CHAPTER XI

HOME LEADERSHIP

THE success of the missionary enterprise under God must rest with the efficiency of the leadership at home. If the leadership is strong, aggressive, and effective, the cause will prosper; if it is hesitating, half-hearted, and weak, the work of foreign missions will halt. The key to the situation is in the quantity and quality of the leaders in the Church. There are three distinct classes who are exerting, or who should exert, special influence in leading the Church to a right conception of its duty and privilege in the work of missions. These classes are the ministry, laymen, and women.

Apart from the young people, these constitute the total membership of the Christian Churches, and it is among them that we must look for organisers and leaders of the young people in their missionary endeavour.

The committee that had in charge the collection of material for this topic enquired diligently of the secretaries of foreign Mission Boards, the chairmen and secretaries of the Laymen's Missionary Movement, the chairmen of city co-operating committees of laymen, officers of Women's Societies, leading clergymen, and individual and unofficial laymen of different denominations. In addition, the Commission carried on a system of personal enquiry among recognised experts of all classes, and made a study of general literature bearing upon the subject of this investigation.

COM. VI.-II

I. THE MINISTRY

THE EXTENT OF MISSIONARY INTEREST AMONG

MINISTERS

The first question raised was one of fact: "Are the clergymen and ministers cognisant of the prime importance and the possibilities of their leadership in missionary work?"

It has become a common saying all over the world that "the minister holds the key to the situation" as far as the interest of the Church in missions is concerned. It was the purpose of the Commission to shed further light on the situation. The replies received are clear and direct. As one might expect, there is great variety in the replies, coming as they do from different denominations and from all parts of Europe and America. In regard to the comparative number of ministers who are aware of the importance and possibilities of their leadership, one denominational leader reports that only about 5 per cent. of their clergymen are vitally interested in missions. Others report an interested body ranging from 10 per cent. to 75 per cent. of the entire number. Only one, however, reports the last figure, while a few report that not more than one-quarter is vitally interested. Others declare

that this interest "is only beginning," some of the younger men are interested, but not the older," "not to a large extent, but improving," "better in the cities than in the country parishes," "not wholly awake," " “a small amount are," a few are," "a limited number are," while more than one-fourth of the laymen reporting say frankly that their pastors are not interested and so exercise little effective leadership. At the same time, a considerable number report an increasing interest, in which they find much encouragement. We will quote more at length from some of these replies.

One well-known denominational leader says:

"The ministers of our Church as a whole are not wholly awake to the prime importance of their leadership in missionary world.

Nor are they realising the possibilities of their position for missionary leadership. There are, however, many notable and delightful exceptions. I am happy to believe, also, that the tendency in recent years has been upward, and that our ministers are much more deeply interested and active in the advocacy of missions than they formerly were."

Another leader, widely known outside his own denomination, says :

"I regret to write that I fear many of our ministers are not sufficiently interested in world-wide missions. My experience in the last few years has shown me that, while many of these men are enthusiastic in their leadership, there are many who seem to be timid and unwilling to take any very decided stand. number of instances lately in America the laymen have been far in advance of the minister in determination to have the Churches to which they belong do larger things."

Still another :

In a

"To a very large extent both clergymen and ministers are realising the necessity of their being the leaders in missionary work, and more and more are they beginning to realise what leadership by them will mean for their congregations."

A leader of another great denomination writes :—

"The clergymen and ministers of the various Churches are not seized by the prime importance of their leadership in missionary work. To an extent hitherto unknown the ministers whom I know are realising their position as leaders, but this is a long way from realising it to the full."

A leader in one of the largest American denominations says:

"Our ministers are not cognisant of the importance of their position as missionary leaders, but there is a decided awakening and enquiry. I believe there is soon to be a decided and helpful change throughout our Church."

Another eminent leader says :—

"The vast majority of the ministers do not appreciate the Too many seem to work with importance of their leadership.

Pastoral leadership

means

little thought beyond their congregational environment, and are satisfied with mere local progress. everything in missionary success.'

These quotations fairly represent the contents and tenor of the replies received, and they come from the leading denominations of the world.

From Great Britain the general tone of the replies received is one of hopefulness, but, on the other hand, it is felt that a revived ministry is more needed than anything else. To the lack of proper ministerial leadership is attributed the deadness and lack of interest in the congregations. The general testimony is that congregations are ready to respond if summoned to action by their recognised leader.

In Germany the same condition prevails, but the growing popularity among ministers of special conferences for enquiry into missionary problems is an encouraging sign of improvement. A minority of German ministers are, and always have been, promoters of the cause of missions.

From France the report comes that, while some ministers have missionary interest really at heart, yet their number is comparatively small. The greater number do nothing, except to receive the deputies that are sent them, and transmit gifts put into their hands for the purpose by their parishioners. It is encouraging to note that a growing interest during the last few years can be reported.

CAUSES OF LACK OF INTEREST

Assuming then that, as a whole, the ministers and clergymen of Christendom are not exercising their full power of leadership in the interest of missions, we naturally enquire what are the causes of this failure, and the remedies for it. The answers to this enquiry are most illuminating and suggestive.

The replies will not admit of clear classification. Among the reasons given, the most prominent are, pressure of local work," "local financial burdens,” “lack of proper training," "indifference and selfishness," "lack of the true conception of the contents of the Gospel," "timidity," and

improper sense of obligation." As this part of the subject is of such vital importance, we will give somewhat at length a few characteristic quotations from our numerous correspondents, selecting in such a way that

the principal denominations and all countries shall be represented.

A well-known leader writes :

"(1) The training given in our theological seminaries has had too little reference to the great work of missions, the preparation of missionary candidates, and the training of the missionary spirit. (2) The shamefully limited salaries of many of our ministers, which makes them, upon the one hand, unable to be leaders in giving, which some of them would like to be, and, on the other hand, makes them timid in pressing the cause upon the attention of the people."

Another leader gives as reasons :

"(1) A failure to have received a missionary vision at the period in life when life ideals were being formed. This takes us back to the home life and to the age of youth. (2) Concession to, or compromise with, the non-missionary or anti-missionary conceptions of the average congregation or Church. (3) A prevailing false conception of the general character of Christianity which dominates, to a great extent, the whole of Christendom, and influences also the leaders in the Church."

A well-known leader gives as reasons :—

"(1) Theological controversy; (2) failure in earlier days to give missionary instruction in theological seminaries; (3) the fear upon the part of many ministers that, if they press missions too hard, they may interfere with the prosperity of the local Church and so lose their hold upon it."

A secretary of a Missionary Board writes :

"(1) The many demands made upon the pastors in the work of the parish; (2) the tendency of some to magnify this work unduly; (3) the failure to see clearly the chief and supreme business of the Church."

Another secretary writes :—

"(1) A lack of a true conception of the spirit of the Gospel in its breadth and entirety. (2) Lack of information. (3) Provincialism. (4) Lack of proper theological instruction."

A leading layman writes :

"A failure to realise the benefit, financial as well as spiritual, that their own congregations will derive from helping on Christ's work outside."

Another layman says:

"Contentment with things as they are;

reliance upon

machinery; decadence of personal earnestness and devotion,”