The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-04-23
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN
CIRCULAR.
OFFICE OF FOREIGN MISSIONS.
Columbia, S. o., April IA, 1873.

OFFICE OF FOREIGN MISSIONS,
Columbia, S, o., April IA, 1873.
To the Churches and Christian People an all oar
bounds:
Respected Brethren: The time has arrived when
it becomes our duty to remind you Of the collection
in May, for Foreign Missions We do so under
the solemn conviction that never in the history Of
our Church have the circumstances OF our work
been more promising of harvest of blessing to
mankind, or better adapted to excite the enlarged
bene6cence of Christ's people. The Missionary
and our Church papers have kept you so fully In
formed of the progress of our work during the
year, that we deem it unnecessary to enter into
its details, especially as you will soon have them
spread before you in our annual report to the Gen.
eral Assembly. Suffice it to say that eight mis-
sionaries have been added to our force, and that
several others would now have been on their way,
or preparing to leave, had not the want of funds
compelled them to wait for time. There are at
present eight proposed mssiOnaries-male and fe'
male-who will be ready to take their departure
for their distant homes in the summer or early
fall, if we are able to send them. The work has
been prosecuted in all our mission fields without
interruption, and our brethren are calling on us
for more laborers to gather the harvest of souls
about them. Other doors of usefulness than those
already entered are opening before US, and We
wish, in the name of our Church, to occupy the
northeastern portion of Mixico this year, and hope,
ere long, to begin work in Japan. The world
is opened before Us. The teeming millions going
down to death in heather and semi Christian lands
call loudly for the knowledge of God, and the
hearts of number of our rising ministry and our
Christian women, are being inclined to this work.
Everything seems propitious, except that the
means put at our disposal are inadequate to fur
Their enlargement in our operations, But we know
not how to stop. We would feel that we were
unfaithful to God aud to his Church to permit
such thought to possess our minds. We must
go forward We must heed the voice of our Sa-
viour, bidding us :" Go into the world and preach
the gospel to every creature" Year by year
must find our work enlarging, our missionaries
multiplying our agencies increasing, and our whole
Church becoming more deeply interested in the
salvation OF our fellow-men. And now, brethren
we Law this cause upon your hearts. Ponder the
crisis which is upon u.s. Ask counsel of God in
prayer. Examine as to your duty In the premises.
We feel sure that the means Of our people are
ample, if they will Only consecrate them to God
Our churches are not doing more than 1.-THE Of
what they might for this great cause. The field
is mtless. The demands upon us are urgent. The
cause is most holy. Give, them out of your abund-
ance or your poverty, as God has prOspered you.
Give cheerluy from love to Christ and his king
dom, aud from desire to see your periShing fellow
men saved. Give with prayer to God, that your
substance consecrated to him may be accepted,
and that he may raise up and send forth many la
borers from our churches into all the ends of the
earth, whose work he will bless to the ingather
ing of mutitudes of the elect and to the establish
ment of truth and righteousness throughout the
world.
In behalf of of the Committee,
J. LEIGHTON WILSON,
RICHARD NICKNAME,
Secretaries.