The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-03-14
Apmsehola aFnras.
F0a THE GENITAL PRESBYTERIAN.
A Test for Earnest Workers, Cleaners aud
Busy Bees.

Can we be too enthusiastic in the cause OF
Foreign Missions? Perhaps not, but it is
easily possible to deceive that stupid men,
Der Of society-self-sn to mistake excite
ment, sentiment, interest in the unknown,
for true zeal in making known the glad-tid-
ings.
Just now cur Church, through her faithful
stewards az III Charles Street, Baltimore, is
trying to rouse US all to the necessity, obi
CATION and Importance of this work. They
cannot sound these notes too loudly, We can
not respond too promptly and generously
But it would be wise to make sure that our
zeal is genuiue-"for we are not Ignorant
of Satap's devices and especially is this
ueedful for you young folks, whose quick
heart beats, sooner than any others, to an
swer these appeals. Now is not this sound
test-that all interest felt in the heather,
oper and ADORE what Os feel for every sO's' an
Our O,on nsigh6orhood, is spurious?
wonder if that startles you, eager young
worker, as it did me, when first realized it!
Are you doing every thing you can for the
salvation of the negro woman in the kitchen,
the man that drives your carriage, the boy
you pass every day playing marbles on the
street corner? Christ died for their souls,
and many of them are going TO meet far
heavier account than the heather who never
heard of Him Now if we are not trying to
save them, can our Master trust our sincerity
when we say we are longing for the CONVEX
sion Of the world
But do not think, dear Busy Bee, that
these words are said with any desire to check
your ardor for the foreign work. On the
contrary, if I could 6nd any fresh argument
to increase that ardor, would use it. No
if this thought of mine has lesson for you
be sure you do not read 1t backwards. If il
causes you sudden fear that, after all, your
anxious planning how you might make OIL
save something for this cause, was not true
love for Christ's work, since your own maid
is going to ruin unhelped by you, do mo-
withhold your help from the far away sister
bus sanctify it, by beginning at once to helE
the nearer one.
It is not much easier work you will find
than Miss Kirkland has to do; for not ever
her Efforts to speak Chinese can be much more
hating than our first attempts to speak fol
Jesus, to those who know by daily intercourse
with US, how little we are like Him. AuC
where her listeners are blinded with ignO
rance and ages of prejudice, ours are to-
often deaf through a most fatal self righteous
ness or superstition. What of that f.? Mis-
Stafford uses all sorts of sweet crafty ways t
beguile her heather neigbbors; pictures, ste
riea, and such things; We must invent tn
like. When Patey has put mothers baby t
sleep, and is rocking her for the last te
minutes, ask her, as if it were favor t
YOURSELF l9lb u6bS WIS Ava o AAs5iV AVouAH
time every night" Select the verses before
hand, aud have something to say about them
tell her after while that you pray for he
when you pray for yourself, taking care t
let her know that you do not feel yoursel
any better than she is, and never stop tryinj
till your prayers are answered, and you Sc
Patsy preyiug for herself and striving to lea
a new If.
And then-ahI the Lord has beautiful
system of accounts, backwards and forward;
never forgetting to carry-then all the effort
you had made, the pictures you sent Mis-
Stafford, the dimes you saved for Mr.. Gray
bill, will be blessed to do holy work. But
cannot help feeling sure that it is only mas
much as we doit unto the least of these, tina
we can hope for success in preaching to those
Use your time, my girls, in cOntriuing how t
reach every unsaved soul you knOw--and the
our missionaries letters will be glowing &C
counts of the kingdom coming.
"GLEANER.