Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-28


these volunteers have gone to foreign parts
since the movement was inaugurated In
1892
In connection with this body, aral other
organizations Of young people, there has
been q phenomenal development of the
study of missionary literature, and within
a dozen years more than 100000 purely mis-
sionary books have been sold.
On the foreign ffeld-to make big jump
there are now 400 translations of the
Bible. OF native converts the American
missionaries claim half a million, while the
total native Christian population of So
called heather lands is million and
half.
Quite different are the stories hear In
other quarters. One of the higher officers
of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company as
sured me, as one who knows, that "the mis-
sionaries are a lot of grafters. But" he
added. with the characteristic commercial
spirit of the day. Il do not want to see their
graft stopped. for 1t pays us to carry them"
Hongkong merchant aboard ship de-
clared that "the missionaries are pack of
scoundrels. They are overbearing lazy,
pestiferous fellows, recruited only from the
very lowest ranks Of society in Amer
lea and Great Britain" The last was
little more than 1 could swallow. for
1t went contrary to my personal knowledge
in numerous instances. The missionary
may prove to be a bad egg when he reaches
foreign shores; but every college man in
the land knows the stock from which he
springs. 1 recalled while leaning over the
rail conversing with Mr.. Hongkong mer-
chant that few weeks before I had read
an enthusiastic autograph letter from Pres
ident Roosevelt to Rev. DR.. Arthur H.
Smith Gather Of the project Of bringing
Chinese students to American universities)
concerning the latters books on China.
few days previously DR.. Smith had been
the Presidents guest at luncheon.
AS matter of candor l may say that
thus far 1 having some difficulty in
running down to particulars the countless
charges against the missionaries. hope
to have better fortune in foreign lands.
AS an illustration Of my troubles, there is
the instance of fellow passenger on the
trans-Pacfic steamer, the wife OF a Phil
ture Of my quest. II am glad you are go
ing to get after the missionaries, and 1
hope you will rip them up the back" she
began, breezily. 1--WE who travel and live
out here know that they are a bad lot"
Yet she could not, when urged. become
more definite, and, although long a resi-
dent Of Manila, and an Episcopalian, she
confessed that she had never heard or met
Bishop Brent, the brilliant head of the
Philippine missions Of her church.
Already 1 have a dim suspicion that one
reason for the antipathy which many trav-
elers have to missionaries is to be found
in the latter's attitude toward life aboard
ship and in port cities. The missionary is.
I infer, often narrow and intolerant, and
DESTROYS of imposing his standards upon
everybody. He Is prone to make unman-
nerly remarks about the amount Of drink
ing that goes on. seven days week,
aboard ship. The incessant gambling, also,
of the smoking room and ship saloons
his Durita meal
not See-and he is entire.y too blunt and
inconsiderate. believe, in expressing this
opinion-why practices should be counted
good form aboard ship that are contrary
to the law Of the land when ashore. That
is the way he justifies his tactlessiy-aired
opinions.
Tourists do not like to have the narrow
standards Of the missionaries thus flung at
their heads censoriously; and they are not
likely to form entirely favorable esti-
mate Of their critics. TOO many young mis-
sionaries," said famous veteran mission
airy to me a few minutes ago. think that
they must start out by trying to convert the
whole ship. They do not try to mingle SO:
cially and congenially with their fellow
passengers. They acquire an identity as
missionaries rather than as men and
women
The same man. himself a resident of Yo-
kohama, is authority for the statement that
tude of aloofness or separation toward other
foreigners. They apparently reason that
they have come out to work for the natives,
and SO they cannot give any time to the
European community. The result is inevita-
bly, lack of mutual sympathy and under
standing, and the creation of a hostile spirit
on both sides. A good missionary, take 1t,
needs to be good mixer; he must know
how to be a man among all kinds of men;
else his usefulness, his reputation and his
calling will suffer.
Still. whatever his faults or virtues the
missionary is an interesting personality. He
manages to keep pretty much In the public
eye, whether by being kidnapped by brigands,
massacred by Chinese, by being lost in Afri-
cas- wilderness, by making work for the ma
tons gunboats and marines and diplo-
matists BY running genuine relief enter