p. 12 | Protestant Missions a Challenge to Catholics

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 30, 1915

Protestant Missions a Challenge to Catholics

A WRITER in the Catholic journal America feels that the foreign missionary operations being carried on by Protestants constitute a challenge to the Catholic Church, and that Catholics should quicken their efforts in a more active propaganda in behalf of their own church. He cites the fact that the Congregational churches alone collected during the past year more than one million dollars for foreign missions. “Many other denominations have gathered hardly less, and some considerably more.” He then asks where his own church stands in missionary activity. He finds it difficult to understand “why, at a time when Protestants have in great numbers lost their belief in the vital truths of Christianity, and are openly denying the divinity of Christ and the inspiration of the Sacred Scriptures, the sects should nevertheless develop a new and widespread missionary propaganda.”

He consoles himself that in the Catholic Church “we have everything that is wanting to these denominations,” and therefore feels that his brethren should bestir themselves to greater activity in missionary propaganda.

While many in the great Protestant church have, as this writer states, lost their faith in the cardinal doctrines of Christianity, we are glad indeed that there are still thousands of earnest Christians who heartily respond to the demands of suffering humanity, to the calls of those in heathen lands, and who are ready to give of their means to carry the gospel to those in darkness. Many devoted men and women of the various Protestant denominations are found in mission fields today, doing valiant service for the Master.

And we would indeed that this missionary zeal might stir the Catholic Church to put forth the same spirit of earnest missionary endeavor as have these heralds of the cross. The sad fact remains, however, that Catholic missionary effort has not accomplished very much for the nations and peoples among whom it has been put forth. Indeed, judged from the Protestant missionary standpoint, those countries which are dominantly Catholic at the present time are quite as much in need of the gospel of Christ as are the peoples of heathen lands. Hence, we have not much to expect from a quickening of Catholic missionary effort.