Missionary society

“ Like ministers at home, our Missionaries preach the Gospel; instruct, govern, and build up churches; watch over the young, and stir up their people's zeal. But they do a great deal more. Placed in many cases in simple states of society, on a low level of education and social connection, as well as of religion; in states of society saturated with heathen vices and heathen beliefs, our missionaries have not only to Christianize individual souls, but to Christianize literature, to Christianize public law, to form a healthy public opinion, to sanctify public taste. ”

“ The Relationship Which the Missionary Sustains to the Missionary Society and the Churches Which Support Him. The relationship into which a man, who becomes a missionary, enters with the missionary society and the churches is a very precious one, and should be fully realized. ”

“ But this advanced and noble position, which is the proof of success in the past, and the guarantee and instrument of larger results in days to come, is precisely that attainment and possession of our Society, which the friends of the Society appear least to appreciate. It seems to be thought that now, as ever, missionaries just preach to the heathen and give away books; they teach a few boys and girls; win a few souls; and send a few teachers into the districts around. ”

“ We hear men talk sometimes as if it were the business of a missionary society to undertake the task of healing the physical afflictions of the people almost in the same sense as it is the business of a missionary society to seek to heal their souls. We hear them talk sometimes as if it was the duty of a missionary society to supplant the native medical practice by western medical science as surely as it is their business to supplant idolatry by the preaching of Christ. ”

“ In the providence of God, the American Missionary Association is on that ground. It is the one missionary society of our denomination that sustains missions there. We believe we have an inheritance in that country, and a great destiny in connection with its redemption. We have been true to the negro from the beginning, seeking to do right in his behalf, without fear or favor. I think it is not too much to assert that heaven believes in this Association; that God created it, and will use it for great things in Africa. Good men have believed in it. ”

“ If, in view of all the facts, it should be ultimately decided that the Congregational churches should be represented at the South by one missionary society, the decision should be reached in the broadest spirit of Christian wisdom and kindness. ”

“ It established social settlements, with groups of missionary teachers living in one household among the degraded and despised people, to whom they ministered; an educational society with its system of schools; a church society, seeking always the salvation of souls and gathering of converts into churches.
Now it was that the wisdom, the heroism, the unfaltering faith of this Association, strengthened by fifteen years of valorous adherence [Pg 296] to the gospel principles of emancipation, prepared it to launch out upon its great mission. ”

“ But while the necessity of thus facing the evil seems laid upon the Church Missionary Society, and a new field of labour opens up, calling for fresh exertion, for a new Mission, we are compelled to appeal to the friends of Missions in our Church for the funds necessary to the proper support of our vast existing agency. ”

“ The Imèrina Mission of the London Missionary Society may be in want of much to thoroughly fit it to face the [377] future, and meet and master the many difficulties which are certain to arise under the new régime; but what is most needed—as in hundreds of the churches at home—is an increase of evangelical piety and fervour, and with it a revival of moral earnestness and missionary enthusiasm, which will make itself felt in the Christian work at home and abroad. ”

“ Help is needed, and it is needed now, before the millions of children grow out of our influence and reach, to become like their parents, and even a more dangerous element in society.
How shall the help be given? Every church is an organization which bands together Christian workers. The nearer all can come to the very heart of the great societies appointed to the work of missions, the stronger and warmer are the missionary pulsations. Here is the American Missionary Association, with its forty years’ experience in church and school planting, combined with woman’s work. ”

“ On our part, what sort of labourers,—how grounded, disciplined, and tried,—have we been sending forth to be the Church's forlorn hope in her assaults on the strongholds of heathenism? Men who found difficulty in being employed in England from defective education or other causes: men who looked to get their 300l. a-year, and marry upon their missionaryship: or again, Lutherans from Basle, smuggled into the garb of English churchmen through the Church Missionary Society: nay, till very lately, a number of our missionaries have had no orders!! ”

“ There has scarcely been a foreign missionary field in the world which has had more perils, which has demanded greater sacrifices, which has developed spirits more heroic, more Christ-like. The same spirit which led our brave boys in blue to die to make men free, led their sisters to die to make them holy. And what do you see to-day? This society has done more to stay the tide of illiteracy, to lay the foundations of permanent civil and religious prosperity than all the other agencies put together. ”

“ Presiding Elders shall see that each pastor organize a Missionary Society or Societies, in his charge encourage the idea and spirit of Missions among the people, see that each society is supplied with literature, and preach a sermon on Missions in every charge in his District at least once a year. ”

“ Any society of old or young people, whether Missionary, Ladies’ Aid, Benevolent Society, Sewing Circle or Christian Endeavor—whatever involves combined interests and united work—we cordially welcome to share with us in the grand opportunities of our field.
In this way the ladies of the Congregational churches are helping in the support of seventeen of the established missions of the American [390] Missionary Association—among the colored people, poor whites, Indians and Chinese, according to their choice. ”

“ But what may be called the special characteristic of this Society among missionary organizations doing work in our own land, that which establishes its special claim upon hearts of Christian people, is the radical spirit of love there is in it. It exemplifies in a most practical way, the brotherhood of man. It repudiates caste. It is absolutely color-blind. It works for the despised. It helps those who are themselves the most helpless. ”

“ Why should we put upon the neck of our young disciples a yoke which we and our fathers have not been able to bear? We must teach them some system, and missionaries of different churches will naturally, as well as from conscientious principles, teach their own. But let us teach the systems in their essential elements; let us teach those elements which have stood the test of time, and are found suitable to the spiritual power, the self-management, the general resources, the christian civilization of the churches which we are asked to guide. ”

“ How shall a sewing society be so modified as to best subserve the present home missionary needs? Do not create friction by attempting a sudden and complete revolution. Propose that the brief devotional exercises with which such gatherings sometimes close be placed a little earlier than usual, that there may be time for some interesting missionary letter or some inspiring leaflet, or other selection, or better still, an original paper on some live topic. ”

“ What should we now do without the City missionary? In any moment of perplexity, when new difficulties arise, one generally has to seek the aid of an experienced missionary to help in starting a movement for the relief of some evident spiritual want. My own experience is, that it has pleased God in a marvellous way to use this Society for the advancement of His kingdom. We must not, however, try to monopolize. There are Scripture readers, and, [294] above all, there is that wonderful instrumentality of the Bible-woman and the Bible-nurse. ”

“ Again, while the Society enjoys the services of a large number of able, conscientious, and spiritual men, as devoted as ever their predecessors were to missionary work, it was seen to be essential to their fullest efficiency, that they should be brought into closer union with each other abroad, and with the system of the Society at home ”

“ But reassured by the steadfast loyalty of the Protestant missionaries, who have adhered strictly to their position as religious teachers, and whose prudent, sober conduct in difficult circumstances the Directors consider deserving of high praise, the nobles, believing that christianity had proved itself a great public blessing, began to accept it heartily for themselves. ”

“ It will necessitate earnest work on the part of our friends; but with such an important field urgently calling for the enlargement of missionary work, with so many evidences of the Divine approval resting upon it, and with so much ability in the possession of our friends, may we not hope that the churches will lay hold of the problem and solve it at once? ”

“ Anything, they think, which makes for the amelioration of life, everything which tends to enlighten and uplift the bodies, the souls, and the minds of men, is a proper object for the missionary to pursue, and the missionary should assist every movement towards a higher life in the heathen community as well as in the Christian, and should introduce every method and plan, industrial, social, or political, literary, or artistic, which tends to ennoble the life of men. ”

“ The mission ought not to be three separate things but one thing; for the impression produced upon the non-Christian population is the result of the combination of all the various forms in which the one missionary spirit expresses itself. The spirit which produces them all is one, and it is that one spirit which influences and converts the heathen.
Now we already know the proportion in which workers and funds are divided between the three branches (p. 68) . We already know something of the work done by evangelists in hospitals (p. 83) , and by doctors in evangelistic tours (p. 84) ”

“ The missionary fire is beginning to burn in their hearts. When they go forth, bearing the sacred [406] symbol of our Lord’s love to men, every Christian man and woman in our land should help them. That movement—and it is coming—will, at no distant day give your colonization and missionary societies all they can do. ”

“ The one great need of the world.
There are many persons today who are ready to recognize the beneficent work done by foreign missionaries for the social welfare of the peoples among whom they have been working, who have no sympathy with the religious motives which animate them. Why, they ask, can we not have the hospital and the school without the doctrines that go with them? They forget that it is faith in the realities which the doctrines express which alone has made the missionary enterprise possible. ”

“ Our evangelistic missionaries are busy about everything, from itinerant preaching to the establishment of banks and asylums. Can we afford it? What purpose is dominant, what aim really governs the policy of those who send out evangelistic missionaries? What decides the form of their work and the method by which they pursue it? It is hard to guess, it is hard to discover, it is hard to understand. ”

“ It is a profoundly serious and interesting subject for those responsible for its wise discussion, to account for the comparative lack of energy and success in modern missionary enterprises when set in contrast with those of the earlier Christian ages. Is it that the missionaries have lost their zeal, their fervor, their skill and power, in their work; or that what they offer, without much response of acceptance or gratitude from the subjects of their labor, is not the simple original boon of blessing once so triumphant in its peaceful conquests? ”

“ Since the organization of our missionary societies—less than a century ago—there has been an important change of emphasis in the matter of missionary motives. The progress, I might almost say revolution, in theology has worked towards this change. The recent discovery of new sciences, and the utilization of the wonderful modern means of communication whereby a new knowledge of non-Christian peoples has been made possible to us, has affected our consideration of the whole problem of missionary work and has especially modified the missionary motive. ”

“ The expressed aim of the societies is to promote intelligence, industry and piety among the women and girls, believing that the missionary spirit will as naturally follow as that flowers in good soil will bloom in the warm sunlight and soft showers. ”

“ What may she not do for Christ? And these heathen are in our own country; they are our own people. These young missionaries are very peculiarly ours, and it is through the Northern churches that they are trained for their work. ”

“ The work done is varied, no rigid plan being laid down. Sewing classes for the women and girls, prayer-meetings for the mothers, Bible-readings, visiting from house to house, bearing food and medicine for the sick, clothing for the destitute, and comfort and sympathy for all, health talks—than which nothing can be more needed,—literary societies to develop their untrained minds, foreign missionary meetings to broaden their sympathies; all these and other ways of working for the Lord are reported at their last meeting. ”