The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-02-19

Our talk of sacrifices is ungenerous AM
heathenish. A white man, having the bon'
of his arm crushed by lion, was crossing
small stream on his way home, and feeling
faint from loss of blood, tried to stoop dowr
and drink; but he could not support th'
dangling limb with the other hand, aud 81
bend himself to slake his thirst. A blacl
man lifted up water in his hands repeatedly
till he was satisfied. Now, had he done thi
to one of his own countrymen, be would have
thought no more about it; but he had done
it for white man--he had made sacrifice
A few days afterwards, he made his appear
ance, ard after iuquiring for the arm, re
marked: "It was who helped you with th'
water;" and he repeated the observation OF
subsequent occasions, with the addition, GA
| helped you, hope you will help me, wher
you recover" The white man gave pre-
sent in order to wipe off the obligation. L
is just so we are disposed to value highly
what we do for Christ We talk of "sacri
fces,' till We fear the word is nauseous tc
Him. We have no English female mission
ary biography worth reading. because it is
all polluted by the black mans idea Of sac
ri6ce. 1t ought not SO to be. Jesus became
missionary, and gave His life for US.
1t is something to be missionary. He
is sometimes inclined, in seasons of despon
dency and trouble, to feel as if forgotten
But for whom DO more prayers ascend p
Prayers from the secret place, and from
those only who are known to God. Mr.
Moffat met those in Eugland who had made
his mission the subject of special prayer for
more than twenty years, though they had nc
personal knowledge Of the missionary
Through the long fifteen years Of no success,
of toll and sorrow, these secret ones were
holding up his hands. And who can tell
how often his soul may have been refreshed
through their interceSsionS :?
Then there are prayers for him in the
family, in the monthly concert, and in the
great congregation. Who has more cause
for gratitude than the missionary? Who
enjoys more of the special protection of Gods
providence, than the messenger of mercy to
the heather ? He can tell of providences,
not because, as the saying goes, "he who
seeks providences will not want proVidences
to seek" bat because Gods care is more
abundantly bestowed on those who are dedi-
Gated by His Churches to His work. Think
of missionary preparing his mind for the
excitement of leaving burning ship, by
reading the tract on the loss of the Kent
East Indiaman, and smelling fire in his own
ship just as he finished the perusal Or Of
another lying sound asleep with two natives
behind bush, their fire nearly out, and q
lion approaching within four yards, and, in.
stead of springing on his prey, commence
roaring, because held back by an invisible
hand. Hungry enough he was, for he sal
growing at them about two hundred yards
of, all night afterwards. Or of another ap'
preaching house at night, and seeing the
powder fash in the pan and refuse fire few
yards off, the owner of the gun thinking ht
was about to shoot wolf. Ordinary Chris
tians would seek long enough before they
met with such providences. Who has more
cause for gratitude than the missionary P
"Lo, l am with you Is that presence
thing of nought? Surely His presence
may supply the lack of all he leaves behind
What should we think of the Israelites ig
noring the presence of the Angel of the Gov
enant who went before them in the pillar o.
cloud? every one that hath forsaker
houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, Oh
mother, or wife, or children, or lands, fol
my names sake, shall receive an hundred
fold, and shall inherit life everlasting"
No higher honor exists on earth than tina
of being "fellow-workers with God" M
greater privilege than that of being messen
gers of mercy to the heathen. No greater
glory than, after having our chains knocked
off, to be sent forth to proclaim liberty tt
the captVes, the opening of the prison tt
them that are bouqd And yet, strange tt
tell, some allow the honor, privilege, ant
glory to merge beneath vehement home
sickness, a bessty nostalgia. To those VIII
return home with impaired constitutions, th,
tenderest sympathics of sll Christians ar
due, and ought to be bestowed in no stinte,
measure; but as those who, without du
cause, relinquish Government employmen
are for ever afterwards disqualified from
holding ofi,e,-so, victim of nostalg
ought to be for ever disqualified from hold
ing up his head among men. Indeed, VI
should not utter a syllable of remonstranc
though we saw such bundled into bag, an
tossed into that BOsphorus, the exact dimen
sions Of which the sanitary commissioner
sometimes realise in their dreams.
Il The reader will be reminded of the followin
characteristic and very striking passage in Living
stones account of his first long journey - fe
some turmoil of spirit in the evening, at the pros
pect of having all my efforts for the welfare of th
great region and its teeming population knocke
on the head by savages to morrow who might
said to know not what they do. 1t seemed sue
pity that the existence of the two healthy ridge
which had discovered should not become known
Christendom, for confirmation would have bee
given to the idea that Africa is not open to th
gospel But l read that Jesus said, All power
given unto me in heaven and on earth go y
therefore and teach all nations and 10, an
took this as his word of honor, and then went ou
to take observations for latitude and longitude