The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-25

The Natton's Big Problem.

The Nations Big Problem.
Te55s Comments on Topic for Jan. 20:
Denominations: A Survey" Isa-
Bs:1-1A.
By WILLIAM z. ELLIS
National indigestion Is as great
peril OF the state as of the individual.
The acuteness of the immigration
question is awakening many Indifferent
persons to the Importance of home
missions. For next to the public
schools. there is no agency so impor-
tant as the church in the assimilation
OF our alien population.
Even Il a man Is personally indiffer-
0at to the claims Of the church. he will
admit. In his serious moments, that the
pillars OF patriotism. the pillars of So
ctety and the pillars of good govern
ment, are founded In religion
However enthusiastically one may
halieve in foreign missions, he oan not
help believing, with even greater
erdor In home missions. For the
logic Of circumstances, as well as the
teaching of Scripture. make a person
primarily responsible for the duty
nearest him. He who does not care
for hts own Is characterised by Holy
Writ IS worse than an infldel. In
Gods vocabulary there are no such
words as home missions" and "for-
AiEn MISSIONS" to his way of thinking
sstho deld is the world" Therefore,
Poth naturally. and because evangel-
i1ation. according to the divine pro
Eramma, the nearest duty Is the first.
The earliest disciples first sought tn cir
own brothers. Jesus began to preach
IN hiA home town;
The light that shines farthest,
shines brightest at home" II it is not
shining at home 1t assursdly Is not
SHINING AfAr'
Missions, like charity. should begin
a homes and, still like charity, they
cease to deserve their name If they
end there.
Canada ana the Omitted States are
unique In their immigration problem
They have room for newcomers. They
need newcomers. of the right sort, AMI
they want them. They have grear
material Advantages to offer the ad-
the old world and embarks hither.
Greater tar than the material advant-
ages are thu spiritual Here is to be
found liberty. Justice, and equality OF
opportunity. The western world is the
golden land Of opportunity for the am
htttoua- That Is why immigration
htther Is great and growing, SO that
N en1S respect other lands to which
immigration flows can scarcely be
classed with North America. All of
these facts lay a peculiar burden of
responsibility upon the Christian pa
tr1ots OF the new land. who are In q
special sense the custodians of the
Ideals which have stamped themselves
upon this land OF promise. The days
cau Is for steady, farsighted effort on
tho part Of the churches of the coun-
try. Their solemn duty is the evan
doors
Amos R. Wells keenly says, Home
missions are a form of national hospi-
1antJ; These foreigners are our guests"
Wnich suggests several considerations
The laws Of hospitality bind us to Sc
cure moro courteous treatment for our
guests Plain words need to be spoken
from high quarters concerning the con-
oIucns under which the railroads COM
pei the immigrants to travel The COM
monty contenptuous attitude of public
officials toward these citizens in embryo
should be sternly rebuked. The man
ner In which the ignorance of these
people Ia preyed upon by a variety OF
grafters call for the exercise of mill
tant good citizenship on the part of
deceut people Whatever would be
wrong for anybody to do to the best
educated and wealthiest people OF the
hand, Is wrong when done to the ignor-
ant immigrant.
a common saying has 1t that the cas-
Hest way to DO foreign mission work is
ny giving the gospel to the foreigners
In America Nobody should take this
TOO seriously. Undoubtedly evangeIiz-
alton OF our own alien population pro-
notes the spread Of the gospel in the
lands from which these people come.
But the place to do the great work of
foreign missions is In foreign lands.
There Is no need Of this argument for
home missions; the latter work should
DO done first, for the sake of the per-
sons directly reached; second, for the
sake OF Chrfsts command; third. for
the sake OF the country which Is their
new home; and fourth, for the sake of
the Church itself. which needs the
power that comes only from obedience
to the divine command.
Ina question Of race oan be solved
only by the certainty OF grace.
a million Immigrants!
4 million epportunitiesI
a million obIgationsi
Josiah Strong,
a~
ExOept the immigration question be
2ccspfed as a mission by the Church,
IL Win be menace to the country.
-
The conversion OF the world Is
bound ND with the national character
OF professeHy Christian lands.-Her
bert Anderson
These are the brave days when men
and women are insisting upon know
ing actual conditions. and then are
unflinch1ngly facing them. This por-
tends great changes In religious as
well as civic and commercial life. It
means, as many signs already int1i-
cate, that the great company of texel-
headed. unbigoted church members
are growing impatient Of sectarianism
and intolerance In home mission work,
The way some OF the small towns in
the United States ar uver-churched
by the various denominations is not
only an economic outrage but 1t Is