The Record-courier. [volume] (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1904-current, 1922-08-18
MISSION DAY
NEXT SUNDAY

the high school, with both morning
and afternoon services. The Rev. c.
Fickenscher will deliver the sermon
In the morning, while the Rev. Geo
Mieger, Oakland, will speak in the
afternoon. Both men are very able
speakers. The Rev. Fickenscher is
pastor of a flourishing congregation
In Sacramento, and Rev. Mieger, be-
sides serving large congregation in
Oakland, is also first vice-president
OF the California and Nevada district
of the Missouri Synod branch of the
Lutheran Church.
The subject of missions Is very in
teresting, especially to the christian.
All christian churches carry on mis-
sion work. Mission work is the
growth of christianity. The following
table shows the growth OF christian
ity:
Second century ---------2 millions
Tenth century -----------50 millions
Fifteenth century -------100 millions
Eighteenth century POO millions
Nineteenth century -----500 millions
That is rapid growth, surprising
growth. due to the spreading Of the
Gospel of Christ by those who pos
sess 1t.
Mission work is classified as home
missions and foreign missions. Home
missions consists of missionary work
in our own country with practically
sixty per cent of its Inhabitants un-
churched. Under foreign missions is
understood the christianizing OF
heathens in foreign countries.
Millions of dollars are spent an
nually by the christian churches In
sending out missionaries and sup.
porting mission work. And it is
gratifying to note that America sur
passes all other lands in interest and
willingness to sacrifice for the cause
Of missions.
Perhaps the greatest mission fields
on the globe are China and India,
with their hundreds of millions Of
idolators still worshiping imaginary
gods, as did their ancestors thousands
of years ago. India, for instance, mas
almost 725,000 villages and 1000
towns of more than 5000 people. OF
these only about $4,000 are occupied
by christian missions. The great
hindrances to christianity there are
caste, idolatry. polygamy. child-mar-
riage, temple-prostitution and Hitter
acy Nine-tenths of the males of
India cannot read, and ninety-hun-
dredths of the females are illiterate.
OF the 325,000,000 of people in India
only 100000 are christians. From
this 1t is easily seen what an enorm-
Gus task lies before the christian
church in India alone.
While christian mission work aims
principally at the salvation of the
heather, 1t mas also a secondary pur-
pose, which is humanitarian Prac-
tically all mission stations or centers
are equipped with christian schools
and hospitals. While one hundred
, years ago there was not one hospital
or one trained physician in the none
christian world. Today there are
1853 hospitals and 100000 treat
ments reported in single year.
Do missions pay, is question often
asked. John Patton found cannibals
and ferocious brutes on the New
Helbrides Islands, and yet in spite of
great obstacles, the Gospel conquered
and $4,000 of these brutal savages
became christians. The Chikore peo-
pie of Rhodesis, South Africa, were
twenty-five years ago given TO de-
bauchery of the most hideous kind,
says George A. Wilder, and today
many of these lions have been chang
ed into lambs by the Gospel.
When Charles Darwin visited Terra
del Fuego in 1883 he found its in
habitants in more miserable state
of barbarism than he expected to
see any human being; he regarded
them as below domestic animals. But
in 1869 he found these same Fuegians
transformed into christian men and
women. His gift of $125 to the Lon
don Missionary Society proved that
Charles Darwin, himself not believ-
er In Christ Crucified, acknowledged
the victory of the Gospel.
Even the heathen knows the king
dom of Christ will and must progress
When Bishop Hurst was in Poona, he
went out to the great temple OF
Parbuti, and there he saw hundreds
of heathens bowling their heads in
prayer to their idols. He asked the
aged priest, who for many years had
been stationed there, do as many
people come here to pray as form
erly?" There are fewer every year.
was the reply. How long will this
worship continue?" was the nexi
Question. The heather priest answer.
ed, Perhaps ten, perhaps fifty years
And when the clergyman asked
What will bring it to an end?" the
short and significant answer was.
Jesus Christ"
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