JULIUS PERSSON by Julius Persson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 18, 1909

JULIUS PERSSON

By Julius Persson

Ethiopia

JULIUS PERSSON

“PRINCES shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.” Ps. 68: 31. Before Jesus left his disciples, he entrusted to them a world-wide mission: “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15. And the twentieth verse reads thus: “And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.”

Their commission was to preach the gospel,—not fables or tales, but the gospel,—of which Paul testifies that it is the “power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” And reading the Acts, we shall also find how they accomplished their God-given task. In Acts 2:14-20 is recorded the opening work of the gospel, when the gift of the Holy Ghost was sent from heaven. Through its power and the testimony of the apostles, as a result largely of Jesus’ own ministry, three thousand souls were converted. In the third chapter we read that Peter preached in Jerusalem to the Jews, and as a result, about five thousand believed. Not only in Jerusalem was the gospel to be preached, but also in Samaria. So we find Philip in a city of Samaria, preaching Christ unto them. Acts 8:5. And when the brethren in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans “had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: who, . . . when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.” Acts 8:14, 25.

The gospel, however, was not limited either to Judea or to Samaria, but was to go to “the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15. This was accomplished in the early rain of the Spirit, by Paul and the other apostles; for Paul himself says, in Rom. 1:8, that at that time the faith of the Romans was “spoken of throughout the whole world.” Paul was preaching the gospel in the great centers of Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, and Italy. Thus we can see how the gospel gained entrance into Asia and Europe.

But our text first cited says that “Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.” And as this land is located in dark Africa, that continent was also to be enlightened with the true light (John 1:4, 7-9); that is, the gospel of a sinner-loving Saviour must be given also to the nations in that part of the world, that the prophecy might

be fulfilled: “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” Isa. 9:2.

Has the gospel been preached also in Ethiopia? In Acts 8:26-40 we find the record of Philip’s preaching Jesus to an Ethiopian, who had come to Jerusalem “to worship.” When Philip had declared to him the prophecies concerning Christ,—his mission here on earth, his sufferings and death to save fallen men, his glorious victory over sin and the grave,—this Ethiopian accepted Christ as his Saviour, confessing that “Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Further, as he was baptized, and Philip was caught away from his sight, we read that the eunuch went on his way rejoicing. As he was a man of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, we are led to believe that he was the instrument used of God to bring the glad news of salvation to the court of Ethiopia, as Daniel, some centuries before, had been sent to the court of Babylon. The result of that witness is not related, either in the Bible or in history, but we dare not say that no result came of it. Some centuries later, when Christianity was introduced into Ethiopia, the people gladly received it.

Asmara, Eritrea.