The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-06-29
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through Syria and Silesia and back
to Derbe and Lystra and Iconium.
strengthening the faith of the churches
and delivering the decree Of the coun-
Gil at Jerusalem 1t is as important mis-
sionary work to look after the ex-
listing churches as it is to plant new
churches in unreached regions. At
Lystra, Paul added to his company
young Timothy, the son of a Jewess
mother and a Greek father, who later
became dear to the apostles heart and
a power in the church.
The C~onquering Company.
What varied armies have marched
over the same historic ground that was
traversed by this little band Of bearers
of good news! The ina gination is
stimulated by a contemplation Of the
scenes made most memorable by their
association with these evangelists.
For one man with a great message
means more to history than a great
army equipped with all the military
paraphernalia of it's day. 1t was to
conquest that this band went-even as
sensitive friends h go to the steam
er to bid fareWell to their missionary
representatives sometimes catch a Wis
ion Of foar-Off Transformation to be
effected by the labors of these men and
m
Since this is designated for study as
a missionary lesson, it is we'll to re-
member, as a practical missionary
method, that it is not good for a man
to go out alone as a missionary. The
consensus Of expert missionary judg-
ment is against placing of one or wv
| persons in lonely interior stations. It
is better to establish a considerable
force in the missionary compound, and
to work out from this base. I have
seen an important hospital in Pc
ing closed simply because the Mission
Board of one Of the great American
denominations had i~nadequately man.
ned it, and when one doctor fell i'll
the worked stopped. The new interest
in missions will call Boards more rig
idly to account for their methods of
administration. It is better not to
try to occupy so many places than to
occupy each inadequately. Paul
did his missionary work in as
ISOLATION with a variety Of comrades,
even as the p~resent-day missionary
propaganda presents many fronts to
the world.
1t is worth nothing that this was
a Spirit-guided company of men.
They took counsel together, of course,
and yet ultimate decision in all their
actions rested upon the illumination
of the Devine Spirit. When the Spirit
babe them hasten through Asia with
out preaching they did so. Their
power to win resided wholly in their
Willingness to obey. They knew them
selves to be men nde authority, and
it was in loyalty to that Voice that
that they found success.
The Men Who Hear Calls.
This was a band of idealists and
dreamerS, h regardless Of the hard
ships by the way, pressed on towards
new fields of service. They belonged
to the endless train of Missionaries in
to whose hearts God has put the pio-
neer spirit. These men who hear calls
to the new and undiscovered regions
tory's charging sphere. To them all
new discoveries are owed. They are
like Columbus, adding new continents
to the worlds dOminiOnS. Some types
of men work best in Well-Worn
grooves They like the accustomed
ways and the voice of human direction
over them. others are forever
dreaming of new ways Of doing the
old service. They are the inventors
the explorers, and the captains OF
civilization. 1t would be a sad day
for mankind if ever this devine fire
departed from the hearts of men.
Paul, standing on the edge Of Asia
saw in a vision a man in Europe, and
heard his voice calling Come over
and help US" It was the sensitive
souls perception of the spiritual needs
Of an unevangelized region. The Mac
edonian call has become a %shopworn
missionary phrase. Most persons
more familiar with this incident thar
with the actual facts of tO-day's mis-
siOnary conditions, believe that the
heather to-day are calling even as die
the Macedonian man Of old. There
are one or two nOn-Christian lands
which are like unto Macedonia in that
their cal! for the better things of the
Gospel is articuiated. In the main
though. it is a call of need rather
than Of desire that is heard from the
mission field.
When Paul finally got to Philippi
instead of eager, waiting multitudeS
he found only a praying woman, READY
to hear his message. n ne eN'
iaA-of tho ShAcL O.