Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1908-02-06


missions in the orient for a final re-
view and summary. What is The con
clusion of the whole matter? Are FOR
cign missions worth while?
The answer must he in the aiiirma-
tive. Considered only from the stand
point of humanitarian and philan-
thropic service, the entire missionary
enterprise justifies its existence. Add
to these great works of healing, edu-
cation and care for the orphaned and
the needy the beneficial influence
which has been eXerted upon the
characters of thousands Of native con.
verts, as well as the more general,
though none the less unmistakabe
influence welded in behalf Of civiliza-
ton, and it will be seen that the mis-
sionary agencies which the churches
of Chrstendom maintain at an annual
expenditure of many millions of dol
lars is one Of the tremendous TWEEN
tieth century forces making for the
worlds progress.
Without simplifying this point,
which has surely been made plain in
INC llNNNhlhtS "a NlNl'e' i'N iilS obtot'Nob
some general considerations and criu-
cisms which appear to be important
enough to deserve the attention of the
general public, as well as of that
large constituency especially interest
ed In missions.
Where Churches Should Get Together.
know of no other undertaking any.
nj oil Il, l.,
magnitude which Is managed in such
a helter-skelter. disorganiZed fashion,
or on such an unbusnesSlike basis. |
do not here allude to the administra-
ton of the individual boards, but to
the propaganda as a whole Senti-
ment, mood and emotion, rather than
tested principle and careful judgment,
seem to be the foundation of most
missionary activity; if a man or a
body can display especial efficiency in
stirring the feelings of the home con
stituency he or it can be sure OF
plenty of funds and free field TO go
whore it will and do what it pleases
in the mission world. There is at pres.
ent no sufficient method of checking
up the work of foreign missions.
This sort of thing, and worse mis-
takes, are in good part due to the
helpyourself fashion in which the de-
nominations work. Only in the more
recent fields has there been an appor-
tionment of territory among the
churches, although everywhere the
need for this is so urgent that the de-
nominations are now recognizing and
yielding to it. Plainly there is no SUI.
ficient reason why the mission work
of the Protestant churches in heather
lands should not be done as one close
Incorporating body. The avowed aim
is the conversion of the people and
not the perpetuation and extension of
UNCONVENTIONAL names, creeds and au.
thority upon the mission field. The
present arrangement is expensive, di-
visive and hindrance to the end
sought. What sense or reason is there,
for instance, in establishing northern
and southern Presbyterian churches
in China, where the very existence of
America is nebulous matter to most
of the people and the fact of the civil
war is unknown to 999 persons out OF
every thousand? Left to themselves
the native Christians in the field
have visited would not be long in
forming one Christian church.
5usinessIike Methods Needed.
Pending the time of actual union
every possible form of cooperation
should be adopted. The commercial
sagacity of the method which keeps
half dozen expensive theologically
trained business agents in the same
port city to do the purely secular
work for separate boards which coulC
all be done by one unordained bust
ness man does not appeal to the way
farer. Neither does the zeal fol
planting new work in these OUTPOST!
(often in competition with native
churches) where expenses are high
est, difficulties greatest and result
fewest, when there are unlimited ia
Torable openings in the untouched in
terror. Most port cities, be it re
marked, need n subtraction rathe
than an addition Of missionaries.
A closer and more vigorous super
vision of missions on the part of ser
sible, courageous men of authority
will result in the wedding out of tn
occasional unfit missionary and i
remedying tactical blunders in the Il
cation of stations and in the characte
of the work.
Two other important services thi
businesslike supervision would accom-
plish: 1t would insure the sending q
sane, well-baanced and accurate r,
ports to the homeland, and it woul
deal vigorously with the criticism
which are so common on the othC
side OF the globe that they constitut
a serious barrier to missionary SUI
cess. Criticisms which are even par
ly true should be frankly admitte
and the evils remedied; those whc
aIe not true should be boldly cha
lenged and silenced,
The position can never be mai
tanned that missionaries are impecc
BILE; and to answer careful, defni