FOTiElQ^ MISSIONS at the 134 th Qeneral Jlssembly of the T^resbyterian Church in the U. S. j 4 . B T)es fM^oines, lowa May 18^25, 1922 m Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church in the U. S. A. 156 Fifth Avenue, New York FOREIGN MISSIONS AT THE 134TH general assembly For many years a high water mark at the General Assembly has been reached in the presentation of the cause of World Evangel¬ ization, and this year proved no exception to the rule. It was apparent the day before the Assembly opened in Des Moines that the Com¬ missioners were intensely interested in For¬ eign Missions and exceedingly sympathetic to every presentation of the World Work of the Church. The Joint Pre-Assembly Conference on Foreign Missions, under the auspices of the Board of Foreign Missions and the Woman’s Board, was attended by the largest number of Commissioners and visitors that this Conference has drawn in many years. The Reverend Eben B. Cobb, D.D., Chairman of the Home Department Committee of the Board, presided and for over two hours Commission¬ ers, Chairmen and members of Foreign Mis¬ sions Committees of the Synods and Presby¬ teries and officers and members of the two Boards participated in a discussion of plans for the cultivation of the Home Church in the interest of the mission work now carried on by the Church through the Board in fifteen countries of the world. The Foreign Missions exhibit, a part of the Presbyterian Exposition in the Auditorium, was by far the most striking and successful exhibit ever arranged by the two Boards. One end of the large room had been set aside, representing booths of several countries in which our missionaries are working. These booths were furnished and decorated appro¬ priately with hangings and various other material from the mission fields and at stated times during the day, both from the booths and from the main platform, animated scenes were presented in which missionaries of the Board at home on furlough and members of the churches in Des Moines participated. The exhibit was crowded day after day by Commis- 1 sioners and visitors and during the sessions of the Assembly several thousand people were thus brought into close touch with the oflBcers and missionaries of the Board and were given a concrete illustration of the work and result of foreign missions. There were in attendance at the General Assembly sixty-eight Presbyterian mission¬ aries including six former missionaries and two recruits. A number of these missionaries were Commissioners from Presbyteries or delegates from their Missions, while the re¬ mainder were present as visitors. Through the kindness of the Hospitality Committee, of which the Rev. Frank C. McKean, D.D., was the efficient Chairman, entertainment was provided for all missionaries in attendance at the Assembly. On the evening of May 23d all the missionaries and officers of the two For¬ eign Boards met in a delightful fellowship at a dinner given in one of the leading depart¬ ment stores of Des Moines where, after addresses from Rev. Calvin C. Hays, D. D., the newly elected Moderator of the Assembly, the Rev. Henry G. Swearingen, D.D., the former Moderator, the Rev. Thomas R. Good, D.D., Chairman of the Chosen (Korea) Commission, the Rev. William H. Foulkes, D.D., General Secretary of the New Era Movement, and others, several missionaries brought greetings from the fields. The Woman’s Board of For¬ eign Missions held an all-day meeting in the Central Presbyterian Church of Des Moines on Monday, May 22nd. This meeting was largely attended by Presbyterial and Synodical officers, members of Des Moines churches and visitors, and stimulated great interest in the work of the Woman’s Board. The Popular Meeting on Foreign Missions was attended by a large and enthusiastic audi¬ ence. In- the absence of Dr. George Alex¬ ander, D.D., the President of the Board, the Rev. Cleland B. McAfee, D.D., of McCormick Theological Seminary, a member of the Board presided. The missionaries who were assem¬ bled on the platform were introduced by 2 Secretary William P. Schell and were given an ovation by the audience, those present ris¬ ing when the Rev. Dr. and Mrs. E. M. Wherry for fifty-five years in the Punjab, Miss Edna Cole for forty-three years in Siam, the Rev. J. W. Hawkes for forty-two years in Persia and Dr. E. A. Sturge for forty-two years in the service of the Board, were presented. Fol¬ lowing the introduction of the missionaries. Miss Christiana Tsai, a daughter of Christian China, told in a moving and appealing way the story of her conversion to Christ in the Presbyterian School for Girls in Nanking. Seldom has an address been delivered to the Assembly which more clearly and impressively illustrated the concrete results of foreign mis¬ sionary work. Miss Tsai was followed by the Rev. W. A. Waddell, D.D., the President of Mackenzie College at Sao Paulo, Brazil, who brought to the Assembly the message of Latin America, tracing in his address the steps through which the Protestant Church in Brazil has passed since its foundation and empha¬ sizing the valuable contribution of the church to present day life of Brazil. Dr. Waddell was followed by Rev. William H. Hudnut, D.D., of Youngstown, Ohio, one of the Commissioners at the Assembly, who six months ago returned from a visit to our West Africa Mission as a member of the Board’s deputation to that field. Dr. Hudnut gave a powerful address and deeply moved the audience by his portrayal of conditions in Africa and the heroism and sacrifice of the missionaries. Following this address, Mr. B. Carter Millikin, the Educa¬ tional Secretary of the Board, gave an unusu¬ ally fine stereopticon lecture on “Our World Ministry.” This lecture which gives in brief compass a presentation of the varied types of work carried on by the Board in foreign lands, had been especially prepared for the Assem¬ bly and proved to be of great interest to all who heard it. It had been anticipated that the Report of the Chosen (Korea) Commission would pro¬ voke considerable discussion and disagreement 3 on the floor of the Assembly but the Report which was ably presented by the Rev. Thomas R. Good, D.D., Chairman of the Commission, was adopted unanimously by the Assembly after the Rev. J. Gordon Holdcroft of the Chosen Mission and the Rev. Reuben A. Tor- rey, D.D., of Los Angeles, had appealed to the Assembly to approve it. In presenting the Report Dr. Good made the following statement which he said represented the unanimous judg¬ ment of his Commission: “It is an open secret that there has been abroad in the church an insidious propaganda to discredit the Board of Foreign Missions in the eyes of the church at large. This Com¬ mittee feels it its duty to say that after extra¬ ordinary opportunities for learning all the truth in the matter—larger opportunities than any other group of men in the church could possibly have enjoyed—we emphatically de¬ clare that for this unfriendly propaganda there exists no reasonable foundation whatever. The impression that your Board of Foreign Missions has been dictatorial and autocratic is totally without foundation. Your Foreign Board among the missionary agencies of the world is unsurpassed in integrity, efficiency and devotion of the highest spiritual character to the work of God.” This statement was greeted by the Assem¬ bly with hearty and prolonged applause. On Foreign Missions Day, before hearing the representatives of the Board the Assembly welcomed enthusiastically the Rev. Masahisa Uemura, D.D., Moderator of the Church of Christ in Japan. The Assembly heard with great interest the Report of the Standing Committee, which is given in full below, and listened with marked appreciation to the addresses of Mrs. Charles K. Roys, the General Secretary of the Woman’s Board, Secretary William P. Schell of the Assembly’s Board, Rev. E. M. Wherry, D.D., of the Punjab, and Rev. James B. Rodgers, D.D., of the Philippines. 4 REPORT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN MISSIONS The standing Committee on Foreign Mis¬ sions of which the Rev. William R. Taylor, D.D., of Rochester, N. Y., was the efficient Chairman, presented the following recommen¬ dations and resolutions which were adopted by the unanimous vote of the Assembly. The Standing Committee on Foreign Mis¬ sions begs leave to submit the following recommendations and resolutions, all of which have received the unanimous approval of its members: MINUTES OF THE BOARD. (1) After a careful review of the Minutes of the Board of Foreign Missions, your com¬ mittee recommends their approval as admir¬ able in form and content, an accurate and complete record of the proceedings and actions of the Board. They evidence the most pains¬ taking and efficient discharge of a great trust. Through all of this extended record there runs like a golden thread the intelligent and sympathetic care of the missionaries and their families. GIFTS OF MONEY (2) That the Assembly gratefully acknowl¬ edge the many splendid benefactions of money and property received by the Board during the past year. MISSIONARY FURLOUGHS (3) The Assembly commends the Board’s action in requiring that, as a general rule, the first furlough of all missionaries shall be used, for further preparation under the direction of the mission and the Board and suggests that especially in the case of medical missionaries* a portion of each subsequent furlough be spent in acquiring the latest practice in medicine and surgery. 5 VISITATION OF FIELDS (4) The Assembly approves the adoption of the policy for the visitation of every mission by an officer of the Board once every seven years, that interval to be reduced to