The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-03-20
R. |. BAPTIST
LOCAL union
Had Reception and Dinner at
Trocadsro Last Evening.
REV. Or. CAMPBELL SPEAKER
1T he Present Religious Opportunity" The
Subhct Of His Observation-Disclosures
Despite Stern Coed

while members Of the Rhode Island
Baptist Social union did not turn Out
with as fun ranks as usual at the din-
ner given in the Trocadero last evening
there were nevertheless about 80 covers
taken In spite of the driving storm, re-
markably good showing. and hearty
welcome was extended to Rev. j. l..
Campbell, ID. D., pastor OF the First Bap-
list church, Cambridge, Mass. who as
speaker OF the evening delivered an able
address on THE Present Religious Oppor-
tunity."
reception preceded the banquet at
o'clock and during the evening an excel
lent musical program was rendered by inc
following talent: Miss Ethel wilbur Reed,
vocal solos; the 5chuman quartet, George
4 Wheelwright, Irving +. Irons, l.. Phil
lns shaw and Percy L. Smith; the Elite
orchestra, Jonathan Cobwin. violinist,
leader. Sturgis Carpenter, cornet, and
Harry Fletcher, plano.
brief business meeting Immediately
followed the banquet and then Rev. Dr.
Campbell was introduced by Rev. IA. A.
Fletcher. president of the organization
and spoke in part as follows:
There are four words around which l
wish to gather what / may have 10 say
and the first word is opportunity.
when we consider the opportunities
that lie before the Christian clsurch today
we md that they are not sectional out
all embracing, not local but universal.
not confined TO certain countries here ana
there but that they exist everywhere all
over tho earth.
The field is new pre-emnenuy. The
world so that nothing less than world
wide evangelism has become the watch
word
Come back In thought for about one
hundred years Contrast for moment the
conditions that existed then. with what
we have today. When WIN. Carey went TO
India In 1892 he was not allowed to set
foot on British soil He was forced 10 re
tire 10 a little place where Denmark
had small colony at Serampore. out
side of a very few Protestant countries
the whole world was like the ancient city
OF Jericho. IL was straity smut up.
Leaving Turkey out OF account. Eu-
rope was indeed nominaly Christian. but
81 was a type OF Christianity that strong
ly excluded Gods messages from every
nation where the Greek church or the
Roman hierarchy was In control. The
great continent OF Africa was unknown.
it's shores marking only a fringe along the
sea The outlines OF the coast OF Australia
had not yet been fully explored. The In
ter tropical islands of the Pacific ocean
were lust coming into notice South Amer
ica was In the bigotted grasp OF Spain.
Death was the penalty that awaited any
Mohmmedan who embraced the Christian
faith China was sealed up.
Japan had its famous edict posted up
all over the land indicating that evil sect
called Christian and affixing death as the
punishment for becoming a disciple OF
this new religion. The anxiety then was
10 find open doors. The great cry that
arose from burdened hearts and went up
10 heaven nivht and day continually. a
century ago, was for helds INTO Whlch the
missionaries might enter
'Opportunlties were wanting and the
church was upon it's knees, Never was
prayer more slgnally and more wonder
fully answered.
Twenty years after Carey reached In
dia the British parliament threw open
that country to the gospel. and when he
died in 1884. all over her Indian posses
,ions the English flag was lowered to
half-mast in token OF respect.
When China is moved said Napoleon
at St Helena, 1T will change the face OF
the globe Five treaty posts were thrown
open in 1872 and others in 1860. Her recent
war with Japan and now her more re-
cent disturbances have moved the Celes-
tial empire from centre TO circumference
Every one OF the 100 divisions of that
great kingdom Is now ready for the Cos
pei
I'm 1884 Commodore Perry sailed up
Yeddo bay. Japan, reading aloud from
the open Bible and on the capstain OF
his flagship the Tooth Psalm and the sun
rise Kingdom arose ard threw open it's
sea gates 10 the heralds OF the cross
''The second word is obligation. 1t tiee
itself TO opportunity. Ability and respon-
ability are correlated terms. Every truth
,s n trust Possession means permission
Every Christian Is a trustee OF the mani
fold grace OF God.
opportunity says we may; obligation
says we must; power says we can, and
promise says we shall.
''1yhe darkest hour which always pre-
eedes the down. came about the close Of
the nth century The love of many had
waxed cold. The French Revolution had
shaken the world Deism and inhdelity
abounded Faces grew anxious and trou-
bled.
'Then suddenly a cheat OF light shot
nm from serampore and IL was quickly
dashed across the gulf to Burmah then
North to China. then east to Japan, leap
ins across the seas 1t flew south to the
islands OF the Pacific. then west 10 en-
shrouded Africa. then over TO neglected
South America, until 1000 Protestant mis-
sIon stations are blazing like beacon
eres on mountain tops. telling OF Victory.
telling that earth's long night OF sin and
sorrow and suffering and shame must
.oon be past. telling that bright day Is
about 20 dawn. telling OF the coming OF
the King