Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-04-23
Work In FOREIGN Lands.

Today ] thank God for all the great
missionary movements which have TAX
en- place In foreign lands. | thank God
that today. az we are sending forth our
ships laden down with goods, so we
are sending forth ships with Christian
missionaries treading the decks.
thank God for the noble seed planters
of the gospel who have been for years
and years laboring in these foreign
lands. Docs 1t not send thrill OF
JOY through you to read the wonderful
missionary statistics? Are you not
more and more ready 10 pour your
money into the great foreign mission.
airy societies which are capturing foi
God China and japan and Korea and
Africa and South America? Look
about you Take n worldwide sweep
Can you not see that everywhere the
gospel fields are white with ripenina
harry est?
But | feel that sermonc theme like
this sometimes loses its force because
we take too great perspective. When
we stand upon the mount of inspirn-
ton and look off upon distant cont
nents we are apt to forget the divine
lnercies and the gospel opportunities
which are at our very door. And thus
as Jesus Christ leads us up in sermon
ic theme and bids us look ut the white
gospel harvests which are stretching
away over the five continents and over
the islands of the sea | think I hear
my Lord shy: Yes. child, the harvest
Is white where-over in India and
Siam. over In Samoa and Tahiti. over
in Kongo and in the swayng forests Of
BraZi--but these harvests do not con
Germ you so much as those by your
side. Even the men and the women
and the children by your side whom
you think do not love me and will nev
er care for me can be saved II you will
reach forth your hand to them" There
are capacities in every breast just
ready to receive the gospel if you will
the more you look for the Christ low @
in the hearts of men and women at
your side the more you will he aston
ished TO find it planted there even In
the most unexpected places.
Near to the Kingdom.
Some time ago was camping away
! back in the mountains While there
was thrown In touch with n rough
looking man who was brusQue OF
/ speech and crude in action, lie had
for years been a cattlcman. | never
knew man so profane and blasphe
nous of speech. His words made me
shudder Finally he found out that
was a clergy Then he came to me
and apologized Then he began to open
his heart to me He said; II had ono
of the best mothers that ever lived
She was a sincere Christian She lived
for us children. And know for hcl
sake rs well as my own ought to be
come a Christian too" And as he talli
ed the tears just welled up out of his
eyes and tricklcd down his cheeks
ooh" said as | watched MIN. "vh,
would have thought that such mar
as you would be so near the kingdom
Of God:" And, believe me, there /:
hardly man. woman or child near u!
without such memories Away back II
and seed planting have gone on. Thos'
men and women near to you may b.
tired of sin. Believe me, you can brin:
them TO Christ If you will only stretcl
forth the hand to lead them. The pre-
paratory work for Christ has all beer
done. Say We not there are yet fou
months and then cOineth harvest? BE
hold. say unto you. lift up your eye
and look upon the fields, for they ar
white already to the harvest"
And this thought suggests gOspo
fact which is even more personal thai
any | have yet mentioned. AS thos
who are nearest to us are like whit
harvests ready for the gospel reapers
so we ourselves are also ready to b
Carncred for the divine granaries
Oh, yes as with our neighbors, s
there have been many gospel see
paintings within us. We have tried t
smother them and pull them out. bu
in spite of ourselves they have bee
steadily growing. And the spirituH
longings which we had years ago seer
TO be Juggling at our hearts with in
creased vlgor every year, Are you nc
ready now TO gather the whitened hal
vest Of your own heart and bring
into the gospel granary? All the pre-
! paratory work has been done in you
life. VIII you just give yourself up
him now?
copyright. 1903. by Louis Klopschl