The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-05-10

his metal coined on paving the selghlOrhRe.
Coinage by the government has no such
effect II it did, printing paper money
would enhance the value of paper.
IconOcIasm in Church.
This city was treated to two iconoclastic
discourses last Sunday which may and may
not influence religious thought. Without
question they are worth consideration, but
how much must be determined by each
individual for himself. The Rev. NAOMI
TAMURA of japan spoke upon missions
and kindreds ubjects at the Second presby
terrain church. both morning and evening
To characterize his talks as revolutionary Is
stating his position very mildly. He is no
agitstor, no pseudo-religionist, seeking no
toriety by advocating sensational doc
trines, but is a scholar, an author of re-
pute in this country. and the head of the
largest presbyterian church in japan, be-
sides occupying the presidents chair In
the Law college Anything on Japanese
missionary work from such man Is we'll
worth listening to, and more so when he
practically repudistss the regular order
huu huNOCdlto bOluobhlue Nv" ~
tho missionary field.
In brief his scheme is 10 establish an
industrial school and educate Japanese
young men to work and preach to their
fellows. He thinks the work OF the Ameri-
can or English missionaries is reduced to
minimum OF results because of the diff
culties under which they labor. They do
not understand the language, they do not
know the customs OF the people, and they
unconsciously turn the people against
them through ignorance. He wants the
$1,000 year which it costs to support
missionary there made over to be used
in educating young natives. at cost of
about $50 year each, but who, when they
are educated, will accomplish much more
good than the foreign missionary can hope
to do in years.
This seems a business-lke plan OF look
ing at missionary work. Il looks like folly
to send a man or woman to China, Japan,
India or other foreign country to under
take the instruction of natives when they
know absolutely nothing of tie manners
and customs OF the people. No business
man would think of sending such an
agent to a foreign land to push his inter-
ests. He first carefully selects one spe-
cially qualified for work with that particu-
lar nationality. The result is always what
might be expected. But the churches
spend millions OF dollars sending out mis-
sionaries to represent them when they
know nothing about the country. Ii may
be conservation to undertake it it GER
tainly is not common sense. A little
practical business sense displayed in this
way would accomplish more lasting good
than at first seems possible. The natives
are the ones who must complete the work
which was begun by the missionaries.
1t has been said that the commercial in
terests of a nation have accom- plished moro
toward outstanding it than the mission
aries have. In a certain sense that is true.
The materialstic sense of men is gener-
ally more developed than the spiritual
sense, and that sense has more power over
the intellects of men than the purely
spiritual sense. 1t takes the two, how
ever. to complete the harmonious relations
which always result ip great moral, educa-
tional and commercial progress, whenever
a nation opens her ports TO the ingress Of
enlightened tradesmen. The steamship
and the locomotive are powerful factors in
outstanding the world more powerful,
indeed. than some of the churchmen are
willing TO give them credit for being.
! That being true. it is well, perhaps to ex-
pect the church to accept some OF the
agencies set in motion by the introduction
OF suoh appliances of modern civilization
and adapt them to its use.
1t may be urged that this it not the way
Con works. Perhaps not; but it may be
noticed that all the great miracles believed
to have been performed throughout the
ages by GoD were performed through hui
man agencies That is true in this case as
we'll 1t is only by spiritual forces working
through material agencies that the heath
en- can be christianize1 If the church
will recognize that it will have much more
money 10 spend on missionary efforts
among the people at its very doors. 1t
isn't wise, perhaps, to say that all mission
airy work should be confined to home
| fieids, but there is little question
that little more directed that
way would be productive of much good.
! If then the problem can be met by edu-
eating natives to do the work there and
let our own missionaries stay at home and
work here. there will be many-fold BEN
eft, not only to our own country and that
foreign country. but to all the world. This
establishment of industrial homes, where
the natives can be educated, is phase OF
| Christian work which demands some at
tention; and, if it is practical solution of
the missionary problem, it is going to be
a great saving of money. lives and force
These can be utilized elsewhere. and all
the world be the gamer thereby. II this
ia missionary iccnoclasm, it will be well
for those interested to make the most OF
| it. The reform will surely come.
A Political Change.
Reform principles are gaining in Mas