Missionary alliance 1888.pdf - DSpace

82 INTER-8EMINARY \JIS~IONARY ALL[A..a.~CE.arly and profound, easily the foremost of them all in learning andnative ability,-and thus see another aspect of the will of God on thismatter: to wit, tbat the cboicest of his jewels should be set in tbediadem (If missions; that there caD be DO son of consolatioD, howeverrare his gifts of eloquent and persuasive speech, and no mighty intellectualatblete, wbatever bis wealtb of learning and logical power, tooprecious to be laid on God's altar in joyful consecration to work amongthe heathen.And so, dear brethren, if Satan should now be busy settingany of you to wondering whether it is God's will tbat you, witb yoursplendid ambitions and large promise, sbould tbrow yourselves away onIdolaters, let this choice of Barnabas and Paul by the Holy Ghostsuffice to stamll that suggestion as a lie of the devil.I find another place where God's will on this matter is writtenlarge and clear-in Ih. book oj His providence. If it might have beenpleaded in the past, that tbe nations were inaccessible and could not bereached tbat tbeir gates were sbut-tbe plea is idle now. God hasHung the gates wide open, and has cast up highways upon which theransomed of tbe Lord may go with swift feet, and enter into every darkplace of superetition and habitation of idolatry. And unless thesemarvelous events, by which in strange and unexpected ways the gatesof the nations have been nailed open, areJhe freaks of chance o r~h ere!:iults of blind, unreasoning law, bere, too, we see the will of God asto foreig~ ~issions. This linger of Providence is an inf.llible indexmark pOln~lOg straight to heathen shores. It should put the sense ofougbtn~ss 10 many young bosoms. It is as much a voice of God to tbisge?~ratlOn, as tbe cry from Macedonia was to Paul, when tbe HolySPirit sbut u? bis way to the right and tbe left, and bedged bim in andsent him straight on west to Tross.And now aiong witb this word and deed and providence of God-theword that commands us to go and disciple all the nations' the deed tbattook two of the choicest of tbat scant stock of preuche r~ in tbe infantClburCb an~ sent them abroad; the providence tb.t has broken every natO~l bafner ~o~'D-8Iong with these, put the fact that in this countrywe av~ ~ne IDllllster to eight hundred souls, abroad one minister to ahalf:mllhon; that bereministers are elbowing eacb otber ali aCross theconu.nen~ from Plymoutb Hock to the Golden Gate, while bardl amls.ton 10 the wbole heathen world is mOre tban balf manned :Odhundreds of millions of the beathen world hav'heard whetber tbere btl.e never so m ucb ashe any avtour; put these things togetber and tellme w at you think th~ will of God is about this business of disci linthe nations. Not bls Wlli to somebody somewbere i tho p ggeneratioD' b t h ',n IS Or some other, u w at you bonestly think his will is to I dBOlD, about going to tbe beatben world.you, ,.," an• •TBE MOTrYES "0 F'QREIGN MISSIONARY WORK. 83I know tbe suggestion that naturally, Bnd I think properly, occurain presenting tbese contrasts: tbat nations haye quality as well 88quantity. Undoubtedly they have. Souls are to be weighed 88 wellas counted. \V e are to look at strategic value, centers of inHuence andactive play of forces, as well as mere numbers. in determining where toplace and push tbe work of evangelism. And as a terse and strikingstatement of tbe value of winning and keeping tbis country for Christ,I bave for years been accustomed to quote appro,-ingly tbe remark ofProf. Phelps, who once said, "If I were a missionary in CantoD, itwould be my first prayer every morning to pray for IIome Missions InAmerica,Jo)" til. sake oj C"nlon.'" But I appeal to you, young bretbren,whether, after all just nnd even generous allowance for this suggestion,tbe disproportion between tbe supply for the Foreign Field and tbeHome Field should be so fearful and stupendous.\\'e must have a care lest we press our notions of relative value toofar, and thus vacate a clear and uncballengeable word of ::lcripture andmake our God a liarj for God's word says, "There is no distinction between.r ew and Greek; for tbe same Lord is Lord of aiL" Is tbe verysame Lord our own Lord Jesus, Lord of all? And is he ricb unto allthat call upon him? So ricb, tbat wbosoever sbull call upon bim, shallbe saved ~ If this be true, then, when everyone in this Christian countrymay hear tbat blessed truth if he will, without anotber preacberbeing sent to tell it, can we let eight bundred millions in other nationsremain ignorant o[ it and stay in their ignorance till tbey die, On theplea that nations are to be weigbed as well a. counted! How long is tbisto go on': How many generations more must come and gu? How sballthey bear witbout a preacber? And how sball they preach except theybe sent': And how sball they be sent, except you, and young men likeyou, who have nothing to hinder your going, are willing to go? Theappral, now, is to conscience. Dut.1J is the motive r here press. Andduty is Slubli me. The sense of it is the imperial thing in a man'sbosom. The word "ought" is the supreme word. It harnesses thepassions. It grips the will. It rouses endeavor and put~ steel into it.What great and migbty tbings spring from conscience! I ought;that is ~nougb for a loyal hearl. Christ commands it. It admits ofno "arl,·ying. It is duty. I ougbt. I will.Hecall that strange direction of Cbrist to two of bis disciples nearBethphage.j "go your way into the village over against you; in thewhich as ye enter, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon no man ever yetsat; loose him, and bring bim. And if anyone ask you, 'Why loose yethe colt?' thus sball ye say, ' Tbe Lord batb need of him.''' A wilderrand indeed. To reason's view, a fool's. A strange villttgeo. A colttied. Never ridden-loose him. If protest is made, say, tbe Lord batbneed. Bring him. "Why, master! You in need of an ass on thistriumph marcb? It is absurd. And look at tbe difficulties! It Is