Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-01-05
The Growth Of missioos,

The missionary activity of the Pro
testant Episcopal church is being CIV
en- tremendous uplift by the new
arrangement for missionary conferen-
ces held annually in different sections
of the country known as depart
ments." There are eight of these de-
partments, whose comparatively limit
ed area makes practicable the pres
ence of many clergymen and laymen
who could never attend the national
missionary councils, the last Of which
was held in Washington in 1903.
At these conferences emphasis is
laid upon the educational value of the
occasion, rather than it's legislative
responsibilities. Each conference Of
fers an opportunity for acquiring in
formation about different mission
fields, for discussing various plans
for the doing of missionary work in
the field and for developing support
for that work in the home parish.
Moreover. each conference gives the
board of missions an opportunity for
placing before the church in the de.
partment it's plans for the year and
of inviting from the department con.
ferences suggestions which may tend
to the improvement of such plans.
This diocese is in the Sixth de.
partment, which includes the dioceses
of Duluth, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebras-
ka. Missouri and West Missouri. North
and South Dakota, Kansas, Salina, Col.
orado. Laramie and Montana. Cleri.
cal and lay delegates from all these
trans Mississippi dioceses met last
month in Denver for their third annual
diOceses were present save one; a
delegates returned with new ideas
and new aspirations.
The work of foreign and domestic
missions is interesting a larger mum.
Der in and out of the church every
year. People who scoffed, people who
were Indifferent. people who didn't be-
lieve in foreign missions, people who
thought missionary work should be-
gin at home, but who never offered
to begin any of it themselves, or help
others to it: these are getting beauti-
fully less. The people who scoffed can
scott no longer before convincing
proof Of the value of missions, view
ed from an entirely unitarian point.
People who were Indifferent, who con.
tributed dollar simply because some
friend asked for it, are taking an in.
terest in the wonders that have been
accomplished with that dollar. Peo.
pie who didn't believe in foreign mis-.
sions have come to acknowledge their
altruistic value while yet question
ing their success in the making OF
converts. People who thought mis-
sionary work should begin at home
are pointed to the work of the church
among the colored people; among the
Indians under the sanity Hare; to the
work in the missionary districts OF
Arizona. Laramie, North Dakota, Salt
Lake, Boise and other western points
to the work of Bishop Rowe and his
staff in Alaska, or of Bishop Brent in
the Philippines, or Bishop Restaricl
in Honolulu; all going on nobly and
uninterruptedly with that in China
Japan or Africa. Since Dewey sailed
in Manila bay the term Eat home
covers pretty wide field, and mis-
sions that once might have been for
eign, are now domestic.
This deepening interest in the mis-
sionary life of the church finds expires
sion in a steady and gratifying in
crease in the receipts of the board o