INDIA STILL IN NEED by C. B. Ward

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Sep 28, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 38.

INDIA STILL IN NEED.

By C. B. Ward

[By Rev. C. B. Ward. Bombay Methodist Episcopal Conference.]

A MARVELOUS change in the condition of things has taken place in almost every part of India. There are still some conservative missions that gather in yearly but few, and see not much in prospect. But the missionary movement in all India is faced with multitudes, who have broken with their old faiths, and now beg admission to the Christian fold. The Methodists alone report 100,000 inquirers at the present time, asking to be enrolled as Christians. Formerly the mission sought inquirers; now inquirers seek the mission with an importunity it is difficult to put off.

Divine blessing in the distribution of the work of God in the language of the people, the steady increase in the evangelistic forces in the field, the spread of education, coupled with the severe judgment God has suffered to come upon India in the last few years, have combined to shake the grip of old faiths, and, beyond question, Christianity has come to the front as the hope of the world. In the trying ordeals of famine and plague in the empire, Christianity has come tremendously forward in heroic service and magnificent philanthropy. When plague comes, the Christian grapples with the monster, and, by sanitation and faith, wins and lives. The Hindu and Mohammedan flees from home, or stoically sits down to be carried off to the graveyard.

There has been the progress of a generation in the last ten years. It is impossible for one not on the scene of action to fully appreciate it. With all the marvelous development of missionary and government educational enterprises, still the Christian missions have essentially illiterate masses to deal with. In spite of all that has been done to reach the higher classes and castes of India, by way of reading-book and college, the multitudes at present round the doorway of missions in India are from the utterly illiterate masses. Christian schools, especially those of the more expensive grade, are well filled with caste boys and girls, and a few of the children of well-to-do Christians. But in every prosperous mission in India the converts in numbers are from the illiterate, rural population.

Here lies the condition that constitutes a serious need of missionaries but little anticipated. It is hardly to be expected, even if the advisability were assumed, that the present proportionately large investment of missionaries in educational work (which, while counting some, does not count much in the direction of the present and prospective ingathering) will be abandoned. But it is certain that a tremendous problem is upon the missions of India, to take in hand these incoming hundreds of thousands, rescue them and their children from illiteracy, and make them an intelligent, Bible-reading, Christian people. This must be done, if we ever have a Bible-observing people.

It is not too much to say that the present army of inquirers are not coming from quarters whence many missionaries have expected them. But God is at work in India, as Christian people at home can little appreciate; but this cause for heartfelt praise should be better understood on that side of the sea.

Every successful mission in this land has been undermanned for the last ten years. There has not been an adequate supply of young men coming to take the places of the old men, who, under double burdens, are wearing out prematurely. There is no comparison between the life and work of a pastor at home and that of an active missionary here, who has administration, financial, literary, and other work few men at home ever see, that compels him to work day and night. Let me repeat: No adequate supply for some years has been sent to prepare for the on-coming breakdown or retirement of these old and strong men. It takes ten years to make a strong missionary. Language and experience do not come in a day. Then, while the above is true regarding the old work, what shall we say when we look out upon the literally hundreds of thousands of men and women crowding about the door? Practically little has been done to provide for this new work.

Men are called for with the abilities of generals and statesmen. The older workers will not, can not, supply the working force for the leavening up of these masses. Out of their own numbers men and women by the hundreds must be taken, taught to read, teach, and sing, and preach, and be supervised and led. What a work! There ought to come to India in the next year one thousand missionaries to cope with the emergency God is thrusting upon us. In a large measure the battle must be reshaped. The régime of the past can not be extended to meet the emergency. The present demand is evangelistic, and all machinery must be put out on this line.

There seems to me no prospect that the year to come will see one-quarter of the missionaries needed sent out. It is too great a step for our churches at home, loaded down as they are with a large element whose interest is too largely selfish and worldly. The missionary-spirited people in the home churches are, in the prayer-meetings, a golden minority.