The Washington herald., 1909-08-21
The Man Of Tomorrow.

ANlri clinlufht5 upon the Christian Endcarcr tOrc
Tor august 2. Home Missions: Our Cosmopolitan
Population" Luke XIII .2231
The increasing interf1ow Of travel and
immigration among the nations has
broken down many insular preiudices.
Whole races are coming 70 a clearer uu-
derstanding of one another Commercial
ly and socially. each IS busy IN selecting
and adapting the best OF the others prod
ucts. And on the Western continent the
very peoples themselves are mingIng and
merging. so that what ethologists char
aeteriZe as new racial type IS develop
ing. Ignoring the line that divides Cana
da from the States, they call this emers-
ing WesteTner. this child OF varied an
cestry. the American" Blended In him
are the best OF the characteristics Of
the older peoples. He has new traits for
the new times. The coming man Is our
homegrown cosmopolitan.
There is an unfortunate tendency 10
lump all immigration and 10 label il as
undesirable. Some demagogues speak as
II the immigrant TO these shores were an
intruder. In sober truth. this is a land Of
immigrants. They were its founders and.
in many respects. they are stin its
strength The persons who are wide
awake too the meaning Of current events
have not failed 70 observe the frequency
with which children OF newly arrived
aliens carry of public school honors.
The latent powers Of slumbering genera
uons spring into flower IN the favorable
American atmosphere. Foreign-b born resi-
dents are forging to the front in many
lines Of activity. That is well-so long
as they are thoroughly nationalized and
Christianized. so that the essential ideals
of this new land be preserved. This work
OF naturalization and Christlanization is
what we call home missions.
Every immigrant IS a possible national
asset.
The cardinal ideals Of the nation are
frequently more precious to the man Just
landed az Ellis Island than 20 the man
whose ancestors came over in the May
flower.
This North American continent may
become, or even now be, Gods laboratory. !
for the solution for some Of the old prob |
lens Of all the nations
There are aspects Of the new trend in
this Western world toward federated
Christian activity which are yet un-
suspected by most persons The recent
convention Of the Federation Of Churches
showed how strongly the leaders OF
Christian thought and work have been
gripped by the Importance Of the relig- |
ious side Of the immigrant question. There !
was then manifest a determination 10
sink all denominational differences in a /
united effort 70 show the best side OF
the national life TO newcomers into our
midst The reception OF immigrants the
cosmopolitan city population. the foreign |
born communities at industrial centers, |
and the smaller colonies OF aliens in rural /
parts, were all discussed as urgent op- /
portunities for the most brotherly and /
diligent Christian service. All unknown /
70 himself the stranger within the 4
gates" is helping his hosts 70 a realiza- /
ton Of their highest responsibilities.
Somebody has made the point that an |
easy. practical, and immediate form OF
Christian and patriotic service too the
cosmopolitan population Is to be learn
how to say How do you do?" In the Ian
guage Of the nearest foreign settlement.
If the new world means nothing more
to an immigrant than a chance 10 grow
rich, then. for the nations sake he
would better have remained abroad.
Whatever be his motive, however Il Is
the business Of the churches TO help in
spire him with the ideals that are con-
sidered consistent with the genius OF this
land
All sorts Of human harpies prey upon
the ignorant and unsophistlcated immi-
grant. Transportation companies treat
him with a lack Of consid eration-and at
times with a rank injustlce-which a
citizen of the country would not endure.
Organized religion has done we'll to place
at the principal places the friendly Offices
Of hospitality and Christianity to the
stranger in a strange land.
The progress Of immigration shows GER
tain broad developments. The tendency
now is toward an influx Of foreigners who
are least sympathetic with our historic
national standards. When immigration
brought chiefly English-speaIxing peoples
Of our own faith the problem Of assimila-
ton was less serious. Now the Anglo
Saxons. Celts. and Teutons are being
superseded by Latins, Semitics, and OrI-
entails, who are more difficult to fncorpo-
rate into the national life This should
not deter the forces which make for ma
donal unity and Christian ideallsm. but
rather serve as an incentive 10 them.
me consideration Of self-interest is add
7d. II they are not amalgamated into
our life they viii disintegrate It. If they
10 h Al