The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-03-26
Methodist Missions.


Last year the Missionary Society OF the
Methodist Episcopal Church spent over six
hundred and fifty thousand dollars, or about
twenty-five thousand more than 1t received.
Religious societies Of its sort have habit
OF anticipating the contributions Of their
friends. Because they are in debt and in
urgent need OF money, they can make their
appeals for help all the stronger. They have
been spending for the Lords work, and on
the Lords people they call to help them out
OF the slough of debt. By paying the debt,
the churches only discharge small part Of
their own obligations to the Lord. That is
the argument Of the clerical agents who go
about soliciting contributions.
This habit Of discounting the future is, OF
course, contrary to sound business princi-
Piles. But in practice 1t seems to work sue
cessfully enough in the case OF these re-
lgious societies. And it can be said in their
excuse that they can only estimate very
roughly at the beginning of year what their
receipts during it will be. They might,
however, base their appropriations on what
they had obtained during the last year. In
stead of doing that they make up their
minds how much their sympathizers can be
induced to give under pressure and then
proceed to contract obligations accordingly.
II they incur debt, their necessities will
compel liberalty. The money never comes
easily. Neither in good times nor in bad
times can it be got without hard work, sys-
tematic appeals, and constant efforts to stir
up the interest and inname the zeal of the re-
ligious. Assuming load of obligations I'M
der which they are sure to groan. is found to
be a successful way Of stimulating contribu-
tionS for these societies. Their need Is so
great that pety cannot refuse to come to their
aid. II they should be crushed under the
load the good cause would suffer.
The Methodist Missionary Society, there
fore, cannot be specially censured for incur
ring debt. 1t has only followed the usual
custom. Though it began the year 1881 with
debt of over $4,000, nearly $4,000 of
which was rolled up in 1880, it did not lop
of its expenditures to settle up the obliga-
ton. Instead OF that 1t advanced its appro-
prations fully $4,000 over those OF 1880. To
meet current obligations, without paying off
any part of the old debts, it accordingly had
to set about raising 100000 more last year
than it received the year before.
The society succeeded in getting three
quarters of the money for the additional ex-
penses incurred. 1t would probably have
obtained the whole sum if the year had been
prosperous one throughout the country.
But, in the words Of the annual report of the
Missionary Society, in large sections of
tho Church great distress prevailed for
months, and the usual church and revival
work was prevented" The spring was cold
and backward, the drought OF the summer
was almost unparalleled in its extent and the
length of time during which it continued,
and the Methodist farmers were naturally
slow in parting with their money. But its
failure to get the whole sum did not deter the
society from again advancing its appropria-
tons this year; and now, the report says,
"wo are pressing forward toward one million
dollars a year for Methodist missions"
And even that amount will not be sufficient
when it is obtained SO vast is the field. Only
three men, we learn are left in central China
to minister TO more than 100000, 900 people.
Western China has only two men to propa-
gate the doctrines Of Methodism, though it
contains eight of the eighteen provinces of
the empire; and for the rest of China the
number of missionaries is half a dozen
merely. Africa is "only touched" The
"entire continent of South America, with its
ignorant but not barbarous Millions" is
hungry for Christianity" the report tells
us. 1t is sick of Romanism," We are fur
Their informed; but we fail TO find any cor
roboration Of that assertion in the news from
South America. That continent seems to be
satisfied with Catholicism, and Methodism
has little chance there.
Is it not foolish, presumptuous, to ask
money to convert other Christians to its way
OF thinking, 50 long as the vast majority of
the inhabitants OF the world. 50 many even
OF our own population, utterly reject the
basis of all Christian theology?
Yet we find that the Methodist Missionary
Society imposes ON its already overburdened
| shoulders the tremendous, the almost hope
less, task of proselytizing the Roman Catho-
lies Of Europe and Of South America. From
its report We learn that the following sums
have been appropriated to support the mis-
sions named during the year:
!