The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-11-08

W
neople hear so gladly, and upon whose
minis ministry God has so evidently set His
seal They have abandoned their charges,
given up their homes and entered upon
the discharge of their duties with a
fidelity and earnestness which command
the highest admiration. They are all
men with families, and consequently such
labor, while involving the most untiring
application, also requires continuous alb
sence from home. From these faithful
servants of the Most High there come no
complaints. They still say "Send us
on this mission, support us, and we will
carry the work wherever and whenever
God calls
I have often thought that possibly one
thing might enter heaven to mar its
bessedness and peace, and that was the
consciousness that by some effort of ours
some might have been saved that were
lost Take for instance
The Wonderful Liberality,
power, and zeal that have marked the
past year. Humanity speaking, it has
been the means, under Gods blessing, of
a precious ingathering which numbers
more than a thousand persons. Had not
this effort been put forth, so far as we
can see this great number who now re-
joice in the certainty of the forgiveness
of sin, might never again have been so
circumstance as to have embraced the
gospel offer. Death, change of location,
might have rendered the hearing and be-
lieving impossible. For every one so
lost, who, in the light of Judgment day,
would have been responsible? There is
only one answer-the members of the
Synod If another such years work is
possible, and we fail to undertake and
carry it through, who will be accounta-
BILE to our Lord and Master if it is not
accomplished? We have demonstrated
under Gods guidance and help a ire.
mendous power. By our obligations to
Him we are bound to It's full exercise in
the coming year. And I ask, is there
within the sound of my voice man or
woman who would stay this glorious
work? Who would stop or even hinder
for single moment that agency which
for nine months past has been instrumen-
tai in calling from death into life eternal
so many immortal souls? The RESPONSE
bility such a Christian effort has de-
veloped is so tremendous that its con-
sideration is simply appalling. In all
this church o. ours, from the one border
of our State to the other, there is not
single Christian who, for ten times the
amount given, would blot out the blessed
record of the past twelve months from
the pages of
kentucky Presbyterianism.
For one, | would not exchange the
consciousness Of Joy and happiness 1 have
derived from the humble part I have
borne in it for the proudest tomb that
has been given the honored dead of our
race in the sacred precincts of West
minister Abbey, where rests the dust of
those who have achieved the highest dis
tlnction known to civilized man. The
thrilling words of the English naval
hero at Trafalgar, England expects
every man to do his duty, are but tame
IN comparison to that commentator
which will come from our Saviour as He |
stands by the throne of the eternal God |
and behold His servants thus entering |
upon His work which will reclaim the
souls OF those for whom he died.
Nor must we make the mistake of |
committing all the toll and labor of this
service to our evangelists, nor place too
much reliance on what they shall accom-
pllsh. Each one Of us can do something
TO further the progress Of the cause, and
we shall succeed in this high and holy
mission In proportion TO our dependence
on God. 1t is from Him that our
strength and our help must come, and to
him we must 60 to get the full blessing
that we may expect In this behalf. The
results of the past year may cause us to
think that it was in some measure de-
pendent on our evangelists. 1t is God
that worked in and through them, and it
IS the blessed agency of His Holy Spirit
IN its silent and gracious methods that
has secured the glorious record of which
we have Just heard. Nor should we for
one instant falter in our course because
OF the greater burdens which may here
alter be placed upon the Church in this
service.
The Present and Succeeding Decade
Is to witness a development in Kentucky
which will startle its people. The magi-
cal hand Of true progress has touched our
borders. The new lines Of railway com
pleted through this Commonwealth will
give it an impetus which will be as
tonlshing. We have talked and written
OF our coal and iron fields and our lum-
Der treasures until the subject has be-
come trite Tho dav hoe ro,,, o,roo 81 90.