The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-12
C0NGREGATIONALISTS.
Spring Meeting Of the Essex South
Conference at Danvers.
Rev. Dir. Smiths Address on Present
Crisis In Missionary Affairs.

Danvers Mass. May l2-The spring
meeting of tho Essex South Conference Of
Congregational churches was held here
today. The morning session included a
discussion Of "Some Methods To be
Learned From the Institutional Church,
with opening addresses by Row. ID. ;.
Clark, ID. d., and Rev. Francis A. Fate;
discussion OF "Our Lack OF Denomina-
tional Esprit de Corps" with opening
addresses by Rev. Warren u. Landers and
Rev. james Il. Enman, and IA report on
the work Of the churches 10y Rev. H. &.
Ewing, with supplementary reports by
pastors.
Sunday school hour, tho address being
upon THE Spirit Filled Teacher, by j.
A. McElwain, acting pastor OF the Claren-
don street Baptist church, Boston. This
was followed by an address by Rev. Jud-
son smith, ID. d., upon The Present
Crisis in Missionary Affairs. "
In the course of his address ho said
obstacles external and internal lie IN
the path of foreign missions Three facts
at once challenge us: The hostile criti-
cism which these times are calling out:
the troubles on the foreign field where the
work Ia done; the financial strinRoncy OF
the times, 50 widespread and long con-
{ med. sCriticism has Deen particu-
larry active of late it is as old as
Christianity itself; has been an
swered again and again, now by ar
gument, now by the unanswerable logic
OF events. This criticism declares IL inn
pertinent and absurd 20 send missions To
people who do not need them, who do not
want them, who would not be benefited
by them; 20 send the gospel 20 the Hin
docs, Chinese, japanese, old nations and
hoary civilization in the East. Yet the
gospel Is for all men, 10 is our duty 20
give it to all men, and facts show that the
arf. Anl nd nflh
they need 1t as sorely as Romans or Euro
peGrs ever needed IL. IL also says the
missionaries are not tho best agents; they
are Ignorant, prejudiccd, incompetent
etI. Yet we know this Is false. Only ig-
norance can bring such "A charge. 1t also
claims that our methods are faulty and
III adapted 10 their ends, ana asks why
not win the people. learn about them,
study tboir manners, their history and
their customs. Yet this is just what the
missionaries arc doing all the time, and
Why, IL is asked should our missiona-
ries force upon an unwilling people the
outworn creeds OF the Western Worldp
We challenge the critics TO point out bet
tor methods than those which prevail.
Again IL says missions arc "a failure.
This Is affirmation OF Ignorance. Twelve
thousand missionaries, "a million and a
half COMMITMENTS in mission churches,
five million adhcrcnts. the Bible In more
than three hundred languages and da-
'cts, five hundred thousand youths
In mission schoolS--all this and
more within one hundred years be
speaks not failure, but conspicuous and
splendid success. But foreign missions
have been at work for eighteen hundred
wears and moro. When they began the
Christian church numbered few hun
drcd IN Palcstine thence it marched
across the Roman empire and conquered
IL; it visited every rising nation Of
Europe and nodded its life and civili2a-
tion it crossed the ocean ana conquered
the Western world; and today 10 en-
bodies the faith of the foremost nations
of the globe, and directs the advancing
march Of civilization. IL that is failure
whore does history show us successy
The troubles on mission ground are
not a reason for giving up the work.
such troubles are not new or strange
The Divine author of the gospel forecasts
no peaceful course of growth. The early
church made its way through endless
opposition, the most determined persecu-
tiOn, through sens Of blood. The media
oval church survived many "A disaster
struggle Is the law, opposition the
heavenly school through which Chris
tianity rises 10 power.
The war between China ard .1apan
seemed To put u check 90 missionary work
in both countries, and many looked on its
course with dismal forebodings. but the
tVu'Nf VI tNtlibH ItN Ittu NlltItIG stdltn
is perhaps more open To missionary laDor
than ever before. China has received
greater blessing. as her calamity was
great. The spirit of inquiry j. every
where; tho missionaries find their way
open before them in all the provinces;
thousands have bcen added 20 mission
caurches within the past year. In Turkey
our work has suffered serious check but
there arc large cOmpeDs tiOnS. The
hcrnism Of our missionaries has Silenccd
their Getractors. The mnrtyrdom of
Armenians has sheu new glory on the
Christian name The whole Armenian
nation is touched with a now faith and
devotion, and the missionary opportunity
In Turkey was never so great as now.
We grant that hard times make it more
difficult to support missions Gifts at
present are running behind the record OF
last year, and the support ot the work Is
quite inadequate, but 10 would require
only ten cents extra from each church
member throughout the land Co restore
tho work. Our missions are suffering,
not because we are unable To relieve them.
bat because we are not IN earnest to help
hem. -