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Global Mission: The Spirit Opens Doors, June 14
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a
witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Matthew 24:14
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The whole world is a vast missionary field, and yet we who have long
been established in the truth should be encouraged with the thought that fields
which were once difficult of access are now easily entered. Every church in
our land should seek for the revival of the missionary spirit. They should seek
for steady growth in zeal and activity. All should pray that the indifference
which has caused both men and means to be withheld from the work may
be banished, and that Christ may abide in the soul. For our sake He became
poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich.
The office work of the Holy Spirit is to convince of sin, and I know that
it is a sin for any one of us to be indifferent now. As we look around at the
different fields that have been entered, we are led to inquire, “What hath
God wrought?” What more could He have done for His vineyard than He has
done? God has made provision to supply His rich grace, to give divine power
for the performance of His work. Nothing is wanting on the part of God;
the lack is on the part of the human agency, who refuses to cooperate with
divine intelligences. Through the plan He has devised, nothing can be done
for the salvation of man save through the cooperation of man. Sinners who
have been blessed with light and evidence, who know that through grace that
can be supplied to them, they may meet the conditions upon which salvation
is promised, and yet who decline to make the attempt, have but themselves
to blame for their own destruction. We feel that of such it may be said that
Christ has died for them in vain.
But who is to blame for the loss of souls who know not God, and who have
had no opportunity for hearing the reasons of our faith? What obligation rests
upon the church in reference to a world that is perishing without the gospel?
Unless there is more decided self-denial on the part of those who claim to
believe the truth, unless there is more decided faithfulness in bringing all the
tithes and offerings into the treasury, unless broader plans are laid than have
yet been carried into execution, we shall not fulfill the gospel commission
to go into all the world, and preach Christ to every creature.—
The Home
Missionary, April 1, 1895
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