THE COMMISSION.
S8
JANUARY, 1861.
OUR MISSIONARY ORGANIZA¬
TIONS SCRIPTURAL, AND THE
DUTY OF CHRISTIANS TO CO¬
OPERATE WITH THEM.
It is sad to know that men and .vo-
men who profess to love the Redeemer,
in the face of all that ho has done for
the salvation of their fellow-sinners,
and in the face of his positive injunc¬
tion, “Go ye therefore into all the world,
and preach the gospel to every crea¬
ture,” coldly excuso themselves from
obeying this last high behest of heaven.
But, nevertheless, they do excuso them¬
selves from this solemn duty, on various
grounds. And, of all the excuses which
are urged, the one founded upon objec¬
tions to the present system of conduct¬
ing our missionary interests, bids fair
to become the most potent and mischie¬
vous. The enterprise itself is admit¬
ted to bo a good one. It is admitted
that the Great Head of tho Church, sol¬
emnly requires the gospel to be preach¬
ed in all the world. But the present
method of carrying out this requisition
it is said, is unscriptural. Our Mis¬
sionary Societies, Conventions and Mis¬
sion Boards, we are told, are all wrong.
Tho churches themselves, as such, it is
said, ought to do this work. It is main¬
tained that the churches have no right
to transfer this work to other'organiza-
tions. And, if this mean anything, it
means so much, at least, as that the
churches have no right to co-operate
with organizations, which are outside
of, and apart from, the churches, in
13
carrying tho light of the gospel into all
tho world. For, to the extent in which
the churches co-operate with such organ¬
izations or societies, they do, in a sense,
transfer this work to those organiza¬
tions. And there are many good breth¬
ren who excuse themselves from doing
anything for this noble and divinely
appointed work because the present
plan of conducting it does not suit
them. But, brethren, is this a good
excuse ? Will it sustain itself under
just criticism ? Concerning it, I would
submit for your careful consideration,
the following observations.
1. It is admitted that the churches
ought to do this work. To preach the
gospel in all the world, is a fundamen¬
tal obligation of tho churches of Christ.
It seems indubitable, that Christ organ¬
ized his church a Missionary Society.
The grand organic law and seal of the
churches of Christ, is his last perpetu¬
al command to go into all the world,
and preach the gospel to every creature.
Tho primary practical design of the ex¬
istence of the churches of Christ, is to
preach tho gospel throughout the whole
world. Hence, no religious organiza¬
tion can claim and present the complete
identity of a church of Christ, in the
absence of the missionary spirit. The
spirit of missions, and the spirit of the
Saviour’s last Commission to his disci¬
ples, are perfectly identical. That com¬
mission is not at all more authoritative
and binding, in regard to the ordinan¬
ces of the gospel, whether as to the
.
',-ш.
I
■Щ
Jt
SSf
■ •
«•
. . ■
