"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 gospel is a traveler, and the preacher of the gospel must be
a traveler likewise. 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 any one 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." "I
must preach the gospel to other cities also, for therefore am I sent." Such was the language of the
true Evangelist.

It is very doubtful whether many of the servants of Christ have not erred in allowing themselves,
through one influence or another, to become too much localized_too much tied in one place.
They have dropped into routine work_into a round of stated preaching in the same place_ and,

in many cases, have paralyzed themselves and paralyzed their hearers also. I speak not now of the
labors of the pastor, the elder, or the teacher which must, of course, be carried on in the midst
of those who are the proper subjects of such labors. I refer more particularly to the evangelist.
Such an one should never allow himself to be localized. The world is his sphere; "the regions
beyond," his motto; to gather out God’s elect, his object; the current of the Spirit, his line of
direction. If the reader should be one whom God has called and fitted to be an evangelist, let him
remember these four things_the sphere, the motto, the object, and the line of direction_which
all must adopt if they would prove fruitful laborers in the gospel field.

Finally, 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.)

FRAGMENT. A dying saint was heard to lament:"I was always waiting for the time when I
should have leisure to serve the Lord. I have been saved for thirty-five years, but the leisure time
has never come."