THE OR&AN OF THE NORTH CAROLINA BAPTIBT3 DEVOTED TO BIBLE RELIGION, EDUCATION, LITERATURE AND GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.
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Volume B 8.
Number 44.
The Biblical Recorder.
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From ' China- The Missionary Call
Dear Recorder .v-In reply to your invitation
given to missionaries and others to discuss
those very practical questions relating to the
missionary's call, I had begun a short com
munication which assumed that the preacher
of the gospel is, or should be, called of God,
with such a clear recognition of God's voice
by way of authority that he could not doubt
his being set apart personally, directly, of
God's sovereign will by the Holy Ghost ; so
that whatever his disposition towards the
work of the ministry may have been previ
ously, his heart echoes the cry, " Woe is me
if I preach not the gospel.! And while with
no miraculous appeal to the organs of sense,
He does come, whether, in the quiet hours of
the night, or during tbe press of other da
ties of the day, with a voice which the man
must hear in his inmost soul, and with a
command he cannot disregard.
But Bro. White's letter in the Recorder
of Feb. 1 shows that this Is hardly a safe
premise to lay down, because there may be
, some who do not believe in a divino call to'
the ministry. ,
1 Not wishing to provoke a discussion of a
question which is a trite one to most of our
North Carolina Baptists, I feel it wiser to
add a few lines by way of preface to what I
would say as to the missionary's call, that
what I write may be clearly understood.
This is a plea for the recognition of God's
sovereign, electing grace manifested not
only in man's' salvation, but in setting apart
whom he will to the sacred work of pro
claiming his revealed will, as messengers
sent of God who, like Elijah of old, feel
themselves standing as they preached in the
resence of Jehovah and responsible to him
or every word they ntter. -I
venture to affirm that the Scriptures
teach that God elects whom he will from
among his people, and provides them wi'.h
such qualifications as are needed to do the
work of divinely appointed teachers of his
word. -
And further that the churches of God
have a solemn warning to be very careful to
lay hands on no man suddenly in setting
him apart to this work, lest they be found
to send a man whom God has not chosen.
Is it not strange hdw distasteful Pauline doc
trine is to some people when they once com
mit themselves to advocating lay preachers
and women preachers, and "cyclone evan
gelists" thank you, Bro. Editor, ; for this
last term. 7 If you find a man shaky on the
sovereignty of God, whether displayed, in
man's salvation from sin, or in such unerr
ing guidance and masterful control of man
by his Spirit as to put whom he will Into the
ministry, and to save by such instruments
as he himself chooses, then you can expect
to find him trembling and uncertain about
other teachings of God's word.
Does God call men without consulting
their preferences!' Yes, and by that su
preme law of magnetic control, "The love
of Christ constraineth us," he makes the
work of service sweet, and sustains by his
almighty power even to death. These truths
are so manifestly taught in God's word, and
verified in human experience, that the writer
thinks it quite sufficient to pass on to the
subject proper
Is there a specific call of God to the for
eign field t In reply, I would Bay there is.
Let me define my position more clearly by
saying that the foreign field Is only a conve
nient term for designating a particular field
of work. A parallel case found in early
Christian church history was the preaching
in Jewish and Gentile lands. .
That one who has entertained a distinct
call of God may be led to change his field of
labor without the conviction that God is
calling him to another field as surely as that
he called him into the ministry, though per
haps through different means, and with dif
ferent experiences, I admit may occur, but
think it should not occur. ; . So that the call
transferring a preacher from the home field
to the foreign, may not mark so important a
transition in his religious experience, or be
accompanied with such spiritual and mental
exercises as he knew in his call to the min
istry: still if the question is carefully weighed
and decided cautiously, apart from romantic
or poetic fancies, he must pass through a
struggle, and should only be led to give him"
self to this work because he feels that the
Spirit of God is striving with him,, and that
in heart experience, in providence, he hears
the still small voice calling him from home
to go to a heathen land; It may cost no
long, bitter struggle, but if he can not say I
am called of God to this work, then I see no
reason why he should go. 7 7 ' 7
As bad as the work needs missionaries, let
us have no men who, have not been sent of
God. It is almost sure to be a sad sequel if
one comes to the foreign field without deci
ded convictions on this point , That one
may be called to the foreign, field without a
previous call to the ministry is clearly taught
in Paul's experience. ' God said to Ananias,
"For he is a chosen vessel to bear my name
JxQieJhe-Gentiles-and kingsrand therchit
dren of Israel" Notice here God's sovereign
choice and the selected field of labor. When
he would remain in Jerusalem to testify be
fore those who bad seen his previous perse-'
cution of the church, the Lord distinctly re-
mmas mm 01 ms cau to anotner neia. jror
further proof of the divine nature of Paul's
call to a specific field of God's sovereign will,
see Acts, 13 th chapter and first few verses.
But I would call attention to Paul's experi
ence related in Acts 22: 21. Paul, before
the call of the Holy Ghost to the churchy at
Antloch to set" apart' Paul and Barnabas to
tbe Foreign Mission work, was pleading
With God to be allowed to remain at home,
and for what seemed weighty reasons ; but
notice again the two points of God's sov
ereign voice not in argument, but command,
" Depart," and the specific field designated,
"for I will send thee far hence unto the
Gentiles." Other teachings of God's Word
are quite confirmatory of this position. This
does not exclude an occasional overlapping
of fields of work, so that the missionary may.
S reach anywhere and to anybody, only it
xes beyond question where the path of
duty lies as ordained of God, and where his
life-work should be. .
As to whether the call is to work for life
in the field chosen for him, this should be a
matter decided by himself according to God's
guidance. Providentially God decides this
matter for most of his servants whom he
sends to the foreign field by giving them such
environments as to make it necessary that
the worker should give his whole life to this .
one neld. rnilips call to preach to tbe Eu
nuch, and Peter's to the centurion Cornelius,
bad the limit of time fixed, and really did
not take them into the foreign field. Theirs
was more like the work which . some of
our churches are doing at home, who have
Chinese and other heathen brought by God's
providence to their doors. 7 In the very na
ture of the case, now and all through the
history of the Christian churches, the two
fields were so distinct as to require separate
calls, and to one or the other for life. Cases
to the contrary seem to be exceptions.
Personally I believe my call to the minis
try was to the foreign field, and not to preach
at home. But I conceive it embraced the
duty to preach at home, until God opened
op the way for me to leave for distant China,
and even here I hail with delight any oppor
tunity to preach to my fellow-countrymen
or to men of any other nationality, when it
does not conflict with the duties of my spe
cif! 3 life work.
Now, come in the disturbing elements.
What about laymen 'preaching f Are they
called to the foreign mission work! And
are godly women called of God to preach to
the heathen, or to teach the truths of God's
Word t Nowhere is practical wisdom and
common sense more needed thanon'the for
eign field. I see nothing in God's Word
about laymen being called of God to preach;
but I do think it teaches there is work for
all to do in God's vineyard. Layman preach
ing involves a contradiction of terms, ana
women's preaching as officially called of
God to the pastorate or to public evangelis
tic services involves an absurdity, or worse,
presents a sad example of the utter disregard
of the inspired teachings of God's Word.
But that.there is a grand work for godly
women, and for men who do not feel called
of God to the ministry in the foreign field,
I think is clearly recognized. Only they
should know what their work is, and should
feel led of God's Spirit to conscientiously
take up this Work from a conviction of duty,
with due reference to their wise co-operation
with all other divisions of recognized
church work. "There are diversities of
E ;ifts, but the same Spirit." Great confusion
s growing up in some circles of Christian
work because of a disregard of these legiti
mate divisions of Christian labor, and their
proper boundaries, and their relations to
church work. Disregard the divine call to
the ministry, and. you find laymen preach
ing. This calls for women preachers,; The
current has set in strongly, and hundreds of
men, unfitted for pastoral or evangelistic
work, and women exnectineto do indiscrim
inate evangelistic work, are coming into all
Eastern countries. Tne reaction is inevita
ble, and is felt all over Christendom, even
a naniaf et Ranttot rVinrrh Hfo Thft
spirit of restlessness is in the minds of many
of God'S ' people.-- Great pressure of many
artificial kinds are brought to bear on young
men and women in all spheres of life. So
that the question which once was, "Does
God call me to go the foreign field t" has be
come Why should I stay at home ?" V
Dear brethren and sisters, as badLas we
need workers, and our cry goes up night and
day, . "Juord, send us more laborers into
the harvest field," do not forget that God is
never in a hurry. Let us not precede him,
nor presume to direct where or how the
Holy unost snail wort iu. let us ne reaay
to answer when he descall us to do a given
work, "Here, Lord, send me." And let us
pray God to call many more into the foreign
field as ministers of - the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ, L. N.' Chappeix. -
Chinklang, China, March 15, 1893.. ;
V The Kwong Twig Association.
This body recently held its annual meet
ing in Canton at the chapel adjoining our
mission residence. 7 It has been organized
seven or eight years, and is composed of five
churches in this province of China. ? It is
hoped that soon a church will be organized
in the adjacent province of Kwong Sal, and
then it is proposed to change the name to
thessoclationftheHwoKwongSfi-Bror
Simmons was chosen Moderator, and two
Clerks were Chinese brethren. 7 About
fifty delegates were present and several vis
itors. 7 The exercises were very much like
those of an Association in North Carolina,
though there were some features which re
sembled a Union Meeting. The opening
service was a prayer-meeting on Wednesday
night At the close of this service, the pas
tor of the Shin Hing church baptized two
men who had been received for membership
by the Tsing Uen . church,., One.of jthemwas
a young Buddhist priest , Tbe close of the
meetiagon Sunday was also marked by a
baptism, tbe candidate being the wife of one
of the members of the Canton church.
On Thursday the Association i was organ
ized In a very brief time, the committees
were appointed, and the body was ready for
business. The discussions were introduced
by one to three papers, some written by the
missionaries, others by Chinese brethren and
sisters. , Mrs. Graves and a native Christian
woman wrote on " How to carry the gospel
to the women of the villages," and Miss
McMJnn wrote on "The opportunities for
carrying the gospel to women. '? These pa
pers were read by some of the brethren. The
paper of Miss McMinn is tq be printed in tbe
minutes. The papers written by the breth
ren were on subjects similar to the above.
Following the reading of he papers, there
were discussions of the Subjects by many
brethren, sometimes extended, nearly al
ways interesting and pointed. Some breth
ren spoke more frequently! than others, but
there was quite a large number of speakers,
larger than could usually be found in a North
Carolina Association composed of fifty dele
gates. One paper was read by a brother who
speaks the Hak ka dialect- Very few in the
audience understood the reading. But the
strange thing was that one of the clerks, who
does not understand nor sjseak Hak ka, took
up the paper at once and read it in Canton
ese, so that all could understand it The
characters are the same for all dialects, and
they have the same meaning in all, but they
are called by different names in the differ
ent sections,
t The order and attention were worthy of
all praise. There was seldom any moving
about, never any interruption from talking
in the housej ana always close attention to
the speakers. . . v . 4; "
'The entertainment was on a plan which
would seem somewhat novel to S North Car
olina community. The homes of average
Chinese afford but little room for the enter
tainment of visitors, and the customs of
Americans and Chinese are so widely differ
ent as to make it impracticable for mission
aries td do their part in the usual way
There are several rooms connected with the
chapel premises,, quite sufficient to afford
sleeping room for this number of Chinamen.
Every Chinaman, when he travels, takes his
bed along with him. So there was need only
to provide something to eat . In the church
here a collection was taken for this purpose,
with this the food was bought, cooked by a
man employed for the purpose, and they all
ate in common. The noorrday meal, how
ever, was given by Bro. Simmons and Dr.
Graves, not only to the delegates from a
distance, but to all who attended the meet
ings. For this purpose they sent to a neigh
boring eatinp-house.' bought the desired del
cacies of Chinese diet and passed them
aronna to an present in tne cnapei. Tne first
day,; the principal item of the bill of fare
was said to be five hundred Chinese dump
lings and a smaller number of shrimp pat
ties." A poor dyspeptic must forego such
dainties. I can join them in drinking tea
if it does not come too frequently, and I can
do something in the way of eating rice, but
many of their delicacies are too much for
my feeble appetite and digestion. v
On Monday following the adjournment of
the Association, a meeting of a very inter
esting character was held in the Tung Shek
Kah chapel in the eastern part of the city.
This chapel formerly belonged to Bro. Rob
ards, once connected with this mission. In
execution of the provisions of his will, the
property was divided, and the residence fell to
his neirs and was sold. The chapel With two
vacant lots constituted the half given to the
mission. In this chapel has lived for some
years Bro. Chau Earn Shing, one of the most
consecrated and efficient of our native preachy
ersrwbo is supported by one of the churches
in Brooklyn, N. Y. When not absent in the
country, he opens the chapel every day and
talks with any who come in about the way
of salvation, v When first , built the chapel
was on a main thoroughfare, and was a good
place to get a good congregation. But re
cently a bund has been built along the river
front, which makes this street little more
than a back alley-way, However, one of
the vacant lots extends to the bund, where
crowds of people are passing all day. Con
cerning this lot the meeting was held. Some
time ago this brother was quite sick, and for
a time was not expected to live. As a thank-,
offering for recovery, he : desires to have
built a chapel on this vacant 'lot,' fronting
on the highway. At the meeting held in
this chape), remarks were made by Doctor
Graves, the pastor 'of the Canton church,
and :! by Bro. Chau Kam Shing, and then
subscriptions were taken for this chapel. In
a little while the sum of $330 was raised,
more than half enough to build the chapel,
and a committee was appointed to nave
charge of tbe work. Many of the subscrip
tions were quite liberal, men with salaries
of less than one hundred dollars giving for
this object five dollars, in addition to. what
they give for the support of their own
churches. Bro. Chau Kam Shing, out of a
salary of about one hundred" and twenty dol
lars a year, gives twenty dollars. He has
just finished building a large chapel at Sam
Kong, far up the river, and to that he gave
one hundred and seven dollars.' The church
at that place is composed of forty-four mem
bers, and they have had a hard struggle to
finish their house of worship. One of the
delegates brifly told of some of their strug
gles, a story which I have often heard when
a collection was going on, and I wondered
if he would close his speech, as they usually
do, by saying they could not give anything,
or by promising seventy- five cental.' But be
broke the record and said Sam Kong would
give thirty dollars
The statistics in the letters of the churches
are almost the same as those in' the Annual
Report of the Mission. This report closed
with the end of the year 1892, while the let
ters to the Association closed with the Chi
nese year, Feb. 16th. The Annual Report
is in the hands of the printer, and I read
the final proof of it yesterday, . I hope soon
to send the Recobdeb a copy. .
' , G. W. Gbiens. "
Prom Baltimore.
. ,...,:..... 5 ... . ...... ... .
' Dear Recorder: As church letters often
say to Associations, 7" Another year has
rolled around." They who patronize sev
eral newspapers are apt to be vividly im
pressed bv the rapid Sight of time, so soon
do renewed subscriptions seem to come due."
To tbe publisher, pernaps, it seems quite
otherwise. I cannot now well afford to do
without the Recorder. Please find enclosed
payment for another year.
As to Baptist church news in this city, it
gives me pleasure to report general progress. '
it is doubtful if tne work of tne cnurcnes
was ever before so well and successfully
done, or the Baptist outlook was ever before
so hopeful and cheering. Andymy convic
tion is, that we are largely indebted to the
young people's associations of various names
in our churches for the better work and ever
improving prospect 7 This scribe has been
a member of the household of faith fifty five
years, and he ; cannot avoid contrasting
things as (hey were a half century ago and
are now. Well, he is not disposed to say,
'The former days were better than these."
In that time great changes have been
wrought both in the world; and in the
churches, but lam not old fogy enough to
say these changes have not been mainly for
the better. . Fifty years ago but fewjroung
people Were members of the churches, and
they were expected 'to keep in the back
ground and to be quiet Now the young
people in the churches are a mighty host,
and they are in the front rank of the Lord's
army. An old christian said the other
day, "When I was a young man, young men
were of small account; now when I am old,
old men are of small account" There is a
good deal of truth in that statement. - 7
But the indications are that the cause of
Christ is continually gaining a better drilled
and a more efficient army, and for that we
should all be glad and give thanks.
! Last night Dr. H. M. Wharton gave his
annual church reception. This he gives
year by year to promote a better social ac
quaintance among his church members. . It
was my pleasure to be there last night as an
invited guest and to take some notes. The
membership of the Bractly church is , now
about 600. The deacons say there are not
a half dozen of the members that they can
not locate and put their hand on any day.
7 In a city like this where so many people
are ever on the move, coming and going, a
church of so large membership does well in
deed to keep nearly all in sight And Brant
ly church does even better than that, for she
keeps them nearly all at work. In the large
company present last night there were very
few gray heads. ft Young men and womenf
middle-aged men and women, make the rank
and file of this enterprising and prosperous
church. I saw nothing in the reception and
entertainment of last night to find fault
with, and see how great good may result.
Dr. Wharton has just received a flattering
call to the pastorate of a New York church,
and is all the time receiving calls to work
here and there, but none of these things
move him. He loves the Brantly church
as they love him. 7. "" . .' --v
" I should say, before closing this letter,
that the Perkins Square Battist church, col
ored, dedicated on last Sunday an excellent
and beautiful meeting house, costing from
$18,000 to $20,000. They' took down their
old house, which had become too small, and
at a good deal of self-sacrifice erected the
new one. A few years ago this church and
her pastor came bodily over from the M. E.
denomination to the Baptist faith and order.
The Lord has done great things for them.
Yours for Christ, A J. Hires.
Baltimore, Md., April 13, 1893.
1,003 Lafayette Ave.
. t , A Pastor, who Bings,
It is something to his credit if the pastor
sings. ' Among the duties required of him is
that of director of public worship. Praise,
prayer, and preaching are placed under his
control. On Sunday the prayers and preach
ing are personal as well as representative
acts, those of the man as well as of the min
ister. 7 Is it not important that praise should
be also t To make this the case the pastor '
should- be a singer and a leader of singing.
Knowledge of music as a science is valuable
to him, ability to read notes at Bight quite
desirable, but surely some familiarity with
the simple art of singing Is almost indispen- ,
sable to the highest success as director, un
der tLeJHoIySpirit, of public worship!
Extremes meet in more senses than one
when the pastor passes from the pulpit
platform, at one end of the church, to the
choir loft in the other. .Choirs are not al
ways consecrated Christians 7 who make
melody in the heart All admit that they
should be. 7 The best way to bring them to
a proper frame of mind is for the pastor to ,
be ez officio one of their number, just as he
is in the Sunday-school.' He should not
usurp the place of chorister or organist, nor
make-himself -otherwbe-cfScious, : but he
should wisely control both by being in ,
fullest sympathy with them. It is hardly
well for him to think himself a gifted singer
or to allow other singers to imagine he
thinks so." Solos by the pastor are seldom'
in good taste. A singer he may be, but he
is always Something more. It is his duty
to magnify, popularize, and spiritualize the
service of song in the house of the Lord.
This can be accomplished by keeping close
touch with his chosen musical leaders, and
by constantly reminding them that they
and he are intimately associated in promot
ing proper expressions of praise to God.
' , Prayer meetings are turned into praise
meetings by a singing pastor. Such meet
ings will be generally well-attended. Young
people will like them; women will enjoy
them, as singing is the only act of public
worship permitted them.; Hymns,; wisely
selected and well sung, take the place of ap
plause for the enthusiastic. They are the
"Amen," "the responsive service," which
so stimulates the preacher., Prayer meet
ings, where singing is made prominent, and
if necessary, led by the pastor, will not only
be en joyable, but effective.. Hymns of fer
vency wUUdrown petitions that are dull, ;
wandering, or cold, and -make more sweet
to the listening worshippers those inspired
by the Holy Sgirif Singing may promote
revivals; revivals indirectly thrive upon
singing. A Many a conversion is due to a .
song baptized in the grace of Christ
i Pastoral visiting is more delightful to the
preacher who sings. Elias Dodson, of bless- -ed
memory, divided the household atten
tions of a minister into three classes. If
you stop five minutes it is a 4 vis"; if you
remain fifteen or twenty minutes a "vket,"
but if you prolong your stay for an tour and
a half it is a " visetation." How to visit sat
isfactorily to himself and to others is a prob
lem few ministers out of heaven can tolve.
Some of us find it. practicable to make sing
ing do good in our twenty minutes inter
view. You can always become friends with
the children by singing if it is proper. Once
or twice a shy or skeptical girl has been
brought to seriousness by a song the preacher
manages to have her Vplay and sing" with
him. And that dear old saint in the bed ;
over, there, - whom you visit often? and to '
whom you have read the Bible time and
time again, and with whom you have prayed
frequently, she would like to hear you sing
perhaps. Ask if she likes " Children of the
Heavenly King," or V How Firm a Founds-.. ,
tion." Sing a few stanzas in a sweet low
voice and see the face light up or the tears
flow; and hear her tell you of how those
words were blessed to her heart when it was
young and fresh long years ago. Tes, some
of us have sung with the dying till they
crossed the river and caught up the notes of
the ransomed in glory.
Then the home funeral, a funeral among
simple-hearted folk, especially country peo
ple or people reared in the country is much
more sweet and consoling if the pastor can
sing what is tender and appropriate. There
will be less need of ; lengthy remarks.
Scripture reading, prayer, and singing, often
cover all the conditions of a modest and
Christian tribute to the Christian dead. Yes,
and at the grave,' sometimes, sing a hymn
and many a heart will grow lighter of its
insupportable burden. '" '
, In all great religious assemblies- " asso
ciations," : conventions," and the like
singing is a very essential part of the exenp
ajses as every One knows. The more sing
ing "preachers present, as a rule, the more
enthusiastic the proceedings. Heaven itself
is all the more charming to some of us, as
we contemplate it, because It Is a place of
jubilant song, where there is sounded forth
an oratorio of one hundred and forty-four
thousand and thousands Of thousands around
the .throne of GoaVVrBetter- prepare i r
heaven by learning t6s sing here and ec .
Sing here and now anAyou will find heav
on earth.- W. W.Zanarum, D. D.t ii . i
inary Magazine. ,
Though the trifler does not chrcxi
own vain words and wasted hc-v, t
chronicle themselves. They f 1 ('
delible place in that boc!c of 1
with which human hand c
and from which no beir ? .-.
them. They are nth-i in t'
God.-Rev. O. Hamilton.