The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-04-30
ECCLESIASTICAL COLUMN.
Rev. J. w. Butler, Pastor St. Mark s Lutheran
Church, Editor.
Selected for this Column.
Who VIII?


By Rev. l.. G. NJ. Miller. d. D.
| often wonder why some individ-
ual church members do not singly
and alone assume the support of one
or more foreign missionaries. Surely
we have some who are abundantly
able to do so. do not know many
whose estates and circumstances
would enable them to do so, but
doubtless there are not a few. These
ought themselves, individually to
support man or woman, or more
in the foreign field. l don't see why
such don't say to themselves,
"Though | cannot go in person to
publish the gospel among the hea-
then, yet the obligation is none the
less upon me. Now what | cannot
do in person, l can do in the use of
the means which God has entrusted
to me. | can live, and Comfortably
too, far more comfortably than did
my Lord and his apostles, on much
less than my income. | can and
will send out into the great field
hearld of the glad tidings, and sup
port him there while he does the
work. Then his work will be my
work, his fruit will be my fruit, the
sheayes he gathers Will also be my
sheaves. I will be preaching the
gospel by his mouth. So will l really
and and truly be obeying the COM
mand, Go We into all the world and
preach the gospel to every creature
So will be missionary, though |
never leave my native shores
Why do not some Of our wealthier
people look at 1t in that way? Some
are doing so IN other communions,
why should not some in ours? 1t
would be an investment, heavenly
investment, an investment that
would be drawing blessed interest
through all eternity. This would
be, indeed, making to ones self
''friendS of the mammOn Of unrght-
eousness." This would be laying
up "treasurers above, where neither
moth nor rust corrupt, and where
thieves do not break through and
steal" All. my friends, the reason
must be that they value earthly IN
yestments and the returns they bring
more than they do heavenly invest
ments and the returns they bring.
This is the only adequate reason.
If a subscription were opened in
any community to stock which
would yield say one thousand per
cent.-if it were sure in every respect
no possibility that its dividends
would no be paid promptly and in full
would not members of our churches
everywhere largely invest in such
stock? Would they coldly hold aloof
and permit you to urge and argue
in VAIN? Oh! no. They would be
up early and late, besieging the Of
flee where such subscriptions could
be made. They would sell off other
property that brought perhaps only
five or six per cent. or less and press
and contend for the opportunity to
secure such wonderful gains as that.
But Gods Investments pay far, far
more than a thousand per cent. His
interests always compound interest.
Itexpands, 1t piles up, it wideEs out,
it grows greater and greater as the
years roll on. 1t is sure as God is
sure. There IS absolutely no posi-
bility Of It's loss. God is honest.
Gods books never make mistakes.
Why don't men invest in God stock
then? Why don't they buy up i'm
mortal souls for Christ and GLORY
with their money? Who can paint
the JOY of beng met upon the golden
streets by souls from China. Japan,
India, Africa, the islands of the sea,
and being lovingly brought by them
before the throne and hearing them
saT. Gle led me to thee, blessed
saviour. Whilst others were squan-
derlng their means upon earthly OBJ
gects and selfish ends and pleasures
ne spent the money thou hast en-
trusted to him in sending to me,
perlshing amid my heather dark
ness, the precious gospel Of thv grace.
Therefore am here to-day" What
JOY could be comparable to this ioy?
And then, above all, the Saviour's
approving look, his loving ''well
done as he pressed you to that heart
once pierced for you-tell me, could
any possible use Of your money bring
you such return as that? When
those scenes are transporting there,
and they surely will, if not with you
why then with others, where will
then be the houses and lands, the
stocks and bonds, for which men
are so eager now?
Why will not then some, to whom
God has given the ability, send out
one or more missionaries, do it singIv
and individually? Is faith dead?