The Washington times., 1894-10-16
CHURCH MISSIONS ABROAD
Interesting Address by Ex-Secretary
John W. Foster.
HIS TOUR AROUND THE WORLD
ington PresbyterY-China the Great Field
for Christianizing Influences
Effects of the Worlds Parliament

Hon. John W. Foster, late Secretary of
State, who ranks among the most scholarly
men of the nation, was introduced by Moder-
ator Alexander, last evening, to large audi
ence at the New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church.
He had been invited to lecture by the Wash
ington Presbytery, and his theme was based
upon his personal observations during his re-
cent tour around the world of the work of
American Christian missions abroad, notably
In China Japan, India, Palestine, Syria,
Egypt, Ceylon, Burmah, and the Malay
Peninsula.
His effort was to arouse the church to
realization Of its duty, and to excite an inter-
est in the great field abroad for the work of
the missionary.
He referred to the progress made by the
Christian missionary, citing the colleges,
seminaries and minor schools that had been
the outgrowth- of their presence in the
heather domain, and then called attention to
the fact that the land where the religions of
Buddha and Mahomet hold sway contains
more than half of the human race, to the
evangelization of which the church should
bend its energies.
At Peking. China, MIR. Foster addressed
several hundred Chinese students of both
sexes, who had embraced the Christian re-
ligion. He had visited the Imperial Tun-
wagen College at Peking and the naval and
military schools of Yiceroy Ii Hung Chang at
Tien Tsin, all of which were taught by
European professors, and the tendency was
toward the undermining of the old Chinese
| faiths, OF which there were several all OF
which were embraced by single individual,
one not interfering with the other.
The result of Mr.. Fosters observations in
China was that il was the most hopeful of all
| the foreign fields for missionary labor, and he
cited the fact that, once inspired with a
hatred of Christianity the Celestial Empire
would be menace to the world, with its
400 900 people trained in the arts of war.
He said that one beneflcent effect exerted
by the missionaries was the elevation of
woman from position OF menial servitude
to one of comparative independence.
He believed that Christianity would follow
in the wake OF commerce, steam, and cleo
tricity in the Celestial Empire, for already
every Christian had come to the conclusion
/ that the missionary should have free course
in that country, and while comparatively few
! of the people had accepted the faith, the
I great majority had been obliged to tolerate it.
Referring to Japan, Mr.. Foster said that
at Toxic he addressed large audience of
native students, and in the course of his re-
marks he had told them that their nation was
! making the mistake of grasping the results
! without obtaining the benefits that flow from
| the great cause of our superior civilization.
But, by way Of passing comment, Mr.. Fos-
/ ter said that Japan was progressive and had
accepted the Christian calendar, and had also
declared the Sabbath j legal holiday, upon
which day all government offices, schools,
! and public institutions should be closed. But
/ the Western agnosticism and rush of COM
merce overcame these Christian steps
Mr.. Foster told of a japanese delegate to
/ the parliament of religions at Chicago, who
! reported TO his people that the parliament was
called because western nations had come to
realize that Christianity was failure and
were meeting in convention to learn what the
/ best religion is. He said the parliament was
! disheartening to missionaries abroad.
In Japan the President of the First Impe-
rial Diet and twelve members are Christians,
| and the vice president of the leading political
! party is a Presbyterian elder At Toxic Mr.
/ Foster met the native president of the Y. NJ.
! C. A., who proved to be also the chief justice
| of the supreme court.