The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-18
Who Paid for Them 2

There is one little matter TO which we beg
to call the attention OF our friends, the man
ayers OF the foreign missionary societies,
which are holding their anniversary meet
ings at this season, and pressing upon the
religious the duty OF giving money for the
conversion Of the heather. II concerns the
disposition Of the funds collected.
At the meeting of the Southern Baptist
Convention ON Friday last, according TO the
report sent To the Northern papers, "a tele-
gram from the Rev. Mr.. YATES, missionary
in China for Southern Baptists. was received
and created sensation. 1t contained all OF
Psalm cxlvili, beginning, Praise ye the
Lord The President at once sent as a re-
ply all OF Psalm cx. Several speeches were
made favoring a stronger missionary spirit"
The Psalm tclegraphed by the Rev. Mr.
YATES will be remembered as one of consid
cradle length, containing fourteen verses
and many words. The one hundred and
tenth Psalm telegraphed In reply is shorter,
but 1t also contains a good many words
Now. the question is, who paid for tele-
graphing these Psalms TO China and back
They must have been very expensive de-
spatches, and though in a religious and n
literary sense they far transcribed in value
the ordinary kilograms which come from
the land of tea or are sent thither, what need
was there of sending themp
Did Mr. YATES draw the money to pay for
his long telegram quoting familiar Psalm
at length out Of the missionary funds con-
tributed by the southern Baptists Did the
| President of the Convention telegraph the
| other familiar Psalm back at his own cost
or at the cost OF the same people? And why
would not a simple Read Psalm cxlviii."
and Read Psalm OK" have been enough,
especially as the words would have been few
and the charges moderate in comparison?
1t is not a very great matter, perhaps, but
should not money given TO the Lord be jeal-
ously husbanded And, besides, it was one
of other excessively costly ways of stirring
up the missionary spirit Of the religious,
long practised by the managers of foreign
missionary societies. 1t is well known that
the mere cost of collecting contributions is
always very great, II heavy percentage Of
the total obtained so that man who is set
upon the conversion Of the heather must
take IL for granted that only small part Of
what he gives for the purpose will ever
actually be used among the darkened peo-
pies. The agents who go around raising the
money must be paid good salaries. The
managers of the societies eat up consider
able share OF it. The cost Of missionary
publications is large, and rent and Office ex-
penses have to be added. Foot up the sum
ofthcse outgoes for mere machinery at home.
and the remainder left for the heather Is
comparatively small sum.
But the excuse for such expenditures Is
that they are necessary to keep alive the
missionary zeal; that without these me-
thodca and theatrical efforts and displays
people would not keep the heather in
mind and put their hands in their pockets
in their behalf Reading Mr.. YATES +
telegraphed Psalm stirred up the Southern
Baptists in convention wonderfully, and
we are told that missionary mass meet
ings are to be held and al effort mado 20
arouse popular enthusiasm ON the iect.
Yet the South Is poor, is 'orely put 10 it
To pay for its own religious privileges,
while the negroes need education to make
them fit to exercise the duties OF citizen
ship. 1t seems a bad time TO resort to ex-
pensve theatrical WAYS of stirring up a
missionary fever there, aud If the Gospel
should be preached in China, surely there is
as great necessity for ii in the States which
still bear the scars Of the war; and are
struggling to harmoniZe their society and
establish it in accordance with Christian
principles. All the inspiration to endeavor
ana fortitude and hope our Southern friends
can get from the ringing words OF the
Psalms of encouragement and battle and
faith, they stand in need Of at home
Another customary and costly way OF
arousin9 a fervid missionary spirit Is to