“Though I speak concerning foreign missions with great eloquence, and have not vision, I am become as sounding brass, or tinkling cymbal.
“And though I spend long hours in study and reading missionary literature, and know much concerning the hardships and difficulties of a missionary’s life, and have not vision, it profiteth me nothing.
“A vision holdeth one steady before God; a vision enableth one to pray earnestly; a vision burdeneth, that others may have salvation.
“Doth not exalt any but Christ, seeketh only the redemption of the lost, is given to those who earnestly seek for it, thinketh no price too great to pay;
“Trieth not to discourage those who would be missionaries, but trieth to encourage them to answer the call of God.
“Beareth another’s burdens, believeth that God is willing to undertake, hopeth for the salvation of many, endureth seeming failure and disappointment.
“A Vision doth not soon fail, but where there be excitement aroused by hair-raising stories, it shall fail; where there be only interest, it shall vanish away.
“For all Christians know in part, and all Christians see in part; but when they have a vision their lukewarmness and intermittent interest shall be done away.
“Before I caught the vision, I spoke as one without a vision, I prayed as one without a vision; but when I caught the vision, I put away half-hearted things.
“For now at least I have caught a faint glimpse of the need which Jesus alone can satisfy, but some day I shall realize it fully; now I know something of the price salvation cost, but then I shall see it clearly even as also it hath been purchased for me.
“And now to be a missionary Christian are necessary – a prayerful heart, a surrendered life, a vision; these three, with others, but one of the greatest of these is a vision”.
“Though I speak concerning foreign missions with great eloquence, and have not vision, I am become as sounding brass, or tinkling cymbal.
“And though I spend long hours in study and reading missionary literature, and know much concerning the hardships and difficulties of a missionary’s life, and have not vision, it profiteth me nothing.
“A vision holdeth one steady before God; a vision enableth one to pray earnestly; a vision burdeneth, that others may have salvation.
“Doth not exalt any but Christ, seeketh only the redemption of the lost, is given to those who earnestly seek for it, thinketh no price too great to pay;
“Trieth not to discourage those who would be missionaries, but trieth to encourage them to answer the call of God.
“Beareth another’s burdens, believeth that God is willing to undertake, hopeth for the salvation of many, endureth seeming failure and disappointment.
“A Vision doth not soon fail, but where there be excitement aroused by hair-raising stories, it shall fail; where there be only interest, it shall vanish away.
“For all Christians know in part, and all Christians see in part; but when they have a vision their lukewarmness and intermittent interest shall be done away.
“Before I caught the vision, I spoke as one without a vision, I prayed as one without a vision; but when I caught the vision, I put away half-hearted things.
“For now at least I have caught a faint glimpse of the need which Jesus alone can satisfy, but some day I shall realize it fully; now I know something of the price salvation cost, but then I shall see it clearly even as also it hath been purchased for me.
“And now to be a missionary Christian are necessary – a prayerful heart, a surrendered life, a vision; these three, with others, but one of the greatest of these is a vision”.
