The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-10-14
THE MISSIONARY IN POLITICS

During the past week there has been
much discussion of the missionary
phase of the international problem in
China.
Public attention has been particular
,ly directed to this question by adj
dresses before the annual meeting of
the American Board of Foreign Mis-
sions of the Congregational church
now in session at ST. Louis.
Some of the speeches in these meet
ings have extoned Mckinley and his
policy in China, calling on him to pro-
tect missionaries sent from this coun-
try and demand indemnity for the
losses of life and property at the mis-
sion stations during the Boer uprising.
In sharp contrast to these senti-
ments are the views on the missionary
question expressed in a notable article
by Rev. DR.. Henry S. Nash, of the Epis-
copal theological school at Cambridge,
in The Churchman, on The danger OF
modern missions"
ttDr. Nash is bold and outspoken. He
asserts that in the case of many Chris
tan missions the flag has stolen
march on the cross" 1t is his opinion
that in it's purity the missionary mo-
tive must not be mixed up with the
flag He argues mat Jesus took re-
ligion out of politics, and adds:
Before the Master died he took all pains
to make clear the meaning of his death.
put I'D thy sword he said to the
Apostle Peter, through whose veins the
blood of the Galilean peasant and patriot
ran hot. And he did not forget in his own
agony and distress-he did not forget to
touch and heal the ear that Peters clum-
sy sword had wounded. He would not
permit the spotless purity of the cross to
be so much as touched by the finger tips
of force. Our Lord. then, bids us see to
it that in the missionary field the cross
be kept far from the sword. In his own
temptation he gloriously withstood the
pressure put upon him by the Messianic
ideal of his people. He refused to Caesar
ize himself in the slightest degree. The
church. initiating his life, comes from
time to time under the same temptation
which he met and overcame, and her
sword to herself should be. Look to it
that thou be not Caesarized."
The missionary according to DR..
Nash, should go forth as an English
man, a German or an American, and
missionaries should never appeal from
the cross to the flag for protection.
To his mind it is humiliating that in
China today British missionaries hover
under the British flag, American mis-
sionaries under me American flag and
German missionaries under the Ger
man flag.
Their only flag is the cross. To de-
mand of the State that it shall protect
them by force of arms is to degrade ant
abase the missionary motive and to rol
missionary efforts of their chief glory.
Then the writer turns the other side
of the picture, and grows caustic in his
observations:
The climax of tragic inconsistency j:
achieved when it is seriously asserted tina
the American forces should not leave
China until assurance is given that tn
converts Of American missionaries shall
be protected. In this case the flag no
only steals march on the cross. Du
practically captures it. Blood OF tn
MARTYRS indeed. A Chinaman converte
by an American becomes in some sense al
American-an American by brevet! An
the flag must cover him! A short an
easy way of laying heroic foundations 10
the future church in China.
The editors of some of the religion
weeklies are taking DR.. Nash sharpi
to task for these views, while certai
of the secular press are criticislng tn
mission board at ST. Louis for its Ell
dorsement of McKinleys policy.
The truth, as usual. probably he
somewhere between the two extreme:
Dr. Nash is perhaps too IDEAL and tn
other follow a little too blood thirsty
DR.. Nash would have the missionar
go forth into a strange land withou
protection and without country. Til
other view is that these preachers c
peace on earth good will to men
should call for war ships and marine
and demand that their home govern
mcnt collect indemnity by threat
force from the Chinese government fc
every loss of life or property at mi
sion stations. ~ lAs 6wMMI