(jfljhta fnlaitfc JJttsstatt §rager Ettion Journal letter.
January, 1897. To tlie Members of the Prayer Union : Dear Friends in Christ,—
Through the tender mercy of God in restoring me to
health, I am permitted, after nearly two years of sickness and
silence, to address you once more. In doing so, I feel constrained to raise my voice of praise to God, not only for past and present strength, but also for the long continued sickness. Few things that the Lord has ever granted me have been more
full of blessing than the days of weakness and inactivity now
ended. In spite of all they involved, God's grace was found to be sufficient, and the new knowledge obtained of the love and power of our blessed Lord was a compensation far outweighing any suffering. Allow me to thank you for the prayers which
you offered in my behalf, and which went so far both to sustain, and, finally, to restore me. I trust our Father may return all such into your own lives, and that He may bless you as you
have asked Him to bless me. As most of you know, the sickness which overtook me in my
work was the occasion of my going to China for a second time, and, ultimately, of journeying around the world. Staying in China for the greater part of a year, travelling some hundreds of miles along its coast and into the interior, and, finally, touching
at a large number of the treaty ports of the great heathen
nations encircling the globe, I came into an altogether new
understanding of the meaning of our Lord's command when He
said, " Pray ye the Lord of the harvest that He will send forth labourers into His harvest." No Christian can look upon this world as God sees it without feeling, somewhat at least, as God
feels, and without having- something of the compassion that Christ had as He beheld the multitudes scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd. Manifestly, the whole world lies in the evil one. Though the Lord died for all ; though He gave
the fulness of His power, through the Spirit, to His Church
on earth ; though the Church could have reached all the nations and every creature in each generation, the world at large is almost in as dense ignorance of Christ and the Holy Ghost as if God had never put forth His power to save, and as if our Master and Lord had never commanded His children to bear the glad
tidings to the uttermost part of the earth. It is a shorter journey
out of Christendom than most people know, and it takes longer
to pass through heathendom than most will understand. To
this hour, though nineteen centuries have passed since Christ
died and rose again, the great nations, outside of our little corner
of the earth, know not God, and, according to the sure word of Scripture, as they are without God, they are also " without
hope." There is indeed need of compassion, and there is need
of prayer. The need of the world at large is China's special need at this time. There can be no doubt that there are more heathen in China to-day than there were when missionary work began
there, one hundred years ago. Besides this, China has come
to a new crisis in its history. The late war with Japan has
resulted in bringing the land out of its long seclusion, and we
are upon the point of seeing, no doubt, many important changes
within its borders. But with these changes will come in amongst its people more of ungodliness than of godliness, for the advancers of civilization in foreign parts are more often the
servants of Satan than witnesses to the truth as it is in Christ.
Besides this, civilization is not Christianity, and often so-called" Christianity " does not mean conversion of souls to God.If we may judge from the treaty ports in China, where civili-zation has already gone, we fear that the flood-gates of iniquityare about to be opened upon China's millions as not in all thepast, and that missionary bodies will be forced to cry to God,assome of us have prayed for long, that the Gospel maygobefore rather than behind the civilization from which manyarehoping so much. However this may be, there is need ofincessant prayer to the Lord, that He may lay China in a specialway upon the hearts of God's people everywhere, at this time,to the end that the doors which are now opened may be at onceentered, that the work which has been begun may be preservedand further advanced, and that the dying millions of this generation, who have never yet heard the name of Jesus, maybetold, ere they go hence, of Him who died and rose and is comingagain.
It is a joy to us to know that you, as members of the ChinaInland Mission Prayer Union, have recognized in a special wayyour privilege in reference to praying for China ; and that inaddition, you have been led of the Spirit to offer prayer for us,that we may be empowered from on High for the fulfilment ofour service toward that land and its people. We cannot tell youwhat strength it is to us to know that over one thousand Christianfriends are banded together in such a holy league of prayer in ourbehalf; and we covet a continuance of this ministry, as wellas an increase of it. We now look back, as a Mission, tothirty-one years of service for China, and we see at present theoutcome of these years of service as a signal token of God'sprovidential dealings with us. We can make no claim to anythinglike unbroken faith or faithfulness, on our part ; but we beholdJesus as the forgiver of sins, the over-ruler of mistakes, theaccepter of imperfect service, and the great and glorious Workerwho has brought to pass what we could not have accomplished.All this, and whatever of faith and holiness God has seen, havebeen the result of prayer offered by yourselves and by others.The Mission was born of prayer and it has been continuedthrough prayer. As prayer has been made, the work hasflourished ; as prayer has in any sense decreased, the work hasfor that time languished. Everything has depended upon God; therefore everything has depended upon prayer. Prayer hasmade room for God and has taken away, in part, the limitationswhich we have put upon Him. Let no one think then, becausethe Mission has become established, with its home and foreignorganizations, with its seven hundred workers scattered abroadthroughout China, with its three hundred native helpers, andwith its many stations and out-stations, and with its schools,hospitals and dispensaries, that there is no more need for prayer; let no one think that because God has so remarkably suppliedour need during all the years that have passed, in funds, inworkers, and in all else, that He will do so whether there is or isnot prayer. And let no one think that there are so many prayingfor us now that it will little matter if one or two do not continueto pray. We need to-day, and will need in the future, not lessprayer but more prayer. For our own sakes and for China'ssake, we long for a great enlargement of intercession in ourbehalf, both in the number of those who pray, and in thefrequency and in the intensity of the prayers offered. God, Whohas done so much, will do far more, if those who are one withus in service, both in and out of the Mission, will but wait with
CHINA'S MILLIONS.
importunity upon our glorified Lord.. The Mission has not become something since it began its work, the smallest and
feeblest of all organizations ; we were nothing then, and we are nothing now. Pray then, beloved friends, and invite others to pray, that God may pervade our ignorance with His wisdom,
our weakness with His strength, and make our nothingness the occasion and opportunity for the display of His might and
majesty, to the speedy gathering out from China a people for His name. We would remind you again that any of your friends may join
in our Union as a member of it, and a remembrancer before God,
by giving us his name and address. Upon receiving this, direct from the person, or through one who is already a member
of the Union, we will send a card of membership. There is no
charge for the card, or for the copy of "China's Millions" which
will be forwarded, if possible, to each member of the Union for a year ; if, however, any person wishes to cover the expense
of the card, he may do so by remitting twenty-five cents ; if
he wishes to cover the cost of the paper, he may do so by remitting an additional fifty cents. Be assured that we will pray for you, as you pray for us.May God in His grace and mercy hear and answer our unitedpetitions for one another and for China, and pour out in thispresent year such a blessing that there shall not be room enoughto receive it. And thus " Unto Him that loved us, and washed us fromour sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priestsunto God and His Father ; to Him be glory and dominion,for ever and ever. Amen." With grateful remembrances,
Yours in our Lord, • ^Y ??- -iUHome Director.