Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-11-28
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PRES
BYTERIAN CHURCH AT NASH
TUEsDAY MORNINa.


TUESDAY MORNING.
Last night the Assembly convened il
speeisl session, to consider the subject o
Foreign Missions. After prayer by Rev
Mr.. LefsveE the matter was brOugh
before the Assembly by DIR. Smith offer
ing the following resolution
That the Executive Committee OF
Foreign Missions be directed to inquirl
whether, In the present condition OF the
Churches, ft is deemed advisable to ex
tend our operations in the Foreign Mis-
siOnary field or confine our efforts to the
ground already occupiedp
DR.. Smith then said The praetical
question is, shall the Church at THU
time send out Missionaries to foreign
fields, when we have so many heather
st our doors?
DIR. ]. leighton Wilson said He was
not sorry that many had doubts about
extending the work. 1t would do good
He did not hold that it was necessary 10
finish the work at home before going
abroad. This would be mans plan.
The work Is not 20 be done as one would
work a farm. The Lord has not shown
US which portion Of the earth He would
evangelize first. Our business is to SOW
the seed. The commission is, to go
into all the world - no limit the field
is one. This was the idea of the ApOs-
ties no obligations rested upon them
that does not rest upon Us. We are
shut up to the conclusion that all nations
must know Of Jesus il they would be
saved. How can they know except the
preacher be sent. II 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 thousands
could be added to the Church with one
tenth of the means used in any
one of our SynOds. Is the South
ern Church TO have no hand
ia this great work? We are poor /;
almost crushed, but We wOuldbe ashamed
of a Church which did not take part in
this work. Our great work is the spread
Of the Gospel.
DR.. Sheperdson said /:
/. No nan holds a commission except
to preach the Gospel to every creature.
2. In this commission the missionary
work is but in the foreground, go"
3. Diligence in this work" the go
ing us the expressed condition Of bless-
ing. eco, and 10 I am with your
Rev. Mr.. Barnes, OF Kentucky, said, it
seemed to him the resolution read,
{" Resolved, A Committee be appointed
to inquire into the eXpediency Of doing
what the Lord Jesus has told Us to do"
He agreed with DIR. Wilson, but the
great difficulty under which the whole
matter lay is the want of sympathy be-
tween the Missionary in the field and
the Churches at home. Who knows the
Missionary's name or station? Who
prays for him? WIG 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 8 Mission
ary Church, leading the van.
DR.. Mathews, of Kentucky, said he
would propose Baxter's rule, " The more
[ have given, the more / have had
given" Again, 1t is better to have a
ruined purse than q ruined Church,
Under Baxter's rule this Church is rich
enough to carry on its Missionary work.
Do not crafty those who watch you by
passing any such resolution. You must
not abandon the work. Go forward F.!
The nightingale sings her sweetest song
when the thorn presses its breast. God
is touching every string of the harp now,
and be seeks a song, the sweetness Of
which is enhanced by every string.
DR.. Plummer said The spirit of Mis-
sions is the spirit Of God. He that
has not the spirit of Missions hss
not the spirit of Christ. How can
9 man know such news as the Gospel
and keep silence? God will curse us if
we keep silence! Nogreaterc curse comes
than upon those who hinder the progress
of the Gospel. 1.-THE wrath of God has
come because they forbid US to presch the
Gospel to the Gentiles that they might be
saved" Let God send men where He
pleases. The Gospel is spreading amongst
the heather. We must have men to go
these men must 90 wherever commerce
goes. We cannot wait until God let's
down another great sheet full Of animals
and say to a guilty church, "slay and
eat.U Let the world know that the
Southern Church is called OF God to do
this work. He would rather be dead
than belong to a church that has not the
spirit Of missions.
DR.. Joe Wilson then moved to lay the
resolution on the table, which was car
ried.
DR.. Smith. the author Of the former
resolution, then offered the following
RESOLVED, That inssmuch as the work
of extending the Gospel through all the
world is the great work for which the
Foreign Mission has been instituted by
her great head, to which all other parts
of the work are subordinate, the Com
mittee on Foreign Missions be directed
to press the enterprise Entrusted to it,
with renewed energy and efforts, assured
that the means, both men and money,
will be adequately supplied in the all
wise providence Of God, in proportion to
the liberal method devised by the
Church.