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pating Societies. These Conferences have been of incomparable value to all participating Societies in placing them upon a common working basis, and in giving to each the experience and wisdom possessed by all.

One does not need to study this question for any length of time to learn that we are yet far from a true and generally accepted science of missionary work abroad, and even farther from a science of the operations of Missionary Societies at home. The lack of such a science is wasteful in the extreme, since it compels all Societies to conduct experiments by themselves and to learn by their own successes and mistakes alone. There is no general organised plan by which the failures and successes. of one Society may become the common property of all, nor is there a place in which the missionary organisations of Christendom with any regularity or precision can discuss by their representatives questions that are of general interest to all.

This Edinburgh Conference is the first attempt at a systematic and careful study of missionary problems of the world, including those that bear upon both the work abroad and the operations of the Societies at home.

The question naturally arises as to how the results of the Conference are to be best conserved and made of value for all future missionary operations. It is true that the Reports of the Commissions and of the Conference, after the Conference has dissolved, will be printed in a set of volumes. It is also true that the Report will become antiquated in comparatively few years. The advance of the science of missions which will have been made at Edinburgh, unless something is done to prevent it, will necessarily come to a standstill until another similar general Conference is held a decade hence. In the meantime, much ground gained by this Conference will be lost, and information obtained and principles established by common agreement will be forgotten, or at least become inoperative.

A general desire has been expressed by eminent missionary leaders on both sides of the Atlantic that some

arrangement may be made which will result not only in a continuous systematic study of missionary questions and problems, but which will draw together the active missionary forces of the world in the consideration of questions of common interest. The hope is freely expressed that provision may be made for embodying the conclusions reached in this Conference in some form that will make them permanently valuable, and thus present to the Christian world the spectacle of systematic and scientific co-operation in the work of the Missionary Societies in all communions such as will command the confidence of all, raise to the maximum the efficiency of the great missionary enterprise, and present to the non-Christian world the spectacle of the united advancing forces of Christendom.

It seems to the members of the Commission on the Home Base, as it does to a great circle of missionary experts with whom they have communicated upon this subject, that the time has now arrived when steps leading to this end may wisely be taken. They will go even farther than this and say that to many who have freely spoken upon this subject it would seem to be a mistake if, out of this Conference, there should not emerge some form of organisation or organisations that will be competent to deal with this matter and produce some general and permanent Committee, international and interdenominational in character, to which the Missionary Societies of the world shall look, to whose work all will contribute, and from which all will receive direct benefit.

It is the judgment of the Commission that this can most naturally be brought about by

1. The formation in each country where such organisation does not now exist of a Conference composed of the foreign Missionary Societies organised in that country, and

2. The creation of a standing International Committee made up of representatives chosen by these various Conferences.

This suggestion is based upon what has already been accomplished in the United States and Canada, and also in the organisation of Missionary Societies and Committees on the Continent of Europe.

The Quadrennial Bremen Continental Missionary Conference and the German and Continental Executive Committee are illustrations of the successful endeavour for interdenominational union in the interests of great efficiency. There are in addition two other organisations of a similar character, the Northern Lutheran Missionary Conference, meeting every fifth year with some seven hundred delegates from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland for the consideration of missionary topics, but with no power of legislation, and the Netherlands Missionary Conference meeting every autumn. This lastnamed Conference held its twenty-third session in 1909.

As a further illustration of what can be done in this line, we cite the progress already made in the United States and Canada through the organisation now known as the Conference of Foreign Mission Boards of the United States and Canada, which has recently held its seventeenth annual session in New York City. This Conference was organised for the consideration of questions of administration pertaining to foreign missions. Its membership is confined to executive officers and members of Foreign Mission Boards and Societies having separate denominational constituencies in the United States and Canada, duly elected by their respective Societies. Other official members, as well as foreign missionaries who may chance to be present, may be elected corresponding members, but without power to vote. Some fifty Missionary Societies were represented in the seventeenth annual session recently held. The sessions usually occupy two days.

There are few questions bearing upon the problems of administration of foreign missions that have not been thoroughly investigated and discussed. In many instances strong representative interdenominational Commissions have been created by the Conferences for the

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careful and exhaustive investigation and report upon such important subjects as "Self-support on the Field," "Should Laymen be sent as Missionaries?" "The Higher Education in Missions," "Women's Missionary Societies,' "The Unoccupied Fields," "The Mohammedan Problem," "Furloughs," "Missionary Education in the United States," "Relations of Missionaries and Missionary Societies to Governments," "Anglo-American Communities in Foreign Ports," "Missionary Periodicals," and many other practical and vital topics. The principal subjects were presented in written form, and afterwards were discussed with great frankness, all discussion being taken down in shorthand and included with the paper in the printed report of the Conference. These reports are printed with paper covers, and are sent by the Missionary Societies to their missionaries and to the leaders of their respective constituencies. All agree that these reports have been most influential in promoting selfsupport and self-government among the Native Churches. connected with the American Missionary Societies, and all unhesitatingly acknowledge that these reports are of great value because of the information they contain as the result of the enquiries made. They have a strong influence in unifying the policies of the Missionary Boards in America, and have resulted in a saving of time and strength and money to all the Societies participating. It goes without saying that the Conference has no power to legislate in any way for the Missionary Boards represented, or to commit the Boards to any act or policy.

For many years there was a conscious and frequently expressed need upon the part of the smaller Societies for a central and representative organisation to speak for foreign missions as a whole, especially in questions that might arise in relation to the Government. Therefore a permanent Committee was created, called the Committee of Reference and Arbitration, but subsequently changed to the Committee of Reference and Counsel. The duty of this Committee is to keep itself

informed regarding all general questions of a national or international character, such as would be of interest to the Missionary Societies as a whole, and to make full report each year to the Conference. This Committee makes it its business to secure reliable data regarding any and all laws, both in the home country and in the mission field, that affect the missionaries, and to investigate all questions that may arise in the country with relation to any subject that bears directly upon the work of missions. In case of a general public attack upon missions this Committee prepares and puts out a reply. In case a law is passed by the national government that affects the standing of the foreign missionary, it is the duty of the Committee to ascertain the bearing of that law, secure an official interpretation, and send to all the Missionary Societies the results of its investigation. For example, a law was passed recently in the United States relating to the "Expatriation of Citizens," which, upon the face of it, appeared to denationalise any missionary who remained away from home over two years. The Committee of Reference and Counsel opened correspondence on behalf of all the Boards with the Department of State, secured a copy of the Rules and Regulations which had been issued to consular and diplomatic agents abroad, and later obtained an official communication from the Bureau of Citizenship which cleared up all difficulties. These facts were communicated to all the Missionary Societies in the United States.

Incidentally another valuable outcome greatly appreciated by all officers of Missionary Societies in America. is that through these many Conferences the executive officers of the Missionary Societies become personally acquainted with each other. The spirit of co-operation thus developed is deep-seated and abiding. No regrettable incident has ever occurred in all the seventeen sessions held, although at times delicate subjects, upon which the members of the Conference widely differed, have been discussed with great fulness and freedom.

The question was raised a short time ago as to whether

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