"It is a commentary on our fallen nature that we are so easily moved in the presence of physical need or peril or suffering and yet so indifferent to the spiritual needs of the very same people.

"An Egyptian woman, upon hearing the Gospel for the first time, said, `It is a wonderful story! Do the women in your country believe it? ..I don't think they can believe it or they would not have been so long in coming to us.'

"The missionary enterprise, it is claimed, is no longer motivated by a desire to save the heathen from a future destiny of misery and eternal punishment. Rather, it is the missionary's aim to save the heathen to a life of health, happiness, churchmanship, and good citizenship. Dr. Paul Tillich is spokesman for a large body of theologians when he writes in this connection: `One should not misunderstand missions as an attempt to save from eternal damnation as many individuals as possible among the nations of the world....Such an idea is unworthy of the glory and love of God.' But this slick answer does not touch on the Biblical validity or otherwise of the motive. Nor does it give recognition of the fact that at the heart of the classic scripture passage on the love of God (John 3:16) lies the implication that those who do not believe on the Son of God will "perish" ...It is true that there has been a shift of emphasis on this subject in our generation, but if is pertinent to ask if the change is the outcome of new light from the Scriptures or from some less worthy motivation. And is the new emphasis producing giants like those who pioneered the missionary cause? No true missionary discounts the social motive, or the desirable by-products of the Gospel. But unless it can be proved un-Scriptural, that in itself is no reason for discarding a motive which greatly influenced great missionaries of the past....J. Hudson Taylor affirmed, I would never have thought of going out to China had I not believed that the Chinese were lost and needed Christ'...Similar convictions were shared by Carey, Judson, Livingstone, Martyn, Brainerd, and many others. Indeed, the singular success which attended their missionary careers can only be interpreted in the light of their belief in the lost condition of the heathen, and the compulsion that was laid upon them to put forth their best efforts to take the Gospel to lost and dying men. Were they mistaken in their belief? Did they misread the Scriptures? Has further evidence been adduced to disprove their convictions?"

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