Fathers of The Modern Missionary Movement.
Fathers of The Modern Missionary Movement.
It is universally held by Protestants, that “The Modern Missionary Movement” started with William Carey (1761-1834) going to India.
Carey’s basic argument to go, was based on the fact that there were parts of the world, and he was thinking mainly of India, were the ratio of ministers/pastors/missionaries to the general population was much larger than it was in England, and so great, that therefore Christian England had the duty to send the gospel light to the dark places of the world; because as God ordained the Elect to salvation, so too he ordained the means to save them: his people going into all the world to preach the gospel. In the United Kingdom of Carey’s time, there was 1 minister for approximately every 900 people (Protestant minister, regardless of denomination); in Indian it was so great, it was hardly measurable, and Carey asked the simple question, “Is that right?”
His book, which set the Modern Missionary Movement into motion was “An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens.”
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11449
His question is still relevant for today. Think of the Muslim World; think of India still! In my opinion India is the most needy country spiritually for the gospel, in the world, the darkest: over 1 Billion Hindus live in India, in total spiritual darkness, slaves to the Devil, the deceiver of mankind!
Everyone knows William Carey, but after him, another Brit, Sheldon Dibble (1809-1845), also wrote a book, “Thoughts on Missions”
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/26062/26062-h/26062-h.htm
He was a missionary to the Sandwich Islands = Hawaii. He presents the same argument as Carey, and since he lived after Carey, was probably influenced by him.
Next, another Brit who everyone knows, Hudson Taylor (1832-1905), who also wrote a book along the same lines as both Carey and Dibble, using the same logic, but regarding China.
Hudson Taylor’s book was, “China: Its Spiritual Need and Claims.”
https://archive.org/details/cu31924023067972
Same point: In Britain 1 minister for 900 something people, in the coastal cities of China 1 missionary for 250,000 people, and in inland China’s cities, which were as big as London, nothing! And again Hudson Taylor asked the same question, “Is that right?” He lived after both Carey and Dibble, and would certainly have know of them, and their books, and their arguments, and he applied the same logic to China. The result, the China Inland Mission, which was the single most influential missionary organization in China for nearly 100 years, its missionaries by the hundreds going all over inland China and neighboring countries.
Google China Inland Mission and Overseas Missionary Fellowship (its later name), and read about the lives of some of those missionaries: We are not worthy to carry the shoes of these great people. They went to the darkest, most remote, and hardest to get to places, and their gave their lives for Jesus; short term missions was an unknown concept to them. I read the antidote of a lady who left England for the Far East, obviously by boat, as it was in the 1800s. When they arrived at their destination, the Captain said to her, “You will never leave there alive,” her response, “I died when I set foot on this boat back in England.”
Hear the logic of William Burns (1815-1868), “I thought it wisest to go where the need was greatest, and the workers fewest.”
He translated the bible into Chinese.
Here is the link for a digital copy of his Memoirs:
https://archive.org/details/memoirofrevwmcbu0000burn
There are so many others, like Adoniram Judson (1788-1850) in Burma, James Gilmour (1843-1891) in Mongolia, and J.O. Fraser (1886-1938) in Lisu Land, on the Burmese-Tibet border.
Biography of Judson: “To the Golden Shore”
https://archive.org/details/togoldenshorelif0000ande_v1z4
Biography of Gilmour: “Among the Mongols”
https://archive.org/details/amongmongols00gilm
Biography of Fraser: “Behind the Ranges”
https://www.amazon.com/Behind-Ranges-Changing-J-Fraser-ebook/dp/B007QI4VCC
https://archive.org/details/behindranges0000unse
But back to Carey, Dibble, and Taylor, who obviously along with others, inspired many to go to foreign lands with the gospel. After going, the critical question arose, and still exists, “How do we evangelize and plant churches in these foreign lands, so as not to impose the non-biblical culture of our home country upon them?” Carey and Dibble were much more the foreigner who lived as a foreigner among the people; Burns, Gilmour, and Taylor tried to assimilate into Chinese life, and look like Chinese men.
These questions were addressed by John Nevius, Rolland Allen, and Alex R. Hay.
The next Blog will deal with their contribution to missionary thought, as they addressed the question, "How do we do missionary work?"
I hope these 2 Blogs will shows how there is a flow to the Modern Missionary Movement starting with Carey, and up into the 1900s.
28 December 2024