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THE CHRIStlAN NATION.
Vol. 39.
Prayer Meeting Topic.
PRAYER MEETING TOPIC FOR
JULY 30, 1913.
By the Rev. J. G. McElhinney.
Subject: Prayer for More Workers.
Matt. 9:38.
Psalms
No.
178 205
128 357
119 319
148 399
132 368
Comment.
This topic was chosen with a view
to considering the need of more workers
in the Covenanter Church and
united prayer that God would lay hold
upon and sanctify and prosper the efforts
ol the three agencies which must
be depended upon to supply these
workers. Let the meeting on July
SOth be lor prayer. Let the prayers
be lor more workers lor the Covenanter
Church. To this end, let us pray
that Covenanter parents may devote
their children to the work ol the Covenanter
Church. Let us pray that the
Covenanter College may prepare young
men and women to do the work ol the
Covenanter Church. Let us pray that
the • Covenanter Seminary may train
Covenanter young men for the ministry
of the Covenanter Church.
I. Prayer that parents devote them-.
The men and women who have
done the work of the Covenanter
Church in the past have for the most
part, been brought up in Covenanter
homes. The same is likely to be the
case in the future. This being true
and the need l)elng great and the
supply of workers being small, much
earnest prayer should be offered that
parents may be led to devote their
sons and daughters to the work of the
church.
The word "devote" includes surrender
and consecration. In devoting our
children to God it should be remembered
that they belong to Him and
that we merely express our willingness
that He use them as He sees
best. Devotion, however, means a
great deal more than surrendering
something to God. It includes consecration.
Of course we are not to
"dictate" to God what use He shall
m:,ke of our sons or daughters, but
In His providence He leaves it very
largely with parents to determine lor
their children, the course they are to
lollow In lile. Parents are expected
to keep before the minds ol their
children the claims ol the Lord's work,
to prepare them lor that work by religious
instruction and adequate education,
and to pray that the Spirit
shall guide them Into the fieldwhere
He wants them to labor. In this sense
devotion is a "work," not merely an-
"act."
Some people say "give the boy an
education and the thing lor which he
shows special aptitude, or talent. Is
the thing he should decide upon as
his vocation." This statement Is true
only under certain conditions. He
might develop a great capacity for
rascality, but should not be permitted
to follow his own Inclinations. The
"aptitudes" and the "talents" depend
in many cases at least upon the conditions
with which the boy has been
surrounded In childhood, and upon the
purposes and ideals which have been
kept belore his mind during the lormative
period of his lile.
Another person says: "I want my
boy to choose Ior himseli what he
shall do, I do not want to Influence
him one way or the other." This
leaves out of sight parental responsibility
and also the undeniable lact
that young people seldom choose a
vocation without that choice being influenced
either by his parents or some
one outside of his home. II the parents
are what they ought to be they
will do their utmost by prayer and
wise counsel to direct their children
in the choice of a noble vocation and
help them to make the highest possible
attainments in their chosen calling.
II. Prayer that our college prepare
them.
The college was founded as a Covenanter
college, to prepare Covenanter
young people for the work of the
Wbich comes first, beginning or
per;severing ? Suppose you have
never begun.
Covenanter Church. This is not to say How can- we revive (the enthusiasm
of our beginnings?
that it cannot do much more, that it
does not extend an influence much Have societies and congregations
wider than the Covenanter Church,
need of perseverance? Rev. 2:4,
and the work she has undertaken.
But this is the primary purpose for S-
which our college was founded. That Give examples of things in
this purpose may be carried out at v/hich we should exercise perseverance.
least three things are essentials:
First, the college should guarantee
that the young people will receive distinctly
Covenanter instruction and
that Covenanter customs and practices
shall be held up lor the respect and
loyalty of the students, and that tue
Covenanter ideal of morality and spiritual
life, with which parents have
sought to impress their children, shall
be maintained and even exalted. It
would not do to have one standard for
the Covenanter home and another for
the Covenanter college. A parent
would not be satisfied to have his boy
return from college and report that
pleasures or .practices which were allowed
at home were permitted at
Geneva and nothing was said about it.
Secondly, Covenanter parents should
try to fillsuch a Covenanter college
with their sons and daughters. The
college could not possibly prepare
young people in sufficient numbers to
do the work of the Covenanter
Church, unless the parents send in
the material lor the college to prepare
for such work. This should be
done even at more expense, with longei'
separations, and greater sacrifices.
If a college is to maintain Covenanter
customs and practices and ideals
she must have a sufficient number of
Covenanter pupils, who come from
homes where respect lor and devotion
to these customs, practices and
ideals, have been carelully and consistently
taught, to constitute a dominant
element in the student body, upon
which the management can depend
in lulfilling the aim of the church In
(Continued on page 10)
Young
PeopIe^s Topic
For the week beginning Aug.
3, 1913-
By the (I'iev. Geo. S. Coleman-.
Subject: The Ideal Cbristian.
His Perseverance. Text. Heb. 6:
10-20.
Suggested Psalms. 18:27-129,
C. M. 25:8-12 S. M.; 37:21-24;
121:1-4; 27:15-16; 31:18-23; 62:
4-6; 73:17-20; 138:5-6 L. M.
Bible References. Heb. 3:6; 6 :i i;
the issue of whether we will persevere.
Are we keeping up oui
Prov. 4:18; I. Chron. 16:11; Hos. efiforts for progress?
12:6; Rom. 12:12; Eph. 6:18; Doubtless, you think whoeveris
Rom. 2:7; II. Thess. 3;i3; Phil.
1:6; John 10:28; Luke 22:31-32;
(Concluded on Page 11) ;
John 17:11; 8:31, 32; Jer. 32:40;
L Pet. 1:5; Job.i7:9; L Cor. 15;
58: Gal. 6:9; Jas. 1:25; Luke 8:15;
Lam. 3:26, 27.
Subjects for talks:
Dbes perseverance in religion
pay simple or compound interest? strong, and medicine did no apparent
good in the way of relief.'
Does duty , ever become easier ?
Discuss the power of habit foi "Mv brain was clouded and dull,
good. What was the origin of the
1
name "Methodist"?
and I ^vas suffering from a caseof
constipation th-at defied all i;em-:
Discuss active work as a means
edies used.
'x
of no interest in old things.
"The 'Road to Wellville,' in >
Let the chairman of the prayermeeting
committee itell of bis need my hands, and may Heaven's,;
some providential way, fell into'
of perseverance.
richest blessings fall on the man,
A month ago the subject was who was inspired to write it ^
"Courage." If the meetings in
which the subject was discussed
bore fruit, many new attempts in
right living and service must have
been begun. Are they still being
continued? If they art not, we are
in a poor way for becoming ideal
Christians. • , y;
The first subject in this series
was "The Ideal Christian's Consecration."
Consecration means
for a Christian',a complete submitting
of ones's self to the will of
God. Two months later came the
subject, inevitable after submission
to God's will, "The, Ideal Christian's
Practical Service." Did we
plan any service? Or did God's
will in our case call for no service
?
As if to meet objections on our
part the nesat ,point m the study
along this line was humilit
That struck at ^t: main reaso
for our unwillingness to attemj
work, the fear that we could nc
stand as well in the eyes of oth
ers in doing the work as w
might desire to stand. But th
subjects of prayer and of cour
age followed, so th&t surely bj
this time attempts at better thing
have been begun. Now comes
CLOUDED BRAIN.
Clears Up On Change to Proper
Food.
The brain cannot work with
clearness and accuracy, if the
food taken is not fully digested,
but is retained in the stomach to
ferment and form poisonous gases,
etc. .A dull, clouded brain is
likely to be the result. .
A Mich, lady relates her exped-,
nee in changing her food ha'bits,
and.results are very interesting':,
"A steady diet of rich, greasy
foods such as sausage, buckwheat
cakes and so on, finally brokedown
a stomach and. nerves that,"
by inheritance, were sound and
"I followed directions carefully,*
the physical culture and all, using;
Grape-ATuts with sugar and cream, ^
leaving meat, pastry and hot bis-^
cuit entirely out of my bill of fare, j
The result—I am in perfect health '•.
once more.
^
"I never realize I have nerves,'
and my stomach and bowels are;,
in fine condition. My brain is^
perfectly clear and I am enjoying
that .state of health which God in-l
tended his creatures should w]of\
and which all might have, by giv- \
ing proper attention to their food: ;^
Name given by Postum Co-, Bat-,
tie Creek, Mich. Read, "The Road^
to- Wellville," in pkgs. "There's a ,
reason." *^
Ever read the above letter? A new
one appears from time to time. T"*/ ;
are genuine, true, and full of human j
interest.
, •.