Thoughts on the Way Home

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Who Loves Their God More?

William Carey wrote, "An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens" in 1792. He had a lot of really good things to say. It's a short writing on missions that I've had commended to me, and now I commend it to you. You can find it all over the internet, here, for example. Below is what I wanted to quote.

In reply to those that claimed the difficulties and obstacles standing in the way were too great to be overcome, he had this to say:

"Natural impossibility can never be pleaded so long as facts exist to prove the contrary. Have not the popish missionaries surmounted all those difficulties which we have generally thought to be insuperable? Have not the missionaries of the _Unitas Fratrum_, or Moravian Brethren, encountered the scorching heat of Abyssinia, and the frozen climes of Greenland, and Labrador, their difficult languages, and savage manners? Or have not English traders, for the sake of gain, surmounted all those things which have generally been counted insurmountable obstacles in the way of preaching the gospel? Witness the trade to Persia, the East-Indies, China, and Greenland, yea even the accursed Slave-Trade on the coasts of Africa. Men can insinuate themselves into the favour of the most barbarous clans, and uncultivated tribes, for the sake of gain; and how different soever the circumstances of trading and preaching are, yet this will prove the possibility of ministers being introduced there; and if this is but thought a sufficient reason to make the experiment, my point is gained."


If money and idolatry of the basest form can push men to travel the world wide and suffer hardship, should not we redeemed, humbled, lovers of God not be more motivated to do the same for His name's sake? Do we love God more than lost men love their idols?

Later Carey says:
"Christians are a body whose truest interest lies in the exaltation of the Messiah's kingdom."