_S3e.Tvvi ^ 2Tf)r JL^i'jiQTJom of (Cljn'st A SERMON, PREACHED IN THE SEAMEN’S CHAPEI. HONOLULU, MAY 23, 1852; BEFORE THE HAWAIIAiV 3IISSIONARY SOCIETY. By Rev. BENJ. W. PARKER. HONOLULU, OAHU: 1853 . PUBLISHED BY REQ.UEST. ■.:■• I v'-‘ . ' ‘ ' ' ‘ }tm t ^ |k ,'T j r.iaff ui' - -f* -'-vl^'a 1-1. -'^'r; i\ -rit ‘ m i ' ' 'fa ^T;i« , ■ ^ •' V%. « r J< i lff id ii l|;}» r i: 2>’i£L * ii^^r ■ * '*■: • 'f i ^T•«i‘>^> 4,l->i SERMON. l*SAi-M.s 'i: S. .VSK OF .Mi:, A.\D I SHALL (JIVE THEE THE HEATHEX lOll THINE IXHERI I'ANCE. AM) THE rm:RMO.ST I’AUTS OF THE EAR I’ll FOR TiIV I’USSESSIOX. This psal n is strictly a prophetical one. Nearly all evangelical commentators agree, that it relates directly, primarily and e.xcliisively to Christ and his kingdom. The attributes, applied to the subject of the prophecy, are applicable to no earthly king. He is in a preemin- ent sense, the Lord’s Anointed, the Lord’s Son, the Lord’s King, ‘ri have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion.” “Thou art mv Son.” “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel to- gether. against the Lord and against his Anointed. Blessed are al! they that put their trust in liim.” It is promised that the reign of the predicted king shall be co-e.xtensive with the earth. Unlike the kingdoms of this world, the promised dominion is not limited to a tribe, a country, or a nation. Tlie predicted kingdom is a universal onp. The nations of the earth are its promised subjects. The remotest parts of the earth, come within its promised boundaries. “Ask of tne and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheri- tance and the utter most parte of the earth for thy pos- session.” We may therefore regard ,t he te.vt, as a prophetic promise, made on the part of God the Father to Christ, that in his exalted regal character as King over Zion. hiA reign should be universally extended, and all na- 4 tions become the subjects of his government. Witl. this explanation of the passage we are introducefl to the subject of our discourse, The Kingdom of Christ. And your attention is invited to the following topics suggested for consideration. r. The nature of Christ's kingdom. II. The opposition it encounters. III. Its final universal extent. IV\ The agency by which it is to be universally extended. Our first general topic is, The nature of Christ's kingdom. The prophetic writers foretold that the Messiah would come in the character of a great and glorious Iluler. All the oriental ensigns of royalty cluster around the person of the promised Saviour <;f the world. He IS seated on a throne, girded with a sword. He holds a sceptre. He is clad in royal robes. He wears the regal diadem. Of Him the proi)Iiet said, ‘-The govern- ment shall be upon his shoulders. Of the increase of his goverment and peace there shall be no end.” And when the angel announced his advent as about to take place, the language used to describe his regal charac- ter was, “He shall be great, the Lord sliall give unto him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there sliall be no end.” And when in the fullness of time God sent forth his Son, his introduction was herald- ed bv his Messenger calling to repentance and reforma- tion of life, “For the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” We can hardly fail to have right views of Christ and his kingdom, if we notice tjie manner in which the scrip- tures S|)cak of him and his reign. He was predicted a king; but he is king over Zion Said the profihel, “Tell ye the daughter of Zion, behold thy king cometh he is meek, and having salvation.” He was predicted a ■5 prince, but be iS a pinice of peace, a ruler, but he rules over tlie bouse of Israel. He lias a kiiiiidom, but !l is a kingdom not of this world. It is the kingdom of heaven. The e.\i)rcssions, kingdom of heaven, kingdom of God, kingdom of Chri.st are synoiionious terms. They are used in the New Testament in allusion to the jiredic- tions of the prophets. Daniel in his interpretation of the vision of the four monarchies that should arise, foretold that the God of heaven would set up a king- dom, which sliould never be destroyed, and in allusion to these prophecies, these e.vpressions are often used to designate the introduction, progress and prevalence of the gospel. It is the reign of heaven. It is called the kingdom of heaven, because, 1. Its origin was in heaven. Its author, its head, its laws are from heaven and tlie great design of this kingdom is to prepare the way to heaven, and when prepared to make it known, and when made known to lead men in the way to heaven. It will make all its true subjects, heirs to an eternal in- heritance in heaven. ;2. It is called the kingdom of God; for it is the rle- velopment of God’s plan for the world’s salvation. By this kingdom, as the instrument. He will break the power of Satan, subdue the god of tliis world, over- turn and destroy the kingdom of darkness and sin, break the chains which hold the nations of the earth in bondage, in darkness, in subjection to sin and satan, and will overturn and overturn among the no- tions of the eartli, till the song of the heavenly choir shall echo from every part of the earth saying, ‘'The kingdoms of this world, are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.’’ 3. Christ's kingdom is a spiritual kingdom. He bv his laws reigns over the hearts of his subjects. It is the reign of God in the soul. It subdues sin, establish- es its dominion over the passions of men bringing th.e thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ. 1 * The weapons of warfare in Ciirist*s klngrlom are Splril- ual weapons. Its first great and glorious triumph was made by the abundant effusion of the Spirit on the as* sembled disciples at Jerusalem; and all its conquests, and all its progress, both in Christian and heathen lands are achieved by the same agent, by the Spirits coming down "Like rain upon the mown grass and like show- ers that water the earth.” 4. Christ’s kingdom is a kingdom oflight. Light in the scripture sense of the word. Its author is the "Light of the world.” And where he went, those who before sat in darkness saW great light, and to those who before sat in the region and shadow of death, light sprung up. The subjects of Christ’s kingdom are chil- dren of light, children of the day. They have been translated from the kingdom of darkness into the king- dom of light. They have no fellowship with the un- fruitful works of darkness. They are clad in the ar- mor of light. They walk in tlie light, for Christ their light is cotne. Such is Christ’s kingdom. It is heavenly. It is the kingdom of God. It is spiritual. It is a kingdom of light. And it will give light, and life, and peace, and joy, and happiness to all its true subjects. It was with such views of the kingdom of Christ, that the prophets call it “Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion the city of our God.” Under the influence of Christ’s reign, they saw in vision the wilderness bud and blossom as the rose. The hap- piness, peace, .security and universal prosperity which is to be enjoyed under this reign, is most graphically described by the prophet Isaiah Where he .‘'ays, “The wolf shall dwell W’ith the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the falling together, and a little child shall lead them; and the cow and the bear shall feed, their young ones sliall lie down together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and the sucking child shall play on the 7 I hole ol' the asp, and tlie weaned chdd shall put his hand I on the cockatrice den: they shall not hurt nor destroy I in all iny holv mountain, for the earth shall he full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” In the picture here drawn by the evangelical prop- [ het, he had his eye fi.\ed n|ion the lime of tin; Messiah’s i reiiin. He saw that such a scene would oerciir. Un- I der the mild reign of the Prince of [>ear(> tiiere would he a state of things that wmdd he well rr presented by the Wolf dwelling with the land), the leopard lying down with the kid, and a little child safe in their I tnidst. But let ns pass on and consider, II. The opposition whu) the kinp^dom of Christ encounters. Bill where is the ground for opposition? Why, what evil h-th he done? Why do the nations rage? Why do the people imagine a vain thing? Why do the kiniis of the earth consult together, the Rulers take counsel against the Lord and against his Anointed? Why should such a Ruler such a kingdom, be the sub-* ject of opposition. When we look at the glorious, character of the Prince of peace, the universal prosperi-* ty and happiness under his reign; we almost involun-* tardy say, that every knee w ill bow, aj)d every tongue con^ ' fess. and all lips unite in saying, “Hosannah to the king of Zion, blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” But prophecy and history, the history of Christ and the church, all history of evangelical Missions all ag- gressive attempts on the part of the church, compel us to admit that the reign of Christ is the subject of mighty opposition. There is enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. The possessions promised to Christ for his inheritance ore preoccupied and strongly fortified. The God of this world has set up his throne. The powers of dark- 8 wJs rule. The prince of tlie power of the air works til the children of disohedieiice, and in every aggressive iiiovemeiit of the church, satan and his emissaries wii! bring strong forces to oppose the setting up and progress of Clirist’s kingdor.i. Tlie language used by the sacred writers when describing thfs opposition isex- pr^'ssive of great strcngtli and power. A* its head is a rulef. a prince, a god. d'he dragon, the beast, the false prophet, Antichrist, are tlie significant characteristic terms employed to express the opposing power, and the strength with wiiich they maiiitiiin their do- minion over their possessions is e.vpn.ssed by “Strong bolds, principalities and powers.” We have time only to notice briefly, some of the forms of opposition widch are arrayed against the pro- gress of Christ’s kingdom. One form of opposition is false svstorns of religion. Mote than 500,000,000 of the human family are pagan idolaters. The first eft’orts of the church to spread the gospel encountered this form of op|iositioii. Those who [uiblished it were denounced as fle.serving impris- onment and death. Those who embraced it, were subject to violent prosecutions imprisonment and to death. And in our own times tlie names of Lyman and Munson aed H’^ilbams are recorded as victims to the spirit of hostility to the princif les of Christ’s kingdom. And at the present time the shores of Mad- agascar are scarcely dried from the blood of those who have died for forsaking ['agaii worship and embracing the gospel of the kingdom of God. Ihiiran idolatry is one of the strong holds of opposition to Christ and his kingdom. It is streiigtliened hv the !j:n>wth of ages, fortified bv prejudice asid ihe [protection of laws, by the [lower of [iriesthood. It is snp[)orted by false wis- dom, science filsely so called. Iiy a ststeni of pagan |)liiloso[)hy; contrary to llie gos[u l. and tlie inllueiice of which is to [irevcnt the [irogress of Iriitli. 7’he religion of the false prophet is another form of 9 opposition to the King;lotii of Christ. More than Ii2(),- OOO 0(H) of our race are the suhjects of Mahomedaii delusion. 'Phis delusive system is a strong hold of the kingdom of darkness. Its followers are stnmgly en- cased in their system of t rror, and where this s\stem prevails, the Missionary of the cross has hitiierto luid little access. A recent writer sa>s that ‘More nations have heeii converted iVom paganism than individuals from Mahomedanism.” Another form of o|>position to the kingdom of Christ is a eorrupt Christianity. Popery has not inappiopria'ely heen called a “haptized paganism.” It opp< si th annt |>ersecutions and death of [uotestain Christians in IIol- ! land in France and in England. And what is it. hut I the same spirit of oppositif)u to the gospel that has pro- hibited the opening of a protestant chapel in Home, suppresses an edition of the New Testament, imprisons one for teaching the common |)eoy)le to read the Bible, and another for the circulation of religious tracts, and ('.viles those found r(>ading, believing and embracing tire truths of the New Testament. \ recent writer from Rome says “th.e inquisition is in lull operation there. An edition of :R)0U copues of the New Testa- ment has been taken to the rooms of the im|uisition, and any man found with the New Testament is impris- oned, and if a forei.;ner, sent out of the country.” It was stated in a late meeting of the Evangelical Allian- ce in London by a minister who had spent sometime in Italy, that the great number of persons imprisoned, there for reading the B ble cannot be known. Every thing of the kind is suppressed. Another writer says, in Tuscany some are imprisoned and more are condemned to perpetual banishment. In the kingdom of Naples more than 300 are in the galleys for having dared to oppose themselves to the supremacy of the pope. 10 Wherever this system of corrupt Christianity has been nitroduce.l into any country, it presents a formidable barrier to the kingdom of Christ. Another source of opposition, is the condition of those among whom the gospel is to be introduced, and Christ’s spiritual kingdom set up. The condition of all heatlien nations is one of dark- ness, sin, degradation. It is so represented in the Bible. They vvalk in darkness, sit in darkness. They are ignorant of the true God, and of all the truths that relate to a future state. They desire not the knowl- edge of God. Professing to be wise, they became fools. They do not like to retain God in their knowl- edge, and so God gives them over to a reprobate mind. They are tilled with unrighteousness, wickedness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, haters of God, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, without understand- ing, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful. Tills is the character given by the apostle of the ancient heathen nations; and the same character applies to the heathen nations of Africa and Asia and the isles of the Sea, at the present lime. It is a condition entirely at variauee with, and opposed to the pure and heavenly and lioty. and enlightening, and elevating intiuences of the gospel. Another form of opposition to Christ’s kingdom is, the iudilference of the church to the work of sending the gospel to all nations. Tiiere is in a fiortion of the church, an apathy to the work of the world’s conversion to Christ. It is the op- position r>f the inbabtants of Moroz of ohi. They came not up to thehcl() of the Lord. It is the opjiosition of certain nobles, who when Nehemiah rejiaircd the walls of Jerusalem, ‘-They [>ut not their necks to tlie work of their Ta>rd.” It may seem to some too harsh a term to call this indifference opposition to the kingdom of Clirist. But how does tlie Saviour regard it? “lie ifiat is not with me is against me, and he that gallicr- 11 eth not with me scattereth abroad. It was indirter- ence that doomed the unprofitable servant to outer darkness. Ye gave me no meat. Ye gave me no dnnk. Ye took me not in. Ye clothed me not. Ye visited me not. These are charges only for neglect, indifference. There was on the part of those against whom they were preferred, no benevolent efi'ort for the good of others. And how were the inhabitants of Meroz regarded for their indifi'erence to the Lord’s work? Let the anathema answer, “Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabi- tants thereof, because they came not up to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. There is in the church much unbelief as to the work ol the world’s conversion to Christ. Some think the time has not come to engage earnestly in this great work. Some think that God will take the work into his own hands, and destroy literally the heathen na- tions. Some think that Christ will come and reign personally on earth, and then the gospel will spread and prevail rapidly throughout the world. Such views are inconsistent with immediate, vigorous, devoted, hopeful eftbrts for the conversion of the world. But what has the Christian to do with the time when, ami the precise way in which God will open the way for the introduction of the gospel to every people, and set up his kingdom among all nations. These the Father hath reserved in his own power. Is he not now speak- ing to the nations in his wrath, and vexing them in his sore displeasure, breaking them in pieces with a rod of iron. Whatever may be the designs of God as to the nations of the earth, there can be no doubt as to the immediate duly of the whole Christian Church. “Preach the gospel to every creature. Be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.'’ Every form of opposition will yield to the power of the gospel. It must and will be carried to every heath- en land, to every pagan tribe. It may be by a great 12 sacrifice of life, valuable, precious life. We may hear of many more scenes like those of Sumatra, Era- manga and Madagascar. Many may die in the struggle and before theory of victory is heard, but the work will go on, the strong holds will crumble. China with its proud and haughty son of heaven, was not too strong to be broken in pieces, and thrown open to the labours of Christian missionaries. An American Mis- sionary who has been more than twenty years in China in a recent letter from there says, “We must (and God helping us we will) sow the good seed, preach the word, fill the land with bibles and tracts and schools and churches.” Let us pass to our third general topic, III. The final universal extent of Christ's kingdom. The language of the text is too plain to require much comment or explanation. “I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” The kingdom of Christ is pre-emi- nently an unlimited one. Unlimited in its duration. Un- limited in the number of its subjects. Unlimited in its extent. Of its duration, the language of the Bible is, it shall never be destroyed, it shall stand forever, of his dominion there shall be no end. “He shall reign forever and ever. His dominion is an everlasting domin- ion, which shall not pass away and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” Of its numerical extent, the language of the Bible is, “All people, nations and languages shall serve him, Gentiles shall come to thy light and kings to the bright- ness of thy rising. All shall know the Lord.” In his vision of the redeemed, John saw a great multitude “which no man could number out of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues.” Of the geographical extent of Christ’s kingdom, the text is expressive. It includes within its boundaries all nations, the remotest portions of the earth. It is 13 ■ttot limilctl to ceiitincutor islatxl, to temperate or ton iU zone, to civilized nations or savage tribes. It embrac- es within its limits tlie sable sons of Africa, the savage canibal of Polynesia the half civilized Asiatic, the civiliz- ed and cultivated European. That such is to be the final extent of Christ’s king- dom is ap|)arent, 1. From the language xy{ propliecy. The glorious triumph of Christ’s kingdom over all x)pposiiion, and its final universal extent, were the theme of |)rophetic rajh Mire both in tire Old and New Testament. We can mention only a few of the many passages which speak of its extent. “He shall have dominion from sea to sea, from the river to the ends of earth. From the rising oi' the sun to the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentries. The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. The stone cut out of the mountain without hands, became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. The Lord shall be king over all the earth.” '2. The universal extent of Christ’s kingdom is evideirt from his own instructions. He taught his disciples that the wall of partition be- tween Jew aixl Gentile must be broken down. Hts language was, “I am the light of the worid. I if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all iry'ii unto me. Other sheep 1 have which are not of this fold, them al- so 1 must bring. The field is the world.” The ascen- ding commission of the Saviour to his disciples is in per- fect unison with the prophetic promises, and with his •own previous instructions. “All power is given unto me.” The world is redeemed. I-t is placed under my control. It is given me as the purchase of mv •death. “Go ye, therefore, teach all nations, preach the gospel to e\^ery creature.” 3. The labors of the apostles and early Christians are •evidence that they regarded the kingdom of Christ as ’universal. Their history is, that they went every whci»3 2 14 preaching the word. Those nearest to Christ, those wlio attended personally on his ministry made greater ertbrts than any succeeding generations ol Christians have done to give the gospel to all nations. They were early spread abroad among the remote nations. And before the close of the first century, the power of the gospel was felt throughout the whole Roman empire. And a heathen governor was compelled to say in view of the great and rapid progress of Christianity that the pagan temples had become almost deserted. 4. We may be certain of the final universal extent of Christ’s kingdom from the blessings it confers on men. God is a being of perfect benevolence. His beneficent hand tnakes the sun to rise on the good and on tlie evil. He sends rain on the just and on the un- just. Now we do know that man as an immortal being receives his greatest blessings from the gospel of Christ. Without this, life and all this world’s wealth are worth little to its possessor. It is under the infiuence of the reign of Christ, that the desert shall blossom as the rose. Peace on earth and good will to men was its in- troductory message to our world. It is life to the dead, light to those in darkness. It will fill the earth with knowledge. Its fruits are rigiiteousness, peace, love. It has the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. 5. The rapid preparation made in heathen lands for tlie introduction and spread of the gospel, show that the kingdom of Christ is to be finally universally extended. Almost every nation, whether pagan popish or maho- medan, is in some way accessible to Evangelical la- l»ors. Even those nations that seemeil to be strong- est barred against the introduction of the gospel, are unexpectedly thrown open, and invite the labors of tiie missionary of the cross. The empire of China with its more than 300,000,000 of inhabitants is acces- sible to the labors of missionaries. Its proud Emperor worshiped by his subjects as the son of heaven, permits 15 the exercise ot' the Christian religion throughout his do- minions, and in the year ISol there were seventy five protestant missionaries laboring in that Empire, and inteligent liigli ollicers of goverinent say they see noth- ing but good in tlie religion of the “western men.” It is the testimony of missionaries who have long labored in Southern India, that the confidence of \try manv of the discerning and inteligent part of the peo- j)le in their false systems of religion, is shaken, and it is only men and means that are wanting, to encircle t!ie whole of India, containing a population of 1 (50, 000, 000 with preachers of the gospel. A missionary of the Church Missionary Society in Central India says, “,\11 India is open to the gospel. Every where our visits are welcome, our ad>lresses received with marked attention. Temples are falling into ruins. The sacred caste is disregarded. 'I'he llrahmin is constrained to resort to labor for his bread.” The testimony of our brethn n is one and uniform, and sustained by the missionaries of every denomination, that the era of India’s emancip- ation from the thraldom of idolatry is at hand. In the kingdom of Siam, and almost all South eastern Asia, the inhabitants are equally accessible. We have heard that the whole Armenian nation is calling for the gos- pel. The Sultan of Turkey has published a decree in favor of his Christian subjects. Already has the mission- ary of the cross penetrated far into the interior of Africa. Tiie isles of the Sea wait for .Tchovah’s law. How great the change. How rapidly has the heath- en world been thrown open to the efforts of the church for its evangelical labors. When the four first mis- sionaries of the A. B. C. F. M. went out it was doubt- ful whether they could find any field in which to la- bor, and it was after long delay and much entreaty and many hinderances, that they were finally permitted to begin their labors in India. But now large and promising fields invite the laborers of Christ’s vineyard to come to them. In Asia, in Africa in the isles of the 16 Sea, the gospel may have free course run and he gfori- fied. 6. The universal reign of Clirist appears probable, from the great and constantly increasing means, which are in operation to spread every where the gospel. The Bapti.st Missionary Society of England was form- ed about tlie close of the last century with a subscrip- tion of .‘^•70. Its annual receipts are now nearly i^'l30,- 000. Wlien the London Missionary Soe. was first form- ed it was confined to the consultation of nine .Ministers in London. Its annual receipts are now nearly ^‘400,000, At the second annual meeting of the A. R. C. F. M. its receipts for the year hatl been I,1G6.90. Its annual receipts now exceed 250.000. In protestant Christendom there are now more than forty principal Missionary Societies, and every year is ir.creasing tlie auinber of societies and the amount of instrumentality employed in sending the gospel to the heatlien. Not long since the Australian Board of Miss- ions was formed in Sidney. Its object is to propogatc the gospel among the heathen tribes of Australia, New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands, the New Hebrides, the Solornan’s Islands, New Hanover, New Britain, and other Islands in the ^Vestern Pacific Ocean. In passsiug resolutions, the Society expressed their conviction, that it is the duty of the church in .\ustral- la to use its increasing endeavors to extend the bless- ing of the gospel to the heathen trilics and to bring the Australian natives under its influence. They resolved that the foreign efforts of their Board be first directed to the Islands lying nearest to .'Vustralaia. to the New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands, in the hope that by the blessing of God, its missioivs may hercaAer be ex- tended to ail the heathen tribes inhabiting the islands of the Western Pacific. A missionary writing recently from the Samoan Islands, says, “eighteen years ago the inhabitants of these islands were worshiping idols, row they contribute monthly to send the gospel abroad 17 and to support native teachers in other dark islands.” In one year not long since the amount of contributions in England from the children was ,$(3(),0()() for the spread of the gospel in the Islands of the Pacific, and in the United States the last year the amount contribut- ed by children to the funds of the A. B. C. F. M. was ;$6,000 and it is proposed to raise from the same source the present year *2,000 to support all the common schools under the care of the Board in heathen lands. Many more facts might be added to show the in- crease of Missionary efibrts in heathen lands, and in lands till lately heathen. Surely the heathen nations will be Christ’s for his in- heritance, the remotest portions of the earth his posses- sion. Prophecy foretold it, the instructions of Christ, to his disciples and his last commision to them teach it. The labors of the first preachers of Christianity confirm it. The reign of Christ will be universally extended, for the blessings conferred by his reign are equally necessary for all. The way is opening in every land. The inter- est in the work is increasing every successive year. The Saviour will see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied. And this leads us to the last general topic of the dis- course, IV. The agency by which the kingdom of Christ is to be universally extended. A condition is stated in the text. “Ask of me.” Though the promise is irreversible, and the final posses- sion sure, yet it was on condition of Christ’s making intercession. It is to be accomplished by means. But how does Christ ask? Not by his own intercession onlv It is by the church that he asks. By the prayers and the efforts of his true followers. Christ and his follow- ers are in some respects one. It is represented in scripture that the union is very intimate, the connexion very close. Indeed they seem to be identified. Such is the obvious import of the Saviours pravers for all 2 * 18 who should become his followers. “Tliat they may be one as we are one, I in them and thou in me, that they fje made perfect in one. That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in tiree, that they also may be one in us." The Apostle also speaking to Christians of their re- lation to Christ says, We are co-workers togetiter with him, joint heirs with Christ, suffer with him, are dead with him, live wit li him, reign with him." The official relation in which Christ stands to the church shows tliat the condition e.vpressed in the text in- cludes tlie church. ClirisI is king over Zion, over the Christian cliurch. And as a king prospers, and reigns, and subdues his enemies, enlarges and holds his posses- sions by his subjects, so Christ will have his possessions and his inheritance by the instrumentality of his subjects, the clirisiian church. By them He asks. By thcn^ He will subdue his enemies; and come into final and complete possession of the [rromised inheritance. As to the kind of agency which the church is to use to extend universally the kingdom of Christ, w'e can hardly mistake. We know that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal; Christ’s universal triumph will be by means of the gosjiel. Such is the language of the Bible. It was early promised that in Christ all tlie families of the earth should l>e blessed. It was in \ lew of the jirogress of the gospel that Christ saw Sa- fin fall as ligl>tiiiug from heaven. It was his being lifted fro:i> the earth tint would draw all men unto him. 'I'hc gospel is tlie jiower of God unto salv.ttion. The angel Hying througli tlie midst of heaven, had the ever- lasting gosjjel to preach to them tliat chvell on the earth, to every nation, and kindred, and tongue and f>eople. Every other insirnmentality is inadequate to accomplisi) the work of enlightening, civilizing, eleva- ting and saving the nations of the earth. Literature and science and civilization, all fail to accomplish it. The world by wisdom knew not God. Heathen na- 19 tions must nil hear the gospel of Christ, and know tlic true (rod and Jesus. 'I'his is life eternal. The heralds of the gos|)ol must go to every people, and to every tribe. The great and essential truths of the bible, the (Jod and Saviour it makes known, the precepts it inculcates, the duties it reipiires, must be proclaimed to those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death. .Another agency in extending universally the reign of Christ is the influences of the spirit of (Jod. Thrs. agency was early [)romised in the work ofs|)reading the gospel. The apostles were directed to tarry in Je- rusalem till they were endued with [)ower from oti high. Tlie dew, the rain, llootls, streams, waters reviving, refreshing, reanimating the face of the dry and thirsty eartli. causing it to become verdant, to bud and blossom as the rose, and become a fruitful garden, are figures used in scripture to denote the precious, abun- dant life giving influences of God’s spirit; his agency in the spread ot the gospel. “In the last days saitli the Lord. 1 will pour (uit uiy spirit upon all flesh. Un- til the Spirit be poured upon us from on high. 1 will pour water njron him tliat is thirsty and Hoods upon the dry ground. He sitall come down like rain upon the grass, and as showers that water the earth.” In full accordaueft with these promises of the Spirit was the promise of Clirist to his disciples. “I w ill send the Comforter, il.e Spirit of truth. He shall abide with vou forever.’’ When the Apostles had received their commission to go and disciple all nations, and were a- l)ont to enter o>i their work, they were fiirccted to tarry in Jerusalem till they should receive the endowment of the Spirit. The history of the gospel’s greatest success both in earlier and later ages, tcacli ns that it is by the Spirit’s .Agency, that the gospel wall be rapidly spread, univer- sally extended, and the kingdom of Christ become fin- ally universally triumphant. The apostle assured the wondering multitude on the day of Pentecost, that the 20 astonishing scenes which they witnessed, were a fulfill- ment of the Spirits agency in the work of extending the kingdom of Christ. And when the same apostle carried the gospel to the gentile nations, and preached to them salvation throiight a crucified, risen, and ascen- ded Saviour, “Then the Holy Ghost fell on them that heard the word, and they were astonished because that on them also w'as poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.” It is hardly necessary to add, that the active and de- voted agency of the whole Christian church is necessary to the universal and triumphant extent of Christ’s king- dom. There must be the united, increased, persevering, prayerful, zealous eftorts of all the followers of Christ. The petition, “thy kingdom come,” must be offered with unfeigned lips, accompanied with a corresponding con- secration of men and means on the part of those w'ho pray. Pastors of churches, teachers of Sabbath Schools and those to wliom is entrusted the training of the young must cultivate in them the spirit of consecration to the service of Christ. Every professed follower of the Saviour must be interested in this work. The com- mission embraces all. The greatness of the work de- mands the help of all. It is with the design of engaging a pr>rtion of the Christian church in the work of extending the king- dom of Christ, that the “Hawaiian Missionary Society” has been organized, the object of which tlie Constitution says, “Shall be the propogafion of Evangelical Christian- ity in the Islands of the Pacific, or in other parts of the world.” The reasons for such an organization are obvious. 'Phere are more than twenty thousand members connected with the different churches in the Islands. So large a community of professing Christians, ought to be enlisted in the great w'ork which the church of Christ has to do. We know of now reason why they 21 slioulil be an exception to the command of the Savioer to his followers, to send the gospel to all nations. If ttiev give out of their deep poverty, it is no more than what the first Christian chnrchcs did gathered from heathen nations, and for which they received the commenda- tion of an insj)ircd .-\postle. And it is only what thousands of Christians in other lands are doing at th(‘ liresent day. 'The annual amount contributed bv the llawaiiat> Churches, calls for such an organization os this Society is. For a long time the native churches have Ix'en in- structed in the dnt,v of Ivlping in the greet work of extending the gospel of Christ. And they have cheer- fully resoonded to calls made upon them for contribu- tions. When the French IVolcstant Missionary Socie- ty of Paris made an a[>peal to the churclit s in the T ni- ted States in behalf of their Missions in South Africa, and that appeal was made known to the churches itr these Islands, their contributions to that M ission amount- ed to !j^5‘29.83. During the last financial year of the A. n. C. F. M. donations were received from the Hawaiian churches and acknowledged in the Missionary Herald of that year to the amount of ^'‘1,108.88 and the whole amount contributed by these churches for the year ending May, 1851, amounted to i^l5,9G.5. By the influence of this Society, we may hope that the churches here will continue to labor systematically and eftectually, and cooperate with other portions of the church in extending universally the kingdom of Christ. What has been done for the Hawaiian nation is a consideration which should induce them to aid in sen- ding the gospel to those yet destitute of it. The American churches have expended nearly $‘800,000 to plant the institutions of the gospel in these islands to support schools, to distribute the bible andotlur books. They have sent a large number of Missionaries and as- 22 sistant Missionaries to this field. Freely they have re- ceived. Verily they are debtors. The Hawaiian na- tion is indebted to the gospel for tlie light and knowl- edge, and lil)erty they enjoy. And is it too much to expect of them lliat being made partakers of all the precious blessings and privileges which the gospel con- fers, tliey in their turn aid in imparting it to others. Freely tliey have received freely they may be expecteil to give. The effect of sucli efi’orts by the church here will be beneficial to themselves. The reflex influence of Mis- sions generally is a sound argument in their favor. It is in accordance with the divine plan of bestowing blessings. “Cast thy bread upon the waters and thou shall find it after many days. lie that watereth, shall be watered also himself. He that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” A most powerful and ef- ficacious way of firomoting religion at home is for the church to exert itself to send the gospel abroad. “There is that maketh himself poor and yet hath great riches. There is that scattereth and yet increaseth.” It is in accordance both with the examples ami pre- cepts of the bible, that churches like these contribute to the spread of the gospel. Are they poor? The poor widow, who threw into the Lord’s treasury more than they all, was publicly commended by the Saviour, be- cause she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. And the early Christians brought all their pos.sessions and consecrated them to the service of Christ. 'I’he churches gathered by the Apostles from a- mong the heathen, were exhorted to lay by weekly from their gains for t!ie service of Christ as he had prospered them; and they were commended by the apostle be- cause that in a great trial of allliction the abundance of their joy and their deep i>overty, abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, yea, be- yond their power they were willing. 23 Let me in conclusion call your attention to tlio change wliich has come over these Islands for the last quarter of a century, as illustrating the kind of agency l)y which Christ’s kingdom is to be universally exten- ded. The preaching of the gospel has been the chief instrument in effecting the change. With it have been associated those powerful auxiliaries, the press, schools of different kinds, the circulation of the bible and other books. By such agency God has been glorified in these isles of the Sea. The following language has been used as descriptive of the Hawaiian nation thirty years ago, “The deepest darkness of barbarian paganism enveloped all the Is- lands. The land was full of fthe earth for l»is possesion. Every continent and ■every island shall echo the triumphant song of the heav- ly choir, kmgdoms of this ivorld are become the Jimgdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and hvf ^hall reign forever and ever.'' DATE DUE JAt^ 2 0 73 1 GAYLORD PRINTED IN U. S. A.