The Henson Journals

[117]

Friday, January 14th, 1921.

"Indeed there are well disposed persons, who much want to be admonished, how dangerous a thing it is, to discountenance what is good, because it is not better: and hinder what they approve, by raising prejudices against some under–part of it."

Bishop Butler Feb: 16th 1739.

So Bishop Butler said with direct reference to the case of Foreign Missions. If "Christianity is very particularly to be considered as a trust, deposited with us in behalf of others, in behalf of mankind, as well as for our own instruction", then a prima facie case for supporting Foreign Missions exists. Indeed, on Bishop Butler's assumptions, the case is quite irresistible; but his assumptions are alarmingly remote from modern modes of thinking. Certainly they can only be accepted by a considering & educated Christian of today with very large modifications, explanations, and reservations. In effect, we defend missions now for their occasionally excellent by–products, rather than for their avowed purpose. As to this last, we are no longer in any real anxiety as to the eternal future of non–Christians, & we set little store by the apocalyptic scheme of the Final Consummation: but we see that our mere presence & the process of our government are destroying non–Christian religions & the moralities thereto annexed, and we think that we ought to offer as a substitute the Religion & Ethics of Western Civilisation.

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