Aliens or Americans? Part 24
III. _Other Effects._
8. Do these new Americans learn to use the ballot rightly? Can they learn?
9. Does their coming make genuine Christianity more or less prominent in the national life? What effect does it have on Sunday observance? Does it lessen or increase lawbreaking?
IV. _National Bulwarks._
10. What are the safeguards pointed out by Professor Boyesen? By ex-President Seelye?
11. How can Socialism be met?
12. * Will anything but Christianity effectively guard our inst.i.tutions?
13. How far will material improvements help to uplift and a.s.similate the newcomers?
14. Do the children learn patriotism from their new country? Do they keep it when grown up?
15. * Is there good reason for being optimistic? Upon what condition may we be hopeful?
REFERENCES FOR ADVANCED STUDY.--CHAPTER VII
I. Study further some of the specific effects of the immigrants'
presence.
Warne: The Slav Invasion, V, VI.
Wood: Americans in Process, VII, VIII.
Riis: How the Other Half Lives, XVIII, XXI.
II. What can you learn about the present status of the parochial school movement, especially in your own vicinity?
Refer to local periodicals and daily papers.
III. Is a.s.similation of foreigners taking place everywhere, or only in certain places?
McLanahan: Our People of Foreign Speech, I.
Hall: Immigration, 172, 182.
Wood: Americans in Process, XII.
Strong: The Twentieth Century City, IV.
IV. Are our school facilities, actual or prospective, likely to prove sufficient for the demands made upon them?
Riis: How the Other Half Lives, XV, XVI.
Wood: Americans in Process, X.
Hunter: Poverty, V.
_The Christian Churches in America stand face to face with a tremendous task. It is a challenge to their faith, their devotion, their zeal. The accomplishment of it will mean not only the ascendancy of Christianity in the homeland, but also the gaining of a position of vantage for world-wide evangelization._--E. E.
Chivers, D.D.
VIII
THE HOME MISSION OPPORTUNITY
The question of supreme interest to us is the religious question. What share shall the Church have in making Christian Americans of these immigrants? How may Church and State work together for the solution of the problem, on the solution of which very largely the future prosperity of the State and the Church depends.--_Charles L. Thompson, D.D._
The future success of missions will be largely affected by the success of the Church in dealing with problems that lie at her very door. The connection between home and foreign missionary work is living. The conversion of the world is bound up with the national character of professedly Christian lands. --_Rev. Herbert Anderson, English Missionary in India._
"The blood of the people! changeless tide through century, creed, and race, Still one, as the sweet salt sea is one, though tempered by sun and place, The same in ocean currents and the same in sheltered seas: Forever the fountain of common hopes and kindly sympathies.
Indian and Negro, Saxon and Celt, Teuton and Latin and Gaul, Mere surface shadow and sunshine, while the sounding unifies all!
One love, one hope, one duty theirs! no matter the time or kin, There never was a separate heart-beat in all the races of men."
VIII
THE HOME MISSION OPPORTUNITY
_I. Alien Accessibility_
[Sidenote: A Unique Mission Field]
"Save America and you save the world." Through immigration the United States is in a unique sense the most foreign country and the greatest mission field on the globe. "All peoples that on earth do dwell" have here their representatives, gathered by a divine ordering within easy reach of the gospel. Through them the world may be reached in turn.
Every foreigner converted in America becomes directly or indirectly a missionary agent abroad, spreading knowledge of the truth among his kindred and tribe.[89] The greatness of the opportunity is the measure of obligation. G.o.d's message to this nation has been thus interpreted: "Here are all these people; I have taken them from the overcrowded countries where they were living and sent them to you, that you may ma.s.s your forces and lend a hand to save them." No such opportunity ever came to a nation before. The Christian church must seize it or sink into deserved decadence and decay. Only a missionary church can save the world or justify its own existence. The manner in which American Christianity deals with the religious problems of immigration will decide what part America is to play in the evangelization of the nations abroad.
[Sidenote: The Gospel the Chief Factor]
We have now reached the vital part of our subject. We have learned to discriminate between peoples and find the good in all of them. We have seen that a.s.similation is essential to national soundness and strength.
But we have yet to realize that the most potential factor in a.s.similation is not legislation or education but evangelization. There is no power like the gospel to destroy race antipathies, break down the bars of prejudice, and draw all peoples into unity, brotherhood, and liberty--that spiritual freedom wherewith Christ makes free. When American Protestantism sees in immigration a divine mission none will discover in it thenceforth a human menace.
[Sidenote: Shall America be kept Christian]
Marvelous mission, involving the destiny of free America. A writer asks, "Will New England be kept Christian?" and answers, "That depends.
Population is greatly changing. Immigrants from all parts of the world are here. They will continue to come. Unless they are molded according to the principles of our religion, they will greatly increase the irreligious elements of New England, already too large. There is a religious basis in those who come, but it will require an application of religious agencies to make them truly Christian citizens."[90] Put America in place of New England, and the question and answer will be as pertinent. Shall America be kept Christian? That depends. It depends upon what American Christians do.
[Sidenote: Immigrants not Evangelical]
Few of the immigrants are evangelical in religion. They know nothing of our gospel, and little or nothing of the Bible. The religious principles they have been taught are totally opposed to the spirit of our free inst.i.tutions of religion. They know priestly sovereignty but not soul liberty. They are the creatures of a system, and the system is thoroughly un-American and inimical to freedom of conscience and worship. But thousands and tens of thousands of them are out of sorts with the system and are ready for something better.[91] They have lost faith in their Church and will lose it in religion unless we teach them the gospel. To accomplish this result two persons must be changed--the immigrant and the American. Alien a.s.similation depends largely upon American att.i.tude.