The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-02-21
Seminary Lectures.

The fifth lecture of the course was delivered
by Rev. j. ID. kinZer, on Monday evening, in
the NJ. P. Church; subject, Omissions of the
M. L. Church." The lecturer said:
The history of missions in the Methodist Protes-
tant Church is of course, brief; and i'll the nature
of things, much of it is intangible-largey mental
and spiritual rather than visible in the form of or
ganizaton and positive work in the foreign field.
But the unwritten history-the tentative efforts the
birth throes-of great work is always interesting
to a thoughtful mind. The struggles of the indi-
vdual soul out of darkness into the light and joy of
salvation, under the quickening power of the grace
of God may be unseen of men, but known and
blessed of God in all the stages of its progress That
little company, associated with Wesley at Oxford, in
prayer and the study of Gods Word, was unnoticed
by the world and the church; but that was the be-
ginning of a monument, which, because God was in
it, like the ocean, to-day is rolling its waves of hal
lowed influences upon the shores of every continent
and the islands of the seas.
The great cause of foreign missions has had this
stage of strong conviction, secret conflict and spir
itual wrestling in every church that has organized
for the work. And in our own church, because of
the circumstances of our carly history, the stage of
preparation prolonged through many years
The first General Conference, held in Baltimore in
1884, organized a board of foreign missions, and
every successive General Conference continued the
organization In 1850, Rev. Dr. David Wilson was
selected for mission work in China and Rev. Daniel
Bagley was appointed to Oregon in our country.
The former field was abandoned, and DR.. Wilson
remained in the Maryland Conference; but Brother
Bagley went to Oregon and has continued his labors
in that field. In these early years of our history the
whole force of the church was expended in local
work, and in defense against persecution, and in
effort to preserve the bonds of brotherhood in the
midst of conflicting views and interests.
1t was not until after the war, when the severed
portions of the church reunited that zeal in behalf
of missions kndled throughout all our borders,
and the possibility of entering the foreign field was
happily realized. The Woman's Foreign Missionary
Society organized in Pittsburgh in February
1879, through the influence of Miss Guthrie mis-
sonary recently returned from Japan. Before this,
however, many local societies had undertaken the
education of children in heather countries through
the Women's Union Foreign Missionary Society of
New York, and the Womens Society of the NJ E.
Church.
Miss Guthrie became the first foreign missionary
of the church, but died in San Francisco just when
ready to make the voyage to Yokohama. Miss Brit
tain took her place and went to Japan i'll the au
tumn of 1880. She has managed the interests fthe
mission with great zeal and wisdom, and we now
have finely located missionary property in Yoko-
hama worth about twelve thousand dollars, but it
Cost us Only upon WHICH we nave pdlu JOOU
The school numbers sixty scholars. Miss McCully
was assistant in the school part of the time and in
1888 Rev. F. c. Klein and wife were sent out by the
board, and within the last year the Misses Brown
and Crttenden have gone out, under contract with
the board for five years.
The population of Japan is about 81, 100000 Chris
tianity was introduced in the country in 1919 by
Frances Xavier the famous apostle to the Indies,
and spread rapidly but very soon the power of the
government turned against it, and the priests
were slain or banished and the masses of the peo-
pie went back to Buddhism which is the prevailing
religion to-day.
The first protestant mission opened in Japan was
by the Protestant Episcopal Church in 1889 To-day
twenty missionary societies laborng in that
country. The first Christian Church was organized
in 1872.
The board is sustaining missions in Adrian, Mich,
Troy Ala, Atlanta Ga, South Mississippi and Of
tawa, Kansas.
Rev. +. T. Tagg, of the Maryland Conference, was
elected Corresponding Secretary by the late General
Convention. Under his capable and'energetic lead
ership and with the efficient Jealous cooperation
of the women of the church, there is reasonable
hope of a growing work in Japan and other heather
lands. The Home Missionary Societies. laboring
within the organized Conference districts, have
done a noble work. The Maryland Conference
alone has expended in this work more than sixty
thousand dollars
Upon the ministry and laity of the church rests
great responsibility in reference to this great
Let Brother Klein and the noble women with him
have the sympathy and support of the church at
home. They are our representatives, doing the
Lords work in our name in the Sunrise Kingdom
The next lecture will be delivered next
Monday evening, by DR.. 4. j. Drinkhouse,
of Baltimore, on ''The Missionary Outlook"