A TRUE Christian is a believer, a follower, of the Lord Jesus Christ, one in whom Christ dwells, who has the life and Spirit of Christ. Christ gave all to save man. Those who are Christ's give all to Him, not only that they may be used in His service, but that they may use all His graces and blessings as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Christ died to save all; and the saved man will hold himself, as did Paul, "debtor both to the Greeks, and to the barbarians; both to the wise and to the unwise." Rom. 1:14. The servant of Christ—the Christian—will hold himself under obligation to save all for whom Christ died. But how are Christians fulfilling this stewardship? How are WE doing it? How is "CHRISTIAN" America doing it? Do not turn from the unpleasant picture. Study it; it is worth while to look upon the great world's needs, and the NEEDLESS EXPENDITURES of what is called "the most Christian nation" of the earth.
There are more than 400 million of Chinese souls in the darkness of sin and death; more than 300 million souls in India dying for want of the Bread of Life; more than 155 million in the "Dark Continent;" more than 46 million in Japan; more than 92 million in the rest of Asia, exclusive of China, India, Japan, and Malaysia; more than 44 million of Malays; more than 37 million in the "Neglected Continent" of South America; more than 700,000 in the islands of Oceanica, nearly all of whom know not Jesus Christ as a personal Saviour. More than one billion souls dying for the Bread of Life! Think of it!
These figures are exclusive of Protestants, nominal Protestants, in all these countries, and how many of these nominal Protestants know nothing of the saving power of a personal faith in Jesus Christ!
These figures do not include any of the 389,031,000 of Europe, among whom are millions of Mohammedans and millions of "Christians" whose profession is a cheat and a sham. They do not include the 111,651,000 of North American Roman Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Mohammedans, and a hundred other religions and no-religions.
The population of the world at the latest and best estimates is 1,623,446,000, of which there are 272,638,500 Roman Catholics, 120,157,000 Greek or Eastern Catholics, and 166,086,500 Protestants; of non-Christians, 1,064,584,000. More than one billion who have no hope in Christ! And who believes that one-half of the nominal "Christians" professedly are in a saved condition?
CHINESE 419,850,000
EAST INDIAN 315,481,000
The need of the world moved the heart of God to give His only-begotten Son, the richest of Heaven's treasure. The need of the world demands that Christendom shall sacrifice to save the lost. But what are the great, startling facts? We will not go out of the "most Christian country," the most favored of nations, the United States.
The alcohol bill—whisky, rum, gin, brandy, wines, malt liquors
AFRICAN 155,007,000
—of the United States alone amounts in one year to more than 1700 million dollars; the tobacco bill—snuffing, chewing, smoking, cigars, cigarets, pipes—to 900 million dollars; and all the other things diagramed on these pages, amounting to the awful sum of more than three and one-half billion dollars.
ASIATIC 92,297,000
JAPANESE 46,950,000
Not one of these things which go to make up this enormous expenditure is necessary to life, comfort, or happiness. Many of them are positive detriments to health, to mental vigor, to peace of home and community, to life itself. Our estimates of liquors and tobacco are based on what is paid for them at retail instead of the wholesale rate, on which duties, customs, and revenue taxes are paid. These estimates have been submitted to liquor and tobacco dealers, and they considered them conservative. Confectionery is low enough to exclude much wholesome candy and cake which the sweet tooth of the nation may demand. Other estimates on "soft drinks" are higher than ours. That of patent medicines is in all probability greatly too low.
MALAYS 44,962,500
OCEANIC 735,000
No estimate is made of the use of opium, laudanum, morphin, cocain, and other narcotics, greatly on the increase.
No estimate has been placed on gambling of all sorts and kinds, from the enormous speculations in the stock market to various games of cards, dice, pool, billiards, wheels of fortune, nickel-in-the-slot machines, playing the races, etc., the name of which is legion.
One late writer carefully estimates the money spent in vaudeville shows, the cheap theaters, as $60,000,000 a year in the United States alone. We know of no estimate of the money expended upon races, low concerts, dances, etc. In San Francisco recently $116,700 was paid for admission to three prize-fights and a circus. Think of the amount expended thruout the United States on the brutal sport of the prize-ring!
No estimate can be made of the costly banquets, of the lavish and barbarous display, nor of the needless extravagance in dress, and a score of other things as well; nor of the vast amount paid for prostitution; nor of the expense of crime which grows out of drunkenness and vice. The whole useless expenditure must amount to the colossal sum of more than four billion dollars.
Deducting from the alcohol bill the amount expended in the arts, from the whole sum the war expenses, eliminating some of the others considered least harmful, and we still have an expenditure of over three and one-half billion dollars, an annual amount equal, on the average, to $44.00 for each man, woman, and child in the United States.
$949,500,000
What is given by the people of this nation for missions, given to save the more than billion Christless souls of this world?—There is given the meager sum of seven and one-half millions; the paltry pittance of nine cents a year, to the individual. Think of it! Three and one-half billions against seven and one-half millions! Forty-four dollars for selfish pleasure! Nine cents for God!
But of the eighty millions in the United States there are fully one-fourth, at least, who do not indulge in these pleasures. This class is composed of babies, children, paupers, aged persons, and sensible men and women. The sixty million, then, spend upon themselves an average yearly expenditure of $58.00 for each person. Fifty-eight dollars for PLEASURES of self! Nine cents for God! Six hundred and forty-four times more each year on an average for self than for God's needy ones. What will the end be? Is it not time for a humbling of heart and seeking of God?
The Master's Question.
"I gave My life for thee,
My precious blood I shed,
That thou might'st ransomed be
And quickened from the dead.
I gave, I gave My life for thee,
What hast thou given for Me?"
What Is Our Response?
"Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a tribute far too small,
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my life, my soul, my all."
