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To the Members of the 29tr [[sic]] Annual Convention of the Woman's Mite Missionary Society, Baltimore Conference Branch,

Dear Sisters:

With you I greatly rejoile [[sic]] in the love and mercy of our Heavenly Father who has spared and permitted us to meet again in an Annual Convention.  Coming as we do from our several fields of labor, with our varied experiences, not merely to report our work, but to encourage and inspire each other, that we many see new visions, gain a clearer understanding of our duty and return home a stronger band, with more zeal, and a greater determination to redouble our efforts and give more largely of ourselves in sacrifice to His Service.

To do missionary work means service -- self-sacrificing service. The foremost mission of the church is the Christinization [[sic]] of the the [[sic]] world.  The missionary campaign is not merely a department of church activity. It is a holy responsibility.

Our church has taken upon itself great responsibilities.  It is aiming to put over a wonderful program in foreign fields. 

The success of all missionary endeavor depends upon the strength and loyalty of the home base.  In other words, if we would put over a great program in foreign fields we must  build up and keep up a strong work at home.  And a strong home work is dependent upon:

First: -- A pastor whohas [[sic]] the spirit of missions, then a president with a generous heart for the work, and finally a loyal army -- though it may be small -- who desire the strengthening of the Master's Kingdom where already set up, and a longing for its spread to the remotest bounds of the world.

"Go, ye into all the world and reach [[sic]] my gospel," saith the Lord to his disciples.  And the same voice is re-echoing down the line of ages today to every one whom He calls and sets apart as shepherds of his flocks.  And the command "When thou art converted go strengthen thy brother" comes to every one of us.  All are not called to cross the ocean and explore heathen lands -- there are many heathens at our very doors to be helped.  Many are oppressed and distressed in body and soul.  They need but a kind word to lift them and turn their face toward the cross.  Many are standing afar off gazing.  They are looking for Jesus in you.

Oftimes [[sic]] our hearts go out so far for those in benighted lands that we forget those around us who are groping in darkness and sin.  Standing No. 1 in the ranks of Missionary societies thru the piling up of dollars and cents is not the height of missionary endeavor.  We should also aim to stand No. 1 thru the number of souls saved by our efforts for the Master's Kingdom.

There are those in the highways of sin -- young men, young women drifting with the tide -- the strong tide of frivilous [[sic]] pleasure.  Wasting talent, talent, wasting time, wasting life.  Needing only to come in contact with an earnest, sincere, consecrated life that will impress itself upon them and enable them to see life from the angle of service rather than only the angle of pleasure.  Old men, old women bent with the frosts of many winters and yet far from God.  We are to seek them and bring them into the fold.

In this work the organized missionary society must be the right hand support of the pastor.  Let us go back to our fields with a new slogan: "Souls and money."

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