Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-25
How the Gospel is Preached in
Heather Lands.
DIR. PAXTON OF PRINCETON
the New York Avenue Church Last Even
ing. Where Interesting Addresses Were
Made by Many Missionaries Detailing
Their Experiences.


spectators Of the proceeding. The popular
meeting at the New York Avenue Church last
evening was largely attended by them for it
was on the general subject Of foreign missions.
Rev. DIR. VIM. NJ. Paxton Of the Princeton
Seminary presided over the meeting About
him on the platform were seated number of
devoted men who have spent a great part of
their lives in the work Of preaching the Gospel
in heather lands; men who have spent thirty |
years. forty years. amid uncongenial surround
ings In Asia. under the tropical sun Of Africa, |
or among the savages Of the islands Of the seas;
men who have heard the bidding Of God, go
ys into all the world and preach the Gospel to
every creature" and have heard it not a text
to be used for 9 missionary sermon once year
or so, but as personal mandate binding upon
them. They went and they have labored I'M
tiringly and increasingly. Now they are home
for brief respite from their toll and last night
the people crowded by the hundreds to the
church to hear them tell something Of the trials
and hsrdships of a missionary's life. The
church was crowded and all who came were
well repaid, for the meeting was q most inter-
esting one.
The exercises were opened with the singing
OF the hymn, Jesus Shall Reign Where'er the
Sun" A passage from the Scriptures was read
by Rev. DIR. James J. Lucas, who has been for
twenty-five years a missionary in India. DIR.
Holcomb, also a missionary in India, led in an
earnest prayer. in which he asked for Divine |
blessing upon the missionary work and for
more Of the missionary spirit in all hearts. At
the close Of the prayer the choir from the |
Western Presbyterian Chuch, DIR. T. s.
wynkoop. pastor, sang an anthem appropriate |
To the occasion
DIR. PAxroS's ADDRESS.
In opening the meeting DR.. Paxton made
brief address, in which he said that he had
been invited to preside because he was the
Oldest member Of the board of foreign missions
present. He had been a member Of the board |
for twenty-seven wears and never, in all that
time, had year closed amid such prosperous
surroundings and such favorable prospects for
the future. In years gone by the question had
been raised as to the advisability OF maintain
ing foreign missions when the returns were so
uncomfortable. In the course of time all such
questions have been answered by the simple
facts Of The case, by the very success that has
crowned all efforts i'll the foreign fields. An
other answer is in the statement that the mem
bership in the church at home has grown but |
per cent in the past year, while the church |
abroad has increased IA per cent. The diff
culties and dangers attending upon the work Of
foreign missions have, to a large extent, passed /
away. A quarter Of a century ago a foreign |
missionary literally took his life in his hands,
but nowadays there is a great change for the
been a steady and satisfactory supply of volun-
teer workers and the churches had always been
very generous in their response to all requests.
From the history of the past, DR.. Paxton said.
he certain that men and money would
always be forthcoming.
REV. CALVIN H.. NATEAR.
The first missionary speaker Of the evening
was Rev. Calvin H. Matear, who has been for
thirty years worker at Fung Chow in North /
tbot h.
speak for himself for his work, but on
behalf of $50 900 900 of people. In an interest
ing way he went on to tell OF the work that had |
been accomplished in Flung Chow since the
sailing vessel, 160 days from San Francico, until
the present, when instead Of there being one
station, there are six stations, with 1000 COM
municants, thirty organized churches, 200 day
schools, six select boarding schools, one college
and one training school for native workers.
Mr.. Matear said that the work in China had |
been greatly impeded by a traditional hatred |
that had been increased BY two wars with Great
Britain. as result of which they had been
compelled to sign treaties that they knew were
unfair. And now, he said. this nation of ours
has. in answer to popular clamor, passed exclu-
sion laws that would make matters Just SO much
the worse.
.'God alone knows" he said, "where this
complication in which We have involved our
selves will end"
THE CHINESE WORTHY.
Continuing. the speaker said that the Chinese
are in every way worthy Of the teachings of
the Gospelof Christ. Their great teacher taught
ethics, but he taught no religion, but the Chi
nese in every way capable OF becoming
Christians. Though not so intellectual as the
HindOos, the Chinese are vet the most import
ant people of Asia They are Anglo-Saxons of
the east. and have shown their ability to with
stand the shock of civilization. What is more
to the point. they can become and have become
good Christians. What is needed now in the
field, the speaker said in conclusion is men,
turn their backs upon the allurements and |
goodly salaries connected with pleasant |
churches at home and break out into new, un-
trodden fields.
REV. DIR. THAcKwELL-
Rev. DIR. Reese Thackwell for forty-four
years a missionary In India and a COM
missioner to this general assembly from the
synod of India, was the next speaker and oc-
cupied few minutes in telling of the work in
his missionary field. He said that the time had |
long passed when one could call into question
the value of missionary work. He had been
called. a result OF an article he had printed |
an Optimist He did not desire to deny the |
charge. He believed fully in the fulfilment of |
the prophecies: he knew himself of the success
attending upon work among the heathens /
The work is prospecting more and more all the |
time. and in India especially there is an awak-
ening and a feeling OF restiessness among the |
educated young men of the country. They are
growing to be dissatisfied with the religion that
they have. and their leaders are coming to I'M
derstand that unless they give them some
thing better these young men will be lost TO |
the idolatry that has heretofore been all they
had. The young men realize the emptiness of |
all they have offered to them. What they want
j. q Savior and they know their need. They
will not be put off with an empty nothing
There is grand work going on in India.
Only" he said, .be hopeful and prayerfuL
Give Us your prayers and the good God who
heareth prayer will answer and soon you will
hear Of souls focking to Jesus like doves into
an open window.
REV. r.. II. NASSAU.
Rev. Mr.. r. VI. Nassau, a missionary from
Africa, was the next speaker. Mr.. Nassau has
been for thirty-two years a worker in the mis-
sion field, ard now comes to Washington as a
commissioner to the assembly. He told of the
good news Of success that comes from all the
posts that run about Africa and that like a
Gordon hem in the monster of idolatry and hea-
thendom- All IL promising, though the work
has been hard, and at first it was anything but
hopeful In 1874 he began his work in his
present post on the west coast of equatorial
Africa, near the mouth Of the Ogobi river At
the end OF i've years there were but six recruits
but the six have remained true /