The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1908-10-28
CHRISTIAN MISSIONS
AND CIVILIZATION
New York City, April, 1908, by
the Hon. William III. Taft.

l have known good many people
that were opposed to foreign mis-
sions. j have known a good many
regular attendants at church, con-
sistent members, perhaps, that relig
iously, IL you choose to use that term,
refused to contribute to foreign mis-
sions. Now, / confess that there
was time when | was enjoying
Snug provincialism that I hope has
left me now, when | rather sympa-
thized with that view. Until l went
to the Orient, until there were thrown
on me the responsibilities with ref
erence to the extension of civilization
in those far distant lands, l did not
realize the immense Importance Of
foreign missions. The truth is we
have got to wake up in this coun-
try. We are not all there Is in the
world. There are lots besides us, and
there are lots of people besides us
that are entitled to our effort and our
money and our sacrifice to help them
on in the world. No man can study
the movement of modern civilization
from an utterly impartial standpoint
and not realize that Christianity and
the spirit of Christianity is the only
basis for the hope of modern civiliza-
tion and the growth of popular self
government The spirit of Christian
ity Is pure democracy. 1t is the
equality of man before God, the
equality of man before the law, which
is, as l understand it, the most God
like manifestation that man has been
able to make. Now, am not here to
| speak of foreign missions from a
purely religious standpoint. l am
here to speak Of it from the stand
point of political, governmental ad-
vancement, the advancement of mod
ern civilization. And think | have
had some opportunity to know how
dependent we are on the spread of
Christianity in any hope that we may
have of uplifting the peoples whom
! Providence has thrust upon us for
our guidance.
Religion and Political Government
am talking practical facts about
tho effect of religion on the political
government, and / know what l an
talking about. ! did not realize until
I went into the Orient the variety OF
things that foreign missions accom-
pllsh. The missionaries have reached
the conclusion that in order to make
man a good Christian, you have
got to make him useful in a commun
ity and teach him something to de
and give him some sense and intelli
gence.
So, connected with every successful
foreign mission Is a school. Ordi
narily an industrial school. Alst
they teach the native that cleanliness
is next to Godliness and that on,
business of his is to keep himsel
healthy, and so in connection will
every good foreign mission they hav
hospitals and doctors. And. there
fore, the mission makes a nucleus o
modern civilization, with schools
church. In that way, having edu
Gated the native, having taught hin
how to live, then they are able to b
sure that they have made him a con
sistent Christian.
: China Headed Right.
Every foreign mission in China
nucleus of modern civilization
Now China is in q great state of tran
sition. China is looking forward t
) progress. China is to be guided b
; whom? 1t is to be guided by tn
! young Christian students and schol
c ars that either learn English or som
foreign language at home or are sen
! abroad 10 De instructed, ana Wn
e come back and whose words are liz
r tened to by those who exercise infiu
;. ence at the head of the Governmen
: Therefore 1t is that these frontie
c posts of civilization are so much nor
Important than the mere numerict
count of converts seems, to max
o them.
i speak from the standpoint OF pc
4 litical civilization In such n countr
d as China. They have. | think, 300
missionaries in China Tho mum bt