The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1908-08-14
DOES 1T PAY?


Baptist Foreign Missionary Society
of the West to that ASSOCIATION. We
commend 1t to your careful perusal:
Missionary workers, throughout the
land, are today pleading for ENLARGE
MENT: and the GREAT NEED OF The
present time is enlargement In our
missionary work.
We need an enlarged vision OF the
field and it's opportunities. We need
an enlarged conception OF our per-
sonal responsibility before God, con-
corning the field and its possibilities.
We need an enlarged appreciation OF
the value of missions WHAT THEY
COST AND HOW THEY PAY, and 1T is
upon THIS need that wish to speak
to you at this time, hoping and pray
ing that the few remarks which L
make. may constrain each one Of US
to place an enlarged valuation upon
missionary work, which shall inspire
us to enlarged service and enlarged
giving, thus fastening the day OF our
Lord and His righteousness.
Our valuation of anything depends
altogether upon whatit costs and how
it pays; if it costs MUCH and pays
MUCH, we appreciate ana value IL
MUCH: but if it costs little and pays
little, we appreciate and value IL III
tie; and it is surprising how very early
in life we come to estimate the worth
of things in this way. L can remem Der
when a child, if given anything by my
mother or any other member OF The
family was ashamed to ask the
question of strangers-th first thing
| would want to know was, what 1t
cost" and the next, chow it would
pay'-that is how much PLEASURE ]
could hope to get out of it; and my
countenance and spirits would bright
en- or darken according as the answer
to these questions was ''much" or,
Elittle." In the child, such inquisi-
tiveness and display Of feeling is con-
sidered impertinent and rude, when
in reality, or fact, it is only NATURAL,
as demonstrated throughout lille by
those Of MATURER years.
You and I never make an invest
ment, nor embark upon a new enter
prise without, consciously or uncon-
sciously, propounding and bordering
these two questions: what VIII IL
COST" and "How will it pay?' And
further, the thing into which we put
the most, and out of which we realize
the most, is the thing which we VALUE
the MOST, and for which we will make
the MOST SACRIFICES.
Now let US apply these two questions
to MISSIONS and see If the answer VIII
not shed new light upon the work,
giving to it greater value, and claim
ing for it GREATER THINGS.
First. then, what is the cost price
of the salvation of the world? NOT in
dollars and cents, for had we given to
this cause as followers Of Christ
SHOULD have given, the price then
paid would have paled into insignifi-
canoe in comparison with OTHER
payments, so we Will just ignore the
financial side of this question and
ascertain if possible, what missions
COST in FLESH and BLOOD; and this
will carry us back to the foundation
of the world, when the FATHER SAC
RTFICED His Son, as it is written:
''The Lamb slain from the foundation
of the world" Oh, the depth of
meaning in those few words! Do We
grasp it? Do we appreciate, even in
the most feeble sense, the MAGNITUDE
of this first payment?
How many of us have been called
upon to watch by the bedside of
suffering, dying, son or daughter, and
can now recall the agony of that
deathbed scene? How we wished oh |
so earnestly-to transfer the pain
from their bodies to our own, that we
might bear it for them! How we
50 FERvENTLY-that God |
would graciously SPARE our LOVED |
ONES and take OURSELVES, instead.
All There isn't mother or father
in this congregation who has lived
SUCH an experience, but
KNOWS it would be far easier to sacri-
flee ones self, than to sacrifice
child, and yet, here we have pict ured
before u.s. the great heart of Col, so
LOVING the WORLD that He gave His
son Yes, and His ONLY Son, g. DIE
for it.. Was ever such sacrifice made?
Or PRICE PAID? 1t would seeri that
SUCH price were ENOUGH, but no,
the salvation of the world cost more
than that-it cost-the Son, not only |
His LIFE, for that was the LEAST of
the price He paid-but it cost Him
nockings and scourgings; butfetings
and revilings; weary days and sleep
ess nights; anguish of mind and an
yuish of soul. Truly, "He was
wounded for our transgressions and
bruised for our iniquities''-'oppress-
I'd and afflicted the "chastisement
Of our peace was upon Him, and with
His stripes we are healed" Crucitied |
IN The flesh ONCE; but in the spirit |
DAILY-yes, HoURLY-and continues
TO be crucified mot only by those who
nave REJECTED Him, but by those |
who have ACCEPTED, and profess to
follow Him.
Hear Him say: GAS the Father hath !
sent me, so send L YOU" $50. |
Preach" "If We love me, keep my
Brothers and sisters, are we doing
II? To the extent of our ability? If
not, we are pressing the crown of
thorns more closely to His brow, and
thrusting the cruel spear more deeply |
into His side, while He continues to ,
pour out His soul in prayer to God. !
t'Father, forgive them, for they know |
not what they do"