The Edinburgh Conference and the Missionary Message in Its Relation to Non-Christian Religions Author(s): Geo.

Heber Jones Source: The Journal of Race Development, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Oct., 1910), pp. 147-155 Published by: Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/29737854 . Accessed: 04/10/2013 02:06
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THE EDINBURGH CONFERENCE AND THE MIS? SIONARYMESSAGE IN ITS RELATION TO NON-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS.
By Geo. Heber Jones, D.D.

Among the topics considered at the recent World's Mis? sionary Conference in Edinburgh, that of the missionary
message in relation to the non-Christian religions occupies

a premier place in the thought of students. It is necessarily a topic vital in its character and fundamental in its impor?
tance. It raises the questions : What real and permanent con?

tribution has Christianity to make to the religious thought and life of the world outside the Christian pale? What are must work? the conditions amidst which Christianity What are the elements of truth which will be found await?
ing it in other religions as representing the results achieved

by the age-long quest of man for the satisfaction of his moral nature? And this all leads to those larger and more vital questions: What will be the interpretation which the races now living in the non-Christian world will put upon Christian truth? In what manner will they translate it into the terms of life and thought?
two years previous of twenty men composed various For a Commission to the Conference, the in engaged investigating Professor D. S. Cairns of subject. was

of this aspects as chairman, E. Speer was vice Dr. Robert served Aberdeen, of the Com? and the members among distinguished chairman, names of Professor P. the W. of mission appear Patterson, the University J. Warneck, investigations, over tions. of Edinburgh, and Missions-Inspektor Pastor In the course of their of Barmen, Germany. communications received the Commission world and

from a long list of 132 different correspondents distributed all

the known These correspondents na? different many representing were confined to the followers

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JONES

In projecting the investigation, of the Christian faith. they submitted a series of questions directed primarily to bring out the relation of Christianity to other religions. Such
questions asked Can you correspondents: the doctrines and forms of obser? among religious distinguish are mainly vances current any which traditional and formal are are taken in earnest and from others which definitely these as were

prized as a religious help and consolation? What do you consider to be the chief moral, intellectual and social hin? drances in the way of a full acceptance of Christianity? What are the elements in the religion or religions of your field which present points of contact with Christianity and may be regarded as a preparation for it? Which elements in the Christian gospel and the Christian life have you found to
and which the greatest have power of appeal, possess the ened the greatest Have opposition? people among a practical in personal belief you work immortality the existence of a supreme were God? to converts to Christian? awak? whom and in

In addition to these questions which went to all alike, the

following questions addressed

ity: What was it in Christianity which made special appeal to you? Did the western form in which Christianity was presented to you perplex you? What are the distinctively
western as now elements presented? as you see them in the missionary message

From this partial list of the questions,

while the inquiry was a from predetermined and on necessarily viewpoint,

it will be seen that

one hand, taken it was a

a circumscribed on the other

practical Based prepared It contains Commission

of great questions. courageous investigation an exhaustive the replies presented, report was and presented to the members of the Conference. and suggestive The many interesting things. divided the various under religions investiga?

tion into the following groups: (1) Animistic religions, Chinese religions, (3) Japanese religions, (4) Islam,
Hinduism. pears leads at To the to be novel

(2) (5)

student this classification ap? ordinary and unscientific, but a little consideration to the conclusion that the Commission in adopting it on the principle of consistency. least acted The Edin

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THE EDINBURGH

CONFERENCE

149

burgh Conference was necessarily dominated by geographi? cal factors in its consideration of the religious life of foreign
peoples, may be and approached it must the also subject appear from the standpoint

of the boundaries
consistent,

of the great mission

fields. While
to be quite

this

an arbi?

trary arrangement, for it would be difficult to allege any fundamental grounds for putting in different classes of Buddhism as found in India, in China, and in Japan. How? ever, there is no doubt but what the classification followed lent itself in a very practical and convenient way to discus? sion in the Conference itself. In the discussion of the Animistic religions, the work of
Pastor Warneck was of Animism a prominent part. a circumscribed necessarily plays The discussion certain one, but

salient features were brought into clear relief. The Animistic religion is defined as tradition, for to be religious as an Ani mist, means to be true to a tribe's tradition. The large part which fear plays in it was clearly emphasized, and its beliefs and observances traced to physical necessity alone; that is, the Animist seeks a physical salvation, that his body may be delivered from the machinations of the host of the unseen world. Even this lowest of the forms of religious life is not
without in other on stealing its moral regions, and on values. the On the superstitious the practice of may upper rites as well as Congo, a as act restraint because the

inhumanity, revenge

fear of the spirits keeps wrongdoing

the injured or the departed

in check by a dread that

themselves.

Several interesting points of contact with Christianity exist: (1) Animism is marked by a wide-spread belief,
but none the less insistent, in the existence vague or dormant, some of a supreme In the a animists know regions being. who made all and who men. god, personal things helps

(2) There is a wide-spread but very much diluted belief in an after life of the soul. (3) Animistic cults possess the idea

of sacrifice, and practice which forms a point of approach the Christian atonement be explained and by which may a made There is moral sense intelligible. (4) rudimentary and a dim consciousness of sin. The African Bantus mani? fest disquiet when moral law is broken. The aborigines of

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150

GEO. HEBER

JONES

India claim that the unclean and maimed are excluded from the next world. The supreme being manifests wrath
against man's wrong-doing; ishes crime such as incest he knows and perjury, everything, falsehood and and pun? theft.

(5) Animism
spirit. mon and need.

inculcates the idea of prayer to the supreme

prayer,

is not a matter of com? however, in of but times general practice, prevails special As a rule, young do not observe people it, but adults Animistic

in circumstances
through prayer.

of special difficulty and danger seek help Buddhism

Commis?

Under
and Taoism

the religions of China, Confucianism,

were reviewed. these three The report of the

sion calls attention

Western scholars each yet among fused with mixture the masses

to the fact that while

in the minds

of

other,

systems are clearly differentiated, of the Chinese people they are con? their mutual in tolerance resulting

the individual Chinese being dominated by an incongruous

of all three. Even the educated Confucian though ist professes for the religion of the vulgar, contempt yet in times death of sickness, and other calamities he does not to have recourse to the worship religious makes
and

hesitate and

consolations is the of these :

of Buddhism practice. reli? Chinese

Taoism.

Ancestor

universal

In summing up the the Commission gions,

doctrine of Amito Buddha

value this

statement

Some devout souls no doubt find help and comfort in the later Buddhist
Goddess all-hearing excites their hope. in the is also "Venerable and in the all-pitiful, Paradise, and many-handed many-headed image a comforting All classes, belief too, have vague though who is over all and knows all. There Heavenly Father," of Mercy, whose the Western

a very in the efficacy belief of prayer and other general religious and no doubt those who are really pious derive exercises, help and consola? tion from all the religious beliefs and ceremonies. But for the great majority tenets and rites are ail traditional these and formal. The doctrines do not or conscience, are mere and the ceremonies forms. Calamities grip the mind as sickness, such and drought call forth much earnest pestilence, flood, and anxious But the object is material deliverance prayer worship. sought is wholly and help; the spiritual absent. is the characteristic This, indeed, of Chinese at all times. It is not prized for its spiritual and worship help consolation, wealth, long but life, for the material and posterity. good which it brings in the form of health,

Here between

again

it is interesting to note the points of contact and Confucianism. is every There Christianity

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151

reason to believe
ancient been monotheism

that the Chinese preserve to this day an

which forms a very large gate of history, of entrance

for Christianity
greatly

into Chinese
in the

life. This monotheism

course and

has
is now

modified

but dimly recognized, and yet it is there, constituting a species of preparation for the ultimate religious faith. Schol? arly recognition of the high and moral teachings ofMencius is accorded by the report of the Commission, though the point is emphasized that the teaching of the Gospel is neces? sary to bring out the great moral points inMencius such as
his teaching discipline Thirteen
1. Divine

the heaven-given nature of man, the regarding reverence of sorrow and adversity, for conscience,

the Princely Man

other
Providence

and the ideals of political

of contact
over human

government.
as follows
of human sin are

points

are summarized
and visitation

affairs

acknowledged.

2. An
believed 3. 4. the 5. the Moral

invisible world above and around this material

in.

life is firmly

on men law is positively set forth as binding and spirits. equally as well as for private is offered in public calamities in Prayer needs, that it is heard and answered belief powers. by spiritual Sacrifices are world. are believed in as the natural of spirits. efficacy and its obligations in the five human is taught, as the basis of the moral character is regarded out of the social duties. above riches and honor. regarded as necessary to come into closer contact with

spiritual 6. Miracles Moral

7. 8. cessful 9. 10.

duty Cultivation

relations. for the suc?

carrying is valued Virtue In case of

failure

of humanity practice and 11. Sincerity of the world. the reform 12. The Golden our among 13. Every

in political and social and self-culture life, moral are to be attended to even more than before. carefully to be the only basis truth are shown for self-culture and is proclaimed carry out as the of moral conduct

Rule should

principle

fellow-men. Ruler a benevolent government for the bene?

fit of the people In this of Rule contact and extremely interesting suggestive .the reference with Christianity, list of points the Golden

to

It is mentioned notable. is particularly four times in as follows : and be translated the Confucian may Analects, men to do to me, I also wish not to do I do not wish What to men. strongly This passage to Christians in the Analects than it does far more appeals to the professed Confu

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GEO. HEBER

JONES

it and the Christian's cianist. The contrast between that this is calculated to impose Golden Rule lies in the fact
restraint bors, sufficient while and unfair upon unjust Rule the Christian to communicate impulse dealings contains with one's neigh? dynamic thrusting a moral

and momentum,

men out into Christlike helpfulness. In contrast to the points of contact with Christianity,
the moral inequalities and weaknesses of the Chinese sys?

tems are clearly set forth. In Confucianism it is noted that there is a lack of a doctrine of divine love and of human sympathy with the poor, the outcast and the erring, the
absence the mon of faith as an lack of a realization and an undue movement of the soul, objective of man's will and of of the weakness

moral bias, the disposition

man,

to despise the ignorant and com?

pride in learning.

The Edinburgh Commission in commenting on Chinese Buddhism makes the paradoxical statement that though it is really atheistic it has kept alive the idea of God. Atheism is far too strong a term to apply to Buddhism, and yet it seems true that the Buddhistic theologies wandered so far afield in their speculations concerning God that they repre? sented him practically as a cipher with the rim knocked off. Buddhism offers certain vital points of approach to Chris?
tianity. It has laid emphasis upon prayer and invocation,

the urgent need of salvation, and inspired in the hearts of its followers a hope for it. Its doctrine of retribution for sin is corrected by the truth contained in the Christian faith.
It has a doctrine of and of self-repression and incarnation, self-examination. teaches It reaches the necessity its high?

est point of expression in its doctrine of pity, which probably more than anything else contained in Buddhism has been
its great Taoism civilizing dynamic. also in its ancient classical form defines and virtue as and

a thing of the heart with fruit in speech men as the three most precious lays before and humility. economy sion, rich The one in which religions to plant of Japan the Christian are

conduct,

things?compas?

It will thus be seen that the religious soil in China

tree. Confucian three:?Shintoism,

is a

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153

ism, and Buddhism. Here the basal weakness of the classifi? cation adopted by the Commission manifests itself, for Con? fucianism belongs rather to China and Buddhism to India.
It must wonderful own inner be conceded, power however, to originate that that fresh these Japan has shown such in pass? have taken a interpretations alien cults

ing the content of Chinese and Indian thought through her

consciousness

on fresh and new significance in Japan. Shintoism with its code of knightly honor called "Bushido" is defined as a crystallized system of rites for the veneration of personalities
closely connected with Japan's existence and history; in

other words, a systematized

hat before off the Japanese tors and national heroes. Buddhism in Japan cults has

and complicated form of taking

the emblems on new of Japanese forms, and ances?

taken amount

among

the many
and Jodo

sects into which

practically

that faith has divided, the Shin

to as great a rehabilita?

tion of original Buddhism as Protestantism has of Christianity. Religious life in Japan ismarked by a widespread dissatisfaction with the old faiths growing out of covery of the lack of spiritual power in these religions.
Japanese have become keenly conscious of their moral

original sense of the dis? Many

failure.

In fifty years, Japan has passed from the agricultural stage of civilization to the industrial stage with its accompanying In the old days, the development of great municipalities. old faiths seemed to furnish a fairly satisfactory solution to
the problems to-day center Japan over out of life in rural communities. But growing like other countries is experiencing the great is facing tremendous the old faiths are impotent. She moral

moral storms which prevail inmodern industrial life and which

problems They answer have no adequate for modern moral problems. There an unsettling of old religious beliefs and the is, therefore, of a genuine manifestation unrest of soul among the masses of of some great nation, premonitory was insistent Conference Edinburgh faith in Japan should ary of the Christian of sympathetic interest and intelligence the The religious change. that the mission? take an attitude toward the old cities. great only to find that

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154

GEO. HEBER

JONES

religions. The elements of good in the old faiths are valuable and should be regarded as preparatory to Christianity.
The and treatment complete. now to of Islam the and Hinduism conclusions was equally by full the

Passing

general

reached

Commission, it is interesting to note that emphasis was laid upon the parallel between the religious conditionsprevailing in the world at the time of the rise of Christianity and of
the present conditions among non-Christian peoples. The

missionaries of the Christian faith stand to-day in the heart of a great battle between the living forces of Christianity
and and ects faiths the souls and death-and-life of men Out comes of and the forces of the non-Christian faiths.

They behold the sway of an immemorial past over the hearts

the disheartenment a new custom proj? grip which out of moral age-long growing of converts from the these experience illumination of the real meaning of see the terrific

failure.

Christianity, which combined with what the White Race has secured will constitute the sum total of the Christian faith.
The missionary and the message the will to the followers of Animistic The the

faiths is the message

the power story of

that God is love and that he has both

to protect his worshippers. of spell

of the reign of terror set up by Animism

over-shadowing providence

is broken by the
all-present

Father and the divine Saviour and Brother. The message of Christianity to the followers of the Chinese religions is that of spiritual power. The general testimony which reached the Commission was to the effect that the one thing which the Chinese need to-day beyond everything
else is moral power. That ancient and honorable empire

has possessed a noble ethical system of which she is justly

but within a moral there appears to be lacking proud, dy? to realize sufficient its ideals. namic Chinese sys? religious tems impart no inner impulse driving men individual out of and their selfish interests themselves in the quest for higher

life. According
the great religious indifference, materialism

to the findings of the Edinburgh Conference

which are have those

problems conditions

out of Chinese developed of moral laxity and religious a re-enforced marked towards by tendency a and buttressed national by deep-seated pride

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THE EDINBURGH

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155

In conveying to the Chinese the in their venerable past. message of Christianity its forces have been confronted by the lawful and profound resentment which China feels on
account of her treatment by the nations of Christendom.

It is thought that Christianity can make a contribution to international good-will by conveying to the people of China in addition to her message of a higher and better moral life
a further message which of peace and neighborly helpfulness, the Chinese shall undo the wrong made upon impression consciousness as forced trea? by such international injustice of her people ties of commerce, the opium traffic, the exclusion other nations, air of superciliousness and the general races towards China. maintained by the white from

In its final conclusions, the Commission made a forceful plea for adequate training in the home colleges ofmissionary candidates in a deeper knowledge of the content of the non
Christian religions. The average missionary has entered

upon his service in the field seriously handicapped by the want of this training, and it was emphasized that the rudi? ments of this training could better be acquired before
arrival at the front. and So much the pressure time of the language is spent in the acquisition in the usually under? of work

manned station is so great that it would be extremely diffi? cult for the average student to find the time and strength
necessary to secure this adequate knowledge. At the same

time, by coming into the field equipped with some theoret? ical knowledge of the basal principles of these religions, he could then carry on his study of them at first hand with
greater hands and offer facility.

The development
of the church propaganda. some training cooperation,

of the science of religion has put in the

It was of spiritual culture that all colleges might suggested on in this science and that lectureships instrument a new

special religions might

by purpose. It was aptitude

be instituted

by endowment
enlisted

and

and missionary

specialists

for this

also suggested that missionaries showing special in the study of native life should be given religious written in preparing and encouraged every possible facility accounts of the religious witnessed. phenomena they

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