MY DEAR—,I am induced to send you a few remarks on evangelization. I see there are three classes of evangelists, and there will be great misunderstanding about them, unless we can distinguish each from the other.
To be of the first class you must see that evangelization is the only mode appointed by God for making known the Gospel. No servant can be called to a higher work than that of evangelizing in the true sense of the word; he is entrusted with the most blessed tidings ever communicated by God to man. He is the missionary of the heart of God to man. Never was there such a message; and this great and all-important message constitutes the messenger the most honored and highly favored of God's servants, if he truly fulfill it.
If it were the most wonderful work of the first creation when God said: " Let there be light: and there was light "-when the sun was introduced to rule the day-how much more when Jesus, the light of God, appeared on the earth! To them that sat in darkness and the shadow of death, a great light has sprung up. This light still shines, though the god of this world blinds the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine into them.
Now the evangelist is appointed by the Lord to be the herald and expression of this light. It is to shine out from him. One cannot conceive any position more responsible, or of higher privilege. He is a- Lucifer.- the son of the morning, entering on the earth to dissipate the darkness upon it. He introduces not only what is necessary for safety, but something -so new, so distinct from everything here; it is Christ, and Adam eclipsed. He is so in the power of what he represents, that the hearts enlightened by his words not only see a great light, but are irresistibly attracted to it. From him they first, and most surely, learn Christ, because he first presents Christ to them, as Paul at midnight to the Philippian jailor. As the message is great and unequaled, so is the messenger required to be in every way -great. and unequaled, in order competently to represent Him whose messenger lie is. ' It is written, "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace!" The—manner and every movement expressed by the " feet " are beautiful. The evangelist is sent by the Lord, gifted by Him to rescue souls from death and judgment; and then, in separation from the world, as members of His body, to bear witness to Him in the scene of His 'rejection.
The evangelist, therefore, who is true to his calling, not only preaches the Gospel earnestly and faithfully, but, as he is-the first specimen of Christ presented to the unconverted, he is like the sun at dawn, a gentle, and at the same time a full, expression of Him in every way; he thus would magnify his office. A father cannot expect to have children beyond himself, and converts seldom are, unless, like orphans, they are adopted and nursed by better hands.
Now an evangelist of this type would be most attractive spiritually, most unworldly, and most
ecclesiastical, because the church is the only true nursery, and God's only place. Others might teach you more, but, as to single-eyed devotedness, none would surpass him on earth. The term " the low evangelical level " could never be applied to any of this class.
Now the second class is composed of many zealous and true-hearted men of God. They are very laborious and earnest in seeking after souls, and they are ostensibly More blessed than the first class; but, while they are glad that the converts should find their places in the assembly of God, they do not in their own minds make it more than a believers' meeting; nor do they feel that their responsibility goes beyond truly and earnestly seeking to save the lost; yet they never shrink from laying before them, as far as they know it, the claim that Christ has on them here. Their tendency is to form a congregation, and hence to confine the converts too much to themselves and what they can teach.
Now it is an unhealthy sign when a saint. cares. not to hear the Gospel.; but it is a sign of little heart for Christ when one is indifferent to other teaching besides the Gospel. The danger with this class of evangelists is, that they are not interested enough in advanced truth, and, though they approve of separation from the world, and seek it for themselves, yet they are not weighed down with the sense that the plants are like the -planter; they do not consider themselves responsible witnesses of the church, bound to " gather the good into vessels " mud' as to " cast in the net." They do not labor to be as much specimens. of church light as they are heralds of the Gospel light; they verily approve of church light, but they do not regard it as included in their mission.
Doubtless, as I have shown, the messenger of Christ's gospel is of unequaled dignity and importance.; but, if he confine his labors and desires for souls to rescuing them from eternal judgment, though the greatest thing, he overlooks the positive side-the Father's house-in not associating the rescued ones in the most inconceivable happiness with their Savior.
Of the third class' need say little: they are very laborious, and really; as to numbers, can count more converts than the other two classes put together. They admit, without 'reserve, that they do not gather into vessels—nay, that they are not sure of the correctness. of any church position; and their converts never, until they are placed in other hands, are in any way separate from the world, or consciously charged with the testimony of Christ on the earth: The 'evangelists themselves never break with the world; they 'confine their mission merely to rescuing souls from the dark dungeon of eternal judgment; and if they can furnish light: enough to do this they are satisfied. They have truly the light of the- sun, but it is more as the moon has it than as the vessels illuminated by Christ, directly in communion with Him, and then coming forth to lead souls into the glories of His day.
The Lord awaken the evangelists 'to the greatness and dignity of their Calling, and grant that a good start may be vouchsafed to many souls because the evangelists are beautiful representatives of the grace which they preach.
Yours affectionately, J. B. S.