In the beginning of mission work for immigrants, an attempt
was made to do all the work in English. Most churches
now doing religious work for the immigrant, however carefully



176 Religious Progress on the Pacific Slope

they provide for his instruction in English, yet see the neces-
sity of supplying, at least for a time, services in his native
language, with a pastor of his own nationality. The custom
of placing an American missionary as pastor over a foreign-
speaking group, even if he knows their language, is not gener-
ally regarded as the most efficient means of religious develop-
ment.
And yet, the difficulty of adjusting the foreign-speaking
group to the larger use of English and to religious fellowship
with English-speaking Christians, must after all be met by
us Americans with a plan and a spirit which will help the
immigrant pastors of such groups to work out this Christian
assimilation of their people. I believe most of these foreign-
speaking pastors see the temporary character of their work in
a foreign language and are anxious for the co-operation of
American religious leaders in the necessary transformation.
III. Missions for Immigrants.
