St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-21
DIOCESAN MISSIONS.
An Important Subject Discussed
by DiVineS


WASHINGTON, Nov. 20.-The general
subject of discussion at this mornings
session of the Episcopal congress was
"True Policy of Diocesan Missions"
Rev. Gustave A. Christensen, of New
York, read the first essay of the session.
There is danger everywhere, he said, of
forgetting that the wisdom that first
selects forms and carries them to the
highest usefulness may be just as divine
in later change of them for the newer
freedom to which the life of the spirit
is ever calling. The early church took
the world rs it had been divinely
prepared for its use and worked along
the great highways. The old religion
had relaxed his hold the most. Its choice
was practical necessity. Christianity
never did more lasting work than when
1t went into the country and fastened
its truths in the nolnadic tribes. The
recovery of the waste places of Chris
tan civilization as the close of the nine
teenth century presents far different
problem than that of a spent heathen-
/ ism in the beginning of the Christian
era.
Rev. DR.. Lindsay, who spoke extern
poraneously, did not agree with the first
speaker that where the. field is a small
one and already occupied by struggling
churches, 1t is not wise for
the Episcopal church to crowd in.
Many times this is just the church that
will succeed when others fail The
speaker bewailed the fact that the
church does not possess a stronger hold
uponsthe rural communities,an dsaid that
the only way the remedy could be
brought ont was through the better SNp-
port of the diocese to diocesan missions.
What Is needed IS men and money.
Rev. j. I. Zorn, Morristown, n. Y,
thought the church had never paid as
much attention to the matter of do
cesar missions as it should. 1t ought to
claim everything, and yet it seemed half
afraid to claim anything. 1t is IN the
position of great house that will not
advertise for fear of hurting the feelings
of another house across the way. The
church should not claim to be one of a
dozen methods, all of which are good.
it is tue one and only true way.
Rev. George G. Foley, of Williams
port, Pa, said one of the most impor-
tant needs of missions is an improve
ment i'll the methods of the assignments
Of the men. There is no way in which
there can be such q sentimental waste
of money as in this same matter of
diocesan missions. A serious fault to
be found with things as they are is the
VI StlpcllQS lOT years Ill
places where there is no possibility of
spiritual or churchly growth. This pau
per spirit of dependence is either the
natural and logical result of mission
work, or else there is some radical de-
feet in the system. Mission work has
been defined as the sending of the Cos
pei at the expense of the sender. As it
should be, it is the spread of the gospel
at the expense of the recipient.
Rev. James Mulcahey, ID. d., of New
York, said the church laid special value
upon its episcopate. Catholicity and
Professionalism are only two sides of the
same truth. 1t is not true that the fol-
lowers of one come directly, and of the
other, indirectly to God. The highest
ritualist and the most extreme PrOtes-
tant came direct to God.
Rev. Mr.. II. p. Nichols, of New Ha-
ven, for the sake of the cities, urged his
hearers never to give up the country
parishes, for he characterized the wick
edness of the country as vastly worse
than the wickedneSs of the city, and if
the flood that pours into the cities is to
be foul one, then the result will in
deed be a sad one.
Rye. S. Gibbons, of Nova Scotia, a
full-bloOded Eskimo, believed that the
missionaries should be adaDtible men,
men who can put up with plain express
SionS of opinion from the people with
whom they have to work. In proof Of
this latter opinion, he recounted num-
Der of interesting incidents of his mis-
sionary work among the Eskimos.
personal Religion" was discussed
! at the evening session, and Bishop Dud-
ley, in closing the last days session, re-
ferred to the success Of the congress
and the good work accomplished, after
which the body finally adjourned.