known those in foreign lands to tear up, or even refuse to accept tracts or booklets when handed to them. In most cases they receive them courteously and thank the giver, and whether in street cars, busses, or trains, they will imme diately read them. In Spain I have had my car surrounded by men and women, stretching out their hands for the gospel tracts I was giving away, so eager were they to get them. Let anyone take an automobile, load it with tracts and drive through France or Italy, or through Cuba and Haiti, and just give out gospel tracts, and he will have a ministry that will count for eternity, even if he is unable to preach in the language of the people. God uses the printed page. That is why I invest so much money in it. I know of no better way to evangelize the Russian people, both in Europe and South America, and for that matter, wherever they are to be found, than by giving them gospel booklets, for they will read any thing. Nearly a dozen of my own booklets have been translated into Russian, as well as into a dozen or more other languages, and scattered in tens of thousands, and I am continually hear ing of conversions as a result. Think, if you will, of the hundreds upon hundreds of differ ent organizations here at home for the propagation of the gospel. Then think of the few in foreign lands. It just doesn’t seem fair. We have concentrated on the home work and have forgotten those for whom nothing has been prepared. What would you do if you should see ten men lifting a log and if nine were on one end and one on the other? Where would you help? Why, on the end where the one was lifting, would you not? Need I say more? It is the foreign field that needs our help most. Three Different Groups I would like to challenge three different groups. First of all, the senders, then the pray-ers, and last, but not least, the go-ers. All three are necessary. Someone must send; money is necessary. There are those who will have to hold the ropes at home. And if you, my friend, cannot go, then perhaps God wants you to be a sender and to see that another goes in your place. Your part is to. earn money and make it possible for someone else to go. And remember, you will share equally in the reward. Then there are the pray-ers. It may be that you cannot earn money and that you only have sufficient for your own needs. You may never be able to send another; but you can be a pray-er. You can spend a little time in Africa, and India, and China, each day. You can get a list of missionaries and pray for them. That may be your responsibility, and if it is, woe betide you if you shirk it. You, too, may win a reward by faithfully praying for those who have gone; thus you can have a share in their work. Then, of course, there are the go-ers, and if you are healthy and strong, if you have or can get the necessary training, and if you are prepared, you can go. The urge will come upon you as you pray about your life’s work and you will soon know if God is calling. I challenge you to the greatest work in the world. I appeal to you to go if you can. There is noth ing like it. Why, the missionaries are God’s aristocrats. They are the aristocracy of the church. You will be associating with the finest people on earth. How will you know God’s will? Let me tell you. Start now praying about your life’s work. Pray every day. Set aside time for prayer and cry out, “ Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” Then, as you pray, read missionary biographies; get the life stories of Livingstone, Carey, Moffat, McKay, Judson, Gilmour, Paton, Slessor, Chalmers, and others, and read two or three chapters each day. That will put you into the at mosphere of missions. Then, as you read and pray, not for getting, of course, God’s Word, there will come to your heart a conviction, an urge that God wants you to serve Him in some foreign land. If not, the burden will lift. That urge is the voice of the Spirit. Heed it, and you will never go astray. When you are sure of God’s will do not let Satan turn you aside. He will if he can. Your own friends and loved ones may become your greatest stumbling blocks. Be on your guard. Many a girl who has been called has married a man who was not going, and vice versa, with the result that God’s plan has been missed. Listen, young people, you have no right to even A U G U S T , 1 9 4 9
IN DARKEST A FR ICA Photograph by Nerbert, Inc., N. Y.
keep company with anyone except someone who is traveling in your direction. Do that and you will never make a mis take. God has already chosen your life partner for you and His choice is ever so much better than yours. Don’t let Satan turn you aside. The Atheist and John Chinaman John Chinaman was at one time questioned by an athe ist: “What are you going to do first, John Chinaman,” inquired the atheist, “when you get to Heaven?” “ First of all,” responded John Chinaman, “ I am going to find the Lord Jesus Christ and thank Him for saving me.” “ Fine,” sneered the atheist. “ And what will you do next?” John Chinaman thought for a moment before he answered. “ Next,” he replied, “ I am going to search until I find the missionary who came to my country and told me about Jesus Christ, and then thank him for coming.” “ Yes, and what then?” inquired the atheist, with a mock ing smile. “ Then,” said John Chinaman, “ I am going to find the one who gave the money so that the missionary could come, and I could hear about Jesus and be saved, for I want to thank him too.” With that the atheist walked away and was seen no more. My friend, you may be the one who sent the missionary or you may be the missionary who went. I wonder if some John Chinaman will come up to you when you get to Heaven and thank you for what you did. Will there be anyone from the heathen world who will recognize you and express his or her gratitude? You will have to decide. The task has not yet been finished. It is now up to you to do your part to finish it. “How shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?” Page Thirteen
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