tion. "Why do you not," they say,
"leave those non-Christian peoples to work out their own salvation through
a natural evolution of their own faiths? Let those old crude religions
pass into something higher through the natural process of evolution rather
than resort to the cataclysmic method of over-throwing the old and
introducing a faith that is entirely foreign. Why not let the process of
growth work out its own results even though it takes a long time for it?"

This objection to our work is modern and thoroughgoing. Of course it is
equally pronounced against supernaturalism in all its forms and
ramifications. It would be futile to reply to this by appealing to the
command of our Lord to go and disciple all nations. It is enough to remind
this objector that the doctrine of evolution admits that the highest
altruism is a part of the evolution process. And if that is so, then the
highest Christian altruism must find its noblest exercise in the work of
bringing, by Christians to non-Christians, those ideas and that life which
they deem the best and of which those outside of Christ stand in urgent
need. The highest evolution of our race has been, and ever must be,
through that Christian altruism which will not rest until the noblest
truth and the fullest life are brought to all the benighted souls of our
race. Is not this the last message of evolution to us at this present? And
is it not identical with the last commission of our Lord to His
followers--to go and disciple the nations? And while it is the function of
Christianity to maintain the evolution principle of the survival of the
fittest, it does this by indirection--by seizing upon the most unfit and
unworthy and making them fit to stand before God and worthy to enjoy the
life eternal in all its glory.

Moving a step forward we come to,--

Another problem kindred to the one mentioned--one which concerns the aims
and the results which should animate missionary endeavour.

2. What shall a man or a mission entertain as a motive or as an aim to be
attained and as results worthy of achievement in missionary work?

This question also is based upon and will cover very largely the character
of the work accomplished.

There are two distinct and separate motives and aims impelling Christians,
at the present time, to missionary effort. They are, in the main, an
emphasis given, respectively, to each of Christ's two final commands to
his disciples upon earth.

In the fir