PRAYER AN ESSENTIAL IN MISSION WORK.
By Editor
[From a Mission Board Circular.] It was the burden of the prayer of Knox, "Give me Scotland, or I die." Hunt, who was so specially used of God in cannibal Fiji, cried out with his last breath, "O, let me pray once again for Fiji; God, bless Fiji!" And the Lord heard the prayer. When, in 1878, the China Inland Mission saw the need of opening up a work in the interior by women for women, it was felt that possibly Mrs. Hudson Taylor should lead the first effort. But could she leave her little ones to spend months in a new and hazardous endeavor? One thing was sure. If God wished it, He could provide for the children. Would He? At first it seemed not, but further prayer removed this obstacle completely. Still some thought it wrong. So they put God to the test. Mrs. Taylor asked the Lord one day to send her the money for her outfit, and to give her also $250 for a special purpose—just that, neither more nor less. If He gave her a sign, and did both, surely her way would be clear. That very day a visitor called to see her and inquired was she really going. On hearing that she expected to go, he handed her a check for the outfit, for that and nothing else—exactly the sum allotted to outgoing missionaries for that purpose. But that was only half her prayer. Yes, but three days later came a check for $250, with express permission to use it for the purpose desired. Is not God more ready to answer than we are to pray? And on the very day of her departure a gentleman, who said he could ill spare it from his business, sent $5,000 to defray the cost of the new effort. With hearts warm with love for the souls for whom Christ died, let us keep step with progress in the mission fields, with earnest prayer unto God to send forth the laborers and provide the means. Our missionary campaign requires a steady and continuous advance. It must not be the subject of a spasmodic effort one year and a dropping back the next. The ground gained must be held, and the line of battle pushed still further outward. The work can surely be done, for God commands it. Early in this century, when as yet America was doing practically nothing for missions, six young men in Massachusetts met by a haystack in the field, and prayed definitely that something might be done. They arose from their prayer season for missions with a clear conception of a program of effort that should reach the great regions beyond, and with the rallying cry, "We can do it if we will," they began a work which was the foundation of all that American missionary societies have done toward the evangelization of the world. Now, with a great work to be done within a few years, and with hearts depending upon the great power of God, pledged to the fulfillment of His own word, let us take as our motto, "We can do it, and we will, by the grace of the Lord Jesus."