Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1908-04-25


going to become one In religion and
one in sentiment.
Wcrk In Foreign Lands.
Today | thank God for all the great
missionary movements which have TAX
en- place in foreign lands. | thank God
that today, as 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. Does it not send a thrill Of
Joy through you to read the wonderful
missionary statistics? Are you not
more and more ready to pour your
money into the great foreign mission
ary societies which a.e capturing for
God China and Japal md Korea and
Africa and South America? Look
about you. Take a worldwide sweep.
Can you not see that everywhere the
gospel fields are white with ripening
harvest?
But feel that sermonic theme like
this sometimes loses its force because
we take too great perspective. When
we stand upon the mount Of inspira-
ton and look off upon distant conti-
nents we are apt to forget the divine
mercles 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 at the white
gospel harvests which are stretching
away over the five continents and over
the islands Of the sea | think hear
my Lord say: "Yes, child, the harvest
Is white verywhere-oyer in India and
Siam. over in Samoa and Tahiti, over
In Kongo and in the swaying forests or
Brazil-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 ney-
er care for me can be saved If you will
reach forth your hand to them" There
are capacities in every breast just
ready to receive the gospel if you will
preach it to them. And, my brother,
the more you look for the Christ love
in the hearts of men and women at
your side the more you will be 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 a rough
looking man who was brusque OF
speech and crude in action. He had
for years been a cattleman. l never
knew a man so profane and blasphe-
nous of speech. His words made me
shudder. Finally he found out that l
was a clergyman. Then he came to me
and apologized Then he began to open
his heart to me. He said: Il had one
of the best mothers that ever lived.
She was a sincere Christian. She lived
for us children And | know for her
sake as we'll as my own | ought to be-
come a Christian too" And as he talk
ed the tears just welled up out of his
eyes and trickled down his cheeks.
"Oh." | said as | watched him, "who
would have thought that such man
as you would be so near the kingdom
Of God?" And, believe me, there Is
hardly man, woman or child near us
without such memories. Away back in
the old homestead the gospel plowing
and seed planting have gone on. Those
men and women near to you may be
tired of sin. Believe me, you can bring
them to Christ If you will only stretch
forth the hand to lead them. The pre-
paratory work for Christ has all been
done. "Say We not there are yet four
months and then cometh harvest? Be-
hold, | say unto you, lift up your eyes
and look upon the fields, for they are
white already to the harvest"
And this thought suggests a gospel
fact which is even more personal than
any | have yet mentioned. AS those
who are nearest to us are like white
harvests ready for the gospel reapers,
so we ourselves are also ready to be
garnered for the divine granaries'
Oh, yes; as with our neighbors, SO
there have been many gospel seed
paintings within us. We have tried to
smother them and pull them out, but
In spite of ourselves they have been
steadily growing. And the spiritual
longings which we had years ago seem
to be tugging at our hearts with in
creased vigor every year. Are you not
ready now to gather the whitened har'
vest of your own heart and bring II
into the gospel granary? All the pre-
paratory work has been done in your
life. Will you just give yourself up tc
him now?
[copyrignt, 1908, by Louis Klopsch.l