In your pioneer work in debased mission territories, did you follow the negative approach of "don't do this, don't eat that, don't wear the other thing"? or did you endeavor to pursue the positive plan of constructive teaching,—letting light banish darkness, and counting upon truth to put error to flight?
Since we were witnessing the first time in the Solomon Islands, we did not dare make a negative approach, saying to the natives, "You mustn't do this, and you mustn't do that." We had to tell the natives nothing, in fact, in regard to what they must not do. What led us to that conclusion? Well, another church mission considered that they were in possession of that part of the Solomon Islands, much of which they hadn't touched. They had partitioned off that part of the group to themselves, and of course they resented our coming there. But the place was full of savage, wild people everywhere. The mission had a little portion, but these people didn't want that mission, as all these missionaries were doing was getting land by unfair means. They would go to a native and give him half a case of tobacco, saying, "Give me a mile of land around here," and perhaps he would give the mission a little ground.
When we tried to enter, the other mission sent trained native boys they had had for years, full of their own spirit, to places they heard we had visited; and they would tell those natives that if they came into the Adventist mission they couldn't eat fish or pig any more, they couldn't keep the government day—Sunday—and they would all go to jail and lose their land, their islands.
Now, of course, we don't say "can't" to these people. We are strangers among them. We say, "If you will have us, we will be your children; and if you won't have us, we won't trouble you at all. We are friends. We are like your parents, and you are like our parents." We try to show them that we are not forcing them in any way whatever. That is one very important thing,—never to make them feel that we are forcing them. Following this plan, I find that I generally get along better (if these other mission natives have talked to them) if I can get them to tell me why the visitors came.
I get a boy that I have had with me for a week or two, and put him in the village to tell the people just the little that he has learned. Perhaps he has learned a hymn, or perhaps the "bd, ba, bI, bo, boo" phonetic system. That is enough to get them interested. And when he has learned to pray, that makes a full-fledged missionary of him.
I look at these natives as men. They are God's people, for whom Christ died. They have not had the opportunities we have had. When I go to them, I have a vision of these savages becoming God's children. And in that vision I have of them as God's people, the thing is accomplished, because I have hope and faith in them, and in the teaching that I have for them.
We never tell these native people, "Don't wear that charm," "Don't do this or that." They must come along of themselves. The only thing I tell them is that this Book [the Bible] is God's word talking to them. I say, "If it tells you not to do this, or that it is bad to do that, will you follow it?" They say, "Certainly." "Well," I say, "your own boys will teach you to read it." And then they watch us missionaries. They see that we don't eat any unclean food or flesh. But whatever they do is wholly a matter of choice. They come to their own conclusions without our trying to force them to a decision. They are- taught by the Spirit of God. for the time has come for them to hear it. Their superstition goes; something happens.
They have pig feasts, and always afterward two or three will die, or several will become very sick. We say to them, "Where are you sick?" They say, "It hurts here, or here." We say, "You have eaten something that has not been good for you." And then they see why we do not eat pig. We tell them that God has told us that the pig is unclean and will make us sick, and that is why we do not touch it. Then they draw their own conclusions, and will never touch it again.
We try to reach the young people, and to teach them the truth. We teach them who the devils are to whom they listen, what power it is that does their miracles for them. We teach them about the overthrow in heaven. They get hold of things substantially, and they believe us. We tell them of the good angels and the Holy Spirit and the work of Jesus Christ for them. Then they teach their own people. They go around to their village homes and teach these things. They tell the message fairly well. We judge by the fruit, and the result is good.
Our natives cannot be coaxed to smoke, to take betel nut, or to do anything of that kind. When the other missions are friendly, they come to us and say, "How is it you get them to give up those things?" We reply that we never force the natives, that they follow the truth as we teach it. I have never worked on any other plan.
Edgware, Middlesex, England.
