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Young People^s Topic
FOR AUGUST 30.
By Rev. A. A. Johnston.
Why and How to Abolish War.
Isaiah G5:17-25.
Psalms:—29:1-3, 9, No. 69; 46:6-10,
No. 127; 85:5-8, No. 229; 122:1-6, No.
350; 125:1-5, No. 354.
Parallels:—Ps. 46:9; Is. 2:4-5;
Ezek. 39:8-10; Hosea 2:18; Micah.
4:3; Matt. 5:9; 1 Tim. 2:2; James
3:18; Is. 9:6; Ps. 29:11; Ps. 122:7-8;
I Cron. 4:40.
As I write, Austria has just declared
war on Servia and another brutal
struggle has begun with terrible possibilities
of a general confiict among
the European nations. Thousands of
lives will be sacrificed, homes will be
destroyed, millions of dollars wasted,
morals debauched, the minds of men
brutalized, confidence among the different
peoples ruined and the fever
of war will burn fiercely, whose healing
is the most difflcult of the problems
of statesmen. The ruinous increa&o
of powerful armaments has
borne its logical fruit of unrest, distrust,-
war and death.
The topic of war is a most timely
one. Why should it be abolished
I. The hest citizenship of the
world is wantonly wasted in war. _
Beneath the mental and moral is
the physical. Weak bodies will never
-breed a strong nation and yet when
a nation goes to war they call for
the perfectly -fit, for those who are
strong and virile in body and mind.
Then these who' should be the fathers
of a vigorous race are mowed down
by the murderous artillery-fire and
the merciless musket-ball, or come
back weakened and wasted by insidious
disease, or mutilated by the surgeon's
knife. Those that are left to
father the race are the inferior in
height and weight, the stunted in vitality,
the diseased in organism. Grecian
character, art, literature, and Independence
died because the veins of
her noblest men were opened and the
blood offered in sacrifice to the God
of War. Modern historians have
wondered why there was little chivalry
and progress during the centuries
following the crusades. The answer
is easily discovered when we
remember that about two millions and
a half of the hest men,—men of valor
and courage, followed their leaders
to the Holy Land and only about
twenty per cent returned, and these
only to introduce into Europe the Asiatic
vices. There was lost to France
in the firstgeneration following the
close of the wars of the republic, 1,-
850,000 men of superb courage and
tall stature. The best hlood of Prance
was not spent in sturdy parenthood
but wasted in war. In stature alone
the French lost two inches because
Napoleon gleaned the land of its hardy
men. A friend who had visited in
the South told me that the men there
were inferior "because the couragous,
the patriotic and the noble all
fought In the Civil War aod many of
them perished." Select the strong
THE cttftlStlAN WATION. Vol. 61
and manly of a nation and destroy dering Unto God" in the month ot Apostles and he is needed today.
them and one can easily predict what August. Now we have for third 3. It was 'certain. There is no
the future of that nation will be.
step, "Filled with the Holy Spirit"
II. National Resources Are Turned
doubt ^bout the fulfillment of the
into Useless Channels.
for the month of September. The promise. The outpouring of the
We, of America, who have not had Promise of the Spirit, i. It was Spirit took place on the day of Pentecost
and was witnessed by all as­
a great war since 1865, spend sixtythree
cents out of every dollar col­
says: "I will pray the Father, and sembled and the promise was so
definite. In John 14:16 our Lord
lected, for military purposes. 63 per
he shall give you another Comforter,
that he may abide with you for whom the Spirit came began to'
cent to the army, navy and pensions
wonderfully fulfilled that they upoiu,
and only 37 per cent for the other
vast and useful needs of our nation. ever." In this promise there is no speak with other tongues and there
We complain about the cOijr of the guess work about the gift of the was a wonderful display of the
Panama Canal and yet it only took 3 Spirit. The Lord says, "he shall (Continued on page 11.
per cent of our yearly revenue. What
give you'' the Spirit. We have the
wonderful work the government
CONGENIAL WORK
could do in agriculture, in river improvement,
in solving the problem of be more definite than the terms
Divine Word for it. What could
And Strength to Perform it.
the immigrant if we only spent the used in this verse If we could A person in good health is likely
to have a genial disposition, am­
63 per cent or most of it in the useful
pursuits of peace! What could
only be as definite in our asking as
the Lord is in the promising of the bition, and enjoy work.
we not do with the $466,000,000 expended
for war purposes!
Spirit we would surely have more On the other hand, if the digestive
organs have been upset by
How can war be abolished power with God and with man.
I. By Implanting the Gospel of Turn to Acts first chapter and we wrong food, «ork becomes drudgery.
Christ in the Hearts of Men. are told that the Apostles and dis­
There will always be hatred and
war unless the righteousness and
peace of Christ rule in the lives of
men. "The work of righteousness
shall be peace and the effect of righteousness,
quietness and confidence
forever." It is righteousness and
peace that kiss each other.
II. By a Better Understanding
Among the Nations.
We have not yet learned that when
one nation suffers, all nations suffer
and when one is prosperous then all
feel the impulse of the new lite.
III. By Creating a Strong Sentiment
Against it.
Men are not convinced of Its ruinous
waste and debauching character.
When once they are, nations will not
hasten so carelessly into its horrors.
Prayer Meeting
Topic
FOR SEPTEMBER 2ND.
By the Rev. J. M. Johnston.
We have come to the third Step.
'Filled With the Holy Spirit."
The Promise of the Spirit.—
Luke 24:49.
I. It was definite.
2. It was needed.
3. It was certain.
Passages—Matt. 10:19,20. 'Luke
11:13. John 14:16, 17. John 25:26.
Luke 12:12. John 14:26. John 20:
22. Acts 4:8. Acts 4:31. Acts 5:32.
Acts 10:44, 45 Acts 11:15, 16. 2
Cor. 5:5. 2 Cor. 1:22. Eph. 1:13,
14. I John 3 :24. i John 4:13. Acts
ciples being assembled did not depart
"Until recently," writes a Wash­
from Jerusalem but waited for ington girl, "I was a railroad sten­
the promise of the Father and in ographer, which means full work
this same connection the Lord said
again, "Ye shall receive power, after
every day.
"Like many other girls alone in
that the Holy Ghost is come a large city, I lived at a boarding
upon you." As another evidence house. For breakfast it was mush,
of the definiteness of this promise greasy meat, soggy cakes, black
we have its fulfillment in the beginning
coffee, etc.
of the 2nd Chapter of the "After a few months, of this
Acts.
diet I used to feel sleepy and
2. It was needed. The disciples
recognized their helplessness
at the first announcement of our
Lord's death and departure. They
said, "This shall not be unto thee."
But Our Lord assured them that
such things must take place and He
knowing their need also said, "I
will not leave you comfortless, the
Comforter, which is the Holy
Ghost, whom the Father will send
in my name, he shall teach you
all things, and bring all things
to your remembrance, whatsoever
I have said unto you."
The work of the Holy Spirit
is three-fold. He is a comforter.
As such he was needed in
heavy in the mornings. My work
seemed a terrible effort, and I
thought the work was to blame—
too arduous.
"At home I had heard my father
speak of a young fellow who went
long distances in the cold on Grape-
Nuts and cream and nothing more
for breakfast.
"I concluded if it would tide him
over a morning's heavy work, it
mjght help me, so on my way home
one night I bought a package and
next morning I had Grape-Xuts
and milk for breakfast.
"I stuck to Grape-Nuts, and in
less than two weeks I noticed improvement.
I remember I used to
the days of the disciples. When walk the 12 blocks to business and
they saw the Lord crucified and knew how good it was simply to
laid away in the tomb it was more live.
than they could endure. They were "xA.s to my work—well, did you
much in need of the comforting of ever feel the delight of having congenial
work and the strength to
the Spirit to give them faith in
13:52.
what they had been taught by their perform it That's how I felt. I
Psalms—16:6-10. 51:5-7. 43:3-6. Master. He is not only a comforter
but he is a teacher. "He shall in every grain of Grape-Nuts.
truly believe there's life and vigor
143:4-7. 89:14-17.
In the development of the plan teach you all things." The disci- Name given by Postum Co.. Battle
Creek, Mich. Read "The Road
of the "fore-ward movement" the • pies recognized this fact when they
first step brought before our minds were brought before magistrates to Wellville," in pkgs. "There's a
was, "Didding Ourselves of Sin." and councils. Then again he is an Reason."
Ever read the above letter A new
This was considered during advocate. In all these particulars
one appears from time to time. They
the month of July. Following this the Holy Spirit fulfilled his office. are genuine, true and full of human
we had our second step, "Surren­
He was needed in the days of the Interest.