_The Christian Century_ says there are yet a few intellectual
provincials that scoff at the missionary enterprise, but their
ignorance is so coming to shame them that their dolorous and
caustic voices are not often heard. No one but a moral agnostic,
a medieval race-hater, or a dogmatic religious quack could be
cynical about an enterprise that shows such amazing success as
does the missionary propaganda. Here are some figures that show
the growth of thirteen years:
1895. 1909.
Total amount given $13,470,318 $24,613,075
Given by native
churches 1,458,464 4,859,605
(Not included in above.)
Number of missionaries 11,033 21,834
Number of native
workers 49,566 92,272
Number of stations 18,545 43,934
Number of actual
church-members 1,030,776 2,097,963
Number of adherents 2,770,240 4,866,661
Number of accessions
to church in year 62,256 135,141
Number of schools 19,384 29,190
Number of pupils 860,287 1,413,995
The grand total of receipts for the great cause is seen to be a
total of nearly $30,000,000, and the number of workers employed
to be more than 114,000. In each case the numbers have about
doubled in the thirteen years, while the number of stations has
increased in a like proportion. The total of actual communicants
in the churches has more than doubled, while that of the
adherents has fallen but little below the same rate of increase.
As the missions grow older and the life of the communities about
them is elevated, the number of church-members will advance in
an increasing ratio over that of adherents. The total number
now in the Christian communities in the foreign field reaches
practically 7,000,000.
(2064)