The news & observer., 1905-12-27
THE CALL TO GO AND THE CALI.
TO HELP.

The six hundred dollars that Mr.. L.
L. Jenkins, of Gastonia, will pay this
year to the support of Rev. c. NJ.
Rock, who goes to Japan as mis-
faith in foreign missions and
his generous disposition toward
the enterprises of his church
At the recent Baptist State Conven-
ton the sermon that stirred the body
most was when Rev. Mr.. Rock decii
ed to give himself to the work in Ja-
pan, to leave home and friends and
to sunder the ties that are dear to
every American. "Go We into all the
world and preach the gospel was the
command to which Mr.. Rock gave
heed. That command is as much TO
Mr.. Jenkins as to Mr.. Rock. He has
not been called to preach, but when
one called to preach offered himself to
the mission work, Mr.. Jenkins felt
that it was his duty to give of his
means to send the preacher. Was Ii
not as much a call to the banker to
send as to the layman to go? Could
one be true, feeling the call to give,
to close his pocket-bOok any mole
than the other, feeling the call to go,
could decide to remain at home?
There is need that laymen should
show interest in the missionary work
of the church and help to uphold the
hands of the Christian ministers who
are laboring in foreign fields. 1t IS
too often the case that American diplo-
mats and naval officers fail to show
that interest in the work of the mis-
sionaries that they are entitled TO re-
ceive from their countrymen, and the
door TO opportunity is thereby closed
to American missionaries. But there
are exceptions. Writing to the
Springfield Republican cf the visit of
William Jennings Bryan. the greatest
living American, to Japan, Rev. G.
w. Fulton, of Toxic, says:
''Mr. w. j. Bryan has been in this
country for several days. His visit
was in the midst of the naval man
euverS and the excitement caused by
the visit of the English fleet. But he
has been enthusiastically received. He
has delivered many addresses, being
kept almost as busy speaking as in
a Democratic campaign. 1t has been
very gratifying To note that all his
addresses have had q fine moral tone.
His Christian example as q tetotaler
has been marked by the Japanese, and
his Christian character and home life
have beel held up as exemplary. His
address at the Young Mems Christian
Association hall was strong, positive
expression of his faith in the essentials
of Christianity. 1t was listened to
by 5000 to 400C people. The visit
of such man, with his clear-cut faith
and courageous stand for the Chris
tian life, cannot fail of creating pro-
found impression upon the high Of
ficials of this country, as we'll as upon
the nation as a whole. Missionaries
are very glad of his coming"
If all Americans who visit Japan
had the same spirit as that which
dominates Mr. Bryan, that wonder
ful nation would sooner embrace
Christianity.
The work in the mission field has
not been lessened, though the dangers
have decreased. The man who is to
win the japanese to the Christian
religion must prepare that work With
more thoroughness, ten times better
than if he is to preach in this country,
and the call to the church is to pre-
pare it's missionaries by education and
broad knowledge of the world, but
no knowledge will avail anything un-
less the man who goes thus endowed
has a burning zeal to show to the
Japanese that zone thing thou lack