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Show H $ V . -w iP "W v t fl "i w M" If 4 -4 v men measuees and methods, I Pantaeraph of World Missionary Conference of 1910 Hra 1 H; C ' . REV. SPENCER S. SUXjLIGER, D. D. ' i Special Correspondence to The Tribune. EDINBURGH, July 19. Mr. Bryan was again In the limelight when ho engaged In the discussion of the report of the commission on missions and governments, govern-ments, and when ho delivered the nd-i dress at the peace meeting hold under; the auspices or the Edinburgh Peace and Arbitration Society. During tho regular regu-lar sosslon 01 the conference Mr. Bryan Jumped on the water wagon by say::tGT : thut the Influence of government should , everywhere he on the aldo of that which was best. Applying that tliought to the liquor traffic, he believed the time had conic when the pcoplo of Christian 11a-t!o:is 11a-t!o:is sl.t Did d'-mnnd that their governments govern-ments throw their influence on the side of temperance. Through their officials they might set an example which would be helpful to those .working against the use of liquor, and 'not allow their cx-I cx-I nmplo to support and sustain those deal-jti deal-jti ing in liquor and those using it. i He then stepped Into iho chariot of peace and hung olive wreaths all over It. Ami In the great peace meeting in the afternoon he spoke most optimistically of the outlook for universal peace. lie had faith in the triumph of this ideal, lie spoke of three great forces that mount for world-wide peace. First, the growth in education, Tho world was rising intellectually, and It necessarily followed that aa people wero more Intelligent In-telligent they must more and more see the folly of war. Second, the growth of the Idea of popular government was a force working for peace. Day by day the doctrine was growing that governments govern-ments were made for the people and not tho people for the governments. Tho mnsscs paid the taxes and furnished tho sons that died before the cannon's mouth, but tho benefits of war were not enjoyed en-joyed by the masses. Ho would mako as the third suggestion that the moral development of tho world meant peace. Tho heart and the mind were working together In this movement. The work of the missionary conference, ho declared, was duo to the fact that people recognized recog-nized the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. Wlillo Mr. Bryan recelxed a great ovation at this meeting meet-ing and tho whole sentiment seemed to t be In full accord with his views, tho 5 leading newspapor, tho Scotsman, Bold ;jL editorially: I Opinion of Scotsman. J if "Bryan preached eloquently yesterday Ijf on the wickedness of Christian natlonB ' f4 fitting to war, and the blessedness of -t 4. the policy of submitting all International 1 Quarrels to an Impartial tribunal for ox- )V animation and adjudication. He would i $ preach to willing ears if he were able in the first place to show that, his Ideas ; are capable of being realized In the ' V present state of the world. But ho Is ? bound to offor proof of the kind before : J launching Into commendations of arbl-i arbl-i , tratlon as the infallible and universal if remedy for war. Peoples and rulers i ' scarcely require to be told how evil and ;r " wasteful a thing war is. None know I" better than governments how crushing J Is the burden of armaments upon trade - and national prosperity. The fact reft re-ft mains that these armaments are the chief 5 practical guarantees of peace In Chrlsten- dom. War rather than the increasod sta- 1 bllity of civilized Institutions and the : spread of good will among the nations, r would be the Inevitable result of rash f and one-sided measures of disarmament. i Arbitration Its acceptance in principle .' f and Its application in action is mak- i lng steady advances. Philanthropists f may he disappointed that Its progress Is $ .not more rapid- But for countries like 'A ' i Britain and the United States, whose 4 H armies and navies are pledges of peace i and ibulwarks of liberty, to antlclpatu f ovonta and regulate their diplomacy and It military precautions on the assumption : that human nature is more advancod and ; & tho Millennium nearer than Is the caso, would bo a species of madness which I could bring only retrogression and ruin, j- Mr, Bryan seoms to regret that 'quos- 5 tlons affecting national honor' aro ex- eluded from treaties of arbitration. Ho furnishes a sufficient reason when he f nays, 'When a nation wants to fight, it can make a question of honor our of any affair,' That constitutes ono of tho Lyroundn why Amoriciui and British governments, gov-ernments, whlah havo so many wolghty roBpoiiHlbllUleB and proclous Interests In their chargo, cannot take the risk of pltialnir tho ears and fato of their honor m and their vital IntorostH in any other i Ba handa than their own." i As to Peace Commission. n . Tho cablo brings us the news that tho B' house of representatives had passed a resolution for the appointment, by tho K prosldont, of a commission of live to con- ,' K; for with foreign governments on tho sub- Joct of world-wide pea:e. and that it had ' B been suggested that Colonel Roosevelt should be the head of this commission. But Professor Patterson, when he offered of-fered .ho peace reso'utlon at tho meeting meet-ing whoro Mr. Bryan spoke, closed his remarks by saying .that the acceptance of tho resolution would end forever the modern worship of dreadnoughts and long distance guns, and they would hear not a slnglo word more about tho now American Ameri-can heresy, popularly called tho "big stick" doctrine. While Professor Patterson Patter-son spoke those words I could see Mr. Roosevelt, as The head of the peace committee com-mittee proposed by tho house resolution, offering the olive branch with tho left hand, but tho jellow who refused the olive branch would certainly see a gleaming double row of teeth and the right hand of the colonel would produce the "big stick" he had been noldlng- behind be-hind him all tho time. In dealing with some nations and some situations, the "big stick" will ever be a powerful persuader per-suader for the acceptance of the ciivo branch. With Mr. Bryan nere. It would have been Interesting had Mr. Roosevelt been able to romaln as a delegate. Bishop Brent Sensational. Bishop Brent of the Protestant Episcopal Episco-pal church of tho United States, and bishop of tliat church in the Philippines, mado one of the most sensational speeches of the conferences, in which he said ho wanted to speak of an extremely difficult thing. There was a great and venerable Christian church sitting apart In an aloofness today, more pathetic than It was splendid. That church vas not co-operating with them, but they could compel them to co-operate with them If they set their minds to It. Would they wait for the Roman Catholic church to lead, or would thoy not take the load themselves, and go to them? The Roman Ro-man Catholics would never come to them until they went to the Roman Catholics. Ho had learnod the lesson of aloofness. Let them treat the Roman Catholics always al-ways as Christians, and believe thev wero true and sincere Christians until they proved to them they wero othcrwisa. In Roman Catholic countries, especially, let them always preach constructive truth, and not destructive. If they had got tho truth, thev did not need to begin by demolishing their neighbor's walls in order to build their own. Let them also bo Buro they had got an Intelligent grasp of tho Roman Catholic faith, polity, and methods before thoy talked publicly about thsm. Let them be sure they did not commit that most grievous of all sins slandering another an-other church. Slander: was alwavs an awful sin in God's sight, but for one church to bo guilty through Ignorance of slandering another was a doublo ?In. They must never frame an indlctmont against the whole church any more than against a wholo people. There were occasions oc-casions when thoy must fight the Roman Catholic church. He had been in such fights. But lot them remember that fair fighting was one of the elomcnts In tho promotion of co-operation and Christian unity. If thoy were to fight, let them light llltq Christian gentlemen. i American Churchos Ready. Following this speech, the Rev. William H. Roberts of the federal council of ;ho Christian church In America, said that the American churches were ready for this committee, or any similar organization organiza-tion which might bo constituted. But American Christians were not ready to apologize for the Protestant church nor to surrender tho blood-bought results of tho Protestant Reformation. Many Christians believed that denominational churchos had been highly useful and could be utilized for tho welfare of men, and might well bo regarded a3 soparate corps In tho great Christian army. Theso were vigorous words, and while Bishop Brent was applauded, the words of Dr. Roberts received almost deafening applause, that had the roar of battle and the element of flght In It. An aftermath of the great debate came today In each delegate receiving a copy of "The Roman Catholic Church In Italy," by Alexander Robertson, T. D. The work Is beautifully bound and a large volume. Dr. Robertson Is also the author of "Tho Bible of St. Mark." Ho is a Scottish evangelical, preacher. H1b book was accompanied by "Tho Jesuits and the British Press," by Michael J. F. Mccarty, Mc-carty, tho author of "Catholic Ireland and Protestant Scotland." Closing Days Most Interesting. Tho closing days of the great conference confer-ence were of Intense Interest. Tho culmination cul-mination of Interest came on the last day, In the consideration of the report of the commission on the "Homo Base of Missions." Tho laymen came into their own this day by giving some of the best and most practical talks of the conference. con-ference. Dr. J. L. Barton of Boston submitted tho report of the commission In a way refreshingly re-freshingly pleasing to the delegates from tho United States and Canada. His words had the ring of Yankee directness and "go" in them. The conforenco has had a wagonload of stately dignity to one ounce of real "go." This duo to the fact that a vast majority of tho speakers called upon wore of the Anglican church. Those who knew tho situation saw in it all tho sagacity of tho chairman. Mr. Mott, lir thus pushing that church In the full current cur-rent of tho great movement. Last Day American Day. The last day, though, was American day, sure enough, and no ono swept tho crowd to a higher pitch of interest and bubbling-over enthusiasm than J. Campbell Camp-bell White, who will be remembered by the citizens of Portland and other wost-ern wost-ern cities as tho central figure of tho public meetings rocently held by tho laymen. lay-men. Mr. White mado five points that mako for practical work. First Fully definothe task that confronts tho church. Ho declarod that whon tho fact was given to the lilt ty of tho churches that only one-fourth of the work that ought to be done was being done, that tho pledges were easily obtained from all the churches to quadruple their giving. Second Undertake Un-dertake tho whole task, not fool with only a part of it. Third Deal with communities com-munities as a unit and not with individual indi-vidual churches. Fourth Devise and work plans that will reach the whole membership of the church. Fifth Lay upon the laymen their responsibility of giving, not only their money, but their time, their personality, to the work of missions. Tho last point was In line with a New Yorker, who said ho believed the missionary mission-ary campaign demanded the same sort of watchword that the highway robber had. "Your money or your life." Ho believed Tnat all should give either money or service, serv-ice, which was life. A level-headed layman declared that when ho earned 50 by honest toll It represented so much of himself his life and when he gave It to tho cause of missions mis-sions lie gave hlmsolf. Tho whole trend of tho day's debato was that the need of the home church was not so much exultation, but lnformation-"Strong. lnformation-"Strong. sober, solid enthusiasm," as one delegate put It, "based on Information, not only of the need of the field, but also the ability of the home church to mqet tho need." What Will Result. I cannot undertako to sum up the results of the conference In a few sentences, sen-tences, Indeed, In many sentences. I am sure It will result in a better understanding under-standing between tho workers In the different dif-ferent churches and In a much closer union in the work of these same churches. It may result in tho organic union of some of the smaller denominations that have but very littlo that keeps them apart. Another result will be unless tho Laymen's Lay-men's Missionary Movement. Includes the work of homo missions In Its plans tho launching of a great laymen's home mission mis-sion organization. Too much has been said at this conference about the absolute abso-lute vllalncss of keeping tho church on the homo Hold In first-class condition to permit of anything elso being' done. All tho work of the conference has tended toward the Idea of greatness of enterprise. Tho day for small things In missionary work Is gone. The man who shuts his eyes and sings and prays, "Thy will be done in earth," and then gl'es 10 cents for missions, Is going to have a hard tlmo of it. The conference was distinctive because of tho practical spirit that dominated It. Not much of platitudes nor skyscraper theories and visions, but dcfinlto words from hard-headed hard-headed business and professional men. Groat Good Accomplished. A reporter put another great feature of the conference in the following light: "Whatever other good this conferonco will do. it has at least dono this good It has given missions a place In tho common consciousness of the common man such as they never liad before. Tho spectacle presented by ths conference, tho meetings growing larger day by day, the three groat halls in the city being night after night tilled simultaneously, the Impression Impres-sion made by seeing and hearing some of tho ablest and keenest brains in the world set themselves to solve the question ques-tion of how to mako the Christian Ideal operative throughout the wholo world; tho way In which the public press reflected re-flected the aroused Interest all that has brought home to the man in the street the fact that the greatest uplift In the world today is the work of Christian missions. For commerce and national expansion represent but the Impact of self-seeking on the lower races; but the Imoact of Christianity is tho impact of self-sacrillce, of sympathy, of healing the working of that which is highest in man." Was Eemarkaolo Gathering. Many men who have a world reputation repu-tation In public affairs, outside of church and missionary work, havo engaged In tho activities of tho conforenco and have spoken fully of its valuo and practical usefulness. The Hon. Seth Low, ex-mayor, ex-mayor, New York and Brooklyn, stated In the course of a conversation that tho World Missionary conference was the most remarkable gathering he had ever attended. The only other conference to which ho could compare It was tho first International Conference of Peace at Tho Hague, to which he was a delegate from tho United States. At Tho Hague the nations gathered together to consider the promotion of International peace. Here Christians from all parts of tho world wero assembled, also for a noble object. Thoy differed In many respects as greatly great-ly as the nations represented at The Hague, but all these differences had been subordinated to tho common Interest Inter-est of spreading the gospel of Christ. With each day a spirit of brotherhood and a sense of fundamental unity had deepened, and the Influence of tho conference con-ference must be far renchlng and abiding In drawing together In some form of real unity the broken parts of Christendom. Everything relating to missions had been presented to the conference from tho point of view of the whole world. It was clear to every ono attending that Christian Chris-tian missions had passed tho day of small things. Christians were now face to face with tho duty of establishing indigenous churches iu different mission fields, whicl should bo independent and self-sustain 1 ing. The conference would powerfull: strengthen the desire on tho part of boL 1 missionaries and' converts to have 1 united church in non-Christian countriet IH Iho conference could not fall to prove i IH lasting benediction not only on thi k IH churches in the mission Held, but on th churches at home. Cannot Be Described. The closing night no one can describe IH The great hall v.'as crowded to the ltml jH and many stood and were seated In tin v aisles. Sir And row Frazier presided am IH did It well. The closing hour WU3 dc IH votlonnl. tho only speaker being th 1 chairman of the conference, Mr. Join R. Mott, who In the closing words yah ' the end of the conference was the be ginning of the conquest. The end o the planning was the beginning of tlv doing. What would bo the Issue of thes memorable days? Were the streams o influence put iu motion by God in lha gathering to come to a stop that night the gathering would yet hold Its plao as truly notable in His sight Had I not widened them nil? ' Had It not deep IH ened them all? Had it not humble IH them Increasingly as they bad discovers IH that the greatest hindrance to the ex IH pauslon of Christianity lay in themselves Though there has been few resolutions and though there had been no signs am sounds and wonders as of the rushlni IH wind, God had been silently and peace fully doing His work- Their best day-were day-were ahead of them because of a large body of experience as the result of theL action these days' now placed at tin disposal of Christendom, They hm looked beyond that hall into a sltuatloi In tho Christian world absolutely unlqui in the history of the Christian religion Well did the message they scut out ti Christendom emphasize the fact that' I was unique in opportunity, unique ii danger, unlquo In responsibility and duty The visions that had fairly overpowerei them of the adequacy of their Lord an I IH Savior theso and other things tha IH pressed upon the whole emotional am IH mental nature of the delegates constL tuted their undoing and their peril 1 jH they issued not in performance. The: would go out from that hall to revisi "H their plans not In the light of their re- B sources, butyof His resources and wishes He made bold to say that the churcl had not yet seriously set itself to brlni the living Christ to all living men. jH After a short prayer tho crowd Joinei In singing; "Now blessed he tho Lord our Goa, The God of Israel, . For he alone doth wondrous works ( In glory that excel; And blessed be his glorious name To all eternity. The whole earth lot his glory fill, Amen, so let it be." And with these words of triumph ring IH ing In their ears, the great crowd poured out into the night, but it was not dark JM although tho lights gleamed through thi fog. And the greatest missionary confer ence tho world has ever known was over. |