p. 779 | MISSIONARY DRESS AND LIFE

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 15, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 49.

MISSIONARY DRESS AND LIFE.

By Charles F. Harford-Battersby, M.D.

BY CHARLES F. HARFORD-BATTERSBY, M.D.

Matters of dress and social etiquette and the general mode of living of the missionary seem small matters to those who have not had actual experience of the work, and even to many of those at work in the mission field in places where European customs predominate.

But in a pioneer work these things have an importance which it is almost impossible to overrate, but very difficult to explain to those who have no experience of such fields.

It is obvious, however, that when a missionary enters for the first time a new part of a country, he will be an object of general interest and attraction, whether for good or ill, on the part of the natives. For some time he may not have the opportunity of speaking much to them, even if he knows their language, but long before he can speak to them, they will have formed opinions about him, which will probably have far more weight than the sermons he may preach. This is so in our own country, but far more so among people who are shut off from general intercourse with the nations of the world. Their natural prejudices are even greater than our own, and he is a foolish man who seeks to run counter to them, at least so far as they are not antichristian. For instance, they will judge of a man's wealth by their own standards, and it is, perhaps, impossible to avoid a reputation of being rich, but it is worth while making an effort to live as simply as possible.

Self-denial probably forms a greater part of their idea of religion, and they will not be likely to listen very much to one whom they think is "making a good thing out of it."

It may be true that missionaries are not living luxuriously according to English ideas, and may put to shame many who are living in ease at home, and expecting others to do what they are not prepared to do themselves, but still, according to Chinese ideas or African ideas, they may be living at an unnecessarily higher level than the natives around them.

The complaint was lately made by the correspondent of the Times in Uganda that our missionaries were too condescending, and had erred in treating the natives as brothers instead of domineering over them. This is just the sort of complaint which was made most vehemently against us by traders and others when we adopted native dress on the upper Niger. They said that we should not lower ourselves by condescending to the ways of the people, and putting ourselves on an equality with them. But our Master has given us an example, which we must follow, not to be lords and masters over those to whom we go, but to be as he was, a servant.

To conform to their manner of life in all reasonable ways is, in my opinion, the surest way to win the confidence and respect of those among whom we may go. It may mean some self-denial; it will certainly need a great deal of attention, but it is well worth the trouble.

In some cases, even in pioneer missions, it may not be possible to conform, except in a most limited extent, to the ways of the people; in some it could not be done without serious risk to health. We would not wish to lay down universal rules, but I would contend most earnestly for the principle of identification of the missionary, as far as possible, with the people among whom he goes to work.—London Christian.