The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-04-19
Giving for Special Objects.

lAS We nave received q communication. In
which exception is taken to the views expressed
in the following article from the Missionary for
April, we publish the article as we'll as the com.
munication, so that both sides may be heard
EDS. c. PRES
1t is gratifying to witness the growing
interest among our Christian people in
the cause of Foreign Missions. This NAV
be seen in the increase of ladies mission
airy associations; in the number of Sab
bath schools that are taking part in the
work; in larger contributions from many
of our churhes and in the greater gifts
from individual members of the church.
But along with this new born interest, in
which we greatly rejoice, there has
sprung up an element, which, if not res
trained, will occasion serious disturbance
in the working of our general missionary
scheme. We refer to the desire mani
tested by so many of these associations,
Sabbath schools, and individuals to have
some particular department of missionary
work assigned for their care and support.
1t may be the support of boy or girl in
some particular boarding school the sup
port of teacher or colporteur, or the
ests blishment of new school or it NAV
be that their contributions go to the sup
port of some particular missionary. The
reason generally assigned for making this
special designation of funds is that the
parties may see exactly where their
money goes, as we'll as the fruits and re-
suits of it.
Ladies missionary associations fire.
quently undertake the support of par
ticular school for the purpose of bringing
themselves into correspondence with the
lady missionary who has the charge of
it, feeling that an occasional manuscript
letter from the foreign field will help to
keep up the interest among its members,
which would no doubt be the case. So
long as these applications for special
work were limited in number, there was
no difficulty in managing them but
when they swell up to many hundred of
cases, it becomes almost impossible to deal
with them and this has been the case
with US for several years past. Indeed
Tho desire To have some special work has
become almost an epidemic in the Church.
We are compelled, therefore, grateful as
we are for this new and increasing in
terest in the work of missions to as our
II
responsibility of cutting up and dividing
out the missionary work into 80 many
minute portions.
1t is true there may be few excep-
tons. Where church, like the one in
Louisville, KY, proposes to establish a
new mission, and furnish the means to
keep it in efficient operation for given
number of years, the Committee could
not decline such preferred aid, especially
where the design is to enlarge the mis-
sionary work in accordance with the gen
eral plan of the Committee. So if any
Christian gentleman of means should of
fer to furnish the money necessary to
send out and support missionary for a
given time, one would be sought out and
sent forward promptly, but with the ex-
pectation Of his falling into ranks and
working shoulder to shoulder with his
brethren already on the ground Such
cases will probably never be very numer-
Gus, and there will be no difficulty in man
aging them. But it is the minute subdivis-
ion Of the general work already under
taken that we regret. This is not only
impracticable, but the principle involved
is, we think, wrong in itself We raise the
question whether it is right, or in &C
cordance with the spirit of Christ for
individuals, or combinations of individ-
uals, to restrict their efforts and sym
pathies to one single department of the
missionary work. What propriety is
there, for example, in limiting the in
terest of Sabbath school to the educa-
ton of single boy in China, and leave
the school ignorant or Indifferent to the
claims of all the rest of the world2 The
blessed Redeemer has commanded that
His gospel should be preached to every
creature. His sympathies embrace the
whole race of man. Why should we and
our children not be trained to the exer-
else of the same expanded benevolence
Is it not best for us all to work together
for the same great object-the evange-
lization of all mankind? 1t will proba-
bly, be said that no one branch of the
evangelical Church is competent to carry
out the commands of the Saviour to its
fullest extent, and that of necessity the
work must be divided out among the
different denominations. This is I'M
doubtedly true. But it is equally true
that every denomination, if it acts wisely
and under the guidance of the Holy
Spirit, will lay all of its plans with spe-
| cial reference TO the ultimate and speedy
evangelization Of the whole word. This.
| tho xUrifar oou toofif,, hoe Loor H. 49,,