The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-03-20
The New War CorresDondeDee

| curse the race.
The New War Correspondence.
Ierse comments upon the Christian Endeavor Topic
for March 2. Great Missionary Books. Home and
Foreign" Isa.. Xii $Z
The spirit Of the times IS increasingly
favorable to international peace, but the
| sense Of obligation TO wage war upon all
the forces that make for human hurt is
growing by leaps and bounds. The great
conflicts OF our time are between science
and disease, between a new spirit OF al
truism and unforward social conditions,
between truth and error in all depart
ments Of human life So the new war
correspondent OF the better day that IS
dawning Is he who chronicles the VIC
tories Of light over darkness, good over
evil. progress over reaction, brotherli-
ness over selhshness. Il is not a too
violent stretching OF the figure 10 say
that the wealth OF missionary literature
which our day is producing is the mod
ern war correspondence. II records the
victories Of the forces OF the kingdom OF
heaven over the opposite legions OF evil
good book must mirror real life:
! a "gOOdy-goOdy" book IS such because
It treats Of unrealities.
! II is perhaps not a matter OF common
knowledge that the first modern books
given 10 any OF the war-Christian
nations are almost invariably written by
missionaries. These are, in a sense. the
| greatest missionary books. even though
the missionary supporters cannot read
them and do not usually know about
/ them. The grammars and dictionaries
in China. Japan, and India were first
produced by missionaries. The earliest
unless upon modern science. were from
the same pens. II is no eXaggeration 70
/ say that It was the missionary who first
! unlocked the treasures Of modern knowl-
| edge IN the non-Christian world.
II should be remembered. in connec-
ton with any consideration of mission
airy literature. that the Language Of most
savage people have been reduced 10 writ
ing by the pioneer gospel messengers.
One day l met at the train a frie0d
from Africa As I took his travelling
bag, he remarked, Il have in that bag all
that exists in writing OF the language OF
two million people" Yet that man was
only thirty years old. What a mans
work he had wrOught-to liberate 10 a
nation all the treasures Of written
| speech
Missionary books are complex. contain
! ing as they do biography. history, explora-
ton, adventure. and religion. The best
missionary books are biographical They
are the record Of great lives. The world
is richer in inspiration and idealism. as
well as In knowledge, because OF the men
Ike Livingstone and Mackay, Carey and
Duff, Chalmers and Patteson, Elliot and
Whitman, Morrison and Hudson Taylor.
Not all the great missionaries are dead.
either. There are a host Of men and
women, many OF whom I have met per-
sonally on their fields, whose lives are as
| beautiful and noble and romantic as
many that have been chrOnicled IN
books. Contemporary missionary litera-
ture should deal more fully with The per-
sonality Of these representatives Of Chris
/ tianity in the mission field. Why should
we wait until they are dead before let
ting the world share the power OF their
personality?
Stanley's Through Darkest Africa"
written many years ago. still ranks as
great book Of permanent value. It is not
designed primarily as a missionary work.
yet its picture OF Livingstoae's character
is profoundly impressive. For there in
the heart OF Africa the life of the mis-
sionary made a Christian OF the traveller
and journalist.
Whenever a fair-minded person comes
to know missions thoroughly. either by
personal observation or through books, he
is certain TO become a believer therein.
While an immense amount OF mission
airy literature has been poured forth by
the publishing houses OF late years. there
are several departments of this field as
yet comparatively unoccupied One is
good missionary fiction. Few first-class
writer's have used this wealth Of mate
rial. The romance of missions Is yet to
be presented in the guise Of fiction.
The inspired lover IS the book that in
spires. That literature Will live which
begets life in its readers. Missionary
books have had rare power In gripping
the deepest sentiments OF men and worn-
en-. They have made missionaries by the
hundred, and they have erected the
standard of vicarious living IN unnum-
bered breasts.
OF all the great missionary books. first
place must. Of course. be given to the
Bible. It Is responsible for the mission
airy enterprise. In its pages are found
the missionary motive. the missionary
message. the missionary method, and the