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Gospel Workers 1915
ing of a foreign mission. I answer, God designed that they should
be so trained in our colleges and by association in labor with men of
experience, that they would be prepared for places of usefulness in
this cause.
We must manifest confidence in our young men. They should
be pioneers in every enterprise involving toil and sacrifice, while the
overtaxed servants of Christ should be cherished as counselors, to
encourage and bless those who strike the heaviest blows for God.
Providence thrust these experienced fathers into trying, responsible
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positions at an early age, when neither physical nor intellectual powers
were fully developed. The magnitude of the trust committed to them
aroused their energies, and their active labor in the work aided both
physical and mental development.
Young men are wanted. God calls them to missionary fields.
Being comparatively free from care and responsibilities, they are more
favorably situated to engage in the work than are those who must
provide for the training and support of a large family. Furthermore,
young men can more readily adapt themselves to new climates and
new society, and can better endure inconveniences and hardships. By
tact and perseverance, they can reach the people where they are.
Strength comes by exercise. All who put to use the ability which
God has given them, will have increased ability to devote to His service.
Those who do nothing in the cause of God, will fail to grow in grace
and in the knowledge of the truth. A man who would lie down and
refuse to exercise his limbs, would soon lose all power to use them.
Thus the Christian who will not exercise his God-given powers, not
only fails to grow up into Christ, but he loses the strength which he
already had; he becomes a spiritual paralytic.
It is those who, with love for God and their fellowmen, are striving
to help others, that become established, strengthened, settled, in the
truth. The true Christian works for God, not from impulse, but from
principle; not for a day or a month, but during the entire life....
The Master calls for gospel workers. Who will respond? Not all
who enter the army are to be generals, captains, sergeants, or even
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corporals. Not all have the care and responsibility of leaders. There is
hard work of other kinds to be done. Some must dig trenches and build
fortifications; some are to stand as sentinels, some to carry messages.
While there are but few officers, it requires many soldiers to form the