A Little Argument With Myself
If I refuse to give anything, I practically cast a ballot in favor of the recall of every missionary, both in the home and in foreign fields. If I give less than heretofore, I favor a reduction of the missionary force proportionate to my reduced contribution. If I give the same as formerly, I favor holding the ground already won, but I oppose a forward movement, forgetting that the Lord never intended that his army should take refuge in a fort. All his soldiers are under marching orders always. They are commanded to “Go.” If I advance my offering beyond former years, then I favor an advance movement in the conquest of new territory for Christ. Shall I not join this class? If I add one hundred per cent to my former contributions, then I favor doubling the missionary force at once. If I add fifty per cent, I say, Send out one half as many more; and if I add twenty-five per cent, I say, Send out one fourth more than are now in the field. What shall I do? I surely do not favor the recall of our whole missionary force, or any part of it. Neither am I satisfied simply to hold our own so long as this message is due to the world in this generation, and the great majority of the heathen world as yet have never even heard of Christ. I do believe in greatly increasing the present number of our missionaries, therefore I will increase my former offerings to missionary work.—Selected.