Southern Baptist Missionary Journal, January 1848

i л ;• .. vtffe.oari.’ ! ■ fifca ri fe. : hsU.. SOUTHERN BAPTIST ‘ii ' . "!;7‘'г;Г5 MISSIONARY JOURNAL. YOL. II- JANUARY, 1S48. NO. 8. THE CONVERSION OF THE WORLD PRACTICABLE. It has been shown to be practicable, to organize the -Christian community throughout the world, and to call out its entire strength, for the work of propagating the gospel. Nay, we should hardly exceed the limits of the most frigid accuracy, were we to say, that the entire Christian community has been organized for this work. Where are the churches, recognized as belonging to the great fellowship of Christ’s disciples, which do not ac¬ knowledge, that they hold their very charter from their king, on the express condition of cooperating for the extension of his kingdom ; or to whose solemn assemblies the missionary agent does not come, in one way or ano¬ ther, asking, for this work, their contributions and their prayers? Where is the individual disciple, to whom the annual, the monthly, or the weekly appeal does not come, demanding of him, in the name of his Redeemer, his portion of time, of money, of thought, of effort, for the conversion of the world? The Christian world is organized for action in this work. It is up, not yet indeed in all its strength, nor with all the self-devotion which so vast an enterprise demands ; still, it is up, and in array for aggression on all the intrenchments and domains of darkness. Nor is this a mere gust, of sudden, and therefore transient excitement. How calm, how deliberate, how intellectual, how conscientious, is the con¬ viction in respect to this subject, which has been fastened upon all the churches ! There is nothing sudden or enthusiastic about it. How grad¬ ually has this vast organization been effected ! How steadily, and with how many tokens of an etherial and irrepressible energy, has this mighty impulse extended itself, till it now connects, with a stronger sympathy than ever, all the kindreds of the redeemed ! The spirit of propagandisrn is an essential element of Christianity ; and the development of that spirit in this age, is only the necessary result of the opportunities for Christian effort, which the present aspect of the world spreads out to the eye of reviving faith. See how that spirit pervades the Christian iiteralure of the age ; how it mingles itself with the very elements of religious instruction in the Sab¬ bath school, and by the fire- side; how it thunders from the pulpit, in the voice of every minister of the word ; how it breathes in the prayers of Myriads who pray without ceasing; how it gives to the hymns of Zion, a