The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-04-17
SHALL THE HEArHEN RAeEa

1t is more than three centuries ago that
FRANCIS XAVIER went as a missionary to
China. He was rich, gay and thoughtless
frencnmEn. wholly absorbed by the pur-
SUIT and enjoyment of worldly pleasures in
the brilliant and animated capital of
france, where worldly pleasures were
then, as they are now, more abundant and
fascinating than anywhere else. But he
met in Paris the founder of the order of
Jesuits, IGNATIUs LAzoLb, and that stern
and Jealous enthusiast changed the whole
course Of his life by putting to him single
interrogation. The question was: "What
snah II profit man to gain the whole world
ard lose his own soull"
The gay young trenchman be came an
enthusiast and churchman like his friend
and teacher The missionary spirit seized
him and turning his back on his country,
friends and the world, he sailed for China
and spent the rest of his life in preaching
and teaching. This was the beginning of
Aslatic missions, and the work has been
maintained, sometimes energetcally, some
times sluggishly, by the Catholic and Prot
estant churches ever since However
widely they differ upon other matters: they
are cordially agreed upon the command:
go We unto all the world and preach the
gospel to every creature" Hundreds aud
thousands have not only followed in the
footsteps of XAVIER to the coast cities of
China, but have penetrated to the interior
OF that country, Of India, of japan, of
Africa and the isles of the ocean, sacrifice
Ing home, country, friends and worldly
honors, and often life itself, in the effort to
carry the simple truths of Christianity to
all peoples
1t must be confessed there is very little
to show for these three hundred years of
missionary work. Tie heather nations
have not been subdued to Christianity
Not single country in Asia or Africa has
been converted in that time. There are
fewer Christians in the world than either
Mohammedans or Brahmins, and Chris
tianity is still an outswed religion in the
land of its birth Whilst we are accus-
toned to encounter the question whether
Christianity is bigoted it is sometimes for
gotten that in the land where our
Saviour was born the tenets of
Christianity are not tolerated. The
spreading of the gospel in India
is complete failure; it has made no prog
ress whatever in the last few years, and
there is no future for religious work. The
growth of India is so rapid that mission
aries and the Christian religion can make
no impression against the older and native
doctrines and beliefs
II the conversion of the world to Chris
tianity were the authorized object, or the
main object indeed, Of missionary work,
the missionaries themselves might sink in
despair. But a close examination OF the
marching order shows that it contains no
injunction for the conversion Of The world,
and that the evange,ists are not author
lied or at least not required 10 look after
such result. The gospel was to DO
preached in all the world for "a witness
unto al nations" but there was no assur-
ance given that all nations would receive
and submit to il.
1t must be a severe test of the faith of
Christians 10 carry and send the gospel to
the Chinese, Hindoos and Africans. and
spend millions of dollars in the work, with
out having anything 10 show fer all their
labor and money; and yet there is some
st4'+s ~ &c Acet sc'Sn III ths stern apd IN
yielding trust which holds that it has
nothing to Go with ths rcsulls-inat its
duty is to obey the order, leaving the ques-
ton of success or failure tothe Master VITO
gave it. Even as Easter symbolizes the
resurrection. though festival older than
CHRIST, so the missionary spirit commands
respect for the noble though uuavaiiing
sacrifice it has made for the conversion of
the heather.