THE COMMISSION
Vo I. 'A. FEBRUARY, 1858. So. 8.
THE CLAIMS OP FOREIGN MIS¬
SION’S UPON EDUCATED YOUNG
MEN.
No. I.
When, in the sovereign operations of
the Spirit of God, a soul awakes from
the sleep of death into the light of life,
it is the natural exclamation of such a
new born soul — “ Ford, what wilt thou
have me to Ho?” The nature of the
great change which is experienced, is
such, as to impart an emphasis to near¬
ly every word of this interesting enqui¬
ry. Jesus is now seen to be “ Lord
as “ upholding all things by the word
of his power ;” as “ the brightness of
the Father’s glory, and the express im¬
age of his person as the “ true God
and eternal life.” Duty is seen to de¬
pend — not upon caprice, human reason
or authority, individual judgment or
discretion, — but upon the will of the
great Captain of Salvation, appointing
“what” ho pleases, to each one several¬
ly, of his subjugated recruits. In cor¬
dial acknowledgment of the sovereign
authority of Jesus Christ, the Christian
convert enquires — not what will others,
whether men or angels — but wlint Lord,
wilt “ thou” have me to do ? Whatever
may be the general designs of God's
grace, or arrangements of his provi¬
dence, ho apprehends an individuality
of purpose, as pertaining to his own
particular case, lie cries, not what
wilt thou have others, but, what wilt
thou have “me” to do? lie feels that
there is a necessity for action ; and in
15
penitential acknowledgment of his past
alienation, and grateful consecration of
himself to the service of Him, who has
redeemed him by his own blood, ho
cries, “ Lord, what wilt thou linvo me
to do?”
To this most interesting enquiry it is
possible to obtain a satisfactory answer.
It is true, no sensible voice is to be ex¬
pected, directing the enquirer in the
path of duty ; no material star, guiding
the worshipper of Jesus to the presence
of his Lord. We have however, “ a
more sure word of prophecy.” In the
spirit of faith and prayer, in drinking
deeply from the fountains of inspiration,
in communion with prophets and apos¬
tles, and especially with the holy Jesus ;
in obedience to the impulses of a gra¬
cious soul ; and in observing the guid¬
ing hand of God’s providence, the ser¬
vant of the Lord may come to a conclu¬
sion on the subject of his duty, upon
which he may rely, with confidence and
hope, in view of the coming solemnities
of the great decisive day. “ The meek
will” the Lord “guide in judgment.”
“Them that honor me,” he says, ** I will
honor.” “ In all thy ways acknowledge
him, and ho shall direct thy paths.”
It is the design of the present article,
in the application of these general prin¬
ciples to a particular case, to consider
the claims oj" Foreign Missions uj)on ed¬
ucated young men.
When I speak of educated young men,
I refer, of course, to such as exemplify
the case I have supposed; that is of
