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 06 
 
 PASTORAL LETTER 
 
 ON THE PROPOSED 
 
 MISSIO]!^ AT LIIfCOL^ 
 
 February 19 — 27, 1876. 
 By THE' bishop of LINCOLN. 
 
 LINCOLN : 
 JAMES WILLIAMSON, HIGH STREET. 
 
 Price One Half-penny , or 4s. per hundred.
 
 TO THE INHABITANTS OF LINCOLN. 
 
 Dearly beloved in the Lord, 
 
 It is proposed to hold a Mission at Lincoln in the 
 month of February next, February 19-27; and, in 
 conjunction with my brethren the Clergy I earnestly 
 invite your help in endeavouring to make it effectual. 
 
 The word Mission, used in this sense, seems to 
 require explanation. A Missionary means one who is 
 sent. Every clergyman is a missionary ; he is sent by 
 Christ to every soul committed to his care. 
 
 Again, in popular language, a Mission is usually 
 applied to the preaching of the Gospel to the heathen. 
 But Lincoln has enjoyed the blessings of Christianity 
 for many centuries ; it has many ministers of the Gospel, 
 many places of religious worship, many Christian 
 schools, and almost everyone there either has, or may 
 have, a Bible. A Mission at Lincoln is not like the 
 mission of the prophet Jonah to Nineveh, but rather 
 like the preaching of Jeremiah, or of Ezekiel, — or even 
 of Christ Himself and His Apostles, — to Jerusalem. 
 
 The first thought, therefore, suggested by a mission 
 to Lincoln, is one of solemn responsibility. Suffer me, 
 then, to ask, brethren — What fruit is Lincoln bringing 
 forth of the spiritual benefits which have been vouch- 
 safed to it for many generations ] What is its present 
 state as to Christian faith and Christian practice'? 
 What is its religious condition generally, as to temj^er- 
 ance and sobriety, purity, chastity, and " hohness, 
 without which no man shall see the Lord*?" (Heb. xii. 
 14.) What as to honesty, probity, and integrity? 
 What as to charity and brotherly love, which are
 
 indispensable requisites for acceptance with God? (1 Cor, 
 xiii.) We know from our future Judge, that it will 
 " be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon," and even "for 
 Sodom and Gomorrha at the Day of Judgment," than 
 for those who have heard the Gospel, and who live 
 godless lives. (Matt. x. 15; xi. 21; Luke x. 13.) 
 Unless we believe and obey the Gospel, we may read 
 in the miserable fate of Jerusalem, a prophecy of our 
 own destiny for Eternity. 
 
 Ought not the Mission at Lincoln to be a season to 
 us all of self-humi]p,tion and penitential shame and 
 sorrow for the past, and of godly resolutioDs for the 
 future? Ought it not to be a season of prayer for 
 pardon, and for grace ? 
 
 In February next almost every parish in Lincoln 
 will have its missioner or missioners. Let us thank 
 God for it. But believe me, brethren, the principal 
 part of a Mission is not the missioner : nor is the 
 Mission-week the main thing in the work of a Mission. 
 No : the labour of the Mission-week will be fruitless, 
 unless you are willing to do your part. I speak both 
 to clergy and laity. The Mission-week is the seedtime, 
 but there must be much careful preparation of the 
 ground for it, and much watchfulness after it. Unless 
 this is the case,, the missioner may produce a little 
 temporary religious excitement, but that excitement 
 will soon pass away, and will be succeeded by apathy 
 and indifference. It will be only like a fever-fit, 
 followed by an ague. 
 
 What then is to be done 1 
 
 First, let each of you be a missioner to himself ; have 
 an " enquiry room " in your own heart ; set up a con- 
 fessional there ; test your own faith and practice by the 
 only unerring standard, that of God's Holy Word. Do 
 you believe in the never-ending life to come 1 Are you 
 
 O
 
 acting in tlfet belief? Do you realize God's omni- 
 presence and omniscience'? In your daily business — 
 in the street, the shop, and the mart — in the social 
 meeting and domestic circle, as well as in your secret 
 chamber, are you conscious of His all- seeing Eye, and, 
 do you think often of death, judgment, heaven, hell, 
 and eternity ? Do you pray to God daily 1 Do you 
 read His Word daily? If not, begin now; and not 
 only this^be a missioner to your household, to your 
 children, to your servants. Have you family prayer ? 
 If not, begin now. Are you an employer of labour ? 
 Be a missioner to those who are helping you to be rich 
 in this world ; care for their souls ; enable and encour- 
 age them to come to the Mission j thus they Avill assist 
 you to be rich for Eternity. 
 
 Brethren, the Mission is for us all. Every one may 
 profit by it. There is no one who ought to stand still ; 
 our life is a battle, a race. Even with the holiest 
 among you, acts of faith and love may be made more 
 frequent and fervent. We are all " members one of 
 another" (Ephes. iv. 25). " Xone of us liveth to 
 himself, and no one dieth to himseK" (Eom. xiv. 7.) 
 It was the first murderer, Cain, who said, "Am I my 
 brother's Keeper?" (Gen. iv. 9.) You are your brother's 
 keeper. No one can be saved who cares little if his 
 neighbour is lost. The b^st way to save ourselves is 
 to try and save others. What was the use of the angel 
 coming down to stir the waters of Bethesda, unless 
 there were friends of the sick to put them into the 
 pool? (John V. 4- — 7.) The paralytic in the Gospel 
 would not have been cured, unless there had been 
 loving hands to carry him up to the house top, and to 
 let him down in the presence of Christ. (Mark ii. 4 ; 
 Luke V. 18.) What will be the use of the missioner, 
 unless you help the Mission? The worldly-minded,
 
 the profligate and the libertine, the sceptic and un- 
 believer, will not come of their own accord to Church 
 and to the Mission. Be you a missioner to them — "Go 
 out into the highways and hedges, the streets and lanes 
 of the city^ and compel them to come in " (Luke xiv. 
 23.) Tell them that the wages of sin is Death (Rom. 
 vi. 23), that the hour is coming when all that are in 
 the graves will hear the voice of the Son of God, and 
 will come forth, to be judged according to their wc^^ks 
 (John V. 28) ; and that He will be revealed in flaming 
 fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and 
 obey not the Gospel ; and that they will be punished 
 with everlasting destruction (2 Thess. i. 7.) But t-ell 
 them also that there is rest for the weary and lieavy 
 laden in Christ (Matt. xi. 28) ; tell them that there is 
 " a fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness " there 
 (Zech. xiii. 1) ; tell them that " if we walk in the light 
 as He is in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ the Son 
 of God cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John i. 7) ; tell 
 them that there is perfect pardon and peace —infinite 
 and eternal — in Him, and in Him alone, to all who 
 truly turn to Him with faith and repentance, and 
 sincere purpose of amendment of life. Tell them that 
 He tasted death for every man (Heb. ii. 9) ; that who- 
 soever Cometh to Him He will in no wise cast out 
 (John vi. 37) ; and there is joy in heaven over one 
 sinner that repenteth (Luke xv. 7.) Thus the fallen 
 may be raised, the doubting may be settled in the faith, 
 the erring may be reclaimed, the sinner may be saved, 
 by your means, and you will have the inexpressible joy 
 at the great Day of seeing the fruit of your own work 
 in the Mission, in their everlasting bliss. 
 
 Eemember also, brethren, that the love of the good 
 Samaritan was shewn, not only by going to the wounded 
 traveller lying in the road, and by pouring in oil and
 
 wine, but by setting him on his own beast, and bring- 
 ing him to the inn, arid taking care of him and providing 
 for him afterwards (Luke x. 33-35) — " Go and do thou 
 likewise." I speak both to clergy and laity. !N"ot only 
 pour in the wine and oil of Christ's blood and of 
 spiritual grace, into the sinner's wounds, but bring him 
 to the inn of Christ's Church ; take care of him there ; 
 provide, according to your means, for his spiritual 
 maintenance there, by liberal alms-giving to works of 
 piety and charity, in the building and endowing of 
 churches, and in all that is requisite for the care of sick 
 souls, not only after the Mission is over, but alter your 
 own departure from this life to a better. 
 
 But, further, brethren, the missioner may preach, 
 and you may work, but all will be profitless except the 
 Holy Spirit guides and helps both him and you. Paul 
 may plant, Apollos may water, but it is God Who gives 
 the increase (1 Cor. iii. 6). The seed is sown, but it 
 cannot take root, and grow, and bear fruit, without the 
 sunshine, dew, and rain of the Holy Spirit from above. 
 The Holy Ghost is given to earnest prayer (Luke xi. 
 31). Pray, therefore, for the gift of the Holy Ghost ; 
 pray for it in the name of Christ ; pray for it now ; 
 pray for it during the Mission ; pray for it after the 
 Mission. You will find, at the end of this letter, some 
 prayers for the Mission, which may be added to your 
 private and household devotions. 
 
 Brethren, beloved in the Lord, the first Mission of 
 which we read in the Christian Scriptures, after the 
 Ascension of Christ and the Coming of the Holy 
 Ghost, is contained in the second chapter of the Acts 
 of the Apostles. Let me invite your careful attention 
 to it. It is like a picture, drawn by a divine hand, of 
 what a Mission ought to be. There we see a fearless 
 and fervent missioner, St. Peter, standing up boldly
 
 8 
 
 and preaching Christ to those who had lately crucified 
 Him. Many were converted by his preaching, and 
 they who were converted were baptized (Acts ii. 41). 
 Observe what follows : " They continued steadfastly in 
 the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking 
 of bread, and in prayers." Believe me, that the real 
 fruit of a Mission is not in sudden emotions, and 
 violent ejaculations, and vehement professions, and 
 passionate ecstacies and raptures ; it is not in fanatical 
 rhapsodies, nor even in a few fitful acts of piety or 
 charity (which may be like the sudden growth of 
 Jonah's gourd, or of the seed which fell on the rock 
 and sprang up hastily, and was soon scorched and 
 withered by the sun) ; but it is to be seen in " patient 
 continuance in well-doing " (Eom. ii. 7) in the midst of 
 trial and difficulty. " He that shall endure unto the 
 end, the same shall be saved (Matt. xxiv. 13). It is to 
 be seen in soundness and steadfastness of faith ; it is 
 to be seen in the " work of faith and labour of love, 
 and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the 
 sight of God and our Father " (1 Thess. i. 3) ; it is to 
 be seen in unity and fellowship in apostolic doctrine 
 and discipline, in prayer and praise, and in the habitual 
 devout reception of the Holy Communion. Remember 
 the concluding words of that Scriptural record of the 
 first Mission : '' The Lord added to the Church daily 
 such as should be saved" (Acts ii. 47). The fruit of 
 that Apostolic Mission was seen long after St. Peter's 
 voice had ceased to be heard ; it was seen in distant 
 lands, and in succeeding ages ; it increased far and 
 wide, and it abides even to this day ; it was seen in 
 bringing men nearer to one another and to God in the 
 Church of Christ; and thus it prepared them and 
 qualified them by His grace ministered to faithful and 
 loving hearts in the holy offices of the Church on
 
 earth, to dwell together for ever in the Church glorified 
 in heaven. 
 
 The results of a successful Mission will be visible 
 long after the Mission is over. They will appear in 
 fuller churches, and more frequent baptisms, more 
 reverent confirmations, and more devout communions ; 
 they will be seen among all classes of society, in larger 
 abundance of the fruits of the Spirit, which are " love, 
 joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
 meekness, temperance" (Gal. vi. 22). 
 
 That such fruits as those may be seen at the great 
 Day of Harvest to have been produced largely by the 
 Mission at Lincoln, is the earnest prayer of your faithful 
 brother and servant in the Lord, 
 
 C. LLN^COLK 
 
 Riseholme, Lincoln, 
 
 Tuesday before Advent, 1875. 
 
 [over.
 
 10 
 
 PRAYERS FOR THE MISSION AT LIITCOLN. 
 
 MOST merciful Father, we beseech Thee to send upon Thy 
 Ministers Thy heavenly blessing, especially on the Mis- 
 sioners of this city ; that they may be clothed with righteousness, 
 and that Thy Word spoken by their mouth may have such 
 success that it may never be spoken in vain ; and grant that in 
 all our words and deeds we may seek Thy glory, and the 
 increase of Thy kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 OLORD JESU CHRIST, the Great Shepherd of the Sheep ; 
 look with pity on the populous places of this land, especially 
 on this city ; Bring into the way of truth all that err and are 
 deceived ; Awaken those who are in sin ; Arouse the careless ; 
 Humble the proud and unmerciful ; Cheer the fearful and sorrow- 
 ful ; Raise up them that fall ; Heal the broken-hearted ; Give 
 them true repentance, faith, fear, and love, and so sanctify them 
 with Thy grace that they may come to Thy heavenly glory, 
 through Thy merits and mediation, Who livest and reignest 
 with the Father and the Holy Ghost one God blessed for ever. 
 Ameii. 
 
 ALMIGHTY GOD, Whose strength is perfected in our weak- 
 ness, from Whom are the preparations of the heart, and 
 Who dost create the fiuit of the lips ; Who didst promise to be 
 with the mouth of Thy servant Moses, and didst touch the lips 
 of Isaiah with sacred fire. Who didst sanctify Jeremiah and John 
 the Baptist from their mother's womb, and didst reveal Thyself 
 in glory to the holy Prophet Ezekiel ; Who didst call David from 
 the sheepfold, and Elisha from the field, and Amos from the 
 herd, to be Prophets ; and Andrew and Peter from their nets, 
 and Matthew from the seat of custom, to be Apostles ; and 
 Luke the beloved Physician to be an Evangelist and Physician 
 of the soul ; Who didst send down tongues of fire on the heads 
 of the Apostles, to teach them and lead them to all truth, 
 giving them boldness, with fervent zeal, to preach the Gospel to 
 all nations ; Raise up, we pray Thee, Thy power and come 
 among us, and with great might succour us ; pour out Thy 
 Spirit upon us, and send forth men full of faith and of the Holy 
 Ghost, mighty in the Scriptures, able ministers of the New 
 Testament ; workmen that need not be ashamed, rightly 
 dividing the Word of Truth ; able and willing to endure 
 afflictions, to do the work of evangelists, and to make full
 
 11 
 
 proof of their ministry ; and upon the seed of Thy AVord sown 
 by them pour down, Lord, the continual dew of Thy heavenly 
 blessing, that it may take fruit downwards and bear fruit 
 upwards, to Thy honour and glory, and to a joyful ingathering 
 of a spiritual harvest of souls to glorify for ever Thy holy 
 Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 OGOD the Father of lights, from Whom cometh every good 
 and perfect gift, we praise Thee for the light of the Gospel, 
 which Thou hast given and preserved to us for many generations ; 
 we humble ourselves before Thee for the unthankfulness of our 
 hearts, and for the unfruitfulness of our lives ; and we pray 
 Thee to pardon us by Thy mercy, and to quicken us by Thy 
 grace, so that we, who have freely received that blessed gift from 
 Thee, may freely help to impart it to all who are in darkness 
 and in sin ; and that hereafter we together with them may 
 rejoice in the everlasting light of Thy heavenly kingdom, 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 Peayee for Unity. 
 
 OGOD the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Saviour, 
 the Prince of Peace ; Give us grace seriously to lay to 
 heart the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions. 
 Take away all hatred and prejudice, and whatsoever else may 
 hinder us from godly union and concord : that, as there is but 
 one body and one spirit, and one hope of our calling, one Lord, 
 one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we 
 may henceforth be all of one heart, and of one soul, united in 
 one holy bond of Truth and Peace, of Faith and Charity, and 
 may with one mind and one mouth glorify Thee ; through Jesus 
 Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
 OUR FATHER, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. 
 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in 
 heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our 
 trespasses. As we forgive them that trespass against us. And 
 lead us not into temptation ; But deliver us from evil ; For 
 Thine is the kingdom, The power and the glory. For ever and 
 ever. Amen. 
 
 THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and 
 the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. 
 Amen. 
 
 James Williamson, Printer, High Street, Lincoln.
 
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