SUNDAY HEADING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9157, 25 March 1893, Page 12 (Supplement)

SUNDAY HEADING.

AFRICAN INDUSTRIAL MISSIONS. [BY BISHOP W. TAYLOR, OF apiuoa.]

The civilisation and salvation of Africa, a country comprising one-fifth of the globe, with a population of 200,0000,000! The light shed upon this dark continent by Christian missions is but the silver lining of tho thunder-cloud. Tho Wesleyan Church of England, and London Missions in the south, backed by English and Dutch colonies, have made good progress. The Baptist missions, with others, are opening with success on the Congo, West Coast, and in North Africa. But in most cases these missions are employing the same methods of work as have beer, found adequate in Asiatic countries. All those countries have the Oriental type of civilisation, and the industries devoted thereto are fairly adequate to meet the demands of Christian civilisation; so that in those countries missionaries are not required to open schools of industry. But the industries of heathen Africa, barely sufficient for hand-to-mouth subsistence, are utterly insufficient to meet the requirements of civilised life; hence, limiting the education of young heathen Africans to head and heart culture, they become pitiable, pedantic beggars. My plan is to negotiate with kings and chiefs for mission sites in suitable centres, and, for each station, a grant of land for a mission farm, which, with the implements of civilised industries, becomes an object lesson for- the heathen at large and a draining school four our pupils. .Again,, most missions open their schools mainly to children who have reached what they call the "school age," bordering on to their teens, an-' full of heathenism. My plan is to place a nursery mission in each station, and put into it .from ten to twenty boys and girls, from three to six years old, adopted from heathen families, and placed under the skilful training of a competent missionary matron. The little children of Africa are not heathens. They bear the same relation to God as do the children or Christian countries, and they are as teachable as any other children. Thus, from their day-dawn we " train them up in the way they should go;" first, in the industries of the farm, workshop, kitchen, and house; second, in the various branches of a common school education ; third, in the experience and growth of a genuine conversion to God ; fourth, in various lines of Christian work and usefulness among their people. This plan of work, broadened in its application to the continent, and faithfully carried out, will guarantee ultimate, early, and complete success. Now, without the slightest interference with the resources and operations of any established missionary societies, earnestly praying for the increasing success of all of them, I respectfully submit a simple plan by which a million workers can heave on the home lever, and lift the dark continent into the sunshine of Divine light and glory. I do not propose to organise a Missionary Society, nor to antagonise any, nor to tie to any, nor to be under the control of any. My work in Africa, with forty stations already open among wild heathen tribes, is under the most perfect organic provisions of the discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church. What I propose is the voluntary formation of Africa Industrial Mission Bands, entirely undenominational, regardless of age, sex. or colour; anybody and everybody who may feel inclined to lift a little. Each band to consist of ten members and upwards, with a leader approved by the band. The payment of one dollar a year to my Africa fund will entitle any person to membership, or paying as much more as they may desire. Bach band will be duly enrolled and certified by my agent, and designated and numbered thus : —" Africa Industrial Mission Band, No. —."

This plan of missionary work indicates the short cut, and the sure cut, for giving Africa to Jesus " for His inheritance." The march of Mohammedan conquest is appalling ; the raids of murders and menstealers are desolating vast regions of this country; the flood- of rum and gin, fed by a hundred steamships, from Christian (?) countries, is rolling in. through every port of the dark continent; millions of children in Africa slide down yearly from, the vale of infantile inuoceucy into the " horrible pit" of heathenism, so that oar home-millions of helpers should rush to the rescue at once. The rank and file of the masses of mankind require leadership, not bosses. Administrative ability to lead is competent to organise an Africa Industrial Mission Band of a dozen members. Let all such try, and report the result. Address all communications to the Row Ross Taylor, 210, Eighth Avenue, Now York city, U.S.A.

ACTS OF FAITH. [by THE KKV. JAMES gall.] The first act of faith by which sinners lay hold of Christ has many different forms, and takes place in a great variety of circumstances. Although it is the turning point in the believer's history, it is often so unmarked, especially in the case of those who have no deep convictions, that they cannot tell either where or when this great event took place; whereas with others it is accompanied with such deep experiences, and produces such an immediate and important change, that it is impossible that it could ever be forgotten. In these latter cases it will generally bo found that some particular verso of Scripture has been used by the Spirit in producing the change, and has been laid hold of or impressed upon the mind, as the ground upon which the soul was enabled to rest its confidence and hope. It is sometimes difficult to lean the son! upon the generalities of Scripture doctrine, and therefore it is well, in accepting the offered salvation, to take some verse cf Scripture containing the Gospel invitation, and to exercise faith upon it particularly. Not that this speciality is necessary, but it helps" the anxious soul to lay hold of the offered salvation by using the very words of Scripture as our warrant for resting our faith upon it. In doing this the heart feels a happy assurance when coming face to face with God's own invitations, and building our confidence on their unchangeable truthfulness. I would therefore recommend not only for the first act of faith, but for its frequent repetition, the use of particular passages of Scripture chosen for tho purpose, presenting them upon your knees before God in His own words, and then and there formally accepting them, so that you may feel assured that the great transaction has been completed, and that your sins are really pardoned.

Satan would often try to destroy your peace by suggesting a doubt whether you have truly accepted Christ, or whether there was not some defect or self-deception in the surrender which you made. But there need be no anxiety in regard to this, even though you may not be able to remember very distinctly the circumstances which took place. You are not to look back, on that one act as if your salvation depended on its being right or wrong. Even supposing it to be right, it was only " the beginning of your confidence," which must be continually renewed, and which you must hold steadfast unto the end; ana if it was wrong it was easily remedied, for you may do it rightly now. The same believing look which you gave to Jesus at the first must never be withdrawn; for in this respect we differ from the never-wounded Israelites, who when they were cured never needed to look to the brazen serpent again. We must be always looking' unto Jesus, who is not only the author, but the finisher of our faith ; and if we should ever be tempted to trust to our

because, although cSft^fe hold of us, we are losing our hold f / u a new-born infant. was Hke the brLS m a new-born infant. It must Ivn S \? 1 repeated in order to preserve theliffSft was only then begun. One reason whyS Christians become sickly, and lose ?u y spiritual strength, is that they try to li? upon the past experience, and do not iS? tmualycome to Jesus as if they had™,' come before. J l IXIV< * There are many appropriate passages f™ such an exercise; but I may offer as examr,l» two of those most frequently chosen fortS purpose, with a few thoughts on each, specimen of the heart's acceptance ,?f \i s promises. L "le 1. The Invitation: Come unto Me nil that labour and are heavy laden and I J'll Rive you rest (Matthew xi. 28) The \L l ance : Lord, this is Thy promise and iSs£. fcion to me. I have been labouring J»t heavy laden. I need rest Thou invited me to come to Thee. Thou biddest ml come. I do come. I have „ 0 other to « to, and there is no other that can give rest, I now rest my weary soul on riiee and I believe what Thou hast promised' Thou wilt give me rest. i'i«misea. '2. The Invitation : Cast thy burden the Lord, and He shall sustain thee (Paul.. lv, 22). The Acceptance : Lord, PS this gracious promise. Thou knowest thai my burden is sin, and that it would nrw. me down to death if Thou dost not bear if for me. Thou biddest me cast it on Thee T now cast it on Thee ; bear it for me as Tho. hast promised ; Thou art the great bunion 11 bearer. I cast myself on Thee, a poor heln less sinner, that Thou mayest not on v bear my burden, but that Thou mav "l also sustain myself, according to Thv LI misc. J v °"

BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.

The supreme need of the Church in this hour, as in every hour, is the fulness of th* Holy Spirit. There is no essentially now demand. In the beginning Pentecost was indispensable to the success of the apostlesit is equally important to Christian peonl? to-day. The Spirit is their ample furnish rag for the grand work of the religious life Without Him we are weak and inefficient' with Him we are inspired with fresh faith and courage to execute tho commission riven us. h "

The Church is an invasive force encamned upon "the field of the world." Rest and recreation are not in the inarching orders The business of the Church is to break in upon the ranks of the arch-enemy and il rout the powers of darkness. The service is a hard one. We «are sent on a forlorn hope. hat angles could not do is assigned as our task even the subduing of the world to the obedience of the Lord Jesu* When we remember the foes who oppose our course and the fact that we are marching in an enemy land we realise the peril of the enterprise and how desperate is the struggle. uc But Christ sends no one into this warfare against the prince of darkness at his own charges or with his own armour. He makes ample provision for the way; he has an in" exhaustible commissariat, and at the same time furnishes an equipment suitable and adequate to the service. The furnishing is no device of man. The furnishing of man is outward; that of Jesus Christ inward. The one consists in natural gifts, education social position, Church order, and doctrinal' statements—all very good, but not adequatethe other is the coming of the Holy Ghost into the soul as a perpetual presence and source of power. With this endowment tho disciple is ready for the work. He has the' Pentecostal preparation, for which there can be invented no substitute. Any new patent is fraudulent.

The New Testament emphasises the ful. nesii of the Spirit. There are different measures of the Spirit. No man is destitute of the Spirit ; but most men possess the divine influence in such small measure as to leave their life comparatively unaffected ; but when fully charged they become electric, and virtue goes out of then. The man filled with the Spirit becomes a positive quantity. He believes the Gospel, and his words come to possess a subtile influence and power. Men arc not able !: to resist the spirit with which he speaks. Fulness is always power. The charged soul is irresistible. The orator, filled with his subject, convinces and overpowers his audience. Demosthenes was charged with the interests of Greece; Peter the Hermit felt the dangers and needs of his time,, and moved Europe by his words. Out of the fulness of their belief and of the Spirit which wrought in them the apostles spoke and revolutionised the world. The same furnishing is the need of the Church in all time.

The fulness of the Spirit brings a sense of freedom, boldness, courage, persisteudi; we are able to do and dare, to face tt° devil, and to resist all his emissaries. Whatever else you possess or lack, pray for ikf fulness of the Spirit! He will be to you a perpetual source of comfort and effective. ness in the work of the Master.—Ziou's Herald. REST. Saviour, I am nothing, nothingEmpty, lying at Thy feet; Thou art King of all my being, Do with rue as. seeraeth meet. Lone I had a heart divided, whilst I thought that all was Thine; Thou hast shown we how it sided With that hateful self of mine. Then I saw that Thou eould'.-.t give rue A clean heart in which to reign, And I trusted that I might be Saved from all that causes shame. Next, my heart's door wide was opened— Opened to my risen King ; Thou didst enter, Thou hist mastered,, Thou hast taught my heart to sing. Weak, still weak, and poor as ever; No one merit can I claim ; Yet I know that I can never, Never plead Thy Name in vain. 11. Taskkh.