MEDICAL MISSIONS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE
"
INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE. "
Sik,?In your August issue your remarks oil the Punjab Medical Missionary Society" bear heavily upon a class to which 1 belong, and consequently I beg the privilege of reply. the using medical knowledge and skill You ussunie that onee discredits and as a means of propagandisin at debases religion and enslaves medicine." Your language is plain and unmistakable. Your position is either a matter of fact or it "
is not. Let us see which it is. I trust you will agree with me that what we denominate Christianity is essentially imitation of Christ. Nothing can be clearer than this, that Christ devoted a large portion of his time to healing the sick, and this in constant connection with his teaching, or " propagandisin." When an old friend in his death prison wished for his own lips as to whether ho was the an expression from promised Mesiali or not, and sent to ask the question, the messengers were referred to the fact that the sick were healed and the people taught, and no other evidence of his divinity was deemed necessary. Again the first party of disciples sent out to engage in the work of " propagandisin," received this message. "Ileal the sick, and say the Kingdom of Heaven is come nigh unto you." This direction must have been implied in the final commission to his disciples, since we find that wherever they went the healing the sick constituted a prominent portion of their work. It matters not how the power to heal the sick was obtained, either by direct gift, or by a course of study ; in either case Christ claimed that power as an essential element One of the apostles was a physician of his work on earth. by education, and ho has earned an encomium more precious than either of his fellows handed down to us in four words?" Luke the beloved physician." Your view would hold him up to infamy as the " debaser of religion and the enslaver ot
medicine."
The central idea of medical missions is imitation of Christwhat he did, and what he incites his followers to do. I cannot imagine on what you base the assumption that such a course ''debases religion and enslaves medicine." I would refer you to one of these men whom you reproach, who has quietly prosecuted this work for more than a quarter of ^ century, who first introduced anaisthetical surgery into one ol these provinces, educated young men to serve as physicians, prepared the first hand books of medieino and surgery in the languages of two Provinces, kept an open dispensary from
doing
CORRESPONDENCE.
December 1, 1875.]
which many thousands of applicants have been freely supplied, visited the poor in their huts, restored many to health, comforted the dying? all this in connection with other missionary work, and all through those years was flattering himself with the thought that thereby he w'as only giving a practical exseeking to fulfil the Master's composition of
Christianity,
mission?nothing
more.
But let us look still further for the facts to prove or disprove your position. Let us examine the records of the Medical Missionaries throughout Southern Asia, who have been prominent during the last half century, from Dr. Parker of Canton who had a larger surgical practice than any other living man down to the most obscure provincial practitioner. Ask the who know these people, Heathen, Maliomedan and Christian, men and are familiar with their work, still further, ask the had theology crammed down men who, as you represent have their throats against their will?ask them if in their eyes religion ask the secular medical then has been debased by these men, nien of these countries, many of whom have toiled side by side with Medical Missionaries, if in their opinion medicine has been enslaved by these operations. For one, I have not and the facts a doubt as to what that testimony would be, thus elicited would show clearly whether your position is correct
or
not.
by what authority you condemn "healing teaching" to a clas of secondary nursing" and agencies improper to be employed in propagating Christianity ? These are primary agencies, ic? if Christ be regarded as authority. Deprive Christianity of these, its practical manifesFinally,
the sick"
let me ask
tations, and it
entirely, or
as
"
"
ceaSes to be itself. to elevate and
powerless
only other heathen
religion. U.
It becomes another thing bless mankind as Budhism
li. Bachelor, Medical
M.D., Missionary, Midnapore.
[We print the foregoing letter with much pleasure. We have nothing to say against medical missionaries, as missionaries of medicine, and cordially concede ail that our correspondent has to say in praise of the great and good men who have laboured to extend the benefit of the rational practice of medicine and surgery to those who would otherwise be left to the superstitious delusions and religious mummeries which the savage and unenlightened resort to for the restoration of health. Neither have we anything to say against the missionaries of religion as such, and as long as they confine themselves to what we consider their legitimate sphere and manner of work, namely, the exposition of the principles and doctrines of their But we do most seriously and radically object to medifaith. cine being practised for any other purpose than the cure of the sick, and we consider its ostensible or actual practice with the ulterior conversion to be immoral ; and we repeat that object of religious " at once discredits and debases religion and such a system Times have changed since the era of enslaves "medicine." Christ's ministry and an imitation of his proceedings in this 19th of men and manners, century would, in the altered circumstances An be simply impossible, or, if possible, absolutely ridiculous. argument of this sort has no value whatever. The preaching of Christianity uow-a-days must consist in the application of Christian principles, which are eternal, to the radically altered To represent or act so that it conditions of men and society. may be believed that rational medicine owes ought of its efficacy or power to a profession of Christianity is, not to mince the matter, to proclaim or practice a deception unworthy of these days ; and to use medicine as an instrument whereby people a particular religious faith, is, we may be induced to accept affirm, to under-value the power of commending that faith by preaching and teaching?that is, to discredit and debase it, and to use medical knowledge for a purpose foreign to its real and true end and object?that is, to enslave it. Our correspondent's argument about " secondary agencies" is simply Jesuitism. A prejudice exists among mankind against jesuit emissaries who adopt the disguise of the courtier, the soldier, or the author for the ulterior object of conversion to Romanism. This prejudice we most fully share, and, doing so, we object to missionaries assuming the disguise of schoolmasters, doctors, or nurses, not for the purpose of teaching, healing, or soothing the sick bed, but for the purpose of Dr. Bachelor should have correctly cited and completed his quotation from the gospel of St. Matthew. It runs thus :?" Preach saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, east out devils." It is a perversion of argument to apply this commission, which plainly included the bestowal of miraculous power, to the practice of a profession or
propagandismr
which
335
jot of its development, acquisition or sucits apostlesliip. We very much mistake the precepts of Christ and the spirit of Christianity if it justifies the procuration or purchase of conversions by indirect methods or " secondary agencies."?Ed., J.M.
"
INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE. "
Sik,?In your August issue your remarks oil the Punjab Medical Missionary Society" bear heavily upon a class to which 1 belong, and consequently I beg the privilege of reply. the using medical knowledge and skill You ussunie that onee discredits and as a means of propagandisin at debases religion and enslaves medicine." Your language is plain and unmistakable. Your position is either a matter of fact or it "
is not. Let us see which it is. I trust you will agree with me that what we denominate Christianity is essentially imitation of Christ. Nothing can be clearer than this, that Christ devoted a large portion of his time to healing the sick, and this in constant connection with his teaching, or " propagandisin." When an old friend in his death prison wished for his own lips as to whether ho was the an expression from promised Mesiali or not, and sent to ask the question, the messengers were referred to the fact that the sick were healed and the people taught, and no other evidence of his divinity was deemed necessary. Again the first party of disciples sent out to engage in the work of " propagandisin," received this message. "Ileal the sick, and say the Kingdom of Heaven is come nigh unto you." This direction must have been implied in the final commission to his disciples, since we find that wherever they went the healing the sick constituted a prominent portion of their work. It matters not how the power to heal the sick was obtained, either by direct gift, or by a course of study ; in either case Christ claimed that power as an essential element One of the apostles was a physician of his work on earth. by education, and ho has earned an encomium more precious than either of his fellows handed down to us in four words?" Luke the beloved physician." Your view would hold him up to infamy as the " debaser of religion and the enslaver ot
medicine."
The central idea of medical missions is imitation of Christwhat he did, and what he incites his followers to do. I cannot imagine on what you base the assumption that such a course ''debases religion and enslaves medicine." I would refer you to one of these men whom you reproach, who has quietly prosecuted this work for more than a quarter of ^ century, who first introduced anaisthetical surgery into one ol these provinces, educated young men to serve as physicians, prepared the first hand books of medieino and surgery in the languages of two Provinces, kept an open dispensary from
doing
CORRESPONDENCE.
December 1, 1875.]
which many thousands of applicants have been freely supplied, visited the poor in their huts, restored many to health, comforted the dying? all this in connection with other missionary work, and all through those years was flattering himself with the thought that thereby he w'as only giving a practical exseeking to fulfil the Master's composition of
Christianity,
mission?nothing
more.
But let us look still further for the facts to prove or disprove your position. Let us examine the records of the Medical Missionaries throughout Southern Asia, who have been prominent during the last half century, from Dr. Parker of Canton who had a larger surgical practice than any other living man down to the most obscure provincial practitioner. Ask the who know these people, Heathen, Maliomedan and Christian, men and are familiar with their work, still further, ask the had theology crammed down men who, as you represent have their throats against their will?ask them if in their eyes religion ask the secular medical then has been debased by these men, nien of these countries, many of whom have toiled side by side with Medical Missionaries, if in their opinion medicine has been enslaved by these operations. For one, I have not and the facts a doubt as to what that testimony would be, thus elicited would show clearly whether your position is correct
or
not.
by what authority you condemn "healing teaching" to a clas of secondary nursing" and agencies improper to be employed in propagating Christianity ? These are primary agencies, ic? if Christ be regarded as authority. Deprive Christianity of these, its practical manifesFinally,
the sick"
let me ask
tations, and it
entirely, or
as
"
"
ceaSes to be itself. to elevate and
powerless
only other heathen
religion. U.
It becomes another thing bless mankind as Budhism
li. Bachelor, Medical
M.D., Missionary, Midnapore.
[We print the foregoing letter with much pleasure. We have nothing to say against medical missionaries, as missionaries of medicine, and cordially concede ail that our correspondent has to say in praise of the great and good men who have laboured to extend the benefit of the rational practice of medicine and surgery to those who would otherwise be left to the superstitious delusions and religious mummeries which the savage and unenlightened resort to for the restoration of health. Neither have we anything to say against the missionaries of religion as such, and as long as they confine themselves to what we consider their legitimate sphere and manner of work, namely, the exposition of the principles and doctrines of their But we do most seriously and radically object to medifaith. cine being practised for any other purpose than the cure of the sick, and we consider its ostensible or actual practice with the ulterior conversion to be immoral ; and we repeat that object of religious " at once discredits and debases religion and such a system Times have changed since the era of enslaves "medicine." Christ's ministry and an imitation of his proceedings in this 19th of men and manners, century would, in the altered circumstances An be simply impossible, or, if possible, absolutely ridiculous. argument of this sort has no value whatever. The preaching of Christianity uow-a-days must consist in the application of Christian principles, which are eternal, to the radically altered To represent or act so that it conditions of men and society. may be believed that rational medicine owes ought of its efficacy or power to a profession of Christianity is, not to mince the matter, to proclaim or practice a deception unworthy of these days ; and to use medicine as an instrument whereby people a particular religious faith, is, we may be induced to accept affirm, to under-value the power of commending that faith by preaching and teaching?that is, to discredit and debase it, and to use medical knowledge for a purpose foreign to its real and true end and object?that is, to enslave it. Our correspondent's argument about " secondary agencies" is simply Jesuitism. A prejudice exists among mankind against jesuit emissaries who adopt the disguise of the courtier, the soldier, or the author for the ulterior object of conversion to Romanism. This prejudice we most fully share, and, doing so, we object to missionaries assuming the disguise of schoolmasters, doctors, or nurses, not for the purpose of teaching, healing, or soothing the sick bed, but for the purpose of Dr. Bachelor should have correctly cited and completed his quotation from the gospel of St. Matthew. It runs thus :?" Preach saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, east out devils." It is a perversion of argument to apply this commission, which plainly included the bestowal of miraculous power, to the practice of a profession or
propagandismr
which
335
jot of its development, acquisition or sucits apostlesliip. We very much mistake the precepts of Christ and the spirit of Christianity if it justifies the procuration or purchase of conversions by indirect methods or " secondary agencies."?Ed., J.M.
