Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-15
MISSIONARY LABORS,
Their Failure to Concert the Reataen, o1
Hts Cause.

Their Failure to Concert the Reathen, and
Hts Cause.
To the Editor of the Globe
[ find the following comments of an in
telligent English traveller on the subject of
"Eght Years Wanderings in Ceylon," and
as they may throw some light on the cause
of the ill-success of such labors in many
cases, | send them to you for publication, if
you have space for them. He writes as
follows:
81 have already adverted to the useless
system in the government schools of forcing
a superintendent amount of knowledge into
the children's brains, and thereby raising
them above their position. A contrasting
example of good common-sense
education has recently been given
by the Rev. Mr.. Thurston who is
indefatigable in his profession) in the for
nation of an industrial school at Colambo
This is precisely the kind of education which
is required; and it has already been attended
with results most beneficial on it's limited
scale. If one-third of the enormous sums
hitherto expended with little or no results
upon missionary labor had been employed
in the establishments as proposed, our col
onies would now possess Christian popula-
ton. But are our missionaries capable?
Here commences another question which
again involves others in their turn, all of
which when answered thoroughly explain the
stationary, if not retrograde, position of the
Protestant church among the heather. What
is the readers conceived opinion of the
duties and labors of a missionary in a
heather land? Does he, or does he not i'm
agine, as he pays his subscription toward this
object, that the devoted missionary quits his
native shores, like one of the apostles of old,
to fight the good fight? that he leaves all
to follow 'Him?' and that he wanders forth
In his zeal to propagate the gospel, pene-
trating into remote parts, preaching to the
natives, attending on the sick, living life
of hardship and self-d denial? 8: & 3 do
not wish to throw shade npon the efforts
they use great exertions privately which the
public on the spot do not observe. but
taking this for granted as the case, the total
want of success in the result becomes the
more deplorable. I have also no doubt that
the missionaries penetrate into the most re-
mote parts of Ceylon and preach the gospel.
For many years have traversed the wilder
nesses of Ceylon at all hours and at all sea-
sons have met many strange things dur
ing my journeys, but never recollect having
met missionary. = = x Nevertheless,
although Protestant missionaries are SO rare
in the jungles of the interior, and if ever
there, no vestige ever remains of such visit,
still, in spots where it might be least
expected, may be seen The humble mud
hut, surmounted by cross, the
certain trace of some persevering priest of
the Roman faith. These men display an
untiring ZEAL and no point is too remote for
their good offices. Probably they are not
so comfortable in their quarters IL the towns
as the Protestant missionaries, and thus
they have less hesitation in leaving home.
The few converts that have been made are
chiefly Roman Catholics, as among the CON
fusion arising from our multitudinous sects
and schisms the native is naturally Devil
dered. What with high church, low church,
Baptists, Wesleyans, Presbyterians, etc., etc.,
etc., the ignorant native is perfectly aghast