The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-08-25
The Oldest English Missionary Society in
The World.

The well-known English Society for
the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign
Parts has lately been made additionally
famous by Lord Salsbury's rather cyni-
cal speech about 1.-The missionary and the
Consul" delivered at the bicentennial of
the society in London last month. The
society is sometimes referred to as the
Oldest missionary society in the world;
but the Moravian Society, founded in the
seventeenth century by the United
Brethren, is really the oldest of Profess
tant missionary societies, and still pos
sesses one of the completest organiza-
tions in Christendom. In a very true
sense, too, the Roman Catholic orders of
friars, such as the Domincans and Fran
lciscans; of monks, such as the Benedic-
tires; or of clerics, such as the Jesuits,
may be looked upon as important mis-
sicnary organizations; and, of course,
these antedate by many centuries even
the Moravian society. The Independent
gives the following account of the Society
/ for the Propagation of the Gospel:
/ Originally intended to cover distinct
lively the field of the increasing English
colonies and meet the needs of the Eng
| lish communities in the New World and
to the Far East, it developed until its
scope at present is inclusive of every form
I of missionary enterprise outside of the
United Kingdom. 1t carries on missions
to non-Christian lands, and organizes
work in the different colonies and wher-
ever members of the Church of England
are found in Europe, Asia or Africa. 1t
represents the distinetively high-church
element in the Church of England, and
for the most part the colonial bishops
are connected with it. 1t is not, and has
not been for many years, popular So
lciety. The rigidity of its rules and the
lack of Willingness to Cooperate with
ANYBODY else have not merely repealed for
leigners, but alienated very large num-
Der of English people. 1t has not, as
some have supposed, any actual official
teonnection with the Church of England,
and Us purely voluntary society, though
Through it's relations to the higher clergy
lit has very much of the prestige of an
official organization Its work has not
been as successful nor as large as that OF
the Church Missionary Society, represent
ing the more liberal element in the
Church of England Between the two
there has not infrequently been consider
able antagonism, and the strife has al
times been almost bitter. OF late years
However, this condition has improved
very considerably and while there seems
little or no probability of an amalgama-
ition of the two, they are working more
in harmony. The present year is the last
of the second century, the society having
ben organized on June Is, 1901, when the
charter was granted TO 90 William III
1t is proposed to make the whole year a
srecial jubilee year, and endeavor 10 raise
81 100000 as a CONNIE moration fund. rms
society was the only prominent Evangell-
cal society that declined to have any re-
latlon with the recent Ecumenical Con-
ference on Foreign Missions held in TINS
city, and it has steadfastly refused tc
share at all In any work done by those
not directly connected with the Church o.
England"