The Washington herald., 1909-02-20
The New Firing Line.

Te-se ocmmsuts UI0n the CHRISTIAN BBdsaToT Topic
ior February z. "Hene Missions: Presenting Pio-
neers." Eccl-. Zi-l,&
Times change; the frontier that was
once the wsr-slogan Of the home mission
forces is fast disappearing. So rapid has
been the development Of the West and
Northwest in the United States and Cana
da that the pioneer preacher Of the type
which gave so many heroic figures 70 the
past generation IS becoming only a mem-
ory. That thin. red line Of heroes" Is 10
longer the firing line, for, 10, while the
battle diminishes IN the front, a new and
more powerful enemy 70 civilization and
Righteousness has arisen in the rear-the
icankering problems Of the congested u
ban centers. The home mission battle Of
to-day and tomorrow is to be fought in
the city.
Whoever helps keep flying the flag OF
lofty patriotism Is doing the work OF the
kingdom Of heaven.
While these lines are being printed and
read there Is under way in the Eastern
and Middle Western section Of the United
States a home mission campaign which
marks distinct epoch and advance in
methods Of religious work 4 big cam
paign~ has been Instituted. 10 cover a
score or more Of cities with great inter-
denominational meetings. Speakers Of na-
tiOnaI fame and representing all the Lead
ing churches VIII speak on the common
platform Of patriotism and sOcialized
Christianity. The aim is not directly 20
raise money. but rather TO educate the
churches 10 the imminence and impor-
tance Of the new home mission problem
In this work all the home mission boards
are united; the church IS presenting q
common front 70 the world
The teacher Of a Sunday school class OF
boys IS as truly home missionary as
the preacher who rides on horseback
across the prairies-
Mems conception Of missions has en-
larged OF late. We are willing 70 include
within the designation Of home missionary
many who once would have been consid-
cred outside the pale Of organized Chris
tianity There are social settlement work
ers. philanthropists, charity agents. news
paper writer's. teachers. lecturer. labor
union organizations. and a whole flying
troop Of free lanoes whose aim and work
IS essentially one with that OF the or
dained home missionary. Let Us honor
these. They are Ike xiplings Bell
Buoy. whom the poet contrasts with the
bells in the church steeple:
There Was never pTiest 10 TTsy
There vas never hand 70 toll
When they made guard Of the bay.
And moored NE over the ShoaL
I rock. I REL. and I roll
Ny four great hammers ply
Could I SPEAK OF Be Sin az the church's VII:
tShoal! Ware Shoalg Not I,
The lsndward marks have failed
The fog-bank glides unguessed
The seawsrd lights are Feiled,
The spent deep feigns her rest;
But ny ear Is laid 10 her tEeast
lift % the SWELL cry
Could Uzit II Soth on the c5urchs uathy
(Shoalt Ware Shoal9 Not I,
The current issue Of one OF the maga-
zines tells the story Of a Catholic priest
Of noble family who took a company Of
Italian immigrants from the stewing.
moiling. Hfe-destroying conditions Of
New York's slums and a malarial camp
IN the South and made them over into a
model American village in Arkansas.
There they have preserved and employed
the best OF the traditions and skill which
they brought from Italy, and at the same
time they have thoroughly Americanized
these. This is the type Of home mission
work IN which every patriot must rejoice
Il is good for the immigrant and good for
the nation. The man responsible for it
deserves high honor at the country's
hands.
The district nurse as she goes among
the homes Of the city's poor. teaching the
gospel OF sanitation. hygiene and cheer.
Is a modern missionary pioneer
Whoever helps to the solving Of any Of
the big problems which confront this new
land in this new country is TO be ranked
among the missionary pioneers
The difficult field Of industrialism has
opened to religious effort in a remarkable
manner. Organized Christianity. especial
Iy through the work OF Rev. Charles stel-
zle. has made cordial overtures TO the
xorkingmen. and TO these there has been
such a notable response that one labor
leader is quoted as saying that the pres