THU SCOPE OF MISSIONS A New Career
Edited by O ran JI. Smith
Chairman, Dept, of Missions, Biola Bible College Inter-Mision Candidate Training By R. E. Thompson D own through the years of Prot estant missions, the mission fields of the world have proved to be places of physical, mental and spiritual testing. There have always been missionaries who have broken down and have had to return home, but as life has become more compli cated and the normal strains of living more intensive, the number has in creased. Others have remained on the field, but have not been 100% effective. Mission leaders are viewing the situation with grave concern and have been seriously seeking the cause for such failure. Admittedly, the strain of life and service in unac customed climates is very great. The mental effect necessary to acquire a difficult language cannot be over estimated, but the greatest strain ‘ is in the realm of the spiritual. The missionary goes forth to where “ Sa tan’s seat is.” Our missionaries in this day face not only the problems their predecessors faced, but a much more difficult world situation. In this generation, the world to which our missionaries go is a small one. What happens in the west is known in the east. In many lands the missionary is not accepted as a representative of Utopia as in former times. Our weak nesses, our failures in government, our mismanagement of international affairs are well known, especially to the people of the East. Nationalism in many lands is a factor the mission ary has to accept. Indeed, it has to be admitted that there is often a deep- seated aversion in the East to those of us from the West. The day of the supremacy of the white man in Asia has passed. His leadership, if not repudiated, is very definitely questioned. In Asia alone at least seven new governments have been established since the war. The upsurge of nationalism is found on eveiy hand. It is very true that mis sionaries, especially those going to CONTINUED ►
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By Bess Olson
acceptance by the Presbyterian Mis sion Board. Undaunted, she “ went anyway” to Nanking, China. Supporting herself by teaching a school for missionaries' children, she carried on a full mis sionary program. She taught a per sonal workers’ class in a big uni versity, a “ ragged Sunday school” for street waifs, a Bible class at the YMCA, a Bible class of 96 men in the highest rating technology college in China, and an English-speaking class of Koreans. She led a Chinese glee club. Two evenings a week she prayed with some Koreans for the spiritual need of others. Results—all of the 162 Koreans, living in Nan king, were saved! Then, after four-and-one-half years, the serious illness of her father called her home. Miss Culter taught and was principal in the Orange County, Calif., public schools until she became dean of women at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. Unable to go-herself, she encouraged many young people to go to the foreign field. A growing concern for the lack of Christian education for under col lege age youth led her, in 1936, to start Culter Academy. Beginning with five pupils, the school grew rapidly and by 1942 was completely accredit ed by the University of California. Again there was the joy of win ning boys and girls for Christ—of seeing them go to the mission field. Yet—the Orient still called to her! In 1946 she made arrangements for the school, was accepted by TEAM and, China being closed, went to Japan. A most satisfying ministry in Japanese universities, however, was cut short by an SOS from the school. Once more she waited, knowing she would yet go. True, she was grow ing older. Would the board still want her? With John F. Blanchard’s acceptance of the presidency of Cul ter Academy in 1953, she applied again to TEAM. Accepted, she chuckled, “Why are you willing to send an old woman like me?” The answer showed wisdom and foresight, “Miss Culter, we figure you are going anyway. We might as well have the benefit of your service.”
MABEL CULTER In Daddy's Place S hortly before the turn of the century, a tiny brown-eyed girl of five years was playing in a Kansas kitchen. In a voice, tinged with sadness, her father said to her mother, “When I was young, I had a call to the foreign mission field. I shall always regret that I did not g°-” The little girl whispered to herself, “ I’ll go in Daddy’s place, when I grow up!” This month, after sixty years, Miss Mabel M. Culter, founder and former president of Culter Academy, a Chris tian elementary and high school in Los Angeles, is on her way to Korea. As a representative of The Evangeli cal Alliance Mission (TEAM) she will help with founding of an or phanage, a hospital and a Bible in stitute. She,will not, however, be answer ing her father’s call. In her teens she received her own. And, though many years of disappointing delays have passed, her ardor for foreign mis sions has not cooled. Her enthusiasm is unabated as, evening after eve ning, following a busy day of teach ing and counselling in the school, she studied the difficult Korean language. Miss Culter first tried to answer her call in 1918 after preparing in California colleges; San Jose, San Diego, Occidental and Berkeley. An eye weakness, however, prevented her
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