What Missions Do

A Notable Word From The Past

Letter to the Editor FROM time to time the pro- and anti mission controversy breaks out afresh in your pages; and quota tions are made from nineteenth century writers in support of one side or the other. The trouble with most of these quotations is that they emanate from people who came on the Pacific scene with pre-conceived ideas, either for missions or against them.

A few days ago. I came across a pass age in a book published about the mid dle of last century which seemed to me of particular interest. Here it is:— “They (the critics of missions) forget, or will not remember, that human sacrifices and the power of an idolatrous priesthood—a system 'of profligacy un paralleled in any other part of the world —infanticide a consequence of that system —bloody wars where the conquerors spar ed neither women nor children—that all these have been abolished, and that dis honesty, intemperance, and licentious ness have been greatly reduced by the introduction of Christianity. In a voy ager to forget these things is base in gratitude; for should he chance to be at the point of shipwreck on some un known coast, he will most devoutly pray that the lesson of the missionary may have reached thus far”.

And, later: “The lesson of the mission ary is the enchanter’s wand. The house had been built, the windows framed, the fields and even the trees grafted by the New Zealander. When I looked at the whole scene. I thought it admirable. The march of improvement consequent on the introduction of Christianity, through out the South Seas, probably stands by itself in the records of history”.

The interest of the above quotations resides not so much in the actual words used as in their author. For these words were penned, not by what some of my friends in Papua would describe as a b parson, nor even by a professing Christian, but by an agnostic who be came world-famous for his passionless and unbiassed scrutiny of facts in the search for truth. They were written by Charles Darwin.

I am, etc.,

Percy Chatterton,

L.M.S. Station, Delena, Port Moresby, Papua, 1/7/1939.

Mr. J. C. Fleming-, an Englishman, who has had farming experience in Kenya Crown Colony and teaching experience in Australia and New Zealand, has joined the staff of the Melanesian Mis sions Pawa School for senior native boys in the Solomon Islands.

Dr. S. W. Dobell-Brown is relieving Dr.

C. E. M. Gunther as Medical Officer of Bulolo Gold Dredging, Ltd., New Guinea, while the latter is on long furlough.