The Penn's Grove record., 1906-03-02

Christ under the crust Of heather life
than cover that whole crust 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 a life which will
shape its own civilization.
The aim of missions is evangelical
ton, and fiat is the publishing in all
the world of Gods glad tidings. The
aim is to make Christ known in all the
world. 1 state it thus, for though it
does not shift our responsibility. it
does tighten our burden. It does not
remove the obligation TO hasten with
the proclamation of Christ. but If does
relieve US of the impossible burden of
converting the world. We cannot con-
vert a single soul: how shall we con-
vert the world? But we can present
the Gospel in such a way to every
soul in all the world that the RESPONSE
bility for what is done with it shall
rest no longer upon the church nor
upon any person in the church. but
upon the man himself. We can so pre-
sent the message of evangeIiZation
that we can fling the responsibility for
the worlds conversion back upon God
Himself. for He alone can renew a
human heart.
I do not preach upon missions be-
cause l want to challenge your sympa-
thips for the philanthropic results
which they achieve. My object is
larger than that. I want your aid in
making Jesus known. I know these
other things will follow. l believe that
God is King. and that the hand that
shaped the world at first is in all the
forces that to-day are shaping life. He
holds the reins of politics 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 newspapers to
see how He governed it. And I 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
chaff before the wind as compared
with the supreme purpose that God.
who is King, shall reign as King, and
rule as Lord of Lords.
We are getting to understand the
problem, and these last years are wit
Messing wonderful movements. The
annual accessions TO the churches in
the foreign fields far outnumber those
of the churches at home. And in many
instances their offerings to this great
work go far before our own. More
work is being assigned to the native
churches, and greater responsibilities
laid on them. Modern missions are
young, but we can almost see the day
when mission boards will not need to
send to 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 preachers. and to the general adj
ministration of the work. That is the
meaning of this call for endowment for
the great Christian colleges and SEM
inaries which are growing up in those
far off lands.
Paul said he was a 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 a Roman prison. and was
scourged of Caesar. He said he was
1 an duIOdcSoOOl III III - 0A1-
look like that. His old rusty chain
ratified on his wrists, and clanked in
his empty cell. But he said I am con-
Quoting an embassy in chains. oh.
what limitations the missionaries have
endured! Sickness and suffering and
inf1rmity and separation from wife and
children. And what are they doing?
| Conducting an embassy for heaven in
| 1haSDc ona in n 1innifnfi0n which G00
permits. They do not complain, they
feel their freedom, and are the hap
piest men in all the earth. 1 have seen
| them. battered and worn, return to the
churches at home. But 1 never ap-
plaud them as some do when they
speak at national meetings. We who
remain at home are not worthy TO IN
loose the latchets of their shoes.
The story of modern missions reads
like a romance. One hundred years
ago it was a forlorn cause. Then the
doors of the nations were locked, ana
the church itself was either unmlsslon-
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 a man in its pulpit
who does not publish foreign missions.
And all over the world are to be 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
tent labor. the Lord is giving US the
attention Of this great section of the
civ. Can it be saved? Do we believe
in the strong arm of the Gospel? Then
pour your life into this great work.
The church-this church, exists for no
other purpose than TO give the Gospel
to the world. Be large in your interest
in our immediate work. But that is
not enough. Be large in your effort IN
worldwide evangeliZation.