The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-08-09


guidance in the matter of sending out
missionaries to the heather. Five COM
missioners and an audience of one per-
son attended the opening meeting Of
the American Board of Commissioners
for Foreign Missions, as it was enti-
fled; yet from that small beginning
there spread a movement that inspired
almost all cases and fostered in many
cases the foreign missionary efforts of
other denominations. At present the
board has 101 principal stations, 1871
out-stations, 465 churches, 47.023 COM
municants, 1870 schools, Sc, Gal persons
under instruction, $50 American labor
ers and 2,975 native laborers. Its year.
ly income is $64420O.
The Presbyterian board was organ
lied in 1887 and has at present an in
come of nearly 100000, with which it
supports Ill principal stations, 1881
out-stations, with 1895 communicates
and 21,516 persons under instruction.
There is besides a southern Presby-
terrain board with 40 principal stations,
176 out-stations and 1878 commune
cants.
The American Baptist Missionary
union has the largest number of COM
municants. 12S,294 in 81 principal sta
tons, and 1,495 out-stations supplied
1.02S churches. The annual income of
the union is $3.50, 494. This is the next
to the oldest society in the country,
having been formed in 1914.
The Methodist Episcopal Church
Missionary society was founded in
1919. and is now one of the largest,
having 134 principal stations, 500 out
stations, 616 churches, 124.611 COM
muncants, and the largest income of
any missionary society, $o54.O63.
The society of the Protestant Episco-
pal church was formed in 1885 1t now
has 200 principal stations, AS churches,
$3.50 communicates, and an income of
more than quarter of million dol
lars.
The Disciples of Christ, small but
strong denomination, particularly de-
voted to foreign missionary work.
maintain 81 churches, with $3.50 COM
municants, and an income of $144,7S3.
The undenominational American
Bible society, founded in 1916, has an
income of Sl52, 696, upon which it sup
ports SO American workers and 243
native workers.
Among other denominations having
missions in the foreign field are the
Dutch Reformed, United Presbyterian,
Covenanter, Cumberland Presbyterian,
German Reformed, Southern Baptists,
Evangelical Lutherans and American
Friends.
In his chapter on False and True
Conceptions of Missions and Mission
airy Work." DR.. Baldwin declares that
for u missionary to look upon his work
as civilizing and elevating agency for
the barbarous or semi-civilized nations
is "a low and unworthy conception of
the work" The missionary, he says,
must have in mind simply the carrying
of the Gospel, and nothing else. Civ
ilization and elevation may come in
cidentally, but they are no part of the
mission work. In regard to China, the
chapter having been written, of course,
before the present outbreak, he writes:
1.-The great dislike for foreigners, in
the prevalent superstitions, the bitter
antagonism of the literary class, the
opium habit and other difficulties have
barred the way to Christianity, but it
is gradually overcoming these OBJ
stacles. Christianity is surely gather
ing momentum, and its outlook for the
twentieth century is very promising"
WILLIAM WALTER WELL.A