The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-07-05

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Meeting in Behalf Of Foreign Missions.

Meeting in Behalf of Foreign Missions.
ION Monday evening" May 22d, a meeting of the
Assembly was held in behalf of Foreign Missions,
At which very large congregation of Christian peo-
pie was also gathered. After singing the I'D Psalm,
Jesus shall reign where er the sun" the Rev. Dr.
Hendrick offered prayer. The exercises were deep
" interesting. The first address was made by the
Secretary
BR. j. LEIGHTON Wilson's ADDRESS.
Mr.. Moderator, brethren Of the Assem-
bly, and Christian friends, it is exceedingly
appropriate, as it seems to me, that you
should have set apart one evening for the
consideration of this great matter of Foreign
Missions. You are here to spend FIVE or six
days in considering the spiritual welfare of
SIX or seven millions of our fellow men i'm
nediately around us; and is it not eminent
ly appropriate to spend one evening at least,
in considering the claims of the hundred
millions Of our fellow-men scattered all over
the face Of the earth? The same commits
sion to preach the Gospel to those immedi-
ately around us, makes it our imperative
duty to proclaim it in the hearing of every
immortal being, IF that commission does
not bind US, so far as we have the ability, to
extend the knowledge Of the Gospel through
out the whole world, then there is no obhga-
ton whatever upon us to preach it TO those
around US. The work of Foreign Missions
is simply the extension of the Domestic
Missionary work which engages our thoughts
and labOrs here.
In carrying on that great work by which
al the nations Of the earth are ultimately to
be subdued to the Lord Jesus Christ, there
are three distinct agencies, if we may apply
this term to the persons of the adorable
Godhead. First and most prominent, is the
great Redeemer himself, seated upon His
MediatOrial Throne, and guiding every thing
in this lower world for the salvation of His
own chosen people Then, there is the Third
Person of the adorable Godhead, the Holy
Ghost, renovating the hearts of men, and
fitting them to dwell in those mansions which
the Redeemer has gone before to prepare
And the third agency is His Church. Yes,
my brethren, we, as the representative OF the
Lord Jesus Christ here, as constituted
Church, have been exalted, in a certain
sense, to partnership with the First and
Second and Third Persons of the adorable
Godhead in carrying on this great work.
Oh, what Unspeakable honor is this What
indescribable glory is this put upon the
Church, that she should be a co-worker with
the Lord Jesus Christ himself in this glori-
Gus object 1t would be easy for Him who
controls sll things to carry on and complete
this work without the agency of man at all.
He might, if he so chose, employ the agency
of angels, who would be glad to engage in
it. He might diffuse the knowledge of sal
vatiOn throughout the whole earth, without
calling upon His people to contribute sim
gle cent or to send a single missionary; but
lie has bestowed upon us the great priVi-
lege-I viii not say the duty, but the privi-
lege-Of being cO-workers
And what is the great end of enlisting US
in this high and honorable work, so far as
the Church is concerned? Two great OBJ
iects: one of these is TO represS the selfish
ness Of the human heart-that great master
sin which assimilates us to the devil himself,
The other is to develOpe in us that benevo-
lence which asSimilates US to His great and
glorious character. | always think of it as
a great honor conferred upon our Southern
Church, that God called us at the very be-
ginning Of our existence as a Church to take
part in this blessed work In this particu-
lar no other evangelical Church has such a
record as we have. We commenced the
Foreign Missionary work simultaneously
with our existence as a Church, and although
We have not done as much as it is desirable,
vet in view Of our circumstances, our pros
trated, embarrassed and impoverished con-
ditioh, it is really a great and an unspeaka-
bic honor that we have been enabled to do
what we have done. 1t is with great plea.
sure that We can turn to the Indians in our
own country, and remember that we have
representatives Of this Church in the four
principal tribes. It is with great pleasure
that We can turn to South America, and re-
member that we have representatives there
in two Of the most important Kingdoms in
that part Of the world And it is especially
gratifying that We can look across the world
TO that great empire of China, and remem-
Der that there are representatives of our
Church in that great empire of darkness,
proclalmlng the Observation-Disclosures OF Christ.
And even while we are but in the incipient
and preparatory stages Of this workout
breaking up the fallOw ground, and prepar'
ing for more extended work and larger re-
suits hereafter-God is pouring out His
most precious gifts upon it. 1t comes from
high authority that there is JOY in heaven
over the conversion of single soul on earth !;
and the Church too rejoices over every con-
version in the midst of Gospel light. Oh,
what abundant occasion is there to rejoice
over one soul redeemed from all the dark
ness and degradation of heathenism
And what are we permitted to rejoice over
as the fruits of our missionary labors during
this past year? Why, there have been
gathered by our missionary brethren within
the last year, more than three hundred i'm
mortal souls from the lowest depths of heath
enism Is not this-ought not this to be a
cause Of unspeakable JOY? How is it that we
can restrain our feelings when we think that