Mr. World and Miss Church-Member: A Twentieth Century Allegory

by W. S. Harris

The second lecturer argued, at greater length, that the heathen were free from all responsibility as long as they were left alone, and that if God held them accountable, then their vague worship answered for a good conscience, and therefore they would reach Heaven by a simpler path.

The third speaker declared that the heathen were now as God had made them, and therefore just as they should be. To establish this theory he used garbled arguments of predestination.

The fourth assured the audience that the heathen, in due order, would rise to loftier conceptions by the same natural processes as the civilized peoples of to-day have risen from their rude primitive conditions.

After examining some heathen relics the two companions spent some time near-by in a hall of the same section devoted to “_The Effects of the Gospel on the Heathen._”

Its teachers were very emphatic in their utterances. They affirmed that the Gospel did not benefit the heathen, except that it brought to them civilization with all its attendant responsibilities and vices.

One lecturer to whom they listened was very fiery. In a scathing manner the speaker pronounced censure on the Christian church for her ill-advised policy in Foreign Missionary Work.

Mr. World and his close friend left the second section of the College without pausing to visit the recitation rooms where Satan’s Missionary Experts were constantly teaching graded classes. In a few moments they entered the largest edifice of the Missionary College which was erected for the special purpose of teaching “_The Comparative Need of Home and Foreign Missionary Work._”

Upon entering, Miss Church-Member was surprised at the interior arrangements of the rooms and the exceptional beauty of their finish.

After a much needed rest in one of the sub-departments, they went to one of the higher floors, hoping to hear another lecture on some missionary theme.

Mr. World smiled as they entered the room and saw that a woman occupied the platform. In a jovial manner he remarked that “women must be the best missionary orators.”