The Missionary Review of the World — August 1904
INLAND MISSIONARIES PRAYING AND WORKING IN BRITISH EAST
A HEATHEN AUDIENCE IN A UKAMBA VILLAGE, BRITISH EAsT AFRICA MISSIONARY SCENES IN BRITISH EAST AFRICA Missionary Review of the World Old Series L AUGUST j New Series VOL. XXVII. No.8 f ~ VOL. XVII. No. 8 THE TEMPTATIONS OF THE MISSIONARY BY REV. SAMUEL M. ZWEMEH, D.])., BAHREIN ISLANDS, ARABIA Author of H Arabia, the Cradle of I:~;laln," .. Raymund Lull, " etc.
We often hear too much of the trials and self-denial of missionaries; we are repeatedly reminded of their perils and privations. Altho to some extent and in some fields these are real, they are, nevertheless, largely the sentimental background for pathetic pleas to awaken pity or open the purse-strings of the emotional. The greatest difficulty that besets the average missionary is ltim8elf. His real trials and privations are subjective, not objective. When Paul recounts the su1Ier~ ings of his ministry, he puts the climax to the long catalog by saying: "Beside those things which are without, that which cometh upon me daily: the anxiety for all the churches." The sufferings of his soul were the soul of his sufferings. Of the Mastel' Himself, we read: " Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil"; it is no wonder, therefore, that of His brethren also it is recorded, not only that "they had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings of bonds and imprisonment," but that "they were tempted." Solitude and isolation are the devil's favorite environment for hiH most subtle temptations. He carne to Eve when she was alone, to Elijah in the desert, to Christ in the wilderness.
Christ's temptation in the wilderness is not only typical of all temptations in their various forms, bu t is specially typical, we believe, of temptations that come to His ministers, His apostles, His missionaries. "He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin "; and because" He himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to snccor those that are tempted."
We might hesitate to compare the temptations of the missionary with those which the Son of God endured and conquered were it not that He told us: "As the Father hath sent Me, even so I send you." We are sent not only to continue H'is work as prophet, but to endure temptation such as He endured-tho on an infinitely lower plane, yet equally real. In the great arena of Gospel conflict we "wrestle, not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rnlers of this darkness, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." When we talk glibly of ., the evangelization of the world in this generation," we must not
omit from the problem the awful fact that" the whole world lieth in the Wicked One," and that the prince of this world is the devil. It is a great, world-wide, spiritual conflict, without truce or armistice. The Gibraltar of every mission station is the heart of its missionary, and Satan knows it. When that- proves traitor, or capitulates, or makes a compromise with the enemy, the day is won for the kingd'om of darkness.
We propose to trace a resemblance between the threefold temptation of Christ and the three typical temptations that assail the missionary, to illustrate these temptations from the history or the methods of missions, and to point out Christ's victory over each as the only way of escape.
Distrust and Despair I. The first temptation is to doubt God's providence and despair of His promises. "If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." "Thou still clingest to that vainglorious confidence that Thou art the Son of God, carried away by those illusory scenes at the Jordan. Thou wast born in a stable-but Thou art the Son of God! A carpenter's roof supplied Thee with a home, and in the obscurity of a despicable town of Galilee Thou hast spent thirty years-yet still Thou art the Son of God 1 Be it so. But, after that, surely Thy days of trial should have an end. Why linger for weeks in this desert, wandering among the wild beasts and craggy rocks, unhonored, unattended, unpitied, ready to starve? Is this befitting the Son of God?"
In a similar way does doubt assail the missionary-distrust in God and. despair of His love. And as the temptation, so is its occasion and environment. There is a solemn contrast in every missionary's life between the hour of farewell to the home land and that of arrival on the field. One has only to read personal missionary correspondence (not the printed reports), or the letters of Henry Martyn, for example, to find abundant proof. Every missionary's diary will show it.
It is one thing, in the fervor of consecration and enthusiasm before an assembled congregation, to feel hands laid on you, and to be set apart to the work. (a work which makes you conscious of the heroic, and this self-consciousness is fostered by sympathetic friends); it is a day on the mount of transfiguration; on the next, you descend to the Jewish rabble and the demoniac.
It is quite another thing to arrive on the field and find every circumstance and condition different from the ideal picture painted on the imagination; to find your whole environment not only strange (yea, often shocking), but to feel bitterly disappointed that things are not ail you expected them to be. Yet this is the. experience of nearly everyone, I believe, who goes out to the foreign :field; in a sense, utterly opposite to the words of the Queen of Sheba: "The half had
THE TEMPTATIONS OF THE MISSIONARY
never been told." It is too often a one-sided picture that is drawn in missionary books and reports. We are all sinners; and our reports are too roseate. A recent writer says: How hard it is for the missionary to be patient when his friends at home are so impatient, and how great is the temptation to embellish the account of his annual labors. I fear there are grave scandals connected with reports, but the fault lies with the subscribers rather than with theomissionary agents. For the simple, pious folk who take great interest in missionary enterprise, but who are entirely ignorant of the circumstances of missionary work, the sun must always shine; a cloud on the horizon is intolerable; this is, as it were, the condition of their support. The result is the issue of reports positively grotesque in their optimism, in which Scripture texts jostle strangely with palpably exaggerated retrospects and forecasts.
To the missionary comes a sudden awakening as out of a dreama realistn that shocks the ideal as when a man falls upon a live electric wire. And the result-a spiritual desert and the tempter!
Yon have left civiliza.tion, and are now with the wild beasts. Home and companionship are behind-you stand, or fall, by yourself. The moral atmosphere is a miasma that oppresses, makes faint, stifles. Yon learn for the first time from the window of the mission house that the dark place~ of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. You see the last verses of the first chapter of Romans in a daily panorama on the street. Yon are ignorant of the language, and yet are surrounded by it; its horrid tentacles take hold of you like a devilfish on all sides; you do not look at the language, but it rises like a monster and looks at you. You thought you came to lJreach, but find. that you have come to wait (to wait in such a wi~derness I), and to hunger and thirst for the privilege of preaching forty days and forty nights. A horror of great darkness comes upon you, and the horror is only the greater because you hide it in your bosom, and never whisper it to. the committee at home or your fellow missionary. Except that you find relief in prayer, your spiritual life becomes a desert. Now, I ask you candidly, where could there be a better opportunity for the Tempter? It is the supreme test. At the London lfissionary Oonference, Professor Drummond said: I have met men in mission fields in different parts of the world who muke zealous addresses at evangelistic meetings at home, who left for their fields of labor laden with testimonials, but who becarneutterly demoralized within a year's time. . .. I would say that the thing to be certain of in picking a man for such a field as Africa, where the strain upon a man's character is tremendous, and the strain upon his spiritual life, owing to isolation, is even more tremendous, that we mnst be snre that We are sending a man of character and heart morally sound to the core.
0, Thou Son of God, who didst overcome for us, nerve Thy disciples with such perfect trust, and make them to so live by the Word from
the mouth of God that their moral fiber may endure the strain! Under the awful weight the cables may stretch and swing and twist and tremble, but while He holds them they can not snap asunder. "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him. For He knoweth our frame, He remembereth that we are dust." "Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."
Presumptuously Testing God II. The second temptation in the Gospel history is directly in contrast with the first. That was to doubt/ this is to pre8umption. " If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down, . . . for it is written." Jesus had overcome the first temptation by simple, absolute trust. This was the time to act upon this very trust as the occasion for the temptation. "Cast thyself down," and trust in God. But, as Lange says, " Jesus proves Himself victor over temptation a religious fanaticism which mistakes excitement for spiritual emotion." It was the temptation to a faith without obedience, to a yrrtyer that shows no self-surrender, and to action that has no warrant from on high. It was the temptation to the use of the spectacular and sensational coordinate with a pseudo-faith in the miraculous interposition of God.
This sort of temptation also assails the missionary. It comes most often in the time of spiritual exaltation. "The devil taketh Him up into the Holy City, and setteth Him on the pinnacle of the temple." It comes to the missionary both at home and when in the field. If the shafts of whispered doubt and despair do not pierce the breastplate, perhaps an arrow from behind may find its way through the joints of the harness. . The tempter argues: "Because you arc a missionary (one sent of God) He will care for you-your body as well as your soul. Tho you place yourself on the pinnacle of a moral precipice and cast yourself down, He will give His allgels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone." You are a mi88ionary, not one of the common lot of Christians-a higher consecration is yours-yours is a life fully surrendered to God. Surrender it yet more! It is His life and He will care for it, no matter what risks you take. Remember the special promise to missionaries; it is written: "They shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." Depending on this promise, it is impossible to take typhoid fever, tho yon drink swamp water in West Africa; and" the snn shall not smite thee by,day," tho you carry no umbrella in the tropics. Those who hedge themselves about with comforts and precautions, who carry medicine-chests and water-filters and luxuries are showing a sinful want of faith.
THE TEMPTATIONS OF TIlE MISSIONARY
Such is one form of this temptation: and just because the external features of it are spectacular and sensational, the crowd is attracted, and the missionary that yields to the temptation becomes a hero if not It martyr. It is easy to find onlookers when we advertise that we will cast ourselves down from some temple pinnacle.
A few years ago a party of American missionaries lauded at Sierra T…eone; two of their main principles were faith-healing and pente- costal gifts of tongues; no medicines were to be taken, no grammars or dictionaries made use of. 'rhe party was attacked by malignant fever; two died, refusing quinine. When the garrison surgeon called on the survivors, he found their minds fixed not to take medicine. Other similar cases could be quoted from recent mission history. A band of zealous workers, under the same delusion, were dashed to pieces at Aden before they reached their destination, East Africa; this happened only two years ago. An independent missionary in the Persian Gulf, some three years ago, who was an earnest Christian, came holding similar views, and with the idea of crossing the Arabian peninsula in the heat of summer, a chest of Bibles his only outfit; needless to say, he did not succeed. This temptation is very insiduous, and creeps in when and where we least expect it. Alas! it finds endorsement in some missionary societies. Whether called by a fairer or more attractive name than faith-cure, it belongs often (we dare not say always) to the same category. Certainly this theory stultifies the wonderful agency of medical missions; if a person can pray over the sick, anoint them with oil, and trust to miracle-faith for all sorts of cure, there is no use in costly hospitals or an army of physicians.
Again, there seems to be a belief in some quarters that missionaries should become ascetics in order to evangelize successfully. But is it not the same temptation under another cloak?
The World's Gospel Union, of Kansas City, not long ago issued the following statement: For some years we have believed tha,t there was no hope that the world would ever be evangelized by salaried preachers and missionaries, and one of the foundation-stones of our movement has been that the laborers should in reality follow Jesus in the giving up of all things for His name and for their needy brethren, and go forth to a life of trust in God, and, if need be, of hardship and suffering. We are also reminded that what have become to be generally understood to be the necessities and comforts for the body are not always essential or helpful in the matter of spiritual power and blessing to the world, and we desire to keep before our eyes the words of the great apostle, "Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place," and to remember that, the "Captain of our salvation was made perfect through suffering."
Now, however much we admire such zeal (and it is worthy of admiration), it is not according to knowledge. These are not sound missionary principles. With all respect for the earnest men who wrote them, we can not but believe that such a method is presump-
'rHE llUSSJONARY REVIEW OF 'rHE WORI.D
tion, and that those who stand on this platform unwittingly stand on a pinnacle, and are in danger of tempting God.
In all nature we see God's wise provision against heat and cold and exposure. "Oonsider the lilies how they grow," and the beasts of the field how' they are clad. God did not put the polar bear on the Kongo, nor the hippopotamus in the heart of Arabia. The animal is adapted to his environment. The beaver builds his house according to the severity of the winter and the depth of the stream. Brutes take no risks on their health. Lambs are provided with wool, and it is a lie that God tempers the winu to the shorn lamb. He does not need to temper His wind, because He does not shear the lamb.
'fhe apostle Paul took care of his body, altho he professed to die daily. He traveled from Jerusalem to Illyricum evangelizing and planting churches, and yet sent back for the cloak which he left at 'froas, lest he take cold in the damp Mamertine prison of Rome. He was abstemious, and sacrificed everything to win Ohrist and preach Him crucified, and yet he told his helper, Timothy, "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities." When he suffered shipwreck and came onshore drenched, he did not sit down to hold a prayer-meeting or take rheumatism on cold Melita, but rushed about to kindle a fire, and gathered brush- wood to make the blaze big. His was not only "the spirit of love and of power, but of a sound mind." The Son of Man was not an ascetic; He came eating and drinking. Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost, and must not be allowed to fall into decay or, before . God's time, to hang together in such a dilapidated state that they are unworthy of the heavenly tenant.
The churches at home may need a diet of martyred missionaries to stimulate their missionary appetite, or to awaken their apathy, but the Ohurch abroad can only be built up if the missionaries are alive. If the Jesuit missionaries of South America had believed in faith-cure the world would be without ipecacuanha and quinine, which they first discovered and brought into blessed use for the Kingdom of God. Roman Oatholic missions have much to repent of, but they have never been guilty in modern days of that kind of faith·healing which ends in the premature sacrifice of valuable lives.
A third possible form of this temptation comes in the matter of missionary support. Here we tread on delicate ground. The whole question is still under discussion and, we may say, under experiment. But let one instance suffice to show how near the precipice of pre- sumption such faith sometimes walks.
About seven years ago a man came to Syria from North Africa with new missionary ideas.. His theory was that modern missions are a failure because we depart from New Testament principles and prac- tise, that the Divine order of work is laid down in Matthew, tenth
A FEW WORDS ON MOHAMMEDANISM
chapter (without purse, scrip, change of raiment), and that the only missionaries whom God blesses are the «free-lances" who live on the Lord's bounty. This Matthew X. mission began work at Mogador, in Morocco. After a short time The Reaper, their missionary organ, reported: "Since we hal'e not received snpernatural power in this ml:ssion (at least, to perform miracles of healing, as the apostles did), we believe it is incumbent on ns to do what we can by medical skill and the use of natural means . . . the discontinnance of the title, , Matthew X. Missionaries' leaves us free to take action in this direction," . . . and so on. This open abandonment of the original idea plainly indicates wha.'t we may expect in other similar cases.
Mrs. Grattan Guinness contributed a very wise paper on the whole subject in Regions Beyond (1891), and speaks from sad experience: In China and India self-support is scarcely possible unless Englishmen care to compete with natives who can live on two or three pence a day. Missionaries must either be supported by the natives or from home; but in Central Africa the thing is simply impossible, if rapid and effective evangelizing is to be attempted.
(To be concluded) A FEW WORDS ON MOHAMMEDANISM * BY THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mohammedanism is a field of missionary effort which has thus far proved more impenetrable and invincible than any other. This whole subject seems to demand a careful review, in order that we may understand what the obstacles are, and have some conception of the methods by which these barriers are to be surmounted.
There are five requisites for every true Moslem: First, The Creed. which is very brief but comprehensive: "There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet." Second, Prayer. Every Moslem is bound to offer up prayer five times a day-at daybreak, midday, afternoon, sunset, and one hour and a half after sunset. The times are indicated by a public crier, or muezzin. After the call the Moslem may perform his prayers at any decent place, spreading his prayer-rug under him, but on Fridays th'ey are to be performed in a mosque. They use a kind of rosary, devoutly reciting the ninety-nine attributes of God, followed by the name of God itself, according to the one hundred balls strung on a coral string. Third, Fasting. This continnes through the entire month of Ramadan; there must be fasting all day, from sunrise to sunset, but the Moslem may feast all night, from sunset to sunrise.
* We have arranged for a series of articles by eminent missionaries to Moslems, In which they will give their Vlew of the main characteristics of Islam and how to cOIlquer it.-EDITORS.
Fourth, Pilgrimage to Mecca (or the Hadj). F~fth, Almsgiving. Every Moslem who is not abjectly poor must give the fortieth part of his property to his poorer fellow Moslems. One great obstacle to the vatlquishment of this system is that we have to encounter the fanaticism of the Moslem. For this fanaticism there are several strong reasons: (1) The fact that the origin of the system of Islam is to be traced to thp. idolatry and image worship, which prevailed among the Ohristians of the sixth century, when Mohammerlanism had its rise. 1'he Ohurch had then relaxed into an almost Pagan idolatry, and God permitted this system to grow up to be the sconrge of the idolatrous Ohurch, just as He used captivity to cure the Jews of the idolatries which had crept in. (2) The Moslem faith claims to be the only true religion, and a part of its creed is the duty of the extermina>ion of all others as a matter of duty. The Mohammedan considers that the truth has been revealed to him, in order that he may wage war against all other faiths as forms of fatal error. (3) The repeated conquests by Ohristians in all parts of the earth threaten to destroy and wipe out Mohammedanism altogether if its onward march is not arrested; hence, the Mohammedan feels bound to resist Christianity, and, if possible, exterminate Christians. (4) Mohammed set the example, in his later crusades against the invaders, by offering the acceptance of the faith or its only alternative-death by the sword; so that his followers feel that they approximate nearest to loyalty and fidelity to their leader by following the example of his intolerance. (5) The system is fatalistic. The Mohammedan is taught that everything is decreed by Allah, and that if he is doomed to die, it is a doom which can not he escaped; therefore, he meets whatever comes with a sort of stolid stoicism. (6) Such rewards are promised to those who die on the battlefield in the defense of their faith, that in many cases a devout Musselman courts death rather than avoids it. But there is another class of obstacles which meet us in the campaign against Mohammedanism: 1. In the first place, the Christian missionary usually finds among Mohammedans total abstinence in the use of intoxicants, which contrasts painfully and disastrously with the drunkenness which prevllils among men from Ohristian nations. 2. He finds among the followers of Mohammed a hatred of idolatry. Their faith lllay be corrupt, but their practise in this roopect is pure, and contrasts again very strongly, for example, with the obvious idolatry and image worship prevailing jn papal churches, and also largely permeating even Protestant bodies in a modified form.
THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR AND MISSIONS IN 'i'HEJ ~AS'i'
:3. 'rhe similarity of Mohammedanism to Christianity in so many respects makes aggressive campaign work among Moslems very difficult. For example, the Moslem recognizes among his sacred books the Pentateuch, the Psalms, and the Gospels, together with the Koran; he acknowledges the Old Testament patriarchs and saints as genuine, and even elevates the Lord Jesus .Christ to a high position as a prophet, only insisting that Mohammed is greater than all of them put together.
Some such difficulties as these will at least in part account for the fact that thus far so little progress has been made in securing converts from Islam. Other features of the problem will be considered in subsequent numbers.
THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR AND CHRISTIAN MISSIONS IN THE EAST BY REV. HOMER B. HULBERT, SEOUL, KOREA Editor of The Korea Review History is said to be addicted to the bad habit of repeating itself, bu t is it not as often true that it reverses itself? In the middle ages the Golden Horde of the Mongols swept the whole of Asia into the fist of Kublai Khan, and then, setting its ruthless foot across the boundary, impinged upon Christendom. '['he whole of Europe stood aghast at the imminence of the pagan peril, and all good men banded together to avert the scourge. The right-minded applauded this attempt to dam the stream of barbarism that was pouring in from the Far East. The Mongols had no cause except thirst for conquest, blind greed for universal dominion. It trampled on all justice and civilization, made rapine its handmaiden and lust its councillor. It was heathendom against Christendom.
To-day we see a mighty conquest going on from west to east across the same meridians that heard the hoof-beats of the Golden Horde. This is a so-called Christian nation reaching out after the heathen East. She has eaten her way eastward across the continent of Asia, breaking down the opposition of the weak native tribed, only to weld them into instruments of further aggression. At last she finds herself face to face with the real civilizations of the Far East, where Buddhism, the cult most affected by the Mongols, still holds sway, and she knocks at the d~ors of these peoples in the same way and for identically the same reasons that the Mongols screamed their insulting summons across the Danube. History has indeed reversed itself.
If we turn to ask the opinion of the civilized world, we see the astonishing spectacle of a great majority of Christian people applauding the attitude of Japan in calling a halt to the aggressions of the Muscovite – Japan, which is to-day a stronghold a Buddhism!
They wish her to overcome and drive back the Russian, and make it forever impossible for Russia to achieve a dominant interest in the Far East. There must be some good reason for this almost universal championing of Japan's cause-a cause which is recognized to be Korea's and Ohina's as well. .
It is not because Ohristian people want to see Buddhism triumph over Christianity, but because they see that Japan, Buddhist tho she is, has brought forth better fruit than Russia, with her corrupt type of Ohristianity. They see that pure religion has freer course in Japan than in Russia, and that t.here is more hope of a speedy evangelization of the great East under Japanese sway, or even as it is now, than there would be if Russia should gain control.
What true Ohristianity has always demanded is freedom of thought and opinion in religious matters. She demands an " open door" and free competition. She is willing to stand or fall by a fair test. It was this demand for an intellectual open door that cost true Ohristianity so many sanguinary persecutions in the past. Now, Japan has granted that open door, and has given to every man the right to subscribe to whatever form of religious faith he may please. But in Russia this first great essential to progress is lacking. Religion is regulated by the state. Freedom of choice in matters of faith is practically unknown.
But there are many people who care little for the religious aspects ,of the question. It is still easier to see why they should side with ,Japan in this struggle. Russia is fighting to retain a false position. :She has no moral ground on which to stand, and while the public is [said to have no conscience, it still remains true that it can be readily :swayed by a moral argument. The press of the world to-day is evidence enough that the moral rectitude of Japan's contention is a strong argument in her favor among the masses.
Again, while Japan can not be said to be a Ohristian nation, she is a strenuous advocate of those enlightened products which we deem to be the results of a Ohristian civilization. She forms an unique experiment. The world is waiting to see whether, having put OIl the garments of Ohristian enlightenment, she will grow into them and fill them out. She will either do so or she will cut the garment down to fit her Asiatic form. Most people believe that she will do the former, and it is this which fosters the idea that the East is safer in her hands -than in Russia's.
We shall find one cause of Japan's moral superiority to Russia in the fact that she has passed through all the phases of feudalism, while Russia has taken only occasional lessons in that preparatory school to enlightenment. Every enlightened country to-day owes her liberal government to that school of feudalism, and the degree of enlightenment attained by any people is in direct ratio to the completeness with
THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR AND MISSIONS IN THE EAST
which they workild out the feudal idea. In those countries of southern Europe, where the centralizing influence of the Roman Church checked the development of the full feudal principle, we find a lower type than in some northern lands, where it was allowed to work out its legitimate results. In Russia there has never been even a moderaie development of the feudal spirit. She resembles Ohina in this respect, for in that country there have been times when the population was broken up into separate states, thus giving rise to the notion that feudalism existed; but it was no such feudalism as that of Germany" or France, or England, in which the people came to understand that, they, and no other, were the ultimate court of appeal. Nor can it be said that Japanese feudalism developed the consciousness that the individual is the social unit, and that in the last analysis the people must decide their own destiny; but we can say with confidence that it fostered a feeling of personal loyalty to a local overlord, which needed only an incentive to be transferred to the central government and blossom into what we believe to be true patriotism, and a feeling of personal responsibility for the honor and well-being of the "state. And so when the ripe time arrived Japanese nationality came forth full-winged, like a butterfly from a cocoon. Fortunately, the standard set before her was the best product of Protestant Ohristian civilization, and a strenuous effort was made, and is being made, to live up to that standard. There has been a constant effort to discover the way in which the native Buddhism can be worked over so as to prove its right to exist in the white light of these new days. To the thinking Japanese this has been a lamentable failure, and Buddhism is looked upon as a worn-out superstition; but the Buddhist clergy have made a desperate attempt to repopularize the cult by appealing to the fervid national feeling and pride of the people, and by tacking to it some of the methods of aggressive Ohristianity. But Buddhism is essentially pessimistic, and the attempt to adapt it to the strenuousness of the new Japan is like trying to change a requiem into a triumphal march without changing the notes. There is all the differ-· ence between the minor and the major keys.
As soon as the advocates of Buddhism learn that this is an impossible feat, Christianity in its present form, or in some other and, it is hoped. equally evangelical form, will gain the day. The Japanese are done with shams, and just as they pierced the thin shell of Korea's empty declaration of neutrality, so in time they will throwaway the empty husk of Buddhism. It is the general opinion among thinking men that Japan is desperately determined to find the truth at any cost, and it is this which makes them side with non-Ohristian Japan against socalled Ohristian Russia. We remember the two sons whom their father ordered to go and work. One of them' said he would go, but went not; the other said he would not go, 'bu t went.
A short time since it Was our fortune to be in Moscow. In the most sacred shrine in the Kremlin lay the bodies of the patriarchs, each in his sarcophagus. The bodies were covered with heavy gilt- embroidered robes, but where the robe covered the forehead a round hole had been cut and a portion of the skull was exposed. Everyone of the crowd of hungry, ragged, straw-shod pilgrims that streamed continually through the building stooped and kissed this loathsome spot with passionate fanaticism. The exposed disc of skull and the surrounding garment were fairly reeking from the contact of a million unwashed faces and unkempt beards. It was a more repulsive spectacle than any to be seen at Nikko, or Nara, or Miajima.
It is because Mohammedanism gives Christ a place, albeit a second place, that makes the follower of the prophet the bitterest enemy of Christianity; and in some such way, but to a lesser extent, the mum- mery of the Greek Church forms a bar to true progress.
The Effect on Korea An this makes the present struggle one of vital moment to those who have Christian missions at heart. Korea is known as one of the most hopeful fields for the lJropagation of Christianity in the world. There are many more Americans interested in this than in the de- velopment of trade in this land. They are asking what the effect of the war will be upon this flourishing work. There can be but one answer. The Protestant Christian missions in Korea have everything to hope from Japanese success. It will mean a well-administered Korean government, where Christian people will not be discriminated against, where there will be entire freedom of religious belief, and an added incentive to self-improvement. Education will be reinstated in its rightful position, and the people will be encouraged to take an intelligent interest in the world at large. All of these things manifestly work directly in the interests of Christian missions.
If Russia should gain control of Korea it is not easy to say what would happen, but of oue thing we may be sure: after the adoption by the United States of sllch a friendly attitude toward Japan, and the opposition that has been shown toward Russian aggression in Manchuria, by urging and secnring the opening of two ports to foreign trade in that province, it seems certain that Russia wonld see to it that every American was removed from the peninSUla at the earliest possible moment. Judging by the policy adopted by Russia elsewhere, we fear that she would make short work of Protestant missions, and would hold the Korean populace as an exclusive field for the propagandism of the Greek Church, which seems to flourish best where ignorance furnishes a soil fitted to the growth of superstition.
Despite the disturbance caused in northern Korea by the op~ra tions of the war, the missionary work has gone on without serlOUS interruption. In some case~ the Ch~istians had to. find refuge in ~is tant monntain retreats, but III so domg they carned the Word wlth them, and now that the tide of war has passed on, it is found that this scattering of the seed is to bring forth fruit.
A PAN-RELIGIOUS CONFERENCE IN JAPAN
A PAN-RELIGIOUS CONFERENCE IN JAPAN BY JOSEPH COSAND, TOKIO, JAPAN Missionary of the Friends' Missionary Society, 1881>-1900; United Brethren, 1901- Representatives from the three great religions in Japan-Shintoism, Buddhism, and Christianity-met in Tokio on May 16th, to discuss the relation of the Russo-Japanese war to religion. This meeting was the first of its kind to be so much as thought of in Japan.
The Japanese government has, in various ways, thoughtfully taken pains to make it known to the public that the object of the war is for the safety of the empire and the peace of the East. This announcement has seemed necessary, lest some misguided or malicious persons -native and foreign-should think that, since Japan is a so-called non-Christian land and Russia a recognized Christian nation, this is a war of heathenism; or Buddhism, against Ohristianity. On both sides of the struggle this idea has been ventilated, and, if unchecked, it might lead to much harm to Christian missions in Japan. The Greek Ohurch especially would be likely to suffer, and it might also endanger the lives and property of Ohristians. On the other hand, it would be likely to create a prejudicial sentiment against Japan in the West among those nations whose good esteem she has, and which she most highly prizes. Ill-informed and irresponsible representatives of other religions in the East are apt to say: " Now is the opportunity for us to strike a deadly blow at Ohristianity." A similar spirit of antagonism is manifested against Japan among some Westerners under the guise of "The Yellow Peril." This falsehood seeks to make it appear that Japan is disqualified by race and religion from attaining to Western standards of morality and religion, and. consequently, will eventually come forward as the leader of Asiatic races and the opponent of Ohristianity to conquer the Ohristian nations of Europe and the world.
Thus it was a significant event that representatives from the several religions were able to meet on a common ground and amicably discuss the subject. Each delegate was given a small bow and pin, as a token that he was entitled to be present. The hall soon filled to overflowing. and the gates were ordered to be closed to prevent overcrowding.
Shintoists, Buddhists, and Ohristians addressed the meeting, and also the Governor and Mayor of 'Tokio. No discordant note was heard among them. Rev. Kodo Kozaki, ex-President of the Doshisha, was one of the Christian speakers. The foreigners were represented by Dr. James Imbrie, of the Meiji Gakuin.
One point strongly emphasized by Dr. Imbrie was the freedom of religious belief and worship granted to the people by the Japanese Oonstitution. He said, in substance: It is very easy for us to profess that the present war has no connee-
tion with the subject of religion, but if asked to prove our assertion, what reply could we give? For answer, I would refer to the Constitution. One article of the Constitution given to the nation by the emperor grants religious freedom. That Constitution is inviolable. It must stand forever. If the government is waging a war against or in the interest of a religion, it is trampling under foot the Constitution. That it can not do. This fact is of itself sufficient proof that the war has not for its object an attack on any religion.
All representatives present were requested to secure as wide a circulation among their own people as possible of the following resolution, which was adopted at the meeting: Resolution adopted at a meeting of representatives of all religions in Japan, held at the Chukon Shido Kaikwan, Tokio, on the sixteenth day of the fifth month, thirty-seventh year of Meiji (May 16, 19(4): The war now existing between Japan and Russia has for its object, on the part of Japan, the security of the empire and the permanent peace of the East. It is carried on in the interests of justice, humanity, and the civilization of the world. With differences between races or religions it has nothing whatever to do. "Ve therefore, meeting together without distinction of race or religion, agree that we will endeavor to publish to the world, each in a manner accordant with the methods observed in the religious body to which he belongs, the real purpose of the present war as now described. We also express a most earnest desire for the speedy accomplishment of an honorable peace.
WHAT INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION IS DOING FOR THE NEGRO* BY REV. H. B. FRISSELL, D.D., HAMPTON, VIRGINIA Principal of Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute I have been asked to write on the results of the industrial training of negroes. It is important, first, to understand what is meant by industrial training. In slavery days industrial training of a certain sort was given on the plantations. 'fhe men who received instruction in carpentry, blacksmithing, and other trades were a superior class of negroes. This training affected their economic value. I recently looked over a bill of sale of thirty slaves who were sold in Oha~leston in 1857. It was interesting to observe that the common laborer brought between $300 and MOO, while carpenters brought as much as $1,065. The negro mechanics were, as a rule, also superior morally. Oonsiderable freedom was allowed them. They were often hired out by their masters, and in many cases secured their own free-_ dom. It is an interesting fact that many of the older negroes who have come out of slavery, and have become successful since the war, have been of that class. The industrial training which these men * These articles will be followed by three on "What the North is DOing for the Negro."
"What the South is Doing for the Negro," and "What the Negro is Doing for the Negro."- EDITORS.
WHAT INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION IS DOING FOR THE NEGRO
received was largely that of the hands alone, with little or no education of any other kind.
The sort of training which General Armstrong endeavored to give to the children of the ex-slaves, and which the Hampton school and its outgrowths are still tryiug to provide, is well stated by Dr. M. E. Sadler, of London, in his admirable monograph on "The Education of the Colored Race." He says: The new work was not to provide industrial training alone. It was to be no mere revival of the benevolently patronizing idea which had had too large a place in the plans of those who, in former generations, had started schools of industry for the laboring poor. Nor, on the other hand, was it to provide the opposite evil-the flashy, superficial, bookish instruction of the type which was only too attractive to the colored race. Nor yet again was it to be nothing more than a skilful blend of these two elements of literary and industrial productiveness, and (in the narrower sense of the words) economic well-being. General Armstrong's greatness lay in his fusing together two separate and apparently conflicting ideals of primary education-the literary ideal and the industrial ideal. He wove together the threads of two traditions into one cord. But the power through which he did this work was a moral power. His sympathy gave insight into their weakness as well as confidence in their strength. He knew that they needed discipline, right surroundings, an atmosphere of hard work for the sake of duty, training in the bearing of responsibility, protection against the temptations of a shallow sort of politics, a new sense of the dignity of labor, the stimulus of noble example, autere restraint of the emotions, exact training in verbal expression, a morally uplifting sense of being able honestly to earn a good and respectable living by the practise of a useful trade; but, above all, leaders whom they could love and trust and admire, and the esprit de corps which comes from membership of a great institution devoted to other than self-regarding ends.
The kind of industrial education for which the Hampton school stands produces some very definite results. First, it develops character. The struggle toward self-support which the school requires, the regular hours of labor combined with study, military drill, and religious instruction, unite to make strong characters of the young men and women who are placed nnder its care. Second, it produces economic independence. No graduate of Hampton becomes a drag on the community to which he or she goes. The young men, with their knowledge of agriculture and the trades, become self-supporting citizens. The young women, with their knowledge of teaching, of cooking, of sewing, and of other household work, are eagerly sought for as instructorl-l in public and private schools, as home-makers, or for domestic service. The graduates of such industrial schools as Hampton are not only able to help themselves, but are able to help others toward self-support. Hampton's record of returned students shows that 65 per cent. of those who have learned trades are either practising or teaohing them. Eighty-seven per cent. of· the school's graduates are
known to be profitably employed. Many are leauers in business. A building and loan association, largely controlled by Hampton graduates, illustrates the sort of work done by many others in helping the colored people to buy lands and get homes. It commenced business in 1889, with twelve stockholders and eighteen shares of stock. It has grown, until now it has 636 stockholders owning 2,212 shares and a paid-in stock of $105,000, of which the colored people alone own $75,000. More than $200,000 have been loaned to the c?lored people of the vicinity, and over 350 pieces of property have been acquired and homes built through its aid.
As showing further the results of practical industrial training like that given at Hampton, the case might be cited of a young clergyman ILU[ING PRACTICAL FA.RMERS AT HAMPTON INSTITUTE who obtained the idea of making the Kingdom of God come in better, cleaner homes. He had a little church one mile outside the City of Portsmouth, Virginia. Here he started a model negro settlement. With the aid of others, he bought thirty acres of land, divided it into building lots, and commenced to sell to colored people working in Norfolk and Portsmouth. When the settlement began, $500 would have bought all the property owned by the colored people there. They now own over 125 buildings. costing from $350 to $2,500 each. Over 300 colored people live in this settlement, and there has never been a saloon in the town or an arrest for crime.
In tide-water Virginia there are twelve counties where over 80 per cent. of the negro farmers own and manage their own land. In one of the counties, where the representatives of a certain industrial school are most numerous, 90 per cent. of the negro farmers own and
manage their land. In this particular county, as in many others where these graduates have gone, the relations between the whites and blacks are of the best. For more than five years no negro has gone from this county to the state penitentiary, and the migration to the cities has almost completely ceased. The following figures have recently been obtained from a representative of the United States Department of Agriculture at Washington, as showing the increase of assessed acreage owned by colored people. While this increase can not be a1tog~ther attributed to industrial education obtained in certain schools of the State, there is no doubt that these schools have had much influence in the matter. There WaS an increase of 435,000 TUSKEGEE STUDENTS BUILDING THEIR OHAPEL acre3 owned by negroes and assessed by the State of Virginia between the years 1891 and 1902. This is equivalent to an increase of 61.5 per cent. In the same period the assessed value of buildings on land had increased from $1,393,766 to $2,626,580-a gain of 88 per cent. There has been between th ese dates a gain of two-thirds in lands and build – ings owned by colored people. It is interesting also to note that this increase of land is not among the old negroes brought up in slavery, but among the young who have received their training in the schools. There have been fewer migrations from the country to the cities of the State within the time mentioned among the blacks than among the whites.
It would be easy to show the effect of the industrial training of negro girls by citing example.'! of improved homes where they have gone. One young woman, a graduate of one of the larger industrial schools, became a pioneer in teaching sewing and cooking in the pub-
lic schools of her own city. She has helped to train a large number of teachers of cooking and sewing, has started mothers' meetings and village improvement societies, and is one of the teachers of the Southern Industrial Classes, by means of which lessons in cooking, sewing, gardening, and housework have been given to thousands of children in Virginia.
In a recent number of the Atlantic Monthly, Dr. Booker T. Washington, who is a graduate of one industrial school and the founder of another, and therefore well qualified to judge of the value of industrial education, declares that it has had more influence than any other one agency in bringing together the North and the South, the blacks and the whites. He believes that the Southern and General Education Boards would never have been possible except for the industrial schools. He contends that it has drawn the attention of the people away from politics to the improvement of homes and land-a work in which whites and blacks can cooperate. In his book, "Up From Slavery," he shows how the starting of the brick-kiln by the Tuskegee School established business relations between the whites and blacks of that community; how the blacksmith and carpenter shops and printing-office tended to confirm those relations, and how this industrial school, because it was of service to the community, made itself respected, and so helped in the solution of the race problem. Tuskegee's history has been repeated in a smaller way through all the South, and the negro industrial school has thus helped to bring an answer to one of the most important questions which this or any other country has to solve-how the rich and the poor, the employer and the employee, the black and white, can live together in harmony and mutual helpfulness.
WHAT INTELLECTUAL TRAINING IS DOING FOR THE NEGRO* BY W. E. BURGHARDT DU BOIS, PH.D., ATLANTA UNIVERSITY Author of "The Soul of the Black Folk"
How easily one generation forgets the problems of its fathers! We call it still the negro problem, and yet it has changed its form in every decade. Our fathers asked, Can the negro be educated ? We are asking, How shall the negro be educated? The very asking of this latter question shows that the former has been answered. We still differ as to the objects and extent of the training that ought to be given to the negroes, but no sane man to-day questions of their ability to be educated. Indeed, how can it be~questioned? Compare the statistics of illiteracy. They are crude measurements of knowledge, and yet they have their value. In 1870, just after emancipation, four-fifths of • This article is based largely on Atlanta University Publications, No.6 (" The Negro Common School "), to which publication those wishing further information are referred.
WHAT INTELLECTUAL TRAINING IS DOING 1<'OR THE NEGRO
the negroes ten years old and over could not read and write. Ten years later this was reduced to seven-tenths, in 1890 to 57 per cent., and ill 1900 to 44.5 per cent. If we had not been so busy discussing Mr. Roosevelt's dinner list in recent years, we would have hailed the educational returns of the twelfth census with a chorus of generous approval for colored people, for to-day, for the first time in history, the majority of American negroes can read and write. The exact figures particularly for the South are of great interest: STATES I Illiterate colored persons ove1' nine years old 1870 1880 1890 1900 District of Columbia…. 70.5 48.4 • 35.0 — Missouri. …………… 72.7 53.9 41.7 24.2 28.0 West Virginia ……… 74.4 55.0 44.4 32.3 38.5 Florida …… _……….. 84.1 707 50.6 35.2 38.1 Maryland…. ……….. 69.5 59.6 50.1 43.0 38.2 Delaware……………. 71.3 57.5 49.5 41.6 40.1 Arkansas………… 81.2 75.0 53.5 44.6 47.6 Texas……………….. 88.7 75.4 52.5 49.1 52.8 Tennessee …………… 82.4 71.7 54.2 52.3 57.4 K~nt.uc;ky ………….. 83.8 70.4 55.9 61.1 Virginia…………….. 88.9 73.2 52.7 44.5 North Carolina………. 84.8 77.4 60.1 75.2 I 60.9 Mississippi ………….. 87.0 78.5 ! 64.1 South Carolina ………. 81.1 Georgia …………….. 92.1 81.6 I 67.3 80.6 69.1 Alabama ……………. 88.1 I Louisiana …………… 85.9 79.1 72.1 United States ……….. 79.9 70.0 I 57.1 I Nor is this solely the result of the nation's generosity to the freedmen. In the first place, the nation did all it could to keep negroes ignorant in the earlier years, and, in the second place, the public-school system of the Sou tit is the child of those very negro governments which it is the fashion now to dam 11. The tale is not too old to tell: Alabama, in 1832, fined anyone teaching negroes to "spell, read, or write," $250 to $500.
Georgia, in 1770, fined such persons £20, and in 1829 declared: If any slave, negro, or free person of color, or any white person, shall teach any other slave, negro, or free person of color, to read or write either written or printed characters, the same free person of color or slave shall be punisherl by fine and whipping, or fine or whipping, at the discretion of the court; and if a white person so offend, he, she, or they shall be punished with a fine not exceeding $500 and imprisonment in the common jail, at the discretion of the court.
Louisiana, in 1830, provided imprisonment from one to twelve months for such malefactors.
Missouri, in 1847, passed an act saying that "No person shall keep
or teach any school for the instruction of negroes or mulattoes in reading or writing in this State."
North Oarolina prohibited negro schools in 1835, and South Oarolina did the same by her acts of 1740, 1800, and 1833. Virginia prohibited all teaching of negroes in 1831. The Northern States, too, either impeded or gave no encouragement to the teaching of negroes in the early half of the nine- teenth century.
Thus untrained, and , THE OLD suddenly,violently, thrust TypIcal home of an Ignorant Southern negro into freedom and respon- sibility, what did these black men do? Many things, without doubt, extravagant and wrong. But Some things they did do well, as Albion W. Tourgee has so clearly shown: They instituted a public-school system in a region where public schools had been unknown. They opened the ballot-box and jury-box to thousands of white men who had been debarred from them by a lack of earthly possessions. They introduced home rule into the South. They abolished the whipping-post, the branding-iron, the stocks, and other barbarous forms of punishment which had up to that time prevailed. They reduced capi~al felonies from about twenty to two or three. In an age of extravagance, they were extravagant in the sums appropriated for public works. In all that time no man's rights of person were invaded under the forms of law.
Thomas E. Miller, a negro member of the late Oonstitutional Oon vention of South Carolina, said: The gentleman from Edgefield (Mr. Tillman) THE NEW speaks of the piling up of the State debt, of job- The cottage that Is tainng the place of the old log cahln among poor but educated Southern negroes bery and peculation dur- ing the period between 1869 and 1873 in South Oarolina; but he has no found voice eloquent enough, nor pen exact enough, to mention those imperishable gifts bestowed upon South Oarolina between 1873 and 1876 by negro legislators-the laws relative to finance, the building of penal and charitable institutions, and, greatest of all, the establishment of the public-school system. Starting as infants in legislation in 1869, many
WHAT INTELLECTUAL TRAINING IS DOING FOR THE NEGRO
wise measures were not thought of, many injudicious acts were passed. But in the administration of affairs for the next four years, having learned by experience the result of bad acts, we immediately passed reformatory laws touching every department of State, county, municipal, and town governments. These enactments are to-day upon the statute-books of South Carolina. They stand as living witnesses of the negro's fitness to vote and legislate upon the rights of mankind.
Altho recent researches have shown in the South some germs of a public-school system before the war, there can be no reasonable doubt but what common school instruction in the South, in the modern sense of the term, was founded by tl).e Freedmen's Bureau and missionary societies, and that the State public-school systems were formed mainly by negro reconstruction governments.
But a public-school system without teachers is a body without a head. Whence were the teachers coming for the negro schools? Not from the white North, for, try as they might, they could send but a few; not from the white South. Negroes themselves must teach themselves. "Oould they?" asked the nation. The negro answered with thirty thousand black teachers in charge of two million school children a single generation after emancipation. Not only is this true, but the negro contributed largely to the support of their own schools. Their schools in the South cost about five millions in 1899; of this they contributed in direct and indirect taxes nearly four millions, if we may trust the estimates of the Sixth Atlanta Oonference.
The cost of white and negro schools in the Southern States may be summarized as follows: Total whites, 5–20 years of age……….. ………………… 7,065,115 Total negroes, 5-20 years of age. ………………………… 3,263,016 Percentage of whites, 5-20 years of age ……. ____ …. " . . . . . . 68.40 Percentage of negroes, 5-20 years of age …………. , . . . . . . . . 31.60 Cost of white schools …………………………… $31,755,320 (87.20%) Cost of negro schools•……………. ,…………… 4,675,504 (12.80%) If the negro schools were equal to white schools, they would cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , ….. , … $14,6'70,586 Net deficiency of negro schools …………………. ,……… 9,995,085 Total actual cost of white and negro schools, 1899 …..•.•…. , 36,430,825 Total cost of schools if negro schools equaled white schools.. " 46,425,006 If white and negro schools were equal to Massachusetts schools, they would cost, approximately ……………. 150,000,000 Net annual deficiency which the United States government might contribute to, in part, approximately., . , " … , … 100,000,000 For higher training the negroes have something less than two hundred and fifty high and normal schools, and about ten small colleges, doing effective work. Nor is this more than is needed. The United States Oommissioner of Education says: While the number in colored high schools and colleges had increased
somewhat faster than the population, it had not kept pace with the gen- eral average of the whole country, for it had fallen from 30 per cent. to 25 per cent. of the average quota. Of all colored pupils one (1) in one hundred was engaged in secondary and higher work, and that ratio has continued substantially for the past twelve years. If the ratio of colored population in secondary and higher education is to be equal to the aver- age for the whole country, it must be increased to five times its present average.
If this be true of the secondary and higher education, it is safe to say that the negro has not one-tenth his quota in college studies. How baseless, therefore, is the charge of too much higher training! We r..eed negro teachers for the negro' common schools, and we need first-class normal schools and colleges to train them. This is the work of higher negro education, and it must be done.
Beside these facilities, we have an increasing number of manual training and trade schools; about one hundred institutions give some such training, out of which five or six are thoroughly equipped, and have sent out over a thousand trained artisans.
What has been the result of all this education? It has increased the intelligence and efficiency of negro workmen, it has led to the buying of twelve million acres of land and at least $300,000,000 worth of property, and it has doveloped a class of aspiring young colored men and women who are striving for the full enjoyment of American citizenship, and have become the group leaders and ideal makers of their people. On the other hand, education has not settled the negro problems; it has merely changed them. It has, however, more and more focused national thought upon the real kernel of these problems-viz., Shall black men be treated as men? So long as it could be answered, They are not men and never will be; they can not be educated; they will not work voluntarily and save-so long as this could be said, the real question was clouded. But to-day American negroes are as intelligent as most European peasants, a large and growing class is as intelligent and moral as the average of the nation, and a select few compare with the very best of the white race. The crucial negro problem is the treatment and rights of these emerging classes. Will education settle these newer negro problems? No; it will aggravate them. What, then, shall we do? Give up the training of black men, or cheapen it, or train them simply as "hands"? No; let us be honest and straightforward, and realize that if making men better, wiser, and more ambitious brings "problems," then let the problems come, and let good men try to solve them righteously rather than to avoid them.
ARE NEGROES BETTER OFF IN AFRICA?
ARE NEGROES BETTER OFF IN AFRICA 1 CONDITIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES OF NEGROES IN AMERICA AND AFRICA COMPARED BY . JOHN L. DUBE, NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA Superintenden: of the Zulu Christian Industrial Mission The differences in the condition of the negro in various parts of Africa are much greater than those existing among the negroes in the various states of America. In the United States they all have a measure of Christian light and civilization, while in our country these things have touched us only in spots-a few spots. In certain localities Gospel light has been enjoyed a shorter or longer time, but in the vast stretches of this great continent the negro is still in his primitive heathenism.
From a Christian standpoint the black man of America is highly favored above his African cousin, in that he is born into and is reared and lives in Gospel light-within reach, at least, of the rudiments of Christian education. He lives in the midst of Christian people, and is often born in a Christian home. The evils connected with slavery led some negroes in America to divorce Christianity from moral character. They did not see any great inconsistency in professing religion and at the same time gratifying their animal desires, without respect to the laws of God and man. Still, they absorbed many of the principles, morals, customs, and culture of Christian civilization from their surroundings, and for the past forty years have made great progress. The African, on the other hand, comes into life and passes his days in darkest degradation and ignorance. He learns the superstitions and all the vices of his people by his environments; what his tribe and people are, he becomes. The advantages of birth and training in these two classes are as different as day from night. The environments of the home, of society, of religion, and of industrial life are total contrasts. The children of American negroes have advantages of some of the best schools in this country, while the African children are taught to believe in idols and superstition. In view of these facts, Christianity can come more speedily, with less expense and labor, among the American negroes than among the negroes in Africa.
But what are some signs of promise of, and what are some of the obstacles in the way of, the development of these two sections of our race? Every race and nation has a providential mission in the history of the world, and in the mission and work of the Christian Church. The race of Ham is no exception; for God made it, and has in singular ways already scattered it over many portions of the globe. In these countries the Africans are being educated and fitted, I believe, for the part they are to take in the evangelization of Africa. They must first
1…, A NEGRO Jo~AMILY AT H(JAiE. AFRICA develop under the instruction of the Anglo-Saxon Church, and lay strong and broad foundations, that they may aClluire ability and devotion, the efficiency and unselfishness. Having acquired these virtues, no one can predict what they will accomplish in Christianizing and civilizing the Africans. But they must be possessed of special qualifications before they are ready to return to their fatherland. It would not do to send ignorant negroes to Africa. A great mistake has already been made in South Africa by some who went there and preached to the natives, " Africa for the Africans," and caused a great race feeling which is hard to bear. But under the leadership of wise men, like Bishop Coppin, we hope for better things.
Recent events, like a great search-light, have turned the attention of the Christian world upon the two chief sections of this great race. The negro problem is looming up large and portentious in the United States, and much the same in South Africa with native problem. If ever there was a time for the friends of the black man to stand by l,1im it is now. There are obstacles to the education and development of the negro in both countries. 'There are those of his own and of the white race in both lands who foment discord between the races, and who wish to keep the black man from rising. No olle of the superior families of mankind has reached a high stage of development without "coming up out of great tribulation" of some kinQ, and, doubtless, our race will not. I think in all this they are being taught lessons which they need very much as a race. The lack of unity and harmony among them here, as ill Africa, where man is against man and
tribe against tribe, may be made more friendly by these persecutions. It is sad to see how the negroes in America disagree, even in religious matters. They quarrel in their churches, and diiIering denominations too often undertake to plant new churches in districts where others have been already planted and can hardly pay expenses. These hard lessons will eventually teach love one to another.
. But, divested of all merely political bearings in both continents, this problem is how to make the negro Christian, how to make out of him, as a man or a people, what God designed to make out of man, any man, every man-no more, no less.
The black man is ill the United .States in large numbers, and is probably there to remain and multiply. He was in Africa before any civilized man came there to gather its riches with superior skill and appliances, and he will remain in his native land. The great problem here is the same which has for some time been forcing itself to the front in most of the missionary fields of the world-the problem of Christian industrialization. 'l'his is a great need in missionary work to-day among heathen and semi-civilized people. Events have projected this matter to the very front in the case of the negroes in both hemispheres. It is believed to be a meaus indespensablein saving the black man in heart, head, and hand. The New Testament ideal for every saved man is that he be transformed in heart, instructed in mind, and trained to use his hands for good works. This is the need of the black man as of the white. The Son of Man WIlS a workman with heart, mind, and hand, and both His example and teaching were: « To every man his work" (Mark xiii: 34).
.I. NEGRO FAMILY AT HOU IN AKlIiRlCA
General Armstrong saw the need and the possibilities of Christian industrial training for the freedman of the United States, and was the first to test the plan to any considerable extent. He saw that this helpless people could be taught to help themselves, and Hampton Institute is the result. Booker T. Washington, son of a slave, sat at General Armstrong's feet, received industrial training under his eye, imbibed his philanthropic spirit, and went out to start a little school in the great black belt of Alabama. Tuskegee has grown to a great institution, with over a thousand of pupils. Many schools, carrying out the plan of industrial education, have been planted in the South, and this work for the negroes of America has heen carried on long enough to show from actual results what Christian industrial education can do for them. The facts speak for themselves, and can not be disputed. This same kind of educational training is needed for the African Christians. The times and conditions require it. They are intelli~ gent and capable, and such training has been tried among them sufficiently to show its value and possibilities. The South African makes as good and as skilful a tradesman in the various industries as his American cousin. He has not enjoyed many advantages, but he is eager to learn and improve his opportunity. Industrial schools are greatly needed in Africa, to enable the people to make the most of themselves and to acquire the financial ability to take their part in evangelizing their own continent. Industrial education, going hand in hand with the teaching of the usual branches, will work wonders in uplifting and developing the African people, especially the South African. Their ability, their eagerness to learn and improve, and their natural independence of character, make them a superior material to take on an energetic Christian civilization. Once rightly instructed along all good lines, they will not only soon become thrifty, industrial producers themselves, and so able to send the Gospel to others, but they will become teachers of others. Once developed and put in possession of their own faculties and resources, they will become uplifting forces and will do their part in making the world better. Ethiopia is stretching out her hands unto God, and she is stretching out -her hands to the Church in Ohristian lands for help to be put in the way to do for herself and for others.
The attempts to keep the black man down will not win ultimately. The negroes of both countries are being Christianized and industrialized as never before, and the good work will go on, until the purpose for which God made them is fulfilled.
PRAYING AND WORKING IN BRITISH EAST AFRICA
AN UKAMBA VILLAGE, BRITISB EAST AFlUCA PRAYING AND WORKING IN BRITISH EAST AFRICA BY CHARLES E. HURLBURT, KIJABI, BRITISH EAST AFRICA Director of the Africa Inland Mission If Africa is to be evangelized in this generation, there must be a speedy awakening to mighty intercession. Something more than interest is needed: more than thrilling tales of the darkness of Africa's sin, more than word-pictures of possible dangers to be met. The present generation of African souls can only hear the Gospel through a great awakening in the prayer-life or God's people, and such pre- vailing intercession as will speedily move the Arm omnipotent.
When Livingstone and Stanley told the world of Africa's need the Christian Church was greatly roused to prayer. As a result, mission- aries are pushing toward the interior from almost every point of the compass. The number of missionaries has greatly increased. Fruit has come that has gladdened the Church the whole world round, and many are saying and more are thinking: "Africa has almost ceased to be a ' Dark Continent,'" and with the glad thought has come a lessen- 'I- ing of the earnest prayer for laborers. '
Let us look at a single section of one field, which is only an ilh-:&!'- tration of many others. The Protestant missions of British East Africa sustain the kindest relations to each other. There is no jos- tling in the advance work toward the interior. Conferences have been held and advance lines agreed upon, so that no energy need be lost.
The Africa Inland Mission has marked for its advance a line covering, with Borne windings, nearly a thousand miles to the Nile. Its nearest
missionary neighbor, on the right of its frontier station, is nearly one hundred miles away, and on the left over two hundred. Along the line of its proposed advance there are no stations for some hundreds of miles either way. This line is said by Sir Harry Johnston and other English explorers to be as thickly settled as any part of Eastern Equatorial Africa. To establish a narraw lane of stations along this line, placing them twenty miles apart, and not more than two or three on a station, will require from one hundred to one hundred and fifty workers. To this number must be added: missionaries for two sorely needed new stations in Ukamba, where the work was first started, extra helpers to hold the field at some of the older stations, while the missionaries take a needed rest, and some special laborers to keep pace with the growth of the work already under way. The new missions must be started as tho we had DO stations; that is, unknown languages must be learned and reduced to writing, and the people must be taught to read; translations must be made of the Scriptures, and put in the hands of the people; we may not expect to reach all without native helpers, nor can there be strong Christian life without access to the Word of God.
Suppose that a new worker is able to take up a totally Dew language, learning it word by word without any help, reduce it to writing, secure a vocabulary, and master its peculiarities of construction in two years. This would be a good record for the most competent man.
1JlUM1IA HUT AND OHILDREN. BRITISH EAST AFRIOA.
.. Of such Is the Kingdom of – (P) "
Suppose that in the next five years he is able to translate a. large part of the Bible. How many of the people of "this generation" will have passed into eternity without a ray of Gospel1ight during the two years of learning the language? How many outside the narrow lines of the mission station will have passed away during the years of translation?
But if the one hundred and fifty are not forthcoming this year, who can measure the loss involved in a year's delay? If we double this line, .and measure on a thousand miles beyond the Nile through a wholly unevangelized country, and add to this similar lines for every society working in this section, the field grows too vast to picture.
MASSAI HUT AND PEOPLE, BRITISH EAST A.FRICA We may not add the workers pushing up the Nile from the north, the societies in the northwest, west, southwest, south, and southeast.
Let us look at another phase of the problem. The Ohurch Missionary Society, the largest body of missionary workers in British East Africa, having a vast field, doing an aggressive Gospel work, reported last year in the East Africa Protectorate Year-book a staff of European workers nnmbering forty-four, and this after thirty-two years of work. Suppose their bishop should send home for three hundred or six hundred miEsionaries to come out at once, would not the society, which has the largest force of any society in the world, answer that only God could meet this request?
A still further reason for prayer may be found in the fact that the various governments among whom the continent has been divided are pushing forward rapidly to secure and develop their respective sec-
tions. Occupation by so-called Christian governments does not mean evangelization unless missionaries keep pace with government forts. In East Africa, British occupation means the introduction of Mohammedanism through soldiers and servants, and thus a new and sore delay to the Gospel. To meet, then, the necessities of fields already <occupied, and to go forward to occupy the unevangelized parts of the continent, demands at once a force of trained workers so vast that even faith would stagger had not our God revealed to His children His wonder-working power. If only God's faithful children will think of this need until they feel it, study his promises until they believe them, then meet in little groups in every corner of every city and in THE MACBAKAS CHAPEL, BRITISH EAST AFRICA every country village for definite, earnest believing prayer that the "Lord of the harvest would thrust forth laborers into His harvest," then, and only then, will the light of God penetrate the darkness of the Dark Continent. Fellow Christian, will ymt pray for Africa? Do not wait for numbers. Do it now. "Two or three" are sufficient to meet for prayer and claim the Master's presence. " Pray YE the Lord of the harvest."
God is moving on here. The work-headquarters of our mission are now located at Kijabi, near the railroad. A long line of territory stretches out before us all unevangelized. The accompanying map shows the proposed line of advance. Help us pray for workers to occupy the field. Chapels have been dedicated at Kambui and Machakos. Good, steady work is being done at Kangundo and Thembigwa, and nineteen workers are now on the field. Work has developed with
MISSIONS IN SPRING COUNCILS OF THE DENOMINATIONS
remarkable rapidity. Daily services are held in three languages-Kikuyu, Kikamba, and Kimasai. There are some professed followers of Christ whom we are seeking to lead into clearer light, and the transformation from demon-dancers to humble seekers after truth, from wild dances to prayer-meetings, is a marvel to them and to us.
My heart breaks with the unutterable need, the openness of the door, and the strategic importance of the present hour. Surely there must be a speedy awakening to the greatness of the need just now~ and to prayer.
MISSIONS IN THE SPRING COUNCILS OF THE DENOMINATIONS BY REV. H. O. DWIGHT, LL.D. Secretary of the Bureau of Missions The great annual Meetings of the Denominations might well surprise a bystander by their likeness to one another in aim and motive. The Methodists of the General Conference in Los Angeles, the Presbyterians of the General Assembly in Buffalo, the Baptists at the Anniversaries in Cleveland, and other gatherings, all alike showed loving devotion to Jesus Christ, yearning to possess spiritual gifts in larger measure, and conviction of the need of a life more abundant in fruitfulness. They came upon common ground in all their deepest experiences, highest aspirations, and noblest utterances, thus giving to the meetings a value that can be appreciated in all Christendom. The same fact is notable in all the other denominational conferences of the season, both South and North. Students of the art of war in these days are giving close study to the methods and experiences of the two great armies in the Far East, and are trying to make profitable generalizations for those whose trade it is to kill men. Somewhat, in the same way, those whose hearts are set on the progress of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ can profitably study and compare the plans and enterprises discussed in these councils of the various bTanches of the Church in order to bring together with some precision facts of importance to all who follow the Master in His work of teaching men to live.
The Impulse Toward Union In all of these great meetings it was felt that" union is in the air." The Presbyterian General Assembly (North) took steps to facilitate closer relations with the Southern Presbyterian Church, to cooperate with all the churches in the Pan-Presbyterian Alliance, to forward federation of the Presbyterian and Reformed Churches, and, after a long and spirited debate, adopted by an overwhelming majority resolutions looking to organic union with the Cumberland Presbyterians. The Cumberland Presbyterian 'General Assembly, at Dallas,
Texas, adopted similar resolutions, and the question now goes to the Presbyteries in both denominations for the vote which is expected to allow the union to be carried out.
The Southern Presbyterian General Assembly at Mobile was moved by the same impulse in its cordial response to ~he initiative of the Northern Presbyterian body. In Canada a like spirit led the Presbyterian General Assembly to appoint a committee to discuss further with committees of Congregationalists and the Methodists the practicability of organic nnion between these three Canadian churches.
The same impulse showed itself at. Cleveland, where the Baptists appointed a committee to join in arranging for a General Conference of all Baptists in 1905, and to consider a renewal of the old Triennial Convention of Baptists North and South. It was seen also in the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which took action for arranging with the Southern Methodist Episcopal Church the adoption of a common hymnal, a common catechism, and a common order of worship, expressing a desire to promote practical fraternity, with exchange of ministers and members, and planning to give further effect to these desires by cooperating with other branches of Methodism for a united Methodisrrr in the mission field of Japan.
Such a common impulse, dominating these great meetings, and silencing the counsels of exclusiveness, suspicion, and conservatism, is no small thing.· Men long that revivals might stir the Church. This general impulse to fulfil the purpose of Jesus Christ is in itself a token of revival. As was said by leading men in the Presbyterian General Assembly at Buffalo, "churches all over the world are preparing for union. It is an indication of the leadings of God. When there is a noise in the tops of the mulberry trees it becomes all thoughtful men to listen."
New Methods in Administration Hitherto the Methodist Episcopal Church has carried on its home and foreign missionary enterprises through a single missionary society. But it has had separate societies for fostering Education, for Freedmen's Aid and Sou them Education, and for Church Extension; besides a Sunday-school Union and a Tract Society. To a bystander these latter societies appeal' to be mere branches of the home missionary enterprise, and all the societies have now been consolidated into three -viz., (1) The Board of Foreign Missions, with headquarters in New York; (2) The Board of Home Missions, with which is united the Church Extension Society, with headquarters in Philadelphia; and, (3) The Board of Education and Freedmen's Aid, with headquarters in Oincinnati; the Freedmen's Aid and Southern Educational Society, the Sunday-school Union and the Tract Society beiJlg all united in this one board. Sundry legal obstacles may delay for a time the full
MISSIONS IN SPRING COUNCILS OF THE DENOMINATIONS
consolidation that has been decided upon. It can hardly be doubted, however, that greater efficiency, and, in the end, greater economy, will be gained through this measure. The new arrangement will also benefit the average church-member, who wishes to give intelligently, but has been perplexed by the number of appeals, each for the moment claiming precedence over all others.
Another decision of the Methodist General Conference, which shows a purpose vigorously to press the foreign missions of the Church, was the election of one additional missionary bishop to Africa, two additional missionary bishops to Southern Asia, and a missionary bishop to Japan and Korea.
Of the same class is the action of the Presbyterian Church, South, appointing Dr. Egbert Smith as foreign missionary secretary coordinate with Dr. S. H. Chester, but with special reference to the field work. This church has al80 reduced the machinery of its benevolences. The Education Committee and the Ministerial Relief Committee have been consolidated, with headquarters at Louisville, Ky.
Expansion in Missions In all of these great meetings the work of nllSSlOns was presented as growing. This growth proceeds at a rate which would awaken foreboding did it not arouse enthusiasm as the sign of the right arm of the Most High. The vast extent of the home-mission enterprise of the churches becomes apparent on looking at the list of its various branches: Evangelism, Education, Ch urch Extension, Publication, and Sunday-school Development. In the home field the need of yet greater exertion is clearly to be seen by all, because the character of the demand for energetic work is changing. The greatest growth of population is not now in distant frontier regions, but in towns and cities. As was well said in the Methodist General Conference, "The frontiers now are around the great cities."
In the Baptist Church, according to Dr. A. H. Strong's figures, the amount. spent for home missions in 1850 was $26,442, and in 1903, $635,396. In the Southern Baptist Convention the receipts for home missions in 1903-4 were $134,000, an increase of 23 per cent. over last year. In the Methodist Church the gifts for home and foreign missions, including those collected through the women's boards, amounted to $7,122,563 in the four years 1896-1899, and $8,817,896 in the period 1900-1903. Duriug the last four years, by the w-ay, the Women's Foreign Missionary Society has spent in India fully $45,000 more than the parent society. The Presbyterian Church in United States (North) received for foreign missions during the last year $1,131,51O-the largest sum it has ever collected in one year for this purpose. Its expenditures exceeded this amount by about $40,000, chiefly for new work. The American Baptist Missionary Union announced, at its
annual meeting, receipts amounting to $735,585.02, and expenditures amounting to $723,029.09.
'I'hese great sums for missions are not by any means the limit. The Oumberland Presbyterian Woman's Board announces that 1905 is the twenty-fifth anniversary of its organization, and that its ideal is to have by that time twenty-five missionaries, 25,000 members in its auxiliaries, and a free-will offering of $25,000. The Southern Baptist Oonvention has increased its annnal contributions for foreign missions in the seven years, 1898-1904, from $124,249 to $247,629. But in the same period the church· membership on the mission field increased from 4,760 to 9,969 souls. So the convention is encouraged to open a new mission in Argentina, has decided to open a mission in Persia, and at its meeting at Nashville it decided to try to increase the contributions this year for home and foreign missions by twentyfive per cent.
The American Baptist Missionary Union deems it desirable to have an additional $50,000 assigned to it each year. The pressure for enlargement in the forejgn mission field comes from several directions. Where the native church is thoroughly established, the need must be quite different from that in a new field. In the meeting of the Baptist Missionary Union, Dr. N. E. Wood, of Newton Theological Seminary, urged the pressing need of educating native evangelists, providing well-equipped schools at strategic centers, with missionaries for instructors. The time is now ripe for setting many natives to work in effective evangelism. Dr. Wood brought in a plan to raise $500,000, which would be invested in this country as an endowment for educational work in foreign field.
At the Methodist Episcopal General Conference a resolution was introduced, authorizing the Oentral Oonference of Southern Asia to celebrate its jubilee year by raising a fund of $200,000 for the equIpment of publishing houses. This is a wonderfully compulsive scheme, since the literary department in foreign mission fields is often overlooked in reports, as tho books and tracts for aggressive work may appear by spontaneous generation. A type of demand for illcreased means which is met by all missionary societies working in India appeared in Bishop Warne's description of the critical situation of Hinduism. He pointed out that Paul found no obstacles at Athens, Ephesus, or Rome so powerful as the philosophical religious system faced by missionaries in India. Hinduism antedates and has outlived the Greek and Roman philosophy. It has successfully resisted Buddhism, has checked the onward rush of Mohammedanism, and there are still two hundred millions in India who hold to this ancient philosophical system. Christianity, however, has made a beginning of a successful attack upon Hinduism. While the general population of India increased seven and one-half per cent. in ten years (1891…1901),
MISSIONS IN SPRING COUNCILS OF THE DENOMINATIONS
the Christian population increased thirty per cent. in the same time. Small as the Ohristian body is, this ratio of growth is a magnificent beginning which proclaims that effort may not be slackened.
A curiously irresistible call for more funds reached the ears of the Oanada Presbyterian General Assembly from Formosa. The Japanese occupation of that island has raised the general standard of education, and is developing female eduootion. If the schools of the mission, now under the critical eye of Japanese officials, are to keep their prestige and their influence, they must have a better equipment and more instructors. Still another type, encountered by several societies, of demands for increase in expenditure appeared in Bishop Moore's address at Los Angelos when he drew a vivid picture of the situation produced in Western Ohina by news of the British expedition into Tibet. The Ohinese Christians saw at once the far-reaching influence of the guns of the Younghusband expedition, and instantly responded: u On to Tibet!"
The answer to those who find fault with expansion in missions is that Jesus Ohrist was perfectly aware, when He gave the command to teach all nations, how quickly obedience to it would strain and test the loyalty of His followers. When General Grant ordered the first general assault upon the fortifications of Vicksburg, he knew perfectly what the effect of the order would be upon individual soldiers in his army. An old story of that bloody day illustrates the true spirit of the soldier, and has its application to the relation of individual church-members to the question of duty toward missions. The assaulting columns at Vicksburg drew near to the enemy's works, but broke under the fierce opposing fire, and found shelter from the storm of bullets by lying flat on the ground. One burly farmer's boy, a new recruit who knew no better, pressed on, climbed the parapet, and only discovered that his comrades were riot with him when the enemy rushed to take him prisoner. The young giant seized the first man who attacked him and turned back to rejoin his regiment, dragging his struggling enemy with him. As he reached his comrades lying helpless on the ground, he cried: "Boys, why didn't you come on? You might each have got one! " The fruit of success is greater opportunity. Expansion is the only possible order of the day in the Ohristian Church. It is the necessary result of faith in Jesus Ohrist; and everyone who makes use of the Lord's prayer is an Imperialist, pledged to bear his share of the cost of bringing in the Kingdom.
Systematic Giving The financial means for the world-wide missions lag behind this necessary expansion. Were it not for caution as to overlapping fields already occupied, and especially were it not for the steady increase of contributions from the native churches in all the missions, the whole
foreign missionary enterprise might easily be wrecked. The subject of ways and means took an important place in discussions of missions at these meetings. There is a growing dissatisfaction with the method of collect.ing needed funds by special appeal. All the denominations seem to incline toward undertaking continuous culture of systematic and proportionate giving. In the Methodist Church a laymen's committee has taken the matter in hand, circulating literature through pastors and others with good results. At the Baptist Anniversaries it was strongly urged that every state convention appoint a special committee to press home the duty of system in giving. This is in effect the measure just adopted by the English Baptists. Each association in the British Baptist Church is asked to appoint a missionary committee to foster and guide organized effort for missions. At the same time, all-day meetings will be arranged to be held in all cities, not to collect money, but to educate the people to realize that they are Christians for the sake of service to Christ.
* M. Bonet-Maury, of Paris, writing in recent numbers of the Revue des Denx Mondes on the" Civilizing Influence of Missions," generalizes from masses of facts taken from Protestant and Roman Catholic missions alike when he says: "The most efficient agent of civilization is the missionary." Multitudes who give to missions in an intermittent and barely tolerant way have grasped neither this truth nor its meaning. They do not know what great things they have been doing. as fellow laborers with God, in making a new earth. Perhaps they have begun to falter, appalled, as the vast enterprise unfolds in its grandeur. But the lesson as to missions taught by a cursory survey of these great spring assemblies of the denominations is that whatever the position of the rank and file, the leaders are united in appreciating the greatness of the enterprise of missions and the majesty of the Divine purpose which its unchecked progress reveals. It is this unity of aim and motive in all the denominations which insures that the great undertaking will go forward in the power of Jesus Christ, until His enemies have become His footstool. But, as was said by Dr. Mackay in the Canadian Presbyterian General Assembly, the first step in securing effective results from this unity of aim and motive must be to lead every individual Christian at home to realize that Christ is Lord!
"Seep. 611. MISSIONARIES IN CONFERENCE THE TWENTY-FIRST SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL MISSIONARY UNION The sessions of the Union opened on Wednesday evening, June 1st, and closed Tuesday evening, June 7th. From the memoranda kept during the meeting we present the following: At the recognition meeting there were, a~ usual, missionaries from lands all over the world, who introduced themselves-this time by years of service. About eighty-five were present at this first meeting. On Thursday morning memoirs were read of fourteen deceased missionaries: Mrs. Rebecca T. Lore, of the Methodist Episcopal Board, and one of the earliest missionaries to Buenos Aires, South America; Rev. R. M. Luther, M.D., Secretary of the Baptist Board; Miss Sarah F. Gardiner, of the Union Missionary Society, Calcutta, India; Rev. Isaac Van Schoick, M.D., of the Dutch Reformed Board, China; Rev. Robert Hoskins, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, India; Mrs. J. R. Goddard, of the Baptist Board, China; Rev. William C. Davidson, Methodist Episcopal Church, Japltn; Mrs. F. S. Miller, Ceylon; Mrs. C. C. Vinton, Presbyterian Board, Korea; Mrs. S. W. Howland, of Jaffna, Ceylon, American Board; Rev. J. J. Hall, of Mexico and Cuba, Southern Presbyterian Church; Rev. William Spear, Presbyterian Board, China; and Mrs. Nancy Monelle Mansell, M.D., Methodist Episcopal Board, China. Mrs. Mansell drew up the petition that was presented to the India government to raise the marriageable' age of India's women.
The devotional hour was conducted by Mr. David McConaughy, and as the prevailing idea was the indebtedness of the missionary world to the Bible societies, the thought that was uppermost was that they who were to carry the Gospel to others must themselves be the embodiment of that Gospel. Dr. Haggard, of India, led the meeting in the afternoon on " Providential Openings and Enlargement During' the Past Year." Dr. George F. Herrick, of Turkey, referred to the special providential openings in the matter of education, which are very marked. He also spoke of progress in medical work, particularlyof the need of hospitals, and the negotiations of the United States government with Turkey to secure permission to open hospitals.
Rev. Dr. R. H. Nassau, of Africa, spoke of great educational opportunities, which are so desired that the people may be able to read" the white man's book," which they think contains the secret of his power. They find young men in their schools offering themselves for the ministry. He laid emphasis on the importance of industrial work.
Rev. Dr. William Ashmore reported that great things are being done by the Lord in China. The whole of the Asiatic heart is being stirred,
and is opening toward the truth as never before. The results of thirty or forty years are being realized.
Rev. G. A. Huntley, M.D., of China, said that the cartoons, which caused so many uprisings by misrepresenting Christians, have been suppressed. The chief man in getting up these cartoons has been ar- rested and imprisoned, and the printing house which issued these car- toons has been torn down.
Dr. Boggs, of the Telugu Mission, India, said that the Telugus have recently sent one of their own number as a missionary to South Africa. He had just received a letter from him from Natal, telling of great prosperity. Every speaker told of increase so great that it was an embarrassment, for they could not take care of the people that were coming. Another told of a whole class of llighway robbers who had been converted.
Rev. H. A. Crane hinted at the vast movement now going on in the Methodist Episcopal Church in North India.
"Christianity in contact with Buddhism and Shintoism" was the topic for another day.
Rev. J. T. Cole, of Japan, said. that Christianity is more than a system of doctrine-it is a life, something that men can see in those who represent it. Buddhism is a pretended system of religion. Shintoism is not a religion, but a system of rites and ceremonies which has more reference to the dead than the living. It stands for ceremonies of loyalty and reverence for the emperor.
Rev. J. S. Thomas, M.D., of Siam, referred to the fact that the King of Siam is the only Buddhist king living. Of course, he accepts the belief of transmigration. He visited the king, who said to him: "We welcome you medical missionaries." The priests are the only ones who can read. One-fourth of the converts are ex-priests. Buddhist temples are going to decay, and no new ones are being built. A Buddhist said he would like to be a Ohristian, but could not, for he was heavily in debt, and if he became a Christian he would have to pay his debts; now it made no difference.
"Oonfucianism and 'raoism in Contact with Ohristianity" was discussed. Taoism was described as having two parts-one for the common people, and another for the priests. Oonfucianism had such a hold on the people that it was difficult often to introduce Ohristianity. The Ohinese prize education, and so children come to the schools. As to the women, it seems to make but little difference which of the false religions they embrace, for they practise them all. The result and influence of Christianity on them is marvelous. Cohfucianism never transforms the life, as the most ardent of them live il! vice. Ancestral worship holds China back from progress without outside influence.
Dr. Ashmore said that Oonfucianism starts with denial of knowledge of or faith in a supreme God. Rvery heathen religion has the heart eaten out. They say it does not matter what-you think of God if you treat your fellow men right. But we say to them, as we say to men here, You will neYer treat your fellows well until you treat God right. This system has exhausted its initial energy, and shows it is on the wane. Christianity and heathenism are in conflict, not in accord, and the battle is the Lord's.
Mohammedanism was discussed by Dr. G. F. Herrick, of Turkey, and others. While Christianity demands truth, Mohammedanism justifies and demands deception; as a system, it is absolutely desti- tute of mercy or of personal purity. They appreciate our schools and books on science; they read the productions of the Bible Society. In twenty years 151,000 volumes of the Bible or parts have been sold to them.
Mr. H. W. Fry, who has traveled extensively in the East, spoke as an observer of the fact that Buddhism is expecting a greater than Buddha; that Confucianists are looking for a greater than Confucius; that Mohammedans are looking for a greater than Mohammed.
In Africa, great opposition is met with from the Mohammedans. Dr. T. J. Scott and others discussed" Cnristianity in Contact with Hinduism." "More," said Dr. Scott, " have been won from this on!)- fifth of the race than from all other heathen religions. It is admitted by the Hindus themselves that Christianity is the most powerful of all religions, and must eventually overcome all." One of the most interesting and helpful sessions was given to the work of Bible societies.
Young People's and Woman's Work The work of young people in connection with the Student Volun·· teer Movement, the Young Men's Christian Association in foreign lands, and the work of the Young Women's Christian Association had a very helpful session. 'I.'he Woman's Meeting, which is always held on Friday afternoon, is so called, not because the audience is supposed to be principally women, but it is conducted by women and the speakers are women. Ten women were present whose aggregate term of service was three hundred and fifty years. 'fhe one who headed the list for longest term was Mrs. G. F. Herrick, of Turkey, having spent forty-four years in that empire, and the next Mrs. T. J. Scott, who had been connected with the North India Mission of the Methodist Episcopal Church for forty-two years. Different phases of woman's work in eight countries was presented. One young woman was present and introduced who leaves this coming fall for the province of Shansi, China.
.The Business Session and Farewell Meeting At a business session of the Union, a committee on resolutions presented two memoranda-one, on the present war, and its probable
bflarings on the future of mission work, prepared by Dr. Ashmore; the other, on the liquor traffic in Africa, prepared by Dr. Nassau.
Both were discussed, and unanimously adopted. Other resolutions were presented, and among them one of thanks and appreciation for the hospitality of the Sanitarium. In discussing the one upon the magnanimous generosity of Dr. Henry Foster, of Mrs. Foster, and the Faculty and Trustees in the work which they have done and are doing for missionaries, in giving free treatment to the sick, and in the ftee entertainment to the Union from year to year, the statement was made that during the last year the Sanitarium had given not less than thirty-five thousand dollars' worth of free treatment.
'l'he last afternoon was devoted to the discussion of home matters, apathy of the Church, the need of consecrated giving, and Dr. Boggs spoke of the" Key to the Missionary Problem," by Andrew Murray, and" Things as They Are," by Miss Drysdale, as two of the best books published to stir up inactive Christians. .
At the farewell service, presided over by Dr. C. C. Thayer, the exercises were exceedingly impressive. Forty-four missionaries expecting to return to their work during the year-among them, four going for the first time-sat upon the platform, and seemed exultant at the prospect. Nearly all of them said a few words expressive of their hopes. Rev. Dr. Scott made a most practicable and able address.
Rev. H. C. Crane was elected vice-president, the other officers remain- ing the same.
The Liquor Traffic in Africa BY R. H. NASSAU, M.D., D.D.
Protests against traffic in intoxicating liquors among aboriginal populations p,omc from various sources. First, they come from the lips of missionaries in charge of native churches, where a careful estimate claims that the membership would be tenfold the present numbers were it not for the temptation set by the drink habit. If there be such a thing as « moderate drinking" possible to the colder-blooded and stronger-willed Anglo-Saxon, it is not possible to the enervated populations of tropical countries. Second, ~t is not true of those countries that their own native drinks, and not the foreign liquors, are responsible for their drunkenness, and that they would be equally drunken even if the foreigner had not introduced his rum. Native palm wine and plantation beer and other drinks are not as intoxicating-do not so sodden the mind, or destroy the physical organsas the poisonous compounds of the rum trade. In Africa, for instance, the native at first disliked the taste of rum; he did not accept it. until it was urged on him. When the Gospel was first carried into the Ogowe River, West Africa, in 1874, the interior tribes were only beginning to learn its use. Third, native chiefs, such as the Ohristian
MISSIONARIES IN CONFERENCE
King Khama, of South Africa, and the Mohammedan chiefs of the Niger Delta, have petitioned almost in vain that the trader be not allowed to bring in his liquor. Fourth, some of the very men who are trading in liquor would be glad to have it abolished. To it is largely, due the loss of white life in countries like Africa, and the only pecuniary gain is its use during initial stages of the trade or afterward, when it is sold directly over the counters of a shop. Where trade is carried on in what is called the "trust system" there is no gain. This is admitted by most foreign traders. For the liquor is drunk up at once by the natives to whom it was entrusted, before he has made even an effort at seeking native produce in return. At this stage of the trade, many white traders would be pleased to have governments step in with a prohibition that would be enforced on all. Individual agreements not to sell have at times been made; but they are broken by some treacherous signatory to the contract, in the greed of rivalship in trade. Fifth, even where there exists prohibition by the government of some one country, the law is evaded, and smuggling is carried on over the bord er of an adjacent country. Were there uniformity and universality in tariff duties of an amount practically prohibitive, the evil could soon be extinguished. There are European trading-firms in Africa, and probably in other countries, who would welcome such legislation.
Ratio of Missionaries to Population BY J. R. ROBINSON, LUCKNOW, INDIA We present the following as a sample of the communications received by the Union: An attempt to definitely answer the question as to what consti~utes an adequate evangelizing agency in any of the foreign mission fields, at once compels recognition of the fact that these fields differ, and what would be adequate in one would fall short in another. Dense 01' scattered populations, barbaric or semi-civilized conditions, ignorance or enlightment, friendly 01' obstructing climate, ease 01' difficulty of access-these and other conditions are to be reckoned with.
Aside from this, different estimates will be given by different persons because of different conceptions as to what is to be brought about by this evangelizing agency. He who believes that when the people of any given locality have heard the Gospel they are made accountable at once for its acceptance or rejection, and are to be classed thenceforth as among the evangelized, will naturally feel that the work can be accomplished by a smaller number of missionaries than will he who is convinced that it is not only necessary to preach to the people once or twice, but that it must be line upon line and precept upon precept, that the hearers must have the Gospel pnt before them so often and so forcibly that the essentials or that Gospel may be clearly
grasped by minds naturally obtuse, and that there must be the opportunity for those influences of moral and intellectual and personal persuasion that have so very much to do with the inauguration of the Christian experience among people of Christian lands. The man who holds the latter theory will not only insist that there must be men enough to preach time after time to the same people, but that there must be men for the schools and the colleges and the hospitals that naturally accompany the preaching of the Gospel, for evangelization in effect means nothing less than building the Kingdom of God among men.
The ideal condition on the mission field would be to have as many missionaries for the' population as there are ministers to the same number of people in the home land. But this is beyond the possible. It is estimated that at present Malaysia has one missionary to each 142,000 of population; China, one to each 132,000; India, one to each 7'4,000 ; Japan, one to each 60,000; and Africa, one to each 50,000. Reading these numbers, one can only be impressed with the feebleness of the effort that is, up to the present, being put forth for the evangelization of the world, and with this impression comes the feeling that until in these fields there is present and working a minimum of one missionary for each ten thousand of inhabitants, the Church of Christ on earth can lay no claim to having seriously attempted the execution of the Great Commission of its Founder.
LIST OF MISSIONARIES PRESENT YEARS OF YEARS OF SERVICE NAME FIELn SERVICE NAME FJELD 1004- Arnott, Miss Nellie J ….. Africa 18~,6- Craver, Mrs. S. P …….. { SM. eAximcoerica 1850- Ashmore, Rev. W m …… China 1878-79 Cushing, Rev. Cbas. W … Italy 1879- Ashmore, Mrs. W m …. 1JCJahpinaan 1889- Davis, Mrs. Lydia L ……. Chlna 1895- Baker, Rev. J. M……… .India 1867- Drysdale, Mrs. H. F ……. India 1895- Baker, Mrs. J. M….. . . . . . " 1004- Bawden, Rev. S. D……… " 1888- Dunlap, Rev. J. B ……… Siam 1890– Becban, Miss Emily …… Am. Indians 1879-81 Belden, Mrs. W. H ……. .Bulgaria 1888-' Dunlap, Mrs. J. B……… " 1886- Bigelow, Miss Gertrude S ..J apan 1856- Bingham, Rev. Hiram….. Micronesia 1872- Elwell, Mrs. C. H. R ……. Burma 1872-88 Bliss, Rev. E. M……….. Turkey 1886-00 Bliss, Mrs. E. M ……….. .Micronesia 1892- Ferguson, Mrs. Henry S… China 1847-00 Bliss, Mrs. Isaac G …….. Turkey 1878- Boggs, Rev. W. B ………India 1894- Fraser, Rev. Melvin ……. Africa 1886-87 Bond, Rev. G. A……….. Malaysia 1887-96 Bostwick. H. J ………… Cl::.ina 1896- Fry, H. W ……………..India 1887-96 Bostwick, Mrs H. J ……. "- 1004- Butzhack, Rev. Albert…. " 1888- Gardner, Miss Sarab …… Japan 1897- Carter, H. L …………… C. America 1896- Carter, Mrs. H. L… .. … .. .. 1881- Gault, Mrs. W. C………. Africa 1882-96 Cartmell, Miss Martha J .. Japan 1896- Chapman, Miss Ella L….. Burma 1998- Glenn, Miss Grace C……. Japan 1892- Clarke,Rev.G.H………. Africa 1861-68 Gracey, Rev. J. T………. India 1900- Clarke, Mrs. G. H……… " 1861-68 Gracey, Mrs. J. T………. " 1867-88 Coan, Mrs. Titus ………. Hawaii 1883-94 Cole, Rev. J. Thompson … Japan 1892- Haggard, Rev. F. P… .. … " 1892- Crane, Rev. H. A ……….Indla 1892- Crane, Mrs. H. A .••..• , . I • " 1857-81 Harris, Mrs. J. E ………. Burma 1867- Hazen, Rev. Hervey C….. India J884- Hazen, Mrs. Hervey C….. "
1904- Heebner Miss Flora K …. China 1858- Herrick, Rev. Geo. F ……Turkey 1861- Herrick, Mrs. Geo. F. .. .. . "
1897- Hill, Mrs. C. B. ..•……… India 1867- Hoskins, Mrs. Robert G… "
1872- House, Rev. John H …….Bulgaria.
l Sni'– H oust on, MI' SS Ed1'th . . . . { MCuebxaico '-I 1880- Hous'ton, MI'SS Janet H"1J MCuebxaico
TIlE MISSIONARY BISHOPS OF TIlE M. E. CHURCH
YEARS OF YEARS OF SER.VICE NAME }I'IELD SERVICE NAME FIELD 1857-00 Ilumphrey, Rev. J.L., M.D.India 1878- Robinson, Mrs. Ritter T ..India 1857-00 Humphrey, Mrs. J. L….. .. ' 1892-96 Roscoe, H. L………….. "
1889- Huntley, Rev. G. A., M.D.. China 1895-96 Roscoe, Mrs. H. L.. . . . . . . . "
1891- Irvine, Miss 11'l. J.. . . . . . . . . .. 1889- Sanders, Rev. W. H ……. Africa 1903- Jackman, Rev. L. W. B … Assam 1888- Sanders. Mrs. W. II……. •• 1895- Jones, Rev. W. Y ………. Japan 1897- Schenck, Mrs. J. W…….. Japan 1884- Jones, Mrs. W. Y………. .. 1862- Scott, Rev. T. J ……….. India 1904– Kelhnpt'r, Rev. Ernest. … China 1862- Scott, Mrs. T. J ……….. "
j 1878- Kelsey, Adeline D., M.D. 1~~~~ 1889-~8 Stone, Rev.J.Sumner,M.D. "
1873- KUban. Rev. Chas. W ….. Africa 1880-88 Stone, Mrs. J. Sumner. . .. " 1881-02 Kingsbury, Fred. L., M.D.. Bulgaria 1881–02 Kingsbury, ~{rs. Fred. L.. .. 1869- Stott, Mrs. Grace………. China 1853-76 Knowlton, Mrs. L. A …… China 1885- Kyle, Miss Theresa J …… India 1868-73 Thayer, C. C., M.D …….. Turkey 1892- Malcolm, William, 'LD…. China 1892- Malcolm, Mrs. William…. " 1868-73 Thayer, Mrs. C. C… .. …. " 1895- Marshall, Rev. G. W……. " 18ll6- Marshall, Mrs. G. W……. " 1893- Thomas, Rev. J. S., M.D .. Siam 1888- Mason, Miss Stella …….. Assam 1889–02 McConaughy, David……. India 1893- Thomas, Mrs. J. S……… .. 1889-02 McOonaughy, Mrs. David. " 1888- McKillican, Miss Janet …. China 1886- Touzeau, Rev. J. G…….. S. America 1876-02 Meacham, Rev. G. M…… Japan 1895- Mellen, Miss Laura M….. Africa 1886- Touzeau, Mrs. J. G…….. " 1897- Melton, Miss !lIary E …… Japan 1883-95 Merritt, C. P. W., M.D …. Ohina 1889- Wallless, W. J., M.D …… India 1885–93 Merritt, Mrs. C. P. W ….. " 1896- Murray, Miss Effie .. …. " 1889- Wanless, Mrs. W. J ……. " 1861- Nassau, Rev. R. H., M.D .. Africa 1896– Newton, Rev. C. H …….. China 1848-57 Wight, Rev. J. K ……… .China 1896– Nicholls, Miss ElizabethW.India 189;,- Nichols, Miss Florence L.. " 1891- Williams, Mrs. Alice M…. .. 1895– Partch, Mrs. Geo. E ……. China 1899- Patterson, Rev. J. C.,….. " 1875– Wyckoff, Rev. John H …. India 11l99- Patterson, Mrs. J. C……. " 1878-80 Priest, Miss Mary A ……. Japan COUNTRIES REPRESENTED 1893- Raff, Rev. William A…… Africa 1904- Ranck, Rev. Clarence E … China Africa ………………………………… 11 1853-62 Ranney, !III's. 111. E …….. Burma As.am ……………………………….. 8 1903- Ransom, Miss Delight. …. Assam Bulgaria……………………………… 4 Burma ……………………………….. 4 Central America.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 2 China ……………………………….. 29 Cuba……………………………….. 2 Hawaii……………………………….. 1 India ………………………………… 3J y:~~~:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::: Il Malaysia……………………………… 1 Mexico ………………………………. 3 Micronesia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . .. Il North America……………………….. 1 Siam …………………………………. 4 South Amprica.. … .. …. ……………… 8 Turkey ………………………………. 6 Total. ………………………….. 122 Total Number of lUissionaries…………. 117 Number of Outgoing Missionaries……… 44 THE MISSIONARY BISHOPS OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH BY REV. WILLIAM INGRAHAM HAVEN, D.D., NEW YORK Secretary of the American Bible Society The entire episcopacy of the Methodist Episcopal Church is a missionary episcopacy. It has been distinctly such from the beginning. The general superintendents have regularly visited the missionary field and administered therein. This they probably will long continue to do, for it is in accord with the genius of the Church to cvver all its length and breadth in all lands by the superintendence and unifying influence of its general episcopacy.
'Two policies stand out in the present attitude of the Church toward its missionary fields-one, that of fixing residences abroad for its general superintendents, with the implied intention of requiring a some-
what diocesan service in these fields irom the bishops assigned to them for particular periods, without thereby in any way distracting from their right and authority to administer at home or anywhere throughout the Church. Thus. residences have been fixed for the coming four years in Shanghai, China, to which Bishop Bashford has been appointed; in Zurich, Switzerland, to which Bishop Burt has been appointed; and in Buenos Ayres, South America, to which Bishop Neely has been appointed. It is expected that the conferences in China and the conferences in Europe and the conferences in South America will, during the coming quadrennium, be largely under the oversight of these bishops.
The other method which is being tried by the Church in its foreign work is what is distinctly called a" missionary episcopacy." These bishops are chosen to serve in particular fields. They have all the functions and authority of the regular general superintendents within the territories for which they are elected. 'l'hey are chosen by the General Conference, and are consecrated with the other bishops. They have, however, no jurisdiction outside of their respective fields. They are held in honor and affection by the whole Church, and in their visits to the home land are an inspiration and a blessing wherever they go. Few men in the whole history of Methodism have had more 1Ilfiuence in its councils than Bishop Thoburn, Missionary Bishop for Southern Asia.
This idea of a missionary episcopacy is about fifty years old. It took its rise in the needs of the missionary work in Liberia, on the west coast of Africa, the first of the foreign missionary fields of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The journey to that field from the United States was at that time a long and somewhat perilous one, and yet the Church felt that the mission should have Episcopal supervision. The first missionary bishop, therefore, was Rev. Francis Burns, a colored man born in Albany, New York, who sailed for Liberia in 1834. He was ordained a missionary bishop October 14, 1858, at the Genesee Conference in New York State, after election to that office by the Liberia Conference in January of the flame year, under the provisions of the General Conference of 1856. Bishop Burns died in 1863. The second missionary bishop was also a colored man, born in Petersburg, Va., who emigrated to Africa in 1838-Rev. John Wright Roberts. He was consecrated bishop in St. Paul's Church, New York, June 20, 1866, and left immediately for his field of labor in Africa, where he died in 1875.
Nearly ten years passed by before the missionary episcopacy was revived. This was occasioned by the election of that wonderful apostolic spirit, William Taylor, as Missionary Bishop for Africa by the General Conference of 1884.
The next General Oonference, in 1888, elected James M. Thoburn,
WILLIAM..F. OLDHAM JOHN E
Two newly elected Methodist MJBBlonary Bishops for Southern Asia
a beloved -missionary in India, as Missionary Bishop of India and Malaysia. The labors of these godly men lifted up into great prominence the idea of the missionary episcopacy, and commended it to the attention of the Church, so that it was not strange that in 1896, on the retirement of William Taylor, Rev. Joseph C. Hartzell, for years associated with the Freedmen's Aid Society of the Church as its corresponding secretary, was elected Missionary Bishop of Africa. It is as his coadjutor that Rev. Isaiah B. Scott, an honored negro minister, has just been elected by the General Conference of 1904 as Missionary Bishop of Africa. To these two bishops has been committed the care of the three conferences in Africa-the Liberia and the West Central Conferences on the west coast, and the East Central Conference on the east coast. There are more than five thousand members and prohationers in these conferences, fifty-five men and women missionaries, and more than one hundred ordained and unordained ministers: The field is vast, and entails long and wearisome journeys. Bishop Scott was born in Kentucky. He graduated from the Central Tennessee College in ] 890. He has been a pastor and presiding elder and college president in Texas, and for eight years editor of the Southwestern Ohristian Advocate, published in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dr. Scott has been a member of five General Conferences, and of the Ecumenical Oonferences in Washington and London. He brings to his work a balanced judgment and a consecrated heart.
Four years ago the Church said that the burden of administration in India and Malaysia was too heavy to rest upon the shoulders of Bishop 'rhoburn. They therefore at that time elected two new bishops for that field-Bishops Ed win W. Parker, who very soon after his return to India was called from his labors to his reward, .and Bishop Francis W. Warne, who, with Bishop Thoburn and the cooperation of the general superintendents, has been incessant in toil throughout his extensive diocese, which includes India, Burma, Malaysia, and the Philippines. For this region, at the General Conference in Los Angeles, California, in May of this year, two new bishops were set apart to preside over seven conferences, with a population of one hundred and fifty thousand Christians and millions of unconverted souls needing the message of salvation. Bishop Warne, in his recent report, recalling the words of Livingstone, says: " After a quadrennium of travel in India, I can see the smoke, not of a thousand villages, not of a hundred thousand, but of five hundred thousand villages in ;Which there is not a Christian." '[,hese new missionary bishops for Southern Asia are William F. Oldham, himself born in India, and"J(jhnEdward Robinson, a native of Ireland, for years editor of the Indian Witness and a missionary worker in India. Both Bishops Oldham and Robinson have resided in the United StMIea, re-
B. SCOTT MERRIMAN C. HA.RRIS
Missiouary Bishop for Africa. 1IlIsslonary Bishop for Japan and Korea .
ceiving part of their educa- tion in the nHiversities and schools of the Church in this country. Bishop Oldham opened the missionary work in Malaysia in the Straits Settlements, where he labored as pastor of the Eng lis h Chu rch, as superintendent of the mission, and as presiding elder of the Burma district.
Failing in health, he returned to the United States, where he was a pastor in Michigan and Pennsylvania, and later Professor of Modern Missions in Ohio Wesleyan University and Assistant Secretary of the Missionary Society, with his BISHOP J. C, HARTZELL, OF AFRIOA headquarters in Chicago. He is unusually qualified to take up his new duties. So also is Bishop Robinson, who is known and loved throughout the Church ill India. '
The election of Merriman C. Harris as Missionary Bishop of Japan and Korea was a new step forward. Dr. Harris will have under his care two conferences in Japan and one ill Korea, with a staff of about sixty missionaries and their wives, and more than thirteen thousand mem bers and probationers.
Bishop Harris has been a mi~sionary in Japal!.. He was the first Protestant missionary to the Island of Yezzo.
Since 1886 he has been in charge of the Japanese work on the Pacific Coast. lIe is a man held in honor among ' his brethren, and is especially adapted to handle the delicate questions involved in this new episcopacy. He was born in Saint Clairsville, Ohio, 1846.
The preRent Board of Missionary Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, therefore, consists of Bishops BISHOP 'P. W. WARNE Hartzell and Scott for Africa, Bishops ThobuIin,Warne, Oldham, and Robinson for Southern Asia, and Bishop Harris for Japan an d Korea-a body of men i upon whom rest apostolic burdens.
1904J INDIA STILL IN NEED
INDIA STILL IN NEED BY REV. C. B. WARD Presiding Elder of Godavery District, Bombay Methodist Episcopal Conference, India, 1904- A. marvelous change in the conditions of things has taken place in almost every part of India. There are still some conservative missions that gather in yearly but few, and see not much in prospect. But the missionary movement in all India is faced with multitudes, who have broken with their old faiths and now beg admission to the Ohristian fold. The Methodists alone report 100,000 inquirers at the present time, asking to be enrolled as Ohristians. Formerly the mission sought inquirers; now inquirers seek the mission with an importunity it is difficult to put off.
Divine blessing in the distribution of the work of God in the languages of the people, the steady increase in the evangelistic forces in the field, the spread of education, coupled with the severe judgment God has suffered to come upon India in the last few years, have combined to shake the grip of old faiths, and, beyond question, Ohristianity has come to the frout as the hope of the world. In the trying ordeals of famine and plague in the empire, Ohristianity has come tremen-' dously forward in heroic service and magnificent philanthropy. When plague comes the Ohristian grapples with the monster, and, by sanitation and faith, wins and lives. The Hindu and Mohammedan flees from home, or stoically sits down to be carried off to the graveyard.
There has been the progress of a generation in the last. ten years. It is impossible for one not on the scene of action to fully appreciate it. With all the marvelous development of missionary and government educational enterprises, still the Ohristian missions have essentially illiterate masses to deal with. In spite of all that has been done to reach the higher classes and castes of India, by way of the readingbook and college, the multitudes at present round the doorway of missions in India are from the utterly illiterate masses. Ohristian schools, especially those of the more expensive grade, are well filled with caste boys and girls, and a few of the children of well-to-do Ohristians. But in every prosperous mission in India the converts in numbers are from the illiterate rural popUlation.
Here lies the condition that constitutes a serious need of missionaries but little anticipated. It is hardly to be expected, even if the advisability were assumed, that the present proportionately large investment of missionaries in educatioual work (which, while counting some, does not count much in the direction of the present and prospective ingathering) will be abandoned. But it is certain that a tremendous problem is upon the missions of India, to take in hand these incoming hundreds of thousands, rescue them and their children from illiteracy: Imd make them an intelligent, Bible-reading, Christian
people. This must be done, if we ever have a Bible-observing people.
It is not too much to say that the present army of inquirers are not coming from quarters whence many missionaries have expected them. But God is at work in India, as Ohristian people at home can little appreciate; but this cause for heartfelt praise should be better understood ou that side of the sea.
Every successful mission in this land has been undermanned for the last ten years. There has not been an adequate supply of young men coming to take the places of the old men, who, under double burdens, are wearing out prematurely. '1'here is no comparison between the life ltnd work of a pastor at home and that of an active missionary here, who has administration, financial, literary, and other work few men at home ever see, that compels him to work day and night. Let me repeat: no adequate supply for some years has been sent to prepare for the oncoming breakdown or retirement of these old and strong men. It takes ten years to make a strong missionary. Language and experience do not come in a day. Then while the above is true regarding the old work, what shall we say when we look out upon the literally hundreds of thousands of men and women cFowding about the door? Practically little has been done to provide for this new work.
Men are called for with the abilities of generals and statesmen. The older work will not, can not, supply the working force for the leavening up of these masses. Out of their own numbers men and women by the hundreds must be taken, taught to read, teach, and sing, and preach, and be supervised and led. What a work! There ought to come to India in the next year one thousand missionaries to cope with the emergency God is thrusting upon us. In a large measure the battle must be reshaped. The regime of the past can not be extended to meet the emergency. The present demand is evangelistic, and all machinery must be put out on this line.
'1'here seems to me no prospect that the year to come will see onequarter of the missionaries needed sent out. It is too great a step for our churches at home, loaded down as they are with a large element whose interest is too largely selfish and worldly. The missionary spirited people in the home churches are, in the prayer-meetings, a golden minority.
I am glad to believe there is a great missionary quickening at home, especially among the young people. There is hope in this. But in this sore hour of emergency in India, if not in the world, I feel constrained to plead for a new wing to the missionary service in all the societies in the field. We have an object-lesson in the deaconess movement among the Methodists, where scores of young women are consecrating themselves to work for Ohrist in foreign lands aud at
INDiA STILL IN NEED
home on what is estimated to be a bare support. There is no pro- vision for the savings-bank or luxuries. I plead for a new wing of the service among men, to which young men and married men may consecrate themselves for Christ's sake and that of these perishing, who cry for bread, on a humble support only-a wing of the service in which men can follow the steps of Him who "tho rich," yet for our sakes" became poor," and stayed so, till He left for the exceeding glory.
I am now a missionary in my twenty-eighth year in India. I have never worked under a salary for any society. I have found a joy in a line of life financially much humbler than the ordinary society salary.
I confidentially affirm from experience there is a safe, a humble line of support that God is pleased to own and bless, by which a greatly increased number of missionaries can be put out for the same money.
Oh, let us have it in these times, when we are straitened for men and money!
Can we not persuade 0?t1· old societies and new to inangumte a wing with, for a single man, $400; a married man, $600; a veteran, $800 a year? Let transit, furlough, housing, and other conditions for all wings of the service be the same. But let there be a wing of service to which volunteers may consecrate ·themselves-one that will appeal.
to the heroic, the self-denying, the consecrated from the younger body in our churches at home; a wing of service which will appeal to friends who are especially anxious to support substitutes wholly or in part, and hasten the work of evangelizing the world. It seems to me there must be hundreds of young men in Christian America and England, ready to say, " Here am I, send me." Is it not possible more will volunteer in this new wing than in the old one?
. Bishop Thoburn secured aud sent to India, a few years back, twelve young men, who have been by some one called "twelve apostles."
They came on half pay for· four years. Then they drop into the regu- lar society salary, and the movement dies. Let us have a volunteer wing of the service to contillue, an emergency adjunct to the regular wing, but to be permallent.
'l'here are some few societies in India whose salary to missionaries is not more than I propose. 'l'here are two htm.dred independent missionaries in India to-day who live as humbly. For Christ's sake. may I not plead with a thousand young men in America to volunteer to join the self-denying wing of the service? Can it be that young women alone haye the consecration to come out on this principle? It can not be. If so,it is a great shame. No, it is not so.
VOlltnteers, speak out to pastors, bishops, and secretaries, and that right early! Friends with missionary sympathy, speak out!
Had we the missionaries, we could take in 100,000 this year, 1904. We could train their teachers and evangelists. We should soon see such a work in India as has never been witnessed in the Christian era.
Does not the possibility-yea, the present emergency-involve a grave responsibility?
THE CIVILIZING INFLUENCE OF FOREIGN MISSIONS * BY PROF. GASTON BONET-MAURY, PARIS, FRANCE Professor of the Protestant Faculty of Theology in the College of France The influence of the Christian missionaries in foreign lands has been mightily in the direction of civilization and morality. It is due to the influence of the Moravians that Germany is beloved by the negroes of the Antilles and the Eskimos of Labrador; to the influence of the Picpus Fathers in the Sandwich Islands, and the Dominican Fathers in Algeria and equatorial Africa, that tho natives revere and respect the French republic. The civilizing influence of Christian missionaries is made evi- dent in two ways: by their scientific work and by their social and moral influence.
The scientific work of foreign missionaries gives us a long list of names of those who have contributed to the advancement of science. From La Perouse and Franklin to Lamy there have been many missionary martyrs to the cause of science. The Jesuits, Ricci and Secchi, were eminent astronomers. In the thirteenth century a Pope and a King of France sent civilizing, educated monks among the Turks. The Franciscans and Dominicans by their great learning exerted a powerful influence over the Grand Khan. One of the Lazarists, Pere Huc, traveled extensively in Tibet and China, and his books of description are still luthorities. Pere Armand David corrected the maps of China. Pere Chevalier, a French priest, did such excellent and valuable hydrographic work in Tongking that, in 1898, the French Geographical Society presented him with a medal. It was a French Catholic mission which founded and still cond'ucts the celebrated astronomical observatory at Zi-ka-wei, founded by the Jesuit Fathers, Lelec and Colombel, the meteorological observations of which have been used by Sir Robert Hart since 1898 to determine the approach of typhoons throughout China, Manchuria, and Korea. The Protestant missionaries came later than the Catholics, but they also have made important contributions to science. Rev. Edward Robinson, in 1838, wrote a work on the geography of Palestine, and (in 1856) Dr. F. W. Holland 'Yrote one on the Sinai peninsula. Missionaries have been the inspiration and backbone of the great exploration societies: the English Palestine Exploration Fund, the German Palestine Society, and the American Palestine Exploration Society. In Borneo and Sumatra the American, German, and Dutch missionaries have thoroughly explored their fields of work. In Africa and the two Americas, Catholic orders, Protestant missionaries, and French Huguenots have opened up vast regions to civilization and progress. In the history of Canada and the United States, such names as Hennepin, Le Jeune, Marquette, Joliet, Roger Williams, and John Eliot are eloquent tributes to the zeal and heroism of missionaries. Norwegian pastors explored and mapped Greenland. The continent of Australia was explored by an English Catholic and an American Protestant missionary, and the islands of the South Sea bear the impress of the work of such men as Taylor, Donarre, Williams, Ellis, Chalmers, and Coufi'e. As linguists and dictionary makers, Ulphilas, the apostle of the Goths, and Cyril, the apostle of the slavs, head the list. The Catholic Zottoli and • Trauslated and condensed frOID the Revue des Deux Mondes.
':HE CIVILIZING INFLUENCE OF FOREIGN MISSIONS
the Protestants Giitzlaff and Faber became authorities on Ohinese litera- ture. Dr. James Legge, the Scotch missionary, studied Ohinese for thirty years in Hongkong, and afterward became professor in Oxford Univer- sity. Merson, in Burma; Ziegenbalg, in Malabar; Bore, in Persia; Couerdoux, Barthelemy, and William Jones, in India; Bollig and Gis- mondi, in Syria; Lepsius, in Egypt; Isenberg. in Abyssinia; Cust and Koeller, in equatorial Africa; Hans Egede, in Greenland; John Eliot, among the American Indians; Pedro, in Mexico and South America; Janssen, Fair, and Gordon, in the South Seas-these are men whose names history will write high for their contributions to the world's knowledge of the languages of strange or unknown peoples.
As to the moral influence of missions, there is no doubt that, entirely aside from the moral elevation brought about in the lives of individual pagans, whole peoples are raised and purified. Pride, laziness, lying. and deceit, intemperance, and sexual immorality, all pagan vices, gradually disappear, in large measure. before the march of the Christian missions. Missionaries persuade the native peoples, if they are nomads, to settle down and cultivate the soil, to free their slaves, to choose the ways of peace and learning, and thus to get free free from the domination of their former superstitions. They persuade the natives to work regularly, and endeavor to overcome their apathy. The professional schools opened by the Protestant missions at Lovedale, in South Africa, have succeeded, bit by bit, in persuading the heathen to attach himself to the soil, to respect the property of his neighbor, and to develop a love of justice and truth. If they have the ear of the government, the missionaries try to obtain prohibition of the sale of opium and of alcoholic drink. Upon their petition, the Mikado of Japan has prohibited the importation of opium into Formosa and Khama, has exerted all his personal effort in the cause of abstinence from intoxicants. The missionaries refuse the sacraments of the Church to drunkards, and care for the worst of these in special hospitals. It has been due to the influence of missions that public prostitution has been abolished in several Asiatic countries. Many illustrious native converts have added to the civilizing work of the missions, among whom are Maka, in the Gilbert and Hawaiian Island, and Pundita Ramabai, in India. The tone of family life has been raised, war has decreased, and slavery almost entirely abolished through the influence of missions. Missionaries brought about many reforms in the Kongo and the amelioration of prison conditions in Japan. In public sanitation, mission· aries have done a noble work. Following the example of the Catholic bishops and the Hospitaler orders of the middle ages, the missionaries of all denominations, Dominican priests and American Protestants, Sisters of Charity and Deaconesses of Kaisewerth, have founded hospitals and established dispensaries, taking care of infirm old people who, especially in Africa, are abandoned; looking after neglected children, of whom the greater part-at least, in China-are condemned to death or prostitution. • . • To Scotch and American missionaries belongs the glory of having formed a large corps of well-trained woman doctors, infirmary professors, and deaconesses, who can penetrate into the most sacred corners of the harems 9,nd zenanas, and carry there, with the consolation of the Gospel, the relief of medical art worthy its name.
We withhold our admiration for such saintly characters as William Carey and Father Damien for their work in India and among the lepers, We have a well-founded right to say that the most certain and effective agent of civilization is the missionary.
'f A MISSING LINK "_'f THE LIVING LINK "-II BY DAVID M'CONAUGHY Forward Movement Secretary of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions While recognizing the reasonableness of the demand for Specific Objects in developing interest in missions, it is necessary to fairly face the difficulties involved in giving practical effect to the plan. That it is inadvisable, and, in fact, impracticable, to assign, individually, native objects-such as workers and scholars-the accumulated experience of the various boards has demonstrated beyond question. Because of the intolerable burden involved in attempting direct communication with the already vast and ever increasing number of native workers and scholars; because of the probability of the effect upon the beneficiary proving prejudicial rather than beneficial; because of the disappointment liable, in many cases, to result to the donor; because of the dislocation of the arrangement, sure to occur frequently, in the very nature of the case; and, above all, because of the unfavorable effect which such an arrangement is calculated to have in undermining the spirit of self-support in the native church-for these, among other reasons, it has been found necessary to abandon this practise, even after making eVErY effort to meet the demand for such individual assignment.
The assigning of missionaries sent out from the home lands is likewise attended with very real and serious disadvantages: (1) Wherever the connection is made to depend upon an individual, it is, in the nature of the case, unstable and liable to be broken at any time. Owing to death, or withdrawal from the field, or transfer to another section or to other work, the arrangement may be broken at any time.
(2) The arrangement is often disappointing, too. For some missionaries can not write interesting letters, while others will not write regularly, even at long intervals. Some are engaged in work which, while no les~ useful and essential, is less picturesque than that of others, and affords little to write about that is of inspiration, or even of very much interest to most people. Sooner or later, in many cases, the arrangement breaks down.
(3) It is a narrower interest which centers in a single worker than that which is attached to the work. For not only is the worker a variable factor while the u'ork is a constant qtwniity, but the latter affords a fuller fund of information and incident upon which to draw.
(4) It is likely to set an artificial and arbitrary limit to the financial inte:>est of the supporting constituency, when the fixed amount of a salary is the objective in view. Whatever arrangement is made should admit of expansion as ability at the base of supplies increases with growth of interest. In some cases it is quite beyond the ability of a church to rise to the support of a missionary, while in many others it is nothing short of a shame for a church to stop at any such limit when it should support a whole station as its parish.
(5) The assignment of a number of missionaries to a single church, on the other hand, tends to monopolize those who should serve as " Living Links" not to a single church, but to an ever-widening contltituency at home.
Sooner or later, therefore, there arises a very real objection to the assigning of the missionaries in~ividually, as Specific Objects, even as in
"A MISSING LINK"-"THE LIVING LINK"
the case of native workers and scholars. And, in fact, some of the mis- sionaries themselves object to the arrangement which, while often prov- ing quite agreeable, has in not a few cases been attended with embar- rassment and heart-burnings, sometimes on the part of "the party of the first part," and sometimes on the other side.
And just because of such obstacles as have been named. some boards have resolutely refused, under any circumstances, to assign specific objects. Others, after resisting the demand as long as possible, at length yielded to pressure and went the length of assigning individual native objects of all sorts, until, after reaching a sort of reductio ad absurdum on a large scale, the plan broke down by its own weight. And now, out of a wide range of experience, the principal boards have found a via media in "The Station Plan." Gradually what is merely incidental has been differentiated from what is really essential in the Specific Object, and fundamental principles are emerging more and more clearly into view. It is seen now that people C!Ln scarcely be expected to give ade- quately to what they are lIot interested in; that they are not likely to be interested in that about which they are not informed; and that, in order to be informed, there must be something, to begin with, about which even the busiest can be informed.
But it is also being realized that there are just two things vitally , essential in the process of creating and maintaining intelligent interest: (1) A point of contact-a Specific Object-on the field upon which interest can at first be concentrated until it becomes intelligent, intense, permanent, a knowledge which, in the very nature of the case, can be expected to" grow from more to more." (2) A Living Link of communication between the object on the field and the supporting constituency at home.
And here is the very heart of the problem-to make this link really living. This can be accomplished only as the board, on the one hand, shall serve in a very real and effective way as a clearing-house for duplicating and distributing information; while, on the other hand, the mis- sionaryat the front shall do his part faithfully and efficiently in furnishing such information as is wanted at regular, if not frequent, intervals and in an interesting form. The Baptist Missionary Union, after several years of experience with the station plan in its simplest form, testifies: "It grows. in favor, and gives perfect satisfaction to both board and contributers. The plan has not been changed nor even modified since its inception, and has increased the contributions to the treasury, as well ft,s awakened an intelligent interest on the part of the contributors. It is relieving the board of much embarrassment."
Under the plan, as this board has worked it: ..
(1) The entire appropriation for each station, including the work of every class, as well as the support of the workers, is divided into shares.
There is no splitting up of the word into various classes and no assign- ment of individuals, whether native or American.
(2) The home constitup-ncy is furnished statedly with information about the particular" Object" supported, embracing- (a) A detailed description of the station and work carried on there; (b) A biographical statement about each missionary in the station; (c) A quarterly letter, giving fresh incidents, etc.
The tie between the constituency at home and the work which it sup- ports is strengthened by personal visits from the missionaries when home on furlough, and in every other way possible.
It seems clear that the board which succeeds in most thoroughly per- fecting the working of a plan such as will afford definite points of con- tact with real living links between the work abroad and the supporting constituency at home, will be first to solve the financial problem of the misSionary enterprise.
THE "APOSTLES" OF MADAGASCAR * BY M. E. PECHIN For several years the Protestant churches of Madagascar have been greatly influenced by certain preachers whom the people call" apostles." .Judgments differ very much about these men. Some call them "dangerous pretenders, disturbers, who ought to be shut up or shot," while others maintain that at least the churches ought to be shut against them, and yet others receive them with open arms, as messengers of heaven. The more violent threats proceed only from a few civil functionaries.
A band of these "apostles," five men and one woman, recently paid a visit to my own church. One was a former governor, one an evangelist, and one a teacher. The leader was the ex-governor, whose dignified visage is framed in a beard of most white. A long vestment flows down to his bare feet. He it of a spirit deliberate, calm; he weighs his words; there is nothing of the pious phraseology so common in the Malagese preachers. He has in a high degree the tone of command, derived from his former eminent place. Aforetime unjust and oppressive, like most of the Malagese judges and governors, he is now completely transformed. The teacher alone has an air a little exalted, and is the most impetuous in his exhortations and expressions. The evangelist appears to me the type of the native Christian destined one day to replace the missionary when the Malagese church shall have become custonomous. Simple, modest, but of a living faith, well versed in the Scriptures, his sermons are thoroughly edifying.
The imposition of hands in exorcism and for bodily healing are now performed more quietly than formerly, so that the indifferent and the heathen no longer throng to see their real or supposed miracles. Yet, altho humble, and in other points docile, neither the" apostles" nor their followers c:tn be persuaded that evil, either bodily or spiritual, is due to anything but diabolical powers, to be overcome only by faith and prayer, with the imposition of hands. Their exorcisms appear to be directed not so much against a supposed bodily possession as against a spiritual possession by the power of evil. Their .imposition of hands is viewed as imparting a fuller measure of the Holy Spirit. Psychological science is more amenable to such a view now than once. They also impose hands for the relief of bodily ailments, and are so far successful that they are greatly resorted to for this purpose. Here also modern science, whatever its theories, has a more consenting attitude than formerly. I have found no well-attested case of a sudden cure wrought through the "apostles." Some of them have been suffering seriously from fever, yet nothing can pe1'8nade them to take remedies.
Other sides of their work are unmistakably good. There reigns among them a deep brotherly love, and they are truly messengers of peace, carrying it wherever they go. Theil' countenance is serene. No trace of agitation, of anxieties. They' are pervaded by a notable calm. The power from on high is employed to govern the mind and the body. Friends of the humble and the lowly, resting on God for themselves, they have killed the germs of discord by putting away ambition and selfishness.
They do not baptize, but refer their converts to the missionaries for • Translated for the REVIEW from the Journal des Missions.
VILLAGE LIFE IN INDIA
doctrinal instruction and baptism. They are greatly attached to their respective churches, over which they do not seem to assume either doctrinal or disciplinary control. They urge strongly the near coming of the Lord. Where this is believed, it imposes an awful hush on mundane interests, and binds men's souls to the message of the salvation and judgment.
They themselves do not deny that, with the introduction of new customs, there is danger of taking accessories for essentials, and that, in their rapid flights through the country, they can hardly be very sure of the spiritual state of those whom they receive. They are very docile to correction out of the Word of God, but are rather hard to persuade that they make too much of signs and wonders. On the whole, I am convinced that their work is a work offaith, not without faults, but radically sound, and of happy results.
What we must emphasize in this religious movement is that it is genuinely Malagese, and exhibits a real effort of the native Christians to put on the true Christian character, aud to distinguish themselves from heathenism. It is a manifestation of native piety which has come forth independently of the missionaries, who have simply favored it. Like the Moravian Brethren in Europe, the" apostles" are the best support of the community in which they are found, without setting up a new church or attaching themselves exclusively to anyone.
VILLAGE LIFE IN INDIA * BY A. S. ALBRECHT, RETACHINTALA, INDIA Missionary of the American Lutheran Church An Indian village is a little world in itself. Men live and die in the little village in which they were born, often without going beyond the village limits in their lives, or feeling the need of going. Their livlihood is there, their wants are few, and these wants can be supplied by their neighbors. Some villages are much larger than otbers, and some have a few educ8,ted men, while in others no one can read or write but the munsiff, or head man, and the karnam, or village accountant. The style of houses vary in different parts of the country, and also according to the size or wealth of the village, but in most respects all villages are alike. The houses are close together in two long rows, with small side streets branching off here and there.
If we enter the village from the east end, first we see a group of little huts, constructed chiefly of split bamboos, and not high enough for any one but a very swall child to stand erect. These are the dwellings of the yanadi, or thief caste, who are employed as village watchmen, perhaps on the principle that" it, takes a thief to catch a thief." At any rate, they never allow anyone to steal.what they are watching. Next come the houses of the Sudras, rich and poor, but the Sudras are by no means all one caste, as many suppose. The reddis and the kammos are the principal farmers, and when any religious procession takes place, each struggles for precedence. Here is the bonse of the vilJage mUnsijJ, who is a government servant, and whose duty it is to try all small cases of theft or disturbance, and report all others to the higher authorities.
There, where the blue smoke is curling up, is the house of tbe potter, * From The Lutheran Observer.
whose wheel is always turning to supply the earthen pots used by the village for cooking and for water. Those houses that are locked belong to the shepherds, who are away in the fields with their flocks and herds, and whose food must be carried to them by the women of the family.
Next come the rich merchants, who sell cloth, grain, curry stuffs, and the other things necessary for daily use. They are also the money- lenders, and take from 12 to 100 pel' cent. from their neighbors, who want money for a wedding or a: funeral feast, or to pay their taxes; and, sad to say, there are few who do not at some time fall into their clutches, and fewer stilI ever get out again.
Adjoining is the village post-office, kept in the house of the Brahman postmaster; next is the karnam's and the schoolmaster's, if there hap- pens to be a native school, and the other Brahmans who occupy the adjacent houses are gentlemen of leisure, living from the income of their lands and on the fees they get for performing weddings, foretelling auspicious days for marriages, journeys, etc.
Peep into the next hOllse, and you will see the goldsmith at work, making a gold collar for some dark-skinned beauty, while his little son sits in front of him, blowing the bellows anJ learning the trade. Here are some more boys also learning a trade. They are the barber's sons, shaving their little brothers for practise, while the father stands neal', giving directions, first to them, and then to another boy who is learning to beat the drum. for the barbers are also the drummers. Down that side street are the houses of the dhobies, or washermen, who wash for the whole village. A very rich lady, who has a fine cloth she is afraid the dhoby will spoil, will sometimes wash it herself, but otherwise, no one, rich or poor, not even a beggar, will wash his own clothes. That is the dhoby's work. Down that other street are the houses of the Mohammedans. In many places the Mohammedans are numerOllS and wealthy, but here they are few in number, and usually poor. Here is to be found the government toddy shop, which brings more poverty and misery to the people. In sandy places where the palmyra trees flourish, are also found the toddy tree climbers. There are also the Sudra weavers; the pichagU11ta people, or gypsies, who go from house to house, telling stories, singing songs. and begging, and the mutthurachalu, who have long guns, licensed by government, and who often bear a bad reputation for their use of them.
At the extreme end of the village are the tank-diggers and roadmakers, who say they used to be a very good caste, but it was spoiled from their eating field rats. Next to them often are to be seen little temporary huts occupied by the yellaka people, a wandering tribe of gypsy fortune-tellers, who weave baskets, and on their wanderings take from one place to another salt, cows, and donkeys.
All these, and others not mentioned-for instance, the carpenter and the huuter-are caste people, and most of them belon'g to the Sudra caste, They are divided and subdivided, and many will not eat with each other, and none of the subdivisions wiII intermarry.
Nearest to the tank-diggers, but separated from all of them, are the outcasts-the Malas and the Madigas. The Malas weave much of the cloth used by the villages, which must be washed in caste water before it can be worn. The Madigas are the leather workers, and the servants of the caste population. They make the shoes for the village, the leather collars, etc., for the bullocks and plows, and do the coolie work in the fields of the farmers.
They are not paid daily wages, nor for the goods they supply, but at the harvest time are given grain for the year. They also get the carcases of all cattle that die from disease or old age, and are depised beca.use they often eat the flesh, as well as take the skin for their work.
EDITORIALS
EDITORIALS Newspapers and Missions of missions are instantly suggested A HINT FOR MISSION STUDY by the fact that Liberia is a mis- CLASSES sion field; by the fact that it has hitherto been rather isolated, and Young people tend to be materi- by the circumstance that the native alists, and the younger they are, negroes there are in a far lower down to the age of dumb adoration stage of development than the of the milk-bottle, the more wholly American negroes, who will inevitare they satisfied with material ably have closer relations with things. The Acts of the Apostles Africa if the new company sucdo not attract boys of twelve or ceeds. To suggest another instance, sixteen, because a skilful teacher the war in the Far East can not only can make a bridge to connect reach an end which will leave mis- Paul and Barnabas permanently sions in China, Korea, and Japan with the interests of the twentieth just where they were when 'it century. A defect in mission study broke out. It-can not reach an end classes is that for this reason the that shall not affect the prospects interest of members is often arti- of Asiatics generally. Its events ficial. Without perpetual effort are full of interest to all who know and the inventive powers of a that there are things more imporgenius on the part of the leader tant than ball-gamp,s and horsethe members of the class are not races. Let mission study classes held together. Such classes rely report from the secular newspapers on the interesting style or material all items of news which relate to of books to hold the attention of missions, or indirectly affect their young folks and encourage them to prospects or the general advance read continuously. But what is • of the Kingdom. The interest of only interesting is not long inter- discovery and of building up relaesting. The interest must lead tions will then join with other somewhither, or the subject will interest in justifying the study and soon be dropped like a worn-out in finding through it tangible and toy. worthy results. We have no radical change in We need not add that any others these classes to suggest, but a use- than students who are interested ful auxiliary in their effort to keep in missions and in the building up up interest. Scholars in the public of the Kingdom of God can greatly schools are sometimes made to re- profit by searching the secular port on the news of the day. They press for news that touches, or may thus gain the habit of noticing have relations to, this great enterthings, breadth of vision, and prise of the Christian Church. D. general alertness of mind. Our snggestion is that members of mis- The Missionary Calibre sion study classes use an exercise of the same sort. For instance, The New York Sun recently the newspapers mentioned, not found a morsel to its taste in a let- long ago, the organization of a ter from a Japanese student at company in New York to send Yale to a paper in Japan, in which steamers regularly to Liberia. The the young student wrote" that the . capitalists who formed the com- students in other departments of pany were said to be negroes. the American University than the Hosts of questions for students theological are 'young men of fine
appearance,' 'but when it comes to bott quoted a remark made to him the theologues, beggarlike faces by Colonel Buck, the United States are in the majority,' and the fee- ]Hnister to Japan, to the effect blest of the lot 'go as foreign mis- that the r.,esult of his observations sionaries,' 'the ones who are un- in Japan ~as that Christian misable to get a suitable place here.''' sions had done more for the ad- This young Japanse is said to be a vancement of the Japanese people Christian, but he goes on to speak than all other influences and forces contemptuously of the foreign mis-' put together. vVhen Dr. and Mrs, sionaries: "If you examine their Hepburn left Japan in 1892, after erudition, their ideals, their pur- thirty-three years' work, the Japan poses, the most of them are worthy Gazette said: "We may rest asof only a smile; . • the mis- sured that it was the daily lives of sionaries and their satalites are Dr. Hepburn and his fellow worknothing but vulgar fellows, igno- ers, in the early days, which moved rant, and without brains." Japan first to tolerate and then to welcome the missionaries to these As to the charge that the divinity shores, and it is to the missionaries students are an inferior lot. with that Japan owes the greater part beggarlike faces, it would be inter- of her present advancement. The esting to test this young Japanese missionary has been Japan's instudent's judgment by mixing up structor, an influence wholly for the divinity students with an equal enlightenment and good." If the number chosen at random from the missionaries are such feeble-mindother departments of the univer- ed creatures as this young Japanese sity, and let the young Japanese student represents, it is difficult to distinguish the divinity students know which to admire the moreby their appearance. Doubtless the docility of the Japanese, or the authorities of the Yale Divinity their ingenuity in learning so much School would be perfectly ready to under missionary influence. s. have such a test applied. vVith reference to the criticism of the Perennial Objections to Missions missionaries, probably any missionary board would be willing to There are certain people who find have this young Japanese student in every event an opportunity to and any average missionary sub- object to the sending of missionajected to a competitive examina- ries to preach the Gospel in nontion. The critic saves himself by Christian lands. The capture of a statement which makes it pos- Miss ~tone gave them an opportusible for him to recognize as excep- nity to declare that she had no busitions any missionaries who might ness in Macedonia, but the kidnapbe named who would refute his ping of Perdicaris was not used as view – men like Verbeck and an argument against American Brown, and Alexander and Mc- citizens residing abroad. Wars Cartee, to speak of the dead, and and uprising in lands where mis- Hepburn, ,Green, Davis, Imbrie, sionaries work are usually credited and scores of others among the liv- to them by many ignorant 01' prejuing. diced antagonists, but the blame is not placed by the same critics on This young Japanese student the merchants or foreign officials, would probably contend that very tho it often belongs there. Thus it great progress had been made by is in all kinds of circumstances: his country in recent years. In men see what they want to see and the New York Evening Post of December 19, 1903, Dr. Edward Ab-
19041 EDITORIALS
judge according to preconceived really some points of superiority, ideas. Those who are not truly of which it might not be amiss to following Jesus Christ, and are re- take advantage. The man can not fusing to help carry out His Great see, because he will not see, that .Commission, will ever find occa- the higher order almost always sions to decry missionary work. provokes the lower to bitter oppo- Somewhat along this line the sition before it prevails over it.
Calwer-Missionsblatt says: Buddhism itself, in China, had to In consequence of the Herero ris- win its way to the top through ing, in Southwest Africa, German Protestant missions are yet again times of severe persecution-nay, dpcried in many journals. The missionaries, it is declared, have even Confucianism was sometimes spoiled the natives by indulgence, and have seduced the colonial sharply persecuted by unfriendly government to follow suit; they were, it is said, aware of the rising emperors. If we ourselves ale not beforehand, and delivered up to the enemy their own German country- still hanging up men as sacrifices to men, who had fled to the stationsin short, have approved themselves Odin, or burning them in wicker guilty of high treason. We scarcely believe our eyes when we images to the old British gods, it is see, in the Colonial Zeitschrijt, "Malaria, Blackwater-fever, Lo- not the fault of the Poultney Bigecusts, Missions-·the first and last alike ineradicable." 'Vith men lows of the olden time. t who hate missions to such a pitch there can, of course, be no further Miss Stone and Mr. Perdicaris argument. Sad and humilating is it that any such thing can be The kidnapping of Mr. Perdicaris printed in Germany. in Morocco by the brigand Rais UIi very naturally recalls to mind This is a strong argument that the case of Miss Stone's capture by Saraffof's men in Macedonia. It missions are alarming the king- has peculiar interest, too, as show-_ ing that one event may befall nondom of Satan, that they are arous- missionary and missionary alike wherever laws have lapsed through ing Satan's adherents at home to lack of energy to enforce them.
such an insane intensity of hatred These two cases are exactly alike in their main particulars. Both against them, altho in the two victims were acclimatized residents in countries whose governments are Anglo-Sa.xon countries their rela- pledged by treaty to prevent their subjects from making lawless attively greater influence renders the tacks on Americans; both were seized for ransom in their ordinary devil's children somewhat more haunts, and without reference to their personal qualities or actions, rational in their attacks. and the opportunity for both out- rages was due to a flabby govern- MI'. Poultney Bigelow says that mental degeneracy which promised impunity to the brigands whatever he believes the missionaries are do- the fate of their victims.
ing more harm than good in China, Any appearance of difference be- hveen the two cases is due to the because they are irritating the course followed by the American government in each. In the Stone people. Inasmuch as it is Jesus case the government tolerated, if it did not suggest, the payment by Christ Himself who has said, "I private individuals of the ransom which the brigands asked. It came not to send peace on earth, but a sword," it is plain enough that MI'. Bigelow looks upon Jesus Christ as a mischief-maker, and upon all His apostles and their effective successors as mischief- makers. His notion of their an- cestral religion is very good and fine, but that Christianity has
treated the affair as tho private in- kidnapping seems to offer to the terests only were involved, and it has not yet secured from Turkey consideration of missionaries the redress for the outrage. Such a line of inaction has, of course, so following principles: far encouraged brigandage in Turkey as a safe if not an honorable 1. American citizens, of whatmethod of raising the wind. ever quality, while within the do- In the Perdicaris case, however, America demanded the release of main of a treaty of intercourse, on the captive from the party responsible (that is, from the government any lawful business, have a right of Morocco), and so terminated the affair in fewer weeks than the to expect protection. method used in the Stone case required months. Of course, the Sul- 2. The duty of America when one tan of Morocco passed some exceedingly bad hours. Nerve shocks in of its citizens is deprived of his liba culminative series were produced by successive arrivals of big Ameri- erty in violation of treaty is to hold can war vessels, followed b~' hints from the news-bureaus that there responsible the government of the are others. His Majesty had no option but to save the captive at country where the outrage occurs. all costs; and if he is permitted to remain on his throne, the nlemory This duty is not a favor to the vicof this moving experience will insure that he will make it exceed tim, nor does it have any relation ingly warm for Rais UIi later on. He will thus effectively dissuade to his personal qualities. It is a his intelligent subjects from adopting kidnapping as a profession. genera,} duty that arises from It The principle on which America violation of treaty which attacks acted in Morocco is worth noticing, since it has a bearing upon the the dignity of America, the possirights of missionaries established in such countries. The merchant bility of future peaceful interor missionary who goes to ltve in the cannibal islands assumes, him- course, and the safety of all Ameriself. all risks to his life, and retains no right to call for protection from can citizens. his native country. But in the domain of a treaty the situation is . 3. In cases like those under conquite different. America, by making and promulgating treaties of sideration the payment of ransom intercourse with Turkey and Morocco, has certified that it rates by the captive or his friends is those governments as worthy of confidence. If either of them sets against public policy as encouragthe treaty at naught, America is bound, for the sake of its own dig- ing brigandage, and should not be nity, to see the wrong redressed. tolerated. D. Experience in these two cases of Vacation and Missions There are certain animals that go into winter quarters, and there are' many church-members who go into summer quarters! From October until June these earnest home workers give much time, talent, and thought for the upbuilding of the Kingdom of their Divine King; but when the hot weather sets in their ardor cools, their zeal slackens, and golden opportunities slip by unheeded. Let this sum- mer be an exception! While ab- sent from your church, you are still present with your Lord. Filled and guided by His Spirit, wisdom will be given you so to think, speak, and act among the many strangers whose lives your life shall touch, that from you shall go forth an in- fluence for the good of man and the glory of God. On the farm, by the seashore, among the mOUll-
EDITORIALS
tains, in your native land or across have been distributed, and- over 100,000 miles traveled. The results the waters, let your light shine this have been most encouraging.
summer as never before, and catch the spirit of Him •. who went about doing good." Wherever you are, suggestions for Workers keep in mind and heart a world- It may be weIl to add certain suggestions for open-air preaching, embracing Love, a world-conquer- published by this society, as they may be of assistance to others ening Faith, and a world-saving Re- gaged in similar work: deemer. T.
Open-air Evangelism 1. Let there be an acknowledged The advent of the summer leader with each group. – months brings to our attention this important phase of Christian work. 2. Preach the great truths of the In many cities churches are con- ducting regular campaigns with Gospel. special evangelists. The fifty-first year's record of "The Open-air 3. Say what you have to say Mission" of London is worthy of the attention of all interested in briefly. this work. It reveals SOHle startling facts, which prove the need 4. Do not attempt fine language for such evangelism-for instance, that on Sunday mornings people or artificial manners, but speak in on their way to the great racecourse have been counted at the a natural tone, and explain and rate of 1,000 per minute. In Manchester alone 5,000 shops, besides persuade. public houses, are regularly open on the Lord's day, while in London 5. Study the character of your the total number is 22,000. In one borough the number of men enter- audience, and adapt your address ing public houses on a recent Sunday was many thousands in excess accordingly. of the whole male popUlation of the borough-for example, 83.500 male 6. Always speak courteously, visitors entered the public houses at Paddington; this is nearly 18,- both to a group and to individuals. 000 in excess of the male popUlation of that borough. 7. Never resist the police. If you This "Open-air Mission" has think you are unjustly interfered sent forth evangelists to no less than 1,235 different places, visiting with, write to the Secretary of the nearly 60,000 homes, and holding about 3,500 special services. The Open Air Mission. workers visit races, fairs, markets, cattle shows, regattas, barracks, 8. Avoid service at late hours, seaside resorts-in fact, any place where a concourse of the people noisy singing, unseemly tunes, may be found. It is estimated that a total of 500,000 people have been shouting, and ridiculous gestures. met at these various resorts. Over 9. If a person wishes to debate, 1,000.000 TestaPlents, tracts, etc. walk and talk with him, or get one of your group to do so, or arrange for a private conversation.
10. Try to induce others to assist you in the singing and the speaking.
11. Always speak reverentially of God, and avoid everything tri- fling in manner.
12. Do not attempt to make open- air preaching so much a service of worship as an evangelistic effort to bring thoughtless and careless per- sons to give heed to the things of God.
13. Never thrust tracts at per- sons, but offer them politely to all who may be willing to accept them.
14. When the open-air service is finished, do not remain gossiping.
15. The committee are strongly of opinion that no woney collection should be taken after an outdoor evangelistic service.
Donations Received No. 295. Ramabai's Work …………. $10.00 No. 296. Ramabai s Work. ….. ……. 21.00 No. 297. African Missions…….. ,….. 15.0()
BOOKS FOR THE MISSIONARY LIBRARY SAMUEL CHAPMAN ARMSTRONG. By Edith leads them to serve their fellow Ve;.. n{iw. Armstrong Tit/bot. Illustrated. Svo, 801 men in the spirit of Christ. No ~~~~'. Doubleday, Page & Co., education is safe which is not per- meated with Christian principles, Samuel Armstrong was an un- and none is effective which does not show practical results in charusually noble and unique personal- acter and usefulness. This is a great contribution to the literature ity, and his daughter has succeeded on the American negro problem.
in giving a most captivating pic- * ture of the man and his career. NEW BOOKS Many biographies are dry reading RUSSIA. Described by Famou~ Writers. Ed- ited by Esther Singleton. Illustrated. because they deal tuo much in 12mo, 361 pp. $1.60. Dodd, Mead & Co. 1904. generalities or too largely in trivi- RUSSIA: HER STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS. By alities. This gives the broad out- Wolf von Schierband. Maps. 8vo. $1.60, net. G. P. Putnam's Sons. 1204. lines of the philanthropist's career, MANCHURIA. By Alexander Hosie. Maps, and with master hand Mrs. Talbot diagrams, illustrations. 8vo. 293 pp. $2.50, net. Charles Scribner's Sons 1904. fills in the essential and interesting lIIANCHURIA AND KOREA. By Il. J. Whigham. details. There was profound depth Map and illustrations. $2.00. Imported by Scribner's. 1904. to the man, and great variety in KOREANS AT HOME. By Constance Taylor. II· his experiences. Weare shown, lustrated. $1.50. Cassell & Co. 1904.
first, the lad in his Hawaiian home, JAPAN: THE PLACE AND PEOPLE. By G. Waldo Browne. Illustrated. 438 pp. $2.50. full of energy and fun, pure-minded Dana, Estes & Co., Boston. 1904.
and noble-hearted. Next comes the SAMUEl" CHAPMAN ARMSTRONG. By Edith Armstrong Talbot. Illustrated. 12mo, student, molded under Mark Hop- 301 pp. $1 50, net. Doubleday, Page & Co. 1904. kins, at Williams, then the soldier, WORKING WITH THE HANDS. By Booker T. and, finally, the philanthropist and Washington. Illustrated. 12mo. 246 pp. $1.50, net. Doubleday, Page & Co. 1904. man of affairs. The book pulses PROBLEMS OF THE PRESENT SOUTH. By Edgar with life and overflows with humor. Gardner Murphy. 12mo, 288 pp. $1.50, net. Macmillan Co. 1904. The quotations from letters and THE NEGRO CHURCH. A Social Study. Paper, diaries abound in wise epigrams 50 cents. Atlanta University Press. 1904.
and statesmanlike utterances. AT OUR OWN DOOR. By S. L. Morris, D.D. 12mo. $1.00, net. Fleming H. Revell Co. Truly the world would have lost 1904.
much had this biog-rapical study WONDERFUL STORY OF UGAN!)A. By G. D. Mullens. Illustrated. 12mo, 224 pp. 1.•. never been written. * 6d. Church Missionary Society, London. 1904. WOaKING WITH TIlE HANDS. By Booker T. Washington. Illustrated. 8vo, 246 pp. AFRICA FROM NORTH TO SOlJTH THROUGH $1.50, net. Doubleday, Page & Co., New MAROTSILAND. By Maj. A. St. H. GIbbons. York. 1904. Illustrated. Maps. 2 vols. 8vo. $7.50, net. John Lane, New York. 1904. This sequel to" Up from Slavery" describes the author's experiences THE ESSENTJAL KAFFIR. By Dlldley Kidd. A. in industrial training at Tuskegee & C. Black, London, England. 1904. Institute, and gives his convictions on the subject. It is a strong argu- THIRTY YEARS IN MADAGASCAR. 8yT. T. Matment for the value and need of thews. Illustrated. 8vo. 68. Religious manual training for the American Tract Society, London. 1904. negro, and is written in Mr. Washington's forceful style, abounding CHILD LIFe IN MISSION LANDS. Edited by in good sense and strong faith. Ralph E. Diffendorfer. Illustrated. 12mo, He passes from what industrial 1ffi pp. 50 cents. Jennings & Pye, Cintraining accomplished for him to cinnati. ! 904. tell of Tuskegee struggles, methods, and the results on individuals and CHINA MARTYRS OF 1900. 13y Robert C. communities. He stoutly holds Forsyth. Illustrated. 8vo. 78. 6d. Religand proves that ne€(ro education ious Tract Society. $2.00, net. Fleming has not been a failure, and that the H. Revell Co. 1904. kind of training needed by the masses is that which teaches them THE STORY OF THE BIBLE SOCIETY. ByWilliam to earn their bread by the sweat of Conton. Illustrated. 8vo, 358 pp. $2.00, their brows, and at the same time net. E. P. Dutton & Co. 1904.
AT the request of Dr. Otto Pautz we can a.ttention to thefaet that in our review of his book (November, 1902, pp. 863-4) his name was mis- spelled Pantz. The name of the publishers should have been J. C. Henrichs'sche Bushhandlung. *
1904J GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
GENERAL MISSIONARY iNTELLIGENCE AMERICA and the buildings of the Syrian America's Porto Rico is only Protestant College. The model is Vast Domain 18 degrees from the 14 feet long by 10 feet wide, and was equator. Panama is only9. Alaska reaches to within prepared by the Rev. H. H. Jessup, 19 degrees of the North Pole. Forty-two degrees of longitudinal D.D., assisted by his daughter. expansion, and most of it within 35 years. By latitudes we have Each one of the 13 buildings is relikewise gone by leaps and bounds. produced by an exact model cut out First a fierce struggle with nature, savages, and Great Britain for 14 of Mt. Lebanon limestone of soft degrees along the eastern coast. Then a contest with 3 EUropean texture. * nations for a thousand miles westward. Then suddenly by diplo- Baptist Forward An effort is to be macy over the Mississippi and over Moveme~t for made by Baptists the Rockies, a half continent at a bound. Then a reach to the mid- Education to raise an endowdle Pacific-a decade of rest on the Hawaiians-and then a bound to ment fund of $500,- the borders of Asia, and an unfurling of the well-starred standard in 000 within 5 years, with which to the Philippines. One hundred and eighty degrees of latitude, half of it educate a native ministry in foreign in less than 2 decades! We have expanded. The question is no fields. President Wood, of Newlonger academic. It is an accomplished fact. It has startled the ton Theological Seminary, who world-it has astonished ourselves. championed the policy at the an- REV. C. L. THOMPSON. nual meeting of the Missionary A Phase of As an illustration Y. M. C. A. of the recent devel- Union, says that it is the most im- Growth opment of the portant action American Baptists Young Men's Chris- have taken in years, and that if the tian Association, tn,ke the State of Pennsylvania, and compare the money is raised and set at work it figures of 1875 with those of 1904. The number of associations has will produce results on the mission grown from 103 to 231; of railroad associations, from 3 to 27; of mem- fields ten times greater than an bers, from 10,172 to 50,625; and the property valuation, from $216,200 equal investment of funds in Amerto $3,891,000. ican missionaries could. It is a Model of Those who attend part of the plan to found or endow Beirut College the St. Louis Expo- an educational institution in each at St. Louis sition should not fail to visit the Je- of the great fields occupied by this rusalem reproduction, and also body, for the thorough training of notice the model of the Campus native converts for Christian ser- vice.
The In Tur,key, India, American Board and Ceylon, China, and Africa, and Japan, Medical Mil$ions the American Board has a total of 42 dispensaries and 28 hospitals.
These hospitals and dispensaries last year treated 253,800 patients, the work having been performed under the superintendence of 40 American physicians, 12 of whom are women. It is an astonishing fact that all of this medical work, which is so far-reaching in its in- fluence, cost the board last year, ap'ut from the mere support of the missionary physicians, not more
than $12,000. This equals $1.00 for when it will begin the publication every 21 patients treated. of the Bible in the Revised Version or what proportion of it.. output A Farewell A unique service will be of the morfl modern work. to Missionaries was hE'ld in Ober- * lin, June 12th, in connection with the departure of The Bible This institution is Rev. Paul L. Corbin and wife, both graduates of the institution, for Teachers' to!lave anew bome China, to reopen the Shansi Mission, which was destroyed by the New Training- nt Lexington Ave- Boxers, with the murder of the missionaries and of most of the school Home n ue and Fortyconverts. The memorial arch bearing the names of those and ninth Street, New other martyrs was ncar by, and among the speakers were two York City. A large nine-story Chinese, Fei Ch'i Hao and K'ung Hsiang Hsi, who escaped from the building has been leased, which slaughter, and are now Oberlin students preparing for service in will serve both for classrooms and evangelizing their native land. K'ung is a lineal descendant of dormitories. This will be for New Confucius. York something like the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Many who wish to have the advantages of a thorough training in the Bible for work at home and abroad will be glad to avail themselves of this opportunity. Rooms not needed for students may be rented by other Christian workers. * The Bible The Am e ric a n A Unique A t Los Angeles. in Soc'ety and Bible Society has Missionary connection with the the Revision decided to amend Exhibit Methodist General the constitution of Conference, w ~ s the society so as to permit it to print the Revised Version of the presented a missionary exhibit on Bible. With the publication of the a larger scale than has ever been notes of the American revisers, to- attempted. It had a whole buildgether with the demand created for ing to itself, and nflarly the entire the revision of the Old Testament. field was represented. The decand the growingdemand ofscholars orations were flags, Chinese and for popular editions of the Revised Japanese lanterns and umbrellas, Bible. the Bible Society managers while the wall space was devoted have been led to realize the changed to maps and charts illustrating hissituation and to act accordingly. tory, geography, and ethnology, all Consequently, the Bible Societywill of the highest scientific value. publish in one volume the New There were 300 copies of the Bible, Testament revision published in each in a different language, a 1881, and the Old Testament revi- Chinese altar, with joss and incense sion published in 1885, together with sticks, a zenana, accurately modthe Bible as further revised by the eled after an Indian zenana. in American committee, and printed which sat a woman in Hindu dress in 1001. The churches are increas- grinding grain at the primitive mill ingly making use of the revised still used in the-country. A Japan- Bible in their pulpits, a; practise ese tea garden was also reproduced. which will doubtless be greatly 'rhis and the Chinese temple atpromoted by the action taken by tracted the Orientals, of whom the American Bible Society. The there are many living in Los Angesociety has not yet determined les, and who came in large numbers~ bringing their families.
GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
The Pitkin The Yale c I a s E- ing to their fip-Ids. The churches Memorial mates of Horace have given more this year than atYa!e Tracy Pitkin ever before, and the board has spent more than ever before. (killed at Paoting- fu, North China, by the Boxjij,l's, in Col. R. H. Pratt It is a disappoint- July, 1900) have erected a monu- and Carlisle mentamongmany ment to his memory in MeulOrial friends of the In~ Hall, New Haven. Public dedica- tion exercises 'were held on June dian to learn that the President 28th, President Hadley making the has removed Col. R. H. Pratt as address of acceptance for the uni- head of the Carlisle Indian Schoel, versity, and the Rev. O. H. Bron- where he has done such splendid son speaking for the class. work. Without knowing the full reasons for the President's action, The monument was designed by we understand that it is due partly the architects of the building, and to Colonel Pratt"s criticism of the consists of a marble form about direction of Indian affairs in arti- 12 feet high by 4 feet wide. Thp in- cles published in The Red Man. scription occupies the lower part. General Pratt entered the army as Above is a bronze medallion, with a second lieutenant at the reorgani- the head of Horace Pitkin in relief. zation after the Civil War, having served through the war in the In- A Religious Says the Central diana volunteers. He organizpd Phenomenon Presbyterian, 0 f the CarUsle School in 1879, and has served continuously at Carlisle Richmond, V a.: since, being the first and only super- " The largest church and the largest intendent of tne institution up to congregations in connection with this time. Colonel Pratt made a our General Assembly are not with- great success of the Carlisle School in the United States, but on the for a quarter of a century, during Kongo River, in Afri~. The mem- which time he brought thousands of bership of the two churches there is Indian boys and girls from the upward of 2,000. And the attendance on each church is upward of . West to Carlisle to be educated. 1,OOO'-l!Iometimes 1,500, or more. When a native Afl'ican from that The A letter written region witnessed church services here, with an attendance of 100 or Cooper Bequest- by Dr. John F. 200, his remark was: 'The people of America do not go to church A Correction Dodd, Assistant much.' This Church (Southern Presbyterian) received during the Recording Secreecclesiastical year just closed $236,- 529-a gain over the receipts of the tary of the Missionary Society, corprevious year of $56.070." rects a false impression given in The "Best The Foreign Mis- Year" for sion Committee at our note on this subject on page Presbyterians the Northern As- 546 of our July number. Dr. Dodd sembly, Dr. C. B. McAfee, chairman, reported that says: the board has this year sent out more missionaries than any board It is true that the Missionary ever before sent in anyone year- Society of the Methodist Episcopal 82 new missionaries and 66 return- Church, the intended beneficiary in a certain sense of this bequest, has formally declined to accept the same; but it is not true in any sense or degree that it declined" to accept the money on tl).e ground that the testator was attending a theater when he died." That par- ticular incident was not at all con~ sidered and had no bearing what-
ever upon the action of the Com- member. The number of churches not making any contributions to mittee on Legacies making the foreign mi!lsions is diminishing each year. report recommending declination, Sad Loss for The Treadwell Iswhich was adopted by the Board of an Alaskan I and, A I ask a, Y. M. C. A. Young Men's Chris- Managers. The real and only rea- tian Association son for such declination was found lost its building by fire a few weeks ago, but is now occupying the jail in the peculiar provision of the will for temporary quarters. Since the association was organized a year requiring that the amount, some- or more ago, and everyone of the miners on the pay-roll of the comwl'at uncertain, being one-half of pany (some 200) became members, the saloons and gambling-places thJ lesidue. should be invested as a lost their business, and the jail has had but one or two occupants. perpetual fund, requiring interest During the conflagration, in which several buildings were burned and payments to a widow and daughter, the destruction of the entire town was threatened, there was R aged, respectively, under 50 and scarcity of water, but the bucket brigade used the beer to stay the under 22, during t.heir lifetime; flames in one of the big saloons on the edge of the town. The Y. M. and, further, that after the decease C• .A. is planning to rebuild, and will be aided"s before, by the minof the said parties the income of ing company. The building had just been insured for $8,000 (cost. said fund only to be used for all $20,000).
time to come for the cause of mis- The " Foreign The eyes of all the Problem " in world are to·day sions. * Canada turned Canadaward The Southern The two years since -Canada, with her Presbyterian the inauguration of almost illimitable extent of terri- Forward the Forward Move- tory, compdsing 3,500,000 square Movement ment have been the miles, and constituting more than one-third of the empire. No greater years ofgreatest ad- tribute could be paid to the natural vance in giving to foreign missions. resources of our }9.nd, or the free- dom of our commonwealth, than For this period the percentage of the mighty influx of people who increase has been larger in the have come knocking at our doors within the past twelve months. Southern Presbyterian Church Previous to this year, about 60,000 foreigners had emigrated to Canada than in any other in North Amer- to make for themselves homes in ica. The increase for the year just some part of our dominion. But closed has been $56,070.72, or 31 per this year over 115,000 have entered cent. The results are shown by Canada and passed through Win- nipeg, the" Gateway of the West." the following analysis of receipts: There are now 317 churches and 27 individuals in the Forward Movement. They assume $131,055 annually for the support of individual missionaries and mission stations. They have paid 90 per cent. of the amount due on their pledges. Forty·one of these churches have renewed their pledge for a third year, and 168 have completed the first year and renewed for a second.
The Forward Movement was not inaugurated until aftel' the close of the fiscal year 1902. The following year barely one-balf of these churches entered the Movement, and last year only three-fourths gave on this basis for the entire year, yet in the 2 years they have increased their gifts $39,110. Their gift per member has advanced from $1 to $1.58, while the other churches in the assembly have decreased 61 cents to 59 cents per
GENERAl. MISSION••RY INTELLIGENCE 62~
The congested countries of Europe more pronounced in favor of union are eagerly sending forth detach- than tbe ministers. ments, a thousand strong, who are peopling our great Northwest. Glad Tidings Statistics just re- Besides the influx this past year from the ceived show refrom the United States and the Antilles markable progress British Isles, France, Germany, in Porto Rico and Italy, Spain, Portugal, Russia, Poland, Norway, Sweden, and Den- Cuba. After five years' work in mark, and even Iceland' and China, Porto Rico there are at least 29 have each and all sent their repre- preaching stations, 11 of wbich are sentatives.-Missionary Outlook. organized churches. These are ministered to by about 15 ministers Promise of Organic union be- and native helpers. Only 8 of these Church Union tween the Congre- are from the States. The church- membership,. as reported, is 1,089. in Canada gationalists, Metho- In Cuba, after less than three years dists, and Presby- 'of work, there are 16stations, with 3 organized churcbes and over 200 terians in Canada was one of the memnel·s. principal subjects dealt with at the General Assembly of the Presby- Australasian' It was in 1899 that terian Church in Canada, which Mission in the first band of was held in St. John, New Bt'uns- South America you II g W 0 I' k e l' s wick. The three bodies have had committees " on correspondence sailed from the Anwith other churches" which have tipodes for South America, under TIlade fraternal exchanges from the auspices of the Australasian time to time. All three have ex- South American Mission. Since pressed themselves cordially then they have been joined by toward such union. In April a others. Up to the present they joint meeting of representatives of have labored chiefly among Spanthe Methodist, Presbyterian, and ish-speaking people in the Argen- Congregational Churches was held tine Republic, and, after attempts in Toronto. The following reso- in various directions, a :settlement lution was adopted unanimollsly: has been made in Campana, a town sixty miles north of Buenos Ayres, Wbile recognizing the limita- and there a flourishing school and tions of our authority as to any mission are being carried on by Mr. action that would commit our re- and Mrs. Cook and Mr. Grimson. spective churches in regard to a Much has been done in circulating proposal that is yet in the initial the Scriptures in conjunction with stage, we feel ft'ee, nevertheless, to the American Bible Society. One say that we are of one mind: that of the pioneers, Mr. Allan, has, organic union is both desirable however, felt from the beginning and practicable, and we commend that his work would be among the the whole subject to the sympa- descendants of the renowned Inca thetic and favorable consideration Indians, those famous races who of the chief assemblies of the held a great part of the South churcbes concerned for such further American continent, with a considaction as they may deem wise and erable degree of the arts of civilizaexpedient. tion, when it was acquired by the Spanish conquerors four centuries There seems to be a growing ago. There are 3,500,000 of these recognition of the economy in the pure Indians, who all speak the use of resources as well as the more Quechua language. Last year adequate expression of the spiritual oneness of the Church that would result from a union organic in form. The laymen are even
Messrs. Allan, "Vilson, ano Guer- The Kongo There has been or· rero made a journey through Bo- Refonn ganized in England livia, extending over six months, Association a movement known carrying Bibles on pack-mules, and as the Kongo Re- selling a considerable number to form Association, which has for its Spaniards, at the same time spying object.the securing for the natives out the land in order to commence inhabiting the Kongo State the a mission among the long-neglected just and humane treatment which Incas.-London Christian. was gnaranteed to them under the EUROPE Berlin and Brussels Act. It is sought to accomplish this by secur· General Booth The founder of the ing the restoration of their rights in land and products of the soil, of at Salvation Army has which they have been deprived by the Kongo State; also to secure the Seventy.five jm;t completed his restoration of just and humane ad- ministration of the individual free- seventy-fifth year. dom of men, women, and children, of which they have been deprived It is forty-two years since he began by oppressive taxation, illegal coercion, and inhumane treatment. the formation' of the Army, but he The means to be employed to achieve the object are: (1) The disis as alert as ever. His activity tribution of information through the press of the world; (2) by pub. was never more aston ishing. With- lie meetings and lectures; (3) by in. viting the influence, interest, and in the last few months he has been support of all humane persons who will help the cause. preaching and organizing in Amer- The association has for its presiica, France, Germany, Norway, dent the Rt. Hon. Earl Beauchamp, K.C. N.G. P. D. Morel, Esq.. is Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Scot· the honorable secretary.
land, and Ireland, and he has just started for a tour of Scandinavia, Germany, and Switzerland. Asked whether he were satisfied with his life-work, General Booth said: "No! Satisfied? Who could be satisfied amid the indifference and disbelief of to day? Look at the multitudes around us who care nothing for God. Look at the growing agnosticism of the people. C. E. Z. M. The general review Look at the wretchedness and suf· Statistics 'of last year shows, in addition to the ferings of the poor. Look at our 211 missionaries in home connecnational sins. Never was selfish- tion, 105 missionaries and assist- ants in local connection, 323 native ness so marked as a national vice .-Bible women and nurses, and 571 as it is to-day. How can a man be native teachers. With regard to the work done, 6,397 zenana pupils satisfied when sin has got hold of have been taught with more or less regularity; 10,669 children are on the nation so ? " the rolls in 213 day schools, with an average attendance of per- C. M. S. According to the haps two-thirds of that total: 669 more are in 32 normal or boarding Statistics last report, just is- schools and orphanages, besides a sued, the figures for considerable number in converts' home; in hospitals containing an the Church Missionary Society are aggregate of 348 beds, 2,979 inas follows: Mission Stations, 5HO. European. mi8,ionaries-ordained 422' lay 159; wives, 388 j ladies, 393 ; total, 1',362.' , Native clergy, 39~' teachers, 7 679.
Native Christian adher"ntR, 308,439.
Native communicants, 87,1 Ol. Baptisms durillg the year, 24,736. School~, 2,535; schola rs, 132,549. Medical work ~beds, 1,946; in'patients,17,- 071; visits of out-patients, 831,404.
19041 GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
patients have been received, while scarcely think of the Baptist Mis- 290,610 visits have been paid by out- sionary Society as existing. I am patients to hospitals and dispen- one of the very few whose mem- saries; and the Gospel message has orit's go back to the earliest days also been given in 2,756 villages. of his connection with the society; but all the Churches know how his Universities' The report of the encyclopredical knowledge, re- Mission to Universities' M i s- markable business ability, concen- tration of will, contagious enthu- Central Africa sion to C e n t I' a I siasm, and warm heart have been Africa, just issued, devoted unstintingly to its ser- vice." speaks of steady if not rapid prog- ress. The Bishop of Zanzibar last Missionary The amount con- year confirmed 460 candidates, and Income of the tributed last year the Bishop of Likoma 487, the time United Free was £ 219,141 of probation and training prior to reception into. the Church in all Church ($1,095,705), made these cases lasting for months, and up as follows: Rev- sometimes for several years. At the present time the mission staff enue at home (inclusive of Living- consists of 113 Europeans, 32 clergy, stonia mission and women's foreign 26 laymen, and 55 ladies. There are mission), £119,383; foreign mission also 243 natives, of whom 17 are revenue abroad, £84,121; Jewish clergy, 12 readers, and 2J.! teachers. missions, £8,080 ; Continental, £4,150; Colonial, £3,404. The total London This organization, is more than £18,000 above last Missionary which dates from year; but this large increase is ac- counted for chiefly by the special Society 1795, has now 275 efforts on behalf of the Emergency European mission- Fund and. the Livingstonia, Build- ing Fund. The ordinary congregaaries laboring in foreign lands. tional giving for the various mis- There are 100 in India, 72 in Ch~na, sionary funds of the Church shows 31 in Madagascar, 31 in South only a slight in'!:rease. Africa, and 35 in Polynesia and the West Indies. The official summary, London's Work The London Sociwhich has recently been issued, for the Jews ety for the Propshows that in addition there are agation of the 943 ordained native ministers, 3,672 nati ve preachers, 1,579 teachers, Gospel among the Jews reports an and 208 Bible women. The church income last year of $191,858. No members number 69,607, and there less than 212 workers are employed are 100,026 native adherents. Over by the society at 51 mission centers £29,000 was raised in the past year in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Amerat the mission stations, the sum in- ica. From all stations progress is cluding medical mission receipts reported. From North Africa and school fees. comes most encouraging news: hundreds of Jews in Abyssinia English Baptist The retirement is are earnestly seeking the truth, Missionary announced of Mr. and in two places alone there were Secretary Alfred Henry from 300 to 400 converts. In Per- Retires Baynes, who long sia congregations of over 100 Jews and worthily has are reported at the mission services, while 400 come to hear the Gospel filled the office of secretary to the at Damascus. In Tunis, the good Baptbt Missionary Society. Dr. seed, sown faithfully for lUany Alexander Maclaren writes: "Without Mr. Baynes one can
years in church and schools, be- arship. They have already collect- ed $1,540 toward this object. Resogins to bear fruit. M. lutions adopted by the trustees and by the faculty were also read, What the The Rhenish Soci- and also an engrossed memorial address on the part of the British Rhenish Society ety carries on work and American colonies of Constan- tinople, with over 150 signatures. Reports in 8 countries, .The influence of Dr. and Mrs. and is able to re- Washburn on the entire Constan- tinople community has been very port native Christians (adherents) marked. For eleven years before assuming the presidency of the colto the number of 96,881, an increase lege Dr. Washburn was a mission- a.ry of the American Board, and of 5,757 over a year ago, Of these, his lifelong acquaintance with Eastern affairs has made him the 55,685 are found in Sumatra, ]6,316 valued counselor and warm per- sonal friend of many American in Cape Colony, 13,909 in German and British diplomatists and states- men. Mrs. Washburn has also Southwest Africa, 7,568 in Nias, long occupied a warm place in the hearts of all with whom she comes 1,963 in Borneo, and 1,277 in China. in contact. The charm of her hos- pitality has made "Kennedy Work has just been begun in New Lodge," the president's house, a center of happiest social reminis- Guinea. cences.
Dr. Washburn. June 14th marked Dr. Washburn's successor, Dr. C. of Robert the close of the Frank Gates, was formerly Presi- College work of the Rev. dent of Euphrates College, Harput. George Washburn, Thus, the three presidents of Robert College have all been missionaries, D.D., at Robert College, Constan- and the institution, altho from its tinople. For thirty-five years he foundation independent in support, has stood at the helm, and now, at has been strongly Christian in its the age of seventy-one, retires and influence, and thoroughly in symreturns to America. His presi- pathy with the missionary work. dency has been an era of the greatest prosperity for the college. c. T. R. After the noble and heroic pioneer work of the late Dr. Cyrus Ham- ASIA lin, Dr. 'Washburn took charge of the yonng institution in 1869, when High Honor A statue to Presi· its very continuance was a matter to a Veteran dent Daniel Bliss, of grave doubt. From a mere handfulof students, it has grown to an the founder of the institution of over 300, with a large Syrian Protestant College at Beifaculty and nine buildings. The rut, was unveiled May 6, with a influence of the college on the for- large audience present, composed of mation of Bulgarian character was Christian converts, American resiso marked as to lead the first Bul- dents of the missions throughout garian sobranje, or parliament, to Egypt, Turkey, and Persia, with a pass a resolution of thanks to Dr. representation of American travel- Washburn for what he had done ers. Dr. Bliss went out to Persia for the Bulgarian people. 48 years ago, and, in connection The more than 2,400 former studen ts of the college still li ving look back with grateful memories to the wisdom, the tact, and genuine affection shown them by their beloved president. On the recent commencement day, the alumni, to commemorate their love for him, have founded a free scholarship, to be known as the Washburn Schol-
GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
with other missionary work, at once ment officer. The latter seems to proceeded to collect funds for the establishment of the college. It be a theosophist, but says: was successful from the start, and bas been enlarged from time to We feel that a new era has now time,·the founder being always able dawned for us and our children. to interest his friends in its behalf. Christianity is winning victory lts alumni are widely scattered after victory. I tremble; not that I throughout the East. The exer- am unwilling tn become a Christian dses at the unveiling were in Eng- if the time comes for such a change. lish and Arabic, and a poem in the But I foresee what a conflict must latter language was read. needs hreak out in the bosom of Illy family, among those who neverthe- Cholera Dr. S. M. Zwemer, less love one another greatly. This conflict can not fail to issue in an Raging in of Bahrein, writes, alienation either temporary or per- manent. Arabia and under date of May And this man told the truth. Penia 26th, that they are His personal experience confirmed his words.-Le JJliswionarie. t having a taste of The Religious A correspondent in Decadence the Voice of India what a cholera epidemic is like. The Arnong Parsees has been calling atpeople were dy ing at the rate of 60 tention to the a day. There was panic in the causes of Parsee religious deca- dence. He considers that the igibazaar, budals at night, suspicion of Christians, and the rest. The disease also got among the little norant priesthood is the chief cause. To the Parsee priest religband of Christians. Ameen's wife ion consists in meaningless cere- monies, which the modern young died, and 2 others recovered. The ladies of the mission were out day and night on errands of mercy. Dr. Parsee naturally learns to despise. The correspondent suggests serious .Zwemer adds: It is pretty hard to see them die ac tempts to create an educated priesthood. He says: like sheep without a shepherd, and to realize how helplel's one is in Vhat is wanted is not priests preaching sanitat.ion or salvation. who can officiate at petty ceremo- The British agent estimates the nies having no significance, but men death-rate at 500 a week in a popu- who can guide, advise, and instruct. lation of 20,000. The type of the If one such man for every 1,000 disease is very virulent, and people die in six hours. It is putting a Parsees is secured at first, it should stop to evangelistic tom'ing even as suffice. The Parsee population bethe plague did last year, but the ing about 80,000, we want, say, SO hospital is proving of great value. first-class priests, a number that can be gradually recruited from the A despatch from Tiflis says that college. The chief functions of these reverend gentlemen should there are 300 deaths daily in Tehe- be to preach rational discourses to ran, and that the cholera epidemic Parsee congregations on fixed days, is spreading rapidly in Northern to keep strict supervision over the petty Mobeds in each parish, to Peni~ * superintend and rationalize the ritual at the pra.yer-house, to look A New Era Rev. G. Fischer, of for India Karkal, India, hith- after the spiritual affairs of every family in the parish-in short, to do erto a very unfruit- all that is expected of an enlightful field, has lately had much more encouragement, finding himself ened clergyman or chaplain in ana his cr.techist surrounded from Christian countries. morning till night hy inquiring crowds. He has talked with some It is needless to say that no such rich Hindus, one being a govern- scheme will prove effective. A dead man can not be resurrected except by Divine power. *
Religious Value Not long since in college is a legacy to provide· preachers, teachers, and pastors for' of Some India the religious future years.
Non-religious sf>ntiment of an en- At the opening service Dr. W. A. P. Martin said: Work tire district was changed by the dig- ging of a well. The people had I hail this event as making a new been made to believe that if wells departure in the policy of the Lon-· were sunk beyond a certain depth don Missionary Society in China.
the gods would be offendf>d and Leader in the opening of missions,.
would punish them. In a time of and foremost in the work of evan- severe drought a missionary per- gelization, that noble board has not.
kept abreast of others in the work suaded some to dig deeper, and a of education. Education I Educa-· fine spring was found; whereby tlOnl is the cry that comes up from faith in their divinities was shat- all quarters. Sixty schools were'
tered better than could have been opened in Wuchang last week, and 70 near Peking a few weeks ago.
done by a thousand sermons. For want of competent teachers of their own the Chinese are seeking Tibetan The theology of the light from Japan. It is a pale and Theology Tibetan Buddhist feeble light in comparison with that is fearfully and shed abroad by our great mission * wonderfully made. It is contained schools.
in a ponderous Bible in lOS volumes A Message The Student V olun- to Students teer Mov{~ments of of 1,000 pages each, divided into from China America, G l' eat 1,083 books, and weighing half a Britain, Austral- asia, Scandinavia, and Germany ton. These are printed from hand- are now represented in China by over 500 volunteers. A committee cut wooden type, kept by the lamas, appointed by a representative meet- ing of these volunteers at Kuling and are of almost priceless worth. last summer prepared a message addressed to the students of all In addition to these, there are 225 lands, which has since been signed by 343 student volunteers in China. volumes of commentary.-Relig- The conviction that the mission- ary service. demands not only men ious Intelligence. t who are strong in faith, but also· broadminded and thoroughly train- Protestant Missionaries in China ed, constitutes the reason for such a message. The remarkable unity Men Unlnarried of the Chinese race, the immense English ….. 602 Wives Ladies Total possibilities of the people, and their American … 460 peculiar plasticity at the present Continental. 171 419 462 1.483 moment are made the basis of a 310 1,117 special claim on the interest of the 347 300 student world. Four great con- victions of these men and women 1~ 77 who make the appeal are deliber- ately and forcibly presented: (I} Total. .. 1,233 868 849 2,900 That the religious forces at work in China, apart from Christianity, One miasionary for every 133,000 have failed to save her. (2) That Christianity is proving its ability inhabitants.
The London The opening of the Mission College London Mis s ion in China College in Honkow recently was a great occasion. Its fine building, intended to accommodate both theological and normal schools, is a free gift from Dr. Griffith John, the veteran pioneer of that society in Central China. For 50 years he has preached the Gospel, and during the last 40 he has planted many flourishing chllrches in the provinces of Hupeh and Hunan. The
GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
to meet every oae of China's needs. ble site, and plans have been 9.rawn (3) That the present favorable con- for a building to COEt $12,000. It is ditions for Christian leadership in intended to make the institution China may not last. (4) That the entirely undenominational, and to missionary work in China affords put it under the charge of a board fnll ;,cope for every diversity of in which the various missionary tlLlen t. The problem of China's societies are represented. The Evangelization is then summarized chairman of the preliminary com- in words of profound significance: mittee is Dr. Hunter Corbett, of the Presbyterian Mission, and Rev. But the problem is primarily a John A. Stooke, of the China In- spiritual one..We do not aim to land Mission, is secretary. produce mere intellectual adhesion to the truths of Christianity, nor Bishop Having finished admiration of its moral teaching, for these call not save the race. Schereschewsky'S his translation of "Ve seek to lead individuals and communities to such an experience Plans for Work the Old and New of the power of Christ as shall rouse the heal·t and conscience, and trans- Testaments into form the whole life. In order to accomplish this end, the leaders of the classical Wenli, and thus givthe Church in China should be men of mental culture, but the essential ing the entire Bible to an empire qualification is faith in God. of more than 300,000,000 people, A Missionary Hon. John Fowler, Rest-Hous. United States Con- Bishop Schereschewsky has no atChefoo suI at Chefoo, thought of rest. When Bishop brings news of the inauguration of a project which Graves went to Tokyo a few months will gladden the .hearts of many missionaries. The climate and ago to consult him concerning his conditions of life in China are peculiarly trying to the American plans for further translations, he constitution. After a few years the energies flag, it becomes almost found the aged bishop in good impossible to work or sleep, and the missionary must pay the heavy health and working as enthusiasexpenses of a journey home, or render himself liahle to a perma- tically as ever upon the great tasks nent breakdown. It has, however, been found that there is in Shan- he has set himself. Summer and tung Province an ideal resort, where there is pure air, sea breezes, winter, a.lmost without break, he and revivifying conditions does eight hours' work a day, and There are in China about 3,COO Protestant missionaries, and among his vigorous mind outruns the abilthese there are many to whom the opportunity of a few weeks in ityof bis native scribes to keep up bracing air would be an invaluable boon. If a sanitorium were built with him. At the request of the and equipped, a very moderate charge, within the narrow mission- American Bible Society, he is now ary means, would render it selfsupporting. Stffficient money has preparing a Chinese reference Bible. been received to purchase an eligi- This in itself is an undertaking that might well tax the entire en- ergy of a much .younger man.- Spirit of Missions.
Strategic The news items of Centers in the daily war- Manchuria budget throw an unexpected I i g h t upon the care and good judgment that is exercised in choosing sta- tions or places of miSSionary resi- dence in countries selected as fields of labor. When a missionary goes to a foreign land he does not sit down at the first village to which he comes, in order to build his house
ana church and school there. He many and France together; that England, Scotland, Ireland, and ,carefully surveys the whole field, Wales are not one-third as exten- ;1S a general surveys the country in sive as Manchuria; that Pennsyl- which he is to meet the enemy. vania, New York, New Jersey, all When he has learned where the of New England, Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa together are hardly equal ,cross-roads are, and the places to this colossal province. And it is where men flock together for trade, a splendid agricultural land, well he chooses among those places the wooded and watered, and fuJI also of gold, iron, and coal. It is little {)lles where missionaries ought to wonder that Russia is determined reside. The man or woman who to keep it.
has traveled thousands of miles to The Korean We have received influence the people of a land thus Conference word from Korea makes sure of the widest oppor- Postponed that the proposed missionary confertunity to influence them. ence, which was called to called to By reading the war news one has meet in Korea in the autumn, has become familial' with the names of been postponed on account of the the great strates;ic centers in Man- Russo-Japanese war. Due notice churia. One knows the general will he given when events make it advisable to hold the conferlocation of . Mukden, Liao-yang, ence. Hai-che;lg, and Niu-chwang, as Peculiar Dr. H. P. MacKay well as the enormous importance Needs in wri t.es to the Pres- Formosa byte1vian 0 f the <>f those places to any Russian plan needs of the work in ,of campaign. One knows, too, the Formosa, as follows: names Feng-h wang-cheng, Taku- "The arrival of the Japanese .shan, and Sill-yen as strategic has changed the conditions. They will not allow a hospital to receive p0ints essential to a successful J ar- patients unless in charge of a doc- tor of good standing. We have a anese aggression. A faet worth hospital at Formosa that did much good in Dr. G. L. MacKay's t.ime, noticing is that everyone of these but is now closed, because we have no medical missionary. One should towns, of which we knew nothing be appointed without delay. The standard of education in Formosa until they became storm-centm's, is has been mTlch raised, as in Japan. In order, therefole, to hold our a missionary station chosen long own, we must raise the standard of education in t.he T,uIlsui College by ago for strategic reasons, and adding a preparatory department and appointiY'g at least one man for -equipped, according to its impor- that. The gil'ls'school ought also to be strengthened by the appointtance, with chapel and school, or ment of two ladies. The Japanese give prominence to the education church, college, hospital, and pub- of girls, and un leEs we keep up the standnrd the girls will go to other lishing house. schools. and we shall lose our grip of the population. Dr. MacKay The rules of influence and control anticipated ~dl this before he died, and now it has come." .are the same, whether the plan is to exercise control over a people by bullets or hy the Bible. It is satis- factory to have evidence brought to light by the war that the three missionary societies in Manchuria have used good generalship in choosing their stations. D.
The Importance To multitudes of of Manchuria intelligent people Manchuria, with its ,365,000 square miles, and 18,000,000 inhabitants, is scarcely more than a name. But Senator Beveridge tells us that it is as large as Ger-
1904J <GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
Only Christian One of the signs of 1806, the abolition of the slave- Chaplains the times is the per. trade in 1807, and the Slave Emanci- Wanted mission granted by pation Act of 1&'34, had much to do the Japanese gov- with the opening of doors. So had ermnent for the sending of 12 Chris- the e:x:ploratioll which marked the tian chaplains to the front, to take second period: the Nigel' expedi- rank as officers. Arrangements are tion, Livingstone's journeys, and being made for 6 Japanese pastors th08e of Burton, Speke, Grant, and and 6 foreign missionaries to go in Bakel', of Krapf al1d Rebmann.
the capacity of chaplains to the The third period was one of ex- soldiers of Japan. Already names pansion.
have been suggested and some ap- Appeal from Bishop Tucker repointments have been made by the the Eastern cently returned to respective missions. Only English and American missionaries will be Soudan Mengo from a long permitted to go. journey through Budu, Ankole, and Toro, during The Sabbath There is a Sabbath which he confirmed 751 candidates, Question question in Japan and saw a great deal to cheer and in Japan as well as in the encourage him. He was much Un it e d S tat e s. struck with the need for women's Some of the Japanese Christians work in Budu, and with" the great sell fish or vegetables on the Lord's opportunity that in the providence day; others write up their trade of God has presented itself in the accounts, or Inake purchases, or Acholi country." Acholi is in the deliver political speeches, or attend Nile Province of the {Tganda Pro- athletic sports on the day set apart tectorate. This bishop says of this for rest from toil and secular cares special opportunity: and for worship. Some even say Mr. A. B. Lloyd has at the the "Sabbath of the missionaries present moment with him at< is impossible." American Chris- Hoima no fewer than 45 stalwart tians are not in a position to throw stones at their Japanese brethren. young men, who have come from 5- Many Methodists are lax in their of the principal chiefs to ask for observance of the Sabbath, and they have not the excuse which teachers. Mr. Lloyd has himself might be given for the Japanese. visited the country, and speaks of They are new Christians, to whom the opening as of the most wonderthe Sabbath means little more than ful kind-the people ready to re- ceive us with open arms. . . • This work, I may add, will be the commencement of missionary en- terprise in the Eastern Soudan.
the day for public worship.- The Guspel Writing in The lVorld-wide Missions. in Uganda East and the West, AFRICA the Archbishop of Canterbury says: Three Periods ~r. Stewart divides Half an hour ago I read in to- in African the nineteenth cen- day's Time8 the summaJ'y of the Evangelization tury, as regards "Blue Book" upon the affairs of missionary work in <Uganda. Prominent among the Africa, into three periods-from forces which are at. work in trans- 1790 to 1840, from 1840 to 1860, ·and forming that tract ofsav!.ge Africa from 1860 to 1900. The first period into a civilized protectorl·,te of the was largely one of preparation. The British oeCllpflt,ion of the Cape empire, str"nds the work of the of Good Hope in 1795 and finally in Christian missionaries. In words, the weightier hecans(~ they are un- impassioned, the commissioner in his official r8port to onr home~ov-
ernment records his appreciation Boksburg, stated that of 13,000 of what the missionaries ,. have natives convicted there during a done during the year in the cause of education, and the progress of lengthy period, of offenses against civilization" ; and, after specifying the law, ranging from being with- some of the linguistic and other out passes to the crime of murder, services rendered by Bishop Tucker only four had heen educated in one ltnd his clergy, he goes on to say: or other of the native churches. Facts like these ought to silpnce "Some idea of the scope of the those who repeat the baseless in- work undertaken by the mis!!ion may be gathered f!'Om the follow- sinuation that the earnest labor of ing statistics: Church Missionary so many of the most single-minded Society, 32 stlttions, 24 ordained servants of Christ is not only futile English ministers, 9 lay mission- aries, 17 lady missionaries, 3 doc- but mischievous. tors, 3 nurses, and 35 native clergy; native churches, ],070; 16 perma- What Lovedale The numbers under nent schools, 30 nati ve school-teach- is Doing instruction at Love- ers, and 1,900 general native teach- dale this session are ers; baptized Christians, 40,056; adherents of the, mission, about 710. Over 500 of these are resident 250,000." boarders, one-third of whom have their. homes beyond the Cape He fnrther shows that the Roman Colony proper. Bechuanaland (in- Catholic "adherents" in Uganda cluding the Protectorate) contrib- number about 146,000. I refer to utes 44; Transvaal, 39; Basutoland, such facts as the foregoing merely 36; Natal, 24; and Orange River Col- as an illustration, drawn quite in- ony,17. Of the Transkeian terriciden tally from to-day's newspaper, tories, Tern buland furnishes 105, and .of the dimensions of the missionary East Griqualand, 35. The most fer- factor, whether people like it or tile source in these territories for not, in the imperial work of Eng- youthful aspirants to learning land beyond the sea, and of the seems to be Cala, there being over JSheer absurdity it would now be 20 from that locality alone. The were any responsible public man to total number of new ooarder en- .disregard it as it was disregarded trants for the present session was 11, century ago.-The Christian. 167. The following are the relig- ious denominations represented in Are Native This seems a need- these figures: Christians less and insulting ~~:l~~~;~~~.'.'.':::.'.::::::::::::::::::: '.:::: ~ Worse Than question, and yet CongregationaL,. ", ………. , .. ', .. " …. 25 Church of England."""",."""".,.", 19 Heathen? there is a general Followers of Mzimha." …. " .. "',, ……. 10 French Protestant."""""""""""" 9 belief among those Lutheran, , …….. " …. , ….. , …….. , … 3 Dutch Reformed, .. , …… , …. " …. , …. , 3 who are ignorant or not in sym- Moravian, …. , ….. , …… , …… " .. , .. , .. 3 Americau Methodist Episcopal. ' , . , , , , , , , , 1 pathy with missions that a Chris- Unattached, .. ,., , .,'" ,. ,,,,,,., " " , "'" 2 tian convert is less honorable in his Total. ….. , , .. " , .. , .. , .. " " " ….. 167 .condilCt than is his unconverted -Christian Express.
neighbor. In the Presbyterian MISCELlJNEOUS Churchman, the organ of the Pres- What The problem of the byterian Church of South Africa, Theological divinity school is there recently appeared the follow- Seminaries this: not how to ing paragraph: Should Do train an occasional A most valuable discussion took man for the foreign place last month in the Witwatersrand Church Council, at which de-' field, but how to kindle the mis- .cisive proof was adduced that natives who had been educated in sionary passion in every man that various churches formed an almost insignificant element in the crim- passes through the school, that he inal class. Mr. W. Hosken put the proportions in Natal recently may thereby become an able minltt 4 per cent.; while Mr. H. H. Pritchard, Public Prosecntor of
1904] GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
ister of Christ. The primary and Settlement at, Port Musgrave, to ,essential thing is that there shall be within the school a sacred altar the northwest. There, out of a ·of missionary passion, whereat the torch of every man shall be kindled, race of savages and murderers, has .and the lip of every man shall be touched with the living coal. For sprung up a village of some 30 neat the sake of the man who possibly has gifts for service abroad, the cottages" with well-tended gardens divinity school should be hot with zeal for evangelization, should be and fields, large herds of neat and .charged with solemn anxiety for the world's condition, so that no small cattle, and over all the im- man can live within its walls with- out facing for himself the solemn print of religious peace, Culture question, Is it Christ's will for me that I go forth to serve Him in the through Christianity does seem to regions beyond? have decided advantages over cul- CHARLES CUTHBERT HALL. ture without Christianity. t Civilizing A Mr. Meston, of Without Greenland, say s What the Rev. John Stewart, Christianity Director Kluge in Church of Madras, says: the Allgenteine Mis- Could Do " If the churches of .sions Zeitschrijt, wearied the Da- Christendom sent nish government into granting him an island on which he might civil- forth their missionaries in the ize some 200 natives, "without any same proportion as the Moravian mixture of Christianity." Church, there would be on the field 400,000 instead of 14,000, and if only After some five years he an- a quartor of the members and adnounced that these natives were herents of the Protestant Church perfectly civilized. Thereupon, gave one half-penny per day, the ·officers of the government and amount raised would be $25,000,000 i;heir ladies came down in great instead of $4,000,000." As it is, the ,state to view the illustrious result. Church is at present in touch with Mr. Meston had got his men suit- less than one two· hundredth part ably clothed and drilled in their of those for whom Christ died, and behavior. The ladies' boat came 30,000,000 are dying without a first. Soon it slackens course, then knowledge of salvation. The work turns about, and in all haste makes will certainly never be done nnless back to the ship. Wbile Mr. Mes- a very different and higher standton was welcoming his eminent ard of consecration to God is .guests, his "converts of culture adopted by the Christian men and without Christianity" had broken women of our land. " The urgent into the storeroom, got thoroughly need, the absolute duty, the undrunk, stripped themselves stark speakable blessedness, and aetual naked, and thus stood ready to re- possibility of living wholly for God, ceive their visitors. Mr. Meston is the ground on which not only was promptly relieved of his our responsibility, but our appeals charge, and the Fraser's Island was for the evangelization of' the made over to the Colonial Church heathen world must ever rest." Mission. AMuttonChop We have recently Contrast this with the 'Moravian Which Brought heard of a Scotch ,12.000 woman who lived on oatmeal that she might give to missions. A friend gave her a sixpence to buy a chop, but she said: "I have been with- out chops nine years; I can do without the chop." The friend, some time after, being at a dinner where a number of wealthy people
were present, told the story of that per cent. would have gone to the· chop. Many were deeply impressed, front, and only 7 per cent. would and one lady among them spoke up have been used in expenses. and said: "I never went without a chop for Christ yet. I will give a s. B. CA.PEN. thousand pounds for missions." Another and another spoke, until, OBITUARY around that dinner-table, the old Scotch woman's sixpence worth of Fran~ois At about the time· mutton chop had grown into $12,000 to send the Gospel to the heathen. Coillard, of when our b I' i e f An Orphan To show the whole- the Zambezi sketch a f Pastor Girl's Great Gift some effect of an Coillard appeared. unselfish act of de- votion, the American Board is re- in the June Review he passed away lating the following incident: from the scene of his earthly lao. Not long ago an orphan girl made to the American Board a gift bars. having been stricken with of one whole week's wages for missions. This led a •Pennsylvania blackwater fever. He died on May Presbyterian' to offer .to be one of 100 to follow the girl's example. 27th, at seventy years of age, after The time limit set for securing the 100 donors expired March 1st. The forty-seven years of service in proposition resulted in securing within that period of time 107 gifts South Africa. He has been a great· and pledges. Two of these pledges were for $500 each, two for $200 power in Barotsi land; and his aceach, and the smallest were from two children of 25 cents each. count of his labors, as narrated in Beware of Nat very long ago "At the Threshold of Central Fraudulent there came to this Africa," is one of the best mission- Appeals country aman from Turkey, who pre- ary books ever written. By his· tended to be raising money for a death the Paris Missionary Society school in that empire. The man married an American wifE:, spent has lost a faithful worker, many in. his summers at Bar Harbor, and lived at an annual expenditure of Europe, America, and Africa a trueover $4,000. The little school across the water received about $150. Yet friend, and the Church of Christ an. this man deceived our churches, our Sunday-schools, and benevolent efficient ambassador. .. people, who gave him their money with freedom. You see what the Rev. A. G. Fraser, This honored serresult was: Over 96 per cent. of what was raised he spent on him- of India vant of God passself, and less than 4 per cent. reached the little school across the ed away at Cal-· sea. If $100 had been put into the hands of anyone of the great for- cutta, at the advanced age of 92. eign missionary hoards, about 93 He arrived in India in the year 1845, a missionary of the Free Church of Scotland, and gave over 58 years of continuous service for Christ in this land, without once taking a· furlough.
Dr. Fraser was for some years associated with the Presbyterian denomination; then for several years he met with those who felt it more in accordance with New Testament teaching to meet alone in our Lord's name. He much sympathized with the late George Bowen, of Bombay, in his intense desire to promote love and sym- pathy b~tween the Indian and European members of Christ's Church in India. *
The Missionary Review of the World — May 1895
PALACE, BA~GKOK, SIA)I
MISSI'ON'A'RY REVIEW OF THE WORLD.
VOL. XVIII. No.5.-01d Serie.5.-MAY.-VOL. VIII. No. 5.-NMJ1~.
SOME HINDRANCES AND HELPS IN EVANGELIZING LAOS LAND.
The great hindrances to the spread of the Gospel and the conversion of men are the same in all ages and all lands. " The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God j neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.". "And men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." "The God of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them." These statements are as true now as when Jesus and Paul uttered them, and in them are still to be found the chief obstmcles to the triumph of the Gospel. Not caste and the slave trade, but the evil heart of unbelief departing from the living God j not Buddha or Confucius or Mohammed, but Satan, the enemy of God and man-this is still the J ebus that holds out against the Son of David, this still the Goliath whom He must meet and slay. And as the most obstinate difficulties, so the highest encouragements of the mission enterprise are the same to-day as at the beginning. It was the truest missionary instinctthat led Judson, when some one wrote to him inquiring what were the prospects for the evangelization of Burmah, to reply, "Bright as the promises of God." The cause of missions will always be at its best when the" Go ye" and the" Lo, I am with you always" of Christ outbulks and outweighs every other encouragement in the esteem of Its supporters. But while all this is true, it is true too that each field presents difficulties on the one hand, and sources of encouragement on the other, which are to some extent peculiar to itself. In these, not in geographical situation or climate or productions, lie the true differentia of mission lands j and of these we must have some right conception if we are to enter into intelligent and prayerful sympathy with missionaries, and not simply to feel a vague interest in missions. The writer hopes, therefore, that it may be to the purpose if in this month of May, when so many prayers will be put up for Siam and Laos, he speaks of " Some Hindrances and Helps in Evangelizing Lsos Land. "
e<>ME BlNDltANCE8 AND DELFS IN EVANGELIZING LAOS LAND
HINDltANCES.
1. Power 0/ Ou,tom.-And, first, let him advert to the power of cus- tom among the Laos as a hindrance to the progress of Christianity. If the world were to be divided as we sometimes divide the churches in our own land, into conservatives and radicals, the Orient would be set against the Occident. Custom has power in the West, it is true j on the other hand, " old fashioned" is more often than not a term of reproach, and the love of novelty is so great that the mere fact that a thing has long been done in a certain way is counted by many a sufficient reason for beginning to do it in some other fashion. The temper of the Orient is the opposite j there the customary is the sacred; the thing that hath been is- that which shall be, and also the thing that ought to be. And in this respect the Laos are true Orientals. It is some time before the missionary can realize the force which this matter of custom exerts among them. He goes into a wayside temple j he seeks out the head priest and courteously salutes him j he is invited to seat himself upon the mat that is spread for him, and a pillow for his elbow, a jar of cool water and a cup, and a tray of the inevitable betel-nut are provided for his comfort and refreshment. After a few commonplaces on either side the real business of the hour is taken up, and that all the more eagerly because the presence of the foreign teacher has drawn every member of the monastery, ,every casual loiterer in the temple grounds, perhaps even ~~score or more of persons from the village, into earshot of the conversation. " Your reverence," begins the missionary, "is a religious man; are you acquainted with that which is called the religion of the Lord Jesus~" The answer will probably be this: " Noble doctor, we have heard of this religion of the Lord Jesus, but we do not understand clearly what it is." This the missionary feels is the very opportunity for which he has prepared himself. He has thought out his statement of Christianity j he has chosen his illustrations with great care j not only the terms he will employ, but the very tone and manner he will use j as not in the way of harsh and initiating polemic, but in that of calm but earnest reasoned appeal to heart and conscience, he sets the new system from heaven before thE> minds of those who know only the old that is of men. There is much to encourage him as he proceeds j there is earnest attention j the head priest interrupts now and then to ask a wellchosen question j not infrequently an auditor ejaculates under his breath that what the teacher says is true. The missionary ceases speaking, and awaits the reply of his fellow-teacher in the yellow robe. What will he pitch upon as the weak point in the argument ~ What will be the line of his attack 7 Listen:" Noble doctor, what you say is good j truly you speak to our hearts j but, haw pen heet paw, hoy maa" (these are not the footsteps of our fathers Rnd mothers). lifissa est! The assembly is dismi!l!!ed. The old priest's answer is conclusive to everybody except the missionary, and he departs wondering if it can really be tht an argument SI) stauch has gone to pieces on a rock Sl) small, 2. WOTship of Evil Spirits.-While Siam is called and is a Buddhist country, yet along with Buddhism there flourishes everywhere, and espe- cially among the Laos tribes, the worship of spirits. You may call them ghosts, demons, devils, genii, sprites, elves, or fairies. If you listen to the talk of the people you will at first think that now one and now another of these is what is meant by the ever-recurring word phee ; but you will come at last to the sad conclusion that if you are to find an equivalent in English, it must be something not very different from " evil spirit." For whether the phee in question be thought of as the soul of a dead man, or the presid- ing genius of a family, or the invisible guardian of some brook or cave, or the inferior deity who has special charge of some natural phenomena like rain or thunder, or some event in human life, such as the weaning of a child or the marriage of a maiden, it may become at any moment and on the slightest provocation a malignant foe. And therefore one of the main anxieties of a Laos man or woman is to keep on friendly terms with these invisible powers. It is only by degrees that the foreigner can come to understand how large a part of life this is for the people about him; for this devil cult has no temples and no priests except as every house, from the carved and gilded palace of the ., Lord of Life" to the thatch-roofed bamboo cottage of his humblest subject, is such a temple, and every man and every woman a priest or priestess of this worship. Go where you will and when you will, in city or country, by river, through forest, to the caves of the mountains, across the smiling rice fields, in wet season or dry, at rice planting or harvest, at birth or death, at wedding or funeral, when contracts are signed, when houses are built, when journeys are undertaken, when sickness or storm or drouth befalls, and you will find in charm and spell and offering the tokens of the sway of this dark superstition as to the presence and activity of spirits. And just in that word superstition lies one chief element of the power of spirit worship as a hindrance to the acceptance of the Gospel. It is not merely that for a Laos man to change his religion will surely offend the spirits of his ancestors and provoke the enmity of all those demons who have in the past been pleased by his worship ; it is not merely that the heart in which the missionary sows the seed of God's Word is already preoccupied with a rank growth of weeds; but it is the peculiar character of this religion as a superstition which constitutes it an obstacle to the truth. An historical religion can be attacked in its history; a philosophical religion can be attacked in its philosophy; but how shall we attack a superstition 1 It is fighting with a ghost. We cut it in twain only to find that the impalpable substance of which it is made up closes behind the blade and suffers no harm. Not based on reason or fact, a superstition like this refuses to yield to reason or fact. And superstition embrutes men's minds; it teaches them to count fact and fancy, truth and falsehood as of equal worth, and at last makes them incompetent to distinguish the one from the other. Much of wha.t is believed by the people is so absurd that even they themselves, when the sun shines and all goes well with them, will make jokes about the" spirits somewhat as the children of America do about the " brownies i" but let the night fall, let misfortune overtake them, and all doubts vanish. Ignorant of the laws of nature, knowing nothing of Providence; rebelling unconsciously against the" Buddhist dogma that the experiences of this life are the resultant of conduct in some previous state of existence, the Laos finds in the activity of these spirits his easiest explanation of· all theiUs that overtake him. And thus this belief and worship roots itself in every event and relation of his life, and constitutes, like the idolatry prevalent in the Roman world in. the first century, at once one chief difficulty in the way of his accepting the Gospel, and when he has accepted it, one chief source of temptation to apostasy.
3. Buddhism.-Buddhism is in Siam and Laos the most obtrusive of all facts. The missionary, as he enters the mouth of the Meinam, gets at the same moment his first sight of the red flag with the white elephant flying over a frowning fort, and of the glittering roof and spires of a Buddhist temple; and every day he spends in the land through whose gate his stj.lamer. is passing will teach him more clearly the significance of the scene that lies before him. And, first of all, Buddhism bars the way to the entrance of the Gospel into men's hearts because it is a religion of self~righteousness. Buddhism has three keywords-misery, transmigration, merit-and the greatest of these, the one most often uttered, is merit. Existence is. essentially wretched, but there is no escape from it ; nothing can stop the endless revolution of the wheel of birth and deAth j all that can be done is to make future existence less wretched than the present; and this can be accomplished only by personal merit. What we are is the result of what we have done, and what we shall be depends upon what we are doing now-this is the short creed of the Buddhist. There lies before the writer some rough memoranda of a conversation with a brother of the King of Siam. He had read the Bible, he said, in English and in Siamese, and always kept it by him. He admired much that was in it; he believed Christ to have been a good, wise, far-seeing man, and a great teacher, though not divine; he regarded Christianity and Buddhism as far superior to Mohammedanism, because the former appeal, as the latter does not, to direc1ly religious motives; but there was one thing in Christianity that he could never be brought to believe-it is that there can be any way of escape from the consequences of our own actions. " There can be. no Saviour," said he, "except as every man can save himself by doing good deeds. If any man can believe Christianity, he will no doubt be happy. I would be glad if I could believe it mYElelf j but I and ttll the higher classes of Siam hold firmly to the belief .that every man mUllt receive according to· his deeds. We cannot believe that God can be bribed to release any orie from his responsibility." And in deference to this conviction the Siamese have made"a vast investment in what they regttrd as work:s of merit. They have c8vered their land with temples and pagodas MISSION PREMISES, CHIENG MAL MISSION CHURCH, CHI ENG MAl, LAOS COUNTRY, and images of Buddha. More than half the men in the kingdom have spent some years at least in the priesthood. Not a household but has furnished one or more sons to the monastery ; not a woman but contributes to the daily support of the priests, and spends her treasured coins for gold leaf to make the idols spleBdid. It has not been enough to supply cities and villages with temples more plentifully than those of our own land are with churches; the very hilltops must be crowned with pagodas and splendid flights of stairs built to make access to them easy; the caverns of the mountains must be sought out and turned into temples for Lord Gautama. No nation under heaven can better than these Siamese Buddhists sympathize with Paul as he catalogues his grounds of confidence in the flesh, and his works of righteousness which he had done j and none knows better what it costs to say with him, what everyone must say who becomes It Christian, " But what things were gain to me, these I counted loss for Christ."
HELPS.
1. Religious Toleration. -But over against these hindrances to the progress of missions in Siam and Laos there are some helps that do not exist, or do not exillt to the same extent, in other fields. And, first, there is entire religious toleration, and that by law. The very prince whose views were quoted above began the interview in which he gave utterance to them by informing his missionary callers that he had just returned from a visit to Lakawn, a principal city of the Laos provinces, and that while there he had purchased and now wished to present to the mission a site for a mission station in that place. The same man afterward paid to the writer as mission treasurer the sum of two thousand rupees, a gift from his royal brother for the purpose of erecting a dispensary in this same city of Lakawn j and it was just this encouragement and help from the highest in the land that led to the establishment there of what has since become a flourishing station, with churc1es, schools, and hospital. And this only illustrates what for many years has been the attitnde of the ruling classes toward the efforts of the missionaries on their educational and medical sides. There are few incidents of modern missions that more strikingly exhibit the providential guidance of God than the oft-told story which reveals to us the fountain.
head of this tolerance in the influence of amissionary over the future King of Siam, then a refugee in a Buddhist monastery from the hatred of a usurper. It is because in 1845 Rev. Jesse Caswell became tutor to Prince Chow Til. Mongkut, that from the time of the latter's accession to the throne, six years later, the missionaries have enjoyed increasing liberty to preach and teach, acquire property, open schools and hospitals, and make converts. The one serious exception occurred in 1869, when the then King of Chieng Mai (the most important of the Laos provinces) put two native Christians to death. But the persecutor's hand was stayed by his OWIl death, and in 1878 the King of Siam issued his proclamation of religious liberty for the Laos States, and to-day the missionaries are as free to prosecute their work as ministers are at home.
2. Position of Woman.-Along with religious toleration, the position of wo~an in Siam, and particularly Laos, deserves to be mentioned as one of the conditions favorable to the success of missions. There is perhaps no heathen land where women occupy a better position than in the Laos States. Monogamy is the rule among the common people. There are no harems or zenanas. The women wear no veils. They are to be seen everywhere-at their homes, on the streets, in the fields, keeping stalls in the markets, worshipping at the temples. The missionary may address them as freely as he does their husbands, sons, and brothers. Though Buddhism makes no provision for the education of girls, no prejudice is felt against allowing them to attend mission schools, and the Church in Chieng Mai has more than once availed itself of the talents of her native Phrebes and Priscillas, sending them out two and two into the villages to teach the women and children especially, but the men too as they had opportunity.
3. Spirit-worship ])riving People to Christ.-Buddhism has its weak points; it has even rendered some services to Christianity. Its false cosmogony is easily shown to be false; it was the prediction by Dr. McGilvary of the exact day and hour of a coming eclipse that attracted the attention of the man who became the first convert of the Laos mission. The monasteries and temple schools have made the men a nation of readers, into whose hands Christian books may be put. The burden of maintaining the great hosts of priests in idleness, coupled with the dissolute lives led by some of them, has here and there disgusted a community with the ancient faith. The elaborate system of merit making fails to satisfy the consciences of the really earnest; the vanishing prospect of some time attaining in Nirvana escape from the weary round of birth and death sometimes appears as mere heartless mockery; and thus a man here and a woman there is prepared to welcome the proclamation of a Saviour, and eternal life through Him. And yet, when abatement has been made for all these things, Buddhism must still be pronounced one of Satan's masterpieces for deluding men's 80uls. But the writer is inclined to raise the question whether in spirit worship, as in the phenomenon of possession by demons in the days of our Lord, the wily Prince of Darkness has not overreached himself. For the worship of evil spirits is wholly a religion of fear. It brings no salve to the conscience; it makes no ground for self-righteousneRS; it offers no hope for the future, not even such hope as Buddhism gives. "What do you do when anyone dies~" the writer once asked of a group of Moo Surs, a mountain tribe whORe only religion is spirit worship. "We cry and put him in the ground," was the answer. This faith contains no single element of hope or comfort for this life or the life to come. Incantations, charms, offerings, pilgrimages serve but one endthey make the spirits propitious for the moment, and that is all. We
THE NEGBO AS.A )lISSION.ilty. &27
have heard our grandparents talk of a " dark day," when the sun seemed to shine through an inky haze. Every day is a dark day for the adherents of this superstition. They live under a pall of dread, and he who offers them a way of escape from this bondage is likely to have earnest listenel'll. Think what the Christian doctrine of God's providential care must be to such. And, as matter of fact, a large number of those who make up the Laos church have been driven to the missionaries by this very superstition. For in Siam, as everywhere, belief in spirits leads to belief in witches. The Laos man whose child has become suddenly ill, or whose buffalo has fallen into a pit, has a short and easy method of reasoning. " Thii hai befallen me because the spirits are angry with me. But why should the spirits be angry with me, who have taken such pains to appease them? Must not some witch have set them upon me 1" And who is the witch 1 Alas for his enemy, if he has one! Alas for his neighbors, if he lIas no enemy! For his suspicion of witchcraft once aroused will soon light on some hint of the witch, and forthwith the accusation is uttered. A jury of the village elders is impanclIedto hear his complaint; but the jury is as superstitious as the plaintiff, and the verdict will generally be guilty. And what will be the penalty incurred by the innocent victim of this accusation ~ He will be driven from the village, his house will be pulled down, his garden rooted up. And where shall he go? There are cities in Laos land wholly inhabited by such supposed witches, who have been herded together as though they were lepers. But some hundreds at least have gone to the missionaries for help. They have heard that the missionaries are not afraid of spirits; at any rate, the missionaries are foreigners, and a refuge may be found with them; and so they have come under the power of Gospel truth, and found Him who was manifested to destroy the works of the devil.
THE NEGRO AS A MISSIONARY. * BY THE REV. J. R. BRIDGES, SALEM, VA.
William H. Sheppard, the subject of this sketch, was born in 1865 at Waynesborough, Va. He grew up after the manner of his race, not much cumbered by cares or clothes. A pious lady said to him when a boy, " I have been praying that God may make you a Christian and send you to Africa." This boy is now a man who, after a strange experience in Africa, has been speaking to crowded houses, capturing all by his eloquence, fund of humor, and histrionic qualities. At the age of sixteen years he studied for four years at Hampton, Va., and then spent three years at the Colored Theological Seminary at Tuscaloosa, Ala., under the • The following I. a brief sketch of a most remarkable colored man, who .pent .ome time Ipeaking throul:h the South, and at the lalt meeting of thu Synod of Virginia received a mOlt enthnlluUc hearing. control of the Southern Presbyterian Church. He spent two years in Atlanta, Ga., in charge of a church, but his success was so poor that the committee under whom he was working hesitated to recommend him to the foreign work, when he proposed to accompany the late Rev. S. A. Lapsley to Congo Free State.
The Foreign Missionary Committee at Nashville, Tenn., under the guidance of the Spirit sent him, however, and February 26th, 1890, he and Lapsley sailed from New York for Africa. One was the son of an Alabama jurist, a fine type of the ante-bellum South, the other the son of an enslaved race, yet they proved kindred spirits in the Lord. LandinI{ at Matadi, on the Congo River, and going by Stanley Pool, they rea.ched Luebo, 1000 miles from the coast, where they established a sta.tion. Many are the incidents related of -Lapsley once preaching so tenderly concerning God's love for men that the women said, " If the Bakete women knew your God, they would sing to Him i" or at another time, awakened at midnight by a weeping mother, who begged him to take her dying child in his arms and" tell your God about him i" or at another time, buying from slave-traders a little girl whose mother they had slain and eaten, and had also compelled the child to feed upon her mother's flesh. At times their position was one of peril, but by using the African telegraph system they escaped. This system consists of two oblong bells welded together, which being struck with a stick produce certain notes, each meaning a certain thing. Every canoe in passing must report at each village, else these beHs are sounded and the next village is notified to look out. Once word was brought that the Mechoka, a fierce tribe, would come at night and destroy the missionaries. Instantly the missionaries had the alarm sounded,. and this message went from village to village. "The Mechoka are coming to destroy the missionaries." Armed bands came running in from every quarter, butthe enemy, taking the alarm, had fled.
While in Luebo Lapsley met some natives of fine form, high insteps, broad foreheads, and tall figures. Upon inquiry he found that they belonged to the Bakuba tribe, a people under the great King Lukenga, who, driving out all other tribes, now inhabited the most desirable region in the interior, into which no foreigner had ever entered, as the penalty was death to the foreigner and destruction to the village showing the road.
The traders and Belgian officials for nine years, and even the king of Belgium, had tried through presents to gain an entrance, but in vain. These two brave men, feeling called of God to the work, made necessary preparations. While Lapsley was at Stanley Pool forwarding the goods, Sheppard, Jacob-like, made savory messes, with which he enticed the passing Bakubas, and thus, while eating with them, he learned many words of their language. Lapsley died suddenly at Underhill, a station at the foot of the Livingstone Cataracts, and the news of his death fell like a thunderclap upon the station at Luebo. Sheppard now regarded the contemplated work as a legacy fro~ his departed friend, and it is a striking proof of the heroic faith of the man that, though alone in Africa, deprived of the man upon whom he had always leaned, he started the following day on his perilous journey. Out of forty only eight men and a small boy responded to his call for men whose hearts were strong. When he reached the first Bakuba village he was royally entertained, but no one would point out thc road farther on. They agreed that his servant should go with a trading party to the next market-town for eggs. This man re1,urning guided him to the next village, where he was kindly received, but the people were publicly warned against showing the foreigner the road upon the pain of death. Again he man- aged to get permission for his man to go to the next town for eggs, and thus reached the next village. Here he was in' a quandary. The egggame would not work, for they offered to supply his wants at home. In his efforts at cornering the home market he performed wonders at eggeating, managing to di!lpose of thirty eggs at one meal; the eggs, however, were small and he was hungry and desperate. While seeking in the woods Divine guidance, three women came from a village ahead. When they returned home he quietly followed and reached another stage on his journey.
He had now been on the road thirty days, losing it often and often unable to travel at all. At M'Boma he remained one month, unable to advance or to go back, as the rains had washed away his marks. Finally three ivory traders on their way to Lukenga's capital passed by. Sheppard sent his headman to follow them at a distance and to mark the crossroads, he with the caravan following behind. Through five villages they passed, and finally reached Bechebing, 40 miles from the capital. The traders, giving them the slip. reported at the capital that a foreigner was on the road. In the mean time the people of the village refused to receive him for fear of their own destruction. That night he spent in the woods, and the next day the king's son, N'toinzadi, with fifty warriors camc to bring the villagers and the foreigner to the king to be beheaded. They seized the people, put ropes around their necks, and then seized Sheppard's men. Sheppard sat on a stool praying and not knowing when his turn would come. In despair he called to the leader in the Bakuba tongue, and assured him that he alone was to be blamed. " You speak my language," said the prince. " Yes. " "And you have come this journey without a guide~" " Yes. " "But did you not know all these paths years ago~" "No; this is my first trip." He then consulted with his men, and coming back said, " Remain here till I return from my father."
The villagers were released on parole, and for three days he waited in anxiety and prayer, not knowing whether the issue would be life or death. The villagers passed him with averted faces, as if blaming him for their threatened ruin, and he imagincd that he could read reproaches in his own men's eyes. In the mean time the king had consulted his wise men, who decided that Sheppard was PO Pay M'Cobba, who reigned before Lukenga, and that he had passed into the body of Sheppard. The prince and other nobles were sent to bring this resurrect-ed ancestor to the capital. On their way to the capital Sheppard was received with marked honor and free-will offerings of sheep and goats. Reaching the capital, they were put in houses different from any they had seen in Africa. Each house had an attic, in which corn and ivory were stored. It was surrounded by double fences ten feet high. In the house were carved bedsteads, tables, clothes-racks, and mats. The city was laid off in squares separated by broad streets.
Three days he remained in the house, while hundreds crowded the yard. The fourth day the king received him in the great square. Escorted by four princes, he passed through thousands of children, some rolling hoops and others running ahead playing leap-frog.
On the public square a large circle had been formed of blanket cloth with leopard skins for a carpet, and there he found the aged sister of the king, his Majesty with seven hundred wives, which number, however, did not represent the full complement. The king was borne by stalwart men. He was dressed in blue robes trimmed with cowries and beads, and his crown was ornamented with blue and white beads surmounted by a white tassel. Around his neck and legs were small brass rings. He presented Sheppard with a knife which had been handed down through the reign of seven Lukengas, and upon the butt end is a seal, which has been the deathwarrant of many thousand lives. The king is nearly seventy-five years old. He will be succeeded by his eldest son, who lives in his own house, nev.er to be seen by anyone till he ascends the throne. Between the heirapparent and Mr. Sheppard pleasant messages have been exchanged. The king has granted him land, houses, and stock, and given him permission to labor among his people.
Mr. Sheppard, in an interview with the king, endeavored to convince him that he was not PO Pay M'Cobba, but the king only smiled pleasantly. The civilization of this country is far beyond any yet found in the heart of Africa. Their code of laws is simple, clear, and rigidly enforced. Polygamy is prohibited except in the royal family. Adultery and fornication are punished by death. Gambling or drunkenness entails slavery upon the man's family. No loud noises are permitted after a certain hour at night. A thief confessing is fined, but denying, he must submit to the ordeal by poison. Every third day is a day of rest from labor. Dancing consists of a movement with music, one standing behind the other, no one touching the other. They dress in flowing robes made of native cloth. They are very particular about their personal appearance. Said a native, " Sheppard, you have no knife." "Yes, why do you say so ?" "Because your finger-nails are dirty." They only believe in an evil principle that brings storms and death. Slaves are slain to accompany their dead to the spirit-land. One thousand slaves were buried with the king's mother.
ON IDOLATRY. "THOU SHALT NOT-" S31
Mr. Sheppard obtained liberty to leave after promising to return in twelve moons. While in London he delivered a lecture in Exeter Hall, and was made a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, an honor conferred upon Mr. Stanley when he returned from Africa. A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, evolved from a Virginia negro through the power of Almighty Grace, is our hero.
ON IDOLATRY. "THOU SHALT NOT-"
BY THE LATE REV. SAMUEL MATEER, OF TRAVANCORE, INDIA.
Among the Ten Commandments uttered amid thunders and lightnings and awe-inspiring signs by Jehovah Himself from Mount' Sinai, and engraven by His own finger on tables of stone as of perpetual obligation on all mankind, the second commandment is very full and express and particular. Its importance is thus evident, and the design that the injunction should not be violated, as if the fact that men would ill every possible way seek to infringe or evade it was present to the Divine mind, which, no doubt, it was.
The first commandment refers to the object of worship-none other but the true and living God, the same who chose the Israelites and l;evealed Himself to them as His peculiar people for the preservation of His revealed truth and the ultimate enlightenment of the nations, and who brought them up out of the land of Egypt and established them in the Holy Land. The second refers to the manner of worship : it must not be through images or visible representations of any kind or under any form. Idolatry denotes the worship of the Deity in a visible form, whether intended to represent the true God or false divinities. The meaning is so plain that Roman Catholics habitually omit this in all catechisms and summaries of doctrine, and to help them in so doing, they do not count it in the number ten, but divide the last commandment into two to make np the total of the Ten Words spoken of in Scripture. But in India we can refer them to the ancient colony of Jews in Cochin as authorities for a genuine copy of the Law, for as God committed the New Testament to the keeping of the Christian Church, so He committed His oracles of the Old Testament to the guardianship of the Jews, who also have been faithful to their trust; as testified by our Lord and His apostles; and our preachers sometimes relate to the Romanists a story of an image of St. Anthony and that of one of the Hindu gods made out of the same piece of timber and regarded by the carpenters as elder and younger brothers. Roman Catholics therefore are unable to join us in open-air discussions against Hinduism, for they are at once confounded by being charged with their image-worship.
Idolatry does not signify merely the worship of a material image as itllelf a living and powerful god, though e'en that is done by ignorant millions of the common people in India. There is a ceremony of COll!!ecration by which the gods are invited to take up their abode and inhabit the image. In Travancore the eyes of the image are sometimes opened by painting in the pupil on the background left by the workmen. There are some images, as the Salagram, a fossil shell found in rivers, which are supposed not to require consecration, being of themselves inherently the habitation of the indwelling deity without its being put in by any consecration ceremony. But few Hindus think of the consecration or distinguish between the image and the spiritual being represented by it. Indeed, the pantheism of India, which deifies the universe, rQgards all things as God and God as all, and declares the highest attainment of spiritual wisdom to consist in a poor, miserable, naked, half-civilized man's coming to say, "I am God." The idol is practically worshipped as itself God. It is bathed with water or milk, and anointed with oil, and carried to the sea or a river in state procession for a bath. This is one of the great periodical ceremonies in Hindu temples. The image is cooled in the hot season by water in a pot hung over it and dripping constantly upon it. It is clothed, and fed, and fanned, and regaled with the sweet scent of flowers and sandalwood. It is married, put to sleep, wakened in the morning by the blowing of the shell trumpet. Female images are said to be at times defiled; others catch cold and are sick or benumbed by enchantment. At Madura one opened the left eye to look in displeasure on a Mohammedan. And when the idol has shown itself disgracefully careless of the prayers and ungrateful for the offerings of the worshippers, it is beaten, contemptuously sat upon, broken up. or cast away. A man in Travancore erected a small temple on government land without leave. He was ordered to remove it, and delaying, a fine of a hundred rupees was imposed. He destroyed the whole, exclaiming, "What is the use of worshipping dumb idols that cannot help me in my time of need~" In the apprehension of the people in general the idols are real deities. They occupy the place of God and receive all the homage and honor He justly claims.
What said Rajah Rammohun Roy, a distinguished Hindu reformer ~ " Many Europeans feel a wish to palliate and soften the features of Hindu idolatry, and are inclined to inculcate that all objects of worship are considered by their votaries as emblematical representations of the Supreme Divinity. The truth is the Hindus of the present day have no such views of the subject, but firmly believe in the real existence of innumerable gods and goddesses who possess in their own departments full and independent power, and to propitiate them, and not the true God, are temples erected and ceremonies performed."
Only by the statements of the worshippers themselves can we ascertain whether the material idols themselves are worshipped or not. Some years ago a stone idol, a Salagram, was the subject of litigation in a eourt in Calcutta, and the judge consulted his Brahman interpreter and the Brahman agent of the plaintiff whether the idol could not be brought into the court for identification. They answered that it could not be brought in- side the court-house because matting is regarded as a conductor of cere- monial pollution, but it might be brought into the corridor of the building, which was done.
A great indignation meeting, however, was held by the Hindus of Calcutta, about ten thousand being present, headed by their leading priests and scholars. A distinguished Pundit addressed the meeting. " An idol," said he, " which was worshipped with all their heart, mind, and strength had been polluted. An object of worship was always kept in a sacred place, and for it to be moved into a court of justice was worse than sacrilege."
The next speaker said: "The God of heaven is an object of worship. He is the creator, preserver, and destroyer of things on earth, and now it occurs for the first time in the annals of British Indian history that a creature of the earth could order about a god of heaven as he liked. It was, therefore, their duty to take steps to prevent a recurrence of such sacrilege. " Here it is distinctly assumed that the idol itself is identical with the God of heaven, not a mere memorial or sign of His presence.
The natural desire of man is to see God-to walk by sight rather than by faith. To such it may seem desirable to have an image, an emblem, a reminder of God constantly before them to guide and help their conception of God, a visible symbol representing an invisible power. This might seem to some men a reasonable expedient as a first step to the knowledge of God. The Parsees now claim to be Theists, notwithstanding their worship of fire and the sun, taking these as the noblest emblems of Almighty God. The Israelites, when they worshipped the golden calf, said, " These be Thy gods (Elohim) which brought Thee up out of the land of Egypt. To-morrow shall be a feast to Jehovah." So also Jeroboam, 1 Kings 12 : 28. The Romanists tell us they only give an inferior worship to their images of the Virgin and saints. The Hindus perhaps had the idea in their mind of representing great power by the four arms of Vishnu and the sixteen of Siva and other representations.
But this is the very thing absolutely prohibited by God-any attempt to give men the knowledge of God by images or visible representations. It is emphatically forbidden in the Word of God, both in the Old and New Testaments. It is condemned by practice and precept, by prohibition and threatening. To bow adoringly to any image is a plain violation of God's law. It is not acceptable worship, but unbelief and disobedience. It is abomination and an insult to the living God. He is jealous of any attempt to worship Himself by any medium. "God is a spirit, and they that worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." However expedient and desirable it may seem to men to use images and pictures in divine worship, Scripture is the only standard and authority upon the subject. In the Word of God there is much about idolatry, and it is condemned and deprecated and rebuked with all the argument and scorn and vehemence of which human language is capable.
Idol worship does not as a matter of fact and experience aid men in the worship of God. It is unprofitable and useless. It does not remind the Hindus of God their Creator, Father, and Ruler, nor supply any aid or incitement to moral excellence and virtue.
" To whom will ye liken God, or what likeness will ye compare unto Him 1" ,, We ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver or stone graven by art and device of man." It is impossible to convey any conception of God by an image of anything in heaven or earth or under the earth. On the contrary, idols are deceptive, and convey false and ruinous ideas of God. " Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself." The idea of God is obscured and de. graded. Such gods have been compared to the Brocken spectre seen at dawn on one of the mountains in Germany, but the magnified and distorted shadows of the people themselves, human frailties and passions and virtues projected -and magnified upon the heavens. These gods are simply immortal men. The stories told in the vile mythology of India about the crimes of their gods and the depraving legends of their amours are derogatory to God, dishonoring to His perfections, and virtually a blasphemy of the Divine Being, who cannot lie and is of purer eyes than to look upon iniquity. The votaries of such gods "feed upon ashes, a deceived heart has led them astray. " "They that worship idols are like unto them. " Men will imitate the character of the gods they worship. Indeed, according to the highest teaching of Hindu sages, idols are not worshipped for anything but temporal benefits and prosperity. We are accustomed to appeal to the Hindus when some attempt to defend idolatry- Do these idols lead you to God 1 Do they aid you in virtue 1 Are your people godly, truthful, righteous, chaste, good 1 We appeal to their own consciences as to the general character of those who worship idols, and the abominable fables related of their gods, and can boldly compare all this with the history of Jesus Christ and the character inculcated in Holy Scripture and exemplified in the native Christians around them.
Take again the testimony of the learned and enlightened Rajah Rammohun Roy. He says: "Idolatry, as now practised by our countrymin, must be looked upon with great horror by common sense as leading directly to immorality and destructive of social comforts. For every Hindu who devotes himself to this absurd worship constructs for that purpose a couple of male and female idols, sometimes indecent in form, as representatives of his favorite deities. He is taught and enjoined from his infancy to contemplate and repeat the history of these as well as their fellow deities, though the actions ascribed to them be only a continued series of debauchery, sensuality, falsehood, ingratitude, breach of trust, and treachery to friends. There can be but one opinion respecting the moral character to be expected of a person who has been brought up with sentiments of reverence to such beings, who refreshes his memory relative to them almost every day, and who has been persuaded to believe that a repetition of the holy name of one of these deities, or a trifling present to his image or to his devotees, is sufficient not only to purify and free him from all crimes whatsoever, but to procure for him future beatitude."
Idolatry invariably degrades, belittles, and corrupts the mind. The worshippers as well as the images have eyes, but they see not; ears, but they hear not. An elaborate and debasing ceremonialism takes the place of spiritual religion. In the earliest of the Hindu Vedas we seem to find something of a monotheistic faith, and there is no mention of idols. Then came the worship of the elements, then of the deities supposed to preside over the powers of air, fire, water, and earth, then the worship of innumerable gods, and within the last thousand years the wicked and monstrous fables, the elaborate ritual, the cruel asceticism, the outward meritorious ceremonies of the Puranas and popular Hinduism, down to the worship of the cow and monkeys and snakes, of the mint and the linga-yea, of the meanest objects in creation. Monotheism is utterly lost in the multitude of divinities. It was by such degrees that the Hindus" changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things. Wherefore God gave them up in the lnsts of their hearts unto uncleanness." As Matthew Henry says: "Whoever thinks one God too little will find two too many, and yet hundreds not enough." Truly, their sorrows are multiplied that hasten after another God. Idolatry is utterly useless for the purpose for which it is now defended, as leading men's minds to God and His service.
Again, idolatry is not only an insufficient system of worship, but the Word of God declares that it is injurious; it is rebellion, high treason against the Divine authority. It springs from disobedience and rejection of God. The genesis of idolatry is sin in the heart.
Whatever theories may be held as to the lower animals (and the theory of evolution is far from being proved), we know from Divine revelation that men at first knew God, but fell. "Since the creation of the world God's everlasting power and divinity are clearly seen, being perceived by the things that are made, that they may be without excuse. Because that, knowing God, they glorified Him not as God, neither gave thanks. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator." Men shut their eyes to the light they had. They" refused to have God in their knowledge. " They were not willing that He should be King, should be a spirit and worshipped in spirit and in truth. Judged by their own natural light they are to blame. Like the rich man who hinted that the Scriptures were not enough for the salvation of his brethren without some one rising from the dead and becoming visible to their sight; like the Israelites who cried, "Make us gods that they may go before us," the frequent demand of the heathen is for a material vision of God. Show us God. Let us look at Him with our eyes and not be troubled to exercise faith in an invisible being and to exercise our hearts in spiritual meditation and loving communion.
Hence it is that the living God is the one being whom Hindus do not worship. There is not a single temple in the'whole of India to the one God. The heart that feels not the want of the living God as its proper nntriment will feed on the ashes of idolatry. Men will worship secondary causes instead of the great First Cause, the Author and Giver of all good. The fisher, we read in Hab. 1 : 16, "sacrificeth unto his net and burneth incense unto his drag, because by them his portion is fat and his meat plenteous. " So in India the implements of war, learning, arts, and agriculture are worshipped annually-the sword of the warrior, the tools of the artisan, the books and pens of the scholar, the almanac and accountbooks of the merchant. We have known Christian officers in India lend their swords and subscribe toward the cost of these ceremonies. Distrust in God and His power and grace, and reliance on the creature, are at the bottom of idolatry. "When one god is asleep another can help us," they say, "but as for you who worship but one God, when He is asleep, there is none to help you."· "One god is good for one thing, another for other things," is their doctrine. The omniscience of God is hidden from them. " Can you tell us of a god whom we can worship in the house without travelling so far and getting so fatigued~" The worship of the sun or the moon is declared by Job to be a denial of the God that is above, to whom we owe life and breath and all things. We are, therefore, specially anxious, in these days, to show the Hindus not only the folly and uselessness of idolatry, but to awake their consciences to a sense of its sinfulness and criminality before God.
Idolatry is a great sin against the majesty of the God of heaven, and is so spoken of in Scripture. Godly men would rather lose their life than yield to it. "We have no need," said the three godly Jews to the king of Babylon, "to answer thee in this matter. Be it known unto thee, o king, that we will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. " The early Christian martyrs were asked but to cast a pinch of incense into the fire before the image, but would rather die than do so. Were they right? Certainly-rather die than deny the God that made us and loves us and redeemed us by his dear Son Jesus Christ.
Therefore it is that God has so often and so warmly declared His displeasure against idolatry. God must rule the universe, there is no other way possible. God is love, but He must love righteousness and hate iniquity. "My glory will I not give to another, nor My praise to graven images." He cannot transfer His supremacy to another, else the world would perish, righteousness would perish. No sin is more offensive to· God than thus to rob Him of His glory and give that glory to the finite creature. He is provoked to wrath by the rejection of Himself and perversion of His gifts to evil. " My bread which I gave, the fine flour and oil and honey wherewith I fed thee, thou did set before the imagel!l fora sweet savor." "I gave Israel the corn and the wine and the oil, and multiplied unto her silver and gold, which they used for Baa!." "The idol is a shameful thing." "It is an abomination to the Lord, an iniquity which shall be visited upon the third and fourth generation of them that hate Him." It is ingratitude, contempt, and rejection of God's rnle and dominion.
The Israelites were ordered to destroy all images and not to intermarry with idolaters. Idolatry in the nation was to be punished with death, and three thousand were slain for the worship of the golden calf. " If ye shall go and serve other gods and worship them, then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them." For their idolatry and crimes the Canaanites were destroyed from the face of the earth. The Jews themselves suffered many national disasters, and ultimately a long captivity as a punishment for their idolatry.
Again, idolatry is in Scripture classed with the grossest sins, as one of them and leading to them. Neglect or abandonment of God must lead to sin. It is a fruitful source of superstition and vice. " Images," said Augustine, " are of more force to pervert the soul than to instruct it. " The gods that men invent are suited to their taste- " Gods changeful, passionate, unjust, Whose attributes are rage, revenge, and lust."
Gods not abhorring sin and easily pardoning vice, pleased with an external ritual without the veneration of the heart, under the power of their worshippers by their offerings and incantations. None of the Hindu deitiel!l represent any virtue.
Fearful cruelty and crimes which it is a shame even to speak of usually accompany idolatry. Its chief seats have always been cesspools of immorality and vice, and its allurements sensual pleasure. Missionaries are often at a disadvantage because they are unable to explain to a general audience the horrors of evil with which they are acquainted. In India almost every large temple has numerous priestesses engaged in vice, religious courtesans. These are spoken of as the servants and the wives of the god. We have known a melancholy case of a young woman who had been for some time under Christian instruction, but became irregular in attendance, and, when asked the cause, confessed that she was about to become the twenty.first wife of the god Bhuthanatha-" the wife of a stone," said she j "that is, the wife of anybody that wishes. Who can help me," she mourned j "it is settled by the gods, and I must submit to my fate."
It is all this indulgence in sensuality and pleasure that attracts and retains the worshippers, as it did the Israelites formerly. Idolatry exercises no restraint on vice, but rather encourages it. "In heathenism we can do as we like," some tell us, " but if we become Christians we must keep the ten commandments." The very carvings on temples and idol cars are often abominable, obscene, and bestial. From idolatry sprang human sa.crifices, formerly pra.ctised in India, the hook swinging, not yet effectually put down by government, and other sanguinary rites, widow burning and throwing of children into the idolized Ganges, weary penances, and toilsome pilgrimages. From idolatry and its distrust of Almighty God springs the resort to evil spirits for pretended divination, sorcery, magical arts, and demoniac possession. In the Tamil tractate Subhradipam, written by a native Christian, an argument against Hinduism is adduced from the fearful imprecations and magical charms and rites sanctioned by it for the destruction of enemies. Hence sorcery as well as sensual lusts are usually associated with idolatry in Scripture. " The works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, heresies, envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like, of which I forewarn you that they which practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
Lastly, it is but reasonable, as it is certainly scriptnral, to declare that idolatry is fatal to the souls of men. The Word of God declares the future punishment of idolaters. Everywhere in Holy Scripture it is spoken of as destructive to the souls of men. We must either give up the inspiration of the Word or accept the lost condition of the world. God says that men are perishing, and there is but one way of salvation for them. " This is life eternal, to know God," and men do not care to know God or to retain Him in their knowledge. What multitudes have withIn the last century heard the preaching of the Gospel and rejected it! Idolaters are under the" power of Satan," and many expressly worship devils as more prudent and profitable and more urgently necessary than the worship of God.
Ve read in Rev. 9 : 20 of those who "repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which neither see, nor hear, nor walk." So idolaters need to repent of this sin, and few do so.
Observe the connection in 1 Thess. 1 : 9, 10 between idolatry and the wrath to come, from which Jesus had delivered the Thessalonian converts, " Ye turned unto God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, even Jesus, who delivereth us from the wrath to come."
See also Rev. 21 : 8, " For 1,he fearful, and unbelieving, and abomiooble, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part shall be in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Thus if we accept the testimony of Holy Scripture, and view idolatry in the light in which we are told God views it, we cannot rest; with the poor, cold, feeble, inadequate argument for missions that some are now resorting to, that the heathen must somehow be saved by the mercy of God, but
RAILROADS IN TURREY
we should add to their happiness and spiritual privileges by sending them the Gospel. That principle is one of mere philanthropy. No! They are living in sin, and to a great extent, in India at least, knowingly and wilfully, against the law written in their hearts and consciences, in the love of sin. They are responsible and guilty. They have such acquaintance with duty as is essential to accountability. They cling to heathenism even after hearing of God. They need therefore the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and not only from love to our Blessed Saviour and from obedience to Him, but from love and compassion to millions of perishing souls, should we send the Gospel to rescue them from their misery and danger. May God prosper the glorious work !
RAILROADS IN TURKEY.
BY REV. DR. HENRY H. JESSUP, BEIRUT, SYRIA.
It is well known that the present ruler of Turkey, His Imperial Majesty the Sultan Abdul Hamid Khan, is in favor of the material improvement of the Empire. He is a friend of railroads and wagon roads, and more has been done during the eighteen years of his reign in this direction than in all preceding reigns.
The accompanying sketch map has been prepared to show the various railways already built, and others under construction and proposed.
I. The Jaffa-Jerusalem Railroad, about 50 miles long, of standard gauge, constructed by a French company. This is eminently a sentimental railway, as it can hardly be expected to pay dividends to the stockholders. It may pay the employes and running expenses, and thus be saved from collapse. The tourist and pilgrim seasons are short, and during the greater part of the year it resembles the railways to the American mountain summer resorts during the winter. The last Arabic official journals just received from Beirut deny that this railway has been purchased by the Rothschilds, but add the somewhat remarkable news that the French company have asked permission from the Sultan to extend the road to the Dead Sea and Jericho. As Jerusalem is 2600 feet above the sea-level, and the Dead Sea is 1300 feet below it, there is a descent of 3900 feet in about 18 miles. A Swiss cog-wheel road could be built without difficulty in these days of engineering triumphs, but the question arises cui bono? The few hundreds or even thousands of poor pilgrims who go down to Jericho and the Jordan annually would never compensate the company even for running expenses, especially as the majority of the Russian pilgrims, in their superstitious devotion, come to Palestine with a vow that they will walk all the way from Jaffa to Jerusalem, to Jordan, Bethlehem, Nazareth, and back to Jaffa. The Dead Sea, with its salt and bitter waters, would seem, in a poetical sense, to be an appropriate place to " end" a railway which is said to be already a financial failure.
The Sultan has recently annexed to the Turkish Empire the district of Kir Moab (Kerak), southeast of the Dead Sea, where the sheikhs of the MajeUa Arabs have so long defied the government and levied blackmail upon travellers. A wagon road has been surveyed from Kerak to the Mezraa, on the southeast shore of the Dead Sea, and a steam launch is said to be prepared to run between the northern shore and Mezraa. As a military convenience to the Turkish garrison holding Kerak, this is a wise arrangement, but hardly enough to give business to the Jericho extension of the Jerusalem Railway.
A far more encouraging piece of news comes by the last Arabic journals of October 16th from Beirut, that the Jaffa Railway Company have asked of the Sultan a " concession" for building a breakwater and harbor at Jaffa. No tourist to Palestine can ever forget the perils of landing at Jaffa. It is proposed to build a stone breakwater enclosing a port large enough to admit steamers, and to extend the railway to the harbor.
II. The Haifa-Damascus Railway. A firman was given some years since to a native Syrian for the construction of a railway, standard gauge, from Haifa, under Mount Carmel, through the plain of Esdraelon south of Nazareth, via Jezreel and Bethshan to the Jordan south of the Sea of Galilee, thence northeast through the land of Javlon to Damascus, with a branch into Houran and east of the Jordan.
This concession was sold to an English company in London, who surveyed the road, let its construction to contractors, and a few miles of track were laid southward along the Kishon. Then came a sudden halt. The work stopped. The Syrian concessionaire sued the company for a heavy amount, and this with other suits is said to amount to some £80,000 sterling. The engineers in Haifa, having received no pay for seven months, seized all the plans and surveys of the road, and, according to reports published in the Lisan el Hal journal of Beirut, in September, were about to leave for London to prosecute the company. There has been gross mismanagement somewhere, and the whole enterprise is imperilled. It had proposed to continue the road eventually from Damascus to Baghdad.
III. The Beirut-Damascus Railway. The concession for this road was obtained four years since by a Syrian Mohammedan gentleman, Hassan Effendi Beihum, and by him sold to a French company, which has owned the Damascus Diligence road since 1860, and has also just completed a fine breakwater and harbor in Beirut at a cost of about $500,000. This road consists of three divisions: 1. From Beirut to Damascus. This crosses the Lebanon range at an elevation of 5000 feet. It is a narrow-gauge road, and has a third cograil on the steep grades. It pass@s northwest of Shtoreh below Zahleh, thence east to Wady Yehfofeh and Zebedany, and down the valley of the Barada (t1l.e Abana) to Damascus. This road will be open for traffic within a year.
2. The Damascus-Honran brauch. This ruus south of Damascus to the vast wheat region of Bashan and Houran, and is to terminate at Bozrah or Mezeirib. It is already finished and open for traffic. It will protJW)te the pacification of that turbulent district and provide a cheap outlet for the splendid wheat harvests of Houran, besides increasing largely the area of cultivated land. It will also be used by the Hajj pilgrim cara- van on the first stage of its progress from Damascus to Mecca.
3. The Damascus-Aleppo-Birijik branch. This is under survey, run- ning from Damascus northeast to Nebk and Kuryetein, thence northwest to Hums and Hamath, thence to Aleppo and northeast to Birijik on the Euphrates.
This is a part of the future inland mercantile and military trunk rail- way from Constantinople to Damascus. It passes through a fertile region now almost wholly abandoned as pasture land to the Bedouin Arabs.
IV. The Mersin-Tarsus-Adana Railway. This road was built some years since by an English company as the beginning of a through line to Mosul. It is completed only to Adana, and its extension eastward is among the uncertainties of the future.
V. The Constantinople-Angora-Cresarea Railway. This road is com- pleted to Angora, and is under construction to Cresarea, with the expectation of its ultimate extension to Diarbekir, Mosul, and Baghdad. It will, no doubt, connect at some time with Birijik and Damascus.
VI. The Smyrna-Ephesus-Aidin Railway. This is already extended 70 miles east of Aidin to Serai Kowy. through the finest fig-producing region in the world. It will, no doubt, be extended still farther eastward.
VII. The Constantinople and Bulgarian Railway. This is the connecting link between Constantinople and Western Europe.
The advantages of railway communication in this great Empire will be very great.
1. Large tracts of fertile land now lying desolate through insecurity will be brought under government control and settled by the peasantry now crowded into the mountain districts for mutual protection. The -great wheat region of Houran and Bashan and the vast trans-Jordanic pasture lands now claimed by the Bedouin Arabs will be gradually restored to cultivation.
The line from Damascus to Aleppo borders a district of great fertility, now desolate or sparsely settled and at the mercy of the Mowali, Hadideh, and A 'nazi Arabs. Mount Lebanon is crowded with villagers who earn a scant subsistence from their rocky terraces, but are afraid to venture out upon the plains. This railway will encourage settlers, enable the goverp.- ment to protect them, and thus benefit the whole land.
2. It will make travel more safe and economical. A box of Bibles now Bent from Beirut to Mosul (the ancient Nineveh) goes by caravan, and is
GROWTH OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN JAPAN
a month on the passage, and during the winter is liable to injury and delay from pouring rains and impassable roads. This is true of other routes, and increased facilities will increase opportunities for good.
3. It is to be hoped that increased means of intercourse will tend to bring the different tribes and nationalities of this motley and much-divided empire into a better acquaintance with each other. The Protestant communities of Asia Minor have little to do with those of Syria and Palestine; and yet they are under a common civil organization, with a common wakil or civil head in Constantinople. If the future Evangelical Church of the Empire is to be a unit, and co-operate for the common weal and the spread of the Gospel, the people must know each other, and send delegates to each other's conferences. Railways will make this possible. At present it is out of the question.
THE GROWTH OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN JAPAN.
BY REV. A. D. HAIL, D.D., JAPAN.
The Protestant division of the Church in Japan has passed through two periods in its progress, and is now in the initial stages of its third period. These may be loosely characterized as the periods of preliminary resistance, relaxation of resistance and revival, and reaction.
The first period embraces the time from 1859-72. To the missionaries of this period Japan was a Jericho, around the walls of which the powers that be, under severe penalty, forbade the priests the privilege of even "blowing their horns." The swaggering Samurai not only "looked daggers," but carried them, and that, too, with a purpose. Indeed, the threat was made that should the Christian's God Himself come to great Japan, even His head would be cut off. The whole chrysanthemum country was completely combined against Christianity.
When the Roman Catholic form of Christianity reached the high-tide of its great success several centuries ago, it drew to itself the attention of the Buddhists. They bQgan a series of persecutions and oppositions which were not terminated with the supposed extermination of those Christians. When our pioneer missionaries came they had, accordingly, to live in an atmosphere of suspicion and hatred generated by the same persecuting power. They found edicts everywhere on the government bulletin-boards against the faith they had come to propagate. The first teachers employed often proved themselves to be government spies. One man hired himself to Dr. Hepburn in order that he might find a favorable opportunity for assassinating him, and was disarmed only by the impression made upon him by the good doctor's uniform Christian kindness. Not quite twenty-five years ago several thousand Catholic Christians, still secretly maintaining their faith, were discovered and subjected to a cruel imprisonment, many of them in the neighboring city of Wakayama.
When the edicts were first taken down by the new government, it was only that they might be renewed by itself. The masses feared Chris_ tianity. and the rulers hated it. So late as 1872, when an inquiry was made of the Governor of Kobe (Hyogoken) whether a native bookseller would be permitted to sell the English Bible, the reply was given that any Japanese who sold a Bible knowing it to be such would have to go to prison.
By the close of 1859 the American Episcopal, Northern Presbyterian, and Dutch Reformed churches had missionaries upon the ground. One of Commodore Perry's sailors, a Baptist, came in 1860. The A. B. C. F. M.
and C. M. S. entered the field in 1869. The total number of missionaries at the close of 1872 was 28. During the first period, up to the time of the organization of the first church, 10 persons only had received baptism, 5 in Central and 5 in Southern Japan. The first convert, the teacher of Rev. James Ballagh, was baptized by him in 1864. The first church was organized March 20th, 1872, in Yokohama, consisting of 9 young men baptized on that day and 2 middle-aged men who had been previously baptized.
With 1873 began a new era in the progress of Christianity. The attitude of the rulers began to change. An embassy left Japan in December, 1871, making the round of the leading Western nations, returning in 1873. This body was composed of men of such ability and social standing as to have much weight and wide influence. The country began to wake up from its Rip Van Winkle sleep of ages. The edicts against Christianity were taken down, and the hundreds of Roman Catholic Christians were released from imprisonment. Various national reforms were undertaken, the Gregorian calendar was adopted, telegraphs, railroads, daily papers, postal treaties with West ern nations, school systems, prison reforms, and many other improvements began largely at this time, and so the Mikado's empire began to move into line with the great nations of the world. With this year also new missions began to be established, and 29 missionaries came which more than doubled the force already on the ground. At this time also the Committee on Bible Translation began its work. In the 55 missionaries on the field at the close of 1873 ten missions and 8 different bodies of Christians were represented. This second period closed about 1887. The .missionaries on the ground had increased in number, from 1873-78, to 99 ; 1879,122 ; 1882, 138 ; 1885, 183 ; 1887, 253. The converts numbered in 1873 about 125(?) with two organized churches. The number of baptized believers had increased in 1876 to 1004; 1879, 2965 ; 1882, 4987 ; 1885, 11,678; 1887, 19,825. During this period occurred three important and helpful events. The New Testament translation was finished November 3d, 1879; (The committee engaged in this work to its close were Rev. S. R. Brown, D.D., Rev. D. C. Greene, D.D., Rev. Dr. McLay, and Rev. J. C. Hepburn, M.D., D.D.) This was about five years and six months from the time they began it. Another important event was the conference of missionaries held in Osaka, April, 1883. Although every Christian body was represented and all the burning questions of mission polity were warmly discussed, yet the sub-base of a common love to our common Lord was the undertone heard through it all. The inftuence of that meeting for good still lingers, and has specially contributed to subsequent Christian comity and fellowship.
There was also about this time a gracious outpouring of the Holy Spirit and an uplift of the spiritual life of the Church. It spread throughout the entire country. It entered the Christian schools, and delegates from these went to the various churches to exhort them to do great things for Christ. The triennial convention of the Japanese brethren, which is one of their fixed in~titutions, was that year pervaded by such a spirit of prayer that they found it difficult to follow their prearranged programme. It was truly a Pentecostal time, and one in which the Holy Spirit's power assumed a new meaning. This served to give a good direction to the preaching services in the churches and the Christian addresses in the theatres and other places during those days. It also served to prepare the Church for the third and terribly trying period upon which it was soon to enter.
With 1878 Japan began to swing to the other extreme in regard to their treatment of things Western. A nation whose intensity of feeling against Christianity and Western peoples isolated them for three centuries, has in the continuity of its past a potent instrument for either good or evil. With this in the hands of a designing priesthood the politicians become mere puppets, while true patriots and Christian Japanese leaders have their inftuence greatly circumscribed, and also as members of the" body politic" must have their own feelings more or less colored by it.
The schools were the first to feel the effects of the reaction. The attendance dropped from 10,297 in 1888 to 8758 in 1889-90 i in 1890-91 was another drop of 1861, leaving the enrolment for that scholastic year 6897. The year 1893 shows an increase of 253 over 1892, but less by 2305 than in 1887-88.
During these years there has also been an annually decreasing number of adult baptisms, dropping from 6884 in 1888 to 3636 in 1893. The number of exclusions have annually increased during this time from 161 in 1888 to 636 in 1893. The adult baptisms for these years run as fol. lows: 1888, 6884 i 1889, 5007 i 1890, 4431 i 1891, 3718 i 1892,2731 ; 1893, 3636. The number of exclusious for the same time are: 1888, 161; 1889, 286 i 1890, 355; 1891, 322 i 1892, 573; 1893, 636. There has, however, during these years been a net increase of 11,884, the membership by years being, 1888,25,514; 1889,31,181; 1890,32,380; 1891, 33,390; 1892, 35,534; 1893, 37,398. In these reactionary years the contributions of the Japanese Christians amount in round numbers to about 500,000 silver yen ;* to thc close of 1893, from 1888, the sum was 428,6~8.44 yen, the largest contributions for one year having been made in 1891. The organized churches increa~ed in number from 221 to 365, or 144 during these last five years. The number of theological students, ministers, and Bible-women has steadily increased. The present number of theological students is 367 ; native ministers, 206; unordained preachers and helpers, 665 ; Bible-women, 279.
One reason for the annual increase of exclusions and decrease in the number of baptisms since 1888 is the fact that the Church has come to a better conception of the Christian life. They have become more careful in the instruction of catechumens and increasingly particular in insisting upon the maintenance of Christian character.
This straightforward, silent, steady growth of the Church finds its solu- tion in the fact that it has a life derived from Christ alone, or rather in the statement that Christ still lives in and sustains His saints.
Spiritual, like all other forms of life has within it such a mystical, in- visible element that its growth can be known only by the peculiarities of external manifestation.
A disappointment is sometimes felt by missionaries and others that the developing life of the Church and of the individual Christian does not manifest itself in forms that are in the line of those to which they have themselves been most accustomed. The unreasonableness of such a dis- appointment ought to be evident with but little reflection. In the West, where we have so many different denominations developed, each under trials and difficulties peculiar to itself, and where each one has stood for the emphasis of some one important truth overshadowed by others, there , has come in time to be a common denominational consciousness, so much so that we can even speak of different types of piety. In, America we have very distinctly marked types, such as the Quaker, the Methodist, the Old Presbyterian, and the Episcopal. In Japan the Church has not become so thoroughly denominational, and so its type of life partakes more of national and racial peculiarities. The kinship of the general life of the Church to that of the West is indicated by that literature which is so help- ful to all Christians everywhere. Thomas a Kempis's "Imitation of Christ" and Stolker's "Christ's Image" have had a large sale; with them also Bunyan's" Pilgrim's Progress" is immensely popular, and un- bounded delight is taken in following pilgrims from the cross and the wicht-gate through the whole way to the wide-open gates of the celestial city.
Prayer, providence, and the Word of God have been markedly con- spicuous in their relation to Japanese Christian life. Shortly after the opening of the country to foreign intercourse, about 1857, Dr. S. Wells Williams and the Rev. W. E. Style, of Shanghai, went to NagasakLt At that time the United S~tes gunboat Powhatan was in port, and on the • A yen is somewhat less than a dollar. t Rev. Dr. Stont, Osaka Conference Report. occasion of a visit of the officers to the governor of the city, they were invited with the chaplain, Rev. Mr. Wood, to join the party. In course of conversation during the call the governor said that Japan was now open to trade with other nations, and the Japanese would be glad of anything the foreigners might bring them except two things-viz., opium and Christianity. The remark was noted, and on the return of these three gentlemen to the vessel they talked the matter over. It was plain to them that the governor did not know what Christianity really was, but had formed his opinion of it from Roman Catholicism in the country in former times. They therefore resolved that they should try to bring about the introduction of true Christianity, and wrote letters to the Boards of the Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Reformed churches in America, urging the sending of missionaries to Japan. The answer to the prayers of these men and their letters were the first missionaries sent out in 1859. Subsequent events have shown that for the onward movement of the Church in modern missions God had struck the hour of the Church's opportunity. "The isles were indeed waiting for His law." In these early days there was a large number of Japanese with whom the missionaries first came in contact who could read Chinese Bibles and tracts, and these did a good service in sowing the seeds of spiritual life.
As an instance in point we have the well-known case of General Wakasa, who commanded the littoral guards at Nagasaki in 1854, when an English fleet suddenly made its appearance in that harbor. It was his duty to prevent the landing of foreigners except at a designated spot. In his rounds he saw a New Testament floating on the waters and fished it out. From a Dutch interpreter he learned its nature, and afterward obtained a Chinese translation of it. He began reading it immediately. After Dr. Verbeck came to Nagasaki he received a request for instruction from this general, who was living two days'journey in the interior. Owing to feudal restrictions the general could not go in person, but sent by a messenger passages of Scripture for explanation. In time he was ripe for the reception of Christ's appointed ordinance. Dr. Verbeck, on May 20th, the day of Pentecost, 1866, baptized two members of this his interior Bible class-viz., General Wakasa and Ayabe San, his brother. The general translated portions of the Chinese New Testament into easy Japanese for the women of his household, and they too were instructed in the way of salvation. A daughter and female servant were baptized in 1880 at Nagasaki. They reported that the general died a most triumphant death. The servant's zealous service for her spiritual master has resulted in the organization of a church in Saga. A granddaughter of Wskasa has become a Christian, and in 1890 a grandson entered the Doshisha College,bringing with him, and presenting to th~ school, a large English Bible given to his grandfather thirty years before, but which they had been obliged to conceal for years on account of persecution.* Dr. Ver- * Dr. Gordon, .. American Missionary In Japan." beck states that "by the close of the first period of mission work many thousands of volumes of Chinese Bibles and other ChristIan literature had been circulated. These were obtained mostly from the Presbyterian and London Mission presses at Hongkong and Shanghai. The faithful authors of this literature were little aware that while working for the salvation of China, they had been, as it were, writing with a double-pointed pen and working for Japan as well."
There is no mission in Japan but that can in some place or places in its history point to signal instances of the initiation of spiritual life and labor to the seemingly direct inspiration of a conjunction of these three factors-prayer, providence, and the pure Word of God. Prayer at the time of the providential opening of Japan preceded the coming of the first missionaries with Chinese Bibles. Prayer preceded the organization of the first Church in Japan, just at that moment when God's providence opened the country in 1873 to wider Christian effort. Prayer and the translation of the New Testament preceded the revival of 1883. There has for the last year been an unusual spirit of prayer in the churches, while more than 13,000 Japanese Christians are enrolled in the Scripture Readers' Union, and this just preceding that inscrutable providence within which is infolded a dark war cloud big and black with wrath. Has not the Father thus been rooting the life of His people in the living Word that they may firmly endure the coming storm ?
There has from the very first been a spontaneous tendency of the life of the Church toward uniou. Our Lord counted upon the oneness of His people as one of the most apposite of apologetics. In the Saviour's sad. dest hour the solidarity of His saints was His supremest solicitude. " Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also that believe on Me through their word: that they all may be one, even as Thou, Father, art in Me and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us : that the world may believe Thou didst send Me." It might have been feared, in view of the many years of feudalism that existed in the land, with the consequent tendency to clannishness thus generated, that the various bodies of believers would carry the " clan spirit" into their various denominations, but there has been but little of this. The consummation of the promptings of the Spirit in the direction of union. and fellowship has become a fixed hope and prayer with Japanese Christians. Indeed, the greatest checks to union have come from our constituencies in the West. In the earliest years of the work, in September, 1872, the three Presbyterian bodies then in the country and the A. B. C. F. M. missionaries agreed upon a basis for the organization of their churches. '" "The plan," says Dr. Gordon, "of forming simple churches of Christ failed at the time, largely (must it be confessed?) because some people couldn't count converts so easily; but the good tlpirit of the convention has followed these missions down to the present time."
• .. American Missionary in Japan." Yet the union of churches in Japan has not wholly failed, and with the splendid nationalistic feeling in the country and the continued development of the spiritual life of the churches, it is a mere question of time when other unions will be effected. There are now two united bodies in Japan. The English, American, and Canadian families of the Episcopal household unite in building up the Nippon Leikyokwai. Four missions are represented in this work. It has 4 bishops, 3 arch-deacons, 91 missionaries, 61 theological students, 21 native clergy, and 5157 members. The other united body, Nippon Christo Kyokwai, has seven co-operating missions representing one Scotch and five American Presbyterian churches. It has 140 missionaries, 105 theological students, 62 ordained ministers, and 11 ,200 members.
With the union of the various Methodist bodies and of all the orthodox bodies holding the Congregational polity, the 23 missions in Japan would be engaged in building up but four branches of the Church. " Desire for union is strongest either in the newly converted or in the mature Christian. An intermediate stage of experience is the best soil for the growth of the denominational spirit."* With the more marked maturity of the • Church, therefore, may we expect that its oneness may become more and more manifest.
The unfolding of the life of the Japanese Church adds one more illustrative fact to the truth that it thrives even under trials. Its dangers have not dwarfed, but have deepened its life. Spiritual life is not one of God's hothouse plants. The life of Christ's body, the Church, has its wilderness temptations and Gethsemanes, as well as had its great Head. Persecution has played a painful part in the work-imprisonment, the pressure of public sentiment, and other forms of it peculiar to Japanese social life. The son of a man who was assassinated JIllany years ago for his supposed sympathy with Christianity became a Christian. He writes: "One day when I returned home from school my mother informed me that if I did not renounce Christianity she was going to commit suicide that very evening. My father had been assassinated because he was supposed to have been a believer in Christianity, and his friends told me that if her son became a Christian the stain on the father's name could never be washed away. It was a terrible trial, but I asked for a little respite that I might reconsider the claims of Christianity. I said I was willing to abandon it if I could see that it was not true. So it went on. They used every means in their power to change my mind, but the unseen hand was above us and led me. After three months I got permission to go to the government college in Tokyo, and a year after I entered the theological school in Kyoto. . . . My mother is now a Christian rejoicing in the faith."t A Buddhist priest baptized by Dr. Verbeck suffered in various prisons for five years. A teacher of Rev. O. H. Gulick was put in prison for his faith • Dr. Gordon. t Dr. Gordon, " American Missionary In Japan." and died there. There have been threatened disinheritance, boycotts, imprisonment of sons at their own homes, the stoning of Christian preach- ing-places, and lately a cowardly and cruel working of the nationalistic feeling against Christians j but whatever the form of trial, they have borne it as a whole with a prudence and patience that places them in the long roll of those worthies who from the beginning have suffered for Christ.
There are numbers of Christians who have given up lucrative employments from the conviction that these were inconsistent with the Christian life-wholesale sake brewers, renters of houses for immoral purposes, the manufacturer of theatrical costumes and furnishments, and others. There are those serving in the ministry receiving far less than they could obtain in government employ.
A girl who makes 90 cents a month manufacturing paper match-boxes keeps the Sabbath, though it means a loss of 12 cents a month from her scant wages. There are other instances of a similar kind. Missionaries whose work necessarily puts them into the closest and tenderest relations to the Japanese Christians could recount many cases of personal sacrifice, patient cross-bearing that would be a source of helpfulness to all who love our Lord. The life of the Church, as it has grown and shown itself in Japan as a whole, is a grand nineteenth-century evidence of the truth and power of Christianity.
Of course the life is not yet a perfect one, and there still are things criticisable by pastors and others, else there were no further need of either, but better than this is it ours to see Christ back of it all.
The developing life of this Christian body is its safeguard in these days when so many loose Western theologies threaten it. The creation by the Holy Spirit of a Christian consciousness through the common experience of the fulness and fitness of Christ to meet the spiritual hunger of the human heart and to heal "all its diseases," is that which increasingly tends to hold the Church true to her great Head. A Buddhist priest who became a Christian, when giving his household Hotoke San to a missionary, said that two years before becoming a Christian he gave up the worship of this idol, " but I never knew how dear it was to me until, in accordance with my vow, I bowed before it for the last time in worship. No human being can tell what a lonesome heart I had during these two years. I had given up the only object of worship I knew, and there was no other to take its place j but since I have known Christ I have never known what it is to be lonesome-hearted. "
As there are" flowers that bloom in the sunless depths of the sea," so this sweet common experience of Christ in the heart is the flower that continually grows in the depth of this Church's Christian life, no matter what storms sweep the surface above it~· Hurtful theologies cannot stand before the soulful satisfaction found in the spiritually presen1; Saviour.
This is the direction which the Church's apologetics are beginning to assume. An eloquent Japanese pastor, at the recent twentieth anniversary
DR. GORDON'S RELATION TO MISSIONS
of his church, said: "Our early apologetics took the direction of the nature of the God we worshipped as compared with the prices of dried wood the idolators worshipped. We were soon met with the popular reply from them, that we do not worship the wood, but only what these images represent. We then took up the superiority of Western morals and progress, for in those days we supposed that the Western people were about all of them Christians, and everything in their civilization was good j but we finally had to weaken on that line. At last, after trying the whole round of evidences, we come back to the argument from Christian experience. We can stand before our adversaries and tell them of our hearts baptized with the Holy Spirit, with a rest of soul as deep and broad and beautiful as a quiet sea in a still night reflecting the stars of heaven. "
Other features of the growing life of the Church readily suggest themselves, and can be only mentioned. This intensifying Christ-life has caused confessions of sin and restitution, the reconciliation of enemies, a purer family life, lives of faith, and the founding of institutions thereon that have been as marvellous as that of Muller's Bristol work. Indeed, the one thing the Buddhists now fear more than anything is the life of the Christian Church, and they are now duplicating in a mechanical way every institution that is the dynamical outgrowth of the life of the Church.
DR. GORDON'S RELATION TO MISSIONS.
* BY REV. H. C. MABIE, D.D.
If I were to express in one word Dr. Gordon's relation to missions, I should say that hi, interest in missions was integral; it entered into his very spiritual personality ; it was but the natural breathing and outcome of his being; it was no form of service that was put on as a garment; no perfunctory performance; no line of duty taken up hecause he had been elected to fill some official position. Missions with him, as with the God who instituted them, and with Jesus Christ His Son, who by His atonement made them possible, were constitutional. He could no more think of missions as geographically limiting his thoughts, his heart, his life, his enterprise, than you could think of there being limits to the sympathies of our Lord Jesus Christ. I suppose it to be the very essence of the heart of God that He yearns over humanity as a whole, longing with infinite tenderness to impart His own type of being, His own type of life, His own type of blessedness, to His creatures. It proceeds from within, as does the heat of the sun. So was Dr. Gordon's relation to the work of missions; it was born in him by the Spirit of the living God. He was in his natural birth the descendant of a parentage missionary in spirit. The • From at) tj,d<lre•• delivered at the funeral, Boston, February 5th. very name which his parents gave him in the old birthplace in New Hampshire was indicative of the spirit that had ruled in the ancestral home in admiration of the foremost martyr of this missionary century-Adoniram Judson. So also, in connection with his conversion, there seemed to be transmitted to him and implanted within him the very essence and genius of this relation to the whole earth in the spirit of his honored and saintly name8ake.
Dr. Gordon's Bible was a missionary Bible from Genesis to Revelation, not merely containing a passage or two in the form of explicit command, such as " Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature" -but the entire Book, the volume as a whole, the complete oracles of the Old and New Testament, were missionary, from the" In the beginning" to "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." And so whatever his point of departure in his Rtudyor meditation on the Divine oracles, they were ever saying to him, "This is too good, too Divine to be kept; it must be shared with the entire family of mankind." And so Dr. Gordon's preaching was evermore missionary preaching, because missions are the interior of the Bible, the essence of the Gospel, the reincarnation of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit among the nations, and he could not expound these words without exhaling a missionary spirit.
Dr. Gordon's world in which he lived was a missionary world. He found himself a denizen of a goodly city, indeed, of a noble commonwealth, of what we are fond of calling the most exalted nation on earth; but Dr. Gordon regarded himself far more than this, even a denizen of the planet; the entire earth was his home, his parish; and so these artificial missionary limitations that we are wont to form called home and foreign, because of our shortness of view and our failure to take in the great Divine perspective, which so often affiict the minds of God's people, never affiicted his mind. Those of you who have heard him speak of missions will remember how he was wont to say that the best prayer-book in the world is a map of the world. " Go," said he, "into the closet, and spread out this prayer-book before you, and then draw a line round some portion of the world, and pray, if you can, 'Thy Kingdom come.' Nay, rather, get the entire globe before you, and hover over it in the spirit of the Holy Ghost, who brooded over chaos, and brought light out of darkness, order out of confusion, salvation out of death, and you will pray aright." This was his attitude toward the world in which he lived.
History, in its ongoings, as Dr. Gordon viewed it, was missionary history. He was not a man sailing over a trackless deep without chart or compass, with no desired haven in view. History was not to him a confused mass of accidents, as it is to the materialistic thinker of our dayan insoluble riddle-a hopeless tangle. The history of the world, as he viewed it, started from a beginning and went on through the middle to the end, in an orderly way, and the end was a glorious and Divine consummation. The one last word that escaped his lips WaS "Victory I" He believed that this was assured in history. His faith swept the entire perspective, and hence it was that he saw great mountain peaks in that wondrous landscape where some of us, perhaps, see only hillocks, if we see even these. His view of history was simply the successive stages of the plan of human redemption, with its glorious culmination.
" The great world's altar stairs That slope through darkness up to God."
If some thought at times that his view of proper mission work was superficial or pessimistic, I bid them think again. If some think that he emphasized unduly what he regarded as the great and immediate duty of the Church in this present age-viz., to preach the Gospel "for a witness" -let them think how long, how ardently, how profoundly he pondered the words of the Lord–for His words they are-" This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come." What Dr. Gordon meant by the" witnessing" is not that superficial post-boy, flash-light method of Christian enterprise which some imagine. * What it is let his own tremendously earnest and concentrated efforts-which burnt out the fires of his lifetestify. He meant all that Jesus Christ meant when He said: "To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness to the Truth." Christ's personal ministry, from the manger to the throne, he believed to be but a witness-the beginnings of things, not the consummation of them-the foundations only of the eternal kingdom that God was to rear. He meant all that the Apostle Paul meant when he spoke of his consummate privilege " to testify the Gospel of the grace. of God j" to" finish his course," a life-work that in the Divine plan had a beginning and a completion.
Dr. Gordon was profoundly moved in respect to missions because he believed that the Holy Ghost-the Third Person of the adorable Trinitybeing the soul of the Christian Church, was likewise the soul of its most characteristic' work, Christian missions. The Holy Spirit, and therefore his spirit, could not rest until it can:ied out what was hinted on the great natal day of the Church-the first Pentecost. Hence it was that Dr. Gordon's thought respecting missions was simply coincident with and exactly commensurate with the attainable spirituality and spiritual service of the Church of God in this age. Missions in his mind were the birth * That there are those who entertain such a view we do not dispute, but such was not Dr.
Gordon's conception of the witnessing. He did indeed believe that, however thorough and effective this period of witnessing among the nations might be, It was ouly preliminary and relatively Ineffectual as compared with what the period of world-harvest to follow the Lord's return will be. This with him was, however, chiefly a matter of programme of the Divine plan of operation. In his mind .it neither warranted superficiality of present-day effort, nor landed him in pessimism. Rather it afforded his basis for the most triumphaut optimism-the only basis for it which he saw In RevelatioD. On this basis he was at least always a pro-millennialist. (See Dr. Gordon's" The Holy Spirit in llIieeions," Ilrst chapter.) of the Holy Ghost~· and hence he could not preach as he did, or think as he did, or write as he did, concerning the Holy Ghost's administration of His Church, without thinking of the most heroic application of service in behalf of all pagan peoples, wheresoever they may be found, destitute of the Gospel. With his large outlool~ on the world, we can appreciate that characteristic hospitality which Dr. Gordon entertained toward all forms of Christian enterprise. Some of us are wont to choose for ourselves the forms of mission which we prefer to do, and we sometimes say, "I will do this," and "I won't do that," but he never thus spake in respect to any aspect of Christ's work on earth. He was naturalized to all Christ's work. To him that work was a circle, not an arc. It was globed. Hence he was as much at home in alien cities as in his own Boston, at the "Vorld's Missionary Conference in London as some of us saw him-easily king of missionaries, as he was imperial among pleaders for missions, the one man without whom no single session was thought complete till his voice had been heard. Hence it was that in Edinburgh and Glasgow and throughout Scotland he was welcomed everywhere, and fitted into the relations and voiced the missionary interest of these people just as naturally as if he were addressing his own prayer-meeting here in Clarendon Street Church. So their testimony was, " He fed us with the finest of the wheat. ,. He enlarged their horizon in respect to the world, and gave them a relish for its conquest. Hence it was that in Paris, with the McAll Mission workers, he was not only welcomed, but eagerly sought for. Hence it was that in our own land he was sought on all platforms where missions were to have a peculiar and effective advocacy. Hence it was that the Student Volunteer movement, the great conferences at Northfield and Ocean Grove and elsewhere regarded his presence and his addresses as indispensable. Hence his favor for the Salvation Army movement, which he commended and cheered when almost all men set it at naught. Hence it was that in the stables of street-car drivers, on the wharves along shore in Boston, or in refuges of the lost, he was everywhere welcomed as the supporter, advocate, and brother, vitally linked with all these organizations of any and every name.
But who shall tell what our beloved brother was to the American Baptist Missionary Union-our counsellor, our inspiration, our pride j none so meek as he. I may be allowed to say, without disparagement of any one, that all through his official relations to that body, through so many weary years in our committee rooms in this city, he often surrendered opinions of his own respecting ways and means in deference to his brethren, whom he was always ready to think of as more to be considered than himself. He was always ready to take the field for us, and was the bulwark of that organization. How this noble church has stood by him and followed him, till at length they only wanted to know his thought and they would anticipate it! There was with him no pulling of people's door-bells to extract from them unwilling offerings j no passing around nertously, hat in hand, to beg for Peter's pence; but rather he quietly exalted the lofty privilege of giving, and reminded of the blood mortgage on all men to redeem the world.
Since I came into this building this morning, I was approached by a young man, a member of one of the young people's societies here. " Excuse me, sir," said he, "but I must tell you what occurred here at our Monday night prayer-meeting. It was discussed what we shoqld do to express our feelings on this occasion, and at length it was resolved-and do you wonder at it-that we would do what he would have liked us to do. There is a great debt upon the Missionary Union; we will make an offering toward its extinction. And in a few minutes we had collected between four and five hundred dollars-gathered with the loving thought that that would have been our pastor's desire." 0 brethren, talk of inB.uence, and power to bring things to pass! It is that unspoken inB.uence which tells-it is what we are far more than what we 8ay, that carries our people. It is what he was in his majesty, his Christly simplicity, that has made his people yearn to be and do. It is that which causes this audience to-day to heave like the billows of the ocean-its main desire to be like Him.
It has been said over and over again, "How can we get on without this brother, in the family, in the church, in the Missionary Union, in Christendom ~ How can we spare him~" Shall we not rise to the heavenly view-point and look down upon it as God does, for this we must do, if we are to stand under this sense of loss? Shall we not remember the words of Him who said-even concerning Himself, the Master of all discipies-" It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come?" God in His providence has demonstrated that it is expedient for us that our brother be taken. He says he can be spared from this side, that he may be glorified on that side ; and God has settled that j it is expedient that he be taken. What, then, we ought to say is this: not how can we get on without Dr. Gordon ~ how can we get on without our pastor 1 how without the chairman of our committee ~ how without him in these Christian assemblies ~ but rather this: how can we get on without those compensations in grace which God's Spirit and providence will give to us if we shall have sanctified to us this inexpressible loss ~ That is what we cannot afford to get on without. We ought to settle it in this house to-day-every one of us-that with God's help we will not get on without that-that compensation, that transmitted bleesing, grace, and power, which may come to us, especially upon the ministry of the land. We draw no denominational lines here to-day. May there come upon the ministry of the world the baptism of fire in connection with thie departure! Oh, that the spirit of Elijah may fall upon Elieha-not !!imply upon !!ome !!ingle man toward whom the Church, in the deep, dark days before them, may reach forth dimly to find as a suc_ Ce!!SOr ill the pastorate, but upon ten thousand ministers of Jeaus Christ-
KEV. ADOLPHE MABILLE. 355
psstors of sll churches, the ministry of all denominations, by whatever name designated, upon united Christendom. Nay, I will not draw the line more narrowly than he would-upon the circle of entire pagandom as well as upon entire Christendom-that there may come such an anointing, such an outpouring of the Holy Ghost, as will be indicative of that great and final world Pentecost toward which his thoughts were forever bent and on which his eye was forever fixed.
REV. ADOLPHE MABILLE, * OF THE FRENCH PROTESTANT MISSION IN BASUTOLAND.
BY ABBIE P. FERGUSON, SOUTH AFRICA.
It is as when a standard-bearer fainteth. The Basuto Mission of the Paris Society in South Africa has suffered a great loss in the death of Rev. Adolphe C. Mabille, now almost a year ago. He was the heart and centre of a great work, one of the most wonderful in its results in South Africa. Dr. Moffat used to speak of it as the most successful of missions.
Mr. Mabille was in his fifty-eighth year, and we had looked forwarll to years of usefulness for him, but he has fallen in the thick of the fight. He was a most intensely active man. One of his fellow-missionaries said of him: "It is of no use to relieve Mr. Mabille in his work, for as soon as he is relieved in one thing he finds something else to do." He had a wonderful helpmeet in his wife, the daughter of Dr. Casalis, one of the pioneer missionaries in Basutoland. The Basutos say of her, "She is our mother, she was born in our land, she is one of us, and what she says is good." And she has unbounded influence among the people.
Mr. and Mrs. Mabille began the work of training evangelists during a time of war. Coming back to look after their people at Marijah,t they were detained there, and while the war cloud hung heavy about them they gathered a few young men and taught them how to help others. Out of this small beginning grew the Bible school at Marijah, from which hundreds of young men have gone forth to all parts of South Africa as teacher!'! of the Word. During all these years Mr. Mabille has given much time to this work, often taking a class at six -in the morning. A small class of young men have gone on to a fuller theological training. and these have been, in fact, under Mr. Mabille's instruction. Indeed, Marijah has been a centre of great activity, with its theological class, its sixty Bible students and seventy .normal students. One great secret of the success of this mi!'!sion has been, under God, the training of the native ChriEltians to work among their own people. I have heard Mr. Mabille say: "Our native .. Mr. Mabille had II church of 1600 communicants and 600 inqulrel'l and OTeraaw work in 16 outstations.
tOrMorija. Christians can help their own people much better than we mIssIonaries can. They know their difficulties and the way to their hearts. "
There are twenty out-stations connected with the Marijah Church, each under the care of a native evangelist, and it was Mr. Mabille's aim to place such evangelists all over Basutoland, until every heathen should come within sound of the Gospel. These twenty evangelists were directly under Mr. Mabille's care and oversight. Twice a year they came up with their church-members to Marijah to a great spiritual feast. These have been never-to-be-forgotten scenes, when hundreds of the Lord's dear people have gathered on the green hill-side around the table of our Lord, and have shown forth His death until He come. Too many for even the great church to hold, they have stood under the blue of the sky, with the grand Maluti Mountains looking down upon them, reminding one of the innumerable company.
Mr. Mabille has always been the life and centre of these gatherings, laying his hand in baptism upon those gathered out of heathenism, breaking the bread of life, speaking words of reproof and exhortation. There were always special meetings for the evangelists, when they reported concerning their work, and received special instruction and counsel from their spiritual father. Mr. Mabille was much used in bringing souls to Christ. I shall never forget seeing a multitude of heathen filling the Marijah Church, many of them under deep conviction of sin, and how wisely Mr. Mabille and his helpers led many of them to accept Jesus as their Saviour.
The printing of a monthly Basuto paper and of Basuto books, which were sent out to all parts of South Africa, made many demands upon Mr. Mabille's time. The printing was done by natives, who required careful superintendence. Mr. Mabille had willing helpers in his fellow-missionaries and in his own family, but a heavy burden of responsibility rested upon him.
Though such a busy man, he was the joy of the home life. Every day after the mid-day meal he and Mrs. Mabille took the time to go away and pray for God's blessing upon their sons and daughters, and God gave them the desire of their hearts. All of their children were converted, and two sons and three daughters were missionaries, working hand to hand with their parents.
Mr. MabiIle had a rare gift of song, and every evening the family gathered around the organ to sing. To us who listened it was a great treat, as each member of the family took his or her own part, sometimes to music of Mr. MabilIe's own composition. We shall never forget how our souls thrilled as we listened to the rich, deep tones of his voice. This gift was a great power among the native students, whom he trained in singing and playing on instruments, like the sweet singer of old. And he has gone, this grand, gifted, courteous man of God, whom every one loved, and whose rule of love was felt all through the Basuto Mission. " God takes home His workers, bnt the work goes on. II His daughter, writing in March, said: "To us the year until now has been one of great joy and peace, in spite of dear father's great mental fatigue. He had done too much and felt very tired. The doctor said if he did not leave the work at once he would not answer for the consequences. The Lord arranged everything for the best. The Home Committee said one of our missionaries was to go with the Zambesi expedition, who go to Mr. Coillard, as far as Mafeking, in Bechuanaland. So father and mother were ready in a week to go. Then strength was given to Louis (Mr. Mabille's son) to take up for a month father's great work-his lessons, printing-office, and church. So ali was arranged, and now we are asking God to bless their journey and to bring back our loved ones to us well and able to resume their work."
At first he seemed benefited by the journey. He attended the Basuto Mission Conference, though he could be present at the meetings only by lying on a couch. There it was arranged that he should have the assistance of his brother-in-law, Rev. Alfred CasaIis, as well as of his son Louis. Then he visited his eldest son at Leribe (Mr. Coillard's old station), all of the Mabille family gathering there, united for the last time.
Mr. Mabille preached in the Orange Free State on his way home, where he arrived, seemingly none the worse for the journey. He suffered very much from rheumatic pain, and when the doctor was called, he pronounced him very ill. Mr. Mabille expressed the desire to live, especially that he might revise the Basuto Bible. He had just finished an English Basuto Dictionary, the work of twenty years, but he soon realized that the end was near. He sent for the Bible students, the Basuto chiefs, the normal-school boys, and said good-by to them. He spoke very earnestly to them, dealing with them as at the very gate of heaven. He pleaded especially with the paramount chief, begging him to be reconciled to God.
Sunday, May 20th, 1894, was a glorious day, full of the veryatmosphere of heaven. Those about him felt that death had no power over the child of God. The first hours of the day he spent praying for each of the catechists, schoolmasters, and elders of his district (about 150 in all), and the students of the Bible school who are in the work. When those about him wondered that he could remember all the names so well, he said: "Oh, you know I have prayed for them so often by name I" When he heard the church bells he said: "Glory, glory, glory in the highest heaven I" and then, "Jesus, I also am one of Thy worshippers." He said during the night before : "You do not know all the struggles my study has witnessed. I have wanted to be small-smaIl-small, that He should take away all the pride and self-love. "
His daughter writes of the privilege it was to sit beside him and receive his last messages.
A young trader wanted to see him. "Yes," he said; "let him in ; I have a lovely message for him." After talking earnestly to him, he said: "I wish I could imprint upon your heart the conviction that Christ
THE LEPERS OF THE WORLD
is your Saviour." Afterward he clapped his hands joyfully, exclaiming, " Bravo! bravo! they are going to reach the Zambesi." His thoughtlil were with the mission party that he had escorted on their way.
At the evening tide it was light. He slept in Jesus to awake in His glorious presence. On the lOth of the next month he would have completed thirty-four years of service in Basutoland. " Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord."
THE LEPERS OF THE WORLD.
Few realize how numerous are the sufferers from this most terrible malady. Miss Kate Marsden, whose life is devoted to the mitigation of their sufferings, is preparing a chart, designed to show at one view the real prevalence and spread of leprosy in various countries. From the minimum figures already supplied by government medical returns and other reliable sources, she reckons that there are 1,300,000 lepers in the world. China alone is said to have more than 600,000 j Japan, 200,000 j and India at least 100,000. But Miss Marsden would rather understate than overstate the case in her earnest endeavor to move the practical pity of the Christian public.
What an awful aggregate of sorrow and suffering is represented by those figures! Who can estimate the value of every Christian effort made to alleviate their pain and grief and to stay the progress of the dread disease ~ Leprosy, the greatest disease of medireval Christendom, is identified, on the one hand, with a disease endemic from the earliest historical times, 1500 B.O., in the valley of the Nile j and, on the other hand, with a disease now commQn in Asia, Africa, South America, and the West Indies, and in certain parts of Europe and the islands of the sea.
Egypt is generally regarded as the country from whence leprosy came. It was endemic among the Hebrews when they migrated from there. During the Middle Ages it was estimated that there were about 20,000 lepers in Europe, and every considerable town had its "lazar house." Owing to strict legislation, it is now found only in small isolated coast districts of Norway, Russia, the Riviera, Spain, Iceland, and some islands. It is common in all the countries of Asia, and in most of the coast districts of Africa. The West Indies and South America (the Guianas), Malaysia, and many of the islands of the sea also have numerous sufferers from this dreadful disease. The essential cause of leprosy is unknown, but it is generally found among people who live on the sea-coast and live largely on fish (often putrid), and who intermarry closely. It is not now believed to be contagious. Comparatively little missionary work is being done for lepers. The Moravians have a "leper home" in Jerusalem, and work among those in South America and elsewhere. The Mission to the Lepers of India is doing a glorious work among the lepers of India, Burma, Ceylon, and Japan. There are also hospitals for the lepers of Europe, of Madagascar, and South Africa, and missionaries are laboring among those in various other parts of the world. Little can be done for the poor lepers' bodies, though their suffering may be lessened, but their souls may be cleansed and saved, and the work among them is a certain one, which shonld call forth our deepest sympathy and most hearty support.
INTERN ATION AL DEPAltTMENT
II.-INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
EDITED AND CONDUCTED BY BEV. J. T. GRACEY, D.D "In Darkest Afrioa." to the road, so that one has to climb over great masses of fallen trees. This BY R. H. MILLIGAN. is, perhaps, the most exhausting part of the travel; but climbing over such EFULEN MISSION STATION, BATANGA, places i8 infinitely preferable to crawl- WEST AFRICA, March 12, 1894. ing under on all fours. On starting out the first morning we shrank from On July 17th I started for the inte· the cold water and tried to avoid the rior, and returned to Batanga after four mud, but after slipping and falling sevmonths, looking, I imagine, rather pro- eral times we became bold, and when fane, having been neither shaven nor we had walked an hour we came to a shorn for fi ve months. deep stagnant pond that must be cross- ed. I cannot swim in clear water, but There were two white men besides I saw that I would have no difficulty myself, Rev. A. C. Good, who has in swimming here, so I plunged in with charge of this expedition, and who has the others, but we were able to wade been in Africa for ten years, and Mr. all the way over. Just after this a Kerr, a new arrival. We had twenty- heavy rain fell, drenching us through. five native carriers, making in all This was a dreary outstart, but not twenty-eight persons. White brethren unfortunate, for afterward we walked and black friends stood gazing with without timidity, fearing neither mud strange thoughts as we stretched along nor water, nor height nor depth, nor the beach a short way and suddenly any such thing. disappeared into the forest. Noone would think of making this On such a journey toward such a journey for fun. There is great disland none can forecast even the near comfort in walking all day with much future. We were five days in going mud in one's shoes, especially when seventy-five miles, walking from 7 A.M. gravel is added. It is also uncomforto 4 P.M. each day. All the way was table to get up for several successive through deep forest, the trees much mornings before daylight in the cold taller and closer than in American for- bush and put on clothes wet through ests, and made more dense by a thick and through. Yet the road is not growth of enormous vines, all which worse than I expected, nor is it so together make it strangely dark, and rough as to be a great hindrance to our depressing as the Dismal Swamp. work. Any reasonably stro.ng man im- pelled by worthy purpose will find it The road is a po;)rly beaten path, easy enough. which carefully avoids the hills, keeping down in the lowest parts. The natives Four months later Mr. Good and mydislike climbing, but they have no aver- self returned from the interior to Basion to mud; one passes through every tanga, passing over this road at its variety of it and every depth. The very worst. For two months I had road often lies in the beds of streams. been sick with a severe fever that left The part of the traveller that is above several ailments behind, which made it ground is kept cool and wet from the necessary that I should, as soon as I dripping shrubbery that meets across was able, go to Batanga for medical the path, and as if this were not suffi- treatment. It was near the end of the cient, he has to wade many streams. wet season. For many weeks the rain On the first and last days the road passes had fallen almost night and day. The through native gardens, which are never cleared, but the immellBe trees are simply felled, and that without regard forest was flooded. The streams had be- muscle was stiffened and sore, but we come rivers. The rivers had spread had to walk much faster than before, far over their banks, making wading not knowing how far we were from necessary, and beyond were marshes Batanga. which we must reach that which were yet worse. The bridges night, for we had only food for one had all been swept away or buried un- more meal. We walked twenty miles der the water, and others built for tem- . that day, in spite of stiffness and soreporary use. The permanent African ness, but my courage was never so bridge is bad enough, but these tem- taxed before by any physical effort. porary bridges were unspeakably bad, At last we emerged from the forest consisting of a single line of poles tied into the sunshine, which never seemed end to end with rupe uf vines, and so bright nor the sky so blue. Batanga. usually several feet under water. shone like the Celestial City. Our toilet There is also one vine stretched across was in woful shape. Mr. Good had a few feet higher that one may hold received a severe hurt on the way. In with the hand. This latter vine is jumping 07er a deep place he had fallusually rotten, so one must hold it en upon an upright stick. At this late carefully aJ;ld let it go as soon as he be- date I can afford to smile, although at gins to lose his balance, as it will likely the time I turned pale; I thought he yield to the slightest strain. But what- was killed. We twisted his coat into ever other faults these bridges have, a knot over the sore, and bound around they are not especially treacherous; him two strips of bark several inches they make no fair' promises of support, wide, which formed two large bows, and one never starts out upon them extending more than a foot on either with any expectation of reaching the side. Moreover, he had torn his trouother side without sounding the depth sers at the knee so badly that he could of the water. In one place where this only keep the lower part by tying it to upper vine chanced to be strong enough his leg with vine. Add to this that we to bear our weight, the poles beneath were both lame, and besides bore the us, which were three feet under water, general marks of seven days' walking suddenly came to an end, leaving us through mud and mire, and you may to go a short distance on the upper vine imagine the effect. I do not speak of alone, hand over hand, until our feet my own apparel. I could not see that came in contact with another pole. In so well. Our appearance altogether one day we crossed as many as nine was fearful and wonderful. Our such streams with adjoining overflowed friends beholding said: .. Whence come lands and marshes. We were seven ye ?" We replied: "From going to days on the way. I was weak from and fro in the earth, and from walking fever and walked only four miles the up and down in it." tirst day, the next day eight, the next We reached Mr. Good's home first, twelve, and the last day over twenty where I sat down to rest, but in a few miles. On the last day, immediately minutes was unable to walk, and was after starting and before our blood was carried to Mr. Godduhn's home, one in proper circulation, we reached the mile farther, in a hammock. " Slough of Despond," deep with wa- And why illl this hardship, some are ter. We had difficulty in finding the asking, this exposure and peril of life, road. Mr. Good moved about in search, this isolation in the dismal interior of but I not knowing the roads moved Africa, or this madness, as certain of very little, remaining in the cold water our friends have called it? Only obeto my waist, and sometimes to my dience to a Master who thought tit to shoulders, for more than an hour. For say, "Go ye into all the world and the tirst time I felt evil effects from preach the Gospel to every creature." this. Before we had gone far every Is it not strange that even some Christians should seem to question the wis- beads and brass and bells. The men dom of this command or of obedience also wear ornaments, but not in such to it? I am weary of the opposing excess. Both men and women take arguments of many, even my friends, great pains with their hail', doing it up based upon our peril of life or the de- in the strangest and dirtiest way con- pravity of this people. I came not for ceivable. A common style is to build love of these, but in obedience to the it, with the aid of strips of bamboo, above command, and their depravity into three hard ridges several inches makes the command more imperative; high, running from the front to the and as for fear of hardship or danger, back of the head. Each ridge is mount- I am sure that no two things are more ed with a close row of common white incompatible than Christianity and shirt-buttons. Sometimes a card con- fear. If Christianity is anything, it is taining as many as six dozen is sewed courage. When in the French Revolu- on above each ear. The ridges of hair tion France was beset with foes on do not always run fore and aft. They every side, " cannon to right of them, are often in circles built up like a story- cannon to left of them, cannon in front cake and iced with buttons. Some- of them," and all were prostrate with times a kind of splash-board is built despair, the great Danton in thunder- out behind, running from ear to ear, to tones that filled all France called on hold more buttons. This latter style men "to dare, and again to dare, and prevents their lying to sleep in the or- without end to dare," and every son of dinary way. They must place the neck France arose and braced himself for on the wooden pillow, and let the head battle. His words are an echo of what hang over. The hair once arranged re- Christ has always s1id to His followers. mains undisturbed for several months.
Daring is an essential of all successful It forms a convenient place for wiping living. Surely Christianity ought to their hands or knives. After dressing be as strong a motive-power as patriot- it grease is smeared over which in the ism. Hardship ought not to be named; sun melts into the hair, some ot it our life is a small thing, the cause alone usually passing through and running is great. down the back. No matter what color In this interior we found a peculiar this oil is on going into the hair, it al- people indeed, called the "Bule." ways comes out black.
Our station is at the beginning of a The women, moreover, wear a strip countless populace extending far in- of monkey-skin or goat-skin an inch ward. On our first arrival a multitude wide-trimmed with buttons, of course of beggars surrounded our tent, beg- -across the middle of the forehead; and gars everywhere as thick as leaves in besides all this, they have bangs all autumn, insisting that we divide our around the head consisting of loose hair little stock of goods, which to them strung with beads of all colors. With seemed fabulous wealth. No corner this glittering headgear and with brass was too private for them to enter, nor and beads hung over the whole body, could we keep them out but by main the women make an appearance alto- force. Persuasion failed utterly, and gether unique in this world, if they be all a priori arguments were vain. We not like to things sometimes seen in soon came to the use of practical a pos- windows of toy-shops or on Christmas teriori arguments applied with a boot trees.
or other convenient object. We have, no doubt, come among 8 In appearance they are tall, well- desperately wicked people. Borrowing formed, and graceful. The men wear from Hume's estimate of Henry VIII., small loin-cloths. The women wear one might say that a catalogue of their nothing but a few haudfuls of grass, vices would include, perhaps, all the but thAY are loaded wit;.h ornaments of evils incident to human nature. When I first arrived among them I wrote a with the palaver. At the time of shoot· letter to a friend with the superscrip- ing yesterday we were holding our tion "Bule Land," but afterward, usual Sunday service. The man Who knowing more of this land, the super- had stolen the woman was present. He scription seemed a caricature too pro- heard the firing and knew what it fane, and that of my next letter was meant, and thought it was in his own " Chaos," for this is the very home of town, yet he showed no concern, but all disorder. They have reversed the sat calmly through the service. The whole moral law and every righteous people whose men have been killed are maxim. The plough they have beaten on the warpath to-day, determined to into a sword and the pruning-hook into kill a number of people, they care not a spear, and every man's hand is whom. Another palaver is going on in against his neighbor. the town nearest to us. A woman, who said that her husband was so homely There is no other law than the law of that she could not live with him, C'lme selfishness, which reigns supreme. to our station, met a man from another There is no word in their language for town and eloped with him. Her peoservice, they have not the idea. Mr. ple followed a few nights ago and kill- Good has been giving many of them ed a woman. We do not know how medical treatment. They take it for long this will continue. The people of granted that this also is selfish. They the town near by keep up a loud noille will sometimes get angry and scold if all night to let the enemy know that fresh bandages are not gi ven them they are watching. often. One man came and told that his wife was very sick, and asked what Last week Mr. Good and I visited a Mr. Good would give him if he would town one half-day's walk distant, where bring her for treatment. Another was we spent two nights. We found the in great distress, saying that his little stormiest people I have ever seen or daughter was dying, and that a man in heard of. They quarrelled almost a neighboring town had agreed to buy without ceasing, each quarrel involving her in marriage, and had already paid all the men and women of the town. some goods which would have to be re- During the day it was carried on in turned if she died. This latter made the street, becoming worse at night his grief truly pitiable. when they scattered to their houses, the men yelling and the women scream- Their wealth is chiefly in the shape ing their rage from within, loud enough of wives. These are usually stolen at to be heard over the town. There is first. Then follows a big palaver. no lack of matter for copious quarrel· The people of the offended town will ling even among this remote people of come at night and kill some one of the the forest. The occasions are so abun· town where the woman is. The enemy dant that many palavers are not settled, will return and kill one of them. And but are displaced by others. The occaso it goes on-killing in turn until the sion of a large quarrel the day we arthief pays for the woman, or until either rived was that a certain man's hen laid town stop that they may fight another an egg in another man's house, which enemy. Such a palaver has just begun latter man kept the egg. The town in one of our towns. Two days ago was rent in twain. The whole com- (Saturday) a man who lives near by munity is astir; they conspire together; stole a woman from a town some miles deep calleth unto deep; the sky dark· distant. The offended people came in ens; the mountains roll down their arms yesterday, but finding it hard to threatening thunders; hoarse rage is reach the town where the woman was, echoed back; but suddenly strange they killed two men in a town close to quiet falls on all the places-it is time us, which town belonged to another to eat. When eating is finished another tribe and had nothing whatever to do palaver cries out for attention, and the of Freemasons in A.merica, in whose former one is "laid on the table, ", surpas~ing antiquity I can now believe There was not an idle hour in which to that they include Solomon and perhaps resume it before we lefto It is still un- Noah. settled, and liable any day to deluge the valley with blood. Ngee is the native word for gorilla, and is also the name of a certain man We are used to noise. The people in each town, who is the head of this dance in the street almost every night, society and who takes the character of often through the whole night, to the a gorilla. This is also a benevolent somusic of several wooden instruments, ciety, protecting its members from the which they pound furiously, and all power of witches. Ngee may be called keep up a continual yelling such as is a witch-doctor or a devil-doctor, it you only heard in heathendom. Their please, able to kill at will or to cure heads are cracked, but not their lungs. any disease: He has a profound knowl- And with this unfortunate combina- edge of witches, and is a potentate tion of cracked heads and uncracked among them, saying, "Go, "and they go; lungs they make our nights hideous or, " Come," and they come. When in enough. character he will come into the town at any time, roaring like a gorilla, but One day I had thrust upon me the loud enough to be heard at any finite pleasure of seeing a woman perform distance. A.ll women and children the native dance. The woman is a and uninitiated men fiee for their queen. She often comes selling pota- lives. If one of these see him thus toes. This day she was carrying a bun- in character, they will take sick and dle rolled in leaves. She opened it and die. The dire truth is that they Inshowed me a coil of snake, which she deed die if it be known that they was taking home for her husband's have seen him. We suspect they are dinner. There were four other women poisoned. A few nights ago there was with her, all queens and, with herself, a Ngee dance in the nearest town. Mr. wives of one man. They all talk at Godduhn, of Bat&nga, was with us, once; those not talking are laughing, and he and I went through the town. some doing both at once, and at the The chief who lives in the first village same time running about through the followed after us, full of wrath, and house asking for everything they can threatening us with every calamity if find ; but this particular woman insist- we dared look upon the sacred scene. ed upon showing me the Bule dance, We passed on, however, and having which consists of a series of fiendish turned our light very low, we entered contortions. The whole body is in the village where Ngee was holding rapid motion, especially the shoulders forth with many of the initiated. The and stomach. One would think that women were of course hidden in their the body was without bone or solid part. houses, but We have reason to believe She accompanies this with imitation of that they were looking through the the music of their several wooden in- cracks. What woman wouldn't? It struments as weird as the dance itself. was very dark, but we could still see Both music arid dance belong to the un· these weird, black forms in every under world; neither of them should human shape gliding swiftly about in ever have reached upper air. She imi- all manner of strange motions, dancing tates all the instruments at once, and to the discordant sound of the instru· dances on, heedless of perspiration and ments spoken of above, and all shriekdecorum. ing like hobgoblins. The place smelled of sulphur. We soon became conscious But the most hideous of all their that Ngee was approaching. He dances is the "Ngee" dance. The growled hideously and roared in tones Ngee Society is a secret order corresponding in many points to the order such as I would not have supposed where no reason is conceivable unless a could come from man or devil, and love of the lie itself. The only sexual changing from shape to shape. immorality that they consider wrong is the unfaithfulness of a wife, but the "If shape it could be called, that shape had restraint put upon this sin is slight, none, and upon other immorality no restraint at all. They believe in God, but their Diltingui8hable in member, joint or limb." belief is unliving, a vague idea that has no fear in it, and hence no moral force. He flashed his knife about us fiercely, One day when I was returning from but seeing that we were not to be preaching in a certain town, it chanced moved by all the powers of darkness, that several women who had heard the he retired for a time. We turned up preaching were following along the our light and sat down. The novelty way. One of them called to me, a of the lantern overcame their antago- woman in whose face was not even a nism, and they danced freely about us, trace of innocence. She said: .. If God their motions more demon-like than is so good, why does He not give me ever in the dim light of the lantern. more food 1" I replied that the wonder But Ngee did not yet give up all hope was He gave her any, that God only of oVercoming us, or it may be that his promises to take care of good people. purpose was to initiate us. He brought She said that she was a good woman, a the bones of his ancestors-of his grand. very good woman. I looked at her for father or his grandmother perhaps- a moment, wondering what a very bad and placed them in a heap before us, woman would look like. I asked if Shaking the grinning skull at us, and she had never done such and such dancing about them with roaring and things, mentioning their commonest incantation. With look as innocent sins. She had never done any of those and ignorant as we could command, we things, but had always been a model took the bones up and handled them of truth and purity-such a woman, on curiously but respectfully, looked on a the whole, as is not found outside of little longer, and then departed, having Africa. I turned to the other women seen enough. present and asked them if this woman had spoken the truth. To my surprise It is said that after writing the .. In- they all agreed with her, saying that ferno" Dante looked as if he had been they had never known her to do any in hell. I do not know whether I after- of those things of which I had spoken. ward looked so, but I certainly felt as I then said: "Now, you say that you if I had been there. are a good woman. God says you are a bad woman. Who tells the lie?" She The belief in witches is perhaps the replied; without hesitation, "God." strongest prevalent in this country. Again I was surprised, but it was easy History gives us abundant testimony now to defeat her since she had called that this has always been one of the God a liar. Imagine, then, how near most cruel and enslaving beliefs that the abyss a people live on whom the have ever entered man's mind, and greatest of truths, that of a living God, here as elsewhere it is prolific in tor- has no moral force. ment and misery. I am told that among them are men But this subject is too large to enter called "tiger.men," whose custom is upon here. to hide in the bush and spring like tigers upon passing women and chil- As I know more of these people I dren, cutting them to pieces. find greater depths of depravity than I had thoup:ht of. One sometimes won- It is such a people whom we have ders whether man cannot indeed de- undertaken to tame by the Gospel. It scend to the depthS of the witches in .. Macbeth," to whom" fair is foul, and foul is fair." They will answer the most ordinary question with a lie, is not yet too late. "If there are Demon Possession on Missionary Fields.* depths in man as deep as hell, there are also heights as high as heaven. Are There are observable among men not both heaven and hell made out of gradations of intellect. Is there anyhim 1" Christendom may well ask thing unreasonable in the supposition why it is that they have not heard the that there are other intellects in the Gospel centuries ago; but let none ut- universe of higher powers than man P ter reproach nntil himself does his Does the creation necessarily top out duty. Three of us labor here alone with the human· family? Did what- ever force made man exhaust its powamong a people of urenakcnhoewd nthneumdebpetrhs~ ers when it made a human being? a people who have of depravity and misery, where the 2. If there be other higher intelliworm dieth not and the fire is not gences, must they all be necessarily good, or may some of them be malevoquenched. We are calling for help. Their de- lent and evil f pravity calls loud-calls louder to us S. If there be such higher intellithan to our fathers, and Christ's com- gences, good or bad, or both, have they mand, though long neglected, has not any means of influencing the human become a dead letter. The harvest mind and life? Bold, bad men of falls ~o the ground for ripeness, and great intellectual force do here influthere IS none to help. The work is not ence their fellows to evil. May some easy, but I prefer it to any other I have unseen higher intelligences also lead ever done. The Gospel in which we men into error and crime? trust, in which is all our hope, is here These are questions with which the Old and New Testament affect to dperaol ~ put to the severest test, and is not found and about which they are very wanting. It is said of Mohammed, that when a nounced. Is there anything contrary boy, lying one night in the open field, to reason in the way they deal with an angel came in his sleep, and remov- them? ing his heart, wrung out of it all the Explain the Bible narrative as we evil, which fell in dark drops to the may, it distinctly recognizes certain ground. I can think of the streams and phenomena as being superinduced by rivers of this land running red like energy exercised over the human body crimson with their escaping sins, and and mind by unseen spiritual forces. this people still unclean; but we know Is there anything that can be identified a simpler way and more effective, even as the same class of .. possession" as the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is the that described in the New Testament? power of God. From these hills that This is what Dr. Nevius undertook to now resound with the noise of this vio- answer in the volume just from the lent people we purpose to proclaim the press, through the kind offices of Mr. life and death, the example and the Henry W. Rankin, to whom he comprecepts of Him whose voice is not mitted the manuscript just before leavheard in the street, who breaketh not ing for China, where, presently after the bruised reed nor quencheth the arrival, he died. smoking fiax, and who died for the But this is not all which interested sins of the whole world. And this we Dr. Nevius. He wanted to ascertain 0; do in the strong hope that in a time not * Demon Possession and Allied Themes be- far distant the smoke of their torment ing an Indnctive Stndy of the Phenomena onr shall no longer ascend to darken the own Times, by Rev. John L. Nevins, D.D., forty sun, but the listening heaven shall hear years a missionary to the Chinese; with an Infrom ten thousand voices the glad troduction by Rev. F. F. Ellinwood, D.D. shout, .. Gloria in Excelsis." Chicago and New York: Fleming H. Revell Company. $1.50. whether the same kind of power exer- Chinese, their Present and Future: cised by Jesus Christ and committed Medical, Political, and Social" (1891), by Him to His disciples is applicable says he examined many cases of al- to similar cases if found to exist in our leged "possession" in China, and as- .IllY. He had a far more definite pur- serts that mania, dementia, and hysteria pose than that of a mere contribution are sufficient to account for the cases to the occult science of our time. He he had either seen or heard described, grappled with the question, What ought and he considered any who believe in to be the attitude of the foreign mis- demoniacal possession "superstitious sionary to this class of phenomena in and too credible." But Dr. Nevius heathen lands? Must they be relegated furnishes testimony which, he definitely to pathology or psychology, or dealt avers, and many will concur with him, with as spirit-product, to be exorcised cannot be explained by these causes, in the name of the same Jesus who and he gives some striking cases of commanded like spirits to come out of strong, healthy men, never ill, and men and to cease to torment them in never depressed in mind or body, who His day? Shall the missionary treat were subjects of this sort of double ex- them with the ammonia-bottle or the istence at intervals.
Bible? The practical point, however, is the In order to settle this as far as possi- missionary one, of how to attempt to ble for himself, and to furnish datil for deal with these cases. Dr. Nevius others to do likewise for themselves, he affirms that many cases have been took great pains, by personal investiga- cured by prayer to Christ or in His tion and by correspondence with other name, some very readily, some with missionaries in all parts of China, to difficulty; but, so far as he had been gather the fullest possible testimony able to learn, this method of cure had from experience and from reliable testi- never failed in any case, however stubmony concerning these alleged cases of spirit possession. He carefully sifted born and long continued, in which it the mass of material he had thus collated, and as carefully attempted to had been tried; and in no instance had analyze and classify it; and whatever may be thought of the evidence-and the malady returned if the subject beopinion is sure to be diverse-we have here an important contribution to the came a Christian and continued to lead bibliography of spirit-phenomena. The distinction of the volume consists in a Christian life. the facts as testified to by Chinese competent to observe and state them. A reaction against the gross mate- How they arc to be accounted for is a separate portion of the treatise. Of rialism of our times is sure to come, this much the author is convinced, and the occult is quite a8 certain to be thrown out of perspective when it is taken in hand seriously; and this vol- ume will therefore be of value to Chris- tian people wishing to follow a careful and conservative investigator. as all who knew the author recognize him to have been. [J. T. G.] that whatever was meant by demo- niacal possession in the land of Judea in the times of Jesus Christ, exists to- Shall Missionaries be Sent to Foreign day in China phase for phase. He Fields in Faith that the Funds will gives further testimony of Bishop Cald- be Forthooming? well as to the precise similitude with these of evil-spirit possession in va.rious This question has been a vital one parts of India. with some Christian workers for some Dr. Robert Coltman, Jr., surgeon in while past. The Church of England charge of the Presbyterian Hospital, Missionary Society, seven or eight Teng Chow Fu, In his work, "The years ago, determined that God must in some way take care of suitable men then in the Contingenc:y Fund. The definitely called to this work, and re- year 1894-95 began with about £4000 solved to send all such forward, funds to the good, the surplus on the special or no funds. They have recently contributions to clear off the previous issued a tract showing the development year's deficit. The Society, therefore, of their work in the seven years they after the immense development above have pursued this policy, in which they illustrated, is only £6000 worse off than say: it was seven years ago. And within " 1. The total number of missionaries the same period, a mortgage of £20,000 (not counting wives) has increased as on the Children's Home has been paid follows: Clergymen, from 247 to 344 ; off. On the other hand, it is important laymen, from 40 to 82; women, from to remember that very large savings 22 to 193. Total, from 309 to 619, or are due to the fall in the value of sil- just double in the seven years. (The ver. Had the Indian exchange re- Estimates Committe~ give a larger mained where it was, a much larger number, but they have not deducted income would have been needed."
some recent deaths and retirements.) "2. The increase in some missions is especially, noticeable. West Africa (including Yoruba and Niger) had then Reasons for Taking Part in morts to 11; now 43. East Africa (including Save the World.
Uganda) had then 26; now 58. The BY REV. EDWARD WEBB, LINCOLN UNI- Mohammedan lands, Egypt, Palestine, VERSITY, OXFORD, CHESTER COUNTY, Persia, had then 17; now 63. India PAhad then 133; now 222. China had then 30; now 85. Japan had then 14 ; l. Because" God so loved the flJO'I'ld. "
now 53. 2. Because it is the command of " 3. It was at the end of 1887 that Christ.
the new plans for associated evangelists 3. Because Christ Himself, as the first were formed. It was at the same time great model Missionary to the flJO'I'ld, that the large extension of women's leads the way-we should follow Him.
work began. Since 1887 medical mis- 4. Because salvation is provided by sions have much developed, and the Him for the flJO'I'ld.
number of medical missionaries have 5. Because He has given us the Gos- more than doubled. pel in trust for the flJO'I'ld.
"4. Since 1887. the p1'oportion of the 6. Because if we are not faithful to Society's expenditure on home organi- our trust, the flJO'I'ld will perish in its zation and administration, relatively sin.
to the direct expenditure on missions, 7. Because, if by our unfaithfulness has diminished. In 1887 the home and neglect the flJO'I'ld perishes, we charges cost 2s. 8td. out of each pound shall be adjudged guilty.
sterling spent. In 1893-94 they cost 1;1. Because if we are faithful to our 28. 2d. out ot each pound sterling trust, the flJorld will be saved, and the spent. reward will be ours.
" 5. In 1887, there were four honor- 9. Because Christ has taught us to ary missionaries. In 1894 there are say, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be over seventy honorary. done on earth as it is in heaven."
" 6. In the year ending ~Iarch, 1887, 10. Because no one, without active the General Fund income was £200,- interest in the foreign missionary work, 777. In the year ending March, 1894, can sincerely make this prayer.
it was £237,797. 11. Because foreign missionary work "7. The year 1887-88 began with has brought to the Church In return a £10,500 to the good, being the balance boundless blessing. 12. Because to stop all this work for work and exchange accounts of experithe world would bring upon the Church ences. There were besides five foreignparalysis and death. born missionary children. The mis· sionaries represented work in various 18. Because Christian love is essen- parts of India, China, Japan, Bulgaria, tially world-wide; it utterly refuses to be Hawaiian Islands, Siam, Turkey, and limited. West Africa. These are all receiving gratuitously the medical service of the 14. Because this world-wide love in- faculty and the free use of all the remecludes and fosters love for our own dial agencies of the institution, which country. Dr. Henry Foster has built up through forty years and presented to a board of . 15. Because the plea that to save our trustees composed of the senior secretaown land is to save tke world, has force ries of the leading missionary societies, only when the Church at home fs active to be held in perpetuity for the rebuildin saving the world. ing of the impaired health of missiona- ries. The outright gift is valued at 16. Because home missions had made $500,000, besides not less than $20,000 little progress when, by direction of annually of what may be classed as the Holy Spirit, foreign missions were eleemosynary expenditure. The superbegun from Antioch, in Syria_ intending physician, the Rev. C.. C. Thayer, M.D., and his wife were for a 17. Because, if there is a good reason term of years missionaries in the Turkfor one church or one member of a ish Empire, and as the head of the instichurch neglecting it, there is the same tution are in full sympathy with the for the whole Church. benevolent intent of the founder.
The three non-ethnic religions of the The twelfth annual meeting of the world that in spirit and work are ag- International Missionary Union will be gressive, diffusive and missionary, are held at CliIton Springs, N. Y., June Buddhism, Mohammedanism, and 12th-19th. All foreign missionaries, Christianity. The first, from humani- whether in service or retired, are recogtarian motives only; the second, with nized as members and entitled to free a prevailing political object. But the entertainment. All missionaries pur- Gospel of Christ is spread from su- posing to attend are requested to notify preme love to Him, as the chief and im- Mrs. C. C. Thayer, Sanitarium, Clifton pelling force, and also from love for the Springs, and to name topics they wish world. discussed. Ail information will be gi ven by the Secretary. The prospect is of a Let us, by all means, love our own large attendance, and eminent names country, even as Christ loved His native are already enrolled, such as Dr. H. H. Palestine. In His spirit let us labor Jessup, of Syria; Dr. Blodgett, forty and suffer for it. Let the spirit which years in China; Dr. Jacob Chamberlain moved and inspired the great Apostle and Dr. Boggs, of India; Dr. Amerto the world, whose motto was, "To man, of Japan; and Secretaries Bald· the Jew first, but also to the Gentile," win and Barton. be onrs. For the love which reaches out to the Gentile cannot pass by ~he J. T. GRACEY, Pre8ident, Jew. Rochester, N. Y.
A goodly company of missionaries are REV. W. H. BELDEN, Secretary, " up for repairs" at that great mission- Clifton Springs, N. Y. ary centre, Clifton Springs. One day recently the Sanitarium arranged that these missionaries should dine together in the spacious dining-room of that noble institution, and a social was held in the parlors in the afternoon, at which thirty missionaries gathered to talk over the40
CHU-LA.-LANG-KORN, THE KING OF SIAM, AND HIS SONS. PALACE ENCLOSURE-ENTRANCE TO TEMPLE
FillLD OF MONTHLY SURVEY
III.-FIELD OF MONTHLY. SURVEY.
BY D. L. PDmSON• .Siam and Laos,* Malaysia,t Buddhism,t Lepers.§ THE LAND OF THE WHITE ELEPHANT. lation of the country is estimsted at. about 6,000,000, largely interspersed BY THE EDITOR-IN-CHillF. with Cbiriese. The people are not taU, aTe inclined to tatness; with faces broad' Siam has been, in comparison with and fiat, with, small noses and wide India and China, unknown to modem mouths, and they wear a stolid and sulcivilization. Commerce found little len aspect. 'The type of race is moditbere to attract trade, and, until witbin fied Mongolian, mixed with Chinese and the past quarter century, there has been Burmese. In the extreme south the but little literature which trea.ted of inhabitant8are quite distinct and have that Malayan penil,l8ula; and, as to the migrated from Sumatra; they are Mos- Laos country, it was even more a part lem in religion, and politically indepilDof the great unknown. dent 6f Siam,under rajahs or sultans.
Siam is about 1000miles long, and at Education Is at its lowest level among its widest less than one third of that the'Siamese, and woman Is wholly un· measurement. In the north are great taught, though her domestic estate is mountain districts, rich in fauna and fiora, streams and waterfalls; and the much above the aVllrage condition ·ot lowland,;! produce ample rice crops, the main dependence of the people. Three women in the Orient, and notably hi principal rivers constitute its river system, the Menam, the "motber of wa- toIndia; but. when education is brought ters," being the great highway of inter- bear upon thl'se people, they prove course and the stream on whose banks by no means lack.ing in native ability. Bangkok, the capital, the Asiatic Venice, stands-or, as we might say,fioats- A cuyious cust~m is insepllr~ble from so large is the proportion of inhabitants the exercise of hospitality. The areca living upon its water streets. nut is mixed with lime and 'certain other ingredients, a· compound which not Most of the travel is by boats, but in only blackens, but· rapidly destroys the cases where they are not available, by teeth, and yet this. mixture is chewed elephants, which carry a saddle shaped by both 'men and women, and the richer like a sawbuck. class serve it in gold boxes.
Bangkok has a population. verging The government is an absolute mon. on half a million; and the whole popu, archy, and it is not long' since the lion. ors paid to the Siamese .king. were: aI, * See also pp. 8 (January), 219 (March), and most Divine. There Is no hereditary nobility, and the king himself is elected 321 (present issne). Literature: .. Historical by certain officers. Some. sixty smaU Sketches of Presbyterian Missions:" "Slam provinces have each a ruler, aU subject and Laos as Seen by American Missionaries :': to the king. The late king and his "Siam," Mary L. Cort;" The ·Land of the successor, Chulalangkom, .have, proved Wbite Elephant," Y. Vincent. very able, .educated, and erilightened monarchs, who abQlishEld the CUB· t "India and Malaysia," J. M. Thobnm, toni of bowing lik.e beasts "on all fours," and bade. their courtiers stand D.D.; "A Winter In India ;md Malaysia," before:thein Hkemen.. 'From theacccs- M. V. B. Knox, D.D. sion' of· M8.ha"Mong-Kut" in.18S1, there has been more contact with the outside :I: "The Light of ~Ia and. the Light of the world and more real progress than for World," S. H. Kellogg, D,D.; "Short Chapter~ centuries before. on Bnddhism," .J.. H;. 'TitcOmb;, "Buddhism,',' Rhys Davids: "Buddhism," Sir Monier Will, ams.
S See p. 358 (present Issue). ". The Lepers of Our Indian Empire," W. C. Bailey: "Work Among Lepers." Missionary operations have never been ever opened in this country. Among vigorously carried forward, owing to the first fifteen scholars three were the paucity of laborers. The country daughters of the nobility, and all proved is open in a remarkable degree, but the equal to the boys in the acquirement of whole missionary force in Siam and the knowledge, so the school proved a suc- Laos country does not exceed thirty- cess, and other natives were induced to Jour, including women and the medical send their children also. One of the force (excluding wives of missionaries). Laos princes called to see the school. He had on a coat, pants, and hat, but The missionaries of the American was in his bare feet. The people are Board sent out in 1831 and 1832 were very much darker colored than the afterward removed to China. Since Chinese, but have the same straight 1847 the entire native population have black hair. They cut it short, and been under care of the Presbyterians of comb it d la mode parted in the middle North America. But the whole of the -men and women all the same. The New Testament and part of the Old, priests shave their heads, and wear san· with a beginning in Christian literature, daIs. Their garments are all made of were the fruit of one decade of years, yellow cloth. It is the sacred as well and now the whole Bible is accessible as royal color. There arc thousands of to all who read Siamese. The" Pil- the lazy vagabonds supported by beg· grim's Progress" was among the early ging. They make a very good living, products of a Christian press, which has however, as no one is allowed to refuse proved a grand instrument of evangeli. them what they ask, somewhat after zation and education. Parts of the Bi- the style of certain priests in America. ble have also now been translated into They are all servants of the idol god the Laos dialect. For seven successive Buddha, and at death expect to enter years the accessions to the Church in upon an eternal sleep. They live alone the Laos country were constantly grow- in monasteries upon the temple ~rounds. ing, from 110 in 1887 to 303 in 1893. The mother church at Chieng Mai, after .. At a certain season the kmg celesending out eight colonies, has an adult brates worship and gives gifts to the membership of over 700. priests. He visits the temples for nine days. At such time he may be seen in From 18407 to 1851 aU mission effort his royal barge upon the river. His was hampered by the hostility of the boat, over 150 feet long, with 84 row· king; on his sudden death, and the ers, all dressed in uniform, and keeping election of Maha·Mong-Kut, who had perfect time with their paddles. The studied with an American missionary, boat is beautiful, beginning with a and proved a catholic·spirited sov- bird's head and ending with a fish's ereign, the work began to take root, tail, all covered with gilt and Siamese though it was thirteen years before the carving. There were banners of crimfirst convert, Nai Chune, yielded to son and gold, and tassels of Yak hair. Christ; and the simple faith of the na· The king sat in state uuder a small cantlve Christians has given much hope to opy near the centre ,of the boat, and the missionaries. was almost hidden by curtains of cloth of gold. We saw him plainly When The effort was early made to raise he passed from his barge to the temple up a native ministry and to establish under his glittering golden umbrella. schools for girl8, as well as boys, to He was dressed in shining raiment and whom native custom had confined these sparkling with jewels, but had left his advantages. crown at home, as it is far too heavy to wear with any degree of comfort. I A well·known traveller writes: never saw a more imposing procession. There were perhaps a thousand boats .. Rev. Dr. Samuel R. House and his upon the river; eighty of them, filled wife were at one time the oldest Pres· with princes, nobles, officers of rank, byterian missionaries in Siam, and had soldiers, priests, etc., with their serunder their care the fir8t girls' 8chool vants, were counted as his special es· cort. The whole ceremony was for the perpetuation of Buddhism and the wor- ship of idols.' The people, however, worshipped the king as though he, too, were a god. There was music and shouting, and on either side of the river, in the floating houses, there were altars erected and tapers burning, while the people clasped their hands and bowed themselves as the king in his glory to earth in form of white elephant, passed by." birth, etc., and ending with his funeral pile and miraculous consumption. In the following paragraphs little else is attempted than to make a few The doctrines of Buddhism; bIlef notes on the condition of the land 1. Vacuity, unreality, illusiveness of and people, and to give short extracts nature. from competent authorities. 2. This nihilism levels all barriers of caste, nation, etc. Polygamy prevails to a fearful extent, 3. Final object, Nirvana, or deliver- with the inevitable degradation of ance from pain and illusion. Rotation woman. of metempsychosis then being broken, the soul is not born again; even desire Half a century ago all foreigners were of existence lost. excluded, but now all Christian coun- 4. Its four great truths are; Pain, its tries enjoy treaty rights. The present origin, its annihilation, and the way king subscribeS liberally to educational to such extinction. and missionary enterprises. Buddha actually sways the people of Siam. Its sacred fanes are among the Dr. Dean organized in Siam the first costliest in the Orient. One is estichurch of Chinese Christians in all Asia. mated at $800,000 and has 900 images The first zenana teaching ever at· of Buddha, one of which is 150 feet tempted in the East was by missionary long and is inlaid with pearl and overwomen in 1851, among the thirty wives laid with gold. The sacred literature and royal sisters of the king of Siam. in the Pali is written on slips of palm leaf, and the four hundred principal Buddhism is a most obstinate foe to works embrace 4000 volumes. Gospel conquest. It is a State religion, "Buddhism is evidently losing its and conversion is virtually treason. No hold upon the minds of young Siamese. man can hold office till after three Indeed, many of the older nobility, such months in the priesthood. While this as the Regent and others, are said to is the nominal attitude of the govern- have but little faith in it, but are ment toward foreign faiths, as a matter obliged to keep up appearances to some of fact no Oriental government has degree. The majority of the common made a closer approximation to a catho- people, and the women of all classes, aro lic toleration. still firm in the faith and constant in their works of merit; but there is un- As to Buddhism, it is a very subtle questionably a coldness in certain quarsystem. It is so complex and philo· ters. The present king, before assumsophical, that it has taxed the greatest ing the reins of government, according minds to explore and represent it. It to custom, spent some time in the is a mixture of apparent absurdity with priesthood. This, it is said, he would exalted ethical teaching. The most gladly have avoided, had not the custom satisfactory work I have seen upon been so inexorable, and the prejudice Buddhism is Sir Monier Williams's su- in its favor so strong. perb volume, one of the series of Duff The son of the Minister of Foreign Afmissionary lectures. fairs spent four years in England, part of the time at Oxford. He was there, Buddhism is the religion of the fol- however, without any proper person to lowers of Fo, whose tenets, introduced direct his studies or control him, and about A.D. 66, are called after Buddha, after spending a mint of money for his (to know-inteUigence). father returned, talking fluently upon horse·racing, dog-fighting, dancing, Buddhists hold that countless Bud· theatres, operas, and all plays and dhas have appeared to save the world, among them one in the present period -namely, &kyamuni, or St. &kya, held by some to be the ninth incarnation of Vishnu. His legendary history is in twelve sections, beginning with his being in the fourth heaven, descent sports; but his knowledge of the sci- than anything else. These calculations ences appeared to be small. He pro- are printed at the royal press, and pubfessed to have lost his faith in Bud- lished under the king's seal a short dhism, without having adopted any- time before the opening of the new thing better, and was averse to entering year." the priesthood. His father was indif· ferent upon the subject, but his grand- Buddhism has no place for atonemother was determined that he should ment, acknowledges no creator; the follow the ancient custom. She said souls of men are ancestors'/ all birds-and he was her favorite, and all her earthly beasts represent souls of departed relagoods were laid up for him; she accord- tives. ingly betook herself to weeping, day and night, until the young man was The white elephant is said to represent obliged to relent. Usually the shortest some king or hero. Death may usher time that anyone can spend in the priest- the soul into the body of a white ant or hood is three months. He agreed to elephant. enter the priesthood for tltree days; but stipulated that, contrary to the custom All males enter the priesthood for a of the priesthood, he should have his time, and live as celibates. regular meals in the evening, with claret. It is also reported that many of the ris- The Siamese believe in acts of merit, ing nobility have relinquished Bud· and seek to accumulate them. dhism. It is to be feared, however, that infidelity will succeed. The great The darkness of the future is terrible, preponderance of European influence, according to the confession of an aged outside of the missionaries, is in that priest himself, who with all his virtues direction. and austerities could see only a blank despair ahead. " Phja Krasap, a nobleman of rank and superintendent of the royal mint, Nirvana seems to be a condition in was at one time the only man in the which all attributes or quality, all dekingdom who had any scientific knowl- sire or emotion, or action or sense, is edge ,worth naming. He was also a gone. Buddhists maintain that a soul philosopher of some ability, and has so sublimated exists, though everything been denominated the 0 hunder Sen of that can be predicated of a soul has Siam. He discarded Buddhism as at passed away. One is reminded of an present taught and practised, and be· illustration which a Western college lieved in a Supreme Being, who pos- professor once gave of transcendentalsesses a kind of personality and is capa- ism, When pointing to a sand-bank full ble of hearing and answering prayer. of swallow-holes, he said, "Imagine That Supreme Being he combined with that bank all washed away, and the the correlation of forces, or rather made swallow-holes still remaining, and you that the instrument of the Supreme have transcendentalism." Being in carrying out his designs, and claimed to find this belief revealed in The thing that is plausible in Budthe Buddhist Scriptures. But few of dhism is its ideal, not its practical mothe Siamese know anything about the rality. The Buddhist decalogue is in Copernican system. The Brahman as- most respects commendable, and so far trologers calculate the eclipses with resembles that given by Moses at an tolerable accuracy, and give the time earlier date, that one naturally queries When the sun in his apparent course in whether the wonderful spread of the the heavens reaches the equinoctial and truth in Daniel's time did not reach solstitial points. This is done more in India, and give to Daniel's contemreference to the times of their festivals porary, Gautama, some of his principal ideas. The Decalogue, according to Rev. N. A. McDonald's work on Siam, is as follows: I. From the meanest insect up to man, thou shalt kill no animal what- ever.
18911.] ll'lELD OF' MONTHLY
II. Thou shalt not steal. "4. The way to the suspension ofsuf- lII. Thou shalt not violate the wife fering: By the eightfold noble path- Right belief, right resolution, right of another nor his concubine. speech, right deeds, right life, right IV. Thou shalt speak no word that ideals, right thoughts, right memory, is false. right meditation. V. Thou shalt not drink wine nor •• The last of these clauses is the foun- dation of Buddhist ethics. Evidently anything that may intoxicate. ethical law here is not founded upon VI. Thou shalt avoid all anger, ha- the dictates of a higher power, nor is there anywhere the suggestion of a law tred, and bitter language. VII. Thou shalt not indulge in idle or of universal harmony, or necessity, by which the individual is led forcibly to vain talk:. follow a line of conduct which suits VIII. Thou shalt not_covet thy neigh- the universe. The difference between bor's goods. ~ood and evil conduct, roughly stated, 18 the effect upon the individual him- IX. Thou shalt not harbor envy, nor self. Good conduct in a small way pride, nor malice, nor revenge, nor the produces relative happiness in life, and desire of thy neighbor's death or mis- advance of station in the round of ex- fortune. istence; in a large way it becomes the X. Thou shalt not follow the doc- motive-power toward the highest aim, trines of false gods. the resolution into the all, the Nirvana. This doctrine of suffering concentmtes This illustrates the ineffectiveness of all serious attention upon the Ego, and laws, however good, if there be no lov- for the Buddhist this metaphysical term steps out from the franJe of an ing and sentient law-giver. In a world abstract system, and assumes a reality which" created itself" (" Pen Eng," so strong, that everything without as the Siamese say), and whose supreme fades at times into utter insignificance.
being has no attribute nor emotions, To find the Ego is praised as the best end of all search; to be friends with laws will be observed or not according the Ego is the truest and highest friendto the disposition of men. The proof ship. The Ego spurs to good; through of all systems lies in their power to the Ego one knows one's self, and the change the downward tendencies of Ego watches and protects. The Ego is the ultimate refuge, therefore it must men. The practical morality of the be held in check, as the dealer holds a Siamese may be judged by the fact that noble steed. One's own Ego must, the nameless sins of Sodom-the un- first of all, be securely founded on natural affections depicted in the first good. After that others may be in- structed. chapter in the Epistle to the Romans- .. This may, perhaps, be regarded as are fearfully prevalent even among the the most characteristic point in Budpriesthood. dhist ethics. It is a spiritual egoism, Professor Maurice Bloomfield says : whose existence and development are hostile to and exclude practical selfish- " Buddhist ethics is joined directly to ness by its very existence. Forgivethe doctrine of suffering, as we may ness and the love of enemies is exaltcall it. This is the very corner·stone ed, but the impulse is less from the of the edifice. It is designated with heart than from the head; it is from schematic regularity as the fourfold that knowledge which kills desire, and doctrine of suffering, being presented leads to Nirvana. " again and again in four statements which form a close sequence. "1. The truth of suffering: Birth is THE TEA.CHINGS OF' BUDDHA. AND suffering, age is suffering, disease is CHRIST COMPARED.
suffering, union with what is not loved HISTORICAL DIFFERENCES. is suffering, separation from what is loved is suffering. Buddhism• •, 2. The origin of suffering: The thirst after existence which leads from birth By the doctrine of Karma a man is to birth, and to the desire for lust and power. bound hand and foot to the inevitable consequences of his own acts. " 3. Suspension of suffering: Giving np the thirst for existence by cutting Buddha always described himself as off all desires. self-made. Buddha came down to be born on bodily life as the highest of boons and earth in a rich and princely family. loftiest of aims.
Buddha declal'ed that all enlighten- Beware of action, as causing re-birth, ment and wisdom were to be attained and aim at inaction, indifference, apathy, by his disciples, not through him, but as the highest of all states. through themselves and their own intuitions. Every man is saved by his own works and by his own merits. Buddha died peacefully among his friends, suffering from an attack of in- What shall I do to inherit eternal exdigestion, at the age of eighty, and tinction? leaving thousands of disciples. Ohri8tianity. Buddha is dead and gone forever, or lives only in the doctrine which he left. Christianity demands the suppression Ohristianity. of selfishness. Christianity says: Fight and over- In Christ alone there is forgiveness of sins. come the world.
Christ constantly insisted that He Christianity teaches: Expect a new was God-sent. earth, a world renewed and perfected, in which righteousness is to dwell for- Christ was sent from heaven to be born on earth in a poor and humble ever. state. Bodily existence is subject to only Christ had all the treasures of knowl- one transformation. edge hidden in Himself, and made The body of man may be the abode known to His disciples that He was Himself the way and the truth. of the Holy Spirit of God. Present your bodies as living sacri- Christ died in agony an atoning death, suffering for the sins of the world, at fices, holy, acceptable to God, and exthe age of thirty-three, and leaving pect a change to glorified bodies hereabout one hundred and twenty disciples. after. Work the works of God while it is Christ rose and is alive forevermore. day. DOCTRINAL DIFFERENCES. Become as little children, and when Buddhism. you have done all, account yourselves Buddhism demands the suppression unprofitable servants. of self, with the one object of extin- What shall I do to inherit eternal guishing all consciousness of self. life? Buddhism says: Shun the world and withdraw from it. Another writer says: Buddhism teaches: Expect a never- .. To the Christian, the chief quesending succession of worlds forever tions of the future turn upon the fate coming into existence, developing, de- of Buddhism, and the prospects of caying, and reviving, and all equally Christianity. Can Buddhism retain its full of everlasting misery and change. hold upon the people amid the inevita- ble enlightenment? It is admitted to Bodily existence is continued in six be one of the purest of false sYiltems, conditions, through countless bodies of its ethical code almost identical with men, animals, demons, etc. our Decalogue. Gautama, the origina- tor, appears to have been a man of rare The body can never be the abode of disinterestedness and purity of charac· anything but evil. ter, contrasting strangely with the las- civious grossness of Mohammed. But Look to final deliverance from all the whole philosophy of Buddhism is an impractical dream, futile and ineffec- tual. It lays no strong and cheering hold upon the hopes of the life to come. It lacks inspiratIOn and high prompt- ing, affording no • mark for the prize of his high calling in Christ Jesus,' which quickened Paul to all endurance and all effort, revealing no • eternal weight of glory,' no fellowship of God part to different authorities and in part here or hereafter, no eternal career of to basis of calculation. The 2,284,880 culture and growth and delightful ac- Christians include nearly a million and tivity, no joy of eternal love. but in- a half of Roman an~l Syrian Catholics stead of these a mere endless dream iu and about 800,000 Syrian Jacobites. In which all sin will be bleached out of 1890 there were in India proper (excluthe soul. but with it all thought, feel- sive of Burma and Ceylon) 559,661 ing, and moral quality. It gives no Christians, of whom 182,722 were comimpulse, and lacks moral power. It municants. Including Burma and does not,corrupt, but it leaves all the Ceylon, 671,285 adherents and 223,941 natural corruption of the heart to go communicants. These have now inunchecked, which in the end leads to creased to over 700,000 native adherents I much the same result. and about 250,000 communicants for all India. " Buddhism. so plausible and so negative, will be hard to dislodge, and for NOTES FOR THE MONTH.-D. L. P. this reason great fruits have not yet been gathered in Siam. A people well The estimated area of Siam is 190,000 fed and proud of their garden land and square miles, about equal to that of the their respectable religious faith are less New England and Middle States, or one easily moved than impoverished and and one half times as large as the Britperishing races ; but Siam must yield ish Isles. The population numbers up Buddhism before the progressive about six millions, and consists of tendencies of a practical age. If not 2,000,000 Siamese, 2,000,000 Laosians, Christianity, then scepticism will take 1,000,000 Malays, and 1,000,000 Chithe place of the shadowy and soulless nese. dream that now entrances the people… Roman Catholics began mission work Oorreotion and Explanation. in this country about 1662, but soon became corrupt and a great hindrance Rev. D. F. Watkins writes to correct rather than a help to the cause of pure statements in the March Survey: .' Rev. Christianity, since the Siamese judged Mr. Thompson brought Bibles here (to all Christians by the Romanists among Mexico) in 1827. Portions of the Scrip- them. The first attempt to reach the tures in Spanish also found their way into Siamese with the Gospel was made by this country at an early date after their Mrs. Ann Hazeltine Judson, when, at her home in Ragoon, Burma, she transpublication (1823). . . . There are about lated a catechism and some tracts into a dozen churches and congregations in Siamese in 1819. Mrs. Gutzlaff was the Territory of Tepic with two or- the first missionary who resided in dained native pastors, helped by faith- Siam, but she only lived there one year, from 1830 to 1831. The American ful local preachers. The llethodist Board established and maintained mis- Episcopal Church, South, has also good sions there from 1831 to 1849. The work in three cities in Sinaloa and in American Baptist Union began work in Bangkok in 1833, but since 1835 have three places in Sonora, also at La Paz, confined their attention to the Chinese Lower California. OUf statements in Bangkok and the vicinity. The were based on the fact that there are Presbyterians of the United States no Protestant foreign missionaries sta- (North) entered the field in 1840, and have continued laboring successfully tioned here. A seeming contradiction with but a slight interruption until the iu our April issue needs a note of ex- present, and are the only society now planation. On pages 269, 291, and 293 the statements are made that there are in India 2,284,380 Christians, of whom 592,612 are native Protestant Christians, again that Protestant communicants number 250,000 and adherents 700,000, and again that communicants number 182,722 and native Christians 559,661. These seeming discrepancies are due in working among the Siamese and Lao· was granted, and he regained his throne.
sians. The prospects of the work are Later on the kingdom came under the exceedingly bright, seemingly only lim· power of Siam, when French aid was ited by lack of men and means to take again called in, and the protectorate advantage of the fields already white recognized 1863. Pray for an open unto harvest. In 1894 there were la- door and men and means to enter into boring among the Siamese 22 mission- Cambodia and Annam.
aries, including 8 ordained men, 1 phy- sician, and 5 unmarried ladies. These were assisted by 23 native helpers, In- cluding 1 licentiate and 18 teachers.
Communicants numbered 317, of whom Malaysia consists of the lIIalay Pen- 12 were added in one year; 307 pupils insula (Lower Siam and British colo- attended 13 day -schools, 555 were in nies), Sumatra, Java, Celebes, Molucca, Sabbath'school, and the number of in- and other small islands under Dutch door patients treated was 2800. The rule, Borneo, divided between the more important and promising work is Dutch and English, the Philippine Is- carried on among the Laos tribes of the lands under Spain, and numerous other north. Here 31 missionaries (10 or- small islands, some of them controlled dained, 3 medical, 6 unmarried wom- by Portugal. New Guinea is some- en) are stationed, assisted by 1 ordained times added, but more properly belongs nat~ve and 50 other helpers. They to Australasia. The total area, 830,000 have established 9 churches with 1590 square miles, and the estimated popu- communicants, of whom 289 were add- lation, 35,000,000, of whom two thirds ed in a year. Pupils in the 6 day- are in Java. The prevailing religion schools number 370, and in Sabbath- is Mohammedan. In Singapore and schools 475. the adjacent country there are laboring representatives of the Church of Eng- land, Presbyterians and Plymouth Brethren of England, and the Ameri- One of the unoccupied fields of the can Methodists (North). The British world Is neighbor to Siam. OarnlJodia, and Foreign Bible Society from this with an area of 40,000 square miles and centre sends out Bibles and tracts in a population of about 800,000 Siamese forty-jive languages (200 languages are and Laos people, 30,000 Malays, and said to be spoken in the city), and has 100,000 Ohinese and Annamese. Cam- colporteurs going to Sumatra, Java, bodians are more honest, but scarcely Borneo, Celebes, and the Philippine less indolent than Annamese; women Islands, in which last place they are are fairly respected and independent; the only missionaries. In 1890 there instead of earrings they often wear were 83 missionaries laboring in the wooden or ivory plugs in the lobe, Dutch East Indies, most of whom are which thus becomes distended to a connected with the Reformed Church monstrous size. Society of Holland, the Netherland, The early history is obscure. Con- Ermelo, Dutch, Mennonite, Rhenish, quered by the Annamese toward the and Utrecht societies. Statistics of sta- close of the seventeenth century, the tions, missionaries, and communicants southern portion was set apart for Chi- are very incomplete, the Encylopredia.
nese who had fled from home for politi- of Missions gives 198 stations and 32,767 cal reasons, and this became Cochin communicants; this is, however, a very China. In 1787 the king of Cochin incomplete record. In Java there is a China, being dethroned, appealed, native home and foreign missionary so- through French missionaries (Roman ciety founded in Batavia in 1851. This Catholic), to France for aid, which is now operated from Amsterdam_
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
IV.-EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT.
The March of Events. by the Chinese forces that hover around it. The climate is inclement. Imag- Official ad vices received at Wash- ine a large army tramping through the ington announce that the powers of snows of Maine and New Hampshire, Viceroy Li Hung Chang, the Chinese and we have some of the conditions of the Japanese forces, and, moreover, the Peace Commissioner, embraced negotia- Japanese army has not the clothing or tion upon four points. His credentials the shelter that an army in New Engread simply" to negotiate," but he was land might be expected to have, neither clothed with full powers to effect: can it get much support from the coun- 1. The independence of Korea. try through which it is travelling. It 2. A money indemnity. is not the first time that an army has found it a very different matter to push 3. Cession of territory. the war within the enemy's borders from what it was to gain victories on its 4. The readjustment of treaty rela- own or a neutral country's soil. Ja-· tions between the two countries in re- pan, of course, shows no fear as yet, gard to commercial relations, extra-ter- though there is seen a lack of.enthusi- ritorial jurisdiction, and other matters asm over the war which a tew months ago was not apparent. There is no previously covered by treaties which seeming haste on the part of Chinese have been terminated by the war. envoys. They are evidently confident This information discredits the cir- that the longer the delay the smaller cumstantial statement sent out March will be the .indemnity. There is cere tainly at present some ground for the 121h, purporting to give the text of the prophecy which was made by good auconditions agreed to by China in ad- thority in the fall of 1894-that the vance. These conditions are said to nearer Japan came to taking Pekin in include the cession of certain specified 1894 the greater her victory, an<J the farther she was from Pekin on January territory and to prohibit the cession of 1st the greater her misfortune. But all other territory, and to limit the indem- this may have changed ere this reaches nity to $250,000,000, payable In gold. America.
March 25th the news came from Tokio "One event in connection with the war should fill the Christian world with that a young Japanese, Kogama Roku- rejoicing and prayer for God's blessing nosuk, had shot the viceroy in the cheek, upon the Word. In an almost unex- and the bullet entered below the eye. plainable way Japan has lately been The wound was not thought to be dan- opened to the Bible as never before. It shOuld be known that in the past misgerous, and the would-be assassin is re- sionaries and Christian teachers have ported a lunatic. The Japanese with been forbidden to enter the barracks or one accord deplore the fanatic's act, to present Christianity in any way to the soldiers. A Christian young man and the probable result will be favor· who became enrolled in the arm.y could able to China in the peace negotiation. keep his Testament with difficulty, and Indeed, later it was announced that was likely to suffer much persecution an unconditional armistice is granted by at the hands of officers as well as men. A few months ago a young man who the Japanese emperor. last year graduated from the Baptist Ai to Japan and the war, Rev. J. L. theological school, on being enrolled, Dearing writes in The Watchman: had the greatest difficulty in keeping his small copy of the Gospels. Now all " The war wages steadily on. The is changed. Those in authority are nearer view of affairs gives little en· doing everything in their power to have coura~ement of the speedy issue which the Testament placed in the hand of AmerIcan and English papers report. every ioldier. The private secretary The accounts in the daily vernacular of Count Ito aided in forwarding a press, which may be expected to make large number of copies of the Testaout as good a case as possible for the ment, to be distributed through tbe Japanese, lead one to think that the navy. Prince Komatsu, who is at the Japanese army is advancing very slow· head of the Imperial Guards, asks that ly toward Pekin and is greatly harassed 10,000 copies of the New Teatament b6 fwrniihed for every office! and man in may not seem strange to those who are the Imperial Guard. They are the accustomed to think of the sympathy picked men of the empire, he says, and of a Lincoln or a Washington, but It should be the model men of the army. one thinks of the usual luxury of an He wants everyone to have a Testa- Eastern court, and how unusual such ment. Free permission has been given conduct is on the part of an ElIStern to the agent of the Bible societies to monarch, it will be easier to conceive distribute Testaments and to hold reo the high place that his Imperial Maj. esty, Mutsu Hito, is winning in the lIgious conversation in the hospitals of hearts of his people by the sympathy the army, among the Chinese prisoners, and love that he is showing, and one and in the barracks throu~hout Japau. can better understand what an inspira- How much this means it IS hard to reo tion he is to the entire army." alize. We cannot believe that this general permission to do a work here- From other sources we learn that the tofore forbidden cOll}es wholly from a American Board of Commissioners for new love for the Bible. Other forces Foreign Missions has received from are doubtless at work, but the fact that Hiroshima, the military headquarters the Bible is thus circulated may tell above referred to, a statement and ap· wonderfully in the advancement of the peal relating to Christian work for the Master's kingdom through the new and army, showing that, for the firllt time widespread reading which these thou- in history, a pagan nation authorizes the sands of copies will receive. We may employment of native Ohristians a8 army well pray that the understanding of chaplains! Ten missionaries and six· many may be opened. It is unques- teen Japanese workers have been des· tionably true that the war will forward ignated for the special work. for soldiers Christianity in Japan as well as Korea at Hiroshima. Encouraged by the and China. Korea has been opened as sympathy and weighty influence of never before to Christian teachin~. Christian officials high in rank, the 10- The slur which has often been heard lD cal committee have obtained permission Japan, that Christianity would make to send a number of Japanese evangel· one disloyal and destroy one's love for ists to the front as Cluistian workers for the Emperor and for one's country, has the army, and it is hoped that permis. been effectually stamped out by the sion may be secured for a missionary to loyal attitude of all Christian people. accompany or follow these Japanese. The activity of Christian people in seeking to supply the needs of the An appeal is issued asking for $1000 army, as well as in prayer for the at once to use in the missionary work army, has brought Christianity before contemplated in the Japanese army. the people in a very favorable light, The appeal is signed by seven well· quite in contrast with the inactivity of known brethren, with Bishop Evington at the head, and a new door seems open the Buddhists. for Christian effort which it is to be " Reference ought to be made to the hoped may be promptly entered.
attitude of the Emperor toward the In stran~e ways God may use this war. The subject is little dwelt upon war to promote the spread of Christian· by the home paper, perhaps because it is not understood, but it is a fact, never· ity in these lands. theless, which makes him a great ex· ception among Eastern monarchs. Soon Purushotam Rao Telang, a Brahman, after the war opened he removed his in the December Forum, makes the fol· court from the luxuries of his Tokyo lowing remarkable admission in regard palace to Hiroshima in West Japan, to Christ,ianity: "Here, in justice to that he might be nearer the seat of war the missionary, I must say that he has and able to encourage the troops as done much to lift the pariah, socially they embarked for the war, and also and mentally, by opening schools and oversee the return of the wounded and educating those who became converts. prisoners. There, in plain, temporary The structure of ,Hindu society and r60 quarters, he has remained, taking a deep interest in everything that concerned the war. He often goes through the hospitals and sends the band to play for the invalids. Only a few days since he was found walking in his garden in the clothes of an ordinary solaier that he might, he said, more fully appreciate the condition of his soldiers at the front. Such action on the part of an Emperor ligion – built on caste – is such that there was desperate fighting, 1500 men there is no such help for the pariah as having been killed or wounded.
the Christian missionary has brought to ., Then the diplomats and the Papal him." Nuncio, Mgr. Macchi, intervened and Another war threatens between Chili a peace was arranged. and the Argentine Republic, which "During the fighting all of the forwill draw in Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador as allies of Argentine against eign legations were exposed to the fir- Chili. One thing feared by the people ing. The United States Legation was here is that Chili's first step will be to in a particularly dangerous situation. put a heavy body of troops into the centre of Bolivia, which can easily be "Mrs. McKenzie, wife of the United done by the railroad, and thus step in States Minister, narrowly escaped being between all the allies and chastise each shot. More than fifty refugees sought one separately at leisure. an asylum in this Legation. The only means of communication with the out- side world since Saturday has been over the lines of the Central and South Drought and locusts have caused American Telegraph and Cable Comwidespread famine in Eastern Equa- pany. All other lines were closed."
torial Africa. Villages have been de- Dr. Gracey sends the following letpopulated and mission schools and ter from a well-known source: churches have been closed. Many natives are selling themselves and their SEOUL, KOREA, February 7, 1895. children into slavery to obtain food_ I give you a great piece of news- The missionaries in Ugogo, Mpwahwa, Bishop Ninde had an audience with and Mamboia have joined others in an the king of Korea on the 4th inst. The appeal for aid. king expressed a desire to see the bish· op on January 31st, but he had already Mr. McKenzie, United States Min- gone to Chemulpo. He returned and ister to Peru, telegraphed the State was received in auillence. This is the Department March 21st, that, after first time episcopacy stood In the pres- three days' fighting, an armistice had ence of royalty in the bermi~ nation.
been arranged between the insur- Dr. Scranton [Methodist Episcopal] and gents and the government troops, Dr. Underwood [Presbyterian] accom· and that over a thousand dead and panied the bishop, and they understood wounded were left lying in the streets the hearty words of thunks His Majesty of Lima. Later some sort of an agree- uttered to the bishop in behalf of the ment was reached by the belligerents, Americans for their interest in Korea.
and peace was restored. A provisional "There are many, many Americans in government is reported formed with Korea. We are glad they are here.
Senor Candamo as Provisional Presi- Thank the American people, and we dent and Minister of Foreign Affairs. shall be glad to receive more 'teach- The New York Herald says: "Presi- ers.'" This is a wonderful utterance.
dent Caceres surrenders the government There are no Americans worth men- and retires to Ancon. Nicolas Pierola, tioning in Korea except "teachers,"
the leader of the revolutionists and and to tell the bishop to tell "the formerly President, will go to Chorillos. American people" to send more seems Caceres took refuge on board the Chil- to me to be opening the door wide on ian cruiser El P'l'eaidente Pinto. its hinges. The king and many of his .. This change in the government is people believe in Americans, and want the results of the three days' battle in to get as much of their" civilization"
Lima. The revolutionary forces, led from them as possible.
by Pierola, entered the city at dawn To-day I was asked by a representa- Sunday morning, and for three days tive of the foreign department here to receive two hundred students into our ditional pledlSe suggested by this devout mission school. It is not likely they man of God were added? We can im- agine the deeper feeling with which have this number ready, but it does each one would say, ' It meaw mY8elf, mean they want to avail themselves of ()1' my earthly p088essions.' One vow of our school. This Is a time worth living this kind would be worth one thousand in Korea. of the other, which is hedged in on three sides only. The word' if ' leaves Student Volunteers. the other wide open toward the world. Like Gideon's band, the little company An additional pledge is suggested of three hundred would be worth more for battle than more than thirty thoufor the Student Volunteer Movement, sand. by a prominent friend of missions and "These new Volunteers would be a generous giver. We print the com· like the tine wheat and the unblemished munication : sacrifice, which was required in the Old " A widely known and useful clergy- Testament religious rites. Now, no man of our .Church, who has made a less than then, God is mocked when study of Presbyterian and other church solemn vows are broken, or when immethods, made a suggestion recently, perfect sacrifices are brought to His on the Student Volunteer Movement, altar. "
that challenges and will bear consider- In the last issue we gave place to ation. If put into practice, it would insure such a purification of these the communication of Mr. S. F. Wilwould-be sons of Levi as could not fail kins, President of the Howard National • to bring down an abundant blessing on the churches. Bank of Boston, as to the" extra cent· – "Speaking of the imperfect pledge a-day plan" for raising money for the which these young people take upon cause of missions. Mr. Wilkins is not themselves, he added, 'I would find no only very earnest about this scheme for fault with the pledge, if it would go on and say further," If the way is not open- habitual and systematic contributions, ed for me to go to the foreign field, I but he exemplifies his principles by in· promise to live on the same amount, in closing fifty dollars, which we apply to this country, that I would receive were our Student Volunteer Fund for sup- I engaged in missionary work, and consecrate all that I possess over and above plying the REVIEW to proposing and that amount to the maintenance of the intending missionaries. To this plan foreign missionary work." , of Mr. Wilkins we call attention with "It was not said in jest, but in sol- emphatic commendation. emn earnest, and was the result of much observation and careful consideration of the plan that is rcgarded as simple Vivekana.nda. and easy to take up or let go. There is no question but that many who are Last winter no little stir was created counted as Student Volunteers have an in some of the northern cities by the earnest purpose to push on till they lectures of one Vivekananda. a Hindu reach the end they have professed to aim for; but these, as a rule, would monk, who was a delegate to the have gone out, almost certainly. with- World's Parliament of Religions. This out having made any previous public same Hindu has since published his declaration. views regarding missions in India in " It is no less true that most of the rank and tile of the movement are not different papers and magazines in this qualified to carry out their profession, country: and many of the thoughtless, and it would be better that they should or those whose prejudices were against not vow, than vow and fail to perform. foreign missions, were led to suppose Crowded meetings and the enthusiasm inspired by members, with impassioned that missions in India were a failure. appeals, are responsible for forcing, It would be well for such people in our from not over-strong natures, declara- own land to read the comments of the tions they would not make under other newspapers of India, Hindu as well as circumstances. " For these and other reasons would Christian, on the character and views of this same Vivekananda. His Hindu· it not be well, and would it not be an inspiration for the Church, if the ad· ism is repudiated. and it is stated that such a system as he gave forth in this both ways. The lantern and some one country is unknown to orthodox Hin- to read the l"cture must be secured 10.'
dus; and his description 8f mission- cally. Whenever possible, the slides aries is generally pronounced as most are sent so as to arrive a day or two in unfair. It now appears that he was at advance of the date on which they are the outset an actor in the Calcutta the- to be used, and they should be returned atre. He afterward joined the Brahmo the day following, packed in accord- B'omaj, and preached their faith. He ance with the directions on the box.
soon repudiated this, differing from hil!! It may be well to add that Mr. Grant's brethren as to any belief in God. This own hints on giving an exhibition may is the man who has posed before Ameri· be had in printed form, by application can audiences as a learned and able ex- to him. Our illustrations on Siam in ponent of orthodox Hinduism.-The the present issue were kindly lent us by Missionary. Mr. Grant.
Apropos of the above, it may be add· New books on Missions still con· ed that the Calcutta missionaries do not tinue to appear, and some of them of favor the scheme of the Rev. J. H. Bar- high excellence. The Pacific Press rows, of chicago, for a course of lec- Publishing Company publish "The tures to be delivered in India on .. Com- Story of Pitcairn Island, and the Mutiparative Religion." It appears that neers of the Bounty," written by Miss the influence of the recent Parliament Rosalind Young, a native daughter, of Religions has tended rather to foster and it is well done. The marvellous confidence, already too arrogant, on the way in which the Word of God withpart of the mndus, in their own relig- out any living preacher won its way to ion and opposition to Christianity. The the heart of the whole community is a great business of Christians in regard unique testimony to the power of the to India is to preach the Gospel in all living book, and it is well that the story its simplicity and glory, and leave the is fully told by one who knows all the Hindus who hear to make their own facts. The proceeds of the sale of the comparisons. We have had serious book go to the new educational institudoubts from the beginning as to the tion now building on the island. expediency of any such" lectures" in the heart of Asiatic idolatry and false faith. Michael Coates sends gratifying news from the South Africa General A most helpful way of creating and Mission as to the work of God in SWRfostering interest in missionary subjects zieland.
is by magic lantern lectures, illustrating Mr. Baillie with Mr. Coates and wife the daily life of the people, their occu- visited the new station," The Welpations, religion, places of worship, the come," and found the work going for· physical features of the country, public ward, and the natives flocking to the buildings, and the mission work. Such meetings. The Sunday before their illustrated lectures on India, China, and visit it was difficult to find room for Persia may now be had by applying to the people. Klass, the owner of the W. Henry Grant, 53 Fifth Avenue, farm, was converted and baptized duro New York. Each set is composed of seventy or eighty views, with a map ing their stay. The party several time!! and two missionary hymns. A' manu- visited the klng's kraal and held school script lecture is sent with the slides. there for the young king, a boy of About an hour is required for reading about nineteen and his two brothers. the lecture and showing the pictures. l1r. Coates writbs: " We believe there A charge of $2 is made each time the is a work going on in the heart of the slides are used, in addition to expressage queen. lam told she prays often. We heard her speak about Jesus and ask questions about the Bible. She has promised she will shortly tell all her people to learn and to pray. The king is very firm in his belief that their ideas about spirits and snakes are right, being compelled to deny a share in the but all his movements are watched by distribution to any whose income Is the native doctors, who are anxious over £100 a year. The work done by that his mind should be kept -in a state this "book fund" has been immense of darkness. and of vast benefit.
" If the king goes to wash, his medi- A Presbytery has been formed in cine man accompanies him, so that the connection with the United Presbyte- rian Mission in Egypt, one of the most water may be doctored and no evil promising missionary enterprises in the spirit hurt him. When lately the king world. This presbytery has recently shot two men in a fit of anger, his held its annual meeting at Suit al Lebu, witch doctor had to come immediately on the Upper Nile. Americans, visiting Egypt now in increasing numbers, and give him medicine to make the an- often show their interest by their gifts. A gry spirit depart, and the remedy was late letter from Cairo says that Mr. Whitelaw Reid, of the New York to paint the eyes of the king with a Tribune, who has just left for Suez, en black concoction, telling him also not route for Jerusalem, sent in a check for $500 for mission work, with a note in to leave his hut for three days. I was which he witnesses to the excellence of very much surprised the other day the work being done all through Egypt by this mission. when the king told me that the white people simply existed to give nice things The Proposed Medioal Missionary 001- to the nati ves. The king is very fond lege. of speaking to us, and I trust that be- The first payment of $5000 toward fore long his mind will be enlightened. the purchase of the John Stephenson We have had the king's own brother at church twice; he also comes frequently to visit us and is very pleasant and nice. He told me that when he got to know more about Jesus he would believe in Him.
.. Five of the king's sisters with their attendants were present at church, and listened most attentively to what was said, for which we praise God, as we feel sure that the words spoken in church are carried home and repeated again to the queen. "
Rev. Frank S. Dobbins will send to estate at New Rochelle, N. Y., was anyone writing him (at 1420 Chestnut made by the International Medical Mis- Street, Philadelphia) for it, a list of sionary Society early in March. The " Some Two Hundred of the Best Mis- second payment of $70,000 is due May sionary Books. " The list includes only 1st, and the third payment of $15,000 books now in print and on sale and must be made September 1st. easily obtainable. The property, comprising twenty Thirteen thousand copies of the list acres, and forming one of the most are now out in circulation, and a new beautiful sites to be found on Long edition of five thousand is just issued. Island Sound, has upon it a large white stone mansion built in the form of a cross, and measuring 115 feet in length, Mrs. Charles H. Spurgeon, still inside of piazzas. and 72 feet extreme residing at Westwood, London, con- breadth, about 60 feet average width.
tinues to supply ministers of small It has four complete stories. It is pro- means with good books. During 1894, posed to arrange the upper floor as a 8403 volumes were thus distributed, dormitory for male students, the third mostly works by her lamented hus- floor being devoted to lady students.
band. Among the recipients were 183 The ground fioor, containing eleven Baptists, 72 Congregationalists, 105 rooms. will be used for purposes of in- Methodists, 63 Episcopalians, and struotion and administration, While the 6 Presbyterians; £882158. 7d. was con- basement will afford all needed con- tributed. Mrs. Spurgeon says that she venience for boarding, culinary pur· has had more applications from the poses, and laboratories.
Episcopal clergy than she could fill, The former owner, John Stephenson, spent over $400,000 upon the building weeks will also be arranged for prospec- and grounds, but the executors, being tive missionaries, during which instruc- interested in the project, bave given tion will be given in emergencies and $35,000 of the lowest market price- the Bible, and the students will have $125,000-reducing the cost to only opportunity for practical work at the $90,000. A mortgage of $50,000 can mission dispensaries of the Society.
be readily obtained upon the property, The charge for board, residence, and but the promoters of the college trust instruction for ten weeks will be $50.
that the people of God will not permit This course will extend from the mid- this to become necessary. They have dle of June to the end of August.
about $10,000 promised toward the sec- Recently a very valuable addition to ond payment, and much earnest prayer the Society has been made by placing has been and is being offered by the on its Board the Rev. D. M. Stearns, of managers, students, and others that the Philadelphia, one of the ablest and scores and even hundreds of noble soundest Bible teachers of the present young men and women now clamoring day.
for medical education for mission ser- vice may be accepted and trained as they desire. Rev. Dr. Steel, of Sydney. The gift of $1000 will provide resi- dence for one student in perpetuity, Among our ablest editorial correwhile $5000 will provide re8idence and spondents we esteemed the late Dr. board for nine months and medical edu- Robert Steel, of Sydney. A memorial cation for one young man or woman in tablet to him, of Carrara marble, ;has perpetuity. The donors may name been unveiled in St. Stephen's Church, their gifts as scholarships, "In Memo- Sydney. The inscription reads: riam," and for the use of students of their particular denomination. Sacred to Tbe basis of the institution will be the Memory of :THE REV. ROBERT STEEL, D.D. evangelical and interdenominational, Born at Pontypool, Monmouthshire, England, and the trustees will represent, as 15th May, 1827.
equably as possible, the denominations Died at Sydney, New South Wales, 9th' in accordance with the gifts made from October, 1893. and for the same. Minister of St. Stephen's Church for 31 years. The Rev. S. L. Baldwin, D.D., Sec- Third Moderator of the General Assembly.
One of the first Couucillors of St. Andrew's retary Methodist Mission Board, 150 College. Fifth Avenue, New York City, is the President of the Interim Theological facnlty present treasurer. of the Presbyterian Church of New Sonth Since January 1st, 1893, Dr. Dow- Wales. An earnest and eloquent Preacher of the kontt, the Founder and Medical Direct- Gospel.
or of the Society, has received commu- A faithful and Warm-heaned PSBtor. nications from not less than 400 young A Wise and Far-seeing Church Statesman. men and women in our various colleges and schools, who desire to obtain medi- A Popular and Instructive Lecturer. An Enthnsiastic Social Reformer. And an able and voluminous Contrihntor to cal education for mission service. If the Literature of the Day. the building is secured, it is intended In his daily Life to form the first class of first year students of 40 or 50 -both sexes-and be- he endeavored to show himself an example to his Hock. In his intercourse with his Ministerial Brethren he was ever a Pattern gin the regular course about September of Courtesy aud Forbearance, and iu his dealings 15th next. The course will be four with those outside his Denomination, he was a years of nine months each session, with privilege of graduating at the end of Model of Manly Frankness and Christian three years. A summer course of ten Charity.
" 0 for the tonch of a vaniShed hand, And the sound of a voice that is still 1"
GENERAL lIUSSIONARY INTELLIGENOE
V.-GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.
EDITED BY BEV. D. L. LEONARD.
Extracts and Translations from Foreign faith that had led many to righteous- Periodicals. ness of life ; but as yet confession of BY REV. C. O. STARBUCK, ANDOVER, Christ is not made unto 8al1Jation. We MASS. have now to prophesy to the wind, and the spirit will come from the four quar- lNDIA. ters of the heaven, and they shall then -" Mr. Redman took me last even- live. In a few years we shall, please ing to visit a memorial to Sadhu Hira God, be able to say, ' And they lived, Nand Shanthi Ram Advani. The in· and stood up upon their feet an exceed· scription in English on the monument ing great army.'" – Rev. ROBERT was that he was' born March 6th, 1863, CLARK, in Church Mi88ionary Gleaner.
and died on July 14th, 1893.' 'Do not -" A More Liberal Christianity for be weary in well-doing.' 'The ,world India. It is an exceedingly interesting passeth away and the lusts thereof, and fascinating study to trace the dif- but he that doeth the will of God en- ferent currents of thought that ripple dureth forever.' On the top of the over the Hindu mind one after another.
monument was the Christian cross, the Many of them are very evanescent in Hindu trident, and the Mohammedan their character and their effects. Some crescent. He founded and for a time of these waves of thought just touch taught in the Brahmo Somaj Union the surface and leave the abysses un- Academy in Hyderabad. He was touched; but there is one current of greatly interested in the education of thought which is quietly but surely en- girls, and taught some of them him· tering the Hindu mind and stirring it self. He was the editor of a native to its depths, and that is Christian newspaper, the Barowati, and advo· thought. In many minds it awakens cated every scheme of social reform. sympathy, in others aversion, in some At the time of the cholera epidemic he intense hatred. Numbers would like a wen(personally wherever the pestilence Christianity robbed of its strength, was most virulent, and gave medicine more accommodating to the ways of to the sick and comfort to the dying. men, or, to employ the usual term, a He never spared himself, and he gave more' liberal' Christianity. The Par- his labor, his time, and his money with- liament of Religions is to some extent out any human reward. He was a na- responsible for this latest ripple of tive of Hyderabad, and his whole heart Hindu thought. Hindus and Bud- seemed filled with a measure of the dhists have been welcomed in Ameri- spirit of Christ. But he never became ea; they have proclaimed to delighted a Ohristian. On his monument appear audiences the lofty morality and tran- two English texts from the Bible, scendental philosophy of their sys- which are surmounted with the em- tems ; Christian men and women have blems of the three great religions in listened with delight to their eloquent India, which are antagonistic to each denunciations of Christian morals, and other. have regarded the testimony of these " Full long has the Christian Church men as superior to that given by mis- been prophesying in India to the dry sionaries. The Christian public in bones, as God has commanded us to America and England are prepared to do. These bones are now coming to· take these men at their own valuation.
gether in the form of humanity. But The pUblication of the report of the there is as yet no life and no confession WorId's Parliament of Religions has of !Jhrist. There is apparently the given ' liberal' editors the opportunity
1895.J EXTlACTS .AND
of having their say. The editor of the prevail must emphasize the facts of Metlwdi8t Times cven is quite prepared sin, of alienation from God, of return to accept the Hindu at his own esti- to God through Jesus Christ. Take mate, and heartily endorse his senti- these away, and Christianity will be ments. Mr. Hughes says: 'How ter- deprived of its power. But the heralds ribly just, for example, was the follow- of Christ in this land will not cast away ing bitter cry of a high-minded Brah- their shield of strength. Their work man: •• Oh, that the English had never is agitating the minds of men; it will set foot in India 1 Oh, that we had continue to agitate them till the people never seen a single European face 1 ·of India shall have fairly faced and Oh, that we had never tasted the bitter adequately answered the question, sweets of your civilization, rather than , What think ye of Christ? ' "-Ha1"lJUt it should make us a nation of drunk- Field.
ards and brutes I'" This rhetoric is – We take occasion to commend the , terribly just,' and is to be accepted as Ha1"lJUt Field, published by the Methtrue because it is the 'bitter cry of a odist Episcopal brethren of Madras, as, high-minded Brahman I' But is there in point of mildness, breadth, and any truth in it? We have no doubt soundness, a magazine that leaves the' high-minded Brahman' would be nothing to be desired. delighted if every missionary left these shores to-morrow. Mr. Hughes ap- -The Madras Mission of the Ameri- parently agrees with him. The en- can Board, as quoted in the Ha'I'fJUt dorsement of such exaggerated rhetoric Field, says: may lead Hindus to think that Chris- "In view of the many accessions to tians who can so write are' liberal :' our community, an inquiry concerning but such foolish writing can only the motives of the new converts in be- weaken the Christian sentiment and in- coming Christians is a very interesting fluences that missionaries are trying to one. The opprobrious epithet of ' rice spread. Missionaries who live in the Christians' is not so frequently hurled midst of the people cannot accept at missions as it once was, so that we these representatives of the Hindu and can study the question more calmly.
Buddhist religion as fully and ade- It Is evident that as intelligence grows quately describing these religions; they among the people, and as the Christian do not endorse their wild and extrava- community multiplies, a greater vari- gant rhetorical statements. Hence the ety of motives and higher ones become people of America and England are possible and common among those who liberal and progressive. while mission- are accepting Christianity as their aries are narrow, puritanical, unpro- faith. The relative number is growing gressive. of those who are disgusted with the " The only 'liberal' Chris- hollowness of Hinduism, and 'are at- tianity that will be approved by many tracted by the truth and divine excel- is a Christianity that will deny the de- lence of Christianity, and for that rea- pravity of the human heart, and there- son embrace it in the face of many per- fore its need of regeneration ; that will secutions. We rejoice also in seeing rob Jesus Christ of His Divinity, and many, perhaps the larger number of set Him up as a peerless man among our accessions, drawn to us by family men. and therefore deprive Him of His ties. Their relatives were already redeeming love. Will such a Christi- Christians, and were being richly bless- anity be of any use in India? Will ed by their new faith. Their pleas, the followers of such a Christianity their example. and the solid blessings ever take the trouble to send out am- which Christianity brought to them, bassadors in any numbers? We trow and their refusal to marry their chil- not. The only Christianity that can dren to non-Christians, Were the all-
MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
powerful motives with this class. And is the power of God unto salvation. this motive through ties of blood and And it is no uncommon experience of kinship is to grow, for some years at the missionary to receive men whose least, out of proportion to all others, motives are so low and Whose minds and become the vastly preponderating are so base as to disqualify them from factor in the conversion of India to any true Christian life, but whose Christ. children, when they themselves have passed away, adorn the faith and ex- "The thirst for education and ad- perience the joys which their parents vancement is another growing power never knew." which draws the people. Many a young man, with the hearty consent -Mission jubilees are commencing of his Hindu relatives, now casts in to rain in India. The fact is suggeshis lot with us because it is the only tively instructive. The contrast with way open to him for education and the olden times, which were not better, promotion, with which blessings our is admirably encoura.ging. The Basel faith is becoming more and more iden- German Mission Church at Calicut, tified in the minds of the masses. And which has arrived at this joyful and many families also thus join us in or- patriarchal age, teaches, both in its inder that their cbildren may be edu- ception and by its later success, two cated. A great many still become distinctly important facts. The birth Christians from less worthy motives of the Church at Callcut was instruthan these. They are poor people suf- mentally due to the English civilians, fering injustice and cruelty at the hands Dr. Buchanan and Mr. Conolly. Its of village headmen and their heredi- parentage emphasizes the essential imtary masters-suffering as none but portance of the Christian layman in the poor Hindus do and can. But they counsels and efforts of the Church. Its learn of the missionary and Christian- maturity accentuates the wisdom of its ity, and sopn come to regard them as policy in its complete discouragement friends of the oppressed and the de- of caste."-Ohurch Mi88ionary InteUifenders of the poor. So they flee to gencer. them for protection, and when they find that they have not lied in vain, -" A notable Brahmo Somaj lecture they and their descendants are found on ' The Hindu Conception of God' was among the stanchest friends of the given on the 19th in the Town Ha)) to cause and the most devout disciples of a crowded audience by Babu Protap our Lord. A few come from more sor- Chandra Mozumdar, the leader of the did motives than these; but beyond Somaj. Tha.t conception, be told his telling all plainly that we offer no finan- hearers, had its best realization in the cial inducements of any kind to any Christian doctrine of the Trinity. The one, and can give them no promise of only point at which his utterances cessation of earthly troubles, we feel it might not have been the utterances of our privilege and duty not to scrutinize a sufficiently eloquent Christian mistoo closely men's motives; for we sionary was where-without explainhave learned not to expect high mo- ing, however-he declared that the tives from an ordinary Hindu, and we Christian conception of the Holy Spirit have learned also that a man's religiou'.! was' just too definite.' What a Chrisstatus in the future will depend, not so tian missionary Mr. Mozumdar would much upon the character of his pre- make t But the Lord of the Harvest Christian motives, or the absence of knows best." -Ibid. any serious motives, as upon the faithfulness and heartiness with which he -" The Irawaddy, like the Ganges entered Into the new relations and and the Brahmapootra, colors the sea llstellS tQ!l!ld 4qbibefj that Gospel which for many miles from its mouth. The coast lief! rlLther low, and is covered
EXTRACTI!l AND TRA]i8LATION8
with thick jungle, 80 that you see noth- find there is not a word in that treaty ing of Rangoon itself until you have to support the claims put forward in swept round into its harbor. But long the Chamber of Deputies by Ministers before, when yet miles away, you see, of Foreign Affairs answering interpella- out of the dark green mass, a glitterin~, tions. It is silent on the subject of a flashing tongue of flame shoot upward protectorate, and it only grants a privi- to heaven. Ascending like a fiery pil- leged situation to France in respect to lar, it disappears one moment in the diplomatic relations with foreign Pow- shadow of a passing cloud, and the ers, but not in respect to trading or any next moment flames out again more other relations. They stand on the brilliant than before. It is the' Golden letter, and, they aver, on the spirit, Pagoda,' the Sway Dagon, which is which was more distinctly expressed thus gleaming out far over the sea to in the Memorandum annexed to the greet us. "-Rev. O. FLEX, in Allge- treaty. They would not sign the treaty meine Mi8&01WJ·Zeitschrijt. unless M. Patenotre accepted the Mem- MADAGASCAR. orandum, which is not the less valid because M. de Freycinet shirked read- -The following statement, from the ing it to the Chamber of Deputies when Ohronicle, shows on the highest friendly he represented the treaty as a victory, authority, French, Catholic, and Jesuit, and asked for its ratification. how thoroughly inequitable is the present attitude of France toward Mada- "The Jesuit Father regards the gascar. Hovas as an intelligent and an interest- ing people, and well aware of the evil -" The Paris correspondent of the consequences of war with a great Euro- J)aily News recently sent to that paper pean power. But they will go to war the subjoined testimony as to the pres- if they are bullied, and a sentiment ent position of the French in Madagas- which would engender future trouble car from Pere Caussegue, a gentleman must spring up in the case of their well known in that island as one of the being defeated. If the French Govern- senior and most able members of the ment act with firmness and moderation, Jesuits' Mission. We fully endorse trying to conciliate and to be fair. the Pere Caussegue's view of the situation; Hovas are sure to become attached to it is strikingly true. France. The Jesuit complained to-day "Father Caussegue, of the Jesuits' to a writer on the staff of the Temp8 of Mission to Antananarivo, bas returned the number of usless French function- to France. He thinks the French aries quartered on the Hovas. Why wrong in ascribing aggressively hos- not send, instead of the fifty soldiers tile intentions to the Hovas. They who form the Resident's guard, six have no wish whatever to break the married gendarmes. and doctors, en- peace, and if they are procuring arms gineers, schoolmasters, and schoolmis· from England, it is only to make, tresses? They would be truly work- should they be obliged, a defensive use ers for civilization. A grand palace of them. They are terrified at the ut- has been built for the Resident, and a terances of M. de Mahy and other per- big barrack for the soldiers. The Jesuit sons of intemperate speech in the Cham- Father longed to see hospitals in their ber of Deputies. All that is said there place, and a few hundred thousand about Madagascaris printed at Antanan- francs devoted to benevolent institu- arivo. It does sound alarming to per- tions. Such an expenditure would be sons who are not used to French par- a premium of insurance against war, liamentary oratory, and it makes the which would cost millions, be a cause Queen and ministers scan closely the of military weakness, and bring France text of the Patenotre Treaty and the no return worth speaking of. There Memorandum annexed to it. They are English and Norwegian missions at
GENE:RAL lIlISSIONA:RY INTELLIGENCE
A.ntananarivo. Father Caussegue says out for more." -Ohul'c7& MiasiMWl1"Jl of them that if their relations are not InteUigence1'. intimate with the Catholic missions they are civil. The English and Norwegi- English Notes. ans do not attack the Catholics. The open and violent enemies of the latter BY JAlIlES DOUGLAS. are French. As to the Sakalavas, who are not yet Protestantized, the Jesuit London Mi8Siona'l'1J Society. – In an Father holds them to be an inferior able article on " The Story of the Lonrace, refractory to civilization. They don Missionary Society," Dr. Horton are fearful thieves. The Rovas are shows that there has been no decline really a fine race, and in time to come in the quality, the devotion, and the will be the governing one of the island." achievement of the missionaries. For example, in the last quarter of the cen- -As the two extremes of Christian tury there is the splendid story of New opinion in France, M. Saillens and Guinea to match that of cannibal Tahiti M. Caussegue, a Baptist and a Jesuit, and Samoa won for Christ. Africa concur in deprecating the overbearing presents a similar record-" the eleven policy of their government toward martyrs, gathered one by one,and laid Madagascar, we may regard the case in the lonely graves to possess the land as closed with all the judicious. M. about Tanganyika," forming a titting Caussegue, we observe, while acquit· sequel to the glorious courage of Vanting the Protestant missionaries of all derkemp, Philips, and Moffat. So hostility against the Catholic, does not with China. Dr. Horton, however, as condescend even to mention the charge an Englishman is not quite satisfied that they are plotting against France with the review. "Is it creditable," herself. He evidently does not think he asks, "to England that nearly all this worth notice. our best missionaries in the London Missionary Society have been Scotch- -" Moral ideas seem lacking among men or Welshmen 1 What is it in the the Sakalavas in Madagascar, though England of to-day that saps the herotheir neighbors, the Hovas, are Chris- ism in youths, and drifts them into tianized to a large extent. They say: smooth respectabilities instead of pas- • To lie, a sin? to rob, a sin? to get sionate heroisms 1" drunk, a sin? to aid wars, a sin? What is sin? That is some idea of Tien-Men and King.shan.-Dr. Grifyou white men, not ours. Let the fith John sends an inspiring and length- Hovas accept new ideas and customs. ened aocount of a journey through We are not such fools, or deceived so these districts. We note one or two easily.' Yet there il:l a conscience in items. "At one of our prayer-meetthem, and it may be awakened."-Pel'i- ings," he says, "it was my privilege odical A.ccounts (Moravian). to hear a remarkable prayer offered up by one of the Christians of Pan-tsze-Nau. -" Last November 21st, the birth- The Christian is a man of nearly sixty, day of the Queen of Madagascar, the and a convert of not quite three years' first pocket edition of the revised Mala- standing. Neither in China. nor out gasy Bible was issued. The books are of China have I listened to anything in clear type, neatly bound, and sold in the shape of reverent, earnest talking below cost at one shilling, so as to be with God that has impressed my mind within the reach of most. Thi.. vocket as that prayer did. The truth must have Bible is esteemed a great boon, and become very real to that brother, and when the consignment reached Anta- very precious, too, for otherwise it nanarivo, there was a great rush to se- would have been impossible for him to cure copies. In a few days every copy hold communion so intimate and loving was sold, and the people were crying with his Father in heaven."
ENGLISH NOTES
Dr. John reports large additions in shade of view and practice. As one of the district of King-shan. Besides 66 themselves expressed it: .. Drawn as already baptized, there are on the books we are from all classes and grades of 136 candidates for baptism. .. There society, we try to perpetuate in our is," he says, " something extremely in- midst the very differences that charac- teresting in the whole movement. It terized us before we entered the fold gives one an idea of the possibilities of Christ; but what has become of the connected with missionary work in bond of fellowship that is in Christ China, and especially in this province. Jesus? Is it not strong enough to . •. Our great need just now is more break down all petty barriers of an ar- men." tificial society? We want more of Ohurch Mi8sionary Society.-In H. union and fellowship, more of sympa- E. P's notes in the Ohurch Missionary thy and Christian love, to weld together Intelligencer, attention is called to two into a homogeneous whole the varying defects in Indian Christian life : First, and discordant elements of our comthe prominence given to matters of munity."
only temporal concernment; and, sec- Kerak, Palestine.-This town, which ond, t.be lack of thorough Christian is some 700 feet higher than Jerusalem, oneness. It seems odd that a Christian is the scene of a hopeful mission. A convention should have been held for great work is being done among the no higher purpose than" to deliberate Moslems of the place, who seem on the on such subjects as .the educational most friendly terms with the workers needs of Indian Christians, their indus- there, and who are very open at pres- trial and commercial pursuits, the es- ent to the preaching of the Gospel.
tablishment of a family pension fund," Kerak is adjacent to the Bedouin tribes etc., but such is the information tele- of the great Syrian desert, who come graphed from Lucknow. In Madras thither to trade, and is within three the subject of .. thrift" has been eager- days' journey of the Arabian frontier.
ly canvaesed ; but better still the first It is felt that there is a loud call to meeting of the" Native Christian Gos- make Kerak a strong mission without pel Propagating Association" has been delay.
held in that city, at which Mr. S.Jagana- Bapti8t Missionary Society, North thum told "how wonderfully the Lord Ohina. – We understand that great was helping the earnest members of it in bleSSing has accrued from the Baptist propagating the Gospel to the multi- mission work in North China. Around tudes of both Christians and non-Chris- the three mission stations in that region tians, and thus accomplishing the only there are now from 80 to 100 small object of the Association, which is to churches, with a membership varying make known the only way of salva- from 6 to 60.
tion. " Dacca,lndia.-The Rev. R. Wright The want of homogeneity among na- Hay has had a warm welcome on his return to his much-loved mission work. tive Christians is doubtless due to the A Mohammedan gentleman, whom he very imperfect assimilation of the spirit has known for years to be under imand principles of the Founder-a fruit- pressions of the truth of the Gospel, ful cause of separation among brethren has committed himself by being bapat home as abroad. The grave·clothes tized. Concern for his family had long of caste hamper the movements of the held him back from the path of open Divine faith in India. At one extreme discipleship. are the conservative native Christians, paganized in customs still; and on the other, there lire the Anglicized few who Lower Congo.-Times of refreshing assert their liberty, while intermediate are reported from Underhill Station, is a motley group of ev-ery oonceiVl.lble· Lower Congo River. Two lads have
GENERAL MISSIONARY INTEJ,LIGENCE
been baptized, both of whom made a The Presbyterian Ohurch of England. good confession in their baptism; and -Much interest is felt in the appoint· there is besides a class of fi ve inquirers. ment of the Rev. W. B. Douglas, B.D., Tidings of a good work of grace in the as assistant in the Puerto College of Upper Congo have also arrived. The the Irish Presbyterian Spanish Mission. work at Bopoto was commenced four "Mr. Douglas," says the Missiona1'1/ years ago, but the seed sown is now Herald, .. is not only an accomplished beginning to yield the promised har- scholar, but seems to be on fire with vest. the true missionary spirit which is so much needed for working for Christ in Oeylon.-A revival of Buddhism in this land of Romish superstition and this island has developed a strong op- ignorance and degradation." For three position to Christianity. It is a time years he has been chaplain at the Rio for the workers in patience to possess Tinto mines, being stationed at Huelva, their souls. The Rev. Walter D. Han· where he preached regularly, and su- kinson contributes an admirable article perintended the large Spanish schools on the situation. Much is contrary for the children of Rio Tinto workmen. 'lnd the reverse of hopeful, but "the Lord sitteth above the floods." The A Visit to Jam-tsau..-This place is fierceness of the opposition has aroused interesting because of its associations interest in many. Mr. Hankinson and with William Burns. The Rev. J. L. his native preacher received during a Milne, B.D., has been visiting it along few weeks hundreds of visitors. "We with Mr. Wynd, a missionary in Japan. feel very thankful," he says, "that so Good congregations were had at the many have come within our reach, for services held. Among those visited ever since I came to the district the was an old saint who was found sitting Buddhist preachers" (one a very bitter against her doorway, reading Matthew hater of God) " have been stirring the 6. "Yes," she replied, in answer to . people up." The opposition in ques- Mr. Wynd's inquiries, "yes, she does tion has been accentuated (thanks to often think of the Lord, and is glad she Chicago) by the arrival of Mr. Dharma- soon will meet Him; and when she Iles pala, who was representative of the awake at night, unable to sleep, her Buddhist religion at the Parliament of prayer is for the work in China." Religions. THE KINGDOM. Wesleyan Missiona1'1/ Society.-The Aylilf and Fingo Memorial Church, -This is the entry made on the rec- Peddie, South Africa, was opened on ords of the Leicester Church when November 1st, 1894, amid great rejoic. Carey's decision to resign his pastorate ings. The name Ayliff is of historic in order to go to India was announced: interest, being associated with the work "No business of importance, except and name of the Rev. John Ayliff, who that in January our pastor gave us no- first brought the Gospel to the Fin- tice that he should leave us in March, goes more than half a century ago, and having engaged to go on a mission to laid a solid foundation on the ever-dur- BengalI, in the East Indies. " ing rock. The original Aylilf Church, Peddie, was built about 1840; and a -It is said that the words, .. Reserve striking evidence of the progress made the cots for the two most uninteresting since those days was afforded by the babies," always accompany the check presence of a thousand persons at the which Miss Helen Gould sends each opening of the new church, among year for the support of two beds in the whom were many ordained ministers Babies' Shelter connected with the and other office-bearers; descendants of Church of the Holy Communion, New original Fingo refugees. York City. -The American Mes8enger relates aged by what the missionary societies this incident: A foreign missionary re- have done and are doing in carrying the cently told of a woman who, on a Gospel to the whole world.-Rev. F. M. school-teacher's salary of $1000, lived Rains. on one half, and with the other half supported a substitute in China. She -The Peninsular and Oriental Steam- then felt that she was really two per- ship Company, commonly known as sons, and carried out her lifelong de- the P. and 0., is the oldest and one of voted desire to be a foreign missionary. the largest steamship corporations In She received a letter every week from the world. It commenced a mail ser- her substitute, prayed for her by name vice to the Spanish peninsula in 1837 every day, and realized the truth of with the Siberia, a wooden side-wheeler what a friend of hers had said-namely: of 516 tons and 180 indicated horse "This teacher serves the Lord twenty- power. This company's fleet now con- four hours a day, and thus practically sists of 54 steamships of 221,807 tons lives the life of the angels, who serve and 225,650 horse power, and 22 steam Him day and night; for at the antip- tugs and launches, the largest and most odes her SUbstitute is working while powerful steamships of the company she sleeps." being the Australia and Himalaya, each 6900 tons and 10,000 horse power. The -A missionary among the colored P. and O.'s receipts from passengers in people in North Carolina relates that 1893 were $4,655,880; from freight, $5,676,480; and from the government after he had bee!B. absent from his field for contract services and conveyance of troops, $1,841,940. The total expendi. for a few weeki, and at the first prayer- tures were, in round figures, $10,885,- meeting, they all thanked God for his 000. In the course of twelve months return, and one brother prayed: "0 this company's steamers traverse a dis- Lord, we thank Thee for our beloved tance of nearly 2,600,000 miles. pastor, and we pray Thee to bless him. -The records of a certain church in o Lord, make his head an inkstand, Massachusetts in 1805 were" enriched" by the addition of these words: "Reand his tongue the pen of a ready writ- 8olved, That we will not allow any er." Still another brother prayed that preacher the use of the pulpit to solioit he might "mount the Gospel horse money in support of missionaries." and ride into the sea of truth." It is But very soon came along a pastor who in this same church that when they brought that people to sound repentgive out a hymn they say, .. Let us ance, faith, and good works. now mangle our jangling voices in a hymn of praise." -Much of this is owed to Christian missions: "The farmers have a new -This gigantic enterprise of saving market. China and Japan find that the world has stimulated Christian peo- flour is now as cheap· as rice. The ple to their largest and best endeavors. mills on the Pacific Coast are grinding More attention has been given to organi- night and day to supply the market. zation and thorough preparation for the A new steamship line is proposed from work in hand in the past few years Portland. Flour is only one of a thouthan ever before. We have come to sand articles of commerce that will be understand that an army, however great, required by a Christian civilization. will be weak unless thoroughly organ- Future trade will make the new Northized. Out of the desire to save the west to Asia, what the North Atlantic world, and the determination to be thor- is to Europe."-North and West. oughly organized for the work, have grown up the various missionary socie- -The Evangelist affirms and proves ties which are making heroic struggles that "last year it took the average against the kingdom of darkness and sin. Lift up your eyes and be encour- Presbyterian twelve days to get one ings embraced 1158 young people who cent out of his pocket for the annual were brought under the inftuence of o:ffering taken in the churches for the Gospel teaching. Some young men re- greatest and the grandest work that is quested her to teach them English, before the Church to-day-that of for- which she consented to do upon their eign missions. Think of it I Less than promising to attend her Bible class."
one mill a day in response to the pow- -There are 4 Methodist womenerful (1) appeal, the ringing (1) sermon Mrs. Knowles, Mrs. Parker, Mrs. Mess· from the past or before the offerings more, and Mrs. T. J. Scott-who have were taken." And the worst of the been in India thirty-dx, thirty-five, matter is that" the average Presbyte- thirty-three, and thirty-one years rerian" is no worse than the bulk of his spectively. ecclesiastical neighbors-in fact, is better than most of them. -The Friends' Woman's Foreign Missionary Society has 202 auxiliaries, WOMAN'S WORK. with nearly 4000 members, who raised $35,982 last year. They support 41 -The Woman's Board of MiSSions, missionaries and 20 native evangelists· representing the Congregational church- or Bible readers; and 5 schools with es in the Eastern States, received, in 296 pupils. Meetings for worship were 1894, $101,898 in contributions and held in 1894 to the number of 691. $24,551 in legacies, making the total receipts $8329 less than in 1893. It YOUNG PEOPLE. supports 5 missionaries, 16 day-schools, and 8 Bible-women in European Tur- -The College Young Men's Chriskey; 5 missionaries, 1 assistant mis· tian Association is assuming great imslonary, 1 boarding-school, 12 day- portance. Among the 85,000 young schools, and 3 Bible·women in Central men connected with our higher institu· Turkey; 16 missionaries, 1 assistant tions of learning, less than one half are missionary, 3 boarding·schools, 26 day professing Christians. The work beschools, and 35 Bible-women in East· gan in 1857; in 1877, 25 Associations ern Turkey; 24 missionaries, the Ameri- had been organized. At the beginning can College for Girls, 5 boarding- of 1895 there were 440 Associations in schools, 50 day-schools, and 8 Bible- American colleges, with a membership women in Western Turkey; 13 Bible- of 25,000.
women in Bulgaria; 15 missionaries in -A Christian Endeavor Society in India; 5 missionaries, 1 boarding- Moreton, Eng., has become a slave- school, and 3 day-schools in :Mexico; holder. One of its members is a mis· 1 boarding.school, 1 day-school, and sionary in Amoy, where her interest 9 Bible-women in Austria. The Eu- was greatly roused in a young Chinese phrates College has 232 girls enrolled, girl whose parents were going to sell 38 of whom are in the college proper. her for a slave. The mission tried to -Miss Lawrence, of the Japan Mis- induce the parents to give her up to sion of the American Methodist Protes- them, but they would not unless the tant Church, is evidently a busy wom- full market price of $15.50 was given. an; for she, .. in addition to her school The missionaries did not have the duties, is engaged in evangelistic work, money, so they appealed to the.Moreton having in the last quarter, with the society, which has raised the money, and help of 0 Yaso San, conducted 50 therefore become the owner of the girl.
meetings for children, taught 12 Bible -Each week the Golden Rule prints classes, 14 Sunday-school classes, at- in a prominent place "the best news tended 27 evening meetings, and made item." Theile two are among recent 88 visits. The various children's meet. ones: " Oharlestown, Mas8.- The First Bap- to the borders of unkindness to make tist society reports three fourths of its them.
members pledged for a penny a day AMERICA. for missions. Literature is sent each week to different parts of the West. United States.-The will of Henry One hundred hymnals were sent to a Keney, of Hartford, Conn., leaves at missionary in Nebraska; and, when the discretion of the executor about the news came of the suffering there, $800,000 for the purchase of the park the church was canvassed, and 5 bar- in the northern part of the city, to be rels of clothing and 2 large boxes of known as Keney Park. Also $424,250 dry provisions went to the same mis- is left in specific legacies, which in- sionary, the express company kindly clude the following: Trinity College, shipping them free. $25,000; Hartford Hospital, $50,000; "Santa Oruz, Oal.-There are 25 En- Hartford Orphan Asylum, $50,000; deavor societies in the county, and one Old People's Home, $50,000; Park of the smallest-a society of only 26 Church, $30,000; Hartford Charitable members-gave most to missions the Society, $2000; Union for Home Work, last six months, the amount being $10,000; City Mission Society, $10,- $91.25 ; and led the six months before 000; Good Will Club, $30,000, and the with $115. This is the Chinese society Wadsworth Athemeum, $25,000.
of Santa Cruz. Within the last six -During the last twenty years the months another Chinese society has New York Society for the Prevention been organized, and it already stands of Cruelty to Children has cared for second on the list in giving." over 230,000 outcasts, a very large pro- -R. Wardlaw Thompson, of the portion of whom would otherwise have London Missionary Society, sounds a been criminals to-day. During the note of expostulation in the ears of the past year 9078 complaints were reyoung people in the March issue of ceived, of which 3770 were prosecuted; The Ohronicle: "It is in connection there were 3730 convictions, and 5459 with the desire for direct correspond- children were rescued from destitution ence with the mission-field. A consid- and vicious surroundings.
erable and increasing number of re- -Moody the evangelist wields an in- quests now reach the Mission House fluence not surpassed by many men, but from the missionary secretaries of Moody the organizer and fosterer of in- Christian Endeavor societies asking for stitutions is vastly more puissant. Take the names of two or three missionaries the single case of his Chicago Bible In- in each part of the field with whom we stitute, of whose graduates this state- may enter into personal correspond- ment is made: "There are 41 pas- ence, and who would be likely to send tors of Congregational churches, 27 of us three or four times a year a letter Presbyterian churches, 25 of Baptist about their work. Such requests give churches, 24 of ::IIethodist Episcopal evidence of a most kindly feeling, and churches; 32 are city missionaries, 12 if they could be gratified they would are home missionaries, 12 are Young doubtless result in stimulating a con- Men's Christian Association secretaries, siderable amount of personal interest in 11 are missionaries under the American missionaries; but those who write have Sunday-School Union, 10 are Sunday- little conception of the burden which school missionaries under other boards, they are unconsciously laying on the 14 are pastors' assistants, 75 are evan- shoulders of the missionaries." And gelists, 41 are assisting their husbands then he easily goes on to show that in in pastoral or evangelistic work; there most cases it is next to impossible to are 61 foreign missionaries, 15 in India, grant such requests; so much so that, 10 in China, 9 in Africa, 5 in Turkey, 8 though unwittingly, it is l1nr~aeonl!ble in Japan, and so on; also 13 under ap- 394 GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE. (11ay pointment for the foreign field. At Christian college planted in that region present there are nearly 300 young men and well endowed.
and women in connection with the In- -The Christians (Disciples) have stitute actively engaged in work in the hitherto been behind many of their different missions and in house to house brethren in missionary matters, ·but for visitation throughout the city." two or three years past their energy and -A second Conference of Foreign enterprise have made great advances.
Mission Boards met in the Episcopal Their leaders know how to use the Church Mililsion House, New York, press, and last year was started Ths February 14th, and was attended by Mi8lJionary Voice, devoted to world- representatives of 16 societies in the wide evangelism, which is decidedly United States and Canada, besides sev- bright and breezy. Surely that great eral missionaries and other persons un- denomination, numbering nearly a mil- officially interested in missions. Papers lion, ought to have its missionaries in were read upon such topics as The the field by the hundred and the thou- Japan-China War; its Strategic Sig- sand.
nificance to Missions; Industrial Mis- Canada.-The United OhurchMonthsions; How far they Have Developed ly has the following item: "In 1845 in Foreign Lands; Self-support in Mis- the Presbyterians in Canada had one sions; The Proposed National Church missionary about to enter the field. In in India; Motive in Missions, etc. Two 1895 they have 34 ordained missionsessions were held, and arrangements aries, 68 unordained preachers, 84 catewere made for a meeting in 1896. chists, and many others engaged in re- -Booker T. Washington, of Tuskee- lated work. In 1845 the sum of $1000 gee Institute, seems clearly destined to was available for the foreign mission be a wise leader for the freedmen. His enterprise. Last year the Presbyteutterances to the last one smack re- rians in the maritime provinces expendfreshingly of good sense. Not poli- ed $34,779, and the western section extics, but hard work on their part, is to pended $105,881, making a total of solve the .. negro problem." Or, as $140,660. Of this the women's soci- Mr. Washington puts it: eties contributed $48,661."
"Immediately after the war we be- -Mr. Tyrrell's late explorations :in gan at the wrong end. We began our distant North have, says the Oana- working to get to Congress when we dian Presbyterian, brought to light yet should have been working to get land. another field for the labors of some de- At Tuskeegee we teach the students that voted Christian missionary. On the it is better for them to spend their time Kazan (or Ptarmigan) River he :Cell in and strength in becoming the leading with a tribe of Eskimo, who have be- carpenters, contractors, truck garden- come separated from their brethren on ers, dairymen, in this town, instead of the coast to whom they originally be- being too anxious to make stump longed, and have become an inland speeches or go to Congress." tribe. These inland Eskimo have not -Marcus Whitman was only a mis- intermixed witlt. the Indians, but live sionary, be it known, but yet he saved exclusively among themselves.
the vast and fruitful Northwest coast EUROPE. of the Pacific to the Union, when all our statesmen, the Websters, etc., es- Great Britain.-The United Presby- teemed it not worth having, and were terian Church of Scotland has a total about to hand it over to Britain. And membership of 188,706. The mission- the indications now are that through ary income during the year 1893 was the liberality of Dr. Pearsons and others £33,543, besides £4639 subscribed for his name will be linked forever with a zenana work. The European staff consists of 71 ordained, 15 medical, 8 lay -The same magazine gives this evangelists, and 31 zenana mi88ion- among the hopeful signs of the king- aries; who are 888isted by 19 native dom: "Let anyone pay a visit to Ox- pastors, 127 evangelists, and 567 other ford or Cambridge and live for a few agents. There are 102 congregations, days among the undergraduates. He with 165 out-stations and 18,460 mem- will find a stream of true and godly bers, almost double the number of thir- men coming up year by year, far be- teen years ago. In Jamaica 10,692 are yond anything in past times-which to be found. There are 401 members stream is largely fed from what some- in Trinidad and 898 in Tokio. Old regard as irregular agencies, such as Calabar has 461 members; Kaffraria, children's special services, mi88ions 3311; Rajputana, 521; Manchuria, among school-boys, the new summer 2176. The work in Manchuria is work- camps, etc. The supply of laborers of ed in harmony with the mission of the the best cl888 for both home and for- Irish Presbyterian Church. eign fields promises to increase both in -A Scotch minister declares that quantity and in qUality. The Student Scotland could easily spare 1200 clergy- Volunteer Missionary Union is growing men and $1,000,000 a year, and yet be apace, and looks like becoming the perfectly well cared for in spiritual most effective of all agencies for enlistthings. That may all be very true; ing workers for the Lord's vineyard." and yet it too often happens with ministers, as with other men, that those -The London Missionary Society is who cau "easily be spared" are of no preparing a feast of fat things to spread great value anywhere under the sun. before its friends, September 21st-27th At least, may they never be sent to the next, in commemoration of the thrillforeign field. ing beginning just a hundred years be- fore. At the last accounts the Cente- -The Free Church of Scotland has nary Fund, with £100,000 as the aim, 5 stations for Jewish work-3 in Eu- had reached £49,134.
rope and 2 in Palestine. Fifty-eight ASIA.
Christian agents, among them 5 or- Islam.-Mi88ionaries must mind their dained missionaries, 2 licensed preach- p's and q's in Turkey, as we learn by ers, and 3 medical men are employed. this from the Miasioruury Herald: About 1000 children attend their schools "Among the conveniences used by daily. Dr. Shepard, a missionary physician at -Since the opening of the Operative "intab, was a telephone extending Jewish Converts' Institute in London, from the hospital to his home. Dr. 922 persons have been admitted; 70 Shepard is so highly esteemed in Ainhave become missionaries; 23 parochial tab that he can ordinarily do as he clergymen; 13 ministers of other de- likes. But in this case as soon as the nominations; and many others have wire was stretched a complaint was obtained high positions in other kinds lodged with the government against of Christian service. this unlawful thing. It has been found that a telephone is the 'petty abhor- -Our British brethren have a way, rence of the Sultan,' and so the sus- which seems strange to us, of rolling picious thing was put under an injunc- up large sums for missionary purposes tion and reported to Aleppo lind thence by sales of work. A recent Intelligen- to Constantinople, and from the central cer had a table which tells of 861 sales government came the imperative order held last year, with receipts in the dif- to 'confiscate,' paying full price and erent counties of the realm· ranging costs. The machine was packed up from £3 in ib.e Isle of Man to £2276 in and turned over to the government for Middlesex, and a total of £21,551. its full equivalent, and, in the terms of the State Department, 'the incident is of that country, and commenced work closed.' " in 1869.
-But even the Grand Turk has a India.-English physicians give medsoft side to his nature, and on occasion, ical assistance to 14,000,000 natives in now and then, is liable to do something one year. positively handsome. A case of this kind occurred last January, when by -A missionary writes thus of the His Dread Majesty an iracU was issued poverty of the land: "It is, doubtless, to the American Girls' College at Scu- true that there are from forty to fifty tari, a document the most sacred possi- millions of these people who are chronible, which bestows certain rights and cally on the verge of starvation, and privileges irreversibly, and places the are rarely able to satisfy the cravings institution under the especial protection of appetite. It is well known that the of the government. average per capita income of the peo- ple of this land is only about $7. If -" Among the Syrians the fetters of this be the average, what must be the custom are almost as strong as those of minimum 1 To missionaries who live religion. The rule of the Fez cap proves among the people it is a constant source this. For a prince as for a menial, there of wonder that the people can live at is no other head-covering. No law pre- all on their income. I know of many scribes it, and yet all Syrians wear it, who, during several months of even a whatever their creed. The long, flow- very good year, enjoy only one meal a ing garments, which have been worn day, and that a very miserable one." since the time of the prophets, and which make one of the simplest expres- -Eighteen native ministers in the sions of dress, have been abandoned by Northwest Conference of the Methodist the majority of Christians. A Syrian Church have volunteered to relinquish hesitates before he adopts the European their salaries, and trust entirely for costume, but public opinion forbids their support to the contributions of him to adopt the European hat. The their own people. same remarks apply to the izzar or body covering. This white sheet is the sym- -Mr. Hazen writes from South bolof Oriental exclusiveness, and cus- India: "Last year our women 'at their tom in Syria sternly prescribes its use. weekly prayer·meeting asked for 100 The izzar sometimes reveals some olive- additions to the number in our station, tinted faces of much beauty, lit up by and the Lord gave 200. Encouraged a pair of clear brown eyes, to which its by that we have all taken hold and whiteness forms a pleasing contrast. asked for 300 this year, and we have Sometimes, also, when the hands are got them. We asked for 15 souls in occupied, the izzar is drawn into the Manamadura village, and we have got corner of the mouth and held there by them. Of their own accord and witha set of pearly teeth. The izzar is a out any stimulus from us they have useful covering, which excludes the dust maintained a daily prayer.meeting here and sun, though it fills the streets with for three weeks from this inga thering. " a dull, harsh pallor." -The progress in the Laos Mission -The (Jltristian World learns with in all its departments is an inspiration. regret that Rev. Dr. Bruce, of Persia, There are 4 mission stations and 3 outwho is well known as one of the most stations. "So complete and joyful devoted missionaries of the Church Mis- have been the successes," that there sionary Society, has resigned his posi- was no room for discouragement; intion after thirty-six years· of ser~ice. deed, the only discouragement is the Dr. Bruce was practically the pioneer limited number of workers for the conof Christian work among the Moslems stantly increasing work. Last year a new station was established and 5 new workers sent out. In the past eleven
GENERAL MISSIONARY
months 289 have been received into the Europeans, 1.-Lutheran Mi88ionary church. "Record of defeat is not Journal. heard. It is victory in every quarter." -The Indian Witneu of January -This item from the Intelligencer re- 12th gives these statistics of the North lates to a perplexing question in India, India Conference: "Paid workers, and the last sentence indicates that the 1606; probationers, 19,823; full mem- Hindu is not lacking in at least one of bers, 11,126; adult baptisms in 1894, the constituent elements of human na- 5262; children, 2817; Sunday-schools, ture: "The question of burial reform 1071; Sunday-school scholars, Chrisis one which we would fain see our tians, 18,102; non-Christian, 21,202; Indian fellow-Christians seriously con- native Christian community, 39,327; sider. The revered A.L.O.E. was Christian boys and girls in school, 10,- buried in December, 1893, at her own 185; non-Christian, 9793." request, without a coffin. The funeral of the Rev. F. Sandford, of the Delhi -Alas! that Miss Taylor's Thibetan Mission, cost only about five shillings, Mission, after months of sunshine, and so in many places missionaries are should pass under the storm-cloud. It striving to dispossess the minds of con- is not possible at this distance and with verts of the notion that a Christian's the meagre statements at hand to parfuneral ought to cost a quarter's in- cel out the serious responsibility for the come, which it now often does. A girl at least temporary breaking up of the seriously told a lady missionary not party by the resignation and departure long since that she should like to die at of most of the members; though it a certain place mentioned, 'because looks much as if the leader, though full there the girls were so beautifully of energy and determination, was yet buried, in lovely white coffins just like wanting in sweet reasonableness and ladies'-of course not at the expense of other qualities essential to leadership. their relations." It is to be hoped that Mr. Polhill·Tur- ner, of the China Inland Mission, whose -There are 10 women of the English aid she has sought and secured, will be Baptist Society at work in Calcutta able to restore harmony, and that in zenanas, with 9 schools under their due season these pioneers of the Gospel care, and an average attendance of may be able to enter the Closed Land. about 500 scholars. In addition to these there are 7 other schools in the China.-While recently on a. tour villages that lie to the south of the city, among the missions of this empire, Mr. with 220 scholars, giving a total of 16 Baring-Gould was impressed by "the schools and about 720 scholars. great influence of medical work, the heroism of the women, and the devo- -Mr. Chandler, of Madura, reports tion of many of the converts." that the 8 churches comprising the "East Church Union" of that city re- -Taking advantage of the presence ceived into fellowship during ten of scholars at the government examinamonths of the last year 186 new mem- tions in Wuchang, Nanking, and Chengbers. tu, among some 40,000 young men up- ward of 60,000 copies of books, tracts, -During the five months ending Oc· etc., were distributed. tober 7th, since its re-opening, the Dispensary in Guntur was open 13:3 days. -Dr. Griffith John, writing from a. During that time 1914 patients made place some days' journey farther inland 4556 visits. As to class, the patients than Bankow, says that the people were: Eurasians, 5 ; native Christians, "appear to take as little interest in 290; Brahmans, 156 ; other high castes, Peking and Canton as they do In Can- 257; Varsgas, 47; 8udras, 637; Pa- ada and Wales." He has been making a most successful tour in places where riahs, 396; Mohammedans, 125, and no European missionary, but only cate- God, and telling him their own experichists, have hitherto labored. At Pah- ence on similar occasions. So the idol tsze-Nau, Tien.Men, Tsau-shih, and was chopped up and set fire to, as well Mau-kia-po the mandarins were frIend- as all idolatrous papers, etc. Then we ly, the opposition was silenced, and sang a hymn and had prayer. The idol many converts were baptized. At the was destroyed in the presence and with last-named town the ancestral hall was the full consent of Li's wife, grown-up cleared and used for service. Out of son, daughter·in-Iaw, and other chil- 200 candidates for baptism, 66 were dren, besides two married daughters baptized, coming from 14 villages. who had returned upon a visit, and a There are candidates for baptism in 12 good many neighbors-no one raising a more villages. dissenting voice."
-Says the North Ohina Herald in an -The North China Mission of the article on " China Unmasked" : " Such American Board reaches 440 cities, a system of internal rottenness has been towns, and villages. The working laid bare that even her best friends are force is composed of 87 missionaries forced to shake off the dust of their and 76 native helpers, among whom are feet against her, and to admit that the 3 ordained native pastors. The Gospel present process of being ground in the is regularly preached at 43 places. mill is, perhaps, the best thing which There are 27 day schools in the mission, could happen to her. To such a pass with an aggregate of 454 pupils. The has official corruption come that noth- total number of young people under ing short of a complete upheaval and instruction is 1510. At the various dis· breaking down of old systems seems pensaries and at the Williams Hospital practicable. Patching up is worse than in Pang-Chuang the medical work has useless. China has been patched up been carried on. too often, and corruption has thriven in consequence. The opportunity has -Mrs. Isabella Bishop had some arrived when a general sweeping and most perilous and painful experiences garnishing is possible, and the truest during her recent travels in Korea, friends of China will not wish to see Manchuria, etc. "She was sent out of the besom stayed. The entire govern- Korea at a moment's notice by the con· mental gamut must be ulilltrung and suI without money or clothes. The retuned. The Emperor of the future, British Minister's wife at Pekin gave if he desires to shed some lustre on his her some clothes. She was in Man· heavenly origin, will have to surround (,,huria with the Scotch missionaries, himself with some rather more heavenly and shared their perils at the time of advisers. " Mr. Wylie's murder; was nearly drowned in an inundation; her bed -Miss Kolkenbeck, of Sz-Chuen, was wet for three days, and she has had gives this incident: "A man named a bad form of malaria ever since. She Li-wan-uen came to us for medicine, was nearly captured by pirates; broke and pressed us to visit his home. After her arm through the overturning of a dinner he asked us how he was to WOf- cart ; was turned out of Pekin with the ship God. I told him. that the first other European women," etc. She is thing would be to destroy his idols. now in Siberia. , How am I to do that? ' , Put; them in the fire; they are only wood.' 'Shall ]apan.-The Kyoto Training School I do it at once?' 'Certainly; the for Nurses is very happy over the fact sooner the better.' So he immediately that its nurses are so popular in the stood up on a stool, and got down his military station at Hiroshima. They god. Our Christian coolie and servant have been very successful, and have spoke, encouraging him to trust only in borne the strain of the work better than any others who have gone there. At last advices a request for more nurses trouble in Tokyo. Their peace ideas faU bad been received, and the whole senior to fit the state of affairs in Japan. Some class were anxious to respond, but it of the students in their school showed had not been decided how many should sympathy with the war, and gave help go. This success is a fine indorsement to the destitute wives of soldiers who for the school and those connected with bad gone to the front. Difficulty arose it, both foreigners and Japanese.-Lij'6 and the students were dismissed. The and Light. consequence is a complete separation -The Red Cross Society of Japan of all their converts from the missionsends 6 physicians and 12 nurseil with aries.
each transportsteamer conveying Japan- -'Mr. Pettee writes in the Japan ese troops to Korea and China. The Weekly Mail of February 9th, that humanity of the Japanese in their con- 6 evangelists are to be sent to minister duct of this war is doing mOle to break to the needs of the Christians in the down the walls- of Chinese prejudice Japanese army. High officials were than any other outside influence. Three opposed to this concession, but "as hundred years ago the Japanese rav- soon as they were convinced that this aged Korea and plundered its people, was the request of no narrow sectarian- and as a trophy of victory the ears of ism, but the earnest plea of devoutly 3600 victims were brought back to patriotic Christian men of every name Japan. To-day Japan is at war again, they quickly yielded and affixed their but with what a different spirit I seals to the papers. Rev. Miyagawa, -Rev. Henry B. Schwartz, presiding of Osaka-sometimes called the Chryelder, Hirosaki, Japan, says: "Weare sostom of the Japanese pulpit-Princireaping the first fruits of treaty revision pal Honda, of Aoyama College, and in a very great improvement in the Messrs. Aoki, of Kobe, Terada, and passport system. As Y(IU do not know, Yamanaha have been selected as 5 of we have not been allowed to travel in the 6. This event, coming so soon Japan except with a passport. In these after the permission to distribute unrepassports the proposed route of travel strictedly portions of the Scripture in had to be exactly laid down, and in the garrisons throughout Japan, the those palts of the empire where the letter of Lieutenant-General Katsura, passport regulations were strictly en- in Manchuria, promising extra protecforced, no deviation from the described tion to all sincere Christians, and the route was allowed. Now we can get recognition of the superior work of the passports for a year's time, on which Christian nurses of the Red Cross corps, we can travel anywhere at any time in promises much for the advance of the whole empire; and, best of all, the Christianity in Japan. "
, scientific' and 'health' clauses are -In the orphan asylum of Mr. Ishii entirely omitted from the application at Okayama are now gathered 301 orblanks. phans. They carryon a printing-press with 4 presses, and 38 persons are em- -Several of the leading Christians ployed in the office. Thirteen boys are are alive to Japan's missionary duty learning to be barbers. A home for toward Korea, and are planning for discharged prisoners has been opened, missionary service there. It is note- where there are 11 persons employed in worthy that Buddhists are moving in making mats. There is also a carpenthe same direction, and have already ter's school. Sixty-two girls are in the sent a priest to Seoul to examine the sewing-classes, and 111 are learning cotsituation. He has devised a scheme, ton-weaving. Thirty-six are studying very fine on paper, which will cost blacksmithing. A farming colony of $10,000 a year.
~The Friends' Mission has had 30 has just been started. The children work all day, and study at night from formed; there are no more swamps, five to nine o'clock. no more jungles. Besides the build- ings of the station, which look some- AFRICA. thing like a Dutch village, there is a causeway, and a foot-bridge, which is -Great Britain owns in Africa an the astonishment and delight of the naarea of 2,570,000 square miles, almost tives. These works, which are the reequal to that of the United States. sults of a patience and tenacity which it would be difficult to imagine exactly, -And yet Dr. Zahn, mission inspec- are certainly an image of the progress tor of Bremen, concludes that with the which the work of God is making growth of French and Belgian posses- among the Barotsis.-Journal deB Missions, and those of other Catholic pow- sions FJvangeliqueB. ers, after all Protestant peoples will control, at least in West Africa, much -They have had deluges of rain in less th~lll half the area. Zanzibar this autuUlll. Fancy nine and a half inches of rain in ten hours! It -The world is likely soon to look to was still pouring when the mail left. this continent for its supply of gold. and they call these the" lesser rains" ! ! ! For several years the output of Califor- -Central Africa. nia has scarcely risen above $12,000,000 annually, but in Africa the amount has -In connection with the recent Italgrown from less than $10,000,000 in ian campaigns into Abyssinia, an arti- 1890, to upward of $22,000,000 in 1892, cle of peculiar interest appeared in a and to nearly $SO,OOO,OOO last year. recent issue of the Churchman from the pen of Professor G. H. Schodde, enti- -Before returning to his home In tIed" The Hermit Christian Nation of West Africa, Prince Ademayiwa gave Africa." He calls attention to the noa lecture In Liverpool on "The White table fact in this land "Christianity" Man's Fire-Water and its Effects on the has had an unbroken history from the African Race." He said that while early centuries, hnd only this" Switzer· Englishmen have officials appointed to land of Africa" was able to resist the see that their "fire-waters" are sold fiercest assaults which the Moslem pure, the African has to take what is could make. sent him by unscrupulous men, is little better than poison, and is frequently -Mr. Pilkington writes concerning used for mixing with paint, like tur- the languages of the Lake district of pentine! Mid-Africa, Luganda, Lusoga, Lem- yolo, Lahama, etc., that they are dia- -Khama, the Christian king of the lects of the same language; and has, Bamangwato tribe, has recently paid a what he terms, vague hopes of being visit to Cape Town, having never be- able to make a dictionary on the prinfore been so far away from his home. ciple of roots which would combine all He was very much affected by the these dialects. He also has reason to tokens of respect received while there hope that a single Bible will do for all from the whites. this region.
-Lealuyi, the station founded by -An interesting departure, initiated M. Coillard hardly two years ago, on by the Leipsic Mission, is the expatriathe banks of the Zambesi, is situated tion of Tamil converts (pariahs), with on a little hill, raDled only a few feet their families, into British East Africa.• above the valley; it used to be an ex- These are intended to aid largely in the ecrated and detested place, wheresorcer- construction of the mission buildings, era were burnt, and at the time of the in view of setting free the European inundations it was haunted by innu- agents for the Illore direct evan~elistic merable swarms of insects and legions work. pi reptiles. Now the isJaJl.4 is traWl-
The Missionary Review of the World — August 1894
THE REAL AND THE ROMANTIC IN MISSIONS. [A.ugust
MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD.
VOL. XVII. No. S.-Old Series.-AUGUS'r.-VoL. VII. No. S.-New &ries.
THE REAL AND THE ROMANTIC IN MISSIONS. * BY THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF.
,Ve all, who love the truth, want first of all to know the truth. Aristotle profoundly says that" Truth is what a thing is in itself, what it is in its relations, and what it is in the medium through which. it is viewed." To know the truth, therefore, we need, first of all, to get at the real facts, then to get those facts adjusted in their relations, and then to get a clear eye wherewith to see them, unclouded by prejudice or partiality"neither exaggerating nor "extenuating," nor" setting down aught in malice." Many a man who would not falsify, fails to verify. His imagination is more lively than his memory is retentive, or his reason logical, or his analysis exhaustive, or his discrimination accurate; and consequently, without meaning to do so, he gives a false coloring even to facts.
A book has recently appeared which cannot fail to make-has already made-a sensation in the religious world, and especially among advocates of missions. Its author has sought, as he affirms, to obtain" absolutely correct information concerning that portion of the Dark Oontinent which was the field of his investigation," and then to present "that knowledge with rigid adherence to the truth." t Any man setting out with such a purpose is to be honored; and, whatever be the results of a candid investigation, he is to be respected, if not admired, for a candid and intrepid testimony_ ,Ve accord to the author of "Reality versus Romance" all this h=or at the outset. We accept his own statement of his honest aim, and shall at no point call that in question. And, yet, his views are so revolutionary, his conclusions so upsetting, that some do not hesitate to say that" he lies"-a harsh judgment, as it would seem. ",Ve prefer, if we cannot accept his statements, to find some other solution for any difference of opinion or variance of conclusion.
* .. Reality V_t'sus Romance in South Central Africa;' by James Johnston, M.D. Published by F. H. Revell Company, New York.
t pp. 5, 236. After a careful and unnsually minute examination of this book, which is certainly gotten up without regard to cost, and profusely illustrated, our conclusion is that Dr. Johnston's medium of observation has not been entirely free from color; as an astronomer would say, his" lenses have not been achromatic," and the deficiency of a clear medium has communicated a false hue to the objects seen. This conviction is a growing one as we read these pages; and, in obedience to the same desire which he claims, to free the great subject from all false lights and get at realities and verities, we purpose now to review candidly and carefully some of his positions ; our only regret being that we have but a few pages to treat what a volume might well discuss.
One conclusion which, at an early stage in his work, Dr. Johnston o;tates, is that" self-supporting missions" are, in Africa, " a grand mis- ·,ake." * It will thus be seen that the author does not hesitate to use toler- ':Ibly emphatic terms. He pronounces such missions an " absolute failure." "Bishop Taylor's and all the rest of them are swept away in one grand flood Qf condemnation. Dr. Johnston thinks it is infinitely more difficult for a white man to earn his living in Africa than in any European country, unless he abandons mission work ; and that the training of native children for future missionary work only makes idle dudes of the boys, and of the girls desirable wives for aristocratic heathen.t This language is so sweeping that it betrays a mind that is not umpirical, not judicial but rather prejudicial ; th~t leaps to a hasty conclusion. That difficulties beset self-supporting missions is true; and, perhaps, they are as yet experimental, and their utility is now being tested. But to denounce as a failure what has not yet survived the experimental period, or been proven a success, would be fatal to all improvement. Invention and discovery reach their highest results through just such apparent failure and waste of resources and energy. The practical application of any theory requires quite as much wisdom in working as the theory does in devising. To say that, thus far, snch missions have not demonstrated their snccess is one thing ; to affirm that they are a proven failure, and brush them all away like chaff from a summer threshing fioor, is certainly a bold if not a rash proceeding, and hints over-confidence in the infallibilj~y of the author's judgment.
In a similar fashion, with unstinted condemnation, Dr. J ohnstim sweeps down on Mr. Booth, who went out to Africa to undertake a self-supporting mission, leaving behind Ilis lucrative trade to attempt Africa's evangelization and" keep" ]Iimself. Our author regards him as following a mad theory, risking the life of a motherless daughter, etc.! He considers him as courting a martyr's death, and expecting, like a Zulu warrior or Hindu devotee, compensation in the life to come for his sacrifice of life here. Thus it will be seen that he not only condemns Mr. Booth's course of con- *P.26. t Pp. 26, 27. :1= Pp. 297. 298. duct, but even ventures to interpret his motive. Having met Mr. Booth, and having been very much moved to admiration of his singleness of aim and absolute self.surrender to his mission, we cannot accept Dr. Johnston's judgment of him or his work. And, knowing the man in this instance, and being entirely out of accord with the hasty decision rendered in his case, We cannot avoid the conviction that if, in other cas~s, we knew the parties criticised, we might be compelled to a stilI more emphatic dissent from the positions to which our author seems to come with so little hesitation.
Our truth-seeking friend is such an iconoclast that perhaps he uses his axe a little too freely in breaking down the carved work of the sanctuary.
He reminds us of Talus with his iron flail. For example, he slashes away at the principle of presenting in the Christian family home life an object lesson to the natives, whom he thinks ineapable of anything beyond a " curiosity similar to that of the country bumpkin's first introduction to a menagerie." * The delineation of native character in this book is not calculated to arouse any frenzy of interest in African missions; as, for instance, where one young missionary had his enthusiasm suddenly cooled by a demand for "five days' pay" from certain interested native inquirers who had been coming every day to listen, but indignantly remonstrated against " listening for nothing. 17 That native character does not, at the outset, present many featnres calculated to provoke admiration is nothing strange to o~e who believes that man is by nature" dead in trespasses and sins," and, as dead, incapa- ble of motion. sensation, enjoyment, or reception of spiritual things, and utterly destitute of restorative power, until touched and quickened by the Spirit of God. But this, instead of a reason against missions, is the grand argument for them. " The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which is lost." And if we find men absolutely lost, it is what we might expect. And yet among just such tribes the grandest haryests have been already reaped. Henry Richards at Banza Manteke found savages who did not hesitate to turn even his Scripture teaching to the gratification of their own greed, and yet out of this same material God constructed one of the most prosperous missions in the world field. Seven, fourteen, twenty.one years have sometimes passed before one convert has rewarded toil. But when the quickening Spirit has begun to work, life has developed even out of death. .
Dr. Johnston's mastery of epithets-especially depreciatory ones-may be seen in his description of certain tribes : a " people exhibiting the most despicable traits of character ever heard of. "t The whole v0cabulary of denunciation seems to be at our author's disposal. But mature judgment and growing charity uniformly prune away the liberal use of such terms as excessive-as, in fact, an excrescence even upon literary style. As * P. 388. tP.II2. D'Israeli said, in his address to Sir Charles Wood, his old adversary, in 1852, "Insolence is not invective, nor abuse argument." This now famous parliamentary sentence is really only an echo of what Hume said to Palmerston twenty-six years before: "Abuse is not argument." And any man whose style abounds in such language as we find in " Reality versus Romance" gives evidence of careless, if not reckless, use of the weapons of verbal antagonism.
Dr. Johnston frankly confesses Africa" a disappointing country," and says that everything else, like the fruit, is a " delusion." * Perhaps, like his oxen, when, on one occasion, they sought to quench their maddening thirst in a lake and found it a " salt pan," he has not got out of his mouth the taste of the brine of his disappointment, t or it is barely possible that the terribly unsanitary conditions t amid which he found himself, affected his liver so that it " overflowed with black bile and beclouded his judgment." Dr. Johnston everywhere displays a genius for criticism-not a desir- able form of genius, though not uncommon. It is always possible to magnify, if not to create defects, by a critical temper. Sodernini, the Florentine dude, condemned the nose of Michael Angelo's" David" as too long for symmetry. The great sculptor laid his ladder against the statue and pretended to reduce the dimensions of the nasal organ, letting drop a little marble dust to make more complete the illusion, and Sodernini then pronounced it "precisely right." The fact is, that not a chip had been chiselled from the marble! Imagination makes fools even of the senses.
Some further exam;:>les of the critic's severity, as shown in this book, may be seen from the following : At Utalama he found the graves of Morris and Gall, and concludes that the circumstances reflect " anything but credit on those who had charge of the party," and he accuses them of " sheer mismanagement." § He characterizes the Kwanjululu mission as having" a plethora of missiona- ries," and "still they come." II At Kundundu he records that as yet " nowhere" had he " seen a native man or woman giving evidence of having anything like a true conception of the Christian's God ;'" and again, that he has seen" no native women as house servants in missionary homes ;"
that they will not" submit to a domestic training." ** Even in the Barotse Valley, delighted as he was with M. Coillard's work, he found" few if any" who had" manifested even interest in, far less ability to grasp, the most elementary truths of the Gospel," after years of toil. tt He thinks that wherever these petty chiefs have sway their hostility makes all acceptance and confession of Christ quite impossible ; tt and that Lobengula's clinched fist is a menace to his people, which renders the results of long years of mission work" almost nil." §§ At Mandala he found a congregation of two hundred native boys and • P. 210. t P. 224. :j: P. 230. § Pp. 46, 47. IP.69. "1 P. S3. •• P. 94. tt P. 15:l :j::j: P. 20'2• §§ P. 238. girls under instruction, who were also boarded on the mission. The form of service, nominally that of the Established Church of Scotland, he found en- cumbered with an elaborate ritual-surpliced clergyman, white-robed proces- sional choir, intoned prayers, bowings to the East, creed recitation, altar tapers, etc. * This is almost as bad as his picture of the Universities'
Mission, with its native choir, surpliced in white and cassocked in purple, with their large brass cross carried at their head, and the priests bowing and crossing themselves; and the native women squatting on the floor, with the cross and fetich ornaments together hung around their necks. t Some statements of Dr. Johnston demand such an investigation as will bring either a refutation or a further exposure-as, for example, what he says about a leaflet, addressed to children in the Free Chnrch of Scotland, in form of a letter from a missionary at the north end of Lake Nyassa, about" –'s three hundred slave children," representing all the little W akonde scholars . . . as naked and helpless, rescued from the slaver! Whereas, Dr. Johnston says they never were slaves, and are provided by their own parents with both food and lodging! He fnrther affirms that twelve hundred pounds were wrung out of Scotchmen by this appeal, with which money" nothing has been done because the object for which it was given existed only on paper !" t Dr. Johnston finds in " How I Crossed Africa" a gross misrepresenta- tion from first to last, "which," he says broadly, is " only on a par with the rest of this two-volumed book;" and adds that there is no country under heaven the" subject of more romancing and misrepresentation than Africa." § In much of this there is an absence of judicial calmness and fairness, which makes it all look like an ex parte statement. As to such conclusions -drawn by a man who makes a journey of eighteen months across the continent, and for the first time-they remind us of Isaac's question, when Jacob brought so promptly his savory dish of mock venison: "How hast thou found it so quickly, my son~" It is barely possible that the dish, after all, is not venison, and was found without any real hunting, in an enclosure of foregone conclusions!
As he says that, from the time Bihe, on the west coast, was left behind, until he arrived at Blantyre, on the east, he found but "one missionary laboring among the natives," II we can be pardoned for questioning his full capacity to judge of African missions as a whole. But nothing strikes the reader as a harder blow than Dr. Johnston's criticism of Fred Stanley Arnot's work at Kwanjululu. Such words as " a huge farce," "hoodwinked supporters;" such statements as that the influence of this station ,. as a Christian mission is almost nil," that " few natives attend the meetings," that " next to no evangelistic work is being 'done," and that for three successive Sundays not a " solitary hearer came • P •. 295. tP.322. ~ pp. 313, 314• sP. 190. oP. 326. from outside the compollnd," '* will surprise Mr. Arnot"'s thousands of friends, who regard him as one of the most simple-hearted, genuine, and heroic pioneers of modern times. But for Dr. Johnston's exceptie>nallove of truth we should suspect him of at least unfairness. In fact, there seems to be almost a tinge of malice in his severe sarcasm as to Arnot's work.
Apropos of this apparent exposure of fraud, we clip the following from the London Christian as to Dr. Johnston and Mr. Arnot: " In the Record for February 9th, reference was made to Dr. J ohnston's allegations in depreciation of the Garanganze Mission, and it was hinted that Mr. F. S. Arnot should answer the accusations. In last week's Record Mr. Arnot writes: 'In reference to Dr. Johnston's quoting from the letters of our two brethren, S – – and F–, who were the only laborers in the Garanganze for the three years previous to Dr. Johnston's visit to Bihe, let me ask, With what degree of fairness can anyone frame an indictment against missionaries from their own humble estimate of their own labors ~ So far at least were they from being occupied with " personally conducting the transit of supplies from Kwanjululu," that during that long time they only received two or three communications of any sort whatever from the outside world. Mr. S – – alone, besides the b'Jilding and gardening Dr. Johnston speaks of, prepared during that time-in the Luba language, which he had not before learned-a vocabulary, grammar, notes, and part of John's Gospel, as well as several hymns and other portions, and carried on broadcast sowing of the Gospel seed. Mr. F–'s share in the work was the care, at first, of an African orphan home of some eight little children. A serious illness, however, laid him aside for the greater part of two years.
" , Seeing Dr. Johnston owed his very presence in Central Africa to the" huge farce" he has since sought to expose, as I carried him and his men to BiM, bag and baggage, by sending our own porters from BiM to meet him, it has seemed altogether too absurd that the Christian public should expect replies in detail to the gross and personal charges brought against me in his book.' "
We should expect Dr. Johnston to favor medical mIssions, and he does. But even here his hypercriticism shows itself. He advises that a fully qualified physician accompany every party of white missionaries. But he adds that here lies the chief necessity for the qualified medical man j and then proceeds to say that, thongh we are inclined to sneer at native doc- tors, some of them effect cures by means of herbs to us unknown j t and then he proceeds to instance cases of cure that had baffled fully educated physicians, and so serious that blood-poisoning and pyremia threatened death speedily. Here again Dr. Johnston's conclusions seem to us altogether unsafe from their reckless one-sidedness. It may readily be admitted that, as among the mo~t barbarous tribes, her~ and there a natural remedy may be known to these heathen medicine men, the simple application of which requires no skill for its successful use. But it would take more than the experience of eighteen months in rapidly crossing Africa to satisfy most readers • P. 56. t P. 336• that the African native doctors conld be trusted with the general treatment of disease. Monteiro found them proposing to administer the casca poison to a hydraulic press at Ambriz, to test whether it were a witch or not; and finding no stomach or intestines to try it upon, they administered the dose to a female slave instead!
After patient reading of "Reality versus Romance," our eonclusion is that in Dr. Johnston's eyes most missionaries are visionarie8.* He affirms that (, there is not an authenticated instance on record of a savage genuinely turning to God or renouncing his superstitions and fetich WOl'- ship" until he has been many months, and too often years, under instruction. This statement, taken literally, is not to be found fault with, and when examined closely might be construed into an encouragement. For any missionary might have written it with very slight change, thus: "There are many authenticated instances on record of savages genuinely turning to God, renouncing their superstitions and fetich worship, though only after they have been under instruction many months, and too often years." These two sentences do not essentially differ, as Dr. JO~lllston's form of statement is negative, but does not exclude the positive. Yet one who reads his sentence, by implication and inference comes to the unconscious impression that mission work does not pay in Africa; that the native mind and heart are too unimpressible ; that missionary toil yields so slow and slim a harvest that labor is virtually thrown away. Such impressions we know to have been gathered by intelligent readers of this book.
Amid so much that is critical and condemnatory, it is refreshing to find something which our friend Dr. Johnston considers praiseworthy. He finds the labors of McKenzie and Hepburn among the Mangwato have" not been in vain j for, besides the chief, there are a large Dumber of natives whose eonsistent and exemplary lives prove that their profession of Christianity is something more than the mere observance of outward formalities." t The" one .mission" which, in Dr. Johnston's mind, " deserves the full sympathy and hearty support of Christians at home more than another" is that of Franeis Coillard.! This is unstinted praise j and there are a few other instances,§ but they are very rare. He did find at least one example of what Christianity can do for Africa, in Khama, whom both friends and foes aeknowledge to be a « straightforward, honest, and upright man." II Let us be grateful for even one example. Perhaps further candid research in Africa's mission fields might have revealed others.
The editor of this REVIEW and writer of this article, though he has not spent even eighteen months in a transit of the Dark Continent, has spent twice eighteen years int-he careful study of missions, and has found the consenting testimony of missionaries, from John Williams to John Paton, wonderful in its unanimity as to the glorious harvests of mission toil even among the most degraded tribes. When one has such witnesses as Lindley • P. 154. t P. 237. ~ P. 182. § pp. 206.219,287. I P. 234. and Scott, among the Zulus j Moffat, among the Bechuanas j Bushnell, at the Gaboon ; Mackay, in Uganda; Hogg and Lansing, in the Nile Valley j Richards, on the banks of the Congo j Johnson, in Sierra Leone; George Thompson, at the Mendi Mission; so long as we have the story of Madagascar, Lovedale, Hogbrook, vVellington, Blantyre, Impolwene, we shall be reluctant to believe that any other field of labor has more abundantly borne fruit under Gospel tillage than this same Dark Continent.
With many positions of Dr. Johnston we are in the heartiest agreement, especially with his inveighings against the demand for interesting and encouraging " reports" to be read at quarterly and annual meetings at home, and which tempt not only to a false standard of estimating results, but to a false way of stating them. * The outcry and clamor for visible results is born of unbelief. "He that observeth the wind shall not sow, and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. " There is in all mission work a period of breaking up fallow ground and of seed sowing, and even the harvcst time is often succeeded by times of drought and barrenness. All honor to those who, like the" lonely and sorely tried workers" in the Matabele country and the Barotse Valley, are" foundation workers, toiling deep down in superstition and gross darkness," like the " toilers in mud and stone, " who laid the massive masonry that holds up the Forth Bridge. t In the day when God's structure stands complete they shall be recognized and rewarden.. He quotes certain statements from M. C. Fenwick, of Corea, which ,were addressed to Dr. Brookes and meant as a private communication, but published by him in The Truth, concerning which Mr. Fenwick sends the editor a communication which will be found in the Editorial Department. Mr. Fenwick adopted hasty conclusions, which he now cordially withdraws, as perhaps Dr. Johnston, in his love of truth, may by and by be compelled to do also. But when Dr. Johnston or anyone else states that a certain missionary has falsified facts deliberately, we stop and dcmand more evidence before we give credence.
We can sympathize with all Dr. Johnston's invectives against misleading reports and statistics, as where a station is marked as though occupied, where somebody simply" wants to go j" t yet even here there may be only a mistake. In preparing a map of a mission territory it is common to select points for occupation, and it might be inferred by some one examining such map that these projected stations are all actual. Let us not needlessly attribute intent to deceive when another interpretation will suffice.
He deals without delicacy with the British South African Company and its pretensions to "British protectorate ;" its securing of a commercial monopoly, and appropriation of valuable presents meant for the queen! He thinks that, instead of opening up an entrance to the heart of Africa for the Gospel, it will take more than one generation to eradicate the bitter hate and deep-seated dread felt by the natives to the white man. § The * P. 156. t P. 160. t P. 163. § Pp. 145, 146, 260, 261. . practical effect of so-called" British rule" is thus set forth in no very ~om plimentary or hopeful terms. * For Dr. Johnston's unc?mpromising opposition to the rum traffic, and his pictures of the ruin which strong drink is bringing to African natives, we are thankful. He depicts the awful orgies of intemperance at Kolom- bambi; t and yet he seems ready (,nough himself to have given drink to Kananene, if he had had any spirits with him t-an inconsistency which we cannot explain.
This book, finely gotten up as it is, has in it, likll most journals, plenty of comparatively useless matter. It abounds in minor matters and triviali- ties, which become wearisome. To the ordinary reader it matters little what a traveller eats for breakfast; on which side of a stream he pitches his tent; just how many new carriers he engages, and what is their age and com- plexion, and at just what hour of the day he takes his cup of tea; or exactly what is contained in every present a chief may send him. § ,Ve would not wish to follow our author in his disposition to hypercriticism; but a very minute examination of his book convinces us that it might have been re- duced in bulk fully one third, if not one half, by avoiding needless repeti- tion of details. One chapter-on the conditions of pioneer life, diet, car- rying of goods, modes of tenting, sleeping, crossing plains and deserts, fording rivers, etc. -might have sufficed for the whole book. A diary is a convenient method of daily record; but, after the details are thus gath- ered and recorded as each day's experience makes possible, it would seem wiser and better to classify and rearrange. Because the individual facts were thus collected day by day, it does not follow that their presentation to the reader must pursue the same process. We learn to spell words let- ter by letter, but we do not introduce our spelling exercise into essays.
Valuable contributions are made incidentally by Dr. Johnston to the literature of missions, by his vivid description of the country and its in- habitants and their customs, as well as by his researches into the fauna and flora. His illustrations, furnished by his own camera, are superb.
The advice given in this book, touching all matters of physical regimen, dietetics, and medicine, should be carefully weighed. II He gives sound counsel as to building sites, food, habits, etc. His general conclusions may be found in the close of this somewhat voluminous work.'- To imitate Dr. Johnston's candor and avoid his sweeping denunciation, we confess that, amid many attractive features, we have found his book " a disappointing country" to travel in. Weare glad it is a somewhat costly book, for it will not be so likely to fall into the hands of miscel- laneous people, who will hastily draw conclusions adverse to missions.
Read by the young and enthusiastic, the romance is perhaps too rapidly dispelled. The" facts" are too bald and bare and repulsively barren; we believe unnecessarily so. Such a book, jf read at all, should be read side by side with Moffat's life, or Henry Richard's " Story of the Pente- cost on the Congo," or Josiah Tyler's" Forty Years Among the Zulus."
We mean no unfriendliness to Dr. Johnston when we record our im- pression that, with all the good qualities of his superb book, it is as a whole a mistake ; and that the general impression left on the mind of the reader is not a true one. We feel confident that the conclusions here reached are not based upon sufficiently abnndant particulars or a broad enough in- duction; and that those who would get at the complete truth as to African missions, must listen to the testimony of other witnesses beside the a'.lthor of Reality VB. Romance.
* Pp. 291, 2115. tP.73. ~ P. so. § Pp. 82, 88. H P.320. ,. P. 826 et aeg.
TIME AS A FACTOH IN CHRISTIAN MISSIO!;S
'l'IME AS A FACTOR IN CHRISTIAN MISSIONS.
BY REV. ARTHUR H. SMITH, SHAN'l'UNG, CHINA.
1.
The main assumptions on which Christian mlSSlOns proceed are to be found in a single text from the Gospel of Luke: "The Son of man carne to seek and to save that which was lost." This involves a theory of the condition of humanity. It involves the most important fact in the history of the race. It involves a benevolent purpose, which we are abundantly assured will be accomplished. Upon this point there must be no doubt or wavering, for to the believer in the inspiration of the Scripture the future is as certain as the past.
We live in an age in which there has been great expansion in all directions, and among others in the prosecution of Christian missions. Probably more persons are to-day interested in the conversion of the world to Christ than at any previous time. While the work of missions has not been undertaken upon any adequate scale, there is a steady progress both iu the amount and in the quality of effort put forth. It is therefore more and more important that those who are brought face to face with this mighty problem should have clear and correct ideas of its nature. Owing to the greatness of the subject and the complexity of the considerati<'':- involved in it, it is by no means so easy to corne to correct conclusions as many persons seem to suppose. No one has a right to assume that the convictions at which he has arrived are the final truth, but everyone who has had experience may be able to contribute something, however slight, for the edification of his brethren. The following observations upon the "time element in Christian missions" may be taken, as in some sense, the outcome of more than twenty years' practical acquaintance with one of the great mission fields of the world.
1. It is a principle of wide application that great changes take place slowly. The story of the physical universe has not yet been fully told, but enough is known to make it sure that the vast distances of most of the heavenly bodies are matched by the inconceivably great periods of time in which they have been slowly assuming their present condition. Physical geographers have to some extent been able to decipher the " story of the planet," which is always and everywhere one of gradual and progressive change. Catastrophes in great numbers have occurred, but their effects have been distributed and perpetuated only by the lapse of time. The lava thrown out from the bowels of the earth cools, disintegrates, and becomes at length a fertile soil. Mountains are washed down by torrents from the clouds, and little by little the vast alluvial plains come into being.
The law of gradual development is illustrated in all those races of mankind which have been destined to play the largest part in history. An amplification of this proposition would be of itself a treatise. It took more than a millenninm and a half from the call of Abraham till the time when, in the providence of God, the Jew was sent out on his mission unto all nations, and even then his education was far from satisfactory or com- plete.
The Roman race was slowly compacted by eight centuries of discipline ere it was fitted to take the rule of all the '3arth. A still longer period elapsed while that mightiest of empires was slowly crumbling away, the disintegrating elements forming the germs of modern Europe.
The Anglo-Saxon race, to which we are proud to belong, is itself the product of events which have been distributed over a period of thirteen centuries and a half. For ages there seemed to be a mere chaotic conflict of Saxon and Dane. It was eight centuries ago that the Normans moved into Britain and " edited the English language." It is less than three centuries since England began to figure as a world· wide power. and only within the present century has the manifest destiny of the Anglo-Saxon race become plain; not to themselves merely, but to other peoples as well.
In one of the letters of the late A. W. Mackay occurs a passage which suggests much more than might appear upon a careless roading: "It is from the naked savages of Albion and Gormania that have sprung such names as Newton and Shakespeare, Handel and Goethe. A moderu meeting of the committee of a missionary society, deliberating about the extension of the work abroad, is but the Christian development of those palavers which were held by skin-clad Britons on the grassy banks of the Thames, where, with battle-axe in hand, they debated plans for a raid on a neighboring tribe. The problem to be solved and the conditions of the case were pretty much the same in Europe once as they are now in Africa. "
The great historian of civilization, M. Guizot, in the introduction to his monumental work, speaking of the forces involved in human progress, analyzes them into social progress and moral progress, and then proceeds to observe, " One or the other of these facts may predominate, may shine forth with greater splendor for a season, and impress upon the movement its own particular character. At times it may not be till after the lapse of a long interval, after a thousand transformations, a thousand obstacles, that the second shows itself, and comes, as it were, to complete the civilization which the first had begun; but when we look closely, we easily recognize the link by which they are connected. The movements of Providence are not restricted to narrow bounds; it is not anxious to deduce to-day the consequence of the premises it laid down yesterday. It may defer this for ages, till the fulness of time shall come. Its logic will not be less conclusive for reasoning slowly. Providence moves through time, as the gods of Homer through space-it makes a step, and ages have rolled away I How long a time, how many circumstances intervened before the . regeneration of the moral powers of man by Christianity exercised its great, its legitimate influence upon his social condition q Yet who can doubt or mistake its power ~" It is in harmony with these generalizations that the Book, in which God has chosen to reveal Himself to mankind, was not communicated at once, nor under one set of conditions, but " at sundry times and in divers manners," .. durmg a period of certainly more than a thousand years, and by the pens of many writers." What a vast" progress of doctrine" from the simple anthropomorphism of the old patriarchs, with their sacrifices and oblations, yet. with no specific command to prayer, and no cIear teach- ing of a future life, to the instruction imparted by Christ concerning Rim who is a spirit, and is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth! Yet, as the writer just quoted (Dr. R. S. Storrs) goes on to remark, "There is really not a single portion, from the first sentence, 'In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth,' to the last, 'The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,' which has not some radical connection with what anticipates or what follows." The law of gradual development is illustrated in what has been styled the" evolution of Christianity," from the very beginning under the teach- ings of the Master till the present time. "His language in innumerable places," says the late Mr. Brace, in his valuable work, "Gesta Christi," " showed that He believed that these principles which He taught would only be successful after long periods of time and gradual development. Most of His figures and analogies with regard to tIle' kingdom of God' rest upon the idea of slow and progressive growth or change." That Christianity could have been introduced in no other way is indeed evident from the spiritual history of those whom lIe called to be His disciples. The conception of a Messiah who should not" at this time redeem Israel," but whose rule should be in the hearts of men and of a spiritual nature, was wholly beyond them. They could not believe what the Master dis- tinctly and repeatedly told them as to His sufferings and death, and they evidently had no anticipation of His resurrection from the dead, and could with difficulty be persuaded that Christ's promise had bflen made good. The biography of all the apostles, until after Christ's resurrection, might be condensed into His own expressive word, "Fools and slow of heart." That a mighty change came over these men at the Day of Pentecost is a fact of incalculable importance and promise to the Church. Yet, notwithstanding this impetus, the character of the apostles was not suddenly perfected, nor was the Church established by a swift and irresistible miracle. Agencies were set in motion which tended gradually to accomplish the desired results, and those agencies are in operation to-day. Without pausing to amplify these thoughts, which would require a survey of the history of the Church universal, it may be remarked that the gradual evolution of ideas is not a peculiarity of the religious progress of mankind, but is common to all mental progress. The history of the concept of liberty, for which the world had long to wait, and of its slow development, is in some respects analogous to that of Christianity itself. The same may be said of the idea of toleration, which is still far from being acclimated even in Christian lands. Forces, such as are represented by these words, have in the world a mighty, but not an immediate effect. "Sudden effects in history," says John Stuart Mill, " arc generally superficial; causes which go down deep into the future events produce the most serious parts of their effects only slowly, and must have time to become a part of the familiar order of things. ,) Sir William Hamilton points out that one of the strongest intellectual instincts of man is to unify knowledge. This instinct tends both to credulity and scepticism. Every great discovery has to fight its way to recog- nition. The philosopher just named mentions the fact that not aphysician in Europe above forty years of age is believed to have admitted Harvey's discovery of the circulation of the blood. The wider the truth the more difficult its acceptance. It is not only Lamas, such as the one whom Mr. George Kennan interviewed, who are at this late day in doubt in regard to some of the elementary truths of astronomy. A recent number of the .Am.erican Missionary tells of a white preacher in Tennessee, who publicly stated that he was prepared to demonstrate the proposition that the sun revolves around the earth. Doubtless such scepticism seems to most of us imaginary, but it is, on the contrary, to some minds very real.
Before the acceptance of a new truth there must intervene a period of painful doubt, or of such a degree of " hospitality to truth" as to accept either of two contradictory propositions, according to circumstances. The race of teachers who are prepared to "teach round or fiat, according as parents prefer," is not extinct.
That sentiment is one of the strongest forces in human affairs is as well known as any,truth in physics. Consider the hIstory of the theory and practice of vaccination. Why is it that in certain parts of Canada there is almost as fierce an opposition to this valuable preventive of a deadly disease, as if the method was by baptism with oil of vitriol ~ The objection does not rest upon reasoning, and cannot be overcome by reasoning. It is sentimental. It is in part sentiment which makes the introdnction of the practice of cremation so slow and difficult. Earth burial can be shown, as it has often been shown, to be full of peril to the living, but for all that, how many of us want to be incinerated ~ Why does the metric system have such uphill work in getting itself into use in a country where the currency has always been based upon decimals ~ Why can we not introduce spelling reforms into literature or good ventilation into public buildings ~ If it is true that the greater a truth, the slower it makes its way, this proposition must also hold true of the widest generalization of all-the existence of only one God. An idea of God so comprehens~ve, so farreaching, and so revolutionary as that taught by Christ, is not likely to obt.ain an easy or an undisputed entrance into the human understanding, much less to become an integral part of the thought and life of the community or of an individual man.
II. If it is important for us to remember that great changes take place slowly, it is not less so to recollect that great changes are often followed by great reactions.
In the evolution of the globe this truth is illustrated in that remarkable phenomenon called the Glacial Epoch. In the history of the Jewish Church it is illustrated by the repeated relapses into idolatry, both in the kingdoms of Israel and of Judah. Ve read the story of their perpetual retrogradations with incredulity and indignation, forgetting that it is the history of mankind in miniature. In the development of the Christian Church this truth is exhibited in the Dark Ages, when the heavenly lamp seemed to have almost gone out. It is exemplified in the history of whole areas over which Christianity once had dominion. Where are the " seven churches of Asia" ~ What became of the churches in Northern Africa ~ Some of the early missions of the Christian Church perished altogether from the face of the earth, and no traces of them have been found, although for a time they seemed to be highly successful. Theirs was the way of the cagle in the air, the way of the serpent upon a rock, the way of the ship in the midst of the sea. The first Christian church in Roman Britain had been quite forgotten, as Green reminds us, before the reintroduction of that faith in the seventeenth century under Theodore. In the fierce struggle which then ensued, there were great reactions from the first enthusiasm for the new faith, and while nominally accepting it, its adherents" retained their old superstitions side by side with the new worship. Plague or mishap drove them back to a reliance on their heathen charms or amulets, and if trouble befell the Christian teachers who came settling among them, they took it .as a proof of the wrath of the older gods. When some log-rafts, which were floating down the Tyne for the construction of an abbey at its mouth, drifted with the monks who w"re at work on them out to sea, the rustic bystanders shouted: 'Let nobody pray for them; let nobody pity these men who have taken away from us our old worship; and how their new-fangled customs are to be kept, nobody knows.' "
Dr. Geikie quotes an old writer, who calls attention to the analogy between the character of Balaam, who joined the worship of Jehovah with heathen superstitions, and that of some of our English kings. " He was an ambidexter in religion, like Redwald, king of the East Saxons, the first who was baptized; who, as Camden relates, had in the same church one chapel for the Christian religion and another for sacrificing to devils. A loaf of the same leaven was our resolute Rufus, who painted God on one side of his shield and the devil on the other, with the desperate inscription, , I am ready for either.' "
This behavior of our semi-Christian, semi-pagan ancestors is very significant Itnd instructive, and it is worth whilc to pause a moment to consider its bearing on our theme.
In his" Forms of ,Yater," 1'rofes80r Tyndall gives an interesting account of certain experiments made with ice. In 1850 Faraday discovered that when two pieces of ice are placed together they freeze together at the point of contact. Two plates of ice laid one upon the other over night are sometimes so firmly united that they will break anywhere else than along the junctiou. Two pieces of icc will freeze under water, and even in warm water, touching, freezing, melting, and coming together to repeat the process. To this phenomenon Professor Tyndall gives the name of " regelation," and it appears to be an almost perfect analogue to a phenomenon in the religious development of man. There are two different facts to be connoted. The first is the tendency of the mind to escape from a state of oscillation to a state of equilibrium. Heathenism is equilibrium. The introduction of Christianity, with its numerous and imperative demands, brings about a painful and inconvenient oscillation. ,Yhen this becomes insupportable, there ensues a voluntary return to equilibrium, not improbably with the co-operation of "seven other spirits, worse than the first. "
The other fact of which careful note must be taken is the tendency to degeneration. It is exhibited in those seeds which, taken from a land in which they have developed and planted in another soil, either fail to germinate at all, or else produce plants which run to stalks and therefore cannot propagate after their kind.
'On the other hand, there arc many plants which within a certain climate are not only useful, but highly ornamental, but which, when transferred to other zones or climate, develop in such a way as to become a serious and sometimes an insurmountable nuisance. It is not enough to have introduced Christianity into a new place, since, under certain conditions, regelation is certain to ensue. It is not enough merely to plant seeds, as many of them will make a fair show outwardly, but will yield no others to continue the stock, and sometimes there will be such a degeneration as to destroy every appearance of identity with the original. This latter case was amply illustrated by the T'ai-p'ing rebels in China, whose blasphemous adaptations of Scripture phrases shocked all Christendom, and probably did not a little to prejudice the introduction of a pure faith into that empire.
In a recent paper by Admiral Seymour upon the present condition of the Panama Canal, it appears that the work already done (about a fifth of the whole) is rapidly falling to pieces. An inch of rain sometimes falls in an hour, and the average rainfall is five times as great as that of London. Vegetation springS' up so quickly that the whole of the works will soon be buried out of sight. W~ich is easier, to evangelize a race or to dig a ditch 1 ,Yhich would be the harder task, to alter the" religious bias" of the most numerous race upon the earth, or to introduce European roads and bridges ~ It is ten years since the imperial commission was secured for a line of railway in China, not a foot of which has yet been begun, because the opposition was so strong that the scheme was strangled in its cradle j but no one doubts that railways will eventually be built all over the empire, although it would not be strange if a century should elapse before this comes to pass.
·Which is the easier, to teach a heathen to sing a tune correctly, or to lead him to walk in the way which leads to heaven ~ The psalmody of the Chinese, at least, must depend mainly for its melody upon the rising generation and not upon adults. To bring in a new system Jf music, and to teach those who use it to bc governed by its laws, is in China a hope- less task, unless the pupils, like Dr. Johnson's Scotchman, are "caught young." .
How long does any reader, who has a sufficient acquaintance with China to form an intelligent opinion, think it would require in that empire to bring about such a change of practice that every man, woman, and child should take a bath at least once a week and put on a clean undergarment ~ As yet most of them take no baths at all, and underclothing is unknown. Yet which is easier, to cause such an alteration of customs as this would imply, or to upset all the religious assumptions slowly accumulated by the wisdom of ages ~ Of the phenomenon of regelation we have already spoken. It is an important one, not easy to be understood.
Antecedent to experience, our theory of the propagation of Christianity would undoubtedly be that while it might be a slow process, it would be a sure one. The sacred fire once kindled will not go out. While indi- vidual apostasies might be looked for, we should not expect to see whole communities abandon the faith which they have come in some measure to know. Yet experience shows that the most· depressing feature of mis- sionarywork is the fact that there are many little Christian communities carefully and patiently instructed, which seem for a time to be the germs out of which large churches are to come. Yet later on internal dissen- sions, the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of poverty, or other causes not foreseen or preventible, have proved a worm at the root of these bright hopes. "-e could name a city in one of the suburbs of which there was an interesting opening for the introduction of Christianity, and in which one or two preachers were stationed with almost no interruption for about two years. The inquirers numbered fifteen, among whom were scholars, merchants, artisans, and day laborers. The Sunday services were largely attended, and there was a sort of Bible class every evening, at which in- struction enough seemed to have been imparted to give every inquirer a clear and connected idea of what Christianity is and what its duties are.
Several persons wholly ignorant learnt to read, and large numbers of all grades of Christian books were sold to ready purchasers. Nothing occurred to give the growing work a check, as the. opposition of the literati was gradually overcome, and there never was any external hindrance from any other quarter. Yet after two years of this work carefully followed up by all known means, it was ascertained that not a single one of .the fifteen held out in his quest for truth. Some were too busy, some were too poor, and all were bound by the invisible fetters of ancient customs diametrically opposed to the spirit and to the practice of Christianity. Not one of these persons would not cheerfully admit that Christianity is a good thing-much better, indeed, than anything which China has or can have to occupy its place j but it is too costly, too exacting-" W!l cannot afford it," and that is the end of the matter.
We could name a mission station within a few miles of which are fifteen different villages, in each of which there was at one time a regular reiigious service, and in each of which this service had eventually to be given up, from causes which are as various as the situation of the hamlets, but all alike having their root in the fact that the introduction of Christianity is a more difficult task than some of its missionaries supposed. Every missionary is able from his own experience to duplicate these instances, and he will often tell you that in specific cases the failure was directly traceable to some fatal mistake of his own, the possible consequences of which he had not duly considered.
What are we to say to such occurrences as these ~ Has the Gospel lost its power? Is there some new and unforeseen combination of circumstances which renders impossible in one place that which is quite feasible in another?
On the contrary, there is nothing whatever about it either new or surpnsmg. " Some fell by the wayside." "Some fell among thorns." "Some fell on stony ground, and because it had no depth of earth, it withered away." The only question is that of the relative number of the seeds which may be expected to fall by the wayside, among thorns, or upon the.~rocks, and in regard to that point Ch"ist gives us no information. lYe only know that some brings forth thirty, sixty, or an hundred-fold.
The plain truth is that as yet the Christian Church at home has no adequate conception of wlwt is m€ant by the evangelization of a heathen nation or tribe, and this despite the experience of an hundred years of modern mISSIOns. The nature of the work to be done is indeed understood, for it is clearly pointed out in the New Testament, but the true character of the obstructions can only be known by those who meet them face to face. Whatever the field, it is to be premised that the whole intellectual and moral energies of those addressed by Christianity will rise np against it. In the strong language of Professor Phelps-albeit none too strong for the facts-" The most severe and intricate labor ever undertaken by the mind of man is that of projecting a Divine revelation into the mental and moral history of a race of beings who are filled with moral antipathies to itll spirit, and doing this mainly by the art of oral speech."
(To be concluded.)
CHAMBERI EVANGELICAL MISSION, MADRID, SPAIN
CHAMBERI EVANGELICAL MISSION, MADRID, SPAIN.
BY MRS. A. R. FENN, MADRID, SPAIN.
During the past year the work has been carried on in Madrid with uncontracted operations. The six schools, with 500 to 550 children. have been supported during the past ten months, as the other branches, by dona- tions and a few subscriptions from Christians, mostly of Great Britain, but two or three also of the United States.
The notice to leave the premises does not expire for another year, but the prospects of a new building outwardly are not bright, there not being yet sufficient in hand for the land, though more than one suitable plot can be obtained at from £1200 to £1500. A number of well-known gentlemen in London have offered to become trustees, also honorary secretary and treasurer for the building fund, whose addresses will be given, and the whole thing is daily brought before the Lord of the vineyard that He may dispose those of His servants and stewards whom He will to help as they are able in this work.
Mr. Fenn and I returned from England to Spain in May last, and found the schools and the various kinds of Gospel work going on well, the schools being increasingly well attended-in fact, with as many children as the teaching power would admit in some, and as the premises would hold in others; and that, notwithstanding the school fees have been slightly raised, the obligation to pay the increased fee being only laid on new scholars. The general conduct of the children is good, their advance in ordinary studies satisfactory, in some cases highly so, and their knowledge of Scripture, including history and doctrine, intelligent and clear. The amount of Scripture they have committed to memory is astonishing, and would serve them well should their Bibles ever be taken from them (which God grant may never be the case I), and which memorized Scripture we constantly pray the Spirit may bring to their remembrance and make effective in their hearts and lives.
From time to time there have always been manifest conversions, and two or three of the elder girls and boys, it is believed, have decided for Christ during the past year; and with much joy the mission church has lately received into her fellowship two of the former scholars.
We must work while it is day. ·While there are always parents who wish to entrust their children to our care, while there are earnest Christian Spanish teachers to teach them, notwithstanding the continued and ever-varying opposition of priests and ladies of the Church of Rome, shall we withdraw ~ While the people come to hear the Word of God preached in spite of Rome's anathemas, some believing and some believing not, and while the law protects us in our buildings, which it calls templos (temples), shall we close the work because our landlord will no longer have us as tenants and there is no other suitable building in the neighborhood 1 ,Ve think not, but go on continually laying the circumstances before the Lord. As opportunity has occurred we have also laid them before His people in more favored lands, that they may have the opportunity of helping forward the Gospel in this large and thickly populated northern district of Madrid, containing more than 60,000 inhabitants, as well as in its extension, and also that we may have the fellowship of their prayer for much more abundant spiritual blessing, especially in the conversion of the young. We often pray that the seed sown may multiply by the word passing from mouth to mouth. I will conclude this paper by giving one instance of answer to this prayer.
Some eight years ago a small mission was opened in a large village about twenty-seven miles from Madrid, and visited from time to time by ourselves, fellow-workers, or Spanish Christian men, and several conversions took place. An old man from another province annually spent some weeks in the place in pressing olives. He never was able to attend a meeting on account of having to work all the week, Sundays included; but he read the tracts given him, purchased a Bible, and took opportunities for conversation with Christians. lie laid hold of the truth and returned to his village, more than one hundred miles off, year by year with a little new light, which was seen by his life, and consequently his words were listened to by his neighbors. This year he entreated that his village might be visited with the Gospel, and Mr. Nisbet, a missionary who joined the work last year, promised to go as soon as he could. He went in May, and spent ten days in continually speaking to individuals, to the few who assembled in daylight and to the many who congregated in the evenings in the old man's house. Many became deeply interested in the things they heard, and he thought two or three at least believed with the heart. The interest awakened among the people quickly aroused the opposition of the priests, fourteen of whom, from as many places around, assembled to consider what could be done. They at last got the mayor to order Mr. Nisbet to leave the place, though he could not legally compel him; but Mr. Nisbet had already stayed longer than he had intended, and the seed was sown. May it be watered from above, and the ground prepared for a future visit!
A poor sick woman, who had heard the old man speak and had read much of his Bible, longed for the visit of the Protestant pastor, saying, " Oh, when will he come ~ Will it be before I die~" She died six weeks before the visit, a true believer in the Lord Jesus, the old man said.
[Donations may be sent to the editor, Rev. Arthur T. Pierson, D.D., or to either of the following gentlemen in England: Arthur Boake, Esq., Hon. Treasurer for Land and Building Fund, Southwood Lawn, Highgate, London, N.; Arthur Pomroy, Esq., Hon. Secretary for Land and Building Fund, 2 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall Street, London, E. C.; W. Charles W. Vincent, Esq., 163 Upper Asbaldeston Road, N. (London Corre-
THE PLACE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN MISSIONARY WORK
spondent); James Kingsmill, Esq., 31 Buckingham Place, Brighton (Provincial Correspondent), stating object: (1) schools and general work, (2) building, (3) personal expenses of director and fellow-missionaries.] THE PLACE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN MISSIONARY WORK. * BY F. F. ELLINWOOD, D.D.
There is perhaps no one question connected with the great missionary enterprise more complex than this, or involving so many and often conflicting considerations which it is necessary to weigh. The circumstances and conditions of work differ, not only in different lands, but also in dif. ferent periods. Some of the expectations which were entertained a century ago have been disappointed; others have met with only modified fulfilment. It was understood that inveterate systems would need to be overcome, and much rubbish be removed before the superstructure of Christianity and Christian civilization could be reared; but the Church was not quite prepared for all the changes which have, in fact, occurred. Very generally it was supposed to be the wise course to begin with the young, and rise from primary to higher grades of education, encouraged by the fact that so much had been accomplished by general education in our own land.
But perhaps it was not duly considered that this general education had in our case been a slow growth, and that its sudden introduction among peoples enthralled by old heathen customs and steeped in false philosophies might develop results somewhat different from those which had been expected. The task undertaken in India and in the Turkish Empire, for example, involved the impact of a full-grown civilization upon othe: civ. ilizations which were also fully developed, though on different lines. This implied not merely persuasion, but gradual revolution. Where so great changes are liable to occur, it is impossible to foresee all the results of education, and especially higher education, upon a non-Christian race. And we ought not to b£ surprised if, as a result of our progress and in proportion to our progress, even greater antagonisms should yet rise up against our missionary work.
One result of higher education in the countries named, taken together with the opening of increased commercial relations with other lands, has been the awakening of an ambition to seek especially an English or a French education as a means of business thrift. The spirit developed has been disappointing to the missionaries, who had hop~d for consecrated lives enlisted in winning men to the Cross, but who have found instead of this • Read before the Conference of officers of Mission Bpards and 80cieties in New York, January 17, 1894, an all-absorbing desire to secure advantageous positions in governmental or commercial employments. Moreover, it has been found very generally that the education of young men, iu the great seaport cities where they were subjected to a coutrolling cosmopolitan influence, has been attended with more or less denationalization. :Many young men from Mt. Lebanon, trained in Beirut, or Armenians from Central Turkey, educated at Constantinople, have been quick to catch the foreign spirit, to assume foreign airs, and to develop from their education a positive unfitness for the humble walks of missionary life among their countrymen in the rural districts. A later outcome of the same general influence has been the creation of a desire to visit Europe or America to obtain a still higher education, generally with a professed purpose to return to a greater usefulness at home, but sooner or later disclosing an ambition to be placed upon the footing and the salary of a foreign missiouary. This has been and now is one of the gravest difficulties connected with higher education in certain prominent mission fields.
And its influence has not been confined to those who had been selected as candidates for the ministry or for teaching, but has extended to hundreds of others in various ranks of life. Colonies of Armenians, Syrians, Bulgarians, Persians are now fonnd in our American cities, and the whole movement in its far-reaching influence seems to promise a serious depletion of the ranks of intelligent youth, who ought to be trained at home as Christian laborers.
Another unexpected reRnlt of foreign education, particularly English education, has been the rehabilitation of the old false systems which it was our purpose to supersede. In India the educated young men of the present generation have, through Western influence, been made familiar as never before with their own faiths and philosophies. This has not all been accomplished by missiouary institutions, but more largely by those under the auspices of Government j yet to some extent our English education has led on to the same results. While we have greatly extended the English language as a medium of enlightenment, there has been a revival of Sanscrit learning, with extensive expurgated translations of Sanscrit literature into English, so that hundreds have been made acquainted with their own systems through our language learned in the mission schools.
Our agnostic speculations also have found their way to India and Japan. As a result of the investigations of a society formed in Calcutta for the diffusion of a wholesome literature, it was found that Western infidelity in various forms was making quite as large a use of the English language, in the diffusion of infidel and immoral books and pamphlets, as that of all missionary boards and societies taken together. And such literature has this advantage, that wealthy Rajahs and others more or less hostile to Christian propagandism are ready to contribute largely for the circulation of the writings of Bradlaugh and Ingersoll, while n~ such help is found in the dissemination of Chris~ian books. Then, as to the litera. ture of vice, French novels of the worst type, translated into cheap English forms, were found to be extensively imported as business ventures by cor. rupt and nnscrupulous men. The extent of this evil has been found to be appalling.
A similar condition of things has appeared in Siam, where my late colleague, Dr. Mitchell, when on a visit three or four years ago, was informed that the high officials of the government were recediug from their favorable attitude toward female educatiou, for the reasou that the Siamese women and girls who had learned to read were being corrupted by the vile literature which was thrown upon the market at Bangkok.
Such discouragements as these should not be allowed too great weight, but it is well to recognize the fact that tares are sown abundautly with the wheat, and that if the true husbandmen are not alert, the tares may exceed the harvest.
Another consideration which has raised some question as to the policy of missionary education, is the alleged fact that in proportion to the great expenditure made by certain societies especially engaged in the higher training, the number of conversions has seemed small as compared with the results gained by other societies devoted mainly to e,'angelistic work. A spirit of discontent with these results has sometimes manifested itself in some of the churches, and has been made a matter of criticism by the secular press, with invidious comparisons as to the relative" cost of a convert. "
Now a thoroughly enlightened estimate would, of course, make little account of these criticisms, and would place greater value upon the broader scope of future results. Still these complaiuts have not been easy to meet; and, more or less iu response to a popular feeliug, certain societies have beeu organized with the paramount aim of direct evangelization, and their undenominational work based upon that policy has won a large degree of sympathy and support. "Institutionalism," as it is sometimes rather slightingly called, has been held at a discount, and men have plead for the direct work of preaching the Gospel as a message to the adults of this generation. In answer to the argument of the "seed· sowers," it has been said that the fifty or sixty years of seed-sowing that have been spent in some fields ought by this time to bring forth plentiful harvests; that the great work demanded by the present generation of dying men cannot be longer saerificed to the work of teaching a limited number from whom results are to be expected in the distant years to come.
D nder the influence of these various disappointments and difficulties, it is not strange that the whole question of missionary education should have come up for re-examination, and that a feeling in favor of placing greater emphasis upon the direct work of preaching the Gospel to men and women, as it was proclaimed in the days of the apostles, should have come to demand a greater emphasis. I think I am safe in saying that in most of the missionary organizations represented in this conference, and in others which have been held, not by Americans only, but by representatives of European societies, there has been an inereasing conviction that the place of emphasis in mission work should possibly be somewhat changed, and that the prayers of all friends of missions should be emboldened to ask for abundant harvests now or soon in the fields in which for so long a time institntional work of all kinds has been carried on, and where as yet the results are proportionately small.
But, on the other hand, let us fairly weigh some considerations which urge the maintenance and the advance of higher education. Those who have read the reports of the late Parliament of Religions at Chicago must have reached the conclusion that the Church, in her conquest of the non- Christian races, mnst expect to cope with men of a high order of intellect j men well trained in the principles of their own faiths and philosophies j men who have been stimulated and emboldened by the fellowship and encouragement of every form of infidelity from our own land j men who have been made familiar with all the weaknesses and blemishes found in the history of the Christian Church j men who are stung with indignation at the outrages which almost universally, in the East and in the Islands of the Sea, are visited upon weaker races by representatives of Christian nations.
First, it is evident that some at least of our missionaries must be able defenders of the truth against manifold error. At a summer school attended by about four hundred young native ministers and teachers in Japan four or five years ago, a summary of conclusions was reached, one of which was in substance this: " We do not deem it necessary that many more missionaries shall be sent us from America to preach the Gospel to the masses of our people. The ordinary work of preaching can be done yuite as well by educated men of our own race j but if our friends across the ocean can send us men capable of becoming leaders, able to teach us how we may grapple with rival systems of religion or philosophy, and all the burning questions which confront us, then the more they send, the better. "
Now such a demand means not only a high grade of training for our missionaries, or some of them, but also for leading minds in the native church, for they especially will encounter the well-trained opposers. I know how cheap and easy it is to answer all this by the taking plea that " what our missionaries need is a knowledge of Christ, and Him crucified." But Paul also knew something about Christ, and Him crucified j and yet in planting young Titus as a missionary among the cavilling and besotted inhabitants of Crete, he enjoined upon him that careful preparation which should enable him "to convince the gainsayers," the vain talkers and deceivers, " whose months must be stopped." And these were not mere babes in knowledge, bnt were trained and skilful cavillers belonging to " the circumcision," and their mouths were to be stopped, not with sanctimonious platitudes nor sweeping denunciation, but with sound argument. FOIl" the last five years the Japan Mail has published a monthly resume of the utterances of all religious and anti-religious systems. It has main- tained in reality a continuous Parliament of Religions along the same lines as that at Chic.ago in 1893. Some of the educated Japanese, hostile to the Christian faith, have shown surprising familiarity with our faith and our Church history, especially its alleged blemishes; and Mr. Hirai, on the floor of the Chicago Parliament, hurled back the dark and blighting record of the unjust diplomacy of Christian nations in a way which only a thoroughly informed missionary could answer.
I cite these facts in order to show that not only missionaries, but at least some of our native preachers and teachers, must be fitted to defend the Christian faith against powerful opponents, and to show the difference between the attitude of the Christian Church of the West and the nations of the West.
One of the greatest necessities of our age is that we shall have here at home educational facilities which shall enable chosen men by lifelong study to speak with authority on all the great issues by which the Christian faith is confronted; and the same need will be felt-nay, is being felt, on some of our foreign fields.. In educated circles in Japan there is, I think, greater attention given to religious thought than among us. However we may account for the fact, the Japanese are philosophers by a sort of instinct. The people of India are, perhaps, thc most religious and the most metaphysical of any nation on the globe. Their literatures show that in remote ages profound philosophies were elaborated, evincing the deepest penetration into the mysteries of life and the nature and tcndencies of the human soul. Here we have been busy with material things; there religious speculation has long held the larger place. The Vedic Magazine, published in Hindi and in English at Lahore, presents some very caustic criticisms upon the habits and the characteristics of the average Anglo- Saxon. It characterizes him as a beef-eating and beer-drinking type of man, whose luxurious life renders him incapable of spiritual contemplation. His civilization is one of material forces only, and his only real worship is that of outward display or hoarded pelf. The same magazine quoted a year or two ago some of President Andrew D. White's startling revelations of the corrnptions of American m~nicipal government, and held them up to thoughtful Orientals as a specimen of the results of Western civilization.
This generation needs a new apologetic. It is no longer the old battle with Gnostics and Manichreans, nor the later controversies with English Deists or French Encyclopedists ; there are special issues that concern us now. And as the battle-ground will be not here alone, but on some of our great mission fields, shall we not prepare some of our native preachers and teachers to act well their part! If so, we must pay some attention to the highest missionary education.
I have already alluded to the fact that young men in India and Japan are well furnished with all the stock arguments against the Christian faith, and they know how to use them. A young Hindu, seventeen years of age, said to his Bible-class teacher, " Do you say that God made the world for His own glory 1" "Yes. " "Did it increase His glory 1" " Yes." " If, then, He had something which He'did not possess before, how could He have been infinite in the beginning 1" Another said, " Do you tell us that God is everywhere present and pervades all things 1" " Yes." " Is He in every visible object, and even within us 1" " Yes." "Then He is in that idol yonder, and that is what we have always held. " It is evidently a mistake to suppose that we have simply and only to tell the story of the Cross. That there is a very important place for that simple and direct work I hope to show farther on j and although there are paid pundits employed for the purpose of interrupting the bazaar preacher with perplexing questions, it is a wise rule to avoid discussions, if possible.
But the idea that either the missionary or the native preacher needs only to be taught the principles of our Christian religion, and that they can always meet the oppositions of heathen systems by ignoring them, is preposterous. If it should turn out in any of the great battle-fields of religious thought that Christianity, with all its claims to intellectual superi. ority, had shown itself unable to defend its doctrines or its history against the assailments of skilful Orientals supposed to be ignorant " heathen," it would be a day of disaster to the cause of truth. Christianity would come to be looked upon with contempt .by those whom we have professed to enlighten, and this discomfiture on the mission fields would soon cast its reflex influence upon the whole position of the Church at home. It is to be borne in mind that the world is one at last, and that with respect to religious thought the boundaries of nationality are forever lost. The Parliament of Religions has come to stay. It began long before the Chicago Committee had thought of it. Truth must everywhere be equipped for her final victory over error.
Again, not merely in religious thought and in speculative philosophy, inclu(1ing a study of all sacred books, but in science and in history, Christiallity mnst l1ave a hand on all the greater mission fields. A warped and diRtorted science taking possession of leading minds, and more or less affecting every claRs, would constitute one of the worst barriers to the inculcation of Christiau truth. For example, the wide prevalence of materialistic evolution, claiming to cut up by the ruots all the religious cosmogonies of the world-that of Genesis as well as that of the Brahmana!! 01' Manu-will, if left unchallenged in India or Japan, throw contempt upon our Christian Bible and largely upon the whole teaching of the Christian Church. I And there is a like demand in the sphere of ethics. That an entirely secular education left in the hands of governments, ana dealing chiefly with schools of philosophy and of science, would in time overthrow the religious teaching of Hinduism, or the Buddhist and Shinto faiths of Japan, goes without saying. If, then, advanced Christian instruction should be withheld, what basis of ethics would be left q And this difficulty is already being recognized and seriously felt in some Eastern lands. The disciples of Huxley and Herbert Spencer in Japan have been trying to devise' an ethical basis which would meet the wants of the people without recourse to the ethics of the New Testament. And if a race like the Hindus are by their education divested of their own religious faith, and left wIth no substitnte, by what ethical restraints or promptings will that race be influenced q I am told that certain administrators of the Indian Government, after a long experiment of mere secular training, which has left the minds of thousands of educated youth stranded on the dreary wastes of agnosticism and without the fear of God or man, are convinced that this policy is fatal, and the most thoughtful minds are turning to Christian missions with increasing favor as the only thing that can supply the deficiency and save the nation from becoming morally bankrnpt. The question has been raised, and I refer to it in this close connection, whether it might not be better for missionary societifls to dispense with governmental stipends, which are given toward the support of their educational institutions in India. Vv~ere the restrictions as stringent as those imposed by the Emperor of Austria upon all Protestant missionary operations, there might be reason for rejecting such aid j but such is not the case in India j and surely if the government is looking to missions for their moral influence in the great issues which have arisen, we should not be slow to enter into that alliance so far as the demands of other forms of work shall permit.
But in all that I have said I would not be understood as maintaining that any large proportion of our missionary expenditure should be given to what is called university education in a country like India or Japan. I notice that in the reports of missionary conferences held in India, and in published articles written on the field, one solution has generally been proposed for all the difficulties which have been named-namely this, " Increase your force, man your institutions more thoroughly, and thus make this higher education a power." But from the standpoint of the home treasuries the difficulties are less easily settled. What if every year a missionary board is compelled to choose between one desirable form of work and another q Can we, in good conscience, spend $25,000 or $50,000 in the plant or the professorships of a college for general education, when that means a retention of eight or ten missionary evangelists who otherwise might be sent, or when it must necessitate the dismissal, or at least the failure to employ, forty or fifty native preachers who might go among the people publishing the simple Gospel q While considering the needs of the higher and more intellectual classes, we must not forget the millions of the utterly benighted who will pass away in the few years of this generation. A few weeks since Mr. P. C. Mozoomdar, after speaking of the different schools of Indian philosophy, said in my IlCal'ing, that of the nearly three hundred millions of India, at least two hundred and twenty-five millions were of the simplest and most ignorant classes, who know nothing of abstruse systems or of sacred books, but are deluded by the most degrading superstitions. Surely here is a waiting vineyard for a class of laborers who can make little claim to scholarship.
I have spoken of the necessity of sending out some thoroughly quali~ fied missionaries who shall b~ able to grapple with every form of error, and I would have every man so thoroughly qualified as to understand the customs and beliefs of the people among whom he is to labor; but I wish it to be distinctly understood that I would gladly see the great majority of our missionaries giving themselves to the direct proclamation of the truth, or to the training of native preachers by short, practical courses in which the spiritual element should preponderate. They should then lead them forth as helpers to an organized work in the country villages, where they would be less liable to disturbance from the paid agents of the Aryas, who are employed to thwart their efforts by their shrewd questionings. I most earnestly advocate a great preponderance on the side of evangelistic work. If it is true that in Japan there is a native ministry who can now best do the work of preaching to the masses, that condition certainly does not obtain in the country districts of India or among the millions of China, or in Siam and Laos, least of all among the interior tribes of Africa. If we were concerned with plans for this generation only, and were not laying foundations for an extended future, I am not sure but it would be the part of wisdom to concentrate all our force and all our possible expenditure upon the direct work of preaching the Gospel to the neglected millions of to-day ; but we cannot thus neglect the foundations for the future. While, on the one hand, we ought to labor for the men of to-day as if Christ were soon to come and this generation were to be the last; on the other hand, we ought to lay plans as broadly and deeply as if assured that many generations are yet to follow.
In deciding thoughtfully and wisely where we shall place the emphasis, I think we should not wander too far from the New Testament plan. There is, of course, an important differential. This is far more an age of books and of schools than was the apostolic age. The late Christopher Robert, while speaking of the College in Constantinople and similar enterprises, once said to me that" perhaps if Paul had established a Christian college at Antioch, the Seven Churches of Asia would have had a better history." That was one view of the question before us ; but if Paul, on the other hand, had spent his life as a professor of science and philosophy at Antioch, would the Christian Church have made equal advances into Macedonia and the Roman Empire 1 Would subsequent ages have received an equivalent for that theological and spiritual teaching which we now find in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Epistles q It might have been claimed by the Church at Antioch that scholarly work was an important seed-sowing j but what was Paul's great and world-wide mission work but a seed-sowing that has blessed many nations and made Christianity a power for all time ~ An impression seems to have prevailed with many since the great Parliament of Religions that learned Hindus, Buddhists, and Confucianists have become too wise in our day to afford any warrant for further missionary effort on our part j and in Japan something like intolerance is beginning to be shown toward the propagandists of our faith. But this is nothing new in the world. There never has been a time when there were not other needy fields farther on. Our Saviour's command in such cases was to simply move on till there was found a better welcome j and when Israel turned a deaf ear, the Gospel was borne to the Gentiles. Now, also, there is no lack of needy millions who wiII receive the truth. The late Dr. Duff once remarked that possibly the system of caste in India would yet be regarded as one of the most important and helpful factors in the great work of missions, his idea being that those despised classes who have least to hope for from their own system, who have less self-complacency and less Aryan pride, may be the first to receive with readiness and delight the Gospel which respects their manhood and proclaims the love of that God" who hath made of one blood all nations" and all castes of mankind. The village work of the American Methodist Mission in Northern India, and that of the Baptist missions in Southern India, would seem to indicate that whole villages and even hundreds and thousands of villages of low-caste people may yet be won to the Cross of Christ. God grant that such may be the future realization of the mission work in India! God grant that III our own generation we may witness an upheaval of this subsoil of degraded Hinduism that shall overthrow all the superstructures that the pride of caste has reared above it.
Already there are found among these low-caste people bright and responsive minds which, under the influence of the truth, develop a Christian manhood quite unlooked for. With a widespread evangelization and with the fair play of the British rule, who shall say that a new India may not arise from the lower ranks ~ There are many things which occur to me in connection with this broad subject, but there is time but for one further thought. We have considered the need of higher education. We have also recognized the supreme importance of reaching in the most direct way the masses that are perishing in our own generation, and here we have placed the emphasis. Now bQtween these two lines of work there is a wide sphere of effort whose importance cannot be overestimated. Obviously this wide propagandism which I have indicated must require a large force of preachers and teachers, and those of all grades. I would say, then, that the most important of all departments of education on the mission field is that of schools in which men shall be fitted for the middle grades of work, and the staple of instruction should be given in the vernacular. Call them colleges or training
UNOCCUPIED MISSION FIELDS OF THE WORLD
schools, or by whatever name, they constitute o~r chief hope for both the present and the future. Short normal courses for men already employed are sometimes valuable. A friend who had visited India said to me that of all the higher institutions that he had seen, and he had visited many, that one belonging to the Methodist Mission at Bareilly seemed to him best adapted to meet the widespread wants of a mission of any that he had seen. The curriculum was not so extended as in some other institutions, but it was more distinctively a school for the training of preachers and teachers. General education was subordinate to this, so far as he could discover. Those who were selected or admitted to the institution were by preference young men who gave good promise of becoming Christian workers. And my impression is that the Doshisha of the American Board in Japan, established and for some years directed by the lamented Neesima, has attained its high success and proved its eminent usefulness just in proportion to the emphasis which it put upon the training of preachers and teachers for the direct service of the mission. Years ago the sainted Calhoun established a missionary institution at Abeih in Syria. The curriculum was fairly extended and comprehensive, but the great idea which prevailed in his selection of men and in the whole course of study was that of fitting laborers who should preach the Gospel, in the pulpit or in the school-room. Probably there has never been an institution for higher education in which so large a per cent of graduates was fouud available for direct and valuable Christian service as in that school at Abeih. In my opinion, the higher education which any missionary society or board is abie to carryon should be devoted chiefly to this specific work of training laborers, holding secular education in subordination to this end, at the same time, if possible, maintaining either alone err conjointly with other boards and societies one or more institutions in which the very highest training can be given. Above all, let the emphasis of our missionary work in these closing years of the nineteenth century be put upon direct and widespread evangelization.
UNOCCUPIED MISSION FIELDS OF THE WORLD.-III.
BY REV. JAMES DOUGLAS, LONDON, ENGLAND.
II. Leaving the great Continent of Asia and the numerous unoccupied fields which it contains, we enter what has been called the Dark Continent of Africa, but which, despite its darkness, constitutes no mean portion of the classic ground of modern Christian missions. What illustrious names are strewn over Darkest Africa, great search-lights in their day, and which death, so far from quenching, has but made to shine with the more vivid brilliancy ! We think of Moffat, Livingstone, Sakir, Gordon, Comber, the Coilliards, Mackay, Hannington, Wilmot Brooke, and othersl men who knew their God and did exploits, and whose memory lives as an inspiration and legacy to the Church for all time to come. Bitterly as we regret the human blood spilt that the highway of commerce and of military conquest might be prepared, we praise God for the men and women of faith who have poured out their lives as a libation in the endeavor to heal Africa's grievous sore. How open that wound still is, and how pleadingly it calls for Gilead's balm, we can but faintly appreciate! The rule of the strong hand, according to the law of brute ferocity, is general in Africa, save where fear counsels moderation j the native religions are as demons let loose to torture or slay, as caprice may dictate j and so all-pervasive is the spirit of cruelty, that the very sports of the people are spiced by its excesses. Thus Dr. William Junker, in his travels in Africa, 1882-86, tells of a savage custom .of the Soudanese men, which he himself witnessed on the occasion of the celebration of a marriage-namely, the challenge to a duel ,vith the rhiuoceros-hide whip. "Each has to take the same number of blows from his opponent as he gives. Sometimes one man will challenge three or four, to whom he deals in turn savage blows, which are returned afterward by them all in succession." "The pain," says Dr. Junker, "must have been excessive, but I did not see the men move a muscle. " To do justice to the horrors of the situation, we have to remember the growing increment of the Arab's sway, and the spread of Islamism over the central regions. The religion of the false prophet has neithG pity in its heart nor balm in its hand, and serves but to exacerbate the sore that already exists. How true it is, if we would only believe it and show our faith by our works, that" none but Jesus can do helpless sinners good" !
On the whole, however, it is somewhat doubtful whether Africa is now the darkest continent in the world. In many parts the reign of cruelty is checked and superstition's dark night invaded. "Forty societies are at work with over seven thousand ordained missionaries," the addition of converts last year being over twenty thousand. Certainly Africa, if still the darkest, is not the most neglected continent in the world; nor is it to be reckoned, save where Mohammedanism prevails, as the stoniest of fields. Bravely has the missionary striven to keep in the vanguard of exploration, and to vie with the merchant and politician in opening the sealed land. The result is that Gospel light has been carried far into the interior; the Congo studded by a chain of missions reaching to the equator; Uganda occupied, and Central Africa made accessible to even where not pierced by Gospel agency. Thus far the evangelization effe.cted, bright with promise though it be, only samples the need which on a vast scale remains unbroken. The present partitionment of Africa is too artificial and foreign to furnish any consistent view of what fields are or are not occupied. It would require an analysis according to tribes to supply this, and that is beyond our present knowledge; but one thing is clear, that the work of evangelizing Africa is extending, both by the bold stride of the pioneer and the patient la-bor of those who follow after. The work takes hold like roots which extend deeper and farther into the soil; "he varied societies are lengthening their cords and strengthening their stakes; new languages are being acquired as new commumties are being reached, while to the eye of faith the results achieved are only a faint glimmering of the light and blessing that are surely and soon to break forth.
Soudan.-The chief territory in Africa clearly defined as unoccupied is the multiform region of the Soudan, with the thinl'y peopled Sahara on the north and Abyssinia on the east. This immense tract of country lies north of the Congo Basin, and has a reach from the west eastward considerably exceeding the span from San Francisco to New York. The average breadth is from 500 to 250 miles. The Soudan is a land of varied races and of a multitude of tongues, but is broadly dvisible into three regions -a western, an eastern, and a central. The eastern region is in a state of social solution, and for years violence has filled the whole land. Since the fall of Khartoum and the evacuation of the equatorial province, there has been no let to Arab aggression and domination, with the result that native blood has flowed like water, and the remnants of native population are terrorized and enslaved. It is as if a fair and prosperous kosmo8 had been by mighty convulsions turned to chaos. Yet had Gordon been supported, what different things we should have seen to-day! But England in her short-sighted rulers did not discern God's gift in that man, nor the magnificent opportunity which, in the providence of God, came with him. And now there is "no man to make up the hedge and fill the gap before the Lord;" neither is there space for repentance. Meanwhile, pandemonium is let loose, slavery is rampant, and if there are not now native races enough to lash, the Arab hunter, grown emboldened by success, has only to go farther afield.
As, however, in the sky there is always light somewhere, either reflected by the distant stars or cast up from the buried sun, so even in regard to Eastern Soudan it is given us to see some gleam in the midst of densest obscuration. Bishop Tucker, while thinking that the door into Eastern Soudan is not to be opened from the north, is sanguine that it shall yet be set open from the south. Uganda, in his judgment, is to be the Gibraltar rock upon which the Arab's power is to be broken, the base of operations whereby slavery is to receive its death-wound, and the most miserable regions on the face of the earth, social recovery and Gospel light. Be that as it may, of this we are assured, that in some way or other for Eastern Soudan, as for other unoccupied fields, t.he Lord will provide.
Turning our attention to the western section of the Soudan, which is related to the" lordly Niger," there is some cause for uneasiness at the spread of the Fulani colonies, which own as their head the Sultan of Segu on the Upper Niger, and under the pretence of waging "Jihads," or holy wars, " attack and subjugate the pagans wherever they can." The Fulahs are" fanatical Muslims" of "bronzed complexion," born fighters and skilled in strategy, who never fail, when they meet with European travellers, "to claim brotherhood and kinship with the white strangers." Both their appearance and language are somewhat of an enigma. Distinct from the negro in type, their tongue is also distinct, and seems to have no " definite position among the linguistic families of Africa." Indeed, if what is said of its two grammatical genders be true, that it has " NOT the masculine and the feminine, as in most idioms, but the human and the non-human," the Fulah tongue has a right to be placed in a category by itself among the tongues of the earth as the most unique curiosity to which the confusion at Babel has given birth. The Fulahs have all the marks of a superior race, and while keen in their scent for conquest, have thus far kept free from complicity in the slave trade_ The Central Soudan 'is a most populous region, embracing the dominions of the great Sultan of the negro kingdom of Sokoto, Bornu, a popu- IouI' Mohammedan State, and the Sultanate of Wadai, which is the most powerful of the Central Soudan States_ It is believed that in these kingdoms alone there are 60,000,000 without a missionary. The great Ransa nation, in the kingdom of Sokoto, is reckoned at 15,000,000, and is described by the late Mr. Wilmot Brooke as "a fine, brown-skinned race that has recently adopted Mohammedanism, and with it the art of reading and writing their own language in the Arabic character." According to Mr. Brooke, of lamented memory, entering the Muslim kingdoms of the Soudan is like entering a new world. " The petty jealousies and squabbles of the heatheu towns are left behind now; the busy hum of commercial life is heard throughout the dominions of the great Sultan of Sokoto. From vast walled cities of 50,000, 80,000, even 100,000 inhabitants, caravans are forever streaming out, to the south to raid for slaves, to the North Mrican States, across the Sahara, to sell them. Veavers, dyers, and shoemakers work hard in the streets of these great cities, manufacturing the ample clothing that the people wear, and exhibit this remarkable spectacle of African civilization."
Such, in orief, is Africa's great unoccupied field, the emporium of the continent, the throbbing heart and busy brain of what may now be called earth's vastest island. As regards the entire central region-in dealing, that is to say, with some 60,000,000 of the 80,000,000 included in the whole Soudan-the missionary would find no such social gulf as would meet him elsewhere. These Soudanese are not barbarians, living in squalid villages, affecting a barbaric etiquette, and grovelling in the sty of superstition. They dwell iu walled cities, in well-built houses of sun-dried brick, are monotheists, and eat such food as any European could live on. The climate, too, is mostly dry and invigorating, and not to be confounded with that of the deadly gold coast or the malarial climate of the Congo. The main hindrance to the missionary is Moslem fanaticism ; and that hindrance is as a wall raised up high as the firmament. No one may enter this land to evangelize who counts his life dear unto himself, for by the Moslem law, which prevails everywhere, "both the convert and the missionary who has preached to him are liable to death."
This is not the day, however, when the missionary vanguard is at all disposed to pause in view 0: contingencies. Like Thibet, the Asian stronghold, the African fortress of the Soudan has already been prospected with a view to occupation, cost what it may. For the moment the operations of the Church Missionary Society are checked by the recent decease of Bishop and Mrs. Hill, who had in view the extension of their work from Oyo to Ilorin, a Mohammedan town in the interior; and then from Lokoja, taking another route, the bishop purposed to pass into the Bassa country. He also intended to establish a training institution for natives and a hospital at Onitsha. In addition, Bishop Hill contemplated placing a mission steamer on the Niger. God honored him to prepare, but has reserved for others to come the carrying out of these plans. Meanwhile, the Central Soudan Mission is advancing to the assault. As we write, Mr. Hermann G. Harris, B.A., the director of the mission, a man versed in Arabic and Haussa (the commercial language of the people), is on his way, by the overland route, accompanied by Mr. Dick, across the Desert of Sahara, to Kano in the kingdom of Sokoto ; while it is expected that Mr. Holt and others will soon leave England for Central Soudan by way of the Niger, the journey on reaching Africa being from Lagos through lbadan, Oyo, Ilorin, and Rabba. The Central Soudan Mission, like its Thibetan compeer, with which it has many features in common, " makes no appeal to the public or to individuals for money, but looks directly to God for the supply of all its need;" moreover, the missionaries are quite prepared to support themselves, if possible, among the people to whom they go by laboring with their own hands.
The immense region of the Sahara, which is contiguous with the Soudan and has a scant population of some 3,000,000 Berbers, is likewise totally unevangelized. The like is true of Abyssinia, which at present has no Protestant missions, and is estimated to contain frow 4,000,000 to 5,000,000. The kingdoms of Shoa and of the Mijertain and Abbia Somalis are similarly situated. Encompassing the Sondan, therefore, and including it, stretching from Senegambia on the west to Cape Guardafui on the east, a distance of nearly 5000 miles, and from Tripoli and Egypt on the north to the Congo and Uganda on the south, is a vast compact mass of unlifted darkness where no Gospel witness has, so far as is known, Abyssinia excepted, ever been borne. There is also a large unoccupied field lying south of the Congo and comprehending the greater part of the Free Congo State.
III. South America.-A few words must suffice to tell the tale of South America, which has, with justice, been termed the most neglected continent in the world; for though, as a whole, South America" is almost untouched by aggressive Protestant missionary effort, ., there are but few countries within its borders which have not now some direct Gospel agency. Venezuela, with a population of over 2,000,000, has but one Protestant missionary. Ecuador, a land of chronic revolution, about the size of England and Scotland combined, has no Protestant missionary at all, and may be regarded as wholly unevallgelized. Colombia, with an area of 504,773 square miles and a population of 4,000,000, has three missionary stations of the American Presbyterian Church. Peru, with an area equal to the whole of the United Kingdom, France, and the Spanish Peninsula, is all but unoccupied. Gospel testimony, however, is borne by Dr. Thomas B. Wood, Protestant pastor, and there are little Protest.ant churches at Lima and Callao set as lights amid the surrounding darkness; in addition, " itinerant native agents of the American Bible Society are helping to spread the Scriptures." Brazil, which numbers 14,000,000, is unevangelized to the extent of nine tenths of its population. It is the sphere, however, of earnest evangelistic labor; and, despite the throes of revolution, the Gospel prospects of this great country never were so bright as now. BoZ'ivia, considerably larger in area than Thibet, ranks with Ecuador as a field totally unoccupied. No Protestant missionary has ever made it the field of Gospel endeavor, but one 9r two passing visits have been paid by the colporteurs of the American Bible Society. Ohili has two American missions, representing some twenty or thirty workers, but such an open door and, physically considered, protracted need might well woo many an additional score. Similar obserratiom; apply to the Argentine and Patagonia, now reckoned one republic, also to Paraguay and Uruguay. In them all there are laborers thrust forth, but few in comparison with the population to be reached and the vast area to be occupied. Throughout the South American republics Popery is everywhere a waning quantity; its palmy days are over, its spell is broken. Liberalism is rising, and the peoples prefer the spiced cup of democratic aspiration to Rome's chalice; but the true Christian knows well that neither flows from the 1'eal Vine, and that whatever may be the temporary value of liberalism as a means, it is absolutely valueless as an end j hence the need of wise discernment of the times. The South American republics are fields whitening to harvest, for the Nile of opportnnity is daily risiug, and the Gospel sower has abundant promise of bread. But the Lne is short. As with giving, so with action, Bis dat qui cito dat (" What needs doing should be done now"). The hope of a millennium, by the confederated action of unrenewed men and nations, is a worse delnsion than Popery at its worst estate. Liberalism, un ballasted by grace, will erelong eventuate in lawlessness; and out of the seething mass of unsanctified impulse will emerge the lawless one. Now is the pregnant pause, now Satan is about to stake his trump card, now there is but a brief hour for service ere the Master appear. Oh, for the true union in the essentiah; of the faith and the oneuess of the Spirit, and for 1he cry from the one Church as from the heart of one man, in view of the vast Gospel destitution that still remains, " Here am I, Lord, send me "
PRACTICAL CONl<'UCIANIBM AND PHACTICAL CHlUBTIANITYIN KOREA
PRACTICAL CONFUCIANISM AND PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY IN KORgA.
BY REV. SAMUEL A. MOFFETT, PYENG YANG.
On a recent trip to this, the second city of Korea, I rested on the Lord's day in a small village, where I witnessed what gave me an insight into the utter heartlessness of heathenism. Soon after breakfast my boy came in saying that there was a poor fellow dying out on the roadside. Going out, I found a man somewhat past sixty years of age lying on a rough litter. He was covered with frost, having lain there all night, and was very weak, though able to talk. Upon inquiry I learned that he had been taken sick on the road five days before, and that, according to the custom which now prevails, he had been placed upon this litter by the men of the nearest village, and by them carried to the next village, where he was dropped at the side of the road. The people of this village, in turn fearing lest he should die on their hands and his spirit remain to haunt them and work them mischief, hurried him on. Thus the poor man had been carried from village to village, left to lie all night in the rain or frost without covering, without food, or medicine, or any attention beyond that of being roughly carried on and dropped again. For five days he had been so treated, and his strength was almost gone. I suggested that some one give him food ; but no, not one was so minded; so buying a table of food I fed hi.m with some rice-water. After eating a little the old man looked up gratefully, saying, "Now I shall live," and then he pleaded to be taken care of for two or three days, until he should haye strength to go on. I urged the people to give me a room where he might be made comfortable, promising to pay for his food and fuel. They flatly refused, and were preparing to carry him on. Turning from them I spoke to him of Christ, of forgiveness of sin, and relief from pain. He seemed to understand, and brightened up a little. After praying with him I turned again to the people and said some pretty plain things about their murdering the man. This seemed to arouse their consciences a little, and the spokesman of the village began to talk of finding a room. Asking me about his food, he named an exorbitant sum as necessary in order to keep him a few days. I agreed to furnish the amount, and told them to prepare the room while I went to get the money.
Entering my room at the inn several followed, saying that it was very kind in me to thus care for the man, but that the people did not want to take him in. Again I urged and offered more money, but while talking others came in to say that they had already carried the man off. They had gone but a few miles when the poor fellow died, and there they buried him.
Talking to those people, I felt like a prophet of old as I told them of a judgment to come, and called upon them to repent ere they were called before God to answer for the deed of that day. However, pity rather than indignation fills my mind as I think of this poor, degraded people, even their sense of humanity blunted under the system of misgovernment and oppression and the teachings of those who are professed Confucianists.
Not long after this I passed along the main street of this city of Pyeng Yang and witnessed another incident revealing the degradation of this people. Before me were a lot of boys tugging away at ropes attached to a straw mat, in which was the body of a man who had just died on the street. The boys were shouting aud laughing and making gay sport as they dragged this corpse along. This took place on the main street of the capital of the province, the boys being the errand boys of the merchants, who sat among their wares laughing at the frolic the boys were having.
Upon returning to my rooms I spoke of what I had seen, and was told by my boy that the night before he had seen an old man lying in front of one of the main public buildings on this street. The old man had just been thrust out of an inn and left to die on the streets on that bitterly cold night. It may have been this body that I saw thus dragged through the streets, but I am told that such cases are not so infrequent but that there may have been two in one day.
Is this practical Confucianism which professes to pay the greatest respect to the aged -and to the dead? This is not an exceptional case, such as might occur in the slums of a large city, but it took place in the sight of all on the main street in the city, where dwells the governor, who in his zeal for Confucianism has recently established anew a Confucian schoo!.
Christianity has not as yet very many adherents in Korea, but already these few show a greatly different spirit from the above. Last January, in this probably the most wicked city in Korea, it was my privilege to baptize eight men, giving us a church of ten members. They had been instructed in the Gospel for several months, had endured abuse and insult with courage and with a truly Christ-like spirit, and they soon showed that they had been imbued with the practical spirit of Christianity.. Before they had been in the church a month they came to me with the proposition that the first use of the little money they had contributed should be for the care of a little orphan child dying of starvation. I gladly accepted the proposition, eager to encourage them in their Christ-like spirit. Thus practical Christianity is manifesting itself in Korea. Theoretical Confucianism contrasted with Christianity in a Parliament of Religions at Ohicago is one thing j practical Confucianism illustrated in Korea is quite another.
MISSIONARY WORK IN NORTHERN BULGARIA
MISSlONARY WORK IN NORTHERN BULGARIA.
BY REV. L. "'. GUILD.
The Bulgar is intensely patriotic. His five hundred years of Turkish rule have only strengthened his love of liberty. When King Milan of Servia led his army into Bulgaria aud Prince Alexauder hastily recruited an army and marched against him, the peasants in multitudes loaded grain and provisions on their wagons and started after the army. Peasants met by a gentleman were asked, "Who buys your grain ?" "No one." " Where are you taking it ?" "To the army." "What do you get for it?" "I get freedom. "
This intense patriotism is an obstacle to us. He knows that the priests are revellers, licentious, idle; but he knows that through the long night of Turkish oppression "the church" was the means of preserving the Bulgarian people separate, and the Bulgar does not propose to lightly forsake his ancestral religion, and looks with suspicion on a form of religion which is introduced by foreigners and supported by foreign gold, though he is not insensible to the superior morality of Protestantism over the "orthodox" faith.
The Turk's status is peculiar. He is no longer the proud lord, but the hated and tolerated hewer of wood and drawer of water. The government seeks to conciliate the Turks and retain them, fearing that their withdrawal would cripple the productive factors of the nation to the injury of all. The old narrow Turkish streets in the cities are being widened unaer supervision of the government. In one city the authorities drew their plans with a view to destroying as many mosques as possible. The government, noticing that many would be destroyed, instructed the mayor that new plans must be made, sparing as many as possible. Toward the Protestant the Turk is quite friendly. He says: "It is against your religion to worship images and to drink wine ; in that much we are alike." Not infrequently they are found in our assemblages, interested listeners.
While the policy of Bulgaria seems tyrannical in many things to an American, it is remarkably enlightened when viewed considering the five hundred years of bondage. Compulsory education prevails, and the expenditure for public schools is enormous. From these schools the Bible has been banished by request of the "synod," which does not seem to realize that the educated Bulgarian, despising the superstition of the "orthodox" church, is fast becoming an infidel. Modern scepticism is quite popular among the elite, while socialism with a free.love tinge is making its appearance. It is doubtful if the latter will make much headway, not at least till the former has prepared its way, for the Bulgarian people are remarkably virtuous.
The Roman Catholics are also here with a strongly organized and energeti-c mission, hated by the" orthodox," but possibly secretly patronized by Prince Ferdinand, who is a devout Catholic. Oh, that American Christians might realize the need of impregnating this rising nltion, now in its formative state, with the leaven of Protestantism! This only can furnish a safe antidote to infidelity, Romanism, free-Iovism, and orthodox superstition, and furnish a proper fibre for national life.
South of the Balkans is the Congregational Mission, of which we cannot now write intelligently. In our field we llave a number of stations manned by native Bulgarians_ We have three church edifices, but in most places our worship must be in private houses. '1Ve experience difficulty in building, and our progress must be slow till we get more church edifices. When means are provided for this we look to great hal'vests, for wherever we have public houses of worship they are filled with people even at mid-week service. In connection with these workers we have Biblewomen and colporteurs, and our press turns out various publications and a monthly paper.
We have two schools, one for boys at Sistof, and one for girls at Loftcha. Both are well patronized, and the latter is most especially useful. In it at present is the daughter of a village priest, who sends her here in preference to the public schools, which are under control of his own faith. There is also here the daughter of a " procuror", or prosecuting judge of quite a city where there is located a public school of as high grade as ours. These things are hopeful, indicating that the walls of prejudice are melting. In Plevna the" procuror" publicly asked the head priest, " Who best keeps the teachings of the Scriptures 1" and his eminence answered, " The Protestants."
But there is opposition, and among the native Christians the true spirit of sacrifice. A young married man was converted and joined our church. His wife's brothers came and took her and her little babe to their home. He sought her return, and was referred to the village priest, who said : " Forsake the Protestants and you can have them," This he would not do. Three months later (a few weeks ago) he was notified: "If you do not at once forsake the Protestants, we shall divorce your wife and marry her to another," for the divorce laws are in the hand of the church j and this they did. Truly he forsook all for Christ. I might multiply instances touching in the extreme. Are not such a people worth sacrificing for! Recently a Bulgar not a member of any Protestant church donated $3000 to our work. The field may be sterile and hard, but the Gospel will shortly win glorious triumphs in Bulgaria.
The changes now working in the Catholic Church are among the encouraging signs of the times in France. Where that great organization had once impressed upon the mind its immutability, all are now struck by its power of transformation. The college of the Sorbonne, which once burned Protestants, now has a Protestant at its head, The people are thinking about religious questions, thousands are looking toward Protestantism with expectation, and the outlook for a religious revival is very bright indeed.
1894.' 'rl'lE MoALL MISSION
THE McALL ~nSSION.
BY LOUISE SEYMOFR HOUG!lTO~r.
• It is not necessary to review the story or the founding of the McAli Mission. All who study the progress of missionary events know that it was in a very true sense the direct outgrowth of the French Commune. Mr. McAll carried the Gospel to France because he saw that the centre of the tribulations of France was the popular ignorance of the religion of the Gospel. He of all men saw that the Christian Church held in its grasp precisely what the French nation needed in its hour of dire confusion and calamity. So in January, ] 872, a few months after the downfall of the Commune, Mr. and Mrs. McAll quietly began their work among the laboring men of Paris. A small, low-studded, brick-paved shop in a narrow, crooked street, in an obscure suburb of the great capital was the scene of their first efforts. }'orty people were seated on the rush-bottomed chairs; at the harmonium Mrs. McAll with her well-trained fingers and her silvery voice; on the low platform Mr. MeAl! with his broken French, and one or two earnest French Protestant pastors. The hall, the street, the quarter, all were obscure, and yet at that time the quarter Belleville was notorious as the quarter of Communists, and in a yard barely a stone's throw from the little hall the wall was yet red with the blood of martyred priests-shot down by infuriated Communists, without mercy and with no reason except that they were priests. The people came to hear, first curiously, then eagerly. It is many years since that single hall with its forty chairs has increased to a hundred and twenty halls, with seventeen thousand sittings and more than a million auditors and worshippers in every year. There are thirty-nine of these halls in Paris and its suburbs, the others are in the provinces from Brittany to the Mediterranean, in Corsica, and in Algiers. There would be many more stations than these but for one feature in the policy by which this mission is managed, which makes it more widely and more fundamentally useful than it could possibly be made by any growth within itself. This feature grows out of the general policy, which is co-operation carried to its widest extent. The non· sectarian character of the mission makes this co-operation possible to a degree unknown in any other religious work. Volunteers come from all countries and from all denominations to work in the halls. Speakers come to address the meetings from every church in France. The four great evangelizing societies of the Reformed, Free, and Baptist chuches of France, and the Society of Evangelization of Geneva co-operate in the work of fully one sixth of the stations. Country pastors of all denominations desiring to work in outlying hamlets, and city pastors wishing to carryon suburban missions, find that they can best do so under the auspices of the McAll Mission; and thus not infrequently a mission begun as a McAIl station has grown so strong and has come into such close affiliation with the church of the missionary pastor, that it has in the end been adopted by that church as its own, and is no longer numbered among McAll stations. By the marvellous economy of God's providence, the little mission hall has awakened missionary zeal in the members of the pastor's church, who up to that time had thought they had all they could do to live and hold their own. Thus as the light of the McAll torch has kindled these French churches, one by one, a station here and there has left the mission and become an integral part of this or that church. The number of stations now or at any time do not, therefore, represent the number of living and active children of the mother mission; and thus, though the mission founds no churches, churches are here and there founded, while existing churches everywhere within its reach are built up by converts from the McAll Mission.
Though the mission was originally intended for the working people, and always will be their own especial mission, it is in the nature of things that the remedy which Dr. McAll saw to be adapted to the needs of France should be accepted by others than the working men. From time to time men and women of education, refinement, and social position have been reached by the Gospel proclaimed in the mission halls. Some of the best workers to-day-ministers, ministers' wives, and others-are converts of the mission. A constantly increasing number of people of the better class are coming under its influence.
Within the past few years it has shown itself especially adapted to meet the great spiritual unrest which has laid hold of the young men of France, the youth of the universities, and the young men of the army. The soldiers' reading-rooms have proved to be a wonderful power for good, and the one small hall especially opened to reach the university men has proved so beneficent' in its results, that a special appeal is now made for funds to enlarge this work. The Sunday and Thursday schools also have a marvellous hold upon the younger boys and girls. Many of the efficient teachers were converts of the Sunday-schools. The effort is now being made to put the Sunday-school work on a permanent basis. A plan has been elaborated by which each Sunday-school in the mIssion may be brought into direct touch with our Sunday-schools in America. An annual appropriation of $25 from an American Sunday-school will provide the colored pictures, lesson papers, and other necessary material, and the school making the appropriation will be brought into correspondence with a MeAll school, and wilJ be able to follow its history year by year.
Deeply to be lamented as is the death of Dr. MeAll, sorely as the workers miss the inspiration of his wisdom, love, cheerfulness, and energy, the work has suffered no check. Long years before his death he had put the government of the mission into the hands of a board composed of representative Frenchmen, Englishmen, and Americans, and before his death he even withdrew from the presidency of the board, that no shock or hindrance might be felt when he should be called away. The present president of the board is M. Louis Saulter, an eminent French banker; the executive head is the Rev. Charles E. Greig, who for years labored at Dr. MeAll's right hand. Mr. Greig has lately visited the American McAIl Auxiliaries, and everywhere has awakened thorough confidence in his ability and consecration to the work.
There is no limit to the progress of this remarkable mission but the limit of funds supplied by Christians outside of France. The French people are doing nobly. Poor as are the Protestants of France, they are contributing generously, not only in money, but in labor. Five hundred out of the six hundred workers are French, and their work is most valuable; but in money they can do little. Americans have a deep interest in France. Christians, remember that there is seemingly no limit to the progress of the Gospel in France through the McAll Mission except the limit of the contributions of Christians.
INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT
n.-INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
EDITED AND CONDUCTED BY BEV. J. T. GRACEY, D.D.
International Missionary Union. Palestine; 1886, Miss G. S. Bigelow, Japan; – – Rev. F. G. Bingley. The eleventh annual meeting of the South America; 1879, Rev. W. B. International Missionary Union was Boggs, D.D., India; 1868, Rev. L. held at Clifton Springs, N. Y., June Bond and Mrs. L. Bond, Turkey; 1886- 13-20. One hundred and forty. one 87, Rev. G. A. Bond, Strait's Sett.le- missionaries were in attendance from ment; 1885, Miss Charlotte H. Brown, many countries: From Liberia. the Syria; 1853-83, Mrs. A. Bushnell, Af· Gaboon and Cape Colony, in Africa, 5 ; rica; 1886, Rev. H. Olin Cady-1894, Australia, 1; Assam, 3; Bulgaria, 5 ; Mrs. H. Olin Cady, China; 1890–92, Burma, 3; North, South, Central and Rev. W. A. Carrington, Brazil; 1881- extreme West China, 23; Guatemala, 86, Miss L. S. Cathcart, Micronesia; 1 ; Hawaii, 1 ; various parts of India. 1884, Miss M. Christiancy, M.D., India; 33; Italy, 1; Japan, 20; Korea, 2; 1877, Rev. T. D. Christie, D.D., Tur· Mexico, 2 ; Micronesia, 6 ; North Ameri- key; 1886, Miss T. Crosby, Micronecan Indians, 2; Jerusalem, 3; Persia, sia ; 1881-85, S. Cross, Siam; 1871-80, 2; Siam and Laos, 6 ; Brazil, Chile, 2 ; Rev. E. Cunningham and Mrs. E. Cun- Spain, 2; Malaysia, 1 ; Syria, 3; Euro- ningham, India; 1878-79. Rev. C. W. pean and Asiatic Turkey, 13. Cushing, D.D., Italy; 1894, 'Miss K. Darmstadt, India; 1869-70, Rev.•J. A. By society and denominational classi- Davis and Mrs. J. A. Davis. China; fication they were as f(1jllows: Ameri- 1868-93, Miss A. J. Dean, Persia; 1874, can Board, 38; Methodist Episcopal and Rev. J. H. DeForest, D.D., and Mrs. Canada Methodist, 37; Presbyterian, J. H. DeForest, Japan; 1886, Rev. North and South, and United Pres- W. C. Dodd-1887, JIrs. W. C. Dodd, bytery, 33; Moravian, 1; Protestant Laos; 1880, Rev. G. F. Draper and Episcopal, 1; Reformed Episcopal, 1 ; Mrs. G. F. Draper-1889, Mrs. G. Italian Bible, 1; Honorary and Inde- Draper••Tapan; 1872, Miss H. N. Eastpendent, 11; Reformed Church of man, Burma; 1887-89, Rev. W. P. F. America, 4. As this REVIEW has Ferguson, Mexico; 1873-94, Miss A. P. hitherto published the names of those Ferguson, Africa; 1887-92, Miss M. E. present, to preserve the history the list Files, Burma; 1884, Rev. F. W. Foote is herewith given alphabetically, with and Mrs. F. W. Foote, India; 1890, their years of service: Mrs. R. C. Forbes, Micronesia; 1880, Rev. G. A. Ford, Syria; 1853-58, Mrs. 1886-88. Rev. Ray Allen, India; O. M. Ford, Africa; 1888, Rev. J. M. 1876-92, Rev. J. L. Amerman, D.D., Foster and Mrs. J. M. Foster, China; and Mrs. J. L. Amerman, Japan; 1880, Miss E. M. Garretson, China; 1881, Miss E. D. Anderson, India; 1861-68, Rev. J. T. Gracey, D.D., and 1888-92, Miss E. Babbitt, India; 1889, Mrs. J. T. Gracey, India; 1874, Rev. Mrs. E. M. Bacon, India; 1859-80, A. T. Graybill, Mexico; 1877, Mrs. Rev. S. L. Baldwin, D.D., China; 1885, A. C. Good, Africa; 1882-90, Rev. Rev. J. L. Barton and Mrs. J. L. Bar- C. W. Green, Japan; 1872-83, Rev. ton, Turkey; 1869-72, Miss M. C. T. L. Gulick and Mrs. T. L. Gulick, Beach, Bulgaria; 1888-93, A. W. Beall, Spain; 1888, Miss L, G. Hale, China; Japan; 1879-81, Rev. W. H. Belden 1837-77, Rev. C. Hamlin, D.D., TUrand lIrs. W_ H. Belden, Bulgaria; key; 1864-73, Rev. A. Hartmann, Aus- – – Rev. E. A. Bell and Mrs. E. A. tralia-1874, Canadian Indians; 1884, Bell, India; 1848, Rev. A.. Ben-Oliel- ,1870, Mrs. A. and Miss F. E. Ben·Oliel, Miss E. L. Harvey, India; 1882, Rev. J. E. Wayte, India; 1845-64, Rev. E. W. M. Hares and Mrs. W. M. Hayes, Webb and Mrs. E. Webb, India; 1880- China; 1885, N. tl. Hopkins, M.D., 91, Mrs. W. White, China; 1887, Miss and Mrs. N. S. Hopkins, China; 1872, N. J. Wilson, Japan; 1838-86, Rev. Rev. J. H. House, D.D., Bulgaria; 1877, G. W. Wood, D.D.-l871-86, lIrs. Mrs. C. 11. Hyde, Hawaii; 1891, J. G. W. Wood, 'J'nrkey; 1886, Rev. J.JIly and Mrs. J. Jolly, India; 1855- W. S. Wordon, M.D., Japan; 1868-77, 58, Rev. J. S. Joralmon, China; 1872- Rev. R R. Young, D.D., and Mrs. 76, Miss M. Kipp, Syria; 1885, Miss E. R. Young, Indians of Hudson's Bay. T. J. Kyle, India; 1885, H. M. Lane, M.D., Brazil; 1888, Rev. J. M Leonard The Recognition Meoting on Wednes· and Mrs. J. M. Leonard, Japan; 1894, day evening, in which each missionary Rev. W. J. Leverett, China; 1888, Miss introduces himself or herself, stating A. C. Little, Micronesia; 1880-90, Mrs. name, field, years and society, was spe- C. S. Long, Japan; 1874, Rev. M. C. cially interesting. The whole session Mason-1885, Mrs. M. C. Mason, As· of Thuro'day forenoon was devoted to sam: 1858, Rev. D. McGilvary, D.D., the study of the work and promise and Laos; 1885, Rev. C. Merritt, M.D., and power of the Holy Ghost, and was led Mrs. C. Merritt, China; 1861. Mrs. S. E. by Rev. A T. Pierson, D.D., editor- Newton, India; 1872–89, Rev. A. B. in·chief of this REVIEW, and was a sea- Norton -1872-90, Mrs. A. B. Norton, son of great spiritual power; on Thurs- India; 1870. Rev. F. Ohlinger-1876, day afternoon Rev. J. Henry House, Mrs. F. Ohlinger, China, Korea; 1877- D.D., spoke on What Can be Done 81, Rev. W. B. Osborne, India; 1875- within the Greek Church for its Refor- 81, Mrs. W. B. Osborne, India; 1883-89, rnation? Rev. F. G. Bingley, of Chile, Miss A. E. Ottaway, Guatemala; 1877, on Bishop Taylor's Work in South Rev. E. M. Pease, M.D., and Mrs. E.l'I. America; Rev. A. Hartmann, on Re- Pease, Micronesia; 1877-83, Rt. Rev. ligious and Educatiolllll Work among C. C. Penick, Africa; 1855, Rev. 1. 1<'. North American Indians; Rev. C. W. Pettibone, D.D., Turkey; 1882, F. D. Cushing, D.D., on Italy; Rev. A. T. Phinney, Burma; 1870-!)1, Rev. I. Pier· Graybill, D.D., on Mexico; Rev. E. R. son, China; 1888, Miss E. A. Preston, Young, on the Indians of the Far North- Japan; 1878-80, Miss Mary A. Priest, land. In the evening Dr. McGilvary, Japan; 1869, Rev. G. C. Raynolds, the apostle to the Laos, spoke of Work M.D., Eastern Turkey; 1882, Rev. G. in Northern Siam; Bishop Thoburn, on Reid, Ohina ; 1847-69. Miss M. S. Rice, the Great Religious Movement in South· Persia; 1888, Miss C. E. Righter, eastern Asia, follow~ng which short ad· China; 1894, Miss A. J. Rood, Assam; dresses were made by Rev. H. C. Velte 1884, Miss L. A. Schenck, Bulgaria; and Dr. Boggs, of India, and M. C. 1887, Miss J. Schuff. India; 1886, 11iss Mason, of Assam. L. Smith, Japan; 1889-93, Rev. F. J. Stanley and Mrs. F. J. Stanley, Japan; On Friday morning the devotional 1881-90, Rev. M. L. Stimson and Mrs. hour was led by Bishop Thoburn. Spe. M. L. Stimson, China; 1854-64, Rev. cial prayers were asked for missionaries R. Telford, Siam, China; 1857, Rev. and native Christians in Korea and for R. Thackwell-1869, Mrs. R. Thack· others exposed to the plague, the" blaok well, India; 1868-73, C. C. Thayer, death" in Canton. Rev. E. Webb read :U.D., and Mrs. C. C. Thayer, Turkey; a paper on Hindustani Music; Rev. 1859, Bishop J. 11. Thoburn. India; W. M. Hayes spoke on the Need of 1886, J. B. Thompson, M.D., Siam; Higher Education in Mission Fields, 1868, Miss C. O. Van Duzee, Turkey, and over twenty missionaries took part Pelsia; 1882, Rev. H. C. Velte-1887, in the discussion of the subject. The Mrs. H. C. Velte, India; 1884, Miss afternoon meeting was devoted specifi- cally to woman's work, and was conduct- ed entirely by ladies. some twerty mis· sionary women taking part. The even· bers deceased during' the year: Rev: ing meeting was addressed by Drs. Bar- J. Y. Leonard, D.D., of Asia Minor; ton and Raynolds, of Turkey; Dr. Mrs. Lingle, China; ~:lrs. R. Telford, Gulick, of Hawaii j Rev. E. ~I. Pease, Siam; Rev. J. Le Nevius, D.D., China j M.D., of Micronesia; Miss Little. of Rev. A. Dowsley, Chin3 j Mrs. F. D.
Kusaic ; Rev. G. A. Ford, of Syria. Phinney, Burma; Mrs. Samuel Cross, On Saturday forenoon the discussion Siam; MiS!! Lund, Japan; Rev. George was on thc Native Christians. Dr. Douglas, D.D., West Indies; Mrs.
Graybill led on the duty of the native Samuel R. House, Siam; Rev. J. E.
church to carry thc Gospel over their Chandler, India.
own lands without foreign aid, and Following this a discussion was had seven others spoke on different phases on "Is medical work by women mis- of the native Church. How Shall Poor sionaries in India considered as neces- Christian Women in India become Selt- sary as formerly?" and five speakers Supporting? six speakers gave infor- spoke at length in the affirmative. The mation on this topic. How Shall we general subject of Medical Missions was Treat Native Christians, as Superiors, taken up, and fourteen representatives Equals or Inferiors? was discussed by of different countries spoke, H. M.
speakers from several countries. The Lane, M.D., of Brazil, and several afternoon was given up to a children's other medical missionaries being of the meeting and to a reception on the lawn,' number.
in which missionaries were presented to The afternoon session was gi ven to friends. especially to Dr. and Mrs. Fos- Japan, and W. S. Worden, M.D., gave ter. In the evening a composite stere- personal experiences in the earthquake opticon lecture was delivered by several in Japan j Rev. J. H. DeForest spoke missionaries from several lands. on the Political Situation j Dr. Amer- On Sunday morning a" consecration man, on Denominational Unity in that service" was held, and a unique, pow· land, and Miss Bigelow on Woman's erful sermon was delivered by Drs. Work in Japan. A season of question.
Ford. Leonard, Boggs, Barton and Am· ing of the speakers followed, the an· erman in a logically lelated order of swers throwing much additional light thought-closn, compact and impressive on the subjects under consideration.
-on the Great Missionary Command of Dr. Cyrus Hamlin read a paper on Christ, the Scripture Exposition, the Russia's Endeavor to Blot out Protest· Need and Adaptation, the Motive, antism from Turkey. Mr. Phinney ex- Unity in Obedience, the Consumma- plained and illustrated the process of tion, being spoken of in the order of photo-engraving of the Karen Bible, the names mentioned. At three o'clock now being conducted by the Baptist So- Rev. Ben·Oliel, of Jerusalem, spoke on ciety under his supervision, Miss East- Prophecies Concerning the Jews now man reading the proof.
being Fulfilled. In the evening Dr. The evening was devoted to China Raynolds spoke ou Work in Eastern and Korea, Rev. C. Merritt, M.D., pre· Turkey; Dr. G. W. Wood, on Educa- siding, and the speakers being Rev. F.
tional Work in Constantinople; Dr. Ohlinger, of Korea. Mrs. C. Merritt, J. L. Barton, on Work in Central Tur- Rev. I. Pierson, N. S. Hopkins, M.D., key; Dr. Christie. on Educational Work Rev. H. O. Cady, Miss Garretson, Rev.
in Tareus ; Miss A. Ferguson, on Edu- Gilbert Reid, Mrs. W. J. White, Rev.
cational Work in Cape Colony; and W. M. Hayes. Mrs. Ohlinger sang the Rt. Rev. C. C. Penick, D.D., Bishop of national air of Korea.
Liberia (Protestant Episcopal), spoke Tuesday the devotional hour was in on Work in Liberia. charge of Rev. J. A. Davis. the special On Monday, during the de~otional topic of prayer being the sanitarium at hour, brief memoirs were read of m3m- Clifton Springs, its founder and its pa· tients, and the International Missionary Bishop Thoburn's Address. Union. A resolution was adopted that " Whether at home or abroad, at work The field which I represent is one or at rest, on the land or on the sea, we of immense area and population. India remember at the twilight hour the sani- has 1,500,000 square miles and 284,000,- tarium and its work, our International 000 inhabitants. Malaysia includes the Missionary Union, and the missions of Jialay Peninsula and the islands on the world" in prayer. which Malay people live-an immense area, with enough population to bring Mrs. Newton conducted a question- the total in my field up to 325,000,000 box; Mrs. Ford read a paper on Im- -nearly three times that of the Roman proved Conditions of Living in Africa. empire in the days of Paul. Our mis- Rev. J. H. House spoke on Bulgaria, sionaries are preaching in 16 different the storm-centre of Europe; and Dr. languages. There is much of interest Hamlin read a paper on the Strife be- in every part of the field; but I shall tween Sir Stratford Canning, the Eng- only have time to speak of one feature of lish ambassador at Constantinople for our work, the rapid advance among the many years, and the Czar Nicholas. lower castes. This movement extends Dr. Barton spoke on the Restrictions of through all our land, the Northwest Mission Work in Turkey. provinces and into parts of the Punjab, Rajputana and the Central provinces, The afternoon session was given to thus covering a territory inhabited by the consideration of the opportunities of 60,000,000 or 70,000,000. The movethe missionary at home, and how to ment is confined to the very lowest bring the individual church-member classes socially, but not to the poorest. into helpful touch with the work, and The majority of the converts are sweep· how to get pastors at home more deeply ers or scavengers by caste affiliations, interested. The evening was given to but very many of these are cultivators the missionaries who anticipated return- and live in comparative comfort. The ing to their fields this year: 8 going to same is true of the Chumars, or leather India, 12 to China and Korea, 4 to Siam, dressers, who rank very low, but large 4 to Japan, 3 to Palestine, 2 to Syria, 3 numbers of whom never touch leather, to Turkey, 1 to Persia, 1 to Assam, 3 to but work as day laborers or cultivators. Bulgaria, 1 to Mexico, 1 to Africa, and Other low castes are represented among others to Micronesia and other fields- the converts, the standing of each vary- 46 in all. Rev. Dr. George W. Wood ing in different parts of the country. addressed the compauy on behalf of the Union. About five years ago a movement toward Christianity began to be noticed The meeting closed with a " nugget" among these people, and it has been session on Wednesday morning. steadily maintained ever since. For some time the converts have averaged, The following officers were elected of all years, about 50 a day. Upto date for the ensuing year: President, J. T. there seems no signs of abatement to the Gracey, D.D., Rochester, N. Y. ; Vice- work. If we are able to provide for it Presidents, Cyrus Hamlin, D.D., S. L. there is every prospect of its progress Baldwin, D.D., W. B. Boggs, D.D., and wide extension. The latest letter J. L. Amerman, D. D., Rev. A. T. from a native brother reported 200 bap- Graybill. Rt. Rev. C. C. Penick; Sec- tisms in a week and 2000 candidates for retary. Rev. W. H. Belden; Associate baptism. Another has reported over and Recording Secretary, Mrs. C. C. 3000. If I could get $2000 a year for Thayer; Treasurer and Librarian, Rev. five years I would undertake to open a C. C. Thayer, M.D. ; Executive Com- new mission field, and have 5000 conmittee, Rev. J. A. Davis, Mr. F. D. verts in it within five years. Phinney, C. W. Cushing, D.D., Rev. J. L. Barton, James Mudge, D.D., Mrs. W. H. Belden, Mrs. W. J. White. This movement has the following shall accomplish that which I please; points in its favor: First, the people do . . . it shall prosper whereto I sent not ask for money, employment, or any it. " Let us all look and pray for temporal reward. They are anxious to greater victories.
have their children educated, but ask The special work for English-speak- for nothing besides. Second, they ing young men-chiefly students in mis- make satisfactory progress after be- sionary and government colleges -has coming Christians. The children of been very cheering of late. Our broth- those who became Christians thirty er, Robert P. Wilder, of the Student's years ago have grown up before our Volunteer Movement, has been render- eyes. Some are ordained ministers, ing important aid in this line in several some teachers in high schools, and now of our great cities, particularly in Cal- some are successfully learning stenog- cutta. Quite a number of young men raphy and typewriting. Third. the have recently come out boldly for Christ, low-caste men of to-day will be the and are bravely facing petty persecu- leaders of society before the close of the tion for His sake. I am looking for a next century. The social stain is rapid- broader and more general movement 1y removed after they become Chris- toward Christianity among students.
tians. Fourth, from a missionary point The position of principal or professor of view, the value of the work is en- in these colleges is one of grave respon- hanced by the fact that workers are sibility in these days. We need men of raised upon the field. During the past Alexander Duff's spirit to meet these five years I have ordained 200 men, young scholars, and to illustrate by life while not less than 100 workers of lower and lips the purity and power of our grade are thrust out every year. We holy faith. I believe we have men in have now a total of nearly 1000 native our missionary colleges whose lives and preachers, and, including teachers, Bible labors are telling for the truth, and I readers and other helpers, we have a look for large results.
total working force of 2400 men and The Young Men's Christian Associa- women. tion is coming to be an agency of recog- nized power in this country. The ear- The Outlook in India. nest work of Mr. David McConaughy at Madras for four years past has yield- BY REV. J. L. PHILLIPS. M.D., SECRE- ed cheering results. He was general 'l'ARY SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, INDIA. secretary at Philadelphia. and brought The Bible was never in such demand his American methods with him, and in India as now. I hear South India his singular fidelity and strong faith called "the benighted presidency" have been richly rewarded. Mr. Rob- sometimes; but there is more Bible ert McCann, of Ireland, has just com- there to the square inch than in any pleted three years of faithful effort at other part of India. The Secretary of Bombay and retired home, I regret to the Madras Auxiliary Bible Society, and say, for that city needs a strong man to others in like employment, testify to the stay and give his whole time to the increasing call for our sacred Scriptures work. At Calcutta we have recently in English and in the leading vernacu- welcomed Mr. J. C. White from Ameri- lars of the land. I believe that there ca, who is beginning his difficult duty are thousands reading this Book daily with good courage. I believe there is a 'of whom we know nothing as yet, but bright future before the Y. M. C. A: in who will be heard from by and by. India, particularly in our large towns Those three clauses of seven words each and among young men of all classes, in the fifty-fifth chapter of Isaiah are native and foreign.
coming to mind often in these days: ., It The abundant blessing of our cove- shall not return unto me void; . . . it nant God contir.ues to rest upon our efforts for the little ones of this broad and improvement and extension of Sundaybeautiful field. Distinctly do I recall schools will prove a great blessing to the time when we were seeking them, our native Church, while it carries blessand not with much success, but now ing to the' heathen around. As never they are seeking us, and we are finding before we missionaries must devote it not so easy to provide teachers for strength to training native workers for this growing multitude. Two admir· this great field. It is vastly better to able Sunday-school conventions have set twenty men to work than to do been held recently-one for the whole twenty men's work. The great and Punjab at Lahore, and the other for the growing harvest in India calls for train Central Provinces at Jabalpur. These ed hands, loving hearts and consecrated meetings are strengthening inter-de- lives. While Africa and China call for nominational fellowship and bringing so many toilers, we hope that India's Christian workers of all churches into claim may not be overlooked. The very hearty co-operation. Our Sunday- watchmen begin to see" eye to eye," schools are increasing rapidly all over and "the morning cometh." India, and, what is of more importance, they are growing better. Our teachers The Politioal Oomplioations in Korea. are better trained, and their work is being done more satisfactorily. Best of BY REV. F. OHLINGER. all, our pupils, in Hindu schools as well as Christian, are coming to Christ and r am not sure that the political combeginning to bring their friends to Him. plications have anything to do with Temperance reform is getting a firm- our missionary troubles. We had trouer foothold in India. All American ble before at Pyeng-yang-in fact, we missionaries, and many of the European have had trouble tp.ere ever since we societiel!, are total abstainers. Strong bought property, nearly two years ago. drink is rarely seen on Christian tables, Dr. Hall has since that time rarely made the quill.driving glObe-trotters to the a visit to the place without meeting contrary notwithstanding. Bands of with some kind of abuse Hope for children are heing organized in connection with churches and Sun- At the attempted opening of a posday – schools. In many places large tal system in Korea in 1884, and durnumbers of native gentlemen have been ing the banquet given in the celeenrolled in temperance organizations. bration of that event, a conflict took There is need of all this, for intemper- place between certain rival parties led ance is undoubtedly spreading in the by Min Yong Ik and Kim Ok Kyun re- Hindu and Mohammedan communities. spectively. These were both reformers But the Church of Christ is liIting up and liberals, or "openers to the modhel' voice and hand against this grow- ern" as opposed to the" preservers of ing vice. the ancient" or conservatives, yet in that emeute they stood on opposite Such are some of the cheering tokens sides. Min (or, as our Japanese friends in the general outlook here now. Per- say, Bin) was seriously-it was feared haps the very brightest of all, however, fatally-wounded, and his recovery is the rising zeal of the native Church under treatment of Dr. Allen opened of India for bringing her countrymen the way for us missionaries more fully. to Christ. I am noticing this particu- Kim was allowed to escape to Japan. larly in connection with my own line of where hefound friends. He made the effort. It is very gratifying to see acquaintance of some missionaries, but these disciples engaging in voluntary I am not aware that he ever identified service for their own people and for the himself with the Church. He spoke a little ones who now come so eagerly to little English, but was evidently glad our Sunday-schools, I believe that the to meet some one to speak to him in Korean at the time I visited him two servative party, and yet the strong peryears ago. sonal friend of the recently assassinated Kim Ok Kyun. Min, after his recovery, was ostensibly sent on a mission to European 2. The king, son of the above, appowers, but never went farther than parentlya well-meaning, humane ruler, Hong Kong. His stay there is gener- between and in the midst of numberless ally viewed as an exile on grounds of cross fires. expediency. Some four or five months ago the Government asked him to re- 3. The queen, head of the Min famturn to Korea, and soon after Kim was ily, and of the progressive party, the lured from his hiding in Japan over to enemy of the old regent and of Kim, the Shanghai by a man who had been in assassinated reformer. She 8eemB to Europe and who had evidently become rule the country, is devoted to Budwell acquainted in higher social circles dhism, and anti-Chinese. There is serithere. He had letters from Pere Hya- ous strife between leading factions of cinthe and other dignitaries in his pos- her family. session. He treacherously and brutally assassinated Kim, claiming that he did 4. Min Yong Ik, cousin of the queen, it from patriotic motives. On his per· a radical leader and personal rival of son were found documents that showed Kim, since the emeute practically exiled that he acted for a faction calling itself to Hong Kong. the Government. Both he and the body of his victim were at once taken to 5. Kim Ok Kyun, head of a power- Korea on a Chinese gun-boat. A proc- ful family, another leader of the reform lamation was issued rewarding him for party, a personal friend of the old rehis deed, and condemning the corpse of gent (conservative), a rival of Min Yong Kim to the customary treatment of Ik, who, as we have said, was assassitraitors. On the very heel of this proc- nated a few months ago in Shanghai. lamation came the demand for an ex· planation from Japan, and the urgent 6. The Tong Hak (Eastern sect) arose appeal from all the consuls in Shanghai a little over a year ago in the province that the body be not mutilated and that of Chyella, in Southern Korea_ Not the assassin be punished. The king had openly, and yet evidently allied with one received the congratulations of the Min of the above parties or leaders. Motto: family (the family of the queen), and a " Stand fOl' Korea; away with Japanese banquet had been given. The old regent and across-the-ocean men" (" Western- -the Tai Won Kun-knownas the per- ers"); suppressed two years ago. They secutor of Roman Catholic Christians are probably "the rebels" referred to twenty-eight years ago, the leader of the in the telegrams. conservative party, and the deadly encmy of the queen's family, "wept like Yet we do not know; the" rebels" a child, and worshipped all night before of to- day may be the" government" tothe tablets of Kim's ancestors." It is morrow. 'rhe" ins" are the governall a perfect jumble of politic8, family ment, and the "outs," whene'Der they feuda, and personal grievances fof ambi- become re8ti'D8, are the" rebels." They tions. may change places and names over- night. No one can tell here What a To recapitUlate ar.d to show JOu that telegram that the" rebels have been dethis analysis does not analyze, and that feated" means. These items are not the usual wording of telegrams tells us worth the paper on which they are nothing as to the party rea11yin power, printed until we know the names, leadwe have: ers, and prineiple8 of the contending par- ties. We may assume, however, that 1. The Tai Won Kun, the king's fa- the Koreans still .. eat Li rice"-i.e., ther, pro-Ohinese, and leader of the con- that the dynasty which has stood five hundred and three years still stands, and that the humane, intelligent, and fairly progressive king still reigns. Still the complications are serious and fore- and definite testimony as to what had boding. been wrought in their souls. There were several cases of bitter penitence, Revival Influences, Foochow, China, which, I think, is rare among the Chi- nese. With some the struggle lasted A gracious outpouring of God's Spirit only a little time, when peace and joy is reported in North China, and it is would fill the heart; with others it lastwith gratitude we learn of special Di- ed several days, with sleepless nights, vine blessing at Foochow. Rev. J. H. but at last the clouds would burst and Worley, of the Methodist Episcopal Mis· the sunlight of God's redeeming love sion, tells of it in a letter at hand, which would flood the wsiting soul. we quote without editing. He says: .. That the work was thorough is more "We have had a most gracious reo and more evident as the days pass by. vival which lasted eighteen nights, and In my daily intercourse with the theostill goes on in the hearts of the people logical students, and the exceeding joythough the meetings have closed. The fulness with which they tell the good first three nights it rained hard, and the news to others, it is easy to see a great attendance was small, only the theo- change has taken place in many of their logical students, a few from the college, hearts. But no greater work was acand two or three missionaries being pres· complished than among the students of ent. The meetings were enthusiastic the Anglo-Chinese College, some of from the first, considerable preparatory whom were among our brightest Chris· work having been done among thetheo- tians before. Since the meetings closed logical students. The Holy Spirit was the older students have special services present, and all felt His power and were for the instruction of new students in willing to take any part or perform any Christian doctrine. Sunday afternoons task laid upon them. The first night they havc Sunday·schools for heathen everyone in the church except two children in the various churches and came to the altar to consecrate himself day·school buildings. They also do to God's service; and thus it continued considerable preaching in the villages; from night to night till the weather and, in order to be better prepared for cleared, and the attendance was large, these services, they have invited Mr. when there was not room for all who Miner, one of the professors in the coldesired to kneel at the altar. Several lege, to gi ve them special instruction in nights as many as fifty WeIe seeking the preparation and delivery of sermons. either pardon or purity; so when the altar and surrounding space were filled, "It will doubtless be a surprise to others kneeled at their seats. Prayers many to know that most of these perof confession and earnest pleading for sons were members of the Church and mercy were heard in all parts of the recognized as among our best Chrisroom, several praying at once. tians ; and, ~ore surprising still, that not a few were theological students. "When opportunity was given for Some professed to be reclaimed, having testimony no time was lost. Sometimes grown cold and lost the evidence of parfive or six would rise together, and I don; but the majority testified they had had to indicate who should speak first. never been forgiven and were ignorant The last night was a jubilee service, at of the joys of salvation. I must confess which ninety-two persons spoke in it was a surprise to me, and yet I was thirty-five minutes; besides, there was somewhat prepared, since in similar considerable singing interspersed. meetings last conference several preach- ers found great joy such as they had "One hundred and seven persons never experienced before. were revived or pardoned, and the evidences of genuineness were as great as "I fear a great many church·memcould be desired-a joyous, happy face, bers in Chin!!. have only renounced idolatry to accept Christianity as a system. nme new preaching-places. In order It has been a change of head and not of to meet the demands of these providenheart; having failed to realize it as a tial openings I have had to send out new life and power in the soul. We from the theological school eight stuoften hear it said the Chinese do not dents as pastor-teachers, and during the have such sorrow for sin and joy in sal; summer vacation several more will be vation as appear In Christian lands, and appointed. The day is past when we the explanation usually given is that in have to fight our way into the villages. the absence of truth they ignorantly If we can furnish the men and means worship idols, and when they accept to enter all the open doors, we shall be the Gospel they do it as little children, thankful. and hence are not conscious of being great sinners in the sight of God. In so " Ting Kan, a large literary and COlllfar as we have neglected to show them mercial centre, we tried in vain to enter they are rebels against God, needing re- for over thirty years. Last year unexpentance and pardon through Jesus pectedly the barriers gave way, and we Christ, our work has been a failure. have taken possession in the name of What many of our members need is just the King. Already we have a large such preaching and exhortation as:nomi- property for church, schools, and resinal Christians and sinr:ers need in the dence for native pastor; also two girls' home landa. There is a great work to and one boys';school, and a night school, be done in the Church as well as out. and several of the most influential fami- lies have become Christians. I visit the "There are signs of awakening on place often and tind the people anxious every hand. Hardly a week passes but to learn the doctrine. On a recent visit I receive an invitation from some new five hundred people listened long and village or neighborhood to go and attelltively to the native pastor and mypreach or open a Ohristian school. Sev- self preach. When we proposed to diseral months alSO a nati ve physician saun- cuss informally, they asked that we sing tered into our chapel at Hok Chiang, and pray again as we did at the openand at once his attention was arrested ing, so they could learn more about our by the strange but joyous message. He mode of worship. went away without speaking to the prcacher or making known the fact that " Guoh Tah is another important point his heart was moved. The more he opened recently. Here for a time we pondered, the more he was convinced of met considerable opposition from the its truth. When he reached home he village elders and literati; but when began telling the strange story to hls the pastor moved into the town these friends and neighbors, many or whom men, to our great surprise, called on received the Word gladly. He repeat- him and made presents according to etied the story in several viEages with the quette, and the next night the pastor same results. Desiring to know more invited them to a feast, and the pipe of of the doctrine, representatives from fif- peace was smoked, and all has moved teen families-among them a woman smoothly since. We have a boys' school over seventy years old-walked several numbering tiny and several probationmiles to the chapel and related how ers. At the last quarterly meeting the they first heard the truth. Each Sab- chapel was crowded, and mallY stood bath since the number of those travel- at the doors and windows eagerly catchling this long distance to attend church ing every word that was spoken. Once has increased. A building will soon be a week Miss :Masters, J'rl.D., holds ready for chapel and a helper sent to in- elinics, and the pastor and I preach to struct them further in the doctrine. the patients and others who come. A silversmith (not Demetrius) and his "Within the past five months on the whole family have been gloriously Foochcw district alone we have opened saved. A few days ago he Came t(} my house carrying two great baskets 1890 it amounted to $20,OOO,000! Of on a pole across his shoulder, as the this $17,000,000 was with California custom is in China. The baskets were filled with ido18, ancestral tablets, pray- alone. er·books, and other objects used in WOf- We have no snakes nor any deadly ship. Mrs. Worley asked him if he did not feel sad at parting with them, and animals in the islands. We ha ve no he said emphatically, 'No.' Many peo· pIe are turning from idolatry to the true cholera, nor yellow fever, nor other and living God. 1l1agues of the tropics there. We have ·,he highest mountains of any islands, II Thus the work moves on with increasing success in so many places I and are ten degrees cooler than any cannot tell you aIL Let the~e few ex· other country of our latitude. Five amples suffice to give you an idea of what God is doing and the prospects sevenths of the private property of the which gladden our hearts daily." islands has been created and is owned Address of Rev. Thomas L. Gulick, D.D., by Americans and their descendants. at the International Missionary Union. The 4th of July, Decoration Day, and When the first missionaries went to Thanksgiving Day are celebrated with Hawaii in 1820 the Hawaiians were naked savages, given to infanticide, as much regularity and enthusiasm as drunkenness, gambling, and theft. They were constantly engaged in bloody wars here. We have no beggars and no among themselves; they offered hun- Tammany Hall. We have the largest dreds of human sacrifices upon their and most accessible active volcano in altars. They had a terrible system of tabus; they had no written language, the world, which is a safety-valve, savand the common people were the slaves of the kings and chiefs. ing us from frequent and dangerous earthquakes such as they have in Cali- Now all are free men, and for many fornia and Japan. A good carriage years have had the right to vote. All know how to read and write. The road takes you from beautiful Hilo land is dotted with churches and school- thirty miles through tropic forests to a houses built by themselves. Life and property are safer than in the United fine hotcl on the very brink of the States. There is a smaller percentage of illiterates among those born in these crater, where you can luxuriously lie Hawaiian Islands than among those in hed and look down on the glowing, born in any State of the United States. boiling fires of Pele ; or you can take While Europe, America, Africa, and a Turkish bath in the steam from Pele's other islands of the sea have been del- laboratory conveyed by pipes into the uged in bloody wars, the Hawaiian Islands have had no war for seventy- bath·room..from the Rteaming crevasses five years. They claim to be the most around the hotel. Tourists call our industrious and commercial nation of the earth. land the Paradise of the Pacific and the inferno of the world. We are on the The market value of our annual cross-roads from ·Washington, Oregon, product is $116 per capita. With our population of less than 100,000, our and California, and New Zealand and foreign commerce for the year 1860 amounted to $2,000,000. For the year Australia; between Nicaragua and Japsn and China. We have the only coaling stations, the only harbors, the only watering.places, the only source of supplies, the only naval stations, the only place of refuge, repair, or defence for thousands of miles in every direc- tion. The English papers call Hawaii the Malta and Gibraltar of the North Pacific. The London Times says, " It is easy to understand the advnntages which will accrue to the United States Navy from the possession of a naval station so advantageously placed." Honolulu is practically nearer to Washington than Buffalo was in the days of Adams and Jefferson. Passen- gers go through from Honolulu to Washington In from twelve to fourteen days; messages in six or seven days. When the Pacific cable is laid news and messa~es from Washiugton will be published III Honolulu three hours ear- lier than they were Fent. Westward the star of empire takes its way. In the drama of the world's great future the scene of its most important and cul- minating acts will be on the shores and islands of the Pacific Ocean.
FIELD OF ~IONTHLY SURVEY
IlI.-FIELD OF MONTHLY SURVEY.
Missions in Spain and Austria.
BY REV. II. A. SCHAUFl<'LER, D.D., CJ,EVELAND, O.
Spain.-Though Spain, in her zeal 2. The Evangelical Continental So- ciety. of England, which, under Mr. for Christianity as she understood it, Gulick's superintendence, maintains the expelled both Moors and Jews, she important work in Bilbao with 4 preachstands in as great need of missiona- ing stations, and carries on a mission in ries who shall proclaim the pure Gos- Camunas, province of Toledo. 3. English " Christians," also known pel to her children IS any country in Europe. The intellectual, moral and as" Plymouth Brethren," have churches and schools in La Coruna, Marin, San material ruin wrought by Rome wher- Tome, Vigo, Figueras, Barcelona, Mad- ever she has ruled, must be seen to be rid, besides a number of other preach- ing stations and schools. appreciated. Those who maintain that Protestant missionary work for Roman 4. The American Baptist Missionary Union maintains work in Barcelona and Catholics is superfluous, because they 5sevperreaalcphreersa,chaincghustracthioens,s, and reports have the Gospel and many of them ale 100 church- good Christians, and those who refuse members scattered over 17 towns and villages. It publishes a paper-The to aid such work as being hopeless, are Bco. In some places the meetings have equally wide of the truth, which is, been attended by from 300 to 600 peo- that Roman Catholics have been de- ple, and on special occasions from 700 to 1500. The field is vast and needy. prived of the Word of God, led astray 5. The Committee of Lausanne, by Rome's errors, demoralized by the Switzerland, has a church and schools teaching and example of her priesthood, in Barcelona and preaching stations in and enslaved by her ghostly authority, the province. enforced by the terrors of purgatory, 6. The Committee of Geneva has a and that they can be reached by the church and schools in Reus in the prov- ince of Tarragona, and a church and a saving truth of the Gospel and trans- school in Pontevedra, and a preaching formed into joyful, faithful, zealous station in Tarragona. and witnessing disciples of Christ. 7. The English Wesleyan Methodists have a church and schools in Barcelona, That is what is being done in Spain by several preaching stations in the district, more than a dozen Protestant missionary and 3 churches and several schools and preaching stations in the Balearic societies. The following list of missionary so- Islands. 8. The Scotch United Presbyterian cieties at work in Spain and summary Church has churches and schools in of their work is abridged from a state- Madrid, Jerez de la Frontera, Andalu- sia, and in Fernando, near Cadiz. ment kindly furnished by Rev. Will- 9. The Spanish and Portuguese Aid iam H. Gulick, missionary of the Ameri- Society (English and Irish Episcopalican Board at San Sebastian, and laRt an) have formed two churches with year's reports of his and the American schools in Madrid, and a church with one or more schools in ValladoJid, Sala- Baptist Union's missions. The writer manca, Villaesctisa, Monistrol, San Vihas not been fortunate enough to secure cente and Malaga, and two churches in any further reports of societies. Seville.
10. The German Lutherans, Pastor 1. The American Board has a church Fritz FJiedner, missionary, have a and day schools at Santander. San Se- church and schools in MadrId. bastian, Logrofio, Pradejon, Fauste and 11. The Irish Presbyterian Church Zaragoza, and a dozen other preaching has a church and schools in Cordova stations, of which the chief are Pam- and Puerto Santa Maria, and a theologi- plona and Roa. At San Sebastian it has cal school at the latter place.
an International Institute for Girls, with 12. The Spanish Evangelization So- 40 boarding pupils. ciety (Edinburgh) has a church and schools in Seville, Cadiz, Huelva and former associates, is seen coming and Granada, besides minor stations in Vil- goiug with the Protestants. gives up lafranca, Puerto Real, El Carpio, Mon- his worldly and vicious ways, 'joins the tori, Tharsis and Niebla. Church' in public confession of his faith, bringing with him his wife and 13. The Dutch (Presbyterians) have family, and bflcomes an active member founded a church and schools in Mala- in all its good work, such a case tells as ga, Almeria and Cartagena. it could not in the city. And especially does it tell when for weeks and months 14. A Swedish mission in Valencia, the man becomes the mark for the with 1 missionary and 2 groups of con- priest, who, failing to recover him to verts in a province with 270 villages his flock by entreaties and blandishand 730,000 inhabitants. ments, resorts to persecution such as only a village priest can devisE}, to Mr. Gulick thus summarizEs the harass and injure an old-time parish- ioner. These men and women are the Protestant missionary work being done salt of the Church, and a credit to Prot- estantism throughout the districts where in Spain: they are known.
Houses or rooms used for chapels and " The presence in the land of these schools, 122 ; foreign missionaries, male, Protestants, of the city and of the coun- 20; female, 29; Spanish pastors, 41; try, few and simple and poor as they evangelists. 37; attendants on public may be ; the persistent life and growth worship, 9000; communicants, 3600; of their churches and schools; their schoolteachers, men, 79; women, 83; dignified and reasonable demand for pupils, 5000 ; Sunday·schools, 85 ; Sun- recognition and protection under the day·school teachers, 195; Sunllay-school government that they loyally help to scholars, 3600; Spanish Christian peri- support, and the example of a truly odicals, 5. Christian conduct that cannot be gain- said by their Roman Catholic neighbors, In a communication from Mr. Gulick, have wrought a radical change in pub- lic sentiment toward Protestantism. published in the Independent for March The Protestant community is now a recognized element in the body politic, 26th, 1891, he makes the following the rights of which cannot be evaded by the rulers, and which generally restatements, which in a recent letter he ceives from the authorities such protec- tion as is needed. refers to as still holding good : "If enemies declare that nearly all "The number of congregations in the knowledge of evangelical Christian- ity to-day in Spain is the direct fruit of Spain is now larger than ever before; foreign funds and of foreign teaching, we answer, How could it be otherwise? and though 'there are no congregations The secds of Evangelical truth were de- stroyed by the Inquisition in fire and as large as several that were found fif- blood. No element of Protestantism survived in Spain, as in France and in teen years ago in Madrid, and in Seville Italy, from which historical root there might, in the nineteenth century, spring and in some other places, the sum total the vigorous branch of Evangelical re- ligion producing the sweet flowers and of persons in regular attendance and the fruits of the Gospel of Jesus Christ."
total of the active membership are as A very interesting and hopeful fea- large if not larger than ever before. To- day the chief strength of Protestantism is not perhaps :lound in the organized churches with their pastors and schools in the large cities, but in the many groups of Christians, some with pastors and some without pastors, that are scat- tered far and wide throughout the country. It is in these places that the indi- vidual life of the Protestant Christian becomcs the object of special notice, and where the teachings of the Gospel and its results are brQught into open and unavoidable contact with the teachings and fruits of Roman Catholicism.
"When a man in a country village, who has been wasteful, and quarrelsome, and profane, and a gambler, be- gins to frequent the chapel, leaves his ture of the work of the American Board missions have encountered more serious in Spain, and one which is of value to and determined opposition than in any a~l other Protestant missionary opera- other country of Europe excepting Rus· tions, is the training school for girls at sia. Even in Turkey there is more re- San Sebastian, incorporated in Massa- ligious liberty than in Austria, where to chusetts under the name .. The Inter- this day no Protestant denominations national Institute for Girls in Spain." are recognized as having any legal At its head is Mrs. Gulick, a,sisted by status or rights except the Lutheran, three American lady teachers. The the Helvetic Reformed and the Herrn- course of study is thorough and com- hut (Moravian) churches. No other prehensive, including, besides lan- Protestant church has any right to hold guages, history, geometry, trigonome· public Divine serl'ice ; Austrian children try, zoology, geology, chemistry, phys- of school age, even Protestants, are not ics, and philosophy. In order to ob· allowed to attend the Sunday-schools or tain a Government degree and diploma. other services of non-recognized church- pupils of this school matriculate in the es, to whose private religious gatherings Government institute or high school, only invited guests may be admitted.
and go up yearly to be examined by the The giving away and even lending of Government Board of Examiners. The tracts is a punishable offence (the writer result of the first public examination of of tbis once paid a fine of over $20 for these pupils was highly gratifying to lending tracts to children in his own their teachers and friends, and equally dwelling), and colporteurs are forbid- depressing to bigoted Catholics, one of den selling the Scriptures; they may whom exclaimed, "It does seem that only secure subscribers, to whom the the Evil One himself helps them!" books have to be sent by mail, thus One of the immediate results of the largely increasing the expense and the notable success under the Government difficulty of circulating the Word of examiners was the official invitation to God. Though almost all educated take part in an "Exhibition of Arts Catholic laymen in Austria have lost and Sciences," where the American their faith in the Catholic Church, yet, school was assigned one of the best the Catholic religion being that of the places, with the word" Evangelico" or royal family and aristocracy, and really Protestant prominently displayed over of the State, at least in Cis-Leithania it, and attracted much favorable atten- (all Austria west of a line drawn north- tion from priests as well as laymen and east and southwest, and nearly touching public prints. The school richly de- Pressburg), it is for the interest of Gov- serves a permanent and fitting building. eIllment officials to enforce the out- Spain needs nothing more than she does rageously oppressive laws dictated by intelligent Christian women. The suc- the papal hierarchy. Were it not that cess of the school in the face of great the emperor, though a strict Catholic, difficulties is a most cheering omen for is also a lover of all his subjects and of the future of the country to which so justice, even the recognized Protestant much attention has been directed in con- churches would be in danger of losing nection with the celebration of Colum- the restrieted rights now conceded to bus's discovery of the New World. The them, and tho unrecognized Protestants network of Protestant mission stations would be persecuted out of the realm.
and the results achieved give promise of But notwithstanding the determined 'great spiritual blessings for Spain when and powerful opposition of the papal its medireval twilight shall be dispelled forces, backed by Austrian law and Aus- by the full shining of the sun of right- trian officials, mi~sionary work for eousness. Catholics has been rewarded with re- Austria.-Passing from Spain to Aus markable success, and that, though the tria, we find a land in which Protestant army of different Protestant missionary bodies laboring in Austria is very small the whole story of missionary work for compared with the number found work· Catholic population in Bohemia and ing in Spain. Moravia, a story full of touching inci- When in 1872 the writer, with Rev. dents of souls awakened to seek and Drs. E. A. Adams (now at the head of find a peace in believing in Christ which the large mission among Bohemians of their church, with its religion of forms the Chicago Congregational City Mis- and fear of purgatory, could never give sionary Society) and A. W. Clark (at -a story full of stirring tales of bitter the head of the American Board's Mis· wrongs patiently endured; of unequal sion in Bohemia), reached Prague, they conflicts heroically carried on; of won- found two other bodies at work for derful successes achieved by single- Catholic population in Bohemia-the hearted faith, steady allegiance to the IIerrnhuters (called the Moravian truth, and self.sacrificing labors for its Church in this country), who had reo spread. But our limits prevent, and we cently commenced work in Eastern and must confine ourselves to giving the re- Northern Bohemia, where they have sults of the work of one mission, the two flourishing churches with preach- largest in Austria-that of the Ameri- ing stations and an orphanage, and the can Board-which has, extended from Evangelical Continental Society of Lon· Prague as a centre to the eastern and don, supported largely by Congrega· western and southern boundaries of Bo- tionalists, and doing its work through hemia.
several pious pastors of the Reformed The last year's report of this mission Church of Bohemia, who established is full of encouragement. In spite of a number of preacbing stations in the never·ceasing opposition of a gov- Raudnitz and Leitmeritz and other ernment whose right to rule is based on places in the northern half of Bohemia, a constitution that "guarantees full and superintended the work of native liberty of faith and conscience to every evangelists and colporteurs. The mis· one," in spite of the harassing efforts of sions of the Scotch Free Church in police, priests, editors, landlords and Prague and in Bnda·Pesth (Hungary), bigots of all kinds to exterminate and of the Irish Presbyterians in Vienna, " heresy," the triumphs of Gospel were for the Jews. A small Baptist truth are more marked than ever. The church in Vienna was cared for by the police search dwellings and confiscate agent of the British and Foreign Bible hymn·books and Bibles; priests order Society: Now the American Baptist employtrs to dismiss Bible – reading Missionary Union reports a missionary workmen; even children suffer per- stationed there whose efforts have been secution in the public schools, and so blessed that baptisms have repeatedly some parents disown their children who taken place, and the place of worship join the mission churches. And yet has become too small. Some years ago the influence of the mission is not only a small split from the American Board's spreading into the hitherto most bigot- mission church in Prague joined the ed parts of Bohemia, which rejected Baptists,and is doing zealous work, seek- the Gospel even in the glorious Refor· ing to enter the doors which in increas· mation times that followed the martyr· ing numbers are opening in different dom of John Huss, but is winning its parts of Bohemia. A German Method- way among the educated classes.
ist mission in Vienna was also started, The Y. 111. C. A. has proved even a and suffered much opposition from the more useful adjunct of the Church's authorities. The writer once addressed work than in lands where there is more their meeting, when no singing or pray- liberty. Incorporated under the laws ing was allowed. Think of :lHethodists governing associations, which a church put under such restraints I cannot be, it claims the protection of It would be very interesting to tell law, owns buildings, holds public meetings, and reaches those whom the mis- reason that I affirm that in the sterling sion church, unreeognized by law and Christian piety and zeal which charac- hampered by legal restrictions, cannot terizes them as a whole lies the hope of attract. The Prague Y. M. C. A. 's ex· revi ving in Bohemia the ancient faitil hibit, at a recent national Bohemian ex- of their forefathers and of eyangelizing hibition, received honorable mention the country. It is the mission of these and a beautiful diploma presented by converts to leaven the masses of indif- the city of Prague and signed by its ferent, unbelieving, superstitious and highest officials. That is vastly more hypocritical adherents of Rome with significant in Austria than in a Prot- the pure Gospel of Christ. This is what estant country. by God's gmce they are doing. The The most remarkable proof of prog- noble and courageous witnessing for ress is found in Pilsen, the chief city of Christ and the general influence of this Western Bohemia, which refused en- little band of Christian con,er ts, the de- trance to the reformers in Bohemia's spised and legally non·recognized ' In- golden age. In II recent number of the dependents,' has a very great effect Missionary Herald Dr. A. W. Clark upon the legally recognized Protestant reports a delightful visit to that churches, leavening them with the stronghold of Romanism. On Satur- Gospel spirit and stimulating them to a day evening he addressed a large audi- more consistent and spiritual life." A ence. On Sunday he preached to 120 very significant fact in connection with hearers, 60 of them members of the the work of the mission in the almost mission church, the rest Roman Catho- wholly Roman Catholic southern part lics, and then followed a communion of Bohemia is the purchase and fitting season of such tender interest and spir- up as a place of worship a building in itual power as is seldom witnessed where the garden of the very house in which the Church is not suffering for the truth. the great Bohemian reformer, John A Y. M. C. A. has been formed here, Huss, was born. It is related that, and has gained legal standing. From when in prison in Constance before his Pilsen Gospel truth is spreading into the being burned at the stake as a heretic region round about, containing 1,000,- in 1514, John Huss dreamed that the 000 souls. Pope effaced the image of Jesus Christ This mission reported in 1893 1 cen- from his prison walls; but the next day tral station (Prague) and 40 out-stations, a great number of painters restored with 2 ordained American missionaries that image in greater beauty, which and their wives; 14 Bohemian work- greatly encouraged him to believe that, ers, of whom 4 were ordained: aver- after Rome had done her utmost, Christ's age weekly congregation of 1479; 10 image would be restored in the hearts churches, with 676 members, of whom of his countrymen; whereat he (Huss), 165 had been received in the year just awaking from the dead and rising ended. A house of refuge for fallen from the dead, would " thrill with great girls-nowhere more n;;eded than in a joy." The last part of that dream is Catholic couutry, where the open im- having blessed fulfilment in our day.
morality of the priests makes ha voc with the morals of their people-has Statistical Notes. won the respect and friendliness of the lIuthorities. In the weighty case of Protestantism Of the Christian character of the con- Ve1'SU8 Catholicism, what is the situa- verts, almost all Roman Catholics, Rev. tion and prospect after nearly four hun- L. F. Miskovsky, himself born in Bo- dred years of stubborn conflict of truth hemia but educated in this country, and against pernicious error? The figures who spent a number of months last year which follow will furnish the substance in Bohemia, writes: "It is not without for a reply to that question by no means wholly unsatisfactory or without en- the Reformation rested upon little Engcouragement. The Protestants number land and little Holland; or the times of about 150,000,000 and Roman Catholics Louis XIV. and his dragonades/ Let about 225,000,000. Of these 375,000,000 the Spanish Armada, the massacre of Europe holds the large majority, or St. Bartholomew, the revocation ("f the some 88.000,000 of the former and 162,- Edict of Nantes, the desolations of the 000,000 of the latter. This table will Thirty Years' War, the bloody Inquisi- show at a glance what European COUD- tion, the power and activity of the tries are strongholds for the ideas and Jesuits stand for what PJ'otestants were convictions which were quickened by compelled to endure for three full cen- the Reformation, and also where the turies. And how rapidly and seriously papacy is still supreme. Rome is losing her grip upon the na- Protestants. R. Catholics. tions is seen in the faet that within this Great Britain. . .. .,. 32,726,000 5,412,000 century, and for the most part within Germany…………. 31,027,000 17,075,000 the limits of this generatioD, religious England and Wale".. 27,903,000 1,500,000 freedom under the law has taken the Russia. . .. .. ……. 6,000,000 8,rOO,000 place of rigid intolerance in almost 1000 every Catholic State I As illustrations, Swaden ._ ….. _…. 4,807,000 Austria. .. . . . . . . . . .. .. 3,864,000 32,254,000 take the tremendous change that came to Mexico when .Maximilian and the Scotland…. …. ….. 3,698,COO 305,000 Catholic reaction were utterly over· 1,600,000 thrown in 1867, and to Italy in 1870, Netherlanus……… 2,630,000 3,700 when His Holiness found an irresistible Denmark….. …… 2,181,000 1,000 civil master I 1.225,000 Norway…… ……. 2,000,000 3,547,000 The ontlook for the future of the two 37,593,000 rival forms of Christianity may be gained Switzerland.. …… 1,775,000 80,400,000 by taking France as a representative of 17,000,000 Ireland…. . . 1,125,000 6,18:5,000 the one and Great Britain of the other. 4,800,000 The date is not so very distant when the France. . .. . . .. . . . .. .. '750,000 former was manifestly superior nearly Italy… …………. 62,O~0 everywhere; lmt almost in an hour all Spain……………. 10,000 Belgium.. .. ……… 10,000 Portueal. . .. . . . . . . . . . 1,000 Iu the Old World, Rome is spiritual her vast possessions fell into the hnnds of ruler over some 170,000,000, and over her rival across the Straits of Dover, about 55,000,000 in me New; while of whose supremacy has ever since been the adherents of the Reformed Church, maintained, both on land and sea. 90,000,000 inhabit the Eastern Hemi- France is larger Ilnd is better situafed sphere and 60,000,000 the Western, geographically. Her soil is more fertile. Tbe Spanish-American ftates are pra.c- In 1789 her income w!.s nearly twice as tically unanimous in looking to the large as that of England, and her popu· Tiber for law and gospel, since, with a lation was 26,000,000 against only 9,000,- popUlation of over 45,000,000, less than 000; but to·day, While Frenchmennum- 1,000,000 are Protestants, The Domin- bel' less than 40,000,000, of Englishion of Canada has about 2,000,000 Cath· men there are more than 100,000,000. olics in a total population of 5,000,000. Anglo-Saxon intelligence and energy But in the United States, with 63,000,- and enterprise are clearly destined to 000 inhabitants. not more than 7,000,· carryall the world over Anglo-Saxon 000 adherents of the papacy can be mus· speech, and ideas, and institutions, and teredo religious faith as well.
Protestantism is, then, numerically When we are inclined to fear for the strongest in the United States, 56,000,- future of our own land, it is well to re- 000; Great Britain, 33,000,000; Ger- call the fact that though the papacy is many, 31,000,000 ; and the threc Scan· strong, haughty, determined, skilful, dinavian countries, 9,000,000. And and unscrupUlous, nnd can count a fol· Rome sways most minds and con- lowing of about 7,000,000, her losses sciences in France, with 37,000,000; through lapse into indifference and Austria, with 32,000,000; Italy, with open apostaRY are great, and go far to 30,000,000; and Spain, with 17,000,000. neutralize all her gains, which are main· About two thirds of alllhe Protestants ly from immigration. Free institutions, of the world belong to the great Anglo· publie schools, and the Whole atmos- Saxon race-that is. 100,000,000 of the phere of the New World are overwhelm- total of 150,O(l0.000-and are found ingly against her superstitions and bel'
massed, more than half in the United despotism. With a non·Catholic popu· States and the re&t in Great Britain and lation of 56,000,000, surely no fatal barm l1er colonies. can be done to our Christianity by 7,000,- How changed is the situation since 000 who in outward profession, and ac· the dreadful days of Chal'lps V. and cording to the census tables, are non- Pbilip II., when under God all hope for Protestant.
lS!14.] • EDITOHIAL DEPARTMENT
IV.-EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT.
The Iutarnational Missionary Union. partment will be largely given upto the details of this great gathering, and This was every way a unique gather. hence we need not either anticipate or ing. After desiring for years to be prcs- duplicate this account. But another ent at the annual feast of these represen· unique feature of this Uaion is that tatives of the world's missions, this year only missionaries are heard from its found the yearning granted, and the at- platform. It is not a place for ad captractions of the gathering exceeded the tandum speeches on missions, for theoexpectation, which is saying a good deal. l'etical argument and appeal, but for Dr. Gracey was in his element presid· witness borne by the actual workers_ ing over this assembly; with his quick And it was observable that not one needperception of the eternal fitness of less speech was made in the course of things, his wide acquaintance with the the eight days ; nor was there any atmission work and field, his ready wit tempt at literary effects; no labored and imperturbable good humor, his introductions or eloquent perorations, happy way of managing everybody no flights of rhetoric or poetry. no and turning everything to account- plunges into the depths of abstruse phieven an apparent blunder-nothing losophy. A hundred short speeches, could be asked beyond his singular giving simple testimony to facts and adaptation to the post he not only occu· needs and the workings of God; a score pied, but filled. of carefully prepared papers on vital as- . Perhaps the unique features of this pects of mission work; a lively and gathering are to be found, first in the warm discussion in five-minute speeches union of the transient and permanent of such snbjects as educational missions, elements in its compo~ition. The union and a beautiful spirit of prayer and fel· is composed of missionaries of all de· lowship pervading all. If the meetings nominations and nations, who sign its of the American Board and other great simple constitution; but actually it is missionary societies could take the meetcomposed, at any particular meeting, of ings of the Union for a model, they those missionaries who are returned from would double and treble their power their fields permanently or temporarily, over the people. and who are thus enabled to meet for eight days at the rallying centre, Clif· The Union opened its proper sessions ton Springs. with a prayer service of two hours, at which the one subject absorbing all atten- This was the eleventh annual meet· tion was the Holy Spirit as the Personing. At first it was a movable feast, al Presence and Power presiding in all held at Wesley Park, Niagara Falls, assemblies of believers. And if He ever and at the Thousand Islands, Bingham. administered any such assembly, it ton, etc. ; but that universal benefactor" was surely this. From the opening hymn Dr. Henry Foster, invited the Union to every exercise was spontaneous. There' meet at Clifton Springs, at whose sani- was no hymn announced, no person tarium so many of God's chosen ones designated to pray or speak. Brief pas· have found a sort of heavenly rest for a !Sages were read from the Gospel accordseason; and now for years past here has ing to John, in order to show Christ's been the "tabernacle" for the Union. testimony concerning the paraclete ; and This year about one hundred and fifty then from the Acts of the Apostles, were eiltcrtained without charge for a to exhibit His praetical and actual week, while the affairs of the kingdom working in the early Church. Then were under discussion. there was, for example, a continuous prayer, lasting perhaps for twenty min- The columns of the International Deutes, 'in which various persons, men and the North American Indians exceeded women, representing perhaps forty for dramatic power and fascination alfields, poured out in brief sentences most anything we have heard; Dr. their hearts' yearnings. Every moment was occupied, amI we all felt that the Henry Foster's venerable and apostolic Spirit was leading. The influence first felt in this devutional service pervaded form and presence, and the new version the remaining sessions to the close. The meeting of Tuesday night was givcn up of the story of Ling Ching Ting, the entirely to some thirty.seven persons who expect to go to their respective converted Chinese opium-smoker. fields in course of. the year; and the closing meeting of Wednesday morning A proposal was made, at this meeting was a gathering up in minute speeches of nuggets found in these mines during that Clifton Springs be a sort of home the week-and rich gleanings they were. for the Missionary Union, and that here The whole tone of these meetings was hopeful. There was not a discourag- there be established !I school for the ing word. Even in the midst of tribulations these brethren and sisters were childlen of missionaries and a training exceeding joyful, and gloried in God. They testified with unanimity to the school for intending missionaries, where promise as fulfilled, .' Lo, I am with you alway;" and not one was there the services of tbose who are resting for who would not esteem it a self·denial to be kept out of the field. If anybody awhile might be utilized in securing commiserates missionaries he should have been here to find out that they re- higher fitness for their work:. We came gard those who are compelled to abide at home as the people to be pitied. away persuaded that God has higher The twilight hour each day is hence- and targer purposes for this Internaforth the chosen hour whcn, wherever the members of the Union may be, they tional Missionary Union, and that it has !l'e to unite in prayer for the objects dear to all true missionaries. And so but entered upon its true career. Not there will be continuous prayer following the sun in his circuit; before the one discordant note was struck to mar sunset hour has ceased in the far· off lands of the Orient, the new round of the heavenly harmony. It was a place sunsets will have begun to travel westward, to tarry, and the universal reluctance In such. a gathering it would be in- to, separate proved how intensely the vidious to mention individual names. But who will ever forget Dr. McGil- presence of the Lord was felt by all. vary, the apostle to the Laos people; Dr. Cyrus Hamlin :md Dr. Wood, so In the editorial article which begins long identified with the Sublime Porte; Secretary Belden and Mrs. Wellington this August issue, reference is made to a White, both so marvellously saved from death; Mrs. Bacon, who at her own quotation from a letter of M. C. Fencharges went to India after she was wick, which was published in The fifty years old; Rev. Edgerton R. Truth. Concerning this letter, Mr. Young, whose thrilliug addresses on Fenwick writes to the editor of this REVIEW as follows: " A letter which I addressed to Rev. Dr. J. H. Brookes, and not intended for publication, appeared in The Truth, and is, I find, partially republished in Dr. Johnston's book on • Reality 'V8. Romance.' "
For sbme time the words" who art thou that judgest another man's ser- vant?" have been so laid upon my heart that I am deeply sorry I ever penned the above letter, more especially since truth forbids its withdrawal. The let- ter was penned under conviction that the Church of Christ in America was given to exacting glowing reports from missionaries to bolster up their dishon- orin?; methods of raising money, and in this way hold those contributors who have no part nor lot in the Lord's work. It was also penned under the convic- tion that the Church is ever seeking for something of this nature to sustain the delusion inherited from Constantine that th'! world is growing hetter, and the greater delusion begotten by this- Oh, how blessed to know that the last that the carnal hearts so faithfully por· commission of our blessed Lord tarries trayed in the first chapter of Romans not for the statistician's glowing report, are stretching forth their hands for the but is borne on the wings of "the Gospel in advance of the G08pel. Their Heavenly Dove," transforming unwill- hearts hate the blood, but are weary, ing hearts, making His desire their glad sad, longing human hearts neverlhe· choice!
less; and only Jesus can rest them, and The American Presbyterian Board' only the Holy Ghost can change their (North) has now a splendid staff in hate into love. Corea, and I think I know the majority The Corean who. related to me the of them sufficiently well to say no one manner of his baptism was brought so need fear a repetition of the sad methblessedly under conviction of sin by the ods employed by their older member.
Holy Spirit that he cried out in agony Yours, of soul, " I believe in God ; every Co- M. C. FENWICX, rean believes in God; but who ill this Of Oorean Itinerant Mi8sion. Jesus? I don't want to believe in Him, neither can I pray honestly that I may have such a desire." He not only hat· We have received a remarkable letter, ed but despised the meek and lowly One; but before the Holy Spirit got which should be published, as follows: through with him he was very glad to TENGCHOWFU, CmN.A-, call upon the name of the Lord Jesus, April 15, 1894. and was saved. This conviction came long after he was baptized, and he reo Rev. A. T. Pie1'80n, D.D.
lated the manner of his baptism after DEAR Sm: In a recent igsue of THE he confessed Jesus his Lord and realized the" more excellent way. " If my good MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD I friend Dr. Brookes refers to my letter, noticed a request for donations to your he will find it was written for hjs pri· fund for giving that paper to poor stu- vate information, with permission to use dents who are unable to pay for it. if he saw fit, throwing the responsi. Remembering how much the REVIEW bility, if published, on his judgment, has helped me during my years of colnot mine. Of course it settles all question as to lege life, I wish to give my mite to send the truthfulness of my letter when the it to others. Enclosed you will find a man who did the baptizing confesses United States greenback for $5-the himself a pre·millenarian, though an only one I have left of those I started out and out "poet," and denies the whole story, and is backed by his wife, with from the home land last Septem- his father·in·law in Chicago, a commit· ber. tee in. Toronto that has since given Tell the Christian medical students up tne work entirely, and" an angry, ilillr man" who" should be recalled." and doctors at home that they cannot D:. Vinton, writing to the MISSION· afford to stay there while there is so ARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD, gives cor- much work to be done here. rect statistics; but statistics are one thing, the manner of creating them may I feel like thanking God daily that be quite another. Mr. Gale, of the He has brought me to this needy land, same mission, writing to the same maga· even though nearly half of the first six zine in the same issue. speaking of months of my life here has been spent " Euiju," where the greater portion of on a bed of sickness with typhoid fever. the reported 127 converts were baptized by the missionary whose methods are May the Lord richly bless you in deplorably sad, quotes another mission- your labors. ary of the same mission who has lived Yours truly, in Eluiju longer than all other mission- W. F. SEYMOUR, M.D. aries in Corea combined, as reporting some half.dozen converts. I heard this Let our readers reflect what good has missionary deny to Mr. Gale that he ever been done to this young man by read_ reported anything of the kind, and he added, .. -IVhat I did say was that there ing this REVIEW, and how that good is were some five or six evidently interest· exhibited in this letter. How his self· ed, and I had great hopes that they would yet be converted." Statistics, denial in sending $5 rebukes the apathy and selfishness of those at home, who you see, even when as modest as Mr. Gale's. are not always to be relied upon. are unwilling to deny themselves to contribute to this same needy fund for the lar.ing his hand on the Bip!e, which supply of the REVIEW to needy stu- still bore marks of the rough usage it dents for the ministry and the mission had received before it escaped the sea. field! Let some who read these lines , All my classics went to the bottom; ask themsel ves if they cannot by a gift . to this fund help to raise up and send but, when the Bible was thus rescued forth to the field missionaries of like consecration. This fund to-day needs aud brought back to my hands, I seem- at least $500 to make up arrears. We are constantly appealed to to furnish ed almost to hear a VOIce from heaven the REVIEW at less than cost to needy saying to me, "Greek and Latin au- young men and women, who are look- ing forward to service in the foreign thors are not needed to convert the na· field. One application recently granted, tivE's of India; the Bible alone, with has contained forty-two add1'esses. Will God's Spirit, is sufficient, for it is the sword of the Spirit, and mighty through God to the pulling down of Satan's strongholds.'" Yes, the Bible, with Divine help, is sufficient to convert India, to convert the world to Christ. Be it ours to send it forth on its Divine mission."
not some who sympathize with our de- The Board of Foreign Missions of the sire to furnish such parties with the RE- Presbyterian Church in the United VIEW at nominal rates belp us by send- States of America issues a statement .ing to the editor, at East Northfield, worthy of preservation. Eight hun- Mass., sums to be so applied? dred and fifty-six millions of heathen An able article on the recent Y. M. sit in darkness, while we have light. C. A. Jubilee, held in London, will ap- The Master is watching His stewards. pear in our next issue. Your gifts help support the following work: Ordained missionaries (165 na- Dr. Duff, the well-known Indian mis- tive), 375; lay missionaries (339 fesionary, when acting as Professor of male), 384 ; churcheR, 391; communi- Evangelistic Theology in the New Col- cants, 30,479; added 1891-92, 3430; lege, Edinburgh, was wont to invite his contributions on field, $38,731.28; students to his house. The pleasant schools, 771; scholars, 29,011; scholevenings were closed with family wor- ars in Sunday-schools, 26,388 ; students ship. The Qua1'terly RetXYrd of the Na- for ministry, 167; printing establishtional Bible Society of Scotland recaEs ments, 12; pages issued in 21 lana touching feature in connection with guages, 110,000,000; hospitals and dist.hose gatherings: pensaries, 43; patients treated, 100,000.
"When the doctor opened his big The McAll Mission, in Paris and Bible on these occasions, he used to France, is vigorously working. Thirtypause, and, turning to the lads, relate five halls in and around Paris are open a well·known incident in the history and largely attended. The preaching of the Book before him. A lover of is steadily conducted on the evangelical the classics, when he first went out lines on which it was started, and is as to India as a missionary he had fitted effective as it was in former days. Dr. up in his cabin a little library of the McAll has departed, but Mr. Greig and choicest Greek and Latin authors, in other men have taken up the work whose company he passed many a hap- which he began and so long conducted, py hour. But the vessel was wrecked, and are carrying it forward with earand nearly everything on board was nestness and success. General religious lost, the passengers and crew being glad interest is manifest Itt the stations of the to reach the shore without loss of life mission throughout France, and there or limb. They had gathered round a have been some remarkable conversions hastily kindled fire When a sailor, who during the past winter, as at Lyons and had been down on the beach watching Marseilles. the wreck, was seen approaching with something in his hand. 'See what I have picked up on the shore I ' he cried. • And the sailor handed me,' Dr. Duff would say, 'II book, this very book,' Volumes of incidents worthy of rec- the provisions.~f the reform inauguratord might be written in connection with the work. This touching story is told ed against the Catholic Church, by in connection with one of the Paris which all kinds of religious proces- sions and demonstrations in the open air are prohibited."
branches: "An aged woman who had learned by heart many of the hymnB We gladly give space to an appeal in sung there, and seemed to find all her behalf of the Industrial Department of delight in them, came to the meeting the Collegiate and 'rheological Institute leaning on a crutch, and evidently very in Samokov, Bulgaria, and of a hospital feeble. The subject of discourse that for the relief of the poor in the same night was' Dress '-the robe of right- city. Mr. Kingsbury is well known to eousness, the wedding garment. At many readerH, and his appeal has the the close she said to the preacher: 'I hearty support of snch men as Presibelieve this is my last visit to the hall ; dent R. S. Storrs, D.D., and Secretary if I can never come again, you will N. G. Clark,D.D., of theA. B. C. F.M., know where I have gone. My infirmi- and R. Wardlaw Thompson, Secretary ties increase rapidly.' 'I will come to of the L. M. S. Any gifts may be sent see you,' said the preacher; • but if God to Mr. Kingsbury at 23 Long Lane, called you meanwhile, have you any London, E. C., Eng. fear of appearing before Him?' 'Oh, "There is. in connection with the no,' she replied, ' I am too well dressed for that-too well dressed to dread the Collegiate and Theological Institute in Samokov, Bulgaria, an Industrial Dejudgment. He hath clothed me with partment, whose object is to help in- the garments of salvation; He hath digent but worthy young men to work, by means of which they can earn a part covered me with the robe of righteous- or the whole of their expenses, while ness.' " securing a Christian education. Dur- ing the seven years of the history of The following report comes from the this enterprise more than $1000 have been paid to students who must other- City of Mexico: wise have been obliged to have left the " Tile Salvation Army of the United institute. Within a short distance of States and England has large coloniza- the building now occupied is a fine wa- tion schemes brewing for Mexico. A ter power-not less than 20 horse pow- syndicate of capitalists in terested in the er; which may be secured shortly by work of the Salvation Army has con- purchase. There is already a mill in cluded the purchase from the Mexican operation on the place. Contiguous to GDvernment of 200,000 acres of land in this mill, and belonging to the same the State of Chiapas. A member of the proprietor, stands a house and lot, '1d- syndicate, C. H. Durst, this week sailed mirably adapted fur a hospital. The for England, where he is to meet Gen- whole can be bought at present for eral Booth. It is expected plans will $1500 standing. The InduRtrial De- now be 'speedily perfected by which partment in b;)th its divisions of print- 5000 families will be put on the great ing and carpentery is in sore need of tract LH' col')iliz<ltion purposes. oper- assistance in securing the necessary ating under the direction of the officers tools for carrying on the work, and for of the army. Chiapas is on the ex- the permanent support of the persons treme southern border of Mexico, on in charge, and for purchasing supplies the Pacific Coast, and is a State of of type, paper, machines, and other es- much promise iu the way of agricul- sentials. We would earnestly appeal tnral products. This is but another to the benevolently inclined to assist step forward in the realization of the us. Our immediate and pressing needs plans for practical help which General are for $1500 for the purchase of a cyl- Booth and his associates have long had inder printing machine, $1500 for the in mind for the world's poor, and espe- purchase of the water power and mill cially the submerged classes of the great adjoining, and furnish from time to cities of England and America. It is time various things for the mainte- supposed that the bulk of the colonists nance of the work.
will come from England. 'J'he Salva- " We believe that unless Bulgaria in tion Army is forbidden by the Constitu- her rapid ad vance be impressed with tion of Mexico to carryon its street the truths of the Gosptl, and moulded work in the way of meetings, under in a measure by the influence of men of sterlin~ Integrity and honesty, that she secured sufficient to maintain but six will faIl to make herself what she seems beds, then permission can be secured destined to be. 'l'his institution is almost from the authorities to dispense medithe o~ly one in the land where the Bible cine to the poor. Let this cry of a is the recognized rule of faith and prac· struggling people come up before God's tice. Under the impulse of the Indus- people, and we believe that the neces· trial Department the number of stu- sary funds will not be denied. dents rose from less than thirty to more .. FREDERICK L. KINGSBURY."
than seventy; but that number is con- stantly diminishing. With a wellequipped printing office ten thousand The Open or Institutional Ohuroh streams of elevating influence would League.
flow to every part of the land. A crisis At their recent conference, held in the Madison Avenue Presbyterian is now upon the people of Bulgaria. Infinite social, political, educational, and literary advantages are held out to Church in this city, the friends of insti- an eager and expectant nation. The tutional church work formed a League and adopted the following platform as forces of evil are rife; vice and intem- the statement of their conviction: perance are rapidly on the gain. In the one city of Samokov, with a diminished population, the arrests are sevenfold The open or institutional church de- more than they were ten years since. pends upon the development of a cer- Before the people of God we plead our tain spirit rather than upon the aggre- cause. You appreeiate the value of gation of special appliances and meth· good government-help us to secure ods. It is an organism evolved from a that public spirit in Bulgaria that will germinal principle rather than an or- be satisfied with nothing short of right· ganization.
eous and well-executed laws. You a_po It believes that only as this spirit is preciate the value of a good literature developed in the Church universal will -help us to attain to something better the purpose of the kingdom of God than the vile translations that are now among men be realized, and it confi- being sold throughout the country. dently looks forward to the time when The worst sort of socialism and infidel- the Church will be understood to stand ity are organizing themselves, and their for the larger view here presented.
literary productions are hawked about As the body of the Christ the open or in the streets of our cities and sold at constitutional church aims to provide marvellously cheap prices. You be- the material environment through lieve in men of stanch integrity and which His Spirit may be practically ex- firmness of character that give tone to pressed. As His representative in the public morals and support the best in· world it seeks to represent Him pbysi.
stitutions. Help us to give work to cally, intellectually, socially, and spiro these needy and worthy young men, by itually to the age in which it exists.
means of which they may elevate their Inasmuch as the Christ came not to people, and through whose efforts the be ministered unto but to minister, the highest good may be maintained. With open or institutional church, filled and slight expense the institute could give moved by His Spirit of ministrating accommodation to one hundred and fifty love, seeks to become the centre and young men. Scores are ready and anx· source of all beneficent and philan- ious to work their way through an edu- thropic effort, and to take the leading cation by means of which to fit them- part in every movement which has for selves for the highest usefulness. Can its end the alleviation of human suffer- anything be nobler than helping such ing, the elevation of man, and the bet- youths to help themselves? terment of the world.
"The need of a hospital is great; Thus the open or institutional church nearly a thousand families are debarred aims to save all men and all of the man from any medical aid or assistance. It by all means, abolishing so far as possihas been my painful experience a~ a ble the distinction between the religious doctor to see scores of persons die with· and the secular, and sanctifying all out any medicine being procurable or days and means to the great end of sav· without the possibility of such aid. ing the world fo<r Christ.
Hundreds of persons are constantly ill While the open or institutional church in that city who might be aided, but is known by its spirit of ministration who cannot be for lack of means to pur- rather tban by any specific methods of chase medicine. The law of Bulgaria expressing that spirit, it stands for open forbids any person dispensing the small· church doors every day and all day, est quantity of medicine unless he has free seats, It plurality of Christian work- a hospital. If the building above re- ers, the personal activity of all church- ferred to can be purchased, and money members, a ministry to all the com· munity through educational, reforma- of Hu-Nan. Kiang-Si, Fuh-Kien. Kutory, and philanthropic chauuels. to the ang-Si. Kuang-Tong-with Formosa end that men may be won to Christ and and Hainan. His service, that the Church may be brought back to the simplicity and 16th Day. Inland China-Provinces comprehensiveness of its primitive life, of Kan-SUh. Shen-Si, Sz-Chuen, Kweiuntil it can be said of every community Chau Yun-Nan-wHh Thibet. the kingdom of heaven is within you and Christ is all and in all. 17th Day. Japan and Corea. 18th Day. The East Indies-Philip- The League agreed to hold annually pine Islands, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, a convention, the first to occur on the New Guinea, et.c. Fourth Tuesday of October next. 19th Day. Australia. Tasmanh, and New Zealand-noting the Maories and The officers elected are: other aborigines. 20th D~y. The South Sea Islands. REV. C. A. DICKINSON, D.D., Pre8. 218tDay. North Africa-The Barbary States, Egypt, Abyssinia, Soudan. REV. C. L. THOMPSON, D. D., Vice-Pres. 22d Day. West Africa…..:Sene!!ambia. Sierra Leone, Upper and Lower Guinea, REV. F. M. NORTH, Sec. and Treas. the Congo Free State. 23d Day. East Africa-the lake dis- The Student Volunteer Missionary tricts and the coast. 24th Day. South Africa (south of the Union has issued a "prayer cycle for Zambesi) native territories-BechuaDR- land, Matabeleland, etc.-Dutch 'and every month," with this motto: English colonies. 25th Da,y. Madagascar and Mauritius. "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the 26th Day. Dominion of Canada and Polar lands-noting Indians and Eskiharvest that He send forth laborers into mos. 27th DaN. Tbe United States, with His harvest" (Matt. !) : 38). Alaska-noting Indians, colored races, etc. It is urged that in praying for each 28th Day. Mexico, Central America, field mention be made of missionaries and the West Indies. with whom we are acquainted; and 29th Day. South America-Roman native pastors and teachers, converts, Catholics and heathen. and the heathen should not be forgotten. 30th Day. The Jews in all lands. 318t Day. Unoccupied lands-Thibet, 1st Day. The British Isles. the Sahara, Soudan, Central South 2d Day. Protestant countries-as Ger- America, Nepaul, Bhutan. many, Holland, Switzerland, Sweden " Evening, morning, and at noon will and Norway, Denmark and Iceland. I pray" (Ps. 55 : 17). 3d Day. Roman Catholic countriesas France, Belgium, Spain and Portu· WEEKLY. gal, Italy, Austria and Hungary. 4th Day. Greek Church countries- Sunday. For the Church of Christas Greece, the Balkan States, Russia for a great revival of spiritual power. and Siberia. 5th Day. Turkey (in Europe and in J.fonday. For missionary societies, Asia)-noting the Armenian Christians. with officials and committees. 6th Day. Syria-noting Palestineand Arabia. Tuesday. For all missionaries in the 7th Day. Persia, Turkestan, Afghan- field, and all who are preparing for foristan, Beloochistan. eign work. 8th Day. Northwest India-Kashmir, Punjab, Sindh, Rajpootana. Wednesday. Fur universities, colleges, 9th Day. North India – Bengal, and medical schools. Northwest Provinces. Assam. etc. 10th Day. Central India-Bombay, Thursday. For Young Men's Chri.~ Indore Agency, Central Provinces, and tian .Associations, Young Women's Haidarabad. 11th Day. South India-Madras, My- Christian Associations, and young peosore, Travancore. Cochin, Ceylon. ple generally. 12th Day, Further India-Burma, Siam and Malay Peninsula, Tongking, Friday. For the Student Volunteer Cochin China. Missionary Union-executive, general 13th Day. North China-Province of secretary, local committees, and secre- Chih-Ii, Shan-Tung, Shan·si-withMan- taries. churia and Mongolia. 14th Day. Mid-China-Provinces of &tttrday. For the travelling secre- Ho·Nan, Kiang-su, Hu-Peh, Gan-Hwui, Cheh-Kiang. tary. 15th Day. South China–Provinces "Brethren, pray for us. that the word of the Lord may run and be glori- fied" (2 Thess, 3 ; 1).
GENERAL ~USSIONARY I~TELLIGENCE. [A.ugu&t
V.-GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.
EDITED BY REV. D. L. LEONABD.
Extracts and Tra.nslations from Foreign seem to have been a Protestant, but rather a devout theist. His name was Periodicals. Cajetan Rippoll. 'rhe Inquisition, on the verge of extinction, seems to have BY REV. C. C. STARBUCK, ANDOVER, declined greatly from the fierce sincer- ity of Torquemada's days. It proposed MASS. to RippoIl to abjure his errors in pub- lic and rctain them in private, but he MISCELLANEOUS. indignantly refused, saying, "I do not lie in the presence of God." He -The Waldcnses say thllt many was sentenced to be hanged and theu Catholic parents send their children to burned. The fanatical crowd was greatthem becanse, being both sincere Chris- ly disappointed that his face did not tians and good Italians, they find that show the usual convulsions as he swung in the public schools religion is under on the gallows, and seems to have had· the ban, and in the priests' schools pa- a misgiving that he had gone to Paratriotism. In the Waldensian schools dise after all. they find religion and patriotism reconciled. The Waldenses don't seem to -The Mission to Deep Sea Fisherthink that attachment to church schools men, which has wrought such blessed is a sin, provided they are truly national results for soul, mind, and body of the in tone. North Sea English fishermen, has de- termined, to the great joy of the Mora- King Humbert's late visit to the Wal- vian brethren, to establish a summer densian valleys, and his declaration that station among the hundreds of Newhe had always held the Waldenses foundland vessels in the Labrador dear, but that now, it possible, he held waters. The direct and indirect rethem dearer, reminds us of his remark, sults of this on the Eskimo Christians when crown prince, to Dr. Nevin, of also, and the white or half-blood set- Rome, that Italy needed a very simple tlers, arc likely to be inestimable. Inreligion. Rhe had been overdosed with deed. a close intimacy of intercourse needless aIUl unedifying elaborations. and labor is already growing up ; and As a corre~pondent of the Catholic Re- Mr. Grenfell, the head of the Fishers' view remarks, in Southern Europe ., the Mission, has to sct home to the Newinstrumentalities of religion" Beem to foundland authorities the blameworthihave largely choked their own end. ness of their previous indifference to the Rites that at some remote time may state of Labrador, that they are taking have really had an edifyiug value have measures for protecting and caring for been continued until they have become the natives iu a degree more answering mere dead husks. The vigorous effort to their responsibility as the governors which the papacy in the sixteenth cen- of the country_ tury made, in the reformed breviary, to simplify ritual observance, came to noth- -The Allgemeine Missions-Zeitscltrijt, ing because it lacked its two essential which has beeu publishing a very exsupports-popular schools and a ver- haustive account of the Free Church of nacular Bible. It is curious, but the Scotland, remarks that itS to the amount indignant protest of the reformed bre- of la,bor laid out by it. India is plainly viary against the darkening multitude its favored missionary field. Of 56 orof ceremonies now stands in the preface dained missionaries. 32 labor in India; of the English Prayer-book. of 52 European helpers, 11 ; of 34 fe- -It appears that the last person who suffered for heresy in Spain was put to death at Valencia in 1812. He does not
EXTRACTS AND TRANSLATIONS
male helpers (not including wives of " And yet to-day we know that this missionaries), 24. In education also In- Gospel, opposed as is nothing else in dia is the favored field. Of the 6 col- the world, contemned by those without leges, 4 are in India; of the 153 inter- and those within, by Greeks and barmediate schools, 59 ; of the 20,000 schol- barians, has nevertheless always pressed ars, about 14,000. forward over every hindrance, and is winning victories year by year. There- On the other hand, South Africa fore it is no wonder if we to·day see a stands decidedly first in the number of greater company before our eyes than congregations and converts, having could have been presaged fifty years more than 5000 communicants out of ago, when our division of the universa1 7000, and of the baptized some 9000 out Church assumed its place in the miliof 15,000. This is the more noteworthy, tant army of Christ. "-BISHOP HEUCK, as the Caffres are peculiarly a hard peo- of Norway, at the Jubilee of tlte Norse ple to work among. Missionary Society (Dansie Mi8siona- Btad). As yet the Free Church has not had the happiness to see anywhere, under NETHERLANDS INDIA. the labors of its missionaries, a general movement of a population toward the -Some of the Europeans in the Dutch Gospel. Its special work has thus far East Indies favor missions as advanbeen chiefly the permeation of heathen tageous to European influence-few of society with the elements of Christian them for any higher reason. Some still culture rather than the immediate gath- oppose them, especially because, as they ering in of heathen souls. say, "Give these natives more knowl- edge, and they will begin to have a -" Under the banner of the cross, higher conception of their rights." The victory appears impossible; under the Dutch sway in the East is, and always cross, victory is certain. No kingdom has been, abominably cold blooded, selseems so easy to crush as Christ's king- fish, and oppressive. dom, and, nevertheless. this kingdom is invincible. The promise is to this -In lS92 there were in Netherlands elIect, and history confirms the prom- India 23 hulppredikers ani 95 missionaise. Think on the day when Christ ries. The former are mlssiqnaries aphung upon the cross. If anyone, on pointed and controlled by thll Governthat day, when the Roman eagle was ment. Of the 95 missionaries, 51 were seen everywhere, had said that one day from Holland, 44 from Germany and the cross should be victorious over the elsewhere. As the 7/Ulpprediker8' pareagle, that one day only scholars would ishes average about 10,000 native Chrisremember the names of the emperors, tians, they are much too large, as Dr. while the name of the malefactor hang- Warneck remarks. ing there before their eyes should be on the lips of all and should be adored by -In Java, which, out of a population millions-had anyone then said this, of 20,000,000, has at most only some he would have been accounted mad. 20,000 native Christians and 30 missiona- But has it not come to pass? The ut- ries, Dr. Warneck remarks that the latmost rage of denial cannot deny this. ter act very much as if they themselves could do nothing. They very common- H Or think on the day when Christ ly gather congregations of Europeans said: 'Go into all the world and make and Eurasians, and take the charge of all nations My disciples; , who, at that these, as if vaguely hoping that these in time, could have imagined a command turn would do something for the naapparently more chimerical? To whom tives. It is true, as one of the Dutch was it given? To eleven men who had missionaries has said, that the Dutch less intellectual cultivation than is now are so oppressive and covetous that the gained in any missionary training school.
62~, GENERAl. MISSIONAR,Y INTELLIG;:EN.CE. [Au~~~
Javl;tn{lse.hate the very name of ~ white livering a very kind and reasonable ad- dress on this . topic. Mr. Baron's ad~ man:. which drives. tho missionaries to indire~t rathe~ than direct ways of· dress this morning. seemed, so far as t w~~k.i~ upon them. could judge, to raise :no spirit of resent~ . , '77" How foolish it is to imagine the ment. rhe. way he put it was very he8.t~en as living in a happy state of effective. 'All Christiall nations,' he natnr!,/,as many a one is s~ill inclined to said, 'have, now abolished slavery exdo, ~, proveil, once for all, by this Batta cept '-and, after a pause-he added, in p~ople of. !,lp:p.atra. Here we have a a kind of stage whisper, and with both s~ilful, keen-witted people, having their hands to his mouth-' except y~u in Mai' own written ·character, and also a he- agascar.' He then went on t6' say he r~dit~~yuI:,wri~ten law, very expert had no wish to make an attack upon at;working ,in both wood and iron, them, as he well knew the many pracready and happy in .speech, intelligent tical difficulties of this question. 'But inth9ught. and,yet leading a crippled, bEl assured,' he said. 'that even if you pitiable life. No one is sure of his do not see that slavery must be abolgoods or his life; warfaTe, quarrelling, iShed, those who come after you wilL It must disappear before the progre~s plundering, &fe their delight and daily of Christ's kingdom.' The mainbusiempl~ymellt; sad is the • position of ness before the U uion this time was to woman; to a wretched lot are the thou- consider how to carry out the deCision sands' of 'slaves; with their families, arrived at at the last meeting~ to send out ten additional missionaries. Much given" over; without legal right or interest was shown, and many addi- tional contributions were promised."- defence 'as they are, arid moreover, as here 'in 'Samosir, for iristance, standing upon'iifea'rfuIly 1()'Yplan~ of human- ity., Witho,ut ideals, without hopes 'of T he Chronicle.
the' life to come, ne'ver liftirig them- -" Just prior t~ the late Franco-Mala- selves 'Jb9~ethe life of to-day, each one gasy War all evidence showed that, as seeks his own at the cost of the, other. Admiral Gore-Jones wrote, the Hova The moral state is, especially here in were' in that condition that they were Toba, fearfully corrupt,. marriage not ready to burst into perfect civilization.'
far removed· from the free love of the A frost, almost .a chilling frost of for- social democratic state .of the future. eign aggression has come, and, as Brit- Truthfulness and honesty are unknown ish philanthropists foreshadowed in vir*ues/'-JOHN 'WAR-NECK, Rhenish 1882, all progress has been' nipped in missionary"in AltlJemeine His8iofUJ- the bud. And for the destruction of Zeit8chrift· the hopes of commercial enterprise, for MADAGASCAR. the stagnation of this vast and resource- ' ful island continent, of this inteiligElnt, -" Well-attended and enthusialOtic kindly, and hospitable people, possessed meetings of our Congregational Union of a natural predilection'to progression, ha{.e jti~t. been held. The chairman France and Great Britain are to blame, (the! Rev: It Baron) followed up his and not the formerly rapidly progressive former iJ.ddress, on the Person and Work Malagasy Government. "-Madagascar of Christ, by another on'the Works of New8.
Christ;dwel1ing on the many moral and WIIAT THINK YE OF CHRIST? social changes that are to be ascribed to the prescqt action of J,esus Christ In the -Pharisees! with what have you to consde~ces lind lives of men. Particu- reproach Jesus ? .
lai-li' irit~resting was .the manner in "He eateth with publicans and sin- which his reference to sla.very was re- ners."
ce'(~ea~ In: the year 1876 Mr. J. S. Is this all ?
Sewell. l,'ats~d a~ al~ry' storm by de- It Yes."
189~·1 ENGLISH N{)TEB
And yo1,l, Caiaphas, what say you IIllIny respects, the most enoolil.raging of Him? yet issued. Ninety-three ,candidates'
, " He is guilty; He is a blasphemer, have been accepted in the past year, because He said, 'Hereafter shall ye being an increase of 12 on ,the pre- see the Son, of Man sitting on the right ceding year. The increase is in the hand (If power and coming in the number of men sent out. The total ex-.
clouds (l£ heaven. " penditure to! the year amounted to Pilate, what is your opinion? £265,836: while the receipts were £253,- " I find no fault in this man." 226, leaving a deficit of £12;610; but And you, Judas, who have sold your when this became known, a friend; on Master for silver; have you some fear- April 19th, offered £1000 if the whole ful charge to hurl against Him? sum were raised by May' 1st, an offer "I have sinned in that I have be- which resulted in more than the entire tmyed the innocent blood." amonnt being received by the date And you, centurion and soldiers who named. Twenty.four picked men have led Him to the cross, what have you to been ordained during the past year- say against Him ? African, Syrian, Bengali, Tamil, Maori, " Truly this was the Son of God." Red Indian. The boarding-schools con~ And you, demons ? stitute another branch of the work upo~ " He is the Son of God." which much attention is bestowed, ap,d John Baptist, what think you of which is full of promise. "At CaJcut- Christ f . ta, Taljhari, Batala, Cottayam, Kandy, " Behold the Lamb of God." Fuh-chow, Osaka, and elsewhere, briglit And you, John? young lives. are being happily fnJi!- " He is the bright and morning star." enced, and being dedicated to the ser- Peter, what say you of your ~Iaster ? vice of the Lord;" and to the girls'
" Thou art the Christ, the Son of the schools at Sierra Leone, Lagos, Jerusa- living, God. " lem, Calcutta, Palamcotta, Amritsar, And you, Thomas? Osaka, similar remarks apply. " My Lord and my God." The results we can only sample.Th~ Paul, you have persecuted Him; what change wrought among the Red Indi@ testify you of Him? population of Manitoba is pronounceg.
"I count all things but loss for the Of one district Archdeacon Phair says., .
excellency of the knowledge of Christ "There is 'not a conjurer, not 3 polyg- Jesus my Lord." amist, not a medicine man in the whole Angels of heaven, what think ye of place. Twelve miles of a beautitul Jesus? river, with houses on either side, gar- " Until you is born a Saviour, which dens cultivated, churches and schools is Christ the Lord." along its banks, and the Sabbath ob- And Thou, Father in heaven, who served in a way that might .well be an knowest all things ? example to white people in older lands.
" T~is is My beloved· Son, in whom I The men who, with painted faces am well plllased." and plaited hair, spent their days and Beloved reader, What think you of nights in yelling and beating the druUl, Christ ?~La LuI?, (Madrill), quoted in El are now found clothed and in their right Abogado Cristiano llustrado (Mea;ico). mind, sitting at the feet of Jesus."
The results in Uganda are even more conspicuous. Then there has been '3 English Notes. great and blessed ingathering from among the Ainu aborigines. Assome BY JAMES DOUGLAS. scientists were mote than half disposed to look on this people 'as the missing'· a Annual Report of the hurch MisaWn- arySociety, 1893-94.-This report is, in link, nothing could lliOre sigtlally be·
GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
speak than this fact does the all·reach- people mostly the sum of £11,677 18. ing potency of the Gospel of Christ. has been contributed, leaving £5368 In the first seven months of 1893, 171 16s. still to be raised. It is still Ainus were baptized; and Mr. Batche- hoped that the young fri.ends may pro. lor writes that in the old Ainu capital, vide the remainder of the cost. The Piratori, every woman has accepted steamer meets a great want, as no sail- Christ as her Saviour. Of adult bap- ing ship could cope with the need in its tisms during the year there has been present developed form. 596 in Tinnevelly, 621 in Travancore, about 500 in the rest of India, 438 in Since July, 1891, when the Forward Uganda, 79 in other parts of East Afri- l!lovement was started, 67 missionaries ca, 158 in qeylon, 545 in China, and 459 have been added to the roll, and the in Japan. working strength of the society greatly increased. As the result of the For- China's Millions.. Tiding8 f1'om the ward Mov-ement at home there has been Provinces.-I11r. Howell, of Ning·Kwoh corresponding movement abroad. The Fu, tells of good impressions made centre being quickened, the. circumferthrough a wall tract, and enlarges OIl. ence has been stirred-a result which the opportunities afforded in China for has tended to increase the expenditure individual dealing. Mr. Edward Pearse, considerably. To meet the enlarged writing from the same district, men- demand, an increase of £:30,000 is reo tions an out-station at Hu.tswen, among quired on last year's income. It is then the hills, recently acquired through the hoped that the 67 new missi~naries conversion of a gentleman named Wu, planted by the Forward Movement will a strict vegetarian, who carries on Sun- be supplemented by 33, thus bringing day services in a building the site of up the total to 100, as originally dewhich was his own gift. Dr. Danth· signed. waite, of Chefoo, has just received from a Chinaman $100 for his hospital Statistics up to date are as follows: work, which is the first large sum thus Church-members, China, 4832; North obtained. Mr. A. H. Huntley tells of en- India, 739 ; South India, 5554; Travancouraging fruit in two new out-stations core, 6466; Madagascar, 63,359; Afri- -Si-hiang and San·yuen-p'u-where ca, 2815; West Indies, 482; Polynesia, Miss Harrison and Miss Coleman have 11,871 ; making a total of 96,118. Of been for some time laboring. In Shan-Si, native preachers there are 6446, and of according to Miss L. M. Forth, nine native ordained ministers, 1734. homes out of ten are estimated as having opium slaves. "The light in which The Wesleyan Missiona1'y Society.- the Christians look upon opium is rather Like other leading societies this year, strange-namely, as God's punishment the Wesleyan has to face a serious defor the idolatry and sin of the nation." ficit, the balance on current account Miss Mary Williamson, writing from against the society being £28,828. This Fung-hwa, in Cheh-Kiang, reports grat- deficiency is less than one fourth of the ifying progress. In Fung-hwa 4 have year's ordinary income; and it is confibeen baptized: Si-tin, 3 " at Tin-tai, 31 ; dently hoped that the leeway may be and at Ning-hai, 10. more than made up. With the excep- tion of two or three districts, there is an London Missionary Bociety.-The de- increase of membership all along the ficit on the year's accounts is very serio line. The Transvaal and Swaziland ous, amounting to £33,2151s. 2d., which, district heads the list with an increase however, in response to a special ap· of 467, in addition to 1699 on trial. The peal, has been reduced to £28,902 17s. Gold Coast comes next, the increase The new steamship John Williams has being 342, with 707 on probation. In cost in all £17,055 188. By the young India the iucI'ease is 297; in Ceylon, 89; in the Wuchang district, 28; and in the Bahamas, 42. The German mis- nent features of the work was the ex- sion has a gain of 54 and the Rome dis- tent to which a self-supporting, self- trict a gain of 48. The total member- governing church was being established.
ship in connection with the Indian mis- Twelve pastors were now supported by sions is now 4492; while the entire their own flocks; and there were now community under pastoral care in these three local presbyteries in which the missions is estimated at 15,600. business was conducted in Chinese.
The Rev. J. A. Vanes, of India, spoke 'rhe Rev. Donald MacIver, M.A., of strongly at the anniversary meeting in the Hak-Ka Mission, having told how.
Exeter Hall, in favor of the higher edu- in answer to prayer, the building was cation, gronnding his argument on its obtained which is now the centre of value as an evangelizing agency. ., I am their work in Hak-Kaland, said that not disturbed," he says, .. when I read "from this central station a district that I am not a preacher of the Gospel, had been worked about the size of Scot- and that I have not been a preacher of land. Twenty little congregations were the Gospel. But I wonder what I was in full working order, ministered to by doing as a Methodist preacher day by Chinese evangelists who had been train- day for five days in the week, when I ed as well as possible." The central was spending from seven to eight station, Wu-king-phu, has three mis- o'clock every morning in unfolding sionary residences, a missionary hos- the Scriptures to young Hindus." Mr. pital, schools for boys and girls and Vanes's point is this: that he is as also for women, and a training school much an evangelist in his morning work for native evangelists.
in the school as when, in the evening, he stands up to preach in the bazaars. THE KINGDOM.
Another speaker of much interest was -The last annual report of the Engthe Rev. Isaac Shimmin, of Mashona- lish Church Missionary Society takes land. After over fifty years of oppres- Heb. 10 : 12, 13 as a text: "This man sion, the Mashonas were now for the . . . sat down on the right hand of first time free. "At Balisbury they had God, from henceforth expecting." . . • built a native church and had seen con- And the last phrase gave the keynote versions. At Epworth they had opened to the great meeting in Exeter Hall. another church, and had had it crowd- where the report was read. Christ exed. Within two years of the arrival of pecting I Expecting what? Expectthe native teachers thousands of men, ing His disciples to do what He gave women, and chi:dren had been brought them to do, and waiting nntil it is done. into contact with Christian influence And the searching question was asked, and love, and soon there would, he be- When the expecting Lord looks at me, lieved, be a great ingathering of souls is He disappointed? for the Saviour."
-The editor of one of our leading re- The Presbyterian Ohurch of England ligious papers suggests the propriety -Exeter Ball Meeting, May 11th, 1894. of questioning candidates for church- -We summarize a few of the more membership as to their views and feel- notable points. During the last seven- ings concerning missions; what atti- teen years the native congregations had tude they propo~e to take; what meas- advanced from 17 to 45; native evan- ure of sympathy and co-operation can gelists from 49 to 110 ; European agents, be expected from them. To apply such from 15 to 56 ; and the hospitals, from a searching test might be exceedingly 2 to 10. God has devolved upon the awkward for some of the officers of the Presbyterian Church of England the churches and for a large part of the larger part of South China as their spe- membership, but an application like this cial work; and one of the most promi- of the Lord's last command would sure-
MISSIONARY
ly make for spiritual health to all con· lor: "We need persons who win con· cerned. secrate their lives to foreign mission -Dr. Dale, recently addressing a mis· service at home. It is for some to con· sionary meeting in Birmingham, made secrate their lives, their thougbts, their the pertinent suggestion that though the Gospel has wrought such marvels prayers to just this service. r believe of transformation within the realm of Anglo·Saxon character and life, it would that some of the best missionary work: not be safe to assume that yet greater that is done to·day is done by invalids wonders will not appear wheu its work who never leave their bedrooms, or by has been fully achieved upon the China· old people, or by those who are very Illf>n, the Hindu, the African, the mod· poor and have not much to give; but ern Hebrew, etc. Since some of these they give the Lord what is most precious -a true, yearnIng heart, a constant' re. membrance, a constant prayer."
races possess elements of religiousness -Yes, there are still alive genuine diffcer~nt from and far surpassing those saints and heroes. And they are of of the Anglo-Saxon, he thinks we would every complexion. For example, when, be justified in expecting that Christian. the other day, Rev. Mr. Sheppard was ity will take firmer root in such soil, about to return to his work on the Up· and perhaps produce a better crop than per Congo, a colored woman, Maria has Yet been seen. Fairing; of Alabama, put in an urgent ,~Dr. Dnff once told an Edinburgh request to be also sent to the Dark Con· • audience that if the ladies. or that city , tinent, saying that all her )ife it had would give him the cost only of that heen her ambition to carry the Gospel portion of their silk dresses which swept to her people. And when informl)d the streets as they walked, he would that the Presbyterian Board lacked the support all his mission schools in India. money required to pay her passage ~Piety also begins at home. We are ($400), she sold her little home in Tal· to beware of a zeal which belongs to the ladega and went at her own cost. Borrioboola·Gha type. "Many people . pr3y so foolish. Why, I prayed for -Bishop Thoburn tells of a Method· twelve years, 0 Father, make me a for· ist church in Montclair, N. J., "whose eign misbener ; I want to go to foreign membership is not large, and contains lands .und preach. One day I prayed no wealthy men, which yet during the that, und 'Father says, Sophie, stop! year ending April 1st contributed $4200 Where were you borned? In Germany, for the home and foreign work; while, F~$er. Where are you now? In including the amount collected by the ,4-Pleticll, Father. Well, ain't you a Woman's Missionary Society, the total foreign mishener already? When I see sum exceeded $5000. This church has that, Father says to me, Who lives on adopted the policy of supporting a man the floor above you? A family of and wife in Burma; the Sunday·school Swedes. Und who on the floor above supports three pastor·teachers in India; them? Why, some Switzers. Und in one of the members supports a native the rear house? Italians, und' a block presiding elder in India, while another away some Chinese. Now, you never brother has just pledged the support of a second presiding elder."
said a word to these people about My -The Epworth League names a man Son. Do you think I will send you in old Massachusetts who has just about thousands of miles away to the foreigner attained unto perfection in the art of und heathen when you got them all Christiaugiving. For when he gave around, und you never care enough $10,000 to build a deaconness's home, 'about them to speak with them about and a cordial resolution of thanks was their soul ?"-]JIrom Sophie'88ermon. passed, this Was his response: " Thank -AcMrding td Rev'. i. Hudson Tay· me! . Why, I ought to thank 'l/ou. I
189'4.] Gt>:NElRAt. MISSIONARY INTELLtGll::N'cE
am glad we have an organization to oc· on at the rate ot 200 Ii ady,l500' :tiVeEik, cupy such a home. I do thank you for the chance to give to help w grand a 6000 a month, 75,000 a' yilar, 1;000,000 cause." in thirteen years, or nearly 3,OOO;OO(nn a generation. "
-A wealthy New England manufac· -Kim Jang Sik is a Kor~n who has turer lives in summer in the town where his factory is, but has been accus- been for five years in tlul eJ,llIlloy, of tomed to spend the winter with his fam- ily in a fashionable Boston hotel. One Rev. F. Ohlinger. I:j:e was ®.h.onest falI, before leaving for the city, he was man before he became a Christian. He converted. Then he did not want to says, "I used to get very angJ,'y wpen leave the church, which he and all the people treated me like other meu. and family had joined. He titted up his intimated that I could not be ,tr,nllted. house for a winter residence, and the whole church has wonderfully increased When I began to read the J'l:ew Testa- in activlty by his example; of 26 addi- tions, 22 were by profession, Jargely ment I soon felt that I was not very due. to his influence. He had beel). a good, and as I read f3.rtherI got a pain smoker since he was twelve years old, in my chest-a 8e'1J81'C pain I" b~t he gave up the habit, .. so I can help the boys, ',' be says. ….,.D1,'. Grenfell, of the DElep Sea Fish- eries Mission; has been on a .tripto Lab- -Appleton's Annua.l Encyclopredia rador to minister to. the 25,000, Bfi.tish for 1893 has a department recording fishermen who are· without a physidan. gifts and bequests for public purposes Returning, he declared his faith: in, the of $5000 and upward during the preced- value of medical missions. Ue believed ing twelvemonth. That some concep- that " God blessed that means of prll~h tion of the duty of the wealthy to the ing the Gospel and heaIillg the sick ; public has taken root may reasonably and for his own part, he knew, he had be inferred from the fact that the total beep. able to reach a man~sheart oy of last year's beneficence is $29,000,000. pulling his teeth. Yes, and Pr.Mac. kay, who had had 13,000 con:v:erts -Seventy years ago the Rev. An· among Chinese and others in. FqrmQsa, drew Murray, having given himself to told him he had, in the course of. his work among the Boers in the then al· 'Work. drawn 32,000 teeth. If that was most unknown Cape COlony, left his not the way down to a man's heart, he Aberdeenshire home on his way to Plym- did not know what was." oUth. "While he and his brother waited for the coach to pass, they knelt by the -Nachravali is a form of Bind,llben- roadside, prayed, and sang, ere they ediction only bestowed 'by 'Women and parted, the hymn " 0 God of Bethel." priests. It is performed by, clasping The work then entered on is now being both hands over the person's hEl/l.d.and cardell on by Andrew Murray's five waving over him a piece .of SilYel1 or . sons, four sons·in-Iaw, and more than a other valuable which is' beetowed; in dozep. grandsons in the ministry of the charity. The Tamil pepp,e simil.rly Dutch Reformed Church. Three grand- wave a fowl or sheep's head arpund a , sons have just been ordained for mis- sick man. This is a very ancient/;/lre- sion work. They have all studied at mony. His also a Mohammedan rite. the theological seminary at Stellenbosch. WOMA.N'S WORK;..' -" My word shall not return unto Me void" is the promise, and here is -The best example of self.dlmying the fulfilment ilL part. The additions liberality in the Bible is recorded of . 'ti)"iriission churches are goingsteadHy woman. The best example of 'loving ~ervice in the Bible is l'ecorded of'wom· an. The best example()foonqlleting prayer in the Bible is reco.rded bf wbm- an. Thegrftwas a widoW's 'fulte '; the service was the anointing of Jesus with when I called them into the parlor and a box of ointment; the prayer was a closed the door. What they feared I mother's prayer for a daughter pos- cannot tell, but they were soon flying sessed with a devil. Jesus never let home again." fall such words of royal commendation as concerning these three women. Of -The Congregational women of San the poor widow he said, .. She has cast Francisco have recently opened a mis- in more than they all." Of Mary He sionary library and reading·room, with said, " She hath done what she could. " about 30 volumes for a beginning, and And to the Canaanitish mother he said, several magazines, with plans too, for H 0 woman, great is thy faith; be it the addition of maps and qther helps. unto thee even as thou wilt."-Dr. Her- And why should not the women of all rick JoltnlJon. denominations in every city and large village join to maintain such an institu- -The Zenana Missionary Herald, the tion? organ of the English Baptist women, . for June, quotes Dr. Somerville, who, -Life and Ligld for June is a tem· in speaking of prayer for missions, uses perance number, and contains original these words: "I hope I may not offend articles from such prominent temper- any if I venture to recommend the use ance workers as Lady Henry Somerset of a prayer-book which I have found of and Miss Frances E. Willard, with por- service, and which can be had from the traits of these two women. The one shelves of Messrs. Keith & Johnston; I writes of the great" polyglot petition," mean a pocket atlas, which should be which, with its 3,000,000 signatures, spread, like Hezekiah's letter, before is presently to be borne around the globe the Lord, and be gone over carefully in a vessel chartered lor the purpose, from day to day." Then follows a and the other of the hililtory of the sketch of mission centres in India held World's Women's Christian Temper- by that society, like Calcutta, Benares, ance Union. Delhi, Cuttack, Madras, etc. -Miss Fannie Meyer, the first seIf- -A missionary in Lodiana writes supporting Methodist missionary to be thus of her Zenana girls: "I have been sent out under the auspices of the Wom- teaching in some of the wealthier houses an's Foreign Missionary Society, ex- where a bride would have 30 or 40 pects to sail for China this fall. Miss changes of raiment and almost her Meyer received her training and her im- weight in ear-rings. nose-rings, bangles, petus toward special missionary work and so on. As to their personal char- in the Chicago training school. She acteristics, I have found my class of will be accompanied by Miss Helen Gal- Hindu girls as loving and as lovable, as loway, whose entire expenses wioll be blight and as troublesome as any class borne by a young lady at home, who I ever had at home. The school In sends her as a substitute. which lam teaching was a new one last fall, and the girls were very wild and -The Woman's Executive Commit- exceedingly suspicious, and they are tee of Home Missions of the Presbyte- shy still. I invited them to come to see rian Church reports 123 mission schools me, and one afternoon I beheld a flock on the various fields under the care of of girls in red and yellow clothes flying the Board; nearly 400 teachers commis- past our house like so many frightened sioned, and more than 9000 children in geese. I had told my man to watch for training for useful citizens. More than them and call them in, and, hearing 100,000 Presbyterian women are organ- his voice, they fled like wild animals. ized for this specific educational work, I brought them back, but they looked and during the year just ended have suspiciously at everything, especially raised $335,660 for its prosecution. The blessing is diffused among Mormons, Mexicans, Indians, freedmen, and moun- -" Nazareth, once the home of the tain whites. Carpenter, consisting of some 7000 or 8000 inhabitants, mostly nominal Chri~ -The women of the United Brethren tians, now possesses a Y. M. C. A. As Church raised $14,753 last year for work there are some 30 or more drinking in Africa, China, and among the Chi- shops in the town, which olier many nese in this country, with a constitu- inducements to evIr, it wnt be seen that ency of 43 branch societies, 461 locals, the formation of an association was very and 7228 members. The force in the much needed." field numbers 15, of whom 8 are ordained and 3 are medical missionaries. -Though a much younger and sman· In the 6 churches are 1864 members and er body, let not the Young Women's seekers, and in the 8 schools are 368 Christian Association by any means be pupils. forgotten. It dates only from 1886, but has already attained to a membership of OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. upward of 20,000, with 52 city and 255 college organizations and 16 state bodies. -What hath God wrought t June 6th, 1844, George Williams, a young -It means for the future of the Gosclerk, organized a prayer-meeting and a pel, both in Christian and pagan lands, Christian club in his bedroom. Now far more than the boldest faith can im- 5000 associations send 2000 delegates to agine, that almost within a decade London, half of them from this coun- more than 3,000,000 children and youth try. They own buildin!!;s worth $30,- have been banded together under a sol- 000,000. London appropriated £1000 emn pledge to loving and devoted serto entertain them. What an illustrious vice. Among them are the 2,000,000 harvest has already been gathered from Endeavorers and the 800,000 Leaguers. that little seed I We must include If all these are wisely drilled for woramong the fruit the Christian Commis- ship and work, if they are carefully sion, the Student Volunteer Movement, trained to earn, and save, and give for Mr. Moody's work, so diversified and the kingdom of heaven, what shining of such unspeakable value, and much victories wllI soon be won I more. Fifty years ago what was more unlikely to occur than the bestowal of -The Grand Avenue, St. Louis, the honor of knighthood upon that clerk, Presbyterian Endeavor Society has done and the opening of Westminster Abbey a good work for others this year. to celebrate his deed t . Since last April it has given $10 for the Congo River boat; $25 for a native -The tabulated returns for the Y. M. girl's schooling in Japan; $25 as a spe- C. A. in"India show 75 organizations in cial gift to foreign missions, and $20.36 Assam, Bengal, Bombay, Madras, the more raised on the pledge plan; $23.96 Northwest Provinces, and the Punjab. for home missions; and $3.65 to a strug- Three paid secretaries are ilJ. the field- gling sister society. This makes a total viz., Mr. McCann at Bombay, Mr. of $107.97. McConaughy at Madras, and Mr. White at Calcutta. Bombay, with its branches, -Some months ago the Presbyterian takes the lead in number of members, Board, South, issued a call to the chilhaving 502; Madras comes next with dren for $10,000 that a boat might be 393; Pasumalai College has 188, and put upon the Upper Congo for mission- Calcutta stands fourth, with 150 names. ary uses. And now the pleasant intel- The Trivandrum Association is the old- ligence is communicated that the amount est, having been organized in 1870; is secured and the steamer will be or- Lahore, organized in 1875, takes the dered built. How easily a great work next place. is accomplished when the many heartily lend a hand t UNITED STATES. at the Adams Street, Chicago, Evan- gelical Church on May 22d, when a -The Oh.ristian Way is a neat, well- farewell reception was given to Rev. packed, eight-paged monthly published C. F. Rife, M.D., and his young, Wife, .in Northfield, Minn., for the furtherance who, though members of the German of both foreign and home missions. Evangelical Association, have been cor- dially entrusted to the American Board, ~The MissionafY Herald for June is and are now. under appointment to "very glad to be able to report that Micronesia. there has been within the last two years a decrease in the amount of distilled -Though the receipts' of the Baptist liquors sent from the port of Boston to Missionary Union were $510,118 last Africa. In the year ending June 30th, year, the expenditures were $713,714, 1891, the amount was 1,025,226 gallons, and s@ April 1st found an indebtedness but the next yein the amount was de- of $203,596. But on the side of work creased to 711,338 gallons, while in the accomplished in the field was fulness of year ending June 30th, 1893, the amount ('heer. These figures indicate some was still further reduced to 561,365 gal- what the growth: New missionaries, lons. The cost of this last exportation 20; native preachers, 68; churches, in dollars is put down in the custom 81; members added, 15,499; scholars house reports as $679,357, but who can in Sunday-schools, 5312; in m~Bion estimate the cost in souls and in char- schools, 1526. In papal and nominally acter?" Christian lands the Union has 1,115 preachers, 851 churches, and .89,119 -Last March Rev. A. Lambert, a members. In heathen lands it has 993 Belgian priest of the Redemptorist or- preachers, 761 churches, and 96,109 der; who took his vows in 1878, and for church-members. five years has been active in mission work in this country, found himself –These goodly sums have the Meth- unable any longer to continue honestly odist Episcopal Church appropriated in his office, and so took his departure for the redemption of the countries not only from the priesthood, but also named during the last ten years: India, from the 'Catholic Church. The sub- $1,147,597; China, $1,078,602; Japan, stance of his reasons for taking the de- $564,135; Mexico, $517,923; South ci~ivestep is contained in these words: America, $476,091; Utah, $202,538; .. I cannot any longer force my mind besides other smaller amounts for divers into submission to the Vatican, nor can other lands and peoples, 'llmounting in I any longer admit the claim of the Ro- all to $10,552,039. Nor does this in· man Catholic Church and clergy to elude what the Methodis.t women have ,rule, not only in religious questions, (lone. but also in purely scientific, social, and even political matters. The intolerance -The late Robert A. Barnes left by and duplicity which,. almost from the will to the Methodist Church, South, day of my ordination to the priesthood, $l,100,00!) for the establishment of a I found and met in the Roman Catholic hospital in that city_ Church, have become utterly unbear- able to me. And having come to the -The Presbyterian Churchcontribut- 'conclusion that there is only one High ed'for foreign missions $843,412, aDd the Priest, the God Man, Jesus Christ, and expenditures were $995,922, leaving a one Sacrifice, not to be repeated, and, deficit of $102,.597. Of the income in consequence, doubting my position $324,003 came from the women's as a priest, I could not act otherwise boards, $295,016 from church collec- than I do now… tions, . $72,802 from legacies, $35,092 from Sunday-schools, and $17,791 from -It was an excellent and fitting illllS- societies of Christian Endeavor.. The tration of comity which was witnessed contributions of the native churches -The Reformed (DutCh) Church has amounted to $86,764. This Board has missions in China, India, and Ja~n, under its care 108 principal stations, 592 and now adds an Arabian mission, which out-stations, 208 ordained American a few years since was· started by the missionaries, 36 male physicians, 18 Rev. Messrs. Zwemer and Caritine ·uPQn female physicians, 15 men variously the Tigris. Notwithstanding the seemployed, and 358 women, including vere financial pressure, the Board re- Wives, making the total of American ceived $106,571, an average of $1.05 laborers 635. Of native laborers, 165 per member. It has 16 stations, 209 ordained ministers, 239 licentiates 1335 out-stations, 26 missionaries, men, 25 teachers and helpers, making a total of married women missionaries and 17 un- 1741 native laborers; 436 churches, married, 38 native ordained ministel!s, 30,453 communicants, 3141 of whom ,376 other native helpers, 6226 communiwere added last year; .76 students for cants, of whom 508 were received in the ministry, and about 29,000 boys and 1893, 19,970 patients treated in .ita hosgirls in the schools. pitals, etc.
-The Presbyterian Church expended EUROPE. $192,322 for work among the freedmen last year, employing 172 ministers, of Great Britain.-According to the whom only 9 are white, and 261 teach- Bureau Vetitas of French Lloyds, ers. The schools .number 91, with Great Britain owns more than one third 11,424 pupils; and in the churches are of· the actual shipping of the world- 16,015 communicants, of whom 1919 14,971 out of 42,257 vessels. Six ont oC joined last year. 12 of the largest steam and sailing com- panies in the world are British, and of -The Cumberland Presbyterian the 14 vessels of over SOOO tons em- Church sustains missions in Japan, ployed in the world's commerce, British Mexico, and among the aborigines of ship-owners claim 9. The estimated Indian Territory. The force in the field value of the merchants' fleet of Great consist~ of 8 missionaries, 6 wives, 8 un- Britain is $1,100,000,000. The United married women, 1 native pastor, 6 evan- States comes second in the list with 3794 gelists,and 5 Bible women. The num- vessels owned by us. Norway comes ber of communicants is 617. The in- next with 3768 ships, and is followed coine was $20,038 last year. by Germany and Italy with 2165 and 212~ respectively.-New Yor~ Post. '–The Reformed Presbyterian Church (Covenanters) is engaged in Syria and -A few weeks since the corner-stone Southern Asia Minor, and has a work- was laid at Dartford, England, for a Ing force of 4 ministers, 2 medical mis- Livingstone memorial hospital, and sionaries, 7 women, and 37 native H. M. Stanley gave all eloquent ahd preachers and teachers. most appropriate address upon the char- acter and achievements of the great -The United Presbyterian Church physioian.missionaryexplorer. has work in Egypt and India .which is carried on by 26 ministers, 25 married —:The report presented at the recent women, and 19 .unmarried; 3 physi- ninety-fifth anniversary of the Religious cians, .24. ordained nati ves, 22 licentiates Tract Society showed that the society and 9 theological students; with other has already published in 209 languages, native helpers enough to make a total dialects, and characters. During the or537. The communicants are 11,055, year 583 new publications (151 of.them a Ilet iQ.crease of 415 during last year. tracts) were issued, the total <)lrim1ation there are 13,514 in the schools. For all from the hom,e depot (inCluding books, ; :r.rl.rl?oses the uative Christians raised tracts, periodicals, and cards) being "'$41,849 47,590,600. From foreign depots'about 20,000,000 publications were issued. -" The total of the missionary reve- The grants made during the year in aid nue raised by the Free Church of Scotof mission work amounted in the aggre- land was never so high" as for last gate to £28,654. The society's exhibit 'year, reaching $623,715. The staff in at the World's Fair, which gained a the foreign field numbers 115 men and bronze medal, was handed over to Mr. 45 women, not including wives. Of Moody for the library of the Chicago these, 26 are medical missionaries. To Bible Institute. the churches 1115 were received last year; 1008 children were baptized, and -The Christian Literature Society more than 3000 candidates for baptism for India produced 1,133,115 copies of are under instruction. In the schools pUblications last year. These included sustained in India and Africa 26,717 educational works, books for women, are enrolled. students at colleges, and general litera· ture. The school work in the villages The Continent.-It is the fashion in of Bengal has been carried on with in· France for the Government to parcel creasing interest and success. The out the public funds for the support of number of scholars is upward of 8000. public worship. From $8,000,000 to In the training institution at Ahmedna· $10,000,000 are annually given the gar 73 students were admitted during Catholics; the Protestants receive about the year. All were professing Chris- $350,000, the Jews about $40,000, and tiilns when they entered except 11, who the Mohammedans about $50,000. were Hindus; of these, 4 became Chris' tians before they left. All the outgoing -Protestantism in Spain in the face students were at once employed by the of tremendous difficulties is forging its missionaries. way slowly but steadily onward. In 1890 there were 120 chapels or other -Though the Society of Friends is places of worship, nearly 100 pastors, numerically quite an inconsiderable one third of whom were native Spanbody, in recent years it has manifested iards, about as many native evangelists, a most praiseworthy activity in mission· and 40 colporteurs employed by the ary work. Thus $63,832 were expend- Bible and tract societies. The number ed last year in China and Madagascar, of communicants was 3500, and of Saband 70 members represent the body in bath-school children, 3250. The numheathen lands. ber of day schools under Protestant supervision was 112, with 6000 pupils. -At the recent meeting of the Scotch There were 3 orphanages, 2 hospitals, United Presbyterian Synod the report and 6 church papcrs. These figures on foreign missions contained much mat. represent the work of 6 or 7 denominater for congratulation, the leading fea- tions. tures of the past year's work having been the large number of converts (1046) and -Query: 'Are we still dwelling in the numerous offers for missionary ser· the gloom of the Dark Ages? Seldom vice. There were altogether 838 educat- has anything more touching been seen ed agents, of whom 71 were ordained in these hurrying, money·making times European missionaries. The field was in than the departure of a hundred Rus- Jamaica, Trinidad, Old Calabar, Kaffra- sian Baptists, Stundists, from one of the ria, Rajputana, Manchuria, and Japan. Baltic ports for America. A Daily The income of the ordinary fund was Ohronicle telegram says: "As the ship $166,000, a decrease of $11,000, but there steamed away from the quay they raised was an increase of $5000 in the congre- a well·known psalm tune, a great favorgational contributions. In Manchuria. ite among the Russian Baptists, and it where the work is largely in the hands is stated that th'e tones of the sacred of natives, the results have been mar· melody were heard for a long time after vellous", the vessel had left the harbor, and greatly affected the crowds remaining perhaps grease and lard, perhaps soups on the quay. and broths of doubtful composition. In ASIA. India the touch of egg and lard and fish would be almost as contaminating as India.-Mr. Meenatchi Iyer, Secre- beef itself. Vegetarianism simply means tary to the JlIaharaja of Mysore, now on butter. milk, sugar, flour, ilce, pulse, a visit to Australia, deli vered himself as and herbs. Everyone has not the follows to a press representative there means to buy all this, so the food that regarding British rule in India: ,. The is generally eaten is some unleavened development under it has been some- white bread and stewed pulse, or some thing tremendous. Even our worst rice with curried vegetables. In Benradicals, though they complain in the gal (I do not know under what precstreets, admit, when fairly faced with edents) the people generally eat fish; the question, that they would not wish but in the upper provinces, or in Bomto see the British out of India. We will bay and Madras, where Hinduism is abuse them, they say. but we want more strict, fish is quite as forbidden as them to stop here. In fact, India has meat. During the day the Hindu gen· got so used to peaceful, just. impartial erally takes an hour's siesta. He gets rule, that it terrifies the people to think up at four o'clock in the morning, and of any other control. The military tax goes to bed from nine to ten o'clock. is severe, but it must fall either upon He works all the time that he is awake, us or the British taxpayer, and it is, works on week days and on Sundays, after all, money well spent. There wcek in and week out. He has no Sabcan only be one change in India-the bath. And as a rest from his incessant triumph of a greater power than Eng- labor he enjoys an hour's rest during the land; and if that came in my day, I hottest part of the day.-Mozoomdar.
should, with many others, go to Eng- -Bishop Thoburn reports that the land and settle there." salaries of Methodist native pr6achers -According to the decennial report vary, according to gifts and station, on the material and moral progress of from $30 to $100, and he sends out a India in every department of the Gov- stirring appeal for $10,000, so that 100 ernment, there is a tendency to incor- more may be at once set to work.
porate the native element more largely -The Bishop of Lahore calls his and upon more liberal terms. At the the Mohammedan diocese of India, and close of 1891 there were in India proper in his opinion, though the Moham- 765 civil charges held by the "Ser· medan problem is formidable, it is far vices," including 73 Indians. Apart from hopeless. Of the 18 native clergyfrom this controlling service, the gen- men in the diocese, no fewer than eral administration comprised 2588 offi- 8 are converts from Mohammedanism. cers, all of whom were natives except As many converts are gathered from 139, and of these only 35 were Euro- among Mohammedans as from the Hinpeans not domiciled in India. Out of dus and Sikhs. In addition, as he judges, 114,150 civil appointments carrying an it is in India that the conflict with Moannual salary of 1000 rupees and over, hammedanism must take place. The 97 per cent are held by natives. Church seeks there" no favor," but it has-what cannot be had in Persia and -The Hindu meal is a simple affair. other lands-" a fair field." Every high·caste Hindu is a vegetarian.
Your vegetarians here include so many -For a long time the Christians of animal substances that our people stand India have been waiting and hoping for aghast when they are mentioned. Your entrance into Afghanistan, which has vegetarians eat eggs, oftentimes fish, been fully as sharply closed as Thibet has been. The Church Missionary So- story : " , I want to ,send home, among ciety has held its station at Peshawur other curios, some idols that have bellD.
for many years, and has recently estab· actually used in worship,' said a travel.
lished a medical mission at Bunnu, and ler we lately met in China. 'Can you put it under the care of Dr. T. L. Pen· help me in the matter?' 'Hardly, I nell. The 'pecuIlar advantage of this fear,' was the reply. 'I never heard ot mission is that the place is rcgularly priests or people selling such articles:'
visited by merchants and bill men of But next day, wcnding our way through the border tribes. among whom the the streets of the native city of 8hang; greater part of the work is carried on. hal to our mission church, w~ bcthought The number of patients is vf"ry large, us to'make iIlquiry; on our friend's be~, and there has, also been gathered a half, at a shop where we had offen'
promising school attended by 250 boys. stopped to survey the hideous deities By .the new.treaty just concluded with, of wood and plaster arrayed In the open the Ameer, the tribe most easily reached window front, and to watch the manu· trom Bunnu will be under British pro- facture of such images going on within. '
tection. The Scriptures and othe{ Chris· To our surprise, a good supply of sec', tian books have been translated, and ,it ond·hand images was produced for ou'r seems as, if the time is approaching inspectitJIl.· How do you get these ? • when Il,n entrance into that country will we asked.' The people, whell they are be effected. ' in want of food, bring them here to pawn;' "
-A Baptist association in Burma is -The very general notion that ~he named after the place where Dr. Jud· Chillese Ilre a stolid, unemotional race, son suffered his cruel imprisonment, and hence we should not expect to find from which he nearly died. The place a joyous, fervid type of piety ,among is Oungpenla, or, as it is now spelled, them, is a mistake, writes Rev. N. W. Ai.J.ngbinle. The site of the death Brewster, in Gospel in All LanlIB. priSOn is now, occupied by a Baptist When the Chinaman becomes filled mission school. with the Spirit he has as mllch joy and -The Basseln Christian Karens of manifests it in much the same way as Burma are rnnning a sawmill and mak· other people; ing a profit out of it. Last year they -In an article in the Advance Rev. added $4000 to the endowment of their normal and industrill,l institute. Henry Kingman, of Tientsin, among the " closed doors," I1ames the fact that China.-A writer in the North China almost all of the officials of the empire Herald describes the process of manu· and the bulk of the better classes, if facture of the mock money which is they have heard of it at,all, fear alld hate oflere-d to the spirits instead of the sham the Gospel, and because of their misap- paper money formerly used. They now preheIUlious cOllcerning its character; manufacture mock donars, which are feel toward it, say, as respectable peo· put up in boxcs of 100 cach, the box being pIe in this count,rydo toward Mormon, sold for about three and a half cents. ism, with its abominatiol1S.
The dollars are made of cardboard cov· -At least ill some parts of China the .. ered with tin ,beaten very thin, and stamped with a punching machine. truth has beell fairly well planted. For Immense quantities of this mock money are sold, and the spirits are supposed to a missiouary affirms: "1. could wlllk be cheated into believing that it is good money. from Oanton to ShaIlghai. over 800 miles, not walking more than ~O milCll ' a day, and could sleep ev~yuight in ~" village or town' that has a little Chris- -A missiollary tells the following tiall community." ' ". .": ,l.'· -The Methodists in Peking appear T~o .or three rainy days in,. !luj)?es~ip~ to be appropriating heathen. temples by the wholesale. Three have already leaves them wholly wlthOu.t.if;lOd•. passed into their hands, and their eager These are not beggars, but belong to eyes are now fixed upon a fourth, which the working ciasses. As for clothing, will be laid hold of the hour the cashis their condition is equally terrible. Out forthcoming from America. of 520 families only 30 ha ve a futon . (wadded. quilt used for a bed), thin,and -From the North Chiua Mission of made of rags. patched, together to cover the American Board come glad tidings the whole family of four Of. fi'Vemeruof an extensive and thorough revival bers. Presumably ·the rest have nothwhich by the score and hundred is won· ing. What these people long for is a drously transforming the heaIts and war, a fire, a pestilence, or a famine. lives especially of the pupils in the A fire will give them work, Of they ruay schools. glean something from the ruins. A famine, cholera. and the like means -The statistics of the Irish Presbyte- large schemes of out-door relief,. in rian Mission in Manchuria show that in which they may.be included." addition to the 5 principal stations there are 11 out-stations occupied by native -It is gratifying to note that the agents, and street chapels at two others. Japanese Christians are sending preach. The number of baptized members at the ers to labor among their .own peoplllin' beginnfIlg of the year was 522, and at the Sandwich Islands.. The Japanese tM elidaf the year is 855, ·of whom 325 pastor of the Church in Honolulu lias are communicants.. There are also 130 secured the services of 5, native minisapplicants for baptism. Thirty-three tem, who· will be supported by their natite Christian ngents are employed own countrymen. Rev. O. H. Gulick in addition to the native assistants who and wife are in .thll islands to aid in the work under the medical missionaries. good work of carrying the Gospel to the toilers .on tle sugar plantati.ons. Fourteen 'of these aie evangelists, 2 are AFRICA. teachers, and 9 are colporteurs.
-In 1842 the Amoy mission of the -The greatwork of partitioning out Reformed (Dutch) Church was faund· this vast land space still goes ~errily ed ; in 1848 a house of womhip was on among the statesmen of Europe.. built-the first one in China; in 1856 a The latest phase of the matt.er is fouQ.d church was·· organized; by 1862 the in the Anglo-Belgian treaty, wp.erel)y worl: had. developed into a presbytery; the party of the first part enlarges tern-. and in 1894irito aaynod consisting of porarily the. limits of the Congo Free 19 churches, with 2141 members. And State on the east until they touch the certairili this is an excellent record for Upper Nile; and in return for the favor, fifty years: the party of the second part cedes to Britain a long strip of territory upon Japan;-Po'V'erty is largely a mattE''" the west shore of Lake Tanganyika, all of definition, and this is What it means with the elegant result that now and· in the Land .of the RisingSun, according· from henceforth British lines of railroad to the statement of a philanthropic na- and telegraph can run on B~itish soil tive who has been investigating: "He all the long way from the Cape to the found ~any families. within a small Mediterranean! area who are about as near destitution as it is possible to g~t. Suc~ persons ~Some time since Cape Town was count themselves fortunate if they can joined by the telegraph wlrewith F~:t scrape· together .each a pittance· of 1.3 Salisbury, far up toward theZambesl, Ben (about 7 mills) to· buy two .meals and now 400 miles more are to be put under construction, extending commu- 'ai 'aila i to umalina sinabwana.' 'Do nication past Blantyre and Lake Nyas- not speak the truth. To speak the sa. The poles are to be of iron. truth is very bad.' For months we -A. pathetic touch is given to the used the expression, ' Goseda i to 'umaclose of the career of Lobengula, the lina' in the Lord's prayer for' Him the vanquished King of Matabeleland, by evil one,' when it really means 'our a recent English writer, who states that friend the evil one.' I had often heard when Lobengula saw that war would this wOl'd goseda, and from interpreters certainly come, he sent a message to all and others learned that it was used like the white people living in his country, our pronouns he and him. I tried it including women and children, inform- often, and it was always' goseda.' But ing them that in the event of war he one day I caught the word 'gosiagu' could not protect them, advising them and found out that it meant' my friend,' to leave the country, and promising an whereupon Iasked for' our fl'iend' and escort beyond his boundaries. A.s the ether forms, and I then ascertained that result, not one was harmed, and nothing I had been calling the evil one • QUI' belonging to them was lost or damaged. friend,' because this term is in constant use in the place of the name of any -The Moravians have now 5 mis· one."
sionaries at their stations to the north -Rev. H. A.. Robertson, one of the of Lake Nyassa, only 1 of them with a missionaries of the Presbyterian Church wife. A. day's journey off is the Berlin in Canada, writing from Eromanga, mission, and not very far away is Liv- New Hebrides, says, "We dispensed i'ngstonia, the Scottish Free Church field. the Lord's Supper in July last at Dil- lon's Bay to 200 people, and on that ISLA.NDS OF THE SEA.. day Narie Tangkow, the eldest son of -What wonders to civilization and the murderer of John Williams, was Christianity have been wrought under baptized in the presence of 700 people, the Southern Cross within a generation and took his place at the communion or two' For even A.ustralia, and New table. A. great sight it was, and would Zealand, and" Van Diemen's" Land are have rejoiced anyone with a heart in now missionary centres, and are sending him to have seen it. We have 50 teach· out consecrated men and women by the els and 250 communicants."
score to evangelize their still benighted -A. clear sign that some of the islands neighbors. A. few weeks since 5 mis- of the Gilbert group are coming out of sionaries sailed from Sydney to rein- their heathenism is that the King of force the Wesleyan mission in New Butaritari recently refused to have any Guinea. of his people go to San Francisco for -Let the heralds of the cross, before the purpose of giving an exhibition of they have thoroughly mastered tbe lan- heathen manners and customs. '1'his guage of the people to whom they arc king, so recently enlightened, shows a sent, beware, lest in their ignorance keener sense of propriety and less greed they preach deadly heresy. Rev. W. E. of gain than do a host of people in Bromilow has this to confess concerning ci vilized lands.
himself in the early days of his work -In Malaysia is a population of 60,- in New Guinea: "I remember that 000,000, mostly Mohammedan Mulays.
through the peculiar affirmatives and The British and Foreign Bible Society negatives I misunderstood a n~tive has several European colporteurs at who was helping me in the preparation work and twenty-five who .are natives.
of an address, and I said with all ear- At Singapore alone Bibles are fur- nestness, ' Geabo ua ona 'ai 'aila. Ona nished in forty-five different languages.
The Missionary Review of the World — May 1894
KINDNESS OF "THR CU"GRCH AT HOllE AND ABROAD."
MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD.
VOL. XVII. No. 5.-0ld &rieB.–MAY.–VOL. VII.' No. 5.-New SerIu.
THE TRUE CHARM AND POWER OF MISSIONS.
BY THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEl!'.
That which constitutes the value 'and virtue of incense is an invisible, impalpable, and subtle principle, called perfume or odor. A similar charm, supposed to invest acceptable offerings, gave them the name of "sweet savor offerings," and caused such expressions as the "savor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God," to be applied to unselfish service.
Comparison of many passages of Scripture will show that the essence of this acceptable savor is found in unselfishness, self-oblivion, or self loss. The savor of selfishness is offensive to God; and just as certain pungent, aromatic odors were supposed to overcome or annul the offensive smell of burning victims, the odor of a spirit that renounces all self-gain in an absorbing passion for His glory is represented as neutralizing what is distasteful to God, and so becomes the secret of all acceptable, sweet savor offerings.
Here lies, perhaps, the grandest of all arguments for missions-that they both demand and develop the highest self-oblivion. It is a peculiar mark of the incapacity of a worldly mind to appreciate spiritual truth and motive, that the very objections raised to missions, that commercially and selfishly they" do not pay," are in God's eyes the reasons for them. They make no appeal to the carnal, and hence evoke the nobler and more godlike principles within us.
The hope which inspires missionary effort is not the hope of seeing adequate results, such as in the material harvest of human enterprise justifies the sowing; God sometimes grants abundant returns, but not always, nor to the actual individual who has put forth the greatest measure of effort. The supreme hope of the true missionary is that he may witness for Christ to the unsaved so faithfully and fully that his Master at His coming may approve him with His own '~ Well done."
The hope thus set before us is so much above the sphere of time and
THE TRUE CHARM AND POWER OF MISSIONS
sense that it weans us from the world. It tends to make disciples unselfish and spiritual; to loosen the tie by which carnal objects are held, and make all else seem small in comparison with things to come. How can he who consistently studies for his Lord's approval lay up treasure here or plan for an easy life of selfishness? While preparing his soft nest the midnight cry may be heard. If the end of all things is at hand, what have we to do with treasures or pleasures, possessions or pursuits, which Christ's coming could interrupt, condemn, or bring to naught 1 If, step by step, human enterprise, worldly civilization, scholarly cultUl'e, or even churchly progress, can bring on the latter-day glory, we may have a pretext for building as though all we build were to last at least a thousand years ; but if all these things are to be dissolved and our best work brought speedily to the fiery ordeal, if only the gracious fruits of the spirit in our walking and working with God are to survive those trial fires, if all superficial success is then to appear as failure, let us spend our force and faculty upon what cannot be turned to ashes. And because, when this aim to be f.ound approved of the Lord at His coming really dominates the soul, we become uncarnaJ, unworldly, unselfish, it proves and approves itself as an aim inspired of God.
Here, then, is another vital link between spiritual life and the work of soul-saving. No form of service demands, for thorough doing, m'ore unworldly, unselfish devotion than missions. Much so-called "Christian work" is leavened with self-love, and may be prosecuted in the energy of the flesh, and perhaps its real inoontive may be found in the very worldly hope of rich returns and prompt payments in temporal advantage. The railway magnate may give large sums to build schools and churches in new settlements along the lines, and do it on commercial principles; for the church and school form a nucleus for population, and population means travel and transportation, and so revenue to the railway and larger dividends to stockholders. Much that we call "benevolence" is to God's eyes the cloak hiding the shrewd, calculating Shylock who has an eye to business.
The fact is itself an argument and an appeal that, so soon as the Lord's coming ceased to be felt to be imminent, and was projected indefinitely into the distance, the remarkable evangelism of primitive days which fed on this truth, declined and decayed, and has never been revived. It is but the few who flame with zeal for missions; the great body of professed disciples treat the work with apathetic indifference, or contend that it " does not pay!"
Cut to the core of this apathy, and you find simple selfishness. This carrying the Gospel to those in the far-off regions beyond is a work which in its very nature forbids us to expect any returns. These distant, destitute souls cannot recompense us ; we must wait for our recompense at the resurrection of the just, and at no point this side! The most frantic appeals for the perishing millions along the Congo, beneath the shadows of the Himalayas, or in the valleys of Korea, will be unheard and unheeded by those whose hearts are so electro-plated with greed that they have the ring of metal, and answer only to the touch of money. Of course missions do not pay, if "pay" means compensation to avarice, appetite, ambition, or any form of temporal self-interest and self-emolument. Missions are not a mint to coin sovereigns. Missions at home no doubt" pay." To evangelize London's millions applies healing salve to festering ulcers upon the body politic; to raise the condition of any great city guards the safety of our homes, life, liberty, property, temporal peace and prosperity, and pulls up anarchy by the roots. To evangelize the most remote districts of America's" great West" likewise" pays;" the returns are sure, though the harvest may take longer to ripen. Men who care nothing for the cross promote facilities for normal growth and healthy development in the remotest members because it helps the commonwealth; and it needs little thought to see that a thorn in the farthest extremities of the body inflicts such a pang on the whole body that the whole body stoops and bends, bringing every other member into service to pluck it out. And, therefore, city missions and all home work within our own borders appeal, more or less, to commercial enterprise and selfish instincts.
But mark the difference! A plea for South Sea cannibals or African Hottentots; for the half-idiotic Cretins of the Alps or half-brutal Maoris of New Zealand; for the stupid Esquimaux, or the stupefied opium smokers of China; for the chattering human baboons of Patagonia or the aboriginal barbarians of Australia; for the far:off Coreans or the exclusive Lama, worshippers of Thibet-an appeal for money and men to help uplift and save these needy souls has no hold or grip on selfish and unsanctified human nature. To give money for such a purpose is putting it into a bag with holes, never to see it again or any good from it. So, at least, say worldly-minded disciples.
We join no issue here. Missions to the heathen seldom do show adequate results in one generation. It is doubtful whether God means they shall. He puts before us this work as the most unselfish in which we can engage, and nearest in motive and spirit to that which brought our Redeemer to this earth. The spirit of missions is the Spirit of Christ because its essence is unselfishness; it gives to those from whom we cannot hope to receive, and bids to the feast those who cannot bid us again. Whoever by prevailing prayers, consecrated gifts, or personal work sets up the banner of the cross upon Satan's citadel, amid Brahmans and Bu:ddhists, Confucianists and" confusionists," Mohammedans and Jews, Parsees and Papists, fetish-worshippers and devil-worshippers, must, first of all, have the mind of Christ far enough to be emptied of self. He must humble himself and be obedient unto death; the carnal must die if the spiritual is to live,; the miser expires when the missionary is born; he who would save others, himself he cannot save.
It is utterly vain to try to prove to a selfish soul that it pays to give money, children, one's self, to bear the good news to the superstitious, degraded, half-imbecile pagan. Dr. Thomas Laurie's five hundred pages may. blaze with tributes to what missions have done for science-for geography, geology, meteorology, archreology, philology, ethnography; for natural, social, medical, and political science; for literature and culture, mechanic -arts and fine arts, history and poetry, commerce and common schools; nevertheless the more light you pour upon the selfish eye the more it contracts j and the carnal mind does not see that missions to the heathen are the most economical and practical investment for gold or lifeblood. To those who look from no loftier level than this world affords, it is worse than waste for heroic men and seraphic women to sacrifice themselves in such fashion, daring climate, disease, want, and even human brutes, to do their worst. Though a sweet savor of spikenard thus spreads amid the rank and rotten growths of paganism, yet the fair flask of costly alabaster is broken. Henry Martyn was a mistaken martyr. William Carey would better have stayed in Britain. Adoniram Jndson not only threw away in Burma his own precious life, but withdrew from civilization to a premature death three of the noblest women ever nurtured in refined society. Think of Harriet Newell dying on the Isle of France at twentyone, and Mrs. Grant in Persia at twenty-five j of John Williams beaten to death and eaten by Erromangan cannibals; of bishops Patteson and Hannington brutally assassinated; of Samuel J. Mills expiring on the sea in the service of Africa at thirty-five, and Nott broken like a reed in the first year of acclimation; of Levi Parsons' death at Alexandria, within two years, and Pliny Fisk wasting in Syria his splendid scholarship and wealth of languages, and, in two years more, following Parsons; of the young and brilliant astronomer Stoddard star-gazing in Persia, when he might have been the rival of La Place and Le Verrier r What if Morrison did give the Bible to China and Hepburn, t<1 Japan; if Livingstone did explore Africa, and Duff create high schools in India; if Peter Parker did push medical missions into China, and Clough gather the largest church in the world at Ongole ; if Eliza Agnew did become the mother of a thousand daughters at Oodooville, and Fidelia Fiske, at Ooroomiah; if Hogg and Lansing did make the Nile Valley bloom with plants of righteousness, and Cyrus Wheeler dot the Euphrates' banks with self-supporting churches; if William Duncan did bujld a Metlakahtla out of red Indians and Mason and Boardman organize the wild Karens into five hundred self.supporting parishes; if Mackay did celebrate his twelfth anniversary at Formosa with his twelve hundred converts, and Paton found Aniwa in barbarism, and in three years and a half left it a Christian island; what if the missionaries themselves, after a long period of trial, both of their powers and patience, cannot be drawn by any bait or driven by any terror from the work they love r To the worldly disciple the mission field is simply a necropolis, one vast sepulchre of blighted lives and buried hopes. The dust of nearly a thousand missionary martyn! enriches the soil of India alone. Hundreds have died on Africa's pestilential coast in process of acclimation. In the South Seas hundreds of saintly souls have given their bodies to be burned in cannibal ovens. " To what purpose is this waste 1"
Vainly does the selfishness that clutches the bag of temporal advantage wait for an answer. John may read the mystery ~here Judas cannot. The disciple who is not too far below the level of his Master finds enough explanation in his Master's example of uncompensated love and sacrifice. He remembers that it was One who at thirty-three laid down His life a sacrifice, who said, "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature." These are what the Iron Duke called our" marching orders" j and if we fall in the unequal contest, we may at least have written above us a tribute like the famous inscription by which Simonides honored the Spartans who fell at Thermopylre : "Go, stranger, and declare to the Lacedremonians that we died here in obedience to their divine laws."
Because the blessed hope of our Lord's return has so refining an influence on character it is very mould and matrix of missions. Its whole tendency is to make us unselfish, to relax our grasp upon material treasures and carnal pleasures j to fashion us " not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." It makes all time seem short and the whole' world seem small j' dwarfs the present age. into insignificance and lifts the peaks of the age to come into loftier ~ltitudes, on a nearer horizon, in a clearer view. It so magnifies the approval of the coming Lord as to make present compensation for .service and sacrifice appear trifling.
In the seven Epistles to the Churches, which open the Apocalypse, our Lord uses His advent as a perpetual admonition and inspiration. The Ephesians could well bear, have patience and not faint j the Smyrnese endure the ten days of tribulation j the Pergamoans hold fast His name and not deny the faith j the Thyatirans resist Jezebel's seductions j the Sardians keep up their watch and keep their garments white j the Philadelphians keep the word of His patience, and the Laodiceans, from lukewarmness wax ardent and fervent, for the Lord's coming was always at hand, when all trials would cease and all triumphs be complete.
Mr. Moody well says, "When this truth really takes hold of a man the world loses its grip on him. Gas stocks and water stocks, and stocks in banks and railroads are of very much less consequence to him now. His heart is free when he looks for the blessed appearing and kingdom of the Lord." Our brother hits the nail on the head with the blows of his simple Saxon hammer. Worldwide missions meet in worldly minds two fatal objections: the world is too wide and self is too narrow. The cares of this world, the deceitfulness, of riches, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, choke all growth in the grace of selfoblivion. Work is waste unless it pays in current coin. Charity is mistaken sentiment unless it "begins at home" and stays there. Fields
JAINISM
near by sown with corn and cotton yield better, surer, quicker crops than fields far off, where Gospel seed brings such slow, slim, uncertain har· vests. Marble mansions on the stately avenues of a metropolis are better investments than mission churches, schools, and hospitals, that are chronic beggars, always in a strait betwixt two-whether to give up the ghost themselves or make others give them more money. Strange indeed that even selfish eyes cannot see that it is a living, growing boy that wears out his trousers and outgrows his jacket, and that it is a prosperous work which needs more room and more help! Strange indeed that we have not learned nature's own lesson that it is the most precious seed that takes the best soil, the most costly culture, and the longest season to bring to harvest.
JAINISM.
BY REV. JOHN ROBSON, D.D.
The seventh century before the Christian era seems to have been one of religious ferment, development, and change in India. .The Aryas, who had entered the land from the northwest, had established themselves as the dominant race, and looked down on the original inhabitants as socially and religiously inferior. The nature worship, which they had originally held in common with their kinsmen of Greece and Rome, and w-hich, in the worship of Varuna, * had attained the highest theological and ethical conception attained by any natural religion, had become miserably debased. A system of ritualism and magic had killed out the simple worship that had been paid of old. Those who guided it-the Brahmans or praying ones-had usurped the rights of worship which had originally belonged to all, claimed to be themselves gods, and therefore a race by themselves superior to all other men. This claim they had strengthened by giving religious sanction to divisions of classes inferior to them. Next to them came the Kshatriyas, the royal or warrior caste ; after them the Vaisyas, the mercantile and agricultural caste. These were the twice-born or superior castes, while underneath them the once-born Sudras wereslumped together as a fourth caste. Thus society had come to be divided into four castes, and observance of caste law had been elevated above observance of the moral law.
While this priestly and social tyranny was being developed, philosophic thought was being developed also, and it was seeking to explain the origin and nature of the universe and the condition and destiny of man. The tendency of thought was pantheistic, though it had not assumed so decided a bent as in modern Hinduism. The doctrine of transmigration of souls had established itself as the best solution of the inequalities of human life.
* God of heaven (ovp"….). Karma, or the power in the acts of one birth to determine the condition of future births, was coming to be looked on as the supreme power in life; and deliverance from these repeated births was coming to be looked on as the great aim of human effort. How to attain this was thc problem that was exercising the religious thought of the time. The Brahmans taught that it was to be attained by sacrifice, and by worshipping them and the gods ; but others taught that it was to be attained by right life, anti specially by renouncing thc world and living lives of thc severest absti. nence and self-denial.
Among those who helpcd to give practical definiteness to tllis teaching was Piirswaniith, king of Aswasena. According to tradition, he had lived about two hundred years before the time of which we are writing. He gave up his kingdom, lived a hermit life in the desert or in mountain caves, and took the name of Jina, or conquerer-i.e., conqueror of worldly lusts and ambitions. Large numbers followed him, and were hence called * J ainas or J ains. Much is not known of his teaching. It was from Mahavlra, who lived two hundred years later, in the seventh century B.C., that the religion took its definite form. He was of the same royal house as Parswaniith, and became a follower of his; but in one respect he went beyond his master. Parswanath had carried his asceticism so far as to have no covering but a piece of white cloth; Mahavira carried his to the point of dispensing with all covering whatever. He did not, however, carry all his coreligionists with him in this new departure. Hence two sects sprang up among them, the Swetambaras, or "clothed in white,"
and the Digambaras, or " clothed in space. "t In the form which Jainism finally assumed these two are considered the last of a series of twenty-four saints, or Jinas, who have at various times appeared on earth. The name usually given to them is Tirthankara. With the exception of the two last they seem to be mythical, though in the myths regarding the first of them, Rikhal Deva, there seem some traces of historical truth.
We shall understand the teaching of Jainism better if we compare it with that of Buddhism, which arose about the same time. According to the dates now generally received, Gautama, from whom Buddhism sprang, was a younger contemporary of Mahavrra. The Jains claim that he reo ceived his teaching from their sage, but of that there is no evidence. It is much more likely that they both worked independently on the thoughts that were then exercising men's minds. What they have in common is the ideas of the age and the instincts of human commience. In working these out they are wide as the poles asunder. At the same time it is not • In Sanskrit the modification of the original vowel in a holy being's name by "a" indicates a follower or worshipper. Thus we have l'ai.hnava, a worshipper of Vishna,. Saiva, a worshipper of Siva,. Bauddha, a follower of Buddha: and Jaina, a follower of Jina.
t This theoretical asceticism is not now, as far as I have been able to observe, carried ont by even the religio1}S men of the sect. impossible that Buddha may have reeeived an impulse from the older Jainism that had come from Parswanath. According to tradition, the incident that finally decided his eourse of action was the sight of an ascetic who had conquered the desires of the world and lived in holy meditation.
It is interesting to notice that all these reformers were of the royal, not of the Brahmanieal caste. It seems as though the old warlike spirit were ehafing at the dominance which the latter had attained in religion, and were determined to break its yoke. It is to be noticed that the hatred of the Brahmans is much more strongly and spitefully expressed in the early Jain than in the early Buddhist books, and this seems another indication of an earlier origin. * To institute a full comparison between the two sys&ms would swell this paper beyond all reasonable dimensions. We shall, therefore, confine ourselvelil to a few leading points. Both systems are atheistic in the sense of not admitting any deity above the general system of the universe. Buddhism in its first teaching carried this principle consistently out by making no provision for worship, while J ainism, as we shall see, made such a provision in its very inception.
The final goal of man Buddhism teaches to be annihilation j J ainism, a state of stable ineffable bliss. The Buddhist conception of Nirvana was not originally either annihilation or a state of absorption into the soul of the universe, but a state of deliverance from all desires leading to extinction of being. It has latterly come to mean rather a final state of existence, free from all disturbing influence and free from the conception of some of the earlier Jain books.
It is in the teaching with regard to the attainment of this end, however, that the similarities and divergences of the two systems are most marked. Both teach that it is to be obtained through the observance of the moral code, and this code is given in a negative and positive form.
The negative code of the two systems present little difference. J ainism forbids, first, killing j second, falsehood j third, stealing j fourth, adultery j fifth, worldly-mindedness.
Buddhism forbids, first, killing j second, stealing j third, adultery j fourth, falsehood j fifth, the use of strong drink.
It will be observed that the only important difference is in the fifth command. J ainism seems to take in the Rweep of the tenth command of the Mosaic decalogue j Buddhism seems to have the limit of a religious order rather than of a religion. But we must remember that this part of Buddha's law was only for the laity. It was a step to the higher law, designed specially for those who renounced the world and entered the priesth(»d-as all could who wished-through which alone Nirvana was to be attained.
* so in Europe the :61'st symptom 'of the reform movement was the bitter attacks on the Roman Catholic priests. On the positive side- Jainism enjoins, first, mercy to all animated beings j second, almsgiving; third, venerating the sages (tirthankaras) while living, and wor. shipping their images when dead; fourth, confession of faults j fifth, religious fasting. Buddhism enjoins, first, charity; second, purity; third, patience j fourth, courage j fifth, contemplation j sixth, science. On this side it will at once be seen what a great moral superiority belongs to Buddhism. The first of its commands includes the two first of the Jain table. On all the rest Jainism is silent, and their place is taken by certain rules for religious practices. These last have practically found a place in later Bllddhism, but it has a far broader ethical basis than Jainism, and is calculated to build up a far finer moral character. Having a moral basis, and throwing the celibate open to all ey'ually, Buddhism has thus emancipated itself from caste and local restriction and attained the elements of universality. Jainism, on the other hand, by making the reverencing and worshipping of the tirthankaras a term of its moral law, has limited itself to a narrow sect. It teaches, in fact~ that only those saints and their worshippers who happened to be on earih at the time of their final incarnation have entered the beatific state. The Kalpa Sutra, in giving the narrative of the various tirthankaras, is careful to state the number that entered hliss along with each by virtue of his merits. Thus, according to Jainism, the only hope for final salvation is being again on earth when the next tirthankara shall appear, and worshipping him so as to share his beatitude. It is thUs not surprising that, while .r Buddhism has come to be a world religion, ainism has continued to be one of the narrowest sects of India. But it is this very narrowness which has enabled it to maintain itself in India, while Buddhism has been expelled from that land. Hinduism found in the latter a rival which could not exist alongside of it, which must either expel it or be expelled. Therefore, when thoroughly aroused, it expelled it from the" land of the Aryas." It found Jainism a sect which could exist alongside of it or within it without causing it much danger, and so had no difficulty in tolerating it. Thus it is that Jainism is now the only survival of what we may call the Buddhism movement once so powerful in India, and by its environment it has come to be little more than the name of a caste of Hindus. It is confined, in fact, to some of the Vaisyu, or mercantile castes-Seths, or bankers and wholesale merchants, and Baniyas, or shopkeepers-who represent more than any other the religious vis inertia! of India.
The Jains at present number a little over one million four hundred thousand. They are found chiefly in Rajputana, Guzerat, and Western India. They are mostly enterprising men of business, and a great part of the wealth of the commnnity is in their hands. In some of the native States they have obtained considerable political power through their wealth. In Udaipur, the oldest and most honorable of the Hindu States, the office of prime minister is hereditary in one of their families. Generally under English rule they have a security and prosperity greater than they ever enjoyed before. The English Government tends to protect commerce and to enforce bargains and sales. The mercantile community take advantage of this, drive hard bargains with the agriculturists, an9- so are getting a great part of the land under their power. The English rule is therefore popular with them, but by the Rajputs-the warrior caste, the modern Kshatriyas-and others it is sneered at as a" baniya-raj," a shopkeeper's rule.
If we turn' to the development of religion among them, we see all the corruptions which human nature would naturally bring into Ruch a system as I have sketched above. They adhere strictly to certain minor moralities and neglect the weightier matters of the law. The solitary moral precept in their positive code illustrates the whole spirit of their religion, and, in fact, gives it its distinctive, outward character among the various religions of India. It enjoins mercy to all animated beings. Animated beings include insects as well as men j and in the eye of a Jain the life of a flea is as sacred as the life of a man, and its destruction as great a sin. Some of their sophistical devices to get quit of vermin are rather amusing, but hardly bear repetition. One great act of religious merit is to feed ants and such like. A single handful of rice wiII thus supply the daily wants of hundreds of lives, whereas if given to a man it would not supply a single meal for a single life. Then mercy is restricted to not taking life by violence j it does not require avoiding giving it pain. A Jain has no scruple in mercilessly overloading his bullock 01' his horse and urging it with goad or whip till it falls down from fatigue. When it is too old to be serviceable it is a sin, against the law of mercy, to put it out of pain by shooting it, but it is no want of mercy to withhold its food till it dies, when the owner will weep over its fate. Mercy, too, does not forbid leaving a fellow-being to perish if you do him no positive injury. Almsgiving is, of course, commanded, but that means giving to religious mendicants or devotees. That is an act of religious merit, but to give to a starving, low-caste man is a stupid waste of substance.
With regard to truthfulness, the Jains are much the same as the average Hindu. Lying is considered an essential for the trader, and he will bring any amount of lying to the striking of a bargain j* but when it is struck he wiII loyally adhere to it, and will not falsify his ledger. Their ideas of chastity are also those of the Hindus j but it says a great deal for their regard for women that they are the only caste in Rajputana in which the females are in excess of the males. t • When the English officer in charge of the native state of A1wur during the minority of the late ruler was carrying out some improvements, he directed a row of pipal trees to be planted in a new bazar. Now the pipal tree is considered an abode of the gods, and no Hindu dare tellHes under its shade. At once all the baniyas in the bazar rOBe in rebellion and insisted on the pipal trees bein!( taken away. " How can we trade, " they said, " if we are not allowed to lie 1"
t Among the Hindns and Mohammedans the males were about 12 per cent in excess of the females at last census. Among the Jains the females were 2kl per cent in excess of the males. The need for worship among the Jains finds satisfaction chiefly in the worship of the tirthankaras or of their religious guides. Pilgrimages to the shrines of the former are one of the principal religious acts. This would seem, indeed, to be the foundation of their systcm. Tirthankara means "author of a firth," or place of pilgrimage. It is true the J ains say that their tirth is a moral tirth. None the less are the shrines sacred to the various tirthankaras visited by numbers of pilgrims. That especially of Rikhab Dev, the first of the tirthankaras, in the midst of the wild hill country of the Bhils to the south of Udaipur, draws annually thousands of pilgrims from all parts of India.
There are two classes of priests among the Jains, the Dhundhias and the Jatis. The former, who include females as well as males, are wandering ascetics. They have not much learning; they maintain their sanctity by their great care not to destroy insect life. They have always a cloth over their mouth, lest any insect may be drawn in by the inhaling of the breath. They carry a broom to sweep the ground before they sit down, lest they should crush any animal. As may be supposed, their company is more sought by insects than by men, but they are considered very holy.
The Jatis are somewhat superior to these. They have each their temple and parish, and must be instructed in the Jain holy books. They are celibates, and maintain their order by adoption. They adopt sons from all castes, mostly from Rajputs and Brahmans. I have not met any that were originally J ains. They are supposed to carry out in their own persons the requirements of Jainism, while the laity worship them and bring them gifts, that they may benefit from their merit. The first native of India that I was privileged to receive into the Christian Church belonged to this class. He was originally a Rajput, had been sold by his parents to a Jati in a time of famine, had been educated by him as a disciple, and at his death inherited his money and the diocese in which he was the spiritual head. He had' been trained up to all the tricks of the priesthood, and gave me an insight into some of them, It is one of the rules of Jati life to drink only water that has been boiled, so as to avoid destroying insect life; but they may not boil it themselves or order it to be boiled, as that would be committing the same sin. So when he went to one of his villages he went to the first Jain house, and asked if they had any boiled water. If they had not, he went on to the others; and if he failed to get it anywhere, he came back to the first house. They would by that time have it boiled and cooled and ready for drinking. He had not told them to boil it, but they understood quite well what was expected. They, of course, incurred the sin of destroying the life in the water, but that did not matter for them, as they were laity. Their priest was preserved from sin, and they benefited from his merit.
Certain fasts are enjoined on the Jains, but these, too, are observed by proxy, the Jati fasting while his flock worship him and bring him gifts.
MALAYStA
The fast is observed in public, the Jati sitting on an elevated daiS in presence of his worshippers, so that there may be no doubt as to the reality of the fast, and giving additional potency to the function by reading aloud the sacred books. But a cloth must be over the mouth to prevent insects entering, and this cloth can be conveniently arranged to hang down over the knees while sitting. Under it a good dish of provisions can be concealed, which may be slipped into the mouth without the worshipper's notice. My informant told me that such a fast had been the occasion of a bitter quarrel with a brother J ati. They had agreed that they would each take a certain amount of confectionery during the fast. He found the amount agreed on rather too little, and was faint at the end; when he discovered that his companion had taken double the quantity, and came through the fast quite fresh. This he considered a breach of faith, which made him break with him altogether.
In the midst of all this his conscience was working. He found nothing in the Jain faith to satisfy his religious craving; he felt that the whole system of the priesthood was one of fraud and a hypocrisy. Often when the multitude was worshipping him he felt so wretched that he wished he were a dog, and was sometimes tempted to commit suicide. He sought a satisfaction for his cravings in one of the secret sects of Hinduism, but its moral character disgusted him. He came to hear of Jesus Christ, found in Him all that he wanted, and ended his days a zealous teacher of His faith.
He has had few followers as yet either from among the priesthood or the laity. Christian missions have hitherto made little impression on the J ains; but the moral and religious needs of human nature exist within them, and if Jesus Christ be faithfully preached to them, they will come at last to recognize Him as the only one who can satisfy them, the Holy One who can give salvation to all who believe in Him in every age.
MALAYSIA.
BY REV. W. F. OLDHAM, PITTSBURG, PA.
To the southeast of Asia, stretching from Siam to Australia and from the Indian Ocean to New Guinea, is a vast archipelago, presenting a most inviting study to the geographer and ethnologist and of increasing interest to the Christian missionary. Here are found such considerable islands as Sumatra, Java, Celebes, Gilolo, and continental Borneo.
Through this archipelago runs a line of fire. Up through Sumatra, running the length of the island, throngh Java, Borneo, the Celebes, the Philippines, and then on east through New Guinea and north through Japan. Along this line is a spine of volcanic peaks rising to great heights and liable at any time to active eruptions. On both sides of tuis line of fire the land is wonderfully productive, and large crops are raised of such rich tropical products as pepper, nutmegs, sugar, coffee, tobacco, rice, gutta-percha, etc.
As a whole, the islands are exceedingly fertile and beautiful with a gorgeous beauty unknown outside the mid-tropics. The waters amid which they sit are mostly shallow, and the deep-green tints of the shallow ocean, the perennial verdure of the islands, the opaline tints on the lofty mountain-tops, and the glowing azure of the ofttimes cloudless sky present to the eye of the admiring traveller such a scheme of color as the earth can scarcely duplicate.
On these islands lives an estimated population of thirty-six millions of people. These are for the most part of two races, the Malay and the Papuan. The former, an Indo-Chinese, differentiated from the parent stock by centuries of residence in their island homes. In some respects inferior to their continental progenitors, in others they are superior. In the main truthful, brave, kind to their families, capable of friendship, though subject to terrific gusts of passion, and, when aroused, unreasonable and obstinate, the Malay race, in all its subdivisions, ought certainly attract more general attention from the Christian churches of England and America. A wave of Islamic conquest has swept over these islands during many centuries, and the large bulk of the Malay races own fealty to the Arabian prophet. The chief propagators of Islam have been the Arab traders, who, by marrying with the Malay chiefs' daughtexs and by superior commercial sagacity, obtain ascendancy in Malay communities. The Dutch officials, too, who rule the more populous islands of Malaysia, have too often been the friends and helpers of the Moslem propaganda. As it was in British India years ago, so it has been till recently in the Dutch East Indies. Godless men in the military and civil employ of the Government, disliking the Christian missionary's standard of morals, and preferring the looseness of Mohammedanism, have covertly, if not openly, thrown their influence on the side of the false prophet. As yet, however, of large sections of the Malay peoples it may be said they are but veneered with Mohammedanism. The old nature worship is yet strong with them; and I have seen in parts of Java, nominally Moslem women carrying offerings of flowers just as their heathen ancestors did. There has, however, of late years been a yery large increase in the number of Malay pilgrims to Mecca. The steamboat companies advertise widely, and the honor put upon the returned pilgrim or " Hadji" is such as to induce thousands to brave the perils and discomforts of the journey. The effect of this pilgrimage is, in the main, to deepen Moslem fervor. The pilgrims have suffered for their faith, and it becomes of larger worth. Their devotion brings them great honor in their own community, which is further reason why they should be devout. The Dutch Government begins to perceive that the deepening hold of Mohammedanis~ is likely to breed mischief. Whatever else the "Hadji" mayor may not learn on his pilgrimage, he does learn to hate the "Kafir," the unbelieving dog of a Christian. In the recent past a more active interest has been shown by Government officials at large in ihe efforts of the Christian mis:;:ionaries, while some of them, earnest, godly men themselves, are of great assistance to the Christian cause. The other race found in the archipelago is the "Papuan," from the Malay " papuwah-frizzled," referring to their" mop heads. " These are ocean negritoes, and differ markedly from the Malay in physical and mental characteristics. Physically the Papuan is not equal in prowess to the Malay, who has invariably driven him from the coast and the rivet banks to the interior high lands. Yet the Papuan is taller and more comely, and will ultimately probably leave the Malay behind, for he has more vital energy. Papuan slaves are often men of ability, and are pro. moted to high office. They have greater feeling for art than the Malays, and decorate their canoes, their houses, pots and pans, etc., with elaborate carvings in admirable taste. They have, unfortunately, a decided taste for human flesh j but from this they are being rapidly reclaimed, and they have the great excellence of being almost incapable of untruthfulness. Among these native peoples scattered all through the islands, and destined ultimately to greatly influence the archipelago, are thousands of Chinese. As a miner, as a cultivator, above all, as a petty tradesman, the almond-eyed stranger appears everywhere, and wherever he comes he easily secures a footing, and because of his superior industry and intelligence forges to the front. Any plan of evangelization of these islands which overlooks the Chinaman will be at fault. Law-abiding, orderloving, intelligent, the Chinese settlements throughout the archipelago should be seized as outposts in any wide scheme of Christian conquest.
The Dutch Government politically controls by far the largest part of the archipelago j and Dutch missions are, as we would expect, the most numerous and widely spread among the islands. The Church in Holland, however, has never risen to the height of the magnificent opportunity that God has laid at her doors. Indeed, God-given opportunities always far outrun the readiness of the Christian Church to use them j and the Dutch have been quite as responsive to the needs of the Indies as the British have been to those of the greater India they govern. The principal societies at work are: 1. The Netherlands Missionary Society, which began early in the century through its representatives Messrs. Kam, Buckner, and Supper. Kam, who first settled in Amboyna, was a notable man, and after valuable and heroic service he died in 1833. This society's usefulness lIas been much crippled by its defection from the evangelical faith. Rationalism, however it may commend itself to some of the scholars of the Church in Christian lands, never fails to throttle earnest mission enterprise. Happily a better state of things begins to appear j and men who are not Rcoffers at the "blood-theology" of evangelical Christians are putting new vigor into the society's missions. They number eighteen missionaries, with ten times as many native helpers, and twenty thousand converts. Next in numbers and importance among Dutch missions is : 2. The Dutch Reformed Missionary Society, which now numbers some six thousand converts. The notable thing about this mission is that it has gained its great conquests in the province of Djokjakarta, which was closed against missionaries. An elect lady, Mrs. Phillips, the wife of an official, converted, I was told, by reading an extract from one of Mr. Moody's addresses, threw herself into personal work for Christ among the natives around her j God blessed her testimony, and the result has been a great awakening and ingathering. Some of the dear brethren scarcely enjoy this attestation of the Holy Spirit to woman's effectiveness as a preacher j nevertheless, the Church in this unofficially evangelized province is the green spot in all Java.
3. The Dutch Missionary Society, with seven missionaries and some native helpers, is faithfully working among the Soudanese. Add to these several smaller societies. such as the Ermolo Missionary Society, the Java Comite, etc., and you have the entire force of Dutch missions at work in Malaysia. The show~ng is not reassuring. Vast populations are practically unreached. The activity of the Christian Church is far behind the Moslem propaganda, and Mohammedanism is fastening itself more deeply every year upon the people. The Dutch churches are doing what they can, but infected in part by rationalism, the wave of missionary enthusiasm does not rise very high j and though the Government in these later years is more sympathetic and helpful, there is loud and urgent call for other Christian bodies to go to the help of our Dutch brethren against Islam and nature worship in these populous islands.
Answering in part to this call, there are at work in the Netherlands Indies: l. The Rhenish Missionary Society, of Germany, with missionaries in Borneo (South), Sumatra, and Nias. The missions in the latter two islands are yery successful. Especially among the Battaks, old-time can· nibals, docs the Vord of God prevail.
2. The British Foreign and Bible Society. No words of mine can too highly praise the yigor and thoroughness with which this society, under the efficient direction of Mr. John Haffenden, is sowing these islands with God's Vord. Great revivals will surely come in the future, judging from the eagerness of the people to buy" gospels" and" portions" which, published in cheap and very portable form, tell in their own tongues to the various peoples of the archipelago the "wonderful things of God." The entire archipelago is traversed by these indefatigable colporteurs. Even into the Philippine Islands one of them penetrated, only to be driven away by the intolerant and unspeakably corrupt and evil liviI1g Spaniard Romish priests.
In North Borneo is Sarawak, the romantic kingdom of Rajah Brooke. Here is a splendid mission of the English Episcopal Church, led by the scholarly Bishop Hose. This mission, however, is confined to the Dyaks and Chinese, the king fearing trouble from the Malays should Christ be preached to them-an unworthy fear, from which may timo and the providence of God deliver all concerned! This English mission is found operating also in Labuan and in the Straits Settlements, which is an English colony.
Of all the missions in Malaysia the most successful seems to have been that conducted in the North Celebes region, where tens of thousands of islanders, before they were captured by the Mohammedan faith, came en masse into the Christian camp. They seem to have been received and baptized j but these tender though honest babes in the faith were not sufficiently carefully trained in the new faith, and seem to have taken on only such a veneer of Christianity as many of the Javanese have of Mohammedanism. Left to walk by themselves before they were able, many of them have lapsed. Some have gone to Islam j many live a low type of semi-Christian life. The Roman Catholics, ever on the alert to enter into other people's labors, have begun an active mission. The Netherlands Missionary Society is now endeavoring to repair the waste places. The Government, too, is growing helpful and sympathetic j but a great deal of work must be done over again before Minnehassa, the " pearl of missions," recovers the lustre of its early Christian days.
The American churches have done but little for Malaysia. India on the one side, and Japan r.,nd China on the other, have presented such populous continental areas that hitherto the efforts of American Christians have been but sparsely directed to this southeastern Asiatic archipelago.
While waiting for China to open, the American Board seems to have supported a few mission stations, but on the opening of the treaty ports in China these were abandoned, and the missionaries proceeded to China. Two young men, Henry Lyman and Munson, were sent to the Battaks of Sumatra. These pioneers were killed and eaten by the cannibal savages, and the project was abandoned. It is cheering to know that these same Battaks, since approached from the south by German missionaries, have largely yielded to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The comparative spiritual destitution of this section of Asia was so impressed upon one of the churches of America-the Methodist Episcopal (North)-that in 1885 Bishop Hurst, then visiting India, appointed tM writer of this article missionary to Singapore. A mission on a selfsupporting basis was begun among the English-speaking people of Singapore, an island of great strategic and commercial importance. This island commands the Malacca Straits, and is the commercial entrepot of Southeastern Asia. It is one of the commercial navels of the world and floats the British flag. Its polyglot population of Malays, Tamils, Chinese, and Europeans is in close touch with all the surrounding islands, with China, with India, and with Europe. In the beautiful harbor of Singapore ride the ships of all the sea-going nations of the world. Chinese junks and Malay dhows jostle the ocean racers of England and France and Germany. A free port, knowing nothing of customs duties except on a very few articles, here come large cargoes of tobacco, hides, rice, tea, tin, rattan, coffee, india-rubber, and sugar. Commercial activity in foreign ports is usually accompanied by two things, moral laxity and mental alertness. The morals of Singapore are not high. The readiness of its people to receive new ideas is far beyond that usual in the East.
The American Methodist Mission, beginning work among the English.. speaking, founded a self-supporting English-speaking church. This church has never received a penny of support from without. Beginning with seventeen members, it now numbers over one hundred, and has given over a dozen mission workers to the varied enterprises that now cluster around it.
Parallel with the work in English has grown up a mission to the " Baba," or straits-born Chinese. These enlightened and progressive Chinamen, British subjects, seeing that the American missionary really desired to serve them, rallied around him, and were at the expense of providing for him school·houses and furniture at an expense of over $12,000. The English Governor, Sir Cecil Smith, of that class of enlightened rulers who have made the English name famous through Asia, quickly perceived the usefulness of the American educational missionary project ; and a large "Anglo-Chinese" school, numbering' from four to five hundred scholars, entirely self-supporting, is now located at Singapore. Another similar institution is fast growing up in Penang ; and through the prestige and kindly feeling generated by the schools our evangelistic missionaries are finding free access to the peoples around them. A medical mission, a Malay press, an orphanage, a Tamil church and school, and constant itinerant preaching among the Malays are all forms of activity in which the American missionaries are now engaged.
It would greatly help in the extension of God's kingdom among these most interesting races if some other branch of American Christians-say the Methodist Episcopal Church (South) or any other-would select some part of Sumatra, or, with the consent of the Dutch missionaries, some part of Java, or the Celebes, or East Borneo as a mission centre, and from there, in consultation with the Dutch and American brethren already on the field, project a wider and more insistent evangelism among these islanders. They will otherwise year by year be more firmly intrenched in Mohammedanism, with its inordinate conceit and intolerant and fierce bigotry. If anywhere in the mission world the King's business calls for haste it is in the fair and beautiful islands of Malaysia.
A MISSIONARY'S EXPERIENCE IN JAMAICA AND OLD QALABAR
A MISSIONARY'S EXPERIENCE IN JAMAICA AND OLD CALABAR.* BY REV. J. J. FULLER.
This is a jubilee meeting. Fifty years of Christian efforts; fifty years of Christian prayer; fifty years of Christian missions ; and fifty years of contact with young hearts and young minds-these have matured your insti- tution and kept it up until the present day. 'When I was told that this was your Jubilee, my mind went back to the fact that you and those that have gone before have had a hand in bringing about some of the great changes that have taken place in the countries of the world. Among the many nations and peoples with whom you have had to do or whom you have helped, . my nation and people, and my own native country, and Africa itself, have borne some of your good wishes, have seen some of your kindness, and have had some of your earnest prayer for the spread of the kingdom of Jesus Christ among them.
Fifty years shows a great difference in ~y own country, which is one of the British possessions in the West Indies-the island of Jamaica. Fifty years ago that land had, comparatively speaking, an unlettered people, just emerged, as it were, from the bondage of slavery. It was only then that schools were thrown open and that the children of the col- ored people of my home were permitted to take the Bible in their hands. It was not until slavery had been abolished that we were permitted to wor- I!hip God freely. Before then our fathers had to worship God in the dark night. They had to hide themselves in caves. They had to meet their missionaries on the banks of the rivers. They had to hide themselves in all sorts of corners in order to worship God. But by the efforts of mis- sions, and by your sending missionaries to heathen countries to preach the Gospel, you have not only benefited the peoples to whom you sent the Gos- pel, but the blessing has rebounded with tenfold force, and benefited Great Britain herself; because it was not until you sent missionaries that the awful deeds and cruelties of slavery were brought before the English pub- lic. And no sooner did England know what slavery meant and what sor- rows it caused, the families it scattered, the homes it broke up, and the way in which men were degraded and brutalized by it, than she at once put her shoulders to the wheel, and so the curse was removed from off the British standard.
I believe that it was in the year 1834 that Great Britain paid twenty millions of money for the abolition of slavery. The day when that Act was passed in England, the day on which it had the signature of the sovereign, • This remarkable address was delivered at the IlCtieth anniversary of St. Panl's Missionary 8oclety, In connection with the mercantile honse ofHltcheock, Williams & Co., London, England, January, 1893. Mr. Fnller is a native of .Jamaica, W. I., and was born in slavery, and has spent the latter part of hie liCe in Old aalabar. Bnt he wlll tell his own story.-ED. that very day I-then a boy-was one of those that were set at liberty. I was eight years old when England passed the Emancipation Act. I was there. I remember being carried by my mother to the office, so that my name might be registered. But it was in the year 1838 that the great day came j and I shall never forget it. Our parents had to serve a longer time than we did. It was only children of a certain age that were set at liberty when the Emancipation Act was passed in 1834. In the year 1838, on the 31st day of July, our missionaries-among them William Knibb and James Philippo-gathered the fathers and mothers together j and they thought that, if England had done such a great thing for us, we ought to give slavery a very respectable burial j and so we did. We had a firstrate mahogany coffin made j and, as some of our fathers were carpenters and cabinet-makers, they put all the polish they possibly could upon that coffin. It looked very respectable. And they had not only that, but a splendid grave, fit for a gentleman to lie in. We had all the implements of slavery-the whip, the torture iron, the branding iron, the handcuffs, a piece of the treadmill, the coarse frock, the coarse shirt, and the great hat (all things which were used ill slavery)-put into that coffin and screwed down as close as possible. At about half.past eleven o'clock, on the night of July 31st, there were fourteen thousand people and five thousand children gathered, and I was one of them. I remember that, as soon as the half hour came, the appointed signal was given all through the island, so that at that hour, I believe, every colored man that was to be found on the island of Jamaica was on his knees! And, as the clock began to strike the hour of twelve, William Knibb stood over the grave, and, at every stroke of the clock that sounded out the hour, he cried, " The monster is dying / The monster is dying / The monster is dying /" and when the clock struck the last stroke of the twelve, he cried, "THE MONSTER IS DEAD! BURY HIM!" We lowered that coffin into the grave, and that mass of human beings rose on their feet and sang the doxology : " Praise God, from whom all blessings flow."
And I can remember looking into my mother's face and seeing tears rolling down her eyes, while I, as a child, looked up and thought what a happy time it must be. As soon as they had sat down, all of us children rose on our feet, and we sang a piece that had been taught us j and that piece was: .. Send the glad tidings over the sea, The chain is broke, the slave is free; Britannia's justice, wealth and might Have gained the negro's long-lost right."
We sang that song j and I rememher our marching, five hundred of us, to the Governor's house, where Sir Lionel Smith read the proclamation of freedom to all.
Now, it is more than fifty years ago since that happened j but, within that time, during the fifty years that have just passed, let me say that God in His own way has given testimony to the truth of His promise, that where the Gospel goes that Gospel will prove the power of God to salvation. We turn to our own country of Jamaica to-day, and we find that, within this half century, God has not only removed the curse of slavery, but we have become a Christian people with Christian institutions. Folly, superstition, idolatry, and witchcraft, in which our fathers believed, have all passed away j and to-day there is not to be found upon the whole island of Jamaica, taking all the different denominations that are therein, a single missionary church-all have become self-supporting and independent of missionary societies.
One could scarcely expect such a great change j but not only have we become a Christian nation, independent of missionaries societies, but we have been taught by the missionaries who came to our country that freely we have received and freely we ought to give. So, on the island of Jamaica to-day, we have an independent Baptist Missionary Society of our own not at all connected with the society in England, and which sends ilie Gospel to the heathen afar off. This is the result of one half century.
It was supposed, you know, that the black man had not got any brains. They say that our heads are too thick. Phrenologists have looked at our heads and said that there are too many bones there j but missionaries that have gone to our country have felt that it is a very good thing that we have had a thick head, because, if we had not-if we had your soft head -all the brains would go! You know, when you get to our country, the first thing that you want is a " helmet. " God has put our helmet on without giving us the trouble of making one. But our missionaries have found out that the black man lacks only opportunity and privileges. If you give him them, God can develop that man as well as any other.
Our missionaries, I say, have tried it. In the island of Jamaica to-day we have about two hundred and seventy Baptist churches. The Presbyterians have got their churches j the Church of England have got theirs j the Wesleyans have got theirs. Some of the two hundred and seventy Baptist churches seat two thousand people j and seventy of those churches are ministered to by young men, well qualified in our colleges, and who are now preaching the Gospel side by side with their European brethren. So much, friends, for the success of the Gospel in our land. Then we have Suuday-schools, high schools, grammar schools, and colleges of all the different universities. God has honored the men who went to our land and preached the Gospel, and given them encouragement by showing them that Africa, with all her supposed degradation and all her real degradation, is capable of receiving the Gospel j and if we give it to the Africans, He who said, "Go into all the world," has promised that He will be with His disciples.
I just say so much with regard to my own country j but I have myself been engaged in mission work for forty-five years. Some people say, " You do not look that yourself'" but I have had forty-five years' experience in a savage country. When the Baptist Missionary Society started their mission on the West Coast of Africa, my father was one of the first who went out to carry the Gospel to the land of our forefathers. Soon after he left I felt a determination also to join the mission and go out to Africa; and, in the year 1845, I landed on the 'West Coast of Africa, in the Gulf of Guinea and in the Bight of Biafra. When we landed there was no Bible, no written language. None of the people had ever heard the name of Jesus Christ. The natives there were all savages, naked, degraded, and depraved. Everything that repelled the eye and sickened the heart presented itself before us as we landed. We saw human sacrifices. People say that the Africans are cruel. I have not read of any heathen countries where cruelty does not exist; but it is what they are taught. In Africa, when we got there, we found that the people believed in some future. What that future is they knew nothing of. Because of this belief not a king died but so many men and so many women were put into the grave with him. There was not anyone that died in that country without somebody being accused of being responsible for it, and they administered to the person poison for witchcraft. There was not an infant child whose mother died but the child was put alive into the coffin with its dead mother and buried. In one part of the country there was not a twin child born but the poor mother of the twins was flogged to death, and the children were put to death immediately, because the witch doctors said that they were cursed. The people believed this; and they had carried on such horrid customs for centuries. When we got there we found that this was the condition of the people. They were running about perfectly naked. They were without hope and without God in the world. Within a short period of the missions having been established among them the people had their language put into a written form, and they had the whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, translated by Alfred Saker and by the Presbyterian missionaries. To-day we have men that have been trained there preaching the Gospel among their own people. We have churches formed, and we have schools that have been established. The people are being taught to read and write.
I remember the scene when we landed in Africa. I had scarcely been there a month before one of the kings of Calabar died. A horrid sight was brought before us in the many people that were put into his grave with him. The grandson of that king that died soon after we landed in Africa, is to-day one of the elders of a Presbyterian church; and if you go into his house you will find that every morning the open Bible is on his table aud he is conducting family worship. The old custom of burying the living with the dead is wiped out and gone. I remember going into t.he Cameroons, and after I had opened my window in the morning, looking across the river, I saw many canoes with people dressed up in all their war dresses, and their .spears and swords were brandished in the sun. They had their war caps upon their heads. I took my glass and looked, and I found that the decoration on the bows of all those canoes was nothing else but human heads. I went up to the chief and said to him, " What do you do this for 1" He looked at me very much astonished that I should ask him such a question. He said, "What 1" Pointing across the river, I said, "Look yonder." "Why 1" he said. " What about that 1" I said, "why do you do such cruel things 1 It is not right. " He said, "You people come into this country, and you live here, and you say that you are good people-and that is true enough-but do you tell me that, when I die, my sons arc to put me into an empty grave alone, and nobody with me 1" When I told him" Yes," he looked at me and said, "You are a fool." Then all his sons came up directly and said, " What is the matter, father 1" And he told them. He said, "This man, who has como to live in this country, says that when i die you boys will put me into an empty grave, alone, with "no one with me." And they looked at me and grinned their savage grin; and they turned away and said, " Father, do not believe him. He is a fool and he is' a foreigner. What does he know 1 Let him alone." I stand here to tell you that that same chief lived on until the old custom of burying people with the dead was completely abolished. In his town, about fifty yards from his own house, stood a little chapel, and the preacher in that chapel was none other than one of his sons, who was preaching the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
If God, in such a short time, can produce such a change, surely prayers for missions and for the extension of Christ's kingdom in the world have a proof that they are being answered by God, when we think of the present condition of the people, and think of what was their former condition, when we saw them in their degradation as naked savages. The other day I had a letter from the church in the Cameroons to say that they had built a chapel for themselves that will seat one thousand people, and that the membership of that one church had grown to seven hundred; that the people had collected for themselves among themselves no less than £999, and had established fifteen different stations in different parts of tho country since I left, in order to spread the Gospel among their own neighbors. I say that Africa, with all her degradation, and with all her ignorance, desires to have the Gospel; and if it is given to the people, they, of themselves, in their own country, will spread that Gospel if they only know and hear the truth preached to them. I believe that the time will come, and that the time is not far off, when Africa, with all her degradation and darkness, will rise. We remember. that fifty years ago, up the Congo River, no one had ever heard the Gospel, and we looked upon it as a hard soil to work; but to-day the Scripture is being translated into their own tongue, their young men are being taught to read the Bible, Christian churches are being formed, and some of the cruelties that the missionaries met when they landed first in the Congo are gradually being removed; so that the time will yet come when we shall see a great change in the work of God among the people in Africa. I remember standing at my door and seeing one of the chiefs coming across. As he was coming I looked at him. He was a great man, a man of position in his country; but the only covering that he had was the fibres of the plantain tree combed out and a great cap on his head with parrots' feathers. He had a great bullock horn across his breast, and he walked as stately as ever. Several of the princes were following him behind, all of them being dressed in the same way. I called to this man as he passed my door. I said, " Mikani," and he looked round, but he would not answer. I called again, but he wonld not answer. I called a third time, llnd one of his followers turn~d upon me and said, "What do you want?" "Why," I said, "I only want to speak to him. I want to ask him a question." The man said, "He will not answer you." "Why? What have I done?" He replied, " Why, the man has just been into his superstitions, and he has sworn that for nine days he will not speak to anybody except by signs. At the end of nine days he will go back to the place where he came from, and after that he will converse as of old." I thought it was of no use to trouble him any more, and I let him go. After the nine days were over I went .to his house. I saw him sitting at the door; and just as I got to his house I saw this bullock's horn that he had across his breast hanging across the threshold of his door. I looked at it, and then I looked at him and said, "Do you mean to tell me that. a big man like you, in such a position as you are, believes in such a foolish thing as that?" The man was rather insulted. "'Vhat do you mean?" he said. "Why," I said, " look at that thing. Do you mean to say that that thing has any power in it ?" I said, " Let me take my penknife and open it, and I will show you what is in it. " There was nothing in it but some red clay, parrots' feathers, dogs' teeth, pieces of the skins of animals, some of his own hair, and a little bit of his own toenail. I said, " I know what is in it. Do you mean to tell me that you believe in that stuff ?" He answered, " Believe it ? Yes. " He said, " If I have that thing hanging at my door no witch will dare to come into my house. If she comes, before she crosses the threshold of my door she will be dead." I said, "You do not believe that rubbish, do you ?" " -Well," he said, " I do. And that is why you missionaries all die. You come into this country, and the witches know that you have not anything to keep off the witchcraft, so they kill you ; but they will not come near me, because they know that I have got something to stop them. " Well, I made it my business to visit that man day after day and try to convince him, but it was no good. I could not do anything. Six months after that I was sitting in my little study room, and I heard the drum that tells of death. And I knew what it waS. When a chief dies the sound of that drum tells the tale, and the missionary has to be immediately on the move. I took my hat directly and started up and got to the chief's place. I said, " Mikani, who is dead?" He hung his head down for a minute, and then he said, " One of those princes that were with me on that day." "Why,"
THE REV. JOHN L. NEVIUS, D.D
I said, "you told me that the man that had got that thing would nbt die. Did not that prince wear one of these horns ?', " Yes." "Did he not have a cap~" "Yes. " "Did he not have that same horn~" " Yes." "Then, how is it," I said, "that he is dead?" And the poor fellow hung his head down for a moment. Then, lifting up his head, he looked full into my face for a few moments, and he was silent. Last of all I saw him stretch his hand, and he took hold of the horn as it hung across the door, and removed it from its place, and flung it across the road, and he said, " I will try yours." Where is he to-day, friends? Go to the Cameroons, and you will see a native minister there preaching the Gospel; but on the right hand of that native preacher, who is preaching the Gospel, sits a gray-headed man, and the very look of that man's face tells us of his inward happiness. That is the same man. He has tried and found that there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved but the name of Jesus Christ. He is the head deacon of the church, and the membership is now about seven hundred. There is a congregation of perhaps a thousand gathering together there now. I remember that upon my landing in 1845 these people were rank savages and brutal in every act, and not only so, but they were naked savages; and to-day we see them clothed and in their right mind, and thc congregation with their dark faces and their bright eyes are worshipping the same Saviour that we love ; and when I see this I know that the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ will win its way wherever it goes.
Thus, friends, I think I have told you enough to Rhow you that your prayers have been answered and your efforts been accepted of God. I will only ask you to pray more and do as much as you can for Africa, for she has still got her millions that need the Gospel to-day.
THE REV. JOHN L. NEVIUS, D.D.
BY REV. GILBERT REID, WARSAW, N. Y.
On the death of the well-known and revered missionary, Dr. John L. Nevius, it may be profitable for his fellow-workers to pause for a moment and recount briefly the work which he has done. The worth of his work demands more than a passing reference. Though only in his sixty-seventh year, he was numbered among the veterans for the unusual amount of his mIssiOnary experience. He was drawing nigh to the round number of forty years in the missionary service, when he bowed his head as he sat talking in his study at his home in Chefoo, and yielded up his spirit to God who gave it. A gentle passing away, like a calm breath of a summer's breeze-a falling asleep.
Dr. Nevius is first to be remembered for his work in a literarY line.
DR. NEVIl:S ON A CHINESE ,"VHEELBARROW BEFORE HIS RESIDENCE AT CHEFOO. CHINA."
ltl94.) THE REV. Jo.HN L. NEVIUS, D.D
One o.f the mo.st po.pnlar and co.ncisely co.mprehensive boo.ks o.n China was o.ne which he wro.te early in his career, called" China and the Chinese," first published by the Harpers, and no.w issued by the Presbyterian Board o.f Publicatio.n. In Chinese the leading treatise o.n theology was prepared when he was a yo.ung missio.nary at Ningpo., and lacked o.nly the latter topics of systematic theo.lo.gy-a deficiency which he hoped to meet befo.re he clo.sed his labo.rs. Ano.ther bo.o.k in Chinese o.n "Entrance to. Truth" has been used fo.r many years no.t o.nly by o.ur o.wn Presbyterian Missio.n, but also. by the missio.uaries o.f o.ther societies, in the initiative rudimentary stages of Christian instructio.n. A very valuable pamphlet in English o.n " Metho.ds o.f Missio.n W o.rk" has been carefully studied fo.r its fairminded and bro.ad-minded investigatio.ns, based o.n tho.ro.ugh experience: Already we understand that parts o.f this are to. be reissued by the Bo.ard o.f Fo.reign Missio.ns as a guide, o.r at least a suggestio.n, to. o.ther fields o.f o.ur Church. One o.f the last results o.f his study was a bo.o.k o.n " Demo.niacal Po.ssessio.n," which, we understand, will so.o.n be published j and which, we kno.w, will present the mo.st co.mplete and careful examinatio.n o.f this very difficult pro.blem. Other literary effo.rts attest his ability j and we o.nly regret that he cDuld no.t live to. co.mplete the wo.rk, so dear to. his heart, o.f aiding in the revisio.n o.f the Mandarin version o.f the Scriptures. No. sentence o.f his, either in Chinese o.r English, was penned witho.ut tho.ught, and every tho.ught was actuated by a stro.ng desire to. be fair and .true.
Seco.ndly, let us no.tice his wo.rk as a Christian instructo.r. This he was rather than an educatio.nalist. The Bible was his text-bo.o.k, and no.ne o.f his teaching was secular. If he taught theo.lo.gy-and as such he was witho.ut a peer-it was always a biblical theo.lo.gy. Bo.th in the Ningpo. and Shantung missiDns he was frequently appo.inted to. train men fo.r the ministry j and many o.f o.ur best native pasto.rs rejo.ice to. call him "teacher." When in late years he fo.und himself surro.unded by a gro.wing evangelistic wo.rk, he set apart the summer and winter mo.nths to. special instructio.n, either o.f leading inquirers o.r o.f his cho.sen classleaders. I remember, during my first summer in China, as a guest at his ho.me, the large"number o.f callers fro.m amo.ng the fo.reign residents, so.me o.f who.m were" men Df the wo.rld," who. came to. see his class, and went away to. praise it and so. co.mmend the who.le missio.nary undertaking. This teaching idea he carried into. all o.f his evangelistic effo.rts, and every statio.n o.f Christian co.mmunicants and inquirers was a Sunday-scho.o.l, with every o.ne a teacher and every o.ne a scholar. He emphasized the wo.rds in the – Master's final co.mmissio.n, " teaching them Christ." This idea, clear and simple tho.ugh it be, has been made such by Dr. Nevius more than by any Dther man.
In connectio.n with this we no.te no.w his evangelistic wo.rk. By the pro.vidence o.f Go.d he wa.s led into a section o.f the co.untry fruitful o.f conversio.ns, nearly a week's jo.urney fro.m his ho.me at Chefo.o.. Hence his evangelism took the form of " country itinerations." During this period he was generally absent from home half of the year, more often in the spring and autumn months, but twice, at least, during the cold winter days, stopping at chilly Chinese inns, or riding from station to station of poor country Christians with the thermometer near to zero. It is impossible to outline this work, so carefully unfolded in his " Methods of Mission Work." Its chief feature was the effort to utilize every native, and then establish a church without the support of foreign funds. It was selfdevelopment and self-support, but always under the guidance of the Spirit, and by a study of the Bible. That work was practically transferred to others prior to his last return to the United States, and is now managed by native pastors or other of our missionaries, centred at the station of Wei-hien. Dr. Nevius built on no other man's foundation; and the foundation which he laid was strong and " in Jesus Christ."
One of the openings to this evangelistic work came through the relief rendered in the famine of 1879 and 1880. Not that those relieved became the inquirers, but that such a display of benevolence commended the Christianity which taught it, and broke down centuries of prejudice. In this famine-relief work Dr. Nevius was especially successful in the system adopted, and one which has guided others in similar work during later years. It was a system of common sense, kind to the needy, but guarding against tricks, deception, and confusion. Dr. Nevius was an exegete and a theologian. He was also level-headed, a man of affairs.
In this same practical line was his work of introducing foreign fruits into China. Agriculture was his recreation, but as such it was far other than mere playing. The result indicated the care, the wisdom, the patience, and the toil. Many a person has gone to view his garden in Chefoo who never cared for any other kind of missionary undertaking. In fact, this often annoyed and chagrined him, to have persons ignore all his efforts in evangelistic instruction, and compliment him as a fruit-raiser and horticulturist. Nevetheless, it shows that every faculty and knowledge can be made useful in the missionary work, not only as an amusement to one's self, but a benefit to others.
We will only notice one other feature of his work-viz., his success as an adviser and missionary speaker. We refer especially to his efforts in this country. Very few have excelled him in influendng young men to become missionaries; but never with the assertion, that it was another man's duty to be a foreign missionary. Anyone who desires to appreciate his candor, his breadth, his fairness, his judiciousness, should read his article in the MISSION ARY REVIEW of May, 1893. on " The Student V01unteel' Movement." We quote only one sentence: "I have been in the United States on furlough three times, and paid many visits to theological semin~ries, with a view to gaining recruits for foreign missions, but have never dared to use the least. pressure in urging a student to be a missionary. " As one who was led through him, first to think of the claims of
AFTER TWENTY YEARS. :J47
foreign missions, and then to decide to go as a missionary to China, I can testify 1.0 the truthfulness of this attitude of his. How helpful were his conferences with the students! How sympathetic his suggestions to the perplexed mind! And this same quality remained with him iu China, where all missionaries were glad to consult ]lim. If he had only been stronger physically, no better man could have been found to take the place of Dr. Arthur Mitchell as Secretary of the Board. But, alas! both of them are gone; and all through life we shall miss them, rejoicing only because we are not of those" who have no hope," trying to reverence their names by following more their fine Christian spirit.
AFTER TWENTY YEARS. * THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY IN 1873, 1883, 1893.
A few notes on the advances made in the last twenty years by the Church Missionary Society may be helpful to friends of missions in every land.
First, as to the number of missionaries. The subjoined table is indeed most significant : 1iJuropean M!'ssi07laries on the Roll: 1873. 1883. 1893.
Clergymen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 203 222 329 Laymen ……………………… 15 34 71 Women ……………………… 11 15 134 Total. ….. , ….. 229 271 534 Even excluding the women, the number has nearly doubled; t and it will be observed that while the increase in the first decade was only 19 clergymen and 19 laymen, the increase in the second decade was 107 clergy- men and 37 laymen. The proportion of university men has also greatly increased. In 1873 they numbered 44 ; in 1883, 65 ; and in 1893, 158.- The number of missionaries reported in May, 1873, as added to the roll in the preceding twelve months, was seven; in 1883, twenty-one; in 1893, eighty-nine. The 1873 Report mentions" 1 graduate from Cambridge accepted during the year;" the 1883 Report mentions 3 graduates accepted; the 1893 Report, 16 graduates.
The native clergy and teachers appear in the statistical tables as follows: 1873. 1883. 1893. Native clergy……………•….. 143 240 284 2,582 4,042 " lay teachers……..•••..•• 1,830 493 892 " female teachers ……….. . 375 Total………….. 2,348 3,315 5,218 * Reprinted from a Church Misslouary Society tract.
t The figures are for May last. The autumn reinforcements have made further large addltious. It will be seen that the increase in the native clergy has been slow of late. This is mainly due to the large number of deaths in the last decade ; but it is. true that the nnmerous ordinations in West Africa and South India in the former decade find no parallel in the latter. But the lay and female teachers have multiplied rapidly; and this little table will show some of our missionary brethren who have fancied that native agency was being neglected in favor of European agency, how little foundation there is for their fears.
The distribution of missionaries at the three periods is very interesting. In the following table we omit women, because we could not estimate the growth in the Indian staff without including the C. E. Z. M. S. aud I. F. N. S. : Distribution of .Hissionaries–Men only-Ordained and Unordained.
1873. 1883. 1893.
West Africa….. __ . …………… 17 10 18 East Africa………………. _… 1 22 37 Palestine, Persia, Egypt, etc.. . . . . . 9 14 23 North India (including Punjab and Sindh)…………………. 66 73 116 Western India………… ……. 12 10 13 South India…………………. 44 28 45 Ceylon………………………. 12 19 20 Mauritius, etc……………….. 6 4 5 China……………………….. 18 24 44 Japan… …………………… 2 9 24 New Zealand…………………. 17 18 15 Northwest America ………….. ,. 12 18 29 North Pacific………………… 2 7 11 TotaL ……………… 218 256 400 Of course the increase is most marked in those missions which were in their infancy in 1873, such as East Africa, Persia, Japan, and North Pacific. Putting them asidc, we find that of the older missions, West Africa and South India, though they have more men than ten years ago, have only returned to where they stood twenty years ago; that Western India, Mauritius, and New Zealand are about the same; and that the real increase has been in North India, Ceylon, China, and Northwest America.
At first sight one would expect that the doubling of the missionary staff would mean a doubling of the expenditure. But this is not the case. We should be very glad if it were. The amount expended per missionary means, a great deal more than the amount each missionary costs. The more efficient a missionary is the more will his work develop on all sides, and the more will money be needed. It is so at home. An active clergyman spends more in his parish than an inert one, because he does more. So in the mission field : the higher the expenditure per head rises, the better. But the reason why ithas not yet so risen in the C. M. S. missions is that the increase in the staff has been so recent and so rapid. Many of the missionaries are still in the language-learning stage, and cost little more than their small personal allowances. As they grow in efficiency the work will cost more, for it will mean native evangelists and Bible-women, schools, rest-houses for itinerating, medical appliances, and a host of other things.
There are, however, two other reasons why the total expenditure has not grown so fast as the staff. First, a good many of the recent additions are at their own charges. We have now 15 men and 53 women who are honorary, and 5 men and 9 women who are partly so, without counting those who are specially supported by individual friends of the society. Secondly, an increase in women costs less than an increase in men. A single woman's allowances are less than those of a single man, and less than half those of a married man.
Still the increase in the expenditure is large. The average of the four years preceding 1873 was £155,644. '" The average of the four years preceding 1883 was £202,200. The average of the four years preceding 1893 was £244,844. These figures include expenditure on special funds. The corresponding amount for last year, ending March 31st, 1893, reckoned in the same way, was £255,917. For the current year it is estimated to be £265,759, including only those special funds which directly aid the General Fund, such as the Extension Fund, the Mid-China Fund, etc. And the estimates lately passed for the year commencing next April amount, after allowing for considerable probable savings in various directions, to £274,955. , Thus we are spending now over £100,000 a year more than we spent twenty years ago. This is the kind of fact that makes one wonder. No one at that time, nor for years after, could have anticipated it. The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.
Let us next look at the reports, and try and realize a little of the progress in the field in the twenty years.
Take India first. We do not expect to find in old and well-organized missions the startling progress displayed in newer fields. Yet the development of the India work in the twenty years is in many ways striking. In 1873 French had lately started the Lahore divinity school, the first of its kind in the country. Now we have divinity schools also at Calcutta, Allahabad, Poona, and Madras, besides the simpler institutions for training native agents in the southern missions which existed before. In 1873 the society's attention had not been specially drawn to the non-Aryan Hill tribes, although the Santal Mission was already bearing promising fruit. That mission has since been largely developed, and the Gond and Bheel missions have been established and converts been gathered in.
But the Punjab shows the most remarkable growth. In 1873 the society had only one medical missionary-in the Punjab or anywhere else- * Multiply these amounts br five to a.certain the llumber of dollars. indeed, not one when the Report was issued, for Dr. ElmsIie was dead and his successor had not yet gone out. Now the Punjab has 10 medical missionaries. In 1873 the staff for Amritsar consisted of 2 men, the Revs.
R. Clark and a. Hoernle, and Mr. Bateman alone was beginning to itinerate in the district. Now, for the same area of work, there are 15 men; and still more remarkable is the extension of woman's work under the C. E. Z. M. S. That society has now 33 ladies within that area, the oldest of whom had only just gone out in 1873, besides 9 single ladies connected with C. M. S. and all the wives. Batala, Tarn Taran, Ajnala, Jandiala, Fathgar, Narowal, Bahrwal, Clarkabad are all new names within the same district-i.e., the great plains surrounding Amritsar. The two great girls' boarding.schools at Amritsar, the boys' boarding-school at Batala, the splendid book-shop at Lahore-the two latter the result of Mr. Baring's liberality-are among the more conspicuous developments. Another generous benefactor, George Maxwell Gordon, had in 1873 but recently joined the Punjab Mission; and now, we have not only the bright memory of his example, but the Lahore divinity college chapel and the missions at Pind Dadan Khan and Dera Ghazi Khan as the fruit of his munificence ; while, partly owing to his inspiration, Sukkur and even far-off Quetta have been occupied.
South India does not show such developments as these, because it was more fully worked then; but 1873 was the year which saw the native Church in the C. M. S. district.s of Tinnevelly fairly started in selfadministration under Dr. (afterward Bishop) Sargent; and the Telugu Mission has spread in all directions since that year.
Five new dioceses have been established in India in the twenty years; and of the 7 bishops who have been consecrated for them, 4 have been C. M. S. missionaries-viz., French, Speechly, Hodges, Clifford, without counting Sargent, who was an assist.ant-bishop without a diocese.
We never rest our case upon statistical returns of converts and adherents, for they so inadequately represent the real progress achieved; but the fact that the native Christians connected with C. M. S. have risen 70 per cent in the twenty years-viz., from 69,000 to 117,000-is a fact whose significance is indisputable; while the native agents of all kinds have almost doubled in number, from 1600 to 3060.
Next look at China. In South China, in 1873, C. M. S. had 3 missionaries-viz., 1 at Hon Kong and 2 at Fuh·chow ; and there was 1 F. E. S. lady at each of those two cities. Now, several brethren, and sisters too, live in the interior of Fuh-Kien; widespread itineration has been organized in Kwan-tung; and Pakhoi has been occupied in a corner of China untouched by any other mission. C. M. S. has 20 men and 8 women on the South China staff, including 4 medical men; and the splendid band of 28 C. E. Z. M. S. women has developed the Fuh-Kien Mission in a wonderful way, not only since 1873, but since 1883. In 1873 C. M. S. had 26 native age~ts in South China, and less than 300 Christians. Now the agents are 268 and the Christian adherents over 10,000. Mid China does not show a growth equal to this j still, Mr. Hoare's college at Ningpo, Dr. Main's great mission hospital at Hang-chow, and the village work in the Chu-ki and Tai-chow districts are extensions worth notice j in addition to which there is Mr. Horsburgh's Interior Evangelistic Mission in the distant province of Sz-chuen. The development of woman's work also must not be omitted. In 1873, and again in 1883, C. M. S. had one single lady in Mid China j now it has 20. Again, up to just before 1873, China had had but one English Bishop. The consecration of a C. M. S. missionary, Bishop Russell, to the newly formed quasi-diocese of what was then called North China, is an item in the 1873 Report j and since then another C. M. S. man, Bishop Moule, has succeeded him in that portion of his sphere now called Mid China, while a third C. M. S. man, Bishop Burdon, presides over the southern diocese of Victoria, Hong Kong.
Pass over to Northwest America. In 1873 the consecration of Bishop Horden had just marked the first step in that development of the Church which has now carved eight dioceses out of the vast mother diocese of Rupert's Land; and a large part of this work has been distinctly the work of C. M. S., which almost entirely supports 4 of them and helps 3 others. The society's expenditure in those great territories has risen from £6000 to £16,000 ; and it is emphatically true of the many tribes and languages comprised in them-from the Crees and the Sioux right away to the Tukudh and the Eskimo-that " People and realms of every tongue Dwell on His love with sweetest song."
And this is without passing the Rocky Mountains. Cross them, and we come to a mission which then consisted of only Metlakahtla and Kincolith, but which since then has sent the Gospel to tribe after tribe of the interior, has established itself in the islands, has brought into the Christian Church the fiercest of all the races of that coast-the Hydahs of Queen Charlotte's Island-and now, despite many trials, presents, under Bishop Ridley'S wise and devoted leadership, a bright spectacle to all who love true and pure missionary work.
Weare now among the younger missions; and what shall we say of Japan ~ In 1873 the first English missionary in that wonderful land had just come home sick, and the second was alone at Nagasaki. It was in the Report of that year that the sudden burst of new civilization in Japan was recorded. The public edicts against Christianity which had adorned the Government notice·boards for two hundred and fifty years had just been withdrawn; and the expansion of the C. M. S. Mission from one man to five was resolved on. In 1883 the 5 men had increased to 9 men and a woman (as usual, not counting wives) ; and there were 350 converts. Ten years more and the staff had become 24 men and 19 single women; 7 Japanese had been ordained (in the C. M. S. ~Hssion alone, besides others) ; and the Christian adherents are 2450. Moreover, they have combined with the Christians attached to other Anglican missions, and have formed a real native Church with its own canons, etc. j and its total membership exceeds 4000. It was- in 1883 that the archbishop selected a C. M. S. missionary (Poole, of South India) to be the first English bishop in Japan; and in 1893 his successor, Bishop E. Bickersteth, has arranged for the appointment of two additional bishops, specially for portions of the C. M. S. field, and nominated by C. M. S.
Pass from the most radical and forward of non-Christian countries to the most conservative and stationary, and view the Mohammedan lands of the East. Persia, in 1873, was not recognized as a C. M. S. mission field at all j and although Dr. Bruce had been there three or four years, his name stiII remained on the Indian list. Not ti1l1876 was the Persia Mission formally adopted. The year 1883 saw an extension of its work in the occupation of Baghdad j and 1893.sees fresh and important plans formed for further development. Egypt is very far from being a stationary country since the British occupation; but that occupation began in the year reviewed in the 1883 Report, and it was in that very year that the new "Egypt Mission" first appeared on the society's list. Palestine, too, though stationary enough so far as its Moslem rulers are concerned, is now yielding to the forward movements of the day; and nowhere does a C. M. S. mission show more marked development than in that sacred land. In 1873 only Jerusalem and Nazareth were occupied by 2 ordained and 2 lay missionaries. Two years later, Bishop Gobat handed over to the society his stations and work; other extensions have followed; Jaffa, Gaza, Ramallah, Salt, Nablus, Acca, and Haifa were successively occupied; and now the 4 men have become 13 men and 22 single women. All our missions in Mohammedan lands received an impetus from the Mohammedan Conference arranged by General Lake at the C. M. House in 1875. They are striking examples of the society's new development in woman's work. No less than 30 ladies are now employed in them, whereas even in 1883 there was not one. So also with medical work. In 1873 there was no C. M. S. medical missionary in those countries; in 1883 only 1 ; in 1893, 4, and 2 more going out.
And what shall we say of Africa ~ Of West Africa we need not speak. Our recent extensions are not much more than revivals of developments begun at different times in past years, but checked by various difficulties. But East Africa is the most signal instance of unlooked-for progress in the whole period. In 1873 John Rebmann was alone, old and blind, at Rabai. There he was found by Sir Bartle Frere, who, on his return to England, came to C. M. S. in June of that year and urged the establishment of a freed slave settlement, to found which Mr. Salter Price went out in the foUowing year. But 1873 is still more memorable as the date of Livingstone's death, which instantly roused both England
THE STUDENT VOLUNTEER CONVENTION A.T DETROIT
and Scotland, and led to many African expeditions, both missionary and otherwise. Then, in 1875, came Mr. Stanley's challenge to Christendom to send a mission to Uganda. What need we say more ?-except that the one C. M. S. missionary of 1873 has multiplied to fifty in 1893.
Mter such a retrospect, the question is, .Are we to stand still! Surely the Divine Word to us is, Go forward,. and the promise, Oertainly I will be with thee.
THE STUDENT VOLUNTEER CONVENTION AT DETROIT.
BY D. L. PIERSON.
It is significant that the largest and most representative Student Convention ever held should be also the missionary gathering having the largest number of accredited delegates that ever met in America, or perhaps in the world. Ten years ago such a convention would not have been possible, but now by the Spirit working through men thoroughly on fire with missionary zeal, and by the organization of Volunteers, the flame has spread with marvellous rapidity all over our land, and one of the results is seen in this recent convention.
The history of the movement is too well known to need repetition here. The organization has outlived much unfavorable criticism, survived many perils, overcome many difficulties and much opposition, and continues to increase in numbers and effectiveness. And now, in its eighth year, this is probably the most effective agency for spreading, fostering, and utilizing the missionary spirit that anywhere exists.
The first Volunteer Convention met in Cleveland in 1891, and was one of extraordinary practical and spiritual power. It marked a crisis in the history of the" New Crusade." Before that time the mistakes natural to youth characterized the movement, and even friends regarded it with suspIClOn. Since then, however, its policy has been developed and the organization perfected, so that the Detroit Convention stands unique among missionary gatherings, and indicates a firmly established and undeniably successful enterprise. It was attended by more than double the number of students, from twice as many educational institutions, as at Cleveland. Conceive of twelve hundred young men and women, from nearly three hundred institutions of learning in the United States and Canada, representing the flower of our land, coming together for the purpose of considering the great question of the speedy evangelization of the world, and prayerfully to seek light as to their place in this great work, and preparation for it j and with them, to impart inspiration and guidance, gathered also the leaders of missionary enterprise from all· over the world, including fifty representatives of various missionary agencies, fifty returned foreign missionaries from almost every heathen, papal, and Moslem land, and many other missionary speakers and Christian workers-conceive of all these conditions, and a slight estimate may be formed of the forces pres- ent to make this convention a power in the heart and life of each delegate. Among the principal speakers were Rev. J. Hudson Taylor, Drs. Arthur T. Pierson and A. J. Gordon, Miss Geraldine Guinness, R. E. Speer, L. D. 'Wishard, and Dr. Judson Smith, besides mauy others, representing all varieties of experience and degrees of enthusiasm, from various lands and different departments of the work at home and abroad.
The method pursued in the convention was probably the only one feasi- ble for the presentation of the many phases and spheres of work under consideration. The mornings were given to the consideration of the organi- zation and its methods and the preparation of the volunteer, the afternoons to simultaneous sectional meetings for the discussion of different forms of mission work in various fields; and the evenings to the claims of mis- sions and the spiritual conditions of success. It being impracticable to give in these pages more than a brief and general glance, the reader must be referred for details to the printed verbatim report which ·is soon to be published.
One prominent characteristic of the convention was the spirit offervent prayer which pervaded the proceedings. Prayer opened, closed, and per- meated all the discussions and transactions, consequently it was an in- tensely spiritual convention, and the work of the Holy Spirit in separating and preparing His workmen was, of all things, made most emphatic. An- other featnre, closely allied to this, was the fact that Jesus Christ was ex- alted as Lord and Saviour. In His name were the delegates welcomed, and in His name urged to go forward conquering and to conquer, preach- ing His death and resurrection, living His life, and abiding in Him. Be- cause Christ was the unifying principle which made all hearts one, perfect harmony pre,-ailed throughout, although representatives from nearly forty denominations and missionary agencies, and missionaries young and old, and each having strong personality, were brought together on one common platform. Not a note of discord was heard from beginning to end. It was a magnificent demonstration of the true basis of Christian union, the living unity found in love and allegiance to one Lord, and in the contem- plation of the great work He has commanded.
THE PURPOSE AND WORK OF THE VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT was clearly defined and forcibly presented in a number of brief addresses, which served to remove the prejudice of ignorance, restore confidence, and commend the principles of the movement to the minds of all interested. The watch-cry of the Volunteers, "The evangelization of the world in this generation," the command of Christ, "Go make disciples of all the nations," and the mot- to of Neesima, " Let us advance upon our knees," were hung up in large letters before the assembly, servlDg to impress the eyes of those present as they have already moved the hearts of all Volunteers, expressing their desire, aim, and spirit.
The purpose of the movement, as stated by Mr. Mott in his masterly report of the Executive Committee, is to lead students to a thorough con- sideration of the claims of foreign missions upon them, to foster this pur- pose, to unite Volunteers in an aggressive movement, to maintain an intel- ligent interest at home, but especially to secure a sufficient number of qualified men and women for the work of evangelization of the world in this generation. The declaration card, reading, "It is my purpose, if God permit, to become a foreign missionary," forms a simple basis for membership and organization. One of the perils of the movement has come from the misuse and misinterpretation of this card. It is not a pledge, but the statement of a purpose toward the accomplishment of which men study and work, looking for God's continned guidance, and only changing their purpose as they more clearly see His will. Without this "declaration" there coulq be no firm basis for the movement. It leads to a definite decision, helps men to remain firm, and enables them to do more for missions during their preparation. Results show that a definite and early decision is best.
The work of the movement has been carried on in the educational schools of the United States and Canada by means of travelling and corresponding secretaries, etc.
Mr. D. W. Lyon gave as reasons why bands should be formed in every institution: (1) To give mutual stimulus to members; (2) to gather information j (3) to discuss reasons for going j (4) to secure power in united prayer. The bands also form a basis for enlisting new men, and hold ,important relations to the college, the movement, and the churches.
The results are seen (1) in the fact that the movement has now 32,000 members in 477 different institutions of the United States and Canada. It has also extended to Great Britain, where there are 700 Volunteers, and to Scandinavia and elsewhere. (2) In all of these places it has exerted a marked/influence in increasing the knowledge of missions, reacting beneficially upon other departments of religious study and work, and increasing the spirit of consecration. (3) It has been the means of increasing the number of those expecting to go abroad. (4) It has doubled contributions to missions in colleges and seminaries in the last three years. As a practical result 686 Volunteers are already in the field, and of the British V01unteers at least 90 per cent have sailed immediately on completing their course of study. More missionaries have sailed from America in the past two and one half years than in the preceding five and one half.
Among the points of policy emphasized by the Executive Committee were (1) efforts to establish the movement in new sections and among new classes of institutions, especially in young women's colleges; (2) more thorough supervision of work already begun; (3) more earnest, prayerful pressing of the claims of the unevangelized upon fellow-students j* (4) a more comprehensive course of study outlined; (5) increase in contributions; (6) keeping in closer touch with Volunteers already on the field, and (7) most of all, absolute dependence on the Holy Spirit for light and life.
The PREPARATION OF VOLUNTEERS was ably discussed and much valuable advice given. Dr. Judson Smith, of the American Board, emphasized thorough intellectual furnishing as essential to any great work. Education gives breadth and ability to use one's powcrs, training every faculty to its true end. The call for cultured as well as consecrated intellects is urgent. The missionaries must be able to master the language, to study the people among whom they labor, to organize churches and train native ministers and teachers, to give instruction in schools, colleges, and seminaries, and to translate the Bible and create a literature. All this demands mental training. Volunteers should not delay, nor unduly hasten to enter the field. Time to prepare is implied in the call. God wants our best. Dr. Geo. W. Knox added that a man who shirks work may be called to cobble shoes in the United States, but he is not called to cobble them in China, and that while God nses among the heathen the" foolishness of preaching," we are nowhere told to give them the preaching of foolish. ness.
The practical preparation was outlined by Rev. H. P. Beach, of Springfield, Mass. The Volunteer is to be " all things to all men." He advised him among other things (1) to become acquainted with the officers, polity and policy of his board; (2) to study his chosen field as to its strategic points, the climate, people, religions, the work accomplished, and the successes and failures as pictured in missionary biographies; (3) to know some· thing about keeping accounts, practical work of gardening. carpentry, etc.; (4,) to study the 1aws of health, dentistry, preparation of the dead for burial etc.; (5) to be able to use the camera, printing-press, and magic lantern, and know how to start industrial, normal, and kindergarten schools; (6) to study to be an organizer and pastor, but, above all, to be skilled in personal work. This last point was frequently urged by the missionariesthat the most effective way of winning souls is hand-to.hand, heart-toheart work, and they added that men should begin at home and not wait to reach the foreign field.
The spiritual preparation for the work was powerfully presented by J. Hudson Taylor, of the China Inland Mission. He urged the students not to be dependent for a blessing upon any human agency, bnt to seek the filling which will surely be followed by an overflowing. To know God we must know His Word. Mr. Taylor testified that he had never put his trust in God's word and met with a disappointment. We must seek to be * Keith-Falconer said when about· to start for Arabia: "While vast continents are shrouded in almost ntter darkness, and hundreds of millions sn1!'er the horrors of heathenism and of Islam, the burden of proof lies upon you to .how that the circumstances In which God has placed you were meant by Him to keep you out of the foreign field." such men as God can use. Take time for communion with God. Do not wait till your concert is over before you tune the instruments. There was never but one life of perfect development-that of Christ, from the cradle to the cross j but all true Christian life now develops backward: it begins at the cross and moves toward the cradle, growing toward childlike trust, docility, and humility. Be insulated from the world if you would receive and retain God's electrifying power. One can- not go to a heathen land without growing either in grace or sinfulness. " Satan may hedge us about, but he can't roof us over"-cannot pre- vent our looking up. If any cloud comes between us and God, it is our own fault. No one need go to foreign lands to preach theism, ethics, or philosophy-these are already well developed-but we must go to preach Christ and Him crucified, and this we can do only after a personal knowl- edge of the glorified Son of God in our hearts j we must be able to give a reason for the faith that is in us deeper than any from apologetics j it must be from experience. Such were some of the golden thoughts expressed.
The PHASES OF WORK were discussed in sectional meetings by those who have had varied experience in many different lands. The evangelistic work was presented by H. N. Frost, of the China Inland Mission, Rev. Spencer "Walton, of South Africa, Rev. Gilbert Reid, of China, Rev. F. G. Co·an, of Persia, and others. To do this effectively the missionary should be " boiling over with the Spirit, and steeped in the Word." The best evangelists are those most filled with the love of Christ. This is far more necessary than a theological training. The most important work of the missionary is the training of native agents, and they make the best evangelists. For this work there should be a close spiritual contact between the native and the missionary, that the former may receive help in his difficulties and learn to know God's Word and be brought nearer to Him. In most countries itinerating can be done only part of the year. It is a method especially adapted to reach the lower classes and those occupying country districts. The missionary spirit of the past was marked by large expectancy, mobility of station, and absence of anxiety, and these should always mark the work of an evangelist. The true policy is to strike the great centres, and from there reach the outlying districts. Christ exemplified what a true Christian should be-a light-bearer, a life-giver, and an expression of Divine love. His law was diffusion, not concentration.
Educational work was treated of by Rev. Robert A. Hume and Dr. Boggs, of India, Dr. Wainwright, of Japan, Dr. Dennis, of Syria, and othcrs. The one end with all missionaries is to establish the Gospel in heathen hearts. Educational work is but one means to this end. Its object is to impart spiritual life and powe1·. Educational influence extends throughout the life of the pupil, it gives an opportuni~y for appeal to a bigoted and conservative community, forms a basis for occupation, makes a centre for Christian teaching, awakens interest in parents, and quickens a desire for better things in the heart of the pupil. It is a method for the rescue of the children from their degraded homes, and gives them intellectual and religious training. It also reveals the capacity of the pupil for other work, and develops the powers for distinctive service as missionary agents. It gives an opportunity for hand-to-hand contact with pupils regularly, as is impossible even in home work. A diseased and stunted mind is as much an object of sympathy as a diseased and stunted body. Objections to educational work come from the conviction of some that but few workers come from the schools. This is doubtless often due to the fact that the evangelizing idca is not kcpt foremost, and because, as is to be deplored, non-Christian and even heathen professors are in some instances employed in Christian schools. It was, however, stated that in some schools in China education draws men into the ministry, and in the American Board schools at least conversions are more numerous in proportion to the number who come in contact with the message in this way than through any other methods. Besides this, educational work improves the capacity of heathen languages to express God's truth, and it nproots heathen ideas and implants new ones. The problems of the work assume very different aspects in different countries, and the work meets with various successes according to the field, the methods, and the agents.
Medical work was discussed by J. Hndson Taylor, Dr. Dowkontt, and Rev. W. R. Lambuth. The great need for more physicians, both men and women, was shown from the vast populations, destitution of medical aid, prevalence of disease, and barbarous methods of treatment of the ill and the injured. Medical missions are also the great entering wedge of the Gospel in many places. They break down prejudice, and present Christianity in a concrete form. Dr. Dowkontt said: "Christ commands it, sympathy demands it, wisdom dictates it, and experience endorses it. " There is a special need of women physicians with hearts of love to minister to their wretched, degraded, and secluded sisters of China and India.
The WORK ON VARIOUS FIELDS was considered in simultaneous meetings. China was found to be pre-eminent in the mind of most of those present. About twenty missionaries were present from this field, and over half of those present, expecting to go out this year, expressed a wish or design to go there. The claims of this great land were presented by J. Hudson Taylor, Miss Geraldine Guinness, and others. While the population of the Chinese Empire is nearly seven times that of the United States, the number of Christian workers is only one ninetieth of those in this country. Fifty years ago the prayer was that God would open the doors; now it is that He will send more laborers. There are seventy aboriginal tribes who do not speak Chinese; the languages of only three of them have been reduced to writing. There is not one missionary for every five hundred towns in North and 'Western China. The number of opium smokers is variously estimated as from 2,000,000 to 20,000,000. The women especially call for the Gospel. According to Chinese superstitions eighteen hells are open to receive them, but it is only by living five hundred virtuous lives that one of them may be born as a little boy, and after many more trials be enabled t() reach the lowest of the nine heavens. As reasons for going to China Miss Guinness stated (1) that 1,000,000 die each month without God; (2) that 400,000,000 are living without Him, with no peace for the present or hope for the future, and (3) that Christ wants His disciples to take His place there as witnesses. When Christianized, China will be a great -evangelizing agency; the native convert makes a natural evangelist. There is great need for literary men and women to reach the 2,000,000 of the literary class and to educate the common people. The Chinese have a great desire to be educated by Vestern men, and much encouragement is given by those in authority. Vork is carried on by social intercourse among the higher classes and by street preaching, tract distribution, and personal work among other classes. The greatest obstacle is the prevailing superstition, but seed has been scattered in chapel, school, hospital, street, and home, and much has fallen ou good ground. There are now 50,000 converts and 150,000 adherents, with 550 churches, of which over 100 are self·supporting. The language has been greatly enriched in power to express Christian truth, and the number of missionaries has tripled in the last fifteen years. Past achievements are the guarantee for future success.
Missions in the Levant were discussed by Rev. G. A. Ford, of Syria., Rev. F. G. Coan, of Persia, Mr. Sampson, of Greece, and others. Dr. Dennis emphasized the past and present strategic importance of these lands. (1) They represent 100,000,000 souls who need to be won back to the true faith. (2) Moslems have always recognized and despised an apostate church-Jesus must be made beautiful in their eyes. (3) Capture Turkey and you capture the head of Islam. (4) Languages offer a great v(lhicle for the truth. Arabic alone reaches 40,000,000. (5) The Levant is the training ground for missionaries for the whole of the Orient. The political situation in Turkcy is the great obstacle to mission work. The population is heterogeneous and the government alien. Persecution of Christians is prevalent, partly because a change of religion means alienation from the State. The great need is for men of intellectual and spiritual power together with tact and breadth. There is a spirit of nnrest under the ecclesiastical yoke. In Persia, at least, work among the Mohammedans has met with some success. Five hundred villages were reached there last year, and many hundreds of Mohammedans are seeking Christ. Educational work, especially that among the women, is very important and effectual in Syria.
Japan was represented by George V. Knox, D.D., and others. There is a need for men trained in special lines for Japan; not conspicuous leaders or men with preconceived ideas of methods or sceptically inclined -men with ability to do both educational and evangelistic work. An exact knowledge of the language and people, their religious philosophy and characteristics is important. Trained natives are efficient, and must be allowed to lead when qualified. Woman's work is especially important for teaching and visiting in the homes. Women of Japan are very conservative, but the girls are impressible. The present crisis in Japan is due to two political factions-one seeking to make the Emperor responsible to the Diet, and the other desiring to keep the present constitution. The former faction has advocated treaty enforcement, compelling foreigners to reside only in treaty ports, as a means of bringing about treaty revision in favor of new tariff laws. At present the Liberal party (not advocating the enforcement of the treaty) is in the ascendancy.
Korea, as was stated by Rev. F. Ohlinger, is a land practically without a religion. In India religion rages like a fever, in China it is multiplied a~d is a problem of domestic economy, in Japan it is a fad, while in Korea it is an accident and has a holiday. There are only seven temples worthy the name in the country. Itinerating may be carried on nine months of the year.
The need of missions in Papal lanis is unquestioned. Papers were read on this subject by Rev. H. M. Lane, Rev. J. M. Lander, of Brazil, and others. Brazil is to-day about what it was in 1610, when the Jesuits sought to convert the people simply in order to control them. The priests are leaders in everything except morality, in which they and the people are shockingly deficient. Republicanism is the result of thirty years' teaching by missionaries, and its overthrow would mean the demolition of much of their work. The chief difficulties are found in ignorance, unconsciousness of sin, indifference, and dislike to change on the part of the people. Eighty-seven per cent of them can neither read nor write. The Bible has been a closed book to them. They are, as a rule, tender-hearted and bright, but weak, lazy, and untruthful, while the intelligent class are cynical and sceptical or agnostic. The hope of Brazil lies in the interior. Woman's work in the homes is to be emphasized, and there is great need of literary men to create and translate a literature. The best preparation for success among them is a study of the Roman Catholic Church.
Africa calls for evangelists, industrial laborers, and physicians. All the continent is under European control except Morocco. The chief difficulties arise from Moslem and papal influence, and the liquor and slave traffic. Forty-eight out of the two hundred Volunteers present at this conference expressed an intention to labor in the Dark Continent.
India was the subject of discussions led by Rev. Robert A. Hume, Dr. W. B. Boggs, Rev. R. Thackwell, Dr. A. T. Rose, of Burma, and others. The statement made at the Parliament of Religions, that the motto in which the Buddhist glories is, " The Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man," was pronounced a prodigious mockery. Caste is the greatest enemy of brotherhood, and there is a marked tendency toward scepticism and a turning to the study of the early religions of the country. The best native workers are .from the depressed classes. India's greatest need is for zenana workers and medical missionaries, men and women. Twenty-five denominational conferences were held, also one of college professors for the purpose of discussing the question how to increase the missionary interests and assist the Volunteers in their several institutions. Sixty professors came together from forty colleges.
The EDUCATIONAL" EXHIBIT was prepared by J. E. Adams, of the Executive CommIttee, and was a very complete collection of maps, charts, books, periodicals, and tracts from this and other lands, and arranged topically as to fields, religions, phases of the work, and missionary societies.
Space forbids us to touch, in this paper, upon any of the admirable addresses delivered in the eveni~g sessions of the convention.
The final meeting was a fitting conclusion to a great convention. The question was, What would these twelve hundred Volunteers carry back to the two hundred thousand students whom they represented ~ The points emphasized as the substance of the teachings of the convention were to study, work, pray, give, and begin now. Fifty-two Volunteers declared their intention to enter the foreign field this year, going to China, Africa, India, Japan, Mexico, South America, Turkey, Siam, Korea, Alaska, and Jamaica. Some of the reasons for going were: "Because I can't stay away;" "Because God wants me there;" "Because more are ready to take my place here than there;" "Because I have given my life to Christ to be used where there is the greatest need;" "That I may not build on another man's foundation ;" " Because the need is greater than in my own State (Texas)." A cablegram was read from Messrs. Wilder and White, former secretaries of the Student Volunteers and now in India : "India needs to.day one thousand spirit-filled Volunteers."
Thus the Convention eame to a close-a great convention in numbers, speakers, interest, spirituality, impressiveness, and, we believe, in results. There may have been some mistakes; if so they were few and scarcely noticeable. Dr. Knox, of Japan, justly mentions one or two possible criticisms. "Only China of the great mission fields was fully brought to the attention of the hearers in addresses at the general meetings. The presence of J. Hudson Taylor and Miss Guinness no doubt largely accounts for this. Also there was not a clear and full presentation of the difficulties of the work. One fears great disappointment for many a Volunteer when he comes to learn that, after all, the chief obstacles to evangelization of the world in our generation are not numerical, but intellectual, moral, and spiritual." But the results of the convention must be far-reaching, lasting, and beneficial to the progress of missions, the student world, the Volunteer Movement, and the individuals who attended. At the farewell meeting thirty-one stated that they had come to a decision to enter the mission field, during the Convention. Doubtless there are many other resultR not so tangible, but quite as lasting and important. The Convention has had the effect of increasing general confidence in the Movement, and of creating a larger sympathy with it in the hearts of those in charge of missionary interests at home and abroad. There was a definiteness of purpose and a union of
'rtm BABIS OF PERSIA
hearts in loving allegiance to our Lord and Saviour which increased the spirit of prayer and consecration. There was nothing of fanaticism, no overheated excitement or undue, crude zeal, but deep sanctified earnestness considering questions of the greatest importance. The combination of intellect and spirituality, of experience and energy was calculated to insure the best results. All points to the fact that the missionary spirit is not dying out, but is widening and deepening, and is bringing more men and women face to face with their responsibility for serving their" own generation by the war of God."
THE BABIS OF PERSIA.
BY PROFJ:SSOR M. Y. DE GOEZE.
May 16th, 1892, was a day of much sorrow to many thousands of men in Persia. On that day " God, who had become man in the person of Behfw'allah, left his human body and returned to heaven, but not before he had exhorted the true believers to prepare themselves for a better life, by doing everything in their power to ennoble their fellow-men and make them happy." BeM is the Christ of the Babis, the new sect who believe that their religion is to supplant all others, and who, while they do not deny that Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed were great prophets, yet maintain that God has inaugurated a new era with the advent of Ali Mohammed and BeMo'allah. The Babis have their origin in the Persian belief that a new Imam would arise to bring peace to men. In the first half of the present century, a young Persian named Ali Mohammed became impressed with the idea that he was a second John the Baptist. He taught that another, stronger than he, would follow him; and his disciple, Beha, claimed that honor after Ali's death. The new sect has experienced all the horrors of martyrdom in a degree scarcely less violent than the early persecutions against the Christians; and they deserved it just as little. The Bayan, the Babis' Bible, does not interfere with any government; but it attacks beliefs held by all other religions. The Bayan says that there is no hell after death, but that unbelief is hell, and belief, Paradise. The Bayan also says that the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Koran all had a mission to perform; but, now, human intellect is able to receive a better religion. The ritualism of the Mohammedans has been largely changed. The kibla, or direction in which to turn during prayer, is abolished. A fast is, however, ordered in the last month of the year, exempting only travellers, children, and pregnant women.
One of the most notable reforms of the Babis is the higher status they confer on women. Their women may take part in festivities, and appear in public without their veils. Brotherly love, courtesy to inferiors, and charity, are insisted upon. Begging is strongly prohibited. The Babis hope for the inauguration of the millennium. But while the Western Utopians hope to attain this object through the State, the Bab looks to religious means. The Bayan is also very inimical to an ignorant, superstitious, and overbearing priesthood. Auricular confession is an abomination to the Bab, slavery is against God's will. Outward distinction in dress is not admissible. The most radical dogma of the Bayan is: " We know nothing whatever of our state after death, God alone knows it."- ])e Gids, Amsterdam.
INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT
II."-:INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
EDITED AND CONDUCTED DY BEV. J. T. GBACEY, D.D.
How Pagan Rome Became Ohristian. gan and Christian Rome," * which casts Dr. George Smith, in his lectures at a great deal of light oil. the miSSionary * Rutgers College, just published, says: processes by which ancient Romc be- " The greatest event in the history of came Christian Rome. the world is the conversion to Christ of First of all, this volume casts new the Roman Empire. The revolution light on the order in which the influoccupied three centuries till it was com- ences of missionary effort affected sopleted – externally by the coup d' etat ciety. It has long been the custom to of Constantine; internally by the Nicene content oursel ves in foreign missionary work with beginning with the lower theology." Baumgarten says the history of the classes, and some people have come to world he.s had its foundations for the think that Christianity furnishes forces last eighteen hundred years on the Acts which must always make the" pot boil of the Apostles. The brief essay which from the bottom. .. We do not underbears the record of their " Acts" has rate this uplifting and humanizing been studied as affording models and power of the religion of Jesus on the precedents for missionary work. But lowly. Nor does Lanciani. He says, it is necessary to get all the incidental "That is certainly a noble picture information possible throwing light on which represents the new faith as the development of the Christian his- searching among the haunts of poverty tory and civilization, of which that and slavery, seeking to inspire faith, book furnishes the germ. Nor is it hope and charity in their occupants; always good to stick too closely to prece- to transform them from things into dents, even when they are apostolic. human beings; to make them believe It is sometimes better to strike out for in the happiness of a future life; to ourselves in a way indicated by our alleviate their present sufferings; to own environment. Macaulay said, redeem their children from shame and H The time has come to pay a decent, servitude; to proclaim them equal to honorable, and manly respect to our their masters." forefathers; not by doing as they did ·But it is doubtful if we have not under other circumstances, but by doing eliminated factors in the original exas they would have done under our cir- ample, which would suggest that from cumstances." It is possible, as we the start Christianity, in any land, think, to over·imitate apostolic pattern might expect to affect all orders of the in some things; and all the more cau- people simultaneously. Without negtion should be exercised because of the lecting the illiterate and humble, may difficulty of finding out just what apos- not missionaries expect to strike at the brain of heathendom first as well as tolic example was. This line of reflection is intensified by last? the flood of new commentary that We have all along known, from the comes with every day from all depart. persons named in Paul's epistles, what ments of human investigation. A prom- Lanciani states, that the" Gospel found inent illustration of it is before us in its way to the mansions of the masters' Rudolfo Lanciani's newest work, "Pa- nay, even to the palace of the Cresars. ,: But we come to find that the" discov- * "The Conversion of India from Pantamus eries lately made on this subject are to the Present Time, A.D. 193-1898." By George Smith, C.I.E., LL.D. New York, Chicago, and • "Pagan and Chri8tian Rome." By Rudolfo Toronto: Fleming B. Revell Company. A Lauclani. Boston and New York: Bonghton, notice of this book will appear hereafter, MUllin & Company, 1893. Profusely illustrated. startling, and constitute a new chapter been associated with perverted notions in the history of imperial Rome." We concerning religion, and others which find evidence of prominent persons con- have been associated at least with reo nected with important families of Rome ligious customs not involving error. It concerning which ecclesiastical records is widely known that at least one very have been silent. Relatives of the Fla. learned and devoted missionary in CI~ina vian emperors, not mentioned by any is of opinion that ancestor worship ecclesiastical writers, are among the may be elevated to teach the immortalconverts to Christianity named in the ity of the soul and preserved as deepenrecords of the Roman historians and ing the honor which the Bible says biographers, notably Flavius Clemens, should be paid to parents. and, thus Petronilla, and two Domitillre. The stripped of its idolatrous features. becase of Acilii Glabriones is mentioned come an ally of Christian morals. In by Suetonius and Tacitus, who say he the transformation of pagan into Chriswas a convert to Christ. That he was tian Rome it seeme that the Church acnot an indifferent person would appear cepted existing lites and customs when from the facts of his career. His fam- not offensive to her principles and moralily attained celebrity as early as B.C. ity. It was the custom, for instance. 191, when AcHius Glabrio conquered to keep the standard weights and measthe }Iacedonians at the battle of Ther- ures in the Roman temples. This inmopylre. When Pertinax was elected stitution of the ponderaria migrated emperor, he declared in the Senate that from the temple to the Church when the Acili Glabriones were" the noblest the temples were closed. A.D. 393. race in. the world." Manius Acilius, Thus, too, the custom of having baths who was consul with Trajan A.D. 91, in connection with the temples was was put to death by Domitian in 95 carried over to the churches. Senators for being a Christian. The names of and municipal magistrates administered many others, the flower of the Ro- justice in the classic Roman Curia, and man nobility, were found to have in 1130-85 they did the same in the been Christians. We have known churches. that heathenism, when pressed, seeks compromise with Christianity. Tiberius There were other customs and sym· sent a message to the Senate. asking bolic features which we would certainly that Christ bc included among the class among doubtful expedients for gods; and Lampridins says in his day imitation in foreign fields. Would we it is now come to be believed that the convert Orpheus wat.ching his flock into temples dedicated by Hadrian in every the Good Shepherd; or represent on the city to the ., unknown God" were de- church pavement, as Pius IX. did. voted to Christ; and that he was pre· Galenus and Hippokrates compounding vented from declaring them to be to medicines at Sienna ; or place Hercules Christ lest "the other temples might in ivory, as in St. Peter's; or set up be deserted and the entire population images of the sibyls, as the early Church turn Christian." All this goes to prove did, because of the popular notion that the influence which Christianity at an they had prophesied the coming of early date exercised over ruling and in- Christ? To us these have been trans· fluential classes of the Roman world; formed into mere mythical art or poetry, and it began to exercise this influence owing to the distance of the removal; at the beginning of its career, and main- and we ourselves in a poetic and artistic tained it steadily till its CUlmination way preserve customs and practices under Constantine. which are a survi val of classic idolatry.. There are customs which have outlived Another important question in mis- the suppression of pag!ln institutions. sionary circles is how far to conserve Italians still call Pentectlst Pasqua rosa, local and national customs which have and the Pope blesses the" golden rose" on Quadragesima Sunday; and in the is little doubt that we can turn into sixth century the Slavs celebrated Pen- tecost with the half-pagan and half-bar- new channels much that is national or barous rousalia. All these are easily traceable to the feast called Rosaria, racial; and we will have enough re- which the ancients celebrated at the sepulchres. There were, therefore, cus- form work to do when we confine our- toms and practices of the classical age so deep rooted that even after sixteen selves to essentials. The missionaries centuries they are noticeable in our modern Christian civilization. in India are making much of already- There is the other lesson of warning established usage in popular assemblies and failure. It has been said that ancient Rome had two populations of and holidays, wresting them out of the equal size, one alive and one of marble. The Roman Church did not abandon hands of the opposition and turning this custom of erecting statues; and hence we have them in so many Roman them to Christian ends. A.t any rate, Catholic churches to-day, with all the ex votos to which the ancient heathen whatever view we adopt there is much had grown accustomed. food for thought in the facts set forth Much else that was objectionable and that remains till now of saint wor_ by L'anciani as to the mild, impercep· ship is distinctly a survival of heathendom. We may well take warning lest tible changes wrought in three centuries the heathen shall make a large impression ou the new Church which we are which made Rome Christian instead of developing from their midst. pagan, or-shall we say it ?-has left But the marvel of the transformation remains as au encouragement amid all it half pagan till now. J. T. G. difficulties of our time. The Gospel that could couquer Rome can conquer Symposium.-J apan. any heathendom the world has seeu or will see. "Rome," according t::> an old REV. H. LOOMIS, ¥OKOHAMA.-The saying, .• contained as many churches condition of things in Japan is not as as there are days in the year," which bright as hitherto. The anti foreign Lanciani says was entirely too modest, agitation resulted in the dissolution of as there were certainly not less than a the Diet by the emperor; and it rethousand. A.nd these were transform- mains to be seen whether the country ed temples. "The experience gained will sustain the Government or not. through twenty-five years of active eKploration in ancient Rome, both above But we are not discouraged; and and below ground," says our author. some departments of the work are quite "enables me to state that every pagan hopeful. We are sure that this state of building which was capable of giving affairs will not be permaner:t, and that shelter to a congregation was trans- God will bless the labors of His servants formed, at one time or another, into a here in the future as He has in the past. church or chapel." REv. JAMES I.SEDER, TOKYo.-Chris- It is a practical question how far we tian work is being vigorously pushed shall conserve customs of the heathen forward. The work of the churches in society out of which we bring the new and about Tokyo, while encountering native Christian Church. With which considerable opposition and difficulties, of them can we make friends? There is nevertheless prospering moderately. From many points the Christian papers bring good tidings of renewed zeal and activity in the churches. Prayer-meet. ings are being more generally attended than for some time back. In most churches united and protracted efforts are being put forth by way ot revival meetings. Nor are these labors in vain in the Lord. One pastor writes of 22 probationers just received. Another reports 7 just baptized. Similar reports come from a number of other places. Only yesterday a missionary returned ferously cried out that, "It is against from a tour in Chiba ken, and tells the the Japanese Constitution and law to writer that he had just p1'eached in a preach Christianity." This caused a Buddhiat temple which is now without f~u:(luS uproar, and presently a 11uma priest. The idols were still in their 1(. f men, whose appearance was by accustomed place, but the people said 0). ~eans assuring, were making their the temple had been built for the wor- way through the crowd toward the ship of God; and as the Christian preachers. Being repeatedly urged by preachers said they would preach about the native pastor to follow him to the the true and living God, they should upper rooms of the house for safety, be heard. Afterward the people could they both made good their escape withchoose whom they would thereafter out injury. Threats of killing continued worship, God or Buddha. A goodly for some little time; but finally the disnumber attended and very respectfully turbers left, the meeting having been listened to the glorious Gospel. May completely broken up. Another misthe Spirit lead them to a right choice I sionary had an experience very similar Now and again we read of a new church only a short time ago, the persecutors. or chapel erected and dedicated to the saying they would not leave the place service of God. Sunday-school work as long as the" foreign enemy remained also is looking more and more hopeful, in the house." with increased attendance and interest_ Nor is the opposition confined to mis- A spirit of greater earnestness seems sionaries alone. Japanese are almost to be spreading among the churches. equally subject to them. In another But on the other side there is also a paper my eye just falls on the followspirit of greater opposition arising ing: "The Doshisha College had a among the Buddhists. Most likely they public meeting at the Gionza in Kyoto, would make no outcry nor bestir them- at which over 2000 persons attended. 'selves were not Christianity making de- After the meeting was closed at 9 A.M., cided inroads upon the religious terri- Otsuka Eitaro, a first-year student, was tory once all their own. InChiba ken a attacked by four men as he was going Swedish missionary, we hear, recently out. They inflicted slight wounds on ,uffered personal violence and inj ury his head, and fled when his companions at their hands. At another place the came to his assistance. The police Japanese pastor had given public notice have caught one of them, who is a Budof a Christian meeting for the evening, dhist priest. " and that a foreign missionary would speak. About 700 people gathered. In Tottori ken a native Christian Stirred up by priests, they began to preacher recently stirred up the people throw stones and other dangerous mis- considerably by declaring that "the siles, and would not allow the meeting will of God is above the law of. any to be held. The police appeared pow- earthly monarch." The incensed citi· erless. 'rhey advised the preacher to zens have appealed to the police. They dismiss the meeting; and as there seemed regard the Emperor of Japan as the no other way out, it was reluctantly "son of heaven;" hence to have done. uttered the foregoing sentence was greatly disrespectful if not disloyal to Less than a week ago & missionary the ruler of this land. For this very went out to Tanashi, a small town some reason the photograph of the emperor 25 miles from Tokyo, to fill a series of is nowhere on sale in the capital, as it appointments. An evening service had is regarded as wo sacred for publi<: been announced by the Japanese helper, gaze. Nor is this view held only by and he also spoke firilt. For about half the so·called lower classes; but to this an hour the large assembly' listened day it obtains among wealthy and eduquietly, until some Buddhist priest voci- cated people, being held either in sin. cere faith in the old superstitions or in understood Hotoke to mean Buddhism; insincerity. Missionaries cannot be too 7 boys attached the word to no reality ; careful how they speak even to Japanese 4 thought it meant the soul of man, Christians on the subject of their em- while 7 could make no reply.
peror. Still the truth may and must " .As to the third question, 25 believed be told, but always in love and to save. that man's soul lives after death, 81 be- Japan has made immense progress in lieved that death ends all, and 12 could.
matters of education during the past not answer. In answer to the fourth three decades. And yet the present question, 24 boys and 3 girls declared ignorance and indifference of the people, their belief in the existence of a soul, 5 so far as religious knowledge is con- of them basing their belief upon per- cerned, is a factor which enters very sonal experiences; but 48 boys and 14 largely into the causes retarding Chris- girls denied the existence of any souL tian progress in this land. The follow- Twenty-five others believed in the ex- ing from a recent paper gives some idea istence of a soul, but not in its immor- of the religious ideas of the children tality_ "
here: :M:ost interesting and important prac- "Mr. Togi, once an officer of the tical conclusions can be drawn from the Department of Education, now Super- above answers. It will be seen that intendent of the Higher School in Akita, nearly all these boys and girls still re- Il.ttempted to ascertain the religious gard their" imperial ancestors" as the ideas of the children of his school by a object of their worship and highest practical experiment. He chose 118 reverence. The large majority do not pupils, 19 of whom were girls, and the believe hi immortality, which has only average age of all about 14 years. To been brought to light through the Gos- these he propounded the following pel. Over half even deny the very ex- four questions: 1. What is Kami istence of the soul. The teachings of (God)? 2. What is Hotoke (a name giv- Buddhism are extremely vague. Most en to Buddha)? 3. What becomes of children (and adults may logically be man after death? 4. Is there a soul ? included) have little conception of a If so, what kind of a thing is it? future life or of future rewards and These questions awakened much seri- punishments for moral conduct in the ous thought; and he tabulates their present life. With such conceptions answers as follows: To the first ques- of liCe and its moral obligations in the tion, 82 boys and 15 girls replied, • By minds of the people, we can only won- Kami is meant our imperial ancestors der that the moral condition is no worse and benefactors reverenced by us.' Six than it really is. It will, moreover, be boys and 3 girls replied, • Kami is a seen that the work is still immeasurably spiritual Being outside of mankind; , great and the field "white unto the 1 girl, a Roman Catholic, added that harvest. " Christianity is here to stay 'He is the Creator of the universe.' and to conquer, and is gloriously march- One boy said that Kami meant • gohei ' ing forward ; but there are still " re- (a kind of paper cut in narrow strips gions beyond." May past success and and hung in temples to represent the Spirit and command of Christ arouse Kami). Three boys replied that there the Church to still greater achievements, is no Kami, while 8 gave unsatisfactory greater faith, greater self-sacrifice and answers. To the second question, 55 persevering prayer I boys and 16 girls replied, • All deceased persons are Hotoke.' Eleven boys and REv. DAVID S. SPENCER, NAGOYA.
1 girl said that by Hotoke they under- It is exceedingly interesting to note stood Shaka, Amida, and other virtuous the comments of the Buddhist press of sages who have influenced the spirits Japan since the conclusion of the of men. Seventeen boys and 1 girl World's Congress of Religions at Chicago. and in view of the rise of the reached its culmination. The movemixed residence question. ment toward Europeanization is sure to start again. With tha~, Christianity Buddhism is much divided. Some is again to go forward. We must be sects are at war within themselves, and on the alert. The nineteenth century others are at war with each other. They is going; what awaits us as the twentiare more completely divided and more eth opens ?" hostile to each other than is the Christian Church, in spite of their occasional The same magazine, in another slurs at Christianity because of its article, confesses that mixed residence numerous sects. They are clearly con- is sure to come. Scholars advise it, scious that the Buddhist forces are not business men need it. The only hope prepared to contend successfully with for Buddhism in such an event lies in Christianity, and various efforts at re- keeping aloof from politics and gi ving form appear. As these expressions of special attention to religious growth. Buddhist opinions to Buddhists must be or interest to all who are watching re- 2. The Dento speaks more hopefully ligious movements in Japan, I quote for Buddhism: "Many fear that with from some of these magazines as trans- mixed residence Buddhism will go unlated into the columns of the Japan der. But truth is conqueror at last. If Mail, making occasional comment: Christianity is truth it will conquer. The truth, however, is not in Chris- 1. The Bukkyo, an independent maga- tianity. Science shows that. Experience zine, has a leading article on "The makes that clear. Yet Christian meth- Necessary Work of Buddhists. " "The ods, some say, make Christianity forcountry is now afflicted with crime and midable, and the foreign religion is procalamities. Buddhists therefore should tected by foreign governments. But if be up and doing to help and to cure. our hundreds of thousands of priests are But more than this. Speculative Bud- faithful, what can the foreign preachers dhism, which has for a long time been in do? And the fOrty millions of the Japthe ascendant, must give way to prac- anese people are practically our defendtical forces. Christianity is beset on ers. The treaties must be revised_ all sides; Buddhism has the popular Let mixed residence come." Yes, we heart. Let it avail itself of this advan- reply, let it come. And with it must tage. Growing before all eyes is the come greatly increased advantages for question of mixed residence. [Allow- Christian work. While Buddhism is ing foreigners to reside in the interior well intrenched in some sections and by of the country. whereas up to this time no means dead, it will be found that it they have been compelled to reside only has already lost its power over the in the foreign concessions connected great masses of the forty millions of with the open ports, unless employed the Japanese, especially over the whole by Japanese.-D. S. S.] That is full younger class. Let the reader note also of momentous consequences. Mixed the coloring of nationalism in the above residence must come, sooner or later. quotation. Now, in our strength, is the time to prepare for this event. When foreigners S. The Nonin Shimpo is not so confiare admitted into all parts of the coun- dent of results as other representatives try. the ministers of Christianity will of the popular faith. It speculates enter with them and work freely. We upon the fate of Buddhism after the should be prepared to meet them. A incoming of foreigners after this mood : Christian reaction is sure to come. The "The first elIect will be Christian agformer extreme Europeanization of the gressiveness. The Japanese are povpeople has been checked. Conservatism erty-stricken as regards religious ideas. has been revived. But the endeavor Nine tenths of the people do not know to preserve national peculiarities has what Buddhism is. [And this after Japan has had about thirteen centuries' experience of Buddhism.-D. S. S.] because of personal immorality, etc.
At the beginning, with mixed residence The world moves I foreigners will prevail over WI. Bud- EVANGELUITIO WORK. dhism will decay and disappear. Of course con1lict is not desirable, but it REV. T. P. POATE, JAPAN.-I landed seems to be inevitable. Christian evan- in Japan in the fall of 1870. At that gelization means poison to the nation. time the work was carried on under Remember the ruin of Poland and of great disadvantages. The drag·net of Hawaii through Christian peoples." the Gospel could not be used; it was 4. The Kokkyo finds much fault with , fishing with the rod and line. But the recent Buddhistic methods. "Ancient period of sowing was now well.nigh ,customs have too much weight with done, and God drew near to His Church Buddhist associations. The habitual in blessing. It was, as is already reading of the ritual and Buddhistic known, during the week of prayer in Scriptures at religious gatherings wea- 1870 that this blessing came. The quick- ries the people. Popular addresses ened ear of faith heard the tinklings of should be substituted. Biographies the golden bells of the great High Priest of Buddha and of the founders of the who dwells unseen, yet not unknown, sects should be presented at the meet- within the veil. Over the meetings in ings. If the people will not come to the oHis sevenfold might brooded the won- temples, gather them if possible into drous Paraclete, and from rent hearts private houses and teach them there." came "that unimaginable groan, the It will be seen that this is simply im. birth.pang of souls born into the king- itating Christian methods. And they dom of light, that yearning known to go farther than this in some sections, all the people of God which finds its establishing Sunday·schools, gathering utterance in the cry, 'Lord, save souls, and teaching the young, and the poor or I die I '" Then the Spirit of God in night schools, organizing Young moved upon the hearts of the heathen Men's Christian Associations with Chris· who were present. and one after an- tianity left out. have popular preaching other confessed Christ. Yet more, for services, and take up a collection, as if the first time in the history of the em- they were really Methodists. This im. pire Japanese knelt in prayer to God itating process has been going on for that He would pour out on them and sometime. their race the Holy Ghost. These 5. The Daido Shimpo enters a strong meetings were carried on for several complaint that" the Buddhists always weeks, and out of them grew the First lag behind in social progress, when they Church of Yokohama, now numbering should be the leaders. A national reo about 800 members.
action is coming. Back of the present From this time the work grew apace.
anti·foreign nationalistic mood a great It was founded on and nourished by pro·foreign feeling is developing. Bud· the Word of God. In accordance with dhists should get their power well in the universal rule of Protestant mis- hand, because national secularization is sionaries, the Scriptures were translated near. " into Japanese. Two translations (in The prophecy of a retum of the pro- some respects 8. regrettable thing) were foreign feeling is not without founda· made-the one a Baptist;the other by a tion. committee. Each had its work. The It only remains to note the organiza- Baptist translation reached a class of tion, in one of the prefectures, of a large people unable to read the mixed charac- association for the purification of the ter of the committee's version, while priesthood. One of the recent acts of this was well suited to the wants of the this association was to decide that 220 great middle and upper classes. Out priests were unworthy of their position of the press poured in ever.increasing volume a stream of Christian literature God, and went north on January 10th, which was carried everywhere by col· 1880. A little church was soon gath· porteurs. The branches of the true ered, and as we lookeu on the blank, Vine shot forth and filled the land, and desolate heathenism of the place our the tender grapes gave a good smell. hearts were led out In prayer to God And the Lord of the vineyard sent forth for a hundred souls. That prayer has more laborers. I had been engaged in been answered well-nigh threefold. Our educational work for a number of Methodist brethren came in, and then years, in the employ of the imperial my dear brother Rev. E. Rothesay Mil· Government, when in 1875 I was led ler ; and though this be literally Rock into direct work for the Lord. The Province (Iwate ken), the power of the claims of that work grew more and more Spirit is making it into a fruitful field.
pressing, and at length, in 1879, I sev· In the spring of that same year I bap- ered my connection with the Govern· tized a man named Seino Tomonoshin ment and gave myself wholly to the at a place called Farukawa. He had preaching of the Word in connection been a hard drinker, a great sinner, but with the American Baptist Missionary on him came the Spirit of God, con- Union. vincing him of sin. He dared not sleep Shortly after there came a call from at night, fearing that he might wake up Morioka, a city 325 miles northeast of . in torment. The message of God's love, Tokyo. At that time the provinces of the of sin laid upon Jesus, of the blood that northeast were in almost utter darkness; cIeanseth from sin, came to him, and he no Protestant missionary was to be received it as a little child. His wife found in all that district, yet a certain saw the change in her husband, and she work had been done by members of the too believed. He wrote to me in Yoko· Greek Church. Among those brought hamil., and asked me to stop in Sendai, to Christ by their means was a young on my next trip, and baptize her. 150 man named KUdo. He was not, how· anxious was he that I should not fail ever, satisfied with this form of Chris· that he even telegraphed to me. Now, tianity. Though the Greek Church Sendai is the largest city of the north.
gives the Bible to its members and I had not thought it possible to open recommends them to study it, still work there, but God opened a wide and prayer for the dead, the invocation of effectual door. When I reached Sendai the saints, and a mass of superstitions Brother Seino at once sought me out; too numerous to mention disfigure the and I shall never forget how the tears faith. He came to Yokohama to study, came from his eyes and the joy that and there met with some of ollr believ· shone in his face. His wife was bap- ers, who taught him the way of God tized, and in the fall another church more perfectly. He learned with joy was organized in Sendai. The work that he needed not the intercession of grew rapidly, and I am afraid that I got the saints nor of the Virgin Mary, but proud. I said to myself, I shall have could come to God through the one the first self·supporting Baptist church; :Mediator, the Man Christ Jesus. Fail· and then there came trouble, division ing health compelled him to return and strife; and how sad that is! It home. He was attacked by consump· seemed as if all was going to pieces: tion and did not live many months, but but then I learned what the Puritans he tol:1 his friends of what he had called" the soul.fattening blessing of learned, and the result was, repeated fasting." We fasted and prayed, and letters to Dr. Brown asking for a teach· the Lord lifted upon us the light of His cr. Till my appointment there had countenance.
been no one to send, for the mission I went one day down to the river practically consisted of two ladies and rather sad at heart, and as I passed by Dr. Brown. I hailed the call as from a Shinto temple I noticed that some "matruri" or festival was going on. five ports were opened to foreign trade The priest was praying, and I caught in China, and nearly that time since ac- what sounded like my name. In J ap- tive Protestant missionary wl)rk was anese my name is Pato. I thought begun in the land. But the widespread that I must be mistaken, but on draw- riots throughout the empire during the ing nearer heard it again. Out rang in last year makes it necessary to consider sonorous tones, " Ama terasu no mi kami whether mission methods do not tequire yo, negawaku wa mi tsurugi wo motte fresh adaptation.
kam Eikokujui Poto to ni mono wo ha- " The genius of the Chinese people is rai tamaije;" which, being interpreted, pre-eminently to listen to their rulers, is, " 0 Goddess that dost illuminate the who are expected to take paternal in- heavens, with thine august sword drive terest in everything that pertains to their out that Englishman Poate. " You smile, welfare. If the rulers oppose Chris- and so did I; for my heart was glad. tianity. suspicions abound on every For whenever Satan rages God is side; if they approve, then all classes work.ing, and I knew of a surety that are stimulated to friendship and inquiry.
Emanuel, the Golden Prince, would " One immense hindrance to mission- come, riding in His chariots of salva- ary work in China is the hostile attitude tion, to the aid of His Church. I re- of the mandarins, the gentry and the turned to Yokohama. and one day a educated classes. For millenniums the telegram came from the church: Chinese have been taught to consider "Go Sei Rei. go kouri ni natta" (" On themselves vastly superior to every na- us hath the Holy Spirit descended"). tion under the sun; and as their educa- And when I visited that church next I tional curriculum to this day is still un- fonnd that it was even so. T hey had changed,there is springing up annually a waited on God in prayer, and lie had fresh crop of scholars in absolute igno- heard them. The spirit of envy and rance of the outside world, and with the hate had been cast out, and in its stead same intense pride and prejudice as of reigned the spirit of peace and love and old. For, centuries, too, the Chinese of a sound mind. Government has systematically opposed all intercourse with foreigners to the ut- most of their power, as they regard it Ohristian Work Among the Higher full of peril. OIasses of Ohins. ., Again, for many years, owing to the Twenty-nine missionaries in China, Taiping rebels having taken up a Chris- representing as many societies, sent out, tian name, the authorities of China in the form of a circular, some time since looked on Christian literature as only an Appeal for the Society for the Diffu- fit for wicked rebels, and therefore bc- sion of Christian Knowledge among the came still more hostile. In the course Chinese as an especial agency for reach· of years this feeling showed itself in all ing the higher classes in that country. the Government dispatches of manda- This society sustains two monthly mag- rins, high and low, where the vilest ru- azines in Chinese, one religious and one mors against Christians, however false general. Missionaries from different and malicious, were duly recorded, sel- parts of the empire contribute to the dom inquiring into their origin, their columns of these, and they are, together truth or their falsehood. Lately these an- with other literature, distributed from ti-foreign and anti-Christian references the civil service examination centres were collected from Government dis- and from other centres, to the number of patches and standard works-into which ten in each province. This committee they had also crept-and republished make the following, among other im- in a cheap form; and new publications,'
portant statements: based on these supposed facts, were ,," It is now exactly fifty years since issued to stir up the whole land against Christianity: thinking thereby to benefit "Meanwhile the natural increase of .the popUlation of China is at the rate their country. Such was the main and of about three millions annually. As scarcely any improved methods arc yet immediate cause of the riots, which last- introduced for the support of these Im- mense numbers, and as the Chinese ed, with some intervals. for more than a have not discovered how to produce means of support faster than the natural year. increase of popUlation, as Christian na- tions have done, they must either perish "During all this time it was useless or become every day more wretchedly poor even than they now are, and this for missionaries to approach the higher dire poverty leads to corruption and crime. In fact, the unemployed abound classes, so they have labored patiently throughout the land, to be swept away in periodic famines, while the vast naton among those that would hear them- ural resources of China remain unde- veloped. We must strive for the estabmostly the poor-and we are glad to lishment of righteousness and salvation in the land. Few of the Chinese know record 40,000 communicants among how this can be accomplished; but God has given us that. knowledge. We these. Had the higher classes been as must help them."
accessible, enlightened, and friendly as From the report just at hand we gather information to the effect that they are in Japan and in other mission they have established depots in Peking, Moukden, Tientsin, Shensi, Nanking, fields, we might reasonably expect pro- and Chefoo. They arranged last year to present to all the great mandarins of portionately a far greater number of the empire a copy of Dr. Faber's ~Teat work on" Civilization," in five Chmese Christians in China than there is, and volumes. They sent 60,000 copies of their pUblications to the ten maritime we should not have had the riots, which provinces. Not all of these were sold. The Chinese are poor, though many are have so greatly imperilled the mission rich. The poor have to pay 36 per cent to pawn-shops, and sometimes 100 per cause and excited fresh opposition where cent, to tide them over temporary dUn- culties. Thousands upon thousands colit had almost died away. lect in mat sheds at every great city H One great lesson of the riots is, that in the winter, in order to attend the free soup.kitchens,and this only means prac· the reformation of one class in a nation tically slow starvation. China thus caunot go on peaceably without simul- presents an amount of suffering which taneous enlightenment of the other class- far surpasses that of any other country. es, otherwise it must inevitably end in Most of this might be easily removed. persecution. riots, or revolution. There- It is the object of this ChristIan Knowlfore something must be done to prevent edge Society to try to help the Chinese further collision and disaster besides ap· to such knowledge as will result in the pealing to force. improved condition of the country. For wantof political insight, China has " True, the most prejudiced are more lost within thirty·five years, in northopposed to us than ever because of our east Manchuria, a country as large as increasing numbers, but many of the France; and in the south she has lost highest authorities are compelled to in- Burmah, and in Annam tributary States quire carefully into the matter, and larger than France. For lack of comthere is au increasing number growing mercial knowledge she has £80,000,000 friendly and anxious to know the whole less foreign trade than India, and even truth about our work. The emperor little Japan has trebled her foreign trade, and the highest authorities are begin- while China has only dOUbled hers. ning to learn that these anti·Christian rumors are false, and that Christians are The Secretary, Rev. Timothy Richgood people whose object is to benefit ards, Shanghai, will gladly furnish in· China and not to stir up rebellion aud formation on t.he prospects and plans strife. The edict and proclamations of this admirable organization. If it which have recently made their appear- shall accomplish a tithe as much as the ance are very satisfactory; though is- similar society has in India. it will be a sued under foreign pressure, they are great blessing. all valnable documents and point ill the right direction.
" The empire being at peace. foreigners are engaged to write books for them on all subjects. Its leading men are studying many questions of reform, and among these religion. It seems hardly possible to overestimate the stupendous importance of the present opportunity, when a fourth of the human race is compelled to meditate a change in its religious policy, with all that that involves! The hand of God is in the matter, showing clearly that past labor has not been in vain.
i894.j
IlI.-FIELD OF MONTHLY SURVEY.
Siam and Laos, Malaysia," Unoccupied Fields,t Buddhism.:f: . MISSION WORK AMONG THE LAO!!. not to be intimidated by his bonds. , Most of the obstacles since then have BY REV. DANIElL McGILVARY, D.D. been some petty annoyances to be ex· pected, and such as hav.e acted as a Chieng Mai, Lampoon, Lakawn, Praa, wholesome tonic. Nan, Chieng Hai, and Chieng Saan are the capitals of provinces of the same For long years only two ordained name in the north of the Kingdom of missionaries were in the field. In 1883 Siam, to which they are tributary. Rev. Dr. Peoples and others arrived, They occupy the valleys and plateaus followed ne:l!;t year by Rev. Chalmers of the upper tributaries of the Maa Martin. Since then the growth of the Nam, separated from the lower plain church has been remarkable for its by mountains and rapids. They are steady uniformity. For three years the governed by a line of native rulers who yearly accessions to the communion of receive their appointment and their in· the church was about ninety. For the signia of office from Bangkok. last seven successive years the acces- sions have been 110, 129, 180, 190, 241, Having first obtained consent of the 299, and 303 for 1893. Our present viceroy, permission to establish a mis· adult membership is 1586,. total bap. sion station in Chieng Mai was granted tized 2707. The mother church at by the Siamese Government, and the Chieng Mai has sent out eight colonies, mission was formally opened by the and still has an adult membership of writer and his family April 3d. 1867, 719, and Dr. Dennis in his latest work M.r. Wilson and family following in makes the Presbytery of North Laos 1868. The warm reception that the the banner presbytery in the General missionaries received from all classes, Assembly. Probably a greater promi. the baptism of the first convert, the nence has been given to the evangelistic bright prospects of the mission so soon work than in most missions, and in clouded by the changed attitude of the .this we have largely used the native viceroy and the martyrdom of Noi talent available. From the beginning Sunyah and Nan Chai, the tragic death of the mission the preaching and pas· of the viceroy soon after, the kindness toral work have been magnified. For of his successor, the present viceroy, a long time this was from necessity. counteracted by the hostile acts of his Our small force precluded some depart· brother, the second in command, lead· ments of mission work. What was be· ing to the appeal to Bangkok and the gun from necessity has been continued Royal Proclamation of Religious Toler· from conviction and experience of its ation from the young king in 1878, are success. We have endeavored to reach matters of history and need not be reo the present generation first; and no peated. The death of the brother soon subject has such constraining power after was another of the many Provi· over men who are conscious of their dential interpositions in behalf of the guilt and sin as the Cross of Christ. mission. The only case of persecution The Laos readily admit that there is no since then was the imprisonment for provision for pardon in Buddhism. eight months of a valued assistant un· "I would embrace any religion that der false charges, but really on account offers pardon for sin," said an officer of his religion. From his prison cell from ChiengToong. met on a late tour. he wrote consoling letters to his family From the first, too, it was evident * See pp. 332 and 884 (present. issue). that a large field for medical work was opened. The ordained ministers stood t See p. 877 (present issue). :I: See pp. 326 and 367 (present issue).
FIELD OF MON'l'HI,Y SURVEY
lI,ghast at the demand for foreign medi- Rev: Nan Tah. He is one of the most cine which they had created, but could learned men in Buddhistic literature, not supply. A missionary station is which gives him great influence among not complete without a physician. The hil:l people. In manner and tact he is healing of the body and the remedy for all that could be desired, instant in seathe soul, as in the Saviour's ministry, son and out of season, and is himself a have acted and reacted on each other. bright example of the power of the They are the counterpart and comple- Gospel which he preaches. ment of each other. When there is no physician the miuister has to become a Besides him the annual report for the quack and treat cases for which he is closing year mentions about thirty nanot qualified. When this work is turned tive ruling elders who have devoted over to an accomplished physician he much time to evangelistic work during can devote his energies to his own spe- the year. The report adds, " They go cial work. The consecrated physician before, we follow and reap the harcan easily combine the preaching of the vest." Besides the influence of these, Gospel with. the medical work. The the church is growing by the vitality in reverse is not always possible. Among its native members. Most of the male the IJaos the medical missionary has an members lead in public prayer, and ideal field for influence. The evangel- mauy of the women in their own prayeristic and the medical work combined meetings. Family prayer is generally have laid the broad foundation for all observed, and they do not hesitate to our other work, and given the solid urge the subject of religion on their basis on which it stands. In the pio- people. In all of the sub-stations naneer work in the broad field already tives lead the Sabbath worship. An opened and opening in the east and the officer from Lakawn, sixty-five miles to north, we must look to the consecrated the southeast, became a Christian-a physician to be preacher and healer. church was soon organized, and a call With his medicine and surgical case and made for a mission station, to which his Bible, he is welcome alike to the resi- Dr. and Mrs. Peoples and others since dences of chiefs and governors and to responded. When the station in Lamthe homes of the poor. The extent of poon was opened, one hundred and its inflnence may he seen by a single twenty members were already waiting statement. Dr. McKean, medical mis- to be dismissed to the church then orsionary in Chieng Mai, reports five thou- ganized. The churches in Chieng Saan sand cases treated last year at the sta- aud Chieng IIai and Papow and Chieng tion, and three thousand vaccinations, Dow, all in distant provinces, have thus bringing eight thousand souls un- grown up under native labor, with only der the direct influence of the Gospel. an annual visit from the missionary. In a tour of Iive months last year the They have called in vain for the settlewriter distributed cighty.eight ounces ment of a missionary. of quinine gratuitously, or otherwise, giving us a welcome in some places With the evangelistic and medical where the people would have been in- work as a basis, as soon as we had force different. We would emphasize the to open schools, Christian parents were fact that just now THREE MEDICAL MIS- waiting to put their children in them. SIONARIES are NEEDED for our IMME- The Girls' Boarding School was the DIATE WORK. Shall this appeal be first. It has had a succession of faithmade in vain? ful teachers. Under its present princi- pal, Miss Griffin, assisted by Miss Allie Special mention should be made of McGilvary, it has completed a prORperthe influence of our native Christians ous year. The Boys' Boarding School in advancing the work. First among was commenced later by Mr. Coilins, these is our native ordained minister, who is now assisted by Miss C. H. Mc- GUvary. One hundred and fifteen pupils were enrolled during the year. One of whom, a son-in·law of Nan Intab, of the most encouraging features of the first convert, was ordained. these schools Is that all the girls and nearly all the boys come from Ohris- To all of these schools we look for a tian families-not to learn English, generation of better educated Ohriswhich is not taught, bnt to receive a tians, and, above all, for a strong force Christian education. Most of the pu- of Christian ministers and workers to pils are either communicants or non- evangelize their own and neighboring communing members on entering, and tribes. The first duty of the foreign the communion roll is constantly en- missionary is to lay the foundations, larged from these schools, t~oenty-tl.ree translate t,he Scriptures, and give a having been added during the fall term. Christian litcrature, then to train work- The influence of the pupils reacts on ers and act as bishops in superintending the families and villages from which and directing the work. they come. A prosperous school at Lakawn, under Miss Fleeson and Mr. Our Sahbath-schools have one feature 'l'aylor, was commenced soon after the worthy of universal adoption. They station was established, and now a boys' embrace the old and the young, men school is in operation under Mr. Taylor, and women; in other words, the church who also superintends the Industrial and congregation studying the Scrip- School, leaving Dr. Peoples frec for tures. evangelistic work and the medical work in the absence of Dr. Briggs. Even A font of Laos type prepared by Dr. Utc last station at Lampoon has a good Peoples is a success, and the press in beginning in school work. Chieng l1ai under Mr. Collins is send- ing forth the printed Word of Gi>d. Last "nd not least, before we were The Gospel of Matthew revised, and ready for it, the evangelistic work had Acts translated, by Rev. E. B. McGilfurnished pupils for the Theological vary, have been published, and the Training School. Rev. Nan Tah was Gospel of John is now ready for the prepared for the ministry by the mem- press, while Mr. Wilson has translated bers of the Chieng Mai station in the in- the Psalms. The whole of the Scriptervals of other duties. A strong need tures are accessible to those who read had long been felt for an organized ef- Siamese, as most of Ollr Christians do. fort, and in Mr. Dodd, since joined by Mr. Irwin, the right men were found. Hitherto we have referred to the work Our ruling elders and others, who have in the Siamo-Laos States in the north of proved themselves efficient workers, Siam, which gave it the title of Nortlt have been encouraged to enter the Train- Laos Mission. Rccent explorations in ing School. It ha!! one feature of a the regions north of the Kingdom of model theological school. The teach- Siam have shown tbat the title NORTH ing is practical and biblical as well as Laos Mission is a misnomer. The easttheoretical, the Bible being the princi- ern and northeastern portion of British pal text-book. A portion of each day Burma and a large number of districts is devoted to evangelistic work, and on and towns subject to Yunnan, China, Sabbath the pnpils are sent out two by are inhabited by the Kerns and Lus, two, and the first school hour in the two large and numerous branches of week is devoted to hearing a report of the Laos family, who might be called their work, with criticisms and practical the Burmo and Chino-Laos. This is suggestions from teachers and feIIow- doubtless the original home of the pupils. Ttoenty-five were enrolled last whole Siamese and Laos family. These year, and at the last meeting of pres- tribes have retained more of their origbytery in December jive of the pupils inal characteristics, while the Siamese were licensed to preach the Gospel, one have developed a type of civilization of their own. A tour was taken the first flve months of 1893 by the Rev. Robert Irwin and thc writer, passing through the provinces of British Blll'Dla to the baptism of twenty·two, the first of the Sip Song Panna, a confederation of Lu Moosur race who had embraced the States under the jurisdiction of China. Gospel, was a red·letter dsy in my life. We visited about seventeen districts and Ch Boo Kaw, the first Moosur convert, towns, in all of which the Kern and Lu has since gone to his rest, exhorting his dialects of the Laos are spoken, and the people with his last breath to embrace written character is the same as that the Gospel. Besides the Moosurs, there used in our mission. The extent of the are the Kooies, the Kaws, the Maaos, race to the north, the large area in the Yows, the Ka Hoks, the Ka Lohs, which the Laos language is spoken, and the Lanteens, the Tai Luangs, the Ka the openness of the field were a revela- Moos, and Lemates and other tribes. tion to us. A missionary had never Like the Karens of Burma, but few of been in the region before, and the name these Hill tribes are Buddhists, and we of Christ was unknown. It is stating have reason to believe that many of the fact mildly when we say that we them are waiting for the Gospel. None were well received throughout the of them have written languages, and as whole region. We had a most cordial yet we have had to preach to them welcome from both rulers and people. through an interpreter in the Laos lan- guage, which most of the men under· The length of the tour precluded a stand but imperfectly. Their contiglong stay in each place, but we had uity to China has introduced the opium everywhere eager listeners to the Gos- vice among them, but they are hospitapel mesaage. Chieng Hoong, in north ble and industrious, and those not adlatitude 22°, the chief city of the Sip dicted to the use of opium are, for Song Punna, was the limit of the tour heathen tribes, moral. to the north. This confederation formerly paid tribute to Burma and China, The Presbyterian Mission of Siam and but the present Chow Fa of Chieng Laos together embrace the whole coun- Hoong was placed in authority by Yun- try from the Gulf of Siam to China, nan. The Laos race extended much and the Laos race alone must comprise further north and also east and west of three or four millions of people. How Chieng Hoong. There we crossed the shall that whole region be evangelized? Cambodia River and visited a number We need only the men and the means of towns to the east and south, and re- to occupy the whole field. crossed it at Chieng Lap. In two of the towns which we visited we were At the meeting of the Presbytery of invited to hold worship in the residence North Laos in 1892 a call was made for of the Chow Fa, where we found largv eighteen workers, not including those and attentive audiences. It was sad to needed for Nan and the Laos provinces leave so many places where they were and Hill tribes north of the Siamese disappointed at our short stay, and boundary. The Wood River Church, urged us to come again. Nebraska, has sent usfi'D6 workers, now on their way. Of these Mr. and Mrs. The length of this article, already too Shields will join Dr. and Mrs. Briggs long, allows the mention of only one at Praa, the new station opened by the other important fact. The whole re- famine. The other three, Rev. J. L. gion abounds in numerous Hill tribes Thomas, M.D., and wife, and Miss inhabiting the mountains on both sides Hatch,· and also Miss Wilson, go to of the Cambodia and its tributaries. Lakawn, and Mr. and Mrs. Phraner We have an interesting work already are waiting to establish a station in begun among the Yahoos or Moosurs. Chieng Hai when a physlcian can be Two of the most interesting months of obtained. my thirty.six years of mission life were spent in viaiting on foot the MQOSurs on MO'l'e than eighteen are still needed, of. the hills west of Chlt,ng Hai; and the whom at least three should be physi- cians, to occupy Rahang, a large town on the Southern Laos border and Nan all the men of His time and all other on the east, and the Burmo-Laos and times.
Chino-Laos and the Hill tribes in the Was Buddha His name?
north. For speedy and large returns No. It is the name of a state of for labor and means expended, it is mind.
doubtful whether a more promising Its signification ?
field is anywhere open to the Church. Illuminated ; or He who has perfect, We most earnestly request the prayers wisdom.
of the Church for laborers and success Did Buddha discover the cause of in giving them the Gospel. We would human misery ?
sound the Macedonian cry, " Come over At last He discovered it. As the and help us." Who will hear in it a light of the rising sun scatters the call, "The Lord hath need of thine" ? shades of night and reveals everything " The Lord hath need of THEE" ? to view, so the light of knowledge rose in His mind, and He saw clearly the Siam and Laos. Area 250,000 square causes of human suffering and the miles; population about 6,000,000, con- means of escaping them. sisting of one third Siamese, one third Laosians, and the remainder Chinese Did He have to make great efforts to and Malays. The prevailing religion is attain this knowledge? Buddhism. The Presbyterians (North) •have in the Laos country 10 ordained, 5 Yes; He had to conquer all the de- medical, 6 lady missionaries, and 1 or- fects, the desires, and the appetites dainednative; 8 churches and 1600 com- which deprive us of the sight of the municants ; and in the Siam Mission, 7 truth. ordained, 2 medical, 4 lady missionaries, and 1 native evangelist; 7 churches and What is the light which can disperse 330 communicants. The American Bap- our ignorance and drive away all tist Missionary Union also has a work troubles? in Bangkok chietly for the Chinese. The knowledge of the Four Noble Truths, as Buddha r:aIls them.
What are those truths? (1) That misery always accompanies existence; (2) that all modes of exist- ence result from passion or desire; (3) Unoccupied Pield8 will be the subject that there is no escape from existence of a paper in our June and July issues. except by destruction of desire; (4) the means of obtaining the destruction of desire.
Buddhi8m has been said to be the re- When we are in possession of the Four ligion of one third of the human race. Noble Truths, at what do we arrive?
Probably not over 100,000,000, how- At Nirvana.
ever, are in reality Buddhists. What is Nirvana?
The state of perfect repose, the ab- sence of desire, of illusion, of pain, the The following are some extracts from complete annulment of everything a Buddhist catechism: which constitutes physical man. Before What is a Buddhist? attaining Nirvana, man can be inces-'
He is one who professes to be a fol- santly born again; when he has attained lower of Our Lord Buddha. it he cannot be born again.
Was Buddha a God?
No. Buddhism aims at the destruction of Was He a man? sin as a disea.se and the practical ea;tinc- In form He was a man; but internally tion of the soul; Christianity compasses He was not like other men-that is, in the destruction of the disease and the mental and moral order He surpa~e~ 8alvation of the soul.
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
IV.-EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT.
What shall atone for sina of omis8'ion the population; and therefore any stateon the part of editors and compositors! ment of the number is only an CIItimate. In the February issue of this REVIEW, Rev. H. V. Noyes in 1889 published a page 136, second column, third para· paper in the Oltinese Recorder, January graph, the somewhat astounding state- and February numbers, on .. Mohamment is made, that" of the nineteen medans in China." He gives the numprovinces of China proper, only Hunan ber as 20,000,000. Two thirds of these and Kwang·se have permanent mission were stated to be in the Northwest and stations." One little word-" no"-be- Southwest Provinces. The number ing omitted before the words .. mission stated to be in these two provinces is stations" turns the sentence completely greater than the wltole popUlation of the round. It should have read, "Only provinces. After the protracted war Hunan and Kwang-se have no perma- that was there to suppress a Mohammenent mission stations." The next sen- dan rebellion, more than half of the poptence, which gives the needy popula. ulation were found to have perished durtion of these two provinces, shows that ing the twenty years of war. I think the previous sentence must be wrong; 15,000,00() a large estimate for the present but we confess the blunder without Mohammedan population in China. The being able to account for its escaping Chinese are Oonfuciani8t8 as a nation. three proof-readers! Canton, Swatow, When these false religions are vaunted Amoy, Tamsui and Taiwanfol) in For· by anti-Christians, I do not like to see mosa, Foo Chow, Shanghai, Hankow, any undue credit given to them." Ningpo, Cheefoo, Tientsin, Pekin, etc., are well-known permanent mission sta- The MiBBiona7'1J Herald hints that a tions. movement is on foot among Christian Endeavor Societies to hold missionary Dr. Happer, the veteran missionary extension courses, following the lines from China, kindly calls attention to a that IlSve been followed to eKtend the few points in which there is a difference advantages of the universities to the of opinion; also a few typographical public. Study and investigation of the errors in the February REVIEW. As claims of foreign missions, under God's we care for accuracy far more than our blessing, cannot fail to be of vast beneown" consistency," we give Dr. Hap- fit, commensurate to the importance of per's letter: the topic. We have often thought that a plan not unlike that of the" uni- .. On page 136 and second column, versity extension" courses might be second line, the number of missionaries pursued with immense profit. Courses is stated to be 500 instead of 1500. [Dr. of lectures by the prominent authorities Gilbert Reid, in" Peeps into China," on missions might be arranged in varipage 188, gives 490 male missionaries. ous accessible centres. There is no Manifestly an error, as the China Inland reason why such men as Drs. Ellin- Mission alone has 600.-ED.] These I wood, Clark, Baldwin, McCabe, Gorregard as mistakes of the printer. Let don, Mudge, Gracey; Bishops Baldwin me call your attention to two items of and Nicholson; returned missionaries, errors on points that are of special in- such as Drs. Dennis, Happer, Mackay, terest now-viz., as to the number of KnOK, Butler, Boggs, and others tempo- Mohammedans and Buddhists in China. rarily or permanently at home again- You state, on page 136, first column, in a word, every man and woman who the number of the former to be 30,000,- is competent to speak in behalf of mis- 000. This, I think, is too .large an estimate. There is no reliable census of 8ioll&-~hould not be heard, and in cir· dental expenses, the pastors using their cumstances the most favorable. A sin· own discretion in regard to an offering gle address at a distance involves poor Sabbath morning in their own churche9 economy of time; but a series of ad· for their own denominational boards. dresses at contiguous points, and arrang· ed foi at successive times, might bring The Hermit Nation-Thibet. untofd good at a very slight cost of money or energy. Why not have a On Tuesday afternoon, January 7th, bureau of missionary lectures? Not a 1890, during the Week of Prayer, I money·making scheme, but a provision made an address at Mildmay, in Lonfor extending the blessing of informa· don, on "Prayer as a Power in the tion suffused with spiritual power! Opening of Nations to the Gospel." I gave several illustrations, from Turkey. Apropos of this matter, we have be· Siam, Sandwich Islands, etc. I felt fore us a program of the Missionary moved to say to that very devout band Institute in connection with the Illinois of disciples there gathered, that it was Christian Endeavor Union. It may my conviction that there should be help others to give the following items definite, united, believing supplication of information: for the immediate opening of T hibet to the messengers of Christ: whereupon RULES OF THE EXTENSION COURSE. there was a season of prayer for this par· ticular object, and prayer of unusual 1. An application to the Christian power and earnestness. Endeavor State Superintendent of Mis· sions, signed by the presidents of all I have naturally watched with very Christian Endeavor societies in the special interest the subsequent developtown, with the approval of their pas· ments in Thibet. And now not only do tors, and a pledge of the active super- we find that that heroic woman, MIss vision of the course by the Endeavor Annie Taylor, has been penetrating the societies. Thibetan frontier~ from Sikkim, daring poison and assassination, but actually 2. Arrangements for a mass meeting reaching to within three days' journey of the evangelical churches each night of Lassa, the capital, and claiming for selected for the addresses. Sunday God every foot of ground her feet trod evenings are preferred, if possible. on! And now a Thibetan pioneer mis- sion is organized. Miss Taylor appears 3. Missionary sermons to be preached in Britain to secure a dozen men to go by the evangelical pastors each Sunday out to Darjeeling, India, and master the morning prior to the mass meetings. strange speech of the Lama worship· pers, so as to be ready to enter when 4. Arrangements for a Union confer· the two-leaved gates open. ence and prayer service for missionary workers on the afternoons prior to the Just now another link in the chain is mass meetings. supplied. God seems to be using the same means to open Thibet that He 5. Assurance of the active co-opera· used at Philippi's jail to open the door tion. of the missionary societies in the into Europe-the earthquake I We local churches. quote a recent account : 6. Payment of the travelling expenses, "The calamity which has befallen and free entertainment of the speakers. Thibet would seem to afford the oppor- tllnity which Christians have long 7. Ample notice through the local waited for. For years that country press both before and after the meet- haq been most jealously guarded against ings. the intrusion of even transient visit- ors. Only at long intervals, ann after 8. An invitation to all Christian En- great efforts, have travellers succeeded deavor Missionary societies and churches in the district to· send delegates to the meetings.
9. No collection to be made at the mass meetings, except for actual inci· in even passing through the country; Christian truth. FQr despite the pOltie and it has been utterly out of the ques- fancy which invests non·Christian re- ligious systems with an aureole of sanction to establish any missionary enter- tityand beauty, they have been weighed prise in it, though there have been prep- and found wanting in power to meet the deepest wants of mankind. Whatarations made to avail of the least ever their rightful place may have been opening. under Providence in the education of humanity; whatever the virtues they " Now comes the news that a great are calculated to promote among peoples earthquake has destroyed several Bud- in a certain stage of mental'or material dhist monasteries, causing large loss of development; however beautiful the theory, or elevated the ethics, which life, and the Grand Lama himself ap- some of them embody or enjoin-we cannot accept them as a substitute for pears to have perished in the catastro- Christianity or withhold its higher ligh~ from those who sit beneath their phe. This last occurrence can hardly shadow." fail to shake rudely the system of pure There is much curiosity felt to know Buddhism existing in Thibet, and to who the author of this article is.
prepare the way for the preaching of the Gospel.
.. The missiouaries who have long hovered upon the southwestern boun- dary of the country will hardly fail to avail themselves of such a providential opening. For this familiarity with the geography and local peCUliarities of the situation- in Thibet are essenthtl pre- requisites to a successful prosecution of the work, and we expect to hear that it has been entered upon at the earliest moment."
A late number of the London Quar- The monetary crisis imperils all misterly Review pays a remarkably generous sion work. The Presbyterian Board but just tribute to the work of foreign was threatened in March with a debt of missions. The anonymous writer claims $150,000. The Church Missionary Sothat philology, geography and ethnog- ciety was $175,000 behind. Mildmay raphy, comparative religion and cog- and the Y. M. C. A. of London each nate sciences have all been greatly in- $25,000 in debt. debted to those who have gone to bear the Gospel into the depths of continents That was a most notable conversion hitherto untrodden by Europeans, or to the ranks of the Salvation Army in into territories where death threatens the case of Prince Galitzin, of Russia. the intruder. After cordially conced- On a recent tour round the world in ing the material advantages of mission- the interests of the Imperial Geographary work, the writer adds: "It is too ical Society of St. Petersburg, he was late to speak of efforts as futile or fanatic in Washington in October, 1893, and which have literally girdled the globe there he attended a Salvation Army with a chain of missionary stations, and meeting; he was much impressed, and, those who now speak scornfully of mis- returning another evening, became It. sions are simply men behind their age." convert, and has since consecrated him- Then the grand opportunities for world- self and his life to the work of the wide missionary work are emphasized, Army. He prcposes to carryon Salvaand these remarkable words are added: tion Army work in Siberia, and has ., The heathen oracles are dumb, their gone to London to consult with Gentemples are decaying, their philosophies eral Booth with respect to his plans. are undermined, their creeds are honey- He is tall and stately, forty-five years com bed with distrust under the advance old, with refined features and expresof Western civilization, and the one sive eyes. He says, "I have given up supreme question is Whether their place my life to God and the Salvation Army. is to be filled by the adoption of an ag- I am so thankful that I have at last nostic morality or by the acceptance of found a use for myself and my income." Robert Louis Stevenson, writing from On the other hand, the editor has a the South Seas, says that he was preju- letter from a correspondent who in· diced against missions, but that his quires whether the REVIEW is only a prejudices have been annihilated. Pre8byterian organ! And he says that " Those who deblatterate against mis- a Wesleyan friend of his complains sions have only one thing to do, to come that "there is nothing in the REVIEW and see them on the spot." No fair- about the Methodists and their work."
minded man can see for himself the To show how groundless this com- work of the missionaries in foreign plaint is and how ignorantly it is made, lands and not come to the same conclu- we call attention to a letter of our val· sion. uable Methodi8t associate editor, Rev.
J. T. Gracey, D.D., to whom the com- Rev. Dr. F. F. Ellinwood, in a letter plaint was submitted. His reply may to the New York Wo1'ld, nailed to the at least serve to show what a Methodist doorpost the lies of a certain Dr. Ruel thinks of the undenominational charac- B. Karib, concerning the cost and char- ter of the REVIEW. He says: acter of Presbyterian missions in Per- " I have heard no intimation till now sia. He triumphantly exposes these as of any lack in the pan·denominational flagrant falsehoods, and reveals the character of the REVIEW. Methodists whole animus of their author, remind- certainly have no right to complain, ing us of the famous retort: "The nor have I ever had a hint that they allegation8 are fal8e, and the alligator did. I do recall no article ever sent by know8 it." He also says that other in- a Methodist that has not appeared in dependent testimony shows him a fraud. full, while many other contributions A native Persian, licentiate of Pittsburg have not been used on account of length Presbytery, present at the ministerial or for other reasons. Rev. Dr. S. L. gathering where Dr. Karib was "investi- Baldwin and Rev. Dr. Sutherland, gated," testified that for gross immoral- both secretaries of Methodist boards, ity he was driven out of Persia.- And furnished articles last year. Bishop so another assault on missions is traced Thoburn, of India, was a contributor; to an infernal source. so was Dr. C. W. Drees, Superintendent of Methodist Missions in South America. Mr. W. ~ Sherman, of Washington, Dr. O. W. Oushing reviewed Dr. But- Ind., sends to the 'Volunteer fund the ler's book on Mexico, both author and generous sum of $26.10, and accompa- reviewer being Methodists. Rev. O. P. nies it with a letter, in which he says, Hurd and Rev. H. C. Stuntz, both of .. My heart has been greatly gladdened India, are Methodists. My own brother, by the perusal of the January number a Methodist preacher, Consul at Fooof the REVIEW. Your bold and cour_ chow, China, and Mrs. Gracey furnished ageous words against the popular in- articles. The index of authors in the last iquities of these perilous times and in two volumes shows about one eighth behalf of the coming kingdom are es· Methodists. The April number, 1892, pecially exhilarating. I am exceed- International Department, was wholly ingly eager to have this thoroughly by Methodists and about Methodist misevangelical journal in thehands of many sions. Mr. HeU Ohatelain, one of our of the Lord's poor saints. Accordingly most learned contributors, was for a time I send you a draft on New York for connected with Bishop Taylor's West the volunteer fund." Our brother has African work, and Miss L. M. Latimer, our thanks for the donation, but even with Methodist work in Mexico. Rev. more for his helpful words of encour· James Mudge, D.D., served the same agement. This REVIEW aims to be denomination in India for ten years. absolutely faithful to the truth and the Hev. David S. Spencer, of Japan, Rev. kingdom of our Lord. J. E. Robinson, of India, both preRid. ing elders, have contributed to the last two volumes, 8S has Dr. Masters, of San Francisco, and Mr. Meakin, of the famed Budgett Methodist family of Wesleyans in England. Rev. John R. Hykes, Methodist missionary in Central China, now Bible Society's agent at Shanghai, furnished a ten-page article. I have not in this enumeration gone outside of the past two volumes. nor bought a large tract of land of the SuI· exhausted even these, nor referred to tan, near the Jordan, and intends to my own contributions and editorials. found there a large Jewish colony. Life and property in that region have Methodist missions have been kept as been more secure for the last fifteen years owing to the military station eswell to the front as Methodist authors tablished there by the government, elected in their contributions. If these which has also built a bridge over the Jordan to facilitate communication behave not been made strongly denomi·. tween Jerusalem and the valleys beyond the river, Whence the Holy City obtains national, it is doubtless because of t.he most of its cereals.
undenominational character of the mag- A curious relic of British mission azine. But this holds of other authors work exists in Russia, near Patigorsk, as well. Baptists (North, South, Cana- and within sight of the range of the Caucasus – viz., the little colony of dian), Reformed (Dutch), American Karras, an old mission station of the Free Church cf Scotland. At present Board, and other denominations are it is chiefly inhabited by Germans, and freely represented in our pages, not ex- the church services are held in that lanceptionally, but continually. And the guage. There are, however, still left a few children of the mission converts smaller societies have not been neg- who can speak English. Among the lected, nor have "independent" mis- community are persons of Circassian and Tartar blood, whose fathers were sionaries or societies, such as the China the fruit of the old mission. This col- Inland. In whatever else the REVIEW ony is independent of all ecclesiastical superiors, and is ruled in aocordance has succeeded or failed, it certainly has with the ordinances of the Free Church maintained its claim to be ecumenical of Scotland. The mission was origiin its character ; and it has reason to be nally commenced in the reign of Alexgrateful that not only so many denom- ander I., and suppressed in that of his inations have furnished its contributors, successor Nicholas. but also that theso repres~nt so many missionary sooieties in all parts of Amedoa, and several in Europe, while every section of the missionary world has taken part in the authorshIp of its pages. I am not writing a prospectus, but reviewing un fait accompli.
"Meeting, as I do, annually a hundred missionaries a year for a week at the Jnternattonal Missionary Union, f;:om all parts of the world and of all sooieties, and in constant correspondenco with missionaries of all shades of opinion to the ends of the earth, I think I have never heard from anyone of them a tint or suggestion that the REVIEW was not broadly charitable and fair. Whatever critioisms come do not touch the question of denominationalism."
For those who oare for a mathemati- The girls' seminary at Wellington, oal estimate, the following may be in- Capo Colony, has a faculty of twenty teresting : instructors, and numbers on its alumnre more than a thousand descendants of The late Rev. R. Steel, D.D., of Syd- English, Dutch, and French settlers. ney, New South Wales, estimates that, This school was founded some twenty in one hundred years, at a cost of $10,- years ago, is entirely self-supporting, 000,000, some threo hundred and fifty and its pupils have competed successislands have been evangelized, with fully at Cape Town in the university five. hundred thousand now in the and government examinations. Miss churches. This would be at the rate Abby Ferguson is the principal, and it of five thousand convertR a year, and at may be questioned whether a.ny one an expenditure of only $20 for eaoh agency is doing more for Africa's evansoul redeemed. gelization and enlightenment. The graduates of the school are scattered all A report is abroad that Baron Ed- ·over Africa south of the Soudan, as mond de Rothschild, whose presence at wives of missionaries, ministers, or Constantinople has been of material ad- merchants, or themselves teachers of vantage to his colonies in Palestine, has schools. We have always felt the warmest in- ly waited for. This story of faith, prayterest in the great work of the Euphrates er, heroic devotion, suff&ing almost to College at Harpoot, in Turkey in Asia, martyrdom with abounding joy in God, which has exercised so beneficent an in- is just what is needed for this degenerfiuence. ate day. It sounds like the Acts of the Apostles. We propose to make extracts Its field is all of Northeastern Turkey and further references to its contents in Asia to the Persian border and the from time to time. Meanwhile, let southeastern part of Russia; the terri- every man and woman who would. tory in which it is the only higher in- know more of a life hid in God and reetitution of learning, covering 200,000 vealing His power read these pages. square miles, with a population of T.b.ey will be read with tears of joy. 5,000,000, about one fourth of whom are Armenians. Of books which deserve mention, we call especial attention to Murdered Mill· The college seeks to give a compre- iIJ'TUJ, a very condensed and comprehenhensive, practical, Christian education sive plea for medical missions by George to its pupils, and to introduce the Gospel D. Dowkontt, M.D., of New York into the old Armenian Church, which is City. Within sev~nty-six pages here arousing to the importance of an edu- are compressed facts which might be cated and morally upright clergy. spread over volumes. Dr. Cuyler's keen pen furnishes a striking introduc- Rev. J. L. Barton, for eight years a tion. Dr. Dowkontt wastes no time in missionary in Turkey, now succeeds apologies, but enters in. media8 res. He Rev. C. H. Wheeler, D.O., as president. shows that the atrocious and absurd and cruel system of native medical treat- The McAll mission work in America ment in Africa, China, India, Siam, etc., has suffered a very great loss in the is virtual murder, and demands on death of Mrs. Frances Lea Chamber- every humane and Christian principle lain, who for so many years has been our prompt interposition. He shows intimately connected with this work. also the connection of medical work She died on February 16th, in Califor- with missions, and how it is the key to nia, where she had gone with her hus- many a difficult position. E'DfII'1Ibody band in pursuit of health. She was a ought to have this little book, published woman of remarkable character. Her at the office of the Medical Miasionary executive ability, wedded to a feminine Rewrd. 118 East Forty-fifth Street, sympathy and a fervent spirituality, New York. made a rare combination of gifts and graces. Her holy enthusiasm and con- The managing editor acknowledges secration had been the motive power of $5 "from a friend" in Chelsea, Mass.• the machinery of the auxiliary of which which will be devoted as desired, to the she was president; and when she was help of one who is seeking to enter the withdrawn, it seemed as though no one mission field. could take her place. Her husband has furnished a beautiful tribute to her, The Sabbath-school army in the in the shape of an account of her last United States claim 12,000,000 children, hours, and which appears in the McAll and half that number in Great Britain, Rewrd. She died beautifully, as she studying the same Bible lessons. In had lived. India, China, and even in Egypt, are fonnd 2,000,000 more who read the same Part 1. of The Story of the Ohina In- Bible verses weekly. land Missiun, by Miss M. Geraldine Guinness, and an introduction by J. Hudson Taylor, hJ!.S been issued by ~Iorgan & Scott,London ; and Part II. will be eager-
GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLJGENCE
V.-GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.
EDITED BY BEV. D. L. LEONAlID.
Extraots and Translations from Foreign and teachings, but a confession of Periodioals. Christ the Saviour. The man confesses concerning himself that he is a sinner, BY REV. C. C. STARBUCK, ANDOVER, who feels hill need of a Redeemer; con- MASS. cerning Jesus Christ, that He is the only, all·sufficient Saviour, to whom one NETHERLAl!oo1)S INDIA. commits himself and trusts Him, whom one will serve, Him alone, Him en- -We in Christendom have become so tirely, through a life according to His very wise in the laws of nature that we Gospel. Missions do not aim, may not do not seem to have very much more aim, at the propagation of any particuse for the God of nature. Our God is ular church doctrines, but at the imvery apt to be either a helpless essence plantation in the convert's hearts.of an residing in things, with no power of act- active Christianity brought by Jesus ing with personal energy upon them, or and kept alive by Him."-Maededeelinelse a deistic mechanic who has framed Den '/Jan weDe bret NederlandBche Zendelthe world and stares at it from outside, inggenoot8chap (Reports from the Netherletting it go as it may after being once lands Missionary Association). wound up. But outside of our overdone wisdom, the Father is still wont to " The Bible at the Batavia Exhibition. reward the simplicity of faith with the -After a postponement of twelve days, fruits of faith. Herr CHRISTIANSEN, to prove the truth of the peculiar Indoof Sumatra, writes: "The Lord does Dutch proverb, 'Hast u lang eaam' not leave Himself without witness [Make haste slowly], the Exhibition was among our Christians, of which I could opened on August 12th at 11 A.M. by adduce various examples. One Sunday His Excellency, the Governor·General of I had preached upon James 5 : 14–16. Netherlands India, amid the pomp and Without any solicitation of mille the vanities that generally attend such occa· elders, the same evening, proceeded to sions. the home of a Christian child that was sick unto death. in order to bring the "The day was observed as a Bank message heard into practical applica- Holiday in the majority of the business tion. They moved the parents to con- houses, and everyone took the opporfess their sins, and prayed with them tunity to make the day as jovial as posfor the recovery of their child; and be- sible; but neither on this day nor since hold, in half an hour it was well. Nor have I noticed one man the worse for is this the only case among us, though drink, nor in any way behaving himit is the most striking. in which the self unseemly. The native industry prayer of faith has saved the sick after sheds, well filled with interesting modhope had expired."- Berichte der Rhein· els of their many ingenious inventions iachen MiaBionB- GeaelZschaft. -houses, tools, weapons, cooking uten- sils, clothing, etc.-form an attractive -" Missions form churches formed and interesting resort for foreigners; out of hc;iathens and Mohammedans. and the contents of the foreign indus- Whoever abaudons the heathen worship try sheds are inspected with wonder by received from his fathers, or turns away the natives and Chinese. from the false prophet, is received on confession into the Christian fellowship. " An interesting collection of the Holy Where missions are well understood and Scriptures, in more than forty languages intelligently guided this is no confession and dialects, testifies to the extensive of articles of belief or of distinctive ideas and most important work of the Brit-
EXTltACTS AND T:RANSLATIONB
ish and Foreign Bible Society in emanci- endeavors to argue away the truth of pating the souls of the enthralled mill- the divinity of Christ; the Bengalee ions 1ri these regions. It is the most approaches with bows and flattering important exhibit in the foreign indus· unction offered in broken Englis!J., in- try shed for the welfare of India's mill· spects the Bengalee Gospels, and quietly ions, and yet the most despised and sar- laying them aside, passes on with the castically criticised. promise to return another day; the Baba·Chinaman inspects, questions, " Situated in the midst of a sea of in- beats down the price, reads a chapter toxicating drinks, and facing the central or two, and out of 'kasihan' (compas- open space used as a drinking saloon, the sion) for the seller purchases one or two Bible stand is ' a light in a dark place.' copies; the Chinese immigrant (sin- On one side, facing the drink exhibits, keh) smiles and chatters, and if you are two cases filled with open Bibles in happen to mention the name of' Yaso' different languages, and in the centre a (Jesus), tells you that you speak Chinese missionary map of Netherlands India, very well, waves his hands in the air, with the stations or depots of the Brit· and again smiling, moves on clumsily ; ish and Foreign Bible Society marked the Frenchman. with his pseudo polite- with arrows; above this map, in letters ness, defends himself behind the pale six inches long, is the text, < The Word of Rome ; the psalm-loving Dutchman of the Lord endureth forever,' and un- seeks a psalm-book; the member of the derneath the map the text, ' Wine is a new school (Moderns) seeks the Old mocker, strong drink is raging; and Testament only; the unbeliever dis- , whosoever is deceived thereby is not parages the utility of Bible dissemina- wise,' both texts being in the Dutch tion, and obnoxiously cursing and jeer- language. Fronting the drinking saloon ing, orders a 'bittertje' (gin and bit- are two large book-cases, also filled up ters) from one of the waiters in the with open Bibles; and between these is drinking saloon opposite. a board twelve feet by fi ve covered with the Dutch national colors-orange, red, "Many other nationalities visit. the white and blue-and with the name of Bible stand, and it would tire the reader the society printed consecutively upon to relate all that happens from day to these colors in Dutch, English, German, day. About 30,000 tracts and booklets and French. In front of these are three have been given away at the Bible stand; tables cove:red with open Bibles in many and it is sad that no efforts are made languages, from among which ten to by the Dutch Chris~ians to reach the thirty Bibles, New Testaments, and thousands who attend this show. I can- portions are sold to different individuals not find a single person who is willing every day except Sundays. to help me distribute tracts; the gen- eral opinion that dominates the Chris- "It is very interesting to notice the tiana here is that it injures the European different characters that pass by, and pre8tige. This semi-Christianity has a to hear their peculiar remarks. The chilling influence upon the lives of the calm, grave, business-like Armenian unconverted thousands of Batavia, and comes and asks for the New Ararat consequently empty chairs are conspic- Armenian Bible, and handles every uous in the churches, and the Sunday portion of the Holy Scriptures with is the great feast day of the week and is great reverence; the superstitious, fanat- desecrated by 'corso-carnivals,' horse- ical Mohammedan, with his troubled races, horse and other cattle shows at the features, spits upon the ground, and Exhibition. etc. I do not wish to phari- will not touch the Book of the' Kafirs ; , saically judge our Dutch friends, but I the indifferent, joke-loving, superficial wish the readers of these lines to pray native makes the unanswerable defence, for' Java's million8.' "-A. W. HURST when asked to buy, 'Tidak ada duwit ' Bo:a.ur, in the J£alagBia J£688a(J6 (M. E.). (I have no money) ; the sarcastic Arab
&ENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
-What cowards European officials adulterated Christianity; nay, that in in the East Indies, British or Dutch, are the papacy we cannot fail to recognize apt to be when it comes to honoring a sort of anti-Christianity; that the their Christian profession in the face of modern Catholic missionary work espagans or Moslems I They are thus pecially presents itself as an antagonist earning the contempt of their subjects, of the pure Gospel, and that it is a duty who cannot understand how a man can to assume toward it not merely a defenprofess a religion and yet be ashamed sive but an aggressive attitude. The of it. The MaanillJericltt of the Nether- discussion of this question was of such lands Missionary Society, giving ac- a temper as might well have afforded count of Brother Wijngaarden's baptism the Catholics an example. 'l'here was of his first converts at Deli, remarks: nothing apparent like blind hostility or " To' Brother Wijngaarden's regret, the bitter hate, but a zealous endeavor to Controller, who was his guest. left Deli distinguish even in aduZterated Christhe day before the baptism, in order not tianity the Christianity. and in proselyto set an offieial stamp on the proceed- tizing energy the element of missionary ings by his presence. And yet by his zeal. At the same time it was clearly withdrawal he led the Battaks to sup- recognized that a friendship with Rome pose that something was going on which is impossible; that every compliance is he would Hever not see)' (1 use the interpreted as weakness, and every con- Dutch word here identical with our cession is sure to be abused. Accordfamiliar English word.) "Repeatedly ingly this was the conclusion: (1) public officers, higher and lower, have There must be no refusal to Catholic very cheerfully consented to be pres- missionaries. even when making aggresent at Mohammedan ceremonies! How sions upon a Protestant fiold, of the love much more rapid would be the advance due to all lllen; (2) but all intimacy of Christianity in our East Indies if- with them should be avoided; (3) not a while doing all honor to the religious foot of land should voluntarily be reneutrality which the State must of linquished to tbem; (4) but all permitcourse observe-the European officials ted means should be used to check their were at liberty to exhibit their personal advance; (5) and where possible the sympathy and were not ashamed of ground should be preoccupied. On the their Christian profession." whole, it is clear that here so much, not to say everything depends upon the THm CONTINENT. circumstances and the persons, that the truly evangelical missionary will ;not -At the Bremen Missionary Confer- bind himself to certain inflexible rules, ence, among other points, it was also but in each particular case will solicit discussed What attitude is to be as- wisdom and guidance from above_ sumed toward Roman Catholic mission- Would God we might do all this so aries. The excellent Cal~oer MonatBhliit- completely as to give every singleter remarks: .. There, also, there are minded, even if not every zealous two opposing views. The one begins Roman Catholic the impression that with this position: The Catholics, too, fundamentally there is a more genuinely are Christians; their baptism is recog- Christian and apostolic course of connized by us also; we cannot but rejoice duct pursued in the evangelical misover every heathen who becomes a Cath- sions than in his own !" olic; there are among the Catholic missionaries many sincere and self-sacrific- -The &enska Mi8siomfih'bundet (Swcing men. The conclusion is that we dish Missionary Union), the organ of should assume toward them as friendly the Waldenstrilmian free churches, has and respectful an attitude as possible. 43 missionary agents, almost double The other view emphasizes the position that of 1888. The income for 1892 was that the Roman Church presents an $82,000. The three stations on the
le84.] ENGLISH
Congo have increased to five, with sev· are carried on. Let the Congo sweep eral out-stations. "The stations are away one life after the other, the ranks equipped with a number of stone build- are ever filled afresh-nay, more workers ings; transportation is arranged for; offer than can be used. Multiplied as the training of the natives, younger and are the exertions and privations involved elder, to work has been taken in hand; in the calling, they do not deter; the schools are provided for both sexes, number of the missionaries keeps growchildren and adults. There are 193 ing. Although the missionaries of the school- children, 78 church – members. China Mission, the Holiness League, About a dozen native helpers are labor- and the Alliance Mission are sent out ing; an evangeliot training school has without any assurance of a fixed supbeen established in Diadia. which also port, receiving only so much as suffices gi ves them more general instruction of for the simplest necessities. yet one misa simple character. God's word is zeal· sionary–Carlson, of the Holiness League ously proclaimed at the principal and -whose heart has been pierced by the out·stations as well as in the neighbor. wretched lot of outcast Chinese, out of ing Villages. Translations are proceed. this saves enough to maintain an asying, and a native paper is issued."- lum, into which he transports them on Pastor BERLIN, in Allgemeim Mi88ions· his back. There is here a wealth of con- Zeitachrift· fidence and joy of faith which may well put many to shame. Obedience to the -The Union has also missions in Lord's will even to death, heedfulness Algiers, the Ural :Mountains, Caucasia. of the Lord's intimations and directions China, and is about establishing one in in great things and small. burning zeal Cashgar. It has abandoned its Persian for the salvation of souls, life in and mission, and has transferred that in from the Word of God, unwearied con- Alaska to American Swedes. The two tinuance in prayer and intercession- Swedish missionaries murdered in China here is the strength of these men and were of this society. women. They direct their eyes even to the ends of the earth; no work is too -The Swedish :Mission in China, great for them; no difficulty holds founded in 1887 by Eric Folke, has ad- them back; no danger intimidates vanced rapidly, favored by the peculiar them. Though a good dem of enthuinterest felt in Sweden for China. Its siastic extravagance may be interminincome in 1888 was $1392 ; in 1892 it gled with all this, there is yet abunwas $5832. It works in close union dance of holy fire glowing here ; and, with the China Inland Mission. therefore, we may well confide that these labors and sacrifices will also bring gain -Herr Berlin, after subjecting the for the kingdom of God. In missions, various Free Church missionary move- too, it is seen that God can overrule t.he ments of Sweden, with their slight errors of men, and turn into bl8ssing measure of organization at home and for the world what has been done for abroad and their comparative neglect of he ho nor of His name." preparation, to a temperate but searching criticism, nevertheless adds: "One English Notes. thing must not be overlooked in these forms of missionary activity. :Much as BY JAMES DOUGLAS, BRIXTON, LONDON. there is in them at variance with the plan of missions as hitherto developed (Jentral London Mission.-It is with among Germanic Christians [a term in- special pleasure we record the advance cluding Germans, Dutch, Scandinavi- of this enterprising mission which has ans, and Anglo-Saxons], yet it must be as its object the occupation of the Cenacknowledged with what personal de- tral Soudan. Three of the missionaries votion and enthusiasm, with what zeal are left at Gabes, where a new training and heroism of self-sacrifice these labors
MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
):lome has been opened, while six others united because equally baptized in the occupy the training home in Tripoli. .. One Spirit." What led to more than Mr. Hermann Harris, the Moses of the one fervent expression of thanksgiving expedition, left Gabes on January 17th was the cheering fact that from ¥ay for Kano, taking with him Mr. Dick. 1st, 1894, the residence of British sub- This journey is immense, and involves jects will be permitted at Yatung, in the passage across the Desert of Sahara Thibet, in accordance with the commer- to the populous negro kingdom of cial treaty newly passed between the Sokoto. Another detachment of this British-Indian Government and that mission contemplates reaching the cen· country, so long closed against the tre of the Soudan by way of the Niger. foreigner. The public meeting on the Mr. Holt has made the proposition, and evening of the same day was of a most two young men have offered to accom- enthusiastic description. Exeter Hall, pany him. The cost of carrying this if not packed, was almost filled. Miss scheme into effect is estimated at £400. Taylor gave a lengthened account of The intention is to start by way of the Lord's dealings with her, and ex- Lagos, and to pass through Ibadan, plained how the land of Thibet had been Oyo, !lorin, and Rabba, and thus to laid as a heavy burden from the Lord reach Sokoto, the largest of the negro on her heart. The meeting, While kingdoms of the Central Soudan. This deeply touched by the narrative of her mission is closely connected with the adventures in Thibet and the degree to Pentecostal League under the leadership which the element of personal danger of Mr. Reader Harris, the headquarters entered into it, were even more affected of which are Speke Hall, Battersea, by the honoring testimony which she London, S. W. I may add that the bore to the Lord's presence with her Pentecostal League is interdenomina- through all. No danger, or suffering, tional in its spirit and aim. or privation could even for the moment damp her joy or break her peace. In Persia.-It is reported that the work- Thibet, amid the absence of every outers among the Moslems in Persia are ward cOllfort, she carried heaven in her being much cheered; that the young own heart. Christians are showing increased zeal for the spread 0 f the Gospel, while the num- Five of the band-two from Scotland, ber of Mohammedan inquirers in regu- two from England, and one from Norlar attendance at the Persian services on way-gave brief, earnest testimonies, Sundays is sufficient to afford the mis- after which the whole band united in sionaries great thankfulness. singing" Anywhere with Jesus." Be- fore the meeting closed Pontso gave an The Thibetan Pioneer MilJJlion.-This address in the Thibetan tongue, which missionary bark may be said to have Miss Taylor interpreted. been formally launched on Friday, February 16th, 1894. In the afternoon North Africa Mi88ion.-This mission a gathering for prayer was held in the has wonderfully developed and sprcad smaller room of Exeter Hall, which was within a brief space, and much precious largely attended. All the members of seed has been sown for which only a the Thibetan band were there, along small return is apparent as yet. " Bewith Miss Annie R. Taylor and her fore the first missionaries landed in Al- Thibetan attendant Pontso. James giers in 1881 there were no Protestant Mathieson, Esq., presided, and Dr. missionaries or Bible agents to the Mo- Maxwell, a missionary veteran, said a hammedans or heathen from Egypt to few words of stimulating address. The the Atlantic, and from the Meditermeeting, however, mainly consisted of ranean to the Senegal, Lower Niger, a continuous stream of intercession, in and Congo, a district more than one .which brethren and sisters equally hundred times larger than England. Now there are nearly eighty missionaries of the North Africa Mission, besides suffice, though he had but a moderate several who have been initiated by it, force at his disposal, to check the horand who are working independently; rible operations of those slave raiders and several more sent out by societies who had desolated the heart of Central stirred up by hearing of North Africa's Africa during past ages. In the second needs and God's blessing on this mis- place, the possession of Uganda meant sion. Altogether, counting the agents the opening out of the Eastern Soudan. and colporteurs of the Bible Society, Bishop Tucker contested the idea that there are over 100 laborers for God, the Soudan could be penetrated from where, in 1881, there was not one among Suakim from the north-the true door the Moslems. ·The Gospel of John has was, in his view, through Uganda, and been translated into Kabyle, and the it was by this passage that the eighty Gospel of :M:atthew into Riffian by the millions of people living there would Bible Society ; other portions are trans- be reached, civilized, and brought unlated into Kabyle and are being print- der the influence of Christianity. ed. " Large tracts of country, however, in North Africa are still unevangelized_ Bulgaria. -While Bulgaria cannot be The vast Salwra, which has a few scat- described as an unoccupied field, its tered millions of Berber and Arab in- spiritual condition, according to Basil habitants, has no missionary. Egypt Keuseff, a native, now in missionary itself has 540 towns, with a population training in England, is deplorable. He of f~om 2000 to 40,000 each, without describes the Greek Church in Bulgaria any regular Gospel agency. "All that as "dead and indifferent ;" the clergy has been done is as nothing to what re- as "ignorant and immoral;" the inmains to be done before the peoples of telligent class as " sceptics and infidels." North Africa are evangelized." Mr. Keuseff recognizes the work done by American brethren in spreading Mr. Edward H. Glenny, the honor- Gospel truth among the people, and the able secretary of the above mission, has service rendered by the British and recently returned from a tour in Moroc- Foreign Bible Society's translation of co. He says, "The impression formed the Scriptures and by that society's colon my mind by visiting the cities and porteurs. But he feels that the great towns of El Koar, Fez, Mequinez, need demands an accession of help, and Larache, and Arzilla, and by travers- would be glad to hear from anyone ing 300 or 400 miles of country in North who would be willing to join him in Morocco, was to deepen my feeling of evangelizing that land. "The language the utter hopelessness in which the fol- of Bulgaria is phonetic and easy to lowers of the false prophet are sunk; a learn. The climate is one of the healthihopelessness which enters into every de- est in Europe." Besides, there is ., ampartment of life-religious, political, ple scope for all kinds of evangelistic and social; and yet when we compare work." Mr. Keuseff's address is Cliff our experiences with a few years ago, College, Curbar, Sheffield, England. how thankful we ought to be that the country is as open to the Gospel as it Priestly defectionfrom Rome in France. now is I" -We are somewhat startled to learn that at the present time there are, in all Bi8hop Tucker on Uganda.-In the parts of France, priests who have lost course of a recent address on Uganda, all confidence in the papacy, and desire delivered in Durham, Bishop Tucker, to step out into Gospel light and liberin regretting the death of Sir Gerald ty. Professor L. J. Bertrand, who is Portal, spoke of some of the resultant now staying at 21 Upper Woburn Place, advantages of Great Britain's possession London, W. C., is the director of a of Uganda. First of all, it meant free- work the object of which is to extend dom for the slave. The presence of a to all French priests wishing to leave British representative in Uganda would Rome a helping hand. Mr. Bertrand will never ask the Emperor of all the says, " There is at the present time a Russias where it may set its foot." great movement among the priests of France; and I have lettcrs from all -The latest and best estimates put parts, and even from Rome. jesuitically down the population of the world as defying me to gi ve names and addresses. 1,479,700,000. Of this horde 826,000,000 All the same, well-known priests, first live in Asia, 357,000,000 in Europe, canons, abbots, proCessors, and semina- 164,000,000 in Africa, and 122,000.000 in rists write to me, ,. Go on with your North and South America. In the face work. You have chosen the best way of these large figures, the population of for a religious reform, which we all the United States does not seem so imwant iu France. Put fire to the very mense after all. nest. As soon as you succeed you will seA that if we love and adore Christ we -Of the 1,480,000,000 of the earth's hate the Gltu1·c!t. But what can we do? inhabitants, the Emperor of China holds We know nothing of the world; we sway over 400,000,000; the Queen of are fit for nothing in the world; and England rules or protects 380,000,000 ; the Concordat says explicitly that a the Czar of Russia is dictator to 115,- Reman priest cannot be a Protestant 000.000; Francc, in the republic, dc· pastor without his B.A. degree and pendencies and sphercs of influence, four years at the Protestant theological has 70,000,000 subjects; the Emperor seminary! • .. Thousands of French of Germany, 55,000,000; the Sultan Roman priests would leave their Church of Turkey, 40,000,000; the Emperor to-morrow if they were not to be obliged of Japan, 40,000,000; and the King of to beg for their daily bread." With Spain, 27,000,000-two' thirds of the respect to Mr. Bertrand's work, known population of the globe under the govas the (]J}uvre des Pr6t1'es Gonvertis, it ernment of 5 rulers. should be noted that it does not exist for the benefit of unfrocked or disgraced -A Kentuckian who visited Korea priests, but for the guidance and help presented to the king a bottle of whiskey of such as, through compulsion of en- as a sample of the chief product of his lightened conviction, wish to leave the native State. Christian people in Ken- Church of Rome. tucky have since sent to the king a beautiful copy of the Bible to show that THE KINGDOM. the State has something better.
-" The universe is not quite com- -A miserly man, who insi~ted that plete without my work well done." he was a proportionate giver, explained later that he gave in proportion to the – The times are hard, but heathenism amount of religion he possessed. is harder. -General Sickels, speaking of the -Baptist tobacco costs more than disposition to denounce rich men as if Baptist missions.-The Kingdom. they were public enemies, says, "No- where in all the world have men of -Once upon a time, when at Con_ wealth done so much for religion, edustantinople, the Russian Minister Bou- cation, philanthropy, and patriotism tineff remarked with majesty, "Imight as in the United States." as well tell you now, Mr. Schauffier, that the Emperor, my master, will never -Upon the fly-leaf of a Bible was allow Protestantism to set its foot in written the following words: "Lay Turkey," he received this fully ade- any burden upon me, only sustain me ; quate reply, "Your excellency, the send me anywhere, only go with me ; kingdom of Christ, who is ~y Master, sever any tie but that one which binds me to Thy service and to Thy heart. "
– William Dulles, Jr., treasurer of the Presbyterian Board, printed this apt sentiment from Dr. Livingstone on manner, and general appearance were a financial statement recently sent out: true gentlemen." •• I will place no value on anything I have or may possess, except in rela- -The native account of the last martion to the kingdom of Christ. If any- tyrdom in Madagascar concludes with thing I have will advance the interests these touching words: "Then they of that kingdom, it shall be gi ven, or prayed, '0 Lord, receive our spirits, kept, as by giving or keeping it I shall for Thy love to us hath caused this to most promote the glory of Him to whom come to us ; and lay not this sin to their lowe all my hopes, both for time and charge.' Thus prayed they as long as eternity. May grace be given me to they had any life, and then they diedadhere to this." softly, gently; and there was at the time a rainbow in the heavens, which -In 1881 Dr. Southon, of Scotland, seemed to touch the place of the burnwas sent to Ujiji, Africa. On his way ing." there he passed through Urambo. The king sent for him, and showing a large -Dr, Hamlin, the veteran miBBionary, tumor on his arm, which, by pressing said recently, .. You take a poor, mil>- upon an important nerve, had caused erable beggar, as I have known some him much pain, asked, " Can you do instances-a beggar who has become anything for this?" The doctor re- converted, and apply to him that iron plied, "Yes, I can take it all away." system of tithing which the OrientsI "But will it not hurt a great deal 1" wol'ld loves and always has loved, perasked the king. "No," replied the haps always will love, and make that doctor, "I shall put you to sleep, and beggar, as the one condition of enjoywhen you awake all will be done." ing the privileges of the Gospel, give " Do it at once, then; I have not slept one tenth of what he begs, and as much for a long while." Afterward the king more as you can make him give, and in said, .. You must not leave us ever. a short time he will not be a beggar; Here is land, here is wood, here is every- in a short time he will support himself, thing, only do not leave us." and be in circumstances comparatively comfortable." -Rev. A. J. Wookey, of the London Missionary Society, in making the jour- -The Egyptian washes before he ney to his field at Lake Ngami, Central prays-he washes his feet, even; and Africa, tells how at one camping place every holy place has a provision of " a poor little old fellow turned up at water for the purpose. He washes his the wagon from the forest, from whence hands and his teeth before and after he he had heard the whips. One of his eats. So particular is he in this matter, ears had been cut off close to his head that when he cannot get waler for his by the Batauana. I gave him a bit of ablutions the sand of the desert is held meat of a koodoo which had been killed to be sanctified for the pmpose. The yesterday. He did not roast it as usual ordinary Egyptian child is not allowed at the fire, and when asked why, he said to pray or eat without first dabbling its that his wife was in the forest, and he hands in water. Yet it is allowed to would eat it with her in the evening. live for months without having its head His little woman, he called her. It and face, or its body generally, once did one good to find such thoughtful well washed with soap and water. love even in a poor waif of humanity such as he. " WOMAN'S WORK.
-" The intelligence and refinement of -Helping Hand gives this as an exthe Fijians surprised me," said a recent ample of the inhumanity of heathenism: traveller. "I saw men who in spirit, "Better raise her or not? What do you think?" The questioner was a Chinese farmer: we had been preach- own suffering and healing they got in· ing in his village, and he followed us struction, intnition, insight, inspira- away from the crowd to make this 1m- tion. It made them ministers. "
portant query. Farmers at home are -At least in some respects Africa sometimes in doubt in regard to animals would appear to be the paradise for a trifle deformed whether or not to raise women missionaries. For" nothing is them; but did you ever know a farmer feared from them, and they are allowed in America to go about asking advice to go in and out at their pleasure. Their on a point like this? "I have a female presence more than once has spared child and she has six toes on a foot; valuable lives to the Congo work. The many of the neighbors tell me I better missionaries in Africa count the work not raise her; her feet can never be of one woman worth that of twelve made to ·look well. What do you men, since they can go anywhere, even say?" The" neighbors" were many among the fiercest tribes. Their moof them Buddhists, who were earning tives are never questioned, and they are merit by vegetarianism, thus not caus· listened to with the greatest respect." ing the death of any animal; but their merciful creed had not included girl -Woman has a large sphere In China babies in the list of animals to be as well, for" It may be truthfully said, spared. I noticed a simIlar contrast a in general terms, that the salvation of few days ago. The body of an infant the women in all Oriental countries de·· floated by the boat, and some of the pends on the women of Christian lands. men thought it a huge joke, poked it This arises from the peculiar ideas of with a bamboo pole, and indulged in propriety and modesty prevalent, which heart-sickening merriment. forbid women holding any social inter- course with men who are not members -Mrs. Ballington Booth makes this of their own immediate families. Our declaration concerning the" slum bri- people, accustomed to free American gade" of the Salvation Army: ., These usages, do not realize how strict these girls do not go down among the poor ideas are. On one occasion Dr. Woods, for a few weeks or simply to study of Tsing Kiangpu, was called in a case them. They go for life. They ostra- of extreme need to see a woman with cize themselves from society. They disease of the feet. The first visit he scrub floors, they mind the children, paid, in order that he might make an they wash the dead, they go where the intelligent diagnosis, he was allowed police dare not go except in squads. to see his patient, feel her pulse, and The power of a great supernatural love, ask questions in the presence of the which God has planted in their hearts, family; but on his second visit what sustains them." was his surprise and amusement to see -" With Him the twelve and certain a foot thrust through a doorway, with women which had been healed of evil a curtain hanging down in front."
spirits and infirmities, . • • which min- -Mrs. Elizabeth W. Andrew and Dr.
istered to Him of their substance." Kate Bushnell have again sailed for "Healed to minister I These women India, Burmsh, China, and Japan, being had known they were sick, and came sent out by the Women's Christian with their record of suffering to Him. Temperance Union "to form local They knew they were sinners, and that unions, to strengthen and develop those no sanitary report on the state of their already existing, to set forth the plans hearts could fully describe the deep and purposes of the work by schools of and long-seated evil. They went to methods wherever opportunity offers, Him and were healed of evil spirits and and to preach the unsearchable riches infirmities. A wide area is covered by of Christ to the untaught and the un- that word • infirmities.' Through their saved." This statement appears in a recent drance, for the Moslems fail to dis- paper by Mrs. Kennedy, of the Presby- tinguish between our Christianity and terian Woman's Board, upon woman's theirs."
mission-" Go Tell": .. More than one -Twenty-five years ago the 'women half of the active laborers in the field of the Methodist Church organized for' are women; the exact figures being 214 world-wide work, raising only $4547 ministers; male lay missionaries, 42; during the first twelve months. Ten total, 256; women, 367. These last years later the income had climbed to are found on every field, dismayed by . $66,844; ten years later still to $225,- no danger, deterred by no hardship, 000, and last year to $277,304. The braving the rigors of northern winters totalfortwenty-five years is $3,139,757. or the baleful heat of torrid summers. So, why should not they celebrate, re- They have gone into homes and been joice, thank God, take courage, and welcomed where the feet of Christians push on with tenfold greater zeal? had never before been allowed to enter.
They are crowding to the front in rapidly increasing numbers. What, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
think you, is the significance of the fact that of the 56 new missionaries sent to -It would be difficult to find so much the field last year, 16 were wives of Christian common sense packed into so missionaries, and 21 single women? brief a space as is contained in an ad- Surely the' Go tell' of the risen Saviour dress upon ., Necessary Practical Trainis bearing rich fruit in this our day and ing," given at the Detroit Student Vol- unteers Convention by Rev. H. P. generation. " Beach, of the Springfield, Mass., School -The Ladies' Kaffrarian Society is for Christian Workers. Would that an independent ally of the Scottish Free every young man and woman propos- Church foreign mission enterprise in ing to enter the foreign field might read South Africa. It has made the girls andheed I and young women of Kaffraria its special care, and has now 170 receiving -One department of the Epworth Christian training in its school at Em- League has a beautiful name, that of gwali. The society has also provided . " Mercy and help." What it stands for an assistant for Mrs. Forsyth at Upper is set forth by one chapter which " dur- ing the last year made 258 calls upon Xolobe. the sick, aged, and needy. A sewing -Miss Ella O. Kyle, missionary in society was formed, and garments were Egypt, recently received $500 from a made for a family of motherless chil- wealthy lady friend whom she met in dren, and also clothing for a child wishthis country last year, and will use the ing to attend Sunday-school. Watchers money in the mission school, where it were furnished for the sIck. An old will greatly assist the work.-Xenia lady who had no means of support was Gazette. aided by having her house rent paid, -The English Church Society has in eatables carried' to her, and her chores Palestine alone, and not including mis- done. A. pound social, in connection sionaries' wives, 21 women engaged in with Christian Endeavor, was given, its work. All these" encounter special the proceeds for the benefit of the poor."
difficulties, owing to the watchfulness -Hon. Chauncey M. Depew thus and suspicion of the Turkish officials ; tersely defines the functions of two) and the deeply interesting letters which Christian associations: "The Young reach us from time to time are mani- Men's Christian Association is the re- festly safer in manuscript than in type. cruiting station of the churches. The The condition of the women in the Society of Christian Endeavor-doing Eastern churches is also a terrible hin- the work in the interior 'of the church -is the citadel of the Christian camp and for that of 3 orphans in a Chrilltian inside the lines." school in China.
-Flower committees are good al- ways; but during these hard times jIotl'r UNITED STATES. committees are even better_ -The gifts of Endeavor societies to -Captain R. H. Pratt ranks with the the American Board and the Woman's late General Armstrong among the Board during 1893 amounted to $13,535. foremost friends and benefactors of the American Indian, and his Carlisle -The society of the church at Ocon- school, with its more than 600 Indian to, Wis_, has agreed to give at least $100 boys and girls, gathered from 56 tribes, for missions during the present year_ is no mean rival of Hampton. The in- Miss Reinhardt went out from this society to Mosul, Turkey, a few months dustrial feature holds a prominent place ago_ in the course of training ; the discipline -The Presbyterian Young People's partakes of a military character, and Society of Grand Island, Neb_, has the boys are dressed in cadet uniform. pledged $25 for the support of Miss Besides, good homes are found for them Julia Hatch, who went from this church in the region, chiefly upon the farms, to Siam_ The Juniors have also pledged where both sexes can learn English and $10. be taught to work. Last year 376 boys and 245 girls were out, and requests -The Young Ladies'Mission Band came in for twice the number. of Portland, Me., celebrated its decennial February 14th. Its membership is -Say not the negro is lacking in over 300, making it the largest junior intelligence, whcn, at the recent conferauxiliary in connection with th'l Wom- ence at Tuskegee, this declaration was an's Board. The band raised last year adopted: ., We believe education, prop- $601. a gain of nearly $100 over any erty, and practical religion will eventprevious year. During its brief hIs- ually give us every right and privilege tory 3 members have entered the ser- enjoyed by other citizens, and therefore vice of the Woman's Board, 2 (Mary that our interests can best be served by Morrill and Anna Gould) as missionaries bending all our energies to securing to North China, and Alice Kyle as a them rather than by dwelling on the member of the staff of workers at the past or' by fault-finding and complainrooms in Boston. ing. We desire to make the Tuskegee Negro Conference a gauge of our prog- -At Birmingham, England, a num- ress from year to year in these things ber of factory girls (members of the in the Black. Belt." Girls' Letter Guild) recently gave .a tea to 250 poor children, many of whom -The Germans in New York City were shoeless and stockingless. number 583,000; in Chicago, 406,000; in Philadelphia, 188,000 ; in St. Louis, -The Belfast, Ireland, Young Wom- 167,000; in Milwaukee, 135,000; in en's Christian Association Institute re- Cincinnati, 120,000 ; and in Cleveland, cently held its annual meeting, and a 103,000_ The total number of foreignmissionary statement was made; the born Germans in the United States is present position of affairs being 4 mem- 9,250,000.
bers in the foreign field-in China, India -Does Rome really want the whole and Africa-4 engaged in home mission earth and all that is therein? It looks work, 5 in training, and 1 in treaty_ that way; and this is a specimen of Over £215 was raised last year by the her greed: Forty-five of the 61 alder- members (58 of whom hold self-denial men in the Chicago City Council are boxes) which was sent direct for the Roman Catholics, as are also 90 per cent support of missionaries and candidates, of the police force; 80 per cent of the fire department; 67 per cent of the Ing Society within the last forty-two teachers in the public schools, while 80 years has ~ded in 49 States and Terriper cent of the pupils are Protestants. tories 2445 churches, and the amount expended is $1,892,918. For 429 par- -In Mr. Moody's Bible Institute, sonages the amount is $151,563. Chicago, the students enrolled in 1893 were: Women, 195; men, 381; tran- -St. Bartholomew's Church, New sients, 85. Denominations represented: York City, of which Dr. D. H. Greer is Women, 10; men, 35. Thirty-one rector, started a mission that proved to States of the United States, Canada, be successful, and Mr. Cornelius Van- Turkey, India. Japan, Scotland, Ire- derbilt bought thrce lots for $75,000 at land. England, Germany, Sweden, 205-209 East Forty-second Street, on Switzerland, Denmark, Russia, Persia, which a building was erected by his Norway, Bohemia, West Indies, South mother, Mrs. William H. Vanderbilt, Africa, Hawaii, and New Zealand were at a cost of $225,000. Then Mr. Vanrepresented. 'fhe previous work of the derbilt presented a $10,000 pipe organ, attendants was: Pastorate, 24; evan- and the past year built on a lot directly gelistic, 13; licensed local preachers, east, that has been purchased and will exhorters, etc., 13; singers, 4; Young be added. In the basement are a res- Men's Christian Association secretaries, taurant, eight bath-tubs, andalaundry. 20 ; home and city missions, 11 ; foreign On the first floor a rescue mission hall missionary, 1 ; secular occupations, 111. holds over 1000 people under the direc- tion of Colonel H. H. Hadley. There -The New York Society for the Pre- is a medical clinic in connection with vention of Cruelty to Children cele- the parish house, a savings bank, boys' brated recently its anniversary. In his club, girls' club, carpenter shop in the annual report, President Gerry says: basement, cooking school, kindergarten, " Nineteen years have elapsed since the gymnasium, type-writing school, dressrescue of Mary Ellen from her cruel making school, and 3 Bible schools, stepmother caused the interference of 1 Bible club, and a summer garden on that great friend of humanity, Henry the roof of the building for amusement. Bergh, in behalf of an ill-treated little So here is a literal bee-hive containing girl. At his instance sprang up this about 5000 persons. institution. Not only was its influence felt in the Empire State, but east, south -The lIethodist Episcopal Church and west similar societies were formed, reports 221 male missionaries in the until to-day there is an unbroken chain foreign field, 205 assistant missionaries extending across this continent in every (of these 196 being wives of missiondirection, from ocean to ocean." Dur- aries), and 153 women sent and susing the years of its existence the society tained by the Woman's Board. The has investigated complaints involving distinct missions number 24, and 7 of the care and custody of 233,000 chil- them in Protestant Europe. The churchdren, over 27,000 convictions have been members are 69,887, and the probationers secured, and 40,660 children have been 49,400. Of these thousands India suprescued and relieved. plies 17,135 full members and 33,343 probationers; China, 6021 and 4684 ; -The Southern Baptist Convention South America. 1464 and 1158; and is embarrassed by an overabundance of Mexico, 1721 and 1364. Nearly 35,000 applicants for missionary work, and church-members are in Germany and says: "Our committee on new mis- Scandinavjan countries. sionaries has recommended 10 as suitable and worthy to be sent. The num- EUROPE. ber of those who apply is great. We ha'DIJ ceased to count them. " Great Britain.-The London Tele- graph. gives the amounts which have -The Congregational Church Buildbeen left by will to religious and Chltr. Huahine, Raiatea. and the neighboring itable purposes for six years. In 1888, islands, to the Paris Missions Evange- 1889 and 1890 these amounts aggregated liques. The latter now announce that about $5,000,000. In 1891, $6,000" the L. M. S. has made them a free gift 000; 1892 fell below the other years, of all the mission property on those reporting only $4,000,000 ; but in 1893 islands, charging only a small sum for the amount rose to $7,000,000. some furniture, which was the private property of their missionaries. – The National Bible Society employs 110 colporteurs in Japan in the sale of -Dr. McAll, who died in May last, the Scriptures. was the founder, and for many years pastor of London Road Chapel; and -The Shipwrecked Mariners' Society the members felt that a memorial of maintains 1000 stations, relieves annu- some description ought to be placed in ally about 10,000 sailors, fishermen and the chapel. Accordingly a committee their dependants, and since its organiza- was appointed, subscriptions were intion fifty-five years ago has given aid vited, and the sum of about £40 was to nearly 460,000 persons. During the soon collected. It was decided that the terrible gales of a few months since 143 memorial should take the form of a tabvessels, 911 men, and 993 widows and let. This is now in place, and on the orphans were helped at a cost of about centre panel is cut and gilded the in- £4000. scription: "To the honored memory of Robert Whitaker McAll, D.D., -During the year 1893 the S. P. G. F.L.S., first pastor of this church, board of examiners accepted the offers founder, and for twenty-one years diof 5 clergymen and 23 laymen for mis- rector of the Evangelical Mission in sion service. Of these, 13 were from Frauce, created by the French Govern- St. Augustine's College, Canterbury, ment Chevalier of tp-e Legion of Honor. 6 from Cambridge, 4 from Oxford, and Born 1821, died 1893. Co-worker 1 each from Trinity College, Dublin, and with God." the theological colleges at Dorchester, Salisbury, Warminster, and Lincoln. The Continent.-According to re- In addition to clergy accepted at home, cent statistics, the Roman Catholic 70 clergy, including 16 natives, were Church in Belgium has 229 cloisters placed on the list of the S. P. G. abroad; with 4775 monks, and 1546 nunneries 31 were added in Africa, 10 of whom with more than 25,000 sisters. In 1866. were natives. there were 178 cloisters with 2991 monks, and in 1880, 213 cloisters with 4120 -During the year 1893,63 new mis- monks. The number of nunneries in sionaries reached Shanghai, in connec- 1880 was 134:6 with 21,600 inmates; in tion with the China Inland Mission. 1866 it was 1144 with 15,000 nuns. The There arc others on the way, bringing rapid increase down to 1880 is largely the number up to 86, and at least 100 owing to the fact that the members of young men evangelists are still needed. the orders expelled from Germany went to Belgium, whence many returned to -The London City :Mission employs Germany since 1878. With these 30,000 482 missionaries, who visit systemati- monks and nuns, and a host of priests, cally all the year round among the poor etc., besides, this tiny corner of Europe and outcast. Last year 3,667,680 visits ought to blossom with piety and all man· were paid. The work is undenomina- ner of good works. tional. More than 500,000 men are regularly visited by the agents of this mis- -The Evangelical Society of Berne, sion. Switzerland, has just held its annual meeting. From the reports it appears -Some years ago the London Soci- that a good work is being done by a ety, on account of the vicious med- band of 27 ministers and evangelists, dling of the French Government, was obliged to make over its missions in who go about through the hills and with it is found nowadays the centre of mountains carrying the Gospel to those disturbance and peril as touching British who cannot go to church to hear. tule. For ten years a National Congress Eighty-five Young Men's Christian has met annually to discuss (for speech Associations and 80 Young Women's is free in the great peninsula) and to Christian Associations have been started formulate demands. The ·cost of the by the society, and a large number of standing army is much too great, the young men are being trained as evan· number of Indians in high civil offices gelists. is much too small, and proVincial coun- cils ought to be in which natives shall -The feeble Presbyterian churches have greater prominence, etc. And all in Spain were largely supported by a this desire and determination come as Mrs. Peddie, a Scotchwoman who has the fruit of the education in Western recently died. Speaking of what Prot- ideas bestowed by the British rulers. estantism owes to the discovery of the New World, somebody pertinently sug- -In Madras Presidency about 1000 gests: "Spain has been neglected by separate works came forth from the tourists and missionary societies. It press last year, in more than 20 lanwill not do to forget the debt we owe to guages. For the whole of India the Columbus and the land which sent him number was 7125. Of thesc 1580 were forth. The daughter-land and Church upon religious themes, 989 related to should not decline to share her purer language, 928 to poetry, 336 to science, faith and higher prosperity with the 252 to medicine, 225 to law, 203 to phifoster-mother. losophy, and 172 to history and biog. raphy. It should, however, be added -Hall Caine, in the Pall Man Maga- that a vast majority of these publications zine, says Russia's reasons for expelling consist of but a few pages, and are of the Jews are, first, religious; second, trifling value, if not really worse than national; and thirdly, and almostexc1u- worthless. sively, economic; for: 1. He is a voluntary alien-a Jew, not a Russian- -By the death of John Elphinston, separating himself by dress and custom of the Bombay Civil Service, for years from the people among whom he lives. Collector and magistrate of the Ahmad· 2. His personal character is revolting. nagar district, and of Sir Henry Ram- He is dirty, heartless and impure. 3. say, during forty-four years Commis- His religious character is hypocritical. sioner of Kumaon, in North India. we He uses his religion to hoodwink his are reminded of how much Christianity God and to deceive his sovereign. 4. owes to the lives and deeds of hundreds He is grossly ignorant and fanatical, and thousands of the representatives of and has resisted and misused all efforts the paramount government. Both were to educate him. 5. He is a bad soldier. devoted friends and most liberal sup- He fiees from military service. He joins porters of missions, the latter in partichimself to the Nihilists and other ene- ular being the real founder of work in mies of the government. 6. Above all, Almora, as well as for years by far the he is an immoral trader, a cheat, a base largest giver. usurer, a friend of the drink traffic, and he has one morale for his dealings with -Rev. D. S. Rivington tells how in, his Jewish brethren and another for his a remote village of Bombay he found in. dealings with Christians. a temple of Vishnu the tomb of a man who had died ten years previously, and ASIA. on the tomb, as an object oj worship, a large copy of the Bible in Canarese. A India.-Among both Hindus and Mo- stranger theological medley could not hammedans agitation for" home rule" well be conceived-a Christian tomb and is steadily increasing, and in connection a Bible enshrined in a Hindu temple, guarded by an image of Vishnu, and reopening and anniversary of the Tamil slong with the idol receiving the wor- church."
ship of Hindus I The Hindu has gen- -The Church Missionary Society erally so much religious sentiment that has 4 mission circles in South Indiahe is able to dispense with logic and viz., Madras, Ootacamund, Tinnevelly, consistency of faith as well.-Indian allU Telugu country; and these are Witnes8. looked after by 105 European and na- -An Indian magazine states that at tive clergymen. The number of Chris- Dewali, in the Punjab, gambling is re- tians who have been brought into the garded by the Hindus as a" religious fold is 58,000; and there are besides duty," and has been enjoined upon these over 8000 under instruction pre· them by the priests from time imme- paratory to baptism. The society has morial as a theological dogma, the idea in its schools over 22,000 children. The being that the souls of those who do not financial return shows that the native indulge in " jooa" will enter the bodies congregations gave during the year of donkeys. In the Occident the idea Rs. 38,000 to meet their congregational is mostly reversed; but to avoid calam- expenses, and for different religious and ity in the East "the simple-minded charitable objects.
Hindu, the few educated ones excluded, -Eighteen years ago there were but tries to play the destructive game as 2 Bible-women in the Neyoor District, much as possible, so that by accumulat- South Travancore. Later on a few ing the whole benefit derived from such Christian women would go out on Sun- playing he may be able to get rid of the days in couples to the nearer villages, donkey life in the world to come." fearing the scoffs and ridicule they knew -The Independent observes: "The they would meet with. Now there are banner Conference of the Methodist 25 who go forth Bingly day by day, and Episcopal Church in the number of are not only welcomed in the villages, SUll(tay-schools is not in the East. the but regret is expressed if for any reason West, or the South-not in this country they are kept away. Fourteen addiat all. It is the North India Confer- tional villages have been visited during ence. Those who think the Gospel has the past year, making a total of 61, and made little progress in India need to still the cry is, .. Come and teach us." rub their eyes and wake up to the In one house a mother and two daughfacts." The number of Sunday-schools ters said they had quite given up the in this Conference iii 518 ; of Christian worship of idols. In another, an old scholars, 9408; of non-Christian schol- woman, kissing the hand of the visitor ars, 11,921 ; or a total of 21,329. and looking earnestly into her face, re- peated with great fervor, "Jesns God, -The London Society has a woman my life, save me a poor sinner !"
.. who almost rivals the late Mrs. Doro- -This is the showing of the London thea Baker in the length of her service. Rociety for Travancore, from a com- Mrs. Addis and her husband founded parison of 1892 with 1893: Agency: the Coimbatore Mission in 1830. They Increase of 55 native agents, from 750 labored together till 1861, and then re- to 805. Evangelistic and pastoral de- tired to the hills, where he died in 1871. partment : Increase of 642 baptized, Since then she has sold over £10,000 from 23,654 to 24,296 ; increase of 2510 worth of goods sent from England to in entire Christian community, from aid various missions, and has collected 50,637 to 53,147 ; increase of 264 church- more than £1000 for the Bible Society. members, from 6466 to 6730. Educa- Last year, although she had reached the tional department: Increase of 49 great age of eighty-five years, she trav· schools, from 363 to 412; increase of elled down to Coimbatore to attend the 790 boys, from 12,209 to 12,999 i increase of 368 girls, from 4184 to 4552. memory of her father and of his father. Contributions of native Christians: It is a valuable lesson to the Chinese to Increase of Ra. 597, contributions, from tell them that all those buildings are Rs. 18,832 to Rs. 19,429. Medical mis- erected in memory of parents. They sion: Increase of 7031 cases, from 26,- seem to think that foreigners are de void 194 to 33,225. Press: Increase of 1075 of all tilial feelings because they do not pages printed, from 3,307,236 to 3,308,- worship at the graves. 311.
China.-Dr. Ashmore believes that AFRICA . .. the evangelization of the Chinese is more important than that of any other -A Baptist toiler on the Congo race; for as far as all human standards writes thus of trials endured: .. The are concerned they are so far beyond missionaries' houses at this place are any other heathen nation that there is poor, but better ones are in process of no comparison to be made… erection. My own little abode was 20 X 14, with mud walls and a thatched roof -The following proclamation was of grass. Even tlJis was not excluissued aWhile ago in the province of sively my own, for besides my two girls, Honan, China: .. Should anyone be- who lived with me, there were lizards. come bewitched by the foreign doc- centipedes, and other small creatures. trine8, and not be willing to sacrifice One Sunday morning, as I was dresseither to Confucius or to the spirits of ing, a snake fell from the roof down his ancestors, he must be severely dealt beside me, but no -harm was done." with by his clan. His name must be But she heeds not such trifles, for erased from the family regis.ter, and his " this is the scene where the Gospel of whole family driven from the province… our Lord Jesus Christ has triumphed, and in hundreds of huts, which are not -Rev. Arnold Foster recently found worthy of the name of homes, women, the following prayer po~ted on a house strong men, and children are rejoicing in Wuchang: "A young man named in Christ. The 24 schools and 5 churches Cheng Yu, living inside the Gate of Mil- are centres of light to the heathen, 10, itary Conquest, reverently implores the 15, 20, and 30 miles around in different God of Thunder to display his awful directions. Native evangelists and teachmajesty and to forgive the writer's sins ers are constantly winning souls, and of ignorance and to enlighten him as to often we have marvelled at their zeal, what they are ; he will then gladly obey courage, and fearlessness in the midst his parents and elders, and will be very of God's enemies, who persecute them careful of all kinds of grain. He now and plot against their lives." puts out this promise to reform. Will benevolent and right-minded people, -Out of 40 men and women sent to as they pass by, read this confession as Africa by the International Missionary a means to restoring the writer to health ? Alliance during the last flve years, 11 He offers his grateful thanks to all who have died. The tirst year of residence do so. .. It seems that this young man is most fatal. had some affection of the eyes which he believed was caused by some sin on his -Bishop Taylor has 43 white missionpart. He confesses he does not know aries at his .. self-supporting" stations what is the god of thunder whom he in Angola and the Congo Free State, toblindly adores. gether with quite a force of native evan- gelists and teachers. Twelve died at -When Mr. Whiteweight, of the their posts last year. English Baptist Mission, was home last year, he received about $16,000 from a -Lovedale Institution has an attend- Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, for school ance of '782 pupils of all grades. These building, chapel, etc. It was given in represent almost a score of tribes, and not a few come from regions hundreds .. large population roundabout makes it of miles away. This seat of learning a very favorable centre for missionary has a KafIir church, with 800 members, work.
whose pastor, Rev. Pambani J. Mzim- ba, " is a splendid specimen of what the THE ISLaNDS OF THE SEA. grace of God can achieve in the Afri- can race. " The congregation is almost -The Hon. C. R. Bishop has deeded entirely self-supporting, and out of its to the Kamehameha school in Honolulu poverty has undertaken to build a $10,- all his property on the island of Molokai. 000 house of worship, has raised $3000 The property includes 90,000 acres of from the field, and seeks the rest in land, stocked with cattle, horses and Scotland from friends of the Free sheep.. Mr. and Mrs. Bishop had pre- Church. viously given munificently to this insti- -The Rev. J. D. Hepburn, of the tution.
London Society, who died on the last -Not all of the heroes and heroines day of last year of malarial fever, was are of European stock. Mrs. L. Kaaiathe apostle of Khama's people, the wahia, the wife of Rev. S. Kauwealoha, Bamangwato. From 1870 till 1890 he both of them native Hawaiians, went labored uninterruptedly at Shoshong, with her husband in 1843 to the Marand when Khama moved his capital to quesas Islands as missionary under the Palapye, he went also, but retired, bro- Hawaiian Board to those cannibal ken down in health, in 1892. Not only islands, where she remained for forty was the conversion of the tribe largely years without ever returning to her nadue, under God, to him, but the new tive land. Part of the time she lived mission to Lake Ngami.owed its origin almost alone, separated from other misto his enterprise. sionary families. Her hands and her -The waters of Lake Nyassa are heart were occupied with labors for the ploughed by no less than 7 steamers, natives, by whom she was greatly honsome engaged in traffic, but mainly en- ored and loved.
gaged in the service of the King, carry- -In Fiji there is a circuit which has ing glad tidings to the benighted. 16 ministers, 310 local preachers, and -From OentraZ Africa we learn that upward of 7000 members, with 27,000 Baron Von Soden, the new Governor· adherents. Of the ministers, all but General of German East Africa, has one are natives, and the single European decreed •• that all missionary societies is quasi bishop of the populous diocese.
settled within the territories under Ger- New Hebrides.-Rev. J. W. Macken- man protection, without distinction of zie writes from Efate : •• Sabbath before nationality, shall enjoy exemption from last was a grand day here. 'l'he sacra- import duty and from the excise of con- ment of the Lord's Supper was dis- sumption for an amount not exceeding pensed, and 18 church-members sat £120 per annum. " down for the first time. The whole -The Universities Mission has opened number of communicants present was a new station in the Yao country, in 150.
P~rtuguese territory, at II place called -The West Indies include many Unangu, some 50 miles east of Lake islands under British, Dutch,and French Nyassa, and about 200 north of Blan- rule, and the republic of Hayti. The tyre. It is quite a large town, set on a total area is about 100,000 square miles, hill, with thousands of houses, many and the population 5,500,000, while 16 of them large and well built. The sta- societies are at- work with over 120 or- tion is expected, from its situation, to dained missionaries and 500 native help- prove exceptionally healthy, while the ers. The communicants number 75,000.
The Missionary Review of the World — January 1891
J. M
MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD.
VOL. XIV. No. t.-Old Series.–J ANUARY.–VoL. IV. No. t.-New Series.
L–LITERATURE OF MISSIONS.
FALLEN ASLEEP-REV. JAMES M. SHERWOOD, D.D. Like it winter avalanche in the Engadine-sudden, swift and inevitable-Deathcame to our beloved, associate editor, on October 22d. He had been, as usual, at the weekly prayer service, at Trinity Presbyterian Church, the week previous, and had spoken-all unct'>nsciously-his last public words. At the close of a brief, but earnest and impressive address, he faltered a little, said, "Let us pray," and sank back into his seat, speechless. He was tenderly borne to his home, and, after a few days of flickering flame, life's lamp went out so quietly that the exact moment was scarcely perceptible-let us not say "went out," but was transferred to another sphere to burn and shine forever. This departure withdraws from earthly scenes a man who had a large circle of friends. He had been preacher, pastor, author, editor, and in every sphere of activity he touched nothing which he did not adorn. He was not cut off prematurely, for he was in his seventyeighth year; and his years were packed with various and versatile endeavor. Born in Fishkill, N. Y., in 1813, he had only a common-school education, and entered, as clerk, his father's store in Johnsville; until, feeling in him the resistless impulse, toward the ministry of the Gospel, he, with his father's consent, turned his steps toward the pulpit, was taken under care of presbytery and studied theology with the pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Fishkill, Rev. Robert G. Armstrong. At, the age of twenty-two, he was licensed to preach, and subsequently served churches in Mendon, N.Y., New Windsor, N.Y., and Bloomfield, N. J. In each of these churches he left his mark both as a preacher and a pastor.' He also acted as evangelist for a term in Milford, Conn. After his health seemed to demand a change of occupation he found a fitting sphere for his busy brain and ready pen in the gi'eat republic of letters. His work as editor of the National Preacher, Biblical Repository, New York Evangelist, Eclectic Magazine, Princeton Review, Hours at Home, Homiletic Repiew, and MISSION-
FALLEN ASLEEP-REV. JAMES M .. SHERWOOD, D. D
ARY REVIEW, has entered, into the unchangable record of history. He was the founder of Hours at Home, which was, in a sense, the parent of Scribner's Magazine; and the richness, variety, and marvel- lous success of the Homiletic Review, none know so well as the twenty thousand readers who study its pages.
Beside all his occasional papers, published in the leading maga- zines and periodicals, he wrote the "History of the Cross," and edited a new edition of the "Life of David Brainerd." He had also written a voluminous work on "Books and Authors," which has not yet ap- peared in print.
Such are the brief outlines of an intellectual life that extended over half a century. He was thrice married; his first wife was Miss Amanda Carpenter; his second, Mills Jane E. Lamberson; the third, Miss Annie Clarke, who survives him, as do also his five children.
We have never known a man of larger capacity for work. No one who knew him would have suspected that he was far on the way toward four-score years. And there was not the slightest sign of intellectual decadence. Up to the last his mind worked with all its pristine vigor and versatility. To the very day when paralysis struck him, he seemed as fresh and young, mentally, as in the years of early manhood, and he actually worked from fifteen to eighteen hours out of every twenty-four.
He was an embodieo, conscience. Duty was his polar star. Indeed, he had but little patienc~ with anything wrong, ignoble, di3honest. In his vocabulary the word" expediency" was not found. Right was his only might, and principle his only policy. There were those who possibly construed as severity what was only an uncompromising adherence to right and righteousness. I,ow moral standards and equivocal moral practices could find with him no toleration, and but little forbearance.
Religiously he was a thoroughly evangelical disciple. He knew no theology but the old theology of Paul. That was good enough for him. He regarded the new notions creeping into the doctrinal beliefs of our day as signs of degeneration and disintegration. He believed implicitly the Word of God and the whole of it, and bowed in humility before tIle mysteries he could not explain. To no work of his life did he give himself with such absolute heartiness as to the editing of a REVIEW whose grand object was to promote a world's evangeli-' zation. ,He was especially desil'Ous' to live till he might see this, the last and most precious work of his life, established on a basis of permanency and having a world-wide circulation.'
As a man, especially in his own household and within th~ circle of intimate friends, we cannot in these pages undertake to photograph his character. There are some secrets that cannot be unveiled to the common eye-they refuse to emerge from their privacy; they lose their beauty by disclosure. It is enough to say that 'he was most bel6lved by those who best kRew him.
Our readers will no longer read his words or feel the pOWEl'!' of his guiding hand in shaping the content·s of this REVIEW. His work here was invaluable. Although his duties, as simply editor, gave him little leisure as a 'Writer, and it was only in an occasional paragraph or a more infrequent article that his hand was seen, even while hidden, it still moved beneath the whole structure of this REVIEW. He was constantly seeking to engage the most competent pens to contribute to its columns, and was always on the alert to improve its quality and increase its circulation and enlarge its influence.
He rests from his labors; we devoutly believe that his works will follow him.
"MORS JANUA VIT.LE."
It may be well for the editor to add that, being left now in sole <lharge of this REVIEW, he proposes some minor alterations, which will be noticeable in the present issue. The number of departments will be less, and the fine print, so trying to many eyes, will be abandoned. Instead of letters from abroad, we shall venture often to give only their substance, and notices of books will appear on,Iy as editorial notes. The Monthly Bulletin will be simply an appendix to General Intelligence, in the briefest and most compendious form, presenting the latest news from various fields, etc. And, in view of the unselfishness of our work, which is undertaken solely for the promotion of the Kingdom of God, we again ask the prayerful, sympathetic co-operation of all who daily pray " Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done In earth as it is in heaven."
SYSTBMATIC GIVING.-To raise large sums for missions we have no need to depend on a few large givers, but only to "organize the littles." Dr. Guthrie eloquently urged hundreds of the poorer folk to take subscription cards and fill them up with such sums as they were able, from a sixpence to five shillings; and explained to them how the drops unite in showers, the showers produce rills, the rills, rivers, and the rivers make the sea! Not six hours after his speech a poor woman in Currie's Close had collected from scavengers and night police and basket-wives and match-sellers-and beings who live no mortal can tell how, over half a sovereign! And a little woman, who sat in all weathers on the street selling eggs from her ba8ket, brought in five shillings, the earnings of many a day's labor.
LIVINGSTONE AND STANLEY
LIVINGSTONE AND STANLEY. [EDITORIAL. ] On the map of Africa, which history is making, these two names will be engraven in letters so large that they will be read at the distance of ages. It may, therefore, be well to put on permanent record some characteristic facts which link with Equatoria and with each other-David Livingstone and Henry M. Stanley.
DAVID LIVINGSTONE, born March 19, 1813, died April 30, 1873~ having just passed his sixtieth year. Converted at twenty, he was. for forty years, in heart and aim, a mIsSIOnary. Thus have we roughly outlined a life that, within those two-score years, poured forth as much of the costly ointment of a consecrated service as, perhaps, anyone life since the age of the Apostles.
He was a man of singular force. As Sir Bartle Frere said, "Any five years of his life might have established for him, in any other occupation, such a character, and raised for him such a fortune, as none but the most energetic can realize." His last public utterance in his native Scotland seems to have been in Oswell's school, where his closing sentence was: "Fear God and work hard," and these words disclose the double secret of his life. By simple, God-fearing, hardworking perseverance he traveled 29,000 miles in Africa, .and added to the known regions of our globe a million square miles; he discovered Lakes 'Ngami, Shirwa, Nyassa, Moero, Bangweolo, the Upper Zambesi and other rivers; he unveiled the Victoria Falls that surpass Niagara; revealed the high ridges that flank the basin of the central plateau; first, as a European, compassed Tanganyika and gave it its true orientation; explored the geology, and hydrographyfauna and flora of the continent; nd so grappled with the two great enemies of man and beast, in Africa–j'ever and tsetse-that he himself said those two words would, at his death, be found engraven on his heart.
To energy he joined industry. What Livingstone was, as a scientist and explorer, the world does not yet fully know. His powers of mind were but medium, and his early opportunities were but meagre. But, like William Carey, he could" plod;" and rigid economy of time, yoked with patient resoluteness, gave a momentum to his life which native genius and great advantages often fail to secure. In the factory at Blantyre, where attention to his cotton-spinning was necessarily incessant, it was only fragments of time-often less than a minute-that could be spared from his work; but those fragments he gathered up, and it was upon solid and substantial diet that he fed his growing mind. In the books he read as a lad we can see the germs of his scientific career as a man. He was also careful in details. That famous" lined journal' of his was a quarto volume of over 800 pages, where the plain, neat writing is a model and a marvel -of pains and patience. The mind that, even in African wilds, found Telaxation in "Smith's Dictionary of the Bible," will not be charged with lightness or waste of time!
He was certainly ve1'satile~' and what great questions he studied! the dessication of Africa, the possible utilization of her great rivers, .as water highways; the physical structure, geology, climatology, botany, of the tracts traversed! Then, again, we find him translating hymns into the Sechuana language, and adding to all else the toil of book-making, in which, perhaps least of ali, he was a success. This was the only task he did not approach with that enthusiasm, without which he himself said that nothing either good or great is done. Book-making was to him a mere task, to which even crossing Africa was far to be preferred. But it is no marvel if a man, shut in with pagans and for years without contact or converse with a white man, not to sayan Englishman, should feel that he had none of the facile <Jommand over his own tongue, and none of that leisure to digest and .assimilate his own material, which are needful if a book is to be any- thing more than a printed jou1'llal.
Livingstone's services to science were too great for hasty recognition. The accuracy with which he traced his course and marked his geographical points, leaves almost all other explorers behind him. His astronomical observations, his dilicovery of the fact that the In- terior is a plateau intersected by various streams and lakes, whose waters reach the ocean through great fissures in the flanking hills; and his manifold contributions to every department of natural science, compelled even sages to say that such various and versatile suc- .(lesses were without precedent.
Traveler, explorer, geographer, astronomer, zoologist, botanist, physician, missionary-what a many-sided man! What accurate observation of details! What husbanding of results! He brought home twenty-five different sorts of fruits; told of oils, dyes, fibres, varieties -of sheep and vegetable-products of which even the Chamber of Commerce knew hitherto nothing. In May, 1855, the Geographical Sodety decorated him with their highest honor, the gold medal; London, Glasgow and Edinburgh conferred on him the freedom of their dties, while he who loved to minister but not to be ministered unto, shrank from publicity and courted retiracy.
Humor is a conspicuous element in all great natures. A hearty laugh, genuine and generous, somehow inspires confidence. Livingstone's habit of seeing the funny side of things saved many a tragic ending and tU1'lled many a tragedy into a comedy. He writes to his daughter Agnes, about his almost toothless jaws, that if she" takes .any more kisses from him it must be through a speaking trumpet." He declared the sight of a soko (gOt'ilIa) nauseating, and that he is so bideously ugly that he could conceive no other use for him than" to sit for a portrait of Satan." When showing his lantern-slides-the only service for whose repetition the natives clamored-it greatly amused him that those who stood on the side where the slides were withdrawn shrank back in mortal terror lest the mysterious figures that so magically appeared and disappeared should prove wandering spirits and enter into their bodies!
.Duty was his watchword. He was an incarnated conscience. In the scales of a candid mind he weighed eve)·y question, and, aftercarefully considering a course, judged for himself; and then dared to act independently, even though against the remonstrance of his best friends. To keep his word and to do his work was the double motto of his life.
Such elements of character always crystallize about a strong will. His favorite maxim was" Try again!" His persistence and perseverance were heroic and herculean. "If I live I must succeed in what I have undertaken; death alone will put a stop to my efforts,'" were his words in 1866, and they proved prophetic. Half-starved on tough and tasteless African maize, even his goats lost, and milk denied him; his medicine-chest stolen; in the heart of Africa without resource or defence against a thousand ailments, like a warrior without weapons at the mercy of his foes; afterward, narrowly escaping' death thre!l times in one day, and then almost dead of debility and disease;-not one man in a million would have gone forward. Especially when, in 1872, Stanley himself begged him to return with him to England, he never flinched from his resolve to remain in Africa. Nay, when a strange presentiment burdened him that he was on his last journey and would never reach its goal, he pressed on, praying' that before he fell he might work out his purpose!
Self-denial was, from the first, a habit. Privations and sorrows he accepted and expected, as Moses did when he calmly exchanged the treasures and pleaBures of Egypt for a share in the afflictions of the people of God. Rather than sacrifice Africa's good he would spend his last penny, surrender his dearest gains, and give up his last drop of blood.
Such was THE ~IAN who, beyond all others, henceforth stands in history as the heroic friend of Africa. Mr. E. D. Young, who knew him so long and so well, pronounced him" the best man he ever knew.'" Such filial trust in God, such a childlike, Christlike spirit, such loyalty to duty, purity of motive, simplicity of aim, energy of purpose and unselfish love, united to make his life one grand sermon. The iron pen of action, held in the hand of resolve, wrote out its sentences in living deeds on history's imperishable scroll, for all future ages to read in letters of light!
Iile was a man of great faith. His strong but simple confid~nce· in God's providence was the north star of his life. He saw how every' crisis of his life turned upon some seemingly trifling event, as a door swings on a hinge-but the hinge argues a workman who knows how much to hang upon it. He remembered how the chance reading of Dick's" Philosophy of the Future State" led him both toward faith in the unseen and toward a reverent philosophy of science; how Gutz- laff's appeal led him to be a missionary and a medical missionary, too; how while the opium war closed China against him, Moffat's visit wedded him to Africa and to his beloved" Mary" ; how the friendly word of a director procured for him another" trial," while his dangerous illness in London strangely shaped his unconscious future.
He learned also that the leadings of Providence, like the subtle sense of the Inspired Word, are to be read not by the natural but by the spiritual eye; and he sought, by specific prayer for guidance, to cultivate the" single eye," that there might be no dim or confused vision; and carefully watched every motion of God's beckoning hand, pointing finger, or guiding eye. One text gave telescopic range and microscopic delicacy to his vision: "In all thy ways acknowledge Htm, and He shall direct thy paths." This trust in God's providence discerned good and cause for gratitude even in trials and troubles.
Apparent calamity became a storm signal of the will of God; and when, in the death of his wife, that nameless sorrow which finds no earthly balm smote him, his only answer was that great petition of his life: "Fiat, .Domine, voluntas tual"
He believed in special providence. Even among men it is the great minds that give heed to minutire: the astronomer grasps an infinity of small things; the general-in-chief commands the least details in his wide survey of camp and campaign; and so God is not so high above us as not to "number the hairs of our head."
Such a man, of course, loved his Bible, wrote on his heart its pre- cious promises, and became so absorbed in them that he was indiffer- ent, if not insensible, to praise or blame; and, that he might neither be misled nor inflated by human approbation, he made it a rlile never to read or preserve any words ofpraise-which resolve, of itself, marks him as a most uncommon man. While in Manyuema, he four times read his Bible through; and when in Ulva Cottage, in Hamilton, I took that very book in my hands, I saw dimly through my tears the evidences upon its worn pages of the singular devotion of its la- mented owner.
Whatever Livingstons may be in history, in his own eyes he was, first and last, simply a missionary. Charles Gutzlaff's "Appeal for China" first set his heart aflame; but, when his early longing toward China was transferred to Africa, the fire of his enthusiasm lost noth- ing by the transfer of those live coals to a new altar of service and sacrifice. ' When he began his work his conception of himself was that of a mere missionary laborer, but better acquaintance with Africa's wants and woes gave breadth to his aim. He said there was need of one whose plans would embrace a whole continent and its whole. future. The entire land must be surveyed and mapped out; the accursed traf- fic in the bodies and souls of men abolished; the resources of the country developed, and new facilities devised for travel and traffic. Before the missionary could go, his path must be explored. Some John the Baptist must go before Jesus to make a level highway for our God. And this humble missionary-worker unconsciously devel- oped into the MISSIO~ARY GENERAL AND STATESMAN. Restraining the natural impatience of visible progress, he was willing to wait a century for the fruits of his works to be seen; as he grandly declared, the "END OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL FEAT IS THE BEGINNING OF THE EN- TERPRISE."
And so this humble man had a passion to act as a PIONEER, and open a path for others to follow; if he could not himself sow the seed, he could break up fallow ground, where as yet neither sower nor reaper had ever trodden.
Livingstone's ideas of mission work were evangelical and catholic. He offered himself to the London Missionary Society, because its sole aim was to send the Gospel to the heathen; setting up no par- ticular form of church order, but accepting laborers from different denominations, it concerned itself mainly with rearing churches of Christ on Pagan soil. Paul's motto was also Livingstone's: "THE REGIONS BEYOND." He took no "other man's line of things made ready to hand," but yearned to preach Christ where He had not hith- erto been named. As he told the directors of the London Missionary Society, he was at their disposal to "flO anywhere provided only it be FORWARD." The views of Blantyre's great hero, as to missions, are such as we wish might prevail everywhere. "Vith him the foremost law of mis- sions was NOT CONCENTRATION BUT DIFFUSION! However important to secure conversion of individual!'! or of communities, the field is the Vorld, and seed, scattered broadcast over the whole area, is far bet- ter than seed sown however thickly over a limited area. Ve are to seek to sow the whole field, rather than seek harvests however abun- dant in any part of it. He favored colonization, transplanting a body of Christian workmen into the midst of the dark places of the earth and the habitations of cmelty, to show how men and women in every calling, may "abide therein with God;" and he yearned to see twenty . 01' thirty families going together, at one time, to build up a Christian community in the heart of paganism. He gauged missionary success not by the shallow showing of so many converts for so many pounds, shillings and pence; but by the diffusion of better principles which no statistical columns can exhibit, any more than Babbage's calcula- ting machine could suffice for a barometer 01' a thermometer.
He was, in every best sense, a missionary martyr, both in witnessing and suffering. "Sacrifices" he would not call them; but they were many and great. Often soaked with drenching rains; his bed, the coarse, damp grass; his food, bird-seed, roots, African maize; forty timE)s scorched in the furnace of fever; what words can tell the agony, when, April 27, 1860, he left his dear "Mary" in the grave at Shupanga, and turned from her dust to find the only balm for his broken heart in seeking Africa's redemption! Three years later he must have touched the bottom depths of trial. His wife dead, his <lhildren orphans, his expedition recalled, his very efforts to serve God and man apparently turned by Satanic ingenuity into instruments of {lviI, isolated from all true human companionship, with the prostra- tion of disease added to all the vexation of delay and disappointment, how many men have ever faced such environments without suicidal ~e~pair? Seven years later, long without tidings from home,or contact with any European, lingering on a sick bed, without wife, child, mother, brothel' 01' friend to cheer him, a horror of great darkness fell upon him!
Among the great charms of this great man his genuine interest in individuals, however humble, was at once one of the highest, both as an ornament of his character and a secret of his influence. His deep piety transfigured this noble trait into a passion for souls which begot unsparing self-scrutiny. His lament over "poor Sehamy," and his misgivings and self-accusations, lest he had not done all he might to save his soul, reveal profound depths of habitual watchfulness over the lost. He bent every energy to the good of men. When he could not preach, his lantern-slides were made to tell to the eye great facts of Bible history; he subordinated everything to service.
His abhorrence of the slave trade was literally detestation-i. e., it compelled a testimony, which marked his whole course and even his dying utterances. To abate 01' abolish this evil was, perhaps, his master passion. What a debt Christian nations owe to Africa! The destruction of life in the" middle passage" forms but a fraction of the total waste. For every slave transported, a score have fallen by war or violence, disease 01' fatigue. Such atrocities have been linked to this nefarious traffic that the victims sacrificed by it, if laid side by side, would reach round the world, paving with skeletons a pathway over land and sea-bed. Everywhere he saw signs of this continued and continuing desolation-bones bleaching in the sun, fresh corpses floating on the rivers; often heaps of bodies where slave caravans had abandoned their sick, helpless 01' dead. Inhuman drivers shot, stabbed or left to die tho1<e who could not keep up with the rest, and often these were found not yet dead. On his way to Lake Bangweolo he heard six men, wearing the slave yoke, singing in the joy of the vengeance they anticipated in coming back after death to haunt their captors. Exaggeration as to the horrors of this trade is impossible; as the sailor said: "If the devil don't catch these fellows, as well have no devil at all! " The massacres he witnessed gave him the impression of being in hell, and to disclose the horrors of this business so as to lead to its suppression, inflamed his holy ambition more than to reveal the fountains of the Nile. And so, wherever he went, he aimed to teach the first truths of the Gospel and to rouse the dormant Christian con- cience to the measureless atrocity of this traffic. Just one year before his death he uttered those memorable words which still speak from -that memorial slab in Westminster's aisle: "ALL I CAN ADD IN MY LONELINESS IS, MAY HEAYEN'S RICH BLESSING COME DOWN ON EYERY ONE, AMERICAN, ENGLISHMAN OR TURK, WHO WILL HELP TO HEAL THE OPEN SORE OF THE WORLD!"
Livingstone's devotion to Africa was n.ot more remarkable than his power over her sable sons" even his first year there showed that in his hand was the sceptre that could rule Africans. His power was an open' secret. His simple frankness, kindly bearing, honest courage, transparent unselfishness, trust even in strangers, disarmed both sus- picion and antagonism. While with prayer and faith he sowed the seed of the Word, he sowed himself as the seed of the kingdom; and by forgiving injuries and trusting even the unworthy, by absolute fidelity even to trivial promises, and by a Christlike life that taught more than any words, he moulded even savages into noblemen. What his character wrought in this direction may be seen in Susi and Chuma, his faithful body servants, who amid such hardships bore his body from Ilala to England.
Dr. Blaikie, in his charming" Personal Life of Livingstone," sug- gests that the old Roman fashion would have written his name Livingstone" Africanus." When first overwhelmed with the vastness , of Africa, he asked: "Who will penetrate through the Dark Conti- nent ?" And that was the question of his life. From the day in December, 1840, when he first set forth for those shores, this double work, the emancipation and evangelization of Africa, was his passion. When, in 1863, he expected the recall of his expedition, he could only say: "If I am to go ' on the shelf' let that shelf be Africa." And history presents no fact more pathetic, poetic, prophetic in its sym- bolism, than this-that when, on April 80, 1878, he was found on his knees, at Ilala, dead, his heart should be buried there beneath a moula tree, while his body was borne to England to be laid in the great sepul- chre of her greater dead! Emphatically Livingstone's heart was from the beginning buried in Africa; but buried as the seed of a future harvest. It shall not abide alone, but dying, and springing up, bear much fruit-fruit too vast in measure for our arithmetic to estimate! 1Ve yearn to see that life and death bearing fruit in many holy lives. How slow are disciples to learn the ministry of money. Moffat nsed to say that the coming day will :find rich and great disciples regarding it an honor to spend their money not on hounds and horses, but in the support of whole stations of missionaries. Many who read these lines are providentially kept from giving their lives in personal labor for the degraded and destitute. But how many of Ull, had we but the spirit of David Livingstone, would be found living in the persons of other consecrated men and women, and, by the agency of these workmen, preaching the Gospel where Christ had never yet been named. Oh, that those who read the story of such a life, and walk over that memorial stone at the Abbey, would take up the work he laid down, and by their money, their prayers, their tears, their influence, if not their personal efforts, help to heal this open sore of the world, and light the flame of the Gospel and of the new life wherever darkness reigns and habitations of cruelty are found!
Yes, David Livingstone-thy candle, found burning in the grass hnt at IIala, still burns and shines, and never will it go out, until, from Zanzibar to Banana, from Nile to Niger, and from the Cape of Good Hope to the Pillars of Hercules, shall shine the Light of the World!
HENRY MORTLAKE STANLEY is by birth a Welshman, and his. original name was John Rowlands. The same year, 1841, that David Livingstone first reached Africa, was the year that ushered into life the boy who was to be his distinguished successor in the exploration of the Dark Continent. This is one of the striking coincidences of history: while the cotton-spinner of Blantyre was on his way to the Cape, an infant boy at Denbigh, in Wales, was :first starting on his voyage upon the unknown sea of life. A certain Mr. H. M. Stanley,. in New Orleans, adopted this Welsh boy, transmitting to him his own name, little knowing what high honor that boy was to reflect upon it. We follow this waif of humanity, as he enlists in the armies of the Confederacy, and subsequently drifts into the Federal ranks; until 1865, when, acting as secrctary for an admiral, he was promoted fOl' heroism, having manifested his courage by swimming, under :fire, to fasten a hawser to a Confederate vessel.
The next great step toward his after career was his becoming a· representative of the press'-;"a newspaper correspondent. He served in a Guerilla warfare against the North American Indians, then wrote letters to the New York Herald, accompanied the British expedition into Abyssinia, etc. Thus a mixed experience on land and sea, in army and navy, :fitted him for camp or campaign, tent or vessel; picking up scraps of information and gathering treasures of varied experience, he grew to be peculiarly adapted for the unique life he was to lead, but which only God's Providence had foreseen.
In 1869 he was commissioned by James Gordon Bennet, of the New York Herald, to find the lost Livingstone. His expedition was to be kept secret. He went by a round-about course, arrived at Zan- .zibar January 6, 1871, and started for the interior, feeling his way toward Livingstone by such indications as only the most sagacious instinct could recognize. He had used the time at sea, en route to the African Coast, to learn how to take astronomical observations and lJrepare himself as a surveyor. November 10, 1871, found him at Ujiji, near Lake Tanganyika, and there he grasped the hand of the .scotch herb, of whom for three years no certain word had reached the ears of an anxious outside world. Twenty-three times Stanley }lad been prostrated with fever, but he felt repaid when, on December 27th, the travelers set out together for Unyanyembe; and more espe- {)ially when, on March 14, 1872, they parted, having been four months .and four days together.
In 1873, Mr. Stanley again accompanied the British expedition to Coomassie. That same year, May 4, 1873, Livingstone was found by Susi, at four o'clock in the morning, in the little grass hut, not in bed but at the bed-side, his head buried in his hands, and both buried in the pillow; the candle still burned, but the candle of life that bad shed its rays so far over benighted Africa, had gone out. In 1874, April 18th, the sacred dust of the great traveler reached their final resting-place in the Abbey; and MI': Stanley led the body of pallbearers, as they deposited, in the tomb in the nave, the body of the man to whom he owed more than to any other human being.
And now begins a new chapter, the .fourth in the weird experi- ence of that Welsh-American. He who, at U nyamyembe, had sorrowfully parted with Livingstone, by that open grave in Westminster, resolved to take up and finish the work he had left undone. And so a new chapter also opened in' Stanley's African experiences. On August 5, he left England, and on November 12-three years almost to a day from the time he first grasped Livingstone's hand-he left Zanzibar again for the unknown interior. At Uganda he met Mtesa, whose warriors he estimated at a quarter of a million. "While at his {)ourt he translated the Gospel according to Luke, and actually wrote a brief analysis of Bible history in Kiswaheli for the monarch's use. Mte,sa professed adherence to the Bible instead of the Koran, and invited to his capital Christian teachers. Stanley then wrote a letter, which was published in the Daily Telegraph, urging that missionaries should be sent. And so Stanley began, in more senses than one, to follow in the steps of the grand Scotchman. The Church Missionary Society sent men to Uganda, who, in 1877 began to labor. That letter of Stanley's had a stl'ange histOl"Y. It was given to I~inant de Belfonds, one of the officers of Gordon Pasha. When he was killed by the Baris the letter was found in his boot and forwarded by Gor- .don Pasha. After a journey of 7,000 miles, consuming 999 days, Stanley reached Banana point, August 9th, 1877. In January, 1879, he was again en route to the Dark Continent, at the head of the expedition, organized by Leopold 11., of Belgium, who, in place of his dead son, adopted Africa as his child and ward. Stanley reached the Congo's Estuary on August 14, 1879; Leopoldville station was built in April, 1882. Compelled by illness to return for a time to Europe, he came back to the Congo toward the end of the same year; and in August, 1884, reported to the King of Belgium that his mission was ac.complished. He had performed the stupendous feat of opening up the Congo basin, with its 5,249 miles of navigable waters, its 43,000,00() of people, its area of nearly 11,000,000 square miles drained by various streams. In February, 1885, the Congo Free State was erected and recognized as such, with Leopold II. as its sovereign.
January 20, 1887, Stanley begins a new chapter, and again Africa is the theatre of his action. He departs from London for the relief of Emin Pasha. February 25th, he once more left Zanzibar, and, going by the Congo's mouth, reached Leopo}dville, April 21st. A year later, April 29th, just fifteen years from the last day of Livingstone's travels, he met Emin Pasha at Kavalli, and December 6, 1889, emerged from darkest Africa once more at Zanzibar.
From that day honors were showered thick as autumn leaves on Stanley's head. The reception given him, May 5, 1890, at Albert Hall, in London, when 7,000 people were present, was one of the most brilliant assemblages of all modern history. Then, on July 12th, in the great Abbey, he led to the marriage altar his accomplished bride, Miss Tennant; and sInce, in her jubilee year, the Queen was there, Westminster has had no such gathering. Had it been a ,royal ceremony, the interest could not have been more intense or the throng more dense. 'l'he long, crimson carpet broke its lines only over the slab which in the isle bore the name of LIVINGSTONE. Two magnificent floral wreaths, one from the officers of the relief expedition, and another from Mr. Stanley himself, were laid on the sides of the prostrate tablet, and when the bride moved up the aisle she gracefully laid still another tribute upon the marble memorial, bearing, in flowers, the words, "In memoriam, DAVID LIVINGSTONE-H. M. STANLEY."
Thus, at no little length, we have chosen to place before our readers in outline, for permanent record, the twin stories of these two strangely-linked lives. We do no injustice to Mr. Stanley when we say, what he himself is reported to have said, that, to the four months and four days that he spent with Livingstone in Africa, he owes the greatest impulses of his later life, and especially his attitude toward Christianity. Livingstone found himself suddenly thrown into the society of a stranger who was far from being a Christian disciple. There is no. evidence that during all those months he ever directly <lonversed with Stanley as to his spiritual interests. But sure we are that by his manifest character he commended the religion of his }Iaster. His uncompromising loyalty to Christ, his unobtrusive conscientiousness, his unselfishness, considerateness, readiness to obligeall this impressed Stanley as no words had ever moved him; and, when he parted from his new friend, he was constrained to' say, what Pilate said of a far greater, " I find·no fault in this man!"
From that day Mr. Stanley has led a life that runs strangely in sympathy with that which had its spring in Blantyre. When Sir William Mackinnon asked the pleasure of presenting· him with some token of friendship to carry with him to Africa, Stanley replied, "Give me a Bible," and he took it and read it thrice through. Afterward, in darkest Africa, constrained at the darkest hour humbly to confess that, without God's help, he was hopeless, he says: "I vowed a vow in the forest solitudes that I would confess His aid before men. Silence, as of death, was round about me. It was midnight; I was weakened by illness, had been prostrated by fatigue, and wan with anxiety for m'y white and black companions, whose fate was a mystery. In this physical and mental distress, I besought God to give me back my people. Nine hours later we were exulting with a rapturous joy. In full view of all was the crimson flag with the crescent, and beneath its folds was the long-lost rear column."
And now he whose previous reserve upon such matters had seemed to bear a special seal of silence, has made this, his latest confession: "Many forms of belief and curious ideas respecting the great mystery of our being and creation have been suggested to me during my life and its wanderings; but after weighing each and attempting to understand what must be unsearchable, my greatest comfort has been in peacefully resting firm in the faith of my sires. For all the human glory that surrounds the memory of Darwin and his wise compeers throughout advanced Europe, I would not abate a jot or tittle of my belief in the Supreme God and that divine :Man called His Son."
Space alone compels our pen to halt as we pursue this fasciitating story of these twin lives. We have had space not even for a paragraph about that last book, with its thousand pages, of forty lines each, all the work of fifty days, and itself a greater feat than his march in Equatoria; and the production of which as a printed volume is said to have employed an army of nearly 15,000 men and women. We have had no space to repeat Mr. Stanley's noble tributes to the heroism and success of Christian missions which present such a marked contrast to some modern critics who ought to have been in better business. We have sought merely to put side by side two lives whose unique parallelism demands a permanent memorial and suggests lessons of lasting value. We must not fail to note one marked contrast. As Livingstone's great successor followed the mIssionary explorer, he iltrewed his path with the blood of the slain. Livingstone had trodden those same paths without even a pocket pistol for personal protection from wild beasts; his great weapon of defence was a magnanimous Love that forgave even the injuries it could not prevent. And, when we read of the demijohns of strong drink which Stanley, in his former passage across the Dark Continent, distributed to those sable sons of her soil whom he employed in building his stations, we cannot but deplore any such ministry to the destructive appetite for intoxicants. We recall that letter, the first written in English by a Congo native, and addressed to the Archbishop of Canterbury: " Great and Good Chief of the Tribe of Christ, Greeting: " The humblest of your servants kisses the hem of your garment, and begs you to send to his fellow servants more Gospel and less rum. " In the bonds of Christ, " U GALLA."
And now, 3S we turn from these two lives, may we not invoke the prayers of all Christians that the latter, the unfinished one, may complete its noble and heroic course by a service to God and a ministry to man that shall surpass anything yet accomplished by Stanley, or even by Livingstone? Our living hero is decked with many medals and crowned with many laurels. We crave for him one ,still higher and brighter-a crown wrought by no human handswhose lustrous gems burn with immortal fires and outshine in splendor ~Ven the glory of the stars!
A PERTINENT REPLY.-We understand that our friend, Chaplain :McCabe, has sent the following message to Colonel Ingersoll: "DEAR COLoNEL:-Ten years ago you made the following prediction: 'Ten years from this time two theatres will be built for one church.' The time is up. The Methodists are now building four churches every day-one every six hours. Please venture upon another prediction for the year."
Evidently the Colonel is as far out of the way as Voltaire was when he set up a printing press at Fernay to demolish Christianity. That press is now used at Geneva to print Bibles !!
MONEy.-Early in our own generation there were but five men in this country who were millionaires: John J. Astor and Stephen Whitney, New York; Nicholas Longworth, Cincinnati; William Gray, Boston, and Stephen Girard, Philadelphia. To-day in New York alone there are 500 millionaires, some of them worth from 100 to 300 millions, and in the coffers of American Protestant Christians there are not less than ten thousand millions oj dollars. One man in 1869 spent as much for a corner lot on which to build a private residence as the Presbyterian denomination spent for its entire foreign mission work!
NEW EFFORTS IN BELGIUM
NEW EFFORTS IN BELGIUM.
BY REV. HENRY E. DOSKER, A.M., HOLLAND, MICH.
Of all the countries of the continent Belgium is one of the most peculiar. With an area of 11,373 square miles and a population of nearly 6,000,000, it is the most densely populated strip of land on earth. This may seem strange, and yet it is true. While the Nether- lands come next in order, with a population of 312.86 to the square mile, Belgium crowds together, in the same space, not less than 481. 71 of its inhabitants. British India has only 311.57 and China but 83.86. These figures are respectively taken from the census-reports of 1885~ 1881, and 1887.
The physical aspect of Belgium, generally speaking, is flat, like that of Holland; a great part of the country actually lying below the level of the sea. In t.he south-eastern districts, alone, a considerable highland is formed, of some 2,000 feet high, by a spur of the Ardennes. This mountainous region, rich in different minerals and coal, together with a proverbially rich alluvial soil in the lower parts of the coun- try, enables Belgium to maintain its enormously dense population.
Its inhabitants are of a mixed Teutonic and Celtic stQck. The two main branches are the Flemings of German and the Walloons of Celtic, origin; the fonner out-number the latter, in the proportion of 4 to 3, throughout the country.
The French language is spoken at court and among the higher classes. In the rural districts and provincial towns a curious patois prevails, in various dialects of either Flemish or Walloon. This lack of a national language and literature has greatly retarded the intel- lectual progress of the nation, which is in no wise proportionate to its physical advantages. The educational system of Belgium was, till recently, quite deficient, and the sharp antagonism between the cleri- cal and liberal parties has made adequate provision in its behalf well- nigh impossible.
As might be expected from its history, the religion of the country is prevalently Roman Catholic. Of the nearly 6,000,000 of inhabit- ants, from 13,000 to 18,000 are Protestant, with some 35,000 Jews; the remainder nominally belong to Rome. Nominally, I say, for the close contact with France, the permeating influence of its periodic re- , volutionary attacks, and the prevalence of socialistic and rationalistic tendencies among the masses of the people, have so materially changed the religious 'complexion of the country, that a large pro- portion, possibly a majority, of its inhabitants may be put down as irreligious, if not atheistic.
The Gospel of Christ in Belgium meets with much the same dif- ficulties as it does in France. Efforts to bring the Word of God to the masses of the people have been made for years, and the so-called "Belgian Mission Church," and similar organizations, have not been unblessed in their endeavor to reach the Belgians by the channels of the two great languages of the country. But the trouble was that heretofore the labor performed has been too staid and conservative; the methods adopted were antiquated and ill-adapted to the peculiar character of the people and of the work in hand, and the little focus points of life, which resulted from such efforts, have had a tendency to develop too quickly into establishments for the edification of the few rather than for the salvation of the many.
A new attempt has been made of late at Brussels, which, if it should prove to be tenacious of life may become for Belgium and its capital what the McAll Missions are for France and Paris.
Allow me to outline the new movement. The name of its leader is Rev. N. De Jonge, who, some sixteen years ago, came to Brussels as a young preacher in the Dutch Evangelical Church. Through his personal influence, his church soon developed a rare missionary'activity. He made his people understand their divine call to labor among the bigoted 01' irreligious masses who surrounded them in the capital.
The year 1880 was one of special activity in this line. A revival visited the church, and especially those who were engaged in this department of her labors.
A city evangelization society was organized, of which pastor De Jonge became the director. The double task soon grew too heavy and he was placed before the inevitable choice between his charge and his mission. He was not long in deciding, and yet the decision. was one, in which he staked all on his faith in God; for he lost his salary and had no visible means of support. His resignation took effect on the first of Jannary, 1887, and another pastor soon took his place, whilst~ he began to devote himself, with all the energy of his young and vigorous manhood, to the work of evangelizing the masses of the Belgian capital, trusting, for the support of himself and large family, in the promise of God. And not in vain!
The work now rapidly extended and assumed encouraging proportions. It affords, to-day, the following aspect: a hall, named "Silo," with a seating capacity of 300, in the suburb I..acken; another, "Bethel," with l'oom for 80, about a mile distant, in the same neighborhood. In the suburb Anderlecht, a hall, named "Pniel," with seats for 200; neal' by, at the hamlet of Veeweyde, the hall "Bethlehem," with a seating capacity of 100. And still another and larger hall in the village of Ruysbrock, neal' by, as yet unnamed, but offering room for more than 300 hearers. As with the McAll rooms, the stations are simply but neatly furnished. Every night of the week, meetings are held in at least foul' of these mission halls, and the attend:l.llce is steadily increasing.
Besides all this the Mission has a printing-office in connection with the Silo station, where hundreds of pamphlets. and. tracts are pub- Hshed, to be spread broadcast over the entire kingdom. Two week- lies are issued fram this press: "Het Ohristelijke Volksblad" (The Christian National Paper), and "])e Blijde Boodschap voor Vlaamsch Belgie" (The Glad Tidings for Flemish Belgium.) The circulation of the latter, the smallest paper, has reached the number of 1,500. Moreover, a mission hospital has been opened, and h~ndreds of Catholic patients have been treated and evangelized at this "Beth- esda," as it has been appropriately named.
By catechetical instruction and Sabbath-school work the Mission endeavors to reach Roman Catholic children; hundreds of whom at- tend, notwithstanding the open opposition and secret scheming of the priests. All this missionary work is clinched by systematic house- visitation, which is richly blessed. Besides Rev. De J onge, the director of the Mission, two evangelists, two colporteurs, two regular trained hospital nurses, and some forty assistants are employed. It seems to me that this movement is worthy of close observation and encouragement.
The Catholic masses of Belgium are harder to be reached than those of France. The antagonism against Protestantism here is a.
growth of centuries; its earliest roots lie hidden in the memorable struggle of the eighty years' war. The southern part of the country never fully shared in the struggle for liberty. At Brussels the Spanish court was established; there the two most noted political victims of Alva's wrath were beheaded; there the "bloody assizes" held their councils. At Antwerp the two earliest religious m;utyrs of the Nether- lands fell. When the cause of freedom finally triumphed, and the North became independent, the South was still held in the Spanish vise, and the reformation within her borders had literally been drowned in a sea. of blood. From this time on, the unfortunate country was tossed to-and-fro between the great powers. To-day Austria, to-morrow Spain, then again France ruled it, as a whole or in part. In 1748 it finally came back to Austria, in whose g-rasp it remained, with varying fortune~, till the Congress of Vienna, in 1815, united it with Holland. But the two countries were only united never unijied.
In the revolution of 1830, the Belgians revolted and established their own independence and the severance became a fait accompli, by the treaty of London, May 21, 1833. Hence the antagonism against Protestantism has a political background. To the Belgian mind it is a thoroughly "Dutch" affair. And the overcoming of this prejudice is no small factor in the difficulties of Protestant missions in the country.
May the movement of De Jonge prove for the Belgians what the McAll Mistlion is to France, for the spiritual rescue of hundreds of thousands. Foreign Protestant missions, generally considered, in heathen lands, are far easier and far more hopeful than those COllducted by the handful of trusty laborers, who have given their lives to the evangelization of countries, thoroughly and for centuries nnder the influence of the papacy.
HELPERS AND HINDERERS OF MISSIONS IN JAPAN
[The following charming letter is from the beloved son of Rev. A. J. ·Gordon, of Boston, one of our editorial contributors.] HELPERS AND HINDERERS OF MISSIONS IN JAPAN.
BY ERNEST B. GORDON.
While enjoying the cordial hospitality of Mr. and Mrs. Brand, the excellent missionaries of the Baptist Union, I have had considerable opportunity to observe the progress of the work as well as some {)f its drawbacks.
I went over to the Shogum's tombs, in Shita, the other day, and while straying in and about the temple of Zojigi, stumbled across a little fellow, a Buddhist novice, who spoke a little English. He had Dr. Hepburn's Dictionary, and was reading Peter Parley's Universal History. I struck up an acquaintance with him, and learned that he was a protege of Oolonel Olcott, who was to take him to India to study Sanscrit and the sacred books, but was prevented by the boy's poor health. Olcott, as is known, is the American Buddhist who goes about wearing a jewel said to be a crystalized tear of Mme. Blavatsky. He has published a Buddhist catechism in Singhalese, which has received the imprimatur of the Southern Ohurch in Oeylon, and is considered by Oeylonese Buddhists as almost canoni- ~al. It has gone through seventeen Singhalese editions, and was recently published in English by Estes & Lauriat, of Boston. I invited the boy around to Mr. Brand's to dinner and gave him a copy of the New Testament, which he promised to read. Last night he came again and talked a long time with Mrs. Brand about Shaka or Buddha and Jesus. He seemed much interested, especially when she told him of what Jesus left when He came to earth. He was surprised to find that Ohristians were not hateful and bitter.
The story of Roman Oatholic misl"ions in Japan is well known. Shinabara and the Oliff of Pappenberg will ever bear witness to the constancy and heroic endurance of the Roman Oatholic converts. Nevertheless, Oatholicism left a bad impression. I met the other day an old Japanese who remembers distinctly the annual ceremony of trampling upon the cross. A brass cross was brought around to every house in his village by the authorities, and everybody was required to trample upon it as a sign of his repudiation and contempt ()f Ohristianity. Much of this misapprehension and. bitterness still lingers among the Buddhist priests. The little novice, therefore, was pleased at our attention. He promised to come again and hear more about Ohrist.
Oolonel Olcott has done much harm here in Japan. An American is a person of influenee on account of his birthplace. To find an American teaching Buddhism was an experience, therefore, which startled young Japanese and which encouraged the Buddhist priests to attempt the galyanization of their putrescent superstition. Arthur May Knapp, too, the Boston representative of "Reciprocity in Religion," to use his own phrase, is encouraging the Buddhists in every possible way. He has abandoned his title of "missionary," and has assumed that of "ambassador"; the idea being, (,7idently, that he and the Buddhists are to exchange ideas and to treat with each other on an equal footing. This reassures the Buddhists and amazes the advanced men in Japan, who look upon Buddhism with the hatred and contempt which the liberals in Italy feel for the obscurantists of Rome.
Have you seen what Mr. Takahashi Goro, a prominent newspaper man, said at the banquet last May about the Unitarian movement in Japan? Its significance will fully appear when one takes into account the extreme politeness of the Japanese people. He said that he had not yet succeeded in fully mastering the doctrine of Unitarianism. He had perused the books kindly placed at his disposal by Mr. Knapp, but he still remained more or less in the dark. One thing, however, he had ascertained beyond question, viz., that Unitarianism is the child of orthodox Christianity. There was no manner of doubt about its parentage. Why, then, he wanted to know, should the attitude of Unitarianism to orthodox Chistianity be one of antagonism. He had read a book by Mr. Savage, entitled the "Religion of Evolution," and he had learned from it that Unitarianism regards orthodox Christianity with strong feelings of dislike, and would spare no pains to sweep it away from the face of the earth. Was that the proper attitude of a child toward its parent? Certainly not according to Japanese ideas of filial duty. Such an unnatural antipathy could only shock and deter Japanese observers. Besides, the Unitarians should remember that the law of heredity applies to bad qualities as well as to good. ""Vhen a man denounces his parents and declares them unworthy of respect he denounces himself by implication, for as the father is so, to a great extent, must the son be also. U nitarians coming to Japan, and arraying their forces against orthodox Christianity, would immediately find allies in the Buddhists and Confucianists. What would be the sequel of such an alliance? If the three united succeeded in driving out orthodox Christianity, the Unitarians might be quite sure that from that moment these sincere allies, the Buddhists and Confucianists, would turn on them and leave no stone untu'l'ned to drive them out also I In a. recent number of the Japan Mail, Mr. Takahashi Goro invites the attention of the Rev. Mr. Knapp to the short-sightedness of his alleged wish to ally himself with the Buddhists. Mr. 'rakahashi premises that he entertains no ill-feeling toward Unitarianism itself, but being convinced of the folly of the views of its representative in Japan as to Buddhism, he cannot but give utterance once more to the opinions he expressed at the Unitarian banquet some time .ago. Since then, he obse~ves, the Buddhistic press throughout the country had more and more distinctly shown a tendency to utilize Unitarianism as an instrument for attacking Christianity. Mr. Takahashi, however, believed Mr. Knapp to be too sagacious to become a tool of Buddhists. What, then, was his surprise to learn that the Unitarian missionary is still bent on cultivating the friendship of the Buddhists, as is shown by his article on the" Similarities and Dissimilarities of Unitarianism and Buddhism." Mr. Takahashi even goes so far as to say that Mr. Knapp'S attitude toward Buddhism is that of one who flatters, prays and solicits its favor.
"Does Mr. Knapp know," he asks, ,,, what Buddhism is really like? Buddhism is essentially an atheistic religion. This proposition can be proved by quotations from the Buddhist sacred writings." He then proceeds to consider another statement of Mr. Knapp, that, on the fundamental idea of creation, Unitarianism and Buddhism are directly opposed to orthodox Christianity. Mr. Knapp is represented to have stated that creation is not an event, but a perpetual progress which has neither commencement nor end.
"Now, in the first place, it is an abuse of a philosophical term to speak of 'creation' in connection with Buddhism, for how can there be any creation in a religion which does not recognize God? Nor is it correct to say that creation is a perpetual progress without either commencement or end, because man, as maintained by no less an evolutionist than Virchow, does not seem to have made any progress -during the first five or six thousand years. Further, there is no place for the idea of progress in the conception of atheistic creation."
If J-"1r. Knapp means to adopt the theory of atheistic evolution, Mr. Takahashi thinks he would better leave the Unitarian camp and join the atheistic Buddhists. Our author, however, believes that these apparently atheistic opinions have been expressed by Mr. Knapp for the purpose of obtaining the good will of Buddhists, for, from ·other utterances of his, it is evident that he recognizes the existence of God.
Mr. Knapp is said to have observed further, that Buddhism is, next to orthodox Christianity, a representative of the pessimistic religions; but that Unitarianism represents the optimistic religions. Mr. Takahashi does not attach much importance to the fact that Christianity is included among the pessimistic religions of the world, for he thinks this is merely a device of Mr. Knapp's to please his Buddhistic friends. He refers Mr. Knapp to Schopenhauer and Hartmann for an account of the crushing pessimism of Buddhism. He warns Unitarians against being utilized by Buddhists, and quotes from a Buddhist tract, by JUl'. Maesa Unkei, as follows: " Unitarianism will not be productive of any positive bendits / Jmt, as it will be negatively useful in neutralizing the evil effects of Christianity, we approve its spread for the sake of the country / nay" for the sake of our Shin-shu (Buddhistic) views."
It is interesting to note that the so-called " short cut" movement has extended to Japan. Last year the Japanese Presbyterians of Tokyo came to the conclusion that the work in Japan requires not only all the men who could be put through their theological school, but also those whose age or means would not allow them to take the full five years' course. Accordingly, of their own free will, they opened a school for evangelists. This year there are between thirty and forty men studying the Bible and receiving enough instruction to fit them for the work of preaching to the common people. The school is designed of course to supplement, not to antagonize, the Presbyterian Seminary. The Japanese Christians initiated the move.- ment, recognizing as they did the intense need of evang~lizing preachers, skilled in the Word, as well as of pastors versed in hermeneutics and apologetics. Many of the missionaries consider the success of the school as one of the most hopeful signs in late years.
It shows the determination of the Christians here to spread abroad the story of the Cross, and their good, common sense in choosing practical means for the furtherance of the work.
Christian work in Japan is complicated greatly by the present political excitement. The nnwillingness of foreign powers to repeal the unjust and unrighteous treaties forced upon Japan a generation ago has resulted in an increased hostility to foreigners and to foreign things. Christianity, of course, is classed in the latter category. Of our present United States representative, Mr. ,Swift, we will not speaK, except to say that the removal of his predecessor, the Texan Baptist minister Hubbard, appointed by President Cleveland, is greatly regretted. A Christian man, he did all in his power to assist Christian workers. No American since Perry, Minister Bingham possibly excepted, has been so popular in Japan. As to diplomatic. results, the Hubbard treaty negotiated with Count Okuma, although finally breaking down, was the first attempt to settle the vexed question of Treaty Revision in an honorable and statesmanlike way. If Mr;, Hubbard had been retained in Japan, it is likely that the revised treaty would be an accomplished fact, and the Christian missionaries would not be hampered now by the irritated condition of public opinion which prevails throughout the empire.
TOKYO, Oct. 12, 1890.
A JAPANESE CONVERT, who united with Bethany Church, Philadelphia, in 1886, said that "so great were the changes in his native country during the ten years previous, that nothing was left, as it. had been, but the naturalsceneryl"
EXAMPLES FROM MODERN MISSIONARY HISTORY
[Although the number of competitive essays sent in, in response to the editorial note in August number, 1890 (p. 631)-631), is not sufficient to justify the award, the edltor will avail himself of one or more of the best, as was then intimated, as articles in these pages.] EXAMPLES FROM MODERN MISSIONARY HISTORY OF THE UNMISTAKABLE INTERPOSITION OF GOD IN ANSWER TO PRAYER AND IN BEHALF OF HIS SERVANTS AND THEIR WORK.
BY REV. JOHN RUTHERFORD, M.A., B.D., ROTHESAY, SCOTLAND.
Pentecost was preceded by prayer. The coming of the Holy Ghost and the conversion of 3,000 souls in a single day were the result of ten days' continuous prayer.
Events like the siege and relief of Leyden, in 1574, when the Spanish armies were compelled to retreat, not before the brave Hollanders, but before the force of nature itself, visibly used by God in defence or the oppressed, witness to the fact that the hand of Almighty God is still interposed in behalf of those who trust Him. "As well," shouted the Spaniards derisively to the citizens, "as well can the Prince of Orange pluck the stars from the sky as bring the ocean to the walls of Leyden for your relief." But what was the issue? "A' violent equinoctial gale, on the night of the 1st ana 2d of October, came storming from the northwest, and then blowing still more violently f!'Om the southwest. The waters of the North Sea were piled in vast masses on the coast, and then dashed furiously landward, the ocean rising over the earth and sweeping, with unrestrained power, across the ruined dykes." The relieving fleet sailed up almost to the walls of the city. As the historian records, it was the hand of God that sent the ocean and the tempest to the deliverance of Leyden, and that struck her enemies wi th terror likewise. We cannot doubt that the preservation of Holland and Britain from the Spanish fury were in answer to many prayers offered up by those who fled to God as their refuge. (Motley, Dutch Republic, II., p. 558).
And much more does the history of the church assure us that God answers prayer. If we review the qistory of missions in any part of the wo,dd, we see that those who do the Lord's work live near to Him, and that He guards them in danger, and watches over that work which is not so much ours as His.
1. In the "Life of John G. Paton" (I., p. 118), the events are narrated which led to his leaving Tanna. He says, "On reaching Nowar's village we found the people terror-stricken, crying, rushing about in dispair at such a host of armed savages approaching. The whole village collapsed in a condition of indescribable terror. The approaching multitude had gone to the mission house and broken in the door, and, finding that we had escaped, they rushed on to Nowar's village. W e ~rayed as one only can pray when in the fear of death and on the brink of eternity. We felt that God was near and omnipotent to do what seemed best in' His sight. When the savages were about 300 yards off, N owar touched my knee, saying, 'MisRi, Jehovah is hearing! They are all standing still.' On gazing shc-rewards, we saw a dense host of warriors, but all were standing still. To our amazement the host began to turn and entered the remote bush at the head of the harbor. We were on that day His trusting and defenceless children; would you not, had you been one of our circle, have joined with us in praising the Lord God for deliverance from the jaws of death? I know not why they turned back, but I have no doubt it was the doing of God to save our lives."
2. Again Mr. Paton writes (p. 345,) "About ten o'clock the savages surrounded the mission house. My faithful dog, Clutha, pulled at my clothes and awoke me. I silently awoke Mr. and Mrs. Mathieson, who had also fallen asleep. We committed ourselves, in hushed prayer, to God, and watched them. Immediately a glare of light fell into the room. They set fire to the church all round, and the'l a reed fence connecting the church and the dwelling-house. In a ""lW minutes the house, too, would be in flames, and armed savages waiting to kill us on attempting an escape." Mr. Paton then ran out and cut the burning fence and tore it up, thus preventing the fire from reaching the house. He stood surrounded by seven or eight savages who had raised their clubs in the air, yelling in rage that none of them ventured the first blow, though they shouted "Kill him! kill him!" "At this dread moment occurred an incident which my readers may explain as they like, but which I trace directly to the interposition of my God. A rushing and roaring sound came from the south, like the noise of a mighty engine or of muttering thunder. Every head was instinctively turned in that direction, and they knew from previous hard experience that it was one of their awful tornadoes. Now mark, the wind bore the flames away from our house, and had it come in the opposite direction no power on earth could have saved us from being all consumed. It made the work of destroying the church only that of a few minutes; but it brought with it a heavy and murky cloud which poured out a perfect torrent of tropical rain. Now mark again: the flames of the burning church were thereby cutoff from extending to and seizing upon the reeds and the bush, and besides, it had become almost impossible now to set fire to our house." A panic siezed the savages, and, throwing down their torches, they fled.
Returning to the house Mr. Paton was met by Mr. Mathieson, who exclaimed, "If ever, in time of need, God sent help and protection to His servants, in answer to prayer, He has done so to-night. Blessed be His Holy name."
3. In "Darkest Africa" Henry Stanley writes, "Constrained at the darkest hour to humbly confess that without God's help I was helpless, I vowed a vow in the forest solitudes that I would confess His aid before men. A silence, as of death, was round about me; it was midnight. I was weakened by illness, prostrated by fatigue, and worn with anxiety for my white and black companions whose fate was a mystery. In this physical and mental distress I besought God to give me back my people." And' what was the result of Stanley's vow and prayer? "Nine hours later we were exulting with a raptur- ous joy. In full view of all was the crimson flag with the crescent, and beneath its waving folds was the long-lost real' column."
4. Shortly before the disruption of 1843 the Church of Scotland sent Dr. Keith, Dr. Black, Rev. R. McCheyne and Dr. A. Bonar, the last of whom still survives, on "a mission of enquiry to the Jews ;" they went to Palestine, and on their return journey visited Buda Pesth. There Dr. Keith took suddenly unwell, and all hope of his l'ecovery was abandoned.
In Buda Pesth there lived the Archduchess Marie Dorothea. Liv- ing, as she did, among a morally, degraded people, she longed that they might be made acquainted with the Gospel; for seven years she had prayed that God would send them a missionary. And God answered her prayers in a way she thought not of. She heard that an English clergyman lay dying in the hotel; she sent word that nothing should be left undone to save his life. The physicians had given up the case, but to please the Duchess they redoubled their efforts, applying friction and using other means, until, as they held a lighted taper neal' his mouth, the flames wavered: he lived.
The Archduchess visited him, and begged that the proposed mission should be located ill Buda Pesth. This was agreed to, and as long as she lived she gave it her protection and support. Thus the Gospel came into Buda Pesth. Fifty years Gospel work among a people held down by popery and ignorance and sin; such is God's answer to a woman's prayer (see Bonar's "Mission of Enquiry to the Jews").
5. Rev. E. Pearse in "China's Millions," September, 1882, vouches the truth of the following incident (see "Progress in China," by Rev. Arnold Foster, p. 52). "A man was converted, who had been for many years a vegetarian to gain merit and be saved. He came to our chapel, heard and believed the Gospel, and for years has lived a consistent Christian life. Some time ago the people collected a large sum of money to be expended in idolatrous work, in order that their houses might be saved from fire, and asked this man to contribute to that fund. He declined, on the ground that he trusted in the living God, and that the idols were not able to save them from fire. No sooner was the idolatrous ceremony over than an extensive nre broke out in the very street in which this man's house was situated; 120 houses were burnt down, and when the flames were coming nearer and nearer to his house, the people said, 'Now you see what you have got.' And they wanted to persuade him to take out all his furniture into the street that he might save something. He knew that if he brought the things out into the street, even though they would be safe from fire, they would probably be stolen. But he believed that God was going to preserve him from suffering loss, and he told the people so. While they were hurrying to-and-fro in all their excite- ment, he, in the presence of them all, prayed God that He would show that He was the living and true God. And then he watched the fire as it came nearer and nearer, until there was only one house standing between his own and the flames. But just then there was a sudden change in the wind: God had said, 'Thus far shalt thou come and no further,' and his house was saved. If I had time, I could tell you of a great many more instances."
6. David Livingstone, returning from Central Africa, tells of a great inland sea-Lake Nyassa. The Scottish churches and the Uni- versities' Mission take possession of the land for Christ-money and life are freely spent to evangelize N yassaland. After a dozen years the envy of Portugal is aroused; she sends Major Serpa Pinto to sieze the country, and Cardinal Lavigerie is ready with his priests to sta- tion them in all the places where the missionaries have labored, where the graves of English men and English women are "the title deeds to Nyassaland." Alas! is all this work for Christ to be overthrown? No, indeed; a spirit of prayer comes over the British churches, and the Portuguese encroachments are defeated not so much by the s~ates manship of Lord Salisbury as by the prayers of those who sent out the missionaries, and who, day by day, cease not to pray on their behalf. "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes."
7. On August 19, 1856, Rev. William Burns arrived at the city of Chao-chow-fu, south China; he had gone there in order to preach the Gospel and do colportage work. vVhen suddenly he was arrested and the same night examined before the district magistrate (Life of William Burns, p. 290). The magistrates decided to send him to Canton., It was the time of the Taiping rebellion, and, in addition to this, his arrest took place immediately on the eve of the war which that same year broke out between Britain and China. Had he arrived at Canton just a very little later, while the events begun by Commissioner Yeh were in progress, death would have been the probable result to the missionary. N ow compare an entry made by Mrs. Stewart Sandeman, at Perth, Scotland, in her diary, of date 28th December, of the same year: "Mr. Burns was safely kept through his arrest and imprisonment in China. Comparing the dates I find that we were met in prayer for him during his dangerous jOttrney under guard of the Ohinese ofJicials." (lVlemoir of Mrs. Stewart Sandeman, p. 177).
[ NOTE: The 8th and 9th instances are omitted, having been already published in the REVIEW, 1889, pp. 29, 348-ED.] 10. The repeal of the Contagious Diseases Acts in Britain was a.
work as arduous as any in Asia or Africa. Those vile acts roused t(} a white heat the zeal of a noble band like Mrs. Josephine Butler and Miss Elice Hopkins who were aRsisted by men like Mr. Stead, Mr.
Stanfield, ~1.P., and Professor Stuart, M.P. Almost the whole strength of the House of Commons and of the House of Lords were against them. The army and the navy were against them. Two or three women and as many men against a nation! but they determined to struggle and suffer in order to save our poor, lost sisters from the brutality of demon-like men. They could endure to he hooted, to be insulted, to be written against in the daily press, as "the howling sisterhood," and they could enlist the arm of God against the power of British immorality. Christians gave themselves to prayer through- out the whole kingdom, and the power of prayer conquered, the Gov- ernment yielded, and by the unanimous vote of Parliament the Con- tageous Diseases Acts were abolished. '
Verily, there is a God that judgeth in the earth, whose ear is not shut to the cry of those who wrestle in prayer as they do His work.
11. And pr~er which God thus answers for the preservation of His servants and their work, also brings spiritual blessing. We have testimony to this on all hands. For example: Rev. Griffith John, of Hankow, says (Records of the Shanghai Conference of 1877, p. 26)), "Feeling my own lack of spiritual power, I spent the whole of a Satur- . day in earnest prayer for a baptism of the Holy Ghost. On the fol- lowing morning I preached on the subject. At the close of t·he ser- vice I proposed that we should meet for an hour on every day of the ensuing week to pray for a baptism of the Holy Ghost. From fifty to seventy of the converts met day by day, and confessing their sins with tears, pleaded for an outpouring of the Spirit of God. The na- tive church at Hankow received an impulse then, the force of which continues to this day. The Holy Ghost became a mighty reality t(} many. vVhere once other things are preached, Christ and His power to save is now the theme."
12. What a successful mission is that carried on in China by the English Presbyterian Church. Begun in 1847, by that apostolic man> William Burns, it has increased until now it has five separate centres, Amoy, Swatow, Formosa, the Hakka country, and Singapore. With its thousands of converts, its native preachers, its ordained native pastors, its schools and Sabbath-schools, its medical missions, its lady missionaries, it has received from God much spiritual blessing-bless- ing which has enabled the converts to stand true even when persecu- tion brought the loss of worldly goods and when heathen fury against the native Christians resulted in murder: this occurred at Poih-buan, in 1878. And they willingly acknowledge that much of the divine blessing, so abundantly given, is to be traced to a monthly prayermeeting for China, held in a room in Edinburgh.
Whether we are opposed by immoral legislation or the opium trade {)r the cruelties of slavery or of the African trade in alcohol, or by the vast forces of heathenism, let our resources be the power of God made available for all the needs of His church. Yes, in all Christian work God supplies all our need according to His riches in gl'ory in Christ Jesus.
GREED IN THE WAY OF MISSIONARY ZEAL.-We fear that there is no form of selfishness more fatal to missionary consecration than the worship of the dollar. Avarice prevents abundant giving, and it hoards fol' the sake of gain what could be used with the most ~bundant profit in the wide harvest field. Not only so, but the Scripture phrase is sagaciously accurate, gold "blinds the eyes." Men do not see the facts or feel the force of the appeal of God and {)f souls because the love of money intervenes as an obscuring medium. There are many professed disciples who hold a dollar so Dear the eye that they can see scarcely anything else in the world.
Robert Hall, arguing with a clergyman suspected of having -changed his opinions from mercenary motives, proposed to him several reforms of great importance, but was invariably met with the reply: "I don't see it; I can't see it at all."
At length, penciling in small letters the word "God" upon an .envelope which lay on the table, Mr. Hall showed it, and asked: " Can you see that?" "Yes. " Then, covering it with a half sovereign, he asked again: " Can you see it now? " " No." Whereupon, without another word, he went away. The argument was sufficiently conclusive without any drawing of a "moral" after it!
THE " New Theology," according to Dr. O. W. Holmes, in teaching probation beyond this life, has as effectually deadened all sensibility to the fear of eternal punishment, as cocaine, the new local anresthetic, deadens the sensibility of the part to which it is applied. We may be permitted to raise the honest inquiry whether any doctrine which practically destroys the power of the retributions of a future state can have any other effect than to paralyze missionary activity. And, if the tree is known by its fruit, can that be a safe doctrine to hold which either deadens sensibility to the plain warnings of the Scripture or to the degradation and destitution of the heathen world?
DO HEATHEN MULTIPLY FASTER THAN CONVERTS?
DO HEATHEN MULTIPLY FASTER THAN CONVERTS?
BY THOMAS LAURIE, D.D., PROVIDENCE, R. I.
The thought of the conversion of the world prompts the question, " How large is it?" There have been v~rious estimates of its popu- lation. In 1753, Voltaire said 1,600,000,000. Fifty years later Volney put it at 437,000,000. Matte Brun, in 1810, made it 640,000,- 000; Balbi, in 1816, estimated it at 704,000,000, and in 1843, at 739,000,000; Behm and Wagner, in 1880, fixed it at 1,456,000,000, and in 1882, with probably greater accuracy, at 1,434,000,000, though it was less than their previous estimate by 22,000,000. This popUlation they distributed as follows: Europe …….. 327,743,400 Asia…………… 795,591,000 Africa………. 205,823,200 America …………100,415,400 Polynesia…… 4,232,000 Polar Land……… 82,500 Total population of the globe………………… 1,433,887,500 These statistics do not introduce a dissertation on population, but only a brief consideration of a recent objection to the missionary work. It is estimated that modern missions have won about 4,000,- 000 converts from idolatry; but we are told that running parallel with these conversions is an increase of the number to be converted from 600,000,000 to 800,000,000, and if 200,000,000 heathen are added to the number, while only 4,000,000 become Christians, at that rate when will the world be converted to God? At first sight the case seems hopeless, and that on these conditions we can only make progress backward; but is the prospect as dark as it seems? Let us look at it carefully and dispassionately. One thing is plain: while the 200,000,000 are the natural increase of the previously existing 600,000,000, the 4,000,000 are an absolute creation. Four millions from nothing is a vastly greater proportion than the other, though the Bums are larger.
But let us examine the subject yet more carefully. Modern evangelical missions have now been in operation about a century. The first missionary society (the Church Missionary Society) dates from 1792. Now, if conversions began immediately, then the 4,000,000 converts are rightly set over against the 200,000,000 increase of heathen; but if they did not begin for a number of years, then the heathen increase of the years during which there were no converts must be subtracted from the 200,000,000, and so we have already reduced the seemingly hopeless contrast.
But that is not all. '1'he first converts were not only the fruits of many years of labor, but they were very few in number. For many years Leang Afa was almost the only convert among the many millions of China, and this introduces a riew element into the discussion, for while the natural increase goes on from year to year, and from age to age, with slight variation, missionary converts in~ease in the ratio of a geometrical progression. At first there were no conversions at all; only a work of preparation. The military stores are gathered together and the forces massed for the coming conflict, and, when that begins, each prisoner taken is not immured in a dungeon, but becomes at once an active soldier, able to avail himself of his famil- iarity with the condition and position of thc enemy for their over- throw. And it is worthy of notice, that the Lord of Hosts does not isolate the converts, but scatters them purposely among those to be acted on by their example and their labors. Already in some.of the latter decades of the century the increase of the converts has been at the rate of eighty-one per cent., and the natural increase of the heathen during the same period only six and one-half per cent. Now, if that proportion were to continue it would only require a sum in arithmetic to find out how soon the eighty-one per cent. would overtake and go beyond the six and one-half per cent. But we have seen that the ratio is one of geometrical progression-" the constant quantity by which each term is multiplied to produce the succeeding one "-and so we see the way clear to transfer very rapidly the hundreds of millions from the heathen side to the Christian side of future increase.
It may be said this is a very beautiful theory, but-. Then take an actual case. Robert Morrison entered China through much tribulation in 1807. When Dr. Happel' went there in 1844 he found only six Protestant missionaries and two native assistants in all that empire. While at the Shanghai Conference, in May, 1890, 1,285 missionaries and 1,469 native assistants were reported as then in that field, and with slich an increase in the past, what may not be hoped for in the future? Other examples might be given equally encouraging. When a fire is kindled in the forest its progress depends on the denseness of the mass of trees to be set on fire, and when everyone of the millions of China is a tor~h waiting to be lighted, it needs no prophet to foretell the effect of casting in these torches already lighted.
Take another view. A century ago there were in all the earth 174,000,000 nominal Christians, 44,000,000 of them Protestants. Now there are 165,000,000 Protestants, almost as many as the whole number at that time, among 450,000,000 nominal Christians. Add to that that the energy and efficiency of the race is concentrated in those Protestants, and the prospect for the future is radiant. Furmerly the Latin race was the conqueror and colonizer of the world, but since it fell under the paralysis of Popery it has lost its power. Now the race which lives by truth is marching at the head of the race, carrying the source of its own energy to all the nations.
It is significant in this connection that, while one hundred years
THE PRAYER LEAGUE
ago only 22,000,000 of the race spoke E'llglish, 115,000,000 now use that language, an increase of more than 500 per cent., and while at that time the 22,000,000 had neither missions nor missionaries, the 115,000,000 now sustain 120 missionary societies, of which our American Board is only one, and these societies raise annually $11,250,000 for the conversion of the world to God.
Then we need only to call to mind the immense store of Christian literature in that language to thank God that it is having such free course in all the earth.
Indeed, we thank the objectors for calling attention to a line of truth where there is nothing to discourage but everything to fill us with the assurance of a glorious success.
THE PRAYER LEAGUE.
We note with sincere gratitude the movement toward covenant prayer in various parts of the Church, and we regard it as the most promising sign of the times. When God's people begin to pray in faith and with true agreement marvels begin in the earth. And not a crisis of missionary history, from the beginning until to-day, has been turned except by prayer.
The Reformed Church has recently formed a Foreign Missionary Prayer League, whose purpose it is "to unite God's people in abundant and prevailing prayer; to intensify, accumulate and direct the power of prayer so that multitudes of heathen may be turned to the Lord in our missions."
In the very impressive appeal which has been issued prayer is recognized as the mightiest power in missionary work, whether to open the doors, thrust forth the laborers, secure the needful means, or to call down abundant blessing. Those who cannot go to the foreign field can, at least, sustain the work by prayers for it, "striving together" with the workmen by their own supplication. United prayer carries resistless power, as is shown throughout all history, and is especially acceptable to God. The method encouraged is special seasons, daily set apart, and particular prayer for individual persons and places: abundant prayer, prayer with fasting, arid with intercommunication among those who join the league.
Mrs. Joseph Scudder, 57 Cannon street, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., acts as secretary of the league. We exhort all who belong to that communion especially to join this league, and make its objects and aims heartily their own. We believe that if the whole Church would get into a new attitude of fervent, believing prayer there would be such a new Pentecost as the history of man has never yet recorded.
COl>'VENTION OF CHRISTIAN WORKERS AT BANGALORE, INDIA
CONVENTION OF CHRISTIAN WORKERS AT BANGA- LORE, INDIA.
BY REV. JACOB CHAMBERLAIN, M.D., D.D., MADANAPALLE, INDIA.
Bangalore, the chief city of the kingdom of ]fysore, has just witnessed a singular sight for the capital city of a non-Christian kingdom.
Pursuant to an invitation from the missionaries of all societies working in Bangalore and other earnest Christians residing there, a convention gathered at that place on the 23d of September, of missionaries and other ChriAtian workers from all parts of the Madras Presidency with some also from Bombay.
'l'he convention was not for the discussion of abstruse problems of missionary policy, but for the promotion of spiritual life and growth and earnestness in work for the Master.
Trains arriving on the afternoon of September 23d, from four different directions, centering at that place, brought those invited, and others who could attend, from many different provinces, districts, cities and villages. .iUJ. parts of the Tamil country, from near Cape 00morin to Madras and the N eilgherry Mountains,sent representatives. All parts of the kingdom of Mysore, the Kanarese kingdom, were represented. Two delegates from the Marathi country and one from the Gujarathi; myself and another from the Telugu country; missionary workers among the Mohammedans in Hindustani; workers in English among the Eurasians and in the English army, and native preachers in Tamil, Kanarese and Telugu were there. Seven languages were required to do the daily work at their stations of the workers there assembled.
Not missionaries alone: many laymen were there. Coffee planters from the Shevaroy and the Neilgherry mountains. An executive engineer from one of the new state railways on the East Coast; a general and several other officers from the Madras army; soldiers in uniform from the garrison; artisans and tradesmen and their families; natives, male and female, in their striking costumes. All mingled, as children of the King, in this conference. It would be hard to match it in any city of the Western world.
Twelve different branches of the Church of Christ were represented-the Church of England,English Baptists, American Baptists, English Independents, American Congregationalists, English Wesleyans, American Methodists, AustralasianWesleyans, German Lutherans, American Reformed, English Plymouth Brethren and Salvation Army officers-all joined heartily in counsel and prayer for higher spiritual life, for more absolute consecration, for more efficient. service.
Tuesday evening was devoted to an informal reception, a social gathering, the Rev. and Mrs. W. H. I. Picken, Wesleyan missiona- ries of Bangalore, behlg host and hostess.
It gave us all an opportunity of becoming acquainted. English, Germans, Hindus, Americans, Australians, and an exceedingly pleas- ant gathering it was, closing with half an b1u ~Cff more formal words of welcome, praise and prayer.
The next three days, with three sessiOn!, each day, were given to the consideration of "What Christ does for His people," "What Christ does in His people," and "What Christ does through His people," one day being given to each theme.
The vVednesday morning meeting was a Bible reading on the first theme, conducted by Rev. E. Chester, M.D., thirty-one years a missionaryof tbe American Board in the Madura Mission. The afternoon meeting was devotional, led by Rev. I. G. Hawker, twenty-five years a missionary of the London Missionary Society at Belgaum. It was a helpful, uplifting meeting. The evening's session was a more public meeting for addresses on the day's theme, presided over by the representative of the Arcot Mission of the Reformed Church in America, thirty years a missionary among the Telugus, at which every seat in the large audience-room was filled and some stood. Addresses were given by the chairman, on what Christ does (a) by His atonement; by Rev. G. W. Lawday, of Tumkur, Wesleyan, (b) By His example; and by Rev. W. Ioso, London Mission, Madras, (c) By His intercession. The exercises were interspersed with warm prayers and spir:ted singing by a volunteer choir who had previously practiced for the purpose.
Thursday's was the second theme, "What Christ does in His people." The morning's Bible reading on it was led by Handley Bird, Esq., Plymouth Brother, from Coimbatoor, and was exhaustive and stimulating. The afternoon meeting was for ladies only, and was said to have been of exceptional interest. The evening meeting, for public address, was led by Dr. Chester, of Dindigul, and addresses were given by the chairman, by Mr.E.Lynn, Plymouth Brother, Malvalli, and by Rev. John S. Chandler, of the American Madura Mis- SIOn.
Friday was the crowning day. The theme, "What Christ does through His people." The morning Bible reading, led by H. Clift, Esq., railway executive engineer, mapped out the subject well. The afternoon meeting was a conversational session on "Methods of Evangelization," or "How shall God work through us for His higher glory?" 'rhe writer was asked to open and guide the conversation. This was declared to be a "Council of War" for the conquest of India. And it proved one of the most stimulating of the meetings, full of val'lety and suggestiveness.
The methods referred to were: Oral proclamation of the Gospel in the streets, villages, markets, fairs, with such accessories as large colored Scripture pictures or magic-lantern Bible scenes, by night;with cornet and bicycle to tow in the crowd and "baby organ" to hold them for the preaching: Medical missionary work, with preaching to all patients, and terse Gospel tickets for the patients to take home; and Zenana medical work by lady doctors; Reading rooms and preaching halls in crowded thoroughfares; Sunday-school work among Chris- tian and heathen children; Young Men's Christian Association work in large cities, and Young People's Societies of Christian Endeavor in smaller places. The Press and Tract Gospel and Christian book distribution all through the country. Christian school work to reach non-Christian pupils, and to train workers, and Zenana work and Bible women, and lIindu girl's schools to reach non-Christian women.
This meeting being a "family gathering," all mingled freely in the discussion-ladies and gentlemen, lay and clerical, English, Germans, Australians, Americans, Hindus, Episcopalians, Methodists, Salvation Army, Presbyterians, Plymouth Brothers, "Faith Mission" Workers, Baptists, strict and open, Congregationalists and Wesleyans, with prayers of unction, and hymns of victory thrown in all the way. The only difficulty was in bringing the meeting to a close.
Friday evening'S meeting, the closing one of the series, was the most crowded one of all. General MacAusland, of the Madras army, presided and made the opening address, on "What Christ does through His people." (a) by the example and influence of their live!', and was followed by Rev. L. S. Gates, of the American Board's Mission, Sholapore, Bombay, on (b) by their testimony to truth and experience, and by Rev. I. G. Hawker, of Belgaum, on (0) by their works of faith and love.
After the Benediction there was a general handshaking of those who had come, many of them one and two days' journey to attend, and so this memorable "Mildmay Conference," held in India, of Christian Workers, was brought to a close amid a universal desire for a similar meeting to be held next year, at which very many more workers, lay and clel'ica~, will be sure to be present. The Kingdom is coming. We can see its onward progress. God bring it in speedily!
SAID a heathen to a mlsslOnary: "There must be something in your religion which makes you come all the way out here to tell us of it. I am sure I would not go so far to tell you of mine." Nothing is perhaps more likely to impress the minds of pagan people than the evidence that missionaries afford, that the good news is worth telling! And the more sacrifice our evangelism costs us the more eloquent is t.he testimony that missions give to the value of the great salvation and our own passion fOI" souls.
THE MISSIONARY OUTLOOK
THE MISSIONARY OUTLOOK.-I.
BY J. MURRAY MITCHELL, M.A., LL.D., NICE, FRANCE.
We intend to take a view, if possible, of that field which is the world. It follows, of course, that in so general a survey, many particulars that are by no means unimportant, must pass unnoticed, and that only the most outstanding objects can receive more than a passing glance.
It is often said that we have entered, or are entering, on a new era in missionary history. Various things seem, on the whole, to justify this language. Of these we shall specify only three-the student movement in America, the request of the Missionary Conference at Shanghai that a thousand missionaries be sent to China within the next five years, and a prayer from members of the Church Missionary Society that its missions speedily receive the same accession. Ten or five years ago such things could not have been. The double, indeed ,triple demand (Mr. Hudson Taylor had already asked for a thousand new laborers for the China Inland Mission) for a thousand missionaries, if made, would have been scouted as ridiculous. Reserving to the end of this paper Bome questions as to the practical carrying out of the proposal, we can express nothing but admiration in view of the enlargement of heart which the demand implies.
We divide this paper into three parts. We first advert to the missionary spirit as it exists at home. 'Ve then speak of the position of things in the foreign field. We shall conclude with a few suggestions grounded on the sur~ey we shall thus have taken.
I.
First, then, let us attend to the missionary spirit as it exists in Christendom: Undoubtedly there has been, for a good many years past, a steady growth of missionary zeal. The movements we have already mentioned are the natural result of what preceded. Hardly any portion of the Church of Christ now fails to take a share in foreign evangelistic work; or, if it fails, it is quite aware of having to explain its position and apologize. Otherwise, it knows it will stand condemned at the bar of Christendom. There is not merely a growing interest in non-Christian peoples, arising out of a growing knowledge of their condition; there is a deepening sense of duty towards our fellow-men -an increasingly clear perception of the social character of Christianity. Time was when even good men thought not too much, but too exclusively, of their own salvation. We see better than we did that we must "add to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity"-to love of God and love of Christians-a love that embraces the entire human race and that does not evaporate in talk.
Such is increasingly the feeling of the church, and the general public shares it to a considerable extent. We are old enough to remember the time when any new missionary effort that might be pro- posed was sure to be sneered at-classed under the head of "missions to the moon and elsewhere." But no man will scoff at missions now who does not scoff at the Bible itself, and he who speaks of the useless- ness of missions is prepared to assert in the same breath the useless- ness of Christianity.
This growing appreciation of missions on the part of the general public is due to the strong testimony in regard to their practical ef- ficacy, which has been so often rendered by men fully qualified to form a judgment-many of whom were prepared to look on missions with an eye severely critical. Among .such witnesses Charles Darwin has been one of the most tnfIuential. He certainly had no predispo- sition to think well of missionary work; but, as an entirely honest man, he told what his own eyes had seen. One of his expressions has become proverbial: "The lesson of the missionary is an enchanter's wand." Speaking of some who had ridiculed the work in the South Seas, which he himself had carefully examined, he used the scathing language: "Disappointed in not finding the field for licentiousness quite so open as formerly, they will not give credit to a morality which they do not wish to practise." Testimonies in favor of missions are multiplying. Stanley has spoken, with characteristic warmth, in praise of Mackay and others, and, as we write, an eye lights on the high eulogium which Mr. Johnston, in the New Review, pronounces on the doings of Dr. Laws, of Nyassaland. Mr. Johnston says Dr. Laws "learned to make bricks in order that he might teach others. He has become a practical engineer, carpenter, joiner, printer, photographer, farrier, boat-builder and druggist, so that he might instruct his once savage people in these arts and trades."
Mackay, the "engineer missionary," labored with much zeal in teaching the arts of civilized life at Uganda. He spoke very warmly of the missions at Lovedale and Blythswood, in South Africa, as exemplifying what he regarded as the right kind of missions for Africa. They combine intellectual and religious teaching with industrial training.
Men who are believers in Christianity may be expected to write in terms such as we have been referring to. And when those that are not believers use such language as we have quoted from Darwin, we need not be surprised. For now-a-days many who never think of the service of God, plead earnestly for "the service of man." They have drawn the lesson, directly or indirectly, from the Bible, which makes the service of man an essential part of the service of God; and this they ought, in fairness, to acknowledge. But, although they believe in no Divine command to evangelize the nations; they can hardly deny the elevation of the aim. They may blame the missionaries for proclaiming dogmas which to them seem unintelligible, but the philsnthropic character of missions they do not seek to deny; and, when testimonies multiply as to their practical efficacy in raising degraded races, they cannot but express approval. 1'his is true, at least of the higher class of unbelievers-of men like Cotter Morison, one of the ablest of the Agnostics. He speaks of the "unequaled potency" of Christianity in moulding character, and of the "true Christian saint" as "one of the most wonderful phenomena of the moral wOl·ld-so lofty, so p~re, so attractive." We do not wish to make too much of such testimonies; neither do we despise them; but, at all events, language like this rises infinitely above the polished sarcasm of Gibbon no less than the vulgar ribaldry of Paine.
While we speak thus, we are not ~rgetting that, if missions are better appreciated than they were, yet the missionaries themselves have lately been subjected to severe criticism. It is not long since an Anglican canon was writing foolishly about Mohammedanism, and bitterly about the missionaries of his own church. And, certainly, we cannot overlook the excitement aroused among the 'Vesleyans by charges made by one who had seen very little of India-charges which were repeated in one or two influential quarters at home. Such attacks do temporary harm, both at home and among the heathen; but, as the truth becomes known, there is a great reaction in favor of the men assailed. Canon Isaac Taylor will hardly return to the bat-' tIe, seeing he was not only refuted by missionaries, but charged by literary men like Mr. Bosworth Smith with "invincible ignorance" and" headlong heedlessness." The Canon has done good service in linguistics and archreology, and to these he should confine llimself. And as for theWesleyans, it is, we trust, a joy even in the quarters at home in which the accusations were rashly credited, that, instead of their being" proved to the hilt," the sharp weapon, though powerfully wielded, has not pierced-has barely grazed-the skin. For the mis- .sionaries were, after the fullest inquiry, completely exonerated from all charges made, or implied. And so let us pass from the whole thing as from a painful dream.
Of course, criticism is not over. It is inevitable, if real interest be taken in the work. There will be unjust and ignorant criticism; for some men have a perfect genius for finding fault, and there will be room for legitimate and enlightened criticism, for missionaries are not infallible. Inquiry into evangelistic methods there ought to be. Every true-hearted missionary will be most grateful for any new light that can be thrown upon his work, and all friendly criticism he will meet in a friendly spirit. He will indeed be disposed to smile at not a few of the changes that are suggested as improvements on pres- ·ent methods, for probably either he himself, or others, have already tried the thing proposed and found it wanting; but he will fully appreciate the spirit oy which the criticism is prompted. No doubt, as he watches the slow, steady advance of the truth wherever the Gosper is faithfully made known, he will be pained to note the impatience of some who think that the high places in heathenism ought to be cap- tured by a rush; and he will be disposed to ask why things move so slowly at home-why the Pope and the College of Cardinals are not r converted-why unbelief and worldliness are still so fearfully strong A craving for the salvation of souls is beautiful, but a craving for results, mainly in order that we may get our money's worth, is pitiable; and the Church of Christ needs to examine her own heart and see which feeling chiefly sways her. The Apostle speaks of the need of the sower having" long patience," "till he receh-e the early and the lat- ter rain." N ow, in this ale of unsettlement and restlessness, "long patience" is, to the best of us, difficult of attainment; and many crave- for perpetual excitement and perpetual change. Let the Church be " instant in season and out of season," but let her also seek to enter into fuller sympathy with Him who sees the end from the beginning, and who is seated at the right-hand of God" from henceforth expect- ing till His enemies be made His footstool. "
We hail a growing desire on the part of the Church at home to draw tighter the bonds between the foreign laborers and herself. .One mark of this is the sending of deputies to the missions. When these are wise and sympathetic men, only good should result from this. Would that all home ministers could visit heathendom! It would enable them on their return to plead the cause of missions far more zealously and effectively. "Mine eye affecteth mine heart," and a sight of real heathenism would be a lesson and an impulse for life. Indifference to missions is often traceable to ignorance rather than unfaithfulness. Certainly, in this case, zeal will be in proportion to· knowledge.
All that we have said implies that the interest of the Church, and even of the general public, in regard to mission work has been, and still is, deepening. The world begins to see that the work is good, and the Church that it is glorious. Now, do we sufficiently realize the magnitude and importance of the change? Doubtless everyone has heard of the rebuke administered by Dr. Ryland to young Carey for his excess of zeal, and most of us -can repeat the story of the Scottish Assembly, and good Dr. Erskine's "Rax me that Bible.'" But at a later date such representative men as Bishop Horsley, in England, and Dr. Timothy Dwight, in America, were opposed to the' movement on behalf of missions. Or, going farther back, it is deplor– able that from the Reformation till about the end of the sixteenth century the only great man who is known to have seen the import– ance of missions was Hugo Grotius. When from about the year 1664 the Austrian nobleman Van Welz was striving to arouse the churches: of Germany to a sense of their obligations, he encountered the sternest opposition from men of position and unquestioned orthodoxy, such as Ursinus, the superintendent of Regensburg. "The heathen," said this high ecclesiastic, "have already had sufficient means of learning the truth. The Greenlanders could have learnt it from their neighbors, the Danes and Swedes; and the Turks and Tartars from the Greeks. God is not bound to help these'heathen more than He has done." "As for those who have been persecutors of the faith, why should heaven's pearls be thrown to dogs or swine like them?"* Can such things have been said by the leaders of the Christian Church? Unhappily, yes; and they were, by the people under them, all too readily acquiesced in.
Let us thank God that such words cannot be used again. They would arouse one general feeling of horror throughout the churches.
One proof of the deepening interest in missions is the increasing number of university men that are offering themselves for service. It was long before any such, in the Church of England at least, were willing to work among the heathen; but, during the last four years, seventy-nine English university men have become missionaries. In former days of coldness special colleges for training missionaries were wholly indispensable; but the belief is growing that ordained men in the foreign field require at least as good an education as ordained men at home. In the Presbyterian churches the same training has long been given to both classes; there is no abbreviated curriculum for missionaries. The flower of university youth everywhere is pressing more and more -into the foreign field.
The steady increase of female missionaries is equally remarkable III all missionary churches and societies. If we mention the C. M. S. as an example it is not because it stands specially prominent in this respect, but because the requisite information regarding it happens to be at hand. Three years ago it had twenty-two female missionaries. (excluding the wives of missionaries); now it has sixty. Equal or nearly equal progress has been made by the distinctively female missionary societies connected with all the churches. For example, the Zenana, Bible and Medical Mission has, during the last eight years, sent out 138 additional workers, and is making an effort to send twenty more.
The claims of the heathen world are overwhelming, and the conviction grows that the class of ordained missionaries must be supplemented by the unordained men, with or without academical training. This is as it should be. In certain fields, and for certain kinds of work, the higher education is indispensable; a thorough acquaintance with Hebrew and Greek, for example, is necessary for those who are to translate, or revise, the Holy Scriptures in foreign tongues. Devout laymen do admirable service at home, and why may they not abroad?
* See The Nordisk Missions-tids sleri/t. vol. 1, pages 62, 68. This excellent missionary maga- zine has just been started under the able editorship of Provst (Dean) Vah!. As for women, of course, the question arises: "Is the Church to Rend forth only those who are in the position of ladies?" Certainly; native ladies in India and elsewhere can quickly take the measure of their foreign visitors, and a woman of little education or refinement will hardly be welcome in the homes of the higher and middle classes. But are the lower classes to be' overlooked? No woman whose heart is burning with the love of Christ need despair of doing good to her heathen sisters. And, then, the Spirit of God will seldom work powerfully in the heart without imparting a large measure of sweetness and refinement to the bearing-whereas, polish of manner without the grace of God is nothing worth-for Smooth, good breeding, supplemental grace, 'Vith lean performance apes the work of love.
The importance of medical missions is now pretty fully recognized in Britain and America. lVIedical missionaries having British degrees are about 141 in number; while from America and the Continent there are 150. China has the largest proportion. The number of female practitioners seems to grow rather more rapidly than that of medical men.
So hI' we have spoken of Britain chiefly, though we trust our remarks apply also to America. We proceed to refer briefly to the Continent of Europe.
In Germany there is decided progress in missionary zeal. 'rhe vast territories which Germany now possesses or " influences" in East Africa have naturally led Christians to feel that new obligations rest upon them; and new societies ha~e been formed to meet these claims. For example, one at Neukirchen, another in Bavaria, and another at Berlin (where a third society has thus been set up). In medical missions Germany does comparatively little, though the late Professor Christlieb earnestly pleaded for them. Still, the lVIoravians and the Basle and Bremen societies now recognize their exceeding value.
There is a clear advance in Denmark. The imperative obligation of evangelizing heathen nations has been of late earnestly pressed on believing men and women, and a great many missionary uriions (450, at least, we understand) have been formed. The first university men that have become foreign missionaries did so in 1888 and 1889-one in each of these years; but several students of theology have resolved to give themselves to the foreign work on the completion of their course. ,"Vomen also begin to come forward. A deaconess was sent to India, in 1888; two young ladies are under training for foreign work, and several others are likely to follow their example. No medical missionaries have as yet proceeded from Denmark; but two young men are receiving medical tralning with a view to go out in 189l. The mission to the Red Karens has been given up; but one is to be begun among the Burmese. All this, it may be said, does not amount to much. Still, it distinctly implies progress; and some Danish Christians are very much in earnest with regard to missionary work.
Three missionary societies have for a good many years existed in Norway, and a fourth was formed a short time ago, called the" Free lEssion," which sends out men and women to Natal. Quite recently a small society has been set up which will send missionaries to China.
In regard to medical missions Norway is in advance of Denmark.
Au ordained medical missionary was sent to Madagascar in 1869; a second in 1876, and in the same year a third, who had taken his degree in Edinburgh, was sent to Zululand.
In Sweden there are three larger societies-that of the state (lhurch, the evangelical union, and the missionary union. '1'he Swedes work earnestly in various places abroad, especially in Africa, in the Congo Free States and among the Gallas. They have not been able to enter Abyssinia itself, but among Abyssinians on the borders they have done a good deal. These bodies send out among their agents both m<edical men and ladies. There are several other small SOCletles. There is evidently au increasing zeal for missions in Sweden, and it is interesting to note that the state church, as a (lhurch, is hearty in the cause.
The French Societe des Missions Evangeliques has of late made ~al'llest efforts to increase the zeal of French Protestants. The synods of the National, Free and Lutheran churches some time ago recommended that there should be annually a mission Sunday-a day on which the duty of evangelizing the heathen should be pressed on the attention (If worshippers. Mission festivals (fetes) have been established in "Various places~* though by no means as yet in every parish, as was the hope of the synods; publications giving missionary information are largely circulated, and subscriptions to missions have considerably increased. '1'he missions have struggled with great difficulties (in Senegambia particularly); and now, when France has obtained such vast possessions in northern and western Africa, the question is, (lan the French Protestants rise to the requirements of the high occasion? '1'hey deserve sympathy; they require help in their foreign, as in their home work.
In Holland missionary zeal is increasing, though not rapidly. Switz('rland has the Basil Missionary Society-a most valuable and progressive institution, and the small Canton de Vaud has, sinee 1872, had foreign missions connected with the Free Church. In 1883 the free churches of Geneva an<d Neuchatal joined in the work. The united society is called La Mission des Eglises Libres de la Suisse Romande. The venerable Waldensian Church, while it feels itself especially .. See last annual report, p. 3.
NUNNERY LIFE IN NAPLES
called tp evangelize Italy, has taken some part in foreign missions since 1881. It works in South Africa in connection with the Paris society.
The Finnish Christians are not neglectful of missions to th~ heathen. We wish we could say the same thing of the Hungarians (who are also of the Turanian stock). Still, let us not forget that the "T Hungarian Church works both in Herzegovina and Roumania. e have been speaking of interest in the evangelizing of the heathen nations as it is manifested in Christendom. Happily, the bounds of Christendom are enlarging. Ve may now include Australia and New Zealand under that designation. In point of missionary zeal the churches in these regions are hardly behind those of Europe and America. The Dutch Church in South Africa" is also earnest in missionary work.
[To be continued.] NUNNERY LIFE IN NAPLES.
The recent disclosures in this Italian city have produced a pro- found sensation throughout the whole bounds of the thinking world. A convent in Naples, which for four centuries has been shut to all, and has been appropriately known as the nunnery of the "Buried Alive," has been opened by the police and the secrets unearthed. A young girl had been hurriedly" buried" there to cure her of an un- fortunate passion; but when her family afterwards wiRhed to com- municate with her it was found impossible. An appeal to the Italian Minister of Justice procured an order for entrance, and, against vio- lent opposition, the police forced their way. They found twenty-six nuns, ragged, wretched, and some of them half-insane. Eight of them had been immured in this death trap by order of their parents, against their own will. The horrible spectacle thus brought to 'light has caused the Governor of Naples to order a further and complete investigation, and all the closed nunneries of Southern Italy are to be visited officially. "Free Italy" is proving both her right and her power to be free! These women were walled in, 'Yith only a small opening to " pass in food, and were like bony skeletons, The government pro- poses to turn the large convent into a school for girls. Of course the priests cry, "Sacrilegio I Sacrilegio!"
One of the Erskines said: "I can call God to witness that I have done my best to bring on a definite issue between Christ and the adversaries of the truth." .Let us not be afraid of conflict. Christ came not to send peace, but a sword. Loyalty to the truth will inevitably arouse to violent opposition the minions and myrmidons of' error.
"HOW MUCH BETTER THEN IS A MAN THAN A SHEEP?"
"HOW :MUCH BETTER THEN IS A MAN THAN A SB,EEP?" MATT. xn:12.
BY A. J. GORDON, D.D., BOSTON, MASS• • An absurd question! you may exclaim at first. But it was a very pertinent question when Jesus asked it. And it is just as truly so to- day. For do you not know that our American congress has given vastly more attention to the protection of sheep's wooi than it has given to the protection of the home and family? And this is a typi- cal fact which illustrates the conduct of worldly rulers and secular shepherds in all time. Therefore, it is necessary for us to answer anew the question: "How much better is a man than a sheep ?"
Answer first: "The gooa shephera giveth his life for the sheep,'" (Johnx:ll), which, being interpreted, means: "The Son of God gave himself for the sons of men." Our first computation of the worth of man, then, is not in an earthly currency but in a heavenly; not in the denomination of "corruptible things as silver and gold" but of "the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." Think of that, ye monopolists and Christian millionaires~ who have ground humanity between the upper and nether millstones of combination and capital in order to make gain and grist for yourselves, till the Lord has cried out repeatedly: "Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge who eat up My people as they eat bread ?" Here is the difference between man's estimate of man and God's estimate: The one will grind the masses into food for his own stomach, if he can do so; the other-the Son of God-will give his own body to be ground into food for man, saying, as he offers us his own wounded and bleeding members: "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." The philosopher, Compte, is said to have instituted and kept what he' called "Man's Supper," in which he partook of a crust of bread and a cup of water, saying, as he did so: "This I do in remembrance of the great multitude who have only a crust to feed upon.'" But such a sacrament is not needed: for the Lord's Supper, instituted centuries ago, declares all this and vastly more. By it our Lord says to our hungry, oppressed and suffering humanity, " I give myself to you, My.body to be your loaf, lIy blood to be your life, take, eat ye all of it." When was ever such valuation set on man as this? "Every man has his price," says the proverb. And the politician is in the market bidding for him; and the capitalist is in the Exchange bidding for him; and the man-slayer stands in the door of his saloon bidding for him. All these are bidding him down, vieing with each other in deadly competition to see which will get him for the smallest. and most paltry price. But Jesus Christ steps into the circle and sternly asks of the bidders: "How much better is a man than a sheep? Look on him, made in the image of God, and, though bruised and broken by the fall, capable of being restored to that image, and re- dothed with glory and honor and immortalityl And is this all that he is fit for, to be sheared of his daily income by the saloon; to ~ Tobbed of his fleece by the usurer, and to be sold in the shambles by the monopolist? I will not bid him down, I will bid him up. 'As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father, and I lay down my lifefor the sheep,''' (John x:15). Here is the Divine valuation of man; Christ's invoice of humanity. Look at the price-the Lord Himself – and then estimate the purchase. N ever was such fine gold of purity and perfection coined into a single life; never was such weight of priceless suffering crowded into a single death. And all this the purchase money of our redemption. "Or what Hhall a man give in exchange for his soul?" asks Jesus. And He answers His -questions by giving Himself. We want no more powerful argument for missions than this: "Who loved me and gave Himself for me"- Himself, so infinitely much, for me, so insignificantly little. Then woe to the Christian who can hoard his gold, when the dying millions are crying out for more missionaries to be sent to them; and our bur- dened and anxious Boards are crying out for more money with which to send them.
"How much better is a man than a sheep?" Answer second: "I willmake a man more precious than fine gold/ even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir" (Is. xiii. 12). The seer looked on, through the long perspective of prophecy, to .the day when the heavens shall be shaken; when the sun shall be darkened .and the moon shall withdraw her light. In this time, when God shall }mnish the world for its eyil he "will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible"- then" a man shall be more precious than fine gold." Here is something new in the history of the race. For ages the gold brokers of this world have counted humanity as oBly so much crude ore to be reduced and coined into cash for their vaults. But now the golden age has come when a man stamped with the image and superscription .of God will pass for what he is worth-the highest currency on earth. Hear this, ye missionaries of the Cross! You have forsaken all to go down into William Carey's "Gold Mine," while many of your brethren at home are filling their safes with thousands and ten thousands of superfluous wealth, leaving you short-handed and discouraged for want of helpers which they might send you if they would only give as the Lord has prospered them. And in hours of heart-sinking and faintness you sometimes wonder what you will get for all your thankless sacrifices. Be of good cheer. You are mining men, and that for the most part out of the lowest strata of humanity; and though your products have little value in this world's market, wait a little. There is a financial panic approaching in which yellow gold will go down, while there will be an astonishing rise in your securities. Listen to the report of the coming crash, as it appears on the bulletin-board of James, v: "Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. 'Your riches are co~ rupted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered: and the rust of them shall be a witness against you and shall eat yourflesh as it wereflre. Ye have heaped together treasure for the last days." Did you ever hear of such a gold panic as that? Boom the market; form syndicates; pass silver bills; enlist the banks! It is of no use. The day of judgment has come. "Your gold and silver is cankered." :Millionaires become insolvent, banks suspend, and the only people who have anything to depend on are those who laid up somewhat in the savings bank of heaven.
But what news for the missionary on St. James' bulletin-board? Listen: "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman 1vaiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient/ stablish your hearts/for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." "The coming of the Lord." And what of that? Ah, that is going to revolutionize society. Read the :Messianic Psalm 72d and learn for yourself the change that will be ushered in by the millennium. :Money will go down, man will come up. Immanuel will now control the market in the interest of his clients. "And to Him shall be given the gold of Sheba," and" He shall deliver the needy when he crieth, the poor also and him that hath no helper."
And most wonderful of all: "A man shall be more precious than gold." Hear that, 0 long-suffering and patient missionary; your stock will be at par now-as it never has been before. The poor souls which you dug from' the dark caverns of heathenism, and which you coined in the mint of redemption, will be worth millions of such "corruptible things as silver and gold." Did the mother of the Gracchi present her own children to those who inquired concerning her treasures, saying: "These are my jewels?" How much more will the missionary exult in his spiritual children in that. day when the ]~ord shall" make up his jewels," presenting them before the Redeemer, and before the angels, saying: "These are my riches!" :Moffat, who is that black man who stands by your side, and what do you count him worth? And the aged apostle of Africa replies: That is Africaner, the once bloodthirsty and raging man-slayer, now become as gentle and tender as a Iamb since Jesus laid him on His shoulders rejoicing. Do you ask me wha':. he is worth? He is "more precious than fine gold. Yea, than the golden wedge of Ophir." 'Who is that, 0 William Carey, whom you are introducing with such joy to your Lord? That is Khrishna Pal, my first convert from among the heathen of India. Listen, and you shall hear him sing, " 0 thou my soul forget no more The friend who all thy sorrows bore."
And who is this, 0 Boardman beloved, whom you are leading up to the throne with such thanksgiving? This is San Quala, whom God gave me from the dark-faced Karens, and who himself in turn led thousands to Jesus Christ.
" Where can I invest most safely and profitably?" is the question constantly asked on 'Change. Invest in souls; seriously, deliberately and solemnly we urge you to inv~st in souls. There is no insurance on gold and silver that will protect tllem against the fires of the last day. But saved and glorified souls-these are" the gold tried in the fire," out of which your crown of rejoicing shall be wrought. Get money, you mayor may not, 0 Christian. But as you care aught for the rewards of heaven, fail not of getting souls. Get them at your own door; get them from the ends of the earth; but fail not to get them.
" I FEEL age creeping on me. I know that I must soon die. I hope it is not wrong to say it, but I cannot bear to leave this world with all the suffering in it /"-Earl of Shaj~esburJ/.
SCHLEGEL, and Madame de Stael after him, called" architecture, frozen music." From some of the music we have heard in so-called sanctuaries during the past five years we have concluded that the praise was frozen in the icy surroundings of an !esthetic performance, in which all the warmth of devotional fervor had somehow been utterly lost. Is it not possible for even our missionary spirit so to be chilled by the icy rigidity of a heartless formalism, that even while we are boasting of our efficient organizations, God sees that they are like frozen corpses, from which all life is gone?
ARE OUR PASTORS FAITHFUL?
The large number of our non-contributing churches, after making a liberal allowance for unintentional omission, and churches having only a nominal existence, also the trifling amount given to the Foreign Mission Work by congregation" whose wealth runs up into the millions, shows the necessity of some new movement. I have been attending a prominent evangelical church in a great city for the last three years and more, ministered to by one of the most mature preachers in our church, and during the whole tiJlle he has made no reference to the foreign work from the pulpit. The attention of the officers of the church has been called to the strange omission but no explanation has been given. If men who have the ear of the church are silent, God will raise up others. " The stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber and help destroy it." This is beyond endurance.-A Parishioner.
1891.J Tl4-NSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN PERIODICALS
TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN PERIODICALS.
BY REV. C. C. STARBUCK.
-The Missions-Blatt der BrUdergemeine, for June, 1890, gives the follow- -ing account of the peculiar relations of the mission-stations in South Africa to the civil authorities: " The practical English government has long since come to see that mission_ stations are the very best representatives of good morals, good order and civilization, the most trustworthy guarantees of public quiet, above all in the domain <>f the hot-blooded, turbulent Caffres, who have already cost the English colony streams of blood and untold sums of money. No wonder, then, that the higher -officials, in the well-understood interest of the common weal, encourage missions~ It is natural, therefore, when a mission-station is laid out, that they should gratuitously grant the ground required for church, school and missionhouse, if it is in the hands of the government. Indeed, they used also to give, without compensation, even the land for fields and gardens likely to blil required by a future community. This was known as the station-land. The rules and ordinances necessary for such a station then receive government sanction, and the presiding missionary receives civil jurisdiction to expel, from the station and its domain, those that offend against these ordinances by gross offences. Less important violations of station rules are visited with a fine paid into the public purse of the congregation. Thus the presiding missionary of the station is armed, not only with ecclesiastical, but also with civil and judicial prerogatives. On the other hand, the State naturally reserves to its representatives the right to ascertain whethcr the grant in land is actually applied to the designated purpose, whether discipline and good order prev:;til at the station, whether the school is efficiently carried on, and so on. Moreover, those that are condemned to leave the station lands have the right, in case they esteem the penalty unjust, to appeal to a government officer, who takes cognizance of their complaint."
This banishment from the station, however, especially as concerns submission to the heathenish and degrading rites connected with circumcision, is now in disuse, milder, but practically less dangerous and more effective measures of discipline taking its place. This universal Caffre usage, in itself indifferent, is so inextricably interwoven with all manner of vile concomitants, that it seems to be Satan's chief instrument for holding the Caffres under his dominion. Yet a Caffre yputh who does not submit to it becomes virtually a pariah among his tribesmen, and can scarcely obtain, even from Christian parents, the hand of one of their daughters. Its final overthrow will storm the citadel of darkness.
-The Rev. Mr. Stahle, of Australia, a Moravian, though at present connected with another society, communicates the decision of the" Aboriginal Board," appointed to look after the interests of the rapidly-vanishing native race, that they shall all be removed to certain stations, where they shall be kindly cared for, and not allowed intercourse with the whites, or even with the half-whites, until the race disappears, as within a calculable time it appears that it must.
Mr. Stahle says that for several months an awakening, accompanied with rich blessing, had been in progress among the Tapuas of his station. "Much sickness, however, had prevailed, and from January till October there had been eleven deaths. But all who fell asleep bore witness on their deathbed of their faith in Him who justifies the ungodly, and of their fervent desire that they might be permitted to enter into the joy of their Lord."
A visitor to the station, who attended a meeting, says: " But, ah, the hacking cough, which is heard on every side from among them! It sounds like the deathknell over the remnant of the once so numerous native tribes of Australia. Sitting thus in the midst of them, we cannot fail to remark how weakly they are, and how evidently the sentence of death against them is already proclaimed by their debilitated constitution. How emphatic is the appeal to our affectionate Christian sympathy, which resounds in our ears as we listen to this cough!"
-This work of bringing the regenerating influences o(the Gospel to the last survivors of a dying race, casts, of course, a shade of sadness over the minds of the missionaries, such as appears in these words of Missionary Kramer, of the Brethren's Mission, at Ebenezer: "Our beloved Ebenezer will, doubtless, be permitted to enter, as a mission station, upon the new decade. But how will it be at the end? The Lord alone knows. If it is to be dissolved I hope that ourlittle church will remain 'God's house,' and not be turned to the uses of a barn or a· stable. Many blessings, by God's grace, have descended upon us therein, and a certain sadness comes over me when I fear that in the place where we have assembled so often, in the name of the Lord, seeking to be built up out of His Word, or to present before Him our supplications and thanksgivings, or to raise to Him <;lUr songs of praise, the voice of riotous blasphemy may be heard. May the Lord forbid that it should be so !"
The following description of Cashmere, from the Missions-Blatt, reminds one of Moore's "Who has not heard of the vale of Cashmere, With its roses the brightest that earth ever gave, " etc.
"It is a region so richly and bounteously endowed by the goodness of God. that some naturalists have ventured the conjecture that it must have been the cradle of mankind-the origin at Paradise. That wonderful union of the sharpest antitheses in the life of nature, which characterizes the mighty Indian empire, the heat and luxuriant vegetation of the tropics, combined with the refreshing alpine ail' of snowy summits, glaciers and blue-green mountain lakes-so strengthening to the nerves-this fullness of God's glorious creation bursts upon the traveler in Cashmere in its purest, noblest forms. We cannot wonder, therefore, that the children of men to be met with there are also a. wonderful combination of the most startling contrasts. These are the proper inhabitants of the land, genuine Asiatics, arrested in their development for centuries back, and still bound in the chains of a relaxing heathenism. On the. other hand, you meet here with all the facilities of modern intercourse, and the country swarms with Europeans, some seeking recovery from the ill effects of a long sojourn in the heated plains, some finding delight in climbing the glaciers and snowy mountain-tops, like the tourists of Switzerland and the Tyrol."
-It is known that the Moravian Mission among the Himalayas is at oncein Thibet and in India. In other words, the people are Thibetan Buddhists, but are on the Indian slope of the main ridge, and are subject to British authority. They say: "As a missionary, Brother Redslob, so long as he and his wife, though seeking relaxation, are still within the range of Thibetan speech, he feels it incumbent on him, wherever he makes a stay of any length, to bear his witness to the crucified and risen one."
-The Roman Catholic government of Nicaragua, after many refusals, has finally granted permission to the Moravian brethren to establish mission stations in Nicaraguan Territory, for the pastoral care of the converted Indians, who have emigrated thither from the Mosquito State, or have received the Gospel from there.
-The Missions-Blatt' expresses surprise that John Morongo, a leading Indian of their Ramona Mission in California, had previously been a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, but until lately was unbaptized! Of course he was only an adherent, not a member, of the Episcopal Church-a distinction with which our German brethren seem to find it a little difficult to become familiar, as almost everybody in Germany is baptized, and, therefore, accounted a member of some church, though not necessarily a communicant member.
-The Missions-Blatt likewise makes a slight slip, very natural in a German magazine, in speaking of the government of California, instead of that of the United States, as controlling the Indian reservation. The distinction, of course,. is of no consequence to German readers.
-Our German brethren greatly admire the American and English institution of medical missions, to which, for want of suitable candidates, they themselves have not as yet been able to give any wide extension. The Unitas Fratrum, however, has its first, and, at present, its only trained medical missionary, in Carl Marx, who is established in Leh, in connection with its Thibetan Mission. The different German societies are making special effort to come up in time with the Anglo-Saxons in what may be called this left-hand of Christ's work, which now, as with the Lord Himself, has always so mightily supported the work of His right hand.
-The annual report of the Societe EvangeZique of Geneva, for 1890, has-the following remarks: "It is, in fact, beloved hearers, a word of hope, of confidence, indeed of certainty, with which we would fain conclude this reporta word of faith, for that is it of which we have need, in present conjunctures, to sustain us in our work. The times are most serious, and, in face of the growing troubles of the present hour, one might easily be tempted to dl~wur agement. Owing, to our limited view-owing, above all, to the deafening cries of our adversaries, who, in the name of science, of progress, of liberty, of equality, of democracy, proclaim that the era of Christianity is past; that the hour of the definitive enfranchisement of human thought is about to strike on the clock of time–one might believe that it is over with the reign of Christ; that the last times are here, and that the world, given over to itself, is about to undergo the final convulsions. In face of the storm, some are ready to lay down their arms. Why strive, when defeat is certain, why suffer when there is no longer a morrow? Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. Others, more spiritual in appearance, hold another language: "Let us separate ourselves," say they, "from this perverse world, destined to a final destruction. Little Hock of the Good Shepherd, as we are, let us withdraw into His fold; the hour of deliverance is at hand. Let us go out of Sodom and Gomorrah, and, in prayer, await our Deliverer. Let us, too, eat and drink; let us feed on the heavenly bread, let us refresh ourselves with the spiritual drink, and let us abandon to their fate the masses destined to destruction.' Gentlemen, let us listen to neither of these voices, the voice of discouragement and of pessimism or the voice of spiritual egoism; the voice of insane enjoyment or the yet more culpable voice of abdication in the name of sanctity! No, no! neither: .. 'Labor, labor, for the thankful 1 let the thankless hold their hands, Happy the servants whom the Master, when He comes, shall find watching I'
"Is it true, in fact, that the final hour of defeat is arrived, and that everything is discouraging in the Church? Must the rapidly approaching twentieth century necessarily witness a new inroad of barbarians, the more terrible that it will be the inroad of science turned infidel? I do not believe it. It is true that humanity, that unceasing traveler, marches uninterruptedly through valleys and mountain ranges, now ·on the summit, in full sunshine, to-morrow in the depths, in darkness and peril. Possibly we have reached one of those dolorous hours when it descends towards the precipice; but let us not forget it stops an instant; where it takes breath and rests, in order there to address itself to the climbing of new heights. And, gentlemen, let me be taxed with optimism, but I must still say, in spite of all I hear, in spite of all Isee, in de- spite of the sombre prophecies of the guardians of Israel, and of the cries of distretls from the leaders of the flocks, I believe that the present hour is not an hour for despair; I believe that at this end of a century Christianity is not like a wild creature brought to bay; I believe, and I may even say I affirm, that never has the Church been more active, more audacious, more victorious; that never, at any epoch of its history, has Christianity exercised upon the world a power more energetic and more glorious.
"To open, Christians, the way to you, the princes of industrial civilization are transformed, without willing it or knowing it, into pioneers of Providence. These bridges which they hang in air, these mountains which they transpierce, those roads on which fire is their ,bearer and which they desire to serve their ambition, are only channels through which the Spirit is to flow. Thus did three centuries before Jesus Christ, the conquering Alexander, when he sub- dued Asia and transplanted the Hellenic civilization into the distant Orient; thus did the Romans, his successors, when marching in their turn to the con- quest of the world, they brought peoples together by their arms, and furrowed the three continents with their military roads. They believed that by these their legions would eternally pass and repass to impose their commands on the world. They knew not, what we know to-day, that they were preparing tri- umphal ways for the Saviour and his Apostles. 0, you, then,masters of science and of wealth, engineers, colonizers, conquerors, whatever may be your names and your designs, continue the work of your predecessors, abridge space, les- sen the breadth of the sea by your steamers, and suppress distance by your telegraphs, draw from nature her final secrets, so that one day the Truth may no longer be checked by rivers and by mountains, but may advance rapidly to break the last-remaining bonds of slavery and to stifle the ultimate lurking places of barbarism and superstition !"
-The report for 1889 of the Societe des ll:fissWn8 Evangeliques gives for Tahiti: 23 parishes; 4 European missionaries; 20 native pastors; 2,044 church mem- bers; 44 catechumens; 8,949 francs for home work, 594 francs for foreign missions.
-The Paris society, speaking of Tahiti, remarks: "The religious life of the Tahitians is still in a state sufficiently rudimentary. It has its bright sides: profound attachment to the Word of God, very general observance of the Sunday; regular attendance on worship; practice of Christian liberality. Butit has its deep shadows likewise: for one thing, the considerable number of the unconverted, who form the majority of the population; then, even among believers, are insufficient apprehension of the -exigences of the Law of God; the almost complete absence of true Christian faInily life; in brief, to speak with our brethren, 'a piety which still localizes itself too much within the walls of the churches, and which does not spread abroad sufficiently in good works and in regenerating influences.'"
-In speaking of the great work of the Paris society, that in Basutoland, or, as the French call it, Lessuto, the report remarks: " We bless God that He has given to the churches of France a work proportioned to their strength, adapted to their genius, and the success of which has stimulated a zeal which efforts too long without fruit might have discouraged. And, to-day, that which strikes the eye in the Lessuto mission, by the side of that in still advancing, it from time to time regains some large plateau where weaknesses and defects inseparable from every human work, is its sound and vigorous growth."
This mission last year experienced a remarkable revival, bringing in many pagans. This has not continued, but it has left open many new doors of access. Paganism, on the other hand, having recovered from the early impressions of awe before the missionaries, has become at once more malicious and more aggressive. It is assisted, as in Paul's day, by two rival missions, the Roman Catholic and the Propagation Society. The latter, however, excites the contempt of the Basutos, who regard it as coming to the ground between two -stools. "The danger is in the scandal of these three rival Christian confessions, these three Gods, as the natives still phrase it."
The awakening among the heathen Basutos resulted in the addition of 514 new members, making the present number 6,543. The present number of catechumens is 3,332. Out-stations, 110; for 1888, 94; native helpers, 194; for 1888, 176. Primary scholars for 1889, 5,347; for 1888, 4,566.
-11. Coillard, of the incipient, but noble mission of the Zambesi-anoffshoot (){ the Lessuto mission-speaking of the imperative need of extension, or rather 1)f filling up intermediate space, remarks: "We are no longer in the earlier time when missions of magnificent distances had leisure to develop themselves as they might without the risk of taking any harm. To-day the centre of Africa is the object ofa general assault, which contests every point of attack. God grant that we may be resolved and faithful."
-It is known how discreditably,indeed, ridiculously, jealous, both the French and the German governments are, of having missionaries of any other nation in their colonies. Germany, however, being Protestant, does not dislike them as Protestants, and, by its late agreement with England, expressly allows them in Africa. France, however, whose occupancy of the Gaboon, in West Africa, is much more recent than the American missionary occupancy of it, distrusts .our Presbyterian brethren there as foreigners and dislikes them as Protestants. Even French atheists are" Catholic atheists." They have forbidden our missionaries to use English in their schools, to which acceding, the Americans have obtained from the Paris brethren several teachers of French. The Journal says: "The authorities, having obtained satisfaction on the point as to which energy"-French-" colonial administration is inflexible, the teaching of the language of the mother country in the schools, have come to regard the American missionaries with a more favorable eye. If, as we hope, these friendly dispositions become fixed, every one will at last comprehend that which has always appeared evident to us, namely, that an intelligent administration, eager to extend civilization, ought not to refuse any assistance, even though offered by foreigners; especially when these foreigners are the repre sentatives of a friendly nation, and only ask leave to preach the Gospel without any intermixture of political aims."
Should the French Republic, as Father Hyacinthe forebodes, swing over from atheism to Jesuitism, it would fare ill with Protestant efforts, French or foreign, in her colonies. But, as Sainte Beuve remarks, whenever Jesuitism stretches out its hand to some great work of mischief, the eternal wound dealt by Pascal reopens, and it gives up the ghost afresh.
INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT
n.-INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
EDITED AND OONDUOTED BY HEV. J. T. GRACEY, D.D.
The Past Ten Years in Persia. rians, and Catholics; and the Jews, who are quite numerous. BY REV. W. L. WIDPPLE, D.D. The field of the Bible work is divid- In looking backward ten years we ed with the British and Foreign Bible find very little change in the status of Society. Dr. Bruce, its representa- Persia. The same king, ~asr-ed-deen tive, looks after the southern, while I Shah, who has reigned, according to superintend the northern portion or the Persian reckoning, nearly fifty the kingdom for the American Bible years-the longest of any Persian Society. monarch-is still on the throne, a wiser and better sovereign than he There has been decided progress wastenyearsago. The journey which made in the missionary work, reprehe made to Europe, for the third time, sented, on the one hand, by the Amerilast year, seems to have had a bene- can Presbyterian Board, in the North, ficial effect upon him. He visited and on the other hand, by the Church most of the principal capitals and Missionary Society of England, who manufacturing centres, and appeared have their centre at Isfahan. to be in earnest in obtaining information and an insight into the various. In taking a retrospect of the Bible improvements and progress of the 19th work in Persia during the decade just century. Since his return he has be- drawing to a close, I am glad to say gun to introduce changes and reforms that it comes up, in the main, to my of a practical nature. This is no easy reasonable expectation, though not so task, for the same forces are still at extensive as I should wish to see. In work, opposing in every possible way forming plans for the work, when I the introduction of Western ideas, as first entered upon my duties, July 1, on his return from his previous Euro- 1880, I thought that if I succeeded pean tour. He has, however, gained in placing in the hands of the people in solid stamina, and we trust that he of Persia, in ten years, 40,000 copies will not be held in such subjection by of God's Word, I should be thank- "the power behind. the the throne" as ful. I was not over-sanguine that in former years. I should be able to attain that cir- culation. I find that the total cir- The kingdom has been quite free culation, including grants, has fully from internal troubles, with the ex- reached that amount. The sales exception of the Koordish Rebellion, ceed the grants in the proportion of which occurred about nine years ago, fourteen to one. The larger portion and was soon suppressed. are in the Persian, Turkish, and Ara- bic languages, representing the Mos- There has been no foreign war. The lem population. The Syriac comes. territory remains the same, contain- next. Then follows the Hebrew, ining nearly one-fifth of the area of the dicating the interest manifested by United States, or about as much as God's ancient people in His Word. Germany, France, Austria, and Hun- The Armenian does not enter so gary combined. Roughly estimated, largely in our sales as we expect it to it is 1,500 miles long, by 850 miles do in the future. There is too much wide, in its greatest extent. light creeping in on all sides of that ancient and dark Christian Church to Our work is among the following debar God's Word from its communion nationalities: The Moslems-the pre- much longer. dominent class-including the Sheah and Sunee sects (the Koords, as a In 1885 I made an address at the rule, are all Sunees); the nominal jubilee celebration in Oroomiah, com- Christian nations-Armenians, Nestomemorating a half century of mis- mission to the present time, it is be- sionary labot among the Nestorians, <>n the subject, "What part has the lieved that 70,000 copies of God's Word Bible had in the work of the last fifty years in Persia?" There were have been distributed, in different present about 2,000 persons, nearly Qne-half of whom were women and languages and among varions nation- girls. It was stated then, that fifty years before there were only two alities in Persia, apart from what has women in the entire Nestorian nation who could read, and the request was been done by the British and Foreign made that all the women present who (lould read the New Testament would Bible Society, through the agency of rise to their feet. Imagine our grati- fication when 800 arose. It was a Dr. Bruce. This may not seem very sight never to be forgotten by those present, who saw those daughters of wonderful to one unfamiliar with the the East, with intelligent and beaming faces, rise up, en masse, and remain bigotry and self-satisfaction of the standing until they were counted. And these were only representatives Persian Moslem, especially when he from many villages and towns upon the plains of Oroomiah, Sooldooz, and reads the circulation reported each Balmez, with a few from the moun- tains of Koordistan. The incident is year in some larger and older estab- a very impressive and encouraging object-lesson of what missionary ef- lished agencies. But let us not despise forts have accomplished in one di- rection merely-a rather liberal per the day of small things, nor forget >cent. of return in fifty years. Itspeaks even more teIlingly, when it is borne that these millions in Persia are a part in mind that at the commencement of the work among the Nestorians by of the world into which the triumph- Dr. Perkins and Dr. Grant these poor peeple did not have the Scriptures in ant Master commanded to preach the their own language (the Syriac). There were a few manuscript copies on Gospel. ' parchment of the ancient Syriac, so revered and precious that they were The fact that the representatives -only used on special and very holy oc- Clasions, and upon which oaths were from this Oriental land were the first administered to Moslems. as well as Christians, as they were counted very ambassadors to pay homage to the in- sacred by all classes. fant Saviour, and to lay at his feet It was the privilege of the American Bible Society to furnish the means to their royal gifts, is a very significant -carry through to completion the publication of the entire Syriac Bible, in one. And cannot we bring this up both the ancient, or sacred, and the modern languages. It is now revising before the adorable Master as "a methe modern version, and preparing to :,print a new edition with references. morial" in her behalf? We all in Per- From the commencement of the sia believe that there are brighter days in store and greater ,blessings held in reserve. The people are beginning to be aroused to a sense of their duty.
There is no more potent energy at work to bring about this greatly de- sired end than the printed Word. It enters silently where no preacher is allowed to stay, and quietly'and daily preaches to some one or more in that village or city where it finds lodgment and then suddenly the place is thrown into commotion by the rumor that one of their number has left the faith and become an "infidel Armanee"
(Christian). Then persecution begins; loss of relatives and friends and prop- erty follow, and revilings, beatings, and imprisonments hasten on apace; then threatenings, and, at last, it cul- minates in casting out and banish- ment from home and country. It may terminate in death itself.
But, meantime, this faithful one has taught a few of his firm friends, or read to them night after night from this new and interesting Book, .And this was the fact, as I can testify until they, too, have been won over to from what I have seen as I walked believe in the Injeel, and to accept through the bazaars. Christ as their Redeemer. And when a colporteur or evangelist visits the .After various methods were tried, place again, he is surprised to find a without avail, it was decided to pronumber who are not only favorably hibit all sales of Scriptures by colinclined, but who actually accept porteurs, whether in cities or towns Christianity, and petition the mis- or villages. So they could not make sionaries to send them a teacher or tours. This was made a jetwa, or ofpreacher. This has been the case in ficial action by the chief mujhtaheeds, a number of instances. It is inter- or highest ecclesiastical authority; esting, indeed, to see how the leaven 'and when the notice was communiworks, "until the whole lump is leav- cated to the governor-general hedared ened." not disregard it. He therefore in- formed our representative of this or- But in Persia, as elsewhere, "the der, and requested him to notify the kingdom of Heaven cometh not with agent of the American Bible Society observation." Very little attention at to respect it. After careful deliberafirst was paid to the circulation of the tion and counsel, we all deemed it Scriptures. When I began the work, expedient to observe the rule until reten years ago, they were admitted free dress could be obtained. of duty; but as the demand increased, and the cases of books-fifty and This proved to be by far the heaviest eighty at a time-began to arrive, the blow our work ever received. It was custom-house officials deemed it worth over one year before we could get the their attention, and soon we had to order rescinded, and receive permispay customs. A moderate rate wa..'1 sion to resume our work. This profixed, to be paid in kind. But it was hibition was in force only in .Azerbinot long before the officials com- jan, the other provinces being still plained that this was burdensome to opened to the colporteur. The printhem. They did not have room, they cipal part of our work, however, was said, to store away their share of in that province, where such cities Scriptures received for duties; so it and districts as Tabreez, Oroomiah, was decided, after due consideration, Salmas, Maragha, Sooldooz, etc., are that mone,y would be paid instead of situated. It affected, in conse- Scriptures. Soon after these points quence, our sales very materially. were settled, then the mullahs and high ecclesiastics of the Moslems ap_ I have told this story of the conflict, peared on the scene. They seemed to between truth and error, which has have been taken by surprise, and were been in progress for some years, so not aware how many Scriptures were quietly that few have been aware of going into circulation. They began to it, to show what advances the former investigate, and the more they in- is making over the latter, and, how quired the greater were they dis- stubbornly each stronghold has been turbed and alarmed. They held coun- held until captured by force. Progcils in various places, and discussed ress has been slow all along the line;' meaures for putting a stop to this but the fact that nearly 100,000 " torwork. Some were heard to say: pedoes" have been" placed," and are' " These men are filling the bazaars only abiding their time set for them with the Injeel, and wherever we go to accomplish the work intended for' we find one. Even merchants and them to do, is full of encouragement tradesmen are seen neglecting their to those who "wait patiently on the work, and poring over this book." Lord."
The colporteurand evangelist going' out together to the districts and, cities in the distant portions of Persia Testament. There are a number of have had a marked influence for good. converts to Christianity from the Indeed, they have been the advance Jews, and all have been faithful readguards, and have prepared the way for the establishing of every station in ers of the Tourat, or Old Testament. Persia except Oroomiah. All the others, viz.: Teheran, Isfahan, Ta- But as they compared Scripture with breez, Ramadan, Salmaz, and the Scripture, they were at last convinced new one recently established in the that the Messiah had surely come, and mountains of Western Koordistan, they hastened to acknowledge, and do were visited and canvassed first by him honor. There are many intellicolporteurs and evangelists, sent out gent Jews in Persia to-day, intellectuyearly by the missionaries in OroD- ally converted to Christianity, who do miah. They would spend, every not confess Jesus publicly" for fear visit, one week or more in each city in of the Jews," lest they be cast out of preaching and selling Scriptures. In the synagogue. That means to-day this way much precious seed was what it did 2,000 years ago. But the sown, which, after many days, has truth is working in many hearts, and sprung up and brought forth fruit–a will eventually prevail. The missionrich spiritual harvest–already; and aries' schools are composed entirely of the work is only fairly begun., Jewish boys and girls, who daily study the New Testament, and even the OBSTACLES IN THE WAY. catechism.
During these ten years a civil war, Another encouraging fact is the following closely upon the heels of large sale of Scriptures to Moslemsfamine and pestilence, has interfered perhaps the largest part of the gross with and curtailed materially the sales. These are in the Persian and sales of the Scriptures. Likewise, as Arabic, the Azerbijan and the Osalready mentioned, for over one year manli – Turkish languages. Weare no colporteur' was allowed to sell able, by these languages, to reach all Scriptures in the large and influential classes of the Mohammedans of Persia province of Azerbijan, where the larg- and Koordistan. Not only that, but est share of sales was usually made. they are purchased and carried home These circumstances, combined with to dwellers in Mghanistan, Beloochisthe constant animosity and vigilant tan, Turkestan, and even India. opposition to our colporteurs and the scarcity of ready money, have ham- It is a grand accomplishment and a pered the sales. Should the Armenian powerful agency in the evangelization bishops and priests withdraw their ob- of Mohammedans that the entire jections to the people purchasing the Scriptures have been translated, pub- Scriptures, and permit them to be lished, and circulated for years in the used in their schools, our sales would Arabic tongue, the sacred language of be greatly augmented; for they are all Moslems. abundantly able to purchase, and they are well supplied with schools. We The Arabic Bible and New Testahave been working to bring this about, ment are popular with the Moslem and some recent indications lead us to high ecclesiastics and clergy; for, behope that it will not be long before our ing in the sacred language, they al'e en<! will be accomplished. not suspected of reading the holy books of the Christians. If questioned ENCOURAGING FEATURES IN OUR WORK. what they are reading, they can re- ply, "the blessed Arabic tongue," and Among others might be mentioned then they read aloud a few verses in the number of Scriptures that are sNd confirmation of their statement. Our yearly to the Jews. It is true that colporteurs have sold Bibles in this most of these are copies of the Old language to some of the highest rank of Moslems, both clergy and nobility. I could mention some very interesting In concluding this paper, I append cases of this character, which it is not the resume of sales and grants for ten prudent to publish. years. The figures for 1889 are only All the converts 'from Islam to Christianity, whom I have met, at- approximately correct: tribute their conversion directly to the reading of the New Testament in The average number of men employed Persian, and not any human agency. annually ………. ~ •….. . . .. …. …… 25 Number of years spent by them…….. 170 " U miles (on horseback) tray· eled by your agent …….. 10,000 " " months spent on those jour· neys….. …. …. ……… 22 RESUME OF SALES AND GRANTS FOR TEN YEARS. GRANTS. SALES.
Bibles. Tests. Parts. TotaL Value. Bibles. Tests. Parts. TotaL Value.
From July 1880 to 2,114 1,921 4,488 $1,24800 50 285 402 737 151.00 end of 1881. .. .. . 453 2,129 1,755 4,308 1,069 12 47 265 394 706 149.40 2,178 2,363 5,026 1,295 48 58 185 240 483 127.85 F,?r 1882.. …….. 424 1,973 1,977 4,426 1,050 03 …2.9… ..1..7.3.. 236 ….4…3..8….. .1.0.6…2.5.. 1883………. 485 1,105 1,310 2,754 94090 1,549 2,974 4,852 …….. ……. . …… " 1884………. 476 1,023 1,625 2,844 1,311 98 . …… " 1885…… …. 339 2,464 2,129 5,004 384 36 1,500 1,870 3,625 87588 48 " 1886 ……… 329 1,225 15 ……… …9.0… ..1.7.1… ..3.0.9… ..6.4…0.0. , 1887. ……… 196 " 1888………. 411 " 1889………. 225 Total Sales in 10 years. .. ……… 3,368 16,035 17,924 37,327 $9,401 50 232 Total Grants in 10 998 1,448 2,637 $598.50 years… … ….. 232 998 1,443 2,637 59850 Total circulation, 10 years….. '" 3,600 17,033 19.367 40,000 $10,000 00 [NOTE: The above paper was read before International Missionary Union, 1890.-J. T. G.] Missions to the Native Mexican Races. and saving power of the Lord Jesus than their ancestors knew in the old REV.WH. P.F. FERGUSON, BANGAL, N.Y. days when the Aztec altars were piled with human hearts. I showed, in my former paper (see What prospects are there for their MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD, Christianization under present meth- ods? March, '90, p. 218) that there are today in Mexico, out of a total popula- The Roman Church has given them tion of less than 12,000,000, nearly all that it ever can.. They have the 4,000,000 who speak some one of the rosary, the crucifix, holy watermany ancient languages. In other pretty idols, compared with the fiendwords, to-day, after 370 years of the ascendency of Spanish blood, one- ish representations of the old Aztec third of the nation still use the lan- divinities; but only idols, and Rome's guages of their fathers, hands hold no better gifts.
In regard to these peoples I shall The Protestant missions' now at raise a series of questions and suggest work in the country have not, as yet, such answers as are in accord with attempted any very considerable work my conception of the facts: among the indigenes, not can they in the near future. Given the money Have these people been Christian- and the men, and to·day, in parts of ized? the Republic already under the eye of the missionary, 100 workers could be I might give a very extended an- placed in Spanish-speaking towns and swer. I might array facts and pile cities of from 1,000 to 10,000 inhabitup quotations to show you their con- ants where there is now no teacher of the Gospel and where good and sucdition. i refrain, and, with full real- cessful work could be entered upon at izationof the sad import of the words, sum up the condition of the native Mexicans to-day, in the one statement, that they know no more of the love <lnce. It is to be expected, and is To say nothing as to the ability of right, that these missions should ex- native workers to create a Christian pend their slowly increasing force literature of which I shall speak, none upon this work, lying right before of the missions at work in Mexico them and for which they are prepared. have as yet succeeded in training any It will be many years, in the probable considerable number of native minis- -course of events, before any of our mis- ters who would be considered by those sions can offer the Gospel to even the who best know them, as competent to greater part of these ancient peoples. manage the affairs of a mission with- out the constant supervision of the It seems to me, then, not in the least foreign missionary, and, besides, they unreasonable to urge the establish- are, with a few possible exceptions, as ment of special missions among the ignorant of the native languages as native Mexican races. At this day are foreigners. Some boys and girls missions are being founded among in our mission schools, and a few wasted tribes that contain only a few young men employed in the "supply" thousand, or even only a few hun- work would be available as interpre- -<Ired souls, and shall we neglect these ters, but I need not draw upon my peoples who, remnants though they own slender experience to show to .are, still are counted by hundreds of anyone who has ever been obliged to thousands and even by millions? Their work by such agencies that such work romantic history, the remains of their is often worse than unsatisfactory. .ancient greatness, their manifest and And I believe that the best results can' admirable qualities of mind and heart, never be attained by it. The bearer and, above all, the love of our common of the Glad Tidings must come into Saviour impel us to the work of their personal contact with those to whom salvation. he is sent.
This leads me. to question: Can mis- Is there any reason why the Amerisions to the native races employ the can missionary should not go to these Spanish language as the means of peoples, leaming their languages and -communication? entering into their life as he does among other nations? I speak with the fact fully in mind that there are others whose observa- Some have expressed the belief that tion uponthis point has been far more the Mexican government would asextensive than my own, and thus sume an attitude toward any such more valuable; but, in my judg_ movement not unlike that of our govment, the answer to this question is, ernment toward the use of the native No. As well as I am able to judge, languages in the Indian schools. much less than half of the 4,000,000 of whom I speak, have any knowledge of This seems to me in the highest dethe Spanish, and the greater part of gree improbable. I would expect that these but very little. I have seen the government would rather look people living within six miles of one with favor upon anything that would <If the largest cities and gaining their tend to arouse a pride of race among living by selling garden produce in the indigenes, It must be remembered its streets, who could' scarcely under- that Mexicans to-day are fond of 13tand or 'use the Spanish language thinking of the Republic as the lineal enough to transact their business. To successor of the Aztec Empire. Many confine us to the Greek language for scholars would, too, I think, give a <lur religious instruction would be welcome to a missionary who should about a parallel. undertake the study of the ancient languages. It may next be inquired: What are the available resources among our va- Some, again, look upon such labor tive Protestants? as unnecessary, believing that the use of the native tongues is soon to cease. Scriptures and religious books, my I consider this also improbable. For 370 views would be as follows: The be- years the Spanish has had every advan- ginning already made by the publica- tage in Mexico, but has failed to dis- tion of the Aztec Luke, I look upon as place the native languages. To-day it is valuable, more because of the interest· itself growing weak. The day comes, I that it has attracted than for its prac- venture to predict,when, in the greater tical use, which must be slight because- part of Mexico it will be of no greater of its antiquated form. But if mission importance than isthe French language work is ever conducted among these to-day in some of our Southern States. people to any extent, a translation of It cannot be expected to do, in its de- the Scriptures into the languages used cadence, what it has failed to do in will be a necessity. Independent. its strength. So that I do not expect translation by each worker could not to see the native languages spoken by be thought of. If schools should be any very greatly less numbers until a established and the people taught to stronger than the Spanish race rules read their own language, which they in Mexico. cannot now do, the Bible would, of course, be put into their hands and Again, it is asked, if these lan- other Christian literature would be guages are capable of expressing the called into use. The teaching of the truths of the Gospel, and if they are native languages, would, however, de- not of so barbarous a character as to pend upon conditions not as yet fully be almost impossible of acquirement. understood.
Man speaks no language in which The facts which I have briefly he may not be told that "Jesus Christ stated warrant, it seems to me, the came into the world to save sinners." appeal and give promise of success. There is no linguistic impossibility to It may be, that some of the missions the successors of those upon whom now established can be so enlarged fell the baptism of tongues. And, and adapted as to include the most from what little study I have given urgent part of the needed work; but I the subject, I am of the opinion that a should expect better results from new man who has the courage and ability missions established either by the soto begin his study at the very basis cieties now engaged in Mexico, or by anew can master even the most diffi- others. If each would confine itself cult of these in about the average to one nation, or, at least, if the work time required to master other foreign could be so adjusted as toavoid waste, languages. and conflict of forces, much could be accomplished in a short time, while The existence of numerous dialects the less numerous tribes would furnish is also urged as an insurmountable fields of labor for societies of limited obstacle. We are told that even a resources. slight change of location among people of the same race would render Conceeding the possibility that some useless the study of years. I question of my condusions may not be well if this obstacle is not very much over- founded, and doubting at the same rated. I believe that missionary his- time if data are yet at hand for a pertory will show many instances of fect judgment of the case; I would greater difficulties of this character urge that the first step should be an overcome elsewhere. And, it is to be exploration with a view to discoverremembered that the introduction of ing accurately such points as, to what missionary work in the languages will extent these peoples are dependent strongly tend to remove the differences upon the native languages, to just – of dialects. what extent the more important of them are divided by dialects, and If we shall raise here the question of the necessity of translating the what is the present prospect for their interest to remember that the mission- survival. Attention should also be ary living among these peoples, mak- given to the disposition of the people ingan intelligent studyof theirlife and toward the Roman Church, their wil- language, would doubtless encounter lingness, or otherwise, to receive in- many facts, and would give light upon struction and other things that would that most perplexing problem, the aid in the selection of fields of labor history and origin of American races. among-them. If those who were ex- pected to become the missionaries This work is a duty to someone; is should make this exploration (and this it not to us? How can the Protestant would be desirable), a good beginning Christianity of the United States be should be made toward a mastering blameless if it fail to preach the true of the native languages. Gospel to these dying millions, who, right at our doors, have been for cen- The outfit for such an expedition turies cursed with a false faith ? When need not be very expensive and. the we stand before the judgment throne total cost of a year's work could be will not we hear the question, "Where more than met by the literary pro- is thy Mexican brother?" Shall we ceeds. This part of the work might be answer, "Lord,we left him in his filth entered upon at once and would do and ignorance and vice." Or shall we much to arouse an interest in the sub- answer, "Lord, we told him of the ject and make further advance pos- blood that cleanseth, we brought to sible. In fact, I believe that it must be his dark mind the knowledge of Thy done and that, too, by private effort, be dying love, we showed to him 'the fore any organization will move to the Lamb of God that taketh ..way the work of planting a miSflion. sins of the world,' and here, Lord, he is, washed and redeemed, a jewel for Once in possession of the facts that Thy diadem." could thus be brought to light, some society, or it might be, some man of llnent the ~ec~ means whose heart God should touch, would, I trust, furnish the necessary BY REV. LEVI B. SALMANS. financial support for the opening of the work. The field chosen would Anglo-Saxons, as we are, and misprobably be remote from civilization sionaries, too, suddenly set down in and full of dangers. A small, care- the midst of a Latin people, we could fully selected and well-furnished force not fail to admire the Astec populashonld be sent to make a beginning and tion of the fastnesses of the Sierras. advance should be upon the lines de- They have never been conquered by veloped. It might prove that,under the force of arms, though the Latinized touch of Christianity, elements of the government, which has come to preold civlization would spring to life and vail throughout Mexico in a certain thus new peoples be brought into the way, has come into the power of ruler- "federation of the world." Or, it ship. Yet the Ancient Cacique is the might prove that all traces of the old organized ,power behind the throne. were but forms of dust to vanish at Nothing of importance can be done by that same potent touch. Then it the Mexican government in these would be the work of the missionary mountains except it be agreeable to to guide these peoples clear of the the leaders among the Indians, as we dangers of the present Spanish-Ameri- would call them, though they are as can civilization, and introduce them different from our Indians as the Japinto the better and purer form of life anese are from Chinamen, or French into which we are already trying to from English. I do not know whether lead their Spanish-speaking neighbors. these comparisons are just right or not, but the Astcc was a semi-civil- It cannot fail to add a thought of ized race, living in cities built of stoneand morta'!', and had laws and govern- than the inhabitants of the Sierra of ment, with arts and industries, and Pueblo, risen into prominence or fur- were by no means the wild savage nished political leaders in the national nomad, known as the Indian in the affairs of the past generation. United States. Bishop Hurst says: .. while the Spaniard conquered and On Board the "Taichiow," Two Days ruled for three hundred years in Mex- From Bangkok Siam. ico, and grafted upon the people his religion, laws and customs, the Mexi- August 30, 1890. can or Indian has at last conquered DEAR DR.GRACEy:-Am on my way the Spaniard, and taken possession of to my field of missionary labor, in the realm. More than this is true of Laos, and, in reading the July num- the Sierra of Pueblo. They were ber of THE REVIEW, 1 have been much never conquered at home, while they interested in an article headed "Meaided nobly in conquering and ex- chanic Missionaries," by Secretary pelling the Spaniard, and afterward Brown, of the International Commit- the Roman hielarchy. They formed tee of Y. M. C. A. the troops who saved the day on the The Church is waking up to the great fifth of May, 1862, at Pueblo, grand importance of utilizing its lay and on many another fiercely fought element, though slowly. Themechanic battlefield. They hold their land in missionary comes in contact with a severalty, and live largely on their class of people, the very bone and land, rather than in villages. The sinew of a country, unreachable by personal independence of the Anglo- either the ordained or the medical Saxon largely. characterizes them. missionary. The rank and ,file of an They are fierce in war, while at the army could not be made up of colonels Bame time they are very mild-man- and generals. Private soldiers do the nered in peaceful intercourse. Ro- fighting directed by their officers. manism destroys the individual and Why should not the Church carry on builds up the institution. When Pro- her work both at home and abroad on testant evangelism seeks in the midst the same plan? -of a Roman civilization for individuals Secretary Brown speaks of an extento convert, who, after being converted, sive movement to establish one or more will have independence and individu- Christian undenominational schools ality enough to become useful evan- of technology, to fit men to become gelists and leaders among their people teachers of the trades and first-class against the odds of sin, conservatism, mechanics, and at the same time to and feudal inequality, it rejoices the enlist and prepare them for personal heart to find such a people as these in work in winning souls. This is a the Sierra. It is true they are not laudable undertaking, and ought to .nearly so highly civilized as the people have the hearty support of the entire in the cities of Mexico, but they are in Church. But it will, necessarily, be sympathy with the country and the some time before these institutions country is in sympathy with them, can be in readiness for students, and and they belong to the race that is on then some time before these students the top at this time; and when we get will be ready to be sent to work. Let them converted we will have a most us call attention to the fact that you valuable evangelizingagency. Nearly have just such a school in your midst. -one-half of the whole population of Park College, Parkville, Mo., has for Mexico still speak their original fifteen years been sending its trained tongues, and maintain, to a greater or men, and women, too, into all parts less degree, their original customs. of the home field (1 am writing as an Among these none have, more notably American), and into many foreign countries. There is this difference be- hundreds of her sons pleading to be tween this college and those proposed fitted to carry the Gospel to all lands?
by Mr. Brown: its distinctive work is ROBERT IRWIN.
the training of Christian workers for M. Henri Lutteroth, who died personal Christian work. The study February 12, 1889, was the last surof the Bible and the inculcation of viving founder of that lamp shining, personal piety are first; then the col- we will not say amid darkness, but lege work proper leading up to the de- certainly among vapors, the Societe gree of A. B., and lastly, the manual des Missions Evangeliques de Paris. training, embracing nearly all the Speaking of him, the Journal says: trades. " Our work has never had greater This would seem to be the natural need than at the present hour of colorder, and an argument in its favor laborators of this stamp, knowing how is the great success Park College has to place at its service the intensity of had. Everyone of our hundred and piety and of zeal together with all the twenty-five graduates is actively en- distinctions of culture and of knowlgaged in Christian work, besides a edge. Never, in fact, has the amount. great many who were unable to of labor imposed on the committee graduate. There is a practical advan- been more considerable than during tage in their mechanical department. this year." Nothing is done simply to show how it is done, but because it is necessary. The Moravian Church, which first The institution depends largely on the sent a missionary to the south of work ,of its students. They quarry Africa, in 1737, and which has a flourthe stone, mould the brick, burn the ishing work in Cape Colony and the lime, cut the logs, saw the lumber, neighboring lands, now proposes t() and build their houses; they cultivate join the ranks of those who are seekand tend large gardens and a farm of ing the evangelization of the equaseveral hundreds of acres; raise cattle, torial regions. A mission has been sheep and hogs; make wagons, repair projected, under the protection of the implements, shoe horses, and do the German government, for that part of one-thousand-and-one other things the German zone of eastern Africa necessary on a large industrial estab- adjoining the northern and northlishment. There are now over three eastern shores of Lake Nyassa. The hundred students in attendance, and two pioneers of this newest Moravian' hundreds are refused admittance mission, Theodore Meyer and Theaevery year just because there is no phile Richard, will shortly set out for room. If now there are those who the sphere of their future labors. want the mechanic missionary training, proposed by.Secretary Brown, J. TAYLOR HAMILTON, they need not wait until several other Secretary of the Societyfor the Propainstitutions are equipped. Let twenty gation of the Gospel, Bethlehem, Pa.
such be built at once, they will not be A Waldensian church-edifice, hold- too many; but let the Church use, to ing four hundred, has been opened its utmost capacity, that one now in by Cav. Dr. Prochet in Vittoria, a existence. The foreign field is calling Sicilian town with a population of for men. It is the loud cry from the 25,000. The church was so full that north and the south and the west and Dr. Prochet could scarcely reach the the east and from all over the home pulpit. After sermon seven catechu- field. Shall the Church hear the cry mens were admitted, and the crowd, and withhold what is in her power to inside and out, was so much interested give-viz: facilities for training Chris- and excited that the municipal guards tion workers, and oppo~nities to the had to disperse it.
ii2 EDITORIAL NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS
1II.-EDITORIAL NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS.
Editorial Prospectus for 1891. eluding notes by the editor on various The editor cordially salutes his read- topics and books of a mISSIOnary ers with the best wishes of the New character, and editorial correspon- Year. Notwithstanding the decease dence. of the associate editor, no material change will be needful either in the IV. The Department of Intelligence, character or contents of THE MISSION- including the Monthly Concert, Gen- ARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD. The eral Items of Information, Statistics editor-in-chief will be aided by the and Monthly Bulletin. prolific and graceful pen of the Rev. J. T. Gracey, D.D., president of the The editor will spare no pains, and International Missionary Union, under the publishers no expense, in securing whose sagacious control it is hoped from the ablest sources whatever will that the International Department enrich the columns of this magazine. IDay supply to our readers even richer We hope to make it indispensable to stores of missionary information and every minister and missionary, theoinspiration. The Rev. A. J. Gordon, logical student or friend of human D.D., of Boston, whose praise is in all weal. We have planted our standard the churches, will act as a regular on a level higher than any denomina. editorial contributor, and we can tional platform, and shall seek to think of no man in this country whose unite all true disciples of Christ in a words will be read with more interest new crusade against all the powers of and profit. darkness, and in favor of a speedy Beside this editorial staff we shall and universal proclamation of the be aided by a large and able body of Gospel. Once more we ask the prayer. editorial correspondents and contribu- ful and sympathetic co-operation of tors, and no pains will be spared to every Christian, and invoke, upon this secure the best talent and the most sincere and unselfish endeavor, the consecrated piety in the service of this blessing of the Master of us all! REVIEW. These pages will be devoted to the discussion of all the great ques- The editor would add a special word tions connectedwith the spread of the to contrlbutors of articles intended Gospel both at home and abroad, and for publication. So great is the influx will be open to the advocacy of every of unsolicited manuscripts already cause or IDeasure which is linked becoming that even the reading of with human well-being, and to the them has been almost impossible. Of impartial and critical investigation of course, preference will be given to papers which have been solicited; but those who desire to send manuscripts all forms of philanthropic and Chris- would ordinarily do wisely, before tian endeavor. sending, to inform the editor of such intention, state the topic, and inquire It will be observed that, in the whether they are likely to be used. interests of greater unity and sim- The editor begs to say, also, that the plicity of arrangement, we have but qualities of brevity, directness, and, four main departments: especially, freshness of matter and pertinency to the great qUj*ltions of I. The Literature of Missions, in- missions, will give particular value to cluding papers pertaining to general contributed matter. We cannot undertopics, translations from foreign peri- take to return rejected manuscripts odicals, etc. unless stamps for that purpose are enclosed with them when forwarded II. The International Department, to us. Any recent and well accredited under the efficient conduct of Dr. Gracey.
III. The Editorial Department, inintelligence from any part of the field tional interest, and at Cleveland, Ohio, will be especially valued, and all the evening meeting held in Music accepted articles will be paid for so far Hall numbered, probably, 4,000 peras the limited resources of the REVIEW sons. Some very beautiful examples allow. Manuscripts, written in a clear of the power of consecrated mission_ and legible hand, and not obscured by ary-spirited pastors to mould their corrections, interlineations and other congregations into missionary helper, blemishes, are also more likely both to and to stimulate systematic and cheerbereadandaccepted. Wehaveattimes ful giving, have been found. As in been compelled to cast aside a manu- Great Britain, there have been many :script because it was neither possible gifts of jewelry, etc., showing how for the editor to read it, nor the printer God is leading His people to sacrifice <correctly to put it in type. Special superfluities for Him. A gold pen pains should be taken by writers to with pearl handle, a seal ring, two make proper names correct and plain, solid gold chains, a society badge, a and statistics accurate and unmis- pair of gold-mounted eye-glasses, etc., takable. No second article should be have been sent to me for missions. sent, ordinarily, until it is known that Large collections of money have, in the first is accepted. If the corres- several cases been made for the Board pondents will observe these sugges- of Missions. And the farther the tour tions and exercise due patience, the has reached the more abundant the editor will endeavor to see that there calls for service became. It was a is no just cause of complaint as to his curious coincidence that the very day part of the work. The burden of on which the last week-day appointeditorial duties and responsibilities is ment was fulfilled, was the day on excessively onerous, but the constant which the co-editor, Dr. Sherwood, endeavor will be to deal courteously, departed for the Better Country! In promptly and impartially by all con- any case that death would have made tributors and correspondents. further engagements, to any consider- able extent impracticable, as it im- Since arriving in this country, in posed double duty on the survivor. June last, the Editor has been making But no impression is stronger as left a brief tour of the churches in the by these four months of contact with great centres, mostly east of Chicago, the churches, than this, that the best in the interests of missions, and with agent a mission board can have, is results most gratifying and encourag- simply an unselfish missionary-spiriting. Boston, Northfield, and Green- ed, well-informed pastor, who keeps field, Mass.; Willimantic, Conn.; Ger- the vital interests of the world-field mantown, and Pittsburgh, Penn.; Al- constantly before his people. We bany, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, never once struck an apathetic church Buffalo, Lockport, Binghamton, and where there was a man in the pulpit Elmira, N. Y.; Montclair, Newark who was full of passion for souls. and Camden, N. J.; Baltimore, Md.; Youngstown and Cleveland, 0.; Lan- Are Mission Oonverts a Failure? sing and Detroit, Mich.; Indianapolis, In The Ohurch of Scotland Mission Ind.; and Geneva Lake, Wisconsin, Record of May and October, 1890, Dr. and Chicago, Ills., have been among the places comprehended in this hur- Archibald Turnbull, B.D., of the Darried tour. Almost without exception jeeling Mission, writes on the above the audiences have been large and the topic. The author is abundantly able interest manifested unusually intense. to discuss the subject. He is one of the At Albany, Rochester, Syracuse, El- ablest and most accomplished missionmira, the gatherings were of excep- aries in the field and his labors have been remarkably successflK. The A. Beautiful Epitaph.
work begun by Rev. McFarlane, in The most interesting specimen of an 1870, yielded to his prayers and labors, epitaph is one to be seen in a pretty but little apparent fruit, for some church, in Aneityum, one of the Loy- years. When Mr. Turnbull first joined alty Islands, or New Hebrides. It is the Mission, in 1880, there were some a tablet erected by the grateful natives hundreds of converts; and Mr. McFar- to their missionary, John Geddie. On lane, having been called to his rest, this tablet is inscribed, in their lan- Mr. Turnbull is now at the head of guage, the following: the mission, which has branched out When he landed, into three divisions, each headed by in 1848, able and devoted missionaries. Considerably over a thousand baptized there were no Christians here, and when he left, in 1872, Christians are now in communion with there were no heathen. it. Professor Lindsay, convener of On almost any island within 2,00<1' the Free Church Foreign Mission, who miles of the shores of Tahiti, in any recently visited India, has described direction, a similar tablet might be this Darjeering Mission, as the "best erected, as an expression of the results mission he had seen in India." When of the twenty-two years' work, besuch a man as Mr. Turnbull, with tween 1817 and 1839-the epoch of such a large experience, tells what he John Williams-and yet, "missions has seen of converts, his opinion can- are a failure! "
not but be of great value, and by per- A Practical Cure for Scepticism. mission of our beloved friend, Rev.
Thos. Nicol, B.D., the editor of The In the life of Dr. Fleming Stevenson Ohurch of Scotland Record, we pro- we find an interesting commentary on pose to give our readers hereafter, at the words, "He that doeth my will least, some portions of Mr. Turnbull's shall know of the doctrine." At one valuable testimony. He proves, to a time his mind was in a somewhat certainty, that the Gospel is the unsettled state regarding some ele- power of God unto salvation, even in ments of the creed in which he had India. been brought up, to which he clung with loyal reverence. Itwas by plung- Rabinowitch, the Hungarian Jew- ing into practical mission work that ish Rabbi, who, a few years since pub- light was to come to him upon these licly conf03ssed Jesus as the Messiah, thorny points of theology.
and led out a new body of Jewish be- This reminds us of what Shaftesbury lievers, adheres to his faith and used to say to young men: preaches to great crowds. A new, ,,Nothing is more likely to keep you large hall, called after the great evan- from mischief of all kinds-from mis- gelist of the Free Church of Scotland, chief of action, of speculation-from the Somerville Memorial Hall, is to every mischief that you can devise, be opened soon. We look with the than to be everlastingly engaged in intensest interest upon the new some great practical work of good.
movement, known as the "Israelites Christianity is not a state of opinion of the New Covenant," and bless God and speCUlation. Christianity is essen- for the Hebrew New Testament trans- tially practical, and I will maintain lated by Dr. Delitzsch, and for the this, that practical Christianity is the sermons and addresses of such men greatest curer of corrupt speculative as Rabinowitz, David Baron, Wilkin- Christianity. No man, depend upon son of Mildmay and a host of others it, can persist from the beginning of Who are taking the warmest interest his life to the end of it in a course of in the conversion of the Jews. self-denial, in a course of generosity.. in a course of virtue, in a course of ing service, go first to gather in and piety, and in a course of prayer, un- teach the poor neglected children in less he draw~ from his wellspring, un- the afternoon, then hold a yoke-felless he is drawing from the fountain lows' prayer-meeting and take supper of our Lord Himself. Therefore, I together at their humble place of meetsay to you again, and again, let your ing; and who then go out for an hour, walk the streets, and personally invite Ohristianity be practical." * to service those whom they find. And then, at eight o'clock, they go to their To all of which the writer adds his meeting-hall, or tent, and, in their confirmatory witness that never, since simple way, preach, simply as laymen, the taking up in dead earnest the work and hold after-meetings for inquiry. of a world's evangelization, have speculative doubts harrassed the mind.
As to churches and missions, I think The Ritualism, which is more and their true relations to each other are more obtruding itself upon observation very simply defined. The church is in the Anglican Church, and in some both a rallying and a radiating point. of the High-Church services of this We are to come there to be fed and go country, is compelling some who have from there to feed others. GenerallyI been zealous champions of the Episcomake my morning service especially a pal Church, to look with alarm on the encroachments of a latent Romanism feeding time for Christian swubosrtkaenrcs~ .that is rapidly becoming patent. If when I try to bring out the of the Word-the promises, the ways these things go on, they will compel a of serving, the motives of true work withdrawal of those who cannot felfor God, the preparations of prayer, lowship these semi-Papal practices. etc.-whatever helps to qualify any Take these two examples: Canon Scott mHogllhaI.nSds,eirnmSont., Preafuelr'srinCgatthoetdhreald' edautrh- . disciple for holy living and unselfish serving. Then I am glad to have my Christian workers go out after that of the late Canon Liddon, thus solicitmorning service to preach and teach ed prayers on his behalf: "Pray for that sermon and that Gogpel else- him-for his refreshment, for his ilwhere, and am quite willing to have lumination, for his eternal repose." their places empty at the second service Praying for the dead finds no warrant that they may go and hold little evan- in Scripture; it is a Romish practice gelistic meetings, cottage meetings, that ought to receive no countenance prayer services, etc., where they may from Protestants. A service, which was, to say the get at the non-church gael's. I do not least, novel, was held lately in that believe in Christians feeding without same Cathedral. It was styled a "Serworking. "If any man will not work vice of Reconciliation." In Septemneither shall he eat." Activity for ber last, during public worship, one souls prevents spiritual dyspepsia. It Sabbath morning, a stranger suddenly is the exercise needful to carry off the drew a pistol a.nd shot himself, and food into normal channels and assimi- I?hortly died within the sacred struclate it to our constitutional wants. I ture. Having no precedents to folcannot understand how any man can low, after much consultation, the dean be jealous of his workers going out to ' and chaplain formally requested the carry the Gospel and leaving an empty Bishop of London, in the exercise of place half a day for some one else to his Episcopal authority, "to declare fill who needs the Gospel far more. I the said Oathedral church exempt and have had a band of such young men, reconciled from all canonical impediespecially, for years, who, after morn- ment, and from everyprofanation con- * Hodder's Life of Shaftesbury, 1: 328. tracted and incurred by or through the aforesaid acts of suicideand blood-let- all thatoffends refined taste, the Salva- ting, forever." Hence this "Service tion Army compels recognition by of Reconciliation" on the 14th of Oc- downright earnestness and heroic self- tober. The London Times, with a denial. One of the most conservative tone bordering on contempt, asks why, ministers of the Presbyterian body, in if the great temple was "polluted" by a recent visit to London, went re- the crime, services were not entirely peatedly to the army meetings, and, suspended-why the altar was not after careful investigation, declares dismantled, and the edifice closed un- himself wonderfully impressed with til the profanation could be removed· the evidences of God's presence and by a "reconciling service?" Others power.
ask, why the freak of a sensational Shortly before his death Canon suicide, should be considered as "pol- Liddon went to one of the Salvation luting" a sacred edifice. Army meetings in London. As' he was returning with a friend, he said: General Booth gives to the world "It fills one with shame! I feel his new contribution to the great guilty when I think of myself! To problem of how to take care of the think of these poor people, with their unhoused, unfed poor of London, imperfect grasp of the truth! And yet almost at the same time that his wife's what a contrast between what they do body is borne to burial. and what we are doing! When I Her funeral was one of the most compare all the advantages we enjoy, impressive events of modern social we who possess the whole body of history. Whatever we may think of truth, and see how little use we make the Salvation Army, it is one of the of it, how little effect we produce com- most remarkable developments of our pared with that which was palpable time. Its genesis is recent-it began at that meeting, I take shame to my- in the year 1865, and kept its" Silver self. I did not like the women speak- Jubilee" in 1890. A quarter of a cen- ing, however. You know I have the tury ago William Booth resigned his misfortune to agree with the Apostle post as a'Methodist minister, New Con- Paul on that question. "
nection, and began his "Christian And now, Mrs. Booth, after long ~fission," thirteen years later called and acute suffering, has died, and the the" Salvation Army." day of her funeral, though raw, foggy, After this quarter century, this dismal, the procession numbered Salvation Army, at whose members probably 50,000 people, and the streets and methods the world and the were densely thronged with spectators.
Church sneered, now has its banners At the head of the marching columns flying in thirty-four countries or colo- were the 5,000 officers of the army, nies, boasts 10,000 men and women men and women, marshaled in fifteen wholly given up to its work, holds battalions. Each battalion carried a 50,000 religious meetings weekly, flag, some of them a number,of flags, which are attended .by millions of generally of white, with inscriptions hitherto neglected and outcast people. in colored letters, such as "Love one It has, moreover, twenty-seven weekly Another," " Save your Soul," " Believe newspapers, of which about 31,000,000 in God," and one especially striking copies are sold in the streets, saloons, flag bearing the words, "Mother of etc. It has accumulated nearly $4,000,- the Salvation Army." The coffin was 000 worth of property, and its rentals carried on an open hearse, and bore for meeting-places reaches $1,000,000 no emblems beyond Mrs. Booth's a year, while it has a total income of bonnet and cloak, and the flag of the between three and four millions. army, according to her earnest desire Despite all ita sensational methods, for simplicity in funeral reform. Even the London Times lends two or the individual statements and >()olumns to a detailed description of propositions of this book, in common the event, and the Methodist Times with thousands of the best men and describes Mrs. Booth as " the greatest women on both sides of the sea, we Methodist woman of her generation." heartily wish General Booth success. No one who has read the little volume of her addresses, known as " Aggres- Canon Farrar, on November 9, sive Christianity," will doubt her preached a sermon on this philan- })ower. thropic scheme, and even the great Abbey would not hold the crowds that And now, almost simultaneous with thronged to hear it. He had, the her death, General Booth issues his week before, made a tour of the army book, inscribed to her memory: "In centres, and was so impressed that he Darkest England, and the Way Out." made a fervent and impassioned We have read it with profound in- appeal in behalf of the proposed plan, terest, and we find ourselves very far while he disclaimed any authority to from being disposed to ridicule or dis- represent anyone but himself. regard its practical suggestions. From a somewhat extended study of the Those who wish to get the substance practical methods of the Salvation of General Booth's scheme may find a Army, especially in Great Britain, we l·ecapitulation of it in Chapter VII, were compelled to admit that, more Section 5. Some of the most pious than all the churches put together, this and philanthropic of British Chrisunique organization is bringing relief tians are coming forward with liberal to the unfed, unhoused and uncared contributions toward the $5,000,000 for masses of the great cities of for which General Booth appeals, as Britain. the financial' basis of his plan. So awful and so widespread is the degra- General Booth's book is a bold dation and destitution of this "sub- ~ttempt to solve the most perplexing merged tenth" of Britain's population, <>f social problems. His plan is a that we rejoice at any honest attempt mere expansion of that which on no to relieve and remove another of the small scale is in actual operation in open sores of the world. Let the new the Salvation Army ~ntres in London. project have at least a fair trial. He proposes a scheme of three colonies -a town, a country, and an over-the- The following is from the son of the sea colony. Cheap food depots, advice editor, studying this winter in Edinbureau, labor shops, a household sal- burgh, Scotland: vage brigade; the gathering of what would be wasted otherwise, and its " After tea we went to the univerutilization as food for human beings sity to hear Professor Drummond on and for animals, or for various pur- , Christian Evolution.' He dwelt par- })oses of manufacture. He proposes ticularly on the progress of missions to exact a reasonable amount of work and their condition and work, as he from colonists and to pay reasonable had noticed it in his recent trip around wages, so that there may be no en- the world. The lecture was a fine one couragement of paupers; to help out- in every particular, and he seemed to cast and criminal classes to a better be thoroughly in sympathy with the life; to help those who are disposed missionary movement; to have obto help themselves; to maintain whole- served keenly on the subject in his some discipline, and afford religious tour; and he urged all to consider care- {lulture without compulsion. Those fully if their lives could not be best who would know details must read his used for Christ in the foreign field. book. Without giving endorsement He lamented the fact that there seemed to the peculiar methods of the army, to be so much misdirected effort by well-meaning Christian missionaries, because the problem of missions, in Here is another, enclosing a gold. connection with the special countries pen with a pearl handle: in which they worked, was not more thoroughly studied and understood. Sabbath Morning, Oct. 5,1890. He contrasted Australia and the South Sea Islands, Japan and China, espec- DEAR DR. PIERSON: ially, as presenting entirely different kinds of fields, which were to be sown This gold pen was a Christmas gift. with the same seed but in different It has a sad story. It has nev!'r been ways, according to the nature of the used-it has lain idle ten years. May ground, and growth already planted the dear Lord now use it in some way there. One thing he said about Japan so as best to tell of the "Peace on was pretty well put-Japan is ready earth and good will from heaven for anything new and European; she toward men." has taken from France a system of law; from Germany an organization ONE OF YOUR HEARERS. for an army; from England a navy; from America a public school system; The American Missionary Associafrom' the civilized world in general a tion has 500 missionaries. Among fine system of railways and electric the Indian children they have entelegraph, etc. At present she is in couraged unselfish efforts to help in the unique position of prospecting for carrying the Gospel to the destitute a religion. There are, too, on the and unevangelized. But the children islands many missionaries prospecting had no money. Some of them had for converts: they include Episcopal- never seen a copper coin. The governians of every degree of height, Presby- meNt had offered premiums for the terians of every degree of breadth, and killing of gophers, and so the boys Methodists of every degree of warmth. would hunt the gophers and bring Roman Catholics are practically out of their tails in as proof of the work the race. done. Among other contributions was an enclosure, wrapping a gopher's tail " It was a thoroughly good lecture, within, and bearing this memoranand I would like to have it in print. dum: "Richard Fox, one gopher's tail: four cents." "DELAVAN L. PIERSON." One old colored saint in the far South Latterly, the editor has been making used to pray with great fervor for the a short tour of the great cities in the missionaries, and this was one prayer interest of missions. Among numer- heard from his lips: "Oh, Lord, let ous letters received by him, the follow- de missionary down deep into de treasing will suggest their own lesson: ures of de Word, and hide him behind de Cross of Jesus." For whom might DR. PIERSON: not that prayer well be offered?
Dear Sir-Enclosed please find four While Christianity makes us more dollars and ten cents, a small sum that and more tenderly considerate even of I had intended to use toward a society the welfare of the most distant and pin, but if the Master can use it for destitute of the race, sin makes IlUtelling the good story in the lands of man beings more callous eve:n to the darkness I dare not keep it for my own most appalling misery close at hand. pleasure. We have all heard of that notorious gambling resort on the Gulf of Genoa, I would that it were more than Monte Carlo, and of the wretched and it is. summary life-ending of many who have thrown away their means in its May God, our Master, bless you in elegantly-furnished halls. Very lately the work you are doing for Him, is it was reported that during ten weeks the prayer of a college girl. of this year as many as forty-nine E – College, Oct. 6, 1890. suicides had occurred there. "Every before the introduction of Christianity. night," says The Christian, of Boston, All interested in South Sea missions "'the grounds are carefully searched should procure it. It especially com- by the police after the casino is closed. mends itself for brevity. Other vol- Dne man drags a covered spring-cart, umes in this series, lives of Carey, the wheels of which have India-rubber Chalmers, Comber, Crowther, Morri- tires. When a body is found, for son, Patteson, Griffith John, etc., are which a reward is given, it is immedi- as readable as romances. Such vol- ately stripped of clothes and valu- umes can scarcely be multiplied in too ables, tftrust into the cart, and silently great abundance. hurried away and buried. Next morn- jng the sun shines again, the band The Success of Christian Missions, plays, saloons and tables are thronged, by Robert Young, F. R. S., G. S. In and people gamble as usual." this volume, Mr. Young has made a careful compilation of testimonies in New Books. favor of foreign missions in most heathen lands, similar to that of Mr. F. H. Revell has issued two more vol- Liggins. Personal, official and .pub- umes of the short biographies of mis- lic testimony to the value and influ- 'sionaries: Henry Martyn and Robert ence of the missionary operations of Moffat. If there are any better brief many societies is here gathered and biographical sketches for general nse preserved. For permanent reference, .as educators of the young, and as a and as an answer to the slurs and at- means of general stimulation to the tacks of adversaries, the book will be missionary spirit, we have not met always useful and should be at hand them anywhere. 'Within the compass in every well-stocked missionary ,of 160 pages, there is comprised a library as, in its way, an encyclopedia mass of information that is often di- of testimony. London: Hodder & .luted through three times the space. Stoughton. Cheap, thrilling, fascinating, these stories of missionary life combine the While we write, there just comes facts of heroism with the fancies of by mail from a dear personal friend, romance. They are very near to Dr. George Smith of Edinburgh, the ideals realized. We believe that few last book so far produced by his schol- will read one chapter without wanting arly and prolific pen. It is entitled A to read the whole, or read one of the Modern Apostle, and is the life of series, now embracing twelve, without Rev. Alex. N. Somerville, D.D., "the wanting to possess the entire series, world's evangelist." He was an ex- ,and give them away to others. We traordinary man, and we propose here- would like to give the series to every after to present an article upon young man and woman in every him to our readers. Suffice it to say Protestant congregation where Eng- that he thirteen times made a "world lish is spoken. The whole twelve may tour of missions;" viz.: to Canada, be had for $6, exclusive of postage I Syria, Spain, India, Australasia, France and Italy, Germany and Rus- The editor also cordially commends sia, Central Europe, Greece, Asia and to all readers the following books on Africa; and beside this was the able missions: James Calvert; or from and faithful pastor of one of the most Dark to Dawn in Fiji, by R. Vernon. prominent churches of Scotland. Here F. H. Revell, Bible House, New York. is a story of more than seventy-five 'This account of mission work, in what years, full of service and every form was once the cannibal group of Fijian of inspiration to heroic endeavor. – Islands, is rendered specially valuable Those who have read the lives of Carey, by its graphic account of native man- John Wilson of Bombay, Alexander .ners and customs as they were found Duff, Stephen Hislop, and that Short History of Christian missions which terestmg and valuable. One sees as. we have never seen equaled in its in a birdseye-view the steady and sure way, all of them by the same gifted advance of the Master's Kingdom, and author, will not need to be told that we rejoice. this latest volume from his pen, recently issued by John Murray of Lon- In the work of a missionary there don, is a book without which no min- is often much to disappoint. One has isters library is complete. It is one to sow in faith and labor in patience, of the grandest books that modern seeing no sign of a reaping-time. But biographers have offered to the public. when one reads of others who are al- ready rejoicing in the ingathering of Livingstonia Mission. an abundant harvest, he for a mo- ment forgets the plowing and sowing, [The following letter relol,ched Dr. the watering and waiting, and cannot Sherwood's home November 3d, too help sharing in their joy and the Maslate for his eyes to read it. Notwith- ter's. standing the personal references, the Another end gained by your REVIEW Editor feels that it belongs to the is that our hearts are enlarged and we begin to have a fore-taste of that readers of THE REVIEW.] glorious time for which our Saviour LAKE NYASSA. prayed: "That they may be one even as we are one. . . . that they may Mvera Station, May 11, 1890. be perfected in one, that the world DEAR BROTHER:-Were there the may know that Thou didst send Me." least doubt about the excellence and usefulness of your REVIEW, I With reference to the contents of should gladly give my testimony in THE REVIEW I have no suggestions to its favor. Let me merely mention make. What we in the field need is that, along with many thousands of an occasional inspiring article, one to, your readers, I most heartily enjoy rouse and encourage. To my mind and profit by it. Especially on a Sab- there is no pen so gifted, in this rebath afternoon or evening, after sev- spect, as that of Dr. A. T. Pierson. eral services and two Bible-classes, Let us be urged to prayer, patience, feeling somewhat tired, it is with personal devotion to Christ, to faith great pleasure that I take up THE and faithfulness. "Ve know these MISSIONARY REVIEW and read it things but do not realize them. through, I may literally say, from beginning to end. Even though the As many of us are unable to have "news" is from four to five months large libraries, a summary of the biold when it reaches us, we, neverthe- ography of some missionary hero (as less, eagerly look forward to each fol- has appeared of Carey, Egede, etc.), is, lowing number. always most acceptable, or even an I have, of late especially, enjoyed episode from such a man's life, or his an article in the number for Septem- views on any important missionary ber, 1890, on "Prayer-Basis of Mission subject. And why not pubhsh a whole Work," by Dr. Pierson. I have read biography, continued in several numand re-read it, and read it to my com- bers ?" panions, and each time I feel more than ever that "the whole basis of suc- As regards my own work Ishall not cessful missionary work is to befound say much. At this present station we in believing and importunate prayer." have been at work for only about six These words should be written in let- months. The work is much the same ters of gold on the tablets of our- here as on other stations round the memory. lake. Weare 3,400 feet above the sea The items of news you give from in a healthy and fertile country. A various fields of labor are most in- great door has been opened to us. The work is becoming more and more, interesting. Some 500 to 600 people simply as a way of introducing the hear the Word preached every Sabbath letter. Mr. Baldwin will be remem- day. In the school, however, we bered as the writer of the papers in have as yet only some twelve boys- The Christian (London), on "The boarders. People are afraid to send Question of the Hour," advocating the their children lest, having secured a conduct of missions on the lines laid good number, we should run off and down in Matthew x.
sell them as slaves! This fear, will, of Without giving our endorsement to course, pass away in course of time. every sentiment of Mr. Baldwin in Should you care to publish any part those letters, we confess to a large of this letter and any discouraged measure of sympathy with his general worker happens to read it, let me position. And we cannot but feel that stretch out to such an one a brotherly when any missionary in these days hand, and say, "Courage, friend! the attempts a work for God in the spirit Master is looking on and is intensely of faith and prayer, it is not for other interested in our work; let us press on, Christianworkers toridiculeor criticise if not so ably as others, then at least or oppose. There are many ways of as faithfully. Let us often prostrate doing the Lord's work. Why not let ourselves before the 'WondroUB Cross,' them all have a fair, faithful trial?
and in deep self-abasement and lowly Experiment will show whether God reverence, there learn to be' nothing, is with such methods; but the ex- nothing,' that the world might our periment must not be embarrassed Saviour see. When weary let us rest with the secret or open hostility of at His feet; when sad, lean on His even nominal disciples. Mr. Baldwin's breast. Let us drown our cares and personal consecration not even his worries in the ocean of His love, and critics can question. He is about to we shall not sow in vain, but receive start on a prolonged journey, with a the sower's reward." single companion, probably among the Bedouin. May God be with him!
Itis because I so often feel the need of encouragement myself that I am seek- Rev. Dr. Wayland Hoyt, his brother, Colgate Hoyt, and Charles L. Colby, ing to encourage others to-llfght, for Esq., have been preparing a" chapel the Master bas been very near to-day car," for use in Minnesota and on the and wonderfully kind. My subject of Wisconsin Central and Northern to-day, "My son, give me thy heart," Pacific railroads. ' , Uncle Boston" is has touched my own heart. to use this chapel-on-wheels for his I cannot ask your readers to pray Sunday-school mission work, and it is for us and our work specially; there finely adapted to his purposes. Atone are others who have probably a end are arrangements for living, and greater right to their prayers and the rest of the car is a chapel fitted thought; but let me urge all who pray for about 100 persons. During summer for missions to more "believing and months a tent will be carried, which importunate prayer," and we also can be set up for temporary use where shall receive our share of the blessing. crowds are too great for the chapel. Bishop Walker, of the Episcopal ANDREW C. MURRAY. Church, has done a like thing for the territory under his jurisdiction, in The Rev. E. F. Baldwin, now in North Dakota. Each of these moving Beyrout, Syria, desires it stated that chapels is about 60 feet by 10. The latter has gothic projections to give it the letterin the October number, 1890, a church-like appearance, and is finpages 776,777, was not a specific letter ished in oak, in gothic style,. with for THE REVIEW, although Dr. Sher- . chancel, altar, lectern, cabinet organ, wood so understood it at the time, but and even baptismal font and bishop's a circular sent to THE REVIEW. The chair. Weare surely making pro- adch'ess, "Dear Editors" was affixed grE'ss!
THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS
IV.-THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS.
[EDITORIAL. ] Faots and Figures about the World-wide Field.
-.Alaska's coast is the sepulchre 40,000,000 were called Protestant; now, of ships. Dr. Sheldon Jackson says the population is more than double, that almost a hundred vessels have and the nominal Protestants more found a watery gra,e there within than quadrupled!
twenty years! In one storm, and atone -The first convertamongthe natives place, thirty-three ships were ground of India was Krishna Chundra Pal between ice-fields, and 1,200 sailors in 1800. Renry Martyn said it was a cast, wrecked, on a barren shore. miracle as great as the raising of the -According to the census of 1890, dead. Now, every ten years the con- the population of the Unite9. States is verts increase over eighty per cent.
62,480,540. It seems to us that this is The first convert in western Poly- an underestimate; we have supposed nesia was King Pomare II.; now there 66,000,000 nearer the actual truth. are 850,000, and all western Poly- -A Messianic pretender appears in nesia is evangelized.
an Indian tribe. He claims that the -Up to 1853, the Edict Board of Indian power and prestige is to revive Japan made it capital offence for a and the lost ground be recovered. If Christian to set foot on the island this notion gets hold of the mercurial empire. Now, there are 30,000 pro- red men no one can tell what may fessed converts and 17,000 children in come of it: they may attempt to ex- Sunday-schools. One in twenty-eight terminate the whites. .Already, for of the elect members of the new par- three months, the whole northwestern liament is a Christian church member.
part of our country has been in a state As the Christians of Japan number of disturbance and serious alarm. but 1 to 1,200 of the population, it will -Principal Magee,ofDublin,says the be seen that the proportion of Chris- dogma of the infallibility of the Pope tian members of parliament is forty- has repelled the bulk of Irishmen, and three U'Yhes as great. This impresses led to intellectualindependencewhich us as one of the most remarkable is reducing the ranks of Romanism signs of the power of Protestant mis- and filling up those of Protestantism. sions in Japan. The contributions of He thinks vaulting ambition has native converts were about $50,000 again" overleaped itself" and "fallen last year, nearly $2 a head!
on-tother side." -At Oroomiah, Persia, last year, -These are old figures, but their fifty-one out of sixty-seven pupils in lesson is always new: the seminary were Christians and In 1800, not over 50,000 converts in members of the church.
all heathendom; now, over 1,500,000, –The McAll mission schools had and five times as many adherents. last year 235,000 children under in- In 1800, not over 70 mission schools; struction.
now, about 14,000, with 600,000 -The Established Church of Scot- scholars. land reports 2,034 converts and 2,465 In 1800, 50 translations of the Bible; pupils in the schools in the Punjab now, between 300 and 400, of the whole Mission, India, with 723 converts bap- or parts, like the Gospel of Mark. tized in 1890.
In 1800, not over 5,000,000 copies of -Dr. Robert N. Cust reckons 223 the Bible; now, more than that issue missionary societies in the world: 113 from the press every year. in Britain and colonies; 56 in the In 1800; the population of the globe United States; 20 in Germany; 14 in about 700,000,000, of whom some Netherlands, and 20 in other lands. Many of these are doubtless small. sustained by the facts. Mr. Henry Fifty have incomes of $10,000 and up- A. Hinshaw, in the August Science ward, and twenty report over $100,- Monthly, says: "At the end of the 000. At least ten of these have got mission rule the Indian was really three-fourths of their funds from less capable of taking care of himself 1tative converts! than at the beginning. He was found Roman Oatholicism, if we may trust a free man, he was left a dependent.
the "Catholic Dh;.ectory," for last year, Driven to church by the whip, forced has, in the United States, 13 arcb- to kneel by being punched by goads, bishops, 73 bishops, 8,332 priests, 2,132 with no free or rational cultivation of ecclesiastical students, 7,523 churches, mind or conscience, the religious in- 3,302 chapels and stations, 35 theo- struction made up of scarcely any- logical seminaries, 102 colleges, 635 thing else but ritual and superstition, academies, 3,194 parochial schools and the idea of obedience to the priest, with 633,238 pupils in them, 553 chari- the result was what might have been table institutions, and about 8,000,000 expected." Why should the Govern- members. ment continue to appropriate money The approximate distribution of to such schools?
missionaries is said to be as follows: -M. Monod says he adopts very No. of Mis- .much the words of one of his best col- Populatlou. sionaries. Proportion porteurs: "It seems to me supersti- .syria …….. 3.000,000 100 lto 80,000 tion is not so general as it was, and Turkey …… 21,000,000 450 lto 45,000 that what people call the' Protestant Madagascar. 5,000,000 50 1 to 100,000 Burma …… 8,000,000 40 1to 200,000 faith' is honored by many Roman Japan……. 38,000,000 200 1to 200,000 Catholics, who ten years ago felt noth- Jndia …….. 250,000,000 900 1 to 275,000 Persia……. 7,500,000 80 1to 300,000 ing but a bitter hatred against the ·.Africa.•… _..250,000,000 600 1 to 400,000 Gospel and the Scriptures which we s. America'.. 80,000,000 75 1to 400,000 colporteurs circulate. Blessed be the Korea…….. 9.000,000 25 1to 400,000 Lord for that! Those times are gone, .Siam …….. 8,000,000 18 1to 000,000 and the light of the Gospel seems to Chiua …….. 380,000.000 600 J.toQ..A5O,OOO spread. The Lord gives me new Arabia……. 6,000,000 4 1 to 1,500,000 'Tbibet.. ….. 15,000.000 7 1 to 2,000,000 openings, and I must hasten to meet In Sahara district with 3,000,000; . theln." ~ Afghanistan, etc., with 3,500,000; An- -The women's societies in America nam, etc., with 12,000,000; Russia, are doing untold good by preparing 16,000,000; Algeria, etc., 12,000,000; and scattering broadcast missionary Soudan, 75,000,000, there is an ENTIRE literature in condensed and cheap DESTITUTION. forms. Some of us, in·this fast age, [Weare aware that the above must skim the great pan and serve figures are not exact, but they are the up the cream in little pitchers, rich best we have been able to'Obtain from and sweet. Our" little pitchers" are a variety of sources. We shall be multiplying. Brief, compact and in- grateful to anyone who will furnish teresting leaflets, containing the great us correct and reliable statistics.-ED- facts of missions, or short biographical lTOR.] sketches, or quaint stories of a half- -Senator Dawes, opposing an in- humorous sort to illustrate giving and crease to the appropriations to Roman praying, and helping in the work, are Catholic schools among the Indians, freely circulated. Those who can declared the 120 years of Jesuit mis- condense the facts into a small space sionary work among the Indians of and yet preserve all their vitalizing California had left them less capable force are benefactors indeed, and this of self-support than it had found the women of our day are doing with them. The accusation seems to be well grand success. -The Church of Scotland Mission -On the plains and in the selva.s of Record nobly says: Brazil there are a million of wild " But no one can pretend that our Indians, ignored by the Christian missionary collections are such as world.
ought to satisfy us. Let us remember – During the past ten years over how large is our number of communi- 11,000 converts have been gathered in cants-about 588,000. Our missionary the missionary fields of the Moravian contributions show but a very small Church.
sum as given per communicant. For -Sabbath observance is making the foreign mission, or mission to the great progress in Paris. A determined heathen abroad, there was contributed effort is made to close all places of last year by the church at home, business on Sunday.
through the assembly scheme, the -Ninety thousand copies of the ladies' association, legacies and special illustrated Bible, issued in weekly subscriptions, a total of £28,331-not , parts, have been sold among the quite one shilling from every com- Roman Catholics in Italy.
municant. And when we exclude the -The last five years have seen ladies' association, legacies and special greater developments in the opening subscriptions, it appears that the sum and Christianizing of Africa than the raised for tilis object by church col- ninety-five years preceding.
lections in Scotland was £13,172-giv- -The Gospel of Matthew has been ing an average of only 5 1-4d from translated into the Laos language by each communicant. We grant that Mrs. McGilvary of the Presbyterian many of our communicants are poor Board. The Acts of the Apostles is persons, but it will not be denied that also nearly ready.
the great majority are in circum- -The American Baptist Telugu stances to afford some help to any Mission calls for a re-inforcement of good cause which thoroughly interests twenty-five men in the next two sears.
them. If they give nothing, or very Dr. J. E. Clough, of Ongole, has under little, we must conclude either that his care more than 17,000 Christians.
they do not know that there is an -:Et!!',">Dr. Boggs, of Ramapatam, object deserving and needing their aid, says all India is in a state of ferment.
or that they feel no interest, or little The Hindus and Mohammedans interest, in it." actively oppose the advance of Chris- -Arch-deacon Farrar, of London, tianity, and at the same time mis- says: "It comes with shocking ill sionary work is pushed more vigor- grace, and sounds like shameful ously than ever.
hypocrisy, when those who give -The appropriations of the Ameri- nothing and do nothing for mis- can Baptist Missionary Union for the sions, make the 'home heathen' year ending March 31, 1891, are $503,- a false excuse for doing nothing. 159.53. The society calls for an im- They talk as if it were weakening the mediate special contribution of $50,000 resources of England and surely that to meet the deficiency caused by the is stupendous nonsense when we are passage of the silver bill.
not even spending as much on mis- -Four railroads are projected, or sions as on tobacco and Christmas in process of construction, from the cards." east coast of Africa toward the in- -Canon Christopher, one of the terior ; one in the territory of British notable men of Cambridge, England, East Africa Company, one in German proclaims his interest in missions territory, one in the Portuguese pos- by annually entertaining a great sesions, and one passing through Port- company of representative men to uguese territory to the domain of the breakfast. British South African Company.
GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
V.-GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.
Foreign Mission Notes, by Rev. James Johnston, Bolton, England.
African Mlssions.-There are re- cessible. remarkably intelligent, and ported to be over 500 missionary considered by the missionaries to be stations in the Dark Continent, with more Christian, on the whole, than the which 400,000 converts are associated, ordinary run of Christians in England.
whose numberis increasing at a yearly By the Rev. W. E. Taylor, (C. M. S., average of 25,000 souls. Frere Town,) it was observed that the Slavery.-A meeting held at the present is the time to win the popula- Stanley and African Exhibition in tion to Christianity, otherwise they London was addressed by several re- would be made converts to Moham- turned missionaries, of different so- medanism. The Rev. R. P. Ashe cieties. Their reports were very en- (late missionary of the C. M. S. at couraging, especially as to the Congo Uganda) said that the friends of mis- region. Lord Knutsford urged more sions do not realize that the mission- exertion for the suppression of the aries in Central Africa have, with less horrible slave traffic. Although the assistance, d1fficulties to face, corresc British are less directly active in com- ponding to those which Mr. Stanley batting it they seem determined to narrated in "Darkest Africa." A col- banish the great curse of Africa. So lection was taken for the purchase far as Pro1!estant societies are con- of a steamer to be launched on the eerned they are free from the disgrace waters of Victoria Nyanza for the use of buying boys and girls to train them of the Church Missionary Society's as Christians, whereas, French Catho- agents. The total outlay will be £5,000, lie societies openly countenance this of which £2,300 has been secured. In unwisfj .pgliey. A representative of aid of this desirable object Mr. Stanley the -~Anti-Slavery Society entreated made an eloquent appeal in the eol- English people to eschew the use of umns of The London Times, to British ivory, every scrap of which, accord- Christians. ing to Mr. Stanley, issteep~la:lnblood. Bishop Smythies.-The brave lead- The venerable Archdeacon Maple, of er of the Universities' Mission, de- the Universities' Mission, described parting once more to his field, his work on Lake Nyassa. He paid a preached a farewell sermon to a eon- warm tribute to the African Lakes gregation of supporters in St. John's, Company for resistance to the intro- Red Lion Square, Holborn, from the duction of liquor and to similar evils. mlsslOnary passage in Col. il-:3, The work of Dr. Laws, of the Free "Withal, praying also for us, that Church and of the Scotch Established God would open unto us a door of Church, on the Shire Highlands, was utterance, to speak the mystery of equally eulogized. The Archdeacon Christ, for which I am also in bonds."
said, in face of the partitioning of He returns, accompanied by three Africa by European powers, their clergymen and two lady nurses, mak- duty as pioneers was to maintain their ing a complete mission staff of seventy ground unless superior force com- persons. During his sojourn in pelled them to retire. Dr. Guinness Europe the Bishop visited Berlin, and referred to the scope of the Congo was cordially welcomed by the young Mission, founded in 1878, by Mr. Emperor of Germany, who spoke with Henry Craven and others, which had marked sympathy and appreciation of at the present time three missions the Universities' Mission.
and seventy-five missionaries. No- Cardinal Lavigerie. – After dis- where in the world is mission work cussing in Rome further plans bearing more hopeful. The people were ac- on the anti-slavery question, the • Cardinal passed through Marseilles, on 1890, they had received only £13,000; his way to ~'.lgiers. From there, to meanwhile they had to borrow money Biskra, whence he will make various at a high rate of interest to meet their ,excursions in southern Algeria. . liabilities.
Holland and the S,ave Trade.- Japan. – To secure more help for The principal members of the Belgian the English Church mission in Japan government are impressing upon the an important meeting has been held Dutch cabinet the absolute necessity in the library of the Lambeth Palace, 'of giving its signatures to ,the general London. Bishop Barry said, not- act of the Brussels Conference; if not, withstanding the lateness of the Eng- a stigma will rest on the country in lish Church in the field, it would ulti- preventing the execution of effective mately take the leading place in measures for the suppression of the influence and responsibility among slave trade and its horrors. The ex- Christian communities there. A re- port trade'of the Congo State for the markable feature of the Japanese is second quarter of the year 1890 was their capacity to adapt themselves to double that of the corresponding what they had adopted. The church period of 1889, and five times larger mission had certainly no desire to than it was in 1887. These figures hinder the growth of native institushow the necessity of giving the Congo tions, or .to press upon the Japanese State the means to pursue its honor- any western customs which could not ,able and humane mission. be appreciated or assimilated.
Wesleyan Missionary Society- Madagascar. – Excitement reigns Tonga. – The good news is con- in the island consequent upon the fumed respecting the improved condi- terms of the Anglo-French agreement tion of affairs among the native Wes- becoming known. The various misleyans, chiefly due to the wise inter- sionary societies view with lIlisgivings vention of the High Commissioner, the ultimate action of the queen and Sir J. B. Thurston. The majority of her advisers. As to the immediate the exiled Wesleyans have returned prospects, religiously and politically, from Fiji. With the re-affirmation of the sta£ements of authorities are conreligious liberty, the hitherto sup- flicting. According to agents of the pressed feeling of fear and restraint is London Missionary Society recently beginning to disappear, and large arrived in England, no alarm is ennumbers are again attending the Wes- tertained in relation to Madagascar's 1eyan Church. agreeableness to the French Protecto- rate. An experienced missionary, the Secunderabad.-That ardent Wes- Rev. J. Sibree, believes that there isa leyan missionary, the Rev. William tendency to exaggerate the differ- Burgess, reports that he has baptized ences and apprehend risks only in 200 natives this year (1890), and ex- days to come. The English Governpects shortly to announce double that ment have been gradually compelled number. to subscribe to what the Malagasies must have foreseen many years since. Italy. – In, connection with the A younger missionary, the Rev. James vigorous campaign of English Wes- Taylor, declares the influence exerleyans in the Italian peninsula, the cised by the London Missionary Socidoubted secession of a whole Roman etyon the natives is unequaled by any {)atholic village in Italy to Method- kind of organization in the island, and ism is now ascertained to be beyond that from the Society it would be difdispute. ficult to wean the people.
English Wesleyan Missionary So- On the other hand these assurances ciety Finances. – With regret the are vigorously controverted by the secretaries state that out of a procSpective home income of £100,000 for latest mail communications from the car has remained quiet because she island. Great unrest prevails touch- believed that she was outgrowing the ing the Anglo-French agreement; the time for foreign aggression. She now Hovas pronouncing vehemently finds that she has been sleeping in fan- against a French Protectorate sway. cie<i'security, and to-day she is awake For two powers to deprive a country in a rage. The country is aroused. sUbstantially of her rights and privi- There is a dangerous spirit thrilling leges without consulting her is con- throughout the country. The late po- sidered cruelly unfair. In retaining litical calm has disappeared. To an her freedom to conduct her civil and individual the Hovas are patriotic, commercial intercourse, "Madagas- and, if France insists upon putting car," says the principal local journal, a wrong construction upon the Treaty "will fight to the last if France de- of 1885-6, the Malagasy will heroic- mands the control of the foreign of- ally repel her aggression. Watchful fice, or assumes a protectorate over sympathy is desired for the religious the Government of Her Majesty Ran- and national welfare of a people who avalomanjaka III." This language is are beginning to enter on a civilized unmistakably decisive. Until very career. By the missionaries in particu- recently the government in Madagas- lar, abounding grace and wisdom are car had no idea of the island's liberty needed to guide their converts in the being endangered. A claim of France right paths. some time ago to represent Madagas- London Missionary Society. – car in her foreign relations was re- The London Missionary Society will fused, consistent with articles 1-2 of send delegates to the International the 1885-6 Franco-Malagasy Treaty. Council of Congregationalists, to be It was consequently surmised that held in London in 1891. This step is as France did not urge it ,that she regarded as a sign that the society is inte~ the clauses to refer to moving from a broad evangelical basis the pledge of Madagascar not to to one of a more denominational enter into compact defensively or character. offensively elsewhere unless–tt";"'con- Church Missionary Society.- sent of France was previously ob- The benefactions to the Church Mistained. The Malagasy Government sionary Society for the current year is content to allow France to intervene are about twice as much as those of on her behalf in exterior political mat- the average of the last five years, and ters, quite otherwise respecting inter- the ordinary income steadily increases. nal affairs. Madagascar cherishes her Six London societies send out unindependence and sets great store on ordained missionaries, not demanding everything which develops her re- college education. Thus not only sources, and naturally wishes to retain are wider doors opening before the ' a free hand for her administration and, church in foreign lands, but the gate an openseaboard to transacttrade with ,of entrance for workers is becoming other lands. The organ of the Eng- much broader. lish, The Madagascar Times, asserts Two more young ladies went out that the agreement is a monstrous last month to the Zenana work in contravention of past treaties, and Rajahmundry, India, sent out by the warns France of the dangers which Lutheran Mission Committee. The await her should she persist in taking two workers, Miss Sadtler of Baltinominal possession. "Europe," this more and Miss Schade of New Brighpaper states, "is mistaken in her be- ton, Pa., were given a farewell meetlief that Madagascar has been unde- ing in St. John's Lutheran Church, monstrative because the French con- Philadelphia. A chest of medicines trol affairs. This is not so. Madagas- was presented to the missionaries. Monthly Bulletin. -Miss Anna E. Johnson has left Bryn Mawr, Pa., for the McAll work -Mr. David Sinclair, M.A., princi- in Paris. pal of the Missionary College at Mad- ras, and who, after twenty years of -Two Bengalese ladies, after a five service, retired at the beginning of the years' course, received at Calcutta last year, is dead. University the degree of Bachelor of Medicine. They are both disciples of -Professor Riggenbach, of Basel, Christ. for twelve years president of the great Basel Missionary Society, died also -The British and Foreign Bible So- September 5. He had a fascinating ciety issued last year 3,790,000 copies history. of the Bible, either wholly or in part; -Some 200 Hebrew students in the and the London ReligiouB Tract So- University of Odessa petitioned the ciety 77,000,000 publications, every Russian government to be allowed to one of which, in some form, ango forward with their studies as nounces the glad tidings of salvation Hebrews, and met a refusal. It re- in Christ.
sulted in their conversion to Ohris- -The French Protestant Mission tianity! among the Basutos has over 6,000com- -Bishop Hannington was cruelly municants.
murdered by Mwanga, of Uganda, -Rev. R. Glover, D.D., of Bristol, whose Christian subjects have now re- and Rev. T. M. Morris of Ipswich, instated him on his throne. Two years two of the foremost men of the Bapago Bishop Parker, who followed tist deilOmination in England, are in him, perished on the shores of Victoria China as a deputation from the mis- Nyanza. And now, a third bishop, sionary society to visit the stations Mr. Tucker, has started for equatorial Africa. Thus far these bishops have and report on needs and claims of the ~-…. work.
held office less than two years each; -Arthur Brooks, whom the natives but lor the work in which they per- killeq a year ago in Africa, was the ished .more than twenty have been elev~lM:llartyr the London Mission- found ready to take the place of each ary Society has given to the East one who has died. African Mission. Since then Mr.
-It is proposed to build a sort of Slade's death left but three men to "People's Temple" in London, with carry on this work.
sufficient space for 100,000 persons, so -Rev. Dr. Sheldon Jackson has been that when great public interests are at establishing three new missions-Con- stake room may be found for popular gregational, Episcopal and Presby- meetings and discussions. terian respectively, in Alaska. This -A "Hindoo tract society" in is a practical illustration of inter- Madras is trying to neutralize the denominational comity.
missionaries' work by leaflets in de- -In three colleges of North Caro- fence of Hinduism, as they have lina 15 students have volunteered for already imitated Christian "cate- mISSIons. At Oberlin 32, and $400 chisms " for teaching and indoctrina- have been raised for their outfit.
ting the young. -On Lake Nyassa the Scottish Free -A chair for study of the English Church has, at Bandawe, 1,180 pupils Bible was last year established at and 38 native teachers in its schools.
Princeton College. At Yale over 150 -Moravians distance us all in mis- students of the higher classes elect a sionary heroism. One of their Alaska course of Bible studies, with two lec- missions is 3,000 miles from its base tures a week. of supplies, and sometimes the cold is so intense that even the smoke is a pronouncedly good influence upan turned to frost in chimneys. him and his people. He has abolished drinking in his land, and is always -Mr. Penazottj, the agent of the intent on some reform. His word is American Bible Society, in Peru, is always trusted, not only by the mis- in prison solely for the crime of circu- sionaries, but also by traders and lating the Word of God in the Spanish hunters, wl'lO are mistrustful of every- tongue. His instructing of the people thing accomplished by missions. He has been construed as violating a is sincere, courageous and manly, and semi-obsolete decree of the Peruvian if all Caffre chieftains were like him, {lonstitution. We watch the result of Caffreland would have a very different this trial of Protestantiam in South look from its present one. America with interest. -Basel Missionary Society recently -Rev. John Newton, seventy-eight observed its seventy-fifth anniversary. years old, and oldest of missionaries It has missions in India, China, and in India, landed in Calcutta in 1835, on the African Gold Coast and the and is still a hale and happy worker. Camaroons, and not until recently He is a Presbyterian, and believes in have unmarried lady missionaries goue the" Perseverance of the Saints!" to the frontier to engage in educa- tional and other work among their -According to Dr. Pentecost, dark and darkened sisters. Bishop Taylor is the only evangelist who has left behind him in India a Alaska.-Important are the openpermanent work. We may be per- ings for the spread of the Gospel in mitted to say that our friend Pente- this largest possession of the United cost sometimes allows himself to make States. Its area is 531,409 square statements which are too sweeping, if miles: Arctic division, 125,245; Younot careless. Bishop Taylor not only kon, 70,884; Southeastern, 28,980. Its worked as an evangelist, but he extreme length north and south is founded churches, and large churches, 1,100 miles; its extreme breadth is too, which few evangelists do. Hence, 800 miles. Total population about his eminently scriptural and apostolic 30,426; white, 430; Creole, 1,756; Inwork abides, which cannot be said of nuit, 17,617; Aleut, 2,145; Tenneh, some who only do the work of an 3,927; Thlinket, 6,763; Hyda,788. It evangelist. . occupies the extreme northwest of the continent. This important coun- -Think of America sending a few try was purchased from Russia by the missionaries to Africa and finding it United States government in 1867, difficult to raise enough money to and is now under its control. support them, while Boston alone, from 1882 to 1887, sent to the Dark Turkey.-Great Revival in Aintab. Continent 3,500,000 gallons of strong In the annual report of the American drink! Rev. David A. Day, at Monro- Board the siguificant event in Asiatic via, saw landed at one port on one Turkey was the revival, whereby 538 Sunday 50,000 casks of gin! were added to the church in Aintab, and by its influence no less than 1,000 Africa.-Mr. J. Nixon declares of hopeful conversions occurred within Magata, a chief near Pretoria, where the limits of that one field. The three the Hermannsburg missionaries are centers of collegiate and theological working, that not even in England training were specially blessed. Only has he met with a more perfect gen- a small number of college graduates, tleman. Chief Kchama, he declares, however, enter the theological school, is also a chief whose word can be de- and there is an increasing tendency to pended upon, a noble example of suc- come to America to complete their cessful missionary work. His Chris- studies and to better their fortunes. tianity is nothing nominal, but exerts Cost of War.-According to rep- Canon Liddon on Missions.- resentations given recently in the Across the triumphs and the failures German Reichstag, France has'a war of well-nigh nineteen centuries, the footing of 3,300,000 men; Russia, spiritual ear still catches the accents 2,570,000; Germany, 2,900,000; Austro- of the charge on the mountain in Gali- Hungary, 1,150,000; Italy, 1,090,000; 100; and, as we listen, we note that or these five powers can summon into neither length of time nor change of the field, should the necessity require circumstance has impaired their it, 11,019,000. Who can foretell the solemn and enduring force. It is a awful consequences should any power precept which, if it ever had binding be so rash as to let loose the war virtue, must have it at this moment dragon? And to prevent such a catas- over all who believe in the Divine trophy, it is deemed necessary to keep Speaker's power to impose it-it must up a peace footing for Russia of 314,- bind us as distinctly as it was binding 000; France, 511,334; Germany, 486,- on the first disciples. Weare ambas- 983; Austro-Hungary, 325,693; Italy, sadors of a charity which knows no 255,418; or in all, 2,393,423. distinctions between the claimants on Worth Noting.-The secular press. its bounty, and no frontier save those announces that Abbe Mesmer has of the races of man. A good Chrisstarted from Rome to assume his posi- tian can not be other than eager for tion at the head of the Roman Catho- the extension of our Lord's Kingdom lic University in Washington. In among men, not only from his sense of this case at least, we regret that the what is due to the Lord who bought law which prohibits the importation him, but also from his natural sense of of contract labor will not be enforced. justice, his persuasion that he has no We trust, however, that the American right to withhold from others those public will not lose sight of the fact privileges and prospects which are the that this new university is to be placed joy of his own inmost life. When he under the direction of tt foreigner, and finds comfort in the power of prayer, of one who comes witk the blessing of when he looks forward in humble a Pope who, from his hatred of free confidence to death, when he enjoys institutions, continu~s to keep up the the blessed gift of inward' peacefarce of his being a prisoner in the peace between the soul and its God, Vatican, and is arrayed in open an- peace between the soul's various powtagonism to the civil law of Italy. If ers and faculties-he cannot but ask the man is like the· master, we may the question: "Do I not owe it to the reasonably expect that the consistent millions who have no part in these policy which has been so long main- priceless blessings that I should do tained in Italy will not be forgotten what I can myself, or through others in America. to extend to them a share in this smile of the Universal Father which is the Mr. W. F. Wilkinson.-Another joy and consolation of my life? Can worker fallen on the Congo. The I possibly neglect the command to Baptist Missionary Society have re- make disciples of all nations?"-Spirit ceived this.sad intelligence of one who of Missions.
less than ·six months ago was set Rev. Dr. A. P. Happer, President apart at the Society's Birmingham of the Christian College, Canton, meetings for the noblest of callings. China, .is ordered by his physician to Of heroic ardor, the death of so give up work and return home. He young a man cannot be other than a has disease of the heart. As soon as source of grief to all wilo follow with the trustees appoint his successor he interested eye the course of the con- will hand over the College, which he flict. is now arranging to do.