The Litchfield County post., 1828-03-20
ADDRESS

Oy Ne0. D. O. UHIST OJLD 0e30Te Ae Foreign Mission Society cf Litshfetd Co. at their annual meeting, Feb 13, 1928.
 Resolred, That in the opinion of this Soci- ety, disposition to give in aid of missionary operations, constitutes one important test of Christian character.
 The resolution. Sir, which now propose, contains this sentiment-~To give, or not to give. in aid of missions, furnishes pretty fair criterion by which to judge of a mars piety. Nor are yse to infer from this, that all who give to this object are Christians, nor that all who withhold are not Christians. The reso- lution speaks no such language; but simply affrms that "tO give in aid of missionary op- erations, constitutes ONE important test of Christian character" That is, it claims for this species of charity distinguished place among other evidences of personal piety. on the well known and acknowledged princlple =" By their fruits ye shall know them."- Now, Sir lift can be shown that Jesus Christ commands his followers to spread his gospel; that to save lost men, he led life of self denial ;--that the apostles and primitive Christians initiated, in this respect, the exam pie of their Lord ;-and that vital religion embraces. in its nature, desire to relieve the spiritual wants of our fellow men If these things can be shown, then plainly they who refuse to aid the missionary cause, are dest- tute of one important mark of genuine piety.
 To csme then to the case in hand ;-Jesus Christ has commanded his followers to spread hsgOspel. After his resurrection from the dead, and just before he ascended into Heaven, he gave this commando" Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every crea- ture." Is it said this command was ad- dressed to the primitive disciples, and not therefore binding on Christians now ? Sir, when they who urge this plea of limitation. can point us to .he passage which repeals the law ;-or show that it has expired by its own customed to require physical imrosslbilities of the faithful few who followed him, and affec- tionately linked their interests with his ;-or that the necessity ofpreaching the gospel ito every creature" ceased with the lives of the twelve ;-then may we admit the plea for lim- iting the command to the primitive disciples. But, Sir. the command has never been re- pealed. It has not expired by its own limita- tiens, for it contains none. To suppose that Toanc Chr;ct nando.) G..t enlio uyo.. &<~ preach the gospel to every creature" alone and unaided by Christians who were to come after them. is ts suppose that he required what was hysically impracticabIe.a .and there fore an impeachment of his benevolence And the supposition that the necessity for preaching the gospel, ceased with the lives of the twelve, is contradiction of fact. Sir, the heather are in as perishing need of the knowledge of salvation by Christ now ,as they ever were, and the blood which streamed on the cross eighteen hundred years ago, is as eaicaciOus now, as when first shed on Calva- ry. Why then suppose that the Redeemer has shut up his bowels of compassion. and consigned the heather of the present age to forgetfulness and death, by limiting his com mand to the primitive disciples Sir, we have not ESQ learned Christ" The plea for limi- ting the command to the first disciplesis is with out foundation.
 Nor may we confne its application to the ministers of the gospel. Ministers, unaided by their lay brethren, can do next to nothing towards evangelizing the wsrid. The com mand. therefore, reaches every believer, and bids him aid the work. "For how shall tke heather believe in him of whom they have not heard, and how shall they hear without a preacher. and hsw shall they preach except they be sent." and unless we suppose revi- val of the days of miracles, a how shall they be sent." if not by the united efforts of the followers of Christ Sir, facts. and the word of God, prove it to be an established law of Christ's kingdom, that his gospel shall be prOPagated by human instrumentaIity. Who ever, therefore, refuses to appropriate his sub stance, cheerfuIly and liberaIIy. according to