The present world situation, with special reference to the demands made upon the Christian Church in relation to non-Christian lands

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Preface

The object of this book is to show that the present world situation — a situation unprecedented in opportunity, in danger and in urgency — demands from the forces of pure Christianity the development and exercise of statesmanship, the Christianization of the impact of our Western civilization on the non-Christian world, a closer and more practical co-operation and unity among Christians in their missionary tasks, and a far larger emphasis on the spiritual side of the stupendous undertaking of making Christ and His truth known and obeyed among all men.

Before the War broke out the bookwas written just as it now appears. That great catastrophe, however, lends a peculiar timeliness and meaning to the treatment of the subject. What a demonstration the War has furnished of the contention that the present is a time of unprecedented danger. Who vi PREFACE

will say that the opportunity which is likely to confront the cause of Christ at the close of the struggle will not be more extensive than ever before? Changed conditions and greatly aggravated difficulties occasioned by the present upheaval will make an added call for the highest order of Christian statesmanship. What a colossal exhibition the War affords of the unchristian character of much of our so-called Christian civilization, and what a challenge it presents to the leaders of vital, Christlike Christianity to strive to bring in a new order wherein shall dwell righteousness, love and true peace! In view of depleted material and human resources, severely strained international relations, and broken Christian fellowship caused by the War, greatly increased force is given to the arguments for co-operation and unity. If such a policy were admittedly desirable before, it is essential now. Never before has there been such general distrust of human ability and such wide-spread recognition of the need of superhuman wisdom, love and power to meet the world

PREFACE vii

situation. Thus, in the midst of so much that is changing and uncertain, the call is insistent that chief emphasis be placed upon the changeless facts and the limitless resources associated with the Fountain Head of spiritual life and energy — Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day and forever.

Under the auspices of Andover Theological Seminary, five of the chapters of this book were given as lectures in April, 1914, in Sanders Theater at Harvard University, and were repeated at the Boston University School of Theology. Chapter II is an address delivered in January, 1914, at the Convention of the Student Volunteer Movement in Kansas City. Chapter VII is reproduced, with slight changes, from The International Review of Missions for April, 1914.

John R. Mott.

December, 1914.

Contents

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I. The Present World Situation 3 II. The Openness and Responsiveness of the Non-Christian World 19

III. The Need for Statesmanship

II The Openness And Responsive- Ness Of The Non-christian World

There are many and multiplying evidences that the peoples of non-Christian lands are peculiarly accessible and responsive to the message and the messengers of vital Christianity. Facts could be massed showing how true this is with reference to the masses in nearly all parts of Asia and Africa, not to mention other sections of the non-Christian world. Possibly even more significant, however, are the facts indicating the attitude of the educated classes toward Christ and His claims. For the present, therefore, I confine myself to relating certain experiences and recording impressions in connection with my recent journeys in the Near East and the Far East. In order to make more clear the marked change which has taken place, I shall follow the plan of contrasting these late experiences and observations with those related to my visits to the same lands half a generation ago. The experiences and testimony of countless other travelers, as well as of workers residing in the different fields, would tend to enforce greatly the conviction that at the present time there exists throughout the non-Christian world an unexampled desire to know the truth of Christ and readiness to respond to the Christian appeal.

On my first visit to Russia, about fifteen years ago, it was impossible to gain access to the educated classes of that great Empire. At that time had I been found in a street car with five Russian students, all of us would have been subject to arrest. The meetings were necessarily held in secret, between midnight and four o'clock in the morning. Were I to visit Russia again under these circumstances, I would not follow such a course — not because of personal peril, but because of the risk involved for others. During that visit, I delivered only one public address, and that in the British-American Chapel in

St. Petersburg. I was warned that even there spies would be present, and it caused me not a little perplexity to choose a subject on which I could safely speak. At last the topic " Secret Prayer," was selected. Had I spoken on any theme bearing upon organization, association, international relations, or propaganda, it would have ended all my efforts then and there, and seriously embarrassed the work of others who were in sympathy with the object of gaining access to the Russian students for the work of Christ. In striking contrast with this experience was that of my last visit to Russia, when I was given the largest freedom to conduct public evangelistic campaigns among the students and other educated classes in some of the principal cities. It was necessary to secure the largest halls in these centers to hold the multitudes of students. All the meetings, as was customary, were open to both men and women students; for in that land the students of both sexes insist on having everything in common. The women were present even at meetings where purity and sex questions were discussed, maintaining, to use the expression of one of their number, "We have been going to the bad together; why should we not learn to climb the heights together." Admission to the meetings was by ticket, and a charge was made in order that the students might accumulate a fund with which to help fellow students who were in dire need. As a rule these large halls and theaters were crowded. The police allowed no one to stand in the aisles, but students were permitted to stand in the large area in front of the stage.

Never shall I forget those seas of Russian faces extending from the stage where I stood, back over the crowded area and to the uppermost gallery. Most of the faces bore the mark of tragedy, and the word tragedy is used advisedly, for that Russian student is an exception who does not know its meaning, either through his own personal experience or that of some member of his family. Those who best know the inner life of Russian students say that a majority of them have contemplated suicide. Indeed, more students commit suicide each year in Russia than in all other countries combined. Each meeting lasted about three hours. Every word had to be spoken through an interpreter. Usually I gave two or three addresses in succession, pausing a few moments between the two principal addresses, during which interval the students, as is their custom, drank tea and discussed the points of the address. As the meeting drew to a close, it was always difficult to get the other students to leave in order that we might come into closer and more helpful relation to those who were ready to become serious inquirers.

Nearly all the students of Russia are agnostics. They are, as the Germans would say, confessionslos. Though they are without religion, they are, however, the most religious students I have ever met, unless it be those of India. They have a thirst to find religious truth and to experience its power. In every city large numbers of them became sincere inquirers. They listened with that intensity which fairly draws out one's soul. They not only remained after the addresses to receive personal counsel and direction as to how to find Christ, but they also sought me out on all possible occasions. Though they did not know the English language and though I did not know Russian, they would follow me as I walked along the streets or rode in the street cars. They came to my hotel at announced hours for interviews, and at periods when I had indicated that I wished to be left alone. They seemed to think that if they could draw near me, as the messenger of the Christian students of other lands, they might find something to quench their thirst to know the truth.

Bands of investigators of Christ and His teachings were left in each center. In some cases the number of inquirers was so great that proper provision could not be made for them. In one university center the evening before the day of my departure, I said to the audience, "All those present who would like to learn how to follow Christ as I have been setting Him forth, meet me in this hall at two o'clock to-morrow afternoon." A difficult hour had purposely been chosen in order that there might be a more searching test. To the amazement of all, literally hundreds came to this special meeting — a meeting of such intensity as characterizes gatherings where there are present only those who are in dead earnest to discover and follow the truth. Nearly all of the large number who came decided heroically to become investigators. Then I had that most trying experience of having to leave these hundreds of true inquirers alone, without sympathetic and wise guides, for we had no Christian Student Movement or expert Christian leaders to whom to entrust them. Baron Nicolay, Miss Ruth Rouse, Mr. Sherwood Eddy and others have had similar experiences within the last few years.

These encouraging beginnings have been followed by the establishment of scores of Bible classes or circles. Student Christian Associations have been developed at the principal student centers, and in some cases their work has become so extensive as to necessitate securing and conducting foyers, that is, suites of rooms properly equipped for the social and religious activities of the society. Many valuable apologetic books and pamphlets have been issued and are being widely purchased and read by the students. Conferences of Christian leaders and workers are being conducted from year to year. Several very able Russian and foreign secretaries are devoting their entire time to the leadership of the work. In some cases the Government has granted statutes to the newly formed Student Christian Associations. Most wonderful of all, in June, 1913, this new Christian Movement in the universities of Russia, made up so largely of members of the Russian Orthodox Church, was received into the World's Student Christian Federation.

Colonel Roosevelt, while President, wrote me a letter to be read to the Russian students, and in it made the statement that, "No land more than Russia holds the fate of the coming years." Certainly there are many facts in support of this opinion. The Russian Empire stretches from ocean to ocean in that zone of power where we find such nations as

Britain, Germany, France, United States, Canada, Japan and China. It possesses more extensive undeveloped material resources than any other land, not excepting Canada and China. It blends the strong strains of Europe and Asia. Within its borders are found in strength those three great religions, Christianity, Judaism and Mohammedanism. Its people possess capacities for creative and constructive achievement, as well as for heroism and suffering, which unquestionably mark them out for a great work in the world.

In the autumn of 1895, at the time of my first visit to Turkey, I tried in vain to get access to the Mohammedan students in Constantinople. When we started to go on board our ship to proceed toward India, we heard the firing of the rifles as Armenians were being shot down in the streets. We were told on good authority that during the few days we were there hundreds of them had stones tied to their necks and were sunk in the Bosphorus, because they had had the courage to think aloud, or to associate with others who thus publicly expressed their opinions. Wherever I went in Turkey that year, I found the door to the Moslem students closed, and was obliged to confine my efforts to work among Christians in the mission schools and colleges. Even such work had to be conducted in the most quiet manner.

Three years ago I revisited Turkey. The contrast in the experiences of the two visits seems almost incredible. On this last visit I went to Constantinople to help organize, at the gateway of the political capital of the Mohammedan world, a conference of the World's Student Christian Federation. Plans were explained frankly and fully to the government authorities, and not the slightest obstacle was placed in the way. The Conference was attended by leaders of the Christian forces among students from twenty-five different nations. Although the number of delegates was limited to about two hundred, there were represented among them over fifty branches of Protestantism. Besides these there came Coptic Christians from the

Nile Valley, Syrian Christians from the Lebanon and from India, Maronite and Roman Catholic Christians from different fields. One of the strongest delegations was that of Russia, which included several members of the Orthodox Church. The other autonomous Greek Churches of Bulgaria, Servia, Rumania and Greece were represented. Two Bishops of the Greek communities in Turkey attended, and the Ecumenical Patriarch himself manifested the deepest interest in the Conference, and furthered its plans. The Armenian or Gregorian Church, which through its faithful witness for centuries had earned its right to join in such a gathering, was represented by several of its members.

This most representative conference of all branches of Christendom was permitted to carry forward its discussions in the most open manner. Its speakers and members did not apologize for their religion. They rjet forth constructively the meaning of Christianity and its world program. In addition to the regular conference sessions, there were held every night in the six largest halls obtainable in different parts of Stamboul and Pera, meetings for the educated and influential classes — in one hall in the Armenian language, in one in Turkish, in another in German, in two places in French, and in still another in English. In these meetings powerful apologetic lectures and persuasive evangelistic appeals were given by professors and Christian workers from Germany, Britain and America, and their more formal addresses were confirmed by testimonies given by delegates from Europe, Asia and North America. The halls were, thronged by Moslems and Jews, as well as by members of the Eastern Churches.

Shortly before the time for my departure from Constantinople a deputation waited upon me and urged me to hold before leaving at least one meeting near the great Moslem University in Stamboul with its eight thousand students. As my time was very limited, I had to assign for the purpose a somewhat unsatisfactory hour on the last evening of my visit. A large hall in the vicinity of the University was secured, and when I arrived to give my address, I found the hall packed to suffocation — not only every seat and standing place being taken, even on the platform, but also in the hallways and neighboring rooms within the range of the sound of my voice. When I reached the place where I could see the audience, I noticed that many present wore green turbans. The interpreter told me that these were the most fanatical of the Mohammedan theological students. I feared there might be serious difficulty, for my theme held up Jesus Christ as the only Savior, but in no land have I had more intense and respectful attention. At the close of the address, although I wished to hasten away to meet another very late appointment, I was held for nearly an hour by eager inquirers who pressed upon me with their questions which involved spiritual issues of life and death. So profoundly was I impressed with the ripeness of this critically important field, that I have since done all I could to facilitate the sending to these students of other Christian messengers. Leading apologetic lecturers and evangelists, such as

Professor Allier of Paris, Mr. Sherwood Eddy and Mr. Robert Wilder, have, during the last three years, had still more remarkable experiences among them. In other student centers of Turkey there have been similar evidences of the marked widening of opportunity among Moslems.

It is true that in the more recent past a serious reaction has set in. Many facts of a discouraging nature might be given, but against the most unfavorable considerations and circumstances there should be set in contrast certain facts which did not exist at the time of my first visit nearly twenty years ago. For example, it is now possible for Christians to travel freely in all parts of the Empire. Christian conferences and conventions may now be held. Scores of periodicals are now published which were not then permitted, and an increasing volume of Christian literature is being circulated and read. Public evangelistic meetings may be held in nearly every important center, and Mohammedans may freely attend them. More wonderful still, Christian organizations of students and other classes may now be formed, and not infrequently Mohammedans identify themselves with these as members. Within a year the Christian Student Movement, embracing both men's and women's sections, has been perfected and related to similar movements in other lands. Facts like these far more than counterbalance the most adverse and disappointing aspects of the present situation, and clearly show that within half a generation truly marvelous progress has been made. It isjiot without its advantages that the advance of the cause of Christ in Turkey is attended with very great difficulties. It requires fiery trials to test men and to strengthen them. Church history proves that Christianity advances best in the face of opposition. This is the ground of confidence that the Christian religion in its most vital form is destined soon to achieve in Turkey even more notable victories.

On my first visit to North Africa about twenty years ago it proved to be impracticable to gain access to Mohammedan students in Cairo, the great educational capital of the Moslem world. I had to confine my efforts in Egypt to meetings with the Coptic and Protestant Christian students. Returning to that land three years ago, I raised the question whether I might not give lectures on the power and claims of Christ to the Moslem and other Egyptian students. Representatives of Government and even some of the missionaries, while admitting that such meetings might be held, advised against holding them on the ground that they might stir up the spirit of fanaticism. Some of the more sympathetic Christian leaders were amazed at the plan proposed, which was to secure for the meetings the Abbas Theater, the largest in Egypt. As a theatrical company had engaged the place for each night, it was necessary to hold our meetings at a very unfavorable hour in the afternoon following the university work of the day. Notwithstanding this fact, the large theater, which accommodates twenty-five hundred, was overcrowded every afternoon, and after the first day it became necessary to have the help of the police to control the crowds of students on the outside who were striving to gain admittance.

Day after day I sought to set forth, positively and without equivocation, the truth as it is found in Christ, but without making any attack upon Mohammedanism. Attention was fixed upon the living Christ. On the last afternoon, when the time came to give up the theater because of the play, I had not finished, and observing the close and solemn attention of the multitude present, I felt that I could not leave them without leading them further into the truth. The audience was composed largely of Mohammedan students and unbelievers from the government colleges. I put to them this invitation: " Those of you who would like to believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, if you could do so with intellectual honesty, meet me as soon as possible at the hall of the American Mission." Hastening through the crowded Cairo streets to the appointed place I found, to my surprise, the hall filled with students who had come in response to this invitation. There we spent a momentous hour — an hour such as men have when none are present through idle curiosity, but because of an earnest and sincere desire to receive help greater than their own. We had indubitable evidences of the presence and working of the Spirit of Almighty God. Discussions conducted by such skilful Christian workers as Mr. W. H. T. Gairdner and Dr. S. M. Zwemer during the last year, show that the inviting door of this intellectual Mohammedan center is still wide open.

My first visit to the student field of India lasted through the four months of the cold season of 1895-96. Conferences and public meetings were held in all the university cities. These resulted in the formation of several Christian Associations. In connection with the evangelistic meetings only a few Hindu and Mohammedan students were led to become investigators of Christianity; none of them, I think, confessed Christ during my visit, although it was a source of joy to learn that two or three subsequently became Christians. Even these small beginnings in that most difficult student field of the world, the home of non-Christian religions, sent me on my way greatly encouraged. On my return to India with Mr. Sherwood Eddy two years ago, I found a vastly enlarged opportunity. Again the tour embraced the five great university centers — Madras, Bombay, Lahore, Allahabad and Calcutta. In every place the largest theater or hall we could obtain was filled to overflowing with students. Here were audiences of crowded ranks of Hindus, Mohammedans, Buddhists, Parsees, as well as agnostics and adherents of various eclectic systems. Little bands of Christians were scattered among them. Every meeting constituted a conflict so great that at its close we went away completely exhausted. In Madras one Sunday afternoon it seemed as if everything were going against us. Many were hissing at the mention of the name of Christ. Groups of students had stationed themselves in different parts of the room to create disturbance and thus break up the meeting. At a critical stage I noticed several men leave the meeting and feared that the break-up of the meeting was imminent. But in a few moments there came a hush upon the vast, tumultuous assembly, and, as Christ the living Lord was exalted in the closing appeal, one was distinctly conscious that His Spirit was moving mightily upon the consciences and hearts of men. Some months later we learned the secret of the marked manifestation of superhuman power. Those who had gone out of the meeting were some earnest Christian students who went behind the stage and fell upon their faces before God in fervent intercession. Then we understood that Christ had again stilled the tempest.

During the absorbing series of evangelistic campaigns in those few crowded weeks, hundreds of the keenest students of non-Christian faiths decided to make a study of Christ and His teachings. This does not mean that they became converts. It does mean, however, that they determined to investigate the claims of Christ, and this with an openness of mind and a sincerity of purpose which, when all the difficulties that surround them are taken into consideration, puts to shame the indifferent, easy-going and cynical students in favored Western lands. Here and there a few individuals among all these investigators have since made an open profession by baptism. At the close of our tour in India a conference of Christian students from seventy colleges of all parts of India and Ceylon was held at Serampore, the scene of William Carey's remarkable labors. One evening at dusk Bishop Azariah, who, on the preceding Sunday in St. Paul's Cathedral, Calcutta, had been consecrated as the first Indian Bishop, baptized two Indian students who had become inquirers in our meetings in Calcutta. This took place in the Hooghly River at the very spot where a hundred years before, William Carey, after seven years of service, had baptized his first low-caste convert. It means far more for a few Hindus and Mohammedans in India to take such a step than it would for a thousand agnostics in the great universities of America or Europe to make a public profession of faith in Christ.

All over India to-day, not simply scores or hundreds but thousands of the educated classes are secret inquirers. They have been intellectually convinced and their hearts have been deeply moved, as a result of the faithful and self-denying work of the missionaries. What is needed is the additional impulse which will come when the Church of the West recovers and utilizes the gift of intercession. The time is at hand in the Indian Empire to secure great results from the siege work which has been going on there for so many years. This siege work has been beyond all praise. We should thank God for workers with that highest type of heroism which is willing to live and, if need be, to die doing siege work. Such workers are as much to be honored and envied as are those who actually see the walls fall. The Japanese who did the mining and countermining at Port Arthur as truly helped to achieve the wonderful victory as did those who finally swept into the fortress.

Buddhism in its purest and most aggressive form is found in Burma and Ceylon. It means much, therefore, that both in Rangoon and in Colombo, the principal student centers of these two fascinating countries, the largest halls were required to hold the Buddhist students who came together to listen to addresses setting forth the unique sufficiency of Christ to meet the deepest needs of men and nations. In these places, as in the Indian cities, hundreds were led to form the purpose to study Christ and to obey His truth. Several of their number have since pressed on to baptism. There seems to be no limit to the range of opportunity for wise evangelistic effort in these fields. When one remembers the heroic labors and sacrifices of the early and later missionaries in Burma, one understands how unprecedented modern ingatherings have been made possible. Ceylon presents a peculiar appeal to the imagination and to sacrificing devotion. It is inspiring to recall that centuries ago, from this little island as a fountain head and propagating center of Buddhism, there went forth thousands of Buddhist missionaries to storm the entire Asiatic coast. Their missionary zeal goes far to explain the fact that Buddhism to-day has more adherents than has any other religion.

On the occasion of my first journey around the world, I did not visit Korea, because at that time it had no students in the modern sense. This was also true at the time of my second world tour. When I went for the third time to the Far East, a brief visit was made to the capital, Seoul, in connection with which a memorable gathering of thousands of the most influential classes of Korean men was held in Independence Hall outside the city wall. The results achieved by the Holy Spirit that winter afternoon, when over two hundred strong men accepted Christ, constituted in itself a^ convincing evidence of Christianity, and revealed the marvelous character of the opportunity in Korea. On returning to the country nearly two years ago, although it was not regarded by many as a favorable time owing to strained relations between the races, I expressed the desire to have opportunity to proclaim the message of Christ to the more progressive classes of

Koreans. A large tent to accommodate three thousand was pitched for the purpose, and night after night it was densely crowded with the very men we most desired to reach. The last of these meetings continued for three hours, and after the workers had literally driven away all save those who had signed cards indicating that they were serious inquirers, three hundred of these noble and lovable Korean men confessed their allegiance to Christ in the most heroic manner. While there has recently come a time of severe testing in this land — an experience never without its great refining and strengthening influence — the fact should not be lost sight of that the doors of Korea are still wide open. Beyond question this can be made a Christian nation if the Christian Church continues to make the most of its advantage. I came away from Korea believing that if Christianity were to die out in America and Europe, it exists with such vitality in Korea that it would ultimately spread from there to our shores and reestablish itself.

When I first visited Japan in 1896-97, I met with a good reception and helped to plant the Christian Student Movement both in government and in missionary colleges. During a period of three months filled with meetings, some two hundred Japanese students were led to become inquirers. Similar encouragement attended a second visit nearly five years later. My third visit was made in connection with the Conference of the World's Student Christian Federation in 1907. At that time international deputations of Christian leaders preached the Gospel to the educated classes in virtually every student community of the Empire, and large numbers were led to become Christian disciples. Many wondered whether there would ever recur such an opportunity, but last year the doors were found to be even wider open than ever. Wherever I went the halls and churches were overcrowded with eager listeners, and seldom was a meeting held in which less than a hundred and fifty students decided to become inquirers. A larger proportion of those present at the different meetings became inquirers than in similar meetings held among the educated classes in any other land.