The Hattiesburg news., 1910-06-24
mission study classes is highly empha-

mission study classes Is highly empha-
sized.
Exhaustive Investigation.
"Tn America" says the report, IAN
exhaustive investigation was made
among one hundred and twenty-eight
theological training institutions. The
inquiries related to mission study
courses in the curriculum, mis-
sion lecture courses, cost OF
missionary instruction. voluntary
mission study missionary lit
erature.' Replies were re-
ceived from one hundred and fifteen
institutions, and the information af-
forced is summarizeda follows:
"Thirty-eight institutions, or 80 per
cent of the whole number, reported
that they did not include the study OF
missions in their curricula, either in
the form of required or elective cours-
es; and furthermore, that they had
no mission lecture course foundations.
and provided no regular course OF
mission lectures. Nine of these re-
ported no provision of any kind for
missionary instruction or missionary
study. Nine reported that the sub
ject is treated incidentally to the
course in church history or practical
theology. Eleven reported occasional
lectures or sermons. Two reported
reading courses under the supervis-
ion of members of the faculty. Eleven
reported voluntary mission study
courses, conducted by students of
professors.
No Provision For Study.
while it may occasion regret or
surprise to learn that no provision for
systematic mission study is made by
one-third of the American theological
seminaries, and while many of the re-
plies indicated Indifference TO the
subject, yet, on the other hand, in
many of these institutions an ardent
missionary enthusiasm is being main
tanned by the general spirit which per-
vades all the instruction, by the in
fiuence of occasional lectures, and by
the efforts of student organizations.
"Fifty-eight institutions, or just so
per cent of the whole number, report
ed that the study of missions forms
an integral part Of the required currlc-
ulum. In most cases. however the
required courses are brief and often
fragmentary."
The report declares in all fields the
need of missionaries is increasing.
when foreign missions were begun"
the commission says, "the policy was
at once adopted, especially in the
United States, of bringing to that
country people from the lands to be
evangelical for the purpose of train
ing them to return as missionaries to
their own race. In practice this plan
has proven to be a failure. 1t has
been clearly demonstrated that this is
not an effective, wise and economical
way to carry on missions There has
been now and then a striking excep-
tion to this general conclusion stand
ing out in isolated prominence among
a multitude of failures.
'The commission is of the opinion
that missionary societies should not ap-
point natives of Eastern countries as
missionaries to their own people, but
that they should use every means in
their power to encourage all such,
who seem qualified to return to their
own country as Christian leaders and
workers in common with the native
church and native institutions. This
attitude should be taken with the un-
derstanding that salaries and support
shall come from the native church or
community. and not from the mission
board, even though for the immediate
present some financial aid may be
given from mission funds"