Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-10-22
Missionary Operations.

The annual meeting of the American
Board has just been held at Pittsfeld,
Mass. This is one of a large number of or
ganizations that are doing mission work
| in all parts OF the heather world. There
met together at the meeting above referred
to as fine body of men as can be found
| in the Christian church in this OF any 9TH
er country, and they talked eloquently up
ON some of the most vital themes that af-
feet human welfare. There were mission
aries present from almost every field. full
of enthusiasm for their work, and those
who here at home manage the great enter
prise. Taking this meeting and these men
as typical of missionary operators and
operations we would like to indulge in
few thoughts
1. 1t is one thing to go into such an as
sembly as that OF the American Board and
get fired up with the idea that the COM
plete evangelization of the world is close
at hand and another thing to go into some
heathen city and work twenty years to Sc
cure convert or two and then always be
in doubt about their conversion.
q The work OF missions, especially OF
foreign missions, interests but a small
proportion of the members OF Christian
churches and the younger members care
less about it than the older ones. Contri-
buttons are made because the work has
grown into one OF the institutions OF the
church and it is the proper thing to do to
sustain it, but there is a profound indiher
ence concerning the money that is thrown
in as to whether ii reaches the vital spot
or not. 1t is well that it is so, for II all
had the enthusiasm OF few we should
move upon the heather world as the cru
saders moved upon the Turks. This might
create confusion at home.
3. One noticeable feature in nearly all
the addresses was call for money II is
always INDUCED, but on this occasion it
was made very prominent. 1t used to be
men and money, but since mission pas
torate is liable to be more permanent than
domestic one, there is no trouble about
men. It is an easy matter now to return
home, and If one dislikes his work he can
exchange it for field among domestic
heather. A missionary society never had
money enough. If it secures all it calls
for this year next year it will raise the
call. There has been steady advance all
the time. They tell US how fast the coun-
try is growing rich and hint that they de
sire a good proportion OF this additional
wealth to put into their business. There
is this trouble about the whole business,
one never sees the end. There is no finish
up about the business. II the world stands
and we are alive a million years from now
we shall expect to find annual meetings Of
the American Board going on and the call
for money increased in urgency and size
in proportion to the time that has elapsed
a. One speaker in the course of his re-
marks made the statement that the ma
tions of heathendom must be evangelical
by men OF their own race and nationality.
The inference we drew was that the work
OF missions must be done by natives who
had been converted to the Christian faith.
And ii seemed to us that this was the pro-
per thing to do, not as it is being done
now, but by taking the most promising
children from heather families and train
ing them in our own schools and colleges
and along with our own children. When
fitted for their work and imbued with the
right spirit, return them TO their homes
and let them apply their own methods in
carving out their work. Now, we believe
in foreign mission work. 1t must be car
ried on. 1t is really part OF the Christ
ian life. We believe in its business side.
We have an idea that there is asentiment-
al side to it. 1t is a law OF the Head of the
Church that stands in full force now as ev
er. But we believe in economy OF method
And this seems to open up an economical
way. Instead OF sending millions of dol
lars out Of the country every year we can
bring the heather youth right here, place
them in institutions fully established and
equipped and anxious 10 secure students.
We are congratulating ourselves just now
because Of the money that is flowing IN
upon us from foreign lands. Suppose We
plan to keep what we have and bring
portion OF the worlds heather here where
we ought to be able to operate upon them
to better advantage than in their present
surroundings. The government is doing
something similar to this with the Indian
youth, only it makes use Of separate insti-
tutions. supposing this government plan
be made more wide-reaching only inde
pendent OF government supervision. Let
there be conference of the churches of
the Iedding Christian nations, and let the
heather world be divided up among them
and each assume responsibility for the ev-
angelization OF the portion assigned to it.
Then let each take a portion Of the youth
Of its own field into its own institutions
and train them up in such Christian civil
ization as it may itself possess and then
return them as missionaries to build up
return them to scatter the principles OF
on their own soil This ap-
pears to us to be a more systematic way Of
doing mission work. and besides We do
not believe that expense would be near as