Buddhism makes a strong appeal to minds dissatisfied with
Christianity, or unwilling to accept the claims of Christ. It is not
difficult to draw analogies between the acts and sayings of Jesus and
those of Gotama. It is easy to be enthusiastic over the ethical
teachings of Buddhism, and over its great influence upon Asia. It has
a certain appeal too to the scientific mind, which is not found in any
other non-Christian religion; and some claim that it is more
satisfying to the intellect than Christianity. The appeal of Buddhism,
therefore, is more than a mild satisfaction of curiosity in something
novel; it gives to a mind which denies the fundamentals of
Christianity an apparently good religious substitute. This being true,
no one can question the fact that those who are to go as Christian
missionaries to Buddhist countries must take the utmost pains to
prepare themselves to meet those who believe in Buddhism, not merely
with friendliness and a sense of sympathy, but with an adequate
background of philosophical, psychological, and religious training
which enables them adequately to represent the best that is in
Christianity, and to deal sympathetically and fairly with Buddhism at
its best. Missionaries are all too few who can "out-think" these
Scotch and German Buddhists, who carry much influence with the peoples
among whom they live. Some of them are sincere and able men: and there
are also strong native defenders of the Buddhist Faith. Moreover,
without a deep appreciation of the power of Buddhism one cannot
understand the history and culture of Asia. And this study becomes
daily more important and more interesting.