MISSIONS. The 15th verse of the 16th chapter of the gospel by Mark Is the great scriptural authority for missions. In the 6th century (590-604) Popov Gregory the Great sent missionaries to Britain, to con vert the people to the Christian faith. Similar means were adopted in other countries, until, about the close of the 10th century, when the Christian religion had become the prevailing faith throughout Europe. Other fields for iniasionary exertion were then sought. Attempts were made to propagate Christianity in Tartary and China; and the Portu guese, who visited Abyssinia about 1490, endeavoured to bring over the Christiana of that country to the Catholic faith. The history of this mission may be seen in Sloslicim's ' Ecclesiastical History.' With the earliest maritime discoveries of the Portuguese the desire for the conversion of heathen people was excited with renewed zeal, and may even be said to have been Instrumental in stimulating the passion for maritime expeditions. About 1430, Pope Martin Y, granted plenary indulgence to the Portuguese who conquered pagan and infidel countries. Columbus himself was strongly urged to discovery by the desire of propagating the Roman Catholic religion.
3ludern missions may be said to have commenced at the same period with these discoveries, in which the popes took great interest. On the return of Columbus to Spain from his first voyage, the results were formally announced to Pope Alexander VI.
The work of converting heathen people was at first undertaken in a barbarous spirit.. The commanders of the expeditions which Don Henry of Portugal sent out in the 15th century had " orders to con vert the natives of the coast of Africa to Christianity ; " and nominal conversions were often effected by the sword.
In 1484, Diego Cam brought four natives of Africa to the court of Portugal ; they were sent back with presents and a message to their sovereign, desiring him to embrace Christianity. The natives whom Columbus brought to Spain were baptised, the king and the prince his eon acting as sponsors. In his second voyage to the new world, Columbus was accompanied by priests with church vessels and orna ments, and they received orders to bring the natives within the pale of the church by " fair means." But fair means were not always adhered to. The natives were baptised by force, and without instruction, aud many facts might bo adduced to show that at this period true religion made little or no progress in newly discovered countries ; and yet during the 16th century not a fleet sailed for India or America -without its missionaries.
The stream of missionary enterprise was at length directed and regulated by different religious orders and distinct institutions. One of the objects of the Society of Jesuits, established iu 1540, was the extension of the Roman Catholic faith, and the Jesuits soon became the most active and energetic missionaries in heathen countries. Their
activity roused the zeal of the Franciscans, Dominicans, and other orders, and early in the 17th century institutions were founded with a view of rendering the labours of missionaries more effective by a pre paratory course of training. In 1622, Pope Gregory XV. founded at Rome the College de Propaganda Fide,' which was soon richly en dowed. Pope Urban VIII. was one of its principal benefactors. This college consisted of 13 cardinals, 2 priests, 1 monk, and a secretary.
It sent out large numbers of missionaries to aid the propagation of the Catholio faith in all parts of the world ; published books to facili tate the study of languages; distributed works of piety among various nations in their own Language ; and maintained in various institutions young men intended for foreign missions. To the above institution was added the " College or Seminary for the Propagation of the Faith," founded by Pope Urban VIII. in 1627, which became the central insti tution in which missionaries were prepared. This establishment is yet iu active operation. Numerous institutions of a similar character were soon after founded in France. The "Congregation of Priests of the Foreign Missions" was instituted by royal authority, and about the same time the " Parisian Seminary for Foreign Missions" was esta blished by an association of bishops and other ecclesiastics, for the education of foreign missionaries. The " Congregation of the Holy Sacrament" also a French establishment, was another of these institu tions. These establishments were under the authority of the " Do Propaganda" of Rome. Henry III. of France took considerable interest in foreign missions, and Henry IV. and Louis XIII. assigned funds for their support. Private associations were also formed in France, in the time of Richelieu, for sending missionaries to Canada, which were joined by many persons of rank and distinction. The Jesuits first visited Canada in 1608. In 1700, at the desire of Louis XIV., they endeavoured to propagate Christianity among the natives on the banks of the Mississippi. Towards the close of the 17th century there were not fewer than eighty seminaries in different parts of Europe which prepared and sent out missionaries. The Jesuits, Dominicans, Fran ciscans, and Capuchins were the most active in these undertakings, which were conducted on a largo scale and with a regularity and com bination of means altogether superior to the efforts made immediately after the discovery of America and of the path to India round the Cape of Good Hope.