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THE KING’S BUSINESS -Many editorials have appeared in the secular press as to the duty of the United States toward Mexico, in these days of unrest, revolution and calamity. Very divergent opinions have been expressed as to what the
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Our Duty
Toward Mexico.
President and the Country should do, but a recent letter to the Editor, from, one who has given his life for Mexico, suggests a line of duty for all Christians about which there can be no doubt. His letter reads in part as follows: While in Saltillo, Mexico, last week I found Vol. 12 o f “ The Funda mentals,” which had been sent to my ante-bellum address, also a copy o f the magazine, “ T he K ing ' s B usiness .” I am glad to get these publications. Your article in Vol. X II on “ The Place o f Prayer in Evangelism” was especially interesting to me. Permit me to tell a little bit o f personal history. The first years o f my missionary work in Mexico were eminently unsuc cessful. I found it hard to get into the hearts o f the Mexicans. They didn’t understand me nor I them. I had trouble with some o f our own mission aries; the field was unpromising; fanaticism ruled the masses; social power, self-indulgence, pride and skepticism the classes; there was no open door. Then came a never-to-be-forgotten day in my life—May 27, 1902. I went into my study to begin the day’s work. Before I began work I tried to pray. As I prayed the thought came to me that it would be so easy for God to do all that we found impossible. I was moved to ask for a great revival; an earth shaking movement that would make the deadly doubt o f the high-ciass ' Mexican pass away, that all might know that there was a God in the earth. How long I prayed I do not know. My heart was melted; I could pray for those with whom I had had trouble. I prayed for my old school-mates by name, for the old country church that I joined years before. My heart was enlarged for the coming o f the Kingdom. It seemed that it would all be so easy for God. Since that memorable day I have been sifted as wheat. Ill health has permanently taken away my bodily strength; doubt has laid its numbing hand on my heart; death has invaded my home; I had to leave my field o f labor; Mexico has been swept as by a cyclone. But today my heart is hungrier than ever for the great awakening that Mexico needs. The spirit o f prayer and supplication has never left me for very long at a time. Before the revolution there were mercy drops that came down to refresh our weary hearts. In the summer o f 1910 I thought I saw the great move ment coming and I said to some friends: “ The Revival will come if the revo lution is staved off another two years.” But the revolution came, Just now there are open doors where there were stone walls before. W e need the prayers o f all Christian people that the Great Awakening may come now and not tarry. Now is the accepted time for our evangelical work. God grant that we may become God’s prophets o f a better day. There are dangers that, threaten us from every side. W e shall meet the Catholic reaction. It has been beaten on the field o f battle and in the council chambers o f diplomacy but it will lift its head now in a flood o f lies and untrue charges against American Protestant work. W e are in danger o f degenerating into a social service bureau for the physical betterment o f the nation. Won’t you pray for the missionaries that we may have the enduement o f the Spirit for the work that God has given us? Won’t you pray that the hearts o f the people may be opened to our message? , Here, then, is a plain path of duty, the path of prayer. How many of us are praying for Mexico? How many are praying for the Christians who are there? How many are praying for the workers in these very difficult times? If we are not praying, let us begin to pray. If we are praying, let Us pray more.
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