We would commend for prayerful consideration the following remarks accompanying the annual missionary report published in "Echoes of Service," and issued by our brethren in Bath, England:
In view of the fact that the number of laborers with whom we correspond does not decrease, the necessity for curtailing our remittances for ordinary needs naturally gives cause for concern, especially as we have evidence that many devoted servants of the Lord are passing through severe testings and trials of faith. We were surprised to learn, a little while back, from one who with his wife has diligently served the Lord for many years in the regions beyond, that what they received financially was practically confined to what we were able to send. We fear this may not be an isolated case. Such information was not by any means given by way of an appeal, and we are afraid there may be many who in like circumstances are suffering. Our work is not that of a Missionary Society. We are, however, deeply impressed with the importance that, for the very reason of the absence of an organization, of which none of us approve, our readers should adopt all possible means- as, for instance, by reading this magazine, as well as in other ways-of making themselves acquainted with the work in which our brethren in other lands are engaged, and with the circumstances under which their labor is carried on, so that there may be continual intercession for them, with resulting practical co-operation with them. We are thankful whenever we hear that this is the case. While we rejoice that the work of the Gospel is spreading, and souls in almost every country in the world are being won for Christ and built up in the truths of the Word of God, we feel the need of stirring up our readers to earnest prayer that the Adversary may not be permitted to gain an advantage by means of the circumstances of the times in which we are living.
We have heard it mooted that, in view of the serious economic conditions which prevail today, there should be some deterrent influence exercised in the matter of the going forth of fresh workers. There is, indeed, need of restraint and hindrance where there is any lack of evidence of a definite call and qualification for such work. We cannot too often point out that the Scriptures do not countenance anything like the application of a person to go forth as a missionary. Missionary service in the regions beyond must never be looked upon as an occupation upon which one enters as upon a new calling. Service in the gospel begins in one's own locality and in connection with the assembly with which one is identified.
But, while this is true, we must not overlook the Lord's command, which still holds good, to pray to the Lord of the harvest to thrust forth laborers into His harvest. It may be indeed "a day of trouble," but, "Shall I bring to the birth and not cause to bring forth?" saith the Lord. Is He going to arrest His work in the midst of its fulfilment? It is "for such a time as this" that He allots to His servants their work and gives them their honorable opportunity, and it is for the fulfilment of His purpose that they "came to this hour." Oh, that we in our measure may, like the Lord, pray, "Father, glorify Thy Name," and with devotion, deeper than ever, to His interests, seek with increased self-denial to help forward His servants!
How little do some of us know of that readiness to impoverish ourselves for the making of others rich! Troublous days seem needful to bring us to our senses and to put us to the test. Let each one then ask himself, "Am I doing all I can for the Lord who did so much for me?" "Am I giving all I can for Him who gave Himself for me?" It is only as constrained by the love of Christ that our service is of any value in His sight, but then this love is no sentimental thing. We manifest our love to Christ by seeking to please Him and being ready to make sacrifices for His sake. It is not by urgent appeals for men and money that His work is to be furthered, but by a fresh revelation of Himself to our hearts, causing self and self's interests to be forgotten in the overwhelming appeal of His love. The Lord grant it to each one of us!
In another place we read concerning prayer on behalf of missionaries and the Lord's work in foreign lands, as follows:
FERVENT PRAYER
In Matthew 18:19, the Lord says:"If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven." And Colossians 4:12 tells of one person who labored fervently in prayer. Epaphras kept in a praying spirit all the time, not one prayer now and again, but constantly-recurring prayers, and these with fervor. "Fervently" here means wrestling in agony, as in an athletic contest or warfare, and this prayer contest implies the existence of keen, persistent opposition of unseen foes that must be overcome. Epaphras, we see, was a prayer-combatant. In addition to praying elders' meetings, let ones and twos in their homes and elsewhere, be at it. In a recent issue of "China's Millions" we read, "We thank God the C. I. M. has more prayer helpers today than at any previous time. In addition to over 5,000 members of the Prayer Union, and 206 prayer gatherings at which the work of the C. I. M. is regularly remembered, there are now 1,631 prayer companions linked to 286 missionaries on the field. In two years the number of prayer companions has almost doubled itself."
Let us listen to the burning words of another, "Where are the Christly leaders who can teach the saints to pray and put them to it? Do we know we are raising a prayerless set of saints? Where are the apostolic leaders who can instruct God's people to pray? Let them come to the front and do the work, and it will be the greatest work that can be done!"
JAPAN NEWS LETTER
From our brother E. B. Craig, we have received the following:
Work amongst the Japanese hereabouts is principally house-to-house visitation. Brother H. S. McNair helps. We covered most of the Japanese houses in Alameda city lately. Sometimes I speak in Japanese churches. The work is more sowing than reaping. There are many genuine Christians amongst the Japanese in America, but the majority are either Buddhists or irreligious. Work in English also takes much of my time.
The greeting cards with Scripture (about eighty, or so) which my wife and I usually send to Japan at New Year time, have brought hearty expressions of appreciation from our Japanese brethren and sisters. They report that the various activities in the gospel, including their cottage Sunday Schools, continue with blessing. In another part of Tokyo early morning cottage meetings on Thursdays have been started. Prayer is asked for two more new converts.
The strife in Manchuria seems to be endangering brother Kautto and his wife and their Chinese helpers, as according to a news' report bombs have exploded near their compound killing some Chinese. May the hand of God be over His servants, protecting them from military ruthlessness, and may the distress serve to open many hearts to the Gospel."
MEXICAN WORK IN TEXAS Our brother Ervin Dresch writes:
The small Mexican assembly continues here in San Antonio. Lack of clothing hinders some from coming to the meetings. The Sunday School continues to grow. Since January we have been having an average of over seventy-five present. There is real interest in our rural Sunday School, held in the bed-room of a Mexican brother, he having moved his family to the garage to make room for the Sunday School and other meetings. We cram from thirty to forty in the room at times. The Lord took their dear little baby in March, which was a hard trial, and they were told that it was because they left "the holy mother church." However the testimony of this family is winning others to Christ. Now his wife's eldest sister is exercised. Please pray for these dear people.
WORK IN NEW YORK HARBOUR
Good Literature Needs
A crying need of the work here is good and suitable literature for English-reading seamen. All gospel books and tracts are not especially adaptable for many of them. In making this need known recently we were much encouraged by receiving a splendid package of "Safety, Certainty and Enjoyment," and also a number of packages of excellent gospel magazines. May the Lord bless this seed as we sow it in hope.
A new (to us) type of American seamen has just presented itself to us here – Chinamen born in San Francisco and Honolulu, working on American ships. They are of course Americans, speaking good English, and having some kind of Christian training. They showed great interest in our talks and we left with them some of the above-mentioned books.
Seamen have good memories. They never forget those whom they have met. This was brought home to us very strikingly a week ago by an African cook who knew us as soon as we boarded his steamer, and who recalled every word we had spoken to him on a previous visit- something to make us consider carefully what we say.
-E. A. West.
AFRICA
Definite prayer is requested on behalf of our brethren, and Protestant missionaries generally, laboring in the Belgian Congo, as the opposition of Rome has become intensified during the past year. In this connection Doctor Woodhams writes:-
We have just been reading of the opposition that our brethren are feeling at the Westcott Mission. After thirty years of faithful work, to have active systematic opposition commenced, with the one idea of scattering the people and breaking up the testimony, must be disheartening, to say the least. But such are the ways of Rome, and she has not changed. Yet what has been done for the Lord will stand, and there may be even a brighter shining as the result of the testing. It is proposed to do the same thing at Nyangkundi, for the same Rome has chosen a site within a half-mile of the mission, and they plan to put a station there. The present station of the Roman Catholics has been at Bunia, about thirty miles away, and they had contented themselves with having native teachers and out-schools all around the Nyangkundi section. But Nyangkundi grew in spite of this, and it has evidently been a sore spot to them to see so many natives there. So the above proposal comes as a new form of opposition, but we can leave this in the Lord's hands, knowing that by both "good report and evil report" the Word is made known. These two instances seem to be but part of what we hear of as a general policy being carried out throughout Congo. It is good in view of all this to remember the humble place which is ours as servants of Christ-to continue on giving out the gospel in obedience to the Lord who sent us. Yet we have felt nothing of the power of Satan against Christ as compared with what our brethren in Russia have felt, for example. So the world conditions but remind us that our Lord's word is being fulfilled, "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be," and our hope is brighter.
RETURNING WORKERS
Our brother Gordon Searle, his wife and two children, will sail, D.V., on the "SAMARIA" from the Cunard Pier about midnight, June 17th. Our brother and his family are at present visiting relatives in Nova Scotia, but it is hoped we can arrange a farewell meeting in New York City or vicinity before they sail. Let us bear our brother and his family up in prayer as they again set out for Africa.
HOME MISSION WORK
While we are particularly interested in the work of the Lord in foreign lands, we feel that we should not, particularly at this season of the year, be unmindful of the opportunities for greater gospel activity that abound both on the streets of our great cities and in country places. Remembering the words of our Lord, "Ye shall be witnesses unto Me, both in Jerusalem, and Judea, and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth," so that beginning at Jerusalem (our own locality) might we not in activity and prayer interest widen out and out until we take in the "uttermost part of the earth."
"The night cometh when no man can work" (John 9:4).