The Washington herald., 1909-10-30

/ fayorite missionary phrase, beQueathed
by the King James version, and tinged
with the romance and mystery Of re-
mote and strange peoples. and of adven-
ture among them. While the Gospel has
been carried 20 many islands. the South
Sea islands are commonly meant when
the island mission field is mentioned. OF
course, the always interesting story OF
the first missionaries to Britain and Ire
land is appropriate under this topic. and
its telling viii link the Christianity of
North America to-day with the form Of
evangelization which this meeting is con-
sidering.
II the Gospel cannot make the worst
Ike the best. then its powers are less
than it claims.
The story has often been told OF the
sea captain visiting the Fiji Islands who
was railing against missionaries in the
presence Of native chief The latter
quietly led the noisy critic 10 a spot
Where was great fireplace fallen into
olsrepair. Pointing 20 IL, he said:
II you had come here d few years
ago. before the missionary arrived. you
would have been killed by my people,
cooked IN that fireplace, and then eaten.
lou nave only the missionary to thank
that you are able to leave this island"
The great naturalist, Charles Darwin.
thus testified out Of his own experience IN
the South Sea islands: "The lesson Of
the missionary Is the enchanter's wand.
The march OF Improvement consequent
on the introduction OF Christianity
throughout the South Sea probably stands
oy Itself in the records Of history"
The co-discoverer OF the law OF evolu-
ton. along with Darwin. Alfred Russell
Wallace, shared the opinion Of Darwin
with respect to missions. lie said: .sTbe
missionaries have much 70 be proud OF in
lhls country (the South Sea IsIands).
Ihey have assisted the government in
changing a savage into a civilized com
nInlty IN a wonderfully short space of
time. Forty years ago the country was
wilderness, tAe people naked savaCes.
Sarnishing their rude houses with human
heads. Now 1t is a garden. worthy OF its
sweet name Of 'Minahata'
Robert Louis Stevenson lived 3, the
south Sea Islands, with all the careful
ness Of trained literary worker. and out
OF the fullness Of actual personal ex-
perlence he wrote this deliberate opipion
had conceived great prejudice against
iil-ssIoIis IN the South Seas, and had no
sooner come there than that prejudice
was at hrst reduced. and then at last
ahnlnllated. Those who deblattara+a
against missions have only one thin, IN
90, 10 come and see them on the snot
Ihey viii see great deal of good done
and i believe. If they be honest persons
Ihcy VIII cease 10 complain OF mission
work and its effects"
The story OF missions in the South Sea
Islands IS continuous tale Of adventure
A heart-sickening number Of tn. mission
aries, early and late, have been killed and
eaten only few weeks ago, the can
tain or the new Hiram Bingham the
gospel ship sent out by the American
Board died Of starvation and exposure
when his vessel was wrecked There Is
no more dramatic book for young or old
than the Life OF John c. Patton" The
apostle to the New Hebrides."
When looked into the face Of John G. |
Patton. OF the New Hebrides. I thought OF
the face OF Moses when he came down
from the Mount For the very texture OF
the missionary's skin seemed inwrought
with peculiar fneness and luminous
ness. a long life of Christly service had
so spiritualized the material man that
his face shone."
The Great-Heart Of New Guinea" as
Stevenson called James Chalmers. lived a I
big, vigOrOu life that went deep and
reached few years ago he was
slain by n, natives Of a tribe whom he /
was visit for the first time with the /.
Gospel.
Joh. T-illiams. and the other martyrs. |
VIII lied great lives and won glorious /
dean in bearing tho cross TO the Islands /
have a share in all the successes Of the |
Gospel that now make radiant those /
places once dark.
It is only because Hawaii was q mis- /
5ion-made land that It could be taken IN
10 the Federal Union Of States and Terri /
tories.
Massachusetts sent missionaries 70
Hawaii; to-day a Hawaiian is preaching
n one Of the decadent Massachusetts
towns Such are the dramatic conse-
luences OF missions: the Gospel sent
,orth as salvation returns TO the sender
n service.