The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1960-01-01

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paratrooper lost -
in New Guinea, b. ~
expecting moth -
ing better than to DR.. Foreman
be eaten by cannibals, would hear
the sound Of a familiar Christian
hymn. something he used to sing
in Sunday school. When he made
his way toward the sound, he dis
covered not cannibals but ex-can-
nibals, now changed men because
Christ had come to their village.
ros.holds
One of the most thrilling sights
this writer has seen in recent years
was a book, in fact two books
though he could read neither one!
One of these was the first book Of
any kind printed in one of the Mao
languages (Miao rhymes with a.
cats meow. Some young mission
aries, trained in the study of prim-
tive languages, have for the first
time in history put this Mao Ian
guage into writing so that these
mountain tribes. living in the bor-
der-lsnds between China and Thi-
land, can learn to read, and in time
read the Bible. This new book is
only a primer. but it is kind Of
toe-hold for the Christian mission
aries. The other book is reprint Of
the first New Testament ever
printed in Korean. Seventy-hve
years ago, to be a Christian in
Korea called for the death penalty
No missionary could go there. But
in China this Testament was
printed in the Korean language.
and struggled into Korea by the
christian Underground"
Small Beginnings
The story Of Christian missions
is long. and thrilling. The only peo-
pie who do not get ! thrill ont Of It
are the people who get no thrill out
Of Christianity itself. a church
member who says, n believe IN
Christ but not In missions" is as
good as saying Il don't believe in
Christ" The Christian religion is a
missionary religion, which is to say
it is for all men everywhere, it is
not American" white" "occiden-
tap any more than it is Asian, vel
low or oriental. Missionaries have
gone everywhere, that is to say
into all sorts of places. But what
we call foreign missions, or world
missions, began with the day when
two men set out from the city Of
Antioch headed west. They were
the best and ablest men In that
church. they were its associate
pastors as we would call them.
They had been, so to speak, city
missionaries In the metropolis Of
Antioch. Now the church sent them
out. But the church did not send
them until they were sure this WIS
the will of the Holy Spirit. The
thought Of sending these mon came
as an inspiration. and the church
recognized It a. such. So Paul and
Barnahas became the first real
foreign missionaries" in history.
Targsi' World
eco into an the world" Jesus
had said There is no here" or
there" for Christian missions. #
an American Christian goes to
share Christ with the Koreans, he
is Z foreign" missionary: Il .
Korean comes here for the same
purpose he Is q foreign" mission.
airy too. (That Is one reason why
some churches do not speak 0
'.aissionaries' home or foreign but
Of "fraternal workers" Preach
ing Gospel sermon to a Spanish
speaking congregation in Texas il
home" missions; preaching the
identical sermon to congregation
in Mexico is foreign" missions
Its geography that draws the line
There Is no line, really. That first
foreign missionary" party started
by going to the old home Of Barna-
bias himself, where they would have
!. lin our lingo) Connections" But
the world Is always the target.
Places and countries may be barred
to us, for shorter or longer times,
But the church sets no limits for
itself. Wherever in the world there
arc people, there the Good News Of
God Is needed, and there Christi
man win joyfuI1y 60.
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