The Bible Must Be Taught To Those In Regions Beyond

The Bible Must Be Taught To Those In Regions Beyond THE BIBLE MUST BE TAUGHT TO THOSE IN REGIONS BEYOND
F. L. ROWE The term “heathen” as used in the Scriptures does not mean those who are slaves to idols and are living in gross ignorance, but the term simply means “the nations.” So when the prophet of old said, “I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance.” or when he says, “the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord,” the simple meaning is that all nations should come under the sway of the gospel and all nations should fear the name of the Lord.

Words sometimes change their meaning through the ages and the term “heathen” is one of them. Or we confine ourselves to the restricted definition whereas the original might be general. The word “apology” is an example. Some of the Bibles have the caption over the seventh chapter of Acts: “Stephen’s Apology,” but we all well enough know it is Stephen’s defense as the word means in certain connections. The earliest missionary we have mention of was Noah, of whom Peter speaks as “a preacher of righteousness.” Other notable Old Testament missionaries include the messengers of Hezekiah. Under the New Testament the members of the early church, Philip, Peter, Apollos, and Paul. We don’t have much concerning most of these to indicate the extent of their missionary work more than that it was purely local. And I don’t think any of these outside of Paul have left any records of activities outside of the Holy Land. A tract of land so small in fact that you could make thirty-six Palestines out of the state of Texas.

We cannot take time to trace the efforts of Christians through the ages to defend and promulgate the true doctrine. The early centuries were filled with persecutions from the time of Trajan down into the Dark Ages. “To the lions with the Christians” was a demand of the wild hissing mob. But the Christians) were ever faithful to their profession much more so doubtless than most of us would under the same pressure today.

Until the time of Trajan the chief enemy of the gospel had been the mob. In the year 250, edicts were issued demanding the complete destruction of Christianity. Consternation spread far and wide among the Christians and many of them, not being strong to stand the ordeal, fell .away and renounced their faith. Horrible things transpired under the reign of Decius. Valarein, his successor, was at first mild in his treatment of the Christians, but soon changed his tactics and resorted to banishment of the leaders, the confiscation of their property and the prohibition of their assemblies hoping to .accomplish his purpose without the shedding of blood. But these efforts totally failed and Christianity quietly spread.

I mention these historical facts to impress upon you that the spirit of the early Christians was purely missionary. In spite of their persecution they did not hide their religion and that is why it continued to spread. Persecution helps any righteous cause. The example and influence of the seventy, sent out by the Savior, should give us a cue to our methods today. You will notice he sent them out “two and two.” There is wisdom in that. One is a strength and protection to the other. Our Catholics follow that method. Also the Mormons. But these seventy were sent out with very little provision and yet they returned with joy, indicating that their work, hazardous as it was, had its compensating blessings. The true missionary, whether he be local evangelist, or in a foreign land, has this same experience. At least among those people of the same language. I am sure that in different countries unusual hardships are endured by the missionaries who are among a strange people. The apostle Paul, we are told, “went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia, in order, strengthening all the disciples."

There is some meaning to those two words “in order.” It means that their work was not haphazard, but that it was a program previously outlined, and subsequently carried out, Indicating that even missionary work, or ihe spread of the gospel, must be conducted in an orderly manner and with the same system and zeal that men conduct their own individual business.

Christ told his disciples to “go into the uttermost part of the earth.” And that commission is perpetual. It was not for the apostolic age only, but for all those who should hear his voice the same as when Paul told Timothy “the thing thou hast heard from me the same commi.t thou to faithful men who will teach others also.” So we find that our commission has been passed down through the ages and we are as much under the necessity of heeding that commission as the apostles and the early Christians in their day.

It was noticeable that the early Christians at first limited their preaching to Jews. The apostles preached the gospel to people of their own nation. First “in Jerusalem, and all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” was to be the order for the extension of the kingdom, but it seems it was impossible ^or even the apostles to grasp this compre-hensive view of the commission. Faithfully they gave their time to the work of preaching to the saving of their own people. And the gospel spread througout the land of Palestine. Not however, until the disciples were scattered abroad by the hand of persecution was much progress made beyond the lands of Jerusalem where the work was begun. By that time the number of brethren had risen in a few days to at least 5.000.

Naturally prejudice developed among the rulers, elders and scribes1, in a strenuous opposition to the church and when they could not cope with the apostles in argument they proceeded to use violence. The wise counsel of Gamaliel held them back for a little while, but when “the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly and a great company of the priests were obedient xo the faith,” the enemies of the cross became violent and inaugurated the persecution which resulted in the death of Stephen and the dispersion of the disciples from Jerusalem.

Question: May not this dispersion with its consequent results offer us a suggestion as to one method of doing real missionary work—by scattering the disciples 'among the people?

Paul, who came upon the stage of action “as one born out of due time,” labored more abundantly than all the apostles. It was he who carried the gospel into heathen countries and established churches throughout the Homan empire among the people from the Euphrates to the Ganges, and from the Tiber to the Thames; he traveled and preached the unsearchable riches of Christ. It was mostly through his ministry that the declaration of the Master that the gospel should be preached in all the world, before the end, was brought to pass. About 45 A. D. he was selected to lead the missionary band that went out from Antioch. The number of disciples from the various parts of the country seem to have assembled in that city to consider the matter of sending the gospel to the regions beyond. The names of five of the members of that memorable missionary group are Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen and Saul. My subject says the Bible must be taught to those in regions beyond. The little word “must” has a double meaning in this subject. It must be taught from the standpoint of necessity on our part. It must be taught as necessary that the heathen may understand the Bible and learn how to enter into the enjoyment of its blessings. Paul in his missionary travels did not go more than eight hundred or a thousand miles and yet we think nothing of crossing America to hold a meeting, traveling a distance of three thousand miles, and we think nothing of sending missionaries half the way around the world, east and west, north and south, a distance of from five to ten thousand miles. The field of operation by the early missionaries was therefore a limited field. But the great commission limits our effort in every direction to the point where east meets west- and north meets south. We must girdle the earth.

There are no geographical limitations to the spread of the gospel. In fact “unto the uttermost part of the earth” leaves it clear to every mind that the Savior had some knowledge of the extent of the entire world although very little of it was known to the people with whom he was immediately associated. Many church members would be glad if they could restrict the demands of the gospel, or the voice of the Macedonian crier, to their own immediate territory and thus dodge respon-sibility. Some people will hide behind the fact that inasmuch as the heathen know nothing about the gospel that there is no obligation on our part to take it to them; that they will not be held responsible for anything they do not know. The same argument can be advanced on behalf of your sectarian neighbors who are satisfied with what they believe, and many times do not thank us for trying to shake their belief. The injunction of our Savior takes the form of a command that is just as binding on us as any law of Moses was upon the Jewish people. The little word “go” is full of dynamite and it carries with it the idea of conquering as you go. The gospel of the Son of God can be a light to those who still sit in darkness and the grave responsibility rests upon all of us who have the ability to go or to help others to go.

Notice also that the great commission makes it imperative that we must go. The Holy Spirit does not tell us to wait until we get a call, as in Paul’s case from Macedonia, because you know and 1 know we would be waiting until the last trumpet would sound before we would get any call unless it would be from those who have already gone and who are sending back to us a Macedonian call to come over and help them. The heathen of themselves would not be interested. It is a question with some whether or not we should bother ourselves to take the gospel to them, but rather leave them in their ignorance and to the mercy of God, and confine ourselves to our own lands. The best answer to this is to ask such critics if they would want their own mother and father, grandmother and grandfather and other immediate members of their family to live in ignorance, or do they want them to have the gospel? There are those in this assembly right now whose parents and grandparents are not members of the Church of Christ. Have we taken the gospel to them, or tried to interest them in what has given us so much joy and comfort? Are we not sometimes unfairly critical when we find fault with other people because their indifference along the line of gospel response while at the same time we may have those right in our own household who have never accepted the gospel. The Savior said something about beginning at Jerusalem and then spreading out to the regions around about, indicating an everwiden- ing circle with a sort of centrifugal force that widens and intensifies in speed as it goes. Personally I feel there should be more “beginning at Jerusalem”; that we should convert our own families and neighbors and then, as with the Savior, the report of this work will reach others a little further out whose curiosity will impel them to know what this strange doctrine is, and thus the circle constantly widens until in truth it encompasses the whole world. This I believe is the scriptural program.

One thing has impressed me as somewhat strange that with all the zeal Paul possessed and with his own repeated missionary trips as examples to others, yet he says almost nothing in his writings about the importance of carrying the gospel to those who sit in darkness. But example is better than precept anytime and the fact Paul made three trpis and his final trip to Rome; and the fact he took Titus and others with him as far as Crete, is convincing proof that Paul was a zealous missionary and contact with him developed contagion.

I used to wonder why Paul passed over large districts in order to reach a certain point where he sounded forth the truth. I can understand this by my own feelings. I would far rather go to a point where there was someone of like precious faith to stand with me and back me up. And finding brethren, as the apostles frequently did, it would intensify their zeal and doubtless increase the success of the effort. Who is going to do the teaching of those in regions beyond? Naturally the missionaries who go to them; who does it not as a profession, but as a service to God. The missionary is the chief agency to this end. Others are the individuals who, socially or in their secular business, make an impression upon those of a different race. A missionary goes with a promise of his heavenly Father that he will be with him. Also with the promise of the home churches that they will support the missionary. Alas, and alack, our churches prove exceedingly careless. A little bit like “out of sight, out of mind.” At this very hour nearly every missionary on foreign fields is suffering acutely because we have forgotten or failed in our obligations. We should remember when we send a missionary out we not only follow him with our “God bless you,” but we guarantee him he shall live as well as we live. And if that spirit were carried out we would all fare equally well and there would be no distress; there would be no anxiety, there would be no hunger. Let us wake up brethren along these lines. Is there a time limit for us in this work? Can it be carried on for year or a century and then abandoned? It cannot be abandoned until every son and daughter of Adam’s race has heard the gospel in his own language. Today the Bible or some part of it has been published in a total of nine hundred and seventy two languages. Friends do you grasp this1—nine hxm- dred and seventy two languages. This is the work of the American Bible Society, and organization that we respect because of the great work they have done in sending out the word of God without note or comment. They furnish the word. We are to go arid give it to the people and interpret it to them, and yet how far behind we are when we consider the great work millions of people of all dialects who have the word of God, but no one to explain it to them.

I have always held the position that the greatest way to do missionary work is to bring the foreigners here and educate them and send them back to their own people. Others will not agree with me. But naturally we would give far more attention to one of our own American brethren in presenting truth to us than we would in listening to a Japanese, or Ethio-pian, or South Sea Islander. They all have the truth, but ye prefer to receive it from our own kind. Likewise converts could be made and sent back. Brother Fujimori in Japan is the only one I know of who has been taught in America, by Plum Street Church, Detroit, and has spent nearly forth-five years in faithful service in Japan. Other natives have proven acceptable teachers, but they were trained in their own land, notably Brother Hiratsuka who was taught by our lamented Brother W. J. Bishop. Brother Hiratsuka is an oustanding character in our Japanese work today. Others could also be named. The Restoration, as we call it, was born in a missionary atmosphere and all of the early ministers were missionaries. They were a company of heroes who were thrilled with the spirit that animated Paul when he said, “Woe is me if I preach not the gospel.” It is not surprising then that almost in the beginning of the Restoration work our brethren became zealous on behalf of those who were in darkness. We find iback as early as 1840 and 1850 English brethren had sent missionaries to South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and New Zealand. The gospel had many early defenders in Canada. They were zealous in sending out evangelists as early as 1851, Considering that our work known as the current Restoration did not spring into action until 1809 the work has been exceedingly aggressive and successful. This pace continues especially in the newer sections. In the older states the gospel is not holding its own. A statement I regret to make. Three generations is as long as some enterprises can survive, then the ground has to be all worked over.

Teaching the Bible must be as they say in court: “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” In our missionary activities however we are brought up against difficult situations. Crude untutored natives are so willing to believe whatever appeals to their emotions, or imaginations. Error can make headway with them sometimes faster than the truth. Adventism for instance is making big headway in Africa. We wonder why. Partly because we are not there with the truth, and the people accept Adventism because it is given to them with apparent sincerity backed up with the Adventists’ perversion of the scriptures.

Over against this, and in practically the same territory, the Watch Tower, and what followed Russellism, is being suppressed by the British government. It is something dangerous to the welfare of the people. Mpiennialdawnism, as taught by Pastor Russell, was under close suspicion in our own country during the World War. On the other hand we can go right down into Mexico where the newspapers keep the mind inflamed with perversions of the truth largely influenced by the Catholic element. But if our brethren go into Mexico and confine their efforts by teaching the Bible and use the chapels or houses of worship for the purpose of preaching only, they will be tolerated and even encouraged. Yes, even safeguarded because the Government requires that deeds to all church property must be made to the nation, but this is merely a guard against domination of hierarchal superorganizations, and Brother H. L. Schug says this is an added safeguard for the purity of the church and its doctrines.

We must not lose sight of the Continent in considering the spread of the gospel. The brethren in those countries are very simple in their living, simple in their worship, but remarkably devout and determined. In Russia their meetings are held in secret, but they are determined and are growing. They do not use official or exclusive group names and are only known by their practices. But they are exceedingly humble, well informed in the scriptures, and above all are devout and consistent.

Interesting reports come from the European Harvest Field covering Poland and parts of Russia. Scriptural baptism is being practiced there every day and the people have a faith and practice that harmonizes with the scriptural pattern. Their reports tell of their evangelists preaching repentance, baptism, the resurrection of the dead. Their reports give fre-quent mention of whole groups being immersed. One report from Poland tells of a great procession that walked three miles and baptized fourteen souls. Another report tells of twelve baptized and united with them in Christian fellowship.” Doubtless many other meetings are held, but do not get into print, but the leaven is working in every corner of the world. Who started this work no one knows, but it is missionary in its daily practice and as every Christian life should be.

Fine reports, not of our own people exclusively but indicating intense missionary activity come from South Africa, Philippine Islands, Europe, Italy, Czecho-Slovakia, Poland, Balkan Lands, Spain, Near East, Armenia. Egypt, Africa, Northern and Southern Rhodesia, Engola, Belgium Congo and French Equatorial Africa, Korea, Mexico, Arabia, Far East, China, Japan, Siam, Malay, Burma, Celyon, India, Latin America, South America, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Columbia and Peru. My subject tells me the Bible must be taught to those in regions beyond. Keep in mind that the region beyond begins right where you are and right where I am. The injunction was “beginning at Jerusalem;” then the church is to spread out. You can do this by natural growth, you can do it by persecution as in the case of Stephen; you can intermarry and move out; or you can do it by recognizing the responsibility of doing it by going; or we can do it in our humble capacity as citizens and neighbors. But in any efforts our lives must be open books. The Christian, individually and collectively, must be examples to the believers and unbelievers. And not until we can set before the world the highest examples of Christlikeness can we hope to make an appeal to the world that will attract their attention and receive their consideration. Christianity is not a profession, as such. It is a demonstration. A man is not judged by what he says but by what he does. The most gifted preacher that might thrill us by his wonderful eloquence and flights of language, might prove to be a dismal failure in our home community. If a man stands well and has influence at home, he is fit then to stand before the world as an example and go out and teach others. Our teaching can many times be simply a consistent life. We do not need to necessarily sit down and talk with the ignorant, as a teacher would with his pupil, but we can mingle with him in business, socially and by our contact teach him more practically than we could by a systematic course of instruction.

There are those however that must be taught. We can do this in groups or we can do it individually. The missionary on the field has to study the best method to reach the people. They must know their likes and dislikes, the habits of the people and the expressions, or the language they are familiar with. I remember with great pleasure a wonderful address by Ballington Booth in Cincinnati perhaps forty years ago. He was describing the success of the Salvation Army. He said, “Our business is to catch men. When we go fishing we set our line for the kind of fish we want and give them the bait that will take.” A very forceful illustration that tells us all how we must be governed by conditions when we go into a new field. We must teach them because we know more than they do. Responsibility is laid upon us. We must do it because we are giving them something better than anything the world can offer them. We must do it because our Great Commander has told us to do it. We must do it because it gives us joy when we can turn a sinner from the error of his way. We must do it because there is no greater comfort than to have a convert say, “You are my father in the gospel.” Yes, we need Pauls today and we need Timothys—the young who are willing to listen and to receive instructions as for eternity. We need this close contact, this personal confidence.