IN the Christian economy it is not according to the will of the Lord or the teaching of the New Testament that a man should enter the ministry for “a living,” or that one should be put into it by his relatives or friends with the object of securing for him a livelihood. In its issue of June 6th, 1928, “The Life of Faith” prints a letter from Mr P. Lumb, of Filey, giving a quite recent true story of what we consider a very genuine call to the ministry, exercised in no mercenary spirit:—
The Standard Oil Company wanted a manager for a new sphere of operations in China. A committee met to discuss the matter. The chairman insisted that no one must be appointed who had not four qualifications—he must have been thoroughly trained; he must have given proof of his ability to lead; he must be under thirty years of age, and must know the Chinese language. A member of the committee declared that he knew a man possessing all these qualifications, adding that he was already in China, and living in the very city where the company proposed to establish its local headquarters. He was twenty-eight years old, held three university degrees, and had won the full confidence of the Chinese people. Someone asked how much salary this young man was getting. “£120 per year,” was the answer. The Chairman said—”There must be something wrong.” The young man’s friend replied: “There is, but the wrong is not with the man of whom I speak; he is a missionary, and that is all he gets.”
After a thorough questioning, the Chairman said that the committee man must go to China and offer the post to his friend at £2000 per year, or, if that was not enough, £2500, or even £3000. The agent crossed the ocean, found his friend, and made the offer. The young missionary declined. The offer of £3000 made no difference. Finally, the agent asked: “What salary will you take?” The missionary replied: “That is not the question. The salary is magnificent, but the job you offer me is too small. True, I get small pay, but I have a big job. I thank you for the confidence expressed in your offer, but I feel that I should be a fool to give up preaching the Gospel to souls in order to sell oil.”—(“Monthly Record of the Protestant Evangelical Mission.”)