The Washington times., 1901-10-14
NEED OF MISSIONARY WORK
The Rev. DR.. Gates Denies 1t Cause $
International Dissensions.
Incumbent on Christians to Over
come the Degradation of Henthen
Tencts-The Cost of Spreading the
Gospel TriGing to the IndiyidunI.


In n sermon in which he made reference
to American missionary methods. and. bv
inference, to the case of Miss Stone, who
is being held for ransom by Bulgarian
brigInds. DIR. Merrill E. Gates spoke yes
terday morning at the First Congrega-
tional Church. in the absence of tht. pas
tor. the Rev. DR.. s. NJ Newman. DR.
Gates scored the American press which,
he said, had advocated the withdrawal of
American missionaries from foreign
countries on the ground that they caused
dissensions and International difficulties.
He declared that the war in China was
not due to the missionaries. but to the
greed and grasping propensities of Ger
many. Russia, and other European coun
tries.
DIR. Gates took for his text Matthew.
xviii 1920: Go We, therefore and teach
all nations. baptizing them in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded
you; and 10, with you always, even
unto the end Of the world" The speaker
brought out facts relative to the spread
of the Christian religion, and drew a
comparison between, the happiness of
Cn1lStldn countries ana heathen lands.
He said in part:
I'm 1896 the Bible had been translated
into thirty-six languages and dialects; to-
day it is written in 400 tongues. Voltaire
said that in 1900 the Christian religion
would be dead, but today it is stronger
and reaches to more remote parts of the
earth than ever before. Since 1904. $780,
100000 copies of the Bible have been print
ed and distributed.
''Seventy-seven pastors. evangelists and
nurses are working in heather lands for
the spreading Of Christ's gospel and there
are 10000 students in various colleges
for teachers learning the work There is
now under Christian thought more than
one-third Of the population of the globe
Here in Washington we are too prone
TO say. being associated as we are with
the representatives of other Governments
whose religion is not the religion of |
christ, that all religions are very much |
anke. we are too likely to forget the |
unspeakable Turk, who is steeped in |
perfldy and whose diplomacy is false |
mood We lose the power to discriminate |
between the religion of Jesus Christ. and |
the religions of these heather countries
ana we speak as though il made no diff |
ference But when we come to regard /
IacIs we md great and overwhelming |
diHerence. The religion Of the heather |
Is doctrine which breaches the degrad- |
alton of womanhood. Every tenet of the |
woman.
Il remember my first visit to Alexan-
dria, Egypt, twenty years ago The |
scene about the city reminded me of the |
Old Testament. l saw women grinding
corn, as scripture tells US they ground in
oiden times. and 4 saw a weary man
asleep, his head pilowed upon a rock. l |
was impressed with the scene Then | I
saw father furnishing his son by tor
ture. and my mind revolted Going a
little farther / beheld knot of people
gathered IN a circle about band Of |
players Little children were pushed to
the centre of the circle. and thought
thal some innocent amusement was In
tended for them. Next | beheld a num-
Der OF women whose calling is too de-
grading for me to mention it to Won WIN,
came from the market place, and entered
the circle with the innocent children.
w nat was done there was so degrading
so revolving that my heart turned sick,
nd ind l meved away, disgusted, and filed
with pity.
The establishment of Christ an mis-
such scenes impossible, and would have
families.
I'VE are not to speak as though II were
4 question of choice with us. whether we
Snt !! or shall not go on with the work |
1t the gospel, and follow the command
oi Ihrlst TO go abroad and spread the
"ord OF God; 1t Is compulsory with US
, II is not true that missionaries caused
the Chinese war. The Chinese people saw
the encroachment OF foreigners upon their
land; they saw Germany endeavoring to
obtain seaport and Russia hanging
upon the northern border, her hand out
for territory. It was not be-
cause the missionaries taught a different !
religion from that of China that the Chi
nese objected, but it was because they
were foreigners. The Chinese are anxious |
Tor the establishment OF Christianity. and |
IN many villages there are prayers made
for the return of the missionaries who
have left them
Il knew Jacob Chamberlin, a mission
airy who has probably carried the aospeI |
OF Christ for the first time into more viii
lagos and heather lands than any man |
alive in the world. He has told me stories
Of the great burden of sin carried by the !
people of India and China He has told |
me that the dreadful conditions existing !
there are beyond the powers Of descrip-
tion.
The wealth of the United States, ac-
cording to the census OF 1890 was Sc. .000,-
10000 The people of the Christian
churches gave one thirty-second OF l per
cent toward missions and missionaries !
This is not a good showing The people |
should give more, and, although the !
amount given by each need not be much |
In the aggregate the sum would be i'm
mense and IN twenty years we could |
have the gospel of Christ brought to every |
man in the world.