Evening star., 1925-01-28

OF faith which, despite momentary
lapses and some peryersions, has on
the "hoie been a continuing inspira-
ton to human betterment Where IT
mas gone. there the light of q better
understanding has shown. There the
WORKS OF charity, of benevolence, of
mutual helpfulness. have prospered.
intolerance has been lessened Edu-
cation mas been summoned as an ally
IN the struggle against ignorance and
oigotry. Science in a thousand
realms, the mechanic arts in all their
varied departments. have been laid
uhoer contribution to improve the
estate OF men
Practical Mode OF Life.
For Christianity, let If be inn
pressed, is highly practical. Is well
as profoundly spiritual, mode of
llre. 1t loses nothing of its spiritual
quallty because of it's practical help
Iulness; but it touches all its prac-
ticsi workings with the spirit and pur-
pose OF lofty aspiration. Our con-
noence In 1t is justified by our knowl-
cage OF its accomplishments Where
ever IT has been carried and made a
rorce in the affairs Of men, II has
wrought for their good. But we must
recognize also that IL has added
greatly to the compiexity Of human
life and problems Its encouraeemant
TO education. to knowledge, to scien-
tlnc Advancement. has created new
forces in the world The spirit of our
organized. industrialized, machine
made and inter-reiated world has
touched men wherever they live and
PROFOUNDLY affected their modes of
ne ana thought. 1t has aroused in
| mem new yearnings and new aspira-
tions. 1t has truly converted this
planet into a brotherhood of races
ana natfonalities, interdependent in a
housahd ways tending more and
more to develop a common culture.
common thought and purpose toward
the great business of living. The
problems which, In this new order of
lie, present themselves, will not he
solved excert through a greater and
constantly greater projection Of the
spirit of neighborship and co-op.ra-
ton, which is the true basis of the
Christian code.
Must Recognize Responsibility.
so. az the Christian nations have
assumed the responsibility for bring
ing this new and higher civilization
IN touch with all peop es. so they
must recognize their responsibility to
press on and on in their task of en-
lightenment, education, spiritualjza
tion, christianizing. There can be no
hesitancy. no cessation of effort. Not
only must they go forward with this
great task, but they must be sure
that they go with the right purposes
They must carry help and real
service.
Let US look this part of our prob
lem fairly in the face. and see If we
| can fnd what is demanded Of us. Not
| everything that the men of Christian
countries have carried to the other
peoples OF the world, has been good
| and helpful to those who have re-
ceived 1t. Our civilization is vet far
| from perfect Its aims are liable to
much distortion when il comes in
contact with peoples not yet eauipped
through generations Of race expert
ence 10 absorb, to understand. TO an
| preciate it. One of the greatest things
that a missionary movement could
DO for the less favored communities
would be to assure that all who go
| out from the Christian to the non.
Christian communities, should carry
| with them the spirit, the aims, the
| nurposes, of true Christianity. we
! know that they have not always done
this. we know that the missionary
| movements have repeatedly beAn
hampered. and at times frustrated
| because some calling themselves
Christians. and'assumine to renresent
| Christian civilization, have been ac-
! tuated by un-Christian motives
| Ihose who have been willing to carry
the vices OF our civilization among
tne weaker peoples and into the
carer PAGES. nave often been more
| successiul than those who have
sought TO fmplant the virtues
Need Brotherhood and Ch.r,,x
The Christian churches and gov
4
| ity than to make sure that the hast
ana not the worst, of which Christ
ian society is capable shall be given
TO the other peoples To aecom-
| piish this is the dominating purnose
OF your missionary movement. 1t IS
one OF the most important. the most
absolutely necessary movement In the
world today. We shall ourselves be
| the gamers, both Spiritually and
materially. by our EFFORTS in behalf
or those whom we shall thus help.
The early Christians fairly burned
| with missionary zeal. Our mission
airy EFFORTS VIII be more effective, Just
in proportion as we shall render
them IN the same spirit of brother
hood and charity which marked the
earliest Christian mission.
| such a service as you aspire 70
do for mankind can be rendered only
under the inspiration of a broad and
genuine liberalism. 1t must rest on
| liberation. 1t must realize the spirit
! of brotherhood. And the foundation
of all missionary effort abroad must
be liberation and brotherhood at
| nome. The most effective mission
ary work will be that which seeks
to impress itself rather through ex-
ample In living rightly than through
the teaching Of precepts and creed.
| The work of charity and benevolence.
| OF education and enlightenment will
best lay, the foundation upon which
| to rear the permanent structure of a
| spiritual life.
Our liberalism needs to be gem
erous enough to recognize that mis-
sionary effort will often build better
on foundations already laid, than by
attempting to substitute a complete
new structure of morality, of life. and
of ethics. Indeed, those who shall go
out from among US, carrying the mis-
sionary message into the twilight
places of the world, will there find
| much that is worthy to be brought
back to enrich our ideals and improve
our life. They will learn many les
sons of industry, Of humility, of rev.
! erence for parents, of respect for
CONSTITUTED authority, which may quite
conceivably become adornments to
our own social fabric.
Must Learn Lessons.
'If those who bear our message
abroad shall realize and accept the
lessons that may be learned from the
humber and simpler peoples, they
will be the more successful in plant
ing the spiritual truths of Christian
tity. Beyond that, they will be able
to bring back much that will sreve
us well. We have not all the wisdom
THAT has been diffused among the sons
OF men. But we have been greatly