The Washington herald., 1908-01-27
PLEA FOR MISSIONS
Mr.. Bryan Defends Church
Work in the Orient.
BETTER THAN BATTLE SHIPS
Asserts influence of the United states
fR Far East Is Not Measured by
Size OF Navy, but by Number of
Ministers and Tenchers-HRd Op-
pOrtunity to study situation.


pOrtunity TO study situation.
The influence that the United States
exerts on the Orient is not measured by
the size Of our navy or the strength Of
our battle ships. but by the number Of
ministers and teachers who are goins 10
the East unnoticed. and spending their
lives that are unrecorded In our national
annals"
These were the words Of William J.
Bryan when he spoke at the First Pres
byterian Church. John Marshall place,
near d street northwest. yesterday morn.
ing.
Il venture TO say" continued Mr. Bryan
that our foreign missionaries are doing
more 10 advance the influence OF the
United States abroad than any army or
navy ever will do Love is greater than
force. Our love is the greatest force on
earth. Christianity rests on love. The
religion OF the Mohammedans rests on
force. and by the comparison Of the two
religions we appreciate the omnipotence
OF love"
Trip Around the World.
Mr. Bryan went on to say that in his
trip around the world he had an excel
lent chance to study the foreign missions
and the results OF their work, and as the
result Of the impression they made upon
him, he felt it his duty 10 say a word IN
1efs-eo % eo-afs~v r,,fssFo~e 7, aog-o 90
Mr Bryan took up the arguments he had
heard advanced against the foreign mis-
slons and answered them.
Some say the money donated tor the
advancement Of foreign mission work sub
tracts from the available means 20 DO
home mission work said Mr Bryan,
and therefore some do not support them.
say the money spent abroad on our mis-
sionaries does not diminish the contribu-
tions TO the home mission work Every
work in other lands has its reflex action,
which IS an equal If not a greater reac-
lion at home than abroad
Some say we have too much 10 do
here at home 20 bother about outsiders.
and that we cannot help in other lands
this can be applied 10 missions. IL can be
applied 20 life. In that case one Will
help any one else until he reaches per
fection. and as we never reach perfee-
ton, nothing helpful will be done abroad.
II we could not find preachers and teach
ers 10 send abroad to teach them il would
be worth while sending a Christian over
20 show them what the example OF God
Is and let them see how a true Christian
lives
Foreigners Get an Idea.
some say that the number OF converts
to Christianity TO each minister a year is
small. Il must be considered that those
who teach in foreign isnds have great
difficulties with which 90 contend. But
the foreigners in the colleges and schools
established by the missionaries get ideas
and conception OF the excellence OF a
Christian life.
The advancement of America is due
more 10 the principles OF the teachings
Of the Man OF Gslilee than anything else.
may say, however. that more than one
half OF the men Of this country OF ours
do not attend church This is putting II
conservatively, as the proportion is more
Ike two-thirds II il is thus at home.
naturally the progress abroad is slow.
Here everything tends 10 make people
90 10 church. while abroad everything
tends 10 keep people out OF church.
Some say the missionaries abroad
make atrOCiOus mistakes. We need not
be surprised II they do make mistakes.
So DO the ministers here at home make
mistakes. The mistakes the missionaries
make are not so numerous and great as
the mistakes made BY other Americans
who go abroad merely for the pleasure
the trip affords and 10 spend money
Those who so abroad for love. and help
Others giving themselves up TO accom-
plish this, are far more 10 be preferred
than those who go over TO give money
for their own benefit.
During the Boxer Trouble.
Some say no progress is being made
in the Eastern missions. In China. dur
ing the Boxer troubles. the yellow Chris
tian converts We're willing to risk their
lives for Christianity The missionaries
in China have taken such firm hold on
the yellow converts Of Christianity that
thousands of their pupils are willing 20
risk their lives for their white teachers
who brought them from the dark to the
light Many thousands Of these converts
We're put 10 death for their convictions.
Although our nation cannot boast that
the sun never sets on it's possessions. il
has the prouder distinction that the sun
never sets on American philanthropy The
bounds Of civilization are extending. and
in time these bounds Will meet. If we con-
tinue our work in the foreign fields we
will get the greatest credit We are
measured by the size and work of our
missions and the money sent TO encourage
them.
The people In foreign countries are
looking 10 us for something They are
looking TO US for advice instruction. and
example. We cannot measure the number
of churchgoers. In the foreign countries
the church members are few, but the
people touched by Christianity and its
influence are a larger people Education
in the Orient is much cheaper than at
home An old classmate Of mine tells me
that 1t costs him 1880 a year to send
each of his sons to Yale. In Pekin $50
viii not only educate student, but II will
clothe and feed him and pay for his books
and tuition
Have you ever tried 10 measure the
influence of one human life on the world,
or the effect of all these schools? The
faith OF Abraham strikes me when think
of it. 1t is wonderful that one man firm
in his faith should continue his teach
ings until to-day there are nearly 400. COO
900 people now worshiping one living
God.
Makes a Comparison.
Ones faith can be strengthened by the
comparison Of religions. Buddhism has
made no progress In 2,OOO years, except
where they borrow from Christianity.
The teachings of Confucius have made
no progress in 200 years, except where
they have been influenced by the teach
iDgS of Christianity These r11,p{fS ara