Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

REMO I. ROBB, D.D.For CovenjTO ILLUSTRATE THE TOPICSSeptember 5The Purpose of Study2 Tim. 2:15.Before the disastrous fire at the University of Virginia, a beautiful copy ofRaphael's painting, The School of Athens, hung in its halls. Socrates standsin the center of the group; on his leftis Plato, and on his right is Aristotle.Before him is the figure of a boy, withdelicately cut features and large dreamyeyes, gazing into the distance. This isAlexander, who would be The Great.One day a professor was showing thepicture to a brilliant young lady, andpointed out as a defect the representation of Alexander as a dreamy youth.The young lady studied the picture untilits meaning lighted her countenance;and then, with an intuitive leap of feminine sympathy, she replied with enthusiasm, "No; Raphael is right. Hewho would conquer a world, must firstdream that he has conquered a world."September 12Windows and Wings.Church or School First.Proverbs 1:28-33; 3:19-22; John 8:32.One of the Republicans of 1793 told agood French Peasant, "We are going topull down your churches and yoursteeplesall that recalls past ages, andall that brings to your mind the ideaof God." "Citizen," replied the peasant,"Pull down the stars, then."The Church is built upon a strongfoundation upon Jesus Christ Himself.September 19The King's Business.Christ and My Vocation.I Cor. 3:9-11; / Chron. 4:23.A revival meetingwas in process ata village church. Many had acceptedChrist during the meetings. At the endof a sermon one night the minister said,"Is the person here who most influencedyou in becoming a Christian? Maybe itis your parent, your pastor, your Sabbath School teacher, your school teacher,or some neighbor, or acquaintance in thecommunity. If that person is here, Iwould like you to rise and go shakehands with the person who most influenced you to accept Christ as yourSaviour."A glorious scene followed!Pupils went to their Sabbath Schoolteachers, some went to the Sabbath120School superintendent, some went tothe pastor.Off to one side sat an aged lady. Shehad never spoken in public, had nevertaught a Sabbath School class, was noofficer of the Church. She was a faithful, consecrated Christian mother andwife, nearing her eightieth birthday. Along line went to where she sat. Sometook her by the hand. Some placed theirarms about her. They said "Your personal work and testimony for Christ,when we came into your home andwhen we saw you going about, led usto Christ, the Saviour!" The vocation ofa consecrated, holy life had won manyto the Saviour. Gospel Herald.September 26Yield Not to Temptation.Prov. 23:21, 29-32.Perhaps the quaintest letter in thewhole White House collection is onewhich came from a child, addressed toPresident Cleveland, written in September, 1895. This is what it says : "To HisMajesty President Cleveland. Dear President: I am in a dreadful state of mindand I thought I would write and tellyou all. About two years agoas nearas I can remember, it is two yearsused two postage stamps that had beenused on letters before; perhaps morethan two stamps, but I can only remember of doing it twice. I did not realizewhat I had done until lately. My mind isconstantly turned on that subject, and Ithink of it night and day. Now, dearwill'President, you please forgive me,and I will promise you I will never doit again.Enclosed find cost of threestamps, and please forgive me, for I wasthen but thirteen years old, for I amheartily sorryFrom one of your subjects."for what I have done.The King's Business.Alcoholism as Sickness"The current popular theory that alcoholism is simply a sickness ... is misand mischievous. . . . state ofleading Thealcoholism is self-induced and so different from the common conception ofsickness as not to be properly describedas such, but is a self-inflicted poisoningdrug."by a narcotic Dr. Haven Emerson.IREPORT OF SYNOD'S HOMEMISSIONS AND YOUNGPEOPLE'S SECRETARYDear Fathers and Brethren :The blessings of another year in serving our Lord are all to His praise. Hehas granted health, safety, service, provision for both body and soul. Time andagain successions of unplanned incidentshave at length been shown to be Hisdoing. It was marvellous in my eyes. Inall these ways I desire to acknowledgeHim and to thank Him for His leading.General ActivitiesSince last Synod I have ministeredto 18 congregations in 7 presbyteries on39 Sabbath days. Ten of these congregations were vacant at the time of ministry. Six of them now have pastors, oneis waiting ordination and installation ofits pastor-elect, another has a callpending, and two still are vacant. I havetried where the way was open, to dothe work of a pastor in making callsand in performing other ministerialtasks. Besides this, there have beenother contacts through MissionaryThankofferings, Sabbath School conventions, the college and the seminary. Agreat deal of correspondence was carriedon with vacant congregations in all thepresbyteries, relating to securing pastors and to getting summer supplies.EvangelismIn keepingwith the recommendationof the Home Mission Board that evangelistic meetings should be held springand fall in the Kentucky field, I assistedin a week's services at Wrigley in mid-November. Attendance was good, attention was good. The responses werenot what we had hoped for, but theSpirit manifestly was present and wethanked Him for His blessings. A visitof that nature makes clear as nothingelse can, the tremendous barriers againstwhich our workers have to contend. Attitudes settled through many generations are not overcome in a few shortyears. Our workers now are accepted,and may go freely and talk freely in afashion impossible even a few years ago.Upon work and workers now establishedin the community,build in the years to come.we may hope toTHE COVENANTER WITNESS