The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-04-02
OUR FOREIGN WORK.

ger portion of the church to Gods
claim upon her means for the pub
llshing of the gospel to all the
world. Jesus said, Gle that is of
God heareth Gods words: we there
fore hear them not, because We are
not of God" That is a test,
universal test, of sincere disciple
ship - humble, careful, reverent,
obedlent hearing Of His word. To
those who are "of God" His every
utterance is precious. 1t outweighs
everything else whatsoever in the
universe. 1t is good, it is holy, it
is infinitely worthy Of all accepta-
ton. One word that fell from His
lips Will outweigh all the libraries
of the world.
Now this is His word, eco ye
therefore, and teach all nations, "
and eye shall be witnesses unto me,
both in Jerusalem, and all Judea,
and in Samaria, and unto the utter
most parts of the earth" He
explicitly included too the very last
and least of mankind, in the OBJ
scurest nook or corner of earth,
when He said, "Preach the gospel
to every creature" Ifw be indeed
"of God, -" will we not F'hear" these,
His words? But the masses of the
chul Oh to-day manifest cold uncon-
Germ with reference to them. They
utterly disregard them. They often
belittle and oppose them. They
argue against them. The urging
of them awakens no response. They
become weary and impatient at
them. Is there not graYest reason
to ask whether the Masters words
do not apply in this case, eye there
fore hear them not, because We are
not of God?" If we were, would
there not be holy trembling at this,
His word, and an eager, earnest,
hearty abiding effort to execute the
commission, the great commission,
even to the uttermost? These are
most solemn considerations, in view
of the state of things now existing
in the church. They ought to
weigh upon our hearts. Surely the
admonition comes to us, "Consider
your ways"
Our Southern Church has some
thing like 100000 communicates.
Among these, through "the good
hand of our God upon u.s. there is
no little means. l don't mean to
say that we are as wealthy as some.
But God has given us much, very
much, and our people are in the
enjoyment of it to- day. Our 40, 900
members are apportioned for for
eign work only 81, 500 year. That,
small as it is, is not all raised. We
actually contribute say between
$4,000 or 81, 1000, or something like
10 cents a member. Is this a fair
response to our Lords last com
mand to publish the gospel to all
the world? Dare we say it is? Does
this meager sum adequately meas
ure the strength of the church's
yearning that all the heather might
hear the glad tidings, in which we
have been made to rejoice? Surely
l can't appreciate very much His
saving grace, if l am willing to give
only ten cents year to tell of it to
others who know it not. And yet
what we do and give to execute the
great commission does fairly meas
ure our loye to Christ, and the sin
cerity and depth Of our desire for
the worlds salvation. That is the
fact, hide it from ourselves as we
may. How would the love and
obedience of those who give out of
their abundance, ten cents a year,
compare with the love and obedience
of those whose "deep poverty
abounded unto the riches of their
liberality," or those who being
"possessors of LANDS or houses, sold
them and brought the prices Of the
things that were sold, and laid them
down at the apostles feet?" 1t
was well enough for Jesus, though
He was rich to become poor, that
we through His poverty might be
made rich. But the sacrifice must
all be on His side-we could not be
expected to give even as much as a
dollar a year that the nations might
hear Of Him.
sis it time for us to dwell in our
circled houses and this house to lie
waste" Our conduct seems to say,
with ancient, careless Israel, 1.-The
time is not come that the Lords
house should be built" and this
too when He, by so many iDdica-
tions, doors opened, and opportuni-
ties multiplying, Is calling His
people, as never before, to build into
its glorious walls the living stones,
now scattered and unhewn, among
the heather peoples. They are
perishlng for lack of knowledge, for
whom Christ 1ind hut what matUpr