THE MISSIONS OUTLOOK by W. N. Glenn

Pacific Press Publishing Company · OAKLAND, CAL., KANSAS CITY, NEW YORK · Nov 28, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 48.

THE MISSIONS OUTLOOK

By W. N. Glenn

THE missions outlook is brighter from the standpoint of the Word of the Lord than from present visible results, or from logical expectations based on such results. The Saviour gave commission to His disciples, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15. To this He adds, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Matt. 28:20. A commission conducted under such auspices is sure of eventual success. From this standpoint, in the faith of this Word, the outlook for missions is propitious.

But much of the mission work of the past and present seems to come short in the vital point of turning men from the world to Christ. The so-called "advanced civilization" appears to be the goal of much present-day missionary effort. If the heathen can be induced to forego some of their ruder habits, and be persuaded to adopt the customs of the "civilized" or "Christian" nations, it is deemed so much triumph for Christianity. "Evangelization" seems to be the aim, rather than conversion to Christ. And their learning to do as the white man does is too often accounted conversion to Christianity.

The "Christian-nation" idea rather than that of individual Christian life, and the idea of saving society rather than individual souls, which are permeating the church to-day, are also having a deteriorating effect in the missionary world. The heathen are led to consider all the people who hail from the white missionary's native land as Christians—no matter what may be the calling or the conduct of the individual. The opium, the intoxicating liquors, and other vice-producing articles of merchandise that accompany or follow in the wake of the missionary, are regarded by most of the heathen as Christian goods, and the men who cheat them in trade are regarded as typical Christians.

That mere "evangelization," as commonly practised, is not real Gospel work, is shown by the Master when He says, "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven." Matt. 7:21. Too much of the missionary effort of to-day is dependent for protection upon the power of the country of which the missionary claims to be a citizen. When it comes to the test of persecution, the destruction of property, and the peril of life, too often the missionary has shown that his faith was not in the Saviour's promise, "Lo, I am with you," but in the obligation of his country to stand by him and defend him with its puny temporal power.

A Spirit Not of Christ.

As long as the spirit of missions in foreign lands is shown in revenge, retaliation, and redress for reverses and injuries, the true Gospel will make but little progress. The urgent, persistent demand upon the Turkish Government for payment of damages to mission property in Asia Minor will prove a serious detriment to true missionary work in that country. As long as a great nation, posing as "Christian," assumes a threatening attitude toward a professedly Moslem government for a paltry sum of money, Christian mission work will not have a very bright outlook among the sultan's Moslem subjects. Apparent success, for the most part, will be due to the fear of American arms rather than to an obedient love for the Gospel presented by American missionaries.

The outlook in China is greatly befogged by the retaliatory attitude of some prominent missionaries. One of them, conspicuous in position and long service, whose example would naturally have great weight with native converts, acted as guide to the foreign army in its attack upon the Chinese capital. Without reference to the justice or injustice of the action of the "allied powers," the spectacle of a professed Christian missionary at the head of a hostile army, assaulting with carnal weapons the people to whom he had been wont to present the Gospel of peace, is not calculated to inspire that people with a love for the religion professed by the missionary and his auxiliary forces. In the face of such an attitude it will certainly be more difficult in future to convince that people that the Gospel of Christ means peace on earth and good-will toward men.

Still another instance in connection with mission work in Peking is anything but encouraging to the future of mission effort in that vicinity, especially under such auspices. An American lady of wealth and influence had been conducting mission schools in the capital for thirty years when the recent disturbance arose. When asked by a press reporter for her opinion as to the conditions of peace, she very emphatically declared that she would demand the heads of the empress and Prince Tuan before entering upon peace negotiations at all. It is a pleasure to state, however, that other missionaries have shown a different spirit in this respect. But the manifestation of this spirit of revenge, and dependence upon human power, by those prominent in Chinese mission work, can not but cast doubt upon the efficiency of past work, and sadly blur the outlook for the future, if the work is to be continued in the same spirit as heretofore.

Not a Pure Gospel.

Antagonism of method and doctrine on the part of missionaries has been a great detriment to true mission work. The heathen have received what purported to be the Gospel from so many conflicting sources that their ideas of Gospel truth must be as much confused as are the Babylon voices of "mother" and daughters. Moreover, they must consequently become partakers of the creed animosities of their many and varied teachers. The many divergences from the plain Word of God that have been retained in the popular churches, and been adopted as doctrine, have also been instilled into the minds of the "evangelized" heathen. To such an extent has the Word been mutilated that it is made to teach, both at home and abroad, a perverted gospel.

To be specific, the Sabbath of the Lord is set aside for a human substitute; the ordinance of baptism is perverted into a meaningless ceremony; the ordinance of feet-washing (memorial of the Saviour's humility)

is rejected, in the face of the Lord's example and plain precept; the fundamental doctrine of immortality only in Christ, through a resurrection of the body, is superseded by that of the natural immortality of man, and his entrance into glory or into eternal torment at death. And this natural-immortality theory has paved the way for the soul-destroying doctrine of Spiritism, which is sapping the life-blood of the professed church of Christ. Furthermore, the hope of the church, the second coming of Christ to redeem His people (John 14:1-3; Heb. 9:28), is made of none effect by the teaching that He comes every time a Christian dies, and takes his "immortal soul" to heaven. Again, the Saviour's words, "As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man," etc. (Luke 17:26, 27), and the words of the apostle Paul, "Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse" (2 Tim. 3:13), are made void by the constant assurance that the world is growing better, and that there will be a thousand years of perfect peace before the coming of the Lord. The really infidel doctrine of evolution also has its adherents and advocates among the missionaries. It is infidel because it is antagonistic to the Word of God, which teaches the direct creation of man by the power of that Word.

Now all these gross deceptions, and consequently many more, are being taught in mission fields (not by all missionaries, thank God) as the Gospel of Christ. What, then, is the outlook for missions?—From the standpoint of present conditions the horoscope shows eventually a people theoretically turned from their present darkened condition, but it is only to that of adherence to a perverted gospel, having merely "a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." It shows a people educated from one deception to another, gilded with the much-vaunted "modern civilization," and outwardly stamped as Christians.

But, as stated in the outset, the missions outlook is brighter from the standpoint of the Word of God. We are there shown the final failure of all attempts to lead men to Christ by means of a perverted gospel. The Revelation shows us almost at the end of time a messenger bearing the "everlasting Gospel," going to "every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." Rev. 14:6. That this new missionary enterprise, represented by an angel flying in the midst of heaven, is set on foot near the end of time, is shown in its proclamation of the judgment hour. Verse 7.

The necessity of beginning anew with the everlasting Gospel, to carry it to all the world, is shown by the further proclamation that "Babylon is fallen." The conglomerate mass of false doctrine that has permeated the churches becomes finally so unwieldy that the entire structure falls to pieces. At last it fails as utterly as did the Jewish Church at the time of the first advent, by reason of the traditions through which the law of God has been made void. The Babylonian establishments become no longer of any possible use as Gospel vehicles. The reason is stated in the previous chapter: "All the world wondered after the beast." They adopted its false doctrines one after another, until they fell in with it entirely. "And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast; and they worshiped the beast." At the close of chapter 12, however, there is noted an exceptional remnant: "And the dragon was wroth with the woman [the church], and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."

It is this "remnant" that must carry the "everlasting Gospel" in its purity—commandments of God and all—to the entire world. And they must do it with the rapidity of an angel flying in the midst of heaven; because the time is short, the judgment hour is at hand. "For He will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness; because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth."

What, then, is the mission prospect?—The "everlasting Gospel," going in the power of the Spirit, in the faith of Jesus, in the purity of the unadulterated Word, must succeed. The prospect must be bright, despite appearances; for it is a prospect of faith, and not of sight. That it will develop a company who will "keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" (Rev. 14:12), is the assurance of the prophetic Word; therefore it can not fail.

There is now a vast material preparation for such a work. The governments of earth and the great corporations, in making their worldly improvements, have unwittingly labored for the day of the Lord's preparation. They have prepared the railroads, the steam vessels, the electric motors, the telegraph, the mail and express facilities, and all the necessary paraphernalia for doing a quick work. And the great Bible societies have issued the Word and portions of it in nearly four hundred languages and dialects. With all these helps at hand, guided by the great missionary Spirit of the Chief Shepherd, the last grand, universal effort should be speedily accomplished.

Although it is the eleventh hour, the Lord is saying to those who have the faith of Jesus, "Go ye also into My vineyard." The doors are everywhere open to a work of faith. The Macedonian cry, "Come over and help us," is heard in every land. Men everywhere are restless and uneasy. They are seeking peace; they are in quest of truth. And the enemy of souls is taking advantage of their hungering and thirsting. He is ready at all times to supply the demand, but he supplies only that which is fallen and delusive. The truth alone can make them free; and the truth can be found only in the Word of God. The true missionary will carry only this Word,—the everlasting Gospel,—and by a Spirit-filled life will exemplify it wherever he goes.

W. N. GLENN.