A Message from Missions to the Modern Ministry 103 In the first place, the Holy Spirit must be enthroned as administrator and director. “His time is no less important than His way.”: The Church never has been able to select the proper time and place for labor. As we read the “Acts of the Apostles” we feel that they are the “Acts of the Holy Spirit.” The foretokens of foreign missions were when the Holy Spirit directed Philip to the eunuch and Peter to Cornelius. And the first act in the world drama of Christian conquest was when in the church at Antioch “the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” And no missionary of modern times has been success ful but what has gone out under a like ministration of the Holy Spirit as director." Paul’s being turned back from Asia and Bithynia by the Holy Spirit, because hearts in Europe were ready for the Gospel, can be paralleled over and over again in the adminis tration of the Spirit in modern missions. When Judson went to India and landed at Calcutta, the East India Company forbade his landing. Feeling certain he had been called to the mission field, he retired to the Isle of France, and a year later went to Madras, where he was also unable to stay. The only place open was Rangoon-, Burma, the last place he wished to go. But he went, led of the Spirit, or rather, compelled of the Spirit, against his wishes and judgment. Burma was ready. Judson knew it not, but the Spirit did, as testified to by the Pentecostal work that fol lowed. I have no doubt that Philip’s and Peter’s surprise was great when the eunuch and Cornelius were found so won- drously prepared by the Spirit to receive the message. In 1820, when the ship “Thaddeus” furled sail in Oahu harbor with eighteen missionaries on board to begin the fight with cannibalism and paganism in the Hawaiian Islands, what was their surprise when Obookiah, their native-born lad, who had
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker