The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1886-05-29

thirst, but all in vain. 1t was
hooking mirage. They pressed for
ward to find nothing but 1the circle
sun -encrimsoned wilderness, nothing
but the glare Of Illuminated sand"
Such desert is the moral waste of
this world. Such an army are the
millions scorched with flames Of sin,
and consumed with the drsught Of
its liquid fire. But unlike the wan
dering army there has been opened
for the perishing myriads of human
ity, stream of living waters
through Jesus Christ. Beside that
stream there may be no scorching
thirst. From that stream all may
drink and live. And the command
of our Master is that, he who has
drunk is under obligations to carry |
the news of the fountain to his fell
low travellers through the moral des-
ert. This was his last injunction to
his disciples; and as if anxious lest
they and the angel having the ever
lasting Gospel to preach should de-
lay, he comes forth again on the very
last page of Revelation, announcing,
THE Spirit and the bride say, Come.
And let him that heareth say, Come.
And let him that is athirst come.
And whosoever will, let him take the
water of life freely
Because of that Gospel of which
these words are part, we live in the
era of benevolence. We participate
in the grandest movements that have
ever blessed humanity. Other men
have helped to bring ruin and death
upon the world; but We help in the
cause of philanthropy and love.
Never were there such facilities for
the spread Of civilization, of intelli
gence, and of the Christian religion
as now. The improvements Of sci
encc and the mechanic arts have
brought the world into al incompar
ably smaller space than it used to
occupy. Far distant nations have
come into the same neighborhood.
The circulation of thought has been
accelerated until now every nation
on the globe Knows what every other
nation thinks. With this progress,
there has arisen among Christian
men a deep interest in their heather
brethren. And they are making
herculean efforts to bring them into
the consciousness of a common hope
in Jesus Christ.
Early in the present century Mills.
Hall and Richards, three devoted
young men of Williams College,
s'prayed into existence the embryo of
foreign missions" Soon after at
, Andover, they kindlcd with the same
flame the hearts of Newell, Matt and
Judson. Thereafter home and for
. eign missionary societies sprang up
rapidly in England and America.
And judged by ordinary criteria the
} results of their work bear compari-
son with any other moral or secular
enterprises. In 1880, the various
f missionary societies reported $500
principal stations, l2,50U sub-sta-
, tions, 500 ordained ministers, "a,
900 assistants, $500 communi-
t cants, 1,S13,SOO hearers, 10000 day
schools, and 447.s00 pupils. The
3 total expense from the beginning
D has been $57,O00,000-$l3,L O0. coo
: less than the annual income of the
8 liquor traffic in the State of Ohio
: Such are the fruits Of little more
| than half century's effort. Surely
f the little seed of Christianity hal
II received wonderful development in
so short period.
f In places without number Pagan
: ism has fled. vanquished before it
Y One abomination after another has
t vanished; one cruelty after another
n has been repulsed; one truth afte
g another has been received: one swee
a virtue after another has triumphed
+ So that we are now assured that tn
= final triumph of the Christian relig
II ion in all the world Is only ques
n tion of time.
le Now sublimer thought never en-
is tered the heart of man than tina
the field is the world, and that al
k men are our brethren. 1t has led t
n. civilization and touched Christia
n peoples with the desire to carry re
k. ligion to all men, And yet, with a
r the results before them there ar
A. those who object and criticise. The
s. calculate and tell us how much
Is costs to convert the heather, and
er what other use we might put tn
1s money. Our Savior had to conten
e. with one of this class among his di'
re ciples. A poor forgiven woma
err came to Jesus with an alabaster DO
at of precious ointment, and poured tn
e. contents on his head. There was
~ man there who said, What is a
he this waste for? The ointment migl
no have been sold for three hundre
.b pence-we might have made money.
~ He thought not of the love by whie
III the woman's soul was moved. II
not squandcr the money on Jesus
he said Judas. do not waste none
nd in carrying the knowledge Of salv
As ton to all creatures on the globe
,s- say the modern economists. 1T wi
ed cost you thousand dollars hes
to to convert them.'
Mt. Suppose the apostles had reason'
lot in that way; suppose the church
he Rome had, when the Celts and A
he glo- Saxons were in barbarisl
lg, Where would have been the Chri
he tian civilization of our day? Let
ON not measure the love and enthusiasts
'rs of hearts that the Lord has touch'
a by pecuniary standards. Christi
'es nations owe the heather a great del
EN- part of which only has been pal
sh We have sent them whiskey and n
led vies, and compelled them to open thu
yh- doors to commerce. But, thai
i'm God! we have learned to send thu
'ay something better than that viii
nd blights and destroys. We have Sc
nd vast armies Of heroic men and wo
her en- who counted not their souls dc
ice unto them, that they might v
she souls for Christ. Many are contr
ain uting their wealth not only, }
the their sons and daughters for the b
ar eft of those whom they never 8
rim and never can see. The offering
va the best, the purest. the divinest
lie; any that are made among men, a
rod puts the lie ON that theory, that m
ION never acts except for personal int