The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-10-19

Moslem populations; but some success
could be noted, and the work would not
go backward.
After hasty glance at Egypt and
Ceylon, considerable portion of the ad-
dress. was devoted to India, country
which the speaker described as most in
teresting and important both to the
tourist and the student of the social
problems of the human race. Chris
tianity had there to contedlwith one of
the oldest, most intellectual and best
organized religions of the world-Brah-
manism. Its progress had been slow,
when its adherents we're compared with
the vast population of India which num-
bers nearly three hundred millions and
had increased one hundred millions since
the advent of the missionaries.
Bringing About a Social Crisis.
But at the end of the hundred years
which had elapsed since the first mis-
sionary landed in India, more converts
were gathered in the churches of that
country than at the end of the first CEN
fury OF the Christian era throughout the
whole world. Credit was given to the
missionaries as the direct cause OF the
moral reforms which have been brought
about by the British government. While
that government sought to be impartial
in its administration of religious affairs,
it's indirect influence was all on the side
| of Christianity. The missionary and
the government combined were slowly
but surely undermining the old faith
and superstitions of the people and
bringing India to great social crisis.
In discussing the mission work in
China reference was made to the late
war with japan, and the belief was OK
pressed that it's ultimate effect would
be greater opening up of the country
to the missionaries, and that, while in
the present and immediate future dis
order and riots might be expected the
country would resume its normal condi-
tions with greatly improved facilities for
Christian evangelization. Reference
was made to the exercises attending the
opening of the new building of st. Johns
Episcopal College at Shanghai, in Febru-
airy last, at which Mr.. Foster was pres
emit, and which he described as most
interesting and notable event, attended
by the native Chinese magistracy and
high officials of the province.
Educational and Medical Work.
In this connection the educational
and medical work of the missionaries
was highly commended. No backward
step should be taken in China, as the
speaker regarded it as the most hopeful
field for mission effort today in the
world, Notwithstanding the present dis
turbed condition of the country.
Christianity had made considerable
progress in japan. but it had not kept
pace with the development of the other
elements of western civilization. It's
partial failure in this respect was at.
tributed to the opposition or indifference
of nominally Christian people, with
whom the Japanese we're brought in
contact in commerce and in official life.
An encouraging feature of the mission
airy movement in that country was that
it had reached much larger proper
ton of the higher and influential classes
than in any other country in Asia. jap
anese patriotism, greatly heightened by
the results of the late war, had ten
dency to lead the mission converts to
set up national church, or kind of
Japanese Christianity. and they we're
restless under the restraints of foreign
control.
While the review of the mission field
was mainly devoted to the labors of the
Protestant churches. high praise was
given to the Roman Catholic missiona-
ries, whose devotion and success we're
fully recognized.
The summing up of Mr.. Fosters OBJ
servations on foreign missions was high
ly favorable to the prosecution of the
work by the churches in America.
Practically the whole world was open TO
the missionary; the various mission
boards we're better equipped than ever
for doing effective work; the schools
and colleges established in heather
lands can turn out all the native work
ers that the liberality of the churches at
home could support, and the great need
of the mission cause today was not SO
much men as money to carry to success
the christianization of the world.