The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1873-08-22
NO. a..

ory, and It's hundred millions of in
'anllans, cursed with the worst form
i Daroarism, aGd fouIly wroneed 70
a9es. What grand possibilities lie i
ne future OF that continent Doubt
.ess her broad and fertile plains. he
aagnihceat forests, her great navigs
Ole rivers, her vast lakes, shall vet i
drought under the sway of Chris,ia
civilization. But the task of carryiu.
/, nc Gospel to Africa has proved to,
Ireat for white men, and it belongs
believe, to her own children in t6i
country. Prepare them by means O
,, Christian education for this grea
task, and from them will 90 fort
hundreds, it may be thousands. O
Christian teachers to preach Chris
IN the lsnd Of their ancestors, and t,
supplant the effete barbarism by
live Christian civiliz 1tion.
Not less inspiring is the pro5pec
OF accomplishing great things 70
China through the instrumenlality O
her children who may be converted
IN this country. And then, the nom
inally Christian countries of Europ,
are all represented, some of then
very largely, by their people WHIT
have Come to this country. Through
these natives of foreign lands W.
can, nay, We inevitably must, in.
tilence the entire civilized world for
good or for evil. Which shall IL be
The question is for the Christian
Churches to answer. II cannot be
evaded. There is no possible escape
from our responsibility. Providence
has given Us this work to do, has
brought it to our very doors. We
have failed to 60 to all the world, and
20 God has brought all the world to
u5 He has brought the represents
tives OF al ns.iOns and all rsces to
u, and given Us apersonsl introduc
ton, and so says plainly, by this
wonderful providence, "Preach the
Gospel to every creature ~
Third. The accessibleness Of the field,
and the economy with which the work
can be done, leave no excuse for neg
Letting il. Thousands of Christian
men andwomen whose circumstances
would not permit them TO 90 as mis-
sionari es to a foreign field, might
give themselves wholly to this work
at hom e. The necessary expenditure
Of money for their support would be
comparatively small. A large pro
portion OF the mission church es
founded in destitute communities, will
soon become self-supporting, and
will themselves become helps in the
support of younger churches.
In making their business invest
meutS men are careful to "put their
money where it will do the most
good" Having only the wisdom of
the world to guide them they often
put it in where it will do the most
harm. Should not Christian men ex-
ercise judgment and care in making
for Christ ? Should they
not seek the guidance of divine wis
dom, so that every dollar contributed
to the Lords treasury may yield the
largest possible interest ? lido not
1isparge foreign mission work. 1t
should be carried on with greater
Vigor. There is not the slightest
danger that it will receive too much
attention. But it is safe to say that
money given for the support of min
sters and teachers among the desti-
.ute populations OF our own country
Eill do more good, Immediately and |
remotely, than it could do in any other
Many are only able to
give little, their contributions are
he widows mites, small in the sight of
nen, but OF great worth in the esti
nation of the Lord. Let them be
applied where they will accom- plish
he most for Him in whose name they
ire given.
I. THE INsTRUBtENTALITIEs WHICH
lust BE EMPLOYED IN DOING THE WORK
First. Chrishsn churches. New
Testament churches, / mean, such IS
he apostles founded not sects, or
denominations, but organized con-
of believers local chrches.
These are necessary to do Christian
york, and to gather and preserve the
ruits of it. Following the example
II the apostles, we must establish
.hurches wherever there are believers.
1t the first they must necessarily be
mall and feeble. They will require
ii the help We can give them. The
naturest, most godly Christians feel
hat church fellowship Is necessary TO
hem and how much more necessary
. must be to those who are Inexperi-
need, immature, and who are sur-
ounded by Influences and assoeia-
ions of the worst character. The
mission churches slread established
mong the emancipated people OF the
'outh are exerting q sslutary iBhd-
nee not only on heir own cOngrega-
ions, but on churches less enlight-
ned and less pure in doctrine and
nodes. They are shining lights to
Fhole communities, centeTs oil moral
,ower, Indispensable TO permanent
uccess in Christian work.
Second. Christian schools Wheth.
r they are called common schools or
Ugh schools, seminsries. colleges, or
let them be Christian
chools In the northern states,
ghere free schools have been thor
,ughly established, we hsve q great
many supersapient people who con-
end for non-ChrIstian schools. They
re succeeding largely in compile tly
ecularizing th. most powerful sgan-
y FOR the Inor5i D. well IS the intel
ectual training Of the Young. But
hat which is now non-CuTis, ian will
DON become unebristisn, and even
usliy anti Christian. You may re-
use to plan. anything in your gar
len, and say that, letting il entirely
lone, you will have it remain barren.
}ut it will not be so. l: will grow
yeeds spontaneously. So, you msy
xclude religious teachings from
our schools, and say that you will
AVE them wholly secular in ehsrac-
er. But as surely as ground uncul-
ivsted will b ing forth noxious
Veeds, just so certainly will irreliglon
IouriIh where religion is not positive
y taught. You may proceed upon
he assumption that you EN- take a
.hild's nature to pieces, leaving the
moral faculties st home, 10 be trained
q the family and the church, while
he intellectual faculties 90 to school,
o be trained only in secular learning.
lou might as well talk Of leaving
heir bodies ST. home while their
minds go to school Children are
Iot machines. to be treated in that
way, The 1otOle child goes 10 scAooI.
lie carries mis- moral nature With him
here, snd it nust be cared for mere.
Every school which Is wholly de-
,rived Of Christian ilfuences is a
lot bed OF hell. Neutrality is impoi |
'lble- Our schools must be for /
Christ or against Him.
Now, thank G9d there are q
people in our lsnd who not only need, !
out most ardently desire, sn educa-
ion that shall be distinctly Christian.
Fhe millions OF the South, recently