The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-04-07

1t has been already remarked by the brother
who has spoken that the present only Is ours
But if in that present we see a door thrown open,
what can we understand by it except that this is
the direction in which God would have US move
and enter? Here the speaker made brief and
pertinent reference to the condition OF SPAN,
Italy, Turkey China and Japan fifteen years ago,
and then to what it is in those countries now,
when doors recently fast closed had been suddenly
thrown wide open to missionary effort These,
he remarked, were not only the greatest changes
the world has ever seen, but speaking 1t rever-
enty) the greatest of their kind which can occur.
If we do not enter in Rome will. There are now
more Roman Catholic than Protestant missiona
ries in China 1t is nolo with US, or we must have
far harder battle by the delay Now above all
others is the very time to work.
At the close of Mr.. Morton's remarks which
came in at this stage of the meeting, the ReU DIR.
Plunaer being present, made the closing address:
He remarked that his own judgment was that
enough had been said, but he yielded to the wishes
of others. The great commission of the Saviour
to preach the gospel to every creature had been
top to bottom in the temple of truth, in which
something in connexion with this commission had
not been inscribed. Passages Of Scripture were
cited as illustrations.
Do we talk of covenants2 read the 49th chapter
of Isaiah" 1t is light thing that thou shoudest
be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and
to restore the preserved of Ispael will also give
thee for light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest
be my salvation to the end of the earth. Chris
tans have sweet attractions to the interceSson OF
Christ. But the cause of Missions is identified
with that also =" Ask of me and will give thee
the heather for thy inheritance, and the uttermost
parts of the earth for thy possession And we
know that I" Him the Father heareth always
Africa is referred to twenty-one times in the
Psalms, and China once Have the expressions
distant lands no reference to America?
There are seven petitions in the Lords prayer
and three of them are about missions Brethren,
if the cause of missions does not succeed, Christ
will have died in vain.
Let those dear young brethren then, remember
as they go abroad, that there is not stone in the
temple of God, in which he has not inscribed this
blessed cause 1t must succeed, for "the mouth
of the Lord hath spoken it." If we who are old
could wish any thing it would be to join you. But
if we cannot go in person. we are one with you in
heart and with you in our prayers and our help.
You have heard of what Carey said to Andrew
Fuller, as he Carey was about to go to India
1--WE are going, my brother, down into deep,
dark mine You must send us supplies and hold
the ropes" IF we give our dear brethren to this
cause, we will give the supplies. After Hannah
gave Samuel to the Lord, no wonder we that his
him from year to year,
This cause must succeed. Has not the great in
tercessor said of his Church, Behold [ have
craven thee upon the palms of my hand?' And
he never lifts up those adorable hands before the
throne, without this engraven pledge Of his prom
Use being visible.
0 this is a joyful day 1t is worth all our
churches have suffered, to be assured b. our Sc
cretary that God has moved so many men to give
themselves to this work May God bless us in it;
and [ pray that whatever else he denies US, he
may give to all our people a willing heart in this
thing. Opposition to missions to the heather is
expressly put down in Scripture as fearful token
of final reprobation. They are awful words
Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they
might be saved, to fill up their sins always for
the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. y
After singing" Come Christian brethren, ere
we part" &C., the Rev. DR., Read led in prayer,
when these missionaries and their work was fer
vently commended to the grace of God
Thus closed a meeting of deep interest, in which
the whole assembly seemed to feel that it was
good for them to be there The addresses were
all excellent-right to the point-and none trav-
ersiug the ground of the others. May the bless
ing of the God of missions rest upon ii.