The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-03-27
(By Herbert Corey.).

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The conventional idea of a mission
high silk hat, carrying a baggy UNI
brella, and singing psalms under a
palm tree.
John r. Mott changed all that. The
real thing nowadays is apt to be a
shot-putting youngster, who knows a
few arts and sciences OH the side.
He's liable to have a good straight
left as Well az a KIM disposition.
When he enters a non-clerical gather
ing the rude masculines present do
not have to be warned to use no
hooks. Along with the change in the
missionary is the, change in the mis-
sion movement. "A few years ago 1t
Wal hit orr miss sort of an affair. Here
and there an isolated missionary
would hold together a few converts
between martrydoms. Nowadays that
guerilla warfare against the devil has
given place to we'll organized and we'll
foddered campaigns. Christianity has
grown aggressive-nOt to say bellig-
erent.
John r. Mott did that, too.
That Why President Wilson asked
him to become the American minister
to China. At least, that's one Of the
reasons why. Mr.. Mott-Ihc's a doc
tor: OF. divinity, but titles make him
unhappy-declined with thanks.
President Wilson asked him again.
When this was being written, MI. Mott
had been located somewhere i in the in
terror OF Corea, and had taken that
second request under consideration.
At the headquarters Of the Interna-
tional Y. NJ. c. A. in this city it was
understood that Mr. Mott really pre-
fers to remain in his present position,
as the foremost worker in the y. NJ.
c. A. of the world. He has been call
ed the field marshal of the Fighting
Christians. But he may feel it his
duty to represent the United States in
China. for he is perhaps in closer
touch with the leaders of thought in
China. and those who rule the present
republic, than is any other American.
Mott is the head and handspring OF
the student movement-and that is
not the least important phase Of the
Y. NJ. c. A. work today. 1t was Mott
who was chairman of that pictures
que worlds conference at Edinburgh
in 1870. when 1900 men gathered to
plan the Christianization of the world,
He was the chairman of the gather
ing at Constantinople agar later. He
mas been the central figure at the con-
ferences at Berlin and Oxford and
Buenos Ayres and St. Petersburg, and
in almost every capital and university
city in the world. He has been called
the most widely known figure in the
academic life of five continents" He
is quiet, forceful, %singularly lucid in
his intellectual processes, and always
%tactful.
Perhaps Mott was the only man
who could have handled that confer
ence at Edinburgh" said a man who
knows him we'll. THE organizations
from thirty or forty countries were
represented there-and they fought
savagely. Its too bad, of course, but
it is true. Each organization had its
own problem, and not one problem
was on speaking terms with any other
problem. Only a man like Mott, who
united remarkable strength-some-
times his force seemed almost brutal,
though gently eXpressed-to extreme
tact could have driven that team"
His various official positions with
the Y. NJ. c. A. are chairman of the
student volunteer movement, secre.
tary of the general administration OF
tho international committee of the Y,
M. c.. A., chairman of the continuation
committee Of the Worlds Missionary
Conference at Edinburgh in 1910
general secretary of the. Worlds Stu.
dent Christian, Federation, with $780,.
900 members. and executive secretary
Of the international committee Of the
Y. NJ. c. A.. Most of the time he is or
the move. The world is his parish
and his parishioners are a lively 10,
and need attention. When he is a,
home he is in Montclair. N. j.. He is
perhaps an inch short of six feet, well
proportioned and enormously in earn.
est. He does not deal in the flowers
of speech. Perhaps he never con.
sciously put together a verbal posy,
But he always kknows what he is go.
ing to- talk about-knows 1t down to