Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-14
DAWN OF PEACE WILL
BRING SUPREME DEMAND
Hreat Opportunities for Christian
Missions Seen I'm All Parts
Of World.
FACE SITUATION
Speakers at General Conference at
saratoga Springs Clearly Outline
Field With Worldwide Vision OF
Service.
Especial to The Times-Dispa,ch !

SARATOGA SPRINGS. ~ y. Nav IA
ne cry OF tho missionaries. assembled
a. 'hs General Conference OF the
.ie'hnhist Episcopal Church, here rem.
teSentinE every nation of the world
Great as are tho present needs
W, people. the dawn of peace will
",nS '"e supreme demand. for the
ana ruined in starring life
atresh must find their consolation I'm
'eiiGlous philosophy and Gods love
ana the missions Of our church must
Sponsibility." ~
Dr' ;. Earl Taylor. corresponding
secretary OF the board OF FOREIGN mis-
Siohs. IN remarkable survey Of world
conditions. Just presented before the
eoh'erehce, summarizes the European
situation as follows: The social ana
nnanciai aspects do not touch the heart
y, y, .ne mater The horrors and desc
,a'iohs or war have driven the people
PACK onto Cod In many cases the
peoPIe are accepting ministries here
totore rejected as valueless Spiritual
comfort they must have
some morning the dawn OF peace
VIII oreak over the Scared hills and
creep along the hre-swept tren,.hes
From millions of homes and temnies
from the pi.iful wreckage Of life's
most precious possessions broken men
ana women, orphaned boys and girls
WI Try to look up As they step forth
\
must come. sounding in their ears.
Gods everlasting message Of recon
citation. Peace on earth. good will to
men"
WAR IN EUROPE IS
ECHOED AROUND THE GLOBE
Dr. Taylor explained how the first
shot on the Belgian frontier had echo.
ed around the globe causing amazinr
ramiftcationS. Vast stretches of coun-
try IN Africa are an armed camp
Forty per cent Of the men in Rhodesia
are under arms. The war will have
an important effect upon the religious
life OF the people. IIohammcdanism
Is aggressive. and missionaries believe
that the next twenty-five years will
decide whether Africa is to become
Mohammedan or Christian. Christi
anity is making wonderful progress In
AFRICA. The per cent of increase ex-
ceeds that OF any other field. except
Southern Asia.
Mexicos blood drenchinr is being
followed by remarkable religious
awakening. People are asking Tor ed
ucation. For the first time vast num-.
hers arc willing to open the Bible.
the sale last year totaling SIS. 600 comics.
as against normal output of 10000
The new government is not unfriend.
ly. DR.. Taylor says
Important Methodist gains are re-
ported from South America. Super.
sti,ion is passing. Where the Cos
pei of Jesus Christ has not been heard
the people incline to move from the
known church 10 atheism. With po-
!itical regeneration in progress. the
present is called strategic oppor.
tunity for missionary effort
Dr. Taylor says Of China: cit is no
longer the Sleeping Giant Tne i'm
pact of Western civilization has arous.
ed II. Out of the confusion OF po,iti-
cal. social, Industrial. commercial, in
g. al and cl>,
China is emerging. with tremendous
tasks and responsibilities" Tile see
rotary called upon the conference to
prepare to meet this situation IN the
interest OF the church, and pointed
to recent phenomenal increases in mem
bership and usefulness.
INTERDfNOMI RALLY
OF JAPANESE PROTESTA NTS
The Protestant forces in Japan are
i'm the midst Of an tional
union. The three years evangelical
campaign now going on is reported to
be moving Japan as never before. De-
mandS are great that the mission
aries have sent calls for nearly 500
workers to aid them.
More striking still Is the evangelical
work in the Philippines where. along
with the general process OF American
izinE. the population is easily turning
TO Professionalism. The membership of
the Methodist Church has passed the
$4,000 mark.
More than 10000 Young people are
being ministcred To ny the represent
tativcs of the Methodist Church In
dark Malaysia. This is tho only Prot-
eStant Church doing evangelical work
on the great peninsula. hedgcd in by
India. China and Japan.
After sixty years of missionary eff
fort and sacrifice. there is Christian
community Of over $4,000 in India,
more than 10000 being baptized every
year.
Last year the Woman's Foreign Mis-
siouary Society gave almost $1,000, 600
in the interest of oppressed woman
hood The board OF foreign missions,
last year. had an income OF sl,700.o73.
But to meet the colossal tasks of the
future, under changed conditions tho
world over the church is called upon
for greatly enhanced funds.
The one hundredth anniversary OF
the founding of Methodist missionary
work will be reached during the forth
coming quadrennium.
MT. VERNON ASSOCIATION