The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-01-21
REV, Or SC. GAN

Captain w. A. May, a. 3. Eynon, L. e.
Sturges, Luther Keller. c. H. Zehnder,
Colonel f. II, Ripple and L. NJ, Gates,
NJ. d.
1t was s o'clock when DR.. Mcleod,
who presided, opened the meeting. The
Others on the platform We're DR.. Pierson,
DR.. Dixon and DR.. Logan. Nearly all
the seats in the vast auditorium We're
filed and sprinllled among the audience
were the pastors of nearly every church
III the city.
The congregational singing of "All
Hail the Power of Jesus Name" opened
the meeting and was followed by the
reading of Psalm, ii, and portion Of
St. Luke, XXiv, by DR.. Logan, Prayer
was offered by DR.. Dixon. The Nenite
30. Come Let us Sing Unto the Lord"
was sung by the Quartettc.
DIR. PIERSON INTRODUCED.
DR.. Mcleod introduced DR.. PiersOn as
one known to every Christian conSre-
cation in the United States. He re-
marked that the gathering was an un-
usual one in that it represented many
CONGREGATIONS and churches who came
to hear one of suCh great rcDute on
theme dear to the heart and to christ.
All congregations united on one subject
he asked a prayer for the acCompani-
ment of Gods Holy Spirit.
Then was heard from Dr.. Pierson an
address such as community like
Scranton is not often privileged to hear.
Throughout the big gathering there
We're men and women and young people
of all qualities of mind, some well edu-
Gated and others not so fortunate, but
none could have failed to be impressed
by the speaker. He was intensely fer
vid and earnest and had always at his
command an unfaltering logic.
DR.. Pierson remarked that a crisis
confronted the church: the time was
never SO ripe for making converts in
foreign lands but the attention of the
civilized world had been turned aside
by "a whirlWind of science and eVolu
ton" He began with compliment for
Scranton that is worthy of notice; he
said.
Great is the value of a candid mind,
mind free from prejudices and open
to convictions; or great is the mind
rebukable mind on the part of the peo-
pie not only the missionary cause is
lost but the cause of all things is des-
perate. In that connection | believe
| this colossal gathering is a good omen.
All great things are predestined ac-
cording to the excellence of the prep
aration and the initiatory conse-
quences following.
There We're most excellent prepara
tions made for a meeting that was in
tended to be similar to this in Car
negie Hall, New York city, recently.
Bishop Fowler, the Demosthenes of the
! Methodist church; your Ex-Governor
Beaver and others equally notable and
| capable We're among the speakers. Yet
with auspiciOus weather and every fa
! Vorable circumstance, the audience
| which gathered from New York, Brook
lyn, Jersey City and their suburbs did
| not exceed tWo-thirds the size of this
Your presence is a pronounced cyl
| dcnce of Scranton's christianity, of
! which | have heard much and | thank
! God for the privilege of addressing
| such colossal gathering of apparently
| Interested people on this theme, the
greatest that God has given any man
! to speak about,
For foreign missions we have an uni
| que authority, the authority of the
! Saviour and a specific authority that
! "All power is given to me in heaven,
and earth, go yet therefore unto all the
earth and make disciples in all ma
tions." That is exceptional in that no
| other cause is specifically authorized
from on high to be carried to all parts
! of the world and all nations. Home
missions | am not belittlng, ii is only d
part of home work, of education,
| preaching, Sunday schools, churches,
| lranslations distributions-all of these
are included in foreign missions.
AN ALARMING SITUATION.
Now there is a supreme crisis in for
| eign missions. 1t Is the most alarming
situation that has confronted Christ's
church in the last century. Why? The
doors of the unconverted portions of
the globe are wide open; the transpor-
tations, diplomatic and similar facili-
| ties were never better; Pagan, heather
and papal lands, and the islands of
| the houndless ocean are almost as ac-
| cessible to the missionary as to the
! light of day Now there are three sue
cessive steps i'm the work, first. en-
trance to a land: second, equipment
and progress; third, the learning of ii
to self-support and management by
the converted. In all directions of the
compass the second step is at its zenith.
| For what? To fail? That is the situa-
ton unless there soon comes the help
necessary to maintaining alone i'm
| prOVing-the work in hans
Surely the situation IL desperate
when is considered the difficulty of