The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1910-06-20
NEED OF MORE Eii66iHiIitt0eE
is URGED BY DR.. CAIRNS
By Associated Press.

tionaI Missionary Conference listened
today to the report of the commission
on "The Missionary Message in RelR-
ton to Non-Christian Religions,r
which was presented by Professor p.
S. Cairns, d. D.. professor of system
attic theology and apologetics in the.
United Free Church College at Abers'
deem.
DR.. Cairns, who is one of the young
er men of Scotland who has devoted
much of their lives to the study Of mis-
sionary questions, laid special stress
upon the need Of thorough and sym
pathetic knowledge of the non-Chris-
tian religions by those who labor
among their adherents. In the course
of his report he said:
"The thing which is necessary is
that before man goes out to the field
he can and he should learn a stand
point and method and such knowl-
edge of the inner nature of the reli,
gion as win keep him at the outset
from calamitous mistakes. Adequate
training in the home colleges will
greatly facilitate the acquisition of
that deeper knowledge which may
form the basis ON which the other
kind Of knowledge may be reared
"The conclusion is surely inevitable
that provision should be made for thor
ough teaching in comparative religion
in all our colleges and training insti-
tutions. new instrument Of spiritual
culture and propaganda has been put
into the hands Of the church by the
progress Of this science, and it is
surely plain duty to use it. Cen
eral training then IN comparative re-
ligion should be provided in all col
leges. Lectureships on special relig-
ions should also be instituted by en-
dowment and by cooperation, and mis-
sionary specialists should be enlisted
for this purpose. The suggestion has
been made, and it seems well worthy
of consideration by the conference,
that provision should be made in our
colleges for the training Of mission
aries in the art of teaching. The or.
binary training in homiletics seems
hardly sufficient for the peculiar con-
ditions under which the missionary
must labor The teaching function is
different from that of moving an au-
dience which has already been in
structed in the elements of Christian
truth.
"a further incidental result may
well be that larger number Of our
students may be expected to volunteer
for foreign work when the subject is
thus brought before them through the
medium of comparative religion.
"The absolute religion can only be
fully understood in the light of the
imperfect religions, If religion is a
practical matter at all, and theology
other than a mere abstract science.
I'VE submit further that there Is ur-
gent need for special work in the for
|eign field on the lines which have
been indicated In our inquiry. The
living forces of the non-Christian re-
|ligion in each field ought to be measnr-
ed and set in clear relation to the liv-
ing forces Of the Christian gospel, and
The points of contact and contrast
brought out in clear relief. When a
missionary shows special aptitude for
this kind of work, he should be set
apart to do 1t. !
I'VE further suggest that missionary
conferences such as that with which
our commission is connected should
pursue the lines of inquiry which
have here been opened up, and should
thereby call into the service the great
majority of missionaries who have no
time for the specialist work which we
have indicated above, but who are
qualified for 1t, alike by aptitude and
the education of circumstances. BY
such recurring surveys of the field,
results of great value may be reach
ed by the accumulation Of important
facts and the checking and testing of
results. Such periodic and systemas
tic inquiry would. we believe, in time
yield abounding fruit for every de-
partment Of theological study. as well
as most valuable instruction and sug-
gestion for those who contemplate
work in the foreign field. We would
suggest in particular that In the in
terests of Christian theology and
apologetics the inquiry which we have
endeavored to make in these pages
should be further prosecuted. Com
parative religion is being used by
many today In negative interest with
the view Of proving that Christianity
IN only ore among other religions. We
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