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Acts 13, 2-3 In a grassy clearing on the campus of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, stands a simple marble monument inscribed with the words, The Field is the World.
The haystack monument doesn't appear on most maps, yet it commemorates an important event in Christian history, a prayer meeting that sparked the formation of the first official mission organization in the United States.
On a hot August afternoon in 1806, a group of five spiritually-minded students from the college met together in a grove of trees near the Hoosick River.
Their purpose was to discuss missionary William Carey's small booklet, An Inquiry into the Obligation of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathen, a controversial publication that put the responsibility of world evangelism on all believers.
The leader of the group was Samuel Mills, who laid out a radical idea, sending missionaries to distant lands with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Moreover, he proposed that the five of them be among those to go.
The group was so absorbed in their discussion that they failed to notice an approaching storm.
However, thunder began to rumble around them, and within moments, pouring rain and lightning strikes caused them to scramble for the nearest shelter, which happened to be a haystack.
Over the roar of the deluge, the five continued to talk.
One of the group objected to Mill's proposal, insisting China was too dangerous.
but Mills felt certain that in spite of the danger, the gospel message must be taken to remote areas.
He finally cried out, At that moment, something broke loose in the hearts of all five, something that changed them forever and motivated an endeavor that would impact the world.
Until then, missionary organizations in the United States had focused entirely on the western frontier and Native American tribes.
These men felt believers had a responsibility to all nations.
They continued to pray about this and eventually went before the General Association of Massachusetts to urge that an American missionary agency be created.
Their proposal was approved, and on June 28, 1810, the first official foreign missions organization in the United States began.
Many missionaries were sent overseas by this organization.
Acts 13, 2-3 In a grassy clearing on the campus of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, stands a simple marble monument inscribed with the words, The Field is the World.
The haystack monument doesn't appear on most maps, yet it commemorates an important event in Christian history, a prayer meeting that sparked the formation of the first official mission organization in the United States.
On a hot August afternoon in 1806, a group of five spiritually-minded students from the college met together in a grove of trees near the Hoosick River.
Their purpose was to discuss missionary William Carey's small booklet, An Inquiry into the Obligation of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathen, a controversial publication that put the responsibility of world evangelism on all believers.
The leader of the group was Samuel Mills, who laid out a radical idea, sending missionaries to distant lands with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Moreover, he proposed that the five of them be among those to go.
The group was so absorbed in their discussion that they failed to notice an approaching storm.
However, thunder began to rumble around them, and within moments, pouring rain and lightning strikes caused them to scramble for the nearest shelter, which happened to be a haystack.
Over the roar of the deluge, the five continued to talk.
One of the group objected to Mill's proposal, insisting China was too dangerous.
but Mills felt certain that in spite of the danger, the gospel message must be taken to remote areas.
He finally cried out, At that moment, something broke loose in the hearts of all five, something that changed them forever and motivated an endeavor that would impact the world.
Until then, missionary organizations in the United States had focused entirely on the western frontier and Native American tribes.
These men felt believers had a responsibility to all nations.
They continued to pray about this and eventually went before the General Association of Massachusetts to urge that an American missionary agency be created.
Their proposal was approved, and on June 28, 1810, the first official foreign missions organization in the United States began.
Many missionaries were sent overseas by this organization.
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