Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-04

penses also are brought to a minimum and
more money is thus at hand for the de-
velopment of the work elsewhere.
| The missionary of today must be a per-
son who can work in harmony with the
| missionary of any church with whom he
| may be thrown from time to time. Many
other things are expected of him that were
not looked for In the old style missionary.
who Is being replaced SO rapidly of recent
| years.
The modern missionary must not be q
| fanatic-a man or woman, who, as soon
as the field is reached begins work by
throwing down the ages-old idols Of the
| natives. Instead, the missionary must be
| able to single out the best things in the
heather religion, parallel them with
| Biblical truths and use them as bases for
bringing home these Biblical truths. It
| frequently happens that the highest moral
precepts Of a heather religion agree in the
main with Biblical truths. When a mis-
sionary Is able to point out this agreement
to bring home to his hearers a partial
realization of the greater benefits to be
| gained through Christianity. then he Is in
| fair way to win over many a heather
mind that the old style missionary could
| never have driven to his way of thinking
| The wise missionary has taken the place of
| the fanatical missionary.
NO person who cannot pass a stiff med
| ical examination need hope nowadays to
| become missionary working In contunc-
ton with any board The state of health
| of missionary used to be passed over
| lightly. With system in the work came
| the realization that 1t is money thrown
| away to send out any one whose physical
| condition from the start is not such as to
warrant the belief that he will be able to
Withstand successfully all the insidious at
] tacks of strange climate.
| The examination that the PRESBYTERIAN
| board. for example, requires each applicant
| to undergo Is considerably more searching
| than that conducted by the average life
insurance company before assuming a risk,
| Various analytical tests are made to ascer-
tain an. applicants physical condition. The
physical history of his family is infinitely
looked into. II any predispositions to GER
tered in missionary lands discovered,
| then the chances of the applicant to become
missionary are practically nil.
This examination is made by a physician
| located at or near the applicants place of
residence. That any natural prejudice n
| the applicants favor may be detected, those
| who pass this and the~clerical examin ton,
are assembled in New York some time in
| June of each year. Then they are carefully
| looked over, and not infrequently some are
| re-examined by famous physician, who
| gives his services free to the general board.
At this time, also, It not infreuuently hap
| pens that the clerical examination is re-
opened Thirty-four questions are asked in
| the preliminary examination All are
| searching. These are some of them:
Xxx
| Are you liable for debt? What is your
habit as to Bible study? Have you consd-
cred the trial of separation from your rela-
lives? Are responsibilities calmly and
cheerfully borne; or do they produce dis
| quietude, anxiety, sleepless nights and care
| Would you be willing to give up any per-
sonal habit which might grieve your fellow
| missionaries and lessen the influence of
! your example over the native Christians
Are you total abstainer from all forms of
alcoholic beverages, and from opium, CO.
| caine or other narcotic drugs? Have you
| any knowledge of bookkeeping? Can you
| play the piano organ? Can you lead in
| singing? Is your betrothed in sympathy
with your missionary purpose? Does your
| experience justify the belief that you can
| cheerfully acquiesce in the decision of the
majority; or does this necessity, when met,
| produce mental perturbation and discon-
| tent? The final question calls for the names
| and addresses of seven persons OF whom an
quiry can be made concerning the appli-
| cant.
| X 4
The Presbyterian board has four corre-
spending secretaries. The twenty-seven
| foreign mission fields are divided among
| three of them; the fourth has charge of
what is known the home work-corre-
| spondence with missionary candidates, pub
| licatfon and distribution of literature, plans
for collection of the needful funds ETC.
Associated with each of the SECRETARIES for
| the missions are committees on the various
| countries which constitute mission fields
These committees are known as the China
4 INIT ha frfo
dian committee and on. They are COM
posed Of members of the board, and all
matters of especial Importance connected
with their respective fields are taken up by
them.
The board is elected by the general as
sembly. 1t elects its own executive off,
| GERS. Besides the secretaries, these are a
president vice president and treasurer
Both clergy and laymen-merchants law
yers, etc-ars elected to board and exec
utive Offices
/ The treasurer, of course, occupies a very
responsible position. His cabinet consists
Of Ave business men, members OF the board
This finance committee presents its report
| at each meeting of the board An exceed
| ingly important duty of the treasurer's de-
partInent Is that OF making all home pur-
] chases for the missionaries and shipping
/ the goods to the four quarters of the globe
| The average missionary sent out by the
Presbyterian church spends at least 20 per
cent Of his annual salary for home prod
ucts. The purchase of housekeeping outfits
| for new missionaries comes under the
| treesurers direction.
The board meets once month. A day
or two prior to the meeting, matters re-
| curing its attention are brought before
! either the secretarial or the executive coun-
ell for consideration. The first council
consists Of the secretaries; the second of
| she secretaries and the treasurer, since Its
/ woS. involves the approximation OF funds
| These souncils report direct to the board,
which has the final word In all matters.
| This form of organization Is more or
/ less representative OF that maintained by