(Extracts from a letter, just received from a well-known Missionary, worthy of careful consideration by believers in the home countries.)
CHINA continues to be afflicted with a variety of serious public ills, including civil war widespread poverty and distress, and also the prevalence of brigandage with other forms of crime and disorder in many parts of the country. Notwithstanding these somewhat diverse conditions, I am glad to say that the work of the Gospel has gone forward, new cities and districts being occupied by the Lord’s servants. On the other hand, a certain number of centers have been captured by Communists, who, as you are aware, are anti-Christian to the point of robbery, violence and even murder, both of missionaries and of Chinese believers. I would ask your special prayers on behalf of the latter, many of whom are poor at all times, and therefore can ill afford to be robbed, to say nothing of the hardship and strain involved in having to leave their homes in order to seek for safety from the hands of wicked men....
Speaking for myself, the impression is increasingly strong in my own mind that those who are put in trust with the Gospel, whether Chinese or foreign missionaries, need above all to show forth its spirit and its principles in their conduct and their persons, as they go in and out amongst men. To preach Gospel and act law is fatal to the former. If we are to teach believers all things whatsoever the Lord commanded, as stated at the end of Matthew, then it is necessary that we ourselves should obey the same. The fact that our Lord’s teachings regarding personal demeanor and conduct are in substance repeated in the Epistles is a weighty one.
It would be easy to cover sheets with instances of blessing due to the manifestation by the Lord’s servants of meekness and willingness to suffer loss, rather than to murmur and dispute about these things. Some say we should “give to the deserving.” Certainly, but that is not Gospel. If a man deserves it, then he has a right to it. The essence of the Gospel is grace and bounty in untold measure to the undeserving; yea, more than that, to those who are evil and enemies. It is only the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ which will enable the Lord’s people out here so to do. That, I suppose, is also true in the home countries.