Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-05-18

For Sunday Reading. |
Missionary Shortcomings in Chin,
An sores q Opinions.

L y
The tour of mission fields undertaken
| by Mr.. William T. Ellis to ascertain
the truth about missions" from lay
mans point of view has SO far resulted
favorably for the missionary cause. His
papers printed in the New York Trib-
une have been quoted from occasionally
by us. The letter printed in the Trib-
une March "a, tho dealing with we'll
meant criticism" ends with the re-
Election that whatever it's shortcom-
ings, the missionary work done by the
great denominations still seems to be
most rational, and established on a per-
manent basis" Tien-Tsin and Shang-
hal in China are, however, places where
antimissionary sentiment may be heard
expressed most frequently in China.
This is based. the writer shows. in some
instances on specific cases of graft on
the part Of missionaries. The individ-
uals against whom such charges are
made have been repudiated by the mis-
sionary body, however, tho the body
still suffer from the onus OF the short
comings of those who are still called
missionaries" tho they have drifted
into other occupations. The policy OF
the genuine missionaries in maintaining
silence about their unworthy brethren
is thus criticized.
The wiser way would be for the
missionaries openly Ito disavow re-
sponsibility for the course Of all except
bona fide members Of established mis-
isions, and Hospitality to meet the honest
criticism with frank explanations and
with respect for the motives of the
critics, instead OF maintaining an atti-
tude of silence, seclusion, and self
sufficiency. In the matter OF the gulf
that exists between the foreign COM
munity and the missionaries, the latter
appear to be more blameworthy than
the former. for it Is their business to-
be friendly with all men and to guard
the good reputation of their work Yet
In truth they, sometimes seem the more
censorious of the two
Has New England Theology Perished 2?
The collapse of great theology, if
1t has occurred, must be an event to
cause more than a ripple In theolog-
ical currents. This is what Frank
Hugh Foster, ID. D., in his "Genetic
History of New England Theology"
says has happened to that historic
formfof the Christian faith: school
Of thought that, he'declares, became
the dominating school in New England
Congregationalisln" and that denom-
sination took the initiative in the
greatest forward movements of Amer
lean Christianity in all Its formative
years. This and other facts show
how fully New England theology is a
world phenomenon
Nevertheless, according to this au-
thor. this theology that at one time
dominated American religious thought,
Is gone, to leave scarcely "a wrack be-
hind He says:
but nothing Is more remarkable
about it than its collapse. At the be-
ginning of the year 1880 it was in con-
troll of all the theological seminaries
of the Congregational denomination,
with possibly a single exception, and
Of some OF, the Presbyterian. At An-
dover, the chair Of theology was oc-
cupied by Park at Yale by Harris, at
Oberlil by Fairchild, at Chicago by
Boardman. Fifteen years later these
teachers had all been replaced. and in
no case by a man who could be con-
sidered as belonging to the New Eng
land school It had endured more than
one hundred and fifty years; 1t had
become dominant in a great ecclesias-
teal denomination; 1t had founded
every congregational seminary: and,
as it we're. in q night, it persisted from
of the face Of the earth"
lincnIn's Christianity.
Much interest has recently beer
evinced in the question as to whether
Lincoln could properly be called a
Christian. Dr. Lyman Abbott, whose
views we quoted in The Literary Di-
east Decembet %. defined his religious