The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-10-01

ages of transm' grafton from the lowest form Ct
animals upwards. he shall at last emerge pure
and holy man.
Few, comparatively, of the heathen, have any
idea OF 4 Supreme Being, Of worship or loves
They have constant sense OF fear of some
vague evil, which they are trying to proptiate.
Paul came upon some heather who had a vague
idea Of God, Of an unknown being, who was to
be worshipped. and began ut that point to
preach to them the gospel.
In Our day VIC have had repeated instances
of heathen, who by accident have arrived at IN
indefinite mixing of a religion that is helpful,
aud they grope for it, AS one instance. refer
you to the young Japanse. Joseph Hardy Nees-
ina. He was but a lad when Commodore Perry.
i'll command OF the United States fleet. sailed
into the port Of Yokahoma. Arrived, the ex
citing scenes and changes Of this time. wonder
fu! que tions crowded OH his minG, and at his
susceptible age it WAS not strange that he should
feel the force OF he influences, and chafe undtr
the restraints laid upon him. But there was.
even then, stirring in the lnlnost hear: of this
heather bay Strange unrest. The religion oi
his fathers was Inadequate to his need. The
worship OF idols, the work Of mems hands,
had no particular meaning O.. value TO h III, and
MS llISCt Soul WAS ECtsCults, INC great
unknown God. Acciusntally-bl,s, s,cd accident
"A cr.mp,ed leaf OF a t:ibe fell into his hands,
from which he found that God created all things
This y he exclaimed, ''iS the Goa am seeking
for, this is the true God,' by some oller acct
dent lie heard Of Il untry beyond the sea.
whose Inhabitants wo. shipped the true God,
and 4 strong desire look possession of him to
visit this country, al learn cf this new religion.
IN ~. ,l,n,t tX,.n, ~ nj This 1tSir
could be no longer repulsed. and he found
means to c.u le the officers OF the law, and get
on board an American vessel bound for Boston.
If we hal seen thi, Japanse boy sHulkiug and
hiding under ubb Ii or pile OF vegetables in
boat that was convey ing lading to this Amevi-
can ship. had seen him gliding over the ships
sides and slip into closet to lie hiden till the
ship was under way, would we have thought he
was a candidate, chosen for a great and wOn-
der1ul work for God IL his country? Still,
think, c,ulL we have looked into this untaught
soul, now filled with strange Irresistible Ge-
s.res and longings in which Gods spirit was
whispering In words not yet understood, OF a
great Creator, loving Father, OF Il religion Of
happiness, his hungry heart had failed to find,
and would have seen the impelling force Oh his
heart. we might have suspected Heavenly
uCoASu SOHUOAiHS A'o NCoNIhy' 0o"h oASeA
Neesima arrived in Boston he wrote this prayer
20 God II thou hast got eyes, please look upon
me. q, God II thou hast got ears please hear
me lwish heartily to read the Bible. and
wish to be civilized with the Bible," which
prayer he often and earnestly repeated, and
God heard him and led him to Christian friends,
who received him cordially and provih ed for his
education and in due time ne returned to his
country emineutly fitted for the mission work
on which he enterel with zeal and enthu :iasin
and which, till the day of his death, he indus
triously prosecuted. Here is a quotation from
Neesima's own words, in regard to his purposes
and hopes. I'VE seek to send OFT into the world
not only men versed in literature but young
men of noble, and strong character, by which
they can use their learning for the good of their
fellow Inn. This, we are convinced. can only
be accomplished by the living and powerful
principles OF Christianity and therefore we
adopt these principles as the Interchangeable
foundation of our educational wook, and devote
our energies to their civilization" I believe
Ncesima's to be the true idea Nothing has been
done for the heathen, to benefit them in any
way, except through the influence OF the Gospel.
People In the lowest conceivable depths Of deg
ralation have been reacued by the missionaries
reclaimed elevated. Transformed, as in the ease
of the Sandwich Islands into Christian nations
of high sttnding. Some Of us can almost re-
member the beginning of Missionary work
there, anil as VIC look first the future of their
loathsome. british condition eighty years ago.
and then On that OF their educated, elevated
christian statehood to-day. we exclaim, "What
hath God wrought? So it Is clear that only the
gospel OF Christ can do for the heather all they
need-Droving that this gospel is the power Of
God unto salvation to them aud to all who viii |
receive and believe it. Our duty is plain in this
matter. Send abroad the Bible, not only to the
heather beyond the seas. but to the thousands
OF those who are virtually heathen-those who
know not God, In this, our own beautiful and
Heaven blest land. Send 1t forth in obedience
to the command Of Him who said, my word
shall not return unto me void, but shall accom-
plish that wheret0 sent It,"