The Presbyterian of the South : [combining the] Southwestern Presbyterian, Central Presbyterian, Southern Presbyterian. [volume], April 06, 1921, Page 12, Image 15

About The Presbyterian of the South : [combining the] Southwestern Presbyterian, Central Presbyterian, Southern Presbyterian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1909-1931

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show rather how entirely at home Ho
was in the world of the laboring poor,
and with what intimate sympathy He
entered into every detail of humble
life.
When He wanted to bring the doe
trine of the kingdom of God home to
the hearts of the people, He turned
for illustration, not to the legends of
great sages and famous potentates
with which Oriental teachers like to
point their moral, but to the house
wife working the leaven into her
dough, the hired laborers in the mar
ket place, the patient sower in an
uncertain field, the gardener lament
ing over a barren tree, and many
other occupations and happenings.
To-day the salvation of labor rests,
not with leaders, but with those in
the rank and file who will determine
to bring to their work the spirit of
the hidden life of Jesus in the work
shop at Nazareth. The root of tho
matter is that we have lost our love
of work. We have ceased to regard
our work, whatever it may be, as a
gift and call of God. We toil for
gain rather than for an honest pride
in our labor. It is love of gain ? the
lust of getting as much as we can
and giving as little as we can ? that
makes both the conscienceless capital
ist and the intractable workman. To
recover our sense of the innate sweet
ness of toil, to re-learn the secret of
doing all things as unto God, to be
lieve at the long last that to make
good shoes is in truth divine service
? that is the first step toward mak
ing all conditions that degrade labor
impossible. No one will stoop to pick
a stone out of the mud, but for a
diamond men will Imperil their lives
in the bowels of the earth. And not
until Christians believe from their
heart that labor is a precious gem.
will an intolerable industrial situa
tion be ended. To-day the workers
are fighting for gain ? for more liberal
pay, longer leisure and larger oppor
tunities of advancement; it is not
until employers and employees togeth
er fight for the redemption of work
itself ? for the cleansing of what God
has pronounced clean, and the liftlnR
up out of the mud of greed what
man should wear as a crown of glory
? that true salvation will come. ?
Condensed from an article in the
Christian, by E. Herman.
YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES
IMPROVING RECREATIONS.
M., Apr. 11. Unsanctified p'ay. 1 Cor. 10:1-7.
T., Apr. 12. Christ in our pleasure*. John 2:1-11.
W.t Apr. 13. Unimproved play. Luke 7:31, 32.
T., Apr. 14. Dangers of pleasuic Amos 6:1-6.
F., Apr. 15. Useful recreation. Acts 9:36.
8., Apr. 16. Music as re -rcation. I Sam. 16:10-23.
8., Apr. 17. Topic ? How Can Wo Improve Our
Re-rcationsf 1 Cor. 10:23, 24, 31-33;
11:1.
Wherein do tnir recreations fail f
What recreations should ue cultirah f
How can we improre the spirit of our play?
We were once called severely to ac
count by a lady, who professed to
be a consecrated Christian, for tak
ing part in organizing the boys of a
Sunday school into a baseball club.
She said that if the boys had the
love of Jesus in their hearts they
would not need any other form of
pleasure. We did not argue the ques
tion with her, but we organized the
club. We believe that every one needs
and should have some amusement,
provided it is of the right kind. We
speak of recreations. It is well to
think of the meaning of the word ? re
creation Is the making over or re
newing of the body, the mind or tho
soul, when it is tired or worn out.
If amusements re-create, they are not
likely to be wrong In themselves.
Unsanctified Play, 1 Cor. 10:1-7
(Ex. 32:6): When Aaron made tho
golden calf, it in said that the people
"sat down to eat and drink, and rose
up to play." This playing was a
lewd form of dancing, which was com
mon in idolatrous worship. We won
der if much of the dancing of to-day
would not come just as severely un
der the condemnation of Moses. There
does not seem to be anything in it
to re-create the soul and make it
nearer what God intended it to be,
nor does it show any tendency to
develop the mind. The effect upon
tho body is bad in more ways than
one. Let us be sure that our amuse
ments will be approved of God.
Christ in Our Pleasures, John 2:1
11: There are few occasions that af
ford as much pleasure as a wedding.
This was especially true of an East
ern wedding, where the feasting was
kept up for several days. Those who
think lhat Jesus does not approve of
our having pleasure should remember
that He went to the wedding feast,
and that His first miracle was wrought
to give pleasure to His host and Hi1!
fellow-guests. The question that we
ought to ask ourselves, when we con
sider any form oi pleasure, should be,
Is Jesus willing for me to engage in
it?
1'nlmproved Play, Luke 7:31, 32:
The Saviour is here speaking of tho
unreasonable selfishness of people,
who insist upon having their own
way, and are not willing to fall in
with the plans of others. The chil
dren of His day, as of ours., were ac
customed in their play to imitate what
they saw older people doing. Some
of them proposed to the others of
their party that they should play hold
ing a funeral, but they would not
accept their proposition. Thinking
they would meet them in a different
mood, they proposed to play having
a wedding. But they met with the
same refusal. Play or any kind to
be pleasant and helpful must be en
tered into heartily and unselfishly.
Dangers of Pleasure, Amos 6:1-6:
The great danger in the indulgence
in pleasure is that we allow it to be
come our master. He who neglects
his business in order to engage in
some form of pleasure is unwise. Ho
who neglects his duties to God for
the same reason is both foolish and
sinful. We oilght to have pleasures
and recreations, but we should hold
them within proper bounds. They
should never be allowed to injure our
physical or spiritual life.
Useful llwroatlon, Acts 9:36: Some
times the best recreation that we can
have is to turn aside from our busi
ness and pleasures and do some kind
ness to another. If a poor widow is
in need, it ought to afford us pleas
ure to spend an afternoon or two
working her garden. The change
from our regular work will be help
ful and the consciousness of having
helped another will give real pleas
ure.
Music as lleereal ion, 1 Sam. 16:19
23: Music was refreshing to Saul
and even drove away the evil spirit
that at times possessed him. It would
be well if we cultivated music more
than most of us do. But the inven
tions of man's geniua provides us
with many opportunities for enjoying
music. Many pleasant hours may be
Spent by a party of friends gathered
about a piano or an organ singing
together the familiar songs and
hymns that appeal to them. Every
home should have some musical in
strument. and every member of the
family should be encouraged to sing.
Much can be done by practice.
How Can We Improve Our Recrea
tions? 1 Cor. 10:23, 24, 31-33; 11:1:
Paul takes high ground, and yet no
higher than he ought to take, in re
gard to his actions. What he say*
will apply Just as well to our pleas
ures and amusements as to anything
else. The first position that he takes
is that it may not be right for him
lo do a certain thing, though it may
not be of direct harm to himself.
The second position is that whatever
he does ought to benefit himself. His
third is that whatever we do is to
be done for the glory of God. His
fourth ip. that we are not to do any
thing that will giv?? oitense, or be a
stumbling-block to the injuring of an
other. All of these principles should
apply to our pleasures. Of course "wo
must not do anything that is sinful
in itself. But it may be necessary
for us to refrain from some things
that are not wrong in themselves.
There are some people who say thero
is no barm in their playing cards,
but they must consider what their
influence on others will be. One man
may play cards without gambling, but
may his playing not influence an
other tc play, who will not restrain
himself in the same way? One man
says he goes to the theatre only to
see good plays. But will his going
influence another to go who will not
have the desire or the judgment to
restrict himself in the same way?
Paul says we are to "do all to tho
glory of God." Can this be done in
our play? Certainly it can. Our
amusements and recreations ought to
be indulged in for the improvement
of our bodies and minds. A boy's
body is improved by proper exercise
secured through games and sports.
When he is tired of his studies a
good game will refresh him, and he
will return to do better work. What
ever is done to fit the body and the
mind the better to do the work that
God has given us to do is done to
the glory of God. So we can glorify
God junt as really in our play as in
our work. Whatever injures mind or
body interferes with our doing our
best work, and is therefore sin. Let
us see to it -that we glorify God in
both work and play.
EVANGELISTIC NOTES.
Rev. J. E. Thacker reports a splen
did meeting at Madison, Fla., during
the latter part of February. There
were eighty-nine who joined the
church on profession of faith and
nineteen by letter; and seven deci
sions to study for the ministry.
Rev. R. A. Brown and Rev. R. M.
Hall have just concluded an extended
evangelistic campaign in the Lower
Rio Grande Valley that has been most
fruitful in its results. Mr. Brown
held meetings at Mission and Har
lingen, Tex. At Mission there were
twenty-one professions of faith, nine
teen of whom united with our church
and two by letter. At all three places
church itself was graciously revived.
This was followed by a fine meeting
at Harlingen, in which there were
thirty professions of faith, fifteen of
whom united with our church. His
last meeting in this campaign was at
Sabinal. Tex., in which there were:
three additions on profession of faith
and two by letter. At all three place ?
there were liberal offerings for our
evangelistic work. At the came time
Mr. Hail had meetings at Donna and
Pharr, Tex. At Donna there were
eleven professions of faith, seven of
whom united with our church, and
nine by letter. At Pharr there were
nine professions of faith, Ave of whom
united with our church. Both Donna
and Pharr churches made fine offer
ings for our evangelistic work. The
final totals in Mr. Hall's meeting at
Mercedes, Tex., were twenty-nine ad
ditions to our church, fifteen on pro
fession of faith and fourteen by let
ter.
Rev. Trigg A. M. Thomas was with
the Knox church, Norfolk, Va., in a
splendid meeting, in which there were
sixty professions of faith, forty of
whom united with the Presbyterian
church, and there were twelve addi
tions by letter. During the month of
March Dr. Thomas held a meeting in
tho Second church, Newport News,
Va., in which there was a gracious
ingathering. There were seventy pro
fessions of faith, thirty-three of whom
united with the Presbyterian church,
and eleven by letter.
Rev. J. McD. Lacy has been en
gaged in an extended campaign in
Charleston Presbytery. He was at the
Kdisto Island church, in a meeting
which resulted in ten professions of
faith, six of whom united with the
Presbyterian church. This was fol
lowed by a fruitful meeting with the
Rockville church on John's Island, tho
result of which was seventeen profes
sions of faith, twelve of whom united
with the Presbyterian church. The
final report of the Coalton meeting in
West Virginia shows sixty additions
on profession of faith, and twenty by
letter.
R. F. Kirkpatrick, Chairman.
11LUE AND TRUE BLUE.
(Continued from page 5)
of the Pilgrims in Washington, and
she added that she had discovered that
her husband had unexpectedly re
ceive a similar check, and that she
intended to see that he made the
same use of his check that she did
of hers."
Our Navy is fortunate in having
as its chief chaplain a man big enough
to do such a deed as this, with a wife
of like generous spirit.
In sending this good Methodist
preacher to her aid, God has given
the Southern Presbyterian Church an
unprejudiced and valuable testimony
to the importance of her own work
in Washington, and has summoned
her by his inspiring example.
The Church of the Pilgrims,
Washington, D. C.
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