Part 6 (1/2)

3. _Fields Unoccupied by Protestant Missions because of Government Opposition_

(1) French Indo-China

(2) French Possessions in Africa

These three lists represent the work _yet to be begun_.

4. _The Religion Least Reached is Mohammedanism_

Conservative estimates state that not less than 150,000,000 Mohammedans are not being reached in any adequate way by the Christian gospel.

5. _The World as a Whole._ (1) The Edinburgh Conference Report says that there are 119,000,000 people in Asia and Africa who are not even included in the plans of any missionary society on earth. (2) There are many more millions--and no one knows accurately how many--who are included in plans which have not yet been carried out. (3) In view of the facts presented it is probably a safe estimate to say that with the present forces in the field 500,000,000 people will pa.s.s out of this generation without having a fair chance to know Christ and his message of redemption, unless the Church pours out a princely offering of lives and money and prayer to give them that opportunity.

[Ill.u.s.tration: RELIGIOUS CENSUS OF THE WORLD

World Population, 1912 1,700,000,000]

When it is remembered that there are such mult.i.tudes of people who have never had a chance to adopt a living creed adequate to the facts of life; that there are still whole nations which are the habitations of nameless cruelty; millions for whom as yet Christ died in vain; vast regions where there are a starless sky, a bottomless need, a life full of fear and a future without hope--this certainly presents a task which may well test to the utmost the vitality and devotion of Christendom.

One look at the immensity of the problem drives us back upon the measureless resources of G.o.d. Over against the greatness of the task we place the greatness of our G.o.d. He alone is sufficient for these things.

The great question to be answered now is whether or not there have been developed in Christian lands a faith and power sufficient for this most momentous hour for the human race. The supreme question of missions is the development in Christendom of a vitality equal to carrying the faith of Christ to the last man in the world.

Is my Christianity equal to this task? Will the Christianity of my Church go to the limit of devotion to the plans of Christ? Is American Christianity strong enough so G.o.d can anchor a planet to America without wrecking America? In this great hour you must answer and so must I and so must the Church. Accepting the great opportunity with an unmoved confidence in final victory, let every man joyously put his hands between the King's hands to follow him forever.

Some questions in parliamentary law are undebatable. Having been faced squarely and the decision made, the vote is cast in silence. When a Christian man has once understood what the call of Christ is, and what moral and spiritual demands that call makes upon men, the only possible att.i.tude which a real man can take is _obedience without debate_.

BOOKS FOR ADVANCED READING

Carrying the Gospel to All the World. Vol. 1. Edinburgh Conference Report.

Zwemer, S. M. The Unoccupied Mission Fields of Africa and Asia.

Student Volunteer Movement, 600 Lexington Avenue, New York. $1.00.

Barton, James L. The Unfinished Task. Student Volunteer Movement, 600 Lexington Avenue, New York.

Dennis, James S. Social Evils of the Non-Christian World. Student Volunteer Movement, 600 Lexington Avenue. $0.35.

Moscrop, Thomas. The Kingdom Without Frontiers. Eaton & Mains, 150 Fifth Avenue, New York. $1.00.

Eddy, Sherwood. The New Era in Asia. Missionary Education Movement, 156 Fifth Avenue, New York. $0.50.

Pott, F. L. Hawks. The Emergency in China. Missionary Education Movement, 156 Fifth Avenue, New York. $0.50.

Winton, George B. Mexico To-Day. Missionary Education Movement, 156 Fifth Avenue, New York. $0.50.

CHAPTER III