New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-08
are not saved by the same money and men. So

years I'm the churches that many Christians re-
fuse to give to this cause, and cOnine their
efforts to converting sinners Mt home. What
are the causes of failuref This association, in
its modes OF operation, its successes and de-
feats, may very well be taken as typical OF the
Boards In all the Churches, including the
Romsh.
In the first place, the Christian who gives his
money to this cause expects too much spiritual
gain to result from the investment because he
imagines 1t goes directly to his heather brother
in tho shape OF Bible or q sermon. The
foreign mission work, on the contrary, Is vast
and complicated machinery the missionary
dixie the clergyman at home) has to provide for
his wife, house, servants, guests, out OF this
money. 1t must buy his coats. meat, postage
stamps, and an outfit for his daughter who Is
to be married, as well as Bibles and sermons
1t is right that 1t should buy them. Only the
man who gives 1t does not realize the fact,
as no does with the preacher at home, and ex-
poets too much. In the Roman Catholic Church,
although the missionary does not support
wife out of the contributions of the faithful he
does buy land and build imposing houses
This Church has of late years adopted the policy
of planting the banner Of the Cross in new
regions on as solid real estate as it can buy, as
witness our own country and Canada. lhe
policy may be most wise and apostolic we do
not criticise 1t we only state the fact that IL
uses up the money devoted to missionary work.
The second cause of the disappointment OF
Christians in the amount OF work done lies IN
the missionaries themselves. We have not
doubt to throw on the sincerity and earnestness
of these men and women. Many of them go
into the work with as real spirit of Sc f-martyr-
dom as did the Apostles others, good men toe,
take it up as profession. There are families
in which missionary work has been business
by which they have earned living for genera
tions, Just as there are families at home whose
men 90 into the army or the pulpit. They
are by no means insincere or Ineffective.
Still, the popular idea of a poor, untaught
heather, whose religion and practice are all
wrong, standing waiting to be saved by de-
voted Christian whose practice, cree d and man
ner Of teaching his creed are all right, is hardly
correct Missionaries. as a class, are no more
Christlike, fervent or wise than their clerical
brethren at home. They are just as apt to make
mistakes, to grow cold and be bored 1y their
work, and, being In small communities far
more likely to talk gossip, and to be acrimo-
NOUS about the Board and brethren at home.
A man in Greenland's icy mountains no moro
than in Smithvlle can live on the top Of Pisgah
all the time, and it is folly to expect it OF Lin.
How many hours OF our own lives are spent in
TapturOus communion with God, or III saving the
souls of our tellOw-menH
Undoubtedly, however, the chief cause of the
slowness with which Christianity spreads from
these mission posts is the mistaken idea which
the missionaries have of the religions and
people with whom they must deal The mission
aries too often are immature young men and
women with much fervor but with shallow
knowledge and no tact. The heather they
come to is not altogether wrong; he is prob
ably more scholarly and intelligent and quite as
sincere and earnest as themselves. The creeds
they attack are in many cases the slow out |
growth Of ages of profound study Of the prob |
lens of human life, its CHASTITY passions and |
its relations with the Unseen by men as earnest |
rs the prophets of old. God did not leave these |
men unhelped In their quest. He gave to the |
Buddhist as lofty conceptions of Himself.as to |
the Jew. If we would teach to the heather the
pure and absolute truth which came to us later III
Jesus, we must not begin by fouting the basis
OF truth which he already possesses. Then,
too, the missionary is naturally too apt to
urge the American or English phase of civiliza-
ton upon his pupil. He cannot separate these
from religion. They are no better Christians
for talking Anglo Saxon or wearing coat and
trousers. He destroys his influence by urging
upon them too many taxes of mint, anise and
cummin, and 50 forces them to hate the
weightier matters of the law.