The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-11-29
THE LESSON TEXT.
Isaiah xlv:I2-2S.
american STANDARD Revised Version.)
Thoughts on the Topic.

This is an idea OF almost startling
magnitude and one worthy our deeps
est thought and study II Is worldwide
and heaven high. It is the great plan
OF God himself, first revealed in the
promise TO Abraham and repeated 20
Isaac and Jacob. In the fullness OF time
he sent his beloved Son down from his
home in heaven TO dwell for time
among men. 1t was TO prepare for and
begin the winning OF the world that the
Saviour came and lived and taught and
suffered and died and rose again. Il
was 10 carry on this great work that
the Holy Spirit was given on the day
of Pentecost and now dwells in the
hearts Of men. The thought is maEni1-
cent in its obligations, its privileges. its
possibilities; its difficulties. and its re
suits. only briefly can II be outlined
here
Christ himself is the whole purpose
and the whole authority of missions.
AS he -aught his disciples and the null
titudes the way q salvation. 70 he sent
out. first the twelve and later the sew
enty 10 carr the same tidinSs. And
finally, as he had completed his miris-
try, and was about to leave them he
gave the great missionary command,
three-fold. authority, command, and
promise. "All power is given unto me
IN heaven and in earth. GO We, there
tore. and teach all nations and
10, am with you Away, even unto the
end Of the world"
The difficulties of foreign mission
fields are many and great More than q
thousand millions OF non-Christian peo-
pies are scattered throughout the fiES
continents and the islands Of the seas
Nearly four hundred millions are in
China alone, and three hundred mil
lions in India
Hundreds OF different languages and
dialects must be mastered, and in many
cases reduced TO writing for the first
time. by those who would carry the
story of salvation There are many non
Christian religions, impure and made
quate. to which millions Of sdherents
yet cling through hope or fear. The i'm
pure and unrighteous lives Of thousands
of natives of Christian countries who
are now living in these heather lands
where they are suddenly freed from the
restraining influence OF civilization and
Christianity are very misleading and
harmful 10 the natives, who think then
examples OF Christian living Lastly
the ignorance and Indifference OF many
CnrlStlanS IN our cnurcheS at nome Is
delaying the evangelization OF lht
world and its conversion 10 Christ.
From this let US turn 10 the mission
fields themselves. Foreign missions are
almost entirely a product OF the last
hundred years. Only a century isiSs
elapsed since Carey sailed for India. but
now it is estimated that there are three
million Christians there. or about one
TO every hundred heather. Five-sixths
OF these are natives. and the leaven is
. working powerfully in the whole lump
1t is only a half century since China
and Japan were opened to the mission
aries. and already the latter nation finds
Christian natives in her high Offices and
a profound spirit Of spiritual unrest
among those who have not yet accepted
Christ. Unhappy China has given q
glorious list Of missionaries and native
converts to the long roll OF Christian