IX.

CHRISTIAN WORK.

viding Chris

the young.

AN ideal young people's society will aid the Church in solving the great problem of assigning "to every man his work Wisdom of proand of inspiring every professing tian work for Christian to fulfill the task for which he is best adapted. It will open to the young congenial spheres of activity that will prove more fascinating and satisfying than worldly pleasures, besides furnishing the spiritual calisthenics essential to spiritual hygiene. It will prove a training-school for the young. The Church abounds in business and professional men who are very useful in some fields of work, but who, converted after attaining to years of manhood, are untrained to speak or pray in public service. The young people should be trained in the spirit of testimony and of aggressive, consecrated service. Much may be done in preserving the Church from becoming cold and formal by pouring the warm life

blood of youth into all the currents of its religious activity.

For the sake of the Church must the young be led to active Christian work. There is a charm of attractiveness added to the services

Illustrious

young men.

by the presence of the young. The enthusiasm, hopefulness, cheer, vivacity, and buoyancy which are characteristics of youth are of great value in the general work and life of the Church. Besides, the surplusage of energy is with the young. Illustrious examples of achievement by young men could achievements of be made to fill many a page. Alexander, Cæsar, and Napoleon were all acknowledged great commanders while yet in their twenties. Cortes looked with the gaze of a conqueror upon the city of Mexico when he was little more than thirty, while Gustavus Adolphus died at thirty-eight. Burns, Byron, Keats, and Henry Kirk White finished their poems and lay down to die while yet they were young men. "Thanatopsis," in some respects the greatest poem in American literature, was written by Bryant at eighteen. Raphael gave to art his immortal creations and surrendered his pencil and brush

at the summons of death when only thirtyseven. Richelieu was secretary of state at thirty-one. Luther had practically won the great battles of the Reformation at thirty-five. "Almost every thing that is great,' says Disraeli, "has been done by youth." The Church must avail itself of the indomitable energy and all-conquering faith of her youthful Davids, who, with a ruddy glow of health upon the cheek, and a loyal love to Israel in the heart, shall dare to confront the stalwart Goliaths of sin and infidelity.

But, valuable as is their service to the Church, it is of more moment to the young themselves that they be cultured

Worth of such

young.

in methods of active Christian provision to the work. We give our hearts most 'to that for which we most toil and sacrifice. "Where your treasure is "- your investment of prayer, and struggle, and self-forgetting service—“there will your heart be also." If young people, in their youth-time of enthusiasm and energetic action, can be led to do the work in all our churches, which youth and and only youth can do, their love for Christ's kingdom shall steadily strengthen, they will

grow in grace, and thus come to "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

bers.

The work of the league is manifold, and from the right view-point must all be regarded as religious as any duty assigned Spiritual welfare of mem to the department of Christian work. In this the spiritual welfare of members is of great importance. The members of the league are to provoke each other to good works, watching over one another in love, inciting each other by word and example to attendance upon the class-meeting, combining their forces to strengthen the prayermeeting, visiting probationers and giving them encouragement, searching out the unsaved and bringing them to the several services.

In promoting the Sunday-school work committees may aid teachers in visiting absentees, look up new scholars, visit the sick, and always welcome cordially all strangers and vistors who come to the sessions of the school.

Sunday-school work.

Tract distribution.

They are to distribute tracts systematically and judiciously and disseminate missionary literature, and in ways deemed best to prosecute open-air work.

The ways are numberless in which members of the league may imitate the Master and go about doing good. Rais- Fresh-air funds ing money to support a fresh-air fund, and thus send a few poor children forth from the sweltering heat of a great city to breathe God's pure air and gaze into God's blue sky, is only one illustration of the motto by which every truly royal soul must live-" Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the people you can.”

"Kind Word Ten."

Every league chapter should be a veritable "Kind Word Ten," "speaking the word in season to him that is weary," and thus bringing cheer and hope to many a discouraged and sorrowing life. Every cultured faculty should be regarded as sacred for use and not for ornamentation. "How much good," writes one, "might be done by Kate Green, who won a prize in elocution, if she would read a few lines each week, with her gently modulated voice, to the old widow Langstreth, in the alley yonder, whose dim eyes no longer distinguish letters in the old worn Bible or the Advocate" "One person made happier every day," says Sidney Smith,