The Globe-republican., 1895-12-19
Sketch Of the First Missionary Exten-
sion Lecture


night, was not in numbers commensurate
with the talent of the gifted speaker,
Rev. o. W. Stewart, who by the way was
one of the speakers at the National
Christian Endeayor convention at Boston
this year; nevertheless. every one present
realized after the lecture that they had
taken advantage of an opportunity to hear
a lecture of such merit as is seldom given
in our city. The lecturer said his theme
was an old one. ''the spreading of the
Gospel Of Jesus Christ" lie said nu-
merous objections were being offered to-
day against missionary work, but to the
christian over and against them all he
placed the single word .'go.'' go We
into all the world and preach the gospel"
That when Il christian or church became
so lost to Christ that they would raise
their puny arm Of rebellion against the
King of Kings, then was it time for some
kind friend to place paddock upon the
doors of that church. and leave il there
until they were to obey and yield allegi-
ance to the commands of their Lord.
One objection was that the heather
killed our missionaries. The latter, he
said, to be too true; but could we not re
member that great many years ago, Il
man beaten, and weary, and fainting.
bore il cross up hill called calvary. and
there yielded up his life. That the result
could not be imagined had this Great
Missionary sent by the Father from heav-
en- to earth faltered because ''they kill
our missionaries Another objection
sometimes offered by those both In and
| eut of the church, was that we had not
yet preached the gospel at home, that it
shOald be first preached there. This, the
speaker said, reminded him of the boy
who murdered his father, and then plead
his own case before tue judge with tears
streaming down his face to spare him be-
cause he was an orphan. That it was
very inconsistency itself to plead as an
excuse for leaving undOne one duty the
neglecting of another: and would we be
ready to say before the throne of God,
"Our Father we did not preach the gospel
to the heather because we did not preach
it in our own land" Do we not realize
that our ancestors were heather and that
the benefits we are enjoying today along
this line is owing to missionaries.
The idea has somehow become prcva-
lent, said Mr.. Stewart, that any one can
become a foreign missionary. This is a
very great mistake. The Missionary
Boards select only the best of timber for
this work. As an illustration he spoke
of young man in Cincinnati, Ohio,
preaching in one of the best churches in
the city upon salary of $4,000 Il year,
with possibility of having his salary
raised even as high as $4,000. A call had
come from China for Il man and wife to
do missionary work there. This young
man and his wife. although they had the
brightest of prospects, as.onished the
Board by volunteering to go. They ask
ed him if he had considered the matter;
that they could not pay him any such
plincely salary as he was then receiving.
He said his wife and himself had consid-
cred all and were ready to start. They
went and labOred for Christ in China
The health of the wife failed and she had
to be sent back across the Pacific, through
the Golden Gate, across the Rockies and
the plains of the Mississippi valley to her
home, for surgical treatment. Before !
submitting herself to this she wrote a
letter to her two boys in China, to be
read to them when they were old enough
to understand. MIR. Stewart said he had
read this letter, and he believed no man
with natural feelings could read it and
restrain his tears. She submitted to the |
operation and died. The husband return
ed with his boys to Cincinnati, and the
speaker heard him there with his sou! Oh |
fire and his mouth framing words Of such |
eloquence as scarcely seemed mortal. |
plead for China. for those who had des- |
pissed and in>ulted and beaten him. that !
the gospel of Christ might he sent them
more abuudamtly.
Mr.. Stewart said as be sat and listened
that The thought came, "what will we
do:" and immediately the thought You
coward. what will you DO yourself:"
Some one arose aud asked the former
question OF the missionary; and quick
as a flash from the gun. lie replied, Il
will return to China:' and This he did.
Leaving his BOYS with relatives in Ohio.
he returned alone. back over the plains
Of the Mississippi valley. over the rock
ribbed Rockies. out through the Golden
G tie. across the broad Pacific. alone to
preach the gospel. This family had in
deed done their full duty.
The speaker said another objeetio:i
offered by those perhaps ignorant of the
81. 81. Il