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PACIFIC CHRISTIAN MESSENGER, FRIDAY, JAN. 16, 1880.
2
The Missionary Spirit.
BT T. M. JOBN BOM.
Mirk xvi. 15, 16.
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N
There are five things in this passage
•f Scripture that merit our considera
tion .*
1. Christ.
II. The Commission.
III. Tne Gospel.
IV. Obedience to the Gospel.
V. Salvation.
Christ is here sending out the first
missionaries that are to carry the
standard of the cross into the enemy’s
territory ; the first that áre to do and
dare, and suffer and conquer for the
Master. Here is the fountain-head of
the missionary - spirit. From this
“ smitten rock ” the willing waters
flow. Who can look upon its marred-
yet grand visage, without a desire to
bear a cup full of water to some
thirsty wanderer ? He who believes
that Jesus is the Christ, that the
Gospel is the power of God unto salva
tion, that obedience is the duty and
privilege óf mankind, and that salva
tion is the boon God gives to spch as
love his, Son, is ready for the word go
Hence/the missionary spirit is the
spirit of faith.,_2_______ -
'
Again, he whose parched tongue has
been softened by water from the
Fountain, he who has found the high
way of holiness and truth, and knows
that it leads to the city of- our God,—
.such an one will be full of hope and
love that will overflow to others.
Hence, the missionary spirit is the
spirit of hojie and love. Now, where
faith, hop? and love are found, there
C l I so will be found the spirit of
I
obedience. Hence, the missionary
spirit is the spirit of obedience. It is
a self-sacrificing spirit that freely
takes from its own that it may enrich
others. It is a growing spirit, such
as “ scattereth and yet increaseth.” It
is an aggressive spirit, that deliber
ately girds on the armor, and(<with
the word of truth, goes forth conquer-
Ing and to conquer. It sows and
waters, with confidence that God will
give the increase. It sees the har
vest and longs to gather it. Its great
heart beats in unison with Christ’s
for all men. It longs to be a physi
cian to the sick, a guide to the blind,
and a staff to the lame. Its voice
calls in the mountains and in the
valleys: “ Ho, every one that thirst-
eth, come ye to the waters; and he
that hath no money, come ye, buy and
eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.”
te Is. lv. 1.
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ing and waning of fervor in spirit for
missionary service.
But again, a standard is a rule by
which we are to be governed. What,
then, should govern the missionary
spirit ? Its boundaries are marked
by morality, opportunity and ability.
So long as the laws of morality arte
not transgressed we may rise as high,)
and go as far, as we have ability.
Thus far, the Lord says, " Go." Fur
ther than this He has not bidden us
advance.
Let me sum up again by saying
that the true standard of the mission
ary spirit is that which will carry the
banner of the cross of Christ with
well regulated apd recuperative zeal
to the very borders of morality, op
portunity and ability.
As these
borders increase, it will press on
ward, impelled iby the Saviors mes
sage, 0 Go."— Christian.
Historical Position of Palestine.
The position of Palestine on the
map of the world has fitted it and its
successive people for a remarkable
place in history. Here is a little
country, with only eight thousand
square miles, or two thousand less
than our State of Vermont, which, if
we measure it by the scope of its his
tory, the remote antiquity of its liter
ature, and the great forces it has start
ed into irresistible mevement, we
must place it among the foremost in
the ancient family of nations. It is
practically the meeting place of three
continents, Europe, Asia and Africa.
If Belgium is the ''cockpit of Europe,”
where many of the chief, battles of
modern times have been fought, Pal
estine holds the same relation to the
ancient world. Her plain of Esdrae-
lon has been the battle ground of na
tions and civilization from Abraham’s
day to Napoleon Bonaparte's. This
little country was the pathway of
nations on land, while on sea it was
her Phoenicia which planted colonies
all around the shoies of the Mediter
ranean, created Carthage, rival of rome
and dared to send her «hips as far
north as Britian. There is something,
too, akin to magnetism in the wonder
ful little land. It gave a certain mea
sure of historical importance, and, in
deed, of immortality, to every people
and land touched. Take from our
knowledge of Egyptian history all we
have learned fiom the Mosaic narra
tive, and there will be a marvelous
diminution of the fund. It is only
where Assyria, in an early day, came
into relations with Asyria that we
get something of a definite knoweledge
of that great Oriental power. We
find Rawlinson, in his “ Five Monarch
ies,” and Wilkinson, in his “ Manners
and Customs of the Egyptians,” con
stantly appealing to and leaning on
the Scripture history, in order to treat
the subject in hand in consecutive
form. It is Palestine that brings all
great ancient countries within our
vision. It is our best telescope for a
review of the remote past. We read
the fertu/es of other people through
he*—Hf right she did not possess the
Greek language. It was foisted upon
her through Alexander’s conquest,
and yet so carefully did she learn the
new tongne, that it became the recep
tacle of the new faith from Him of
Nazareth, and the medium of fts com
munication to the remotest shores
known to men. Palestine long resist
ed Rome, and finally suffered destruc
tion through Titus. Her acres and
faith were bartered like a piece of
merchandise, and were, in turn, owned
by Canaanite, Jew, Assyrian,4 Greek,
Syrian, Maccabten and Roman. But
in three centuries we find Bethleham
supplanting Rome. Christianity held
the scepter on the Seven hills, and pa
ganism became • thing of the country
village, or pagupi.—Harper’s Maga
zine.
Thus much generally. To sum it
al! up I want to say that the mission
ary spirit i« the spirit of every well-
developed Christian. It is the desire
to be faithful. It is a confident,
loving, growing, self-sacrificing, ag
gressive and irresistible desire to
serve God and save man.
This spirit as a germ, or in some
stage of development, dwells in the
heart of every child of God. By
proper means, it can be fully devel-
. oped. But before we search fer the
proper means of training, let us find
the true standard.
2. What is the true standard of the
missionary spirit ?
If by the term " standard ” we mean
ensign or banner, we point to the
cross of Christ. To this his soldiers
rally. To this they point the refugee.
In this they conquer, and this- they
plant on every, captured stronghold.
But it by the term " standard ” we
mean, degree ®f fervor, the true stand
ard will be found in a well regulated
ebb and flow of zeal and fervor. Let
it rise and fall—there need be no fear.
If the spirit really eriats, and it does,
the fall will not weaken it Like the
tides of the ocean, it will always an
swer to the proper forces. Too great
and too prolonged tension weakens.
lfra. Myra Clark Gain«« of Spanish
As the heart beata and then rests, aa grant fans is dead, and the New Orleans
the morning comes and then the authorities hare said let there be ererlaat
evening, so let there be regular wax- ing rest.
Rules About RailwajrTickets.
ticket when it is asked, is so much a
<• Palestine Pottery.
‘
matter of course that there have been
The Biblical descriptions of pottery
As every body travels now-a-days, very few lawsuits arising upon any
it will be interesting to know what one’s refusal. In one case the cars are singularly applicative to the pres
the rules at present are in regard to were crowded, and when the conduc ent process of manufacture. Now, in
the purchase and use of railway tick tor came the man was standing be this nineteonth century, the potter
ets. We give a few such rules from cause he could not find a seat. He sits at his frame and turns the wheel
the N. Y. Times :
showed bis ticket, but would not give with his foot. Or, as we read in the
As to tickets, the current of thought it up, and said: “ When you get me a Apocrypha: “ So doth the potter, sit
in the courts, year ago, was that a seat I will give you the ticket.” The ting at his work and turning the
passenger had the right to be carried court said this was lawful ; a passen wheel about with his feet; he fash-
if he had paid or would pay fare ; if ger is not bound to pay fare if he is , ioneth the clay with his arm.” Th©
he was in the right upon this point, not furnished with a seat. Another potter had a heap of the prepared
his having a ticket or loosing it, or case occured in England. - The races clay near him and a pot of water by
detaching a coupon, or the like, were were approaching, and a man who his side. Taking a lump in his hand
minor matters. But the lawyers of wished to carry three horses to the he placed it on top of the wheel,
the companies have argued a good grounds bought tickets thus : a first- which revolves horizontally, and
deal, and pretty successfully, upon the class for himseif, three third-class for smoothed it into a dow cone, like the
whole, that a modem railway train three grooms, and one for three horses upper end of a sugar-loaf; then, thrust
cannot well be rnn through on time if He took a seat in his first-class car, ing his thumb into the top of it, he
the conductor must be delayed all forward, and the grooms and horses opened a hole down through the cen
along to make change with every pas had places in their cara to thè rear, ter, and this he constantly widened by
senger, or listen to his explanations but the employer carried the tiokets pressing the edges of the revolving->
why he has not a ticket. And the for the whole party. When the mo Cone between his hands.. As it en
courts are now quite generally agreed ment for starting came, the managers larged and became thinner, he gave
that a company may make a rule re of the train thought it would be too it whatever shape he pleased with the
quiring passengers to buy tickets, and long, so they started the forward cars utmost ease and expedition. It is ev-__
may enforce it by stationing a gate with one locomotive and made the ident, from numerous expressions in
man to exclude them from the cars if rear ones iip with another, In the the Bible, that the potter’s vessel was
they do not show tickets, by charging rear train, when the conductor found i the synonym of uttef fragility; and
a moderate extra fare paid in the cars that the grooms and horses were with- to say, as David does, that Zion’* -*
or by putting a ticketless passenger -out tickets he refused to carry them. ' King would dash his enemies in pieces
off the train. But there are some im Meantime the employer was traveling Jjke a potter’s vessel, was to threaten
portant conditions imposed upon this onward with the tickets for the entire was" ruinous and remediless destruc-*
privilege favorable to travelers. One party. The court held that all this tion. We who are accustomed to
is that the company must have the was the company’s fault, and the em strong stoneware of considerable val
ticket eflice open, with an agent there ployer Recover damages. The com ue, can scarcely appreciate some of
to sell, a convenient time before trains pany had no business to divide the these Biblical references, but for Pal
start. There have been several law train, after the party were, all seated, estine they are ttill as appropriate
suits in which the passenger has won without giving them notice.-— Jzvan and forcible as ever. Arab jars are
so thin and trail that they are liter
by proving that he could not buy be list.
I
ally dashed to shivers by the slightest
cause the agent was not on duty at
The Minister’s Salary.
stroke. Water jars are often broken
the proper time. The courts say it is
by merely putting them down upon
not reasonable to require a man to buy
The pastor’s salary should be paid the floor; and the servant frequently
what no one is ready to sell.
promptly.
returns from the fountain empty-
If any one is curious as to the legal
1. Because the minister is occupied handed, having had all his jars
nature of a ticket, that point has been with spiritual things, therefore an ad
smashed to atoms by some irregular
the subject of considerable discussion. equate support should be given, and
behavior of the donkey.— Harper''tr
In early days the companies claimed promptly paid.
Haga zine.
that it was a contract, and they print
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2. We maintain that the minister
ed all kinds of termsand engagements requires bread and meat to live upon
The Paradise of Babiex
on it But it came to pass that the as other men; clothing for his body;
The real “Paradise of Babies” is
government at Washington imposed bpoks for his libraiy, and various oth
Japan,
—as has been said many times,
a five-cent revenue stamp upon all er créature comforts. HAT wife must
—
for
not
only do the children have
kinds of written contracts ; and then be so clothed that she may be able to
every
imaginable
toy, but many per
the companies suddenly found out go among the families of the congre
that tickets were not contracts. The gation without being ashamed on acj sons g»t their living by amusing them.
best of the answers given is one by a count of her appearance. If he has Men go about the streets and blow
New York court, that a railway ticket no wife, he is entitled to one, and can soap bubbles for them with pipes that
is a certificate or token issued by the therefore lay a solid claim to her sup have no bowls as ours have. These
young Japsh$X£ tops, stilts, pop-guns,,
company, to the traveler, as his evi port also.
blow-guns, magic lanterns, kaleidos
dence to the conductor that he has
3. We argue from the explicit de
copes,
wax figures, terra-cotta animals,
paid his fare. Then, if there is any clarations of God’s Word, that the
flying
fish and dragons, masks, puz
thing printed on it, by way of propos minister is entitled to a support :
zles,
and
games; butterflies and beetle*
al or notice to the traveler, and that “ They that preach the Gospel, should
that
flutter
about; turtles that move
the traveler reads it, be has received live of the Gosjiel;” and many like
their
legs
and
pop out their heads;
notice and must act accordingly. But passages.
birds
that
fly
about,
and peck the fin
if he is a German and can’t read En
4. Not only is he entitled to the
glish, or if it is night and the car too promise of such support, but it should gers and whistle; paste-board targets-
that, when hit, burst open and let a-
dark for reading, as has happened be promptly paid.
winged figure fly out; and, most won
sometimes, whatever is printed on the
5. To decline to contribnte accord
derful of all, perhaps, little balls look
card goes for nothing. According to ing to one’s ability is wrong.
ing like elder-pith, which, thrown in
this it may seem better to put one’s
6. To decline to pay what has been
to warm water, slowly expand into*
ticket in one’s pocket without looking promised is dishonest.
the
shape of a boat, or a fisherman, a.
at it. But that is not common sense.
7. To put off the payment of the
tree,
flower, crab, or bird.
A traveler should examine it and be subscription to the pastor’s salary un
The
girls-of Japan have dolls’ furni
have as it directs, if reasonable. The til all other obligations are met, and
ture
and
dishes, and, of course, dolls.
courts would not encourage his evad all personal or family expenses like
They
have
dolls that walk and dance,
ing notice.
wise, we also characterize as dishones dolls that put on a mask when a string,
Tickets generally read for a trip ty-
is pulled; dolls dressed to represent
8. The interests of a man’s soul aro nobles, ladies, minstrels, mythological
from one place named to another; and
often say, “good for this day only;” or more important than the temporal ifi- and historical personages. Dolls are-
" for this train.” Here again the de teresta of his family, and ho who does handed down for generations, and ir>
cisions of courts have grown more fa not support the Gospel, or its messen some families are hundreds of them.
vorable to companies, probably be gers, wrongs his own soul.
They never seem to get broken or
cause the immense increase of their
The conclusion reached cannot be worn out, as yours do ; and, in fact,
business haB made rules of this kind questioned, viz. ïhat the pastor’s sal they can hardly be the dear playmates
more needful. The general rule seems ary should be paid.— Church Messen that yours are. They are kept as a
to be that companies have a right to ger.
sort of show; and, though the little
to limit their tickets in such ways, as
owners play with them, they do not
—
San
Francisco
is
probably
the
a means of providing against sudden
dress and undress them and put them
overcrowding, and of keeping the most cosmopolitan city in the United
to bted, as you do A good deal of the
roads and trains in such order as will States. An English traveler lately
time they are rolle 1 in sitk paper and
accommodate all who wish to travel; visiting there, writes : “ I had my
packed sway in a trunk
On the
and if they require him so to do, the boots blacked by an African, my chin
great
festival
day
of
the
Japanese
traveler must purchase a ticket for shaved by a European, and my bed
girl—the Feast of Dolls, of whfrir^no
the da£ he means to travel, and must made by an Asiatic; a Frenchman
doubt you have heard,—there is a
confirm to its terms. Or, if for any cooked my dinner, an Englishman
great show of dolls and toys, and it is
reason, he needs to change his plan, showed me my seat, an Irishman
the event of the year fdr the queer
his right is to carry the useless ticket, changed my plate, a Chinaman washed
little black -eyed maidens. The Feast
to the ticket-seller or treasurer and my table napkin, and a German
of Flags is the boys’ great day, and
handed
me
my
bill.
”
Where
was
the
ask for his money back, and not to
they have banners, flags, fiigures of
American
?
f'
insist upon riding on a day or train
warriors and great men, ¿words, and
which it does not allow.
It is what we don’t know that other toys suitable for boys.—¿if.
For a passenger to surrender his' makes us poor and helpless.
Nicholas.
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