The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-03-18
THE MISSIONARY is BADLY CoRnERED
The Ex-Spanish Subject is
No Benighted Papist.
he ASKS SOME AWKWARD QUESTIONS
And Puzzles the Gospel Man
of the Windy City.

Now that the preachers are preparing
to pcddlc their wares in Cuba. Porto
Rico and the Philippines. it is interesting
to know how the "bcnightcd Paptsts'
OF these lands will receive them. II al
American citizen went amongst these
people and claimed to be an official rep
resentativc OF the United States govern
mcnt, they would Immediately ask him
to show his commission. When the Am.
crican preachers descend on the islands
it is but natural to expect that the in.
habitants will be just as logical and ell.
quirc where these scli-appointcd mission
aries received authority to preach. II
will be rather difficult for the preachers
to answer that question to the satisfac-
ton OF the enquirer For they only rep.
resent sects which are but one hundred
or at most three hundred years in en-
istence and they cannot trace back their
authority to Christ Father Lambert
gives the following imaginary but natural
colloquy between one of these preachers
and Porto Rican. 1t will be seen tina,
the illterate Porto Rican puts the learn
cd preacher i'll tight corner:
Preacher-"l come to bring to you ano
your benigltcd and your Romisln brctl
rem the pure light of the gospel"
Porto Rican-"That is very kind Of
you. Where do you come irom?'
Prom Chicago?'
p. R.-"Chicago? Chicago? Seems
to me ! have heard OF that place. Dc
they have the light Of the gospel there;
And is the light as illustrated there the
kind OF light you bring us?"
P.-"Well Qlcsitatinglv), in a wav
7. R.-"Wcll we read OF the great DO.
litical and moral corruption there, and
that the great mass OF the people do no,
go to church at all. Do you come 10 teach
us the ways that prevail thcre?'
Pho, come to teach you to avoid
their evil ways"
+. R.-"Would it not have been better
economy, saving OF travelling expenses
II you had remained in Chicago and
taught its people to avoid their evil
wavs?'
Pit is true, indeed that the spirit
ual needs of Chicago are very great, and
the evangelical churches should increase
their zeal, but | must obey the COM
lnand: Go into the world and preach
the gospel"
I. R-'Who gave you that COM
mand?'
P.-"Thc Lord
p. R.-"When and where? Please
show me your commission from the
P;-"Why, here in my hand The Holy
p. R.-"Plcasc show me therein the
record OF your commission"
P.-'Ah with eyes raised toward the
Milky Way, how profound is the ignor-
ancc OF the benightcd Papists! Here, do
you not see the text Going teach all ma
tions?'"
l.. R.-"Ycs, see it, but that was said
to certain well known men 1000 years
ago That WAS their commission, Bit
do not sec what that has to do with
y.ou-Just arrived from Chicago. have
the same right to take that text to N.Y.
sell that you have, and consider it a
command to take my gripsack and neck
tie and go to Chicago and try to do the
work you left undonc there to come here.
AS there is more crime, fraud, swindlinp
and genera iniquity in Chicago in one
year than there is in Porto Rico in TWEEN
ty years, it seems that my obligation to
80 there is more imperative than yours
to come here But the command to Go
teach the gospel was no more addressed
to me than it was to you"
P.-"But | have been sent here by the
board OF missions"
r. R.-"But what authority has that
board any more than you or have to
tell what the true gospel is? Where is
that boards commission"
=. Fit was appointed by the Mctho-
dist church."
P. R.-"But where is the Methodist
churcl,'s commission?"
My benightcd friend, look at the
text again. Behold it, Go and teach, -"
p. RI have said that command was
to certain men 1000 years ago
men who were the ministers of the
Church established by Christ, and not to
a society established by John Wesley a
lew years ago. That command has M
more to do with John Wesley and his So
.cicty than it has to do will, the Chicago
beef embalming syndicatcs By the way,
are those syndicates the fruit of the
light you bring to us?'
.P.-"My beniglted friend and victim
Of Popis1 supersttuion. do you see this
blessed book?"
P. RI see the book in your hand
1t seems to be very neatly bound; half
calf and gilt edge. What is it,"
P.-"Ah. my brand to be snatchcd
from the burning. it is the word Of God. !"
F. r." How do you know that; who
told you? Is it not published in Chicago?
You are fallible, your board is fallible and
your Methodist church j. fallibte-all as
fallible as am. Why sH Iuld l take your
word On 50 vital a point u shata Hyou