The Missionary by Stephen N. Haskell

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Oct 29, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 41.

The Missionary.

By Stephen N. Haskell

The Establishment of the First Christian Church.

THE manner of establishing the church at the first advent of Christ is important and full of interest; for it shows us his method of introducing the gospel to the world. When Jesus entered upon his ministry, he did not commence labor in the synagogue or in any other public place; but he commenced with personal, private labor for those who were athirst for knowledge. "John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me; for he was before me. And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from Heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not; but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. Again the next day after, John stood, and two of his disciples; and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye?" The disciples confessed that they were seeking Jesus; they desired to become acquainted with him, and to be instructed by him at his home.

Jesus thus commenced his ministry by personal instruction at the place where he abode. The two disciples were charmed by his intensely practical lessons. Their hearts had never been so moved before. The missionary spirit at once took hold of Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He was interested for his friends and relatives, and was anxious that they should see Jesus, and hear his precious lessons for themselves. He at once went in search of his brother Simon, and claimed, with the greatest assurance, that he had found the Christ, the Saviour of the world. "And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jonas; thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, a stone."

The next day Jesus selected another disciple, Philip, and said unto him, "Follow me." Philip fully believed that Jesus was the Christ, and he immediately began to search for others whom he might bring to his Lord. He soon found Nathanael, "and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile." Nathanael's wavering faith was strengthened, and he too became one of Christ's disciples.

It was thus that the church was founded by the personal labor of Christ. He taught men in the public highway, in private houses, in the synagogue, on the lake shore, and at the marriage feast. He spent much time in the solitude of the mountains, engaged in earnest prayer; and he came forth from these seasons fresh for the conflict with the powers of evil, strengthened for active toil among men in real life. He would relieve the poor, and teach the ignorant and those bound by the chains of error. And his labors were confined to no one class. He accepted invitations to dine with the learned and the noble as well as with the poor and the afflicted; and the rich and honorable shared his instructions.

We would not have it understood that we believe in talking in a loud and boisterous manner, by the roadside and in public places here and there, until people will hope never to meet us again. This was not Christ's method of working. "Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth. I have put my spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench; he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law." The voice of Christ was not heard in the street in noisy contention with those who opposed his doctrines; neither was it heard in joy and mirth. It was not raised to exalt himself and gain applause and flattery; nor was it heard in prayer, that he might be observed of men. When engaged in teaching his disciples, he often withdrew with them from the noise and confusion of the busy city to some retired place more in harmony with the lessons of humility, virtue, and piety, which he would impress on their minds.

The same spirit which characterized the Redeemer of mankind should characterize each one that professes faith in him. Are we actively engaged in the missionary work? If not, why not? Is it because no one has hired us,—because no one has set us to work, and told us just what to do and how to do it? If so, we are making a great mistake. We are to let our light shine where we are, and under the circumstances in which we individually are placed. If the servant of Christ finds himself where he cannot let his light shine to the benefit of others, then he is either where he has no business to be, or his life has so obscured his light as to destroy its influence for good. In either case, for his soul's sake and for the sake of others, he should at once change his situation, and, what is more important, his life.

Wherever there are souls to be saved, there is something to be done. The world is full of men and women who have never heard the evidence of the soon coming of the Son of man. It is to be warned, and there remains but a short time in which to do this work. As long as probation lasts, there will be something for God's people to do for the salvation of those who are out of the ark of safety. It is personal labor that is needed, at the home, at the fireside, in the street, in the cars, on the steamboat. Wherever we are, we should watch for opportunities to say a word for Him who died for us. It may be but a word, and yet that word may be the means of saving a soul that is trembling in the balance, deciding for eternity.

We know that "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach, except they be sent?" And after they have been sent, how shall they successfully reach the people without special instruction from Christ? "For without me," he says, "ye can do nothing."

To his disciples Jesus said, "Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes." This was designed to make an impression on their minds; for he had previously said to the same disciples, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." The importance of the work of saving souls should be so realized that none will wait for circumstances to clear the way, or make it easy to work for God. We have but little reason to have confidence in the work of those who cannot be free to labor unless the circumstances are in accordance with their minds.

The great apostle wrote to Timothy, his son in the gospel, "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." We are to labor in public and in private, by the fireside and in the desk, wherever and whenever we come in contact with souls. He that cannot do this is not fit to labor for God. But there are some who can preach well, but they are strangers to personal labor; such do not comprehend the nature of the work of the gospel.

It has ever been the work of true believers to plant a knowledge of the truth and of the cross of Christ in new regions. When men have not this spirit, they have not the spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ. To settle in one place, and to confine our labors and means to any one locality, is not now, and never has been, the plan of God. Christ came to a lost world, not to save the Jews only, but whosoever should believe on his name. His labors showed that he was no respecter of persons; but that in every nation he that fears God, and works righteousness, is accepted with him. Jesus manifested as much interest in the woman of Samaria as in the chosen people, the Jews. The disciples marveled greatly that he should talk with this woman; but he informed them that he had meat to eat that they knew not of. In this circumstance he instructed them that the work of saving souls is not confined to any one class of people, or to any one nation or locality. "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." This is the broad commission which our Saviour gave to his disciples as he ascended up to Heaven. It reaches to the close of time; for he also said, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

The spirit of personal labor and of true devotion should characterize all missionary effort; and Christ will ever be with those who thus labor. It was in this spirit that the gospel was first introduced and established in Europe. Concerning the founding of the first church we read: "And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither." It was the same in Asia. Paul was with the disciples at all seasons. He taught publicly and from house to house. It is in this manner that the gospel work will wind up. Bible readings and colporter work will be resorted to, and every other means that can be devised to reach the people. Preaching is necessary and has its place; but that alone will not accomplish the work which God designs to have done. When laborers follow the example of Christ and the great apostle to the Gentiles, God will, for his own name's sake, honor his word, and clothe it with power. And in the end the triumphs of

the cross of Christ will be sounded by persons from every rank and station, and from every people, nation, and tongue on the face of the earth. This time is just before us; and the feeblest efforts, put forth in faith, and with the love of Christ in the heart, prepare the way, and hasten its coming.