1ST JANUARY, 1876. "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest." ONE of the means of stirring the heart to nobler aspiration and effort in Christian work is that of imparting and diffusing intelligence of the nature and operation of the work and its necessities and obligations. The writer has been impressed with the success of a method of doing this in a Christian society with which he has been associated during a few past years. It is this:-On the first Sunday of the month the Missionary Periodical is regularly placed in all the pews of the church, in sufficient numbers to allow of every seatholder or head of family taking a copy. From time to time the minister during the morning service would call attention to any event or subject of more than common interest appearing in the number for the month. A system of regular and carefully supervised collection was also introduced, and carried out by the young ladies of the congregation. The people were reminded, too, by the minister, that some of the collectors were young and tender, and he bespoke for them a very kindly reception. The collectors were always requested from the pulpit, in the first week of the month to collect the contributions, and upon the last week of the month to bring them in to the Treasurer. At the close of the year, a collection is made to pay the cost of distributing the Missionary Periodical. These means were set in operation when the church was burdened with a large debt, about £8,000,—their place of worship having been only recently erected. But the pastor would not allow this to stand as a reason for withholding needed aid from the work of the Gospel among the heathen. And God blessed these efforts in every way. A sum of between £300 and £400 a-year has been regularly contributed to the funds of the Missionary Society; the debt on the church has been entirely liquidated, and large numbers have been added to the Church at, almost every communion, many of them being young men. The esteemed and beloved minister has been called to his rest during the past year, amid the tears and regrets of his church and denomination,-and his works do follow him. It is hoped that some,-may it be many,-may be induced to follow him in this essential and important duty of diffusing information on Christian Missions. It is quite useless to expect any great number taking thought to provide themselves with this small but really excellent periodical, THE MISSIONARY CHRONICLE; it must be put into their hands, or few will become acquainted with its deeply interesting facts. If this were done universally, throughout all the churches, it is humbly believed that God's blessing would follow. The beloved and honoured minister, shortly before the illness from which he was not permitted to recover, intended to preach again, he had done this before,—from the Scripture on the first page of this circular, to press the claims of the Foreign Missions on the personal devotion of the young men and women of the congregation. The needs of the Society in this regard are well known, and appear also from the address of Dr. Mullens in the MISSIONARY CHRONICLE of the present month. Our gracious Lord owns every endeavour to extend His blessed kingdom. It is requested that all remittances of Contributions be made to the REV. ROBERT ROBINSON, Home Secretary, Mission House, Blomfield Street, London, E.C.; and that if any portion of these gifts is designed for a specific object, full particulars of the plore and purpose may be given. Cheques should be crossed Bank of England, and Post-office Orders made payable at the General Post-office. YATES & ALEXANDER, Printers, Chancery Buildings, 23, Chancery Lane. |