The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-02-23

world. But il we are true soldiers OF the
cross shall we allow ourselves to become
discouraged by it? Shall not these dis
couragements the rather rouse our zeal
and make US more earnest in teaching
and helping the "lttle children in
| Christi
l would like in closing to speak briefly
on the subject of Bible study and Bible
teaching.
1t is as necessary for us to maintain
earnest. continued and Systematic study
OF the Bible as for soldier to keep his
sword polished and ready for battle.
Christ says he who is instructed unto
the kingdom of heaven is as a house.
holder who bringeth forth out of his
treasure things new and old. Fluency
in the use of the language. acquaintance
with the people, good health, are all
essential to the work, but the one great
essential il to be instructed unto the
kingdom OF heaven so that we may
bring forth the treasures new and old
But how shall we study? First and
most important. .devotionally. for how
ever well versed in the Scriptures one
may be intellectually il they have not
for her heart messages of consolation, of
hope, Of Joy. of peace she will be but
blind guide to the blind. Especially sus
ceptible to spiritual truth are the Japa-
nese women. They care little for careful,
systematic study of the Bible but seize
most eagerly upon the spiritual truths
conveyed. So for work among the wo-
men a devotional study of the Bible is
most essential.
But that is not enough. If one
studies the Bible in this way only her
conception of the Bible teaching is
warped and one-sided. She will misin.
terpret the Scriptures because she does
not take those teachings in their proper
connection and settings. In these days
when Bible Interpretation and Bible
study are commanding the attention Of
the world, we as Christian teachers
ought to study it by more scientific
methods. I believe that we should
avail ourselves Of the new helps to Bible
study. / believe we should read as much
as possible the new discoveries, archao-
logical, critical and historical. concern
ing the Bible. God has revealed him
self and is revealing himself to mankind
and we need not fear that harm will
come to that revelation of God. But
mans Interpretation of that revelation
has changed from age to age and will
change. Shall We close our eyea to evi
dences concerning the Scripture which
the monuments and history are bringing
to light? They will help to clear up
false ideas concerning the Bible. We
ourselves have been hampered in our
understanding of the Scriptures by
views concerning their Interpretation
which are nowhere authorized in the
Bible. For the sake of our Japanese
sisters let us study the Bible more de-
votionally. more broadly, more deeply.
that we may not bind on them burdens
of false Interpretation.
Many of the points of Miss Coz
ads paper, though having special
reference to missionary work from
the side of the woman worker, are
capable of broader application.
The necessity of learning the Ian
guage, at least to such a degree as to
make communication with the people
easy, is taken for granted rather than
distinctly affirmed. The highway to
the hearts, characters, and customs
of this people, or of any other, must
be by the language. An interpreter
is indeed heavy burden. The i'm
portance of this study of the language
is recognized and provision is made
for it by all well organized missions
The newcomer is given the time in
which to study and the necessary ex-
pense OF hiring teacher is not placed
upon the learner, but is assumed by
the Mission Boards, as it ought to be.
The matter is not left TO the personal
inclinations of those who enter the
field, but is considered necessary
qualification for missionary work.
This matter of studying the Ian
guage is one of the points in which
the Universalist mission is behind the
times. 1t is to me matter of great
regret that not one of the workers
in the field has sufficient knowledge
of the language to converse freely on
even the most common-p ace sub
jects, to say nothing of discussing
theological and religious subjects.
There are various reasons for this,
some good, others not SO good. Stress
of work as a consequence of the
rapid and remarkably efficient organi-
cation of the mission has rendered
the mastery of the language wellnigh
impossible. The mission is organized
| on the basis of theoloOical school