TRACY, William

[s. 756] : Born at Norwich, Conn.^ June 2, 1807; studied at Williams College and at Princeton Theological Seminary; was ordained April 12, 1836; sailed November 23, 1836, for India as a mi ionary of the ABCPM, and, after spending a few months at Madras, reached Madura October 9, 1837. He visited the United States in 1851 and 1867. At Tirumangalam he opened a boarding school for boys. From that day he was largely engaged with the educational work of the district. By 1842 the boarding school had grown to a high-grade seminary. In 1845 it was removed to Pasumalai, where twenty two years of Mr. Tracy’s life were spent. More than 250 young men pa ed through the course of study. Few cla es left him in which nearly all were not Christians, a large number of them engaging in evangelistic worlc and others occupying honorable posts in government service. Mr. Tracy was an efficient member of the Revision Committee of the Tamil Bible. He died at Tirupuvanam, South India, November 28, 1877, aged seventy, and in the forty-first year of his mi ionary service. TRAINING SCHOOLS for Mi ionaries Every young man and woman who is physically fit to be sent to the mi ion field has, upon a life insurance: basis, reason to expect at least twenty-five years of active service. to make every one of How these years most effective is the problem both for the individual and the society which commi ions him. His preparatory work must be done partly at home and partly after his arrival at his station. The whole of his equipment cannot be secured before reaching the field. But it is surely advisable to get in the homeland as thorough a training as po ible in those subjects and methods which are e ential to the best work. Adequate Preparation is a needed watchword in the mi ionary movement. It is easily conceivable that a year of special training may double the mi ionary’s power in every one of those twenty-five or more years of service; two years may quadruple it. To neglect or belittle this truth is foolish and hurtful. That it has been too lightly esteemed in the past is admitted by those most skilled in the science of mi ions and most in their operation. Dr. Gustav Warneck said in the Ecumenical Conference of experienced 1900: Tongareva 739 “What we need beside expert mi ion directors is, above all, mi ionaries really capable for their great work. * * * * The petition that the Lord of the harvest should send forth laborers into His harvest has also reference to their qualIf appeal be made to the mi ionaries now in action, most of them will complain that however much general education they may have received, they lacked training to meet most effectively the conditions existing in their fields of labor. In order to raise materially the standard of mi ionary qualifications two things are e ential stimulus and machinery. The former must be furnished mainly by the societies which decide upon the qualifications of candidates. These may, at will, raise the standard of requirements for obtaining commi ions. The latter must consist of schools managed and equipped according to the best science and strength of the Christian Church. Mi ionary training schools are numerous. A comprehensive list of them may be found in Dr. Dennis’ Centennial Statistics. Most of of great service to the and these are women who seek their aid to qualify for mi ion work, city, home men Training Schools Do these meet the requirements of the time and the cause? No invidious distinc-’ tions shall here be drawn nor dogmatic opinion expre ed. A noted secretary of one of the largest American Foreign Mi ion Boards writes:”The ideal school that we have in our minds hag not as yet been realized. * * * We feel the need of some institution that will train our young women and laymen satisfactorily and also give some opportunities for finishing off young men from the theological schools.” An attempt is here made to indicate what “the ideal school” must give to those purposing to join the mi ionary ranks. All will agree with Dr. Warneck when he says: “Spiritual equipment is, of course, the chief consideration.” This is a matter that cannot readily be included in a scheme of subjects. In one sense too much emphasis cannot be placed upon the preparation of heart; yet this further statement from the same eminent authority is no le weighty: “The^ experience of more than a hundred years should prevent us from falling into the mistake of thinking that this alone suffices without a thorough or foreign. training.” Quality of the Preparation: The special training needed by mi ionaries is indicated by the abnormal conditions of the ma es of the people to whom they are sent. Asia and Africa are the great mi ionary continents; most of the world’s people inhabit them. In what respects are they abnormal, differing from the ma es of Christen dom? (1) They are religiously misguided, debased and lost, i. e., they cannot find the way to their Father and their Home. They cannot find righteousne . They are socially (2) dwarfed and demoralized. Tested by their treatment of the weak women, children, the — — aged, the sick by their domestic, civic and international relations, they are in or near barbarism. (3) They are educationally illiterate. Leaving out Japan, probably not five per cent, of them can read books. Their science is false, their minds warped. (4) Medically they are ignorant. Their treatment of diseases and wounds is distre ingly inadequate. Hygi(5) enically they are unsanitary. Cholera, plague and smallpox run along avenues of uncleanly living. (6) Industrially and economically they are backward. Famine is a common condition. Poverty is the general state, because land is overpopulated; improved methods and machinery are lacking and thrift is very feebly po e ed. The true mi ionary cannot help strivmg to cure all of In his preparation these abnormal conditions. he should take them definitely into account and fit himself as far as po ible to handle them. These conditions indicate generally the following special requirements for the mi ionary candidate The candidate should have special training in: 1. His own religion and non-Christian religions. (1) Comprehensive Bible study, including introduction. (2) The Christian system of theology and evidences. (3) History and comparison of religions. Is there any sufficient reason why all women, male physicians and other lay workers should not, as well as ordained men, obtain a good knowledge of these subjects? 2. Elementary and practical Sociology: A study of the origin and growth of society with its various institutions; of the perversions of marriage, family life, social intercourse, labor conditions, government, etc., and of the remedies for these ills. Training- Schools Trebizond 3. History of Mi ions and the principles on which they are conducted. Most mi ion4. Psychology and Pedagogy: Many must aries teach or supervise schools. are 100,000 There train native teachers. pupils in mi ion boarding and training schools, most of whom are preparing to be teachers. They should have the best training. All who deal with the abnormally ignorant cla es have special need of acquaintance with the laws of mind and of teaching. Kindergarten training is most helpful. Rev. J. L. Barton, D.D., Secre”I heartily believe in a tary ABCFM, has said: pedagogical course for the most of our mi ionaries.” 5. Elementary medicine, surgery and nursing: There are special schools for regular physicians and nurses. The Mi ionary Training School should give to all other students such training as will fit them to render intelligent “first aid” to the sick or injured. 6. Principles of Hygiene, or Health Lectures. and busine methods: 7. Technical crafts Women should learn domestic economy; men should have training in carpentry, photography and stereopticon management, agriculture or at least gardening, book manufacture, and even in Both men and women should blacksmithing. have drill in bookkeeping and in modern methods of filing correspondence and other documents. 8. Music. 9. Language of the people to be reached: It is not practicable to teach many oriental vernacuBut such com pre hen the home schools. lars sive languages as Arabic, Chinese, Hindu stan i and Turkish might be given. As showing that such a scheme is not impracticable two actual courses are here given, one for men, the other for m women. I. Church Mi ionary Training College at In addition to regular instruction, Isling ton. university and theological, a course is given in Medicine and Surgery; (2) (1) Elementary Principles and Practise of Teaching; (3) Vocal Music; (4) Carpentering, Bookmaking, Printing, Tinsmithing and Blacksmithing; (5) Religious Systems of the pagan world; //. The Training Institute for Women of the UFS, Edinburgh, gives instruction in (1) The Study of Scripture; (2) Christian Doctrine; (3) Introduction to the Bible; (4) The Hindu stan i Theory of Education, Kindergarten Principles, Nature Studies, Cla Teaching and School Visiting; (6) Voice Culture and Singing; (7) Account Keeping; (8) Drill Exercises; Language; (5) Nursing; (10) Care of Health; (11) History of Mi ions; (12) Non-Christian Religions; (13) Sociology, from the mi ionary standpoint; (14) Evangelistic Theology. “Mi ionaries must be weighed, not merely counted,” says Dr. Warneck. “Thorough train The vital ing” is his prescription for their need. question pre es: have the 17,000 mi ionaries in the foreign mi ion service the weight obtainable through a practicable preparation? The Has ordained men number more than 6,000. the theological school given a training specific enough for their needs? The physicians, men and women, are more than 700. Have they been fitted most effectively to minister to the darkened spirits in the sick bodies? Unordained men, not physicians, to the number of about 3,500 are in the ranks; unmarried women, an equal number; married women, more than (9) 740 4,000. How many of these are lamenting the The best pre para lack of “thorough training?” tion is none too good for the mi ionary; it will not be wasted upon the Master’s work for the heathen. 758