Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-02-18

The greatest force in the world to-
 day is being gradually, but definitely and steadily, organized for world con. quest.
 Because there is no beating of drums or waving of banners or booming of cannons, many do not realize the pow of the Christian hosts that are being gathered in every land under Heaven, determined to make Christ King.
 A hundred years ago the religion of Jesus Christ was practically confined to the white race. There were. indeed, a few dark-skinned believers and a few pioneers in the church at home, who began to claim that the Gospel was in- tended for every race. and should be energetically propogated through the then novel experiment of foreign mis- sions. But the church at large laughed at the idea.
 To-day there are 1S,000 missionaries scattered throughout nearly every heathen tribe, directing the energies of 1,S00,000 native Christians in a faithful, determined effort to bring on the universal reign of Christ.
 They were backed up last year by the Christians at home, with over $20,. 100000 to prosecute this herculean task.
 But most astounding of all is the rapidly increasing faith and courage and determination of the Christians, both at home and abroad, to hasten and complete the work.
 For 50 years or more the women of the church have been so thoroughly organized and aggressive in this work that many had come to think of 1t as a women's movement only.
 But about 20 years ago there started among the students in our higher in- stitutions of learning. what has proved to be one of the most aggressive and powerful propagandas ever known. This Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions is made up of ad- vanced students who have dedicated their lives to foreign mission endeav- or, each one having signed card stat ing: Tt is my purpose. if God permit, to become foreign missionary" Dur ing the last 20 years nearly 5000 of them have actually gone into the for. eign service, and thousands more are hastenilg their education with the same purpose in view. Last year they enrolled over 12,0O0 students in their special mission study classes. and are constantly at work to win new recruits among the 100000 students in our higher institutions of learning.
 The present aim is to furnish a thousand graduates year ready to enter foreign service.
 Another important step in this mis. sionary propaganda was taken four years ago when the Young Peoples Missionary Movement was formally organized with headquarters in New York. This movement is working through all the Protestant churches of the land in systematic. educational campaign among the 14.000.000 young people in the Sunday schools.
 Special literature is prepared. adapt. ed to the particular age and class in- tended to be reached. and this is care fully and extensively distributed the land.
 And now that the women and the students, and the young people are being so deeply interested and so care fully educated in this rapid conquest of the world for Christ, a really great is appearing among the business men of the church.
 For a long time here and there among individuals a deepening inter- est has been seen, but now it appears to be rapidly spreading.
 MT. John H. Converse. of the Bald. | win Locomotive works. of Philadel- l phia: Hon. John wanamaker. Mir. E. | H. Pitkin. of Chicago; Mir. H. J. Heinz, | of Pittsburg: Mir. l.. H. Severance. of | Cleveland: Mir. o. H. Ingram. of Eau Claire; NIT. Alfred E. Marling, of New York: MT. s. W. Packard. of Chicago. and MT. E. A. K. Hackett. of Fort | Wayne. Ind. are among the leading business men vho have been showing | ! deep and increasing interest in the | work for some years.
 Dr. D. K. Pearsons. of Chicago. has given s50.o0o to a mission | college in Syria
 A farmer in the northwest who has | long been supporting two foreign mis- sionaries at his own individual er- pense. has recently divided his entire property and given half-s7o. .0oo- for the immediate spread of the Gospel | h foreign lands.
 The men of Yale university are sup