But what is the basis of all missionary enterprise? I have said that it
is the command of Christ. It is not necessary to believe that the
heathen who do not hear the Gospel are lost. There were certainly some
heathens who were not far from the kingdom of God. The possibility of
men being raised to such a high spiritual level, even without the
Gospel, gives us a hint of the ways and means that God can use for the
ultimate salvation of the heathen world.
And it is to be noted that Christ made no special appeal to us in order
to evoke our enthusiasm for the heathen. He gave no hint that there is
but the one alternative of damnation if they do not receive and accept
the Gospel. He had evidently no morbid hysteria on that ground. He
simply gave the command; and that ought to be sufficient. He knows what
possibilities of grace are in reserve; but that was not the time nor the
place to speak of them.
Besides, if we could realize that every heathen who does not hear and
accept the Gospel is doomed to eternal fire, the thought would drive us
to frenzy. We cannot bear the thought of a person, though he were an
enemy, being even burned to death. In such a case, there would be a
crowd of ardent sympathizers, though it were known that their sympathy
would be unavailing. Failing all relief, there would be sighs, and
groans, and prayers on every hand. It is not possible to witness unmoved
such a scene of suffering. And it lasts but a short time. But the
supposed case of the heathen is endless agony; and it does not move us.
The only conclusion is that it is not really believed. We may think we
believe it; we may count it orthodox to believe it; but if we did really
believe it, it would drive us to insanity.