Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-12
Chairman White Discusses
the Needs of the Movement

A great audience in Continental Me-
mortal Hall last night listened to stirring
addresses by j. Campbell White OF New
York. chairman Of the movement; DR..
Wilfred T. Grenfell, missionary Of the
coast of Labrador. and Silas McBee.
editor OF the Churchman. Much enthu-
siasm was shown. and when Mr.. White
in his address called attention TO the fact
that every month this country exports
$50 OOO.OOO of merchandise. but takes one
year to export $lO.OOGOOO for missions.
the determination was on the faces of
those who heard him to do all in their
power to see that the amount this year
Is largely increased.
IF the churches Of America" he said,
can be led to increase their gifts to mis-
sionary work abroad until II is equal to
one fOurth of what they now spend for
religious purposes in this country, We can
probably make the message of Christ
known to SOC, 600 of non-Christians be-
fore the middle of this century. Money is
not the only condition Of evangelizing the
world. but II is an essential condition.
And just now IL is the point OF greatest
weakness. In addition to needing money
enough for the work. we also need work
ers enough to go, and we neeo the power
of God in which to do the work. But the
workers are offering to go faster than
the money has Sbeen available to send
them, and the power Of God is always
available to those who obey and trust
Him.
World Evangelization.
THE missionary leaders of all fields be-
lieve that 1t is now possible to evangelize
the whole world in our generation. We
do not mean by this that every one will
become a Christian. but that an adequate
opportunity to become a Christian should
be afforded to every person.
This is the only generation we can
| reach. 1t is also our only opportunity to
obey the great commission to give the
gospel to every creature
Americas share of the non-Christian
world Is about six hundred millions. There
| occupied by American missionaries. But
about 450OOO.0O0 of these are beyond the
reach Of our present missionary force. At
present each American missionary has a
parish Of about 100000 souls. Such a
| field is big enough for four missionaries.
II We can quadruple our present force
and provide them with adequate equip
| ment, 1t is believed that we can over
take the stupendous task. Even II you
eliminate one-half of our present church
members as either too poor or too indif-
ferent to do anything for this work. it
would only require one out OF 400 of the
balance to go az missionaries. The only
other question is. Could the 800 who stay
I'VE spend over $3.50. 100000 a year for
religious purposes In this country. One
fourth, or perhaps even one-fifth, Of such
an amount would support an adequate
$50, 900. 600 to $6O.OOO.OOO a year. however.
to foreign missions. we give less than
ten millions year, or less than 4 per
cent of what we spend for Christian work
at home.
The Two Essentials.
1.-The two things needed are intelligence
and business method. The city of Toronto
has increased its missionary offerings
from $4,000 to 100000 within a little
more than a year by the laymen of all
churches taking hold as advocates and
| organizers. The Southern Presbyterian
Church has increased its missionary Of
ferings in three years from $223,OOO to
$4,000 per year.
There are at least FIVE different units
that can be dealt with in this missionary
propaganda: O The individual, (2D the
| congregation. co the denomination, "a
| the city or community and 80 the nation.
Until the laymen's movement was or
ganized the first three of these were the
| only units dealt with. But the expert
| ence of the past three years proves that
the city and the nation are in some ways
| the most important units In this problem.
ut Is easier for an individual to do his
part when his congregation is trying to
| do it's whole duty. 1t is easiest for a
congregation to do its part when the
gether. 1t is easiest for any city to do
| its part when the cities Of the whole ma
ton are lining up for serious business.
within the next six months we hope
| to see the seventy-five leading cities of
America adopt a worthy missionary pol
| icy and put it into immediate operation
| in their churches. II this is done II will
shake the nation. II this nation moves.
| it will move Christendom. And when
Christendom moves 1t will shake the
| world
The Important Factor.
ability Of missionary work. said DR..
Grenfell, whose work is known wherever
the cause Of missions are being carried
| forward. IF Chrst's gospel he con-
| tinued. lis good for Washington, 1t is
good for every latitude and every longi-
tude. Much more important than the
work itself Is our ability to do it,
Gen. John w. Foster, who presided over
| the session. introduced as the closing
was assigned the theme, 1.-The Law OF the
Family of God"
Il am going to talk about the family
of God" he said. land 1 want you to
| realize with me that that word Is true
which SO many Of the poets have endeav-
| ored to make real to us, and no one has
described 1t more SUCCESSFULLY or in more
graceful verse than Tennyson, when he
| said our family life is lent us for a time
to make known to US the family life Of
God.
There is perhaps not man before me
but has known somewhat in some phase
| of his family life the sweetness and the
| joy and that strengthening power that
makes life possible with cheerful con-
fidence. Perhaps there is no one here
who has not known what it is to suffer,
not only for his own sins. but for those OF
others, and IN that we partake somewhat
of the great sufferings OF Christ for those
He loved better than Himself"
Yesterday Afternoons Session.
At the session yesterday afternoon in
the New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church Commissioner Mcfarland presid-
ed. Lieut.. Col e. ". Halford of the army
smoke on Men and Missions" and made
a strong plea for more liberal giving for
the cause.
1.-THE laymen's missionary movement
and the mission boards was the subject
of Samuel B. Capen of Boston, president
of the American board of commissioners
for foreign missions.
William Jay Schiefflin and Robert K.
Speer, both of New York. also made
short addresses on the work.
Rally at Wesley Church.
The first appearance Of John r. Mott