Missionary Survey As An Aid To Intelligent Co-Operation In Foreign MissionsAllen, Roland
Religion
Missionary Survey As An Aid To Intelligent Co-Operation In Foreign Missions
Allen, Roland
Missions
If this is true in the world of arms, of labour, of commerce, it is
equally true in the world of foreign missions. The common worker, the
subscriber, the daily labourer, is beginning to demand that he shall be
allowed to take an intelligent part in the work, and missionary leaders
are beginning to see the importance of securing intelligent
co-operation. In the past the appeal has been rather to blind obedience,
and immense stress has been laid upon the "command"; the appeal has been
to the emotions, and love for Christ, love for the souls of men, hope
of eternal blessings, hope of the coming of the Kingdom, and (for
direction of the work) trust in the wisdom of great missionary leaders
or committees, have been thought sufficient to inspire all to put forth
their best efforts; but to-day, as in the labour world, as in commerce,
as in the army, so in the world of missions, the intellect is taking a
new place. Men want to understand why and how their work assists towards
the attainment of the goal, they want to know what they are doing, they
want to understand the plan and to see their work influencing the
accomplishment of the plan.
It is no doubt true that the demand for intelligent co-operation, both
on the part of the subscribers and workers on the one side and of the
great leaders and boards of directors on the other, is at present
slight, weak, uncertain and hesitating; but it is already beginning to
make itself felt, and must increase. Certainly it is true that the
support of a very large body of men is lost because they have never yet
been able to understand the work of foreign missions. They are
accustomed in their daily business to "know what they are driving at,"
and to relate their action to definite ends; and they have not seen
foreign missions directed to the attainment of definite ends. They have
not seen in them any clear dominant purpose to which they could relate
the manifold activities of the missionaries whom they were asked to
support; and they cannot give to the vague and chaotic that support
which they might give to work which they saw clearly to be directed to
the attainment of a great goal which they desired by a policy which they
understood. The attitude of these men is the attitude of those who await
an intelligent appeal to their intelligence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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