The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1908-01-31

the worlds religious interest, home
ward bound, look back over nearly
a years investigation of Christian
missions in the orient for a final re-
view and summary. What 10 the con-
clusion of the whole matter? Are for
eign missions worth while?
The answer must be in the afflrma-
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 we'll as the more general,
though none the less unmistakable
influence welded in behalf of civiliza-
ton, and 1t will be seen that the mis-
sionary agencies which the churches
of Christendom maintain at an annual
expenditure of many millions of dol
lars Is one of the tremendous twen-
tieth century forces making for the
worlds progress.
Without simplifying this point,
which has surely been made plain in
the preceding articles, let me suggest
some general considerations and criti-
cisms which appear to be important
enough to deserve the attention of the
general public, as we'll as of that
large constituency especially interest
ed in missions.
Where Churches Should Get Together.
l know of no other undertaking any.
where at all approaching this one in
magnitude which is managed in such
a helter-skelter, disorganized fashion,
or on such an unbusinesslike 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.
stttuency he or it can be sure of
plenty of funds and free field to 20
where 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
help-yourself fashion in which the de-
nominations work. Only in the more
recent fields has there been an appor-
t1onment of territory among the
churches, although everywhere the
need for this is so urgent that Tie III lei:
nominations are now recognizing and
yielding to.it. Plainly, there Is no suf-
f1cient 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
mot the perpetuatfOn and extension Of
UNCONVENTIONAL names, creeds and au.
thority upon the mission field: The
present arrangement is expensive, d.
visive and hindrance to the end
sought. What sense or reason is there,
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 500 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.
. eusinessIike 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 could
all be done by one unordained bust
ness man does not appeal to the way
farer. Neither does the zeal for
planting new work in these outposts
Gotten in competition with native
.churches) where expenses are high.
est, difficulties greatest and results
vorable openings in the untouched in.
terror Most port cities, be it re-
marked, need subtraction rather
than an addition of missionaries.
A closer and more vigorous SUPER
vision of missions on the part of sen.
sible, courageous men of authority.
will result in the wedding out of the
occasional unfit missionary and In
remedying tactical blunders in the To-
cation of stations and in the character
Of the work.
Two other important services this
businesslike supervision would accom-:
plish: It would insure the sending of
sane, well-balanced and accurate re-
ports to the homeland. and 1T would
deal vigorously with the" criticisms
which are 80 common on the other
side of the globe that they constitute
serious. barrier to missionary sue
cess. Criticisms which are even part
" true should be frankly admitted,
and the evils remedied; those which
are not true should be boldly chal-
lenged and silenced.
The position can never be main
FAMED that missionaries are impecca.
BILE; and to answer careful, definite
criticisms, as some which have ap-
peared In this correspondence have
been answered, by the sweeping state.
ment that it is morally impossible
for q missionary to do wrong, is sim
Ply, to put missionary defense beyond
the pale Of consideration by thinking
men. In the one particular instance
where my criticism had been definite