MISSIONARY SPIRIT by Stephen N. Haskell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 18, 1878

MISSIONARY SPIRIT.

By Stephen N. Haskell

Webster defines a missionary as “one who is sent upon a mission;” but this does not cover the idea of the term as it is used when applied to the work of God. A more full definition would be, “One sent upon a mission to save souls.” It is not, therefore, necessary to go into a far country to be a true missionary; but wherever there are souls to save, there men and women can manifest the true missionary spirit. It should commence in our own hearts, and the fruits of it will be seen in our lives; and its influence will be felt in our own families and neighborhoods.

Love is the motive from which the action springs. Love is an active principle, and cannot live without works. Its life consists in performing acts of disinterested benevolence. The soil in which it grows is not the natural heart; but love is a heavenly plant, and flourishes only in a heart renewed by the grace of God. It never becomes weary in doing good to others; for it “suffers long and is kind.” Christ was the great exemplar of this principle. And, in proportion as men possess this spirit, their lives will be devoted to the upbuilding of the cause of God, their greatest interest will be its advancement on the earth.

A successful business man will become inspired with the object of his pursuit, so that he will possess discernment to see the bearing of those moves that relate to his interests. He will venture in enterprises the results of which he is persuaded will be for his pecuniary advantage. Some men will run great risks and make a success of almost any enterprise. A successful missionary is one who becomes so inspired with the work of saving souls that his own interests are forgotten, being lost in God’s work. Therefore, if it is necessary for a business man to seek to carefully invest his means so as to bring sure returns, how much more important the work of saving souls.

To be successful in this work requires true wisdom. “He that winneth souls is wise.” The apostle reasoned that he had run in vain unless success attended his labors. He exhorted the Philippians to “do all things without murmurings and disputings,” “holding forth the word of life,” that he might rejoice in the day of Christ that he had not run in vain, neither labored in vain. Phil. 2:14-16. The consequences are too serious to enter upon the work of the Lord in a reckless manner. Eternal results rest upon present moves. If a selfish motive prompts the act, even if it be to give all our goods to feed the poor, God does not accept it.

A heart that is drawn out after souls for whom Christ died, and that is free from selfish interests, is pleasing to God. It will feel the misery of others, and cannot rest at the sight of suffering. Christ was rich, but he became poor that we might become rich. To bear the burdens of others, to alleviate their sufferings without having in view a reward in this life, is an important part of the Christian religion. “When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and thou shalt be blessed.” Here is the reason: “For they cannot recompense thee.” Now comes the time when the reward is given: “But thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.”

The world calls a man a shrewd calculator who can make every move count in bringing him returns in this life, either in money, honor, or friends, anything that will gratify a selfish heart. But God said to the man who had amassed a competency, and then arranged matters for many days of ease in this life, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee.” Had he been rich toward God by works of a purely disinterested character, it would have been said to him at last, as well as to others, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me. . . . Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” To the other class it is said: “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.”

The work of Christ is often neglected, because of the continued sacrifice required to carry it forward, but this constitutes a test of the spirit which is possessed by the individual. The true missionary spirit reaches out for the salvation of others, and will manifest itself in placing before them those spiritual blessings God has bestowed upon us. The Christian cannot enjoy these things alone. Exclusiveness is a trait of the carnal heart, and belongs to the sinner. No comparison can be drawn between temporal things and the worth of the soul.

The precious blood of the Son of God, which was shed for the salvation of mankind, is the only proper estimate of the worth of the soul. And he who, for the sake of sordid gain, will neglect laboring for the salvation of others, and who will let worldly interests come in between him and such labor, deceives himself if he thinks he possesses the Christian religion. Christ left riches, honor, and glory, and took upon himself poverty in the extreme. He had not where to lay his head. Yea, we did esteem him smitten of God and afflicted. He was despised by men, yet he went about imparting life to the dead, health to the sick, and joy to the sorrowing. This was the missionary spirit as exemplified in the life of the Son of God. And if we have not the spirit of Christ, we are none of his.

It is said of an emperor and warrior, that when he had taken some golden images of the apostles from the Catholics, and had melted them into coin, he put them into circulation, saying, “Go about doing good, as the apostles did whom you represent.” The same should be said of Christians. Instead of being a stationary guide-board, bearing the name Christian, and pointing to Heaven in a formal manner, we should be active in scattering the seeds of truth, and exerting a holy influence upon all with whom we come in contact. Our talent is to be returned with usury. If we would wear a starry crown, souls must be saved through our instrumentality. “He that turneth many to

righteousness shall shine as the stars forever and ever.”

Disinterested acts of benevolence will alone secure this. Selfishness will not. It cannot save a single soul. A stream can rise no higher than its fountain. If the motive be selfish, the fruit will be of the same nature. If the motive be purely unselfish, like that principle that brought Christ from Heaven, it will bring forth fruit unto eternal life. There is no failure in this matter. “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

The heart must first be changed, and become gentle, easy to be entreated, full of good fruits, without partiality or hypocrisy. It is God who gives this work success, and, therefore, it must be by the aid of his Spirit that the act is performed.

Then God’s Spirit will affect hearts. When it is fully realized that God alone gives the increase, and that the spirit of disinterested affection is the spirit of Christ, it will be considered a privilege to sacrifice for the advancement of the work of God, and, with the apostle, we can exclaim: “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

S. N. HASKELL.