Connecticut western news., 1900-07-26
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
"The Missionary :"


 Nr Editor:
 I read your able leader on the above subject with great interest. Discussion of a thing indicates life; when it ceases to be discussed it is dead. Shakespeare has been sleeping in Strstford Church for three hundred years, but his works are discussed more than ever. Go to, now; let us discuss Foreign Missions.
 Hardship in mission work? Yes, in- deed. It was all foreseen, too. Persons were warned to count the cost. to count not the life dear unto oneself, to loose the life, If need be. "for my sake and the gospels. and yet to take up the work nevertheless. Great enterprises always do cost. The Union did.
 Heather are not lost. if they live up to their light. Every christian grants that, believes with Abraham that the judge of all the earth will do right. But suppose we leave their future to him, is it not worth while then to save their lives, to show the cruel Chinese & more excellent way?
 Rum and missionaries go together! True. But if the missionaries stopped going, would the rum stop? If the rum and other vices will go anyway, is it not a good thing to send along an antidote?
 Is missionary work successful after all? Yes, far more successful in pro- portion than home work; that is, the percentage of increase is double that in America, while the agencies at work are about one-fifth as many and as strong. The great problem in mission work is simply, how to keep up with it. It suo- ceeds in countries like Turkey, as have personally seen. where nothing else does succeed. It is never extinguished by persecution, famine or massacre. Wit ness Madagascar, witness the Armenian missions. Mark the outcome in China.
 America is good enough field for anybody. Three cheers for home mis- sionsl I am with you therel Don't let that collection plate go by me. l am ready anytime to rsil sermon on home missions to the church door and to de- fend 1t against all corners. But suppose for a moment that America was entirely converted. incuding T. L. Platt and R. Croker, would that satisfy the Lord New England contains 62,0O0 square miles and five million people in round numbers. Shantung contains 63, 900 square miles and thirty-six millions. The Lord is DO respecter of persons; all gre alike valuable unto Him. If they had waited until Jerusalem or Antioch were entirely won, would the gospel have spread so rapidly over the Roman Empire? If they had attended exclu- sively to Italy in 596 A. D, would Eng land have been evangelized? The req son why people are not offering their children in Druidical sacrifice on Bear Mountain and Haystack today. suppos. ing there were English here at all, il because somebody years ago believed in foreign missions. The divine method seems to be, not to build up one big fire in one place, but to stert many lit. tie fires here and there, which will dc the work quicker in the long run.
 In fine, tho whole question turns or whether foreign missions are of human or divine appointment. If it is merely denominational enterprise, amisble but theoretic, the quicker we know il the better. But if we are really bidder to Ego into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" then the quicker we do that the better. "For i this counsel or this work be of men, il will come to nought ;but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow 1t, lest haply ye bs found even to fight against God" Tha is what would respectfully say to th, Boxers, to Queen Aun and to all tn. other .'Celestials."
 Heaven bless you, Mir Editor, and al other thoughtful men; jet us keep or praying "Thy Kingdom come."
 JOHN CALVIN GODDARD,
 Salisbury, July 23, '0O.