New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-26
POPULAR OBSERVATIONS.
FOREIGN MISSIONS.

FOREIGN MISSIONS
NEW METHODS AND WIDER SCOPE, BUT NO
DEcrLNE. >
60 the Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR II cannot but Be noticed with surprise by
a largo class Of readers when The Tribune speaks
on It's editorial page Of the decline Of foreign mis-.
s,ons raising the question awhy DO foreign missions
,.nsu,.h, !" would BE- deep crte1 II We feit Obliged
&c confess that there were such fact. Christian
missions to the countries covered by Oriental re-
,isons and to continents and islands occupied BY
barbarous tribes are strong Characteristic OF the
nineteenth century. The Church Of Christ has always
been eagr to propagate ITSELF and has always been
active In some way, unless overpowered without
o. eurruyted within but have INDUCED the opinion
that missions conducted on sound principles are moro
vigorous ct the present moment than ever before.
The great societies and boards which began to be Or
ganiEed . hundred years ago have been solid corpo-
raHons. There ere several which count with Ger
tainity upon an annual revenue ranging from half
million to . million dollars. Every branch Of the
Christian Church hes come to sec that 1t must take
part, hence . long list Of smaller societies with
limited oonstitueneies While the lead Is yielded to
England each Of the Scottish churches is efficient In
foreign fields. The Irish and the Welsh organized
for service abroad. The mssion-houses Of Basel,
Bsrn1en, Berlin and HermannsburG are Institutions
sustained by the piety of the common people Of
Germany. There are as many IS ten or twelve
voluntary organisations that transmit the German typo
NJ Christian life to distant lands The Professionals Of
France are active. substantial edifice-at once
seminary and ohce-on Boulevard Araso Paris, is the
source from which evangelical Frenchmen are sent
,o Basut0 land Senegal, 0ahooh and Tahiti. Even
The waldenses of Italy, straitenod they in their
own land have representation on the upper waters
Of the Zsmbes. Each Of the Scandinavian lands
sweden. Norway. Denmark. and even Finnland-sus-
tsins missionaries In Africa.
Il would be impossible to name Christian denomi-
nation In the United States which cuts any figure that
Is not equipped with agency for foreign missions.
The oldest of them with intrenched positions in New.
York Boston. Philadelphia and Baltimore, are naturally
in the advance. But the Southern churches, notwih
standing all their Disadvantages resulting from the
civil War; prosecute missions with intrcpidty The
somewhat unfamiliar denominations which flourish in
the West are falling into line That we have ihl-
monse area in own land to cover with Christian
institutions does not deter American churches from
working the Orient for the Southern Hemisphere.
While established societies hold their own, 1t is
noticeable how many special schemes appeal to the
Christian public. Bishop Taylor captivaes the hearts
many Methodsts in spite of the fact that they have
admirable machinery for work abroad. The China
Inland Mission is gathering friends from every
quarter The Melancsian mission is specially support
cd by many whose hearts stirred by the life and
death of Bishop Patteson The unique work Of Bishop
sythicr in East Africa rallies friends without distract
ing from the organic operation Of the great Church OF
England societies. There was separate mission to
Patagonia, but 1t has developed Ato South American
society. project for North Africa attracts COM
pany Of supporters. Just the McAll missions In
Paris enlist tho sympathy OF many Amercansas we'll
they may-so there Is hardly q corner Of the world
that does not appeal successfully to some coerie OF
Christians in Christian lands.
With here and there exception. the treasures OF
missionary societies supplied for the year 1ss9so
up TO as high figure they ever reached aud some
touched their highest mark Tho offers Of men for the
service have boon in many cases beyond the ability 10
ared There has BEEN talk about thousand mission
England, and the enthusiastic assembly, two months
3 e. NO les: sn sSps1sh oussna
:sn III u: = n sss'ss v :: g sS
s;Sps Is auiss the contrary The truth is that the
eneH:. has at sfs syss IT, No, entire Wa asS
Il; s:rss ssa as ss
81 lssi I: ;S .dSS |ssssa bat it
nay ~ei Ss Insisted that new methods ere demand;
g: % ysss &c. aSs &.
amt Of sscrfenS his HE dces not meet the re;
uni
NE World REQUIRES he translation Of the Bible into
furo the oreanixaon Of churches when VIII suppors
and extend themselves. the training Of ministry OF
Nations 70 complete the work begun BY missionarlos
Where there ancient religious systems. OF SoursS
ther errors fallaes and defects must be expose ana
tts trnt and efficiency Of Christianity must be demon
strnfed And II Il manifest that such service 9emenus
talent Of different sort from that which would teacn
a zufu TO sew cloth or to build house. .,..,r
We can never to honor lowllness IN mlseonsrS
work II Is at the basis Of all success hut thee
ARE men adapted TO the larger spheres Dsvi1 LVIns
stone Re the hng of explorers. Aexena@ Dun ~as
master Of the principles OF educsaon btS aO5S
Smythier Of Zanzibar can be trusted ior tns it, %
and fexreaching plans commend us TO the metrSpol
fans of Calcutta and Cape Town, men OF salwart name
and resolute tone whom II is an fnsprauon 10 hsDo
seen and heard What man on eartn mas oone
SrSnder literary service than the venerable pr. nsn
DycT. OF BEIRUT in rendering the wh0H bine into
ncrtect Arabic? Unhsppiy the annals OF MISSIONS are
ant and divided among denominations wnlcn nave not
t6s tme or perhaps the disposition TO examine one an
others trrs sures Then too. the helds OF MISSIONARY
octiydtv an far asunder. No one mas yet eatheroo
into single eallerv much as the names OF tnr men
Who have wrought with notable success In all inc
spheres Of Christian propaeanalsm' - ,rA1-rvc
passaic, ". j., Sept. 10, 1oeo. T. E. LEA ''
THE COLLEGE OF THE CITY OF NETWORK
WHAT 1T DOES WHAT 1T SHOULD DO, AND WHAT
1T SHOULDN'T DO.