The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-11-23
Can this World be Evangelical
in Twenty Years?

Can this World be Evangelical
in Twenty Years?
This question is discussed in the last
Missionary Reviea0 by DIR. A T. Pierson
of Detroit with commendable brevity
and characteristic point and pith. He
would prosecute the colossal enterprise
on thoroughly common-sense principles;
set about it as if it was really something
to be done, and something entirely sus,
ceptible of accomplishment within the
time specified Made the enterprise of
the united Christian Church, and put
upon business principles, with definite
plan, by division of the field which is
the world, and a distribution of the work
among all evangelist denominations, >
the task is not so formidable as might be
supposed. Then there is proper dis
tinction made between evangelization
and conversion. ITO evange,ize, or
bring the gospel into contact with souls,
is the special commission of the Church
Matt. xxxiii 10, 20). Conversion is
Gods work and not man s." Dr. Pierson
thus continues:
Let us remember that one hundred
and eighteen millions belong to Protes-
tant and evangelical churches. If we
could depend on each one of this whole
number 10 do his or her share of this
work, how easily it could be done If
personally or by proxy every such be-
lever should, during these twenty years,
reach six new souls with the gospel, the
whole world would be evangelical OF
course we must make larger discount
from this gross number in estimating our
working force. Let us then suppose that
out of this one hundred and eighteen
millions only ten millions have real
evangelical knowledge, faith, and expe-
rience. Could not God use this picked
band, like Gideon's, to do the whole
work? Let each of those ten millions,
during twenty years, reach sixty new
souls with the gospel and the grand re-
suit is still reached Think of it, We
may take one IN ten of the Protestant
Church members, and with them bring
the whole present population of the
world to the knowledge of the gospel
by simply securing this result: that each
OF that elect number shall in some way
bring the gospel into contact with three
souls each year for twenty years.
OF course both men and means must
be multiplied, if this great work is to be
done. We must have at least ten thou
sand more missionaries; but that is but
one of q thousand of the supposed ten
million. We must have at least ten mil
hon more dollars year for the support
OF these missionaries, and another ten
million dollars for the various helps and
appliances necessary. But let these ten
million disciples give each FIVE dollars a
year, and we have fifty millions for the
work of missions, annually. England
gave more than that to carry on the war
In Afghanistan.
The enterprise of worlds evangelical
ton is perfectly practicable. We need
only baptism Of prayer, systematic eff
fort, and faith in God. If the children
OF this world had project before them
with as good prospect of success, al
though its dimensions were worldwide,
they would undertake it with an energy
that would girdle the earth with men
and means in ten years? Why do we
hesitate?
Let us have Ecumenical Council re-
presenting tie whole evangelical Church,
solely to plan worldwide campaign,
with reference to bringing the tidings Of
salvation into contact with every soul in
the shortest time Let the field be map
ped out, and divided with as little waste
OF men and means as may be; let there
be an universal appeal for workers and
Tor money, system Of gathering offer
IIngs so thorough that every giver shall
be regularly brought into contact with
the Lord treasury, and the mites be in
creased to millions The proposition is
perhaps startling, and yet, looking at it
with studied caimness and coolness tell
us what is there to prevent its consum.
nation but lack of new amounting
from abovel'
The question thus raised is one Of un-
sPeakable moment. That the cause Of
Missions is to be set forward in the near