The wise writer of Ecclesiastes 11:16, from whom we borrow the title of this article, recognized the power of propaganda. Similarly Christianity has ever been a propagating power. The risen Lord gave the commission to His disciples as He left this earth, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
It is evident that the Spirit of God uses more than oral means. This is seen as far back as Moses, who put inspired pen to paper, or perhaps stylo to clay tablet, and gave us the Pentateuch. Others were raised up, inspired not only to speak but to write, and so we have Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, etc. etc., and then again the four Evangelists, Paul, Peter, James and Jude.
It is said that there was long ago a flourishing Roman Catholic mission in Central Africa, but it has entirely died out, only leaving a faint memory behind. Why has the mission died out? It is because they did not give the natives the Bible. A Bible withheld means that the converts only remained such as long as they were in touch with their instructors. Once they parted company they were cut off from the source of supply.
The fact that the Bible has been translated into 600 languages is proof of the necessity being felt of putting the sacred writings into the hands of the converts, so that they can come first-hand to the Word of God.
In the spirit of all this there has been much earnestness in printing and spreading the tract, pamphlet, volume, presenting the truth of the Scriptures, and there have been abundant results therefrom.
These lines are written to exhort the young Christians to this service. We are saved from many of the expensive tastes the worldling indulges in. Tracts and books cost money, but it is money well spent if guided in prayer to purchase the right kind and distribute them in dependence upon God. Moreover, what costs us nothing is not worth much. Sacrifice is the keynote of Christian living.
The printed page can go where we cannot. A halfpenny will take it to some far-flung outpost of the Empire, to some lonely sinner in the back blocks of Australia, to the shacks in the forest of Canada, to the orange groves of Palestine, to Egypt, India, China, nay, in the words of our Lord’s commission, “to every creature.” We appeal to our young Christian readers, will you not earnestly, systematically, prayerfully begin and continue this blessed Christ-like service?
Oral communications can easily be forgotten or even misunderstood. The printed page can be referred to again and again and memory refreshed and intensified.
The right choice of literature is important. As a general rule the writer, whose voice is used in the conversions, is likely to give forth writings which will be similarly used.
More than 150,000,000 copies of C.H.Spurgeon’s sermons have been circulated, and no wonder, for he was a remarkable evangelist, and God has blessed his writings to literally thousands.
Safety, Certainty and Enjoyment, a booklet written by the late George Cutting, an evangelist, has perhaps been more widely used than any booklet of its size.
The late Sir Bartle Frere, travelling in India was astonished to find a small town where the temples and idol shrines were neglected, and the town generally speaking professing the Christian Faith. It appears that an English resident had given a cast-off garment to a native. In the pocket was found a Gospel portion with eight or nine tracts in the native language. From that seed had quietly sprung up a wonderful harvest.
Four copies of H.L.Hastings’ Lecture on the Inspiration of the Bible, were given at different times by one person to four infidels. All four were converted and became gospel preachers.
Martin Luther wrote a treatise on the Galatian Epistle. Long years rolled by and an English translation found its way into the hands of John Bunyan, and played a part in his conversion. Bunyan wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress, and just because it is full of the Word of God and presents the truth of the Gospel it has been translated into 135 languages and dialects.
The Word of God lives and produces life. “The Word of God is quick [living] and powerful” (Heb. 4:12). “Being born again [life produced], not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever” (1 Peter 1:23).
When Paul and Silas entered Thessalonica with nothing but the Word of God on their lips, they were described as the men “that have turned the world upside down,” so great was the effect of the Word of God.
Why has the Bible been translated into over six hundred different languages? The colossal work this represents, the enormous cost involved, the urge on the part of translators, contributors in the way of money, running into millions, distributors in every part of the globe, all bespeak something far, far out of the common. No book has met with such bitter and sustained attacks as the Bible.
In a chamber at the foot of Cleopatra’s Needle, that Egyptian monolith as ancient as Joseph, erected on the Thames Embankment, 270 translations of one verse—John 3:16—are placed. Is any book in the world treated with such respect?
In 1806 the French Institute enumerated 80 geological theories, which were hostile to the Bible. Would the French Institute have set forth these theories, if it could have been foreseen that every one of them were to be overthrown as further light came to hand? The Book survives, and even flourishes in spite of the attacks made upon it. Men do not write hundreds of books against the Koran or the Zend Avesta or any of the sacred books of the heathen. Why this bitter and sustained attack? The Devil does not fight a false book, nor a man of straw.
The Bible never alters, yet its message is as fresh and potent today as when the ink was wet upon the page.
Young Christian, read your Bible, read it on your knees, “behave it,” as the heathen convert phrased it; scatter it far and wide, whether the Scriptures themselves or the tract or booklet containing the message of salvation, and God will give surely a mighty harvest. The time is short and opportunities become fewer.