On This Day in 1893 - God Grant Men for Japan!
Japanese SBC missionaries report reasons for hope by telegrah to the Convention in Nashville, Tn:
One year's labor in virgin soil, overgrown by briers, thorns, and thistles of such a rank growth as Buddhism, Shintoism, Fetishism, Infidelity, Skepticism, and such like, will hardly be crowned with a harvest so luxuriantly abundant as to overrun the barns and storehouses and awaken enthusiasm for the new country. While our report may not arouse unbounded interest, I think we have cause for great rejoicing, abundant thanksgiving, and much encouragement to "expect great things from God," and to "attempt great things for God."
The most encouraging feature is the willingness of the people to hear. Anybody and everybody will ask a question, by which means we can secure an opportunity to tell them of Christ. Not only do the people gladly hear, but many hearing believe. God gave us a great harvest last year -- twenty-six baptisms. And when we remember that last year was our first year in Kiushiu, I am persuaded that we may look for a greater blessing this year.
Our need is men to prosecute the work. We are in close touch with nine million people, all of whom must have the gospel or perish. Twenty years hence one-half of these will be in eternity. Will our young men and women sit still and see these millions go out into eternal night while they might be saved by an outstretched hand? God grant men for Japan! The need is men -- men with the gospel in their hearts, manifest in their lives, and preached incessantly by word of mouth. We cannot ask for less than eight men -- men with their wives this fall. MEN, MEN, MEN, is our cry for the heathen. "Men" is the heathen's cry for themselves. Does not Christ say, Go!
One year's labor in virgin soil, overgrown by briers, thorns, and thistles of such a rank growth as Buddhism, Shintoism, Fetishism, Infidelity, Skepticism, and such like, will hardly be crowned with a harvest so luxuriantly abundant as to overrun the barns and storehouses and awaken enthusiasm for the new country. While our report may not arouse unbounded interest, I think we have cause for great rejoicing, abundant thanksgiving, and much encouragement to "expect great things from God," and to "attempt great things for God."
The most encouraging feature is the willingness of the people to hear. Anybody and everybody will ask a question, by which means we can secure an opportunity to tell them of Christ. Not only do the people gladly hear, but many hearing believe. God gave us a great harvest last year -- twenty-six baptisms. And when we remember that last year was our first year in Kiushiu, I am persuaded that we may look for a greater blessing this year.
Our need is men to prosecute the work. We are in close touch with nine million people, all of whom must have the gospel or perish. Twenty years hence one-half of these will be in eternity. Will our young men and women sit still and see these millions go out into eternal night while they might be saved by an outstretched hand? God grant men for Japan! The need is men -- men with the gospel in their hearts, manifest in their lives, and preached incessantly by word of mouth. We cannot ask for less than eight men -- men with their wives this fall. MEN, MEN, MEN, is our cry for the heathen. "Men" is the heathen's cry for themselves. Does not Christ say, Go!
