World Evangelization by C. M. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 14, 1911

World Evangelization

By C. M. S.

THIS world has never seen an age like this. “Intensity is taking hold of all things earthly.” While the world has practically gone mad over the matter of war preparation; while the nations are taxing their people to the farthest possible extent to equip armies and build and equip battle-ships and aeroplanes; and while men are piling millions upon millions in the wild race for wealth, there are movements on foot in the religious world which are as determined and as vigorous in that field as these other movements are in their fields. No such paradoxes and anomalies have been produced in any other generation.

While the cost of living has been increasing, we note also a large increase in offerings to foreign missions, and that, too, at a time when no inconsiderable portion of the professed church of Jesus Christ is advocating the withholding of funds from missionary operations abroad and the using of the people’s gifts in such work as they consider is in need of being done at home.

It is another striking paradox that this increase in offerings to foreign missions comes at a time when from thousands of pulpits dedicated to the promulgation of the gospel of salvation there is dispensed the faith-killing tenets of the higher criticism and a false science’s contradiction of heaven’s record of creation. It is therefore apparent that while Satan has invaded the church to work its ruin and set it against its Founder, God is inspiring faithful hearts to greater liberality, and in all churches he is carrying on a work of conviction and consecration and loyalty in the hearts of honest and sincere men and women, preparing them for the reception and acceptance of his last message when it shall reach them. God has yet his jewels in all parts of the world.

The general secretary of the Laymen’s Missionary Movement, Mr. J. Campbell White, has issued a message to the churches of the United States and Canada, in which he makes public some interesting information. That movement is now five years old, and Mr. White declares that these five years have witnessed the most extensive and inspiring increase of missionary interest during modern times. He makes plain that intelligent enthusiasm for the carrying forward of foreign mission undertakings is not a hindrance, but rather a help, to the work in home fields.

Concerning the actual gain in donations to foreign mission work, Mr. White states that financial gains to missions during the five years have been the greatest ever made during a similar period by the churches of entire nations. The churches of Canada have increased from $1,492,300 five years ago to $2,216,000 last year. Taking the United States and Canada together, the increase for foreign missions alone has been from $8,980,000 to $13,350,000 annually, or a gain of about fifty per cent. The secretary states, further, that the movement expects to cooperate with the missionary agencies of the churches until the work of world evangelization is actually accomplished.

If God will make even the wrath of man to praise him, surely we may know that he will use such a movement as that and the Students’ Volunteer Movement to advance the interests of his kingdom. And certainly they who, in other churches, stand against the great drift of the times toward doubt and infidelity and commercialism, will have an opportunity of receiving the testing message and the last message for this generation. Their zeal in such a movement should be an inspiration and an incentive to us to increase our diligence in carrying on effectively the great work that God has given us to perform. C. M. S.