and March first, during the next two years. If they gain the approval of the pastors, it may seem best to continue the series beyond that period. It is for the pastors themselves to decide.

SCOPE OF THE SERIES

As to this opening number, the material is arranged in four parts. The first contains several preliminary articles as to the place of the pastor in the foreign missionary enterprise of his denomination, both in the matter of preaching and planning. In the second part we give a survey of the missionary situation in certain non-Christian lands. This by way of acquainting our pastors with the outstanding conditions abroad-a sort of general background against which they can sketch in as many incidents and illustrations as they wish. The statement of the general situation is followed by a typical missionary incident, which should be quotable in a sermon or address, and a typical personality, either missionary or native, who may be described as representative of the work in that particular area. The third part describes certain missionary books of special interest to pastors. There follows as a fourth section "A Sanctuary of Missions," which we hope the pastors will appreciate as a stimulus and guide to prayer in behalf of the world-wide enterprises of the church. Do we not all feel that intercessory prayer is our greatest need?

The second number in this series, to be issued about March 1, 1917, will be of an apologetic character, under the title, “In Defense of Foreign Missions." There will follow a number in which we mean to gather the very best stories of missionaries of all boards and lands illustrative of how human lives are transformed by the gospel. Finally, there will be a biographical number.

One other word. In gathering this material we have sought zealously to avoid putting it in sermonic form. The idea is that pastors should shape up the material rhetorically and homiletically according to their own ideas and circumstances. The boards fulfil their function when they furnish the "raw material.”

These pamphlets will be sent very widely to the clergy of

the United States and Canada. Should they result in a general preaching on the subject of the progress of Christianity, untold blessing will result. God cannot fail to honor such a movement. The foreign missionary work today offers the mightiest demonstration of Christianity which we have had since apostolic times. Our prayer is that our pastors throughout North America of the various communions may rise to the opportunity.

WHAT MAY REASONABLY BE EXPECTED OF

A PASTOR IN THE WAY OF MISSIONARY
LEADERSHIP IN HIS OWN CHURCH?

BY THE REV. A. W. HALSEY, D.D.
Secretary of the Board of Foreign Missions of the
Presbyterian Church in the U. S. A.

THE pastor is a busy man. The complex nature of church activity in the last few years has increased rather than diminished his cares and responsibilities. No one cause, even so great a cause as foreign missions, can expect more than a small portion of the time of an all-around pastor to be given to its consideration. It is still true, as Dr. Duff said, "The hitch is with the pastor." On the other hand the laymen in the last quarter of a century, and especially the laywomen, have shown such proficiency in all things missionary that the pastor, if he recognizes the talent in his own church, can so utilize the forces at his command as to take very little of his own time. We think a board has a reasonable right to expect from a pastor, as a leader in foreign missions, cooperation along the following lines:

1. An accurate knowledge and a personal interest in the missionary agencies in his own local church. He should know, and in the right sense guide all the organizations, such as the women's societies, the young people's society, missions of the Sunday-school, etc., in his own church. He should be willing to

give advice, to respond to appeals from his own local constituency, and by keeping himself informed of large movements in other churches, continually to reinforce and reinvigorate his own work.

2. In the public services of God's house, either on the Lord's Day or a week day, at certain times in the month, specific prayer should be offered for the missionaries, first of his own denomination, and then for the world-wide work. By specific prayer we mean prayer for special emergencies as they arise, for missions in which the church may be peculiarly interested, and for the general work of foreign missions as carried on by his own denomination and also by the church at large. Intercessory prayer for world-wide missions should be part of the monthly curriculum of the public service for every pastor. The petitions should be offered with knowledge sufficient to guide the thought of the people toward the extension of the kingdom.

3. The board has a right to expect the pastor to inform his people at least once a year how the work of the denomination to which he belongs is being carried on in far distant lands. By a map talk show: (a) Where the stations of the board of his denomination are located. (b) New stations opened during the year or any advance work undertaken. (c) The union with other denominations, thus giving the local church an idea of the splendid unity now characterizing practically the work of foreign missions boards throughout the world.

4. A brief statement, possibly in the fall, of the plans of the local church regarding foreign mission work and also of the church at large. For example, this year Latin America is to be the subject of the mission study classes. It is to be presented to the church by the boards for offerings both of life and of substance, and special accent is to be given to the needs and opportunities in Latin America. Each year the pastor should be willing to inform himself of the plans of the board and make known those plans to his people, either by the printed page or in a statement made from the pulpit.

5. It is not unreasonable to ask the pastor to present special features of the work during the year. A Congregationalist, for

example, this year should keep before his people the Armenian question. A Presbyterian should not fail to let his people know what splendid service is being rendered by the missionary in Kamerun in the war zone, and also in Syria in the war zone. The mass movement in India might fittingly be presented by the Methodist as something to be thought over, and prayed over by the church at home. We cite these as typical examples. Each year, almost each month, will reveal some special object of the work of the denomination or of the church at large which the board might reasonably expect should be presented by the pastor to his people.

6. A reply to letters or questionnaires sent by the board. Hundreds of pastors fail to respond to simple requests sent by the board in the interest of the whole church. We are aware that the time of a pastor is precious, but often letters require a simple yes or no. The pastor should show interest sufficient even to criticize the request or the action of the board. Anything is better than stagnation. If the request is unreasonable or demands too much time from the pastor this should be frankly stated. It is only in this way that the boards can ascertain the real mind of the church.

7. We think it is not unreasonable to ask the pastor to preach at least one sermon during the year on foreign missions, or to review one book dealing with world-wide mission problems, or to prepare at least one address which will, in addition to the mere setting forth of the work done by the denomination as indicated in number three, give the church some conception of the vast problems involved in the missionary enterprise.

WHAT MAY REASONABLY BE EXPECTED OF

A PASTOR IN THE WAY OF MISSIONARY
LEADERSHIP IN HIS OWN CHURCH?

BY COL. ELIJAH W. HALFORD

Vice-Chairman Laymen's Missionary Movement

In these days of specialization a pastor may often be perplexed if not bewildered by reason of multitudinous appeals and claims. Some of these seem so blatant and inconsiderate as to suggest a danger that his pulpit shall become a mere phonograph for overinsistent and unrelated special interests. It is of the last importance for his own peace, and for the orderly culture and development of those over whom he is set as teacher and leader, that the pastor have wise control of his time and service. With this in mind it is difficult for a layman to frame an answer to the question submitted in terms of schedules and time-tables. His answer may be better found, possibly, in somewhat broad generalization, leaving details to the judgment and wisdom of pastors themselves.

It is fundamental that a man feeling himself called to be a minister of Christ should relate himself to the world program of Jesus. This must be the controlling thought and passion of his ministry. His task is to induce and to compel the people of his church to participate with him in the vision and the service the world-program gives and requires.

The church has a world-task. "World" is inclusive. No feature of the enterprise can be excluded or minimized. It is not possible to read the command "In Jerusalem, then in Judea, then in Samaria, then to the uttermost part of the earth," as one version of the New Testament has it, and as it was placarded in letters a foot high in a great church assembly this year, the then italicized so there might be no question of interpretation. The command is "both" and "and." The imperative of the four-fold mission of the church and of the Christian is "now" and not "then"; the several features of the program are to go abreast, not tandem.