Open Season For

Missionaries In Ng!

IN Port Moresby towards the end of March were Messrs. Grass and Muller to make arrange ments for starting yet another mission in Papua-New Guinea.

These men represent the Swiss Evangelic Brotherhood —this will be the first branch outside Switzer land.

The Territory is now a kind of happy-hunting-ground for an ex traordinary assortment of foreign missions, as well as, of course, the better-known ones.

Europeans are frankly confused by the number and variety. No one asks the natives what they think — they are only the brands to be plucked from the burning and fair game. If this farcical situation is allowed to go on, their only defence against these incursions of foreign missionaries will be to turn back the clock 100 years, and eat them!

Seriously, it is time that the Ad ministration gave thought to some real control over Missions, and more co-ordination of their activi ties in educational and medical work. Tact and sympathy are necessary—first, because the old established missions have done a truly remarkable job in the fields of education and medicine; and, second, because the Trusteeship, being international, is supposed to be open to any religious body, Christian or otherwise, which feels the call to go out and rescue the heathen.

But this growing and confusing multiciplicity of sects is liable to defeat the chief purpose of our Christian Missions.