A Plea for Better Regulation of Mission

Activities in New Guinea

ON several occasions the suggestion has been made, when missionary activities have caused denominational friction in outlying districts of New Guinea, that each missionary denomination be allotted a separate sphere of activity in which to carry on its work. This would obviate the “‘overlapping” which causes such keen competition among native mission teachers —to an extent, sometimes, that embarrassing situations are created for the Europeans in charge.

The system was introduced in Papua years ago, and operated most successfully —until one sect disregarded the restric tions in certain areas.

The reason given in official circles for the non-introduction of the system in New Guinea is the “freedom of conscience” clause in the Terms of Mandate, which reads: Subject to the provisions of any local law for the maintenance of public order and public morals, the mandatory shall ensure in the Terri tory freedom of conscience and the free exercise of all forms of worship, and shall allow all missionaries, nationals of any State Member of the League of Nations, to enter into, travel and reside in the Territory for the purpose of prosecuting their calling.

There has been more than one occasion when the unchecked activities of mis sionaries has resulted in breaches of pub lic order; and yet no action of a disci plinary nature has been taken because the “freedom of conscience” bogey has been interpreted by officialdom as giving all religious bodies carte blanche—notwith standing the stipulation in the “Terms” that the “freedom” is subject to the main tenance of public order and public morals, and that those missionaries permitted to prosecute their calling shall be nationals of any State Member of the League. Ex actly how this affects nationals who are not State Members of the League—Ger mans and Americans to wit—has never been indicated.

That the Permanent Mandates Com mission has a suspicion that all is not quite well where mission activities are concerned in New Guinea is indicated by the report of the Commission’s Twenty-Seventh Session, when New Guinea’s 1933-34 report came up for dis cussion.

M. Palacios was anxious to know whether the Administration “exercised effective control over the methods and activities of the various missionary societies, particularly in their first con tacts with the native populations.” He also asked “whether any steps had been taken to allocate to the various missions spheres of activity in the recently dis covered districts or elsewhere, or if they all worked in the same regions.”

The reply to this question was that the Administration had no policy of alloca tion of areas to missions.

Finally M. Orts thought it useful to recall that the question of the interpretation of the “freedom of conscience” clause in the various mandates had already been raised by the accredited representatives of another mandatory Power. The Mandates Commission had concluded that the first duty of the Man datory Power was to maintain public order.

Within that framework, it should maintain free dom of conscience, but freedom of conscience must not be allowed to interfere with the maintenance of public order. Of course, every administration should avoid any act prejudicial to any given sect or to evangelisation in general. He presumed that, in their economic activities, the missions were subject to the ordinary law of the land.

The reply to the last question was in the affirmative.

This announcement by M. Orts should give the New Guinea Administration a definite lead for action in the event of future incidents arising, where sectarian enthusiasm creates unrest or open violence among native people.

Any government is naturally averse to censuring any particular denomination lest, it be thought partial in its religious views. But the “freedom of conscience” clause has allowed the Administration to deftly avoid action where action has been called for. In all other matters native welfare has been a paramount considera tion. There is no reason now why the Administration should not take steps to prevent religious confusion among primi tive natives.

Reports have repeatedly been received of “fanaticism” amongst natives. Aitape, Morobe, Buka and Namatanai districts have all suffered from waves of mistaken

enthusiasm; and in each one there has been a connecting link with religious teachings. In Aitape, a native assumed the role of a new Messiah. In the more recent Buka mania, the prophecy was that a great earthquake would occur and the dead would rise again when a certain church dignity returned from overseas; ships would bring food and ammunition and the white race would pass away.

The white man can understand the

differences between the spiritual and the material: but the native is feverishly swayed by the fervent exhortations of his teacher, who, in an effort to adequately impress his congregation, uses figurative illustrations, which are accepted by his listeners as literal prophecies. The keener the denominational competition in native villages, the more fervent are the exhor tations and the more realistic the illus trations.

The white missionary usually is ignor ant of the prophecies and parables de livered by his teachers. Nevertheless, he is held responsible. Fortunately, the experienced resident realises how diffi cult it is to inculcate in the native mind a correct appreciation of verbal values — whether it be the cook-boy putting salt in the morning porridge, or the mission teacher exhorting his flock in the face of an opposition sect.

To explain the tenets of rival denomina tions to a native congregation is an almost impossible task. How can the native mind differentiate between church dogma?

One might as well ask an illiterate Euro pean to explain the advantages of Budd hism over Shintoism or Mohammedanism.

Nothing is more confusing to the native mind than to be assailed by a multiplicity of methods of receiving the Christian re ligion. In the natives’ present primitive state the fundamental principle of Christ ianity is the only thing that matters.

The intricacies of denominational doc trines should not be thrust upon them at a time when they are trying to understand the essential differences between pagan ism and Christianity.

It surely is in the interests of the natives that there be no overlapping of sects, and no confusing competition between the religious denominations. In other words, why not apply the system that worked so well in Papua?

Gordon Thomas.

Mr. J. B. de Faur, Victorian mining engineer, left Sydney for Madang, New Guinea, by the Montoro in October. He will carry out preliminary boring and testing operations on the Gum River area, near Madang, on behalf of Gum River Development N.D., which was recently formed in Melbourne.