The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1873-08-22

CHRISTIAN WORK IN OUR OWN
COUNTRY,
AsynoPsls OF fhe Sermon Delivered bv
Pastor W. Peterson, in the Couers-
EatiOnal Church of FindIay, SUNDAY
Morning, Aug. Il, 1873,

WCn. ENCA Wien IL Is uQC6r5rOO
as 1t should be, that the prohibit,
was temporary, it may seem stran,
that He prohibited the preaching
His Gospel to any except the Isra
lltes. Why should He, the Son
Slan, who gave Himself for all, see
to be partial TO the Jews, even for
brief period of time A little stuC
OF the matter may enable US to di
cover several good reasons:
First. Patriotism would doubtle
prompt Him to make known His do
i trlnes first to His own people. H
work must have a beginning som,
where, and the love OF His couutr
would impel Him to begin it in tbs
land which was so dear to every He
brew. Let it not be said that tbj
patriotic motive is too unworthy t
be aseribed to One so exalted. Pat
rlotlsm is real virtue, and Jesu
was real man, with the royal bIooC
OF the house of David in his veins
His lamensation over the wickednes
and prospective desolatiou of Jeru5a
lem shows With what patriotic fervol
lie loved the land OF his birth. Witt
the divine purpose TO begin the work
OF salvation among the Hebrew peo
pie, the man Jesus, being an Israeiite,
was in full sympathy. He spoke as
true patriot when He said, '.But 90
rather To the lost sheep OF the hOuse
of Israel"
Second. Concentrated labor is al.
ways more effective than that which
Is scattered over too much ground.
One man, who understands his work,
can cultivate fifty acres OF land much
better than he can one hundred acres.
A mechanic does far better in re-
stricting himself to one trade than in
attempting half-s dozen. The same
rule holds good in religious work.
Men often accomplish very little be-
cause they attempt too much. There
IS natural tendency in Taen to over
lock the work which lies right at
hand in their unregulated zeal
to attempt that which is distant, diff
cult, and less likely to be successful.
Our Lord saw that his apostles, few
in number, lacking in experience, and
limited as to time, could accomplish
more good by concentrating their
labors on one field.
Third. 1t being the Lords purpose
to have His Gospel preached to all
the world, wise expediency required
that beginning should be made
where men were already somewhat
prepared to receive it. Large mum.
beIs OF intelligent christian teachers
would be needed for evangelistic
work These could be most speedily
raised up among people who were
already believers in The true God,
and who were earnestly inquiring for
the Messiah. Believing that in these
instructions Of our Lord to His apos-
ties, there is g lesson for the Chris.
tran people of to-day, l desire to offer
Il Plea tor Christian WorE in Our
Oacn Country. l shall speak of ihe
Reasons for the work, of the Instru.
mentslitics, and Of the general agency
through which the Churches may
employ and direc: the Instrumental
ties, with system and efficiency.
1. THE REASONS FOR THE WORK.
First. / begin with the lowest. the
demands OF Christian patriotism. The
experience Of mankind clearly proves
that the Christian religion is the most
powerful Of all causes in promoting
true national greatness. To it we are
indebted for all that Is most valuable
in our government and its institu-
tions. Whatever may be the skepti
cism of men in regard to the doetrinsI
and philosophical teachings of the
theOlogians, all will admit that strict
adherence to the practical morality
taught by Jesus would make our
nation the purest and greatest on the
face of the earth. But that morality
has never been practiced, or known,
by any people who we're uninstructed
in the essential principles of the
Christian religion. And no organ
lied, aggressive system for the prob
agation OF pure morality exists, save
within, or in connection with, the
churches of jesus Christ. The leaven
of sin and vice IN ten Thousand forms
is necessarily at work in society.
The political corruption which pre-
walls SO generally, Is justly regarded
as one OF the most alarming signs of
the times, and it is only one of the
many poisonous Outgrowths of per-
sonsl depravity. Its root is to be
found ID personal character. Nothing
but Christian teaching can counteract
it. ChTist's morality, taught in His
~ay, and supported by the sanctions
OF His holy law, is the only reme1y
which will reach and overcome the
cause OF public corruption. II false
views OF God and religion prevail, If
Ignorance and vice become dominant.
social sud national ruin will ineyita
bly, follow, and follow speedily. The
permaneEce and prosperity of the
nation depend on the personal char
acter Of the people, and tha. is 70 be
determined largely by the Christian
work which is done among them.
The man who processes 10 love his
country, and to desire the peretuity
Of free institutions, and yet refuses 10
aid in the great work OF christian
izing the people, shows = lamentabie
ignorsnce Of, or indifference to, the
most essential means for the promo
Of his cOuntry's welfare.
Tne wild barbarism OF our abort.
ginal tribes, the low heathenism OF
our increasing Chinese population,
and the ignorance, superstition and
social vice of our millions of African
people in the Southern States, are the
special strongholds from which Satan
to-day froHns tbreateningly On ail
that is dear to the heart OF q true
patriot.
Second. The spirit of Christ's com
msnd to go into sll the world and
preach the Gospel TO all nations, re-
quires us TO work for the thorough
evsngelization of our own country.
Consider the position we hold among
the nations. The eyes OF the world
ere upon us. We have the respect of
the worlds rulers, and the sympsthies
of the worlds peoples. Our influence
on mankind is great, probably sur
passing that of any other nation, and
il is constantly growing greater
There is restless, sggressive energy
in the American people that makes
them citizens Of the world. Their
representatives are to be found in
every cline ard in every land. As
travellers, merchants, scientists. as
explorers, as builders of national
highways, they penetrate to eyery
habiisble part OF the earth. Oh. if
this land we're filed with the Iioht
and power of Christ's religion, how
much Of the energy now displayed in
secular pursuits might be sanetilied,
viislized with divine life, and EN-.
plOyed IN lsbors for the conversion oi
the world
There is Africa, the most interest
ing of the earth's great divisions,
with its nine million miles of terri