New-York tribune., 1891-05-18
SERMONS OF THE DAY.
THE LOGIC OF CHRISTIAN MISSIONS
ARCHDEACoN MAcKAY-sMITH BEFORE THs
AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY IN ST.
BARTHoLoMEw's CHURCH.


ciety was delivered yesterday afternoon In -. Bar
tholomews Protestant Episcopal Church BY the Arh-
deacon OF New York. DR.. Alexander Mackay smith.
II was entitled The Logic Df Christian Missions tho
text being: And he said unto me, Depart, for VIII
send thee far hence unto the Gentles' Ana they
gave him audience unto this word, and then Aited up
their voices and said Away with such fellow from
the earth for It is not fit that he should live Acts
xii, 2l-22.
Archdeacon Mackay smith comes Of old Puritan
stock being the OF a wealthy New-fork merchant
Of thirty years ago. and grandson OF United states
Senator Nathan smith, famous figure In the politics
of Connecticut In the early part Of the century Tho
family has furnished three Senators % that state and
several other public men. He was graduated WITH
honors from Trinity College in 1o72, and studied IN
England and Germany for several years. lie was or
daned in the Episcopal Church in 1876, and called 10
Amherst, Mass, but, preferrfng the mission hed no
went to South Boston and worked as missionary
there for three years, familiarzng himself with the
problem of the tenementrhouse region. In 1SoO 10
accented a call as assistant rector and afternoon
preacher at st. Thomass Church Of this CITY. Whlls
there he elected Bishop Of Kansas, but declined
In 1857 lie elected by the clergy OF the city as
first Archdeacon of New-YOrk. The tenure Of this
Office is indefinite, being terminable only by resgns
ton impeachment.
Trinity College made Dr. Mackay smith d. D. In
1885, and Hobart College gave him the degree Of
S. T. d. In the same year. His published writings
include many articles in periodicals. occasional poems
and sermons special occasions. His field Of work
as Archdeacon embraces the general oversight Of the
Episcopal missions Of the city, and of the numerous
clergy Iaborng In them. In addition 10 this he has
important duties In which he assists the Bishop in
the administration of ecclesiastical matters within tho
city, and in acting for him when absent from New:
York.
In the sermon yesterday, after comparing the
melancholy display Of narrowness, selhshness and
blind foy' which the text narrates with the celestial
intelligence In Paurs look and celestial pity In MS
smile" the ArchdeacOn gave graphic picture OF tho
noble work performed by foreign missionaries from
the days of Paul 10 the present and showed how even
the detractors Of the missionaries are themselves
tOying In large measure, along with tile earness
Christians Of today the results Of the enthusiasm and
earneStness displayed by Paul and his successors In
closing he said:
The eloquent detractor Of foreign missions
who afterward confessed IN my hearing na'
he had led for years the life Of Sodom and Gomo III
with mission station. do not doub; hAs
there hundreds OF honorable and noble among hose
the East again. that there are unworthy
missionaries unworthy Will ntrude everywhere N
humaA undertakings but the vast majority believe
that the work Of God Is carried on a. purely ana Laoy
a. by those in former ages whom We light and
knowledge obstruction IS ceranly own wa'
OF enthusiasm and the poor example we oNn s'
the hathen and surely should be ashamed 10 peaa our
own vices as for not trying 70 make the woFd any
better.
Oh my dear friends this work OF enlightenine uoss
whom We are bound by bond save brotherhood 10
Christ the unseish work which God calls on u %
Follow Of your other church duties, anu 9o'
will find material personal motive present IN some de-
gree behind each Of them. All improvements worked "
religion about home tend personal ceio's
and safety. But when take kindly thought ior mo
other side globe, then, for instant AZ least We
become heroic We turn loyalty our HakeF mo
force which helps to make Him universal King We pFV'e
ourselves that the thought OF Gods Infinite greatness ani
has made Him cloudy and iEdeLalt' uis !" ~
the hand, and on the other, that tle 'c, I'4
and narrow conditions every day life We had nave
ground down into pettiness since we have s' -
interest in great ideals. "Rnged with the azure "oi
| We stand' when become coworkors "ith hiI
who forth HIS light and Hl' ''I1'
soong ago, that light and truth "hich W
can help send brightly their and which are vet .
see the day Of tenderest power Vas no'
on Christianity the poet musing when be "loe
| We spell the record OF long descent
More largely conscious Of the life that ls.'
1t is the lives have been lived in the past WIZ
all their and all their patience and all theH
trust in the certainty final Best It Is Paul i'ciIs
| the mob at Jerusalem Athanasus agaiE, H. "os'-'
Luther before the Imperial Diet. Martyr tolmg aei''
the plains OF Persia buried IN island ~ t"'
Pacific among Of Il, 600 natives whom he ~
converted; IL is these that make feel what e'ri
reality presence OF God in the sou which men u
the baser deny. Only with this faith In he IN,
visible and the spiritual can any life attain ~ '
growth aud greatness.
IL is in the inspiration OF this Divine spirit the sp''
OF Paul preaching Jerusalem that The American ',.
Society celebrates this month its sNy-sNth year -
Christian work IL is OF the great Christian MS
| sionary societies Of the world It. He'd has l'en
| peculiar unique one. IL Is the literary handmaa !
! the Gospel has been TO utilize in the cause o"
Christ world wide power unknown in the time of N"t'
and Of which Paul nSSer deamed-the power oi tA' -
Not TO distribute tracts alone does II laboF a. y
monty supposed, but every Kind OF publication m'.u4"t
over l5OCo 600 books In hfty IT, agents ""'"s
the last year alone made 100000 religious VISITS I"
families and held over 5000 public meetings lh 81 "'
great languages O, the globe accents are heard eNey
hour and OF its may well be said IN the sA' ~
words OF the Psalmi,t: Day unto day utereth siee "
! and night unto night shewcth knoWlcdee Ihei" > "
speech nor language this yoec is not heard l"
line Is gone through all the eort anu Ni''A "''~' "
| the end OF the world ,
| Was there ever a nohlcr nlssonl And yet. Christian
friends SIN TODAY. after eighteen centuries " "o'i"'
history and Gospel influence such society mas an ehh "
face IN one OF the Christian OF all lands almost ss
| baletl md bitter a. met II. Paul from the mob 1"
Jerusalem That enemy longer with raSe bu'
neclects and ignores longer organizes openly 0f
oppostion but works by ways longer den's
hut rdtcules The Jewish mob OF to-day l. composed u
.hspcTs ?. they VINO laugh at the Thought Of doing
without pay. and those who scent hypocTY M every
Him whom the JSSs wor'hpRed tre1l "9i %aSS 10
thrist,an writings TO Others pr0vokrs their mirth
tract is their byword for Jest Why should any o3s
care what another may think about religion say. as
touches our comfort or security or Civilization 49,,
It Is nnSra @gaa Of those NOW who eo ,smse%ss broad
aud how who profess religion to speak Of arr oae
!. .ea Fs an w Of coa rS OvS aa nut '
strive for the ith Jesus viii again M up ms
banner and forth. not In anger but IN charity 70 s
dgnned society whose honor We are gathered here %
Let her go forward 70 qno,her year OF labor Ta rsa
oppose her purpose, Let her not ma snfy her good S
them. let her In the spirit Of VINO losng
ago passed through na,S wsss to glorious NstH' d