The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-02-08
Missionaries Tell of Their
LabOrS Abroad.
PROGRESS MADE IN CHINA
Work Among The Natives of the Phil
ippines; Conference Was Great
Success.
From Thursdays Daily.

From Thursdays Daily.
The educational and inspirationa
missionary conference held yesterday in
the First Baptist church, under the aus
pieces of the American Baptists Mission
airy union was a great success. Many
out of town pastors attended the ses-
sions. The missionaries and secre-
taries had arrived on the early morning
train from Sioux Falls. Their sleeper
was a perfect refrigerator, having had
no heat for two days on account of
frozen or broken pipes, and most of
the gentlemen preferred to spend the
night in the warmer day coach and went
to bed Immediately upon getting to the
.Saulpaugh. They spoke in highest terms
of Mankato's hotel facilities, being ''the
best since leaving Omaha" and of Man.
kato's natural beauties, cleanliness, etc.
The afternoon session began at 2:30
with a devotional service led by Rev. w.
II. Staughton of Window. DIR. Frank
Peterson, district secretary of the Mis-
sionary union, presided, and gave brief
address on prayer, pointing out that the
purpose of prayer is to draw people
closer to God and not God closer to the
people. Christ's prayer in Gethsemane
Strengthened him for the crucifiXion or
deal on Calvary. John G. Paton's pas
sionate pleading in the New Hebrides
coupled with very earnest work, trans
formed the natives. He cited an example
of Paton's digging of a well, for the
natives used rain water only and all
wells had only given salt water; and as
he had it dug he prayed, and finally
came the first sweet water Oh the island
and the natives shouted in uncontrolla-
bic excitement: "Water, water, sweet
water." 1t helped him to give the wa
ter of life. He cited conspicuous eX-
ample of answer to prayer out of his
own experience, showing that God hears
us when we are in downright earnest.
est believers in each church, they would
open the way for the Spirit of God to
use them with marvellous effect.
Rev. j. c. Curry of Kasota then led
in prayer. Mr.. Ernest Fagenstrom fol-
lowed with an address on 'The Impor-
lance of Missionary Training in the
Sunday School and Young Peoples So
cieties." We do not need more money or
more men in missions today so much as
more enthusiasm, interest and education.
The rank and file of the churches are as
ignorant of missions as HOttentOt is of
"White House" diplomacy. Missions are
the continued ''acts of the apostles"
and should be studied in the Sunday
school as such. Patton and Carey were
as truly apostles as Peter and Paul. The
pupil should know what is going on in
the kingdom of Christ today. The map
of missions is the map of the world.
Why teach missions in Sunday school
today?
First. They prove the truth of Gods
promises.
Second. They are wildly impressed on
young minds.
Third. Their study transforms life.
How teach missions in Sunday school ?
First. Place it in curriculum.
Second. Use missionary illustrations
published.
Third. Alternate mission lesson with
temperance lesson.
Fourth. Furnish text books on mis-.
sions and have classes take turns in
studying them.
Fifth Best way is to give year to
the study of missions in each depart.
ment of the Sunday school.
Sixth. Missionary library is indispen.
sable
Then Rev. c. A. Sahlquist of West
China was introduced and spoke about
that field. Just hundred years ago
today, Jan. 81, 1907, DR.. Morrison left
England to do Christian work in China
The East India company and the Chin
csc merchants were opposed to him. He
had to stop on some small island OF
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