The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-13

nave lNChtg uNt ntSS HuA1 gins NOW anu
plan to have 200 soon; and we expect
nothing else than that everyone Of them
will be converted to the Christian faith
and used Of God in converting others"
, From this one station alone, we plan
to preach the gospel to at least $4,000
Temne people"
! AS we reflect upon this instance of
Gods care and protection, we can but
/ exclaim as did Abraham, when with up
! lifted knife he struggled with the Angel
upon Mt. Moriah Jehovah Jirah!'
Since Jim has undertaken this work
his labors have been recognized by the
International Missionary Alliance, and he
is now connected with that organization.
! may have been once, but / am not
now, one of those who criticise our Mis-
sionary Board Of planning large things
for Southern Methodism in foreign mis-
sionary fields, although the church by rea
son of these plans has sometimes found
itself burdened with debt. The fault,
! however. has not been with the Mission
airy Board, nor in their plans. but the
fault lies at the door Of the church. There
should be no debt, and if the church ex-
ercsed the proper faith in God, and was
awake to its duty and responsibility there
would be no debt. And, invoke the pull
pit here and now to stir the few to n
more implicit trust in God; trust that
will sanctify their bank accounts, and
viii cause the membership TO more gem
erously, and more literally bring their
offerings into Gods store houses, keeping
back no part Of the price, that the work
as planned may be prosecuted unburden-
ed by debt There is n beautiful legend,
most appropriate here. The battle rag
cd. just now the crisis comes 4 splendid
well manned regiment is hurried to the
charge; the bugle calls; strong men with
determination to do or die rush mp to
the deadly cannons' mouth The en-
sign, a noble manly fellow, who was
wholly unacquainted with fear, leads the
van, of the brave legion. He passes on,
far ahead of his brave comrades The
regiment falters in the face Of the dead
ly rain of shot and shell. The comrade
bearing the colors presses on. The gall
liant colonel of the 1000 brave but help
less soldiers, faint at heart, grasps the
situation in a moment. He sees far a.
head his color bearer brave as Agamen-
non, and as fearless as Achilles, and a
mid the roar Of booming cannon, the rat
tie of musketry, and the groans Of dying
men, shouts bring the colors back to the
regiment" The brave color bearer, stand
ing fearless amid the leaden hail Of death.
shouts back: Bring the regiment up to
the colorsr' That my brethren is what the
church must do. We need to march up
aud take n firm unyielding stand close
behind the officers of our Missionary
Board With faith in God, let's move the
church up to our Colors, wherever the
faithful Missionary Secretary may plant
them
1t is an open secret. that when you
come before the church with the state
ment that this or that interest is en-
barrassed from debt, the pew 10 excuse
their penuriousness, almost with one ac-
cord raise the old threadbare charge,
that the trouble arises because the preach
ers are such miserable poor inanciers. Ny
experience has taught me that this is
a base SANDER upon the most self-sacri-
ficing, hardest worked and poorest paid
set of men on earth. My judgment is
that out of 10 Of the membership Of the
church would prove most dismal failures
financially, if they should exchange places
with their pastors
One solution of the Missionary problem
is for the church in its membership and
ministers to wake up before the mighty
problem of winning the world to Christ,
and to go about it in business common
sense manner counting the cost, laying
out plans as broad as the world, and as
extended as the centuries; choosing and
preparing her men at whatever cost of
time or Of money; sending to the front
her Wellingtons and Washingtons; her
Pauls and Wesleys her Pierces and Me
Tyeries; determined to win, whatever
may have to be spent, or whoever may
have to die God is eternal; the cause
He espouses never dies; those who die
in service under His leadership will rise
to die no more.
Let not the children of this world be
wiser than the children Of light; let not
the statesmen at Washington and the Of
ficers at West Point and Annapolis rise
up in the great day and condemn the
leaders of the host of Israel" Let the
church do for herself what she can and
ought to do, and trust God only for
what II cannot do.
Brethren of the pew there is bust
ness side to religion Paul recognized
this when he wrote-"Be dihgent in
business, fervent in spirit serving the
Lord" Solomon in building the temple
realized this, because he built his own
house adjoining the temple, connecting
it by a stairway. Now we who sit in
the pew and arrogate to ourselves mo.
nopoly of business brains are responsible
to God, and the ministers, for such a
spirit OBJ liberality as will lead the pulpit
to feel that they can afford to burn their
bridges behind them, and go into the
missionary fields relying with confidence
upon our prayers and our contributions.
The battle cannot be fought without am
munition, and it is ours to supply the
ammunition. Religion after all, as sancti-
fed common-sense, and common-sense is
business; so that if we can succeed in
baptizing with the Holy Ghost the bust
ness end Of our Missionary work, the
result will startle l am sure, the most
sanguine of us.
This brings me to the consideration of
the part the pew is to play in the evan
eglizing the world. Paul in the Epistle
to the Romans, 10th chapter 14-15th
| verses saws. E'Ifor whosOeypr shall call