THE FAILURE OF MISSIONISM ACKNOWLDGED (William L. Beebe)

We often hear of the success of the Burma Mission by Adoniram Judson among Baptist Circles.  But apparently by their own account, success was not achieved. We refer our readers to a contemporary account already posted on this website. - ed.

The Mission Record quotes from the missionary in Burma as follows. My heart is sick and heavy when I remember how few are the laborers in Burma. And how very languid is the interest felt by the Church in the matter of sending forward recruits? The grand want of Burma. At this present moment is preaching missionaries. About 10 years ago. Remember, there was a great commotion among the Baptists of the United States, in consequence of a meeting of all the missionaries in Burma, at which they resolved that it was useless to attempt to propagate Christianity in Burma unless they allow polygamy. With the new converts. Has no respectable native of that country would join the church if he were limited to only one wife? The Baptists at home declared that they would send no more money to Burma to establish a a Christianity which allowed polygamy. The missionaries replied that then the mission might as well be abandoned in that country. We do not know what compromise has been affected. But it is certain, we suppose, that the man of Burma. Has not given up his wives to become a Christian. Old guard for April.

In the second Psalm, the Spirit of inspiration has recorded the determination of the Sovereign God with reference to all the enemies of His cause and Kingdom. In all ages of time and in every nation. Of the earth and history, both? What is denominated sacred And that which is called profane. Abound with examples of the fulfillment of this declaration. It is needless, however, to look beyond the inspired record for illustrations of this divine contempt as exhibited in turning the wisdom of man to confusion and frustrating the plans of all who set themselves in opposition to the development of the eternal purpose of God in saving His people from their sins. And setting his king upon his holy hill of Zion. In this Psalm the decree is declared on this subject and the manner of its fulfillment is definitely stated. The decree is the will of the Almighty, which he has declared from the beginning, saying, My counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure.

And this decree secures to our Emmanuel the inheritance. Of. The heathen and the possession of the uttermost parts of the earth. Carnal reason, however, cannot rest. The accomplishment of this decree upon the faithfulness and power of God. And hence the proposition borrowed from the Jesuits of Rome. To add the. Endorsement of an unscriptural human society. To the decree of God. And harness in the demon of human adverse to the chariot of Jehovah, by the introduction of salaried clergymen as missionaries, whose reliance is not on the promise of Jesus, but on the funds of the foreign mission board for the support of themselves and their cause. Hence, from time to time the people are important. For contributions from the 1 cent pittance wrenched by false pretenses of agents claiming divine authority. From the half starved infant in the arms of the poor widow. To the princely contribution of the successful stock gambler or cunning rogue, whose gilded pan has purchased immunity from human judgment with the very process proceeds of his crime.

When this occurs, had golden wedge of Aiken was introduced among the Baptists of America about 1/2 a century since. Very many. Discerning veterans of the cross foresaw and predicted the evils which his retention would entail, not only upon the Church, but also from the whole civilized world. 40 years ago, the engineers who introduced this machinery assured people that with a supply of money, they could and would bring about the fulfillment of this glorious decree of God by the middle of the 19th century, or at farthest, by the year 1860. Their scheme met the approbation of the unregenerate world of professors who, being ignorant of the righteousness of God and going about to establish their own righteousness, were far too proud to submit themselves to the righteousness of God. Very soon the contagions spread over the whole extent of our country, and while many deluded children of God were taken into spacious net and lent us sincere, though mistaken support to the abomination. Hosts of those who had amassed wealth by fraud and iniquity, compromised with their consciousness by contributing A portion of their plunder to the funds of the Monster Society, or declaring in their wills at death the whole sum of their robbery corban to this holy use.

Thus they sought at once that disappoint the hopes of their natural errors, and to purchase the remission of their own sins, vainly imagining the God of heaven to be altogether such as one as themselves, and that eternal justice would be bribed with corruptible things such as the treasures of this world, even with their temporary claims to those treasures. And been cancelled by that Grim Sheriff Death. In this manner, a huge and powerful monster was developed. Composed to like of professed disciples of Jesus and non professing graceless men, who exalted itself above all that is called God, in that it professed to secure the salvation of sinners. For whose redemption Christ had died in vain. But for the aid rendered by this humanly devised instrumentality, as it is called in modern language or in scriptural wording, this idle God of this world. In the Providence of God, this blasphemous development of Antichrist has been allowed to flourish until it has matured sufficiently to bear fruit, and thereby it has demonstrated its ungodly nature. Wherever its Serpentine trail has invaded the visible Church of Christ. It has invariably produced discord and variance. It has said, if not the laws and ordinances of Christ, and substituted the device and commandments of men of whom Paul warned his brethren at Phillip High, even weeping. That they were the enemies of the cross of Christ.

Yes, and. All our enemies of the Cross of Christ. Who refused to obey his injunctions implicitly and to bear the cross of opposing nature and the devices of carnal religionists. They may indeed, by a nominal profession, cry unto him, Lord! Lord! And tell the wonderful works that they have wrought in his name. But the sentence has gone forth out of his awful mouth, in words which can never pass away or be revoked through the earth, be removed, and heavens dissolved with fervent heat. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you. In view of the incomparable importance of a right understanding of this subject. It is indispensably necessary that Christians should give the more earnest heed to the things which are left on record for our guidance. And by reference. To the language of Jesus, to the Jews which believed on him, we find that clearly marked characteristic of such as are accepted with him. If you continue in my word. Then you are my disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. John 8.31, 32.

But nowhere in His word are His disciples authorized to organize any such institutions as have sprung up like mushrooms or poisonous weeds in this degenerate age. When they were first presented to the church, their advocates were called upon for scriptural authority. Further. But though that challenge has stood open from that day to this. No such authority has ever been produced. Yet the mad idolatry of mission anism has been zealously propagated and untold Millions of dollars have been poured upon the altar of its insatiable priesthood. The Widows Mite and the Pharisees hoard have been alight, gathered into the maelstrom of this gigantic swindle. And the innocent victims of the great fraud have been straining their ears to catch the sound of Christian worship from the myriad mouths of far off India and the Asiatic Isles of the sea. At last there comes a sound borne on the wings of the eastern breeze. Now hunt those incredulous old fogies who oppose this glorious work in its incipiency. At last has Bale heard and rewarded the energy of his agonizing worshippers. But hark! What says our missionary? It is useless to attempt to propagate Christianity in Burma. Unless they are allowed to retain polygamy! Certainly! That is a desirable compromise. And while these self appointed ministers and plenty of potential Mary from the Court of Heaven are arranging terms with the enemies of our King, they might reconcile the old serpent and all his children upon the same principle, and even carried a triumph of their wonderful diplomacy into the bottomless pit and there convert the old. Arch Fiend himself. This wonderful spirit of accommodation might have saved the 2000 swine in the country of the gatherings, and so probably that respectable people would have been willing for Jesus to have remained among them. And doubtless, by a conciliatory course, some arrangement might have been agreed upon, whereby even Herod and pontious pilot and all that class of people could have been persuaded to profess Christianity by the tact and moral suasion of this wonderfully accommodating missionary spirit. Nay, Satan himself intimated to our Saviour A disposition to be very liberal, if the Lord would only comply with a little condition, merely sufficient to show respect to the genius which devised a plan of settlement.

But seriously, consider the fact stated in the extract at the head of this article. What must be thought by the advocates of these innovations called benevolent institutions of the day? When they see the result of all their unauthorized human means for the salvation of the world. Here is the acknowledgement of a witness whose selfish interest is involved in perpetuating the humbug. 20 years ago when the abomination of the mission to the Marquesa. Was exposed by a literary gentleman, Herman Melville, Esquire. Who testified to the worst than slavery, in which the native converts were held by the missionaries. Who remained in princely state by the contributions. Of their diluted dupes here only to present to the heathen, among whom they dwelt A hideous caricature of Christianity, which would have excited the righteous indignation of a Peter or Paul, as on the day of Pentecost or on Mars Hill. It would seem indeed that men of sane minds even without the light of divine revelation. Would not fail to see the swindle in falsehood of a system of religion which makes a heathen worse after being converted to it than before. But certainly developments such as are contained in these admissions of the salaried pensioners of mission ISM. Should open the eyes of any children of God who may have been entangled in the net of Antichrist. The subject of divine grace cannot have failed to learn that the law of Christ is superior to all customs and mere conventionalities of life. Hence all who recognize him as their king love to yield implicit obedience to His commandments. As well might we walk of yielding the privilege of violating one command of crisis another. And he who reserves the privilege of living and polygamy might, upon the same principle, reserved the right of worship, being juggernaut, or, as many professors in America do, claim the freedom to devote their lives to the service of mammon, and yet count themselves Christians. And since the subject of idolatry comes up in connection with this matter. It may be as well to inquire whether there is anything among the Saints who read this letter which may be included when we speak of idolatry. Not that there is any occasion to modify gospel truth for fear of giving offence. But if any of the deal children of God are subject to this deadly sin, feign would we address them personally and pointedly, as did the prophet Nathan, who sent to Shoal to King David his sin. And if it crucifies self so much, to more important that the truth be spoken or written plainly.

The apostle denies one phase of idolatry as covetousness. Colossians. 3.5. Oh yes! I have often thought brother and sister so and so were so covetous that they were almost a disgrace to the old school Baptist cause. I think if they could not be prevailed on to be more liberal, they should be excluded from the Church. Probably more than one reader may be ready to make this application. But let us not be too literal in handling this sin over to others. Let us each examine ourselves. Covetousness. Does not always show itself in clutching for gold. It may be that one is very careless of pecuniary gain, and yet exceedingly avaricious of some other worldly consideration. As a friendship, popularity, or fame. Deceitfulness is not confined to wealth, nor idolatry to the desire of accumulating, the treasures of earthly possessions. Avarice may have for its object the exultation of self. In any aspect to which the individual may be naturally predisposed. This is the root of all the evils Which have rendered this world little more desirable as a permanent abode than the bottomless pit itself. Indeed, to the Christian there is no conceivable torment more intolerable than to be left in the power of the carnal or selfish mind. In this condition he experiences all the pain which caused Paul to cry for deliverance from the body of this death. But when free from this pernicious influence, the glorious beauty of the Holy One of Israel is revealed without a veil to cloud the heavenly union. Then the enraptured St. has caught up into paradise and self is totally forgotten, lost in the boundless Infinity of the love of God which overwhelms all thoughts or considerations but divine love.

There is one more important lesson to be learned by the Saints from this acknowledgement of the truth by such eminent mission authority. No degree of enmity against God is sufficient to defeat the will of our sovereign. But when he requires it. Not only the wicked men of this world, but the very devils themselves are compelled to testify to the truth. Here in this illustrated the absolute control of our God over all His enemies, and the perfect certainty of the accomplishment of His will in every particular. Hence Isaiah could, by inspiration, speak positively in addressing the Afflicted. And poor people of God, saying no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment, you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, says the Lord. And the whole volume of the inspired scriptures is precious and full of comfort to the Saints, because its absolute certainty rests upon the unchangeable oath of God. With whom there is no variableness, nor the shadow of turning. How far above all the dreams of humanly devised religion is this glorious system which is revealed for the comfort and support of the chosen Saints of God, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. Ready to be revealed in the last time! The law of God being written in their hearts according to the New Covenant which God declared by the prophet Jeremiah that he would make with his Israel and Judah. They delight to obey its requirements. They would not if they could change one of the injunctions of that law. They realized the truth, that in keeping the judgments of the Lord there is great reward. Psalm. 19.9 to 11. They have realized that the law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul. And therefore their continual desire is that they may be perfectly conformed. To the law and all its requirements. They would not presume to suggest any improvement. On the statute of their king, however, human reason might present to their carnal minds the allurements of personal advantage or popular approbation. The visible manner in which our God has brought to confusion the presumptuous workers of iniquity, whose impious hands have attempted to perform the work which Jehovah has pledged himself to accomplish. Should encourage the Saints in their perfect reliance on the Almighty. And they should discern in this manifestation of the utter vanity of human scheming, still another illustration of the folly of trusting in any creative power for the fulfillment of divine decrees.

The cause of God in truth rests not on corruptible things as silver and gold, but on the sure basis of the oath of the immutable God, which cannot be forfeited. And this is the strong consolation of all who have been cut off from all other refuges. And well, may we rest in this safe retreat, since even to this day it is true. That their rock is not our rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.

May it be the good pleasure of the Lord to lead all his children out of them, meshes of the neck of Antichrist, and bring them all to rejoice alone in the salvation of our God, is my prayer for Jesus sake.

As ever. In devoted love the servant of all.

William L. Beebe

Signs of the Times

May 5, 1869