Who Will Teach the Men?

jfowler — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 15:11:20 +0000

Lottie Moon’s letters are often an incredible encouragement to support missions. The following letter is particularly poignant.

Feb. 9, 1889

Recently, on a Sunday which I was spending in a village near Pingtu city, two men came to me with the request that I would conduct the general services. They wished me to read and explain, to a mixed audience of men and women, the parable of the prodigal son. I replied that no one should undertake to speak without preparation, and that I had made none. (I had been busy all the morning teaching the women and girls.) After awhile they came again to know my decision. I said, “It is not the custom of the Ancient church that women preach to men.” I could not, however, hinder their calling upon me to lead in prayer. Need I say that, as I tried to lead their devotions, it was hard to keep back the tears of pity for those sheep not having a shepherd. Men asking to be taught and no one to teach them. We read of one who ìcame forth and saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them because they were as sheep not having a shepherd. “And how did he show his compassion?” He began to teach them many things. “Brethren, ministers and students for the ministry, who may read these lines, does there dwell in your hearts none of that divine compassion which stirred the heart of Jesus Christ, and which led him to ‘teach’ the multitude many things”?

Thirty miles from Pingtu city is a gold mine. Nestled close among low-lying hills are two foreign houses and the buildings over the mine. Several American miners are there in the employ of the Chinese government. These men are living a hard, dull, isolated life, in a remote region, far from home and friends, with the sole purpose of worldly gain. So much for the devotees of Mammon. One cannot help asking sadly, why is love of gold more potent than love of souls? The number of men mining and prospecting for gold in Shantung is more than double the number of men representing Southern Baptists! What a lesson for Southern Baptists to ponder.

L. Moon

Note: This piece apparently was written by Lottie Moon for publication, presumably in the board’s missions journal.

This letter and others like it are available at the IMB website.

A Southern Baptist Educational Anniversary

jfowler — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:54:24 +0000

Many may not realize it, but today is a significant anniversary for Southern Baptists. On this date 152 years ago, James P. Boyce delivered his now famous address “Three Changes in Theological Education.” Boyce’s vision revamped theological education in general, and influenced the way that Southern Baptists in particular educated many of their ministers and missionaries. This address set the groundwork for the establishment of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary just two years later. What was so different about Boyce’s vision? First, he believed that men with less general education still should be able to receive significant theological education. Second, he believed that institutions that offer theological education to those who are less educated should still offer courses that would stretch and prepare those who were more gifted and had more education. Finally, Boyce believed that a theological school should be guided by a confession to ensure its theological integrity. Southern Baptists today will be happy to know that Boyce’s vision is intact within the institution he founded. If you would like to read more about this significant address, you can read about it in the Memoir of James Petigru Boyce.

First Baptist Church Fairdale » Baptist Life and Thought

Who Will Teach the Men?

A Southern Baptist Educational Anniversary