THINGS TO BE REMEMBERED—NO. 1.
It seems to be a condition of every successful benevolent undertaking that there should be a constant recurrence to fundamental principles. The danger, in all mission enterprises, is that they will become perfunctory,—about so much to the society—rather than a contribution measured by the forces and the interests involved in its work.
It is only when we see the reason of things, and apportion our gifts according to the significance and value of our work on the Kingdom of Christ, that we give intelligently, wisely, steadily for its promotion.
The friends of the American Missionary Association, we believe, will thank us if we recall to their minds certain fundamental things, of which the Association’s work is only an expression.
The Work: Three historic heathen races are represented on these shores and engage the labors of the Association. These races number fully one-half of the human family, and, at least, three-fourths of the un-evangelized portions of the world. For eighteen centuries Christ has claimed them for his own, and long ere this would have received them for his inheritance had his people been obedient to his last command. But as we failed to go into all the world, he has sent the world to us, until the vast empire of heathendom pushes itself up to our very doors. Every day and every hour of the day we touch thousands and millions of China and Africa, and might, if we would, prepare them to be, respectively, the saviours of their country. It is not only possible, but it ought to be an easy thing to raise up out of the seven million blacks, out of the one hundred thousand Chinese, and out of the two hundred and seventy thousand Indians, teachers and preachers enough to give the gospel, with all its accompanying light and power, to the unnumbered myriads they represent still sitting in the shadow of death. The Chinese are returning homeward at the rate of thousands a year, and will all return, if they live, at their own charges. Who dare say it is not in our power to send them back with enough of the knowledge of Christ in their heads, and of his love in their hearts, to guide themselves and their countrymen to Heaven? Who dare say that we have not Christian power enough to bring every Indian in the land under the subduing influence of the Gospel: that we have not resources of every kind adequate to preparing thousands and tens of thousands of the sons and daughters of Africa to be the regenerators of their country?
And yet we have been in contact with the Negro and the Indian since the landing of the Pilgrims; and with the Chinese since the discovery of gold on the Pacific coast, without perceiving that our hand was on the unsaved millions of the globe, and that we had the opportunity to move and master them for Christ.
Has blindness happened to our churches that they do not see the meaning of the presence of these races here, and that they look with such apparent indifference, not only upon questions of the gravest political import in connection with them, but questions involving the regeneration of continents? These populations are in our hands, and will be what we make them. We may train them to be the World’s teachers and leaders, or we may leave them and their races to the old night of heathenism. It is such an opportunity to do a magnificent Christian work for the human race as was never before offered to man. To take advantage of this opportunity is the special work of the American Missionary Association. And to no society in this or in any land is there entrusted a work broader in the possibilities of its influence, or mightier in the sources of its power.
C. L. WOODWORTH.