Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-11-27

Interesting DEseussiOn-Able and EI0.
queht Remsrks-M Ministerial HaF-
mOBy, etc.

The General Assembly convened in spe
cial session on Monday night, to conside
J the subject Of foreign missions.
After prayer by Rev. Mr.. Lafever, tn
matter was brought before the Assembly b,
/ DR., Smith offering the following resolution
Resolved, That the Executive Commit
tee on Foreign Missions be directed Il
inquire whether, in view Of the present
condition of the churches, it is deemed
advisable TO extend onr operations in the
foreign mission field, or confne our efforts
to the ground already occupid.
DIR. Smith then said: The practical
question is, shall the Church, at this time
send out missionaries to foreign fields,
when we have so many heather at ON
very doors?
DIR. J. Leighton Wilson said he was
not sorry that many had doubts about ex-
tending the work. 1t would do good. He
did not hold tina. ii was necessary to finish
the work az home before we go abroad.
This would be mans plan. The work is
not to be done as one would cultivate a
farm. The Lord has not shown us which
BSAAAOtl Vi AuC NOAIu NfdllSCAALC
first. Our business is to SOW the seed. The
commission is " to go into all the world"
mo limit; the field is one. This was the
idea of the Apostles; no obligations rested
upon them that does not rest upon us. We
are forced to the conclusion that all ma
tons must know of Jesus if they will be
saved. How can they know except the
preacher be sent
If this foreign work is the work of God
It bears the stamp of His appreciation.
Has God set his seal TO the work ? Sta
tistics will prove that greater success has
attended the preaching of the gospel in
heather lands than in America. During
the work in Africa one hundred churches
have been formed, fifteen thousand souls
added to the church, with one-tenth of the
means used in any Of our synods. Is the
Southern church to have no hand in this
great work? We are poor, but he would
be ashamed of church which did not take
part in this work. Our great work Is to
spread the gospel.
DIR. Shepperson said: No man holds
commission except to preach the gospel TO
every creature. In this commission the
missionary work is put in the foreground,
+" Coz Diligence in. this work, "the
going" is the expressed condition OF bless.
ing, eco, and 10 am with you."
Rev. Mr.. Barnes, Of Kentucky, said: 1t
seemed to him the resolution read Re-
solved, That a committee be appointed to
inquire into the expediency of doing what
the Lord Jesus has told us to do. He
agreed with DR.. Wilson, but the great
difficulty is the want of sympathy be-
tween the missionary in the field and the
at home. Who knows the mis-
sionary's name or station? Who prays for
him? Who has prayed for him to-day
This is the great difficulty. When this is
done the money question will no longer be
a difficulty. How he would like to see
this church a missionary church leading
the van.
DR.. Mathews, of Kentucky, said he
would propose Baxter's rule, "The more |
have given the more l have had given"
Again, at is better to have a ruined
purse than ruined church." Under Bax-
ier's rule this church is rich enough to
carry on the missionary work. Do not
crafty those who watch you, by
passing any such resolution. You
must not abandon the work. Go for
ward. The nightingale sings her sweets
sst song when the thorn presses her breast.
Tod is touching the harp now, and he
seeks a song, the sweetness of which is en-
HANGED by every string.
DR.. Plumer said The spirit of missions
is the spirit of God. He that hath not the
spirit of missions has not the spirit of
Christ. How can a man know such news
ls the blessed Gospel and keep silence?
iod will curse us if We keep silence. No
greater curse comes than upon those who |
hinder the missionary work. The |
wrath of God has come because they
orbid US to preach the Gospel to the
TEXTILES that they might be saved"
Let the Lord send men where He pleases.
! he gospel rs speaking amongst the hea- |
hens. We must have men to gol These |
men mnst go wherever commerce goes.
We cannot wait until God lets down another |
'heet fall of animals and say to a guilty |
'hurch, 81 lay and eat" Let the world
know that the Southern church is called |
If God to do this work He would rather
De dead than belong TO church that has |
lOt the spirit of missions.
Rev. DIR. Wilson then moved to lay the |
on the table, which was car
led.
DIR. Smith, who offered the previous reso-
ution, then offered the following, which |
vas unanimously adopted
Resolved, That inasmuch az the work |
If extending the gospel through all the |
world is the great work for which the |
,hurch has been instituted by her great
Head, to which all other parts of the work |
ire subordinate, the Committee on Foreign |
Missions be directed to press the enterprise |
TO it with renewed energy and |
fort, assured that the means-both the |
men and the money-wilI be adequately
Implied in the allwise providence of |
rod in proportion to the liberal methods
devised by the church