A.T. Pierson’s The Crisis of Missions or The Voice Out of the Cloud

Walter Elwell notes that Arthur T. Pierson [1837-1911] was “[h]ailed as the greatest populizer of missions of his age and one who revolutionised missionary literature…” [Evangelical Dictionary fo World Missions, p.756]. In this volume he summarises the history of missions, outlines the problems facing the missionary enterprise in the 1880s and suggests a solution. My thanks to Redcliffe College for providing me with a copy of the book to scan. This title is in the Public Domain.

Arthur T. Pierson [1837-1911], The Crisis of Missions; or, the Voice Out of the Cloud, 4th edn. London: James Nisbet & Co., [1889]. Hbk. pp.370. [Download complete book in PDF]

Contents

1. The Precept and the Promise
2. Providential Signals
3. Removal of Barriers
4. The Moving of the Pillar
5. The Opening of Doors: India
6. East Indian Missions
7. Burmah and Karens
8. The Open Door in Siam
9. The Walled Kingdom
10. Protestant Missions in China
11. Japan, The Sunrise Kingdom
12. Korea, The Hermit Nation
13. The Ottoman Empire
14. The Dark Continent
15. Papal Lands
16. Mexico, Land of Aztecs
17. South American States
18. The Subsidence of Obstacles
19. Woman’s Work for Woman
20. The Preparation of the Church
21. The White Harvest Fields
22. The Gracious Signs
23. The Transformations of Grace
24. The Products of God’s Husbandry
25. The Isles Waiting For His Law
26. God’s Seal on the Workmen
27. The Aspect and Prospect
28. The Elements in the Crisis
29. The Unheeded Signals
30. The Leaven of a New Theology
31. The Spirit of Missions
32. The Laborers are Few
33. Meeting the Crisis
34. A World’s Missionary Council

A Word Supplementary

A Word Preliminary

If in this little book any good is found, it is, like most good things, -a growth; it has come by a process of development in personal study and pastoral service.

The little interest at first felt by the writer in remote missions in regions beyond has steadily and rapidly grown. The logic of the Scripture argument for a world-wide evangelism is itself overwhelming; but various side-arguments and considerations emphasize and enforce the scriptural; and the logic of events adds its mighty demonstration, that the pillar of God still moves before His people. Under the combined influence of such an array of proof from Scripture, from history, and from experience, that the spirit of missions is the spirit of Christ, the whole mind and heart of a true disciple burn with conviction and glow with enthusiasm in the direction of the work of witnessing to a lost world. [Continue reading]