Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-04-08
MISSIONARY WORK.

' We iees IN the Hebrew Slnnl
atos siv's Tome OF the reasons WIN III
hebrews, as religious community. d
not engage in missionary work
nei'ner among pagsns nor civIlizs
nations. The Jews. he says, do No
nsiievs that they alone have n mono
poly on truth, but that 1t is cleft I
every Intelligent man ana woman I,
discern good from evil, and they cat
10 1t very we'll according to their owl
religion, unless they are steamed fl
blind prejudice" Another reason ia
that the Jews de not believe in III,
genuineness OF conversious. How woul.
1t be, he asks, with the overwhclmIps
masses II We had missionarles7 The
number would run Into millions be
Tor the smallest amount OF money,
without needing TO work for It.
would become Jews. But what KING
OF Jewsr Just such, he ssys, as Jess
nre when they become Christlsns.
Let them stay heathenti he excIaimu.
We will not disturb any body's religion,
Just as We do not like to be disturbej
In ours.
The rabbi then rather severely crit.
clsss the efforts OF Christian denom!us.
tions to evspgeIizs the world. He
says:
We cannot see any feature in the mis-
sion-system that could possibly com
mend 1t to our adoption. We would
think It an insult to an enlightened
people II we lowered the banner of their
creed and permitted ours TO float high
above 1t, and as rule an unenlighte ned
people makes an undesirable religionist
anyway. II wore far better II our jealous
Christian friends would spend lhe
shekels which they lavish on foreign
missionaries on the poor Mt home. ln-
stead OF trying to save the soul OF the
heathen in foreign lands, 10 save tho
hungry, starving body OF the Chris
tian at home. II the state of affairs
were such that poverty would be-
unknown at home; II there were no
needy, distressed follow men bent down
in grief and no Acknowledgements iam-
lies furnishing, no well-filled jails, no
Haunting vice, neither crime nor corfup-
ton, then we would have no right 10 Aud
fault with the churches II they chose TO
tend missionaries TO foreign ciimes and
zones and there support their messengers
OF the Gospel in any style they desired.
but as II Is, we must mildly suggest.
when they approach us with missionary
gu stions, iirst TO ameliorate need and
suffering at home, and that with bread
hrst, with religion next, then formulate
your questions; but-those who live in
glass houses must throw no stones.
ParadoxicAl as the statement may
souni 1t is nevertheless true that the
non.sctlvity of Judaism In the mis-
eionary field is credit to the system.
1t proves It's consistency with itssi la
this particular. The Mosaic dispsn,a.
tion was not missionary one. Its
object was the union OF sanity
families into divineIy governed
nation--ihe application OF pstrisrchal
conditions to wider circle. The
time for missionary work among
The nations Of the earth could not
come, until the lessons Of the Mosaic
era had taken so deep root Is to be
capable OF trausplsnting. This was
the work Of the Christian dispsnsatlon,
and consequently, the command Of
oesus was TO go out into the whole
world and disseminate the truth
tmong NIL nations. But the Jews,
VINO stu endesvor to perpetuats the
mosaic Condition., can mot be charged
win Inconsistency for refusing to take
part In propaganda for their faith.
IL Is notable In this connection that
the christian sscts In their missionary
ehofts mold a much less impresuable
position. They deny divine authority
70 preach. They have been chstged
win no special message to the world.
As long % this Is the case, they would
Deuei act on the suggestion Of the
ispoi and turn their attention to crime,
povet'y and error at home.
Inc LAtIer-dsy sAIats hold In
,uH regard position different to both
se"sAnd Chrlstihn eects. Their special
commission is 10 DO witnesses to the
Hshons OF tue earth. In the divine
ran iof the salvation of the human
'y We see first the prinolples of
~ n anu Tue power OF God delegated
,s.' usNas OF families. Alter long
:. 'hers principles were appli cd
obo,.. S ilie as seen among the
49, people. For cen,urles this
wo,s r sFslopment has besn left 10
ns,'a Ae a issvsn among the various
,,a,. and in different forms. The
,o. e now seems to be drawing ns,t
snli higher development An vh,on
phnclpieaot truth shall be xrr,,od
.ne human race As a~hei, ~, :,
siot the preparation OF tho vns,s :
'hA higher stage OF sducA,,op ~ y. 20