Southern Baptist Missionary Journal, April 1849

SOUTHERN BAPTIST -■ '‘Ь У‘- , ; »."й • ■ л • « MISSIONARY JOURNAL. VOL. III. APRIL, 1S4.9. NO. 11. WHY DO MISSIONS LANGUISH? Paul may plant and Apollos may water, but God alone giveth the increase. We need not only the ordinary and general blessings of life, health, and favorable cir¬ cumstances, but we must also have the extraordinary and special blessing of the quickening influence of the Holy Spirit. Without this influence, missions would languish to the end of time. Sinners cannot be converted by men. The letter killcth, but preaching cannot give life. “ Eternal life is the gift of God,” by his Spirit. Under the influence of that Spirit, a nation might be bom in a day, and the world might be astonished by the intelligence, China is converted, the Indies arc evangelized, the whole of Africa has turned to God. Without the influence of the Holy Spirit, there can be no real prayer in our churches or in the closet. There may be a display of rich and flowing words, uttered with all the power of effective elocution, but there can be no groaning which cannot be uttered, no fervent effectual prayer, which availeth much. But when the power of the Holy Spirit is felt in the hearts of Christians, the very air which they breathe is perfumed with the odor of prayer. Alone or in company, in the church or in pursuit of their daily avocations, the incense of devotion “ uttered or unexpressed,” arises warm from their hearts without ceasing, and ascends into the presence of God. Let churches, pastors, and missionaries have this Spirit of grace and supplication, and missions cannot continue to languish; for God has prom¬ ised to answer prayer. If it were not for the gracious influences of God’s Spirit, even the missionaries, who have forsaken all for the gospel, could not be qualified for their station. Being but men, they would sink under the weight of human corruption, and of the mani¬ fold trials incident to their work. They would begin to re-assert their claim to the worldly pomp, and the vain-glory which they have repudiated; to covet again the wealth and the ease which they have renounced. They would grow selfish and proud; their spirit and ways would become offensive to God and to man; and they would degenerate into a curse to the churches and to the world. But animated by tho Spirit of God, they would be humble, holy, and heavenly-minded, like their Divine Master; content to endure afflictions, privations, and toil as good soldiers of Jesus Christ; and determined in the midst of all their tribulations, to live and to die in the great work of preaching Christ to the heathen. It is recorded of Barnabas, that “ lie was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost, and of faith, and much peo¬ ple was added unto the Lord.” Acts ii: 24. Who does not see the necessity for fervent, importunate prayer, that God would give a great increase of his Spirit to our brethren, both at home and abroad? If left destitute of the saving influences of God’s Spirit, the churches would soon be filled with the spirit of the world. We should find some of our brethren devo-