HOLDING THE ROPES
by J. Norman Case
More than a century ago (1793), as a few earnest
disciples were conferring together on the needs and claims of
heathendom, one of them, Andrew Fuller said, “There is a gold mine in
India, but it seems almost as deep as the heart of the earth. Who will
venture to explore it?” Said William Carey, who was one of the number,
“I will venture to go down, but remember that you must hold the ropes.”
In this great undertaking all true Christians can and should have a part. It is scarcely necessary to say that many are not themselves called to go forth to a foreign land. There are those who are chose and called to go forth to the fight, and those who are appointed to “tarry by the stuff.” There are some who go down into the mine to find that which is infinitely more precious than gold, while others remain outside to “hold the ropes.” Both parts of the work are honourable and important; the one being necessary to the success of the other. And the part we individually take in the work must be according as the Master of the household appoints.
But when the mine, to continue the figure, is situated thousands of miles away the rope-holders have a responsibility to help the miners to get to the mouth of the mine. In other words, spiritual Christians are under obligation to know, to counsel, to pray for, and to help those of their number, who at the call of Christ and with the approval of their fellow-believers, go forth to the regions beyond to preach the Gospel. Remember that, in a very real sense, they go forth as your substitutes or representatives. The general obligation to make known the Gospel to those who have not heard it rests on all Christians. This is really the great work of the Church. It is not a side issue, something extra to be taken up, a thing that can be done or left undone as we please; it is the chief reason why believers are left in the world. In the present day for an intelligent Christian not to have some personal interest and share in this great enterprise, proclaims him to be out of touch with Him whom he calls Lord. He manifestly lacks heart for that which is near to the heart of God, and thus grieves and quenches the indwelling Paraclete. No correctness of outward conduct, no zeal for scriptural order in the assembly, no understanding of prophetic and dispensational truths can compensate for this lack. “These ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone.”
Those who hold the ropes must have knowledge. This, in our day, is easily obtained. One can, with a little outlay of time and money, acquire a general knowledge of the spiritual and other needs of the peoples of all lands: what form of Christianity, if any, prevails in a certain country, the climate to be generally met with, the manner of life of its people, their stage of civilization, their attitude to foreigners; these things, in a large measure, can be learnt without leaving one’s own fireside. And in these days of cheap books and periodicals, most Christians should have a fairly full knowledge of the needs of all lands. The more general formation of missionary study classes would greatly help in this direction. There are many now doing little for the Lord who, under God, might form and guide such classes, and in so doing they might do a greater work than some who occupy prominent places in the eyes of their fellow-Christians and of the world. Knowledge is an essential element in keeping the fires of missionary zeal burning. Sympathy and love must animate the friends who seek to “hold the ropes.” Apart from the love of Christ as a constraining power, interest in the heathen will soon languish. It is only as, in some little measure, we look upon the perishing with the heart and eyes of the Redeemer that we shall love them enough to pray and labour for their conversion. In this service, as in all spiritual things, the difficulty lies in keeping at the work. To begin, in most cases is easy, but to continue an interest and love for the people of far-off lands is so difficult that we can only go on doing it, as we are keeping ourselves in the love of God. Day by day we must believe afresh in the great love of Him who spared not His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, and we must take in the further fact that this love is still as deep, true, and tender as when for us Christ died on the Tree. Study and meditation of the Scriptures will markedly help in maintaining a vigorous apprehension of that love which in all its fulness “passeth knowledge.” Constrained by this love, we shall labour, pray, and deny ourselves for the salvation of the Christ-less and those who have not the Gospel in their lands.
Those who “hold the ropes” need to be men and women of prayer. Every missionary feels the pressing need for the prayers of friends at home. Daily the cry comes from far-off parts of the field: “Brethren, pray for us.” It was Paul the missionary who wrote that believers should pray “at all seasons with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,...AND FOR ME, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel” (Eph. 6:18-20). Prayer ever has been the great moving power in missionary work. By means of earnest, believing prayer, walls have been broken down, doors have been opened, men and means have been forthcoming, and in the most unpromising and least likely fields myriads have been turned to God. In missionary lands greater things have been done, greater things are being done than most Christians dream of. Let such, therefore, as seek to “hold the ropes” give themselves more and more to intelligent, believing, and united prayer for the Lord’s workers in all parts of the one great field. For us, too, that earnest, audacious call of the prophet has a voice, “Ye that are the Lord’s remembrancers, take ye no rest, and give Him no rest, till...” (Isa. 62:6-7) He accomplishes His present age, purposes, and “the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” All believers should pray daily for Gospel labourers in other lands. Not a church prayer meeting should pass without earnest petitions going up for such. And at least once a month there should be a coming together of as many of one locality as possible to pray for the spread of the Gospel in other lands.
Self-denial should characterise those who aspire to “hold the ropes.” I mean self-denial for this definite end: to have time and means to devote to the futherance of Christian work in non-Christian lands. Those who have gone forth, and those who remain behind, are partners in this glorious enterprise. All Christians should have “shares” in this going and paying concern. And when we pray that the needs of the Lord’s servants may be met, let us, in our measure, answer our own prayers by our own gifts. Less than this is sheer hypocrisy. To pray and not to give, when we can do so, is a mockery; to give and not to pray is to rob the gift of much of its value. For Christians, either directly or indirectly, to encourage a brother to go forth into the work and yet not feel responsible to help supply his material needs is scarcely honourable or even honest. The consciences of professing Christians need to be quickened on this matter; for there are few who give according to their power, much less beyond it.
Those who “hold the ropes” are taking an honourable and indispensable part in carrying out God’s purposes of grace among all nations. And the time is hastening on when both those who have gone down into the mine and those who have held the ropes shall rejoice together, then shall they see what God has through them wrought in finding and fitting precious jewels that shall forever adorn the diadem of our Redeemer and Lord.
In this great undertaking all true Christians can and should have a part. It is scarcely necessary to say that many are not themselves called to go forth to a foreign land. There are those who are chose and called to go forth to the fight, and those who are appointed to “tarry by the stuff.” There are some who go down into the mine to find that which is infinitely more precious than gold, while others remain outside to “hold the ropes.” Both parts of the work are honourable and important; the one being necessary to the success of the other. And the part we individually take in the work must be according as the Master of the household appoints.
But when the mine, to continue the figure, is situated thousands of miles away the rope-holders have a responsibility to help the miners to get to the mouth of the mine. In other words, spiritual Christians are under obligation to know, to counsel, to pray for, and to help those of their number, who at the call of Christ and with the approval of their fellow-believers, go forth to the regions beyond to preach the Gospel. Remember that, in a very real sense, they go forth as your substitutes or representatives. The general obligation to make known the Gospel to those who have not heard it rests on all Christians. This is really the great work of the Church. It is not a side issue, something extra to be taken up, a thing that can be done or left undone as we please; it is the chief reason why believers are left in the world. In the present day for an intelligent Christian not to have some personal interest and share in this great enterprise, proclaims him to be out of touch with Him whom he calls Lord. He manifestly lacks heart for that which is near to the heart of God, and thus grieves and quenches the indwelling Paraclete. No correctness of outward conduct, no zeal for scriptural order in the assembly, no understanding of prophetic and dispensational truths can compensate for this lack. “These ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone.”
Those who hold the ropes must have knowledge. This, in our day, is easily obtained. One can, with a little outlay of time and money, acquire a general knowledge of the spiritual and other needs of the peoples of all lands: what form of Christianity, if any, prevails in a certain country, the climate to be generally met with, the manner of life of its people, their stage of civilization, their attitude to foreigners; these things, in a large measure, can be learnt without leaving one’s own fireside. And in these days of cheap books and periodicals, most Christians should have a fairly full knowledge of the needs of all lands. The more general formation of missionary study classes would greatly help in this direction. There are many now doing little for the Lord who, under God, might form and guide such classes, and in so doing they might do a greater work than some who occupy prominent places in the eyes of their fellow-Christians and of the world. Knowledge is an essential element in keeping the fires of missionary zeal burning. Sympathy and love must animate the friends who seek to “hold the ropes.” Apart from the love of Christ as a constraining power, interest in the heathen will soon languish. It is only as, in some little measure, we look upon the perishing with the heart and eyes of the Redeemer that we shall love them enough to pray and labour for their conversion. In this service, as in all spiritual things, the difficulty lies in keeping at the work. To begin, in most cases is easy, but to continue an interest and love for the people of far-off lands is so difficult that we can only go on doing it, as we are keeping ourselves in the love of God. Day by day we must believe afresh in the great love of Him who spared not His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, and we must take in the further fact that this love is still as deep, true, and tender as when for us Christ died on the Tree. Study and meditation of the Scriptures will markedly help in maintaining a vigorous apprehension of that love which in all its fulness “passeth knowledge.” Constrained by this love, we shall labour, pray, and deny ourselves for the salvation of the Christ-less and those who have not the Gospel in their lands.
Those who “hold the ropes” need to be men and women of prayer. Every missionary feels the pressing need for the prayers of friends at home. Daily the cry comes from far-off parts of the field: “Brethren, pray for us.” It was Paul the missionary who wrote that believers should pray “at all seasons with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,...AND FOR ME, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel” (Eph. 6:18-20). Prayer ever has been the great moving power in missionary work. By means of earnest, believing prayer, walls have been broken down, doors have been opened, men and means have been forthcoming, and in the most unpromising and least likely fields myriads have been turned to God. In missionary lands greater things have been done, greater things are being done than most Christians dream of. Let such, therefore, as seek to “hold the ropes” give themselves more and more to intelligent, believing, and united prayer for the Lord’s workers in all parts of the one great field. For us, too, that earnest, audacious call of the prophet has a voice, “Ye that are the Lord’s remembrancers, take ye no rest, and give Him no rest, till...” (Isa. 62:6-7) He accomplishes His present age, purposes, and “the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” All believers should pray daily for Gospel labourers in other lands. Not a church prayer meeting should pass without earnest petitions going up for such. And at least once a month there should be a coming together of as many of one locality as possible to pray for the spread of the Gospel in other lands.
Self-denial should characterise those who aspire to “hold the ropes.” I mean self-denial for this definite end: to have time and means to devote to the futherance of Christian work in non-Christian lands. Those who have gone forth, and those who remain behind, are partners in this glorious enterprise. All Christians should have “shares” in this going and paying concern. And when we pray that the needs of the Lord’s servants may be met, let us, in our measure, answer our own prayers by our own gifts. Less than this is sheer hypocrisy. To pray and not to give, when we can do so, is a mockery; to give and not to pray is to rob the gift of much of its value. For Christians, either directly or indirectly, to encourage a brother to go forth into the work and yet not feel responsible to help supply his material needs is scarcely honourable or even honest. The consciences of professing Christians need to be quickened on this matter; for there are few who give according to their power, much less beyond it.
Those who “hold the ropes” are taking an honourable and indispensable part in carrying out God’s purposes of grace among all nations. And the time is hastening on when both those who have gone down into the mine and those who have held the ropes shall rejoice together, then shall they see what God has through them wrought in finding and fitting precious jewels that shall forever adorn the diadem of our Redeemer and Lord.
