Dear brethren: - In presenting you a circular letter this year, we propose offering some thoughs on the subject of our Home missionary interest. We have for several years been making some efforts in the way of sustaining a missionary in our midst. We have tried operating with the General Association of the State, being auxiliary to that body. We became dissatisfied with that arrangement, and now for two years have been conducting this work within ourselves. During our connection with the General Association we fell behind with our missionaries in the sum of about one hundred dollars in round numbers. This deficiency was caused by the failure of the agent to come among us and collect the money. When we adopted our present plan, which has now been in operation two years, we were in debt one hundred dollars. In our report last year, on settlement with our missionary we found ourselves in debt thirty-one dollars and twenty-four cents. This year we find on settlement we are clear of debt, and have some money in our treasury. Last year our missionary reported 18 Baptisms; this year he reports one Baptism, and one awaiting Baptism. The past year has been fraught with apparently almost insurmountable difficulties to the success of the word. The prospects before us are very gloomy, and seem to discourage any effort to continue our efforts in this way. Under these circumstances shall we continue our work or abandon it?To this question let us address a few thoughts. It is true our missionary reports but one Baptism, still there are encouraging features; our Brother reports that his congregations, are on the whole increasing, and manifest an increasing interest in the word preached, - the
ground is being prepared and the seed is being sown, the word is being preached in accordance to the commission, which teaches us to preach the gospel to every creature. We are taught there is a time to sow, and a time to reap. The reaping time may be the coming year. Having sown and then refuse to reap the harvest, would be rather characteristic of slothful servants than faithful Christians. Many good crops have been sown and not reaped through failure to wait for the early and latter rains.But again, the idea that a financial crisis or national troubles should be an excuse for Christians not endeavoring to have the gospel preached is too glaring an absurdity to be entertained for one moment. If such an excuse were reasonable the apostles might have urged it with propriety; but we hear them offering no such plea. In fact, the gospel is the only and appropriate remedy for these moral disorders among men. The epitome of the gospel is peace on earth and good will toward men. We understand that we are to look to the gospel and to it alone, as containing the saving element for man in his state of depravity.
"Is man to learn war no more?" "Is the lion to lie down with the lamb?" "Are men to beat their swords into powshares, and spears into pruning hooks?" Is man, unhappy man to be made happy in the service of his God? By what influences save those of the gospel are these desirable results to be effected. Now we know that no mere human system can do any thing for man but restrain external actions, - laws of society can do nothing more; but the gospel proposes to correct his affections; strikes a blow at the root of all evil, the carrupt [sic] nature of man. There is a moral power in the gospel which will always be felt where it is preached in its purity.
But again, in our endeavors to preach the gospel we have the example of our Savior, who was himself a
home missionary. Hear his own language! And he said unto them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach the gospel there also: for therefore came I forth." Mark i. 38. It is said of him, - He went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching and preaching the gospel of his kingdom. It is ever delighful to the Christian, that he can trace in the way along which he journeys the footsteps of his Savior preceding him. The preaching of the word derives one of the chief glories, in that he who descended into this world to become its ransom, was also a minister of that gospel which he commissioned others to preach. There is, therefore, a resemblance between our labors in preaching the gospel in the next towns and villages, and the personal ministry of our Lord and Savior. Shall we then be indifferent to a work which had for its sanction not only the precepts of the Redeemer of mankind, but also his example.As a people we recognize the truth that the preaching of the gospel is the appropriate mission of the Church. We sometimes style it by way of pre-eminence, "the geat commission." The last words of our Savior were to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Go teach all nations, etc. He says this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness. There is no truth more plainly taught than that the gospel according to the Divine arrangement must be preached to all people. The mind that conceived the plan of having the news of salvation published in all lands has evidently some means of performing it. The Church is that chosen instrumentally.
Another consideration that should never be over-looked is, that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth. "It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." "How shall they believe in Him of whom
they have not heard, and how shall they hear without a preacher, and how shall they preach except they be sent?" If we know these things, happy are we if we do them. If we recognize these principles, we can not consistently do otherwise than cast in our mite towards forwarding the great work.As yet we have done comparatively little in the way of carrying out the design of this enterprise. There are many destitute places within our bounds, one missionary might be employed profitably to spend all his time in the field.
Brethren, let us not be compelled as we have been during the past year, to confine our missionary to one single point, but by your liberality enable us to send them to many communities. May the Lord incline our hearts to undertake and accomplish great things for the cause of Christ.
========= [From Campbell County (KY) Baptist Association Minutes, 1862, pp. 8-11. The document is from the Campbell County Historical Society Library. Transcribed and formatted by Jim Duvall]
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