The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-01-30
Missionary Movement Launched
Here Last Night
Prominent Speakers Urge an Awaken.
ing In All Matters Pertaining
To Religion
From Wednesdays Daily.


With a hundred well-known men
OF this part OF the state as its
sponsors the United Missionary
campaign, whose headquarters are
10 be at Mankato was launched
AZ the supper which took place at
the Presbyterian church last even
ing. The gathering consisted largely
OF residents of Mankato. Pastors
of the sixteen Protestant churches
OF the city. together with members
of the local missionary committee
and other prominent church men,
bers were present.
Those who came from outside the
city included J. NJ. Gordon, Rev. o.
I. Severson. f. @. Zimmerman, c
w. Morse and A. l.. Geary all of
GAINESVILLE; REV. F. C. Bailey. Mr..
Crossfield, ID. s. Turrittin. ii. w.
Clapp and J. A. Wolfe. all OF Ka-
sofa; Rev. Joseph Castles of st.
Peter, Harry Kirby OF Kirby school;
James C. Bowman, Easton Rue and
Rev. Kirby Chapman, all Of Maple
ton: Rev. Leslie Fordham OF Penn
berton; Charles Thompson of Am
boy. Alvin Moss, of Hatton, N. d..
Rev. z. =. Wheeler, New Ulm and
Rev. Amandus l.. NJ. Sorensen. Lake
Crystal
Number of Prominent Speakers.
Conspicuous among the guests OF
TIE city were the speakers, who
had come to take a prominent part
in the convention. These were Dr.
A. n. Hitchcock OF Chicago secre-
tary of the American Board of For
elgn Missions; DIR. C. Telford
Erickson. missionary of Albania;
President Arthur ]. Bowen OF the
University OF Nanking. China; DIR.
4. 5. Clark CT Eyinston. H.. and
r. ]. Michel OF Chicago. field secre-
tary OF the Laymen's Missionary
movement. with headquarters In that
city.
The supper was served by ladies
Of the sixteen local congregations
represented at the meeting. The
ladies were assisted in the prepara-
ton of the repast by George NJ.
Draper Of the local grocery firm OF
Draper 4 Peterson, who helped to
cook the coffee, and Michael ].
Dempsey of the Criterion restaurant.
who cooked the meat and potatoes.
Neil Nielsen. the florist. donated the
tulips. with which the tables were
tastefully adorned.
DIR. J. w. Andrews. chairman of
the local missionary committee.
Immediately after the conclusion OF
the repast, called the meeting to
order and remarked that the gath
erng was exceedingly fortunate in
having been able to obtain engage
ments with such distinguished
speakers from different parts of the
world. BE then introduced DIR. A. N.
Hitchcock OF Chicago. whose topic
was The Call of the World"
There Are Difficulties.
I'm facing the task of Christianiz-
ing the peoples OF the world" said
DIR. Hitchcock, 1--WE cannot blind
our eyes to It's difficulties. It is no
easy task to overcome prejudices
and superstitions that have held
people enthralled in chains OF iron
for thousands Of years"
The doctor declared that khat very
night there were seven hundred
million people living in caves and
huts with no furnishings and thus
far beneath the plane Of human
living In civilized countries. There
were two hundred and fifty mil
lion people who were still going
practically naked. There was q
vast area in central China, in
which. the state OF Iowa could be
PUT forty times over, with not TO
exceed three missionary families.
THE, speaker declared that the
call OF the world to the Christian
today was unparalleled. not only as
a call OF need, but as a call of op'
Iortunity. There was a strange un.
rest in all parts OF the world, that
had shown itself during recent
months. In former times such un.
rest meant merely war and blood.
shed. In modern unrest could be
seen movement toward liberty,
education and better moral and re.
lgious standards.
This triple movement. he said,
could DO seen through Turkey and
Egypt. II could also be seen In
China. What shall be the religion
OF China? That was the great ques-
ton that was interesting the lead.
ers OF Chinese thought.
IL . Wonderful Awakening.
A wonderful educational awaken
ing, the doctor declared. had swept
China from the ocean far inland to
Thibet. It was apparent to the
Chinese leaders that the Christian
. ...I r.