[A local minister, in the Wishaw (Lanarkshire, Scotland) Herald]

Text: Romans 15:1, "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak."

The marks of discipleship with Jesus are kindness and sympathy to the sorrowing and unfortunate of mankind. Of all people in the world, the follower of Jesus should always see the best in others and do everything possible to assist in life's venture. As a tree is known by its fruit, so the disciple of Jesus is known by his daily actions. Religion lived and practiced can send a warmth into the hearts of other people, bringing sunshine into lives that are dreary and monotonous, and winning men for the kingdom of God. Many today only require proof of the sincerity of our religion to be pulled out of the morass of doubt and despair, and set on the road to God. Solitary souls in life would find new joy and gladness if there were less "churchianity" and more Christianity; les pious, self-contented religious snobbery and more of the warmth of the religion of Jesus. A handshake, a smile, a pleasant word of greeting will make all the difference to those who are having a hard and bitter fight in the stern battle of life. And our own lives will become happier by trying to make others happy....

Do not let our religion be an observance of jots and tittles which can never fashion men according to the heart of Christ. The surest way of helping a weaker brother is by trying to understand him, but so many so-called Christians brush him aside with scorn and feel that he is not worth bothering about. That was not the way of Christ [Jesus], who dealt kindly, gently, generously, and tried to win men. The way of Christ always means self-sacrifice. In his life the Master never sought personal comfort but denied himself to promote the welfare of others and in the end gave his life for the sake of others. Discipleship with Christ always costs much.

[Earl Jensen, in Northwestern States Mission, as quoted in the Deseret News, Salt Lake City, Utah]

I bought a watch once. It was a good watch, one of the best I could buy, and the jeweler told me it would keep perfect time. It was such a beautiful watch, I didn't wear it every day, but kept it in its box during the week and took it out just for Sundays. I liked to show it off on Sunday.

Something was wrong, it would not keep good time. I took it back to the jeweler for an examination, and the jeweler, after looking it over carefully, told me he could find nothing wrong with it. He asked me what kind of work I was doing. I told him I was not wearing the watch to work, as I thought it too good for use during weekdays, that I was wearing it only on Sundays. The jeweler looked up from his work, and said: "That's the reason your watch does not keep perfect time. A watch will keep good time only when used every day."

I wondered how many people try to use their religion the way I was trying to use my watch. To many people, their religion is the most beautiful thing in the world. Some of them think it too beautiful to use all week, so they take it to church with them on Sunday, to show its beauty to others, then put it carefully away for the rest of the week. To those I say this: "Remember that as a watch can keep perfect time only when used every day, so a person's religion can be of proper use to him only when he uses it every day."

[From Better Homes and Gardens, Des Monies, Iowa]

There is no necessity in these days to advance arguments in favor of religion. For we are seeing what happens when religion is abandoned and irreligion is substituted. One is life and the other is death.

God isn't an abstraction—a philosophic theory or theological formula. God is Love, and a godless world is a loveless world. Millions of brave men and women and millions of homes have been destroyed or are in peril because God has been forgotten. Is it then too much to ask that you do what you can to make sure that ... God is still remembered?

[Rev. Maurice Marcus, in the Sentinel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin]

"No man ever sank under the burden of the day. It is when tomorrow's burden is added to the burden of today that the weight is more than a man can bear. Never load yourselves so. If you find yourself so loaded, at least remember this: It is your doing, not God's. He begs you to leave the future to Him, and mind the present." As we read these words from the pen of George Macdonald we say to ourselves, "How true and how wise!" It is the thought of all that we must do and endure in the days that lie ahead that makes us nervous, fearful, and heavy-hearted. And we imagine we shall not be able to do that which is expected of us or meet the demands life makes upon us....

We find release when we begin to take God's promises seriously. "As thy days, so shall thy strength be." The task that seemed beyond our powers will be easily accomplished when we get to it. Many of the things we dreaded will never come to pass; that is the experience of all of us. But if they do actually confront us, then, when we get to that place, God will supply us with sufficient poise and confidence and courage so that we shall be more than equal to the situation. At least He will do that if we give Him a chance.

[Miss Ida B. Wise Smith, President of the W.C.T.U., as quoted in the Keene (New Hampshire) Evening Sentinel]

The church should have an intimate relation to the homes of the community. The family Bible needs to be given the place of honor which it once had in the home life. The family altar does not seem to fit the pattern of the modern family life. Should not the modern pattern be adjusted to the alter?

Beyond the relation of the church to the individual and to the home is its relation to those features of government which affect these and all other conditions. From whence, if not from the church, should come such positive teaching and action upon those social conditions which make for sin? If courage is not found there, where shall it be found?

[From the Pompton Lakes (New Jersey) Ledger]

If man could but realize that all the injunctions and admonitions contained in the Bible are laid down for his well-being and happiness and are based upon the very essence of human experience for thousands of years, what a different world it would make! Man everywhere would cease bringing to himself the grief and the woe that always come to him who persists in trying to find some other way of life.

The Bible contains the only way of life. If another way were possible it would be recorded there.

[Rev. Arthur W. Mohns, in the Southtown Economist, Chicago, Illinois]

"When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, ... they marvelled."

An experienced preacher of mature years who held the respect of a large number of younger student ministers repeatedly said to them, "What you say on Sunday will not mean as much as the way that you live." What Peter and John said was of value, but the way they lived—their boldness—caused the people to marvel.

This fact might well be remembered by the vast groups who are planning the new forward evangelistic movement in many of our churches. Until we can have the co-operation of the folks who are known as Christians, in living as Christians, we can have small expectation of any great evangelistic forward movement.

Much can be said of the various forms of evangelism. They are all, however, dependent upon the way Christian people live, since we are "epistles ... known and read of all men."

The door of evangelism is open to every Christian merely by living as a Christian, and the steppingstone to other forms of evangelistic effort whereby great numbers of people may be brought into contact with Christ and the church, will also be found in this living of our faith.

[From the Killarney (Manitoba, Canada) Guide]

Is there anything that can be done about it? In this hour of world chaos the churches surely have something to offer that should cause crowds to regularly attend their church. Does the church provide sympathy, strength, and vision that will inspire the people and make them feel the hour of worship is so worth while it cannot be ignored? These are questions which cannot be ignored and might well be asked by those responsible for our spiritual leadership.... These are serious times, days in which we might pause and think.

Church officers and members have no right to lay the blame of decreasing church attendance at the door of our ministers.... It ill becomes the layman to throw all the blame and responsibility on the clergy. It is equally the layman's problem, and the problem of every so-called Christian home, honestly to face and endeavor to solve....

Church going is of vital importance to every Christian. If lodges and service clubs constantly stress attendance as essential to the vitality of their organizations, we can conceive that regular church attendance is essential to strengthening and developing of Christian life. It is true that regular church attendance alone is not an indication of spirituality, but on the other hand if fostered in the right spirit, it can become a vital means of deepening the spiritual life of a church.

Irregular or non-church attendance on the part of church members is certainly an evidence of the spiritual decline in the life of the community. It reveals an apathy which is deadening to any cause that needs the loyalty and enthusiasm of all who pledge allegiance to it. In these modern times when the world is filled with indifference and materialism, the witness of the Christian faith ought to be felt in every sphere of life, and faithfulness in public worship is a vital part in that witness. It is absolutely unethical for people to pledge their faith and loyalty to the church and then absent themselves from public worship because of indifference. The call for church attendance should be taken seriously ... in this critical day in which we live.