Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-15
Gospel Commissions Report
at Edinburgh, Conference
CHURCHMEN URGED'TO ACT
Present the Opportune Time to
Spread Christian Religion.
TEST TIME FOR THE CHURCH
Enlargement of the Missionary
Force Necessary to Bring About !:
Worldwide Evangelization.

EDINBURGH. June 1a-The delegates
TO the world missionary conference.
which organized yesterday. got down to
the real work of the International meet
Ing today The sessions proper opened
with much enthusiasm. Representatives
of missionary work among non-Christian
peoples everywhere were present.
A feature of the day was the presenta-
ton by John r. Mott of New York, the
chairman, of the report of the comms-
sion ION Carrying the Gospel to All the
Non-Christian World.
The report expresses the conviction that
the present is the time OF all times ''fo-
the church to undertake with quickened
loyalty and sufficient forces to make
Christ known TO all the non-Christian
world"
1T is an opportune time, says the COM
mission Never before has the whole
world-ield been open and so accessi-
Bile. Never before has the Christian
Church faced such a combination of op-
portunities among both primitive and cui-
tured peoples.
Christianity on Trial.
1T is a testing time for the church. If
II negiects to meet successfully the pres
ent world crisis by falling TO discharge
its responsibility to the whole world it
VIII weaken its power both on the home
and foreign fields and seriously llanGi-
cap its mission to the coming generation.
Nothing less than the adequacy Of Chris
uanity as world religion is trial.
The utter inadequacy of the present
missionary force to discharge effectively
the duty of worldwide evangelization is
evident. There should be nothing less
than vast enlargement in the number
OF qualified workers a thorough and cour-
ageous adaptation of means and methods
10 meet the situation. wise unification
in plans and forces. and a whole-hearted
fulfilling of the conditions of spiritual
power
Turning its attention to fields on which
the church should concentrate attention
and effort. the commission reports that in
China there is an unique opportunity.
fraught with faT-reaching issues, for the
future Of China and of all Christendon
The advance of Islam in equatorial Africa
presents the question. the report says.
whether the dark continent shall become
Mohammedan or Christian. India and
the Mohammedan world as whole, par
ticularly Turkey and Persia. are pointed
out as other large fields for effort.
International Committee Advocated.
The church is urged to extend it's mis-
sionary work as soon as possible to all
fields not now coupled, such as Thibc+
Afghanistan and many other parts OF
Asia and of Africa. The various mission
airy organizations are advised to get into
close touch with each other, and learn of
each others methods. The formation of
an international committee to take UP
consideration of the whole question is
urged on the conference.
A crucial factor in the eyangeI.zation
Of tie non-Christian world" the commits
sioners continue. lis the state of the
church in Christian lands. Until there is
a more general conservation on the part
OF members of the home church there
can be no hope of such an expansion of
the missionary enterprise as to result in
making the knowledge of Jesus Christ
readily accessible to every human being.
A new and resolUte awakening of the
church to the richness of it's heritage in
the Gospel and to the duty of an ardent,
universal and untiring effort to make dis
ciples Of all nations, is the clear message
OF God to the church of today"
In addition TO the formal report of the
commission. a statistical atlas of mis-
sions, embodying the researches Of the
commission and its subcommittee for the
last two years, was presented The sta
t!stics pertain only to iabors among non
Christians, and summaries are presented
OF the work in every part of the world in
which il is carried on. The figures for the
most part are for the year 1891 the latest
year for which the commission was able
to tabulate them.
Statistics for 1907.
The statistics show that rs organiza-
TORS were maintaining missionaries in
the field, and that 40 other societies
were cooperating with these organiza-
tons. The total sum collected by these
societies in the year was $2i,676,5 $50. OF
these societies. ninety-six of the main and
los. of the secondary orga nizations have
headCnartprs
reported total income of S9,Ol3,376
There were 1890 missionaries. including
physicians and lay missionaries. 5,04J or
dained natives and 92,31S other native
mission workers. TIE total number of
communicates was l.92J.205, Of whom
1880 were added in the year. The total
number of baptized Christians was 1905
$40. and the total number of native Chris
tian adhereHts. including baptized and
unbaptzed. of all ages. was 5,2s1,s71 The
native contributions were $2,650,551.
There were 81 universities and colleges,
with 1891 students; 4Sg theological and
normal schools and training classes with
12,s43 students: l,59i boarding and high
schools. with 155,522 students; osl indus
trial training schools. with 1',a3o stu
dents: 2s.9O1 elementary schools. with
l.4S.212 pupils, and 1l3 kindergartens.
with 4,703 students.
Extent of Medical Work.
The extent of the medical work car
ried on by the missionary societies is
shown by the fact that there were so
hospitals and 1024 dispensaries. which
treated 4.272. 46S patients in the year.
There We're also maintained 2a5 or
changes, ss leper hospitals. q homes
Tor untainted children of lepers % in
situations for the blind and for deaf
mutes, 23 rescue homes. 1o3 opium ref
uges, - homes for widows and IS in
dustral homes.
The commission includes i'm these fig
ures only the present constituencies Of
societies reported. The total number of
living converts christianized from non
Christian peoples, or whose ancestors have
been so converted within the last CEN
fury, by either PROTESTANT Roman Cath
olic or Russian orthodox missions is
estimated at about u ,0OoVp
TO MAKE P. O. CHANGES