The American Methodist.
Published Weekly by
THE MISSION PRESS PUBLISHING CO.
Stroud, Oklahoma.
REi J, H. HI HOARD, Editor.
/■'nr Sulwriptian rati*. Etc , nee jmije 7
car«cs trwvjfun
IKE PERPETUATION Cf METHODISM.
Mr. Weslev, being (juestioned as to hosv
Methodism was to be perpetuated, replied
" 'i'lie Methodists must take heed to their
doctrine, to their experince, to their prac-
tice and to their discipline. For if they
attend to doctrine only, they will make
men antinomians; and if to their experi-
ence only, they will make men enthusiasts
or, if to their practice only, they will
make men Pharisees, and if they do not
execute their discipline, they will be like
men bestowing much pains upon a beau-
tiful garden, and putting no fence around
it, to save it from the wild boars of the
. * »
t nest.
In the above statement there is much
of true philosophy. We must preach
sound doctrine. Methodists have sound
doctrine which they are not ashamed to
preach. We must keep steadily in view
the great end of preaching, which is the
salvation of men, and if we emphasize
one doctrine more than another it must
be that one which bears upon character,
condition and destiny. We must also
continue to give heed to experience, in-
sisting that all candidates for member-
ship in our churches shall give evidence
of “a desire to tlee from the wrath to
come and to be saved from their sins.”
Nor must we foiget the need of practice
as a proof that our doctrines are true
and our professions genuine. We believe
that Methodism to-dav contains a* pure,
loyal, consistent and intelligent saints
as the Methodism of any other age. Yet
if we have been neglectful anywhere it
has been in the enforcement of discipline.
Among the pure wheat many tares have
been permitted to enter and to remain,
much to the injury of our societies. Per-
haps were these weeded out our numbers
wo«ld be smaller, though it is safe to say
that we have no more in proportion
than other religious denominations.
As Methodists we must be true to
our mission. We must continue to insist
upon a radical change of heart, and a
holy, fruitful life as the ne plus ultra of
gospel preaching. If our people are to
continue to die well, they must live well,
and to live well they must make a good
beginning and understand the ground of
their faith.
Father Gleason tells of an Indian
whom he heard pray,1 O Lord, give me
a new heart, a good heart, a pure heart,
a loving heart and a big heart, big
enough to fill mv whole body1” The In-
dian knew that with a heart made right
and great, he could live a noble life.
The Psalmist said “I shall run the way
of Thy commandments when Thou hast
enlarged mv heart.” This is what poor
humanity most needs. Let Methodism
proclaim this doctrine to the end of time.
Too many who have names with us, and
are not of us, lack this one essential
thing, a heart “enlarged.” May God en-
large our hearts with a holier love, a
mightier purpose, a more dauntless faith,
an unconquerable zeal, that we may all
run in the way of sweeter harmony, a
more hallowed influence and a richer
success in turning the world to God.
SONGS IN THE NIGHT.
It is good old Job, bereft of his chil-
dren, stripped of his property, forsaken
by his wife, and afflicted with a horrible
disease, who speaks of God, our Maker,
giving “songs in the night.” He knew
what it was to watch the weary hours
away, to look up into the darkened dome
of heaven to find in the star-flashes the
only gleams of light, and to pass from
the contemplation of nature in her som-
bre garb to nature's God clothed in eter-
nal light. Job learned by a terriftic ex-
perience that God alone can give songs
in the night. He had said: “Wearisome
wiights are appointed to me. W hen I lie
down, I say, When shall I arise," and
the night shall begone? and I am full
of tossings to and fro unto the dawning
of the day.” But he learned at last the
true source of comfort and joy in the
midst of pain and sadness. W hen God
comforts the heart a comfort is given
that cheers the darkest hours. When
God gives songs, they are songs that can
be sung in the lonliest moments of the
dreariest night, and they make the oth-
erwise tedious hours seem as seconds in a
happy bridal day. The Holy (.host is
the inspirer of joyous song. W hen he at-
tunes the heart and awakens within it
the notes of heaven's melodies, the music
will flow even though the heavy death-
sweats dampen the brow and the heart-
strings break asunder. Some of the
saints of God have experienced their hap-
piest moments when the body was strick
en with disease and physical pain was
severe enough to make life itself a bur-
den. God giveth songs. Bless his name
forever! The night will come. Sickness
will lay us low, for “many are the afllic-
'tions of the righteous,” but if oij£ ^ souls
are full of music and our hours cheered
bv song we can afford to do and suffer
his holy will. Pity those alone who have
the afflictions and the sorrows, and never
a song in the night.
.——<$>-
NO STRIKE IN THE CHURCH
God’s true workmen never strike
They have a just and liberal Employer,
a noble and gigantic employment, and,
although they are all volunteers, they
are happy with their lot, satisfied with
their wmges, loyal to their leader, and
will faithfully toil on until death. Sum-
mer’s heat or winter’s cold will affect
them not. The examples of those who
fall out by the way, or those who rebel
against authority, or those who enter
upon a mad career of self-destruction,
will not cause them to deviate. They
say, “None of these things move me,
neither count I my life dear unto my-
self, so that I might finish my course
•’ ith joy.” They will have many gather-
ings this summer in grove and church;
they w ill listen to many speeches and he
moved by eloquence but the effect will
always be happy. They will harm no man
but benefit many. They will curse none,
but bless all. They will uphold God’s
law and commend his grace and exemplify
his Spirit. They will make the echoes ring
with their anthems of victord. They will
invite the world to join their glorious
brotherhood. They will push on the car
of salvation over the track of progress,
carrying its imperishable freight of im-
mortality and eternal life. Let everybody
join this religious union. It ha9 no sec-
rets save “the secret of the Lord.” It
taxes no man’s loyalty but promotes pa-
triotism, advances truth, and lilts up
mankind. It is the best organization
supported by human beings.
-♦-
Salvation from all sin is God s grac-
ious design in every believer. T or the ac-
complishment of this glorious work Jesus
gave his life Had it not been possible
to accomplish this, we cannot believe
that the Savior would have died. No
person who has accepted Christ need
falter in, ex-psiting, fiom him complete
deliverance LnTrtjMitfguilt ’’find power of
sin. The question for each to settle is,
when shall the decision to seek and ex-
pect this great blessing be fully and for-
ever made in mv life?
When steel filings are drawn to a mag-
net, each particle is a miniature magnet.
T he attraction that pulls to the central
load-stone, unites each atom in a solid
mass. \\ ithdraw the magnet and they
drop apa.t. The cross is such a moral
magnet. It draws to Christ and tin tes
believers. Christ “lifted,” draws all men
to him and to each other.
-<i>----
Peter was a great boaster and swung
his sword as if he were about to cleave
the casque of a giant Goliath, but only
clipped the ear of a serving man. Don
Ouixote charged a windmill for a castle.
Now that we have noiseless powder,
cowards will not shoot because their
guns will not report.
--<s>-
"When a^lpljards counterfeit, it is hard
'to f»a-«v-i-Js4|ljj£*|H#,ot' the.value represent-
ed; but nickles go, whether base or gen-
uine. So, many hypocrites pass unde-
tected, because they are so small, but
when a great man becomes false every-
body soon knows it.
Man is not a shopping animal. Noth-
ing bores him more than to stand like a
display figure while his wife is taking
samples of the stock. He would rather
lounge on the sidewalk than pose as pa-
tience, even though the saloon be a
block away.
-<S>--
A rainbow is composed of myriads of
miniature rainbows- Each raindrop is a
prism resolving a beam of light into an
iris. So, each Christian should be Christ,
resolved into an individual life.
--$---
l wo Papers for the pjricc of
one. The Lincoln County Journ-
al and I he American Methodist,
both for SI.00. See advertise-
ment .