CHAPTER V11 THE PROMOTION OF MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE THROUGH VISITS TO MISSION FIELDS INFORMATION has been secured upon this subject from a long list of missionaries and secretaries of Missionary Societies, as well as from pastors, laymen, and women who have made extensive visits to mission countries. The testimony of these witnesses is based upon over three thousand visits in the aggregate, made to more than nine hundred mission stations. VISITS OF BOARDS' SECRETARIES Advantages to the Mission Field The missionaries speak with deep conviction of the encouragement and inspiration to themselves and the Native Church resulting from the visits of the secretaries of Missionary Societies. Many difficulties may be removed as the result of a secretary's visit. Advantages to the Home Base If the secretary visits mission lands as a learner, getting into touch with the ordinary details of routine work and coming into the closest personal sympathy with the workers, he gains a knowledge which could never come by correspondence. This will enable him to direct the work far more efficiently on his return. One corre spondent advocates secretarial visits, because people at home attach more weight to the addresses and appeals of those secretaries who have frequently visited their fields. Some missionaries only favour more frequent secretarial visits if the object is to get fresh information and give encouragement to the missionaries. They would deprecate more frequent visitation if the object is to continue to control at home the details of the work on the field. It is clear that these visits enable the home Boards better to understand the communications they receive from the field. On the part of a majority of the missionaries, there is a strong conviction that each secretary should not only visit the fields for which he is responsible at the beginning of his administration (unless he himself has been a missionary), but should also revisit them at least once in ten years. Many missionaries maintain that these visits should come once in five years. Some Missionary Societies in all countries have adopted a general policy of occasional official visitation to the mission fields for purposes of information and administration. Some send such a commission or deputation only when some local condition abroad seems to demand it. In such a case the visiting body usually comprises a secretary, a member or two of the executive committee or Board, and possibly a pastor or influential layman from outside the committee. Other Societies send now and then a commission, usually including a secretary, upon a general tour of inspection with the expectation that those who compose it will visit a large number of stations in different countries, inspire those to whom they go to the extent of their ability, and bring back a wide range of general information for the benefit of the Board and of the Church. One Society in Scotland is planning for a regular yearly visitation by a deputation of the controlling committee to the mission stations in a particular country, while another sends annually two home ministers to a COM. VI.-7 group of stations in some country to study the work on the spot, to encourage the missionaries, and to bring back material for the encouragement of their constituency. To the effectiveness and value of this plan strong testimony is given. There are other Societies that plan systematically for occasional visits of members of the executive official staff to specific fields for the purpose of prolonged and thorough study of the conditions and needs of that field. Such a deputation is not expected to visit any other country than the one to which it is specifically sent. Before starting out, it is expected to familiarise itself not only with the missionary work of its own Society there, but, as far as possible, with the general history of the country and the people and their religious conditions, as well as the work done in that country by other Missionary Societies. The visit of the deputation is prepared for by the missionaries on the field, so that the greatest amount of exact knowledge may be obtained with the least loss of time and strength. This deputation visits every missionary centre and inspects every institution of its own organisation and also looks into the work carried on by other Societies, as well as any Government institutions which have a relation to the work of the missionaries. Upon its return, it renders a carefully prepared report to the executive committee of its own Board, containing suggestions regarding the future of the work, and making whatever recommendations it may deem wise and proper. In many cases, besides this official and confidential report, a general and popular report is made for wide use among the constituency. In this latter report only matters of popular general interest are included, and these are frequently illustrated by photographs. In the general practice of Missionary Societies two distinct classes of deputations are recognised. First, the administrative deputation sent by the executive Board for the purpose of the better administration of the work; and second, a general deputation, whose object is to secure information for presentation to the constituency at home to increase its interest. For the latter purpose it is becoming more and more important that every Missionary Society officer should have the opportunity of seeing personally at least some phases of missionary work in actual operation. It is becoming increasingly difficult for one who knows nothing of the missionary work abroad from personal observation and experience to command a hearing with the constituency upon the character and needs of that work. As regards the work of administration, it is now accepted as a principle that the wisest and most economical administration of the work abroad in any field demands a measure of personal knowledge upon the part of some at least of those by whom the work is directed and controlled at home. The leading Missionary Societies all over the world are recognising these needs and conditions, and are shaping their policies accordingly. As to the source from which the expenses of such deputations should be met, there are divergencies in practice. Several leading Societies regard this expense as a proper and legitimate charge upon the general treasury. These quote instances where a deputation has recommended action that saved the Society more money than the entire cost of the whole expedition. There is practically no difference in judgment that as an administrative measure the properly constituted occasional deputation is a necessity to the wisest and most effective conduct of the work abroad. At the same time, in most instances reported the expense of such a body has been met in whole or in part by special gifts for the purpose, and thus a heavy charge upon the treasury of the Society has been avoided. Churches that have missionary bishops upon the field who return periodically and put themselves into close relations with the executive Committee and the home constituency, do not feel the same need of an occasional visitation as non-Episcopal bodies. A VISITS OF PASTORS Advantages to the Mission Field A fortnight's visit from one who is keenly interested in missions is one of the greatest tonics a mission can receive. The whole mission is refreshed by such a visit ; helpful suggestions are made, and permanent links are formed. Several missionaries write that when the pastors are public speakers of exceptional strength and men of real spiritual power, their visits are a blessing to the missionaries and a still larger one to the Christian community. The visits to India of such men as the Haskell lecturers are of great value in giving educated Indians an opportunity of meeting and hearing prominent religious leaders of the West, and enabling them to realise the intellectual and moral forces of Christianity in Christian lands. The identification of Christianity almost exclusively with missionaries is apt to give Indians too limited a view of the present place and power of the Christian religion. We would lay special emphasis upon the value of an occasional visit to mission fields of Christian leaders of wide reputation, good judgment, and sound piety who are ready to do everything in their power for the promotion of the work. Advantages to the Home Base The attitude of most of the missionaries is summed up by a missionary from India: "Would that many more pastors were sent out, that they might come into personal touch with the missions they must advocate and support." When the pastors come as students of missions, preparing to impart to others the knowledge they receive, they are not only welcomed by the missionaries, but, as a rule, they use their time to such good effect that their church and neighbourhood feel the stimulus for years to come. Visits to the mission field by pastors qualify them to give substantial aid to the officers and directors of the |