Harvard Mission

To the Editor of the Crimson

In your issue of February seventh, under the caption "The Student Friend ship Fund" appeared the following statements. "There is no very good reason why individual Harvard students should not contribute to Missionary work in spreading any kind of religion they might choose. But that blatant and benighted missionary work should be backed officially in Harvard University is deplorable."

It is my belief that the official attitude of Harvard University toward Missions may best be expressed through the Harvard Mission, an organization, which forms a part of the Phillips Brooks House Association and which forms as its express purpose "to arouse maintain and increase the increase and participation of Harvard men in the work of Christian Missions". Granting that there is nothing in the editorial mentioned above which could reasonably be interpreted to cast reflections upon the work of this organization, we wish to take this opportunity to express our attitude toward Mission work.

The emphasis of the Harvard Mission this year has been not primarily upon evangelical work in the Mission fields, but rather upon agricultural, educational, industrial and medical enterprises. In these fields of activity, we believe that the influence of Harvard men can make a significant contribution to the future development of the world. We do not approve of coercive measures designed to persuade believers in other religions to accept Christianity and least of all do we approve of showing partiality toward the activities of any one creed or sect.

In selecting our speakers this year we have given no thought to the particular creed which any of them professed and we have welcomed to our meetings students of all religious faiths. Our annual Christmas greetings are sent to five hundred graduates of Harvard engaged in educational, evangelical, agricultural and medical work abroad, regardless of their religious affiliations. Our educational project, the Daily Vacation Bible School, which we support each summer for the children of Cambridge, is conducted by a non-sectarian organization, its faculty is selected on a non-sectarian basis and the school is actually attended by Catholics and Protestants alike.

The Harvard Mission takes no official attitude regarding a contribution from Harvard University to the Student Friendship Fund. It hopes form more complete information before action is taken by the Student Council. It does, however, welcome this opportunity to express what it feels is the official missionary attitude of Harvard University and to invite the cooperation of all who believe in a non-partisan attitude; based on international thinking, international friendship and international cooperation. Robert M. Mears '27, Chairman, The Harvard Mission.