Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1898-09-23
MISSIONS DEPENDED.
Their Civilising influence, and Cost
of Management


that 1 cannot but say a few words
in regard to it 1t is, however, not
my intention to enter into any con-
troversy with the writer of that ar.
ticle, nor shall these words be an
apology, for foreign missions do not
need any apology, nor shall this be
vindication of the foreign mission
ary movement for its intrinsic val
ne and high importance has been
recognized by men of the greatest
learning, standing-the foremost
ranks of the scholars Of this and the
earlier centuries.
am am astonished that the writ
er of that article can even question
for minute the fact that the work
of the missionaries III the slums is
more effective than the work of the
police. If he cares, and as an hon
est man he ought to care, he can
convince himself of the correctness
of my statement, that the mission
ary work in the slums is accompan-
led by greater and more permanent
results than that of the police, by
coming to New York City, and go
through the slums accompanied by
a missionary who will point out to
him what the missionaries have
done. l question whether the
writer of that article is really an
unbiased reader of the Bible and of
history. In seems to me that when
the gentleman in question studied
the Bible and history, all that
which he demands in others, i.e., a
mind free of any preconceived no.
tions, was utterly wanting in him, or
he could not have made such thor
oughly false statement as the tol-
lowing: "That people would make
it (the Bible) the literal and sole
guide would be a nation of Social
lists. " How does the gentlemen
harmonic the following two pas
sages in the Bible with his above
statement? 1.-THE first passage w,
find: Matthew, XXI 21, and is
in answer to the question whether
it is lawful to give tribute to thos,
who are in authority. Render,
therefore, unto Caesar the things
that are Caesars fand unto God, the
the things that are Gods" And
again he said: "All things, there
fore, whatsoever ye would that mer
should do unto you, even so do yC
also unto them" Matthew VII l2
Truly these are not the principle.
of socialism, but if all our citizens
would live up to these precepts
Truly it is extrem ely difficult tt
live in accordance with the preceptl
of the Bible, not because "the en-
tire civilized earth would have to b,
) entirely remodeled, as that writer
wants MS to believe, but becaus,
: men could no longer indulge un
} punished in their passions ana moro
, Than dubious pleasures. Therefore
, it is far easier and more convenien
/ to slander the Bible and minimize
the good that has come from it, t.
! accept as true without further in
: vestigation what the opponents o.
Christianity says, than to convinc,
} ones self of the truth by careful ant
} diligent study of the results of the
> work of the missionaries.
Since l have no reason to doubt
? that the writer of that article is {
gentleman, and therefore open tC
} conviction, I would ask him kindly
to read with an unbiased mind } F
Dennis book, "Christian Mission,
and social progress, published by
f. H. Revell Co., N. Y. City. This
book will give him a true and honest
representation of the work of Chris.
) tian missionaries in foreign coun
, tries.
As to the other statement, "that
but 1872 of the foreign missionary
funds ever reached the heather fol
whom it was collected" 1 emphat.
ically declare it, even though it i:
attributed to a minister, misrep.
resenta ation. The fact is that the
cost of administration is only TX
as can be seen by the reports of al
reputable missionary boards, which
are published and can be bought
The method employed by the diff,
ferent boards of foreign missions tC
collect money and transfer it again
to the different fields, is perhap:
not the most perfect one. but the
integrity of those men who have
charge of these matters is above
suspicion, and they are as earnest
and business. like in the discharge
of these duties as ought to be expec
ted of any honest and diligent bust
ness man.
Least but not last, if any man
makes a remark at another man fol