The Lord Hath Need of Thee by MATILDA ERICKSON

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 20, 1910

The Lord Hath Need of Thee

By MATILDA ERICKSON

MATILDA ERICKSON

(Concluded)

How to Hold Our Youth

THERE is nothing that will so well shield young Christians from the enemy's blows, nothing which will so well hold and train them, as Christian service. Some other denominations have tried literary societies, musicals, and mutual improvement clubs; but workers have found that the novelty soon wears off. Those methods neither hold the unconverted nor develop those who are already Christians. The importance of serving is well illustrated by an incident that occurred during the stormy night of Feb. 11, 1907. Two ships collided. The “Larchmont” sank immediately, with nearly all on board. A father and son somehow got into a boat. The father took the oars, and after a desperate struggle with the waves reached the shore exhausted. He turned to the boy, but, alas! there in frozen garments lay the lifeless form of his child. Rowing would have saved him.

Our youth may have the best of intentions — doubtless the boy in the boat did: but there is no more perilous position for Christians than to merely be content to do nothing wrong. Everywhere the frosts of sin are freezing inactive Christians; temptations are all about them; and aside from the grace of God, nothing will build so strong a barrier as that of being fully occupied in God's work. Thousands of young people in the world are being ruined by bad literature. Mr. Comstock has ventured to say that Satan has no more active agent in civilized nations for subjecting humanity to himself than bad literature. Multitudes are led astray through evil associates. We are told that Nero and Caligula, both monsters of cruelty, were very promising boys, but their associates were evil. The cheap theaters are a fast-spreading pestilence in our land. Then the industrial world is bidding high for young men and women to fill positions, many of which mean honest, useful toil. But the Lord has appointed the youth to be his helping hand in working out his plan of salvation; and truly “life holds no privilege more precious than to give itself for the salvation of men.”

Co-operation

It is to help the church in saving her youth for service, that the Young People's Department has been organized. Some years ago Francis Clark, leader in Christian Endeavor work, said that during the fifteen years after the Christian Endeavor organization, twice as many young people were added to the evangelical churches as during the previous fifteen years. It is hard to get figures which will give us a true conception of the work in our own denomination; but while our Missionary Volunteer organization has not done all that we wish it might have accomplished, the Lord has marvelously blessed the work for the salvation of our youth.

But all plans laid for work are only weapons for our warfare — weapons to help us in protecting the youth. Reports are but evidences of what can be done. What is being done in your community? Has not God blessed you in what you have attempted to do? In order to protect the young people from the temptations about them, and train them for service, we must all co-operate. The responsibility lies heavily upon the church, the home, and the individual. Wherever a family altar has been broken down, there is a breach in the wall through which the enemy may steal. Wherever there is one person, from the most prominent worker in the conference to the most obscure member in some small church, who is failing to do all in his power to save the youth for service,—wherever there is such a one,—there the wall needs repairing. His very negligence is an invitation for the enemy to enter. Wherever a young person is found, there comes the call to enlist, to hold, and to train such a one.

Nor count that duty small. Do you remember the story of the old Scotch minister? One year he toiled and prayed, but gained only one convert, and he “only a boy,” as the deacon sneeringly remarked to the devoted old man. But the minister refused to be discouraged; he clung to the lad, taught him, and some years later a voice whispered to that same lad, “The Lord hath need of thee” in Africa. He went to Africa, and heaven only knows what a blessing Robert Moffat was to that benighted land; yet at one time he was “only a boy.” Do you not think that the effort paid? Only a girl — but one day she laid her life upon the altar of service for the sufferers of the Crimean War. Several years ago, when a number of the old soldiers were asked who rendered the best service in that war, every one wrote the name of Florence Nightingale. Do you not think it worth while to lead other young women to consecrate themselves to unselfish service for God and for humanity?

Will you not firmly resolve that no young people touching your life shall be lost if it is possible for you and God working together to save them?

Takoma Park, D. C.