East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-03-21


at the Church OF the Redeemer, Epis-
copal. Sunday evening. March 19, the
second Sunday in Lent:
Text: And when He had called
His twelve disciples unto Him, He
gave them power. Matthew 1911.
Bishop Wells, the missionary bishop
of the district of Spokane, will preach
a short mission in this church on the
evenings of Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday of this week, and the rector
will continue the mission on Friday
evening.
The preaching of a mission is no
new thing. AT various times in the
past God has used this method to
quicken the higher life in the souls
of men. Noah preached a mission.
Jonah preached a mission. John the
Baptist preached a mission. Our
Lord preached a mission. In the 11th
century, Peter the Hermit preached
mission. In the 14th century mis-
sion preached by John Wiclif led TO-
600 to the feet of Christ. The mis-
sions of Martin Luther, Calvin, Gran
mer and Latimer and Ridley kindled
the fires of the Reformation. All his
life long John Wesley preached a
mission with the world for a parish
What is the object of a mission?
The object of a mission is to convert
the largest number of souls possible.
1t is a special effort directed to this
special object. There is a great deal
of work done incidentally to this
but this is the object to be kept stead
lily in view, the conversion of sinners.
One of the incidental results is this
"a deep impression is made on the
neighborhood. Curiosity Is aroused.
Questions are asked about what is
going on. The imagination is excit-
ed. A great deal of good is done by
exciting the imagination of whole
city. Though men may never have
had any intention of altering their
lives, they remember for years after
ward what they saw in the course OF
mission. In a city like our own
where the claims of the church are
not understood, where some mer
think the church is only a dry social
organization, with many dement's
and few merits, to see the church
making a vigorous effort to bring the
gospel home in a clear and incisive
way to individual souls is a good
thing. 1t is impossible for the city
to say the Episcopal church is dead
the Episcopal church is unspiritual
when it sees the church aiming at the
spiritual awakening of the soul of the
people. To arrest the imagination o.
this city is great thing; ye
this is not the object of a mission
The object of a mission is to get holC
of men and women and put them IL
right relation to God.
Another result of a mission is L
deepen the soul of the faithful
Though this is one of the first re
suits of a mission, and God knows W,
need nightly such a result in thi
parish. yet the object of a mission /
| faithful. 1t is not to increase tn
knowledge of those who already know
spiritually the saving elements of tn
gospel. The object of a mission is t
convert souls not yet given up to God
1t is to bring souls to an inward, true
vital knowledge of God, and of Hi
PROMISES knowledge which set
them right, and puts them in the wa.
OF learning, of advancing, and of be
coming more and more holy, and al
else that follows after true conver
sion.
You understand what this wor,
| conversion" means? II means tina
persons who have not lived for God
now henceforth live for Him.
means a setting right, a setting in
right direction, in the right attitud
of the soul, which was in the wron
direction. There is an infinite worl
to be done after such conversion; bu
the first thing to be done before yo'
can do any good with a soul is to ge
1t in a right attitude towards God
Whatever the soul may have believ
ed before about the will and meanin
of God-when a soul is converted,
accepts the will of God so far as
knows that will. 1t believes God
promises, it grasps them, and it says
These promises are for me-"
1t lays hold of the promises of for
giveness and says, This forgiveness
is for me; this forgivness is mine, an
being mine, from this time forth,
mean to live the life of a forgive
man, God helping me-" This is tn
obiect of a mission. To set the will
and consciences of men in a right al
titude of filial devotion towards tn
Eternal Father. The special objeC
dividual souls.
Who are these unconverted souls
First, there are persons within til
church whose souls are not in a rlgf
relation to God. There are baptize
} persons, there are attendants
church, there are communicates VIII
are not at ease-not at peace wit
God. They have not taken hold {
the gospel of truth. Such souls ths
are troubled and are not at rest are {
be brought into the peace which OF
Lord offers to all who truly come I
Him. And secondly-and let me n,
} be derstood-although 1 hol
out my hand in Christian FELLOWSHIP
to all who love and believe in OF
Lord, Jesus Christ-''if you love m
give me thine hand"-yet one obje,
of a church mission must be to n
move the prejudices, the misconceI
tions of our church, which lie in tn
minds of our friends of the demon
nations against that which we belieN