The Sunday Oregonian., July 03, 1910, SECTION FIVE, Image 49

SECTION FIVE
Pages 1 to lO
Woman's and Books
VOL. XXIX.
PORTLAND, OREGON, SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 3, 1910.
NO. 37
No. 1-IVIen, Measures and Meth
ods and Their Relation to the
Missionary and Church Work of
the United States
BT REV. SPENCER 8. STTLX.K3ER. D D.
THE World Missionary Conference
of 1910 had a most auspicious
opening' in the United Free Church
assembly hall, at the educational ai 1
historic city of Edinburgh, Scotland, 1
June 14. While a short business ses
sion was held at 3 P. M., the opening
meeting1 came at 8 o'clock. Lord Bal
four of Burleigh, the president of the
conference, presided at both meetings,
and his opening address, in the even
ing, fairly bristled with terse and sig
nificant utterances. Lord Balfour is
not particularly a pleasing speaker,
but he is Intensely and attractively ar
gumentative. Being accustomed to ad
dressing statesmen and politicians, his
missionary address was of the states
man type. Besides its note of unity of
method and work In mission fields, if
not organic union of church (which, by
the way, so dominates the whole con
ference that I have reserved that theme
for one separate article), the address
of Lord Balfour abounded in such far
reaching statements as the following:
"If it were to do nothing else than
bring home to the minds of Christian
people how great is the variety of
problems which 'have to be faced, this
conference would not be without its
use. In that commission wrtn which I
have had more especially to deal this
point is strikingly Illustrated. There
is the problem, of perennial difficulty,
of the due relation of the civil and the
spiritual power to be faced. You may
have a civilized government, with a
civilized and yet not Christian people;
you may have an ancient yet backward
civilization like that of China, or you
may have a Christian government rul
ing over a Mohammedan or Hindu pop
ulation. There are European protecto
rates over regions as yet wholly un
civilized, and in the varying degrees
of civilization every class of varying
problem is presented for consideration
and for discussion. Cast your minds to
Japan, to China, to India, to the Dutch
East Indies, to the specially Mohamme
dan countries on the continent of Asia,
such, for example, as Persia, and Tur
key, Egypt, and the Soudan, to North
Africa, Central Africa, East Africa,
West Africa, and to South Africa, and
you will find, that It is true to say that
the difficulties with which you are con
fronted vary not so much with the po
litical but with the religious differ
ences. "There are certain spheres of civil
government which are practically the
same everywhere. There are missions
which have the same object, but the diffi
culties which arise arise mainly from
the fact that in so few of .those cases
which I have mentioned do the govern
ment acknowledge in the abstract the
principle of freedom of conscience. You
cannot in this matter lay down even
the most general principles which will
carry you further than the threshold
of questions of ever varying degrees of
difficulty and complication with which
you are confronted. The government
tmay be neutral. It may be hostile, it
may vary from the lowest to the high
est civilization, and it may perhaps
have its own domestic difficulties with
those under its sway, owing to the fa
naticism with which they cling to their
own beliefs.
"Let me pass to another point. By
common consent there Is Just now a
great opportunity. Nations in the East
are .awakening. They are looking for
two' things; they are looking for en
lightenment and for liberty. Chris
tianity alone of all religions meets
these demands in the highest degree.
There cannot be Christianity without
liberty, and liberty without at least the
restraint of Christian ideals is full of
danger. There is a power unique in
Christianity of all religions to uplift
and to ennoble, and for this reason,
that it has its roots and its founda
tions in self-sacrifice and in love. We
express the devout and earnest hope
that God may use this conference to
increase in the minds of professing
Christians their deep responsibility to
the whole world."
The Archtlshop of Canterbury, the
Rev. Dr. R. T. Davidson, had the pol
ished, scholarly and strikingly signifi
cant address of the evening. The Arch
bishop is a native of Ecltnburg, and his
utterances, from this fact, as well as
because of the position lie holds as the
head of the Anglican Church, were re
ceived with great consideration. He has
a pleasing, though not a strong, voice,
but a well-nigh perfect articulation
made It so that all heard him easily. All
were eager to hear his words, and he
opened by plainly placing the work of
the missionary as central in the work of
the Church, and did it nicely. He said:
"I say it in all earnestness it is with
reverence and holy fear that I obey the
call to be the first speaker in these de
bates. I can contribute nothing that is
new; very little that is my own. But if
I interpret rightly the privilege which
you have offered me, I stand here for a
special purpose. It is to say, from the
standpoint of one who holds of neces
sity a position of central responsibility in
our country's religious life, that we
whose actual work lies prosaically at
home, feel, with an intensity beyond all
words, that, among the duties and privi
leges which are ours in the Church of
Christ, the place which belongs of right
to missionary work is the central place
of all.
"As regards opportunity of knowledge
I have, I suppose, some qualification to
speak. Four times, at intervals of 10
years, I have in one capacity or another
taken part in the great gatherings of
Bishops at Lambeth, men who bring from
near and far afield the knowledge which
leaders gain about one great section of
Christ's Church on earth. In our last
gathering in 1908, 240 Bishops took part,
and now it Is perhaps not presumptuous
to say that probably to the desk of no
other man in the British Isles does there
flow In weekly, daily, almost hourly, so
varied a stream of communications about
the Church's activities and problems, its
mistakes and its failures, and its vic
tories, as flows in steady volume from
the whole circumference of the earth to
my room, not, of course, as to a place of
authority or governance pray under
stand that but as to a central pivot or
And happily it is not letters
flow In; it is also men and
exchange,
only that
women.
"Brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus
Christ, I tell you deliberately that with
that increasing knowledge and even the
dullest man must in such a position gain
some increase of knowledge there comes
a deepening conviction that what mat
ters most, what ought to loom largest
In It all, is the directly missionary work,
such work as we are gauging and plan
ning In this eventful fortnight."
Then, after saying that "material
wealth and comfort being made the
deity and goal among 'Christian' na
tions" and "and the un-Chrlstian lives
of - the representatives of Christian
lands," as being great obstacles to the
Chrlstlanizatlon of the world, the dis
tinguished ecclesiarch brought the
great conference to a high pitch of in
terest by saying:
"And perhaps, above all If you doubt
it. read the gathered testimony from
a hundred mission fields the apathy
and lukewarmness of the home church,
that Is to say of religious. God-fearing,
Christian people in the face of all these
possibilities and perils. There, at least,
wo have a clear cut task, an open path
to tread. If the work is to be done, we
must make men know and feel; yes,
and make them live as men who know
and feel, not in abstract theory, but in
living, burning fact, that there is none
other name under heaven, given to man,
in whom and through whom we, or any
other folk, can receive health and sal
vation, but only the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ. It is the sense, strong
and eager and aglow, of what we owe
to God In Christ which alone can
quicken the pulse and nerve the arm
for the battle which Is not ours. It is
the Lord's. But, brothers ' and sisters,
that means effort, that means the sort
of sacrifice which Christ looks for and
demands when he bids men count the
cost of dlscipleship, and that means a
courage that ten thousands of our
shy, reticent people wholly lack. Be it
ours to hearten them. Once more, my
single thought tonight that the place
of missions in the life of the church
must be the central place, and none
other. That is what matters. Let peo
ple get hold of that, and it will toll it
is the merest commonplace to say it
It will tell for us at home as it will tell
for those afield. Secure for that
thought its true place in our plans,
our policy, our prayers, and - then
why then, the issue is his, not ours. But
it may well be that if that come true,
there be some standing here tonight
who shall not taste of death till they
see here on earth; in a way we know
not now, 'the Kingdom of God come
with power." "
, Robert E. Speer, secretary of the
Board of Foreign ' Missions of the
United States, in true and characterist
ic American style struck from the
shoulder at the first sentence he ut
tered. His voice Is peculiar and not
pleasing and his delivery not marked
ly attractive, but he commands atten
tion because of his clear-cut and com
prehensive thought, as well as the
practical ideas he advances.
But the climax of the evening came
at the reading of the special message
from His Majesty King George V. The
King has the reputation of "saying the
right thing, at the right time, and in
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the right way." And most fully did he
sustain that reputation in his message.
For such a gathering of different reli
gious organizations and churches, what
more comprehensive and appropriate
words could have been framed . than
these:
"His Majesty views with gratification
the fraternal co-operation of so many
churches and societies In the United
States, and on the Continent of Europe,
and in the British empire, in the work
of disseminating the knowledge and
principles of Christianity by Christian
methods throughout the world.
"The King appreciates the supreme
importance of this work in Its bearing
upon the cementing of international
friendship, the cause of peace, and the
well-being of mankind.
"His Majesty welcomes the prospect
of this great representative gathering
being held in one of the capitals of the
United Kingdom, and expresses his
ORIGINATOR OF "SUNNY JIM'' IS BEAUTY OF NEW YORK
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MISS DOROTHY PICKEX.
NEW TORK, July 2. (Special.) Miss Dorothy Ficken is consid
ered one of the beauties of New York's four hundred. She is the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. Edwards Ficken, who are prominent
members of society. Miss Ficken Is a very clever artist and is the
originator of "Sunny Jim," and her work has often been exhiibted.
earnest hope that the deliberations of
the conference may be guided by di
vine wisdom, and may be a means of
promoting unity among Christians, and
of furthering the high and beneficial
ends which the conference has In view."
-
Then the vast congregation, repre
senting almost every nation and people
on the face of the earth, stood and
sung "God Save the King." The scene
lacked something In bubbling, boister
ous American enthusiasm, but for in
tense, yet subdued, enthusiasm, I have
never seen It excelled.
As we passed out of the hall It was
difficult to realize that it was 10 P.
M., for It was broad daylight. With
my host, Mr. Lennls. I walked to Rose
Parkj and. reaching there about 11
o'clock, had bright twilight to enter
the large, high gate and walk through
the charming beauty of a Scottish home
grounds. Graveled walks and multi
colored flowers were entranclngly
beautiful under the soft twilight.
The most imposing and elaborate
service in connection with the Confer
ence was the reception given by the
Lord Provost (corresponding to the
Mayor of our cities). Magistrates and
Council of the city in the Royal Scot
tish Museum. Shortly after 8 o'clock
the Lord Provost. Magistrates and
Councillors, all In their- elaborate robes
of office, marched to the center of the
large room. They were attended . by
the sword and - mace and halberdiers,
and made an imposing show. Over
5000 were In attendance, and the pre
senting of each one by name was soon
abandoned.
While -the reception and speeches
were going on in the great hall, the
scene above was one of the most ani
mating character. From the two gal
leries eager faces looked down upon
the ceremonials below. The people
were standing around the balustrades
two and three deep, and the staircases
j auu j puiut ui vantage irom wmcn
the great hall could be seen were oc
cupied. Subsequently the whole com
pany were free to mingle in gallery
and hall, to Jjsten to Scottish national
music from the band of . the Second
Royal Scots, Interspersed with selec
tions on the Highland bagpipes by
Edinburgh Police Pipers, or to examine
the many objects of Interest In the Mu
seum. In one corner of the Museum is
a very fine ethnographical collection,
said to be second in extent only to the
great collection in the British Museum,
illustrative of the tools, implements,
weapons and other objects associated
with the dally life, customs and beliefs
of the many lands to which mission
aries have found their way. : Indeed to
many of these missionaries the Museum
authorities are indebted for assistance
in building up this collection, and
among the names associated with the
collection is that of David Livingstone.
At 10:30 the band played the National
Anthem and the crowd dispersed.
-
Among the many ' interesting and
striking characters of the Conference
no one stands out more conspicuous
than Dr. Julius Rictater, of Germany.
With other distinguished men (Hon.
Seth Low, General James A. Beaver
and John R. Mott being from the United
States), Dr. Richter was honored with
the degree of LL. D. by the University
of Edinburgh. In no way could I bet
ter Illustrate the practical trend of the
Conference than to hear from him, as
he spoke on the occasion of the degree
services at the University.
Dr. Richter, who was cordially re
ceived, thanked the University, in his
own name and in the name of his Ger
man friends, for the honor which had
been conferred upon them that after
noon. In connection with the mis
sionary movement which had brought
them together, he might be permitted
to direct attention to one of the chief
Droblems which at present weighed
heavily on them in Germany the - -ad-Justing
of the relations of Christianity
to the non-Christian world. It was a
well-known fact that their Judgment
of the non-Christian religions had
changed to a great .extent during the
last century. A hundred years ago
they were inclined to look-down with
contempt upon these religions as little
better than a mass of superstition.
About the middle of the last century,
with more knowledge of the great
Asiatic literatures, - contempt was
changed into admiration, and people
were inclined to put these religions al
most on the same plane as the Chris
tian religion Itself. That super-exaggeration
for those Asiatic religions
passed away; still it left Christian mis-
sions in relation to them in a widely
different position from what they were
before; and it was for them to show to
those peoples that Christianity was ca
pable of supplying higher Ideals of life
than the old faiths, and that the Christ
was In very truth the Life and the
Light of the World.
The meetings in Synod Hall opened
on Wednesday night, June 15. These
meetings are the result of the early
knowledge that Assembly Hall could
not possibly contain half of the people
who desired to attend the Conference.
The Synod Hall meetings are In no
sense simply overflow meetings, but
parallel meetings, the same subjects
substantially being considered as in
the regular Conference. The subjects
a somewhat dif-
that of the home
GIRL WINS ATTENTION BY RECITAL OF NEGRO STORIES
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are considered from
ferent viewpoint, i. e.,
workers' view.
The romantic, historical and pictur
esque city of Edinburgh makes an Ideal
spot to hold a World Missionary Con
ference. The castle of Edinburgh,
the Holyrood Palace and Chapel Royal.
Calton Hill and St. Giles Church are
only a few of the many places of in
terest, while such names as John
Knox, whose burial spot in the church
yard of St. Giles is visited by all; Rob
ert Louis Stevenson, who was born
here: Mary, Queen of Scots, and Oliver
Cromwell rigure in the history of the
city. The accompanying cut of the
city, taken from Calton Hill, affords a
view of almost all the places X have
mentioned. Assembly Hall and Synod
Hall are ideal convention halls. Not
only are the churches of the city open
to the visitors, but over 1000 of them
are being entertained in the elegant
homes of the city. The writer is at
the spacious home of Mr. and Mrs.
Lennie, Rose Park, which is over 150
years old. Charmingly beautiful it is
and with all the romance of the past
Increasing its attractiveness.
Edinburgh, Scotland. June 16.
DIVORCE PROBLEM VEXES
British Commission Cannot Agree on
Desirable Reforms.
MISS lUCIXE FINCH.
NEW TORK, July 2. (Special.) Miss Luclne Finch has attracted
a great deal of attention In New York by her recital of negro stories.
This form of parlor entertainment has become very popular in recent
years. Instead of drawing from the vaudeville stage. New York host
esses now employ authors to read from - their works or tell stories.
Miss Finch is not an author yet, but she will be before long, because
she is preparing for publication .the curious old negro tales which as
a child she learned from her old negro mammy. They are ridiculously
amusing burlesques of the stories of "Moses in the Bulrushes," the
"Creation," and other scriptural stories, and Miss Finch tells them in
an inimitable way with a seriousness and a cleverness of imitation of
the negro dialect which emphasizes their humor.
LONDON, July 2. ( Special. )
Every day the English class system is
suffering nasty Jars. Even the divorce
commission now sitting Is devoting
most of its time to deciding how It can
arrange for working people to obtain
divorce for moderate fees.
"Divorce for the price of a bicycle"
is how one member of the commission
put it, and the comic papers are having
a great time with pictures of a work
man debating whether he should "get
rid of Mary Ann or buy a new wheel."
One of the saddest men In the com
mission is the Archbishop of Canter
bury. He 'thinks bard cases, where
people can't find the minimum $260 a
divorce costs, are few. And he is ap
prehensive about the ascendancy of the
masses. "At the begininng of the last
century," he says, "England was ruled
by men in top-hats; the reform -bill
ushered In the will of the, men with
round hats. We are living today under
the rule of the men with cloth caps,
those yellowish,, greyish cloth 1 caps
which spread before one like a sea
when at a football match, or a race.
These are the symbols of sovereignty in
modern England. The man in the cloth
cap Is the ruler of his country, and the
church's problem is to get alongside
him."
The commission is involving itself in
a tangle of conflicting evidence, hardly
any two men of the same class or profession-
agreeing as to the necessary
reforms. Ultra-religious folks are
against any greater facilities being
given to divorce' seekers, and some, like
irs. Evelyn Hubbard, vice-president of
the Mothers' Union, would have all di
vorce prohibited.
PREMIER ASQUITH SNUBBED
Minister and Naval Secretary Re
. fused Permission to Play Golf.
" LONDON, July 2. (Special) There is
hot political feeling In Scotland because
Premier Asquith and Naval Secretary
McKenna were refused permission to
play on the Troon golf links the other
day.
Both ministers are devoted to golf, and
happening to be nearby they went over
to Troon and asked permission to play
a game on the local course. The reply
came that they could only play on being
Introduced by a member of the club. Evi
dently the Troon officials were not dis
posed to accept the holding of the Pre
miership as a proof of respectability.
Such Incidents, and the manner in
which some Conservatives are using King
George's name in politics, are proof of
the tension now existing in British poli
tics. For instance, R E. Belilios. Con
servative candidate for West Newington,
a South London constituency, has juet
roused great bitterness by declaring
"King George Is thoroughly attached to
our Conservative and constitutional
cause." No rebuke has yet come from
the throne, as it used to come in such
circumstances very promptly from th
late King Edward.