The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-10-24
MISSIONARY WORK IS NOT
PROPERLY WOMAN'S SPHERE
business Element Enters Into Propo-
sitiOn and Good Judgment
Required.

Missions are work for men. Ex-
pressed in the terms most common
among the business" element of the
country. the missionary proposition
as it exists today is one that calls for
the best powers of the ripest mascu-
line Judgment" This is the eonclus-
ion of William T. Ellis. the Philadel-
phia journalist, whose recent tour of
the missionary world of the East was
from time to time reported in the
Literary Digest. Reviewing the i'm
pressions derived from this investiga-
ton, Mr. Ellis declares Tin the
Chicago Interior) that he is more
than ever a believer in foreign mis-
sions, although my understanding of
the enterprise has radically altered. +"
Without depreciating the work hither-
TO contributed by women, he AYERS
that this is no work for the eXclus-
i've interest of women and children
the time has come for men to come
to their own" We read:
Here is a Geld for the exercise of
the largest abilities possessed by the
ablest men of Christendom, and the
nature of the situation at present Is
that if the men of the churches do not
enter into their proper inheritance,
the biggest task to which they could
lay their hands will languish and
they themselves will miss the oppor-
tunity of ages.
up to the present, foreign mission
work has been a mere reconnaissance
In force, and not war. One of the
hurtful delusions of the home
churches concerning foreign missions
Ia delusion sometimes fostered by
Unbalanced reports from the field
Is that the whole heather world is on
the verge of conversion to Christian
ity. One of the commonest figures
OF missionary oratory represents the
nations as crowding into the church.
Now, the unwelcome fact is that
| heathendom as whole has scarcely
ben budged by missions. Great as
have been the missionary triumphs
| in spots, the whole mass has hardly
been touched by the Christian teach
ings. Even enlightened Japan, which
many persons believe to have become
almost Christianized, is still rankly
heather, except for small percent
age of the population which only the
mind of faith can invest with con-
quering power.
Now this big task calls for a large
measure. The brains which have
created the vast commercial enter
prises of the twentieth century musi
attack this work with equal adequate
ness. This undertaking is too great
to be maintained on q basis of pretty
pathetic or heroic stories, adapted tC
arouse the interest and sympathy OF
women and children. Unless it be es
tabished on a firm basis of principle
and purpose, by men who have the
vision and courage and resourceful
ness to plan tremendously and per
sist unfalteringly, the missionary
work that the conditions imperative
ly demand can not be successfully
accomplished.
"Only men can give the mission:
the supervision they require. A:
there is a phenomenal drawing to
gether of denominations bodies OF
the mission fields, with a breakin.
down of lines of division that mus
gladden. the heart of every one wht
is distressed by any kind of WASTED
force and hurtful friction, so there
is bound to come in the home land.
a coordination of missionary agen
cies that will far exceed the friendly
cooperation already existing.
"At present the real activity is too
far separated from authority and re
sponsibility; the boards are too re
mote from the fields. Different tai
ents must be utilized for differen
work; more discriminating employ
ment of missionary workers, and F.;
more diverse. is suggested by an ex
animation of the. work. Most mis-
sionaries are qualified for their posi-
lions; some are not. A careful
winnowing process will be maintained
by closer, more businesslike over
sight.
''The missionary body as a whole il
too worthy to be made to suffer fol
the shortcomings of the few. Tht
professions at home may have the
ordinary proportion of effective ant
ineffective men; not so with thu
picked missionary force. Even the
commonplace are not fit for this ser
vice; only the excellent can suffice
This great work must be great,
manned, as well as greatly admin
istered and greatly supported