Foreign Mission Journal, April 1889

FOREIG NTMi SSTO‘N”J OURNAL. PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY TIIE FOltEIGX MISSION BOARD OP THE SOUTIIEBN BAPTIST CONVENTION. c - r-y "ALL POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH. GO YE, THEREFORE, AND TEACH ALL NATIONS." Vol. 20 — New Series. RICHMOND, VA., APRIL, 1889. No. 9 — Whole No. 249 (Entered at the Post-Ofnce at Richmond, Vn., ns second-close matter.] Foreign Mission Journal. RATES PER ANNUM: I. For papers separately addressed, either to same or to different poet otlleee i One copy . —36 ct«. Three ooplee @«l,or . - . ЗЗКси, nplece. II. For packages lent to one person, wlioehallbe re-sponeibfe for t heir die Irlbutlon i Four copies for 41 , or more at....» . К c ts. apl ece. Twenty-ftvo coptesfor 46.or more at . 20cte. apiece One Hundred copies for» IS, ornioreat..lScts. apiece. «-Please remit by Draft, Postal Order, or in Heels, tend I.etter, and notify ns I'r.ourTLY of anychnnee In nddrese. Address, FOREIGN MISSION JOURNAL, Richmond, V*. ADVERTISING RATES. 1 3 8 12 8ГА0В. Month. Month» Months Mon the 1 26 3 46 6 60 n 00 Two Inches . 2 40 8 45 12 60 22 B0 Three Inches . 3 so 9 20 18 00 32 00 Quarter column... Halt column . . 76 1.1 00 86 00 48 00 .0 25 26 26 48 00 1*0 00 One column . 18 00 60 00 92 60 178 00 FOREIGN MISSION BOARD OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION. Located AT RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. РПВ8ГПВНТ— II. H. 11ЛПШЗ. Yioe'Phbbidbmts. — Joshua Leverlntr, Md.,0. W. Tomldes, I, а., Л. E. Owen, Vn.. К.Л, Rnilcy.Fla.. W. L. WrlRlit, N.U., O. F. Ilagbv, Ky., W. O. Bled¬ soe, Alabama, J. P. Greene, Mo., It. H. Carroll, Texas, W. L. Kilpatrick, Os., Ohas. Manly, S. O., J, M. Senter, Tenn.. J. II. Searcy, Arlc., О eoree Whitfield, Mlse., W. F. Attkieson, W. Va. Оовпвегоногна sxchKTAnY— H. A. TUPFER. Л8918ТАНТ SF.CnBTAIlY. T. P. DELL. TBBASOnxR— J. 0. WILLIAMS. RxconniNO Sxcrbtaby— А. П. CLARKE. Additob-H. 0. BURNETT. Doabd or Макаокпя,— H. К. Ellyson, J. B.WIn- eton. O. U. Winston. W. E. Hatcher, J. Pollard, Jr., S. O. Olopton. .T. B. Hution. W. D. Thomas, W. W. Landrom, W. J. Shipman, О во. Cooper, О. II. Ryland.ll. C. Burnett, T. P. Mathews, R. H. Pitt. R.S. Hosher. t6g-All communications in reference to the business of this Board should be addressed to H. A. Tuppkr, Corresponding Secretary, Richmond, Va. NORTH CHINA'S APPEAL. We would call special attention to the letters of Rev. C. W. Pruitt and Miss Lot¬ tie Moon, on another page. Accompany¬ ing these is an appeal for teachers, (preachers,) from a number of Chinese men. Miss Moon's work is necessarily confined chiefly to women, yet there are many men eagerly begging for the word of life, and so anxious to hear that they crowd an outer room while she is teaching the women within. Will not some of our sisters read and ponder well Miss Moon’s plea, and will not more of our pastors and young men from the Serilinary answer the cry of China-men for light and truth? Consider these words, men of God. Miss Moon says, “ On last Sunday I heard a man pray that God would send his Holy Spirit to give repentance to pastors in America, and make them willing to come to China to preach." - ' "Where .are the reapers?” THE BOARD'S SLOWNESS. A highly esteemed brother, who shall be nameless, in a friendly letter to the Editor of the Journal some time ago, said, in sub¬ stance, that the Foreign Mission Board was making an unenviable reputation for slow¬ ness in the matter of appointments to for¬ eign fields. From several other sources complaints— friendly complaints— -as to the Board's slowness, its extreme conservatism, &C.J have come to our ears. In our youthful impatience, we have sometimes felt as these brethren do, and have even given utterance to the feeling. Especially did we so do before we had any connection vyith the Board. . And even now we are sometime inclined to say "Le 's hurry up" this case or that. But while feeling that a “holy hurry," which one brother says is necessary in the Lord’s 'work, is sometimes a good thing, we are learning from experience that a "holy slowness" is at other times wise and profitable. That the Board is more and more coming to combine the two elements of progressiveness and careful conserva¬ tism, is evident. An increase of over fifty percent in the number of its missionaries in one year, aS will be «ported at Memphis, indicates' reidmess to go forward, while ♦♦♦ ••«•••• ••«««• REV. J. H. EAGER, ROME, ITALY. Born in Jefferson Co., Miss., December iSt'.i, iSjg. Bap¬ tized in 1S64. Graduate of Mississippi College and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Accepted as missionary to China, August 4th, 1S79; but, in view of the urgent need of reinforcement of the Italian mission, transferred to that mission in July, 18S0. His work there is too well known to need comment. All they said was true, but they did not know something else. The Board is always ready and anxious to appoint approved men, and to do it promptly. But it is appointing men for life work and at heavy expense and must be careful. We shall reserve some other remarks on this subject for a future article. . IN the holding of this increase within the prob¬ abilities of its being able to support it, indi- this peculiarity or that unfit him for tills work, or tlie other? Knowing, as we do, cates that the Board is not moving rashly in ; the men on this field, will he be likely to the matter of enlarging its work. i work in accord with them? So the ques- Brethren often grow impatient jit the . tlons conic— and how perplexing some of Board's delay in making appointment of ' them are. themselves or others, on application, for- i And besidesail this— these lettersof re¬ getting that the Board is in a very respon- j commendation, do they mean all that they sible position and must, to be true to its j say ? Have they been written aftercareful, obligations, exercise every precaution j prayerful consideration of the case, or just against appointing to foreign fields those j ю gratify a good brother, with the feeling who are not suited therefor. We will sup- j t0o that it is the Board’s .business to find pose a case. A brother, after long consid- 1 out all about the man ? How easy it is to eration, much prayer, earnest striving, j write a letter of recommendation. Alas! extending through years perhaps, concludes! Alas! how the Board may be misled by a that he must go to the foreign fifild — it may ( thoughtlessly written one. Sometimes must be to some special field. He writes to the ! the committee say, "We must postpone Board, and at the same time to some per- this case for further investigation,” Some- sorial friends. Letters begin to come urg- ; times it must be a postponement until very ing his speedy appointment. He, of course, searching investigation can be made by impatient to know what he is to do. The great question having been settled in his own mind, lie wants to act on the de¬ cision at once. Action must follow deci- ion. A church must be notified, prepara¬ tions made, friends prepared for his leav¬ ing, and he must know at once. The Board is requested to give an immediate answer, and if it does not come, he— in some cases— grows fretful and complains. And his friends join him in his complaint. But he fails to remember that the Board has not known of his mind and heart struggles on this, subject, and ?o has not made special preparations to act on his decision. Of all be done by telling all they know ? its members, perhaps not one has ever seen some messenger of the Board, who by per' sonal conversation with the applicant and his brethren, elicits what letters never tell. We have in more cases than one known the Board to be severely criticised for making certain appointments, by the very men on whose recommendations the ap¬ pointments were made, and the letters of recommendation were on file in the office and were in the minds of the members ol the Board while listening to the criticism. May we not say just here that ordinarily such criticisms are borne in silence, be cause the members feel that no good would or heard of him. These members must know something about him before they can vote to send him to China or Brazil or Africa. So letters of inquiry must be writ¬ ten to those who do know him. What of his health? His education ? Has he deep piety ? Common sense ? What sort of worker has lie been? Can he adapt him¬ self to others— working without friction? Is he very wjse in own his conceit? How about hiswife? Her health? Piety? Would he and his wife be acceptable to the brethren of his State? All these and many more things must be inquired into, and this takes time. The Corresponding Secretary does all this and then lays the result of his inves¬ tigations before a select committee of the Board— which .1$ composed of very busy men and meets, once a month — and they weigh the testimony. Will heisuit? Will be suit' for this field? or that? Will -not Dear brethren, be careful in writing your recommendations. Remember, the Board has to depend on them, in large measure, for its information. Don't say more than you verily believe to be true about a brother, and don’t be afraid to say ail you do know, for no one outside the Board will ever know what you did say, unless you choose to reveal it. And again. If you have recommended some one very highly, thinking he is 'just the man, and the Board fails to appoint him, don’t fall out with the Board .and say hard things about it. Some other тзя may have known something about him which, unknown to you, entirely disqualifies him for the work. We have'known the strong¬ est recommendations. ora dozen or more of, .our best men to be uttdriy nullified by Information givetl by one man'' who bap-' pen'cdto know wtiat the' Others did Hof.1 ENCOURAGEMENTS TO THE WORK JAPAN. Richmond, Va., March 15, 1S89. Dear Bro. Bell: Before beginning the series of letters, description of Japanese life and manners, let mo add a few words of exhortation and encouragement to those who may go or send to the work of evangelizing Japan. 1. The Japanese are at once the most skeptical and the most religious people in the world— skeptical of the value of new theories, but enthusiastic advocates of what is accepted after honest investigation. Doubtless their conceit explains the former trait, while their pride goes far towards ex¬ plaining the latter. With both of these characteristics the average Japanese is abundantly supplied. The history of Christianity in Japan has demonstrated the stoical fatalism of its peo pie under persecution. The serene compla cency with which nearly sixty thousand Japanese Roman Catholics met tortures and death rather than place foot upon the Cross, must he an earnest of what may be expected of those who, freed from the thraldom of superstition, shall bear in their bodies the marks of the Lord Je sus. 2. This trait in the individual is exem plified in the corporate capacity of the Japanese— whether as a nation, clan, fam lly or Church they "stand by" their con victions. The cohesive force of a common idea among the people is at first a barrier to the missionary work, but becomes a ground of confidence when the old things have passed away and all things have be come new. In a word the dogged Shinto becomes a bigoted (let us not be frightened by the word) Christian. In the case of a Buddhist —who is an idolater— the change is slower, and for a long time the " stump оГ Dagon ” remains. If there be any doubt about the firmness, or stolidity, or tenacity of purpose, (call it by any name,) look at the custom known as hara-kiri. Where is there another nation whose people can and will coolly invite rela lions and friends to be present at their sui cide by dlsembowelment. With the assurance that the Japanese are to be led somewhat " hardly ” into a new faith and to be valiant soldiers of the ac¬ cepted faith, let us consider the goal. The terminus a quo is neither more nor less than the heathenism of which Paul has given sufficient data in the Epistle to the Romans. The terminus ad quern is the all important question. At present two enemies con¬ front the Baptist missionaries— (1) Unbe lief and (2) its next of kin Unitarianism. 1. The works of Herbert Spencer are admirably translated into the Japanese language, as are many other books advo¬ cating like views. They are read and dis cussed by all. Many of the leading men of Japan are ardent admirers and aggressive disciples of Spencer, and the students of the Empire, are only too dften rated ac cording to their knowledge of arguments against Christianity. The Society called “ Yasu Taiji ” (Society for the expulsion of Jesus) is made up of students.. This So¬ ciety rather helps than hinders, as.it adver¬ tises the missionary's work and brings thinking people to investigate. 2. Again every educated lap is a theoret¬ ical Confucianisl. That faith— (if faith it may be called that faith hath none!) can¬ not be contrasted with Unitarianism. Com¬ parison is possible and reveals most strik¬ ing coincidences. In reality a change of name is about all that is necessary. The one is ethical Atheism. The other is eth¬ ical Theism, and as such wijl sweep the cquntry if'tbe ]Book and the Person do not pre-empt tit- With the one. Book speaking of' the' one Person (see ps. 401-7) the' victory b, as sure as, Goth’s promise jo His 'Son can make it. ' "But delays are pro¬ ductive of difficulties. In the name of Christ then, let us be “ up and doing,” The latch is on our side of the door. We can enter at will and be welcomed. Yours truly, Geo. H. Appleton. THE CHINKIANG RIOT. We are glad to be able to give our readers definite news concerning this un¬ fortunate affair, from brother Bryan him¬ self. In this issue of the Journal will be found a letter from him to the Biblical Re¬ corder. Througli the considerate courtesy of brother С. T. Bailey, an advanced proof sheet was sent us. Brother Bryan’s letter puts the whole matter in a different light from that sug¬ gested by the reports in the secular papers. It was the out-come, not of hatred of for¬ eigners, but of indignation against the un¬ necessarily rough treatment of a China¬ man by a policeman. While it is true our mission property is demolished, we can yet be thankful for the spared lives of our missionaries, and at the same time await the? restitution of the property by the Chinese government. Brother Bryan sees already grounds for confident hope that the affair will turn out for the further¬ ance of the work. Pray for our mission¬ aries ever. "Every tourist in Mexico seesata glance that Protestant influences are penetrating every part of the new republic. The jour¬ nal has been found to be one of the chief factors for successful work ever since the founding of the Protestant mission in Mexico in 1870. All the periodicals are ably conducted, and bring before the peo¬ ple especially the great religious move¬ ments of the Protestant world. All these journals encourage loyalty to the republic, The editors are in excellent relations with the entire- editorial fraternity of the country, and are most highly respected, both for their ability and the cause which they represent." — Bishop Hurst in /he .In¬ dependent. There are six religious papers now pub¬ lished in Mexico by as many different mis¬ sionary bodies. I.a Lus is the Baptist or¬ gan, and is published jointly by the mis¬ sions of our Board and those of the Home Mission Society. The American messenger , the organ of the American Tract Society, has this to say about one of the editors of El Faro , the organ of the Society In Mexico : "You will be pleased, I am sure, to know that the foremost of Mexican literati and authors, who has been described as ‘the cleverest orator in Mexico, the, Indian scholar, radical republican, brave soldier, and anti-church statesman,’ who was an iniimatc friend of Juarez and the President of the Supreme Court during' his adminis¬ tration. is now in charge as Spanish editor of El Faro. When I went to see him, with really slight hopes of securing his services, and handed him two or three numbers of our paper, he examined them carefully, and then said, ‘The government is very desirous that I shall edit apolitical paper, and offers me $ 100 a monthior my services; but I am fully convinced that the only hope for my race (the Indians) is to be found in the gospel, and I will gladly accept the C>osition you offer for tSo' a month. In the ast interview I had witli Doil Benito (Juarez), he said to me, ‘We must defend at all cost the Protestant missionaries who are coming among us, for in the religion which they represent is ,to be found. the only means of elevating and'liberating’our unhappy country.’” With conviction of the truth of this last statement, this man will 'do' good serv[ce for the cause in Mexico. Marbtu, a venerable and beloved South Sea Island preacher, uttered these words at the close of a missionary address; and they may well be taken to heart by Chris¬ tians in all lands:- "Finally, brethren, recollect that if the watchfires die out, the canoes will be lost. Many of our near relatives have ventured far out on the ocean to fish for the souls of the heathen. The night is dark ; their work is perilous. Our share of the work -is to keep awake, to pile up dry cocoannt fronds on the watch- fires, and shout to the returning' canoes, so that they may know where to land. Ah I if the watchfires of faith and prayer burn brightly, our brethren will ere long.return heavily laden with spoil.” — Exch. If the watchfires of faith and prayer bum brightly throughput our' .southern churches, .Crawford and Miss' .Moon,. Bryan and Herring, Gravos.-Dubank, Bagby, .Tay¬ lor; Eager, McCormick}, a'nd'lheir fellqW-j laborers, will see; thei'wppl^'jiY'thp'^-w^ prosper, in their han3s,‘|''(^ \yjhy';sbbuld there be any if there ?