The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-21
Rev. A. II. Deans Address on "The Geog-
raphy of Missions Progress Made
by Missionaries in Persia.


with apopulation in round numbers of one billion
four hundred and thirty-four millions, and of
these there are distributed seven hundred and
ninety-six millions in Asia; three hundred
and twenty-seven millions in Europe;
two hundred and FIVE millions in
Africa; one hundred millions in America, and not
quite FIVE millions in Australia and the islands
Of the sea. And these millions speak 5000
languages and dialects, and are divided in some
thing like one thousand different beliefs and
sects. OF these it has been calculated one hun
dred and six millions are Protestants, two hun
bred and eghty.two millions Roman Catholics.
three hundred and forty millions Buddhists, two
hundred aud one millions Mohammedans. one
hundred and seventy-fve millions Brahmins. one
hundred millions believers In the teachings of
Copfucius two hundred and fifty millions fetish
worshippers, and seven millions Jews. Mission
airy effort has now passed beyond the period of
mere enthusiasm, and has arrived at the settled
belief and solemn purpose that this world is to
be taken for the Lord Jesus Christ Still, as Rev
Arthur T. Pierson says, the world is yet but
playing at missions But the world is our field
and "go We into all the world and preach the Cos
pei to every creature are marching orders
The first center OF missionary activity was
Jerusalem, whonce the apostles were sent forth
to preach. Rome was the next center OF mis-
souary effort The pious Ulflas 1850 380) la
bored with the savage Cloths in Docia and trans
lated the Bible ST. Patrick labored in Ireland,
and st. COLOMBIA went to Iona about 300. which
became, with Its one hundred monasteries, the
center of gospel light, and from its monasteries
sent missionaries to Scotland, ENGLAND and Ger
many. In Tic Boniface went from Rome to
Thuringia, Bavaria and Saxony. His work was
marvellous, whole tribes receiving the gospel from
him. The next period marked by activity began
with the organization of the Jesuits at Paris, by
Ignatius Loyola, in 1884. Francis Xavier was
the great missionary of this order and period.
In 1541 he went to Goa. His work was in India
and Japan. He is said to have converted zoe, 600
Hindoos. 1t must be remembered that by con-
version the Roman Catholic Church means bap-
tism He baptized, it is said 10 900 persons in one
month. This man certainly evinced great devo-
ton to his Master. We may doubt his theology
very wisely, but we cannot doubt the spirit of
the man. and his words have the ring OF Paul OF
old at Cesarea when he said, "None of these
things move me-" He, too, was willing to die
for the Lord Jesus.
The next center for missionary labor was Den
mark and Germany. In 1705 Zegenbalg went
from Denmark to Franguebar in Southeast India
In 1871 Hans Egede went to Greenland Den
ish Evangelican Lutheran. with missionaries in
India, Greenland and Africa. From Germany
the wonderful zeal of the Moravian, mere
handful of people, sent missionaries to Green
land, Lapland, Dutch Guiana, to the Hottentots
to the coast of Guinea In Africa, to the shores of
the Arctic Ocean, to Ceylon, to the Indians in
New York, to the slaves in Algeria, to the fire.
worshippers in Persia. to Abyssinia, to
Egypt, to the East Indies, to La
brador, to the Mosquito Coast of
Central America, to Australia, to the mountains
of Thibet. Thus, beginning with six hundred
members, in thirty eight years the Moravians
established twenty missionary stations. There
are now twenty-three missionary societies in
Germany, Netherlands. Switzerland and Bel
GUM.
The first foreign missionary society in Great
Britain was established in 1701 though no mission
aries were sent out for many years. The next So
ceiety, the London Missionary Society, was estab-
lished in 1884 There are now thirty-seven so.
cieties, with missionaries in all lands The frst
missionary to America was John Eliot, in 1916,
to the Indians Of Massachusetts, In 1743 David
Brainerd labored among the Indians along the
Delaware and SusQuehanna rivers.
ties and over four hundred thousand native
Protestant Christians. The Philippine islands
were opened by missionaries from Germany in
1892, Dutch Guiana in 1875; the South Sea
islands by the London Missionary Society in
1897 There are now nine hundred Wesleyan
chapels In Fiji, sixty eight thousand communi
cants and three hundred and forty thousand
nominal Protestant South Africa was opened
in 1898. John Theodore Vanderkemp. of the
British society went to the Hottentots, the low
est and most degraded people, and great
change has taken place in them. In 1907
China was opened to Protestant effort.
If all the people Of the earth were
drawn up in line every fourth one would be
a Chinese. If the Chinese joined hands there
would be enough of them to girdle the earth
nins times at the equator. Burmah was visited
in 1916 by Drs. Judson and Rice. Madagascar
was entered by missionaries in 1918. They were
driven out in 1925 and did not return until 1862.
Turkey was opened to Protestant missionary
effort in 1920; the Sandwich Islands in 1920;
Siam in 1881. by the Baptist society Persia in
1888, by the American board; Egypt in 1884, by
the United Presoytery board; British Columbia
in 1858; Japan in 1889; Mexico in 1861 Alaska
in 1877; the interior of Africa by Bishop Taylor
and missionaries of the Methodist Episcopal
Church in 1880; Guatemala in 1882, and Corsa in
1884.
Rev. A. G. Wilson, who has been missionary
for nearly six years in Persia, was the next
speaker. He said that the work was mainly
among the Armenians in Persia. The Armeni-
ans are people scattered throughout the East.
They are found in Turkey, Russia, Syria. a few
in Egypt as we'll as in Persia and India. 1t is a
race of three millions of people-a pure Aryan
race, Caucasian like ourselves. These seat
tered Armenians in Persia are to be an instru-
ment for the conversion Of their Mo-
hammedan neghbors. They are physically Wig
orous and strong in intellect They have
uIancial aOHlty anu carry ou Sfeb@ cutcTpElScc.
They are found to possess political and military
ability The court of Persia is represented at
London and Vienna by Armenians. In Russia
Count Melikoff is an Armenian: Nubar Pasha.
the great minister of the Khedive, is an Ar
menian. They are developing literary ability,
too. as writer's Of history, novels art science and
in conducting newspapers. The young men
dress well in Tabreez. They go to clubs, theat-
ricals. reading-rooms and delight in fast horses,
and are as dndish as many OF our young men here.
Besides these things, they have imbibed a taste
for French infdelty. If We go 10 the country
we find the Armenians enveloped in supersti-
ton, and scarcely any more of Christianity than
they might have known by natural religion.
The Armenians themselves see how far they
have drifted away from the truth. They
that their religion and ceremonies need reform,
and that professionalism, as preached by the
American missionaries and as seen in the lives
of Protestants, is better aud truer form Of
Christianity We find many of them desiring
their church should be reformed from within,
nd n n