The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-02-05

(Read by Miss Selma Chase, since
deceased, Ut meeting Of the Woman's
Missionary Society Of the Baptist
Association held at Emporia in Sep
tember 1885; and published by request
When VIM. Cary volunteered to ex-
plore the "Gold Mine'' in India, he
went down leaving at the top strong
hands and willing hearts. If he
reached the bottom and was successful
in his work he must be sustained and
upheld by the friends who held the
ropes. Those friends believed in
the work, therefore they faithfully did
their part, until each in turn having
been summoned to q more glorious
work-that of singing praises to the
Lamb of God. They have gone home
and left to US, here on earth, the lega-
cy Of the unfinished work to be carried
on till all the world shall have come to
the knowledge of God. Have we,
with our might, taken up the work
Some one is surely doing faithful ser
vice or our missionary societies could
not send out and maintain yearly the
number of workmen they do. But, are
,oe, the Baptists of Kansas, the churches
of the Neosho Valley Association, doing
all God requires of US? How many of
us, instead of saying "How much is it
in my power to do?" are saying SHOW
much can spare for this work2" Sup
pose Heaven had said: "How much
can we spare to reclaim fallen mani"
Had they given us only what would
not have been missed from that heav-
emily circle, pitiable indeed would have
been our condition, far worse than the
Hindoo or Burmese to-day. Then.
since freely we have received, let US
freely give-not what is left after all
our wants are supplied, but according
as we have. Can we not sympathize
with David when he refused to give to
the Lord that which cost him nothing?
And is it not true that the man or wo-
man who strives to gain wealth, that
they may spend for the Lord, enjoys
more than he who works for his own
selfish ends? True, if his only motive
in giving be that he may be recompens-
ed he is not giving; 1t is merely bus
mess investment and he need expect no
reward any more than from any other
selfish act. Is there not in your church
some father or mother in Isreal, who,
having long borne the burden and heat
Of the day, would gladly fold their
tired hands and give up to younger,
stronger hands the Lords work? Or
has not Providence taken from you by
death or removal some earnest worker
in the missionary cause, thus leaving
vacancy which it is your privilege to
all? If there are no such vacancies,
you need not yet despair of finding a
place, even though it be at the ninth
or eleventh hour, for have yet to hear
of a field in Christ's vineyard being
overrun with workers, nor do I believe
such is ever the case, but on the con-
trary it is in America to-day as it was
in Palestine nearly two thousand years
ago. "The harvest truly is great but
the laborers are few" I was i'm
pressed by q letter from an earnest
missionary worker lately. She had
heard of the revival in one of the
and the increased interest in
missions, and wrote that she consider
ed this the legitimate fruit of genu-
inc revival. Isit not true that the mis-
sionary spirit is an index to the spirit
ual condition Of the church as well as to
the prayer meeting? Are not our most
efficient workers Mt home those who