Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1910-06-24

Rome, Italy.-Here in the center of
the worlds religious interest, home
ward bound, l look back over nearly
years investigation of Christian
missions in the orient for final re-
view and summary. What is the con-
clusion of the whole matter? Are for
eign missions worth while?
The answer must be in the affirma-
tive. Considered only from the stand
point of humanitarian and philan-
thropic service, the entire missionary
enterprise justifies it's existence. Add
to these great works of healing, edu-
cation and care for the orphaned and
the needy, the beneficial influence
which has been exerted upon the
characters of thousands of native con-
verts, as well as the more general,
though none the less unmistakable
influence welded in behalf of civiliza-
ton, and it will be seen that the mis-
Sionary agencies which the churches
of ChristendOm maintain at an annual
expenditure of many millions of dol
lars is one of the tremendous TWEEN
tieth century forces making for the
worlds progress.
Without simplifying this point,
which has surely been made plain in
the preceding articles, let me suggest
some general considerations and criti-
cisms which appear to be important
enough to deserve the attention of the
general public, as we'll as of that
large constituency especially interest
ed in missions.
Where Churches Should Get Together.
l know of no other undertaking any
where at all approaching this one In
magnitude which is managed in such
a helter-skelter, disorganized fashion,
or on such an unbusinesslike basis. |
do not here allude to the administra-
ton of the individual boards, but to
the propaganda as a whole. Senti-
ment, mood and emotion, rather than
tested principle and careful judgment,
seem to be the foundation of most
missionary activity; If a man or
body can display especial efficiency in
stirring the feelings of the home con-
stituency he or it can be sure of
plenty of funds and a free field to go
where 1t will and do what 1t pleases
in the mission world. There is at pres
ent no sufficient method of checking
up the work of foreign missions
This sort of thing, and worse mis-
takes, are in good part due to the
help-yourself fashion in which the de-
nominations work. Only in the more
recent fields has there been an apper-
tionment of territory among the
churches, although everywhere the
need for this is so urgent that the de-
nominations are now recognizing and
yielding to it. Plainly, there is no suf-
flcient reason why the mission work
of the Protestant churches in heather
lands should not be done as one close
Incorporating body. The avowed aim
is the conversion of the people, and
not the perpetuation and extension of
denominatiOnal Names creeds and au-
thority upon the mission field. The
present arrangement is expensive, di-
visive and hindrance to the end
sought. What sense or reason is there,
for instance, in establishing northern
and southern Presbyterian churches
in China, where the very existence of
America is a nebulous matter to most
of the people and the fact of the civil
war is unknown to 999 persons out of
every thousand? Left to themselves,
the native Christians in the field l
have visited would not be long in
forming one Christian church.
Busnesslike Methods Needed.
Pending the time of actual union,
every possible form of cooperation
should be adopted. The commercial
sagacity of the method which keeps
half a dozen expensive theologically-
trained business agents" in the same
port city to do the purely secular
work for separate boards which could
all be done by one unordained bust
ness man does not appeal to the way
farer. Neither does the zeal for
planting new work in these outposts
(often in competition with native
churches) where expenses are high
est, difficulties greatest and results
fewest, when there are unlimited ia
vorabie openings in the untouched in
terror. Most port cities, be it re-
marked, need a subtraction rather
than an addition of missionaries.
A closer and more vigorous super
vision of missions on the part of SEN
sible, courageous men of authority,
will result in the wedding out of the
occasional unfit missionary and in
remedying tactical blunders in the To-
cation of stations and in the character
of the work.
Two other important services this
businesslike supervision would accom-
plish; 1t would insure the sending of
sane, weil-balanced and accurate re-
ports to the homeland, and it would
deal vigorously with the criticisms
which are so common on the other
side of the globe that they constitute
a serious barrier to missionary sue
cess. Criticisms which are even part
ly true should be frankly admitted,
and the evils remedied; those which
are not true should be boldly chal-
lenged and silenced.
The position can never be main
tanned that missionaries are impecca-
BILE; and to answer careful, definite
criticisms, rs some which have APP
peaved In this correspondence have
been answered. w the sweeping state