THE
MISSIONARY IN TIMES OF DANGER
BY
The present time seems opportune for considering the course
that we as missionaries should adopt in times of excitement and danger.
First, let me remind you of the importance
of the command not to speak evil of dignitaries, but on the contrary, to pray
for those in authority. The rulers of
this land have often a difficult path; it is not easy for them to take our part
against their own people. We do well to
pray that they may have courage and wisdom to act firmly and justly. Such prayers should be public as well as
private. Much may depend on their
finding that Christianity promotes loyalty to the powers that be, and the
giving of honour to those to whom it is due.
Second, we do well to recognize that we are not here as,
representatives of Western powers, and that our duties do not correspond with
theirs. We are here as witnesses and
representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“As my
Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” Once, disciples mistakenly would have called
down fire from heaven to avenge the Master Himself; but He rebuked them and
said, “Ye know
not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy
men’s lives, but to save them.”
Again when the soldiers would arrest our Lord, one of His disciples drew
his sword in His defence, but our Saviour said, “Put up again thy sword into his place; for all
they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that
I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve
legions of angels?” We may
safely conclude that our use of any weapon of defence,
whereby another might be injured, would misrepresent our Master, whose own
distinct command to His disciples was, “Resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right
cheek, turn to him the other also.”
Third, if it would not be consistent for us to use weapons for
our own defence, should we leave our stations for such places as are, or can
be, defended by the officers of our respective governments? It seems to me that there are several
important reasons against taking this course, unless absolutely compelled to do
so.
(a). We are in our stations at God’s
command, and as His ambassadors, and therefore have both promise of, and claim
to, His protection. Many of us have gone
to places far removed from foreign protection on this very ground. Our risen Saviour has told us that all power
has been committed unto Him; and that, because this is so, we are to go
everywhere, reckoning His unfailing presence better defence than that which the
arm of flesh can provide. We have a rare
opportunity in times of danger of proving His promises for ourselves, and
before our converts.
(b). We are continually encouraging our converts to brave
persecution and to suffer loss for Christ’s sake, and they are very apt to
think that it is easy for us to speak in this way, seeing that, as far as they
can tell, we are well-to-do and exposed to no danger or loss. When, then, we are in danger they
will mark very closely our conduct, and judge for themselves how far we really
believe that
Sufficient is His arm alone and our defence is sure.
What a loss it would be if any of them should think that we
cared more for our property than for their souls, or relied more upon a gunboat
or a band of soldiers than upon the living God!
Years of teaching would not impress them as our conduct at such times
may do. Moreover, their sympathy will be
drawn out for us when they see us willing to suffer for the Gospel, as they so
often have to do. A time of danger is a
grand opportunity for being an object lesson to the native Christians.
(c). The moral effect of our action
upon the heathen will, to a considerable extent, be the same as upon the
converts. A calm and confident demeanour
will go far to disarm suspicion. The
people will not be slow to observe that we are not afraid, and to conclude that
we have no reason to be. But if we flee,
they are sure to conclude that we are guilty of some of the charges brought
against us, and will be emboldened to attack and loot or destroy our
premises. Even a dog will run after you
if you run away from him!
Some of the older members of our
An objection may arise in some minds that we are directed, if
persecuted in one city, to flee to another; to which we would reply that we are
not to flee through fear of possible persecution. If the Lord suffers us to be driven away, as
We conclude, then, that the right course, and the best policy
alike, is to remain at our posts whenever this is possible. We may well rejoice that it is so, and that
duty does not require the suspension of our work; for life is short, and,
daily, people are dying without God. We
have a glorious message to proclaim‑
Tell it out among the people that the
Lord is King
- and never can we tell it so well as
when our own hearts are resting and rejoicing in it in the midst of danger. At such times faces will witness unmistakably
for our Master, and our Rock will be seen to be not as their rock, even our
enemies being judges.
A holy joy in God is a far better protector than a
revolver. The one might inspire fear and
hate; the other will suggest innocence, and tend to inspire faith in us and in
our message. It may not always bring
deliverance - our Master was crucified and Stephen was stoned; but blessings
infinitely greater than could otherwise have been achieved were the result.
There is something better than protection; but the martyr’s crown is prepared for few,
and such are prepared for it. To us
is given the dignity of being ambassadors for the King of kings: all His power
is at all times behind us. We may
therefore boldly say, “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear; what man can man do
unto me?” *
[* This letter to the C. I.
missionaries was written in 1891 and appeared in China’s Millions, April,
1932.]
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