Written in 1947, this article is not politically correct. However, although
we reprint it somewhat tongue-in-cheek, the problem it addresses is still current.
In some mission agencies women outnumber men three to one.
We would be startled if we picked up the evening paper and read this glaring
headline “Longshoreman’s Union Selects Woman President,” with an account following,
explaining that, in view of the fact that the majority of the longshoremen were
now women, it was about time they had a woman as president.
This is perhaps as ridiculous as it is absurd. The tough job of loading and
unloading ships is [traditionally] a man’s job. At least, we are going to be
awfully hard pressed before we find women leading the way in this profession.
But, by contrast, we point to another tough job—to the work of world missions.
We’re startled when we realize that many more women than men are applying for
missionary work in foreign fields. While Bible schools and seminaries are turning
out more men than ever in their histories, men seem to be crowding to the pulpits
while the women are doing the men’s job out on the tough pioneer mission fields
of the world.
There is not much you can say for the multiplied hundreds of young men who
continue to flood into the ministry and take refuge behind the pulpit while
we continue to let the women in increasing numbers do the toughest job assigned
to Christian soldiers.
What is it that attracts the women to the mission field in such great numbers,
compared to men? What is it that attracts so many men to the ministry in their
home land compared to those who go to the mission field?
Today, we have prepared men to be brilliant, capable, and eloquent and have
emphasized their personalities. Such preparation hardly prepares a man for the
jungles. The little brown or black tribesman is hardly capable of appreciating
such a one’s true earthly value.
So it seems that the man, who has worked hard to become what he is, is evidently
too good to be wasted on the heathen and should stay where he is appreciated.
Surely God isn’t continually calling 95 percent of the Christian men to stay,
while 5 percent pursue the world objective which we, as Christians, have received
from the Lord Himself.
The Church’s need is not necessarily more preachers but more obedience to God’s
Word. God could surely do something about the ills of our nation if He found
us willing to practice what we preach. (Men of such shortsightedness and with
the desire to remain in comfort while leaving others to do the dangerous job
of preaching the Gospel will never challenge lives.)
While we thank God for every woman who has made an effort toward reaching the
untouched, we realize it is a MAN’S job. The leveling off process must begin.
Either the Church must give more men for front line evangelism on the far flung
battlefields of the world, or we will have a horde of shriveled up pastors and
laymen who are beating the air and dying, because they have no vision that is
big enough and positive enough to demand all that they are for God’s front line
job.
We men!-We are the stronger sex
It has always been so!
We send our gifts to mission fields
To which the women go.
While up the steepest jungle paths
A woman bravely treads,
We men, who are the stronger sex,
Do pray beside our beds.
When women leave to go abroad
The heathen souls to reach,
We men, who are the stronger sex,
Do stay at home to preach.
While women, in some far off shack
Do brave the flies and heat,
We men, who are the stronger sex
In cool and comfort eat.
Fatigued and weary, needing rest,
The women battle on.
We men, who are the stronger sex,
Do write to cheer them on!
O valiant men!—come, let us sleep
And rest our weary heads.
We shall not be the stronger sex
If we neglect our beds!
(Reprinted from BROWN GOLD, Dec-Jan 1947-48)
