The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-13
TRADE IN RELIGION
BRING A THOUSAND MEN
INTO CHURCH
MISSIONARIES LABOR
IN THE PHILIPPINES
Rev. A. Woodruff Halsey, Secretary of
Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions,
Addresses Mass Meeting at House Of
Hope-FlIipInos Imagine Church Is a
Political Institution.

Rev. A. Woodruff Halsey D. D., Sec
rotary of the Presbyterian board OF
foreign missions, addressed a Presby-
terrain mass meeting at the House Of
Hope church last evening on Protes-
tant missionary work in the Philip
pines. The islands he pronounced the
greatest field now open to the mis-
sionary 1abors of the Protestant
churches, but one beset with peculiar
dangers and difficulties.
zone of the greatest difficulties we meet
with" said DR.. Halsey, Springs from the
inbred popular conception Of a church.
To them the church is, of nature, part
of the state. The conception Of church
as disassociated from the state is totally
foreign to their minds. They look upon
joining a church as political move, like
the selection Of a party That this idea
belongs not alone to the lower classes
is shown by the story told by one of our
missionaries in Manila.
Could Convert 1000 Men.
''Senor Buencomina, one Of the bright
est politicians among the natives of Ma
Mia, approached the missionary one day
and told him that he could bring 1000
Of his men into the church. The mis-
sionary told him that the church did not
want men brought in, in that way, but
that they must become Christians at heart
before they could join the church.
"The Filipino was astonished. He could
not grasp the idea He thought the church
represented a new political party, and he
was seeking to attach his fortunes to that
party.
ITO impress upon the mind of the Fill
pino," continued DR.. Halsey, 1.-The concep-
ton of a church as disassociated from the
state, we must uproot all the impressions
caused
Protestants Join Forces.
"The Protestant churches have Joined
their forces in missionary union, which
has divided the territory outside of Ma
Mia into sections. In Manila all sects
have their churches, but the territory
ton of the natives, the churches have been
compelled to join their forces. The Pres
byterlans have forty missionaries in the
field, with seven on the way Of these
forty perhaps dozen are natives who
have entered the service. They are ear
nest and conscientious workers.
1.-The missions generally maintain their
own schools, which are attended by the
children of their church members. They
are not run in opposition to the govern
ment schools, but seek to aid them in
every way.
Industrial Schools Popular.
The churches realize that one of the
most effective aids to the evangelization
education, not only that the natives shall
be taught to know things, but that they
shall be taught to do things. At Du-
maguete, in the Island of Negroes, the
Presbyterians have established an indus
trial school, the gift of H. P. Silliman,
of New York, who contributed $4,000 for
that purpose. a--
1.-THE school had forty students at the
start nine months ago. These students
were taught, in addition to primary aca-
demic course. the rudiments of a manual
training course. The school was a success
from the start, and is now self-supporting.
The rich Filipinos in the island are all
anxious to get their boys into the school,
and although the buildings are not yet
completed, the school is in a Furnishing
! condition. Industrial training will do a
great deal for the natives in the Phil
ippines."
Work Against Great Odds.
DR.. Halsey spoke at length on the he
roic phases of missionary labors in the
tropical islands against great odds and
under such adverse conditions, and urged
that this important branch of missionary
endeavor be not allowed to suffer, and that
American Presbyterians must not leave
the work of the first heroic men and wom-
en- to be undone.