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 A CALL 
 
 
 
 
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 MISSIONARY ADVANCE 
 
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 IN THE 
 
 PACIFIC ISLANDS 
 
 BY REV. FRANCIS M. .PRICE, 
 
 Missionary of the America r Board in the Caroline Islands. 
 
 B. 36. C. 3f. /IB., 
 
 Francis M. Tri,ce, 
 Lonsdale, R. I; 
 
 boston, July, 1899. 
 
MISSIONARY EXPANSION IN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS. 
 
 We are urged to enlarge our work in the Islands of the Pacific, 
 
 1. By the noble changes wrought by the gospel in these islands. Mission- 
 aries have been at work in the Caroline Islands forty-seven years. Thirty 
 communities, representing more than 200 islands and islets, are now evan- 
 gelized. They have been transformed by the gospel. War has ceased, 
 polygamy has disappeared, lawful marriage has taken the place of loose 
 and lustful pairing of men and women, and new occupations and ideals 
 engage the attention of the people. They have discarded the outward 
 forms of heathenism, put on, to a large extent, the dress of civilization, and 
 are rapidly acquiring a knowledge of many useful arts. Every one of these 
 thirty communities has a native Christian teacher and his family, and a 
 church building in which are held the usual Sunday services, daily morning 
 and evening prayers, and a day school in which the primary branches are 
 taught. A German trader, himself not a Christian, while on a visit to Ruk, 
 attended the Sabbath services. He saw the people clothed and in their 
 right minds, observed their good behavior, their attention to the teaching, 
 their responses to the questions, their repeating the Commandments and 
 the singing of Christian hymns, and came away, saying: “The change is 
 simply wonderful ; I never saw anything like it.” 
 
 2. Again we are urged to this mo by the open doors before us. All 
 these evangelized islands lie in or east of the Ruk lagoon. Other islands 
 lying to the westward have long waited, and are now calling for us to “ come 
 over and help” them. Forty-seven years ago our missionaries were not 
 wanted in the Carolines ; the people were joined to their idols and wanted 
 to be let alone. But a great change has come over them. In the olden 
 time, when a native sailor stepped ashore on a distant island and was 
 greeted with the question: “What news in your country ? ” he must reply 
 by recounting deeds of lust, war, bloodshed, and death ; and prurient 
 crowds talked over these grewsome stories and became more and more 
 
3 
 
 debased. Now the sailor has another story and different: “The people in 
 my land have accepted the religion of life.” Wars and fighting have 
 ceased, we travel about from island to island, and there is none to molest or 
 make afraid. We do not paint our bodies nor wear our hair long and great 
 strings of beads and charms in our ears as formerly ; but we put on clothing 
 made of foreign cloth, go to church twice every day, keep one day in seven 
 as a day of rest and worship, and our children are taught to read, and write, 
 and sing. Wondering crowds have listened to these stories and gone away 
 puzzled and to ponder. They are not told, neither do they ask, very much 
 about the teaching. It is the change that has come over their neighbors in 
 “the lands of the face of the day” that attracts their attention. They have 
 seen the beauty of the Bride’s garments from afar. 
 
 Two years ago the king of an island 300 miles away sent a request by 
 a sailor on a trading schooner, to come and tell his people about “the 
 religion of life,” and one enthusiastic young chief sent word by a Japanese 
 trader that he would give me $2 if I would locate a teacher at his place. 
 Thus a waiting people has been prepared for us. The time could not be 
 more opportune. “Lift up your eyes and look on the fields; for they are 
 white already to the harvest.” 
 
 3. The lifting of the American flag among these islands is God's summons 
 to the American churches to evangelize their peoples. The victory at Manila 
 threw open a door of blessing to many oppressed people, and we should 
 now hear the Master’s bugle call to the missionary to go into this island 
 world with the message of salvation. 
 
 Other societies have their allotted fields, but to the American Board is 
 conceded the task of evangelizing the Ladrone Islands. The American 
 flag now floats over Guam, the best and most important island of the group, 
 and America must have her share in shaping the future history of the 
 people. Not only this, but Guam will be as a city set on a hill among 
 the islands of Micronesia. American missionaries carried the gospel to the 
 people of Eastern Micronesia and the name of our country is ever on their 
 lips. Expectant eyes now look to Guam to see what America is like, and 
 Guam must be made a center of the best that our civilization can give. 
 I his means that we give them the gospel, with its churches, and schools, 
 and other Christian institutions. Surely the dictates of patriotism, as well 
 as obedience to our glorified Lord Jesus, urge us to “ take up the white 
 
4 
 
 man’s burden,” and send forth chosen men and beloved who are willing to 
 “ hazard their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus.” 
 
 What, then, do we propose in order to meet our most pressing obliga- 
 tions in this island world ? 
 
 (1) Reenter Ponape. A little band of faithful, persecuted Christians 
 in Ponape await the return of their missionary fathers so ruthlessly driven 
 
 out nine years ago, and the money is in hand to meet the expense. That 
 
 % 
 
 we shall re-occupy Ponape is a foregone conclusion. 
 
 (2) Open two new stations in the Caroline and Ladrone islands — at 
 Yap and Guam. The accompanying sketch map will show at a glance the 
 relative positions of Ponape, Ruk, Guam, and Yap, and their convenience 
 and importance as centers for conducting the work in the above-named 
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 A glance at the map will show that Ruk is about the center of the 
 Caroline group. It consists of sixteen beautiful high islands surrounded 
 by a reef 135 miles in circumference, has many fine, commodious harbors, 
 and a population of 150,000. The headquarters of the Ruk Mission of the 
 American Board are at Taloas, in the Ruk lagoon, where there are two 
 large training schools for boys and girls, a schooner and other facilities for 
 touring among the islands of the Eastern Carolines, and a sufficient 
 missionary force. Ponape, 370 miles from Ruk, has, with adjacent islands, 
 7,000 people. 
 
5 
 
 Guam, the southernmost island of the Ladrone group, is a large, high 
 island, 600 miles west by north of Ruk. It has a population of 10,000 who 
 speak a corrupt Spanish — a language distinct from those of the Caroline 
 group. Being now a station of the United States Navy, our ships will visit 
 her at regular intervals, carrying mails and supplies. Through Guam we 
 shall come in touch with the homeland ; it will naturally be the base of sup- 
 plies for our mission. 
 
 The Mortlock group, consisting of three atolls with seven inhabited 
 islands, lie south by east of Ruk 160 miles, and Nukuor is 140 miles farther 
 southeast. 
 
 Yap is 900 miles west by north of Ruk and 1,000 miles from Manila. 
 Between Ruk and Yap are two main groups of islands and many scattered 
 islets. The Pelew Islands are 250 miles southwest of Yap and 500 miles 
 from Mindanao. The languages of the Pelew and Oliai groups are closely 
 allied to that of Yap; the other islands have a language more like that of 
 Ruk. 
 
 In the South Pacific the trade-winds blow for six months in the year, 
 prevailingly from the northeast. With our many and widely scattered 
 islands, sailing is necessarily an important part of our work. Soon we shall 
 have a new Robert IV. Logan for this region, which can as well do the work 
 for all the islands as for the limited number she now visits, and with very 
 little additional cost, and this schooner can lay her course during the trade- 
 wind season from Guam to Nukuor and return with “ three sheets in the 
 wind ” both ways. Traveling along this line will be rapid and unhindered 
 by adverse winds. From Ponape westward the ship will fly before a lead- 
 ing wind, but must beat her way back with much labor. Guam is therefore 
 within easy access of Ruk and the Central Carolines, and reasonably so of 
 Ponape, but difficult to re.ach from Yap. 
 
 Notice, now, the plan and estimate of costs for opening this work and 
 continuing it five years : 
 
 First year, 1900. Open the station at Guam. 
 
 Salaries for two families, at $700 each, . . . $1,400 
 
 Two dwellings, at $1,250 each, . . . 2,500 
 
 Opening of Boys’ school and incidentals, . 300 
 
 Outfit and traveling expenses of missionaries, . . i,8oo 
 
 Total for first year, 
 
 $6,000 
 
6 
 
 Second year, 1901. Continue at Guam and open Yap. 
 
 Guam: Salaries of two families and one single lady, . $1,700 
 
 Schools and incidentals, ..... 300 
 
 Girls’ school building, ..... 1,250 
 
 Yap: Salary of one family, .... 700 
 
 Dwelling house, ...... 1.250 
 
 Opening of Boys’ school and incidentals, . . 200 
 
 Outfit and traveling expenses of missionaries, . 1,000 
 
 Total for second year, .... $6,400 
 
 Third year, 1902. Continue both stations. 
 
 Guam : Salaries, two families and two single ladies, . $2,000 
 
 Schools and incidentals, .... 400 
 
 Yap: Salaries, one family and one single lady, . . t,ooo 
 
 Schools and incidentals, .... 300 
 
 Girls’ school building, ..... 1,250 
 
 Total for third year, ..... $4,950 
 
 Fourth year, 1903. Continue and enlarge at both stations. 
 
 Guam : Salaries, as above, .... $2,000 
 
 Both schools, ...... 500 
 
 Teachers, ....... 100 
 
 Yap: Salaries, one family and two ladies, . . 1,300 
 
 Schools, ....... 400 
 
 Teachers, ....... 150 
 
 Total for fourth year, ..... $4,450 
 
 Fifth year, 1904. Continue and enlarge at both stations. 
 
 Guam : Salaries as above, ..... $2,000 
 
 Schools, ....... 500 
 
 Teachers, ....... 150 
 
 Yap: Salaries, as above, ..... 1,300 
 
 Schools, . . . . . . 500 
 
 Teachers, ....... 150 
 
 Total for fifth year, ..... $4,600 
 
 Separating the stations, we have : 
 
 Cost of Guam alone: First year, $6,000; Second year, $3,250; Third 
 year, $2,400; Fourth year, $2,600 ; Fifth year, $2,650; Contingent for five 
 years, $1,000, or total cost of Guam for five years, $17,900 — $3,580 a year. 
 
 Cost of Yap alone-. Second year, $3,150; Third year, $2,550; Fourth 
 year, $1,750; Fifth year, $1,950; Contingent for five years, $700, or total 
 cost of Yap for five years, $10,100 — $2,020 a year. 
 
 These estimates cover tlYe amount needed to open and carry on the 
 work at both Guam and Yap for five years and provide for three dwelling 
 houses for families and two buildings for girls. It is expected that the 
 
7 
 
 boys will earn money and put up their own school buildings. They also 
 include cost of outfits and traveling expenses of outgoing missionaries and 
 a contingent of $1,700 to meet incidental expenses. 
 
 The following are two of the recommendations of the sub-committee 
 which the Prudential Committee have adopted : 
 
 We recommend the adoption of the five years’ plan presented by Mr. Price, with such 
 changes, modifications, and improvements as time and experience may suggest, the same 
 to go into effect only when valid pledges in sufficient amount have been secured. 
 
 We recommend, and encourage, and urge our brother and helper, the Rev. Mr. Price, 
 to find one man, if possible, who will establish this new work on Guam, and, under the 
 protection and support of our nation’s flag, make it headquarters and base of missionary 
 supplies for the new and enlarged work in the Caroline Islands; that he give the mission 
 his name if he choose, and that he assume the support of the work for the next five 
 years. Failing to find one man thus to undertake this work, we recommend the Rev. Mr. 
 Price to offer the establishment and support of this new work on Guam and the other 
 islands, for the next five years, to a limited number of persons in shares or proportional 
 parts. . . . 
 
 Most gladly would we receive gifts for the support of this noble work. 
 We are assured that no work can be more Christlike, no work yield more 
 rapid returns, or larger, for the outlay, and that no work offers a safer in- 
 vestment, or promises greater satisfaction to those who give. These poor, 
 neglected, waiting people reach out pleading hands for deliverance. Who 
 will respond by sending them the gospel? Pledges for 500 shares of $10 
 each for five years will assure the success of this plan. 
 
 Will you take one or more shares? If so, kindly fill out the blank on 
 the next page and forward it to the treasurer of the American Board, 
 F. H. Wiggin, No. 14 Beacon Street, Boston. 
 
 There may be those of larger means who will see the call of the Mas- 
 ter in this offer of the Prudential Committee, and desire to respond either 
 by memorial gift or thank-offering. Does this call come to you? If so, 
 will you select one of the following objects and avail yourself of the privi- 
 lege of giving a name to the station, school, or building? 
 
 The station at Guam: the entire cost for five years will be $3,580 a year. 
 
 The station at Yap : the entire cost will be $2,020 a year for five years. 
 
 Girls' school at Guam : the cost will be $1,000 a year for five years. 
 
 Girls' school building alone at Guam: cost entire, $1,500. 
 
 Girls' school at Yap : the entire cost will be $700 a year for five years. 
 
 Girls' school building at Yap : cost complete, $1,500. 
 
8 
 
 The Harbor of Yap. 
 
 For the opening and support of work in the Caroline and Ladrone 
 Islands, I promise to pay The American Board of Commissioners for 
 
 Foreign Mission $ annually for 
 
 five successive years, payments to be made on or before January i, 1900, 
 1901, 1902, 1903, and 1904. 
 
 Name, 
 
 Address, 
 
 Date,