"To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you" (2 Cor. 10:16). These words, while they set forth the largeheartedness of the self-denying and devoted apostle, do also furnish a fine model for the evangelist in every age. The divinely-qualified and divinely-sent evangelist will fix his eye upon "the world." From house to house, from street to street, from city to city, from province to province, from kingdom to kingdom, from continent to continent, from pole to pole_such is the range of the "good news" and the publisher thereof. "The regions beyond" must ever be the grand gospel motto. No sooner has the gospel lamp cast its cheering beams over a district than the bearer of that lamp must think of the regions beyond. Thus the work goes on. Thus the mighty tide of grace rolls, in enlightening and saving power, over a dark world which lies in "the valley of the shadow of death."

Christian reader, are you thinking of "the regions beyond you"? This expression may, in your case, mean the next house, the next street, the next village, the next city, the next country, or the next continent. The application is for your own heart to ponder. Now I am not saying that you should abandon your present post, at least not until you are fully persuaded that your work at the post is done. But remember, the gospel plow should never stand still. "Onward" is the motto of every true evangelist. Let the shepherds abide by the flocks; but let the evangelists go here and there to gather the sheep. This is the design of the gospel. This should be the object of the evangelist as he sighs after "the regions beyond." When Caesar beheld, from the coast of Gaul, the white cliffs of Britain, he earnestly longed to carry his arms there. The evangelist, on the other hand, as he casts his eye over the map of the world, longs to carry the gospel of peace into regions which have heretofore been wrapped in midnight gloom, covered with the dark mantle of superstition, or blasted beneath the withering influences of "a form of godliness without the power."

It would be a profitable question for many of us to put to ourselves, how far are we discharging our holy responsibilities to "the regions beyond." I believe the Christian who is not cultivating and manifesting an evangelistic spirit is in a truly deplorable condition. I believe, too, that the assembly which is not cultivating and manifesting an evangelistic spirit is in a dead state. One of the truest marks of spiritual growth and prosperity, whether in an individual or in an assembly, is earnest anxiety after the conversion of souls. It is hard to believe that "the word of Christ" is "dwelling richly" in anyone who is not making some effort to impart that word to his fellow-sinners. It matters not what may be the amount of the effort; it may be to drop a few words in the ear of a friend, to give a tract, to pen a note, to breathe a prayer. But one thing is certain, namely, that a healthy, vigorous Christian will be |an evangelistic Christian_a teller of good news_one whose sympathies, desires, and energies are ever going forth toward "the regions beyond."

Whether the reader be an evangelist or not, I would earnestly entreat him to examine how far he is seeking to further the gospel of Christ. We must not stand idle. Time is short! Eternity is rapidly approaching! The Master is most worthy! Souls are most precious! The season for work will soon close! Let us, then, in the name of the Lord, be up and doing. And when we have done what we can in the regions around, let us carry the precious seed into "the regions beyond."

(From "Papers on Evangelization" in Miscellaneous Writings, Vol. 3.)