Foreign Missions and World Peace, Vol. 3: Address at Portland, Maine, October 10, 1912 (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Foreign Missions and World Peace

Furthermore, it must never be forgotten that it was because Dr. Sun and so many of his compatriots were trained in our missionary schools and had come under the Christian in?uences of the West that the success of this wonderful movement for better government was made possible. The nations are beginning to realize more and more what they owe to the missionaries. A Chinese leader was asked when the recent revolution began, and with great wisdom he replied, The day Robert Morrison landed in Canton. We must not forget the forward look in this summary. There are in the Protestant mission ary schools of the East nearly students of all grades under missionary training. In these schools are being shaped the future leaders Of every nation. The work done by our missionary teachers in training Chinese students has been one of the largest factors in helping to bind China to us. What is true in China is true else where, and is to become more and more true as the schools for Chris tian education are being rapidly increased. It is these students of to-day, the leaders of to-morrow, that are to bind this world together. There would have been no new China or Korea or India or Turkey if there had been no missionaries, and the diplomacy of the world would have been powerless without their aid. Western civilization, with. Its accompanying evils, is everywhere crowding into the East it is the Christian missionary, educator and physician, that serves as the antidote to all these evils and shows what Christianity is. It is the missionary who has been the peacemaker, and it is his in?uence that is making possible a closer oneness between the nations.