Nineteen years ago we gave the above instances of God's direct interposition in times of peril and need, to warrant our expectation that God would provide both the men and the means for carrying His blessed gospel into each of the unevangelized provinces of China Proper and into Chinese Tartary. Upon past Ebenezers we built our Jehovah-Jireh. "They that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee." The experience of these nineteen years abundantly shews how safe it has been to base our expectations on the promises of the living God.
And first, as to the labourers themselves. As in the beginning of the gospel there was need of, and work for, a Paul, an ApoUos, a Luke, as well as those who were manifestly "unlearned and ignorant," but of whom men "took knowledge that they had been with Jesus,"—so it is now. The Lord can sanctify and use every talent that He has bestowed; He also can, and often does choose " the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." Some who have gone out have had special philological talent, others have had deeper acquaintance with God' s Word and more matured Christian experience; but each one, we believe, has been qualified for that sphere of service which the Lord intended him or her to occupy. So we expect it will be. We have already shewn that many of the spoken languages of China are easy of acquisition, and that the mass of the people can neither read nor write; this being the case it is obvious that persons of moderate ability and limited attainments are not precluded from engaging in the work: and we shall most gladly enter into correspondence with any such who may feel called to it. At the same time, there is ample scope for the exercise of the highest talent that can be laid upon the altar of God. Nay more, there is an urgent call for men filled with love to God, whose superior education will enable them to occupy spheres of usefulness into which others could not enter. The proposed field is so extensive, and the need of labourers of every class is so great, that "the eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of thee,' nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.'"
As to those who feel themselves called to the work, the plan we were led to adopt, and on which the blessing of God has evidently rested, was and now is as follows:—After correspondence with and about them, personal acquaintance has been sought, and every care has been taken to ascertain whether they have been called to, and fitted for, the work. In order to know them more thoroughly, they have been invited to reside for a longer or shorter time with us. When the writer, and other Christian friends, have been satisfied
