"One of the most Christian things T have observed about organized Christianity is the missionary 3 President this spirit which from the beginnings gave to tthe gospel of Christ its power over tthe hearts of men. For it is of the essence of Christian ethics and spirituality that those who have once felt their full inspiration are thereafter enlisted in carrying these Blessings to all who need them.
Whoever will study that wende ful story of the spread of Christia ity throughout the Roman world in the early centuries of our era, must get from it a deep conviction of tthe service which was rendered. In time when the old pagan systems Were breaking down, when eivili tion was falling into decadence and unspeakable corruption, the Christian faith came, with its new and better conception of life. It reveal fed a real justice and a real mere brought promise of immortality, 4 vision of man as the possessor of soul that should not perish. To world in which the vast majority Were born to lives of hopelessniens and misery, $¢ brought realization of 4 now destiny. The basis of this new conception was brotherhood, Its es venice was an unselfishness. which, flowering into the wonderful mis sionary movement of those early centuries, sought to carry the new pensation to all mankind.
1 Zeal and Simple Faith "Those early Christians, living 80 near to the time of the apostolic anission, were animated by a zeal und imple faith which, if they could be revived in all their early power, would bring to our world a rear blessing. We have come upon time which men often compare to the later generations of Roman hi tory. Just as, in that older time there was need for the spirit of Christianity in the world, so now there is need for a revival of faith, 'a dedication to the works which that revived faith would show to. us as tthe need of the race, and a renewal of the spirit of brotherhood at all imes and in all places, The Christian nations have be-ome, in an intensely practical as well asa highly spiritual sense, charged with a great trust for civilization. Whatever missi aye may sometimes feel about their administration of the crust, we ean-not doubt, as we survey the world, that it las been imposed upon them. They ave the custodians of a faith which, despite momentary lapses fund Some perversions, has on the whole been a continuing inspiration to human betterment. Where has gone, there the light of a better understanding has shone. There the works of charity, of benevolence, of mutual helpfulness, have prospered. Intolerance has' been Jessened. Education hie been summoned an ally in the struggle against ignorance' and bigotry. Science in a thousand realms, the mechanic arts, in all their varied Mepartments, have been laid under contribution' to improve the estate of men.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.