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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1914. Excerpt: ... VI CHRISTIANIZING TENDENCIES IN NON-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS THE first five chapters have discussed the relation of Christian missions to social progress in mission lands and have shown how social institutions are changing under the influence of the West, religious and secular. Yet, after all, the work of Christian missions is religious. The missionary is more than a philanthropist, educator, reformer. He is engaged in teaching the religion of Christ and in persuading men to forsake their former religious allegiance and become the followers of the Saviour. He thus arrays against himself from the beginning the religious forces in mission lands. Much as the dissatisfied natives may welcome the good news, those who are heartily committed to the old views, and especially those who are financially interested in the maintenance of the old religion, see that this foreigner is engaged in a work that means the overthrow of their old cherished beliefs or of their means of livelihood. What shall be the result of this impact? In many a field Christianity has met animism and the lower forms of religious belief and has vanquished them completely. The old religion is gone, with its votaries. This is true in Fiji and in certain other islands of the Pacific; it is true in parts of Sumatra, as well as among certain tribes of the North American Indians.' But now Christianity is facing the strong religions of the world, which claim the allegiance of millions, which have their sacred books and an elaborate philosophy and theology, and which are entrenched among peoples with a high degree of civilization. These are foemen worthy of the steel of the Christian warrior. Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism--these claim the devotion of considerably more than half a billion, and they are not yield...
