PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS SECTION E. 95 



It is therefore to Christian Missions that we look for an 

 instrument which will enable us to build up the character of this 

 primitive race. As a close student of missionary methods, 1 

 would strongly emphasize the value of these reports. x\t the 

 same time, I feel that more stress should be laid on a danger 

 which is faintly indicated in the saving clause in the reix)rt just 

 quoted, namely, that it is absolutely essential that the Christian 

 religion should be imparted " on right lines." It is obviously 

 impossible for an individual to define ithe meaning of this clause, 

 for there would always be a tendency to interpret it in terms 

 of his own faith or experience. Having made this confession, 

 however, 1 feel it my duty to attempt the impossible on the 

 grounds that scientific and human progress are largely dependent 

 on the mistakes as well as the discoveries of earlier workers. 

 Hence, if I am right in any of my conclusions, they may be of 

 service to students of this difficult ])roblem, and if I am i:»roved 

 to be wrong I shall be the first to acknowledge it. 



My observation of missionary methods, coupled with my 

 judgment of the mentality of the uncultured Bantu, has led me 

 to the conclusion that the work of the Christian missionary is 

 one which is highly specialized, and therefore recjuires very 

 special training, and until this fact is recognized by the Churches 

 the results of their work among the Bantu are bound to be dis- 

 appointing and more or less of a failure. In saying this I do 

 not for one moment wish to discredit the work which has been 

 done, and which is being done. .Almost without excej)tion the 

 men who are engaged in this noble work are men of the highest 

 character, and possess all tite personal (jualifications which are 

 needed in stich difficult and self-sacrificing work. The fault lies 

 with those in authority who are re.sponsil)le for the e([uipmenL 

 of their workers, and for the ideals which they set before them. 

 The great failure of missionary work among the Bantu lies in 

 the fact that its outlook has generally been bounded by the 

 limited horizon of the mission station, or the particular Qiurch 

 which that mission represents. 



Side by side with this parochial spirit there is often a said 

 want of perspective, and a failure to tmderstand the conditions 

 of Native thought and life. Over and over again I have heard 

 young missionaries asking (luestions of Natives which revealed 

 a complete ignorance of the mental calibre of the black races. 

 This is not the fault of the individual missionary, for it takes 

 some time ifor a young worker straight from the intellectual 

 atmosphere of the University to realize that the plane of thought 

 to which the Native has attained is vastly inferior to his own. 

 It is just here that the danger lies, for the teacher naturally 

 presents to his pupils those aspects of religion which api:)eal most 

 strongly to his own nature, and when he finds that his converts 

 follow his " direction '" with all obedience and docility, he is 

 satisfied that his efi'orts are bearing good fruit. 



The mere conformation to the externals of religion, how- 

 ever, is no criterion to the effect of that religion upon character. 



