The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-25
IL Could Not DO Otherwise.

The foreign missionary society of the
Congregationalists is reasonable enough In
refusing to appoint as. missionary TO
Japan q minister, who believes that tho
hcnthen will bc saved without the prcacl!-
ing OF The Gospel to them. II he is right.
what is the use Of keeping up the mission
AIRY society at vast annual expense?
Tho formation OF this society was due to
tho conviction that tho only way to save
the heather from he'll was to convert them
TO Christianity; and its existence has de-
pended on that belief from tho beginning.
The money for its support is contributed
Ger no other purpose, and the enthusiasm
which has induced hundreds OF devoted
luen and women to enter into its SER
vice has been klndlcd by this belief.
Tho agents Of the society are sent
among tho churches to stimulate such
gifts by depicting the appalling con-
sequences OF permitting untold millions Of
human beings to go down to everlasting
torment. because Of tho negligence OF Chris
tinns who are blessed with the knowledge
OF the means Of salvation. Every heather
soul lost, cried out all old missionary
preacher. will arise at the Judgment Day
as q condemnation OF those who sought
their own redemption without paying heed
to its eternal welfare. Will Christians
he asked. save their filthy lucro at the cost
OF the damnation OF the heather?
These were powerful appeals. and they
kept the missionary treasury we'll supplied
Millions Of dollars have been contributed
In response to them. and Christian mission
aries have been sent to every part OF the
world. The Bible has been translated into
nearly all tho languages and very many
OF the dialects OF the world. and the mis-
sionary machinery has become enormous.
Tho fuel essential to keep it in motion is
this belief in the damnation OF the heather.
When, therefore. tho Rev. Mr.. MOVES ex-
presses the hope or the conviction that the
belief Is mistaken and that the heather will
be saved without the preaching OF tho Cos
pei. no knocks out tho underpinning OF the
whole missionary system. II they are to
have future probation under angelic in
structlon. tho necessity Of converting them
to Christianity on earth Is not imperative:
they can DO left to the mercy ofGoD. and no
responsibility for their fate will rest OH
people who are already converted.
Thus Mr.. MOVES destroys the argument
gregationulists relies for its practical main
tenance. II his view prevails. 1t must pre-
pare to so out OF business; the reason for
its existence is gone. At best. the results
accomplished by missionary enterprise IN
hoathen countries have been comparatively
slight. They would have boon utterly dis
conragng to everything except the strong
faith. which believes that single soul
saved from hell more than compensates for
all the cost Of al! tho missionary orgunlza-
tions in Christcndon. Once spread abroad
the belief that tho henthcn will DO saved
without this vast expenditure OF money
and effort. and whore will tho contributions
come from?
Tho missionary society. in refusing to
make Mr.. MOVES one OF its missionaries,
has only followed a course necessary for its
own preservation.