problem and the facts of our undertaking. That we may intelligently
synthesize the influences that bear powerfully upon the church as it
seeks to meet its present day task, apprehend the effect of these
influences upon the religious ideals and thought of our young people,
and realize the atmosphere which Home Missions must permeate with its
saving faith, we must take account of the moulding thought-life of
our day.
It is always difficult to separate the apparent from the underlying
and more subtle causes and influences. Within the outer and more
obvious is usually hidden an inner current of thought and movement
that must be sought and realized in order that the whole content
may be obtained. Until quite recently--and we are still feeling its
effects--the tendency of our time strongly emphasized material
accomplishments. The world has been "intently and almost exclusively
occupied with subduing natural forces and material matter to humanity's
growing physical and mental needs." Thus have been given us the wonders
of scientific triumph which make possible the civilization of our day.
In America, especially, material development has appeared to
receive an exalted value and place. We have become familiar with
the charge made against us by Europe of being a nation of
materialists.
The transforming of a continent from a wilderness to a land of
homes and highly organized industry in the brief space of three
centuries; the marvelous and rapid development of the vast material
resources of our land; the hastening here of eager recruits from
other lands, passionately seeking and needing material betterment,
have magnified in this country the feverish acquisition of material
wealth and accentuated the hard, calculating business spirit; and
has seemed to place undue value upon the worth of material success
and the things of which it is made.
John Burroughs from his quiet vantage point of observation says--"The
present civilization arms us with the forces of earth, air and water,
while it weakens our hold upon the sources of personal power.
"It gives us great intellectual riches but it deadens our finer
spiritual faculties, our clear conception of the higher values of
life. Where there is no vision, no intuitive perception of the great
fundamental truths of the inner spiritual life, the best and the
highest must perish."
Before seeking to discover the hidden ethical motives and forces
that animate and elevate our national life, let us consider the
very real effect of the apparent predominance of the materialistic
upon our college students.
Our young people are exposed not only to the pressure of the
materialistic atmosphere which throbs and beats about us all,
but they must also meet the same force from a different and
very direct contact in their classrooms at college, and in the
universities.
Few of us realize the difficult adjustment of mental and spiritual
outlook young people of Christian training must face as they enter
college and university, or the shock to their Christian faith
received through the contact with rationalistic and materialistic
philosophy.
The professors presenting these subjects speak from a large
experience and wide information to those of limited experience
and immature thought, who are unable to give a mental margin for
faith and all that it implies; though this wider understanding may
lie in the mind of the lecturer mitigating his personal view point,
it is not presented to the student.
Without intention often, and because the subject lies in the realm
of speculative thought, the presentation apparently leaves no room
for faith or for those vital qualities which lie beyond the realm of
reason and deduction and can be apprehended only through spiritual
perception, and which are infinitely precious because they constitute
the soul life. Here is found the source of those finer feelings and
impulses--love, faith, reverence and the response to the Divine.
Of greatest value in the promotion of the spiritual life among the
students taking these subjects, is the fact that the later philosophers,
of whom William James, Josiah Royce and Henri Bergson are prominent,
give place to the spiritual and to the power and inspiration of the
unseen. [Footnote: The following, which appeared in the Outlook of
March, 1915, though recording a special occasion at one university,
is true in showing the tendency which obtains in varying degrees at
many others:
"To understand the significance of this religious awakening at
Yale (February, 1915), there is needed a brief explanation of the
genesis of this 'new evangelism' of the second decade of the
twentieth century, which is transforming our colleges, and which
makes it natural and normal for students to desire a period set
apart for special meetings each year when they can 'come across,'
as they put it.
"The teaching of Professor William James, of Harvard, showed how useless
it was to get men to listen to appeals if they were not energized to
act on them. This gave a scientific basis for registered decisions.
As soon as John R. Mott and G. Sherwood Eddy dared act on this the
results were so remarkable that the conservatives no longer opposed it."]
Very wisely must the Christian influence of the home and the church
be exerted during this period so as not to seem or wish to limit the
freedom of thought and research, yet at the same time to hold the eager,
questioning young life true to the highest and best, that with the
development of the mental life may go also a deepening and widening
of the spiritual.
Home Missions, too, must be watchful and efficient in its attitude
toward the student body and recent graduates, that it may offer
the special presentation of its scope and appeal, and the concrete
objects of interest to which the students may contribute service
best fitted to meet their peculiar requirements.
With the superficial dominance of the materialistic in our
civilization has come also a marked relaxation of standards in
social and religious life.
Into both have crept a lenience toward tendencies that are
vicious and destructive. In social life certain dances, amusements,
styles of dressing, have been tolerated even by Christian women,
that savor only of the lowest and most vulgar practices and places.
As we desire the triumph of what Home Missions stands for, our
influence as Christian women should be exerted powerfully to maintain
standards in these matters that will be helpful rather than hurtful
to the ideals and Christian development of our young people. We can
not escape a heavy responsibility along these lines.
The relaxation of standards in religious matters invites the
growth among people of Christian up-bringing of the many modern
forms of ancient non-Christian faiths which are gaining wide
acceptance in our land. Mormonism, Theosophy, Bahaism, New Thought
and other cults because of their apparent intellectuality,
mysticism and spirituality appeal to hundreds and thousands of
women who do not think deeply, and who are carried away by the
seeming depth and power of the appeal of these new faiths.
If devotees declined to accept the literature furnished by these
organizations for their delusion and would go to the libraries and
ascertain for themselves the origin, beliefs and accomplishments
of these religions and their ancient prototypes as they flourished
in India, Persia, Arabia, they would learn the facts as to the
faith to which they are giving their allegiance.
A sample of the destructive teaching to which many indifferent,
thoughtless and curious people are exposed was furnished to the
writer at a crowded Theosophist meeting in New York City where one
of their lecturers spoke on the theme of sin.
With many variations and much eloquence he said in brief, "There
is no such thing as sin. The doctrine of vicarious atonement is
ridiculous. There was nothing sublime in Calvary. Many an unknown
miner has done all that Calvary suggests in giving life to save
others. Those whom we term sinful, sensual or criminal are simply
_young_ souls which have not evoluted far enough. When they have
passed through the seven or more incarnations they will have
attained beauty and perfection of character."
Some of the leaflets and literature distributed were dangerous in
their suggestiveness. This was one meeting only, and hundreds of
the same order were held throughout our land that day. What of the
need of the pure standards and ideals of which Home Missions is
the exponent!
The inner and true spirit of America can not be found, however,
in the emphasis upon material wealth and welfare, however dominant
that may appear to be in our civilization.
The spirit of America is expressed in the passion for liberty and
opportunity, in the "sense of moral order and responsibility, faith
in God and man, love of home, courage and hope, and in the ineradicable
and controlling idealism which have been the strongest elements in
America since the first colonists braved the dangers of a new world
for conscience sake" [Footnote: Hamilton Mabie--American Ideals,
Character and Life.] and gave to this country the impulses that
have held true through all its national history.
The ships carrying America's gifts of food to starving Belgians, the
ship laden with the Christmas gifts of America's children to little
sufferers across the seas, the hospital and Red Cross ministry given
to mitigate the devastation of a war in which America has no part,
express the real spirit of America. Whether a controlling Christian
impulse is to continue in this land, the church of Christ--Home
Missions--must answer.
We can not fail, also, to recognize the significance, for national
righteousness of the urgent demand of to-day that business, social
conditions and politics shall conform to an ethical standard.
This eager effort toward a standard of social righteousness is
not regarded by people generally as having its source and power from
within the church, though we of the church know that the impulse which
gave birth to this movement and the ideals and standards sustaining it
are the product of the church of Christianity. More and more, organized
Christianity is realizing its obligations along these lines and is seeking
to render the fullest social service. Emile de Laveleye, the Belgian
economist, says, "If Christianity were taught and understood conformably
to the spirit of its founder, the existing social organism could not last
a day."
A source of power necessary to the effectiveness of missionary
service is found in organization.
In all lines of human activity the eager effort to-day is toward
efficiency through highly developed organization. This is shown in the
realm of philanthropy in the great Sage and Rockefeller foundations,
and in the splendidly equipped charitable societies and multitudes
of others.
In the business world the Standard Oil Company, the United States
Steel Company and the Ford Automobile Company are conspicuous examples.
The past ten years has also witnessed combinations of religious and
missionary organizations, such as the Federal Council of the Churches
of Christ in America, The Home Missions Council, The Council of Women
for Home Missions, The Federation of Foreign Missions Boards, and a
number of others which exist for the purpose of obtaining the fullest
information on all aspects of their particular fields of activity and
to secure the execution of important lines of endeavor which can not
rightly be undertaken by one Board.
"The Council of Women for Home Missions, formed in November, 1908,
was organized that there might be a medium through which National
Woman's Home Mission Boards and Societies might consult as to wider
plans, and, co-operatively, do more efficient work for the Homeland."
[Footnote: Annual Report, Council of Women for Home Missions.] Seven
standing Committees are the direct agencies through which most of the
work of the Council is done. These committees are Home Mission Study
Courses and Literature, Home Mission Summer Schools, Home Mission
Interests in Schools, Colleges, and Young People's Conferences, Home
Mission Interests among Children, Home Mission Comity and Co-operation,
Home Mission Interests among Immigrants, Home Mission Day of Prayer. The
Council is a greatly needed clearing-house for the multitude of matters
of first importance to efficiency of service and to all Home Mission
Boards, which are not the particular responsibility of any.
Another important source of Home Mission inspiration and
information are the interdenominational study classes which have
been formed "to bring the local Women's Home Missionary Societies
into united service for Christ and our country; to encourage
devotional fellowship and mutual counsel concerning the spiritual
life and Home Missionary activities among women's Home Missionary
organizations in local communities."
The Home Mission summer schools are also valuable in promoting
the study of the textbooks from year to year and in providing the
opportunity of hearing from missionaries concerning their service
and fields. A background of prayer, Bible study, and Christian
fellowship adds much to the helpfulness of these special summer
assemblies.
"Let us try to realize the significance of the fact and in these
eight summer schools that are affiliated with the Council and in the
Home Missions institute conducted by the Council itself at Chautauqua,
nearly 5000 women devote a week or more of their precious summer
vacation to perfecting themselves as leaders in missionary work in
the local churches. We should never cease to feel the inspiration
of this, and to welcome the promise of great things for the spreading
of the kingdom of God held out in the full consecration of the highly
developed powers of such a goodly company of Christian workers."
Women's national Home Mission Boards and Societies are of
primary importance, for upon them rests the responsibility of
the administration of all women's Home Mission activities. The
earnest, prayerful planning of the Boards provides the methods of
work for societies, the literature and the effective forwarding
of the many lines of service on the field.
The Boards with painstaking, loving care seek to meet the
constantly growing requirements of the fields committed to them,
many times attaining almost the impossible in erecting buildings
and responding to the appeals from people and places lacking the
gospel ministry, and needing desperately the provision of a school
or a hospital. Let us remember that the Boards can be strong and
effective for the kingdom only as the societies and churches
through their vitalizing prayers and their strengthening gifts
make it possible.
The most important and basic place in all this organization
structure must be assigned to the women's, young women's and
children's missionary society, auxiliary, or mission band, in
the local church. Here in the local society each one finds her
particular place and work. Here loyalty for the denomination of
our choice finds scope and nourishment. Here through prayers,
letters, leaflets, the presence of missionary speakers, we come
into close fellowship with those consecrated ones of our own
household of faith who stand in the lonely, difficult places as
our representatives, ministering of the things of Christ to those
in need. Here our responsibility for maintaining the special work
committed to our society is found.
To obtain a renewal of purpose, a vitalizing vision either of a
personality or an enterprise, to create a fresh enthusiasm, we must
turn from the familiar aspects of the subject to a first-hand thought,
or view. We need to be freshly introduced, as it were. For this purpose
let us renew our thought of the essential task of Home Missions. It is
to Christianize our home land-Christianize, shorn of the formal services
and forms of activity with which we associate the word means simply to
reproduce in our own lives and strive to bring to others as accurately
as possible the spirit and method of the life of Jesus, the Christ.
The source of power which will make possible the Christ-life in
us, and the dynamic for all missionary service and power will be
found only in Him; "Ye in me and I in you"--"That ye may be
witnesses unto me," are His words.
Let us then each seek Christ afresh, that we may know and realize
Him as if finding Him for the first time. Let us read the Gospels
as if we had never before heard the story of His life. Let us come
again to Calvary. Let us by prayer and communion open all the
avenues of our being to His presence and spirit.
Let us seek a new realization and understanding of His character
and purpose. For what did Christ live? Ringing in His every word
and expressed in his every deed is the key note of His life--Love.
He lived to express, to incarnate love--the love of the father for
His children. We see Him turn from honor, riches, from what others
value and strive for, that he might manifest His love and teach
others how to love. The love of Jesus embodied more than it is
possible for us to comprehend in the height and depth and fulness
of its meaning.
His love expressed perfect understanding and sympathy. "Your
heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things."
His love was filled with compassion and tender pity for the needy
and suffering. "Jesus, moved with compassion, touched him and
saith unto him, Be thou clean."
His love felt human sorrow. At the tomb of Lazarus "Jesus wept."
His love shared human joy. "These things have I spoken unto you
that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full."
His love held redemption--was a saving love. "He that cometh unto
me I will in no wise cast out."
His love knew fullest forgiveness. He said to the woman taken in
sin, "Neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more."
His love brought friendship. "Ye are my friends."
His love gave new meaning to justice. "Her sins which are many are
forgiven-for she loved much."
His love gave inspiration, "If ye abide in me and my words abide
in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done." "Greater
works than these shall ye do."
His love held the promise of eternal companionship. "All mine are
thine and thine are mine. I will come and receive you unto myself,
that where I am ye may be also."
"Outlawed men, criminals and lepers and madmen, became as little
children at His word, and all the wrongs and bruises inflicted on
them were healed beneath His kindly glance. This is how He lived
and this Gospel was the Gospel of a life He lived in such a way
that men saw that love was the only thing worth living for--that
life had meaning only as it had love."
O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee.
I give Thee back the life I owe
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
This many-sided, all-embracing love is the type of love His
followers are pledged to yearn for and to seek earnestly to
express. The love of Christ found three great expressions--in
giving, in service, in sacrifice.
If we, Christian women, are to reproduce Christ's spirit of love,
then giving, service, sacrifice must be dominant in our lives.
How wonderfully and fully the Christ gave of all that He had--Himself.
He needs our gifts to-day, ourselves, our talents, our money. Home
Missions means a life to be lived, the full, glad giving of thought,
prayer, money, that His love may be made known to all the weary,
oppressed, ignorant, waiting, suffering ones in our land.
"Christ gives the best.
And in His service as we're growing stronger
The calls to grand achievement still increase.
The richest gifts for us, on earth or in heaven above,
Are hid in Christ. In Jesus, we receive the best we have."
The Christ-love was expressed in service. From the time that He went
forth to be "about His Father's business" we see him always serving
to the utmost of His strength with no thought of rest, or comfort.
We recall the long, hard day in Capernaum when after having spent
Himself in teaching He came to Peter's house; the news of His
presence there spread through the city; quickly were brought unto
Him the sick, the crippled and possessed; forgetful of His weariness
He healed and ministered unto them until the shadows lengthened and
night closed in. All along the way, as He journeyed in Galilee, Judea
or Samaria, he gave help and healing to the sick and sinful. When
He heard the sad cry of the lepers, He drew near them and gave them
cleansing. Those possessed of evil spirits, the blind, the soul sick,
the unrealizing, hardened woman at the well, the beautiful, loving
Magdelen, all found in Him a response to their utmost need. He said
truly, "The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister."
He says to us, "As the Father sent me, so send I you."
"The final purpose of knowledge is action."
Grant us the will to fashion as we feel;
Grant us the strength to labor as we know;
Grant us the purpose ribbed and edged with steel
To strike the blow.
Knowledge we ask not--knowledge Thou hast lent,
But, Lord, the will--there lies our bitter need.
Give us to build above the deep intent
The deed, the deed.
--_John Drinkwater_.
Knowledge must find expression in action or it is harmful and
vicious in its reaction. Having learned of Home Mission conditions
and needs, "word and deed must become one witness in action," else
our knowledge will mean a hardening of sympathy, the atrophy of
some spiritual impulse. The Lord calls us and sends us forth to
serve.
Let us also remember that now is the time to begin a larger
service. "To-day is your day and mine, the only day we have, the
day in which we play our part. What our part may signify in the
great whole we may not understand, but we are here to play it and
now is the time."
"Whittier tells us the story of the day in Connecticut in 1780,
when the horror of great darkness came over the land, and all men
believed that the dreaded Day of Judgment had come at last.
"The legislature of Connecticut, 'dim as ghosts' in the old
Statehouse, wished to adjourn to put themselves in condition for
the great assizes, Meanwhile Abraham Davenport, representative
from Stamford, rose to say:
"This well may be
The Day of Judgment which the world awaits;
But be it is so or not, I only know
My present duty and my Lord's command
To occupy till He come.
So at the post where He hath set me in His Providence
I choose for one to meet Him face to face,
Let God do His work. We will see to ours."
[Footnote: David Starr Jordan--The Call of the Twentieth Century.]
The Lord's love found its supreme expression in sacrifice. He walked
not only the Via Dolorosa--the way of pain and sorrow--which led
through Gethsemane to the green hill far away beyond the city wall;
and to Calvary--the pathway of His life was marked by _daily, hourly_
sacrifice.
He knew the full measure of loneliness, of misunderstanding, of
cruel malignity. He of the most sensitive perceptions and feelings
suffered from the brutality and coarseness of those who hated Him.
He knew the anguish of homelessness. Listen to the cry that escaped
Him: "The Son of Man hath not where to lay his head." If we are
following Him we too will share in the sacrificial life. "He that
would come after me let him take up his cross and follow me." But
there is joy in sacrifice, deep and true, and things highest and
best come to us only through the life laid down.
Out of the deep of sacrifice The pillars of the future rise.
It was a regiment that had volunteered for sure-death service at
Port Arthur, and the Japanese captain addressing them as they were
about to march said, "I send you forth as my loved children. If as
you discharge your duty, you lose your right hand, fight with your
left; if your left, too, is lost, serve with your feet; if your
feet also are lost, you can help with your head, giving cheer and
encouragement to others. Do not be reckless of your lives for they
are needed."
Joyously seventy-seven earnest, willing ones went to live that
message--gloriously they did their part and won the day, though
not one of them ever returned to tell of victory.
God calls us to _live_ for the saving of America.
BIBLIOGRAPHY