The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-13
THE VOICE OF THE PULPIT
MISSIONARY CENTURY, 4 FEATURE
or THE PAST HUNDRED YEARS.
ny n Rev. Judson smith. ID. ID, For
eign Secretary Of the American
Board OF Missions, Boston, Mass.
what hath God wrOusht1"-Numbers

80
a missionary epoch. There are but two
other periods in the history Of Christianity
that can compare with it in this respect
the first three centuries. including the apos-
tolic age. and the three centuries at the
opening Of the middle ages. IN the former
the church was founded. the nations taught
and the Roman empire christianized; IN
the latter the peoples Of central and north
ern Europe were converted and brought
into the circle of Latin Christendom.
We find at the beginning of the century
a few societies. seantily manned and
equipped. prosecuting their work far apart
not without spirit and promise. but with
very mcager results. At it's end we see
an enterprise OF wide reach, conscious Of
itself. experienced. wisely drilled and Led.
attempting great things and winning splen-
did victories. IL is like the parliamentary
army IN the revolution. at first not with
out merit. Of high purpose, but not united,
not effective. which at last becomes the
Ironsides that won at Naseby and Dunbar
ard Worcester, sweeping everything before
IT, entering no battle but to conquer.
Let us take a brief survey Of the state
of foreign missions one hundred years
ago. Carey is just beginning his Won
derful work as translator at erampore
the first laborers Of the London Mission
airy Society are enduring the might OF
toll on Tahiti before any fruit appears;
the Moravians are bearing the word 10
Eastern and Western hemisphere. The
churches are scarcely awake to the call
or their privilege In meeting It; the enter
prise Is known by few and believed la by
fewer still. There are few converts en-
foreign soil, here and there a feeble oand,
no schools for training native laborers;
the Bible is not yet translated into the
vernaculars. GOodly beginnings have been
made, the church is awaking, and all Is
hopeful: but we are in the gray dawn CT
the day, and it Is faith only that ean take
in the greater things that are at hand.
a half dozen missionary societies, all in
Great Britain and Germany, a few score
OF missionaries widely scattered. a handful
OF converts and pupils. a to.al expenditure
of a few thousand a %year-this is the scene
which presents itself TO our eyes at the
opening of the century.
INSPIRING FACTS.
To-day an impressive and inspiring ar
ray of facts confronts Us. There is
scarcely a denomination in all the world
that does not have it's society, its field,
and its laborers. This is a new and sig
nifcant fact in Christian history. For
the few scores OF missionaries at work
In 1900 we now have 1867. with an army
of Isis native helpers by their side, dis
tributed in over 5000 central stations
through all the unevangelized peoples Of
the earth. In this single fact we have
the promise of final victory. In these
fields are 1898 organized churches, with
a membership of 1,2S9,2 S9 souls, increasing
at the rate of nearly $4,000 each year. The
total income of the major societies has
reached the grand sum of ST., 161,0 92, and the
gifts from native Christians aggregate
The educational work presents like noble
proportions. There are ninety-three col
leges on mission fields. with S5.4l4 students;
of whom 2.275 are women: of theological
and training schools 3S5 are reported, with
n,96 students. Boarding and high schools
Industrial and medical classes count 1871.
and enroll e,99S pupils; while in common or
day schools, the pupils reach the number or
S04. 442- The grand total of those under IN
struction is I.046. 300. one-third of them girls.
translated into 4S1 different languages or
dialects; a work of incalculable labor and
value, of itself alone sufficient to challenge
for this great enterprise the profound re-
spect of the civilized world. Add to this
the products of mission presses; SS9
pages of Christian literature annually. ana
3s7. 4s5 copies of periodical literature; and
the significance or this 1act becomes ma
1estic in PROPORTIONS and influence. Besides
all this hear in mind the s5 hospitals and
753 dispensaries, with 2,579,6oO patients
treated every year-to every one OF whom
the gospel is preached, to many OF them for
the first time-and the Foreign Missionary
enterprise that includes all these varied
agencies assumes the dimensions and char
acter of the greatest single force for the
uplifting and regeneration OF the world
which We know or of which we can con-
And all this is the achievement of the
century which lies behind us, and is a
Just index. but by no means the full proof.
4f %Na -eOCroeG ~ nofeefnnS in this npriO1
And when we consider that the rate Of
advance has been accelerating with every
decade. that this century has been marked
by pioneer work. and that now the forces
that cooperate here are working at their
best, who can measure the animating scene
that rises before us in the new century, or
fail TO exult in the nearing prospect OF
Christ's universal sway among the nations
OF the earthi
Many particular facts are included in this
general description of progress, some of
which may at least be mentioned. There is
the growing enlistment of the churches in
this enterprise, so that IL is no longer good
form for any Protestant body TO be with
out a share In this work. We note also
the dimensions and Importance of the ma
tive agency. wholly the growth OF this GEN.
fury. y half dozen or more native helpers
stand by the side Of every foreign mission
airy TO reinforce his labors, and there are
as many native pastors as ordained mis-
sionaries- Along with this we remark the
development of character in the native
Christian communities, illustrated by perse-
cutions in Madagascar, the complete VIC
tory of Christianity in the Fiji islands,
and impressively by the long roll of Chi
nese martyrs In this very year Just past.
Nor can we overlook the weakness and
decay that have overtakea the great Orien-
tai religions which were once such formid-
able opponents OF the gospel.
A SEASON OF BEGINNINGS.
The century has been a period of be-
ginnings, OF pioneer work in many lines.
1t Is not reasonable TO demand complete
results. Much time has necessarily been
given 10 exploration. TO the discovery of
lands and peoples and opportunities for
work. This has now been carried so far
that IL is a simple statement OF fact to
say that the unevangelized world Is fully
opened and accessible to missionary labor.
This work Will not need to be repeated.
It Is the first time IN the history OF the
world when this could be truthfully said.
The mastery of the vernaeulars Of the peo-
pie among whom work is to be done was
an imperative prerequisite TO the success
OF the enterprise. In many cases the LAM
guages had never been reduced to writ
ten form. and this was the first duty await
ine the missionary. To-day the herculean
task Is far advanced toward completion.
and the fruits OF this vast labor are the in