The Connecting Link

Cooperation," we are told,  "spells success," and to whatever extent this may be true there should be a demonstration apparent in the attitude of the Bible worker toward the various phases of church mission­ary endeavor, and particularly in help­ing to train the church members for service in the winning of souls. Al­ready the latter rain is beginning to fall, and in these solemn hours God is sending forth into the harvest field the men and women whose hearts are aglow with love and who have sought and obtained an intensive training in presenting the word of truth to others.

The Bible worker comes into close touch with our dear people in their homes, and discovers the secret long­ing of the heart to be of service to the Master. Her large contact with hu­man nature serves to good advantage in fitting these persons into their proper place of service, and thus the Bible worker becomes an assistant to the minister and the home missionary leader, and her influence as trainer, adviser, and fellow worker may be a valuable asset in all missionary en­deavor. As the church members take up their assigned duties, they have blessed experiences which they are eager to relate, and thus the weekly missionary meeting becomes an inspir­ing occasion, the spiritual status of the church is improved, and the proclama­tion of the truth is ever advancing.

The Bible worker may serve as the connecting link between the need and the source of supply. For instance, there is the faithful colporteur, going from house to house in search of the honest in heart, in whose hands he places the truth-filled book. But he must pass on his way with only a pass­ing touch. If the Bible worker and the colporteur co-operate to the extent of furnishing and using the names and addresses of the purchasers of books, the result will be far-reaching. First, the colporteur may have the satis­faction of knowing that the seeds of truth he has sown will be watered and cultivated by personal interest; and second, the Bible worker will find in these names a wide field of endeavor for practical experience by the church members, in scattering literature, giv­ing Bible readings, or helpful ministry in many lines. All effective mission­ary training must be accompanied by practical application, so it is essen­tial to find the field of operations. The colporteur offers a very fruitful me­dium for the missionary follow-up.

Then there is the radio, which is serving as one of the great agencies for the finishing of the work, and calls for extensive co-operation on the part of those who can visit the homes of people who become interested through the radio message. Those who are leading out in this soul-saving work receive hundreds of names and ad­dresses of people all over the country, and if the Bible worker secures names of all inquirers in the city where she is located, even though the radio sta­tion may be miles away, the church members can do an effective work through the radio follow-up.

What a wonderful truth we find in Ephesians 4:16. Speaking of Christ, it says, "From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, ac­cording to the effectual working in the measure of every part, making in­crease of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." Of what use would be the members of our body if they were not "fitly joined together" and working in harmony with the head? God compares the church to the hu­man body, and as we think of the part which each joint and muscle of the body performs, working silently and secretly, I have thought how vividly this represents the place of the Bible worker in the church. She must not place herself forward to be seen and - heard, yet as she sees the need, and the burden of the work rests heavily upon her heart, quietly and almost im­perceptibly she proceeds with "the ef­fectual working in the measure" of her part in teaching the word of God in the homes of the people, and at the same time encouraging and training and guiding the lay members in the church to do their part in Christian service, thereby making increase of the body, which is the church, unto the edifying of itself in love.

There is an adage which reads, "Greater is he that setteth ten men to work, than he that doeth the work of ten men." It may add to our burdens if we co-operate heartily in all church missionary endeavor, but it is effort well worth while, and will repay a thousandfold.

South Bend, Ind.