The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-03-28

says, rant one Seeu OF TIE HE OF
Christ under the crust of leatllen life
| than cover that whole ernst over with
the veneer of orr social halsts. or the
| v~estuire Of Western civilization" We
are trustees. but not primarily of better
social customs. but of q life which will
shape it's own civilization.
The aim Of missions is evangelism
ton. and fiat is the publishing in MI
the world of Gods glad tidings. The
aim is to make Christ known in all the
world. l state it thus. for though it
does not shift our responsibility, It
| does tighten orr burden. 1t does not
remove the obligation to hasten with
the proclamation Of Christ. hut it does
relieve us Of the imDossible burden OF
converting the world. We cannot con-
vert n single soul: how shall we con-
vert the world? Rut we can present
the Gospel in such q way to every
soI1l 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 81 pre-
| sent the message of. evangelization
| 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 rpon missions be-
cause I want to. challenge your sympa.
| thies 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. I 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 / am
| convinced that all our everyday affairs
| do run into the great goals Of God.
And these things. II 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 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 90 far before our own. More
work is being assigned to the native
| churches. and greater responsibilities
laid on them. Modern missions nra
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 n Roman prison. n was
| scourged of Caesar. He said he was
an Ambassador in 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-
dncting an embassy in chains. On,
what limitations the missionaries have
endured! Sickness and suffering and
infrmity and separation from wife and
children. And what are they doing!
| Conducting an embassy for heaven in
| chains and in a limitation which GOD
permits. TheyJdo not complain. they
| feel their freeG6n. and are the nap
piest men in III THE earth. I have seen
them. battered and worm. return to the
churches at home. But ! never ap-
| plaud them as some do when they
| speak. at national meetings. we VINO
remain at home are not worthy,to IN
loose the latchets Of their shoes.
The story of modern missions reads
like q romance. One hundred years
ago It was a forlorn cause. Then the
doors of the nations were locked. and
the church itself vas either unmission-
ary or anti-missionary. Now the SKY
is ablaze with light and there IS no
self-respecting church in all the land
that will tolerate q 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 evangei.
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 tine
attention Of this great section or the
city. 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 Gospei
to the world. Be large in your interest
in our immediate work. But d is
not enough. Be large in your EFFORT III
worldwide eyangelization.
m ths Plain.