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February 26, 1913] T M 1 F
T Financiei
by kkv. wm. :
The very luminous and satisfactory statements
recently published as to the how and
why of our mission debt, reminded me of a
recent conversation with a friend, in which my
friend quoted the text, "Which of you, intending
to build a tower, sitteth not down and
counteth the cost," etc. And in the same connection
he quoted the text, "Stand still and
see the salvation of the Lord." The conversation
set me to thinking about the two texts
quoted, and I was much interested to note the
correspondence between the two passages, and
especially in discovering that the very point
Which the Master made in liis illustration is
the point which the average Bible-reader is
apt to overlook. Examine the two passages,
(Exodus 14:7-38 and Luke 14:28-33), and it
will appear that the Master is contrasting the
caution displayed by sagacious business men
with caution of an opposite sort; and that the
two passages both emphasize this thought; that
the calculations of faith arc not the calcula^
tions of worldly prudence.
Moses was rebuked for praying when his
business was, first, to call the people to a forward
movement. Ordinary prudence would
have suggested that there was great risk in
trusting themselves to the mercy of the winds
and waves, in passing through the sea upon a
highway opened by "a strong east wind," and
which might close with a change of wind.
Faith said, "God holds the winds and waves in
His hands, and He will stand between us and
danger." In fact, with Pharaoh behind them
and God urging them on, the real danger would
have been in disobeying the Divine command,
"Go forward." And they had crossed the Red
Sea, and were powerless to prevent Pharaoh
from pursuing them, and not till then, they
could trust God to light for them, and "stand
still and see the salvation of the Lord." They
saved their lives by risking them in obedience
to the Divine command?risking them, that is,
as the matter would be regarded from the
stand-point of worldly, prudence. At Kadesh
Barnea, they refused to obey the Divine command,
and to take the risks involved in attempting
the immediate conquest of Canaan,
and the result was that a whole generation perished
in the wilderness, who might have lived
long in comfort and security as the conquerors
of Canaan.
In the second passage, our Lord is empha
oiling Lite luul mat me risKS 01 ine spiritual
life are far beyond those of any business venture,
so far as the things of this world are
concerned; and his argument is this: "If business
men count the cost before beginning a
building, and if a king consults whether he is
able to fight with ten thousand against an
enemy who has twenty thousand, so you must
take account of the risks involved in starting
out* to serve me. 7 require you to forsake all
thai yon have, and to take tip your cross daily.
You must renounce father and mother, and
wife and children and brethren and sisters, and
even your own lives for my sake. Are you willing
to do thisf Count the cost, and see if
WAM AMA mtlliMM AA A?U? AL- ?I ?1- J 1 TT **
jvu oic tu m&e me riim. riere is xne
Master's winnowing machine, which from that
day to this has been separating the chaff from
the wheat.
Our dear brethren of the Executive Committee
of Foreign Missions are being severely
criticized. It is being said that they failed to
count the cost, and here we have the figures
now furnished us to prove the justice of the
criticism. But, men and brethren, with the
figures before me, I deny the justice or the wis
EIBBT tlftlill OF f B I 60
ring of Faith
p. m'corkle.
dorn of the criticism. Although they foresaw
the inevitable iu the piling up of a large debt,
1 believe they did what the Master would have
had them do, and that the final result in souls
saved, and in revived interest in our great
work, the proportions and merits of which will
be better understood because of this discussion,
will fully vindicate their wisdom. Theirs was
the financiering of faith. They saw that there
was a risk involved, but they counted the cost
in consecrated lives and treasure of a great
harvest of souls saved, and of a great blessing
to the home church in the gathering of that
harvest, and they heard the Divine Voice that
said, "Speak unto the people that they go for
ward," and they did so. Bankers risked a
large part of their assets upon the good faith
and zeal of the Southern Presbyterian Church,
after having given large personal gifts. It may
be safely asserted that these men have not asked
any of us to do what they are not themselves
doing. Some, who had given very largely,
risked much more in endorsing for the
Church.
Here, too, is another point, which has not
been sufficiently considered: It is much easier
to estimate the cost than to foresee the precise
point at which the Church will lag in its march.
When men were waiting to be sent out, and
funds had been provided for immediate expenses,
the Committee had to choose whether
they would turn a deaf ear to the cries from the
field for reinforcements, or risk something
upon the probable willingness of the Church
to sustain these men when once they had been
sent to the firing line, and the question had
to be met, Shall we sustain these men, or stop
the work and bring them home! Is it not easier
to excite interest in a work in progress, and in
men who are in the field, than to rouse a sluggish
church to undertake work that has not
been begun f We can count on the willingness
of the Church to contribute enough to keep
their missionaries from starving, or being left
stranded among heathen. And the Church has
been waking up as never before.
Have we reached our limit f Not yet. Have
we all surrendered our all to Christ? Why, it
is safe to saj' that the expenditure of Southern
Presbyterians for souvenir postal cards, Christmas
cards, Halloween cards, etc., etc., in any
one year, would pay half that debt.
Let us hear the Voice which bids us go forward,
and let us go forward by faith. The
calculations of faith and the financiering of
faith differ widely from the shrewd guesses
and wise plans of worldly prudence. Faith
may be tried in the delay of its hope; but its
most glorious vision is sure to be fulfilled, as
was that of Moses, when God fought his people;
and it will be ours, having done all we
can, xo siana sxui ana see His great salvation.
Prudence counts the cost on the basis of what
we have in hand; faith, on the basis of what
we believe God has in store for us. Prudence
avoids risks that are visible and material;
faith seeks to avoid those that are invisible and
spiritual. Prudence cries out in alarm, and
says, "We are not able to stand before so great
a host;" faith, "We will go forward, since it
is with God to save whether by many or by
few." Prudence makes a calculation in dollars
nnrl nonta an/1 "T ????/ * ?1 ?
v. v.-vU, oujo, x csuuui nuuru ine sacrifice;"
faith counts up money and treasure of
every sort, and then adds one's own life, and
his father, mother, brethren, children, and all,
and says, "Lord all are thine: I renounce all
for Thy sake." Prudence looks as far as the
horizon, with its ominous clouds, and shrewdly
UTA (171) 3
resolves to stay at home and escape the storm
that is gathering; faith looks beyond the horizon,
and sees the light that never fails, and sallies
forth into the storm and into the night
when (iod calls us forward. Prudence is the
prophet's servant, who was frightened when
he saw the city encompassed by a hostile host,
and cried. "Ala3. my master, what shall we
do?" Fuitli enjoys the prophet's vision, and
beholds the shining hosts that are always about
us and are always lighting with us, and prays,
as the prophet prayed, "Lord, open his eyes,
that he may see 1"
Martinsville, Va.
A "GREAT AWAKENING;" IN A CITY.
Church papers report frequently, visitations
of Qod's awakening Spirit to small town, or to
country churches. Can such things be in cities?
Can city saints pray for such a visitation
also,and expect it' The writer thinks they can.
Two illustrations come to mind; one from
1 J a. 1 _il * I- * _ ?
cany uays, me oiuer xrom mis our own aay?
1st. The one of early date, is this, viz: that
the first "Great Awakening" recorded in the
New Testament occurred in a city; the city of
Jerusalem?See Acts 2ud Chs. 3,000 souls
were "born again," the Church arose anew,
from out of an apostate people, the manifestations
of spiritual power, were unmistakable
and overwhelming, and a New Dispensation,
the "Dispensation of the Spirit" began.
And it began in a City!
at seems u gruwiug opinion, inai " nengion
(i. e., our type?"evangelical religion") "has
retreated to the country". "That life in a
large city, 'hustling' feverish, money loving,
money seeking, pleasure seeking, neck and
neck racing after this world's things, leaves
no time, (and does not want to leave any) for
the old idea of "an awakening"!
That notion is all well enough as a specimen
of human philosophizing. But the fact is, a
"great awakening" comes from "the living
God," and is a pouring forth of His life into
the hearts of Ilis sleeping and torpid people?
And it is not His custom to take counsel of
men's philosophizing, but rather instead, of
His people'8 prayers?"My people" says lie,
shall be made willing in the day of My power"
?That was the ease in that city?Jerusalem?
The proof of His people "being willing," was
their praying, and although but a handfull in
numbers, the blessing came; and came in power?
And cities are the same in all ages; as to
chief characteristics; and as to obstacles to a
"great awakening;" especially as to unbelief
in regard to the possibility of such a thing. (For
that matter as to unbelief in regard to anv
reality in genuine heart changing, life changing,
home changing religion >?Jerusalem had
plenty of such unbelief; as much so as Richmond
has! Ah yes; far more; woe be to
Richmond if she develops the unbelief Jerusalem
had. Yet God, out of that wicked, unbelieving
apostate city, brought a regenerated
people and church, clothed with irresistible
spiritual power!
God can do that again! And right here, in
Richmond! 2nd. The second instance of a
'Great Awakening in a City"; the recent one,
occurred in 1874, in St. Louis. There have
been others (for example, the great awakening
in 1857, in New York, which spread throughout
the country), but I cite this because I have
an account of it, written from St. Louis, at the
time?here it is:
"Little E. is a beautiful child but very shy?
quite timid and frequently starts up in her
sleep in a great fright, crying "boo-boo!" and
with outstretched arms as if trying to ward off
(Continued on page 5.)