Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-10-22
IN LUTHERAN MISSIONS.
Rev. W. L. Seabrook Tells How Free
Silver Works.

The following from the Philadelphia
Times concerning former pastor Of
Trinity Lutheran church Of this city
will be read with much interest:
Rev, DR.. W. L. Seabrook, Of Win
chester, Va, now on a visit in this
city, tells a very interesting story
about gold and silver and the relative
values Of the two metals in country
which is on a free silver basis. DR..
Seabrook is the pastor Of the Grace
Lutheran church, Of Winchester, aud
is also a member Of the Missionary
Board connected with the church in
the South. His owp church is largely
interested in Missionary work in
Japan, and for several years has sup
ported the Rev. R. B. Peary as a mis-
siorary in Japan. DR.. Seabrook is in
constant communication with the
missionary in Japan. and for some
time past in his letters has been re-
ceiving much information regarding
the values of the two metals, and
the difference is so great that the
subject serves as one of the most
forcible illustrations to show how the
price Of silver in this country would
fall and gold be entirely driven out
Of circulation should this country
adopt the free coinage of silver.
Every month DR.. Seabrook sends
to Mr.. Peary in Japan $S5 in gold for
the carrying on of the work of the
mission. Upon the receipt Of the
money, according to Mr.. Peary's let
tiers, he exchanges the gold for Jap
anese silver dollars, getting in return
SAG. The Japanese silver dollar, or
ven contains four grains more Of SILVER
than the American silver dollar, but
the purchasing power, as compared
with the American silver dollar, kept
ON parity with gold, is nearly one
half.
This is not the only way the adop-
ton Of free silver coinage system
has affected Japan" said DR.. Sea-
brook, shut wages have gone down
considerably, and are kept down.
Take, for instance, the one case that
is brought to our notice. The Luth-
eran church in its mission work be-
lieves that the proper way to reach
the people is to educate the native
japanese and let them talk to their
own people and teach the doctrines Of
Christianity. The church supports a
head. as it were, and the native Jap
auese, who have been educated in the
theological seminaries, are hired by
the mission to 90 out and talk to theil
own people under our direction, con
duct Bible readings and other meet
ings. The work is hard, and in ordel
to get these native Japanese people
to do it they have to be paid by thu
mission. Now, as to the question o
their salaries. One of our mission
helpers with Mr.. Peary is young
man who has been graduated from
theological school, and who is assist
inc in the work. He is married
man, and his wife is also engaged il
mission work as Bible reader. Thei
salary is 800 in gold per annum. II
the case of a single man, the SALARY
would be about two-thirds tina
amount. and that is pretty fai
salary. but it shows that with a sill
yer basis, not only the purchasing
power of the metal comes down, blu
wages come down also, while, on tn
other hand, the prices Of commoditie
90 up"
DR.. Seabrook has been talking t
the people in his own neighborhood
showing them these illustrations
which from one Of the leading coun
tries of the world predict the univel
sal ruin which would certainly folloN
the adoption OF silver basis in thi
country. In his locality the peopl
are largely in favor Of gold, and whe
the Democrats elected their delegate
to Chicago they instructed them
stand for gold. The hardest people
he said, to show the necessity OF hay
ing gold and silver in circulation wei
the farmer class, but, he added, the
: were being brought to understand th
question.