The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-02-19
MISSIONARY SACRIFICES.
BY THE LATE D. LIVINGSTONE, D c.L., Ii D


the family of the late DR.. Livingstone, and We hav
peculiar pleasure in making use OF it. not only o.
account of its own remarkable qualities, but .
show how gladly we shall welcome, in this journal
suitable contributions from oongenia writer's. who
like DR.. Livingstone, are not identified With tn
Presbyterian Church It does not appear for wha
purpose the paper was written put 1t seems y Z
have been composed during his first visit to TIL
country, and doubtless with the Tlew OF giving al
impulse, among young men, to the mlssionar!
spirit 1t presents most valuable side OF LIVING
stones character, which rather lies out OF sight IL
his travels-bis spiritual esrnestness and lntens
sympathy with the highest ends OF the missionary
Office la this respect it affords glimpse OF vas
but hitherto little known chamber OF the grea
heart of Livingstone, chamber ia which the ten
derest love of wife, children, and friends lay min
gled With the warmest devotion OF his Lord an(
Saviour. The public may well desire fuller eX
hibiton than has ever yet been given OF this slat
of the character of Livingstone Readers vii
mark all through this paper the bright, hopefu
spirit that overlook the best view possible OF mer
and thngs-that admirable charity which, while
deeply impressed by the wickedness that is IN the
world ever cung to the hope that the good wa
gaining ground. and that mainly, because he tel
so deeply that God was On The side Of the right
the good, and the true.--ED. CATHOLIC PRES
1t is something to be q missionary. Tht
morning stars sang together and all the sont
of God shouted for JOY, when they first sew
the field which the first missionary vas tt
Gll. The great aud terrible God, before
whom angels veil their faces, bad an Only
Son, and He was sent to the habitable parts
of the earth, as missionary physician. II
is something to be follower, however feeble
10 the wake of the Great Teacher and only
Model Missionary that ever appeared among
men; and now that He is Head over al
things, King of kings and Lord of lords, what
commission is equal to that which the mis-
sionary holds from Hin? May we venture
to invite young men of education, when lay
ing down the plan of their lives, to take q
glance at that of missionary? Wewill nag,
Nifty the office.
The missionary is sent forth as messen-
ger of the Churches, after undergoing the
scrutiny, and securing the appreciation Of a
host of Chris ian ministers, who, by their
own talent and worth, have risen to the pas
torste over the most intelligent and inAuen-
tial churches in the land, and who, moreover,
can have no motive to influence their selec-
ton but the desire to secure the most eff.
cient instrumentality for the missionary work.
So much care and independent investigation
are bestowed on the selection, as to make 1t
plain that exrsneous influences can have but
small power. No pastor can imagine that
any candidate has been accepted thrc ugh his
recommendations, however warm these may
have been; and the missionary may 90 forth
to the heather, satisfied that 10 the conf
dence of the directors he has testimonial
infinitely superior to letters apostolic from
the Archbishop of Canterbury, or even from
the Vatican at Rene. A,aissioaary, surely,
cannot undervalue his commission, as soon
as it is put into his hands.
But what means the lugubriOus wall that
too often bursts from the circle Of his friends
The tears shed might be excused if he were
going to Norfolk Island at the Government
expense. But sometimes the missionary note
is pitched on the came key. The white cliffs
of Dover become immensely dear to those
who never cared for masses of chalk before
Pathetic plants are penned about laying
their bones on foreign shore, by these who
never thought of making aught of their bones
at home. Bone dust i8 dear nowhere, we
think Aud then there is the never ending
talk and wriOgug of hands over missionary
sacrifices" The man ia surely going to be
hanged, instead of going to ser7e ia Christ'f
holy Gospel Is this such services as He
deserves who, though rich, for cur sakes be-
came poor? There is so much in the man
ner Of giving; some beStov their favorS sc
gracefully, their value to the recipient is
doubled Ftom others gift is as good as 9
blow in tie face, Are We not guilty of treat
ing our Lord somewhat more scurVily than
we would treat our INDECENT fellow-men?-
We stereotype the word "chsrity' in oul
language, as applicable to a contribution tc
His cause. $50 many charities, we can
not afford them" Is not the word ungra
Ciously applied to the Lord Jesus, as if HI
we're poor beggar, and an unworthy ONT
too? His are the cattle on thousand bills
the silver and the gold; aud worthy is th'
Lamb that was slain. We treat Him ill.,
Bipends Of the masculine gender assume tn
piping pAraseolOgy of poor old women il
presence of Him before whom the Easter
Magi fell down and worshipped, AYE, AM
opened their treasusee55s,aaaEaaa presented unit
Him gifts-gold, frankincense, and myrrh
They will give their mites a5 if whas the.
do give were their "all" II is utterly un
fair to magnify the little we do for Him b.
calling it sacrifice, or pretend we are dOin
all we can by assuming the tones of poo
widows. He asks willing mind, Cheerful
obedience; and can we not give that to Hir
who made His Fathers will in our salvation
as His meat aud His drink, till He boWe
His head and gave up the ghost?
Hundreds of young men annually leav
our shores as cadets. All their friends re
ioice when they think of them bearing tn
commission of our Queen. When any dan
gerous expedition is planned by Government
more volunteers apply thsn are necessary t
man it. On the proposal to send band
brave men in search of Sir John Franklin,
full complement for the ships could have bee
procured of officers alone, without any com
mon sailors. And what thousands rushed t