The great basic principle of true Christian missions is the universalism of the Christian gospel, commensurate with the ultimate purpose and reign of the kingdom of Christ. Until this bigness of the purpose and scope of the gospel is realized on the part of Christ's followers, this gospel can not gloriously triumph in the earth.

      This great principle rests upon the [148] universal Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. In the New Testament, it finds its authority in Christ's own words in the great commission, and it finds its glorious example in Paul's own work in going as a herald of the cross to the heathen nations.

      One of the greatest difficulties in the way of developing this "new world-consciousness" is the sin of "patriotism," using the word in its usual limited sense. So long as so-called "Christian nations" continue to have the biggest cannon and sharpest swords, maintaining international peace because these nations stand in mortal fear of one another, the deep-seated estrangement that exists between nations must continue.

      There is a limited sense of patriotism manifested in local and class legislation, disregarding the legitimate rights of those beyond one's own community, State or nation. We find it in church life, when preacher and people revolve within a limited circumference whose center is their own congregation, county or State. We pause to ask whether this kind of patriotism and this kind of spirit in the church can endure, and unhesitatingly answer, "No; not if Christianity endures."

      The greatest difficulties and problems confronting us are not without, but within, the church. Every honest, earnest, sincere disciple must from his heart ask again and again the question of Paul, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Every true Christian is anxious to do the Lord's will. This being true, the whole question resolves itself into a consciousness of what the Lord's will is, not alone concerning one's self with regard to personal conduct, but concerning one's relationship and obligation to the entire race.

      The greatest need of the church universal to-day is the awakening to this great fact, and this awakening which is near at hand will be the "New World-consciousness" in Christendom.

      This consciousness involves two things, viz.: That of the greatness, the vastness of the needs of the whole world, and that, commensurate with these needs and with this task, is the power of the gospel delivered through us, when, in obedience to the commission, we "go" unto its performance, for Christ has promised to go with us, until the task is done.

      If our eyes are open, and our hearts are alert--if we are conscious of our true existence--we can not get away from the fact that being children of one Father, descendants of one common pair, all sinning alike, ail suffering alike, all hoping and aspiring alike, we are forged together in the chain which binds every fallen son and daughter of the race into one inevitable brotherhood. "Am I my brother's keeper?" We may turn away from the flaming

J. L. HILL.

interrogatory, fresh from a brother's blood, but God and nature have thundered out the answer, and stamped the affirmative upon our brows. To become conscious of this fact will be the golden key with which the church of Christ will unlock the door of the heart of humanity universal, enter in, and take possession in the name of the King.

      That was a glorious principle of heroism, worthy of the tribe and the times to which he belonged, that caused the Jewish patriot to exclaim, "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning; let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy." But that patriotism and that Jewish consciousness of the need and rights of the race was not sufficient to meet the demands of the Christian era.

      "There is neither Jew nor Greek," there is neither American, European, Asiatic, nor African, but one whole world for redemption through the blood of Christ!

      In this world-consciousness of Christian universalism caste and social distinctions are done away. "There is [149] neither bond nor free." The slave and his master are placed upon the common footing of equal rights.

      While in a sense there must always remain those natural distinctions resultant from different degrees of intellect and natural gifts, yet, as participants in the benefits of the gospel, there can be no class distinctions. We are as deeply obligated to preach the gospel on the Congo, or in Tibet, as we are to preach it on the Potomac or in England.

      As the saints gather around the communion board, the mighty leveler of the gospel makes all one, whether they be black or white, poor or rich, ignorant or cultured.

      The Christian patriotism will be associated with love for the whole world, manifested in peace. Christian heroism in times of peace is greater than national patriotism in times of war. This is shown forth in duty to human society. There is no thoughtful Christian with heart so dead as to remain unmoved when the sad, sad lot of millions of his fellow-beings is made known to him. For the amelioration of these conditions, we are to go forth fulfilling our obligations to human society.

      It is only in this consciousness of duty universal that a disciple can perform his duty to the church. Duty to the church involves duty to all people everywhere, for Christ founded his kingdom upon universal truth, and "His reign no end shall know."

but when all sects, systems, kingdoms and republics founded and briefly sustained by men have gone the way of the earth and are lost in oblivion, the universal empire of Christ shall abide. Christ, being lifted up, shall draw all men unto him.

      National patriotism is great, but world-wide Christian patriotism is greater. Human history records in golden letters the names of the heroes, such as Kosciusko, Andre and Sam Davis, who gave their lives for their countries. But divine history writes upon the books of God the names of those who give their lives for the race. As the morning star fades from vision in the glory of the rising sun, even so are lost in glory the names of earth's heroes, as we see outlined against the eastern horizon the cross upon which died the Son of God to save all men!

[CCR 148-150]