The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1886-08-04
A Hundred Years of Foreign
Missions


be of much interest. 1t is exactly one
hundred years ago since William Carey
wrote out the result of his meditations
and researches on the conditions of the
heather in his now famous Inquiry"
and six years later, in 1892, the now rare
volume was published, and the first pure
ly Foreign Missionary Society IN Eng
land was founded Carey's missionary
census, as it may be called, was taken
1856, and DR.. George Smith, in the article
mentioned, has taken the opportunity of
comparing the latest results Of evangeli-
cal missions with that world survey of
the celebrated missionary.
The century may be divided into two
periods first, from 1856 to 1885, that of
pioneering and preparation ; and, second,
from 1886 to 1885, sowing in the pre-.
pared soil, and gathering in the first
fruits now, by process of spiritual
evolution, we are entering Oh the time of
harvest. What, then, was the condition
of things shown by Carey world survey?
He arrived at the conclusion that there
were then 73l, 900 900 of people in the
world, of whom TIA 100000 were Chris
tians, and 557 100000 non Christians. OF
the latter, 100000 were in Pagan
darkness, 100000 Mohammedans,
and 1000 900 Jews. OF the Christians,
A 100000 were Protestants, 80 100000
belonging to the Greek and Armenian
churches, and 100000 Roman Cath
olics.. These are Carey's figures, and,
lished facts of the present day show that
Careys total estimate must be wonder
fully near the truth.
Now let US glance at the results of the
latest statistics, as quoted by DR.. Smith.
The present number of Christians in the
world is 440 000,O 900 (as compared with
l74,OOO,OOO of a century ago., but the
number of non. Christians is 100000
600 Gas compared with the 557,000,000
set down by Carey in his time). Pro-
testants are now l60000,000; Greek and
Eastern churches, 100000; Romanists,
5000 600; Jews are 100000; Mo.
hammedan, ITO 100000, and pagans and
heather, 8200OO.O0O
The first broad fact, therefore, to be
deduced from this review is that, in the
century since the first missionary to the
heather went forth from modern Eng
land, the number of Christians in the
world has increased 266, 000-or
nearly threefold or, to put it in another
waYzkhe increase OF Christians in the
word is nearly twice the whole number
OF Christians century since. DR.. Smith
then proceeds to answer in detail the
questions: How much of this increase is
due to the missionary crusade? To do
this he quotes the returns OF various
societies, but finally accepts, as, "more
authoritative and complete, the returns
published in the Missionary Review, OF
Princeton, U. S. According to the last
number for 1885, OF this authority, there
are now lOl societies, or separate fnan-
cial organizations, which seek to carry
out the teaching OF Carey in 1856, as to
the obligations OF Christians to use
means tor the conversions OF the heathen.'
Twenty-six belong to the continent Of
Europe, and the remaining rs may be
roughly divided between Great Britain
and the United States.
The l0l societies are directly or in
directly connected with churches having
about 10000 ministers and 100000
of communicates, who gave for Foreign
Missions in 1884, $1,000 800, of which
fS6, 100, 865 was from Europe, and So, $780,
935 from the United States, the average
Fer COMMUNICATE being nearly SO cents.
The staff of missionaries abroad is zoos
ordained men, an increase Of 123 on the
year; 500 laymen IAN increase of 21)
and 1892 women Ian increase of 1907
OF native workeTs there were 1882 or.
dained-a gain of 19-and 26, 637 others
la gain Of 281 while perhaps the lnost
important and most encouraging sign Of
al is: the number Of native communi.
cants was 100 .20l-a gain Of 127 ,l49, OF
nearly 20 per cent. in one year..
1t is defect, az DIR. Smith himself
points out, that the income for the mis-
sionary field abroad is not given, and
that Independent workers-both within
and without the several sooieties-whC
give themselves and their fortunes, are
not added. But such facts as we have
lead to very important and surprising
conclusions. Subtracting the large SUM
left by legacies, DIR. Smith concludes tina
church.members, on the average, do no
give even rs cents a head per annum-
e., not two cents a month-to the caus,
Of Foreign Missions or that more than
third Of the communicates do not Civ
; anything at all, even " in the most liberia
instances those Of the Free Churche
Of Scotland and England. Carey fxeC
an English penny per week as the lowest
Iep1 Ton eb3lttvI,g 81 - It.r-z i