The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1895-06-25
ADDRESS
OF Mrs. 9. J. Nugent,
Before the w. FIN. S. at the
M. E. Church. South.

= 1t has been truly said that 1.-THE be
!, ginning of christianity was the begin
ming of missionary work. In thu
command of Christ, go We; J" we hav,
!, the origin of christian missions, ani
the obligation of missions imposed OF
+, every one who has a knowledge o
Christ, TO disseminate his gospel
There is no more limit to the grea
commission now than in apostolic
times, no more limit TO our obedience
and individual responsibility than
when Christ stood among the hills oil
Gallilee and lsaid: "Preach the COS.
pei to every creature )"
, More than half the people In the
world have never yet heard the gospel.
A direct command has been given us
by our Lord, and it has not been fully
obeyed What are we to say to this
Surely ii concerns us very seriously
for we are the ones who are response
BILE. The privilege of carrying the
glad tidings of salvation has been en-
trusted to us, What then could we
say should the Master come to-day
aud find after nineteen centuries more
than half the world utterly unevange-
lzed. "The gospel to every creature
a command from Him. Millions have
never heard it; IA simple fact. Ah, we
do not realize what it means that our
sisters and brothers across the seas, so
easily accessible, SO able to under
stand Gods word, SO greatly needing
and ready for it are left to perish in
| ignorance by the millions. If we did
we would not be playing at missions
as most of us are.
Suppose the news was brought to
us that there were 100000 people in
our own State who had never heard
of God, who, if they heard the name
of Jesus, would not know what it
meant. How shocked, startled and
Mortified we should be. But why would
it be so dreadful that 100000 people
should not have heard of God, if they
live on this side of the water, and yet
SO little consequence that millions
should not have heard of Him if they
live on the other side of the sea.
Souls are souls wherever they are.
Christ died for all and it cannot make
any difference with Him whether
they inhabit Chinese or American
body whether they live in Kentucky
or Japan. One is inst as precious in
His sight as the other But after all
there is plenty to do at home. "WeI
have heather at our own doors with
out going to Africa or China to find
Them" say some. Admit this to be
true, the question still arises, "Have
we any right to decide for ourselves
what we had better 90 in the matter
AS servants and not masters had we
not better do what we are told What
are our instructions Are we told MOI
to "go in all the world" not to preach
''the gospel to every creature" but to
leave the majority of our fellow Great
ures without knowledge of Gods
love? Are we told to stop and con-
vert all the peo pie at home before Civ
ing others a chance?" If SO by all
means let us obey. But, oh, if these
are not our instructions if our Mas
ter who knew, / suppose, that there
would always be "plenty to do at
home," has told us plainly not to stay
but to ego" to preach the gospel, not
to few but to every creature. Why
are we sitting with folded hands in
stead of doing what we, are COM
manded.
We talk of our home heather, but
really they are not heather. We have
none among us who worship idols,
who cast their children from them in
contempt, who offer human sacrifices.
There is scarcely human being in
this country who does not know that
there is gospel, who cannot hear it
If they will. Is not the Bible in reach |
of all? Indifferent, goddess, wicked,
1 know they are, but they are not
heather, and could hear the gospel if
they desired.
We are Gods servants and he has
given Us the world for our charge
What right have we, because many of
the people here perish in refusing
Gods offer of salvation, to plead as an
excuse for doing SO little for others
that we have "plenty to do at home :"
Tho nuactinu Ia nfta, n el1ad uNauoot