Idols: Have You Any?

“IDOLS.” I was very struck with this word in a friend’s letter who wrote to me after reading, “I will afford it,” in the December number of the “Message,” together with Dr. Wreford’s loving words of counsel how to do good. Really I think it will do my readers spiritual good to read what my friend writes, and she will, I am sure, pardon my anonymous quotation: ― “It brought tears to my eyes. It seemed to me that God was answering my daily prayers, telling me how to do good with the gifts He has lent me. It is my earnest desire to sell my once earthly idols in order to do good both in body and soul to my fellow creatures.”
I am indeed struck with this word “idols,” so I pass it on to you and ask, “Have we not all some earthly idols that we can give up and give to God?” We cannot take any of these idols with us when we go to the heavenly home He, our blessed Master, is preparing for His loved ones, so let us look out some cherished “idol,” sell it, and give it for Testaments to send to our dear soldiers and sailors. They need them, we do not need our idols, and oh! to have the spirit of giving loving gifts to God, being determined He shall have them, whatever man may say. Like the dear Eskimo Christian, of whom our missionary speaks. He had said to the Eskimo, “You cannot afford it.” So what do you think he did? He left the money with another Eskimo, with the instruction that the missionary was not to be told until he was too far off to have the money returned. As I read of it in the C.M.S. Gazette I said, “God bless that Eskimo.”
Dear friends, ever remember an idol sold and given to God will be treasure in heaven, as our Lord says in Matthew 19:21.
Emily P. Leakey

Incidents of the War
“If I am killed I will go to hell with my load of sins, but I don’t want to be converted today and backslide tomorrow.”
So writes a private from the Front. I want you to pray for him, that God will bless him and save his soul. The one who sent me the words says, “Oh! that he may be won for Christ.” He must be.
This mourning card of a French soldier was sent to me by Monsieur Somerville, Madame Le Coat’s nephew. It was his second son who was killed. Pray for them in their sorrow.

His mother writes to me about his death. She says: ―
“In our grief we have the privilege of knowing that our dear boy was spared long sufferings. He was wounded by a bomb in-a first line trench, taken to an ambulance, but only lived a few moments. He had four wounds in the back and a fractured leg. We have the great consolation to know that his only desire was to do God’s will, and his only hope was in Him, so we know he is not lost, but one day we shall meet in that happy land where there are no partings.”
“Someday fresh grass will creep along the Belgian lanes,
Someday the flowers will open to the May;
And on the grave of my brave soldier-boy the grass will grow,
But not today.”