The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-25
THE HEATHTN AT HOME.

There f. general complaining by the for
eign missions societies that the revenues
are very materially decreasing. and that
all efforts 20 revive enthusiasm are una
vaiIing This is partly due. no doubt. to
the general retrsnchment. but as other
charitable institutions have not suffered
to anything like the same extent there Is
possibly another and even more serious
cause. Interes, In the heather is proba-
bly, diminishing az familiarity with him
divests him Of romantic mystery.
The deeds OF herolsm recorded OF noble
men and women who have braved dis
comfort, who have unhinchingiy faced
agues and fevers and boldly walked into
the Jaws OF death In the self-sacrifcing
effort TO save savage souls. have as potent
a lesson for the home Christian as for the
PARKWAY barbarian. The motive was
pure and commendable one, and If the re-
suits have not been such as the outpour-
ing OF life and money seemed 10 promise,
the fault has not been with the donors.
What those results have been cannot be
measured by figures. and seeming failure
has not daunted those who devoted them
selves to the cause. a missionary asso-
citation OF English women has lately pub
nshed It's eleventh annual report. In this
report IL Is toyfully announced that the
first three converts have just been hap
tized-a widow and her two sons. This is
the spiritual result OF eleven years work.
the expenditures during that period hay-
ing been over S2o0o0.
The American commissioners for foreign
missions was formed In 1slo. and has ex-
pended nearly 81, 10000 II has sent out
scp0 missionaries. of whom 557 are now in
service and 1t has organized 500 churches
with about 80 ooo members. This is only
one OF many organizations, but II is the
oldest and largest.
So far back as 1891 a society was formed
in England for the purpose OF sending
missionaries 10 the West Indies. but up
to 1900 there had been expended hardly
more than $50. COO. but 1859 saw a great i'm
petus p the work, and In that year eight
new societies were organized In the United
States In England there are now about
sixty societies and in this country about
thirty. In 1882 there was raised In Eng
land s.. l50 600: and Il has hardly been less
any year since.
Although 1851 is the first year In which
mission societies OF the modern day were
founded. Sir Walter Raleigh donated one
hundred pounds for the propagation Of the
Christian religion in tho Virginia settle
ment. and in 1910 corporation was formed
under parliamentary auspices Ito promote
the spread OF the Gospel of Jesus Christ
in New England
No part of the world has been left with
out a missionary effort. AS new territories
were discovered and remote islands In
vaded, a fresh impetus was given to the
movement: but closer acquaintance with
thu diversified races seems TO have
changed public sentiment and the support
OF missionaries IS now ono of practical
plety without ne aid of piqued curiosity
and false but enhancing ideas OF heather
virtue
No disbursement should be given
any work OF practical Christianity. but
tho increasing interest in home missions
should be earnestly fostered. We have
much to learn before we undertake 10
teach. much to ameliorste IN our midst
and calling more piteously AMI heplessly
FOR ala than do the children OF centuries
OF blissfui superstition.