Christians and the Gospel
By C. M. S.
THE great world needs the gospel, and needs it now as never before, and must have it now, or never know the blessings of its saving, uplifting power. We have the gospel. Can we withhold it from the world, and still have it? The world needs the light. They who have the gospel have the light. Can we keep it to ourselves and still have it?—Clearly, no. The duty of the followers of Christ to the idol-stricken world is plainly set forth in the gospel message itself. That gospel is a pure, living, flowing stream. Stagnant water is never pure. If we accept the gospel, and then seek to hold it to ourselves, it is no longer the water of life, and we who so hold it, make of ourselves stagnant pools instead of living fountains. The condition of the world today is appealing to the true Christian, stronger than any words can do, for that help which can come to it only through the gospel. The Christian is indeed the salt of the earth; but the salt that will not do its allotted work will very soon lose its savor, soon be worthless. While the world is appealing for the gospel, they who have it must give it, or its possession will soon mean to them nothing but an empty form, a lifeless husk.