The Macedonian Call

              The Macedonian Call.
ffjCove  Zthy  Tfeighbor as  Z)hi/self. "
Volume i.
Topeka, Kansas, January, 1900.
No. 1.
¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥
¥ ¥
J   The History of J
J The Denver Church.   |
¥
¥
¥
¥
R. W. LEWIS, Pastor.
¥
¥
¥
THE DENVER CHURCH BUILDING.
The first definite step toward
considering Denver as a mission
point by our denomination, was
at the Assembly of '94 passed
through to Eugene City, Ore. At
that time a rally was held and the
prospects of opening a mission
canvassed by the delegates and
such interested Cumberland
Presbyterians as could attend the
meeting. Here good seeds were
planted. A quick,healthy growth
followed, and as soon as possible
thereafter the Board began to
cast about for a suitable man to
take charge of the new field. Rev.
H. A. Jones, pastor of the Court
Street Church, Memphis, was
available and accepting the
Board's appointment wTas soon on
the ground and at work. For
about one year he was in charge
then resigned without having organized. In the summer of '95
the Board was offered the property at present occupied by the
Mission, and had just closed the
deal for it when the present missionary was called to the work.
The  second   missionary   pastor
reached Denver the first week in
September, 1895, but after carefully viewing the field went forth
to solicit funds from the church
general with which to put the
newly acquired property in useable condition, which work required about seven months, hence
it was early in April before the
pastor and family settled in the
new field.
After spending three months
in repairing and refurnishing
the church, on the 26th of July
1896 the jubilee service was held
in the main auditorium, and the
house offered to the Lord for
Cumberland Presbyterian services. For several weeks previously we had been worshiping
in the Sunday School room which
had been prepared for use first.
We organized on July 19th with
fifty charter members, of whom
twenty-nine are still with us, the
remaining twenty-one having
died or moved away. Since our
organization we have taken in
one hundred and twenty-four
members, making a total of one
hundred and seventy-four received in all. Of this number we
now have just about one-hundred
members, thus showing the instability of the material with
which we have to deal in the West.
We have had as many as twenty-five Cumberland Presbyterians to settle in Denver during
twelve months, but some get well
and return to their old homes,
others die here, while still others
get out of the habit of being devotional publicly during their
siege of health-hunting, and
when restored must then be
treated, sometimes long and
patiently for the restoration of
wasted religious loyalty. But
aside from these types of pastor-
trying people there are many
real gems of Christian character
whom disease forces into our city
and who take right hold of our
work as if indiginous instead of
imported.
Recently we have felt led to
largely change our policy, laboring hereafter primarily for the
salvation of sinners and spending less time on chronic cases
whose conduct toward the work
of the Lord leads one to doubt
their regeneration. Every service now is for the unconverted
and offers him an opportunity to
accept the Lord. This applies to
Sunday School, Christian Endeavor and prayer meeting,  as
R. W. Lewis, Pastor Denver Church-
well as to the morning and evening services.
There is a great field here for
us, and if true to the Master He
certainly will do much toHisglory
through Cumberland Presbyteri
ans in Denver. We are now in
the best condition, in many respects, we have ever been in,
thanks to the Giver of all good.
The Board recently asked us
for $12.50, while we easily raised
$22.50, for foreign missions. In
another year or so we hope to be
self-sustaining. However this
must depend upon the permanency of the old guard and the reinforcements received. There is
a great hungryjng after the ' 'best
gifts," in our fold, and we can
but feel that an era of better
things is close at hand. May the
Lord grant it, is our daily prayer.
It is reported that the "Church
of Christ," the church that represents our interests in Japan,
has five Presbyteries with 9,722
members. There were 650 additions last year.    Good.
If the Cumberland Presbyterian church had the confidence in
the Holy Spirit that it had ninety
years ago, it would not be long
until it would be one of the' wonders of the world as it was then.
May it not be true that the Holy
Spirit has withdrawn from the
church and that it is largely
unconcious of it?
Will some one please rise and
explain how the world can be
getting better all the time if
Christianity is on the decline?
We do not believe that Christianity is on the decline, but we do
believe that the world is getting
i worse all the time. This seems
an inexplainable paradox at first,
but it is easy. The good in the
world is getting better and the
bad is getting worse. When the
line is closely drawn the Savior
will appear and the Millenium
will begin. We think that it is
not far away either. Everything
about us indicates it. We are
told that "they shall wax worse
and worse." The church should
be in haste to save all that she
can.
Notice.
Kansas Synod meets at Kansas
City, Kans., February 6, 1900.
Every minister is wanted and an
elder from every church. Brethren, let us boom the old Synod.
The mission church at Kansas'
City needs your presence.