human heart, as a great spiritual duty it has its hold upon us. "As he purposeth in his heart." What is our duty? "Render unto God" our tenth. What is our privilege? To then give unto Him, out of the great nine-tenths that we still have. Then and then only do we really give. reach it? Not many Christians do.

Do we

But the question is now for you and me. You and I are to decide whether we are Christian stewards or not. When we have decided what is His and what is ours, then we may truly give out of our portion.

More Generous Than a Jew should be our aim, for we are Christian givers. We live in the period of grace, then we should likewise be gracious. "We love Him, because He first loved us." God in His gift of Christ has given us more than our due. We are to give because He first gave to us, cheerfully, liberally and ungrudgingly. A good standard for us to attain.

"Too much for me. Too little for God," said the dear little girl. Her mother desired that she should learn the true beauty of giving, and its true standard. So one day she took from her purse a shining silver dime. She told her little daughter how the minerals had come from God's hills and how man had smelted it and placed his stamp upon it. "It is God's, but He has loaned it to us, to use for Him. He only asks that we render back one-tenth of it to Him. Take this dime, dear, and have it changed at the bank into pennies." Helen soon returned with ten bright new pennies. Her mother took them and then placed them one by one in her little daughter's hand. "This one you may take and buy some candy for yourself," she said. "This one will buy a stick of chewing-gum. And this one will purchase a pretty ribbon for your dolly. While this bright cent will get a little pin for your dress." Helen's cheeks grew redder and her eyes larger as her mother told of the many things that the nine bright pennies would give her. "And what will I do with the tenth penny," she cried. "You may take that to church, Helen, and put it in the offering for God," replied the mother. Helen looked at the nine bright pennies in one hand, and thought of the many things that they would buy for her pleasure, and then she looked at the one bright lonesome penny in her other hand. A shadow came into her eyes, and with a trembling little voice she softly said, "Oh, mamma, it's too much for me, and too little for God." Her mother's eyes were bright with unshed tears as she gathered her little daughter in her arms, and whispered in her ear, "Dear Helen, you may give out of your nine pennies to God, if you so wish. That will be true giving. Not

Deut. 31:11-13.

HINTS FOR LEADERS.

Open with Hymn 213.
Use Psalm 122.

Scripture reading, Deut. 31:11-13.
Hymn 208.

Have a map of the United States and Canada. Get information from the Home Missionary, The Lutheran Mission Worker, The Lutheran Almanac and other sources, and mark the places where Lutheran missionaries are located. Have the leader point out the proportion of our missionaries to the number of Lutherans in various sections of the country, giving such statistics as are available and calling especial attention to the vast fields of opportunity still open to the Lutheran Church.

After a brief explanation by the presiIdent of the W. H. & F. M. S. as to the method pursued by the Home Mission Board in caring for mission congregations, have a talk by a member of the League, giving their personal experience in a mission congregation and of how much the procural of a church building meant to it.

Sing Hymn 185.

Close with a well prepared prayer by a member of the League, bearing particularly on the requirements and needs of this branch of the Church's work.

(Topic reviewed by Rev. R. A. White.)
LESSON STUDY.

The children of Israel were commanded to assemble at regular times for worship and instruction. A whole tribe was set apart as religious leaders. It was deemed necessary by Infinite Wisdom that a place should be dedicated for this purpose. The tabernacle and its furnishings were arranged under the directions of God Himself. Here all the people were required to come to worship and listen to the Law of God, and learn to fear and obey Him.

The tabernacle was set up in the midst of the camp during the wandering in the wilderness. It was set up in various places in the land of Canaan until it was superseded by the temple in the reign of SoloDuring the Babylonish captivity the synagogue came into existence, and was

mon.

very common in the days of Christ. Its purpose was to supplement the temple services.

During the Christian era God's people have found it necessary to have regular places for their meetings, hence the church building. In this country the Lutheran Church is largely the result of home mission work. Our mission boards have very wisely concluded that every congregation should have a church building of its own. The value of such a building to a mission is incalculably great, because

1. It Gives Permanency to the Work. Congregations without churches, dependent on store rooms, school houses, theaters and dance halls are apt to be shortlived. When our boards establish a congregation they follow up the work by helping the people to get a church. A congregation thus equipped generally grows and becomes a permanent factor of influence in the community. Otherwise it generally dies out.

2. A Good Church Building Makes a Favorable Impression on the Community. While the mission has no church of its own, but meets here and there, wherever it can, people reason that it will not last. When they see an imposing church go up, they conclude that the people are in earnest and there to stay.

3. A Good Church Building Is an Attraction to Outsiders. It is difficult to hold any but the most loyal in any place but a well equipped church. When a mission has a good church building it helps to attract and hold people. It makes them factors in the development of a self-sustaining charge.

4. A Well Arranged Church Is an Aid in Worship. While worship is acceptable anywhere, in some places it is easier than in others to fix our minds on higher things. In a school room, with the arrangement for school purposes, with blackboards, maps and charts, there is a school atmosphere difficult to overcome.

5. A Good Church Building Is a Religious Exponent of the Community. The house of God as it stands in majestic silence has a powerful message. It tells that there is spirituality; that there are those who are thinking of God, and heaven, and immortality; that there is religious enterprise and self denial; that the Christian minister has come and the gospel message has been received, and its influence felt.

Some sailors were once shipwrecked in a place they recognized as a cannibal island. In fear of being captured and devoured by the natives, they kept themselves out of sight. But hunger brought them from their hiding places. One ventured to the top of a hill in advance of his comrades. Suddenly he began to shout and

on.

toss his cap in the air, and motioned to the others to come Over in the valley stood a neat little church building. Standing there alone, what a story it told to those unfortunate men! The missionary had come; the natives had been Christianized; there was no danger, but food, shelter and help were in sight.

If even the house dedicated to the service of God speaks with such a tongue of eloquence, how grand the work of building such houses! The money invested in them is well spent.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION.

What story does neatly kept church premises tell? What story does a dilapidated church building tell? What can Luther Leaguers do to help weak congregations to get church buildings? What dividends do investments in church buildings pay? Septuagesima Sunday. February 16, 1919. PHILIP MELANCHTHON (Historical-422d Anniversary) Acts 5:34, 22:3.

HINTS FOR LEADERS.

Hymns 96, 99.

Psalm 1, read responsively, conducted by the leader.

Gloria Patri.

Hymns 166, 178.

Scripture lesson, read by the leader.
Prayer by the pastor.

Summary of the discussion in the REVIEW and Topics.

Remarks by various members of the League, giving an estimate of Melanchthon's work as an educator, a theologian, a friend and a leader in the Reformation. Announcements. Silent prayer. Hymns 161, 158.

Lord's Prayer and Benediction. (Topic reviewed by Rev. R. A. White.) LESSON STUDY.

Reference is made in the lesson to Gamaliel, who was a great teacher who by his instruction did much to mould the character of the Apostle Paul. Philip Melanchthon, famous in Reformation history, was the Gamaliel of the sixteenth century. He has been very aptly styled the "Teacher of Germany." "He being dead yet speaketh." He is living and speaking in the influences he wrought 400 years ago, and will thus continue for centuries.

Birth and Parentage. East from Carlsruhe in the Grand Duchy of Baden is a village named Bretten. Here, February 16, 1497, Philip Melanchthon was born. His parents were George and Barbara Schwartzerd. According to the custom of some students of this time, his name was translated from the German Schwartzerd, which means "black earth," to the Greek Me

lanchthon, which means the same. His parents were pious, industrious and frugal, and brought up their children in the fear of God.

Education. Little Philip, at an early age, attended school in his native town. He learned easily and remembered what he learned. Later he attended a Latin school in Pforzheim. Here, by the advice of the learned Reuchlen, a distant relative, he gave special attention to Greek and Latin. At the end of two years, though only thirteen years old, he was far enough advanced to attend the university at Heidelberg. When only fourteen he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Soon after he applied for the Master's degree and was refused solely on account of his youth.

After two years at Heidelberg he went to the University of Tuebingen and studied there five years. In addition to the classics, he gave attention to many other branches, particularly to theology.

Call to Wittenberg University. On the recommendation of the great scholar, Reuchlin, he accepted a call to the University of Wittenberg, August 25, 1518. Here he began his life work as co-laborer with Luther. He was only twenty-one and had such a youthful appearance that many were disappointed in him, but soon they found him one of the ripest scholars in Germany.

Teacher and Reformer. The Reformation had just started. It was less than a year since Luther had posted his theses. Melanchthon was so well pleased with the forceful, clear, logical and scriptural preaching of Luther that he readily accepted the doctrines of the Reformation. He and Luther, though differing in many respects, worked together admirably. What one lacked the other supplied. The Reformation would hardly have succeeded by the elimination of either. Luther said that he "broke up the rough ground, and Melanchthon sowed the good seed."

The great work of Melanchthon was that of a teacher of theology and lecturer on the Scriptures. His class room was always filled with interested students from all parts of Europe. This gave him a wide range of influence and enabled him to do much to mould the religious thought of his time.

A Great Author. He accomplished much by his writings. His style was clear, logical and pleasing. We can notice here but two of his productions-the Augsburg Confession and the Apology of the Augsburg Confession. The first of these has been accepted by all Lutherans as the great Confession of the Church, and the second as the splendid development of Lutheran teaching. When the Imperial Diet met at

Augsburg to bring the Reformers and Romanists to an agreement it was necessary that a statement of their doctrines should be prepared for the occasion. No one could do this so well as Melanchthon. His mild temper combined with great learning fitted him for the task. When the immortal Augsburg Confession was assailed by the Catholics, his masterly Apology (Defense) followed. These two documents will always remain as masterpieces of the Reformation.

Promoter of Education. Melanchthon did much work outside of teaching. He was very much interested in the education of the young. This he evinced by helping the schools to organize on a better basis and by assisting in founding new schools. Luther was a believer in popular education, and Melanchthon has been styled "the School Master of Germany." Out of the Reformation movement, led by these two great men, have come the public school systems of the world, with the idea that every boy and every girl should have at the least an elementary education.

Melanchthon a Layman. Melanchthon was never ordained a minister or priest. It is significant that of the two great Reformers one should be a representative of the clergy and the other of the laity, and that the latter prepared for the Church two of its greatest cónfessions.

In Melanchthon's life

1. What lessons are there for the youth? 2. What encouragement for the laymen? Sexigesima Sunday. February 23, 1919. THE LOVE THAT MEETS ALL DEMANDS AND INCLUDES ALL MEN (Biblical)

Rom. 11:25-32.
HINTS FOR LEADERS.

Use opening services in Hymnal.
Psalm 23.

Hymn 156.

So much could be said on this topic that perhaps it would be best to have one of your older members (or your president) prepare the main paper on this subject, and two or three of the younger or newer members prepare shorter papers and then have a general discussion. Hymn 35. Recitation:

THE WONDROUS CROSS.
When I survey the wondrous cross,
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord! that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ, my God;
All the vain things that charm me most
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See, from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
(Continued on page 34.)

FEBRUARY 16.

Philip Melanchthon.

By Rev. Walter C. Sandt. Scripture Lesson-Heb. 12:1-2; Rev. 3:5. General Truth--We observe today the 422d birthday anniversary of Philip Melanchthon. He was one of the reformers of the sixteenth century and a great witness-bearer to the truth that is in Christ Jesus. We should never forget the names and the deeds of the good and great that have gone on before.

Point of Contact-There are two types of great men. Some are great because of achievements that have won the admiration of the world. Men like Cæsar and Napoleon, who were great conquerors. Names like John Darwin and Sir Isaac Newton, who were great discoverers and scientists. There are numberless others we might think of-Columbus, Washington, Lincoln, and of late, illustrious and living leaders, Foch, Pershing, Wilson. There are others of another type, whose names are more charming, more beautiful, more famous. These are the names of men of faith, of light, of love. We should be more familiar with these than all others-Peter, John, Paul, Stephen, St. Augustine, Wycliff, Huss, Luther, Melanchthon, Knox, Wesley, and many others whose records are kept in the book of life.

The Lesson Developed-Melanchthon can be counted among the greatest Christians that have lived. He was born at Bretten. Germany, February 16, 1497, and died at Wittenberg, April 19, 1560. His name was "Schwarzerd," which he, according to custom among scholars of his day, changed to Melanchthon, which in the Greek meant the same-Black Earth. His life was as fruitful as his name might suggest. He was a bright, studious boy with a keen and receptive mind. He entered Heidelberg University when not yet thirteen years of age. When twenty he began to study theology, and soon became one of the leading scholars of his day as teacher and professor at the University of Wittenberg. Here he met Luther with whom he enjoyed a close and intimate friendship until Luther's death. He was not as firm and positive in his convictions as was the Great Reformer, and yet Luther always respected Melanchthon's learning and genius. The Augsburg Confession, the chief symbol of Protestantism, was mainly the work of Melanchthon. He also wrote the Apology to the Augsburg Confession, and a famous work known as the "Loci Communes." He was a literary genius as well as a confessor.

During the years when the Church had to defend itself against its enemies, and fight for the truth, the personal relationship between Luther and Melanchthon was often strained-but in spite of their differences in opinion and temperament, they ever remained true friends. Nothing affected Melanchthon so deeply as the death of Luther in 1546. It was he who paid Luther the finest tribute of any, at the services in memory of the Great Reformer's life and work.

The later years of Melanchthon's life were full of troubles. He had to bear many false accusations concerning his stand for the articles of the faith. He did waver on occasions, but always acknowledged and repented of his faults. He bore his lot with patience, dignity and self-control. Above all he missed Luther. In the many controversies he had with Flacius. Osiander, and with the adherents of Zwingli, he was ever the center of a malicious desire on the part of his Protestant enemies, as well as the Romanists, to humiliate and belittle him and his work. Before the theological differences and discussions of his day were

ended, he was freed by death. His body was laid beside Luther's in the Castle Church in Wittenberg.

As a reformer Melanchthon was a man of moderation and a lover of peace. He was not as aggressive as Luther, but did not lack the courage of a faithful witness of Jesus Christ. He was a great scholar, and was known in life and for a century after as "The Teacher of Germany." As a theologian he was without a peer for gathering, systematizing and expressing the truths and doctrines preached by others. His name is among the great in. the faith.

FEBRUARY 23.

The Love that Meets All Demands and Includes All Men.

By Rev. Walter C. Sandt.

Scripture-Rom. 11:25-32.

General Truth-God's plan for the redemption of the world from sin is the expression of God's love. The Apostle of Love tells us in simple language-I John 4:8 and 16-"God is Love." It is from God's Plan and God's Word that we must learn our lesson of love.

Point of Contact-It should be our desire and aim to cultivate a life full of love. We first learn to know of it when we think how our fathers and mothers loved us when we were children and worked and toiled and sacrificed to provide for our needs. We have friends who care for us and cherish our affection and good will. We know how it feels to return love for love. We show it in a loving word, a soft caress, a kind deed. It is something we feel and cannot describe. We need to learn to cultivate our love and fashion it after the likeness of God's "who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son"-and of our Lord Jesus Christ's, who said, "Love your enemies."

The Lesson Developed--Let us learn of love according to four dimensions.

1. Breadth. It should stretch wide over all nations and reach around the world. It dare not be as narrow as a family circle. The bounds of a workshop may not circumscribe it. The walls of a church are no limit for its activity.

Christ died to save Jews. Yes, but Gentiles also. Christ loves Americans, but he also loves Japanese. We love our parents, our friends, our fellow-believers. We must learn to love African, Chinaman, Indian and every creature with a soul to save. Our love dare have no limit. Poor and rich, high and low, friend and stranger have a claim upon it.

One

2. Length. We love for a day, a year. Some of our affections are short lived. God loved us from eternity, and he loves us with an everlasting love. We must learn to love long. We dare not love today and hate tomorrow. characteristic of love is forbearance. That means, love is patient. It will stand rebuff, and rebuke. You cannot kill its life. Such is the love that a Christian must have toward his fellow man.

3. Depth. A Christian's love is never superficial, that is, on the surface. It is more than kind words or a friendly look. It is deeprooted, and comes from the heart. Sometimes it cannot be seen. but is alive, like "the still waters that run deep." It is deeper than that which flows out in loud words and lip profession.

Who has sounded the depths of God's love? Through the ages it has been at the foundation of His Providence and Grace. We must "imitate"--"be followers of God, as dear children. and walk in love." Eph. 5:1-2. 4. Height. Our love must be noble, not fanciful. We must love things true and of good