The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-10-29
CHRISTIAN MISSIONS
AND glMLIZAIloN
address Delivered at Carnegie Hal,
New York City, April, 1905, by >
tIle Hon. William HI Taft

= y 81
have known good many people
that were opposed to foreign mis-
aions. ] have known q. good many
regular attendants at church, con-
ststent members, perhaps, that reltg-
fousIy, IL you choose to use that term,
refused to contribute to foreign. M
! sions. Now, I confess that ehene
was time when was en5oytn&Sa
SNUG PROVING aIism that hope has
left me now, when rather sympa-
thized with that view Until went
to the Orient, until there were thrown
on me the responsibilities with ref
erence to the extension OF ctVtl1Zat1on
in those far distant lands / did not
realize the immense Importance OF
foreign missions. The truth is We
have got to wake up IN this coun-
We are not all there is tnizthe
world There are lots besides us, and
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 ana
the spirit of Christianity Is the only
basis for the hope of modern ctvtit8a-
ton 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 I understand It, the most Cod
like manifestation that man las been
able to make. Now, / am net here to
speak of foreign missions from q
purely religious standpoint lam
here to speak OF It from the stand
point of political. governmental adj
lVancement, the advancement OF mod
ern civilization. And I 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 poiit1caI
/ government, and Know what, am
I talking about. / did not realize until
/ I went into the Orient tho variety of
1 things that foreign missions accom-
] plish. The missionaries have reached
4 the conclusion that IN order to make
! a man good Christian, you have
| got to make him useful In a commun-
| Ity and teach him something to do
and give him some sense and tntellt-
i gence.
SO, connected with every successful
Il foreign mission Is a school. Ordi-
/ narfIy an Industrial school. Also
| they teach the native that cleanliness
/ is next to Goodness and that one
business OF his Is to keep himself
bhealthy, and so In connection with
i every good foreign mission they have
hospitals and doctors. And, there.
fore. the mission makes a nucleus of
4 modern civilization with schools,
4 teachers and physicians and the
i church. In that way, having edu-
i Gated the native, having taught him
/ how to live, then they are able to be
/ sure that they have made him con-
sistent Christian.
Il China Headed Right.
Every foreign mission in China Is
La nucleus of modern civilization.
4 Now China Is In a great state OF tran
4 sition. China Is looking forward to
Il progress. China is to be guided by
! whom? 1t IS to be guided by the
I Young Christian students and schol-
81 mrs that either learn Engliah or some
foreign language at home or are sent
4 abroad to be Instructed, and who
come back and whose words are lis
i tened to by those who exercise influ-
ence at the head OF the. GeYernment
Therefore IL Is that these frontier
bosts 81 civilization are 30 much more
important than the mere nimerfcai
count OF converts seems to make
. / speak from the standpoint OF po-
!, liticai civilization In such q country
az China. They have, think, 1000
fgIg, Tho Ya1TfTflIaT