The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1912, Page 82

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82

took the place of a lost, undone sinner, and fled

. to the merey of God which is in Christ Jesus. For
“God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto
Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them,”
2 Cor. 5, 19. In Christ we have a reconciled God,
a merciful God. Therefore salvation is in Christ
only, and every sinner that flees to the mercy of
God in Jesus, the Savior, is “justified from all
things” and saved for all eternity.

The way the publican went is the only way of
salvation for all men. “For all have sinned and
come short of the glory of God, being justified freely
by His grace through the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus,” Rom. 3, 23. 24.

Hostile Criticisms of Mission Work.

Sometimes unfavorable reports of mission work
are published by writers who have been traveling
in foreign countries. Such a writer recently wrote:
“Not one Chinaman has ever been converted to
Christianity, no matter what the missionaries say
or believe.” He attributed the statement to Sir
Robert Hart, who for many years has been con-
nected with the customs service in China. When
Sir Robert Hart heard of it, he said: “I never
made any such: statement. On the contrary, I
have on several occasions mentioned the fact that
during the Boxer troubles in 1900 thousands of
Christians bowed to death rather than recant. Of
course, preaching and teaching do not find the same
response everywhere, but I believe that while in
some places success follows quickly and conspicu-
ously, the Word of Life is nowhere sown in vain.”
That settled the conscienceless writer. “But,” says
a member of an English Mission Board, “there are
others, and it would keep a bureau busy nailing the
untruths circulated about mission work by writers
that are green and know not what they are talking
about.”

Such “green” writers remind us of the story
that is told of Uncle Jim, an old colored janitor
at a Southern college. ;

‘He was a jolly fellow, with whom the college
boys would have considerable fun. Sometimes he
would silence them by a quick and smart answer.

One spring day Uncle Jim had been burning the
college green in order to get rid of the old withered
grass. A freshman came along and shouted, “Say
there, Jim, you ought not to burn that stuff.”

“Why?” said Jim.

The Lutheran Pioneer.

“Because,” replied the freshman, “it will make
the grass as black as you are.”

“Well,” said Jim, “dat’s all right, yes, dat’s all
right, never you fear; dat cre grass come up and be
as green, yes, sir, as green as you are, sir, *fore ”
many days.”

Just so, many a one that speaks lightly of the
missionaries and their work is simply “green” and
does not know what he is talking about. Such
critics often remind us of the conversation between
a British colonel from India and a returned mis-
sionary. The colonel said, “I have been ten years
in India, and have never seen a converted Hindu.” .
The missionary asked, “Did you ever see a tiger
in India?” “Why, yes,’ answered the colonel, “I
have shot a number of them.” ‘The missionary re-
sponded, “f have been ten years in India, and have
never seen a tiger. Men see what they are looking
for, in India as elsewhere.”

There is also no doubt that many hostile crities
of missionary work are moved by their hatred of
the Christian Chureh and her work for the salvation
of souls. They are infidels and cannot but speak
in contempt of the missionaries and their labors.
Such may take a lesson from a‘ well-known incident
told by H. L. Hastings as follows: —

A story is told of an old Fijian chief and an
English earl — an infidel — who visited the islands.

The Englishman said to the chief: “You are
a great chief, and it is really a pity that you have
been so foolish as to listen to the missionaries, who
only want to get rich among you. No one now-
adays believes any more in that old book which is
called the Bible, neither do men listen to that story
about Jesus Christ; people know better now, and
[ am only sorry you are so foolish.”

When he said that, the old chief’s eyes flashed,
and he answered: “Do you see that great stone
over there? On that stone we smashed the heads
of our victims to death. Do you see that native
oven over yonder? In that oven we roasted the
human bodies for our great feasts. Now, you! you!
Tf it had not been for these good missionaries, for
that old book, and the love of Jesus Christ, which
has changed us from savages into God’s children,
you! you would never leave this spot! You have
to thank God for the Gospel, as otherwise you would
be killed and roasted in yonder oven, ‘and we would
feast on your body in no time!”

ern

Gop has his eye on your heart;
cannot deceive Him.

your tongue