CHAPTER VIII A MESSAGE FROM MISSIONS TO THE MODERN MINISTRY BY REV. CHAS. A. BOWEN, A. M., PH. D., OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON It is not my purpose to enter into a defense of, nor cham pion the cause of, missions. They stand there immovable in the purpose of God. They are the corner-stone as well as the crown in the fabric of the Christian Church. This stone which for so many years was rejected is now become the head of the corner, and whosoever shall fall upon it—whatever church shall ignore its claims—shall be broken. I t is my purpose rather to seek in the field of missions for some message to the modern ministry, for some inspiration to the home church. I know it is impossible to divorce the Church from missions—they are both one; but if we may do so in our thought for a time, we shall find that missions are not so much in need of the home church as the home church is in need of missions. The home church today is not so much the source of encouragement to missions as missions are the fountain of inspiration to the home church. The question is no longer whether the heathen can be saved with out the Gospel, but whether the Gospel can be saved for the home church if it is not given speedily to the heathen. Across the whole Church today is an appalling dearth of aggressive spiritual life. Earnest souls are discouraged, and many almost despairing. They are groping and asking what is the trouble and what can be done. Whatever of encour agement there is comes largely from the mission fields. On the other hand, the fires on mission altars are burning brightly, 95
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