triumphant hymn of Montgomery's, and he has more than once seen a congregation, drowsy and indifferent even under a fine sermon, yet stiffen up, throw back the shoulders and take on new life with the very reading of the first glorious line "Be joyful in God, all ye lands of the earth.” But Dr. Samuel Johnson on the other hand, had no faith in people being really happy. "It is all can t," said he, "they know they are miserable all the time." A friend once said to him that his wife's sister was really happy—and the lady herself confirmed the assertion in strong language, which offended Johnson. Turning to his friend he said, "If your sister-in-law is really the contented being she professes herself, Sir! her life gives the lie to every research of humanity; for she is happy without health, without beauty, without money, without understanding." At the horror expressed by his friend, Johnson said, "The same stupidity which prompted her to extol felicity hindered her from feeling what shocks you on repetition. Is it not incredible that such a creature should be really happy?" ALL Christian character having vitality must turn toward missionary effort in some line. Every prayer, every sermon, every song, must be linked in some way to the great commission, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel." Charles Wesley's hymn following is founded upon Simeon's exulting language in Luke ii., 28-32, a hymn in itself: "Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." The race that long in darkness pined Have seen a glorious light. The people dwell in day who dwelt In death's surrounding night. To hail thy rise, thou better Sun, To us a child of hope is born, To us a son is given, And him shall all the earth obey And all the host of heaven. His name shall be the Prince of Peace, The Wonderful, the Counsellor, The great and mighty Lord. We had a mission station at Nellore, India, where Mr. Jewett and others struggled along for years prior to 1859. It was called the "Lone Star," because it was the only mission of the union west of the Bay of Bengal. Upon it Dr. S. F. Smith, of Boston, wrote his singularly beautiful hymn beginning: Shine on, "Lone Star," thy radiance bright In 1857 occurred the terrible Sepoy uprising. All Christianity, all civilization, seemed to tremble in the balance and the mission was a lone star in very deed. A handful of English and Americans were cooped up in the residency at Lucknow, while thousands of howling Sepoys clamored for their blood. Death in its worst form seemed imminent, the fear accelerated by the report of the dreadful massacre at Cawnpore. The following incident, more fully related in Rev. Winfred Hervey's very excellent "Story of Baptist Missions," is part of a letter written from Calcutta in October, 1857: "We women were conveying orders to the batteries and supplying the men with provisions, and especially cups of coffee, night and day. Jessie Brown, a corporal's wife, was in a state of feverish excitement. At last, overcome with fatigue she lay on the ground wrapped in her plaid. Suddenly, with an unearthly scream, she rose, leaned forward in a listening attitude and exclaimed: 'Dinna ye hear it? I'm no' dreaming, it's the slogan of the Highlanders! We're saved, we're saved!" She fell on her knees in prayer, and then rushed to the men at the guns, crying; 'Courage! Courage! Hark ye to the McGregor, the grandest o' them a'. They ceased firing for a moment, but the dull lowland ears could catch nothing but the rattle of musketry. Then Jessie sprang up again and cried in a piercing voice heard all along the line, 'Will ye no' believe it now? The slogan has ceased, but the Campbells are coming! D'ye hear, d' ye hear?' And at that moment we seemed to hear the voice of God in the distance as the pibroch of the Highlanders brought tidings of deliverance. That shrill, penetrating, ceaseless sound was indeed the blast of the bagpipes, now harsh and threatening vengeance to foes, now softer, seeming to promise succor for their friends. Every heart and knee bowed in thankfulness. Then all arose and a great shout of joy lent new vigor to that blessed pibroch. We sang 'My Country, 'Tis of Thee.' They replied with what always moves the Scots to tears, 'Should auld acquaintances be forgot,' as Gen. Sir Henry Havelock and his welcome troops marched in. A banquet was soon spread and as we stood about the tables the pipers marched around playing while all joined in 'Praise God, from whom all blessings flow.' 999 In 1866 John E. Clough went to Ongole, at the request of Mr. Jewett. Mr. Clough was an Iowa boy, educated at Burlington Institute, studied law, was converted, and his mind turned to the mission field. Some years later he returned to this country for health and for help. In 1908 Dr. Henry C. Mabie, in an address at Man chester, N. H., spoke of the man of faith and vision who can see better things coming, and can make others see and realize them, as a "mighty valuable man." He illustrated his point by reference to the Telegu mission. The "Lone Star" mission was a failure and the board was about to give it up. John E. Clough stood alone for its continuance, and when every argument had failed he made an impassioned address, declaring that he would go back, preach and live and die among these people. The board, admiring his courage, determined to give him one man, adding grimly, to "give Clough Christian burial." Dr. Clough returned to Ongole and all the world knows the amazing success of the Telegu mission. From June 16, 1878, to September 17, 1878, Dr. Clough baptized over 9,200 converts, and in 1881 the churches of the Ongole district embraced over 17,500 members. In the meantime famine had made havoc in the land and brought to the front the admirable character and singularly administrative ability of Dr. Clough. He was requested by British officers to take charge of immense relief measures and millions of people were fed and cared for through his management. Prophetic was Dr. Smith's "Lone Star:" Shine on, "Lone Star," I would not dim Led on a bright and glorious day. Shine on, "Lone Star," who lifts his hand Shine on, "Lone Star," the day draws near Thou born and nursed in doubt and fear Shine on, "Lone Star," till earth, redeemed, And thousands where thy radiance beamed THE tremendous effort made by a large number of so called Christian people whether orthodox or heterodox, to ground their hopes and aspirations for future life on a sort of nebulous universal love upon the part of God, and the performance of certain moral duties upon the part of man, is rendering our religion spineless, Godless, Christless, lifeless. The aesthetic taste of the age seeks to eliminate the idea of blood from the religious structure. This cannot be done without the destruction of the whole edifice. The great truth of truths underlying the whole of both Old and New Testament dispensations is that "without the shedding of blood there is no remission" of sins. Our hymnology is suffering from this refined aestheticism. Many of the hymns setting forth the atonement of Christ have been banished from the books, while of those left-many in a mangled state and which would bleed if a hymn could bleedfew are used. Take that mighty hymn of John Newton's In evil long I took delight, Till a new object struck my sight This was the experience of his own life. A midshipman on a British ship, he deserted, was captured, stripped, flogged and reduced to a situation before the mast. Exchanged into the slave trade, he went from bad to worse, until God met him with that picture—a picture as surely presented to him as it |