The Following of the Star: A RomanceBarclay, Florence L. (Florence Louisa)
General
The Following of the Star: A Romance
Barclay, Florence L. (Florence Louisa)
Clergy -- Fiction; Inheritance and succession -- Fiction; Marriage -- Fiction; Missionaries -- Fiction
"I do not necessarily mean your money," said David, "though how much
more you might all do with that, for the King and for His service, than
you are already doing. Ah, if people could realise how greatly gold is
needed for His work, they would soon open their treasures and pour it
forth! I have told you of my vast parish, out in the unexplored forests,
swamps, and jungles of Central Africa. Do you know what I want for my
people, there? Think of all you have here--of all you have had, ever
since you can remember. Then listen: I want a church; I want schools; I
want books; I want a translation of the Bible, and a printing-press to
print it with." David's eyes glowed, and he threw grammar to the winds!
"I want a comrade to help me, and a steam-launch with which to navigate
great lakes and rivers. I want all these things, and I want them for my
Master, and for His work. I can give my own life, but it is all I have
to give. I have been taking your Rector's place here for six weeks in
order to earn twelve guineas, which will enable me to take out a good
medicine-chest with which to doctor my people, and to complete my
necessary outfit."
Mr. Churchwarden Jones was awake by now, and fidgeted uncomfortably.
This young man should not have mentioned his stipend, from the pulpit.
It was decidedly unsuitable.
"Your Rector," continued David, "knowing why I need it, is generously
doubling that payment. May God bless him for it, when he takes up again
his ministry among you."
They were all listening now. David's eyes glowed like hot coals in his
thin face. His voice rang through the church.
"Ah, friends," he said, "those who have all they need for their
comfortable spiritual life, cannot realise the awful, desperate want, in
those wild places of the earth. We enjoy quoting what we call a 'gospel
text': 'Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.'
But too often we pause there, in self-appropriating complacency,
forgetting that the whole point of the passage lies in what follows:
'How then shall they call on Him in Whom they have not believed? And 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?' You must answer all these questions, when you open your treasures
at the feet of the King.
"But forgive me for intruding my own interests. This is not a missionary
sermon."--Here Mrs. Smith nodded, energetically. That was exactly what
she had already whispered to Mr. Smith.--"Also 'gold' stands for much
besides money. Think of all the golden things in life. The joys, the
brightness, the glory of success; all beauty, all gaiety, all golden
mirth and laughter. Let all these golden things be so consecrated that,
opening your treasures, you can at any moment bring them as offerings to
your King.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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