' c w Gonference Missionary Sermon PREACHED AT Yonkers, X. Y., April 3rd, 1891. Rev. ANDREW LONGACRE, D.D. PUBLISHED BY REQUEST OF THE NEW YORK CONFERENCE. Prioe, *2.00 per liiindreil. FOR SALE BY Sbl,f-Sdppobting Missionary Litebatuke Department, 150 Fifth Avenue, New Yoke City. Conference ©Missionary © Reif. ANDREW LONGACRE, D.D. ''NOW CONCERNING THE COLLECTION." — I Cob. XVI : 1. The old Avord in Ecclesiastes, that “ Money auswereth all things” (Eccl. x: 19), was never more true than now. There were never so many things which money could buy. There were never such powers, such facilities, such resources at its com- mand. Money itself could never reach- so far, nor go so SAviftly, so securely, so cheaply, as now. De- posited in a bank in New York to-day, a man can have the credit and use of it to-morrow in London or Calcutta or Hong Kong. Never before was this power of money in the hands of a Christian nation as it is in ours, whether we regard immense accumulations in single fortunes, or the moderate competence of the mass of the people. In a recent article in our own Revieio it is stated that seventy men in this country own twenty-seven 4 CONFERENCE MISSIONARY SERMON. hundred millions, not one of them having less than twenty millions; and while in Great Britain one- thirtieth of the inhabitants hold two-thirds of the wealth, in this country one-half as many hold that amount. We have men in private life who could easily rival the peacock throne of the Great Mogul at Delhi, while the mass of the people are able to give without sacrifice beyond any others in the world. That our wealth may be a curse, we have plain warning in the Word of God. That it may become a vast power for evil, socially and politically, is alarmingly enough indicated in our public life. But no one who believes in God can doubt that He designs it for good. In the increased power of money, and in the gathering of it in Christian hands, we cannot fail to see the movement of Divine Provi- dence for the salvation of the world. For, with this increase, there has come also the removal of those hindrances which had previously barred the progress of the Gospel. The time was when no money could open the doors shut against Christianity by heathen fear or policy or fanaticism. Everywhere now those doors are open. There have been times, and not long ago, when there was more money for Chri.stian missions than men. Yoii all know that of late years there has been an uprising for this work which is like a new crusade. Men and COXFERENCE MISSIONARY SERMON. 5 women — whole families offer themselves freely to face the deadly climate of Equatorial Africa at the call of Bishop Taylor, who, at three-score and teu, goes before them unharmed by “ the pestilence that walketh in darkness, or the destruction that wasteth ' at noonday.” Some die and a few grow faint-heart- ed, but others press forward into their places. You are aware that thousands of college students all over the land, our best and brightest, stand pledged for this work in the foreign field. At first their pledge was: “ We are both willing and desirous, God per- mittingf, to be foreign missionaries.” Then, the idea having got abroad that their zeal had abated, they made a new and individual declara- tion: “ I will go as a foreign missionary unless God positively prohibits.” At last accounts six thousand young men and young women had signed that declaration. The one thing now lacking is the money, and that is in our hands. With it you and I can send to the work better men than ourselves, better quali- fied, better trained and more richly endowed. One trembles to think of the immense power for good lodged in the hands of individual holders of great fortunes; of men in this country who could 6 CONFERENCE MISSIONARY SERMON. carry single-handed with their own incomes more than our whole Missionary work many times over. Think of one person able to look at such a work, wdth its tens of thousands of conversions in a year, its increase of churches, of schools, its hospitals and orphanages, and its slow but steady revolutionizing of whole lands for Christ and Christian ci^'ilization, and know that his single gift had made it possible! We cannot wonder at the devotion of one banker’s daughter who, a few months ago, gave herself and her fortune of seven millions to what she believed to be the service of God in winning souls. If such instances must be rare, think how small a sacrifice among the members of our own Church would easily place as large a sum in the treasury of our Mission- ary Society, when one cent a day from each one of us would give more than eight millions a year! Impressed l)y such considerations, I have felt that I could bring to this service no more important subject than “the collection.” I. The most striking thing about this text is the place St. Paul gives it in this epistle. We can scarce help wondering what must have been the feelings of the Christians at Corinth when this epistle from their father in the Gospel was first read in their hearing. Coming eagerly together to liear it, as they must have done ujx)n tidings of its CONFERENCE MISSIONARY SERMON. 7 arrival, we can imagine their varying emotions as the reading went on, with its mingled reproofs and exhortations and answers to questions they had sent him. Think of hearing for the first time that great thirteenth chapter on charity, which is inileed “The greatest thing in the world,” since it underlies all other good and all other good goes with it! Then with what kindling faith they must have followed the triumphant discussion of the resurrec- tion, in the fifteenth chapter! Surely, flowing tears and exultant responses must have followed the vic- torious outburst, “ Thanks be to God which givetli us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”! Then immediately, without pause or apology, the Apostle goes on: “ Now concerning the collection.” There is no hesitation, no timidity. The remark follows as simply as if this matter were of all things the fittest to come in just there. Can we suppose that any of those early Christians had the sort of fastidious sensitiveness we find some- times in these days? Did they whisper to one another, “What a pity to begin begging close upon such a vision of heavenly glory ! ” Did they think it “ put a damper on the meeting ”? St. Paul evidently does not anticipate any such criticism. He has no fear of an anti-climax, or of letting his hearers down, or chilling their religious 8 CONFERENCE MISSIONARY SERMON. feeling. He moves on without faltering from the very gate of heaven to this most practical necessity. We must believe that his inspiration was right. If we see an incongruity, it is we that are at fault The blessed Holy Ghost led him to lay this great duty upon the waiting church just when their hearts Avere most lifted heavenwards, and when earthly and selfish tendencies were weakest. The putting of this appeal here is as if he had said to the Church for all time: “ Go, get your souls full of the joy of your heavenly hope. Look up, till you can see the distant glory of the pearly gates. Think how the victory over sin and death was won for you by the sacrifice of the Son of God. Then ask yourselves, ‘ What is my part in the collection ’ ? ” It is a luminous reminder that the time for giA'ing and for sacrifice hastens to an end. Very soon we shall be where we can no longer help to- saA^e souls. Then we shall understand, as we can not noAv, the supreme importance of these opportunities; then, when in our heavenly home, we may regret in vain that we did so little to bring others to share it. That St. Paul was amply justified in giAung such prominence to this matter we can readily perceive when we ourselves try to estimate its importance. For ihe collection is the only practical thing which we who have to stay at home can do for the COSFERKSCE MISSIONARY SERMON. 9 salvaliou of ihe (jreaier icorld. It is the oniy tangi- ble evidence of our interest in Missionary work. It is the only manifestation of our sympathy with the travail of Christ’s soul. It is the one material result and outcome of all our sermons and speeches and meetings and prayers. Doubtless the sermons and speeches may have a certain rhetorical value as works of art, models of eloquence, worthy to be pre- served for the admiration and instruction of future generations. But the one actual fruit and fact is ‘‘the collection.” All the rest is only a preparation for this, and is worth simply the money it sooner or later brings into the treasury. Besides, ihe collection is necessarily the absolute limit of our work in the field. We accomplish only what we pay for. In every land our missionaries go only so far as our contributions take them. Not a child is taught in a village school in India, not a con- vert baptized in the mela, beyond the reach of the money we send. In Egypt not a blade of grass grows above the line of the Nile’s rise. Human skill can dam the water and carry it further and pump it higher, but it is powerless beyond the line it reaches. So in all heathendom our gifts mark the fatal line which our work can not pass. I once heard Dr. Peck estimate how much each convert in our missions cost. The sum was aston- 10 CONFERENCE MISSIONARY SERMON. ishingly small. Of course such an estimate can never be precise. But Ave must recognize the plain fact that, God’s blessing being promised, every advance in giving means more good done, and every withholding diminishes the number of souls saved. It is an awful * calculation to weigh our dollars against souls, to know that the less we give the fewer will be won for Christ. You may remind me of the difference in results from the zeal of the laborers. You and I have nothing to do with that. For that they must answer, not we. Our dutv is the ghung. We recognize fully our entire dependence upon the Holy Spirit, ^vithout whom we can do nothing. But we are living in the dispensation of the Holy Ghost. He has come; He has never withdrawn. His cooperation in all the work of the Gospel is one of the certainties of our religion. He moves with us, opening our way, and crowming every advance, every increase of actiHty with His power. We must face the fact that in the measui'e of our giving will be our success. Reverently let it be recognized that God’s blessing for the heathen depends upon our liberality. He waits for us. The Holy Spirit waits. The whole economy of salvation is at a standstill until our giving opens the last door. CONFERENCE MISSIONARY SERMON. 11 I shall not ask you to consitler in detail the high wisdom of the directions for the collection St. Paul gives in this place. Modern study, after ages of experiment, teaches no better method. “ Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him.” (v. 2.) Let every one give, and each according io his provideniial ability; let the gatherings he frequent, and thus in small amounts at a time. When the Church shall frankly adopt and carry out this system there will be shown a power to give far beyond any- thing we now consider practicable. II. These directions are brief and concise, a model instance of putting much in few words. There are no doubt many excellent people who would be glad to make them the pattern in this re- spect for all financial appeals in the Church. “ How delightful it would be,” say they, “ if all preachers would only follow this example of St. Paul, and limit themselves to a condensed statement of the case, and then leave it with the people, to give as they are disposed!” Very agreeable would it be to do this and nothing more. It would lighten immensely the burden of Christian preachers, had St. Paul’s example ended here. But, unhappily, one of the 12 CONFERENCE MISSIONARY SERMON. things I have to say of this appeal is that it was a failure. It did not accomplish the end proposed. This epistle was written about the time of Easter, in the spring of the year fifty-seven. In the autumn of the same year, that is, about six months later, St. Paul was inspired to write the second epistle to the same Church at Corinth. In this second epistle he recurs to this matter of the collection, but this time, instead of limiting himself to two or three verses, he carries his appeal through two entire chapters, the eighth and ninth; and his handling of the matter there is one of the highest examples of his marvel- ous skill in dealing with men. I heard Dr. Durbin once say that it seemed to him not irreverent to say that in tact St. Paul even surpassed our blessed Lord himself. If such an assertion may stand, this discourse would go far to sustain it. He found that the Greeks of that busy commer- cial city, full of traffic and the luxury that follows wealth, were not so ready to }>art with their drachmas as he had presumed. He might have known as much, we can not help thinking, since it is on record that, while he dwelt there, he had to support himself working with his own hands, except when the Phillippians once and again sent to relieve his necessities. In his second appeal, therefore, he evidently addresses himself to a difficult task. CONFERESCE MISSIONARY SERMON. 13 ^ Though fully aware of the failui-e of his first appeal, there is yet no touch of reproach or fault-finding. With a noble blending of dignity and authority and paternal tenderness not unmixed with graceful compliment for what could be commended, he rises to the occasion. Nowhere else does he display so clearly the surpassing flexibility of his genius, the power of “ becoming all things to all men.” He, who could “ speak wisdom among the perfect,” here stoops to touch every vibi’ant chord in natures dwarfed and selfish and worldly. These are not his generous and beloved Macedonians of Philli[)pi, some two hundred and fifty miles away to the north, but a great deal further off than that in grace. Yet, these harder hearts must be won, and taught and drawn up toward the Christly spirit. So, like a father as he was, or “ as a nurse cherishing her young children,” he made his plea. It is, of course, unnecessary that I should recall the familiar language of these famous chapters, yet it will be wise to glance at the substance of them. The seventh chapter closes with this hopeful and cheerful word of preparation: “I rejoice, therefore, that I have confidence in you in all things.” Then he tells them a little story of the surprising gener- osity of the poor Macedonian Christians, who had pressed him with much entreaty to accept their 14 CONFERENCE MISSIONARY SERMON. contributions, which, he could testify, went beyond their ability. He commends the Corinthians for a number of good things, for their faith and utterance and knowledge and diligence, and for their love to himself, and then begs them to add this completing grace: pointing them to the great pattern of self- sacrifice, Cln’ist, “who, thoiigh he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich.” Their previous reluctance he characterizes merely as delay, and holds up to them the law of all giving “ according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.” As if replying to an objection, he disclaims the intention of burdening them that others should be eased, as he meant only to bring about an equalizing of burdens. He shows how carefully he has ar- ranged for the conveyance of the money by other hands than his own, so as to avoid the least suspi- cion- of his motives. He stoops lower — touching their self-esteem, re- minding them that he had before boasted of their O good intentions, and had thus stirred up others to give; and now he presses them to be prompt with this delicate thrust: “Lest haply if they of Mace- donia come with me and find you unprepared” (he does not intimate that they are unwilling), “ we- CONFERENCE MISSIONARY SERMON. 15 (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same contident boasting.” (ix:4. ) Then he rises to the strongest part of his plea, an admonition, with a tone of solemn warning in it against “ sowing sparingly,” and urges them to a cheerful and loving liberality as the only sort of giving which God will accept. He assures them that they wdll not be losei’s by it, for God will take care of them; and he shows how their example will stimulate others, and bring glory to God as an eridence of their faithfulness, and awaken the gratitude of those they have helped. All through this special discourse, from point to point, it is a masterpiece of solicitation, strong, dignified, religious, appealing to the highest motives, and yet showing a wise and compassionate appre- ciation of imperfect grace and the weakness of human nature. III. In this place and presence, appointed to preach a Missionary sermon before the Conference, it seems incumbent upon me to make some attempt to apply this example of St. Paul to us, who as min- isters of Christ sustain the same relation to our churches that he did to the Church at Corinth, Upon us as truly as upon him, falls the neces- sity of leading Christian people up to their privilege of giving of their substance for Christ’s work in the world. TTe are as ti’uly called to this service as to 16 CONFERENCE MISSIONARY SERMON. save sinners or to edify the Church. lYe must set this duty so plainly before men, that they shall no more fail in it than in keeping any other of the com- rnands of Christ. It is a vital and momentous part of that Gospel teaching with which we are “ to feed the Church of God which He hath purchased with His own blood.” And the duty is the more urgent, since for the large majority of us there can be neither substitute nor helper in it. A few of us can occasionally secure the assistance of some eminent preacher to present the claims of Missions to our congregations ; but for the greater niimber no voice but ours will be heard in instruction or pleading. The measures we propose, are those only which Avill be adopted. The appeal we make, and the influence we exert, and the example Ave set, will decide the action of our people. If we fail, they will. Looking at St. Paul’s great example, we dare not content ourselves with simply telling men to give, and then leaving them to give or not, as they please. We have not, indeed, the authority or inspiration of an apostle, nor St. Paul’s marvellous tact, but in our lower place and feebler measure Ave must folloAv his steps. We are to feel for our brethren in their human Aveakness and their little grace. KnoAving the fight they must Avage against selfishness and COSFERENCE MISSIONARY SERMON. 17 worklliuess and covetousness, we must use our best and last resources. For their own souls we can brintr tliem no other message that has more to do mth their salvation here and their reward hereafter. AVe may not always succeed, but we shall often do better than we hope. The obdurate rich man may still refuse to give liberally, but some lad earning his first wages may be touched by the word not aimed at him, and started in a course (of which, thank God! we have many instances among us) of whole-souled gmng from youth to age — to death. There are names which the whole Church honors as synouomous with princely — no, with saintly liberality. AA’hose word first won them? Who opened to them the path of cheerful self-sacrifice? It was some humble and earnest minister of Christ, who never dreamed what he was doing, and who, perhaps, went m home to weep with a discouraged heart, because the men he tried to win remained untouched. There is no other service in which we so truly stand like Aaron when, with burning censer, he ran out to stay the plague “ between the living and the dead.” AVe stand between the living Church at home and its wealth, and the perishing millions of the heathen world. We are the only link — the only one living intermediary to bring the resources of the one to the rescue of the other. On nO’ 18 CONFERENCE MISSIONARY SERMON. day of the year does a weightier responsibility rest upon us than the day w'e ask for the Missionary collection. At other times we address those we see before us for themselves. That day, besides the visible congregation, a vast unseen multitude of souls hangs on the power of our word. Could we see them — if, by some miracle of enlightenment the veils of distance could be swept away, and our sight should take in the awful vistas of heathen wretch- edness, those “ dark places of the earth that are full of the habitations of cruelty;” lands reeking with unutterable corruptions, enveloping the innocent souls of children that are as truly lambs of God’s fold as your children or mine, and as dear to Him — could we fathom the anguish of races and continents and generations, in long succession, without God and without hope, surely our hearts would rather break than fail to plead with our utmost power. I went once to hear a famous la^^yer plead in defense of a man on trial for murder. The lawyer was David Paul Brown, of Philadelphia, then in the height of his fame. He had been for more than forty years active in the courts; so long that I re- member he spoke to the judge presiding, of a case in which he had pleaded “ before your honor was born.” The case in court was like many a one he had had before. Yet I observed that when this practiced COXFERESCK MISSIOWARY SER.VOS\ 19 pleader came into court he was greatly agitated. He seemed to see no one. He tossed his papers to and fro. AVhen he arose to speak his voice trembled and his hands shook. Everything about him be- trayed the intensity of his feelings. In the same case I listened to the maiden speech of his junior counsel, a man who has since risen to the top of his profession, and is doav one of its most brilliant and accomplished orators. As was to bo expected on such an occasion, the younger man gave every OA-idence of intense solicitude for his client, and pleaded for him as if he had been a near and dear fi’iend. These men did honor to their pro- fession. They did their best to save one man from the gallows. My brethren: When we stand to plead with our people for that vast unseen congregation of perish- ing millions ; Avhen we ask for the means by which alone they can be rescued from death, we are plead- ing for souls. Self-Supporting Literature Department OF THE MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF THE ^etl;obist Gfiscopal C*?wt’cI7. We request all our Presiding Elders, Pas- tors and Sabbath School Superintendents to aid us in selling our Missionary Literature. This sermon is a specimen of the publica- tions of this Department. Do not give away Literature. Get the people to buy it. A sermon like this, if given away, may not be read. If paid for, it WILL be read; and if read by a non-giver, it will surely convert a soul to Missions and add a life-long contributor to the army who are obedient to the voice of Jesus Christ the Captain of our salvation.