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SOULS OR SOVEREIGNTY?

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 19, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 38.

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SOULS OR SOVEREIGNTY?

By C. M. S.

WHAT does the missionary seek in the highways and byways of heathenism—the souls of the heathen, or the propagation of his country's influence? In other words, whose ambassador is the man who goes to teach among the heathen "the unsearchable riches of Christ"? If he is Christ's ambassador, he will represent Christ and His kingdom, and all else will be subservient to that. If he has forgotten the import of his commission, he is almost sure to glorify the country from which he came, and extol the merits of his peculiar national civilization. He is a German Christian, a French Christian, or an English or American Christian. But the true Christian, the true ambassador of Christ, is a Christian without respect to nationality.
An ambassador can not be the accredited representative of two different nations at the same time. Neither can Christ's ambassador represent Christ and any earthly government at the same time. He can not serve two masters. The ambassadorship of the Christian is of sufficient importance to engross the whole time and attention and energies of the man who undertakes the high responsibility. His business is to teach to the people the salvation of Christ, to represent in this earth, this foreign country, King Emmanuel and the sovereignty of heaven. He can not take the time to represent any other power; for the business of his Sovereign is urgent. The sovereignty of earthly powers must pass away; but the sovereignty of God is from everlasting to everlasting. Representing an earthly government, or extolling its merits among the heathen, is too small a business for him whom Christ has sent out in His name. Such work is a double failure; Christ is not honored, and the earthly government is involved in difficulty with the people among whom he has been laboring. The nations have their own representatives abroad, looking after their interests. The Christian, if he understands the meaning of his call, knows that he is abroad to represent the interests of the kingdom of heaven. His business is to seek the salvation of souls; and when in danger, he will seek the protection of the One who sent him forth.
The missionary should weigh well the questions, Am I seeking the souls of men, or the extension of an earthly government's influence? Am I seeking to serve two masters, or one only, and that Christ? C. M. S.