New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-04
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
THE MISSIONARIES SIDE.


THEY ARE NOT TO WAIT FOR AN INVITATION TO
BEGIN SPREADING THE GOSPEL
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: The attitude OF The Tribune on most OF the
great questions OF the day so thoroughly com
mands my respect that was the more surprised
and grieved with the Of yesterdays editorial
on Missionaries In the East" Know tnat before
this letters have been published In The tribune on
this subject to which those who have any faith al
all in foreign missions might Justly take exception
but understand that The Tribune does not hold
itself responsible for the opinions OF It's correspon
dents and was not all prepared to see them re-
ceive so strong editorial Endorsement
The tone Of the article. If not distinctly hostile
was strongly unsympathetic toward the missionaries
in China giving no hin. OF any commiseration Tor
their sufferings or admiration for their courage;
while It appeared TO reproach them rs inconsderaie
zealots reaping what they had sOwn. only eager TO
swell the number OF their converts and ready 10 De
imposed upon by any plausible hypocrite VINO
should profess Christianity for what there Is IN
IT, for him The argument. II IL true. seems 10
bear strongly against the missionary, but Is IL
quite a fair statement Of the case where the tes-
tlmony was all one side? Witnesses quite as capa-
be Of Interpreting facts. and with better oppor-
tunlties probably OF ascertaining them might DE-
called in abundance on the opposite side 49,,
II does not seem to occur to these gentlemen
who ready 10 cast slur unon All MISSIONARY
effort ana profess 10 see IN the ma nd can9c1tv
only knave or a hypocrite that zeal ana capa0.S
missionary work. that the men and women Whose
work they thus depreciate are. a. class persons
OF resolute purpose Of strong character. OF tanei
faculties whose knowledge OF Chinese chafac
tics is likely 10 be equal AT least 70 that OF tvl
critics II they could take time to enter ''e
arena OF newspaper discussion. and engage IN
war Of words il is probable that they couIi nlucn
more than hold their own; but IL IL WIN them d.
with Nehemiah when be was rebuilding the wan
OF Jerusalem. Il am doing great "olN' anu
cannot come down. =. - i,ta
A point upon which special stress seems 10 pe iild
ia the fact that the Chinese do not want ne thris
tian religion" This seems TO me the we-lkest pos
sible argument Did Rome want the CnrlSSia an Le
Iigon when St Paul preached the Gospel 81 n" -
under the very shadow OF the Capitol. ana IN N
presence OF that human tiger, Nero? or dlh IN r.
APOSTLES wait for an ntimatiOn thar woull to' "
dsagreeabe 10 the local authorities. or tor the a.
surance that the people would give them p0iitc
reception when they went everywnyre preeacnI',s
IRE Word? Did our own forefathers "aia.
Christianity in those old days when they w and
sh nped Odin and Thor? And had Augustine an. an
his Companions declined TO enter heataen nh ssod
inti thew were assured that their message w.
be- Acceptable would Anglo-saxon thought dominate
the world today? :. g.. Toe, for us 10
dianover mat our Lord did not mean What r. h
Ia when m Hls last charge 10 his disci ~
toiJ them Go ye into all The worid 4I.S
the Gospel 10 every creature
Utica, y Y, Sept p, ls9O