New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-14
WHY FOREIGN MISSIONS -dN" I'""'

f,mous papcr on the comparative la""r" W
Chr;stian missions, before an English Church
Congress three or four years ago. there mas
Loon an almost continuous discussion OF the
s,,liect by the religious organs. And although
MANY attempts have been made to demolIsh
the Canon's arguments, the attempts ha'c
loan a substantial failure, for his arguments
uoro built on facts that cannot be ignored or
denied. It is not that the Gospel has ceased
IN orneal to the human heart for IN no age
have men more sorely needed its message
l,ut it is often so presented especially to the
heather. as to repel rather than attract. The
f,uItv methods of missions have stood in the
way Of thoir success
A well.known and eloquent American evan
oclist the Rev. DR.. George +. Pentecost, is
now on his way to India with the avowcG
purpose of converting to Christianity the high
caste IIindns who represent the learning anu
culture of the mighty East Indian Empire
II is q hcrc,ilean task, which, ii performed
would enormously widen the area OF CHRIS
tianity. But unfortunately, there is little
likelihood that DR.. Pentecost will succeed. IL
is chesriully admitted that he is an able ana
jealous man, with special aptitude for pre-
scnting the emotional side Of religion in
picturesque way. And as rcvivaIist, work
ing among careless or Indifferent Christian be-
levers. he has been fairly successful. Bmt III
common with. perhaps the great majority OF
average cIergymcn, he has few OF the
gifts that would make him successful in deaf
ing with The men whom he is hoping I" con-
vert. The Hindu theolOgianS and scholars arc
mon OF profound learning. trained from their
youth mp in the science of dialectics. with
mission for finc.spun metaphysical distinctions.
and possessing a wide and deep know"dS" OF
the fundamental ideas Of religion. They are
masters Of all the subtlctics OF logic; and with
4 snayr nolitcnes> most beautiful tn soc. they
will lead their victim into some intellectual
cnl de. sac, ont OF which he will try in VAN ~
escape That DR.. prnt"r">t will u" ahl" to
meet these men on their own ground anu VAN
uu>h them is. in the nature ol III" cast" al
most an impossibility. liz has been all his
life q busy bnstling preacher. always called
upon 10 give utterancc to the superficial emo
tions Of his heart but never having an oppor-
unity 70 study and think ont the great prob
lens that underlic the domain OF universal
religion Indeed. the very qualities that made
him a good revivaist will make him pnr
missionary 70 tho educated high caste llnduS.
upon whom rhetorical skyrUckct sermon that
would set a camp meeting wild VIII have less
than no effect at all That is Ia say. such q
sermon will cal,Se them ~ look with contempt
on a religion which thus seeks 10 propagate
itself
The truth Of tn" matter is that much OF tho
ill., success Of Christian missions Is dn" I" IN"
fact thar most Christian missionaries un'l"r-
a.. al; hoy nrn
trying to subvcrt. With amazing folly many
of them take no pains 10 inform themselves
about the religious beliefs OF tho people to
whom they are sent tO preach. To them their
duty seems to be very simple, whether they
happen TO be preaching 70 some Wild t1he III
Central Africa or to group of learned Hindu
pundits in Calcutta or Bombay. In either
case all they have 10 do is to proclaim Chris
tian;ty, as their sect understands the same to
be divncly true. and tho religion OF their
hearers whatever it may be. to be false and
dcyili,h There Is no shading % cOnd"mna-
ton, no Difference 10 national or race peculiar
tiles and prcjudccs, and. worst OF all. n"
recognition OF the clements Of truth and good
ncSs that my be found in all great religious
systcms above tho grade Of fetichi>m. nder
such circumstances. it is not surprising that
Christianity is not dong much toward the
conversion of hcathcnsm. but II is snrprls
ing that 10 many Jealous and wcll.n"aning
Christians who have the conversion OF IN"
heather at heart. do not see how radically
wrong are the prevailing methods OF prose-
cutting missions Not only should the very
best men in the Christian ministry 10 sent N
such countries rs lndin. but before going. even
they should undergo n lon. course OF special
training in order 10 fit them for their difficult
and delicate work. So long az the churches
keep their best preachers for the " fat" par
ishos in the big cities, and send anybody who
can DO persuaded to 60 10 convert the heather
the cause OF missions will continue TO langulsh.