Our Lord Jesus himself is direct- 
 ing this marvelous work from the throne of 
 God, and while we are in vital communion 
 with him, the Spirit of God speaks to us his 
 message, and ''he will show you things to 
 come." Through prayer we get light on what 
 God wants us to do, and conviction, courage, 
 and grace to do the will of God when we 
 know it. "We can do more than pray after 
 we have prayed, but we cannot do more until 
 we have prayed." 
 
 God Works When We Pray 
 
 Some one has said that by praying, a Chris- 
 tian can project his life as a working force to 
 the ends of the earth. There is something 
 
 102 
 
Prayer the Supreme Factor 
 
 better than that. God works when we pray. 
 Only by the appHcation of divine power can 
 the world be brought back to God. It is not 
 our working that is the telling factor; it is the 
 working of Christ himself that wins the vic- 
 tories. A startling truth is this, that the Son 
 of God has placed at our disposal the omnip- 
 otent power of the Spirit and his own life, to 
 be called into action through prayer. The 
 very life and power of Christ are released on 
 the unsolved problems of the world's evan- 
 gelization when the Christian believer, in 
 vital, intercessory prayer, asks in accordance 
 with the will of God. We have a God "which 
 worketh for him that waiteth for him." (Isa. 
 64:4, R. V.) Christ declared, 'If ye ask, 
 ... I will do." We glorify God when we 
 make it possible for him to do great things. 
 
 King Asa thus glorified God in his day, and 
 the record is: "Were not the Ethiopians and 
 the Lubim a huge host, with chariots and 
 horsemen exceeding many? Yet, because 
 thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them 
 into thine hand. For the eyes of the Lord run 
 to and fro throughout the zvhole earth, to 
 show himself strong in the behalf of them 
 ivhose heart is perfect tozvard him." (II. 
 
 103 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 Chron. 16:8, 9.) And this intercessory pray- 
 ing, though of the highest order, can be done 
 by all those who are sincere, obedient Chris- 
 tians, though tempted and tried. 
 
 "Elijah was a man of like passions with us, 
 and he prayed fervently that it might not 
 rain, and it rained not on the earth for three 
 years and six months; and he prayed again; 
 and the heavens gave rain, and the earth 
 brought forth her fruit." 
 
 Objects for World-Wide Intercession 
 
 For whom and for what shall we pray? 
 To pray with power, we must pray for some- 
 thing. Prayer should be offered for mission- 
 ary zvorkers. There are three classes: 
 
 1. Foreign Missionaries. God alone knows 
 the persons who are fitted for this service, 
 that requires such distinguished ability, such 
 deep spirituality, and such practical efficiency; 
 and God must give them. Hence, our Lord 
 commands his church, 'Tray ye therefore 
 the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth 
 laborers into his harvest." An adequate 
 supply of God-called missionaries is condi- 
 tioned on the fidelity of the church in prayer. 
 
 2. Native Laborers. The ultimate aim of 
 
 104 
 
Prayer the Supreme Factor 
 
 the foreign missionary work is to establish a 
 native church that shall become, as soon as 
 possible, self-supporting, self-extending, and 
 self -directing. How supremely important that 
 prayer be offered to God for the calling forth 
 of the right kind of efficient native pastors, 
 teachers, and evangelists, who are to lay the 
 foundation for centuries of Christian work in 
 our foreign fields ! 
 
 3. Missionary Workers in the Home Land. 
 Prayer should be offered also for God to call 
 forth and equip the kind of pastors needed to 
 supply all the home churches with efficient, 
 broad-minded, spiritual leadership. The work 
 of God is stalling in many of the churches of 
 the home land. Every pastor should regard 
 his church as a band of soldiers to capture 
 the community for Christ, and as a spiritual 
 dynamo whose influence, through prayer and 
 generous giving, should reach the remotest 
 corners of this ruined world. No Christian 
 can do a greater work than to pray prevail- 
 ingly for his pastor, and work loyally by his 
 side, that his own church may be brought into 
 such a position of privilege and power. 
 
 We must not stop praying when the mis- 
 sionaries are on the field, and the equipment 
 
 105 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 has been supplied, and the native workers 
 placed — all of this is but the beginning of the 
 spiritual conquest. God forbid that we should 
 cease to pray as the battle grows fiercer and 
 fiercer! The victory is assured, but it can be 
 won speedily and be made complete only 
 through the united intercessory prayer of 
 God's people. 
 
 A faithful missionary on the firing line de- 
 clares that without the prayers of the home 
 church he seems like a man in water twenty 
 feet deep, without any outlet to the world 
 above. 
 
 Mr. John R. Mott, after returning from a 
 world missionary tour, says: "As I traveled 
 up and down the non-Christian world, making 
 a comparative study of the progress of 
 Christ's kingdom in different sections of the 
 great harvest field, the conviction became 
 clear and strong that those missions which 
 have had offered for them the most real 
 prayer are the missions which have had the 
 largest spiritual success." 
 
 Thus, as a Christian prays for God to bless 
 his own pastor, that he may lead the member- 
 ship of his church to see the privilege of part- 
 nership with Jesus Christ in saving the world, 
 
 106 
 
Prayer the Supreme Factor 
 
 God hears and anszvers, and a new evangel- 
 istic and missionary impulse is seen in the 
 pulpit; and it soon pervades the church. He 
 prays again for God to remove the barriers 
 to the work in some foreign field, and God 
 beats back the powers of darkness and breaks 
 down the hindrances. Thus, as he prays, God 
 zvorks. 
 
 "Such are noble Christian workers, 
 
 The men of faith and power, 
 The overcoming wrestlers 
 
 Of many a midnight hour; 
 Prevailing princes with their God, 
 
 Who will not be denied, 
 Who bring down showers of blessing 
 
 To swell the rising tide. 
 The Prince of Darkness quaileth 
 
 At their triumphant way, 
 Their fervent prayer availeth 
 
 To sap his subtle sway." 
 
 To mention the names of those who have 
 practiced intercessory prayer would be to call 
 the roll of all who have been a spiritual power 
 in the world. The Apostle Paul used, in a 
 marvelous way, this supreme factor of power. 
 He writes : "God is my witness that, without 
 
 107 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 ceasing, I make mention of you always in my 
 prayer/' 
 
 David Livingstone, the prince of modern 
 missionaries, who opened up the great interior 
 of the "Dark Continent" to the gospel of 
 Jesus Christ, lived in the atmosphere of inter- 
 cession, and died on his knees in the heart of 
 Africa. On June 14, 1856, away up the Zam- 
 bezi River, he prayed: ''0 Jesus, grant me 
 entire reliance on thy powerful hand. On 
 thy word alone I lean. But, zvilt thou permit 
 me to plead for Africa f This cause is thine. 
 What an impulse will he given to the idea that 
 Africa is not open if I perish nozu! See, O 
 Lord, how the heathen rise up against me, as 
 they did to thy Son. I commit my zvay unto 
 thee. I trust also in thee that thou wilt 
 direct my steps. Thou givest wisdom liber- 
 ally to all who ask thee — give it to me, my 
 Father. I cast myself and all my cares dozvn 
 at ihy feet! Thou knowest all I need for 
 time and for eternity." 
 
 Shall we not now cease to offer the inter- 
 mittent prayer, and henceforth begin to pray 
 zi'ithout ceasing? 
 
 108 
 
^ppentiii A 
 
 The Weekly Offering for Missions and Other 
 Benevolences 
 
 No subject is receiving more thoughtful 
 attention, at this time, in the Protestant 
 churches of Canada and the United States, 
 than that of a workable, efficient system for 
 the securing of the money needed for mis- 
 sions, church erection, education, and other 
 benevolences. Those who advocate a weekly 
 system of offerings for these benevolences 
 give the following reasons for its introduc- 
 tion : 
 
 1. It is the Scriptural method. Paul had 
 instructed the churches of Galatia to lay aside 
 weekly an offering for benevolence, and he 
 sought to introduce the same system in the 
 church at Corinth, saying: ''As I gaz'e order 
 to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye. 
 Upon the first day of the week let each one of 
 you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, 
 that no collections he made zvhen I come." 
 (I. Cor. 16:1, 2, R. V.) 
 
 109 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 2. The bringing of an offering to the Lord 
 every week, for others, educates the contrib- 
 utor to regard giving as an act of worship ; 
 and when the giving of the church becomes a 
 recognized part of its worship, the spiritual 
 Hfe of the members will be deepened and its 
 income increased. 
 
 3. The weekly offering for missions and 
 other benevolences is a recognition that this 
 work is not a side issue, but the work for 
 which the church was constituted. It puts the 
 gifts for others on a similar plane with the 
 gifts for the local work, indicating that we 
 love our neighbors as ourselves. 
 
 4. Thousands of dollars are now lost an- 
 nually to the benevolent work of the church 
 because of the haphazard way of giving that 
 prevails in many congregations. There is no 
 lack of money; what is lacking is knowledge, 
 love, prayer, and a better system of giving. 
 Moreover, too much time and energy of the 
 pastors are consumed when numerous ap- 
 peals have to be made ; and then, usually, not 
 more than one-half of the enrolled members 
 are enlisted in giving to the various be- 
 nevolent interests. Many a church-member, 
 knowing that the end and aim of each appeal 
 
 110 
 
Appendix A 
 
 is to be a collection, assumes, perhaps uncon- 
 sciously, an attitude of resistance to the 
 appeal, complains of the "everlasting beg- 
 ging" ; and some make this an excuse for 
 staying away altogether on such occasions. 
 
 On the other hand, where the weekly-offer- 
 ing system has been faithfully tried, after it 
 has been thoroughly introduced, the pastors 
 have been relieved of the numerous appeals, 
 and have more time to devote to soul-winning, 
 and the educational and training agencies nec- 
 essary for the enrichment of the lives of their 
 members, and for making them efficient in 
 service ; and the congregations have increased 
 their contributions to missions and other be- 
 nevolences from fifty to five hundred per cent, 
 over the amount given in years when no regu- 
 
 A System for Local Needs 
 
 In many churches the first step toward a 
 better order of things financially will be the 
 careful instruction of their members in the 
 principles of stewardship. It would be an 
 excellent thing if each pastor would select a 
 good book on tithing and Christian steward- 
 ship, and arrange with the stewards of his 
 
 111 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 local church, Sunday-school teachers, and 
 other official members to meet with him once 
 a week, for a period of five or more weeks, 
 for a prayerful study of this important sub- 
 ject. 
 
 When the class has finished this study, a 
 public presentation of the subject to the 
 whole congregation, when the members of the 
 class could be given an important part on the 
 program, would doubtless result in creating a 
 splendid atmosphere for the introduction of a 
 system of offerings. 
 
 The ''regions beyond'' of great importance 
 to every minister and wide-awake layman in 
 the home land, are the regions of undeveloped 
 talents and means in our home churches. The 
 extensive work for God in the world will go 
 forward only in proportion as the intensive 
 work is thoroughly performed in the local 
 churches. It is of supreme importance that 
 every church-member be led, early in the 
 Christian life, to enter into partnership with 
 God in the matter of his money and his 
 talents. 
 
 A new era of spiritual life will come to our 
 churches when the laymen recognize that they 
 are called of God to consecrate their money 
 
 112 
 
Appendix A 
 
 and business ability to the work of their Lord, 
 just as surely as missionaries and ministers 
 are called of God to consecrate to him their 
 talents ; and, thank God, we have encouraging 
 signs of the dawning of that day. 
 
 But few congregations will consider serious- 
 ly the importance of introducing a weekly 
 system of giving for benevolence until they 
 have recognized the importance of such a sys- 
 tem to provide adequately for their local 
 needs. We here present a form of pledge- 
 card which has been heartily endorsed by the 
 Bishops' Cabinet, and can be readily adapted 
 to country charges, as well as town and city 
 churches, for securing the money needed for 
 local church expenses : 
 
 THE UNITED BRETHREN EST CHRIST. 
 For the Support of Our Local Church. 
 
 The sura necessary to meet the current expenses of our 
 local church this year, including the pastor's salary, will 
 be $ 
 
 To help meet these expenses I desire to contribute the 
 weekly amount under which I mark X in the space below. 
 
 Amount Weekly for Local Expenses 
 
 $2.00 1 1.00 1 .75 1 ..50 
 
 .35 .25 .15 
 
 .10 1 .05 
 
 1 1 1 
 
 1 
 
 Name Date_ 
 
 Address 
 
 Note.— All subscriptions are calculated on the weekly 
 basis in accordance with I Cor. 16:2. However, if desired, 
 the payments of this subscription maybe made monthly, 
 quarterly, or in cash early in the year. 
 
 113 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 Only by enlisting the whole membership to 
 give systematically can our pastors secure 
 an adequate salary, and our home-mission 
 churches soon become self-supporting. One 
 of our greatest needs is to provide better sal- 
 aries for our pastors, and one of the greatest 
 hindrances to the speedy extension of the gos- 
 pel in America is the fact that a large number 
 of churches depend on home missionary aid 
 for many years without a proper effort on 
 their part to introduce a system of offerings 
 that would develop a large income of their 
 own, and soon put them into the invigorating 
 atmosphere of a self-supporting institution. 
 
 The Plan Succeeds When Tried 
 
 There are many examples in local churches 
 of what can be done along the line here men- 
 tioned. It required the Shoemaker Memorial 
 Church at McKeesport, Pa., only a few years 
 to become self-supporting. That church has 
 since extended its system of giving to benevo- 
 lences, and it is now supporting a "foreign 
 parish" in Africa. 
 
 The East Dayton United Brethren Church, 
 after being organized only five years, re- 
 quested the annual conference, a year ago, to 
 
 114 
 
Appendix A 
 
 discontinue its home missionary appropria- 
 tion. Through the careful introduction of a 
 weekly system of giving for local expenses, 
 this splendid goal was reached in that brief 
 period of years. 
 
 A similar system of weekly offerings for 
 benevolences has been introduced. Every bill 
 for local expenses each month, including the 
 pastor's salary, has been paid promptly, with 
 a balance in the treasury. The claims for 
 home missions, church erection, and educa- 
 tional work for the year were all paid in full 
 to the treasurer more than a month in advance 
 of the annual conference, and there will be a 
 surplus for these interests ; and this congrega- 
 tion will be in the ''heroic" standard of offer- 
 ings for foreign missions. 
 
 The pastor of this church writes : **The 
 congregation has come to the conclusion that 
 the weekly contribution for benevolences is 
 just as scriptural and practical as the weekly 
 contribution for current expenses. The de- 
 velopment of the local church along other 
 lines during these years is abundant proof, to 
 one church at least, that systematic giving 
 pays." In almost every conference there are 
 
 115 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 churches doing a work similar to that here 
 mentioned. 
 
 Annual Conferences Planning 
 
 The Southeast Ohio, Miami, East Ohio, and 
 Allegheny conferences have appointed compe- 
 tent committees to work out carefully a sys- 
 tem of ofTerings for local expenses, and for 
 benevolences, that shall enable each church, it 
 is hoped, to release a much greater power for 
 God, with much less waste of energy. 
 
 In a letter sent out to the pastors of the 
 East Ohio Conference, explaining this system, 
 the committee fixed the standard for foreign 
 missions as follows : 
 
 "That as $10,000 is a just proportion for 
 our conference, of the $200,000 annually 
 asked for by our Foreign Missionary Board, 
 we pledge ourselves as a conference to reach 
 this goal as soon as possible." This will mean 
 a little less than an average of one dollar per 
 member for the entire conference. A number 
 of their charges have already reached this 
 plane of giving. 
 
 How Introduce the System? 
 
 From six to eight weeks before the annual 
 conference is the best time to introduce a new 
 116 
 
Appendix A 
 
 system of offerings for the coming year. On 
 many charges, perhaps, a good way would be 
 to plan for the weekly system for the local 
 needs first. Let competent stewards be ap- 
 pointed and trained for their work in advance, 
 and have the subscription-cards and envelopes 
 prepared, and then make a thorough canvass 
 of the entire membership to secure weekly 
 pledges, which can be paid weekly, monthly, 
 or quarterly (as the individual may deter- 
 mine) to cover all the local needs, including 
 the pastor's salary. From two to four weeks 
 later, a similar thorough canvass should be 
 made by missionary stewards, who have been 
 in training, and who have their subscription- 
 cards and envelopes ready. This work should 
 be done without haste, and with much prayer 
 and faithfulness. The success of this plan de- 
 pends almost entirely upon the conviction, 
 wisdom, and perseverance of those who intro- 
 duce it. 
 
 Second Best Plan 
 
 In case it is found impracticable to intro- 
 duce a weekly system of offerings for benevo- 
 lence immediately, on many fields of labor a 
 method of procedure somewhat as follows will 
 
 117 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 bring excellent results, and will prepare the 
 way, in a year or two, for such a system : 
 
 Fix a favorable time for the consideration 
 of the great foreign missionary work of the 
 church ; say, within six weeks after the annual 
 conference. Let the pastor preach a series of 
 well-prepared sermons on Christian steward- 
 ship and the marvelous growth and oppor- 
 tunities of the foreign missionary work. 
 Every member of the church should be sup- 
 plied with missionary leaflets that will show 
 the work already accomplished, and the pres- 
 ent needs in the foreign fields. 
 
 After the scope and importance of the work 
 have been made clear, and definite prayer 
 offered for God's guidance, subscriptions (not 
 a mere collection, hut actual pledges) should 
 be received from all present for foreign mis- 
 sions. A careful canvass should then be made 
 of those who were not present, and this should 
 be followed up at once with tact and perse- 
 verance until every man, woman, and child 
 who is a member of the church has made an 
 adequate pledge to the work of foreign mis- 
 sions for the whole year. At least three or 
 four months' time should he given in which to 
 make full payment of these pledges. 
 
 118 
 
Appendix A 
 
 The other great departments of benevolence 
 should receive proper emphasis and presenta- 
 tion at other favorable times in the year. 
 On most charges, after a year or two of teach- 
 ing and training in this v^ay, when the mem- 
 bership has grasped the significance and mag- 
 nitude of the various benevolent interests of 
 the Church, doubtless all of these departments 
 can be combined, with advantage, on one sub- 
 scription card, in such a way as to allow for 
 the proper discrimination in the placing of in- 
 dividual gifts. And thus with one canvass the 
 local church will then be able to provide for 
 its entire benevolent work for the year. The 
 bishops of the Church have recently appointed 
 a strong committee to work out in detail such 
 a system for the whole Church. 
 
 An Annual Meeting of the Local Congregation 
 
 It will be well to arrange for an annual 
 meeting at the close of the conference year, 
 when the entire congregation should assemble 
 to hear the reports from the various depart- 
 ments of the church for the year. At this 
 congregational meeting the benevolent stew- 
 ards, as well as the local stewards, should 
 make complete reports ; likewise, the church 
 
 119 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 treasurer should present to the congregation 
 his report for the year. This meeting will 
 afford an excellent opportunity for a brief in- 
 spirational address, and the approval of aims 
 and methods of work for the coming year by 
 the congregation. 
 
 Only a small percentage of the members of 
 some churches are acquainted with the work 
 their own church is doing. How can we ex- 
 pect such persons to be interested? Through 
 this annual meeting the entire membership is 
 taken into consultation, with a view to carry- 
 ing forward the whole work of the church, 
 and this can be made one of the most inter- 
 esting and profitable meetings of the entire 
 year. 
 
 Fuel to Keep the Fire Burning 
 
 A system of offerings for both local needs 
 and for benevolences is the ideal ; but, good as 
 that system is, it will not run of itself. There 
 must be divine power to keep the machinery 
 in motion and to accomplish the end in view. 
 The love of Christ and interest in the world's 
 redemption must ever be present to stimulate 
 and guide the giving. Congregations must be 
 kept acquainted with the work to be done, and 
 
 120 
 
Appendix A 
 
 with the work already done, if there is to be 
 an ever-fresh interest. In addition to a sys- 
 tem that can be adapted from time to time to 
 changing circumstances, there must be inspi- 
 ration, instruction, and very much fervent 
 praying, and God will give the increase. 
 
 121 
 
^ppmdii B 
 
 *Helpful Missionary Books and Supplies 
 
 FOR PASTORS. 
 
 The Pastor and Modern Missions^ by John 
 
 R. Mott, cloth $1 00 
 
 The Church and Missionary Education, Pitts- 
 burg Convention Report, (A limited 
 number) 1 00 
 
 Prayer for Missions, a pamphlet, by Profes- 
 sor Warneck 05 
 
 The Non-Christian Religions Inadequate, a 
 
 pamphlet, by Robert E. Speer 05 
 
 ForT;^'ard Mission Study Library No. 10. Just 
 oflE the press, especially valuable for 
 pastors. AVrite for descriptive circular. 
 Publishers' price of these ten books 
 separjitely $9.75, but in this uniformly 
 cloth-bound set for only 5 00 
 
 MISSION STUDY BOOKS. 
 
 Our Foreign Missionary Enterprise, by Bishop 
 Mills, Drs. Funk and Hough. 
 
 The Why and How of Foreign Missions, by Dr. 
 Arthur J. Brown. 
 
 The Uplift of China. By Arthur H. Smith. 
 
 Daybreak in the Dark Continent. A study of 
 Africa, by \V. S. Naylor. 
 
 The Christian Conquest of India. By James M. 
 Thoburn. 
 
 Sunrise in the Sunrise Kingdom. A Study of 
 Japan, by J. H. DeForest. 
 
 The 3Iolsem World. By S. M. Zwemer. 
 
 122 
 
Appendix B 
 
 Ugranda^N W'hlte Man of Work. By Mrs. S. Li. 
 Fuhs. A thrilling^ biography of Alexander 
 Mackay. Written especially for boys and 
 girls 12 to 16 years of age. 
 
 What Shall I Do? By Robert E. Speer. (Off the 
 press September, 1908.) A series of brief 
 biographies of great interest to young men 
 and young >vomen, from 16 to 20 years of 
 age. 
 
 Prices of these nine books, 35 cents in paper, 50 
 cents in cloth, postage 8 cents extra. Helps 
 for the leader free. 
 
 Africa for Juniors, by Katharine R. Cro^vell . 25 
 China for Juniors, by Katharine R. Crowell . . 12 
 Japan for Juniors, by Katharine R. Crowell . . 20 
 Child Life in Mission Lands, by R. E. Diflen- 
 
 dorfer, cloth 50 
 
 paper 35 
 
 SUNDAY-SCHOOL HELPS. 
 
 Missionary Policy for the Sunday school . . . .Free 
 
 Birthday Box Free 
 
 A Manual of Missionary Methods for Sunday 
 School Workers, with 27 charts, by 
 George H. Trull, board $ 50 
 
 Missions in the Sunday School, illustrated, by 
 
 Martha B. Hixson, clotli 50 
 
 paper 35 
 
 Set of Six Colored Charts, 36 x 40 Inches, 
 How Americans Spend Their Money, Re- 
 ligious Census of the World, Two 
 Parislies, Religious Divisions of Africa, 
 World Mission Progress, Tlie Evangeliza- 
 ton of the World In This Generation, 
 edges bound with cloth 1 25 
 
 The Missionary Speaker, 250 selections suit- 
 able for recitations 25 
 
 Juvenile Missionary Library, Ten splendid 
 volumes for boys and girls, expressage 
 extra, 5 00 
 
 123 
 
The Church in Earnest 
 
 Missionary Program Xo. 1 35 
 
 A set of six programs acompany charts. 
 Topics: Among the Teepes, Dayhrealc 
 in the Dark Continent, Letters from a 
 Christian Cliinese, In tlie Land of Zenana, 
 Two Signs in Japan, Great W^ords from 
 Great Pioneer Missionaries. 
 
 Missionary Programs No. 2 75 
 
 Set of 6 Large Pictures 25 x 30 incites, 
 for platform use. Subjects: Foreign^ 
 TIte Dog Tliat Preaclied tlie Missionary 
 Sermon, Burma. A 3Iissionary at a AVay- 
 side Shrine, Japan. A Chinese Student, 
 Cliina. .Home — Indians and tlie Type- 
 writer, Italian Ragpicker's Home, Boys 
 of the Street. 
 
 Full descriptive matter accompanies 
 the pictures, furnishing basis for a Mis- 
 sionary talk. 
 
 3Iissionary Object Lessons, each set 1 50 
 
 One set on Japan and one on Africa, 
 3Iaterial for ten or twelve lessons. 
 Deals with home life, occupations, 
 worship, etc. Has descriptive manual. 
 
 Japan Picture Cards, (per set of 12) Des- 
 cription of pictures on reverse side. 
 
 LEAFLETS ON CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP. 
 
 The Holy Spirit in the Church's Finances, 
 by Bishop Weekley, 1 cent each, per 
 hundred 75 
 
 3Ioney and the Gospel, by Secy. Hough, 2 
 
 cents each, per hundred by mail 1 25 
 
 What We Owe and the Results of Paying 
 
 it, by Layiuan, per hundred 1 50 
 
 ^These supplies may be ordered from the Foreign 
 Missionary Society, 1003 U. B. Big., Dayton, 
 Ohio, or from the U. B. Publishing House, 
 Dayton, Ohio. 
 
 124