The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-11-01
PoNDENCE.
For the Central Presbyterian.
Home Mission.
The Monthly Concert of Praye

The Monthly Concert of Prayer.
BY RICHARD NJ 'ILwAINE, D. D., SECRETARY.
At the last meeting of the General AS
sembly, the Standing Committee on Sys-
tematic Benevolence proposed a resolu-
tion that the Assembly enjoin upon pres
byteries to urge pastors to hold monthly
meetings in the interest of Foreign Mis-
sions, etc. The point was promptly made
that these meeting should be held in be-
half of the whole mission work, at home
and abroad that the Church has no sep
arate commission to evangelize outside
nations to the neglect of our own land :;
that the Home Mission work is one of
immense and growing importance, and
has need of the sympathies and prayers
and benefactions of Gods people: that
the suitable introduction of domestic
topics will tend to increase interest, en-
large the attendance and add to the con-
tnbutions of this service that the work
abroad has suffered and is suffering be-
cause of the neglect of that at home that
unless the home work is pressed and en-
larged the zeal of the Church in missions
will soon find limit and go backwards
instead OF forwards, and that it is abso-
lutely necessary for the best interests of
all departments Of the Church's work
that her Home Missions shall not be rel
egated to a secondary position, but be
laid upon the hearts of her people, and
call forth their prayers and support as it
has never done before.
In opposition to this view, it was ar
gued that the MonthIY Concert of Pyaaer
is Foreign Missionary institution, and
that to introduce anything else as topic
of interest at this service is to break in
upon its design, and to damage this preci-
GUS cause; to which it was emphaticallv
replied, that this whole statement is a
mistake; thst the Monthly Concert of
Prayer was originated long before Pro.
testant Foreign Missionary effort in its
present form was born that it was insti
tuted with direct reference to a revival
OF religion in the churches and the spread
Of the Gospel in the home field as well
as in other parts of the world, and that
the theory of Missions which seeks to
confne its sphere to either branch of the
great mission work to the exclusion of
the other is not founded on the word of
God, and is highly pernicious in its ten
denotes.
After brief, but sharp discussion, the
member who had proposed the resolution.
by common consent and without dis
senting voice, struck out the word "For-
eign, and the resolution, as amended
was then adopted and is as follows
That the Assembly enjoin upon pres.
byteries to urge the epastors to hold month
ly meetings in the interest of missions
in their several churches, giving to the
people such information touching the
progress Of the work in this and other
lands, and bringing to bear upon them such
truths Of Gods word as may tend to in
tensify their zeal for the evanqelization
Of the world, and that they encourage
large special gifts from those upon whom
God has bestowed special blessings"
(See Minutes of Assembly, p. 547.)
The wisdom Of this action has been
questioned by an influential journal in the
following language
The Monthly Concert Of Prayer. from
usage Of long standing, conveys the idea
OF special and united prayer for the con-