Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-02-11
CHURCH MISSION WORK.


Il Letter rom Bishop VHtpptc 10 the Her.
Dr.: Turing.
On WAY SOUTH, Jan. 81, 1878.-1Iy De07
Brother: I have been compelled to give up
my work aiid seek milder climate. It has
cost me many heartache. Pain makes us
weak, and weakness brings anxious fears
about schools and missions. We foolish
folk think ourselves, our plans, and our work
necessary for the progress of His kingdom.
When the storm comes we forget that He
can still it, when the way is rough and the
clouds lower, we sometimes lose the Hand.
1t is never dark to Him. It is the film over
our eyes which makes it dark to us.
The tears came into my eyes when l read
that there was danger lest the executive COM
mittees must withdraw some of their mis-
sionaries. I know what that means, shrink
dge everywhere. If you abandon any work,
we must withdraw some of our diocesan mis-
sionaries, we must send away or refuse some
whom we might have trained to preach
Christ. II is one army: If one part wavers,
Others will waver-courage aud cowardiee are
both contagious.
Whenever get troubled I always try to
read over the old promises. We think that
we wish these precious souls gathered into
His fold, that we long to see the church tri-
umph. We forget how long our Lord has
waited to see the travail of his soul: we for
get that His Kingdom will come that His
will will be done on the earth as it is in
heaven. The one question for us is, wheth-
er we shall be workers with Him in the
worlds redemption. His promises have
never failed: 81 will lead them by way
they know not "They that SOW in tears
shall reap in joy.'' '.When thou passcth
through the waters will be with thee,''
sand through the rivers they shall not over
flow thee Were there ever such words for
poor souls who can only say "Lord, I do
believe, help my unbelief''?
1t may be that we are walking in the will
derness because we would not hear His
voice. II will allure them into the wilder
ness, and there I will speak very comforta-
bly, unto them" 1t MAY be that we have
been saying II am rich and increased in
goods, and have need of nothing Our
Lord is counselling us "to buy Him
white raiment." "As many as [ love, [ re-
buke and chasteh.'
Tho way of duty lies right onward,
"Speak to the people that they 60 forward y
We know that since our Lord assembled into
heaven no branch of His church has had
such a field of labor as He has given His
children in America. There never was a
field where good seed was SO certain to bring
thirty, sixty, and an hundred fold. Ninety
years ago Bishop Seabury ordained priest
in Connecticut. That priests son (the Rev.
DIR. Shelton) is to-day faithful pastor of
Christ's flock. In these two lives we have
the history of our branch of the church.
From a handful Of clergy nlinistsring to "a
people everywhere spoken against we have
increased to $500 clergy. The church has
become moral power in the nation. For
fifty years the church did little more than
vindicate her position pure branch OF
the old historic church. Her leaders were
men of clear heads and warm hearts, sof deep
piety and answering devotion to the old
faith. We owe to them the catholic position
of the church toward all christian folk, and
her apostolic conditions of church-fellowship
Atlength the nation recognized her historic
past, her old faith, her missionary spirit ano
her catholic position. Sect-rallying cries
were dying out, old prejudices were being
remedied christians of other names
were beginning to use iturgical ser.
vices, to keep festivals and to reach out theil
hands for reunion. This was not mans
work. 1t was done by Him 8: Who makett
men to be of one mind in house." Love
IudOc Inc CnufCnS CfllluIcu emulate one
another in holy work. We knew more abou
that heavenly arithmetic which rejoices more
over the return of one wandering sheep thar
over the ninety and nine that went no
astray.
We made mistakes q say we) in bringing
in questions about names and things. Mel
claimed victory for this party Oh that. Their
was some speech which was half of Asdo
and half of Canaan. We did sometime
mistake infallible self-will for g Catholicity
or 'the truth as it is in Jesus" 1t was no
the Lords doing an enemy hath don
this we have one schism to be healed w
have some alianated hearts. Many, dear a
life, were wandering on the dark mountains
doubt and unbelief were settling over soul
with death chill we heard (not the exult
ant shout of the propheD but the sheer c
the skeptic. g Where is the God of Elijah?
Amid all these troubles the Lord has give
us, in our foreign and domestic missions, a
brave, as faithful missionaries as He ha
ever given to his church. They hardl
know that there has been any strife. The
know nothing about party victories The
are fighting for Christ their king. The
have lived hard lives of poverty aud sci
denial. They have gone on foot preacf
ing Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. The1
are missionaries of the domestic and foreig
committees who have been doing this VOL
for thirty years. Christian men will differ
they have the right to differ-it is part
the liberty wherewith Christ has made H
children free. So long as they know not
ing but Christ crucitied-as they bring
nothing to divide the fold, and obey tho
whom the Lord has set over them in II
church-we may be sure no strifes will m
our unity. AS the eventido draws on the
will be perilous times. The one question
us is, what can we do to hasten his comin
He has opened the whole world for Christi,
effort-there is no people the earth
whom we may not carry the gospel. Is tt
time to withdraw missionaries? Shall
be in Japan, where God has opened do
to a great nation the like of which no m
has ever heard? Shall it be in Chi
where if the same faith touch
door it will stand wide open to prea
Christ to four millions of people? Shall
be Africa, where Stanley has explored its u
known lands, that heralds Of the Cross m
go there and Ethiopia stretch. out her han
unto God? Shall it be Greece, by who
doors God is fulfilling prophecies viii
have waited $500 years? Shall we call ba
Bishop futile from Utah, OF Bishop Spa
ing from Colorado, OF Bishop Hare from I
Indians? We dare not call back any o.
We will not write homilies about Missio
We will make no calculations which, Il
those of the poor mill1maid, end in drea1
This we will dove will get on our kne
with broken hearts, with weeping eyes, a
tell all to the Saviour. We will feel |
shame and dishonor which will come to H
lafo Tic Mo will