M ISSIO H ARY SYM PO SIUM When a missionary is called to serve in a foreign country, is he expected to stay in that one place the rest of his life? What is the present attitude of the India government concerning foreign missionaries?
Missionary Medicine Pays
*Jessie McDonald, M. D. M ost missionaries have to be a jack- of-all trades and perhaps master of none. The course of training of fered by the School of Missionary Medicine of B io l a would be most valuable to all non-medical mission aries. To those who later find themselves in isolated places, far from hospital or doctor, emergencies often arise which may catch the untrained with a feeling of absolute helplessness, which can be quite terrifying. As an example, one of the most valuable of our C.I.M. missionaries died from malignant malaria in far Southwest China. Humanly speaking one in jection of anti-malaria medicine might have saved his life. A little knowledge, you say, is dangerous. Perhaps a specialist should be called in but you may be the only specialist in sight. A second sphere of usefulness which I might mention is the knowl edge of sanitation and public health. From the first it is the medical mis sionary who has introduced cleanli ness and health to millions who had known nothing but filth and squalor. By the use of public health films and posters, by inoculations and vac cinations many are learning that dis eases are often caused by dirt and flies and not by demons — demons which they think must be driven out or needled out, howled out or pounded out. Lastly anywhere and everywhere on the mission field, no one can doubt the fidelity of the medi cal missionary who spends time and skill in loving service for Christ’s sake. With prejudice disarmed, pa tients are usually ready to listen to the old, ever new story of Christ and His love and care. Thus hearts and homes, towns and villages are opened to the gospel. The true medical missionary, and that to my mind includes the grad uates of the School of Missionary Medicine, is a 20th-century John the Baptist preparing a way for the Way. Such way-preparers are urgently needed on every mission field. *Dr. Jessie McDonald has been a medicol mis sionary of the China Inland Mission for the past 39 years, now on furlough and cannot get back to ¿hina. In the meantime, she is teaching in the School of Missionary Medicine at Biola.
The minister for Home Affairs, Dr. K. N. Katju, said in the House of thé People, on April 21, that it had been made clear to foreign missionaries working in the coun try that if they were engaged in so cial welfare work, medical work and education, they were welcome, but if they indulged in proselytiza- tion, it would not be desirable. That was the basic rule governing government’s attitude, he said. Dr. Katju was replying to a question whether the government was aware that certain • individuals were given monetary temptations, sometimes threatened and then converted to Christianity and that temples of the Adivasis were being turned into churches. > Dr. Katju said that certain re ports concerning proselytizing ac tivities, which offended the feel ings of the non-Christian local population, had been received. The minister added that his gov ernment was taking necessary steps to check objectionable missionary activities where they existed. O.H.S. EDITOR’S NOTE: It must be borne in mind by our readers that there a re m an y s o -c a lle d C h ristia n groups that are sending mission aries to India. In a report just received from the India Embassy, Washington, D.C., it is stated that out of 1,768 foreign missionaries visiting India, 1,028 were Ameri cans, 168 were Italians and 130 were Spanish. The remaining 442 were drawn from 29 other coun tries. The length of stay for these missionaries was determined on the merits of each case, but the period of stay did not, however,• exceed one year at a time. It was explained that whenever any per son desired to come to India to engage in educational work for a number of years, no permission was granted unless the missionary was coming for the purpose of re placing someone who was leaving the country.
“ A missionary should be willing to serve in one place for life or to change his sphere of service as God leads. It is just as serious a mistake to set oneself persistently to one location as it is to jump from place to place without doing a complete job.” Colonel T. S. Cook Central Japan Pioneer Mission What can you suggest in the way of projects, programs and plans for missionary groups? “ The best source of information I know on the subject is a book let published by the 'Sudan Inter ior Mission on this very subject. In this booklet, the reader will find a list of good missionary books and many valuable suggestions on how to conduct a missionary study group. Suggested projects are il lustrated. The address of the Sudan Interior Mission is 164 West 74th Street, New York 23, N. Y.” O.H.S. “Matthew 28:19 specifically in structs every born-again believer to ‘Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.’ To make this command operative and effective, it requires listening ears. “The shortest cut through lan guage barriers, prejudices, reli gious customs, etc., is through the relief of pain and the healing of the body; thus the medical mis sionary can reach listening ears.” Harry E. Straub, D.DS. Biola School of Missionary M edicine “While specialized workers, such as aviators and radio technicians, are needed, a candidate must real ize he is first a missionary, so Bible training and evangelistic experience should be emphasized above anything else.” Dr. C. J. Beacham Sudan Interior Mission What is the practical value of medi cal missionary work? Where should the emphasis be placed in training missionaries?
29
JULY 1953
Made with FlippingBook HTML5