“Already a few converts have been gathered into the visible Church, and there are others who are seeking to know the way of life more perfectly.  Those who have been received into the Church are letting their light shine.  The conduct of some who have heard the truth, reminds us forcibly of the conduct of the woman at the well of Samaria, and of the conduct of Andrew and Philip when they first found the Messias.

“It is thus that this empire and most other heathen countries must be evangelized.  The work must be done by the natives.  The Church in Christian lands, by her missionaries, can only lay the foundation and render some little assistance in rearing the superstructure.  She can never carry forward the work to completion.  She can never furnish the heathen nations with missionaries of the cross in sufficient numbers to supply them with pastors, neither is it necessary that she should.  The Christian is a light shining in a dark place.  Especially is it true among the heathen, that every disciple of Christ is as ’a city set on a hill which cannot be hid.’  His neighbors and acquaintances must observe the change in his conduct.  He no longer worships their gods.  He no longer observes any of their superstitious rites.  He is no longer a slave to their immoralities. his example must tell.  But many of the converts will have gifts to make known the Gospel, and will eagerly embrace these gifts in order to rescue their dying countrymen.  Already have we examples of this.  Such converts, also, in some respects, may be more efficient than the missionary.  They can go where we cannot, and reach those who are entirely beyond our influence.  They are better acquainted with the language.  They understand the customs of the people more thoroughly.  They remember what were the greatest difficulties and objections which proved the greatest obstacles to their reception of the Gospel, and they know how these difficulties were removed and these objections answered.  Besides, they have all the advantages which a native must be expected to possess over a foreigner arising from the prejudices of the people.

“Perhaps it may be necessary to guard against a wrong inference, which might be hastily deduced from the facts just stated.  The fact that the natives are to be the principal laborers in evangelizing this empire, does not in the least remove the obligation of the Church to quicken and redouble all her efforts, or supersede the necessity for such efforts.  It will be many years before this necessity will cease to exist.  The Churches in Christian lands, in resolving to undertake the evangelization of this empire, have engaged in great work.  In obedience to the command of their Master they have undertaken to rear a vast superstructure, the foundation of which is to be laid entirely by themselves, and on the erection of which they must bestow their care and assistance.  This work has been commenced under favorable auspices, but the foundation cannot yet be said to be laid.