Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-04-02
SECTARIAN MISSIONS,

A short time ago q conference OF
people interested in the foreign mis-
sons of the various churches OF the
world. was held at Nashville, Tenn. II
was largely attended gathering, aud
very enthusiastic. II was the hfth
ouadrennIal convention of the social
ed student Volunteer Movement for
Foreign Missions, the aim Of which
Is TO arouse interest among students
I'm missionary work and induce many
Of them to volunteer for the mis-
Non.h call has been made, We
understand. for four thousand mis-
sionarcs from the students In the
various schools and colleges, and for
money 10 nay those that volunteer
AT the gathering just held 5000 stu-
dents and 2S6 professors from 100 IN
sutuuons Of higher learning In the
United states and Canada were pres
ent The motto Of tho leaders u this
movement Is, The Evangelizaton OF
the World I'm This Generation
prominent speakers discussed Import
ant topics Sir Henry Mortimer Du-
rand British ambassador in this coun-
try, spoke on Christian missions and
diplomacy. He was very diplomatic In
his description of sectarian mis-
slonary work abroad and bestowed
praise wherever II was possible to do
so. but an und artone In his address In
dicated that IN his opinion, improves
ment was possible aud desirable, He
said, for instances that in those parts
OF the East where he had served, mis-
sionaries are not always regarded with
favor by the officials, merchants and
others with whom they are brought
into contact lie continued
q have known many laymen who
believed In missionary work and sup
ported It heartily, but / have also
known many who did not. I have Of
ten heard e argued that missionary
work I'm those regions Is mt best vast
ed and is often harmful, that prac-
tically no results follow from the eN-
penditure Of 50 many valuable lives,
and Of SO much labor and money,
which would be more usefully cXpend-
ed at home that the missionaries
make few converts. and that those
they make cannot be trusted that by
attacking the religion Of the people
about them the missionaries arouse
hostility against all Christians; and
that they are In fact perpetual source
Of embarrassment and anxiety to their
governments
lie did not entirely endorse these
accusations, IN fact he admitted that
they were exaggerated But when he
said, Il have, It Is true met lnjudIcious
missionaries. and I have known Chris
tian converts of very undesirable
tyne. and / have been saddcned nt
times by seeing devoted men and wo-
men apparently throwing away their
health and their lives with no result,
he came as near giving an endorse
mcut as diplomat IN that assembly
could do. He pointed out that Orientals
are very tolerant NJ n rule, and that
missionaries who obey the laws Of the
country IN which they reside. and
who are gentle and considerable and
courteous TO all about them, very rare
~ get Into trouble. AZ an lllustra.
ton Of Oriental tolerance he said.
"G remember. for example, talking
one moonlight night Ia India To a high
| caste Brahmiu and trying to get at his
! real Views The upshot ~ II was that
| he said, 'Sahih, all religions are good
| The Mohammedaus turn to Mecca
whom they pray and the lllndus pray
| to Nishnu and SILVA and other gods
| and the Sahib-lok pray 90 Christ bu
over an II the great Nayayan IN,
| Lord, to whom all these differences
! are nothing. IL Is not easy, ! imagine
20 argue with n man who holds IN,
comprehensive faith. Even Mohamme,
dams. whom many Christians regart
! as specially fanatical can show mucl
liberation 10 man who treats theil
religion with respect, and asks only
for an opportunity OF tcmperately eX
planning his own
Students who contemplate ''volun
teering' for sectariap missions should
profit by such testimony and max,