The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-01-26

Peoples Socicries-Christian En-
deavor Etc, for January 31.-"For-
eign Mission Opportunities the
World Around. Acts Is: els.
(Ey William T. Ellis.)
illustrated papers have lately been
carrying pictures OF the Fiji Islanders,
armed and drilled, and ready to join
the British forces IN France. Thou
sands of persons. upon seeing these
photographs, doubtless for the first
time linked the cause Of foreign mis-
SionS with the present war. The
FijianS were savage cannlbalS a few
decades ago; now they are Christians,
albeit engaged in the unchristian bust
ness OF war. Within the memory
OF living men, difficult and dan
gerouS mission field, the Fiji Islands
are now more cody than some of
the capitals of Europe. The door to
them had to be forced open, but the
results have been dramatically Suc>
cessful Now the whole earth has
scarcely any doors closed to the mis-
SiOnary
Every bearer Of a torch of light of
truth, knowledge. justice and liberty,
anywhere on earth, is a co-WCrker
with the Christian missionary.
How dramatic the interplay of the
| worlds religious forces has become
| is shown by the fact that practically
contain heather temples, where
Asiatics worship idols. There are also
| various centers of propaganda for
| these non christian faiths. 1t is no fig
| ure OF speech to say that today the
| world is witnessing a struggle to the
death between the various religions,
| with the present evidence seemining
to point toward the decline and ulti-
| mate disappearance Of the pagan
faiths leaving the three great ,nono>
| theistc religions, Christianity, Mo-
| hammedanism and Judaism TO con-
tend for the allegiance of humanity.
The new and understanding calls
that are coming from Europe and
Asia for succor for the starving and
| suffering constitute a real. mission
airy opportunity. This is an hour
wherein Christianity may prove itself
the friend and helper of humanity in
need. Every dollars's worth Of relief
given 70 the present victims of war
especially in the Turkish Empire,
will be an investment in kingdom
futures. The gravity OF the elemental
human situation in certain mission
fields is a challenge to all conventional
work and giving. Is the Church great
enough to adapt these to an unparal-
l
Apart from Thibet and Afahanis-
tan, there are no closed fields. Every
where else the man with the Book
may go. In most lands he is invited
and welcomed. The historic and best
known mission fields-China. Tur-
i. key, India, Japan, Korea, Africa
South America and the South Sea
, Islands-al give the missionary q
) cordial welcome and a free field The
romance of danger and persecution
has almost entirely disappeared from
the nlissionary's calling. In nine
, cases out of ten he may live as com
/ minister at home. The new appli
. ances Of the printing press, rapie
transit, moving picture machines
+ scientific hospital equipment, moto
boats automobiles. etc, are tools TO
: his work. This is a great day to b,
q missionary.
George Sherwood EDDY has bee,
, holding eyangelistic meetings j,
- seven Chinese cities, with an ayeras
. attendance Of three thousand nearer
g daily. His converts were reported a
= seven thousand. These mostly cam
: from the student and upper. classes
Veteran missionaries, who best know
!, the difficulties Of access to the gentry
- marvel at the Overwhelming oppor
!" tunity which has opened in China /
the Christian church.
There are now about five hundre
separate tranSla tons 81 the Bible j
- use on mission fields. Every languag
q and every important dialect spoke
- by the human race nov has the Scriu
~ lures in its own tongue
A whole Christ for my salvation
- q whole Bible for my staff, a who'll
church for my fellowship, anu
whole world for my parish.-S
Augustine.
No .rlan IL Ic -;