FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF PASTORS NUMBER I THE PASTOR AS A WORLD LEADER NOVEMBER 1, 1916 PREPARED BY A COMMITTEE OF THE FOREIGN MISSIONS CONFERENCE OF NORTH AMERICA THE BOARD OF FOREIGN MISSIONS OF THE 150 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK CITY 1916 UNIVERSITY 441 LIBRARY Page Why Missionary Ammunition for Pastors? . What may reasonably be expected of a Pastor in the Way of Answer of a Layman, by Col. Elijah W. Halford. Answer of a Pastor, by the Rev. Rockwell H. Potter, D.D. I. WHY MISSIONARY AMMUNITION For the simple reason that the pastors want it, and in a good many instances are clamoring for it. A secretary of a foreign board not long ago was addressing a union ministers' meeting in one of our leading cities and took as his theme "The Decadence of the Non-Christian Religions," which he maintained was the greatest fact in the world to-day-greater even in the sweep of its significance than the world war. He marshaled a number of striking incidents by way of showing that Shintoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and even Mohammedanism are in a decadent condition. He then demonstrated how Christianity, through its foreign missionary propaganda, is forging ahead in every large mission area, and giving assurance of ultimate success. He ended by urging that pastors should give such facts to their people, that nothing is more likely to stimulate faith and zeal for the work which the churches have to perform at home than this demonstration of the gospel's power abroad. The pastors concurred in this judgment, both as to the successes of the missionary enterprise, and as to the need of the people being informed upon the situation. But they said: "Where can we get hold of such facts? We do not see them stated in this large and compelling way in our missionary magazines or in the other literature of the boards. You are asking us to make bricks without straw." The secretary replied that the information can be obtained through a discriminating reading of missionary books and magazines, but that perhaps the boards have been at fault in not considering the special needs of pastors as those who alone can enlighten the people. These pamphlets are issued to meet this need. They will be printed in the fall and spring, approximately November first *Copyright 1916 by Missionary Education Movement of the United States and Canada. |