Connecticut western news., 1900-08-02
THURSDAY, AUGUST 2. 1900.
The Missionary Problem.


 The Missionary Problem.
 The NEWS of July 26 published the Rev John Calvin Goddard's communics- ton on the subject of foreign missions Tho editor of the NEWS waived his right to reply to Mir Goddard, as he preferred to give others chance to express their opinions. The opportunity thus given has not been improved. Nobody has given the editor a chance to shirk his duty, therefore he will in the most friendly spirit reply to MT Goddard as follows:
 You admit that "Heath en gre not lost if they live up to their light;" and you state that the ''hardship in mission work was ali foreseen, too" The sub iect of foreign missions then becomes g question of economics or expediency- whether the Hues of refined and educat. ed Christian gentlemen and ladies are worth more than the lives of savage and ignorant Heather. Remember their souls are of equal value, and that you propose to leave the Heathen's future to God.
 You admit that rum and missionaries go together, ard then you ask But if the missionaries stopped going, would the rum stop? If the rum and other vices will go anyway, is it not good thing to send along An antidoteY Your two questions are better argument for home missions than for foreign missions. Had the missionaries labored more in New England and less in Africa they might have created enough moral senti- ment to prevent the manufacture and sale of New England rum, and thus pre- vent rum being sent to Africa to de- bauch the natives The subject of New England rum brings to mind the story of "Deacon Giles' Distillerv."
 You state that missionary work"is far more successful in proportion than home work; that is, the percentage oi increase is double that in America, while the agencies at work are about one-fifth as many and ss strong. Mark the outcome in China The editor does not know what the Outcome" will be. but he will cite an illustration oi the .soutgo" as follows: Poultney Big. elow in the North American Review tells about the Greek Archimandrite who had been forty years in Pekin and had made only ono convert. This Greek was famed at the Chinese capital for keeping the best wines and the besi tobacco. When Mir Bigolow asked him bluctly how many converts he had made. he answered that he thought he had made one. but he did not wish tc be taken as stating this positively Twenty one years later Mir Bigolow re. turned to China, and all his enquiries led him to respect the honesty of thii Russian who said, furthermore: "] have been here forty years, and perhaps I have converted one Chinaman. Wher missionaries tell you they have done more than that, do not believe them"
 The editor will not attempt to an swer your question whether the Lord would be satisfied if T. l.. Platt and R Croker were converted? However theil conversion would improve politics and rejoice American hearts
 You affirm "The reason why people arc not offering thelr children in Druid ical sacrifice on Bear Mountain and Haystack to-day, supposing there were English here at all, is because some body years ago believed in foreign mis sions." Is that any consolation to tn. North American Indians who were tht rightful owners of this beautiful regior but who have been driven beyond tn, Mississippi river and nearly extermina ted? What? Score for foreign mis sion work right here in Salisbury ani Norfolk?
 You say. "B 1t if we are really bidder to go into all the world and preach tn, gospel to every creature'then the quick CT we do that the better" Renembe that ''The Great Commission" (se, Mark xvi, l5) was given to the clever Apostles only, and not to every bod, who desires to claim that commission and attach g salary to it. In the Apos tles' day the known world was very small. Had the Saviour intended tha commission for everybody He probabl, would have used the word "practice' instead of "preach." One reason wh, foreign missionary work is not nor successful is because all do not practic, what they preach. The editor is tolt that q missionary in Hawaii cheated native worse than the New England deacon cheated the horse jockey in tn, ''hoss" trade. The missionary gave th native bible in exchange for a corne lot. Of course the lot was worthles while the native owned it, "It i naught, it is naught, saith the buyer but when he is gone his way, then h. boasteth." See Proverbs K, IA. But the moment the missionary 20 possession of it money could not buy it for it actually is valuable piece of req estate. Furthermore the missionar, kept the title to the lot in his owl name, but it is surmised that the bibl which figured in the deal really belong ed to the missionary society and not t, the missionary himself.
 The editor rejoices that MT Goddart lives in Salisbury instead of China. Tn, editor hopes that the discussion of tn, missionary problem will lead many t. do some thinking for themselves instead of depending entirely on what the pull pit and the press say.
 All can remember how the Chimes were persecuted in California. Is any wonder that Americans are nov persecuted n China?
 Ia a recent issue between July 24 ant 27) of the New York Sun is letter iron the Rev Dr Haldeman, pastor of tn First Baptist Church of New York, wh, is acknowledged the most profount Biblical scholar and teacher in thi country. This celebrated divine size up the Chinese question both from phophetic and moral standpoint. Tn NEws has only room to quote one pas sage of the letter as follows: 9Th greed. the rapacity, the Christless, God less, selfshness of European nation will get its reward. All the Christianit. that has been wrought in China will b small, colnting in the terrible final bal ance that shall be made against so-calle' Christian nations, who have poisone' China with opium and made them lool upon Christians as only another division of rapacious foreign devils."
 You started out by saying "DiscussioI