The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-02-03
Great Missionary Conference
That Will Make Church History

be compromised However. satisfaction
was felt that missionaries from different
bodies OF Christians followed one another
upon the same platform. and better
understanding was reached as to the
wisest method in dealing with the great
religions of the heather world. Nothing
organization. nor In fact had anything
OF that sort been attempted a commit
tee was empowered TO prepare a report
bic for the balance remaining OF the
funds which had been subscribed.
Years went by and members OF this
committee renewed their correspondence
with the heads OF the various mission
boards which had taken part In the past
and soon 1t was felt that by the time
csted In the cause OF missions would be
eager for second conference. Two
years ago representatives chosen by these
various boards assembled In Oxford 1t
was determined that a conference pure
and simple. should be undertaken In the
year 1910. and the city OF Edinburgh was
came an interesting change In the tone
OF the proceedings. IL was determined
that an invitation to send delegates
Throughout the World."' No restrictions
or limitations OF any kind were expressed
or implied. No religious organization was
officially Invited nor expected TO take Of
fetal action upon this invitation. I'M.
mense enthusiasm was shown in mis-
slonary circles and as the various divi-
slons OF ChrIstendom responded. the 1000
seats In the hall In which the convention
was to assemble were assigned TO them
In proportion to the amount of money
each had contributed to foreign missions
during the preceding year. While this
was being done most elaborate system
OF correspondence was entered Into with
persons prominent In missionary effort
both at home and abroad. A most care
'ul series of questions was prepared and
sent TO persons actively engaged in the
work with the purpose of securing data
bearing upon the most important mat
tcrs AS the answers poured In upon the
Edinburgh office 1t was carefully COL
lated and forwarded TO the members of
careful study OF what particularly related
TO its own sphere of action. After most
earnest study. reports were formulated
giving the findings OF these commissions
upon the matters involved. All this i'm
mense work was then sifted down. and In
printed form Will be put in the hands of
the delegates two or three months be-
fore the conference actually meets, Next
June these reports will form the subject
matter to be discussed in Edinburgh. and
II is felt that every possible matter which
slderation will thus have had the benefit
of long and thoughtful deliberation,"
No Ironbound Rules.
/ asked Mr., McBee what was to be the
conclusion OF the whole matter what
results Ii was expected to formulate and
~
He said that IL was one OF the rules that
the international committee had laid
down for Itself that no resolutions what
| ever should be made.
Nothing was aimed at but the serious
and prayerful conference OF deeply earn
est men. Nothing would be undertaken
| or allowed which could In any way
suit In the formulating OF differences.
| The truth was the thing TO be earnestly
sought for. and in possession OF the
truth results were TO be left absolutely
in the hands of Almighty God.
To my material mind one very impor-
tant question TO be asked at this point
was where the money to pay for all this
expensive piece Of business was to come
| from, The answer was that each ma
tional committee was responsible for Its
own financial arrangements, and that no
| difficulty had been found In SECURING
abundant funds from private subscrip-
lions.
| / remarked that although 1t sounded as
though some pretty strenuous work had
been done. my friend looked as though
he had enjoyed his foreign trip i'm
mensey. Mr.. McBee replied that the
He. had taken Mrs. McBee to visit
relatives in Paris and there had met
many people prominent in church and
state and had had rich experiences with
Roman Catholic thought and life" I
could but draw the conclusion that II 1t
were eNpedient from either point OF view
many prominent Roman Catholic eccle-
siastlcs would be ready to appear upon
the platform when the conference takes
place.
| Mr.. McBees contagious optimism
would I believe. convince you: as IL did
me, that there is much deeper inspira-
| ton in the work that Is being done by
these earnest men than that which ap
pears on the surface There seems good
ground for the soul-stirring thought that
the speedy healing of the wounds OF
separation in the various members OF tho
Church of Christ and the accomplishment
Of a true unity of all Christian people
Is TO be the real outcome OF all these
palnstaklng efforts that look TO the
evangeIzation of the world "All the
movements OF modern times, and es-
peciaily the preparation for this world
conference in Edinburgh, emphas sizes tho
fact with irresistible force that If we are
10 bear our Lords commissioned be
His witnesses to the utmost parts of the
earth-there must be visible unity t.
there is 10 be q visible witness"