We need more, we need to know on what principles the missionaries are sent here or there.  We need to know what facts must be taken into consideration before any mission, evangelistic, educational, or medical, is planted in any place, what facts decide the question whether work is begun, or reinforcements sent, to this place rather than to that.  It is not enough to be assured that there is a need.  There is need everywhere.  We cannot supply all need; but we can have some settled and clear judgment what facts ought to weigh with us, what information we must possess before we can decide properly whether the claim of this place is more urgent than the claim of that.  We ought to have same basis of comparison.  The mere appeal of an earnest and devoted man, the mere clamour of a body of men, the mere insistence of a persevering man, is not sufficient to guide us aright.  The mere offer of some supporter to provide a building ought not to suffice.  Acceptance of the offer may alter the whole balance and character of the mission.  We ought to know what facts must be considered and how.

We need therefore a reasoned statement of the work of our foreign missions expressed as a unity, which sets forth the work actually done in different departments showing their relation one to another and the relation of all to a dominant object.  In other words, what we need is a survey of the missionary situation in the world in terms of these relationships.

It may be said that such a claim is outrageous and impossible; but we are persuaded that with our present enlightenment, with the means of knowledge which we now possess, we could, if we thought it worth while, lay our hands on the necessary information.  Our firm conviction is that, if we did that, and set out the results of our examination in a form intelligible to thoughtful laymen, we should obtain the support of a great number of men to whom foreign missions at present appear as nothing but the ill-organised, fragmentary and indefinite efforts of pious people to propagate their peculiar schemes for the betterment of humanity.  Without some such statement we do not know how anyone can take an intelligent, though he may take a sentimental, interest in foreign missions.

CHAPTER II.

Preliminary considerations.

1.  We need a survey of the missionary situation in the world which will express the facts in terms of the relationships between the different missionary activities and between them all in relation to a dominant idea or purpose.  Such a survey is strictly scientific.  All scientific survey is properly governed by the end or purpose for which it is made.