The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-06-16

slonalles snail be crowned by seeing natlon
born in day, the foreign laborer will feel
that in planting the Church where it has
such vast room to spread he has been instru-
mental in a large increase of that "seed"
which is the reward of his Saviour.
And this work was appreciated by Paul
as privilege. For Notwithstanding that
this work had caused him to suffer stripes,
storms, shipwrecks and perils; and though
at the moment of writing to the Ephesians
and Philippians he was suffering prolonged
and unjust Imprisonment for the cause OF
Christ, he yet speaks of his work as mat
ter Of joy. "Unto me, who am less than
the least of all saints is this grace given,
that should preach among the Gentiles."
And though "some preach Christ of envy
and strife, supposing to add affection to my
bonds, | therein do rejoice" And those
who labor now in foreign lands, seem to feel
it in like manner privilege, for few indeed
are there who have ever taken part in it,
and are not anxious to return to it,.
The providence of God is adding its tes-
timony to the call of God upon the Church
of the present day for the work of Foreign
Missions. Note the opportunities for preach
ing the Gospel which have been opened up
within the last fifteen years. Fifteen years
ago, large and heavy pail of darkness
hung over the world. Spain was in the
power of Rome, and the Inquisition with
thousands of eyes searched out the Bible
reader. Italy was closed to the Gospel
True, English, French and American minis
ters were suffered Outside Of Rome) to
preach to their own countrymen. But an
officer standing by, warned every native
Italian away from this fountain of heresy,
under pain of civil punishment. Turkey
was exclusively and persecutingly Moham-
medan. Austria had close and intimate
"Concordat' with the Pope, and against
the circulation of the Bible. Japan put to
instant death the foreigner who set foot
upon her shores, even though driven thither
by tempest, winds and waves. China suf-
fered the American to occupy limited por-
ton of six maritime cities. Brazil was I'M
evangelical through the apathy of Chris
tians. Madagascar gloried in plain,
strewed with the ashes of martyred Chris
tians, and in her triumph over the attempt
of Christians to subvert the ancient idolatry.
Such was the world of 1854
To-day behold the change In Spain the
circulation of the Bible is rapidly increas-
ing. In Italy Romish priests are proclaim
ing salvation by faith. Austria has aban-
doned the Condordat;" Turkey has pro-
claimed universal liberation; Japan has lost
much of her ancient prejudice. In NADIA
gascar, upon the very spot where the faggots
blazed around the enemies Of idolatry, now
stand Christian church, and the Queen is
not ashamed to attend its service while
other churches are so crowded with attend
ants that we have more cause to fear pop
ular religion, with its laxity of manners,
than to fear the slow lingering course of
missionary progress common to other coun-
tries. Brazil is receiving attention from the
Church. and the laborers there are reaping
larger harvests than in any other place, ex-
cept Madagascar. And China, vast China,
with its three hundred millions of inhabi-
tants, ten times as many people as in the
whole United States is now open in its
length and breadth to all the laborers we can
send thither. This is an opening of the
world to Christianity such as has never be-
fore been witnessed. Not in the days Of
the Jewish Church; for then the whole world
contained not so many people as now dwell
in the countries Just mentioned, and the
Jewish polity, as ordained by God, did not
Ia 70 ofIo L., h., 1,o1o
conversion of the Gentiles Not in the days
of the Apostles; for then the cruel Nero,
Domitian, and Decian prosecuted Christians
to the knife. Not in the days of Constan
tine; for then the serpent, ceaSing open war
with the Gospel, yet strove to choke it and
destroy its vitality by encircling it in the
coils of ga State religion" And how near .
ly he succeeded, the annals of the Church Of
Rome, from the fourth to the sixteenth cen
turtles, testify only too strongly. Not in
the days of Martin Luther; for then the
sword and cannon opposed the progress of
the Protestant preacher. Never before has
there been such general opening of the world
to the untrammelled preaching of the Gospel.
And so far as we can see the future, new
er again can there be such period of rap
in progress in preparing the way for the Cos
pei, unless it be subsequent to some great
apostasy. For there are no other nations
of the size of Spain and Italy that now re-
main closed to the Gospel. How can there
be such another step, when so nearly the
whole ground has been already thrown open?
And it is for us that God has provided such
sight as this. A sight that prophets and
kings have waited for, but died in unsatis-
fed expectation.
The present hour then, is a glorious one
for Christians, as the time when we may ex-
pect new glory to Christ. But thus far it
has proved to be an hour only of opening
opportunities, not of accomplished results.
The extent of territory within reach of the
Gospel has heen vastly increased, but the
Church has not yet covered that territory
with the brightness of the Gospel. At best
but dim hazy light is encircling the borders
of this new land. 1t is not a time to rest
upon our oars as if already in the port. On
the contrary, God has spread wide, bound
less, ever increasing ocean before US, and
bids US only strive the harder to speed
across it.
The fact that God has so or Tered the
political history of the world, as to open
such wide doors to the gospel is surely
note of warning to the church concerning
our duty. If it was duty before to preach
the gospel to every creature, in the face of
discouragements, is it not more clearly our
duty to do it now? If it was duty then to
make sacrifices with the prospect of small i'm
mediate results, tits surely our duty to make
larger sacrifices and greater efforts now that
God seems to be preparing for greater re-
suits.
We have spoken of the present as the time