CHAPTER VII.

IMPORT OF THE GREAT COMMISSION.

The Founder of the church was a missionary. The church is a _missionary
band_, professedly aiming to carry out the design of its Founder, in the
wide field of the WORLD. The commission to the apostles is the
commission to Christ's ministers in every age. This commission, it is to
be feared, is losing much of its force from misinterpretation.

That a construction somewhat incorrect is placed by some ministers on
the commission which they hold, seems to be evident; for how otherwise
should an impression obtain, that there is something _peculiar_ about
the office of the missionary--that his commission is quite different
from that of other ministers of Christ.

Let the commission of both the minister at home and missionary abroad be
exhibited and read. The terms, word for word, are the same. It is
unhappy, extremely so, that a _peculiarity_ is thrown about the word
_missionary_, since the New Testament authorizes no such distinction.
Both ministers at home and those abroad claim to be successors of the
apostles or first missionaries, whose letter of instructions, short but
explicit, reads thus: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel
to every creature." This is the commission of every ambassador, and no
one, at home or abroad, can consistently hold his office any longer than
he continues to act in accordance with its import.

The Saviour is all-wise, and knew precisely what commission to give. He
carefully chose every word in which it is expressed. The apostles showed
by their conduct how they understood it--that they knew what was meant
by "all the world" and "every creature." Now, I ask, how can such a
construction be placed on these obvious phrases, as to make it
consistent for about eleven thousand eight hundred ministers out of
twelve thousand to stay in the United States, and about the same
proportion in Great Britain? The apostles showed by their conduct what
they understood by the word "Go." By what reasoning, I ask, has it been
made to mean, in fifty-nine cases out of sixty, _send, contribute_,
_and educate young men_? If an inhabitant of another planet should visit
this earth, and see ministers clustered together in a few favored spots,
could you make him believe that they hold in their hands the commission
first delivered to the apostles?

Would it be thought dutiful, in military officers, to treat the orders
of their commander-in-chief as we do