The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-24
THE HEArHEN AT OUR DOORS.

CGnlly uSlQ GOINGtlAlO HI AAiAo ivy 1AN
Southern Baptists. embracing all OF
the Southern states, and the Episcopa-
lians, embracing the diocese of Geor-
gia. In both of these conventions the
question of missions was leading one
and was discussed with much enthu-
siasm. This is especially true with re-
spect to foreign missions. Reports
were submitted which showed that a
great deal of money and a. prodigeous
amount of energy were being expended
to bring "the heather" to light. II
was shown that progress was being
made in home missionary work; but
the point on which most stress was
laid. and which seemed to give most
satisfaction, was the amount of work
being done in foreign lands.
How missionary work is regarded by
all too many missionary workers is
fairly well illustrated in circular just
issued by church board having juris-
diction of both foreign and home mis-
sions. The circular consists of fifteen
paragraphs briefly sketching the prog
ress made during the past year and
making recommendations for the year
following. OF the fifteen paragraphs,
just one is devoted to the work among
the white people of the United States;
the others are given to the Philippines,
China. Africa, Japan, Alaska, Homo
lulu, Porto Rico, the Indians, the ne
groes, etc.
What has been accomplished in For
mosa, Cape Palmas, Benguet, Cape
Nome, Shanghai and other places thou
sands of miles away may be in a meas
ure interesting to limited number Of
persons; but 1t is of far greater interest
to the mass of American citizens, who
are called on to furnish the means for
missionary work, to know what is be-
ing done for the civilization and en-
lightenment of the ignorant in our
own country. The lone paragraph to
which we have referred gives some in
formation on the point. 1t touches on
the work in three sections of the
United States, namely, North Carolina,
North Dakota and Oregon. Among the
mountain people in the Asheville, N.
c., district, it says, there were during
the year 1870 baptisms and 1923 confirma-
tons. This is referred to as ''im-
mensely encouraging" The total ex-
penditure in the district was $3.50
which would be an average of a little
more than $66 per conversion. The cir
cular says, referring to the mountain
people, that they have been sadly neg
lected." docs anyone ever come tc
see you and speak to you about reli-
gious matters" was asked a mission
airy teacher of mountaineer. well,
he replied, I'VE did have a Mormon
come to see US last summer"
The case of the mountaineers may
be regarded as typical, not isolated. Ir
all parts of the country-in Georgia
and in the cities of Georgia-there are
people like them. who seldom see 6
preacher or a religious worker and
| rarely hear the name of God except II
profanity. Is not our first duty to such
| as they? Are we not under more OBJ
| legation to them than to the heather
| of China and Japan and India? Tn,
latter classes, by the way, are no
without religion. They have religions
of their own, thousands Of years old
which they regard as entirely salts
factory; and all of their people are IN.
structed in the tenets of those religions
None is neglected. The Mohamme.
dan child of tender years can recitt
passages from the Koran readily. There
are many white children in Georgia
who cannot recite the Ten Command.
ments. In Savannah only few week.
ago a little white girl of year:
stretched wide her eyes and dropped
her chin in establishment when she was
told the story of Jesus. She had never
heard of him before! There is an i'm.
mense field for missionary work about
our own doors.