The American Missionary — Volume 43, No. 12, December, 1889 — John Shaqi
The American Missionary — Volume 43, No. 12, December, 1889Various
Religion
The American Missionary — Volume 43, No. 12, December, 1889
Various
Congregational churches -- Missions -- Periodicals; Home missions -- Periodicals
We have found, too, that when a church was thus organized where we have
no school, we are very soon importuned to start one. In localities with
a scattered population there might not be sufficient public funds to
open a colored public school; in many more places they would sustain the
school for only two months in the year, and in larger towns it sometimes
has happened that these public schools were of such a character that the
parents begged for a Christian school as a means of saving the moral
purity of their children. Thus, in every way, and under all
circumstances, the school and the church need and help each other. And
what is true of the colored people is equally true of the whites in the
mountains and elsewhere, among whom the Association is working so
auspiciously, planting its schools and churches in mutual helpfulness.
The suggestion that all the church work of the denomination in the
home-field be given to one society, and all the educational be
concentrated in one other society, deserves thoughtful consideration,
for it meets with this very serious objection, that it provides for but
one collection for work that now receives two or three. The experience
of our churches is conclusive against the hope that one enlarged
collection would be given to the one society. For a time, a brief time,
spasmodic efforts might, as in former cases, result in some special
contributions, but the new experiment would certainly be more
disastrous, if it should fail, than those already tried, because it
would involve far greater interests.
It is not to be supposed for a moment that such consolidation is
contemplated in order that the churches may escape the large
responsibility now resting upon them; and if economy and efficiency are
the only objects sought, we fear the result would be disappointing. Such
an arrangement would not save in the number of workers in the field, and
surely it is not wise business management to leave great interests
inadequately supervised. Even if the consolidated society were divided
into separate departments or bureaux, the supervision could not be less,
if efficient, while the combination would be likely to lead to
complications, and would weaken, in the several departments, the sense
of individual responsibility and take away the impulse of historic life
and achievement.
More work well managed and vigorously pushed seems to me to be the only
plan that will satisfy the Christian conscience or meet the approval of
the Master.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account