The Missionary Review of the World — June 1939
1939
What Is New in Home Missions?
Mark A. Dawber Experiences Among Ozark Mountaineers Paul A. Wobus The South's Number One Problem Archie C. Smith Berea's Work for Mountaineers William J. Hutchins New Frontiers in Home Missions Edward D. Kohlstedt American Indians' Work for Indians G. E. E. Lindquist A Christian Philosophy for Rural Work Frank W. Price 2S Cents a Copy $2.50 a YeaI'
to Remember elected one of the secretaries of the THE
Board of Foreign Missions of the June 7-13 – Ann u a I Conference, Presbyterian Church, U. S. A., to take <- The only weekly in the Church of the Brethren, Anderson, the place of Dr. Webster E. Browning Presbyterian Church. Ind. who has been honorably retired. Dr. Anderson is a Canadian by birth, a <- Its message is based upon June 8 – General Synod of the Re- graduate of McGill University, Mon- the Revealed Word of God. formed Church in America, New treal, and of Princeton Theological York, N. Y. Seminary. He went to Cameroon, <- Goes into every state in West Africa, in 1926. On June 1, he the Union, U. S. possessions June 9-16-Annual Meeting, Foreign will take up his official duties as Sec- and many foreign countries. Missions Conference. Swarthmore, retary but first expects to visit the Pa. South American fields this summer Subscription rate – $2.50 and autumn since he is to have re- Ministerial rate – – $2.00 June 16-24–Winona Summer School sponsibility for the Latin America of Missions, Winona Lake, Ind. and Africa portfolios. SOc. extra–Canadian postage Courses include Bible, Mission Text- $1.50 extra– Foreign postage books and addresses by missionaries. *** Write to Mrs. C. E. Ahrensfeld, 431 THE PRESBYTERIHn S. East Ave., Oak Park, Ill. Dr. Everett B. King, pastor of the Hemphill Church, Fort Worth, Texas, 121 7 Market Street June 20-25 – Northern Baptist Con- has been elected Secretary of the Philadelphia, Pa. vention, Los Angeles, Calif. Board of National Missions of the Presbyterian Church, U. S. A. He theologian and professor for 20 years, june 21-2S-Sunday School and B. Y. has been assigned to responsibility for has been appointed to the FaCUlty of P. U. Congress of the National Bap- Sunday school missions and Alaska, the Graduate School of Applied Reli- tist Convention, U. S. A., (Inc.), to take the place of Dr. John M. gion in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. Spiegel Tulsa, Okla. Somerndike, recently deceased. Dr. shared for a time the fate of Martin King is a native of Texas and was Niemoller in a concentration camp, June 24-July I-Eagles Mere Confer- educated at the University of Texas, and was recently "shipped" to Switzer- ence of Missions. Chairman, Mrs. Trinity University, and the Presby- land. Earl Breeding, 24 Rugby Lane, terian Theological Seminary at Chi- Scarsdale, N. Y. cago. Dean Alfredo* G*onz*alez, of Central July 3-10-Northfield Missionary Con- *** Philippine College, has written a book ference for Women and Girls. East e~t!tled "The 9a11 of the Heights," Northfield, Mass. For information, Dr. Albert ,schweitzer founded his VIrIle and umrustakably religious in address Mrs. Warren C. Taylor, 38 hospital in Africa twenty-five years its appeal. The book has just been Union Ave., Schenectady, N. Y. ago. On the 25th anniversary the selected by the Philippine Government children of the Mission presented him Department 01; Education, as the text july 6-11 – International Christian with a beautiful piece of furniture, for character instruction in the public Endeavor Convention, Cleveland, made by themselves. One of them schools of the Islands. Ohio. made a presentation speech to "our dear, grand docteur." Dr. Schweitzer *** July 11-August 16 – Winona Lake refused an electric organ because of School of Theology. Winona Lake, the difficulty of keeping the compli- Rev. Myron Terry, of the Christian Ind. Dean, Dr. J. A. Huffman, 302 cated machinery in order in that cli- Litera;ture Society in ~hanghai, is Morton Blvd., Marion, Ind. mate. Instead, he was given the price spendmg some. mont~s m Kunming, of an X-ray for the hospital. Yunnan, supermtendmg the erection July 22-28-Baptist World Congress. of a small building and getting a new Atlanta, Ga. *** branch of the Christian Literature So- ciety started. July 24-August 2-World Conference Dr. Walter Spiegel, member of the of Christian Youth, Amsterdam, ConfC'ssional Church in Germany, a Rev. George*W*. Sh*epherd, of Au- Holland. J}pmn~ burndale, Mass., went to China 18 Aug. SolO-Ninth Quadrennial Con- y~ars ago as a Congregational mis- vention of the Woman's Home and of tbe SIOnary. Ten years later, the National Foreign Missionary Society of Af- Council of China detailed him to as- rican Methodist Episcopal Zion ctbri~tian sist Generalissimo and Madame Church, Detroit, Mich. Chiang in their "New Life Move- lLift ment," fight~ng supersti~ion and politi- August 13-20-Geneva Summer School cal corruptIOn, promoting education of Missions, Lake Geneva, Wis. cA BOOK of worship in song, com- and public health. Along came the For information write to Mrs. Paul bining a hymnal for general war and the Movement's energies H. Wezeman, 1177 S. Humphrey church use, and a song book for evan- ~ere diyerted to :relief. Mr. Shepherd Ave., Oak Park, Ill. gelistic purposes. onty songs sound IS now m the Uruted States, ostensibly in the faith and inspirationaf in char- on furlough, but using his time to Personal Item. acter induded—emphasizing Evangel- raise funds for the "Church Commit- ism, Missions, and the Deeper Life. tee for China Relief." Dr. Francis S. Hutchins, of the Many of the new—the best of the old. Yale-in-China Mission School at (Co'Mluded. em page 273.) Changsha, has been elected President 504 Songs Responsive Readings of Berea College, Kentucky, to succeed his father, Dr. William J. Topical Index Gold Embossed Hutchins, who is resigning after nineteen years of service. Published in round notes and Roxite cloth edition only at $65.00 per 100—an especiall~ Dr. Francis Hutchins is 38 years of low price. Single copy, 8Se postpaid. age. He was born in Brooklyn, N. Y., educated at Oberlin and Yale and Write today for returnable sample co,", went out fourteen years ago to work in the Yale Mission. His brother, Dr. CHRISTIAN PUBLICATIONS, Inc. Robert M. Hutchins, is President of the University of Chicago. 1502 NORTH THIRD STREET HARRISBURG. PA. *** The Rev. Llewellyn K. Anderson, Ph.D., recently a Presbyterian missionary in West Africa, has been
MISSIONARY I have taken the magazine for years WHEN THE CALL LEADS
and would feel quite lost without it." REVIEW OF THE WORLD II EAST 0F SUE Z" Long BeaMchIS-,SCSaAlRifA. L. HAMILTON. DELAVAN L. PIERSON, Editor The Jain Temple, Calcutta * .. … VOL. LXII JUNE, 1939 NO.6 I'OR OVBR 100 YBARS "We always enjoy greatly reading THB WAY HAS BBBN Publication and Busines" Olllce- Third and Reily St•. , Harri£burg, Pa. THE MISSIONARY REVIEW. I wish Editorial and Executive UlIlce– every minister could take it." 156 Firth Avenue, New York City. Entered as second-ciass matter at REV. FREDERICK G. COAN. Claremont, Calif. Post Olllce, Harrisburg. Pa., under Act of March 3, 1879. * .. * 25 cellts a copy-$2.50 a year. "Your magazine fills a place which Foreign Postage, 50 cents a year. Published monthly, except August. no other missionary magazine quite All rights reserved. Copyrighted 1939. British agents – Marshall, Morgan fills." F. A. GOETSCH, and Scott, 12 Paternoster Buildings, London. E. C 1 shilling per copy, Executive Secretary of the 10 sh!Jlings a year. Board of Foreign Missions, Evangelical Synod of N. A. MISSIONARY REVIEW PUB- LISHING CO., INC. … * …
BOARD OF DIRECTORS A CORRECTION ROBERT Eo SPEER, President Rev. E. E. Elder, the author of the A. L. WARNSHUIS, Vice-Pre.•idcnt article in our December (1938) num- WALTER McDOUGALL, Treasurer ber: "What is the Koran?" is a mem- DELAVAN L. PIERSON, Secretary ber of the United Presbyterian PAUL J. BRAISTED Mission in Cairo, Egypt, from Meshed, SAMUEL MCCREA CAVERT Persia. The Rev. John Elder. of Ham- D. J. FANT adan, Iran, is a missionary of the MRS. ORRIN R. JUDD Presbyterian Church, U. S. A. WM. B. LIPPHARD ERIC M. NORTH Obituary Notes SAMUEL M. ZWEMER Dr. Dan B. Brummitt, editor of the PaO Editorial Chat Central and Northwestern editions of The Christian Advocate, died April 5 Let the comfort of mOclern liners and the secur- This is our Home Mission Number. in Kansas City, almost on the eve of ity of British seamanship enhance your voy· The field is so large and varied and the uniting conference. Dr. Brummitt age. Whenever you are called to the other we have so recently devoted special was an outstanding religious editor side of the world, choose this traditional reute. numbers to the City (June, 1938), of our time, and ardently upheld Cross to England by a modern transatlantic Rural Problems, The Negro, Orientals Christian democracy in journalism. liner and then embark in a great liner of the and Spanish – Speaking Americans, Few knew that the weekly column of p & 0 and British India fleets, led by the new that some of these important topics wit and wisdom, filled with the spirit 23,500-ton Strathallan. StrathmoHl, and Strathare not treated here. Other articles of Christ, and signed "Justus Timber- eden carrying First and Tourist Classes. Airthat have appeared in recent issues line," was written by the editor. conditioned dining saloons in First Class, hot deal with and cold running water throughout, built-in Rev. John A*. Si*lsb*y, retired Pres- out-door swimming pools. children's play- A Cathedral on Wheels (April, rooms! Regular service to Egypt. Sudan. Iran- 1938) byterian missionary to East China, ian Gulf. India. Burma. Ceylonl& Straits Settle- ments, China. Japan, Australia. East and Migrant Workers (April, 1938) died in Hayward, California, March 4. South Africa. Mauritius. Special reductions The Whole Community (July, 1938) In 1890 he became principal of Lowrie and generous baggage allowance for American Indians (February, 1939) missionaries. Missions in Alaska (April, 1939) Institute for Boys, the oldest school Problems of a Midwest City (Sep- in Shanghai and one of the oldest in tember, 1938) China. * .. * Other articles on Home Missions Mr. Frank A. Horne, Vice-President will appear later. of the Board of Foreign Missions of *** the Methodist Church for twenty-two If you are leaving your present mailing address for the summer, years and chairman of the Methodist Convenient throuqh bookinqs can kindly send word as soon as possible be arranqed by your travel aqent. with the address to which you wish Book Committee, died March 22 at the to have your C!}py of THE REVIEW age of seventy. He had been a mem- Or apply at 25 Broadway. 638 Fit~h forwarded. Please mention dates of Ave.• N. Y. . . . or any ottice of your absence from home and mail to ber of six consecutive General Con- Subscription Department, MISSl()NARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD, 3rd & Reily ferences since 1916 and a member of , Sts., Harrisburg, Pa. There will be the Board of Foreign Missions since no August number of THE REVIEW 1906. CUNARD WHllf. ~lAR printed. Person.I Item. ,. ents for 'T A. Among the c*om*men*ts on THE RE- General 9 (Concluded from 2d cover.) VIEW received recently from readers ANO OR,eN are the following: In the war zone, missionaries and New Life workers give first aid to fleN'NSU.AR. S:teAt" "I used THE REVIEW a great deal victims of Japanese guns and bru- . t 'NO'A with my recent review of 'The Amer- tality. Then refugees get clothing, ",G ANO BRl'T'S COMflAN,eS ican City and Its Church,' and found food and transportation away from it exceedingly helpful to make the danger zones. Refugees must find NA A'T,ON mission study book more interesting. new farms, jobs, homes. Even in "free China" there is the perenl'lial problem of famine.-NeW8week.
[273]
B. D. WEEKS AND MRS . ROBERTA CAMPBELL, WITH INDIAN STUDENTS OF BACONE COLLEGE (Baptist
INDIAN PILLARS OF ST. PETER'S CHURCH ( Congregational), REV. AND MRS. W. DAVID OWJ~, SENE CA, N. Y. MR. OWL ELTON, LOUISIANA IS THE' INDIAN PASTOR ON THE RESERVATION REV. AND MRS. SILAS, OJIBWAY REV. ROBT, PAUL CHAAT THREE I NDIAN RECTORS IN TRIBE (Reformed Church) SOUTH DAKOTA SOME AMERICAN INDIAN CHRISTIAN LEADERS (see page 299) REVIB ORLD VOLUME LXII AN INTERDENOMINATIONAL REVIEW OF WORLD-WIDE CHRISTIAN PROGRESS NUMBER 6 JUNE, 1939 Topics of the Times RELIGION IN THE WORLD TOMORROW Gospel messages are not excluded. A very defi- nite Christian note in the "WorId of Tomorrow"
The New York World's Fair, which opened on is sounded in a small concession paid for by the Sunday, April 30, is an impressive spectacle. It "Gideons," where they can exhibit Bibles and lit- covers 1,216 acres, or nearly two square miles, erature relating their work of Bible distribution on the Flushing Meadows – ~ormer marsh land in hotels and elsewhere. Other attempts to secure commonly called "Corona Dumps." The reclaim- space for the presentation of Christian activities ing of the land, planting thousands of trees, con- and achievements have failed to produce results. structing roads, lagoons. and fountains, and erect- The message and work of Jesus Christ, as the reving buildings, has cost nearly $160,000,000. The elation of God and His Way of Life for the "World exhibits include many interests related to art and of Tomorrow," are not exhibited there, even as education, transportation, housing, manufactures they have not been at other national expositions.
and inventions, various national, state and foreign The Fair is devoted to the humanistic ideals, to buildings, as well as areas devoted to amusements, the strictly material and temporal hopes. and sports and restaurants. achievements, rather than to things that relate to The Fair is being visited daily by from 100,000 God, to spiritual ideals and Eternal Life. to 300,000 persons who are expected to spend This is, perhaps, not surprising. Men today do from two to twenty-five dollars each (from May not agree in their conception of God and His Way to November), making a total of perhaps of Life. Any attempt to present Christ, and all $500,000,000 to be spent during the season. The for which He stands, unfortunately often provokes Fair thus provides much that is of interest and oontroversy. But there are naturally many who value. Most people can find there what they are would present what they believe to be the vital most interested to see – beautiful flowers and truths and most dynamic forces in the world of tofoliage, human nature of all sorts and conditions, day and for the World of Tomorrow. The Temple the wonders of modern science and industry, the of Religion has been severely criticized as a weak beauties of music and art, amusements for every attempt to recognize an "unknown God" to whom, taste-high and low. in some way, men may have some responsibility.
It is in the realm of religion that the Fair is Dr. George W. Arms, a pastor in Brooklyn, New lacking. If the "World of Tomorrow" can offer York, calls the Temple of Religion "the devil's nothing more than is here provided there is no smokescreen to hide from the people the Cross outlook for more than a very vague worship of of Jesus Christ and the true issues at stake in the some "unknown God" and a faint hope for the pro- foundation of democracy, and to blind them with motion of peace, brotherly kindness and social serv- a false sense of security."
ice. The Jews have a Hebrew Temple and a Pal- No doubt this is an extreme view, but is it not estine exhibit; Christian Science is represented true that in this presentation of the "World of by a building with a reading room and literature; Tomorrow" there is no recognition of the God who the Y. M. C. A. building includes a restroom and has created the wonderful world in which we live, restaurant; there is a "Temple of Religion," has loved the world of mankind enough to give where music and pageants are presented. The Himself that men might have life, and to whom atmosphere is restful and dignified. Distinctly the world of yesterday and today owes everything [275 ]
worth knowing, doing or possessing? After all union was effected in Great Britain, two hundred the American nation was established by men who years after John Wesley began his work that rebelieved in God and who desired a home where sulted in Methodism. There are still several they could worship Him and could live in the way Methodist churches outside the union-the Free that Jesus Christ made possible. The Bible, as Methodist, Wesleyan Methodist, the African the Word of God, the Sabbath as the Lord's Day M. E., the African M. E. Zion, and the Colored and Christ as the Son of God and Saviour, cannot Methodist Episcopal, numbering in all about safely be ignored in the "World of Tomorrow." 1,600,000 more American Methodists.
What can be done to make up in some degree This large body of Christians, now organically for what is lacking in Christian emphasis in the united into one Methodist Church, can accomplish World's Fair? At the Columbian Exposition in great things for the Kingdom of God, under wise, Chicago in 1893, the most potent Christian in- consecrated leadership, if they are truly motifluence was the series of great evangelistic meet- vated, instructed and empowered by the ideals and ings conducted by Dwight L. Moody, where there spirit of Christ. As Dr. John R. Mott, a promwere addresses day and night by outstanding inent Methodist, said at Kansas City: "We have Christian teachers from many lands. In these united to accomplish together things that we canmeetings it is estimated a million people heard not do separately. We must not be satisfied with the Gospel and thousands of them were won to past achievements or with the present situation. Christ. In New York City and its suburbs there An increase in our aggressive missionary work is is a similar opportunity. There is no limit to the one of the tasks which we must now undertake personal work that may be done among visitors to with new vigor." the Fair. Gospels and other literature may be given out to the crowds in hotels, in subways and The new Methodist Church has been divided terat the entrances to the grounds. Parents can ritorially into seven sections or "Jurisdictions"- interpret the exhibits to children from a Christian the Northern, North Central, Western, South point of view. The Calvary Bapti.st Church of Central, Central, South Eastern and Foreign- New York and other churches are kept open all with thirty-six bishops, located at different cenday and some are holding special services where ters. There are also seven missionary Bishops the Gospel of Jesus Christ will be presented. In appointed by the Central Conference. all this there is the ministry of prayer in which all Christians can engage day and night. Christ- The Uniting Conference took a strong stand like lives and friendly service by those who con- against intoxicants and war and adopted the exfess His name will mean much more to visitors cellent "Social Creed" of the Methodist Church, to the Fair than any material exhibits could pos- South. The educational work will be conducted sibly mean. A truly Christian exhibit, presenting under a single board with two divisions, one carthe results of Christian teaching and work in ing for institutions and the other directing reli- America and in all other lands would be a con- gious education in local churches. The confervincing evidence that, if the world is to advance ence was unable to settle the question of a church today and tomorrow, men must .accept God as He periodical-whether it is to be one great national is revealed in Jesus Christ and must follow His paper or several jurisdictional papers with one Way of sacrificial love and eternal life, if they purpose and plan and under one general editor. are to live joyously and victoriously. A commission was appointed to study the question and report. AMERICAN METHODISTS AND THEIR MISSIONS The missionary work of these three uniting churches, which have formerly been conducted The union of the three Methodist Churches in under a number of boards-Home and Foreign, the United States – the Methodist Episcopal General and Women's-will henceforth be under Church, the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, one General Board that will have charge of misand the Methodist Protestant Church, as finally sionary policy and program; the details of adcompleted at Kansas City, brings together into ministration, the choice of fields, the selection of one organic body the largest number of Protes- personnel and the administration of funds, will tants in anyone Church. The total membership be in charge of three administrative divisionsof this united church is approximately 8,000,000, Foreign Missions, Home Missions and Church distributed all over the United States and all over Extension, and Woman's Work-each with its the world, from Alaska in the North to Chile in own executive secretaries. The General Board the South, and from East to West around the will consist of twenty-four men and twenty-four globe. It will be called "The Methodist Church." women, with the bishops.
:r.hi~ ~nion takes place in America, as .a si.roiJar The missionary work of the new Methodist Church will be world-wide, with 1,400 foreign missionaries, 13,500 on their native staff, com- .m~J).i~a,nt§l Jl1 eleven forei~n ~oU.I).tri~t'I ,lUmbering
TOPICS OF THE TIMES
over 270,000 and total annual budgets of ing possible journeys in a day that formerly took a $3,000,000. The Methodist Episcopal Church has month; the telephone, telegraph and radio have had the largest work, conducted in forty-two mis- practically obliterated distance and have united sion areas; the Methodist, South, has worked in the country; the pr'omotion of literacy by the nine of the same areas and Methodist Protestants phonetic method and the increase of general modin three of these fields. Many of the Methodist ern education have set new standards of life and missIon churches are already united where they thought; newspapers and other literature have have work in the same areas. linked China to the outside world and have helped to break down barriers; many foolish and harm-' The first General Conference of the Methodist ful taxes have been abolished and public revenues Church is set for April, 1940. Ecumenical or have been used to meet public need rather than to world-wide Methodism is explained by Bishop fill private purses; before the Japanese invasion Frederick D. Leete as follows: the external credit of China increased with grow- ing export and import trade; mines and other nat- "The purposes of the ecumenical Methodist ural resources have been developed where for- Church are three. One is to catholicize and frater- merly important areas were reserved for burial nalize Methodists everywhere by correspondence, grounds of ancestors; the sta;bilizing of the curvisitation, and world meetings, bringing far-flung rency with a new coinage system and banking reorganizations of the same faith nearer to the fact forms have improved the financial structure of as well as to the concept and ideal of unity. An- the country; the New Life Movement, fostered by other is to encourage and report on the Methodist Generalissimo and Madame Chiang Kai-shek, has mission and its achievements, extending its mu- spread new ideas for public and private life; the tual evangelistic and reformatory movements new leaders in the government have proved themwhich minister to all human needs. The third is selves patriotic,courageous, intelligent, highto assist and advance the total Christian program minded, strong and unselfish-and many of them attempted by all Christian bodies in the name and are Christians. spirit of Christ. All this was being accomplished and was on the "The world alliance of Methodist churches has way for more complete fulfilment when the Japtwo branches. The Western branch represents anese military party (in 1937) undertook to "come the Methodist denominations of the Americas and to the rescue of Chinese," to make their neighbor of the Orient. The Eastern represents Methodist "more friendly," to "put down communism" and bodies of the British Empire in various parts of extend Japanese civilization and control! the world and of the countries of continental Europe." The Japanese have done what a century had not accomplished in unifying China. The unmistak- CHINA'S VICTORIES OF PEACE able evidences of Christianity, as seen in the lives of the Christian missionaries, have abolished the The progress made in great slow-moving, con- anti-Christian spirit in China. servative China since the founding of the Republic in 1911, is unparalleled in history. This is espe- The judgment of many intelligent observers is cially remarkable when we consider the immense that China today, in the midst of her tribulations, extent of the territory (ten times the size of Japan offers the greatest opportunity for Christian adproper); the huge population (over ten times vance anywhere in the world, while Japan is probthat of the British Isles); the former lack of ably one of the most difficult fields for sowing and political, linguistic and cultural unity in its eight- reaping spiritual harvests. The reasons are not een provinces; the scarcity of newspapers, rail- hard to discover. The Chinese realize more and roads and other means of communication; the more the uncertainty of this life and the passing prevalence of graft among officials and the pov- values of material possessions. In their distress erty of the masses. All this and more was true and extremity they turn to God, as their only hope. thirty years ago. He is manifested to them in the lives and sacrifi- cial service of missionaries and Chinese followers Since the Boxer Rebellion, and especially in the of Christ. God is proving to be a very present past fifteen years, new China has become united help in trouble and Jesus Christ is a true friend under one central government; graft has been dis- and Saviour. The Chinese leaders also set an explaced by patriotism; warlords and bandits have ample of Christian faith and courage that appeals given place to intelligent and trained officials and to the people. Idols and false gods are recognized an organized national army; economic reconstruc- as powerless. The one hope for humanity is in tion has made great strides; railroads and good the one True God, as revealed in Christ; the God highways have been built across the country link- of love, of righteousness and of power. ing all important cities; motor bus service has taken the place of "the wheelbarrow and mule-lit- The Japanese on the other hand are turning ter i public airplane lines have been extendedl mak-
more to temporal power, and put their faith and is the convincing evidence of the Living Christ as hope in material things, in armaments and armies, the Saviour of men. in stern discipline and a human program. Their national leaders turn back to the Sun Goddess, to Spirit-filled missionaries in every land agree in national heroes, to Shinto Shrines and emperor their testimony that, while methods of missionary worship. National ambition, laws and standards work may vary in different lands and under diftake precedence over the eternal laws of God and fering conditions, the one essential is a true pres- .His standards of truth, righteousness and love as entation of Christ by consecrated witness. revealed in Jesus Christ. VELLORE MEDICAL COLLEGE, INDIA WITNESSING TO PILGRIMS IN INDIA Dr. William Decker, a Baptist missionary, formerly in China, who has recently sej:!n the VeI- In India, says Dr. E. Stanley Jones, a time of lore Medical School in action, reports: a greater Christian harvest seems to be coming. "I saw Dr. Ida Scudder's hospital, the indus- Old superstitions and prejudices are gradually trial work, as well as a new departure in agricul- breaking down, and thinking Indians are more tural missions which is a most promising venture.
and more seeking truth and liberty, such as can Perhaps .outstanding, however, was two or three be found only in Christ. On the other hand, na- hours with a roadside medical unit doing dispen- tional ambition, economic needs, and intellectual sary work, and making injections for leprosy- contacts with other nations, lead many to empha- from an ambulance drawn up at the roadside." size political power, materialism, and skepticism. The Christians in India are awake to the situa- Dr. Scudder and her staff have treated as many tion and are emphasizing evangelism, not only as a thousand lepers in one day in these roadside among depressed classes, but among pilgrims, clinics. VeIlore combines a medical college, a students and caste Hindus. nurses training school, and X-ray and radium de- partment, an out-patient clinic, four roadside clin- A special retreat and conference, held at Be- ics and Gudiyattam Hospital; a maternity hospinares, in April, brought together Christian work- tal, a children's hospital, and an operating theater. ers from different centers to consider work among The hospital has 250 beds. All these are operated Hindu pilgrims, Sadhus and Sanyasies. The on annual gifts of about $48,000, .of which Amerievangelists came from Puri, where the temple of ca contributes $25,000. Does any institution in Janannath draws thousands of pilgrims to wor- the United States operate as many departmentsship; from Calcutta, Patna, Behar, Ayodhya medical, surgery, pathology, bacteriology, anat- (birthplace of Sita and Ram) and from !tarsi, omy, biology, eye, ear, nose and throat, maternity, Muttra, Brindaban and Benares. These repre- ante-natal clinic and gynecology-treating in one sentatives met for prayer and conference and to year 3,398 in-patients, 44,484 out-patients, 20,060 report on methods and results in their work. An roadside patients. and 1,321 in the maternity ward organization was formed to promote work among -at such a small expense? the pilgrims. Jesus Christ, where faithfully presented by teaching and life, appeals strongly to The decree has now gone forth that, by 1942 Hindus, even if they are not ready to break away at the latest, the school must be raised to a college from their old religions. The following points standard of M. B. B. S. which is equivalent to an were emphasized in the discussions: American M.D. That will require an endowment of $700,000 to support ten more doctors, and pro- 1. Hinduism should be studied so as to develop vide for medical research, public health work and understanding and to equip the messenger to medicine; also $300,000 is needed for extra buildpreach the Gospel. ings and equipment. Here is a great oPP.ortunity 2. The truth and sufficiency of Christ and His to strengthen this great interden.ominati.onal hos- teaching should be stressed and exemplified more pital, medical college and nurses training school than the weakness and deficiencies of Hinduism. in South India.
A "full and positive Gospel of the Living Christ" *** is the need of the hour. Dr. Scudder expects to be in America next year, after 3. Only simple, sincere and practical conse- completing her forty years of service in India. The pro- crated Christianity of the apostolic type is effec- gram of Jesus Christ given in the doctor's Gospel (Luke tive to meet the vital needs of Hindus. 4: 22) is being carried out today at Vellore. Dr. Scudder asks Christians to pray that this great work into which 4. Collective witness and cooperative Christian she and other American, British and Indian women have work is necessary to offset the influences of the put their lives, may be continued.
united forces of Hinduism.
5. The guidance and power of the Spirit of God Miss Hilda Olson, of Rockport, Massachusetts, is the American Treasurer of the Veilore Medical College.
Is New in Home Missions?
By the REV. MARK. A. DAWBER, New York Executive Secretary of the Home Missions Council How many, many times I have been asked strong centers of support for the Christian cause. this question during the past years, and Others have passed through the settling down now I am requested to write an article on process and, due to the disintegrating forces of the subject! The answer in a word is that there land erosion, land speculation and exploitation, is nothing that is basically new in Home Missions. the people again need missionary aid. To make the Gospel available to the disadvantaged people or to those who, for various reasons, have Many descendants of the early settlers, who not been reached with the ministry of the Church, became farm tenants in the agricultural depresis still the primary task of the Home Missions sion immediately following the World War, are now being displaced by the all-purpose tractor enterprise. and large-scale agriculture. An outstanding illus- But in another sense, everything is new. The tration is that of a Mississippi Delta planter who question raised is symbolic of the age in which formerly had 160 tenant farmers. He purchased we live; it anticipates change, it suggests that the 22 tractors and now he needs to employ only 30 thinking person is conscious that something is families to work by the day. happening to human life in America, and that new demands are being made upon institutions, such Family Life and Migrant Workers as Home Missions, that· are engaged in the task of ministering to people who, because of chang- Thousands of American families must now ing situations, are unable to support a church, or travel to find employment. The family continues who are no longer accessible to the religious min- to sleep as a unit, to consume as a unit, but it no istry of the normal established church in more longer is able to produce wealth as a unit from settled communities. its own property. Because the family has lost this basis of productive property the American Old Americans and Old Frontiers family, as a fundamental natural productive unit, is well-nigh destroyed. Food, clothing and shelter, Home Missions was the child of the frontier. the basic essentials for living and the sources from That thrilling episode of American history that whence they come, are now gathered up into huge records the daring and heroism of the early interlocking hands of incorporated commercial pioneers, who crossed the Rockies and blazed the owners and distributors. With this centralization trail into what was then the American wilderness, and industrialization of food, clothing and shelter, was also the record of the first organized Home the last vestiges of American freedom and security Mission work. This frontier is no longer with us are wiped out. For many of these people there in the sense in which it obtained a hundred years is no available land upon which to build and own ago. There are still geographical frontiers, but better homes; there is no land for the production they are not the challenge to the population move- and consumption at home-the only efficient and ments such as obtained in the days of the early conserving land economy. This is something new Home Mission era. in our American life and brings with it new prob- But the frontier ideal has always dominated the lems for Home Missions. Home Mission enterprise. People seeking new This situation raises some interesting and peropportunities to secure their democratic heritage as American citizens, ever pressing on to what plexing questions. What is happening to this would provide a better opportunity to earn a live- land of opportunity, democracy, freedom and se- curity? What is happening to the millions of lihood, build a home and bring up a family-these acres of homestead land? What is happening to ever made their appeal to the Home Mission this. land where it was once possible for the poor- agencies. est to build homes for their children? Weare A century has passed and many old frontier being reduced to slavish workers in the homes communities have become established centers of and fields that once we owned. This process of culture and religion. They no longer need the dispossession is having a serious effect upon thouministrations of Home Missions but have become sands of American citizens.
[279 ]
Others have accepted a wage in place of owner- of certain types of industry from the North to the ship, a tenant shack for a home, a city street for South, in order to take advantage of cheap labor, a few acres of land; some have substituted the has had an adverse effect on many towns.
faint promise of a quick fortune for a permanent Communities that for years have sustained a home and a family on a few acres that would, self-supporting church with a full-time ministry under careful management, have provided secu- are now obliged to seek aid from their denomina- rity. This transition from the farm family to the tional mission board. The demands now made urban tenement industrialist is creating new upon these agencies are far beyond their ability problems for the church that place a heavy re- or finances; they can help only a small number sponsibility upon Home Mission agencies. of the churches in these areas of recent distress.
There is nothing new to America in a migrant The fact that many members of these churches population. Always we have had them. But our are receiving aid from federal and state relief distinctive migrant groups today present some agencies does not help very much. The conscious- new and difficult problems. ness that they are the recipients of relief has Twenty-five years ago the migrants. were drawn sapped the morale of many of these people, and in the main from a few of the racial groups, par- as a result their religious need is greater than ticularly the Mexicans, Italians and Filipinos. ever. This also is new in Home Missions.
Now the majority of these groups are thedescend- The Southern Highlands ants of the older American families. They are to be found in various sections of the country, but There i~ great danger that the emphasis upon the bulk of this migrant group is on the Pacific the plight of the sharecroppers and the low- Coast. wage industrial workers will overshadow the A ten-year depression, together with droughts equally great needs of other groups, such as the and dust-bowl conditions, has created a new millions who live in the Southern Highlands. The exodus of impoverished farm people who have conditions of the sharecropper, the industrial continued to press their way to the Pacific Coast. worker and the migrant, have been publicized, They have swamped California and are making but not so the Southern Highlanders. Fiction and that state aware of their existence in a way that romance have been written about these people the Mexican and Oriental farm laborers could (and there is much to be written), but the socio- never do. The state is struggling desperately logical story has not been told. The romantic with the problem, seeking to prevent any further story of the Anglo-Saxon rugged mountaineer inroads of these people from Arkansas and Okla- with his quaint language and colonial customs has homa. But this alone doesl not solve the problem. obscured the poverty of the coves, the mountain It is easy for people who are remote from the farms, and the thin soil of the plateaus.
scene of this human tragedy to indulge in moral Drastic changes are taking place among these criticism, but it is not easy for a state, already people. As recently as fifty years ago the High- burdened with relief, to accept a sudden inrush lander with his log cabin, his rifle and his spin- of 100,000 needy people. Driven off the cotton ning wheel was on a par as to standard of living lands by the tractor, driven off the wheat lands with the other pioneers of the prairie cabin, the by the drought and the combine, drawn by the log hut, or sod house. The wooded hillsides fur- strange tide which pulls. the white race westward, nished timber and game. Now the timber is gone the impoverished people have been pouring into and the game with it; also, it should be said, the the West, dogged by disease and hunger, too proud meagre income is gone that was once provided.
to accept charity, willing to work for any wages. The mountaineers have multiplied so that they The result is a condition that calls for action by have been compelled to cultivate the steep moun- the Nation, State and the Church. The Church, tain sides in a desperate effort to make a living.
through the Council of Women for Home Mis- The following summary of conditions will help sions, with very limited finances, is struggling to us to understand the modern needs of these people.
grapple with a herculean task. The size and the (The teachers of some 13,232 children in moun- character of this migrant group present many tain schools supplied the information.) Children new problems for Home Missions. needing clothing, 38%; shoes 32'10; milk 27'10 ; New Distressed Areas soap 42 %; hot lunches 45 %; school supplies 26 %; library books 80 '10. Any consideration of With the coming of new materials, new tech- the changing needs and demands in Home Mis- niques, mass production and the machine, there sions must take cognizance of the Southern High- has developed a new type of distress. Towns and lands. Dr. Odum of the University of North Car- villages, and some cities, have been seriously af- olina has well said that these "retarded frontiers"
fected by the recent innovations of science and will have to pass through several stages of devel- labor-saving devices, Furthermore, the movement opment, not only in improved economic conditions,
WHAT IS NEW IN HOME MISSIONS?
but development as it applies to the human ele- vantaged groups in America during the days of ment. Moreover, we are dealing with a very the "New Deal" administration have also created different type of mountain youth today than we new problems for the home mission agencies. were twenty-five years ago. They too are creating new demands upon State and school and Church. The resettlement projects, like Arthurdale and Cumberland Homesteads, present an opportunity The depression years have also brought great for religious work. Here some 250 families are changes among the people of other countries, reestablished on what amounts to subsistence groups who have anticipated coming to America, levels of living. The people will have little cash and among the immigrants who have come to this with which to support a church, so that the miscountry in recent years. Immediately following sion boards are under pressure to provide a minthe World War a different attitude developed to- istry. This is also true of many of the rehousing ward these foreign countries. No longer was projects in the cities where slum clearance has America to remain the "open door" to the peoples taken place. It is well-nigh impossible to reach of the world. Before the World War, European these people with the established churches in nearimmigration to the United States reached a high by territory. The approach must be made on an peak and as many as 1,285,000 immigrant aliens interdenominational basis, so that agencies like were received in a single year. The revised im- the Home Missions Council have an important migration law of 1921 limited the number of aliens function to perform in arranging the program and coming to this country in a single year to 3'70 of providing a Christian ministry to such commua given nationality already in the country. This nities. reduced the number to 358,000 in a year. In 1924 the immigration act was again revised to limit By its very nature the Church finds these changes more difficult than most other instituthe quotas to 2 '70 of the resident population of tions. It is identified with values that are time- less, and these values are often conceived of as not any nationality, based upon the earlier census of being affected by these matter-of-fact changes in 1890 as against 1920. our human and material universe. Rooted in the past and sanctified by age, the Chur·ch finds It is hardly necessary to say that this restric- change necessarily a painful process. Yet those tion has wide implications for Home Missions. who really love Christ and the Church, and are Add to it the further fact that, in many cases, alive to the facts that confront us in modern life, more of some nationalities were leaving America will gladly sacrifice the outmoded in order that the for their native land than were coming in under Kingdom of God may be advanced. A living the new restrictions, and it is readily seen that the Church is one that will make the adjustment in Home Missions program to these groups would its program and equipment in order to fit it for undergo drastic changes. These adjustments are the ministry to which it is called at a given time. now in process-consolidation of foreign language The home mission agencies are alive to these churches, the assimilation of the second and third changes that are taking place. They are far generation by the English-speaking church, ex- ahead of their general ecclesiastical bodies in their periments with interdenominational work among insight into these problems and in their willingthese groups-these and other movements mark ness to make the necessary adjustments. They the changes that must be made by the mission are hindered only by the lack of morat and finanboards in their ministry to New Americans. cial support.
The various programs of rehabilitation, resettlement and rehousing of depressed and disad- AS PROF. EINSTEIN NOW SEES THE OHUROH "Being a lover of freedom, when the revolution came in Germany, I looked to the univer- sities to defend it, knowing that they had always boasted of their devotion to the cause of truth; but no, the universities were immediately silenced. Then I looked to the great editors of the newspapers whose flaming editorials in days gone by had proclaimed their love of freedom; but they, like the universities, were silenced in a few short weeks. Then I looked to the individual writers, who, as literary guides of Germany had written much and often con- cerning the place of freedom in modern life; but they, too, were mute.
"Only the Church stood squarely across the path of Hitler's campaign for suppressing the truth. I never had any special interest in the Church before, but now I feel a great affection and admiration because the Church alone has had the courage and persistence to stand for intellectual truth and moral freedom. I am forced to confess that what I once despised I now praise unreservedly." ALBERT EINSTEIN; quoted in The Living Church.
Among Ozark
By PAUL A. WOBUS, Manchester, Missouri Director of Mountain Work in the Ozarks "you ought to go to Vichy if you're looking "You ought to go to Short Bend," said a man for a spiritually-neglected place," said a on the road. "No church there at all; virgin ter- friend when he heard that I had been dele- ritory. No opposition-no prejudices."
gated to find an opening in the Ozarks for work I went to all four points-and many others. I to be sponsored by what was then the Evangelical had been asked to select any area where no other Synod. "It seems to be quite a center, judging church was effectively serving. "Of course,"
from the number of people who gather there for added the genial chairman of the committee, "you the Saturday night when the fiddlers sway to need not go all the way down to the Arkansas line.
More than likely you'll find a field nearer to your home on the outskirts of St. Louis."
My observations revealed several typical Ozark church situations.
Vichy is truly a center. It boasts a population of 210, which, in the sparsely settled rural sec- tions of the Ozarks, is not small. I happened to come to this town on a Friday, and found there a large gathering of some kind. Inquiry brought out that the banker was a member of the official board of the church which was still intact. He said that he was interested in having an active church. The town needed it and he would give his support.
"May we use the building for services tomor- row night and Sunday morning?" I asked.
"Why-er-that is, the time is so short. The house needs cleaning up, there is no oil in the lamps, and a window pane is out. And [this was the real hitch] we'd have to see the district super- intendent about it. What denomination did you say you are connected with?"
We were face to face with one of those tragic DIFFICULTIES OF CHURCH GOING IN SHANN'ON COUNTY cases, where a dead organization is an obstacle in the way of any live effort. Cobwebs and dust yield their tunes for the old-time square dances. Dur- readily to an energetic arm ; window panes can ing my two weeks' vacation there I found that the be replaced; but ecclesiastical machinery, always village church has been closed for some time." cumbersome, may block the path to progress. In rural areas this is felt even more than in cities. "You, ought to go to Lesterville," said an Ozarkian. "Yes, I know they have a church there, *** but it does not serve the community. It is practically dead." Lesterville's sole church organization was functioning after a fashion. Of the strict immer- "You ought to go to Antioch," s,aid a druggist sionist type, it had about fifty members, six or in an Ozark county seat. "It's the very place for eight of whom were said to be active. The pasthe work you have in mind. Two churches at tor, a man of more than average ability, came once Antioch, both defunct; one at Gill and a fourth a month from another church 121 miles south, at Stone Hill, in the same state. Unite these four over roads which a decade and a half ago were into one strong church at a logical center. An- none too good. _ tioch is ready for you~the people are tired of It was not difficult to get a good attendance for divisive sectarianism." the monthly services we conducted at Lesterville.
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EXPERIENCES AMONG OZARK MOUNTAINEERS
Of much help was a devout Presbyterian, whose and which then is open to anyone and everyone family belonged to the local church, he himself who cares to use it. We had early come to know could not feel at home in its atmosphere of exclu- of several such churches, but they were standing siveness. He dreamed with us of a community idle most of the time for want of an organization church where people of all creeds could worship or a responsible group to make sure of a definite, our common Master, Christ. The postmistress, continuous program of worship, service and study. also a member of the church, rendered friendly Short Bend still does not have a church, but all help. THE' SHANNONDALE COMMUNITY HOUSE Not many months elapsed before the seemingly defunct organization took on a new lease on life. manner of sects have put forth spasmodic efforts Giving them credit for being sincere in their efforts, and consistent with our ideals of a united there. *** Christendom, we slackened our own pace lest we divide the community. When we ceased to be Eminence, a county seat town, is an example aggressive the ardor of the local church rapidly of yet another type of sectarian sniping. At one cooled. time there had been four church organizations- two of them of the immersionist persuasion. After some years of this sort of procedure, the These four used the union church building in a immersionists had thawed out to such a degree peaceful way-one Sunday every month for each. that we withdrew altogether. The local church In time one of the immersionistchurches, and made some gains, increased its active member- one of the other kind, died. The other two were ship, and improved the property, which originally of about equal strength. Voices were raised in had been intended as a community building. We favor of a community church, but we were undid not feel inclined to open a dispute over its pos- able to enter this field. session, but a number of people,among them some of the very best citizens, did not, and perhaps Then there came to the non-immersionist group never will, affiliate with a church of this type. a young minister with a determination to climb. Their dream of a community church is unrealized He won the ecclesiastical approval he courted by because they want to be generous with those of whipping up the enthusiasm of his congregation their friends and neighbors whose church life to the point of erecting their own church building. makes them narrow-minded. There are many His frie.nds predicted that with such "success" to Lestervilles in the Ozarks! his "credit" he would rise high among the clergy of the land. They prophesied that he would be *** called to the pulpit of a large city church. He did not get such a call before he had widened the Rather against our own judgment, but in re- breach in this little Ozark town which now has sponse to a very definite call, we entered the An- two church buildings where one would suffice. tioch-Stone Hill neighborhood. The four churches of that locality belonged to two sects. The natives *** asked us to merge the two of one kind which still had some life in them. The other two seemed The Ozarkian is by nature deeply religious.. He beyond the possibility of revival, even to the is the descendant of a people who not only were preacher who had hastily organized them, yet the well-grounded on the Bible but who reserved for old organization had some adherents whose te- themselves the right to interpret it. Jealously nacity was worthy of a noble cause. guarding their liberty, they freely grant it to others. A relatively small percentage are mem- *** bers of a church and these are scattered among many sects. Our difficulty lies not, with those At Short Bend, where we held a number of services as we were forming contacts throughout this section of the Ozarks, there was no debris of any existing organization to clear away. An obstacle was the cityward exodus on the part of those whose enthusiasm welded the community together. There was also a misconception of the community church.
We had held two services in the schoolhouse at Short Bend and then somebody spoke of building a church. The entire group seemed to fall in line and, being very new in the Ozark work at that time, we hailed this suggestion with delight. Many Ozarkians speak of a union church, meaning one which the entire community helps to build
outside the Church, but with those church mem- agencies trained and equipped for guiding the bers who fail to act like Christians. physical, cultural, social, economic and religious development of the region. We must also remember that overchurching is really underchurching and leads to spiritual de- *** pression. It is easy to effect a new organization and to erect another church building-lumber be- After several years of orientation and reconing cheap. There is a smug satisfaction in cling- noitering we began to concentrate at Stone Hill, ing tenaciously to a creed and in thinking that all Bixby, and in northern Shannon County, Misthat religion means is to defend it with great zeal. souri.
This sectarian zeal has wrought untold havoc in At Stone Hill we did succeed in merging two the Ozarks. As soon as one responsible group decadent churches. Some years later, in response undertakes an adequate ministry, an astonishingly to desire of the people, a community church was large number of self-appointed preachers comes organized. The wounds caused by old-time diforth to complicate the work. "There is a visive sectarianism have by no means been healed; preacher behind .every stump," in the picturesque the preachers of other sects do not always refrain language of an Ozarkian. If somebody would hold from interference with the good work that is be- ing done; but we go on, preaching and teaching AT A COMMUNITY GATHERING IN THE OZARKS the unifying power of Christian love. One handi- cap is. that the denomination which relinquished the preachers in check, we would feel competent the field to us fifteen years ago still owns the to deal with the laity! church building and makes an effort now and then to come back. The Sunday school has gone on Villages and small towns are the worst suffer- uninterruptedly for 61 years. ers from over-churching in the Ozarks. Hamlets and the open country have fewer churches for *** their population. At Bixby we entered a field in which no reli- What is it, then, that we set out to accomplish gious work had ever been done until our native in our ministry to the Ozarks? Briefly this, to Ozarkian evangelist, the Rev. Zenith F. Yount, bring the Gospel of God's redemptive love to all, preached the first sermon there. One month later, regardless of man-made barriers and creedal di- when I accompanied him to Bixby for what I visions. We seek to unite in indigenous churches thought would be the second sermon, a man said those who already profess faith in the Lord Jesus to us, "This will be the third service here. Brother Christ and to win others to Him. We aim to Clark slipped in ahead of you, but the place is minister to those who have hitherto been passed yours anyway by squatter's rights." by, and to lift the natives out of their tendency toward an ingrown religion; we want to give A church was organized after a revival which them a consciousness of and a share in, the com- resulted in a most amazing transformation of munion of saints; we would like to make the what was once known as the toughest little spot Church the institution from which radiate whole- in the Ozarks. The work is going forward in some influences on all of life, by cooperating with spite of occasional inroads by various types of "Holiness groups" who like to meet at just the time of Pastor Yount's bi-monthly appointments. When they asked for the use of the building- which is a remodeled store, purchased from funds raised by the sale of used clothing-a real prob- lem arose. Some of the church members were quick to refuse, while others felt that they should be hospitable. Showers of rain one Sunday set- tled the question-nobody had the heart to turn anyone out. Such revivals stir up great enthu- siasm for the time, but after it dies down our work continues as before. At Bixby the Sunday school carries on under native leadership.
*** In Shannon County, south of Salem, Missouri, we discovered a large area in which no church of any kind was functioning. It is one of the most rugged sections of the Ozarks, with narrow val- leys along the many streams. The population is sparse, and there were but few people to count on at the start. The community lacked cohesion, yet
THE WORLD NEEDS THE CHURCH
a united church came as the natural result of one More and more calls are coming in from other of the greatest revivals ever held in the Ozarks, communities for a united church. The Ozarkian, conducted by Pastor Yount. Since we wanted keen and alert student of life, is giving this type to serve an extensive parish, the welding together his approval. We believe that by helping the of a number of rural school districts, we worked towards the purchase of a tract on the main high- GOING TO CHURCH IN THE OZARK MOUNTAINS way running through the center of the county from north to south, and named it Shannondale. Ozarks to make a contribution to the spirituality In 1932 a community house was built of native of the world, the efforts of the Evangelical and stone. The Rev. Vincent W. Bucher, who had en- Reformed Church are bearing rich fruit. deared himself to the people of this region as a teacher in Vacation Church Schools, became resident pastor of Shannondale in 1934. Last year the thank-offering of the women of the Evangelical and Reformed Church was used for the erection of a modern manse for the Bucher family.
A group of natives, under the guidance of Mr. Bucher, formed the Shannondale Cooperative Association and operate a store in a building they erected on the same tract. A Folk School, held for three weeks. each year, seeks to enrich life. Weekly recreation and play nights, with also some opportunity for study, are very popular. Besides holding church school and services at the center, Mr. Bucher preaches at a number of isolated schoolhouses.
The World Needs the Church The Commentator has this to say about the na- no freedom is secure. Close the Bible, and what tions and the Church: becomes of a free press? Silence the pulpit, and what is left of free speech? Many of us have vague ideas of religion. We care little for creeds and ceremonies. We leave The value of a church to society-the sermons, the churches to the clergy and spend our time else- the sacraments, the music, the missions, the hospiwhere. Some of us, however, have been startled talities and the pastoral services of the clergy beout of our indifference. We are not as sure as we hind the scenes-is to be measured by a twofold used to be that a world without churches is the standard. A church does good: a church preworld in which we want to live. We feel a need, vents evil. Churches remind us of the weak who and wonder whether churches might not meet this are apt to be trampled under foot, of the sufferers need. who yearn for sympathy, of the bereaved who cry out for consolation, of strangers against whom What arouses us is a contrast. In some coun- prejudice is apt to be fomented, of failures in life tries churches are respected. In other countries who want to make a fresh start. . . . churches are humiliated. Whatever may be our beliefs or unbeliefs, we know which kind of coun- Children within a church form friendships .with try we prefer. Millions are eager to enter coun- other children, similarly situated, and are less tries where churches are active. Millions· are liable to drift into the no-man's-land where eager to escape from countries where churches juvenile delinquency is a danger. . . . are suppressed. . . . After three centuries of experience, this nation still believes in churches. They who condemn churches as obsolete, con- They may differ widely from one another in faiths demn themselves. For churches are not only diand forms of worship. But, jointly and severally, vine. They are human. They are what men and they justify their existence. women enable them to be.
In the fight for democracy against dictatorship This Year of Grace, 1939, challenges civilization. throughout the world, churches and synagogues To uphold civilization is the urgent task. It is not are in the forefront of the hottest battle. They wholly a matter for surprise that churches should stand for freedom of conscience without which be appraised afresh as an ally of society in its hour of grave uncertainty.
South's Number One
The Tenant Farmer – Whence and Whither?
-~ I By the REV. ARCHIE C. SMITH, De Queen, Arkansas I)ae– I N THE fertile river valleys of the Southland posses,sed little or no capital, no land and no tools is found some of the best alluvial land in the with which to farm. Legal emancipation was not world. The God of nature has there provided enough to enable him to establish himself on a man with the means of producing abundant har- self-supporting basis. With only his bare hands vests. Yet it is here, in this land of plenW, that and a willingness to work at the only trade he we find conditions which challenge the social, edu- knew, the Negro turned to the planter for employ- cational and religious institutions of North Amer- ment.
ica. For it is here that we encounter the South's On the other hand the planter possessed large number one economic problem, the share-cropper, tracts of land the cultivation of which required a or more correctly the tenant farmer. As Chris- . tremendous amount of manuallahor. Out of their tians focus their attention upon this problem it is mutual need was born the sharecropper system important to look at the underlying causes as well in which the planter agreed to rent a certain as at the results,. number of acres of farm land in return for a Too frequently have the efforts of Christian share of the crop at harvest. The planter also forces proven futile because they have approached supplied a house, seed, garden patch, farm ani- a solution without understanding the economic mals, and money for food during the time of grow- and social background. An historical inquiry as ing and harvesting the crop. This money with to the South's "Number One Problem" shows the interest was charged to the tenant's account and condition of the tenant farmer to be largely de- deducted from his share of the proceeds from the termined by social and economic factors as well sale of the year's harvest.
as by the use of unchristian ethics on the part of Under this arrangement the rent usually re- both the tenant farmer and the landlord. quired half the year's crop. This system has re- The history of the tenant farmer reaches back mained virtually unchanged until today. Its into the early history of the South. The great greatest weakness is that at best it furnishes to tlie waves of settlers who came from the eastern sea- average tenant but a mere living. Any emergency board were of two sorts, the wealthy planter who that may arise from sickness or crop failure will settled on large tracts of land in the river valleys, often throw the tenant in debt so deep that he is and the poorer farmer who settled on the less fer- always in arrears to the landlord.
tile farms in the hills. The romantic pictures of In this way the tenant was virtually bound to plantation life in the South before the War are the land. His only escape has been to go to another not a true graph of its social structure. Every planter, with whom he eventually found himself river bottom plantation operated: with slave labor, in the same predicament. The development of the was matched by numerous dirt farmers who lived industries of the North and East brought an ave- and labored in the hills. nue of escape. .Labor agents came South and The Civil War brought about the emancip~tion thousands of N~ro tenants went with them to of the slave but it wrought little change in the the North, thus es~aping from their debt burdened social structure of the South. ThehiU farmer status in the farm tenant system.
continued his way earning a living' from·n.is few acres. He chose one of his sons as his successor The Hill Farmer's Troubles on the farm and equipped the others for the trades Meanwhile things were happening to the hill or professions. The planter and his former slaves farmer. Unscientific farming led to the erosion succeeded in effecting an adjustment that enabled and the depletion of the fertility of his land. Year the fertile river valleys to continue to produce a after year decreases in his crop yields lowered his major portion of the world's supply of cotton. To status in the economic scale of the South's agri- supplant the old system of slavery a new system cultural system. His tribe was increasing with was evoIved which was to become known as the each generation and, with his decreasing income, sharecropper plan. The N e gr 0 "freed-man" he was finding it impossible to maintain his posi- [286] . tion in the social order. He was no longer able by every trait of temperament and personality to to educate his sons for the trades and professions enter into an economy which called for the closest therefore his already overburdened acres were cooperation between planter and tenant. He re- called on to support even greater numbers. Lack- belled against the close supervision exercised by ing capital to move to more fertile land his only the planter and friction was inevitable.
recourse was to remain on and eke out an exist- Owing to the inherent weakness of the farm ence of a sort. With his economic strength van- tenant system (tenant indebtedness) the worker's ishing he naturally began to deteriorate socially. meager capital was soon exhausted and his eco- The triune ravages of the South, hookworm, ma- nomic existence came to depend wholly upon his laria and pellagra, were exacting their toll from employer. Unfortunately for many tenants this his physical body, leaving him without energy. attitude was none too favorable. Frequently the The one-room public school was doing its best tenant was fractious and the planter soon tired to provide an education but it seldom did more of the strife that was continuously creeping into than to teach him to read and write and lead him their relationships. Since many tenants were to feel that he had all the educational world had unreliable the planter learned to regard them as to offer. His reaction to conditions beyond the a bad economic risk. Under such conditions realm of his understanding grew to be one of planters felt justified in getting rid of them as stupid suspicion. His personality, locked in the soon as possible. They passed from plantation to vaults of superstition and. ignorance, became a plantation until finally no one would have them.
dwarfed and distorted image of his forbears. Thus hundreds of white tenant families found Religious Decadence themselves thrown on their own pitifully inade- quate resources. They usually found some aban- In his religious life we find the same pitiful doned house and eked out an existence as best story of decadence. The clergy were recruited they could, doing odd jobs. Other white tenants from his. own ranks and made the transition from however succeeded in making the adjustment to the laity to the ministry by the simple expedient the system, until the depression made their posiof swapping the plow and the furrow for the Bible tion insecure. and the pulpit. About all this type of ministry has had to offerits. parishioners. is a very narrow A new factor, in the way of farm management, and limited conception of the broad principles of entered the field. Insurance companies were Christianity. The tenant farmer's faith came to forced to take over and operate many plantations consist of an extreme denominational conscious- to protect investments in southern farm lands ness; it was decidedly negative in character, pos- and established corporations. for the purpose of sessing little of the vital qualities of true Chris- carrying on farming operations. These business tianity. As a rule the average minister rose or organizations soon realized the economic weakfell in the estimation of his congregation with his ness of the tenant farmer and the mule and supability to vanquish his denominational foes in an planted them with the tractor and wage hand. ecclesiastical debate. Sometimes these theological Thus many more tenants passed out of the farm tenant system.
arguments grew so tempestuous that the police The Negro Tenant had to be called to enforce the peace. The position of the Negro tenant was also threatened. Tmnsition from the "share" method As generations came and went the stronger to a daily wage was disastrous to both the Negro sons succeeded in escaping from the farm, leav- and white tenant. Neither was able, by training ing the weaker to usher in a new generation a or ability, to manage his own economic affairs. little further down on the social scale. Like his They were forced to establish an entirely new impoverished acres the tenant farmer's character basis of economic existence on a low wage scale. has been depleted in moral, spiritual, intellectual The only time the cultivation of cotton demands and physical strength. The chief characteristic a great deal of manual labor is during the hoeing that remains from his pioneering forbears is a and harvest seasons. But these Negroes simply fierce pride; but unlike his forbears he has little do not possess. the economic sagacity to be able justification in his character for such a pride.
With the planters of the South looking for labor to manage a small seasonal income so that it will to replace Negro tenants who had gone North, cover the needs of an entire year. Thus many came an opportunity for the poor white man to more tenant families were added to the homeless escape from his impoverished land. He therefore and unemployed.
sold his holdings. for whatever they would bring With the arrival of the cotton control program and with this limited capital moved to the planta- many more will be forced into this group. The tions to take the place of the departed Negro. planter has been forced to reduce his acreage This was a terrible mistake. He was ill suited planted to cotton. If he is forced to reduce his
acreage one-third it is only a matter of simple a conference on the problem, but little was accomfractions to make him realize that he can get along plished other than the realization of the immensity with two-thirds of his tenants. Thus the farmless of the difficulty. group is threatened with a large increase in its numbers. Once this primary need has been met the next step must be to establish and carry out a South- There is yet another Damoclesian sword hang- wide program of human rehabilitation which will ing over the head of the hapless farm tenant. restore in the individuals of the farm tenant group The rules under which the government subsidizes the material and spiritual ability to fend for themits soil conservation program require that the selves in the rapidly changing economy of the rent paid the planter for acres planted with soil South. No such program has been formulated, conservation crops shall be shared with the tenant. but a hint as to its character may he found in the Here is an opportunity for the planter to profit success of the various social and educational by exchanging the rent system for the daily wage. agencies laboring in areas inhabited by large num- If he is not renting the land to the farm tenant, bers of tenants. In the regular course of their but merely working him by the day, he will receive duties they have touched the life of the individual the entire subsidy check. In the writer's experi- tenant and have brought about some very encourence he has known of no planters. resorting to this aging results. The Agricultural Extension Servunjust means of augmenting their income, but it ice has brought to the mind of the farmer a knowlis a possibility that must be considered by the edge of scientific farming and to his wife the farm tenant. advantages of agood home and home environment. The Public Health Service is teaching them the The Situation Today rudiments of simple hygiene and the value of diet in health. The displacing of the one-room school As the situation is today the Southern tenant by the consolidated school has wrought a wonderfarmer falls into two classes; the farmless tenant, ful change in the social and educational outlook who in reality is no longer a sharecropper but of their children. The children of the average is generally regarded as such; and the tenant tenant farmer today have a much broader and farmer who has succeeded in remaining in the more intelligent view of life than their parents. "system." It is imperative that the former re- If the more promising of these children could seceive attention at once. One cannot but be cure the advantages of a higher education they shocked at the thought of helpless people sitting could extricate themselves from the toils of the beside the road with no place to go. Here are sharecropping system and in a generation or two step-children of an economy which is rapidly would become normal Americans. As it is they changing and, in its change, can find no place for know that college is for them in the realm of the its unwanted wards. Very little is being done to improbable, if not impossible. With this barren meet the needs of this group. A few have found outlook before them they marry at an early age, refuge in the Farm Security Administration, a start to farming on shares, bring a large family federal agency, which is carrying out a national into the world, go in debt and remain so until program of rural rehabilitation. Others have death settles the account with the landlord. been brave enough to endeavor to homestead lands in the poorly drained swamp areas. They cannot While the work of reclamation, wrought by these hope for much success for they are without cap- social agencies, is merely a dent in the surface, "ital to carry them through the lean years before the success of their limited operations shows that their newly acquired acres can be brought to pro- the Southern tenant farmer is able to make a reduction. If their venture is successful this outlet sponse to efforts in his behalf. will serve only a small proportion of those in need. Some are finding a refuge in the homes of rela- The Christian Aspects tives who have succeeded in retaining their position as tenants on the plantations still using the What are the Christian aspects of the situation? share-cropping system. Unfortunately they are few for little Christianity has been exercised by the principals involved. The most immediate and urgent need in the The religious and moral life of the tenant farmer whole Southern tenant farmer problem is to find is only a dim shadow of the Christ-inspired life. a means of economic existence for those who are Gradually through the generations, the farmer in the army of farmless tenants. Other than the has come to look upon the Bible as containing limited amount of work heing done by the Farm proof texts for his denominational position rather Security Administmtion, and a single project be- than as a rule of faith and life. But the planter ing conducted by a group of socially minded has had many of his generous impulses shattered American Christians, there have been no con- by treachery and unreliability on the part of some structive efforts made toward the remedying of of his tenants. The Christian forces working in this situation of homeless people. One state held their midst have failed to realize that the tenant
THE SOUTH'S NUMBER ONE PROBLEM
farmer needs to. have evidences Qf their mission- farmers find that it is virtually impossible to effect ary interest. any radical change in the outlook of the older gen- eration. The young people, however, readily re- None of the Home Mission authorities of the spond to influences which are brQught to bear on more prominent churches of the South have thus their lives. If they can be reached befQre their far come to look upon the farm tenant group as environment has warped their cQnception of life, one which needs a well planned prQgram Qf mis- they will make as much progress as any group of sionary effort in their behalf. Only here and there average young Americans. in an isolated case does one find such a missionary project. The experience gained from these The promotiQn of a missionary project for a activities teach us that the tenant is not only the community of tenant farmers in southeast Ar- South's number one economic and social pro.blem, kansas has shown the writer that the task of but that this group also represents Southern effecting the spiritual rehabilitation of the tenant Christianity's numberQne spiritual problem. Ef- farmer will be a IQng hard struggle, filled with forts are being made by the State to effect the bitter experiences. The work began in an abaneconomic and social rehabilitation Qf the tenant doned one-room school house. The tenants posfarmer, and it is essential that the Church under- sessed no. means with which to erect a church gird this work with a well-planned program of building and refused to believe that funds CQuid Christian activity. It is 'a tremendous task which be secured. During the period of raising funds will require the wholehearted effort of every home from outside sources, the purchas.ing of materials mission agency in the Church. and the erection of the building, every conceivable obstacle was thrown in the way Qf the project by First of all effeotive work in this field will re- the tenants themselves. The pastor's character quire a ministry that is "wise as serpents and was assailed and his motives questioned at every harmless as doves." Men of ability must be will- turn; it was not until after four years of someing to devote their ministry to. sacrifice on the times heart-breaking service that his ministry altar of Christian service. The minister will be was vindicated in their sight. By the exercising called upon to work with people who will questiQn of patience and understanding, refusing to allow his motives. His every move will be subject to himself the luxury Qf righteous indignation, he scrutiny to. see if there is some flaw in his char- finally won their confidence and the tenant farmacter. In his presence the tenant farmers will ers with their families became loyal friends. express appreciation for his services, but to each When the church building was a reality large other they will be apt to speak of him with SCQrn crowds began to attend the services and the light and will ridicule his ministry. The minister to the of the Gospel was shed over the community. A tenant farmer must be a man of preaching ability. sound program Qf religious education was adopted It is no easy task to preach acceptably to thQse and Christian influences began to be revealed in who require the simplest of thoughts cQuched in daily lives. This work was correlated with the the simplest of language. The peQple instinctively program of the social agencies in the community resent anything they do not understand. and the program of rehabilitation there, today, is well balanced and wholesome. If organized Christianity ever recognizes the challenge presented to. it in the Southern tenant Under the inspiration of this church and its farmer and decides on some prQgram of missiQn- activities, several young men and women, who ary activity, there must be adequate financial had dropped out Qf school, have been induced to backing. In Qrder that his work may have an air resume their high school studies and one young of permanence the missionary must have a build- man is in college today, literally lifting himself by ing in which to. carry out a program of Christian his own efforts toward a higher education. The activity. There is little permanence abo.ut a brush social life has undergone a gradual change. The arbor and an abandoned one-room school house, weekly community dance, which generally ended such as are the abode of itinerant preachers who in a drunken brawl, has disappeared and the gento.o often exploit the peQple rather than render a eral moral tone of the community life has taken religious service. Anyone utilizing such places. as on an entirely different hue. Truly the power of houses of worship is classed in the itinerant group this church is being felt in the economic, social for which the tenant farmer has little respect. If and religious life Qf this community and is pointthe missionary's work is to be at all successful ing the way to higher and nobler conceptiQns. We it must be housed in a respectable building; then believe that some day the social agencies of Amerthe tenant farmer, who is naturally a church ica will find a solution to the social and economic goer, will fill it to capacity. problems of the sharecro.Pper. When that day comes the church in a community will be able A good program of religiQus. educatiQn will en- to lend its help toward making that solution efable the tenant farmer to apply mQral and spir- fective. itual truth to the sQcial and economic prQblems of his life. Those who have labored among tenant
Berea's Work for
Some Impressions Gathered from Revisiting the College After Thirty-five Years r~"- -'1l!;;1====;;o;;B;;o;;Y;;o;;D;;o;;E;;o;;L;;o;;A;;o;;V;;o;;A_N=L;;o;;';;o;;PI;;o;;E;;o;;R;;o;;SO;;o;;N====-=l..I, T HE true value of every factory or institution and in other parts of the nation and in foreign is to be judged by its products. In America lands. A new era has been ushered into the moun- the name of Berea has become synonymous tains of the South by what Berea has taught and with effective, practical Christian education. Here done. At comparatively small expense, the colgood raw material is received in the form of boys lege has shown how to accomplish wonders in and girls from the Southern Mountains and is practical education by new methods of farming shaped into strong, intelligent, useful Christian and stock raising, by courses in home-making, citizens. Many' other schools and colleges are en- nursing and child training, by modern business deavoring to do the same kind of work but most methods, by industries such as baking, weaving, of them with much less evidence of success. They printing, and furniture making. Students not only would like to know Berea's secret in order that help to earn their way by these industries but they they too may achieve as satisfactory results; but are taught the dignity of labor and learn to be exthey are, in too many cases, handicapped by tra- perts in one or more of these lines. Their products dition, by too much money, by indulgent parents, are works of art with high commercial value. or perhaps even by a lack of the highest ideals, Each student is required to payor earn $150.00 and true sacrificial service on the part of faculty a year to cover his or her expenses for room and and trustees. board, but most of them are able to earn a large part of these expenses by work in the industries, One reason why Berea is a truly great institu- on the farm or elsewhere. The results are seen tion is because it is not so handicapped. The col- in the wide-awake, industrious, fine spirited stulege is rather enriched by tradition, by its ideals, by the necessity for economy and hard work, by dent body.
the quality of the student body, and by the char- What are some of the secrets of Berea's success acter and spirit of its faculty and trustees. Berea in making strong, self-reliant men and women out has a high aim and a noble history and seeks to of the comparatively raw, untrained and underbe true to them today. This unique college, which privileged boys and girls of the mountains?
has today 1700 students, has grown out of a dis- First. Berea gives hope to the students. Many trict school, with a very few pupils, which was of them come from homes where poverty has opened at Berea, Kentucky, by John G. Fee in brought discouragement, where the "upright" 1855. mountain farms offer little possibility for earning a livelihood to support a growing family of chil- The equipment has grown from a small frame building unm it now.comprises a large and beau- dren; where poor roads and lack of schools give tiful campus and forest of 6,284 acres and little opportunity for economic or intellectual rriany fine buildings with all the necessary equip- progress; where churches cannot support a ment for physical, industrial, intellectual and spir- trained minister. Berea teaches these boys and itual education. In the early days Berea sought girls to look forward not back; to be dissatisfied to promote understanding between the white and with past achievements and with things as they Negro races by co-education, but when the Ken- are; to look ahead hopefully to something better tucky Legislature made this illegal, the college -in education, in the economic situation, in Christurned its attention wholly to the neglected and tian service, and in life as a whole. They learn underprivileged mountaineers of the South. Now to look forward to something better than the old 90 per cent of the students must be from the cabins such as are common in the mountains and mountains; no more than 10 per cent can be re- are inspired and taught to build new homes that ceived from outside this region, although many cost little; they learn how to make these attractive apply. The product of Berea has made the college and clean through the science of home-making. famous., for many of its former students have be- Berea students are given a vision of life that is come honored teachers, lawyers, physicians, truly worth living here and that looks forward to Christian preachers, legislators, business men and the Life beyond. home-makers in their own mountain communities Second. Berea gives its students courage and [290 ] inspires them with ambition and energy to do the strictly "cultural" work, is the labor system, a seemingly impossible. They are taught never to be discouraged by handicaps; not to complain be- dominant emphasis of the institution. Each dorcause of what they lack but to use thankfully and effectively what they have. They are taught never mitory student labors ten hours a week or more to accept defeat in any ambition that is high and useful and to realize that nothing good is impos- and for this he is paid in labor credits which are sible to those who have faith, courage and perseverance. There are multitudes of examples in available toward the payment of college bills. The Berea's history from the days of John G. Fee to those of William J. Hutchins. purpose of the labor system is to make it possible Third. Berea teaches its students the value for a student who otherwise would not be able to and joy of unselfish service. They are not encouraged to come to Berea merely for what they can procure an adequate education to win the special do for themselves but because there they can prepare better to serve their fellow men. This is the advantages of Berea. In no one of our campus spirit of the college from the president down to the first year student-and it makes them unusu- schools do we charge tuition. ally cheerful and attractive. Ability to earn money, or to achieve fame of personal comfort, is A student may labor in the dairy, on the farm, not the goal set before them; it is the ideal of making their homes, their community and the in the garden, in the broom industry, in the bakworld a better place in which to live. It is the same ambition that actuated Sir Wilfred Grenfell ery, in the laundry, in the heat and power plant, of Labrador and Dwight L. Moody of Northfield in their life service. Godlike love is the ideal and in the several weaving industries, in some janitor motive that sets the standard of service. service, in Boone Tavern, in one of the offices of Fourth. Berea teaches its students to look to God their Heavenly Father for power to attain the institution. Work for which a student receives these ideals. Youth must not only look forward hopefully and within courageously as they take educational credit, yields him no money; labor stock of their assets, but they must look around lovingly to meet the needs of others and they must which yields him financial credit, gives him no edlook up to receive the guidance and strength of God. Berea is assured that this higher source of ucational credit. Much of the labor is highly eduhelp is provided in Jesus Christ and the Bible. Students are not expected to fight the battle of life cational. A student janitor in one of our buildalone. Prayer, Bible study, church services and student organizations are used to promote spir- ings, a man recently from the mountains, reitual life. These growing young people learn what many great men and women have learned-that marked the other day, "Me and cobwebs are not true success is attained by putting God first and others second; and that putting self first and God congenial any more." No registrar's card can second courts failure. capture that type of education; but that is edu- *** cation. . As President Hutchins Looks at Berea Some years ago we, at Berea College, sponsored (Excerpts from an address by President William J. Hutchins, given before the Rural Life As- a County Achievement contest. This contest, sociation of Lexington, Kentucky, and printed in their periodical.) originating in the mind of our one time secretary, Berea College is now eighty-four years old. Mr. Marshall Vaughn, which may be tried in vari- Many efforts have been made to label or to classify Berea. It teaches cultural subjects, but ous sections. Judge Bingham offered $5,000 in it is not a "cultural" school; it teaches agriculture, but it is not an "agricultural" school; it prizes, to be divided between the two counties teaches the industries, but it is not an "industrial" school. which should win the largest number of points in Quite separate, whether from the vocational or a County Contest. Nine counties participated. If any man in a county put screens on his house, built a toilet, or painted his house; if any man cooperated in mending the steps of the church house, or in painting a schoolhouse, he did not win a prize himself, but he helped his county win a prize. The friendly emulation of mountain counties in a revamping, redeeming enterprise means a great advance. A man who has once caught a vision of his county with decent roads, and schools, and churches, and toilets, a man who has worked with fellow citizens for a Cause, is not going to be satisfied with shrubbiness and squalor and walrus-like isolation. The County Achievement Contest proved that there are forces in our mountain communities that lead our people toward a high and holy civilization.
A second emphasis of Berea College is the Home. We rest in the belief long ago expressed by Francis Peabody that "the home holds the key to the salvation of the state."
We went into the mountains and found a typical house of the poorer sort; it had no windows in the sides or in the lean-to; it had no foundations.; the hens and hogs of earth, and the winds of heav- en, could find their way beneath it. This house we bought, took down, and moved in sections so
that we could place it in a quiet but central site and women, in a health program, supervised by upon our campus. Next to this house we erected, with the aid of our own construction department, Dr. Joel E. Goldthwait, of Boston. and under the guidance of our Home Economics Department, a "contrast house," the material cost- Each autumn twenty or twenty-five doctors, exing us only $650. The result is a house into which I should be proud to have anyone of our alumni amine our students ; after the examination a sillive with his bride. Within a little mo~e than a year we sold more than eighty-five blueprints of houette is taken of each student. A girl looks at this house. her silhouette and says: "That isn't my picture, Aside from the class and laboratory work done in our Home Economics building, there are five is it ?" "Yes., that's your photograph." As a recountry or "practice homes." In each of these is an expert teacher of Home Economics, who lives sult the girl changes her posture almost as quickly with her girls, eats with them three times a day, guides them as they fashion their menus and their as she changes the way she dresses her hair. Thus meals, as they keep their food expenses within two dollars and sixty-five cents, a week for each a better physical breed of men and women are goperson. In one of these country homes is a baby. ing back into the mountains, whence 90 % of our I had supposed that the girls would kill the baby with love, but I learned better. One day a visitor 2,QOO students come. from Boone Tavern came to see the baby. It was at a time of influenza. A modest mountain girl A fourth emphasis .at Berea is the Ancient came to the door, and asked the visitor, "Have you a cold?" "No." "Then I will see if the baby Simplidties and the Fine Arts. Some students is asleep." In other words, if you haven't had a cold, and if the baby is not as,leep, then you may have not money enough to pay for stamps to send see the baby. That is education. letters home. We are doing our best to inculcate *** a democracy which makes it possible for the boy, There is a new and strange shop on the Berea campus. A man ninety years old, but shrewd and who on Sunday presses his blue jeans, to go to keen, came to tell me of the futility of a college education. He said that college men broke down church and not be embarrassed by the boy next to in the time of depression; that a college man did not know even how to change a fuse in his own him, with white collar and better clothes. At the house if he used electricity. He went on to say that every American ought to be able to till his same time there is emphasis on the Fine Arts. own ground, and to build his own house. Finally he gave us money enough to pay for the part sal- Music and art, we insist, are not the monoply of ary of a high class "Jack of all Trades,," and to build a shop, in which five girls this past year the financially elect. "All of God's, chillen have made their own looms, and in which an average of 150 boys worked each week. Here the boys may wings." Through the window of our "House of study the framing of a house, the wiring of a house, the plumbing of a house, and so on. the People," we seek to prove to our students that The Council on Economic Conditions of the the mountains are beautiful, and that mountain South report that 4,000,000 Southern families should be rehoused. This is one-half of all the life is potentially beautiful. families in the South. And yet, "The home holds the key to the salvation of the state." The fifth emphasis of Berea is religion. While A third emphasis of Berea College is health. we grant that there is no such thing as compUlsory We have a hospital with fifty beds and a contagious ward with 75 beds. Four doctors, two religion, we insist that our students shall be exdentists, four trained nurses, a dietitian and a technician are members of the staff. On the posed to the noblest thoughts which men have ground at one time we have 'approximately fifty student nurses. All join with the Department of cherished, whether they be thoughts concerning Physical Edu~atio;n, with its gymnasia for me)). mathematics, political science or religion.
We do our best to build a golden bridge by which a student may pass. from an impossible theology, and an erroneous Biblical interpretation, to thoughts and convictions about God and Christ which will enable him to fight fearlessly and win in the arena of modern life.
We do not expect our mountain people to be rich, nor shall we lightly endure their hideous destitution. If we Americans have a modicum of communal character and good will, such destitu- tion is absolutely needless.
We who serve the mountains are trying to teach the boys and girls that they can play without per- verting the most sacred instincts of mankind, that they can hear the golden trumpets sound while great sacrifices are being offered; that they may live a life of external hardship, and at the same time find their way, straight and clean, to the per- renial sources of joy which are not destroyed by the ravages of time and circumstance. We are trying to teach the boys and girls how to take their share, their full share, in the economic and spir- itual redemption of the South and in the cosmic redemption of which the great dreamers have dreamed and for which the prophets and apostle.$ .and martyrs h.ave died. . . –
A Challenge for Advance in
–<!III By REV. W. A. ROSS, D.O. Ill>- C APTAIN JIMENEZ, an officer iIi the med- have ministered in the Name of Christ to the sick, ical department of the aviation corps of the has completely changed the attitude of the people Mexican Government, a Protestant and one toward Protestant work. The schools during the of my former students, was remarking on the years they were being carried on, created a friend- tendency in the government toward a more lib- liness and called forth cordial support and elicited eral attitude to religion and a more· spiritual warm praise from all classes of the people.
philosophy. This tendency is more marked in A Nation in the Making some sections than in others. It is a challenge to the evangelical forces to take advantage of the if Mexico prides herself on being one toofbtehgeinfirtsht~ present situation, and at the same time a call from not the first, of the modern States Christ to present His claims upon all. The times and conditions are favorable. struggle for a larger freedom, and that was less We do not mean that all is friendliness toward than thirty years ago. As a nation that is being the Gospel, or that there are no forces of evil, no radical elements opposed to religion, no hearts in made over, she is very young. The people are Mexico that have no room for Christ. We refer to conditions in general. formulating new policies, they are working out At the Congress of the American Republics· in new systems of statecraft, they are facing the Peru, the dominant note was friendliness. The "good neighbor" policy is bearing fruit. It is in edcaownonm. I.CT, hseoyciaarle avnedrycusletnusriatlivecotnoditthioenspoolifticthale' this atmosphere we are working in Mexico but there come at times breaks in the friendly trend. present-day neighborhood world and are receiving Three or four years ago the church in Cuerna- ideas and patterns of behavior which are stirring vaca was closed for some months and the State government was making plans t~ take it as a cul- and moulding the minds and confusing or directtural center. It was saved, and in recent years we have not been in the least molested. Later ing the thoughts of multitudes. These new curthere was a heavy tax put on all ministers of religion. In some cases it amounted to more than rents are uprooting the foundations of their forhalf the salary. That also has been removed, and the ministers go about their duties as freely and mer simpler life, are affecting not only the outer openly and actively as in the United States. In another capital city about four years ago the forms, but also the inner contents and are shaplargest Protestant church was taken over by a semi-official labor group and used as headquarters ing the framework of a new civilization. until recently when it was turned back to the people for religious services. There is a tenacity in the old conditions and The liberal elements have always been favor- conceptions of life which do not yield easily, and able to the Protestant cause. Juarez said eighty years ago: "We need the Protestants in Mexico." there is much that should not yield, but no one And liberal-minded men of affairs in all walks of life have often expressed similar sentiments. can deny that this new structure moves with irre- Their knowledge of history teaches them that in countries where the Protestant faith predominates sistible force. The danger is that the good will there is liberty, progress, and a larger degree of happiness. There is also the missionary work go with the bad, and that sinister elements will that is being done before their own eyes. The work of the hospitals where the doctors and nurses come in. There is danger that, as they are pro- gressing through outer forms and organizations and are mastering the material, they wil not learn self-mastery or will not give a place for God who controls and masters life.
Here is the opportunity for the Evangelicals.
Just at a time when a nation is casting off the old faith there is the opportunity to press· the claims of the new; when hearts are open to the new it is a challenge to present Christ whose coming makes all things new.
A good number of those who have pretended to be the saviors of the people and guardians of their interests during the years of revolution have been selfish and unscrupulous men. This accompanies all revolutionary movements. We must also re- member that the efforts made to uplift the masses of the people take the form of material uplift.
• Reprinted from The Christian Ol1'8erver. This is needed and when rightly and wisely [293 ]
guided has its value; we can rejoice in everything The Religious Qualities of the Mexican People that is done to help in any way. The Mexican people are breaking away from But during the whole of the revolutionary pe- the dominant religion of the country, but this does not mean that they are irreligious or are losing riod there have been men and women who not their inherent religious qualities. Jose Vascononly have given themselves unselfishly for the selos, one-time Secretary of Education, speaking material welfare, but also have sought to bring to for his own people said: "We are Indian blood the masses larger cultural opportunities in the and soul; the language and civilization are Spanthings of the mind and the heart. There have ish"; and the Indian is by nature religious. His been enough of these to give continuity to the religion as a pagan before the conquest with its movement and under their leadership it has gone priesthood, its religious communities, its penances forward. and a host of deities, was the center of his life. His religion as a Roman Catholic, with its very Twenty-five years ago some of the men at the similar priesthood, with its pilgrimages and the head of the then very young revolutionary party attendant community life, its penances, its muloutlined. their plans for making available to titude of images and saints, was until recently, the masses a larger portion of the resources and and still is for many, the center of life. Those products of the country, for the education of all who have come into the Protestant faith with its the people and for the enlargement of their intel- ministry, sacraments and ordinances of New Teslectual and spiritual outlook on life. As we have tament type, with its fellowship with Christ and watched the progress throughout the years, in with those who love Him, with its repentance spite of many things to oppose and many un- from sin and pardon in Christ, with the free acworthy elements which have crept in, we have cess of all believers to God our Father through the observed that they have, generally speaking, held merits of His Son our Saviour, find joy and peace true to these ideals. At the heart of their pro- in this life of faith. grams there has been an earnest desire to help the people and to lift them up. With some, as in the There are many inherent qualities in the Mexcase of President Cardenas, it is a life passion. ican people, brought in through the Indian strain There are now, and have been from the beginning, and fostered by the dominance of the Roman Cathmen of like mind. One young thirty-five-year-old olic faith for centuries, which when captured by governor put on a vigorous anti-alcoholic cam- Christ go to make up well-rounded Christian charpaign, and is giving especial attention to the edu- acters. Their patient and sympathetic natures cation of all children of school age. when touched by Christ become genuine Chris- tian virtues. Their fidelity and endurance, re- This earnest desire on the part of the present vealed in the hundreds who have died rather than rulers to help the submerged of Mexico may help deny their faith, are qualities. which add much to us to understand better some of their acts. In the the building up of stability in the family, church, exchange of notes between our State Department community and national life. Their mysticism at Washington and the Foreign Relations Depart- and contemplativeness have full playas they mediment of Mexico, Secretary Hull called attention to tate on Christ in the night watches. Their social the apparent, if not real, weakening of a sense of nature and spirit of comradeship, when the Spirit moral obligations. One cannot justify a break- of God purifies. and elevates, make the communion down in national honor and a weakening of a of the saints a high privilege. ~ense of national obligations, but one can find perhaps an explanation for some of the things. done Much of the old order is going and the new by the Mexican Government in the passion of the philosophies of life, the economic and social theleaders for the sharing of the masses of the people ories which have all the characteristics of religion in the resources and products of the country. along with nationalism, also elevated to a religious passion, are seeking entrance into Mexico. Many in the Government, from President Cardenas down, have indicated their appreciation of a feeling of obligation to the Protestant cause for what they are doing and have looked upon them Here again lies the peril for Mexico; here again in many cases as allies. We were one day discuss- lies the opportunity for the Evangelical Church.
ing with the Under-Secretary of Education the The Church itself must recapture the vision that rural school system and the plan of the Govern- God in Christ meant the Christian community to ment for the training of rural teachers. Mr. be a fellowship of believers, rooted in God and Saenz said that they could give the intellectual, His divine redemptive order and therefore com- technical and practical training to the teachers, mitted to the service and salvation of the world.
but that when they were sent out to the rural Then going out in His Name the Church must communities to teach, too many of them broke capture for Christ those religious qualities in the morally, adding that here is a great field of serv- Mexican people which make them His joyous and ice for the Protestant Church. consecrated servants.
Frontiers in Home
By the REV. EDWARD DELOR KOHLSTEDT, D.D., Philadelphia Executive Secretary of the Board of Home Missions and Church Extension, Methodist Episcopal Church BASIC backgrounds and ideals are fateful States on April 30, 1789, George Washington was factors in the unfolding life and destiny of visited by a special delegation from the recently men and nations. Material and moral as- organized Methodist Episcopal Church (Baltisets, undergirded by a consciousness of the real- more Christmas Conference, 1784), the first in ity of spiritual values, determine the character the history o.f our country to bestow an official and quality of their economic, civic and social blessing upon the Chief Executive and other adactivities. No nation can hope to endure the tests ministrative officers of America's infant republic. of time without at least three imperatives to per- On October 3, 1789, President George Washingpetuity: an adequate fo.undation of race; a high ton's first national Thanksgiving Day Proclamastandard of private and public morals; and a tion pledged this nation's gratitude and loyalty to spirit of fidelity <to tested and well-established in- God: "It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge stitutions. the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to Expanding Frontiers implore His protection and favor." The coin of the realm still bears this suggestive inscription: The geographical growth of the United States 'Tn God we trust." of America constitutes an amazing chapter in the story of nations. Our early American colonies American missionary history stirs the souls of only fringed the Atlantic seaboard. When this those who trace the trails and sense the spirit of New World Republic was launched upon its no- the hardy pioneers. and heroic "circuit riders," table career in 1789, the Mis<sissippi River had patriots and preachers, whose joint services to become its western boundary. Later a sixty-year God and country were so effective during the series of rapidly receding western frontiers es- formative period of our national life. The most tablished the territorial unity o.f the United States substantial achievements which have blessed this between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Gulf world were conceived in the hearts and fostered of Mexico. and Dominion of Canada. The years by the faith of missionary-minded men and 1867 and 1898, respectively, witnessed the pur- women. We are indebted to their initiative, darchase of Alaska and the voluntary annexation of ing and self-sacrifice for humanity's material, Hawaii. Sho.rtly after, acquisitio.n of the Philip- social and spiritual progress. Challenged by the pines, Puerto Rico, a number of other islands that spirit of adventure, stimulated by the desire to dot the seas, and a permanent lease on the serve, and responsive to an inner spiritual urge, Panama Canal Zone completed the composite area they were able, out of a forbidding wilderness which embraces Uncle Sam's present political hitherto untrod by the feet of white men, to wrest domain. a civilization that was dominated by a Christian Our governmental superstructure rests upon purpose. A dynamic conscience characterized the foundations furnished by organized Christianity. colonization of America. The United States is The first representative assembly in this Western "a nation that was born Christian." Hemisphere was housed in a Christian church at old Jamestown, Virginia, where a monument now Is America Becoming Pagan? marks that historic spot. When the Plymouth What has happened during the century and a colonists were threatened with starvation, the . half of our national life, so startling in its impli- day designated for fasting and prayer was sud- cations that a level-headed leader and seasoned denly transformed into a time of feasting and re- Christian statesman like William Adams Brown joicing, hence Governor William Bradford pro- is prompted to voice the fear that "America is acclaimed the observance of America's first general tually in danger of becoming progressively pa- Thanksgiving Day on February 22, 1631. At his gan"? Constantly changing conditions, shifting first inauguration as President of the United economic and social situations; the influx of mil- [295 ]
lions of people from all parts of the world, with prime importance of personal salvation should not their own continental traditions, prejudices and be content with anything short of collective comracial animosities; the propagation of pagan fort as well as individual security. The spectacle philosophies of life; and the development of crime of absurd extremes between plenty and poverty, cultures of appalling proportions – these all surfeit and starvation in the richest country on threaten the foundations of our governmental earth, is an anomaly which has no place in a prosuperstructure and tax the resources of Chris- fessedly Christian commonwealth. This must be tianity. America's slump in ethical ideals is evi- corrected and its recurrence made impossible or denced by: the unsavory -revelations of our the manhood of tomorrow may curse the present United States Senate Committee hearings, in the generation for its stupidity. Significant trends in field of finance; the subtle trickery of dress-suit the current life of our day challenge the Church racketeers as well as the brazen effrontery of of Christ to arouse itself; to enlarge its vision, machine-gun gangsters; the perversion of public expand its horizon, revamp its program, and reoffice to propaganda methods that clash with the fire the zeal of evangelical Christianity so genuine principles of constructive statesmanship; strangely tempted, during these fateful days, to exploitation of the masses, for the sake of a selfish yield to the spirit of smug complacency and a surplus and the satisfaction of corporate greed; false sense of security. As Dr. H. E. Woolever rancor-breeding racial discriminations, that coun- wisely insists, "The Church of Christ must press tenance economic and social inj ustice. These and her spiritual ideals more effectively to the fore in kindred developments. undermine sacred institu- legislative halls and public life, or the increasing tions, hinder human welfare, and challenge the forces of greed and materialism will smother the Christian constituency of this country with a far economic and social rights of the masses." In more intricate and exacting task than that of our this or any other country, human happiness and pioneer fathers. national welfare can become a full reality only when those entrusted with governmental and so- An unwholesome industrial and social system cial responsibilities. are dominated by spiritual that breeds iniquities and haI1dships; ignores ra- incentives; when our national superstructure is cial discriminations and persecutions; tolerates buttressed by the fundamental doctrines of Chrisslum and dumping-ground residence areas; bar- tianity: the Fatherhood of God; the Saviourhood ters with beer barons and liquor lords for the of Christ; the Brotherhood of Man; the infinite privileges of physical and moral debauchery; value of human life, regardless of racial antecedwinks at broadcasts and cinemas that deliberately ents or backgrounds. distort ideals and magnify the worst features of American life, at home and abroad; and cheapens The Social Creed of the Churches, endorsed by itself by acknowledging the validity of alien di- the Home Missions Council and the Federal Counvorce laws that ridicule the sanctity of marriage cil of the Churches of Christ in America (to which and disrupt home life – these conditions deeply nearly all of our major Christian communions susconcern an awakened national conscience. The tain constituent relationships) embraces the follargest military budget in the history of the lowing clearly defined declarations: United States; crime and relief bills that require many billions to finance; fifty per cent of our (1) Equal rights and justice for all men, in population and a minimum of 15,000,000 of our all stations of life. children and young people under twenty-five years of age unrelated to the Church of Christ so that (2) Family protection by the single standard even a United States Senator voices the plea, of purity, regulation of marriage, and proper "Save the youth of the land or America is lost"- housing. all these stir our souls; indifference or silence on the part of Christian leaders would be treason to (3) Adequate physical and moral safeguards both the Cross and the Flag. for women toilers.
Social and Religious Frontiers (4) An unhampered development opportunity for every child, and the abolition of child labor. The totality of human welfare is Christianity's central concern. In the technical sense, geograph- (5) The right of employees and employers ical frontiers gradually fade from the national alike to organize, adequate means of arbitration scene, but modern home missionary agencies. must and conciliation during industdal disputes. reckon with functional frontiers of even greater urgency. In America, as elsewhere, vast areas (6) Application of Christian principles to the of under-privileged rural and urban life demand acquisition and use of property. conscientious com'l,ideration and action on the part of both Church and State. A passion for the Calvin Coolidge well said: "I do not know of any adequate support for our form of government, except that which comes from religion. The mere sharpening of the wits, the bare training of the intellect, the naked acquisition of science, while they greatly increase the power for good, likewise
NEW FRONTIERS IN HOME MISSIONS
increase the power for eviL Intellectual growth, service calls for a sound sociological basis for unaccompanied by moral and spiritual growth, missionary method and procedure, buttressed by will only add to our confusion." a valid humanitarian as well as genuine evange- Bishop Edwin Holt Hughes of the Methodist listic urge. A composite task requires, a composite Church emphasizes individual and social gospel program.
mutualities, as follows: The major task of Home Missions has always Any contest between the two seems to be a quarrel be- been to meet the demands of expanding geographtween the inner and outer life. Despite its individualistic ical and functional frontiers, with their changing emphases, the Wesleyan movement made most efficient economic and social situations; to aid in the esbeginnings in social reforms that later shone so beauti- tablishment of churches and the maintenance of fully in the expressions of Christian life. Wesley met missionaries; to explore and seek the solution of the standards of his own social gospel, did not dwell in community problems. that have been created by elegance, shared all he had, died poor. While the Church exploitation, poverty, ignorance, intolerance, dishas not usually protested where the main question de- manded economic expertness rather than moral judgment, ease and death. Modern Home Missions must she has spoken with boldness on starvation wages, child reckon with the basic needs of human hearts and labor, the liquor problem, the gambling evil, personal minister to those who, menaced by fOI'ces which purity, divorce, etc. Earnest men who plead that Christ are destructive to all that makes life worth while, is the ruler of the market place, that His spirit and prin- ciples should be applied to industrial life, should not be find their unaided strength unequal to the strugclassified as Soviets, Socialists or Communists. This whole gle for moral and spiritual victory. It is not task of creating a redeemed society calls for both regen- enough to tarry at the foot of the precipice, waiteration and education. ing with stretchers to catch the falling victims of sin and selfishness; Home Missions must major The CUn'ent Challenge Modern social situations in the United States in preventive rather than curative policies and of America, neware:as of activity created by programs in order to lift the whole of life to changing conditions and modified modes of living, loftier levels.
must be met and served by Home Missions with America's Salvation an adequate program adapted to the demands of these times. It is 'a far cry from the comparative Freedom of worship, lawful liberty, equality of simplicity of pioneer life to the confusing com- economic and social opportunity, and the sacredplexities of America's twentieth-century commu- ness of personality were the objectives of the Pilnities; from the program of a missionary move- grim Fathers who laid the foundations of this ment across expanding geographical frontiers, to New WorId Republic. Their ideals were crystalthe intricate and intensive task of providing an lized in the Constitution of the United States of adequate Christian ministry to modern communi- America, the separation of Churoh and State, the ties, threatened by destructive forces and fre- Emancipation Proclamation; they developed a quently abetted by "spiritual wickedness in high sturdy type of character which became the pride places." Home Missions must continue an un- of American citizensbi.p, until the finer sensibilifaltering' commitment to the supreme purpose of ties of our people became blunted by sordid sobringing the constructive and Ufe-enriohing serv- cial, commercial and political ambitions, when ices of the Gospel of Christ, not only to the SQ- license and lawlessness began to displace liberty called under-privileged areas of humanity, but and law. America's material, scientific and social also to any and all rural and urban communities achievements have been phenomenal, unsurpassed which, for whatever reason, would not otherwise by other nations, but her current spiritual situabenefit by them. It is the task of the Home Mis- tion is a cause for grave concern on the part of sion enterprise to serve isolated villages of reli- thoughtful Christian statesmen. Dr. Mark A. giously and socially forgotten men, women and Dawber, Secretary of the Home Missions Council children; to spiritualize sparsely settled rural of America, warns us that regions, pocketed mountain communities, and congested city centers; to brother bilingual Es- When wealth becomes an end in itself; when education kimo, Indian, Latin American, Migrant, Negro, leads to a deification of the intellect; when industry de- velops into a selfish struggle between capital and labor; when statesmen degenerate into petty politicians; and Oriental, and polyglot peoples from every part of when social life takes on the characteristics of the jungle, the planet now resident in and potential citizens the soul of the nation is lost. When lawmakers lose their of this country. The Christian attitude toward, spiritual ideals and sense of God; when the Lord's Day interest in, love for and ministry to these national is commercialized and secularized; when moral standards are lowered and a materialistic order becomes the major and family racial groups who have come here from motive of men, the supremacy of God is ignored and gov- ernment, education, industry and society, as well as relieverywhither, to make this their home, their flag, gion itself are in peril. their country, is bound to determine both the char- acter and the quality of future American citizen- The Christian Church and her Home Missions ship. In order to be effective and fruitful such agencies must save the soul and enrich the inner
life of America. A truly Christian democracy, sis, it is the same historic and heroic warfare according to our most seasoned statesmen, is the against the world, the flesh and the devil. Now, only constructive procedure in society, economics, as then, we wrestle not only with flesh and blood, education and government that ultimately can sur- but with principalities and powers. Home Misvive. America's greatest possible contribution sions faces an exceedingly exacting task in the toward world welfare, hence the most urgent re- new frontiers which now tax the mental, material sponsibility of Home Missions, is a reestablish- and spiritual resources of organized Christianity. ment of America's basic ideals of liberty and law, Shall we join Wycoff of Yale '84, in the following prayer: buttressed by a functioning faith in the God of our Fathers. Experience has demonstrated that Fronting my task, these things I ask: this is best for the physical, moral, social and To be tn.e, this whole day through; spiritual good of mankind. Present problems a.p- To be content with honest work, pear to be new and intricate, owing to the complexities of our modern life but, in the last analy- Fearing only, lest I shirk; To see, and know, and do what's right; To come, unsullied, home at night.
A Roman Catholic Challenges Rome By EULA KENNEDY LONG FROM earliest days until now, ignorance of the people to read the Bible. The accusation is not Bible has been widespread and notorious in correct, stated thus bluntly. We do not prohibit Brazil. the reading of the Bible (the Catholic version, be It was only a few months ago that a stu- it understood); but its almost general neglect, dent in Brazil said to a missionary who had given and the little attention given to teaching Catholics him a Bible : "You do not know how grateful I the supreme beauties of Divine Revelation, are am for this. All my life I have wanted a copy of practically equivalent to prohibition. . . . How the Bible; but this is the first time I have seen or can Catholic Action prosper when Catholics do not touched one." Missionaries could tell of having know the soul of the movement; when Jesus consearched the bookstores in some large cities of tinues ignored or unknown-the unknown God of Brazil, without finding one copy of the Bible for whom Paul preached to the Athenians?" sale – unless, perchance, there might be one or two of ancient pulpit Hize, .offered at the prohibi- It is a cause for rejoicing that concern is felt tive price of the salary of a workman for one over such a situation. Then came the good news month. -welcome to all sincere Christians, whether Roman Catholics or Protestants – that Father The Roman Catholic Church, which has been Rohden had completed a remarkably fine transladominant in Brazil for four hundred years, has tion of the New Testament, issued under ecclemade no practical attempt to provide the Scrip- siastical Imprimatur. It is a mere coincidence, tures or any portions for the people and many perhaps, but one is struck by the fact that this priests have forbidden the reading of what it calls new launching of God's Word, under Church the "Protestant" Bible, on the grounds that it is sanction, came in the same year that the Englishheretical. This is in spite of the fact that transla- speaking peoples celebrated the fourth centenary tions have been made by their own priests. of the transJation of the Bible into the language of the English people. Over a year ago, Evangelical (Protestant) church papers reprinted, with unfeigned joy, an The significance of this translation by a Roman editorial by a Roman Catholic priest, in which he Catholic priest cannot be overestimated when one voiced deep concern about this widespread igno- remembers that Brazil is a great Roman Catholic rance of God's Word. After relating experiences country, and the nation of greatest size, populain three hundred cities of BrazH, Father Hum- tion and potentialities in South America. The berto Rohden wrote: value of the achievement will be practically lost, however, if Father Rohden's New Testament is "Everywhere I found a profound and shameful not printed in a popular edition, put on sale at ignorance of the Divine ReveJ.ation. . . . It has secular bookstores, and its careful reading inreached such an extreme among us that Biblical sistently recommended by the priests. and Protestant are considered synonymous. . . . Ignorance of the sacred text is an open door to Will Rome accept the challenge of one of her the most horrible religious fetishism, to the detest- own priests? If so, then Father Rohden's work able superstition that exists among our people. of love and courage will prove to be, as he says, . . . The Protestants. accuse us of forbidding the "the breath of a promising spiritual springtime."
American Indians Are Doing
Evangelize Their Own People By G. E. E. LINDQUIST, Lawrence, Kansas I ~.- I Missionary-at-Large to the North American Indians ~==============================~t "EVERY race in the end must be elevated by These are only a few of th0'se wh0' have labored its own educated leadership," said a wise to bring the Gospel to their own people, either by leader 0'f his people. He would have been means of the translated word or as interpreters of the Message. They have all entered into their wiser had he said "Christian leadership," for in reward but their g00'd deeds follow them. Much the final analysis any elevation worthy of the of the work of Indian evangelization today is carname must be inspired and permeated by the ried on by native leaders. This does not mean Christian motive. The Indian race is no exception to this dictum. Historically, the most successful that the number of Indian pastors. and evangelists missions are those in which Indians have actively exceeds that of white missionaries, but when we participated in the evangelizati0'n of their own include interpreters, catechists, helpers and lay people. This is true in both Americas, north· as Indian leaders, young and old-in Sunday schools, well as south of the Rio Grande. women's societies, young people's organizations, such as Christian Endeav0'r, B. Y. P. U., Epworth As the North American tribes pass in review, League, Y. M. and Y. W. C. A., St. Andrew's certain notable names are associated with them, Brotherhood, Girls' Friendly Society, D. V. B. S., not as warriors and statesmen only but rather as evangels 0'f the Cross of Christ, messengers of the etc.-the total figure is impressive. G00'd News to those "sitting in darkness and the True, there are Indian communities today, an shadow of death." increasing number of them, where English is One calls to mind among the Cherokees, for ex- practically the only language spoken, whether on ample, such a spiritual leader in the person of the street, shop, school or church. Here the na- Elias B0'udinot, associated with Samuel A. Wor- tive tongue is used only 0'n special occasions when cester in translating the Scriptures and numerous old people are present, for example, at a tribal hymns, still used by present-day tribesmen; council or a funeral. On a recent field trip the Frank H. Wright, Choctaw evangelist and singer, writer visited the Yumas where this holds true. whose ministry was by no means limited to his However, among the neighboring Cocopahs, who own people; Joseph Islands, apostle to the Creeks; drifted across the border from Mexico several Frank Mt. Pleasant, for over forty years among decades ago, the white missionary must still use his own Tuscaroras ; James Hayes, a prophetic an interpreter at all services. To the north, voice among the Nez Perces, pr0'bably the first am0'ng the Mojaves, there is a native pastor min- Indian of the N0'rthwest to be hon0'red by the istering to his own people both at Needles, Cali- Doctor of Divinity degree; Artemas Ehnamani, fornia, and at Parker, Arizona. In a maj ority first native pastor to the Sioux, with the third of services English is the accepted medium of generation in his line serving at present; Charles expression although the pastor is a member of the Wright and Mark Hart among the 0hippewas, tribe and uses his mother tongue freely. who received much of their early training under One should not, however, draw the conclusion Bishop Whipple; Philip Deloria among the Da- that the work of Indian evangelization is no longer kotas, a disciple of the beloved Bishop Hare; dependent on the translated Word. Great has Isaac McCoy, a name-sake of the great Baptist been the contribution of those who have devoted missionary; Lucius Aitsan among the Kiowas, years of lab0'r in translating the Christian Scripa c0'nvert under Isabelle Crawford's ministry to tures into Indian languages. The story of the the blanket Indians in western Oklahoma; Horace Cherokee Bible, using Sequoyah's famous alpha- Williams among the Pima, who received his in- bet, reads like a romance; S0' also that of the spiration for evangelizing from Charles H. Cook, Sioux (Dakota) and the Chippewa (Ojibway).
pioneer missionary to the Southwest; Sherman Who can read of Dr. Rudolphe Petter's painstak- Coolidge, an Arapahoe, who also ministered to ing eff0'rts in making the Bible available to the other needy tribes. Cheyennes without unbounded admiration. In [299 ]
addition to these, the Scriptures, either in whole faith. One of the high spots of the church year or in part, may be found in the following: Choc- are the evangelistic services, usually held in J antaw, Muskokee (Creek), Shawnee, Arapahoe, uary and conducted by the deacons, more often Winnebago, Nez Perces, Seneca, Delaware, Tewa than not in the homes, but sometimes in the (Pueblo), and is some of the Canadian Indian church. The neighboring Tuscaroras as well as languages, such as the Cree, Miconac, Tinne and the Tonawandas frequently join in these meet- Maliseet. More recently some books of the Bible ings. It is the testimony of the leaders that the have been put into print in the Navajo tongue, church work receives a spiritual lift from these as well as in the Hopi and Apache. services which is felt throughout the entire year.
The Navajoes Among the Chippewas, especially those in Mich- igan, the annual camp meetings are looked for- Since the Navajoes constitute the largest tribe ward to as the big event of the year. Whether numerically in the United States and since these the camp meeting, as conducted by these people, people have often been referred to as "the last is an outgrowth of the old Indian councils which stronghold of paganism" it is reasonable to sup- were called by the chiefs, or whether they hark pose that the translated Word will have an im- back to early day Methodism, is a mooted question. portant place in their evangelization for years to The point to be noted here is that the Indians feel come. But what is of even g.reater importance instinctively that they are indigenous and belong to the Navajo is the development of an indigenous to them. Ever since the days of Rev. Peter church, under Indian leaders. Twenty years ago, Marksman (the name of Marksman is. writ large following a field survey, the writer urged that "at in the missionary history of the Chippewas), every mission station a small group of promising brought into the Christian life by Rev. John Clark native leaders should be trained for missionary of the Oneida Mission some time about 1840, the service in the future." Wherever these conditions Ojibway Camp Meetings. have been largely conhave been met certain encouraging results in the ducted by native Christians in which their own work of evangelization have followed. But alas, hymns and Scriptures loom large. The writer has after fifty years of missionary effort among these often heard the Indian preachers exhorting their people, one can count on the fingers of one hand people, sometimes far into the night. When the the number of full-time Indian Christian leaders. sinners and backsliders come to the front, the ex- hortation gives way to united prayer on the part The Hopis, a sedentary and agricultural people, of the faithful who are on their knees.. When the who unfortunately are widely advertised because penitent has "come through" there is exuberant of their annual snake dances now rapidly becom- singing as they rise to their feet in glad acclaim. ing commercialized, have had (until the recent One of the exhorters who has recently gone to passing of Pliny Adams) three native workers- his reward, J,ames Keshick, rarely missed a camp at Polacca, Toreva and Moencopi. Only those who meeting; he also served as local preacher at Hanhave first-hand knowledge of how the minds of nahville community for many years. these people "have been shackled by pantheism and idolatry," and how "within our own day men The Oklahoma Indians have lived and died in Hopiland without knowing that there is a redeeming Christ"-only those can Oklahoma Indians, especially the so-called understand what the lone workers must face as blanket tribes, still observe annual camp meetthey seek to bring the Gospel of the Cross to their ings, generally held in August or September, with fellow tribesmen. duly appointed committees in charge and careful preparations. made, sometimes months in advance The Senecas and Cherokees in order that such necessary items as food, equip- ment and shelter may be in readiness. A large On a recent trip to the Tonawanda Senecas in meeting tent, capable of holding hundreds of wor- New York the writer renewed acquaintance with shipers, is provided. Formerly a maj ority of the Peter Doctor, an Indian elder who for nearly attendants sat on the ground or on a piece of cantwenty-five years has kept the fires going in the vas spread for the occasion. Now practically all little Presbyterian Church, situated in the heart prefer camp chairs or benches, some of the nonof the pagan district, in the hope of evangelizing Christians choosing the cushioned seats from that element. During all these years he has near-by automobiles. Often as many as five or preached the Gospel faithfully and has made pro- six tribes gather for this annual event and a colorhibition speeches around the country. He is still ful assembly and picturesque congregation prewaiting for the Presbytery to appoint a successor sents itself. Beginning with a sunrise prayer to the late Mr. Tripp. meeting, called by the camp-crier, these people are rarely satisfied with less than four services a On the near-by Cattaraugus Reservation, Rev. day. They believe in and practice prayer, song David o,wl, a. Cherokee, has for twelve years led the Seneca people into the truths of the Christian
£9391 WHAT AMERICAN INDIANS ARE
and testimony. The climax comes when after the nual camp meetings and evangelistic s'ervices at exhortation by Indian leaders – in the old days Talmaks, Idaho, usually around Independence Nahwats, Poafpybitty, Saneco and Wautan-at Day, under the aegis of such native leaders as present by such younger recruits as George Hunt, Mark Arthurf James Dickson, Joseph Cook and Robert Chaat, White Parker, James Ottipoby and Harry Moffett. Robert Atchavit, when "the net is cast" and the converts and backsliders are brought in. The In the old Indian Territory (now east~rn Okla:.- elos.ing Sunday often witnesses baptisms, restora- homa) where dwell the Five Civilized Tribes, one tions and new members added to the church rolls. naturally expects. to find Indian workers dedi- cated to the cause of evangelization of their own Among the Sioux there are annual convocations people. Notable names are connected with their and mis8ion meetings. The latter, knolWn as past missionary history, but not all are written in l?taya Owohdake, have been held each autumn the past tense. Such institutions as. Bacone Colsince 1874 by the Congregational and Presby- lege, Dwight, Old Goodland, Oklahoma Presbyterian Indian churches of which there are 24 and terian College, Oklahoma Baptist Univ~r:rity a:.nd 30, respectively. They are manned by Indian the American Indian Institute have all had a part pastors, and the states of Nebraska, North and in preparing and sending forth many of the preS'- South Dakota and Montana are represented. ent generation of Christian leaders, lay and cler- While these do not have the distinctive revival ical. Among the Cherokees the list includes such emphasis of the usual camp meeting, they consti- preachers as Richard Glory, John Acorn and Jim tute a very significant link in the work of evan- Pickup, with Aaron Hancock, Johnson Bobb, gelization among the Dakotas. Here,' among Oscar Gardner and Grady James among the other items, may be heard thrilling reports from Choctaws; Sam Hawkins and Mose Wesley with the "Wotanin Waste," the Indian women's mis- the Chickasaws and Ben Haikey, John Smith and sionary societies, recounting their efforts to raise William King among the Creeks and Seminoles. funds to send the Gospel to needy groups. Here The last-mentioned, together with his wife, has such present-day leaders. as Truby Iron Mocassin, carried on work among the Florida Seminoles Thomas Blueyes, Clayton Hold, Philip Frazier, near Lake Okeechobee for a number of years, the Homer Redlightning, George Firecloud and Wal- support of which comes from the Muskogee-Creek lace Runningeagle sound the Gospel trumpet. Baptist Indian Association.
The Dakotas and Chippewas While the primary objective of all Indian mis- sionary work is to make known Christ and His In the Protestant Episcopal groups. the annual Gospel, to do this most effectively the ultimate meetings are called convocations. Last year the 67th annual gathering was held at Pine Ridge aim is to develop alid use Indian leadership. A Agency, South Dakota. A missionary who was trusted missionary of long experience once said, present writes: "The Dakotas crowded the separate meetings for men, women and young people "The constant testimony of the Indian preacher and demonstrated the depth of their religion with to Christian teaching and Christian things, just their interest and seriousness of purpose. Each group, from our grasshopper and drought-stricken because it is from an Indian, is worth more than prairies, came with larger gifts. of money for the any amount of preaching from a white man." promotion of Christ's work than they had brought Other things being equal, the white missionary the year before. Everywhere the keynote of the should work. himself out of a job. He must not convocation 'Forward with Christ and my hesitate to give responsibility to those most im- Brother' was sounded." Here the Indian clergy, mediately concerned, the Indians themselves, derepresented by such trusted leaders as Paul spite possible mistakes and failures. He must be Chekpa, Vine Deloria, Dallas Shaw and the Rouil- willing to trust God with the souls of people, lard brothers, voice the preeminent thoughts and whether they be clothed with red skins or not. aspirations of the assembled hundreds in worship, as expressed in faith in God, love for their fellow :. In the above somewhafcursory review it must men and courage for the future. be kept in mind that Indian participation is still somewhat sporadic and far from. being sufficient The Minnesota Chippewas also stress such an- or satisfactory. Great pressure is being brought nual gatherings as the summer convocation when to bear on Indian youth to enter other secular practically every locality and mission station is callings, especially from Governmental agencies represented, Rev. W. K. Boyle, archdeacon and and notably so in recent years. Progress in raisnative leader, being the forceful present-day ing up qualified Indian Christian leaders will conleader. On the Pacific Coast Region of the North- tinue to be slow unless missionaries with greater west the Nez Perces, Umatillas, Makahs, Spokanes earnestness continue to recruit, train and release and the Shoshones have for years conducted an- an increasingly large number of Indian workers for the evangelization of their own people. (See Frontispiece.)
Days in
By ELLEN H. BERGREN, Kermit Mission, Cassard, Virginia .nA .FTER completing my course in the Moody The meetings were well attended, but the peo- Bible Institute, and spending two years in ple did not seem to feel their need of salvation. Albany as pastor's assistant, I learned of The thought of "furrin" folks coming with new the great need in the mountains of the South and methods was something strange. To the moun- offered myself for service there. My best expecta- taineers preaching consisted in the loud singsong tion for a future home in the Appalachian Moun- exhortation of the so-called "Hard Shell" mountains was possibly a log hut, or a dug-out. I knew tain preacher. And women! They had never that I was apt to find myself in a place where star- heard of such a thing as women taking part in a vation and violence would be my lot. After much meeting. By way of introduction we visited every struggle I finally arrived in Bristol, Tennessee. home and gathered the children for a summer school. Rich indeed were the experiences encoun- I asked for a needy field, no matter how hard. tered. We spoke to the parents about sending In a few days, Rev. J. H. Little of Bristol took their children but one grandmother let us know his daughter, a singer, and myself to Appalachia, in no uncertain terms that she was not going to Virginia. On the way, near Big Stone Gap three let her grandson be injured by "book larnin." miles from Appalachia, the conductor aroused a Her only son was in the penitentiary at Richmond, drunken man whose destination was Big Stone and "If he had never known how to write enough Gap with the words, to forge a check," she said, he would be at home right now helping her. She was going to see that "Wake up! Where are you going?" his son escaped such a calamity.
"I'm going to hell," the man drawled out. Is it any wonder that ignorance prevailed, when "Well," said the conductor, "pay me ten cents ~he "Hard Shell" preachers fight it? One man more and get off at Appalachia." used this argument against learning: Mr. Little turned to me and said, "Is that "We'll say, here are two barrels; one is empty tough enough to suit you?" Such was my first and the other is jammed full of books. When the introduction to my new home! Lord wants to get in one of them barrels, and I axe you which one can He get into." During the following ten days, while Mr. Little held meetings, Miss Little and I did personal work The people will see the impossibility of the Lord in a little church, built by a former Christian getting into a heart that is full of learning. Sunsuperintendent in a near-by mine. After his death day schools seem to them a thing of Satan, and to the services were discontinued and the House of be preached against at every turn. It is a wonder God became a loafing place and gambling joint. that we had as many children in our Sunday The floor was carpeted with torn-up cards and schools those early days, as well as older ones who the windows were broken. flocked to our meetings.
First we gave this place a good scrubbing, many Many of the Primitive Baptists, or "Soft children and young folks helping to carry water, Shells," declare that they are not opposed to Sunsweep down cobwebs, and clean the few panes of day schools, but one of them remarked: "The glass remaining in the windows. Mr. and Miss Little and I had rooms in, the primitive hotel, young uns might just as well be in Sunday school which was kept by my future benefactors, the as in any other deviltry." The difference in Hales. In the lobby was a wooden sink, with a "Hard" and "Soft Shells" (or Primitives) is that bucket and dipper, for drinking and washing pur- the "Hard Shells" believe that only the "elect" are poses. Miss Little and I washed there, and, as saved, and God will see to them without any interthe roller towel had been much used, we used our ference from preachers. The sinner who is not handkerchiefs to wipe our hands. Mr. -Little face- "elect" cannot be saved, so that the preachers tiously remarked, "Well, ladies; hundreds have have no message for them. The Primitives believe wiped their hands on this towel and you are the that salvation is for all who will accept. Many fir,st ones to complain." have real revivals where people are saved. The [302 ]
• PIONEERING DAYS IN APPALACHIA
"Hard Shells" class believe in dreams and visions, mons arid others who do not believe in the Word as giving their call to the ministry of which many of God. They fear any deviation from the simple ludicrous instances are told. One preacher tells life. In some parts of the mountains are stretches how he heard three distinct "calls from heaven" of country sparsely settled, where there are no when he was going home from a meeting. He churches or schools. In one isolated section located the very place where each call was heard, lived an old woman who had been to church but with the words repeated three times: once as a child, and had not heard-or at least did "Lige, you go and preach the Gospel." not remember that she ever heard the Gospel Three young pranksters still laugh at their story. This woman told the missionary that she climbing up trees and calling out the "heavenly had not seen a preacher for thirty years. She had a Bible once, but lost it when she moved to Trou- blesome Bend. She could not read, but the book had been good to put under the pmow in sickness.
She wi,shed she had another. The missionary told her the story of the Lord Jesus, and when he came to His suffering and death, tears came to her eyes and she s,aid, "I reckon 'tain't true-let's hope it ain't."
When he finished with the resurrection story and the Great Commission to His disciples this darkened soul believed and walked miles to her scattered neighbors to tell them the story. She said: "How could I know all this and keep still?"
MISS BERGREN (at left) AND FELLOW-WORKERS When the missionary returned to Troublesome TWENTY YEARS AGO Bend, she had gone to be with her Lord but her command" to the future prophet as he passed faithful witnessing had turned many to the Lord.
their hiding places. Noone ever informed him Alone in Appalachia as to the truth. After one month of school, Miss Little returned These preachers are not required to know how home. We had about twenty children who wanted the school to continue, but a county school was to to read, or how to preach. Their belief is that the begin August 1st, so I decided to give my time to Lord will tell them what He wants them to speak. One of them remarked to a preacher who p~e pared his sermons, "Now brother, you are wrong preparing your text; the devil will look over your shoulder and read it too, and then go to your con- gregation and lock their hearts agin it; so it does them no good. When I preach, neither me nor the devil knows what I am going to say."
This ignorance still prevails in this class of preachers, who believe that a little whiskey helps them to preach with "spirit" and power, but there are, thank God, many true servants of Christ in the mountains, who are preaching the Word, so that many are saved under their ministry. There are also many true men of prayer among these people. One who prayed that God would remove A MINING CAMP IN THE APPALACHIANS a still from his neighborhood, and that very night a cloudburst drove a mighty wave against it and visiting and meetings. The old church had a bell, tore it down. God has not left the beautiful and I announced a meeting for each afternoon.
Southern mountains without His witness, even Night services were only possible when people though its ministers present the Gospel in ways brought lamps or lanterns. I invited the women peculiar to those who are accustomed to decorum out for afternoons and rang that bell, whose jerky in the House of God. tongue seemed to say, "Come and hear me talk!
The mountain people readily recognize a Come and hear me talk!" The women came, and preacher with wrong doctrine. A "no hell" professed conversion. Alas, they were only my preacher will not be received in any church, if converts, but I did personal work with the zeal of they know him as such; nor will they admit Mor- a Moody Institute student. When the newness of
my meetingS! had WQrn .off, the women lost their the Lord sent tWD yellQw dogs who drDve away the pigs and were fine protectors against other curiosity and the attendance waned. intruders.
One day, I noticed a woman whQ hardly took When my first helper came she remarked, when she was ushered into my first home in the mounher eyes .off me during the meeting. But after- tains: "Oh, how lovely! I thought you lived in a shack, and here is a chapel with four large winwards when I asked if she would accept the LDrd dows and a glass door."
as her Saviour, she shook her head and said, Miss Church was very happy with me, and a truer friend and helper I could nDt ask. This "No, but I want the pattern of that thar dress chapel, seating fifty persons, was often packed to .overflowing. Many ministers came here to preach you got on." . and true conversions were witnessed in this room. I learned a great lesson-not to try to force any- Only the Lord knows the many mistakes I made one to be saved, but to let the Spirit .of God work. Many of the children professed to accept the Lord during thDse early days. As there was nD .organ, as .their persQnal Saviour and even the smaller ones took part in .our early morning devotions by I used a guitar as accompaniment t.o .our singing. praying and testifying. Only the older children could read, and very few had books, so teaching I know now that it was a hindrance, as guitars, was a problem. Our "reader" was the New Tes- tament. It was a time of rich reward to see the banjos and fiddles were considered Satan's tools, development of their minds. Bible stories were part .of their daily lessons. As I told the story, being used by Negroes fQr dances. Never had they were to tell what lesson they could get from it for themselves. One girl, in telling the story of they heard of hymns being played on either. When Jacob and Rachel, said, "This lesson teaches us to always ask the Lord for sweethearts." my organ came, it was a wonder t.o all and the The following story of the loaves and fishes is guitar was not used for years. as it was retold by a boy: After I had been in Appalachia about three ~'One day a little boy went fishing and his mother had put up a little lunch for him. He saw m.onths, Mrs. Charles Hale was sent home from a a big crDwd on the hillside and he heard Jesus speak. After a while, Jesus asked if they had anytuberculosis sanitarium to die, and her husband thing to eat, but they hadn't. So the little boy brought his little lunch to Jesus. Jesus looked at asked me to come and care for her and their little it and said, 'There is mighty little .of it, but I will use it.' He broke the bread and little fishes, and ones. I could not believe that she had tuberculosis there was plenty for all. This lesson teaches that, if we give what we have to Jesus, He will let it but she said, feed many thousand." "Yes, I have it; I am g.oing to die and I want The st.ory of the triumphal entry was quaintly to be with my children to the end." written: "One day Jesus came from heaven to Jerusalem, on a borrowed mule, to be king. The I began to pray that God would reward this people didn't like Him, but the children did for they put flQwers on the rQad for the mule to walk family with the life of the m.other and as I nursed on, and sang a pretty song to Jesus. The other people got mad and said, 'Did yQU hear that?' her and cared for the little girls, I saw strength 'Yes.' 'Well, make them stop that noise.' 'No, I wDn't. If they would hush, the stones would return. God lengthened her life until her children holler.' This teaches us that we .shDuld sing, no matter who gets mad." were grown, when she died .of sunstroke. The story of the flood was told as follows: As I needed all the time for my work, I rented "God made Noah make a big boat to hold all the animals and people, but only eight people were an old storehDuse, and the .owners dug in the saved. The .others drowned because they would nDt listen, as the animals did. This teaches that mountainside eight feet for a living rODm which we should listen to good people always."
he divided intD a tiny kitchen and bedroDm. I fDund a brDken stove with .one leg, and supplied bricks for the others. The bedrDom had a cot, some chairs and a small table. Noone could feel richer than I, and nD one eQuId be happier. Little by little the walls .of my hDme were covered with pretty wallpa.per and the flDor with mDuntain rugs. My tiny kitchen acquired a small sink and table combined. The seats in the chapel were a combinatiDn of benches and school desks, and made so that a bDard at the back .of each seat cDuld be raised, forming a long table fQr school pur- poses. I had tWD large closed-in benches with immense drawers, wherein to bestow my go.ods, clothing and other things which came from friends of the work and which were sent fDr the pODrer people and the children, as well as for myself- things both to eat and to wear.
As the public school .only lasted three months, the need .of schooling was ,sad. This little chapel stood upon a hillside, the front being high above the road, while my floor in the dUgDut was on the ground. As cold weather came .on, the pigs came from the village and slept under the chapel.
Their noise and stench could nDt be endured, so
PIONEERING DAYS IN APPALACHIA
At the end of the six months, I offered a reward mmmg companies had built churches. In one for the most Bible stories they could repeat. One camp, one mile from Appalachia, we started a girl handed in forty from the Old and New Tes- Sunday school in an unfinished house and the first taments. year I had services in three places – Imboden, Preacher Creek, and Appalachia, making a walk Reciting verses was first on the program every of six miles every Sunday. morning. In six months the older children memorized fourteen chapters of the Bible and fifteen After two years, I thought that some people in Psalms, beside a verse each morning' at roll-call. Appalachia could carryon the Sunday school with I have the privilege now of teaching their children the help of preachers, so I decided to move to a in the Appalachia Daily Vacation Bible School; near-by community within walking distance, and in some cases, I have their grandchildren. open a school. I moved to what is now Andover, During the first year I was entirely alone and MY FIRST EASTER IN APPALACHIA it was a year rich in experiences. The customs were new and strange, but when one becomes rented a house and taught classes that met in the used to them, they no longer seem so quaint. In largest room. It was rather crowded, with thirty calling one day on an old lady, she asked first of children, but with the help of Miss Church, we all where I was from. got along by letting the children recite in the din- ing room. These dear children were religiously "Albany, N. Y.," I answered. inclined, and it was not long till all with two ex- "That's a right smart piece, ain't it? Come by ceptions, accepted the Lord. One morning, after train ?" our usual song and Bible period, I asked (feeling "Yes." a strong working of the Spirit) : "How old are you?" I gave some answer. "Children, shall we take up our arithmetic?" "Well, have you store teeth?" "No ma'am," all answered. "No." "Well, what shall we do then?" "Make your own dress?" "Let us pray," was the almost unanimous re- "No." sponse. "How much did it cost. Are you married?" Then those dear children began to pray for a "No." revival, which shortly came. God sent His true "Never been married?" servant, a rather unique old man, Mr. Bassett, "No." "Got any children?" "N0, I am not married." "Well, too bad, but you can be yet, I reckon. You are not so old looking." I asked if she was a Christian. "Law yes, honey, I was baptized a right smart while ago."
Then she asked me about my religious faith, and said she heard someone say I belonged to the Roman Catholics. When I denied this, she seemed to draw the conclusion that I belonged to some other strange cult. But when I told her that I believed the Bible from cover to cover, this seemed to satisfy her. Later, we became fast friendsa friendship which lasted until her death.
The first weeks in Appalachia will never be forgotten. Every Saturday night there were shootings or stabbings, and for several Saturday nights in succession someone was killed. A man was shot one Sunday morning while we were having Sunday school, and someone called out, "Silas is killed." Everyone in the church ran out, leaving me entirely alone.
The surrounding mining camps were much upon my heart as few had any Sunday school or religious service of any kind. Within a radius of ten miles there were only three camps in which the
who went wherever God sent him. During that with me. Her mother gave me daily the choicest milk, called "strippings," and when I told her not meeting, every home was touched, and I have yet to, she said, "The children like the plain milk without the cream, and since I give you milk and to see a place so stirred, in answer to the chil- butter, we never have to hunt our cow-she al- ways comes home." Cow-hunting was the most dren's prayers. . hopeless task we could imagine. All the mountains around us were pastures, and no one knew which From Andover, I moved to Blackwood, a mining way a cow would roam. I don't wonder that the Holy Spirit recorded Saul's mules lost and found, camp six miles away. By this time, three other as it was really a daily miracle to me that the children found the cows. Some cows would reworkers had come and they stayed at Andover spond to the call, "Sook, heifer," but many would not stir. until I could leave Blackwood in the hands of Miss In those early days, an amusing incident oc- Jennie Henry. Workers were also located at other curred in the mining camp where Miss McPhee- ters worked. She was a teacher who assisted mining camps-Stonega, Osaka, Roda, West Nor- (unremunerated) the public school teacher. While I was visiting her one day, a young minister asked ton, Sutherhind, Roaring Fork, Pardee, Inman, us to be witnesses to a marriage ceremony. The young man came in with a red bandana tied Imboden and Upper Imboden. As the camps around his neck, and on his head a hat which did not fit. The bride, who had not thought much opened for us, we had students come from Nyack about a wedding outfit, was a shy girl about eight- een or twenty. The minister plaeed a chair in Institute and Moody Bible Institute, until we have front of him in place of a marriage stool, and the groom thought this an invitation to sit down. had over one hundred workers at different times. When asked if he wanted a ring ceremony, the young man was at a loss and, turning to a boy Some were there only during vacation but others with him who wore a large gaudy ring, said, "Here, Sam, loan me your ring for a minute. I'll remained longer, and some are still in Virginia, give it right back."
though not in the camps. Miss Collins has lived When the minister asked: "John, will you take this woman to be your wedded wife?" he answered in one camp, Roda, for more than thirty years. lustily, "You bet." The minister turned to the After Miss Henry came to Blackwood I returned bride with a similar question but she could not speak, and said, "Uh huh." to Appalachia, where a new mission was being After the ceremony was over, the groom caught built. We moved into the unfinished rooms and hold of his wife's hand and started for the door when the boy with the ring said, "pay the different preachers came to hold services in the preacher." The groom turned and asked, "How much do you charge?" When told that he could chapel, part of which was completed. give what he wished, according to how much he thought of his wife, the groom smiled and said, It would read like a fairy tale, should I tell of "I sure do think a heap of her. Here is a quarter" -with the air of a millionaire. the many evidences of the Lord's care. Friends As time passed, our number of workers grew sent things to us, so that we never really lacked, until several camps were occupied and this work was called "The Appalachia Mining Camp Misthough at times our faith was tested. sion." We had no demands for reports which, personally, I had found superficial in my former While living in Preacher Creek, Miss Church work. But at our monthly workers' meetings, a secretary wrote down testimonies as to how the had typhoid fever, and the friends there were un- Lord had led and blessed – each one – also the trials and failures. These records are kept as retiring in their assistance. We seldom had to cook minders of God's faithfulness.
a meal, as everything was sent in already cooked. An Archdeacon of the Episcopal Church in Big Stone Gap, Dr. Lloyd, a fine Christian and a Our workers took turns in helping to nurse her, and it taxed everyone's strength, as she was bed- fast seventy-two days. It proved to us the un- tiring devotion of workers and people.
Preacher Creek was, in someways, different from the other places where I have lived. The revival there touched every home and made us all seem like a large loving family. All came to church and there seemed to be no division among the peo- pIe-all lived in harmony and love. Three orphan children came to live in my home. One little darling girl, Milford, would often beg me to adopt her, though she scarcely knew the meaning of the word.
"Why Milford," I would say, "your father and mother could not do without you."
"Oh, yes," she said, "they have Gertrude, and Maggie, and Edith, and two dead. They have enough."
"Well," I replied, "you have two dead you say, so you can't be ,spared."
"Oh," she said, "they were little boys. Mama never had much luck with boys."
She lived with me a long while and the dear memory lingers. She is now mother of a large family, to whom she tells about the time she lived
PIONEERING DAYS IN APPALACHIA
true missionary, invited our band of workers to monthly for conference and prayer so that we his home. He had a wonderful ancestry of for- often had thirty at our table for two days as they eign missionaries, and his son was a missionary could not return the same day on our little interin Japan. He assisted us in every way that he state train. These were times of rich blessings could. He had· already begun to place Episcopal and refreshment. deaconesses in a few needy places, but when he saw that the church dress was a hindrance, he The reports, which are very rich in experiences, show how wonderfully the Lord fulfils His prom- THE ~'IRST SUNDAY SCHOOL AT KERMIT ises. Some testimonies were quaint and mirthful, showing the crude initiation into the strange ways urged them to use ordinary clothing, which he did of camp life. Some workers learned quickly the also, except in his own church. .In this way he ways of our people but even at that there were won the love and esteem of all. some misunderstandings and mistakes.
Dr. and Mrs. Lloyd gave us a delightful time of Once I was asked to take a little girl eight years fellowship. When he asked me how we were sup- old. I went up to Roda Camp to see her and deported, I told him that I asked of each mine su- cided to adopt this little darling and gave her my perintendent for a rent-free house, electric lights mother's name, Elsa. After six months another and coal, but for salary the workers trusted the little g~rl was added to our family. She was one Lord, who always supplied our needs in wonder- of our Sunday school scholars, and after the ful ways. "How can you maintain love and har- funeral of her step-mother, the motherless little mony among them all on this basis?" he asked. one, Olive, ran up to the Mission and her father It never had occurred to me to look for trouble finally gave her to me. Two years later, I also ,along this line and I said, "Why, the ones who adopted her little sister so that my home was come here are willing to put up with some diffi- blessed with three little girls. They were dearly culties as their invitation to the work includes loved by all our workers. All three grew to sweet hardships, poverty, dirt, misunderstandings, and womanhood, and married.. It pays to invest in the winning of souls. In not one case has the chidren, and if my health ,allowed, I would gladly applicant been discouraged." open my home for more of God's little ones.
In all the years the Mining Camp Mission One day in school, the children were told to existed, there was little trouble among the work- write the full names of their parents. Little Olive ers. Of course, at times there were disagree- wrote, "My mama's name is Miss Ellen Bergren, ments, but our workers were most untiring and and my papa's name is Mr. James Skidmore." It never once was a reprimand necessary for neglect never occurred to her that anything could be of duty; instead, necessary lines were drawn to wrong with it. The teacher, who was also one of prevent their overdoing. our Sunday school teachers, handed me the slip laughing. Nursing was necessary and many nights were spent by sick beds. There is a mountain custom, Another time, during presidential election, all whenever anyone dies, for neighbors to sit up the children were having a mock election. When with the dead all night; in some cases they sing Olive's name was not among them, she was asked hymns. One of the few laws enforced was that, when tired out with the living, the workers must THE KERMIT CHURCH AND "PARSONAGE" let the people of the place "wake" with the dead. why she did not vote. "Well," she said, "I am As new mining camps opened for workers, our what mama is." family increased until fourteen camps were manned. From these our workers gathered "Well, what is that?" "I can't spell it but she is a perditionist (mean- ing prohibitionist)." The other children thought that must be all right if Olive's mother was that. A child asked Elsa one day where her father
was. She answered that she did not need any A little later a little boy was brought to the father. Mission. Next day he came down with the measles, and Nancy caught them too. Everything in the "Well," insisted the child, "who gets the 'vittles' Mission was new and strange to' Louis. He had for you?" never heard the name of Jesus except in swearing, and our Mission was like a new world to him. The "Oh," said Elsa, "we just pray and God sends little girls were his teachers, and we could often us all we need. We don't need any daddy." hear them say, "Louis, you must not say that, it isn't nice," or "Louis, Mama don't let anybody As this was a new way of support to this child, talk like that here." He learned the stO'ries in the she wanted to know more about it. So Elsa, hav- children's Bible and the little missionaries truly ing witnessed the almost numberless answers to began in virgin soil. Louis loved to sing and prayers both for food and clothing, spread the learned quickly. Like Faith, he used his own truth among her schoolmates about a life of de- words and tunes, and as he sat in a swing on the pendence on God. porch he would sing with all his might: There was nothing too hard for these children, Jesus is good, He wants all the people to come to Him and I often feared that their faith would have a and be good. severe test. But today, I cannot remember more than once when the waiting for an answer seemed The people don't want to come; no they want to be bad, to be so long that they would ask, "Why don't God poor little Jesus. answer? We have asked Him." They were told that God sometimes answers in the negative.
Out of their small weekly allowance the chil- The children often played Sunday school, and dren tithed faithfully. It was made a rule that Louis liked to be preacher. each unkind word was to cost the speaker a penny. This started a turn for the better as it put an end Other children were brought to the Mission, but to petty quarreling. with the work of the mining camps and incoming workers to place, we could not keep them all. For One day Olive came to me very much wrought a time we had seven and a worker volunteered to up, and 'said, "Mama, I've got to lose some money. be their teacher. I have to tell Elsa a few things." She told me the trouble and that was the last I heard of it. Per- In my earliest years in Appalachia, I had many haps she did not feel that the few words she would opportunities to visit other oommunities and assay would be worth the loss of her pennies. sist in meetings. With a little baby organ (a great wonder to many) I led the singing, and When little Faith was five years old, she began many were helped to trust in GO'd for their salto go to the chapel part of the Mission, and con- vation, rather than trust in good deeds, good feelduct services alone. It was touching to listen as ings, in something imaginary, such as a vision of she prayed, gave out hymns, and sang lustily to light or hearing some voke, or in emotion created an improvised accompaniment of her own. Her by a song. These are often accepted as tokens of keen musical ear would not allow any discord, and the New Birth, without the person knowing anyat six she had made up several compositions en- thing of God's promises and the way of life in tirely herself. The older girls taught her some Christ. The greater number of backslidings can easy tunes and to these she put her own words. be traced to the lack of knowledge of the Bible. One, which she was always asked to play for visitor,s, ran like this: The first mission building soon became too small for our large family, so, little by little, the Jesus comes; Jesus goes. addition of rooms began. The last was built when When He comes He stays a little while; it seemed best to put the growing work in the caore When He comes, He goes. of stronger hands.
One day a little girl of six was left on,our front Everything was clear to both parties. The understanding was that these four rooms were to porch aWndhewnasw, etolfdoutnod stay there until someone be built for me, as the first money of $500 was came. her there, she said that given for a rent-free home, so the givers would still wish to have it so. They would not hear to she had come to Istay with Miss Bergren." She was any other arrangement, and the gentleman with whom I dealt said that there would be no trouble. a robust little one and said that she could work So we began building the rooms, but, alas, when we were half finished a letter came from his well, and that at Elly's she did "every lick of headquarters that I must sign over the whole without any clause as to my reservation of rooms. work." I asked why Elly did not work and she The readjustments came asa remarkable answer to prayer s.o that the work then continued until answered, "Oh, she was sick and lazy till she died." regular minis,ters and nurses were stationed in We tried to find out who Elly was, but no one knew; we only learned that Jim brought the child to us and told her to stay. We could not find out who either Jim or Elly were. So the child re- mained. All she knew was that her own name was Nancy.
PIONEERING DAYS IN APPALACHIA
the mining camps. The spiritual workers left the lamps were ruined, chairs were broken, and all field and so-clalled trained social workers replaced was in a pitiable condition. It seemed impossible the Gospel with classes for domestic science, to bring back the former life. nursing, and other good projects that are still not up to the highest standard of a missionary who One day, in late summer, I stood on our front seeks to lead souls to God. porch. I was tired and worried, and my heart cried out: "0 God, take me away from here. I When it se~med wise to leave the Mining Camp can't do any more here, my people love excitement work we moved to Kermit, Virginia, where we more than reality, and some other place needs us built a house and chapel used for school and more." An answer came so real as to be nearly church work. Since a county s,chool has been audible: "Child, do you want to leave now? I built here, the chapel is used for church services have none to stand in The Gap for me. They have only. It was a needy place, seven miles from any not gone back on you but on Me. Will you still other chur·ches and schools to which no one could go away?" walk on the impossible clay roads in the winter. It was sad to leave so many wonderful friends I fell down on my knees, crying out, "0 my behind in Appalachia but as churches of three Lord, if you wish me to stay here, I will never denominations were there it seemed right to go again ask to be moved. I am ready to stand in where there were none. The Gap if it is Thy will, as long as I live."
The first years· here were constructive in the As a shower refreshes the parched earth, so like beginnings of many kinds of classes for grown- a miracle God began to move. The preacher got ups as well as children. A tabernacle was built In trouble with a member of his former followers, in a shady place where services were held in sum- and the church in an adjoining community asked mer, and little rustic cabins were built for classes. him to resign. A shame-faced people came back In all the schools conducted by our workets the to Kermit church, and in a most miraculous way, Bible has a large place, and hundreds of verses things began to be normal again. have been committed to memory by the children. There were very few Sundays. when we did not About two years after this experience, when have from one to three preaching services-morn- some had forgotten that this preacher was still ing, after Sunday school, afternoon and at night. abroad, reports came that he was in jail. One day there was a knock on the door and there stood An unknown preacher, who had had a marvel- the same man. I cried to God for wisdom to ous success in his last revival in a neighboring handle the situation. Then I told him plainly community, came to hold revival services in Ker- that he had stirred up confusion, and scattered mit and filled the church to overflowing every our people to such an extent that some were night. He swayed the people with a hypnotic worse than ever before. He wanted to gather the power, and all our folks were converted over people in Kermit, so as to draw the members from again. Then he wanted to build a church, but as Cowan's Branch (the church in the next commulong as he could have the church free, the people nity where they asked him to resign). But since decided not to build. For six months or more, his motives were wrong I could not allow him to they followed him wherever he preached, going preach anymore. in trucks to distant places. Religiously, Kermit was ruined. Noone knows the anguish we en- I have only touched the borders of the years. dured during this time. It seemed that everybody A veil has been drawn over many sad experiences, was running after the man except a few who did and I have touched only a few of the many which not believe in him or his ways. have been true miracles. May the work go on and on in different ways and places, doing the The large crowds had caused much damage to true s'ervice through many of our missionaries the church building which had settled over six who are claiming the promise that they will bring inches so that every window was tilting. Our forth fruit even in old age. May the Lord who pipeless furnace had to be cut off several inches has done so much for this work in these thirty-six as the register projected above the floor. The years still carry on the work after He has called us. Home.
A Christian Philasapy far Rural Wark*
By FRANK w. PRICE, Nanking, China Head of Department of the Rural Church, Nanking Theological Seminary A PHILOSOPHY of Christian rural work is villages in the rural community. Governments now needed. Interest in rural reconstruc- are meeting some of these needs; non-Christian tion and the betterment of rural life is ris- agencies are meeting others. But unmet needs ing like a. mighty tide all over the world. The are legion. The Christian group should study its Christian Church is aware of its opportunity and community, select the greatest needs, and do what responsibility in meeting the needs of the "rural it can to meet them through promotion of good billion," especially in less privileged lands. Gov- causes, pioneering in new fields, holding up Chris- ernment and social agencies are promoting large': tian aims and ideals in social change, or through scale programs. What should the Church do that the leadership which the church contributes. It will be unique and fruitful? should seek, above all, to meet the deeper moral Many Christian missionary institutions are add- and spiritual needs of individuals and in society.
ing departments of rural service and are begin- 3. We must see the rural man or woman as a ning new rural experiments. Small groups of complete personality; we must see village life as Christians are answering calls of need from rural a whole. In the words of the Jerusalem declara- areas. Special types of training are given to those tion: "Man is a unity, and his spiritual life is preparing for rural service. In some countries indivisibly rooted in all his conditions, physical, governments are looking to Christian organiza- mental and social." The Christian Church should tions for special assistance. Agricultural missions reach men, women and children and seek to in- and the rural church are an essential part of the fluence them in all their family and social rela- world Christian movement. Christian individuals ti.ons. We want to make better citizens, citizens and groups must have a clear vision of aims, defi- of the community and of the nation, Christian nite guiding principles, a firm underlying phi- citizens. The various aspects of rural service losophy of Christian rural service, and a faith in must be integrated so that the whole life of the their cause, if the Christian Church is to make community is improved. Rural Christian leaders any distinctive contribution to the remaking of should see more clearly the relation between the village life in harmony with Christ's ideals in the many factors in rural betterment – health im- twentieth century. provement, higher standards of living, richer in- Ten guiding principles must be vital elements tellectual life, better community organization, the of this philosophy. These may stimulate thought development of stronger character and more un- among Christian rural workers, especially in the selfish leadership, and more vital Christian ex- lands of the younger churches. perience, because they see each person as a whole 1. We should be openly Christian. Christians and rural life as a whole. Our task is to arouse or groups of Christians engaging in rural service the desire and the will for a better life, and to should be openly and fearlessly Christian. As show the way to wholeness of life-in the Chris- Christians we have a distinctive faith and mission tian sense, salvation.
and our work should reveal a distinctive spirit of 4. We should attempt a limited program of high a fellowship and a unique power because of their quality. The program which a Christian group allegiance to Christ and His cause. We should not or a church in a rural community should attempt hesitate to express our Christian purpos.e, to seek will be determined by the leadership and member- opportunities for witnessing to our faith and ex- ship available; by the method of organization and perience, and to work unreservedly for the build- financial resources, by the opportunities presented ing up of a Christian fellowship in the community. for service, and by the faith and spirit of the 2. We should help to rr/,eet rural needs. The group. The aim should be to work intensively Christian gIloup should be seriously concerned rather than extensively. It is better to become with the needs of individuals, of families, and of intimately acquainted with one small rural com- • From a paper Issued by the Agricultural Missions Foundation, munity of fifty to a hundred villages and to do a Inc., 156 Fifth Avenue, New York. fruitful and lasting work than to spread in a [310 ] superficial way over many hundreds or thousands 7. We should make large use of local resources. of villages. Good, intensive work, done intelli- The ordinary Christian institution or group cangently and effectively, will be in the eD.d the best not command the financial resources which govkind of extensive work. We should aim at quality ernments and some non-official .agencies can comrather than quantity of service. We must resist mand. The Christian group must make large use the temptation to promote the kind of work that of local resources and develop local initiative and can be "shown off" to visitors.. We must see the leadership as much as possible. The village peovalue of little things well done and of unpreten- ple themselves must have a large and growing tious service with results that may not be imme- part in the working out of local programs. Any diately apparent but that are of lasting value. No help from outside should be used to stimulate and matter how limited the area of work or how simple encourage local planning and effort. Only thus the program, we should combine scientific knowl- can the rural church hope to become rooted in the edge, the best educational methods, and Christian rural community. devotion and sacrifice in realizing our aim of essentially good and permanent work. 8. We should cooperate as much as possible with other agencies and groups. Churches and all 5. We should go into the villages and live among Christian groups should cooperate in every way the people. Christian rural workers should con- possible with government and other agencies tinually go among the people and not wait for working for rural welfare, but must not sacrifice them to come to the workers and their institutions. or compromise their Christian faith and prin- Christian work in a rural community must be ciples. Following the inspiring example of Bishop deeply rooted in homes and village groups. The Grundtwig of Denmark, the Church should help central institution, service center or church build- the government to "revive the national spirit" by ing may be a me"eting place, training school or teaching Christian ideals of patriotism and by house of worship, but it should draw p€ople out building up the morale of the people. Where other of their homes and villages only to send them back organizations in the community are meeting a to serve and to transform their homes and their need, we may cooperate or support their work; communities. We must go "deep into the villages" where a vital need is not being met, we may help (to use the Chinese phrase); spend days and to arouse government attention or community innights in the villages, live among the rural people, terest and to organize the people to help themshare their joys and their sorrows, sacrifice and selves; frequently we may introduce outside agenendure with them. The ordinary rural worker cies and institutions for rural betterment to the will not do this, or he will attempt it for a short local community or bring groups in the commuperiod and then want to return to the more com- nity in touch with outside agencies which might fortable life of the market-town, the county seat assist them. We should do all in our power to deor the metropolitan center. The constant tempta- velop a community spirit, and community cooperation is to do rural work from an office or by occa- tion. At the same time, we must stand upon sional trips into the villages. Followers of Christ, Christian ground and never deny our Christian our Master, should be willing not only to go among purpose and principles. the rural people but to stay among them. If we can do this, we shall have an assured place in the 9. We should constantly stress the moral basis remaking of rural life. of rural reconstruction which is hindered by powerful forces of selfishness and greed. The 6. We should stress personal relationships and Christian group should be united and daring in small group organizations. What is the Chris- its opposition to all evils which it sees in individtian approach to the villages? First of all, through ual and community life. It should openly proclaim genuine friendship; then through unselfish forms Christian teachings in the face of any wrong and of service, and finally but exceedingly important, injustice even though such a stand may cost perthrough the organization of small, voluntary, co- secution and suffering. It should strive continoperating groups. These groups should aim to ually to strengthen and to organize effectively pubmeet some definite need of the group itself or of lic opinion and common effort against community community life. They should be self-helping and evils and against all forces in and out of the comself-directing from the beginning with such inti- munity which are hindering the fullest developmate and expert counsel and training from the ment of community life. It should preserve and outside as may be available. They' should not be strengthen the best traditions and customs in the mere formal organizations but should be warm villages and build upon the worthy spiritual elewith the spirit of friendship and should give a ments in the cultural inheritance of .the people. broader and deeper meaning to those p€rsonal re- It should call the rural communities to moral and lationships in family and social life which are spiritual life and ideals as well as to material adessential to the preservation of rural society. vance and, through the teaching and the power of
Christ, seek to regenerate as well as to recon- tribute something vital and unique to all the rural struct the lives of rural peoples. reconstruction in the community.
10. We should build up the church, which is the We look forward to the day when there will be permanent ex;pression of the Christian faith and in every rural community throughout the world a spirit in rural rebuilding. Hence we seek to bring strong rural Christian Church, deeply rooted in together in group worship, group study, group rural culture, serving community needs and transfellowship and group service, all Christians and forming community life, united in prayer and in all seekers. for Christian truth in the rural com- fellowsMp, teaching a real love of country and munity. The guiding, teaching and building up releasing the spiritual possibilities of the villages, of such a group becomes an essential task in Chris- indigenous but also vitally connected with the tian rural work. It is not enough to live and to Church of Christ-historic and universal. In a serve as Christians in rural communities; we fellowship of rural churches around the world, a must also find and win comrades in the Christian fellowship of Christian farmers and their famfaith and life and bind these together into a strong ilies, a brotherhood of men and women who are brotherhood. Ministers and lay workers must be helping to feed and to clothe the world and who found and trained to serve in such a church. A worship God and serve His Son, the Galilean Carchurch-centered program; broadly conceived and penter-Farmer, lies one of the greatest hopes of wisely carried out, will not divide the rural neigh- world peace. We must build up the rural church borhood but will help to unite it, and will con- in all lands, among ,all peoples.
The New Urgency in the Congo* -'I~I========~B~Y~R~E~V~.~M~O~TT==E==M~A~R~T~IN========~II~ DR. JOHN R. MOTT, after personal investi- ance of those thus studying our Bible is about gation, has declared that a dollar goes fur- 40,00.0 pupils! Hundreds and hundreds of our ther and accomplishes more in Africa than converts are coming out of these schools yearly, in any other field which he has visited-and he and as we wish to have a "self-supporting, selfhas visited them all! Of all the fields I know, governing, and self-propagating Church," this is. there is none more seriously menaced and which our hope for deacons and elders and pastors, for so urgently demands your sacrificial interest and all such must be intelligent and have clerical abilprayers as the Congo! ity to qualify.
The Southern Presbyterian mission during the The theological seminary at Mutoto is the first five years of this last decade (1928-1932) largest in the Southern Presbyterian Church, with received into the communion 9,455 carefully in- the snudents all married, thus giving the wives an structed and probation-tested converts-but dur- opportunity for special training, and through reing the last five years (1933-1937) received 19,205 quired plantations and gardens able to be largely communicants! Note the astounding rate of in- self-supporting. All must teach the village (or crease-and know that we have over 35,000 now "bush") schools; they must speak some French under preparation, already enrolled in the cate- to pass government inspection; they must know chumen clas·ses, also being tested. Open doors how to lead and instruct their congregations in wide open-thronged with needy supplicants beg- singing; they must be adepts as soul-winners; as ging to be taught! Over 2,000 preaching points well as able expositors of God's Holy Word. All daily trying to tell of the Way, the Truth and the applicants must have had their station (high Life – with yet hundreds of other villages and school) diploma of nine years schooling as a pregroups still on our waiting list begging and plead- requisite for entrance! ing for teachers. The mission:s medical work is also indispen- In addition to direct evangelistic work, we are sable, in that it breaks up inherited superstitions cooperating with the Colonial Government in their of the Voodoo and of animism; it continually wins nine-year educational program which permits us the loyalty of entire villages; and affords countto use. the Bible throughout. The average attend- less opportunities for personal soul-winning. The five hospitals have over 300,000 native visits • Reprinted from Th,e Chffi8tian 01/8eTWr.
THE NEW URGENCY IN THE CONGO
yearly; they perform hundreds of operations; if you had to care for large expansion and incare for all epidemics and scourges; besides car- creased needs? ing for over 2,000 lepers. The health of the missionaries and of our thousands of workers is de- Belgium has, launched a new educational propendent upon them and answered prayers; and gram for the Congo, which provides for nine years neither priest nor pauper ever calls upon them in of education, but sub.divided into three-year perivain. ods. For the first three-year period, the law looks forward to the establishing of little chapel-schools The mission is now attempting to minister to in every small community or tribal group, and the over 45,000 communicants, all of whom were not law further provides that any cult or confession, only received into the church after long instruc- whose teachers are qualified to teach the first tion and probation, but are statedly tested and three-year part of their curriculum, shall have the approved at each communion season, as to whether full protection of their laws; and furthermore, they are "doers of the doctrine." Using the old that the people of that group or village shall be Scotch "token" system, we give a ticket only to protected in their choice of such religious teacher. those whose lives are dedicated and obedient to Even previous to the promulgation of this law, Him. every station had scores and hundreds of such vil- lages on their "waiting lists," for whom we had "How then," you may ask with others, "can it no money in our budget nor prepared "preacherbe true that our mission is seriously menaced, as teachers" well enough trained for such positions. was stated in the opening paragraph of this letter?" The answer is that the mission is both The priests and nuns, who are now encountered under-staffed and under-financed! The average everywhere, have made the situation far more age of the present missionary group is past fifty, acute still, for on arriving in a village where no without any younger men being trained to take Protestant work is manifest, they call the village our places, and with an actual decrease in num- head men, demanding in the name of the law that bers. More pertinently, the mission has succeeded all the children be turned over to them for inand expanded, so that at least twenty more work- struction. The people, loyal to us whom they have ers are needed to maintain the previous degree of learned to love, protest that they are Protestants, efficiency. Among other extensions the mission and that they are looking to us 'and our Church has been forced to open up two more stations for instruction. So the priest departs, threaten- (there are seven now), thus withdrawing mis- ing that when he returns some weeks hence to find sionaries from already over-worked stations to that no Protestant teacher has been installed, he man the new ones. The scattered 'Tillage groups will establish his own school and chapel, or else which we control have increased from 1,100 indict the chief for lying and obstructing the (1928) to over 2,000 now, and we must visit and colonial Program by leaving his children uneducare for these regularly. Every department of cated. Alarmed, distressed, the chief and his peoour work has been enlarged, improved, extended, ple, scorning inconvenience or season, rush into increased in our attempt to hold our own; so that the mission station demanding the teacher for each missionary has far more tasks than either whom they have, awaited so long. Alas, and alas! his health, or the good of the work, can justify. Our little remnant of a budget has already been stretched beyond the breaking point, we can do As to financial support-the peril is even more nothing. So the priest enters, propaganda begins grave, but I trust not more hopeless! The facts against the heretic foreigners, gifts and school speak for themselves, for we have less than one- supplies are lavishly given, and even threats and half of our previous budget, and just a little more blows and unbelievable ruthlessness are employed than one-third. The actual figures in Belgian to prevent the people from visiting us or hearing francs, the currency of Congo, are as follows: the Gospel message. Before the depression the American Church gave us $65,212 which dropped to $25,000 during the Nevertheles,s, the people are remaining loyal to depression. Simultaneously, the exchange rate the Evangelical mission, and many are enduring fell from thirty-five and one-half francs per dollar great sacrifice and poverty and suffering in those to twenty and one-half francs, so that the actual places where we do not desert them. But in the amount in francs dropped from 2,315,026 francs rapidly growing number of those villages which before the depression to 512,500 francs-less than we cannot "occupy," the priests are locking and one-fourth of what we needed! This lowest figure barring the doors, against us and religious freehas been raised little by little until, with the ad- dom, so that in areas dominated by the priests for dition of two new stations, we now receive francs ten years, the children have even hooted the pass- 861,097 ($29,693 at 29 francs to the dollar). If ing missionary, an almost unheard of rudeness for your church budget, or your business, or house- the native Congolese. My conviction is that if keeping budget, were suddenly to be cut down to our Church does not awaken and soon, God will one-third, how would you get along, especially not hold open the doors another ten years.
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I Effective Ways of Working Tested Methods for Increasing Interest at Home EDITED BY MISS GRACE W. MCGAVRAN, 5718 OAK AVE•• INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA Do Personal Work with Christian teaching and fel- magazine is not suitable for a lowship those people have. With boy in reform school, is it suit- A state Communist leader once able on your own library table? came to talk to a group who at the pastor and his wife, go sevthe time included members of eral other members of a town *** the national staff of a Missions congregation to "help with the and Christian Education Board. singing," to give an increased In one of our smaller cities sense of fellowship, to make a lives a young woman with a love I remember clearly his state- hard trip easier. of music and ability as a direcment that a member of the party tor of singing. The paid music in good standing, working full There are services within leadership of her own church time at a job, was required to reach of most of us, where our leaves no room for her to use give four full evenings a week lJresence might mean the differ- that ability, but she does not find to Communist activities, meet- ence between success and failure. that any excuse for leaving her ings., propaganda, or other work Search out one such piece of talent unused. She found that for the party. Christian work and give an eve- a group of children in a mission ning a week to it. It will in- church in the same city were At the time it struck me that crease your worth to your own eager for a children's choir and if Christian church membershilp church. It will encourage your one evening a week finds her involved that, our active mem- worker-in-charge. It will carry busy training her sweet-voiced bership would hardly be worth forward the missionary task of group. Sunday evenings they counting. And yet-would it not your church. form the choir for the service of be a minority as effective in the church. Anyone who has its contagion as Communism? *** had much to do with a choir More so, because of its s.piritual knows the number of hours she life, light and reality! Over in Boston lives a mis- must put in outside of timesl of sionary woman, retired from In- actual contact with the children; There are people who are giv- dia.. She is hard of hearing and planning their work, choosing ing such service for Christ's music suitable for various occacause. If we note some of them, the possibilities of active service sions, solving problems. She is it may help suggest some ave- semed at an end. Yet she pluck- doing far more than training a nues of personal service for our- children's choir. She is leading selves – personal missionary ily undertook to learn to write a group of underprivileged chilservice. dren along a path of beauty; she Braille. With painstaking care is enlisting and developing their North of Sault Ste. Marie, On- she has worked at translating abilities fOir Christian service, tario, Canada, runs a gravelled she is giving them a warm, vital road due north. Twenty-five into the familiar Hindi of the contact with her own Christian miles out it ends. From there to field of her labors, stories being personali ty. Hudson Bay there is nothing. It used in Christian education. is still pioneer country up there. Then with meticulous care she There are children from coast The "bush," which has grown has pricked into the raised dots up after logging, is forest again the story or the Bible pass1age or to coast, from northern border and here and there iSi a little log to south, who are crying out for cabin. Small farms are being mess·age for the blind to read. cleared. Russian, Finn, French, Hindi Braille! Her days of serv- Christian leadership. Children English stnck-they are pushing ice over? Retired? She is open- in city, in village, in country and the wilderness back. Along that ing the eyes of the blind as mountains, needing a contact, if road every Thursday evening, only once a week, to guide their while the road is not blocked surely as she did in the days of activities along worthwhile lines with snow, there goes the cir- her medical service in India. and to give them definite contact cuit pasitor and his wife, to hold with Christian personality. You a service for all who will come There are services you can can render vital service if you to the tiny chapel in a little set- render in preparing materials are willing to give an evening or tlement. It is the only contact for use in mission fields at home two a week to it. and abroad. There is that ever- present implement-the needle. There is the hammer and the paint brush and the saw. There are books to be collected, maga- zines to be gathered for use in prisons. And by the way, if a [ 314 ]
EFFECTIVE WAYS OF WORKING
What, you say, has local To feed these children at the move out. The woman telling about it, said that she and her church work to do with mis- Center one nourishing lunch a family were utterly ashamed of belonging to a community which sions? Who said local church day, the churches of the county could do such a thing. She spoke very feelingly about the sense work? Whenever you step out -one church each week-under- of contrition which comes to one in the face of circumstances like of your own local church en- took to collect what was needed. that.
vironment, to go to the aid of a But at this point came a fail- First, let us rej oice in the growing number of people who group not able to provide its , ure which, to the visitor, seemed have a deep sense of shame and contrition at the possibility of own leadership, you are in a rather embittering. In spite of such action.
sense engaging in missionary ac- all the wealth and all the power- Second, let us see what we can do about it. There is a tivity. We have left too much ful modern automobiles owned deeper problem than that of bringing 'Public opinion to bear home missions work to the over- in those churches, not one per- upon the agent and the dwellers in that apartment house. The worked members of our home son could be found willing to de- editor of these pages was aching to ask in that conference, how missions s,taffs. Too many of liver thoee supplies to the Cen- many persons there pres,ent had ever entertained a Negro person us fail to see, that beyond our ter. After a week of exhausting as a guest in their homes.
financial support of home and work, heartbreaking in some of For after all, there lies the root of that particular trouble. foreign missions which provides its revelations, those three girls To entertain a Negro guest wa's such an unusual thing in that the continuity of work and had to collect and carry to the community that when an apart- ment house dweller attempted it, workers, we s,till owe the gift Center, unload and store away, she had to give up her apart- ment. The next step for all that is more difficult to make— all the food supplies for the fol- those who feel contrition, is to make the entertaining of Negro the gift of our own time and lowing week. guests such a common observ- ance in their neighborhood that talents in direct personal serv- Can you not imagine the it will cease to draw attention ice. When we render such serv- women of those churches saying and to cause unfavorable comice, we grow in understanding as too many of us say on similar ment. and in power. We speak with occasions, "We've collected the authority as we seek to enlist the things needed. It seems that There are few of us who can members of our local church in the least they can do is to come make our voices heard in breaka deep concern for the work of after them!" It would have been ing down racial prejudice. But the church at home and abroad. a little thing to those church peo- as has been the case since time began, What you do speaks Our cause is not to be com- ple, taking long drives to cool louder than what you say.
pared with the Communist cause. off in the hot summer evenings, Why not plan during this next year to take a person of an un- Shall we, then, give it a lesser to load the car and drive in the accepted racial minority in your community to at least one of devotion? direction of the Center. A heavy your miss,ionary meetings as a guest. That is one of the easiest Give Full Measure – burden they put upon those tired steps, for there at least you find workers by their failure to do so. some persons theoretically if Running Over! not in actual practice believing Many of us will be involved in in racial equality.
A visitor to a Christian Cen- projects of one sort and another, Why not have as a dinner ter' in Ohio, where children of collecting that which we would guest at least once, the most inmigrant onion – field workers share, and getting it to those teresting person of another race were being kept and cared for with whom it is to be shared. whom you can secure. Make it during the day, found three In planning such enterprises, a real occasion. Invite your let us remember that full meas- guest because of a common inyoung .women doing a tremen- ure – running over – involves terest, or because of some dous piece of work. Faced with finishing u~ the project our- accomplishment along lines inappalling need on every side they were reaching out to the selves" not leaving part of it to full limit of their time and weary workers who are glad to strength to bring health and have our gifts to distribute but Christian teaching – the touch whose joy would be the greater of it that was possible – to as to have full measure of help.
many children as they could in Creating Public Opinion the weeks during which the Cen- ter was maintained. At a recent conference on Children, utterly worn out missionary education in Chi- with the attempt to sleep on cago, one woman got up and told hard boards in bare shacks with about an experience a friend of no netting to keep out the hordes hers had. The friend, a lover of of mosquitoes, were put to bed music, had invited one of the under mosquito-netting on a mat most famous, singers of today, a in the grass, and were allowed Negro woman, to be her guest at to sleep as long as they would. dinner in her apartment in a Children suffering from the ail- northern city. The other occu- ments that come from lack of pants of the apartment house food, no milk, and few of the had combined to force the agent nutritive elements needed, were to refuse to re-lease her the served a hot lunch at noon. apartment. The friend had to
teresting to some member of for following an address. Can during the address, questions, your family, or because the one we do anything about it? small or great which occurred invited is a stranger in this We certainly can. In the first to them. These were collected country, or because you are' place we can recognize the fact at the close and given to the working together on a commit- that most subjects presented by speaker. As they were answered tee and want to spend the eve- most speakers do not stimulate by her, other questions began to ning working together. The discussion. Unless we are sure be hastily written and passed invitation must rise out of a real that discussion will be stimu- forward. The question period desire to have that person in the lated, we should not plan for it had to be brought forcibly to a midst of your family and must or announce it. It is often a lazy close. Another method is pribe a happy experience for all in- idea on our part, for by it we vately to ask several clear-thinkvolved. have avoided having to build up ers among the listeners to jot Why not have as your house the program in line with the down questions during the adguest at summer camp someone speaker's theme. First then, do dress or presentation, and to be of another race? Students in not plan for discussion unless ready to ask them. It stimulates this country might find that a you are sure it will be spon- attentive listening to do this and real experience. A boy inter- taneous and valuable. if the group is merely shy about ested in the same hobby as your In the second place, there is starting questions a number of son's might bring more than questions like this to begin with pleasure in doing things to- the subject or address or speaker often sets things off to a good gether. which should stimulate discus- start. Still another and very sion under ordinary circum- good way is to have, either in Why not help your young peo- stances. Plan for discussion in the preceding open meeting or in the officer's meeting a preple to take with them to summer that case and announce it. But discussion of the speaker's be alert. If the speaker fails to theme. Some definite things the conference as a member of their group would like to find out may own group, some young person stimulate discussion, if the ad- be determined and thus quesof another race or nation whose dress has a tone such that its tions prepared. Or for those own church will not be sending message will be lost if followed who read a great deal, stimua group and who would be lonely by discussion, if circumstances lating questions regarding the going just as an individual? prove such that the audience point of view of some author cannot enjoy spontaneous dis- who writes on the subject may It is through the doing of cussion, if the majority will not be proposed. Avoid like poison these things that you are really want discuss,ion although a few the trite and banal question. creating public opinion. To are eager for it, rise gracefully There is nothing sends a speaker make the desirable so common into a fatal "spin" more easny in actual experience that it will to the occasion with a statement than a question like, "Do they be "the thing to do," will be which reverses the proposed pro- eat with their fingers?" after more effective in creating a gram arrangement. For in- she has p,resented a picture of friendly world than any amount stance, "We had planned for dis- the terrific problems faced by of mere talking about it. cussion, but I think we all agree the women of India in emerging that we s,hould prefer to close on from centuries of ignorance, Best Use of Question Periods superstition and binding custom. the note Miss Jones has sounded. Third then, where discussion is Who has not been at some Some of us will want to talk to legitimately planned, decide defimeeting or other upon whose her further,' quite informally nitely on the way in which quesprogram appears "Address, by tions are to rise and make some So-and-So" followed immediately after our meeting." Or, "Miss suggestion as to the type of below by that fatal line, "Discus- Jones has answered in a remark- questions which will be helpful. sion." The pres,iding officer able way the questions we had Bring questions or discussions rises, bright-faced, and turning thought of asking. Suppose we to a prompt close when time is on her charm like a lamp, pro- just omit the discussion period up or when desire for further poses, "Now I am sure we all questioning seems about to lag. have many questions we want to and have an informal chat with It is a good principle in question ask Miss Jones." Dead silence. her after we close." Second, "I have one myself," seys the then, be alert to eliminate a dis- periods, as in recreation, to stop officer smiling. One wonders cussion or question period you how much of the period of the short just before people are address she spent in trying to had planned but which you come formulate it! Miss Jones an- to feel will not be wise or effec- ready to quit. swers it with enthusiasm. Dead silence again. tive. Question and discussion peri- The "Discussion" on this pro- In the third place, develop a ods rightly used are excellent. gram was a flat failure. It technique for drawing questions. An interdenominational confer- ence of children's w 0 r k e rs, where each was a stranger to the other, had a most lively question couldn't have been worse. Yet period. At the outset of the You can become more expert in that is exactly what happens presentation the group listening using them helpfully if you study ninety-nine times out of a hun- was asked to keep paper and the reasons for your success or dred when questions are called pencil in hand and to jot down failure and try again. BULLETIN Council of Women for Home Missions EDITED BY MISS EDITH E. LOWRY, 297 FOURTH AVENUE, NEW YORK, N. Y.
~,==================~ TAMBARAM SPEAKS FOR for action to an ecumenical con- that the pulse of the Christian ference, those delegates hold in Church is to be found in the HOME MISSIONS their hands the deciding votes throbbing life of its evangelistic By REV. HILDA L. IVES that can establish their inter- fervor. Here is the test of the The third International Mis- pretations of spiritual truth and reality of the Christian religion. sionary Council which met at that can express their spiritual Any church or any individual Tambaram, India, in December, ideals in Christ. I do not know Christian who lacks missionary 1938, made history. For the that there was any time at Tam- zeal is as a burnt-out coal on the first time in the record of ecu- baram when the colored dele- altar of the Living God, for a menical religious councils the gates as a whole were in opposi- transforming religious experimajority of the appointed dele- tion to the white delegates or ence brings the propulsive love gates were representatives of when the representatives of the and power of the Living Christ the colored races. To be exact, younger churches were in dis- and with this inflow of the Holy there were eight more colored agreement with the delegates of Spirit comes a sense of Divine delegates than there were white the older churches. But if acute Mission. In the words of the delegates. This fact has far- differences had existed, victory Tambaram findings, "There is a reaching implications for the was always possible for the sure indication that evangelism missionary cause. In the first younger churches. Such decid- is not due merely to the zeal of place, it means that the Chris- ing power will be increasingly Christian people, but rather is tian Church is now so deeply in the hands of the colored races the outcome of a Divine initiarooted throughout the world in the years to come. tive. The task can never be that it has taken on the sem- In the third place, this world- achieved wit h 0 u t :sacrifice. blance in color and in dignity of wide establishment of the Chris- Churches as well as individuals the family of nations as God tian Church means that the term are summoned to die unto themcreated them. God is an artist. "home missions" has new conno- selves and unto their own par- With the dawning of a new morn tations for all Christians. The ticular interests that the world He paints His skies with irrides- work of the Christian Church may be saved. Worship must cent hues. With the flaming can no longer be divided into lead to witness and spiritual rays of His dying sun, He sets "foreign missions" and "home growth to self-giving." These His heavens aglow with glorious missions," with the meaning words can well be a stimulus to color. Such a God would nat- that has existed in the past. the work of home missions.
urally create His children, His Every country now has its Tambaram laid an emphasis, family of nations, a colorful peo- strong indigenous C h r i s t ian as did the ecumenical conference ple. His Church is a colorful Church. Every country now has at Jerusalem, upon the strategic church, beautiful in the warm its home missions, consisting of importance of the Rural Church shades of brown, yellow, black all areas where Jesus Christ is in the stabilization of a chaotic an"d red, with enough white to not known. From the discus- world. This means, of course, make a perfect harmonious sions at Tambaram, it was the strategic importance of whole. This was shown to all brought out that all churches home missions in every nation.
Christian leaders who saw the are now considering the sending Tambaram emphasized the need Universal Church assembled in of Christian leaders to other of experts and specialists for all the beautiful new auditorium of lands as foreign missionaries. It the different phases of village the Madras Christian College at was suggested that India might life where human needs are the Tambaram. The Ecumenical well send from her Indian Chris- most pressing. This need was Church which represents Chris- tian Church foreign missionaries expressed in the findings in the tendom fairly in the future will to Africa, even as it was sug- following words, "Increasing the consist of inspired harmonious gested that America might con- fruitfulness of the land, raising leaders blended into a colorful sider the appointment of a fine the level of literacy and intelli- Negro Christian missionary to gence, providing wholesome unity of faith. In the second place, the pre- India. Such suggestions have recreation, turning slums to dominance of colored Christians tremendous import in the re- homes, rescuing people from meaus that at any time there is va1uation of the whole mission- financial exploitation or trying unanimity of opinion upon the ary cause. Tambaram asserted to prevent such sin, directing the r~solutions of findings presented again and again in its findings energies and the social instincts [317 J of youth into channels of whole- is right, who still feel the clasping sage of the mystic, Kahlil Gibsomeness and service-all these hands of love even when they go ran, but the period of directed are the blessed touch of the hand through pain and trial and loss, this prayer which followed its readof Christ when done by men and seed-spirit will spread, this nucleus ing was one of the high moments women filled with the love of will enlarge and create a society. of the conference. Christ and equipped with special knowledge for the task. . . . This excerpt from "Inner The commission group meet- Wherever possible the Church Life" by Rufus M. Jones ap- ings were held at Riverside should cooperate with govern- peared on the cover of the pro- Church, and in Hamilton and mental agencies contributing gram of the Metropolitan Chris- Business Halls at Columbia Uniher Christian spirit, her trained tian youth Conference held in versity. The unique feature of workers, her volunteer assist- New York City on March 3, 4, these commission groups was the ance and her deep interest to and 5, 1939. setting up of booths to resemble lift the level of the community's the World's Fair, called "The way of life." The committee of ten young World's Fair of Social Chal- people headed by the general lenges." In these booths were In conclusion, I would say that chairman, Mr. Oliver Powell of displayed the contributions of the message from Tambaram to the Metropolitan C h r i s t ian various racial groups and rehome missions is that home mis- Youth Council sought in their source materials on outstanding sions are thrilling opportunities arduous planning for this con- social questions. for service and for evangeliza- ference to spread this "seedtion within national boundaries. spirit" among the youth of the The subjects covered were: Foreign missions are the thrill- Metropolitan area. Their months Peace, Economic Problems, Race ing opportunities for service and of thoughtful, prayerful en- Relations, Jewish-Christian Refor evangelization within inter- deavor resulted in a well-bal- lations, Housing, Unemployment, national boundaries. Interest in anced program. both home and foreign missions Home and Marriage, Leisure will exist in the same person if The conference speakers were Time, Labor Problems and he is a true follower of the Mas- Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick, World Christianity. ter. Home missions gives a minister host to the delegates, Christian an opportunity for Rev. Abraham J. Muste of the Some dealt with personal relimore direct practical concern Labor Temple, Dr. John Suther- gion, as, for instance questions and service to needy parts of his land Bonnell, pastor of the Fifth such as these: own nation, for a more intimate Avenue Presbyterian Church, knowledge· of many groups of and Mr. Oliver Powell. Anyone Is religion personal or social, or is underprivileged people and for doubting that youth is inter- religion personal and social? a definite part in the develop- ested in a pulpit message need ment of a constructive, vital pro- only to have witnessed the rapt Can I save myself without saving gram for the building of the attention given these conference others? Kingdom of God. The needs of speakers to be convinced that the home mission fields, close at youth will give ear to a message Can I be religious and not go to hand and sacrificially met, can of worth. church? open the heart to the needs of far-distant lands. Home mis- One of the outstanding mo- What would happen if young peosions is a spiritual and necessary ments in the services of worship ple really believed in Jesus? preparation for foreign mis- was that in which the words of sions. "Such movements are "The Prophet" were read. Does God have a purpose for every the urge of the Spirit to the life? If so, does the individual have Church to fulfil its great com- And an old priest said, "Speak to a definite part to play in carrying out mission, relying not merely upon us of religion." And he said: "Have that purpose or does he just find for human resources, but upon the I spoken this day of aught else?" himself something to do in advancing power of God. . . . The Church's the purpose? message to the world is the Lord Is not religion all deeds and all re- Jesus Christ Himself in all His flections, and that which is neither These young people faced honmanifold grace and power." deed nor reflection, but a wonder and estly and frankly these and many surprise ever springing in the soul, other problems. that confront YOUTHFUL BUILDERS even while the hands hew the stone youth today. or tend the loom? OF THE KINGDOM Naturally there was a diver- Who can separate his faith from sity of opinion, and both con- The Seed his actions, or his belief from his oc- servative and progressive poi~ts cupation? of view were presented. Our It was Jesus' faith that, if you get young people live in a world in into the world a seed of the Kingdom, Who can spread his hours before which they themselves must a nucleus of persons who exhibit the him, saying, "This for God and this choose what they shall believe blessed life, who are dedicated to ex- for myself; this for my soul, and this concerning the essential facts of panding goodness, who rely implicitly for my body? . . ." life and only as they think for on love and sympathy, who try in themselves can they grow into meek patience the slow method that He to whom worshipping is a win- men and women of principle and dow to open but also to shut, has not stable Christian character. yet visited the house of his soul whose windows are from dawn to dawn. Earnestness of purpose and youthful enthusiasms character- Your daily life is your temple and ized all sessions of this gather- your religion. ing of youth and one could not but feel that these youthful Whenever you enter into it take builders of God's Kingdom had with you your all. come a little nearer Christ's dream for the world Space does not permit a full quotation of this beautiful mes-
A Story for the
KEEP OFF THE GRASS Norman and the policeman the boys all laughed and told him turned round to look ata young to forget it. They said that all By VIOLET WOOD man who had come over to them. reporters were crazy. As the long summer days passed, Nor- Norman was burning up. His "And who may you be?" bel- man still dreamed of sailing in a clothes stuck to him. It was the lowed the policeman. boat up and down the Hudson hottest day of 1875. None of River. the gang were around for they "George H. Williams of the had all gone s.wimming in the New York Times." One afternoon he was sitting East River where his mother on the curbstone outside of his wouldn't let him go. "A smart alec reporter, huh?" tenement under the shade of the "Look here, officer, I don't in- elevated trains when he noticed All along the road, carts and tend to get into a brawl. I'd a man evidently looking for horses were tied to hitching just like to ask you a civil ques- someone as he consulted the posts or were moving fretfully tion. How many times a day do house numbers. The boy's heart through the narrow city streets. you kick little boys like this one skipped a beat. It was Mr. Wil- Up on the fire escapes of out of the city parks?" liams. Norman rushed over to crowded tenement blocks babies The policeman pushed back greet the reporter. He was so lay in cradles made out of old his hat, the better to see the re- excited he scarcely heard right. orange boxes. Many of them porter. What he saw evidently He was to have a gang of boys cried incessantly. pleased him for he changed his at Battery Marsh on Sat.urday. surly tone. "More than I care Norman felt like crying, too. to think of, young fellow. I Saturday came too slowly, but He had never disobeyed his know that there's no place for then Norman, his friends and mother, but the impulse to go these kids in New York City to hundreds of newspaper boys with the gang was strong. He play but in the gutters. But from all over New York City had only a vague idea where the what can I do? If I let this kid went sailing on the ferry boat. East River was. Street after stay here, tomorrow there'd be Best of all, was the news that street he crossed in the blazing hundreds tramping around here for the rest of the summer they sun, with the horses and car- and what would become of the could spend the long, hot days riages ambling in every direc- park?" on the boat. tion. After much walking he came to a park. The cool, green Mr. Williams turned to Nor- Mr. Williams had told Norgrass stretched all around. The man who had been crouched man's story in the newspaper, as sight of it thrilled him. Al- down between the. two men, well as that of other little boys though it was carefully foot wondering whether he should whom he had seen compelled to wired and bore signs warning, run or stay. "How would you "Keep off the grass." People "Keep off the grass," Norman like to spend some of your sum- had sent in money to hire a ferry jumped the small fence, picked boat to take the children sailing out a choice spot beneath a mer days on a ferry boat, sailing every morning and bring them shady maple tree and lay down. up and down the H u d son back at night. The idea seemed River?" so wonderful that one of the big The lovely tree swayed, caus- New York churches took it up ing a slight breeze and making Norman looked at the re- and for many years made this the sunlight fall in patterns porter. "You're making fun of one of their home missionary upon him. He lay thinking, "I'm me, mister. I ain't never been tasks. going to bring mama and papa on a boat in my life." and the baby here." Reverently Making Use of This Story he felt the grass. Although "No," said the reporter, "I'm parched and dry, it was delight- not kidding you." He whipped "Keep off the grass" is the fully cool to the hands of this out a notebook. "What's your true story of the beginning of little boy who knew the feel of name? Where do you live?" He The Floating Hospital of St. cement sidewalks better. John's Guild that still carries on wrote down what Norman halt- the work. "Come on, get up out of ingly told him. there!" Many children have no idea as "Who do you think you are, a to what "home missions" are. Norman started up, his heart See how many aspects of work beating wildly as he looked at a millionaire? Getting ferry boats among underprivileged children policeman towering above him. for kids-don't make me laugh!" in metropolitan and rural sec- tions the child knows. Tell of "Get a move on, you !" The policeman swung his stick. your denomination's work in Norman was too frightened to "Just watch the pages of the various fields. move. "Why don't you pick on some- New York Times, brother," anbody your size, brother?" Both swered the reporter. To Nor- man he s.aid, "And you, sonny, I'll be round to see you real soon."
When Norman got home, and told his adventure to the gang, [319 ]
World–wide
A Missionary Newspaper of Current Events EDITED BY MRS. HENRIETTA H. FERGUSON, XENIA, OHIO "
~~~~=====================================================================~ NORTH AMERICA life; the Church and marriage. five cents each for bricks in the Family participation in commu- edifice. The upper part was paid One Hundred Year Split Ended nity activities. Education for for by royalties on the Moody- world citizenship. Old age and Sankey song books sold in Great The three great divisions of its place in family life. Britain-money which the evan- Methodism are closing the books gelists would not accept for their on more than a century of schism It is a common mistake to as- personal use. The ministry of to form the largest Protestant sume that Christian education is this good-will gift has extended group in the United States. The for children only. The whole over more than seventy years. union will give the Methodist work cannot be done by the When the Chicago Avenue Church nearly 8,000,000 mem- Church School, so that a pro- Church organization moved one bers, 50,0'0'0 churches and $800,- gram must be developed which mile to the north, the Moody 0'0'0,0'0'0 worth of property. The will include men and women, as Bible Institute purchased the old Articles of Religion will be those well as the youth. An adequate building and has since used it historically held in common by program is necessary in order for classes and conferences. the three uniting bodies. Two to make the Church ineffective. differences had led to the split: Another Survey on Beliefs theNegro question divided North -The Church in Action. and South in 1844, and lay rep- The ·Survey Gra.phic for April resentation in church affairs in Bibles from the Dumps published the results of a study 1828. made by Prof. James H. Leuba Not all hotel managers like to of Bryn Mawr, in which he The publishing interests of the have Bibles in their rooms. For sought to find out the proportion unified Methodist Church are to example, when a hotel in western of Americans who believe in God be under a Board of Publication, Canada changed ownership the and a future life. Sixty-four per which replaces the book commit- new proprietor had all the Gid- cent of the prominent bankers tee of the Southern church and eon Bibles thrown out on the believe in God, but only half the board of the Northern. dump. Later, a poor girl went that many writers do. Figures to the dump hoping to find SOme- for a belief in immortality were One weekly paper, with re- thing of value that she could sell. somewhat higher than for a begional editions, to be called The Noticing the books, she picked lief in God. About 25 per cent Methodist, will serve the entire up one and took it home. had not made up their minds Church. Editors will be drawn Through reading it she found about immortality while only 7 from the staffs of papers which Christ, and this led to the forma- per cent were undecided about the new publication displaces. tion of a Sunday school class, the existence of God. Among whose members also went to the men of science the proportions Church Education dump and provided themselves of doubters in immortality was with Bibles, so that not one copy also much greater than that of The 19th Social Work Confer- was left unappropriated. doubters in the existence of God. ence of the Episcopal Church, which meets in Buffalo, June 16 -So S. Times. -The Churchman. and 17, will have a wider appeal than in the past. It is to be a Moody Auditorium Replaced Home Missions' Outreach conference for all who are interested in education, as is evident The historic Moody Bible In- Dr. Antonio Mangano, an from the list of topics to be dis- stitute Church in Chicago was Italian Baptist min i s t e r in cussed: Family life and its ma- closed on May 6 on account of Brooklyn, makes this comment terial foundations; its legal and the widening of the street on on home missions: "Soon after social status; its spiritual pat- which it opens. This landmark, evangelical churches commenced terns. Youth problems; youth scarred by use and age, has been work among Italians in Amerconsultation service; youth's in- replaced by its successor one ica, the effects were seen in Italy. terest in social education and block to the north, called the The first missionary pastors social action. Preparation for "Torrey-Gray Auditorium." Fol- were converts who came from family life; mental hygiene of lowing the great fire of 1871 the Italy, but by their labors Amerinfancy and childhood; adoles- first story of the old structure ica soon began to repay Italy. cence and education for family was erected, thousands of Sun- day school children contributing [320 ] Here and there an Italian con- mountains supplied the idea for posed for the year 1939-40 in the verted in America returned to an experiment, and in 1934 an booklet "A Venture of Faith," Italy and did not hide his light Emergency Relief Administrator recently published by the Naunder a bushel, but faithfully with a vision collected a stack of tional Committee for Religion proclaimed his new-found faith old, nondescript books, maga- and Welfare Recovery. Among zines, and pamphlets, the latter the objectives are: in Jesus as his Saviour. Some- dealing mostly with religious times these humble messengers topics, hired an enthusiastic To educate the American public in were ostracized and persecuted young mountain woman, who the underlying principles of stewarduntil they returned to America. owned a white mule of dubious ship through conventions, regional In other places their townspeople age and a pair of saddlebags. conferences, national magazines, the listened, first with curiosity to With these bags crammed with daily press, motion pictures, radio and the American religion, and later miscellaneous literature, through other educational media. with such interest. that many creek bottoms, cane patches, and were converted. A peasant of over abandoned trails she rode, To broaden the base of giving by Calitri was converted anhe Bap- stopping at every mountain enlisting as nearly as practicable, tist mission in Hartford, Con- home to urge all who could read "every citizen as a steward of life and necticut, and became an earnest to read what she was giving property for the welfare of mankind." Christian. When he returned to them. Often she read aloud to his family in the little hilltown whole families, most of whom To develop more business-like methof southern Italy, he labored were illiterate. ods of systematic giving, proportiontirelessly to bring his townsmen ate to incomes. to Christ, with the result that a The Kentucky mountaineers grasped and clung to this pack To lift the present level of giving church was formed with a mem- horse service, which grew at from 2.033 per cent to the unprecebership of 50 which has since such a rate that today it is en- dented figure of 3 per cent of income, grown to several hundred." tirely out of hand-through lack and as far as practicable toward the of books. One by one, pack- biblical tithe and the 15 per cent -Watchman-Examiner. horse library carriers were which the government exempts from added, until, at the present time, income tax if given privately for pub- First Spanish Baptist Church, women ride horseback and walk lic welfare. New York City an average of 26,182 miles monthly to deliver 39,293 books To educate the public on the im- There were about twenty chil- to 36,293 Kentucky mountain portance of "Mbre and Better Wills," families anxious to learn, and to including annual review of wills with dren present, most of whom had know the doings. of the world due consideration of our personal in- outside. These libraries extend debtedness to religious, educational, never prayed in public before. over certain backwoods regions character-building and welfare insti- of thirty-one counties. tutions. We had a worship service, and The Federal Government pays To seek the religious, social and then I told them why we were the carriers – all from relief moral welfare of the donor as more rolls – a small wage. .once a important than the material value of assembled and asked all who week they hold conferences at the dollar. their centers, clip continued wished to lead in prayer to do so. stories from old magazines and In the Indian Field bind them into a unit; and fas- The children ranged in age from ten Sunday school lesson papers A glance at the year's work in cardboard covers, with a reli- among the Indians indicates 5-14 years. All those present led gious picture on the outside. progress both in extending evangelization and in strengthin prayer, and for so many it The "bookwomen," however, ening the groups of converts in are not without rebuff. One was forty-seven different t rib e s. was the first time in their lives, met on a mountain side by an There has been an increase in irate father who said he "wanted the number of accessions on proand so I was immensely proud no more sech goin's on." Said fession of faith. However, there he: "I cain't get my gal to do have been obstacles to Christianof them. There was no waiting nothin' but read. My cornfield izing efforts, such as violations needs hoein'''; and he declared of the law against the sale and because one little boy led in angrily, "sittin' in a corner with use of liquor; converts who have her nose in a book h'aint gonna earnestly tried to withstand prayer every time no one else get them weeds out!" temptation have been enticed by unscrupulous white men engaged spoke up. He is seven years of -Bible Society Record. in the traffic. Among the Sioux Indians, sales of peyote, unreage, and I was surprised at his Stewardship Promotion Plan stricted by the government, have been promoted. A bill introreligious experience. He came A nation-wide program of duced in Congress to prohibit stewardship education is pro- the traffic of this drug among very near crying many times the Indians was not reported out of the committee because of the while he led in the five prayers influences which were mar- shalled against it. he offered that day, one of them In certain reservations, Inbeing of about twenty minutes' dians have been encouraged to revive their ancient culturesduration. He wanted to pray so-called – which involve pagan for everyone he knew, because it was the Day of Prayer. He prayed for grandmothers and asked a blessing on all the bad people and the gang of boys who beat him up. -Selected.
Pack Horse Library Just what is a pack horse library? An expressed wish for reading material in the Kentucky
practices. The encouraging fact farmers; but Palmer Church says Dr. Johnson, are not antiis that many of the Indians are also serves the coal miners to Semitic. opposed to the return of these the north, the many gold miners primitive rites. It should be high in the mountains and iso- Palestine at the "Golden Gate" recorded that recently the gov- lated communities along the railernment has issued an order road, including the Eklutna Vo- An interesting exhibit at the prohibiting Indian dances for cational School to the south and San Francisco World's Fair is a commercial ends. All the Chris- fishing stations on Cook Inlet. "Holy Land Garden," containing tian, and most of the progressive more than a hundred trees, Indians are in hearty accord "The Vanishing Indian" shrubs and plants mentioned in with this order. the Bible: olives from Mount This common phrase does not Olivet, Lebanon and Galilee; -Presbyterian Board of hold up under scrutiny. When date palms, acacias, plane trees National Missions. the Pima Indians held their an- and pomegranates-the Eastern nual camp meeting in Arizona, symbol of life and fertility. Mexicans in Texas fifteen acres of desert were cov- There will be almonds, fig trees ered with wagons, horses, tents, and "bitter herbs," the latter Evangelization of the Mexi- and hundreds of children, young mentioned to Moses (Exodus cans in Texas is important be- people and white-haired Indians, 12: 8) in connection with the cause there are almost a million assembled for one of the largest Passover. Fragrant, pungent, of them who are ignorant of the evangelistic meetings ever held spicy plants with Biblical back- Gospel. Southern Baptists are by Indians. There was contin- ground will be here – hys,sop, grappling with the problem, and uous activity from sunrise until thy m e, rosemary, lavender, have marked out two lines of ten at night. Choirs from a anise, cummin, rue, cassia, musapproach, the first being evange- dozen villages, in training for tard, leeks, onions, garlic. The lism. To this end, six evangelis- months, took part in services carob, which is identified as "the tic conferences were held in Jan- conducted by Indian ministers. husks that the swine did eat," uary and February in various will also find place in the Garden. parts of the state. The second -Monday Morning. will he emphasis on stewardship Barley, wheat, flax and riceand tithing; teaching the funda- Anti-Semitism in U. S. the papyrus antiquorum, or bulmentals on which any Christian rush, that sheltered Moses in his forward movement must be built. Dr. Alvin Johnson, director of watery cradle, the arundo donax, the New School for Social Re- "the measuring reed" of Holy Efforts will be made also to search, New York City, confirms Writ, camphire, coriander, lilies, have an every-member canvass the estimate that there are 800 myrtle, and finally Christ's in every Mexican church early distinctly anti-Jewish organiza- Thorn (Paliurus aculeatus), and in the year. Goals will be sug- tions in the United States, claim- many another growing thing gested as a minimum for each ing 6,000,000 adherents. Some with definite line of identificachurch. The First Mexican Bap- of these organizations are na- tion back to Biblical times and tist Church of San Antonio has tionwide in their operation, some scenes, will be installed on voted a 33113% increase in their are regional; a few require pay- Treasure Island. budget for the present year, and ment of dues, and sell antiplans to make missions a definite Semitic literature. The most im- Interpretations will be given part of its program. portant are: the Silver Shirts, of the ancient uses of the plants Defenders of the Christian in the Garden. -SouthernBaptist Home Faith, Industrial Defense Asso- Missions. ciation, American Nationalist -Sunday School Times. Confederation, James True As- A Growing Parish sociates, Knights of the White The Gospel at Golden Gate Camellia, and the German- Exposition Not much has been heard re- American Bund. cently of the government's Ma- The Christian Business Men's tanuska Valley proj ect, but Dr. Johnson classifies their Committee of San Francisco has Monday Morning reports that propaganda appeal something planned an aggressive soul-savthe federated church at Palmer like this: for the average tim- ing program for the World's (in this valley) now has its own orous person, identification of Fair. Eight thousand square building, a membership of nearly Jews with "Reds"; for the so- feet of outside space in a choice, 75 and an average Sunday school ciety dame, the fake letter of central location has been purattendance of 112. This church, Franklin; for the anti-New chased, and an auditorium seatunder Rev. Bert Bingle, has Dealer, list of government jobs ing 250 people has been erected. withstood a number of reverses held by Jews; and for the small In addition to services in the in its three years of existence. business man, assertion that cor- auditorium, thousands of Bible porations are controlled by portions and tracts are being dis- Since the construction men Jews; nothing for the parlor tributed. and clerical forces required in anti-Semitic who hates the Jew the beginning have now with- on his own. Women, as a rule, Tom M. Olson, a well-known drawn, the church membership Bible teacher and personal is made up almost entirely of worker with wide exposition ex- perience, has been procured as
OUR WORLD-WIDE OUTLOOK
the manager of the project. request of the wife of an un- converts in the ocean at Port-de- "Sermons from Science" will be faithful drifter; another woman Paix. A member of the Mission presented by Irwin A. Moon, who had lost her son asked for a writes that it was necessary to who has had an unusual minis- sermon on death. The church is call three meetings in one week try for Christ during the past always filled to capacity. recently, to examine individually few years. His messages and fifty candidates for baptism. Not equipment will captivate and Mr. Pagan takes great pleas- only the testimony of the conarouse the curiosity of the un- verts was heard, but that of saved. Three messages daily He ure in the church organ, which their neighbors who knew at present the first century Gospel first hand about· their changed to this twentieth century. he practically built himself. life. Twenty-two of these con- would appreciate having victrola verts came from a distant part Tithe Reindeer and Walrus? records of religious music. of the Island. They traveled all night, some on donkeys and some Rev. Fred Klerekoper, a Pres- Unappropriated Ouba on foot. One was a well-known byterian missionary to the Eski- witch doctor, who, soon after his mos at Point Barrow, Alaska, In northeast Cuba is a tract of conversion, presented the Mishas not as yet reached a solution sion with a piece of ground in of this problem, but the church some 13,000 acres, known as his village on which to build a members of that community chapel. His wife and daughter (which includes almost all the Realengo 18, meaning "unap- were baptized with him. natives) have all agreed to tithe for the support of their church. propriated." This area which Women's Service League- There is almost no cash at all in Ohile the community. When an Es- includes both mountains and valkimo wants a sack of flour or a Manana (tomorrow will do) pound of coffee, he takes a fox leys is inhabited by 2,500 fam- may be the motto of some Latin or a polar bear skin from his re- Americans, but this does not go serve and makes for the trading ilies, very industrious folk in for the evangelical women of post. He does not receive cash. Valparaiso, Chile, who have or- When there is a surplus after he spite of their uncertainty of ganized a "League for Service." has completed his purchases, he Not only do they work in groups, is given credit on paper. tenure. In 1934, the Gospel knitting or sewing for the poor; they visit jails, orphanages, So, if an Eskimo has a walrus reached the southern part of asylums, hospitals and homesand ten seals, what will be his Realengo 18 through Senora del in fact few chances are lost to gift? What could the church do be of service somewhere. One with the meat? The community Valle; and another sec t ion member took into her own home reindeer herd contains some the small child of a woman who 12,000 of the animals, and how heard the Good News through must go to the hospital; another could one manage to use 1,200 prevented the marriage of a girl reindeer? some Haitian Christians harvest- of 14 to an old man; others clear up homes too filthy to live in, -Presbyterian News. ing coffee there. One of the first take sick children to the public health clinic, and teach mothers LATIN AMERIOA converts was a peddler of pins, the rudiments of health and sanitation. Radio Sermons in Puerto Rico who goes about and at each Good News from Brazil Radio station WPRA in Maya- house leaves a copy of one of the guez, P. R., has granted its fa- An interesting and heartening cilities for one hour every Sun- Gospels. This man has held piece of news, coming through day to Rev. Antonio Pagan, pas- the evangelical papers of Brazil, tor of one of the Presbyterian preaching services in many of says that in Ceara, the leading churches in the city. Results state in the north of Brazil, have been far-reaching. The the homes of the district. Few reading of the Gospels has been Sunday sermon is heard in Cen- adopted for public schools. tral, South and North America, families of Realengo 18 are with- Christians everywhere, knowing as well as in the Island. Mr. what ignorance of the Bible has Pagan does not claim to be a out at least a portion of the prevailed in Brazil, will share good preacher, "but," says he, the joy felt in evangelical circles "I receive many letters every Bible and many have accepted of that country. The editor of week thanking me for the ser- the Expositor Cristiio, official mon." Many of these sermons Christ. There are now three Methodist organ, writes: "This are prepared especially for those marks a gigantic stride in the who write of their spiritual regular preaching places and needs. A sermon on "Put· Your House in Order" answered the one Sunday school. In March last year, the believers started a fund for a church, school and parsonage. The first offering amounted to more than $60. A friend of the work in Homer, New York, added $60 and a house was, purchased.
The peddler preacher made his rounds on a horse, and when it died the group of Christians raised a fund to buy another.
They have a vision of one day being. able to support their preacher, so that he can devote all his time to the work of the church. They also have another idea; Friday has been selected as "missionary day," when every Christian is expected to call on some one not yet a be- liever. -Missions.
Oonverts in Haiti The Haitian Gospel Mission reports the baptism of forty-six
path of the re-Christianization standing in a new and rapidly Conference of Evangelical developing central business secof Brazil." Students tion of Rio de Janeiro. Cambridge University, more Bible Sunday in Brazil The Church in Colombia than any other in England, has been associated with evangelical Half a century ago Bible Sun- . day, as it is known today, had The establishment of a "self- movements and tradition. It is not been instituted. H. C. supporting, self-governing, self- therefore appropriate that the Tucker, writing in the World propagating" church in Colom- International Conference of Outlook, traces the development bia is a slow process, for poverty Evangelical Students should be of Bible distribution in Brazil and ignorance abound and con- held there (June 2:7 to July 3). during the past fifty years. The verts often face bitter persecu- It was there that Erasmus inpopulation in 1888 was approxi- tion. However, the beginnings troduced the study of the Greek mately 15,000,000, of which 85 oE an indigenous church are evi- Testament to those who became per cent were illiterate. There dent. leaders and'martyrs in the Engwere only a few miles of rail- Some years ago a land owner lish Revr:>lution, Latimer, Ridley road, travel and communication in the interior heard the Gospel and Cranmer. It includes among being by mule, oxcart, canoe and and accepted Christ. Through its alumni Oliver Cromwell and on foot. Brazilians not only had his testimony, and faithful ef- John Milton. no Bibles, but were told that the forts of missionaries, not to say Speakers at this conference Bible was not a book for the hardship and sacrifice, a group will come from several parts of common people. Many priests of beUevers was organized in Europe. The general theme will did not possess copies in Portu- 1935 and a board of five men be "Christ, Our Freedom." It is guese, some not even in Latin. placed in charge. A recent visi- open to undergraduate and post- But on Bible Sunday, 1938, tor to the district was impressed graduate students, and univerthe population of Brazil stood at by what he saw. Alone, or two- sity faculty members. 47,000,000 and illiteracy had by-two, these Christians go out been reduced by one – third. to preach Christ, while those at One Thousandth Anniversary home look after their small Means of communication had farms. The church has twice The Mis s ion Field, the been greatly extended; even air been enlarged, but even so there monthly magazine of the Society lines connect centers in many is not room for all who wish to directions. Educational facili- attend. Another group has been for the Propagation of the Gosties, cultural influences and organized a day's journey away, pel in Foreign Parts issued in measures of health and hygiene and nine have been baptized. April, 1939, its 1,000th number are spreading out into rural Schools have been opened in of this excellent magazine. The areas. During the half century, both places, with native teachers' first number was issued eighty- and young men and women are two years ago and it has since the American Bible Society re- being prepared for the Bible Inports the annual distribution of stitute, and later for service. been making known the needs of Bibles, Testaments and Scrip- people of non-Christian lands for ture portions has increased from EUROPE 7,286 to 221,034 copies, while the Gospel and the progress the British and Foreign Bible Youth Movement in England made especially through the Society report a similar increase. work of the S. P. G. The peri- Probably not less than 8,000,000 Young people and their inter- odical was begun by Earnest ests are coming to the front in copies of the Bible have been Great Britain. This was mani- Hawkins in 1856 but the Society placed in the hands of Brazilians fest in the Youth Assembly in was organized in 1701 and the in the half century. This would London early in the year. The 239th anniversary was celebe about one copy to every six Methodist Youth Service Council brated in Londo'n this year. Its people. is not only taking part in the work is being carried on in public inquiry as to youth condi- Japan, Korea, China, British It is significant that Bible tions, but has had a special in- Malaya, Siam, India, Burma, Sunday, 1938, records a marked Australasia, Africa, Central and change in the Roman Catholic attitude toward the popular use South America, the West Indies, Canada and Europe.
of the Bible, particularly the terest in the First National Par- England Bans Stage Profanity New Testament. At least four liament of Youth, held March attempts with ecclesiastical ap- 24-27, a parliament composed of A play that was shown 168 proval have been made in recent fourteen national youth or- times in New York was not alyears by priests of this church ganizations. lowed to finish the first perform- to translate, popularize and stim- Among the supporters of the ance in Chester, England, on ulate interest in the reading of Youth M 0 v e men t in Great account of its profanity. The the Gospels. and the entire New Britain are the Archbishop of theater manager rang the cur- Testament. An increasing vol- Canterbury, the Archbishop of tain down in the middle of the ume of the Scriptures and Bib- York, the President of the Meth- first act, and the orchestra lical literature is going out from odist Conference and other struck up "God Save the King."
the nine-story Bible H 0 use, leaders. Actors and producers were
OUR WORLD-WIDE OUTLOOK
called before the constable to an- tains that he is bound to preach ers, in very simple words, try swer the charge of allowing such and declare that a man is saved to persuade the reader to buy, profanity on the stage. by the blood of Jesus Christ and and read aNew Testament or not by Aryan blood, that the ex- Bible. Posters were also sold for On the same day on which this clusion of converted Jews from distribution in Tunisia, Belgium, incident occurred a court in the full privileges of Christian Switzerland, Great Britain and Montreal, Canada, sentenced the life is unchristian, that the Canada. author of a play called "The Church of Christ must be ruled Deluge" to two months' im- by God's Word alone, and not by In answer to prayer, permisprisonment and a fine of $250 the government, that the denial sion was given to open a stall at on a charge of blasphemous libel, of justice is the mark of an un- a market for second-hand things, because the play "offended God christian state, that political realistically called "The Flea and religion." One actor was movements cannot be regarded Market." Astonishment was also sentenced to serve time in as Divine revelations nor their plain on the faces of passers-by, jail, while six others received leaders be venerated as mes- one of whom exclaimed: "What! suspended sentences. sengers of God. Such books at the Flea Market!" Two young business men devote -World Outlook. Jews in Warsaw their only leisure half day on Saturday to sell the books. On Scandinavian Teachers For several years the Church one Saturday they sold 44 Tes- Abjure War Mission to the Jews in Warsaw taments in eleven languages. has held evening classes in the More than 130 representatives English language, which brings No More Jewish Converts of Danish, Swedish, Norwegian numbers of the younger element and Finnish teachers' organiza- of Polish Jewry to the Mission The Evangelical Church of tions, assembled for a conference House. Thuringia is one of those most in Finland, have adapted a state- completely under Nazi domment on war which makes scant Attendance during the past inance. This church has recently compromise with the trend to- winter has greatly increased, issued an order by which bapward increased armaments for and if premises and staff could tized Jews can no longer be defense. These teachers say: be enlarged would be still members of the regional church; "In line with the growing war greater. These classes serve as and by which the ministrations psychosis there is observable a means of breaking down the of the church can no longer be also in Scandinavian countries age-long prejudice of Jew s rendered to them. Since this an effort to adapt the schools to against Christianity in general order was issued, the example of the system of military defense. and missionaries in particular. the Church of Thuringia is be- We consider all such actions, The classes are uncompromis- ing followed by the regional whether involving outright mili- ingly evangelistic, yet this fact churches of Saxony, Mecklentary training, or education and does not diminish the attend- burg and Anhalt. In complying preparation for the defense of ance. Once a week the gather- with these new laws, the the population, as tending to be- ing combines evangelistic and churches mentioned have given cloud the spiritual life of the social activities; and while per- up the right to make converts, to child, and to counteract the spirit haps forty will occupy them- Christianity. -Kulturkampf. of confidence in the love of hu- selves with the games and manity that the school endeavors reading matter, a hundred or so Russian Bible Fund to inculcate in the young. We will listen to the Christian adare obliged, therefore, to regis- dress, lasting about an hour. About ten years ago, the Soter our determined opposition to Willingness to listen does not viet Government gave permissuch a violation of the school's imply acceptance of the Gospel, sion to a group of Russian Chrisrights – irrespective of the ex- but does indicate open-minded- tians to publish 50,000 Bibles ceptional difficulties of the times ness. About twenty young Jews and 50,000 New Testaments. An -to carryon its educational ac- are sufficiently interested in the appeal was sent out for funds, a tivity in accordance with its own Bible to meet every week to committee of Christian leaders aims, which are to develop hu- study it, both the Old and New was organized and contributions man beings sensitive to life's Testament. began to come in. Soon 5,000 highest values and prepared to New Testaments were published promote the development of con- The P. T. L. in Paris and distributed; the printing of cord and good-will in the world." 25,000 complete Bibles got under French workers of the Pocket way. Then the Soviet authori- Pastor Niemoller Testament League, not sure how ties discovered what those 5,000 long they may be free to spread Testaments were doing. Imme- Revelation claims to be the the Word of God, have placed diately they stopped the printing first to publish the real reason more than 1,200 posters. on Paris of the 25,000 Bibles and canfor the imprisonment of Pastor walls, near everyone of the 38 celled the permission previously Niemoller, despite the fact that Parisian cemeteries, and in 72' granted. the court declared him innocent. villages and towns. These post- NiemOller still steadfastly main- Although the collection of
funds had to cease, there was, found a job as sweeper and were busy far into. the night exhowever, a balance of $7,000 in cleaner, and after a few months the bank. The Committee then was employed as a nurse in the amining those who sought bapdecided, since there are millions men's ward. -Life of Faith. of Russians outside of Russia tism. -Life of Faith. and they, too, are hungry for D. V. B. S. in Egypt the Gospel, to distribute these African "Keswick" copies along the borders of The W 0 in en's Missionary Russia. With the cooperation of Magazine reports an increase in A convention for A f ric an Christians in seven countries, the number of Daily Vacation Christians has for some years 4,000 Bibles, 45,000 New Testa- Bible Schools in E.gypt. Also, been held in Kenya. It was orments and 7,000 Bible portions 500 more children were reached. ganized by missionaries for the have thus been distributed. Re- Out of the total number of 2,839 spiritual renewal o.f African cently, the $7,000 was reduced to pupils, 760 were Moslems. Mr. teachers and pastors. There has $17.71, and this was handed over Aig3iban, director of this work, been rapid growth in interest to the "Russian Missionary visited all of the 43 such schools until in 1938 some 200 Africans Service" which will add the dis- conducted by students of Assiut and a dozen Europeans gathered tribution of Bibles to its other College, and a number of other from all parts of the Colony, large activities. -So S. Times. schools as well. Some could only some also from Ruanda, Uganda be reached on donkeys. He says: and Tanganyika. As a direct re- AFRICA "It was very wonderful to hear sult o.f that. convention there boys giving Bible stories and have been many cases of a break- Potential Leader in Egypt Golden Texts. Not only this, but ing of the power of sin. to hear Moslem boys and girls Two or three years ago a giving Bible stories." The most During the 1938 Convention young Mohammedan was attend- popular hand work was crayon the question arose as to whether ing an Islamic school in prepara- coloring of Bible verses. Many the time was not now ripe for tion to become a sheikh. Instead, times children hid the bell, so the formation of a Convention, he is today a baptized Christian, that lessons would last longer. not only for pastors and teachand gives promise of becoming a One of the best schools in Upper ers, but also African Christians leader among Egyptian Chris- Egypt was conducted by a Mos- generally. The matter was tians. While this young Mad- lem boy named Yusef Moham- brought before the committee of booli was at the Islamic school, a med Suliman. It is the third Kenya "Keswick," and as a refriend asked him to join in a year that he has had a school. sult a committee was appointed study of the New Testament, This volunteer in Kom Ghareb to arrange, together with Afriwhich he did, and was so inter- worked all summer both morn- can leaders of the Church, for ested he went to a neighboring ing and afternoon. He declared the organization of the African village to ask some missionaries that he himself got most benefit Convention, under the title for other parts of the Bible. Not from the school. "Kenya Keswick." only was his request granted, he was introduced to the local evan- Revival Comes to Mompono -Life of Faith. gelist, with whom he spent many subsequent hours discussing the The "Regions Beyond Mission- Christian Center in Bible and having his difficulties ary Union" was discouraged Tanganyika explained. He also gathered up when one African teacher after a group of young men from his another proved unfaithful to his It is obviously difficult for a own village to join in this stUdy. trust; but continuance in prayer Christian African boy who goes resulted in enlisting forty keen- to work away from home to keep Of course, his interest did not minded boys in a training class, his balance and resist temptaescape the notice of his Moham- to go out later to the surround- tion. Realizing this, some years medan associates, and he had to ing villages. The number grew ago a number of African Chrisput up with the usual annoy- to sixty, and when all these go tians from different parts of ances. His father thought to out there will be a Christian Tanganyika launched a scheme, end the matter by bringing a evangelist for every village of under the leadership of Eurosheikh to "talk Madbooli out of importance in this dis t ric t. peans, to provide a home and this nonsense." But Madbooli About this time, the missionaries Christian fellowship for such was not to be moved, whereup felt an awakening around them. boys. As if in answer to prayer, his father refused to support Open-air workers reported a a well-to-do African business him, so he set out for Cairo to new interest; natives employed man who had been interested in earn his living. He secured a by traders at the State Po.st were the project willed his home, the job as a basket maker, but when asking for their own evangelist, newest and best house in the his employer found he was a and this spirit was not limited to community, to be used for this Christian he promptly dis- the vicinity of Mompono. Five purpose. The house provides accharged him, and refused to pay witch doctors yielded their commodation for a large recreahim what was due. This time hearts to Christ, and misionaries tion room, a reading and waithe went to Shebeen Hospital, ing room, and one for meetings, as well as a small chapel which gives opportunity for quiet and prayer. In connection with the
OUR WORLD-WIDE OUTLOOK
club is a hostel where rooms are tory church collections and, after pay- til they found a friendly chief at ing the allowances of over a hundred let to African Christians. village pastors and teachers, main- Bonginda. Here they settled, -Life of Faith. tained wholly by the indigenous 1,200 miles from the coast, and church, the church sent a gift of five established the Congo Balolo A Great Conference thousand francs toward the deficit of Mission. Eventually, the Re- gions Beyond Missionary Union The largest missionary confer- the Baptist Missionary Society and grew out of this work, and ence South Africa has ever two thousand francs to its largest today it controls work in two substation for church building.
known brought together this The Bible for Cape Verdians fields; in the Congo and in the year at Bloemfontein over 1,000 Bihar province of North India, ministers and laymen of Dutch On the Cape Verde Islands, off where there are seven stations. Reformed churches. The 150 the west coast of Africa, at least In the Congo, there are 20,000 mission congregations were each eighty out of every hundred per- church members, and at least represented by a European mis- sons can read and write; and 20,000 more have been won and sionary, and 400 European con- faith runs high among the mis- are now in "the Church Triumgregations were also repre- sionaries there that Scripture phant." -The Christian. sented. Since 1877 the church's distribution will have far-reachmissionaries h a v e increased from twenty-two to over three ing results. Their plan, they tell Fetish Bonfires Multiply hundred. During the South us, is to place a portion of the African war, 85 young men from Bible in every home. These peo- Public burnings of fetishes the military camps decided to ple are poor, but they have a real are becoming more common in hunger for the Gospel, and will the Belgian Congo; accomgive their lives to mission work. make almost any sacrifice to se- panied by public profession of It was 47 years ago that Rev. A. cure a copy. Proof of this faith in Christ. At Rethi more Louw trekked by ox-wagon to hunger is seen in the following than fifty families have given up Mashonaland, and in that center literal translation of a letter re- their spirit paraphernalia. A today his church numbers 5,000 ceived from one of the islanders: blind evangelist, Paulo, preaches members, with 22,00.0 young with power and he can quote people under instruction. The "I come very respectfully to many passages from the Bible Dutch Reformed Church has ask you this special favor about from memory. To the African, missions in all parts of the your religion. For a long time I the amazing thing is that one so Union of South Africa, in Rho- have lived without belief or fear despised as a blind man should desia, in Nyasaland, and in the of God. Since the first time I go a-bout helping others.-Life heard your words concerning the of Faith. Sudan. It is expected that, as a Gospel I have felt a strange fear result of this conference, every of God and a grand pleasure has WESTERN ASIA congregation will be directed to been in me as I come to this true carryon missionary work in its pathway which I do not know Ten Years to Graduate own area. -So S. Times. profoundly. Therefore I come Draw your own inference by this letter to ask you to loan from the fact that when nurses' Congoland After Fifty Years to me a copy of that book which training was undertaken at Ken- Dr. Holman Bentley, English I have heard you speak about, nedy Memorial Hospital in Trip- Baptist, was the pioneer of Prot- the book which is to guide me oli, Syria, ten years ago, the only estant missions in the Congo. A into 0 Caminho da Salvacao, promising students were girls native boy, Niemvo, helped him (The Way of Salvation}." who had been cared for in Near reduce the Congo language to -The Word of Life. East Relief Orphanages, and had writing, to make a grammar and had a measure of training in dictionary and translate the Regions Beyond Missionary orderliness and regard for the Scriptures. Fifty years ago in Union welfare of others – qualities February, Niemvo was baptized the first native Christian in It is 60 years since the first lacking in most of the others. It Congo; today, there are 250,000 missionary went from the East has taken ten years for the first Protestant church members and London Training Institute to group of girls to carry their a constituency of a million. Central Africa, in territory now training through to successful known as the Belgian Congo. completion. There were four The International Review of girls in this first class to be Missions makes this comment: The Mission at that time was graduated. called the Livingstone Inland Righteousness is beginning to flow Mission. In 1884, it was decided -Monday Morning.
as a mighty stream through the life to hand over the direction of this Long Range Christian Service of the community. Formerly no one Mission, with its seven welldared begin to protest against abuses equipped stations to the Ameri- The American Mission in but, with the revival, fear of man was can Baptists. They, however, Syria has set a goal for a new subdued. A new breath has blown through village life, clearing away the were not able to penetrate as type of missionary work; e.g., old, polluted air. Never has the liberality of our people been so mani- far inland as had been hoped, to reconstruct village life on the fested. Large sums of money have and an expeditionary force principles of the Kingdom of been raised over and above the statu- God as taught in the New Tes- pushed up the Congo River, un-
tament. Briefly, the following a filthy priest leading a tiny bull and so eager to assist their factors enter into the problem: with a crooked mouth and neighbor in her suffering that To follow the example of Christ women stroking its ears in wor- they responded heartily to the with a correlated program to re- ship; women picking up dust Bishop's suggestion that two deem both individual and group tha.t feet of naked priests had representatives of the Methodist life; by living the Gospel before trodden, and putting it on their Episcopal Church in India and preaching it, and by cooperative faces-some of it tied up to take Burma be sent with him to self-help as proclaimed by Jesus. home. However, many were en- China on a mission of fellowship No program is to be "put over," lightened enough to refrain from and help. As soon as arrangebut built around the needs recog- these things. Some were seen to ments could be made, the two nized by the villagers themselves. dip their hands in the river, let men appointed left by motor bus Full cooperation is sought with the water trickle through their over the newly opened road from every department of the Amer- fingers, while their faces were Burma into Yunnan and further ican Mission, with other mis- upturned toward the sky. Be- north in West China. At Runsions and with all national and hind all this, unquestionably, is ning they boarded a plane for government agencies. the search for God. Chengtu. These representatives from India have addressed many It is recognized that changing Caste and Christianity audiences, chiefly students, seekthe lives, thinking, attitudes and ing to aid by evangelistic mescustoms of a conservative vil- H. C. Mookerjie, Ph.D., writ- sages and Christian sympathy. lage community is a long and ing in The Indian Witness, has difficult task, that immediate re- this to say about the bearing of -The Indian Witness. sults must not be expooted. Christianity upon the caste system: A Burmese Woman Leader -Agricultural Mission Notes. Weare all aware that the Indian Dr. Daw Saw Sa, F.R.C.S., Christian community contains within D.P.H., of Rangoon, who ha.s the INDIA AND SIAM itself men and women coming from distinction of being the first nearly all the Indian races, tribes, Burmese woman physician, is The Great Mela castes and strata of society. Blue the first and only woman sena- blooded Brahmins and Syads, high tor under the new constitution, Once in twelve years the castes and scheduled castes, land- which on April 1, 1937, made greatest of all religious festivals owners and tenants, capitalists and Burma a Crown Colony in the is held at Hardwar, in April, laborers, farmers and landless culti- British Commonwealt<h of nawhere the sacred river Ganges vators, rich and poor jostle one an- tions. In 1932 the Rangoon emerges from the mountains. other within the Christian fold. Government conferred unique At that time the population honors upon her by making her swells from a few thousand to All over India, Christianity has sup- a member of the Rangoon Corabout a million, most of whom plied leadership in the revolt against poration, the first time in the are illiterate. For this reason, the rigors of the caste system, and political history of Burma that an announcer told people who specially against untouchability which a Burmese woman was admitted wanted tickets to this or that is a manifestation of the caste feeling as a member of either Corporaplace to go to a spot where they in its most objectionable form. The tion or the Legislative Council. saw a picture of an elephant, a acceptance of our faith has enabled Dr. Daw Saw Sa has long been snake, scissors, a wheel and so thousands of untouchables to shake off interested in politics, particuon. for all time to come the disgrace larly the section relating to wrongly attached to their birth, and physical, moral and mental de- Priests prepare for the wor- to rise in the social scale. The differ- velopment of women and chilship of the river by lighting ence between their position before and dren; and is a member of variwicks in little cups of oil. Wor- after conversion must have made ous societies and institutions, beshippers pass their han d s these men realize very keenly the dis- sides having her own nursing through the flame, then draw abilities under which they had been home and clinic modeled on the their hands across their faces, laboring in their pre-conversion days. most scientific ones in America. perhaps touching lips, eyes and The improvement in their social ears in order to be cleansed from status, always reflected in their be- -Missions. evil they have spoken, seen or havior, has tended to encourage furheard. It is at such times that ther conversions among non-Christian Building the Church in Siam evangelists. are busy with tracts members of the group to which they and Gospel portions, and it is had belonged. In the past, Hindu so- The Church of Christ in Siam not difficult to dispose of them. ciety had refused them all chances of is urging a Five-Year Plan of education, and all prospect of social Evangelism, and is asking each A writer in the Woman's Mis- advancement. Christian missionaries congregation to form a prayer siona1"Y Friend describes some offered both, group for special intercess,ion. of the sights that make one sad A committee was appointed at -make one long to have them India's Mission to China the last meeting of the General know Him who said: "Come Council to consider the possibilunto me." One was a man who At a meeting of the Central ity of a Bible Correspondence had held his arm upraised so Methodist Conference in J anlong he could not take it down; uary, Bishop Ralph A. Ward, of Chengtu, West China, was pres- ent and addressed the audience on conditions in China. Mem- bers of the Conference were so deeply stirred by the situation,
OUR WORLD-WIDE OUTLOOK
Course being worked out that the Japanese sentries, helping finished just in time to aecommodate could be used throughout the the government care for its all these poor bombed and bayoneted wounded, and conveying money victims; that our staff was spunky whole Church, especially which to stranded communities where they serve. enough to stay; and just now-that furlough is coming in five months.
A Bureau of Evangelistic and the local mission staff is cut off Church Work has been formed from outside contacts. It's a World Movement to encourage all Christians to -The Church in Action. take responsibility for this plan. Japan's military campaign in It is hoped that eight Siamese Statement from Chiang China is destroying Ghina's inwill enter the Union Theological Kai-shek stitutions of higher education, School in Manila; ,two men have because they do not produce already taken this course. The following formal state- citizens that are friendly to ment was issued by Chiang Kai- Japan's imperial ambitions. In Another need is for an or- shek a few weeks ago, and is of the midst of Japan's bombing of dained man and his wife for special s,ignificance: Hunan University that institurural work, since the majority tion organized a Student Chrisof the Siamese are rural folk. At this hour of our national crisis, tian Association, and one of There is also need for'more work we, the Chinese people, are profoundly their first acts was to write the among the Chinese in Siam, be- moved by the earnest increase in the Christian students of Japan saycause of their numbers, and the many concrete expressions of sym- ing that they of Hunan Univerinfluential place they hold in the pathy which have been continuously sity were deeply aware of their business life of the country. coming to us for over 19 months from membership, through theWorld's our friends in other parts of the world. Student Christian Federation, in a world-wide fellowship of Chris- Chinese Evangelists in Siam Christians have left no stone un- tian students, and especially con- scious of their common partici- Some of the evangelists who turned to show their growing interest pation in that fellowship with have been driven out of China in the material as well as the spirhave gone to Siam, and are put- itual welfare of our suffering people. Missionaries, in particular, have never ting new life into Christians hesitated to make even the greatest there. They have conducted meetings through interpreters, personal sacrifices to heal the wounded Christian students of Japan. which have led to the formation and succor the distressed. They called Christian students of Japan, China and other counof bands for Bible study and I welcome this opportunity, there- tries to go in united prayer to a prayer. Dr. Song, an evangelist. fore, to reiterate the previously ex- pressed appreciation of myself and my educated in the United States, has succeeded in arousing many countrymen for the unqualified en- common Father with the plea of the Siamese to a realization of dorsement of the righteousness of our that His and not their will be their need and responsibility. resistance that has come to us so done-that peace based on jus- spontaneously, and in such unstinted tice come to their nations. In spite of the fact that the measure from the Christian world. Siamese have their own national -Intercollegian and Far church, there has been a tend- I believe that those of our people Horizons. who will survive the terrible holo- causts which have involved us all in Universities on the March so much loss of life. and human suf- fering will emerge victorious in spirit, ana more confirmed than ever in the ency to lean too much on the faith that right will always triumph Chinese educators have coined over might, whether in personal, na- the phrase "Universities on the missionary for the initiative. tional or international relations. March," to describe the condi- CHINA "Count Your Blessings" tion of China's higher institu- Redeeming the Time tions of learning after fighting Mrs. T. D. Stevenson, daugh- changed the educational map of Evangelism, tea chi n g and ter of Charles Ernest Scott, and China. Fifty-four of China's healing – the ministry of the Presbyterian missionary in Can- 114 colleges and universities ton, rut Hackett Medical Center, have been destroyed by bombs Christian Church-never more is able to find cause for thank- or incendiarism; and 82 have needed in China, was never more fulness. Writing home in Feb- been compelled to move just one active than now, in spite of ruary, she says: jump ahead of oncoming Japaterror, bloodshed, destitution nese invaders. To move some of and destruction. Whole popula- There are really so many things to these involved treks of from 500 be thankful for that I do not know to 1,000 miles, most of the jourtions often flee from cities and where to begin. The biggest item, of ney in small boats and on foot. with them the Church, to find course, is that we're reunited as a As much as possible of equipthemselves in some remote area family, and that we're all safe and ment was carried along. where, perhaps, their presence well; that we have so many children brings the first Christian mes- on the compound this year so that our An educational map of China sage. "New circumstances teach small son isn't lonely; that we hap- today would show a number of us new duties," say the mission- pened to have our car (which has been new universities and colleges in aries, who find themselves guard- Hackett's only link with the rest of the city, and has been invaluable for ing the gates of mission com- bringing patients who could not get Kwangsi, Kweichow, Yunnan, pounds, taking in foundling here otherwise, taking the servants to Szechuan and Shensi-provinces babies, preventing cholera, es- market, fetching coal or wood, fetchcorting coolies to market past ing our milk or letters or almost any- which before the war had no thing); that our new hospital was governmental supported univer-
sities – all established by stu- regions. However, there has to drop bombs near Christian dents and faculties. been a measure of success, even churches?" though workers are somewhat -Dayton News. apathetic toward these sparsely Japanese officer: "Certainly. populated areas. Finally, there Glad to cooperate. Let me see In the New Capital are the tent missions, chiefly in your mission maps and I will market towns. have our maps marked accord- To most people, Chungking, ingly. (Moment of silence while if it means anything, means a The South Shensi Mission officer studies map.) Why, you small town in a backward part seeks to create in the Chinese a have churches everywhere. We of China. As a matter of fact, sense of responsibility toward all could not bomb anything withit is a city whose population be- unevangelized districts. To this out hitting one. How many have fore the war was 400,000; since end, a prayer cycle suggests you, anyway?" the transfer of the capital, the items for special intercession. population has j u m p e d to Priest: "Thirteen hundred, 800,000, and is steadily mount- -China's Millions. and Protestants have 300 in the ing. It is far up the Yangtse same area." River, beyond the reach of Jap- How Shall We Pray? anese armies and battleships.; Officer: "I wish I knew what however, it expects bombing Dr. and Mrs. John R. Mott it is that keeps you Christians planes any day. It is a commen- formulated a statement for the working in such places as this." tary on modern civilization that guidance of their own prayer practically every house has its life, early in the conflict between The power of the Gospel is dug out, as much a necessity as China and Japan. Here it is: well illustrated by the following a kitchen. Three anti-aircraft story from Nanking. Bibles and guns are placed within a hun- 1. We should pray for both China Testaments were being distribdred yards of the home of the and Japan-for their rulers, their peo- uted among Japanese soldiers Methodist High School principal, ples, and, very especially, for all their who had a habit of looking in on a school with an enrolment of Christians; for the ending of the war, church services. For the most about 1,'000 boys. Sometimes and for a just and enduring peace. part, these soldiers accepted the the buildings are used by the Not to pray indicates that we believe copies readily. Later, a Japanese Government for official confer- that human wisdom, devisings, com- officer came to a member of the ences, and at such times the binations and power alone will suffice Church Council and urged that school is more like a military to effect these things; whereas, to no Bibles be given to his soldiers. camp, every entrance guarded pray indicates that we believe that No regard was paid to the reby riflemen with fingers on gun superhuman wisdom, love and power quest, and the officer came again triggers. are absolutely essential to the achieve- and again, ordering finally that ment of this wonder work. We should distribution of Bibles must be In South Shensi become alarmed if we find that in our stopped at once for said he, "the secret prayer life this tragic need New Testament talks of peace, The task of evangelizing does not have a large place; because and the chief business of our South Shensi is divided among we are what we are in the dark where soldiers is war." The Bibles had the Norwegian Alliance Mission, God only sees us, and by which He been passed around in the barthe Lutheran Free Church of judges us. racks, read by many, with the Norway and the China Inland result that they did not wish to Mission, the latter having fifteen 2. We should do all in our power to fight. counties under its supervision. relieve human suffering. The volume Five methods of reaching the of unrelieved suffering in areas af- Shanghai's 5,000 Jews people are employed, and of fected by this war in the Far East is these s t r e e t preaching has even greater than at anyone time in If Shanghai is the world's proved the most fruitful. Prob- the World War. Notwithstanding this most cosmopolitan city, this can ably fifty per cent of the con- alarming fact, it is tragic that, as indeed be said of its Jewish verts have been won by this yet, the efforts put forth by the Chris- community of 5,000. Here Jews means. tians and others in America to meet from every country of the world, this overwhelming and indescribable speaking a score of languages, Village evangelism is another need are relatively negligible. Our live, do business, and thrive in method. It is found that one sympathy and sacrificial action in general, despite the frightfulfaithful Christian family can be such a situation are a true test of ness of the Sino-Japanese war. most effective in winning others. our Christ-likeness. Perhaps nowhere else have they City witnescSing includes prison contributed so much to the visitation, distribution of tracts 3. We should, with true penitence, growth of a great city, and perand open air preaching. Evan- acknowledge the sins of our own coun- haps nowhere else is this service gelistic bands have been organ- try against both China and Japan, so little recognized, the reason ized to visit unoccupied towns. and bring forth fruits meet for re- being that emphasis there has This presents difficulties, inas- pentance. This will be difficult. It been laid on nationality, not race much as roads and communica- will involve real self-denying effort or religion; that is, the British tion facilities are poor in the and, it may be, very prolonged effort. Jew is considered a Briton, the mountainous, brigand – infested Russian Jew a Russian, and so 4. Let our Government know unmis- on. takably that the Christian forces will be solidly behind them as they put forth their full influence to secure a just settlement.
Conversation from the Front French priest to Japanese aviation officer: "When you en- ter new territory, would you be willing to instruct your men not
OUR WORLD-WIDE OUTLOOK
An interesting aspect of J ew- their future program; and that in Mongolia. One young man ish life in Shanghai is the new- furthermore, if they want the said to a missionary, "I can tell ness of the Jewish community support of the better class of a Christian now when I meet in contrast with the antiquity of Chinese the first step toward him on the street. I asked one China. Only for little more than securing it would be the instant man whom I met yesterday if a century have the Western na- stopping of this flood of nar- he wasn't a Christian; he smiled tions carried on organized trade cotics. and said, 'Yes, but how did you with China, and for decades the know?' I told him that I could trade was restricted to Canton. Importance of Hongkong see the evidence in his face." The opening of the treaty ports, of which Shanghai was one, the The British colony in Hong- The writer is at work in building up of foreign communi- kong holds a strategic position Hailar, a city 550 miles from ties, and the arrival of Jewish not only politically, but spir- Harbin, where few have learned traders with their non-Jewish itually. The city is at the thresh- of salvation through Christ. colleagues, have occurred during old of the greatest mission field Next door to the little chapel is the lifetime of many now living. on earth; a land of 450,000,000 a tin shop where a young Chris- Shanghai's senior Jewish resi- people of whom very few have tian makes kettles and stove dent has lived in the city sixty- understood, or even heard the pipes. The partition is of paper, nine years; her sister, born Gospel; among the Europeans, and the young tinner became a sixty-six years ago, was the first only a few acknowledge Christ Christian by what he heard Jewish native of the port. as Master. In view of this spir- through the partition. He ham- itual need, the coming of the mers away loudly most of the -International Committee evangelist, Mr. Edwin Orr, last day and night, but never while on Christian Approach October was prayerfully antici- services are in progress. He has to the Jews. pated. learned several Gospel hymns, and sings these lustily as he The Opium Campaign Two of the largest churches in works. Hongkong were. secured for the Much has been written about English services, and there were Hailar is notorious for gam- Japan's campaign to subdue the 250 to 300 people present at bling, opium dens, and other Chinese through opium, and the every meeting – which is to be wickedness, having, most likely, truth of the matter has been both regarded as wonderful, as co- the lowest percentage of Chrisaffirmed and denied. Dr. M. S. lonials are notoriously "tough." tians of any other provincial city Bates, an American missionary Mr. Orr began with the Chris- in Manchukuo. But many of the educator, has written "An Open tians, devoting the first four people are responsive to the Letter on the Narcotic Problem" nights to the need, the method Gospel. which has appeared in two lead- and the conditions for revival. ing Chinese papers. Dr. Bates The succeeding nights were Work in Tribal District says: "Fifty thousand people- given to the proclaiming of the one eighth of the population of Good News of God's grace to The China Inland Mission Nanking-are being slowly poi- sinners. In the first part of each finds a broad field for its minissoned today by heroin, supplied address Mr. Orr told of his ex- try in Yunnan. The capital of by Japanese – controlled d rug periences in different lands in the province, Kumming, is at an rings. Every month a minimum proving the faithfulness of God, altitude of 6,000 feet. Wuting, of $5,000,000 are being squeezed and how He answers prayer. fifty miles northwest, is in a from the impoverished Chinese The evangelistic appeals re- small plain. These two towns in the region by dope traffickers, sulted in conversions – some of are inhabited mostly by Chinese, belonging to or allied with, the them in the King's uniform. but in the surrounding hills are Japanese Army." Four groups thousands of Miao, Nosu, Lisu, are named as closely connected During the past two years, and other tribes. Several miswith this traffic: Hongkong has become a place of sionaries devote their whole time refuge for thousands of people, to these tribes with encouraging 1. The Special Service Section among them many Christians. results.. A little village 7,000 of the Japanese Army. feet high is the center of work -:-Life of Faith. among the Miao, and the average 2. The puppet administration attendance at Sunday service is of Nanking., Working on the Frontier from two to three hundred. Next to the chapel is a little room 3. "Independent" Japanese A missionary remarked that about eight by ten feet, which and Korean drug run- he never saw a smile or heard has been opened as a reading ners. joyful song in his field in India room and "place for discussing until people began to find Christ; the doctrine." Bibles and Tes- 4. Japanese business firms. now many both smile and sing. taments are on display and many At first, the minor key in every copies have been sold. Dr. Bates points out that a phase of life was almost more shorter-sighted greed cannot be than he could stand. In the A new avenue of service has imagined than that of destroy- Evangelical Christian is the tes- been opened among school boys ing a people on whom they must timony that the condition is true in the city of Wuting. In redepend for building up the kind of nation they expect to use in
sponse to a request, the mission 8.4 per cent. Eight years ago, volumes, besides tracts in great offers instruction in English on licensed prostitutes numbered number, of which more than condition that the Scriptures be 52,000; today, there are 45,000. 4,000,000 copies have been sold. used as a textbook. The class His most famous work is "The has an average attendance of Again, there is respect for Common People's Gospel," a twenty, and meets twice a week. labor. Manual labor was once simple but comprehensive man- for the outcast, but the position ual of the Christian faith. More -China's Millions. of laborers has been elevated. than 400,000 copies have been Another advance is a spirit of issued, and the annual sale stilI JAPAN-CHOSEN peace. The Japanese havanever averages 10,000. A Braille edi- been averse to war, but the pres- tion and a Korean translation "Business As Usual" ent war, they say, is a war for have also appeared. peace! It is at least a step in T. T. Brumbaugh has recently advance that they must find an Hundreds of Japanese owe returned to Japan after an ab- excuse for war. Finally, there is their conversion to the reading sence of nearly two years, and the spirit of service, introduced of this book-students, business reports in the Christian Century, by Protestant missionaries. Even men, and men of all classes. that an observer would see noth- the "Tendai Shu," a Buddhist Gamblers, drunkards, liquoring out of the ordinary. Jap- sect, has ordered every temple to dealers, criminals of all sorts anese passengers, bound for carryon art least one piece of so- owe to it their new life in Christ. home, had little to say about the cial service. A restaurant keeper of loose conflict in China. In religious morals studies it for a week and circles little difference was Control of Religious Bodies then in prayer receives forgivenoted. Ostensibly, Christians ness of sins. Such was the are loyal to their government, A bill to control religious or- change in his life that when he regardless of its leadership; ganizations is awaiting final ac- was later elected mayor of his prayers are offered for the tion, and seems likely to be town, no one called him by his preservation of the empire and passed. The bill provides that own name, but "Christ's mayor." the success of the army. They no religious body can be estab- To many of the dying this book urge that evangelization follow lished without the approva1 of has brought hope in last hours. the wake of the imperial army, the Minister of Education. In apparently not considering applying for approval, the doc- -Sunday School Times. whether conquest and mission- trine of the group must be subary endeavor are compatible. mitted, as well as a statement Missionary's Life Has Variety But with all this, the Christian covering its entire set-up, range groups are oases of brotherly of activities, etc. Any later al- Miss Virginia Mackenzie, of love. teration must have the govern- the Presbyterian Mission in ment's approval. Churches and Japan, has a new undertaking- There has been a falling off in pastors who violate the law are all in the day's work-teaching baptisms and even in Sunday subject to fine or imprisonment. English manners to a group of school enrolments during the eleven policemen, plain clothes past few years, but attendance The present bill does not pro- men in charge of investigating at divine services seem'l not to pose to deal with religion, per se, the foreigners that pass through have been affected except, pos- but with religious organizations. the city. They are a kindly sibly, for the better. Christian- in this it differs from previous group, anxious to do things i,ty is fundamentally contrary to efforts to regulate religion which pleasantly and correctly. On an the spirit of the age in this and were open to the charge of vio- average day they examine 160 other lands. Yet, deep down, lating the constitutional pro- non-Japanese travelers, most of most Japanese rejoice that "the vision, guaranteeing religious them either English – speaking, love of God is broader than the freedom. or able to use English. It is measure of man's mind." readily seen how mistakes, or Inasmuch as Christianity lack of politeness, even though Christian Achievements hitherto has had no legal status, unintentional, "can make for all all Christian communions and sorts of misunderstandings; and In his Fellowship Bulletin, local churches must take steps how important to have mis- Toyohiko Kagawa says that, to conform with the provisions understandings as few as poswhereas he was discouraged two of this law within two years sible, so that this effort becomes years ago, he now sees a brighter after its passage. Japanese a v e n t u rein international side and points to the following Christians feel that, on the friendship. achievements Cif the Christian whole, the bill is an advance for movement in Japan. He gives Christianity. Japanese-Korean Church first place to personal piety. Re- Union Discussed ligion was not taken seriously -The Living Church. until the missionaries came. The One of the mottoes of the day second is purity in home and so- Salvation Army Literature is "Japan-Chosen: one body," ciety, taught by the Christians. and its use is having the effect Forty years. ago the divorce rate Commissioner Yamamuro, Sal- of creating a willingness of the was 32 per cent i iu"1936, it was vation Army publicist and au- two Christian groups to unite. thor, has published over sixtY"
OUR WORLD-WIDE OUTLOOK
The Japanese and Korean Y. M. thought to this question. "All ture book. In the manger a black C. A.'s have already united. At that Buddha offered," said he, Papuan baby gurgled.
least the Korean churches in "I found in greater measure in -So S. Times.
Japan proper are likely to unite Christ." Admitting that some with the Japanese Church; in of Korea's best national traits Natives As Museum Exhibits the Methodist Church commit- were the outgrowth of Budtees have been appointed to draw dhism, he summed up his double The Netherlands Committee up plans and union evangelistic experience in two religions with for International Nature Protecservices are being held. The gap a series of contrasts: tion at its annual meeting in of racial feeling will be hard to Amsterdam, Holland, considered bridge, and it is yet to be seen "Buddha is a lover of solitude; the problem of protecting the how much actual union will re- Christ seeks us in life's thorough- primitive people in New Guinea. suIt from the tendency to coop- fares." The recent opening up of Dutch erate; yet the tide seems to be toward a coalition. "Buddha sits imperturbably as New Guinea has proceeded so races go by; Christ agonized on the rapidly that it was felt that Koreans in Tokyo Cross that new life might be open to ne~essary measures must be men." taken without delay for the pro- "Buddha offers release from life and tection of the inhabitants. With its ills; Christ offers more abundant life, in spite of its ills."
The past year has seen the "Buddha calls to meditation; Christ no advance preparation, ideas calls to the service of God and fellow most modern are suddenly thrust withdrawal of Chosen from all men." upon people most primitive. international organizations.
Every effort is being made to ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC Two opposing opinions were preserve the evangelical Chris- disclosed at this meeting of the tian character of the Y. M. and Igorots Ordained Committee: one in favor of pre- Y. W. C. A., W. C. T. U., and The Igorot tribe in the Philip- serving a group of primitive peoother groups under Japanese di- pine mountains is barely two ple in their "stone age" culture, rection. generations removed from head- . shutting them off in a large re- hunting, and to large extent the serve from all foreign influences, Some 500 buildings prepared most primitive superstitions still including missions. In the interfor the Olympic Games that dominate their lives. It is neceswere to have been held in Tokyo sary to remember this in order est of science, a strictly limited have been bought by Koreans, to properly evaluate a recent contact would be allowed. On and ttre now filled mostly by low- event. After several years of the other hand, a group held that wage factory workers. A young training and experience in evan- the authorities had no right to Christian graduate was so ap- gelism, three young Igorots have deny to any people the right of palled by the neglected children been ordained to the ministry in making progress, and to conthat he started on Sundays to the cathedral at Manila. Hopes demn them to remain savages tell them stories of Jesus. At for a native-born ministry for and "museum-objects" for ever. first the parents objected, but these people have long been cher- The danger, it was argued, is soon appreciated the lessons in ished, but the mission staff has cleanliness and truth, so that been inadequate in numbers to not so much in civilization itself some 120 gathered in a vacant train the younger generation. as in abruptness of contact with lot each Sunday until snow and it. As for missions, it was cold made it impossible. Then agreed that their tribal religion six student helpers were en- should not be taken away from listed; paper, pencils and lesson helps were secured and classes Papuan Christmas these people without offering were started in both Korean and them a better one in its place.
An unusual celebration of -Aboriginees' Friend.
Christmas took place in Papua, Japanese. when five hundred Papuan men MISCELLANEOUS –Mrs. H. H. Underwood. and women gathered on the very American Tract Society hill where James Chalmers was Buddha or Christ? martyred half a century ago to Since 1825, the American sing Christmas carols and put Tract Society has been issuing Mr. Kim is a Korean who had on a pageant. The first time tracts, pamphlets, periodicals spent long years in patient pur- they came to a Christmas cele- and hymn books in many lan- suit of the Buddhist goal; then bration at this hill they were guages, and has been sending at last he found Jesus Christ, armed to the teeth; but now colporteurs to distribute them and put the same devotion into some of the world's most back- wmong neglected peoples of all his new faith as he had applied ward people, who could neither lands since 1840. Neglected to the old. A writer in Korean read nor write, were able to re- areas of our own country are de- Echoes tells of a conversation cite long passages of Scripture pendent upon this Society for lit- with Mr. Kim, when he asked and sing Christmas hymns. erature and colporteur service.
him what, in his experience, was Children on hands and knees Its Spanish periodical has a the difference between Buddhism represented a flock of sheep and weekly circulation of 19,000; its and Christianity. His answer a shepherd whose only idea of Polish periodical reaches 4,000 .~howed that he had given much his occupation came from a pic- hOmes.
~- '~
Our Missionary Bookshelf Books Briefly Reviewed for the Readers' Information The History of Christianity in Amer- own denomination as he sees it and church people or for any ica. ' By Frank Grenville Beardsley, who are honest and desire the Ph.D. 8vo. American Tract So- cast against the background of best for America – the best is ciety, New York. 1939. Christ and all for which He all the other denominations, as stands. The stories of many who Here is a great book. To call have been led into larger life and it history is hardly to do it jus- they have struggled together or service add to the interest and effectiveness of the volume. The tice. It is that, but it is no mere with each other to establish reli- book is a challenge to the dry factual statement of events Church. It is also a kaleidowith dates and places and gious opportunity in the life of scopic view of home missions, showing its beauties, but it deals names; rather it is an interest- America. MARK A. DAWBER. with so many phases, personaliing narrative, told in lucid and ties and elements that the piccharming style, of the develop- Homeland Harvest. By Arthur H. tures of various types of work Limouze. 211 pp. Index and bib- are not clear. The bibliography ment of religion and the Chris- liography. $1.00 cloth; 60 cents contains some books of doubtful tian church in America. paper. Friendship Press. New value from a Christian viewpoint York. 1939. and omits some of real value- Beginning with the Puritans particularly biographies and and the Pilgrims, the author Some pioneers went West for stories of pioneering. weaves his way through the the purpose of establishing thrilling experiences. that were homes for themselves; others Evangelism for the World Today. were drawn by a lust for gold; As Interpreted by Christian Leadso characteristic of men and re- others went in the spirit of ad- ers Throughout the World. Edited ligious movements in the settle- venture or to establish the by John R. Mott. 8vo. 295 pp. ment of the new world. The United States control over new Harper & Brothers, New York. founding of New England, the territory. But the greatest con- 1939. chartering of the colonies and tribution to the progress of the instigation of citizenship Christian civilization in Amer- The primary aim and the cenwere all an integral part of the ica was doubtless made by the tral task of the Christian Church religious enterprise. No one can missionaries who went with the is to "preach the Gospel to every distinct purpose to make friends creature" and to persuade all understand America, democracy, with the Indians and settlers and men to receive and obey Jesus or the American way of life who to win them to Christ and His Christ as their Saviour and is not familiar with the story of Way of Life. Without their Lord. the struggle to establish Chris- prayers, their faith, courage, tianity and freedom of religion vision and labors of love new Partly in preparation for the territory might have been con- recent Ecumenical Missionary on this continent. quered economically but the peo- Conference at Madras, Dr. John The rise and growth of the ple would have been generally R. Mott invited some 1~5 reli- lawless and godless. gious leaders throughout the Protestant denominations is world to answer three questions carefully but interestingly por- Dr. Limouze has written the on the meaning of evangelism. trayed. The development of the interesting and inspiring story Their replies, or the most relesects, the history of the great re- of what home missions have vant portions, have been made done for America-in establish- available in this attractive volvivals and their influence upon ing churches and schools, in giv- ume. American life, as also the vari- ing examples of Christian homes, ous allied movements and or- in helping to promote social wel- In his foreword, Dr. Mott arganizations-such as Boy Scouts, fare, and good government. He rests attention immediately by Lay men's Missionary Move- draws his illustrations from declaring that "nothing in the work with Indians and Orientals, religious realm is more evident ments, the Gideons, Y. M. C. A. the Negroes, mountaineers, and than the world-wide interest in and Y. W. C. A., Knights of others. He reports. results and evangelism, the world-wide con- shows the cost; he pictures pres- cern .regarding the need that Columbus, Jewish Associations, ent-day problems, difficulties, the the Salvation Army, to say noth- trends and the need for contining of the Ku Klux Klan – all uing and strengthening home have their niche in this religious mission work, all forces coopergallery of fame. ating. It is a book for pastors It is a great book that should [334 ] be read by every preacher. He will come from the reading of it with a better appreciation of his
OUR MISSIONARY BOOKSHELF SS5
only evangelism can meet, and the message. Some also seemed will shall be done in every area the world-wide manifestations to confuse the spirit of evan- of life. of evangelistic action." gelism with its essential content. Every missionary should be The attempt to define evan- In the section dealing with the equipped in life and message to gelism brought forth a variety "relevance of evangelism," the win men to a saving knowledge of conviction and expression. views of contributors were nat- of Jesus Christ. To win con- Many emphasize the presenta- urally colored by the environ- verts, however, is not enough; tion of the Gospel, the Word or ment in which they lived and the they must be gathered into a felthe Christ to individual man to characteristics of race, custom lowship, a Christian brotherhood the end that he may respond in or religion of the people whom and there learn how to be wittrust and obedience to Him as a they sought to evangelize or nesses and winners of souls. As Saviour and in the commitment Christianize. one said: "The most abiding of his whole life to doing God's evangelism is that which is the will. Others emphasize the Dr. Charles R. Erdman, Presi- expression of the life of the local presentation of the Go s pel dent of the Board of Foreign church." through example and deed, and Missions of the Presbyterian would include in evangelism any Church, U. S. A., declared: "In It is pointed out that some service that interpreted God's these days the aspects of the mission schools report few stumercy and love to man. Dr. Christian Gospel which are most dents won to Christ; other meth- Johannes Warneck of the Rhein- needed (and most neglected) are ods are ineffective; even direct isch Missionary Society, frankly those which are regarded as methods of evangelistic work declares that "evangelism is not supernatural and which have are ineffective unless the mesmerely an enlightenment. One been communicated by definite senger is on fire with love for cannot send away darkness first revelation. The great truths of souls, has a saving and positive and then bring light. . . . And the Incarnation and the Deity of message, gives it in the power it does not promise cultural Christ, of His atoning work, of of the Holy Spirit, and with tact, blessings. It is not our task to His regenerating power and of love and patience. Christ must make earthly living conditions His infallible teaching are of the be given His opportunity to win more favorable. . . . The mis- very essence of the Gospel." each person to Himself.
sion has no social mission. So- On the other hand, Dr. Doug- This volume may be used of cial uplift is according to our las Horton, General Secretary of God to put evangelism in its experience not a good prepara- the Congregational and Chris- place of primacy in the missiontion for the Gospel." tian churches said: "It seems to ary enterprise, and to inspire me that the psychological and Christian workers everywhere, On the other extreme we find sociological aspects of the Gos- through the faithful presenta- Dr. J. Leighton Stuart, Presi- pel are the most relevant in our tion of Him who is the only Redent of Yenching University, time." deemer of mankind, to seek and Peiping, calling attention to one to save those that are lost. aspect of evangelism out of his Others, while pointing out that own experience. "This," says the basic needs of men do not FRANCIS SHUNK DOWNS. he, "is the witness of institu- change, say that present world tions, educational, medical and conditions call for stressing the Christian Home Making. Edited by otherwise, in their corporate Christian message of hope, the Mrs. Robert E. Speer and Miss Concapacity. . . . The right attitude giving of Christian guidance to stance Hallock. A joint statement to current social, economical and intellectuals and business and prepared for the Madras Conferpolitical issues, and with the professional men, and for the ence of the International Missionquality of life which wins the ad- presentation of Christ as the ary Council. 141pp. $1.50. miration of the Chinese public, Prince of Peace. . . . is a form of evangelism." This small but important book In the section on the "Fruit- amplifies somewhat the report Probably the definition that fulness of Evangelism," empha- of the Committee on the Chrisgathers up the essentials of sis is laid on sending forth men tian Home which was prepared evangelism on the part of most and women who are "truly con- for presentation at the recent is expressed in the words of Dr. verted and deeply Spirit-filled," meeting of the International William Temple, Archbishop of on the "preaching of the Gospel Missionary Council at Madras. York: "To evangelize is to pre- in the power of the Holy Ghost," The central theme of the book sent Jesus Christ in the power a clear and intelligent grasp of of the Holy Spirit, that men the great essentials of evangeli- is~ shall come to put their trast in cal Christianity, a life that hides God through Him, to accept Him behind Christ when He is pre- To see the human home in the light as their Saviour, and serve Him sented as Saviour and Lord and of this fierce flame of perfection, to as their King in the fellowship yet which is so Christian and see where and how the leaven of of His Church." vital and genuine that it cannot Christ, working in our common life, be hidden; a presentation that has lifted us from one level to an- In some instances, the mean- not only secures a decision, but other, and to face these infinite reing of evangelism was confused an honest and intelligent desire sources of power that can enable us with the various methods em- to obey Christ, and that God's to go on steadfastly to higher and ployed in the interpretation of higher levels.
Written in careful collabora- tion by outstanding missionary workers at horne and abroad, the book presents the Essence of the
Christian Home, the RequisIte more consistently the colorful F. Ernest Johnson, L. Foster Training for Christian Home days when Dr. Coan resided in Wood, A. J. Muste, Benson Y. Making, and studies of homes the Near East. There might Landis, Allan Knight Chalin America, Africa, India, have been added a more com- mers, and Luman J. Shafer. The China, Japan, Brazil and Mos- plete and accurate statement of chapters are too short for adelem lands. In many instances the present situation. In his quate t rea t men t s of their and with vivid illustrations, non- excellent foreword Dr. Speer weighty themes, each one of Christian homes are des.cribed very properly calls attention to which might well require a sepand contrasted with "the new the fact that modern Iran is very arate volume. But the high things of today" which are different from Persia forty or competence of the writers and brought by the knowledge of fifty years ago. their skill in the condensed pres- Christ. The changing status of entation of their subjects have women, the influence of mission- The reader must be cautioned giV'en us a readable and very ary homes, the effect of Chris- not to accept this as a report of important contribution to the littian education and many other present-day missionary activity erature of one of the great probinfluences are carefully consid- in Iran and Kurdistan. The last lems of the modern Church. ered. Individuals and groups chapter unfortunately gives the will find this book offers an un- impression that the closing of ARTHUR J. BROWN. usual basis for the study of that the Urumia Station was an immost important subject-Chris- mediate result of the World War. Art of Conducting Public Worship. tian Home Making. No mention is made of the post- By Albert W. Palmer, D.D., LL.D. war reconstruction of Urumia 207 pp. $2.50. Macmillan, New MARY SCHAUFFLER PLATT. Station. We should remember York. 1939. that the Imperial Government Yesterdays in Persia and Kurdistan. of Iran paid the Presbyterian This is a book of deep interest By Frederick G. Coan. 284 pp. Board of Foreign Missions its to all ministers of non-Liturgi- $2.50. Saunders Studio Press, asking price for the property in cal churches, as well as to lay- Claremont, California. Urumia and has allowed the men who have the resiponsibility mission to continue employing of conducting devotional meet- In the preface Dr. Coan ex- native evangelists all through ings and public services of worplains that his object is "to give the Urumia plain since that date. ship. As President of Chicago an account of the human and ro- Theological S e min a r y after mantic aspects of the mission- Dr. Coan's stories of hair- years of experience as a pastor ary's life, to outline the experi- raising adventures of early mis- in Oakland California, Central ence of a life of service and a sionaries make exciting reading Union Church, Honolulu, and kind that, with a change of time, and give further evidence of the First Congregational Church of has become almost unique, and, courage and abiding faith of Oak Park, Ill. Dr. Palmer can above all, to present that side of these pioneers. The maps in the speak with authority and he the missionary's life that will end papers and the illustrations writes with enthusiasm and in a especially interest the young." are helpful but there is need for very practical way. He deals This purpose the author has ful- an index and a glossary explain- with the weaknesses and failfilled with a great degree of suc- ing the Near Eastern terms and ures in much public worship and cess. Certainly few modern phrases used throughout. clearly points out the causes. He volumes of fiction or travel de- treats the historical background scribe such rough and ready HERRICK B. YOUNG. of Christian worship and the existence and such hairbreadth primary significance of it, showescapes. The Church Faces the World. Edited ing what must happen if it is to by Samuel McCrea Cavert. 133 pp. remain worthy of the name. The early chapters are espe- $1.50. Round Table Press. New There is a chapter on the archicially valuable to the student of York. 1939. tectural setting. for worship, missionary activity in the Near which alone is worth the price East. Here Dr. Coan tells of the This small but important book of the book to any who are renotwenty-five years of pioneer was prepared for the Interna- vating, remodeling or building Rervice begun by his parents· in tional Missionary Council in new church edifices. There are 1851. The succeeding chapters Madras, India, last December. suggested patterns of worship deal chronologically with Dr. A commission of American services, and for special occa- Co-an's own colorful forty years Christians had been appointed sions. The two parts. 0'£ the among the Assyrians and min- to study the relation of the appendix are most helpful. "A" gling with the Kurds between Church to the changing social has a check list by which one Mosul, Tabriz, and the Turkish and economic order, and the re- may grade his own efforts. in frontier. Those who have had sults of the study are sum- conducting public worship, and the pleasure of knowing this vet- marized in the present volume. another check list for rating the eran missionary campaigner will The varied phases of the subject use of music in such services. read of his experiences with in- are discussed in ten chapters, "B" is an annotated book lis,t, terest. One could wish, however, by. John C. Bennett, H. Richthat the occasional references to ard Niebuhr, Samuel McCrea for those who wish to enhance modern Iran had been omitted Cavert (who, in addition, edited their skill in this art. so that the story would depict the volume and contributed the Introduction), John H. Reisner, R. C. WILLIAMSON.
List on Home Missions American Youth Commission of the The Red Man in the United
American Council on Education. By G. E. E. Lindquist. $3.50. GENERAL AND HISTORICAL $1.50. D. Appleton-Century Co. Doubleday, Doran. New York. New York. 1937. 1923. Christian Youth in Action. Frank W. Herriott. $1.00 cloth; 60 cents They Starve That We May Eat. MEXICANS AND ORIENTALS paper. Friendship Press. New Edith E. Lowry. 35 cents. Friend- IN AMERICA York. 1935. ship Press. New York. 1937. Mexican in the United States, The. God and the Census. Robert N. Mc- Races and Ethnic Groups in Amer- E. S. Bogardus. $1.60 cloth; $1.25 Lean. 50 cents cloth; 25 cents ican Life. T. J. Woofter. McGraw- paper. University of Southern Cali- paper. Friendship Press. New Hill Book Co. New York. 1932. fornia Press. Berkeley. 1934. York. 1931. THE CITY Orientals in American Life. Albert Homeland Harvest. Arthur H. W. Palmer. $1.00 cloth; 60 cents Limouze. $1.00 cloth, 60 cents City and Church in Transition. Mur- paper. Friendship Press. 1934. paper. Friendship Press. New ray H. Leiffer. $2.50. Willett, York. 1939. Clark & Co. Chicago. 1938. ALASKA AND THE WEST They Came Seeking. Coe S. Hayne. Urban Scene. Margueritte Harmon The Story of Alaska. Clarence L. $1.00. Judson Press. Philadelphia. Bro. 25 cents paper. Illustrated. Andrews. Enlarged edition, $4.00. 1935. Friendship Press. New York. 1938. Caxton Printers. Caldwell, Idaho. 1938. Toward a Christian America. Her- City Man. Charles Hatch Sears. mann N. Morse. $1.00. Friendship Special paper edition, 75 cents. Sheldon Jackson. Robert Laird Press. New York. 1935. Friendship Press. New York. 1938. Stewart. Revell. New York. 1908.
American Saga: The History of Lit- City Shadows. Robert W. Searle. Alaskan Adventures. L. Wirt. $1.50. erature of the American Dream of $1.00 cloth; 60 cents paper. Friend- Revell. New York. 1937. a Better Life. Marjorie Barstow ship Press. New York. 1938. Greenbie. $4.00. Whittlesey House. Henry Harmon Spalding: Pioneer of New York. 1939. RURAL LIFE Old Oregon. Clifford Merrill Drury. $3.00. Caxton Printers. Caldwell, Daniel Boone and the Wilderness Christ of the Countryside. Malcolm Idaho. 1936. Road. H. A. B. Bruce. $1.75. Mac- Dana. $1.00. Cokesbury Press. millan. New York. 1910. Nashville. 1937. Marcus Whitman. Clifford Merrill Drury. $5.00. Caxton Printers. Epic of America, The. J ames Tru- Christian Enterprise Among Rural Caldwell, Idaho. 1937. slow Adams. $1.29. Blue Ribbon People, The. Kenyon L. Butter- Books, Inc. New York. 1936. field. $1.50. Cokesbury Press. Vanguard of the Caravans: A Life Nashville. 1928. Story of John Mason Peck. Coe Frontier Spirit in American Chris- Hayne. $1.00. Judson Press. tianity, The. Peter G. Mode. Mac- Rebuilding Rural America. Mark A. Philadelphia. 1931. millan. New York. 1923. Dawber. $1.00 cloth; 60 cents paper. Friendship Press. New York. 1937. AMERICAN CHURCH AND THE March of Faith, The: The Story of CHRISTIAN MESSAGE Religion in America Since 1865. America Begins Again. Katherine William E. Garrison. $2.50. Harper Glover. Illus. $2.75. Whittlesey Christianity-and Our World. John & Bros. New York. 1933. House. New York. 1939. C. Bennett. 50 cents. Association Press. New York. 1936. Right Here at Home. Frank S. Mead. THE NEGRO AND THE $1.00. Friendship Press. New AMERICAN INDIAN Church and State in Contemporary York. 1939. America. Williams Adams Brown. American Race Problems: A Study $2.75. Scribner's. New York. Story of Missions, The. Edwin E. of the Negro. Edward B. Reuter. 1936. White. $1.00. Friendship Press. 2nd. rev. ed. $3.00. Thomas Y. New York. 1926. Crowell Co. New York. 1938. Church Looks Ahead, The. American Protestant Christianity: an Analy- Wagons West: A Story of the Oregon Twelve Negro Americans. Mary sis and Forecast. Charles E. Scho- Trail. Elizabeth Page. Farrar & Jenness. $1.00. Friendship Press. field, Ed. $3.00. Macmillan. New Rinehart. New York. 1930. New York. 1937. York. 1933.
We Must March. Honore Willsie Brown America. Edwin R. Embree. Church Unity Movements in the Morrow. A. L. Burt Co. New $1.25. Special Friendship Press United States. H. Paul Douglass. York. 1927. Edition. New York. 1937. Institute of Social and Religious Re- search. New York. 1934. PRESENT-DAY PROBLEMS Story of the American Negro, The. Ina Corinne Brown. $1.00 cloth, 60 Evangelism i,n a Changing W orId. Alien Americans: A Study of Race cents paper. Friendship Press. Ambrose M. Bailey. $1.50. Round Relations. Bertram J. O. Schrieke. New York. 1937. Table Press. New York. 1936. $21.50. Viking Press. New York. American Indian and Christian Mis- U. S. Looks at Its Churches, The. Christian F a i t h and Economic sons, The. George W. Hinman. C. Luther Fry. Institute of Social Change. Halford E. Luccock: $2.00. $1.50. Revell. New York. and Religious Research. New York. Abingdon Press. New York. 1936. 1930. Story of the Red Man, The. Flora Christianity and Industry in America. W. Seymour. $5.00. Longmans, PROGRAMS AND POLICIES OF Alva W. Taylor. Friendship Press. Green & Co. New York. 1929. HOME MISSIONS New York. 1933. Cry Dance. Coe Hayne. $2.00 (Fic- Christian Mission in America, The. Pioneering on Social Frontiers. tion). Harper & Bros. New York. Hugh T. Kerr. $1.00. Friendship Graham Taylor. $4.00. University 1939. Press. New York. 1933. of Chicago Press. Chicago. 1930. Facing the Future in Indian Missions. Home Missions Today and Tomor- Protestant Churches and the Indus- Lewis Meriam and George W. Hin- row: A Review and a Forecast. trial Crisis. E. B. Chaffee. Mac- man. $1.00. Friendship Press. Hermann N. Morse, Ed. 75 cents millan. New York. 1933. New York. 1932. paper. Home Missions Council. New York. 1934. How Fare American Youth? Homer Indian Americans. Winifred Hulbert. P. Rainey and others. Report to Friendship Press. New York. What Next in Home Missions? Wil- 1932. liam P. Shriver. 50 cents. Friend- ship Press. New York. 1928.
THE FAMILY ALTAR RETURN?
The increased use of a daily devotional guide among Protestants of all faiths gives hope and encouragement for the return of the family altar. By far, the largest circulated of these devotional guides is THE UPPER ROOM The World's Leading Devotional Periodical Read Daily in a Million Homes Are the homes represented in your church using it? . The issue for July, August, and September is now ready for distribution. Place an order today for as many copies as you need. Use our consignment plan. Ten or more copies, shipped to one address, to be sold at five cents per copy, with the< privilege of returning unsold copies at our expense. Yearly subscriptions, 30 cents postpaid; foreign, 40 cents. Send all orders to THE UPPER ROOM Doctors' Building, Nashville, Tennessee
The Missionary Review of the World — November 1937
1937
The Effect of Islam on Childhood Charlotte E. Young Christian Villages in Mozambique Julian S. Rea A Korean Missionary Gives Thanks Mrs. George H. Winn The Passion of Raymund Lull Kenneth G. Grubb Early Work Among the Indians G. E. E. Lindquist Christians and the New Life Movement Madame Chiang Kai–shek Fruit from Seed–Sowing in China Orpha B. Gould 25 Cents a Copy $2.50 a Year
D.tes to Remember AKEEN PARENTS ••• That
possession is November 7-11-lnternational Good- In the Foreign Mission Field within YOUT Will Congress. Boston. Endorse Calvert: School November 19-American Sec t ion, Home Study Courses MEMORY reach! Follow Universal Christian Council for For Children the simple, sen~ Life and Work, New York. sible rules in Calvert School, through its Home Instruc- November 22-Annual M: e e tin g , tion Department, will give your child a United Stewardship Council, Phila- superior elementary education ••• by mail, delphia, Pa. . regardless of where you may live. Mod- "HOW TO MEMORIZE" ern, approved courses from this famous By Dr. William Evans November 22-23-United Stewardship school are being used by parents all over Council Meeting. Philadelphia, Pa. the world with outstanding success. The Possibilities of the Memory, December 12-Universal Bible Sun- Give your children the advantages of these Principles of Memory Training, and 'interesting lessons, carefully chosen books, day. and attractive materials. Instruction is step by step instruction on the fun~ under the personal guidance of teachers in NATIONAL PREACHING MIS- damentals of application. . SION Many gladly paid $5.00 for this October 31-November 3-Cincinnati, Calvert's prominent and successful private material in a correspondence course. Ohio. day school in Baltimore. Now compiled in a single volume bound in handsome cloth covers, November 4-7-Richmond, Va. Write today for booklet of complete in- gilt stamping, 95 pages, complete Novenl.ber 7-IO-Nashville, Tenn. formation. Costs are low. for 75c. and 6c. postage. November 11-I4–ShrevepQrt, La. CALVERT SCHOOL , BIBLE INSTITUTE COLPORTAGE ASS'N November 14-17-Tulsa, Okla. November 18-21-Wichita, -Kans. 180 E. Tuscany Road 848 N. Wells St. Chicago, Illinois November 21-24–Quincy, Ill. Baltimore oQo Maryland December 2-5–Jacksonville, Fla. Wooster College and Princeton Sem- inary, and has been a navy chaplain . since 1915. II If you use Personal Items *** PRINTING Mrs. Orrin R. Judd, one of the Rev. A. J. Muste, after several YOU will profit from an ac- Board of Directors of THE REVIEW, quaintanceship with us. We is the new president of the Woman's years as leader of radical social do the job complete in our own American Baptist Home Mission So- groups, has returned to the Presby- plant, whether it be large or ciety. From 1920 to 1921 she served terian ministry and has become Di- small. as treasurer of the Board and'for the rector of Labor Temple, New York past six years as 1st vice-president. City, succeeding Dr. Edmund B. Chaf- While our specialty is Books, Ten years ago Mrs. Judd wrote "Fifty fee who died in 1936. – Mr. Muste Mag~ines and Pamphlets, yet Golden Years," the history of the understands the labor movement and we have a vlilriety of modern Woman's Home Mission Society. She says that their materialistic objectives equipment to meet all the re.- would be unsatisfying, even if attain- able.
is a former president of the Council Obituary Notes of Women for Home Missions.
*** Hugh R. Monro, LL.D., of Mont- Dr. F. E. Dilley, medical mission- quirements of your particular clair, New Jersey, Vice-President of ary to China, died in Cleveland, Ohio, job. You will find our service the Niagara Lithograph Company, Aug. 9, 1937. He was in Peiping prompt, careful and courteous. has been elected President of the American Tract 'Society, to succeed from 1907 till 1920, where he served Will you allow us to estimate the late William Phillips Hall. on the staff of the An Ting Hospital for men and was a professor in the on your next printing ? We be- ••• Union Medical College. In 1921 he lieve you will be delighted with Rev. Dirk Lay, D.D., after twentyseven years of successful service as was transferred to Temple Hill Hos- our product, price and service. the "Apostle to the, Pimas," is to be- pital in Chefoo. come supervisor of' Presbyterian mis- *** sion work among the Dakatah Indians Dr. William Isaac Chamberlain, The EVANGELICAL PRESS on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The work of Dr. Lay Ph.D., who retired in 1935 as corre- Print…. of among the Pimas forms one of the most dramatic episodes in the annals sponding secretary of the Board of The Missionary Rewew of the World of missionary service among Indian tribes. He has succeeded in develop- Foreign Missions of the Reformed PLANT AND MAIN OFFICE ing strong congregations among them, Church in America, died in New York Third and Reily Str••ts Han'''''', P.. each with its own house of worship City on September 28th. He would and native pastor, trained to render have been seventy-five years old on efficient service. He has also been their successful advocate in their ap- October 10th. a native of Pittsburgh. He was gJ"adpeal to the Government for irrigation Dr. Chamberlain had been secretary uated frQm the University of Pittsfrom the Coolidge dam. burgh, in 1889, and from Union of the Reformed Church Board since Theological Seminary in 1892. Dur- *** 1909. He was also a member of some ing his service in Korea Mr. M:iller twenty other boards and societies. -organized Bible institutes, served Capt. Robert. D.! Workman has be- (See Editorial on page 517.) come Chief of Chaplains in the U. S. Navy, to succeed Edward A. Duff, *** churches as pastor and managed Roman Catholic. He is a graduate of The Rev. Frederick Sheibler Mil- evangelistic campaigns. He was au- ler, Presbyterian missionary in Cho- thor of several books on Korea pub- sen, Korea, from 1892 until his retire- lished in America.
ment last December, died in that city, His widow, Mrs. Mary Lillian Dean recently. Miller, also a missionary, survives Mr. Miller was 70 years old and him.
MISSIONARY A t left is one of the
REVIEW OF THE WORLD A.S.S.U. cotton camp Union Sunday Schools. Below is a DELAVAN L. PIERSON, Editor plank chapel in which numer- ous evangelistic meetings are VOL. LX Nov., 1937 No. 11 conducted and many cort~ versions have occurred. Our "Cotton Camp Evangelist" solicited the funds. and did nearly all the ·work himself.
Publication and Business Office– The Tallest Cotton- Third and Reily Sts., Harrisburg, Pa. OF the United States-do you realize that The Arizona cotton camps are Editorial and Executive Office– it grows in arid Arizona? And do you know that the but one instance where wide- 156 Fifth Avenue, New York City. tallest men and women spiritually may grow from awake A.S.S.V. missionaries Entered as second-class matter at the boys and girls of the cotton camp section if we are entering opening doors. reach them soon with the Word of God? The youth of unreached rural Post Office, Harrisburg, Pa., under America is. our chosen field. Act of March 3, 1879. About eight years ago, Buckeye Valley was Evangelical in purpose. non- sectarian in method. and true 25 cents a copy-$2.50 a year. reclaimed by irrigation from a dry cactus desert and to the Word of God, for more Foreign Postage, 50 cents a year. became one of the most fertile cotton-growing sections than a century we have car- Published monthly, except August. of the Southwest. Here hundreds of cotton picking ried on this aggressive and All rights reserved. Copyrighted 1937. families migrate from eastern cotton states, many of needed evangelism. Our or- British agentll- Marshall, Morgan them remaining the year round. They live in tents and ganization covers the nation. and Scott, 12 Paternoster Buildings, shacks. At nearly every little cross-roads store liquor Heaven alone will reveal the London, E. C. 1 shilling per copy, is sold and single men and women of immoral tenden- tremendous results in eternal 10 shillings a year. cies are a menace to the boys and girls of these camps. values.
MISSIONARY REVIEW PUB- Through its district superintendent, the Your church or Sunday School LISHING CO., INC. class could choose no nobler A.S.S.V. has established cotton camp evangelism. missionary project. $12.50 BOARD OF DIREC'l'ORS Tents and chapel buildings in some instances have . annually establishes a class, ROBERT E. SPEER, President been provided by the cotton growers. Many conver- $25.00 maintains a Sunday A. L. WARNSHUIS, Vice-President sions have taken place among the young and some School, $50.00 annually sup- WALTER McDOUGALL, Treasurer needed relief work is going forward. ports work in an unreached DELAVAN L. PIERSON, Secretary community, and $100.00 in a county. $1200.00 annually SAMUJIlL MCCREA CAVERT .supports an active A.S.S.U. D. J. FANT missionary. For full informa- Mas. ORRIN R. JUDD tion, address- WM. B. LIPPHARD AMERI DEPARTMENT OF MISSIONS, Dept. R1137 ERIC M. NORTH 1816 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia:, Pennsylvania. Sunday SAMUEL M. ZWEMER School I wish to sponsor the work of the A. S. S. U. with the Union unreached millions of Rura~ America. Editorial Chat 5 Enclosed find $ ___ to be used foc _______ _ The October number of the REVIEW ESTABLISHED 1817 -on Moslem lands-has had a very ) Send your quarterly Field Magazine – "The Sunenthusiastic reception. About 1,000 day School Missionary" special advance orders were received and many leaders are using them in ( ) Mail your Booklet on Annuities. their study classes. More valuable articles on the same subject appear in ( ) Send Sample Sunday School Literature. this issue-and more are to follow. Name ___________________ .___ _ *** Address _____________________ _ The Home Missions number on City ______________ State ______ _ "Rural America" (June) has had a large circulation-about two thou- CHRIST ALONG THE OLD BACK ROAD sand extra copies having been sold up PIONEER SUNDAY SCHOOL ORGANIZATION OF THE USA to September 1st. wrong one used as a frontispiece for versity of Nanking Hospital is the *** the September REVIEW. The picture only large hospital open in that city. intended for insertion was one of na- Cabled appeals for help to meet the Readers still continue to express tives in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan in situation come with the endorsement their high appreciation of the work the midst of picturesque rocks of the of the American Ambassador in China. the REVIEW is doing. Dr. William desert. The picture used was a plate At least $6,000 are needed for anti- Bancroft Hill, of Vassar College, in loaned for another purpose by the Re- tetanus and typhoid vaccines, as the ordering a quantity for distribution, view and Herald, of Washington, supply in Nanking is now exhauste·d. writes: D. C., and represents a camp meeting with 5,000 present in Iboland, Nigeria. There is also need for funds for an "Your October number on the Mos- These people are connected with the ambulance. Dr. Robert E. Speer, for lems is a most able and satisfactory Seventh Day Adventist Mission. twenty-five years President of the presentation of the subject." Board of Trustees of the University *** of Nanking, is now Honorary Presi- *** dent. The Presbyterian, Methodist, APPEAL FOR THE UNIVERSITY Baptist, Disciples, and Congregational Another reader says: OF NANKING HOSPITAL Churches cooperate in the work of "I wish to express my sincere ap- the University, the American office of preciation of this most companionable, Since the Chinese Government interesting and instructive mission- (Central) Hospital in Nanking has which is at 150 Fifth Avenue, New ary magazine, as well as for its in- been bombed and closed, the Uni- York City. spiration and encouragement. It is the only missionary magazine I am re- [ 513 ] ceiving here in the heart of Africa. The Articles concerning the "Bush" especially appeal to me as I am also working in the "Bush."
MRS. LILLIAN WASHER, French Equatorial Africa.
*** A CORRECTION-EGYPTIAN SUDAN By some unaccountable error, two plates were interchanged and the
A SCENE IN THE CHRISTIAN VILLAGE OF MALATE
NAZTALI MBANZI, A TEACHER, PLAYING AN VILLAGE EVANGELISTS IN PORTUGUESE AFRICAN PIANO EAST AFRICA (See article on page 524)
NARY
REVIB ORLD VOLUME LX AN INTERDENOMINATIONAL REVIEW OF WORLD-WIDE CHRISTIAN PROGRESS NUMBER 11 NOVEMBER, 1937 Topics of the Times "IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS" here also great reasons for national and personal thanksgi ving. At times this seems to be difficult, if not impossible. In spite of many dark days, King Da- There is, first of all, the certainty that God, the vid took up praise for a life work, saying: "As Almighty and loving Heavenly Father, lives and long as I live I will praise thee." Again he said: rules; His will must be triumphant, even though "Thy praise shall continually be in my mouth." ignorant and self-seeking men rebel.
There is the encouraging fact that men are not In the midst of personal sorrow and troubles, satisfied with evil. Ninety percent of humanity in national distress and in world-wide conflicts, condemns selfish wars of aggression, such as there are still reasons to give thanks to God. The Japan is conducting in China and as Italy con- Prophet Habbakuk lived in a time of great trou- ducted in Ethiopia. There is encouragement in ble. There were material desolations, national the desire of many other leaders for peace and judgments, signs of devilish activity on every justice, as is revealed in the League of Nations side; wrong-doing was rampant in Judea-vio- and in the Hague Court, even though these bodies lence, perverseness, lawlessness, immorality, in- are too selfish, too weak, too fearful, or too much justice, strife, international warfare. divided to act together to promote peace.
God seemed strangely inactive and silent and Great trials are offset by God's mercies that yet the prophet could utter a wonderful prayer of offer reasons for thanksgiving. There are spiritpraise because God still ruled and His glory cov- ual compensations that come with suffering; the ered the heavens; even in wrath He remembered discipline of faith is promoted through trial; mercy; the earth also was full of His praise. He troubled souls are drawn into closer fellowship concluded with words that Daniel Webster pro- with God; disciples are weaned from love of the nounced among the most sublime in all literature, material world; the failure of temporal things to declaring, even in the midst of disasters and dis- give happiness often leads to the transfer of life's tress, "I will rejoice in Jehovah; I will joy in the affections from self to God. God of my salvation. Jehovah, the Lord is my strength" (Habbakuk 3: 17, 18). The coming Thanksgiving season does not offer any occasion for self-satisfaction or for rejoicing Stalin, and others who foolishly fight against in increase of material wealth; nor are there en- God in Russia, know nothing of the psalmist's, the couraging signs of a new reign of peace and goodprophet's and the Christian's secret of peace and will among men. But a knowledge of the signs of joy; the Japanese military leaders are ignorant God's working in the world will cause every Chrisof the God of Love; Hitler, in his determination tian heart to give thanks. There are multitudes to rule the Church and to obliterate God's de- of enterprises effectively carrying on the work of crees, overlooks the power of the omnipotent Christ-the churches, missions, hospitals, schools; Ruler; Mussolini thinks only of temporal progress the Christian homes, the work for youth; the puband material force; Spaniards, in their fratricidal lication and distribution of the Bible and other strife, have little conception of the mercy and Christian literature; the men and women who peace of God; at the same time millions in Amer- stand true to Christ in difficult and dangerous ica are seeking political control and economic im- places-as in Germany, Russia, Spain, China, provement for personal gain; and yet there are India, Korea and Moslem lands. We give thanks [ 515]
for little children, so ready to love and be loved; Braisted is a son-in-law of Dr. Robert P. Wilder, we praise God for earnest, forward looking youth one of the founders and first traveling secretary and for teachers who unselfishly give time to Sun- of the S. V. M.The new secretary was for some day school work; we give thanks for the conse- years a Baptist missionary in India and Burma crated money dedicated to God's service and for and has been especially active in evangelistic the hundreds of thousands of men, women and work and Bible teaching among students. At a children who are responding to the Gospel and are dinner, recently given in New York to welcome receiving eternal life through Christ in our city the secretary, Dr. Braisted showed his missionary streets, and in prisons and penitentiaries, in home vision and his grasp of the situation in a truly mission territory, in many of the dark places of statesmanlike address. He expressed the conthe earth. viction that the students of America today, as never before, are awake to the need of the world Every circumstance of life, where God is hon- for a radical change in ideals, and for new spiritored, not only teaches lessons in faith and fidelity, ual power. He said in part: but suggests new causes for thanksgiving and praise. "In everything give thanks." "(1) As we approach students we must find the way of leading them to experience the reality REVIVING THE STUDENT VOLUNTEERS of faith and fellowship with the living God. They need a vital experience of the power of Christ in Even a superficial glance at the present world their own lives. situation gives clear evidence that the missionary task of the Christian Church is very far from "(2) We must be stirred by the fact that, in completed. There are more non-Christians in the Christ, God is revealed and we must present a world than there were one hundred and fifty years fully rounded life as a challenge to students and ago; many more than when our Lord gave His to all mankind. disciples the commission to evangelize the world. While the attitude of men toward Jesus Himself, "(3) We must speak frankly of the rugged deas shown by millions in non-Christian lands, is mands that Christ makes of His followers for a much more sympathetic than it was even fifty life of rectitude, for temperance and self-denial years ago, at the same time the anti-Christian at- and for sacrificial service. titude of misguided leaders in what have been nominally Christian lands-such as Russia and "(4) We must seek to give students a truly Germany-has become vastly more aggressive. Christian world-vision and to enlist them in a world-wide fellowship. In spite of great advance in the Christian missionary enterprise on the mission fields, for vari- "(5) The immediate task of the Movement is ous reasons the coldness and indifference of very to find new, consecrated and qualified leaders in many professing Christians in America and Eu- the Church at home and in the foreign fields. rope has increased in the last fifteen years. Clearly there is great need to arouse the Christian "(6) We must interpret anew to students the Church to new enthusiasm and sacrifice, in order elementary and fundamental facts in regard to that we may push the campaign to win a sympa- Christian missions. thetic hearingand·an acceptance of the Gospel of Christ-with all its implications-both at home "(7) We must bring living, spirit-filled misand abroad. sionaries into touch with students so that they may understand the opportunities, the obligations, Fifty-one years ago the Student Volunteer the requirements and the rewards of missionary Movement was founded for this ideal-to evan- service. gelize the world in this generation. It has been signally blessed and wonderfully effective in en- "(8) We must look ahead and discover the new listing volunteers, in arousing the Church and in types of missionaries that will be needed to carry gaining friends and supporters for the cause. on the work under changing conditions ten years Recently the financial and spiritual depression at from now. home, and complications abroad, have caused the Movement to lose ground. There has been even "(9) We must associate in the Movement, able some talk of abandoning its active work or of Christian leaders of the churches on each field so changing its purpose and program. Lowering of that we at home may work with them for the ideals in some cases, changes in leadership and evangelization and education of their people. loss of support, have hindered progress. "(10) We must seek to win commercial, politi- Now, however, with the coming of a new sec- cal and other representatives in foreign lands to retary, Dr. Paul J. Braisted, there is promise of Christ so that they will have the conviction that new life and power in the Movement. Dr. every Christian should be a lay missionary and should enjoy fellowship with other disciples of Christ.
"In this and other ways we must layout a pro- gram and seek spiritual power to promote Chris-
TOPICS OF THE TIMES
tian unity, harmony and cooperation throughout and Mental Philosophy in the college. For many the world." years he was a trustee of Rutgers-always active in its affairs. As an undergraduate he played on Dr. John R. Mott, one of the earliest Student the college football team, and every interest of Volunteers, and for many years chairman of the the college, especially all its religious interests, Movement, made a powerful appeal for new co- were of concern to him. operation, whole-hearted support and an adequate program to help evangelize unoccupied fields, to After his seminary course he returned to India study the great world problems, and to present in 1887 as a missionary of the Reformed Church Christ as the only One who can solve these prob- in America. His complete mastery of the verlems and meet the greatest needs of all mankind. naculars, which was one of his mother tongues, his extraordinary intellectual ability, his warmth The Student Volunteer Movement has a new of character and his personal charm made him an opportunity today. The secret of new life and ideal missionary. He found a mission almost effective service must be found in a clear vision of Christ's objectives, in new emphasis on the essence of the Gospel, in Spirit-filled leadership, and in devoted, sacrificial service, both at home and abroad. May God guide and bless Dr. Paul J. Braisted and his fellow workers.
WILLIAM I. CHAMBERLAIN One of the most competent, trusted and beloved WILLIAM 1. CHAMBERLAIN missionary leaders of the generation passed away in the Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, ideally organized for its work. The evangelistic on September 28th, in the death of the Rev. Wil- itinerating circuits were laid out with greatest liam I. Chamberlain, D.D., Secretary of the Board care and steady and conservative policies were of Foreign Missions of the Reformed Church in pursued with a view to the building up of living, America for twenty-four years, from 1909 until self-supporting churches. his retirement in 1935. In addition to his full share of direct evangelis- Dr. Chamberlain was born into missionary tic work he gave himself to the training of an leadership. His father was Dr. Jacob Chamber- educated, Christian leadership. He established lain, one of the early missionaries to India of the Voorhees College at Vellore in 1898 and served as Reformed Church and one of the most capable and its president until 1905. picturesque missionaries and missionary advocates of the last century. He was one of the He was recognized as a full member of the Inspeakers at the Student Conference at Mount dian community, enjoying the respect and con- Hermon, Mass., when the Student Volunteer fidence of all classes, serving by election on the Movement originated and his addresses and Municipal Council and as Mayor of Vellore. He power were among the inspiring influences which was a living refutation of the type of critic produced the Movement. Some of the missionary which regards missionaries as intruders, unwelstories became classics.
William Chamberlain was born in Madras on Oct. 10, 1862 and from his childhood absorbed the missionary spirit. The Arcot Mission, to which his father belonged and of which he was one of the greatest leaders, was an extraordinarily efficient and well organized mission, conservative and educational, but at the same time animated through and through with the spirit and purpose of rich and thorough evangelization.
William came back to America for his education and was graduated from Rutgers College in 1882 and from the New Brunswick Theological Seminary four years later. He was always a devoted Rutgers alumnus and his college gave him the degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1912. In 1917-8 he was president of the New York Association of Rutgers Alumni. For three years after his return from India he occupied the Chair of Logic
come to the people and aloof from their common ciates. The dominant note of his character was the heroism of his faith. life. He concerned himself with all that affected To the missionaries William 1. Chamberlain the well-being and happiness of the people-sani- was not only a wise counselor, a statesman of broad vision and a friend in every hour of trial tation, taxation, honest government, education. or disappointment; he was a man whose deep reli- gious convictions, in an age of compromise and But above all and through all he was a minister doubt, were like a rock in a weary land. In one of his great missionary addresses on "The Fact of Christ, preaching the Gospel and building the of Christ" he made this memorable statement: "This greatest Master of religion was differen- Church. Under Lord Curzon's vice-royalty he tiated from all other teachers. Others claim to be the messengers of truth; He is the Message. was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind medal, first class, Others claim to be light-bearers; He is the Light. Others claim to point to the truth; He is the for his service to India. Truth. All the data for Christianity are found in the one phenomenon-the fact of Christ." He returned from India in 1905 and after his Dr. Chamberlain's philosophical mind found its service for three years at Rutgers, accepted the center and rest in the evangelical faith of which he was never ashamed and for which, on the platsecretaryship of the Board of Foreign Missions form and in missionary councils, he fought many a good fight. On the far-flung field of Christian of his church. Here for twenty-six years he ad- enterprise in India and the Far East, in the lonely places of the Moslem world many hearts have ministered the missions with wisdom and devo- been strengthened by his sturdy outspoken witness to the sufficiency of the Gospel. tion, combining careful and conservative views lie was one of the organizers of the American with faith and courage. He possessed the confi- Christian Literature Society for Moslems and was its president for many years. In his unceasing dence of hi$ Church, was president of the Gen- labors for the Arabian Mission of the Reformed Church, and the United Mission in Iraq, he knew eral Synod in 1908-09 and again and again carried the burden of Islam and the "patience of unan- swered prayer." The archers of criticism someprogressive policies with the trust of the Church. times sorely grieved him and shot at the enter- prise he loved, but his bow abode in strength and He was looked to as leader on all special occasions his arms and hands were made strong by the mighty God of Jacob. In his picture of the Alpine and .he gave his Church a position of honor in shepherds, as a type of the missionary at his task, he spoke words that are prophetic of the Alleluias the Christian world by the quality of his rl:!pre- in which he now has part: sentation of it. In 1923-24 he was president of When the sun is just setting and the peaks of the eternal snow become tinted by its dying beams, the shepherd who the Alliance of the Reformed Churches and in the is highest up the mountains takes his horn and sounds through it a few simple but melodious notes signifying, field of foreign missions he was Chairman of the "Glory be to God." Far and wide in the pure air floats the sound. The nearest shepherd hears and replies and Annual Conference of ,the Foreign Mission from man to man, over the illimitable deserts of a hun- dred hills, passes on the sound of the worship. Then there Boards of North America and of its Committee is a silence, a deep dead silence, during which every head is uncovered and every knee bowed while from the stillness of Reference and Council. In 1916 and 1920 he of the solitude rises the voice of supplication heard by God alone. visited the missions of his Board and his interest Again the highest shepherd sounds through his horn, took in them all. He had a very special interest in "Thanks be to God"; again is the sound taken up and passed on from man to man along the mountains until, the United Mission in Mesopotamia, a union mis- lost in the twilight, the shepherd betakes himself to his repose." sion of the Presbyterian in the U. S. A., the Re- So do we give thanks to God and glorify Him formed Church in ··A,:ijlerica and the Reformed for the inspiration that has come from this life of this true under-Shepherd of Christ's sheep. Church in the U. S.' When he visited Mesopo- s. M. Z. tamia he was deeply moved by the plight of the Assyrian refugees. He was president of the Board of Trustees of Fukien Christian University and a trustee of the American University at Cairo.
Dr. Chamqerlain was married to Mary Eleanor Anable of New Brunswick, N. J., in 1891. She died in 1929, leaving a daughter, Mrs. Alma Chamberlain Anderson.
Dr. Chamberlain was a Christian man through and through. There was in him no darkness at all.
Always courteous and careful, he was neverthe- less firm as a rock in all righteousness and clear as daylight in his convictions and their expres- sion. There was a singular purity of nature in him that stood out as a quality of childlikeness and simplicity. He was one who commanded al- ways and everywhere all men's trust, and who always and everywhere enlisted without effort their deepest affection. For years he was a di- rector of this REVIEW and those who were thus intimately associated with him place on record their testimony to an able, devoted, noble Chris- tian man. R. E. S.
*** This man of God was versatile in his talents, steadfast in his life and beloved of all his asso-
Effect of Islam on
By CHARLOTTE E. YOUNG, Teheran, Iran -.~ Missionary of the Presbyterian Church,. Teacher in Alborz College MILLIONS of chilren are born every year scholastic standards that have come from widen- into Moslem homes, within earshot of the ing contacts with the Christian world-where muezzin call. From babyhood, through such a large place is given to the child-they are the formative years of childhood, until early mar- still held back, imbedded and writhing in the mesh riage perpetuates the cycle of Moslem traditions, of superstition and the hampering effects of evil customs, and superstitions, Islam is part of their social customs that center in Islam itself. everyday life. The ideal character for those who are brought up in this atmosphere is Mohammed; Murray Titus in his book, "The Young Moslem Looks at Life," says: "Everyone of the undesir- the standards which he has put forth in the able elements in Islam is something that is rooted Koran, as God's revealed will for mankind, are in the religion. They are all lawful-polygamy, the guiding factors in their lives. child marriage, easy divorce, the keeping of con- cubines, slavery." Mohammed participated in One sees God-given spontaneous joy and the sunshine of childhood among the beggar young- each one. There is not one of these outstanding sters in the streets of Moslem cities. One recognizes the laughter and chatter of carefree hap- piness as the children skip and play in the walled harem gardens, or gayly trot along on their tiny donkeys to a garden picnic. And this same child- ish happiness is found in homes where the proud mother asks a manly little son or a demure daugh- ter to pass the sweets to her guests, or where the doting father calls on his sons to entertain the company by reciting poetry.
All this one recognizes as a child's natural response to those God-given human qualities of parental-love-that elemental passion for children that brings with it the desire to shelter, protect and give security to the limit of the parent's knowledge and ability. The response of the child is as elemental as the love of the parent.
Alonzo Bunker has a different explanation for bright faces among Moslem children but recog- YOUNG MOSLEM READING THE KORAN nizes that there are such. "The attractiveness of childhood among all races sometimes seems to be practices within the social system that does not accentuated among less intelligent peoples; so reflect sorrow upon the life of a child.
that, before the fogs of sin and ignorance have From so much in current literature, in maga- blurred the image of God in which they were zines, in novels, in psychological stUdies of childcreated, they show a strength and brightness more hood there comes to us the effect of unhappiness marked than in their more favored brothers and to children resulting from divorce, which seems sisters in enlightened lands . . . one remembers to us least of the above-mentioned evils. A conthat of these too it may be said, 'Trailing clouds crete example taken from modern life in Moslem of glory do they come.' " lands will serve to illustrate conditions all too But from their earliest years children of Mos- common resulting from these customs. lem countries enter into the inheritance of their S- comes to us with her story-a girl who religion, and their religion is their handicap. In had received the highest degree in education that spite of modern methods of Western education women of her country could acquire. She is an taken up by their governments, in spite of higher only daughter, devoted to her widowed mother [ 519 ]
who in turn gave much. Her years of schooling- but who longed to serve her sisters. In one letter freedom to come and go among school friends of she writes: her own choosing-is much in the life of a Moslem girl. But there were limits; on the day when The Mohammedan law allows a man to have four wives she and others of her classmates graduated un- at the same time. And though it be a thousand times over veiled before the large mixed audience and gave no sin according to Mohammedan law and doctrine, I shall their orations, S-, in deference to her mother's forever call it a sin. I call all things sin which bring wishes, delivered her oration from behind the misery to a fellow creature. . . . veil. Her subject was, "The Care and Education of Children." In the audience, a gentleman of There was a woman who became wife number two of a some standing in the educational world, was im- native official. The first wife, who was not quite right in pressed. He sought her hand in marriage- her mind, after a little went away from him, leaving bethrough the medium of the family as was the cus- hind a whole troop of children. Number two oecame his tom. But, protested S-, "he already has a wife official wife and was a painstaking, loving mother to her and children." Very well, divorce could be ar- stepchildren; she was very diligent and worked hard to ranged if that was an obj ection. The mother was save something from the income of her husband so that insistent-it was time that S- should marry. later they would be able to educate his children. And She had had many offers but none from so promi- it was thanks to her that the sons turned out so well. nent and respected a man. And so, much against Now I come to the thanks. Once when her husband had her own wishes, the union was effected. gone to the city he came home late at night and called his wife outside. A guest had come with him for whom she "And are you not happy," I enquired, "Is your must care and make ready a room. The guest was a husband not kind to you?" young woman, and when her husband told her that the guest was his wife and that she, his older wife, must "Oh, yes; it's not that, he is kind, I have a henceforth share everything with her, she was at first pleasant home; enough servants and all that, but stunned, for she did not understand. She only stood and he married me because he wanted me to bring up looked at him. But when the frightful truth penetrated his children. He didn't think their mother was to her brain, she sank without a single word to the ground. doing it well. The children all live with us." Ellsworth Huntington draws the contrast so "But," said I, "isn't that a wonderful opportu- clearly that we take the liberty of quoting from nity-you can put your theories into practice." his book, "The Pulse of Asia": "It is quite impossible," she replied, and there Mohammedanism, as everyone knows, inculcates the was bitterness in the girl's reply. "Apart from the seclusion of women, and makes of her nothing but a fact that their early training has been all wrong, stupid drudge to do man's work, or a light plaything for and a complete reconditioning of many habits is his pleasure. Wherever people of Moslem faith gather in necessary, they are allowed each week to visit towns and cities, as I have seen them in Turkey, India, their own mother, who lives with the grand- Persia, Asiatic Russia, and Chinese Turkestan, this ideal mother. There they are taught to despise me, prevails. In the crowded villages and cities women can quite naturally; when they come back, and for do their work behind high mud walls, and can be conseveral days after each visit, they call me names fined to certain unseen rooms when male guests visit the -not of course in their father's hearing. They house. The support of the family does not depend upon say it is not necessary to obey me, since I am not them, and their activities are almost wholly dependent on their mother. It becomes unbearable. My pa- the will of their husbands. It is rarely necessary that tience cannot endure it. My husband only half they should leave the house, and when they do, there is understands for he is away all day and cannot usually no work to be- done and it is easy to keep their know what I endure. I could love the children, faces covered. Even the peasant women, who must work I could help them; but there is no chance." in the fields, keep aloof, and come in contact with men but little. Only the very poor, or those who are confessedly Our sympathies are with this charming young immoral, go about in public with uncovered faces. The woman; but what of the effect on the lives of that evil effect of all this has been often described and needs boy and girl so patently not responsible for their no comment. conduct? Dr. Richter, in summing up the causes of decay Christian missions to Moslems have centered in Islam, puts the chief emphasis on the moral upon the uplift of the position of women even deterioration due to polygamy and the low ideals more than upon improving the condition of child- of home life. He says: "Sound family life is imhood; and with good reason for, with a higher possible. The children grow up in the poisonous standard of motherhood, many of the sad effects atmosphere of intrigue, fleshly lust, bad language, upon childhood can be eliminated. In "Mecca and and shameless licentiousness. They are polluted Beyond," by Dr. and Mrs. Edward M. Dodd, we from youth up." read of the Javanese Princess, Raden Adjung Kartini who grew up in obscurity and seclusion In "The Arab .at Home," by Dr. Paul W. Har- rison, we find the following: The boy grows up in an ntmosphere of intrigue and suspicion, the furtherest possible remove from any idea of cooperation and brotherly love. The whole environ- ment is charged with exaggerated sex desires, and at the age of twelve, he wants to get married. It is better that he should, for so worse evils are averted. He has no in-
THE EFFECT OF ISLAM ON CHILDHOOD
terest in education, nor have his parents any great in- the creed of Islam in this connection. Mr. Murray terest in it for him. He may learn to read the Koran Titus has outlined it for us in "The Young Mosand if he is especially fortunate he may go on to learn lem Looks at Life" : to write as well. But the home as we know it simply does not exist, and until it does, all hope for solid progress is I believe: futile. That there is no god but Allah; One must remember that Moslem childhood I believe: does not last long. As a matter of fact, according In his angels; to Moslem law, the child has no period of adoles- In his books; cence. B.oys and girls goO directly from infancy In his apostles, and that Mohammed is the last of into manhood and womanhood, and the age of them; childh.ood is limited only by physical development. In the Last Day; and There is no thought .of the immaturity .of the In the predestination by Allah of good and evil. mind. At the first signs of puberty childhood ceases and manhood and womanhood have be- There is no question about the majestic idea of gun. the unity of God found in Islam. Though he is often on the lips of the faithful as "The Merciful, Among educated M.oslems, and there are of The Kind," there is never any idea .of a nearness course an increasing number in every country where Islam is strong, it is gratifying to know CHILDREN NEAR DAMASCUS that child-marriage is one of the first of the social evils to be attacked. The illiteracy of the masses to his creatures, shown in the spirit of fatherhood, remains, and will remain for years, a challenge or in love and sacrifice for his children. Much is to the enlightened people of these lands, as well lost from the spiritual life .of childh.ood when we as to us who are their brothers in Christ. Even take from the idea of God that of a loving, heavenso, the illiterate children will be benefited in this ly Father who cares just as much for a little child respect because of the laws of their governments as for a king or queen. Our Christian children are concerning child-marriage-compulsory education made to realize this blessing as they are taught to and slavery. These laws have come not because come directly to their Father in simple prayer life. of a reinterpretati.on of the Koran or the life of Moslem children must memorize a ritual in a Mohammed-(though that has had to be done by language which, except for those in Arabia, is a few of the faithful in order to rationalize the quite unknown to them. There is reverence for present order), but because of the influence of the the ritual but never any reverence .or respect for spirit of Christ working through the social system the name of Allah. The effect upon the converof even nominal Christian governments. sation .of children, who have never considered the Third C.ommandment, is often shocking to those A New York State high school boy in reading who have been taught to revere the name .of God. some of the latest mission literature, written for the study of the Moslem World, recently remarked to his teacher: "Of course, I didn't know much about Islam before but it really isn't such a bad religion, is it?"
"Not such a bad one," replded the teacher, "but is there a better? Have you as a Christian child profited by being born a Christian? Are there things you would have missed had you been born in a Moslem country? I don't mean material things, but spiritual things that have contributed to your happiness, just because they are Christian .?"
"That goes without saying," said the boy, "and of course we have Christ for our standard-but the rules for a religious life that Mohammed gave his people were not so bad, were they?"
The teacher directed the lad's attention to the traditional Moslem creed and the Moslem ritual and asked him to study and compare the effect of that creed and ritual upon life and conduct with the effect of the Christian faith and standards.
Because of its very definite effect upon the child life of the Moslem world, it is well to consider
With the establishment of government schools pillar, held it under the old man's nose. At the the old "maktab" is disappearing. This "maktab" first whiff the old man threw his head back in years gone by was the only type of education. quickly and of course hit it against the pillar. It was run by the priest, with the Koran as the Being entirely unaware of the real cause of all textbook; but in the Moslem world today it no that happened, he believed to his dying day that longer is an influence upon youth. There is left he had been the victim of some jinn. nothing that is being done specifically for the child by way of religious education. Compare this with These jinn are said to inhabit wells, bath houses, the time, effort and funds spent throughout Chris- abandoned dwellings and certain secluded regions. tendom, not only for the religious education of The Koran says that the jinn were interested auchildren, but also for their joy and happiness and ditors of Mohammed's preaching, and that a comfellowship in the life of the church, and we real- pany of them was converted to Islam. When a ize the results of the love of Jesus for little chil- Moslem declares his belief in jinn, as real beings, dren. We believe in God, the Almighty, as does he means it literally. the Moslem; but our creed gives us also "The Father, and Jesus Christ, His only Son, our It is the rare Moslem child who does not wear a Lord"; because of Him, and the guidance of the talisman of some sort. Many of these are small Holy Spirit, we are led on to probe and to prove metal cases, bound to the arm or ankle, containing the length and breadth, the heights and the depths a sura from the Koran. It is common knowledge of the love of God for His children. that the chapters from the Koran which are most often selected for use as amulets, and put in small Ar,ound the Moslem statements, "I believe in cases, are Surahs 1, 6, 18, 36, 44, 55, 67, and 78. his angels" and "I believe in his books," has grown There are five verses in the Koran, called the up that great cult of magic against which every verses of protection, Ayat-el-Hifdh, which are Moslem child has to fight as he acquires a knowl- most powerful to defend from evil. They read edge of modern science and more civilized forms as follows: of living. The preservation of heaven and earth is no burden unto A modern child psychologist could write vol- Him. umes on the effect upon children of the everpresent talisman that is worn to keep off "the God is the .best protector. evil eye." One never forgets the fear in the eyes They guard him by the command of God. of children, and of educated parents too, as they We guard him from every stoned devil. tell tales of jinn and of the different kinds of A protection from every rebellious devil. devils and angels. Think of the effect on Moslem children who Jinn, the genii of "The Arabian Nights," are study physiology and chemistry in modern schools a sort of intermediate species between men and and at the same time are taught to believe in and angels. There are both good and bad jinn, and reverence amulets and charms. Ordinarily the they are created from fire. They assume various ink used for writing amulets is saffron water, rose shapes, grow large and small at will, attack un- water, orange water, the juice of onions, water suspecting human beings, and are the cause of from the sacred well of Zemzen, and sometimes unending fear in the hearts of multitudes of Mos- even human blood! The one who writes the amulems who believe in their power over men. The let must be a holy man, in the Moslem sense of average Moslem in Arabia, India, Iran or North that word. Arabic books on the subject (and Africa is amply prepared to verify the old tales these books are printed by the thousands) , explain· of the jinn with chapters out of his own expe- as follows: rience. The diet of the one who prepares charms depends on Murray Titus tells how, in Calcutta, an old the kind of names of God which he intends to write or Moslem servant threw up his job of pulling the recite. If they are the terrible attributes of Allah, then fan, or punkah, which was worked by hand be- he must refrain from the use of meat, fish, eggs, honey, fore the days of electricity. The reason he gave and musk. If they are His amiable attributes, he must was that on the previous night a jinn had hit him abstain from butter, curds, vinegar, salt, and ambergris. a terrible blow on the back of his head; he would stay there no longer. The truth was that as he By believing in the "Books," a Moslem also inwas sitting with his back against a brick pillar cludes the istikhara (the cutting of the Koran), he fell asleep, and the person for whom he was especially when it comes to matters of health and pulling the punkah awoke in a great perspiration, concerning medical treatment. This often is the for the night was terribly hot. Since this was means of deciding plans for business, or in connot the first time the old man had stopped pulling, sidering whether to accept employment, to form his master rose from his bed, took a bottle of partnerships, or make journeys. Mrs. Dwight smelling salts and, quietly stealing up behind the McDonaldson tells the following story which illus- trates this point.
A child is brought to a doctor and his case is diagnosed as one needing an operation. The
parent is so advised and arrangements are made of courtesy, of hospitality-beautiful and com- for the child to enter the hospital. However, ex- mendable characteristics that are attributable to cuses are made at the last minute; the doctor is the fact that they are Orientals, as well as that assured that the child will be brought the next they are Moslems. Islam has fostered reverence day. He does not return. Days, or maybe weeks, for an Almighty Holy God, a basis from which later the child is brought for the operation. The Christians may lead on to teach that larger con· story is that the istikhara repeatedly came out ception of the Father who desires all His children against the operation and that the child could not to live in peace, and to grow in grace and in the be brought until there was a favorable result. knowledge of their Lord and Master, Jesus This belief in istikhara is part of the belief in Christ.
the predestination by Allah of good and evil. This naturally breeds a spirit of fatalism and has per- GROWING INTEREST IN PERSIA haps, more than any other one thing, accounted By Dr. S. M. Jordan of Teheran for the stagnation and backwardness of Moslem countries. It accounts in large measure for the About thirty years ago a sermon by W. St. Clair high death rate among children. Eighty-five per Tisdall was printed in Persia and almost created cent of the children born in Iran die before the a riot. Today Christian literature is distributed age of twelve, according to mission doctors. If a and causes no disturbance. It is calculated to child becomes sick, it is God's will. If there is no appeal to the young men of Persia. doctor to be had, it is "Kismet"-a word constantly on the lips of Moslems. A former student of the American mission col- lege at Teheran, after serving six or eight months A common custom in Iran among the illiterate as an officer in the Army, was asked: "Was there is to take a child to the public bath as soon after any discrimination against you, because you are a its birth as the mother is able, a matter of from Christian ?" one to three days. If one remonstrates that the infant may catch cold the answer will be-"God "No," replied the young man. "In fact it gave us the child, He will take care of it." If the seemed the other way. My officers often invited child dies of exposure, they say: "God did not me to tea and, after we conversed on things, asked me: 'How do you come to think that any religion desire it to live." is necessary and why have you adopted Christian- An intelligent young Iranian teacher, only a ity?' That gives me a fine chance to explain how few months ago, was talking with a group of Boy I came to be a Christian. There are only a few of Scouts who had just won second honors for their my friends who seem to have real faith in Islam.
group in a competitive exhibition. Said he: Five or six are Christians."
"Now, you young gentlemen know that had all The first time that I suggested we have a Mos- of our troop' been here on time, we would have lem, who had become a Christian, preach in the won first place by a great margin. Is it not too church at Teheran, my associates said it would bad that the dilatoriness of some kept the group cause a riot. Finally Dr. Sa'eed Kurdistani was from realizing its ambition?" asked to preach the next Sunday. "It will cause a "Oh, sir," came the reply, and it was imme- riot," he answered.
diate and characteristic: "but it would have made "You are a Christian ; why should you not no difference; God did not decree our winning cause a little excitement?" I asked.
first place, so why discuss it?" "I will consult the King," he answered, meaning This attitude of mind, bred in children from in- the heavenly King.
fancy, cannot fail to work against those interested Next morning he accepted the invitation, say- in real progress. It is a stumbling block in the ing, "If it is God's will that I should preach next pathway of youth and a weight upon their feet Sunday morning, I will do my best." He preached that tends to drag them down into century-old on Naaman, the Syrian, and the "leprosy of sin."
ruts. The sermon was printed and for years has been Those who have lived with children and youth giving a message of peace and conviction to the in Moslem countries are always unanimously sure multitudes of Persia. Since then eight different that, in the physical world, the law of the survival Christians who were Mohammedans have preach- of the fittest is outstandingly at work. It is true ed to congregations made up almost entirely of also in the psychological world. Christian leaders Moslems. Two or three years ago we elected a from the West must constantly bear this fact in converted Mohammedan as Moderator of the mind and be patient and sympathetic because Church. During Easter week eight evangelistic of it. services were held in Teheran. In the police de- The children of Islam learn from their environ- partment there is one baptized Christian and he ment deep and fundamental qualities of patience, was assigned to be present at our meetings.
Villages in Mozambique*
By the REV. JULIAN S. REA, Portuguese East Africa Missionary of the Methodist Episcopal Church EVEN among African missionaries we find that read the Testament and to study its meaning; the the term "Christian Village" needs explana- rest of the time he witnessed the sin and degrada- tion. Angola, in Portuguese West Africa, tion of a polygamous and spirit-ridden, drunken has Christian villages; also the other large Portu- home. He chose the Christian way. He had just guese colony of Mozambique. We will deal with been received as a probationer in the village such villages in the Inhambane country in Mozam- church when the Government called him for mili- bique, also known as Portuguese East Africa. tary service and sent him to faraway Portuguese Christian villages began to spring up about Macao in China. Through all the temptations of fifty· years ago and each year new ones appear. such a life he remained true to his Christian vows.
Some have dropped out and few remain in the I· first met Rafael when he returned to his fasame location for more than five or ten years. ther's house, married the girl they had arranged But there are now more than two hundred in the for him, and was trying to teach her and a small Methodist Episcopal Mission, besides a large num- group of friends and relatives. Each morning or ber of Free Methodist, Nazarene, Swiss Presby- evening they assembled under a tree or in Rafael's terian, Anglican, English Methodist and American house for prayer and on Sunday went to the Chris- Board villages and also some from Ethiopian tian village where he had first learned of Jesus.
movements. We were happy that Rafael and his friends should Look at some of these villages. There is Malate. be witnessing in that heathen kraal. Some meetit is Sunday morning, and classes are grouped ings were held with his old father and his father's outside for the lesson study period. The neat little wives. The missionary was satisfied, but Rafael church is just out of the picture, but the pastor's was not. He went to his village pastor-advisor home shows at the left. The houses of two other with his problem, saying, "We do not want to village families show in the background. In all move into any existing Christian village, for we there are ten families in this village and others like our own Ximangani country, bu.t our children come to the services from near-by kraals. This is are in constant danger in my father's village. a young, growing village. About January, 1933, .They see the vile dances and hear the teachings four of us, one a missionary, knelt in the shade of concerning witchcraft and spirits. Even our a tree about where that pastor's house is now, and wives are only nominal Christians. They obey us prayed for God's blessing on the spot chosen for a when we tell them to come to church, but if the new village. Two of the men were leaders of Government should call us away again or we near-by villages. The fourth was Elias who had should have to leave to find work how could they asked permission to start this new place. Within follow the Christian way here? Will you let us six months the village was well started and a go and build together in a new place away from church of mud, poles, and grass was built and all our heathen friends and relatives?" So pastor dedicated. James Manyiki went and set the matter before his Elias had lived in another village where the missionary. Now, there are six other families as- leader had fallen into sin and had been expelled. sociated with Rafael, and he is installed as the Often in such cases the people will stand by their evangelist of the village.
leader, but Elias asked to be permitted to move Simoni is a cripple who liv.ed in a well estabwith his family from the village which the other lished Christian village. One day the request was man's sin had destroyed and to start a new made to allow Simoni to go and help the people in village. a section south of Manjowu where he lived. A Portuguese farmer owned a huge strip of land in Rafael had quite a different experience. He that area, as much as an American county, but had never lived within a Christian group, but. as would not allow any Christians to assemble in his a boy had attended one of the schools in a Chris- domain. Simoni said that he had found a small tian village. Part of the day he was learning to • See Frontispiece Jor illustrations. section in the centre of this vast property which [524 ] was owned by a Moslem Indian. This man, al- own fields. So today a large village, to say noth- though a follower of Mohammed, said that he ing of a large Christian village, is unique; some of would be glad to allow Simoni to live on his land them have as many as sixty or seventy families.
and teach or preach Christianity. Our advice Naturally these compact, ideal units have been was: seized upon by the European mission leader with his bent for organization. The village of Chris- "Do not go with the idea of building a Christian tian families is the real unit of the church organvillage, but go and live as a witness; teach and ization, support, and government. Eight to thirty preach to all who will hear. Do not draw the at- villages make up a circuit traveled by an ordained tention of the Government to yourself by starting African elder. But the real spiritual nurture is a village, or incur the enmity of the white land- given by the evangelist of each village. If small, owner by drawing his people away to build in a a village is constituted a"class" in the true Wesley village with you." sense. If large, several clases will be organized. The regular class dues and special offerings of the But the fact is, Simoni has allowed families to villagers provide about half the church budget. build with him, and the place is called a new vil- Mission funds are now only given to supplement lage, although officially it is only a "class." these local funds, all to be administered by the finance committee of the circuit. Most matters of These are three of the smallest and newest of the 200 villages in our mission. The native Christian leaders have attempted to insist that all church members must live in one of these villages.
The missionary has not always stood for such a regulation but sometimes the Government has found it convenient to favor it. The thing which the missionary has done is to back the village elders in all attempts to discipline wayward vil- lagers. Usually the offence is a concrete sin, such as drinking, smoking, adultery, attendance on heathen ceremonies or calling in witch doctors.
Any act that the evangelist and his committee feels to be contrary to Christian behavior and the vows of a· Believer may end in a church trial.
Usually the governmental or tribal authority can be appealed to to support actual expulsion when necessary.
One cannot generalize on the attitude of the Government toward these Protestant villages. A HAT FACTORY IN MOZAMBIQUE There has been persecution and some seemingly impossible and unfair regulations as to the edu- discipline and regulations are settled by the vilcational qualifications of the evangelist. On the lage elders who are elected locally and are apother hand, some administrators have been proud proved by the quarterly Conference. A very of these better villages and have used them as serious matter goes to the circuit elders and may show places, fruits of their own good Government. eventually call for missionary judgment. Such officials aid the Christian village leaders and The evangelistic, educational, and even the medhave even helped them secure grants of land to ical program of the mission, has benefited greatly assure permanency. Often they have urged the by this Christian village set-up. Morning and most able evangelists to become voters as regular evening prayers, as a village gathering, have citizens. Still, there has always been a tendency proved a wonderfully effective way of bringing to limit the extension of Protestant villages, espe- people, slightly removed from heathenism, into cially in new areas. This may be because of out- an understanding of what Christianity is and can side pressure. There are a few Roman Catholic .be. There have been phenomenal conversions, but villages, but almost always a village of Believers the miracle of these African Christian vUIages is is made up of Protestants. the slow solid growth of men, women and children In most of the Inhambane country, when more in the Christ-way of life. We do not infer that than three or four families have built together, the villages always live up to their name, or are especially if the houses are white, neat, and laid as the villagers wish, but we are glad that the out in rows, it is a Church village. The old tribal early missionaries had vision enough to encour- system, with its habits and customs, was so com- age this unique African development.
pletely destroyed that the villages were dissolved A more ideal educational unit could hardly be and people scattered to live each family near its imagined. Even today the people of the Christian
villages are called "learners" more often than nurse, has actually been called to take maternity "Believers." If an old man wants to excuse him- cases in heathen kraals. Naturally he had to do self for not heeding the Gospel he will invariably and be something more than ordinary in the say, "I am too old to learn." Boys and girls by Xikokotsa village before such an unusual call the thousands have learned to read their Testa- could corne. ments in these village schools. Educators might scorn the methods and ridicule the equipment, yet Samson, trained leader in an Inharrime village, the great essential "something" is there which has been asked by the old chief to layout rice plots modern universities may lack. for all of his people along the river and to show them how to plant and care for the rice. Some Remarkable Happenings A big paramount chief looked to Danieli to Nothing gives better proof of the significance of teach him and his people to stack peanuts. these villages than the fact that most of the institutional work of the mission has fitted into that One government official asked the missionary mould. The village leaders and their families that about releasing several Kambini trained evanhave corne in for training at the Central Training gelists to work under him in a program of gen- School live in a village which is in itself both a eral and economic uplift. laboratory and experiment station. Even the boys chosen by the various village councils and sent to There are a few definite things we are trying the boarding school live in family groups organ- to do through and within these Christian villages. ized into a school village. The school girls also But it must be remembered that this is by no live and work under an excellent village system means a Utopian set-up or an ideal organization that delights teachers, girls, and visitQrs. The projected by the missionary or African leaders two leper camps, iFl which all the missions coop- onto native life. Better houses was one of the first erate, have house groups with the village set-up. things, and is still a marked characteristic of a They govern themselves and life goes on pretty Christian village. To make the place beautiful much as in a normal Christian village. has been slower, perhaps because of a difference in beauty concepts. One who has had no dealings with Christian villages can hardly realize the significance and To a missionary some of these Christian vilimportance of the "evangelist family." Often lages have had a barren cleanliness, less pleasing their only qualification was zeal and Christian con- to the eye than the picturesque clutter of the viction. They may have understood little of the- heathen kraal. But the problem which has caused ology or doctrine, and been able to read only halt- most concern is idleness among the Christians. ingly the New Testament, yet many have not only That is a kinder name than the white man usually ministered faithfully to their villages, but have uses for the break that comes in an African's acsent out spiritual sons and daughters to start new tivities when he switches over from the old to villages. some new way of life. Talk only seemed to pro- voke more talk. Lectures on industry might set In our training we attempt to preserve all the a hundred Africans to work producing similar lecold zeal and devotion, but to set it ablaze with a tures to their friends and neighbors on the need deeper understanding of the Christian faith and a of industry. Agricultural demonstratiorIJS, with knowledge of God's Word. And as these families teaching, have been much more successful. Gengo back into their villages this faith and knowl- erally the Christian villager has better gardens edge is bearing fruit in many ways. Most sig- than his heathen kraal neighbor. Some have livenificant is the better horne life. The old evan- stock, but that has been a serious problem; many gelist told his wife that she was to be a Christian; Africans have gone back to heathenism because she obeyed her lord and master. This new man of village quarrels over goats or chickens. In has a consecrated partner as eager and intelligent some parts of the country a new type of village as himself. His attitude toward his people is layout is helping and makes for improvement in changed; he is a good shepherd now, instead of sanitation and other lines. a petty chief. The New Type of Village The Christian village was often merely nonheathen, with only certain negative teachings to There are many arguments, especially from the distinguish it. The religious meetings and the evangelists, against spreading the villages out, school were the only positive contributions to the but the change is inevitable. The people want surrounding neighborhood. Recently some re- cattle for plowing and need space for goats and markable things have happened. Only three chickens. The majority of the men in that section samples follow. of Africa depend on work in the Johannesburg mines in order that they may get together any Tinoce, an evangelist with the training of a large sum of money such as is needed to pay for a bride, to buy European clothes, cattle or a plow.
A KOREAN MISSIONARY GIVES THANKS
The missionaries have long contended that this The stressing of better agriculture and hand- dependence on the gold mines is detrimental to work to bring economic security, music and play character. It has fostered the idleness that has to add to social enjoyment, village nurses and seemed to us to mark the Christian more than the clinics to improve health, do not mean that wor- heathen. But arguments seldom affect a change. ship is being given a minor place. The villages The little village exhibits of the past three years were mostly started to facilitate group prayer, have done more than talk to get the village people worship and religious instruction.
to pick up again their own arts and crafts. They A great deal of study has been given at Kam- are going back to the excellent African habit of bini to the problem of daily worship and adequate always having a little basket weaving or whittling religious instruction. Perhaps the most signifi- to do. The first sorry little collection of crooked cant help has come through the development of pots, rickety chairs, and a few wooden dishes, worship for special occasions. The "seed consecra- spoons, baskets, sewing and tools, might have de- tion service" at the beginning and the "harvest lighted an anthropologist, but did not speak well festival" at the end of the agricultura~ season for the results of fifty years of Christian influence have made worship a much more integral part of and missionary training. But each year the all village life and far more understandable to the Christian villagers understand better what the kraal people who flock in for these special meet- exhibits are for and a real pride in good work- ings. An act of worship at the time of a mother's manship and display is developing. "coming out" has come as a natural adaptation of It may hardly seem necessary to worry about something good in their old customs. Home and play in a community where you are trying to per- village dedications have been developed into sig- suade people to do more work. But, especially in nificant Christian ceremonies to replace older ones the larger villages, this is the case. Music and that hada good idea but included much evil asso- drama have been introduced to fill an evident gap. ciation with witchcraft, drinking, and licentious- The most progress has been made through en- ness.
couraging African action songs with the smaller Of all village events the most exciting and children. Story-telling is another African art pleasant are, perhaps, the "big meetings" when which is being revived. Hymn singing was about one village acts as host to all the other Christian all that was allowed at one time in the villages villages of that circuit. Then for two or three but now, with this new use of the old songs, musi- days no one lacks for work, social life, or enthu- '
cal instruments are again finding a place. The siastic, joyous worship. One of our villages is best is their xilophone, or African piano. seen at its best in one of these big meetings.
A Korean Missionary Gives Thanks By MRS. GEORGE H. WINN, Seoul, Chosen Missionary of the Presbyterian Church, U. S. A.
T HANK the Lord for more intimate contacts when doing the washing they sing "What a Won- with non-Christians in Seoul City – in fac- derful Saviour Is Jesus, My Jesus"; when iron- tory, at wedding feasts, in homes of non- ing, "Wonderful Words of Life"; while patting a Christian friends, and in my own home. baby to sleep, "Moment by Moment"; when at Thank the Lord for his gift of faith to our chil- the interminable task of sorting and ripping the dren, that gift which we cannot bestow and which cotton-lined clothing for the laundry, "I Must Tell fits for any circumstance which may befall, and Jesus All of My Troubles."
gives us a freedom that we could not otherwise Thank the Lord for the various folk contacted have in giving strength to others. . on the ship as we returned from seeing our sons Thank the Lord for word received recently that and daughter off for America. There was the Mrs. Archibald Campbell, of Kankhai, though tied middle-aged man with a wife and five stairstep down by the care of an invalid father, and no for- children, the eldest twelve, on their way to Tibet, eign doctor in residence, went each evening to whither they felt called of the Lord. Whatever lead the women of a Bible class of a hundred then any narrow human opinion as to the probabilities in session in a song service. She suggested that of return at all commensurate with the investment
involved, thank the Lord for that man's hearty on furlough. While we were gone, on account of "We've got a great God and He is able" when on poor· food and doing too much (had she not had every side folks tried to turn him back. food and a good rest in the hospital!) she devel- oped a hump and she still dislikes going about by Thank the Lord for the existence in the world day in the streets because she is so apt to meet today of a couple willing to start out for a place some old acquaintances of hers or her family'S five weeks' slow journey overland even after go- who have not seen her as she now is. This time ing as far as they can up the Yangtse, a destina- her errand was to tell me with smiling delight of tion as far from Hongkong, to which place only the Lord's goodness in that her mother had been they had money to take them, as Hongkong was baptized the previous Sunday. from the Minnesota farm they had sold to help meet their expenses to Hongkong. The man was Thank the Lord for those who coming to our not impractical. Being a German he could speak door on business, assisting us in stores and other several languages and was skilled in handcraft of places in very different walks of life have acdifferent sorts and could play several instruments. cepted, with apparent pleasure, illustrated copies There is little doubt that he can obtain employ- of the Gospel of Mark in Japanese, and copies of ment in a port city should they be in difficulty. In the Gospel of John and simple books with pictures the depths of a life wrong in every way he had telling the Gospel stories, and many copies of the been converted in the streets of Chicago, after Japanese tracts, "How to Overcome Poverty" and that was married, and they are not without evan- "How to Overcome Failure," and Korean leaflets gelistic experience since for the last twelve years on the "Treatments of Colds" and on "How to traveling in a truck they have spent the larger "Pray." par.t of their time trying to go to places in the West where people have no opportunity for a Thank the Lord for much literature of very church service unless they travel many miles. many kinds gladly received in the Licensed Vice District, where we were much distressed to find Thank the Lord for seeing a hard..,boiled, plas- houses which had been for rent a few years ago tic-surgery faced World War veteran, who said rebuilt and reoccupied and new buildings being he did nothing but travel in the South Seas and erected and more building material being brought other places, going back to America to accumulate in. some more pension when his money was exhausted, his conversation a line that made us Thank the Lord for pleasure given to little chilwince, twice return from shore trips with toys for dren being brought up in such surroundings by those children, that poor face all transformed by the clean Christian picture cards sent us from the change in his eyes as he became a child with America. The children hold out their tiny hands them, and gave himself to making them happy. for something and we cannot bear to give out other literature, to be torn up perhaps if the child Thank the Lord for letting me see the table is too young. steward, an Oriental, and even the cook the other side of the window, stand at attention and the Thank the Lord for the words of one of the veteran bow his head as those children in their Korean guests at our Thanksgiving dinner which childish trebles sang twice through before each was followed by a little circle of testimony. He meal their thanks to Father, Son and Holy Spirit. expressed his gratitude not only for the unex- The redeemed of the Lord were saying so. pected opportunity of keeping Thanksgiving which he had observed for so many years in Thank the Lord for the sixteen callers who America, where he became a Christian, but for came that first day after our return to this empty the opportunity of meeting a whole roomful of home, even though some of them came with the people whom he had never before seen who were difficult question, "What do you do when all of trying to live for Christ. It was interesting to your grain is gone and you're going to have no hear him say, in reference to the five months' harvest this fall and over and above that the flood old son of the Severance Hospital Evangelist has obliterated the field you expected to plant in whom his parents had brought with them to dinthe spring." ner-"Nobody could beat that baby in disposition or appearance-his mother knows how." Thank the Lord that my disappointment in not getting to the November station meeting was His We thank God for the testimony at that same appointment because a young hunchback had time, so frank and humble, of another fine young taken that particular evening for walking the man as to God's goodness in restoring him to a· painful steps from her house to mine. Some years childlike faith, after philosophical questionings. ago she fell backward from a seesaw, knocking a vertebra out of place. After months in a cast Weare thankful for Field Day at the mission under Dr. Y. S. Lee's care her first real walk was school of 400 lads and for the marvelously better to attend the farewell service for us when we left physiques we see on all sides, than could be seen twenty-eight years ago when we came.
THE PASSION OF RAYMUND LULL
Weare grateful for the fine meeting of the dis- of a white-faced neighbor because, not having trict committee and their enjoyment of the dinner mountains to ascend like his grandfather, he had provided for them, and exceedingly grateful to climbed a long flight of outside steps in pursuit them and their families for a thousand kindnesses of a cat! shown Mr. Winn when he is in the country. There is perhaps a lesson in a poem written Man man kamsa hawita (literally ten thousand from the midst of the worst of Japan's slums by times ten thousand)-boundless thanks that, as one, whose severest critics rarely go where such I looked down the path for my husband nearly two things may be seen, as he dwells among them hours late for his committee meeting, my gaze with his family in one roomwas finally rewarded. In two inches of newly fallen snow the bus in which he was riding and Penniless another one from Seoul skidded just as they were A while passing each other, escaping a terrible compact with breathtaking narrowness. Another time it I can foodless· live; just missed crashing into a house in the endeavor But it breaks my heart to avoid a sli:ling truck. Next day as he went back he saw an auto which had skidded with 'To know disaster. I CANNOT GIVE.
What is worse than an itinerating husband? Penniless Recently our grandson who seems at 17 months I can wrap in rags to be manifesting his maternal grandfather's itinerating proclivities returned from the end of But Ithe block looking innocent and hugging a wet I cannot bear to hear paint sign, and next day was returned i~ the arms STARVED CHILDREN CRY.
Penniless And rain falls . But trust is true Helpless I wait to see WHAT GOD WILL DO.
The Passion of Raymund Lull By KENNETH G. GRUBB, London, England Joint author of "Religion in the Republic of Spain"
N EARLY seven centuries have passed since Seven centuries then have passed by since this Raymund Lull, the first Christian mission- Apostle to Islam was born in Palma, the capital ary to the Moslems, set out on his lonely quest. The world, as seen in the light of mission- of Majorca.* It is difficult for us to picture what ary endeavor, has greatly changed since then. Printing has been discovered; the Renaissance, life in the Middle Ages must have been. Since the Reformation and the Counter-Reformation that time a new continent has arisen out of the have followed one another in close succession. Western Seas and men have been lured to new The Roman Catholic empire of Spain has faded, adventure by the sound of breaking of Southern and the power of Protestant nations has arisen Seas. The boundaries of heaven, inlaid with to preeminence. Kingdoms have given place to stars, have sunk back into illimitable space; and republics and republics to dictatorships. No all forms of thought and ways of life have passed longer does the Moor hold the great cities of through lasting changes. In the aisles of dark southern Spain. The sea-route to India has churches, where silent knight and abbot sleep in linked east and west, and by canals, dug by men stone, and in the sound of medireval church bells with their machinery, the continents have been we catch something of those men of yesterday, brought together. Where Don John of Austria but they cannot come to us, nor can we go to them. gathered his fleet against the Turk, tourist steam- But we know, through the lives of such as Lull, ers ritle at anchor today. But still the challenge that the problems of the human heart were fundawhich Raymund Lull gave his life to face remains menta:lly the same, that the figure of Jesus evoked unsolved. The Moslem world is still in very large then as now the same response from consecrated part solidly resistant to the power of Christian hearts, and that, strangely enough, one of the love and the penetration of the Christian message. • There is some dispute about the exact date, but the Lullian Society of Majorca agreed t.o celebrat.e the Seventh Centenary In 1935.
great problems of world evangelization, the Is~ with the defence and exposition of the Christian lamic challenge, was essentially the same. faith, and current medireval knowledge. Between October 1313 and May 1314 he prepared over A few years before LuH's birth Majorca itself thirty treatises setting out his views. of Chrishad been reconquered from the Moors. His fa~ tianity. He wrote poetry, "contemplative" works, ther, in fact, was one of the knights that accom~ and "romances of Christian evidences." His panied James I of Aragon in the Reconquest. magnum opus is the vast "Book of Contempla- Palma was at that time one of the most active and tion," an encyclopredia of medireval philosophy, busiest ports of the Mediterranean, and shipping theology and natural science, as well as a lively from all the coasts of southern Europe and north~ description of Catalan society of his time. This ern Africa mingled in the harbor. The beautiful book of nearly a million words also contains an si'gnorial residences of the town today, its mag~ extended apologia for his choice of a missionary nificent cathedral, and its Lonja, or exchange, career. For centuries after his death his reputabear witness to its prosperity. Here, where Mos~ tion was supreme, and it even survived the lem and Christian mingled in the streets with the Renaissance. His followers credited him with betolerance that was characteristic of that age in ing the inventor of nitric acid, the discoverer of Spain before the Inquisition, Raymund spent his the Great Elixir, and the foreshadower of the disearly life. It was that of a profligate and sinful coveries of Columbus! young man who cared nothing for the restraint of his religion. The story of his conversion relates But the outstanding characteristic of Lull's long that he was in love with a beautiful lady of Palma, life, and one which will forever commend him to the memory of his fellow Christians, was his dewas and while he was composing verses to her there votion. Whatever the cause which engaged his granted to him a mystical vision of the suffer- attention, the pursuit of knowledge, the attainings of our Lord. "Suddenly," says the most ment of the mystic's union with God, the convermodern and the ablest of his Anglo-Saxon biog- sion of the Moslem, or the preparation of other raphers,t "when his whole understanding was en- missionaries, he pursued it with unceasing congaged and occupied in the composition of his vain secration. He had no time either for the careless song, he chanced to look up," and ther.e, at his or the learned trifler. He moved toward his goal, side, was "the figure of our Lord Jesus Christ whatever it was, without pause and without rehanging upon the Cross." He himself writes in gret. This is a characteristic devoutly to be deone of his poems- sired today, when a thousand conflicting interests are apt to distract the attention and divert the But Jesus Christ, by His great clemency judgment. Lull possessed devotion in a remark- Five times upon the Cross appeared to me, able degree, and for this reason his name will be That I might think upon Him lovingly, remembered when those of others of his age are And cause His Name proclaimed abroad to be, lost in the records of the past. Through all the world. Two aspects of Lull's life are of special interest: The undisputed fact is that while stiU compara- one is his labor for the conversion of Islam, and tively a young man, he abandoned the world and the other his pursuit of the mystical path of union took the habit of a Franciscan friar. with his Lord. In these are well illustrated the man's weakness and his· strength. For the con- From this time onwards Lull became a Knight- version of Moslems he relied particularly, and in errant both of faith and knowledge. In the course accord with the spirit of the age, on a process of of his journeys he visited France, Italy, Cyprus, intellectual conviction. His Ars Magna was a Armenia and Mrica in His Master's Service. He compendious guide to all truth, a restatement, made use of these travels to gather information, analysis and defence of the Christian faith, which, to enrich his writings and to deepen his own re- as he himself thought, set forth Christianity in so ligious life. But his real object was to make incontrovertible a manner as to serve as an inknown his Ars Magna, or method of converting fallible instrument for the conversion of the Moslems, either in disputations with Moslems world. From this Ars he compiled a vast numthemselves, or else among Christians whom he ber of simpler expositions for the use of the unsought to stir up to zeal in this holy cause. His learned. He expresses his confidence in this long life, passed in one of the romantic centuries method in his own naIve lines: of the Dark Ages, was spent in ceaseless activity until he met his death by martyrdom at Bougu A science I have found that's new, in North Africa, in 1314, at nearly eighty years Whereby comes knowledge of the true, of age. And falsehood's followers grow few. Infidels now their creeds will rue- Lull's energy was prodigious. He is said to Tartar and Saracen and J ewhave been the author of over 500 works, which For God therewith did me imbue. cover a vast number of subjects, but deal mainly t Mr. A11!son Peers.
The history of Christian missions to the Mos- tian disciple was brought inside a life of passion lem is sufficient to show the error of this mis- and enthusiasm, of suffering and glory, for the placed confidence. The will wears more impene- expression of which words did not suffice, but only tJ·able armor than the intellect, and cannot be a body broken and blood poured out. Love, to taken into captivity except by the use of more Lull, was life in its ultimate purpose; it possessed spiritual weapons, by much prayer, by sacrifice, the irresistible power of a physical force; it was by the way of humility and love. Lull did not by a sharing of the "cup" by which alone the triumph any means overlook the use of these hidden hut could be shared. It was natural that love should powerful weapons, but he regarded his Ars as the desire a reward, but to love-that was in itself special means through which the great end which the highest reward. So, through ecstasy in he sought, must be accomplished. After com- prayer, through trials in service, love passes on pleting this weighty compilation he reascended to the life union and the lover goes unto his Be- Mount Randa, where he had received his original loved. "divine illumination," to pray day and night for Lull's whole life, and the reverence in which his four months that it might be used "to the honor memory is held today, are a testimony to the treof God and to the profit of the Holy Catholic mendous moral force which is generated by com- plete self-surrender to God. He was not free to faith." More interesting and significant perhaps today choose whether he would confer the benefits of his was his attempt to train missionaries to carry on outstanding intellectual and spiritual powers upon his work. On the cliffs of his lovely island, at the other men; it was his duty, and necessity was laid spot known as Miramar, he founded a missionary upon him. His attributes of character were gifts college, where he gathered thirteen Franciscan from God, and anything which he had to give was friars. Day by day they gathered round to talk not in the nature of benevolence but atonement, with their teacher, or wandered with him through atonement for the bitternesses of the age, for the the pines and among the tortuous stony paths. hostility between Christian and Moor. His great Far below them, the lisping of the blue waves adventure of love began and ended in his sense of among the old grey rocks made pleasant music in the profound obligation to be among men as one their ears, and called them across the seas to those that serveth. lands which, like their own, had known both Cross The all-compelIing nature of this motive is eviand Crescent, but unlike theirs, had never been dent in all his thought on his great mission to the Moslem world about him. "I see many Knights," reconquered for the Cross. he says, "going to the Holy Land ,beyond the seas As a pioneer of the inner life Lull holds a unique and thinking that they can acquire it by force of place. This mystical quality in his thought and arms; but in the end all are destroyed before they devotion finds its highest expression in the little attain that which they think to have. Whence it "Book of the Lover and the Beloved," Lull's one undoubted masterpiece. Though nearly the small- seems to me that the conquest of the Holy Land ought not to be attempted except in the way in est it is undoubtedly the greatest of the author's which Thou and Thine apostles acquired it, many works, and it contains in comparatively few namely, by love and prayers, and the pouring out pages, the essence of his religious experience. It is the most widely known of all his writings and of blood and tears." can be read today in six languages. In general Many of Lull's deepest meditations were formed tone and depth of feeling it reminds the reader during his wanderings in his own native island of of the Gospel of St. John, and it must take rank Majorca. Indeed. it would have been difficult for among the more profound documents recording him to find, in the lands bordering the Mediterthe Christian view and practice of the mystic way. ranean, a spot which by history and environment On every page it is concerned with a truer under- was more suited to such a purpose. Islands, many standing of the ideal of union with God as the goal a time, have given to the world pioneers of of the spiritual life; its description of love as "the thought or action. Here in his native Majorca, desire for the Beloved as being the end of the with the tinkling of sheep-bells among the bushes will," is both comprehensive and satisfying. It and rocks, with the quiet splash of friendly waters stretches the use of language to the full in its in the little caves, with the pervasive odor of the boldness of expression, but its words are the southern pines, and the company of a boat or two words of one who himself put to the proof the fishing in the bay; here, when the afternoon sun power of love, and spurned the lower way of self- declined over the sea and lit the towering peaks above, bare in summer, snow-touched in the preservation and self-protection. This book shows clearly that the real motive winter, or when the light itself both molded stark that constrained Lull to a long life of service and outlines and created radiant backgrounds as it devotion was the love of Christ. By it the Chris- fell on the islets and stretching promontories, this
pioneer would walk, and meditate on those themes which realizes that it must maintain morale and which by his treatment have enriched the common build for the future. spiritual heritage of mankind. Behind all his dreams was the tireless beating of the waves, the Hospitals, especially, are urged to keep open. soft but eternal murmur calling him again to There are 297 foreign doctors and 207 foreign launch forth on the knightly quest for men and nurses in the 232 mission hospitals, half of whom God. And around him was a solemn silence, a are American. These hospitals cared last year sil~nce which could be felt, like the silence of for over 200,000 in-patients and about 3,000,000 Horeb or of Calvary, or of all places where God out-patients. The Seventh Day Adventist Medical is present and flesh is subdued. Center in Shanghai has been destroyed. St. Luke's in Hongkew has moved its staff and equipment THE WAR AND MISSIONS IN CHINA into the International Settlement. Margaret Wil- liamson Hospital had to be evacuated. Japanese The effect of the present armed conflict upon airplanes bombed the Mission Hospital of the Dismissions and Christian institutions in China has ciples' Mission at Nantungchow, 50 miles northbeen shattering, especially in some areas. Educa- west of Shanghai, killing two Chinese doctors, tional institutions have been the first to suffer. thr.ee nurses, eight other workers and five pa- Out of a total of 499 educational and cultural in- tients, and demolishing the hospital. All hospitals stitutions, research institutes, libraries, museums near the war areas are crowded with wounded and observatories, 84 per cent are in the coastal soldiers and civilians and the Chinese Medical Asprovinces, including 17 out of 21 American sup- sociation, which includes in its membership pracported colleges and universities. Seventy-eight of tically all western-trained doctors in China, is the 105 colleges and universities, with enrollment cooperating with the government in the supply of of over 50,000 students, are in war areas and 23 doctors. are in Japanese occupied territory. Seven of these have been wholly or partly destroyed by Japanese The work of the Church is naturally much afbombing, including Nankai University, Women's fected. Shanghai, the nerve center of Christian Normal School and Hopei Technical Institute in organizations in China, is now to a great extent Tientsin, National Central University in Nanking, cut off from the rest of the country and it is diffiand Chung Shan University in Canton. Che Chih, cult to send funds to the interior. Tung Chi and Fu Tan Universities in Shanghai are completely destroyed. The University of Thousands of churches not in areas of fighting Shanghai, founded by the Northern and Southern will be affected by troop movements and bomb- Baptist missions, with property value of $800,000 ings, by diminished sources of native support, by U. S., has suffered from large shell holes in the restrictions upon activities and by the general main buildings and from looting of faculty resi- strain of war. But reports indicate that most dences by Japanese troops. Chinese workers are facing the situation cour- ageously and that there is a revival of faith and In the Peiping and Tientsin area of north China of the spirit of prayer in many sections. In larger most schools are attempting to reopen under seri- cities interdenominational committees for relief ous difficulties because of Japanese restrictions work are being formed. Sian, Taiyuan, Chengtu, upon educational freedom and the arrests of cer- Changsha, Anking, Wuhu and Wenchow have retain teachers and students. ported that Christian work is being continued without interruption. The American Branch of In Shanghai, where fierce fighting still goes on, the China Inland Mission, which has the largest educators are doing their best to conserve the in- number of missionaries in interior provinces, restitutional work that is left. The University of ceived a cable (September 16) saying "Inland all Shanghai has found temporary quarters in the In- safe." Many churches in north China are caring ternational Settlement. Medhurst College of the for refugees from war zones. London Mission, schools of the Southern Baptist Mission, in addition to many government and pri- The general feeling in China among missionvate schools, are in the war area. St. John's aries is that this is not the time to desert their University, founded by the American Episcopal Chinese friends and fellow-workers. This atti- Mission, is near the fighting lines. The policy of tude is being supported by most missionary sociecontinuing educational work during the crisis has ties, in America and in England. Dr. E. E. Brown the strong support of the Chinese government of Wuhu General Hospital writes, "We share our work in peace times with Chinese colleagues; why' should we not share in time of danger?"
FRANK W. PRICE.
Work Among the
One Hundred and Fifty Years of Service Among Native Americans By G. E. E. LINDQUIST, Lawrence, Kansas – . For ten years Missionary-at-Large, Society for Propagating )J.- the Gospel Among the Indians and Others in North America O N NOVEMBER 19th this year the oldest school in the wilderness to the support of the col- incorporated missionary society in Amer- lege" (for example, Samson Occom and the found- ica celebrates its sesquicentennial. Or- ing of Dartmouth), were but a few of the activiganized in the days when no restrictions were ties promoted by this Puritan Society which had placed on long titles, it has been known through- its roots in Mother England. out its 150 years as "The Society for Propagating the Gospel Among the Indians and Others in The American Revolution naturally meant the North Amellica." Brought into being as a mis- virtual cessation of English effort in behalf of sionary unit within a few months after the Amer- aboriginees in the new republic. Nor had the ican Constitution was adopted, it seems to have distractions of war (French and Indian as well been imbued with something of the youthful vi- as the Revolution) tended toward the promotion tality and commendable daring of that memorable of Christian missions. Wars never do. True, as document. It has thus an honorable place among early as 1762, sporadic efforts had been made to the early undertakings in the newly established establish a missionary society on New England nation. The spirit of independence had been born among a people "no longer subjects in a Province, but citizens in a Nation."
A Pioneer Spirit A pioneer spirit antedated this organization in THREE CHEROKEE CHIEFS WHO VISITED LONDON IN 1762 sending the Gospel to "the heathen of New England," as is evidenced in the somewhat sporadic soil. A considerable fund was collected and a attempts of sundry individuals and societies charter obtained from the Colonial government; whose activities have come down to us in such but when "the act of their incorporation was sent quaint reports as those contained in "New Eng- to England for allowance, the Archbishop of land's First Fruits" (1643), and "The Day Break- Canterbury, jealous lest this should interfere with ing if not the Sun Rising of the Gospel with the the society established in Great Britain, or per- Indians (1647)." It must be remembered that in haps unwilling that persons not well affected to the 147th and the early part of the 18th centuries espiscopacy should obtain a new influence and missionary societies, supported by churches as we power by this means, obtained from the King a know them today, were not in existence. Mis- negative on the incorporating bill." sions were either sponsored by the Government, coincident with Colonial expansion, or by indi- The zeal of "the Christian gentlemen of 1762" viduals possessed of Christian and humanitarian was greatly abated at this rebuff, and the Revoluzeal for those "sitting in darkness and in the tion occupied their attention later, so it was not shadow of death." Thus "amid the stir in thought until 1787 that another attempt at organization and deed at the rise of the English Common- was made. The immediate occasion for this revival wealth" there came into being the corporation known as "The President and Society for Propagation of the Gospel in New England" (1649). History records the work of John Eliot, "the first apostle to the Indians," as well as other pioneers who were representatives of Puritan devotion and missionary zeal. "From physic for the body to medicine for the soul, from aid to the primary [533 ]
seems to have been due to Scottish influence. Dr. een in the District of Maine and two on the Isles Peter Thacher, historian for the Society in 1798, of Shoals. The original benefactor, Col. Alford, describes it in the following graphic manner: had been concerned with "the dark, benighted "In the year 1787, a commission from the society parts of the land," especially the destitute parts in Scotland, for propagating Christian knowledge, of Maine. Consequently, until 1836 the Society was received by a number of gentlemen in Boston helped to support missionaries and preachers in and its vicinity, to superintend the funds of the the frontier settlements of that state and on the society which were devoted to Christianizing the Isles of Shoals "where the inhabitants could not aboriginal natives of America. Ashamed that alone maintain the regular institutions of reli- more solicitude for this object should be discov- gion."
ered by foreigners than by themselves, these gen- Aside from "the free preaching of the Gospel tlemen revived the former plan, and associated to the poor and the destitute," the early missionfor the purpose of forming a society similar to aries were charged with the distribution of "usethat in Scotland. They petitioned the General ful, human literature." Accordingly, the chroni- Assembly for a charter, which was granted them, cler of 1804 was able to report: "In prosecution with the adequate powers, at the close of the same of these salutary purposes, the Society since the year, 1787." year 1787 have purchased and distributed (except A Colonel and a Governor a few remaining in hand for the same purpose) 607 Bibles, 1,151 Testaments, 1,649 Spelling Whether this new society would have survived Books, 801 Psalters, 2,310 Primers, 140 Watt's the financial depression of post-Revolution days Psalms and Hymns, 768 of Doddridge's Rise and without the substantial aid of an army colonel is Progress of Religion in the Soul and 9,898 other not easy to determine at this distance. However, books, mostly pamphlets, but many large and val- Col. John Alford of Charleston, who was desirous uable treatises, making in the whole (if .we in- that the "Aboriginals should be both civilized and clude what were given to the Indians) 17,324."
Christianized," had set aside a considerable part Schools in the Wilderness of his estate for this purpose. Richard Cary, his executor, writing to the members of the Society It has been well said that the early-day misin 1789, says: "Having honored me with his sionary advanced into the bounding wilderness power to act, I have often heard him speak with with the Bible in one hand and the textbook in the concern of the state of"the Indians; how gentle- .other. A task of immediate concern, therefore, men in England were at great expense in having was the establishment and support of schools, the Gospel propagated among them (the Indians), especially "in those towns where there were but while we, in this country, were inattentive to this few inhabitants, and those few not in circumimportanf concern." It developed that Col. AI- stances to support a teacher." The instructors ford's bequest amounted to $10,675.18 in "real were "men of piety, experience and other qualidollars." (rather than "nominal dollars").* fications, to lead in religious services on the Lord's Among other most generous early .contributors day; that so parents and children may derive to the funds of the Society was Hon. James Bow- benefit from their labours."
doin, "afterward Governor of the Commonwealth" All efforts in this direction were not eminently (whose name is perpetuated by Bowdoin College). successful, as is evident from the daily journal of Thus, sixteen years after its establishment, twelve the first missionary teacher (Mr. Little) s~nt to benefactors had given $17,514.51. By 1803 the Penobscot Bay in Maine. He speaks of opening total funds were $23,417.35, and its income $1,- "a free English school," near the borders of In- 145.83. That some "contract relationship" with dian Old Town, and after inviting the Indians· the Commonwealth of Massachusetts must have and getting in touch with the chief Sachem, a obtained in those early days is evident from the French priest arrived on the scene. This reprehistorian of that period who states that "for many sentative of religion, however, was evidently not years" an annual grant was received from the in favor of "free English schools" among his con- Legislature. It is not indicated what these grants stituents, for after conducting a council with involved in dollars and cents, nor when the grants them, the results were reported to Mr. Little as were discontinued. follows: "That ajlmall part of them were desirous to have their children taught the language and In the first Iieriod of its existence the Society manners of the English, but all of them were apsupported four missionaries among the Indians prehensive that their religion would be in danger; (Cape Cod region and Martha's Vineyard), eight- • It Is Interesting to note in this connection that Col. Alford also (they also) wished to know why their children endowed a new professorship at Harvard College of "Natural Re- could not be taught to read and write by a master ligion, Moral Philosophy and Civil Polity," called by the name of of their own religious persuasion." Mr. Little, "Alford's Professor."
EARLY WORK AMONG THE INDIANS
finding the object of his free school "clouded by these missionaries were not to go unrewarded is unforeseen occurrences and events," withdrew evident from a number of items in the annual re- "down the river" where his services were more ports. The truth of the old saying that where certain conditions are fulfilled certain inevitable acceptable. * results will follow, was repeatedly verified. Per- haps no better illustration need be cited than that These ambassadors and propagators of the of Rev. John Sargeant's work among the Oneidas Gospel were "rugged individualists" in an origi- where one-third of the tribe "were determined to nal sense and may aptly be called "prophets of join his congregation at the commencement of the the long road," the sobriquet attached to Francis year" (1805). In his report to the secretary he Asbury of Methodist pioneer fame. Perhaps we "expresses strong hope, by the blessing of God, may apply to them the words used to describe that the two parties (Pagan and Christian) may Methodism's first bishop: "They sat at the feet of some of life's greatest teachers, such as pain, hunger, cold, opportunity, a vast wilderness and a few great books. God, nature and solitude were among their instructors." Far and wide they traveled, often afoot, eager to bring the Good News to Red Men and White Men alike in the scattered settlements. Thus we read of Mr. Oliver (Report of 1805), who during six months spent in the service of the Society, "traveled about 1,200 miles, preached 133 sermons, visited 196 families, and baptized 7 children."
Instructions to Missionaries SAMSON OCCUM, KNOWN AS THE " PIOUS MOHEGAN"
Very specific were the instructions to mission- be united, both in civil and religious views. If ary candidates. Imbued with the urgency of their these prospects are realized, it will rejoice the mission as "propagators" of the Gospel, they were hearts of all, who wish well to the poor, benighted to spend as little time as possible among those heathen of our country." "already enjoying the ordinances of religion." There was to be no duplication or overlapping of The founders and directors of the Society were effort. They were not to abide in the cities but interested in ameliorating the "civil conditions of rather were to seek out the rural folk. Further- the Ind~ans" at a time when strong pressure was more, the Gospel was to be preached freely, with- being brought to bear on the Government for their out "any reward" from those to whom they min- western removal. Rev. Jedidiah Morse (Secreistered, excepting necessary support. They were tary 1802-1810) conceived a plan for "Education not to "attempt the purchase of lands" or engage Families" which were to constitute groups of Inin any secular business, lest the people should dians living under a community economy and unsuppose them to be governed by interested' mo- der the guidance of Christian leadership which tives. Many instances of "entangling alliances" might have been avoided in the mission field if similar counsel had been consistently followed from that day to this! No large salaries were received and none were expected. The laborer was to be worthy of his hire-nothing more, nothing less.
In the face of these practical suggestions the missionaries were not sent forth blindly on their tasks. Consequently, the secretary could with propriety incorporate in an annual report the following: "They may have erred in their judgments, but we know that their intentions have been pure." This is not an unworthy tribute and would not be out of place in a modern personnel report.
That the consecrated and untiring labors of • Indians still residing at Old Town, Maine, are taught by Roman Catholics who have no doubt continued In succession from the time of Mr, Little's first visit until the present, •
should gradually develop their capacity for indi- indirectly at least, as a result of the impetus fur- vidualism. nished for the conversion of the North American Indians. He stated that he used the term "Education Families," rather than "Mission" so as not to offend the opposers of While the primary concern of the Society was missions and because the phrase "Education Families" the evangelization of the Indians, notable efforts well described the purpose of these associations. He was were also directed to the "benighted dwellers in wise in his generation. Morse sought assistance from the the wilderness" of Anglo-Saxon and even Nordic Federal Government from the appropriation of $10,000, heritage. In 1840 when, according to the Annual first made available in 1819, for aid to private schools en- Report, the Society was already styled "ancient gaged in Indian education. Morse's project did not in- and venerable," missionary work was prosecuted volve removal on any extensive scale but did require that as far west as Chicago, Burlington and Quincy. Of Chicago it was thought necessary to describe INDIAN YOUTH-NURSERY SCHOOL, MONTANA the location as "in the north part of the State of Illinois." This might give present-day Chicago- individuals and families gather at certain points where ans something to think about. they could cultivate land· sufficiently fertile to afford a living for the groups in which the educational work was The membership of the Society was limited to to be carried out. A certain amount of segregation from fifty members, "who were to have perpetual suc- the whites was considered essential to the success of the cession," according to the charter and was made proposed educational program. Each community was to up of representatives from various denominations. have its own school and church and even a central school No sectarian restrictions have ever been placed on of higher education· comparable to a college was planned. the missionaries, save that they should be "men Morse even suggested in a report to the president the ulti- of the Protestant religion, of reputed piety, loy- mate foundation of an Indian state which should be self- alty, prudence, knowledge and literature, and of other Christian and necessary qualifications suited governing. * to their respective stations."
Contemporary records of the Society do not In the membership roll we find names familiar to stu- record what success attended Dr. Morse's efforts. dents of American, political and ecclesiastical history. . Perhaps the country was not ready for a consist- Among those who have served as presidents are: Han. ent carry-through of the experiment. Oliver Wendell (1787-93); His Excellency James Sulli- van (1800-06); Chief Justice Lemuel Shaw (1837-61); Rev. S. K. Lothrop (1878-85); Rev. A. P. Peabody, who served at the time of the Centennial year (1887). Those who have served as members and directors include Rev.
"Provoking Others to Love and Good Works" INDIAN WOOD CHOPPERS AT DWIGHT MISSION The Society may with apparent justice lay Nathaniel Emmons, Rev. Eliphalet Porter, Rev. Jedidiah claim to be a forerunner of missionary organiza- Morse, Rev. David Tappan, Samuel Parkman, Esq., Rev. tions, established in the early part of the 19th William E. Chamling, Han. Daniel Webster, Rev. Francis' century (several of which have celebrated their Parkman, Hon. Roger Wolcott, Hon. James P. Melledge, centennial in recent years). Rev. Eliphalet Porter, Rev. Phillips Brooks, Rev. Francis G. Peabody, and Rev. pastor of the First Church in Roxbury, mentions George A. Gordon. For many years Dr. Charles W. Eliot, this in his "Discourse," delivered November 5, former president of Harvard University, was the honored 1807: "We have been the probable occasion of head while his son, Rev. Samuel A. Eliot, has served for provoking others to love and good works, to the years as a member of the Board of Managers and is still charitable contribution of their worldly substance, an active member. and to the forming of associations for the purpose of promoting the common salvation." In fact, the modern missionary movement came into being, • Extract from "A Continent Lost-A Civi1!zation Won," by J. P. Kinney, p. 50.
Naturally the early efforts of the Society were may be moving around him in a vertiable whirlilargely restricted to New England; but as the gig. Whenever a group of Indians are rushed into Indians moved (or were moved) westward the a new course of action, or when something is put Society continued its activities among them. Thus over them in a hurry, there is invariably an unthe Cherokees (Dwight Mission in what is now favorable reaction. This is true of sudden legis- Oklahoma) were helped, the Oneidas in New lative action, of abrupt and sudden changes in York and later in Wisconsin, the Ojibways in their mode of living. Witness, for example, the building of commodious frame houses among the INDIAN LEADERS RETREAT AT LAKE TAHOE Apaches, to replace their crude wickiups. The casual traveler on a visit to the reservation finds Michigan, the Onondagas, Senecas and St. Regis a number of these houses boarded up and abanin New York, the Ottawas, Potawatomies, Dela- doned. He learns that a death has occurred and wares and other groups, loosely designated at that the "ghost fears" are at work. The house buildtime as "western Indians." Included in "the oth- ing program was well intentioned but premature ers" were struggling churches and pioneer insti- and did not take into consideration the superstitutions in "the regions beyond." The centennial tions still prevalent among those people. Numerhistorian mentions, for instance, the Wesleyan ous other examples could be given-the change Seminary and Albion Seminary, in Michigan, from the carefree camp life to the static condi- Lawrence University, Wisconsin, Scandinavian tions of reservation life, from buffalo hunters to Mission in the same state, the Canada Missionary agriculturists, from trapping to truck gardening, Society, Drury College, Missouri, and the Riggs from boarding schools to day schools, from no- madic life to community life. How can one ac- Institute, South Dakota* count for the present chaotic conditions among the Navajos and elsewhere except on the basis of "New Times, New Duties" sudden changes, promises lightly made under the influence of high pressure campaigns by neo- phytes, eager to put across "new deals" but ut- terly ignorant of Indian psychology, history and backgrounds?
A Cooperative Approach In the Indian missionary field, as well as in any other, the time for a narrow partisanship and bigoted sectarianism is past. The present day calls for a cooperative spirit and approach. This With the advent of other mission schools and the organization of denominational Home Mis- sionary societies, it soon became apparent that a shift in the main emphasis of the work might wisely be stressed. Intead, therefore, ·of sending'
itinerant missionaries to the outposts of civiliza- tion or using the Society's funds toward aiding already existing institutions, it was determined (beginning with the work of Rev. Arthur P.
Wedge in 1911) that one field representative be designated to cooperate actively with missionary and governmental agencies in promoting a better understanding of the Indian people, especially in INDIAN CHURCH ON ROSEBUD RESERVATION view of the period of adjustment and assimilation through which they are now passing. Society, in view of its long and continuous history, Anyone who knows the American Indian is its traditions and achievements, has an increas- well aware that he moves slowly, although things ingly unique opportunity to further every effort looking toward cooperative work among our In- • A limited work for Negroes was also promoted, principally car- dian brothers. ried on through aid to such institutions as: Wilberforce University, The task is not· an easy one. Any program, no Ohio, the African Methodist Episcopal Missionary Society, Howard Free School for Colored Persons, National Theological Institute for matter how constructive and enlightened· it may Colored, Washington, D. C.; Hampton Institute, Hampton, Va.; be, is bound to meet with opposition. A brief Lincoln Institute for Colored Persons, Missouri; Woodville Farm School, Georgia, and CIal'lin University. South Carolina.
quotation from the minutes prepared by Peter forward on a mission of service to share their Thacher, secretary of the Society (January, own best vision. 1198), will serve to emphasize that the original purpose and program must still be the spirit in On the seal of the Massachusetts Bay Colony which we address ourselves to the new and chal- there is engraved the figure of an Indian, standing lenging tasks of today. on the New England shore in an attitude of wait- ing, saying, "Come over and help us." His need Notwithstanding the discouragements which have at- was real and vital. On the seal of the Society for tended almost all the attempts to Christianize the Indians, Propagating the Gospel among the Indians and the Society feel it to be their duty still to continue them. others in North America there is engraved a cup Their funds will not admit of sending missionaries into which may very well represent "the cup of salvadistant parts of the continent, or to seek out those nations tion." Inscribed on that second seal are the imof Indians who are wholly unconnected with the white in- mortal words of Zechariah 4: 6, "Not by might, habitants. Their attempts are confined to those tribes nor power, but by my Spirit." In the providence of interspersed among the white inhabitants, or in their God, and through the medium of this Society, the neighborhood. The wish of the Society is to propagate cup of salvation has been offered to the American and cherish the spirit of Christianity in the minds of Indians. Today many of our Red brothers who those people~ and, as their means and opportunity will have tasted that cup rejoice in the life-giving admit, gradually to disseminate Christian knowledge Gospel. It is a most precious gift for it does not among more distant tribes. perish with the taking. They too have come to realize, and have so expressed it to the writer, What of the Future? that the greatest gift which their White brother has brought them is that of the Gospel of Jesus The Society's centennial historian, Henry F. Christ. It has not come "by might, nor by power." Hunnewell, records his impressions in the follow- Often frail human emissaries have been the visiing language: "Already the history of corpora- ble means. It is 'not merely accidental that Intions in this country is showing that age, even dians speak of God as "The Great Spirit." With of a century, not only does not impair usefulness, increasing understanding they follow the poet but can add strength and give promise of a future who speaks their language: with increased means and extended operations." This would seem to be the only justification for Speak to Him thou for He heareth, endowments and foundations-that they go "from And spirit with Spirit can meet; strength to strength," not being content to rest on their laurels but ever seeking new avenues of Closer is He than breathing, approach, accepting new and challenging situa- Nearer than hands and feet. tions, and with renewed youth and vitality going Why I Like to Work for the Board of Foreign Missions _~I.:.I====_B_Y_O_n_e=of=th_e=c_le_r_ic_a_l_S_ta_ff=at=1_56====~III~ PEOPLE in general seem to have a very currency, checks, stocks, bonds and real estate. – peculiar idea of what we do here in the offices Although not in the treasurer's department, in my of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Pres- own department I have an opportunity to learn byterian Church in the U. S. A. Frequently have how money is handled, since we must carefully I heard the remark, "Your work must be very in- account for these millions of dollars and show teresting. But you don't get much business ex- how they are expended. They must be budgeted, perience, do you?" not only in United States currency, but also in the currency of the sixteen different countries where One of the many reasons why I like the work our work is conducted. As the money is used for is because of the very varied experience. To be- salaries of missionaries, evangelists, teachers, docgin with, our work covers an annual business of tors, nurses, and native workers; for the buying $3,000,000. These millions are received from and repairing of properties; for the running exhundreds of thousands of people, individually or penses of churches, schools and hospitals, I learn in groups, by legacy or annuity, in the form of
WHY I LIKE TO WORK FOR THE BOARD OF FOREIGN MISSIONS
about the many phases of our work. Besides this, ·history of that nation; the coming generation will office correspondence covers almost infinite details have a different outlook, as their moral, ethical relating to the welfare and work of 1,400 mission- and mental life is influenced through the stand- aries and their families, such as travel to and from ards of the greatest teacher of all, the Christ.
the fields, finding homes and schools for those on I do not need to read books written by travelers furlough, advising study courses for children and who skim over a country in a few weeks. Many adults, making purchases and shipping them to of our missionaries are famous writers, educators, various points throughout the world, arranging scientists. Their books and reports make fasci- for medical examinations and medical care. nating and authentic reading for, since our reli- What ordinary "business" office can offer such gion cannot be explained to a people without a an experience covering currency, budgeting, real knowledge of that people's own background, our estate, stocks and bonds, law, building construc- missionaries must thoroughly study that people's tion, agriculture, medicine, education, purchasing own religion, mode of living, customs and psy- and shipping, publicity, and their many coordi- chology. They must know their language, their nated lines of work? history, their thought processes, as well as the Besides this, I like to work for the Board be- physical land and its influence. At this end of cause I receive a liberal education through my the line, through their correspondence, reports, daily tasks, and by contacts with those who have and books, I get a cross-section of it all, a rapid traveled widely, studied deeply, and accomplished digest of their many years of intense labor and much. For example, through our regular routine, study.
I can get a broad vision of the political, social, I like to work for the Board because I not only economic, educational and religious life of many receive a wide business experience, and a liberal nations, not to mention their geography and phi- education, but even more because my employers losophy. This one Mission Board has work in help me to learn how to meet life in a finer way, sixteen different countries, and contacts with and in the last analysis, that is the most important practically every part of the globe. Anyone, by thing that can be done for us. Outside the office reading newspapers and magazines, can gain a my life is irrevocably bound up with that in the general idea of the situation in foreign countries office. I do not need to shut my desk at night as -provided the newspaper reporters are expert so many of my friends do, with the thought, historians and statesmen, writing with unbiased "Thank goodness, I can forget this until tomor- eye, and also provided that the foreign corre- row." I do not want to forget it, and I couldn't spondents are not hampered by government cen- if I would.
sorship! But how much more information, de- All business offices have their financial difficultailed and truthful, do we receive from our mis- ties, since the business of business is to bring in sionaries who are in the midst of events in those financial profit. We, too, need money to carryon countries, and in consultation with native leaders. our world enterprises. The depression did not These leaders know they can frankly discuss their pass by the churches nor the church members. affairs with no fear of political intervention and But during these past years, I have seen courage embroilment, but with the assurance that the ad- and faith that has made my heart sing. Disapvice given is in the best interests of their own pointment? Of course! Our leaders are human, people, sound, and free from ulterior motives. but their faith in the supreme Leader has made Where but in these offices could I have access to the attitude and atmosphere of our offices during the past and present histories of movements such these extremely difficult years a very different as the Japanese-Korean situation, the Spanish thing from that of the many business offices I have civil war, the status of the Camerouns, the evo- visited. lution of Iran, the new freedom for Turkish And the little things about the office-what of women, the changes in China and India, the Mex- them? After all, I spend the major part of my ican totalitarian state? And all this, not by doing life here. Why should not, therefore, the little library research, but simply through daily corre- things be as important here as in my home-the spondence and contacts with Americans and na- courtesy, the efforts for our comfort; the thoughttives who have been in the thick of these events. fulness, and the realization that our superior offi- In this same way I learn of the educational ad- cers consider us human. When salaries were cut, vance of other nations, the fight against illiteracy, I knew that it was not done, as in so many places, what the government is doing towards compulsory to take advantage of the economic crisis, and I education in rural sections and in cities. If those was confident that when conditions permitted, governments are using mission schools as models every effort would be made to restore them. If I for their own work, employing our teachers as make a mistake in my work, the air is not blue staff supervisors, there will be a change in the with profanity. Neither is it blue with smoke!
Into every office, death comes at some time,. system based on length of service and salary. Aleither to a worker or in a worker's family. In though there are only about 60 of us, we have a our office, where we are in personal touch not only Clerical Staff Organization which has charge of with the executive and clerical staffs and their all matters touching our welfare. Requests and families but with 1,400 missionaries living in haz- complaints go through a clerical staff committee, ardous places, news of death comes perhaps more which in turn brings them before a committee of frequently. The heartbreak of cables announcing the Board, where they are carefully and conscienthe loss of some loved one half way across the tiously discussed, and the answers are reported world, an accident to a child sent home to school, back to us. Salaries are scaled according to posiearthquake and famine and dread disease, as well tion and years of service. Vacations vary with as the perils by land and sea-all this we know. length of service, to a maximum of four weeks. But the way sorrow and tragedy are met, in the We have the privilege of consulting the Medical strength and comfort brought down from On High Secretary, and he helps us secure necessary aid -this is not seen in every office. And when it through private physicians or hospitals. We have comes our turn to face trials, can we fail to apply a pleasant lunch room with all necessary kitchen what we have seen and learned, to our own lives? equipment, a delightful rest room, the use of the missions library. We are not stinted on light or All have difficult problems to meet, but here heat. Almost every office has its growing plants, almost every letter brings with it a personal prob- and is as cheery as an office can possibly be. lem, a call for advice. Our leaders, through years of experience in the daily solving of such prob- We have an annual dinner for executives and lems, have gained great wisdom, sympathy and clerical staff, Christmas parties, department getunderstanding. When my own problems arise, togethers, special lectures and addresses, and the and they have been legion these past years, I fol- privilege of extended vacations for travel. low their methods as best I can; and if more mature advice is needed, I can always discuss my Our fifteen-minute noon-time prayer meeting is problem with them, in the certainty that thought- not taken out of our lunch hour, but it is our ful consideration will be given it, and all their privilege to attend. This is not only a pleasant experience placed at my disposal. break in the day, but a refreshing of soul and spirit that has its favorable reaction upon our Above all, I like the spirit of cooperation among physical bodies and on our work. the executives themselves, as well as between executives and clerical staff. Things are done in Summing all this up, I like to work for the committee, not individually. The minority knows Board of Foreign Missions because I am treated how to yield, and all are willing to be guided. as a co-worker and friend, because I receive not only a tangible salary but great value in intangible All these are intangible things. But I like to things, and because, since my employers command work for the Board because of their fair treat- my highest respect and the Cause for which we ment along tangible lines. Long before the New work has my deepest love, I can give to them and Deal and its Social Security Act, we had a pension it my unstinted loyalty.
Christians and the New Life Movement By MADAME CHIANG KAI-SHEK The Leading Woman in China A LETTER from the Church of Christ in morning as they arise. On the first day of issue China has reminded me how much respon- sibility we Christians should carry in two fathers bought cards for each member of the bringing New Life to the people around us. Let me quote: "The Bible Women's Association of family so that the children might form the habit Canton has issued a prayer card with the design of the New Life Movement and the Cross. Their of praying daily for China." . aim is to have a League of Prayer of at least a thousand who promise to pray for China each The cross in the background of the New Life Movement! It has always been there, and the subject fascinates me. Praying daily for China!
That is something that we can all do. One man in government service told me that he uses the
CHRISTIANS AND THE NEW LIFE MOVEMENT
three minutes of silence, observed in the regular conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by Monday morning Memorial Service, to pray for the renewing of your mind." I always want to the nation's leaders. add, and in so doing transform society until we mould it nearer to our heart's desire. Not long ago, in the Officers' Moral Endeavor *** Association at Nanking, a friend came face to face with a painting of Christ that vividly revealed George W. Shepherd writes: General Chiang the crown of thorns. Drops of blood could be seen Kai-shek has issued an official invitation to Chrison the forehead and chest, and the visitor threw tian churches to coqperate with the Movement, up his hands and said: "What a sad picture!" particularly in the field of social service. Some To my husband and myself the cross means not Christian groups have since expressed themselves sadness, but triumph. Without it there could not as feeling that these regulations might eventually possibly be New Life for any of us. If you read lead to some local New Life Movement Associacarefully through the public addresses that the tion assuming that it could exercise control over Generalissimo has delivered during the past three the life of the church.
years, you will notice that sacrifice, blood, and the Significant changes have been taking place. sweat of labor, are referred to frequently as the These changes may be summarized as follows: only way out for individuals and the nation. The 1. The New Life Movement shall not become a political cross is the centre of his life, hence his appeal to instrument in the hands of any party or clique. It the churches and the Christians throughout the belongs solely to the people.
nation to take responsibifity in living the New 2. The staff at New Life Movement Headquarters and in Life and passing it on to others. the local associations have no official rank. They After hI·S return from Sian, the Generalissimo have no authority to issue documents and regulations other than those which come from the President. decided to give more and more time to the de- 3. The chief emphasis of the Movement is to be upon the velopment of character through the New Life development of character through living the prin- Movement. It is with this in mind that he under- ciples of Li, I, Lien, Chih. "New Life is not sometook to organize the Headquarters at Nanking. thing to promote, but a life to be lived." There was a time when some thought they might make a political instrument out of the New Life 4. The New Life Movement is distinctly a Movement and not an organization primarily concerned with estab- Movement, but this can never be. It must for- lishing and perpetuating itself as a permanent instiever remain a movement within the hearts and tution. The Movement will cooperate with and assist lives of the people encouraging them toward fuller all agencies at work on improving the social life of the people.
cooperation in the tasks that face us as a nation, It should be very clear from the foregoing that and slowly but surely building character that will the New Life Movement is not a rival of the stand the test of time, and that will never again church and cannot do the spiritual work that only allow us to stoop to the evils that have afflicted the church is qualified to do. At one time, friends society so long. If we Christians should be busy of the Movement suggested that it solicit members about any task, surely it is this. who would pledge themselves to carry out its The mystical element.m religion must have principles, but the President replied that every value for some, otherwise so many great people citizen of China is automatically a member of the in history would not have followed its gleam. To Movement. The living of New Life principles is me, however, religion is just life as it must be hence the obligation of every citizen. It cannot lived by ordinary mortals, but with the humdrum draw circles of inclusion or exclusion unless it tasks of every day being performed with greater draws a circle around the whole of China. cheerfulness because of an inner faith in God. It There has been an awakening on the part of is the daily renewing of our faith, our courage, • Chinese Christians in their responsibilities towatd our vision, the better to grapple with what the the State. The development of a modern govern- day may bring forth. ment in which they can place their confidence has The organization of the Kiangsi Christian had much to do with it. The attitude of local officials in inviting the cooperation of the church Rural Service Union, slightly over three years in rural reconstruction and in health work has ago, appeared to some as a strange and new step also contributed toward good will and created an for the church. To the Generalissimo and to me atmosphere in which Christians are more at home. it seemed the natural thing for Christians to do. Prayer services for national leaders, and for the A very great responsibility rests upon us so long nation, in times of crisis, have also fostered the as the farmers and workers of many provinces interest of the rank and file of Christians in the have little opportunity to secure the bare essen- welfare of their country. Undoubtedly the New tials of life. Life Movement in its bold stand for righteousness, Christians throughout China should cooperate justice, and honesty, has greatly encouraged many in living and extending its principles. "Be not
a despondent Christian, and given him a distinct It has an odor of formality and external author- feeling of self-respect. Now thousands of Chris- ity. I do not say that they are not helpful, but tians are praying daily that God will deliver China they are not enough. New Life must come from out of all her troubles. the changing of hearts. That is not to be accom- Work by Christian groups in prisons, military plished by posters and addresses only.
hospitals, orphanages, and settlements, is all very As Christians, we must do our best to help the much appreciated by New Life Movement Head- cause of the New Life Movement. It has many in- quarters, and reports on progress and problems teresting and instructive points. Then when we will receive careful attention. Social service by realize the perspective, we ought to contribute to Christian groups everywhere is highly desirable, it the unique teaching and message of Chris- particularly where New Life may be born from tianity. The thing that the New Life Movement within. "Except a man be born again" he oannot lacks is spiritual force. It gives us a lot of plati- see New Life. After all the genius of the church tudes: but it has no technique for the attainment is to give men a spiritual rebirth and send them of spirituality.
out to fight life's battles equipped with the whole Then the Movement lacks a central personality.
armor of God. Others can do many of the obvious We worship Jesus Christ. The New Life Move- things that need to be done, only the church can ment has no concrete example to follow, it seems give spiritual life. The church must not become to be a collection of teachings. It is high time so busy about other things that it runs the danger for us Christians to preach Jesus Christ and his of neglecting its main business of remaking men. Gospel.
The New Life Movement gives the church a We must not merely preach the Gospel, we must large place in Chinese ,society, and a standing that live it out ourselves, especially those of us who has not been previously so frankly acknowledged, are supposed to be leaders in church or public life.
but it grants this status believing that the church If we do not shine for Christ, who will? God has and its institutions have spiritual vitality. The wonderfully used some of us, and has given us New Life Movement does not mistake the church power too. Why not demonstrate to the nation for 'a mere social service agency. It knows that that only a Christian Movement can really save within Christianity there is a life of both quality China? This seems to me the biggest challenge.
and quantity, for it can J?e passed on to the For some concrete suggestions, I mention the masses. following. We can help the cause of the New Life *** Movement by linking it to our Christian message Z. K. Zia, a Chinese Christian, writes: The in the Christian Broadcasting Station, or in our New Life Movement has made an impression on Christian magazines, or even in our churches. Do officialdom as well as on the people of China. all we can to make the New Life Movement a suc- How deep is the impression? cess. When it is properly broadcasted and linked The New Life Movement, as it is, comes from up with Christ, I believe that its moral and spir- the higher authority down to the rank and file. itual standard will be lifted.-Chinese Recorder.
Fruit from Seed–Sowing in China Extracts from a recent letter of ORPHA B. GOULD Missionary of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, Paotingfu, North China Y OU should see the smile on the face of Miss family, her father being a provincial official. She Tso Shou Chen, the latest arrival in my was formerly_strongly anti-Christian and anti- home. She left a good position in Shanghai foreign. Now, like the Apostle Paul, she calls because she believed that God told her to come to herself the "chief of sinner," because she had Paotingfu. The superintendent of the Shanghai berated and even cursed the name of Jesus. At school wrote to tell me what a blessing she had one time she recalls saying to a friend, "You wor- . been, and how God had marvelously used her ship Jesus; you might better worship me." there. During her third year at Yenching University This young woman is from a wealthy Buddhist she was converted and left immediately for the
FRUIT FROM SEED-SOWING IN CHINA
Bible School in Nanking. She was graduated last and later several other believers were added to spring, and now has no other aim in life than to the Lord. While we were at this village, a mardo the will of Him who has called her to go forth ried daughter came home for a visit and heard with the glorious message of salvation. She is a about Jesus for the first time. She went back to beautiful, talented and refined young woman and her village, and the next day a man came earnestly her messages are tender, wooing, cutting, straight entreating us to come to their village. We went to the point. She turns down all offers ofa sal- there the following day and the people listened ary. Since her conversion, she has won most of earnestly to the Message, inviting us to come and her family to Christ. Her great aim is to reflect live in their village. We returned six weeks later the glory of the Lord and to be changed into His and found that five homes had torn down their i~age (2 Corinthians 3: 18). idols before we arrived, pledging themselves to believe in the true God. The day we arrived, al- *** though it was sleeping, no room was large enough to hold the crowd that came. They stood in a shed A Chinese evangelist, Mr. Pan,at our retreat all afternoon and evening and listened hungrily to last fall, led the main meetings, his face and his the Message. Several families decided to become message and his prayers all witnessed to his lov- Christians and have held services every Sunday ing, vital touch with his Lord and Master. He since. spoke of Life, with a capital L straight up and down with God, and then across to others,1 with At the next village we visited, the Christianspower that went straight home to the heart. all poor farmers – had built a. chapel with two rooms. Every detail of the chapel told of the time, We went to the Man Ch'eng district to hold a effort, and thought they had put into the work. three days' retreat for the Christian leaders from Fifteen to twenty were present at the early mornthe surrounding villages. Thirty to forty were ing prayer meeting and the evangelistic meeting present and all expenses of food and travel were was packed; many stayed over for the evening joyously cared for by the Christians in that dis- Bible class. One day, at a street meeting in Tsang trict. Not one cent came from the mission. Ts'un, a lady came up saying, "I want to believe in Jesus." She had been a sun worshiper and Later we started on our eleven weeks' evan- then had turned to idols, to the moon and stars, gelistic trip. We stopped at eleven centers and vis- but could find no peace and had come to the conited forty-nine different villages, where we gave clusion that they were not God. Eagerly she at least one Gospel message, handing out tracts listened to the Gospel, made her decision, and or posters to those who could read. On every side went away rejoicing in her new-found Saviour. we were met with the plea, "Come to our village; this is the truth. We want to understand!" In one district, one of our evangelists met an elderly man, and asked him if he had heard of the One morning, at the village of Lu Chia K'ou, true God and His Son, Jesus. The old man said, an old man of sixty came to tell us how the Lord "This doctrine is the truth. Two years ago, a had blessed him. He had gone home the evening man handed me a tract about Jesus and every day, before, called the family together, knelt on the before reading it, I was my hands." He asked us k'ang and had led them in prayer, confessing their how to pray and was very ready for instruction. sins. Then they tore down their idols. His heart was filled with the joy the Master had promised THE GOSPEL FOR JAPAN Takeshi Muto, formerly a professor in Aoyama Gakuin, and now pastor of an influential Methodist student church in Tokyo, express his views as to "The Christian Message in Relation to Japanese Thought" in the Japan Christian Quarterly. Both capitalism and communism have failed in Japan, he says, because of their lack of social justice and inability to bring economic improvement. Both have disregarded Japanese ideals and history. All Japanese thought has been greatly influenced by Confucianism, Buddhism and Christianity, for the Japanese are inclined to adopt and adapt any new ideas or inventions that they find helpful. They need the Christian message-especially in the following aspects: 1. Japan must learn the Christian idea of a living, loving God, the Father of all mankind -not merely a national God.
2. Christians must preach the ideal of universal peace. We must fight militarism. 3. The Christian message is Christ Himself. Japan needs, not theological dogma, but Christ Himself, incarnation of God's fatherly redemptive love. Christ gave Himself for us; that is the whole of our religion. Japan needs the living Christ. When we receive Him other benefits follow as a matter of course. II Effective Ways of Working 'Tested Methods for Increasing Interest at Home EDITED BY MRS. ESTELLA S. AITCHISON, GRANVILLE, OHIO ~=I= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A Day in Scandinavia wegian and Danish baked goods, Wanted: Adventurous Mis- of which the proceeds went to sionary Material As one of a series of World Friendship projects, the Girls' the Scandinavian churches. A In view of the appetite for League for Service of Grove Re- stirring ideas, among children formed Church, North Bergen, Brooklyn importing firm sent N. J., recently sponsored a "Day from nine to fourteen years of in Scandinavia" at the church hundreds of samples of the thin, age, I have often deplored the house. Main reliance in getting up an authentic exhibit and pro- crisp Swedish rye bread, which fact that there is so little adgram was placed on near-by venturous missionary material Swedish Lutheran and Norwe- found ready takers. gian Lutheran churches. There available. In talking to this age had been no previous contacts The display of articles loaned group not long since I gave the between the Grove Church and the Swedish congregation, but by the Scandinavians was aug- story of a friend in India who the Norwegian and the Grove had a bowing acquaintance mented by some brought back had shot a tiger that attacked a through several Sunday evening girl in her school; when Miss union services. Part of the plan by teachers in the community Fales arrived on the scene, the was to cement new friendships. who had traveled in northern animal had the girl on the The Swedish friends furnished ground with his mouth at her the afternoon program and the Europe. throat. The missionary drove Norwegians the evening; the exhibit was open continuously At four o'clock, a group of him away with a huge stick but from three until eleven p. m. knew she would have to get him Ranged on counters, extending boys and girls of Swedish dethe length of the church hall and later or he would return and do draped over screens behind scent, in costume, sang several more damage. Laying part of them, were fine pieces of Hardanger needlework, homespun folk songs, closing with the na- a lamb as a decoy, Miss Fales woolens, color f u I tapestries which the Scandinavian owners tional anthem, as the whole au- sat outside the compound late at generously stripped from their night until the beast returned, beds, windows and walls when dience stood. At eight-thirty, whereupon she killed him with they caught the idea we were trying to convey-the artistic an octette of men from the Nor- one shot from her rifle. The and cultural contributions their children listened to this story peoples make at home and over wereagl iasonngcsonagrceagpapteiollna, sang sev- with the keenest interest, espehere. They loaned treasured and a soold gold and silver tableware, cially when they learned that the copper coffee sets and teakettles, prano gave solos by Grieg and brave missionary was alone with handturned candlesticks, a spin- 60 children in an area about the ning wheel over 200 years old, o the r Norwegian composers. etc. Each article was labelled with the name of the owner and Motion pictures, borrowed from its history. Wearing native costumes, several women stood be- the Norwegian and Swedish hind the counters explaining the different articles. There was a steamship lines, were shown, brisk sale of Swedish cookies and of several varieties of Nor- these being furnished without cost, as were a number of color- ful travel posters that decorated the hall.
About 300 people attended size of Indiana. during the day. A cafeteria This year we are studying sold coffee, tea, cocoa and home- Africa; and as the leader of a made cake at five cents an item. children's group knew of my Admission to program and ex- conviction that we should first hibit was 15 cents. About interest the pupils in the people $50.00 was cleared; the closer and country, bringing in mis- acquaintance with the Scandina- sionary ideas only casually, then vians in our towns and the fra- make the appeal in the name of ternal feeling generated be- the Gospel later, she asked me tween Christian congregations to give a map talk on Africa. I hitherto almost strangers could used the June, 1935, issue of not be bought for many times_ The National Geographic Maga- . that sum.-FLORENCE GORDON, zine, inclusive of its excellent Weehawken, N. J. map, telling stories gleaned from (In an early issue descriptions of a series reading two of the Martin J ohn- of public Nationality Nights in the Interests of World Friendship will be given. Note s.on books. The children were Miss Gordon's statement regarding the free so absorbed that they listened use of moving pictures from the various with open mouths.' I said a steamship lines. Some of the best pictures great deal about the animals, may be obtained by churches in this way, without expense.) [544 ]
EFFECTIVE WAYS OF WORKING
such as that telegraph wires Is Not Easy," and "To Be Continued." belle Hirt-booklet interpreting to must be strung on very high l5c adolescents the meaning of sex in poles else giraffes will run into terms of plant and animal propagathem; why lions are thickest in "We Can Change the WorId" tion. l5c the tall grass; the diseases the (Swain), built on Mathews' "Shaping natives get from ticks and the the Future": "Can Crusaders Change "Lenten Week of Prayer Packets" tsetse fly, etc. That led up to the World?" "The World We Face," -five good daily program sheets and the need for missionary doctors "Revolts and Realignments," "Revo- one of suggestions for leaders, for use and the suggestion that some of lution for Christ" and "That's a in Week of Prayer meetings or my hearers might be called to Dream." l5c among shut-ins. 30c become medical missionaries. I have tried hard to find more of "Opening Windows on the Chris- "Friends in Everyland"-setof 12 this human interest material. tian World of Tomorrow" (Swain)- large pictures for juniors, with stories I am hoping THE REVIEW- six programs on "Missions Tomor- and activity suggestions on reverse from which I have learned so row," by Latourette: "Our World To- side. 25c much this past year-may be day," "Our World and Christian Misable to fill the void. *-MRS. sions" (two programs), "Why and *** GRACE W. BENHAM, 1308 La- How Is This New World?" "Does the fayette Ave., Columbus, Indiana. World Need Christ Today?" and Women's Board of Missions of the Re- "How to Meet the Challenge." l5c formed Church in America, 25 E. New "Tools in Type" 22nd St., N. Y. *** In view of many requests for "Spiritual Adventuring," a manual programs and devotional exer- The United Christian Missionary So- of worship for missionary societiescises, as well as auxiliary pro- ciety, 222 Downey Ave., Indian- six complete worship programs on gram material, the Department apolis, Ind. "Source of Power," "Spirit of Love," Editor has examined the new "Spirit of Service," "Stewardship of publications sent in from vari- "School Bells Ringing 'Round the Life," "Stewardship of Money," ous sources and can recommend World"-study and program packet "Prayer and Our Missionaries," with as available for general use the for young people and seniors in the series of choice prayers at close. 10c following, which either have no Young People's World Friendship denominational references or an Project: informational and story "Lamps of India" and "China's amount easily elided: leaflets, plays and other dramatiza- Gateways"-good dramatic exercises. tions and impersonations, problem 10c each Baptist Board of Missionary Educa- and panel discussions, original para- tion, 152 Madison Ave., N. Y. bles, poster suggestions, etc.-a wealth "Talking Pictures of Japan"-se- of ready-to-use material well adapted ries of word pictures concerning its "Four-Point Project Program based to the age interests. 50c history, the place of Japanese women on Missionary Heroes. Course No.1," in the development of Christianity, covering actual hand projects in Map- *** etc. 10c making (Livingstone), Life-saving (James Chalmers), Boating (Gren- Board of Foreign Missions of the *** fell), Handicraft (Mackaye) and Presbyterian Church in America, eight other hero-biography projects, 156 Fifth Ave., N. Y. Woman's Home Mission Society of the with full directions. Invaluable for M. E. Church, 420 Plum St., Cinboys. 25c "Friends Far Away," by Charlotte cinnati, O. C. Hudnut—outline for 10 sessions as "Six Worship Services Based on supplemental to graded S. S. courses, "The Book Beautiful," a year's wor- 'The Way of the Witnesses,'" pre- vacation Bible schools or as inde- ship services for young people, prepared by Margaret Holley Tuck. l5c pendent program material and includ- pared by Lillian Vogel and covering: ing studies of heroes, Mexicans, Jap- "Beauty and Strength," "Beauty and "Christian's Progress" (also on anese, Chinese, Siamese, Hindus, Sy- the Greatest Artists," "The Beauty of "The Way of the Witnesses")-five rians, Africans and a final Friendship Thankfulness," "The Beauty of programs by Anna Canada Swain and Ribbon Demonstration. Ex cell e n t Peace," "The Beauty of Silent Snow," adapted for women's societies and story and dramatic material for jun- "The Beauty of Wisdom," "The senior young people: "The Mission- iors. 10c Beauty of the Changed and Unary Pattern," "To All the World," changed," "The Beauty of the Lilies," "The Missionary Motive," "The Way Free catalogue of "Motion Pictures "The Beauty of May Day Hap- for Church Use," furnished by The piness," "Beauty in a Garden," and • The Department Editor happens to be Westminster Press, 925 Witherspoon "Beauty and Recreation." Well familiar with "The Missionary Heroes Bldg., Phila., Pa. adapted to the interests of youth. l5c Course" which is put out by the Baptist Board of Missionary Education and is in *** "Modern Missionary Journeys Prothree grades or sections. It is replete with gram Book," including not only the just the material Mrs. Benham wants. In- The United Lutheran Missionary So- studies on the home mission topic quire of that BDard at 152 Madison Ave., ciety, 1228 Spruce St., Phila., Pa. mentioned in September but also civ- New YDrk, and receive catalDgue list and in- ics and Christian citizenship, a peace structions as tD expense and where to send "Six Programs on Stewardship for program for Christmas, a Lenten orders. Several books are published by J. Boys and Girls," by Emma Gerberd- service, stories of youth, health B. LippincDtt, Philadelphia, such as: "Ro- ing Lipphard"-each complete in it- through mission hospitals and an exmance of Missionary Heroism"; "Heroes of self with talks and stories, activity cellent mite box program. 50c Missionary Adventure," etc. Tbe books by suggestions, poster outlines, projects, JacDb Chamberlain, "In the Tiger Jungle," list of stewardship stories, leaflets, "Early Missionary Journeys Woretc., and the lives of such African mission- playlets, hymns, responsive readings, ship Services," by Marie Wells Clapp aries as Hannington, Mackay, Livingstone, etc., but the six forming a construc- -a real study of the main events of and Mary Slessor, furnish abundant mate- tive series calculated to make the Paul's life. l5c rial. See alBo the lives of South Sea mission- child feel his responsibility to God. aries–John G. Paton, James Chalmers and Excellently adapted to the age inter- *** Charles W. Abel. ests. 20c "Ship East, Ship West" ($1.00 and Can anyone else tell the inquirer, by writ- "Where It Will Do the Most Good" 50c) and its guide book (lOc), both ing her direct, what further is available? -world-wide missionary playlet by by Elizabeth Miller Lobengier and in- Laura Scherer Copenhaver. 6 char- tended for primary and junior chil- acters. 10c dlen, cannot be too highly praised as a peace study, Subject matter, type, "To Live and Grow," dramatic In- illustrations all of the highest order. dian Lace Day presentation, with im- A number of denominations have sub- personations of Thread, Hook, Doi- mitted it as one of their outstanding lies, Vines, etc. 5c studies. Order through your denomi- national literature department or "The Story of Life," by Zoe Isa- from The Friendship Press, 156 Fifth Ave., N. Y.
A Live Project in "Rebuilding study. At the same time 400 families be served at end of D. V. B. S. were provided with garden seed pur- representation if desired. For Rural America" chased at cost, enabling them to sup- activation, pack box of crayons, ply themselves with fresh vetegables paper, pictures, scrapbooks, scis- One of the outstanding needs for several months. sors and such like to send to some denominational hospital or revealed in our current home The Dillonvale Project has spread country Sunday school. mission study is that of aban- beyond the campus and beyond Grandoned mining regions. Dr. Le- ville. Ohio Wesleyan and Miami Uni- For "Our Mountain Missions," versity students have joined in the draw on blackboard or poster land J. Gordon, Professor of work. A group of public school stu- some mountains and cut out Economics in Denison Univer- dents in Minneapolis sent clothing church, school, hospital, etc., etc., sity, Granville, Ohio, felt the and toys for the Christmas party and and arrange against the backneed of bringing home to his another group of Hi-Y boys in Co- ground, printing name under lumbus shared their contributions. each. Cut out overall boys and students the stark realities back The project is bigger and more vital sunbonnet girls, men and wom- en, some of latter with babies in of the statistics which meant so now than ever before. It has become arms, and arrange them as if little to upper – income – class . a Denison tradition. . . . Noone as- going to school or church. Sing young folk. So he conducted a "God Bless Our Native Land." sociated with the project is under any seri.es of trips to the coal mining illusion as to its importance. All Read selection from Sermon on reglOns of Southeastern Ohio realize too keenly that it is merely the Mount, or tell Annie Fellows where men were in utter de- scratching the surface. But having Johnston's beautiful story, "Joel, spair- seen the need, everyone returns with a Boy of Galilee." Tell stories a profound conviction that whatever of mountain work and pack box Unemployed men, unemployable can be done, no matter how small, for some mission with toys, must be done. At the same time clothes, crayons, etc. Little girls men maimed and mutilated while everybody associated with the work wearing sunbonnets made of sees the larger problems of organized bright crepe paper and little boys mining coal for us to warm our state relief and elimination of under- in overalls may give an attrac- lying causes. Increasing emphasis is tive exercise, "A Mountain homes; heartsick and weary mothers being placed on attempts to secure School," with older girl as struggling to keep the appearance of for these people the puolic relief to teacher. Spelling class learn a which they are entitled. And more few words appropriate to this a home; gaunt faces of sickly, under- effective study of the economic prob- subject; reading class have lems involved in seeking not only to simple selections about mountain nourished, barefoot children unac- remedy such conditions but to make missions; geography class locate them impossible, follows active par- some mountain mission stations customed to the taste of milk or meat ticipation in the work. on map; sewing class start -sights of utter misery and destitu- In the final analysis probably the squares of patchwork that may ones who gain the greatest benefit are be finished at home and made tion which the students could not not the ones who receive but those into a quilt for a mountain or- who give help. They catch a new phanage; and the singing class stand. What had been a crowd of meaning of Christian service and may give "There Is a Green Hill brotherhood in their field work in Far Away" or a hymn about carefree students in holiday spirit be- ec.onomics. Perhaps their generation mountains. Small baskets of wIll learn to meet these economic cookies may be served at "recame a silent group on the homeward problems with more wisdom and real cess." An exhibit of woven and journey, completely overwhelmed by Christianity than have the genera- patchwork quilts, baskets and tions preceding them. pottery is effective. the human tragedy they had seen. The foregoing excerpts, quoted ANNYE ALLISON. The trip had changed their whole out- from an article by Dr. Gordon Richmond, Va. look on life. . . . Upon their return appearing in The Denison Alumni Bulletin, indicate how that small group told their story and faulty is an economic system others caught their spirit. In answer with such sore spots as these, and how both students and comto an invitation, 70 men and womenten per cent of the student body-met munities may be led to take hold of temporary alleviation with a on the top floor of Doane Hall to or- view to study means for permaganize their plans. That was the beg~nning of the Dillonvale Project. nent cure. This is real home mission work which will enlist Since that time nearly 10t0owsntsupdeeonptls~ those who are indifferent to faculty members and have gone to Dillonvale, providing food, clothing, garden seed and enter- tainment, while many times that num- ber . have I?articipated indirectly, sending clothmg and cash contributions ranging from five to twenty- five dollars. The girls have voted to eliminate desserts at certain meals so that their dessert money could be used ts9oo..cbi~au.ly.shmearisvlkibcfeeoercnogmtrhomewi.itltneegaedciohnfigltdhgreernoY.u.pTwhine. InItIating and carrying out this plan.
They set up a workshop for the reno- vation .of clothing and toys. They *** have gIVen benefit dances and sold evangelistic work-or who think The Christian who begins to they are until they come up tithe will have at least five surdoughnuts at football games to raise against the basic needs. prises: At the amount of money funds. They have given the children he has for the Lord's work; at Rural Missions for Primary of Dillonvale Christmas and Hallow- een parties and shared in a Thanksgiving party which provided bread and meat to 500 families who other- Children – the deepening of his own spiritwise would have had little or nothing to eat. (Concluded from the October ual life; at the ease in meeting During the summer of 1933, Wilfred REVIEW.) his own obligations with the Eatough conducted a daily school for Dramatizations may be infor- nine-tenths; at the preparation seven weeks, supported by funds mal or have added charm of that tithing gives to be a wise raised largely by Denison students. Seventy boys and girls attended the simple costumes such as aprons, steward over the remainder of school, learning something about sunbonnets, overalls, straw hats, his income; at himself that he woodwork, needlecraft and nature etc. Lemonade and cookies may did not adopt the plan sooner. The Council of Women for Home Missions EDITH E. LOWRY, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, 105 EAST TWENTY-SECOND STREET, NEW YORK We Give Thanks Prepared by CHARLOTTE MARY BURNHAM Prelude: With voices united our praises we and teach us to walk together in offer, the laws of Thy commandments "Praise to God and Thanks and in the ways of human We Bring." To Thee, great Jehovah, glad anthems friendship and true brotherhood. we raise. Can to Worship: Response: Teach us to give Thy -strong arm will guide us, our honor where honor is due, re- DAKOTA OR SIOUX HYMN God is beside us, gardless of race, color or creed, following what our inmost heart Many and great, 0 God, are Thy To Thee, our great Redeemer, forever tells us to be Thy will. Deepen things, be praise. Amen. our respect for unlikeness and Julia Bulkley Cady. our eagerness to understand one Maker of earth and sky. another, that we may transcend Thy hands have set the heavens with RESPONSIVE READING: our differences. May we gladly share the resources of Thy world stars, Leader: Thy beauty, 0 God, with all Thy children, working Thy fingers spread the mountains and is upon us; Autumn splendor together to build Thy City upon everywhere! Days lucid with earth. plains. vision, or dim with mist, haze Lo, at Thy word the waters were and smothered sunshine. Leader: We thank Thee most of all for Thy gift of the Holy formed; Response: We thank Thee for Spirit which makes men care Deep seas obey Thy voice. Thy gift of the Autumn, for the for one another, for the power beauty of the world and the joy of Thy love that drives out that Grant unto us communion with Thee, of the harvest. which is greedy and mean in hu- Thou star-abiding One; man hearts. We are grateful for Come unto us and dwell with us, Leader: Thou hast made our those who are working all over With Thee are found the gifts of life. life a summer sowing, an au- the world to bring peace and a Bless us with life that has no end, tumn harvest, too short for hate, more abundant life to Thy chil- Eternal life with Thee. and only long enough for the dren everywhere. Strengthen love that lifts the load we all our hearts and our hands to Paraphrased by Rev. Philip must bear. help them in their great task.
Frazier 0/ the Dakotas. Response: Yet we know that Response: Solo – When Thy there are men with hate in their Heart, with Joy O'erfiowing. HY1nn: "We Praise Thee, 0 hearts; there are armies that God, Our Redeemer." make men enemies instead of Tune-Bullinger 8, 5, 8, 8. brothers; there are nations that Tune-Kremser, 12, 11, 12, 11. in pride and arrogance defy Thy When my heart, with joy o'ertlowing, laws in the world. There are Sings a thankful prayer, We praise Thee, 0 God, our Redeemer, many in our own land that suffer Creator, from injustice, greed and pov- In thy joy, 0 let thy brother erty. With thee share. In grateful devotion our tribute we bring. Leader: Forgive us, 0 God, When the harvest sheaves in-gathered the envies, suspicion and misun- Fill thy barns with store We lay it before thee, we kneel and derstandings which have blinded adore thee, men and nations and thrust them asunder. Purify our hearts We bless Thy holy name, glad praises we sing. [547] We worship Thee, God of our fathers, we bless Thee; Through life's storm and tempest our .Guide hast Thou been.
When perils o'ertake us, escape Thou wilt make us, And with Thy help, 0 Lord, our battles we win. To thy God and to thy brother Christian leadership, but help- and girls. She knows the ministers Give the more. ing these young people, caught in the town near by and has good between two civilizations,to un- contacts. She has been to the district If thy soul with prayer uplifted derstand and work out new ad- Young People's Conference with a Yearn for glorious deed j ustments in every area of life. number of her Indian girls, had a number of church groups from .town Give thy strength to serve thy brother Indian youth presents a chal- at times on the campus. . . . com- In his need. lenge to us today. They have munion by town ministers, joint meet- potentialities and opportunities ings with town groups, clubs for girls Share with him thy bread of blessing, for good or for evil that are far and boys, and other activities. . . . Sorrow's burden share; greater than has been possible for other generations of Indian All directors are doing splen- When thy heart enfolds a brother, youth. They, too, will have a did work in carrying the Chris- God is there. part in Rebuilding Rural Amer- tian message and way of life to Theodore Chickering Williams. ica. these young Indian Americans.
The Prayer of an Indian Girl Just how are our interdenomi- Is it worth while? Let us national workers trying to meet read some other reports: Help us, 0 God, as people these problems in the schools in from all countries to live to- which they are stationed? Let Last fall our Indian Girl Reserves gether in this great world- us look through some of their Club and Arts and Crafts Club girls nation. May we forget differ- reports. From the Pacific Coast made paper caps and dressed pencils to ence in color and language, and comes this one: sell at our Benefit. Later on they made work for the ideals of freedom baby clothes, small children's dresses and brotherhood. School started yesterday with an and quilts for their Christmas boxes. increase of fifty in the student body, A few girls are working on curtains Thou art our Father, we are making about 450 in all, about a third for certain rooms in the chapel. The Thy children; show us that our of them trachoma patients and many Christmas boxes were sent to the hopes and fears and aspirations of them grade school youngsters. A Migrants in the cotton fields. The are one. Forgive the suspicions separate dormitory has been opened boys as well as the girls helped to and misunderstandings which for them. . . . There are many more make toys for these boxes. Another have blinded us; teach us to full-bloods than I have ever seen be- box was sent out to the Navajos, to walk together in Thy command- fore and quite a number of Alaskan one of their former schoolmates to ments, and in the ways of hu- students. . . . My program is to in- distribute. . . . The young people man friendship. Amen. clude a girl's and boy's club, a story have put on a program at the county hour for the youngest ones, and Sun- hospital about five times dUring the At Work in Government In- day School classes for all ages. We year. They have taken four old men dian Schools will use the older students in the at the hospital as their Sunshine Teacher Training Class which was Friends. Thousands of Indian Ameri- started last year, for teachers for the can young people are in govern- younger children. Then I have asked We have many reports like the ment boarding schools, many of for a choir practice evening, one for following, showing the fine work them far from home, friends Young People's Societies, one for many former students are doand pastor; several thousand Teacher Training, and a social eve- ing: are studying in secondary and ning once a month. I am looking forvocational schools to become the ward to a better year with the stu- Leadership Training Classes-I feel Indian leaders of tomorrow- dent Y. M. and Y. W. groups. We that it was the most successful activteachers, nurses, clerks, cattle- hope to have a cabinet retreat at the ity we conducted during the year…. men, agriculturists, tradesmen, Log Cabin this Friday evening to work Have just learned of two loyal memhousewives. Some will go on to out our programs for all the young bers of the class, who, dUring the college and become lawyers, doc- people's groups. . . . The superin- summer, helped to start and lead at tors, ministers, teachers, social tendent asked me if I would have the their reservation station among the workers, etc. Hundreds are ill trachoma patients for chapel Sunday Navajos, an Indian Young People's with trachoma and have been evenings and I said I would be glad Society, giving very able support and sent to boarding schools where to. You see we have a school chapel help to the missionaries in carrying they may receive medical care which is really a school assembly each on the work." and an education; others' are Sunday evening in the auditorium at orphans or from broken homes. seven o'clock. . . . He feels that the Another at his Pueblo home coop- little folks should not be out so late erated with the missionary in con- The Joint Indian Committee . . . and his plan is to have their ducting a "returned student's" proof the Council of Women for chapel at 5: 30. It will be both Ca- gram, being one of the speakers. Home Missions and Home Mis- tholic and Protestant children. sions Council ministers to thou- Still another, a Navajo who says he sands of these young people This young woman, a gradu- wants to be a missionary to his peothrough the interdenominational ate of one of the best schools of ple some day, got in touch with miswork carried on by trained Di- religious education, has worked sionaries at his home immediately and rectors of Religious Work who for three years in this governare placed in these schools to be- ment boarding school under the- has served a: part of the summer as come the friends, teachers and Joint Indian Committee. Of her guides of these children, not only work one member of the Com- interpreter and helper to two misgiving them a thorough religious mittee who visited her recently sionaries. . . . Am anxious to hear education and training for writes: from some of the others.
She has won the real respect of the Fifteen National Home Mis- superintendent, the faculty, and the sions Boards unite in program confidence and esteem of both boys and financial responsibility for this interdenominational Chris-' tian education and leadership. Through offerings on the annual World Day of Prayer, church people share in maintaining and increasing this home missions work.
i OUJM~~r~~:sp':~~:cu~t~~~ok
~~~~~~~~~~~~=E=D=I=T=ED~B=Y~M=R=S=.=H=EN~R=I=E=TT=A~H=.~F=ER=G=U=S=O=N=,=X~EN~IA=,=O~H=IO~~~~~~~~~==-~ LATIN AMERIOA but after hearing the Gospel, she tant villages and in crowded towns. The wonder is not that Fetishism in Haiti said through an interpreter, Mexico has fallen so far short of its hopes, but that considerable A Bible distributor in Haiti "This touches my heart. I feel gains have been won. The Mexwrites: ican treasury is poor-the total it is the truth, and I long to national budget is less than many Here we are always face to face a second-line American city. with devil worship, known as Voodoo, understand better." Trained teachers are few. There or Z'ange', and we praise God for is steady opposition from the many conversions from this evil cult. Among recent converts is a Catholic Church. Priests and laymen join in denouncing the One day, about six weeks ago, a strict Catholic, who wanted to public school as atheistic and man came to my home, his face deeply corrupting. lined with trouble. He had lost all know why she had been taught his .children but one, and said that the Mexico is also fighting child demons were after that one. He so many false doctrines, and who labor, and starvation wages. begged me to go to his home and destroy all his fetishes. asked the missionary to answer -Hubert C. Herring.
On my arrival I found the man him- many questions about the Word Opportunities in Ohile self busy with a hoe, trying to locate things that the Voodoo priest had of God. Another said, "This is William M. Strong, of the buried in his garden several years be- Soldiers' Gospel Mission of South fore. He had been working since be- the first time I have ever heard America, writes of what promfore dawn and had dug a large hole, ises to develop into a new relibut there was no sign of the objects. the Gospel. Could I be saved gious movement in the Chilean When he had worked until noon he army. gave up the search and together we now?" -Life of Faith. went to the little house that he had "Several soldiers in a 'Charabuilt for the demons. He had gath- House to House Bible Work buco' regiment in Concepcion ered together a pile of fetishes, in- have banded together to pray for cluding eight earthenware water jars, Bible distribution in Mexico their comrades' salvation in a three pairs of bowls used in worship, reports progress. One of the series of meetings that we prosix china covered mugs, and a small workers writes: pose holding next month in a black stone which was supposed to be little Gospel Hall near the regivery powerful. After singing a Chris- We have now covered the capital ment. The meetings will be only tian hymn, I took a hammer and com- of this state, Michoacan – which is for sodiers of the two regiments menced to smash the jars. It was a Morelia, a city of about 40,000 inhabi- in Concepcion. Our regular milisight to see the man's face clear as we tants. There was much praYer in ad- tary Gospel meetings are held broke the last of the fetishes and he vance, in which all our Fellowship inside the barracks, but this is realized that the "ower that had held Group joined, and we were overjoyed a new thing we are trying in him all his life in bondage was at last to see how God opened doors in that order to establish a more pershattered. fanatical city, torn between Romanism manent work among the soldiers and Radicalism. About 3,500 Gospels themselves during our absence, The Power of Testimony were placed in the homes, 300 New as we are only able to reach each Testaments were sold, and about 25 regiment once a year. The testimony of Christian persons manifested their desire to rewomen in Buenos Aires is prov- ceive Biblical literature. "Another opportunity has ing the most effective means of arisen in the same city among winning other women to Christ. One woman, when offered the Word the English business men who An Argentine who had seen her of God, said, "No. I don't want to have invited the writer to give a Christian neighbor under great have anything to do with that book. series of Bible talks in the Engstrain and provocation mar- It is not authorized by the Church." lish club. We have already given velled at her patience and calm; But as she listened to the worker tell the first of these talks and it has this awakened her to a realiza- how God had lifted him, tears began apparently aroused a good deal tion of her own lack of peace, to flow and finally she said: "Oh, if of interest." and she sought to know the Lord that book can do that for you, per- Jesus Christ. haps it can give my husband and me new life. Come on Sunday and talk Another Christian brought to us together." her neighbor to talk to the missionaries at the close of a meet- Another instance was that of an old ing. The woman was an Italian, woman in Santa Ana who said: "This who understood little Spanish, is the book I have needed. I never have heard such words, and I know for a fact that the Lord Himself is speaking by means of this little vol- ume."
Mexico and Her Ohildren For the first time in Mexican history, a sustained effort is be- iug made to provide schools for all the children. It is not easy to create a national educational system, to place schools in dis- [549 ]
Gift and Prayer "gossiped the good news of sal- problems of injustice, poverty, A young native Christian vation," bringing their families crime and war must be faced. worker of Central America had -Dnyanodaya. gone into an exceedingly needy and friends to hear the Word of A Belgian Centenary God. -The Christian.
district, without the slightest EUROPE A century ago there were only promise of support. A friend became burdened with a desire Among the Hop Pickers eight Protestant churches in Belto have a bit of financial fellow- gium. Four of these had a memship with this self-sacrificing England has a Hop Pickers' bership of for e i g n e r s only. young man. The idea seized Mission. From Kent, chief hop- Through the influence of an upon this friend to keep before growing county, comes the 68th himself a small bank in which he annual report of this mission agent of the British and Foreign would daily deposit ten cents containing many incidents con- Bible Society the Christian Misthrough denying himself some- nected with last year's work, sionary Church of Belgium was thing he otherwise would have which indicate that many conpurchased, and when putting in versions have resulted. The mis- formed, known as the Belgian the money, to send up a definite sion had six medical centers in Evangelical Society. This moveprayer for the recipient of it, use. These were visited by ment has grown until today there and for the work he is doing. nearly 2,000 patients, most of whom were children. are forty-six churches and mis- This little plan accumulates sion stations in the cities and $3.00 per month, and at the same The Church of England Tem- country districts. At the centime serves as a reminder for perance Soc i e t y commenced tenary celebration more than thirty times each month, lifting work among Kentish hop pickers the heart in prayer to God for more than half a century ago. 3,000 members of the church the phase of work in which the Seventy-five camps in East Kent gathered from all parts of Beldonor may be interested. are regularly visited by the gium. About thirty representa- tives of Protestant churches in other countries addressed the gathering. -Alliance Weekly.
South America's Three Classes workers; about twenty dispen- Children's Mission in France saries are in use, five of which Mr. Alexander Jardine divides travel about wherever they are France has a "Children's Spethe people to be evangelized in needed; Sunday schools and lan- cial Service Mission," with its South A mer i c a into three tern services are held, while so- center at Sumene. The work is classes: First, the forest In- cial work is carried on on sound, carried on in collaboration with dians, living on the banks of the practical lines. The committee churches of all denominations, rivers and in the vast and dense is anxious to develop its dispen- and organizations for young tropical forests, many of them sary work. people are increasing considerhostile to civilization. Second, ably. Five camps were held last are the educated residents of Other hop-picking areas have summer, and follow-up work in- Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, workers who visit the pickers at cludes the formation of Scripand other cities and villages. their work, and hold Gospel ture Union branches. Several For these, house-to-house visita- meetings among them in the eve- hundred boys and girls between tion and the printed page are nings. Their ministry is much ten and fifteen years of age have appreciated. -The Christian. found their Saviour.
used. British Colleges and Religion Similar groups have been or- The third class consists of In- ganized in India; m e m b e r s dians living in the highlands of Churches in Great Britain promise to endeavor to win South America, Peru, Ecuador have begun to feel more respon- others. Sikh, Moslem, Parsee and Bolivia. For years work sibility for the student world, and Hindu girls have been had been carried on among the and in addition to the "Group reached, and the student life of people with very meagre results. Movement" there are now in India is increasingly b e i n g It had been said they were too many universities and colleges, brought into touch with the ignorant, stupid, downtrodden denominational societies estab- claims of the Gospel. In one and poverty-stricken, after four lished with the idea of caring week-end camp, over 100 men centuries of oppression from the for their own church members and women students gathered to white man and the Church of who have come to study. Stu- discuss problems of the Christian Rome, to be reached by the Gos- dents themselves, such as have life. pel message. At the beginning church affiliation, are becoming In the Kikuyu country in Afof the work, missionaries had more conscious of their member– rica the Gospel message has been . been looked upon as mere white ship. conveyed to children by means people come to exploit and lead The gulf between those who of lantern lectures. -The Christian. the Indians astray. After a call themselves Christians, and time, however, little groups be- those who do not, seems to be Liberty Promised by Franco gan to spring up here and there, widening, and the position of the the Church became evangelistic, doubter to be becoming more and Word comes from London that a missionary church, and people more untenable in a world where complete toleration of religious
OUR WORLD-WIDE OUTLOOK
practice and education is prom- to save the world from the ene- Militant Godless Activity ised to Protestants in Spain, if mies of Christianity. In a re- General Franco can make this cent issue of Austria's leading Russia's League of Militant regime effective. It is also stated clerical daily, The Reichspast, Godless has recently been atthat the Protestant school and were two articles, one from a tacked by the Kremlin for negchurch in Salamanca, in Nation- Protestant pastor, the other from lecting its job. A recent decree alist territory, have been handed a Catholic priest, both pleading demands the "uncovering of back to Protestant hands, and for cooperation. The editor, an counter – revolutionary machinacomplete liberty of action ex- aggressive champion of Roman tions of priests and sectarians tended to the Protestants in carried on under cover of using charge. -The Living Church. Catholicism, after referring to their legal rights as guaranteed an appeal of Sir Henry Lunn for by the new constitution." It Crisis in German Missions the creation of a united Chris- further states that "only patient tian front against "the coercive explanation of the contradictions Such are the restrictions im- dechristianizing of E u r 0 p e," of science and religion, and the posed by the Nazi Government reactionary role of religion and on the export of money that the quoted a letter to the London the church, and daily political work of German Protestant Mis- Times in which Archbishop work among believers can oversions in India, Burma and Ceylon Hensley states that Pope Pius come religious faith." is seriously threatened. Only XI had already urged all besufficient support is allowed to The apparent imminence of a be sent from Germany to main- lievers to aid one another in de- genuine religious revival has tain German Nationals, with the fense against the storm of god- produced this counter-offensive. result that all grants from home for the support of native work- lessness. AFRICA ers have ceased. The Gossner The Protestant contributor, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bible Society in Ethiopia Chota Nagpur, and the Jaypore Dr. Ernest Koch, says: "Respect Evangelical Lutheran Church in For more than a century, the Orissa, have had to close schools for each other and love toward British and Foreign Bible Soand cut drastically the already one another is the only possible ciety has been interested in the meagre salaries of Indian work- conduct for Christians. We are publication of the Scriptures in ers. responsible for one another and the various languages and dia- supplement each other, whether lects of Ethiopia. Although the The National Christian Coun- Bible House in Addis Ababa was cil is bringing the facts to the or not we are conscious of it. looted just before the Italian ocnotice of Protestant churches in We belong together. Therefore, cupation in May last year, the Europe and America. work has been carried on with clear-seeing men on both sides unusual success since that time. It appears that the Confes- are calling: 'Hands across the Seventeen thousand volumes of sional Church has r e c e n t I y trenches.' We owe that to each Scripture were circulated last handed Hitler a strongly worded year. The agent, Mr. Bevan, protest regarding the Nazi at- other for the sake of our nation was given to understand that he tacks on Christianity. It re- and especially for the sake of the might remain to continue the minds him that their solemn Church. Our enemies are trying work he has carried on for the warning of 1936 has gone un- to make the chasm between con- past sixteen years, but suddenly heeded, and demands the imme- he was ordered by Italian audiate rem 0 val of restraints fessions as deep as possible so as thorities to leave, and given only against the Christian youth to beat us, one at a time." three weeks in which to wind up work, lifting of the prohibitions his affairs. against gatherings such as the -The Christian Century. Evangelical Weeks, and release A Bible School had been esof the hundred pastors now in Anti-Semitism in Poland tablished in Ethiopia, to train prison. students in the Bible, and to The persecution of Jews in teach them to work with their As originally planned the pro- hands that they might be selftest was to contain an ultimatum Poland continues to be far worse supporting evangelists to their to the effect that the text of the own people. That work also is factual protest would be printed than that in Germany, though ended. in booklet form and distributed throughout Germany. It is not not as much publicized. In 1936, Before the expulsion of the known whether the ultimatum missionaries by the Italian Govwas actually sent, but as yet the more than 1,000 Jews were in- ernment, every member of the Church has had no reply. native missionary society and jured in riots and persecutions every student of the Bible School Seeking a Common Front had been arrested and thrown in Poland, the country which has into prison; many have since In Austria, Protestant and been shot, others deported, but Catholic forces are joining hands the largest percentage of Jewish not one had been set free, and population of any land in the world. In some towns there has been a wholesale destruction of property designed to make it im- possible for the Jews to live.
For the first time in the history of Poland, Jews have been branded officially as being ra- cially inferior. In Lithuania the press is claiming that the coun- try is too poor to support all its population. The remedy sug- gested is the expulsion of the Jews. -Revelation.
those who are in prison are ex- quite foreign to the native mind member of the other Christian pecting death at any moment. to be solicitous for the ulcers of body; there are no denomina- one's own family, let alone of tional differences. Where a Advance in the Sudan other people's. I honestly be- native convert sees different lieve that he does it as an ex- methods of administering the Last year the Sudan Interior pression of the change that Jesus sacraments, he learns that there Mission opened more stations has made in his life." are different modes, but one sigthan ever before; more converts nificance, and when he sees a were won than at any previous Lastly, there are three "pupil- body of missionaries from all time. A little group of workers nurses." Their keenness is over the Congo enjoying the felare still in Ethiopia, and have shown by the fact that whereas lowship of the Lord's Supper tonot given up hope of providing they only receive food and cloth- gether, he begins to understand that land with the Gospel. It is ing and a small "bonus" at the the universality of the body of said that native converts in end of each year they spend in Christ. Ethiopia are increasing more the hospital, they might have and more. Nigeria has opened been earning good wages else- The constant exchange of namore widely than ever; this will where. tive teachers and missionaries afford a field for many workers between the different missions expelled by the Italians. Quite unknown to Dr. Price, is of value in teaching that we the three of them have been are indivisible in Christ. War in Spanish Guinea gathering for family prayers at the end of their day's work, tak- -Christian Observer. Spanish Guinea has had an ing it in turn to lead in prayer. echo of the conflict in Spain and WESTERN ASIA the Christian workers, huddled -Life of Faith. in the interior, have heard the Turkey Needs God sound of flight and pursuit on Success Calls for Education the road at the base of the hill Turkey stands in great peril near where they were, have been Dr. Albert I. Good, Cameroun today. She does not see the threatened with the closing of pioneer, says: "No mission can relevance of God to life. In the their public assemblies, have be successful in such a country first flush of national revival she been watched for any sign of as Africa without education." thinks she has done and can do their taking sides, but they have The Presbyterian West Africa all that is necessary to maintain been kept from harm. This, the Mission today has approximately her own life. smallest colony in Africa, has a 35,000 boys and girls attending total area of 10,036 square miles 1,200 mission schools. Some She seems to be impressed where live about 90,000 people. have to walk five or more miles with the Western effort to dis- There are eight 0 r g ani zed to and from school daily. miss God and religion from life churches, 989 church members, and thought. Her official attitwo African pastors, forty out- There was a time when, be- tude toward religion is nonposts and twenty-five village cause of native fear of the white committal. schools. At present, only two man's medicine and trust in the missionaries and their wives are witch doctor, infant mortality "Islamic faith and culture at work there. claimed more than 50 per cent have failed. Let's try secular- of Africa's babies. ism," she is saying. -United Church Review. Since 1894 there has been The Turk's will to live and Pimu Hospital Nurses gradual transition, from the learn, and his drive toward de- binding fear of the witch doc- mocracy have stamped Turkish Work in a Baptist Mission tor's power to faith in Christian achievements of the last fifteen Hospital at Pimu, Belgian Congo, medicine; from hesitation about years with the mark of authentic would not be possible without the seeking help from the white doc- vitality. But democracy is not help of six "boys" of the same tor to the present crowding of enough. Self-respect is not tribe as most of the patients. hospitals and dispensaries with e n 0 ugh. Patriotism is not Two are trained nurses, de- those sick in body and soul; with enough. E d u cat ion is not scribed as "the mainstay of the nearly 45,000 coming annually enough. God alone is sufficient. tremendous amount of work that for treatment and to hear the has to be done day by day." In Gospel. Turkey is tempted by bitter addition to in-patients' work and experience to say that every naemergency operations, these two Unity in the Congo tion must fend for itself and let have given an average of 120 the devil take the hindmost. injections a day. Another at- Rev. 'John Morrison, of Luebo, tends to the ulcer dressings each worker of the Southern Presby- "Turkey faces West," as Haday. "This is a job which never terian Board, sees as one of the- lide Hanum says. It is not ceases to call forth my admira- fine things of Congo work the Western religion that she seeks" tion," writes Dr. Price, the hos- fact that a Christian Church, but Western science. Thereare pital head. "For one thing it is loyal to Christ alone, is being those within the Turkish nation built up. If a native leaves the who recognize the fact that a territory of one mission and goes thoroughgoing revival of Turk- to another, his membership card ish national life demands spir- is sufficient to admit him as a itual as well as political, eco- nomic, and social rebirth.
OUR WORLD-WIDE OUTLOOK
The world community needs a The diocese of Dornakal has A few months ago while I was go- ing aJout in Jalna I met a Hindu strong and beneficent Turkey. a population of over two million, sadhu or holy man, belonging to the Her influence has already set a mostly Hindu. The Bishop's Mahar castle. He was from a village new tradition of peace in the Church people, coming into the about 18 miles from Jalna and was on Balkans. Her national rebirth Church in large numbers, are his way to a sacred place, Paithan, on the banks of the Godavari. This sadhu has helped to restore faith in simple villagers; his clergy, was a constant pilgrim to sacred our common humanity after the mostly Indian with a small for- places, such as Pandharpur in the years of harrowing war. eign staff, have thickly populated Sholapur district and to Paithan. When I met him, I had a long talk The very strategic geograph- fields to cover and are handi- with him on the merits of Christianity, ical position of Turkey makes capped not only by numbers but but he remained perfectly silent. her a potential bridge between by lack of education among the After some days he returned from the East and the West. village people, and lack of equip- Paithan and I again met him. He It is more suggestive to think ment for their lit tIe mud asked me to tell him about Jesus. I of her as the hub of the Near churches. told him about the life of our Lord East. An amazing number of beginning from His birth to the Resurnew ideas radiate from her in all With such humble circum- rection. He listened to it all most directions – to the B a I k a n s, stances as a realistic basis, the attentively and after I had ended ex- Bishop's interests and his in- claimed, "Now I have heard every- Egypt, Syria, P a I est i n e and fluence have grown church-wide thing and I feel satisfied." After that Arabia, Iran, Central Asia and in India, and world-wide. Pas- he visited me several times. Once he even Russia. said, "Really, my life has been spent toral care and training, the de- in vain. Now I know that Jesus. is the The Turk belongs to our hu- velopment of a truly Indian true Saviour." He then broke the man family; he has tested branch of the Anglican commun- rosary or string of beads round his capacity for leadership; he ion with native Indian forms of neck and purchased a copy of the worship, the betterment of vil- New Testament. Since then he has stands a dominant figure at one lage life, the constructive guid- ceased to attend Pandharpur, and is important crossroads of the now an earnest student of the New world; and he faces a great ing of Christian thought in India Testament and a seeker after Truth. crisis in his own inner life. How throughout the maze of politics can he be won for God and to and nationalism, church unity in Telugu Women to the Rescue the things that make a people truly great and strong? The India and in the world-for all Telugu Baptist women raised people of Turkey have never had this he is constantly laboring. Rs. 400 toward keeping the hosa clear vision of Christ. His pital at Sooriapet open and propreal face can be disclosed by lov- Keeping the Masses Ignorant erly staffed. Otherwise, it would ing kindness and sincerity and have been obliged to close its disinterestedness, to make God Political propaganda fills the doors. Dr. John S. Carman in Christ a reality. ignorant minds of India with the writes from the Hanumakonda belief that there are no poor peo- Hospital that this tragic possi- -Fred Field Goodsell. ple in England, since "all the bility was stopped by "one of the money is taken from India to most hopeful forward steps that INDIA feed them, leaving Indian people has been made by our Indian with no clothes on their backs." Christians during the first year Bishop Azariah of Dornakal Mr. Banks illustrates this by the of the new century of Kingdom following story in the United progress among the Telugus." Bishop Azariah, who sails for Church Review: England, November 3d, after -Watchman-Examiner. two months in the United States, As I was watching the fireworks in is the first native Indian bishop connection with the Coronation, a lad Third Moslem City of the Church of England. There of aoout sixteen dressed in the hand- woven cloth which Mr. Gandhi advoare now two others. Rt. Rev. cates, accosted me. "Why have you Hyderabad is the third Mos- not gone to England for the Corona- Vedanayakam Samuel Azariah tion?" he asked. When I said I could lem city in the world. It is equal was consecrated Bishop of Dor- not afford to do so, he replied, "You to Madras in size. With its can travel for nothing, so why did you great Osmania University it atnakal in 1912. He was a dele- not go?" He was convinced that peo- tracts students from every part gate to the World Missionary ple could travel in England without Conference of 1910 in Edin- paying railway fares, and would of India. burgh, out of which grew the scarcely believe me when I told him it Australian Anglicans have a World Conference on Faith and was only railway officials who have free passes. He was astonished to mission there; a part of this Order. Bishop Azariah visited work is St. George's Grammar Australia last year for the cen- learn that I had not seen King George School, where 300 boys and 200 tennial celebration of the first VI. "Why not? can't you go and see Anglican bishop's consecration him whenever you like?" girls are being trained for lead- ership. This school is a base there. He attended the two Truth-Seeking Sadhu from which the aristocracy,offichurch conferences of the past cials and students in the towns, summer in Oxford and Edin- Rev. C. G. Navalkar sends this who are all M 0 s Ie m s, are burgh. Cambridge University incident, reported by a colpor- reached. An Indian clergyman awarded him the LL.D. degree teur of the British and Foreign has been specially trained for in 1920. Bible Society: evangelistic work among Mos-
lems. A book room has been and Chinese to simple exhorta- from an inferiority complex; the opened where the educated Mos- tions to bear the trials and trib- lem can read Christian literature ulations of the war bravely. A Chinese have found themselves. and discuss it. few churches closest to war As to the Christian program, areas were closed. -C. M. S. Gleaner. Mr. Paul says that Christianity Missionary Possibilities Salvation Army Converts plays such a small part in the Rev. C. Darby Fulton, Execu- life of the country that it is diffi- The Government of India has tive Secretary of the Southern marked its appreciation of a re- Presbyterian Board of Foreign cult to say how much of a con- markable work of the Salvation Missions, in commenting on the tribution Christian ethics is Army in the Andaman Penal situation in the Far East says making to the uplift of China. Settlements, by the award of the that the present trouble there, However, many of the leaders in Kaiser-i-Hind medals in gold while accompanied by many ele- all walks of life have in some and silver to their officers, Ma- ments of danger, need not neces- way been touched by Christian jor and Mrs. Sheard. Six hun- sarily retard the progress of dred brutal outlaws, 120 of missionary work. It is conceiv- institutions, whether it be the whom were convicted of fifty able that in some ways the effect church, schools or hospitals. For murders and of robberies total- may be just the 0 p p 0 sit e. the most part, the church pro- ing £22,500 worth of goods have Through newspapers and other gram relates itself to the needs become a law abiding, thrifty sources it is reported that there of the community. Mr. Paul be- and prosperous community. is a vast turning of the people of Some of the more desperate Shanghai and other stricken dis- lieves that western materialism characters were the personal tricts to the consolation of Chris- is permeating China more rap- servants of the officers. Many tianity in this emergency. Then, idly than Christianity. former murderers have become again, missionaries are having a Sunday school teachers and Gos- superb opportunity to prove to -World Call. pel preachers. the Chinese people their genuine sympathy, friendship and devo- Christianity in China -World Dominion Press. tion. One of the field directors of the Literacy in Siam He points out that in Japan vast millions of the population China Inland Mission firmly be- Siam has a higher literacy are out of sympathy with the im- percentage than India, Burma perialistic policies of the mili- lieves that the Church of Christ or China. Compulsory education tary regime. This has been for the first six years is being proven two or three times by the has been so firmly established in made effective all over the king- overwhelming majority of anti- dom as rapidly as possible. A government representatives that China that even if all mission- system of vocational schools is have been returned to seats in projected, and there is a grow- the Imperial Diet. In this op- aries had to be withdrawn, the ing interest in physical edu- position to militarism and agcation. A national stadium is gression, the relatively small but work of evangelization would go being erected in Bangkok; and influential Christian constitu- .Siam, never before represented ency in Japan is a strong nu- forward. Missionary activity in the Olympic games, expects cleus. Letters from our misto send a strong contingent to sionaries reveal that despite the has been seriously handicapped Japan in 1940. national crisis Japan is facing, the spiritual hunger of the peo- during the past ten years by -Christian Century. ple is evident, and there are un- told opportunities for reaching Communist influence. There has CHINA men and women with the Gospel. been general lawlessness. War Brings Revival -Christian Observer. Another worker in China It is reported that foreign and No More Inferiority Complex Chinese C h r i s t ian s packed draws attention to the fact that churches of all denominations in Rev. Alexander Paul, Execuwar-wrecked Shanghai during tive Secretary for Oriental Mis, the past two or three years have the rain of shells, giving evidence sions, United Christian Misof unprecedented religious re- sionary Society, writes from been the most encouraging in the vival. Pastors shortened their mid-Pacific, bewildered at what services to minimize danger to he saw in China, although war China Inland Mission's history, parishioners fro m unexpected had not yet broken out when he bombardments. The peril of left. One of the transformations and suggested that the devil was ever-recurring air raids was con- he noted was the emergence sidered so great that preachers angry at the progress which had reduced their sermons in English been made. Thus behind the earthly conflict was the spiritual, and there was urgent need for prayer. Every great advance of the Kingdom of God in China, he said, had been born out of ap- parent tragedy, and the present setback may well be the prepara- tion for another great step for- ward. -The Christian.
Interdenominational Mission Society The Chinese Missionary So- ciety, organized in 1918, now has 15,000 subscribing members and has become nation-wide. Once in three years its General Conference meets which elects the Board of Directors of twen- ty-one members. The last meet-
OUR WORLD-WIDE OUTLOOK
ing of the General Conference Shanghai; Hackett Medical Col- has been made during the last five attended by sixty-six delegates, lege, Canton, and Woman's years. was in August, 1936, at which Christian M e d i c a I College, time the following three-year Shanghai. That there is a rapidly growing enplan was adopted: The number of trained Chi- thusiasm for modern medicine in Double the workers in the nese physicians and surgeons is field. less than 5,000. They are serv- China at present, both in the Govern- ing t~roughout every part of the Open a Bible school in Yun- Chinese Republic, and are ren- ment and among the people. During nan. dering an incalculable service to their people. They are manning the last twelve months the Govern- Open work in Tibet. Christian hospitals, entering Open more day schools. government medical service, go- ment has spent two million dollars in ing into private practice, and For the Bible school a princi- teaching in medical schools. But erecting new hospitals alone, and pal has been secured and a build- their number is far too small, ing is under construction. Three for China has only one physician many millions in subsidizing and pro- with modern training for every candidates have applied to be 95,000 people, whereas the Unit- moting medical work. ., sent to Tibet where work will ed States has one physician for That in some of the larger cltIes the soon be opened. every 785 people. inevitable competition between gov- From 1918 to 1931 work was -Presbyterian Survey. conducted in two missions, Yun- ernment and mission hospitals is benan and HeiIingkiang, Manchu- Hospital Inspection ria; but during the last five ginning to be felt. Nearly all mission years missions have been opened Recently a group of sixteen hospitals are handicapped by sm~ll in Szechwan and Mongolia, thus hospital administrators, from almaking three missions now un- most as many provinces, under- poorly-paid staffs and the necesslty der this society. During the took, under the auspices of the nineteen years of the society's Ministry of Education, a trip of being self-supporting, while govwork forty missionaries have t h r 0 ugh North and Central been sent out. At present there China to inspect outstanding ernment institutions at present are are thirty-seven missionaries of hospitals. The Commis-sion whom seventeen have gone out traveled for six weeks through coasting along on large subsidies. from Shanghai, twelve are local eight provinces, making a study paid workers and eight are of about 45 hospitals. The pur- No "Rice Ohristians" These workers without salary. Among poses were to make a start in the matter of setting up mini- The history of missions in these are five doctors and seven mum hospital standards for China has shown that it requires teachers working in their respec- China, and to offer individual more time to convert a Chinese tive fields. members of the Commission, to Christianity than some other some of whom were from iso- Asiatics, but that when he is con- -Chinese Recorder. lated centers, the stimulus of a verted he holds to his new faith fairly comprehensive view of th.e with a tenacity which persecu- Medical Education rapid advance of modern medI- tion seldom shakes. While it cine in China. was to be expected that some The general trend of medical would fall away, the behavior of The inspection included 15 Chinese Christians under the Protestant Mission Hospitals. baptism of blood and fire in th.e Government hospitals are all Boxer uprising eloquently testI- relatively new. Some impres- fied to the genuineness of their sions of a member of the group faith. The uneducated peasant are: was not behind his cultivated countrymen in devotion to duty. That there is a distinct and deliber- Of the hundreds of Christians ate trend in China toward state medi- who were taken inside the Brit- cine and government control of ap ish Legation in Peking, not one teaching and practice of both medl- proved false to their benefactors. cine and nursing. -Watchman-Examiner. That the government is facing the education thus far in the twen- problem of J:tealth f?r th,e people of China conscIOus of ltS dlfficulty and tieth century has been in the di- magnitude, but determined to assu,me JAPAN -OHOSEN responsibility for it and do somethmg rection of concentrating this about it. The broad lines of its na- University Religion tion-wide program, along lines of curawork in a smaller number of tive medicine, public health and med- ical education, have been laid down, centers, and giving greater and a surprising amount of progress Five thousand students at the strength to each of these. Medi- Imperial University in Tokyo, cal education in China, has re- one of the best equipped educa- ceived support from t h r e e tional institutions in the world, sources in addition to that from when questioned as to their r~li mission boards: (1) the Rocke- gfaioctn~ : revealed the followmg Confucianists, 6; Shinfeller Foundation; (2) philan- thropically – minded individuals toists, 8; Christians, 60; Bud- in North America and Great dhists, 300; Atheists, 1,500; Britain; (3) the Chinese people Agnostics, 3,000. Of 30,000. stu- and government. dents in the government UnIver- At the present time medical sities, 27,500 are reported as education is being carried on having no religion.
under Christian auspices at six -Japan Christian Quarterly.
centers in China. In addition to the Peiping Union Medical Col- Are the Japanese Peace- Minded? lCehgee~lothoesUeniavreersaitsy,foTlloswisn: At an; Sir Herbert Marler was for- merly Canadian envoy at Tokyo, West China University, Cheng- tu; St. J 0 h n 's University,
and is now Canada's representa- maintained by his Japanese col- often reaching 1,400. It is worth tive at Washington. In a recent league, Rev. M. Murao, under a going far to hear Korean Chrisinterview with Lady Marler her Board of Directors of the Jap- tians pray. They bow with their testimony to Japan's love for anese Church and the Church faces to the floor and pour out peace strikes a strange note, but Missionary Society. There are praise, confession and supplicashe asserted she found the ma- now three major dailies (and tion as those who know what it jority of the Japanese people several smaller papers) which is to have daily audience with "peace – minded." She c 0 m- publish daily religious articles. God. -Monday Morning. mended the marked influence of It is considered more eff'ective Christian missionaries in Japan, to publish news, rather than ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC stating that while many of the views. News about Christian ac- Japanese who attend Christian tivities has greater weight than Island Problems schools may not formally adopt essays upon Christianity. Christianity, they learn Chris- About 100 delegates, repretian principles and are regular -Life of Faith. senting major mission enterchurch attendants. Christian- prises (except Roman Catholic) ity to the Japanese is a definitely Scholarships at Chosen attended a Pacific Missionary living thing, with a message for Christian College Conference in Sydney, Australia. the individual, which is not Emphasis was placed upon the found in their native religions. Last April, Chosen Christian need for indigenous churches, Lady Marler also praised the College received 153 new stu- undivided by denominational difwork of the Women's Peace As- dents, 84 in the Commercial De- ferences. Said one speaker: sociation in Japan, with a mem- partment, 42 in the Literary De- "We are not concerned only with bership of about 250,000. partment, and 27 in the Science establishing small Christian com- Department. Of these, 60;/0 are munities here and there, linked -Presbyterian Tribune. Christians. Many of these, as with the Church of the West, well as students already in col- and retaining forms and worship "Forward-Day by Day" lege, are barely able to find the and Christian practice peculiar money necessary to get an edu- to the West. We must reorgan- While Japanese and Chinese cation. Many work, some few ize the Island Societies of the soldiers are killing each other, have had scholarships provided Pacific on a Christian basis, and Japanese and Chinese Christians by friends in America and by integrate them into one great are uniting in strengthening the Korean friends. A gift made by Christian fellowship." witness of the Church. Plans for Mr.. C. S. Kim of Seoul last winpublication of Forward-Day by ter will provide four scholar- With regard to education, it Day, the Forward Movement ships. On March 21, Mr. S. K. was agreed that it is the ultimate manual of Bible readings and Cho announced that he would responsibility of the governmeditations, in Chinese are give 20,000 yen each to Chosen ments concerned to educate their under way. Two students at Christian College, to the Sever- citizens. As governments take Central China College are help- ance Medical College and to the over this task, missions must ing in the task of translating the Korean Posung College. The fol- withdraw, but taking care that manuals from English to Chi- lowing day he paid half this sum religious teaching and influence nese. The Chinese are finding to each of the institutions con- are adequately safeguarded, es- Japanese translations of For- cerned, promising to pay the pecially by insuring the Chrisward Movement literature help- remainder in May. With addi- tian character of the teachers. ful in the work, as many of the tional help contributed, the col- Japanese characters are pure lege expects to be able to supply -Pacific Island's Monthly. Chinese characters. 36 scholarships. South Seas Martyrs The Rev. Charles F. Wiston, Mr. Cho's gift is the largest of Central China College, is in which the college has ever re- Lawe~ College takes its name communication with Prof. Paul ceived from Korean sources. from a great pioneer missionary Rusch of St. Paul's University, Coming from a young man who of the London Missionary So- Tokyo,who is aiding with the is not himself a Christian, it ciety in Papua. Here Papuans Japanese publications. More shows something of the esteem are trained as tea.chers, preachthan 55,000 copies of the Jap- in which this college and the ers and handworkers. They live anese Forward – Day by Day Severance Medical College are in neat cottages and raise their have been placed in the hands of held by the Korean people in own food. Their wive,' too, are Japanese families. For war d general. -H. H. Underwood. – preparing to preach as well as to Movement efforts to reach the teach. There is a beautiful little millions of rural inhabitants in One Thousand at Prayer college chapel in which are two Japan a're meeting with success. Meeting stained glass windows, memori- als to Dr. James Chalmers and -The Churchman. Midweek prayer meeting in Oliver Tomkins, who suffered Pyengyang has probably the death by martyrdom at the same News, Not Views world's largest at ten dan c e, time. Above the communion rarely falling below 1,000 and table is another memorial win- Newspaper evangelism, start- dow. It contains four tablets with ed by W. H. Murray Walton, is
OUR WORLD-WIDE OUTLOOK
the names of eighty-two Samoan united Christian forces can bring "Farther With Ohrist" Mission and South Sea missionaries who to the local church in undertakdied in the service of Christ in ing its task. The Evangelical Church has Papua between 1871 and 1899. launched a "F art her With Some of these missionaries, Four basic areas of human re- C h r i s t" Mission. Beginning themselves not long removed lationships are recognized: September 19 a group of bishops from primitive savagery, were Christian Family Life; The began a tour of nearly thirty clubbed or speared to death, some Church and Its Program; Com- strategic Evangelical centers in died from fever or pestilence. munity Issues Calling for Chris- the United States and Canada. If this memorial were brought tian Action; and The Mission of The next step in the mission will up to date, the number would Christianity in the Mod ern be in the local churches. It will probably be twice as great. World. be an attempt to enrich the spir- itual life of the whole church Preaching Mission in the The necessity of a d.eep pe~ through ministers and lay lead- Philippines sonal religious experIence IS ers. The women of the church stressed. This is done through are asked to take part; and The Philippine Commission on common worship experiences, young people who have thought Evangelism is working on plans through addresses, and through clearly about life and its probfor a Preaching Mission to be a continuous recognition by all lems, and who earnestly desire conducted in a similar manner to leaders that personal religious to give themselves to making the the National Preaching Mission experience underlies effective world more Christian are asked in America. Included in the participation in Christian living to join in these meetings. plans is a visit from Dr. Stanley in social relationships. Jones in February, or earlier. -Evangelical-Messenger. His contribution to such an en- A Manual on the National deavor will be invaluable, espe- Teaching Mission explains the Unusual Oountry Parish cially since he was one of the details of a School in Christian outstanding leaders of the move- Living as conducted on either a Rev. and Mrs. L. A. Zimmerment in America. His visit to community or a local church man, graduates of Kansas Agrithe larger centers in the Islands basis. For information, write cultural College, twenty years will stimulate the four-year pro- the International Council of Re- ago, started a ministry of pulpit gram of evangelism, began last ligious Education, 203 N. Wa- and farm at Cedar Cliff, N. C., year. -N. C. C. Bulletin. bash Ave., Chicago. and the result has been start- lingly fruitful. They bought a Honolulu's Missionary Home Moody Institute Expands farm on credit, started living in a log cabin, with only muscle and Hundreds of missionaries pass It is fitting that in this year brain as equipment. Little by through Honolulu, and many of of international commemoration little the debt was lifted, a new them may be interested in know- of the birth of Dwight L. Moody, and attractive house was built. ing of the establiJshment of a founder of Moody Bible Insti- Bible Institute and Missionary tute, Chicago, that a new and During these years of hard Home. The Bible Institute is to more suitable building be erected work on the farm, the ministry be interdenominational and in- to house the Institute's activities. to the people has been in four terracial. The Missionary Home A number of old buildings on La centers, and in two of these four Staff desires to meet every Salle Street that served the In- new meeting houses have been steamer and "take all the mis- stitute in Chicago for twoscore built, erected by the efforts of sionaries and their restless chil- years as dormitories, have been the people and their minister. dren for the day, part of it to be torn down and a twelve-story Two services each Sunday and spent on the sands at Waikiki, Administration Building has three prayer meetings each week and a part in a drive to the Pali, been begun. The needs of an at distances of from four to six and for some a quiet rest in the enlarging student body have miles from the home are held. In Missionary Home." Those inter- made expansion necessary. the special services held, more ested may write to E. B. Turner, accessions have been received 2436 Oahu Avenue, Honolulu. Administrative activities,here- than is the average of the church tofore scattered among thirty- in general. A program of Vaca- NORTH AMERIOA eight buildings, will now be tion Bible Schools is maintained, gathered into a compact arrange- beside socials and entertain- Preaching Mission Follow-Up ment that will make for economy ments. Standards have been and efficiency. Besides numerous raised and the minister's home is . Schools in Christian Living business offices, and lecture and a much frequented center. are under way as a follow-up of reception halls, there will be a the National Preaching Mission. spacious library and reading The Tennessee Valley Author- They seek to provide, not a com- rooms. A completely equipped ity made an aerial survey of the munity substitute for the local printing plant will occupy a part mountains and a short time later church's program, but the most of the basement, which will also one of their agents from Norris competent assistance w hi c h provide additional dining room Dam drove up to the farm and space. Radio equipment has asked what those strips on the been modernized so as to double land meant. They had noticed its service area. it on the map. A new kind of
farming for the mountains had campaign are to make "enrolled" guidance, their success in represent- and "active" membership syn- ing the Lord Christ, even in what been tried – strip farming; a onymous by reenlisting lapsed seems impossible situations. members, and to achieve a great strip of corn twenty-five feet expansion of its program of serv- Let us pray for our fellow Chris- ice through increased support. tians in China and Japan. Many of and a strip of grass to avoid ero- Lutheran Church leaders char- them have been led to the Saviour by acterize this movement as "an the missionaries whom we have sent sion of the land. To terrace the answer to the challenge of that to them. They are the children of spirit of 'defeatism' which was the Church. They are confronted by land would be too costly, but born amid the depression." It possible suffering and by temptations is also an answer to widely pub- subtle and powerful. Let us pray these strips attained the same licized claims that the Church that they may be led and strengthened has ceased to be a potent factor by the Holy Spirit in bearing their result. So impressed was the in American life. In order to witness to Christ, in finding the right present the plan effectively a course for them as Christians to pur- Authority that it asked our schedule of regional meetmgs sue, and in being faithful to the end. has been arranged. preacher-farmer to visit the uni- Let us pray for the rulers, the lead- Current Periodical Trends ers and the people of Japan and China. versity and explain it to the If ever men needed to be taught of The Sunday Sch.ool Times has God what pathway to follow, it is now. classes. W. E. FINLEY. made an analysis of the attitude War, whatever its outcome, will not of this nation's popular maga- assure the peace and the progress of Georgia Buys Bibles zines toward religion, and finds the Orient. Only as China and Japan that the percentage of articles attain some common standing-ground The State of Georgia, through indicating an approving attitude of genuine good will, of mutual respect its board of education, will pur- towards Christianity has defi- and mutual helpfulness, will there be chase 800,000 Bibles for school nitely declined since 1900. It any solution of the problem of the Far children of Georgia as a means appears obvious that Christian- East. Let us pray in humility and of inculcating religious prin- ity has "dropped into a state of after self-examination, for these lands, ciples and offsetting commu- being severely criticised and op- that they may come, albeit through posed." This is especially true bitter experience, to that better undernistic tendencies. in the so-called intellectual type standing which will prepare the way . The motion for the purchase of magazine. for a glorious future-a golden age of freedom and justice and peace, which of the Bibles came from Gov- The magazines whose contents is none other than the kingdom of ernor Rivers, who stressed the reveal such a trend are ones God. need for Bibles in the schools of whose names are familiar to al- Georgia, saying: most every reading household, Also, a group of missionary and whose circulation totals executives in New York in con- "The growth of Communism many millions of copies. They sultation regarding problems reis a menace we of Georgia have are considered to be the best sulting from the Sino-Japanese got to watch, and the best available current periodical lit- struggle made the following weapon with which to combat it erature. It is inevitable that to recommendations: is the Bible. Com m u n ism some extent the nation's thinkteaches Godlessness. Our form ing will be molded by these We are united in our realization of of government contemplates the periodicals. Perhaps no more the need of prayer. We write, thereworship of God as a religion and effective antidote could be sug- fore, urging that through all the deas an act of citizenship." gested than to urge the placing nominational channels there go forth in every home a well-edited a call to prayer for China and Japan, It is reported that each mem- Christian paper. so that at this time of grave crisi.s a ber of the new 10-man board great volume of intercessory prayer arose and indorsed "1009'0" the MISCELLANEOUS may come before the throne of God suggestion and motion of the from the Christians of America. governor. Let Us Pray! Planning a World General It was the governor's sugges- Dr. Ralph E. Diffendorfer, of Assembly tion that the Bible be furnished the Methodist Board of Foreign to all school children in the state, Missions, has issued the follow- Arrangements for a conferfrom the first grade through ing call to prayer in view of the ence to be held in Holland were high school, and the Bible so bitter struggle in the Orient. initiated by a "Committee of furnished to become the prop- Fourteen," appointed by Oxford erty of the child and to remain Let us pray for our missionaries in and Edinburgh, at a meeting in in his possession throughout his Japan and China. Some are in im- Lon don, August 19, which school life. -Living Church. minent peril. Some are in isolation elected the Archbishop of York and bewilderment. All are faced by as chairman, and Dr. Samuel Lutheran Intensive Drive unexpected problems and difficulties. McCrea Cavert and Can 0 n Let us pray for their safety, their Leonard Hodgson as secretaries. A campaign for new members which leaders believe is more The World Council plan concomprehensive than any similar templates a General Assembly of· program ever undertaken by a church in the United States was about 200 representatives of initiated on September 7 by the cooperating churches meeting United Lutheran Church in every five years, and a General America. .Full responsibility for Assembly executive committee plans, which have required ten of about· 60 representatives months' intensive work, are in meeting every year. the hands of Dr. F. H. Knubel, of New York City.
The announced purposes of the Our Missionary Bookshelf Books Briefly Reviewed for the Readers' Information ~===========I~ Christendom and Islam. By W. Wil- Romanism usually fares better taught it with scholarship and son Cash. 205 pp. $2.00. Harper and Brothers, New York. 1937. at the hands of Protestant Lib- skill and sympathy to the new eralism than does Fundamental- generations. He has been a sin- Prebendary Cash was for- ism. It is refreshing to find a cere and devoted Christian man, merlya missionary in the Near tolerant Liberal who does not be- who practiced and taught the East and has studied Islam for lieve that all Fundamentalists reality of prayer. He has been over thirty years. He has writ- are bigots, who appreciates the no cloistered student but has ten several volumes on the sub- greatness of the conservative taken his full part and more in ject and these chapters were theology, and who does not cari- the practical work of the Church given as the Haskell Lectures at cature its noble features. in missions, in true evangelism, Oberlin School of Theology in The reading of the book left in cooperation, in national and 1936-7. He naturally writes of the distinct impression that the social service. These essays de- Islam from a Christian stand- weakest chapter is the last, in scribe the fields of Dr. Brown's point. It is one of the best books which the author presents the interest and work and tell a liton the subject in recent years Liberal view and therefore tle, but only a part, of his effecand gives a vast amount of in- speaks for his own faith. It is tive and fruitful service. In a formation about Mohammed, his plain that his opinions have been time of uncertainty and fear Dr. religion, his followers and the colored by a rather full accept- Brown has been a rich influence results of Christian missions. ance of radical Biblical criti- of stability and courage and Read especially the chapter on cism. His view of the Old Tes- hope. And now in his ripe age "The Christian Answer to the tament is naturalistic, while his he is one of the open-minded Moslem Quest." view of the Lord Jesus has defi- and forward-looking advocates Three Typical Beliefs. By Theo- nite unitarian and humanistic of the larger unity and' wider dore Gerald Soares. 111 pages and leanings. But he sets forth his index. $1.50. The University of opinions with tolerance, grace, service of the Christian Church, building on the past a yet great- Chicago Press, Chicago. 1937. and considerable balance. er future.
This little book is of consider- One's response to a discussion R. E. S.
able beauty, both in its format such as this is necessarily col- Dr. Bob Hockman, A Surgeon of the and in its style. The author, ored by the faith that he holds. Cross. By Kathleen Hockman who is Professor of Ethics at Friederichsen. 102 pp. 50 cents. To the conservative reader at Zondervan Publishing House, Grand the California Institute of Tech- least the presentation of Liber- Rapids. 1937. nology and minister of the alism will be far less convincing than that of either Roman Ca- As one who knew intimately Neighborhood Church in Pasa- Dr. Bob Hockman and who had tholicism or Fundamentalism. dena, is a member of the Board FRANK E. GAEBELEIN. much to do with him in the Red of Preachers of Harvard Uni- Cross during his last months on versity. The "Three Typical Be- The Church Through Half a Century. earth in Ethiopia, I heartily liefs" which he discusses are Essays in honor of William Adams Roman Catholicism, Fundamen- Brown by former students. $3.00. commend this life story to every talism, and Liberalism; and the 426 pp. Charles Scribner's Sons, young person seeking to follow book, therefore, has just three New York. Jesus Christ.
divisions, each dealing with the This composite volume was is- Mrs. Friederichsen brings out beliefs of the particular faith sued in Dr. Brown's honor on the interesting fact that in early the occasion of his retirement life he was not a good student under discussion.
This is the only treatise of from active service in Union but that the jolt he received by liberal authorship the reviewer Theological Seminary, New York failing in an e x ami nat ion has ever seen that discusses City. He well deserves every brought out his determination to :Fundamentalism with true tol- word of appreciation and praise succeed. He ended his course at erance and genuine respect. which it contains. He has been the head of his class in the medi- The same thing, to a lesser de- a theological teacher who held cal college. This is encouraging gree, is true for the treatment of fast the great catholic, evangeli- for those who are inclined to be Roman Catholicism, although cal faith of the Church and discouraged. A few months be- Any of the books noted in these columns will be sent by the REVIEW publishers on receipt of price.
[559 ] fore the invasion of Ethiopia by conditions and in foreign rela- Probably no one is better in- Italy, at a consultation of ten of tions. The Japanese military formed on "Latin America and the best known doctors in Addis aggressive program is strongly Its Place in World Life." Ababa over a puzzling case that criticized. The movements to- Dr. Inman has given us a resisted treatment and an oper- ward Church union and edu- monumental work as a result of ation, Bob gave a summing up cational trends are presented in his study, observation and exof the evidence and medical valuable surveys. perience. He first, in Book One, probabilities that was really The Japanese Christians are describes Latin Americans and following the flag of the empire briefly reviews their history; in masterful. Mrs. F r i e d e ric h sen has by taking the Gospel to the Books Two and Three he debrought out Dr. Hockman's es- South Seas (Caroline Islands), scribes the new forces at work sential manliness and sweet to South America, the Philip- in labor circles, among students, temper as well as his devotion to pines and Manchuria. The book Communists, and Evangelical duty. What a wonderful com- is not as valuable in the vitality missions. He looks into the fubination, and one that com- of topics treated as are many ture in an attempt to discover mends our Lord Jesus Christ to previous volumes. Several types the outcome of the revolution in young people who are so quick of work and organizations pre- Mexico and Uruguay. to see sham. The name of Bob sented are only indirectly mis- There is a list of important Hockman is entitled to stand sionary-such as the Mutual Aid historical dates, some explanaamongst the heroes of faith of and Fire Protection Association. tory notes and useful annotated all ages. His life reminds us of The obituaries and directories bibliographies on each section. Ralph Tidrick, another mission- occupy 77 pages-one fifth of the The index occupies eight pages. ary hero of the United Presby- volume. The statistics show that Probably to those interested terian Church, who was in many there are now working in Japan in Evangelical missions the least ways like Dr. Bob and who 54 societies, and 986 Protestant satisfactory portions of the book met death by being mauled by a missionaries (232 ordained and are those dealing directly with wounded lion. Heroic death en- 481 in evangelistic work). There this subject. Considerable space courages others to heroic life. are about 1,750 organized is devoted to Communism and There are a number of mis- churches of which 950 are self- its growing strength, less to spelled proper names and tech- supporting. Protestant Church Roman Catholicism and its nical terms in this book and members are rep 0 r ted at moral and spiritual weaknesses. some statistics that should be re- 230,000. It seems an over-statement to vised. The "poetry" is not of The story of work in Formosa, say that in "countries like Brazil, sufficieptly high quality to merit where there has been a revival Argentina, Uruguay and Mexico inclusion in such a noble record. movement, is of particular in- the churches begun by mission- TOM A. LAMBIE. terest. aries have now become independ- Japan Today. Edited by T. T. Brum- C. T. Studd, Athlete and Pioneer. By ent of foreign control, electing baugh. 500 pp. Kyo Bun Kwan. Norman P. Grubb. Illus. 8vo. Ginza, Tokyo. 1937. 266 pp. Zondervan Pub. House. their own bishops and other Grand Rapids, Mich. 1937. ecclesiastical authorities, and Here is the thirty-fifth issue working out their own proof the Japan and Formosa Chris- This stimulating biography of grams." This seems to give the tian Movement Year Book. It the famous British Cambridge has been published under the cricketer and missionary to Af- impression that this independauspices of the National Chris- rica has already been reviewed ence and self-support has been tian Council and is now issued in these pages (April, 1934). It attained in all these and other by the Fellowship of Christian is worth reading as a story of countries. Missionaries. This year book courage, faith and sacrificial deals with Christian missions service. For a general picture of the and religion in Japan and also present situation, for informawith the political and social prob- Latin America. By Samuel Guy In- tion on politics, economics and lems, economic conditions and man. 8vo. 462 pp. $3.75. Willet, the factors that influence the fuintellectual life and thought and Clark & Co. Chicago. 1937. ture of Latin American lands, education. There are statistics this volume by Dr. Inman will and lists of missionaries and Dr. Inman has been a student their stations. The authors of of Latin American affairs for prove most useful, but there is various sections include eight over thirty years. He has little direct information on Latin worked as a missionary of the America's spiritual need or mis- sionary work and the Evan- gelical outlook.
leading Japanese and thirteen Disciples Church in Mexico, has "None Other Gods." By W. A. Vismissionaries. Naturally the vol- been secretary of the Committee ser't Hooft. 185 pp. Harper Bros.
ume says little about Japan's on Cooperation in Latin America New York. 1937.
campaign against China but the for twenty years, has traveled This little but vel'v wortheditor deals' briefly with Man- frequently in Mexico, Central while book was writte"n by one churia and Japan's withdrawal America, the West Indies and of the clearest-minded leaders of from the League of Nations. South America and has written the younger student generation There is a crisis both in domestic many books on the subject. who is also a man of positive
faith. He writes for a in the new world
contemporary mood. There are perhaps far more young people efforts in the colonies prior to this time had been undertaken in America than he recognizes only by societies or congregawho hold fast to the historic tions in Europe. catholic faith of the Evangelical Bishop Levin Theodore Reich- ………"""~ churches without any great dis- eI, in his manuscript entitled, turbance of mind, and there are, "The Early His tor y of the alas, many at the other extreme Church of the United Brethren, commonly called Moravians, in with whom such a valid presen- North America, A. D. 1734- !!!!: COUISE 1M BIBLE EVIDEICES tation as this brief book contains 1748," in an enumeration of the will be in vain: Between these sources of revenue to meet the Ii. Scriptural Study Each Week–52 Lesson•• groups, however, there are many various expenses of the time, Part I. Internal Evidences of the Inspiration in our colleges and universities of the Bible. Part IL The Testimony of History, Science, and li.rchaeolojty.
Send 1& in stamps for eunen! issue.
who, e i the r thoughtfully or wrote: "A third source of in- HRISTIAN PUBLICATIONS. INC: thoughtlessly, are swayed by the come was the Society for the Furtherance of the G 0 s pel, 1502 N. 3d St., Harrisburg, Pa. mass tendency which Visser't Hooft describes, who need just founded by Bishop Spangenberg and consisting mostly of friends American Tract Society. New such a trenchant, penetrating of the Brethren. From August York. 13, 1745 to December 31, 1747, Stand Up and Preach. Ambrose message as is provided here.' this Society collected for mis- Moody Bailey. $1.50. 142 pp. One might appropriately call it sionarypurposes £454. 13s.5d., Round Table Press. New York. . a convincing argument, but the a not inconsiderable sum for White and Black in Australia. J. S. those times." Needham. 174 pp. S. P. C. K. author's conception of the Chris- London. tian mission is that it is a mission not of argument or of ~pology, but of witness and of The late Bishop Edmund de Mann of the Border. D. Emmet witness ,to great facts, the fact Schweinitz, in his "Historical Alter. 188 pp. $1.00. Wm. B. Sketch of the Society for Propa- Eerdmans Pub. Co. Grand Rapids, of God's historic revelation in gating the Gospel Among the Mich. Christ and His present availabil- Heathen, 1787 to 1887," says: ity in grace. This book is such Yesteryears. Hallie Paxson Wins- borough. 224 pp. 50 cents paper, 75 cents cloth. Committee on a witness and one could wish "There existed a society founded W 0 man's Work, Presbyterian that it might be honestly pon- much earlier by Bishop Spang- Church in the U. S. Atlanta, Ga. dered by the present student enberg in August, 1754. It orig- Hadramaut-Its dhallenge. W. H. generation throughout the world. inally numbered thirty members Storm. 8 pp. 2d. World Domin- .. R. E. SPEER. ion Press. London and New York. but many more were added in the course of time, representing Golden Grain Diary. (Vest Pocket all, or nearly all, the American and Standard Editions.) 18 to 68 THE. FIRST MORAVIAN MIS- churches of the Brethren."–J. 6d. Pickering & Inglis. London. SiONARY SOCIETY IN M. Levering, in "The Mora- Glorious Living. Informal Sketches AMERICA vian." of Seven Women Missionaries of the Presbyterian Church, U. S. The Sesqui-Centennial celebration of the re-organization of Compiled by Hallie Paxson Winsthe Society for Propagating the borough and edited by Sarah Lee Gospel Among the Heathen New Books Vinson Timmons. 318 pp. Com- . (Moravian) is to be observed by a service in the Central Across Africa in a Lorry. W. B. mittee on Woman's Work, Presby- Church, Bethlehem, Pa., Novem- Redmayne. 128 pp. $1.40. Zon- terian Church, U. S. Atlanta, Ga. ber 7. The address will be de- dervan Pub. Co. Grand Rapids, livered by John R. Mott, LL.D., Mich. The Great Commission. Robert P. Chairman of the International Wilder. 116 pp. 28. Oliphants. Missionary Council. The self- Aflame for God. Story of Pioneer- London. sacrificing devotion of the early ing Amongst Cannibals. Eva Brethren "for the Saviour's Stuart Watt. 125 pp. 40 cents. An Ambassador in Bonds-The Story sake, and the salvation of poor Marshall, Morgan & Scott. Lon- of William Henry Jackson, the souls" has made possible "WorId don. Blind Priest of Burma. Mary C. Wide Moravian Missions." The Purser. 64 pp. 6d. S. P. G. Lonfirst missionary society of the Child's Bible in Bible Words. Nina don. Moravian Church in America Kayser. Illus. 266 pp. A. J. Holwas founded on August 19, 1745, man Co. Philadelphia. Japan Christian Year Book-1937. called "The Society for the Fur- 500 pp. Committee of Reference therance of the Gospel" and was Church Planting in Madagascar•. W. and Council. New York. fully organized November 28, Kendall Gale. 88 pp. 18. World 1754. No earlier record has Dominion Press. London and New The Two Ways. A Play for Any been produced of any such mis- York. Season of the Church's Year. A. L. sionary society formed elsewhere E. Williams. 53 pp. S. P. G. Keswick Convention Report. 1937. London. 28. 6d. paper, 48. cloth. 300 pp. Pickering & Inglis. London. The Nestorian'Churches. R. Aubrey Vine. 224 pp. 68. Independent Latin America, Its Place in World Press, London. Life.. Samuel Guy Inman. $3.75. Willett, Clark & Co. Chicago. Early Japanese History. 2 vols. R. K. Reischauer. $7.50. University A Mighty Winner of Souls-Life of Press, Princeton, N. J. Charles G. Finney. Frank Gren- ville Beardsley. 192 pp. $1.50. Lectures on Japan. Inazo Nitabe. 405 pp. 78. 6d. Benn, London.
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The Missionary Review of the World — March 1898
MAIN HALL OF WATER STREET
THE WATER STREET lIUSSION (EXTERIOR). MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD: VOl,. XXI. No. 3.-0ld Series.-MARCH-VoL. XI. No.3.-New Serie8.
SPIRITUAL MOVEMENTS OF THE LAST HALF CENTURY.- RESCUE MISSIONS.
BY THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF.
This name, for lack of any better, has come to stand for the organized effort to reach and save those who are most desperately lost-lost not to God only but to man; who have sunk to the lowest level, and got beyond the ordinary touch of our Christian benevolence and beneficence. They do not go to church, and the church does not go to them. They are in a pit so deep that the common means of grace do not avail; a special" life-line" let down to their level, and fitted to grapple them fast-a special message and mission, with peculiar love for the lost and passion for souls, seem needful for this sort of work. The Church has often been charged with indffference where, perhaps, the real difficulty is inadequacy. We have known many a pastor anu many an ea.rnest Christian stand anu look on the dying thousands of drunkards, harlots, criminals, paupers about them, and simply turn away, sick at heart, as helpless observers, standing on a sea-beach, hehoM others hopelessly carried beyond reach of any life-saving apparatus that is available, compelled to let them perish and drown.
This half century has witnessed rescue work on a scale of magnitude, both as to the effort and its results, probably beyond any other period of history. And there are a few forms of this noble philanthropy so conspicuous that they deserve a special mention, while it would be invidious even to hint that others which, for lack of space, have only a mention, are in any sense less deserving of sympathy and aid. The Salvation Army and American Volunteers,t The Mission to the Deep-Sea Fishf'rmell, The Jerry McAuley Mission, The Florence- Crittenton Midnight Mission may stand as representative movements. 'rhe first two are dlrected toward the poor and outcast classes generally; the third, toward the fishermen off the British Isles; the fourth is planted amid the drunkards, thieves, and worthless scamps of Water Street, New York; and the last is sacredly limited to the * This periodical adopts the Orthography of the following Rule, recommended by the joint action of the American Philological Association and the Philological SOCiety of England :-Change d or ed final to t when so pronounced, except when the e affects a preceding sound.-PUBLISHERS.
t We hope soon to give a fnll account of Mrs. Ballington Booth's work for the prisoners.
SPIRITUAL MOVEMENTS OF THE HALF CENTURY
street-walkers and lost women who have sacrificed chastity on the altars of passion, poverty, or simple ignorance of the value of womanhood and virtue.
Of the Salvation Army, ac- counts so ample have filled these pages that it is unnecessary to add much, for it would be mostly repetition. Yet it ought to be said that the one personality about whom this gigantic scheme re- volved, and from whom it took its real character, was more Catherine Booth than even her husband.
She will ever be remembered as "the mother of the Salvation Army." Her memorials, in two great volumes, octavo, of about 700 pages each, are before the public, written in sympathetic ink by her son-in-law, Mr. Booth- Tucker. They show how far-reach- THE FLORENCE MIDNIGHT MISSION. ing and deep-reaching her influ- ence was; and it would be a great Establ!sht In 1883. 21 Bleecker St., New York.
service to humanity if someone would give us the substance of these two unwieldy books in a cheap, attractive form. This story is more fas- cinating tban a novel, and it ought to be told so that people, who have neither the money nor the time for such lengthy memoirs, might get the inspiration of such a life in their own. Mrs. Booth was one of the greatest alld best women of her century. A daughter who was Olle of the rarest gifts God ever gave to a paren t; a wife that stood by her husband at risk of everything, and stirred hir)l up to as mueh good as J ezebel did Ahab to evil; and a Illother who swore a solemn oath before high heaven that she never would have a godless child!
Upon her heart lay like a night- mare the awful woe and wickedness of the "submerged" populations that are sunk out of ordinary reach, and almost out of sight, in their own MRS. CATHERINE BOOTH.
RESCUE MISSIONS
wantonness and wretchedness. And when little by littlc the plans grew whereby it was proposed to get a hold upon these neglected and neglecting millions, she became the cherishing mother of the whole movement. She nurst it from the full breasts of her consolations; she bore it in the tireless arms of her faith; she fostered it by her prayers; she bathed it in her tears j she wrapt it in the mantle of her love; she patiently forebore with its follies and wants; she as patiently counseled and cautioned, while she passionately pleaded and urged. When she died it seemed as tho this world – embracing scheme had lost its head and heart. "General" Booth himself felt that the whole movement was in a state of widowhood and orphanhood at once.
Another thing ought to be said about the Salvation Army.
With all its extravagances and serious defects-and they are ser- ious-it has been on the whole a great success. Two great errors in our judgment mar its record thus far: it does not sufficiently exalt the TYord of God, and it is virtually a clmrclt without sacra- ments. 'rhere is an undue em- phasis upon a subjective experi.
ence and a personal testimon}", while the objective truth and the inspired Book of Witness fall into the background. In no Salvation SALVATION ARMY HEADQUARTERS, Army hall into which we have No. 120-124 West Uth Street, New York.
ever been, have we found a Bible lifted to prominence, as tho it WHe the center of all testimony and teaching; nor have we ever found Bl1ptism and the Lord's Supper observed in connection with this organization. 'rrue, Mr. Booth disclaims the churchly character in the organization; it is not a church, but an army. Yet it remains true that he gathers in converts, and teaches them to make the army their church – for he says they can not serve in the army and at the same time be active members in any church – and yet he makes no provision for obedience to the only two spec'ijic ordinances ever enjoined by our Lord.
Nevertheless, the army has achieved great things. It has planted
SPIRITUAL MOVEMENTS OF THE HALF CENTURY
everywhere its halls, its refuges, its homes, its hundred-fold methods,* and. they have proved effective beyond anything of the sort we have ever known, in actually uplifting, saving, and transforming men and women. And, altho the head of this vast organization is one of the most autocratic of autocrats, he has handled immense snms of money and given a good account of his stewardship. Even his enemies and detractors have failed to find any fatal flaw in his business-like, economical, honest, and judicious use of money. He seems to us to live for the work he has undertaken, and to have laid himself on the altar of his service.
The work of Jerry McAuley, the apostle to the outcasts, has recently commanded public attention anew by the twenty-fifth anniversary, observed on November 21, in Carnegie Hall, New York, of which ample notice has been taken by the press.
In nothing does God's hand more strikingly appear than in the fitness of workers for their work. Times, places, forms of service, and adaptation of means to ends, all show intelligent design and a personal control. In the character and career of this founder of the " Water Street" and" Cremorne" missions for the reclamation of the worst and most dangerous classes, there may be seen a convergence of many markt providential lines of preparation.
Well known as are this man and his work by name, it is very doubtful whether one in ten, even of the church-goers in the great metropolis, knows much of the actnal inception and growth of this enterprise, still less of the way in which it is carried on. Yet it is certain that no true disciple could doubt, after personal observation, that if anywhere in this vortex of crimc our Divine -Master is closely imitated it is in the Jerry McAuley work.
No. 316 Water Street, New York, is almost exactly underneath the western approach to the great suspension bridge which spans the East River. Any night of the year a good-sized room may there be found, full of men, who, for the most part, are obviously poor, given to drink and other vices; and many faces bear the marks of crime. A few seem to have the black brand of Cain_ The tramp and pauper, the pickpocket and river thief, the besotted sailor and highway robber, the procurer to lust and the blatant blasphemer-every class of the worst men and women find t.heir way there, and I have often spoken to from two hundred to three hundred of these victims of want, woe, and vice. On Thursday nights these hundreds are freely fed with good bread and coffee, and then with the Bread of Life. The Gospel is sung with rousing effect, brief and simple Gospel talks intersperst, and an after- * The latest enterprise in America is the Farm Colony establisht in California, and intended to provide homes for the poor of our great cities who are willing to work_ This colony is not'" cooperative;' but has certain rules and restrictions calculated to contribute to the well-being of the community. Thirty-one houses have already been built in the first colony.
RESCUE MISSIONS
meeting always follows for prayer and testimony, and hand-to-hand touch with inquirers.
For a quarter of a century, night after night, in hot and cold weather, in wet and dry, with no dependence but faith in God, with no recompense but the wages of soul winners, this work has gOne on, at times scarce surviving for want of funds and popnlar sympathy, yet always outliving any threatened danger of collapse, because God is behind it. It is not meant as a slight upon any other true work of God among the lowest classes when we write our calm conviction that, beyond any other one agency in the great metropolis, tbe Lord bas used this Water Street Mission to reach, reclaim, and restore the very outcasts, and particularly men. 'l'ho there has been no jealous care to count up converts and tabulate tangible results in statistics, during the quarter century, this mission and the Oremorne .Mission in Thirty- second Street, whieh is its later outgrowth, hate, without doubt, caused a million outcasts to hear the Gospel, and at least fifteen thousand men and women have found their way to a sober, honest, virtuous life by these means.
Such a work, going on quietly, on sllch a seale, demands attention and assistance from those who would help to save the lost. While we talk and write about the problem of reaching the outcasts, this mission is JERRY MCAULEY.
doing it, doing it so scripturally as to defy criticism, and so efficiently as to merit imitation. After fre- quent visits to both the Water Street and Oremorne missions, we beal· witness that no feature of the work has left an unfavorable im- pression. Economy and simplicity of management, directness of appeal, evangelical tone, a prayerful spirit, dependence on God, hearty sympathy for man as man, and a divine passion for souls, seem to mark the whole history of the missions which Jerry McAuley founded, and which Mr. S. H. Hadley and others carryon in the same spirit. If any doubt whether any good thing can come out of Nazareth, the old remedy is still at hand, "Oome and see."
As this mission of Jerry McAuley has now completed its first quarter century, it may be well to give it brief resume of the rescue work.
Its beginning was unique. John AlIen·-" the wickedest man ill New York "-kept a saloon and dance-house in Water Street, two doors from the site of this mission. In a dare-devil spirit he ask t
SPIRITUAL MOVEMENTS OF THE HALF CENTURY
some missionaries, as they past along one Sunday afternoon in 1868, to come in and hold a prayer-meeting in his saloon. They consented, if he would shut up his bar, which he did, and in this strange p1:tce for a Gospel service, praise and prayer and testimony for a little time displaced d'runkenness, profanity, and lust. A11en's drunken fun led to serious business, for the invitation was soberly repeated, and the saloon was packt the next Sunday, and many could not get inside. New Yorkers will not forget the wild excitement which is forever linkt wiLh John A11en's name, from this remarkable invasion of his premises by th8 Gospel of grace. Up to this time the Water Street neighborhood was a gateway of he11, nay, one long row of "dives" and" dance-ha11s," where almost every door led down to the devil's headquarters. Kit Burns' ratpit was but a block away, where "Jack, the rat," bit off rats' heads for the entertainment of sightseers!
This open door at Allen's saloon led to further attempts to enter this highway to perdition. A missionary, Mr. Little by name,while mounting the stairway at 17' Oherry lIill, confronted a gigantic amazon who barred his way. " Madam," said he, offering a tract., " do you know J esns ?" "Faith, and who is He?" was the answer. A few feet away, and within a door that stood ajar, lay Jerry McAuley-drunk. He had been converted at Sing Sing prison by hearing" Awful" (Orville) Gardner, the prizefighter, give his testimony in the prison chapel. Jerry had known him wen before the grace of God toucht him, and he could not silence that witness to the power of God. It resulted in a change of life in himself, and Governor Dix pardoned him and set him free. But the ex-convict found even divine pardon was not social restoration, and for lack of a helping hand, he fell back into evil ways. The mention of that magic name, " Jesus," even in a drunkard's ear, proved mighty to recover the backslider, as it had saved the outcast sinner. .Jerry leapt to his feet, and his whole attire and appearance helping to render him frightful, he ran after the fleeing missionary, asking: "'Vhat name was that you mentioned to that woman? " The missionary thought he was confronting another be11igerent fellow worse than the amazon; but Jerry continued: "I used to love that name in prison long ago, but I lost Him. I wish I knew where to find Him again!"
Mr. Little got him to sign the pledge, but he soon broke it, and was again on the road to crime when he met the missionary. "Jerry, where are you going?" "I can't starve," was the sullen answer. "I will pawn my coat for you, Jerry, before I will see you steal." A glance at the coat, which would not have brought a half dollar at a pawn shop, gave Jerry McAuley a glimpse into the unselfishness of love, and he said, "If you love me that way, 1'11 die before I steal." Mr. Little gave him a promise of God to live by and live on-that has sustained many a sinking soul-" Seek first the Kingdom of God and His right-
1898.J RESCUE MISSIONS
eousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." He said, "I'll take it," and that very night he parted from his companion ill thievery. Even yet, his backsliding was only in part arrested, until he sacrificed his last idol, tobacco, and after that he never fell again.
Four years later, he began the Water Street work.
The Lord gave Jerry a grand helper in his faithful wife, who be- came at this time a convert to grace. The beginnings of their mission work were small and humble, but the work was of God. The methods were novel by their very simplicity. There' was 110 rant or cant, or icy formality, or fashionable rigidity. ·It was a hand-to-hand contact for soul saving. Any and every man and woman who wanted sal- vation, or was willing to hear the good news, was welcome, but crallks, impostors, distnruers of the peace found the atmosphere uncongenial. Jerry, sometimes, had desperate fellows to deal with, who were the devil's own agents to break up his meetings, but in God's name he grappled with them, and seemed to have the strength of Samson and the courage of Joshua. Persecution bared its right arm. Coals of fire were literally flung on McAuley and his wife when they ventured into the street. They were ar- raigned in court as disturbers of the peace they were seeking to "HE FIRST JERRY MCAULEY MISSION.
make, and but for friendly inter- vention would more than once have got-where Paul and Silas did at Philippi-into jail. The work went on. Human malice and Satanic might in vain united to crush it. The old building was torn down in 1876, and the present one took its place. Then, six years later, the Cremorne McAuley Mission, 104 W. 32d street, was begun, and there he finisht his course, leaving both missions to other hands, by whom they are carried on with the same spirit and power.
The full story these pages could not cont~ill. But those who feel an interest must, for themselves, read those two marvelous books- more fascinating facts trIan the wildest fancies of fiction-which con- tain the outline of this very remarkable history of a quarter century reseue work. * Better still, let anyone who can, visit the mission, • Read "Jerry McAuley, His Life and Work." Edited by Rev. R.:II:. Offord. Publight by The N. Y. Observer, Fifth Avenue. Also," Down in Water·Street for Twenty-five Years," by S. H,. Hadley, Supt. Apply to Mr. Hadley, 316 Water Street, N. Y.
SPIRITUAL MOVEMENTS OF THE HALF CENTURY
where a warm welcome will await all who come. There the convict is as much at home as the most respectable citizen, and as sure of a handshake, with Gospel love behind it. 'There he will find food, clothing, lodging if he needs them, and better still, hope for a new life. He will not be put through a catechism, nor bored with a homily, nor put under espionage. He will be trusted-a strange experience for one who has always been suspected. lIe will find a religious atmosphere, hut not a piQus hot-house, where religious life is forced upon him. Many a criminal and outcast has found there a homeand felt a brother's and sister's hand, an unvarying and indiscriminate kindness. Are not this kindness and confidence abused sometimes? Certainly, often. But love is not discouraged. It" beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things., endureth all things. Love never faileth." The poor thief steals, and then steals away-but he comes back-there is no other resting place. Perhaps hunger and want drive him back, but he meets no reproaches, or upbraidings. He may sin seventy times seven times, but the forgiveness that awaits him has no limit, because it is patterned after the model shown in the Mount. And so the same results follow as have ever followed where Calvary is reflected-Christ draws all unto Him. Hard hearts are broken, habits of vice and crime are abandoned, wreckt lives – and worse, wreckt characters – are not put in dry-dock for caulking and painting and remodeling, but forsaken like a sinking old hulk for a new life and character in Christ. In two weeks a man or woman is sometimes transformed beyond recognition, even in the face, and tempters and seducers and procurers become soul winners.
Water Street Mission early learned that methods commonly in use will not suffice there. The work of saving drunkards and thieves and a harlots was undertaken, not as bit of polite philanthropy, nor even of Christian duty, but under the divine impulse of passion for souls. No kid gloves there to act as non-conductors-but a bare hand with holy love to give a sympathetic grasp. Front seats and best seats reserved, not for the gold riRg and goodly apparel, but for the vile raiment and sin-scarred face. The fundamerital law of soul saving there is that you must be in close touch with those whom yon would reach. And the history of these twenty-five years proves that some men and women, who were apparently not worth the effort to save, who were like the dog and the sow that return to their own vices and wallowings, have, by grace, become the most heroic and successful evangelists and missionaries and soul savers, because they knew and felt what it was to be hopelessly and helplessly lost and know and feel what it is to be both saved and kept.
The superintendent of the Water Street Mission is himself a man gloriously saved from the lowest hell of drunkenness. No wonder he can sympathize. He glories in a "Sinners' Club House," where the
RESCUE MISSIONS
doors are always open and the work nevel' stops. The devil's castaways are welcome there. When a man is kicked out of all the dens of infamy and iniquity, because he is of no more use, and nothing more can be got out of him, he is received with open arms. The mission belongs to no church or denomination; its field is the world, especially the worst part of it, and its working force the whole Church of Christ, especially the best part of it. Go whenever you can, my reader, and see how the cross is still the hope for the dying thief and the seven-demoned Magdalen; and how the Pentecostal fire is the secret still of all holy witness and work with God. Would you like to speak to such men and women? No rhetoric or eloquence is demanded-it would be out of place. Go and tell what Jesus has done for you, and let there be a grip in your testimony. You will find men and women who will come and kneel down by those "tear-stained benches," and give themselves up to the sinner's Savior to be created anew in Christ Jesus.
Every night in the year you may find some one over whom heaven is set ringing with new praises and songs of joy.
And yet this mission closes its twenty-fifth year over one thousand dollars in debt! Who among the devoted children of God, whose eyes read these pages, will send us offer- ings of love to put this debt ont of the way? Who can send a barrel of SAMUEL H. HADLEY.
half-worn clothing to Mr. Hadley for the men who, in destitution, are seeking to be clothed in respect- able garments, befitting the newly-clothed sonl? * We shall be ollly too glad to help any consecrated gifts to reach their destination, and yield their sweet savor unto God on the altars of this self-denying and God-honoring work. We add the cash account of 1896-7 as a specimen of the holy economy with which this work is conducted: McAULEY MISSION IN AOOOUNT WITH R. FULTON OUTTING, TREASURER.
Debit. $634 44 Credit. 4,428 21 DEFICIT, 1896…… . . .. …. …….. 4,823 57 Donations …………….$2,902 85 1,029 80 Oollections . . . . . .. … .. .. 1,503 06 Ourrent Expenses……. $4,380 31 Interest on Government Ooal………………… 173 ()() Printing…….. .. … . …. 128 65 Bonds (Mrs. Jackson Ice…. ………………. 37 74 Trust Fund) ……… '. 14 00 Repairs ….. " ……. . .. 8 90 Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . 28 99 Do. Interest… 8 30 Taxes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 )8 Deficit Oct 1, 1897.. …… .
$5,458 01 $5,458 01 .Oontributions sent to D. L. Pierson, 944 Marcy Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y., will be gladly forwarded to the treasurer and acknowledged in the REVIEW.
1'10 A JAPANESE SYMPOSIUM
A JAPANESE SYMPOSIUM.* BY ROBERT E. SPEER, NEW YOHK, Secretary of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions.
The religious history of Japan dnring the last thirty years, not to speak of her political and commcrcial development, haR been without exact historical preceuent. 'i'he right perspective from which to write the story of these thirty years has not been reacht, and will not be reacht, probably, until we have a bel tJr understanding of the Japanese psychology and of the philosophy of Japanese history from the beginning. Meanwhile every thoughtful view of this eventful period advanced by the Japanese themselves is of .value and interest. In proportion as we understand the period will we understand the people, as remarkable as the remarkable times they have created; a1l(1 to understand even in part the Japanese is to broaden vastly one's sympathy with our multiform, heaving hnmanity, lifting and falling to-day like a swelling sea all over immutable Asia.
Desiring a thoughtful Japanese view of the situation, I met in Tokyo, at two long interviews, the leading men of the Church of Christ, which is now the strongest Christian body in- Japan, and askt them these questions: What were the causes of the great im pulse toward Christianity? What were the causes of the reaction? What is the present condition of the Church? What is the present spirit of the people of Japan? Practically all of the men knew English, and mixt the two languages in their replies. Even when they answered wholly in Japanese, English words would occur, not having, in some cases, such rich and full Japanese equivalents – words like "life," "progress," "power," "success," "cabinet," "count," " Christianity," "heresy,"" stedfastness," "individual right,'· " education," "European literature," "wonder," "astonish," "public meeting," "patriotic spirit," "revolutionary." They handled the questi;)l1s with keen and ready discernment.
CAUSES OF THE IMPULSE TOWARD CHRISTIANITY.
What were the causes of this great impulse lasting roughly from 1870 to 1890, and so mis~eading many that they expected the withdrawal of foreign missionary effort at the close of the century?
Mr. 0.-" 1. The anxiety of the people to get the Western civilization for Japan. They had the idea that Christianity and Western civilization were twins and must be taken together; so they took them. 2. 'i'he novelty of the Christian teaching. It brought a new doctrine of God, of sin, of atonement, which interested the Japanese. 3. The methods of Christianity were new and striking. Public meetings were held in theaters. One man would address a great multitude and • Written in the Korean Archipelago, Aug. 3, 1897. sway them. Confucian teachers had been accustomed to speak to a few. 'fhe idea of great movement and broad proclamation of truth caught the public mind in a remarkable manner. 4. The character of the missionaries. They were men of learning in the sciences, and greatly reverenced by the people as great men. When Dr. Knox went to Kochi the people thought he was possest of all knowledge, and con- sulted him Oil every subject, from the manufacture of paper to the science of government. ~'he Japanese had met and measured the business man. The missionary seemcd of a higher class. The influence of men like Dr. Verbeck reaeht Qut into political and official life. He had influence over men like Okuma and Saigo. Students were panting for English, too, and coming to men like Drs. Verbeck and Hepburn and Thompson, had English opened to them in a way that filled them with awe and reverence. The student class almost worshipt the missionaries. 5. Christianity took a powerful hold upon the early converts. The change in the lives of Christians was so pronounced that men noticed it. Influential laymen contributed powerfully by speech and by example, when in great meetings the people threw stones and ashes, and even threatened life, and they quietly bore steady and unflinching testimony to the Gospel. 6. The desire for individualism. 'fhe democratic feeling was strong. This was Itagaki's motive. lIe was leader of the liberals, aud wanted the voice of the people to be heard. He felt that Christianity would secure this. 7. The influence of the mission schools. 'fhese have done more than the government and all else to introduce Western ci vilization."
Mr. K.-" Men like Mr. Fukuzawa (the educator, and the most powerful unofficial man in Japan) insisted that if we were to have intercourse with foreign nations on equal terms we must have Christianity in Japan. We could not deal with Western nations without the ideas of Christianity. We must have English and education also, and we could get these most easily through mission-schools."
Mr. H.-" This impulse was unhealthy, arisillg from It political view of Christianity, the belief that the acceptallce of Christianity was necessary to the Europeanizing process. 'fhe movement toward Westernization was general from the highest down to the lowest. It was a repetition of the era of Constantine. Itagaki patronized Christianity. Tho he did not accept it himself, tis followers ftockt in with only political and social aims. Young Japanese especially got the idea that Western nations lookt down on them as heathen, and without the rights of civilized people, and that the only way to counteract this was to become Christians. Prince Iwakura and his son, whom Sir Harry Parkes took through England in 1872, came home feeling the shame of idolatry deeply. Not yet having discovered agnosticism or modern scepticism, lllany of these lllell saw in Christianity a rational religion, and turned to it as an escape from the shame of idolatry."
Dr. Imbrie and Dr. Alexander, who were present, made the final snggestion that the impulse began at a time when the parliament had not been opened; that that opening and the change of government absorbed the activity and life of the people, and the advantage which Christianity possest as an interesting phase of thought filling the whole stage was lost.
WHAT WERE THE CAUSES OF THE REACTION?
Mr. K.-" The reasons for the reaction, like the reasons for the impulse, were political. Leading men like Inouye and Ito, who had praised Christianity, changed their view, and even went so far as ostentatiously to visit Buddhist temples and go through the rites of worship. The people began to feel that the movement toward Christianity was extreme, that their hasty acceptance of Western ways and views was lowering the nation in Western eyes. A conservative feeling sprang up. A reaction against the West set in. Also the people began to think that Christianity was not adapted to Jaran; it might do for Western nations. I think the desire of the people to have their own rtligion, and the feeling that Christianity is not suit6d, are real and sincere. It was supposed that the war would advance Christianity throughout the East. It operated otherwise. It was reported ill Japan that Chinese Christians were not loyal, that they abetted the Japanese army and wanted it to win. On this ground the army and others feel that Christianity is bad for the land in which it is developt. It made the Chinese disloya1. It will make the Japanese so. Country or Christ? A man can n()t haye two masters. The Japanese chose country. It is true that there were exceptional openings for Bible distribution and Christian work during the war, but these were only the final throbs of the old impulst, and have vanisht now."
Mr. 0.-" This reaction is important and of wide influence. One reason for it is the nationalistic feeling. 'fhe conviction has grown up that progress should be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. '1'he early movement toward Christianity and Western ci rilization was the latter. Intelligent .Tapanese have come to feel this, and are demanding that old history and traditions should not be torn up and thrown away. The Christians themselves are to blame for some of the reaction. They have misrepresented ClEistianity, leaving the impression that it is revolutionary in its character, and demands the uprooting of all the old traditions. Also the unbelieving common people look upon Christians as under the control of foreigners. Intelligent people even suspect that Christians have become Christians for temporal benefit, and so despise them. Again, missionaries have not studied sufficiently the character of the evangelists, preacht'l's, and native converts, and have not used them wisely. The mlsslOnaries have made mistakes in their methods, too. '1'he people have gained the idea that Ohristianity was only a foreign thing, and in their reaction against foreign things which can not be made ours have swung away from it. Many things strengthen this idea. For example, when girls come out of mission schools their manners are displeasing to Japanese, and the way they put down their feet is barbarous. Once again, the influence of Buddhism has increast, even in high places. All through society the relations of the people to Buddhism are close. The whole social and family life rest on it."
Mr. 1I.-" The people who came into the Ohurch through political motives soon found out what it was spiritually, and the demands it made, and dropt out. But above all else the money love has come in. Materialism and commercialii'm are engulfing the people. The passion of business is stronger than the spiritual desire. Also the rationalistic wave that swept over the country threw the Ohurch on the defensive, and introduced an atmosphere of apologetics that slew the aggressive, life-molding movement of the Ohristians. The Ohurch began to apologize and defend where it had demanded and besought. A good deal of this rationalism was due, an,d is due, to the government educational system and the literature sent out from government institutions attacking Ohristianity. 'rhe whole'influence of the Imperial University is thrown against Ohristianity as a religion unsuited to Japan."
Mr. U.-" I do not think that there has been a real reaction against Ohristianity. Only the political and spurious forces operating in its favor have subsided. 'rhe chaff has blown away. Those who accepted Ohristianity on intellectual grounds, or with moral and spiritual faith, have stood firm. I do not think rationalism has had much influence. It was here to start with, and did not increase much. It arose from the defects of the old religions, and was the temper of the Japanese mind before we knew 01 Spencer and Mill. I think this influence has been overestimated. Indeed, Spencer did good here ill demolishing our old materialistic rationalism, and teaching us social equality. ' He went so far that his Social Statics and Education were under the ban of the educational authorities. The real foe of Ohristianity was the old Confucian rationalism, and whatever real reaction there has been has been due to the revival of the old national religious ideals. On the whole, Ohristianity has steadily gained ground all the time. The people generally understand Ohristianity better now, and esteem it more highly. '1'he original growth was unnatural. '1'he Ohurch is stronger and the present type of Ohristian is better.' Tho numbers were larger then, Ohristianity is stronger now."
I suggested that it was the general testimony of pastors and evangelists that ten years ago the people were more zealous and earnest workers than now in spreading Ohristianity. Did this not indicate a real reaction within the Church? Mr. U. replied: "That was not a real and true zeal. It was due to the attractive novelty of the new ideas: one God, the wrong and folly of idolatry, the Ohristian idea of marriage, etc. It was this fascination of novelty, not spiritual perception or love of souls, that drew us on. This was my own experience. 'l'hat early zeal was excited, like the zeal of the stump-speaker in the campaign. We have a better quality now."
Mr. H. added: "That early zeal was mechanical and thoughtless, The people obeyed and imitated the missionaries. 'rhey went out and preacht word for word what they had heard. When they found that the words exprest more than they possest in their own experience, they dropt off, business threw its spell over them, and swallowed up their religious zeal." "Yes," continued Mr. W., a godly and universally respected pastor, "at first the people accepted obediently and withont scrutiny the doctrinal teachings of the missionaries, but when German ideas came in, and the people found themselves in a conflict where they were unable to maintain or vindicate what they had so unhesitatingly accepted and taught, the wave of rationalistic influence swept into the Church."
"Well," concluded ~ir. Y., "there has been a reaction. 'l'hat reaction has been due to the revival of the old religions. And that revival has been the product of the nationalistic spirit which has revolted against the slavish imitation of the West, and has used the old religions as barriers against excessive Western importations."
"I almost think," said Mr. I., "that Ohristianity is too good for the common people. There is too wide an interval between its high spiritual truths and their minds and lives." Perhaps some vf the reaction was due to this feeling.
THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE CHURCH.
What is the present condition of the Ohurch? as to spiritual life ? as to Christian activity? as to doctrinal view?
1. As to spiritual life. Mr. H.-" There has been genuine progress. It is true that many are falling away, and that apparent zeal is decreasing. Materialism has weakened the hold of spiritual things. Many Ohristians have ceast to work, and their spiritual life has dwindled in proportion; but I believe there has been improvemellt."
Mr. K.-" I think so. Real Ohristians have deteriorated only a little. The great change is in those who were weak from the beginning."
Mr. 1.-" When Ohristianity first came there was nothing to distract. 'I'here is much now."
Mr. U.-" I think that just now Bible study is reviving. A more true and just view of the Bible prevails.. At first we took it whole on the faith of others, without reason of our own or examination. I should be sony to have Christians go back to that view. Weare coming now to rest our views of the Bible on more reasonable grounds.
I don't like the allegorizing method of Bible study. I wish we had in Japanese helps like the Expositor's Bible series. Our preaching is growing more Scriptural. It has been apologetic and defensive, about Christianity, the ethics of the Bible. Now it is more positive, and we preach the Bible truths direct. We have erred in the past in this matter."
"Do you think," I askt, "that there is any wide chasm between the relation of the Spirit of God to the prophet Isaiah and His relation to Shakespeare?"
"Yes," he answered. "Shakespeare is not religious, and has no respect for saint-like characters. Isaiah was quite different. His was a God-intoxicated influence. The difference between them is not one of degree only. It is a difference of kind."
"Is there much family prayer and Bible study?" I inquired.
Mr. W. answered: "Few families have family prayers-fewer than there were. This is a failing. There is less study in little groups.
'fhis also is a lack. Still the Scripture Union has 12,000 members who promise to read the Bible daily, and I think the people keep this pledge." .
Mr. H. continued: "There has been improvement in Bible study.
At the same time many laborers have come into the Church who have to go to work early and return late, and so neglect family worship.
The Sunday-schools were for a time more successful than now. This was due to spurions motives."
Mr. U. added: "Our version of the Bible is poor compared with yours. '{'he mere reading of it does not give us delight as the Eng- lish Bible does you. Also we can't sing well, and have poor music.
We can not make a joyful noise or melody in our hearts with Japanese music. So a <Cotter's Saturday Night' is impossible with us. Chris- tianity is developing Christian homes. Christian homes are recognized as superior. But we can not have Scotch family prayer life, because we have no such family life as the Scotch have: As to spiritual life, we have neither the words nor the idea sale as Christianity has brought them. To speak of 'spiritual life' to the people without is wholly unintelligible to them."
" When Unitarianism came," said Mr. W., "faith was shaken by it all over Japan, and spiritual life accordingly became shallow; but by experience people learnt that there was no power or force in the Unitarian view, and they have come back to their old faith, desiring more spiritnallife. In the recent meeting of our Evangelical Alliance there was much talk about coming back to the Holy Spirit and to evangelical teaching. Such talk has helpt us toward the Spirit." 2. As to Christi::m activity. "Does the average pastor in the Church of Christ regard his church as his field of work or his force for work?" I askt.
" My church is the former," said Mr. H., the pastor of tbe largest c1mrch in the country; "but it ought to be the latter, and I ought to regard it so." To this each one agreed for himself.
"I think we give as well as Christians in America," said Mr. U. "The average income of each man is about ten yen ($5 gold) a month. The average income of a family is double this. Last year the average gift per memher was two yen. My church averaged fifty sen (twenty-five cents gold) a month per member. There are tweuty men ill my church who can conduct the prayer-meeting."
"I have ten who can do so, and who do personal work," rejoined Mr. 1. "And I have twenty/' added Mr. H.
"Is the idea of lecturing to Christians, or of leading them as a company in service, dominant among you as the idea of yonI' ministry?" I askt. All agreed that the former was, but that the latter ought to he.
"Our converts come in through a network of influences," said Mr. V.: "family ties, friendship, relations, etc. We ought to work along these lines, using the people."
"It is hettel'," continued Mr. Y., " to have volunteer workers than paid Bible women. U nbeIievers trust them and their message more."
"Some of my people," concluded Mr. 1V., "invite friends to their homes during the week and some preacher, or I, will go and talk to them. These meetings are good for the growth of my church."
3. As to doctrinal view. Mr. H.-" 'rhe theological discussion has about died out. My church is satisfied with Bible talk. People honor more now the Bible and the Spirit and Christ."
Mr. U.-" For a long time the tendency, caught from America, was strong here to depreciate theology, or sound doctrinal thinking, and to exaggerate the emphasis on life dissoci3ted from opinion. The influence of Bushnell and Abbott operated in this direction. Now the evangelical tendency is leading to an appreciation of doctrinal teaching and of the Bible."
" Yes," added another, "the people are tired of this, and want bread. We have talkt of all things under the sun, awl are coming back now to the life which is meat and drink."
WHAT IS THE PRESENT SPIRIT OF THE JAPANESE?
TIere all broke in together. "Industrialism," they said, "is the predominant trait of the day. The aristocracy of money is the new and highest aristocracy. '1'he trader was once despised. He was rankt below the artisan and the farmer. 'L'he Samurai taught their sons to loath the tOllch of money as a low and defiling thing. Now the merchant is rankt above the official, the great merchant above the noble. The spirit of money-worshIp is our most formidable foe. We want money to spend for better food, richer clothes, more pleasure. We are becoming a grasping nation. To what is it due? To the introduction of Western civilization, the opening of means of transportation, the desire for llOwer. Money, wealth-this is the secret of national power." '1'0 this one or two demurred, declaring that it was only for material comforts that money was desired, which is true as regards the individual, but not the national movement.
"And national pride," they continued; "a false sense of honor as individuals and as a nation. This has been greatly enlarged by 'the war with Chir.a, but its real source was in Confucianism, and it was fostered under the feudal system for centuries. And national pride issuing in loyalty to the emperor and the country, has swallowed up democracy. 'l'here is a great deal of popular right and liberty talkt, but democracy is dead. Indeed, at the best it was mainly only a weapon uhed for attacks upon the government by the opposition. The weapon does not work well now. National pride also has issued in a revival of Buddhism and Shintoism. Christianity has stirred the old religions to new life by turning into them the spirit of patriotic defense and national loyalty. Also when the first intoxication of Western learning had past off, the people saw that learning was not enough, and nationalism turned them to the old religions. Besides, Christianity taught Buddhism how to work, with preaching, schools, summer conferences, Bible womell, and all. Buddhism has adopted the whole machinery of missions. Commercialism and secularism on one hand, nationalism and patriotism on the other. These are the springs of Japan's present life."
"What do you think of us?" they suddenly askt. "You can judge us better. We want some one from without to judge us justly and severely. Tell us your opinion."
"Well," said I, "I think-" but what I think is another chapter. This chapter was to deal with what some Japanese-intelligent, honest, and clear minded, and differing somewhat among themselvesthink of themselves. Besides, they may have changed. Japan has her face toward those 'Western nations over which she sees the sun rise. Those who would see her future with her must look toward a brightening and not a fading light. And who can see certainly facing the sun? And yet may she not wheel back toward the dimming light again? God forfend! But who knows, and who, meanwhile, cares to describe as fixt a swift-swinging pendulum? " What would you like to have a friend of .Japan say in America," askt I, "w hen the charge is made that Japan is changeable? "
" You can say nothing," they replied; "the charge is true. Our hope lies in it."
A LIGHT IN DARKEST LONDON
A LIGHT IN DARKEST LONDON.
THH STORY OF THE GHORGE YARD MISSION.
BY "PKRL ~FISHER."
The" Nestor of Home Missions," as Mr. George Holland is commonly regarded, is almost as well known in the United States as in England. Hosts of American visitors find their way to this famous evangelical center to interview the grand old veteran, and to study for themselves the remarkable cluster of Christian and philanthropic agencies which have grown up behind him.
The locality in which Mr. Holland labors is one of the poorest and most dense in London. It is not now, however, the Whitechapel of olden times, nor even of forty-three years ago, when, in response to the manelous leadings of the Lord, these institutions were first begun in humbleness and obscurity. From time immemorial, Whitechapel has been the dumping-place of the crime of the country round about, a place of refuge for the worst desperadoes, eriminals, and the viciously inclined. Even forty years ago when the work was first started, the district was infested by multitudes of the most depraved and dangerous classes. Almost every house was a den of thieves and harlots, while most of the public houses were common resorts of gangs of sharpers and criminals of all kinds. Part of the present mission buildings actually stand on the spot' occupied for nearly two centuries by a tavern called the "Black Horse," one of the most notorious of such dens. It is said to ha"e been labyrinthed by secret exits and cunning contrivances to facilitate the escape of fugitives from the law. For many decades these baffled the ingenuity of the detectives, but at length strong measures were adopted; the license of the tavern was canceled, and this nest of crime was finally swept away.
" Thus," as has been said, "the headquarters of the George Yard 2Iissions are pitcht on an extinct volcano; the main block being huilt on the site of an ancient distillery, and the shelter on the ground formerly occupied by the infamous' Black Horse,'-that rendezvous of highwaymen, robbers, and murderers." Traces of these evil days lingered long on the premises. A large drain-pipe gave much trouble hy repeated stoppages. It was found to he choked with empty purses, which had evidently been snatcht from passers-by, rifled of their contents, ahd thrown on the roof. In the early days of the mission the women of the courts around would suddenly all blossom out in new print dresses, " all of a pattern," as the result of a raid upon some dry goods store. The second day on which Mr. Holland first visited the scene of his future labors, a policeman, with kindly intent, tapt him on the shoulder, and said, " Do you know where you are going, Sir?" "Yes, I do," was the reply. "Very well, all that I can say is that many gentlemen have gone down there, who have never appeared again, and I thought I must warn you."
Happily this state of things has now past away. Poor as the district is, visitors of to-day may venture into it with safety. Criminals are far from extinct, but law and order have the upper hand. At one time the cry of "Stop thief," might resound fifty times a day in High Street, now it is of rare occurrence. It might not, however, be advisable, even yet, for a visitor to flaunt a gold chain or sparkling jewel in the hungry eyes of the hanger-on of Whitechapel or Mile End Waste. But the change from former days is marvelou,>, a change which has undoubtedly been largely brought about by the beneficent operations of the George Yard Ragged School Mission, and similar institutions. During the great dock strike which shook London to its center, the strikers-gaunt, grim and. desperate–were marching en masse past the mission premises, when a socialistic leader, who stood watching, turned to Mr. Holland, and said, "Do you know what keeps these men from sacking London?" "'Vhat do you mean?" was the reply. "Only this, it is the influence of such missions of mercy as yours." All thoughtful, observant men know that this witness is true.
It may be interesting and instructive to recall the origin of this noble and useful work. God still selects and trains men of His own choosing for His service in special spheres. It was so in this case. Into this region of crime and shame and misery there came, fortythree ypars ago, a young man wholly without thought of any special labor among the poor. His purpose was to" read" with the incumbent of an adjoining church, and so prepare himself for ordination to the ministry of the Church of England. But God had other plans for George Holland. Introduced into Whitechapel, seemingly by chance, he faW things of which he had never dreamed as possible in London. His heart was deeply moved at the sight of youthful. depravity, neglect, and suffering which he saw on every side. The burden prest upon his soul, and without thought of any future vocation, he was led – toucht in flome degree by that compassion which welled forth from the heart of our Lord when he wept over rebellious Jerusalemto gather around him a few ragged boys that he might instruct thcm intellectually and morally. Unpromising material they undeniably were. Board schools and Sunday-schools were alike unknown to them. Discipline they sconted; lessons they abhorred. Suspicion and distrust were deeply rooted by daily contact with lawless alld cruel men. With such boys force was of no avail to improve their condition. If anything was to be done for them, it must be by the constraint of love. To mission-workers of to-day this is a truism, but the young pioneer of forty years ago had to learn it by experience. Toilsome and tedious was the task, but love and patience prevailed. Rude, rough, and reckless as his first boys seemed, heartbreaking and hopeless as their condition appeared to be, the youthful but earnest worker was enabled by God's help to persevere until he gained their affection and confidence. So completely did he win them that they walkt to North London twice a day to escort him to and from Whitechapel. Nor did this clamorous body-guard escape public notice. 'rhe dwellers in that quiet neighborhood in North London were at first alarmed at the invasion of these fifty Whitechapel urchins, but soon found that they had no evil intent. These early and unorganized efforts were far from fruitless. God gave His young servant much encouragement, so that to-day in many parts of the world there may be found godly and prosperous men, who owe their well-being to these early endeavors ill Whitechapel.
Mr. Holland soon found that his whole time must be given to this work, and he settled down to labor permanently among the outcast and neglected, the ragged and wretched boys and girls of East London. The highways, courts, and alleys of Whitechapel were scoured, bringing together the most motley and grotesque assemblies it is possible to imagine. Crowds of ill-fed, ill-clad children were collected, of whom scarcely one in five boasted shoes and stockings. This" raw material" had a kind of magnetic attraction for George Holland, to mold and shape it for God, to gain and polish these rough diamonds for his Master became the aim of his life. He made many and great personal :mcrifices in order to devote himself to the rescue of these neglected children, and to poillt them to that Savior of whom they knew as little as the" untutored Hottentot." But from that time his days have been devoted with singular assiduity and simplicity of purpose to the service whereunto he so manifestly was called.
Work of this kind must grow-it is the law of life. A little dismal room was secured in George Yard for the first class of rough boys; but the childnm thronged in, and ere long provision had to be made for them. This necessitated a new departure. More workers were needed, for one man could not do it all. More funds were required to furnish suitable accommodations and appliances. Both of these needs were left with God, and both workers and funds were provided as they were required. Mr. Holland says: "Nothing has been more remarkable in the whole history of the mission than the way in which every lack has been met- -often it has seemed nothing less than miraculous. Funds have come, we know not how; workers have been raised up, and we can only look on them as sent of God. We have been wonderfully favored with devoted workers, belonging to all ranks of society. Peeresses have been amongst our most energetic teachers. Men of high rank have taught in the classes, side by side with humble casters and work girls. Some who in later years have done noble service for God, first caught the enthusiasm in our East End Mission rooms. We can never forget the service rendered by the Misses Be80uchamp and their devoted brother, now an honored missionary in China. Nor is this singular in our experience. We have had help from thm;e moving in Royal circles, while ladies of exalted rank have regularly conducted Bible classes, traveling in some cases from distant country seats on purpuse to meet their class, and returning home again in the evening."
Mr. Holland tells the following incident showing God's care for those who trust Him: One very cold February morning, when the snow lay thick on the pavement, about 3.'50 hungry and half-clad children stood outside the George Yard Mission school. The newspapers that morning had pub- lisht the sad news about the distress that existed in East London, and stated that some had perisht from want and exposure, and that many nlOre were starving.
I left home earlier than usual, so that the children should he admitted into the lodge room, and be able tu warm themselves by the fire. The door was upened and the children were admitted, but most of them were crying from hunger and cold. I was without money. To whom could I turn but to the Lord. 'Ve knelt in prayer, and tuld God about our dis- tress. 'Ve waited, but no food came. 12 o'clock, 1 o'clock came, and still no food. At 2 o'clock a poor girl (carrying a baby in her arms, its little head drooping) said: "Please, may I go and ask my heavenly Father for food?" She retired, and on returning said: "I think He has heard me." But 3 o'clock came, and still no food. At 4 a loud knocking was heard at the duoI'. Outside was a large wagon in charge of a gentleman, who askt : " Do you want any food? "
"Yes."
It took four men to lift down the large can of good hot soup from the wagon, and carry it inside the mission room. The gentleman left without telling his name or how he came to bring the soup, or where he Ii came from, and bade me ask no questions. He would send' for the can.
"You will find that it is coarsely made," he said; "we had no time to cut up the vegetables; you will find whole onions, carr'ots, heads of It celery, plenty of meat." • The children were sent home for basins, and returned with divers kinds of utensils; flower-pots, with the hole stopt by a cork, broken cups, !, jars, saucepans, tin cans-anything. 'Vhile we were in the midst of serving out this welcome meal, the gentleman returned, and said, "You can not do without bread." He handed me a card, on which was written a large order on a bakery near at hand. 'Vhen askt how he knew that we were in need of food, he replied: "At 9 o'clock this morning I was reading about the distress in the papers. We had some broken food in the house, meat and vegetables were purchast, roughly prepared, and made into soup. After having put it into the can I started for 'Vhitechapel and called at the baker's shop, where I purchast the bread, and askt if they knew of anyone who would like to have the soup. They sent me on to you."
The" Children's Earl," the great and good Lord Shaftesbury, iden- tified himself in a special manner with George Yard, spending hours there in a rhost simple and homely way, making himself perfectly free and happy with the poor children, and speaking constantly of Mr. IfnIland as a personal friend. "I had rather," he said, "be George than ninty-nine hundredths of the great dead and living." The Earl's diary has many such references to George Yard Mission, and" that inestimable man, George Holland." Many tokens of his regard may be seen at the mission, where also are loyally cherisht two precious volumes sent by her Majesty, Queen Victoria, and inscribed with her own hand. There are other gifts inscribed from II. R. H. the Duchess of Teck, and from her daughter, Princess May, now the Duchess of York. These facts are referred to, simply to show the way in which God has acknowledged and supported this work. '1'0 ennit them would be to miss one characteristic feature of the institution, in which rich and poor have very happily been brought together in a way helpful to both. It may also be recorded that in this East End Mission to the poor and outcast, some of the rich and noble have been (Jonverted to Goel.
The work which began with the children soon included their elders. In early days these were hard to reach. For a long time they refused even to come into the mission rooms. But Mr. Holland would not be discouraged. He hired a little room in a blind alley, and there began to hold meetings for them. All the light they had was from two candles stuck in the necks of bottles. These meetings went on very well, until one evening the fioor caved in with the unaccustomed weight. The landlord, a Jew, then built a small hall, into which were gathered many of the most wretched and degraded.
Meanwhile the work at the central mission was growing as the children fiockt in and workers were raised up by God. Day-schools were started for the illiterate children, and are yet maintained with great efficiency. Only a short time ago, in paying a visit to these schools, I found every seat occupied by children of the most neglected and destitute class, who, while learning the rudiments of arithmetic and letters, were also being educated in Christian love, cleanliness, and obedience. The same type of children throng the Sunday-schools, morning, afternoon, and evening, each Lord's day. More than sixty thousand children have past through these schools, and the number of the redeemed who have been gathered there, no man can name. Innumerable testimonials might be given of those who have past in to see the King, and of others who are still serving Him as pastors, missionaries, evangelists, teacherll, and Ohristian men of bnsiness.
Dwelling among his loved children, daily observant of their needs and temptations, Mr. Holland added a host of useful agencies, each with its definite aim. 'l'hese include industrial and sewing classes for boys who have never learnt to use their hands; sewing classes for girls and women; boys' clubs, to keep them from the evils of the streets; Bible classes for old and young; games and recreation cla8ses for the little ones; free meals and other well-devised plans for feeding the hungry and clothing the naked. It is the boast at George Yard that no really destitute child is ever sent away hungry. Moreorer, homeless and friendless waifs frequently turn up, and these arc sheltered, taught, and cared for, until friends are found, or they arc ready to earn their own living. '1'here is also a creche (or day nursery), and never does the veteran superintendent seem more happy than when among his. babies, who throng the airy nursery, as merry with their toys and nurses as the day is long.
The work among the young people-particularly in behalf of young working-gil'Is-has assumed large dimensions, and has been the means of saving hundreds from treading the path of sin and shame. Classes, clubs, and reading-rooms are provided, and the crown was put on this branch of the work not long ago by the opening of the beautiful Kinnaird Room as an evening resort for working-girls.
The evangelistic services at the mission are deeply interesting by reason of the porerty of those who attend. In few places in London ean snch an audience be found. Five or six hundred of the poorest of the poor may be seen gathered here any Sunday evening. They listen quietly to the Gospel, plainly and faithfully spoken, and the services have been mnch owned of God. But in addition to this, the Gospel is also carried to those who will not come to hear; workers go even into the common lodging honses, the last miserable resort of the fallen, the sinful, the self-destroyed. Great difficulty was found at first in entering these places, but now a welcome is given to the workers who are brave enough to face such unutterable abominations of a common kitchen that they may have an opportunity to tell of the love of Christ to those weak and wandering sheep. Open-air preaching is now regularly carried on without interruption 01' difficulty; but in the pioneer days the open-air preachers-often Mr. Holland by himself-had to endure much fierce opposition, and to stand fire in the shape of old boots and bottles, decayed vegetablQs, and many viler missiles. The people now listen respectfully and willingly.
The master-vice of Whitechapel being intemperance, the mission has all along put Gospel temperance well to the front, and for many years a special woman missionary has been at work, going from house to house among inebriate women. ~Iany, formerly slaves to strong drink, have, by patient endeavor and tireless watchfulness, been freed from slavery to this accurst and soul-destroying habit. A weekly meeting is held for the reclaimed drunkards, and their testimonies and fervent prayers for others still enslaved, are singularly inspiring, tho often decidedly unconventional. '1'here are also bands of hope and total abstinence societies vigorously and effectively at work.
Fai' away from dingy WhitechapeJ, but connected with this work, a beautiful colony has been establisH by the gmerosity of Lady Ashburton on her estate at Addiscombe. This colony includes the" Mary
THE CENTRAL AMERICAN MISsioN FIELD
Baring Nest," for ailing children; the" Louisa Lady Ashburton Rest." for worn out and convalescent parellts; and the "George Holland Dove- cot Home," for mothers and infants. To these has lately been added an iron room for evangelistic and other services. All these were erected and are maintained by her ladyship on behalf of Mr. Holland's poor. Moreover, H. R. H. the late Duchess of Teck regularly received, two by two, poor women, for three weeks at a time, at her cottage near the White Lodge, in Coombe Wood, her usual residence. Another branch is the Training Home for Motherless Girls, now situated at Addiscombe, but originally opened by Miss Marsh and her sister, Mrs. Chalmers, at Beckenham. Large numbers of friendless and endangered girls have past through this home, and are now in service or in homes of their own. Still another beautiful holiday home for poor children from George Yard was erected by Mr. H. Barclay at Great Bookham, in memory of a dear friend, and in place of an expensive monument. But, indeed, the story of such love gifts is well nigh endless. At the mission center itself block after block has been added, as need arose, by stewards of God, who have been content to remain unknown. To attempt to chronicle all the tokens of a Father's loving hand, which have signalized the history of George Yard, would be a hopeless undertaking. From first to last it has been evident to all beholders that working in the line of the Divine purpose, the blessing of the Lord has rested upon it. Trials of faith, failures, and disappointments have not been lacking, but ont of them all God gave deliverance. Like that other veteran of faith, George Miiller, George Holland has proved afresh in the eyes of men that he who trusteth in Jehovah shall not be put to shame.
THE CENTHAI~ AMERICAN MISSION FIELD.
BY REV. C. I. SCOFIELD, EAST NORTHFIELD, :MASS., Secretary of the Central American Mission.
Central America is a mission field with which even the Christians of America are little acquainted, altho it is so near, so needy, and so white to the harvest.
1. Look first at THE FIELD.-The beautiful and fertile region, extending from the southern border of .Mexico to the Isthmus of Panama, is divided politically into the five republics of Honduras, Guatemala, Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa mca. Altho they differ in extent of territory and in population, these republics are very similar in climate, products, religion, customs, and language. In all these respects the whole region may, for the sake of brevity, be considered in this article as one. The climate varies, according to altitude, from extreme heat along the low-lying coasts to a delightful mildness upon the high table-land which, rising here and there into mountains (mostly of volcanic origin), extends throughout the greater part of the interior. As might be supposed, the coasts are malarial and unhealthy, while the central plateaux are salubrious, and, tho somewhat enervating because of the absence of frost, are free from epidemic fevers. Fortunately, by far the greater part of the popula- tion is gathered upon the highlands. Here the capitals of the repu b- lics are situated, and here the industries of the country are carried on. Few, if any, mission fields offer less climatic resistance to evan- gelization than the five republics of Central America.
The means of transport are for the most part very primitive. Of the capitals, only those of Costa Rica and Guatemala are reacht by rail. Merchandise is tramported by ox-carts, pack-trains, and, to a limited extent, by boats on the rivers. This condition is evidently upon the eve of a great change. 'fhe enormous resources of the regioll, in fertile lands, rich mines, quarries, and forests, and the contiguity of this undevelopt wealth to the United States, will insure the penetra- tion of the country by railroads at no distant date. Doubtless the construction of the Nicaragua Canal will enormously stimulate the construction of railways. It should be needless to point out that the very imminence of such development, with its sure influx of irreligious wealth-seekers, is a most imperative call to the immediate evangeliza- tion of the country. The missionary should for once go before the trader. The areas amI populations of these republics are, as nearly as can be ascertained (for census returns are most imperfect), as follows: Area. Popnlal·imh Guatemala ……………. . 63,400 square miles . . . . . . . . 1,;)()(), 000 Nicaragua ……………. . 49,200" " 420,000 Honduras ……………. . 43000 431,000 Salvador …………….. . 7;225 800,000 Costa Rica ……………. . 23,000 280,000 Totals ………… , …. 185,825 8,431,000 This population is made up of a few whites, mestizos (mixt white and Indian), some West Indian negroes, and the aboriginal Indians, who form at least one half of the entire population.
When the Central American Mission entered this field, but little authentic information regarding the aborigines was attainable.
From the first the Central American Mission felt a peculiar responsi- bility toward this portion of the population, but it soon became evident that plans for their evangelization could not be intelligently formed without more accurate and detailed information than was available. Living for the most part in the forests and mountains, far from the towns, and often accessible only by obscure footpaths, it was seen that the desired knowledge concerning these tribes could be acquired only through laborious, costly, and dangerous explorations. At this juncture Robert Arthington, of Leeds, England, came forward with a proposal to bear the entire expense of the needed explorations. The late Rev. H. C. Dillon, of blessed memory, who, exhausted by exposure and unceasing toil, now sleeps at El Paraiso, Honduras, was detailcd for this formidable task, which his life was spared to eomplete.* As a result of the Arthillgton explorations, the mission is in possession of accurate and detailed information regarding these Indians, their approximate numbers, tribal or other organizations, the degree in which (if at all) they have been degraded from their A GROUP OF GUOTOSO INDIANS, CENTRAL AMERICA.
simple, primitive religious ideas by contact with the profligate super- stition which in Spanish America passes for Roman Catholicism, their habits, locality, and many other particulars necessary to the planting of missions among them.
;rhe explorations developt a most interesting and wholly untoucht mission field, and enough has already been done among these aborigines to demonstrate their eagerness for the Gospel. Some of the tribes are extremely degraded, and, except in respect of cruelty, which is not a characteristic of any of them, it may be said that Africa itself holds no more absolute heathen than these at our very threshold. '
* The results of his toil and of the Christian liberality of Mr. Arthington. were in part publisht in THE REVIEW for March, 1896, in the article entitled, "The Indians of Central America." As regards the other two classes-whites and mestizos-it may be said that the whites of education and intelligence have, in large measure, practically ceast to have any faith ill Romanism. The shameless profligacy of so many of the priests,and the childish super- sti tions taught by them to the people, disgust and alienate the educated classes. Their pec uliar peril is that, knowing no better form of Ohristianity, they lapse into open atheism, or, at best, agnosticism. These, too, will hear the sim pIe Gospel. Th e agents of the American and of the British and Foreign Bible societies find a ready sale among them for the Word of God.
The mestizos, especially those of the villages, are commonly fanatical followers of the priests. From them comes the persecutions -'-never as yet bloody or severe -which converts must encounter.
And yet among these conversions are of constant occurrence.
2. 'l'IlE CEKTUAL AMERICAN MISSION was formed Nov. 14, 1890, in D allas, Texas, by foul'
Christian men: Luther Rees (who has since entered the ministry), ,Ernest M. Powell, William A.
Nason, and the writer offerillg themsel yes in prayer to promote :he evangelization of Oentral Am erica. Some two years pre- viou sly the writer had beco me m:DlAN WOMAN GRINDING CORN.
con vinced that our Lord's words in Acts i: 8 constituted not only a command to evangelize the world, but also a very definite plan of campaign, namely, to cover the inhab- ited earth by ever enlarging circles from centers, of which J erusalem was indicated as the first. It was felt that the cOllfusion and evident lack of plan in contemporaneous mission ary effort were largely due to palpable departure from the method thus laid down by onr Savior.
And, further, that while this confusion was probably now irremeoi- able, the central idea, not to overleap unevangelized territory, might be made to govern new enterprises. At this time a paragraph in William E leroy Ourtis' "Capitals of Spanish America," called atten- tion to the unevangelized condition of Costa Rica, and an investigation of the whole Oentral American field revealed the surprising fact that, excluding British Honduras, and the work of the Moravians, limited to the Mosquito Indians of Nicaragua, the only systematic effort to carry the Gospel to that vast region was the small mission of the Presbyterian Ohnrch (North) in Guatemala Oity, and the work, at Port Limon, Oosta Rica, of that devoted servant of God, Rev. J. II. Sobey, under the auspices of the Jamaica Baptist Missionary Society. It may be well to say here, that Mr. Sobey's self-denying work continues under great blessing, and desenes aJl(l should receive the liberal support of Christians in the United States. The prosperity of Jamaica has been greatly checkt of late years, and it would seem a manifest call to the great Baptist Church in the United States to come forward now to the help of that work.
Central America, then, was seen to be the nearest unevangelized country to any Christian in the United States. 'rhirteen boards and societies were at work in Mexico, and the next circle swept through Central America. It was greatly desired not to multiply missionary agencies, but conference with some of the larger denominational boards made it evident that with the burdens already pressing upon them, they could give us no definite llOpe of an adequate Gospel invasion of this land so near and so needy. It seemed, therefore, that under God there was a manifest call to do all that might be done outside the usual cha!lIlels. A council was formed composed in the first instance of Luther Rees, Ernest M. Powell, William A. Nason, and the writer, (then all of Dallas, 'rexas), to which was subsequently added Judge D. II. Scott, of Paris, Texas, now treasurer of the mission. In the earnest desire in no way to invade the constituencies of the boards it was resolved never to take collections nor make public appeals for money. Further, the essential basis of the mission fixt its character as undenominational, evangelical, and evangelistic. The purpose is rather to carry the Gospel to every creature in Central America than to plant Christian institu tions, or even churches. It is felt that these will surely follow the introduction of the Gospel. The entire time of the missionaries, and all of the funds contributed, are devoted to evangelization. The expense of administration is insignificant. No officerent or clerk-hire is paid, the work being gladly done by the members of the council.
The organ of the mission is the Central American Bulletin, plI blisht quarterly from the office of the mission in Paris, Texas.
Work was begun in February, ] 8Dl, ill San Jose, the capital of the republic of Costa Hica. The Rev. and Mrs. W. W. McConnell, of St. Paul, Minnesota, were the pioneer missionaries, and werA accompanied to the field by Ernest M. Powell, Esq., of Dallas, Texas, as a deputation from the council. From the very first day the manifest blessing of God has rested upon the labors of the missionaries, and it has been abundantly demonstrated that as no mission field in the world is more needy, so also, none is more promising than Central America.
Twenty-four missionaries, of seven denominations, have been sent out, of whom three have fallen asleep. Five are now under appointment, whom it is hoped soon to send to the front. At least fifty additional missionaries could at once be posted in commanding strategic centers in the five republics, from which surrounding villages could be evangelized.
The religion of the country is, speaking generally, the most debased form of Romanism to be found anywhere on the earth. Pages could be filled with instances of its degrading superstition and idolatry. Doubtless, even among these are to be found true Christians, but they are so in spite, rather than because, of the influences about them.
Vast numbers, however, of thc Indians are measurably untaillted by this superstition, and are open to direct Gospel influenccs. The people of Central America are a noble and interesting race, amiable, well mannered, honest, and hospitable. All religions are tolerated an d protected, as in Mexico. The language every where spoken is Spanish.
A CHRISTIAN FAMILY OF CF.NTRAL AMERICA.
Since ground was broken in bea,utiful Costa Rica, our missionaries have Leen establisht in all of the republics, except Nicaragua, and this republic has been visited.
In closing I venture to ask the earnest prayers of the readers of the REVIEW for the council, the missionaries, and the treasury of this mi ssion. H will be a joy to send further particulars to any who are interested to inguire.
"Where with us is the spirit of .Paul, who when he spoke of those that were enemies of the Cross of Christ blotted the page on which he wrote with his tears? We know the heathen are perishing, and yet we go about our ordinary avocations as though there were no such thing as perishing people, and as though we could not do infinitely more than we are doing to try to save them."
I SABELLA BIRD BISHOP.
GOSPEL TRIUMPHS IN MEXICO
G 0 S P l<J L '1' H I U MPH SIN M H X I CO.
BY HEV. WILLIA)f WALLACE, SALTILLO, MEXICO.
Missionary of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions.
In the days when English pirates sailed the Spanish main, the town of Acapulco was one of the great ports of the world, and the galleons freighted with spices and silk from China and the Philippines contributed largely to the glory of Acapulco's aunual fair. As the scene of persecution and mnrtyrdom it will also have a tragic interest in the history of evangelical missions. The little chapel of San Diego is now a mere rubbish heap, against which the waves of the harbor dash with dirge-like sound. It is but partially protected by the remains of the old adobe walls, which are still spattered with the blood of the saints.
When, in August, 1895, I wended my way, under the blazing sun of the tropics, to the site of this ruined chapel, and as I stopt to gaze, the veteran form of Don Procopio Diaz came up before my mental vision, and I seemed to hear his tremulous voice recount again the story of the Church and of that fearful night: " It was some 20 years ago, in 1875, that I and my friends got hold of some copies of the Bible, and became convinced that the Gospel was the power of God unto salvation. w~e began to hold meetings in my house in the name of the Lord .Jesus. I had previously held the office of chief of police, and during the wars of reform had risen to the rank of colonel in the Liberal army. At this time, however, I was in business, and had set up a small printing press to defend the ideas of the Liberal party. Feeling the necessity of further instruction, we determined to apply to Mexico City, where we understood some American missions had already been establisht. Being appointed commissioner, I at once saddled my horse, and started out on a nine days' journey over the rocky crests of the Sierra Madre, and along the trail of watercourses, until I reacht the capital of the republic. After seeing several of the missions, I succeeded in getting Rev. Mr. Hutchinson, then in charge of the Presbyterian work, to accompany me to Acapulco.
"On reaching the coast we were greeted with enthusiastic' abrazos ' (embraces) by the brethren, and immediately began to hold nightly services in the little chapel by the sea, which we had secured for the purpose.
"Our enemies, how')ver, did not long remain idle. Those distant coasts had not yet been brought within the circle of the firm application of the laws of reform. Our governor, Don Diego Alvarez, belonged to a reactionary family, whose motto had ever been, 'Bajo la dcsconfianza vive la scguridad' (Safety lives under the tree of distrust). The parIsh priest, being assured, in an unofficial way, that any killing of Protestants would be winkt at by the local authorities, laid his plans accordingly. Rehired a band of Indians from the adjoining sierra, whose life of cattle lifting and incidental ,murders fitted them for the task, to surprise the disciples while engaged in worship. The Indians were filled up with mescal (Mexican whisky), armed with the terrible double-edged machete, and dispatcht to their work. Watching the opportune moment when the little company were engaged in prayer, the murderers leapt into the chapel, and began to strike right and left. Many escaped, including Mr. Hutchinson, who was detained that night at his house by sickness, but many others were killed, and still others were frightfully wounded."
An eye-witness of the scene, then collector of port-customs, said to the writer: "I was meeting with my brothel' Masons at our regular lodge meeting that night. When word was brought us of the massaCl'e, we immediately adjourned, and marcht in a solid body down the street toward the chapel to see what aid we could render. On arriving we saw the blood trickling in a stream over the door-sill into the street, and on entering began to care for the wounded, as the assassins had already fled."
The object of the massacre, which had been to terrorize and break up the new movement rather than to destroy the lives of all the merilbel's, accomplisht its immediate purpose. '1'he sllrviving membrrs, being unable to obtain any guarantee from the State government, emigrated, some going up the coast, and others moving to Chilpancingo, now capital of Guerrero.
Here again the blood of the martyrs proved to be the seed of the Church. Don Procopio and his brothel' began to work actively among the people of Chilpancingo. Altho they were falsely imprisoned for some alleged crimes, they began such an active work of evangelization among the prisoners, that the authorities considered it wiser to set them free again. A strong church was organized, which still meets in a house of worship fronting the central market. Two of the elders were eye-witnesses of the martyrdom of their brethren. Chilpancingo soon became a center of light for all regions round about, and thus again proved the conquering power of the Gospel.
Arcadio Morales, the Moody of )Iexico, stands to-day as a prince nmong the lJative ministers of the various tlenorninatiolls. Ilis life history is a serial story, illustmting the power of the Gospel to COllvert the heart, develop the intellect, and build up eharaeter. Mr. Morales, like many others, was converted by the reading of the Bible, and by convineing himself that Homan Christianity has widely departed from its teaehings. He at once gave himself to preaehing, and two years ago eelebrated the silver anniversary of his entrallee into the ministry. Almost the whole of this period has been spent in Mexieo City, where he has done a work very similar to that of Hobert W. MeAll in Paris. Altho he has never had a college or seminary education, he has become a great preaeher, and has mastered the main doctrines of revelation. Very independent in his ideas, and not always in accord with the missionarics, but coming yearly into more cordial cooperation with them, he has developt a local work which prom'_ses in the near futnre to be practically self-supporting.
Like cvery true pastor, he dearly loves the children, and it has been his custom, besides superintending the Central Sabbath-school, to give weekly Bible talks in the mission day-schools establisht among the poor of the city. This work among the children has developt in him a clearncss and simplicity in thc interpretation of the Bible and a largc fund of illustrations, which are not usually found among Latin-American people. These characteristics have contributed largely to his wonderful success as an evangelist.
He early appreciated the value of a trained eldership, and his labors in this direction have been so successful that he carries on several chapel missions in different wards of the city, under the voluntary superintendence of these elders_ They are as devoted to their chieftain as the marshals of Napoleon were to their general.
It is, however, during the past four years that he has attained fame among all the churches as a revivalist. As director of the Presbyterian Theological Seminary at Tlalpam, a suburb of Mexico City, I was led to believe that the boys would be greatly helpt by a sermon from Mr. Morales on "The call to the ministry." He accepted the invitation, and the Holy Spirit accompanied his preaching with such [lower that a revival began among the students then and there, fwd they remained in prayer and confession till 10 o'clock the following morning_ ~l'hi8 was the beginning of Mr. Morales' revival work. The students have never forgotten the new view they received of the stewardship with which they had been intrusted. The larger part of them are still engaged in self-denying and increasingly useful service in the ministry_ Mr. Morales afterward accepted an invitation to hold services among the stndellts of the Methodist College for Men and Women at Puebla, and as a result some fifty profest to have entered the kingdom. Ever since that time Mr. Morales has been in the habit of holding special revival services in different parts of the republic, among different denominations, and at variolls kinds of religious gatherings. In November of 18U7 he was invited to cross the border to Laredo, 'l'exas, to conduct meetings among the ] 0,000 Mexicans who are citizens of onr own country. The evangelistic work is in addition to his pastoral duties, and in spite of a chronic infirmity which forbids much physical exertion or exposure to the heat of the sun. May he long be spared to Mexico and to the Church militant!
Ines Mo-re-llo, the plowman evangelist, is simply a countryman. His life has always been that of the ranches, and he covets no other. His garb since he became an evangelist is just what it was when he raised crops of corn, or brought his burros laden with wood to the markets of Zacatecas. His hua-ra-ches (leather sandals worth 25 cents) have never been exchanged for shoes; his leather pantaloons, slit down the sides, are much more suitable than cashmere for traveling over the cactus-covered plains; and his peakt sombrero of pe-ta-te (slit rush) protects his head much better than would a more ciyilizedlooking hat.
He was converted sometime in the seventies, when Messrs. Phillips and Thomson began their work in the mining city of Zacatecas. '['he priests, in order to frighten their ignorant parishioners from hearing the Gospel, had graphically portrayed the American missionaries as incarnations of the evil one himself. Ines, in common with his neighbors, had been told that as soon as the Protestant preachers opened their mouths to utter their heresies, sulphurous flames issued out of their mouths, horns appeared on their foreheads, and cloven hoofs took the place of feet. These stories served simply to arouse the curiosity of our friends, and they determined to see for themselves the disreputable seance. Leaying their burros in a meson (carayansary) they slipt over to the hall where services were being held. They were astounded to hear the sound of beautiful hymns and the preaching of the love of Christ by men of like ·passions with themselves.
The ranchmen understood at once that their priest had lied, and they felt that the Gospel which these strangers preacht was what these priests had denied to them.
Ines Moreno at once secured a Bible, and set to work to study it with the help of the slight knowledge of reading which he had acquired as a boy. As I knew him, he had long been a devoted Bible student, an earnest worker among his neighborf', and an earnest Christian. During these latter years he has spent most of his time evangelizing the villages in a large circuit in the neighborhood of his old home; sometimes on foot, sometimes on horseback. One ye],r he reported more conyersions than any other member of Presbytery. I shall long remember the spiritual talks which we had together on winter evenings in the mission-house, or when out on a trip to some of the ranches. ilis knowledge of the great doctrines of salvation and his deep spiritual experience seemed to lead one to a sense of being in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
These examples are but a few specimen pages from the unwritten history of the triumph of the Gospel in the hearts of our Mexican neighLors across the Rio Grande.
· 194 MISSIONARY DIGEST DEPARTMENT
II.-MISSIONARY DIGEST DEPARTMENT.
COMITY IN MISSIONS. * BY THE BISHOP OF NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND.
What does" comity" in Missions mean? It obviously is a misnomer to those who believe that there is no common ground between the Church of England and other Christian bodies, for it implies a relationship at least of courtesy and friendliness. But it has a doctrinal basis, which I shall state under two heads. (1., vVhen in the presence of heathenism two missionaries belonging to different Christian bodies can agree in heartily and thankfully saying, "vVe love Him because He first loved us," there is an agreement of faith which no outward differences, how- ever important, can frustrate. In other words the holding, in its natural sense, of the great Christian doctrine of the Trinity, involving the doc- trines of the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, very God and very Man, constitutes a hond of union so strong that, in the presence of heathenism, differences, even of doctrine, are small in comparison. (2.) Baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, by whomsoever administered, implies incorporation into the one Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that no question whether any particular body of Christians does or does not constitute a valid branch of the Church can so unchurch the baptized Christian as to represent him as outside the Church of Christ. Admission by baptism into one society, however divided that society may be, and the holding the one faith in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, seem to me the doctrinal basis of missionary "comity." From this basis of doctrine I proceed to explain and illustrate three forms which such comity may take.
AUTHORITATIYE STANDARDS OF FAITH.
A community of faith must be based on some common authority, and those who differ as to the interpretation of the authority may yet combine in their reverence for it. Their reverence for the standards will naturally lead them to see if, as a pure matter of scholarship, they can not agree in the translation of the sacred writings into the languages of the people among whom they work, and union in translation when the work is done in profound reverence for the original, will constitut<) a bond of union that the heathen can not fail to recognize. The Hindus and Mohammedans have numerous sects, but they agree in the reverence for the Vedas and the Koran respectively. The divisions of Christendom do not perplex them as much as might be imagined in England, but what would perplex them would be a division of Christians as to the authoritative standards and the circulation of translations of the Christian sacred writings different in material points. From this babel we have been mercifully delivered, mainly by the efforts of the British and Foreign Bible Society, which has thus helpt on missionary comity, and removed a stumbling block that would have imperiled the advance of Christianity.
TERRITORL.L DIYISION OF WORK.
Subject. to certain modifications the principle followed by missionary societies, with the flagrant exception of the agencies of the Church of Rome, of abstaining from building on the foundations laid by others, and *Condenst from a paper read at the recent Church (of England) Congress, in Nottingham, England, and printed in the Church Missionary Intelligence,', November, 1897.
COMITY IN MISSIONS
from evangelizing districts covered with other Christian missions, is a true and right application of missionary comity. The heathen world is still so vast that, whatever the future may bring, it seems suicidal and wrong for Christian missionaries to be competing in the same district and endeavoring to win recruits from each other's ranks. It must, how- ever, be admitted that the principle requires to be rationally understood. If a society claims to occupy a large area which it does not really cover, it is perhaps a straining of the principle to claim that no other agency shall be introduced; furthermore, all modern experience goes to show the unspeakable importance of strong centers. A mission which claims a smaller area, but works it thoroughly and with strong centers, is likely to have a greater effect on the country than a weaker mission spread over a larger area; so that the principle must not be understood as any excuse or justification for weak missions.. But the chief modifications of the principle are; (1) the following up of converts when they move to another district, (2) the exemption of capitals from the operation of the general principle, and (3) the taking over of missions under extraordinary circumstances.
(l.) Just as we follow up our own people in the Continent of Europe, and provide spiritual ministrations for them without attempting to proselytize those who belong to other Christian bodies, so we must preserve full liberty to follow up those who have left Church of England missions if they move into districts where they are deprived of ministrations which they have learned to value. But such following of converts would not justify any attempt to weaken any existing mission, or to occupy ground which such mission was bona .fide covering. There is all the difference in the world between caring for your own sheep and stealing other people's.
(2.) As a rule the capitals of countries or provinces are large and populous cities, and there is room for a variety of agencies without friction. In the capitals with which I am acquainted the various missions occupy different quarters of the city and do not attempt to interfere with each other's work, and therefore the general principle is really being maintained, for tho the missions are working in the same city, they are not really occupying the same area. If a missionary agency be legitimate in any country, we must not complain if it seeks to be represented at the capibJ, with which every part of the country has a necessary connection. Christian courtesy and good feeling will prevent this joint representation at the capital from injuring by rivalries and divisions the advance of Christianity.
(3.) The remaining modification involves immense responsibility, and will be, I hope, of rare occurrence. But I can not forbear illnstrating it from two cases with which I was made familiar during my short residence in India more than twenty years ago. Bishop Milman, then Bishop of Calcutta, received into the Church of England, after long and anxious inquiry, a considerable body of missionaries and converts in Chota Nagpur, in Western Bengal, previously connected with the German Evangelical Lutheran Mission establisht by Pastor Gossner, and a smaller body of Karens in what was then the extreme border of British Burma, who had previously been connected with the American Baptists. In both cases I believe the reception to have been absolutely justifiable and even necessary. Pastor Gossner himself askt the Church of England to take over his mission. The strong and unalterable determination of some of
MISSIONARY DIGEST DEPARTMENT
the oldest and most experienced missionaries, supported by a large body of the converts, to join the Church of England, was represented to the bishop, who was advised to consent to their request by the entire English community in the district, and by the German committee which had been formed in Calcutta to help the mission. After long and patient deliberation and delay, the bishop yielded to the request made to him, and the outcome has been one of the most interesting missions of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, now an independent diocese with a bishop of its own. The result has abundantly justified the action taken. It has led to a greater missionary activity in the whole district, and the friction which was almost inevitable at first has given way to kindly feeling and Inany an act of brotherly recognition. The other case was somewhat different. The wife of an experienced American Baptist missionary 'exercised an extraordinary influence over the Karens in her husband's district., and was determined to bring them over to the Church of England. It was only when many of these Karens were lapsing into heathenism, because their request for a union with the Church of England was not granted, that at last the bishop took over the mission.
In reference to the Church of Rome I can only quote the language of the Bishop of Lahore, who said in 1894 : "I affirm, with a wide experience of North India and Burma, that I have never met with a direct and organized attempt to gather in the heathen on the part of that church save where the seed had been first sown by others and they had begun to enter into the fruit of their own labors. Instances of such intervention on the part of the Church of Rome may be found among the Karens in Burma, among the Chols at Chota Nagpur, in the Nadiya missions of the Church Missionary Society in Bengal, and in the missions of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel to the south of Calcutta. No modus vivendi is possible as between herself and other communions. We must confine ourselves to a protest against what seems to us a marauding policy, taking care, I should add, to establish our own people in those true Catholic principle" which are the best safeguard when the assaults and intrigues of Rome have to be met."
This is a melancholy statement, made by a singularly qualified observer, but two wrongs do not make one right, and no marauding policy should tempt us to forget our own duty to evangelize the heathen and to make reprisals.
THE SPHERE OF DISCIPLINE.
The right time for the administration of baptism has exercised the minds of many missionaries, but there are scarcely two opinions among the general body of Indian missionaries as to the recklessness with which, in certain cases, this sacrament was administered. I need hardly point out the great advantage to the whole Christian body which would result from some nearer agreement upon this important matter.
Then, again, the greatest caution should be, and usually is, exercised in receiving converts from one mission to another. It may be found that a man was censured or punisht for some moral offense, and the moral sense of the whole Christian community would be outraged if another mission were to condone the offense and receive the offender with open arms. Missionary comity certainly involves the respecting discipline exercised by other missions, and upholding it if it be morally just. The questions which arise, perhaps more especially in cases involving mar-
CHILD MARRIAGlil AND WIDOWIWOD 1N' lNDIA
riage and breaches of the seventh commandment, are frequently so difficult and perplexing that serious differences between Christian bodies in dealing with them would retard the advance of the Kingdom of Christ.
After all, the main thing to care for is the doctrinal basis. When men agree in love for a common Lord, and can thank Him for admission to His Kingdom on earth, and trust Him for the time to come, it is certain that this community of faith will find expression in ways which scarcely need to be classified as tho else it would cease to exist. If they do not love" one Lord," no unity of ecclesiastical organization will ever really bring them together. If they do love" one Lord," no differences of organization can really keep them permanently apart. The man who feels strongly the truth of his own convictions is just the man who can afford to be tolerant in dealing with others, and the English Churchman who realizes that about four-fifths of the results of foreign missions outside those of the Church of Rome are due to other Christian bodies than his own, will gladly recognize the fruits of the Spirit in the labors of others throughout the world, and without abating one iota of what he holds and teaches as trne, will see the wisdom of the< resolution past by the bishops at the recent Lambeth Conference: "That in the foreign mission-field of the church's work, where signal spiritual blessings have attended the labor of Christian missionaries not connected with the Anglican communion, a special obligation has arisen to avoid, as far as possible without compromise of principle, whatever tends to prevent the due growth and manifestation of that' unity of the Spirit,' which should ever mark the Church of Christ."
CHILD MARRIAGE AND WIDOWHOOD IN INDIA.* BY REV. JAMES S. DENNIS, D.D.
Child marriage is in defiance of a law of nature at once beneficent and supreme. Its evils are multiform and deplorable. It is physically injurious, morally deleterious, mentally weakening, destructive of family dignity, productive of enfeebled offspring, increases the probability of early widowhood, provokes the curse of poverty, and tends to rapid overpopulation. The testimony of native Indians of education and independent judgment (especially medical men), is clear and emphatic as to its sad and dangerous tendencies. The population of India is largely the children of children, and as marriage is contracted with little or no regard to the ability of the husband to support the family, this is one secret of the terrible and grinding poverty of the country. National vigor in many sections of the great peninsula has suffered a notable decline, owing to the constant stream of infant life born of immaturity, and called to struggle with unsanitary conditions and blighting disease.
The census of 1891 reports 17,928,640 girls in India between the ages of five and nine. Of this number, 2,201,404 were already married and 64,040 were widows. The report further shows that there were 12,168,592 girls between the ages of ten and fourteen, and of this number 6,016,759 were married and 174,532 were wIdows. In 1892, out of 971,500 married women, 11,157 had been married at or before the age of four years, and 180,997 between the ages of five and nine, showing one out of every five of the * From" Christian Missions and Social Progress." Publisht by Fleming H. Revell Co., New York, by whose courtesy we also reproduce the accompanying illustrations.
MISSIO~ARY DlGER'!' DEPARTMENT
wives was married under the agfl of nine. There were in the provinces at that time 23,000 child widows bfllow the age of fourteen. The total of married childran in all India under five years of age is as follows: Boys, 108,000; girls, 285,000. The total of widowed children under five years of age is: Boys, 7,000, and girls, 14,000. * The discussion of the Indian sacred books, as to the marriageable age of girls, are not fit for quotation. They are part of the prurient vulgarity of Hinduism in its treatment of women. The reason usually assigned for infant marriage is that it is essential to the peace of a man's soul after death that he should have children who can duly perform his funeral rites, and that early marriages increase the probability of offspring, and on this account are to be commended. It is also argued that the custom tends to morality, and that it is justified in India for physical reasons. The arguments that early marriages are required in the interests of morality, and are justified by the early develop- ment of Indian girls, are not sus- tained by facts. On the contrary, the custom is a dangerous stimulus to immorality, and quickens, to an unnatural precocity, the relation of the sexes. It is, moreover, denied by competent authority that cli- matic conditions in India are to the extent claimed responsible for early maturity. The pernicious customs of the country, as regards rr:arriage, have unbalanced nature, and prematurely forced the physical and mental growth of Indian chil- dren of both sexes.
The physical sufferings induced by early marriage form a shocking CHILD MARRIAGE IN INDIA. indictnlent against a cruel custom.
In a recent memorial, signed by fifty-five lady doctors, petitioning the Indian Governm.ent on the subject of child marriage, and forwarded by Mrs. Dr. Mansell, of Lucknow, to the governor-general, a strong appeal, based on medical experience, was pre- sented, urging that fourteen years be the minimum age for the consum- mation of marriage. The appeal is sustained by most pitiful facts, drawn from medical experience, as to the physical cruelties attending the prev- alent custom of infant marriage. According to what is known as the "Native Marriage Act" of 1872, forced marriages are prohibited under the age of eighteen for men and fourteen for women, while the written consent of parents or guardians is required when either party is under twenty-one. This, at first sight, seems to be valuable legislation, but as * The average age of marriage for g iarglse.amNoenagrlythaen Brahmans is between six and seven. married before seven years of are married before ten. Even babes Some are are often married as soon as they are born. Twelve seems to be the limit of age, beyond which it is a disgrace for the girl not to be married, and a sin for the father not to have found her a husblllld.
CHILD MARRIAGE AND WIDOWHOOD IN INDIA
the law remains a dead letter unless its protection is sought, it practically has little effect as a remedy for existing evils. According to the penal code of India, the minimum age for the consummation of marriage, so far as Hindus are concerned, was, until quite recently, ten years. It has now been raised to twelve by an act which became law on March 19, 1891. The significance of this is that it is regarded as a crime to consummate the marriage earlier than twelve years of age, but owing to the supreme difficulty of prosecution, and the many embarrassments attending it, the infraction of the law is rarely brought to book. As the limitation of ten years is often disregarded, so in all likelihood that of twelve years will be observed even to a less extent. * There is at the present time much agitation for new Indian legislation upon this burning subject. Another point upon which reform legislation is needed is to secure THE AMERICAN BAPTIST BOARDING-SCHOOL FOR GIRLS AT ONGOLE.
the non-recognition, on the part of the British, of the binding validity of infant marriage. It should be regarded in the light of a betrothal until bona .fide marriage relations are establisht.
Child widowhood is a natural result of child marriage, and the evil is greatly enhanced by the uncompromising prohibition of remarriage in India. According to the social and religious standards of India, woman is regarded as still bound to do reverence even to a dead husband, and his dominion is considered as lasting during her life, even tho he has ceast to live. This idea was carried to such an extreme that, until recently, the widow was bound to self-destruction, in order that she * The Parsees have secured for themselves, by special legislation in their interest, the age of fourteen, as also have the Brahmos (members of reform societies, like the Brahmo–Somaj. and others) at their own request. The Kulin Brahmans, however, seem to break all rules with their barbarous customs. It is not unusual for individual members of this marrying syndicate to have from fifty to seventy-five girl wives scattered ahout the country, so that when the much-married husband dies, it brings the social miseries and sorrows of widowhood upon a large circle of helpless victims.
MISSIONARY DIGEST DEPARTMENT
might continue to be his wife and engage in his service in the life beyond.* The prohibition of remarriage was lifted by what is known in British Indian legislation as the" 'Vidow Marriage Act," past by Lord Canning in 1856. The force of this act is that it simply removes the legal obsta- cles to remarriage on the part of the widow, but at the same time it requires her, in case of remarriage, to forfeit all property which she has inherited from her husband. This law has been modified by a special enactment in the case of native Christians and the theistic reform sects of India, but it is still in force so far as the entire Hindu population is concerned. It is in reality, however, a dead letter, as the Hindus regard it with abhorrence, and have not mitigated in the least their strenuous opposition to the remarriage of the widow. Thirty years after its enact- ment only about sixty remarriages are reported in all India. It was a generation or more in advance of native opinion, which, however, at the present time is beginning to agitate for larger liberty in the matter. As the case stands now, the loss of property on the part of the widow is not the only penalty attending her remarriage; both she and her husband are ruled out of caste, and must suffer social ostracism in its most intense and virulent form.
The condition of the Hindu widow is, almost without exception, a lamentable one. The chief features which make her fate a hard one, especially if she is widowed in childhood, are that she is immediately obliged to shave her head, is forcibly deprived of her jewels and ordinary clothing, and made to wear for the rest of her life a distinctive garb, which is a badge of humiliation. She is allowed to eat only once in twenty-four hours, and every two weeks is required to observe a strict fast, omitting even the one meal. It has been decreed, however, by the highest religions court of Hinduism, that if, acting on medical advice, the widow on these fast days should drink a little water the offense should be condoned. ,Her person is forever held in contempt, and even her touch may be considered pollution. Her widowhood is regarded as an affliction brought upon her in punishment for heinous sin in a previous state of existence. If it comes upon her in childhood she must grow to years of maturity with the painful consciousness of her isolation and unhappy ostracism shadowing the early years of her life. She is forever an object of suspicion, and is lookt upon as capable of all evil. She is the victim of special temptations, and is often driven to a life of shame through sheer self-loathing and despair.t According to the census of 1881, there were in India at that time 20,938,626 widows. The census of 1891 reports 22,657,429, but as this report was given with reference only to 262,300,000 out of a total population of 287,223,431, if the same proportion holds, the total number in all India would not be less than 25,000,000. Nearly every fifth woman in India is a widow. This large percentage may be traced directly to the custom of early marriages, and the stringent prohibition of remarriage.
* The agitation for the abolition of this custom, the Satt or Suttee, was begun by Wm.
Carey in 180l. t It should not be understood that all widows are invariably treated with the same degree of severity and contempt throughout all India. The treatment shown them varies in different castes, and even in different families. It may, of course, be mitigated by the personal kindness and consideration of their immediate circle, and it may be, on the other hand, intensified by fanaticism. In the Punjab, and especially in Bengal, the worst features of a widow's sad lot are prevalent. In other parts of India she may be treated with far less personal contumely, but the main features of isolation, suspicion, distinctive dress, cruel restrictions, and prohibition of marriage prevail everywhere.
'rHE SEcRET OF 'MISSIONARY EN'rHUS·IAsM
THE SECRET OF MISSIONARY ENTHUSIASM.* If there is a decadence in missionary interest in the Church of Christ, the cause for it is not to be found in the reasons alleged against missions. All the arguments ever brought in our time against foreign missions were brought against them in Paul's time, and with much more ground then than now; but they had not the least effect of dampening Paul's missionary ardor or checking his missionary activities. It is easy to reproduce those stock arguments which history has answered. They ran something like this: The Greeks and Romans have their own religion, quite good enough for such as they; the religion of Hebraism is only for the Hebrews. The churches founded in pagan lands remain pagan churches with but a Christian name. Paul himself has to confess that incest and drunkenness are practist in the Corinthian church: to exhort the Ephesians not to steal; to warn the Colossians against" uncleanness, inordinate affection, concupiscence, and coveteousness," and to urge them not to lie to one another. As to the Galatians, they fell from grace as soon as he left them. The native missionaries and helpers are a sad lot: and even their higher officials have need to be counseled against polygamy, intemperance, and acts of violence. If this is the sort of Christians foreign missions make, the converts might as well have remained pagans. The missionaries themselves are not of much character. Paul, chief of them all, is without authority; he iii no apostle; is a heretic: and travels about the country taking up collections, for what he can make out of his profession. Moreover, Christianity has not yet converted Palestine. Christianity is a very minor sect even in its home. It will be time enough to talk about converting Rome when we have converted Jerusalem. Religion, like charity, begins at home. Finally, there are neither men nor money for any sueh chimerical ambition. The churehes are poor; ean not afford to build meeting-houses for themselves or pay salaries to their own preaehers. It is erazy, under such eircumstanees, to start out to eonvert the pagan world to Christ.
Sueh arguments produeed no effeet on Paul.. The ground of his missionary purpose did not lie in reason, and from his purpose he eould not be turned aside by reasons. He had a vision of Christ as a risen Lord and a world Messiah: he had a hope for the world because of that vision: and a love for his fellow-men that made him debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians. Wherever there is this enthusiasm for Christ, there will be a missionary enthusiasm: wherever that enthusiasm is lacking, missionary service will be perfunctory, contributions will be small, and excuses plentiful.
The answer to all cynical and worldly-wise arguments against foreign missions is the answer of a divinely nourisht enthusiasm. It is something like this: We have seen the Christ, and do see Him. He is no remote, shadowy, historical figure. He is a living presence. His visible, historical life gives definiteness to this invisible, mystical one: his invisible, mystical life gives reality and permanenee to this visible and historical one. He is our captain and leader and example in all self-sacrificing labors for others. Wherever He dares lead we dare follow. You have no such leader? Then perhaps it were too much to ask you to follow with us who • CODdeDst from The Outlook.
MISSIONARY DIGEST DJ<]PARTMENT
follow Him? Our hope does not rest on history; Paul had no history, and he had the hope. But that hope is confirmed by history. '11e are oursel yes the children of foreign missions. Foreign missionaries from Rome brought Christianity to England, and England sent it across the sea in Huguenot and Pilgrim to America. What it has done for us we believe it can do for others. But our belief in what it can do does not rest alone on what it has done for us. Our trust is not in it, but in Him. Christianity is Christ; it is the po}Ver of 11 new life, the life of God in the soul of man, defined in the Christ, made available in the Christ. '1'0 one believing in this power nothing seems impossible.
This vision of the Christ has wrought a revolution in our love and in our hopes. It has broken down all division walls. There are no strangers nor foreigners; we are all fellow-citizens in God's household. The negro has divine possibilities no less than the white man, the Hindu no less than the Caucasian.
The Christian enthusiast and cynical critic do not and probably can not understand one another. It is certain that the worldly-wise cynic will not be convinced by worldly-wise arguments-and he can understand no other. If the Church is to be a Foreign Missionary Church, it is not so much the reason which needs to be convinced as the life to be revived. If we would have a Pauline missionary spirit in the churches, they must have a Pauline vision, a Pauline hope, and a Pauline love. The church, the minister, or the Christian that has no foreign missionary interest lacks either the vision of Christ, the hope for humanity in Christ, or the love of all humanity as those for whom Christ died.
HOW MISSIONARY MONEY IS SPENT.
Complaints have come from some quarters, which for the most part have been prompted by ignorance, because of the alleged waste of money given to missions through expensive administration. One elder in a prominent church went so far as to say that giving to missions reminded him of the farmer who tried to save labor by stretching wooden troughs from taps in maple trees to receptacles for the sap some dIstance away, but who found that it took so much sap to moisten the troughs that little reacht the tanks. " So," said the elder, "it takes so much money to carryon the administration that very little reaches the heathen." He was silenced, however, when the facts as to the true proportions of expenditure were made known to him. These facts may be easily discovered from the annual reports issued by each of the mission boards.
The JJfissionary Herald, organ of the American Board of COIllmissioners for Foreign Missions, makes the following interesting statement as to the proportionate distribution of money contributed for work under their direction: In any organization, properly conducted, it is easy to tell where the money goes so that contributors can judge as to the wisdom of the expenditures and the economy of administration. Vere people to examine annual reports such absurd statements as the one sometimes made, that it takes a dollar to send a dollar to the heathen, wonld be silenced forever. Dense ignorance rather than malice, charity must lead us to hope, prompts to such a wild utterance as this. The exact truth is that ninety-two and a half per cent. of all the receipts of the Board go
J HOW MISSIONARY MONEY IS SPENT
directly to missions abroad, while the remaining seven and one-half per cent. are needed to cover all cost of collecting and tran'mitting funds, including agencies, correspondence, publications of all sorts, and all salaries in every department.
We believe that few business enterprises in our own land, whether conducted by individuals or corporations, can make a better showing as to the cost of administration than this, and when it is remembered that the business stretches over not only the greater portion of the United States, but that it is conducted in twenty distant missions in as many different sections of the wlde world, thus involving, of course, extra cost, the percentage will be seen to be remarkably low. The total expenditure for the year 1896-97 was $688,414.20, each one hundred dol- lars being distributed in the following proportion: For the three missions in Africa: 'Vest Central ($1.82), East Central ($1.20), and Zulu ($3.71) ……………………… $6.73 For the Turkish missions: European Turkey ($5.20), Western Turkey ($16.10), Central Turkey ($.'3.32), and Eastern Turkey ($6.90) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 31.52 }1-'or two Indian and Ceylon missions: Marathi ($7.91), Madura ($7.73), Ceylon ($1.47) ………………………………. 17.11 For the four China missions: Foochow ($3.66), ~'outh China (.86), North China ($8.20), and Shansi ($1.34) ………….. 14.06 For the Japan Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 10.40 For the Sandwich Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 For Micronesia and the lYforrving Star. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.63 For the three missions in Papal lands: Mexico ($2.26), Spain ($2.26), and Austria ($1.61) ……… …. …. .. ….. . .. …. 6.13 Amount used &irectly for the missions. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $92.46 For agencies in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, with 2.23 expenses of missionaries and others in visiting churches, 1. 44 associations, etc………………………………….. For publications of all kinds, periodicals, reports, sketches, 3.87 7.54 lUaps, tracts, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . For salaries of officers and clerks in the secretarial and treasury departments, postage, rent, and all other items coming under expenses of administration… …… .. . . ..
Amount used for home expenditures….. .. .. .. .. .. …… .. .
$100.00 In examining the Insurance Department reports of more than a score of the principal life insurance companies of the United States for 1890, it appears that only two of them can report that the ratio of " management expenses" to incOlne is less than 12 pel' cent. In Inost cases the expenses have been from 16 to 20 pel' cent., some of them even higher. The lowest of them all is 10.55 pel' cent., and this fact is commented upon as indicating great care and economy in management. No intelligent person who considers what is required for the scattering of information, the collection of funds, and for the correspondence involved in the sending out and maintaining 543 missionaries in foreign lands, can deem the expenditure of 7.54 pel' cent. of income for" administration" as other than very moderate. It is surely an occasion for rejoicing that so large a portion as 92.46 p8r cent. can go directly to the support of the missionaries anci the work in the field. It should be borne in mind, moreover, that shculd the receipts of the Board increase to a million dollars annually, as they ought to, the cost of administration would he increast but slightly, and the percentage of expenditure in that department would he materially reduced.
lNTERNAT10NAL DEPARTMENT
IlI.-INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
EDITED AND CONDUCTED BY REV. J. T. GRACEY, D.D.
The Sixth Conference of Officers of the form, is very doubtful. But this Officers' Conference has, for two or Foreign Mission Boards. three years, been at great pains to It would require far more space· try to get a form the text of which than is at our disposal to make a would mean the same in the several proper summary of the items of mission fields, and which would pre- special interest to administrators vent duplication in the several col- of foreign missionary societies, and umns of each specific field. They of those of interest to the average have wrought out a formula which missionary worker, which were to at least the American societies have be found in the Sixth Annual Meet- consented to try to work to, and ing of the Missionary Officers in will still further endeavor to make New York, January 11-13. the basis of a classification of The proceedings of the Confer- missionary work in all the world, ence presumably will be publisht, at the Ecumenical Conference of as were those of the five preceding nineteen hundred. Even with the conferences, but they can not be adoption of this form of blank, there printed in any such numbers as to will be large discrepancy between admit of general circulation, tho this and the several ecclesiastical some of the papers perhaps will forms of blanks, which it would find wide reading. Most of these seem would be almost impossible papers were in the form of reports to overcome. :rake, for instance, from committees, which had been the definition of what is to be in- appointed at the previous sessions, cluded in " Adherents," as compris- to gather data and formulate sug- ing all "communicants, baptized gestions on methods and policies. children, inquirers under instruc- Some of these reports evidenced a tion, or received on probation, and great deal of tedious and pains- regular church attendance." The taking work. That of Dr. S. W. requisition that all salaries, contri- Duncan, Secretary of the American butions, and society grants should Baptist Missionary Union, on be stated in native currency, will "Uniform Statistical Blanks," fur- require that for a total classifica- nishes one illustration. If there tion we must translate rupees and . is any sin, as in the case of David, taels and lires, etc., into a common in the compiling of statistics, the factor, and in silver countries, like different processes of reporting by Mexico and Argentina, would gree,t- the different missionary organiza- ly augment the apparent contri~u tions of the world would seem to tions. The suggestion to divide the furnish obstacles enough to indi- salary of a preacher also engaged cate a providential disability for in teaching, in a given ratio, while that sort of offense. A more verit- it is well intended, points to com- able Babel, to change the figure, plications difficult to .surmount.
could scarcely be invented, were the These, however, are found in ap- primary object to prevent these pended notes, intended to define societies from understanding each how to fill the blanks. The Scotch other's vernacular. Whether any peasant woman told Scott that she general classification, beyond the understood Pilgrim's Progress all most elementary features, is pOl'si- but his notes. The blanks them- ble in reporting returns in tabulated selves seem remarkably lucid and as practicable as any that could In the discm'lsion which followed perhaps be prospectively wrought the reading of this paper, Mr. John out, and if generally adopted, will R. MGtt was called on to explain have an educational effect in the the motto of the movement, "The classification of labor and results. Evangelization of the 'Vorld in this Generation." He stated that they The report of Dr.W. R. Lambuth, anticipated giving attention to this D.D., Secretary of the Southern motto at their coming convention Methodist Episcopal Missionary So- in Cleveland, but that meanwhile ciety, on "SelfSupport," contained he would say it did not mean the not only a good deal of informa- conversion of the world, nor its tion, but of suggestion, the term Christianization, nor its civiliza- self-support being chiefly applied tion, nor the minimizing of any to the support of pastors. The educational, medical, or any other writer pointed out that it was far missionary agencies, nor was it inmore easy to get native contribu- tended to formulate a prophecy as tions for occasional objects, such to the period in which the evangelias the department of buildings, zation of the world might take than to secure the support of pas- place. It was to kindle enthusiasm tors, which requires the steady in carrying the knowledge of Christ strain of protracted and systematic as an only Savior to every person contributions. Twenty-four boards in heathen countries very speedily, in Japan have resolved that no new and to impress upon the churches church should be recognized unless that this was possible to them. there was provision for the support of its pastor,and have adopted much The only other report necessary the same line as that operated suc- to mention was that on the Ecucessfully for so many years by Dr. menical Mis8'ionary Conference, Nevius in Shantung for the secur- presented by Rev. Judson Smith, ing of self-support from the start. D.D., Secretary of the American Dr. D. S. Spencer, of the Methodist Board, an abstract of which will be mission in Japan, was quoted as found elsewhere. calling attention to the fact that most of the Japanese Christians In connection with the report of were from the Samurai class, and the" Committee of General Referthat there had been a great rise in ence," there was an interesting disthe cost of living, making it in- ClIssion of the subject of Miswioncreasingly difficult to press selfsupport. He thought also that ary Comity and cooperation. At-i there had been a lack of coopera- tention was called to the fact that tion between the home and foreign there are in Asia to-day probably authorities to secure the best results. His own mission, however, i not less than 2,000,000 villages, of I. was encouraged by the advance of total native contributions from which only about one-tenth are $1,378 in 1884 to $17,000 in 1896. now occupied by Christian mission- 11 Rev. C. H. Daniels, D.D., of the American Board, reporting on Stu- t aries. This leaves 1,800,000 towns .~ dent Volunteers and candidates for missionary service, stated that the and villages yet to be entered-for Student Volunteer movement had the most part virgin soil in which increast its contributions for the to sow the Gospel seed. It was sugsupport of missionaries from five gested that missionary boards at j thousand to forty thousand dollars. least agree to unite in their work of higher education, medical work, and in other ways seek to economize expenditure of money and effort.
Four able and admirable papers were read. H. K. Carroll, LL.D., of the Methodist Episcopal Board, discust "The Relation of Editors of China, and that there was a grand Religious Journals to Foreign Mis- opportunity for preaching the sions." Rev. ,John Gillespie, D.D., Gospel in Korea. Secretary of the Presbyterian Board, discust "The Pastor and Committees were appointed to Foreign Missions." Rev. H. T. report at the session next year on McEwen, D.D., pastor of the Four- the following subjects:* The Ecu- teenth Street Presbyterian Church, menical Council (Dr. Judson Smith, New York City, read a paper on Chairman); Self-support (Dr. W. R. "The Development and Direction of Lambuth); Comity (Dr. S. ·W. Young People's Societies in Rela- Duncan); The Relation of Govern- tion to Foreign Missions," and Rev. ments to Missions (Dr. A. B. VV. T. Smith, D.D., Secretary of the Leonard); The Treasury (Dr. Am- Methodist Board, presented one on merman); and Special Object Giv- "The Element of Enthusiasm in ing (Dr. A. J. Brown). Foreign Missions." The lYoman's Bom'ds of Foreign An interesting series of addresses Missions in the United States and on observations in the foreign field Canada were holding their second were given at the closing session annual conference in the Madi- by Dr. Leonard, Secretary of the son Avenue Methodist Episcopal Methodist Episcopal Missionary Church, and, by invitation,met with Board, Mr. Robert E. Speer, Secre- the Officers' Conference in a joint tary of the Presbyterian Board, session one afternoon for the conand Dr. Bell of the United Brethren. sideration of organization, adminis- Mr. Speer spoke with especial force tration, and work of the woman's upon the problems to be met and foreign missionary societies. Specidealt with upon the foreign field. ally prepared papers were read, for Education should be thorough, it the Methodist Episcopal Woman's should be Christian, and it should Board, by Mrs. J. T. Gracey; Presbe wholly adapted to the pupils byterian, by Mrs. A. S. Schauffier; and the work they are fitted to do. Congregational, Miss E. Harriet Self-support is a problem not yet Stanwood; Baptist, Miss Sarah C. solved and needing patient and per- Durfee. The great variety in the sistent treatment. Weare ever in organization of the several societies, danger of our basing our hopes of exhibited by these papers, did not success too rnuch on suitable rna- seem to affect either the zeal, the chinery and too little on the power spirituality, or the success of the and life which make it effective, of wOInen's societies, but the result depending too much on men and of their labor in raising money was money, and too little on God and the despair of the regular boards. the Holy Spirit. Mr. Speerexprest Two things were by common conthe opinion that there was need of sent acknowledged factors in their more attention to evangelistic work phenomenal success: the patient proper, that there was a tendency and systematic collection of small to erect too many institutions, that contributions, and their thorough there was room for greater econ- and regular dissemination of misomy in the distribution of the mis- sionary intelligence. In these resionary force and for more comity spects it is conceded they are far in in hospitals, education, uniform advance of the pastors and of the scales of salaries for native helpers regular operations of the boards and division of territory. In con- and the churches. clusion he observed that not much could be hoped from the literati of The vVoman's Conference con- * We expect to publish papers on these themes during this year. vened for its first session in section- foreign missionary work during this al meetings, the treasurers holding century, and to set in clear order a session apart, the secretaries also; the present state of this work in those who engaged in young peo- the varied fields of missionary work ple's work, again, those in charge occupied by the churches of Prot- of missionary literature by them- estant Chrii'tendom. Every evan- selves, each preparing questions in gelical Protestant foreign mission- their respective departments to be ary organization in the world, so far considered at the following sessions as known, is invited to be represent- of the Conference. Mrs.H. G. Saf- ed in the Conference, and to share in ford, of the Baptist Board, read a its deliberations. The substantial suggestive paper on "How to Se- unity of Protestant Christendom cure and Train Foreign Missionary will thus be exprest and confirmed Workers." Mrs. G. A. Whiston, of in a most striking way. the Methodist Church of NovaSco- tia, presented a paper on "How "The Conference is to be devoted Can We Aid Missionaries to Greater primarily to a review of the work Efficiency in their Work?" Mrs. of Protestant missions throughout Joseph Cook discust in her paper the world for the century just clos- "Do Protestant Missions Encour- ing, with a summing up of results, age Good Citizenship?" Miss Ab- a study of methods and principles bie B. Childs, of the Congregational approved by long experience on Board, presented a report of the many fields, and a comprehensive World's Missionary Committee, outlook upon the future. What, which was created by the London within this century, have Christian Missionary Conference of 1888, to missions in the foreign field atcontinue till the next Ecumenical tempted? 'Vhere have they been Conference. True to the purposes planted? How have they been prosof the Conference, each of the ecuted? 'Vhat have they accompapers was followed by discussion, plisht ? How can they be made in addition to which a Question more effective? What remains yet Hour was held at each of two ses- to be done? Home missions, imsions. portant as all must regard them, do not come into consideration in World's Missionary Conference in 1900.. this gathering. The subject of Foreign Missions is large enough, It is already becoming widely varied enough, includes questions known that it is proposed to hold specifically appropriate to it, sufan "Ecumenical Missionary Con- ficient in number aud importance ference" in the City of New York to demand the exclusive attention April 20-30, 1900, similar to those of the body of men and women who held in Liverpool in 1860, and in are to gather in 1900, and the ef- Mildmay, London, in 1878, and in fectiveness of the occasion is de- London in 1888. pendent on confining time and dis- cussion to this one vast field of From the paper presented by Rev. Christian service. It is not a meet- Judson Smith, D.D., Secretary of ing designed especially for laborers the American Board, as the report from the foreign field, where each of the standing committee of the is to recite his story, or tell his ex- Missionary Officers' International perience, or point his lesson. Mis- Conference, on this subject, we pre- sionaries are to be invited; they sent the following extract; will be askt to discuss theme's ap- propriate to the great objects of "The proposed Conference is in- the Conference; their weighty testended to sum up the progress of timony will be given on many for the encouragement of all Chrispoints; but they will form only a tian people, and in order to a right part of the body. Neither is it a impression in the world at large, mass-meeting on foreign mission- the evidence of this happy growth ary themes, where each man gives and animating outlook, this assurdirection to what is said and done, ance of the unfailing strength and according to his personal wish or certain victory of the Gospel, should power of utterance, and where a be carefully gathered, set in clear free platform is offered to anyone order, and put on permanent who desires to be heard. The for- record. Nothing in Christian apoleign missionary societies of Protes- ogetics could well have greater tant Christendom, by their ap- power. pointed delegates, are the constituent elements of the Conference; "Three grand groups of subjects and the comprehensive study of the must naturally occupy the larger great agencies by which the une- part of the sessions of the Confervangelized world is to be made the ence. The first will include the diskingdom of God is its one great cussion of all questions bearing theme. upon the principles and methods of foreign missionary operations, such " It would seem like a grave omis- as the development bf native sion were this century, so markt by churches, training of native conthe development of the foreign mis- verts for Christian work, mission sionary enterprise, to close without schools, medical work, the training an occasion of this sort, in which of missionaries at home, missionary those most actively engaged in this comity, and the attitude of miswork may come together to survey sionaries toward particular probthe whole field, communicate their lems on the foreign field. The varied experience, and sum up re- second group of subjects will deal sults and set themselves in close with the present state of missionarray and deeper harmony of spirit ary work under the different and aim for the great work remain- Boards in all the varied fields of ing ere the world be won to our the world, with a review of prog- Lord. Probably in no equal period ress made, embarrassments. exof time has such markt advance perienced, and special opportunibeen made in the evangelization of ties now presented. The third the world as we have witnest group will touch the wider aspeets since the close of the great Confer- of the missionary enterprise, and ence in London of 1888, whether we will afford opportunity for meetconsider the number of communi- ings of a more general character, cants added to mission churches, or designed mainly to increase intellithe circulation of the Scriptures in gence in regard to missionary afthe vernacular, or the development fairs, and to awake a popular interof Christian schools, or the growth est in them. of self-support in native communities, or the quality and extent of "Responses have already begun the influence exerted by the Gospel to arrive in large numbers from in mission lands. The rate of prog- America and from Great Britain, ress denoted by statistics is most all of them welcoming the anstriking; the indications of this nouncement of the Conference and progress in facts of many kinds not expressing the purpose of being capable of expression in statistical duly represented and of readiness tables are even more markt and in- to aid in any way possible to make spiring. For the sake of the truth, the occasion one of the greatest; interest and value." The Lutheran Mission in Liberia.- short interval, four others were Rev. David A. Day, D. D. sent to fill the places of those who had perisht, and in a few years the J. T. G. whole of them were also stricken down by death. Dr. Cust quotes the remark of a bishop that "a great part of the In 1795 the Baptists sent two mistime of the wise is wasted in trying sionaries to Sierra Leone, but the to control or remedy the effects of ill health of one was a prominent the unwisdom of the good." When cause of the abandonment of the one turns to the record of the mission before anything was done. " holy army of martyrs" in West Africa, he can scarcely avoid ask- In 1797 the Scotch, Glasgow, and ing how far "the unwisdom" of London Missionary societies eszealously good people is responsible sayed to do Christian work on the Bullom Shore, in the Rio Pongas for what sometimes seems a massa- and the Susa country, but by reason cre of good men and women. of the murder of one and the failure of the health of the rest, the entire The Moravian brethren, first on enterprise was given up, adding the West Coast of Africa, as they another to the disheartening failhave so often been first elsewhere, ures to redeem Africa. in 1736 sent out two missionaries to labor on the Gold Coast, one of In 1827 the Basle Missionary Sowhom died presently after his ar- ciety, fired with astonishing zeal, rival. Two years later, five others, had the daring and the devotion to true to the military spirit which endeavor once more to found amiswould fill the broken ranks with sion station at Christianberg, where increast force, went to the same thirty years before the Moravians field under the same auspices. had failed, and with like fortune; Three of them died soon after for nearly all, if not all, of the first reaching the country. After but a company fell victims to the climate, and two out of three sent four midst of these very associations, years later shared the sallie fate. lingering about these graves as the Between 1827 :md 1842 this Basle writer has done, that he should feel Society sent to the west coast of the luxury of the assurfLnce that Africa seventeen ministers, ten of there is yet profound conviction of whom died tdthin one year, l;WO Christian truth, and a noble spirit others in three years, and three re- of consecration in the bosom of the turned to their native country con- church? There is "ffLith on the firmed invalids. earth."
The operations of the Missionary The general synod of the Evan- Society of the Church of England gelical Lutheran Church in the in 'Vest Africa date hack to 1804. United States has a record which Two German missions then com- might be celebrated in some spirited menced a mission a. hundred miles ,poem like " The Charge of the from Sierra Leone, on the hanks of Light Brigade at Balaklava." Of the Rio Pongas. For eleven years eighteen missionaries sent out durthis church prest its work in that ing the past thirty-six years, six quarter; hut of fifteen miswionaries died within two years after reachwho entered the field at different ing the field, while eight returned times, se~'en found an early grave within three years with greatly within it. shattered health. The authorities say that instead of this intimidat- In the first twelve years of the ing others from going, "there has missionaryoperations of this church been a steady increase of those who in Sierra Leone, thirty missiona,ries stand refLdy to go into the African were removed by death. In '1852 service from the Lutheran Church the colonies cf Gambia, Sierr& J~e of AmericfL." That we rnay see a one, and the Gold Coast were erect- little more definitely what a mised into an EpiRcopal See of the sion to this" Vhite Man'S Grave- Church of England, and in less than yard," the other name for theWest si:c years thrcc bish ops (Ued at thei'r Coast of Africa; means, we p~esent posts, endeavoring to press the in- the following list of those who have terests of the Redeemer's cause in sereved and'fdlleri in this mission: this "White Man's Graveyard." . The vVesleyan Missio'nary So- Hev. M. Officer, arrived in April, ciety as early as 1876 had in their 1860; returned April, 1861. Rev. burial grounds at SierrfL Leone the H. Heigard, arrived in April, 1860; graves of more than forty mission- returned August, 1864. Miss Kilaries and their wives! patrick, subsequently Mrs. Hei- gard, joined the mission August, In the early efforts to found the 1860; returned October, 1863. ~ev. Christian church neal' Cape Mount, J. Kistler, arriyed in August, 1863; on the extrerne northern boundary returned, 1867. Mrs. Kistler, arrived of the Republic of LiberifL, several in July, 18M; died in 1866. Rev. J. missionaries found an early grave M. Rice, arrived in July, 1864; rein the land of thE'ir adoption. Neal' turned in 1865. ,Rev. S. P. Carnell, the southern terminus of the Li- arrived in )![arch, 1869; died in May, berifLn coast, at Cape Palmas, is 1870. Hev. J. G. Breuniger, arrived the hefLdquarters of the missi.ms in July, 1873; returned in 1874. .Mrs. of the Protestant Episcopal Church Breuniger, arrived in July, 1873; died of the United States, which had, in 1875. Rey. B. B. CoUins, arrived twenty years ago, giyen eighty in November, 1875; returned April, lives to the redemption of this land. 1876; Mrs. CoUins, arrived in No- vember,1875; died on return voyage 'Vho shall wonder then, in the face of this record, standing in the in April, 1876. Mr. Herman Voss, of Dr. and Mrs. Day in making this arrived in July, 1877; returned in Muhlenberg Mission what it has 1878. Rev. E. M. Hubler, arrived in been and is, one of the rnost suc- January, 1888; died October, 18E9. cessful missions in all Africa. Mrs. Hubler, arrived June, 1889; returned December, 1889. Mrs. Goll, No one who is familiar with the arrived in January, 1893; died February, 1893. REV. DAVID A. DAY, D.D.
And yet the Lutherans declare conditions of native life on the that "the location of the mission is 'Vest Coast of Africa can fail to as good as any that can be obtained appreciate the demand for properly along the W est Coast." One won- conducted industrial missions, and ders in the face of a roll of disabled it would be difficult to find a more and dead like that, how anything illustrious example of such an encan have been accomplisht. The terprise than t~lat which is afforded explanation is in the exceptional by the Lutheran Mission located at missionary. Of the first two of the Muhlenberg, on the St. Paul river, Moravian brethren ,ye have said thirty miles inland from Monrovia, one died soon after arrival, but the the capital of the Republic of Libeother lived to labor for thirty years. ria, which was establisht under the Bishop Payne of the Protestar::t "'ise supervision of Rev. Morris Episcopal Church also lived and Officer in 1860. The locality then labored here for more than thirty was dense forest. Roads had to be years, and many others have served cut, ground had to be cleared, and for a term equal to the average of buildings erected. The nucleus of home laborers. In this Lutheran the work was forty boys and girls Mission in Liberia we find the Rev. taken from a captive slave-ship, G. P. Gall, who has labored there formed into a school. Banana ::md since 1888. Dr. David A. Day, who coffee-trees were planted, the latter died in December last at sea, almost ·becoming the great industry·of the in sight of the home-land, en- rnission, and a source of revenue for tered the mission in 1874, and had its sustenance. The net result, thus a record of twenty-three years after large expenditures for the of most exceptional service. His current support of the work under wife, Emma V. Day, his faithful companion, who entered the rnis- HOME OF A NA'rIVE HELPER.
sion with him, died in 1895, having given twenty-one years of wise and rare service to this mission. It can readily be seen, therefore, what emphasis must be put on the work Dr. Day's superintendence, was, in mission, the remainder being con- 1895, in buildings, chapel, and work- sidered "reserve land," which is shops, $7,600; in machinery, tools, given to the mission-boys in ten oxen, and carts, $1,945; in mission acre lots when they attain the age farm and improvements, $1,000; in of twenty-one years. They are fifty thousand coffee trees at a dol- trained to plant coffee-trees upon lar and a quarter a piece, $62,500; these tracts, which are assigned making a grand total of $73,045, a to thern sonle years in advance large proportion of which must be of their majority, in order that credited to the profits which ac- they may get a start before leavcrued from the industry of the mis- ing the mission. Some of the regsion. In the year 1895 the mission ular employees of the mission are raised between four thousand and people from surrounding tribes, five thousand dollars' worth of cof- who are brought in contact with fee, which was exported to Amer- Christian civilization and hear the ica, having besides raised all the Gospel during their stay here. crops necessary for fqod for the Thus the influence of the mission mission, which has OO.e11 for some extends widely in many directions, years entirely self-sustaining. and non-Christian natives in the outlying districts are led to imitate The tract of land occupied by the the methods of the mission. The mission was originally granted by eminent services of Mrs. Day are the Reputlic of Liberia. It com- memorialized in "The Emma V. prises something like a thousand Day Memorial Industrial School acres lying on either side of the St. for Girls," and a hospital building Paul river, about two-thirds of also has been added. which is already occupied by the MRS. DAY'S SUNDAY-SCHOOL CLASS AT MUHLENBERG. Young People's Missionary Oongress. not to hear the call, help go ? To them is left the privilege of prayer, BY HEY. JAMES DOUGLAS, M.A. the privilege of raising funds. Let our help be systematic-work for An exceedingly interesting and some special mission or station. Let our help be from the highest inspiriting series of meetings has motives; not because we are askt, but because of our love to Christ, recently been held in various parts and love Illust be giving.
of London, under the auspices Mr. Wigney, the secretary, then read a paper on " The Aims of the of "the Young Christian's Mission- Y. C. M. U." It aims at a three- fold mission: missionary consecraary union." The Congress began tion, missionary organization, mis- on Saturday, Nov. 13, with a mis- sionary coalition. (1) Its chief pur- pose is not to collect money, not to sionary meeting in Devonshire produce the habit of prayer, not to Square church, Stoke Newington train and send out missionaries, but to foster in the young people Boad, N., when representatives of of the Church the character of missionary consecration, which he the Baptist Missionary and China translated as that yielding to our Inland societies were present and Lord's purposes which expands the heart's sympathy until it· takes in gave addresses. It was continued the whole world. This expands on Monday with a great meeting prayer and expands the purse.
for prayer in Christ Church, West- (2.) Hosts of Christians could and would help the cause of missions, minster, the Rev. F. B. Meyer, pre- but their energies are unmoved for lack of missionary organization. siding, and Eugene Stock, Esq., (3.) Its aim is to lift the missionand E. H. Glenny, Esq., speakers. ary question to the place it should occupy. This calls for combined A conversazione followed on the effort, and the system of affiliation with the Young Christian's Mission- Tuesday, which was held in the ary Union accomplishes this. The end in view is that every Christian City Temple, and the proceedings should realize that he has a share in the evangelization of the world. culminated in a great missionary An address was then given by demonstration on the Wednesday the Rev. Silas Mead, principal of. Harley College, Bow, on "The evening in the Metropolitan Taber- Compassion of Christ." naele. . Our limitations as to space pre- Rev. F. B. Meyer, President of vent a detailed description of the the Y. C. 11. U., presided at the mass meeting held in the Metromeeting on Tuesday night. A_ politan Tabernacle, on Wednesday paper was read by Miss vVeatherley evening, Nov. 17, under the presi- on "The Young People of the dency of Mr. Meyer. At this happy Churches in Relation to Foreign and enthusiastic gathering, Mr. Missions." The call is elear; we Thomas Spurgeon, vice-president all stand in one of three attitudE's: of the Y. C. M. U., gave an ad- (1) to go, (2) to let go, (3) to help to dress of welcome, and enlarged on go. the words, "As God would have it."
Some say the way is not open, The Rev. H. H. Pullen, of the Spezia Mission, Italy, in the course yet they seem sure of having heard our call. But God never leads forth of his effective address, pointed a soul to leave it in a maze. The out that out of every fifteen people time of waiting is needed for train- in Italy, thirteen are still in dark- ing. As for all other callings in ness, while out of every fifteen, life, there is a time of special train- nine had never heard the name of ing, so there must be for missiouary Jeslls like as we, in this happy corner of the world, have; and said work. During the waiting time that those living in a Christian we need to study the Word of God, to study nature and human charac- land can not possibly enter into all ter, and to gain habits of punc- that this means. tuality by prompt performance of duty. Let Go.-Some Illay have a heart full of love to the heathen, and yet the call comes in a different way.
They may be called to let some dear one go. Dare we say" stay" when the voice of Christ says "go? " Help Go.-Some are not called to go, nor even to let go; but are they
J<'IELD OF MONTHLY SURVEY
IV. -FIELD OF MONTHLY SURVEY.
Mexico,* Central America,t West Indifls,t City Missions.§ BY DELAVAN L. PIERSON.
Missions in Mexico. * (1864) there dawned a new era for Mexico in religion as well as in Mexico is a republic of twenty- politics. Churches, monasteries, seven states, a federal district, and other ecclesiastical property and two territories. It has a total were confiscated by the state and area of seven hundred and sixty- devoted to purposes of public edu- seven thousand square Iniles, and a cation. Thirty-five years ago thei-e population of about twelve and a was only one Protestant minister half millions. Of these one-fifth in Mexico; to-day there are four- are white, two-fifths Indian, and teen missionary organizations at two-fifths of mixt blood. The work, and they have gathered in Spanish language is generally 600 congregations a native church spoken, and Roman Catholicism is mem.bership of over 16,000. There the prevailing religion. Aztec are in all more than 7,000 pupils paganism was nominally annihil- under instruction. ated at the invasion of Cortez, and It was fifteen years after the first Mexico was externally converted seeds of the Gospel had been sown to Catholicism at the point of the in Mexico through the Bibles car- Spanish sword and by the terrors ried in by the United States troops of the Inquisition. After three hun- (1847), before any endeavor was dred years of domination Rome's made to gather the harvest. Then representatives held two-thirds of Rev. James Hickey began to preach the real estate of the country, her in Monterey, and two years later monasteries and churches had im- (186.1) organized a Baptist church poverisht the people, and a pitiful of five members, with Thomas state of intolerance, ignorance, and 'Vestrup, one of the converts, as degradation everywhere prevailed. pastor.
At the downfall of Maximilian Miss Melinda Rankin (a Presby- terian) will ever be honored as a * See also pp. 291 (April), 334 (May, 1897), missionary pioneer in Mexico. In 75 (January, 1898), 190 (present iSRue). 185.1, she had opened a school on NEW BOOKS: .. The Awakening of a Nation," the Mexican border in Brownsville, Texas. Ten years later she crost C. F. Lummis. the border, and after personally RECENT ARTICLES: H Mexico as It Is."
Frank Leslie's (Jan.).
t See also p. 184 (present iSRue). raising $15,000 to push on the work, :I: See also pp. 871 (November, 1897). opened a school in Monterey. "The Chur ~h of Jesus" was or- RECENT ARTICLES: H Street Life in Jeremie, n Chautauquan -(Septenlber, 189/'); " Is ganized in 1871 through the instru- mentality of Rev. Henry A. Hiley Cuba Capable of Self-Government?" Fol'ltnL and Manuel Aquas, a converted (Sept.); "AborigineR of the west Indies." Appleton's popular Science Monthly (Jan., 1898). priest, and has since COlne under § See also pp. 24 (January) 161, 17R, (present the control of the Protestant issue). Episcopal Church. Their work NEW BOOKS: H New York Charitie~ Direc- now comprises 22 congregations, containing from one thousand to tory,"" Bibliography of College, Social, and University 8ettlenlents," J. P. Gavit.
RECENT ARTICLES: "Children of the Other twelve hundred communicants. Half," Aren'}; (June, 18971; "The Cry of the They have ten parochial schools, Poor," Arena (September, 1897). with about 400 pupils; a divinity The Methodist Episcopal Church school, having eight students; the entered Mexico in 1873, w hen Bishop Dean Gray Memorial school for Haren purchast a portion of the In- boys, preparatory to the divinity quisition property at Puebla, which school, and the Mrs. Hooker Me- now serves as a theological semin- morial School and Orphanage, hav- ary. The gorgeous theater was ing 41 indoor and 20 outdoor pupils. transformed into a church audience room, and there are besides class- The American Baptist Home rooms, vestries, a book store, print- Mission Society had, in 1880, five ing establishment, two parsonages, churches and eight congregations. an orphanage, and a missionary The Southern Baptist Board did residence. This church now has 34 not begin work until 1880, but it places of worship, and counts 2,195 has since then made markt prog- members, 7 married missionaries, ress, and has now 15 missionaries and 14 ordained native preachers. and 17 native workers on the field The mission of the Methodist Epis- in 29 churches, with 1,116 members. copal Church, South, started by At Madero the institute educates Bishop Keener in 1873 and carried and trains 71 poor, but deserving, on by a converted Mexican, Alijo intelligent Christian girls, and at Hernandez, occupies 17 states, and Saltillo deserving boys receive the has 3,095 communicants, 90 Sundaysame training, and the Sunday- schools, 89 preachers, and a theoschools gather 333 children. logical seminary at San Luis Potosi. In 1872 the Presbyterian Board began its labors in Mexico by ac- The American Bihle Society discepting the work of Miss Rankin. seminated the Scriptures from the It now has stations in twelve of the earliest days of religious emancipatwenty-three states. A character- tion. In 1892, that memorable istic feature of the Presbyterian year of famine, 23,614 Bibles and work is the large number and portions were distributed among ability of its native ministry. the starving people. To the thou- There is a prosperous theological sands of towns and villages and seminary in Tlalpan, twelve miles ranches on the western slope this from the capit~ 1; two girls' semin- society sends Bibles by way of aries, one in M)xico City, another Panama, or through the Sierras, at Satillo. 'I he 42 churches num- "on lnuleback." ber 3,191 communicants and 1,906 pupils in the Sabbath-schools. The Other societies at work in Mexico working force consists of ] 1 or- are those of the American Friends, dained missionaries, 12 women mis- Presbyterians South, Reformed Assionaries, 28 ordained natives, and sociate, Cumberland Presbyterians, 76 native helpers. and Seventh Day Adventists.
The American Board began to War and Famine in Ouba. work in Western Mexico, at Guadalajara, in 1872, and afterwards The "Pearl of the Antilles" is went also into Northern Mexico, daily and hourly being trodden at Chihuahua. The total number under foot. Its value and beauty of missionaries and assistant mis- are becoming nought but a memory. sionaries of the American Board The sun-kist skies are blackened by is 17, and the native helpers and the clouds of war. The fertile fields teachers numbered 17. The 7 sta- are devastated, and no longer cultions have connected with them 20 tivated. The people, used to an out-stations; the 15 churches have easy life of idleness, are dead or dy- 7E4 communicants. ing amid the horrors of prolonged Trouble in Oentral America. warfare and growing famine. The Spanish American republics Spain iE, doubtless, not accountable for all the woes which have seem to be in a perpetual state of been experienced by Cuba, but she has proved utterly incompetent to ferment. There is apparently no rule the island in such a way as to contribute to its peace and pros- end to the revolutions and assasperity. Spanish colonies are apparently only lookt upon as a source sinations. The spirit of rebellion of revenue, and this not with the farsightedness which would lead sometimes lies dormant, but is to the creation of civilization and industry, but with the desire for an never dead. Unrest is a dominant income by oppressive taxation and tyranny. For three hundred years characteristic of these governments Spain neglected Cuba, but her attention of late has been even more and peoples, and Christ alone can to the disadvantage of the island. bring them peace. Only when His The history of the war is too familiar to need repetition. Mil- sovereignty is acknowledged and lions of dollars have been spent and thousands of lives have been lost. His teachings are followed, will Promises of pacification have been made, and autonomy has been at- peace and prosperity take the place tempted, but the end is not yet in sight. Both Cuba and Spain heartily of strife and stagnation. wish the war over, but the former refuses anything but freedom, The revolution in Nicaragua is no and the latter is bent on maintaining the national honor. Mean- surprise, tho it may be aimless and while multitudes of non-combatants participate in the sufferings, fruitless. The government is and are perishing from starvation. The people have been unable to till strong, tho, perhaps, unscrupulous. the soil and gather the crops; they I t has certainly brought no blessing are practically at the mercy of to the Moskito reservation, where America-their nearest Christian our Moravian friends have labored neighbor. so long and so earnestly.
Already it is conservatively esti- In Guatemala President Barrios mated that 200,000 pacificos have has just been assassinated (Feb. 9), died of hunger in Cuba, and that and a small and unsuccessful revtwice as many more are in immi- olution has followed. Here the nent danger of sharing their fate. Presbyterian Church (North) has The entire Cuban population is only a few missionaries. They have about 1,200,000. The Red Cross nominal religious liberty, but find Society, in conjuction with the the paganized Romanism of the United States Government, has ap- country in sad need of regenerapointed a relief committee, and tion. already we are thankful to say that over $20,000 has been sub- Social Settlements. scribed. Ten times this amount is needed, and needed now! There are now not less than one hundred and twenty college, social, and university settlements in the various cities of America and Eng- land, besides two in Japan and one in Bombay. All these have been establisht in the last eight years, since Toynbee Hall was first opened in the East End of London. America has 76 and England 44 of these settlements; New York sup- ports 16, Chicago 13, Boston 9, and London 32. The aims, methods, principles, and fruits differ widely,' but doubtless each has contributed something toward solving the ques- tion of how to reach the masses, either by its failures or by its suc- cesses. We are firmly convinced that the ideal settlement is one which is fundamentally and dis- tinctively Christian; True refor- mation must begin with regenera- tion. The spiritual must dominate the temporal.
1098.J EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
V.-EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT.
A surprising trial has been held appeal to Scripture, but that was by a Southern Presbytery (Louis- not allowed. He was held to the ville) over the case of a Dr. Hous- Presbytery's interpretations of the confession. " ton, a missionary to China, who expected to return, but who has Even as to "entire sanctificabeen tried and condemned on the tion," it depends upon what is meant. A man may use terms with following specifications: his own understanding and inter- First, "He teaches that the Lord's pretation of them, which, as he uses Supper is a household as well as a Church ord'inance, and may be ad- and understands them, are not ministered by the head of the fam- objectionable. At any rate, a misily." Second, "He holds that a private member may be appointed by sionary would, in our opinion, do the 1'uling body ofthe Church to ad- infinitely more harm in a foreign minister the communion." [The field, teaching that the Bible is not third specification is essentially the a book of plenary inspiration, or same as No.2.] Fourth, "He holds that there is a second probation, or any other of the mischievous that there is no valid distinction between the teaching and the ruling elder, except what is implied in their tenets of a modern, broad theology, commissions." Fifth, "He holds than. any or all the doctrines Dr. as to entire sanctification, that it·is possible to the believer in this Houston is charged with. life. " For ourselves, we have held for As to these matters we feel years that the Lord's Supper is strong sympathy with the censured primarily, like the passover it sucmissionary, and incline to think ceeds, a household ordinance, and that on the first four specifications belongs as such to the Church as he has the Scriptures back of him, the larger household of God. And inferentially, if not directly and we all know that in the Acts of explicitly. The Inter'ior justly re- the Apostles there is no fixt line marks: between clergy and laity, which "We are inclined to think Mr. exist in the interests of order, Houston right on the abstract expediency, and sound doctrine, questions, and if the confession is not of Scriptural and apostolic against his positions, that the confession is wrong. The head of the order. Philip baptized, tho but a family in the ancient Church held deacon, and one case breaks the a priestly function in his family, sacred line. And, as to the Lord's and it was not abrogated. As a Supper, it seems to have been obmatter of order and custom, it would not be proper, we would say, served wherever and whenever be- for him to bring in an innovation, lievers met. As to the teaching but the abstract doctrine the Scrip- and ruling elder, the one office is tures, we are inclined to think, that of presbyter, the fnnctions of would justify him. They are en- teaching and ruling being contirely silent on the subject of the nected with one office, or officer, second specification. Abstractly we would say that Mr. Houston is according to capacity and sphere; right, with the same reserve as to so that if a ruling elder possest the the usual order. In the fourth teaching gift, he seems to have exspecification Mr. Houston is right ercised it without ceremony or again. As to the last specification, there the facts, as well as the doc- further authority. And we have trines, are against Mr. Houston. always believed that the Presbyte- On all these specifications Mr. rian polity can be logically main- tained only by admitting the one- Houston was found guilty, and duly punisht for his" offenses" by solemn censure. He desired to ness of the eldership, whatever the official and functional sphere of European money, and mainly on service; so that the 'l'CO'/·d·inatciun the ground that the missionary is of a ruling elder, who becomes a thereby retarding the Ohurch's teaching elder, has not the slightest realization of the sacredness of the Scripture 1VaJ'1'ant. Here is a case great principle of self-support." He where it is possible that the Word adds in conclusion that" we should of God is made of none effect . . . never rest satisfied until we through human tradition. But see springing up into life the vigoraside from this polemic matter, the ous shoots of a healthy system of question is, whether such views self-governnlent. " should invalidate an otherwise acceptable and devoted missionary Another interesting and signifias to the exercise of his sacred calling to preach the Gospel in the cant fact about the Anglican Ohurch regions beyond. we may add in this connection.
According to a letter in the Lon- When in Great Britain, I learned don Standanl, it is proposed to suppress all the deaneries in the much about the" Societas Sanche Anglican communion, on the ground that the deans have practi- Crucis "-Society of the Holy Oross cally nothing to do, and their stipends, amounting to £36,000, or -known now as the" S. S. 0." The about $lSO,OOO, per annum, for only twenty-nine-an average of about Chu'l'Ch Intelz.igencer, organ of the $6,000 each-should be devoted to the endowment of eight additional O. M. S., has publisht an" Analysis bishoprics at £3,500 a year each, the balance being divided among of Proceedings," giving some light the senior canons, who could perform the trifling duties of the sup- on the objects and methods of the pressed deans. new Romanizing tendency. About Apropos of these changes in the 300 of the Anglican clergy are en- Anglican Ohurch and of the impatience of the Anglican party rolled: with modern ritualism, Bishop Tucker, of Uganda, in a recent "Brothel' Lacey," vicar of Madcharge, exprest himself with re- ingley, Oambridge, read a paper, freshing frankness on Anglicanism in the decent obscurity of Latin, in 1nissions : on the "Sacrifice of the Mass." "Priests," he said, "offer the life "It builds," he says, "churches of Christ according to this instituamongst the natives after the most tion as a sacrifice of worship, proapproved Anglican pattern, . pitiation, and thanksgiving, by which in India or Africa is an ab- way of cOInmemoration." At the surdity." Speaking of the native September Synod Brother Sanderministry, he complains of "our son, vicar of Alderholt, Salisbury, fossilized ideas as to the qualifica- defended "reservation" and "extions necessary for admission to position" of the Sacrament-that the order of deacons," and says is, the keeping back of a portion of that" if native churches are to be the consecrated bread for subsedevelopt on healthy lines, and. quent adoration. He said: "We within a reasonable space of time, are agreed as to the desirability and there must be a larger and freer legality of reserving; we already use of the ministry of laymen." carry the Holy Sacrament about; On the question of support he in- lift it up, expose it, worship it; veighs against the reckless use of and use it for blessing the people when giving communion. ''Vhy not at other times? What more stimulating to the devotion of those people of leisure who can remain in prayer after the mass is done, than for the priest to unlock the tabernacle door, draw aside its veils, expose the ciborium within, kneel on the step below the altar, and lead his people in adoring acts of love and reparation? This is that simple function known as the exposition of the blessed Sacra- ment, a function which many know from experimental knowledge is powerful in making people realize the reality of our Saviour's ador- points in the foreign field at the able presence." The rnatter was expense of others regarded less discust whether the past SiilS of important, among which he classed a person absolved on confession the stations on the Kongo. A ought to be recalled. " Brother very discouraging picture was Swallow" thought if they did so, drawn of the devastating climat(', they should" only defeat their ob- the slight progress made, lack cf ject and give rise to a sense of irri- virility among the natives, etc. tation on their part." Testimony has since been cb- Dr. Gordon and the Kongo Mission. tained from the missionaries. now upon the field whicr directly dis- In the fall of 1884 tne Li vingstone prove these statements. They Inland Mission, founded seven years affirm, in regard to the unhealthpreviously by Dr. and Mrs. H. Grat- fulness of the climate, that during tan Guinness,· was tranferred to the last 12 years only 6 out of 45 the American Baptist :Missionary of the missionaries have died; that Union, without conditions. Its 11 of the 14 male missionaries have stations had been planted, 25 mis- served over 10 years, and 7 over 15 sionaries were on the field, accli- years. The average period of sermated and acquainted with the vice of those uniting in the protest language into which translations has been 13 years! The natives of a large part of the Bible had are not less virile than those of been Inade. :Moreover, schools were other tropical countries, being in running order, a steamer em- physically quite as well developt ployed for itinerating purposes, all and mentally much more amenable expenses met, and the discourage- to civilization than others named. ments and physical perils incident As to the permanency of the work, to the operating of such a mission only one church has become disintehad practically past away. grated, and this on account of the , But valuable as it was, the gift compulsory return of the miswas not at first fully appreciated sionary before it had been propby its recipients, and pressure was erly establisht. A census taken brought to bear looking to the re- at two stations, Banza :Manteka turn of the missionaries and the and Kifwa, had shown an increast abandonment of the field. " It populatlOn of 7 and 3~~ per cent. was at this juncture," says his respectively. "Indeed, the larger biographer, "that Dr. Gordon set number cf children in the villages himself to stem the tide." He ap- of Banza :Manteka is the surprise pealed to his brethren by voice and and cnvy of the heathen." by pen, finally taking the field and traveling from city to city east of All this goes to prove the wisdom the :Mississippi, pleading for its of Dr. Gordon and those who acted continuance. The appeal was EO with him in retaining the Kongo successful that it seemed as tho Mission.–J. M. G. the mission was placed beyond even the suggestion of abandonment. The Church Missionary SocL;ty reaches its second jubilee, or hun- Judge, therefore, of the surprise dredth year, during the present and sorrow with which the friends twelvemonth. April 12 will inauof the mission heard the policy of gurate the last year of the century, abandoning this work again mooted and the day will fall on Tuesday of in a sermon before the Baptist Easter week. As the Church j}Iis- :Missionary Union at its last annual sionary Intelligencer remarks, the meeting. The speaker advocated Jewish jubilee began on the Day of the strengthening of "strategic" Atonement-a fast day, when the jubilee year to commemorate the two kids commemorated the ex- second jubilee, exactly fifty years piatory offering and the release after the celebration of the first from the burden of sin. And so jubilee in 1848. Most fittingly the once more, following the seven Bishop of Exeter,-whose father weeks of Lent, the trumpet of the conspicuously shared in that pre- jubilee will blow, and the concourse vious jubilee meeting, writing of the people will assemble to con- three of the seven hymns then used, sider how the good tidings may be -is expeCted to preside. sprea.d into all the world. 3. The twelfth anniversary of the Vith a beautiful spirit the Church "Gleaners' Union" will fall at the Missionary Society proposes to same time and be combined with avoid any centenary observance for this. its men 8ake, or the glorification of the great society whose hundred 4. In April, 1899, when the hunyears are fast completing. They dred years are completed, the MAIN recognize this society, tho it be the CENTENARY COMME~ORATION will leader and almost the mother of occur. It will occupy at least one all the rest, as but 'one of many, enUre ~ceek, beginning and ending and they desire to make emphatic on the Sabbath, reaching from not the history of the feeble instru- April 9th to 16th, which are the first ment, but the interests of the great and second Sundays after Easter. cause of which it is but one pillar. "Advance first, commemoration The main meetings will, of course, afterwards," has been the motto be in London, but it is hoped and of the society and the" Three years' expected that, as in the Queen's enterprise," T. Y; E., which was great jubilee of 1897, the celebration inaugurated purposely to secure an will be simultaneously observed in advance in every department of all parts of the Empire and the administration, even before the world, the mission-field included, centennial year should dawn. for those who can not attend the great gatherings at the capital. The general program for the celebration is in harmony with the The special appeals for the cenhighly spiritual attitude and atmosphere always so manifest in tenary memorial fund are not yet dethis society's history. The details are not yet settled, but friends of termined upon, but great expansion missions everywhere will gladly keep in touch with the general pur- in the line of the work will unpose and purport of the commemoration. doubtedly be the outcome. During On April 12, 1898, when the second less than twenty months of the jubilee year and the last year of the three years' enterprise begins, three years' enterprise the special there will be T. Y. E. gifts have reacht over 1. A special prayer service for the committee and friends of the £26;000, including some which the society, and it is proposed that simultaneously in all parts of the donors ")ropose to 1'epeat ann~wlly, world a similar prayer service be held. and they represent not a spasmodic 2. On or about All Saints' Day, increase to be followed by an ebb November 1, there is to be a series of gatherings in the middle of the Ude, as in most cases of special gifts, but a permanently higher flood-mark.
One of the most encouraging signs of growth is the inerease of the n1L1Jlbe1' of mi8Siona1"ie8 sup- ported, as to their maintenance charges, by special gifts. When the appeal was made in connection with the three years' enterprise, that individuals should undertake to support individual missionaries on the field, already there were 125 thus maintained. Now there are 292, and probably before this issue reaches our readers, the number will have gone beyond the 300. burning shame for Congress to do Many of these additional gifts have anything to disturb the peace and come into the treasury without prosperity which there reigns. any reference to the centenary fund or the three years' enterprise. With deepest sorrow we learn of the renewed fighting in Uganda, All the friends of missions and of and of the killing of that grand the Indians will be glad to hear missionary, MI'. Pilkington, who that Secretary Bliss has returned was not only one of the leading to the Senate with his unqualified Englishmen in Uganda, bilt one of disapproval the bill to settle on the foremost missionaries of the segregated lands of about twenty- world. He had joined Major Mac- one miles in area the Metlakahatla donald after the meeting of the Indians, now occupying Annette Soudanese to act as interpreter. Island, Alaska, and opening the re- Vhen the editor-in-chief was in mainder to settlement. The Secre- England in 1896, this noble man tary says that he is convinced that was electrifying audiences with his the Indians should be permitted to fascinating and heroic story of the remain in undisputed possession of mission work among the Baganda. their reservation, and that no part Few men have ever held British .should be opened to the public. audiences more enthralled by nar- ratives of missionary service and William Duncan, the able and suffering, labor and triumphs. He honored missionary, to whose labor was in demand everywhere. His among the Indians their present death makes a void that reminds prosperous, material and spiritual, us of the vacancy that followed condition is due, sets forth at Mackay's decease. He had volunle;ugth why the bill should not be- teered, at the suggestion of Mr. come a law. He refers to the pro- Vilson, the Acting Commissioner gress the Indians now occupying of Uganda, and with the permission the Island have made, and ex- of Archdeacon Walker, to accompresses the belief that should the pany the Baganda as an interprebill be enacted into law all these ter, and with a view to giving the gains would be lost to the people. moral support of the missionaries What the natives crave of the gov- to the Baganda in resisting the ernment in their present condition, Soudanese in the crossing of the is protection and isolation from Nile. His companion was Dr. A. vicious whites. Should the meas- R. Cook, of the mission, who went ure pass, he says, it will not only for medical duty. The two men injure the Indians morally, but will were able to open up communicaseriously impoverish them materi- tion with Major Macdonald, and, ally. A recent examination, he after a thrilling experience, reacht says, shows that, so far as present his camp, on the banks of the Nile, indications go, the report which opposite Juba's station, then in the has been publisht that the island is hands of the rebels. The camp was rich in mineral deposits, and which pitcht near the spot where Bishop has been advanced as one of the Hannington was seized. Truly the reasons why it should be opened to days of missionary martyrs are not settlement, is grossly exaggerated. past.
In an early issue of the REVIEW we A recent letter from Marsovan, hope to have an illustrated account Asiatic Turkey, brings encouraging of the present condition of Metla- news in regard to the receptive atkohtla, which is in many respects a model settlement. It would be a titude of many members of the ing her to acknowledge it to the Gregorian Church to Christian kind donor, Miss 'L. M. R.,' Brockport, N. Y. You have no truth, as revealed in the Word of doubt read in the Bom~bay Guar- God rather than in the chaff which dian, of the wonderful work of grace that is going on among the has thus far been their spiritual widows under Ramabai's charge, food. Our correspondent writes: and which has resulted in the bap- " Last evening there was a Chris- tism of 221 famine widows, four tian celebration at the college for the other widows under her care, a orphans. Some Armenian priests fa);nine boy, and the Hindu man were present, and seemed much who has been Ramabai's clerk for pleased with what they saw. One of them was a young man who had several years. On the 12th instant studied in the (Protestant) chapel she will begin a ten days' campschool as a child. He gave the meeting at her farm at Kludgaver, children a very good talk. Ve are near Poona, which I expect will retold that the people will no longer sult in other conversions. What be content with their ignorant old priests. They demand that they she is doing, or rather what God is be Bible students, and so a group doing by her, is a great object-lesof young men are studying the son to Indian Christians and to Bible now with Baron A–, the some missionaries. former teacher of the chapel school, preparatory to becoming " My dear wife and I are thankful priests. As Baron A– is now a that we have been preserved to theological student, you see that labor on in the Lord's service amid this makes a theological seminary within a theological seminary." dangers and difficulties. It is now over ten years since we came to In- With such preaching and teach- dia, and many who were here then, ing and living as the people of many younger than ourselves, have fallen at their post,s or have had to Marsovan have heard and seen so long from the missionaries, it is leave the country through illness. But we are feeling more than ever but natural that the old Gregorian the strain of our work, and pray for Church should be waking up to the some rest and another efficient benefits of the pure Gospel. helper, at least. 'Thanksgiving well becomes us for all that God The Bible Normal College, of has done, aye, and for all that the eye of faith beholds that He is go- Springfield, Mass., offers a ten weeks' course, which may be of es- ing to do. Yours in His service, pecial interest to missionaries at ALFRED S. DYER." home on furlough. This course has We thankfully acknowledge the a distinct missionary bearing, an following contributions received important feature being the study of child-nature and methods of in- and forwarded as designated: struction. Much may be gained No. 102.-For Pandita Ramabai…….. $4.00 from an intelligent study of how to No. 103.- " 50.00 teach the illiterate, whether old or No. 104.- " 1.00 young. No. 104.- .. Armenian orphans……. 1.00 The following letter will be of The World's Best Literature. * special interest to those of our read- It is a colossal undertaking, and ers who have sent through us one involving an immense outlay of time and money, to collect and money to Pandita Hamabai's work. publish the choicest of the literary She is now en route to America productions of ancient andmodern writers. To be successfully accomhaving sailed from India on Jan- plisht, it requires keen appreciation and judicious selection. Probably uary 15th. "I have received the check for * A Library of the 'World's Best Litera- £7, 68., for Pandita Ramabai's ture. Ancient and Modern. Charles Dudwork, and have sent it to her, ask- ley Warner, Editor·in-Chief. Thirty volumes. Hvo. 612 pages per volume. I'u blisht by R. S. Peale and J. A. Hill; New York. no man could have been found bet- and uplifting. Purity is one essen- ter fitted for this great work than Charles Dudley ",Varner, who, for tial in the best literature. more than a quarter of a century, has been an authority on literary Portraits of prominent authors criticism. He is the author of over twenty books, including essays, and excellent interpretive essays travels, biographies, and fiction. In this latest and most important by sympathetic writers help to re- of his literary labors, Mr. Warner has been ably assisted by Hamilton veal the mental characteristics, and W. Mabie and other well-known literary critics and specialists in to disclose beauty and strength of the various departments of letters. style which might otherwise es- More than fifty men have contributed to make this library what cape the notice of the casual it aims to be-a masterpiece of masterpieces. In these thirty oc- reader. The work thus possesses tavo volumes are gathered much of the cream of the literary thought features of a history, a school, an and expression of sixty centuries. The history, biography, oratory, encyclopedia, and a library. It is poetry, fiction, and philosophy of all peoples and languages bring intended to create' and to gratify of their choice contributions to this treasure-house of literature. These lovers of good literature. volumes open up vast stores of hitherto inaccessible wealth. Beau- The arrangement is alphabetities that have heretofore been yeiled in the obscurity of unknown cal, according to authors, periods, tongnes are here brought to light. Riches that have before been un- and well-known subjects. The obtainable on priyate book-shelves, hidden within yast tomes, or amid legend of the Holy Grail is prethe mazes of public libraries, haye been gathered together and put sented by five separate authors, within reach of the genera~ public. and sixty-three pages are devoted Tho not a history of literature, this library offers most excellent to Hindu literature. Not the least opportunity for such study. It is equally valuable also as a work of useful feature is the synopsis of reference and for general reading. Thc variety of departments repre- famous books. The index adds sented, subjects treated, and authors quoted present the possi- largely to the helpfulness of the bility of suiting many diverse needs and tastes. Vesper hymns and library, and would be more valuhumorous poenul, battle scenes and love-letters of Inen of genius, satire, able did it enable one to trace and passages of Holy Scripture each have a place. Altho so com- the history of literature chronoprehensive, the editor has aimed to admit nothing which is not pure logically and by nationalities or races, as well as by authors and subjects. D. L. P.
We think Mrs. Bishop's latest book, "Korea and Her Neighbors," the best of all the works of her gifted pen. In fact, for compre- hensiveness, satisfactoriness, and power in description and delinea- tion, and for judicious selections of what is best worth describing and delineating it would be hard to surpass. Without being primarily a book on misions, it gives a fine conception of one of the most inter- esting, yet least known countries and nations among whom the Gos- pel has been introduced in modern days; and quite aside from all its missionary bearings, as a con- tribution to ethnology, archroology, manners, and customs, and all else that pertains to this Hermit Na- tion, it is simply invaluable. Let anyone who would test this statement, read, for instance, the de- and even the trend of scientific scription of the Kur-Dong-chapter ilL-that strange, barbaric pro- skepticism and neology. But at cession, the last of its sort, in which the king, a myth for most of his hand it gets no encouragement, the year, appears annually in state, to impress on his subjects the splen- and with markt tact he quotes dor and majestic magnificence of their sovereign. from skeptical writers the very con- The adventures of this refined cessions which strengthen rather and cultured woman-her exposures, heroic endurances, and than weaken faith; as, for exampatient submission to the inevitable, in studying the habits and ple, when he quotes Renan's saying characteristics of Mongolian races – read more like romance than that the Book of the Acts is the reality. most faultless book ever written, There is but one blemish in this volume, which we can not but at- etc. It is to be devoutly hoped tribute to the probable intrustment of the proofreading to some that Dr. Lang's book will be reone else than to the accomplisht author; the sentences are long, printed in this country. It is now often involved, and lack careful and discriminating punctuation. publisht by Wm. Blackwood, and The comma abounds, and sometimes is the only mark used until can be obtained for $1.50. Further the period completes the sentence. Sometimes, as it seems to us, a sen- notice of it may appear hereafter. tence should have been divided into two or even three; and, in other Suffice now to say it is worthy of cases, smnicolons, colons, dashes, etc., would have nlade the meaning its author and his theme. and connection much more plain. But the superb original illustra- Books Received. tions, from Mrs. Bishop's own photographs, fully compensate for' such KOREA AND HER N.,IGHBORS. Mrs. Isabella a trifling defect. Bird Bishop. Illustrated. ~VO, 480 pp. $2.00. Fleming H. Revell Co., New York. A new and more complete index improves the secor.d edition. CHRISTIANITY AND THE PROGRESS OF MAN.
The latest contribution to the Prof. W. Douglass Mackenzie. 8vo, 250 "Duff Missionary Lectureship" is pp. $1.25. The same. by Rev. J. Marshall Lang, D.D., of THE EXPANSION OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. The Barony church, Glasgow. It is Duff Lectures for 1897. J. Marshall Lau,.:, entitled, "Expansion of the Chris- D.D. 8vo, 246 pp. 58. Wm. Blackwood tian Life." It is a noble volume. & Sons, Edinburgh & London. Its style is chaste, its thought fresh and stimulating; and, what is very MISSIONARIES IN THE WITNESS Box. 12mol 168 noticeable, it is along the lines of pp. Illustrated. 18. 6d. The Church an old -fashioned theology. Dr. Missionary Society, London. Lang shows himself perfectly familiar with the "new theology," THROUGH My SPECTACLES. Rev. Martin J. Hall, M.A. Svo, 104 pp. Illustrated. 18. 6d. The same.
BIBLE GLEANINGS IN FOREIGN FIELDS. Rev. E. W. Burroughs. 16mo, 63 pp. Is. The same.
THE GREAT BIG WORLD. A missionary walk in the Zoo (jUVenile). Aques M. Batty. 8vo, 48 pp. Illustrated. Is. 6d. The same.
ALASKA. Its neglected past, its brilliant future. Bushrod Washington James, M.D. 12mo, 450 pp. Illustrated. $1.50. Sun- shine Publishing Vo., Philadelphia.
ON THE THRESHOLD OF CENTRAL AFRICA. A record of twenty years pioneering among the Barotsi of the Upper Zam besi. Fran- ~ois Coillard. Translated by Cathrine Mackintosh. 8vo, 662 pp. Illustrated. lOs. Hodder & Stoughton, London.
PRIMEVAL REVELATION. Genesis i.-viii. J. Cynddylan Jones. 8vo,366 pp. 58. The sanle.
THE INCARNATE SAVIOR. W. R. Nichol, LL D. 8vo, 320 pp. 58. T. and T. Clark, Edin- burgh.
MISSIONARY HEROES O~ AFRICA. Sarah Geral- dine Stock. 8vo, 204 pp. Illustrated. 28. 6d. The London Missionary Society.
PIONEERING IN TIBET. Annie Ross Taylor.
8vo, 77 pp. Illustrated. 10. 6d. Morgan . & Scott, London.
THE BLIND IN CHINA. Rev. W. Campbell, F.R.G.S. 8vo, 104 pp. Kelly & Walsh, Hongkong.
COMBLE DE JOIE (a memoir of Wm. J. Neeth- ling, of South Africa). 16mo, 96 pp. Bichsel, Lyon, France.
1898.J EXTRACTS AND TRANSLATIONS
VI..-GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.
EDITED BY REV. D. L. LEONARD, D.D.
Extraots and Translations From Foreign wegians, but it is only a shade. As Periodioals. we have said already, the Norwe- gians are Ulysses in the cave of BY REV. C. C. STARBUCK, ANDOVER, Polyphemus, destined to be de- MASS. voured, but to be devoured last.
MADAGASCAR. Hitherto, however, the persons of the French Protestant mission- It has been repeatedly declared aries have been respected. This that the persecutions by the French boundary, however, has at last in Madagascar are not directed been overleapt. against the Protestants, but against the English. Were this true, it The matter began with the na- would be a scandalous breach of tives. "11. August, 1897. A col- treaty obligations, of international onist, named Geraudel, a lime- right, and of common equity. The burner, has, it appears, allowed English missionaries, one and all, himself to beat one of our teachers, have loyally accepted the new gov- to break in the doors of our school, ernment, and have brought their to forbid the children to go any- people to accept it too. Yet they where except to the school founded have been vituperated and slander- by him, and finally to tear down ed, and their unoffending and help- the placard which I had had placed less people have been scattered, over the door of the school, and to beaten, imprisoned, and shot down nail it, in token of defiance, over without form of law, simply be- his own place of retirement. Learncause they had accepted the Gospel ing of this, I instituteo_ inquiry. from those who first brought it to M. Ducommun, accompanied by M. them. Gallant, went to the spot, and noted down every indication of what had Now, what has prompted all this? taken place. Everything corrobor- Doubtless GaUieni and his myrmi- ates the first reports of the natives. dons hate the missionaries still Supplied with proofs, I lodged a more intensely as Englishmen than complaint with the prosecuting atas Protestants, and the London So- torney, speaking of it myself to the ciety chiefly as the main English General. Fifteen days have past, society. Yet everywhere the Jesu- and nothing done." its have been turned loose, with the same watchword: "All Prot- This Geraudel, it seems, had set estants are Englishmen, and are up his own school in the Protestto be shot." "All Catholics are ant temple itself, from which he Frenchmen, and are to be saved had expelled the French Protestant and promoted." Norwegian or Eng- school. lish is all one in their view, altho undoubtedly the main rage of the M. Delord says: "As I chance to Jesuits and of their military con- be on a missionary round, the setfederates is at present directed tler Geraudel, without any provoagainst the London Society. That cation on my part, having already overthrown, they think they can repeatedly beaten several of our easily deal with the lesser societies. teachers, for which complaint had Doubtless their animosity is a long been lodged against him, came shade less violent against the Nor- running upon me, and struck me so violently that his huge cudgel was broken." For this the assailant
GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
was condemned to a fine of 50 left to take his time, and pardoned francs and costs of 50 francs. The if, in spite of his best will, Protesmedical attestation of severe in- tantism is only crippled, not quite jury, the absolutely unprovokt vio- exterminated. lence, followed up by a violent expulsion from the village, with cries On Sunday, the 1st of August, of, "Fahavalo, English spy!" and died Joseph Andrianaivoravelona, filthy epithets added, resulted, not- pastor of the Queen. He had acwithstanding the energetic repre- companied his mistress to Reunion, sentations of the public prosecu- and there, on the Saturday, having tor, in a sentence which M. De- a sense that his end was drawing long very reasonably calls " a neal', he anticipated the preparamockery." Geraudel so regarded tions for the communion of the it, for he left the court with ex- following day. On Sunday mornpressions of triumphant contempt ing, after praying that, if it were against the Protestant pastors. God's- will, he might be restored, but if not, might be soon taken, That the French should shoot he rose, drest himself, and, leaning Protestant converts of English against a small table neal' his bed, missionaries as rebels without trial breathed his last. He was sixtyis the most natural thing in the two years of age. world. They would doubtless have shot the missionaries, too, but for A few minutes later one of his the fear of England. They now deacons, also a voluntary exile, said show, in spite of the declarations to his servant: "Dada Naivo has of some writers of more good finisht his course; now it is my nature than perspicacity, that it is turn. Spread my bed, that I may not English nationality merely die there." The bed was made which they hate, but Protestantism ready; he strecht himself out upon itself, English or French. The evi- it, and peaceably expired. dences of General Gallieni's at least passive complicity in the various The deceast pastor' was one of the persecutions accumulate. If the Christians who suffered under the French are not exterminating the persecutions of Queen Ranava,lona Protestant ministers from Mada- the First. He afterward became f;'o,-~..,ar quite so soon as Father a distinguisht seholar of the Eng- Phelim, of St. Louis, gleefully lish divinity schools, and then anticipated, he has no reason to pastor of one of the largest find fault with them. They seem churehes of the capital, and also of to be going as fast as they can. the palace church. He leaves nine This worthy representative of children. American principles should indulgently consider that they are em- MISCELLANEOUS. barrast by the necessity of professing attachment to religious free- "There is no parallelto the presdom, and that it requires a little ent position of England, except the cIrcumspection to find out how to position of the Roman Empire, and reconcile this with the reality 0-[ the Roman Empire fell after it had religious persecution. He himself achieved only part of its great purdoubtless would be for shooting pose. And why did it fall? Beevery Protestant misister off- cause Rome was powerful as an exhand, but so prompt a course would ternal organization, but Rome had probably jar on General Gallieni's no spiritual contents to give to the sense of refinement. He must be people whom it conquered. It had no Gospel, it had no message, it had nothing to show-no means of ele- vating. And unless men are ele-
EXTRACTS AND TRANSLATIONS
vated by the government of other the other, except on the religious countries to whom they are subject, side; that unless you try to underunless they are elevated, unless stand men as religious beings, you they get spiritual ideas, there can do not get on from any other side be no real hold in the material force at all. For there is the root of their that keeps them together. life, the root of everybody's life-it must, after all, be his religious "The truth is nowadays becom- ideas. However debased his religing obvious. Weare more and ion may be, you can only undermore seeing that intercourse with stand a man through his religious other countries, if it is to be of any side, and benefit him by giving him real value, must necessarily be a right religious idea. There is no upon a religious basis. It is more other way of benefiting mankind and more being seen that you can at all. All else is simply from the not possibly influence a man at all outside, and has no basis of purunless you have influenced hini on pose."-BISHOP MANDEL CREIGHthe religious side; if you have not TON, D.D., C. M. Intelligencer. toucht that, then you have toucht nothing. It is no good to improve M. G. Appia, in the Journal des things mechanically in ci~ilization, Missions for November, 1897, desuch as making roads and provid- votes three pages to a very appreing water-supplies. You know the ciative notice of" The New Acts of Roman Empire made water-sup- the Apostles." He says: "No one plies better than we can, and yet it will read this book without expedisappeared and past away, be- riencing the irresistible and beneficause, as I said, it could not touch cent impression that an author the spiritual basis of human life. who knows how to speak with so There is nothing on which civiliza- intimate a persuasion to the men tion depends but that. There is of his time, is doubtless himself a nothing else which is past on, there focus of spiritual fervor, a Chrisis nothing else which rep~oduces tian who has the right to repeat, itself and gives true life. under forms modern and sometimes a little American, to all the friends " I was exceedingly interested a of missions, the ancient lesson of little time ago in going to a meet- St. Paul and St. John: 'Be fering-I think of the Calcu.tta Mis- vent in spirit.''' sion-which was addrest by Mr. Bryce, who was askt to address it The French readers "will be because he had just been in India, happy to find that the translator and had seen something of the has added to the original some exworking of the mission there. amples and some biographical traits ""VeIl, Mr. Bryce spoke with very entirely French. More than one great weight, of course. He said pastor will feel himself constrained that his journey in India had at to develop for himself, while profitleast convinced him of this, that ing by the facts furnisht by the unless England could succeed in author, and inspiring himself with Christianizing its Indian subjeccs, his sacred passion, his own New that empire could not last; that Acts of the Apostles. Accordingly, nuthing else whatever could hold it we recommend the work to all together; that at present there were friends of missions." two sets of lives, two civilizations, two races simply in juxtaposition; The Allgemeine Missions-Zeitthat there could be no real inter- scrift, in an extended account of fusion of the two, and no real possi- the development of the Church bility of either one understanding Missionary Society, gives Henry
GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
Venn's ideal of the growth of the writes through the medium of the native churches as consisting of Bapt'ist HC1'ald, earnest.Iy asking three stages: Self-support, self- support in the work being done in government, self-extension. The translating and distributing the first is to go over into the second, Gospel in the many tongues of the the first two into the third. heathen world. The Bible is, un- doubtedly,one of the" best mission- Henry Venn (son of John Venn, aries;" therefore, the propagation a principal founder) was secretary of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is of the C. M. S. from 1841 till 1872. greatly aided by the distribution of At the beginning of his secretary- the Scriptures in the languages of ship the statistics stood as follows: the world. Receipts, £85,536; ordained missionaries, 117; native clergymen, 10; The P1'csbytcrian ChU1'ch of Engcommunicants, 6,050. At the end land has recently celebrated at as follows: Receipts, £156,440; or- Marylebone the fifth jubilee of the dained missionaries, 204; native "Westminster Assembly's Shorter clergymen, 148 ; communicants, Catechism." Between eight and 25,000. nine hundred were present, and the event was worthily celebrated as a English Notes. fact in England's history, when a great stand was made for the faith, BY REV. JAMES DOUGLAS, M.A. and a great effort was made to pre- serve in all its purity the truth The Baptist Missionary Society.- once delivered to the saints. According to custom the usual prayer-meeting was held at the Hakkaland.-As in Manchuria, mission house, Furnival St., on so in South China, the Homan New Year's day. Hev. George Catholics are giving much trouble Kerry, for forty years the Indian to Protestants and also to the mansecretary of the society, presided darins, who dare not punish them and delivered a brief, but stirring because they claim the protection address. Several representatives of the French. The French Repubfrom other missionary societies lic, whatever it be at home, seems took part, and mission work in all to have its foreign policy largely its varied branches was remem- determined by a wish to please bered before the Throne of Grace. Jesuit priests. Witness Madagas- car, New Caledonia, Algiers, and A new Map of India is now ready. now North and South China. It shows all the Baptist stations distinctly and has been prepared China Inland Mission.-Mr. specially for this society by Mr. Hudson Taylor in making an ap- Stanford, the well-known map- peal in behalf of "This Generation publisher. Christian Endeavor so- of the Chinese," draws attention to cieties and Missionary unions the fact that, whereas fourteen would find their interest in mis- years ago there were only two witsionary enterprize greatly aug- nesses for Christ in all the millions mented, if the position of the vari- of Shensi, Mr. King and Mr. Easous occupied fields of the world ton, now there are seventy-seven. was more fixed in the mind. The There are also over twenty stations smallness of what has been done in the province, while above five and the vastness of what is to be hundred have been baptized, n'ot a done are by such study made evi- few of whom are now in the presdent. ence of the Lord.
Mr. William Hill, the secretary According to the calculation of of the Bible Translation Society,
1898.J ENGL1SR NOTES
Mr. George King, of Shen-si pro- Mohammedans, priest and all, have vince, on whose heart evidently joined the Christians. the spiritual needs of the present generation of Chinese heavily At Ouitcha a difficulCy has been press, some 1,500 missionaries are caused by the proselytizing efforts required for China's immediate of the Roman Catholics, who have evangelization. The measure, he had recourse to bribes to effect their believes,could be most economically object, and have also spread their conducted, and the carrying of it literature abroad. To counteract out would entail, in his judgment, these efforts, special instruction is no loss to the home church, since now being given in the Romish more is lost annually at home controversy. through backsliding, in conse- quence of lack of Christian work, Pre8byterian Church of England. more than would suffice to carry the blessed Gospel through the -This society's agent in the Jewish length and breadth of China proper. London quarters, Mr. Polan, has The Cuddapah Mi88ion.-This been much encouraged of late by mission, begun 70 years ago, and representing a large district of the direct fruit, and by the increast Madras Presidency, has increast during the last ten years as never spirit of inquiry shown by the Jews before. Ten years ago there were only 203 communicants, now there who have congregated in Whiteare 881. The numbers of adherents has more than doubled in this de- chapel, and hail from many lands. cade, while "the most gratifying result of all is that the number of He tells of a Jew from Russia, who evangelists, teachers, and catechists has risen from 44 to 126." carne to London expressly to in- Mr. N. C. Daniell, named in the foregoing paragraph, will reinforce quire more fully into the truth, and the work in this promising land. who was attracted by the Hebrew Church JWi88ionarJi Society.-The word, Shalom, Shalom, placarded ,,v general outlook in est Africa is on the window-bills of the ,Vhiteencouraging. This applies specially to Aremo, a district of Ibadan, chapel mission. His confession, as and to Ijeba Ode. The Jebus are becoming, according to the Rev. R. sent by letter subsequently, was: A. Croker, less hostile to Christianity: there are new inquirers almost "I have read the' New Testament.' every week, and the increase in the congregations, particularly in the I find that the Law and the Prophvillages, is markt. This testimony is confirmed by the Rev. F. Melville ets speak of one Messiah. .I Jones, who reports that "a great movement is perceptible among the believe that Jesus of Bethlehem is people," and that the main hindrance to much larger accessions is the true Anointed One." Other "polygamy." An interesting item concerns Iseyin, where the band of cases of more or less hopefulness are given, the record closing with a gladsome note of thankfulness.
India.-Special significance at- taches to the recent baptism of Syed Ali Hossein, a Mohammedan student, who during the last six or seven years has read and studied the Bible, the Koran, and many controversial books. As one of gra- dually deepening convictions, he finally decided to become a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. He does this counting the cost and foresee- ing the persecution and hatred which his profession of Christ is certain to entail. At present he is in the Free Church College, Cal- cutta, and is hoping to be a preacher to Mohammedans.
G:ElN:ERAL MissiONARY INTELLtGENc
THE KINGDON!. and Directory for Worship, not strangely, since it dates from the -Well does Bishop J. P. New- middle of the seventeenth century, man affirm: "The boldest thought lays no sort of !'mphasis upon the ever suggested to the human mind duty of spreading the Gospel to the is Christ's proposition to convert ends of the earth. And the Book this world to himself. For origin- of Common Prayer, originating yet ality of conception, simplicity of further back, is sadly inadequate at method, and certainty of result, it the same cardinal point. has no parallel in the world of thought. Bolder than the dream -Again and again is the query of the Macedonian to conquer all put, Why the cause of foreign kingdoms by his sword; than the missions shouid be so much more purpose of the Roman to unify all popular than that of home mis- E,"overnments into one; than the sions, whereas the evidence is hop!' of Leibnitz to create a univer- overwhelming that no such partialsal langliage for this our babbling ity exists. Thus the Ch,,"~rch lYIisrace, it stands forth sublime in its sionary Intell·igencer shows that isolation, to excite our admiration, while the Church of England exinflame our zeal, invite anI' co- pends for the work abroad about operation, and inspire our faith in $3,250,000 annually (£650,000), for the future of mankind." the work at home upwards of $40,- 000,000 (£8,054,000) are expended. -Judge Tucker, brother of the And the Missionary Herald finds late "A. L. O. E.," served "long in that while the Congregationalists India, giving to missions $200 per gave last year about $1,660,000 to month. To those who remonstrated evangelize the ",Vest, the South, at his liberality, he replied: "There etc., only some $470,000 were donatare 86,000,000 adult population; ed for the redemption of the entire 5,000 die daily; every day's delay vast pagan and Mohammedan means 5,000 souls." At the en- world. And no doubt all Christentrance to the station he had four dom is giving in about the same stone tablets erected. On two, the proportion. Ten Commandments, on two, John iii. 14-18. After the duties of his -Robert E. Sp~er reports an oboffice were fulfilled, he preacht ject lesson given by the mission-" Jesus. "If every hair was a life," aries in Seoul, who built a street in said he, "I would give them all to front of their premises in the most Him." He fell in 1857, at the hands approved way. The Koreans were of the mutineers. On his sitting- not slow to see the advantages of a room walls were inscribed, "Fear well-paved street, with deep gutters God, " " Love your enenlies," at the side, and now there are " Prepare for death." miles of such streets in that city, making it one of the cleanest and -As indicating progress in con- most attractive in that part of the viction and zeal as touching mis- world. sions, attention has recently been called to these three notable facts. -Some idea of a missionary's Whereas at former sessions of the isolation may be gained from t.he Lambeth Conference (Church of fact, stated in the Missionary England), this theme of themes Herald, that Dr. Atwood, in ShanreCeived but scant notice or none at si, China, had not seen a European all at the last session it was at the face in fifteen years, excepting fore front, it held the place of hon- those of his fellow-missionaries. or. The Westminster Confession WOMAN'S WORK. come from Ireland, wanted to find her sister who was at service in a -Dr. Dennis, writing of woman family in Allegheny. The deaconas she is to-day, says: "She is still ess, as soon as free from her station regarded, as of old, in a non-Chris- duties, took the girl to her sister. tian environment, as a scandal and a slave, a drudge and a disgrace, a -The Fall River, Mass., Deacontemptation and a terror, a blemish ess Home has received an offer of and a burden,-at once the touch- $7,000 from a generous man, prostone and stumbling block of hu- viding $3,000 are contributed by man systems, the sign and shame others. He is the same friend who of the non-Christian world." gave the home, worth $10,000.
-The Zenana Bible and Medical YOUNG PEOPLE. Mission has missionaries in Benares, the sacred city of Hinduism. -The Gleaners' Union connected An English woman visited that with the Church Missionary Socicity, who has given efficient help ety has about 100,000 members and in the conduct of a soldiers' home added 11,089 last year, supported 14 at Rawal Pindi. Her comparison " own missionaries" by the central of the value of such a non-religious funds and 33 others by branches tho most kindly and helpful insti- on their own account, and besides tution and the Zenana work she paid over to the C. JVL S. £2,900. saw in Benares is instructive. " I have seen," she said, on her return -The Galveston, Texas, Y. M. to Rawal Pindi, "that all the work C. A. entered on New Year's Day a we are doing here is mere child's new building, costing $65,000, and play compared with missionary the gift by bequest of Henry Rosenwork, and henceforth I am going berg. to be a missionary." -The Band of Hope movement -The 'V. C. T. U. of the District is in its fiftieth year, and an ear- nest effort is made to increase, by of Columbia have organized a vig- a million more, the membership of orous campaign against the sale of these societies in Britain and liquor in the official restaurant at America. There are at present the Congressional Lihrary. They 23,000 societies of juvenile abstainwill lay the matter before Presi- ers, with a total membership of dent McKinley, and if this effort about 3,000,000. In Lancashire and does not succeed, they will ask affi.- Cheshire, England, there are 1,250,- liated organizations throughout the 000 children of school age, of whom country to join them in a monster not more than 400,000 are pledged petition against such desecration to abstinence. An effort is bping of such a building. made to add 200,000 members, and funds are being raised p II over the -Some of the work done by the country. Traveler's Aid of the Pittsburg Deaconess Home during the first 11 AJIERICA. days of service at the station: 297 trains were met and 586 persons United States.-According to the aided, making an average of 2 per-. Chicago TrcilnLne, in 1897, upwards sons to the train. The classes of of $33,000,000 were given in large people aided were the aged, the sums for public uses, of which sick, women with small children, women were the donors of $13,- and young girls traveling alone. 400,000: nearly $15,000,000 reacht One of the last class, who had just the treasuries of religious societies, and colleges received $10,000,000. -Private gifts to the first-class Canada.-Alex. Fraser,of Ottawa, educational institutions in this recently offered a donation of $800 country for the last twenty -years for the support of native mission- aggregate nearly $200,000,000, or aries in Japan. Correspondence an average of nearly $12,000,000 a was had with Dr. Macdonald, and year. 5 names were selected-3 mission- aries and 2 evangelists-namely, E. -Through the death of a bache- Yamanaka, Y. Hiraiwa, K. Yama- lor uncle, 35 children of Kokomo, ga, A. Kato, and K. !izumi, whose Ind., and its vicinity have been aggregate stipends amount to just left money to give them a univer- $800 in gold. sity education. More than forty years ago W. H. Trabue disap- -Mr. Sampson. C. M. S. mission- peared. During the war he served ary at Cumberland Sound in the as a colonel of a Mississippi regi- Arctic regions, writes to the soci- ment under the name of W. H. ety: "On Christmas Eve I gave a Tribbitt, and afterward settled at lantern exhibition to about 80 Terry, Miss., where he accumulated souls, lasting for two-and-a-half a large fortune, and recently died hours. At the close I was com- in New York, leaving an estate pletely done up, owing to the in- worth $3,000,000. The will pro- tense heat and the dreadful stench vides that all his living relatives of arising from the oily persons of the school age, and all to become of Eskimos present and the nature of school age, shall receive a university their clothes-all undrest furs." At education, and at the conclusion of another station he had for church the college course receive in addi- and school a house in which the tion a sum of money equal to their dogs were fed. It was 5 ft. 6 in. from school expenses. floor to ceiling, the walls being made of barrels and the floor and -The Armour Packing Co. is seats of hard snow. He had to erecting a large building in Kansas stand over two smoking Eskimo City for the use of the Salvation lamps. "I am glad to say we were Army. It is 50 feet wide and 80 packt like sardines," he writes, feet long,and there are three stories. "and had a splendid time singing The auditorium on the ground floor hymns and reading the Gospel." will seat 700 persons, the second floor will be utilized as offices and for EUROPE. officers' quarters, while on the third floor there will be a Poor Man's Great Britain. The estate of the Hotel. late John T. Morton, of Aberdeen, has been valued at £786,719 gross, -Some 12 years ago a Chinese and £714,186 net. After making lad, Chan L. Teung, in a laundry in provision for his wife and sons Boston, began to work his way and certain legacies, Mr. Morton toward securing an education. disposed of the residue of his estate Identifying himself before long in the following manner: One-sixwith the Mt. Vernon church, he teenth to the Waldensian Church, grew in favor with all, and new in Italy; and seven-sixteenths to after graduating with honor from the Moravian Church. One other Harvard University, he has gone to fourth part of the residuary estate Foochow to become a teacher in is to be for the benefit of the China science in the Banyan City Institute Inland Mission, the money to be of the American Board. Before his distributed among the missionaries departure the Mt. Vernon church in China, and to be applied in gave him a public reception. founding and building schools, and for evangelizing the Chinese. Un- training of native students necesder the remaining fourth part the sarily came to an end. following charities will benefit: Aged Pilgrim's Friend Societv, -The Church Missionary Society London Aged Christians' Society, has selected 2 new mi8sionaries, the Widows' Friend Society, and Dr. W. R. S. Miller, and the Rev. the Aged Christians' Friend Soci- L. C. Jonas, to go as pioneers into ety of Scotland. London ChrisNan. the Hausa States in company with L. H. W. Nott, and in preparation -At a recent meeting of the for this campaign all the 3 brethren Foreign Mission Committee of the hope to go to Tripoli for the study English Presbyterian Church, a of the Hausa language. Mr. Nott resolution was adopted declaring sailed early in January, and will that it was expedient, in view of make all necessary arrangements the great expansion of the church's for the others to join him a few China and Formosa missions, and months later. of their urgent claims on the resources of the church, to take in The Continent. Signs of life are consideration the desirability of manifest in the French Roman withdrawing from the station of Catholic Church. Of the 20 stu- Rampore Boalia, ·India, thuE) ima- dents who have recently entered bling the church more fully to the Protestant Theological Faculty strengthen and extend her work in in Paris, 6 were formerly priests. China and Formosa. The Advisory A new journal also-Le Chretien Committee was instructed to make Frmu;ais-has just appeared, proarrangements with the Free claiming itself" the organ of evan- Church, or some other church, for gelical reform in Catholicism." It the transference to it of the Ram- asserts that more than 20 priests pore Boalia mission, the English have already felt it necessary to Presbyterian Church to pay a sub- separate from the church. sidy for the carrying on of the work for a series of years. -The Hermannsburg "Farm- ers'" mission had an income of -The Friends' Foreign Mission $80,325 last year. The expenses Association has been amalgamd,~c'l were heavy on account of the with the Friends' Syrian Mission. famine, the rinderpest, and the The larger society found itself at plague in South Africa. the close of its financial year with a reported expenditure of £14,994, -At his Christmas reception to and income of £11,935. The deficit, the cardinals an~ others who gave £3,059, has since been met by special him greetings, the Pope spoke in contributions. In Madagascar, the deprecation of the conflict between Friends have shared the ill-treat- Church and State in Italy. Imparment meted out to all the Protes- tial minds must needs desire it tant missions. The greatest trial ended. He believed the majority was the compulsory surrender of of Italians were against it, and their fine new hospital to the thought the Government did French authorities, no compensa- wrong to go contrary to the will of tion being offered for the buildings, the people, who were now conand only an utterly inadequate vinced that political unity had not amount for the drugs, instruments, brought them prosperity. The and other property. The medical rights of the Papacy should be remission property being thus confis- stored; it needed to be independent. cated, the medical school for the -Independent.
""-According to reports from Russia, there is a possibility that the son~ were allowed to approach the religious situation will be material- neighborhood of the railway. lyalleviated. The famous M. Con- stantin Pobiedonostsefl:, Procura- ASIA. tor of the Russian Synod, it is said, will be relieved of his post and be -Says Rev. J. H. Barrows: "Asia succeeded by Count Ignatiefl', now is the ccntinent of diversities and Governor of the Province of Kiefl'. divisions. It includes conservative The Count is a thorough-going Rus- China, progressive Japan, the co- sian, and believes heartily in ag- matose and decadent Buddhist, and gressive Russian policy; but he has the fierce, simple, and restless Arab. always shown himself able to rec- Only a common faith can bring ognize changing circumstances unity and order into its chaos- and influences. During the Russo- not Buddha, not Hinduism, not Turkish war he cordially indorst Islam. It can only be Christianity, Bible work in the Russian army; whose teaching of divine father- and altho the Bibles thus sold were hood and human brotherhood has afterward confiscated when the come through Jesus Christ. Its army entered Odessa, and were condition is little understood. burned, in all probability with the Nearly half of its inhabitants are Count's knowledge, still it shows prisoners for life; its great cities that he realizes the inadvisability are unclean; the mass of its popuof the government's opposing itself lation half naked; one-quarter to the trend of religious liberty in with only one meal a day; with thought and action.-Independent. famines that sweep ofl' millions of victims. Most Hindus are on the -There would seem to be room verge of starvation at least periodfor a few missionaries in Russia. ically. Even for their physical im- For it is stated on good authority provement we must give them that. over 50,ODO soldiers-cavalry, Christianity. infantry, and engineers–guarded the railway between the German Islam.–In Palestine are found 23 frontier and St. Petersburg on the Jewish agricultural colonies, 6,000 Czar's recent journey fronl Darm- colonists, and 100,000 acres under stadt to his own capital. The sen- cultivation. This is mainly the tinels along the lines were placed work of the last twenty-five years. within sight of one another, and were instructed ia special methods -In Chtl.rch at Home and Abroad of signaling in case anything un- Dr. Mary Eddy writes as follows: usual should happen. The most "I took a large supply of books extraordinary precautions were with me on a tour which lasted two taken at the frontier station of months and a. half. My Bible Virballen. Every bridge was mi- woman had a special talent for nutely examined and tested; houses selling them, and even sold at the in the immediate vicinity of the last my own little pocket Testaline were closely watcht, and a mul- ment, as our supply was exhausted. titude of workmen were employed Since then, on every tour, long or in tapping the rails and examining short, I take with my medical supthe sleepers. The entire traffic was plies a full assortment of Bibles, dislocated for days before the ar- Testmnents, and 5eparate vowcled , rival of the imperial train, and no portions. The first tour after the one save those known to the au- new year opened, 5 napoleons' thorities as absolutely reliable per- worth of books were in stock. Miss Ford, Ill.y associate, sold all of these to the patients, and since then two more orders have been and then the cannon were disexhausted. One little boy sold a charged. Down fell the gods, the treasured pack of cards to gain whole pantheon being destroyed. possession of the Gospel of John. During my last trip 31 portions – A Hindu father recently were sold in a village where the brought his little motherless girl to light of the Gospel had never before a mission school, and askt that she penetrated." At Banias I spent might be received. She was six 19 clinic days and had 600 attend- years old, and was sought in marances from 13 villages, while at riage by a man of 40, who offered Dibble, where we have 40 new 200 rupees for her; but her father evangelicals, I had 13 clinic days could not consent. Then the priests and 525 attendances from23 vil- demanded her for the vile service lages." of the temple, but he would not yield, and instead begged the mis- -Is the Bible a seditious book? sionary to receive and protect her, It has been so regarded in many saying: "For years I have watcht periods of the world's history, and the 200 Christian girls of your school is so regarrled now by a high official go back and forth, and I never have in Eastern Turkey, who seized two seen an unhappy face among them; copies of the Bible and condemned I want my daughter to be like them because of the first verse of them." the twelfth chapter of Daniel, and threatens to collect and burn all -Dr. K. S. Macdonald, says the books containing this passage. Let Chr'ist'ian, told the Missionary Conus read from King James' version ference at Calcutta that the decay that terrible rebellion-breeding pas- of caste is rapidly going on. The sage: "And at that time shall educated classes pour contempt on Michael stand up, the great prince it, observing it in public for perwhich standeth for the children of sonal ends, but utterly ignoring it thy people: and there shall be a in private life. Eating-houses are time of trouble, such as never was increasing in Calcutta, and in these since there was a nation even to Hindus eat all sorts of food without that same time: and at that time asking who prepared it. 'Yestern thy people shall be rlelivered, every musical instruments have got into one that shall be found written in the harems, and Hindu young ladies the book." are taught music by European pro- fessors. Modes of traveling also India.-The king of Nepaul, the tend to produce this same disregard mountainous independent state of the severe demands of caste. north from Bengal, lost his queen. She had been terribly pitted by -This is what the Swami Vivesmall-pox, and committed suicide in disgust at her loss of beauty. kananda, who ought to know, says The king, in his anger at her death, first revenged himself on the doc- about his fellow Hindus: "Comtors-flogged them and cut off'their right ears and their noses. Next he pared to many other races, I must rounded on the gods. He set loaded cannon in front of the images, and tell you in plain words, we are weak, ordered the gunners to fire. The men, in terror of the gods, refused very weak. First of all is our physito obey. Some of them were killed by the order of the irate monarch, cal weakness. That physical weak- ness is the cause at least of one-third of our miseries. 'Ye are lazy; we can not work; we can not combine; we do not love each other; we are immensely selfish. . You talk of reforms, of ideas, and all these for the last one hundred years; and when it comes to prac- hut covered with palmy~ leaves, tice, you are not to be found any- where; so that you have disgusted but we doubt if Solomon felt any the whole world, and the very prouder at the dedication of the name of reform is a thing of ridi- temple. A church will be organ- cule to the whole world. The only ized as soon as th8 people are able cause is, you are weak, weak; your and willing to can and support body is weak, your mind is weak." their own pastor, whkh, we think, He said the Hindu religion is now will be very soon." "one degraded mass of supersti- tion," with" the most hideous cere- –Principal Smith, of the Bapt~st monies, the most horrible, the Theological Seminary, Insein, Bur- most obscene books that human ma, reports an attendance of 142 in hands ever wrote or the human the Karen, and 36 in the Burmese brain ever conceived, the most department. The class in Greek, bestial forms that ever passed un- after a year of foundation-laying der the name of religion." in Green's Handbook to the Gram- mar of the Greek Testament, is now -The reports from the plague- studying with great enjoyment and affected centers are, if possible, profit, Dr. Harper's Inductive more unfavorable than those of last Method with the Gospel of John. week. The number of deaths in Next year, which will be third and Bombay is greater than at any last, they will read passages time since the recrudescence of the throughout the Greek Testament. disease. Poona is faring still worse. The scourge is working fearful China. To the civil service examhavoc in the native city. Advices from there describe the situation inations in China about 2,000,000 I as inconceivable by those who do I not see it for themselves. The fell disease has appeared at a new vil- candidates are admitted every lage in the Punjab. Thus far the year. Literary criticism, history, south and east are happily exempt agriculture, military affairs, and in the providerice of God. How finance are among the subjects long these regions will remain so covered. Until recently the quesremains to be seen.-Indian WU- tions have been limited to Chinese ness. affairs. Now, however, it is re- ported that the exanliners recom- -Dr. Downie in the Baptist mend the Old Testament as a text- Miswiona1'Y Review tells of an inter- book, "because it is the classic of esting baptismal scene which took Christian countries," and a new place in an out-station at Nellore, question on the examination papers called Rebala. " It is a jungle vil- this year is: "What do you know lage where a little handful of of the repeopling of the earth by Christians have been struggling for Noah and his family after the a long time to get a little chapel flood?" and school house of their own. ,Ve promist them a door and window -The Manchuria Presbytery of if they would do the rest, and when the United Presbyterian Ohurch of we went out to the dedication we Scotland is composed of 13 evangelcould hardly avoid sharing the ist missionaries, 4 medical missionmanifest pride the poor people had aries, 14 native elders. At a recent in showing us the house they had meeting it reported 28 congregabuilt to the Lord. It is onlyamud tions, 63 chapels, 41 churches, 9 dispensaries and hospitals, 1 native pastor, 17 native elders, 165 native deacons, 5,802 baptized persons, 6,300 applicants for baptism on list, 58 schools, 680 scholars; and 2,000 iron will and untiring energy. He persons were baptized last year. erred in leading his followers to make war on ancestral worship, -" The weather was bitter cold, instead of seeking to reform it; but we had no means of heating still, in founding and conducting the building, and so depended for the China Inland Mission, he has warmth upon our clothing, and if made an epoch in the history of I was a missionary I was cold and nlissionary enterprise." hungry. I wore a native dress and planned, as far as I could, to use -Miss Hu King Eng, the young native food. About 20 women gath- Chinese girl whom Li Hung Chang ered to the class, some of these has appointed a delegate from sleeping in the chapel, others re- China to the Women's Convention turning to their homes for the in London in 1898, is said to be night. I was so fortunate as to very successful asa doctor in Foohave for lny own use one small chow. She studied for seven years room, about 10 x 6. This contained in the University of Michigan, and a kang large enough for one person, received the degree of M.D. there. and no other furniture. In one cor- She is now in charge of a hospital, ner I had a heap of charcoal; in the and the story is told of a coolie who opposite a pile of cabbages, and a wheeled his old blind mother 1,000 heap of sweet potatoes, and two or miles on a wheelbarrow to take her three bunches of onions. We had to the woman doctor. An operafive large jars in the room, one for tion for double cataract was perwhite flour, millet meal, rice, and formed, and the woman can see as millet. Besides these I had a few well as ever. shelves, on which I placed my books and a small store of home remedies. Korea.-Those who are earnestly Among my women were two with looking for the victory of Christ's small children. Those babies slept Kingdom on the earth, have their in the daytime, so that their mo- faith constantly tested by newsthers made real progress, but my paper reports of movements among rest at night was often interrupted the nations. The growing ascendby their wails. The women called ancy of Russia in Korea means, them 'the little watchmen,' and to these watchmen of the night, altho the chapel was in a lonely just one imperative inquiry; Will place on the outskirts of the village, the Russian (Greek) Church be we never felt afraid of thieves as able, with its priests and its paglong as those children cried so much eants, to smother the Christian at night."-Miss MOTTill. life already introduced into Korea? According to his confidence in the -This is what Rev. W. A. P. divine and energizing power of the Martin has to say of Rev. J. Hud- Gospel, each answers that question; son Taylor and his great society: but in it lies a tremendous argu- "He is the Loyola of Protestant ment for pushing the Bible in Komissions. When I first met him he rea, and pushing it now, before was a mystic absorbed in religious priests and nuns fetch it, in a fordreams, waiting to have his work eign tongue, across the Russian revealed-not idle, but aimless. border.-Woman's WOTk fOT Wo- When he had money he spent it TItan. on charity to needy Chinese, and then was reduced to sore straits -Recently a colporteur in Korea himself. When the vocation found gathered some people about him, him it made him a new man, with but before he could tell ~hem anything about the good books he car- book about a man who spent much ried, and which he wished them to time in Africa, which from beginbuy and read, they had to feel of ning to end is a long-drawn wail. him and handle his hat and his It would have cured both writer clothes. In some places a mission- and hero of all moping to see the ary has been askt to take off his manner of Mackay's life. He has shoes and stockings, that the people no time to fret and groan and weep; may see whether he really has feet and God knows if ever man had and toes like themselves. Once a reason to think of "graves and missionary in China, after he had worms and oblivion," and to be preacht to a company which seemed doleful and lonely and sad, Mackay to be listening intently, askt if any had, when, after murdering his of those present would like to make bishop, and burning his pupils, and any inquiries that they might know strangling his converts, and clubmore about what he had been say- bing to death his dar'k friends, ing, to which one of the company Mwanga turned his eye of death on said immediately: "We would like him. And yet the little man met to know what those two buttons it with calm blue eyes that never on the back of your cont fire for?" winkt. To see one man of this kind, working day after day for AFRICA. twelve years bravely, and without a syllable of complaint or a moan A missionary from Ceni;ral West amid the "wildernesses," and to Africa tells how the natives were hear him lead his little flock to affected by their first sight of show forth God's loving kindness artificial human anatomy. A in the morning, and his faithfulmissionary was giving a group of ness every night, is worth going a natives a talk on astronomy, and long journey for the moral courage when he told them about the move- and contentment that cne derives ments of the heavenly bodies one from it.-H. M. Stanley. of his hearers bluntly said, "You lie." The missionary said, "What -When the new converts at Manwould you say if I should tell you gamba, in the Kameruns, West that in my country people some- Africa, wanted to build It regular times t'Lke out their teeth to brush chapel in place of their prayer-shed, them? " This was greeted with de- they petitioned the Basle Society risive laughter. But a lady mission- for a grant of $1,000. The home ary present, being prompted by a committee appropriated only $500. sign, let her hand-made teeth drop The negro generally likes to be into her lap. Every naHve fled helpt along, and is not overfond of from the room in consternation, bestirring himself, but in this inand after that they promist to be- stance he did surprisingly well. For lieve everything that the mission- months they workt overtime and ary might say. saved their earnings for their chapel. "Vhen they brought the -" I am growing old," said the money to the teacher, it was found father of a scholar of the French that the amount did not reach by Protestant mission on the Kongo, far. They resolved to have an Afri- "and before I die I want to have can collection, which certainly will my boy back for a time, that I may find no imitation in America. The tell him all about our quarrels, so chapel committee went from house that he may know who they are to house to collect the subscripwho owe us corpses." tions. Vllhoever was not able to -A clever writer lately wrote a pay was summarily dealt with. His clast together if born before or belongings were seized and put up after a great battle, a great storm, at auction. No one demurred; they or a great drought. By a kind of thought it was a good joke on them. leap year arrangement a Zulu girl A negro, however, has not much of may, without embarr~'ssment, probhis world's goods, so there ,,:as still pose marriage to any young man '1 deficit. Then the order went forth up9n whom she has set her heart. that no one should buy new clothes until the chapel was paid for. A -A Zulu woman's hut is her cas-. young man who had gotten a new tIe, and she will shut the doer even loin cloth was compelled to give it on her husband. Miss Cc lenso to the collector. Great was the joy says, "I have heard an argry, when at last the day of dedication woman say to her spouse: 'Not a arrived, and they could give the scrap of food shall you eat to-day)' Lord a house of His own. and he sneaks away meekly."
-M. CoiBaI'd, of the Paris So- -Nyassaland from its climatic ciety's mission to the Barotse, re- and geographical condition is par lates this incident: "In ten days the ea;cellence the land of industrial grass, and even the brushwood, had missions. The Zambesi Industrial reasserted their rights, as if in Mission maintains some 600 acres revenge; and when we penetrated of land under cultivation, and to the tents the smell of mouldi- altho small profits have hitherto ness chokt us. The, whole place been realized owing to the coffeewas a mass of mud, alive with shrub only attaining fruition after frogs and millipedes. A hurricane three years' growth, yet from the had upset everything and broken harvest of 1897 the sum of 72,000 my crockery. That good fellow marks ($18,000) is expected. Forty Paulus [a native evangelist] had European agents and between 700 pusht his scrupulous fidelity to the and 800 natives are employed upon point of even keeping the fragments the plantations. of my cups and plates! It was too much of a good thing. I fled from ISLANDS OF THE SEA. the ruins, and installed myself in one of my huts, which is scarcely -The London Missionary Society any better. The termites, centi- has received such favorable news pedes, seuruyi, warrior-ants, had from Madagascar as to be able to taken possession of everything be- state as follows: "It is implied that fore my arrival; but it was the a modus vivendi with the authorfrogs more specially that had made ities had been found, and in conit their rendezvous. They were formation of this the deputations everywhere-on the ground, on the state that Miss Hare's services were walls, in the roof. They fall on greatly needed at Fianarantsoa, one's head in bed, into the dishes from which, in consequence of the on the table; they are not afraid of break-up of her work, it had prea bath in a cup of coffee, and have viously been decided t.o remove her, the impudence to croak in my face and that they had decided to cancel from the edge of my inkstand now the arrangement. for transferring whilst I am writing. TI~is is a pre- her to Samoa, and were keeping lude to the nocturnal concert which her at her post. We must wait for awaits me. It is quite regal." details; but this telegram is un- doubtedly the most hopeful thing -The Zulus keep no record of age received by us from Madagascar for except by events, and children are Inany a day."
-H. M. Dauncey writes from New Guinea: "To-day has been of the native heathenism of Fiji, a one of the' extra' days-three ser- foreign heathenism should have vices and Sunday-school, all well been introduced by the immigraattended; and this afternoon I tion of coolies from India, some baptized 15 adults, and had 56 at 10,000 of whom are now to be found the communion service. One inci- in the group, mainly engaged Jin dent pleased me. I was going over the production of sugar. The first the list of candidates with the two of these laborers came into the deacons. Of one man I was doubt- country as far back as 1879, and ful. I appealed to them, and they since then a steady stream of imat once spoke out, saying he was migration has flowed, chiefly from not a fit person to he baptized. It the villages of the Northwest Provshowed that they had graspt the inces, to Fiji. Altho the coolies meaning of the rite. The Delena are not more than ten per cent. of people are going in for a new the population, they committed church, and have resolved to pro- more crime than the whole of the vide it themselves. They want an other sections of the population, iron church, and toward paying for and it became an absolute necessity, it have collected sandal wood, as well as a clearly defined duty, to which has realized £47 12s., whilst do something for their moral and they have enough in hand to bring religious welfare. Moreover, it in £10 or £12 more. Further, they was felt that to neglect them and the folks just around here have would be to expose the life of the paid (in sandal wood) this year £4 Fijian church to serious perils. 18s., for Testaments and hymn- One feature of the case that gave books." encouragement to missionary work among the coolies is, that through -And Rev. C. W. Abel of this leaving India they have "broken same island says: "I could go on to caste. " They did not bring their speak of cleanliness; of the law we priests with them, and were effecthave had enforced for several ually removed from the old associyears, that every boy and girl ations of worship and ceremony. should have a morning and afternoon bath; of the opposition with -Twenty years ago the Dutch which this unpopular statute was on Sumatra subdued the Batta met; of the tyranny of it being tribes dwelling on the banks and suspected; and of my good Raro- the island of the great lake Toba, tongan teacher, who washt him- in the mountains of the west side. self in cocoanut oil-oh, those pun- The Batta possest a certain degree gent days-coming to me to ask, in of civilization, but practist canniall seriousness, where it was stated balism and other cruelties. As in the Bible that these excessive, soon as the country was pacified, uncongenial ablutions were a sine the Rhenish missionaries who, qua non of the Christian life; and since 1861, were laboring among yet, how, to-day, my children pre- the Batta on the coast and in the fer cleanliness to dirt, and regard valleys, advanced their posts into personal unsavoriness as a dis- the Toba region. Last Maya misgrace." sion festival was held on the banks of the lake, which was attended by -It is a very remarkable fact nearly 8,000 persons. that after the complete extinction
The Missionary Review of the World — January 1890
IS THERE TO BE A NEW DEPARTURE IN MISSIONS?
MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD.
VOL. xm. No. 1.-0ldSeries.—JANUARY.—VoL. m. No. I.-New Seriu.
I.-LITERATURE OF MISSIONS.
IS THERE TO BE A NEW DEPARTURE IN MISSIONS?
[EDlTORIAL.-A. T. P.] Our Lord rebuked those in his day who were more observing and discerning as to the face of the sky and the forecast of the weather than as to the signs 'of the times and the signals of coming trials and triumphs.
The question is not what would we like to have as signs of the near to-morrow, but what are the actual indications of the approaching future. What we may not be able to shape according to our mind or will, we may be able to accommodate ourselves to and prepare ourselves for. Possibly what we cannot prevent we may direct and control, as sagacious farmers in the valleys of the Vaudois sometimes guide and bank in the current of a mountain stream swollen by heavy rams.
There are some startling-to some, alarming-signs in the horizon which betoken some new movement in the direction of missions. Ultra-conservatism may complain and criticise, and even seek to arrest these developments, but this may be found to be only a new attempt to sweep back ocean tides. Why not calmly survey the situation and prepare to take our part in giving a wise and winning guidance even to an excessive and inconsiderate impulse of enthusiasm? Some movements that seem purely human have God back of them; and in seeking to "overthrow" them we may "haply be found to fight even against God."
1_ The first sign on the horizon to which we call attention is the infusion of a nett) .~pirit of enterprise into missionary work.
Enterprise is the characteristic feature o'f our modern civilization. The world in this nineteenth century no longer moves on its axis, or through its orbit, at its former rate and pace. Travd and transportation, postal and telegraphic communication, the rapid rate of livingyes, and of dying, too; the speed of making and marring great fortunes; the sweep of thought to the bounds of the earth and the bounds of the visible universe; the quickened. pulse of physical, intellectual and social life; the intensity and extensity of scholarly research and scientific investigation-these, and a thousand other similar signals, fly, like flags in the wind, to show both the direction and the rapidity of this social cyclone. Where everything else is moving as with lightning pace, the cause of missions must yoke a sanctified enterprise to its car or be hopelessly left behind. God means that the church shall quicken her march, and catch up with the times. Why should the world, the flesh and the devil monopolize all the enterprise of the age? Because Christ said that the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light, we are not to infer that he meant they should be. It will no longer do to act and talk as though we had countless years and even centuries before us wherein to evangelize this world. We have often said, what now we calmly :and deliberately repeat with emphasis, that with one tithe of the '" dash" and" push" with which all worldly enterprises are carried forward, the thirty millions of Protestant church members now on earth would not let ten years pass without belting the globe with ~issionary effort and bearing the good tidings of the gospel to every family of man! We yearn to see the church of God take up this work as though she felt that the time is short and eternity only is long; that millions of unsaved souls die every year, and a whole generation in less than forty years; as though she saw that God has given her opportunities and facilities that multiply her responsibilities a hundred fold. There must be an apathy and lethargy that are next to criminal, if the children of light stand still, or move so slowly as to allow the children of this world to outrun them in this race, and not only to carryall modern inventions, but all modern devices for destroying bodies and souls, into the regions beyond, ahead of the gospelmessage! The Prince of Darkness is pushing his missions and publishing his message fast enough, however sluggish may be the messengers of the Prince of Peace!
II. We mention next, as a sign of the times, the unparalleled uprising of our young men and women. Nothing like this has been seen before in the centuries of church history. It reminds the student of the middle ages of the enthusiasm kindled by Peter the Hermit, and has give~ to this movement the name of the" modern cr·usade."
This uprising is by no means in a solitary quarter or a single direction. It began nearly fifty years ago in the formation of that first Young Men's Christian Association in London, under George Williams, whose seed was in itself after its kind, and which has so rapidly multiplied that it now covers the earth with its shadow. Countries that then were hopeless heathen and pagan are now dotted over with these associations and sending native representatives to the great international conventions. Before the Y.M.C.A. began to be, young men, and especially young women, were comparatively scarce awakened to activity in the service of Christ. The denominations stood apart, as ~ects, eyeing each other with jealousy and envy, quarelling over minor differences which were practically divisions; the rigid line between" clergy" and" laity," drawn not in apostolic days but in the dark ages, practically separated the ministry and the lay-membership in the matter of soul-saving. 'l'here was but little general training in Bible knowledge or personal work for souls. We have seen all these conditions changed within forty years. No doubt the movement has at times swept beyond legitimate lines and bounds, .and even threatened to obscure, if not obliterate, important distinctions. But, on the whole, the Y.M.C.A. has done a wonderful work for God in uniting all disciples upon the fundamental truths of .our holy faith, in increasing knowledge of the Bible and power in using it, in developing general activity in Christian work, and expanding capacity for it. The Young Men's Associations naturally suggested the Young Women's, and the consequence has been that now all our Christian youth find new avenues open before them for both training and serving.
Then who can look on these ." Societies of Christian Endeavor" that, with incredible rapidity, are enclosing the round world in the network of their organization-inside of ten years increasing to thous3nds of societies-and hundreds of thousands of members-with- ·out feeling that God means to infuse new and young blood into our Christian work? If those that are older are not on the alert, they will find themselves hopelessly in the rear, if not left high and dry on the shore, like some old battered hulk when the ocean surges recede.
'Vhat shall we adequately say also of that" Students' Uprising," which, taking definite form at the Summer School in Mount Hermon, Mass., a few years ago, has now enrolled nearly 4,000 volunteers for the foreign field? The critical, cynical sneer that this is "all gush," and that when time has" sifted this bushel of wheat it will be found that the biggest part of it is all chaff," may do for a sneer, but this movement cannot be laughed down. It has shown too much vitality for the arrow of ridicule or the dart of denunciation to destroy it. No doubt time will liberally deduct from this number of volunteers; many now willing will be found reluctant and unready in the crisis; and Divine Providence will block the way of many who will be both ready and willing. But, from present appearances, it is far more likely that the great practical hindrance in the path of these volunteer3 will be that the church is so fettered by conservative methods, or so hampered by illiberal giving and lack of holy enterprise, that no way can be found to send volunteers to the field and support them on the field.
Even now, as we write, a circular has just come to our hand announcing what is perhaps the most significant sign of the times, of them all, in this direction. It tells us that the Sons of Kansas have heard the Macedonian cry, and the missionary spirit is abroad in the land; and tnat since the organization of the State work no movement, has ever grown with a rapidity so amazing, and none has arisen so replete with prophecies of good and opportunities of service. A number of the most active workers in the Y. M. C. A. in Kansas, Nebraska and Minnesota have already decided to be the pioneers, in preparing the way of the I.ord, for the carrying of the gospel tidings to densely populated and benighted Africa. These men propose to enter by way of Liberia and the Kong Mountains, the Soudan of the Niger and Lake Chad, where are nearly 100,000,000 of people without a missionary, and to form a living tie between the African field and the home churches and associations. Think-of young men leaving secretaryships of the Y. M. C. A. in our northwest, and pioneering the way into the almost unknown and forbidding region of the Soudan!
There are those who deprecate this whole movement, and think Dr. Henry Grattan Guinness showed little judgment in his appeals to' the Kansas young men, and still less judgment in giving direction to the enthusiasm which his appeals aroused. But there is a wiser way than to stand off and criticise. The herdsmen on Western prairies, never try to stop or turn back a stampede among their cattle. Those thousands of hoofs would soon trample them into a bleeding mass of lifeless flesh. No, they spur their broll(~os into the very midst of the flying herds, and by degrees turn them about and guide them so that they swing round a circle and return to their pastures. When great movements take place, in which youth and enthusiasm need the guidance of mature judgment, let wise counsellors get into the current and sympathetically give it direction. God be thanked in this age of apathy for anything that breaks up stagnation! If this world is to be evangelized, it must be young men and young women that take up the work and put into it a consecrated spil'it of enterprise and enthusiastic endeavor. Surely the Holy Spirit must be moving, whQl'e men leave positions of honor and trust as well as of comfort, and go as pioneers into the depths of the Dark Continent simply to prepar; the way of the Lord! There is a sublimity in such consecration.
III. We think we see also, among the signs of the times, a markea tendency to establish a more direct tie between the churches and the mt88zonaries. This drift has been strongly resisted by the Boards, and not without reason. They say it tends to narrow instead of to broaden sympathy; to foster favoritism in the choice of certain attractive fields and the neglect of others; to cripple the general work in attention to local fields, etc. We see !lound sense in all this. Yet is it worth while to reflist a growing demand of the day? The churches say that to have a worker located somewhere who is immediately supported by the particular church, and from whom letters come from time to time, feeds the flame of missionary interest; that, it makes the appetite for missionary intelligence more keen, cultivates intelligent sympathy, and renders the whole work more fascinating. Those who have tried it say that money can be more easily raised for three missionaries, than for one on the old plan of putting money indiscriminately into the missionary treasury to be disbursed generally. 'Vide-awake pastors affirm that the trial of this method proves that the church will not only contribute cheerfully to support the missionary, but to supplement his salary by such additional sums as help his ,schoolwork, hospital work, and out-stations. And why not? The moment a church comes thus into sympathetic contact with a particular field, there is aroused a feeling of identification with that field, which makes giving easy and natural; and there is a sense of responsibility for such field as under the care of that particular church. Why can- , not the Boards assign particular fields, still remaining the channels of ,communication, and put the church at home into vital union with the ,needy multitudes abroad? What reason is there why every church «)f average numbers and resources may not have its missionary abroad as well as its pastor at home? Why may not church finances be so controlled as that provision shall be regularly made for the one as well as the other? What more practicable way can be found for distributing, the wide-world field than to assign a definite work to each ,congregation, and encourage every church to work in its foreign parish as systematically, liberally, prayerfully as in the best cultivated ,city parish at home? In many a church enough money is spent on a quartette choir to sustain three missionaries in the centers of heathenism!
IV. 'fhere is also an undeniable tendency to independent effort .on missionary fields. It is natural and almost inevitable. Not to speak of the singular success of that man of God, Rev. J. Hudson 'Taylor, in placing over 300 missionaries in Inland China without dependence on boards, committees 01' collections, and in supporting them upon funds received in answer to prayer, there is an obvious reason why independent movements are becoming more and more inevitable. There are many volunteers offering whom the Boards have not means to send out and support. Several young men now in the senior year ()f a prominent theological seminary visited the writer to ask advice. They wish to go out together, like the monks of the middle ages, as a band, electing one of their number captain, and to take possession of some unoccupied territory, say in China, Siam, Arabia, Africa; and, after acquiring under missionaries adequate knowledge of the language, etc., disperse within a limited area and undertake to evangelize it, acting in co-operation. The Board of their own church declines to send them: first, as not having funds; secondly, as unwilling to place them together in anyone field. This is no hasty impulse: they have been considering the matter for two 01' three years, and came to ask advice as to undertaking the work independently, getting support direct from the local churches to which they belong. They propose no antagonism to the Missionary Boards as such; but simply t() undertake what their policy does not permit them to do as missionary organizations. 'l'his may be another instance of enthusiasm run mad. But the question is, what shall be done with such cases? 'Shall we leave such independent movements to spring up in every direction, or shall the churches and Boards so modify their existing policy as t() throw about these movements a sheltering and guiding arm? At the same time there is a tendency to organize colonies of men and women~ representing different trades and callings, to go into destitute fields after the manner of Pastor Harms' Colonies from Hermannsburgh, to settle as germinal communities and even to undertake self-support. Is it wise to shut our eyes to the signs of the times and be either in- different or inactive in view of these developments?
~ human history moves forward methods must be modified. A growing boy cannot be kept in last ,year's breeches: he will extend beyond them in more ways than one. It is worth while considering at least whether we are not trying to wear outgrown garments.
V. The demand for a shorter course of preparation for mission- . ary fields is an open secret-it is now heard without concealment in our great ecclesiastical meetings and assemblies. One of the con- spicuous professors of theology in our land says he not only deprecates this movement, which he denominates a "short cut to the ministry," but that, if he could control ministerial education, he would compel a young man to double rather than halve the time spent in getting ready. We can understand this sentiment, and can even sympathize with it. Having spent nearly fourtElen years in preparation for the sacred calling, and having found even then that our resources were taxed to the utmost to do the work of the pulpit and pastorate, we can see why it is perilous to rush into such a sacred office with its daily demands on time, strength and learning. But at the same time we can all see that, as an army does not need to have all its soldiers trained at West Point, aud that, while leaders of the highest sort are needful, the private soldier can do effective fighting without this elaborate train- ing; so, in the work of preaching the gospel, there are fields where a very common man may, with a very ordinary education, tell the gospel story effectively without being qualified to be a translator, a college professor, or a great leader of missionary enterprise. The question is whether or not this great mass of common disciples cannot be adequately trained for evangelistic work at home and abroad without such a tax upon time, .money, and prolonged study as may put such preparation out of the power of hundreds of willing workers.
Rev. David Allen Reed in Springfield, Rev. M. R. Deming in Boston, Rev. H. C. Mabie in St. Paul, Rev. Geo. C. Needham in Kansas, Dwight L. Moody in Chicago, and others are establishing training institutes for the laity, and they are successfully doing this work. It fell to the writer to conduct the studies of a class number- ing from 150 to 800 during the month of October in connection with Mr. Moody's Institute, and the conviction grows upon us that there is a legitimate work to be done by these persons ·of ordinary educa- tion, and that therefore a special course of training for such work is legitimate.
The power of the early church in evangelism has never yet been equalled; l;lnd there was then scarce one in a hundred who had any pretensions to scholarship. Some of them were not only ignorant but had not even the advantage of training in the school of Christ. The woman of Samaria had never been to college or received a license even as an " exhorter," bnt what an earnest, evangelical, experimental and successful preacher! " They that were scattered abroad" and "went everywhere preaching the Word" had not an apostle or ordained preacher among them; yet the" hand of the Lord was with them, and many believed and turned to the Lord." We believe in a highly educated ministry. There is more room than there ever was for such profound thinkers as John or such close reasoners as Paul; but if we can get publicans to leave their benches, and fishermen to leave their nets, and farmers to forsake their ploughs, and carpenters to lay down their saw and plane; or better still, perhaps, hold fast their honest and honorable callings and make them handmaids to the preaching of the gospel, is there less room for such workmen now than in apostolic days?
How is this world ever to be reached with the gospel if we insist on limiting the work to the graduates of colleges and theological seminaries? The whole drift of New Testament teaching is toward constituting every believing hearer a herald.
VI. There is likewise a tendency to the critical investigation of the actual work of missions and Mission Boards, which is another conspicuous sign of the times.
Never before, since the days of apostolic evangelism, have so many assaults been made on missions by professed friends. We regard this as unavoidable. In the first place, the work of missions has challenged universal interest, and perhaps critical comment, by its just claims to a most marvellous success. And, in the second place, such vast sums of money are now controlled and disbursed by missionary societies that it is inevitable that they shall be called to account where the disbnrsement seems to be lacking in economy 01' in efficiency. For ourselves we welcome the criticisms of professed friend or open foe. There is nothing to be feared. Even misrepresentation will only lead to investigation and correction; and if anything be designedly hidden as needing concealment, that is just what we want brought to light.
But one thing must be remembered: while independent investigation-untrammelled by any official connection with boards and societies-is to be welcomed, it is not every investigator who can either elicit or perceive the real state of things. To no one who is not manifestly a spiritually minded observer will the most devout laborers uncover their real work, nor will any other sort of observer be able to enter into the secret heart of missions, even were it unfolded. There is a natural reserve and reticence in speaking of what is peculiarly sacred until we are drawn to do so by the perception of a right mind and heart in others. To some visitors a true missionary will be unconsciously indisposed to be confidential, and some visitors lack that magnetic touch that opens the inner doors within which lies what is, after all, the divinest part of the work of missions. When a man goes to explore mission fields he must go filled with the spirit of mISSIOns. If he has a spidt of criticism it will close the very mouth that would gladly 0pen to speak of the sacred things, and such a spirit even veils the observer's eye so that he sees only what he is disposed to see. The trouble with many independent investi~ators is that they have not only a warped judgment, but go through the central fields of missions without seeing the fruit which only a vision cleared by sweet charity, sympathy, and spirituality can detect. The visit of Dr. William Fleming Stevenson and his wife to the Oriental fields will never be forgotten by the missionaries. That great heart, now still in death, beat so grandly in sympathy with 'their trials and triumphs; so magnanimous was his bearing, so tender his cautions, so wise his counsels, so acute his perceptions, so appreciative his comments,so affectionate his spirit, so fraternal his interest, that all felt moved to lean on him and tell him every secret joy and sorrow of the missionary life. He would stand in a school and watch the dusky boys and girls in silence, big tears rolling down his face as he heard them recite the words of scripture or sing the songs of the new life. His questions were keys that unlocked at once the secret chambers of the missionaries' experience; his suggestions were the fruit of a wisdom that was paternal and a gentleness that was like that of a mother.
Let us not give up the visiting of mission fields to the professional tourist or the mercenary self-seeker, to the curious traveler or the self-constituted critic. Let our great-hearted, spiritually minded men and women visit the homes of lonely exiles, who for Jesus' sake bury themselves in these far off lands, and yearn for the benediction of a loving smile and sympathetic touch as for the ministry of angels.
1890.J EDUCATION AS AN EVANGELISTIC AGENCY
EDUCATION AS AN EVANGELISTIC AGENCY.
BY JAMES JOHNSTON, F.S.S., LONDON, ENGLAND.
As secretary of the late Conference on Foreign Missions in London, and editor of the report of its proceedings, I tl'llst that I shall not be considered presumptuous if I offer to the Christian public, through your pages, the conclusions which I have arrived at on I>ome disputed points in missionary operations-opinions which have been formed, not under the brief excitement of missionary meetings, or the study of papers and speeches, though much assisted by them, but on practical experience as a missionary and a lifelong study of mis- -sionary operations.
In choosing the subject of Education as an evangelistic agen~y I am influenced by two considerations. :First, it is a burning question in England at present. It is discussed in missionary magazines, in the columns of newspapers, in the pages of our reviews, and forms the subject of hot dispntes in ecclesiastical courts and public meetings. Second, because my first impulse to missionary service was given by the founder of Educational missions-Dr. Duff; and my first study of that kind of work was under the guidance of Mr. Anderson of Madras-as great an educationist as Dr. Duff, and a man who "agonized for the conversion of souls" with an intensity greater than I ever met with in the mission field. But, though going to China under such influences, and with full powers to establish a mission on the same lines in that country, I abandoned the cherished idea on discovering that, at that time, there was neither a call nor opening for an educational mission; which is not the normal form of missionary agency and is only justifiable in exceptional conditions of society, of which India is the most typical example. * After this personal introduction, which will, I trust, be pardoned as my apologia and before we discuss the question on its merits, let us get rid of some misconceptions which have prejudiced many earnest students, and in the hands of controversialists have given the appearance of victory to the opponents of educational institutions for mis- .sionary purposes.
First of all, it is said that Dr. Duff revolutionized the whole system of missionary effort by the introduction of his system. As one boldly puts it: "After six weeks' investigation, Duff, a young man, revolutionized the whole system of missions in India." There are two gross misstatements in this brief senteace. First, the scheme was not Dr. Duff's at all. It was the outcome of the mature mind of Dr. Inglis, an ecclesiastical statesman of the Church of Scotland, and Duff was only the fitting instrument chosen by him for carrying it out. The only point on which he deviated from the plan laid down for him * The question of education, as an essential condition for the development and effiCiency of ,a native church. is not touched on or alluded to in this article, was in choosing Calcutta as the sphere of his operations instead of some rural district, as Dr. Inglis proposed; and second, the statement that Duff at once revolutionized missionary methods in India is entirely unfounded. It was forty-five years before it was approved by any great body of missionaries, and Duff never wished, and never did materially alter or affect the methods of former missions.
Nothing could be mOl'e erroneous and mischievous than the mis~ representations on this point. One writer, to whose statements great, prominence has been given, has the boldness to say that "mission schools and colleges have been diverting from evangelistic work the energies and talents of at least th1'ee-fmtrths of the ablest men sent out by all the Protestant Missionary Societies." Leaving out that invidious and unmeasurable quantity, by which the writer guards 'himself, but which only reveals the fact that some of the ablest men do choose this method of evangelizing India, what do we find to be the real state of the case? I have before me two estimates from the statistics of missions in that country made by two independent authorities. The one says: "According to the Asylum Press Almanac there are 264 European and American missionaries in southern India, Of these exactly forty devote the main portion of their time and strength to 'mission high schools and colleges.'" That is only fifteen per cent., or less than one in seven, in the most educational region of India.
The other says: "Taking the latest reports of sixteen missions in different parts of the country, including the Panjab and Madura, Calcutta and Bombay, we went through the names of all foreign missionaries and found that between a seventh and an eighth of the total number is devoted to educational wOI'k-in many cases very partially" in others more fully." Both these witnesses give the estimate for the great educational centres, including the capital cities of the principal provinces. If they had taken the whole of India there would have' been found one in ten of the foreign missionaries, and if we include the native ministers and evangelists there would not be one in twenty or thirty engaged in this higher education, and of both classes it may be said that, of those engaged in teaching, many give only a part of their time to mere teaching; mnch of it is devoted to directlyevangelistic work. Dr. Duff never meant his system to form more than a. fractional part of the missionary work of the church even in India. As for the rapid revolution, no system of missionary effort has ever been more stoutly opposed both at home and in India. It wa~ not. until the year 1879, forty-five years after its introductioIl, that it received in Bangalore allYthing like an unanimous approval from any missionary conference. But there and then a resolution was· passed, proposed by the most ardent evangelistic missionaries iu southern India, expressing the most unqualified approbation of the higher education as one most important form of missionary work. It took forty~five years to win this entire approval from the missionaries of India, and it is the greatest proof of the value of Duff's method that it has fought its way to such universal acceptance by reluctant but the most competent witnesses. We may call the tlystem Duff's because but for his devoted and persistent perseverance and advocacy it would not have accomplished the great .results it has.
The Rationale and Results of Educational Missions. The true grounds on which Duff's system of operations can be fully justified are such as the following: First of all it is strictly evangelistic in its aim and methods. This is a feature overlooked by some and denied by others, but from the first this has been its characteristic. Duff in Calcutta, Wilson in Bombay, and Anderson in Madras, were all of them ardent evangelists, and openly declared to both parents and pupils that their great object was the conversion of every youth under their influence, from the day they entered their schools or colleges; and anyone who saw these men. at their work would have felt that no missionaries in India were more ardent and devoted than they. On the occasion of a visit which I paid to Madras, I accompanied the missionaries engaged in all kinds of work to their varied spheres of labor, and have no hesitation in saying that not one of them had snch audiences and opportunities for preaching the gospel as the missionaries in the great educational institutions, and none were more faithful and zealous in pressing the truth on their hearers than they were. To have a thousand of the most intelligent youth at the most critical and hopeful period of life under their daily influence, with the direct teaching of Scripture iu every class every day~ besides the frequent opportunities at other times, was the highest privilege a missionary could well desire; while the fact that they were cheerfully teaching their young hearers that secular truth which would fit them for taking their part in the life on which they were about to enter, and to rise to the highest positions open to their countrymen~ tended to secure their respect and affection. Many have the impression that Duff only aimed at the education of the youth of India as a means to prepare them for the reception of the gospel. In dealing with individuals he had no such idea. He knew human nature better, and had too firm a faith in the adaptation of the gospel to all men, and to all conditions of life, to trust to secular education as a preparation for repentan~e and faith. He might use science and geography or history to show the folly of the old creeds and idolatries, but the missionary in the bazaar did the same. In seeking the conversion of the individual he went straight to the conscience; but he did regard education as a preparation for the eventual overthrow of idolatry and the destruction of caste, and the final emancipation of the Indian empire from its social, moral, and religious degradation. It is true that (lonversions in our schools and colleges have been few, but this, as we shall show, is owing to social and religious conditions with which Christianity had never before come into conflict.
The System of Caste and" Book Religions." In calling on the church, as many are now doing, to conduc~ her missions on exactly the same lines and in the very furms in which they were carried on in Apostolic times, it is forgotten that the Apostolic Church never had to contend in the Gentile world with a state of .society and with a religion at all like those which exist in India. The early church never came in contact with a system of caste, nor with a religion based on the sacred teaching of religious books of great antiquity and authority. No parallel can be drawn between the books which had a kind of sacred character among the Greeks and Romans, and amongst the German and Scandinavian tribes, when they were brought under the powel' of the Christian religion, and the sacred books of the Hindoo and Mohammedan races in India. The Jews were the only appar.ent exception-an exception which confirms our rule, for the Apostolic Church had never conquered them as a people, and as a nation they stand as stubbornly oppo~ed to Christianity as the Pharisees in the days of Peter and Paul. It is true they made many converts; but, apart from the sovereignty and power of the grace of God, there were conditions at that time which explain the success of the early evangelists among the scattered tribes of Israel. The best 1)art of the nation were in a state of chastened expectancy. Under the long oppression of their enemies, they were longing for a deliverer, and Jews and Gentiles alike were prepared for the advent of the l'Ies- ,siah, who came "in the fulness of the times" as the "desire of all nations." The Aryan races of the West were prepared by the Greek language and philosophy, which had shaken the foundations of their faith in the gods of their fathers-the same work which is now being done by our educational system for the Aryans of India. In this work the mission schools do onlv a fractional part. They educate only about 200,000 out of the 4,000,000 now under instruction in government and native schools. I well remember an illustrative example. When in Madras I visited a school which was started by the heathen for the purpose of giving the culture of the West, free from all taint of or tendency towards Christianity. The first lesson that was proposed for an examination was the elementary parts of geography. Finding that they were quite familiar with the usual proofs of the earth's form and motions, and knowing that their sacred books taught a very different theory on divine authority, I asked the head teacher what effect this teaching had on their faith in their old religions. His reply was: "These boys laugh at the religion of their parents." Secular teaching is doing this work in India, under British rule, as surely as the same work was done for the Roman Empire by the C011quests of Alexander and the Greek language and literature which he introduced.
The Aryan Races and the Oities of India. Almost the only conquests of Christianity in India have been among the Dravidian races of the South and aboriginal tribes scattered throughout India-races which have never been brought fully underthe power of the Hindoo system of caste and religion, and who have no sacred books in their own tongues, while the aboriginal tribes have scarcely anything of a definite or formulated system of religion of any kind. It is admitted on all hands that almost the only casesof conversion among the Ayran races have been th.e fruit of educational missions. It is equally certain, and fully admitted, that in the great cities of India very few converts have been made except through the schools and colleges. Even in the Dravidian city of Madras~ where the Aryan race is present and their religious system exerts its. crushing power, there are almost no converts made by preaching in the bazaars. The few churches which have been formed are almost entil'ely the fruit of educational missions. 'rhere were, when I visited India more than thirty years ago, three missionaries of the most pronounced evangelistic character-men who would have nothing to do with education, but spent their whole time in preaching in the bazaars, all of them men far above the average in talent, devotion and piety-Lacroise in Calcutta, Scudder in Madras and Bowen in Bombay. These men spent a lifetime, much above the average duration~ in untiring efforts to convert the natives, without succeeding in getting two or three converts to form the nucleus of a church in these towns. It is not our aim to explain the causes of this state of matters; we only call attention to the notorious fact that, if the Aryan race is not to be hopelessly aband.med to idolatry, we must employ the educational methods; and if the cities of India are to be made the citadels of Christianity as those of the Roman Empire were in apostolic times, we cannot dispense with our Christian schools and colleges as missionary agencies. Abandon our educational missions, and we declare that the church has no gospel to reach the dominant races of India as represented by the Hindoos and Mohammedans, and that Christianity must hide itself among the rural population and savage tribes-unlike the early church, which subdued the cities, while the name for a village remains as the equivalent for heathenism. Educational Missions and National Education. The educational system as now in force in India is comparatively satisfactory and progressive. It is assuming proportions which may be called national. Neal'ly four millions of boys are now in schools, less or more under the inspection of government, and the education of girls is fairly begun. But to whom does India owe this western culture? Its origin and development may be directly traced to the example and influence of Dr. Duff and his educatiOnal missions. When engaged as Secretary of the" Council on Education in India" it was my privilege to come into frequent and intimate intercourse with the late Lord Halifax, the author of the Education Despatch of 1854, well called the Magna Charta of Indian education. He repeatedly told me that, but for the practical demonstration of the possibil- ity and the advantages of the education given in Duff's schools and colleges, they could not have attempted the introduction of such a scheme as that which he, as head of the then Board of Control, sanctioned, and which Lord Northbrook, then his private secretary, so admirably drew ~p.
In the report of the recent commission on education in India it is frankly admitted that in almost every province of India it was the missionary college which prepared the way for the Government Institution; and as for female education, it could not have been attempted but for the preparation of the way by the missionary. The influence of government education, with all its faults, is unquestionably of great importance in elevating the standard of morality, however far the pupils may come short of it. Associated as it is and influenced by missionary colleges, it gives a higher ideal of character and helps in the formation of a national conscience-India's greatest need.
Educational Missions and the Moral Elevation of India. Some make light of this moral effect of Missions, and look at nothing but the conversions which can be expressed in arithmetical numbers, or recorded in official reports. It is not thus we understand the commission of Christ, and the duty of His Church. Although conversion is the highest and primary aim of all Missions, it is not to be thought a small matter, if right views of man's duty to God and his fellow men are successfully implanted in the youthful mind. At the time Educational Missions were begun, the teaching in native schools was not only erroneous and defective, it was positively pernicious and corrupting to the entire youth of the country. '1'he books taught in Hindoo schools were most injurious to morals. They chiefly consisted of stories of acts of injustice, lies, cruelty and lusts of their gods. These were taught in the most literal and gross way. The apologetic and idealistic schools had not then got beyond the very limited class of the illuminati. It was the influence of Christian teaching which brought these to the front. These were not like similar stories in the Latin and Greek classics in an English school. These are known by every boy to be mere myths. To the child and teacher in the schools of India, they were the most sacred and living realities, which it was impiety to doubt and no discredit to imitate.
To have got these books banished from the schools of India, and books teaching a pure morality substituted, was of itself a great work, and is due to our Educational Missions. Government tolerated school books teaching both idolatry and vice, until the agent of the Christian Vernacular Education Society called attention to the evil and got the offending passages expunged. It is possible that the passages, being in the Vernacular languages, escaped the notic;e of the English members of the" Education Department," until forced upon their re- luctant attention by Dr. Mudoch.
In this work of moral elevation, we give full credit to the secular schools and colleges of the Government, only in a less degree than to those of .the Mis- sionary Institutions. The professors, it is true, were not unfrequently sceptical, or broad in their religious views, but they were, as a rule, moral and upright men; and the ingenuous youth of India, who looked up to them for their scholarship and character, could not come into daily contact with honorable and cultivated English gentlemen without being influenced for good. They learned to look upon uprightness and truth and manhood in a new light, and unconsciously acquired a new sense of honor and self-respect. In many im- portant respects, there is no doubt that the men trained in secular colleges are morally superior to the corresponding class among their own countrymen. It is true that, with their new intellectual acquirements, which raised them so far above the common level of the men, even in their own grade in society, they were apt to be vain and supercilious; and being newly emancipated from the degrading superstitions of their fathers, they lost not only reverence for the gods, but respect for man; and too often fell into the dissolute and vicious habits of which they find many examples among the European population. We trust, however, that these evils wilL diminish as the increase of the educated class lessens the rare distinction of these new accomplishments, and the sober- ing influence of the discovery of new truths counterbalances the frivolity arising from the sense of emancipation from old errors. Weare also hopeful of good results from the greater importance which Government now attaches to moral and religious teaching, and the means to be taken to supply it. The powerful influence of the teaching of English language and literature was brought out in a little incident which occurred in a Government college in Calcutta. One of the students came, in a towering rage, to his professor, charging one of his fellow-students with having called him a liar. The professor, with a sardonic smile, said, "I thought that you Bengalis did not care about being called liars," using the Bengali word for liar. " No," said the indignant youth, " if he had called me a liar in Bengali, I would have laughed at it; but, sir, he called me a liar in English, and I won't stand it." We hope that this elevating influence of the English language will yet impart new moral significance to the words of the native tongues of India, as many words in Greek were ennobled by the moral and spiritual ideas infused into them by the spread of the Christian religion.
But this influence of the literature of. England in secular ilchools extends beyond the teaching of morality. The most careles-s profess- ors in Government colleges cannot teach the English language with- out teaching Christianity. I shall never forget the impression made upon me by an incident which occurred in a Government college, when I was in Madras. I had been invited by the principal to ex- amine some of the classes, and before I reached the senior class in English literature, it was time for dismissal. The whole class, how- ever, enthusiastical"ly volunteered to stay in an hour, if needful; and a finer body of young men, no one could well wish to examine. More than fifty of the first youth of Madras, in point of intellect and position, were before me. After putting to them some questions in general literature, I asked them to recite some of their favorite pieces in prose or verse. The finest in the form stood up, and gave with the greatest accuracy and ex- pression the opening passage of Milton's Paradise Lost: " Of man's first disobedience and the fruit Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste Brought death into the world, and all our woe, " etc., etc.
The following questions and answers came in quick succession. More like what I had been accustomed to in a Sunday-school at home than a secular college in India.
.. What act of disobedience is here referred to?" " The disobedience of Adam." "Who was he?" "The first man." "Whom did he disobey?" "God." " In what did he disobey God?" "In eating of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." "What does the poet say was the effect of eating of that forbidden fruit?" "It brought death into the world, and all our woe." After some more questions I asked another tQ stand up, and without the slightest hint or prompting, he gave that passage in Shakespeare in which the words occur: " Over whose acres walked those blessed feet, Which, eighteen hundred years ago, were nailed For our advantage, to the bitter tree."
Such questions and answers as the following were put and answered with the greatest promptness : " What land is here referred to?" "Palestine." " Whose feet are said to have walked there?" "The feet of Christ." "And who was Christ." "The Son of God." "What was done to those feet?" " They were nailed to the cross for our advantage." "What advantage did we derive from Christ being nailed to the cross? " " He died that our sins might be forgiven."
After a few more questions I turIlf~d to the Professor and said, " I thought that religion was not taught in Government colleges in India, and here we have had both the fall and the recovery of om'
race clearly brought out by your pupils." The answer was ready and conclusive: "How can I teach the English language without teach- ing Christianity? I am not teaching parrots to repeat words by rote.
These youths have minds and will get the meaning of what they repeat whether you will or no. I must teach them to understand the meaning of the references of the authors they read." I could not but express my acquiescence and satisfaction; and by this time the class was entering into the enjoyment of the dilemma of the English GQv- ernment in requiring that religion should not be taught, while they at the same time put the English classics into the hands of the pupils.
One of them said quietly, "We have a Christian teacher:" "and,"
added another, " this is a Christian school." It is a well known fact, that of the scholars who are converted after leaving school, a fair proportion can be traced to the Government colleges. On the evening of the following Sunday, it being known that I was to preach, there were more than a hundred of the highest Braman youth in Madras amongst my hearers, who listened with thorough intelligence and unflagging attention to a discourse, which, I am ashamed to say, was more than an hour in length; and at its close most of them remained another half hour to talk over what they had heard. They frankly admitted the supreme claims of Christianity on their allegiance. They felt that, logically, they were bound to accept it. But between that logical conviction and the open profes- sion there is a wide gulf, which cannot be passed without a supreme act of self sacrifice on their part, and a superhuman influence on God's; and while caste and custom demand the youth of India to forsake literally everything they love in the world and hold sacred in their family, we cannot wonder that they shrink from openly embracing Christianity.
It is often said that these youths leave college with an aversion, if not a positive hatred, to Christianity. For such assertions there is no sufficient proof. We have the best evidence that the opposite is the case. That a good many talk loud in opposition to Christianity, is no matter of surprise. That some have a positive feeling of hatred to it is to be expected. Those who have most strongly felt the claims of truth on their conscience are the most likely to be of the latter number; and when we see how many Europeans are the leaders in Iilcepticism we need not be surprised that youths in a country like India, who have been rudely driven from their old religions by the frigid logic of science, should be found in the popular ranks of the enemies of Christianity. But it is the general experience of mission- aries that, when they enter a village where a youth trained in a Christian college resides, they find in him a friend, and often a helper in securing a favorable hearing for his message.
Educational Missions and Caste. Our mode-:n visitor to India in the cold Reason has little conception of what caste was fifty years ago, and still less conception of the influence by which it has been so greatly modified, and in many cases broken down. Many influences have been at work to modify the severity of caste rule, and to the visitor it will probably appear that railways and English manufactures have done more than anything else to bring about the present anomalies in the system of caste, which are such a source of uneasiness to the orthodox Hindoo and are rapidly rendering it ridiculous in the eyes of the masses. There is no doubt that these are the chief agents which are now disintegrating the system, but to those familiar with the progress of opinion in the country, it is known that but for the preparatory processes that had been going on for a generation before English railways and manufactures were introduced, it would have been impossible to get the people to submit to these modern innovations. Education was the great factor in this preparatory work, and it was the schools and colleges of the missionaries which prepared the way for the national system of education which has for the last thirty-five years been breaking down the prejudices and moulding the minds of the population of India. 'Ve have treated this questi<'ln of the value and importance of Edllcational Missions as if the present form in which they are cop.- ducted were the best or only way in which they could be carried on.
THE MIRACLES OF MISSIONS
This we regard as far from being the case. There is great room for improvement in many ways, by which far greater moral and spiritual results might be secured; Lut on the consideration of these I cannot enter. I am prepared to leave the settlement of the question to be d.ecided on the work and the results to which we have called attention. Taking into account the difficulties with which these institutions have llad to contend; the prejudices and antipathies of the natives on the one hand, and the crushing competition with the secular education of the Government on the other, it is a marvel that so much has beeu accomplished. This is felt by every great missionary agency in India of the present day that has any experience to look back upon. The outcry at home is a mere revival of old prejudices, with which the system was assailed at the first, and will soon disappear when facts and reflection have had time to have their due effect upon the minds fired with zeal, but not sufficiently tempered with knowledge.
So long as Educational Missions only divert one in ten of the foreign missionaries from the purely evangelistic work, which must ever be the great characteristic feature, no man who really knows India will call in question the wist10m of setting apart this tithe for education. No reasonable man a8k8 for more. Duff diverted nearly all the missionaries of the Church of Scotland and of the Free Church to this form of service, but that was when no other churches made it a specialty, and even he never meant it to be more than a fractional part of missionary enterprise, and ollly in exceptional circumstances would we set apart even a tenth for purely educational work.
We are glad of these recent discussions; they will clear the atmosphere and lead to some improvements which will place our Educational Missions on a higher platform and give them greater power for promoting the future well-being of the youth of India and setting up the Kingdom of God in that great country.* THE MIRACLES OF lIISSIONS.-No. XV.
t THE BISHOP OF THE NIGER.
[EDlTORIAL.-A. T. P.] WHEN Bishop W-eeks, of Africa-at that time not having been promoted to weal' the mitre-was traveling in England, a gentleman who was in the same railway carriage with him began to attack him as a friend of missions. " What," said he, " are the missionaries doing abroad ? We do not heal' much about their movements. We * The strictly religious results of Educational Missions we could not estimate without extending our remarks far beyond the limits of this article. If weighed, not counted, they will be found of far greater value and amount than is generally supposed. In one sentence I may say that the secular education by Government is doing for India what the Greek culture did to prepare the nations for the preaching of the Apostles; while that of our Christian colleges is commending Christ and Christianity to the hearts and consciences of the young of India in the form best fitted to their nature and conditions.
t Samuel Crowther. By Jesse Page. F. H. Revell & Co.
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THE MIRACLES OF MISSIONS
pay them pretty well, but hear nothing from them. I suppose they are sitting down quietly and making themselves comfortable."
There sat beside :Mr. Weeks another traveler, as black as any of the natives of the Dark Continent, and himself an unmistakable negro. He quietly waited until the stranger had exhausted his tirade against missions, and then, making a sign of silence to :Mr. Weeks, begged to be permitted to reply to the strictures of the critic. " Sir," said he, " allow me to present myself to you as a result of the labor of the missionaries whose work you have been depreciating." Pointing to :Mr. Weeks, he continued, "I am an African, and this man is the means of my having become a Christian and of my coming to this country in the capacity of a Christian minister."
The man who had thus impulsively assaulted Christian missions looked upon the black man beside him with a look of mingled embarrassment and amazement. He could not be mistaken: there was a genuine typical African, flat-nosed, thick-lipped, with retreating forehead, and short curly hair; yet that man had addressed him in the elegant language of an educated and accomplished Englishman. He had felt all the refining power of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and there were in the very tones of his voice, and his whole manner, the unmistakable signs of a Christian gentleman.
The accuser of missions sank into a reverie. He had no more to bay as an objector. That one man was both a compensation for, and a vindication of, Christian missions. And soon he resumed conversation, but in a different tone: he began to talk with :Mr. Weeks upon missionary topics as an interested and engrossed listener.
That black man was none other than Samuel Adjai Crowther, afterwards consecrated as the first native Bishop of the Niger! We propose sketching his remarkable history as one of the p~oofs that the gospel has not lost its wonder-working power, even upon the most unlettered and degraded races of men. No face or figure that appeared on the platform of the great :Missionary Conference of 1888 in Exeter Hall, in London, proved a more powerful magnet to draw all eyes to itself than that of the venerable white-haired Bishop, who was born in 1808, and is consequently over four-score years of age.
Early in the year 1821, in the midst of the Yoruba country, the :Mohammedan Foulahs were ravaging the land to seize and enslave all whom they could secure even at the price of bloodshed. They pursued those who took refuge in flight and flung lassoes over their heads, bringing them to the ground half suffocated, like a bison on the praines. Among the captives was Adjai, then a boy of twelve and a half years. His father died in the defence of his wife and children, but the boy was dragged away tied with ropes to other victims.
He was traded away for a horse, and afterward, separated from his mother, was sold to a Mohammedan woman, with whom he went to the Popo country on the coast where the Portuguese purchase slaves. On the road he passed the smoking villages that marked the track of those who traffic in the" souls of men," and saw the human heads nailed to the trees as a warning to all who would not yield to their fate.
So great was Adjai's horror of slavery that he tried to strangle himself with his waistband. At Lagos he saw the first white man~ and it was not calculated to draw him to the white man's God, for the Portuguese who afterwards bought him scrutinized his" points" as he would examine a horse; and then, chained with other captives, the boy was packed in a barracoon, where the heat was intolerable, and on the , least provocation was cruelly beaten with long whips. Early one morning he was hurried, with a hundred and eighty-six others, on board a slaver, where they were all crowded into the hold and compelled to remain, the dead, the dying and the living all in horrible contact.
Two English men-of-war gave chase to the slaveship and merci- fully liberated these prisoners, and Adjai was taken to Bathurst. Sierra Leone had been colonized in 1787. Mr. Granville Sharp took some 400 negroes and formed a settlement on a sort of peninsula whose fancied resemblance to a lion gave it this romantic name; and this col- ony became the refuge of the refuse of slaveships. No one but an eye- witness could have believed what a degraded and destitute community this was, and how like one of the mouths of hell, until 1816. Mission- aries were then sent to Sierra I.eone by the Church Missionary Society -notably William A. B. Johnson, whose apostolic career has been already outlined in these pages. Six years after, the Lord Chief Jus- tice publicly testified that'in a population of 10,000 there were but six cases for trial and not one of them from any village where there was a school!
Adjai made g~od progress in study, and, best of all, it was here that the little slave boy found the liberty of a child of God, and in 1825, at seventeen years of age, was baptized, taking the name of Samuel Adjai Crowther. He was taught a trade as a carpenter, and often u~ed in his mission work the skill he acquired.
In 1826 Mr. and Mrs. Davey took him on a visit to England, where he became a pupil in the school at Islington. During his year's sojourn he kept his eyes .and ears open and learned much by observation. Then returT)ing to Sierra Leone he became the first native stu- . dent enrolled ill the new Y om'ah Bay College i::l 1827, where he soon became assistant teacher, and where he formed the definite purpose, hencdorth to devote his life to work for the elevation and salvation of his own people. The little girl, Asano, who, like himself, was rescued from a slaveship, and had grown up in his society, baptized as Susanna, became his wife and the mother. of his six children. 'Ve may anticipate here, and say that two of his daughters became wives of native ministers, two of his sons have wielded a noble influence as Christian laymen, and one is the Archdeacon of his father's diocese; so that we have, not to look outside of Bishop Crowther's family, a little church of eight godly souls, all the fruit of the converting grace of God.
To follow step by step the career of this marvellous man would consume ten times our available spaee; we can only touch the salient points of his useful life. In 1830 he is in charge of the school at Regent1s Town; two years later at Wellington, with a more important trust; finally, back in the college, training students for high positions of service in Africa.
His natural aptitude for linguistic study fitted him for noble usefulness in translating and in editing books. During his life he translated the Scriptures into the Y oruba dialect and tongue of the inland tribes, and prepared a valuable dictionary of the Y orul;>a tongue, a. primer, the prayer book, etc.
Samuel Crowther was too gifted a man to be remanded to obscurity. There was no province of serviceable labor in which he was not in demand. In 1841 he was appointed to accompany the exploring party who ascended the Niger, and in the Soudan sailed for the heart of Africa, with no weapons but those of peaceful conquest.
Owing, as it was thought, to the green wood stowed away in the bunkers, this expedition was marked by one awful word,failu'i'e. At one time fifty-five persons lay helpless on the decks, and even the doctors succumbed to fever and death. For twelve years public opinion in England forbade another exploring tour of the deadly Niger. But one thing llad been demonstrated amid this failure: that. Crowther had in him the mettle of a true man and missionary; and that such :i. dangerous field must be worked by native agency, mainly by suc4 as were acclimated to the risks of the African country.
In 1842 Crowther was again in England, and in 1843 was ordained deacon in the English Church, and a little later priest. rChis marks a new era in African missions, in the emphasis laid on a native a.qency for the evangelization of the Dark Continent.
In 1843 he is again at Sierra Leone preaching his first sermon in English to a crowd of native Christians, and administering the sacrament to a large number of negroes.
Several refugees from the violence of the Foulahs founded a new ~ity, Abeokuta, "under the stone "-called from the great rock that uplifts its head like a sentinel above the town. Here in 1846 the missionaries came, hailed with joy; and here Crowther had the joy, after over twenty-five years' separation, of meeting his old mother! They were both dumb with joy, and could only look into each other's streaming eyes with the mute language of mingled rapture and amazement; and here in Abeokuta his mother became the first fruits of the new mission. In 1849 the mission, only three years old, could show 500 attend- ants, eighty of whom were communicants, and 200 more of whom were candidates for full membership, while many more outside the mission circle had flung away already their idol gods.
He found the Ibo people offering human sacrifices, dragging the victim about by the legs till he died and then flinging the body into the river, or tying human beings to trees beside the stream till they died of hunger; killing infants who first cut their upper teeth, asamong the Onitsha people all children are slain which are born twins.
It was about this time also that the Egba chiefs sent by Mr. Townsend their memorable letter to Queen Victoria, saying: " We have seen your servants the missionaries; what they have done is what we approve. They have built a house of God; they have beside taught the people and our children the word of God. We begin to understand them." And yet" missions are a failure !" Not so evidently thought the Egba chiefs. In reply came the Queen's gracious message, with two elegant Bibles, respectively in English and Arabic, and a steel corn-mill from Prince Albert. Crowther not only taught the people in the Word, but encouraged among them all manner of handicrafts.
Again Crowther was in England, arousing sympathy for the natives. of Africa. Then in 1854 he went on a second expedition up the Niger, planned partly in hopes to rescue Dr. Barth, who was believed to be lost in the interior. While at Lagos Crowther observed another fruit of missions-plantations of cassava and maize, with tillers of the soil, where before slave barracoons used to be with huma~ beings in chains and agonies.
When the Pleiad anchored off Ibo it was found that the promises made thirteen years before, that the white man would return, had been remembered by the King. But so long a time had elapsed that he began to believe that the promise had been forgotten by the white man. Obi himself was now dead, but his son and rightful successor, Tshukuma, was found 3; ready listener to the gospel message.
Along the Niger's banks the explorers encountered constant proofs of the ravages of the Filatas, that, like the Youlahs, aim not so much to slay as to enslave. The whole right bank of the river was cleared of its towns and villages to the number of about one hundred, and all who survived the strife of war were sold as slaves! Oftentimes they found the natives fleeing in terror or preparing to resist violence, but as soon as the peaceful purpose of the explorers waRmade known they were kindly received everywhere. This expedition was as successful as the former was disastrous. The Niger was proved navigable, and, better still, it was proven that the people of the Niger valley were accessible to the gospel.
On Mr. Golefimer's return to Europe, Crowther took his place at Lagos, and attempted oversight of missions on the coast. When in 1857 the Niger Christian Mission was organized, Crowther sailed on the Dayspring, planting the first stations of the Niger Mission. Some of the main obstacles confronted in this work were those which were owing to previous familiarity of the natives with Europeans! Oftentimes the missionaries would have been thankful had no shuttle of commerce or contact woven acquaintance between the degraded Africans and the enlightened Europeans.
The wreck of the Dayspring compelled Crowther and his party to tarry awhile at and about Rabbah. He found the Niger worshipped by the people as mother of all rivers, very much as the Egyptians held the Nile in veneration. 'l'he basis was laid for mission work in Onitsha, 140 mil~s up the river and on Ibo territory. Everywhere the people were found not only willing but eager to hear the gospel. One morning a woman came to Mr. Taylor, begging him to follow her, and she led him two miles away to a company of twenty-four persons, one of whom rose up and said, ""Ve have sent for you to come and speak to us the word of God: we thirst to hear it; please do help us ! "
We come now to the closing period of Samuel Crowther's life. The slave boy becomes a bishop.
In 1859, with Mr. Taylor he established a mission at Akassa, at the mouth of the Nun river, the navigable entrance to the Nigel'. He visited Onitsha, where he found twenty-eight waiting for baptism; he went again to Ghebe, where he 'found similar evidences of the grace of God, and gathered the first fruits of the new Niger mission. He passed along the Niger's banks and here and there set up the cruss amid the "wastes of many generations." At Ghebe he led around the mission buildings the messengers of King Masaba, of Nupe, and sent by them this memorable message to the king: "We are Nazarenes: in our schoolroom we teach the Christian religion; our only guns are our cotton-gins, and our powder is the cotton puffing out of them; the cowrie shells (the currency of the country) are our shots, which England, the warmest friend of Africa, desires to receive largely."
Crowther is once more in England pleading in Exeter Hall the cause of missions, and the main attraction of the anniversary exercises of the Church MIssionary Society. A converted and educated negro was telling his own tale of missions; and it was an illustrated lecture, the speaker himself being the living illustration.
In 1864, in Canterbury Cathedral, Samuel Adjai Crowther was consecrated first Bishop of the Niger, and there were not in that vast audience many eyes that were tearless as that negro knelt to receive the typical investiture of the overseer of Christ's flock. Mrs. Weeks was there, the wife of the missionary who first taught him the way of salvation. Bishop Crowther at onGe returned to the Niger valley and at once sought to form a Christian Church at the Delta, where even the awful practice of cannibalism was not yet wholly abandoned, and the people were trodden under foot by the Juju priests. The New Year, 1872, opened with a little mission church.daring to utter its testimony to the Lord, and becoming a church of the martyrs. Isaiah Bara and Jonathan Apiafe, persons of distinction, were among the converts, and when bound and doomed to die by slow starvation, they simply declared their "minds made up to remain in chains till the Judgment Day," if need there be, rather than bow to idols; and quaintly affirming that "Jesus had taken charge of their heart ana padloclced it, and the key is with Him." For twelve months they en- dured the painful bondage, and would have died but for food secretly conveyed to them by their brethren. '
Three years passed, and the wife of a chief k~own as Capt. Hart died. She had been the Bloody Mary of the persecution, but her husband would not be comforted; and seeing his fetish idol had failed to save her, he heard the word of the Lord from Bishop Crowther, and as he came to die renounced his faith in his idols and ordered them thrown intQ the river. On the day after his funeral this was done: the people, in a rage, executing wrath on the J ujus, breaking them in pieces and flinging them into the stream.
The era of persecution passed away with the decease of Hart and his wife, and "Bonny became a Bethel." A woman of high position and large influence became nursing mother to the infant church, and her own house became a place of assembly. Another house of worship was built, and both were thronged; and Archdeacon Crowther was put in charge of this mission. Meanwhile the titular king of Bonny, George Pepple, visited England, and when with renewed health he was about to return, he sent a letter in advance declaring himself a convert and asking for a special service of praise to be prepared that he might on arrival at Bonny offer up thanks t.o God. Led on by this converted king, Bonny became one of the centres of godly influence in the lower Niger district.
Those who depreciate missions should have visited Bonny when Bishop Crowther preached; should have seen an orderly congregation of over 500 gathered attentively listening, and King George and his sister among them. Again in the afternoon the audience gathered, many of them walking through the tide, which was over knee deep in the beach path. Such cavillers should have been in the mission house when those converts came to buy books from the village Ayambo, which they aptly entitled the" Land of Israel," because there was no more to be found in it a single idol! In Hl83 persecution broke out in Bonny; but it only brought out the martyr spirit. Even timid women would not recant at peril of life.
In the Kingdom of Brass, which is one outlet of the Niger, other marked victories ha'e been won. The King, Ockiya, in his latter years, publicly confessed Christ. In spite of his Juju men he re- nounced idolatry; and we saw his cast-off idols in the mission house in Salisbury Square. King Ockiya not only gave up idolatry, but polygamy, and thus not only showed how r€al was his change, but set a' beautiful example to his people. In that same land where Bishop Crowther himself a few years ago found horrid cannibalism, and superstitions whose name was Legion, he has since found praying rooms where chiefs gather twice a day with their families for worship.
Bishop Crowther maintains that, on account of the prevalence of Mohammedanism in Africa, the Arabic should be taught to the native {latechists as the sacred language of the Koran, and so be a means of reaching intelligent natives through the Arabic bibles and testaments. He found on the friendly waters of the Galadima an avidity for the books printed in Arabic, and gave presents of Bibles in that tongue to the Galadima himself and others. When Crowther explained to the Mohammedans he met, the difference between the formality of the fast of Ramadan and the fasting of the Christian unto God, the {lommon reply was: " Yes, you are true persons; your religion is superior to ours." He found the WOl'k and influence of Islam such that whenever he referred to Adam, Noah, Abraham, etc., and even .Jesus, the natives recognized these names as common to the faith of Mahomet as well. He advises that Mohammedanism be wisely dealt with, that missionaries and native preachers and teachers be prepared to utilize all that is common between the teachings of the Koran and the word of God, and at the same time resist and expose the folly, superstition and immorality fostered by Islam.
In 1875 Bishop Crowther's mother died, at the age of 97, the .death of a saint, and passed into the unseen glory.
This really great man has left on all the mission work the impress of his ability and piety. He started the Preparandi Institution at Lokoja for the training of native catechists and school teachers, and it is a ·centre of spiritual light and influence for the whole west coast. Wherever he goes blessing comes, and no living man is doing more than he for the elevation and salvation of his degraded fellow countrymen.
Paul wrote to the Colossians that his aim and object in preaching were to "present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." When the great day of Presentation comes, with what joy will Mr. Weeks present to the Lord, Samuel Adjai Crowther as the fruits of his ministry in the Lord! And then for the first time will he realize what ulti~ mate blessing hung on the leading to Christ of a humble slave boy of Yoruba land.
The negro has been described as" God's image carved in ebony."
THE mSTORICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
"I don't care much as to what I am carved in," said one of the colored speakers at the late Baptist Anniversaries in this city, "so long as I am ' in the image of God.'''
THE HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
BY PROF. HENRY WOODWARD HULBERT, MARIETTA, o.
I-Introduction. The Purpose and Plan. The last few years have seen great advances in the study of historical geography. Germany has taken the lead, and trained minds in many lands have gone more and more into this line of investigation. Professor Bryce's epoch-making book, "The Holy Roman Empire," gave a decided impetus to researches dealing with the great movements of events within the limits of Europe, and that impetus received an added momentum from a still more elaborate treatise in two volumes from the workshop of Professor E. A. Freeman, of Oxford, entitled," The Historical Geography of Europe." Masses of facts are marshalled in this latter treatise with a master hand, which in another place };las shown its power in the most minute researches of apecial study. Professor Freeman embodies in himself the two tendencies in historical studies prominent in our day-the tendency to extreme specialization, which builds up from the foundation on the inductive plan, and the tendency to deal with facts from a broad outlook, and which brings into play the profoundest philosophical grasp of events, and gives us wide generalizations in the departments of the philosophy of history and the history of civilization. These two tendencies are rarely found successfully developed in one man, and when they are found they mark him as a leader in the department of history. Neither of these tendencies should be allowed to exclude the other. The specialist does elementary work. He extracts the crude ore from the mines (often abandoned ones) and gets it into shape for higher treatment. 'l'he work at this stage is but just begun. It is stating a truism to say that history cannot be cut into isolated fragments. It would be history no longer. The unity of human life and events becomes more and more evident. History unrolls itself to the eye of the intelligent observer as one grand plan. Our age is peculiarly fitted to grasp such an idea. The great object lesson of unity-material, commercial, political and religious-is ever before our eyes. Space and time are dwindling. The world is growing more and more into one comprehensive family of nations. The time is hastening apace when what Professor Freeman has done for Europe must be done for the world. It is true that the pursuit of studies in historical geography is in a certain sense a superficial one, for it deals mainly with results and immediate causes. Yet it paves the way for a line of investigation which deals with profoundest questions as well as with some very practical ones. Most of the international quarrels to-day are over questions of historical geography, and the proper treatment of the great race movements will tax the genius of our best statesmen.
It is the purpose of this paper to call attention to a subject matter far better fitted in many important respects for treatment at the hands of the historical geographer than are the conglomerate and often conflicting elements of a purely secular and national life. What Professor Freeman has done for the historical geography of the political affairs of one continent should be done for the Christian Church throughout the world. The ideal unity of the Christian Church as outlined by the solemn, prayerful words of its Master would point it out as a theme of magnificent proportions, and of entrancing interest. At its very inception it was made universal, and its whole progress and expansion lie in the white light of history. It was a divine force left in the world by Christ which, under the special guidance of the Holy Spirit, was to carry out His divine plans for and in the world. It was to go up to the conquest of a kingdom that should be limited only by the extent of the human race. The globe was made a magnificent battlefield-the theatre of a campaign. The forces of Truth and Error are joined. There are two lines of conquest -horizontal and perpendicular-(l} the surface of the world and its multitudes; (2) the depths of human nature, the subsoil, the experience, the individual life. The historical geograploty of the Christian Church deals with the spread of Christendom, and has to do largely with acreage and numbers-in one sense the superficial items in the struggle. The history of a Christian civilization tells how deep down into the subsoil of human nature and national life the benign doctrines of Christianity have penetrated. When the Christian Church shall have reached every remotest region of habitable earth, and the gospel is proclaimed in every tongue, the work will have been just begun. It is a mighty task to reach fourteen hundred million human beings; it is a mightier task to bring them out into the full liberty of the gospel. As the late Dr. Roswell D. Hitchcock was accustomed to say, " We must rechristianize Christianity."
But despite its seeming superficiality the Historical Geography of the Christian Church demands thorough treatment. Our century is especially interested. We have found that the best way to rechristianize Christianity at home is to enlist its sympathies in carrying out the last command of the blessed Master. The door is open to-day for truth or error to enter in. Truth must not hesitate a moment. "Te must prevent untruth even at the risk of superficiality. We must plant good seed at least. It is a strangely interesting and almost universal fact that, wherever evangelical truth has been preached and the Bible has been translated into the vernacular, no forces of opposition-physical, intellectual, or moral-have been powerful enough to wholly eradicate the gospel truth. Extreme cases of this fact are found in Abyssinia and in Persia, and the only exception now in mind is in North Africa.
The science of missions looms up in grand proportions. We are leaving the realm of experiments and establishing ourselves on a more and more scientific basis. We are learning the la11!8 that must be obeyed. The science of war becomes strategic. The universal in- quiry now is-as it was when the cannons of Gettysburg were boom- ing-How goes the battle? vVhat progress has been made in winning the ground of the enemy? And that we may fully understand the answers that come flashing across the wires to us, we ask again, How has the battle been going from the first? The Historical Geography <>f the Christian Church attempts to tell us the story of the campaign -the manmuvres, the advances, the retreats and the general progress -" beginning at Jerusalem," under the divine leadership of the" Cap- tain of our salvation," only to stop at the" ends of the earth."
The story of this march should be prefaced by astatement of the geographical conditions under which the Pentecostal Church found itself-(l) the conditions imposed by the Roman civilization, and the commercial and military relations of this civilization to outlying barbarism; (2) the conditions imposed by the spread of languages; and (3) the conditions resulting from the scattering broadcast of the Hebrew race, which was so largely to be the recipient of the new truth and the promoter of its rapid expansion. A map of the known world of that period will display before our eyes a sketch of land and sea a few thousand miles east and west, and Atillless from north to south, with a great cloudland of unknown territories and unnumbered millions still awaiting the discoverer.
We shall then see how, with the point of our finger, we cau on the largest map cover up all the territory occupied by the centripetal Pentecostal Church. 'fhe Apostolic Church, with a mighty centrifugal force, went forth to service and to martyrdom. By the year 100, A. D., men, women and children were ready all around the Mediterranean to die for the Christian faith. 'fhe church of the second and third centuries, although in hiding from the most malignant persecutions, betrays itself at thousands of points all over the known world; and the year 312, A. D., with its imperial decree of amnesty to Christians, reveals that for a century the Roman Empire had been honeycombed with Christian churches. The politic Constantine did not cast in his lot with the minority when he adopted the Cross as his standard in war and peace. Under the founder of Constantinople and his successors paganism went slowly to pieces by a sort of spontaneous combustion; getting a new lease of life now and then, it is to be regretted, through the persecuting ardor of the church, which still felt the old Bores of three centuries of wounds inflicted by a dominant paganism.
But immediately in the new light of imperial favor, not waiting for the last gasp of expiring paganism within the pale of civilization, the church, true to its divine misson, went forth to convert the bar- baric world, and the era of foreign missions proper began. Imperial legates and humble missionaries worked hand in hand at the centres of national life. Christians captured in frontier wars gloried in their opportunity to bring their rude barbarian captors to the foot of the Cross. The Armenian nation submitted to the new doctrine; the Abyssinians, under the fervent preaching of Frumentius, became Christians. Ulfila did pioneer work among the Goths on the lower Danube, and left the Gothic Bible' to be the foundation of all Teutonic literature.
Thus the campaign was carried into the three continents of the known world. Then followed the rapid expansion in the days of Theodosius the Great and Justinian, in which, behind the veil of the Alps and the Carpathians, that work was progressing which acquainted the rude northmen with the abc's of-Christianity, largely under its Arian' form, so that when the Western Empire fell, a reverence for the Christian symbols controlled to some degree the barbaric ruthlessness of her conquerors. N estorianism, under fearful embarrassments, pushed eastward through Persia into India, across the steppes of Central Asia, and Ret up its Christian monuments in China. From the Pacific to the Atlantic Christian prayer was heard.
In the struggle of nations there were occasional disasters by which whole lands we~e suddenly lost to the faith. The Saxons seemed to efface for a while Christianity in southern ahd eastern Britain. But in the days of Gregory the Great new vigor was aroused. The broken columns were re-formed and the march began again in earnest. Ireland from her island retreat 'gave Chl'istendom an electric charge, and Rome herself for a while felt the tingle in her veins. The Franks, the Frisians and other Teutonic tribe~ yielded to the piety of devoted missionaries. Slavs and Picts and Huns and Norsemen and eveh the relentless invaders of Britain learned the truth about Christ.
Then came the sudden apparition from the Arabian desert to scourge an idolatrous and decaying church. The Saracens, more respectful at fil'st toward" the religion of the book" than were the rude northmen, or even at times more than were the Christian coreligionists towards each other, swept over the faires.t gardens of the church- Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, Egypt, North Africa and Spain fell in rapid succession before the iconoclastic followers of the prophet. Leo the Third at Constantinople saved eastern Europe from the first serious onslaught. The whole North African Church was swept out of existence, but Charles Martel rolled back the Muslim tide at Tours, and Europe had a respite.
Then followed the gloom of the middle ages, lit up at points by flickering lights among the Mozarabes of Spain, the Abassides of Bagdad, the lnxurious and corrupt court at Constantinople and the schools of Charles the Grcat and Alfred of England. The Saxons in Germany tardily submitted to the Cross forced upon them by the gleaming argument of Charles the Great. The Wends, the Danes and the Swedes received Christian missionaries. The Moravians and Bulgarians were converted. Bohemia, Franconia, Bavaria and Belgium were won over, and the gospel was preached among the Tartars of the Crimea. Even the darkest days of the tenth century were relieved by progress in some directions. Rollo, the Norman, became a Christian. The colonial principle was used in Sleswig to propagate Christianity. The German emperors zealously used their swords to spread the faith. The bat'baric Prussians were the objects of missionary activity. Poland was reached, and Hungary saw her patron saint. In 988, A. D., Wladimil' the Great and all his immediate subjects went down together into the Dnieper at Kiev to a Christian baptism, and Russia abolished her idols.
During the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth centuries the vigor of Christendom was turned into the useless and hopeless task of recovering and keeping the" Holy Land" from the Saracen and Turk. Mission work was greatly obscured, yet it went on with faltering step. Far-off Iceland and Greenland were converted. The Finns and'Pomeranians were brought under Christian influence. The good work went on in the vast spaces of northern and eastern Russia. A Tartar prince, the mysterious Prester John, was won 9ver by the N estorians, and their missions flourished in Central Asia. The" Order of Christ" (Sword-brothers) and the" Order of Mary" (Teutonic order) carried the gospel with their swords up along the Baltic shores.
The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries saw a decay in missionary zeal. Disasters came thick and fast. What was lost at one part of the field was gained at other points; still the Christian Church has not yet recovered entirely from the heavy advei-se blows of those centuries. The little light of Christianity in China seems to have gone entirely out. The ruthless Tamerlane destroyed the larger part of the Nestorian Church and sapped its vitality to such a degree that it has never since been aggressive. Islam penetrated further and further into Central Asia. The faltering Christian Churches in Arabia were lost in the Muslim sirocco. Russia fell under the sway of Mongol hordes. The Ottoman 'rurk appeared upon the scene and marched steadily westward, engulfing the Byzantine Empire, sweeping up to the walls of Vienna and laying desolate the Christian churches of the entire Levant. As an offset to all this, at the very close of the period, we see the armies of the Catholic Ferdinand and Isabella free Spain forever from Muslim domination. Russia, after weary centuries, comes out from under the sway of the" Golden Horde" and becomes the champion of the Greek Orthodox Church. Franciscan monks made headway in northwestern Persia. The west coast of Africa received missionaries, as did also the newly discovered islands off the coast. Just at the close of the century a new world, with its teeming possibilites and grave responsibilities, dawned upon the vision of man, and the Christian Church began to grasp the full geographical scope of the kingdom committed to its care.
The inevitable internal struggle between the monarchical and the constitutional or republican principle in the Christian Church came to a head in the sixteenth century. The contest between reformer and ultramontanist for a time obscured all other subjects in church life. During the Reformation era the Protestant world was so fully occupied with its fight for life itself that little foreign missionary work could be expected from it. Gustavus Adolphus and Gustavus Vasa carried on missions among the Laplanders, and Coligny and Calvin attempted a mission at Rio Janeiro. Natives of Virginia were converted through English missionaries. With these exceptions the aggressive work of the church was mainly done by the Roman Catholics. Canada, with the vast interior regions of North America, Florida, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, India, China and Japan, were reached. The devoted Xavier set an example of heroic service for the whole Christian world.
The seventeenth century was also essentially a century of Roman Catholic missions. The Dutch carried a formal Protestantism with their merchant fleets to the East. John Eliot and his fellow-missionaries iu New England counted their Indian converts by the thousand. But the great territorial conquests for the Cross during this and the following century were made by Franciscans, Dominicans, Jesuits and other L:1tin orders. A mere list of the names of the countries they entered and which received permanently their presentation of the Cross is too long to be quoted here. They poured out their treasure of human life with unstinted hand. Whatever else we might be prompted to say we must accord to these zealous propagandists the honor of having extended" widely tue superficies of Christendom.
The eighteenth century saw the work of evangelical missions well under way, and the nineteenth century has thrown itself into the thick of the conflict; so that in spite of the material wonders of our day that have changed the looks of the world, our century will, in the long future, be pointed out as the age whose most prominent characteristic was not the steam engine, the telegraph or the railroad, but the missionary of a Christian civilization, bringing new life to nations
ASCETICISM IN MISSIONS
buried in heathen darkness or living in the twilight of an eclipsed faith. Before our century shall have co·me to a close there will not be a land or a nation or a language uninfluenced by the gospel of Christ. The expansive march of the church will have then reached its limit. It will not find time to weep for new worlds to conquer~ for its work here will have been only begun. The true test of a faith is not its expansive power, but its penetrative power.
This, in brief, is the scope of an historical geography of the Christian Church. It involves the historical geography of every religion with which the Christian Church has come in contact.· It involves to a large degree the political growth of the world as well as the commercial expansion, for the church has penetrated into every department of human life. This whole investigation will show how vitally the Cross of Christ has affected the history of mankind. The true dividing line between ancient and modern histOl'y is the line traced by the Cross. Modern history in any nation begins when Christianity begins to be the power that shapes its life. This line historically appears like a zigzag isothermal line running across the chart of history, beginning low down where the first centres of civilization in the Roman Empire became Christian, in the fourth century, and ending close upon the year 1900, when the last nation shall have heard the Master's name and shall have felt His transforming power.
ASCETICISM IN :MISSIONS.
BY F. F. ELLINWOOD, D.D., NEW YORK.
It is a sign of progress in the work of missions that it has awakened a surprising amount of discussion as to ways and means. It is no longer looked upon as a harmless scheme of a few visionary people; it is marshalling the great forces of the Christian Church. Accordingly, it finds a conspicuous place in the monthly magazine and the daily newspaper, and even in the official correspondence of statesmen and diplomatists. It has not only stirred up the old Oriental systems of error-it has attracted the attention of infidel writers in Christian lands and called forth their efforts to thwart its purposes and prevent its success. And it has awakened still another class of critics who have no special interest in the subject further than that it affords topics for speculation or ridicule. Particular attention has been given to questions of economy, and to romantic ideals of what a missionary ought to be. It would be difficult to say why it is that the idea of self-immolation has always been somehow connected with this particular enterprise-why one who enters upon it should be supposed to be indifferent to comfort and to all those things which ninetenths of the activities of mankind are busied with seeking.
There is not the same idea in the popular estimate of the ministry at home, though that also abandons the pursuit ot wealth and seeks as a life work the moral and spiritual edification of men. It is nnder- Htood that the average pastor ought to be at least comfortable, and no congregation is quite willing to allow any special degree of hardship or privation on the part of its minister. Oftentimes there is a degree of care which amounts to coddling. This is supposed to be generous and praiseworthy.
But with the foreign missionary it is very different. He forsakes home and friends and fatherland. He renounces all prospect of gain beyond his bare support, casts in his lot with poor and despised races of men, submits to the influence of unfriendly climates for his work's sake. But this is not deemed sufficient. The more barren his lot of all comfort, the greater the degree of self-denial and privation that can be encountered, the better. What he has really undertaken is to carry the Gospel to the destitute, and so to live as to secure the longest, fullest and most complete career of usefulness along that line. But this is not the view of the malcontents. They regard him as a spectacle, an ascetic, an object lesson in self denial. It is not so much what he does, as what he suffers. The chief end is the impres- sion which he makes on men's minds by his self-mortification. Such is the logic of Canon 'raylor's teachings, and of U. S. Minister Denby's recent official despatch on the death of Rev. J. Fisher Crossette. MI'. Crossette, once a most useful and devoted missionary, had for a long time been laboring under serious mental aberration.
He suffered the lashings of a morbid conscience and took upon him- self a degree of privation which no civilized man ought to aflsume, and by which his life was doubtless brought to an untimely end.
His sincerity and devotion to suffering humanity were worthy of all praise, but there are scores of missionaries in China whose real use- fulness has excelled his fifty fold, but who call forth no special tributes, because lacking that morbid element which always impresses the uninformed and sympathetic. The fact that he drew no regular salary, "taught no creed, and did not strive to proselyte "-though this is an error-but fed perishing beggars, sharing with them his last crust,-this is the ideal.
Is it then more important to feed here and there a poor beggar than to establish Christian churches, schools, colleges and hospitals, and to proclaim to an entire nation those great principles which bring all reforms and all benevolence in their train?
A few weeks since a farewell reception was given in New York to a veteran missionary and his wife just returning to Japan, where many years ago they had the honor of being the very first Protestant missionaries to that Empire. They had watched the progress of the whole marvellous work wrought in that land, and had had a large part in it from first to last.
This able missionary, Dr. J. C. Hepburn, had given to Japan a massive and complete dictionary, which did more than almost any other one thing to open up communication between the Japanese and the English speaking world. He had accomplished much also in Bible translation-thus helping to place the Scriptures in the hands of all the people. Moreover, he had constantly maintained a dispensary, and in his medical work alone had done a work worthy of a lifetime. He had maintained a high spiritual influence over the lowliest, whom he was always ready to succor, while at the same time winning the esteem of all the better classes, both native and foreign. How had all this been accomplished? Simply by a rare combination of piety and common sense. Simply by living plainly, but comfortably, and in such a way as to make the most of his life and labor for the glory of the Master and the lasting good of the people.
He had refused offers of educational service under the government which would have increased his small salary many fold. He had r~sisted the temptations to-engage in a general medical practice which might have secured a fortune, but he had been no ascetic; he had taught and exemplified, not a morbid, but a healthy Christianity -just precisely that which was needed to regenerate Japan. Would the supporters of missions have had it otherwise ? Would they have preferred a cloistered ascetic, fed only from his beggar's bowl?
Canon Taylor has found his ideal in a half-dozen unsalaried mis- 'V. sionaries from Oxford who are laboring in Calcutta. Sir. VV.
Hunter has also accorded t~ them the highest praise, as models. They are, no doubt, under the influence of a most sincere piety, and ever cherish only the most thorough respect for their self-denying devotion; but how many such men is the worldly and easy-going church of this age likely to In'oduce? Has the Christianity of proud and wealthy Britain any fair prospect of impressing itself deeply upon the Indian Empire by delegating here and there a handful of men to perform a duty which the whole church should unite in performing?
It may be true, as both Canon Taylor and Sir W. W. Hunter assert, that such persons represent the common idea which Hindus associate with the religious life, but one might suppose that asceticism, with all its forms of self mortification, had been tried long enough in India and throughout the East. 'Yhat have the tens of thousands of Indian saints and mendicants ever accomplished? The moral and religious life of the nation has gone to corruption and decay in spite of hoards of beggars and fakirs. We must take issue with all such ideas of missionary methods.
We may go still fart.her, and ask what has been the result of those many historic instances in which the 'church has, in fact, copied the asceticism of the East? What have the monasteries of Sinai and of Lebanon done for the regeneration of the Holy I~and ? What did a celebate and cloistered priesthood accomplish for Mexico through three hundred years of undisputed sway?
That the example of the Calcutta brotherhood, so far as it promotes consecration of spirit, will be useful, no one will question; but that India,or any country, is to be reclaimed by su'ch agencies, is more than doubtful. There 'is need of a healthy and aggressive movement which shall subsidize the gifts and prayers and efforts of the whole church. Not the touch of a small separated class, but the spiritual sympathy and life of all Christendom must be applied to the dead faiths and effete civilizations of the East. Asceticism would fail. As well might the old prophet have attempted to raise the dead child with the tip of his finger, instead of overlaying him with his· whole pulsing life, mouth to mouth, hand to hand, and heart to heart.
H the church is to exchange her own regular methods for any other agency, let it be the armies of the Young Men's Christian Associations. Let there be fellowship and activity and the massed influence of numbers. Let there be a constituency at home that is abreast with the representatives at the front, and therefore in the fullest sympathy with them.
But, while welcoming every agency and means of good, the church cannot lay aside or delegate to others her own direct work for the evangelization of the world. It is acknowledged by all that the success thus far accomplished in the modern missionary movement has been the work of the regular organized missionary agencies. The great Christian denominations have sent forth chosen representatives,as Barnabas' and Saul were sent from Antioch. Guided by the providence of God, in the choice of fields, they have rais!ld the common standard of the cross in many lands, till already the headlands of the continents and the chief islands of the sea are occupied. They have translated the Scriptures into hundreds of languages and dialects, trained native preachers and teachers, organized churches, established schools and colleges, multiplied religious books and tracts, :ounded hospitals and dispensaries.
The missionaries of these boards and societies have generally been married men, and not the least among their elevating influences has been the object lesson of a Christian home. It is impossible to measure, still less to tabulate, the subtle influences which have gradually changed the Oriental idea of woman's place and influence, until now in India Zenana doors are wide open, and both Hindus and Mohammedans are beginning to emulate Christianity in the higher female education. Even the fanatical Moslems of the Turkish Empire are seeking the benefits of Protestant schools for their daughters. But these immeasurable results have attended the organized methods of modern Protestant missions. They are no longer experiments.
Celebate missions had been carried on for at least two centuries by missionaries of the Roman Catholic Church-many of them devoted men. Scores and hundreds of lives were spent in self-denying labor, in Congo, among the American Indians, in Japan and China, in India and the islands of the Indian Archipelago; but in all these lands they failed to regenerate heathen society. The Greek and Latin churches of the Levant, following similar methods and lacking the domestic element, have scarcely held their ground; they have received from Islam a deeper impress than they have given. Why, then, should Protestant Christendom yield to the cry of those who, in the very midst of in- creasing success, would turn to the effete agencies of the past?
But still it may be claimed that whatever may be said of mission- ary methods, the labor should be cheaper, the salary should be only sufficient for a bare subsistence, if not waived altogether; the work should be one of faith.
In reply to all such claims, it may be asked, first, whether any special providence is supposed to attend foreign missionaries, as compared with the Gospel ministry at home? If not, can any greaterrisks be assumed in a heathen land, where the people are out of all sympathy with the truth and where no means of employment and selfhelp are offered, than in the prosperous communities of our own lann. Or is a comfortable and homelike dwelling less necessary to a missionary's wife in a dreary heathen community, where she finds perhaps no white woman besides herself, than to a pastor's wife in an American village? Of all women in the world, those who are weighed down with the sense of loneliness and the depressing cont.act of degradation and misery which are incident to missionary life need most the sanctuary of a home to which they may resort after t}le wearisome labors of the day-a bright little spot where they may find not merely comfort but the nameless objects of taste which shall remind them of the old home far away. Depression of spirits is often a more fatal cause of ill health and of failure than either the work or the climate.
An article in the Gotemporary Review of July, 1889, by Meredith Townsend, presents these very sensible thoughts on "Cheap Missionaries. "
The writer discredits the idea that merely living poorly produces any favorable impression on the natives. "They understand real asceticism perfectly well, and reverence it as a subjugation of the flesh, and if the missionary and his wife carried out the ascetic life as Hindus understand it, and lived in a hut half or wholly naked, sought no food but what was given them, and suffered daily some physical pain, they might stir up the reverence which the Hindu pays to those who are palpably superior to' human needs. But in their eyes there is no asceticism in the life of the mean white, the Eurasian writer or the PortngueRe clerk, but only a squalor unbecoming a teacher and
TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN MISSIONARY MAGAZINES
-one who professes, and must profess, scholarly cultivation. Even if the cheap missionary could induce a fitting wife to share such a lot, he will think of the children to come, and he perceives, from examples all around him, what, on such an income, their fate must be. They will be boys and girls, with the white energy, who have been bred up as natives-that is, they will, unless exceptional persous, belong to the most hopeless class existing in the world."
But there is a new standpoint from which to consider the question of ascetic missionaries, and of cheap missionaries; it is the standpoint of the church itself. Never before was so great wealth placed in the hands of Christians. N ever before was there so much danger to spirituality from superabundance and luxury and mammon worship. On the other hand, never were there so many opportunities and facilities for the united effort of all good people in reclaiming the world as now. So far as home interests are concerned, there was never so much actually done by the rank and file of laymen and of women for the cause of truth and humanity. Is this then an age for delegating the work of the distant waste places to an exceptional few? Or is it quite becoming to the tens of thousands of professing Christians who are imperilling- the bodies and souls of themselves and their children by the very surfeit of self-indulgence, to turn the last screw of impoverishment on the ambassadors to heathen lands? Would the hollowness and insincerity of such a policy be likely to impress heathen nations with the moral earnestness of our propagandism, or even of the divine reality of our Christian faith?
TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN MISSIONARY MAGAZINES.
BY REV. CHARLES C. STARBUCK, ANDOVER, MASS.
-The Lund Missions-Tidning describes the Gallas, in Northeastern Africa, as probably the people among whom the Swedes will principally labor in time to come. This tribe extends from Abyssinia southward, and some of its superior families have established themselves as royal lines of other tribes as far south as the Victoria Nyanza. The royal family of Uganda are Gallas. The Swedes, of course, only think of laboring among the Galla tribes, not of following these transplanted dynasties.
-The Neukirchen Mission in Germany has three missionaries on the island of Java, with seventeen congregations. The statistics of 1888 were: Helpers, 5; elders, 2; communicants, 88 ; catechumens, 27 ; scholars, 30; attendants, 283.
-In the Allgemeine Missions-Zeitschrijt for April, 1889, there is an article by Herr A. Merensky on "Opinions of Travellers Respecting Christian Missions among Native Africans," from which we give some extracts. The author remarks that, in colonies where the natives form a large percentage of the population, the value of the missionary work is often very cordially acknowl- .edged by the authorities, but that as yet the accounts of travellers are so subjectively colored that they vary according as the traveller looks upon the natives as men, or as only a higher species of animal. If the former, he is apt to judge missions favorably; if the latter, he will esteem them absurd. We train a horse or dog, but we do not endeavor to convert them. Such travellers look upon missionaries as amiable lunatics. Some, however, are more bitter. Thus Mr. J. S. Little declares that some of the missionaries in South Africa are of evil lives, and says that" the scandalous proceedings at the Moravian station of Caledon are alone enough to prove this." Of course it would be strange if, of so many missionaries, some did not turn out unworthy. But his proof is a broken reed, for there is no Moravian station at Caledon, and there is not even a German station there. Mr. Little, therefore, has been catching up a report without knowing either the nation or the denomination to which it has reference. Such a man's unfavorable testimony cannot be worth much; yet even he acknowledges that the missionaries, as a whole, are an excellent and self-denying body of men. But of their converts he judges most unfavorably. However, he is good enough to add that it is not the missionaries that are to blame, but the contact with civilization. However, he knows very little about the missionaries, as appears from his accusing them of having burdened the Zulus with a perfectly arbitrary orthography-the contrary, says Herr Merensky, being demonstrably the fact. He adduces" Cetewayo" as an instance of perverse spelling. It is that; only it does not happen to be the missionary spelling. Yet after all he breaks out with, "The much-abused missionaries, as well as, the Boers, have been the pioneers of civilization in South Africa, and even on this ground are entitled to be regarded with all honor! "
-Mr. J. Nixon judges very differently. He declares of Magata, a chief near Pretoria, where the Hermannsburg missionaries are working, that not even in England has he met with a more perfect gentleman, in the best acceptation of the word. Speaking also of the chief Kchama, he declares that he is a chief whose word can be depended on. " He is a noble example of successful missionary work. His Christianity is nothing nominal, like that of so many other blacks, as well as whites, but is life, which exerts a pronouncedly good influence upon him and his people. He has' abolished drinking in his land, and is always intent on some reform. His word is always trusted, not only by the missionaries, but also by traders and hunters, who are mistrustful of everything accomplished by missions. He is sincere, e<mrageous, and manly, and if all Caffre chieftains were like him, Caffreland would have a very different look from its present one."
-Comparing the poorer white Boers in the west of the Transvaal with the Christian Barotsis, Mr. Nixon says that, while many of the former cannot write, a number of the latter, taught by the missionaries, can read and write well. Their fruitful fields also are in strong contrast with the dry Boer places, without gardens or any sign of cultivation. The Barotsi, Mr. Nixon says, owe their happier circumstances to the zeal and pains of a German missionary, Herr Jensen, who had taught them how they might sow and reap and dispose of their produce to advantage. The Barotsi, he says, were prosperous for natives and had ploughs and wagons in plenty.
-Mr. Nixon also spent some months in Bechuanaland, and remarks that many of the so-called savages were as well educated as their Boer neighbors, t and had quite as good claim to be respected. The labors of Moffat, Mackenzie, Livingstone, Price and other missionaries, though with many a failure, had exerted christianizing and civilizing influences on the masses. Dr. Holub also, the eminent German traveller, who is understood to be a Catholic, gives the following glowing description of Kchama: "What I mentioned even in my first work, I can to-day, some years later, do nothing but re-attest, namely, that King Kchama does his best to civilize his Bamangwatas. Happily he has only accepted the good of civilization from the white man, and it is this with which he seeks to inoculate his people. His success is acknowledged by every stranger, and is especially visible to whoever had previously visited his capital of Shoshong, whether it were when the heathen l'egime of super- stition yet prevailed under Sekchomo or Matscheng, or later, during the early reign of Kchama. The difference between now and then proves itself to be a mighty bne, in which the good falls altogether on Kchama's side. Kchama has the fullest right to have his government described at length in an historical work, on account of its good success and the iron energy of the ruler. What he has accomplished in Southeastern Africa may well be esteemed something unique in the history of Southeastern Africa, and must never be passed over when the general capacity of the blacks for culture is in question. The advancement of prosperity and progress among his people is Kchama's most ardent wish, an aim which he has pursued for years with ever increasing zeal and success. His subjects are more and more abandoning the heathen customs; it is only some of the very old people that murmur at having to comply with the innovations, with which, nevertheless, they do comply. The amulets of lions, leopards and ralis teeth, etc., which used to be worn around people's necks, are no more to be seen. The orgies have ceased, especially the corrupting orgies of circumcision, formerly a national rite, a momentous solemnity, from which everything was dated, a man's age and fitness to serve in war, and the regiment to which he should belong. The power of the rain doctors is forever broken in this tribe; the beer-carousals and their attendant orgies have come to an end. The spirituous drinks of the Europeans are forbidden in the whole land, and even to Europeans the use of them is only permitted within their own four walls. A drunken white in the open street must look to be banished from the country. Ten years ago visitors prophesied that Kchama would not be long able to enforce this prohibitory law, but would be absolutely powerless to oppose 3;ny permanent resistance to this curse of civilization. Well, these prophets, thank God, have turned out false prophets. Kchama's laws stand fast, and we will hope that they have already so thoroughly naturalized themselves that Kchama's future successors will also be constrained to conform themselves to them." Dr. Holub declares, in conclusion, that he wishes thus to secure to this " noble man" a monument in writing which shall perpetuate his memory. And, as the editors of the Zeitschrijt remark, Kchama is not alone in these endeavors among the chieftains of South Africa, though he far overtops other Christian chiefs.
-In De Macedonier Herr E. Haan, who has been ten years a missionary in Java, gives an extended report of the reasons for the comparative unfruitfulness of the missionary work in that great island. Besides that most of the people are Mohammedans, he brings the very severest indictment against his countrymen as respects their treatment of the Javanese. The Dutch have always been noted for the cold severity and extortionateness of their rule over subject races, and they seem to be as bad as ever. Herr Haan says: "The Javanese is viewed by the European as a thing with which he can deal at his pleasure, and which only exists for the convenience of Europeans, in order to secure to these a comfortable, easy and wealthy living." As an instance: Every Javanese, if he occupies land set apart by the government or by individuals for coffee culture, is compelled to set out a certain number of coffee trees, to tend them, and to deliver all the coffee they yield at 14 francs for 125 lbs., while the same amount in the market brings 45 francs, 55 centimes. "Does the Javanese even receive for his coffee money enough to live on? Hardly. Indeed, it not seldom happens that in place of rice he is reduced to eating the leaves of trees." "Nowonder, then. when the Javanese are dealt with after this step-motherly fashion by the intruding European lords, that they are filled with bitter hatred towards the Europeans. They have experienced neither love from them nor benefit from their religion, and in requital they hunger for the moment when everything that is white shall be put to the sword." Again: " The Javanese hate the Europeans with a deadly hatred, they thirst for their destruction, and the many insurrections of later years, as yet fortunately discovered by craft and suppressed by force, prove only too clearly how the fingers of the Javanese itch for the extirpation of the white man."
-Herr Haan is convinced that it is hopeless to convert the Javanese by means of Europeans. Only native Christians can do the work. "For, to speak plain, a European missionary in Java can accomplish absolutely nothing with the gospel. All the missionaries, without exception, confess this by word and writing, and it is proverbial among them that, being unable to reach a single Mohammedan, they bestow their time in the translation of Christian works, yet with so wrongheaded a lack of concurrence, so absolutely without a plan of campaign, that it sometimes is the case that two missionaries are translating the same work at the same time, of course each in the hope of seeing his own translation printed."
-No white nation has much occasion to boast itself as to its treatment of inferior races: but among Protestant nations Holland, and among Catholic nations Spain and Portugal, enjoy a peculiarly bad eminence in this respect. There is this difference, however, according to Mr. Mackenzie, in his history of Spanish America: the Spanish Government and the Spanish Church, in the prime of the{r dominion, were unwearied in their efforts to restrain the harshness and rapacity of covetous adventurers, who had a long way the start of them, and very slowly did prevail against them: whereas the Dutch Government itself is still the main extortioner. Weare glad to see that sections of the Dutch Church are beginning to bear a faithful witness against this iniquitous tyranny.
"The native helpers," says Herr Haan, "must be the pathbreakers of missions, and can be so, because they can converse with Mohammedans without arousing prejudice against themselves, and without awakening suspicion can bring the gospel into the hearts and houses of their brethren according to the flesh." "Facts show that wherever they come they find souls eager for the Word that speaks of atonement and grace "-ideas wholly foreign to Mohammedanism, which makes absolutely no provision for the inner wants of the soul.
-The Rev. C. J. Sandegren, of the Leipsic Mission, in South India, who attended the great Mula-Linga festival, says: "The demeanor of the templepriest towards us was very noteworthy. For although we had come in the avowed design of preaching the gospel and testifying against heathenism and idolatry, yet this exceedingly liberal and large-minded heathen priest conducted himself in the most friendly manner towards us. Indeed, he even came to us and himself urged us to preach to the people, assisting us personally to maintain order and attention. He also sometimes stayed with us at our quarters, listening to our singing and conversation. But yet we could discover in him no real longing after salvation. It is true, he mocked at the people's idolatry, but imagined he must put a good face on the mummery, and fulfil his office as priest, because he had his living by it, and because it brought in to him and his family no small profit. As temple-priest, moreover, he not only enjoyed a good revenue from this festival, but also has in his possession the extensive templeestates, from which he and his kindred derive an ample income, and enjoy an eminent and respected position in the land. And how is it easily possible to renounce all these things? thinks the good-natured man. Our preaching and
LATEST FACTS ABOUT MICRONESIA
Christianity doubtless are good, true and useful, but self-denial, the surrender of earthly advantage-that, he fancies, would be very foolish, not at all after his taste; for riches, enjoyment and voluptuous pleasure formed the real god of this heathen priest."
-" Speaking generally, a mission-period falls into three stages, which, it is true, are neither sharply distinguished from each other nor have everywhere the same length of duration. The first stage is that of sending forth, strictly speaking, of the slow foundation work of the foreign missionaries. of individual conversion, of the initiation of a process of fermentation, of the impregnation of the intellectual and moral atmosphere with new views and elements of life. The second stage is that of the erection of a first story on the foundation laid, of the extended co-operation of the natives, of the organization of the growing congregations, of the leavening of the popular life with the forces of the gospel. The third stage is that of national Christianization in the stricter sense, the collapse of a heathenism already undermined, the winning of the masses. This mostly comes to pass as a result of important historical events, e. g., the acceptance of Christianity by reigning personages," etc.-Allgemeine Missiol1S- ZeitshriJt, September, 1889.
-The Macedonier gives some extracts from the South African German Missionary Merensky, "Erinnerungenaus dem Missionsleben," which are interesting, as distinguishing more sharply the various native tribes from each other. We are accustomed to call them all, except the Hottentots and Bushmen, Caffres, or Kaffirs. And, indeed, they do in a general way belong together; but while the Zulus are Caffres proper, the Bassutos and Betchuanas, who are very closely related to each other in appearance and language, are but remotely related to the Zulus. Herr Merensky, therefore, informs us that we {)ught not to call the former Caffres. "As respects their bodily build, among the Bassutos we find many tall and powerful forms, but also many weak people-far more than among the Zulus." Merensky attributes this in part to the greater wealth of the latter, which enables them to use meat more freely, in part to the privations to which the Bassutos were exposed at the tinie of their oppression by the Zulus, but in part to the fact that an unchaste life has already, among the Bassutos, made its way even into the world of childhood.
-" Young people may often be called handsome, especially among the girls: the finely formed ears and small hands draw the eye. Old people, how- €over, are, as a whole, very ugly. This, however, is far from being true of the Christians." Merensky, even in unfamiliar mission-stations, recognized the Christians by their faces. At a station of the South Bassutos he was astonished at the sight of handsome old men and venerable old women. The missionaries had already been there thirty years, and these people had grown old as Christians. Merensky wishes, therefore, that in popular works, when portraits are given, it should be indicated whether they represent Christians or heathen; and it would be of much interest, from lands where heathenism and Christianityare wrestling, to be able to compare portraits of both.
LATEST FACTS ABOUT MICRONESIA.
Rev. Frank E. Rand, of Ponape, of Caroline Group, Micronesia, being interviewed by Dr. Pierson, says: The whole group-Caroline Group-extends nearly 2,000 miles east to west, and embraces a hundred or more islands; this is the only group where there are high mountainous islands. Ponape island is the largest in the group, rising in centre about 3,000. All of the group, save from six to ten, are low and coraline, with large lagoons. The Ruk lagoon is a hundred miles by about forty.
About 5,000 inhabitants on Ponape, missions established about thirty-seven years ago, and the island is now semi-christianized; thirteen churches on the island, and about half the people attend, and two missionaries and families were there eight years before the first three converts; but twelve years after the Ponapeans were carrying on foreign missions among the neighboring islands.
Pinglap, 150 miles east, was approached in 1872 by the Ponapeans, but repulsed; two young men, however, of the Pinglapers were found on Ponape on the re- turn of the missionaries, and became converted, and one of them ultimately became pastor of the present church on Pinglap. Some of that church are now helping the Ponapeans to carry the gospel afar. Two years after, in 1874, three young men and their wives, Ponapeans, landed at Mortlock Islands, about 300 miles west, a group of six coral islands, population of 4,000, found the people in primitive paganism, having had little or no cOiltact with foreign- ers; language differed from Ponape, and hence conversation was impossible.
They were left there, and communication began through a man and wife who had lived on Ponape. They were left there, knowing the Morning Star would not return for twelve months, the chiefs promising to protect them, and hav- ing supplies only for a few months. Their houses were comparatively hovels.
In a year they were visited again by the Morning Star, and found each of the families living in a good house, having also three large churches, the largest holding 600 to 700; all had acquired the language; one of these native teachers, the wife of one of the missionaries, had translated a portion of the gospels and hymns from Ponape into Mortlock tongue, and each family had a large school in which pupils read and wrote in their own language and beginning to cipher, and some twenty-five in each parish awaiting baptism.
At the present time there are in one of those churches from 300 to 400 members, and instead of three churches, nine. .
Since then there has been a greater work done on the island of Ruk, where the first missionaries went in 1880. It has always been called the Terror of the Pacific, from cruelty shown to crews of vessels. The coral reef encloses about 15,000, or more, speaking the Mortlock language. One missionary was left there in 1880, " Moses" by name, from the Mortlock Islands. He was landed at his own request on one island in this lagoon, with a population of abou1; 4,000. Mr. Rand visited this island a year after, and found Moses, within two months after landing, had been in great risk of life, but saved his life by singular tact and courage. Mr. Rand found him likewise living in his own large house, having built a large church with some twenty-five ready for bap- tism, with day school and Sunday school; but with marvellous influence over the nation in restraining war among themselves. Now there are some eight or nine chur~hes, and a prosperous community. Chiefs now send to Moses for teachers to come to them to instruct them not to fight.
The principal work on Ponape is Training Schools for young unmarried men and the married men and wives, to prepare them for Christian work.
In 1888-9 they had forty-five boarding pupils; twenty of them have gone into the work in the beginning of 1889, and there is a girls' boarding school with thirty-eight pupils. There are two more training schools at Island of Kusaie- one for·Marshall Group and the other for the Caroline Group, and at the same place a girls' boarding school.
GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
II.-GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.
Aftica.-A correspondent of the lish a protectorate over Tunis, where ..i'lfanchester Guardian writes encour- the Italians outnumber the French ten agingly of the development of com- to one. They add that at the Berlin merce which is checking the slave congress Mr. Waddington disavowed trade on the Congo river. Steamers any claim to the Regency. The French from Liverpool are now plying direct answer that Tunis was offered to them to Boma and Matadi, stations on the at the congress by Bismarck and river. These are becoming the chief Beaconsfield as a counterweight 1;() ports from which produce is being Cyprus, which was acquired by Engshipped, and are gradually drawing land, but that they should not have the ivory trade away from Zanzibar. availed themselves of the offer, had A regular ivory market exists at Stan- not the Italians made surreptitious ley Falls, and here the Arab traders efforts to supplant them in the good can now sell their ivory instead of graces of the Bey. Meanwhile they kidnapping slaves to carry it to the desire to know why Italy has not laid east coast. Under the old method of hands on Tripoli, a section of north slave labor it often took one or two Africa uncoveted by any other Euro- years for the ivory to reach the coast, pean power. To this latter suggestion and the former slave dealers are now the astute Italians make no reply. settling down into a peaceful colony They know a trick worth two of that.
near Stanley Falls, evidently appre- The possible outcome of their protect- ciating the advantages of modern orate over Abyssinia, and of their facilities for trade. When the Congo assertion of authority over the whole· railway is complete, the Congo route sea-coast' of East Africa from Warwill be more used than at present. sheckh, near the second degree of The railway will start from Matadi. north latitude up to and including A further blessing both to the traders IVfassowah, may be found to have some and the natives is the discovery of the day a weighty bearing on the status of river Lomami, which runs parallel Italy in the Mediterranean. For few with and to the left of the Congo. It things are more certain than that the is navigable and of good depth, and advent of the Gladstonians to power will be a great benefit in facilitating in England would be followed by the communication between Niangwe, the recall of the British army of occupation chief Arab settlement in the high from Egypt. To what power would Congo, and Stanley Falls. The fre- England then be more likely to turn quent falls and rapids on the Congo over the duty of protecting the Nile in this part have rendered communi- country than to Italy? It has been cation by it almost impossible between largely through the moral support of the two places. The ultimate benefit, the British Government that the Italhowever, of thus opening up Africa ians have gradually acquired control for trade will depend upon the number of the southern part of the Red Sea of Christian men engaged therein. and of the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb. Between heathenism and civilization We may rather say that they alone without God, there is little to choose. divide control with Great Britain. Owing to the weakness of their navy, -Italy and Africa.-There has been they could never be dangerous to Brit. of late an acrimonious dispute between ish commerce, and they could be the journalistsand politicians ofFrance trusted to shut the Suez Canal against on the one hand and Italy on the other touching the claims of their respectiye a French or Russian fleet. Apropos of countries to possessions on the north this suggestion, it is well to remember coast of Africa. The Italians main- that the Italians took possession of tain that France had no right to e~tab- Massowah under an understanding with the Gladstone Ministry, and for tic volume as it enters that country.
the purpose of effecting a diversion But, fortunately, when it is most against the Mahdi. Co-operation with wanted for irrigation-during the dry England, with regard to Egyptian in- season-it gives the greatest volume; terests, was, in other words, the motive for then it is the rainy season in the of their first important demonstration Nile sources.
in East Africa, and it will probably What would Egypt be without the turn out to be the ultinlate result of Nile? The country knows no rains, or their Abyssinian protectorate. The at least so seldom that a shower is Italians constitute a much larger pro- a marvel; and though, during some portion of the European residents in months, the parched earth is relieved Egypt than do the French. Of Lev- by heavy dews, its dry season would antine countries generally the same be intolerable without the overflowing thing may be said. In this respect of this grand river.-African News.
they are the natural heirs of the Vene- -The Sultan of Zanzibar has de- tians. Candia, for instance, should creed that all slaves entering his the Porte be constrained to surrender dominions are henceforth to be free.
it to any European power, ought to go Also that the children of slaves born to Italy in her capacity of the heir of in his dominions after January 1 are Vellice, from which the Turks wrested to be free. These are great steps for- it, after it had been the property of ward, and lead us to hope that the the Republic for many centuries. The entire suppression of slavery in East island is of too great strategic import- Africa may be looked for in the near ance for England to suffer it to fall future. Another important mark of into the hands of Greece, which woulU progress is the establishment of a new practically make of it a Russian naval direct line of mail steamers from Lon- station. On the other hand, if the don to Mombasa and Zanzibar, which, Italian flag were planted in Candia with those now running, will make a and Alexandria, the Mediterranean fortnightly service.
would be as truly a British lake as it – The Abyssinians and their Chris- is now.-The Sun (New York). tianity.-The change of rulers in Abys- -The Nile has Three Peculiarities. sinia promises to inaugurate a new 1. It has a constantly diminishing departure in the public policy of that volume of water as it flows to its historic country by opening it to West- mouth for more than 1,000 miles. 2. ern influence, and thus preparing the It floods during the dry season. 3. It way for the rejuvenation of its stereo- has no tributaries for 1,100 miles from typed and formalistic Christianity.
its mouth. In the great expanse of The new king, Menelik, formerly sov- the Soudan there are few rivers, and ereign of the southern province, Shoa, the Nile is the only one worthy the and then nominally, but scarcely in name in aU Egypt. Up in the heart fact, vassal of the late Negus, or King of Africa it has many feeders, and John, has all along been favorable rushes down into the sandy plain of to the representatives of Western civil- Egypt a mighty torrent; but it hardly ization and Evangelical Christianity.
fonus its great trunk by the junction King John was a typical Semitic, con- ofthe White and Blue Niles before it servative to the core, and naturally begins to diminish in volume. Liter- hostile to aU new and progressive ideas.
ally, the thirsty sand licks it up. And He not only expelled the Christian mis- though the junction with it of the sionaries, sent there by the London and great Atbara gives it a new supply Basel societies, from his domains, but some hundreds of miles below, it soon attempted to come to an understanding again loses volume. It is a large river with that larger branch of the Chris- in Egypt, but far inferior to its majes- tian Church which, in its character and kind, agreed most with the sterile physite Church as a natural con- faith of his own people, namely, the sequence followed.
Greek Orthodox of the East. Menelik This isolation, voluntary at first, be- has already made a decided move in came one of necessity soon after, when the opposite direction. He has assum- the Mohammedan invader overran the ed friendly relations to the Italians; Eastand devastated Oriental Christian- his ambassadors were recently the sen- ity. It is the great distinction of the sation in Rome; and his land is being Abyssinians that they, in their moun- re-opened for Christ~':'"l} mission work. tain fastnesses, were the only people The veteran Flad, who for two decades who did not bend their necks to the of years has been in vain waiting for Moslem conqueror, nor yield their an opportunity to continue his gospel faith to Islam. The struggle against mission, so auspiciously begun under Arabic aggression, which is now the his leadership thirty or more years ago, question of life and death for the has, notwithstanding his years, deter- future of the Dark Continent; is really mined to return to Abyssinia and work one of more than a thousand years'
while it is day. standing. Against fearful odds the As matters now stand, the Church Abyssinians have maintained their of Abyssinia is a ruin, in its way as struggle for existence, and, though instructive as the pyramids of Egypt often wounded and bleeding, have re- and the tablets and bricks of Assyria. tained their national and ecclesiastical Practically, it represents, in stereo- existence and organization.-Pro!.
typed form, the Greek Christianity of Geo. H. Schodde.
the fifth century. The shape and form Belgium.-The French Protest- have been retained, while the spirit has ants are divided into two sections; been lost; the hull is there but the one, represented by the Protestant kernel is gone. Abyssinia was con- Evangelical Churches, which are verted to Christianity early in the State churches; and the other, by fourth century, and viewed its first the Belgium Missionary Christian bishop from Athanasius. It is the Churches, whose name admirably sets only Semetic people that ever as such forth their spirit. The latter have embraced the Christian faith and es- 27 churches and stations, with 59 an- tablished a national Christian Church. nexes or places that are regularly It is one of the anomalies of history evangelized; 50 temples and halls; 38 that Christianity, although springing Sabbath schools, 17 day schools, 22 from Semitic soil and developed in a pastors, 4 evangelists, 7 Bible read!lrs, Semitic people, was, on the whole, re- 5 colporteurs, 47 laymen, who take jected by them, and the spiritual in- direct' part in the work; 7,850 meet- heritance of Shem passed into the tent ings took place last year; 215,500 of Japhet. The Abyssinians, too, were tracts have been distributed. The converted under Greek or Aryan in- churches have a membership of 4,647, fluence, and for a century and more and their Sabbath-schools are attended constituted a not unimportant ele- by 2,366 children. More than 500 ment of the Oriental Church. In 451 members have been added to the came the separation. Together with church during the year; and not- the Church of Egypt, with which it withstanding the deaths and emi- was then and is now yet organically gration, the increase has been 275 connected, that of Abyssinia embraced adults and 171 children. A station the Monophysite faith. The condem- has been founded, two churches nation of this heresy by the synod at built, services begun in several new Chalcedon led to the withdrawal from localities, 70 villages where the Gos- an connection with the Church gen- pel is not regularly preached have eral, and the isolation of the Mono- been visited by the missionaries; while the colporteurs have worked in account of Christian work at the 200 villages. Hawaiian Islands. The 56 native The expenses of the year have churches report a membership of reached 139,714 francs, and the con- 5,747, besides other churches for Eng- tributions of these churches have lish-speaking residents and Chinese, amounted to 63,000 francs.-Rev. J. having a membership of 679. These C. Bracq.' native churches contributed for pas- Hawaii.-The last report of the toralsupport $9,531, and for home and Hawaiian Board of Health shows that foreign missionary work, if we rightly there were, March 31st, 1888. 749 lep- understand the treasurer's report, ers in the district of Molokai set apart something over $20,000. Eight pastors for them. These are provided for re- have been installed during the year, ligiously by two Protestant and two seven of whom were ordained. The Catholic churches. The report of the Chinese mission, under the care of Mr.
Hawaiian Evangelical Association for F. W. Damon, has been prosecuted 1887 shows that one of the Protestant with success. Daily evening schools churches has 225 members. The mem- have been well attended. Four new bership of the other is not given; but Sabbath-schools for the Chinese have as it reports more than half as many been opened in different parts of deaths as the former church, we may Honolulu. There are 22,000 Chinese be sure it has over 100 members, and now residing in the Hawaiian Islands. that it is perfectly ridiculous to speak . The Japanese work, begun so recently, of the lepers of the Sandwich Islands as has had a remarkable development, not cared for now or before Father both in Honolulu and in other parts Damien came to them. The idea of of the islands. The North Pacific Mis- giving him credit for revolutionizing sionary Institute, under the care of the care of lepers is laughed at in Dr. Hyde, has graduated eleven stu- Hawaii. It is clear that the lepers dents and received ten in their place. have been so well cared for that many These graduates are all at work in have sought admission just to get the different localities.-Miss. Herald.
generous support given by the State. India.-Writing of the Mission The last report of the Board of Health Sunday-schools in Jubbulpore, Bishop makes no mention of Father Damien, Thoburn says: but they "cannot say enough of the inestimable and disinterested services "They are so many in number and are of the siCK rendered them by Mr. J. attended by so many pupils of all ages that an impression has gone abroad that no real work is done in them.. It has been alleged Dutton, who is a trained nurse, and that no real teaching is done, that the same came to the Settlement on his own ac- persons do not attend two days in succession, count, for the purpose of living with and that inasmuch as nothing is taught noththe lepers and devoting his life and ing is learned, but these boys disprove all such entire time to their benefit; and who assertions. They had evidently attended often, and had learned both hymns and catechism.
may be seen busied from morning to I took occasion to examine the register of night cleaning and healin~ the many attendance, and was surprised to find that the sores of the lepers, and administering attendance varied but little from week to to the many ailments of the sick, and week, the total number for the week preced- ing my visit having been 3,268. Of these 1,300 very much to the satisfaction and had been boys, 639 girls, 920 men, and 409 comfort of the sick." It is made clear women. Perhaps the most hopeful feature of that the contagion of leprosy comes these schools is the fact that so many women from violation of laws of cleanliness are in this way bronght within the sound of the gospel. Many who could not be tempted or morality.-The Independent. to join an ordinary audience of men, have no -The 26th annual report of the Ha- hesitation in doing SO when they see that the waiian Evangelical Association gives crowd is chiefly composed of children. The a full, and on the whole encouraging, attendance of girls also is remarkable. Many of these 'Sunday-schools' meet on week days, and hence they are sometimes called prose tale of a demon with a thousand Bible-schools. 'Whatever name they may bear heads. Among the works published it is evident that they can be s1j.ccessfully in the year 1886 are the following: A used in giving large numbers of the people a book on architecture, containing notes clear outline of the blessed truths of Christ's on the lucky and unlucky times for gospe."
-The Current Literature of India. beginning a building, a biography of -The latest official returns of the Faraday, adaptation of Shakespeare's issues of the Indian press are for the "Comedy of Errors,"" Winter's Tale,"
year 1886. The total number of books and" Merchant of Venice," Milton's and periodicals published in that one " Paradise Lost," "The Diseases of the year is 8,961. In the Indian vernacu- Elephant," "Cholera and Its Cure," a lars alone there are published annually Marhatti version of Glodsmith's " Her- about 200 newspapers, the most of them mit," the" Perils of Youth," a work being dailies. The variety of subjects telling young men not to run off to treated in Indian literature is astound- Christianity or any other religion be- ing. It reflects not only the polyglot fore examining their own, and annota- character of the race-stems, but also ted editions of Goldsmith's comedies, the mixture of faiths. Among the " The Good Natured Man" and "She books issued in 1888, in the Punjab we Stoops to Conquer." There is a large find such a heterogeneous compound increase of important missionary pub- as the following: "The Little Office lications, of works by the Hindu re- of the Immaculate Conception of the formatory associations, and of native Blessed Virgin," " Praises of Moham- attacks.on infant marriages and other med by His Followers," "Attacks on lingering abuses. Another important the Prophet by the Christians," "Stories triumph must be added to the long of Krishna," and" Talismans from the catalogue of philological achievements Koran." In the same region, the North- of missionaries. In Bhamo, Burma, a west Provinces, there is one treatise on Kachin spelling-book has been pub- astrology and another on electroplat- lished by two missionaries. It is the ing. In Burma the list of books includes first attempt to reduce the savage a volume of songsin praiseof the " New' Kachin dialect to grammar. Many of Umbrella for the Dregen Pagoda." In the native publications classed as relig- the Central Provinces a collection of ious are purely controversial. They astrological calculations was publish· are attacks on Christianity. Both ed in an edition of 500 copies. The Hindus and Mohammedans are quite Bengali publications comprise works willing to attack Christianity in print.
on polygamy, the Brahmo discourses, From the first, missionaries have in- and songs on the loves of the Krishna. dulged pretty freely in controversy.
A gratuitous edition of 1,059 copies of This spirit has been latterly on the a work on astrology, in the Tamil, decline, as if the missionaries were appears on the list of issues for 1882. now thinking the game hardly worth Several other books on the subject are the chase. In some sections Hindus published for general sale, among them and Mohammedans have taken up the one in an edition of 400 copies. It is cudgel against one another. On the claimed to be an ancient work 2,000 other hand, controversial works have years old. Another Tamil work de- been written, in a very hostile spirit, nounces Christianity, animal food, by rival sects within the same religious and intoxicating drinks. An edition fold.-Bishop Hurst, in the Chatau- of 500 copies of this work appeared in quan.
1882. In the same language appear -A Writer in The Bombay Guar- two other books of antagonistic ten- dian, on Jesuit missions in India, dencies, one a book of verses in favor shows that it is a mistake to assert that of the Virgin Mary, and another a Protestant missions have not prospered as have those of the Jesuits. The latter Syria. – An Assyrian Library entered India about 350 years ago, and their educational institutions are nu- Thirty – five Hundred Years Old.- merous and ably manned, but their adherents, who are now estimated at Prof. Sayce gives an interesting ac- 1,000,000, have not increased at anything like the ratio seen in the Protes- count of the recent discovery of tant missions. For instance, in the long buried tablets and inscriptions, decade from 1862 to 1872, the Roman which have an important bearing Catholics increased twelve per cent. on certain test questions in Biblical against fifty-one per cent. among the criticism: Protestants. The Jesuits do not preach to the heathen, one of them saying, From them we learn that in the fifteenth cen- "This is not my work, which is to tury before our era-a century before the look after my people, not the heathen." Exodus-active literary intercourse was going But the chief point of difference be- on throughout the civilized world of Western tween the methods of Jesuits and Pro- Asia, between Babylon and Egypt, and the testants is in regard to the Scriptures, smaller states of Palestine, of Syria, of Mesoconcerning which the writer in The potamia, and even of Eastern Kappadokia. Bombay Guardian says: "For 350 And this intercourse was carried on by means years the Jesuits have had a succession of the Babylonian language and the compliof learned men in India, yet they have cated Babylonian script. This implies that, never translated the Scriptures in all over the civilized East, there were libraries whole or part, so far as we know, into and schools where the Babylonian language any of its many languages. On the and literature were taught and learned. Babyother hand, the Protestant missions lonian appears to have been as much the have, in 90 years, translated the Scrip- language of diplomacy and cultivated society tures, in whole or part, into over forty as French has become in modern times, with Indian languages and dialects, includ- the difference that, whereas it does not take ing the Gondi. By the one method long to learn to read French, the cuneiform the Indian peoples can read the Word syllabary required years of hard labor and atof God for themselves in their own tention before it could be acquired. We can tongues; by the Jesuit method they now understand the meaning of the name of have been, and are, deprived of it as the Canaanitish city which stood near Hebron, rigorously as the Sudras are of their and which seems to have been one of the most sacred books by the Brahmans." important of the towns of Southern Palestine. Kirjath-Sepher, or "Book town," must have Japan.-Dr. Griffis, author of been the seat of a famous library, consisting "The Mikado's Empire," says: mainly, if not altogether, as the Tel-el-Amar- na tablets informs us, of clay tablets inscribed "It is of interest to all who want to see with cuneiform characters. As the city also Japan a Christian nation to know that the bore the name of Debir, or "Sanctuary," we •reformed' Buddhists expect to furnish their may conclude that the tablets were stored in countrymen and all inquirers with a religion. its chief temple, like the libraries of Assyria Alert, keen, not over-scrupulous, they will and Babylonia. It may be that they are still doubtless have a neo-Buddhism all ready. They lying under the soil, awaiting the day when are already patrons of Western learning; have the spade of the excavator shall restore them studied at home, in India, at Oxford, and in to the light. The literary influence of Babylo- America, the situation; have introduced phy- nia in the age before the Israelitish conquest sical science in their splendid, new, brick-built of Palestine explains the occurrence of the colleges at Kioto; make the New Testament a names of Babylonian deities among the inhabtext-book,and the Bible and its learning subject itants of the West. Moses died on the summit of lectures. They will Buddhaize Christianity, of Mount Nebo, which received its name froIQ if they have power and' opportunity. Let the Babylonian god of literature, to whom the Christians study the past and take warning." great temple of Borsippa was dedicated; an<1 Sinai itself, the mountain" of Sin," testifies t<l a worship of the Babylonian Moon-god, Sin, amid the solitudes of the desert. Moloch or Malik, was a Babylonian divinity like Rimmon the Air-god, after whom more than one local- ity in Palestine was named, and Anat, the wife of Anu, the Sky-god, gave her name to the Pal- estinian Annah, as well as to Anathoh, the city of "the Anat-goddesses."
lIIISSIONARY CORRESPONDENCE FROM ALL PARTS
IlL-MISSIONARY CORRESPONDENCE FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD-FIELD.
Brazil. pleteness of our foreign mission reports that they have no way of knowing what becomes [While we do not fully sympathize of their gifts after they are once absorbed into ""-ith the writer in all he says, yet we the general fund, and so prefer givipg in a deem the following communication way which will enable them to judge for them- selves if their money has been economically worthy of consideration by all mission- and wisely employed. ary societies. It is desirable that full and explicit reports be made of all The largest givers are usually the most con- expenditures. There is not sufficient scientious. They give from principle, and for that'reason feel a responsibility for the way fulness and skill shown in many of in which their gifts are used. If then there is these reports. Our own effort to the slightest ground for suspicion that the analyze and give a scientific and in- money which they have given, with the sole motive of building up the Kingdom of their telligent account of the" Statistics of Lord and Saviour, is uselessly dissipated in Missions" has already demonstrated to ill-digested schemes of inexperienced workers, us the necessity of a great reform all or is used in such a way as to pauperize the along that line, and we urge the duty new converts, or simply promote general civilization or secular education, they cannot upon the attention of all whom it con- but feel that their accountability to Him whose stewards they are requires them to withhold, cerns.-EDs. ] or at least to limit, their gifts. It is quite pos- sible that we have here'the true explanation SOLIDARITY IN FOREIGN MISSIONS. of the undeniable fact that our foreign mis- sion work is not receiving that whole-hearted LETTER FROM REV. J. BEATTY HOWELL. and enthusiastic support on the part of many large givers which it deserves, and in former JAHU, Sept. 20, 1889. times received. A significant sign of the times, of profound interest to all engaged in foreign mission work Something must be done to bring the contrib- or connected wibh it, is the undoubted fact utors into closer relations with the work, and that the mechanical benevolence of former to lead them to feel that they have a voice in days is being largely replaced by an intelli- the application of the funds contributed. The gent interest, on the part of contributors to solidarity of home givers and foreign workers every good work, in the final destination and must be recognized and emphasized. A practical results of their gifts. practical application must be made of the During the past year several missionary principle that the givers have at least an equal Rocieties have found themselves seriously em- voice in the application of the funds with bal'I'assed by a considerable diminution of those who are entrusted with the distribution. their regular income, due to the falling off in Missionaries and secretaries have a right to legacies. It is becoming increasingly the cus- advise, plead, urge, but nothing can deprive tom on the part of churches, Sunday-schools the givers of the right to determine where and and individual contributors, to forward their how their gifts shall be applied. contributions directly to some friend on the field, to be used for certain definite and desig- The first and most important step in this nated objects. Our secretaries are constantly direction must be a change in the method of bewailing the discouraging fact that funds giving mission information, especially in the contributed by our church members are department of statistics. Some plan must be diverted from denominational channels to out- devised for enabling contributors to know just side enterprises conducted by irresponsible what is being done with the mission funds, parties. and what each department of the work costs. A single explanation covers all these facts. At present the church is only given the general There is a growing desire on the part of con- totals of so much expended upon mission tribntors to follow up their gifts, and a grow- work in China, so much in India, etc., with no ing sense of responsibility for the way in means of ascertainingthe proportion of funds which these are employed. Those whom ODd expended upon different departments, the has entrusted with means, and into whose comparative cost of each, or the part of the heart he has put the desire to use them for burden borne by the native Christians. his glory, are, to a very noticeable extent, planning and carrying out the distribution of these It would be a new departure in missionary consecrated funds in their own lifetime. matters for most of our societies, and would, The criticism of mission methods, and the no doubt, at the beginning involve some extra doubts tIu'own upon their results, of which work, but we respectfnlly suggest that the their has been so much lately, has naturally attempt be made to give the church topical had the effect of rendering contributors sus- reports of the work, instead of by countries, as picious and inquisitive; but such is the incomheretofore. In the annual reports of the the will of the Great Head of the Church as to societies let all accessible information from all the way in which His work is to be carried on parts of the field be grouped under the heads than the judgment of the consecrated givers of common school education, higher educa- at home. Both of these factors must have tion, publication) medical missions, itinerant their due weight in our calculations an'd plans and evangelistic work, Sunday-school work, for work. The foreign workers have made theological seminaries, native pastoral work, many mistakes and learned much by experi- lay laborers, including Zennana visitors, ence; it would not be wonderful nor alarming Bible readers, colporteurs, etc., buildings, if home givers should do the same. self support, indirect influence of missions, religiously, politically and socially. The fact that the amount available for any department of work would depend largely Let the persons best qualified and best in- upon the interest which the home churches formed write up tbese subjects for the differ- took in it, would furnish the strongest incenent fields, giving, along with general informa- tive for the special writers to make the fullest tion and practical reasons for carrying on and plainest exposition of the facts in regard each department of the work, full statistics to the different departments, and the motives showing what has been done, the part of the for carrying on each branch of work; and expense borne by the mission, and the part thus tend to the general instruction of the borne by the native church. This would cer- people in regard to the whole work. The caretainly make a report more readable and more ful study of the various departments of the instructive than the one now sent out annually. work, for the sake of deciding to which funds If the material for the l1onthly Concert of should be contributed, would have a powerful lIIissions were arranged in the same way, it educating influence, while enlarging the symmigbt help revive the interest in these meet- pathies of the givers. ings, which pastors agree in saying has been on the decline for some time past. An incidental result of the clear recognition of the different departments of the work, Having taken this preliminary step, it would might be the appointment, in ihe different then be possible to invite contributors to fields, of Superintendents Of Departments, to designate the department, or departments, of whom should be entrusted the collection and work to which they wished their contributions preparation of information in regard to the to be applied. If it were thus possible for con- needs and possibilities of his special departtributors to use their fnnds for the promotion ment, thus leading to a more systematic, of the kind of work which seemed to them thorough, and symmetrical development of the most important or promising, money would work than would otherwise be the caSe. doubtless flow into the treasury which is now withheld. Ohina.
There are invincible practical objections to FIRST HIPRESSIONS IN A CHINA JlIISSION. a scheme of mission operations based upon contributions for special objects, such as the LETTER FROM REV. JOHN G. FAGG. support of individual preachers, teachers, schools, pupils, etc., which do not hold against CHANGCHEW, 30 miles inland from Amoy. contributing for general departments of work. I am a missionary prophet of ouly a year's The very furthest that specialization can be standing. I question whether my vision is carried without injury to the cause, is indicat- sufficiently adjusted to give a reliable foreing, along with the department of work, the cast. I will, however, cite a few facts. The field in which it is to be done, e.g., Publication notable feature of missionary effort, in this in Syria, lIledical Work in China, etc. 'part of China, has been a strong movement inland. It may be objected that to leave the propor· The southern half of the province of Fuhtion of funds to be expended upon any depart- kien is worked by three .societies, London, ment of the work to be determined by the English Presbyterian, and Reformed. Amoy wishes of the donors, would have the effect of is the natural headquarters. Until last year causing some needful departments, but which no missionary family had ever lived inland are not specially interesting, to be neglected, from Amoy. lIlissionary work was carried and others to be disproportionally developed. on by constant touring. It is possible that this might be so at the Since lIlarch, 1888, four missionary families beginning, but in this respect we must trust to have moved inland. Two families are at the enlightened interest of the givers, in- Changchew, thirty miles from Amoy; two structed by the missionaries or other compe- families at Giokhe, sixty miles from Amoy; tent persons. There will always be a large two gentlemen have settled forty miles south amount of undesignated fund, which could be from Amoy, at Changpoo; three hospitals applied to supplement the special contribu- have been opened, one at each of the places tions in those departments where it might be f1entioned. The hospitals have been largely necessary. Besides, there is no reason to patronized. suppose that the judgment of the consecrated Another feature of encouragement has been workers on the field is any surer indication of the increased willingness to hear the gospel. Native preachers have frequently remarked recently, that the past year was the best in $10,000 for that purpose. It only needs to their experience. Years ago they were scolded, have two years added to the conrse. It will a bused, stoned. To-day they go into villages not aim to be a 'University,' like the Methowhere chairs are brought out to rest them. dist Institution in Peking, but will be content 'They are entertained to tea and sweet-meats. with the field of general education and the- 'They are invited to come again. Gamblers ology. Although our mission has been in are. requested to leave their seats and the existence nearly thirty years, we have never preacher is invited to declare the doctrine. yet seen our way to the ordination of any men to the ministry, but this year we have decided These are rifts in the clouds. The darkness to take that step in the case of six graduates is still deep. Idolatry is most powerfully in- of the theological school whose record for trenched. In this city of 150,000 inhabitants three years has been such as to make it apalone, there are over 300 temples. Thousands pear to be the right thing. " of dollars are spent every month on theatricals and other demonstrations in honor of the France. gods. Even small, poor villages have several thousands of dollars filched from them every FRENCH FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY year. Idolatry is a gigantic system of robbery. FOR 1889. BY REV. J. c. BRACQ, SECRETARY AMERICAN Our religion has formidable opposition yet to overcome. The foreigner is hated, sus- MCALL ASSOCIATION. pected. The opium curse, the cruelties of East Indian coolie traffic, Chinese expnision in The annual meeting of the Socitftt des Mis- America and Australia, are associated with the sions Evangeliques gathered, not only the white-faced foreigner. His doctrine may be numerous friends of missions, but, also, some good, but it seems most improbable that he is Tahitian converts, brought to Paris by the heralding it from pure motives. All this prej- French government, for the Exposition. udice and suspicion can only be lived down. It cannot be talked down.' We are under per- M. Beugner, the distinguished Secretary of petual surveillance. the Society, read a repon, as remarkable for its form as it was interesting for its contents. However, we already have two thousaud It is interesting to see, in the city of Paris, a converts; we have a hundred stations at man devoting such talents to the cause of strategic points; we have five hospitals; we missions. We give a summary of his report, have an efficient native ministry. There is a though it must necessarily mar it. "If there Christian conscience bearing testimony against is," he says, "an imperious necessity for an the rottenness of heathenism. There are liv- army, it is to feel that its actions are haring examples of Christianity's transforming monious with the will of the general, and power. There is a native foreign missionary correspond exactly to his plans. So it is with society to the Hokkas, to the south and west the army of Jesus Christ. To do one's duty among the hills. Statistical tables are no with joy and courage, the least of his soldiers gauge of what is being done, of the influence must have the assurance that he is in the place, that is exerted. .Thousands hear the gospel and at the work, appointed. message every year. Unseen, nnheard, the day of China's redemption hastens. For the "What, in this respect, is the situation of this coming of that day we continue to labor and detachment of Christ's army known as the to pray. Societe des l.fissions Evangeliques? How are its present plans connected with the general In a note from Rev. Arthur H. advance of God's work in the world? Smith,date.d P'ang Chia Chuang Shantung, June 29, he says: "Thenew impnlse given to the evangelization of the world forces itself, as a great fact, upon " We have just held the meeting of our mis- the mind of all careful observers. The represion for the year, and have planned for en- sentatives of all missionary societies, gathlargement in many directions. We are asking ered in London, last year, were unanimous for twenty-six new people, to fill up the old upon that point. The 'Signs of the Times' stations and to open three new ones. Doubt- have spoken. The 'Pillar of Cloud and of less we shall get some, bnt Japan is so clamor- Fire' is advancing. Everywhere, under the ous, and seems to many so attractive a field, combined action of explorers, commerce, and that we do not at all compete with that mis- colonization, the doors are opening-the apsion, to say nothing of other fields, such as peals are heard. It is, for the Church, the those in India and in Africa, which are really hour marked of God, to take possession of the worse off than ours. We have for many years desolated Inheritance of the Lord. had a high school and theological seminary at Tlung Chou, and we are now unanimous "This call of God, our Society has heard. in the conviction that the time has come to ,Ve have come into possession, first of all, of make it into a college, and we have asked for an indispensable instrument of progress, the Maison des Missions. The construction of this much needed missioqary school, and the abundance of pupils that have come to us since, are the chief factors in onr increase of activities during these last years. From the month of December, 1888, to the month of which M. Collaird seems to have exercised June, 1889, we put eight new missionaries in upon the mind of King Lewanika. It is piti- the field. These facts show that the present ful, indeed, that, when M. Collaird has made· year might be called the year of departures- such efforts to open that country, and when better still, the year of envoi8; in other words, he calls, in a most soul-stirring way, for rein- a year of missions, in the truest sense. Last forcements, the SocUte des Missions Evan- year, at one time, we had eighteen missionary gtliques is able to send him but one man.
students; after the departure, we had but After a review of the work in Senegal, he re- twelve; yet we doubt not, that, next autumn, ferred to the attempts made by this Society the number will be larger than ever. " to evangelize the French Congo. Two mis- He then gives a review of the French work sionaries have been sent to study this field.
at Tahiti, pointing out the progress made by The great sacrifice of lives, made by the Eng- the converts; their profound attachment to lish Baptist Society in that part of the world, the Word of God; the general observance of has taught lessons that the French could not the Sabbath; the regular attendance of wor- fail to heed. There are already three French ship; their Christian liberality, etc. But he school-teachers and one missionary artisan deplored the fact, that, with the missionaries, working there, with an American Presbyterian their religion still localizes itself too much in missionary society. The presence of the lat- the Church, and does not radiate in good ter has led the French authorities to feel works and wholesome influences. There, as in more kindly toward the American mission- Africa, the converts and missionaries have aries. It is well known that the Society en- to cope with the hydra of intemperance. tered this field at the request of some of the The French missionary work in the Lessouto French government officers. The adminis- Land is probably the most interesting of all trators of several French colonies are now ask- the fields worked by the French Protestants. ing them to send missionaries, and to estab- There, their great difflcnlties are the increas- lish Protestant schools in the territories under ing hostility of reviving Paganism, and the their jurisdiction. The London Missionary competition of Ritualistic and Roman Catha' SOCiety has offered to surrender to them the· lic missionaries who are untiring in their ef- _ English work in the entire Society Islands.
forts to ruin the Protestant work. Altogether, But the French Protestants have contributed, the Church of the Lessouto Land received, during the past year, 313,g62 francs for thek last year, 514 new members, which makes the own work; and that sum, though large com- total present membership 6,54.3. The class of pared with the resources of the French Pro- catechumens has naturally lost what the testants, scarcely justifies them in undertak- Church has gained, but these losses have been ing new work, espeCially as the Society closes.
soon compensated for by the numerous ad- the year with a deficit of 29,000 francs.
missions, making their present number 3,332, In the light of these facts it is interesting to or 80 less than last year. By adding the num- listen to M. Beugner's conclusion: "This ber of catechumens to the number of com- situation compels us to ask once more if our municants, we reach the number of 9,875 churches bave come to understand the extent Christians. These results have been fOllowed of their duty towards missions; and if their by an increase of horne missionary work. The divine Chief, whose approval, alone, is of im- number of Annexes has risen from 94 to 110; portance, can be satisfied? What He expects and the number of native workers, catechists, of us, brethren, is easy to ascertain. Is it not and school-teachers, from 176 to 194. The clearly expressed in the sketch of the work missions of the Lessouto Land contributed, just unfolded before us? Does not the mag- last year, for home missions, 19,984 francs; nificent impetus of our mission in Lessouto which sum represents the aggregate pay of Land show the triumphs that God can achieve 194 evangelists and school-teachers. through our feeble churches? Is not Tahiti The French efforts to evangelize the Zam- there to show that, in missionary lands, as bezi have so far entailed the greatest sacri- well as at .home, French Protestants-ar- fices: "The seed which our missionaries deut patriots like their Fathers-know, also, are planting, and which they water with their like them, how to defend the sacred trust oe tears, is not the gospel that they preach, but the Word of God? Have we not seen, by the it is their very life, which they carry in their work of the Zambezi, that the old Huguenot hands and spend in detail. Ready are they to blood is not degenerated, and that it has been give it entireJy if the Master· demands it." reserved for our missions in Pagan lands, now, Among the sacrifices already made are the when the heroism of martyrdom can no longer children of M. Coillard's two colleagues, and be exercised at home, to restore to us the- the death of Dr. H. T. Dardier. One can heroism of Apostleship; necessary, inasmuch hardly realize the greatness of the dangers to as the Church cannot exist without heroism; which these noble pioneers of the gospel are let us say, rather, without devotion unto exposed. Htwever, their courage is begin- death? Does not the mission in Senegal, in ning to be rewarded; and among other favor- spite of its failures and its difficulties, speak t<> able signs, may be mentioned the influence your consciences? And these doors that are open before you; these appeals that are ad- must be erected at central points. Association dressed to you; here, by tribes and their literature must be t~anslated and published_ ehiefs, and there, by a government that form- To a limited extent native general secretaries erly viewed us as adversaries-do not all these may require partial support for awhile. The facts unite to tell uS that God has reserved, in work may suffer serious delay if the associa- .the conquest of the Pagan world, a great and tions defer their' contributions until such beautiful place for French Protestantism! secretaryships are offered them. I do not He has endowed it for that task. He has en- believe we can improve upon the well-matured couraged it in its first efforts. He calls it now financial methods of the church missionary .to accomplish its mission in all its fulness. " boards.
Japan. The financial obligation of the associations is, of course, to work for young men on the LETTER FROM SECRETARY L. D. WISHARD. foreign mission field. The associations will have as large demands upon their treasuries TOKIO, September, 1889. in this line as they can supply. If they The Young Men's Ohristian Associations are assume financial obligations to general misan established fact in the East. Eight months sionary work, either of a denominational personal study' of the situation in Japan or undenominational character, they go un- -assures me that this is eminently true in this warrantably outside their distinctive province country. While the association has only effect- and field, and so far deprive themselves of the ed a beginning here, it has secured such a firm privilege of aiding this special work for young foothold and has been so heartily welcomed by men which they exist to carry on. Their missionaries and Japanese Ohristians as to foreign mission work will suffer in proportion. fully justify the belief that the application of the same general methods of work which have _ Do not misunderstand me as reflecting upon 'succeeded in the United States will accomplish the privilege and duty of individuals to subat ieast as great comparative results in Japan. scribe liberally to general foreign work, denominational or undenominational. I The hearty call for a national secretary, ex- simply suggest that the foreign mission contended by sixty-five missionaries and leading Hindoo Ohristians in the presidency of Madras, tributions of the associations should be applied India, and the endorsement of the movement to work for young men, the support of which by Bishop Thoburn of Oalcutta, and other must come from the associations if it come at prominent missionaries throughout India, all. I maintain, as I have ever done, that so justifies the expectation that the association far from allowing the contributions to our has a definite and important career before it special work for young men to diminish the in that Empire. The acceptance by Mr. David present church missionary contributions, it :lIrcOonaughy, of Philadelphia, of the call to should be the rule and aim of everyone of our India, confirms this expectation. I have members to increase his present church con- talked with leading missionaries from Ohina tribution by a sum at least as large as that during the past summer, and am encouraged which he gives to foreign work for young men.
by them to visit that country with the expecta- There should be one medium of communica- tion of finding a wide and permanent field for tion with the foreign mission WOl:k. It is very the association. important that this work be conducted in Surely the favorable situation in Japan, and harmony with the fundamental principles and the hopeful outlook in India, and even in methods of the work at home. Many perplex- China, to say nothing of promising openings ing questions will be encountered in opening in Syria and Turkey, warrant the associations the work in the different countries. In every in expecting a great work in the East and in new field we must be in a position to avail our- preparing for it. selves of the best judgment afforded by the The present expectation is that a large force experience of fields already opened. Inde- of foreign secretaries will not be called for. pendent movements by individual associations, It is very probable that not more than one or states, or sections, will be attended with the leader will be located in each of the different same danger which would defeat our work at ·countries to develop the native yonng men. home, if such movements were instituted in The financial system or plan which in my extending it. The best results can be attained judgment should be adopted, is suggested by only by such harmonious development of the the policy of the churches. Let every associa- work as can be secured through the over- tion, as far as possihle, contribute regularly sight and direction of a central head, which is -monthly-to the foreign work, through the guided by the settled principles and methods American International Oommittee, thus fur- of association work. The American associa- nishing theeommittee with a fund with which tions have acted wisely in entrusting this im- to meet the demands for aid that are sure to portant responsibility to their international increase with the extension of the work. committee by their unanimous action at the There may he cities on the foreign mission International Oonvention in Philadelphia.
field whose current expenses may demand Their co-operation with the committee in .some help, at least temporarily. Buildings financial support, and the location of foreign
I~TERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT
mission secretaries, will, it is hoped, be fol- now doing, mission work among the Indians. lowed "ith as satisfactory results as have been within our bounds; and whereas, the importattained in the American work itself by the ance of the work among the families is insame system of co-operation. creasing as the children return from the The relation of the association to mission- schools~therefore: aries and native churches is the same as its relation to pastors and churches at home. Resolved, that the Presbyteries and the The missionaries and native pastors welcome Board of Home Missions be earnestly recomthe work with the understanding that it is mended to press this work at once. auxiliary to the denominational work; that we propose to work beside them, not to go for- Resolved, that in the opinion of this Synod ward as pioneers into fields unoccupied by the proper method of reaching the masses of churches, or to carry on a work which cannot Indians and protecting and encouraging the be immediately conserved by the churches. school children on their return to their homes, Any departure from this principle will be is, by the sending of consecrated married attended with the same disasters which have young men who will devote their lives to the already followed similar undenominational work, and preach the Gospel of Christ, in their" work at home and abroad. Our work is inter- native tongue, to the Indians. denominational rather than undenominational, and as such can only have a healthy It was the testimony of three men, intiexistence where denominations are estab- mately connected with this work, that the lished. majority of the Pueblo Indians can be reached by the Spanish language. This is true, also, We are in the very beginning of this foreign of the Navajo tribe. As the Spanish language mission enterprise. Other principles and is fully developed, it can be learned much methods will be suggested as the work pro- more easily than any of the tribal languages; gresses. The recognition of the above seems and so the people can be reached more quickly to me indispensable to the permanent success • and with better results. Some time ago I read of our work. If we will plan and work in a very sentimental article on giving the Inharmony in the Orient, as we have in the dians the gospel in the vernacular language, Occident, I believe we will establish the but the bald facts of the case are that the· association so finnly that it will stand for majority of the Indians of Mexico and New centuries in these slowly changing nations, Mexico, especially those living in Pueblos and win its greatest victories for Christ in (towns), speak Spanish like their neighbors, Asia and Africa, which contain the vast the Mexicans; and as they now, in their" majority of the young men in the world. Roman Catholic worship, hear Spanish ser- mons, can be most readily reached in that SYNOD OF NEW MEXICO. language. As rapidly as possible the mis- DEAR EDITORS: The following action of the sionary should learn the tribal language, but Synod of New Mexico may be of interest to that will require long years. In some cases you, coming, as it does, from the very centre there is no alternative; the language must be of the work among the Pueblos and the so- mastered before the gospel can be preached. called wild tribes of Indians. In its meeting A notable successful example of this is our at Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Synod Rev. Chas. Cook, of Sacaton, Arizona, who readopted this paper: cently reported a church of sixteen members, 'Yhereas, this Synod is deeply interested in gathered in spite of the hostility of a governthe work of Indian evangelization, and, where- ment agent. Yours truly, as, for many years our Church has done, and is J. J. GILCHRIST, Director of "EI Anciano.~' EAST Los VEGAS, New Mexico, Oct. 14, 188}.
IV.-INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
CONDUCTED BY REV. J. T. GRACEY, D.D_ Health in the Tropics. the area of reenforcement is being ex~ There is still need for education in tended amongst thousands of our besi the matter of the physical adaptation young men and women in our col- for enduring hot climates, by persons leges; and, if added emphasis can be born outside the hot belt of the earth. put on the need, it is to be found in There is more need now than hitherto the increased tendency to proceed on of popular information concerning it, individual responsibility to foreign when scores of missionaries go to such service, without the quarantine of climates where one went a score of Boards and Committees, who are at years ago. There is yet intenser need least supposed to have given the subof wide instruction in the matter when ject some special attention, however careless or incompetent experience when the lack of ozone may demand it. may show them often to be. Some persons are peculiarly subject to bowel complaints, from mental lt scarcely seems necessary to write causes, thus predisposing them to of the simplest facts, in this connec- cholera or similar complaints, when tion. Yet, the sacred trust of a human others, not so predisposed, have an career is not to be thrown away with- immunity from it, under the same exout culpability, from la~k of inquiry posure. Intense fear of disease, or of concerning the alphabet of hygienic snake bites, in a country where poisor hereditary conditions of the indi- onous snakes often select the bedroom vidual. It is because of the convic- or the ottoman as a retreat; or ove1'- tion of the increasing need for popular fondness for taking medicines, or instruction and caution concerning some constitutional make-up by which some of the simplest of these condi- the person" cannot bear" the natives tions, that we turn aside from so much of the country, are among the items else that presses for consideration to which, at least, increase the chances summarize portions of an admirable of a physical break-down in a tropical article in the October Asiatic Quarterly climate. Review on "The Constitutional Requirements for Tropical Climates." Age is a most important factor in The article, it is true, was not written considering whether to attempt a to furnish hints for intending mission- tropical life. The Sanitary Commisaries, but as physical laws are not held sion of Great Britain advises that no in suspense for saints, what the writer, one be sent to the tropics not twentywhom we propose to follow, has to five years of age. Young persons in say of those venturing into tropical India are said to be specially subject climates for commerce or for a civil to enteric fever, and, at best, are liable or military" career," is-the necessary to remain "weak and weedy," as a conchanges being made-equally of force sequence of exposure to continued to the missionary candidate. It seems, heat. This is of special force in the therefore, that young persons, looking case of women, and twenty-three is a forward to missionary service, might minimum of age which presents fa- Wisely, first of all, give themselves vorable conditions for women enduring pause to ask whether the preparation these climates. Nor is it well, as a is a useless one for them, under their rule, that persons attempt a residence physicial conditions. "'IVe now refer in the tropics who have passed their only to those physical conditions of fiftieth year. This does not apply to which they are as competent to judge visiting the tropics, nor to persons before starting for a foreign field, as who, residing there, pass this" mileafter arrival there, and, possibly, even stone" in life. before the first step is taken in preparatory mental equipment. Temperament is to be considered. " It is usually noticed that Europeans The writer, whom we shall follow of a bilious temperament, or, still too loosely to admit of quotation, better, of a bilio-sanguine temperapoints to the fact of what he calls ment, have enjoyed the best health in "idiosyncrasy" of constitution. Some India." persons are unfitted for sustaining heat and will be a nuisance to others "But," the writer says, "there who feel cool and comfortable in the must be no predominance of the same temperature. Smue persons can- nervous temperament, which has long not take quinine without such dis- been regarded as the basis of nervousagreeable accidental results as practi- ness, hypochondriasis and hysteria." cally preclude the use of this medicine, vVe yenture to quote the writer's deand that in conditions of climate scription of the infelicities awaiting " nervous" people in India: "A sensitive and sympathetic nature is not of diabetes, which is a common dis- most conducive to health and happiness when ease of the tropics, 01' of asthma, submitted to the daily, and even hourly, ills which is excited by the malarious inand irritations inseparable from life in the fluences of hot climates, or to insomnia, tropics. " . . " There is the irritation caused should be very carefully weighed be- by tbe prickly heat, and ,the noise made by fore seeking a residence in these cawing crows, cooing pigeons, chirping ~par climates. rows, squeaking squirrels, and creaking wells about the house in the day time. At night We do not say that all such persons there are animals gamboling on the roof, bark- are absolutely precluded from entering pariah dogs, bleating goats, more creak- ing these fields. We do say they must ing wells, native tom-toms, singing, 'lights expect, other things being equal, inand country music.' . . creased risk, an hindered service, and probably an early retirement from the "Then there are irritating things that do field. not make a noise, the mosquito in battalions, the ubiquitous fly at some seasons in legions; Chinese Characteristics. in the rains the hosts of various other winged insects, frogs, rats, scorpions, centipedes and INABILITY TO CONSERVE TANGIBLE snakes. If in camp, there is probably the MEMORIALS OF THE PAST. roaring of the camels, the howling of the jackals, and the clapper of the irrigation BY REV. ARTHUR H. SMITH. wells. If a dust storm blows, ink-pot and ears are filled with sand, every object in the room There is no nation existing on th!:) or tent is covered with it, and food is rendered planet which has a greater regard for gritty by it. Now all such matters may be antiquity, and with more reason, than regarded as minor ills, and not worthy serious the Chinese. But there is no country attention; bnt by their very perpetuity they in which it is possible to find so few rarely fail to make an impression on the material relics of the distant past as typical nervous temperament. Work is per- in China. We have already spoken of formed with difficulty by the nervous man the Chinese hunger for fame, as well when he is subjected to the periodical bite of as of the "disregard of foundations." a mosquito on his finger, the frequent visit of vVe have now to notice the relation a fly to his nose, the harsh and sudden caw of which these two characteristics bear a crow looking in at his window, and a couple to one another, and their connection of sparrows chirping and fluttering over his with the instinct of conservatism_ head in the persistent endeaVOl' to find a hole The Chinese are very desirous ~f in the ceiling wherein to build a nest. Then, transmitting to those who come after, worse still, owing to the nuisances mentioned, as well as of making known to conthe typical nervous individual passes sleepless temporaries, a knowledge of whatever nights; and not to sleep well in the tropics is tends to make themselves, their famto prepare the system for disease. In short, ilies, or their dynasty great or notable. the numerons disagreeables of tropic life act This is an impulse which they share as a metaphorical shirt of Nessus over the with the rest of the human race. The whole moral epidermis of the nervous tempera- means by which they seek to accomment, which is least of all unfitted for a hot plish this end are the erection of climate." memorial temples, memorial portals, " P'ai-fang," stone 01' wooden tablets, If this long quotation serves no pur- and, in the Ming dynasty, the use of pose of instruction as to adaptation to stone figures of men and animals lin~ endure the tropics, we are sure it will ing the avenues to cemeteries. Of the at least be recognized by every" old swift ruin which overtakes every form Indian" as a most graphic and not of building constructed on a Chinese overdrawn picture_ plan, and of the ruin of the public roads, we have already spoken. Strict- Constitutional tendencies and hered- ly speaking, there are no old temples itary predisposition to disease come in China, because no Chinese temple next in our author's catalogue. No can withstand the elements more than person in whose family there are any traces of insanity should go to reside in the tropics. Heat alone tends to excite the mind, and the accident of a sunstroke would render it still more imminent_ So of "fits," epilepsy and hysteria. An hereditary history a few score years at most, when it more impressive scale. Although gives way to a new and revised edi- built of materials which ought to en- tion, if it does not totally disappear. dure for centuries, and although put Temples, like fruit trees, have a defin- up at great expense, it is rare to find ite period of life, and if that is to be specimens which are thirty years old prolonged, they must be perpetually and yet in good repair. The founda- grafted, or else new scions must be~ tions sink, the strong iron clamps give raised from the seed. The wooden way, the heavy transverse blocks of lacquered tablets, which are so highly stone are wrenched from their mor- ornamental when new, and so dismal tises, and crack. Every projection when old, and which play so import- appears to be starting from its socket, ant a part in gratifying the Chinese and however interested the traveler desire for "face" and "fame," have but may be to ascertain the age of the a limited duration, and then disappear work, or to study the curious carving for ever. More permanent by far are which it displays, his first and in- the portals which are erected to the stinctive anxiety is to get out from great scholars, famous officers, virtu- under it, before it falls. It is impossi- {Jus widows and maidens who may be ble to refrain from speculating as to so honored as to have the right to the length of time ere the crazy frame- them conferred by imperial favor. work will come down, and whether When these structures are made of the law of chances will admit of its well cut stone, are of the most advan- fall without killing anyone. If com- tageous size and well situated, they parative brevity of existence is true are the finest representation of Chinese of such massive structures as the por- architecture to be met with in the tals, it is much more the case as re- Empire. A wealthy citizen of Paris, gards stone tablets, which constitute London or New York, who wished to the ordinary vehicle for the con- confer upon these cities a gift which veyance of fame to posterity. If should convey an accurate and attrac- erected on a large scale, they stand on tive view of what the Chinese can the back of a gigantic tortoise, em- achieve in ornamentation, could not blem of longevity, and appear at first do better than to order one of these adapted to execute the commission P'ai-fangs, and have itset up in a with which they are charged, to per- public park, where it would be ad- petuate fame for "an hundred gen- mired for many generations. The erations," if not for "ten thousand Chinese lavish great sums on these antiquities." But the same vicious structures, which are to be seen in mode of construction, or rather de- immense numbers, just in proportion struction, rules the tablet, the portal to the proximity of a supply of stones. and the temple. The foundation is If stones are not to be had, the portals inadequate, and sooner or later they are made of wood, as in Peking, and all go down. The tortoise is decapi- very much less than one generation is tated by the attrition of ages, and required to reduce them to a condition buried up to the stump of his neck in of ruin. Like all other Chinese erec- the soil, while the precious fame-beartions, they give way at the bottom, ing tablet lies prone on the earth, or the tall posts begin to lean in different shattered into many pieces, the fame. directions, the lacquer scales off as if being thus administered in what the they had the leprosy in an exaggerated physicians call" divided doses." Or form, and large sections of the com- if the tablet, as a whole, holds toplicated ornamental woodwork at the gether, it may form the seat at a waytop are seen to be on the point of fall- side restaurant, a door-step, or even ing. The same thing occurs in the the pavement to a bridge. In any .case of the stone portals, but on a case the inscription has been cut so shallow that it is almost or quite illeg- it cannot be entrusted to temples, por- ible. The traveler may penetrate half tals, or tablets, for the reasons which of the provinces in China, may ex- we have already given, might be ex- amine every venerable tablet which pected in the form of carefully pre- he sees, and yet not find one which pared maps showing the old, the in- dates as far back as the Mongol termediate, and the new designations dynasty (500 years ago), except in of places which for two or three mil- some "Forest of Tablets" in a large lenniums have been historic. Works city, under special care. of this sort certainly do exist. One of them rejoices in the formidable title We began by remarking that no na- of Li Tai Yii Ti Yen Ko Hsien Yao tion has a greater regard for antiquity T'u, or Map of the Imperial territory than the Chinese, but contrast this under successive Dynasties, with their wretched poverty of memorials of the changes. This appears to be exactly past, with the overflowing wealth of what is wanted by the student who the citie.8 of the ancient empires, now wishes to revive the mighty past, and extinct, at the other end' of the Asi- he sits down to an examination of the atic continent, Babylon, Nineveh and sixty or seventy maps, with a 'confi- Baalbek. Instead of lofty columns of dence that now at last the darkness of porphyry, the ruins of an ancient the bygone ages is to roll away, and Chinese city consist of an unlimited light is to break forth in its place. supply of bits of tiles and brickbats. We have spoken elsewhere of the The only way to identify the site of Chinese" disregard of accuracy," and such an ancient city, as, for example, these maps furnish fresh illustrations the Khanbalik of Kublai Khan, near of this characteristic, whatever they Peking, is to trace the mounds of may furnish in the line of ancient geearth, which give the mere outline of ography. They are drawn with the what was once one of the world's purpose of exhibiting both the ancient great capitals. Khanbalik was a com- and the modern names at the same paratively modern city. What was time, the former in black ink, and the the situation of the ancient capitals of latter in red. As the scale of the the Yin, the T'ang and the Sung dy- maps is not a large one, one result of nasties, as compared with the cities this plan is to crowd out altogether a now to be found in the neighborhood, great many ancient names which. the traveler finds it very hard to as- ought to be noted, and as Chinese certain, for in China there is most characters take up considerable room, literally no continuing city. That the another incidental result is to lead to Chinese wish to keep in remembrance the printing of the black characters the situation of ancient places, is evi- immediately over the red, to the dent from the fact that in the historic obliteration of the latter. Not only so, parts of the empire it is common to but extensive notes and explanations, find inscriptions over city gates, certi- instead of being put at the edges of fying that this was the" ancient" such the maps, where there is always about and such a chou. In some instances one-third of the space vacant, are' this tradition is kept alive simply by printed wherever it suited the fancy the pasting of a strip of red paper over or convenience of the block cutter, enthe gate of a small market town, tirely covering up hundreds of squaTe with characters conveying the an- miles of territory, and in several cases nouncement, although it is impossible literally stamping out of existence to find a single person who can give such important cities as Si Ngan Fu the exact location of the ancient city. and Peking, with all the country ad- joining. These infelicities, however, The preservation of that historical are trifling compared with another, knowledge of the past, for which the Chinese have so great a respect, while which defeats the very object for direction. But it must have been which a map is made, to wit, to ex- some time before even this erratiC' hibit the relative situation of places orbit was adopted, for in one of the on the earth's surface. For example, earlier maps Yu Chou has gone eastunder the map of the Contending ward about seven degrees, and is dis- Kingdoms, it is impossible to deter- covered calmly seated at the edge of mine either how many kingdoms are what is now the barrier between Corea represented or what were their and Shingking ! boundaries. It is, we repeat, a singularly sugges- Let us suppose, for example, that tive circumstance, that a people so exwe wish to ascertain the situation of ceptionally conservative of the past as the state called Yen, the ,. Kingdom of the Chinese, should have so few endur- Swallows," and of its capital, the ing monuments or public works. All Khanbalik of Kublai, the modern that can be said to come under this Peking. Not far from the ancient head are the Great Wall, the Grand Yen, was the ancient Yu Chou, the Canal, the walls of cities, and river modern Tungchow, which is about embankments. The Great Wall is twelve miles east of the capital. Now doubtless a wonderful monument of by a minute inspection of some forty- human energy, and it has been refive of these maps, we discover that in marl;:ed that it is the only artificial eighteen of them neither of the cities structure which would arrest attention Yen and Yu is marked at all. In eight in a hasty survey of the surface of of the remaining maps Yen is noted, the globe. But the Great Wall has but not Yu, in others Yu but not Yen, been subject to constant renewals, so· and in only nine are both to be found. that it is impossible to deterinine the Judging then from these phenomena real age of any particular part, and only, one 'would suppose these ancient throughout a large portion of its cities to have been like a modern re- course it is reduced to a mere heap of volving lighthouse, visible only at rubble. The same questions of identity intervals, and at intervals of great of structure which occur in regard to irregularity. But this is not all. the Great Wall, are constantly sug- Sometimes Yen is called Yen Kuo gested by the many hundred city walls (the State of Yen), and sometimes it all over the empire. Few of them can appears to be m.erely the city. In the be proved to be of any great age, all map representing the "Seven King- of them .are subject to constant redoms," Yen has gone east about one newal of the external facings, and geographical degree, and is perched many of them have been moved bodily on the Great Wall, while some from one place to another at irregular centuries later it went as 'much to the intervals. northwest, though still adhering to the Great Wall, and is called "East- The Proper Attitude of Foreign Misern Yen," fully justifying by its sionaries toward Conflicting Faiths. rapid flight its name of the" Swallow Capital." But if Yen was peripatetic, BY REV. JAMES HERRICK, BRATTLEBORO, VT. Yu Chou was not less so, and in the ten times in which it emerges, it con- The great object to be aimed at by trives to make a complete circuit of missionaries is the salvation of the the modern Peking, appearing now on present generation of the people to the east, then south, south-west, north- whom they are sent. west, and north, its movement bearing some resemblance to the revolution of Their attitude toward conflicting the constellation Ursa Major about faiths should be that of persons the Polar Star, though in a reverse thoroughly cominced that the Bible is the word of God. That in accord- ance with its teachings "there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who 'what they might do for themselves.
gave himself a ransom for all." That As a general rule, they should be ;, in none other is there salvation," and expected to pay, according to their that opportunity for salvation is con- ability, for articles or services costing fined to the present life. money, the value of which they appre- Missionaries should feel a warm ciate and which they wish to receive.
sympathy for people of other faiths, It is desirable that missionaries as members of the human family, and should mingle with the people, hold- show a disposition to meet them, not ing as free and familiar intercourse as enemies, but friends desiring to do with them as circumstances will them good. They should be more allow. The difference in manner of ready to make known the excellence liying, etc., should not be greater than of their own religion than to attack necessary. .Much must, however, the religion of others. Though pre- depend upon climate and the condi- pared to show that other religions are tion, habits, and character of the not true, they should avoid giving people. It cannot be expected that unnecessary offense. While carefully missionaries from England or America teaching the principles of Christianity will pursue the same course among and the duties it enjoins, they should savages in Africa, that might be pur- insist upon doctrines and practices that sued by Mohammedan missionaries are essential, rather than those which, from Egypt or Arabia. Nor, that in .though not essential, seem difficult such a country as India, foreigners will and burdensome to people newly em- adopt the habits of the natives in bracing Christianity. regard to food and dress, or live in In his efforts to convert people, the houses of the same kind, and as desti- missionary should depend chiefly upon tute of furniture as the houses occupied the force of Divine Truth, made known by most of them. Civilization is one to them in the vernacular language, ac- of the things incident to the spread of companied by the Spirit of God. In his Christianity not to be disregarded, intercourse with the people, and his though of secondary importance. As work among them, he must show that respects matters of this kind, no he loves them. He must treat all with general rule can be given. Let the kindness, especially those in trouble. missionary, mindful of the fact that Sympathy shown, and favors given foreigners are often disposed to hold in the time of need, will do much, not the natives at too great a distance, be only to incline people to listen to the careful to avoid extremes, and follow gospel message, but to teach them the the guidance of his own best judg- nature of the Christian religion. It ment.
must not be supposed, however, that Though preaching the gospel to kind treatment or secular help will people in their own tongue is the alone make people Christians. They special instrumentality to be relied must not be left to believe that a pro- upon, teaching must not be neglected.
fessed desire to become Christians From the first, those professing a will entitle them tO,receive such help. desire to embrace Christianity must Under all circumstances people should be taught, adults as well as children, be treated with kindness, but not with the leading doctrines and precepts of too much indulgence, either before 01' the Bible. So far as practicable, after becoming Christians. So far as children of both sexes should be'
may be, the missionary should help gathered into schools open to persons them by teaching them to help them- of other religions as well as to Chris- selves. He should strive to promote tians. In some cases, missionaries in self-reliance, and not allow people to India have established schools in which depend upon others to do for them the English language is taught for the special purpose of teaching the Bible germ the secret of the new intellectual, to heathen of high caste, and have met moral and spiritual renewal of China. with a good degree of success. The The Protestant religion, during the advisability of such a course will past.twenty years, in China, has spread depend much upon circumstances. into 'every province of China; it has Where the middle and lower classes, found its way into hundreds and who generally constitute a large thousands of the little villages. It has majority of all, and many of the its secure seats and large interest in higher classes, may be reached through each of the open ports, and in the in- the vernacular, it cannot be the duty terior it has spread its educational and of most missionaries to spend much benevolent institutions. .It has gone time teaching English. everywhere spreading the Word. No longer an illicit religion, at the centres Missionaries should be inclined to of influence, it has commanded the teach native converts, and place re- respect of the government, while in sponsibility upon them. Steps should the interior it has gone to the call of early be taken to fit promising persons sorrow and need, and allying itself of both sexes to take part in the work with the people in famine and flood, as school teachers, and young men as in destitution and fever, it has dis- preachers and pastors. Candidates armed prejudice among the peasantry, for such services should not be encour- and won its way by all human sym- aged to go abroad for education. pathies to an assured position of dig- Most, at the present day, can find nity, influence and prospective perample opportunities for needed educa- suasive power. The young thinking tion in their native countries. If they men and the wise progressive leaders go abroad for their education they will have awakened to the discoveries that be in danger of losiNg interest in their the multitude of missionary colleges own people, for whose good they and schools are sources of intellectual should expect to labor in the future. hope for China. They have dis- They will also be in danger of form- covered a large literature already ing habits which, though not increas- wrought out for them, and they are ing their ability to be useful, will in_ seeking the wide outlook of knowledge crease the cost of their future support, which the missionary has quietly and interfere with the object greatly to placed in their way. Theyhavefound be desired-that mission churches early in the scores of hospitals and dispenbecome independent of foreign aid. saries, planted in multitudes of mis- sionary centres, the signs of a true Having introduced native converts sympathy with men. And the half into employment as helpers, the mis- million of natives, from the imperial sionary should cherish toward them family down, who have been helped such feelings as Paul entertained for and comforted when sick and dis" Timothy, and be ready to help them, eased, carry henceforth only gratitude as need may be, by words of admoni- to the men whose doctrines they may tion to those in the earlier stages of once have despised. the work, and of counsel and encour- When the children of the great agement to all. Viceroy are taught the English lan- guage daily by a missionary, and the Ohanges in Ohina Affecting Its Progress. principles of Christianity therewith; when they are healed by the mission- BY REV. H. D. PARKER,.M. D., CHINA. ary physician, and thus realize the purpose of his coming, we may (Concluded from last number of the REVIEW.) measure the severance with the past and the outlook for the future. Coincident with all these changes has been the changing aspect of the government toward the Christian re- ligion. The toleration of that religion, Protestant and Catholic, held in its This changed aspect of people and Protestantism in China rejoices in government may be seen in the greater this change. She sees large results readiness to settle the disputes which in the near future. Conscious of her so frequently have arisen as to the own intellectual and moral supremacy purchase of property in the interior. and leadership in the race toward The government has undoubtedly un- spiritual enlargement in China, she dertaken to withdraw all possible com- rejoices in whatever enlightens the plaint and to act fairly in dealing minds of the officials, or points to the with difficult cases. allaying of fears, hostilities and enmi- Not only is this true respecting Pro- ties among the people.
testant, but respecting Roman Catho- Let us ask then, in conclusion, what lic missions as well. In fact, the re- bearing have these changes upon the habilitation of the Catholic churches future of work in China, and what is in China is one of the most significant the immediate outlook. Weare re- signs of the times. By treaty in 1861, minded that in everyone of the all lands, once the gift of an Imperial twenty-two open ports in China, in Hand, but confiscated, were returned. all her great centres of influence, in In Peking they built over against scores of cities and interior towns, are the palace a model church. It was a to be found, well started, some of them source of long hostility and scandal. with large equipment, fertile of great But two years ago a truce was made, a resources, missionary organizations.
commission went to Rome to effect an Ve recall that God has placed in exchange. The wise diplomats of China, at this hopeful stage of pro- Rome made due concession. The gress, no less than 1,100 men and North Church in Peking, with all its women as consecrated, energetic, en- fine surroundings, was exchanged for thusiastic missionary workers. Halt a larger and better site. The offensive of these are women. Surrounding cathedral was pulled down, and a new this small army of Christian workers one built in the new position. are about 190 ordained native minis- On the first of December last, this ters and 1,400 unordained native new and magnificent cathedral, whose workers. That more than 35,000 na- value in our money would be no less tive communicants represent the r~ than $300,000, with all the additional sults gathered in. That this numbet and completed enclosures of schools, represents about 140,000 persons large, hospital, nunnery, museum, printing ly interested and believing in Protest- press, with a value even greater than ant Christianity.
the cathedral, were dedicated and -Weare to recall the long series of newly instituted. The ceremonial was colleges, schools, theological semina- unique and magnificent. Every for- ries, girls' schools and day schools, eign ambassador and minister was reaching from Peking to Canton, from present. All departments of the Shanghai toSchung Ching, into which Chinese government were present. are gathered 15,000 young men and It was the sign of amnity between women, in whose intellectual moral Rome and China. It was the imperial and spiritual progress so much of the seal of rejoicing in the reinstatement future depends.
of the Christian Religion in the capital We are to be reminded that a band of of China. seventy medical missionaries, increas- In this outward display the Protest- ing every year there their well-founded ant Church takes no other part or hospitals, dispensaries and general share than to note the fact and the as- philanthropies, meet personally half a pect of glad change in the relations be- million of the native population every tween the imperial and official power year and pour into willing ears the and the Christian religion. sweet stories of the gospel. Weare
THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS
to notice that missionary literature, in spiritual outlook, we see the Divine a vast variety of forms, is receiving an Hand preparing the way for the reever increasing interest. Weare to demption of this great and noble emobserve that great floods and terrible pire in the East. Let us stimulate our famine have brought the missionary, efforts with the largeness of the hope with his pitiful heart and helping now set before the Church, and ere we hand and gospel of redemption, into are aware of it the vast and sorrowful hundreds and thousands of homes, and mass of men in China will be girdled the way is prepared for the pouring in with an awakened thought and interof vast comfort, vast intelligence, vast penetrated with the silverlinesofspiritgpirituallight, into this the once celes- ual energy and hope. In every aspect tialland. the hope for thefuturein Chinaisgreat. Weare in the battle. Let men toil in In all these converging lines, the hope of assured success, and the whether of diplomacy or commerce, generations that are coming will send or industrial energy, or intellectual up the shouts of joyful victory. awakening and opportunity, or of V.-THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS.
BY REV. F. F. ELLINWOOD, D.D.
THE LAST DECADE OF THE CENTURY. group themselves about the opening "Watchman, what of'the night?" of the New Year and of the closing It was a cherished habit of President decade? Edwards to keep a lookout in the secu- First of all there are some things lar papers for every event, every promisingindication,every mere suggestion, which interest alike all intelligent men which seemed related to the advance- of whatever faith. That an empire'of ment of the Redeemer's Kingdom in South America should enter upon the year 1890 as a republic, and thus com- the Earth; and these were the matters plete that revolutionary movement of his chief satisfaction. which began in Mexico nearly eighty years ago, and by which every trace Very meagre must have been his sources of information in the last half of Spanish and Portugese dominion of the eighteenth century, compared is now swept from Central and South with the thickly crowding and often America, is an event stupendous in marvelous changes which pass before itself, and far-reaching in its influence.
us at the opening of the year of our In more respects than one, it is a step Lord eighteen hundred and ninety. in advance. The character of this Every morning the daily press bloodless revolution,as contrasted with preselilts us a new moving panorama. the dark scenes of the French Reign To the Christian, the march of con- of Terror, a ceniu:ry ago, or with the temporary civilizations toward one countless struggles of Mexico, marks common goal- the well being of all a marvelous change in the spirit and humanity-is the movement and un- quality of statesmanship, a great ad- folding of a Divine plan. It is the vance in wise moderation and hu- coming of a kingdom of righteousness mane sentiment. In its religious, as in the earth. While others look upon well as its political aspects, it seems it as an evolution, according to an ill- auspicious.
defined and blind law, the servant of It is a harbinger and a guaranty of Christ finds that which cheers his religious liberty. It removes the dark courage, strengthens his faith, calls shadows of the threatened reign of a forth his gratitude, and gives him new fanatical empress and an ignorant encouragement to pray "Thy King- subserviency to the priesthood and the dom Come." Pope of Rome. Considering the temper What are some of the facts which of the people, and the certainty that such a reign would have led to con- montanism in the Church cannot coflict with the liberal sentiment of the exist with civil liberty in the State. country, it is a matter of rejoicing It required a half century for Mexic<> that the change was made while an to learn this fact; all will learn it emperor was still in power who more readily now. could temperately view the situation and gracefully yield to the wish and The year 1890 will mark, as it is the interest of the nation. confidently hoped, the era of constitu- tional government in Japan. The It was only as a result of peculiar chief danger is that the sordid and circumstances, such as the temporary unjust demands of foreign diplomacy exile of the royal family of Portugal may interpose such barriers to the rein America, and the moderation ex- form of oppressive treaties as to balk ercised toward the party of liberty the purpose of Japan to place herself and advancement, that Brazil was pre- in the great family of civilized nations. vented from joining the Republican to which equal rights are accorded. movement of the other South Ameri- National policy is not yet so far sanccan States long ago. tified as to prevent the interests of trade from sometimes overriding the But what a stride has been made most sacred rights of feebler governsince the days when the theory every- ments and races. The year 1890, so where prevailed that the people were important and so crucial to Japan, created for the ambition and glory of should therefore be one of earnest kings; when only a century ago the prayer. It should begin with sup- " Man of Destiny "on the one hand and plication to Him in whose hands are successive Bourbons on the other,could the hearts of all men, and who can plan campaigns without the slightest turn them as the rivers of water are reference to the sufferings or welfare turned. There is just now no little of their subjects, but only as subserv- anxiety in the minds of missionaries ing the interests of their dynasties. in Japan, since a favorable issue of the .And now it is a Bourbon and a Haps- treaty questions may throw open the burg that so nobly proclaims to this doors to . Christian evangelization new generation that emperors are to more widely than ever, while a rebuff retire when the peace and prosperity from Christian nations might cast a of a nation demand it. Surely the disastrous blight upon the great misworld moves: The kingdom of right- sionary work which hitherto has been eousness is advancing. so successful.
The new decada will open with a The outlook in China, at the best, closer fellowship among the Ameri- can only be considered niixed, like the can republics, as a result of the recent alternate sunshine and cloud of an International Congress. Whatever re- April day. There is advancement. sults of other kinds may follow, The new sensation of riding upon a political and commercial, the new de- railroad train is coming to be appreparture cannot fail to stimulate the ciated. It is seen that the funshuay advancement of general intelligence, is, after all, not so badly upset; the freedom of opinion, and moral eleva- sleeping ancestors do not rise in protion. What the best have attained, test from the trembling earth; the all will come to emulate. course of the world continues, and China bids fair to experience an m- The Bible, the school, the news- crease of general prosperity, and to be paper, the Christian home, all of which prepared in due tinle for the defense have done so much for the great of her coasts from the outrages of Protestant republic of the North will Western powers. be welcomed by the Roman Catholic republics of the South, in spite of The work of the Chinese missions priestly protest and opposition. Ultrahas been greatly prospered of late, on ble when considering the extreme all hands. A new demonstration has conservatism which has· marked the been made of Christ-like charity in sup- past.
plying the needs of thousands who Caution is yet observed by the gov- were perishing from famine, and the ernment, and great prudence is essen- people, rendered impressible by suffer- tial to the missionary; but, looking at ing and grateful by timely relief, are the whole situation as it is, there is ready to receive the truth, and yet reason to hope that, with God's bless- there are dark shadows in the picture. ing, the closing decade of the ce;ntury, The people are preplexed by contra- the second only ~f Protestant mis- dictions in their Christian neighbors. sions in Korea, will be crowned with " How is it," they say, " that those noble successes. It is a worthy topic who are ready to give us thousands of of prayer.
dollars for the starving, and to send In the missions of Siam and the scores of missionaries to spend their Laos country the membership of the lives in faithful labor among us, are native churches has increased in the yet so intolerant to our citizens who last decade just about 500 per cent.
land upon their shores-so utterly This a good keynote for the next ten recreant to solemn treaty obligations, years. The ratio should be main- and so unjust in all their legislation tained.
respecting us? Why are we, to whom The government, so far from re- such cordial and even gushing over- ceding from its favorable attitude to- tures were made in the treaties of wards missionaries, has of late given twenty-five years ago, the only people increased encouragement to their on the globe who are so cruelly ex- labors. They are suppliedgratuitously cluded'/ What is it to be a Christian with buildings and other facilities nation? " for medical work, and one of their To us these questions are easy of number has recently been called to answer; but how long may it be before the superintendency of the govern- the great Chinese nation, or even the ment hospitals. In some instances government,shall be able to distinguish royal gifts have been made to Chris- between a so-called Christian nation tian schools. Everywhere there is as and the real friends of Christ, to whom great freedom accorded to the preach- His cause is greater than the balance ing of the Gospel as in any State of of political power. the American Union.
Of Corea it would hardly be safe to The "Dark Continent" is still dark venture a prophecy. The government as the closing decade opens; but one is still young in its foreigu policy; it only needs to recall what the last ten is not free from opposition and dan- years have accomplished, to gather ger; it is ever open to foreign as well great encouragement for the ten years as domestic intrigue; it has difficult to come.
financial problems before it; but when As the crowning achievement of we reflect that not a decade has yet his remarkable career, Henry M.
passed since the new regime began,we Stanley has solved at last the problem are filled with wonder at the progress of the Nile, while others have found a that has been made, and we must, on more available route to the country of the whole, admire the prudence and the upper Zambezi.
sagacity which the young king has The work so bravely inaugurated by shown in his administration of affairs. the African Inland Mission has grown The advancement of commerce, of into greater proportions under the education, of missions-especially of American Baptist Missionary Union, medical missions-has been far greater and the feasibility of established and than would have been thought possi- successful missionary enterprise in the
'1'[1/<: 1[()"THL¥ CU"ClmT OF lIIISSIONS
illt.t'rior of E<luatorial Africa has bl't'll The ob8tacles are sueh as these: dplllonstrated. (1) The fact that more or less of The missionary enterprises, under- taken by Bishop Taylor ami his heroic agnosticism, hesitancy, or indifference followers, on the branches of the Congo, whatever may be the final appears in the churches. . verdict on their feasibility and suc- cess, have certainly traced a high (2) There is less of certainty in refer- watermark of moral earnestness in the midst of this easy-going age-have ence to creeds, and luany even extend given new assurance that the apos- tolic spirit is not dead, nor the faith their questionings to the Word of that can endure hardness an obsolete grace. God.
But, in the African outlook, as a (3) There is an open alliance be- whole, there is no ground for the un- reflecting optimist. The conquest of tween the scepticism of Christian such a continent is not an easy one. Noble martyrs still fall victims to the lands and the heathen systems of the caprice of heathen rulers, or to the deadly influences of climate. mission fields.
Fanatical Mohammedanism is still (4) Tourists, newspaper correspond- triumphant and defiant on the upper Nile, and Mohammedan tyrants still ents, naval officers, and even dis- spread devastation on the borders of "Vestem Soudan. The horrors of the couraged or disaffected clergymen, are slave trade still continue, and the hlUllane sentiment of Europe and discrediting the work of missions on America has been to prevent it. That twin enormity, the liquor traffic, the fields and advocating the false sys- deluges still the west coast, and finds its way up the rivers, spreading dis- tems as better adapted to their envi- ease and death to soul and body. ronments than the Christian faith. Has the new decade any remedy in store for these terrible evils? But, on the other hand, there are Two auspicious facts, however, are many cheering elements in the outnow before us : look. (1) The Sultan of Zanzibar has deo creed freedom to all slaves brought vVe have always the promise of the into his dominion, and has promised freedom to all children of slaves born Master that He will be in the midst of after January 1, 1890. His own work, always, even unto the (2) A Congress of European powers is to be held in Brussels to devise end of the world. measures for the suppression of the slave traffic. We have already seen how His If we turn from the contemplation Providence is working for the general of the mission fields and consider the general outlook of the cause at home, advance of His kingdom, in the great we find also both light and shade. movements of the nations. It is a time of transitions, especially as to methods and departments of o Over against all the misrepresenta- Christian effort. tions of the enemies of the cause, scores of disinterested statesmen and ad- ministrators of colonial governments, as a result of careful and protracted observation, are commending the work of missions in strong terms.
Our educational methods, our medi- cal work, our general efforts to raise the sphere of woman,-to some ex- tent our preaching,-is copied by the devotees of error, who see the mani- fest power and blessing of the Chris- tian faith.
.Notwithstanding the doubt and in- difference of many, there is more of Bible study than ever before, more of the missionary spirit, more of organ- ized effort, more of generous giving, for the spread of the Gospel.
The great increase of interest and of activity, among the young, is one of the very brightest auspices of the time. In this view, these coming Wishard has been sent abroad for a years are full of promise. labor of two or three years along these lines. He has thus far met with The work on the field is owned of marked success, not only in organiz- God in the manifest power of His ing associations but in quickening the spirit. An examination of the actual spirit of the young men, especially of statistics of growth for ten years, or Japan. for five, always fills us with new sur- prises. May we not also regard the rapid and remarkable development of the IS IT AN ANSWER TO PRAYER ? work of Christian Endeavor Societies in the churches as a part of this gen- All branches of the Church have eral movement and as due largely to been taken more or less by surprise by the same causes? The young of both the uprising of a very large number sexes who are soon to assume the great of Christian young men and women, work of the world's evangelization mostly students, who have volun- are quickened in zeal throughout this teered under a partial pledge to give country and in other Christian lands. themselves to the work of Foreign Mission~. This striking movement has What are the causes of this general been explained by one and another movement among the young? Has on such theories as seem to each most the Church any right to look with plausible, the theories, however, differ- surprise as if something strange had ing widely from each other. Whether happened, something not to be acit was an impulse borrowed from a counted for on ordinary Christian similar movement in the Universi- principles? We dare not speak posities of Great Britain, whether it was tively, but there are some things which mainly due to the great influence of are worthy of notice by way of sugthat earnest and devoted man, Dwight gestion. L. Moody, of Northfield, or whether it was a response to the stirring ap- Twenty or twenty-five years ago the peals of young men sent out from Christian women of the churches of Princeton to labor in the colleges and this country as well as of Great Britseminaries, are questions which ha'Ve ain were moved by the Spirit of God been discussed but never settled. to undertake the work of enlighten- ing and reclaiming the benighted wo- In sympathy with the volunteer men of heathen lands. It was one of movement, there has appeared a gen- the most remarkable movements of eral enkindling of the spirit of missions our time in its depth, its extent, and in colleges, and where, but a few years its moral elevation. It appeared to be ago, the merest trifle was contributed so divinely guided as to avoid exfor the cause of Foreign Missions by travagances, and it worked with the students, large sums are now an- utmost loyalty_ to the instituted aunually raised. thorities of the Church of Christ. It disclosed great ability and organizing Coupled with this movement is a power, but what was most noteworthy new departure in the Young Men's was the fact that everything was done Christian Associations of the country. in the spirit of prayer and supplica- There is a widening out of their plans. tion. Prayer for missions had de- They are looking across the sea and clined. The Monthly Concert had asking themselves, "·Why may not fallen into disuse or had ceased to emthe globe be belted with similar or- phasize the wants of the heathen. 'The ganizations, embracing the young con- week of prayer had become almost· verts on the mission fields, training wholly subsidized for interests nearer them and organizing them for work home. Prayers for missions in the among their countrymen?" Vith pulpit were, for the most part, conthis great end in view, Rev. Mr.
EDITORIAL NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS
fined to set phrases when not omitted The Church of Christ proceeds upon altogether. the assumption that the whole work must be diviuely guided and inspIred. But the Woman's Boards bore the "Without faith it is impossible to work of missions to the mercy seat. please God." He that cometh to Him Many of their committee rooms be- must believe that He is, and that He came Bethels. The great work was is the rewarder of all them that dilitaken to their homes and their closets. gently seek Him, and he must not There was coupled with the prayer be overtaken with awkward surprise not only the consecration of their when his prayers are answered. means but of their children. The work of missions became a topic of On this principle it ought not to be conversation at the fireside as it had throught strange, after twenty years never been before. To the children of prayer, that multitudes of the young it became a household word. At the are rising up and saying, "Here are same time they were organized into we, send us. " It is the very thing missionary bands and furnished with that should have been looked for with facts, maps, and catechetical exercises, earnest expectation, and if now the until in a few years they really pos- blessing has come, there is reason to sessed greater knowledge of the mis- ask that God will enlarge the faith of sion fields and of the mission work than His people in another direction-in many adults had possessed before, and one word, that the wealth, as well as greater than some had been able to the children of the Church, may be boast who were pastors of churches. consecrated to missions.
VI.-EDITORIAL NOTES O~ CURRENT TOPICS.
Oollege Missionary Lectureships. Fellowship with God; 4. The Spirit of Through the generosity of W. F. Missions an Inbreathing; 5. The Field Graves, Esq., of Syracuse, N. Y., a Lectureship of this kiud was recently of Missions an Assignment; 6. The endowed in Rutgers College. It was begun last year, provision being made Success of Missions the Seal of God. for six lectures, which were given by A grand outline surely! And in such six different persons as follows: 1. hands the execution will be worthy of Mr. Stout on the Unique Features of the theme and the subjects. We ven- Mission Work in Japan; 2. Dr. Wherry ture to promise that no pains will be on Islam in India; 3. Dr. Kip on spared to make the course a brilliant China as a Stronghold of Heathenism; and eminently useful one, and we also 4. Dr. Hamlin on Fifty Years of Chris- venture the suggestion that other coltian Education iu Turkey; 5. Dr. leges might avail themselves of this Ellinwood on the Testimony of Hea- course of lectures to great advantage. then Religions to Christianity; 6. Rev. Dr. Pierson, doubtless, would be will- J. H. Wyckoff on the Philosophy of ing to repeat it. The growth and de- India. velopment of the missionary spirit in the colleges of this country and Can- Our associate, Dr. Pierson, has ac- ada during the last three years are cepted the entire Lectureship for 1890, among the marvels of the age. We can and we feel at liberty to announce the conceive of no human means more theme and the subjects, viz.: Chris- likely to increase and intensify this tian Missions as a Divine Enterprise. movement and set these colleges 1. The Idea of Missions a Thought of aflame with holy enthusiasm, than a God; 2. The Plan of Missions a Scheme course of lectures on these topics by of God; 3. The Work of Missions a such a master in the realm of Missions.
J. M. S. Mr. Moody's Training SchooV' sued in your training-school ?" asked the re4 porter. As much misapprehension exists in "Mainly three. First, I shall aim to have reference to the purpose and character given a sufficient knowledge of the English Bible; as far as may be, a practical mastery of this institution, our readers will be of it. Second, I would have the workers trained in everything that will give them acglad to have the following statements cess practically to the souls of the people, es- pecially the neglected classes. Third, I would of Mr. Moody himself, made to our as- give great prominence to the study of music, both vocal and instrumental. I believe that sociate and written down by him for music is one of the most powerful agent« either for good or for evil. " publication. J. M. S. " How are these workers to be maintained Mr. Dwight L. Moody, speaking of while they are in the school ?" the recently published article over the signature of the Rev. D. R. Breed, says "There are few people who have developed it is in the same line as a number of any fitness for Christian service who have not other criticisms by representatives of either some means of their own or some friends various denominations, and that Dr. who would be glad to assist them in obtaining Breed is laboring under a misappre- higher fitness, or whom the churches to which hension. Concerning his plan for they belong would not willingly assist for a Christian work Mr. Moody continued: time by their gifts, in qualifying themselves for a life of service. I see no practical difficul- " I found hundreds of families in cities like ty in the way of their support any more than this never coming in contact with churches or in the way of trained nurses." their representatives. The bulk of our church members are taken up with their own house- "What is your idea of affording women hold and business cares, and unless some per- equal facilities with men for this work 1" sons are set apart and trained for this work I do not see how it can be done. It seems "I have found women to be equally effective tQ me that we ought to have a corps of workers as men. Women only can reach men and women who shall make this their women in many cases. Besides this, a great business, as is already done in the Church of many of these women will become the wives of England. Christian men and be mothers of children, and can be, in their way, better helps to their hus- " My idea is not to originate new church en- bands and better trainers of their children by terprises, but rather to fill up the present tbe education for Christian work which they churches. Men who frequent saloons and such received in this school. " places will never be reached by Sunday meetings. Even if they stray into such meetings, "What did you mean by saying that the any impression which is made is all dissipated 'ministers are often educated away from the before uext Sunday. If we are going to reach people '?" these classes we must have some places open every day in the week. There is a class of "That there is a large class of the commupeople that practically have no homes, and nity whom the ordinarily educated ministe.r they go out in the evening into some places does not and cannot reach. For instance, where they have genial companions and there is a large class of mechaniCS; they are amusements. This is a source of vice and busy through the day and cannot be seen excrime. My thought has been to establish cept at their shops. In the evening they go to places of meeting open every night for these the saloons and places of amusement. None people, where they might find some up-lifting of the churches reach them. Since they will influences. Then they will find their way to not go into the churches, let us go into the the churches. highways and hedges, and so compel them to come in. Again, there is a large class of .. There is far more demaud for trained lay mothers in such a city as this, who, if they workers than is commonly apprehended. This are to be reached at all, it mnst be by carrymorning's mail brought me eight applicatious ing the Gospel to them and by cottage meetfor such workers, and I could place fifty if I ings in their homes." had the proper persons to recommend." "Did you mean any assault upon the edu- "What studies do you propose shall be pur- cated ministers, as such?l1 "Not at all. I believe they have their place *Appropriate to these sentiments is the following note from one of the foremost men of this country, just received by the editor: "These upstart training schools are catching it all along the line, especially jnst now from Ba~nd Presbyterian papers. But I see clearly that we must have a lar~e reinforcemerit'ofcommon men-knowing only the Bible, and being filled with the Spirit-m order to do the work in foreign fields Every man of this sort whom we have sent out has done well-I speak f!II. those employed in our A. B. 11. U. So I am going to do my utmost to receive such. A. J. G." and are necessary to church life and growth. ties of immediate work and ample compensa- But there is a class of people whom no man tion." can reach successfully except one of their own number. Let'me give you a matter of my "Have you any assurance that competent own experience. When I was in London I teachers will come to your aid? " went by invitation, one Sunday, to what is known as the Bird Market. I had never been "Abundant. For instance, Dr. Gordon, a. there before. When I was down there I was leading Baptist of Boston; Prof. Weidner, a asked to preach. I found a great company leading Lutheran; Dr. Moorehead, United of people with almost every kind of animal Presbyterian of Xenia; such men as Mark for sale. Men were there in hopes to get up Guy Pierce and Price Hughes of England, a cock fight and bet on the result. I spoke and others." as best I could. I told thp,m a lot of interesting stories. Men would stand there with their "'Yhat provision have you in buildings?" fighting cocks right under their arms, and they "'We have already three good houses for and the roosters would look up at me as I women workers on La Salle avenue. The preached, but I found it was hard to hold buildings for men will be done by December 1, them. Men might start the cock-fight right in and in the two we can then accommodatEl front of me while I was preaching. After I about 150." got through, one of their own number, who .. Is it true that the bUlk of your funds have had been converted, took the stand, and be- come from Presbyterians? " gan to address them. He was familiar with uYes,R large share; but we have had no, their own dialect; he knew their habits; he opposition from business-men of any denomihad the inside track to their hearts. They nation on denominational grounds." stood there and shed tears while he spoke in " Has it been your experience that this kind his simple fashion." of work alienates from the churches? " "No. On the contrary, I believe I am my- "Did you say you hoped to fit ministers for self a proof th!t such work rather draws men their work in three months?" to the churches. I believe I am of more value to them, as I have more experience in this, "I said nothing of the kind. I am not seek- kind of work. " ing to make any short cut to the ministry. I do not consider this work to be in conflict with Oonference in Behalf of the Jews.. the work of the theological seminari..s." At lfilumay, in October last, a " Are you trying to establish what is practi- grand conference was held in behalf cally a new denomination?" of the Jews. To us, as to those wh(} called this assembly, the time seems "No. On the other hand, I think we have very opportune for holding a special too many denominations already, and my only convention concerning God's ancient effort has been rather to nnite existing de- and beloved people, Israel, 'Yho " connominations than to make any new ones. I tinue to be the perplexity of the unsee no reason why the Presbyterian and COll- believer, the unaswerable and miracugregational, to which I belong, should not 1>e lous proof of the truth of God, a united; they hold the same doctrines and are byword among the nations of the separated only by a trifling matter of church earth, and, alas! neglected and ignored government. " by large sections of the Church of Christ. "Why did you make t11is Chicago Awn"e Church undenominational?" ,, The careful reader of history and observer of the times sees that the " All the leading denominations had Jews cannot much longer remain unchurches between here and the river, and noticed. Nations and statesmen who moved away because they could not be self- uo not take them into account will supporting. My own desire is to help qualify find their reckonings delusiye. The honest, yearning, Christian men and women national life of the Jewish people is to be the means of saving souls and to supple- stirring now as it has not stirred for ment the present work of the churches. I many centuries; they are conscious have no personal ambition to gratify." of their increasing influence; their wealth and natural abilities are indis- .. Have you seen any workers actually de- putable; they can stand e~<1and unveloped by such methods as you are here put- abashed in all the great capitals of ting in operation?" Europe. 'Whether there. much long- " Yes; but not as if they had had such opportunities as are now proposed to furnish. For instance, in my school at Mount Hermon, about forty or fifty efficient young men have been trained for service, and our great difficulty has been that there is such demand for such workers in the chnrches, that they are all tempted away from our training school before finishing their course, by the opportunjing for a return to their own land, we Psa. xcviii. 3. Isa. Ix. 1, 2. Isa. Ix. 20-22. Isa. need not now inquire. Our concern Ixi. 9.. Isa. Ixii. 12. "God's Plan Realized "- is with their spiritual condition,which is lamentably low and saddening; and David's throne reoccupied; the Millennial the question for every Christian heart Kingdom; Israel a blessing to the world. is, how can we help in awakening them from the sleep of unbelief; how Psa. Ixxxix. 3, 4, 29. Isa. ix. 7. Luke i. 32. press home the truth concerning Jesus Dan. vii. 13, 14. Zech. xiv. 9. Psa. !xvii. 1, 2, of Nazareth as their true Messiah and 7. Zech. viii. 23. King? " For this end we need to turn to the A verbatim report will be issued by Inspired Record, and review the pur- J. F. Shaw & Co., 48 Paternoster pose and promises of Jehovah concerning His chosen nation, His present Row, E. C., London. A. T P. dealings with them, and His glorious future assured to them. Unless we We call the attention of our readers see clearly in God's light, our plan8 to the BfYltnd Volumes of the Missionwill miscarry, and we shall only be ary Review of the World for 1888 and hinderers of His work." 1889. Substantially bound in crimson cloth, with gilt back, imperial in size, In such words as these, Sir Arthur thoroughly indexed, so that every arti- Stevenson Blackwood, Mr. James E. cle, every report, every item or fact Mathieson and others affectionately can be instantly found – they are a invited all lovers of Israel, within Library of JJ.fissionary Literat1tre, each reach of Mildmay, to gather on 1st, containing 150 full articles from the 2d and 3d of October last for con- pens of the ablest missionary writers sideration of the announced topics, in the world. At the same time they the Monday previous being occupied are an invaluable Cyclopedia of Miswith preliminary prayer-meetings for sions, containing a vast amount of the the Lord's special guidance and bless- latest and most authentic information ings on the work of the three days of on every subject connected with Chris- Conference. tian missions, and the Statistics of the World-Field, collated, tabulated, and The programme embraced the fol- scientifically arranged, as they can be lowing themes. found so complete in no other book or periodical. These volumes will be an They present a fine model for sim- ornament and a treasury of knowledge ilar conferences elsewhere. in any library. For constant reference, they are indispensable to every student Tuesday, Oct. 1st, 1889. The Past. " God's of missions. Rev. Dr. Schauffier of Purpose in Israel," as illustrated in History, New York, said a year ago in refer:nce Type, and Prophecy. lsa. xliii. 21. Gen. xii. to the first volume: "The bound 3. lsa. xliii. 7. Isa. xliii. 10-12. Psa. cxlvii. volume, which I have also, is a very 19-20. Rom. iii. 1, 2. Rom. ix. 5. "God's encyclopedia of grand and useful Promises to Israel. 1, Their nature, security, knowledge, and has already been used and guaranteed fulfillment. Gen. xii. 2. Gen. by me in my work many times." The xvii. 7, 8. Amos. ix. 15. Isa. xlv. 17. Ps. matt!'r in the two volumes would fill a Ixxxix. 34-37. Rom. xv. 8. Rom. ix. 4. dozen ordinary volumes.
Wednesday, October 2d. The Present. " Honor to Whom Honor." "God's Dealings with Israel." Between the first and second Advents of our Lord. lsa. In justice and as a matter of courxliii. 28. Hosea ix. 7. Jer. xii. 7. lIfatt. xxiii. tesy acknowledgment is due where a 38, 39. Rom. xi. 5. Rom. xi. 28. Rom. x. 12, writer or paper quotes at considerable 13. " The Church's Duty to Israel." Between length an author or from another pathe first and second Advents of our Lord. P!'l'. 'Ye are always glad to have our Mark xvi. 15. Acts i. 8. Rom. i. 16. Rom. ii. Reyicw quoted, as it is, extensively, 10. Rom. xi. 23. Rom. xi. 30, 31. Rom. xv. and, as a rule, with due credit. But 27. there are a few exceptions, anu Thursday, Oct. 3d. The Future. "God's Plan Realized" in IsraePs restoration and salvation. Ezek. xxxix. 28, 29. Psa. Ixxxv. 1,2. some of them are such gross eva- fill two such magazines with firstsions or violations of the recognized class material. Our pigeon-holes are rule as, after long forbearance, to call full of grand articles waiting their for friendly protest. Thus one of our turn. We have added a score of leading weeklies, month after month, home and foreign writers, of the first would make up its missionary column order, to our corps of regular confrom items taken verbatim from our tributors. Among them that prince REVIEW, without any hint of their of Missionary Literature, the secretary source. Another reputable paper divi- of the late London Missionary Conferded one of our leading and thrilling ence, whose grand article in this articles into a half dozen papers, giv< number will be read with profound ing each a separate heading, and so interest. While Dr. Pierson has been gave the entire paper to their readers taken from us for a brief season, to as original, none suspecting that every plead the cause of missions in Scotword, save the headings, was stolen land, our beloved Dr. Ellinwood, in from our columns. And another still. addition to his monthly article during with absolute meanness, as well as the year, has kindly consented to coninjustice, gives a weekly column of duct our Monthly Concert Depart- "Missionary Items," "Prepared by ment,which means work of the highest — –." By great ingenuity the character. Dr. Gracey will magnify choicest of our month's items of in- the" International" feature; and Rev. terest are gleaned verbatim and credit Edwin M. Bliss, editor of the Encyclogiven for a single item only. From paJdia of Missions (in preparation), the November issue, the substance of will carry out his wise and far-reach- Dr. Chamberlain's paper on Brazil is ing plans in our Statistical section, for quoted, filling a whole column, and so which difficult work he has special adroitly is it arranged that, while the qualifications. writer, in connection with Prof. Agassiz, is named in one of the paragraphs, We therefore enter upon our third no reader would infer that either Dr. year with renewed hope, and, with C. wrote the article or that it was God's blessing, mean to make this copied from our REVIEW, which is not year one of decided advance all along even alluded to. This may be smart, the line. We invoke the generous but is it fair or honest? J. M. S. sympathy and earnest prayers of all who are laboring with us in the Our New Departure. grandest cause that ever enlisted the sympathies and efforts of men or We hope our readers will be pleased angels. Our friends also will kindly with the mechanical appearance of remember that we have no society, no this number of the REVIEW. While organization, no resources of wealth we were tolerably satisfied with our behind us in this enterprise. Two original cover, some of our friends lone men, with busy hands and not were not; and more still complained deep purses, bear the mental and the of the use of so much small type. pecuniary responsibility of the task Our only excuse for that was the to which we have pledged life and superabundance of our material. We heart and work, and all that God has shall henceforth use less of the small given us; not for reputation or money, type. We have now one of the best but for our common Master's glory printers in the city, which insures in the evangelization of the world for good proof reading and greater clear- which He gave Himself. Help us, ness and perfection of the letter press. Brethren! Help us to make this So much for the mechanical side. agency a mighty power in all the earth! Help us by bringing the RE- As to the matter, we only fear a VIEW to the notice of your friends, s1lperfluity of good things. We could
ORGANIZED MISSIONARY WORK AND STATISTICS
and to widen the circle of its read- lation. vVe do not wish or aim to ers, and broaden the channel of its supplant the denominational periodiinfluence. cals, with which we are in cordial re- lation, only to supplement the invalua- As this number begins a new volume ble service which they render each in -the third of the series-the present their particular sphere. J. M. S. is a favorable time to extend its ch'cu- VII.-ORGANIZED MISSIONARY WORK AND STATISTICS.
foreign Mission Work of Women's Societies.
§ .,c"..i" ''" '" ~"""" " " """ " .1 § "" ~ E % " ""– ''"" 3 .;Icl.; il< 1 0·'c" ~ ~ tl .8 00 t'"l 00 .g.., '000 lIi "00 '0 a; UNITED STATES. '" 0 ~'00 ..- b£ ;0:: 0 ~ '0 .S.~ :;l "00 – -E-< – Ei ;;: ~ '" ;;: -Z 0 '0 0 A – -il< -E-< – – -.".s – – 1861 .. Woman's Union Missionary Society….. 58 3 109 139 1,743 178 $ 41,562 85 1868 . Woman's Boards (3) CongregationalCh. 178 7 32638 968 36,500 3,303 1870.. Woman's Boards (6) Pres. Ch., North … 296 10 186 39…. 20,387 5,136 160,381 04 ::io '1':. r:: …. Woman's Societies, Pres. Church, South 600 7X1 294,267 85 1883 .. Woman's Board, United Pres. Church" 13 1 22,832 71 1 .. ' . . . .. , 16,704 00 10,6144lJ 1880 .. Woman's Board, Cumberland Pres. Ch.. 8 . . . . .. 2 .. …….. 939 1869.. Woman's Board, M. E. Church, North.. 92 10 4081261 245 …….. 5,4.49 225,000 ()() 1878 .. Woman's Board, M. E. Church, South.. 25 ••• 1..• 5.41 9 .33 … "8'0 2,74.2 68,729 65 1879 .. Woman's Board, Meth. Protestant Ch… 4 3 380 7,500 00 1871.. Woman's Bapt. For. Miss. Societies (4). 75 7 170·20 150 …… " 4,315 108,000 00 Woman's Baptist Miss. Societies Conv.. .. ………………. 1,259 18,71628 1873 .. Woman's Miss. Society, Free Baptists… 14 1 …….. :: ..•.••.. …… ……. 250 7,279 27 1871.. Woman's Auxiliary, Protest. Epis. Ch.*. 32 1,361 119,380 58 1875 .. Woman'sBoard,ChristianChurch….. 4 2…. .. ……… 1,421 1875 .. Woman's Board, Ref'd (Dutch) Church. 30.. .. 6.. 36,27917 263 17,4375G '1' " …….. 1875 .• Woman's lliiss. Assoc'n United Brethren 7 .••. 7 .. 5 10,798 6~ 'Voman's SocietY', Evangel. Association. 1 .••..• 192 464 2,352 06 116 32,33135 1879 .. Woman's Societles, Evangel. Lutheran' 4 I .. ""…. ……. 507 1881 .. Woman's For. Miss. Societies, Friends.. 0:01 "43" -t-:"'-t' ~t' ~t'" 250 15,465 30 Totals………………………. au 29,670 $1,157,03.2 90 CANADA.
1871 .. Canadian Woman's Board For. Missions….. ".. ….. $ 95842 1876•• Pres. Ch., Woman's For. Miss. Socs. (3). 30 2…… 670 34,398 17 1876•. Bapt. Ch., Woman's For. Miss. Socs. (3) 10………. 11,111 22 355 1881.. Methodist Ch., Woman's Miss. Societyt. 16 …. … .. ……….. 244 19,07038 CCohnugrcrehgoaftiEonngallaCnhdu, rWcho,mWano'ms Aanu'xs .Btd….t.· 39 1886 . . 1 ……… ".. …….. 200 1,28156 1886 .. 2 1…… … • ••• .••. 18,67581 – – – – – – – –1—– Totals.. … .. .. .. .. …… .. .. .. 59 3 t 1,508 $85.395 56 ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND.
1834.. Society for Prom. Fern. Ed. in East. · … 1 40…. … .. 275 19,976 …… $35,000 00 1837 .. Ladies' Society for Female Education in India and South Africa. ….. …… 34 2 '181 6 …. 7,108 627 £11,892 10 10 1837.. Ladies' Association for For. Missions… 26 1 106 …• , 2,500 …… £7,657 11 0 1845•. Ladies' Associatiou for Christian Edu· cation of Jewish Females ……….. . 6 ………. 5 673 …. £414 18 6 1852 .. Indian Female Normal School and In- struction Society, or Zenana Bible and Medical Missions………………….. 63 4 175. 66 4,340 …… £11,577 ()() 0 1859.. Ladies' Aux. Wesleyan Miss. Society. " 29 5 … 18 268 12,704 87 £7,000 13 6 1867•. Ladies' Association (Baptist) for Zenana "I Work and Bible Women in India ….. 42… 114.. 50 2,900 £9641 2 7 1873.. W. Assoc. for Prom. Christianity in East§ 8 1 56 14 1,000 154 $14,000 00 1875.. Ladies' Corom. L. M. S …………… 36… 288 15 130 9,870 …… £6471 4 2 1878 .. Woman's Missionary Association…….. 15.. 12 5 9…….. 139 $11,000 00 880 .. Ch of England Zenana Mis'y Society…. 105 8 507 4 192 10,157…. £24,866 5 11 880 .. U. P. Ch. of Scot. Zenana Mis'y Soc'y… 21 1 56. 11 …….. …… £3,752 0 4 Ladies' Soc'y in Connection with S. P. G'I~:":':':' 105 ~ ~ ~~ ~ £6,351_0_~ Totals…… .. …… .. ……….. , 488 26 t t t t t $488,556 70 * Home and foreign. + t Not complete. Organized for both home and foreign missions. § Ireland. I. Woman's Union Missionary So- 3. Tronton's Board of the Pacific. ciety.* Mrs. J. H. Warren, 1316 lI1ason Street, San Francisco, Cal. Periodical: Life and Light. Corresponding Secretary, ;Iiss S. D. Dore- AuxiJiaries, 5,.'3. ].fissionaries, 6. Income, mus, 54 East 21st Street, New York. Publica- $4,400. Duri)lg the year the work of this tion: The Missionary Link. 41, Bible House. Board has been divided, and a secretary ap- pointed for Oregon and Washington Territo- This Society is now in the 29th year of its ries. existence. 4. TVoman's Board of the Pacific L.land.•. ~lrs. Geo. P. Castle, Honolulu, Sandwich Fields and Force.-It sustains missions in Islands. India at Calcutta, Allahabad and Cawnpore ; This Board has raised over $1,000 during the in China at Shanghai; in Japan at Yokohama. year, but we have no detailed report at hand. In Calcutta it has 1,000 pupils in 50 schools, and a suburban work of 14 schools. It issues III. Presbyterian Societies (North). in Calcutta The Child'8 Friend, The Christian Bandab, and The illahila Bandab, besides has 1. W01nan'8 Foreign Missionary SOCiety, circulated 10,000 pages of tracts. Its orphan- Presbyterian Church. age has 140 pupils. At Allahabad it has 3D8 pupils, 320 of whom are in Zenanas. At Cawn- Office: 1384 Chestnut Street, Philudel phia. pore it has 968 pupils, 184 of whom are in Periodicals: 'Woman's Work for Woman and Zenanas. At Shanghai it conducts medical Our Mission Field, and Children's Work for' missions, with hospital, and the Bridgman Children. Circulation of the former, 16,000; IIIemorial Home, with 40 girls. subscribers to Children's 'Work, 20,000. Both self-supporting. These are the only foreign At Yokohama it sustains schools and medi- magazines of the Presbyterian church, and the cal work, with 21 Bible women an,l 134 schol- organs of the various Boards. ars. Over 1,500 patients were treated last year. Fields.-This Society has work in India, Japan, China, Syria, Mexico, Africa, Korea, n contributes to other Dlissions in Burmah, Persia, Siam and Laos, South America, North American Indians, Chinese in California and India and Paris. It has 58 missionaries, with Japanese in San Francisco. Number of mis- 97 other salaried workers. Its income last Sionaries, 136; at home on furlough, 17; misyear was $6i,765. The report contains no sum- sionaries sent out during the year, 14; native mary of its home auxiliaries. helpers and Bible women, 84; missionary teachers and visitors, 8; bOUl:ding-schools, 34; 11. The Woman's Board of Mis- day-schools, 140. Income for past year, sions (Congregational). $143,488. Miss Abbie B. Child, Congregational House, 2. TVoman's Board of the Northwest. Boston, illass. Periodicals: Life and Light for Room, 48 lIIcCormick Block, Chicago, Ill. 'Voman, circulation 15,2-22; The Mission Day Occupies the same fields, and reports 1.760 Spring for Children, circulation 18,195. auxiliaries; 687 of these are young people's Fields and Force.-Africa, East, Central bands. and West Central; European Turkey, }lonustir, Philippolis, Samakov; 1Vestern Turkpy, Number of missionaries supported, 74; Bible Constantinople, Marsovan; Central Turkey, women,28; native teachers and pastors' 'wives, Aintab and Marash; East.~rn Turkey, Har- 21 ; boarding-schools, 26; day-schools, 104. poot, etc.; India, Bombay, lI1adura and Cey- Ion; China, Foochow, North China; Japan, Income, $80,236. Kioto, Osaka, etc,., Northern Japan, Seudai, 3. lV01nan'8 Board of Foreign .J[issions. etc.; Micronesian l1ission, Western and North- Office, No. 53 Fifth Avenue, New York. ern lIIexico, Spain and Austria. It supports a Its home force, 501 auxiliary societies; 97 total of 107 missionaries, 148 Bible women, and young people's societies and 3aS bands. Sup- 2i boarding schools. This work is of great im- ports 52 missionaries. Income, $,;'5,000. portance and interest. The receipts amounted The Society works in India, Siam, Africa, last year to $124,801. Of this amount, $13,668 Japan, Korea, Persia, Syria, China, Mexico was from legacies. Auxiliaries and bands, and South America. 1,500. 4. Wontan"s Foreign .l.'lfissionanJ Sodety, Northern New York. 2. ~Voman'8 Boo.rd of the Interior. II1rs. H. B. Nason, 10 Washington Place, Troy, Jlirs. E. ,V. Blatchford. Rooms, 53 Dearborn N.Y. Street, Chicago, Ill. Periodical: Life and Home Statistics: Nunlber of organizations, Light. Income, $48,373.44. This Board sup- 211 ; of these 112 are bands. Income for year, ports about 60 missionaries, 10 boarding- $10,065. schools and 36 Bible women. Auxiliaries, This Society supports 4 missionaries, 5native 1629; and has missions in connection with pastors, and 51 schools and scholarships. and A. B. C. F. M. as the Woman's Board of )fis- contribute to the work in Africa, China, Guatesions.
• We are indebted to Mrs. Dr. J. T. Gracey, Buffalo, N. Y., for this account of woman's work in the foreign field. lIlrs. Gracey writes: "I have found great difficulty in getting the reports, and, when I do get them, I find there is no uniformity in methods of reporting."
ORGAXIZED lVn:>:>WX.U{Y WUHK A:-iD :>TATI:>TICS
mala, India, Japan, Korea, Laos, liexico, foreign missionaries sent out by the Board, Persia, Siam, Syria, and the North American the women support five. Work is carried on Indians. in seven stations in Japan, also in Mexico and the Indian Territory. 5. TVoman's Bow'd of .lfissions of the Southwest. VII. Woman's Board of Foreign Mis- sions Reformed Church in America. Miss B. Burnett, 1107 Olive Street, St. Louis, Mo. Organized for home and foreign work. 1IIrs.J. P. Oumming, Yonkers. N. Y. Periodi- cal: Mission Gleaner. 26 Reade St.. New York. This Board supports 12 missionaries in the foreign field, and 12 in home field. Its foreign Total number of auxiliary societies, 26:3. work is in Chili, S. A. ; Korea, SiaIH, China, Income for the year, $17,487. Persia, and Dehra Doon, India. 'Work is sup· ported in Utah, Alaska, etc. Income, $15,82•. The Society has work in Japan, at Nagasaki It has 376 auxiliary societies and bands. and Yokohama. The Ferris Seminary has 144 pupils. In China, at Amoy, is a success- 6. Woman's Board of the North Pncific. ful children's home, girls' boarding school, Presbyterian Mission Rooms, Portland, Ore Bible school for women and medical work. In gon. President, Mrs. W. S. Ladd. India work is carried on at Vellore, Tindi- This Board was organized in 1888. Have no ranam, Coonoo!', PalnlRwairand Madanapalle. particulars of work. 7. The Occidental Board. VIII. Woman's Baptist Foreign Mis- Headquarters, 93:3 Sacramento Street, San sionary Society. Francisco, OaL This Board has been organized only a year, Oorresponding Secretary, IIIrs. 0: W. Gates, but, while we have no details, it is reported as Xewton Centre, lIlass. Publication: The growing very fast. Helping Hand, with 22,~29 subscribers, and a children'S paper, The King's Messengers, with IV. Ladies' Foreign Missionary So- 19,~77 subscribers.
ciety Presbyterian Church in the Fields. -In Burmah it has separate missions to the Karens, Burmese, Shaus, Ohins. In United States (South). India, among the Telugus, Eurasians, and As- samase. In Ohina, at Swatow, I:lhaohnig and This is not a separate Society, but con' Kinhwa-Fu. In Japan, at Yokohama and tributes to the general Board. There are 5:36 Tokyo. In Africa; on the Oongo; also in France, societies, which raised last year $24,H22. Germany, Sweden and Spain. Their missions are in Brazil, China, Mexico, Greece, Italy, Japan, and among the Indians. The Society supports 154 schools, 5,256 They snpport 39 female missionaries. They pupils, of whom 2,089 are boys; also 56 Bible have a woman's department in "The lIission· WOlnen. It has 74 missionaries in the field. ary, ., the magazine of the Board. HOIne FUJ'(;".-Mission circles and contribut- V. Woman's Board of Missions of ing churches, 1,377, with 29,187 contributors; ().l..! bands, with 12,358 members. the United Presbyterian Church. Its income for year '89 was $70,6(8, an in- Miss Margaret Shaw, Secretary, Pittsburgh, ('rease of $4,000. Pa. 2. ~Voman's Baptist Foreign .1l1issioJ1r.try This Society does home and foreign work, Society of the West. and has about 18.000 contributing members. Its foreign work is mainly in Egypt and India, Oorresponding Secretary, Dr. O. H. Daniels, where there is a large and interesting work 122 Wabash Ave., Chicago, III. among the women. Twenty-one unmarried missionaries are supported, three of whom The same general fields are occupied by this are medicaL They publish "The Woman's Society as the Baptist Society in the East; Missionary Magazine." Income about $20,000. also the same periodicals are circulated. Dur- Have not separate report. ing the year just closed the Society has sup- ported ;3() missionaries: 14 in Africa, 7 in India, VI. Woman's Board of Foreign Mis- 5 in Ohina, 2 in Japan, and 3 in Africa. They sions of the Cumberland Presby- have 23 schools, with nearly 1,700 pupils, and terian Church. 44 Bible women.
1I1rs. J. O. lIlcOlenkin, 1105 Ohestnut St., The Home Force–l,321 circles, 209 young Evansville, Indiana. Periodical: Woman's De- ladies' societies or guilds, 294 boards. Mempartment of Missionary Record; published in bers not given. Total cash receipts for year, St; Louis, Mo. $33,72'~. Force.-Auxiliary societies, 793, withamem· bershipof7,900; young ladies' societies, 8, with 3. Woman's Fm'pign Missionary Society of membership, 130; children's bands, 1:38, with California (Baptist). 1,741 members; making total organizations, 932, and total memberships, 9,771. Amount Office, San Francisco. contributed last year, $10,614–an increase of This branch of the Baptists raised over $2,956 over previous year. This has been $1,000 last year, but no report is at hand of raised in the regular channels. Of the 12 their work. 4. Woman's Fm'eign Missiona1'Y Society of Oregon (Baptist). Headquarters, Oregon Oity. Thisraised about the same amount of money fully in Korea, China and India. Ten mission- as the above Society, but no report has come aries have been sent out the past year. of its work. XIII. Woman's Missionary Society IX. Woman's Missionary Societies- Auxiliary to Southern Baptist Con- of the Methodist Episcopal Church vention. (South). Corresponding Secretary, Miss Annie N. Armstrong, 10 E. FayettB St., Baltimore, Md. Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. H. D. Me- Garack, Nashville, Tenn. Periodical: Woman's These societies are auxiliary to the Conven- Missionary Advocate. Published at Nashville. tion, and their funds aid their Board in work Subscribers, 11,500. in China, West Africa, Italy, Brazil and Mex- ico. The treasurer's report shows for the Fields.-China, Brazil, Indian Territory and year: foreign missions, $17,882, an advance of Mexican Border. $3,500, and for home missions, $11,810, an ad· vance of $5,000; making $30,000 for both The Society supports 25 missionaries, 54 Boards. 'The Journal says, "Never has such teachers and assistants, 9·boarding schools, a showing been made in onr history." and 24 day-schools.
Publication: The Baptist Basket, Louisville, Home Force.-Auxiliary societies, 1,852; Ky. members, 38,203. Young people and children's societies, 890; members, 27,263; making total X. Free Baptist Woman's Missionary societies, 2,742, and total membership, 65,466. Society. Corresponding Secrerary, Miss K. J. An- Receipts for year, $68,729. Home work represented as follows: thony, 40 Summer Street, Providence, R. 1. Auxiliary societies, 4,305 ; members, 111,623; Periodical: The Missionary Helper. Published young ladies' societies, 632; members, 13,366; in Boston. children's bands,' 594; members, 10,240. Total organizations, 5,531. Total members, The annual meeting of this Society has just 135,229. Increase of 82 auxIliaries during yea~, been held, and statistics are not yet at hand; and members, 8,051. only the amount of money raised, both for Receipts for year, $226,496; an advance of home and foreign work, amounts to $38,000, of $20,187. which $25,000 was for foreign work. The Woman'8 Home Mi8sionw'Y Society works in Alaska, among the Indians, Chinese, A successful work is carried on in India, and and foreign classes in this country. with the reinforcements sent out this year, 20 missionaries are in that field. Their principal XIV. Woman's Foreign Missionary stations are Midnapore, J ellasore and Balasore. Society of the Methodist Protest- ant Church. XI. Woman's Board of the Seventh Day MisSionary Society. Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. M. A. Miller, Pittsburgh, Pa. Publication: Woman's IIlig- Corresponding Secretary, Miss Bailey Milton, sionary Record, Pittsburgh, Pa. 1Yisconsin. This Society has 20 branch societies, 320 This Society works in connection with the auxiliaries, 60 mission bands, 3,200 members, Church Board. They have missions in China, and have raised $30,000. Holland, and among the Jews at Galica. One young lady has just been appointed to China They conduct work in Japan, but report to take charge of a girls' school in Shanghai. difficulty in finding competent Christian One medical woman is in Shanghai, who, dur- teachers. They say their school at Yoko· ing the past year, has attended 2,822 patients. hama has met with disconragement because of poor and unhealthy location, and the Receipts for year, $12,238. system of supporting girls on scholarships does not work well. The school at Nagoya XII. Woman's Foreign Missionary " is increasing and its prospects are encourag· Society of the Methodist Episcopal ing." Income, $3,!83, from 16 branches arid 1 Church. " conference. "
Mrs. H. B. Skidmore,230 West 59th Street, XV. Woman's Home and Foreign New York. Periodicals: Heathen Woman's Missionary Society-General Synod Friend, subscribers, 19,834; Heiden Frauen of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Frend, subscribers, 2,829. Published at 36 Bromfield Street, Boston. Miss Mary H. Morris, Corresponding Secre- tary, 406 North Greene Street, Baltimore, Md. Fie/d8.-Japan, Korea, China, India, Burmah, Straits Settlements, Bulgaria, Italy, This Society has 423 auxiliaries, with 84 lIIexico and South America. young people's bands, making a total of 507; membership, 13,000. The number of synodical The Society now has 98 missionaries in active societies, 20. Income last year, $32,431. service. Ten of these are medical. Three hundred Bible women, and 100 assistants and There is a woman's department in the teachers are employed. Over 200 day-schools Lutheran Missionary Journal, published at are supported. There are 500 pupils in orphan- York, Pa. ages. Medical work is carried on most success- This Society has work in India and Africa.
Itl90.] PROGRESS OF }llSSIONS-MONTHLY BULLETIN
Twelve schools, with 800 pupils, are supported is carried on at Wuchang, China, and 33 misin India; 14 Zenana helpers are employed. Three missionaries are in the field, 1 a physi- sionaries are supported in the different fields, cian, who, in 2 years, treated at home and dispensary, 4,772 patients. At home, work is done in 48 dioceses, and 12 XVI. Woma~'s Missionary Society missionary jurisdictions, by 53 diocesan and of the Evangelical Association of North America. parish branches and individual members of Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. C. F. Rass- the Woman's Auxiliary. weiler, Napierville, Indiana. Periodical: Department in lIfissionary Messenger, pub- Domestic Missions, inlished in Cleveland, Ohio. cluding Indian and Home Force.-Auxiliaries, 115; with 2,398 members. Bands, 39, with 1,067 members. Colored Work …… $18.388 72 Income, $2,187. Foreign….. _…….. 23,034 29 The Society has work in Japan and Ger- – – – $ 41,423 01 many. Specials sent through XVII. Woman's Foreign Missionary Union of Friends. Treasury.. _………. $21,25034 The various societies of friends have become Specials not sent consolidated and independent in their missionary work. through Treasury ..•.. 56,706 6H 77,956 97 Pnblication: Friends' Missionary Advocate, 341 Dearborn St., Chicago, Ill. Total.. ……. . $119,379 98 Missionary work is supported in Mexico, 3,456 boxes, value ….. . $184,593 15 Syria, China, and Japan, and among the Indians. 'rotal for 1888-S9… $303,97313 Missionaries supported, 18; native helpers XIX. Woman's Missionary Associaand Bible women, 5; number of schools, 4; tion of the United Brethren in number of pupils, 305. Christ.
Total receipts for the year, $16,348; a gain of Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. L. R. Keister, over $2,000 for the year. A church has been Dayton, Ohio. organized in Tokio, with 22 members, and a boarding school there has 20 pupils. In Mexico Periodical: Woman's Evangel, published at there is a prosperous school, with 150 girls. In Dayton, O. Subscribers, 12,900. Palestine is a training home, with 18 pupils. Two missionaries have been sent to Palestine This society has work in Africa, at Coburg, this year, one of them medical. At Rasel Germany, and among the Chinese of the Pacific Metu, Syria, is a school with an attendance of Coast. 120. Horne Force – Auxiliary societies, 367; XVIII. Woman's Auxiliary to the members, 5,412; young ladies bands, 24, with 2,173 members. The society supports 7 Ameri- Board of Missions, Protestant Epis- can missionaries, 14 native assistants. Re- copal Church. ceipts for year, $9,162.
Corresponding Secretary, Miss Julia C. Em- XX. Woman's Missionary Work of ery, 21 Bible House, New York. the Christian Church (Disciples).
This Society does both home and foreign Corresponding Secretary, ]llrs. S. E. Shortwork. Foreign work is supported in China, ridge, 358 Home Ave., Indianapolis, Ind. Japan, and Africa. Woman's medical work Publication: Missionary Tidings. Pnblished at Indianapolis.
This Society does both home and foreign work. Its foreign work is in Turkey, India, Japan, and China.
They r~port about 900 auxiliary societies for last year. Have failed to get their report for this year. Amount of money raised, $25,000, [The limitations of space compel us to defer the reports from Canada and the European Societies, though in type, until February.-En.) VII I.-PROGRESS OF MISSIONS: MONTHLY BULLETIN.
Af'rlca.-jesuits Expelled. The London that the Jesuit missionartes at Unyanyembe Missionary Society has heard from their have been expelled from their station. A agents at Zanzibar that the East Coast co=unication dated June 25 reached London route was still blocked, and that although at the same time from the Rev. D. P. Jones, of letters from Urambo and further inland are be- Twambos, via Nyassa, reporting that all at lieved to be on the way between Mpwapwa that station, and also those at the south end of and the Coast, there is danger of the mail Lake Tanganyika, were well, and, considering men being waylaid, as a prominent Arab is their trying position, in fairly good spirits. known to be on the lookout for them. A letter received by the agents from Kisskwe reports -Mr. F. S. Selous, the South African trav- eler, in his recent expedition, visited the French mISSIOn on the Zambesi, where he seventeen ladies and twelve gentlemen. Of found the families of Messrs. Jeanmairet and these only three-Mrs. Stott, and Mr. and 1I1rs. Jalla at Sesheke. He says that the mission Nicoll-are returning; all the others are fresh has passed through the greatest difficulties. recruits. They are shut out from communication with the outward world, the receipt of letters de- -No mission in the world, perhaps, can pending upon chance travelers or merchants. show a more notable record than that of the The crocodiles devour all their domestic ani· Canadian Presbyterian Church in China. At mals. The kindness of the missionaries is the end of 16 years' work, and with a small having great effect upon the people, but Mr. staff of laborers, it reports 2,650 baptized ,Selous says that the Barotse valley is in a de- members, 2 native pastors, 64 elders, 60 dea- plorable condition on account of the periodical cons, and 37 native preachers. It maintains 2 inundations of the Zambesi, and the fevers mission honses, 50 chapels, a girls' school, and which result therefrom. a training college. The credit of these results is due, under God, to Dr. ThIackay, one of those – Wiliam Taylor has done more to turn remarkable men who are born missionaries. the eye of the Church toward Africa than any other man. Others have called the attention -The Chinese Religious Tract Society, of 0{ political governments to the Dark Conti, which A. P. Happel', D. D., is president, is a nent, but no man ever turned the Church to- society formed for the dissemination of Chris- ward it as 'WiIliam Taylor.-Dr. Leonard. tian and scientific literature in the Chinese language throughout China. This society – East Africa has of late engrossed so much pnblishes in Shanghai The Child's Paper attention that readers may be in danger of (illustrated), and The Chinese Illustrated forgetting the claims of missions and the News, in addition to numerous books and progress of the Gospel in other parts of that tracts.-Chinese Evangelist (New York). vast continent. The venerable Bishop Crow, ther, who has recently arrived in England, Egypt. -Along the valley of the Nile speaks highly of the immense strides which from Alexandria to the first cataract are 70 Christianity is making among the West Afri· mission stations and 70 Sunday,schools, num· can natives; a very encouraging feature being bering 4,017 scholars, while the day and the self,denying enthusiasm which converts boarding-schools have over 5,200 pupils. There display in helping on the good work For in· has been an increasing demand for Bibles, 6,651 stance, on the river Bonny they have them- having been sold the last year, with 8,933 vol- selves built an iron church to accommodate umes of religious literature, and 17,179 educa, 1,500, but which has frequently a congregation tional books. of 2,000, and they have built three churches in the interior for their use when attending 'the England.-The second anniversary of oil markets. Enropean Christians may learn the West London Mission, in charge of Mark a lesson of self-help from their brethren of Guy Pearse and Hugh Price Hughes, was held the Dark Continent. in the last week of October. This remarkable enterprise, inaugurated only two years ago, -If Stanley has succeeded in obtaining the in the wealthiest part of the city of London, control of all the country about the upper Nile ha; accompli~hed results worthy of the men for England, as is reported, he must be credited wllohave taken it in hand. Not only have with the founding of a second African Empire thousands been attracted to the religious servwhich will rival the Congo Free State in im- ices, but many of the poor and ",retched have portance and promise. been relieved and rescued, and branches of the work established in several parts of the city. -The Sultan of Zanzibar has granted the The movement has been imitated in other British East African Company the control of large cities, and other denominations have 700 miles of coast. been stirred np to follow the example of these zealons Wesleyans. The' Lord Mayor of Lon· -The Italian Government has declared a don, who presided at the anniversary meeting protectorate over Abyssinia. in St. James Hall, said, after hearing the financial statement of the treasurer, that in ~In the midst of serious dangers, says the the whole course of his experience he had Presbyterian Me.isenget, the missions are never heard an abler financial statement or prospering at Nyassa. The Free Church of one which made so small a demand when the Scotland has opened a new station at Malindu, great interests involved were taken inb con· on a high plain at the north of the lake. Ma- sideration. He also subscribed £50 to the en- Hndu is surronnd'ld by 17 villages, embosomed terprise, and then proceeded to make a brilin gardellS of magnificent bananas. liant speech, in which he commended the various branches of work undertaken by the Cbina.-Exeter Hall was the scene, on mission in most enthusiastic terms.-Chris Monday evening, of one of those intensely in- fian Advocate (New York). teresting missionary farewells, to which the Miss Janet Hunter, M. D., of Ayr, sailed China Inland ThIission has, of late years, made for India last week, with several other ladies, us happily accustomed. There were on the to engage in medical miSSionary work at platform twenty-nine friends on the eve of setting ont for the far East, to swell the ranks of the workers in that vast mIssion field- Madras, in connection with the Ladies' Society Mr. Richardson was It'd to interest himself in -<Jf the Free Church of Scotland for Female its welfare.-The Ch,·isiian.
.,. Education in India. Miss Hunter is a dis· Japan.-Dr. and Mrs. H. M. Scudder tinguished student of the London School of bave been compelled, on account of the illness Medicine for Women, and has taken the of their daughter, Miss Scudder, and their own double qualificatiou from the Royal Colleges age and infirmities, to retire from their 1m of Physicians and Surgeons, Edinburgh, and portant station at Niigata. This makes a sad the degree of Doctor of Medicine at the Uni· breach, as their son, Dr. Doremus Scudder, Yersity of Brussels. She has recently spent and wife are obliged to accompany them.
some months in further medical study in the -2,129 converts were received into the hospitals of Vienna and Prague. During her churches of the American Board in Japan residence in London Miss Hunter was a memo during the year ending April 30, an Iiverage bel' of Regent·square Presbyterian Church. of more than 4.3 to each church. 43 of the 49 HawaU.-The Rev W. H. Barnes, churches are self-supporting.
Honolulu, says that there are 20,000 Chinese – The Board of Foreign Missions of the in the Sandwich Islands; that two congrega· Reformed Church have resolved that in the tions of them are connected with the English Japan Mission the main strength shall be ex- ·Church Mission, and that they make good pended in the development of the 8endai Thea· Christians. logical Training School and the Miyagi Girls· J.nctia.-Dr. Parker reports of the lUeth- School. Rev. J. P. Moore has been appointee!
-odist Episcopal mission work in the Rohilund the permanent evangelist of the mis~ion. Rev province: "In this province there are 26 sep- A. D. Gring is no longer connected with the arate circuits, which include 160 centers of nlissioll.
work, in which a teacher or preacher resides, -According to the new constitution of -or a school is taught by a Christian evangelist, Japan neither Christian ministers nor Buddhist and about 600 villages in which persons have priests are allowed to hold seats in the Im- been baptized, and in which they now reside. perial Diet.
There are in the province 1 high school, 8 -The missionaries of the American Board middle-grade Anglo-vernacular schools, 11 in Japan have sent a memorial to the Pru· upper primary Anglo-vernacular schools, 153 dential Committee" asking for new mission- v"rnacular schools, and over 5,000 pupils in aries." This large reinforcement is requested, attendance in all the grades. This work is says one of the missionaries, "not with the "arried on by a force consisting of 7 American view to extend our present limits or for experi- missionaries, 75 regularly licensed native ments, but simply to occupy eight more large preachers, and 226 native teachers and evan- cities that are centres for about five million gelists in the regular work. This calculation people, which fields God has opened to us, and does not include the work or schools of the in which our churches have already begun Woman's Society, nor the pastors supported work. " And yet, "the American Board has by the churches. The expense of thiswork to its largest single mission in Japan. It num- the Missionary Society and to the friends who bers 85 adults, and costs annually $75,000."
personally support schools is $27,000 per year." Fifteen years ago there were only two little -·The Intelligencer shows remarkable prog- churches, with about a dozen members each; ress in the Telugu mission of the English now fifty churches and 8,000 Christians, con- Church Missionary Society. The total num- tributing annually about $30,000.
ber of Christian adherents within this mission JeWS.-From the Record of the Free in 1849 was 65; in 1859, 177; in 1869, 1,726; in Church of Scotland we learn there are 47 18i9, 3,998. It thus appears that from 1869 to Protestant Jewish missionary societies labor- 1879 the Christians had multiplied at the rate ing among the Jews. They employ 377 mission- of about 131 per cent. From 1879 to 1888 the aries, with a total expenditure of about increase has been at the rate of 121 per cent., $500,000. It has been estimated that during a yearly average of 475. This record suggests the century fully 100,000 Jews have been Call· what may be done in India in the coming verted to the Church of Christ.
years. -Dr.·John Dixon, of the Mildmay Medical -A Brahman in Calcutta told Dr. Baumann lIlission to the Jews, reports 11,121 visits of old that he had read through the New Testament and new patients to the dispensary in 1888, eighty-three times and the Old Testament and 2,489 visits of doctors to the patiE'nts in twenty-seven times. their own homes, besides the work of thn :ltaly.-Protestant Mission in Elba. This d('aconesses in connection with the mission.
little island has for some years been the sta- In this way over 5,000 Jews and Jewesses have tion of a Protestant Mission, carried on under not only received medical help, but have heard the auspices of the Vaudois Church, but sup- the Gospel each time they visited the missioll.
ported by private contributions, collected by -Friend of Missions.
Mr. Jonathan Richardson, Killeaton, Dim· Jews In Palestlne.-Russia can· murry, Country Antrim, Ireland. It was on tinues to expel the Jews wholesale. This IS a hearing how this mission was established that (]t'plorable state of things, though not in the least surprIsmg. Mrs. Finn, Secretary of the prospering. A liberal friend of the cause in Society for the Relief of Persecuted Jews, Scotland has promised $6,500 to build another writes; "The Shaftesbury Memorial Fund has house for the missionaries at Tiberias. This been applied each year since Lord Shaftes- is chiefly a medical mission. bury's death to the employment of Jews at Abraham's Vineyard, Jerusalem, where a few Vntted 8tateS.-Missionary Statis- are trained in cultivating the ground and tics. We areglad to notice that The Missionary other industries. But there are tens of thou- Reyiew of the World proposes to tabulate each sands destitnte in Palestine. We are ready to year the statistics of all missionary societies give them the work without which they perish in the world. The work of the former editor. of starvation. We last year aided abont 300 ~Ir. Wilder, though imperfect, was exceedcases of urgent need in London, and this year ingly useful; and every missionary editor has as many in proportion, many of them in find- undoubtedly greatly missed these annual ing homes in America and elsewhere." tables since Mr. 'Wilder's death. It can hardly be tbe case that any editor of a denomina- ltIadagascar~The Drink Traffic. A tional miSSionary magazine would have the conference has been held of all the missions time to prepare these annual tables. But this working in Madagascar, except the Roman Re,;ew is the place where they ought to ap- Catholic, on the subject of the Drink Traffic. pear, and we offer the editors our hearty en- It took place in the committee-room of the couragement in their effort to give every year London Missionary Society on the 2d of a summary of ihe missionary statistics of the August, and resulted in the appointment of a world, which is promised to be the most comrepresentative committee, of which the Rev. plete and satisfactory ever published. It will B. Briggs is convener, to collect information be a strong feature of their already exceedand frame proposals for a memorial or peti- ingly valuable pubJication.-Baptist Missiontion to be addressed to the Queen and the al71 Magazine.
Prime Minister. ltalscellaneouS.-Colonel Olcott, the -The young native preachers in Antana- traveling theosophist, has touched at Bel- fast, and lectured in that fine city at a shilling rivo, the capital of Madagascar, have banded a head. He is cheaper than a blaspheming together for the purpose of sending some of ., Colonel" who remains on this side of the their number to the heathen in the outlying water. Colonel Olcott did not secure a large districts of the island. audience in the old Presbyterian town, and the indifference with which he was listened to New Gulnea.-A telegram to London appeared in the fact that when he closed no reports the killing of Rev. E. B. Savage, a one was found ready to move the customary missionary of the L. M. S., on Murray Island. yote of thanks. The Colonel's lecture, semi- It is also reported that some of the native Buddhistic, and wholly infidel, does not seem teachers were also murdered. Mr. S. went out to have been very luminous, especially in the in 1885, and the work of the Society in Eastern statement of his theosophic vagaries. In New Guinea of late years has been encourag- Dublin a gentleman rose in the audience, ing. The natives of Murray Island are can- after listening intently to the lecturer, and nibals, and yet the Christians recently sent asked the Colonel to state in brief what $150 to aid the L. M. S. in its work. he had been talking about, as he had utterly failed to understand him. There was no re- 8cotland.-Dr. George Smith, in the sponse. Free Church of Scotland Monthly, reviews the last ten years of the foreign missions of -In heathen countries Protestants occnpy that Church. In 1878 the adults baptized were 500 separate mission fields, containing 20,000 277; in 1888, 815; in 1878 the native communi- mission stations, supplied by 40,000 mission· cants were, 3,317; in 1888 they were, 6,272; the aries. In these 20,000 mission stations there pupils had also doubled, and the contributions are 500,000 Sunday-school scholars-an average from native churches and the number of naJ of 25 to each station. In the 20,000 Protestant tive Christian agents. The revenue has also mission stations there are one million of native increased in the same proportion. It was communicants, or an average of 50 to each £48,775 from all sources, in 1878, and £97,542 station. There are also 2,000,000 of adherents in 1888; the home donations being £31,263, as who are friendS of the evangelical faith and against £64,999, and the foreigu £17,512, as hearers of the Gospel preached from the Bible against £32,543. Starting now on the next dec- -an average of 100 to each station. ade with what is practically £100,000 a year, it is to be hoped they may again double it. -The Star of India says that among the This little church has a missionary record of countries barred to Protestant missionaries which it may well be proud. should be named Nepaul, between India and Thibet, a most interesting country. 8::vrla.-The population of Syria and Palestine, together, is estimated at about -Dr. Abel Stevens says that the old Asiatic 2,000,000. The prevailing language is Arabic, heathendom is generally giving way before though many languages are spoken. the continually increaSing power of Western thought and Christian civilization. -The mission of the Free Church of Scotland on the Lake of Galilee, in Palestine, is