The San Francisco call., 1908-04-03
PRAISES WORK OF
FOREIGN MISSIONS
]. Campbell White the Guest of
Prominent Oakland
Churchmen
General Secretary of Inter-
UNCONVENTIONAL Movement
Makes Telling Speech

OAKLAND. April AT a banquet
spread in the parlors of the First Meth
odist church nearly 250 churchmen
gathered tonight 10 welcome j. Camp
bell White, general secretary of the
interdenominational lsymen's mission
airy movement, and party Of ministers
and laymen who are touring the coun-
Try with him in the interests of for
eign missions. The banquet was the
initial feature Of conference of local
missionary forces which Will be con-
tinued tomorrow.
E. P. Flint, president of the Oakland
organization OF laymen, acted as toast
master After short addresses had been
delivered by Rev. George b. Snythe Of
Berkeley and z. p. Jones Of Minneap-
oils Secretary White was introduced.
The missionary enterprise Of. the
Christian church is the most successful
world movement in history" said
White, and Americas future. polit-
ically, commercially and religiously,
viii be influenced greatly by the part it
takes in missionary activity. The prog
ress Of foreign missions in recent years
IS strongly illustrated by the fact that
a short time ago the Chinese govern
ment published a brief history of
Christianity and an explanation of its
aims, which was designed TO destroy
the prejudice against missionaries that
has existed in China
MANY CONVERTS GAINED
Last year s22,46O, 600 was contrib
uted by the Christian churches OF the
world toward foreign missionary en-
terprises. OF this amount. IS per cent
was donated by the English speaking
nations. Thirteen thousand men and
unmarried women missionaries are sup
- f.-fa al clrra.
all the expenses Of the various churches
and educational institutions which are
being maintained. Every "A hours 400
new converts are added to Christianity
by the missionary movement In one
district OF India an investment of
$780, 000 made by Rev. DR.. Goucher of
the Baltimore Methodist Episcopal
church produced $4,000 converts to
Christianity. This represents an out
lay OF only 81 for each convert. At
present there are but 5000 ordained
ministers in the foreign missionary
fields and each missionary has proper
.ionately $4,000 people allotted to his
field IT is a significant fact that last
year Great Britain, with only half the
population Of fhe United States, con-
tributed twice as much money to the
foreign missions. There are many min
listers who are tending small psstorates
in the large cities Of the United States
who might find a far larger field of
usefulness If they were removed TO the
foreign missions"
After making a strong plea for in
creased contributions from the churches
Of Oakland and San Francisco, White
asked that a committee Of laymen be
appointed to fx what they consider
fair amount to be raised by the local
religious bodies during the ensuing
year. The representatives of the vari-
Gus churches viii be asked to pledge
themselves 10 raise their pro rata
share of this amount. The committee
viii make a report TO the conference
al the session tomorrow.
ORATOR OF GREAT POWER
J. Campbell White is one of the most
powerful pulpit orators in the United
states. His strong personality has
given zest TO the interdenominational
missionary movement until it has be-
come national in its scope interesting
and enlisting many thousands of lay
men in the evangelical churches
throughout the country. Tt is really
international, for the churches Of Great
Britain and Canada have taken UP the
cause. In their announcement Of the
purpose of this great religious awaken
ing the general committee said: The
ideal Of the movement is TO evangelize
the whole world in this generation
VAST CONTRIBUTIONS
Continuing. the committee declared:
The total contributions Of the entire Chris
ported il 1906, was $2I. $50, 600. OF this
amount Ss9Soo00 was given by the churches OF
tie same amount. $s,973. 900. was contributed
~ Great brirain All other countries
II The world is to be evangeiized in this
generation. az least s. per cent Of IL Will be ac
rompiished By agencies supported by Great
Britain and North America.
one missionary, either man or unmarried
woman, 10 every 3, GOO people TO be reached, is
the very lowest reasonable basis on which to
hope TO preach the gospel to every creature
10 make IL intelligible TO them All 10
supply the whole non-Christisn world at this
rate would require 10000 missionaries At
present there is total Of 1913 missionaries In
the held not counting missionary wives.
II every one OF the missionaries now in the
held succeeds during his lifetime in erangeIizing
an average Of $4,000 persons. the total number
REACHED would be 125.0OO. 600.
But aftef assigning 10 the present force Of
rlissi' aries this staggering burden OF respop
Fibilitg. there still remain 675 600 600 Of peo.
pie Ia the non Christian world unnrovfded Tor
Our problem is TO increase cur force Of mission
aries from about 1900 10 ~. 600 and our annual
offerings from about 50 600, GOO a year to S4O-
600 year Can we do its Let US look
Ef Il soberly for moment. We are now spend
ing $2l ,2sO.000 per year this enterprise 1t
slider that Il is the combined oeriness es ~ o9er e9e
l40, O00.VV0 Of Protestant Christians and that
4 Is for the dissemination oi Christian truth
only an average Of l5 cents a year.
PROMINENT LAHsIEN ACT
Prominent laymen took up the work
OF organizing the local evangelical body
a short time ago. A conference com
rnittee, composed OF the following
named from the bay cities. was formed:
George D. Gray. Harmon Bell, Robert L.
Stephenson. y. {. Mitchell. II. H. Gribben
pr. A. ;. Kelly. John Filius. r. II. Woodward
r.. Baker, {. y. Cornell, J. o. Davenport
A. L. Taylor. J. ". Richards J. B. Richard
son, William Clark. Z. H. Vance. George T.
1awiey. Warren Olney Jr.. a. Il. Oliver, e. n
Letter, Charles = Merritt. r. II Chamber
lain, Arthur Arlett. W. X. vIckery. W. S.
keyes, II. r. Dexter. ]. l. Barker C. f.
Bradley, George ", Scott, A. ". Naylor. J. ].
Jessups. J. II. Bohn. Or. T. p. Holmes
johnson. ". H. Groat. ". A. wann. owen
Hottie. Lester G. Burpee. o. 5. 0rrick, James
a. Johnson, George Miller. Z. I. Stratton,
b. D.; George y n Gray. ]. B. Forderer.
Dr. J. =. Clark, W. r. Mcclure. Fred ". Foss.
q. +. Lloyd W II. Barnes. Charles J. Bur