The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1906-03-09

lihpldhllnS lLe ne OF tuElst III tlle
human heart. They sought 10 renew
the lives Of men. ana they knew that
these new lives would demand pew
social combinations. They knew that
no human TYRANNY could exist where
Jesus Christ was King
We must not confuse tho immediate
aim with the secondary aim. nor with
the ultimate result OF missions. There
is no work in al the world so powerful
10 accomplish secondary results as the
work Of foreign missions. OF course.
the habits are changed and the civic
life reorcaniZed Rut that is not the
immediate aim. The immediate aim
is not social nor civiliZing. hut re,ig.
.ous. And ] had rather. rs Mr.. Speer
says. PLANT one seed Of the life of
Christ under the crust of heather life
than cover that whole ernst over with
the veneer Of our social habits. or the
vesture Of Western civilization" We
are trustees. but not primarily Of better
social customs. but Of life which will
shane its own civilization.
The aim of missions is evangeiiza.
ton. and tiat is the publishing i'm AL
the world of Gods glad tidngs. The
aim is 10 make Christ known in all the
world. | state il thus for though il
does not shift our responsibility, il
does tighten our burden. II does no,
remove the obligation 10 hasten with
the proclamation of Christ. hut II does
relieve lis OF the imuosSihle burden of
converting the world. We cannot con.
vert 4 single soul: how shall we con-
vert the world? But We can present
the GOSPEL in such way 10 every
soul in all the world that tho reSponSi,
hility for what is done with il shall
rest no longer upon the church nor
upon any person i'm the church. hut
upon the man himself. We can 50 prc.
sent the message of evangPliZation
that we can ning the responsibility for
the worlds conversion back upou God
Himself. for He alone can renew a
human heart.
| do not preach upon missions he.
cause I want 10 challenge your Sympa.
thieS for the philanthropic results
which they achieve. My object is
larger than that. | want your aid i'm
making Jesus known. | know these
other things will follow. believe that
God is King. and that the hand that
shaped the world NJ first is in all the
forces that to-day are shaping life. lie
holds the reins Of nolitics and COM
merce and civilization. 1t was John
Newton who said. he read the New
Testament to see how God loved the
world. but he read the newspapcrs to
see how He governed il. Aud | am
convinced that all our everyday affairs
do run into the great goals Of God.
And these things. our governments and
customs and inventions. are but as the
chaf before the wind as compared
with the supreme purpose that God.
who is King, shall reign as King, and
rule rs Lord Of Lords.
We are getting 10 understand the
problem. and these last years are wit
Messing wonderful movements. The
annual accessionS 10 the churches In
the foreign fields far outnumber those
of the churches at home. And in many
instances their offerings 10 this great
work 60 far before our own. More
work is being assigned to the native
churches. and greater responsibilities
laid on them. Modern missions are
young, huf we can almost see the day
when mission boards will not need tO
send 10 foreign fields great sums of
money. nor large numbers Of preachers.
For the native churches are prolific in
preachers Of their own who can find
the hearts Of their people much better
than we can. And already the day
is come when our largest attention is
given to the teaching and education Of
the preaC CherS. and TO the general adj
miniStra ION of the work. That is the
meaning Of this call for endowment for
the great Christian colleges and sem
inarieS which are growing up III those
far off lands.
Paul said he was prisoner of
Jesus Christ" That is the essence Of
the missionary life. The Lords pris-
oner-not the prisoner of Rome. though
he lay in n Roman prison. and was
scourged of Caesar. He said he was
an "ambasSador i'm bonds He didn't
look like that. His old rusty chain
ratified on his wrists. and clanked in
his empty cell But he said ! am con-
Quoting an embassy in chains. Oh,
what limitations the missionaries have
endured. Sickness and suffering and
infirmity and separation from wife ana
children. And what are they doing:
Conducting an embassy for heaven i'm
chains and in limitation which God
permits. They do not complain, they
feel their freedom. and are the hap
pieSt men i'm all the earth. ] have seen
them. battered and worn. return 10 tire
churches at home. But | never ap-
plaud them rs some do when they
speak at national meetings. We who
remain at home are not worthy to un-
loose the latchets Of their shoes.
The story Of modern missions reads
like romance. One hundred years
ago il was n fOrlOrn cause. Then the
doors Of the nations were locked, and
the church itself was either unmissiOn-
AIRY or anti-missionary. Now the sky
is ablaze with light and there is no
self-respecting church in all the land
that will tolerate man In lis pulpit
who does not publish foreign missions.
And all over the world are 10 he seen
the camp fires Of those who have gone
away with the great evangel.
Can we not read the signs of the
times? Great days are crowding upon
us. and after years Of prayer and pa.
tient labor the Lord il giving Us the