New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-03
THE CHURCH TO FOLLOW THE FLAG.

THE CHURCH TO FOLLOW THE FLAG.
The Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions
has acted with commendable enterprise in pro-
posing a conference with similar boards IN tne
other Protestant churches In regard TO mission
airy work In the Philippine Islands, Cuba ana
Ifrto Rico when they have ceased TO be span
ish colonies. These countries are now nominal
ly Catholic and, with the possible exception OF
Cuba we believe that no Protestant mission
aries have been sent 10 them That FOR con
siderable time. AT least. they VIII continue 10 ne
Catholic Is undoubtedly true: bur when Cathol-
icsm ceases 10 be established by law II Is pos
sible that some OF the people may prefer
Protestant form Of worship and. II they do, IL
will he their right 10 have IT, Moreover IN inc
case Of the Philippines large percentage OF
the natives have not been Christianlzed 81 All.
And as Catholicism has failed 10 convert them
II Is entirely proper that the frofestantS shonid
have a chance to see what they can do. But ii
would hc an obvious waste Of money and Of
for, for nil the Protestant denominations 10 90
into these countries and thus In sense work
against each other As THE New-lork Cd
server" SAYS: 1T Is less important that there
"should be Presbyterian missionary M Ma
mia day ahead Of his Methodist or Baptist
"hr,thron than that resources and men should
"bc placed whore they will do the most effective
work The duty OF American Christians 10
rho people OF these Islands Is Imperative that
the proposed conference will be beneficial 10
chose IN darkness and to those who can send
the Hight there IS little doubt
But. even II Il goes into tho field united. Prot
csfantlsm will find II no easy task 10 make
Judgement in these islands. II will find Span
l,h Catholics hard to convert; and. although
the Catholic Church will no longer receive
subsidy from the StatA, II IL not going 10 die
out by any means The Church now receives
$4,000 year from the State In the Philip
pines. and its clergy have n preponderating
voice In the Government. But the Catholic
"Trccmans Journal" OF this city acknowledges
that in the Philippines. as in Cuba and Spain
itself the Church is hampcred by her relations
with the State. and Inundated before the
world by association with Spanish misgovern-
"mcnt and cruelty" II left 10 itself, as in this
country the Catholic Church in the Philippines
Porto Rico and cuba might find itself really
stronger than il ever was before. and might at
least hold It's own against Protestant propa-
gandsm. while unconsciously imbibing some Of
the modern spirit that in this country has pro-
duccd snch churchmen ms Cardinal Gibbons
and Archbishop Ireland.
As to the natives of the Philippines. they are
hardly more hopeful. far Christianizing
Is con crned As already stated. the Catholic
Church. whose missionary zeal Is not to be-
questioned ha1 not yet Chrs,ianized these isl
ands. and in the Ugh: Of what Professor Dean
G. Worcester. Of the University Of Michigan,
says about the natives. the failure Of the Church
IS not strange ,lIe spent some time In the isl
ands and made careful study OF the various
native races not by reading about them IN nm
encyclopaedia. but by living among them The
Mnngyans. Of the interior Of MIndoro are a
typical tribe Of Malayans. and they are I'M
touched by religion or civilization. They can
not count beyond three. except few highly
gifted men. who can count up to twenty. They
never worship. and do not believe in life
after death. They desert those who fall III. and
the relatives Of n dead person change their
names 10 insure better luck. Their morals are
remarkably good. except where they come in
contact with the whites. but they are utterly
destitute of n sense Of modesty. Catholic
priest told Professor Worcester Of the reply
made by n Mangyan whom he tried to con
vert Why, asked the savage. should he be
come n Christian? If he did so II would cost
him money TO be horn, money to live. money
TO marry. money to die and money 10 he
buried, whereas now he needed no money and
was happy and contentcd. In word. the
natives are happy go-lucky pagans. fairly virfu-
Gus and usually gentle. except when treated
unusty, but almost wholly without the
Of religion that Is so strongly developed among
civilized peoples II the Protestant denOmina-
tons decide TO convert these people they will
show wisdom In first getting together and re-
duclng tiSir message to its least common de
nominator The Westminster Catechlsm will
be found ont Of the question for the present,
and even the Apostles Creed will prove alto
gether too reconcile Probably an anthropO-
morphc Cod sort Of big chief. with the power
to punish evil and reward good. would stand
the best show Of acceptance by these primitive
savages But It is question whether Ameri-
can Protestants would be willing TO reduce their
creed TO that form. although by thus becoming
"alI things to all men" they would be only fol-
lowing the example Of the great Apostle to the
Gentiles