The apostles, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, uniformly enforce
their exhortations by tender appeals to the example, sufferings, and
death of their ascended Lord. Is humility inculcated? the argument is,
Christ "humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death
of the cross." Is purity of life enjoined? the plea is, Christ "gave
himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify
unto himself a peculiar people." Is liberality required? we are pointed
to Christ, who, "though he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that
we through his poverty might be rich." Is entire consecration to Christ
enjoined? the appeal is, "he died for all, that they who live should
not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them and
rose again."

In like manner, in gaining a true idea of the spirit of missions, the
proper course evidently is, to look at once at the missionary character
of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was indeed a missionary. He came to save
the lost. He was a missionary to _us_. He came to save _us_.

We had wandered and were lost. We were guilty and condemned. We were in a
state of despair. Nothing within the compass of human means could avail
in the least to avert the impending wrath of God. All wisdom became
foolishness. All resource was futile. Not a ray of hope remained--not
the least flickering gleam. Whichever way the eye turned, there was
darkness--horror--despair. But Christ came, and hope again visited the
earth. It was when we were helpless--hopeless--justly exposed to the
horrors and agonies of the world of woe, that Jesus undertook his
mission, and appeared for our relief.

This truth cannot be too deeply impressed upon us, here, at the very
threshold of our inquiries in regard to the spirit of missions; and to
spread it out distinctly before our minds, let us take a simple
illustration.

You are a captive in a foreign land, and have long been immured in a
deep, damp, and gloomy dungeon. Sorrow, sighing, and tears have been
your meat day and night. Anguish, gloom, and a fearful looking for of
death, combined with hunger, cold, and a bed of straw, have induced
disease, wasted your flesh, destroyed every energy, and entirely drank
up your spirits. Sentence of death is pronounced against you, and the
day fixed for your execution. The massive walls and iron grating look
down sternly upon you, and rebuke at once all hope of escape.
Entreaties, tears, and th