HOLDING THE ROPES. W HEREAS subsequent chapters will tell in detail the trials and triumphs of the Society's labour in foreign scenes, the present sketch is concerned with the Mission as it is viewed from the standpoint of home, and it can mark only the beginnings of each part of the Holy War waged these hundred years. "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard-seed," its beginnings small, its expansion great. The Gospel story shows that two men were led to Jesus by John the Baptist, that in a few hours a third disciple was gained, that shortly the number was five: so the sacred fire leaps from soul to soul. In four years the Lord Jesus is loved, worshipped, and served by thousands. Soon the historian has to stop counting, and before a generation ends the heralds of the Cross have founded Christian communities in Asia Minor, in Greece, in Africa, and in Italy. Every new step was made amid hindrances; but the men who went everywhere preaching had evidence that "the Lord was working with them confirming the Word." Each fresh enterprise of Christ's Church during these latter days has presented, in many respects, a repetition of ancient characteristics. Some mind, stirred by the Holy Spirit to pity a neglected part of humanity, plans a novel form of ministry. The pity proves itself to be contagious. A start is made; prejudices and objections are overcome; and, sooner or later, ideas at first scouted as quixotic are accepted as commonplace, and men who were denounced as fanatical, rash, and impious are praised as heroic, sagacious leaders whom it is an honour to follow. Modern missions were destined to afford another example of the fact that God chooses the weak things to put to shame the things that are strong. Small towns and villages were to become famous as the places where a worldwide campaign was initiated. Great capitals are rarely the birthplaces of the noblest revolutions. Sunday schools, ragged schools, and the like had a provincial origin. "Thou Bethlehem Judah art not the least among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come a Governor who shall rule My people Israel." Shepherds and fishermen were the first evangelists. Country churches whose pastors had sprung from the lowest rank in the social scale were ordained to take the earliest interest in the largest scheme entertained by the modern Church. The conquest of the world for Christ was planned in obscure hamlets by men of no renown. God begins His work in quietude, without beat of drum or blast of trumpet. The Rhine and the Rhone flow down from the silent Alps. We should expect the word PRAYER to be conspicuous in a narrative devoted to the rise and progress of any remarkable evangelical movement. The need of God is felt. The soul is drawn Godward that it may afterwards be rich in service manward. The sea when affected by a more than common attraction exerted by sun and moon withdraws a long way from the shore; and it seems to have utterly forsaken the bays, the creeks, the rivers; but wait! the extraordinary retirement means power to bless the land with a mighty spring tide by which foul places are cleansed and long-stranded ships are floated. Minds that most feel God will be most helpful to men. The Book of the ACTS of the Apostles contains references to their PRAYERS likewise. The men who preached the Gospel of peace trod the heavenly sanctuary as well as the streets of strange cities. Those who spake to the people all the words of this life listened to the Divine voice, and went to and fro between heaven and earth. It is written as a preface to the first Missionary Herald that the apostles "all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren." In like manner our Society had its origin in prayer. Jonathan Edwards had published a work, entitled "An humble attempt to promote explicit agreement and visible union of God's people in extraordinary prayer for the revival of religion, and the advancement of Christ's Kingdom on earth." John Sutcliff, pastor of the Olney Church, and other ministers connected with the Northamptonshire Association, were induced by reading this work to urge the churches to appoint a day in each month for united prayer. The appeal was heeded. And hence arose a hallowed custom which since 1784 has formed an integral part of the life of thousands of congregations throughout the world. It is no fancy that the work at home includes persistency in supplication for the labourers who are far away. If it is useless to pray, Christianity cannot be defended, seeing that it assumes the possibility of drawing on heaven for supplies of spiritual power. Let it ever be accounted true that our gifts and counsels are of greatly diminished value when severed from a devotional spirit, and that the poorest as well as the richest have it in their power to assist the warriors who occupy the high places of the field. Paul assured the Corinthians that they were "helping together by prayer." The present treasurer of the Society, like his predecessors, is deeply conscious of the importance of this kind of work, for he frequently stops the business proceedings of the Committee in order to give an opportunity to look to God for wisdom and might. The convictions which underlie these interruptions are of the very marrow of Christ's religion, and the expression of them runs as a golden thread through all the story of the hundred years. The kneeling figures here in Britain are significant in any explanation of the success which has attended the preaching and the translating of Gospel truths in foreign lands. Included in the functions of the Christian priesthood is the privilege of fervent intercession. "Brethren, pray for us," is still the appeal of true missionaries. How it is that supplication sets free new forces we may be unable to say, but the fact is recognised fully in the New Testament; and we are to hold that, beyond the subjective influence gained by him who prays, there are objective results which cannot be otherwise secured. The first time our annual meetings. were held in London a remarkable incident occurred. In the course of a sermon which he was preaching in the Dutch Church, Austin Friars, mention was made by Dr. Ryland of the happiness of Dr. Carey in having two of his sons, Felix and William, devoted to the Mission; "but," said he, "there is a third who gives him pain because he is not yet turned to the Lord." Then the Doctor burst into tears, and implored the audience to send up a united fervent prayer to God, in solemn silence, for the conversion of Jabez Carey. Two thousand persons silently asked God for that favour. The petition was answered. Among the first tidings from India was the statement that "nearly or quite synchronous with the fervent supplication," Carey's third son had become a believer. No statistics can be given of the part played in missions by the prayers of the saints; but unless the Christian religion be false at the root, it is certain that Home work includes prayer work, and that India, Africa, China, and other mission-fields depend upon England, not only for men and women to sow the incorruptible seed, but also for the intercessions which are answered by the dew, the rain, the sunshine, without which there can be no harvest. The praying here |