# Lntefprise % ~ Edwin 2f, "Bliss CHARLES WILLIAM WASON COLLECTION CHINA AND THE CHINESE THE GIFT OF CHARLES WILLIAM WASON CLASS OF 1876 1918 '- .X;-.j ^ Due ^¥' _ ""'"""" '""'"'^ BV 206o!b64" '-^ ^*'*iiiiii™Sliiii7iii*'''*''P'''** concise his 3 1924 023 021 102 The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31 924023021 1 02 THE MISSIONARY ENTERPRISE / ^4z-^/,r- The Missionary Enterprise A Concise History of Its Objects, Methods and Extension By EDWIN MUNSELL BLISS, D.D. Editor of" The Encyclopedia of Missions" New York; Chicago Toronto Fleming H. Revell Company London and Edinburgh /^a8 Copyright, 1908, by FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY New York: 158 Fifth Avenue Chicago: 80 Wabash Avenue Toronto: 25 Richmond Street, W. London': 21 Paternoster Square Edinburgfh; 100 Princes Street PREFACE A DECADE ago the " Concise History of Missions " was written for the purpose of giving in compact form, avail- able for students and those who have not leisure or oppor- tunity for more extended study, a general survey of the progress of foreign missions. With occasion for a new edition, there came up the question of revision. At first it seemed an easy matter. Certain chapters might have to be rewritten, and some additions made, but the greater part would remain essentially the same. Examination, how- ever, showed that this was not true. History is not mere chronicle. Dates remain the same, but with more com- plete knowledge, and better perspective, the significance of the facts identified with the dates, often changes so completely that the older statement becomes practically incorrect. Especially has this been true of foreign missions. The labours of mission specialists at home, as Drs. War- neck, Geo. Smith, Jas. S. Dennis, Lemuel C. Barnes and others ; the contributions of missionaries on the field, as John G. Paton, Arthur H. Smith, Bishop Thoburn, J. P. Jones, H. G. Underwood, and their associates; the marvellous increase in general missionary literature, especially the text-books issued by the various move- ments ; all have combined to increase vastly the amount of information. Perhaps most important of all is the fact that this mass of information is interpreted in the light of a conception of the character and purpose of the Church as a whole, which, while not essentially different from, is 3 4 Preface far more complete than, the one which held sway for the greater part of the past century. Emphasis is placed to- day on " Salvation to life," rather than on " Salvation from " death ; the latter being regarded as one factor in the former. Some look askance at this, considering it a re- trogression or defection. In truth it but indicates that at last the Church at home is reaching up to the platform its missionaries have held from the beginning. In view of all these facts, it becomes evident that not only did nearly every page of the earlier book need alteration, but in some respects the plan must be changed. The development of the missionary idea at home, and its execution abroad, have become so interlaced, that they cannot be dissociated. The churches influence the mis- sions, but still more do the missions influence the churches. The same general principles, and much the same methods operate in both. If Evangelism is correctly defined as "everything that helps to bring men to Christ," and Education as "everything that builds men up in Christ," then both find their full manifestation in the organized church, whether native to America or Japan, to England or India, to Germany or Africa. Foreign missions give place to the Missionary Enterprise, the extension depart- ment of the Kingdom of God. There are therefore two parts, instead of three : the first outlining the general history, its movement, princi- ples and methods ; the second surveying the conditions, problems and progress in different sections. In so brief a survey, many important facts are neces- sarily omitted ; some, indeed, which may seem to the reader of greater value than those that find a place. Statistics and details are given only as they illustrate principles, and general characteristics. There are few Preface 5' direct references to authorities. To give all, or even the most important would cumber the pages. The great authorities on missionary history and principles have been drawn upon freely and the indebtedness to those al- ready mentioned, as to many others, including the sec- retaries of the different societies and movements, may here be emphasized as a personal obligation. The chapter on the Pacific Islands is furnished by my wife, who has also shared in the preparation of the ap- pendices, and in many other ways has contributed es- sentially to the completion of the work. Edwin Munsell Buss. CONTENTS PART I Development and Character I. Early Christian Missions II II. Medieval Missions zi III. Roman Catholic Missions 35 IV. Early Protestant Missions . $1 V. The Inauguration of the Modern Mis sioNARY Movement ... 66 VI. Development of the Modern Missionary Movement .... 79 VII. Student and Young People's Missionary Movements .... 93 VIII. The Missionary Society io8 IX. The Missionary and the Mission . izs X. Evangelism . '43 XI. Education ..... 163 XII. The Native Church 178 PART II Extension XIII. Africa . 199 XIV. Western Asia 2ZO XV. India . 239 XVI. Southeastern Asia 259 XVII. China . XVIII. Japan . 29s 7 8 Contents XIX. PART I Development and Character The Missionary Enterprise EARLY CHRISTIAN MISSIONS A. D. 30-300 CHRISTIAN MISSIONS commence with the return of the disciples from the Mount of Ascension. Up to that time the one thought dominant in their minds had been expressed in th|^ question of that last interview, "Lord, dost Thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel ? " The answer came in the command, "Go ye and make disciples of all the nations," and the prophecy, " Ye shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and ' unto the uttermost part of the earth. ' As they went down the mount, threaded the streets of Jerusalem, entered the upper chamber, the era of Christian Missions as an ag- gressive movement, began. This was not indeed the birth of the missionary idea. That is as old as the human race. " In thee shall all the " families of the earth be blessed —was the promise to Abraham, and in varying degree yet with a certain constancy, Judaism was missionary in its character. The records of early religious life are not yet full enough to speak very positively of its missionary quality, but five centuries before Christ, there was what might be called an outburst of the missionary spirit. At the very : 12 The Missionary Enterprise time when Zechariah was prophesying in Jerusalem that " many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek Jehovah of Hosts," Confucius and Laotze in China, Gautama in India, Zoroaster in Persia, Pythagoras in Greece, were in various ways developing religious thought in its broader relations to life. From that time on, as we look back, we can see how the world was being prepared for specific missionary enterprise. Judaism enlarged its borders. Jews spread over the entire known world, and wherever they went, attracted to their religion the interest of the people, and the number of converts grew rapidly. That the whole trend of Jesus' life and teaching was missionary, is too apparent to need more than a mention. There are three essential factors in the term, all personal a sender, one sent, one to whom he goes. Except as all three are clearly recognized, the terms missions or mis- sionary, have no pertinence. Jesus everywhere speaks of Himself as the Messenger sent by the Father to the lost ones. More and more clearly through His ministry comes out into clear light His conception of these lost ones as found in all the world, and it reaches its culmina- tion in the words uttered in the upper room, " As the Father has sent Me, even so send I you," and the com- mand on the Ascension Mount. The history of missions is the history of this " send- ing." It is thus a department of Church history, and can be fully understood only as its relations to other de- partments are kept in mind. The extension of Christi- anity has been by no means uniform. There have been periods of special missionary activity ; others in which doctrinal evolution, ecclesiastical organization, the con- solidation and strengthening of Church life, have ab- sorbed attention. Each, however, has had its influence Early Christian Missions 13 on all the others, and the work as a whole has a unity which can be realized only as one surveys the entire field. Individual Effort.—The Apostolic Church, including not merely the apostles and their associates, but also their immediate successors, was essentially a missionary Church. There was church organization indeed, but it was not extensive, and was for the most part held subordinate to the main purpose of extension. It has, however, left few records that are thoroughly reliable beyond the chronicles of the Acts of the Apostles and occasional references in the Epistles. To all appearance, with the exception of the apostles Paul, Peter, and John, and Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Mark, Philip, and a few others, the apostolic company and the great majority of the dis- ciples had little or no active share in the extension of the Church. This, however, is probably very incorrect, Mark says, " They went forth and preached everywhere," and Luke tells us that " they that were scattered abroad ' went about preaching the Word ; and a conception of ' what "abroad " meant is gained from the list of places represented at Jerusalem at the feast of Pentecost, and from Peter's great sermon.