The Missionary Review of the World — June 1890
MISSION TOUR OF BRITAIN
MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD.
VOL. XIII. m. 6.-0td Series.—JUNE.-voL. IlL No.6.-New Series.
I.-LITERATURE OF MISSIONS.
THE MISSION TOUR OF BRITAIN-No. IV. BY ARTHUR T. PIERSON, D.D. Edinburgh, Scotland, March, 1890.
DEAR DOCTOR SHERWooD-ApeHes' familial' maxim has been constantly before me in this mission tour of Britain: "Nulla dies sine linea." By the time this letter falls under the eyes of our readers, this six months of daily labor will have closed, and on May 31 it is. our expectation to sail for America. The aim has been to let no day pass without a new" line" of definite effort for the cause; Being now nearly at the end of the work, as mapped out for the British Isles, it may be well to record some impressions made by the-. experiences of four months in England and Scotland. Everywhere, the welcome has been most cordial and the co-operation most generous' and complete, recalling what Paul said of the Galatians, that they received him" as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus." Everywhere the assemblies have been large, attentive, responsiv~, sympathetic. Invitations pour in upon the committee from every quarter, which it is impossible to provide for, and which indicate abundance of opportunity were time only at my disposal.
1. It is quite noticeable, first of all, that here, as in America, evangelical belief and evangelistic zeal are inseparably wedded. In proportion to the spread of doubt as to the realities and verities of the Christian religion, is the reign of indifference as to missionary enterprise,or at least, of practical apathy. A firm faith in the Word of God and the person of Christ; clear views of sin and salvation, of law and penalty, and of atoning love and grace, seem to be vitally connected with earnestness and enterprise in world-wide exangelism. Nothing has impressed me more than this, that wherever I have found any man or woman absorbed and engrossed in missions, invariably further acquaintance has revealed that there was also hearty acceptance, without question, of the grand truths of Christianity; so that 1 have come, almost unconsciously, to accept intelligent missionary enthusiasm as a safe gauge of soundness in the faith. It is to be fcared that the so-called" higher criticism" is making havoc of missions, so far as it prevails, not only because it insinuates doubt., if not misbelief, but because it diverts attention from what is practical to what is speculative. Dr. Gardiner well says that" Geological strata, studied from a mineralogical point, are very perplexing; but no one mistakes the significance of a boulder/ that is, at least, an unmistakable FACT, driven about for ages and rounded off by friction. The boulder has a history, and to that as a fact geology must accommodate its tale. The gospels are full of boulders: the sermon on the mount is one; the parables of the good Samaritan and the prodigal son are others. We must admit the boulder; and then we may ask how it came."
As to this new critical school, Delitzsch sagaciously says: "Willful contempt of external testimony and frivolity in the treatment of historical data have, from the very first, been the fundamental evils apparent in the manner in which modern critics have handled certain questions. Those two coryphcei of the modern critical school (Hitzig and Ewald) find themselves hemmed in between two foregone conclusions: 'There is no true prophecy,' and' There is no trne miracle.' They call their criticism' free,' but when examined more closely it is in a vise. In this vise it has two magical formularie~ with which it fortifies itself againt any impression from historical testimony. It either t.{rns the prophecies into merely retrospective glances, as it does the account of miracles into sazas or myths; or it places the events predicted so close to the prophet's own time that there was no need of inspiration, but only of combination, to make the foresight possible. That school of criticism which will not rest until all the miracles and propltecies which cannot be set aside exegetically, shall have been eliminated critically, must be regarded by the Church as self-condemned. "
Connected with this destructive "higher criticism" is almost always a speculative tendency as to the questions of eschatology, especially the future state of the heathen. Doubts creep in as to the doctrine of eternal punishment, and all the related teaching of Romans, Chapters T. and II., and kindred passages, as to the condemnation and exposure of those who have lived and died without the gospel. And the consequence is that, instead of promptly bearing to the heathen the saving gospel and leaving the hereafter to settle speculations, the energies of disciples are expended on speculations about the" eternal hope" and" future probation," while with each second of time a human being passes heyond the reach of Christian labor! Some questions never can be settled in this world; there are secrets that exegesis, criticism, research, archreology, philology, philosophy, are powerless to unlock. Let us leave them to Him who holds the keys of David, while we enter at once those open doors which He has set before us, and to every soul thus divinely made accessible let us carry the tidings of that name which is the only name whereby we must be saved.
2. The use of a good missionary map has been abundantly demonstrated. I have had with me the grand map of Prevailing Religions, generously lent me by William E. Blackstone, Esq., of Oak Park, Illinois, which is the most complete and accurate I have seen. It is prepared, not to show the various countries or nations, but solely the religious dominant syetems, and these are represented by various colors. 'l'his map, being about fifteen feet by ten, can be seen in any church where there is a space to hang it. It illustrates at a glance much that cannot be "seen by the ear," as an Irishman might say. I use it to make manifest four things: first, the vastness of the world-field, with its vast yet unoccupied spaces; secondly, the great plan of God's campaign, in which it is the map of his battleneld; thirdly, the grand successes of missions, in which case it represents a harvest-field; and fourthly, to show the possibility and the practicability of the church's actual possession of this world for Christ. I do not see how any man can speak very effectively for missions who does not learn how to use a first-class map, and how to address the eye as well as ear. Wherever this map has been hung and used it has been the most eloquent of orators, as Webster said of the silent shaft at Bunker Hill. Best of all is it, when the man who WJes it makes his own map, so that he has been over it in :all its details, and so knows just what it means and why everything is as it is represented. Together with this map, I have used two charts: one representing the comparative extent of the false and the true faiths numerically, and the other representing the comparative expenditure for frivolities ($100,000,000), for tobacco ($600,000,000), and for liquors ($900,000,000), annually; with another column showing the comparative expense, during ninety years, for missions and 1iquors, the latter reaching the enormous sum of $80,000,000,000 in ninety years, while the former would not reach over one two-thousandth part of that sum. 'l'hese estimates are for the United States alone, but they are about equally true for Great Britain.
The farther I go the more I feel that the great need everywhere is information. The bulk of the people do not know the facts about missions, and if those facts could be widely disseminated and presented in an attractive manner, no one can tell the result in quickening and intensifying interest throughout the Church. It is melancholy to see how little even intelligent people know of the real destitution which exists, the wide areas yet unsupplied with missionaries, and the great facts of missionary history and biography; and therefore it is that faith in missions is easily shaken with some. I heard Miss Child say, at Edinburgh, that at the gates of the Golden Horn the black gulls are seen flying, and, being never seen to rest or alight, are called" l08t souls." Even Moslem and Pagan peoples have a con,cep- tion of the soul as restless without God; and, to wander without such rest in Him, is the synonymn of all forfeited bliss. The same lady also remarked' that one hundred thousand people, representing every variety of national type and religious faith, p:}ss over the Gallica Bridge; but the proverb is, "Not one idea goes over," so little intel- lectuallife and vitalizing power does Turkey seem to provide for its subjects, and so little mental activity is there to be found in the Greek church, likewise.
But again, Miss Child said, that in Constantinople, when they build, a cross is set up in the corner of the scaffold, and it means a constant prayer to the patron saint of the builders at the Bosphorus until the work is completed. What a suggestion to those who are seeking to build up, whether at h~me or abroad, a true missionary work! Whether as pastors we seek to arouse our own people and the communities where we live, to a new intelligence and interest in God's world-wide work; or whether, as missionaries abroad, we are building up for God a church among the heathen, the cross should stand on the corner of the scaffold, and our eyes should be upon it. 'fhe work can only go on as the prayer of faith goes up. He who praY8 is he who build8. Here, above all, orare e8t laborare-work is worship.
Curious are the synchronisms and correspondences of history. 'fhe first slaving voyage from England was made in 1562 by Sir John Hawkins. Queen Elizabeth, on his return, called him to account, and expressed her disapproval of carrying off Aft-icans without their own consent, declaring such an act detestable, and invoking vengeance on the perpetrators of such deeds. Whatever assurance Captain Hawkins may have given that he would act within the limits of her majesty's instructions, and however he may have glossed over the iniquity of Bis doings, greed proved too powerful a temptation for his veracity and integrity. Captives on the African coast were very cheap, and the profits in St. Domingo were very ample, and the slave traffic went on.
In 1564, he sailed with four vessels, one of which was named the Jesur (Jesl1s?), and he made str;tight for Cape de Verde and Sierra Leone. At the Island of Sambala, Hawkins and his crew stayed for days, going on shore daily, burning and spoiling towns and taking the inhabitants for a prey. This voyage proving profitable, another was undertaken in 1567 in the Jesur, and some 400 or 500 captives secured. The voyage, however, proved disastrous, calamity after calamity befell them, and few of all the crew ever found their way to England. Yet Sir John went on with his work of trading in the bodies and souls of men, and records his sufferings as though he we~e writing" the lives aud deaths of martyrs," as, on previous prosperous voyages, he had entered on his log book, how God had not "suffered his elect to come to harm."
Curiously enougp, it was just 300 years from that time (1861-1865) that in America a civil war was raging, the natural fruit of that very slavery which such. traffic had planted on these shores; and in 1865, Abraham Lincoln struck the fetters from four millions of African slaves!
In 1622 Japan was driving out Catholics and Jesuits who brought to the empire of the Rising Sun a nominal Christianity but no Bible; and at the same time, at Plymouth, Pilgrims were landing from the Mayflower, and planting the Bible as the very corner stone of liberty and religion; and from their descendants, says D-r. A. J. Gordon, came Commodore Perry, who, in 1853 and 1854, more than two cen- turies later, 'was peacefully negotiating a treaty by which the faith of those Pilgrim fathers was to find its way into the island empire. How remarkable, too, was that year, 1858, for the opening of wide doors to Christian missions! That was the year when Japan, by treaties, made successively with the United States, Britain, France, Russia and Holland, became generally accessible to those nations; in that same year, China, which, by the treaty of Nankin, in 1842, opened five ports, Canton, Amoy, Foochou, Ningpo, Shanghai; further, by the treaty of Tien-Tsin, opened other ports and conceded t9 British subjects the right to travel under passports in the interior. That same year, 1858, India became part of the British Empire, and David Liv- 'It: ingstone a second time sailed to Africa to pioneer the way for mis- sionaries into the unexplored interior of that Dark Continent. Thus in one year the doors were mysteriously opened to mOl"e than half the population of the globe. Probably no such a series of providen- tial interpositions ever occurred in history before. The year 1858 ranks as the Annus Mirabilis.
Not only is God in missionary history by his providential inter- positions, but by his gracious transformations.
Whc;m Barnabas and Saul were separated, qualified, called of God and sent forth by the church at Antioch, to go to the Gentiles, they completed their mission tour by returning to Antioch and gathering the church together to rehearse all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the gentiles. Afterward, when they went up to Jerusalem, being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phamicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, and caused great joy unto all the brethren. When they were come to Jerusalem they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders,and they declared all things that God had done with them, and what miracles and wonders He had wrought among the Gentiles by their agency.
It is most noticeable throughout these three chapters of the Acts (xiii., xiv., xv.), how constantly and emphatically God is recognized in the whole inception, progress and success of this first missionary campaign. Christ had accompanied the first great commission by a grand declaration, ".All power is given unto me in heaven and on earth;" and by an equally grand promise, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." .And now the .Acts of the .Apostles records the fulfilment of that promise. Such was the success of that campaign that it could be accounted for only on the ground of divine interposition. From first to last He is gratefully acknowledged and glorified. He selected the laborers and thrust them forth into his harvest fields; He set them apart, appointed them and annointed them for this very work, and as the church sent them forth, so also the Holy Ghost sent them forth and went with them. He who thus thrust forth the laborers, opened the doors, wide and effectually before them. Their entrance in unto the Gentiles was plainly of God. He gave. them access to foreign and hostile peoples and secured them an audience, and turned even their persecutions to a testimony, and their rejection into a welcome. Then he granted conversion unto the gentiles, and sanctification, purifying their hearts by faith. Then he wrought various miracles, signs and wonders by the hands of his apostles. So that throughout the whole course of their campaign GOD'S PRESENCE and POWER were conspicuous.
It is our deep conviction that no candid man can read the history of the last century of missions without being impressed that it is the twenty-ninth chapter of the .Acts of the .Apostles; and that through. out this whole historic chapter, as throughout the rest of that book, God's providence and grace are conspicuous. So far from missions being a failure, their success demands a supernatural force and factor as their only adequate explanation. From the time when William Carey began to revolve in his humble shoe shop at Hackleton the plan for a world's evangelization, all along through the periods of organization, .occupancy of the fields, and realization of results, the mighty hand of God is marvellously manifest. We believe that the study of missions is the effectual cure of all skepticism. If there be any modern Nathaniel who doubts whether any good thing has come out of Nazareth, let him" come and see." Let him read and study Robert Morrison, Charles Gutzlaff, Peter Parker, and their work in China; let him follow the footsteps of .Adonaram Judson and his devoted wives in Burmah and among the Karens; let him sail with John Williams through the South Seas, until he falls beneath the savage club at Eromanga; let him watch the work of Charles Wheeler on the Euphrates, and Dr. Barnum at Harpoot; let him go to Zululand and hear the native preachers now. telling the gospel story to their yet benighted countrymen; let him visit the crowded salles of Mc.All in Paris and the French provinces, and go for fo.ur months every night into a new station among these mercurial Frenchmen; let him go to the Eternal City and see thirty Protestant chapels within the walls where thirty years ago no Protestan t could bring a Bible; let the candid investigator go. into the Madras Presi- dencyand visit Tinnevelly, where in six months 16,000 were bap- tized, and the Telugu country, where 10,000 were baptized in a twelve- month; let him trace the footsteps of Fidelia Fiske in the Land of Esther, and sit down with her at the Lord's table with seventy young ladies brought to the Lord by her influence; let him visit the sun- rise Kingdom, and realize that the changes of ten years, as Kawmura says, have" left nothing as it was before except the natural scenery;" let him go to Formosa, where, on the twelfth anniversary of his arrival, McKay sat down at the Lord's table with 1,200 converts; let him who is willing to be convinced go to William Duncan's Metlakahtla and see a model Christian state among the Indians, whom some even now think good only to kill; let him go to old Calabar and see the heathenism of a thousand years yielding its long established customs and superstitions before the gospel; let him compare the India of to-day with scores of its cruel tortures and outrageous oppressions either abolished or abated; let him read t,he story of Madagascar and the twenty-five years of persecutions that not even with scalding water and martyr-fires, with hurling from precipices and drowning in the sea, could intimidate Malagasy disciples; let him go to Aniwa and see John J. Paton's memorial, a savage cannibal population turned intoa Christian community, with churches, schools, hospitals, hallowed homes and civil order suoh as becomes a Christian state; let him look on the thousand churches of the Fiji group, many of them built on the site of cannibal ovens; let the doubter who is willing to be convinced that God is in missionary history, follow the steps of the mission band from William Carey's sermon in Kettering in 1792 to the latest triumph of men of faith and of prayer who still " attempt great things for God," and" expect great things from God;" and he will find himself following the pillar of cloud and fire, and. dazzled by the glory of the Shekinah !
We have written and spoken for twenty-five years upon missions. And to-day, conscious that we stand a quarter of a century nearer the bound of life, where burdens of duty are laid down for the nnresting but unwearying service of a higher life, we calmly and confidently say that, for closeness of fellowship with God, and for the vivid vision of His almighty power, and for the effectual removal of all honest doubt as to a supernatural presence in human history, and especially the work of world-wide evangelization, we know of nothing equal to a participation in preaching the gospel to the lost.
After about three months of missionary campaigning in Scotland, my tour closed there on the twenty-thircl instant, with meetings at Campbeltown, Cantire, and;as was becoming, a closing meeting in that border city, Berwick-on-Tweed, which is on the Scotch side of the 'l'weed, but within ,English jurisdiction. From first to last there has been but one experience of welcome from all disciples, and gen- erous cordiality and hospitality.
At Alloa, in connection with one of the grandest meetings held north of the border, I saw a man that reminded me of what Bayard Taylor said to Baron von Humboldt: " You have seen a great many ruins, :Mr. Taylor," said the Baron, "and now you behold another." " No, not a ruin, but a pyramid," responded the accomplished author of " Views Afoot." So I felt when I saw in my audience that venerable man of ninety, who is one of the noblest givers of his generation-David Paton, Esq. In the course of his life he has contributed to missions his whole fortune of some million dollars, and is now living on a small annuity. Yet when in course of my address he heard me refer to the present straits of the McAll missions and the threatened danger of being compelled to close thirteen of the Salles for lack of funds, out of the little left to him, David Paton managed to contribute another two hundred andfifty pounds sterling (nearly $1,250), as a letter from Dr. :McAll jnst informs me. It was worth going to Alloa to look upon such a " pyramid."
That meeting at Alloa was an example of energy in working up plans for a public assembly. The week days are, of course, the difficult times in which to secure large gatherings for such purposes. Almost all the local committees beg for a Sabbath, and the Central Committee regret that Sunday comes but once in seven days. But although Alloa is one of the smaller towns and the only day that could be given was a Wendesday, the great Town Hall was crowded and not a few had to go away without getting even standing room. And, writing of meetings, it is very, noticeable how much the success of a meeting depends on the spirit of the local committee of arrangements, and even on the way in which what the Scotchman calls the "intimations" are given. I happened to be present in Barony' Church, Glasgow, when the genial and gifted Dr. Marshall Lang was announcing the meeting to be held at St. Andrews' great hall on the Monday evening following. He said: "We are to hold a great meeting to-morrow night. If you want to get a seat you must go early; and that you may not fail if you go early, I have had enough tickets brought to the church to supply such as wish to go; and if you find you cannot go, you must surrender your ticket to some one else who will." Of course St. Andrews' great hall was filled. " According to your faith be it unto you," is true in more spheres than one. The very next Sunday I happened to be where a brother minister, who felt great misgivings about the week-night meetings being a success, besought his people to go, as many as possibly could, all though he wished to save it from disastrous failure. Both enthusiasm and des- pondency are contagious, as this campaign furnishes abundant proof.
After having held 150 meetings in England and Scotland, from Bristol to Aberdeen, and from London to Glasgow, there are now more applications unfilled than brought me over the sea last autumn, showing that there is abundant opening for work of this sort. As yet Wales and Ireland are untouched. England has been approached only at some principal points like London, Birmingham, Bristol, Liv- erpool, Leeds, Leicester, Oxford, etc. Even Scotland, where three months have been spent, has not been overtaken. Inverness, Elgin, Forres, and all the country north of that line we have been unable to -embrace in the tour, not to speak of many other places as large as Kirkcaldy, which in the more southern portion have been necessarily omitted. One of the most delightful visits I have yet made was to St. Andrews, the venerable university town, sacred to the martyrs of Christ, and consecrated by the graves of such men as Halyburton, Rutherfurd, Adam Ferguson, and the like. I was a guest of Dr. A. K. H. Boyd, the Moderator-elect of the Established Church As- 'sembly, whose pen has made his name a household word far beyond the limits of his voice. Under his genial guidance I went to see the famous" bottle dungeon," where Wishart and other martyrs were con- -fined, and saw the spot where he and Hamilton were burned, and the window from which Beaton was hung, just opposite, in the castle; we walked through the Abbey grounds and among the University build- ings, only regretting that the time was so short.
Scotland is full of accomplished men, and from many a humble llOme has gone martyr or missionary. From one lowly cottage in 'Strathaven, went the Martin brothers, William, Gavin and James, two of them to India, the other to Jamaica. Then a son of James followed, then the surviving sister, allfive to the foreign field. And when I spoke at Edinburgh to the students on Friday evening, March 14th, two more sons of those Martin brothers came up to me and -shook my hand and told me they were in training for the same work! Seven from one house-we might almost say from one cradle! What a land of missionaries would this be if the cradle-s were consecrated! From how many other humble homes whose kingdom cometh not with observation might there go forth bands of missionaries to spread the good tidings!
In all my addresses here I have sought to impress the vital connection of prayer with missions. Nothing is more important-notlling is so important. The work is essentially divine in conception and ,execution. This supernatUl:al gospel can accomplish that supernatural 'work of conversion only through a supernatural power, the Holy Ghost. Prayer is the only hold we have upon the Spirit of God, and Ithel;efore prayer is the single secret of all blessing upon our work.
PASTOR HARMS AND HIS MISSION WORK. [June-
Prayer means every other form of blessing. It means plenty of workmen, it means open doors of access, it brings plenty of money and means, it brings unction upon the workmen, it brings success of the highest sort on the field, large harvests and frequent harvests-the rain on mown grass making the grass to grow again for another crop.
Those who cannot go, who have no child to give, and but little' money to give, can pray)' and it is noticeable that of all the gifts we can offer, this of fervent supplication is the most emphasized in the· New Testament!
Our beloved friends in Scotland have, with characteristic generosity, crowned all their former loving kindness with one last act, of which I can hardly write without indelicacy and yet scarcely forbear to write without ingratitude. Just as my three months' campaign, closes, a letter reaches me from the beloved and venerable Rev. Dr. Andrew Thomson, of Edinburgh, announcing that the" Duff Trustees. have appointed me as their next lecturer on missions." Dr. Thomson. gracefully adds that" nothing could be more cordial than the appointment, as well as more gratifying to himself, and that he hopes no obstacle may be found to stand in the way of my acceptance." This lectureship, founded in memory of Dr. Alexander Duff, has already been filled by such men as Dr. William Fleming Stevenson and Sir Monier' Williams, etc. It deserves mention in these letters, for, as it seems to· the new appointee, this election is not so much a tribute to the capacity and ability of the lecturer-elect, as it is a beautiful and graceful expres!'lion of appreciation for the work that he has sought to do in, Scotland. If the way shall appear open for acceptance, it will give· opportunity also for the gathering up of the loose threads of a some– what scattered and imperfect impression, and weaving them into a more substantial and permanent form. This last act of our Scottish friends we cannot but esteem an undeserved honor, but it is the most fragrant laurel wreath that has ever been placed upon the writer's head; and it is specially grateful as the last of a long series of generow; and appreciative acts, crowning this short mission tour of the churches with a diadem that shows rather the princely nature of my hosts than the princely title of their American guest. One hesitates, to follow where such men have led. But if the providence of God shall permit, we shall feel constrained to say, like Franklin of his. illustrious predecessors at the Court of Versailles, "I come to follow,. not to succeed them !"
PASTOR HARMS AND HIS MISSION WORK.
BY REV. LEWIS GROUT, WEST BRATTLEBORO, VT.
LOllis Harms, the son of a Lutheran minister, was born in 1809,. at Hermannsburg in Hanover, and educated at Gottingen. From his youth he gave promise of being, as he proved to be, a man of manystrong parts-thoughtful, sympathetic, self-reliant-a man of great energy, industry and perseverance, together with a kindness of feeling and a high sense of honor, truth and purity, that could not fail to win the confidence and esteem of all who should know him. ,His good judgment, good memory, and great activity made him a good man- ager of great enterprises; while the great simplicity of his trust in God, his strong faith, and rare devotion, made him bold and strong to attempt great enterprises. Such a man was needed in just the times and place in which he lived. Many of the two millions of people around him were given to infidelity, many to formalism and worldli- ness. Few of them cared at all for either the house or the word of God. For a man of traits like those of Harms: the l,ord had a great work, both in Hanover and among the heathen beyond the sea. But for this work the man must have more than natural talent-must be himself first roused to a new spiritual life. To this he was moved and converted by reading the tender, loving words of Christ in his intercessory prayer. Being himself divinely imbued with the spirit of his new Master, he entered at once upon his labors of love for others, and soon became assistant pastor in his native village; and at the age 'of forty, on the death of his father, refusing many temptiftg calls to other places, he became pastor of the parish in which he was born and reared, and set himself to the joyful work of developing in it the best type of a useful church and ministry.
Nor was it long ere his earnest efforts began to yield a rich return. " The attendance in church increased; reverence for the Bible grew; there was more conversation on sacred things, more order and neatness in the village, and the 'Hermannsburghers' became a proverbial people. The noon bell was sounded, and every head was bared in prayer. No- where else in Hanover was a parish to be found where apostolic piety seemed revived as here, in the consciousness of a present Christ and a present Spirit, and in the effectiveness of the means of grace."
And now the heart of the pastor began to beat warm and strong for the millions in heathendom, especially in Africa, who had never as .yet heard of the love of that Saviour who had died for them. Upon this he began to speak to his people. Sometimes the subject gave him wakeful hours at night; sometimes he made it the theme of a dis- course on the Sabbath, and often was it the chief topic of remark in his visits from house to house among his people. They soon caught his spirit, and began to talk of the work among themselves and with their pastor, and some of them began to give. Their first contribution was a silver penny from a child, sixpence from a poor laborer, and six shillings from a widow. Little did these humble givers think what" a soaring pillar of fire" was to come from these trifling sparks, by means of which many a benighted soul on the Dark Continent would yet be guided and cheered in the way of life. And now this enthusiastic pastor begins to urge his church and parish to give themselves, personally and practically, to the work, be- {Jome responsible for a portion of the heathen world, form a society, choose a. field, and go in person, or help send others of their own number to man the field. 'rwelve came forward and offered to go, one of whom gave his farm as well as himself. With the avails of the farm a training school was established, where the twelve put . themselves under their pastor's teaching for two or three years, by way of preparation for mission work. Then the people began to study and plan with their pastor how they should send their brethl·en, when they should be ready, and provide for their support. Meantime, others offered themseives and came into the training school for instruction, and among them a number of newly converted sailors from the German fleet. Then some of the peasants expressed a wish to go as farmers, and some of the villagers as tradesmen or mechanics. In this way a new element was infused into the scheme, emigrants or ()olonists being now associated with the missionaries, and the hope cherished that the mission might eventually become self-supporting. And here the pastor himself is not only greatly encouraged, but set forward and furnished with a new idea; for, says he, "Without these sailors we should never have become colonists; for we, honest but somewhat stupid, heath-people, should never have dreampt of sending out any but real missionaries." And then, too, out of these sailors, they got the idea of building and having a ship of their own for mission purposes. Putting their minds and hands together, by faith, work and prayer, the ship was built, and the much-loved pioneer pastor, with some hundreds of his parishioners, took a special train to Hamburg to see the new ship, christen it Candace, and dedicate it to the work of carrying the gospel to the Ethiopians. Eight of the twelve candidates for appointment as missionaries being accepted, together with eight colonists, on the 21st of October, 1853, the Candace took them joyfully aboard, weighed anchor, and spread her sails for Mombas and the Galla country, via the Cape and Port Natal.
And now it was, on reaching their desired haven, that their faith and zeal were put to the first and severest test. The Mohammedan powers at Mombas, subject as they were to the Imaum of Zanzibar, jealous of all foreign influence, and especially opposed to the· incoming of Christian missionaries, set themselves firm against the proposed enterprise, and compelled the missionaries to depart. "The Arabians themselves towed the ship, with wild cries, out of the harbor of Mombas, as if they had gained ·ha1£ a world by getting rid of the Christians." The Candace now put back to Natal, where she had called on her way up the coast a few months before. Here they had a glad reception by some of their own countrymen, by missionaries from other lands, and by the Government of the colony. Without renouncing the hope of yet reaching the Gallas, on which their hearts are deeply set, they settle down to begin work where they are. Consulting with others' as to the best way and place to begin, on the 19th of September, 1854, with five ox-teams, after the Dutch Boer fashion, they reach the seat of their first and central station, which they call by the dear homeland name of " Hermannsburg," on a large farm of six thousand acres, called" Perseverance," and situated on the Iuhlimbiti, one of the inland branches of the U mvoti, their purpose being to strike out, eventl].ally, from this in different directions, especially into Zululand and the regions beyond, even to the Gallas, as the field should open and their forces increase. Already had they entered on their work by making tours of observation and by studying the language of the people with other missionaries, and aiding them in their work as best they could.
Having fixed upon a station, their next work, like that of other enterprising missionaries in the same or any similar wild and barbarous region, was to build themselves a house in which to live and a place in which to worship. To this they devote themselves at once in right good earnest, and yet keep up their study of the language,. and let pass no good opportunity to teach the people in whatever would be helpful to them, both in this life and the next. The carpenter, with the best workers in wood, went to·" the bush" for timber. The smith made ready a smithy for work in iron. The farmer gathered a native force to care for the teams and help him in his husbandry. The mason, with a few good helpers, began to make brick. The thatcher worked in the garden till he was wanted on the roof. The cook, as yet without a kitchen, had" a laborious business to feed so many hungry people." They planned to build a house· 120 feet by 40, with eight dwelling-rooms and twelve bedrooms, a large dining alld sitting-room, a large kitchen, and a long hall running through the centre from end to end. The writer, bEing there on a visit at a later date, after the house had been finished, and the mission enlarged by the incoming of other members, found this house the abode of thirteen families, who took their meals all at one table in the large central dining-room. Here, too, they all met,. morning. and evening, for family worship; and everything, as the visitor was atl>ured by the superintendent and his lady, went on,. from day to day, in the most orderly and harmonious manner. Less than half a mile away there was another band of seven families, living in a similar manner in one house.
Nor was it long, considering the missionaries' imperfect knowledge of the language, before they began to get from God "an earnest of an extended blessing on their religious labors, and to be thus encouraged to persevere." Ere three months had expired four natives, a married couple and two others, who had been under instruction, came to their teachers with a wish to be baptized and make a public profession of their faith in the Saviour of whom they had been told. After some weeks of further instruction, on the first Sabbath of the new year, they were examined before the congregation, accepted, baptized, and made the nucleus of a church among the Zulus. Forthwith, upon this, say the missionaries, "Satan broke loose, and did all in his power to hinder and destroy their work; but, thanks and praise to God, his grace gained the victory." Writing home, they entreat their patrons and friends to help them in their prayers, that the Lord may give them true humility and a self-sacrificing faithfulness in their calling, that they may not look for soft beds, luxurious sofas and good eating and drinking, but look to the I.ord Jesus and the extension of His kingdom. Nor was it long ere they felt that they had still further evidence of God's readiness to bless them in the ~oming of many natives to be taught to know and read the gospel. Some of the natives ask the missionaries to come and teach them at their homes, in their kraals, and some bring their children to the station to be taught. "Are not these fair prospects 't 0, Lord Jesus, the seed sprouts already. Preserve it from the hail! "
:Meantime, the full and frequent reports and familiar communications which these missionaries and colonists make to their friends and patrons in their fatherland, and especially to their beloved pastor, who, in turn, from time to time, talks it all over with his people, or has much of it published in his missionary magazine, help to keep the stream of mission interest ever full and rising. The training school was kept full, usually numbering about fifty. In 1856, a second company, chiefly farmers and maids, was found ready to go out; in 1857, still another company, numbering forty-six, of whom twelve were missionaries, was sent out; and then, in 1860, still another, numbering twenty-nine, of whom four were missionaries, the l'est colonists. On one occasion more than a hundred stood ready to go at one time. All this led to the frequent founding of 'a new station, so that in 1860, six years from the beginning of their work at Hermannsburg, they had ten stations, four in Natal, three in Zululand; and, at the united request of the chief Sechele and the Dutch, they had sent and formed three stations among the Bechuana, which were proving prosperous, the schools large, the attendan~e upon Sabbath worship good, and baptisms many.
At the end of the first decade of this mission, 1864, they had founded 24 stations and started two more, and baptized 190 converts. How well founded, planned and managed was Pastor Harms' mission enterprise, is seen in the fact that it went on to live and prosper marvelously after his death, which occurred Nov. 14, 1866. The annual Christmas festival, at which the pastor and his devoted charge of peasants and villagers were accustomed to review their year's mission work, was still kept up; and at that held in 1870, they reported their work greatly enlarged. The number of stations in Africa was now said to be 37, of which 7 were in North Zululand, 5 in South Zululand, 8 in Natal, 2 in Alfredsland, 10 in Bechuanaland, and 5 in Little Mosika District. At these stations 200 persons re- ceived baptism during the previous year. They had also 5 stations in India and 1 in Australia. Two brethren were about to leave for California to labor there in behalf of the Chinese in that State. The moneys received for the support of the Hermaunsburg Mi1!sions the previous year amounted to 50,311 thalers. The expenditures were 44,590; the balance, therefore, in favor of the treasury was 5,721 thalers. Their South African missions continued to grow till they numbered 50 stations and 5,000 converts, when some 12 or 15 of these stations were swept away by war; since which, however, it is under- stood that some of these devastated 8tations have been rebuilt.
In 1886 the income of the Society was $48,500, its missionaries and native helpers numbered 219, of whom 40 were ordained Euro- peans, 50 laymen and 42 women, likewise Europeans. The native communicants numbered 4,680, and baptized persons, 12,120. The gain of the year was 260 communicants. Rev. Egmont Harms was secretary of the Society in place of his father, now deceased. Aside from South Africa, the Society was doing mission work in India, Australia and New Zealand.
At an early stage of his Zulu Mission, Pastor Harms began to look for some suitable person to have the general superintendence of the work, and made choice of Rev. Mr. Hardelalld, D.D. arid Ph., who for many years had been a missionary among the Dyaks in Borneo. Dr. Hardeland would take this charge on condition that the Mission' .should be brought, in some measure, into connection with the Lutheran Church of Hanover, so far, at least, as to require that Church to examine and ordain all missionaries who might be sent by the Hermannsburg Society to this field. To this Mr. Harms assE:llted. Dr. Hardeland reached the field in 1859, after which the mission was subject to his oversight and direction.
Nor should we fail to notice that Pastor Harms and his enterprising people seemed all the more interested and active in their homework becaustJ of. their interest in the foreign field. In addition to other charitable efforts, they established a refuge for discharged convicts, about whom there hung a taint of disgrace, whose sympathies were perverted, whose sensibilities had been hardened by crime, and whose career had alienated common confidence. Moved to pity and helpfulness toward this neglected class, the warm-hearted Hermannsburgers bought a farm and built an asylum on it to be a home for the helpless and the hopeless, and yet a means of self-help for those who ·could labor. And then, again, as a means of imparting information
THE RELIGIOUS WORK AMONG THE IMMIGRANTS
and promoting mutual sympathy among themselves, as also between themselves and their brethren in a distant land, they started a live missionary magazine. This gave employment, for a portion of their time, to some in the training school, and thus helped to prepare them for the handling of type and a preBs, in a land where press and type had never been known. Beginning in this humble way, this department of the work went on to unfold and grow, till, eventually, they had" a Parish Publishing House~ issuing catechisms, tracts, and the literature of the Gospel, yielding an annual profit of six hundred pounds sterling."
In the narrative before us, what pastor, missionary, or missionary society, church or individual, can fail to find instruction and inspiration? In the Hermannsburg pastor and people, what an example for us to study and be encouraged! In it we see what an earnest, devoted pastor, who has God and a responsive, united people to help him, can do in face of great obstacles. Pastor Harms was a man of faith. He made his work, whether at home or abroad, a work of faith. He had faith in God, and faith in his people. He was a man of prayer. Of God he asked-in faith-the help he needed from God; of his people he asked-in faith-the help he needed from them. Putting·and keeping his work before his people, making it their work, consulting with them, informing, cheering them, he had their confidence, their hand and their heart, and found that as the work grew upon them, the means to carry it on grew also. Pastor Harms was a man of great spirituality, and yet a man of affnirs, a great worker, intensely active, a great organizer and manager, eminently original, progressive, trustful, hopeful, faithful, successful. His ways and means of securing a mutually helpful interest .between the church at home and his missions abroad-his way of promoting a loving, personal sympathy and attachment between the laborers in the field and their patrons at home, are worthy of consideration in this day of diverse thought and study as to the best me~hods of mission work. Indeed, in all the union of individuality, fres~ess, freedom and fitness in his beneficent plans and labors, never running in the ruts of lifeless uniformity or imita– tion, always finding some good place or use for everybody and everything, and especially in his great simplicity of purpose, his Christly spirit, his consecrated life, there is much for the whole Christian world to admire and emulate to-day.
']'HE RELIGIOUS WORK A~fONG THE IMMIGRANTS.
BY REV. PROFESSOR GEORGE H. SCHODDE, PH. D., COLUMBUS, OHIO.- It is only within the last decade or two that the immigrant problem has assumed in the public mind a moral and religious phase, in a. measure crowding into the background the purely economic feature of the question. The number of strangers entering at our gates. average each year more than half a million. The new factor and fer- ment introduced into the thought and life of the nation by the advent of millions grown up' in environments and surroundings often radi- cally at variance with the ideas and ideals of American traditions, make the inquiry as to what is being done for the intellectual and religious education of these masses one of direct home interest, in which every citizen and Christian must look with personal concern and solicitude. This modern migration of nations is also a mjgration of national peculiarities; and the number of new comers is so great, that it is a question as to how far they will assimilate to American life, and how far they will attempt to impress the stamp of their own individuality upon our people. Experience has shown that the efforts made in the latter direction are far from being welcome innovations and transformations.
Naturally the State can do nothing for the religious wants of these strangers; and what is done in the way of establishing schools, is practically of. .little benefit on account of the language difficulty and the age of most of the immigrants. Only the second generation can hope to make use of the opportunities offered for intellectual improvement by the State. Accordingly, the whole work in this direction must be of a voluntary character, carried on by those whose interest in it prompts them to this labor of love. The immigrant, himself cannot be expected to do much for himself in this respect. As a rule they are poor, and are intent, above everything else, upon the establishment of a house and home. Then, the majority of them have grown up in State churches and have never learned the lesson of self-help in regard to church and school, which is the condition of success in America. They are helpless as regards both ways and means. Often, too, they are but little concerned about their highest and deepest interests-those of their souls and hearts-the religious life in the State churches being but poorly adapted for the develop- – ment of personal piety and a clear appreciation of;he individual's religious needs and duties.
The work has then been left for those religious organizatio;ns in our country which, from a national or confessional point of view, must evince the deepest concern for the spiritual welfare of the immigrant. Nearly all of these strangers who come from southern Europe and from Austria and Ireland are Roman ·Catholics, as are also, perhaps, one-third from Germany and Switzerland; while the great majority of the rest of the Germans, as also all the Scandinavians, Swedes, Danes, Norwegians, Finns, Icelanders, and a small per cent. from Austria are members of the Lutheran State Churches, the Reformed Church being represented by a small German and Swiss contingent. From a l'eligious point of view, at least twotlJi",]R of tIle immigrants are P,'otestants, or, at any rate, non-Roman Catholics. The new immigration spirit which has in the last three or more years taken hold of the Roman Catholic Latin nations in Europe, and has made the number of emigrants from those States almost equal to that from the Anglo-Saxon and Teutonic nations of northern Europe, has not changed this proportion, to any perceptible extent, in favor of the Church of Rome, because the great majority of the Latin wanderers go to South America and not to the United States.
The work of the Roman Catholics for housing their portion of the immigrants is carried on more systematically than can be done by any of the Protestant denominations. The magnificent organization of the Church of Rome enables it to do effective work in this direction. Of the more than five hundred thousand children in Roman Catholic parochial schools, one-half or more are taught in languages other than the English. 'That Church claims no fewer than two million German members in the United States, divided into thirteen church provinees. Seminaries and ins,titutions for the education of priests and teachers multiply with great rapidity, and, in general, every effort is made to take care of their people and to keep them faithful members of the church. Just in how far this is to be regarded as consistent with the best American citizenship, is a mooted question. It is quite clear, that Roman Catholic ideas and methods in this regard are not yet in agreement with the public thought and conscience of the country.
The provision for the spiritual wants of the Protestant contingent naturally falls to the lot of that church to which it chiefly owes at least a formal allegiance, namely, the Lutheran. Unfortunately, the Lutheran Church of America, with its communicant membership of considerably more than one million, is a divided household of faith, the lines of separation being along a more or less rigid confessionalism, aided to some degree by linguistic and national divergencies; but, notwithstanding its divisions, the whole church is a unit inrecognizing in the home mission work among their newly arrived brethren in the great Woest and Northwest, the task above all other tasks for them to engage in. Accordingly, the Lutheran Church of this land has. bent all its energies upon the accomplishment of this one end, and of the four large general bodies and the independent Synods, numbering, in all, more than fifty Synodical organizations, there is scarcely one which does not take active part in this work. It is for this reason, chiefly, that this church has been able to take but a small part of the evangelization of the heathen world upon their shoulders. The large bodies of the General Synod and the General Council, indeed, carryon work in India and Africa, and the Southern I~utherans are beginning in Japan; but the largest complex of Synods, the Synodical Conference, as well as the independent Synods, engage in foreign mission work only in so far as they contribute to the missionary societies of Germany and the Scandinavian lands. Other denominations are not idle in this important field, but quite naturally cannot, and do not, accomplish what is being done by the Lutherans. The Methodists have a German membership of more than fifty thousand; the Presbyterians of nearly ten thousand; the Baptists are working among the Germans, while the Congregationalists have devoted their energies chiefly to the Scandinavians. The United Synod, a German body, representing the standpoint of the Prussian State church, in which the Lutheran and the Reformed confession are of equal authority, have a membership of about one hundred and twenty-five thousand; and the Reformed church, a German membership of fifty thousand. Of the more than a million Lutherans in America, at least two-thirds are non-English, she being the most polyglot church in the United States, no less than nine or ten languages being preached from her pulpits.
The care for the spiritual interests of the immigrant begins even before he leaves the fatherland. Small pamphlets have been published containing the address of every Lutheran or United Synod pastor in America, and these are scattered throughout the districts of Germany, informiug the immigrant where he can find a church home in America of his faith and confession. In Hamburg, Bremen, and <>ther seaport towns, immigrant missionaries have been stationed, who provide the people with good advice, and help 1;hem in general to get into Christian hands upon landing in America. In New York there are three Lutheran immigrant missionaries and two missionary houses, in which annually more than fifteen thousand strangers are housed and sent on their way. The Roman Catholics, too, have their mission house in New York, and the Methodists did have, but its discontinuance has been agitated amid the protests of the German brethren. In Baltimore there is also an immigrant missionary. These men and concerns are supported by the church at large, as the immigrants are charged only a nominal price for lodging and board, and the needy receive these free. The missionaries have large correspondence with the pastors throllghout the West.
The work of hunting up the new settlers and inaugurating the religious movement among them is the special task of the missionaries in the employ of the various Synods, who have scores of men engaged in this work. The ordinary method is to learn where there is a sufficient number of Germans or Scandinavians, or others, in a certain locality, and then to send a man there who is familiar with the language of the people. As a rule, no attempt is made at a church organization at once, even if the people were all nominally members of a State church in Europe. The most solid foundation for a congregation has, by experience, been found to be the establishment of parochial schools, in which the instruction of the young in the truths of Sacred Writ formfl the ellief feature. To this is added regular preaching, until the people are ripe for an organization, and with the assist- ance of the church building funds, if necessary, a house of worship is erected. But the parochial school system has been the backbone of the success of the Luther~lll church in the West. No less than 150,000 children are being educated in these schools at present, while the United Synod has more than twenty thousand in their schools. :More than two thousand teachers, nearly all males, are engaged in these schools, for the education of whom special' seminaries have been established at Addison, Ill., Woodville, Ohio, and elsewhere, or special courses have been arranged for this end in connection with the colleges and academies under the control of the church. The po- sition of the Lutheran church in the parochial school question differs radically from that of the Roman Catholics. While the latter are loud in th,,:ir denunciation of the public schools as "godless," the former establish their schools chiefly for the purpose of securing a religious education for their children, which, in the nature of the case, the State, because separated from the Church, cannot furnish; and besides, offering an education to those who are not acquainted suffi- ciently with the English language to make use of the public schools, the establishment of which is recognized by the Church as a duty of the State. The Lutheran church does not antagonize the public- school system; but for her own members she seeks to supplement it by supplying what, in her estimation, is the chief element of a true education, namely, the. religious.
It is from this standpoint that we can understand the opposition of the friends of the parochial schools in the Northwest to the re- cently enacted laws, particularly of Wisconsin and Illinois. There is no dissatisfaction with the demands of these enactments that pre- scribe that certain branches shall be taught in English, nor with their compulsory features, for in nearly all the parochial schools English is, in a greater or less extent, the medium of instruction in certain branches, and no one is more in favor of a thorough education than are the Germans and the Scandinavians. But those features of the new laws which virtually deprive these schools of their independence or of congregational control, by putting them under the supervision of county officials and non-religious authorities, have induced the tens of thou- sands of Protestants in Wisconsin and other States to inaugurate 'an agitation looking to a modification of the laws. The Protestants have steadily refused to go with the Roman Catholics in their opposition to the public schools, for the simple reason that they occupy an en- tirely different position over against these. On principle, the friends of Protestant parochial schools do not at all antagonize the school , system of the country; on the contrary, as a rule, their children for a certain number of years attend these schools, going to the parochial only for their religious training, especially for their preparation for confirmation. From these data it is plain why these church schools, established at so great a cost by the struggling non-English Chris- tians of the Northwest, have been one of the greatest features in the religious education of these people, doing a work which the State neither could nor would do.
In the line of higher education-the establishment of seminaries, 'Colleges, and other institutions for the special or partial benefit of the immigrant-immense strides have been made in the last half century. Then scarcely one concern of this kind existed; now, several of them are scattered over the whole land. The Lutherans maintain no fewer than twenty such establishments for the Germans alone, with an at- tendance of more than two thousand students. The capital invested in buildings reaches the millions, and the annual running expenses are fully $150,000. The returns for all this outlay and work can be seen in the progress of the church; for, on an average, one new Lu- theran church is dedicated each day of the year, and four-fifths of these are among the new citizens in the West. The Reformed Church has two chiefly Gennan colleges; the United Synod has a seminary .and two colleges; the Methodists have five small colleges of this {lharacter; the Presbyterians have two German seminaries, o~e in Bloomfield, N. J., the other in Dubuque, Iowa; the Baptists have a German department in Rochester, N. Y.. A similar work is being done among the Scandinavians and other Protestant strangers. Swedish institutions like that at Rock Island, Ill., are prominent educational forces; while fully a dozen smaller college~ and academies are maintained among the Scandinavian Lutherans. The Methodists have a Scandinavian theological school at Evanston, Ill.; the Baptists a Danish department at Morgan Park, Ill., and the Congregationalillts have one in connectiqn with their seminary in Chicago, Not a small agent in this religious education of the immigrant is the press. The polyglot newspaperdom of the West is almost entirely in the hands of the church, with the exception of a number of German papers in the larger cities. It is extremely interesting in this connection, to note the fact that all work of this kind undertaken by other agencies than the church, or from another standpoint than the Christian, has signally failed. The Milwaukee teachers's seminary, established on a "liberal" basis. has been a dismal failure.
Taking all these data into consideration, it is evident that the religious interests of the immigrant are receiving probably more marked attention and are treated with greater success than is the calile with" the native churchless masses of America.
PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS IN BRAZIL
PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS IN BRAZIL.
BY CHARLES E. KNdiIK:, D.D., BLOOMFIELD, N. J.
(Concluded from page 348, May number.) 3. We were much impressed with the personnel of our missionary force, and with the missionary's opportunity. The men and women in the service, the churches and stations, the centres of missionary power, all inspired us. The Southern Methodist Church was under strong guidance in the person of Bishop Granberry, and his missionaries seemed able and zealous men, intelligent and devoted women. They were strengthening efficient centres at Rio and Piracicaba. Frequent visits from their bishop, who returned with us on the steamer, and who left his daughter as a teacher at Rio, gave them all courage and animation. An earnest preacher and teacher was prosecuting a mission under Bishop Taylor's self-supporting plan, in Para. The Baptists, who 'had come late, had made a beginning in Rio and Pernambuco, although still without a church edifice. Maranhao, Pernambuco, Bahia, Rio, Sao Paulo, Campinas, all Brazilian centres, were occupied as centres of our own missions. The Southern men and the Northern men from our own church were men of ability, strong in character, prudent in action, harmonious in purpose, versatile in pastoral and evangelistic service. The native ministry and elders, so far as we could judge, were men of excellent qualities of mind and of heart, and foretoken a large body of worthy preachers and rulers. The evangelistic work opened everywhere and greatly outran the missionary force. In any new place the traveling preacher could have a congregation on a half-day's notice. With common prudence and loving endurance of the priest's opposition, and with perhaps a little cool courage under a shower of stones, he could in a short time establish a permanent congregation. Two missionaries, one a Bible society agent, joined our steamer at Pernambuco, who had come 1200 miles down the San Francisco river. They had started from the farthest interior station in the south, inland from Sao Paulo and Campinas, crossed from the head-waters which flow to Buenos Ayres, to the head-waters of the San Francisco, and canoed to its mouth. Through two of the larger provinces, Minos Geraes and Bahia, a full thousand miles northward on high land parallel to the coast, then on the borders of the smaller provinces of Pernambuco, Alagoas and Sergipe, eastward to the coast, they followed the stream second only to the Amazon. Everywhere they had met with kindly reception. The Bibles distributed may be expected to repeat the work of Dr. Kidder's Bibles distributed in 1839, developing into inquiring souls and into groups of inquirers ready for the future missionary; but the long journey revealed the universal plaint of the desolate heart, ready now to turn its cry of need to a song of joy at the message of love. In the Sao Paulo region the excellent evangelistic service of Mr. Chamberlain and of others has dev~oped a vast region ready for the detail work of a large missionary force. At one place was a school, whose origin was from a Bible in a Masonic lodge, purchased as a sacred book on which to take oaths. The planter whose curiosity led him to read it, vowed to furnish a building whenever anyone would come preaching the doctrines of that book. After the preaching he established the school, and then vowed that as soon as a white teacher would come to take charge of the school, he would put an endowment in his will. The last steamer of this present year brings the news from the college-bred lady teacher who has just located there, that the endowment is already in his will. At another place was a saintly member of a church, himself at one time full of hatred, who was con- verted by another whose heart and life had been full of ugly violence a few years before. At another place, where our Philadelphia engine stopped, was a flourishing church, where twenty years before Mr. Chamberlain and his assistant were stoned for explaining to the people the gospel of St. Mark. In rural plantations, in hamlets, in villages, in larger towns, notwithstanding the priests' protestation!;, the people will listen to the pure and loving story. An ebullition of emotional hostility may send off hot steam, but the prudent missionary stands one side, and soon the same emotion pushes the piston of a well-ordered life. The sub-stations and preaching places with one accord, in fourteen out of the sixteen sea-coast provinces, give the same testimony to the accessibility of the people.
One hundred new men, our missionaries said, could be at once profitably employed, as soon as they could learn the language, and another hundred could follow them at once.
The subject of lay colonies of Christians, in default of clerical missionaries, was discussed in our missionary company on the steamer. Most of the missionaries considered such colonies desirable, if practicable, and most of them thought something of the kind practicable under careful conditions. The oldest missionary, whose judgment was entitled to special weight, did not consider colonization from the United States practicable, and would not like to enconrage it. "The United States people," he said," do not colonize-they emigratethey will not remain together." General Magalhaes, who had personally explored the Amazon, said, at Sao Paulo, in answer to the question-Would colonies on the Amazon, from the United States, be practicable? "It would not do to bring people whose condition of life is too far above the conditions on the Amazon. The colonists must be of a class something like the conditions there-common ·laborers-not too cultivated." As the country becomes develop-ed and rises in intelligence and in civilizing institutions, such colonies will undoubtedly succeed, and it may be that colonies, like the colonies from the Southern States, if founded on Christian principles, may help to develop the civilization a.a Christianization of the country.
The Southern colony on the Amazon went to pieces. The Southern colony at Santa Barbara, in the more favorable conditions of Sao Paulo province, through many changes remains the same substantial unit, and has Presbyterian and Methodist churches. If such a colony founded on disaffection arising out of our civil war and on worldly ambitions has maintained its life for a quarter of a century, a Christian colony, founded on nobler motives, might wield a powerful influence under the new Republic.
4. The native and immigrant population impressed us as presenting certain characteristics which are specially hopeful. Three aspects are full of interest. In the first place, the Portuguese and the Brazilian are an amiable people. They are not intense and vindictive, like the Spanish. They are affectionate among themselves and hospitable to strangers. The.y may be aroused to sharp encounter, but their pre- vailing mood is placid. The history of their former revolutions shows this, and the present bloodless revolution exhibits the same trait. Religious animosity, therefore, inspired by selfish priests, is not likely to be persistive, as under the Spanish type of character. Never was there a better opportunity to introduce the high principles of Christi- anity, than among a people who have a strong social nature, who have ardent desires for a pure religious love, whose confidence in their false religious teachers has been broken, and whose present revolution points them towards civil and religious liberty.
In the second place, the color line is unknown. Prejudice in a. race caste does not exist. The ebony black, the Corinthian bronze, the Indian copper, the Caucassian white, and all the shades, statures, features, dress and manners of all these classes, sit side by side in the congregation and mix in common society. Grades of social distinction do not depend on color. Our brethren from our Southern States said , to us again and again: " We have no difficulty here in respect to the color line." "The old idea at home does not disturb us here." "We hardly know ourselves in the changed condition." This condition of the Brazilian community· arises out of the long intermixture of blood, the consequent impracticability of applying any race distinction, and the continued adjustment of social relations and customs to such a historic fact.
In the third place, the immigrant population has already become a powerful factor in the nation. The German people in the extreme South, especially in Rio Grande de SuI, have been recognized as a possible foundation for a separate republic. They occupy districts. and towns and cities. In Sao Paulo, also, their numbers are increasing. " We have a contract to bring in ten thousand faJllilies from W ur- temburg," said General Magalhaes to us. "The German emigra tion to US has been resisted in Germany, but the obstacle is now removed." The Italian constitute/the principal immigrant for mul- tiplication of "arms." They were not regarded formerly as m~king good citizens, but recently a better class from the farms of Italy has come. They do a large amount of work and consume little food. 'The Portuguese immigrants, principally from the Canary and Azores Islands, are less numerous. They are chiefly in the cities.
The great demand of the Empire has been for" arms," or, as we say, for" hands," to develop the acres, to open the mineral depths, to lay the railroads and build the mills. National laws and provincial laws have therefore offered a premium for the introduction of labor. The province of Sao Paulo has been the most enterprising. Large buildings were pointed out to us in the city of Sao Paulo) built for the temporary accommodation of these multitudes in transit. " We are bringing five thousand a month into this province," said General Magalhaes. "We have a contract by the province for this purpose." "More immigrants have come into the country since October last (about eleven months) than during the preceding history of the Empire."
By far the greater part of all this immigration is Roman Catholic. But from the old life of Europe they are coming into a new condition which is in rapid transit towards free ideas and private judgment. Met with a pure gospel in their own tongue, they may be converted to Christ and made a mighty force in the Christianization of that imperial nation.
5. We were very greatly impressed with the opportunities for Christian education. We heard t,he clamor of children in high voice, as we passed the common schools of the towns. In Pernambuco, our (lompany found its way into a girls' school-house at the edge of the dty. The voices were in full concert-the pitch was high-the action forte, the chorus without solo or duet. About fifty little girls and two little boys filled the room. Behind the desk sat a young lady <>f twenty-six or t~enty-eight. Her face was bronze, her eyes black, her jet black hair went down her back in a praid. With happy features, abounding spirits, a ready affability and overflowing pleasure 'in her work, she went freely on in the gu~dance of the school. She called up a girl to read. While hearing and correcting her, she gave attention to another, who came with an example in arithmetic; and then to another who came with her sewing, and sent another still for the tin scissors-and-tape box. When the little bronzes and blacks of all shades grew quiet from looking at their visitors, her vigorous itnd (lheery voice shot out the word" study," and off they all started in loud chorus again. We were reminded of what we had read of Mohammedan schools. The course of instruction was reading, writing, arithmetic, Christian doctrine (a Catholic shrine was in the corner) and sewing. One or two little ones recited in simple geometrical "form." They all seemed delighted with their cheery teacher. The same mode of education we saw in a school for boys of older age in Maranhao. From our Protestant Church school in Rio, we l~arned that the national habit was to train the memory, but that· the child was instantly lost if the teacher put his question outside the page of the text-book. Memory, obedience, emotion-these were to be cultivated among the people as a foundation for a blind church life. We were never more impressed with the value of a healthy logic in popular and in high education-to teach the child, the family, the community, the nation, to think for itself, and to exercise a private judgment in civil and in religious life.
There are professional schools of high character in leading cen- tres, law schools with large attendance in Sao Paulo and Pernambuco, medical schools in Bahia and Rio, a theological school with small attendance in each of the twelve dioceses. For these high institu- tions there are private and Governmental preparatory schools. And the "collegio," which is either a private school or an ordinary high school, is to be seen here and there in every city. There is, however, no university nor college of high degree in all Brazil. A few of the leading statesmen were educated in former years at the University of Coimbra, in Portugal, or in othe~ European universities. A few of th~ young men now go abroad. A bright young man on .our steamer was receiving his education in the Polytechnic. Institute at Worcester, Mass., where others of his nation had been. A polytechnic institution on the plains of Ypiranga, just outside Sao Paulo, is expected to grow out of its incipiency, if it escapes political complications. One considerable institution in the interior is founded on the doctrines of Augustus Compte. Independent of the missionary school and of pulpit instruction, the common people of the towns have the meagre education of the Catholic church, and the reflective mind tends towards materialism.
In several places Protestant schools had been begun. In four places they already assumed significant character. Under the Southern Methodists in Rio and in Pericacaba; under the Southern Presbyterians in Campinas; under the Northern Presbyterians in SaO" Paulo. The Methodist school property at Rio is on a noble site, commanding the city and the harbor. The school was in its early beginnings, the prosperous school at Pericacaba having been established some years, but we expect to see at the capital an institution of wide influence as an outgrowth at no distant day. The Campinas school had attained a high order of excellence and had gathered numbers and older students in spite of the rival Compte institution in the same town. The Sao Paulo school was, however, the leading missionary institution. Beginning as a little school for the missionaries' children, it had grown into a system of Kindergarten-Prjmary, Intermediate and Grammar departments-with a class for instruction in teaching and an advanced class ready for collegiate or theological education. There were 244 pupils present in the main hall on the day we were there. The number has since in- creased to about 400, the accessions again outgrowing the walls. The buildings adjoining the church should be at once assigned to one or two departments, and new apartments sought elsewhere for the other classes. The young men's dormitory, on the edge of the town, was an attractive building of yellow brick, one story in height, with dwelling-rooms for the Director. It stands on an elevated site, overlooking the city, and has ample grounds for a" future college. The teaching force, composed chiefly of intelligent ladies, Southern and Northern, under the excellent guidance of Dr.
H. M. Lane, was of high order. In our company we brought to them a New England teacher to take charge of a normal class of teachers.
Education had here advanced up to the line of the college system. The Sao Paulo school was ready at that time to present seven or eight, and the Campinas school five or six students for a" freshman class, as soon as a curriculum and the first professors could be provided. The opportunity is ripe for the completion of the educational system. Superior Protestant education would at once command wide attention. Its high morality would appeal to the deepest desires of parents who have fared ill under the Romish training. This highest complement of the system should be at once expressed in a college which should develop into a genuine university.
Roman Catholic education is unequal to the crisis. It is insufficient for the mind and morals of the masses. So long as the leading minds of the nation are under Catholic education, the people will not rise to high moral and religious convictions. The alliance of Protestant principles with professional edncation will at once give external and internal support to true Christian life. The State needs Protestant principles in its conception and administration. Such an education is the speediest way to produce the ministry which Brazil needs. The existence of a body of learned men at such a high institution is a constant educational force through all grades of political and domestic society and through all ranks of instructors.
Teachers of an elevated common school system, educated Christian fathers and mothers, communities which shall demand a" higher popular education for both girls and boys, leading Protestant minds in common society, in common commercial and in common agricultural life, educated church officers, native ministers to fill the countless opportunities, Christian men in the professions, leaders in the State Chambers in the new chambers of the Nation-these are within the speedy reach of such an institution. Next to the proclamation of the gospel-this is for Brazil the all-important thing. An opportunity for so broad a work, so world-wide an influence, is seldom presented to the Protestant Church.
HOW SHALL MOHAMMEDANS BE EVANGELIZED
HOW SHALL MOHAMMEDANS BE EVANGELIZED. [We are not at liberty to give the name of the writer of this article. Sui- nce to say, that it is from the pen of one who has lived forty years in the Turk- ish empire and is thoroughly conversant with the subject. Like the masterly paper we gave in the August number (1889), on "Islam and 9hristian Missions," it merits careful reading.-J. M. S.] This article does not discuss the general subject of Mohammedan- ism, giving an abstract of its tenets; nor does it propose to give a history of its progress and a statement of its present extent and power; nor does it compare this religion with Christianity, presenting the similarities and the contrasts between the two religions. It aims simply to treat of the best mode of presenting the gospel to Moslems, so that it may meet with their acceptl!-nce-treating the subject in view of the obstacles which hinder the success of the gospel in the Turkish empire. Is the inquiry presumptuous ?-The fact is not ignored that some persons regard this subject as not properly one of human discussion and inquiry. They say that the opening of the Mohammedan world to the gospel is a work so entirely dependent upon divine interposi- tion.and Almighty power, that it is presumption on our part to spec- ulate and plan, or do otherwise than" stand still and see the salva- tion of God." They say that it becomes us to acknowledge that the evangelization of Moslems in the Turkish empire is a sheer impossibility to human endeavor, that God has purposed it, and in his own time will indicate the means to be used for its accomplishment, as he did when the Egyptian bondage was to be broken and Canaan possessed; that we now stand before a closed door wl!-itingfor the providence of .God to open it, and that such an inquiry as this is as uncalled for and ill-timed as if J oahua had presented a paper on the best mode of delivering Israel at the time when they were hemmed in by the Red Sea and Pharaoh's ~rmy, or as if Eleazar had prepared a similar paper on the speediest mode of reducing Jericho before God had revealed anything about the blowing of the ra~'s horn and the seven times encompassing the city. They say, and they say this truly, that when the allotted period of 430 years was passed and the iniquity of the Amorites was full, all the walled cities of Canaan were powerless to resist the Israelites, and not before; that when the 70 years of the Babylonish captivity were fulfilled, heathen kings were inspired of God to further the return of the Jewish captives; that "in the fullness of time" Christ came; that forty days after his ascension the wonders of Pentecost were revealed; and so, when the Holy Spirit moves upon the darkness and bigotry of Mohammedanism then will begin the dawn of a new creation for its followers, for the decree still stands in regard to all the religious movements of the world: they are to be accomplished" not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord." But, while we reverently acknowledge the divine decrees and pa- tiently wait for their unfolding, we should never fall back upon them as an excuse for our supineness.
Is the inquiry skeptical.j>-Braving the charge of presumption in proposing this inquiry, we expose ourselves to the charge of skepti- cism. Weare asked, Has it not been revealed from heaven that the gospel is the divinely-appointed remedy for the whole race of man? Has not the command been given us, "Go, preach my gospel," trust- ing to the power of the Spirit to make that preaching effectual to the evangelization of all men without exception, whether Jews, Moham- medans or heathen? And is not the raising of this question with reference to the evangelization of this one class an implication that the divinely-appointed remedy is inadequate to the peculiar difficul- ties of this case, and that it must be supplemented by means which human wisdom must devise; that the naked sword of the Spirit is in- sufficient to pierce the armor of this Goliath? Are we not preparing ourselves for a rebuke from our ~Iaster, similar to that which those nine disciples received from him when, having received from him a commission and power to cast out evil spirits, they failed in the case of the child in Cesarea Philippi and learned the cause: "Because of your unbelief, you could not cast him out?"
Or, at the least, we are told that there is, in instituting such an inquiry, a reflection on former and present laborers in behalf of the Moslems, and on the agencies used by them, and an ignoring of these long, faithful and prayerful efforts, and an assumption that the want of success which has attended these labors was a consequence of their having overlooked or neglected measures which they ought to have discovered and used, of which we are now on the track and ,repared soon to reveal.
If there is seeming ground for this objection, the writer of this article would hasten to disclaim all disposition to ignore the zeal and activity of these laborers, or to imply that they had shown a want of wisdom or courage, and that their efforts had been failures; or to counsel the abandoning of their plans and the adoption of others. On the contrary, he recommends the gathering up the results of their experience, the marking of their footprints for future guidance, and the imitation of their faithfulness.
The peculiar difficulties in the case.-That there are peculiar difficulties attending the efforts to evangelize Mohammedans everywhere, and that these difficulties are aggravated in the Turkish empire, is conceded by all. A cursory survey of these difficulties is a necessary preparation for surmounting them, as a knowledge of an enemy's defences is of prime importance to the general who intends to break through by assault.
1. The first of these difficulties is that of finding means of accesS' to Mohammedans, in order to teach them the gospel. Rarely do they {lome to our churches to hear our preaching. They do not visit us in our houses nor invite us to visit them. We have hardly any oppor- tunities for contact with them, so as to be able to explain our religion to them, and to urge them to accept it. The constitution of Moham- medan homes, with thejealousy and seclusion of the harems, creates a serious bar to the evangelization of the Mohammedans. The leaven has no access to the lump in order to leaven it. The salt cannot reach that which it is desired should be preserved by it. The patient knows not the remedy, therefore cannot apply it, to feel its power. Places of business in the daytime, and coffee-houses in the evening, where all listen to a story or a poem, are not favorable places for relig- ions discussions, and yet there are few other places for meeting Mos- lems.
2. A second obstacle to their evangelization is their pride and arrogance of opinion. They consider themselves the favorites of heaven, the depositaries of the truth, the elect, true believers, saved. They despise Christians, and couple their names with those of the lowest animals. This pride, this feeling of superiority, this lofty dis- dain, is an effective obstacle to their being influenced by Christian teachers. It increases their contempt of Christianity, that it is the religion of those whom they have been accustomed to regard as their subjects-their slaves. Shall the conquerors adopt the religion of the {lonquered? Shall they bow down to that. which they were commissioned of God to root out and destroy?
3. A third obstacle is the strength of the fortress 'Which Mohammedanism occupies. Heathenism has no such defences. The natives of Borneo, Java and Sumatra, while they are yet heathen, are far more easily reached by the gospel than after they become Moslems. This is the case also with the heathen of Central Africa. One reason of this is that there is so much of truth mingled with error in this religion-truth derived from God's own word. As the Moslems have taken possession of some of the fairest Christian churches and made them mosques, so they have stolen some of the most sacred'truths of Christianity and used them as buttresses to their fortress of error.
Another strong bulwark of this delusion is its harmony with the self-righteousness of the human heart. It offers a salvation by works, which it is possible for man to perform, such as prayers, fasting, pilgrimages, ablutions and alms-giving; and the performance of these acts gives the Moslem an assured title to Paradise.
This religion is stron~ again with sensual man, in that it allows and sanctions immorality and licentiousness, which Christianity forbids. It allows a man to act like a beast, and to account himself, at the same time, a saint. It lets him indulge his lusts without a bridle. and think that he has a special license from heaven for so doing and an illustrious example of such conduct in the person of his prophet. Being thus strong, it surrenders few captives to Christianity from its own ranks, and it gains many captives from heathenism, and holds them with a firm grasp.
4. Political complications give Mohammedanism greater power to oppose Christianity in the Turkish empire. The religion of Moham- med is the State religion. Defence of the faith of Islam is regarded as essential to the integrity of the empire. To sustain the tottering throne of the sultan, religious fanaticism has been invoked and fos- tered; during the last few years schools for teaching the Koran have been multiplied in all parts of the land; even among the Bedouin tribes have apostles of the revived faith been sent; new mosques have been built and old mosques repaired, and praying places opened, where religious devotees may shout the name of Allah till they become voiceless and nerveless with their frenzied effort. Bigotry and patriotism have become synonymous terms. And, since Moslems only are drafted into the army, the government dreads that they should become Christians, lest they should found thereupon a claim from exemption from military service. Moreover, they fear that such conversions may be made by foreign powers a pretext for their interference in the affairs of the empire, and a ground for demanding new concessions and national dismemberments.
5. Another obstacle is the fact that in the Turkish empire at this time the death penalty hangs over every Moslem who becomes a Chris- .tian.
The Koran authorizes this. Religious liberty is a doctrine inconsistent with the spirit of Islam. It is almost certain that a Mohammedan who professes faith in Christ must leave the country, ifhe can,or be impressed into the army, or be arrested and imprisoned on false pretences, and all traces of him be speedily lost. This terror, so imminent, hinders Moslems from indulging any disposition to examine carefully the Christian religion and to balance properly the claims in its favor. To be known to be an attendant upon the religious services of Christians subjects a Moslem at once to a warning from the heads of the sect; and if he perseveres, he soon feels the weight of their power to compel him to separate himself from such associations. As long as civil power remains in the hands of :Mohammedan rulers, it is difficult to see how it can be otherwise than it is now. If the sultan should declare that every Moslem was free to adopt what religion he chose, he would be regarded as a traitor and an infidel, and be in danger of deposition and. assassination.
While the pope was king of Rome he repressed Protestantism with an iron hand; and while Abd-il-Hamid or any other Moslem holds sway in Western Asia, we must expect that he will do all in his power to prevent his Moslem subjects from becoming Christians. From the very nature of things, the religion propagated by the sword must be sustained by the sword; the same means which were employed to make disciples will be used to keep disciples. The death penalty incurred by Moslems renouncing their religion stands as a. powerful obstacle to hinder their evangelization.
6. Moslems have imbibed a prejudice against Christianity from the false reprel!entations of its character and its effect as given in the worship and conduct of nominal Ohristians, with whom they live. As the superstitions and idolatrous worship of these Christians brought the wrath of God upon them centuries ago, and caused him to deliver them over to their Mohammedan conquerors, so their clinging to their errors has kept them under the yoke of their oppressors, and they have during all these centuries been bearing false witness against the holy doctrine which they profess, and making their conquerors hate, scorn and detest a religion so idolatrous in form and bringing forth such fruit of unholy lives and conversation. Can we blame men for rejecting Christianity when it has been so misrepresented and profaned by the so-called Christians of the East?
7. Another obstacle exists in the misconception by the Moslems of the cardinal truths of Ohristianity, without opportunity being sought or found to correct those misapprehensions. They totally misunderstand what we mean by calling God "our Father," and Christ "the Son of God," being misled by hearing Mary called by Christians "the mother of God." They misunderstand the doctrine of the Trinity, thinking that we worship three gods, and they miss entirely what we mean by calling God "a Spirit," thinking that we thus rank him with angels and souls of men, which ar~ spirits. They have been taught. always that the Scriptures, though originally from the hand of God, have been changed and corrupted by Christians, into whose hands they have fallen, and therefore these holy writings have no power over' them. Apostate Syrian Christians, educated in Protestant schools, taught foreign languages in order that they might be more efficient helpers in evangelizing their countrymen, have gleaned among infidel books in England, France and Germany to find every objection that has ever been raised against Christianity, no matter how absurd or how many thousand times refuted, and hav;e translated the accumulated mass of objections into the languages of the East, and published them as the u:iJ.challenged and irrefutable proofs that the Scriptures of the, Christians have been corrupted on every page, and that Christianity itself is an imposture. Let anyone who would see proof of this statement read the book" Izhar-il-Hok," prepared by Fares Shidiak, once an employee of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and a translator of the New Testament into Arabic, under their direction, now a devoted adherent and strong ally of Mohammedanism in Constantinople,. and a bitter foe to Christianity, in whose folds he was born. 8. Another obstacle is that there is no liberty ofthe press in Western .Asia, nor lioerty of public iliscussion, by which the fallacies of Mohammedanism migh! be exposed and the slanders against Christianity refuted. Islamism enters the lists, free, untrammeled, permitted to strike as hard and as foul a blow as it will, while Christianity stands manacled, not allowed to raise a finger even to ward off a blow. Customhouse officers and public censors watch jealously to prevent foreign importations of books exposing J'Iohammedan errors; a printing press which printed a word against Mohammed and his religion would instantly be stopped; and if the missionaries braved all personal risks and denounced openly in their pulpits the prophet of Mecca, not only would they fail to reach Mohammedans with their message, but speedily their churches would be closed, and all other work done by them in the land would be stopped.
I will only hint at other obstacles, such as the indifference of many native Protestants of the East in this work, their want of faith and of zeal and of prayer in its behalf, while they have facilities vastly exceeding those which foreigners possess of reaching the minds and the hearts of their countrymen of a different creed; and again, that so many Protestant officials, representing Christian nations, men of the highest positions in civil life and in the army, should ignore their faith and their convictions and their customs when among Moslems, and for political reasons pay the most profound respect to their superstitions and their vain worship.
Has Christianity any allies ?-Leaving a further consideration of these difficulties, let us inquire if Christianity has any allies in this contest upon which she can rely. The answer is yes, and the most prominent of these are three: 1. The first of these allies is the progress of human thought. As surely as the fervid sun and the warm tides of the temperate zone melt the icebergs drifting down from the frozen North, so surely will this relic of the seventh century feel the influence of the second and third decade of centuries, and grow powerless before them. Mohammedanism represents the feebler intelligence and narrower range of thought of the world twelve centuries ago. It cannot adapt itself to the advance of the world in knowledge, like Christianity, which indeed leads the van of all human progress; but being of human origin, the product of a mind which could not look beyond the horizon of the age in which it was born and the region of its birth, it is out of sympathy with the present current of ideas and contradictory to the later teachings of science. Every new discovery is a protest against the errors imbedded in Mohammedanism. All advances in science expose the fallacies of that system, and prepare its followers to perceive these and make the necessary deductions from them as to its earthly origin. 2. The second of these allies is the human soul awa/Cened to a consdousness of wants which Mohammedanism fails to meet, and which Ohristianity meets fully. When man. awakes, as he must sooner or later, to the consciousness that he is a sinner and that his own self-righteousness will not suffice to justify him before God, then he looks in vain into the Koran to learn of a mediator and an aton- ing sacrifice and an effectual intercessor. Mohammedanism knows nothing of a "Father in heaven" to comfort the soul in its hours of loneliness and sorrow. It knows nothing of the Holy Spirit to change the heart and aid it in overcoming sin and temptation. But Christi- anity meeting these and other wants of the soul, for which Moham- medanism has no help, possesses in man's soul itself a powerful witness to its divine origin.
3. The third auxiliary is that course of divine providence which is weakening the political power of Islamism over the peoples and count?·~es now held in its grasp. The dismemberment of the Turkish empire is preparing the way, in its gradual progress, for the triumph of Christianity. The frequent conversion of Mohammedans in India, where English rule prevents the death penalty from being visited upon the converts, and in Egypt, where partial religious liberty now exists, show what we have reason to expect in Turkey when there is free2-om of inquiry, freedom of· discussion, freedom of the press and pulpit, freedom of profe~sion of faith in Christ.
To these elements of hope might be added the fact that there is much buried seed in Turkey of past labors, of Bible truth which has been sown-and what God has sown shall not return to Him void- so many unanswered prayers for Moslems yet in the golden censer.
The next question to be considered is: What agencies have proved most successful hitherto in commending Ohristianity to Moslems, and what may still be accounted the most hopeful means to be used in seeking their evangelization? .
1. The first and foremost of these is. the circulation of the Word of God. Bibles can enter homes whence preachers are excluded.
Bibles can be read where there is no fear of jealous witnesses and cl:uel betrayers. The Holy Spirit can apply that word with resistless power to the conscience and heart.' There is no doubt that immense good has been done by this agency alone, and that many Moslem men and women thus taught have lived and died, clinging to Christ and His cI:oss for salvation, of whom we have no record. We have cer- tain testimony of some who have been savingly enlightened by this means alone. Let us not despair of our influence in evangelizing Moslems while this agency is left to us. Let us rejoice in the oppor- tunity of circulating the Word of God with so few restrictions. Let us rejoice in possessing the Scriptures in the languages of Moham- medan peoples, and particularly in their sacred tongue, the Arabic, and in vowelled form, fitted to compare so favorably with the form in which the Koran is possessed by them. Let us use all available efforts to place the -Bible in the hands of Moslems, and to induce them to read it. Let us show ever in our conversation with them our assurance of its divine origin and our certainty of its being 'un- corrupted, and our belief in its saving power. Let us multiply colporteurs, wherever we can, to circulate and explain the word of light and life.
2. A second means, justified most amply by experience, is the edu- cation of Moslem children and youth of both sexes in our common schools, higher schools, boarding schools and colleges, and giving them both scientific and religious instruction. All science refutes in some form Mohammedan teaching. The schools which have been ()pened iu Turkey by American and English Christians, and in a lesser degree by Germaps, have brought in a flood of light which has been crowdin'g back into narrower confines the ancient night of Mos- lem delusion. School teachers are the sappers and miners who are undermining this gigantic fortress of error. Moslems perceive this, and hence their new zeal for opening schools of their own to coun- teract Christian schools, and hence that wonder of wonders, that Mohammedans should open schools to teach girls to read. It is to be regretted that so few Moslem youth attend our institution,s of learning. We should double our efforts to pring them in and to re- tain our hold upon them. While the children are yet young they carry home and teach to their parents by means of the hymns which they have learned to sing, and the verses of Scripture they have been taught to repeat, lessons which we could not otherwise introduce into those homes, and which may be the means of making the parents wise unto salvation, while these children themselves, sooner or later in life, may find their way to the gate of heaven by means of what they have learned in these schools. Boarding schools for Moslem girls have been wonderfully blest as means of good. May they be sustained as they deserve, and may they be multiplied!
3. Bible 'Women can do immense good by visiting Moslem harems, teaching the women to read, and reading the Bible to them. Some most interesting cases of hopeful conversions have occurred in connection with such labors. Women are thus' reached by the gospel who would otherwise never have heard it. There is less jealousy of female laborers thau of men. Where suitable Bible women can be found there is large encouragement for their employment.
4. Another object to be striven after is the cultivation of the acquaintance of Mohammedans. If we meet their coldness with coldness and their seclusiou with a corresponding non-intercourse, when can we expect that the barriers between us will be broken down? Personal influence, the world over, is the strongest influence. Men will not listen profitably to teachers who have not their confidence. Conviction is a matter of the heart as well as of the reason. A word from a friend influences more than a hundred words from a stranger. Difficult of acquisition as this way of influence may seem, yet it should not be slighted. If it is set before us as an end to be reached~ it can be compassed. On their fast days some rooms of Moslem houses are open. We can show an interest in their joys and sorrows" attend their weddings and their fuuerals, invite them to join literary coteries. When once an acquaintance is formed with a few Moslems it is easy to extend it by their means. Neither should the wives of missionaries limit their acquaintance to the poorest class of Moslem women, whom they teach to sew and to whom they give charity, but should cultivate the society of the better classes, and seek to gain an influence over these, doubly secluded as they are and wholly debarred from learning of Christ. Lady teachers in female seminaries have rare opportunities of making such acquaintances by visiting the mothers of their Moslem pupils. As matters now stand, women have better opportunities than men in evangelizing Moslems. In the nine- teenth century crusade women can have the honor of planting the ,standard of the cross where men are powerless, and this will not be the first time that the softest hand has proved the strongest.
5. Another important point is that those who expect to influence Mohammedans should make their religious belief a study / they should know what the Koran teaches, its truths and its errors; they shollld study also the commentaries upon it, and they should do this not second-hand, through translations and comments by foreigners, bllt should be acquainted with native modes of thought' and expression. Moslem literature, secular and religiolls, its philosophy, history, poetry and books of proverbs, which are now almost a terra incognita to scholars in other branches of science, should be carefully studied by those who hope to benefit them. Without such a knowledge we can no more hope to prevail over Mohammedans in discussion than Indians with bows and arrows could cope with Europeans armed with rifles.
6. Medical 'Work, and especially hospital 'Work, affords rare vantage ground for evangelical teaching of Moslems. A doctor among them is a privileged character. His life is safe where others would be in peril. He can enter within doors barred to others. His words carry weight which 'another man's do not. He meets men under the most favorable circumstances to influence them for good, when their hearts are made tender by sickness 01' bereavement, and when the nearness of another world makes the conscience alert and the soul susceptible to religious impression. The gentlfl ministries of Christian men and women in hospitals have, again and again, softened the hearts of bigoted Moslems, and the daily listening to the name of .Jesus and receiving care and healing in his name, have prepared them to accept the Christian's faith and Saviour.
From the agencies thus enumerated, as sanctioned by experience, it is plain that indirect, unobstrusive, unostentatious efforts are those upon which most reliance must be placed in this stage of the work.
An organized, avowed, aggressive mission to the Mohammedans, which proclaimed its designs and its results, would defeat itself and imperil those it sought to benefit. While the servants of the church are faithfully using all the means in their power to find an entrance for the gospel, the church must be content to allow the kingdom of God to come in Turkey without human observation, and to accept it that God's spiritual work here should move on as silently as the great processes of nature.
The vast importance of the theme.-In concluding this paper it is worthy of being set forth in words, although it is doubtless already the burden of the thoughts of many hearts, that the evangelization of the Mohammedans is a theme of great importance; it should be the subject of our careful consideration, strong faith and earnest prayers. It deserves to be made prominent as the subject of united, special, importunate and persevering prayer.
The vast number of the Mohammedans makes a strong appeal to our interest in their behalf, they constituting at least one-tenth, and perhaps one-eighth, of the human race. Their influence in the world commends them to our notice. That influence is not negative, like that of the Brahmins, and of the followers of Confucius, but positive, aggressive and visibly effective and ascendant in some parts of the world, and destructive always; but, if turned into right channels, promising to be as conducive to the triumph of the Lord as it now is influential to hinder it. They need the gospel as much as others to enable them to bear the woes of life and to light them through the dark valley. The gospel is as well adapted to their needs as to those of others. The commission, " Go teach all nations," extends to them. The success which has attended labors for them in individual cases shows that no impassable barriers lie in the way of their enlightenment and conversion.
The difficulties in the way of reaching them do not relieve us of the responsibility of laboring in their behalf. The dangers which may threaten us should not make us hesitate. It would be hard to prove that the difficulties and dangers attendant upon preaching the gospel to Mohammedans now in the Turkish empire are greater than those which faced the apostles and martyrs and early teachers of Christianity in the Roman empire in the first three centuries of the history of the Christian church. They preached to proud Romans, as well as to bigoted Jews and sensual Greeks, in spite of threatenings, scourgings, stonings, imprisonments and cruel deaths, and as a result pagan Rome was Christianized. So, with like faith and prayer and courage and perseverance and effort, in due season, and it may be after a hard struggle, the gospel will a second time triumph on its old battleground where its first victories were won; exiled Christianity will return to the home of its birth, the Bible will supplant the Koran, the prophet of Nazareth will t::tke the place of the prophet of Mecca in the heart of Moslems, the Son of God the place of the son of Abdullah, to the glory of God and the salvation of immortal sEmIs.
~S8 THE DRUID CELTS
THE DRUID CELTS-THE EARLY MISSIONARY RACE OF WESTERN EUROPE.
BY F. F. ELLINWOOD, D.D., NEW YORK•• The first wave of Aryan migration into Northern Europe was that of the Celts. They were the first column in that grand westward march which has wrought the highest civilizations. and filled the world with great achievements. In France they were first known to the Romans as Galli or Gauls. In Britain as Cimbri, or, more generic- ally, Britons.
But there were successive waves of migration: In the fourth cen- tury, B. C., one of these broke over the Alps and made a victorious entry into the city of Rome. In the year 279, B. C., another horde of Celts entered Macedonia, Thessaly and Greece, but were repulsed in the gorges of Delphi, whence passing through Thrace and turning eastward, they crossed the Hellesponte into Asia Minor. But having been conquered by the armies of Augustus, 25, B. C., they were con- fined thenceforth to the province that bore their name-Galatia. It was these brave adventurers whom nearly a century later Paul found it difficult to bring under the curbs and restraints of the gospel of peace, and to whom he found it necessary to write a very plain and outspoken epistle. And yet we get the impression even from Paul that they were a manly race.
During the Punic wars of Rome, large bodies of the Celts or Galli were found aiding the Carthagenians, and on many a well-contested field the Roman legions found them worthy of their arms. These alliances prompted R~me to crush their power, if possible, on their own soil, and Julius Cresar, with the Greek colony of Marsailes as a base of operations, began that series of resistless invasions which pursued the Celts over the whole area of France, and even to the British Isles. During fourteen years of conquests he is said to have sacrificed two millions of men. He respected his foes, however, and at last even cultivated their friendship; for in his further ambitious schemes he led the brave Gauls under his standards even to the gates of Rome.
The conquest of the Britons was a more difficult and protracted undertaking. The tribes who took their stand in the mouutains of Wales and of Scotland, as well as the inhabitants of Ireland, were never conquered by their Roman invaders, and on more than one occasion these vigorous mountaineers pressed upon the Roman colonies so fiercely as almost to extirpate their power in Britain. They seem to have been reserved for a great purpose. "Their forefathers," says McClear, "had formed the vanguard of the western portion of the great Aryan migration; they were to form the vanguard of the missionary history of Europe. While the Roman world was more and more decaying, and the great Teutonic movement was as yet in its infancy, they were destined to train and send forth some of the earliest and bravest pioneers of Christian missions in Switzerland and Germany."
Before entering upon the study of the Christian conquest of Britain, first by the Romans and at a later day by missionaries from Iona, one should first understand, if possible, the ancient religion of these brave and stalwart tribes. Enthusiastic writers have not hesi- tated to declare that the religion of the Celtic priesthood, known as Druidism, was the primitive religion of mankind. Discounting, how- ever, this extreme statement, it is enough to say that the faith of the Druids could not have been the faith of a savage race, for never has uninspired man attained to nobler conceptions of his own being or his relations to Deity than some of those which were taught by the Druids. Hume, the historian, declared that" no religion has ever swayed the minds of man like the Druidic," and in Cresar's Commen- taries are found brief references which show his profound respect for the faith of the vanquished Celts. "The Druids," he says, "make the immortality of the soul the basis of all their teaching, holding it to be the principal incentive and reasoll for a virtuous life." Again, in the fifth book: "The Druids discuss many things concerning the stars and their evolutions, the magnitude of the globe and its various divisions, the nature of the universe, and the energy and power of the immortal gods." Again in the same book: "The Druids teach that in no other way than by ransoming man's life by the life of man is reconciliation with the divine justice of the immortal gods possible."
It is easy to see that abuses of this last strong doctrine may have led the Druids to justify human sacrifice, of which in fact they were guilty; but we certainly have here presented, on the testimony of a Roman warrior and historian, some of the grandest conceptions of religious truth that have ever been assigned to any people. And in the last clause quoted, many have found what they believed to be an enunciation of that great principle of vicarious atonement which underlies the Christian faith.
The proverbs of the Druids, which are generally found in triads, are indicative of very noble qualities of race. Thus:" Three duties of every man-Worship God, be just to all, die for your country." How much nobler is this than the vaunted Buddhist triad: "Trust in the Buddha, trust in the Law, trust in the Sangha" (of Monks). It would be almost Christian if it had in it the element of love, for, like Christianity, it begins with the supreme claims of God, and is at leastjust to one's neighbor as to himself, and it adds the most exalted patriotism that a man can cherish. Yet its falls far short of the Christlike spirit, which loves all men even better than self, and is ready to spend and be spent in their service. Here is another terse triad: "Three things came into being at the same moment-light, man, and moral choice." Another: "There are three men whom all should love-he that loves the face of his mother nature, he that loves rational works of art, he that looks lovingly on the faces of little children." Again:" Three things only God can do-endure the eternities of infinity, participate in all being without changing, re- new everything without annihilating it." Another: "The three necessary essentials of God-infinite in himself, finite to the finite, co-unity with every mode of existence in happiness." These are noble utterances, one and all. How clear and just is the discrimina- tion which makes God infinite in Himself, and yet finite to the finite. Unlike many a heathen religion, this exalts God to infinitude; unlike many a cold philosopy, it brings him down to our finiteness, and recognizes the necessity for a Goa with us. 'l'hese triads set forth a the sublime responsibility of moral choice in man, and yet the ten- der grace that looks lovingly on the faces of little children. In word, the faith of the Druids differed entirely from the dark pessim- isms of the cotemporary philosophies of India and Egypt. It was a bright and hopeful system. "Three things," says still another triad, "decrease continually-darkness, evil, and death. Three things increase continually-light, truth, and life. These will finally prevail over all, then probation will end." 'l'his idea of the gradual and eternal progress of man and of the universe, stands apart from the teachings of most heathen systems.
A summary of the doctrines held by the Druids may be given as follows: There is one supreme God, and His nature is spiritual and invisible. The universe is pervaded by Him as His body, and He rules it as the human mind rules the human body. To human apprehension, though not in Himself, he appears in a triple aspect in relation to the past, the present and the future; the Oreator as to the past, the Saviour or Preserver as to the present, the Recreator as to the future. In the Recreator the idea of destroyer was also involved. This trinity strangely corresponds to the Hindu Trimurti, in which Brahma is the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Siva both destroyer and renovator. Of the Druid trinity the names were Belis, Taran, and Esu or J esu, and when Ohristianity was proclaimed in Britain, J esu was retained, and it is still retained as the name of the second person of the Ohristian Trinity.
The Druids held that man was created at once in his full strength, and that all matter was both created and arranged in the order of the universe in one and the same act. Nature is the action of God through matter. There is no such thing as the annihilation of matter. Every particle is capable of passing through all possible forms, and every form has its own laws of existence and action. They also believed that there had been a fall of once pure and happy beings into sin and condemnation, and that it was brought about by an attempt on their part to rival God in sustaining and governing the universe. In so doing they brought themselves to the lowest degree of unmiti- gated evil (annwn). For the redemption of these fallen beings God granted a period of probation (abred). By this means, after a long disciplinary course, they might again attain to the lost purity and happiness (gwynfyd).
The essence of the soul, according to Druidism, is the will, and the essence of religion is willinghood. The first essential of manhood, as distinguished from the nature of beasts, is the ·power of free choice. No other system of belief has ever more fully emphasized man's freedom and responsibility. Every man, ere he can be immovably settled in the bliss of heaven, must have passed through every experience of good and evil. Memory of evil endured is the only safeguard against yielding to temptation. Heaven then cannot be a place hedged against wrong. In an intense and sublime degree it is character reinforced by the remembrance of all evil suffered and mastered.
With the Druids the life hereafter was to be one of eternal progress and growth. No such conception as that of future rest occurred to them. Suffering might be willingly endured, either for one's own good or for that of another. In the one case it might expiate his own sin, and this, accompanied by confession, might absolve him. In the other case his suffering might atone for another's sin.
It cannot be successfully maintained that Druidism was free from polytheistic tendencies. At least, subordinate gods were regarded with something akin to worship. But the above outlines are sufficient to show that the Druidic faith was at once the product, the expression, and the perpetual source of great moral power. No wonder that the Celtic race produeed such characters as those of the exiled Caractacus, or the sublime heroism of a Boadacea. And it is not strange that the armies of Rome found it well nigh impossible to conquer Britain, and, in fact, never did conquer her remoter tribes.
Weare told that about five centuries before the Christian era the civil laws of the Druids were codified by Dunwal Moelmud, and that since that time they have remained the common unwritten or native laws of the island, as distinguished from the Roman, the Canon, and other codes of foreign introduction. "These Druidic laws," says Rev. R. W. Morgan, "have always been justly regarded as the foundation and bulwark of British liberties," and he refers to the testimony of Sir John Fortesque and of Coke, to that effect.* So, far from savagery, the Druids were possessed of a high degree of civilization. They studied science with a truly religious fervor, since the laws of nature were regarded as the modes of divine activity. Theya-re said to have supported sixty colleges, and the * St. Paul in Britain, p. 64. •1.umber of students from Britain and from Gaul sometimes rose to sixty thousand. These institutions were generally located in the, fortified capitals of the tribes known as Caers, Castras, and finally,. Chesters. Very many of the old names still remain, as Doncaster,. Leicester and Winchester. The pride of learning in these institutions was very great. The only prophets recognized were those who had penetrated all nature's laws. Only the highest social classes were eligible to the Druid order, and each applicant must prove his descent from nine successive generations of free forefathers. In the Druid order centered all knowledge, human and divine. They were the hierarchy and the parliament. They never bore arms. Expulsion from the order rendered the culprit an outcast, whom none might. fellowship or assist or pity.
The conversion of the Britons to .Christianity was facilitated by two favoring influences. The first was the fact that their own system of belief had so many high and noble elements in common with the religion of the Bible. They claimed identity as to the unity of God, in three manifestations, of whom "Jesu "was one. They recognized also the principle of vicarious expiation for sin, and the doctrine of repentance and confession. Like the Christian doctrines, their creed_ emphasized the freedom and responsibility of the human will and the moral influence of discipline, as a blessing in the government or God. Said Taliesin, a Druid bard, with some exaggeration: "Christ" the Word from the beginning, was from the beginning our teacher, and we never lost His teaching. Christianity was a new thing in Asia, but there never was a time when the Druids of Britain held. not His doctrines."
The second special influence which opened the hearts of Britons, to the gospel was a fellow feeling with the Christians under the cruer wrongs of the Roman power. The Christian church was persecuted,. and Druidism soon shared its trials. It became so evident that the_ strong religious faith of the Celts was the real secret of their invincible bravery, that orders were given to the commanders of the legions to extirpate Druidism at all cost. Thus by a common sympathy ilL suffering were the hearts of the Druids opened to the gospel. The family of the royal exile, Caractacus, became prominent among. the Christians of Rome. Many memorable names, like that of Pelagius, appeared in the history of the British churches.
In our common habit of lauding the Anglo Saxon, have we not, unduly overlooked the Celtic element in the civilization and moral power of Britain? From the Picts of Scotland, and the brave and hardy sons of Wales, who even yet speak the original tongue of the Britolls,and the secluded Irish, whom Patrick won to the truth, we~ trace very many of those early influences which have leavened the ooaracter of the nation. That enthusiastic youth, who, from having
TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN MISSIONARY MAGAZINES
been a captive and a swineherd, became, in the fifth century, A. D., the apostle of Ireland, belonged to this Celtic race. Before the con- quests of Saxon and Dane, which waged a war of extermination against Roman and Briton alike, he had established Christianity in Ireland. From Ireland a refluent tide of Christian influence returned to Wales. In both countries monasteries sprang up, which were really missionary trai~ing schools. Northward to Iona this monastic enthusiasm spread. Thence, men of heroic faith and endurance carried the gospel to Scotland and to N orthumbria. From the Ban- . gors of Ireland and Wales missionaries passed into Burgundy, Switzer- land, Germany, and even Italy. It was an evangelical faith which they proclaimed. Patrick had studied with Martin of Tours, who, sur- rounded by Celtic monks of Gaul, had followed the culture of Poly- carp rather than that of the Popes. It was an age of moral earnest- ness, and the faith of Britain was exceptionally free from the hair- splitting doctrinal speculations which prevailed in the East. It was free from ecclesiastical ambition and intrigue; from the accumulations of human traditions; from the worship of pictures, im'hges and relics. .
Religion was the great interest of life. Mo,nastic devotion and missionary effort, far and near, were considered nobler and more desirable than money getting, or fame, or earthly pleasure. It was then that the foundations were laid for the political and religious liberty and power of Western Europe.
TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN MISSIONARY MAGAZINES.
BY REV. CHARLES C. STARBUCK, ANDOVER, MASS.
-The following from the Macedonier is a fair specime,n of what" secular instruction" means when carried out logically. The writer is speaking of Dutch Government schools in the East Indies: " This was the first fault (the denationalization of young teachers), but the second was not lessgrave. It was the principle of neutrality. 'There might not be any religion ill the Government schools!' This measure roused an unnecessary aversion in the parents towards the Government schools. Among a population where but one church was known, the name of God or of Jesus might not be named; nay, even proverbs, like that of Solomon, ' Go to the ant, thou sluggard,' were objected to as injurious because they stood in the Bible." Are we going to yield to Antichrist in that fashion?
-The same writer, after remarking that the Government schools do not deserve to be called people's schools, inasmuch as for the great majority of the youth who are not looking for Government appointments, the little knowledge they give is of a kind to spoil them for their actual life, pronounces the missionary schools to be true people's schools, because (1) They use, as a rule, the vernacular tongue, although in the Minahassa (the northern arm of Celebes) they still use the Malay too much. (2) They keep in view, in their instruction, the development of the understanding and the forming of the heart agreeably to the stage of development on which the popUlation stands, and the occupation and course of life which lie before by far the greater proportion of the school-going youth. (3) They limit themselves to giving instruction in read- ing, writing, ciphering, geography and singing. Point 2 is, in the writer's judgment, of great importance. His conclusion is that the East Indies require, not the Government school, but the free, subsidized private school.
-The following from the Dansk Missionsblad gives an impression of how, where there is still a zeal for Hinduism, the gospel is weakening its defences in more cultivated Ininds, and how fierce a reaction of heathen bigotry is still possible even against Hindus, whose greater enlightment compels them to make certain concessions to Christianity: " As we were returning from church, we came by a great company of people that had flocked around a speaker, who, with enthusiastic words, was extolling the excellence of Hinduism at the expense of Christianity. My companion knew the speaker, a young Hindu from Madras, who had seized on this festal occasion to make an essay to strengthen the tottering thrones of his gods. We stopped and listened; and our native preacher having undertaken to answer him with somewhat dubious success, Herman Jensen entered the circle. He extended his hand to the abashed Hindu, and kindly inquired after his health, which for an instant stayed the flow of his eloquence and drew the hearers' attention. Jensen availed himself of this moment, and, without entering upon the interrupted discussion as to the trustworthiness of the Bible, he began to speak to the people of' Him who is not far from anyone of us.' . . • Having ended, he at once took leave, that the impression left might not be effaced by aimless disputes. We afterwards learned that some of the crowd had begun to make sport of the Christians and their religion, but were checked by the young Hindu, who reminded them that although as Hindus they were antjl.gonistsof Christianity, yet they could not refuse it their respect, as it was in reality a good religion. At the same time he let fall a hint that the Hindu zeal to drag their gods about the streets was of doubtful value.
"The next day we heard that the young Hindu had been obliged to leave the town early in the morning. For as soon !,S it became known in Tricalore that he had permitted Herman Jensen to speak, and had even expressed himself favorably as to Christianity, no one in the whole town would sell him rice or anything else. The Brahmins in particular began to assume so threatening a demeanor toward him that he judged it prudent to leave Tricalore as quickly as possible."
-Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land, the German part of New Guinea, the northeastern part of this great island, is about ten times as large as the kingdom of Wurtemberg, but has only about one-twentieth as large a population. We are glad to see that the German Company which controls it forbid the importation of either spirits or gunpowder. The people are not, like many Papuans, cannibals. They are of strict morals, and of a reasonable disposition. The Inissionaries say: "If only they would wash themselves now and then !"
-'fhe Missions-Blatt of the Moravian brethren for JanuarY,1890, opens with the words: "Thy Kingdom come. Praying thus we enter upon the New Year. We utter it with universal Christendom over the broad earth. But above.all it should be the watchword for the missionary church of the Unitas Fratrum. The Kingdom of the Lord our God, as yet invisible in its .full depth, power and glory, by us as yet uncomprehended, but in faith apprehended as the Kingdom gained by the conflict unto blood and death, of the Son of God, wrested from the devil and formed by the communion of the redeemed, ought in this year also to gain ground afresh and to make a victorious advance. There should be assured to it victory upon victory, as well among ourselves as also abroad, in the far distance where light and darkness are wrestling together, or where the yet unbroken darkness rests in thick masses upon the nations. This is the tenor of our prayer. And if we pray thus believingly and confidently, with a 'heart full of love for this kingdom, into which we know ourselves to have been translated, then we all labor together for the coming of the same, then are its victories also our victories, then something of the glory of the Kingdom is likewise reflected into our own life, and purifies our faithfulness, our labor, our patience, so that they put on some value in the eyes of its King." -The Moravian brethren remark that the past year has been marked by liberal gifts for their modest but model missions. In a peculiar sense, what- ever is given to the Brethren's Church is given to the Church universal, and has, therefore, a double value, immediate and exemplary. In 1889 the extra outlays of 1887 were fully covered. And large giving soon showed itself, as commonly, to be the parent of larger giving. For the church at Dornburg, Surinam, costing more than 20,000 marks, the costs are assured. 6,500 marks have been paid and subscribed for opening a work in the island of Trinidad. .a Mr. McNiece, in Ireland, has left the Moravian Church the equivalent of 115,000 marks for their missions in Africa and .asia. Mrs. Disney Robinson having given in 1888 the sum of 20,000 marks, and 20,000 marks in 1889, has bequeathed 40,000 marks.
" But with the chords of thanksgiving and joy there mingles also a subdued strain of sadness in looking over the past year. We trust it does not lessen gratitude, but in a measure it troubles joy. It has pleased the Lord to, visit our missionary brethren and sisters the past year in a very extraordinary degree with sickness. This has occasioned many withdrawals from the service, and has diminished the strength of many who remain. It has also made it necessary to decline many overtures of service. Finally, this year has seen a, larger number called to the heavenly home than many others. Five brethren and sisters have been called away out of a fruithful activity-five in Surinam alone.
" In the past year a special consecration was imparted to our missionary' work by the meeting in Herrnhut of the General Synod of the Brethrens' Unity. In this the missionary work of our church, in all its aspects, was thoroughly tested, unfolded and weighed. And this was done with so comprehensive an interest, and with so hearty an affection, that we were thereby mightily strengthened and filled with the consciousness that we were acting in the commission not only of an important but also of a praying missionary church, and could take up our work afresh in the refreshment of such a. consciousness.
"Thus, then, may the Lord go with us into the new year, and His blessing accompany all we do! May His spirit rule without in the field, as well as at. home in the church. May He build up His kingdom in our midst, and, through us, ever wider and wider out into lands remote! The experiences that we may have gathered in the past year, painful as well as consoling, all this should firmly conjoin itself for us'into piers and arches of a bridge, on which Hope shall advance, boldly and securely, from time unto eternity. To the Lord, the victorious king of his kingdom, be glory and praise and honor, .amen!"
-The Brethren's missionaries in the little Mosquito State complain that the Catholic State of Nicaragua is constantly nibbling at the eastern boundary, and, unless restrained by England and America, the guaranteeing powers, bids fair to devour it altogether. The two governments ought to be stirred up to look into the matter.
-The Berlin Missionary Society gives its present statistics as follows: In South Africa, 6 superintendencies, 47 stations, 83 out-stations, 143 preaching places, 53 ordained missionaries, 4 candidates for ordination, 6 colonial brethren, 93 paid and 323 unpaid colored assistants, 20,000' baptized Christians now living, 8,000 deceased, and 3,500 scholars. In China, 4 ordained European missionaries, 2 European candidates for ordination, 28 native helpers, 4 of them ordained, 9 stations, 7 out-stations, 23 preaching places, 736 baptized Ch..istians, living in 135 localities, and 116 scholars. In tbe Mission house in Berlin there are some 25 or 30 pupils under training (after the Continental metbod) for work abroad. The almost entire talk of University men is a deep drawback in Continental Protestant Missions.
The Society, now 66 years old, is assisted by 300 auxiliary associations. -Director Wangemann says, with considerable humor, that the effectiveness of the system of auxiliaries is by some set much too high. " My dear friend, Professor Flash, once remarked, that the Director of Berlin I. (for there is another Berlin Society) has a good position; he sits like a telegraph director before 300 wires, at whose ends are to be found 300 auxiliaries. He only needs to press on the buttons, and movement ensues in the whole system. Now, whether a Berlin Misfionary Director has ever been in this happy situation or not, I do not know; but, as concerns myself, I h~ve never enjoyed it, and even less to-day than when I took up my office 26 years ago. I may press on the buttons as much as I will, the great majority give no answer whatever. Some wires are rusted; some quite broken asunder; the system as a whole no longer works. For years, 60, 70, perhaps 90 answers, has been all that my pressing on the',00 buttons has brought to pass, and of these more than half not at all thorou:,;lly entering into my questions." So it seems that even German thqroughness has its provoking limitations in the missionary cause.
– " As Paul, with good right, was honored with the title of ' Apostle of the Gentile~,' so our time, above others, is the period of the world·mission, whose business it is to be thoroughly in earnest with the commission of the King of the kingdom of heaven: 'Go ye into all the world,' , Make all nations my disciples.' But in this great mission field the Supreme Missionary Direc· tion has distinctly designated certain fields of labor, above other8, as those whichju8t now need our especial faithfulness and energy, for the very reason that here more than elsewhere' a great door and effectual, offerinli:' abundant fruit, is opened unto us, and there are many adversaries.' As in a hattie a wise general sends the main reinforcement to those points where the crisis is imminent, and the enemy most vigorously unfolds his force, so ahro in the combat for the world's conquest, which missions have to wage, the most decisive and energetically assailed points must be occupied with the most numerous and the best troops. The greatness of the duty, which the present opening of the world imposes on Christain missions, has an almost bewildering effect, and involves the danger of an inauspicious scattering of forces. It often misleads Christians to an unreasonably rapid succession of new enterprises, not seldom at the cost of such elder fields of labor as afford fruit already ripe for the harvest. The opening of new doors should certainly not be left unregarded, but be an incitement to multiply our exertions; but they ought neither to afford nourishment to a certain missionary romanticism, which is only intent on 'either seeing or hearing some new thing,' nor to infringe on due fidelity towards elder fields, nor to come in conflict with the wisdom which demands the fullest outlay of strength where, at a particular juncture, the opportunity is most distinctly given by God for wide·reaching decisiveness of result." -Dr. Warneek in Allgemeine Missions·ZeitBchri/t, January, 1890.
-" The great missionary decisions do not, in the first instance, impend in the newly·dis· covered regions, especially of Central Africa; but in older fields, where access to human throngs is conjoined with an entrance of the gospel message into human hearts, and the enemy is organizing a resistance to the gospel. There, as in Madagascar, in India, in Japan, where the situation already draws near to a final issue, the missionary forces should receive the greatest possible concentration."-Ibidem.
-" We can but lament that so many in our day account as insufficient the only means that is given to Christian missionaries, namely, the Gospel, and, therefore, meditate how they may rel!der it effective by additions of their own devising. Their unbelief arises out of the just observation, that the missionary with the Gospel has to attack, not only an individual, but a world that, in its manifold political, social, ethical, religious relations, is fortified against the truth. For this the Word appears to have too isolated an operation. But the Word finds not only one individual, but then a second and a third; there arises a Christian community, which is the legitimate means of warfare against the heathen community. The greater this community becomes, so much the greater is the capital with which missions work. Every mission· ary society which founds a second station, which has a fiourishing neighbor-mission, experiences that the first helps to bear up the second, the neighbor to support its own work. It appears to me that this source of efficiency is at present overlooked, when in Africa so many entrenched camps are broken up, and the war almost wholil. carried on by skirmishes. Especially is this a tactical mistake in a land where one has to do Wlth Islam, which works by its compact masses; in a land that intelleCtually, morally, religiously, is so little prepared for Christianity as Africa, where all the spiritual capital, all the instruments with which we labor, for instance, in most places the very alphabet, have first to be created. What is natural, appears also here to be reasonable. Why should one carryon the war some hundreds of miles away from the nearest of our country's troops, and not rather advance shoulder to shoulder into a stronglyfortified enemy's land."-F. M. Zahn in Allgemeine Zeit8chrijt, January, 1890.
GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
n.-GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.
Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions.
The organization of the Student academic students; 200 (4.%) grammar Volunteer Movement is not perfect as and common school students; 500 yet; nor are its methods infallible in (10%) who are not students, and 500 aim, however its representatives are (10.%) who are out of school on account united, for they are striving in single of health or lack of means. Besides hearted endeavor to evangelize the these, about 275 (5~ Yo) have completed world in this generation. And be- their course of study (125 of whom are cause they are honestly and earnestly not likely to go), while neady 250 (5%) and prayerfully striving to enfolce have departed to their foreign work.
our Master's last command, they wel- About 250 (5.%) have renounced their come, and most gladly, criticism from decision; and 50 (1.%) have been re- friends-criticism in the broad signifi- jected on account of ill health and cation of that much abused term. other reasons.
Now and then statements like the In the following estimate the same following reach us, and because these persons are considered with reference statements are typical of criticisms to the time required to complete their which come from various quarters, we courses of study which they have laid give this sample: "We have heard out: The number who have completed of some thousands of students in our education and gone. to their work, colleges 'pledged to foreign missions,' about 250; number who have finished but, somehow, they do not material- their education and are still in this ize. We would be willing to hear less country, about 150; that expect to com- about their enthusiastic pledges if we plete studies in 1890, 400; about 550 might see more proof of the enthusi- will complete their studies each year asm." Lookers on think it a little for the next four years; while 1200 will strange that out of so large a number have more than four years of study be- {)f volunteers so few appear to be fore them. About 500 are uncertain as ready to embark in the work. An ex- to time required to finish, on account of amination of the latest statistics very health and means. To complete total recently compiled will show results of 5,000, there must be added 50 who encouraging to all who are anxious have been rejected by the Boards, and for the extension of Christ's kingdom, 250 who have reversed their decision.
and will reveal some of the reasons There are between 90 and 100 mis- why even a greater number of volun- sion boards organized in colleges' for teers have not already sailed for for- promulgating the missionary spirit in eign shores. their respective localities; but volun- The American Board sent out last teers are reported from 300 insti- year 52 missionaries, the largest num- tutions. There has been pledged for ber for any year in over half a century, the support of missionaries through and has as many more.applications on the influence of the movement: by nle. This Board has sent out 30 vol- colleges, $19,450; seminaries $9,850; unteers in the last three years. churches, $13,000; miscellaneous Dod- Five thousand persons have signed ies, $3,400. These figures include the pledge. single contributions and permanent The most accurate estimate gives annual pledges, but omit all work the numbers and proportions of the done in 1890, and much done previous- volunteers in the various grades of ly and not reported.
educational institutions as follows: Mr. John N. Forman will be remem- 1750 (35.%) college students; 125 (21 Yo) bered as the person who was associa- medical students; 450 (9%) theological ted with Mr. Robert P. Wilder at the stUdents; 650 (13%) preparatory and date of the inception of the movement, in 1886. Mr. Formanis now in In another part of the REVlEw* may India, and is supported by the students of Princeton college. He writes from be found an appeal from the Kolhapur Datia, Central India: Mission for 16 new workers. It will " Datia Is a city of 28,()()() souls, a fine specimen of an eastern city, surrounded by a strong be remembered that the founder of wall which is pierced by five gates and three 'windows.' The people are independent, with this magazine, the Rev. R. G. Wilder, a king of their own, who is responsible to the English government." established this mission, and that his Since Mr. Forman's arrival at Datia wife and daughter, Miss Grace E.
he has been endeavoring to establish Wilder, are carrying on the work an independent native church, and he there now. has adopted, in a measure, the mode of living of the natives. He does not There are at present only 18 work- yet feel convinced that this latter plan el'S in Kolhapur. How needy the is altogether wise; but of two points he is convinced: first, no man should field is will be seen by examining the live in this country without a com- apportionment of workers to other panion; and second, it is not best to countries. Mexico has a population work among natives as poor men. of 10,OOO,OOO–two and one half times "We certainly must have," he writes, "all that Is necessary to health and efficient service, that to be reached by the Kolhapur and must not go in for asceticism. The preaching is sometimes quiet, and sometimes stormy. missionaries. Mexico has 48 ordained our Evening before last a young man came, intent missionaries, 44 lay missionaries, and on breaking up preaching. He tlrst tried 43 female missio!J.aries. Total, 135. to get me into an argument, but finding that would not work he talked away, pretty loud, If Kolhapur wen to have an equal to those about, and at the same time another man preached to another part of the audience. proportion, it shoull be furnished with I had to preach pretty loud to make myself heard, even by a small part of the audience, 54 missionaries. Japan has 15G orfor, in addition to my two rivals, there was all the ordinary noise of a public square.". . . dained missionaries, 161 lay, 113 fe- male, and 14 medical. Total, 443. If Kolhapur were to have as many in proportion, she should be equipped with 48. Even" in dark, benighted"
Africa, there are proportionately more missionaries at work than in Kolha- pur. MAX WOOD MOORHEAD.
* See page 456.-EDs.
Aftlca.-The British Missions Zambesi for navigation was being- and the Portuguese. On Livingstone's sounded, and a new and direct com- return to England in 1856, after 16 munication from the sea discovered. years of self-inflicted banishment in The Shire was then unknown to Por- the heart of the "Lost Continent," he tuguese voyagers except in its lower said: " I have opened the door, and I reaches and near the Zambesi. Dr. leave it with you to see that no one Livingstone and Sir John Kirk traced closes it after me." This door was not it to the Falls; proceeding on foot be- to be shut, either by the murderous yond them to Lake Shire, until their' Arab or the Portuguese filibuster. discovery of Nyassa. On this explor- Thirty-two years ago a well equipped ation Dr. Livingstone had proof that expedition was placed by the English the Portuguese encouraged slavery. government at the disposal of living- stone to extend geographical knowl- Next in chronological order came edge, and to assist the people in land the Universities' Mission. Livingstone cultivation and production of raw ma- chose a site for it which had many terial, for which the latter might be natural advantages. At this point exchanged for English manufactures. gang after gang of miserable slaves By this form of legitimate trade the were met, being led away to Portu- terrible slave traffic might be mitigat- guese settlements. Native villages. ed. Concurrently, the capacity of the likewise were commonly fired. At Chi- bisas a colony was formed, which had. continued to grow, and which to-day al experience, Portugal had all but was claimed as a birthright by Portu- strangled the life out of commerce, and gal. During the intervening 32 years the soul out of freedom; while on the Livingstone's old friends and servants East, the story was one and the same." had been peacefullysettled, save under The personal experience of Captain attacks from the Angoni and Machin- Lugard and Commander Cameron ga tribes. The Universities' Miss!on should not be forgotten. It was W. in Nyassaland had cost £43,000. In H. Stanley who wro~, in 1856: "If 1874 it was followed by the mission of you deliver these people into the hands the Free Church of Scotland, stationed of the Portuguese, the past as well as on the shores of Lake Nyassa, or the the present teaches you what to ex- Lake of the Stars. Its missionaries pect. You deliver them body and had explored the country surrounding soul into slavery." Effectively, it had Nyassa, attached the natives, and as- been said by the Rev. Dr. Symington, certained the natural resources. A an acknowledged authority on Af- sum of £50,000 had been expended on rica's regeneration, "that the only this powerful and successful enter- thing which can give any right in the prise, for whose enlargement four new highest sense to go in and occupy the missionaries had just gone out. The soil of Africa, is an honest, open desire Church of Scotland beginning in 1875 to restore to the' natives the first birth- at Blantyre, its retained headquarters right of mankind, their personal free- had enjoyed much prosperity. Blan- dom, and then to bring them into re- tyre lay equi-distant from the lake lations with our knowledge and our northward and the southerly Chibisas. commerce, which shall make them On the shores of Lake Tanganyika, sharers of our privileges."-Our En- 420 miles long, the London Missionary glish Correspondent. Society's gallant workers had battled against the combined forces of heath- -German Protestant Missionaries enism and slave rading. The African on the Cameroons River -The noble Lakes Company, formed in 1878, to achievements of the Baptist Missiondevelop the resources of this region, ary Society in the Cameroons district, i.e., Nyassa, and to act as carriers for with which the name of the Rev.'Althe mission stations, had been a large fred Saker is imperishably associated, and prosperous undertaking, with have not failed to receive admirable twelve trading depots and a capital devotion from the German Mission of £170,000. Stringently prohibiting since the territories were ceded to Gerany commerce with the liquor traffic, many. Eight European missionaries it has introduced' new sources of are engaged in the German Colony of wealth into the country. Throughits the Cameroons. For the training of expansion and the presence of other teachers and catechists, a small school Scotch traders, a British Consnl had was founded at Bethel, in January, been appointed. Until about five 1889. On its roll are the names of years ago Portugal had done nothing nine pupils. Native assistants have for the advance of scientific explor- also been appointed, partly in connecation. Her tracks along the lower tion with the mission work, and likeand upper banks of the Zambesi were wise to give independent courses of marked by slave marauding and an- instruction. The Mission in the Protagonism to the enlightenment and tectorate is making progress. Bethel, civilization of the natives. the main station, serves as the centre for other stations further up and down Mr. James Irvine, of Liverpool, to the Cameroons River, some of which whom the writer is indebted for some were taken over from the English of the foregoing details, said, that "on Baptists. South of Bell Town stands the West coast, he knew from person- the lately founded settlement of the Christians in Tokoto village. The pull down th!J teacher's house raised by the Baptists at Banjongo and re- -chapel here is utilized as a school. At build it at Bwea. To effect the Chris- tianization of these native cannibals, Hickory, on the right bank, the old the Baptist Society sacrificed a few heroic lives and expended over a sum Baptist mission house is being rebuilt, of £100,000 in holding forth the word of life upwards of forty years. Pray where one or two European mission- for their consecrated German mission- ary successors!-Our English Correaries will soon be stationed. The old spondent.
school-house has been repaired and – A Pathetic Story. The Free Church of Scotland has just issued a fitted up as a chapel. Towards the tract treating of 300 captured slave children in their Nyassa Mission. For overhauling, the little community of five years past the mission at the north end of Lake Nyassa has been seriously 27 souls, all counted, contributed about threatened by the man-stealing Arabs. These surround a village at early dawn 100 francs. In several villages, as far and fire into the houses, and ~hen the terrified men rush for their lives as Bakundu, on the Upper Mungo, the they are shot down, and the women and children captured. This is no mission undertakes both teaching and new tale. In this case the Arabs ~ent south to these villages with the bark preaching. rope made ready for their captives, to a village seven or eight days' journey At the end of 1888 the number of from Bwana, and there sold their cap- tives for powder. A second band atnative converts in the Protectorate tacked the village of Kapiyira, thirty miles south of Karonga, shooting down was registered at 160, not including the men as usual and capturing the women and children. These were 88 persons who were receiving instruc- surprised by some Christian natives, when every Arab bolted. The women tion with a view to baptism. The they had captured, being bound, could not escape. Six women and children number of children under the influ- had still the ropes on their necks. One little girl in the fight had received a ence of the mission is estimated at 300. bullet wound in the back of the head. One poor, old, helpless woman was led The Bille Missionary Society accepted into the stockade with the gore (slave stick) still on her neck, who had been the mission at Christmas, 1886, and of found by some Wankonde in the woods, and was brought to us. Her the 12 missionaries employed, four story was very sad. She was one of the women stolen lately, and was, have died. To fill the vacancies three with five other women and five chil- dren, put into the slave-sticks. By more will shortly depart for the Guinea night the end of the sticks-young trees, indeed-were tied to the roofs coast. . of the houses; but by day they were allowed to crawl about the verandas The Mission has advanced from Vic- toria, on the Ambas Bay, to the moun- tains peopled by the Bakwiri tribe.
In attempting the conquest inland, a native Christian was sent as a teacher to Banjongo, and the missionaries, Scholten and Aulenrieth,went to Ober- Bwea, a place some two thousand five hundred metres above the level of the sea. On this site they were permitted to stay, after lengthy nego- tiations with the chief and his pe~ple.
A hut was next purchased and re- moved to a suitable locality. The missionaries stripped a delightful hil- lock of its trees, and then laid an un- derstructure on which the hut was erected. Here the teacher lives, and Bwea is a mission station with a promising spiritual outlook. The neighborhood, which is healthy and populous, is weIl adapted for the cru- sade. Already a Iargerhouse is need- ed, and, in the absence of building materials, and the difficulty of their .transport, the missionaries propose to of the houses, always dragging the Among these is Lieut. Stairs' account tree behind. The morning of her es- of an attempt and failure, in June cape she crawled outside the village last, to reach the snow – crowned gate and got into ihe grass. Soon a summit of Ruwenzori, which Mr. cry was raised, and although they Stanley claims to be the ancient searched everywhere, and even set fire " Mountains of the Moon." The to the grass, she eluded their inhuman Lieutenant, after reaching a height of vigilance and got off, being only ten thousand feet, found his progress slightly scorched. All day and all arrested by three deep ravines, on the night she crawled along on hands and farthest side of which tlie nearest knees, and in the morning was found peak rose to an additional height of by the Wankonde in the woods. six thousand feet. Beyond this were other peaks rising still higher, and to Dr. Cross has a school composed of an altitude of at least eighteen thouchildren that have been thus rescued. sand feet! While there were many Three hundred of tbem are enrolled on indications of life within the ten his books; 250 have been present at thousand feet passed over by Lieut. one . time. There are six classes, Stairs, there were no evidences that taught under six giant trees. The this upper region was the regular Sabbath meeting is sometimes very habitat of animals. The lower mounlargely attended, 600 to 1,000 people at tain sides were overgrown with bamtimes being present, the whole serv- boos, above which.was found a dense ice being in the Ikimwamba dialect. growth of heaths, some of which rose The little scholars are of the Wankonde to· a height of twenty feet. The villages, the children the Arabs fought whole Ruwenzori range is evidently for and longed to enslave. They are one of extinct volcanoes. Of course, ~very one naked and helpless. But even with a registry of sixty degrees what touches us tenderly is that these by the thermometer, t;he night spent "naked, helpless" African children, on the mountain-side was felt to be instead of being in the slave pens of uncomfortably cold. Mr. Stanley rethe cruel slave hunters, are in Dr. ports that the debris brought from Cross' stockade, and all sing most these mountains, by the Semliki river, .sweetly: is rapidly filling the southern end of Lake Albert Nyanza. The lower eight .. Ut&ndeke Yesu wangu thousand feet of these mountain- Pilika UD~. sides were found inhabit;Qd by a people who had retreated up them before Wangi ukubiIikiIa hostile invaders, and who assumed Ut&ndeke we." the retreating business so promptly before Lieut. Stairs and his party as This is the first verse of "Pass me to quite escape their observation. not, 0 gentle Saviour." It is a very touching cry from helpless ones in the The discovery of this great mounheart of Africa, and the mute a,ppeal tain-the Mont Blanc of Africa-is hut of the prayer is to us as well as to the one of the geograpical results of this great Father of us all. expedition. Other discoveries solve perplexing questions in African geog- J. T. GRACEY, D.D. raphy. The real discoverer of the Congo has now discovered a source of -Ascent of Ruwenzori in Africa. the Nile in Lake Albert, and the Any attempt to detail to the public water-parting between those two the important results of Stanley's last rivers. From the Yambusa country African expedition must prove very to the Albert Nyanza, and thence inadequate until some map-maker onward to Msalalala, he discloses what gives to the public a full map of the vast regions traversed by the explorer. And yet some things that will prove interesting, without the aid of a new map, may be said just now. is really a new country, gives to the surface, we find that the mischief world its_physical features, and more under which we, Hindus, at present.
accurate information than it has ever labor is owing chiefly to the influence had before about the tribes of people of Christianity, brought steadily and who inhabit it.-The Evangelist. constantly to bear on our national China.-From Wei-Hien, China, mind for nearly a century and a half.
comes the intelligence that an Ameri- Raja Ram Mohun Roy, of happymem- can missionary lady, Mrs. Mateer, ory, felt its influence with the deepest who had been engaged in famine concern, so far back as 1821, and did relief work, had the high honor all he could to check its progress.
lately shown her of being taken Since his time, it is to be regretted, no through the city by an escort of literary Bengali gentleman (with one or two· men of high degree. They presented honorable exceptions) have done so her with a beautiful banner and much as to send a serious thought.
other tokens of esteem, and their escort after this matter, which is of such was a very brilliant one. Such honor vital importance to our Society.
shown to a woman, and a foreign " The result of this national apathy woman, too, and by China's proudest is, as might be expected, that the men! This was a marvelous spectacle, countless Christian missions at work in and it evidences how men who are this country, especially in Bengal, are hardest of all to reach and influence in a fair way of achieving their object, in any other way, may be moved to not so much, however, by carrying'
admiration and esteem by deeds of conviction to our hearts about the su- charity and mercy and loving personal periority of their religion as by slowly service to the unfortunate and the and imperceptibly changing our ideas.
suffering. Mrs. Mateer said that with regard to our moral, social, and while she was being thus honored, she domestic life. The unflagging energy tried to observe a fitting humility, and the systematic efforts with which as she remembered times when she these bodies are working at the foun- had suffered quite different treat- dation of our Society, will, unless coun- ment at the hands of the prejudiced teracted in time, surely cause a mighty and unfriendly literati and gentry of collapse of it at no distant date. Any China. family man who lives in town will, on India.-An Extraordinary Pamph- examining his household, discover un- let. We find in the Ohronicle of the mistakable evidence of the absence of London Society an extended quotation that domestic simplicity and spiritual from a pamphlet entitled, "Are We integrity that marked the ways of our Really Awake,! An Appeal to the Hin- women only a decade or two back."
du Oommunity," which has been re- The appeal proceeds to speak of the cently published in Calcutta. Vve can entrance of Bible-women into the give but part of the appeal here. It homes of the Hindus, and of the mis- is significant in many ways as showing sion schools to which the children are the attitude of the Hindus in the midst sent without hesitation, because there of the influences which are brought to are no Hindu schools for them, and it bear upon them. If those people who affirms that unless ihey arouse them- are asserting that missions are a fail- selves speedily to guard against the in- ure would candidly read this statement sidious progress of Christianity their of the Hindus themselves, they would society" will surely be turned topsy- find how wide of the truth are their turvy in a few generations hence." As assertions. The appeal says: a result of this appeal some Bengali " The life-blood of our Society is fast gentlemen established two or three ebbing away, and irreligion is eating schools close to the schools of the Lon- into its vitals. Looking beneath the don Society, but no appreciable difference was seen in the attendance at the in all Jewish learning, and one who latter.-Missionary Herald. will very soon qualify himself to be a JewS.-Free Church of Scotland valuable laborer in the ~ion field, MissIOns. There are many and striking indications that that" day of for which he has already discovered visitation" has at length begun to aptitude, and to which his whole soul dawn. Within the last twenty-five years there has been a remarkable tends. His baptism has produced a change in the attitude of the Jew towards Christ, and in various parts very deep and widespread impression. of the Jewish field we hear of a singular openness to listen to and consider The way has been opened up for the the great facts and truths of the gospel. The conversion and testi- permanent extension of the Sea of mony and work of Joseph Rabinowitz in South Russia, and of Rabbi lich- Galilee Mission to Safed, the traditenstein in Hungary, have produced a profound impression, and may be tional "city set on a hill " of Matthew taken as the forerunners of what is coming. The Jewish missions of our v: 14. The town contains about own Church are occupying an important . place in this interesting 15,000 Jews and 5,000 Moslems, and movement. Our mission schools are doing a great work in the way of vigorous operations-medical mission, leavening the young and impressible Jewish mind and heart with Christian and, it is hoped, educational-will be knowledge and sentiment. It is preparatory work, but we believe in begun among these this season. We sowing, and can wait for the harvest. Already the first fruits are being welcome this opening hopefully and gathered in, some of them rich and beautiful in no 'ordinary degree. joyfully. It cannot but stir the heart The school work has been resumed of the Church. to think of carrying on for the Winter at Budapest, Constantinople, and Tiberias with undiminished the work of healing and evangelizing numbers and with unabated zeal and hopefulness on the part of our devoted among those of His own nation, on teachers. At these three stations the Medical lIission continues in vigorous the very spot where our Lord carried operation. Every door may be said to be open, and in the case of the on His personal ministry in the days thousands of patients treated at the dispensary or visited in their homes, of His flesh, where He taught the our missionaries are not mere physicians, but avowedly preachers of people and wrought so many of His Christ. This arm of the service is growing in power from day to day. deeds of mercy. The first of the mis- From Breslau Mr. Edward has just sionaries' houses at Tiberias is nearly reported the baptism of a young Jew, to which he attaches unusual import- ready for being roofed in. Dr. Moody ance. He speaks of this young convert, who was preparing to be a Stuart writes regarding this: "It Jewish rabbi, as thoroughly at home brightens all our hopes to know that in. the great goodness of the God of Israel we have now taken a permanent position in the land of Israel."
Portugal.-Under the well- known initials of R. N. C., the Rock offers the following note of warning with regard to the claims of Portugal, which is well worth the consideration of all who wish to form a just judg- ment in the matter.
The subjectseems at the first glance, to be far removed from that of Chris- tian missions, but when we examine it closely we tip-d that these two are intimately connected, and it is as well that this should be understood: If the claims of Portugal are admitted the Protestant missions will be hampered or totally extinguished. Behind Portu gal is a greater power-the Church of Rome-and the reason why this little inert State is put forward to arrest the progress of civilization is because it is felt that wherever British influence prevails, there is toleration, and mis- sions of all denominations have a free hand. In the Mission Catholiques,
MISSIONARY CORRESPONDENCE FROM ALL PARTS
published weekly at Lyons, in France, It is, therefore, expedient that the no secret is made that Cardinal Lavi- religious organs, especially those gerie ha.tmade arrangements with the which look ypon Christian missions as King of Portugal to occupy what he one of the chief duties of a Christian, is good enough to call the Portuguese Provinces of the Shire and Nyassa. to support the present Government in The Romish missionaries would be the bold front which they have prearmed with power and privileges, sented to the ridiculous Portuguese partly from Rome, partly from Lisbon. claims. For three hundred years they We should hear of principal chiefs be- had the field open to them, and had ing received, like Mwangaof Uganda, they annexed the whole of South into the Church of Rome, and the door Africa from Mozambique on the east closed to the commercial activity and to Angola on the west, no one could have called out; but it is an admitted missionary enthusiasm of Great Brit- fact that Livingstone discovered Nyain. The crafty Cardinal knows well assa Lake and the River Shire, and all enough that under British rule or pro- that remains of the Portuguese mediretectorate no let or hindrance will be val power is but a dream. made to his missioJ:Y3. but he requires not toleration, but exclusion of the We have long thought that the osapostles of error, as he calls Protest- tentatious anti-slavery demonstrations ants. It may be taken as an axiom of Cardinal Lavigerie had but one obthat when a Romish Cardinal preaches ject-the advancement of the Romish an anti-slavery crusade, or asserts the church. At the same time we most rights of a weak and effete monarchy earnestly hope that the war spirit and nation like the Portuguese, he has may be kept under, and that the misbut one object, the advancement of the sionaries whose work is threatened Roman Catholic religion by force or fraud, by violence or chicanery, or, if may put their trust neither in this necessary, by bloodshed. government nor that, but only in the living God, who rules and overrules in the affairs of men.
I1I.-MISSIONARY CORRESPONDENCE FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD-FIELD.
Ohins.. a revision of the Tien·tsin treaty with Great Britain, so as to exclude the legalized importa- GOD AND THE OPIUM TRAFFIC. tion of opium into China, may be embraced, signed by about 750 foreign missionaries, 1,200 [The following letter from an native pastors, evangelists, etc., and 5,000 American missionary at Shanghai, other Christians in India, as well as a goodly and the Petition of the Christian number in England and America, along with a Churches at China, we are sure will similar memorial from Scotland containing get an attentive reading and incite to nearly,7,000 signatures. Another object is to earnest prayer that the dreadful see and hear what we may on the spot, and curse to which it relates may be supply the religious newspaper press of Great abated, and in due time removed. Britain and elsewhere with some new and While the petition is addressed to the additional material for arousing the Christian Christian churches of England, the churches and people on the subject of the churches of America are 'not innocent opium curse-which we doubt not the Lord is in the matter, as the letter of our cor- going very soon to overthrow. respondent and missionary will show. The facts to which he alludes have The accompanying is an address, with its faded from the public mind, but they translation, from the Chinese Christians of are none the less true, and are written Canton to their brethren in Great Britain, but in God's book of remembrance.-:J. it has occurred to me, since visiting that M. S.] ancient and populous city, that it would serve a good purpose in stimulating Christians in As ambassadors of Christ, with the burden my own land, who, as well as our English of the Lord upon us, my friend, Mr. A. S. cousins, have a duty to perform in putting Dyer, of the Bombay Guardian, and myself down this iniquitous traffic; for though the left Bombay, on the 3d ultimo, on a special United States, in the final treaty with China, mission to China. The object of the mission wiped their hands of it, they have not yet is to present to the Court of Pekinga memorial, entirely wiped out the stain of their former praying that tbe opportunity now afforded for complicity with it. Because, as I have found on the spot, it was not merely the American eagle swooping down over the field, ready to pounce upon the prey as soon as the paw of the British lion might strike it down, and thus craft deteriorates, business suffers and time is reaping the fruits of the two unrighteous squandered. There is no worse evil than this, opium wars, but rather an actual participation and its curse appears again-in the gradual of American vessels, with their officers and destruction of the industries and trade of the others, in the nefarions work of smuggling country. the contraband drug into China up to the time of those wars. Our people originally are comparatively strong and healthy, but when once they At least, it is our dnty to unite in prayer to acquire the opium habit they become mere God to pnt a stop now to the wicked traffic, weak skeletons and can neither eat nor sleep and to avert the cnrse which is coming home with comfort. This physical deterioration to us in the shape of opium dens in America, is transmitted to their children and grandnot only for the Chinese, but for our own children, and the curse of opium is seen in the countrymen. injury it inflicts upon the very life of the people. 'With this hope and prayer, I am sending copies of this address for publication in When a man has enough to eat and to wear America, trusting that Christians generally he observes the proper regulations and cusmay soon be able to rejoice together in the toms of society, but when once he takes to removal of this great barrier to the progress opium he loses all self-respect, and as money of the Gospel in this land. becomes each day harder to obtain, he resorts to dishonest, means to gain a livelihood and W. E. RoBBINS, becomesutterly debased; so the curse of opium Missionary to India. appears again' in destroying the character and Shanghai, Feb. 21, 1890. manners of the people. The Christian Chnrches of Canton respectfully address the Christian Churches of Eng· While these evils are preying upon the land: people of China, the.obstacles they present to This year, when holding our Annual New Christian work are not a few. Your people Year's Meetings, we were 'favored with a come to preach the doctrines of the Gospel, visit from a Western Evangelist (Alfred S. which are indeed the truth, and your real Dyer), who told us how the Christians in India, desire is to lead many to believe; but those to the number of several thousand, had iP-l- who hear them say that opium and the Gospel proved the opportunity afforded this year, have come together from England, and the before the time fixed for t,he revision of the doubt arises and tinds expression in words Commercial treaty in reference to opium ex· that the Gospel is false. Your missionaries pires, to appeal to the Executive Council and come with the real desire to benetit the people, the Emperor of China to co-operate with your but those who see them maliciously declare Government in abolishing the opium traffic. that opium IOnd missionaries are alike English Having been told this, we were incited thereby productions, and they suspect the missionaries to prepare this letter, signed by representa- of secretly doing evil. Moreover, the Church tives of all our Churches, beseeching your oppns free schools, and although they are Churches, pastors and teachers to combine meant to benetit the youth, yet it is impossible your strength in devising some efficient means to stop the mouths of those who are not to remove this curse of opium. Years ago, taught, while opium remains unfprbidden. Mr. Turner, besides other good works, pre- The Church has opened hospitals; but, sented an appeal to your Parliament to pro- although they are saving men from disease, hibit the importation (by British merchants) it is impossible to iutluence the hearts of those of opium into China. who have not been healed while opium remains Although the object sought has not been unforbidden. Your Christians, with siqgleattained, the agitation of the matter should ness of heart, are zealous in many good not be -allowed to flag, for the calamities works, but while opium remains they are all which opium brings are numberless. like so much water poured out. Per~it us to set forth briefly a few of the .more conspicuous forms. It is said by some that the Ghinese are fond The introduction and sale of opium extends of opium, and the calamities they suffer are of to all the cities and villages of the land, the tbeir own making, and the English have noth- Chinese expending upon it more than $50,000.- ing to do with it. The New Testament says: 000 (about 10,000,000 pounds sterling) every "Have no fellowship with evil." Now, when year. By this means the rich are made poor, your Government plants and sells opium to and the poor led to sell their children, and its minister to the evil propensities of the curse appears in the dissipation of the wealth Chinese, you are partskers with them, and of the land. Scholars, agriculturists, artisans what can you say in excuse thereof? and merchants represent the constant and productive employments of the people. When An opportunity having now been provionce they acquire the opium habit they dentially afforded by our friends in India to become weak, inefficient and indolent in every renew the agitation of the matter in the department of labor; every form of handi- memorial they have presented to the throne of China for consultation and prohibition, our hope is that your Christians will, with one heart, exert themselves, without regard to time has come when as a .mission we must profit or loss, and be enabled to abolish opium, divest ourselves of this modesty and make that the Chinese may be released from this known, in part, at least, our desire and the yoke of bondage and the obstacles to the claims of the field committed to our charge. preaching of the Gospel be removed. Wehave Such is the object of this appeal. but litt.le strength, but night and day we pray the Lord above to reveal Himself, and help Our mission-field embraces a population of England and China to abolish this great evil. four million souls, contained in the native May this exceeding blessing come to us and to states of Kohlapur, SaugJi, Miraj, and parts of China. For this we reverently wait. other states in the Deccan and Rutnagiri col- lectorate in the Koukan. (Signed) LEUNG To, AN FUNG-SHI, YEUNG WING Cm. With our present staff of missionaries, in- In behalf of the London Mission (which has cluding ladies, we have only one worker to every 235,000 of the population. Three of the aoo native communicants). above missionaries are now in America for health, and two others will probably follow CHAU HOK-SHUE, MAK RANG NIN. within three months. This leaves us with an actual force of only one worker to 330,000 In behalf of the English Wesleyan Mission souls. (which has 700 native communicants). In Kohlapur state alone there are 1097 vil- U PIN-OM, WONG KWONG-FUK. lages, many of which have a population of several thousand. Preaching thrice daily In behalf of the Berlin Mission (wbich bas 350 in three different villages, it would take a native communicants). missionary a whole year to· proclaim the Gos- pel to the villages of that single state, to say FUNG, FuNG TaUN-TAK, CH'AN SUN-MAN. nothing of the thousands of villages within the bonnds of our field. Kohlapur City could In behalf of the Baptist Mission (which has easily occupy 12 more missionaries. Miraj, 470 native communicants). another city of 24,000, is without even a native resident worker, while two of our stations are KWANHIN-SHAlII, UEMUNG-LING Tao TAU-SHAN. now without missionaries, viz., Pauhala and Rutnagiri. The collectorate of Rutnagiri con- In behalf of the Presbyterian Mission (which tains a population of at least a million, and all has 600 native communicants). without a single missionary. Apportion one to every 50,000 souls, and this field would re- NG UEN-LI. quire twenty missionaries.
In behalf of the American Scandinavian In Miraj, Sangli, and adjoining states, we Mission (which has 10 native communicants). have 2,500,000 people, humanly speaking, de- pendent upon three missionary families for India. the .. Bread of Life." Within a ten-mile [We gladly give place to this earnest radius of SangJi there are 125 villages. Here and affecting appeal in behalf of this alone is work for six missionaries. Within the mission, first, because the mission limits of our field there are five large towns needs immediate reinforcement, and (capitals of native states), with a population the field is an inviting one; and, varying from 8,000 to 24,000 each, and all as second, because the appeal comes yet unoccupied by any missionary. from the mission in the establishing of which the founder of this REVIEW As to work among women, Eastern women spent the best years of his life, and must necessarily be reached in their individual whichhis widow and daughterarenow homes. The demands of school work are such rendering efficient aid in sustaining. that our present ladies give but a fraction of We recognize the appeal as coming their time to evangelistic work, so to say that from the pen of the devoted and ac- each could be responsible for a parish of 2,000 complished Miss Grace E. Wilder.- heathen women would be to give each a large J. M. S.] average. Provided we could work at this rate, we need now 1,000 lady workers to reach AN APPEAL FROM THE B:OHLAPUR MISSION. the women of our field. In Kohlapur state there are 1,000 girls attending Government Mission work in the Kohlapur field has been carried on for nearly forty years, and with a schools. Last year aoo passed the standard measure of success that certainly justifies its continuance and extension. Many years have examination. Eight are preparing to be been spent in arduous preparatory toil, the teachers. Probably not a dozen of these girls fruits of which can never be estimated by hu- own each a single Christian book. Is anyalaman reckoning. The little band of half a baster box of ointment too precious to be dozen missionaries and their devoted wives broken for the honor of our King and the salhave for years labored earnestly to plant the vation of these souls ? precious seed of the gOspel among these four millions of immortal souls. There is a crisis upon us now. At least twelve important towns should be occupied at once.. In their modesty, and the consideration of the urgent needs of other fields, they have never asked for more than a mere fraction of the required number of workers. But the Never before were all classes so accessible. soulsare passing into eternity every day; dy- We must seize this opportunity. Scores of ing without Christ and without hope! villages are wanting schools. The ouly native Biblewoman in Bangli was laid to rest recently, Who will come "to the help of the Lord and the heathen women are now asking, "Are against the mighty?" That this appeal may you not going to send some one to teach us ?" be a call to some who from their hearts will Such are the open doors. Shall we enter and respond, "Here am I, send me," and that it possess this land for Christ? Can we do it at may lead those who cannot Come personally the present rate ? to provide the support of a substitute, is the earnest prayer of every missionary of the To forsake our stations to occupy others, KoIhapur mission. would be to bring discredit upon the cause of Christ. To open new stations and at the same "If thou forbear t{) deliver them that are time maintain present work is impossible. No drawn unto death, and those that are ready to one of us is giving more than a few days of be sIain; if thou sayest 'Behold we knew it each year to touring; hence the great mass of not,' doeth not he that pondereth the heart ·our village population is left without a wit- consider it? And he that keepeth thy soul, ness for Christ most of the year. In the face doth he not know it? And shall he not ren- of such need shall we not have the few mis- der to every man according to his works ?" ·sionaries we are asking for? We call for 16 new workers for the whole Kohlapur field. On behalf of the mis8ion, Eight of the 16 to be ordained, one a physician, one a consecrated layman to superintend the ! GRACE E. WILDER, English High School in Kohlapur. (One of ·our missionaries ofi'ers $200 towards the sup- W. J. W.u.'LESS, rCommittee. port of this layman.) One is to be a devoted J. P. GRAHAM, ·and intelligent mechanic, to take charge of We, the undersigned, heartily endorse this mission building and teach Christian boys in- appeal, and would urge that the new mission- dustrial work. The ordained missionariesare aries be sent at once, needed to occupy new centres, and so Eliza J. Wilder, G. W. Seiler, M. F. Seiler, ,strengthen the present force at existing sta- J. H. Sherman, A. M. Goheen, M. L. Ewalt, tions, that preaching may be systematically A. M. Hull, M. E. Wanless, S. M. Tedford and ·carried on in the surrounding districts without L. B. Tedford. neglecting regular work at the stations. Japan. Five of the 16 should be single ladies. Well might it be asked: "Why this request for five THE MODERN MARTYR OF THE ORIENT. workers, where 125 are needed for Kolhapur :statealone?" This is not the measure of what [This brief paper will be read with we want or what we need, but five we must mingled tears and thanksgiving.-J. have now. So urgent is our case that two of M. S.] ·our lady missionaries have each ofi'ered half her salary to any Christian sister who will OUYAMA, March 1, 1890. -come out and share it with her. Japan never witnessed an auto-da-fe. A pale martyr in his shirt of fire, could not be One of the five is needed to take charge of a written of her old-time Christian heroes. The girls' school in KoJhapur City; one to be a martyr was there in generous numbers, hut physician; two others are wanted for evan- never the paleness, the shirt, nor the fire. gelistic work in and about Kolhapur. One is Sword and sea took the place of wood and needed for school and evangelistic work in flame. Thousands died for the faith in those Bangli. In order to continue the Christian stern days 260 years ago. boys' boarding-school, which should be in Aud now the word comes to the front once charge of a married missionary, one of our more. A man dies peacefully in his bed, sur- ,.single ladies must, until help comes from rounded by loving friends. Everything pos- home, give up the greater part of her evan- sible has heen done to save his life. The best gelistic work. physicians at the capital summoned by tele- graph. Also a faithful nurse and many attend- We are asking for two physicians when our ants. A leading statesman of the land telefield could furnish immediate work for 25. graphs to his bed-side, "Make him live at all The present and only medical missionary, hazards." Thousands of Christians all over though he has been in Sangli but two months, Japan were pleading in prayer for his life. has more patients than he can possihly attend Can such a man be called a martyr? And yet to. Many have to be turned away. This medical the word is used repeatedly in speaking of work is disarming prejudice and preparing the him. Hiscountrymen delight to call him one. ·way for direct evangelistic work. Through The sermon at his funeral was from the text, the dispensary or hospital many from distant "Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth villages will be brought to us. Shall not two and die." … and its leading thought was be sent to engage in this Christ-like work of martyrdom. .11ealing and preaching? Some 150 precious How explain this seeming contradiction? Some one-was it Napoleon-has said, "It is the cause, and not the death, that makes the martyr." Yes, Joseph Neesima was a martyr. Hehad
INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT
the martyr spirit. He sacrificed himself for earth." He feared no man. When ordered by church and school and country. High office Prince Iwakurayears ago to go from Andover was within his reach. He spurned it for the to Washington, to act as interpreter, he re- higher one of teacher and preacher. Duty plied, "I acknowledge no lord save God Al- with him was a law of love. He never thought mighty." When traveling through Europe of self, but always of others. with the embassy, he insisted on keeping the Sabbath, and often remained alone from Sat- No wonder his students loved him so much urday till Monday. He felt as clearly in his· 'that they were eager to play the part of cool- soul as did John the Baptist, that he was ies and carry the body of theirlamented presi- called of God to do a definite work. He felt dent through the streets of wondering Kyoto. himself to be a "child of Providence." His· More than once he had risen from a sick bed, plans for his beloved school, with its 700 stu- and gone with aching head but pitying heart dents, and his equally loved churches, always. to hunt up some wayward boy, or to urge some kept ahead of their fulfillment. He was the departing student to take a Christian stand in prophet leader of Japan's Christian hosts. On life. There were times when no doctor could January 1st he wrote a brief poem for his own hold him hack, and he was ready to take any consolation. He died on the 23<1. The thought. risk to life or health for the sake of school or was, "Though weak in body and every way un- people. Whatever we may think of his judg- worthy, yet with large aspirations I greet the ment, there can be no impeaching the loftiness opening year." of his motive, or the loyalty of his spul. As iIlustrntive of his daily anxiety over his. He was dying all his days in behalf of great Kyoto College, just budding into a University, causes, and that the end should come in mid- he frequently quoted a heautifullittle stanza dle life, while his mother still Iives-a mere ex- in Japanese: istence, at the age of 84-was as fitting as it was expected. He loved life. He was the es- "Every morning we look anxiously to see sence of humility, and never strained after ef- if the white clouds have lifted which shut out· fect; and yet he was always overdoing, and the blossoms on the mountain of Yoshi." his life and early death stand out in the mind of every Christian Japanese a clean-cut, strik- Now $50,000 are needed at once to open the· ingly impressive lesson. University in accord4nce with Mr_ Neesima's· final request. Will not some American admirer- Worn by his wearying winter-work in behalf of this sincere man, who in his short life did of the Kyoto school, he runs away to Oiso, a more than anyone else has done to link the' watering-place near Yokohama, for needed best of two lands together, send on the money? change. Even there he will not rest, bnt writes a hundred letters, many of them sixfeet Free schools and a working church were' long, to individuals, mainly in regard to evan- what he aimed at for Japan. He ever worked gelistiC work in Japan; begging men to give for both, practically sacrificed his life in their themselves more unreservedly to the blessed behalf, and died, as it were, with one hand of service, to seize strategic centres, to send blessing on his college at Kyoto, and the other' preachers to the needy places, to occupy all on the churches scatteredover the land. Budd- Japan for Christ and make a forward move- hists are reporting that the head of Christianmentall along the line. ity being dead, Japan will soon see the last of the Western religion. When he was too weak to write he began to dictate to another, and spent a large part of But Christian Japan-and that means now the day before his death sending last mes- 38,000 strong in the Protestant ranks-is· sages, burning with love and earnest appeal, aroused to renewed activity. to friends far and near. He loved everyone, once punishing himself severely before his Neesima dead is even more powerful thall. school, that the law might be upheld, and yet Neesima living. All Japan rings with his- 'his students escape. praise and emulates his spirit. God give her hundreds of Neesimas-men full of faith and Some of hislastwords were, "So far as I know the Holy Ghost-to carry on to its final tri- I have not an enemy in the world;" and again, umph this wide and waiting work. "I envy not heaven and I blame no one on JAMES·H. PETTEE.
Missionary of A. B. O. F. M.
IV.-INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
COND~CTED BY REV. J. T. GRACEY, D.D.
Let Us Expect Great Things. thought which is of great significance.
The times we live in afford topics It is an old observation that an earth- of great interest to the Christian stu- quake in the Andes has an answering dent of the movements of Providence. earth-wave in the Himalaya Moun- We glance only at a few of these fac- tains; and that a hurricane in the tors of the present times. 1. There is West Indies is most likely accom- a wide-spread disturbance of religious panied by a cyclone in the Indian Ocean. It is something like this ma- Revolution were all in that religious terial simultaneous perturbation to and social revolution which has long which we call attention in the relig- been characterized as " The Reforma- ious world. Archdeacon Hardwicke tion." But at this same period the pointed out years ago the fact of Thibetan form of Buddhism, now the great periodic perturbations in the re- purest Buddhism perhaps extant, ligious thought of mankind, occun-ing came into existence under the mould- simultaneously among peoples widely ing hand of that new incarnation, the separated from each other. Great Lama of Thibet. The import- When the Jews were in Babylon, ance of this movement can best be the Orphic brotherhood were diffus- appreciated by the student who has.
ing in all quarters in the West their seen the mongrel Buddhism of Bur- thirst for an objective revelation. At mah and China, or even the better the same time that Confucianism was preserved Ceylonese branch of this being re-formulated by its great vast nightmare of thought. But author, thus rehabilitating the State while Protestantism was being born, religion of China in a mode it was to and Thibetan Buddhism, with its vast· .maintain for many succeeding cen- literature, was taking form, Baba turies, every village in Persia was Nanak, the Luther of the Panjab, quickening under the Zoroastrian doc- was reasserting the absolute unity of trine of Dualism; and simultaneously God, and endeavoring to blend Hindu with both, Buddhism began to be dis- and Moslem by a new fusion of seminated, and to exert its wondrous thought, which resulted in the foun- witchery on the millions of the East. dation of the Seikh religion.
It is doubtful if the masses of man- It is to illustrate the widespread un- kind have ever been to such an extent, settling of the religious opinions of our in anyone period, agitated by religious own time that we have cited these reform on SO large a scale as at that instances of simultaneous disturbance time. The well nigh simultaneous of the religious convictions and notions.
origin of three systems destined to in- of men. The importance of giving fluence the world on so stupendous a attention to the recasting of religious scale as Confucianism, Zoroastrian- thought is seen in the fact of the long ism and Buddhism, marks a most ex- continuance of the forms in which the traordinary epoch in the destiny of faith of mankind were cast, in the our race. Centuries passed, and there case of these religions to which we occurred another of those periodic in- have made reference. Confucianism, tellectual and religious movements, Buddhism and Parsiism, the last two affecting communities which did not modified, to be sure, in localities, touch each other, and which had remain practically the same as when nothing in common, and each must simultaneously erected. Ifsomething have been but little acquainted with like this is occurring now, it will the fact that such perturbations other therefore appear to be of vast import- than its own were taking place. ance that the Christian church appre- Martin Luther, "with a little book ciate the situation, and lay her utmost and a beating heart," was upheaving moulding force upon the phenomena all Europe, and with his compeers, of the times. We need hardly point Melancthon, Calvin and others, were out the tendency in the Christian laying the foundations not only of world to-day to re-examine the entire doctrinal reform, but of that vital dis- foundations of its faith, and to re- tinction between ecclesiastical and state and reformulate its doctrinal civil authority as has resulted widely basis. Perhaps there never was a more in the separation between Church searching investigation made by the and State. The seeds of the American friends and allies of any body of religious teaching than is being frankly ing farther and farther into antiquity, made by the Christian scholars of the and are being found to be less and less world to-day. They shrink at no dis- satisfactory. Back they must go to closures, are disheartened by no diffi- Menu and the Vedas, and the more -culties, and are fearless of ultimate these are made the standard of morals, -consequences. They have flung their or of social or political order, the more faith into a crucible of their own and more they are found to be vague -erection, and push boldly toward the and unadapted to the times. Hinduism last analysis. Foes have sometimes is thus experiencing this profound perset a religious community on their turbation. defence, but it is the truest and best friends of the Christian religion that It is needless to pursue the Japanese to-day are thoroughly testing every through his athletic reforms and revopart of it that will submit to the lutions. Nationally it is without a -<lrdeal. They are quite' ready to dis- faith at this hour, and the very hearts credit -what cannot be thus satisfac- of the people might wear the placard, torily put into the furnace. The "Wanted, a Religion!" Its perturba- Christian religion was never more tion is like that of an earthquake. thoroughly an agitator of society than it is at this hour. We believe it to be It is not our purpose to more than in preparation to be a far mightier point out the fact of this widespread, factor than ever it has been in human diverse and yet simultaneous religious affairs. disturbance of our times, and to press upon the Church the consideration of India is unsettled religiously. It is its importance relative to the future. in a ferment. The Brahmo move- It will not remain in this agitated ment is a sort of Lutheran reforma- condition. What phases it may pass tion in~ the community. But deeper through before it finally settle!:; down and broader than that is the profound into forms which it will accept, one disturbance which is compelling it to cannot guess, but this period of unrest, answer, not to the foreigner, but to of remoulding of thought. of restating itself about itself. It is being forced faiths, will not last. Large communito open the question, now vital to its ties will settle down in some forms of €xistence, as to what it really is. faith which will probably be accepted What it really ought to be it may take for centuries. It is the duty of the up later, but for the present its rela- Christian Church not the less to investions to the courts of a gigantic con- tigate its own faith, but to instantly querer, which concedes its right to be, set itself to guiding other disturbed is obliging it to answer in court as to communities to reformulate theirs. what it really is. The British Government, acting on the principle of relig- 2. There are pre-intimations that ious neutrality, and assuming to be demand thought. It is with no little ready to adjust itself to authoritative interest that a careful student of his- Hinduism, asks it to show from its tory observes that great political and {)wn standards what it really is. To do religious epochs have frequently been this it is obliged to acknowledge the prefaced by a general pre-intimation accumulation of a vast debris of in the public mind of some great Rabbinism; and the farther it pushes change. The country of the Aztecs its investigation into its own acknow- enjoyed a golden age, under "the god ledged law the less satisfactory it finds of the air." He had long departed the it to be. Hinduism in the presence of land, but the people were ever eager for British authority and Christian his return. When Cortez and his felthought is compelled to search for its low-Spaniards proved invincible, the {)wu foundations, and they are reced- Indian became possessed of the idea, either from his arms or his art, that he must be "the god of the air," returning from the sun-rise, a'ld at the stead of his customary answer, he said thought of contending with Deity, he "The truth is the Messiah is come, quailed, and the Spaniard conquered. and if you will show me a place of The legend and its application un- safety from the scimiter of the Mos- locked an empire, while the physical lem, I will show you ten thousand force and courage of the people were Jews ready to say that the Messiah not yet half spent. Popular impres- is come, and that Jesus of Nazareth is sions are great factors of history-and that Messiah." that, whether formed on principle, prejudice or mytb. There are other instances in which such impressions are testified to on all When the trouble in Herzegovinia hands. In the Zenanas even of Cal-· and Bosnia arose some years since, it cutta, Mrs. Page says, that one day a was found that the insurgents were woman said to her: "Only have a lit- animated by an old prophecy, found tle patience, and all the Hindus will. in a work on Bosnia, published fifteen become Christians." A little woman years before, which stated that in the in the seclusion of the Zenanas of Cal- fifth century after the taking of the cutta expressed a similar sentiment. last Bosnian king by the Turks, the She said to Miss Britain, "Don't take· rising of the Christian Slavs in Turkey so much trouble, our folks will all would be victorious. Stephen Thom- soon become Christians even if left to· aserce, the last Bosnian king, was ex- themselves." The Lucknow WitnesS" ecuted on the 30th of June, 1463, on some years ago said on this topic~ the plain of Blagaj, and the insurrec- "We believe we speak the simple truth. tion alluded to commenced on the an- when we say, that millions of natives. niversaryof that event. are firmly convinced of this. We have· found it an accepted belief in the most It is said the Mohammedans in the remote mountain hamlets, where no- valley of the Euphrates were greatly European had ever penetrated, and we disturbed when they saw an iron find it received as an inevitable event· steamer floating on the Euphrates. of the near future in every city and There was an old proverb that "when town of the plains." Rev. Dr. Waugh iron floats on the Phrat (Euphrates), said: "A deep and wide-spread con- Mohammedanism will come to an viction prevails, not only in the cities, end." That was meant by a simile of but also in the country places among one impossible occurrence to assert the villagers, and indeed throughout. the impossibility of the occurrence of all classes, that a day of overthrowing another. All the laws of nature would of the old religions and effete faiths, of have, as they fancied, to be reversed, the breaking up of old forms, is at. before iron could be made to float, and hand. The common people speak of it was just as impossible that the Mos- the coming day of overturning, and lem faith should fail. But, 101 here seem not dismayed at its approach, before their very eyes iron was float- but announce themselves as ready toing, and that on the Phrat. This im- join in the van-indeed, are only waitpossible thing had occurred: might the ing its coming to break away from other impossible thing occur? It was their present thraldom and bonds of an ominous event, and that floating caste." iron steamer was a depressing circumstance. Indian Evangelization.* A missionary iiL Constantinople, The North American Indians are, some years ago, said he was in the ethnologically one people from the habit of meeting a pious Jew, and asking him " When will the Messiah * "By Canoe and Dog-Train Among the Cree come?" His usual reply was," The Messiah cometh." But one day, in- and SaJteaux Indians." By J;tev. Edgerton R_ Young. Eskimo of the North to the Aztec and ilized world, having mail communica- Peruvian in the centre, and the Fue- tion but once in six months, and regean on the extreme south. They duced much of the time to the food have ever been an independent people. resources of the country; living, on They have conducted a war of in- occasion for six months at a time, on dependence protracted through cen- fish, possibly varied by small contrituries. They have gradually perished, butions of wild meat. Mankind have but, except in Mexico, they have not always shown an appreciation of the in North America been conquered. heroic element, and Mr. Young and They have seen their heritage gradu- his wife have found a wide apprecia- ,ally wrested from their possessions, tion of their self-denial and devotion and have laid themselves down to die among a, very large circle of symwithin an ever-narrowing area. But pathizers with missionary work, in they remain the same dignified, seri- Europe as well as in America. ous and proud people. Mr. Young has been called to nar- They have a natural element of rate his experience before audiences poetry in their character. Among varying from a few scores to many no other of what are styled nature thousands, and always with the same peoples could the equivalent of the peculiar result. At the annual meetscenes of Hiawatha have been laid, ings of the International Missionary nor could any other have afforded Union at Niagara Falls and at the ,such simple and natural material for Thousand Islands, before the vast asromance. We have wronged them semblies at Ocean Grove, at Chautau- -often and grieviously; not always qua, and at other gatherings over the with intent; often' from ignorance of United States and the Canadas, he them and their necessities. We have has told of the trials and the triumphs misgoverned them, or rather failed to of his missionary career. There was govern them at all. and then cruelly always the same fascination about the ,shot them down because of our blun- story told so artlessly, and with an ders. The ill-acquaintance with their eloquence fresh as the breeze in the temper and their force has often been tops of the fir-balsams of the great ,costly. General Grant is reported to North land. Mr. Young has spent two have said that in one of our Indian winters in the British Isles telling of wars, "we spent six millions of dol- these stirring scenes in the same simlars and killed six Indians." The ple and charming way as hearth-stone Christian sentiment of the country tales are told, and as the world's folk- ,still forces the Government to take a lore has grown. paternal interest in them; and we are pressed to one more and final expedi- Naturally enough those who have ent of admitting them to citizenship listened to these tender or humorous and to individual instead of tribal stories, these traits of the red man and holding of lands. these triumphs of divine grace, begged Mr. Young to put these narra- Weare moved to write of their tives into a more permanent form. evangelization at this moment because We take the liberty in advance of the we are favored with the advance issue of the book in America to make sheets of a deeply interesting book by some extracts. We have alluded to Rev. Edgerton R. Young, relating his the natural eloquence of these rude personal experiences as a missionary races, whose oratory has on occasion among the Cree and Salteaux Indians risen to the highest level. Mr. Young of the extreme North land. Mr. had gone to a tribe which had never Young, with his estimable wife, heard the gospel, and summoned them spent nine years among them in a to a council to seE' if they were disposed state of practical exile from the civ- to become Christians. The principal chief, according to their unwritten " Missionary, once my hair was laws of precedence, spoke first. His black as a crow's; now it is getting voice was good and fuIl of pathos. He said: white. Gray hairs here, and grand- children in the wigwam, tell that I am " Missionary, I have long lost faith getting to be an old man, and yet I in our old paganism." Then pointing never heard such things as you have cdown to the outer edge of the audi- told us to-day. I am so glad I did not ence, where some old conjurers and die before I heard this wonderful medicine-men were seated, he said: story. Yet I am getting old. Gray " They know I have not cared for our hairs here, and grandchildren yonder, .old religion. I have neglected it. tell the story. Stay as long as you And I will tell you, missionary, why I can, missionary; tell us much of these have not believed our old paganism things, and when you have to go for a long time. I hear God in the away, come back soon, for I have thunder, in the tempest, and in the grandchildren, and I have gray hairs, .storm; I see His power in the light- and I may not live many winters ning that shivers the tree to kindling more. Do come back soon. Mission- wood; I see His goodness in giving us ary, may I say more?" the moose, the reindeer, the beaver and the bear; I see His loving kind- " Talk on. I am here to listen," said ness in giving us, when the South the missionary. "You said just now winds blow, the ducks and geese; and 'No tawenan' (our Father)." "Yes, I when the sno~ and ice melt away, did say our Father." "That is very cand our lakes and rivers are open new and very sweet to us. We never again, I see how He fills them with thought of the Great Spirit as our fish. I have watched these things for Father. We heard Him in the years, and I see how during every thunder, and saw Him in the lightmoon of the year He gives us some- ning and tempest and blizzard, and we thing; and so He has arranged it, that were afraid. So when you tell us of if we are only industrious and careful, the Great Spirit as Father, that is very we can always have something to eat. beautiful to us." Lifting up his eyes, So, thinking about these things which after a moment, to the missionary, he I had observed, I made up my mind said: "May I say more?" " Yes," he years ago that this Great Spirit, so answered, "say on." " You say , No kind and so watchfuI and so loving, tawenan' (Our Father). He is your did not care for the beating of the Father? " "Yes," said the missionary, conjurer's drum, or the shaking of the "He is my Father." Then he said, rattle of the medicine-man. So I for while his eyes and voice yearned for years have had no religion." Then, 'the answer, "Does it mean He is my turning to the missionary, he said: Father-poor Indian's Father?" "Yes, "Missionary, what you have said to-' oh yes, He is your Father, too." said day fills up my heart and satisfies all the missionary. "Your Father-misits ~ongings. It is just what I have sionary's Father and Indian's Father, been expecting to hear about the too? " " Yea," said the missionary. Great Spirit. I am so glad you have "Then we are brothers," he shouted. come with this wonderful story. Stay "Yes, we are brothers," said the misas long as you can, and when you sionary. have to go away, do not forget us, but .come again as soon as you can." The excitement in the audience became wonderful. But the old man Many more responded. The last to had not yet finished. He said: speak wasanold man withgrizzly hair. He was a queer, savage-looking man, "May I say more?" "Yes, say on; and spoke in an excited way. He said: all that is in your heart," was the reply. "Well," the Indian resumed, " I do not want to be rude, but it does seem to me that you, my white and beaver, and other things to exbrother, have been a long time in coming with that great book and its change for :flour and tea." wonderful story, to tell it to your red brothers in the woods." "What have you got, pOCl>r woman?" "I have got a couple of fish nets." Among the many incidents recorded "What do you do when it is too in this volume is a thrilling one of stormy to visit the nets?" Christian Indians volunteering to "Sometimes some of the men from carry food relief to some white settlers the other houses visit them for me, far" in the north, shut away from sup- and bring me fish. Then we some-" plies by the prevalence of the small- times get some by fishing through the pox. It was a long and perilous ice." journey, with risk of contagion. ~he " What about when it is too stormy expedition was well conducted by an for anyone to go?" Indian named Samuel, but thoug-h he She quietly said, "If we have nothbrought back all his force in good con- ing left we go without." dition, the strain had been too much The missionary hurried out of the for him, and, nervously prostrated, he room to stifle his emotion, but the soon died. His death, however, was a woman, suspecting the feelings of his happy one. His widow and children heart, followed him out and said: were cared for, but after a time re- "Ayumeaoke (Praying master), I do moved to a distant settlement, where not want you to feel so badly for me; it. Mr. Young subsequently found them is true I am very poor; it is true, since in great need. Looking at their ex- Samuel died we have often been very treme poverty the following colloquy hungry, and have often suffered from ensued: the bitter cold; but, missionary, you have heard me say that Samuel gave. "Nancy, you seem to be very his heart to God, so have I given my poor; you don't seem to have any- heart to God, and He who comforted thing to make you happy and com- Samuel and helped him, so that hefo$ble. " died happily, is my Saviour; and where Samuel has gone, by-and-by I Very quickly came the response, in am going too, and that thought makes much more cheerful strains than those me happy all the day long." of the missionary. Of course, her necessities were re- lieved by the care and thought of the "I have not got much, but I am not mISSIOnary. We have no room for unhappy, missionary." extracts showing the cost at which this missionary work was done, the· "You poor creature," he said, "you long privations, exposure to severe don't seem to have anything to make weather, and danger from vindictive you comfortable." heathen tribes; nor can we quote the" fascinating stories for young people "I have but little" she said quietly. about the canoe and dog-sled adven- "Have you any venison?" "Nol" tures. "Have you any flour?" "Nol" "Have you any tea 1" "No!" The Worship of Words. "Have you any potatoes?" When this last question was uttered A brother wrote us recently ask-" the poor woman looked up, and said, ing the meaning of the words, Om, " I have no potatoes, for don't you re- Manee Padme, Hom, found in Armember, at the time of the potato nold's •• Light of Asia. " We replied planting, Samuel took charge of the that we doubted if anybody on earth brigade, that went up with provisions knows. One authority renders the to save the poor white people. And meaning as "Oh, the Jewel on the· Samuel is not here to shoot deer, that I may have venison; and Samuel is not here to. catch mink and marten Lotus I" and Dr. Hooker translates it, forth, becomes forever the means of "Hail to him of the Lotus alid the the worsliip and knowledge of Brah- Jewel." Cheeboo Lama says the six rna." syllables represent the six states of future existence. The first represent- Once the idea of sacredness starled ing Lha, or the state of the gods; the in relation to words, and there is no second, Mee, or the state of human existence; the third, Lhamayin, or end to the coinage of such, whether the state of neutral and mischievous in the sacred incantations of the spirits, to which men who die in war Egypti:'m Book of the Dead, the Hindu are regenerated; the fourth, Tendo or Ram Ram, or the Roman Catholic Ave Dado, the state of beasts in which lazy and indifferent Buddhists are born Maria, or the unspeakable but not unagain; the fifth, Yedag, or the state of thinkable words of the Ancient Parsee wretched demons in a condition of suf- sacred books. fering; the sixth, Myalwur, or the state of punishment. Those born in Ohurch Dis-establishment in Brazil that state are exposed to tortures, heat, cold, thirst; those sent there for abus- The following is the text of the de- . ing the priesthood are born with long tongues, perpetually lacerated with cree with regard to the Church estabploughshares. The constant repetition of these six syllables closes the en- lishment in Brazil: trance of the six states of metempsychosis, and procures Nirvana. "Article 1. The Federal authorities, as well. as the different Confederate States, are pro- But a writer in the East has re- hibited from making laws, rules, regulations, cently pointed out the tendency in or any administrative acts establishing a human nature to worship sound or religion. speech, independent altogether of the meaning it conveys, and because of its "Article 2. To all people is given the privimysteriousness. The thunder and lege of exercising their religious cults in acstorm have been thus worshipped, and cordance with thetr belief, and they are not to speech has been deified under the be interrupted or disturbed in such devotions, name of voice (vach, vox), and Hindu either private or public, which belong to this tunes have. been deified as gods and privilege. goddesses. Words have been singled out because of oddness or potency as "Article 3. This liberty not only embraces divine or demoniacal. The East is full individuals in their individual acts, but also of them, and the West has them churches, associations, and institutions in buried in its folk-lore. Scott's "Lay which they are employed, all having full right of the Last Minstrel" beautifully illus- to unite themselves and live in accordance with trates this in the wonl,s which he dare their creed without interference from. the pubnot utter lest the Abbey be wrecked lic powers. about him. Thus the syllable" Om," or in Sanskrit form, "Aum," has been "Article 4. Patronage, resources, and pre- rogatives of all religious institutions are heremade to stand for "A," "U," and "M," by extinguished.
representing the triad, Brahma,Vishnu "Article 5. The right is recoguized of ali' and Siva. churches and religious orders to acquire and administer estates under limits made by the "Om" is especially a word of power. laws concerning corporations, grantingto each Meditating on it or muttering it, one one the right to ownership in property, as well becomes Brahma. "By the Om, the as the use of buildings for worship. supreme light of the ether, which is within the heart, starts, rises, breathes "Article 6. The Federal Government will continue to furnish ecclesiastical revenue and support for the actual personnel of the Catho- lic Church, and in other institutions will sub- sidize for one year the professorships in the seminaries, it being at the option of each State to recognize in the future the ministers of this or any other religion where they do not run contrary to the preceding articles in this de- cree.
"Article 7. All acts to the contrary are here- by revoked."-Brazilian Missions.
The International Missionary Union.
The International Missionary Union will hold its Seventh Annual Meeting at Clifton Springs, New York, June 11th to 18th, inclu- sive, 1890. Free entertainment will be pro-
THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS
vided for all foreign missionaries, or persons lator of the Scriptures at Bangkok. The Ex- who have heen foreign missionaries, of what- ecutive Committee are: Dr. J. L. Phillips, Rev. ever evangelical society, or board, or field. :l1essrs. M. B. Comfort, C. W. Park, Benj. Memhership in the Union is open to all such Helm, and J. A. Davis; Miss C. H. Daniells, persons and includes no others. Candidates M. D., and Mrs. M. E. Ranney. Treasurer, Prof. under actual appointment to the foreign field M. N. Wyckoff; Librarian, Rev. James Mudge. of any evangelical organization are earnestly invited to attend, and will also be freely en- It was resolved at the Binghamton Meeting tertained, as far as provision can be made. It to establish a Circulating MiSSionary Library will not be practicable to provide for the at- for the benefit of the memhers of the Union. tendance of children of missionaries. The following volumes were contributed as a nucleus of what it was thought might grow to A special rate offare (one fare and one-third) be a very useful and valuable collection: " over certain railroads (' 'Trunk Line" territory, and perhaps the Southern Passenger Associ- :rhe Great. V'!-lue and Success of Foreign ation and others), can he obtained at any im- )fISSIOns. Llggms. portant station on the conceding roads, and must be certified by the agent selling it, and Roport of the London MiSSionary Confer- on retnrn by the Secretary of the Union. The ence. 2 vols. ticket must be bought not earlier than June 8th, and not later than June 13th, and on re- Report of the Calcutta Missionary Confer- turn not aft"r June 21st,and must be a through ence. ticket on the conceding lines only; no stop- over. There must he at least 50 ticket·holders The Missionary Year-Book. Vol. I., 1889. at the meeting, to secure the deduction of two- Letters from India. Rev. H. J. Bruce. thirds return fare. The Natural History of the Marathi Bible. Rev. H. J. Bruce. The programme of this meeting cannot yet Among the Turks. Dr. Cyrus Hamlin. be furnished. The papers and discussions are Ann H. Judson. Dr. W. N. Wyeth. always on topics of special practical concern SarahB. Judson. Dr. W. N. Wyeth. to missionaries; but numerous addresses will India. Dr. J. T. Gracey. be made of a character interesting to the gen- China. Dr. J. T. Gracey. eral public, who are always cordially wel- Open Doors. Dr. J. T. Gracey. comed. Missionaries are requested "to com- Woman's )fedical Work in Foreign Lands. municate with either the President or the 1I1rs. J. T. Gracey. Secretary, to obtain further particulars, as Africa in a Nutshell. Rev. G. Thompson. well as to make suggestions as to topics, Memorial Papers of the American Marathi -papers, or addresses. If any would like to -discuss some particular subject themselves, Mis~ion. :provided suitable arrangements can be made, ·or if they know of any missionaries specially Further donations to the Library from ,qualified to present papers before the Union, members of the Union and other friends are or to address popular meetings, the President respectfully solicited. Will not all authors -will be glad of such information. among the members see that a copy of their works is sent as soon as possible to the Libra- The roll of the Union (organized in 1884) now rian? It is hoped that during the coming year 'includes 179 names, representing 18 different a beginning may be made of circulating these denominations and societies, Canadian, Ameri- volumes through the mail to such of the memcan and British, and at least 23 distinct fields. bers as may wish them. The plan is for the Its Vice-Presidents are: Cyrus Hamlin, D. D., person desiring to read any volume to send to founder of Rohert College, Constantinople; the Librarian the amount of postage required S. L. Baldwin, D. D., one of the Mission-Secre· to dispatch it by mail, and then in a month to taries of the American Methodists; and William Dean, D. D., the veteran Baptist trans- return it, postpaid, by the same channel. The Librarian is Rev. James Mudge, of East Pep. perell, Mass.
Inquiries concerning the approaching meet ing at Clifton Springs, or on any subject con- cerning the International Missionary Union, will he answered with pleasure by J. T. GRACEY, D. D., President, 183 Greenwood Avenue, Buffalo, New York WILLIAM H. BELDEN, Secretary, Bridgeton, New Jersey, V.-THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS.
BY REV. F. F. ELLINWOOD, D.D.
The Great Afrioan Mission Field. once and a half that of the United No other country is attracting so States from New York to San Franmuch attention as Africa. For many cisco. If it were divided by an east generations most of it has been con- and west line, running a little north sidered an unknown land, and even of the equator, the northern portion yet there is generally but a slight ap- would receive all North America, and prehension of its vast extent. Its the southern would embrace all Eugreatest width from east to west is rope, including Russia. The population is estimated by Mr. Stanley at of eastern Soudan. It bears north- 250,000,000. This is not to be compared in density with India or China, ward that annual tribute which for but it is far greater than has been supposed. Six hundred languages and ages has made Egypt the granary of dialects are spoken, of which not more than one in six is a vehicle of the word the East. ·of God. The fourth great river, theZambesi, The coast line of Africa throughout nearly its whole extent is low and gen- receiving the waters of the Nyassa erally insalubrious, but the interior is, for the ]Lost part, a vast table-land, and the Shire, passes over the great with mountain ranges which, in one {)r two instances, rise nearly two thou- cataracts to which it has given its .sand feet. name, and flows eastward into the No river in the world, unless it be the Amazon, equals the Congo in Indian Ocean. It is a remarkable volume. It is said to be thirty times as great as that of the Mississippi. It fact that the Congo, Nile, and Zambesi has no such breadth as the Amazon at its mouth, and instead of emptying find their sources all within a limited through the channels of a great delta .like the Ganges or the Niger which area of high table-lands, though they ·embraces three hundred miles of coast, it pours over a long succession of discharge their waters into widely disfalls and rapi~, and thence rushes to the sea through a deep-cut channel, tant seas. with a current well nigh resistless. Through its lower stretch it has Since the discoveries of Krapf and scooped the bottom of its channel till it is said to measure miles in depth; On Rebman, and the wonderful achievethe Upper Congo, including branches, there are five thousand miles of navi- ments of Livingstone and Stanley, all ,gable waters opening up in all directions a great interior basin of almost Europe has been enkindled with the unequalled fertility, and inhabited by not less than fifty millions of people. spirit of African discovery. For a Besides the Congo, three other great rivers and many smaller ones drain century previous there had been octhe great interior table-lands and -empty their waters into the sea. casional expeditions, but the explora- The Niger, rising in the country tions of the last two decades have back of Liberia, makes a circuit northward and eastward, draining the probably been equal to all that had western Soudan, and joined at length by the Benue, which flows westward previously been made. from the region south of Lake Tchad. It proceeds southwar4i to the Gulf of The following list of discoveries, for Guinea. which I am largely indebted to Rev. Dr. R. R. Booth, presents the principal The Nile, which has never been ex- African explorations down to Stanley's plored in its sources until within the discovery of the Congo: last twenty years, is the outlet of the great Equatorial Lakes and the waters Bruce, in 1768, explored the Blue Nile and Abyssinia.
Horneman, in 1798, reached Fezzan by way of Cairo.
Burkhardt, in 1812, visited Suakim and Dondola.
Captain Luckey, in 1816, explored the Congo for 200 miles.
Denham and Clapperton, in 1822, penetrated the desert from Tripoli to Lake Tchad. In 1825, they. passed from Guinea to Socotoo.
1I:1ajor Laing, in 1826, marched from Tripoli to Timbuctoo.
Clapperton and Lander, in 1827, ex- plored the south shore of Lake Tchad.
11:1. Cailli, in 1827, passed from Mo- rocco to Samagambia.
The Lander Brothers, jn 1830, ex- plored the Niger.
Laird and Oldfield, in 1833, also visited the Niger.
Engliflh Niger Expedition, in 1841, attended by missionaries.
Barth, Richardson, and Overweg, in 1849, passed from Tripoli to Lake Tchad.
Livingstone, in 1849, visited the Makalolos from the south. Egyptian Expedition, about 1850, up tended by the murder of Bishop Harthe Nile to 4° N. L. rington; the new conquests of Samadu, and of Islam in Western Soudan; the Krapf and Rebman, 1850, entered discoveries and.telTitorial occupations by Mombas and discovered Mount Kili- of DeBrazza on the Ogovie; the manjaro, and heard of the Lake Coun- strange fortunes of Emin Pasha; the try. founding of the Congo Free State; and the very latest achievements and dis- Anderson, 1850-54, explored South coveries of Henry M. Stanley. Africa from Cape Town, and discovered Lake N'gami, S. Lat. 21°. The Congo Free State demands fuller consideration. The king of the Bel- Livingstone, in 1852, discovered the gians, supported by the Geographical Falls of the Zambesi. Societies of Europe and the admiring sympathy of the civilized world, has Edward Vogel, in 1853, joined Barth interested himself in the opening up at Lake Tchad. of Central Africa to the interests of Livingstone, 1853, crossed Africa, and in 1858 discovered Lake Nyassa commerce and Christian mISSIOns· and the Shire Valley. and all the elements of a humane and Christian civilization. Burton and Speke, 1857-59, discovered Lake Tanganika. In the prosecution of this great en- terprise the leadership of Mr. Stanley Speke and Grant, 1859, discovered has been engaged, and the co-opera- Lake Victoria, Nyanza. tion of the different European powers has been enlisted. Agreements were Samuel Baker, 1861, discovered entered into exempting a vast terri- Albert Nyanza. tory from encroachment, and enabl- ing King Leopold to make and enforce Livingstone, in 1866, discovered treaties with the native tribes for the Lakes Moero and Bangweola. preservation of a general peace and harmony. The King is now virtually Schweinfurth, 1869-71, explored the the sovereign of the Congo Free State, Nyam-Nyam country, and discovered and is expending annually hundreds the Wells River. of thonsands of dollars from his private resources in the prosecution Stanley, in 1870, found Livingstone of his noble plans. at Ujiji, on Lake Tanganika. The Christian churchesof the world Muncie and Petherick, about 1870, explored the Upper Nile and the Bah- have been welcomed to the mission rel-Ghazil. fields of the Congo, and several socie- Gordon and Long, about 1870, ex- ties have established their stations plored the two great branches of the upon its waters. There are now said Nile. to be thirty small steamers plying above the falls, of which several are Livingstone, in 1874, died near Lake connected with missionary work. Bangweola. Of the different missionary organi- Stanley, in 1875, visited Mtesa's zations, the English Baptists, among kingdom, having advanced to the east the first, if not the very first, to ocside of Lake Albert, and in 1876 he cupy the country, is perhaps the passed westward into the interior. strongest. The American Baptist Union having received the mission Gamerou, 1874-76, crossed Africa to which was established by Dr. H. Benguela. Grattan Guinness and others, and known as the Congo Inland Mission, Stanley, August, 1877, arrived at now employs 29 missionaries, and Emboma, on the Lower Congo.
Since the discovery of the Congo more than forty expeditions have been sen~ into Africa by different na- tions, and many thrilling events have occulTed;-such as the overthrow of Arabi Pasha and the occupation of Egypt by Great Britain; the ill-fated mission of Gordon to Khartoom, and the bootless expedition up the Nile; the tragic career of El Mahdi; the varied and desperate encounters with Osman Digma; the Italian campaigns about Massowa; the struggles of British arms in South Africa, and the tragedy of the French Prince Im- perial; the death of Mtesa and the cruel persecutions of Mwanga, atits work is prosperous. The Metho- nificent government road, with tele- dist Congo Mission, under the direc- graphic communication and military tion of Bishop Taylorl has made a stations along the line. In the equa- vigorous beginning, and quite recently torial regions also, including Gaboon the Southern Presbyterian Church of and the Ogovie, with a territorial the United, States has sent a devoted claim extending along the northern young man with a colored assistant to bank of the Upper Congo, she holds lay the foundations of a mission some- a territory numbering 240,000 square where in the great valley. His ex- miles. The aggregate of these three ample in leaving high social at- protectorates is three times the size of tractions in the South to devote France.
himself to the colored races of Cen- 3. Germany hasannexed West Cam- tral Africa, is a proof that whatever aroons, and a vast territory in south- ground may be taken in the Southern western Africa, embracing Demerara churches in regard to the color line, and Namaqualand, whose united coast there are not wanting those who line extends 900 miles. Besides this, cherish the Christlike spirit of love Germany holds a vast territory in East toward the African. Africa, lying between Zanzibar and There has within the last few years Lakes Tanganiyka and Victoria Ny- been great rivalry on the part of anza.
European powers in gaining posses- 4. Great Britain has held permanent sion of Africa. In the words of Dr. possession of the Cape of Good Hope Guinness, to whom I am indebted for since 1795, and her various possessions many facts, "the whole coast has of Cape Colony, Cafraria, Natal, and been literally besieged by protector- last of all Zambesia, have been added.
ates." A railroad is now being projected two The following is the present situa- thousand miles from the Cape to the tion: Zambesi River. England also claims 1. Portugal holds large territories as large territory extending from on the west coast below the mouth of Mombas on the east coast above Zanzi- the Congo, besides its claim to Mozam- bar to the lake Victoria Nyanza, in- bique and territories extending west- . cluding the beautiful mountain region ward till they meet those of the west Kilimanjaro. She also holds a coast <coast. These claims are being seri- line of 400 miles in the Somali country, ously challenged, and important con- opposite Aden. She holds a virtual cessions have of late been made to protectorate of Egypt, besides posses- Great Britain in the region of the sions on the west coast at Sierra Leone.
Zambesi and Lake Nyassa. 5. The Italian Government, by pursu- 2. The French have held possession ing a vigorous policy on the west coast Df Algeria since their conflict with the of the Red Sea, has gained a strong- Riff pirates in 1831. Algeria is larger hold at Magada, and seems likely to than France, and has cost her some exert a dominant influence over Abys- hundreds of thousands of men and sinia.
$1,200,000,000 in money. It is a strong Two great questions, affecting the colony and is i~habited by a manly moral and religious future of Africa, race. A French protectorate, which are of such vast import as well nigh to looks towards annexation, is also ex- baffle the wisdom and the faith of tended over Tunis. France also claims Christian men: The Slave Trade and two hundred thousand square miles in the Liquor Traffic.
the region of the Senegal and the The fornler has been the topic of dis- Gambia. This large territory extends cussion in the great International Con- €astward to the waters of the Niger, ference recently convened in Brus- and is connected therewith by a mag- sels. That the problem of its suppression is notan easy one, a single example to suppress the introduction of liquor will show. and fire-arms into certain groups of the Pacific Isles, where terrible havoc It is said that Tippoo Tib, whose pow- was being produced, the State Depart- er is yet unchallenged on the Upper ment at Washington refused to join. Congo, commands 2,000 men, armed Public sentiment in Europe has not. with Winchester rifles. It is their credited our Government with the business to raid the villages through- highest and purest motives for this re- out a wide range of country for the fusal, nor has it hesitated to declare acquisition of slaves. Pillage, slaugh- that the responsibility of failure rests. ter, fire and devastation are merely with the United States and Germany. incidents in the work of capture. The terrible journey to the coasts is a What the Conference at Brussels has. sequel, and the business must be ex- accomplished in reference to the liquor tensive enough to cover a large per traffic, is to affect an agreement that cent. of deaths by the way, and an oc- beyond the present coast belt-rather casional loss by rescue. How shall a broad one unfortunately-the liquor this evil be reached at its source? importations shall not extend. This is something to be thankful for, and 'Ve understand that the Conference it points to the interior as the most. has agreed: First. That where it is pos- hopeful mission field. It affords an sible, the tribes concerned in the raid- answer also to those-some of them ing shall be held responsible. Second. Christian men-who have been ready Any tribe through whose territory a to conclude that Mohammedanism, slave caravan passes shall be held to with its strong prohibition of all inaccount. Third. The chief in whose toxicants, would, for the present at territory on the coasts the shipment least, offer a better evangel to Cenof slaves occurs shall also be dealt tral Africa than our Christian faith with. Fourth. The police of the sea coupled with the vices of Christendom. shall be maintained by the joint effort of the European powers. In any view, the outlook of Africa. is mixed with light and shade. Its It may confidently be hoped that problems are too great for human these measures will greatly curtail wisdom; too great for the Conference the desolations of this horrible traffic of the Powers. in flesh and blood. More than this cannot be expected till European Unfortunately, the Mohammedan philanthropy can draw the ligatures slave traders of Africa have two of repression more closely and strangle words which they may hurl back the hydra in its inmost retreats. with terrible force in the face of Chris- tian nations: "Opium!" "Rum! " And In regard to the liquor traffic, the they are not careful to discriminate problem is still more difficult. In this between Christianity and Christencase it is the civilized powers them- dom. They take ~o account of any selves that are the offenders. The difference between the counsels and dark tide of poison that deluges the prayers of the missionary societies. the coasts of Africa flows from so- in Boston and the agnosticism and called Christian lands. The Govern- whiskey of the distilleries not far away ments of Great Britain, France, and which are under contract to supplyfor' Germany.are ready to capture slave the African trade 3,000 gallons per day ships on the Red Sea-are they pre- for seven years. pared to confront the liquor interests of their own realms? Is there any way then for the Chris- tian church but to look away to the The attitude of the United States is hills whence cometh her help? It is still more doubtful. In 1885, when the time for a concert of prayer for Great Britain, France, Italy, and Aus- Africa. A greater burden was never tria were ready to unite in an effort brought to the mercy seat.
E;DITORIAL NOTES ON CURRENT TOPIQS
VI.-EDITORIAL NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS.
Comparative Destitution in Christian American missionary in Sweden, and Pagan Lands. writes us: The venerable Dr. McCosh remarks "I am astonished at reading one that in the contempl~tion bf the waste sentence in a letter which you pub- of resources by want of church union, lished in the liarch number (page 214) while not only in heathen countries of THE MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE but in our own great cities there are WORLD, and am very sorry that you multitudes who have not had the gos- should allow it to go out to your pel preached to them, he fears that thousands of readers without com- the judgment of Heaven may descend ment. The writer, in speaking of the upon the churches. He counsels the drink curse in Africa, says: 'The forming of a Federation in America amazing thing is that all this traffic to see that the whole country be di- [the rum trade in Old Calabar, West vided into parishes or districts, each Africa,] is conducted, in the main, by to be provided with a gospel minister not over a dozen firms, the members of and a lay agency put under obliga- which are most excellent men, many tions to have the gospel preached to of them, I believe, sincere Christians.'
every creature, young and old. He " Do, I beg of you, say to your read- will be glad to correspond with those ers, that you do not endorse such a who are ready to carry out this view. sentiment. It is high time to protest This is a suggestion in the right di- a against the doctrine of some of our rection. There is everywhere a mani- English friends-that man can be a fest disproportion between the differ- Christian and at the same time deal ent local fields. In Africa, at least out death and damnation to his fellow- 150,000,000 of people are entirely men!"
destitute of all knowledge of the gos- It is scarcely necessary to say that pel. The Soudan districts and the an editor is not to be held personally Congo Free State are absolutely with- responsible for all the sentiments ex- out the gospel. In Siam 13 Presby- pressed by his correspondents. In this terian missionaries, including women, instance we felt that our highly re- are the sole force for evangelizing the spected correspondent stretched his native Siamese and Laos population! charity beyond proper bounds. We These are two instances of the im- are not willing to believe that the man mense vacancies in heathen fields. I who traffics in liquor, asa drink, in this spoke in a village of Scotland having enlightened age, is a "sincere Chris- a population of about 1,200-800 of tian," or a Christian in any sense.
which are of a church-going age, and And the sin is the greater, incompar- there are five churches and as many ably, when a British or an American ministers! One, or, at most, two merchant holds out the temptation ministers could care for the entire and inflicts the ruin coollyand deliber- population and leave the others free ately upon the poor benighted African, to go to these vast vacancies of hea- in his heathen ignorance and degra- thendom, and leave the money that dation. The slave traffic and the rum those other church edifices cost free to traffic are twin curses, and no really be expended in foreign fields. God good man can have anything to do will surely hold us accountable for with either, save to pray and strive the immense waste of resources im- for their overthrow. J. M. S.
plied in maintaining so many -There are two pictures Stanley loves to draw. The first is Mohamchurches simply in the interests of medanism overrunning North Africa from Guardafui to Cape Juby, where sectarianism! A. T. P.
-An indignant correspondeut, an the gospel of force is triumphant and the standard of the crescent is planted. [On the 12th of May 1889, four men He pictures the followers of Mahomet met to hold a consecration prayer- advancing on their fleet dromedaries, meeting in my study, at Philadelphia. coursers of Yeman, and white asses of One of them was George S. Fisher, Arabia, against Paganism, with the the Y. M. C. A. Secretary of Kansas; fierce cry of "Death to the Unbeliev- one was Mr. Nash, who filled a like er-there is no God but God, and post in Nebraska; another was Rev. Mahomet is His prophet." He graph- T. C. Horton, of St. Paul Y. M. C. A., ically describes how terror precedes and the fourth was the writer. God them, death accompanies them, deso- laid his hand in a marked manner on lation follows them, and disease marks each of the four from that day on. their course. The Libyan desert and Those three men from the Northwest the Sahara are traversed by these in- returned to their respective fields, and vincible and dauntless Arabs until the in each of those fields there began a Equator is reached, when they have mighty movement in the direction of to succumb to the mysterious changes pioneer missions to the regions beyond. of nature and retire baffled, leaving The same answerer of prayer disthe southern half of Africa to other lodged one from my church in Philaand higher influences. delphia to undertake a crusade for missions among the churches, and The other picture is of a more mod- made the other three the pioneers of ern period. From the Cape of Good missions in the great States of the Hope advances a meek and humble Northwest. From Topeka, Kan., follower of the Cross, who penetrates February 3, 1890, there has gone forth towards the untraveled wilds of Southern Africa to seek the heathen in his the following communication. Let home. He hails him as a brother. every reader ponder well this signal He tells him of a loving Father in of the moving of God's pillar of cloud heaven, and of redemption through and fire.-A. T. P.] Christ. He repeats the song of Bethlehem: "Peace on earth and good All our readers will be interested in hearing will towards men." He travels over something about the three young men, Messrs. 30,000 miles, and dUling his thirty- Mails, Helmick and Kingman, who have left two years' labor discloses to Christen- the Association work of Kansas to give their dom one million square miles of inner lives to the work of spreading the joyful Aftica. All on whom he gazed, with tidings in the dark Soudan districts of Africa those eyes radiant with loving fellowship, he blessed with the view of a Since the "great meeting," at Topeka, good man made perfect by trial in the October 16-20, 1889, they have spent the time wilderness. At last he surrenders his in traveling, and have conducted missionary life at Bangweolo, loving and loved, meetings in nearly all the larger cities and blessing and blessed. There was colleges of Kansas, besides having spent about pomp and majesty in the proud ad- six weeks in work outside of the State, visitvance of Mahomet north of the Equa- ing, among other places, the following cities: tor, but the picture of the lone Chris- Chicago; St. Louis; St. Paul and Minneapolis, tia~ wandering in these untrodden 'in Minnesota; Eau Claire and Milwaukee, in wilds of Southern Africa is almost Wisconsin; South Bend, Indianapolis and divine. Stanley then adds:" I was Greencastle, in Indiana; Fayettville and Fort the last of David Livingstone's race Smith, in Arkansas. It has pleased the Lord and color who talked with him, and to own, in a wonderful manner, the labors of my desire is to take up his work with these brethren during these weeks, and many the view of redeeming Africa from its have been led to the Lord Jesus Christ in the forlornness and squalid poverty-in- meetings conducted by them, while the hearts itiating true missionary enterprise." of not a few of God's children have been deeply stirred.
Speaking from a human standpoint, it is truly marvelous how these brethren have been provided "ith all things needful as they have gone about from city to city, and from State to State. Of course, they had no means of their own with -:hich to cover the expenses of their tour, and so, during the first week or two, collections for their benefit were taken they have word from Kingman, after his in the meetings conducted; but it was very arrival in Africa. ,evident that this only tended to detract from the spiritual power of the meetings, and the [I was present at the farewell meeting of the taking of collections was dropped. Since Wilmot-Brooke party in Exeter Hall. and was then they have traveled almost continually, called on to offer the consecrating prayer.- asking nothing whatever of men, depending A.T.P.] alone upon the Lord to supply all their needs, and never yet have they lacked for any of the Messrs. Mails and Helmick will still continue "good things" of this life, nor have they been their tour around the country, conducting delayed a single hour for want of money with missionary meetings, and already dates have which to meet railway expenses. Often, how- been arranged for until during March, cover- ever, the Lord has permitted them to go to ing appointments in Arkansas, Ohio, Pennsyl- the depot without a cent in their pockets, but vania and Maine. On the 14th inst. they will always, before the train pulled out, although be joined by Mr. Frank M. Gates, for some sometimes at the very last moment, the neces- time past gymnasium superintendent and sary money has been provided. (phil. 4:19.) acting secretary of the Topeka Association, In addition to supplying the needs of these who will leave for the Soudan with them. It men as they have journeyed about the country, is also probable that Mr. Roy Codding, of York, the Lord has used their words to touch the Neb., will join the party at the same time. hearts of His people; one man in Kansas offered $125 towards the passage of one man Two of the young men from the Y. M. C. A. for the Soudan, and, in St. Louis, the ladies of at St. Paul will sail for Africa with the Kansas one of the churches offer to become responsible men, and intend going to the Upper Congo for the support of two of the Soudan mission- country, to prepare the way for" The Upper aries. We could add many other testimonies Congo Missionary Colony, " which has recently along this line to show that the King has set been ~rganized at St. Paul, as a direct result His seal of approval on the efforts of these of the interest in missionary matters awakened His servants, as they have tried to present the in the Association work there. . " world-wide Gospel." The Lord has seemed to make it plain to the Word was received a few weeks since, that Kansas missionaries for the Soudan, that it was Mr. Graham Wilmot-Brooke, of England, a His will that they should sever their connec- 'young man who has traveled a great deal in tion in this movement with Dr. Guinness. the Soudan, was about to leave again for that Some of the reasons for this are : "country, and he kindly invited the Kansas missionaries for the Soudan to have one of 1. That while in a certain sense, Dr. Guin- their number meet him in England before he ness' missionary work is undenominational, sailed, and, if possible, set sail with him. yet it was found that the men who were at ,After much waiting before the Lord, it seemed the head of his training institutes, both in this to be His will that one of the men should go, country and in England, were all members of as a forerunner in this movement; thus it was the same denomination, and the doctor him- that on Wednesday, January 29, Mr. E. self stated, that while the Boston institute is Kingman set sail from New York for the undenominational, yet its main object is the Soudan, going by way of England. 'trainil',g of missionaries for one of the denomi- national missions on the Congo. 2. It was The following telegram was received from found, that while Dr. Guinness has been the agent of the steamship company by whose wonderfully used of the Lord in the caus..,f line Mr. Kingman sailed: missions, yet, so far as the e:;perience of t'Le Kansas young men went, he did not seem to " To-day has seen, in the departure of King- be able to handle the details of this movement, man for the Soudan, the beginning of what is which seemed to them a matter of great going to be the greatest missionary movement Importance. 3. After conference with persons of this century. God bless it, and the West in other parts of the country, the doctor con- where it started. Keep believing." cluded that he could not aceept, for the Soudan mission, money contributed by the missien And SO the Soudan missionary movement is bands of our State. no longer something talked of, but is now something real. Praise the Lordi Mr. King- These points, among others, led to a sepa- man will join the Wilmot-Brooke party at ration, which, however, was brought about Liverpool, and take ship with them for Africa. with the kindest feeling on both sides, and Mr. During the voyage out he will have ample Guinness yet shows a deep IIfnterest in the opportunity for conference with Mr. Brooke, work which the Kansas men hdtJe to do, and is, and other members of the party, and by the from time to time, giving such information time of arrival on the coast of Africa, he will as he can. have gained much valuable information in regard to the Soudan country, and will at once And now, may we not ask that every reader 'communicate with the othe~Kansas mission- will be much in prayer, that the Lord Himself :aries in regard to what to bring, etc., etc. will guide very clearly these of our brethren "They, of course, do not expect to set sail until whose hearts He has touched and filled with a desire to carry the Gospel to the neglected Soudan, the" regions beyond."
Yours, for" the uttermost part of the earth, " E. S. WALTON. Bedford, England.-A memorial and devour, now combine to rescue statue to John Howard-the great prison philanthropist and missionary and protect." A. T. P. to the criminal classes and the inmates of hospitals-is next year to be China.-The literary teacher in erected, at a cost of $15,000. The money is fast coming in. It will be China is called" The First-born," and borne in mind that one of the last requests of this disinterested man was is almost worshipped. Books written that no such memorial should be erected to him. And, in our judg- in the literary character may be read ment, that request should be sacredly regarded. If any monument should in every province of China, and even be built to his memory, would it not be better far to construct a model hos- in Japan, Korea and Mongolia. pital, and call it the "Howard Home?" Why waste money on a statue? Hence the vast power of a Christian Prohibition. – Prohibition Kansas literature in the Chinese tongue. Mishas 100,000 more population than Texas, which is under license. Kansas sionary work proper began with the has one penitentiary, with 966 prisoners, while Texas has two, with more cession of Hong Kong in 1843. Now ~han three times as many convicts. Is there any connection between the doors are open everywhere. The pubdrink traffic and the excess of crime? If prohibition does not prohibit drink, lic mind is getting free from prejudoes it lessen criminality? A judge with whom I stayed at Greenock, dices and dislikes of foreigners, and a Scotland, explained the absence of every form of liquors at his table, by truer notion prevails as to the characsaying that he used wines until he became a civil officer. When he ob- ter and unselfish aim of missionaries. served in court that nearly every case of offence against law was traceable Now, the law protects a man in the Ijp drink, he gave up the use of all trquors, fermented or distilled, and espousal of Christian faith. had since been a total abstainer. That man is ex-Provost Dugald Campbell. In Manchuria, William Burns was Captain H. B. Kennedy, Ballater, the pioneer, and now there is abundtold Rev. Wm. Robertson, who had been speaking on Missions in the Es- ant opening for 1,000 laborers. There tablished Church of Scotland: " I was the captain of the Ruby that took are 23,000,000 of people, and only 900 Bishop Sterling to Terra del Fuego, when he gathered the facts that over- converts, so far. Medical Missionswhelmed with surprise the mind of Charles Darwin, and led to his re- have especial promise in China, markable confession as to the success of Christian Missions. Those very where Benevolence is so prominently Terra del Fuegoes have now formed a , society for the rescue of shipwrecked taught as a leading principle of Conmariners.' Those who would a half century since have united to plunder fucianism.
Recently a prominent Chinese liter- ati came to the Missionaries and said: "I want a Saviour! Confucianism provides none; neither does Bud- dhism, or Taoism." In Christ he found the very Saviour he wanted.
Anti-Ohinese Legislation.
The enemies of the Chinese in this country seem determined to fill up the measure of their iniquity. Not con- tent with securing the passage of the "Scott Law," by which a solemn treaty between the governments of the United States and China was nul- lified, and 20,000 certificates entitling absent Chinamen to return to this country and to which the faith of this government was pledged, were repudi- ated, they delibeFately framed another "outra~eous and barbarous" scheme, as the Herald justly characterized it, and the House passed it without op- position. The object of this Enumer- ation Bill was to exclude absolutely all
PROGRESS OF MISSIONS-MONTHLY BULLETIN
Chinamen from this country; without moralized the Senate. And it was not regard to rank, character, occupation or the purpose of their coming. Mer- in vain. The Independent, of New chants, tourists, students, all, in fact, would be prohtbited from setting foot York, which, from the first, unsparin the United States. We had penned an indignant protest against such a ingly condemned the measure, thus shameless abomination, but before the cold type had put it in permanent voices the feeling and sentiment of the shape the welcome news came that the Senate had killed.the bill by so amend- nation, outside of a narrow circle of ing and eliminating its most offensive features, that its friends were politicians: willing to let it die. " The final result is a victory for the God be praised that the country has Christian sentiment of this country. been saved the shame and wrong of We rejoice in it. '];he Senate did not such an infamous measure. One can- dare to disregard this sentiment. And not read the provisions of this bill and for the present, at least, the tide of conceive how it was possible that the legislative persecution, as we may call popular bFanch of this nation could it, of the Chinese has been stopped. propose such a wanton violation of We trust that it will never come to a our treaties with China, and offersuch flood again. We hope to see it turned a flagrant insult to that great nation. and to see our National Legislature That the passage of the bill would engaged in undoing the wrong that have been followed by retaliatory has been committed in the Exclusi.on measures on the part of China, imperil- acts. ing the lives of our missionaries there and interrupting their work, and re- " What is needed now is an earnest· coiling on American commerce, is be- champion for the Chinese in each yond a doubt. House; some strong man gifted with the courage and perseverance of No more earnest protest was made Senator Blair, who would introduce a against the passage of the bill than repeal bill at every session and keep the that sent up by the New York Cham- subject constantly before Congress and ber of Commerce; and even the secu- the country. Wearesure that the Chrislar press, with few exceptions, spoke tian sentiment which has just shown out against it at the last. Likewise, its power so signally would express our leading Missionary Societies, the itself as openly and emphatically in American Bible Society, the Evangeli- favor of this repeal as it has expressed cal Alliance, and the Society of itself against the Deportation bill. It Friends, as well as several Confer- would, we are confident, rally to the ences of the M. E. Church, vigorously support of such a measure. protested and warned, and also me- The Exclusion acts are directly opposed to the whole policy of this nation from the time of the adoption of our Constitution down to the present. The sentiment of our Christian people does not object to the regulation of the immigration of the Chinese any more than it does to t~e regulation of the immigration from any other quarter; but it is opposed to the absolute exclusion of the natives of any country on the face of the earth. As our Government must sooner or later return to this sound policy, now is a good time to begin to agitate for the repeal of the Exclusion acts."-J. M. S.
VII.-PROGRESS OF MISSIONS: MONTHLY BULLETIN.
ACrlca.-An English Missionary among couraging, after one's dismal thoughts, to perthe Balolo tribes, on the Upper Congo, says: ceive the readiness with which the people " The people here are a very fine-looking race; listened to what was said to them, and their tall and well made, with intelligent counte- appreciation of it. We have certainly been nances, some of their features being far IIlQre guided as to settling in this place, by far the Enropean than negro. There are five native most populous district we have seen, and huts on the ground which have been bought. utterly untouched by the gospel. To-day, for We have also on the land some plantain trees, the first time in their lives, many of them a few pepper bushes and some maize, the be- have heard the good news." ginning of our future garden. It was qnite en- -" The end of the geographical feat is the beginning of the missionary enterprise." So wiII need the constant intercession of God's said Livingstone in reference to his own plans, people on their behalf. At Matadi there are and so it has proved in connection with the no less than three steamers for the Upper discoveries of Mr. Stanley. His first expedi- Congo besides the Pioneer, two of these are tion resulted in the opening of Uganda to the for the State, and one for the French house. Church Missionary Society, and of Lake One of the State steamers will be the largest Tanganyika to the London Society, and subse- on the Upper Congo.-Mis8. Notes from the quently his passage of the Congo prepared Congo. the way for not less than half a dozen mission- ary societies to enter into that formerly -The grant ofan immense territory along unknown region. Shall not his last crossing the Zambesi River in Africa has been made to of the continent start some new missionary the Duke of Fife and some English colleagues. expedition for the redemption of Africa?- The region embraces nearly three hundred Missionary Herald. thousand square miles, and is very rich, both as to soil and mines. Tile company has power -Lieut. Werner, recently returned from to abolish slavery and restrict the liquor traf- the Congo, said that when he was at Stanley fic in its domains. Missionary work will be as Falls, just before Major Barttelot was killed, free here as in India.-The Helping Hand. Tippoo Tib had a large quantity of ivory, which he would not dispose of for anything -The Basle Mission Magazine gives a ~but gunpowder, and this he could not get then. compreheusive statement as to South African Eventually he sold it to a trader, and Lieut. missions: These missions deserve notice as Werner afterwards met hundreds of barrels of exceptionally strong, and ere the century powder being taken up to pay for the ivory. closes it is probable that Christianity will hold This powder would no doubt be used in raids the predominant position south of the Zam- upon the natives. As to the liquor trade, it besi. We give some of the statistics of tbe was one of the greatest curses under which missions: Rhenish, 30 missionaries, 6,384 com- Africa was at present laboring. This question municants. Berlin, 53 missionaries, 9,763 com- could be much more easily dealt with than municants. Hermanusburg, 52 missionaries, that of arms, as the importation of intoxicat- no statistics of communicants. Paris Evan- ing liquor could be prohibited or put under gelical Mission, 23 missionaries, 6,534 commu- high duties-the more so, as there were few nicants. Free Church of Scotland, 13mission- articles of African commerce which would aries, 3,779 communicants. United Presby- bear taxation. terian, 12 missionaries, 2,307 communicants. American Board, 14 missionaries, 979 com- -Upper Congo Steamers belonging to the municants. To these there are to be added State: "Stanley," "A. I. A.," "En Avant.," three missions of high importance, but which " Ville de Bruxelles," "Ville dQ Gand, " the Basle Resume does not notice, as their "Ville de Liege," "Ville de Charleroi" (the missionary and colonial statistics are not .last is coming); to the Baptist Missions: readily distinguished. These are, first, the S. " Peace, " "Henry Reed;" to the French P. G., which is carrying on with great zeal and House: "France;" to the' Dutch House: euergy a work not second to any. The Wesley- "Holland;" to the French State: "Olima;" an Missions are also most importaut and sucto the Belgian Company: "'Roi des Belges," cessful. To these is to be added the Dutch "General Sanford," HBaron 'Veber,H "¥lori- Reformed Church, which, under leaders such {la," "New York "-17 in all. On the lower as Andrew Murrayand others, is peuetrated by river are, belonging to the State: "Heron," an evangelical and evangelistic spirit, and is "Prince Baudouin," "Belgique," "Esper- doing a great native work. There are also the ance," "Camille Janssen " (the last is a steam Norwegian and Swedish missions inZululand; launch); to the English House: "Itumba;" long oppressed, now with larger promise. to the Dutch House: "Morian;" to the Portu- There is also the Finuish Lutheran Mission, guese House: "Luso."-African News. now under the German protectorate.-Ohurch Miss. Intelligencer. -Bishop Taylor's steamer will be put to- -The Swedish Missionary Society will gether and run on the Lower Congo. shortly send eleven new missionaries into the field, of whom seven are going to the Congo -A steamer of over a thousand tons is and four to Chiua. Good progress is being about to be placed on the Lower Congo to run made on the Congo. Mr. Nilson writes from between Banana and Matadi, in connection Kibunzi that they have had the great joy of with the Congo Railway. baptizing lately three pupils iu their school. The candidates confessed before all their -Messrs. G. D. Adamson, R. Cole, and J. people that they believed in the Lord Jesus Luff, of the Congo-Balolo Mission, arrived Cilrist, aud wished to live in future for His safely at Mpalabala from England, February glory and for the salvation of their fellow-men. 4th. They bring with them a new steam It was a beautiful scene. The congregations launch, the Pioneer,which already has reached are increasing rapidly, as also the confidence Mamdi, the higbest point on the lower river. of the people in their missionaries; so that They hope that this new steam launch wiII they now send their children freely to School. greatly facilitate the preaching of the gospel among the Balolo tribes of the Upper Congo. They have an arduous task before them, and The seven who are going out shortly will raise planted the papal standard four days farther the number of the Swedish missionaries in the inland than the advance Protestant posts. Congo field to twenty. The prosperous and hopeful effort is one of the offshoots of our old "Cheering news comes from the new Congo- Livingstone Inland Mission, which has now be- Balolo Mission, on the Lu Ponga River. They come three bands: this one, the A. B. M. U., have all had fever, but were well and hopeful and the new Congo Balolo. at last writing.
-The Royal Niger Company has, accord- "Out of the small band of missionaries labor- ing to the London Times, reduced the import ing on the Upper Congo, five have had to re- of spirits on the Niger to one-fourth of what it turn home recently. was, prohibiting the trade absolutely in one- third of its territories, with the intention to do "Our daily cry to the Lord of the harvest is, so in another third, and being ready, as regards , sendforth laborers.' " the remaining third, to welcome any definite arrangement on the subject agreed to by -The British South Africa Company is, England, France and (krmany. The total pledged by its charter to labor for the extinc- importation of spirits into these widely-ex- tion of slavery and the slave trade, and to pre- tended territories last year amonnted to vent the sale of intoxicating liquors to the 70,000 gallons. The-complaint made by Ger- natives. In connection with the African Lakes man merchants as to tbe neglect of their in- Company, it proposes to establish regular terests on the Niger has not yet been finally postal and passenger service on the Zambesi disposed of by the British and German gov- and Shiril. ernments; but, from an official reply in the Reichstag, the main question is not the im- ChloD.-Dr. Peck, on retuming from position ofcustoms by the Niger Company, but China, after nine years of service, finds that, their excessive rate. This applies specially to he has a record of 70,000 cases which he has intoxicants. treated, including those who have come more than once, and that fully 45,000 persons, -Bishop Taylor arrived in New York in have thus been brought under his influence. Aprilin good health. He says: "Our missions in Africa, in spite of all sorts of discourage- IodID.-It is reported from India that ments, are developing most encouragingly. two women commissioners are to be appointed This year will exceed any in the past in pre- by the Nizams' government to take the testiparing mission-houses. We have just com- mony of the residents of zenanas who are not pleted the repairs of the Monrovia Seminary suffered by usage to appear in court to testify. building, and will, by July, complete the repairs of Cape Palmas Seminary. They are -Out of 900 foreign missionaries at present large, stone buildings, erected by our Mission- in India, representing various lands and peoary Society many years ago, but for years ples, the oldest is an American, the Rev. John abandoned to the wastes of decay. We will Newton (of the Presbyterian Church), the this year (D. V.) rebuild the seminary at veteran missionary of Lahore, who at the age White Plains, twenty-three miles from Mon- of 78 is still a happy worker in his chosen rovia, up St. Paul's River-the old battle- field. Mr. Newton landed in Calcutta in Febground of Ann Wilkins-also, repair our ruary, 1835, almost 54 years ago; he has, church in Cape Palmas, and build two mission- labored since in connection with the wellhouses for new missions in North Liberia. All known Lodiana Mission. Four sons born here this belongs properly to the old Liberia mis- and educated in America, returned to this sion work of our Society, and they are fur- country 'as missionaries; one of these, Dr. J. nishing the fnnds for the improvements Newton, died in India after 22 years' service; named, except forthe Cape Palmas Seminary. the others are still in, the ranks; the five We expect, by the will of God, to find the men laborers have given 125 years of service to and the money for passage, and have all these India. A daughter returned to India as a manned in this year, 1890. About a dozen missionary, and afterward married Rev. Dr. houses for chapel and for school purposes, Forman, of Lahore, whose two sons and commenced in our Cavalla River and Kru daughter have recently returued to India as Coast Missions last year, are to be completed missionaries, the first representatives of the this year. Further, the builders of our steamer third generation in this grand missionary on the Congo have gone on at the time ap- family. pointed, and will (D. V.) construct and launch her during the coming summer. " -The Cambridge Mission to Delhi, estab- lished twelve years ago, is earnestly com- -Our correspondent at the Equator Station mended to the sympathy and support of CA. B. M. U.) writes us: Cambridge men by Dr. B. F. Westcott, as chairman of the Cambridge committee, in a "The Leo XIII, Catholic mission steamer, letter to the Times. At the present time the has just returned from Bangola, where the Mission is building a new college at the sug- Jesuits have been to complete arrangements gestion of the Indian Government, who have' for opening a new station. Thus they have given the site, the higher education of the Southern Punjaub having, "by a series of most unexpected events," been entrusted to the Mission.
-Seventeen Kohls were baptized by Rev. E. Petrick, in Assam, January 5. Thousands ous churches and vigorous schools established of these people are laboring in the tea-gar- under their care, over a territory nearly as dens of Assam, and they offer one of the large as the State of Massachusetts. But there finest fields for missionary labor. is one large part of this interesting field, in and around Konia, the Iconium of Paul's epistles, -Darjeeling. Baptisms in 1889. There have where schools and church work are almost at been 118 baptisms in the three missions dur- a stand still because the station cannot pro- ing the last year, viz. : 72 in Darjeeling, 45 in vide for the slight additional expenditure Kalimpong, and 1 in Sikkim Mission. Since which is needed. With $675 more at command Jauuary 1, in Darjeeling Division, 13; Kalim- each year for the purpose, this part of their pong Division, 36; Sikkim Division, 1; total, 50. field, as open and promising as any other part, There are now 1,182 baptized Christians in the could be well manned and a noble evangelical three missions, viz.: 562 in Darjeeling, 566 in work inaugurated. Who will come forward Kalimpong, and 54 in Sikkim Mission. with special gifts to aid in re-establishing the Christian Church on these apostolic found- Japan -A telephone has been estab- ations?-Missionary Herald. lished between Yokohama and Strizuoka, a rustance of 100 miles, in Japan, by order of B1Bc:ellaneou8.–Moravian Missions. the Mikado. It is the first in the country and works finely.-Electrical Review. TABLE SHOWING THE NUMBER OF BAPTIZED ADULTS IN THE VARIOUS MORAVIAN MISSION -The Osaka fre-{)ity and surrounding dis- trict-in its last annual statement, gave the FIELDS IN 1790 AND IN 1890. number of Christian church buildings in the jre on Dec. 31, 1889, as 25, and of rented chap- As the first column, taken from the first els, 19; total, 44. This is the first Japanese issue of the Periodical Accounts, 1790, ex- official recognition in annual statistics of the cludes the catechumens and baptized chil- status of the visible Christian Church in the dren, the second, showing the present number land. of converts, must do the same.
-Rev. J. L. Dearing says the eagerness of 11S.
the Japanese for Christianity is overstated. I~ They are eager for education, but Christianity is a stumbling-block to many. 1~210,,§co"l~ 0:p:~ ::j"..'3q ~q~ ~O;"I~ g ~ "'I!' !I:: -A New York publisher has been shipping ..",,,, IIR ~.; I~., l""'I ~ .$ 50,000 American school books a year to Japan. "~8'"~.8…!.:: ~ I I w. .""~ . -The Roman Catholics have organized in .Japan, with four bishops, at Tokyo, Kyoto, ""0<'"l : Nagasaki, and Bendai. ~=~.~~;:~~:: .. < .. :" S """"<~'"l .";::: "S'l ':.~- ':-Z.~,' Korea.-The Korean Alphabet is pho- :ai ~5: 8~.,.;~s::~.r…; ; CIS netic and so simple that anyone can learn to §~ 0 read in a day. Nearly all thewomen in Korea '<l iw. : ~ -can read. 0 .. " : :.S "~'" ~S:!';':~ Ne'W Zealand.-The last census in I ' : : ~ ~ ~1: .S "<'"l New Zealand reveals the interesting fact of a • •:"<'"l profession of religion on the part of no less 'I " :s~ ~ than 95 per cent. of the whole population. .01-1 •• ? ~ ~""'~ II.UBBla.-Aside from the idolaters of : :.~ Siberia there are thirty million subjects of ! ~ Russia whose religion is foreign, namely: 'S~~"""''Sl~;.~g ~ ~t.,w:o .S 1,500,000 Armenians, 5-6,000,000 Lutherans, I"'"~'"~"=~1"!=a';<:5:l.jECIS ~'" 9-10,000,000 Catholics, 3-4,000,000 Jews, and ""~'" O.S"'l§8 ? about 10,000,000 Mohammedans. Buddhists " ;.J;48~~:"d~,!::I:dI abound in Siberia, and extend even to the borders of the Volga. ~","1"'0lO"=i="S<-"il'll Thlbet.-A Roman Catholic missionary, liHHH2E §lei ~~~~CX~l~OH~¢~OO~~ the Abb6 Desgodius, has been for thirty years trying to gain access to Thibet. He has been ..=&, all that time living on the southern and easternJ'rontiers, and has compiled a compendious ~~ Thibetan dictionary. l""'I'P"'I..-t,….,….
Turke;y.-Probably no mission station Including baptized children and converts for in the Turkish Empire can give a better ac- baptism, the total at present under the care of count of the work attempted and the results our missionaries is 85,806.-Periodical Acaccomplished in"evangelistic labor and tour- count•. ing among the out-stations than Cesarea, in the Western Turkey Mission. Dr. Farnsworth -The chief religions of the world may be and his associates there have a noble memorial classified according to the number of adherof their enterprise and fidelity in the numer- ents as follows: Christianity, 450,000,000; Confucianism, 390,000,000; Hinduism, 190,000,- 000; Mohammedism, 18,000,000; Fetishism, 150,000,000; Buddhism,I00,OOO,OOO; Spirit Worship, 50,000,000; Shintoism, 20,000,000; Jews, and abroad, for publications, loan libraries, 8,000,000; Parsees, 1,000,000. Total, 1,449,000,- expenses, etc., amounted to $30,241.41. 000. $491.85 has been expended for the aid of the shipwrecked and destitute. -The following shows the distribution of missionaries in the chief missionary fields: -A popular edition of the Bible in Portu- China has one ordained missionary to each gese is to be issued in numbers on the same '733,000 of population; Siam, one to each 600,- plan that has been so sucoessful in Italy. 000; Corea, one to each 500,000; India, one to each 850,000; Africa, one to each 300,000; -Medical Missions: Facts and Testimo- Japan, one to each 215,000; Burma, one to nies to their Success. Compiled by W. J. each 200,000. Nearly all the missionaries in Wanleas, M. D., and published by the Mission- Africa are around the coast. In Oentral ary Echo Publishing Co., Toronto, Oanada. Africa and the Soudan there is as yet only It is a small, convenient, and admirably ar- one missionary to each 5,000,000 people.- ranged manual. Price 6 cents; 30 cents a Baptist Mission. dozen.
-Heathen at Home. The Rev. J. S. Stone, -Rev. F. T.Whitman, of the Brighton Ave. formerly of Bombay, now engaged in mission Church, Boston, Mass, has sailed for Rangoon, work in this city, testifies that the moral deg- Burmah, where he is to become pastor of the radation of New York city equals the worst English-speaking Baptist church in that city. pht>nomena of the Black Holes of sin in Cal- cutta and Bombay, where the depravity of -Bishop Thoburn of India expects to be the Orient shows its darkest sides. At times, in this country in July for a brief visit. he says, it is appalling even to an Indian mis- sionary. -Mr. Joseph Thomson's article on "The Results of European Intercourse with the -Chinese Evangelist. We deeply regret to African," in the March Contemporary Review, note that our friend, Mr. Rapper, has been will strengthen the hands of thA British repre- obliged to discontinue the issue of this excellent sentatives at the International Oonference now missionary magazine for want of support. It sitting in Brussels. The importation of ardent is a pity; for just such a periodical is needed to spirits is producing results even more appall- awaken a deeper and wider interest in our ing than many philanthropists have pictured. Chinese population. We earnestly hope it Our own merchants, says Mr. Thomson. may be revived. Is there not some liberal through the trade of gin and rum, are spread- ,soul who will furnish the means necessary? ing ravages of demoralization that ought to Would it not be well for some of our mission- clothe us in sackcloth and ashes. European ary societies to consider the matter? Such a intercourse along the West Ooast, and over the promising agency ought not to be left to die. whole of East Central Africa, spite of mission- -J.M.S. ary efforts, has been an unmitigated curse. The warehouses along the coast are filled with -American Seamen's Friend Society. gin; the air seems to reek with it, and every Dr. Meredith, of the Tompkins Avenue Oon- hut is redolent with its fumes. To walk gregational Ohurch, Brooklyn, preached the through the squalor and vice of a village is annual sermon in his own church to a large like a horrible nightmare. Women and chilaudience on Sunday evening, May 4. dren even are calling out for gin, and all is be- sotment and fiendish debauch. This awful The report of the secretary of the society, witness is from one who has seen it all, and the Rev. Dr. W. O. Stitt, was read, giving par- ought profo'undly to affect the Church of God. ticulars in regard to the society's work that cannot fail to be gratifying evidence of suc- -A Missing Missionary Steamer. A telecess in its sixty-second year. The feature of gram from Victoria, BrItish Oolumbia, anthe work for seamen that was most empha- nounces that the missing missionary steamer, sized by both Dr. Meredith and Dr. Stitt was Glad Tidings, concerning whose safety considthe "loan library" scheme. These libraries erable apprehensions have been entertained, are selected by experts and placed upon ships has arrived safely at Port Simpson. ·on their outward voyages. -The American Baptist Year Book for During the year ending March 31, 1890, the 1890 gives large figures for the Regular Baptists BQCiety had sent out 490 of these loan libraries. in tlie United States. They have 21,175 or- 'The total number of volumes in these libraries dained ministers, 33,588 churches, and 3,070,047 'is 21,070, and of new books 6,665, available members. These figures include white and during the year to 7,026 seamen. The United colored, Northern and Southern Baptists. states naval vessels and the hospitals, as well The number of baptisms last year was 144,575. as the life-saving stations, have also all been They' have 17,096 Sunday·schools, with 1,158,665 provided with these libraries. pupIls; the value of their church property is $53,568,502, and the aggregate of their contri- The cash receipts of the society from lega- butions last year was $9,363,S77. ·cies, donations, loan library contributions, and ·other sources amounted to $38,5l!O.35. The -American Colonization Society. Receipts ·disbursements for missionary work at the during the past year, $17,144; expenses, $13,- 'Cherry street home and elsewhere at home 508: balance in t.he treasury, $3,636. Sixty emigrants were sent out during the year, making a total of 21.858 persons to whom the Society has given homes III Africa. Liberia is in a flourishin~ condition. It is America's gift to Africa. It 1B a comprehensive missionary station. It is a ~rand basis from which to in- troduce civilizatlOn and Ohristianity into all that region of the Western Ooast.
INDEX OF CONTENTS OF THE JUNE NUMBER. [June-
INDEX OF CONTENTS OF THE JUNE NUMBER.
PAGE China, 474; Anti·Chinese Legislation, I.-LITERATURE OF MISSIONS..•••••• 401-446 474; Dr. Peck's Nine Years' Service, 477; n.-GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLI' Chinese Evangelist……. . …………. 479" Colonization Society, American, last re- GENCE ……………………. +17-454 port……………………………….. 479 m.-MIsSIONARY CORRESPONDENCE••• 454-458 Comparative Destitution in Christian and IV.-INTERNATIONAI.. DEPARTMlllNT.••. 458-466 Pagan Lands…. ………… ……. .••. 471 V.-MoNTHLY CONClllRT OF MISSIONS 466-470 Consecration Prayer Meeting, A, and What VI.-EDITORIAI.. NOTES ON CuRRENT Came out of It……………………… 472 Druid Celts, The-The Early Missionary TOPICS. '•••.•.•……. " …… 471-475 Race of Western Europe, Dr. Ellinwood 438 VIT.-PROGRESS OF MISSIONS: MONTHLY GREAT BRITAIN.-Dr. Pierson's Mis· sion Tour of Britain, 401; Memorial BULLETIN •••••••••••••••••••• , 475-479 Statue to John Howard …………….. 474 Heathen at Home ……………………. 479 Authors. How Shall Mohammedans be Evangelized 428· INDIA.-An Extraordinary Pamphlet, Anonymous, How Shall Mohammedans be ~52; Appeal from the Kohlapur Mission, 456; The Gospel Weakening the Defences Evangelized••••••••••<.. ,……… •.••.• 428 of Hinduism, 444; The oldest Foreign Missionary out of 900 in India is an EDlTORS.-A. T. Pierson, The lIlission Tour American, Rev John Newton, 477; The of Britain .•••••…•…•.••…. , •. , .•…• 401 Cambridge Mission to Delhi, 477; Darjeel. ing Mission ………………………… 478' Editorial Notes, J. M. Sherwood………. 471 Indian Evangelization, J. T. Gracey, D.D .. 461 Ellinwood, Dr. F. F., The Druid Celts-The International Missionary Union, Seventh Annual Meet.ing……. . …………… 465, Early Missionary Race of Western Eu· JAPAN.-The Modern Martyr of the rope, 438; The Great African Mission Orient, Joseph Neesima, Letter from Field ………………. ,' …………. 466 Rev. JamesH. Pettee, 456; Various items Gracey, J. T., D.D.; International Papers. 458 of interest. '" ……… '" …………… 478 Grout, Rev. Lewis, Pastor Harms and His JEWS.-Free Church of Scotland Mis· Mission Work ……………………… 410 sions …………………………….. 453 Knox, Charles E., D.D., Personal Observa- KOREA.-The Korean Alphabet.. ……•. 478 tions in Brazil…………. . ……… 422 Let Us Expect Great Things, Dr. J. T. Moorehead, Max'Vood, The Student Vol· Gracey …………………………… 458 unteer Movement ……. , …………… +17 Medical Missions, Facts and Testimonies Schodde, Rev. George H., Ph. D., The to their Success. … ….. .. ………… 479 Religious Work Among the Immigrants 416 Missionaries-the distribution of, in the Starbuck, Rev. Charles C., Translations world…………………………… 479 from Foreign l1issionary Magazines .. " 443 Mohammedans, How Shall They be Evan· gelized …………………………… 428 Countries and Subjects. Moravian Missions …………………… 445 Moravian llnssions, table of statistics in AFRICA.-British Missions and the Por· 1790 and 1890. .. . . .. .. … • .•• ………… 478. tuguese,448; German Protestant Missions NEW ZEALAND.-Ninety·five percent. on the Cameroons River, +19; A Pathetic of the population professing Christians.. 478 Story, 450; Ascent of Ruwenzori in Opium Traffic in China; Powerful Appeal Africa, 451; The Great African Mission Against it from the Native Churches..•• 454 Field, by Dr. F. F. Ellinwood, 466; Afri·· Pastor Harms and His Mission Work, Rev. can ExPlorations, 467; "Sincere Chris· Lewis Grout ……………………….. 410 tians" and the Liquor Traffic in Africa, PORTUGAL.-Its Claims to Afrlcan Ter- 471; Two favorite Pictures of Stanley, ritory, a Note of Warning from R. N. C. 453 471; The Balolo tnbes on the Upper Religions of the world classified. . •• . . •. . .. 478 Congo, 475; Geographical Discovery and Results of European Intercourse with the Missions, 476; Lieut. Werner and Tippoo African ………………….. '" …….. 479 Tib, 476; Congo Steamers, 476; Mission. RUSSIA.-Foreign religions in the em. ary Notes rom the Congo, 476; South pire ……………………………… 478 African Missions, 476; Swedish Mis. Seaman's Friend Society, American, an· sionaries to the Congo and China, 476; nual report. . … .. ….. .. .•.• • .. .•. …… 479 Royal Niger Co., 476; Bishop Taylor and Secular Instruction……… : …………. 443 hl"African Missions, 477; From our Cor· Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign respondent at the Equator Station, 477; Missions ………………………….. 447 British South Africa Co.,……………. 477 THIBET.-Thibetan Dictionary ……… 478 UNITED STATES.-Religious Work Baptist Year Book for 1890, the American 479 Among the Immigrants…………….. 41& Berlin Missionary Society, Statistics of, ••• 458 Worship of Words, The ………………. 464, RRAZIL.-Dr. Knox's Personal Observa.
tions in, 422; Church Disestablishment.. 465 CHINA. – High Honor shown to an American Missionary, 452; God and the at Opium Traffic, Letter from an Ameri.
can Missionary Shanghai and an Appeal from the Christian Churches of Canton to the (''hristian Churches of England, 454; The Literary Teacher in
The Missionary Review of the World — September 1888
THE CENTENARY CONFERENCE OF MISSIONS
MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD.
VOL. XI. No. n.-Old Series._ _SEPTEMBER, _ _VOL. I. No. 9.-New Series.
I.-LITERATURE OF MISSIONS.
THE OENTENARY OONFERENOE OF MISSIONS. SECOND EDITORIAL LETTER FROM REV. A. T. PIERSON, D.D.
LONDON, June 26, 1888. My DEAR DR. SHERWOOD :-This great World Oouncil impresses me as, so far in history, the climax of a series of astounding developments, which, like a pyramidal structure, have been rising from the broad base laid a century ago in the recognition of duty and debt to this lost world. 'These developments may especially be noted in seven directions or successive stages. First, there came the opening of doors till the whole world is now practically open. Then the organization of Missionary Societies and Boards now numbering over two hundred. Then the revival of the doctrine of divine stewardship and the consequent consecration of money; then the multiplication of laborers until the church knows not how to send those that offer. Then the development of the woman's agency in direct mission work. Then the bestowment of a new spirit of united prayer, and now the exhibition of the essential unity of all true disciples in what seems to me the most important and thoroughly ecumenical council that has ever yet assembled. The greatness of this gathering grows upon us all. Babel's miracle was reversed at Pentecost-the confusion of tongues that divided and dispersed mankind was offset by the tongues of fire uttering in every language the wonderful works of God. But here we have an advance even on Pentecost. Then and there, disciples could do nothing more than utter the gospel message, each in his own tongue. Here, from the east, west, north, south, the scarred veter~ns from a thousand fields have come up to the metropolis of the world, to translate into our one English tongue the stupendous triumphs of this gospel as wrought under their own eyes, in the isles of the sea, in India and Ohina, Japan and Burmah, Turkey and Syria, Africa and Papal lands. But though we have reached a climax of development, the topstone and capstone have yet to be laid before the pyramid of wonders is complete. The 1JJhole world must now be taken possession of and occupied for Ohrist. Without this grandest result, all else is comparatively not only unfinished, but is failure. To this end all elsc points and tends. For this God led His people to see and feel their debt to a dying world. For this He opened wide the doors, led to the organization of societies whose network of effort should encompass the globe; for this He led disciples to give money and offer themselves; for this ·He brought woman to the front, gave a spirit of prayer and manifested the essential unity of all true disciples. And if now, with all these encouragements and helps, we do not go up and possess the land and drive out the sons of Anak, it will be the most faithless and cowardlyapostacy of the ages! Never came the words of the inspired apostle with more force to the church: "See then that ye walk circllmspectly, not as fools, but as wise, buying up opportunity, because the days are evil! Wherefore, be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is, and be not drunk with wine, wherein; is excess, but be filled with the Spirit." Eph. v. 15-18.
Another impression most profoundly made by this Oonference is the necessity for a positive, aggressive type of Ohristian faith and life. The gospel needs no defense-if it does, the best apologetics are found in ener·getics. ;, To use the spade and throw up defenses may be well enough for those whose principal thought is to put up a barrier and a rampart between themselves and the foe. But whenever an enemy can put the opposing army on the defensive an immense advantage is gained. The only hope of successful warfare is to carry the war into the enemy's country-give him all he can do to take care of himself, press him to the wall, divide his forces, giving him no chance to combine and concentrate; compel him to garrison every imperiled point, not knowing where next you are about to strike. God never meant that His troops should busy themselves throwing up intrenchments and hiding behind defenses. To attempt to defend the Bible is a confession or concession of its weakness, or rather our own. Ohristian missions have shown that the gospel needs no defense. It is the power of God unto salvation, and the wisdom of God, too. All we have to do is to let philosophy, speculation, doubtful hypotheses alone, and simply, persistently, faithfully, lovingly, positively preach Ohrist, and the gospel will assert its own authority and vindicate its own divinity. There is such a thing as obscuring its glory even by the smoke of the incense of our own praises. There was one paper read on the work in the Fiji Islands; it occupied but twenty minutes, yet that twenty minutes, packed full of simple facts, carried conviction not to be produced by a half a day's subtle reasoning. The logic of events is the demonstration of the Spirit. The world may dispute the conclusions of argument: the keen edge of the metaphysician's sword often only whets the edge of his antagonists. But there are wonders of God's power that compel even Oharles Darwin to say, with Pharaoh's magicians, "This 1:S the finger of God." Those facts, modern missions must multiply and spread before the people. We nc:cd not yoke our arguments to God's chariot: only gather out the stones and give it free course and it will be glorified.
Another profound impression left by this World Oouncil is that of the. marvelous celerity of movement in this march of the ages. Truly God is marching on, and he who would keep pace with God must not lag behind or lack for energy and enthusiasm.': This is an age of steam and telegraph. There has been an amazing development of human invention and discovery. The march of humanity has been so rapid as to leave every other age far behind in rate of advance. Within a quarter of a century changes have taken place which have revolutionized human society. The spectroscope has been added to the telescope and microscope. The telegraph has yoked the lightning to its chariot, and now outstrips even the wings of the wind. We have devised photometers so delicate that stars which the greatest telescope cannot reveal are detected by the delicate instruments that betray the presence of the faintest light.. 'The deaf are almost made to hear and the blind to see. The most terrible surgical operations are performed while the patient is wholly unconscious through the beneficent action of anmsthetics. But if the march of man is rapid, how much more so is the march of God. He never falls behind. ~'The faster man moves the faster God moves. The celerity of His march is always in proportion to the preparation and capacity of His people to follow. And hence we may expect Him as leader to move onward and forward with more and more astounding rapidity as He gives us facility and opportunity for a corresponding rapidity of advance.
The unthinking man and even disciple may sometimes become discouraged and complain that it is impossible to meet the growing demands of the constantly advancing and enlarging work of missions. But such forget two things. First, this is the comincing proof that it is God's work and He is in it. No human power could have opened doors as He has done it, or swept away obstacles such as He has removed, or insured such miraculous swiftness of movement. In every part of the world-field God is manifestly working, and because He is working, His church finds new developments perpetually challenging her attention and response. While hurrying to occupy one new point and post of advantage another and another invite immediate occupation. While going up to possess some fair land that has suddenly been thrown open, fresh territory on every side commands and demands our prompt entrance, lest the enemy go in before us. While we are hurling back one wing of the enemy, the other gives way and the very center reels and staggers, and God sounds the trumpet call for fresh battalions to come to His help and complete the route of the foe. All healthy work and successful war makes constantly increasing demands on our resources, our sacrifices, our energies, our endeavors. A healthy boy will outgrow and outwear his old clothes, in fact they never get old, for while yet comparatively new, he gets too big for them, or his very activity quickly wears them through or tears them through. But no sensible mother ever complains because her boy is growing. A poor sickly cripple may wear the same pants till they rot from mere age, but the cripple does not grow. Because missions represents the healthy offspring of the church in her best type of life, the work of missions will always astonish us by rapidity of development. The more rapid~ the more normal and healthy and hopeful.
Secondly, let us not forget that it is the salvation of the church to be il'l, stra£ts. Laodiceanism is always already developed whenever and wherever disciples become rich in goods and easy in mind, as those that have need of nothing, or are sufficient unto themselves. Emergencies drive us to God for new help and strength, as they drove Moses and Joshua and Hezekiah to the throne of grace. To feel deeply our own inadequacy to the task; to be consciously in the minority; to be humbled by our own weakness, poverty, jgnorance, infirmity-this is the first condition of real power. If our trust in God be only as great as our distrust of ourselves, there are no triumphs impossible.
It is an indisputable historic fact that the eras and epochs of the greatest power in the church have been those when the exigencies and emergencies have been the most trying and desperate. The very fires which, by a seven-fold t"rial in the furnace, kept the Huguenots and Waldensian churches pure and true, were the fires of persecution. The most startling supernatural deliveranccs were wrought when every human hope had been crushed by apparent and overwhelming disaster. The church of God will never be in easy circumstances. Whenever J eshurun waxes fat he always kicks. Whenever God's people get in comfortable and especially luxurious circumstances, then evangelism declines, worldliness creeps subtly in, devotion dies, and the church has but a name to live. But to see a host of foes in our very front, which we cannot meet in our own strength; to behold a work whose very opportunities far overtax our available resources of men and means; to find God's chariot hastening on at such a rate that at our utmost speed we can barely keep it in sight-ah, this deepens the spirit of prayer, evokes consecration, and compels close fellowship with each other and with God.
Another impression left by this conference is the necessity of closer and more acUve fell01lJsMp among disciples.
Much has been said of our un'ity as expressed and developed in this great conference. Let us not forget that the very emergency of the church compels unity. Our opportunity and our peril alike make unity absolutely necessary. Before a united, determined, malignant, desperate foe, marshaling all his hosts and concentrating all his force against the Bible, the Ohrist and the instItutions of the gospel, we cannot afford to be divided. We unconsciously and involuntarily draw together in presence of a common danger. When the ark is in danger, we forget our tribal standards and close up our ranks about the tabernacle of God, until we touch shoulder to shoulder and forget our tribal allegiance in our anxiety for the treasures of our faith and hope. Macaulay says that in presence of men that worship a cow, the differences between evangelical disciples become positively insignificant. We add that to magnify and emphasize them till they become separating barriers and dividing lines, in the presence of foes that, like Herod and Pilate, become friends for the sake of crushing Ohristianity, is positively criminal. I take no merit or credit to myself that in this great conference I have forgotten my own country and my father's house, and almost lost my own identity and denominational connection. In the presence of issues so vast, and perils so tremendous, and work so herculean, and foes so colossal, all has been driven from my mind save the fact that I am a servant of God, and am standing with other servants of God, watching the imperative signals of His hand in the crisis of the opportunity of the church and the destiny of the world. And if, in- presence of such an enemy on the one hand and the Jehovah of the covenant on the other, I could not forget all else but this, that we have one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one common cause, hope, and home, I should doubt whether, after all, I am a disciple. A man who, in such a presence, magnifies his denomination is only a fossilized ecclesiastic-a mere mummy.
In connection with this necessity of closer fellowship, one other impression this conference has graven on my heart, and that of many others, as with the pen of iron and the point of adamant: The voice of God to-day commands active co-operation among disdples in mission qoork. Here for ten days we have met from every quarter and every evangelical branch of the great Ohurch Oatholic, and not a discordant note has been sounded. Brethren may dwell together in unity, may talk freely and frankly of things in which there is wide difference of opinion, and yet feel one heart-beat of responsive sympathy. This harmony of feeling and concert of action would continue if the contact and fellowship could continue. But there is danger that when we separate, diversities of sphere, denominational view and practical working may leave the way open for misapprehension and possible conflict. Oan we not perpetuate this contact and preserve this fellowship? The conference has bound itself by wholesome restraints not to open the door to resolutions. But even wholesome restrictions must not become a yoke of bondage.
I am fully persuaded that there is at least one way in which we may preserve certain links of contact and co-operation. We have spent hours upon the discussion of missionary comity, and in it we were touching the very core of practical mission problems. Now the only hope of permanent adjustment of missionary comity is by a missionary committee. Change the emphasis of your accent and you have the remedy suggested. This blessed contact which has developed such overflowing charity it would be a disaster to have broken and lost. Could there not be a committee, not legislative but advisory, representing different denominations and societies, to whom might be referred any questions pertaining to the adjustment of our common and co-operative missionary work? What if such representative men as Sir John Kenneway and Eugene Stock, Wardlaw Thompson and A. C. Thompson, Ellenwood and Gordon, Hudson Taylor and Wm. M. Taylor, Bishop Wilson and Ninde, could be organized into an interdenominational and international missionary committee, to keep up this blessed contact and counsel with each other by correspondence or converse as new exigencies arise I Let me mention one direction especially in which such a committee would be pre-eminently helpful: the occupation of fields for Ghrist. First, as to fields already fairly preoccupied, it could be determined to leave them to those now working in them, unless too large. So has the Nile Valley been practically left to the United Presbyterians, Turkey to American Congregationalists, Palestine to English Churchmen, and Siam to American Presbyterians.
Second, as to fields now open but unoccupied, whose very vastness demands division of labor, such a committee might aid in securing prompt and united occupancy without overlapping and interference.
Third, as to fields not yet opened fully but just about to be-like Korea and Thibet-preparations might be made by which both delay and waste of material might be prevented. So important does this matter seem to me that I can think of no other work more important, and for the sake of doing this any man might feel honored if he were called of God, to lay down any other and separate himself unto this. I am painfully conscious that the occupation of the world-field, vast as it is, is not a matter of numbers. There is an enthusiasm of mere numbers that is often misleading and mistaken. God can work by a few humble faithful consecrated souls better than by a vast host of nominal disciples. Quality is far more important than quantity. But the fewer the heroic souls ready to dare the self-denying work the greater the need of preventing waste. We shall need all the men and women and all the money and means which can be obtained for the Lord's work. Let us have wise and holy counsellors, who act for the church and the Lord Christ, in mapping out the world-field and distributing the workmen widely and wisely.
But above !}ll our eyes need to be turned to the Lord. In the year-1863, in the midst of the great war for the Union, the ordinarily rainless summer in Nevada was suddenly interrupted by a
THB TRAINING OF WORKMEN
densely dark and threatening sky of storm-clouds. So heavy the pall that rested over Virginia City that Mount Davidson could scarcely be distinguished in the distance from the black masses behind it.
A remarkable phenomenen then appeared. Upon the very summit a little tongue of golden flame swayed to and fro like some weird supernatural signal; strange flame, indeed! for it neither waxed nor waned, but steadily burned on. It was the flag of the republic. There chanced to be a rift in the dense clouds, and the setting sun through that unseen rift flung its radiant beam upon that nation's standard and transfigured it to golden flame, an(l for an hour that burning bauner held the charmed gaze of the multitude. And, stranger still, that very day marked the fall of Vicksburg and the victory of Gettysburg!
Darkness that may be felt overspreads the earth, and gross darkness the people. The black clouds of skepticism and infidelity, irreligion and idolatry gather their awful masses in our sky and threaten a destructive storm. But on the very summits of Pagandom, in the midst of the death-shade, waves God's own signal. '1'he flag of the Cross burns in the ray of the Sun of Righteousness, the glory of God transfigures it. Even while we gaze upon it Satan's strongholds are giving way before the onset of God's missionary hosts, and the very tide of battle is turning. We have only to keep our eyes fixed on that banner, . and by that sign we shall conquer!
THE TRAINING OF WORKMEN.
• BY HENRY GRATTAN GUINNESS, LONDON.
[Dr. Pierson writes, concerning this paper, read at the London Conference and furnished 08 by the author for publication: "Clear, practical, pungent and powerful, it captivated the Rssembly. "-EDS.1 WE have in thiJ'l year 1888 reached an important crisis in missions. A hundred years of missionary labor lie behind us, and we gather at this International convention from east, west, north, and south, to study its records, and to learn its lessons, that we may start with the fresh knowledge and renewed energy for our still unreached goal-the evangelization of the world.
The century has been a glorious one in gospel work. After ages of apostacy-followed by stormy times of Reformation-the church awoke a hundred years ago to its duty to publish the gospel to all mankind. During the century, thousands of devoted laborers have gone forth; hundreds of heathen languages have been learned; the Scriptures translated into them; the Wora of God widely proclaimed, and some three millions of heathen converted to Christianity. Among all people the gospel has proved its soultransforming power. A co-operative providence has opened the world. Railways and steamers traverse it in every direction. Meanwhile Protestant Great Britain, America and Germany have largely increased their Ipopulation and their wealth. England alone, after spending freely on necessaries and luxuries, hoards annually now no less than 240 millions of money (1,200 millions of dollars). The means to accomplish our God-given work are increased and increasing. What we want now, and what we seek, is full purpose and resolution to use the powers we possess. God grant that this conference may be, as it ought to be, a tUrning-point in missions-a stage from which the church will make a fresh start, and push on her glorious warfare against sin and Satan with tenfold courage and energy, l'esolvingby divine help to evangelize the world before the present generation has passed away!
If this is to be done it is clear that there must be an enormous increase in the missionary army. The non-Christian nations number over a thousand millions. To give no more than one missionary to every ten thousand of these we should need a hundred thousand missionaries. There are at present only six thousand-in the entire field-men and women, all told. A new era, however, seems dawning-witness the hundred missionaries added to the China Inland Mission in 1887, and the thousands of undergraduates in England and America who have recently pledged themselves to missionary work.
God is evidently answering prayer, and thrusting forth laborers into His harvest.
We gather here to-day at the outset of this convention, to consider the qualifications and training necessary for missionaries. Four points al'e raised for discussion-the first as to mental and spiritual qualifications; the second a as to special training at home; a third as to training in the field; and fourth as to the advisability of establishing missionary lectureships in our colleges. I take up here the first two of these points-the testing of candidates to ascertain their suitability for the work, and their training after acceptance, and before being sent out.
And firstly as to the qualifications required. A missionary is an ambassador for Christ to the heathen-or to any non-Christian people. It is of necessity, therefore, that he be a true Christian-an anointed man, one called of God to the ministry of the gospel, and sent forth by Him. The church cannot create such laborers; only He who made the world can make a true missionary. No training can manufacture him; no human ordination can fit him for his work. The best musical education cannot make a musician of one who has no ear, nor the ablest instruction an artist of one who has no taste. It is clear that we cannot create even genius, how much less grace. A true missionary, like a true minister, is a supernatural gift to the church and to the world from the ascended Saviour. He ascended np far above all heavens, and gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. He alone gave them then, He alone can give them now, In considering the application of a candidate, therefore, the question to be settled is not, Can he be made into a missionary? but, Has God called him to be such? Have the necessary qualifications been bestowed? Only where this is the case can the training be of any use. If a man or woman is to become a true and useful missionary, there must first be not only genuine convel'sion and sincere personal piety, but whole-hearted self-consecration to the work of God, and a call to His holy service; including a strong inward sense of vocation, together with providential indications and adaptations. There must be mental and physical fitness for foreign service, and abQve all the spirit of Christ, for no matter what other qualifications So mah may have, he will never be a missionary unless he is filled with Christ-like compassion for the lost, and with a burning desire to seek and save them. This should be the ruling feature of his character. With this almost any special talents may be utilized in missionary service; without it, even the most brilliant are useless, If the heart be intensely set on the salvation of the perishing, love will teach ingenuity, and lead to painstaking and perseverance. Love will overcome all obstacles, and accomplish its object. The love of souls, the longing for llalvation, is one of the leading qualifications that should be looked for. But even the presence of this does not make testing needless, for there may co-exist with it physical, mental or moral disqualifications. Delicate or unsound health, a nervous irritabitity or desponding temperament, a lack of vitality or vigor, personal defects of a serious character, hereditary or acquired tendency to any dangerous malady or bad habit-these are so many physical disqualifications. So again, a prevailing mental obtuse~ess, the absence of general intelligence and common sense, the want of good memory, of the power of attention and observation, of ability to distinguish between thin~ which differ-to reason correctly and to reach right conclusions-any conspicuous defect in these mental requisites should create grave hesitation as to a candidate's fitness for missionary work.
And there are moral dejects also which would hinder usefulness even if body and mind were all right. Pride, obstinacy, want of docility, of meekness, of sympathy; habits of exaggeration, misrepresentation, or mischiefmaking; indolence, selfishness, rashness, levity of character, lack of patience and perseverance, of faith and courage, of self-denial and prayerfulness; all these are prohibitory defects, and the candidate in whom any of these are observed should be recommended at least to wait till he has grown in needful grace.
On the other hand, it should be noted that there are defects of a different character, which constitute no real disqualification, because training may, to a great extent, remedy them. Ignorance, lack of habits of study, or of experience, narrow-mindedness arising from want of intercourse with various classes of men, awkwardness of manner, and many and similar faults, indicate only a candidate's need of education and training, and should not stamp him as ineligible.
2. We turn now to the subject of the TRAINING of accepted candidates. The question stands in the prospectus, "Should there be special training for the missionary service in addition .to general education?" The answer is, ttndoubtedly. God always trains His instruments. Every true missionary must be specially trained for his work, though not all in our schools. God has His own schools. They are very various, and some of them strange and severe. Moses was trained to be the deliverer and lawgiver of Israel in the courts and schools of Egypt, and in the mountain solitudes of Midian, for eighty years. David was trained to be king over Israel by years of spiritual experience, and by many dangers and toils. Daniel was trained for his wonderful prophetic office by his education and career in Babylon. Any training that we can give to a volunteer for missionary work will form at best but a small part of a greater and more effectual training which God himself bestows. We can do something to help, though not much. Let us see to it that what we do be done in harmony with that which is done by the'great Master. Our Lord himself carefully trained His apostles for the great work He committed to them-;-the evangelization of the world. His example is full of instruction for us.
Christgave His disciples a threefold training-theoretical, moral andpractical. This was one of the principal works which He accomplished in the world. He prepared the instruments, He trained the men who should afterwards evangelize it. He chose them, called them, kept them, taught them, prayed with them and for them, impressed Hisspirit upon them, breatheditinto them : He corrected them, expanded their minds, exalted their conceptions, and purified their motives and purposes. Before He sent them forth into the world He kept them for over three years with himself, during which He set before them His own glorious and sacred example. What a development of soul! What a training for service! "Follow me," He said, "and I will make you to become fishers of men." "Take up your cross and follow me." "Learn of me." " Abide in me."
Besides this He imparted to them priceless instructions. He tanght them the nature of His divine kingdom, His own personal character and claims, the nature of true holiness, the simplicity, spirituality and power of prayer, the excellence of humility, the essential duty and blessed results of self-sacrifice, the sin of hypocrisy and formality, the spirituality of worship, and the supremacy of the Word of God over all human tradition,;. He revealed to them also the future, unfolding the prospects which lay before the church the Jewish people and the Gentile world. He revealed the advent and th~ work of the Comforter, to whom they were in future ,to look for guidance and help. It was by these instructions and influences that He fitted His disciples to be the promulgoators of a pure, spiritual, universal religion, with charity as wide as the world, with consciences sensitive about sin, yet free from superstitious scruples; with habits of obedience to the divine law, though emancipated from bondage to human customs, and with characters cured of pride and passion, impatience, selfishness and self-will. Christ employed as His first ambassadors God-given, God-taught and God-sent messengers, and even these He had both sifted and trained.
Hence it is evident that the development of spiritualli!e is the great thing to be aimed at in missionary training. Woe to the church if she neglects this, or gives it a secondary place! Her messengers will be of little use, for un_ spiritual agents can never accomplish spiritual work. Are we not building up a spiritual temple? Must not each stone of it be a living stone, seeing the house is to be the habitation of God through the Spirit? If, then, the end in view be spiritual, so must the means and methods be-we must follow the example of Christ.
The effect of this training was to transform the men who received it. They became a wonder in the world. Men marvelled at these Galilean fishermen -ignorant and unlearned as they were in earthly things-that they should possess such spil"itual light and love, such wisdom and boldness as they evinced. Men took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus. Yes, they had been with Jesus. That was the secret of their power; that was the method of their training. The society of Christ was the school of their apostleship, the college in which they graduated. They had been with Jesus, and as the Father had sent Him so He sent them into the world, promising himself to be with them, and with their faithful successors even to the end of the age.
The calling, qualifying and directing of the laborers thus commenced by our Lord was afterwards continued by the Holy Ghost througoh the church. He sent forth missionaries unto the Gentiles. The Apostolic Church acted directly under the Spirit's guidance. " As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." Then the church fasted, prayed, laid their hands on those men and sent them away. That is, they set apart and sent out those whom God had qualified and called. The Lord was with these missionaries and wrought glorious things through their instrumentality.
We cannot improve on this example of the primitive church. The Acts of the Apostles form the best guide-book for missionary societies and missionaries. The impulse and the energy must always come from heaven. Successful missionaries are God-appointed men. We must pray for such; watch and wait for them; welcome them and utilize them as they are given. Yes, for the thousands of workers still needed in the mission-.!ield we must first of all pray-pray as Elijah prayed for the rain, fervently, effectually, incessantly tIll the prayer is answered; pray as the church prayed for the promised Spirit before Pentecost. Such prayer would bring another Pentecost, and we need such a season to-day. We want the world to be evangelized, but we must remember that He who redeemed it and commanded His apostles to evangelize it, forbade them to leave Jerusalem on their glorious mission till they were endued with power from on high. They obeyed Him; the power came, and thousands were converted by it. But there never was and never will be any substitute for this spIritual power, this holy anointing. Without it evangelistic or missionary work must be in the deepest sense a failure.
With these sacred examples before us we cannot but ask the question whether our mode of testing missionary candidates is sufficiently careful and thorough, and whether our plan of training them aims, as it should do, at the development of the moral and spiritual naturH even more than at the invigoration of the mental powers, and the impartation of mere knowledge. Do we seek and select in the first place, and cultivate in the second, the type of character which Christ cultivated? Are we guided in our selection mainly by the spiritual stature of the candidate-by his humility, patience, prayerfulness, and faith-by his possession of the Spirit of Christ? In our training, again, is our aim the right one? We educate abundantly, and education is undoubtedly a good thing, but it is a poor substitute for grace exercised and spiritual gifts strengthened by use, for habits of practical devotion and self-denying labor formed and established. Collegiate study and examinations are not enough. Degrees are no criterion. Men of high scholastic attainments have been sent out in our own day to convert the heathen, who have been converted by the heathen, or rather perverted by them from the truth. As Gideon tested his three hundred, so do we need to test and sift our missionary volunteers, and the testing should include the Oross. "Master," said one of old, "I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest." "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests," was the answer, "but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head." That is, Christ intimated to the would-be disciple that to follow Him, he must be prepared to share His lot." No training that misses this element is worth nluch.
'fhe reality of the missionary's devotedness is best proved and developed by hard a.nd humble work among the ignorant, the prejudiced, the poor, the degraded at home. If a man objects to, or slurs labor among them, as beneath his dignity or disagreeable to his tastes, it is useless to send him forth as a missionary. Selfishness may make a good student, natural ability an acceptable speaker, but only distasteful service puts to the proof a man's grace, his sense of duty and strength of principle. Fifteen years' experience in the training of young men, and personal dealing with more than three thousand volunteers for missionary service, leads me to urge the importance of this test. Next, perhaps, in value to spirituality may be ranked evangelistic gift and ability. How is this to be developed? In the same way that skill in any other line is imparted-by instruction and practice. The preparation for all ordinary work consists in the actual doing of it, not merely in gaining a theoretical knowledge of how it ought to be done. No one would employ a mechanic who had never worked at his trade, nor an architect who had never erected a building. No one would employ a doctor who had not treated the sick, nor should we ever send out missionaries-preachers and teachers for the heathen-who have not done teaching and preaching work, and been blessed to the conversion of souls at home. If a man is not a successful soul-winner in his native land, he is not likely to become such in China or Africa. It is surely unwise in a high degree to commit to unproved men one of the most difficult of tasks. Unless a man has succeeded in turning others to righteousness in these lands where it is comparatively easy, what reason have we to conelude that he will do so in heathendom where it is much more difficult? There are home heathen enough in our crowded cities to afford practical training for missionary students. Just as medical students walk the hospitals, so should om' missionary students learn their future work in our courts and alleys-in the centers where sin-sick and perishing souls needing the gospel remedy congregate. East London, for instance, with its vast and varied population, is an admirable training ground for missionary students. It was this fact which led uS,many years ago, to plant there our Institute for Home and Foreign Missions, from which, during the last fifteen years many hundreds of missionaries have gone forth. We have more than a million of the working classes in this quarter. We have infidels, Romanists, English and foreign Jews, French, Germans, and Italians; Africans and Asiatics, including Chinese, Hindoos, and other nationalities. We nave drunkards and paupers, and multitudes who are heathen in their habits, if not in their creed. Among these the evangelist can prove his gifts; he can either deal singly with indiVIduals, or preach to companies gathered in rooms, mission-halls, lodging houses, or on board ships; and above all, he can address crowds in the open air.
The value of open-air preaching as a preparatIOn for missionary work is exceedingly great. It cultivates aggressiveness, boldness, simplicity, directness, and earnestness of style, an extemporaneous delivery, and an interesting and striking manner of presenting divine truths. The open-air preacher 'must first gather his congrq'ation, and then hold it in spite of surrounding distractions, with nothing but the simple power of his words. He must suit his style to the roughest and shrewdest of his auditors. He must promptly meet objections, answer questions, and quiet disturbances, as he seeks to win an entrance to unwelcome truths in the hearts and minds of neglecters and rejecters of the Word of God. He has to face opposition, and enaure at times contempt and shame for the Master's sake. It is not easy work, and there is nothing in it to foster conceit or gratify self-esteem. It is really hard, self-denying service, more analogous to that which would be required of a missionary in the streets of India or China than almost any other form of gospel labor.
To preach from a pulpit to orderly congregations, prepared to listen re- spectfully and sympathetically, is no preparation for labor among the heathen. There is no trouble in gathering the people under such circumstances. Everything in their surroundings helps religious impression, and intelligent attention is bestowed on the preacher.. But there is nothing of this sort in heathendom lOne who is only up to work of this conventional type might almost as well stay at home. The missionary has to press his message on mim who have no notion of its importance, no disposition even to listen to it, no substratum of religiOUS knowledge on which to work, no enlightened conscience to which to appeal, no habits of reverence or decorum, no sym- pathy with the preacher's mode of thought, and but an imperfect compr~hen sion of his language. Like the open-air preacher, the missionary must not expect either to be sought, appreciated, or thanked for his service, nor to find in it any other gratification than that of serving Christ and saving men. In this and in other similar efforts to raise and transform degraded and sunken populations at home, the missionary candidate is not the best trained for his future work, but best tested, best proved fit for it.
In addition to such experiences a missionary needs, of cours'e, knowledge of various kinds. Education of the mind has its place, though it be not the first place. The higher the mental qualifications of a man or woman (other things being equal) the better. But here it should be clearly stated that the nature of the case indicates that only a certain proportion of missionary workers require what we call a thorough education. Do we not limit too narrowly the class of men from which we select missionary agents? Do we sufficiently remember that the first missionaries were mostly poor and uninfluential in worldly position, ignoran t and unlearned as regards mental attainments, not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble were called. For one learned Paul of Tarsus there were elev.en plain men of no special erudition, fishermen and men of that class whose principal education was that which they received from Christ himself. The army requires more privates than officers; and one architect can plan a building which will need many hands to erect. Some highly-cultured men are of course needed in a mission, and are essential to its highest prosperity; they are needed to do literary work, reduce unwritten tongues, and translate the-Scriptures; to train and teach native evangelists, to lead and organize, to direct and to originate. But are they the only men needed? Did any army consisting of officers only ever march to victory? Are not rank and file required as well? and does not the mission army need hundreds and thousands of privates? Is it essential that all, or even the great majority of missionaries, should be scholarly gen- tlemen who have studied from boyhood to maturity at heavy expense of time and money? Do the ninety per cent. of thc population of China who cannot even read, 01' the savages of Central Africa or the New Hebrides, de- mand teachers of a higher stamp than do the working classes in these coun- tries? Should we not elSteem it a great waste of rQsources to insist that all home and city missionaries should be classical scholars? And are not work- ers of all classes required among the heathen as much as at home? May not many men without either the leisure or the means, or perhaps even the incli- nation for a long and elaborate course of study-intelligent artisans, young clerks in banks, in offices, assistants in shops, the sons of farmers, mates of vessels and skilled mechanics, tradesmen, teachers and others-be well suited to serve Christ among the heathen, to preach the simple gospel to the masses of the people?
On the other hand, to send out ignorant and untrained men to undertake missionary work were clearly folly. "Let such first be proved," is a dictate of common sense as well as a precept of Scripture. Paul said to Timothy as regards the truths of the gospel which he had taught him, "The same com- mit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also." Of all men a missionary should be a man of general intelligence and fertIle resources. Without a measure of cultivation it is impossible that he should be this. Knowledge is power, and missionaries as a class should know something of everything. A missionary has to travel, and should understand geography. He may perhaps have to build his house, to make his own furniture, to till or direct the tillage of his garden, the cooking of his food, to work the printing- press. Knowledge even on such matters will therefore be valuable to him. He may be situated far from any skilled physician, and ought there- fore to have at least some elementary knowledge of anatomy and physiology and of the use of simple surgIcal and medical aids; The more grammaticaJ, knowledge he has the better, for he will have to learn and use a foreign tongue, and possibly to translate into it the Word of God. He ought to know enough of nature to appreciate the works of God, and enough of history to perceive the background of Bible facts. As he has to teach Christianity, he should know something about the history of its planting, its early sufferings and triumphs, the origin and progress of existing apostacies, and the story of the Reformation. He should also be acquainted to some extent with the history of modern missions, including the lives of eminent missionaries. But above all, he ought to be well acquainted with the Bible. That Book will have to be the companion of his loneliness, the guide of his perplexity, the support of his life, the instrument of his labors. It should be the chief subject of his study. His mind should be familiarized with the sacred text, with the evidences of its lDspiration, and with the varied doctrinal and practical truths which it reveals. He needs to be rooted and built up in Christ, and established in the faith, and the aim should be to give him afirm grasp of the teachings of Scripture, and instruction; as far as possible, in the whole counsel of God.
It is a serious question whether in our training of missionaries we give the Word of God the place which it deserves. Is not Bible study in our colleges apt to be too cramped, and too merely critical? We teach our stu- dents to dissect the Scriptures, but are they taught to dissect their own hearts, to understand themselves? We teach them the letter of Scripture, but do we lay due stress upon the posession of its spirit? We teach them to judge the Book, but they should he taught to let it judge them, and by its light to judge of all things. Is not God's Word a fire and a hammer? Woe to us if by our processes we strip it of its sacredness and strength. Let us give the Word of God its propel' place, and own its supreme authority, pre-eminence. and power.
It is the desire of this conference that those who take part should contribute to the general stock the,results of their experience, suggesting for the con- sideration of their brethren the chief practical conclusions to which they have been led. I may mention, then, that guided by the principles indicated in this paper, we founded, fifteen years ago. in East London, an institution for training' and helping into the foreign field young men who desired to be mis- sionaries. We subsequently added a country branch of the Institute, and later on a Training Home for Deaconesses. During these fifteen years we have dealt with more than three thousand volunteers for missionary work, have re- ceived on probation between eight and nine hundred, have trained and sent out five hundred missionaries, and have now about a hundred students in the Institute. Our plan is to give the students, where they require it, preiimi- nary secular instruction in the country branch, and then practical training in East London, including missionary, evangelistic, linguistic and medical de- partments. All our students receive from a qualified medicaJ man the train- ing of the ambulance corps, the results being tested by a public examina- tion. The deaconesses, in certain instances, are sent for three months to live in hospitals where the maternity cases are treated. Students going to Africa receive instruction in the treatment of tropical fevel's, and where there has been special fitness we have given students the advantage of a four years' medical course in the London Hospital. In almost every case these have be- come qualified medical men, and are now in the mission-field. The time spent by students in the Institute has varied according to their age and needs. Our system has been an elastic one. We have tried to give to each the help he or she was capable of receiving, and to introduce each to the sphere in which we saw they could best do good gospel service.
The results have not disappointed us. We have received men of all nationalities and all classes, as well as of all evangelical denominations. We have trained them for all countries, and former students are now working in connection with between twenty and thirty societies and organizations, while many of them have founded new and independent missions. As a rule they had done well, and given much satisfaction in the missions they have joined. There are exceptions. Every rule has such, but we thank God on remembrance of the majority of them. They have gone into every country in Europe. They have gone to the roughest and most westerly parts of North America, to the negroes in Jamaica, and to the Roman Catholics and English settlers in South America. They have evangelized in Morocco, Algiers, Tunis and Egypt, in North Africa; have established missions in Cape Colony, Natal and Kaffir-Iand; and have penetrated the heart of equatorial Africa, founding fresh stations, reducing the languages of the people to writing, translating the Scriptures, and turning hundreds from heathenism to the knowledge of God. They have suffered, literally, thousands of attacks of fevers, and many of them have laid down their lives in the service of Christ and for the gospel. They have founded medical missions in Constantinople, Syria, and Armenia ; have evangelized in the wildest parts of the HaUl'an, have preached in the crowded cities and mountain wilds of India, and opened many mission-stations in the most distant provinces in China. They have scattered the Word of God in every province in that vast empire, and have traversed in their missionary labors almost every country in the world. Our experience has shown us that there are thousands of devoted young men and women suited for missionary work, and desirous to give themselves to it, that they are capable of rapid improvement under Christian training, and willing to go anywhere for the sake of the gospel, that there are open doors in all lands, and fields waiting for reapers, white to the harvest, and that the Christian Church may increase with appropriate effort the number of its missionary laborers to an almost indefinite extent.
Allow me, in conclusion, to summarize what I have said, and to emphasize certain points.
First, we agree most thoroughly with our highly esteemed and respected friend, Dr. Pierson, in his published opinion that "if we would largely increase the missionary force we must in some way lessen the time and cost of preparing the average workman.. . A most formidable barrier to the work of evangelization is that even where both men and money may be obtained it takes too long a time and too costly a culture to train the average workman; and this one obstacle often overtops all others, and is practically insurmountable. •• There ought to be a change in our ecclesiastical tactics; our system of training for the mission-field must be more flexible and more economical of. time and money, or we cannot send workmen mto the great world-field in adequate numbers." Without any rigidly uniform system.of training, we must encourage every willing soul to do the work for which he 01' she is best fitted, and endeavor further to fit eaeh for their proposed sphere of labor, and we must shorten and simplify the course of training.
Secondly, no candidates whatever should be accepted for training save spiritually-minded men and women, possessed of good health, good common sense, devotedness to God's service, and a divinely indicated call to the work.
Thirdly, such persons should be thoroughly tested, and carefully trained.
THE WORK AMONG THE FIJI ISLA.NDS. [SlU"f
Their training should be adapted to develop the unworldly spiritual character which missionary work requires. It should always be adapted to the individual case. All missionary students should be trained in laborious and self-denying habits, and exercised in evangelistic work among our own lapsed masses, especially open-air preaching.
Lastly, every missionary student should be furnished with the practical instructions of the ambulance corps, as to how to deal with accident cases; while those who are prepaung for labor in Central Africa and other parts of the world where no qualified medical aid is to be had should receive, in addition to other teaching, special medical instruction of an elementary and practical nature, and in those instances where there is marked aptitude and desire for it, the missionary student should have the advantage of a full medical course.
THE WORK AMONG THE FIJI ISLANDS.
[A Paper read before the London Conference by Rev. John Calvert.1 [The facts concerning the missionary life of this remarkable man, stated in a note to Dr. Pierson which we give below, will add interest to bis paper.-J. M. S.
.. DEAR DR. PIERSON: .. SEVENOAKS, KXN'!', June 19, 1888.
"IN 1838 I went to Fiji with John Hunt. 1n 1856 I came home with the printed New Testament and MS. of the complete Bible, and was four years in England. In 1860 I went again to Fiji with several younl!; missionaries newly married. Iu 18721 went to South Africa for nine years. In May, 1886, I went on a visit to Fiji and returned through America, and I am now settled down here as supernumerary. 1 have lately supplied twenty cases of Bibles and Testaments, from the Bible SOCiety, and four cases hemispheres iu ziuc cylinders to keep them safe, when not used, from the cockroaches, And I am now putting to press Hunt's Theology, Hymns. Catechism and Book oC Offices. .. Affectionately yours, "JAMES CALVERT."] OF all the many Oceanic missions in the Pacific, I am here to represent but one, in which a. great part of my life has been spent-the Mission to Fiji. This large and beautiful group, which lies 1,800 miles northeast from Sydney, and 1,200 north of New Zealand, consists of some 200 islands and islets, eighty of which are inhabited; and the two largest are ninety miles in length. The islanders are a fine race, of fair intelligence, and, according to the measure of their own simple wants, very industrious. Having been left to themselves and to the undisturbed control of bad influences in all the past, they became extremely vile and degraded. Cannibalism was a recognized institution among them and practiced to a frightful extent. Infanticide was a general custom, and the burial of sick persons before death was common. Cruelty of all·kinds abounded; and polygamy, with its inseparable consequences of evil, was established throughout the group.
The condition and claims of Fiji were brought urgently before the Chris- tian people of England, and particularly before the Wesleyan Methodist Churches, about fifty years ago. Already two white missionaries were doing noble work in the Islands. They were re-enforced from time to time. They never exceeded thirteen at anyone time-now they are only nine; and this number will probably be still further reduced, the work being carried on chiefly and successfully by agents raised up among the people themselves. Happily we have always been heartily one, so that our prayers and. labors . have not been hindered, but greatly helped. Regular weekly English wor- ship and the class-meeting among the mission families were of the utmost value in keeping our own souls alive. God chose the men employed; none of them extraordinary or great, but suitable, well adapted, ready to rough it and go on heartily with every branch of the work that had to be done, making little of difficulties, dangers and affiictions, but the best of everything and everyone. And all our work personally, and in the training of native agents, has always been done in the Fijian language, and interpreters not employed. On a recent visit to Fiji, my heart was gladdened at finding the same stamp of men supplied by Australia, carrying on the work successfully. A very great help to our progress was, as I believe, that we had the whole field to ourselves, and our laborers were not interfered with, by the presence of any other Protestants. The Romanists came too late, arriving after we had got a good footing, and supplied the Scriptures. They avowed themselves as our opponents, and relieved us of a few troublesome persons. They have never succeeded. to a large extent, and are now losing ground, though they have zeal and self-denial worthy of any cause.
The vital, experimental and practical truths of God's Word were explained, applied and enforced. Christ, the living Saviour of all, especially of them that believe to the saving of the soul, was shown to be all in all, able and willing to save to the uttermost all who came to Him. The divine personal Spirit, in all His glorious energy and saving power, was prominently set forth, and He was ever present, convicting of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Great numbers from the beginning of our work, and, thank God, to the present time, were thoroughly awakened by the truth and by the Spirit. They sorrowed after a godly sort, turned from sin, and turned fully to God through Christ alone. And such penitents in very large numbers have, throughout the whole history of the mission, found peace with God through believing, and have shown to all men the evidences of life renewed in righteousness and true holiness. Old things passed away: behold all things became new. On several occasions, on many of the islands, there have been special outpourings of the Divine Spirit, when considerable numbers were saved, and all ~ere quickened into life and prosperity.
The spirit in which they endured trials, persecution and loss, and their steadfast aim with all kindness to do good to anyone by any effort or sacrifice, proved the truth, depth and excellence of the religion they experienced, enjoyed and practiced.
Many of these new creatures in Christ Jesus, quickened and raised into newness of life, began to speak, and testify and entreat as the Spirit gave them utterance. It was more than meat and drink to them to spread among their relatives and countrymen the religion that was such a reality and boon to themselves.· Thus the truth and saving grace of God spread from one to another, from village to village, from tribe to tribe, from island to island. None could gainsay or resist their testimony in holding- forth the Word of life. The missionaries and our mission needed no better or stronger commendation. These real converts have been and are" manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written with the Spirit of the living God," "an epistle known and read of all men." And by their agency a most substan- tial, most blessed and extensive work of God has been wrought in all direc- tions throughout Fiji.
On my last visit I was d4llighted with the grand sight I witnessed at the District Training Institution. There I found 109 fully-devoted men, selected from the institutions in each circuit, under training as preachers of the gospel: fine, strong, whole-hearted men, who 'cheerfully surrender them- selves to the cause of Christ in Fiji or elsewhere. To the oversight of this vastly-important branch of our work are devoted a missionary and his assist- ant, a native minister, who are specially qualified and adapted. Since my return an appeal was made to these students to hazard their health and lives among the dangerous people and in the unhealthy climate of New Guinea, where Fijian teachers have already been sacrificed. Fifteen were asked for: forty volunteered! eighteen were chosen, and sent forth.
Mission work in every-conntry must mainly be done by the converts them- selves. The foreigner is an expensive agent, with the many real and im- aginary wants of himself and his family. His continuance is often inter– rupted, and his stay shortened. And he can never manage the climate and customs, or find out and adapt himself to the native character, so well as one of themselves. The native agent was well-known before the glorious change that has renewed him on the spot before their eyes: and he is a liv- ing specimen-well studied-of the power of the gospel to transform. He is already there without any expense, can be employed at small cost, and that raised mainly by those for whose benefit he labors: and mission funds are not required for his removal and sustenance should he fail. With only 9 white missionaries, we have 3,505 native preachers: 56 ordain{>d, who take full part in the work of the ministry with the English missionary, 47 catechists, 983 head preachers, with 1,919 ordinary local or lay preachers. There are 1,268 chapels and other preaching places; 28 English church members, 27,097 full native church membQrs. These are well cared for by 3,480 devoted class-leaders. There are 40,718 scholars in our 1,735 day and Sunday-schools, taught by 2,526 teachers; and 101,150 attendants on public worship. The jubilee of the mission was lately held. Fifty years previously there was not a Christian in all Fiji; then not an avowed heathen left! Canibalism has, for some years past, been wholly extinct, and other immemorial customs of horrible cruelty and barbarism have tiisappeared.
Behold! what hath God wrought! A nation has been born at once!
"Instead of the thorn the fir tree came up: and instead of the brier came up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for aname, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." "The wilderness has become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is counted for a forest." "Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel [and of all nations, great and small], who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be His glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen."
Though poor, the people are most liberal in contributions for carrying on their own work, building all the schools and chapels and teachers'
houses; and they give generously, at much personal sacrifice, to the general mission funds. Had it not been for the business calamities that have come upon Fiji, as upon most parts of the world, the mission promised well ere this to have been self-supporting. Their deep poverty is borne well: and the riches of their liberality abound. I was delighted now to find them thoroughly good and fully devoted to God and His cause. Their religion is a grand , and powerful reality in very trying circumstances.
When this mission began, the Fijian language had never been written; the missionaries, therefore, had to supply it with an alphabet, and reduce it to a written form, and then to set to work to explore its grammatical structure, so as to give the people in their own tongue the Word of God, and furnish them with a useful literature. Very early in the history of the mis- sion the printing-press was brought into use.
When our printer failed in that far-off and out-of-the-way place we were in great difficulty, as a new edition of the New Testament and other books were urgently required. We ordered a man from London who would rough it, be content with the poor fare and small pay and hard work we were ac- ';:l!stomed to, but slch a man was not found. Then it came to pass that il! French count, an infidel, who was wrecked from an American beche de mer vessel, was thoroughly awakened, and sought and found mercy and saving grace. He was completely reformed and wished for employment with us. I taught him printing and book-binding, which he quickly learned; and just then, when we were in deepest need, he became a most efficient laborer wIth us. He could make sails, splice a rope, pull an oar, sail a schooner, floor a house, put in windows, make a door and fit it in. He became a teacher in our schools, and a good local preacher. The people felt that he loved them, and the best of our converts from any part of Fiji were cheerfulJy ready to settle down and work with him, so that we had a good staff of earnest and cheap workers in our printing and book-binding establishment. A new edition of the New Testament and all the books we required were well done and quickly supplied, helping on the work amazingly: A wh'ole-hearted man like that was beyond all price. Had one been made to order on purpose for our needs and work, he could not have been better adapted. And the case proved to us the all-sufficiency of God's resources; and just at the right, the very best time on the spot the demand was supplied, and without any cost. Oh, that we looked more to God for all we need I Then we printed innumerable portions of the Scriptures, catechisms (one especially, consisting o~ passages of Scripture only, which was invaluable), reading, and other books, as well as an excellent and immensely valuable system of theology, prepared by the eminent John Hunt when his heart and mind were in their best state, and when he had gained an excellent knowledge of the language; also an invaluable dictionary and grammar, provided by David Hazlewood, a man not known to fame, but whose record is on high, who did service of immense value in the language and translation department.
Since 1856 large supplies of Bibles and New Testaments in good bold type and strong and some elegant binding are constantly forwarded by the British and Foreign Bible Societies, on which many missionary societies are largely dependent, and from which all are cheerfully and promptly supplied with all they require. These Scriptures are highly l)rized, eagerly purchased and diligently read, the natives in many instances depriving themselves of the conveniences of life that they may secure and possess God's Word. The proceeds of these books are returned to the Bible House. They have supplied two editions of the completed Scriptures and fifty-six thousand of the New Testament in six editions. Other books in large quantities are also supplied fl'om England, better and at less cost than they can be printed and bound in Fiji, or obtained from the colonies.
Though Fiji is small when compared with the great nations, yet it affords a specimen and example of what can be done by the Word and Spirit and Providence of God, and it enheartens and encom'ages all to attempt and expect great things for all the nations of this sin-stricken, redeemed world. Ample provision for all our race has been made in the grand atonement and all-prevalent intercession of our great and loving Redeemer, who by the grace of God tasted death for every man, and wills that all should be saved in the gift of the life-giving Spirit who works mightily and can renew every depraved heart; and in the glollious gospel which saves all who believe, God intends to save our fallen race, and will do it. His glory shall be revealed antl all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. He hath said it, and He will assuredly bring it to pass. Christ must reign over all. Let us then go fOJ;'th in faith and preach the gospel to every creaturel feeUng sur~ tbat we have strongest ground for ille utmost hopes iu Him who has said: "And I, if 1 be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." And again: "All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth; go ye, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and 10, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."
SEVENOAKS, KENT, June 1,1888. JAMES CALVERT.
THE KARENS.
[Paper read belore the Conference by Mrs. W. F. Armstrong. It made 8 deep impression.-Ens.J THE only apology for my appearance here this evening is that I am the only Karen missionary attending this Conference, and so noble a people should not be passed by unnoticed. Thousands of them are praying for us, and it is right that we should remember them.
The Karens were once the hill tribes of Burmah, treated by the Burmese with the greatest injustice and cruelty. While they were under the Burmese Government they hid themselves in the jungle on the mountain sides, con- cealing the paths to their bamboo homes, and constantly moving from one place to another to avoid detection. They were content to live on the pro- duce of their gardens, to weave their own clothing, and to be as independent in the forest as the birds or the bees.
Their religion was peculiar to themselves. They lived pure, honest, truthfullives-I speak advisedly-they were unbounded in their hospitality, had no idols; but made offerings to propitiate the demons whom they feared.
They had no books, but they had carefully preserved traditions of a book they once possessed to which they were disobedient, and it was taken from them. Some day-so their legends ran-their white brethren would come across the sea in ships and bring back the book which told of the Great Father. They retained much of the moral and historical parts of the Old Testament in sayings of theil' old men, and it seems probable that tpey had at some time had access to its sacred pages.
No wonder such a people should receive the gospel when it came. No peo- ple have ever been discovered who were so prepared for it or whose very prejudices were on its side. When missionaries came among them their old men said, This is what our fathers told us of, it is this for which we have so long waited; and they flocked by hundreds to receive it. Not without change of heart. Their simple faith took Christ at ilis word; the Spirit accom- ied that word. Though they were ignorant and untaught in schools, they came forward eagerly to learn, believing with all their hearts, and re- ceiving the promise of God" to everyone that believeth."
An entire change has been wrought among them in the last fifty years.
Now there are over 450 Karen parishes, each one of which supports its own native pastor and lts own village school, and many subscribe largely to send the gospel farther on. !
There are about 30.000 baptized communicants, and fully 100,000 nominal Christians, about one-sixth of the whole tribe in Burmah.
A marked characteristic of their Christianity is that th.ey are earnest for- eign missionaries. They have their own foreign missionary society and send out their own young men to distant countries and other languages, support- ing them there and re-enforcing them as the need arises. These have opened up new fields of labor where other missionaries could not reach; they have tuken educated <Lnd devoted Karen wb'esto assist them, and have undergone
HOME WORK FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS
much hardship and privation with a true spirit of heroism worthy of any Christian nation. One instance, which I was personally cognizant of, and I have done.
I loved the people dearly; I looked upon them as brothers and sisters indeed, but when my husband went to the Telugus I went too. One of my teachers, who had traveled with me in many a jungle tour, and who loved souls as well as I did, who had risked her life over and over again for Christ's sake, was moved to go wIth me. This Karen girl went to India and learned the Telugu, both written and spoken, and this more rapidly than any missionary I have ever known. She started a girl's school among them, teaching them in Telugu more efficiently than any of their own people could do on account of her previous training. Of course I speak of work in a new station where mission work had to begin from the foundations. She won many women and children to listen to the gospel, and was everywhere treated with respect. The natives giving her the same title they applied to myself. Indeed, she proved herself in all respects a genuine foreign missionary.
She is now living in Rangoon, where she is married, and works among Burmese, Telugus and Karens, as she has opportunity. She is Secretary of the Karen Women's Foreign Missionary Society, which supports and directs its own Bible women. She is not in mission employ, but is supported by hel" merchant husband, who also is an educated Christian Karen, speaking daily for his Master during business hours and giving nobly to the cause of Christ, as you in this country do.
I always felt that work among Karens was only half way to heathenism. Among the Telugus I saw many debasing influences of idolatry which I did not find among Karens. In the estimation of those who know them best they are the most remarkable of all Eastern tribes. God has surely some wonderful purpose for them in the future, and we see a forecast of this in their eagerness and ability to work as evangelists among other nations.
Another conference, I trust, may see some of them in your midst to speak for themselves.
HOME WORK FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS.
BY REV. A. T. PIERSON, D.D. [A paper read at the World's Missionary Conference on Monday. June 18.] WHAT the source is to the supply, the motor to the machine, the home church is to the foreign field. The vigor of the heart's beat determines the ' pulse beat at the extremities. It is of first importance that, at home, work for missions abroad be continuous and constant, healthy in !one and spiritual in type.
How shall the churches be raised to the degree of consecration required for the evangelization of the world? Sheldon Dibble used to say that two conversions are needful: first, to Christ as a Saviour from sin; and then to missions as the corrective antidote to selfishness. A century ago William Carey felt the thrust of the keen lance of Sydney Smith, who, by his unsanctified wit, proposed to "rout out thai nest of consecrated cobblers"; and Carey had to fight for fifteen years the apathy even of his own Baptist brethren. Dr. Judson's hand was nearly shaken off, and his hair shorn off, by those who, in the crisis which can be met only by self-sacrifice would, to save themselves, willingly let missions die.
Foremost among the means by which deeper devotion to the work of eV'an~ gelization is to be secured, I would put the education of the chu1'ch in the' very principle of missions. Where the hearty acceptance of this is lacking, the impulse and impetus of missions are wanting. The church of God exists, not only as a rallying, but as a radiating, center. It is indeed a home, but also a school; a place for worship, but not less for work. For a society of disciples to be engrossed even in self-culture is fatal to service, and even to true sanctity. The church is no gymnasium where exercise is the law and self-development the end. The- field is the world, and each sower and reaper. while at work for a harvest, gets in his exertion the very exercise which is needful to growth.
So important and so fundamental is this principle of missions, that any church which dj!nies or practically neglects it, deserves to be served with a writ of quo warranto. This law of church life must be constantly kept before believers, enforced and emphasized by repetition-that upon every believer is laid the duty of personal labor for the lost. This conviction must be beaten in and burned in, till it becomes a part of the very consciousness of every disciple, until the goal is seen to be not salvation or even sanctification, but service to God and man in saving souls.
In the educatiop of a church in foreign missions, nothing is more essential than that the missionary spirit burn in the pastor. A stream rises no higher than its source; and, ordinarily, the measure of the pastor's interest In the world-field determines the level of his people's earnestness and enthusiasm. He ought to be a student of missions, an authority on missions, and a leader in missions. He is not the driver of a herd, but the leader of a flock: he must therefore go before. His contagious enthusiasm and example must inspire in others the spirit of consecration. The personal character of the man gives tone to his preaching, and is perhaps itself the best kind of preaching. That must be a frozen church in which a man, alive with intelligence and zeal for the work of God, could not warm into life and action under such a pastor as the late W. Fleming Stevenson.
The rudiments of a true education being laid, we must go on unto perfection; and among all the means of this higher training we put, first and foremost, a knowledge of the facts of missionary history and biography. Information is a necessary part of all university training in missions; not a partial, superficial impression, but information-a knowledge of missions complete enough and thorough enough to crystallize into symmetrical form in the :mind and heart. Facts are the fingers of God. To a devout student of His will they become signs of the times, and signals of His march through the ages. Like the gnomon of a sun dial, even their shadow may mark the hour in God's day. Prince Albert used to say to the young men of Britain: " Find out God's plan in your generation and never cross it, but fall into your own place in it." There is a pillar of providence, the perpetual pillar of cloud and fire, whereby we may be led. That pillal'is built up of facts, oftentimes mysterious and dark, like a cloud, yet hiding the presence and power of Him who dwelt in the cloud and made it luminous.
To a true disciple missions need no argument, since the chm'ch has what the Iron Duke called her" mat'ching orders." But duty becomes delight, and responsibility is transfigured into privilege, when it is clearly seen that to move with the missionary band is to take up march with God. The apathy and lethargy prevailing among believers upon the subject of missions is to me unaccountable in view of the multitude and magnificence of the facts which demonstrate that in the movements of modern missions, more <han in any other of the ages, there has been a demonstration and a revelation of God.
We are observing the centenary of modern missions. But the most amazing results of this century have been wrought during its last third, or ihe lifetime of the generation now living. This World's Conference is simply the church coming together at the Antioch of the Occident to hear those whom the Holy Ghost has chosen and the church has separated unto this work, rehearse all that God has done with them, and how He has opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. Who dares to say, in the light of modern missions, that the days of supernatural working are passed? So far, as in primitive days, the disciples have gone forth and preached everywhere, it has still been true that the Lord has wrought with and confirmed the Word with signs following-signs unmistakable and unmistakably supernatm-aJ. Doors have been opened, within fifty years, that no human power could have unbarred. The mighty moving of God can be traced back through the centuries, long since g'iving Protestant England a foothold in the very critical; pivotal center of Oriental empires and religions. The necessity of protecting her Indian possessions, of keeping open the line of communications between London and Calcutta, determined the attitude of every nation along the water highway. Then from beyond the Pacific another mighty, puissant people, the offspring of Protestant Britain, moved forward thirty years ago to turn the extreme eastern wing of the enemy while Britain was piercing and holding the center. Commodore Perry knocked at the sea gates of Japan, and in the name of a Christian Republic demanded entrance. Rusty bolts that had not been drawn for more than two centuries were flung back and the two-leaved doors of brass were opened to the commerce of the world. Rapid has been the progress of the march of God. Japan unsealed her gates in 1854. From that time not a year has passed without some mighty onward movement or stupendous development. In 1856 the g-reat breach was made in the Chinese wall, and by the treaty of Tientsin one-third of the human race were made accessible to Christian nations, and, as Dr. Gracey says, that wide door was opened, not by the vermilion pencils of the Emperor, but by the decree of the Eternal. The same year, 1856, also saw signed and sealed the Hatti Sherif in Turkey, by which the Sultan, at least in form, announced the era of toleration. The next year the mutiny in India changed the whole attitude of the East India Company towards missions, and prepared the way for the surrender of its charter to the Crown of England.
Let us leap the chasm of twenty years and nole the progress of eventR on the Dark Continent. In 1871 Stanley pierced the jungle to find the heroic Livingstone. In 1873 Livingstone died near Lake Bangweolo; in 1874 Stanley undertook to explore equatorial Africa; in 1877, after a thousand days, he emerged at the mouth of the Congo. At once England took up the work of following the steps of the explorer with the march of the missionary, and now, ten years later, the missions of the great lakes in the east, and those of the Congo basin at the west, are stretching hands to link east and west together. Give us ten years more and Krapf's prophecy will be fulfilled: "A chain of missions will cross the continent." In 1884, fifteen nations, called together by King Leopold and presided over by Bismarck, met in Berlin to lay the basis of the Congo Free State; and in that council not only Protestant, but Greek, Papal, and Moslem powers joined I Such are some of the great providential signs of a supernatural presence and power. What shall be said of the gracious transformations that have displaced cannibal ovens by a thousand Christian churches in Polynesia; that reared Metlakahtla in British Columbia; that made Madagascar the crown of the London Missionary Society; that turned SielTa Leone into a Christian state; that wrought mightily with Hans Egede in Greenland, Morrison and Burns in China, Perkins and Grant in Persia, Carey and Wilson and Duff in India, McAll in Paris, ,and a host of other missionaries!
If disciples are indifferent to missions it is because they are ignorant 'of missions. A fh'e needs first of all to be kindled, then to be fed, then to have vent. The only power that can kindle the flame of missionary zeal is the Holy Spirit. The coal must be a live coal from God's altar. But, having that coal and a breath from above, all that is needed is fuel to feed the flame, and that fuel is supplied by a knowledge of facts. Too much care cannot be taken to supply these facts in an attractive, available form, at the lowest cost. The women's boards and societies have done no greater service than in providing and distributing a cheap literature of missions. The printed facts that are to do this work of education must be put in the briefest and most pointed form. This is an age of steam and telegraph. While Methusaleh turned round, we have gone around the globe. Men need now what they can catch at a glance. Ponderous volumes may do for ponderous men, who have leisure for prolonged study and research, but the bulk of people must get their knowledge of facts in a condensed form. Our bulletins must be bullet-ins. Some of us must skim the great pan and serve up the cream in a little pitcher, rich and sweet; we must boil down the great roots and give others the sweet liquorice in the stick, so that a bite will give a taste and make the mouth water for more. Students of missions will read with avidity the Ely Volume, and" the Middle Kingdom,"and kindred books that are the authorities on missions; but students of missions are not made by this process. We must feed first with milk, and not with strong meat-and by the spoonful, until both capacity and appetite are formed.
The value of simultaneous meetings, missional:y conventions, and other special services consists perhaps mainly in the wide, rapid, and attractive and effective dissemination of intelligence. Truths and facts are brought before the mind with all the help of the enthusiasm of a public assembly. The eye helps the ear in producing and fastening impression. The hearer comforts the living men or women who have come from the field, perhaps with the very idols of the heathen in their hands, or the relics of their superstitious practices; sometimes the native convert, or preacher, himself pleads for his benighted fellow countrymen. And so the most apathetic soul, III whom grace has kindled the fire of love, finds the fire burning, spreading, consuming selfishness, and demanding a proper vent in Christian effort! This is the way that missionaries are made.
In 1885 there assembled at Mr. Moody's boys' school at Mount Hermon, in Massachusetts, about 300 student." from the various colleges for a few weeks of study of the Word of God. A few who had in view the foreign field greatly desired a missionary meeting, and all the students were invited. There was not even a missionary map to assist in impressing the facts; the speaker drew on the blackboard a rude outline of the continents, and then proceeded to trace the great facts of missions, and so deep was the interest awakened, that meeting after meeting followed; from about a score, the number who chose the mission field rose to a hundred; then certain chosen men resolved to go and visit the colleges and carry the sacred fire; they went, met their fellow-students, and brought out the leading facts of missions; and to-day, in America and England, a band of probably no less than 3,000 young men and women stand ready to go to the foreign field if the door shall open before them. If disciples do not wish to flame with missionary zeal, ~hey must avoid contact and converse with the facts and the heroic souls who are the living factors of missions. It is dangerous business to trifle with the combustible material, unless you are quite sure there is not even", spark of life or love in your soul!
Among the means of education we mention last what in the order of time and of importance belongs first: the influence of Christian women in the home life. If God has shut out the ordinary woman from much participation in public life, and shut her in the home, iii is because her sphere makes up in quality what it lacks in quantity. Here are life's arcana, veiled from the common eye; the home is the matrix of character. The faith of the grand- mother Lois and mother Eunice still descends to Timothy. Anthusa and Monica still give the church her golden-mouthed Johns and her giant Augustines. To one woman may be traced the rise of the seven kingdoms of the Saxon Heptarchy. At evet'y stream there isa point where a human hand might turn its current, and at that point in human lives the wife and mother presides. The heathen rhetorician Libanius exclaimed: "What women these Christians have!" And, if the secret things were brought to light, it might be found that many, beside Morrison and Burns and Lindley and Pat- teson, have owed their saintly character and missionary career to the sanct- ity of a mothet'. Even before birth, maternal character leaves its impress upon the unborn, and at the mother's breast and knee the earliest lessons are learned in piety and prayer and personal consecration.
The nursery may be the garden where the precious germs are first nourished from which develop pillars of cedar and olive for the temple of God. The Earl of Shaftesbury learned of humble Maria Millis the first lessons in living,which made his influence capable of being measured only by parallels of latitude and meridians oflongitude, and its results only-to be computed by the :eons of eternity! My sisters in Cht'ist, do not hesitate to break on your Master's feet your alabaster flask; though it may seem but as waste to some, the house shall be filled with the odor of your consecration, and you shaH at least create in the home a mighty mould of chat'acter from which shall go forth men and women whose words and deeds shall shake the world: Here, in the home, if prevailing selfishness and extravagant self-indulgence are to be correctea, must be taught first lessons in giving, the divine doctrine of stewardship, and the responsibilities both of wealth and poverty. Munificent legacies cannot atone for parsimonious gifts. It is not God or His poor who need our gifts, so much as we ourselves need to give. Giving is the sovereign secret of serving, but also of getting and growing. To deny self and help others is God's antidote to that monstl'ouS sin of selfishness w,hich is the root of all others; and soit is more blessed to give than to receive. And if there ever was an altar that sanctified, magnified, glorified the gift, it is the altar of missions. Let the ethics, the economics, the :esthetics of giving be taught at the mother's knee, and we shall have a new generation of givers.
Too much emphasis cannot be laid on placing at the center of the family a consecrated woman. She is like Goethe's mythical lamp, which, set in the humblest hut of the fisherman, changed all within it to silver. She pours on the root of the cocoanut-tree the water, which comes back, by and by, sweetened and enriched, in the milk of the cocoanut which falls from the top. A selfish, sordid woman, presiding in the home, perverts child-life; in such a household there is a malign influence, which, like the mirrors in the temples of Smyrna, represents the fairest images distorted and deformed, and makes even piety seem repellant. The more I see of woman's influence on the whole structure of society the more I feel the stress of the apostolic injunction that the believer should marry only in the Lord.
The responsibilities of wealth are to be discussed by another in a separate paper.' BlIt I must add, to complete my own thought, that, among other necessary reforms in our church life, we must cease to depend upon the donations of the rich. It is alike harmful to them and to the church. God never meant that with such wealth of divine promises we should appeal to the rich, and especially the worldly wealthy, for money for the kingdom. Such appeals discount our faith, dishonor our Lord, and humiliate the church, while they inflate the rich with self-righteous conceit and complacence as patrons of the cause of God. Let there be a Bible type of systematic and proportionate giving by every disciple, and the treasuries of the church would overflow with voluntary gifts of disciples.
Above all other spiritual agencies affecting missions from the home side, we place earnest and habitual prayer. This is a supernatural gospel and demands a supernatural power, for conversion is a supernatural work. Not even a knowledge of facts can make a missionary or inspire a missionary spirit. The coal must be there, and the breath of God, before even the best fuel will take fire. A thermometer may be held in the direct line of the sun's rays and show but little rise in temperature, because the radiant heat is reflected from the bright, glassy bulb, like light from a mirror. Heat rays from the sun may pass through a lens of ice, and concentrated to a sufficient deeree to ignite, at the focus, combustible material, and yet those rays may not melt the ice of which the lens is formed. It is only when knowledge is sanctified by prayer that it becomes a power.
For one, I regard the increased-or rather the revived-observance of the monthly concert as a necessity to true home work for missions. It is now comparatively a thing of the past. Once it was a regular observance of the first Monday of each month; then merged into the first Sunday evening; then the first mid-week service; and in many cases, divided between home and foreign missions, it lost its original special character, and has now only a name to live, and is practically dead. I know a church member who thought the monthly concert meant a musical entertainment. To allow so valuable a help to the culture of intelligent interest in missions to he dropped from our church economy and become an arclu.eological curiosity is a fundamental mistake. It may be made both interesting and stimulating. I have found the most successful way of conducting it to be to divide the world-field among the church membership, so that every man and woman, willing to help, may have a special field from which to report from time to time, changing the fields once a. year, in order to broaden both intelligence and interest, Then have maps, and, best of all, maps made by the church members themselves. A man or woman who draws a map of any mission field will never lose the image of that field from the mind's eye. I have had a full set of fine maps made for me without a penny's cost, by members of my own congregation.
The lack of earnest, believing, united prayer for missions is both lamentable and fatal to success. Prayer has always marked and turned the crises of the kingdom. No sooner do devout souls begin to unite in definite supplication than stupendous results begin to develop. Fifty years ago the burden of prayer was for the opening of doors, and one after another the iron gates opened as of their own accord. Then the plea went up for larger gifts of money; and at a critical period, when the whole onward march of missions was threatened, God gave a spirit of liberality; in 1878, that annusmirabilis, some twenty persons gave about four millions of dollars. Woman came to the front, and showed how, by gathering the mites systematically, the aggregate of gifts may grow steadily year by year, and rapidly. Then devout dis-
1888.J THE HEROIC MISSIONARY SOCIETY
ciples were led to pray for more laborers, and especially for the consecration of our foremost youth; and now from the universities of Britain and America a host of three thousand young men and women are knocking at the doors of the church, saying, "Here we are; send us;" and even the church that has been praying for this very result can scarce believe that they stand before the gate.
Brethren, we shall have learned little at this Conference if we shall nothave learned new lessons of the power of prayer. Themistocles delayed the naval engagement at Salamis until the land-breeze blew which swept his vessels toward the foe, and left every oarsman free to use the bow and the spear. How much wasted time and strength might be saved if the church of God but waited for the breath of the Holy Spirit to provide the impulse and momentum which we vainly seek to supply by our own energy and endeavor! When He breathes and blows upon us, how tbey who have toiled in rowing are left free to wield the weapons of the Lord's warfare, to exchange secular anxieties for spiritual successes!
Zoroaster bade his followers let the fires go out periodically upon their hearthstones, that they might be compelled to rekindle them at the sacred altars of the sun. What mean the smouldering en;bers on our hearths and altars, but that we have forgotten whence come the live coals, and the breath which alone can fan them into an undying flame!
THE HEROIC MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
BY ROBERT N. CUST, J.L.D., LONDON.
(Ooncluded from page 603, August number.) I NOW pass to the Heroic Missionary Society. I take as my type "the Moravian, 01' the Church of the United Brethren;" for the church and society are identical. It was the offspring of a bitter persecution by the Roman Catholics in Moravia: a small remnant fled across the boundary of hated Austria into Lusatia, and settled on the estate of Count Zinzendorf, and founded their city of Herrnhut. I have lately visited it, sat in the councilroom, conferred with the leaders of the community, visited their widows and worn-out missionaries in their humble homes, and knelt in their great Freidhof: they were first in the Protestant mission field, they are one ot the few associations that have obtained a footing in everyone of the five portions of the world: and they deliberately chose the most debased and degraded tribes as the object of their love, because such as they seemed to need the gospel most; their agents in truth wore the garb of poverty, and were poor in spirit also; in the countries, where they worked among slaves, they became slaves also, even as our Lord took upon himself the form of a slave, "p.6p</>1JV dOVAOV Aaf3wv." With the poor Hottentot they were not ashamed to suffer hardship and persecution, and to maintain that these poor outcasts had souls for which Christ had died: with the Eskimo they lived as brethren, and won them to themselves, content with the poorest and most unsavory fare, laboring with their own hands, trying not to be a burden to their church, which was so poor that it has still to be sustained by the alms of universal Christendom, for they were doing work which no other society could do; they literally went about as the disciples of Jesus, without scrip 01' change of garment, and their examples of self-denial carried the hearts of their people by storm: in these last days they have opened an asylum for lepers at Jerusalem. Their doctrmes were as simple as their practice, "Nothing but Christ crucified"; they had a courage which no danger could daunt, and a love which no harsh treatment could efface; who ever heard of a Moravian appealing to public meetings, or a public press, to organize armed relieC-e:fpeditions, or avenge their slaughtered brethren? They took death and the spoiling of their goods joyfully; they had a quiet constancy which no hardship could exhaust; there were, and are, no Exeter Halls to trumpet their praise; in their church there are no rich men to sub- scribe annual thousands, and yet they have left a mark on the world which no time can efface. Their types were, ,singleness of pm'pose, simplicity of bearing, self-consecration, and contentment with a little. If I wished to praise a missionary, I should say that he is worthy of being a Moravian. Many societies have done well, but this has excelled them all, for it has most nearly approached to the ideal church, formed after the pattern of the Founder-first and foremost in the great battle-field, yet seeking the last and lowest among the ranks of men. "I was a stranger, and ye took me in; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me." The blessings of those ready to perish have accompanied, and still accompany, the gentle footfall of the Moravian brethren, as they tread the soil of distant and inhospitable climes, unknown, unpraised, but not unrewarded, The mode of conducting missions must be heroic also. We have but one _.life to keep or lose: how can we spend it in the best way? If souls are to be won to Christ, it must be by men or women whose souls are overflowing with lo'e to Christ. We ask not for ascetics, nor adopters of the native dress, nor the turner of the formal prayer-wheel, nor the daily celebrant, but such an expression of character on the countenance, such a mode of utterance, such a voice, thoughts that move, words that burn, as display earnestness and that the soul of the missionary is on fire. All human talents are only so far profitably employed, as they are used to save souls; all human knowledge is of no avail, unless it conduces directly or indirectly to the extension of our Master's king- dam: the simple gospel outweighs it all, so simple that all can understand, so profound that no one can get beyond, ,The great he- roes of whom I have spoken, and the great missionary band of Moravian heroes, differed from each other essentially, but they had formed the same conception of Christ, and of their duty; they looked over the human fences of churches, and saw the awful vision of the face of Christ only; they had a burning desire to carry His message face to face, mouth to mouth, in i{s naked simplicity; they thought nothing of chapels, and altar-cloths, stoles, m.usic, painted glass and decoration; they took the living Word to dying souls, teaching the poor heathen to live decent, holy lives in this transitory world, and through faith to inherit eternal life hereafter. There was no necessity for hair shirts or flagellations, for long ceremonies or retreats; theirs was the daily round of holy duty, whether steering the mission-ship, building the mission-school, or preaching the mission-sermon, until the very hour that they are called away, which is the best proof that their allotted task was done. I would have you realize the dignity, the greatness of the office: it is not a romantic or sentimental employment, such as discoursing witb Brahmins under a tree, or gathering sweet little children in a school; there is much that is distasteful, and humbling, and sometimes a feeling of despair.
The hero must not be cast down, must not be diverted from his purpose, must not change his ground. We can admire the perseverance of a bad man in a bad cause, how much more 01 a good man in a good cause I The famous Las Oasas had a fixed purpose to protect the poor natives of America, and he IS reported to have done,something every day of his life to advance the one great idea which dominated his existence. Hudson Taylor has put it well, "GO· in glad obedience; in fullest confidence, without anxiety, to do a definite work." Such is the high type, s,uch the practice of those hero-missionaries, * * * whom I have noticed. (See our !August number.) Let me look at the subject from another point of view. How much do we read, in missionary letters and reports, of theirfamilies, birth of children,death of children, illness of wife, and domestic cares, while the reader is anxious to know how the gospel warfare goes on, what progress has been made. Only imagine the public dispatch of a general or governor in which such details were even alluded to! In private letters to friends such things might be noticed, but not in the documents placed before the dommittee. Nothing strikes a committeeman more than the preponderate proportion of the corre- spondence which is occupied with notices of the wives and children of mis- sionaries, as if the committee were a board of guardians of the poor. How often a missionary comes home in full health and vigor, leaving for a time, or forever, a field of work for which he is suited, and in which, after some years of pupilage, he has learned to be useful, because his wife is ill ! Would the general commanding an expedition, or the governor of a province, have done so? How often the Indian official, or soldier, has to ship off a sick wife and cannot accompany her! We have not far to look to find out what St.
Paul would have said, and what our Lord did say (Mark x : 29). Even in the life of John Williams we find mention of the illness of his wife brought much too prominently forward: he was !1lways anticipating the necessity of an early return to England for her sake: but he clung on for eighteen years, and she arrived home in excellent health, and outlived him some years. It is against this exaggeration of human affections that the servant of Christ should struggle valiantly and prayerfully.' * * * * There are giants amidst the body of missionaries, for whom nothing is too good, for they would in secular professions have risen to distinction and wealth, but to a very large proportion this would not have happened. The praise of the good, self-denying, consecrated missionary is in the heart of all who care for such things, and many, unknown to him personally, talk lovingly of him when he is absent, and sadly when he is dead; but the great missionary is thinking always of his own infirmity, of how much he has left undone, and how much he could have done better, and rejoicing that it is given to him to spend and be spent. There is in modern times a far wider spread of missionary spirit than in past years, but it is not so deep; it has become a fashion, not a revelation, in a man's mind.
We find no idle calls on the part of the heroic missionary society, or the survivors and relatives of hero-missionaries, for vengeance on the murderers of the slain; this is one of the features of the gradual degeneracy of the age and the overweening self-assertion of a certain section of the British middle classes. It is well to have a giant's strength, but it is not well to use it as a bully. Nothing would have been easier than to have swept the islands of Erromanga and Nikapu from sea to sea clean of all their inhabitants to re- venge the deaths of Williams and Pattison; but the missionary societies pro- tested against the very idea of retaliation, nor would tl:J.e British responsible authorities have tolerated it. The relations of the deceased did not gather excited meetings in British towns, and pass resolutions, as in later cases, to petition the Government to send expeditions of rescue or intimidation. Such weakness of faith, such want of sound judgment, such incomprehensibleruis- 1 We do not indorse all the strictures and criticisms of the writer in this paper, and think he is at times unduly severe and sweeping. Still, what he writes on mi.sionary subjects-and few write more-deserves careful reading and candid consideration. Missions and missiOnaries have not IL warmer friend thllIl he.-EDs. understanding of the duty of a Christian man, were reserved to a later age. On the platform the missionary proudly, yet humbly, professes that he C.al'- ries his life in his hand, ready to live, God willing, and ready to die: if this were not the case, how low the British missionary would rank after the Swede, the Norwegian, and the Swiss, who have no ships to send, and whose countrymen still are ready to give up their lives, and fill up all that remains of the sufferings of Christ. If a misdionary has not stomach for such warfare, he had better retire into the safe refuge of a London curacy, or a Lancashire manufactory, where he will find heathen to minister to, without risk to his life, or causing alarm to his over-anxious relations.
The hel'o-missionary remembers that his service is a life-sel'vice, not the pastime of youth, or the employment of manhood, until a good living and a pleasant home is provided for him in his native country. Nothing is so disheartening as to !;lee so many instances of this forgetfulness of their first love, and of the words of our Lord (Luke ix : 62), "No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." 'l'here should be no discharge in this warfare save death or certified ill-health of the missionary himself, not of his wife and his children. It is a matter of congratu- – lation that we have aged bishops content to occupy their posts until death, that we have missionaries who have not preferred tbe ties of blood or the claims of family to the work which has been the desire of their youth, the joy of their manhood, and the solace of their old age. The hero-missionary is tender in heart, gentle in words, slow to anger, and easy pacified. He is not insensible of the heinousness of sin, but his heart melts in pity towards the sinner. He does not strike with his hl),ud or stick the bodies of the poor natives whose souls he has come out to try to save; he does not usurp an authority over them because his face is white and he is one of a strong nation, as he remembers that he is their minister, the servant of servants, as was his Master, who washed the feet of His disciples; he doe~ not tie them up to trees to be flogged, and kept in durance for whole nights, but he .attaches them to himself by the silken cords of love.
He may be the son of a noble in his own country, and he is not puffed up, or he may be the son of a country shopkeeper, and he is not abashed, nor does he strive in his new profession to be coventionally treated as a gentleman, for in his humility he takes in either case the standpoint of being a Christian, occupying the same position that was occupied by Paul the great scholar and Roman citizen, and by Peter the humble fisherman : he seeks not high places, nor great companies, nor first-class accommodation in steamers or railways; he is economic of the funds of the good society which is his nursing mother; he is not always calling out for grants for his wife or his children; he does not dwell in a fine, comfortable house, for he minds not high things, and is content with men of low estate; his door is ever open to the people, whom he came to win to Christ; his attire is simple, and he seeks not the company of this world, though indirectly the type of the holy, upright man, which he presents to their eyes, has a reflex blessing on their souls; though silent, his life is a sermon to them. He acts up to the ideal of the Christian soldier which he had conceived in his youth when the message came to him, when the Holy Spirit overshadowed him; to be brave and strong, yet loving and tender; full of holy ardor yet self-controlled and free from spurious excitement; firm in convictions, yet tolerant; firm of purpose, yet merciful and considerate; meek and lowly, yet proud of his calling; fearing God, and fearing no one else.
~y friends, you must lJe thorou~hly equipfled for th«;l cQmbilot with something more than the surface teaching of the ordinary theological college. One of my fellow-students, forty years ago, at the East IndIa Cl>Uege, was a Jew, a believing Jew and a clever Jew, and he took the highest marks in PalPy's Evidences. I asked him whether he were not entirely convinced, and he re- plieu that it had not the least effect upon him. Such must often be the teach, ing of the oruinary missionary to a Hindu, a Buddhist, a Mahometan, and, to a certain degree, to the Pagan. It is always easy to speak with contempt of the Indian Fakir, smeared with ashes, and sneer at the pJ'ayer-wheel of the Buddhist (something very like which in kind is found ill many a Christian church) and point out the blots in the Mahometan scheme of salvation; it seems casy to show up the utter abomination of pagan human sacrfiices; but the missionary will find that behind these exoteric symbols there is a rad- ical misconception of the problem of human nature in the minds of the pro- fessors of a false religion, and behind the poor ignorant devotee he will flnd men with minds much more l;ubtle than his own, gifted with a power of argu- ment far .exceeding his own, appealing to authorities, of which the ITltssion- ary is ignorant. The idol is something more to the believer than a bit of wood and stone; the believers are not men of the nineteenth century, and with the impress of European training. To miracles and prophecies quoted by the missionary the teachers and believers of the false faith will quote prophecies and miracles of their own; to the words of the Bible and the claim of inspil'ation they will oppose the words of their own sacred books, and claim equal supernatural authority; the sequence of historical events and the facts of geography are unknown to them; it becomes at last a struggle for life upon the first principles of human existence, and the contest must take place upon an arena, of which the poor theological student of England never dreamt, behind the altar, out of sight of the church, in scorn of the Bible or any Christian authority, and nothing but the outpoUl'ing of the ,Holy Spirit can bring the unbeliever to see, and know, and bow to the truth.
The Hindu in his prolific literature works out his great metaphysical ques- tion, "What am I? whence came I? whither dol go?" , lIov yev6f1a1; 1f60ev ripl; rivo, XaplV i;')JJov, a1fij')JJov; and it ends in nothingness; his successor the Buddhist makes this nothing- ness the object, aim, and end of existence; the Mahometan boldly pillages the Old and New Testaments to fashion a system which can never respond to the yearnings of the human heart or satisfy its aspirations; the pOOl'
pagan in his blindness is so far ahead of the modern educated atheist, that he feels and admits the presence of the Deity and His omnipotence, and tries to appease Him by sacrifices; he is ready, however, to listen to some- thing better, and welcomes the teacher, who .comes with a semblance of greater knowledge of the great Unknown. We read how, when the first missionary arrived from Rome in Northumbria, and a council was summoned to discuss how be should be received, a wise old baron remarked, that the life of man seemed to them in their heathen ignorance, like the flight of a bird outo[ the dark winter outside into the warm and lighted chamber, and then out at a window into another world of dark winter at the opposite side; the passage of a moment from a long unknown past into a long and unknown future; the contemplation of this was crushing; and, if the stranger from Rome could tell them something a little more certain, he should be wel- comed. Such is the spirit, with which a teacher is welcomed in many a pagan community. But is the ordinary missionary equal to this occasion?
Bred up in an atmosphere permeated by Darwinism and atheism, in a church whel'!~ more value is plac~d on the human surroundings, the ritual and th~ externals than the eternal truth, can it be hoped that he will mount up to the level of the religion of religions, the object and aim of human existence, and with the Bible in his hand aRd in his heart, and nothing else, grapple with the Hindu, Buddhist, Mahometan, or Pagan on the common ground of right and wrong, truth and -falsehood, judgment and mercy, sin and repentance, pardon and peace, opening out new worlds of thought to his astonished hearers? The hero-missionary can do this. He exhibits his principles, and his doctrines in his Christ-like life and words, and challenges his hearers to show him a better way than the way of self-sacrifice, self-control, and selfconsecration, to procure a higher conception than that of the fatherhood of God, of faith in a Redeemer, of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit leading poor weak men to personal holiness.
There are plenty of men who will volunteer to go out and dwell a season amidst the polished Persian, the civilized Arabized races, the Indian, who, with all his faults, is gentle and reasonable, the intelligent Chinese, and the progressive Japanese. They represent nations on the highest roupds of the ladder of civilization, our superiors in many arts and graces, with their monuments of literature, and architecture, and their time-honored customs: they have centuries ago got beyond the epoch of human sacrifices or cannibalism; they have had in their midst great sages who felt after God, if haply they could find Him, men standing on the same platform as Socrates, and Aristotle, and Pythagoras. There is very little discomfort in such service, and no danger; mere worldlings dwell among such races for the purpose of commerce and the service of the state. We do not wish to undervalue such services, for such were the missionary operations of St. Paul among the Greeks and Romans. The process of sapping and mining has long been going on. Education has brought with it a contempt for idolatory, but civilization has brought with it a contempt for all religions, and a disbelief in the supernatural, a doubt as to the reality of a future state.
But this is not the higher order of service; it does not mean the same self-sacrifice; it does not approach so near the services rendered to man by our Saviour; our Lord abased himself when He took the form of a slave and became man for our redemption. He thought it not vile to dwell in the tents of men, and associate with the poor, erring children of men. Patteson and John Williams, and the whole army of Moravian missionaries, learnt to look over the-wall of partition that separates race from race, and to call no one common and unclean; there have been missionaries who have had the fortune given to them to go in and dwell among lepers, and have succumbed to the disease themselves; there are those who have found a grace vouchsafed to them to dwell among the POOl', dirty savage outcasts of the human family, to submit to insult, hardship and perils; to die in spirit every day, and at length breathe out their last breath in some round straw hut, looking to Jesus, yet still thinking of friends and home.
U Dulces moriens reminiscitur Argos."
But there was no murmuring, for they knew how to be humbled but not ashamed, to be cast down but not disheartened, bearing about them the marks of the spear in their sides, and the print of the nails on their hands and feet. The service of such was great and noble; the heart of the worlding beats high when he hears of such achievements. Surely there must be joy in heaven w/len one of the miserable savages, to the outward eye nearer the beast than the man, is brought into the fold, and his body becomes the temple of the Holy Ghost, for Chris~ in very deed died for him also. The seU-sacrificing missionary teaches the men to lJe br(l.ve, yet not cruel, and the women to be sweet and affectionate, yet not unchaste; out of the stores of his acquired experience he teaches them humble arts, and the very rudiments of knowledge, the very fundamental of human graces, to be decent in act and word, to respect human life, to recognize property, to be sober and chaste, to love God as a father and cease to fear Him like a slave, to bow in gratitude to the free offer of pardon. And yet all this is possible: it has been done, it may be done again; it must be done by some of you who stand here and hear me this day: "EV 'TOV'Tr,J VlK(L."
It will be nothing wonderful, if in due time we convert the people of India, China, and the extreme Orient. They are not wiser and stronger than were the Greeks and Romans in the day of their greatness, and we know that the cross proved sufficient for their conversion. And experience has shown that the same cross is sufficient for races whom Cmsar never knew, of whose existence the Greek philosophers, and even St. Paul, had not the faintest idea. We thus begin to realize the full meaning of the prophecies of Isaiah, "The isles!lhaU wait for his law," and the words of our Lord, "They shall gather his elect from the uttermost parts of the earth," and again, in the Revelation, "Behold a great number, whom no man can number, out of every nation, and all tribes, and peoples and tongues."
There are three classes, in one or other of which you must, as Christian men, range yourselves : I. Whatever secular station you occupy, whether at home or abroad, you -must place the duty of assisting the evangelizing of mankind in the very first rank of duties, for nothing can approach it in impdrtance; if your lot takes you to non-Christian countries, you will find plenty of opportunities to serve the cause, and bitterly you will regret in your old age, if you neglect your opportunities.
II. If you have a call to go forth as a missionary to the civilized non-Chris- tian nations, if you find yourself in possession of special gifts, consecrate them; do not take a worldly view of the subject, and mix up a mission to a dying world with visions of early matrimony, social advantage, and a pleas- ant career. Mere worldlings act thus. Many a soldier, many a student of nature, ml:ny a ruler of men has risen far above such a low level of human aspirations. The athlete and the mechanic give you a lesson. Show to the heathen that you come among them unjerstanding the law of self-sacrifice, and that you come not, as the haughty Briton, one who lords it over, and sometimes strikes or ill-uses the lower races, but as then' brother and their servant for Christ's sake.
III. But Jet me show a more excellent way to those who are strong in body, strong in spirit, and also have worked out the sublime idea of self-sacrifice and self-consecration. The call will come to some of you, as it has come to others, in your dreams by night, in your visions by day, as you walk alone, or are in prayer, or in the midnight watches. It will gradually overpower you and make you captive, and at length you will call out with a loud voice, "Send me, Lord, for I am ready." For still many a sunny island of the South Seas, many a retired valley of the great central plateau of Asia, many a dark, forest-clad savannah of ,the great valley ot the Congo, many a wild tribe of South America, and, alas! our own fellow-subjects, the neglected, ill-treated Australian aborigines, and the poor Bushmen of the Cape Colony, are waiting, waiting for the moving of the waters of the fountain of life, and for some one to help them down; lifting up their eyes for the sight of the blessed feet of those who bring the gospel message; calling for their man, the Allen Gardiner, and Patteson, and Williams of this generation; they are standing in your midst, though not as yet revealed to the eyes of men. In the long course of centuries no prophet or evangelist has ever come near these poor heathen; they have laid out of the course of the revolution of the gospel; they are waiting for one who, in his life as well as his words, will illustrate to them the life and passion of our Lord and their Lord; they ask not for the refinement, nor the fantasies of modern religious thought and practice, but with dumb voices they ask the men of the nineteenth century and civilized Europe to teach them to clothe their nakedness, to dwell in decent dwellings, to cluster in villages, to live with one consort, and to respect human life, to do all things in a Christian way, and to realize the presence of the risen Saviour. In the last desperate struggling of heathendom it may be .:that the man of God, who thus appears like an angel among them, will be killed and devoured; but his death will prove the dawn of the new life; over the martyr-tomb will spring up the new chapel, and the younger generation, who witnessed the slaughter and partook of the ter~ible feast, will, by the grace of God, be converted and made new men, and, like St. Paul, become evangelists. When their day of grace comes, and they understand the matter, like the Jews at Jerusalem a few days after the crucifixion, they will be pricked to the heart. History is always repeating itself; but on this generation, the men of your age and country, rests the duty of completing the work, till the gospel cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. At the present moment there are regions still unevangelized, sufferings for Christ's sake not yet suffered, and crowns of martyrs and confessors not yet won.
Finally, my dear friends, suffer me to say to you one word more, and this word applies not only to the missionary, whose vocation is the highest of earthly vocations, but to each one of us, however humble and prosaic our special vocation may be. What were we created for? Why are we kept alive, except to do some special work which is marked out for us by the inexorable teaching of circumstances, circumstances wqich are controlled by the omniscience of God I How can we succeed in any work if our attempts are not sanctified by prayer! "Labora et Ora," for true prayer is somethmg done in the service of the Master, followed by praise for being selected to do it; not the empty litany or the conventional prayer-meeting. Say what we like, we are all day-laborers, and he serves his God best who does his day's work in the best manner and in the best spirit. None miss so entirely the mainspring of human action as those who strive to dissociate religion from the simple round, the common task of the most prosaic, the mostunroniantic, the most depressing lot in life.
It is not success that sanctifies the work, fot many of the best of us in our noblest undertakings do not succeed. We are thwarted by some narrowminded obstructers standing on the next round of the ladder above us; we are baflled at every turn, and at length laid aside by poverty, sickness or death. It is not striving that wins; the race is n()t to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. We must not look for the selfish satisfaction of thinking that we have done something; we must not hope for the applause of bystanders, for the foolish multitude generally praise the wrong person, or praise the right person for the wrong thing. We must find our reward in the work itself; something each day accomplished; something done; some kindly word spoken; some cup of water offered to the suffering; some noble thought cherished, some achievement, which the world ought not willingly to let die, shadowed forth, thought out, conceived, If not actually brought forth. Good work, earnest work, prayerful work, can never be without a
A TRINITY OF MONSTROUS EVILS DENOUNCED. 6'75
blessing to the worker, which will follow him after life's endless toil and endeavor to his rest, and what greater work than the saving of a soul I I once stood at the mouth of the great Panjab Salt Mine on the river Jhilam, and watched the long procession of women, children and men, of young and old, slowly advancing towards me, toiling up the steep incline, each with his head bent and back curved under the burden of rock-salt, which they brought from !he bowels to the surface of the earth. This was their hard and palpable day's labor. To the strength of each the burden was adjusted ; the young daily grew into capacity to bear heavier, the old daily felt their strength less equal to their diminishing load, but all rested night after night wearied with their daily round, and all each morning rose to the consciousness of a day's sweating and straining, and a risk of accidents and disease, and the dark river to be crossed at last. Tears started in my eyes as I thought of the sad procession of my contemporaries, whom dut'ing my own life I had seen toiling and striving, lifting their heavy burdens, or sinking by the way under them. I thought of the strong and enthusiastic, too eager for the strife, who fell years ago; the patient and uncomplaining, who toiled on till within the last few years; the yearly diminishing group of fellow-laborers, with yearly diminishing force, and the dark unknown future before me.
But there is no prison so deep that its depths are not reached by some ray of God's interminablfl day, and, as I looked into the faces of the salt-bearers, I became aware that one ray of light reached to the lowest slope of their dungeon, and, as they advanced upwards, it ever became brighter and brighter, shining hopefully in their uplifted eyes, and gladdening their hearts with the thought of home, and rest, and of labor, sanctified for the sake of the little ones, the old ones, the sick ones, to whose cOljJlforts their earnings ministered. The hero-missionary places the heathen, to whom he goes as Christ's ambassador, in that corner of his heart where other men place their families. Nay, more; God's greatlessons are taught in His works and in His creatures. As each laborer reached the outer world, and flung ((own his burden, his eyes insensibly turned up with a look of thankfulness and acknowledgment to the kindly light which had led him, and then each unconsciously shrouded his eyes with his hands, as if unable to bear the full glow of unutterable gladness, which the grace of Gcd sends to testify to the sanctity and dignity of labor, however humble and contracted the sphere: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things. 'Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
A TRINITY OF MONSTROUS EVILS DENOUNqED.
[A popular meeting of an extraordinary character was held on Wednesday evening, the twelfth dl>y of the session for the express purpose of giving public and indignant expression to the intensified feeling of the Conference in relation to three stupendous evils which had been brought to its notice during the meeting. It was not down on the programme, but the Loudon papers speak of it as a "magnificent dembnstration," and the most .. enthusiastic as well as the largest meeting of the series. Several of the speakers were Americaus-Dr. William M. Taylor of New York, Dr. A. J. Gordon of Boston, Dr. G. E. Post of our Syrian Mission, and our associate, Dr. Pierson of Philadelphia. We have full reports of the meeting in various English papers, aud proceed to give our readers a bird's-eye view of the great meeting, that they may feel the pulse of the world's missionary representatives in regard to such giant social, commercial and national sins as those here unauimously denounced by the largest and grandest popular council ever held. We follow chiefly the report in The Christian of London.-J. M. S,1 THE final meeting of the great Missionary Conference will not soon be fo.rgotten by those who were present. It was the largest of the series, and by far the most enthusiastic. The subjects under consideration-the Opium Traffic, the Drink Traffic, and Licensing Sin-naturally lent themselves to the expression of strong feeling; both speakers and hearers fully took advantage of the opportunity. The opinion was expressed during the evening that in the matter of the opium trade the Christian conscience of Great Britain has of late gone to sleep. The proceedings of Wednesday evening ought to do something in waki:e.g it up and keeping it wide awake till the cause for such wakefulness has disappeared. The outstanding features of the evening were the powerfully explosive utterance of Dr. Taylor, of New York, the remarkable reception given Mr. Alfred Dyer, on his return from India, and the heartiness of feeling shown towards our two eloquent American brethren, Dr. Gordon and Dr. Pierson.
"The chair was taken by Sir Arthur Blackwood, who was supported on either side by an array of gentlemen well known for their active interest in questions of national morality. In the opening prayer, Dr. Parsons, of Toronto, struck an appropriate keynote by his reference to the foes that oppose the kingdom of Christ and prevent the salvation of men.
SIR ARTHUR BLACKWOOD'S ADDRESS.
" After some remarks on the wisdom of the decision to hold such a meeting in connection with the Conference, the Chairman said: 'Not as part of a cutand-dried plan prepared beforehand, not as an outburst of hasty enthusiasm, but as the deliberate, solemn conviction of men and women qualified to judge, you have decided to speak out and denounce certain deeds and practices, and to deplore their terrible results. I a!ll sure I am right in saying that we do this in sorrowful confession of the blameworthiness of the churches, as well as in solemn condemnation of these practices. Were it not for lack of faithful testimony, watchful attention, earnest prayerfulness, courageous utterance, these things could never have attained their present magnitude. Surely the standard of morals in so-called Christian nations and governments must be low ir..deed, when practices like those cannot only continue unchecked, but be defended; and that not merely ou the ground of expediency, but of actual necessity. Where have the churches of Christ been in their testimony against these things? We must confess om' own guilt. We are not met for discussion; that time has gone by. Denunciation is our object to night-unanimous, I hope, and vehement if need be. What cause can demand it more? It is to be the denunciation of deedsdone contrary to every pre- cept of the gospel, contrary to the whole spirit of the Christian dispensation, and even protested against by the very heathen themselves. We are indeed deeply thankful that no sooner has one of those practices in its clear and ter- rible character been fully exposed and recognized than the British House of Commons resolved unanimously (for the few defenders of the practice dared not record their votes against the resolution) that this system should be abolished root and branch.* That proves, thank God, that the moral sense oC this nation is still alive with regard to such matters. But doomed systems often live long, and your denunciation and your protest to-night are none the less needful because, so far as that judgment has been uttered, this thing is doomed in all its horrible enormity and atrocity.
We are not only here to denounce, but to deplore the results, direct and in- direct, of these deeds and practices. The direct results, alas! who can esti- *This reference is to the formal licensing of harlotry by the British Government for the gratifiea- tion of the army in India. A fierce fight has been going on against the awful and scandalous in- Iqnity for months past, led on by Mr. Alfred S. Dyer, who in return has been assailed with as mnch bitterness as the Pall Malt Gazette once received for uncovering similar, though unlicensed, in- iquities in Lonaon. The British Parliament was finally forced by the terrible revebtlons made and the protests nttered to repeal the act, just as the Conference came together.-EDs. mate? Eternity alone will disclose the ruin to the thousands and thousands of bodies and souls of those amongst whom these practices have been carried on by members of so-called Christian nations-carried on by those who ought to have been the protectors and the friends and the saviors of the heathen to whom they went. The indirect results have been no less fatal. What might not the progress of the gospel of Christ have been among the nations of the earth had that gospel been commended and enforced by the lives of those who profess to be Christians? What can more effectually have barred its advance and have stayed its progress? I must allude here, for one mo- ment, to a challenge thrown down to you by the world. It is not often need- ful nor wise to pay much heed to what the world says about Christian work. Yet at times it is necessary, and I wish to draw your attention to the utter- ances of The Time8, which, in a leading article dealing with your Conference, spoke the other day in these words :- .. , Criticism cannot express itself aR altogether contented with the amoont of groond which has been annexed. • . • Before the promoters of missionary work can expect to have greater resources confided to them they will have to render a satisfactory acconnt of their trnst in the past. Their pro- gress, it is to be hoped, is sure; indisputably it is slow. A Congress like the present would be better employed in tracing the reasons for the deficiency in quantity of success than in glorifying the modi- com which has been attained. • • • The cause marches at a pace which, unless it is registered by the enthusiasm of Exeter Hall, appears little more than funereal. • • • For eyes not endowed with the second sight of the platform, the principal citadels of heathendom continue to 1lannt their banners as before. If some people profess to believe that they hear too much of foreign missions, the explanation is that they see too little of their results.'
"I think that demand is a fait- one, and that we are right in answering the challange. The world asks, Why have you not accomplished more? It says: 'Traae the reasons for your want of success, instead of talking about what you have done.' We have come together for that purpose to-night. Whilst . in the spirit of self-judgment and true humility before God for our well- known shortcomings in enthusiasm, in zeal, in self-denial, in prayerfulness, in effort, we declare before the world that, foremost, perhaps, amongst the causes which have hindered the progress of the gospel of Christ in heathen lands, have been the three practices which we desire to hear denounced to- night. How could it have been otherwise, when wherever the missionary has pitched his tent the rum merchant has sent his barrels, so that we have gone to the heathen in certain lands with the Bible in one hand and the rum-keg in another. What can those people have thought of the character of the Chris- tianity which thus presented itself to them? How can we wonder that the gospel makes small progress? With our cannon balls and bayonets we have forced the introduction of opium into China, and, alas! taught the popula- tion to grow the drug itself in order to oust our Indian products, thereby inflicting upon them irretrievable injury. What can that people think of the Christianity that came to them in that guise? And, again, when upon the defenseless, uneducated female population of India, a Christian government has fastened the horrible diabolical system to which allusion must be made to-night, and enforced it with all the tremendous weight of its authority; when side by side with the chaplain and the church has been the Govern- ment brothel, how can we wonder that there, in India, they have laughed at our Christianity, and cast contempt upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ? If the world taunts the missionary enterprise with its little progress, and says, 'Find out the reasons for your lack of success,' we can indeed say, with all self-judgment as regards our own shortcomings, 'These practices, carried out by Christian nations, and authorized and enforced by so-called Christian governments, have much to bear of the blame for our want of success.' It is our business to-night to lift up our voices, and that with no bated breath; a.nd in no indistinct manner, to declare, in the name of the Lord, and on the ground of every obligation that we owe to Him who has redeemed-us by His blood, that, so far as lies in our power, so far as our protests and prayers can effect it, these deadly evils shall be stayed, and, by God's help, be impossible for the future."
THE CHINA OPIUM TRADE.
Rev. J. Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, moved the following resolution: .. That this Conference, representing most of the Protestant Missionary Societies of the Christian world, desires to put on record its sense of the incalculable evils, physical, moral, and social, which continue to be wrought in China through the opium trade-a trade which has strongly prejudiced the people of China against all missionary eftort; that it deeply deplores the position occupied by Great Britain through its Indian administration in the mauufacture of the product, and in the pr'Qmotion of the trade which is one huge ministry to vice; that it recoguizes clearly that uothing short of the entire suppression of the trade, so far as it is iu the power of the Government to suppress it, cau meet the claims of the case, and it now makes its earnest appeal to the Christians of Great Britain and Irelaud to plead earnestly with God, and to give themselves no rest until this great evil is entirelv removed; and further, that copies of this resolution be forwarded to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for India.'
"Mr. Taylor observed that the fact that the opium traffic is a huge ministry to vice, and an obstacle to the evangelization of China, is surely sufficient reason why the subject should be brought forward and protested against by this Missionary Conference. He then said: 'I made the statement at a previous meeting, which I will repeat, that while the result of eighty years of evangelistic effort in China has brought us to rejoice in 32,000 converts to Christianity, about 150,000,000 of the Chinese have been either turned into opium smokers or have come to suffer from the opium vice, as husband, wife, father, or mothe)'. If the evil is so rampant, and it is most difficult to help the smoker or his unfortunate family, surely it is high time that our protest was raised against it, and that we did our utmost to bring the evil to an end.'
"Proceeding to quote from official documents and the writings of wellknown men, Mr. Taylor showed the iniquitous character of the traffic. Rev. Griffith John condemned it unsparingly, and appealed to 'the great heart of England' to remove the curse. Rev. Howard Malcolm, of the United States, remarked that' the proud escutcheon of the nation which declares against the slave trade bears in this trade a blot still broader and darker.' Mr. C. Aitchison, chief commissioner of British Burmah, in a memorandum addressed to the Government of India, speaks of the' demoralization, misery, and ruin produced among the Burmese by opium smoking.' After quoting other testimonials, Mr. Taylor contended that England is directly responsible for every acre of Chinese soil engaged in the cultivation of opium. We introduced the drug, and then the people of China raised it themselves. The Chinese appealed in vain to England's kindly feeling and sense of.rectitude; they appealed to every sentiment which was likely to move a professedly Christian people: but in vain. Then they came to the conclusion that Eng- land has no moral sense, no conscience, but only a pocket, and that the only way to move England was to prevent the money from reaching her revenue by China producing the drug at home, until the pressure of England is removed. , "The government of India is to a large extent the producer of the drug. More than half the drug manufactured in India is produced and sold directly by the government of India. It is said that we need the revenue. Remem- ber the well-known words of Mr. Henry Richard in the House of Commons. He said he had a firm conviction that no nation had ever been engaged in any business so absolutely indefensible on all grounds as the opium traffic: … It might be true that the power of England was forcing it upon the Chinese, and was spreading among them demoralization. disease and death-but there was the Indian Revenue. It might be true that the tralllc created an enormous amount of ill-will and heart-burning towards England on the part or the Chinese Government and the Chinese people, which had led to one war and might lead to another-but there was the Indian Revenue. It might be true that the traffic constituted the most formidable of obstacles to Christiauity among the Chinese-but there was the Indian Revenue. It might be true that it interfered with the development of every kind of legitimate commerce-but there was the Indian Revenue. It might be true that it dishonored the character of England in the eyes or other nations, and prevented her from protesting against similar practices elsewhere-bnt there was the Indian Revenue.'
"To put it plainly, as Mr. T. A. Denny had well put it, this plea amounts to this, that' the English nation cannot afford to do right.' I sincerely trust that this meeting will make it very plain that in its estimation the English nation cannot afford to do wrong. In conclusion, Mr. Taylor expressed a hope that the wrong may be put right while there is opportunity, and before the wrong-doer is visited by divine judgment.
Dr. James L. Maxwell, formerly missionary to Formosa, seconded the resolution. It is quite true, he said, that the Indian Government is the chief party to the evil. But before that there is a BritIsh House of Commons to be reached, and still before that there is the conscience of England to be reached, and, yet again, before that, there is the heart of the Christian church in England to be touched. The question is absolutely beyond discussion. We deliberately cultivate the poppy and minister to the vice of a heathen people; more than that, we fatten upon that vice, in spite of the fact that the rulers of the Chinese have again and again remonstrated with us, and in spite of the fact that our action is leading to the physical, moral and social ruin of the people. Of late years there has crept over the Christians of this country a very strange apathy in dealing with this opium trade. Intellectually we have acknowledged that it is wrong, and we have signed memorials against the traffic; but we have not kept it in our hearts as a burden upon our souls before God. Why do we not arouse ourselves? In this hall to-night, there is a constituency large enough, if set on fire on this subject, to begin to move England from end to end. Who dares to measure what the progress of speed in dealing with this would be, if each of us pledged himself before God not to forget the matter; but in private and in public so to move that this blot shall be removed from the nation? Only let us get to faithful handling of the evil, looking to God for help, and absolute suppression will in due course be reached." The resolution was carried unanimously.
NATIVE RACES AND THE DRINK.
Dr. W. M. Taylor, of New York, submitted the following resolution, which he supported, by a tremendous earnest and rousing- speech :'- " That the International Conference, compristng delegates from most of the Protestant Missionary Societies in the world, is of opinion that the traffic in strong drink, as now carried on by merchants belonging to Christian nations among native races, especially in Africa, has become a soarce of terrible and of wholesale demoralization and ruin, and is proving a most serions stumbling-block to the progress of the gospel. The Conference is of opinion that all Christian nations should take 8teps to suppress the traffic in all territories under their influence or government, especially in those under International control, and that a mutnal agreement shonld be made to this effect without delay, as the evil, already gigantic, is rapidly growing.
" After stating that he had received several pressing mandates on this topic, to be delivered to the Conference from Presbyterian bodies in the United States, Dr. Taylor said: 'We who look back to this as our dear old home-land have a very tender regard for her reputation, and we feel sad to have to hang our heads in shame over her when the opium traffic is brouglit up against her. But our hands in America are as deep in this drink traffic~ yours are, and we come here to beseech you a!ongwiih us that the Christian Church of Europe and America as a whole shall advertise itself out of this business, and shall declare that whosoever hereafter is responsible for its continuance, that responsibility, by the help of God, shall no longer lie at our doors. I protest against this traffic because of the demoralizing effect it has on the native races. We know something of what it does at home, but these effects are far more tremendous abroad. These native races are in the position of minors or infants. If we insist, and rightly insist, that those who sell liquor to children and minot'S shall be punished, shall we force this traffic on those nations that are composed of minors altogether? I protest against the traffic, also, because it is destructive of legitimate commerce. The expenditure of resources for the gratification of the drink appetite renders it impossible for the natives to deal in more wholesome articles of trade. I ask you, in the name of common sense and righteousness, if you are going to allow this one deadly traffic to deprive you of honest gain in those countries which in so wonderful a way have been opened up to trade in modern times? If you force rum upon them, you cannot give them cotton, because they have nothing to buy cotton with. But stay, there is one trade that may be Improved by the rum trade. I saw in one of your morning papers this week a paragraph with reference to King Quamin Fori, and a visit paid to him by Sir Brandford Griffith, Governor of the Gold Coast: 'All that King Quainin Fori asks is that Her Majesty's l'epresentive will instruct the merchants of Addah to pay for palm-oU in cash instead of gin.' The Governor, III answer to this appeal, said he could not interfere with the course of trade. The last sentence in the paragraph is to the following effect : of .. The prevalence of the habit among Christian traders in that region paying the heathen for his goods • in gin,' may possibly have something to do with the curious circumstance that king after king with whom the governor held a palaver, during his official progress, appears to have asked for a supply of handcull's,"
"Yes, the trade in handcuffs is one that is stimulated by the gin traffic. Here is a trade-mark for the gin bottle. Handcuffs! Handcuffs ! Yes, handcuffs that enslave, handcuffs that degrade; 0, yes, put it on the gin bottle everywhere.
"I protest against this traffic because of the retribution wbich it is sure to bring on the nations who protect it. I rejoice in the ringing words quoted by Mr. Hudson Taylor from Mr. Henry Richard: 'The government of God is real; the government of God is moral; the government of God is retribu- tive.' Has Great Britain forgotten to read the lesson of the Indian mutiny? Has America forgotten to read the lesson of the civil war? Shall we allow ourselves to go to sleep agamover an eVil like this, folding our arms and saying : ' Let it alone; it will take care of itself'? The Governor of the Gold Coast said, 'We cannot interfere with the course of trade.' This has been said again and again in history. It reminds me of the passage: 'Yet a little more sleep, a little more slumber . . . so shall thy poverty come as one that travaileth, and thy want as an armed man.' Oh, that armed man! We saw him in America twenty years ago, and Gettysburg was the retribution of letting it alone. You saw it in the Indian mutiny away back among the fifties, and that fearful time was the retribution of letting it alone. Are we to let it alone again, and bring down still greater retribution upon our heads in America and upon you here?
" Once more I protest against this detestable traffic because of its neutral- izing effect upon the efforts of our Chrlstian missionaries. Why should we go to the heathen handicapped and hampered by men who have no care but to make money, and who have yoked the motive-power of appetite to the car of Mammon, that they may ride the more surely over men? Oh, brethren, as the representatives of the Missionary Societies of the world, let us rise in our might and say: 'It is time that we should be unlimbered and unhampered and delivered from this terrible evil.' If the churches of England were united, and in earnest, and right, no government would be able to resist them. If the churches of England, of Europe, and America were united, and in earnest, and right, no evil in the world could stand before them. Let there be no pessimism among us in regard to this. PessimIsm is lor those who have no Christ; courage is the characteristic of those who know they have Him with them and in the midst of them. But we must ourselves have clean hands. Let us labor, and pray, and determine in the might of God to lay low everything in the shape of demoralizing traffic with these native races. Let us knock it on the head, and sweep its kennel clean out. The resolution was carried by acclamation.
KING LEOPOLD AND THE TRAFFIC.
" A third resolution, recognizing the benefits that have already accrued to Africa in connection with the founding of the Congo Free State by the King of the Belgians, invoking his aid in suppressing the drink traffic, and appointing a committee to proceed to Brussels and lay this important matter before his Majesty, was submitted to the meeting by the Rev. Dr. J. Murdock, of Boston. In doing so he mentioned an incident told in New York by Mr. H. M. Stanley. When that explorer met the King in Uganda, the King asked him many questions about Queen Victoria, the Emperor of Germany, and others i then he said, •What tidings can you bring me from above?' Mr. Stanley, unhappily, was not an expert in these matters, but he gave the King a New Testament, which he declared contained the only answer which man could ever receive to that most momentous inquiry. After a long passage across the continent, Stanley came at last to meet with the colored people of the Western Coast, and the first question they asked of him was, 'Have you any gin?' That, said Dr. Murdock, is the difference between heathendom pure and simple and heathendom as touched by the curse of Western civilization. It was in order to touch this evil at its very core that the matter would be laid before the King of the Belgians. The resolution was seconded by Mr. H. Grattan Guinness in a paper full of startling facts, most eloquently and impressively stated. The resolution was heartily agreed to i the gentlemen appointed to carry out its provisions being Dr. Murdock, Mr. Grattan Guinness, Mr. J. Bevan Braithwaite, and Mr• .Alfred Baynes.
L!OENSED VICE IN INDIA.
"The fourth and last resolution was moved by MI'. Alfred S. Dyer, who, as the Chairman remarked, had only a few days before returned from India. On rising, MI'. Dyer was greeted with oft-repeated rounds of cheering, and it was some time before he was able to speak. He read the resolution as follows: " That this Conference has heard with shame and sorrow of the extensive system of State·licensed vice carried on throughout India by authority of the Indian government; that at the same time it desires to place on record its deep sense of the great service rendered to the canse of morality and religion by the House of Commons determining the repeal of all legislation which anthorizes and en· courages vice; and it confidently expects that Her Majesty's government will now take Immediate measures to abolish what constitutes a social degradation, and so remove a stnmbling-block to religion, and the dishonor to the name of Great Britain which have resulted from this system; and further. that copies of this resolution be forwarded to the Prime :Minister and the Secretary of State for Indis.
"The time being far spent, Mr. Dyer had proposed simply to read the resolution, leaving it to speak for itself without any advocacy of his own. In response, however, to the calls of the audience, he said: The uppermost feeling in my heart is one of unbounded thanksgiving to God for the great victory which has been gained in the House of Commons in this cause of social purity. I honor the noble men in that House who have stood faithful to this cause amid so much ridicule. I honor them in that they have been • faithful to the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I look upon this victory entirely as an answer to the prayers that have been offered up. We have been praying about it in India. Not a day passed that I did not pray for it, so that I feel, as I have said, unbounded thankfulness to God, while I thank those members of Parliament. After seven or eight months' patient investi- gation in India, and coming into contact also with the drink traffic, I have come to the conclusion that the two great obstacles to the success of mission- ary work in India are the systems of licensed vice and of licensed drink. I would only add that we must see that the resolution of the House of Com- mons is carried out in India. I hope in a few weeks to go back there; and I intend to stay there, to act as your representative, to exercise a due vigil- ance, and to see that the system of licensed Ivice is abolished. While I am there, I shall also make it my business to investigate further these questions of the drink traffic and the Chinese opium traffic, and to see if I can help you to get rid of them.
"Rev. G. E. Post, M.D., seconded the resolution. He said: 'It was with extreme repugnance that I undertook to speak. My repugnance arose from the fact that I felt myself to be a citizen of another land, and that this was a question which primarily concerned Britain. But in presence of such a ques- tion you are not Eng-lishmen, and I am not an American, but we are all of us citizens of the commonwealth of man, and endowed from heaven with the freedom of the city of God. I take that freedom to protest against the worst form of outrage that has ever been perpetrated against a defenseless people, Anglo-Saxon fathers, hang your heads with shame for the cause that brings us here to-night. Anglo-Saxon mothers, turn your hearts away from your husbands and your sons; you cannot look them in the face as you discuss a question like this. Anglo-Saxon daughters, draw your veils over your eyes lest you put me to silence by ihe mantling blushes on your cheeks. Twelve years ago the civilized world was stirred to its depths by the story of the Bulgarian atrocities. A few undisciplined Bashi Bazouks, elated by victory, were guilty of atrocities which brought down upon their country a desolating war, which dismembered it, and which drew from one of your statesmen that famous utterance that the Turks must be driven, 'bag and baggage,' out of Europe. We have been guilty of an atrocity which surely might justify the statement that we ought to be driven, 'bag and baggage,' out of Asia. This, moreover, is not an atrocity by a few guerilla soldiers, but by a Christian Government, with its two estab- lished religions and its numerous churches and chaplains. We have gone into India in an official capacity, to degrade, first our own sons, and then the daughters of the weak subject races. It is with shame that we confess that our race has sunk to such a degradation as that. Turn to a lIlore cheerful aspect, and reJoice at the action of the House of Commons. All honor to those noble men who have stood up and vindicated the right. I repudiate, and never will believe, the accusation, that the medical profession stands behind these acts. I have been a member of that profession for twentyseven years. I say that when you press this matter on your legislative bodies, you may rely upon the medical profession being with you. And let us press forward in the consciousness that God is with us." The resolution was carried unanimously.
CLOSING WORDS.
The evening was now far advanced, but the Chairman called out Drs. Gordon and Pierson for brief addresses.
Dr. A. J. Gordon said: "It has been said, and I think truly, that there is enough sentiment, and conscience, and enthusiasm, and spiritual power in this audience to move our governments to the abolition of these terrible iniquities. Let it be remembered for our encouragement that in England, when the slave trade was to be abolished, agitation began with only two or three men, who carried it to a successful issue. I remind you also that our great conflict in America began with two or three men, who for years stood alone. Again, remember that the leader of that movement placed on his banner the motto, 'Immediate, Unconditional Emancipation,' and in spite of all ridicule and all abuse, and all dissuasion, he never would take that motto off his banner, but carried it forward until at last the whole nation followed him, and we swept the curse of slavery from our land. I suppose it will be admitted by our American brethren that the most eloquent man America has produced in modern times was Wendell PhiUips. He stood side by side with Lloyd Garrison-the two stood alone for years. I remember the time when they could not rally twenty men in a city to listen to them, eloquent as they were. This, however, is what I am going to say: Dh, English women! oh, American women! do you know what you can do? Just before Wendell Phillips died, I had a memorable conversation with him. Knowing that he had sacrificed social position, and much besides, I had the curiosity to ascertain what led him into the agitation. He had an invalid wife, who for years never left the house. I asked, 'What first led you to espouse the cause of the slave and to stand by him? ' He replied, 'My whole career is due to my wife. She said to me before the thought had ever touched my conscience, 'Wendell, you must take up the cause of the slave,' and I did it at her request, and I fought it out because she stood behind me.' There is a lesson for Christian women! And now let us remember that if two leaders can. finally bring a whole vast nation to follow them in deIpanding the abolition' of such an evil, we are more than two, and we have had as eloquent men leading us to-night as either of those I have named. Let us follow them. There is nothing that ca'n stand against iteration and reiteration. Suppose you suspended a piece of iron .weighing a hundred pounds In the midst of this hall, and, when it was perfectly poised, you brought a schoolboy to pelt it with pieces of cork. At first there would be no impression, but if the boy kept at it long enough and directed the pieces of cork at one point, the time would come when the whole mass would begin to mo,'e. In like manner, our testimony may in itself be very weak and unworthy, but let us bring it to bear long enough-testimony after testimony, protest after protest, demand after demand, abhorrence after abhorrence, expressed in the intensest terms against these evils; and by and by the great mass will begin to move, and it will be swept out of the way. Let us not be disheartened. Let us take courage from the assurance that God will bruise Satan under our feet shortly."
Dr. A. T. Pierson, lD the course of a stirring address, said: "If I had time I would like to take up the challenge thrown down in that secular news-
MISSIONARY MONTHLY
paper. For I reckon that it knows a good deal more about the kingdom of Britain and other kingdoms than it does about the kingdom of God. We stood this afternoon in the London Missionary Society's premises, and had rehearsed to us in brief outline the wonderful story of the progress of the gospel in Tahiti and the neighboring groups of islands. The missionaries labored in Tahiti for years without any apparent results, but then within a very short time the people became so thoroughly Christianized that they sent to the otqer groups, and within forty-four years the regeneration of Polynesia was accomplished. And yet this newspaper thinks that the progress of foreign missions has been funereal! Having told of wonders wrought in China, Dr. Pierson said :We have spoken much in this Conference about the union which has been exhibited. I want to say that I take not the slightest credit to America or to myself for this unity. If in the presence of the gigantic foe that unites all its forces and masses all its hosts against the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, I did not forget that I am an American, and also forget the denomination to which I belong, I should consider myself a fossilized ecclesiastic, and not a disciple at all. When Herod and Pilate are made friends in order to crush Christ and Christianity, it behooves all true disciples to stand shoulder to shoulder, and to close about the ark of God. The fact is, our unity is largely the involuntary unity of those who in the presence of the adversary have come together because they cannot help it ; and I think that the methods and manner adopted by our foes make it clear that we can pursue no successful policy of warfare but an aggressive one. We had better stop throwing up defenses, and carry war into the enemy's camp. A positive, aggressive gospel is surely the one that is going to win the day."
THE MISSIONARY MONTHLY CONCERT.
BY DR. JAMES L. PHILLIPS, CHAPLAIN TO STATE INSTITUTIONS, R. I. ALMOST a century ago a few earnest Christians in England founded the Monthly Concert of Prayer for Missions. To this day it is faithfully observed in many churches of the mother country. More than twenty years ago, when I was a student in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, this monthly concert was regularly held in many of the New England and New York churches; and while visiting friends in the Western States, before embarking for India, I found it in some of the churches there. On coming back to America I have been making many inquiries, and regret to learn that there seems to be a marked falling off in the observance of this missionary service. The history of this meeting for nearly a hundred years affords ample proof of its importance. Its real value cannot be estimated, for facts and figures can neither detect nor determine the full benefit it has brought to the church of Christ at home and abroad. The journals of missionaries in foreign fields, and records found in our best periodical missionary literature, and in the memoirs of men who have been valiant pioneers in extending the triumphs of the kingdom of God on earth, yield abundant and remarkable testimony to the benefit and blessing that this monthly concert has been to Christian toilers in many lands. It is very cheering to find THE MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD calling attention regularly every month to the Concert of Prayer, and the following incidents may serve to illustrate and impress the importance of this service. Ten years ago, when at home on furlough before, one of the last things I had to do was the raising of an endowment fund for our Bible School in India. While engaged in this work, which occupied several months, I was traveling much and met with many very Ct9nvincing proofs of the educating power of the Missionary Concert. One of these I wish to cite, because it illnstrates how the regular observance of this monthly meeting tends to plant the habit of cheerful giving, one of the hardest habits, so the pastors tell us, for Christian disciples to acquire.
The committee sent me to some strange spots for money. Everyone who has done such deputation work among the churches on either side of the Atlantic knows wh~t surprises, pleasant and otherwise, drop into this line of service, and some of these become the salient points of the scene as you look back upon it in after years. One week day evening I had an fLppoint- men t in a village of Central Ohio. On stepping off the train, and looking over the place from the railway station, and there learning that the church to which I was sent was without a pastor, I wondered how this appointment came to be made. The outlook was anything but bright.
The hour for the missionary lecture found about seventy people seated in a plain house, the women on one side and the men on the other. They listened admirably to what was said about gospel work in India, and the demand for. trained native helpers. A stranger minister had offered the opening prayer, and no one volunteering to take pledges or the collection for my endowment, I asked my brother to wait upon one side of the house, while I did on the other. Catching up paper and pencil, he straightway went for the men, fancying no doubt that the pocket-books belonged on that side of the house. For once it wasn't so, for in cash and pledges together moire . than ten times as much came in from the women's sIde as from the men's side of that small congregation. I shall never forget the very first woman whom I asked for money that evening. Her quick answer to my question, "Would you like to help our Bible School?" was significant and cheered me so. Looking up through her glasses squarely into my face, she said :- "Indeed, I should, sir," and she gave me fifty dollars. Anotherlittle woman gave me twenty-five dollars, and still another ten. On reaching my lodg- ings I learned from my kind hostess that these three women were sisters, and naturally I was curious to know their history. One of them lived close by, so the next morning on my way to the railway station, I called upon her and thanked her and her sisters for the good cheer they had given me at the meeting. And from this humble Christian woman I learned these facts. Their childhood home was in Western New York, and they used to attend a Presbyterian church. Their pastor never failed to observe the monthly concel·t of prayer for missions, at which service he regularly brought be- fore his people the conditions and claims of the pagan nations, the freshest news from the front ranks of Christ's advancing army in all lands, and also the duty and the privilege of helping on this grand movement for the world's evangelization by earnest prayers and cheerful offerings. That faithful pastor had reached his rest and reward in heaven, and I, a stranger from the opposite side of the earth, had been permitted to reap' some of the golden harvest for which through years of patient toil he had sown the seed.
Another incident of more recent date illustrates the other side of the ben- efit that accrues from thIS missionary concert, that is the cheer it carries to our brethren across the seas. On the 6th of March, 1887, the concert topic in quite a number of churches was New Fields, and particular men,tion was made in the addresses and prayers of a little station recently opened on the Orissa coast. The young missionary planting this station had met with serious obstacles. A cyclone had blown down his first buildings, there had
ISLAM AND CIVILIZATION
been lack of funds for pushing on the work of rebuildhtg, and other discouragement. He did not know that on the first Sabbath of March we were to offer up special prayer lor him in our monthly concert. But the blessing came just the same.
In a private letter this missionary writes: "On the 6th and 7th of March I received a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Such courage I have never felt in my work, and all the native Christians felt more or less the same spirit of consecration. The following Sabbath I baptized six, and there are a number among the Hindus and Telugus here who, are seeking Christ. Wherever we go, the Spirit of the Lord seems to be going before to open up the way. It has been surprising to me, and the native workers have remarked a number of times, how wonderfully the people accept the gospel."
By the slow course of an ocean mail, our brother on that Ori!'sa coast learned on the 3d of April, from a Boston newspaper dated February 24th, that the missionary concert of March 6th was to make him and his field the special subject of prayer. Whereupon he writes: "Then it flashed upon me like light from heaven that my wonderful blessing on the 6th and 7th of March was a direct answer to your prayers, and I went into the service and told the Brethren. Instead of preaching, we had a consecration meeting, in which the power of the Spirit was wonderfully manifest. It was a blessed day. I believe the prayers offered there for this special field were answered. Today the hardest man in this place sent to buy a New Testament. God's Word will make its way, and His kingdom prevail."
These words from a lone man on a far-off shore speak volumes to every pastor in America and Europe. Would that all pastors, in city and country alike, could be of one mind in observing this Monthly Concert of prayer for Missions. How the church at home needs the quickening and refreshing it would surely bring! One of the most interesting sessions of the Convention of the International Missionary Union, held at the Thousand Island Park in 1887, was devoted to discussing ways and means for stirring up our home chnrches to persevering prayer and systematic beneficence in behalf of the millions still in pagan darkness. Over and again during this discussion, it came out that wherever the monthly concert was regularly kept up, the interest i,missions was intelligent and aggressive. Beloved pastors of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ throughout all lands, will you revive and sustain this MONTHLY CONCERT, and so teach your people to obey His great command to disciple the nations?
ISLAM AND CIVILIZATION. "THE recent controversy as to the comparative merits of Islam and Christianity raises issues deeper and wider than the so-called' religious world.' It is not Christianity alone, but civilization, which is involved in the issue. I believe that under Christianity alone can man reach the perfect development of his nature. • . • Islam can raise to its own level tri,bes lower than itself in the scale of humanity; but this it does at the terrible cost of petrifying them at that level forever-the level, that is, of the barbarous Arabs of Mahomed's day. For, except in the matter of idolatry and infanticide, Islam, as we find it in Mecca, its metropolis, is not in advance of the social and intellectual condition of the Arabs of that time; and inasmuch as the Koran claims to be the last declaration of the divine will to man, it follows that any progreiis beyond the Koran is not only superfluous, but impious in addition. And the history of Islam all ovel' the world proves to demonstration that what was antecedently to be e~pe~ted has in fact occurred. • • • The Koran, in Islamic belief, was written by the finger of God in the highest heaven before all time, every word and letter of it, in the Arab tongue; was· then, at the predestined time, taken down to the third heaven by the angel Gabriel, and there recited, word for word, to Mahomed in an audible voice in 'suras' or chapters, as occasion required, and was by him miraculously re- produced from memory. This is an article of faith throughout the world of Islam; and as the Koran professes to be the last revelation of the divine will to man, it follows, of course, that nothing which is sanctioned in the Koran, explicitly or implicitly, can· ever be abrogated, altered, or become obsolete.
Nobody who realizes this fact will believe that the Koran can possibly be a preparatory discipline, like Greek philosophy, for Christianity.
There is no living voice in the church of Islam to reconcile the past with the present and make provision for the future. It claims an infallibility more sweeping and more rigid than that of the Vatican decrees, but it is the in- fallibIlity of a dead pontiff, an ignorant and immoral Bedouin, who died twelve centuries ago. . . . As a spirtiual force, in so far as it ever was one, Islam is not advancing, but retrograding. The Musulman world contains no longer a single center from which radiates any intellectual light 01' any sign of material progress. There is not one Mussulman state in the world which wields independent sway-which, in fact, does not exist solely by the suffer- ance of Christendom. A creeping paralysis has fastened upon Islam, and the shadow of the devouring eagles may even now be descried on its horizon.
How stands the case of Christianity in comparison? Its Pattern Man is not only to the Christian, but to the great mass of intelligent and educated un- believeJ's, the highest and noblest ideal of humanity that history records or the human mind can conceive. His teaching and example are the most per- fect exhibition of human virtue that the world has seen. . • . As to the comparatively slow progress of Christianity and its imperfect success, even within the frontiers of Christendom, we must distinguish between the essence of a system and its separable accidents. Islam, at its best, bears within it the incurable germ of inevitable decay and dissolution. The hin- drances to the spread of Christianity, on the other hand, are but parasites whioh cling to it and which it may shake off. They may be summarized as follows: "1. The divisions of Christendom. Islam, too, has its sects, and many of them; but they close their ranks and present a united front to the 'unbe- lievers.' 2. Faulty methods of propagandism, such as neglect of rearing in foreign lands a native ministry, while importing European habits, customs and dress among native converts. 3. The discredit cast upon the Christian name by the lives and demoralizing traffic of professing Christians. 4. To which may be added, as regards India, the active discouragement and even resistance which, until a recent period, a professedly Christian government offered to the propagation of Christianity. . It is a superficial view which would confine the comparison between Christianity and Islam to the numerical proportions of their respective adherents, though even on that score Christianity has no reason to blush, as I have already shown, and as Sir William Hunter has explained with respect to India. At the time of Christ's dea.th, 'the number of names together,' who owned themselves His disciples, 'were about an hundred and twenty.' Was that a fair test of the success of his ministry? The apparently signal failures of Christianity have generally been the preludes to fresh victories. So it may be now. The suc- cess of Christianity at any given time is not to be measured by visible r~sults.
In India, in Japan, in China, in Africa, throughout the Turkish empire, it is
ORGANIZED MISSIONARY WORK
silently sapping the foundations of rival religions. Its ideas and principles are in the air, like those minute yet potent germs of which physical science tells us. Only they are germs of health inoculating diseased organisms with the seeds of a. regenerate life. Christianity is impregnating Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Paganism, with hopes, aspirations, ideals, principles, which are gradually but surely disintegrating the old order of things, and preparing the way for the reception of Christianity."-Malcolm MacOoll, in Oontemporary Review.
n.-ORGANIZED MISSIONARY WORK.
Established Ohuroh of Scotland. crease in the membership of the church to the number of 7,973_ The total number of commu- AT its recent session the Foreign nicants is 579,002. In 1873 the membership was Mission Committee reported to the 460,464, so that there Is an increase of 118,538 in General Assembly 827 baptisms as fifteen years. the fruits of the labors of their missionaries during 1887. Of these The Free Ohuroh of Scotland. 676 were in the Punjab, around Sialkot; 120 in the threefold Darjeeling GEN1IRAL abstract, showing the sums raised Mission; 13 in Madras, and 13 in Ar- for the various objects of the church for tbe konam; 4 in Calcutta, and 1 in Bom- year, from 31st March, 1887. to 31st March, 1888: bay. To these add 1 at Calcutta and 2 at Madras, in connection with the I. Sustentation fund ………… £167,37474 Ladies' Association. There are at II. Local building fund. . . . . . . . . . 65.689 8 IIJ-ii present about 3,000 baptized persons III. Congrega- In the Church of Scotland's missions to the heathen in India, Africa and tional fund. £16:>,005 8 5J-ii China. Congrega- RECEIPTS. tional mis- cellaneous The Foreign Mission Revenue from all sources objects …. 43,123 12 6 in 1887 was £43,399. This sum inclndes income – – – – 208,129 0 llJ-ii IV. Missions and education.. . . •. 117.916 5 1 at home, £24,481; income abroad, £10,799; in- V. Miscellaneous ………….. 33,746 3 2 terest on J1lvested funds, £1,267; income of Total……………………£592.855 5 1 Ladies' Association for Foreign Missions, £6,8,;2. The missionary receipts were as follows: Revenue at Home…………………. £50,295 As regards income, results, and additions to the Revenue Abroad………………….. 33,5UI For tho Conversion of the Jews…….. 8.682 sta1l', 1887 has been the most prosperous year ill Making the whole missionary revenue the history of the Foreign Mission. of the Free Church of Scotland for – – 1887-8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £100,756 The total contributions to the various schemes of the church for the year amounted to £151,805, an Increase on the previous year of £9,293.
DUring the past year there bas been an in- United Presbyterians of Sootland.
SUMMARY FOR 1887.
Annual Income, '£43,430 13s.• Including a Small Expenditure in Spain.
No. of Com- Native Fields of Labor. Sta- Foreign Workers. Native Workers. muni- Schools. Schol- Contri- – – – – – – – – tions. cants. ars. butions. ——— —— — — — Or- Fe- Or- !~~. dained. Lay. male. dained. Lay.
Jamaica ………… 46 19 . …. …… 13 82 ………… 8,796 68 £ Trinidad ……….. 3 2 "2" 1 ··42" 359 2 5,967 6,000 Old Calabar. 6 6 7a 4 "iil' 269 ]6 Kaft'raria ……….. 11 11 3 76 1,426 India…………… 10 15 10 ….2· .. 65 2,180 3'~ 517 194 195 1,482 1,266 .. ..2.. 15 2 445 92 5,029 . 217 ..2… …1… 499 5 – – – -13- – – – – – – – – – – – China ………….. 43 -3-90 Japan ………….. 4 –** – ** 80 – -ll!2- Totals………… 84 61 7 21 22 389 44 12,938 210 13,071 £9.325 *Not reported.
The Income as given above IS over 1886 gaye, and 161 more native com- .£3,800 more than our report for municants. Irish Presbyterians. Total home receipts .. " ……•.. £124,581 19 fa FORTY-SIXTH annual report on FOREIGN RECEIPTS.
Foreign Missions, presented to the Mission districts auxiliaL·'ls…… 5,803 0 6 General Assembly in Belfast, June, Total ordinary receipts. . •. . •. . 130,337 19 8 1888. EXTRAORDINABY RECEIPTS. The report is encouraging. The Contributions for special missions year 1887 has been a notable one in the Indian Mission. There were 147 in UpperBurmah, Central Atrica, baptisms, and an increase of communicants, and two natives were China, India, etc…………… 1,508 18 6 ordained over congregations of conveds from heathenism. The outlook Ditto, for St. Vincent Hurricane in China to.day is more hopeful than it has been for many years. The in- Di5tress Fund…. …………. 20 4 4 come of the Society is also steadily, though not rapidly, increasing, as Total Income ..•…………. £131,867 2 6" the figures below will show: PAYlIlENTS. Total sum raised 1884-5, £11,130 5s.; 1885-6, £12,032 lOs.; 1886-7, £12,728 18s.; 1887-8, General expenditure …………. £136,124 8 0 On account of Special Missions, £13,054 16s. If we add to last year's sum the £2,000 raised etc ……………………… . 1,529 210 Ditto,Ladies'AnxiliaryCommittee 313 19 5 for the Stevenson Memorial Fund, it would Total expenditnre ……….. £131,967 10 3 make the sum total above £15,000. From which deduct ordinary and Presbyterian Ohuroh in Oanada. extraordinary receipts for the year.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. …. . 131,867 2 '> THE report made to the General Leaving a deficiency on 1887 Assembly, which met in June, is account of……………. . 6,100 7 9 highly interesting and inspIrIng. To which add the debt of 1886.. . 10,768 19 11 Decided pl'ogress is reported in all Leaving a total deficiency of. £16,869 7 8 the Missions under the Assembly's GENERAL SUMMARY.
care. Missions nnder the immediate direction of the Wesleyan Missionary Committee and British According to the returus the Canadian Pres- Conference, in Europe, India, China, West byterian Church now embraces 1831 churches 4(rica, the Transvaal, B,"itish Hondura8, and stations, with 793 ministers. The active and the Bahamas. membership aggregates 76,226 families, 13,261 single members, while the church-goers number Central or Principal Stations called Cirahout 400,000. There are 112,940 Sabbath cuits ……………………………. 336 scholars, and 12,976 teachers, having the privilege of libraries containing 183,471 volumes. Chapels and other Preaching Places in The income of the Church last year was $1,772,- connection with the above-mentioned 000, against $1,215,000 in 1881. Last year Central or Principal Stations, as far as $738,000 was paid in stipends, or an average of ascertained.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . .. . 1,338 $943 to each minister. $112,000 was also subscribed last year towards Home and Foreign Missionaries and ASSistant-Missionaries, missions; $86,866 for foreign missions, as including Supernumeraries.. . . . . . . . . . . 333 against $69,000 last year. Knox and Queen's College each have sent out and support a mis- Other paid AgentR, as Catechists, Inter- sionary to China. The Women's Foreign Mis- preters, Day-school Teachershetc…… 2,000 sionary Society contributed over $23,000, as against $18,500 last year. Unpaid Agents, as Local Preac ers, Sab- bath-school Teachers, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,859 Wesleyan Missionary Sooiety. Full and accredited Chnrch Members…. 32,lt?O THE seventy-fourth annual meet- On trial for Chnrch-Membership…….. _ 4,1114 ing of this society was held in Exeter Scholars attending either the Sabbath or Hall, London; April 30. The abstract of the report shows that the Day·schools… . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . .. .. .. . … 59,388 Society's debt has been increased by £6,100, and is now £16,869. Unless Ohurch Missionary Society. there is an increase of income this year it will not be possible to main- THIS society, which has the largest tain the existing missions of the income of any missionary society in society. the world, held its eighty-ninth an- niversary in Exeter Hallin June. Its income for the year was £221,331 ($1,106,655). We give an abstract of the financial report: Last year the committee reported the larg- est ordinary income on record, viz., 207,7931., the advance being mainly due to an exceptional amount of legacies. This year the total is only 191,557l., the lowest in the past five years; but this again is due to a falling-off of nearly 14,- ODOl. in legacies. The receipts from all sources except legacies, viz. 173,7561., are the highest in the past five years. The committee therefore feel constrained to utter a note of heartiest thanksgiving. Moreover, some of the most im- surplns of one year and being charged with the portant gifts of the year do not come nnder deficit of another, is entirely exhausted for the ordinary income. The Extension Fund has re- first time since it was formed, in 1880. Judged, ceived, 8,6791., including a benefaction of 5,5OOl., therefore, from a business point of view, the po- specially allocated to Japan and the Punjab. sition is a seriOlls one. Yet the committee dare More than 4,0001. has been received for the Ny- not send back the candidates for missionary ser- anza Mission. The contributions for the Winter vice who are coming forward in increasing Mission to India amounted to 1,700l.; and 700/. numbers, and who are plainly brought by the has beeu given towards the proposed Hanning- Lord of the harvest to be thrnst forth into His ton Memorial Church at Frere Town. The total harvest. Nor do they believe it is necessary to receipts from all sources amount to 221,3311. do so. If only there is faith to roll upon Him the whole burden, and to follow in simple obedience Nevertheless, the facts remain that the defi- the clear indications of His will, there is no ciency in legacies has diminished the resources cause for fear. But the committee are bound to at the committee's disposal for carrying on the state the case to their friends exactly as it stands. work by Over 13,0001. ; that the expenditure of Put in one sentence, it is this: to replace the the year is more by 2,333l. than that of last year, Contingency Fund, and to cover the estimated and though considerably under the estimate, expenditure of the current year, will require a sum exceeding the income of the past year by I has exceeded the receipts by 12,oool. ; and that 3'.ooOl. the Contingency Fund, which is always the bar- ometer of the Society's position, receiving the Fields of Labor. – – ——– — – – ——– – – No. of Com- Schol- Native Sta- Foreign Workers. ars. Contri- tions. IDuni- Native Workers. Schools – butio-ns. cants.
Or- Lay. Fe- 01'- J..ay. Fe- £ dained. male. dained. male. West Africa…….. 42 10 14 49 151 75 9,598 96 6,995 7,875 East&Central Africa 11 14 11 1 Egypt aud Arabia .. 2 2 14 ..7 281 .. 8 528 95 Palestiue ……….. 9 6 13 1 1 '5 2 140 9 11 45 1,875 266 48 12 885 Persia and Bagdad. 2 4 1 .. 1 11 11 93 8 309 Poenrslyia } 343 India…………… 91 Ceylon………….. 12 109 1..2 12 137 1,724 421 24,531 1,314 47,089 6..,8..73 Mauritius ………. 6 12 250 93 2,009 192 9,793 …… China ………….. 20 18 1 ..1 29 1,470 Japan ………….. 5 3 52 4 16 3 421 115 2,007 New Zealaud……. 42 10 5 N. W. America ….. 31 23 3 I .. 242 16 2,570 129 North Pacific……. 7 8 '43 11 ~17 ~415 is 336 1;211 15 I .. 122 2,562 1,115 227 2 .. 92 201 7 268 Totals………. 280 247 40 22 265 2,881 653 4i,115 1,859 71,814 £15,452 The London Missionary Sooiety. and kindred societies to preach the The ninety-fourth annual meeting gospel to the heathen." The plea of this society was held in Exeter Hall, May 10, under the presidency of Lord Brassey made for the extension the renowned traveler, Lord Brassey, K.C.B. The testimony of the chair- of the work was very effective. man, who has had such exceptional opportunities for witnessing the " Iu the report reference is made to the splenwork of missionaries in different did success which has attended the work of lands, haviug, as he himself indi- your Society under those illustrious missioncated, seen the work in Labrador, aries, Lawes aud Chalmers, iu New Guinea. We Terra-deI-Fuego, in Turkey, India, have very interesting details with reference to Tahiti and elsewhere, is very valua- the progress of the work iu Iudia and in China; ble. He admits that there have been and as a most remarkable instance of the sucindiscretions in some cases, but he cess of our work, let me refer once more to that adds: "I venture to say that few in- devoted zeal which is shown by the native misdeed are those instances of indiscre- sionaries who are recruited from the South tion in comparison with the mass of Seas. I do not know any evidence more imnoble work which has been done for pressive of the good results of the work which generations by those who have been is done by this Society than this most telling sent forth under the auspices of this fact, that the work which is being carried on by those 160 devoted men and women, who have gone forth from this country, is being supple- mented and carried forward by no less than 1,000 native ordained ministers, and 6,000 native preachers. Aud looking to another and per- haps a less impressive circumstauce, is it not ex- ceedingly grat!(ying to observe that the statement of income which this society has at its dis- tary (Dr. Green), set forth that: posal for its good work contains an item of nO less than £17,000, which Is subscribed by the The receipts from !Ill sources during the year, native people from theIr limited aud narrow re- ncluding the balance at commencement,. were sources,to carry forward the missionary work?" £211,108. There was a net increase on the year of £9,098. The total expenditure had been The total income of the society Cor 1887 £208,662. The number of new publications isamounted to £157,000. But uo less than £27,000 sued during the year amounted to 757, of which of this sum came from legacies, which is £16,000 214 were tracts and leafiet.. The circulation above the yearly average, necessitating mnch had reached 61.061,050, including 24.590,600 more liberal giving the current year to avoid a tracts. To this number must be added that of heavy debt. the Issues from foreign depots, estinlated at 15,- 000,000; the total amount being 76,061,050, a Religious Traot Sooiety. slight diminutiou upon the whole as compared with the issues of the previous year, although EXETER was crowded on the occa- the circulation of the tracts has shown an insion of the eighty-ninth annual meet- crease of 870,300. In the year 1887 no fewer than ing of the Religious Tract Society. 222,000 of the London Board School children Lord Balfour, of Burleigh, presided. were presenled for examinalion in Scripture, of The annual report, read by the secre- whom 5,555 received prizes and certificates.
Methodist New Oonnenon Missionary Sooiety.
Annual Income, £7,106.* No. of Ad- Com- Native Sta· herents. Contribu- tions. muni- cants. tions. Fields ofEntered Foreign Native Schools. Schol- Workers. Workers. arB. —- —- I ;LaY'1 – – — – – – – Labor.A.D.
— £ daOiure-rl. Lay. • mFaele-.
Ohina …. 1859 50 6 1 47 3 2,436 1,218 6 162 388 *Iucluding the sums spent in Ireland, Canada and Australia. The Missiou in Canada 1D 1874 united with the various other Methodist bodies in the Dominion, and thus was formed '.' The Metho- dist Church of Canada."
United Methodist Free Ohurch Missions.
Annual Income, £21,876 178. 9d. * No. of Foreign Native Com- Schol- Native Sta- Workers. Workers. muni- ars. Contribu- tions. cants. tions. — – – – —- – – – – – —- —- Entered A.D. Fields of Labor. Schools.
'– Ordained. Lay. £ China ……………… 1864 3 3 11 306 4 77 34 East Africa ………… ]861 5 4 9 180 5 241 24 West Africa………… 1859 6 5 92 2,894 11 1,122 641 J-am-aic-a .- – ……. – – ……..- -1838- -10- – -9 – – -48 – – – 3,342 -31- -1,-924- -1,-188- – Totals ………………… 24 21 160 7.622 51 5,864 1,893 * This total includes the sums expended in the colonies of Australla and New Zealand, as well as in heathen lands and in Jamaica.
The Southern Baptist Oonvention Maryland. . •.. . . •. . •.. . •••. •.. . . . .. .. •.. .. 2 M!ss?u~i…………………………….. held its forty-third anniversary in 4 MISSISSIPPI. .. . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . .. .. . .. . .. • 3 . ~r::i~i~· …………….:.:::.::::::::::: 1~ Richmond, May 11-15.
Total income from April, 1887 to Western Arkansas and Iudian Territory.. 15 Western North Carolina……………… 18 April,1888 $86,385,66 West Virginia………………………. 1 Total expenses 84,848,34 Total………………………… ~ Actual balance for the new ••• WORK DONE. MISSIonarIes ………………….. '" year – $1,748,60 287 Churches and stations …………… . 1,114 The number of missionaries in the employ of Baptisms ……………………… .. 4,857 the Board during the past year has been as fol- Reeeived by letter……………… .. 2,63n Total additions . . . . . . . . . . . " ……… _ '1,4H6 lows: S. S. organized ………………….. _ 431 Arkansas ……………….. ~………… 22 Cuba………………………………. 17 Teachers and pupils ……………… . 17,240 District ocColumbia……… …. …….. 1 Churches constituted……………. . Houses of worship built………… ,_ 306 FlOrida…………………………….. 37 Georgia…………………….. …….. 5 64 Iodi!,,! Territory. . .. .. . … .. . . .. . .. .. .. . . . 15 Cost of bouses of worship ………..• $54.068 LOulSlana………………….. ……… 21 Pages of tracts distributed……….. . 442,852 Bibles and Testaments …………… . 1.769 Total Snnday-school publications…. . 4,754,000
CORRESPONDENCE AND GENERAL INTELLIGENCE
III.-CORRESPON DENCE and GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.
The Jews of Morocco. or forced outside the city walls and there m~ dered in cold blood. Their hodies were then cat By Rev. E. F. Baldwin, our Ed- into pieces, and their clothes as well. The money itorial Correspondent at Tangiers. that each one had was put into hi. hands, which MOGADOn, MOROCCO, May 25, 1888. were severed from the bodies. Their headlcss DEAR EDITons.-Although I am working as trunks, their heads themselves, their hands and a missionary among the Moors aud Arabic- feet were laid in order in a long ghostly row.
speaking Berber races of this great empire, yet The scene of lamentation and woe the next morn- I feel great ,interest iu the Jews which are found ing, when the entire Jewish population poured crowded tcgether in all its many cities. A few out to behold the harrowing sight, was inde- notes respecting them will doubtless interest scribable. The heads only conld be recognized.
your readers. It was impossible to know to which of the mur- Large numbers of these ancient people of dered men the severed members belonged.
God are supposed to have been settled in Moroc- Doubtless the Jews often exasperate the co from the earlier centuries of the Christian era. Moors beyond endurance by their nsurious if They were greatly increased by the influx from not dishonest extortions. The following incident Spain about the end of the fifteenth centnry. was just told me by a credible witness. In an When Columbus was sailing westward to dis- inland Morocco city a Moor died, leaving a wid- cover a new continent many scores of thousands ow and three little children. Before there had of wretched Israelites were sorrowfully making time elapsed to bury him, a Jew appeared, de· their way out of Spain and Portugal, where they manding from the widow the sum of $600, which had been enslaved and persecuted, and from he clainaed was dne him from the deceased. The which they were now finally banished. Spain had widow protested that it could not be so or she long afforded them an asylum. To them is would have known of it. She had nothing to largely due the attainment in arts and letters pay. He was one of the protected Jews referred that marked the period of Moslem conquest and to. At his demand the body of the dead man rule in Spain, and which has been so vaunted by was brought out of the house which had bethe admirers of Islam, which in itself is incapa- longed to him, and his widow and her children ble of aught but blight and ruiu. The descend- were also ejected. She buried her husband and ants of these forlorn Jews are now found then made her way to the house of the chief throughout Morocco. They densely fill the sep- rabbi of the Jewish community. She was ad- arately walled off portions assigned to them in mitted, her children being with her to add force the Moorish cities. These Jewish quarters are to her appeal. She tcld hina her piteous tale.
called the Mellahs or places of damnation. Into He was an upright man. He sent her away to these they are shut from sunset to sunrise. They return after three days. That night he called are downtrodden and despised. They formerly together the leading Jews of the place, the of- were compelled to wear only black garments. fending Jew among them. The rabbi, when Also when outside their Mellaha in many towns the Jew persisted in its being an honest debt, they must go in their bare feet. Neither may counted out before him the $600 in gold from his they ride through the Moorish part of the town. own store, and, placing their Scriptures before They are in constant dread of the Moors, who him, demanded of him that he shonld swear tc oppress and maltreat them. The Jew never the righteousness of his claim and then take his makes the least resistance. The fear of the na- money and restore the widow her house. He tions among whom they dwell is indeed upon refused to swear, from which his gnilt was evi- them as foretold. dent. The next morning the rabbi sent for I recently heard from an eye witness of an mules, and began lading them with his goods, appalling circumstance that occurred in Fez, the saying he would leave such an iniquitous people northern capital of Morocco, now less than a year before it was smitten with the wrath of God.
ago. ·Several Moors, it is asserted, had been The Jews gathered about hina and entreatedhina thrown into prison on false claims for debts and entreated him to stay, but without avail. brought against them by Jews who had the ben- Then they insisted on the offending Jew leaving efit of foreign protection, that is under the pro- the town, hanishing him from their midst. Upon tection of one of the foreign consuls. Such pro- this the old rabbi consented to remain. The tected natives, whether Jews or Moors,cannot be Moorish authorities were appealed to, and the called to account for their actions by the Moorish addule, or Moorish officer who conspired with authorities, being only answerable to the minis- the Jew and gave him a false paper on which he ter or consul who gives them protectIOn. The made his claina, was arrested, and on confessing friends of the agrieved Moors took summary his gnilt was thrown in prison, where he still re- and dreadful vengeance by waylaying nine of mains. the chief men of the Jewish community, includ- On the Jewish Sabbath just passed I accoming some of the offenders. They were on their way from the business part of Fez to the Mellak, panied a missionary of the Jews who is laboring In the gathering dusk, when they were enti~ed here to the Jewish synagogues, and there saw much the saml) scene as was witnessed when the Lord and IDs apostles were on the earth. sible tiDle; and to this end it is the duty of There was the venerable rnier of the synagogne. Christians to give personal effort and money. Then, too, after their reading of the law and Besides. this there are some things that need prayers it was virtually said to the friend I was special attention. One is to sonnd out a strong with, "If ye have any word of exhortation for voice against the Drink Tramc in the Free Congo tile people, say on." Whereupon he preached State. Such a protest will be concurred in by Christ to them from their own law, much in the the leading inlluence of the Established Churches same way that Paul did in Antioch, in Pisidia. of England and Scotland. At the same time, The place, the faces, the dress, the manners, the however, the arts of the opium trade aud use in service were all Oriental, Jewish and full of China and India, and of the free still system of Scriptnre suggestions. I noticed also that" when India'ought to be noticed as great hindrances to they heard that he spake in the Hebrew ton!(ue the evangelization of the 600 millions in these to them, they kept the more silence." The two lands. brother I speak of was a converted Persian Jew who is the assistant of Mr. Zerbib, the mission- Another question in relation to which the ary of the London Jewish Society for Promoting Conference should give expression is this, viz.: the Gospel among the Jews_ He succeeded Mr. What shall be done with converts who have, in Guinsburg, who was long here, but has now accordance with the laws and us~ges which prebeen removed to Constantinople. He was much vail in China and India 'from the days of Abrabeloved in this field. ham, and before them, two or more wives. The present prevailing usages of different mission- I have no space to speak of my own work, ary societies is to require them to put away aU which is among the Moors and other Arabic- wives but one. I think this contrary to aposspeaking races of this vast and almost entirely tolic usage. I think they should be permitted til unevangelized empire. I have recently come to retain their wives till separated by death. I Mogador in the sonthern part of Morocco, from seud you a printed copy of my views. Tangier, where I have been working for several years. The outlook is full of promise. We are The estimated number of Buddhists. EdwlJ: hoping soon to be joined by others. Perhaps I Arnold, in his .. Light of Asia," states the num ought to mention that I am an independent missionary, unconnected with any society, and ber to be 470 millions-the greatest number or therefore looking to the Lord alone for needed direction and supplies. But we find it true that religionists of one sect in the world_ Others, al "He is faithful that promised." Mr. Eugene Rev. James Freeman Clarke, in his" Ten Great Levering, 2 Commerce street,Baltimore, receives Religions," states the number to be 300 millions, and forwards funds for me, Dr. John Peddie, and others at 250 millions, and so on_ These pastor of the Fifth Baptist Church, Philadel- statements are made with a view to discredit phia, and Rev. A. C. Dixou, pastor of the 1m· our holy religion. I regard these statements as manuel Baptist Church, Baltimore, know me entirely unwa'/"1"anted and uiuJUpported by facts well. The church of the first licensed me to and principles which guide in classifying re preach, and in the church of the second I was ligionists. I inclose a pamphlet in which I dis- ordained. My father was formerly a pastor in cuss the subject and give my reasons for fixing New York city. the number of Buddhists at 8eventy·two millions. Prof. Monier Williams, who is a very much Ohina. more reliable man than EdWin Arnold or Dr. Freeman Clarke, states, as his opinion, that 100 LETTER from Dr. A. P. Happer: millions would be a large estimate of the Bud- [This lp.tter was written before the dhists in the world. It is too bad that Christian writers should accept and publish the opinion of meeting of the London Conference, skeptics and infidels on this point when there is and contains several important sug- positive testimony. If the Conference should appoint a committee on this point who would gestions in relation to its action, most publish a report, accepting Prof. Monier Will- iams's estimate of the number of Buddhists in of which received due attention.- the world, viz., 100 millions, it would be ac- cepted by Christiau writers as a reliaQle state- EDS.] ment, and do away with this infidel reproach to Christianity. For, with Protestant, Greek and CANTON, April 30, 1888. Roman Catholic followers, Christianity has the My DEAR DR. PIERSON.-THE MISSIONARY most numerous following lin the world, and au REVIEW OF THE WORLD for April has just ever increasing multitude. I include a pamph- reached me. I suppose you expect to be in Lon- let on this subject that may go into the hands of don from Juue !l-19th at the World's Missionary such" committee. Conference. I pray that the Spirit of God may be poured out upon the members with great Iu this day of multiplying the number of mis- power. sionaries, I think it specially importaut that There are some things that should have con- sideration of the Conference. First, and above some arrangements should b'e adopted to give all, it will seek to deepen the conviction in the whole Christian church that it is its duty to them some distinct and practical instruction aud evangelize the whole world in the shortest pos- training regarding the work to be done, and the best way to do it, by missionaries, men and women. :Many men and women come out with In what lis God glorified t 1110 being kTI(JWn. the most indefinite idea of what they are to do, A biographer. in making people adniire his hero, or how to do it. I inclose a pamphlet on this does a great deal of "touching-up," cutting paint. I do emphasize !uno it may best be none. down faults and expanding virtues. A homan I favor a professorship in existing institntions, character suft'ers by being perfectly known. But though a distinct institute for that purpose may the glory Of God is in being known. Our busibe best. ness is simply to cry with Isaiah, "Behold your God! " One cannot look at the sun without Some of these papers may be of use to you, if Beeing ItB brightness. One cannot look on Jethese pOints come up in the Conference, and I hovah without beholding His glory. noticethat several ofthem are on the programme. The drink trade in Africa, and the opium trade If, then, we would be God-gloriften, we in India :and China, I observe, are not down, must be God-revealers. Isa. ii : 9-" The earth but I think they ought to be acted upon. The shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord." number of Buddhists is a matter of fact, and it Hab. Ii : 14-" The earth shall be filled with the somewhat concerns the honor of our Lord, and knowledge of the glory of the Lord." The two it is easy to vindicate that point from the taunts are one. To know Him is to know His glory. of infidels by Btating the fact. . When His glory is known, then He is glorified. The end of creation and redemptionis attained. With best wishes, and praying that a special In both passages it is written that this knowlblessing may rest upon the Conference and the edge is to fill the earth "as the waters wver the Spirit of God direct all their counsels. sea." God has set the limits of the sea, and from limit to limit the waters sweep. The Yours in Christian work, limits of the gospeJ.sea are uothing short of the A. P. HAPl'ER. limits of "the earth." "As the Waters Cover the Sea." Here, in India, we have tracts nearly equal to FROM Rev. John M. Forman. London in population, which are unoccupied. FATERGARR, N. W. P. INDIA, May 26, 1888. In China there are a thousand counties, averag- .. What i8 the chief end of man!" "To ing in population about the same as English glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." counties, unoccupied. The Soudan, with about To ENJOY GOD. 1. The Christian is sure of 70,000,000, occupied by two young men I If all heaven, and the JOY of heaven is God. So, as this extent is to be filled with the knowledge of to future enjoyment of God, he is certain. Let the King of Glory, we must be at work. him, then, be glad of what he has, and go on to " As THE WATERS COVER TI'IE SEA."-The the next point. waters fill every crack and crevice. How differ- 2. The present enjoyment of God. Any child ent from the knowledge of God thus far. Look at London, Boston, New York, Chicltgo and the knows that when he takes candy into his mouth he need not try to enjoy it. The enjoyment is Great West. The number of unfilled corners is iuevitable. A man who tries to be happy is un- allpalling. Then look at our nominallyoccupud happy. But even an atllicted and sorrowful fields in India, China, etc. Here in the district soul, when once occupied in seeking to make of Fauakhabad (one of our oldest mission-fields) others happy, is itself happy. When the enjoy- we have yet some half million practically unment of God is our aim, we fail to eUJoy Him. touched. If this world is really to be filled with Simply because the aim is selfish, and selfishness the knowledge of Jehovah we must be up and is sin, and sin hides God from us. doing. "Woe unto them that are at ease in Zion." A man who carries the name of Christ The way to enjoy God is so to live that He and does not try to fill the earth with the gospel enjoy us, i. e., to please Him. There is no ques- is a clog to the wheels. He is a destroyer… He tion as to Enoch's having a keen enjoyment of also that is slack in his work is brother to him God, as he walked with God; for in that walk- that is a destroyer." ing he had "witness borne to him that he had been well-pleasing unto God." But wbat an inspiration in this prophecy I It will be fulfilled. The sea bed with all its rough- The way to enjoy God is to please God. The nesses,ups and downs, is covered by one great way to please God is to fall in with His plans. ocean. So this earth, scarred and furrowed and The consummate plan of God is God's glory. valleyed by sin, is to be covered by the glory of Then, though man has two ends, he must have but one aim. That one conscious aim or pur- the Lord. And when we look we Bee His glory, pose Is TO GLORIFY GOD. glory; nothing but a sea of glory I Praise the Lord I "Let us fall in line with God's plan, not :Many Christians think this savors of tran- with theories but with work, giving first of all . scendentalism. But Paul, by the Holy Ghost, makes it a plain, business·like. every-day prin- our own selves unto the Lord. " ciple. "Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, ·do all to the glory of God." "Now concerning the collection," give cheer- Our first petition must be, "Hallowed be Thy folly, give liberally, give to the last cent. What uame." Christ's loftiest prayer is "Father, is holding the wealth of a million millionaires glorify Thy name. And there came a voice from compared with knowing that we have" fellowheaven saying, 'I have both glorified it, and I ship with God" in His glorions purpose! When will glorify it again.' " Alexander Duff was a yonng man he locked his closet door and said," Silver and gold have I years, at last will throw open the doors to none, but such as I have give I thee; I give thee missionary efforts over the length and breadth myself." Young man, young woman, go and of Dutch India. Being thus challenged to send do thou likewise. And let the mother teach her out more missionaries it is to be confidently ex- child from infancy that the only thing worth liv- pected that the Christians of Holland w!ll, in the ing for is to fill the earth with the knowledge of name of God, accept the challenge. So be It.
God. Japan . .. What Beest thou 1 And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree (shaked). Then said the Lord LETTER from Rev. C. S. Eby: unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I watch (shaked) over my word to perform it." As TOKIO, June 23, '88. sure as God is sure, this earth is to be filled DEAR BRETHREN.-I "m not sure whether I with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah as have not already sent you a copy of my " Appeal the waters cover the sea. Brother, if you are for Japan," at all events I send you a copy each not striving for foreign missions, you are miss- by the present mail, and also a copy of the ing the purpose of your creation. course oflectnres delivered in the Meiji Kwaido in 1583, English edi!ion.
LETTER from Rev. F. Leon Cachet: I am delighted with tl:.e MISSIONARY BEVIEW OF THE WORLD, and wish it godspeed ; it will [Foreign Secretary of the Dutch do much to stimulate the missionary zeal of the Reformed Missionary Society, Rot- churches and to promote the missionary revival terdam, Holland. The news it con- almost upon us. God grant that the real misveys will carry joy to the missionary sionary age may soon dawn when the efforts of world.-EDS.] the churches will be commensurate with their AlIlLITY and with the OPPORTUNITIES of the DEAR EDITORS.-Will you allow me room in hour.
your highly valued REVIEW to state that the Rev. The " Appeal " will speak for itself. I do feel Mr. Cook's' powerful appeal,' which you give in that the imperial opportunity in Japan is not your June number (p. 448), respecting the want being fully met by ordinary methods, arid tre- of missionaries in Dutch India, and which ap _ mendous forces of prejudice and unbelief and peared at length iu The Straits Times, is bearing imported misbelief run rampant and almost un- good fruit alre!,dy. You must know that there rebuked, except in a small way. A large and was a change of government in the Netherlands bold movement" takes" with the Japanese as a few weeks since, and one of the first official well as with any people, and through the central acts of the new Secretary of State for the col- institution piIrpose we shall be able to speak so onies, Mr. Reuchenius, was to send a circular as to be heard by an empire.
to all the Protestant mission society in the Neth- Will you give the aid of your powerful advo- erlands, of which the following is a translation: cacy? Surely there are devoted men of wealth "COLONIAL OFFICE, No. 46. who would invest. May our common Master THE HAGUE, May 8, 1888. guide.
In an article, 'Netherland's India: An Ap- Spain. peal,' appearing In The Straits Times, a Singa- pore newspaper of March 6th, attention is drawn ~ur readers will recall the brief to what Dr. Schreiber, Secretary of the Rheney appeal we made in our July issue in Mission at Basmey, had pointed out ten years behalf of these heroic missionaries. ago, that the number of missionaries in Dutch The Lord gl'antedspeedy help, and we India should be greatly increased, in order to rejoice with His sel'vants.-EDS.] counteract the growing influence of Islam there: and it is further shown how great the need FIGUERAS, SPAIN, June 30, 1888.
yet is that the number of missionaries should he DEAR EDlTORs.-The pastor nnites with me increased. It appears to me that this article de- in thanking you very warmly for so kindly in- serves, in every respect, yonr attention, and I serting my last letter in your valuabie MISSION- therefore do myself the pleasure to offer you a ARY REVIEW. If you remember, it was there copy thereof. stated that we were anxious to build a Gospel I need hardly state that the government Hall in this dark Spanish town, and that £400 would valne it highly if the mission societies in was needed for a site. A friend, then traveling the Netherlands would put forth their utmost in Italy, most kindly wrote telling us to buy the efforts to increase the number of missionaries in land at once, adding, 'I will cover the cost.' The butch India, and to counteract the increasing pastor lost not a moment in trying to secure it, influenee of Islam among the heathen in the but the lawyer would not credit the assurance Indian Archipelago. that the money would shortly he sent from Eng- The Minister for the Colonies, land, and refused to draw up the legal document.
(Signed) " REUCHENlUS." The landlady, however, agreed to wait a couple This is a most important docnment, as it of week•.
shows that the Dntch Government, after having The Romanists at once seized their opportu- more than favored the Mohammedans for many nity. Deputations from the Societies of St. Yin·
INTERNATIONAL DEPAtfT:M:E~'t'. [SEP'l'
cont de Paul and the Holy CroBS, beaded by tbe returniug home iill after midnight. Will your rector of tbe largest church here, called on the readers praythat his precious life,and thoseofhis landlady and urged that she on no account be fellow workers, may be preserved. Our comfort gnilty of selling land for a Protestant capilla. At and conlldence is that .. not a shot cau hit till the same time they laid down the money (£400) the God of love sees lit." For the angel of the for·the site, and also £1,400 to purchase a house Lord eilcampeth ronnd them tbat fear Him, aud "nd garden adjoining, thus effectually shutting delivereth them. From month to month our the Protestants out on each side. All we could do little party give a hearty welcome to your valuwas to unite in prayer that God would undertake able and most interesting M,SSIONARY REVIEW for US and for the honor ofilis cause. The triumph OF THE WORLD. Wishing it increased blessing of the enemies of the trnth seemed complete. and a yet wider circulation, But, contrary to all expectations, a far better Yours faithfully, site was immediately offered for sale. It is EMILY LOPEZ RODRIGUEZ. situated in the principal street, in a central part of the town, having also the great advantage Afrioa. that it commands a back street by which many who, like Nicodemus, lack courage, may be LETTER from Rev. Jos. Clark: able to enter the hall unobserved. Our only dilllculty was that the price, including govern- CONGO, PACAVALA STATION, May 9,1888. ment payments and legal costs, came to £250 Rev. J. H. Weeks and Mrs. Weeks, also more than we had in hand. This we laid Rev. A. D. Slade, all of B. M. S. (English), arbefore the Lord in prayer, and He graciously rived safely at Bauana ou the 24th of April. Mr. answered by inclining the hearts of two of His and Mrs. Weeks spent some considerable time servants to come to the rescue. In addition to at San Salvador, Congo, and have beeu to Enga former donation of £100, a friend in Surrey land for rest and change. sent us £200 more, and another in Scotland Receut reports from Bishop Taylor's party £50. Thus the e:JJact sum needed arrived just state that M,.,.. Walker has been ill and delayed in time to make the purchase I Truly the in journey to Stanley Pool. When taken ill she Lord has made what seemed so evil to • work was fortunately able to be taken on to our Lu- together for good,' kunga Station. Messrs. Waiker and Burr are also there. About 600 loads of their steamer are What would not the Romanists give if they now at Isangila; none beyond. could take from us that precious site I But it French, State and trading steamers refuse to is legally secured. .. If God be for us, who can take Mr. Brooks and his companion to the falls be against us f" All that now remains for us to of the Mobangi, where he desires to be placed so do is to build the first permanent Gospel Hall as to work his way to the Soudan. They refuse in the province of Gorona. Being for the to leave him in any place except where there is Mastor's glory, we believe that through His a station with white men. servants He will provide the means. Recent news from Stanley's Aruwimi camp report the whites there all well, bnt a good deal Since writing the above we have heard, on of sickness among the Zanzibaris. No news of reliable authority, that a priest belonging to a Stauley. church quite near to our new site, said, 'I All well at various missiou stations. would gladly have given $5,000 to have 'Jre- May, 12, '88.-Mr. J. S. Cutler of Ohio, who vented the Protestants bnying that plot of land.' joined himself to Bishop Taylor's mission here, Last Sunday night, while we were returning died at Vivi on the 3d May of gastritis. He was home from the service, a man was seen hanging about 65 years of age. about our house armed with two long knives, and At Vivi aud Isangila the bishop's people are was arrested by the civil guards. We thank God working hard at getting the steamer up country, for what we have reason to believe was a narrow but they are hampered for trade goods (cloth escape. Of Rome our Lord's words still hold etc.,) wherewith to pay carriers. Those that good, .. The time cometh that whosoever killeth are left are not at all dismayed, though their you will think that he doeth God service." In numbers have been greatly reduced. If the preaching among the villages the pastor has to Methodist Church "Would only take up the work, drive along very lonely country roads, often not they have a grand opening before them.
IV.-INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
CONDUCTED BY REV. J. T. GRACEY, D.D., OF THE "INTERNATIONAL MIS- SIONARY UNION."
The Medioal Work in Missions.* sityof urging the importance of the BY REV. EDWARD CHESTER, M.D., medical, in connection with other forms of mission work. And more INDIA. than ever before, most missions are feelIng that the medical work THE time has passed for the neces- must be cared for and }'alued, just *Read before International Missionary Union, Bridgton, N. J., 1888. as are the educational, the evan- Fourth, and lastly, the exigency of gelistic and the congregation and the times demands a much larger church work, and that for women force of medical men and women and girls. upon mission fields.
There will be cases where the par- 1. The medical work should be ticular circumstances of location, given a place in every well organized custom, a deficiency of funds, or a mission. I do not mean the having paucity of laborers may render it one or even more men in a mission almost impossible to carryon every who know a little about medicine, or form of mission work. But in a mis- even have a degree,. providing they sion with a sufficient force, not confine their medical work to the lim- cramped for funds, and with ability o its of their own family and servants, to undertake the various forms of or even the families of the catechists mission work, the medical work and teachers living at headquarters.
should be conducted with the same Nor do I mean an occasional taking care and energy as the educational up of the medical work for a week or or other form of labor. two, and then giving it up for months The statement that the medical at a time. With the same expecta.- work is very expensive, almost as tion of permanency as you would much so as the educational, will not commence a high school or boarding be found true in all cases. And it is school at headquarters, with the a question whether it may not al- same use of recognized appliances, ways be almost self – supporting. the same amount of energy and sys- Certain it is, that the medical man tem in carrying on the work, and the himself in each locality may do same generosity in the use of funds very much to make this work in a for necessary expenses, thus only, is mission inexpensive, and it depends it of any real use to conduct the greatly upon him whether it is pop- medical work in missions. One or ular with the people and a success more dispensaries at important cen- or not. tel's; a hospital, if the funds will I would start with the proposition allow, and accommodation in this for "that in organizing any new mission at least a dozen in-patients, a good in a locality where none had existed supply of inexpensive medicine, so before, the medical work should be. that all the out-patients as well, who given a place, as much as the educa- attend the dispensary, may receive a tional or the WOJ:k of preachmg. supply of medicme; a sufficient staff And even in missions of long stand- of native trained assistants to pre- ing, if the medical work has not been scribe, compound, and look after entertained, I would' urge a trial of surgical cases, with a sufficient stock it, with an eye to the great gain it of surgical instruments for all mi- would be to the mission. nor operations. All these are neces- My second point would be that the sary for a successful medical work in medical work in a mission must be a mission.
eminently evangelistic, and In har- I have for years, m my mission mony with all the other work of the work in India, found it wise, as en- mission. abling me to save myself for more A third consideration is that if the important work, to do nothing my- medical work is taken up at all in a self which could be about as well mission, it must be a thorough and done by a native. It is on this line efficient work-one which will com- that I have always had, in my work ..land the respect and regard of all in the Dindigal Dispensary, such a classes. staff of native assistants that I could trust the work to them for a few the relief of suffering and saving of days at a time, when obliged to be life. myself out in the villages. In short, I think that in the medical work 2. But I pass to the second point: in missions, as in the educational that the medical work in a mission work, those steps must be taken which must be eminently evangelistic and will insure success. The natives of in harmony with all the other work India are clever enough to know of the mission. The more skilful the which are the best schools, the gov- medical missionary as a physician, ernment or the mission schools, and the more clever as a surgeon, the choose the best, which are, as a rule, better for the work and for making the latter, even though they know it a success, so far as popularity goes. they will have to give an hour a day, But it will not be a success as a for five days of the week, to the study mission work unless the saving of of the Bible. And just so is it with souls is ever brought to the front as dispensaries in India. As a rule, the the main object to be accomplished, mission dispensary is the most popu- and unless the medical missionary is lar and has the largest attendance. eminently a spiritual man with much And it is good policy for any mission of the mind of Jesus. As in New to make its schools and its dispensa- England of old, the church and the ries the best in the market. schoolhouse were side by side, and each helping the other, so should the Tothe work of the dispensary and church and the schoolhouse and the the hospital already noted, I would dispensary, on mission ground, work add, to be attended to, if possible, into one another's hands and be emiby the medical missionary, the train- nently fellow-workers. In a mission ing of good native men and women dispensary, among out-patients and for the work of hospital assistants Ill-patients, there is ample opporand nurses. Then native Christians tunity for making known the goscould be selected, and a choice made pel. And oftentimes the patients among these, so as to secure those are in such a state of mind that they who would add evangelistic to their may truly be said to hear the Word medical work:. gladly. In every part of our mission work we turn to the Lord Jesus as I would give the medical work a our great example. But eminently place in every well organized mission, in the medical work must we follow because I believe that, in a very His example in striving to reach the specialdegree, it adds to the efficiency heart and save the soul by showing of every branch of mission work, and our desire to relieve suffering, to heal makes the work, as a whole, more the sick, to give sight to the blind, successful. and hearing to the deaf. The medical work in missions is nothing, save as I would do so, also, because I think it helps to show to the heathen that that it furnishes, in the course of a the divine Christ is the center, the year, a very large number of most at- soul anltthe life of Christianity, and tentive and mterested hearers of the that we are His disciples and followgospel, not to say scholars. I would ers. do so because I think it gives us an entrance into many houses, 3. Our third consideration is that and an intimacy and friendship If the medIcal work is taken up at all with many of the more intelli- in a mission, it must be a thorough gent, respectable and influential na- and efficient work, one which will tives, such as could be secured in no command the respect and regard of other WilY. And all this quite aside all classes. In all cases with which from the positivegoodresulting from I am acquainted in India, the medical form of medical disease and surgical, missionary has become proficient in of which our best American medithe vernacular, so that he speaks cal text books inform us. And a with his native patients without the medical missionary has seldom the help of an interpreter. 'I'his is sel- opportunity of holding a consultadom the case with the civil or govern- tion with a brothel' doctor, even in ment dispensaries. But this greatly a dangerous case, requiring, perhaps, pleases the natives, especially the a most difficult surgical operation. women. Then, with hardly an ex- The nearest European doctor, as in ception, the rule in a mission dis- the case of the writer, may be 38 pensary is one of kindness. Not only miles away, and the medical missionis the medical missionary very care- ary may have to treat all his medical ful to gain the affection of the native cases and decide upon all his surgIcal patients by his invariable krndness, operations entirely by himself. If a but he insists upon his native assist- mission would have the medical ants in the dispensary following his work a Slccess, it must be willing to example. And here the natives are take pains to secure a really efficient not slow to mark the difference be- workman and grudge no expenditure tween the mission and other dispen- which is necessary to secure him a saries. competent corps of native assistants and a fair supply of surgical instru- But, important as it is to let the ments and medicine. law of the dispensary be a law of love, other things must be added. The medical mission work has been The work of the dispensary must be found to pay, and to pay well, in all carried on with the greatest regular- cases where it has been conducted ity, precision and care. It must be properly and in a liberal spirit. Indecidedly first-class work. There is stances to prove this could be given no place here for half-way work, by the hour. Thorough work and skimping 01' sham. He who is not the best, carried on in love to Christ willing to give his whole time, his and souls, and for Christ's sake, this whole heart, and his whole love to must be the motto and life of all sucthe medical mission work, had better cessful medical mission work. leave it alone altogether. The loathesome leper must have our best care 4. Fourth, and lastly, the exigency as well as the simple cases of fever. of the times demands a much larger Case;; of cholera and small-pox can force of medical men and women in no more be avoided or neglected than mission fields. I can speak of India the farmer neglect to feed his horses from what I know of the state of 01' cattle. The best results, which mission work there, after an experionly follow the best service, must ence of twenty-eight years. But gain for a mission dispensary a good what I note of India, I think, I may, name. Let no one imagine that a with equal force and truth, say of mere smattering of medical matters, China, Japan, Turkey, Persia and the knowledge of medicine which Syria. Never before has there been would be picked up in reading a few such an interest felt in medical mis- pages here and there of the books sion work; never before such an denominated" Medicine for the Fam-' opportunity afforded for reaching the ily" would suffice to enable a man people through the dispensary. In to have charge of a dispensary in India the Lady Duiferin scheme has India, Japan, China 01' Africa, where, excited an intense interest through- in the course of a month, there may out the whole of India in the medical present themselves almost every work for women, and though more lady physicians have come out to India in connection with the various pensaries. Even for this purely evangelical missions during the past evangelistic work we need more medten years than in all previous years, ical missionaries. And I can speak yet it seems to-day as if there were from personal experience when I say places for scores more. And in the that with an efficient corps of trainmedical mission work for women, in ed native assistants in his dispensaall the countries noted above, there ries the medical missionary can do is, perhaps, the strongest argument a great d('al of evangelistic work. for the importance of the medical For 24 years I have been compelled, mission work, the strongest ground from th£' smallness of our mission of its great necessity as a part of force, to have charge of a large and mission work, than can possibly be important station, with its churches given. I need not take fl'om any and congregations and schools of table of statistics the proportion of various grades, and the work of the women to men in the population of itineracy, or preaching in heathen the prominent countries of, the East. villages, while carrying on all my Their number is immense. And with medical work. An English service all this countless number of women every Sunday evening, with an Engand girls there is no possible way of lish sermon, has been thrown in as a reaching them and influencing them, matter of simple recreation. It has and blessing them, which will com- truly, however, been a great pleaspare with that in the power of the ure. Christian lady physician. To ev('ry lady physlCian now on the ground, That my Dindigal dispensary has in the countries noted above, if there been of the greatest help to me in were ten, yes, a score, it would not my general mission work, I have had be one too many for the great and many proofs. I have gained the good impol·tant work the Lord is giving to will of the people; our native pastors just this class of Christian laborel's. and catechists can preach and sell Scripture portions and tracts in any And the number of male medical part of the station without any fear missionaries should be greatly in- of insult or opposition. They are creased. We can do much of our listened to with the greatest interest. work through our native Christians, I would receive a welcome in the but they require to be trained for house of any man in the whole of the special work. We can never, in any Dindigal district. I find it more easy, heathen or Mohammedan country, on this very account, to establish expect to have all the European or schools in the villages, and I receive American laborers required for the more money from the people for evangelization of these countries. their support. And the Dindigal dis- We must call to our aid the natives pensary and hospital, with about of the different countries. But for 9,000 new cases every year, and 20.- aid in Christian work the missionary 000 old cases, or those coming more must train them for each specific than once to the dispensary, and form of mission work. For the med- patients coming in the same period ical work, both among men and from 500 and more different villages, women, many more native men and have cost the mission nothing these women need to be carefully trained, 24 years, from the first year they and this is an important work de- were established. For my services, volving on the medical missionary. which I am only too glad to give gratuitously, the English Govern- I have already alluded to the large ment gives me the whole cost of the and appreciative audiences which the dispensary establishment, all the medical missionary has in his dismedicines required each year, and all about doing good to all. A mission the surgical instruments and hospital dIspensary on heathen ground is a. appliances. The American Board of beautiful and strikmg object lesson. Foreign Missions kindly gave me the It is ever educating the heathen in money for the hospital and dispen- the first principles of the gospel. Its sary buildings, which secures these golden word is "Love," its motto, permanently to the mission. " Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do And I see no reason why the Eng- ye even so to them." lish Government would not grant International Missionary Union, Fifth this favor in any part 0/ India, if Annual Meeting.
satisfied that a medical work in a As the International Missionary given locality is needed, and will be Union IS a unique institution, not yet carried on efficiently. fully understood in many quarters, and unheard of in some others, we After these twenty-eight years in may once more introduce it to our India, watchillg with intense interest readers as a permanent organization the work in various missions and va- seeking to accomplish in its measure, rious localities, I have been forced to the same general ends aImed to be the conviction that it is not best to reached by the great missionary undertake anyone form of mission conferences in bringing together the work at the expense of the others, missionaries of all societies, from all but rather have them all carried on fields, that they may annually comwith as much skill and energy as pare views on current developments possible, letting each help and sup- of Christ's kingdom in the several port the other. I would not, there- parts of the globe. The Union was fore, exalt the medical work beyond organized at Niagara Falls, Canada, others, which for many veal'S have in the summer of 1884, met there been found worthy of trial. I would, again in 1885, and at Thousand Island however, strive to have this work Park in the River St. Lawrence in given the place it deserves, and fairly 1886 and 1887. It is composed of re- turned foreign missionaries of all tried. branches of the Evangelical Protest- W hen we see m England and ant Church, temporarily or perma- nently in America. Its international America the splendid building's which character has thus far embraced are being erected for hospitals, when representatives of the British Empire we know what large amounts are and the United States of America. necessary to carry them on success- The constitution names as the object fully, we cannot believe that this of the Union "to promote the gen- medical work is being tried, and the eral cause of Missions in all possible large expenditure made without care- ways, chiefly by the diffusion of mis- ful consIderation. More costly hos- sionary mtelligence, the discussion pitals are being built and a larger of missionary topics, and the increas- expenditure incurred, because it is ing of mutual acquaintance among known that the work appeals to the missionaries of different churches interest and sympathy of the whole and countries." people. And none the less is this medical work needed in heathen The Union holds one meeting a. lands. We cannot conduct it on such year, as near August as possible, on a magnificent scale as in this country. invitation of such community as may It is not necessary. But we can show proffer entertainment to its members the heathen, in a much less expen- sive manner, the same lesson of the gospel, and how our Lord and Master cared for His fellow men, and went a.nd be easily accessible.Thetotal num- fifth annual meeting, held in Bridgel>er of missionaries now enrolled is 134. ton, New Jersey (1888), are found On the roll of attendance at the the following names: Years of NAME. Field. Denomination. Service.
1858–…•. Rev. H. N. Barnum. D.D ..•.•••………••.•…•. Turkey•••••.. American Board. 186(}-'64….. Rev. A. Bates …………•…•••.••…..••.•….• Ceylon.••…… American Board. 1879-·81. •.•. Rev. W. H. Belden…………………………. Bulgaria.•.•••. AmericanBoard. " ….. Mrs. " …………………………. Bulgaria..•…. American Board. 1861-·69•…. Mrs. M. H. Bixby………………………….. Burmah .•.•…. Baptist. 1S6{}–•…. Rev. E. Chester. M.D ..••••…•…•••••.•.•…… India ….••..•.. American Board. 1867-·74•…. Rev. M. B. Comfort ……………•.. , ..•••…… Assam•…•….. Baptist. 1878-'84•..•• Miss C. H. Daniells, M.D ……………………. India ……….. Baptist. 1869-'70….. Rev. J. A. Davis …………………………… China………. Reformed " ., … Mrs. " …………………………… China………. Reformed. 1834-'84•…. Itev. William Dean, D.D ……………………. China……… Baptist. 1883- – ….. Rev. N. H. Demarest……………………….. Japan .••……. Reformed. 1846- – ….. Rev. S. B. Fairbank……………………….. Iudia……….. American Board. Rev. L. A. Gould…………………………… China………. Baptist. Mrs. " …………………………… China………. Baptist. 1861-'68•••• Rev. J. T. Gracey. D.D ……………………… India ……….. MethodistEpiscopal 1856- – ….. Rev. R. H. Graves. M.D .•……………•……• China………. Southern Baptist. 1837-·77….. Rev. Cyrus Hamlin. D.D.• LL.D ……………… Turkey ……… American Board. 1885- – •…. Ira Harris. M.D.. . .. .. . . . . ••• .. . …………… Syria ……….. Presbyterian. 1884- – .•… Mrs. " ……………………………. Syria•…•…… Presbyterian. 1846-·72••••. Rev. Allen Hazen ………•••.•••…………•… India…..•….. AmericanBoard. M. B. Kirkpatrick. M.D …………………….. Burmah …….. Baptist. Rev. R. M. Luther. D.D. (Secretary) ………….. Burmah…….. Baptist. 1878-'83….. Rev. James Mudge ………………………… India ………. Methodist Episcopal 1870-'78….. Rev. R.E. Neighbor ………………………… India……….. Baptist. 1861-'82….. Mrs. S. E. Newton ………………. , ……….. India……….. Presbyterian. 1866- – ••••. Rev. H. V. Noyes ………………………….. China………. Presbyterian. 1872- -…. Mrs. " ………………………….. China………. Presbyterian. 1873- – ….. Rev. G. W. Painter………………………… China………. Sonthern Pres. 1570-'81. …. Rev. C. W. Park ………………………….. India ……….. AmericanBoard. 1885- – ….. Rev. J. L. Philli~s. M.D., D.D ………………. India ……….. Free Baptist. " ….. Mrs. ' ……………….. India ……….. Free Baptist. Regillald Radr.lilfe. Esq ..••.••..••…•.•…••…. Russia ..•••…. Church of England. 1877- – ….. Rev. J. H. Roberts …………………………. lJhina………. American Board. 1880-'86….. Rev. W. Royall ……………………………. China………. SouthernM.E. 1682- – ….. Rev. E. C. Scudder. Jr ……………………… India……….. Reformed. 1854- – ….. Rev. J. Hudson Taylor, M.R.C.S.• F.R.G.S ……. China………. Inland Mi,sion, 1848-·56….. Rev. Geor~e Thompson …………………….. Africa………. Am. Miss'y Society. 188()…'87….. Miss Jeume S. Vail ………………………… Japan ………. MethodistEpiscopal 1846-·64….. Rev. Edward Webb ………………………… India ……….. American Board. 1872-·82….. Miss Lula Whilden …………………………. China………. Southern Baptist.
To this group of missionaries was heartily sustained the Executive added Rev. Dr. Wm. Kincaid, one Committee in the experiment of apof the Secretaries of the American pointing the meeting aw&y from pop- Board, who made a handsome ad- ular summer resorts, and though the dress, in which he recognized the spe- smaller number was doubtle·<s in part cial benefits of such a union, not only attributable to this "new departto the missionaries, but to missionarv ure," yet the meeting was acknowlsecretaries and other prominenthome edged as equal to any of the precedworkers for missions. Rev. Dr. ing meetings in all other respects, Luther, a member of the Union by and superior to them in some features. virtue of service in Burmah, is also Bridgeton, through its churches, Di&;trict Secretary of the American represented by their Ministerial Un- Baptist Missionary Union. Miss ion, became the host of the Union McIntosh was the only lady secretary from July 5 to July 12 inclusive. It is this year, and she represented the a beautiful, thriving city, with glass, young organization .of the Woman's nail and iron manufactures and ex- Board of the Southern Baptist Con- tensive canning interests, seminaries vention. No one was discouraged by of learning, a personally highly rethe small number in attendance, as spected mayor and council, and not a compared with previous years, but 8aloon! The hospitality was cordial, and the guests found themselves af- annual meetings are usually inaugu- fected with "enlargement of the rated served to stir the finest relig- heart" ; the local newspapers gave ious emotions. This "Recognition daily reports of the meetings; fast meeting," in which each missionary friendships were made, and we trust introduces himself or herself, stating both entertainers and entertained field, form and years of service, call were made mutually helpful to each to the work, special difficulties, trials other in spiritual things. It will not and triumphs, or other personalfacts, be surprising if a gracious revival of tends at once, and at the beginning, religion shall follow on this sweet to blend souls that have hitherto only season of the "communion of saints." known each other through remoter The devotional meetings which agencies in purest fellowship. Cloud- occupied the first hour of each day's pillar and fire-pillar, springs in the exercises sustained the character of desert, manna that "tasted to every those of previous sessions. Dr.Dean man like that which he liked best,"
pronounced them amongst the most dew on Hermon, vision, miracle, par- precious· of his experience, and de- able and prophecy-all were recalled clared that of Tuesday morning to or realized in this mosaic of Chris- be the best meeting he had beep in tian narrative. One becomes confi- since he returned from China. Of dent that neither the Acts of the course, it was with depth of tender- Apostles nor the eleventh chapter of ness that these members prayed for Hebrews is yet finished, as he listens missionaries' children. The session to these "testimomes." God does devoted to interchange of thought on "in very deed yet dwell upon earth the specific power of the Holy Ghost and among men.
was not only one of earnest self- Turning from this feature of the searching, but of discrimination be- week to the free" round table" con- tween even the most highly analyzed versations on practical problems, one moral character and power and the finds in these meetings What Dr.
supernatural c~:;erations of the adora- Chester would call "sanctified com- ble Spirit. mon sense." The hour given to the If ever, since Pentecost, a company consideration of the subject of re- of Christians realized more fully the production of western ecclesiastical unity of the Spirit, it wDuld be diffi- forms on foreign mission fields was cult for any who enjoyed these hours the most remarkable of its kind the to name the place or time. The writer ever knew.
deeply spiritual character of the de- It was much more remarkable than votional hours of the Union through any participating in it had planned its five annual meetings suggests that or could have anticipated. The frank- that they be placed in the list of ness and freedom, the manifest intent "movable feasts." It were worth· to lay aside as far as possible the bias traveling across the continent to ex- of education, association or other perience the indwelling, the abiding preference, that each might contrib- presence of the Holy One as it· was ute his quota to the honestest pos- realized at Bridgeton. One may go in sible inlook to the real needs of the the strength of such meat more than foreign churches; earnest Chris- forty days. Some of the addresses, tian rivalry in making concessions, eminently those of Rev. J. Hudson without yielding or expecting any to Taylor and his associate, Reginald yield what he was supposed honor- RadclIffe, Esq., only served, if possi- ably to maintain-all made this ble, to deepen the divine impressions company of ten denominations ap- of the devotional hours. Even the pear a charmed circle. The equal of peculiar service with which these it has seldom been experienced. If the spirit that pervaded that com- American Indian vernaculars by pany could become the spirit of the Rev. E. _Arnold, of the St. Regis churches everywhere it would make Reservation, caused considerable dis.
but a mite of difference what forms cussion and showed wide diversity of of church government and polity ob- view. The question whether it was tained. Herfil was a Congregationalist desirable to bring natives from the brother saying that in his district the foreign fields to give them an educa- churches would in his judgment soon tion in Europe or America developed form into a modified episcopacy, as a the existence of only one set of opin- form of government most suitable to ions. All declared against the course, the native mind ; and another, a Pres- as leading to most unsatisfactory re- byterian, declared to be, in fact, a sults.
bishop over the churches under his A paper from Rev. Dr. Cunnyng- care; and others, not Presbyterians, ham, formerly of China, now Secre- conceding that the Japanese would taryof the Sunday-School Union of probably prefer and possibly come to the M. E. Church, South, was read, demand a Presbyterian form of gov- and followed by healthy discussion ernment, and yet another declaring on the development of this and other that the Anglican Church in China agencies for increasing-the interest of did not aim to strictly reproduce the the home churches in missions. Rev.
Episcopal polity, but to recognize in Dr. Barnum of Persia, who contrib- it such modifications as might nat- uted much of wisdom and interest to urally grow out of its new relations. several of the leading discussions, Some oC the discussions were much read an able pap{'r on" Some points more formal than others, and were of comparison between the mission- introduced by able papers. One of ary work of to-day and the early these was by Rev. Edward Chester, planting of Christianity."
M.D., on "Medical Missions," to Women's work for -heathen women which we have given the position of was considered during one session, leading article in this department, and the missionary ladies took part and which it is possible may be in the discussion, rendering there, as printed hereafter in other form for they did at the evening platform general circulation. meetingsand specialafternoon ladies'
Dr. Cyrus, Hamlin's paper on services, the most helpful interest to "Five Hundred Years of Islam" the whole annual session. Their con- was a terrible impeachment of Is- tribution to the spiritual directness lamic civilization. We hope to be and power of the devotional exercises able to favor the readers of the RE- was of great worth.
VIEW with this paper, and some others The papers and addresses cannot also hereafter. The wide range oC be all recounted, though none were experience and observation, and the below the merit that would entitle intimate personal acquaintance with them to speCIal mention. The even- Islam in Turkey, Persia, Bulgaria, ing platform meetings were devoted Africa, India, China, Ceylon, and to countries or to subjects, as other quarters of the globe, by the "India," or "Medical Missions."
members present, made the discus- One whole evening was occupied by sion of the subject of "Islam as a Civ- Rev. J. Hudson Taylor, founder and ilizer" one of rare value a.nd interest. present Superintendent of the cele- A paper presented by the writer of brated China Inland Mission, in these lines on Bible and other trans- narrating his personal experiences lations in' the Mexican vernaculars, and the development of his peculiar and another paper on the narrow- work which challenges solargeatten- ness and the limitations of the North tion. The spiritual effects of the simpIe story were not the least of the Several missionaries not present results of the evening with this sent their congratulations, and made brother, who was admitted to mem- suggestions of value for the future bership in the Union. The Union usefulness of the Union. We furhad been represented at the World's nish herewith the personal letter of Missionary Conference in London by the venerable Dr. Wood to the meettwo of its members, Rev. W. H. Bel- ing at Bridgeton. den and Mrs. Belden, and an hour was profitably and entertainly spent LETTTR from Rev. George W. in listening to their report of the Wood, D.D., to the Secretary of the great meeting from the personal and International Missionary Union: social, as well as the more official side. They evidently absorbed much, Unable myself to attend yonr meeting last and were able happily to reproduce it year, I was glad that the missions in Turkey for the delight of others. It was to Mr. and Mrs. Belden that the Union were so well represented by Drs. Hamlin and was primarily indebted for the courtesy of entertainment in. the city Barnum; and I hope tbat they and others from where they reside. that field may be with you also at Bridgeton dur- The address by R. Radcliffe, Esq., before the Union, on his personal ex- ing the present week. It would gratify me highperiences as an evangelist in several countries in Europe, eminently ly to be with you in bodily presence, as I shall Italy and Russia, was instructive and practically suggestive. It was a be in spirit and fullest sympathy; but the ordersurprise to most of those present, surely, to be told that Russia is pEn'- ing of the Divine Will, ever wise and good, defectly free for any number of evangelists who may go from person to nies me this privilege. From my late temporary person, and do effectivework through interpreters. sojourn in Summit, N. J., I have come with my The officers of the Union were, in wife for a little visiting among relatives and the main, re-elected, but Dr. Dean was added to the list of Vice-Presidents, friends in Livingston County, N. Y., on our way a class which Dr. Hamlin already. graced. to Dakota and Montana, to spend the summer, if The Rev. Mr. Mudge says; the Lord will, with children whom we have in .. Notes can give but ltttle idea of the rich those Territories. feast that was spread before us for each of the seven days, enlarging our stores of information, The death of our brother, Dr. Byington, has qnickenlng our sympathies, broadening Our view, deepening our consecration, and intensi- brought a great a1lliction upon the missions in fying our love for the work of saving the nations. We lloated ou a stream 01 keen enjoyment where Bulgaria and Turkey. Cut off in mid career of the pOints of beauty .ucceeded each other with almost bewildering rapidity. The people of a most useful life, he speaks to us impreSSively Bridgeton, who opened their doors to us with most cordial and abundant hospitality, showed of the supreme importance of spiritual and eteralso by their attendance a high degree of appreciation of the great privileges thus brought nal realities as a motive power in all Christian withiu their reach. Their pulpits were nearly alllll1ed on Sunday by the ·misslonaries, and the activity, and in the spirit of a true consecration, testimony of the pastors was that an entirely new era of interest in lllissions among their of a wise husbanding of physical energy in order people would date from this Convention. The members of the Union will certaiuly hold in to continuance of service in a world where the grateful remembrance their unstinted kindness. " most that we can do in the longest period that may be allowed to any of God's servants, is so greatly needed. '
May I exprees in a word the joy which I feel in the multiplying evidences of a new uprising of a zeal, not blind or tranSitory, for the conquest of the whole world to the dominion of Imman- uel, our Saviour and Lord 1 The trend of divine providences over our entire globe and the work of the Spirit in its measure and fruits in the hearts of Christ's true disciples, while accom- panied with much that is painful, bring to the church an appeal which it becomes us to wel- come with cheer and thauksgiving, and glad re- sponse in the line of individual and organized efforts to which we are called. :May you con- sultations be stimulating and productive of richer results for good than in years past, when occasion for congratulation was so great. In the might of the forces of evll in our Own country and in other lands, let ns see no ground of dis- couragement; for greater is He that is with ns than can be all they who are against us. What- ever drawbacks or defeats may occur, these are permitted for benellcent ends to which they are noedful or may be made subservient. What we may not now understand, we shall see hereafter
70ti THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS
With adoring admiration of the wisdom that Is Dege of carrying it forward to new triumphll higher than oura, May the, be wise, faithful and happy, lind ui As I look forward, knowing that my con their turn be succeeded by a generation who nection With present Corms of service Is com- Ing to Its termination, I desire, with penitent 'shall be more honored and blessed even than confession and supplication in respect to my own relations to the cause I love, to give the hand of they, as workers together with God for the fulfellowship, with words only of encouragement, to the young and vigorous who have the prv- filment of all that He has promised to do for men, With fraternal affection and regard, youra most sincerely, GEO. W. WOOD.
V.-THE- MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS.
BY A. T. PIERSON, D.D.
JAPAN. of fellowship." What a scene was that to betoken the change that ABOUT twenty-five years ago a twenty-five years had brought I native of Japan, not known by name to modern history, conceived the The whole nation is awake and adidea that for his country to open her vancing. In 1872 the name of Chrisgates to Occidental civilization would tian was odious in Japan; now there be a benefit and blessing, and with are 16,000 who are loyal to Christ, a the prophetic foresight of a practical multitude of students there are waitpatriot and statesman, he dared pub- ing to learn of this new religion; and licly to advocate the abandonmen~ thousands are on the very pivotal of the exclusive policy hitherto pur- point of destiny, the question must sued by his nation. For such advo- speedily be determined whether they cacy he became so obnoxious to his become Ohristians or agnostics and countrymen that it was resolved to atheists. Years ago a school for put an end to his influence by put- boys and girls began in Yokohama; ting an end to his life. On a great now 'the boys' school is moved to festival day, when Japanese came Tokio, and becomes the Union Colfrom all quarters to do honor to the lege, with 300 students, under presigods of the kingdom, three bands dency of Dr. Hepburn; and the girls' prepared to waylay him: he escaped school remains at Yokohama as the the first, but fell into the hands of Isaac M. Ferris Seminary. Christhe second and perished. tianity is penetrating to the very borders of the land of the Rising A few months ago, a native pastor Sun. The Government itself offers was celebrating the Lord's Supper in to aid teachers while they are studyone of the Christian churches of the ing the Japanese tongue, and the island empire. He was a relative of door is wide open to Christian misthat murdered man who was the sions. Five denominations are united first modern martyr to his country's in the Union church, which is repreadvancement. In the congregation sented in the Union College. Young an old man arose and begged to be men are so anxious to get an educaheard. He said, "I am one of those tion and be fitted to preach to their who murdered that man, twenty-five countrymen that they resign lucrayears ago, and I want to confess my tive positions, or refuse tempting part in that crime. " The young pas- offers for secular positions, in order tor said, "By all the ancient customs to fit themselves for Christian serof Japan, I am bound to avenge that vice. Who shall guide these inquirblood-feud by plunging my dagger ing, intelligent minds and encourage into the throat of the man who was these young disciples, unless the the murderer of my relative. But church in this land supplies men and Christ's blood reconciles all blood- means? Was there ever such opporfeuds, and in Christ's name I wish to tunity offered by God 'for the evan~ extend to this brother the right hand g'elization of an empire containing on a persecution, and the Catholic thirty-eight millions of people I How converts recanted or fled to China, slow we are to go in and possess the or endured torture and martyrdom. 131nd I With a proper, prompt, ener- In 1835 Roman Catholic missions getic occupation of these wonderful again found a way into Korea by way fields of Christian labor, we might of China and Mantchuria, and the turn the whole future of the Sunrise Jesuits claimed 15,000 converts even Kingdom in the direction of the as late all 1857. cross: Not only is all antagonism abated, but Japan actually invites But we are especially concerned Christian teaching and missionary with the late opening for Protestant labor. The plowman may overtake missions. Japan in 1876 made the the reaper, and the treader of grapes first complete treaty with her neighhim that soweth the seed. The sower bor across the channel; six years' must carry the sickle. later, partly through the aid of the great Chinaman, Li Hung Chang, a KOREA. similar treaty was made with the United States. In 1884 the Presby- AFTER a strict isolation of centuries terian Board, at the solicitation of this hermit nation is open to the Rijutei, a Korean of rank, who was gospel. Its territory is partly penin- converted while representing his sular and partly insular; the penin- government in Japan, established a sula is about 400 miles long and 150 station at Seoul, H. N. Allen, M. D., miles broad, and is shaped like Italy. a medical miSSionary in China going Numerous adjacent islands constitute there. The American resident minthe Korean archipelago, chiefly of ister, General Foote, gave him an granite rock, some rising 2,000 feet appointment as physician to the above sea-level. The population legation. Dr. Allen was simply numbers from 8,000,000 to 12,000,000. tolerated at first by the Koreans; but during a revolt 10 Seoul, he skilfully The predominant religion is Bud- treated several persons of rank who dhism; though there are some follow- had been wounded, and saved the life ers of Confucius, as in China, and of the king's nephew, Min Yong Ik. some of a religion similar to that of He found the native doctors and sur- the Sin-tu in Japan. Indeed, Korea geons trying" to staunch the wounds seems, in some respects, a cross be- with wax, and his own scientific tween these two immediate neigh- treatment won the admiration of the bors. In 1882 Korea was, by treaty, Koreans. The king's nephew de- opened to American commerce, the clared they that believed him" sent key used by God to unlock this em- from heaven to cure the wounded." pire to the gospel was the medical His medical services to the royal m~88ton. Somewhere between the family led the king to build a gov- sixteenth and eighteenth centuries ernment hospital, which he named Romanism was carried into this Hay Min Lo, House of Civilized country by papal converts from Virtue, and which he placed under Japan and China. About one hun- the care of the Presbyterian mission dred years ago, Senghuni, a distin- and the supervision of Dr. Allen. guished official, professed conversion The mission finds in Rijutei a true and was baptized under the name of helper who has devoted his energies Peter; the missionaries were popu- to giving the Koreans the New lar, and the more educated classes Testament in their own tongue. Mr. saw that even this corrupted form of Arthington, of Leeds, gave the money Christianity was an improvement to pay for printing 3,000 copies of the upon "paganism. The government Irospels of Luke and John; and so became alarmed; the priesthood led the last door is opened by this her- change in public opinion, we would emphBSlm mit nation for the admission of the this fact, which very much simplifles the probgosPIlI. The working force has been lem : that you are not now asked to build and increased by the addition of Rev. Mr. furnish school-houses, supply native teachers, Underwood and Dr. Herron and his pay annual detlciencies, etc., but simply to fur- nish and support lady teachers to work witla wife; and some are so sanguine as to sympathetic Japanese in giving the girls ot Jwhope that God is going to work a pan .. Christian education. The ripe opportlD" greater and more rapid change here ity consists in this-that not only Christian than in Japan. Fragments of evan- clmrches, but non-Christian philanthropists, are gelical truth, brought by stealth from looking to Christianity as to the ouly force they the· Sunrise Kingdom, found their know of that will lift woman ont of her Ignoway to the heart of Rijutei. Years rance and degradation, and enable her to exert passed by, and the crisis came. such an Influence in the home as do the womell Rijutei was the means of saving the ot Christian lands." life of the queen, and so earned favor with the king. At once he went to Dr. Wm. Fleming Stevenson, while Japan, where he learned the way to Christ more perfectly, and so was an enthusiast in Missions, said to his led to undertake, like Luther, to give brethren: his own countrymen the Word of God in their own tongue. Here is .. We must not be over sanguine as to the rll' another pruof of God's seal on the ception given to the gospel in heathen communiwork of missions. A few years ago ties, as in Japan. It is partly of an Athenian type, born of cnrioslty and love of novelty; and we were just beginning missionary partly the result of proverbial politeness, giving teaching in Japan, and now Japanese courteons audience to a foreigner; and partly converts are proposing to go to the fruit of a Progressive, aggressive spirit, Korea as evangelists I which, especlaily in educated people, takes to Occidental civilization; and partly the movement SUGGESTIVE PARAGRAPHS. of governmental policy. From motives of State, neutrality is exercised. The Sabbath is ob- Desire of Japanese Philanthro- served in Japan only in government omces pists.-The Rev. J. H. De Forrest, a where are many foreiguers. The edict against missionary in Japan of the American Christianity Is not repealed, and much real Board, says in a recent letter: hostility hides behind the veil of indifference."
"Thoughtful Japanese have long been watch- The Mildmay meetings and all the ing missionaries and their methods of work; and when they compare the gifted women en- great religious societies' anniversagaged in school and evangelistic work with the better classes of women here, tbey see tbat ries held in England and America, in something-either that Christianity or civilization-has given tbe women of the west a posi- the month of May, have already their tion that excites their admiration and earnest longing to bave the women of Japan gain a sim- counterpart in Japan. This year the ilar place of influence. They also see that unless some way of elevating woman is systematically tide of these has been at its flood for uudertaken, Japan cannot push forward into the position of a truly civilized country. Hence it nearly the entire month in Tokio and happens that woman's work is now attracting tbe thought of philanthropists, who are asking vicinity. The meetings may be said in pnblic and in private that we aid them, espe- cially in the establishment of Christian girls' to have commenced with the fourth schools. We have already at hand importnnate calls for lady teachers from TokiO, Okayama, biennial meeting of the General As- Takahashi, Matsuyama, and other large cities; and what &11all we do in the face of these re- sembly of the United Church in qnests? Professor Toyama vehemently says, •It is an opportunity that missionaries cannot Japan, when fifty-seven churches, afford to lose.' In asking you to do all you an to take advantage of this unexampled represented by their delegates and a nearly equal number of natives and foreigner ministers met in Tokio, and a large number of clergymen of other churches were invited to sit as corre- spo n ding me m be-rs-. – .
. Mistaken Devotion.-In one of the great temples in Japan the devotion of the worshipers consists in running around the sacred building one hun- dred times, and dropping a piece of wood into a box at each round, when, the wearisome exertion being ended, the worshiper goes home tired and 000, about that of the United States very happy at the thought of having in 1845. done his god such worthy service. Are there not some Christians whose How the Gospel was first Planted activity is very similar to this, and of in Korea.-This incident is related about as much value? They are on by Mrs. Fannie Roper Feudge, Balthe street, running to all sorts of timore, Md. : meetings, and ever bustling from place to place. They feel and talk as .. Among many efforts made during the presif they were rendering most valuable ent century to carry the gospel into Korea, and service, and solace themselves in their weariness with the comfort that with little apparent success, one seed ot sacred they are doing great good and will have a rich reward. Yet really they truth was planted by a little Chinese lad shortly are accomplishing nothing. Their before Korea was opened to missionary effort ; exhausting labor is really only run- and this, so far as we know, was the first in nil ning round and round the temple; the hermit kingdom to spring up and bring forth no cause is advanced by it; God's fruit to the glory of God. This little boy's name name is not honored by it. was Ah Fung. He had been taught at one of the mission schools at Ningpo to read the Bible, Every indication goes to show that and to go to Jesus iu prayer whenever he was the Hermit Nation, as Korea is called, in need of help. When he was about nine years is rapidly leaving the hermitage and of age, his father took Ah Fung with him on one coming to the fore. The United of his trading expeditions to the Korean capital. States steamship Omaha has just By some mishap, while there, the boy was stolen arrived at Yokohama from Korea, and sold to the governor, who presented him to and Captain McNair reports his ob- his wife. She made him her page, and he would servations from a visit to that coun- often attempt to tell hili young mistress of the try, at whose capital, opened up to Saviour he loved and trusted, but withont avail, Americans by the treaty of 1882, he until one day the reaper Death took away her met the American Consul. For baby girl ; and then, in her great loneliness and miles, in the journey to Sevul, the sorrow, she recalled the words of her little page capital, the country looks like one about Jesus and His love, and asked him to teU vast cemetery, with its thousands of her the story agalu. Day after day did this green mounds on hillsides where Christian child talk of the Saviour, until she, too, sleeps the dust of more than ninety came to love this same Friend." generations. The crops are grown, the trades flourish as they do here. TEXTS AND THEMES. They have crime and criminals just as we do, but unlike our own courts, Zech. iv : 6-" Not by might (num- Korea punishes thieving with decap- bers), nor by power, but by my itation, consequently a great many Spirit." heads roll about wanting bodies to fit them. Remington and Martine rifles, Zechariah is encouraging Zerubbawith Gatling guns, the telegraph and bel,who was disheartened in attemptelectric lighting abound in parts of ing to build the second Temple by Korea, so rapid is the march of civil- paucity and poverty of the returned ization. Mission work is just begin- captives, who must be his human dening to occupy the ground, and no pendence. God assured him that not doubt there it will meet with great by a host of people, nor by human' opportunity for spreading the gospel, resources, but by His Spirit, all although at flrst the work will have work for <Sod is to be accomplished. to be limited to the youth. Korea When His Spirit moves, the most now contains a population of 20,000,- colossal mountain of obstacles be- comes a plain.
To enforce and illustrate this, the vision of this chapter is portrayed.
The candelabrum represents the church of God-God's golden light- bearer. The reservoir of prophecy supplies the lamps with oil. _ But the reservoir itself must be supplied by golden pipes, and these must connect with the living trees, which are per-
PROGRESS AND RESULTS 01' MISSIONS-MONTHLY BULLETIN
ennial oil-producers. These trees, personal influence more obviously represent Jesus Christ in His royal appear. This compels us to shout and priestly offices as Mediator, in " grace! grace!" all the way from which offices He was typified in Ze- cornerstone to capstone. rubbabel and Joshua. Exodus xxxviii: 8-" And he made The way to build and nourish the laver of brass . . . of the churches is to depend on the Holy looking glasses of the women assem- Spirit. The foundation must be laid bling." in Jesus, and then the structure carried from corner to capstone as a The banished metal mirrors of ~he work of grace. Let us not despise women were contributed to be melted the day of small things. If the seven and cast into a laver for God's tabereyes of omniscience are supervising nacle. What a sacrifice of vanity! our work, and the seven hands of and what a lesson for us on the way omnipotence are building for us, to furnish God's house with needed even the feeblest, faintest body-a supplies! mere remnant-can build the temple of God in a strange land. This has 1. We ought to sacrifice our luxbeen the hope of missions always. uries. Not one step has ever heen taken successfully in d~pendence on num- 2. Common things may be put to bers or wealth or social patronage. uncommon uses-a brazen mirroJ' In no work does the Holy Spirit's becomes a brazen laver.
2. The instruments of vanity unto the sacred vessels of the tabernacle.
VI.-PROGRESS AND RESULTS OF MISSIONS: MONTHLY BULLETIN.
Africa•…,..Mr. Moil', of the African The native church among the Hydahs, Rev. J. Lake Company, states that at least Loomis Gould, missionary, has 42 communiten thousand slaves cross Lake Ny- cants. At the communion of the Thllngit Presassa every year. "I once looked into byterian Church, Sitka, on May 5th, Rev. A. E. the hold of a slave-dhow," he says, Austin received six adults and baptized four "and saw eighty or ninety little chil- infants. dren there. Oh, friends, if you had seen those eyes gazing up into yours, Austria.-The British and Foreign you would pray earnestly that this Bible Society distributed by sale and 'open sore,' as Livingstone called it, gift 20,597 Bibles, 102,01l Testaments might be healed."-Spirit of Mis- and 45,391 portions, making a total sions. of 167,959 volumes. The largest number was in the German language, -The first Christian church in the the next in Hungarian, then Bohe· Congo Free State was organized in mian, Hebrew, Roumanian, Servian, November of last year, and there are Polish, etc. now 1,062 converts in the Congo Mission. Burmah.-Sir Charles Bernard, wbo has two sisters working as missionaries of the Alaska.-The reports of the churches in South- Church of Scotland in India, has recently stated some interesting facts a.bout the east Alaska are f8ll of encouragement. Rev. S. Christian Karens of Burmah. He says they number about 200,000, that is, about one- Hall Young reports from Fort Wrangel47 com- third of the Karen people. There are from 500 to 600 congregations practically if not municants ; 7 added on examination and one by entirely self-supporting. It is their practice to set apart as much produce of their land certificate; adult baptisms, 7 ; Infant baptisms, as will support their native pastors,and this they do before appropriating any of the har- 4; enrollment of Sabbath-school, 50 ; collections vest for themselves. They also sen4 mig. sionaries into Siam, and support them fully. Corall purposes, $277. Rev. Eugene S. Willard -The annual meeting ofthe Bassein reports from the native church, Jnneau, com- Sgau Karen Churches was held remunicants, 'rI ; 'added on examination, 14, and by cently. During the year, 562 have certficate,13 ; adults baptized,14, and Infants, 1 ; enrollment of Sabbath-school, 80. Rev. Alonzo E. Austin reports from the native church, Sitka, communicants, 222. Added on examina- tion, Ill, and by certificate, 1. Adults baptized, 108, and Infants, 75. Enrollment of Sabbath- school, 175. Collections for all pnrposes. $70. been baptized on profession of faith, given away, the rest sold. The of whom an unusually large number American Bible Society has also have come from the heathen. The made a grant of $1,500 to the Evantotal contributions of th(l churches of gelical Society of France to aid in its work of Bible distribution. That the association for the year amount society has had in its service durto Rs. 41,000. The pupils in the town ing the year 42 colporteurs, and high school have increased to 400, the distributed 28,745 volumes of the largest number ever known in the Scriptures. history of the Bassein Sgau Karen Mission. Besides the Sgau Karen Germany.-Fifty years ago seven Association, there is a Pgho Karen Association having about 1,500 com- shoemakei's in a shop in the city of municants. The Henthada Karen Mission numbers 2,000 communi- Hamburg said, "By the grace of cants. These Christians have taxed God we will help io send the gospel to our destitute fellow-men." In themselves voluntarily to raise Rs. 5 twenty-five years they had estabper member toward new school buildings in the town of Henthada. Al- lished fifty self-supporting churches, ready Rs. 7,000 have been paid in, and the rest ,will be forthcoming had gathered out '10,000 converts, soon. It must be remembered that the great body of the Karens are had distributed 400,000 Bibles and small rice cultivators, yet they are willing to bear heavy burdens in or- 8,000,000 tracts, and had carried the der that their children may receive gospel to 50,000,000 of the race. It would take only 150 such men to carry the gospel to the whole world in twenty-five years. • -Pastor Rohrbach, of Berlin, said that he an education.. . gaioed his first ideas of evangelistic work from China.-The news from Central Mr. Moody, and when he read of the work of China, received by the China Inland Robert Moffat in Buchuanaland, he asked, Mission, is very cncoura.ging. Mr. " Cannot the same power be' brought to bear Stanley Smith reports 210 baptisms upon Germany Y" He was glad to say that the at one time, and as many inquirers. initiatory work of Dr. Schluembach, Dr. Somer- The Rev, G. Clark tells of preaching ville, Dr. Ziemann, and others, had done a great deal for the caose of evangelization. to immense audiences, sometimes as Hawaiian Islands.-Seventy years many as 4,000. It is stated that "a ago the inhabitants were depraved few as influential men as the empire has produced have embraced Christi- heathen, and human sacrifices formed anity, others are ready to do so, or a part of their religion. In 1820 the wish to reap the benefit of its civiliz- American Board sent the first mis- ing influences." Nine men have been sionaries there. From that time baptized and admitted to the Lord's Supper by the China Inland Mission there was steady progress; at one at Honan. This is stated to be the first Christian church founded in time, during a great awakening, 1,700 this province of 15,000,000 souls. The only other society at work in persons being received into the the province IS the Baptist Mission- church in one day. The time came ary Society, and there are but three when the islands could be called European agents in all this vast Christianized, and in 1863 the Amerpopulation.-O. M. Intelligencer. ican Board closed the evangelizing agE:ncy, continuing only the educa- China Inland Mission.-Ohina's Millions for tional, and an independent self-sus- taining native church was formed July says of last year's labors: "Looking on under the name of "The Hawaiian the work of the whole year, we have to praise Evangelical Association." From a report of the Association made in God for the addition of between five and six 1886 we gather the following: There are fifty-eight Hawaiian churches hundred members to the churches-a larger ac- connected with the Association re- porting 5,387 members, who paid cession than we have ever yet had to report. $8,463 for pastor's su~port; $9,829 for church building; $3,655 to send We look for yet greater results this year. All the gospel to others; $5,593 for misthe stations and oot-stations can be better cellaneous purposes; a total in one year of $28,142. worked by our augmented numbers."
France.-By the aid 01 the Ameri- Holland.-The Ministerof Colonies, can Bible Society the Bible Society of France has printed 10,000 copies of the New Testament, and distributed by sale and gift 13,938 volumes, of which 196 were Bibles, 9,486 Testa- Mr. Keuchenius, has sent a missive ments andS,487 portions. About one third of the entire number were to the various Missionary Societies in the Netherlands, declaring in it, that 8,523 probationers and 10,180 Chris- tians. This is Bishop Thoburn's the Dutch Government should like to " diocese."
see if the societies 01' unions afore- At the Conference on Foreign Mis- sions in London, Sir W. W. Hunter said could contribute largely to in- saId that while the ordinary increase of the population of India had been crease the number of missionaries in 10~ per cent. the increase of Chris- tians had been 64 pel' cent. in the last the Dutch East Indian Archipelago ten years.
and to stop the progressing influence -The Indian census shows that the native Christians are increasing of Islam among the heathen popula- fifteen times as fast as the general population. tion of these islands. -The Maharajah of Darbhauga, of N. D. SCHUUMANS. Bengal, has given $25,000 for a hos- HAARLEM, July 5. pital and dispensary in connection with Lady Dufferin's medical work. -The evangelical population founded a union His gifts for benevolent purposes the last eight years reach fully $1,- for the purpose of establishing schools independ- 700,000.
ent of the State becanse of the law forbidding Italy.-In this stronghold of Ro- man Catholicism the work of the the reading of the Bible and Christian teaching British and Foreign Bible Society has met with marked success during In olllcial schools. These independent schools the past year, the distribution being 83,349 copies in advance of the year are prospering; at the end of 1886 there were preceding. The figures are: Bibles, 7,322, Testaments, 18,885, and por- 441, In which 71,000 children receive a good ed- tions, 102,821; total, 129,028.
ucation.-JOIIN1Cil Reli{lieux. -A Japanese correspondent writes India.-The Hindus are not disposed to the Christian Union: to allow Christianity to win a victory " Sunday, March 25, was another rad·letter in India without a struggle. Publica- day in Kyoto. Twenty-five yonng men and tions in defense of Brahminism are eight young ladies, students in· onr Doshisha scattered widely over the country. schools, publicly confessed Christ as their Just now we hear of a Hindu Tract Society started in Madras, which is Savionr. This, with six young ladies baptized issuing large editions of handbills monthly, in which the Christian re- in January, and forty-three young men baptized ligion is furiously attacked. The English missionaries report that all In December, makes eighty-two accessions from this is working for good, and that "the Tamil country is being stirred the school during the current school year. Ten as never before." These conflicts are rousing men from their indifference, were received Into one of the city churches on and will lead to decision, either for Christ or against him. the same day. One of the young men joini~ -A Parsee Student. A Parseegirl in from the school is a son of one of the most fa- India named Sorabji has become mous men in Japan. The Osaka Church will quite distinguished for her intellec- dedicate a very large and commodious chnrch tual ability. In her University course April 5."
she has gained scholarships each Jews.-The number of Jews in the world is estimated by the Hebrew year, and has kept at the head of the .Annual at 6,500,000; of these 800,000 list of competitors in English. She are in Palestine. The largest disperhas recently graduated in the first sions are in Russia, which contains class. Only six students in all, of 2,550,000, of whom 766,000 are inRuswhom the remaining five were men, sian Poland; in Austria-Hungary, succeeded in obtaining this degree. 1,645,000; Turkish Empire, 800,000; Miss Sorabji is the only" girl gradu- Roumania, 265,000;· United States, ate" in the Bombay Presidency. 230000, and Abyssinia, 200,000. Best of all, she is a Christian, and the child of Christian parents, one of -Alexandria Reports for 1887. The seven sisters, all of whom have been Rev. William Kean, the head of the well educated and are doing good station, givesa frank statementof the service as educationists. Her mother difficulties of work among adult Jews. has established a successful high Miss Kirkpatrick reports continued .chool in Poonah. success in the two schools under her charge, the fees of the girls' school -calcutta has 200,000 Mohammedans and one not only paying:aU expenses, but with ordained missionary to them.-Indian Witness. £25 from the Glasgow Ladies' Associ- -The Methodist Episcopal Church has in India foreign, native and zenana missonaries, 4,450 members, ation, meeting all the requirements rents, $32,986, and the remainder ~m mis_ of the pOOl' school in the Jewish cellaneous sources. The appropriations already quarter of the town. Mr. Douglas pledged by the Board for foreign work during Dunlop, the head of the boys' school, the coming year amounted to $183,076. To reports 251 pupils (124 being Jews) translate, publish and distribute 500,000 volumes enrolled in the boys' schools, 190 be- of the Scriptures In foreign lands, $143,570 was ing in attendance at St. Andrew's paid. school. Of the 190 there were 63 Jews, 42 Roman Catholics, 31 Protestants, -The address ofthe Methodist bishops 24 Moslems, 23 Greek Church, and at the Geueral Confereuce shows that In the 7 Copts; 01', with regard to nat:ion- past few years 450,000 souls have been brought ality, 51 Egyptian, 45 British, 25 into the church, and the membership Increased Greek, 25 Italian, 20 German, 11 from 1,769,534 to 2,093,935. Receipts for mis- French, 8 Austrian, 3 Spanish and sionary work last year upwards of $1,000,000; 2 Swedish pupils. The ages of the approprlatlons for next year, $1,200,000. The pupils were remarkable. Of the 190 church claims 12 theological semi)laries, 54 colenrolled in St. Andrew's school 6 leges and 120 seminaries, with a property valua were over 20 years of age, or 21 over tion of $25,000,000. seventeen, or 42 over fifteen, or 78 in all over thirteen. The New Testa- -'l'he General Assembly of the United ment is carefully read and explained Presbyterian Church of North America recently in various languages every day, and held its sessions in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Ten all the Jewish boys without exception Synods and 61 Presbyteries belong to the Assemtake full part in the devotional exer- bly, with 753 ministers, 3,580 elders and 9S,992 cises and religious instruction. At members. The contributions of Sunday-schools the Sunday-school there is a good at- and missionary societies frp: the past year tendance of Jewish boys-sometimes amounted to $1,019,937. a dozen of them senior pupils. The basis of the success of the school is -The foreign missions of the Protestant the solid and high-class commercial Episcopal Church report communicants as foleducation provided, for which £347 lows: Liberia, 472; China, 374; Japan, 429; were realized in fees in 1887.-0hurch Haiti, 855; total,1,730. The income was $175,- of Scotland Record. 84S.46, including a balance of $20,739.51 from last year. There is a balance of $44,974.3Sln the -The Mission work among the treasury. 6,400,000 Jews of the world has been developed with especial rapidity -The English Wesleyan MisBiona.ry since 1881. An investigation made Society expended last year $700,000, and reports then showed that there were engaged statistics as follows: Stations, 339; preaching- in it 20 societies, employing 270 mis- places, 1,224; missionaries and assistant mis- sionaries. Statistics recently pub- sionaries, 324; other paid agents, 1,825; unpaid lished report the existence of 47 so- agents,3,651; cburchmembers,31,26S; scholars, cieties, with 377 missionaries. The 58,10S. increase in contributions has not been proportionally large, being only -During the six years, 1881-7, the North- about $96,000. Of the $432,000 which ern Baptists expended for Home Mission work, constituted last year's income, $363,- as shown by the receipts of the "American 163 were given in the British Isles. Baptist Home Missionary Society," $2,256,656. The missionaries make their head- For the same period they expended for foreign quarters at those cities where the missions, as shown by the receipts of the Jews chiefly congregate. Fifty-eight "Baptist Missionary Union," $2,327,289. The work in London; 14 in Buda-Pesth; Southern Baptists duriug the same six years 33 in Constantinople, and 28 in Jeru- contributed for Home Missions $455,399, and for salem. A proportionally smaller Foreign, $472,411. number of wQrkers are stationed at the less important cities. -The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, reports a total of members and preachers MISSIONARY SOCIETIES' RECEIPTS FOR of 1,107,456, an increase of 41,079. It has 11,364 churches, valued at $15,204,883. 1887-8. -The United Presbyterian Church of -The seventy-second annual meeting Scotland reports 565 congregations, an increase of 1, aud 182,170 members, an Increase of 107. olthe American Bible Society, New York, was The total congregational Income the past year held May 10. The cash receipts for general pur- was $1.603,500. -The German Evangelical Luthera.n poses amounted to $557,340, and disbursements, Church Synod embraces 246 ministers, 387 con- $506,443. The receipts from legacies for gen- gregations and 38,000 members, 219 parochial schools, and an average yearly attendance of eral purposes amounted to $113,778; from 6,427. churches, individuals aud auxiliary donations, Russia. – Rabinowitz. The Free $85,405 ; from books and the purchase account Church of Scotland Monthly contains $296,540 ; from trust funds, etc., $23,944; from a letter-written by Rabinowitz tp Dr. ary who came to this country to ob- Wilson of Edinburgh, dated March tain funds for the erl'!"ction of a Chris- 12. Dr. Somerville, who will be re- tian high school in Bangkok, has remembered as the Scotch minister turned to his field of labor. He sewho has preached in Constantinople cured $15,000 in this country, to and in various parts of the world with which the King 01 Siam will add such good effect, had visited Rabinowitz at Kischineff, which is the capi- $5,000. The erection of the school is tal of Bessabaria, some eighty-five thus made possible. miles northwest of Odessa. Dr. Somerville stayed with this Christian Sweden.-The Swedish Magazine, Israelite a few days, preaching, as Lunds-Missions Tidring, gives the Rabinowitz says, "to a house crowd- present number of baptized converts ed to overflowing by children of of the Berlin society as 16,539 at 47 Israel coming to see the eminent and stations. The last year's contriburespectable doctor." And he adds: "Dr. Somerville was 'moved to his tions of these amounted to $3,780. very heart, seeing how here the Jews, Syria.-The Quaker women have a with God's Word in the hand, are seeking the Lord their God, and "Syria-Ramalleh Home." They pro- David their King, Jesus Christ." pose to build a girls' training-school there, for which ,3,000 is raised, twice -Lord Radstock gave some interesting in- that amount being needed. Sybil Jones was the first woman to preach stances which had come under his notice. Two the gospel in the land since the apos- tles' day. They have a school at prominent workers had heen banished; one had Mansnrieh, near the Svrian Mission, on Mount Lebanon. The Philadelto walk 1,000 miles in chains to Siberia, bnt his phia Society supports a Bible woman in this mission. joy was that he would" now have the privilege -The Mission at Brumana on the of preaching the gospel to the prisoners," who heights of Mount Lebanon. overlook- ing Beirut, is under the joint mancould not otherwise be reached. In St. Peters- agement of the Society of Friends in Great Britain, Ireland and the burg the" open meeting" principle works ad United States. There is a training home for boys, with 30 inmates, and mirably, hecause when the gatherings are broken for girls with 20, and a well-ordered hospital with 15 beds, besides disup by the police-as is invariably the case when pensary, open five days a week. The mission has the charge of various discovered-the converts are each competent to day-schools for both sexes in several surrounding villages, in which more minister the Word to others, and thns, as in the than 300 children are under instruc- tion ;, it also employs a colporteur early days of the church, the scattering of the and several Bible-women. There are people secures the scattering of the seed. In also two mothers' meetings, which in earlier days had sometimes to be fact, on one occasion a number of imprisoned shortened becaulile of fights among the women, but which now are comconverts were released, hecause by their testi- posed of large numbers who delight to learn texts of Scripture, and be mony " they did more harm in prison than out." read to, rather than give vent to evil passion.-Presbyterian. Scotland.-,At the first meeting of the National Bible Society directors -The Pilgrims to Mecca this year for the new year, held in Glasgow, the from Syria are very few. The steamtotal income for 1887 was reported to ers offer great inducements, but as be £33,432 7s., being only £335 Is. less the pilgrimage takes place in June than the income of 1886, which in- and July the people dread the intense cluded £4,875 ofa fund raised in heat of Mecca and stay at home. A honor of the society's semi-jUbilee. Moslem of Beirut was asked, "Are The expenditure had been £30,992 6s. The issues in 1887 were 6a2,073 copies many of the Beirut Moslems going or parts of Scripture, including to Mecca this year?" "No," said he ; 164,729 Bibles, 180,662 Testaments, "only about ten." " Are those who and 286,682 portions. Though some- go generally made better men by the what less than the exceptional circulation of the last two years, these fig- pilgrimage?" " Better I They are uresare considerably beyondany form_ worse. Mecca is the wickedest place er record. The issues at home were in thQ East; full of robbers, thieves 220,754 copies, and abroad 411,319. and pickpockets, and everything vile.
Siam.-At a meeting of the Pres- Hardly a man goes but is robbed." bytery of Siam, it was reported that an addition of 48 members by confession, and five by certificate, makes the Whole number of communicants in connection with this Presbytery now 881. One new church was organized and one student licenl:!ed to preach the gospel.
-The Rev. Mr. Eakin, the mlssion~ Swltzerland.-The Basle Mission native Bible readers, and more'than has 111 missionaries and European 150 schools. teachers in its three fields, and 489 native pa.stOl'S, catechists, evangelists -The Woman's Foreign Missionand teachers. In 1884 there were ary Society of the M. E. Church just made to the quadrennial conference, baptized in Africa, India and China is full of encouragement. The re- 531 adult heathen,204 heathen chil- port covers the past four years. dren and 773 Christian children. The Basle Mission Church numbers to:day The society now nUlllbers 4,888 auxiliaries. with an annual membership of 115,228. The 17,053 members. German work had fnlly justified the expectations Turkey.-We are beginning to hear of the originators and had grown constantly. The last report gave a total of 104 auxiliaries, of spiritual result'i following the ad- with 2,694 annnal members and 19 life members. ministration of relief to the famine The aggregate recelpte of the last four years sufferers in Turkey. In some places have been $658,898.77, an increase over the pre· portions of the Scriptures have been vlous fonr years of $154,314.23. distributed with needed bread for the body. Mr. Gates of Mardin reports -The Woman's Society of theAmerican Bapthat in one village a man said, after tist Missionary Society received, East, $55,880 ; an earnest discussion: "It is nothing West, $25,882. other than the words of this book -Reports of the Five Women's Foreign which have sent us this aid." A Mos- Missionary SOCieties of the Presbyterian Chnrch lem at one village affirmed: "I know Cor the year ending May 1, 1888, namely: that the Protestants are the best of all the sects." " How do you know Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the that?" said a bystander. .. You are Presbyterian Chnrch, Philadelphia: Receipts, a Moslem. What do you know of the $149,640, a gain of $19,821; Anxullarie., 2,000, teachings of the Protestants?" The gain, 221; Missionaries, 133; Native Teachers and Bible Women, 91. Moslem replied: "I know by one sign. If I go to a priest, he says to Woman's Presbyterian Board of Missions or me, Give. If I go to a Moolah, he the Northwest; Receipts, $132,472, gam, $15,412; says to me, Give. If I go to an offi- Auxiliaries, 1522; Missionaries, 6~; Native cial or a friend, they say to me, Give. Teachers and Bible Women, 49, All;ay, Give. The Protestants alone say, Take. Theil' schools say, Take; Women's Board of Foreign Missions of the their teachings say, Take; their Presbyterian Chnrch, New York: Receipts, charities say, Take. By this I know $62,544, gain, $12,407 ; AUxiliaries, 900, gain, 76 ; that they are the· best." Mr. Gates Missionaries, 41; Native Teachers and Bible reports that villages are asking for Women,3D. teachers, and that the evangelical Woman's Presbyterian Foreign Missionary helpers are honored wherever they go Society of Northern New York: Receipts, $10among the mountains.-Mi88ionary 418 ; Auxiliaries, 118, gain, 14; MiSSionaries, 5 ; Herald. Native Teachers and Bible Women, 13.
Women's Missionary Work.-The Woman's Presbyterian Board of Missions of Women's Foreign Missionary So- the Sonthwest: Receipts, $7,217, gain, 503; ciety of the Presbyterian Church in Auxiliaries, 47, gain, 8; Missionaries, 7.
Canada reports $10,058 as the amount Total receipts, $812,286, gain dnring the year. of last year's receipts. Its foreign 848,143; Auxiliaries, 4,587, galu, 319; Missionwork is thus summarized: Three aries, 254; Native Teachers and Bible Women, schools for our Own Indians in the 83. Northwest, one girls' school in Formosa, six schools under the care of -The Fifteenth Annual Report of the Woour ladies in Central India, six native man's Foreign Missionary Society of the Presteachers assisting in these schools, byterian Church of the Pacific Cocst Is an ex- ceedingly Interesting one. The receipts from two Bible women, general mission- all sources were $10,700.4Q. ary work in the hospital, villages and zenanas, three missionary teachers, -The Woman's Union Missiouary SOCiety of one medical missionary, one lady America has In Calcutta and the villages south ready for the work, one lady in of It 22 schools with 1,178 girls, and 114 zenanas Canada receiving medical education, in which are 130 regular pupUs. A Bible lesson donation for Trinidad. Is given every day in the schools and at every visit in the zenanas. -The money given by the women of the Presbyterian Church in the -At the recent annual meetIng ofthe Chnrch United States during the past sixteen of England Zenana Missionary Society It was years amounts to $2,150,000, repre- stated that there had been good success at al- senting the entire support of more most every station. The receipts for the year were $133,000. There are now at home nearly than 200 women missionaries, 200 900 ass,ociations, and upward of 600 working parties in support of the mission.
'716 STA.TISTICS OF THE WORLD'S MISSIONS
VlI.-STATISTICS OF THE WORLD'S MISSIONS.
WORLD – WIDE DISTRIBUTION OF THE The issues of the Hibernian Bible So- 59,105 ciety for the same year were as fol- BIBLE. lows: Bibles, 20,897; New Testa- ments, 25,862 : Portions, 12.846. To- [Rev. John Wilkinson (London) has tal…. ….. ….. ………. …. …..• published a powerful tract with the Portions reduoed to Bibles, 402, which 46,661 above caption. We avail ourselves with Bibles and New Testaments of his statistics relating to Bible dis- make a total of Bibles, New Testa- ments and Portions reduced to Bitribution.-EDs. ] bles, of…………..••…..•……• REv. JAMES JOHNSTON, in his" Centnry of The Issues of the American Bible So- ciety, as given in the report for the Christian Missions," puts the population of the same year, were as follows : Bibles, world at about 1,470.000,000: Protestants, 135,- 369,714; New Testaments, 598.515; 000,000; Greeks, 85,000,000; Papists, 195,000,- PortiOns, 469,211. Total……….. 1,437,440 000; Jews, 8,000,000; Mohammedans, 173,000,- 000 ; heathen, 874,000,000; altogether about Total Bibles, New Testaments and 1,473,000.000 as the world's population at present. Portions reduced to Bibles. . . . . . . . . . 982,892 The Mohammedans and the heathen together The report states that "there are at least make 1,047,000,000, besides about 11,000,000 of .Tews. These 1,058,000,000 are unevangelized. twenty-five German Bible SOCieties. Some of Besides, there are millions of Greek Catholics them are very small." Only four or five-occupy and Roman Catholics as destitute of the Bible as a prominent position. These are: (1) the Prus- 8re the Mohammedans and the heathen. sian Chief Bible Society, for the eight original provinces of Prussia; (2) the Wllrtemberg It is esthnated that there are yet more than Bible Institute, for the kingdom of Wiirtem- 3,000 langnages and dialects into which the Holy berg; (3) the Saxon Chief Bible Society, Cor the Scriptures have never been translated. kingdom of Saxony; (4) the Nuremberg Bible Association, for the kingdom of Bavaria; and A.t the head of the list of agencies for the dis- (5) the Berg Bible SOCiety, on the Rhine. The tribution of the Bible is the British and Foreign circulation of the Prussian Chief Bible Society Bible Society. According to the report of 1886 for 1885 reached 97,400 copies; SO,694 of them the issues of the Society were as follows: Bibles. None of these were issued by the From the Bible Honse, London: Bi- British and FOreign Bible Society, but were ad- ditional. " The other four Societies mentioned bles, 636,411 ; New Testaments, with put into circulation, in 1881–39,539,20,731, 6.752 or without Psahns, 1,100,891 ; Por- and 17,477 copies respectively. About one-half tions,365,517. TotaL………… ..• 2,192,819 of these books were supplied by the British and From depots abroad: Bibles, 195,102 ; Foreign Bible Society. The work of the re- New Testaments, with or without maining twenty Societies was limited in extent, Psalms, 625,295 ; Portions, 1,110,688. and comprised but few of the British aud For- TotaL…………… …………… 1,931,085 eign Bible SOCiety's books. "
Total for the Jear, of Bibles, New Now let us gather the sum total of Bible cir- Testaments and Portions. . . . . .•. . . .. 4,123,904 culation by these German Bible Societies: First we have the Prussian Society… 97,400 Total portions, 1,476,205, divided by 82, Then we have the Wilrtemberg,Saxon, and thus reducing them to whole Bi- bles, make 46,181 ; which brings out Nuremberg, and Berg SOCieties, al- the following total of Bibles, New together 84,499; from these we must Testaments and Portions reduced to deduct half, as reckoned to the Bibles: Bibles, 831,513; New Testa- British and Foreign Bible SOCiety's me nts,l,816,186; Portions, reduced issues-so these four Societies cir- to Bibles, 46,131. TotaL…. •. . . . .. 2,693.830 culated ………………………. . 42,250 We put down for the other twenty The issues of the National Bible Soci- 645,662 small Societies a circulation of….. . 60,350 ety of Scotland for the same year, 1886, were as follows: Bibles, 154,- 450; New Testaments, 256,507 ; Por- tions,234,705. TotaL…………..
Total portions, 234,705, divided by 32, 418,692 This will make a total for the twenty- and thus reducing them to whole Bi- five Societies of………….. …… 200,()()(1 bles, make 7,335; which brings out The Trinitarian Bible Society's report fOl the following total of Bibles, New Testaments, and Portions reduced to 1887 says: "The circulatiou of Scripture dur Bibles: Bibles, 154,450; New Test- ing the past year has been as follows, in twenty aments, 256,507; Portions reduced languages" :- to Bibles, 7,335. TotaL………… Bibles, 3,354; New Testa- ments, 11,038; Portions, 96,620…•…•••.•.••Total 111,012 Special sale or HebrewNew PRESBYTERIAN MISSION OF NORTHERN BRAZIL.-STATlSTICS FOR 1887. Testaments, 75,000; special NAlIlE OF grant oC Hebrew INew CHURCH.
Testaments, 25,000..Total 100,000 Recife ………. 1~ ~ ~'i 25 58 39 . . . . . . . . Total circulation, sales, and grants… . 211,012 Goyanna……. 11 •. 32 29 1 …. 1 8 The Portions, 00,620 rednced to Bibles, i" .. Fortaleza. . . . .. 9 .. 1 47 40 27 " .. 1 1 by being divided by 32, make, In Mossoro.. .•. . . . 5 20 21 12 ……. . Parahyba .•…. 11 3 1 1 16 ~~ <I I ….. . round numbers, 3,020; which with Maranham….. 1 1 …. 15 …. 1 ..
the Bibles, New Testaments, and Pao de Assucar. 8 7.. .. … IS 17 .. 1 .. ·. Maceio……… 8 1 …. ,.. 3 1 1 ….. . special 100,000 oC Hebrew New 8146 3 3 108 215 143 3 1 2 2 Testaments, make the total……… 117,412 Totals. Catholic and Protestant Converts.
British and Foreign Bible -DR. WARNECK, who also is a lead- Society – Bibles, Testa- ments and Portion: issued ing authority on mission matters, from the London House and from def.ots abroad.. 4,123,904 has compiled some statistics on the The same tota , with Portions reduced number of converts reported from to Bibles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . •. •. . .. 2,693,830 Catholic and from Protestant socie- National Bible Society ot ties. His summary is that the former Scotland-Bibles, Testa- ments and Portions. . . . . . 645,662 reports 268,700 converts in Africa, The same total, with Portions reduc- 2,000,000 in Asia, 55,000 in Oceanica, ed to Bibles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . •. . . • 418,692 330,000 in America, or a total of Hibernian Bible Soclety- 2,053,700. Protestant societies report Bibles, Testaments and 577,000 in Africa, 700,000 in Asia. Portions. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 59,105 280,000 in Oceanica, and 688,000 in The same total, with Portions reduc- America, or a total of 2,245,700. Dr. ed to Bibles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . •. . . . . 56,661 American Bible Society- Warneck remarks: Bibles, Testaments and Portions ………………. 1,437,440 .. I must confess that these figures sur- The same total, with Portions reduc- prised me. Considering the grand and im- ed to Bibles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • 92,982 posing organization of the Catholic Church. The twenty-five German Societies…. 200,000 the larger number of its missionaries, their Trinitarian Bible Society- rapid method of receiving into church com- Bibles, Testaments and munion larger numbers, and the great ad- Portions …………. , . . .• 211,012 vantage enjoyed by the fact that they have The same total, with Portions rednc- been at the work many centuries before our ed to Bibles…………….. ……• 117,412 work began. I had thought that numerically Grand total, InclndingBibles – – – their mission success would vastly exceed Testaments and Portions. 6,477,123 that of the Protestants. Leaving ont of consideration Asia, where chiefiy those who The same total, with Portions rednc- are descendants of converts of earlier cen- ed to Bibles.. ………………… 4,4.59,487 turies in China and India swell the number in the Roman Catholic reports. it must be Only frrur-and-a·1uJlj' milliOns of Bibles are seen that everywhere else the mission work being prodnced a year, while the annual increase of the world's popnlation is estimated at twelve of the Evangelical Church is far in advance mUli0n8! of that of the Roman Catholic."
BlBLE WORK IN CHINA IN 1887.
B. & F. Bible Soc. North China. …… ~~ 790 75,228 76,212 Central .. . . . . . . . 839 83,652 84,664 – – Sonth " .. . . . .. …. -. .-. . – -. . . -. 91,010 TotalB. &F….. 367 1,629 158,880 251,886 Scotch Bible Soc. -Mission work ofthe Catholic Church North China. . . . . .. …. 136 7,229 7,366 Central" ….•…… 1,952 168,859 170,31J is in the hands of the Propaganda Total N. B. S. S.. 2,088 176,088 178,176 Society, In the periodical Kathol- iscke Missionen recently this Society Amer'nBible Soc. 80 689 713 1,482 Sales-Depot …… . ]20 2,082 29,932 82,13'" makes its report for 1886. 77 2,059 :103,782 205,918 h Missionaries. 35 121 1,145 1,301 According to this France furnished about 48 899 9,837 10,784 two-thirds of the funds needed Cor the work. " Colportenrs.• namely. 4,855,658 francs; Germany contrib- Donations-Depot .. 72 1,184 1,256 uted 409,271 francs; Belgium, 358,767 ; Elsass " Missionaries. and Lorraine, 286,987 ; Italy, 382.214; Great " Colportenrs.. Britain. 166,319; Switzerland, 77,139; the Total Am. B. S . . 360 5,922 246,593 252.875 Netherlands, 112,551 ; Spain,97,522; Portugal, 47,249; Austria, 88.403; Hungary. 3,952 ; Bnl- SgacrainadainnadviRaonnmcoaunnitar,ie5s0,0;84R7u; ssAiaSlia5,288;,4t0h5e; Grand total, 1887. . . 727 9,639 581,581 682,937 Total, 1886… . . . . . .. 1,019, 14,256 493,678 583,429 Africa. 35,373; North AmerlCa.l00,928; Cen- tral America, 566; South America, 55,569 ; – Chute8e Recorder. Australia, 14.519. ' .Je'll'I.-lI'rom the HelJrsUJ Annual we learn A.merlcan Baptflt 1Illmoa&l]' tlnton• that France contains 000,000; Germany. 562.000, of whom 89,000 inhabit Alsaee and LorraIne; REOAPl'rULA'rI01I'. Austria-Hungary, 1,644,000, of whom 688,000 are in Galicia and 638,000 In Hungary; Ita!;!'l to.QOO ; The Burman Ml88ion.-51 mll!l!Ol1aries, 1ft Ns~'e!Ith~e~r,laOnOdOs, 82,000; RPooluamnda,ni7a6,8,2O6OO5~U;WTu; r~kUeIyI, men and 85 women (including wfflllJ of mis- (Russian sionaries) ; 13 Ordained and 89 nnordalned na- SloWotlutuzuerilanBde,lg7iu,0m0,0; 3,O:Kl ; Bulgaria, 10,000; tive preachers; 21 churches, 1,680 members, Denmark, .,000; Spain, 150 baptized in 1881. 1,900; Gibraltar, 1,500 i. Greece, 8,000; Servia, 3.500; Sweden, 3,000. m Asia there are 30,000 TAe Karen .Mi8rion.-47 missionaries. 15 men of the race. Turkey In Asia has 195,000, of whom and 82 women; 10 ordained and 851 unordained 115,ooo are in Palestine, 407,000 In Russian Asllr, native preachers; 494 churches, 26.008 mem- 18,000 In Persia, 14,000 In Central Asia, 111,000 In hers, 1.877 baptized In 1887. India, and 1,000 in China. In AfrIca 8,000 Jews lgievrel~In.60E,0g0y0pitn, 55 000 In Tnnisia, 35,000 in AI- TAe Shan Mi88ion.-6 miSSionaries, 2 men Morocco, 6,000 in TrIpoli, and and 4 women; 7 unordained native preachers; 2OO,uuu In Abyssinia. America connta 280,000 2 churches. 42 members, 1 baptized In 1887. i;rg~clr:; g}::n:ee~~~s ~l~em~':ts~fIa:ll:; continent, while only 12,000are scattered through TAe Kachin MiBrion.-2 missionaries, 1 man Oceanica. The entire total ~f the Hebrew race and 1 woman; 2 ordained and 1 unordained na- tive preachers; 3 churches. 39 members, 3 bapon the surface ot the globe Is estimated at tized in 1887.
6.300.000. TAe Ohin'Miasion.-5 missionaries, , meB and 3 women; 15 ordained Bnd 16 unordalned -The French Protestant mission- native preachers; 7 churches. 174 members. 62 aries among the Bassutos of south- baptized In 1887. eastern Africa report for 1886-7 as follows: The M8Gme8e .Mi8sion.-9 missionaries, 8, men and 6 women; 2 ordained and 9 unor Stations……………… . 17 (Same as previ- dained native preachers; 15 churches. 786 mem- ousyear. bers, 37 haptized In 1887.
Out-stations…………. . 89 Increase of 5 The Garo MiBrion.-4 missionaries. 2 men and 2 women; 5 ordained and 6 unordalned na- Native helpers•……….. 160 18 tive preachers; 10 churches, 986 members. 165, baptized in 1887. Marriages…………… .. 109 14 TAe Naga .Mi88ion.-8 missionaries. 4 men InCant baptisms.. . . .. . .. . 322 64 and 4 women; 6 unordalned native preachers; 8 churches. 70 members. 6 bap.tized In 111117. Catechumens.. . . . . . . . . . .. 2.245 387 The Tcl'U(fU Mi8sion.-44 missionaries, 19 men Communicants. . . . . . . . . . .. 5,525 385 and 25 women; 56 ordained and 137 unordalned native preachers; 52 churches. 68.629 members, Total number adherents… 7.770 672 2.321 baptized in 1887.
– – – Scholars….. . .. . .. . . . 4,066 982 The OAineBe MiBBiOn.-1IOmi8sionaries,12 men and 18 women; 7 ordained and 33 unordalnod Congregational Statistllll. native preachers; 19 churches, 1.568 members. 51 baptized in 1887. Chur~hes: whole nnmber………. .. 4.404 new ………………. .. 246 TAe Japan MisBion.-2/i missionaries. 8 men gain in number……… . 127 and 17 women; I) ordained and 21 unordalned Mell!.'>ers: whole number ………. . 457.584 native preachers; 11 churches, 770 members, added on conCession…. . 41,156 211 baptized in 1887. .. by letter …….. .. 26.185 total [189 not di- T1Ie Congo MilI8ion.-28 missionaries. 17 men vided] …………. .. 67,530 and 11 women; 4 churches, 248 members, 1111 removed…………… .. 38,644 baptized in 1887. apparent increase ……. . 28,886 gain [actual. comparing JiJurqpean Ml&siom.-1I72 preachers; 654 totals] ………….. . 21.200 churches. OO.14l1 members, 5,532 baptized In difference [due to Inacu- 1881. rate report<! …….. .. 7.681 BaPHsms : I!-dult………………. .. 20,123 In the missions to the heathen there are 60 mfant……………… .. 11,1166 stations and 831 out-stations. Including those Families reported.. . .. .. .. .. . .. …. . 268,775 now absent from their lI.e1d8, there are 282 mis- Sunday;~chools. me.mbers ……….. . 551.691 sionaries. including 159 single women lll!d 84 gam in members … . 29.704 wives of missionaries. " average attendance . . 324.719 united with the church In an the missions there are 262 misaionarles from……….. .. 18.399 (Including la1 evangelists), 1.798 preachers, 1.296 benevolent contribu- churches. and 127.208 members; 10.602 were tions ot…. ….. . $162,012 baptized in 1887.
BENBVOLEN'r CON'rRmU'rlON8 oJ!' 'rHIII I1IJIJ'tWUe frum laBt Slear.-14mia8Ionaries, 31 OHURCHES: churches, 8.678 members.-8eventy;fourth ~ lIual Report. For the year 1887 only………….. $2.095.485 Increase over 1885.. .. .. .. .. . .. . .. .. (18,275 O~,which lor ~oreign Missions. . . . . . 319.404 ~ucation.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 221.287 .. .. Church BuildiIlg……. 122,590 Home Missions…. . .. . 436.577 .. A. M. A…… ………. 151,698 .. Sunday-schools……… 28.986 .. New West………….. 43.960 .. Ministerial Ald….. …. . 9.138 " •. Other ob,tects……….. 787,731 Legacies paid. . .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . 829,663 !lome Expenditures……………… 5.078,980 Increase. . . . . . . . . 1,100,750 U U – Congregational Year-Book JfYr 1888. " Faetl COllCemiDg the COllege Department of or more tl'&veling secretaries, and the Interna- YOlIIIg lieD'. Christian As.oelatloDs of North tional Committee's secretarial force numbers America. 14. 77 or these associations are engaged 231 college associations are In existence. specially in work among raUway men; 10- 41 have been orgallized within the year. , among German-speaking young men; 273 are in ' 179 have an aggregate membership of 9.863. colleges; 29 are colored and 18 Indian. 226 203 have an active membership of 8,699. associations report educational classes in trom 174 have an associate membership 0(2,240. one to fifteen branches of study; 287 report 177 have 2,570 members serving on committees. special attention to physical culture through 143 expend annually $6,067. gymnasiums and out-door sports; 898 Bible classes, 367 Bible training classes, and 661 4 haTe buildings; Princeton, valued at $20,000; Hanover, '$1000; Toronto University, weekly prayer-meetings are among the services $7,000, and ~"e University, $50,000. Cor young men only, which are reported.
59 have rooms devoted exclusively to their UStt. -In heathen countrie. Protestants occupy 54 have furniture valued at $20,732. 100 separate mission fields, containing 20,000 18 have libraries of 8,655 volumes, valued at mission .tations, supplied by 40,000 missionaries. In these 20,000 mission stations there are 500,000 $3,577. Sabbath-school scholars, an average or 25 to 27 had 101 lectures during the year, and 68 ha. each station. In the 20,000 Protestant mission stations there are 1,000,000 of native communi- 144 sociables. cants, or an average of 50 to each etation. There are also 2,000,000 of adherents who are friends BELIGIOUS MEETINGS. of the evangelical faith and hearers of the gospel preached from tbe Bible, an average of 100 to 87 report 98 Bible classes, with a total average each station. Including all classes, there are attendance of 1,688. now identified with Protestant Christian mis- sions 3,500,000 persons, served by 40,000 mis- 59 report 99 traiuing classes, with a total aver- sionaries. The nationalities friendly to Protest- age attendance of 1,024. tant Christianity, or nominally Christians, contain a population of about 150,000,000, or 188 report 198 prayer-meetings, 147 ofwhich have one-ninth ot tbe whole population of the earth, a total average attendance of 3 998. ' covering 14,000,000 of square miles, or one-fourth of the whole geographical surface oC the globe. 84 report gospel meetings, 50 of which have II The Greek and Roman Catholic churches cover total average attendance of 1,481. 18,000,000 square miles in nations friendly to them or dominated by them, and have 250,000,000 23 report song services, 13 of which have a to- of adherents. The Mohammedans bave a fol- tal average attendance of 394. lowing of "bout 200,000,000 nominally. Strictly pagan conntrles, therefore, have yet a popula- 80 report missionary meetings. tion of OM bution souls who are not reached by 3 report daily prayer-meetings. Mohammedan, Catholic, Greek or Protestant 19 report 21 cottage or neighborhood prayer- churches.
meetings. -Statistical tables In the Baptist Year-Book 8 report meetings In almshouses, jails and hos- show the total number of members In the 31,891 Baptist churches to be 2,917,815, indicating a pitals. gain of 184,745 members during the year. Tho 18 report 27 Sunday-schools conducted in their number of baptisms reported is 158,373, which ia 2,995 more than were reported a year bofore. members. 137 881!OCiations observed the day of prayer for -" The Presbyterian Church of the United States, ,,11 branches, have over 15,000 churches, colleges the last Thursday in January, :1886. 11,500 ministers, 1,500,000 members, and ex- 181 observed the day of prayer for young men, the second Sunday In November. 200 report 81,420 young men as studenta In their colleges. 157 report 9,956 young men, stndents of their colleges, 8S members of evangelical churches. 150 report 1,7~ professed conversions during the year. 161 report that 2,750 students in their colleges intend to enter the ministry. 48 report tbat 135 or these have been convocted since entering college. 24 report that 86 of these have been converted the past year. 19 report that 64 have been inflnenced in their , decision for the ministry by tbe work of the College Association. 59 report that 126 students in their colleges In- tend to be foreign missionaries. 4 report that 5 of these have been converted the past year. 3 report that 16 of these have been influenced in their decision for the forei!(n field by the missionary department of the College Asso- ciation.
– The International Committee of Young pends annually in her work 816,000,000 ; has also Men's Christian Associations at 40 East 23rd 46 colleges, with 5,000 students; 20 theological street, New York, bas just issued the Associa- seminaries, with 1.900 studenta ; 34 female sem- tion "Year-Book for 1888." There are now, inaries, with 4,000 pupils."-Dr. G. P. Hay,.
according to this annnal report, 1,240 associa- -The statistics preseuted at the last Interna- tions in America, aud 8,804 in the world. The tional Sunday-school Convention show that American associations bave a membership of whlle there are in the Sunday-schools oC our 170,000 ; they own buildings valued at $5,609,- country and the Dominion of Canada seven mil- WS, and have a total net property of $7,261,658 ; lion children and youth, there are more than IIIstyear they expended $1,181,888 In local work, nine million outside of the Sunday-school. Dr.
~d $104,949 In general work. 752 men are de- Worden stated that of this number 800,000 are In voting their entire time to the local, State and New York State,575,OOO In Pennsylvania. 440,000 IIlternational work as secretaries and assistants; in Ohio. 365,000 in Kentucky, 840,000 in Indiana, ~here are 23 ,Btate committees that employ one 600,000 in DlinOi8, 550,000 In Missouri, 228,000 In Kansas. In three years the gain In" Sunday- l!'aith in foreign /parts was organized in L7ona.
school membership has been nearly 500,000 ; but France, in 1822. Since that time it has received an aggregate of 220,000,000 francs, mainly in this ill small, compared"with the gain in our pop- small amounts. Its receipts during the past year were 6,648,000 francs, of which 4,850,000 ulation, which Increases more rapidly every were drawn from France.
year. -According to the Directory of the Roman Catholic Church for 1888, there are, in England -The Weilih Calvinistic Methodists embrace aud Wales,2,314 Catholic priests to 1,728 in 1876, and these preside over 1,:lO* churches, chapels 1,:e20 churches, 129,000 members, 1,012 minis- "nd stations. Scotland has 5 bishops, 324 priests and 237 churches aud chapels. The R0ters, aud 1,450 Sabbath·schools, with home and man Catholic population iu 1887 is given as 1,354,000 in England and Wales, 326,000 iu Scotforeign missionary societies. land, 3,961,000 in Ireland. Together with the colonies, the number of Catholics under British -The German Evangelical Lutheran Chureh rule is 9,682,000.
Synod embraces 246 ministers, 381 congrega- -New England Catholic statistics count up as follows: Priests, 906; seminariaus, 233; tions, and 38,000 members, 219 parochial schools, churches, 602 ; chapels and statiOns, 133; col- leges, 7 ; academies,38 j parochial schools, 205 ; and an average yearly "ttendance of 6,4'l7. pupils, 69,105 ; charitable institutions, 36; Cath- olic population, 1,185,000. This estimate is -The African Methodist Episcopal Chureh, based on the reports of the parish priests to their ordinaries. It is rather uuder thau over the fig_ whose General Conference recently in session at nres. Exceeding care is taken in making this ceusus. Estimations are generally based upou Indianapolis, reports 1 membership of 408,351, baptisms, marriages, etc., which yield a certainty on the safe side, but which exclude that host and the total of money raised for all purposes of Catholics who hold their religion loosely, who seldom attend church, who frequently neglect to during the year 1887 as 51,064,569. There are have their childreu baptized, yet who are sub- stantially Catholics, if anything, and who some- 3,394 churches and 660 parsonages, valued at times, soouer or later, return to the faith of their rathers. There are at least a million and a half $5,340,889. There are 11,009 stewards, 14,190 Catholics in New England. It has been assertsd, without contradiction, that over half the popustewardesses, and 14,778 class-leaders. lation of Boston are Catholics.- Catholtc Re- view. The statistics of the United Presbyterian – In 1881 the 1,200 members of the United Church for the present ecclesiastical year are: Presbyterian Board in Egypt-most of them very poor meu and women-raised more thau 1887. 1888. $17 each, for. the support of churches and schools. Look on this picture, then on that. Total membership… . . . . . . • 94,641 98,991 Christians in America give 50 ceuts each to mis- Total congregations" . . . . .•. . 885 1107 sions. Christians in poor Egypt give $17 each Total pastoral charges…… 618 708 for missions, and yet America is considered" Total contributions ………• $977,860 $1,019,937 Christian nation -Presb. CoUtge Journal.
-According to the Year-Book of the Disciples -The wealthof church members in the United States of America in 1880 was 8,723 m!llion dolof Christ for 1888, they have 6,437 churches, lars. Of this pne-sixteenth of one per cent. or one dollar out of $1,586 is given in a year for the 620,000 communicants, 4,500 Sunday-schools, salvation of eight hundred million heathen.
with a membership of 318,000, and a teaching – I t is difficult so learn thstatistics of J emsa- em. Probably as reliable information as can be force of 33,340 ; number of preachers 3,263. The secured is given by the Bote aus Zion, a carefwly edited German Protestant quarterly, published value of church property is $10,368,361. in the Holy City. The Mohammedans number about 9,OOJ, the Jews 18,000, and the Christians -In Germany and Switzerland there are eigh- 7,000, making a total of 34,000. The Jews genteen foreign missionary societies, with betweeu erally claim more, making the estimate as hlgil 522 and 550 missionaries in the field, and with an as 30,000.
Income of about $720,000. The particular cir- cumstances of their origin, no doubt, account for this state of things, bnt it certainly ought now to be possible to consolidate the smaller so- cieties, and thus save the expense of so many different officials.
-Mr. David McLaren has made II careful ex- amination and analysis of the home contribu- tions of four great missionary societies and of the British and Foreigu Bible Society during the ftftyyears of the present reign. The annual av- erage amount of the five societies for the last ten years was £556,631, shown as follows: Baptist Missionary Society. . . . . . . . . . . .. £57,229 Wesleyan Missionary Socie!y………. 109,433 Church Missionary Society…………. 193,670 London MisSionary Society..• , . . . . . ••• ro,742 British and Foreign Bible Society. •.•• . 109,557 The total contribntions for the IIfty years were £10,798,160, being about the amount spent on drink in this country in sixty days.
One feature bronght out by the examination is that, when al large sum has been raised for a special object, the income of sncceeding years has not suffered In consequence.
-The Roman Catholic Propaganda of the