USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Westerville > Three quarters of a century of triumph : seventy-fifth anniversary report and board meeting, Westerville, Ohio, November 11-13, 1930 > Part 1
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1930
1855
Three Quarters of a Century of Triumph
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SEVENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY REPORT FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY UNITED BRETHREN IN CHRIST 1410 U. B. BUILDING DAYTON, OHIO
THREE QUARTERS OF A CENTURY OF TRIUMPH
Seventy-fifth Anniversary Report and Board Meeting
WESTERVILLE, OHIO NOVEMBER 11-13 1930
FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY UNITED BRETHREN IN CHRIST 1410 U. B. BUILDING, DAYTON, OHIO
PERSONNEL OF BOARD
BISHOP A. R. CLIPPINGER, D.D., President
REV. J. R. KING, D.D.
REV. S. F. DAUGHERTY, D.D.
REV. C. W. WINEY, D.D.
PROF. J. H. RUEBUSH
MR. S. C. CALDWELL
MR. U. E. BETHEL
MRS. E. M. HURSH
MRS. J. R. ENGLE
MRS. S. S. HOUGH REV. SAMUEL G. ZIEGLER, General Secretary MRS. J. HAL SMITH, Special Support Secretary MR. E. E. ULLRICH, Treasurer
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Dr. D. K. Flickinger and Rev. J. W. Shuey First Missionaries to Africa
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CONTENTS
Personnel of Board 3
Introduction-Bishop A. R. Clippinger
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Past Triumphs and Future Possibilities-S. G. Ziegler
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The Native Church Looking Forward-J. F. Musselman 20
Report of Committee on Africa
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Christianity Makes Progress in China-C. W. Shoop
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Supplementary Report-Dr. Frank Oldt
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Report of Committee on China.
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The Kingdom of God in Japan-J. Edgar Knipp.
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Report of Committee on Japan 49 1
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Our Unfinished Task in the Philippines-W. N. Roberts
50
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Report of Committee on the Philippines 59 1
Achievements in Porto Rico-P. W. Drury 61
Report of Committee on Porto Rico 68
United Brethren Responsibility in Santo Domingo-N. H. Huffman 69
Report of the Women's Missionary Association to Board of Foreign Missions
72
Report of Special Support Secretary
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What Seventy-Five Years of Mission Work Have Accomplished-Bishop A. R. Clippinger
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Survey and Chart
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A Call to Prayer and Unselfish Service. 83
1 I Minutes of the Twenty-fifth Annual Meeting 85 1 I 1 I 1 1 1 I
Treasurer's Report.
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Report of Auditors 97
Statistics 98
Mission Institutions
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List of Officers and Missionaries
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INTRODUCTION
T HE year 1930 marks the Seventy-fifth Anniversary of the founding of Foreign Missions, in Sierra Leone, West Africa, under the auspices and protection of the United Brethren Church. It seemed good in the mind of our Foreign Missionary Secretary, Dr. Samuel G. Ziegler, and those associated with him in office, that an event so significant and far reaching in influence should be celebrated with appropriate ceremonies. It seemed fitting also that this cele- bration should be held in Westerville, Ohio, seat of Otterbein College, where the Foreign Board first met and voted to send out missionaries to West Africa. Since that time, from the graduates of Otterbein College, eighty missionaries have been selected and appointed to foreign lands.
The purpose of this Anniversary was not so much to celebrate the event with red lights and the blare of trumpets, but to perpetuate the spirit and self sacrificing devotion of our church fathers which prompted them to respond to the call, "Go ye into all the world." To live over in our minds and hearts their Christian ยท zeal and fervor; in the hope that we may be challenged anew to undertake still larger things for God.
This Anniversary program was in conjunction with the annual Board meeting, November 1I to 13, 1930. The Women's Missionary Society participated heartily and many of these faithful women were in attendance. Mrs. J. Hal Smith pre- pared a pageant which was given Wednesday evening by the folks of Westerville. The history of missions in the United Brethren Church was depicted in a most interesting and inspiring manner. The attendance was large and representative from every section of the country. Reminiscences and historical development, as would be expected, occupied a central place in the program. The program however, was not without strong addresses concerning present day problems and future opportunities.
The reports and addresses have been preserved in part or in whole, and dis- tributed to the church at large through this booklet; in the hope that this celebra- tion will have a quickening influence upon the entire membership of the United Brethren Church. The statistics herewith submitted indicate only in a very meagre way the great good that has been accomplished by the many noble mis- sionaries that have labored across a period of three quarters of a century. May God ever continue to raise up other young men and women to perpetuate the great, good work that has been so nobly begun.
A. R. CLIPPINGER, Bishop.
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PAST TRIUMPHS AND FUTURE POSSIBILITIES
Dear Co-laborers:
I am grateful for the privilege of presenting this twenty-sixth annual report of the Foreign Missionary Society and the seventy-sixth annual report of our foreign missionary enterprise to this body. The first annual meeting of the Home, Frontier and Foreign Missionary Society convened in this city June 1, 1854. It was at that meeting that this memorable resolution was adopted, "Resolved, That we send one or more missionaries to Africa as soon as practicable."
Before that session adjourned, Rev. W. J. Shuey, of Cincinnati, was appointed and a resolution was approved, authorizing the Executive Committee "if necessary in their judgment, to appoint a companion to go with our missionary pioneer to Africa." At the second meeting of the society, which convened at Cincinnati, July 26, 1855, the first annual report stated, "At the last annual meeting of the Board, W. J. Shuey, of Miami Conference, received appointment to go to Africa . . . subsequently D. C. Kumler and D. K. Flickinger, of the same conference, accepted appointment from the Executive Committee, to accompany Brother Shuey. They sailed from New York, for West Africa, in January, had a prosperous voyage, traveled somewhat in the Mendi country and finally located a mission at Mo-Kelli. There appears to be nothing in the world to prevent the establishment of a successful mission . .. but the lack of means and laborers."
The Committee on African Missions said in its report to the Board at the same meeting, "That it is the duty of the United Brethren Church to labor for the redemption of Africa, by making its people acquainted with the Gospel, is with us a settled question." Thus did our forefathers launch this enterprise of faith whose seventy-fifth anniversary we are celebrating at this meeting.
A spirit of reverence possesses us because we recognize that three quarters of a century look down upon our assembly. Glossbrenner and Bright, Shuey and Flickinger, Kumler and Weaver, Gomer and West, with a host of others, are here among us. We are "compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses" that we feel a sense of the divine in our midst. We also recognize a- spirit of anticipation mingled with anxiety, because the last quarter of the century stretches out before us. It represents twenty-five years of untried paths. It represents tasks far beyond human ability to measure or perform. The ripened harvest and our few laborers; the "other sheep" and our limited means form such striking contrasts that we immediately recognize that the task is impossible from the human side. Faith in an infinite and eternal God who "shall not fail nor be discouraged until he has established justice in the earth" sends us forth with the note of triumph in our hearts.
RESPECT FOR OUR PREDECESSORS
One cannot come to a moment like this without a profound sense of obligation to those who preceded him. When our forefathers passed the resolution to send a missionary to Africa, the total church membership numbered less than 50,000. In fact, the church had not yet begun to keep an official record of its members. At the same time the great empire of the West was being opened and thousands of families were migrating into the new territory. In the first annual report sub-
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THREE-QUARTERS OF A CENTURY OF TRIUMPH
mitted, reference is made to the organization of conferences in Michigan and Missouri in 1854. That same year missionaries in Oregon wrote, "We have more calls than we can possibly respond to. Yes, we could in one month open more preaching places in this valley alone than four men could attend to in any reason- able time." The territories of California and Minnesota were being settled. "Members of our own society," the report further states, "are there already. Others intend ere long to settle there, and they request us to place shepherds over them . . . We regard it as our duty to follow every providential opening, and the. call of our brethren there to send them preachers, is, in our opinion, a voice of Providence."
When men confronted by such responsibilities and backed by such a small force of members, strengthen their stakes and lengthen their cords, as did the leaders of "Fifty-five," we can be sure that they are God-led. We would be of all men most ungrateful if we did not stop to pay our tribute of respect to our worthy fathers and mothers. My heart leaps with fresh courage when I think of what they had and what they did. If they could, so can we. And we must. This generation dare not break faith with those who from falling hands gave us the torch. Be ours to hold it high. If we break faith with them, how can they sleep when millions tramp in blindness on to failure and despair?
Worthy fathers and mothers, all honor to you. Today your children light afresh their faith at the altars of the church in commemoration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of your noble deeds.
OUR NOBLE WOMEN
And the women! Although organized work among them was not begun until 1872, they were interested in the promotion of missions from the very beginning. When the call came Mrs. J. K. Billheimer volunteered. Later Mrs. Mary Gomer accompanied her husband to Africa where they gave so many years of splendid service. Finally a permanent organization was effected among the women. It was known as the Women's Missionary Association. They declared in their preamble to the constitution, "Believing that the promulgation of the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world depends upon the success of Christian missions and that the responsibility of this success devolves upon all Christians, we there- fore do, in obedience to the command of our risen Lord and Savior . .. hereby in the name of the divine Master, and moved, we trust, by the Holy Spirit, organize ourselves into a missionary association."
That association has grown and multiplied its influence until now it is the most effective organization in the Church. More than half the contributions for the promotion of our foreign work comes through the Women's Missionary Asso- ciation. If it were not for these noble women, who for more than fifty years kept adding strength to strength, the fine work the Church is now carrying on in five mission fields would have been impossible. We repeat what Dr. D. K. Flickinger recommended years ago, "Give the Women's Missionary movement in our Church a favorable recognition and encourage the organization of societies in all the annual conferences."
They are a noble host. They have done well. They are splendid co-laborers. The nine years it has been my privilege to administer the work of the General Society in cooperation with the officers and leaders of the Women's Missionary Association, have been years of mutual understanding. There could be no better cooperation than that which exists between these two societies.
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PAST TRIUMPHS AND FUTURE POSSIBILITIES
REVIEWING OUR ACHIEVEMENTS
To get a true picture of our achievements it is necessary to look back at con- ditions as they were when the work was started. Seventy-five years ago little was known of the interior of the Dark Continent, except that it seemed an inex- haustible source of supply for the flourishing slave trade which was carried on in Europe and America. Livingstone was just beginning his exploration of the hinterland to rid the world of that terrible curse. Ancient China resisted the attempts of early missionaries like granite resists the elements of the weather. After many decades it remained almost as impregnable as when Xavier cried out, "Oh! Rock, Rock! when wilt thou open?" Protestant missions had not yet entered Japan. The signboards, prohibiting the entrance of Christian teachers, remained posted at every port of entry. The Philippine Islands were unknown in America and the West Indies were left entirely to the Roman Church.
Seventy-five years ago we had nothing on any foreign field except an oppor- tunity to attempt a big and difficult task with God. Today we have a mission staff on five different fields with missionary residences to house each family com- fortably. These residences have a total value of $144,823.00. We have four hospitals and seven dispensaries, which treat annually from sixty to eighty thousand cases. These buildings are worth $46,129.00. There are two presses and one union press. Our investments in these enterprises have a value of $6,150.00. Millions of pages of Christian literature are produced by these presses for the new church. The mission also maintains an elaborate school system of 98 schools with a total enrollment this past year of 4,248. Thousands of children and young people have gotten a new vision of life through these modest places of instruction and training. The school property itself has a valuation of $119,085.00.
I have enumerated some of the tangible things and given their valuation. They are the standards by which men judge success or failure. But they are not the standards by which we get a true estimate of the work our noble army of missionaries has done. To get this we must turn to the church abroad. There are 127 organized congregations with a total membership of 12,417. There are IOI ministers, 52 of whom are ordained. Teachers in schools, assistants in hospitals and other institutions number 174. There are 153 Sunday Schools with an en- rollment of 11,927. These younger churches contributed last year a total of $40,123 for pastoral support, church work, and evangelism among their fellowmen.
The most evident fact, however, of the existence of a church is seen in the groups of men and women who know, love, trust, and obey Christ Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Upon them has fallen in large part the responsibility of evangel- izing their people. This is a marked change and a marked evidence also of the growing church. We deal now with the national church and not alone with the mission council in matters pertaining to the work and ministry of Christian mis- sions in foreign lands. In the span of a little more than two generations there has been developed a church sufficiently strong and virile to assume responsibility for a large share of the local church work. Let me mention the names of a few of our outstanding leaders: Rev. S. B. Caulker, Rev. Thomas Hallowell, Rev. J. K. Smart, Prof. David Manley and Prof. S. F. Daugherty of Africa; Rev. S. S. Wong and Miss Helen Cheung of China; Rev. K. Yabe, Rev. C. Yasuda and Rev. J. Sadamori of Japan; Rev. J. A. Abellera, Rev. C. P. Lorenzana and Rev. E. C. Sobrepena of the Philippines, and Rev. M. E. Martinez of Porto Rico. We are familiar with these names. Others equally as worthy might be mentioned but time will not permit.
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THREE-QUARTERS OF A CENTURY OF TRIUMPH
A NEW EMPHASIS ON EVANGELISM
The nineteen hundredth anniversary of Pentecost had special significance for foreign missions. It was observed throughout the entire church-the younger churches on the mission fields attaching as much, if not more, significance to it than the older churches at home. This served to arouse and stimulate the new evangelistic fervor which is manifesting itself in every part of the Orient.
At the Foreign Mission Conference last January this theme was adopted for the gathering, "The Foreign Missionary Movement an Essentially Evangelistic Enterprise." At the close of the conference the following resolution was adopted:
"We earnestly urge Mission Boards and Societies to re-emphasize evangelism as the vitalizing spirit permeating and directing all their policies and activities at home and abroad ... and call upon all our fellow members of the Protestant churches of North America to a more sacrificial obedience to him and to a" larger sharing of the risen, living Christ with all mankind . . . and earnestly pray for a fresh and world-wide enduement of power from on high, issuing in a great revival of Christian witnessing throughout the Church Universal."
Personal letters were directed to all our missionaries urging them to make this a special year in soul winning. Reports from the mission fields show how generally this was done. In every instance evangelism was made the primary motive.
Dr. I. E. Caldwell, assisted by Rev. Evaristo Ramirez as song leader, conducted several evangelistic campaigns this year. The results were good but in a few instances funds were not available to follow up the work and make it permanent by helping to provide a church building and native pastor. "This is one of the most serious obstacles to permanency in our rural work," writes Dr. M. R. Drury. He states further, "Evangelism in Porto Rico is yet the primary need of the island. It is now and will continue to be for an indefinite period, the call of the open door."
The door of evangelism is wide open in Africa. The conference at its last session took action and made this resolution a part of its purpose for the present year, "That every church plan a program of evangelism, and conduct special services at least twice during the year, the program to be planned with the thought of definite results." Reports from the pastors indicate that an effort was made to carry out the action. The number of towns and villages reached, the number of services held and the total attendance reported-111, 119-is amazing. These African pastors go far and wide in their itinerating, visiting as many as seventy- five or one hundred towns and villages.
Japan is stirred by a far reaching evangelistic campaign, known as, "The Kingdom of God Movement." The movement was born in the mind of a Japanese and is conducted by Japanese leaders. It is bound to affect our mission pro- foundly. Already our men are actively engaged in carrying it forward in their respective territory.
China, too, reports an evangelistic movement of great potentiality. It had its inception at the National Christian Council meeting in Hangchow in the spring of 1929. A deep seated conviction prevailed that the salvation of China can only be accomplished through a spiritual regeneration in the Church. Prompted by that conviction the Chinese set about to plan a Five-Year Movement with these two objectives: (1) the cultivation of a deeper knowledge, a more intimate fellow- ship and a more courageous following of Christ; (2) the carrying out of a vigorous evangelistic campaign with the hope of doubling the membership of the Church
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PAST TRIUMPHS AND FUTURE POSSIBILITIES
in the next five years. The results of this effort will be seen in South China where our mission is located as well as in every other section.
For a number of years now the Filipino Church has been carrying on special evangelistic meetings among both the people of the lowlands and the mountains. The result of their efforts has been the rapid growth of church membership. While this is the youngest of our mission fields, it is more than double that of any other field in membership, largely because of their ardent evangelistic fervor.
The total number of accessions for all the fields this past year has been 1, 135, with a net increase of 1,074. Had the church at home done equally as well, we would have had a gain of 36,601.
MISSIONARIES
During the year eleven missionaries returned to the field after a furlough in the States and twelve returned home for furlough. These furloughed missionaries have done and are doing splendid deputation work among the churches. The value of such work in behalf of missions and the benevolences cannot be estimated too highly. To all of them we are deeply indebted for the very fine work they have done in cultivating and inspiring local churches.
RESIGNATIONS
We regret to announce the resignation of Rev. and Mrs. N. H. Huffman, who gave thirty years of mission work in the West Indies. For the past eight years, Doctor Huffman was superintendent of the cooperative work in Santo Domingo. Their resignation was due to ill health. They will be missed after these many years of service.
Rev. and Mrs. I. E. Caldwell, who have been affiliated with our mission in Porto Rico for twenty-three years, tendered their resignation this summer. Doctor Caldwell has accepted the position of Dean of Men, Polytechnic Institute, San German, Porto Rico, and will occupy the Chair of Old Testament studies in the institution. This is a distinct loss to our mission but not to the Evangelical forces in the Island.
We desire to express to both families our gratitude and the gratitude of the . Church for the long and faithful services they rendered the cause in the West Indies.
NEW MISSIONARIES
Two new. missionaries have been appointed during the year, Miss Mabel Beckley of Salem Church, Lebanon, Pennsylvania. She is stationed at Moyamba, and is serving as a member of the staff at the Harford school.
Miss Mabel Silver, M.D., of the Fourth United Brethren Church, Baltimore, Maryland, was appointed missionary to Africa, but her sailing was deferred one year in order to allow her to complete some special work at the Women's Hospital, Baltimore.
APPEALS FOR OTHER WORKERS
The past five years we have been placing more and more responsibility on the national leaders. Our experience has proven that it was a good thing. They have borne the new duties with marked effectiveness. Ultimate results were undoubtedly as good as if the work had been carried by missionaries. Yet this shift in leadership in no way reduces the need for more missionaries. Here are a
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THREE-QUARTERS OF A CENTURY OF TRIUMPH
few appeals which remain unanswered. The first is from the Kwangtung Divi- sional Council, Church of Christ in China: "We earnestly request the United Brethren mission to appoint a male worker-having in view especially the work and development of an institutional church in connection with Kei Lei Church on Honam."
"We strongly urge the appointment of a physician (either man or woman) for Siu Lam."
"We earnestly request the mission to assign Miss Gladys Ward for full time service to the Church, especially for work among women."
Rev. W. N. Roberts and the mission in the Philippines, urge us again this year to consider the appointment of one more couple for our mountain work. This is an absolute necessity if we are to maintain the standard of our work up there.
In the Japan Mission Council Minutes of July 5, there is a request that a mis- sionary family be sent out soon for Chiba district.
These places are important and the calls are urgent but they have been beyond the immediate ability of the Board to supply. The Church should rise up and send out these needed workers at the earliest possible time.
INTERDENOMINATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
We continue to maintain our relationship with other mission Boards in the United States and Canada through the Foreign Missions Conference. For six years your secretary has been a member of the Committee of Reference and Counsel of the Foreign Missions Conference.
We have been affiliated with the Committee of Cooperation in Latin America and have contributed toward its budget. It has been my privilege to serve as a member of the Committee on the West Indies.
Recently an American Section of the Committee for Christian Literature for Africa was organized and a representative from our Board appointed in the person of your secretary. This committee will fill a great need as the work in Africa develops and the demand for literature becomes more pressing. An appropriation of $100 was made toward this work for the year.
SANTO DOMINGO
The unique piece of missionary cooperation begun ten years ago in Santo Domingo continues to function most effectively and harmoniously. September 3, 1930, the Island was visited by a destructive hurricane which swept away ninety percent of the capital city. Our mission property losses were tremendous. An appeal was sent immediately from the New York office to the constituency of the cooperating churches and to others interested in the interdenominational work, with the result that up to the fifth of October, a total of $41,500 had been received. Additional funds have come in since. The calamity opened sources heretofore closed. From them we have been assured gifts which will make possible the completion of our new hospital. The contract for the same was let this spring, but the work was not advanced far enough to suffer any serious damage from the storm.
OUR FINANCES
We must give careful attention to our finances this fall, if we would avoid another alarming deficit. Following the cancelling of our debt in 1925 and 1926,
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