The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-02-14
MISSIONARY DIFFICULTIES.


Paper read at Mission Meeting, Washington, D. c.
There are several features of Foreign Missionary
work which have about equal weight with me- The
have chosen to mention this evening is the
difficulty which the ignorant heather mind must
encounter in deciding what to do who believe
which (of the various forms of religion offered by
the different sects) is right. When L say ignor-
ant heather mind, mean ignorant on this sub
ject. Chinaman may or not be educated
to the standards of his neighborhood about Ger
tain matters, and that will affect his postion
as to something entirely except that any kind
of cultivation is an improvement to a certain ex-
tent Let suppose a man of the interior: his
life having been spent in degradation, his ideas al
most limited to devising the best plan procur-
ing the actual necessaries of life-and there are
untold numbers of just such human bengs-to be
suddenly aroused to the fact that his life
isfactory and to feel that there is-there must
something better somewhere He is in earn
est about desiring whatever it is; his sincerity as
to planning for his advantage cannot be
doubted.
OF course, this idea becomes definite very eradu-
ally He wants a change at first because any
chahge must be an Improvement over his present
state or at least, cannot leave him any off.
He has been brought to this state of investigation
by hearing the declarations of some missionary
or some neighbor who has heard a missionary
VINO asserts that this existence is very small part
OF eternity; and the least important part consTd-
erlng the happiness misery experienced here
Naturally he will appeal to the man who seems to
know about the matter. 1 say seems to know be-
cause these people cannot certain of the state
hehts OF strange men at once. The Presbyterian
missionary tells him one thing; the Romanst an
other He perhaps gets only this idea from both
'hdI ne is unhappy, and will be long as his
present course of life continues that he knew be-
lore; the methods of relief do not agree; the men
VINO are making such positive assertions and who
nave come so far from their homes, and taken so
much trouble on account of what they believe do
W. tivaIIy
vital points. What is the do who has no
reason for taking one statement in preference to
another? And whose true and only motive is en-
lightenment?
The visible and insncere forms of the Romanist
"issarles must always be in opposition to the in
visible and sincere religion of the Protestant mis-
Sohares. In recent letter from one of our mis-
Siohar1es. In recent letter from one of our mis-
nahlsts were promising the natives protection of
inherent kinds; from robbers from extortfonate
laX-gathers and others, on condition of their be-
l's enrolled as members of that body and that
People had come to him offering to join his church
ne would guarantee something similar This
,ows the utter ignorance of the Chinese to the
iu OF relief the religion of Jesus offers. 1t will
'aKe time, money work and prayers to bring these
People to correct and satisfying idea of what "a
iie III heaven" means. They must be instructed
rS TO what to do to have the truth made plain to
ieHl' they must be taught what is the truth; they
lust De taught how to investigate.
uont think that we, here i'm a Christian and
u'ated country, can appreciate the difficulties
iicn our missionaries have to encounter i'm this
eC'loh When knows enough about
nat ne wants to ask a direct question it is
u 10 give him answer that will, to a certain
CIT De satisfactory, at least that will
ne information the subject and so help him
- e way to final and complete satisfaction but
"nen you have to find out what he wants to know
w 'hen satisfy him, the difficulties are much in