The Missionary Review of the World — April 1896

ORIGINAL PIO~EER TIBETAN

u Mi8S Taylor and her'l'ibetan servant Pont:;:o ha ve now separated fronl this Band, Miss Taylor having starttd un intlependent mission. 11 A GROUP OF PUNJAB MISSIONARIES AND NATIVE PASTORS. MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD.

VOL. XIX. No. 4.-0ld 8erie8.-APRIL.-VoL. IX. No. '.-New &riu.

GEMS GATHERED. AT THE LIVERPOOL CONVENTION.

BY THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF.

The Convention has passed into history. In time full records of its pregnant proceedings will be furnished for permanent preservation and wider circulation. Meanwhile it may be both wise and helpful to cull, in brief form, some of the many utterances which made this occasion memorable, availing ourselves of such reports af! that of the Gltristian, of London, which has been prepared with uncommon carefulness and fulness. As it would occupy undue space to enter· into the details, and as a previous paper has outlined the Convention as a whole, we shall now put before our readers what seems most of importance or interest, and can be most easily made of use, in furtherance of the objects for which the Convention was held.

Bishop of Liverpool: "The Church of Christ to-day is often taunted with its divisions, and somctimef! there is too much reason for the taunt. How delightful, then, to find an assemblage like this, representing so many lands and so many varied sections of the Christian Church, all united in the one aim of advancing the kingdom of our Lord and Savior in the distant parts of the world."

Rev. Charles Garrett, of Liverpool: "The essential unity of the ChriRtian Church is seen in the midst of manifold outward variety. From the domains of nature and of society may be drawn many illustrations of this point. To a child all the stars may look alike, but astronomers ~now well that one star differs from another star in glory. Look at the human face divine. In that, as in every department, God is always original; He never makes a copy. A fond mother says of her babe, 'There never was such a child, ~ and she is right. There never was, and there never will be. And one reason why all the churches should unite in saving all the children is because each child is the only one that God has ever made or will make of that exact type. If the Church is God's workmanship we must look for the same characteristics in it that we find elsewhere. The gar-

GEMS GATHERED AT THE LIVERPOOL CONVENTION

dener with his shears can trim dead trees to make them all look exactly alike. Let the trees be alive and he will seek in vain to preserve their uniformity. The day after to-morrow the likeness will be gone." Mr. Garrett, referring to his ten chIldren, said he rejoiced in the diversity of form and character among them; the one supplied what the other lacked; so with the Church of Christ,.

Mr. Donald Fraser, of Glasgow University: "This is not the first world's convention, on the subject of missions, held in thIS city. There was held a great missionary conference in Liverpool in 1888, when one hundred and fifty representatives from British societies came together to receive reports of past work and lay plans for the future. The composition of the present conference is, however, much wider. There are thirteen nationalities represented, while forty-two British societies have sent official delegates. The students are but ' volunteers,' but these workers are veterans straight from the field. Their best contribution will be that they go forth from the conference to spread the fire which the Spirit will kindle, among the home congregations and the missionary stations when they return to their distant fields. My fellow-students, make the most and best of the holy influences and impulses that will be generated during the days of conference, by communion with God and one another. Let us wait for God, not for man, not for crowds, nor for eloquence. Our hope is in the living God; we wait with hushed spirits to hear what He will say, and, in obedience, to fulfil his commands."

Hev. A. T. Pierson: "In introducing me the chairman expressed the hope that when in due time I return to my native shores, I would take back the assurance that between the English-speaking peoples, who read the same Bible, there may be peace as long as the world lasts. I reciprocate to the full these sentiments of amity as to the peaceful relations of the sister lands. If two such closely related nations should be found embroiled in warlike conflict, there would be a jubilee nowhere but in hell. As a visible and tangible expression of my feelings on this point, and as representing the Christianity of the United States, allow me, venerable bishop, to shake hands with you" (a little episode endorsed by the heartiest cheers of the audience). " Turning to the specific business of the Convention, let me call attention to the plan of God in the ages, of which I have long been a most interested student. We find in the Epistle to the Hebrews the magnificent conception that, as God took matter and constructed the material worlds, so He has taken time and is building it up into time worlds, or ages. There are ages of preparation, of experiment, and of transition; by and by there will be ages of completion and consummation. As Christ is the corner-stone of the ages, He is yet to be the capstone of the whole structure.

"With respect to the world's evangelization, we have three features specially exhibited in connection with this evangelistic age. First of all, there is a double universality: first, as to the objects of effort-' Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature;' secondly, as to the subjects addresscd-' Go ye.' Not a man, woman, or child who believes in Jesus Christ as a Savior is exempted from the responsibility or excluded from the privilege of proclaiming that Savior to a dying world.

"The second feature in this plan of the ages is celerity. The King's business requires haste. In His last command, Jesus Christ manifestly contemplated that each generation of believers, while on earth, should undertake the evangelizing of the generation of which they formed a part. And in the primitive, apostolic day, the work was more nearly accomplished than in any subsequent generation from that time to this. As to the work to be done by our own generation, let us note (1) the marvellous modern multiplication of facilities for carrying the Gospel to the ends of the earth; (2) the remarkable multiplication of instrumentalities and agencies, such as the epiphany of woman in the service of the Church, the work of the Y. M. C. A., the rise and growth of that marvellous if mixed movement, the Salvation Army, the Y. P. S. C. E., and this Student Volunteer Movement. (3) It seems as if in these last days there is an intensification and a condensation of history, so that centuries are compacted into years, years into days, and days into hours, which greatly intensifies responsibility also.

" The third feature of God's plan in our age is spirituality. He emphasizes not machinery, organization, or carnal energy, but the power of the Spirit. If our dependence is on any other secret of success we shall fail. The Spirit of God is in and with the Church; and the more vigorously we push the lines of missionary activity in dependence on the guidance of the Holy Ghost the sooner will the world be evangelized. Machinery is important, but is only cumbrous, unwieldy, and useless without a motive power; and God's one and only motor in holy service is the spirit of life and power. Without dependence on Him we are hopelessly weak, and no one truth needs to be taught and learned in these days more than this, so thoroughly learned in apostolic days, that God. the Holy Ghost, is in the midst of God's people, ready t.o become to them the sevenfold spirit of wisdom, power, nnderstanding, might, knowledge, utterance, and guidance.

Eugene Stock, Esq., C. M. S. Secretary, at the ministers' meeting: " I am more and more deeply impressed with the conviction that on the clergy and ministers in our churches there lies a responsibility which the great majority of them have as yet failed to realize. In most cases it is anything else first, and the advancement of Christ's kingdom last. The churches exist, not tha1; they may have splendid singing, beautiful services, and such like, but that they may evangelize the world. We call this a great missionary epoch, but there will have to be a much wider awakening of missionary interest in the churches than we have yet seen. One despairs of the older men, but our hope lies in the fact that the youngest of our ministers are the most alive. Every pastor who cuts loose from home ties and goes abroad is a grand example to the others; but those who remain at home may be great channels of blessing to the churches and to the work of missions. In the late visitation of his diocese by the Bishop of London, he urged each clergyman to preach at least twenty missionary sermons a year in his own church for the purpose of educating his people in the duty of evangelizing the world."

Rev. r~. Wardlaw Thompson, Secretary of the L. M. S. : "I do not think that ministers generally are so backward in missionary interest, but they are so immersed in the multifarious and minute duties attaching to the pastoral office that neither time nor strength is left for missionary effort. They ought, as leaders in the work of the Church, to hand over the smaller matters to others, keeping themselves fresh and strong for the greater matters; and this missionary question is certainly one of the great matters that ought to be attended to. People may differ about many. aspects of missionary work, but the thought that it is possible for the men of this generation to make Christ kuown to all in the world at present ignorant of Him, ought to kindle:enthusiasm in the most sluggish heart. H that thought were to get into the hearts and minds of all ministers of the Gospel, the life and zeal of the churches would be mightily quickened. The more spiritual propulsion we put into our efforts the further they will go, and the more effectually they will accomplish the desired ends. Ministers can best discharge their responsibility in this matter by constantly keeping the subject before the people. That would involve much new study and research, but the reflex influence on their own life and preaching would be wonderful, not to speak of the direct effects on the congregations. It would be the grandest thing that ministers could do if they would go through the study required for preaching twenty missionary sermons a year to their own people. "

Rev. W. E. Burroughs, of the C. M. S. : "I believe that not one in ten of the ministers in my own denomination could tell, offhand, what were the last recorded tIJords of the Lord Jesus Christ. I have often asked the question over the tea-table; directing the question, of course, to some juvenile member of the household, but really aiming it at the clergyman, who generally could not tell that the words were: ' the uttermost part. of the earth.' "

Dr. George Robson, of Perth: "Let me give you a few leaves from my own pastoral experience. I was prevented from going to the mission field thirty years ago ; my interest in missions became focused and intensified through the great missionary conference in London seven years since j and that awakened interest affected my influence on those under my pastoral care so that their gifts to missions largely increased, and some gave themselves to work abroad. But first of all it stimulated me to a close, careful, and prolonged study of missionary history and biography, and led me to give my people frequent addresses on missionary heroism and triumphs. At the first of these services only twelve or fourteen were present; but they subsequcntly were attcnded by hundreds of deeply interested hearers. "

Rev. A. T. Pierson: "I desire to urge my fellow-ministers to study four books: The Holy Scripture, the book of nature, the book of Divine Provi- dence, and the book of God's grace, where His energy is seen in transform- ing human lives. We have many works on apologetics; the energetics of God are the greatest apologetics in the world, and these are found glori- ously exhibited in missionary history. There is no proof of the living and mighty God more convincing and accessible than thc history of Christian missions, showing that the lowest of mankind can be reached, moved, molded anew by this Gospel."

Dr. Gillison, of Hankow: "My theme is the desirability of a full medical curriculum for those purposing to engage in medical mission work. I maintain that the work of the foreign field demands the very best and ablest of our Christian men and women. Noone can be too good to go, and very few are good enough. The man who neglects intellectual training is using only five out of ten talents with which God has entrusted him. I strongly advise the cultivation of methodical habits of life and work; these would stand the student in good stead when he reaches the foreign field. I would not say a word against partial medical training if more cannot be had, but am very strong in advocating the full course. The medical missionary has to undertake many things in the mission field that he would not be called on to do at home, where the aid of the specialist may be invoked. People in heathen lands cannot discriminate, and they judge the whole profession by the failures or successes of those who are laboring among them. It would be far better, in the long run, for a man to wait at home the extra two or three years needed for the full course of study, than to go out earlier only partially qualified. Missionary societies ought to have it laid on them as a burden to give the medical missionary full support, and to see to it that a hospital is put at his disposal wherever possible. "

Eugene Stock : "I wish to add some plain, practical words on the training of character. Besides the kind of training to which the previous speaker referred, and even more important, is the building up of personal character. That cannot be done in the mission field. Three considerations I submit to my student hearers as of supreme import: 'I and my work; I and my comrades; I and my Lord. ' As to the first, the student must recognize that there are diversities of operation; and while he believes thoroughly in the special sphere to which God may have called him, he must not belittle the work of others. The second point is illustrated by the apostolic dictum, 'In honor preferring one another.' As to the third consideration, while the work is God's and not the missionary's, there is room for the play of his 'personality. We are to speak and work as if the whole depended on us. Faith and fatalism are not the same thing. Above all it is to be borne in mind that every worker is to be absolutely at God's disposal, and that He is entitled to loving, loyal, continuou:; service. " Mr. Stock's talk was so grandly simple that a fuller outline may be helpful: I. I and my work. 1. Recognizing diversity of gifts and sphere (1 Cor. 12). 2. Believe in your own work as a definite allotment. 3. Be willing to take the lowest place or highest. 4. Think soberly, remembering who it is hath dealt, etc. 5. Do small things first and faithfully. Compare parable Pounds and Talents, one spoken four days earlier to a different audience : one to disciples and the other to multitude.

II. I and my comrades. 1. Appreciate God's gifts and graces in others (Rom. 12 j Cor. 12). 2. In honor preferring one another. A great principle. 3. Learn to fit into your place in connection with them. 4. Don't expect perfection, but allow for defects. 5. If any difficulty must arise, have it Qut, etc. III. I and my Lord. 1. His work, not mine and yet mine (Acts 14 : 1). 2. He is my Lord. He is mine, and I am His. His will and title. 3. He is my example in all my work. 4. He is my Savior (Hom. 12 : 1). 5. He is my final arbiter of reward.

Rev. A. T. Pierson: "This Conference reminds of Pentecost.j but here is a moral miracle greater than the gift of tongues. There believers fou,nd themselves speaking in languages hitherto unknown, proclaiming in many tongues the wonderful works of God. Here many tongues, accustomed to heathen worship and idolatrous prayers, unite in testimony to faith in one God. There the believers were mostly of one nation, speaking in tongues not their own to strangers from other lands. Here believers are from fourteen different nations, speaking in tongues which are their own vernacular, and declaring to English-speaking disciples their recovery out of superstition and alienation from God. At Pentecost the miracle was that of a transformed tongue j here, of a transformed soul and life. No one can estimate the possibilities growing out of this gathering. Who can forecast the work, service, self-denial, heroism, martyrdom, which the next thirty years may develop out of the raw material here gathered Y What wide dispersion over various fields of service and suffering, what testimony to Christ, what missions founded, what schools, hospitals, orphanages, and training institutes for the education and salvation of souls! Only God can look forward far enough to see the final outcome of this great gathering. But a regiment of soldiers in uniform is not a regiment of veterans with torn flags and honorable scars. It remains to be seen how memorable we are to make this convention; how august its place is to be in the plan of God and the march of the ages, by proving ourselves good soldiers, enduring hardness and valiantly fighting the fight of faith. Charles Garrett grandly referred to Sir Charles Trowbridge, who at the distribution of medals in Hyde Park to the heroes of the Crimean 'Val' could not, because he had lost both legs in battle, himself ascend the platform where the honors were conferred; and so the Queen graciously came down to him in his wheeled chair, and with her own hands fixed the medal on his breast. Who among us is to be honored with the Lord's , Well done' ?

"I wish now to add a word to the churches of Christ to support the Student Volunteer Movement by sympathetic recognition of it as a movement under God's leadership and the power of earnest, sympathetic, and importunate prayer. It seems to me that apostolic prayer is almost a lost art in the churches. I believe that the day is comiHg when Christian parents will rear up their children for God and His service as distinctly as the husbandman grows a crop of wheat for the people's bread. Let family life be so hallowed that parental aim and endeavor shall have reference to the proclamation of the Gospel to the ends of the earth, and not to the amassing of fortunes or the securing of social distinction and titular digni- ties. " Mr. L. D. Wishard telegraphed from Athens: "Let us make the col- leges in all lands mission stations." Five members of the Union, ;now in India, sent a message: "India claims one thousand volunteers." A telegram came from Messrs. R. P. Wilder and J. R. Mott, in at- tendance on a conference of Indian students at Colombo: "Asia's crisis demands thousands of mountain-removing volunteers."

Rev. Egerton Young: "Go with me across the sea to the land of the Red Indians of North America. It is a striklllg fact that the first Protestant mission (in the time of Cromwell) was to these Indians. How deeply interesting are the memories of Eliot and Brainerd, and their work among the redskins! Those to whom they preached have all vanished, and so have their descendants; but their work and testimony remain. Brainerd's journal fell into 1he hands of Carey, Henry Martyn, and John Wesley, and its contents thrilled these men, whose names will never be forgotten in the records of missionary effort. I had my first call to the work in the Northwest, while a city pastor in Hamilton, Onto I counsel the young missionaries to give much attention to the acquisition of the language, so as to be independent of interpreters or interrupters. The advantage to the missionary of having even a little medical knowledge is well illustrated by some of my own experiences among the Indians. My diocese was larger than all England, and I had many rough experiences in travel; but the joy of harvest· in seeing these sons of the chase led to Christ was an ample reward. The power of Christ's Gospel was seen in its uplift of woman. In the old days the Indian men's treatment of the squaws was cruel and terrible indeed. But a change came in the course of years, through the blessed influence of Gospel preaching. " Mr. Young moved and thrilled the meeting by his vivid narration of the wondrous changes thus wrought in the hearts of those Indians, already given to the readers in these pages (July, 1895).

Mrs. Duncan McLaren, of Edinburgh : "Let us ask, ' How the vari- ous nations pray.'" Then Mrs. McLare n pictured the ardent but blind' devotions of faithful Mohammedans, Hindus, Parsees, Chinese, Buddhists 'in Japan-all worshipers of false gods, that see and hear not, and can neither answer nor understand. "How dark would be the outlook if we could look only on such scenes as these; but many of these very heathens have seen the light of the Gospel, and have come to its rising. How ear- nestly the native Christians pray! How they understand the value of intercessory prayer; and they call on us who have long known the Savior to bear them up in our prayers unto God. Their idols have all been abol- ished, and prayers to these are a thing of the past. Many of us in Chris- tian lands might take a humble place beside those native witnesses for the Gospel. Most of the converts in Manchuria are the fruit of the labors of the native converts themselves. How the elevating power of Chrisl;'s Gospel has been seen among the women and the children of heathen lands! God is using even the children to confound the things that are mighty. Does anyone ask if missions pay ~ From far and near the answer comes from lives that have been redeemed and hearts that have been transformed. It is too late to ask such a question. Let our earnest endeavor be to make them pay better in the years to come than they have in the days that are past. If we are faithful His promise is sure-the light shall arise and the darkness shall flee away."

Mr. Charles T. Siudd [after prayer by Professor Simpson,of Edin- burgh, in whose rooms Messrs. Stanley Smith and Studd united in prayer when they spoke to Edinburgh students nine years ago. It was out of that time of revival among Scottish students that the British student movement arose] : " My word to my young friehJs is, 'Do it.' It means something- loss, sacrifice, far more than we anticipate; but if we are not prepared to do it, we must give up saying that we love the Lord Jesus. The sight of so many young men and women stirs one's heart. Let them hear the words of the Apostle: 'I write unto you young men because ye are strong, and have overcome the wicked one.' We must get to know that we can do nothing of ourselves; then the Lord will make His life and power to be manifest in and through us. Think of tbe spiritual destitution of vast regions in China, with its teeming millions of population. ' God is love;' but there is no love anywhere among the Chinese without the Gospel. Think of 400,000,000 souls ignorant of God and Christ; and then think of 40,000,000 of Britisbers who would be insulted if they were thought to be ignorant of these things. What a disproportion in the workers! For all China only 2000 workers, and half of them women; for our own 40,000,000 we have at least 50,000 specially appointed ordained workers, not to speak of private Christians. Think of the cruelty to ani. mals in Chma; worse than that, of the child murders! Still more terri. ble, perhaps, the foot-binding, the occasion of snch nnimaginable cruelty. Notwithstanding these deformed feet, the Chinese wemen, when they get interested in the Gospel, will walk twenty miles with a child on their back to a mission service, being ill treated and neglected all the way. How their lives shame us !

"The wonderful changes that take place through the power of the Gospel are seen very much at the Communion, where you see the people utterly broken down at the fresh view they have received of God's love. I have been asked if I thought the communion was to the Chinese a means of grace when administered by unordained hands; my only answer was, , Rather ! ' [The audience cheered to the echo. ] "God search our Brit. ish hearts as we think of the devotion and self-sacrifice of these Chi. nese converts: of sacrifices, losses, and persecutions endured by those who come out wholly for Christ in a Chinese community. My whole soul goes out in these words, as I think of our Lord's last command: ' Go and do it."

Rev. G. H. C. Macgregor: "Paul's question to disciples at Ephesus was, ' Have ye received the Holy Spirit since ye believed ' ~ We ought to expect a wonderful work of the Spirit in our hearts and lives as Chris· tians, even after conversion, as shown by various incidents in the history of the early Church recorded in the Acts. Wherever the lot of a missionary may be cast there cannot be an adequate blessing on his labors un.less he knows experimentally the fulness of the Holy Spirit. This experience is one that is possible for all believers; it is the birthright of all. Fnrther, it is imperative. God's command is, 'Be filled with the Spirit,' and this command is as binding on a Christian as any other. Do we not need to ask forgiveness from God for the sin of not being thus filled ~ It is our risen and exalted Lord who bestows this blessing. It comes only to the believing, obedient, and snrrendered soul. What hinders 1 Self-will. If we knew in their fulness the meaning of the two words, 'absolute surrender,' most of our difficulties in the spiritual life would vanish. This experience may come to us suddenly, tho not necessarily so. But God can bestow on us an amazingly big blessing in a very short time.

" One of the effects of this bestowment will be an enlargement of our knowledge of the character and purpose of God. The heart blessing of joy is another result. Love one to another, a different relation to the will of God, and to worldly possessions, would also result from this surrender to the fulness of the Holy Spirit. Then it would not be possible for men who had offered their lives to the work of missions to be rejected for want of means to send them forth."

Rev. F. B. Meyer: "This truth about the Spirit needs to be applied in immediate and full submission to God. Those who have an intellectual conception of the enduement of Holy Spirit power must pass on to a conscious claiming and reception of it as a personal experience. Hindrances must be put away, such as lack of separation unto God, power in prayer, consistency in testimony. Before Pelltecost there must come Calvary. We must have our share in the death of Christ before we are ready to be anointed with the Holy Ghost. If there be not a full renunciation of all, it would keep back the soul from claiming and possessing by faith this ineffable blessing of the indwelling, the inworking, and the outgoing of the power of God's mighty Spirit. Take, reckon, and act faith, and as the soul believes so it will be done. This is a deeply solemn and impressive time, and many a soul may here have a silent transaction with God that will color and influence the whole future life."

Miss Gollock (connected with the Bombay settlement, of which more hereafter) : "I spent last winter in India, with its many peoples and its great needs j but since my return I have seldom been able to speak of it, because I feel that missionary inspiration comes more from the personal claims of Christ on the soul than from the needs of any particular country. Paul, in his time of imprisonment, with only his pen free to work, thus summed up his life aspiration: 'To me to live is Christ.' That was the secret of his service j and it forms the deepest consecration text in all the Bible. Those who can underline the text and write their names against it in solemn covenant have learned something of what it is to live. Too many Christians have not realized their right relation to their Lord, If they had, that would settle their relations to work abroad. Not service or success, but Christ, should be the keynote of the Christian life. Christ and the student, hand in hand and heart to heart-that relation lies at the basis of the evangelization of the world. Let every soul face it and see that the Son of God, the Savior of the world, says: 'My son, give Me thy heart.' Before your service He claims yourself. How may this exclusive relationship be manifested in daily life and service, as a preparation for work abroad? There is uo mantle of grace which falls on an outgoing mIsslOnary. He has only what he had before, with many new and strong temptations to be fought. If there has been failure at home there will be failure abroad. If there be not daily and deep communion at home, the habit will not be formed abroad. Give the preparatory years to the deepening of the inner life. Seek to know and walk with Christ by the light and teaching of the Holy Ghost. Then, when the time comes, the student and his Lord will go forth together.

" As to life in the colleges-speaking specially as to women students -some principals and tutors in the colleges will be found to be in sympathy with spiritual things, and others not. In contact with others, remember that Jesus Christ is full of sympathy with everything in formationfar more so than our human teachers. When in doubt on many points, and when seas of thought surge around, remember that Jesus Christ remains ever the same. Put Him honestly and loyally into the center of the life, and He will lead the trusting soul into all truth. When everything else is shaky, hold fast to the Rock of Ages. In the college itself there is a work to do for Christ, beyond and apart from any mental and intellectual calls on the student. From the center Christ we can look out fearlessly in any direction. Returning from India this verse: 'To me to live is Christ,' came with peculiar power to me when in Egypt. The Spirit of God pressed it hon::.e time after time, and it was marked in my Bible. A succeeding visit to Italy, with its artistic seductions, revealed the need of this pledge to look at every phase of life solely from the standpoint of Jesus Christ. College work is not easy work. It may mean reproach, difficulty, and often rebuff; but whoever has said, 'To me to live is Christ,' will go straight on and never mind; not in self-strength, but in dependence on the guidance of the Holy Ghost, looking alone at the glory of Christ.

" This also comes as the motto while working in the Church at home. There is a definite responsibility toward pastor and church organization, and the student who is given up to Christ will seek to manifest Him in all home work. As to the great work of the future, unless Christ is the Life, far better not go abroad at all; but if He is the center of the life at home He will choose the station and the life work. He yearns over heathendom, and there are many posts which only students can properly fill. And the very best equipment is needed. In looking around for a sphere, the well-equipped lady student will perhaps be tempted to think that no post offered is good enough for her capacities! Can we forget that our great Master, with all His powers, human and divine, ' threw Himself away' on Galilean peasants ~ If God has touched our hearts by His Spirit we cannot do better than throw ourselves away like that."

Rev. A. T. Pierson: "This has been a day of the Holy Spirit. I therefore change my intended subject and speak of the relation 'of the Holy Spirit to the character and service of the missionary. We are now preeminently in the dispensation of the Holy Ghost; yet the personality, the presiding presence, and administrative work of the Spirit are very largely ignored. In John 14-16 our Lord tells of the character and province of the Spirit of God. In these chapters we have the foundation of the teaching given in the Acts and the Epistles. He is at once the Spirit of light, of life, of love, and of order. As to character, we are absolutely dependent on the Spirit for all attainments in holiness. Behind all intellectual accomplishment lies character. Holy living is as much the product of supernataral power as was Peter's walking on the water. We are taught in Rom. 8 that the Holy Spirit is the element in which the child of God can alone live, and grow, and prosper.

" We notice about an element five things: "1. It is always greater than the animal that lives in it. "2. It supplies vitality to such animal. "3. It is independent of, yet indispensable to such animal. "4. Elements are contrary one to another, so that the life one nourishes the other stifles. "5. There may be rapid transition from one to the other, as from water to air, etc.

" All these facts have corresponding ones as to the relation of the Holy Spirit and the believer. The Holy Spirit is vaster than any disciple who lives in the Spirit. There may be a transition from one element to the other; but the life of the Spirit cannot be lived in the element of the flesh. , He that abideth in Him sinneth not.' All the great questions about holiness are solved here. There can only be defeat when we walk in the energy of the flesh; but when we walk and live and pray in the Spirit, conquest comes out of defeat.

" As to the service of Christ in the work of missions, we find that the Spirit of God is the channel of Divine activity. He is the organizer of the Church, the edifier of the Church, and the multiplier of the Church. But the Holy Spirit also condescends to guide individuals. As a mother has a care for each member of her family, so. the Holy Ghost, the nursing mother of souls, has a regard for the feeblest babe in Christ. He brings together the seeker and the servant who can give guidance to the inquiring soul. He opens the eyes of the blasphemer, and turns a Saul into a Paul. The Holy Ghost separates every worker to his special work, and sends him forth with a personal authority. He restrains a Paul from Bithynia, and directs him to Macedonia. So in modern times He restrained Carey from going to the South Seas, and directed him to India. So He kept Adoniram Judson from India and sent him to Burmah ; and Livingstone God shut out from China, where he essayed at first to go, and thrust him into the dark continent. If we are wholly given up to the Spirit of God, He will bend the heavens and come down and guide the individual worker to his work. Then seeming failures will -be turned into successes, and we can praise Him through all our diversified pathway. Another thought is that the Spirit gives utterance to the consecrated worker. The God who made man's mouth can take out of it any obstacle to the fullest witnessbearing. There is also the' demonstration of the Spirit,' by which the apostle claimed to speak The Spirit's logical processes are wonderfu1. He reveals God to the unbeliever, and uncovers hell to the accusing conscience. If we have not learned to depend on the Spirit, let us tarry till we do, or our work, whether at home or abroad, will be in vain."

Nothing has been more humiliating than to see European powers stand idly by and witness the wholesale massacre of 25,000 Armenians, with outrages never perhaps paralleled in modern times on an equal scale; and yet all this inertia and apathy due to mutual jealousy! It reminds one of the Jew who fell among robbers, and escaped with his money-bags because the robbers were fighting among themselves as to who should get the booty! Mr. Gladstone's saying describes the situation: "The Sultan triumphant in his dark designs against the Armenians." Cold diplomacy is not the vigorous champion whereby to meet and defeat even the wholesale annihilation of a people and an ancient church.-A. T. P.

NINE CEN'rURIES OF BUDDHISM

NINE CENTURIES OF BUDDHISM.-I.

BY F. B. SRAWE, LADAK, TIBET.

Among the philosophical and religious creeds offered to mankind at the present time to replace Christianity as the road to universal happiness, Buddhism, with its modern offshoot, Theosophy, probably occupies the rforemost place; and it is hardly asserting too much to say that the addresses of Mr. Dharmapala were among the most interesting, attractive, and influential of all speeches delivered at the Chicago Parliament of Religions. The speaker, all alive as he was with fervent belief in his own system, and scathing in his denunciation of what we all know to be the vices of socalled Christendom, could not fail to impart to others a reflection of the fire which he felt glowing within his own breast. But a moment's thought will give us an opportunity of asking: "The Buddhist speaker found enough to blame among us; would we find nothing to blame in Buddhist lapds ?" This is, indeed, a natural question and a vital one, urgently demanding a plain answer. Unless both sides of the question are presented we cannot form a true judgment; and the difficulty for the ordinary European lies in the impossihility for him to live in a Buddhist country and study the daily life of professing Buddhists. Several years' residence in Ladak have placed me in a position to do so, and I propose to note down some of the observations made, placing them for the purpose of easy com- * parison opposite to the theory of Buddhism as stated in Buddhist books.

It cannot be said lhat Ladak is not a fair field for observation, on the ground that Buddhism has not had time to develop its full powers. The date of the introduction of Buddhism into Ladak is uncertain. The great Buddhist King Kanishka, a comtemporary of Christ, claimed authority over Kashmir and Ladak, so that it is possible that Ladaki Buddhism and Christianity are of equal age. But Ladak is at present and has for centuries been in the closest religious connection with Lhasa. In order, therefore, to avoid any overstatement, we will assume that the conversion of Ladak was connected with that of 'l'ibet. Buddhism was introduced there in the eighth century A.D., but probably did not become the ruling religion until the tenth century. Giving Buddhism the full advantage of any doubt, we shall not go wrong in assuming that Buddhism has been established in Ladak since about the year 1000 A.D. , Buddhism has, therefore, had nine centuries to show what it is really capable of. A longer period than this will not be claimed by any religion as necessary to develop its powers.

Nor can it be urged that it is not fair to take for examination a country where the Mahayana form of Buddhism has been propagated. Such would * I must apologize if this method appears somewhat learned. It seems to me to be necessary, if the reader is to fully understand the real state of affairs, and I trnst that my remarks will not be quite devoid of interest, if only on account of the fact that they treat of Ladak, a country the social conditions of which have rarely been treated of by previous writers. indeed be the case if Hinayana Buddhists renounced their Mahayana brethren, much in the same way as a Protestant would object to a purely Roman Catholic country like Spam being taken as an example of a Christian land. Southern Buddhists, however, do not object, and not a voice is raised in Ceylon against the practices of Tibetans. The Maha-Bodhi Society, established for the express purpose of propagating Buddhism, has for its patron the Dalai Lama of Tibet, and for its president the Sthavira (Chief Priest) of Ceylon, while Buddhists from Ceylon, China, Japan, and Burma are mentioned as vice-presidents. Buddhists themselves do not consider Tibetans to be schismatics.

Taking, therefore, Ladak as in every way a fair field for examination, what book shall be taken as a fair exponent of Buddhism ~ Voluminous treatises are unsuitable, but Buddhists have provided short compendiums of their belief. I have before me a Buddhist Catechism by Subhadra Bhikshu. The preface states that the book is written with the express purpose of presenting an epitome of Buddhism to the Western reader. I have not yet met with a disavowal of this book in any Buddhist periodical, and in its tone it is quite what we are accustomed to hear from promoters of Buddhism. * After a short Introduction of six questions, the Catechism is divided into three sections, respectively headed: The Buddha (questions 7-68) ; the Doctrine (questions 69-156) ; and the Brothm'hood of the Elect (questions 157-171). Then follows an Appendix containing the inevitable quotations from the Dhammapada, and finally a number of explanatory notes.

Some remark is called for in regard to the Introduction.

II. 2. What is a Buddhist? Answer. One who reveres the Buddha as thc dispen:;er of spiritual light, the supreme guide and teacher of all living beings; who believes his doctrine, observes his precepts, and has given public and solemn testimony to this by repeating what is called the" Refuge" formula.

If this standard is to be applied, not one Ladaki (or Tibetans generally) can claim to be a Buddhist. In Ladak not the faintest attempt is made to observe the Buddha's precepts, and I have yet to find a Ladaki layman who even claims to know what the precepts contained in the canon are. Some lamas (priests) have made the claim, but failed utterly to substantiate it.

II. 3. What are the words of the formula or declaration so called? Answer. I take my refuge in the Buddha; I take my refuge in the Doc· trine (Dhamma) ; I take my refuge in the Brotherhood of the Elect (Sangha).

This formula is constantly on the lips of the people, but I have never heard it repeated as a" solemn testimony." It is gabbled over hundreds * I cannot pause to criticise the book at present, bllt take it for what it asserts itself to be, "an outline of the doctrine of the Bnddha Gautama." If each question were fully dealt with, a large volume would have to be written, lind I am obliged to contine myself to what appears to be the most important points. of times in the same way as the celebrated" Six Syllable" :nrayer, to be noticed hereafter. Scarcely any Ladaki can give any meaning for the words; much less is the orthodox meaning attached. On inquiring what the three " Refuges" are, I have been repeatedly informed that they are the so-called Dalai Lama of Lhasa, the Panchen Lama of Trashilhunpo~ and the Dharma Rajah of Bhotan.

Now follows part first of the Catechism-the Buddha: II. 8. Is the Buddha a God who has revealed himself to mankind? Answer. No. II. 10. Then he was a man? AnBwer. .. Yes; but a man far superior to ordinary men; one of a series of self-enlightened supreme Buddhas who appear at long intervals in the world, and are morally and spiritually so superior to erring, suffering mankind, that to the childlike conceptions of the multitude they appear as Gods or Messiahs; The Tibetan word for" refnge" is "konchog j" Buddha is "Konchog," which cannot be equivalent to "God" according to Buddhist theory. But with reference to " konchog" Jaeschke says in his dictionary: "To every Tibetan ' konchog , suggests the idea of some supernatural power, the exio;tence of which he feels in his heart." In Ladak I have often asked: "Why does the rain fall~" Answer." Konchog sends it." Prayers are offered to " Konchog" for snow. In arguing about the origin of the universe, the few thinking laymen and lamas usually admit that the world must have been created by " Konchog." Protestant missionaries use the word " Konchog" for " God," and are never understood to mean anyone of the three" refuges." Therefore tho the single person Buddha, the abstract doctrine, and the purality of persons the " Brotherhood" are each of them "KoncllOg," the Ladaki know of another " konchog" as God far above any Buddha and carefully distinguished from the deities they ordinarily worship, which are designated by the word " Iha." In this case the Ladaki are better than their creed.

In the following questions and answers (13-68) the history of Gautama is given_ Of this history, the Ladaki, laymen or clerics, know absolutely nothing. Nor does this ignorance in any way trouble them. The Buddha is of no importance whatsoever; he is quite pushed aside in favor of a crowd of deities, demons, and saints, of whom the Hindu deities, Shiva and Kali (Durga), and the saint Urgyan Padma are the most prominent. Subhadra has, however, woven into the history of the Buddha a few remarks on his teaching which call for comparison with the actual state of affairs.

II. 28. Did he (Gautama) nevertheless persevere in his ascetic life? AnBwer. No. He was now convinced that asceticism . . . was only a stumbling· block in the way of truth and moral perfection. (In a note to this passage we are further informed:)" For this reason Buddhism rejects all self-torture and mortification of the flesh as useless and injurious.

If this be so, why are hermits looked upon as unusually holy men ~ Both lamas and laymen sometimes take upon themselves vows of silence and retire to caves in the hills. In the autobiography of Mila Raspa, a very popular book, the author tells us that he once retired to a cave, and, placing a butter lamp on his head, he remained motionless until the butter was exhausted-a period of eleven months. In a later period of retirement he was reduced to absolute nakedness, and subsisted entirely upon nettles until his whole body became green like a caterpillar. Tibetan books abound with similar stories of a more marvelous nature, the inference drawn being that the greater the asceticism the greater the moral merit and holiness attained. Such people are, however, only known as Ilaving existed formerly; at the present time cases are not wanting in which a man and woman have withdrawn for such periods. of " meditation" (anglice-absolute mental vacuity and sleep) to caves or huts not very far apart, with the result that the woman has subsequently given birth to a child.

In a note to II. 43 we are informed that Buddhism neither denies nor affirms the existence of gods. Everyone is free to believe in one or a plurality of gods if he has a wish to do so.

Ladaki, and Tibetans generally, know of an infinite number of deities, both male and female (called "lha," not "konchog"). Deities taken from the Hindu pantheon play an important part. But besides these originally Hindu divinities, every village, every hill, every spring has its own deity, whose rights must be respected. A Hindu vVazir of Ladak once caused some stones to be removed from a sacred hill near Leh, and the epidemic of small-pox occurring in the autumn of the same year was universally attributed to the wrath of the god of the hill in question. The gods of springs must be propitiated by offerings, and to remove stones surrounding the spring is a heinous offense. * To cut down or lop certain trees would bring untold calamities on the inhabitants of the nearest village.

Only a short time ago a woman of Leh hit her foot with a mattock while working in her field. As the foot was swollen and painful on the following day, a lama was called in for advice. After consulting his books he replied that the accident had been caused by the local god of the field; for this reason medicines were useless, but religious services should be held to propitiate the offended deity. The woman accordingly went to great expense to pay the lamas for performing services j but as their efforts during a fortnight proved of no avail, she finally came to the missionary for medical treatment.. During this time the wound had ulcerated so badly that upward of six months were required to effect a cure. And all this solely because Buddhism "neither affirms nor denies the existence of gods.". On another occasion a woman came with a very painful fistula in the lower jaw, of which a large portion was found to be detached. She stated that it had been caused by a " lu"-i.e., a snake demon residing in .. With regard to springs, the Ladaki point to the air bubbles rising with the water as eonclusivQ proof that the deity beneath Is alive and breathing.

MONASTERY, LADAK

Palace of the former kings. A VIEW OF THE TOWN OF LEH, LADAK.

NINE CENTURIES Oil' BUDDHISM

springs and running streams. Renewed inquiry elicited the fact that at the time the trouble began a native practitioner had extracted a molar tooth from the same jaw. She was, however, in no way shaken in her idea of the cause of her trouble by the very natural inference that the man had broken her jaw on that occasion.

A curious custom in Ladak is the so-called" pa-spun," by which a number of families join together in forming a sort of burial society under the protection of some particular god or goddess. Once a year the members of this union assemble and present to the image of the deity a goat, together with a cupful of the water and droppings of the animal. It is of great importance that the goat tremble in presence of the image, for if it should not tremble the enraged deity will revenge itself on the members of the union. The goat is henceforth holy, and is neither shorn nor slaughtered. At the same time a sealed pot of barley is placed before the image. On the occasion of the following annual offering this pot is opened, and if the barley is found to have been transformed into wheat, it is a sign that the deity will procure a good harvest to its adorers. I have been repeatedly aS8ured that this miraculous change often takes place! Unbiassed observers will think it a pity that Bnddhism has not; dared to pronounce decisively on the question of a plurality of gods, but has left its votaries open to relapse into or to remain in idolatry and harmful superstitions.

In the note to II. 54 Subhadra says: .. Each member of the Brotherhood (i.e., each priest, lama) is provided with one of these bowls (i.e., alms-bowls), in which he collects the daily food."

On certain stated occasions the lamas do go begging, but this is a mere form. The lamas hve on the revenues of the monastery and never beg their daily food in the sense that they depend upon begging for means of sustenance. When on a pilgrimage they find hospitality in the houses of the laity, but so do laymen engaged in the same way. Nor do the lamas ever carry an alms-bowl. They have a wooden cup designated by the same name and of precisely the same shape and manufacture as those of the laity. Both cleric and lay always carry such a cup about with them. I have, however, more than once seen a sturdy lama walking through the fields dispensing blessings to the bowing people, while a man behind him groaned nnder the burden of huge sheaves of corn which he was carrying home for the lama.

The note to II. 55 reads: " No member of the Brotherhood is allowed to go unattended into the house of a woman." .

Nevertheless they go, often for immoral purposes. In the answer to II. 61'" !le Buddha's words explaining the necessity of his dea1h are quoted as f( llows : .. There is no such thing as eternal duration. Everything born … of neces. eity inherits dissolution. How, then, could it be possible that any human being, yea, even a supreme Buddha, should Dot be dissolved ?"

Ladaki, in common with all Tibetan Buddhists, however, are wiser than the Buddha, and their" avatar" system is in direct contradiction to his doctrine. The avatars are saints who might at any time enter into Nirvana, but who decline to do so, as they would thus be deprived of the possibility of " furthering the welfare of wandering beings." On death they therefore promptly reincarnate themselves in some child and resume their position at the head of their monastery. The most import,ant and celebrated of these avatars are the Dalai Lama of Lhasa and the Panchen Lama of Trashilhunpo, in Central Tibet j but every monastery of importance has its own avatar-usually tlle founder of the institution. The superiority of these avatars over the supreme Buddha is evident. Gautama taught and then extinguished himself forever in Nirvana. He was, therefore, at bottom a very selfish being, while the Tibetan saints in their compassion are willing continually to refuse the repose of Nirvana and to reenter this world of trouble. The above-mentioned Mila Raspa explicitly says that the doetrine of Southern Buddhists is really very selfish, and that the Tibetan form is far higher. Of course the avatars will have to disappear at the end of the present kalpa or world age, when everything comes to dissolution. Strictly speaking, therefore, they also are finite j but as the end may not come for billions of billions of years, they are for all practical purposes immortal, and the forty-five years of the Buddha's career make a very poor show when compared to this boundless perseverance in loving compassion.

The infinite absurdities connected with this system cannot be described here, but two special cases deserve mention.

The head monastery of the red lama sects in Ladak, Hemis, had been for many years unlucky with its avatars. A number of them in succession died young, before their education in Tibet had been completed. In despair a young avatar was finally bought for 1000 rupees from the yellow sect and solemnly enthroned in Hemis in 1891. This story was several times repeated to me, and not till they noticed that it was used to point out the absurdity of their whole belief did the people turn round. Now, of course, it is as stontly denied as it was asserted then.

In the autumn of 1892 there was a small-pox epidemic in Ladak which carried off a large number of people. In the following spring small-pox occurred only in a single village and in the Trikse monastery, the avatar of which died. The 'explanation givon me by a lama was that he had voluntarily died as an offering in order to stay the small-pox. But why did he, then, not die in the previous year, when the small-pox was really bad ~ His death at the time it took place was remarkably post festum. Moreover, the avatar of the Spituk monastery had caused himself to be vaccinated, evidently to avoid death j he must therefore be less compassionate than his colleague at Trikse. Yet both are alike absolutely devoid of all sin and love of life, inasmuch as both of them could at any time enter Nirvana should they choose to do so. Here is a bad dilemma for a Buddhist.

In this Catechism there now follows the famous story of the boar's flesh. By an ingenious disposition of the matter Subhadra gives the impression that the boar's flesh had nothing to do with the Buddha's death, a view which in the opinion of most authorities on Buddhism is contrary to the meaning of the sacred record. But we are here in1 erested in the explanation given by Sughadra of the Buddha's motives. The story is as follows : A certain Chunda offered the Buddha rice, cakes, and boar's flesh. Taking the pork for himself, the Buddha ordered the rice and cakes to be given to his companions. At the close of the meal he said: " Whatever is left over of the meat, that bury in a hole, for there is none in heaven and earth, among Samanas or Brahmanas, among gods or men, by whom such food may be eaten without hurt to himself save alone the Tathagata" –i.e., Buddha. Sudha'-'ra comments: II. 66. What did the Buddha mean by saying so ? Answer. He wished to intimate to his lay adherents that the flesh of ani· mals is no proper food for men and beings of a higher order, and that everyone who partakes thereof does it to the injury of his own body and mind.

This answer involves us in great difficulties. If the Buddha really considered flesh to be harmful, why did he, as stated in the Kangyur, allow its use under certain conditions and not expressly forbid it q The intimation conveyed here is so dark that Ladaki Buddhists may be excused for not understanding it. They are to a great extent vegetarians, not of choice, but of necessity. Meat is too costly to be a regular article of diet, but it is an essential part of every good dinner. The people are so eager for meat that the carcasses of fallen cattle are always consumed. Further, why is this instruction given only to the" lay adherentR" ~ Are we to suppose that what is harmful to the layman is good for the cleric ~ If so, the Ladaki monastic practice of eating as much meat as possible might be excused. Unfortunately, however, one monastery in Ladak does not even allow any meat to be brought ncar the buildings, thus plainly showing that flesh is forbidden food, as indeed it must be, because meat involves the slaughter of animals and the taking of life, which is contrary to one of the fundamental rules of Buddhism.

II. 67. Why did the Buddha take some of the wild boar's flesh himself? Answer. Because he was anxious not to infringe his own precepts, accord-' ing to which the brethren (i.e., the clerics, lamas, monks) are not allowed, to refuse anything that is kindly offered them.

This answer is marvelous. The Buddha pronounces a thing bad j but if it is "kindly offered" it becomes good, or at least indifferent! In other words, if an ignorant layman entice a monk to do wrong, the latter is at liberty to do so with impunity provided the intention was kindly. Can this be Buddhist doctrine ~ Then the lamas are certainly blameless in habitually transgressing nearly every rule of their order. But then why make rules at all ~ They are evidently, like pie crust, " made to be broken. "

(To be continued.)

THE CHANGE OF FRONT IN INDIA

THE CHANGE OF FRONT IN INDIA.

BY REV. JACOB CHAMBERLAIN, M.D., D.D., OF MADANAPALLE, INDIA.

A generation has fully passed since the writer, in 1859, joined the ranks of those attempting the conquest of India for Christ. How different the condition and the outlook then and now! Then India was just emerging from the troublous and turbulent times of the great Sepoy Rebellion. The sway of the East India Company, which had been growing for some two centuries, had recently been merged into the rule of Great Britain's Queen, and religious t.oleratiou had been proclaimed throughout her dominions. Then the first two hundred miles of railway had just been opened; now some twenty thousand miles run through all the provinces. Then Western education was in its infancy ; now fifteen millions of the educated classes all through the land, but chiefly in the large cities, freely use the English language, and are more or less well up in Western science and Western thought, the vernaculars, however, still retaining undisputed sway in the households of all.

Then Hinduism was as firmly seated on its throne as it had been at any time since the days of Moses. It had, indeed, passed through a slow process of modification, of deterioration. The essential monotheism of the Vedas of Moses' age had degenerated into the polytheism of the Shastras and the Puranas, and, farther, into the gross forms of idolatry o! the later period, with its three hundred and thirty millions of deities, named and unnamed. The system of caste, invented long after the Vedic times, and gradually imposed upon the people, binding them hand and foot and preventing all genuine progress, still manifested all its power, and one would sooner die than break caste rules and lose his caste and so his soul.

Then Hindus thoroughly believed and upheld and practised their religion. Then Benares, Tirupati, Sri Rangam, Rameshwaram, and the host of holy places were monthly thronged with their scores of thousands, and in their yearly festivals by their hundred thousand pilgrims, and on all the roadways you would meet the returning pilgrims with two brass pots hanging from their kavadi, or neck-yoke, filled with holy water at the Ganges, and replenished at each of the sacred streams as they wearily walked their thousands of miles to their distant homes. Then they believed in the efficacy of these pilgrimages and penances and tortures.

In February, 1861, I met a venerable Brahman pilgrim who told me of his sixty years of pilgrimages-of twice ten thousand miles-to every sacred shrine in India, all made on foot and begging his food by the way. " And yet," said he, sadly and with disappointment-" and yet the burdEln of sin is just as heavy as when, a young man, I started on this quest. Oh, Rir, does your Veda tell how I can get rid of this burden of sin, and be at peace with God?" One sees no such pilgrims now.

Then hook-swinging and spike-walking and self-torture and immolation were real verities. Yearly the shrine of Juggernaut saw its throngs of a hundred thousand devotees, from hundreds or thousands of miles of toilsome pilgrimage, and thousands gripped the long cables dragging the ponderous car of Juggernaut, while devotees were throwing themselves beneath its wheels.

Now all is changed. Britain's sway, indeed, has put a stop to torture and immolation, but the waning faith of the people in their religion has been putting a more effective quietus to the ancient order of things, until recently Juggernaut's priests issued the dismal wail that not enough pilgrims came to pull the car around its annual outing, and scarce were they able, with all the coolies they could hire, to move it back to its home.

The throngs of devout worshipers, making toilsome journeys with costly gifts, have ceased. Lessening multitudes now go, indeed, but by train, with more or less comfort, to many of the shrines, and perfunctorily engage in some of the less irksome ceremonies, but little or none of the religious spirit is seen.

Then the rich endowments of the temples were yearly increased by the liberal gifts of those who believed they could thus buy release from sin. Now myriads of temples are slowly going to ruin, and a wail comes up from the priests of the most noted shrines at the smallness of the offerings, while the people are openly accusing the priests of squandering in voluptuous licentiousness the revenues from the endowments of the pious dead. But let us note Hindu testimony upon this point.

One hundred of the chief residents of Tirupati, the most noted shrine of Southern India, signed and sent a memorial to the Viceroy of India in May, 1894, calling his attention to the desperate condition of Hindu religious endowments in general and of those of Tirupati in particular, and praying that government would provide more efficient means of safeguarding the interests of such endowments.

The ])aily .Hindu, one of the strongest native papers in India, the organ of the orthodox Hindus of Madras, published the memorial, and thus commented upon it : " We may well feel shocked at the true yet wondrous tales of huge frauds and heinous crimes which the memorialists have catalogued. The glory has departed out of our religious institutions, and what once contributed to purify the minds of millions of men and women are now the grovelling ground of some of the most ignorant and wretched of human beings, . . . who merely wallow in a mire of voluptuous pastimes, wasting the pious contributions of the widow and the orphan, and breeding around them a whole host of idle, able-bodied vagabonds. The vast majority of these endowments are corrupt to the core. They are a festering mass of crime and vice and gigantic swindling."

What a change of front since the leaders of Hindu thought were the ardent supporters and rich benefactors of these very temples !

The Reis and Rayyet, an influential Calcutta orthodox Hindu paper, sneers at Mrs. Besant's ecstallies over the beauties of Hinduism, and justly says: " Vhen an English lady, of decent culture, professes to be au admirer of Tantric mysticism and Krishna worship, it behooves every well-wisher of the country to tell her plainly that sensible men do not want her elo- quence for gildiug what is rotten. . . .

" If the Upanishads [commentaries on the Vedas, etc.] have a charm for Mrs. Besant., she is quite welcome to proclaim her views on the sub- ject. But the Upanishads do not form any part of the religion of the Hindus as it is found in their every-day life. In actual practise they are either Sivites or Saktas or Krishna worshipers. In fact, abomination wor- ship is the main ingredient of modern Hinduism, and we therefore ask Mrs. Besant to study the subject a little more carefully than she yet appears to have done. If she will follow our advice she may, provided she is sincere herself, admit sooner or later that the course she is now pursuing is fraught with mischief."

Of the Brahmanic priesthood in India at the present day, The Hindu, the representative native newspaper before referred to, speaks in these scorching words : " Profoundly ignorant as a class, and infinitely selfish, it is the mainstay of every unholy, immoral, and cruel custom and superstition in our midst, from the wretched dancing girl, who insults the Deity by her existence, to the pining child-widow, whose every tear and every hair of whose head shall stand up against everyone of us who tolerate it on the Day of Judgment; and of such a priestly class our women are the ignorant tools and helpless dupes."

It seems now to be the profound conviction of all thoughtful Hindus that Hinduism as it now exists, as it was when Christian missions began their campaign in India, as it has been for the last thousand years, must go.

" The stanch, orthodox Brahman editor of a vernacular newspaper" is quoted by The Missionary, London, as taking this gloomy view of the situation: " We entertain no more any hope for that religion which we consider dearer to us than our life. Hinduism is now on its death-bed, and, unfortunately, there is no drug which can be safely administered to it for its recovery. There are native Christians nowadays who have declared a terrible crusade against the entire fabric of Hinduism, and many men of splendid education are also coming forth, even from our own community [Brahmans], who have already expressed a desire to accept Christianity, and should these gentlemen really become first Christians and then its preachers, they will give the last death-blow to Mother Hinduism. This terrible crusade is now carried on by Christians with a tenacity of purpose and a devotion which in themselves defy failure."

But while all thoughtful Hindus seem to agree that Hinduism, in its modern form at least, must go, they are not by any means agreed as to what shall take its place. All agree in fighting aggressive Christianity.

They have even borrowed Christian tactics, and have formed in many cities of India "Hindu Tract and Preaching Societies," and are issuing millions of pages of tracts attacking Christianity and scattering them broadcast. Some of them are of a most blasphemous character and filled with grossest falsehood. Others are simply designed to arouse Hindus to a sense of their danger. One of these, as translated from Tamil by Dr.

J. W. Scudder, makes use of the following language, a singular admission for enemies to make : "How many thousands of thousands have these missionaries turned to Christianity. and keep on turning! On how many more have they east their nets! If we sleep as heretofore, in a short time they will turn all to Christianity without exception, and our temples will be changed into churches. Is there no learned Pandit to be secured for money who will crush the Christians ~ " Do you not know that the number of Christians is increasing, and the number of Hindu religionists decreasing every day ~ How long will water remain in a reservoir which continually lets out but receives none in ~ Let all the people join as one man 10 banish Christianity from our land."

There are three distinct trends of thought ou the part of those who unitedly oppose aggressive Christianity.

One party seeks to resuscitate Vedic Hinduism j to purge modern Hinduism of all its undesirable later accretions, and restore it to its pris- tine purity. But no two agree as to what its" undesirable accretions"

are, nor as to what the" pristine purity" should consist in. Some say that it must be monotheistic and without caste. Others wish to retain a few of the more popular gods, and to keep up caste distinctions. There seems at present no prospect of an agreement as to what this" Revival of Hinduism" should consist in, tho there are multitudes of preachers of such a revival. What will be the outcome of this no one can say.

The second trend is toward the acceptance of a Christianity without Christ-that is, the accepting of Christ's teachings as a system of moral- ity, without accepting the name of Christians, and without admitting Christ to be Divine.

The Indian Social Reformer, edited by non-Christian Hindus, in a notice of the American Arcot Mission's annual report for 1894, makes this evident, as in the following extract: "Why does not Christianity progress ~ The situation at present, admits the report, is 'unpleasant and disheartening' to the missionary. 'Why ~ The reason, to our minds, is this: The ordinary missionary attaches more value to the name than to the spirit of Christ, and judges of his labors by the number of his [avowed] converts. The true Christian spirit, which is also the true spirit of all faith, is making way. It is so very difficult for our missionary friends to see that the mind which revolts from the dogmas and extravagances of Hinduism will not accept those of Christianity j that the man who rejects the theory of the incarnation of Rama would not believe in that of Christ. No j no. Emancipation is once for all. A godlike man is still a man and not god. There is our difference with onr Christian brother in a nutshell.

" We concede that Christ is one of the most perfect, the noblest of men. We read the Bible and listen a we-struck to the Sermon 011 the Mount, and pass on to the soul-stirring sacrifice on Calvary. Does It move us one whit less-this immortal heroism-that we believe that the hero was a man ~ And why do you want more /" A few would go still further in their admissions, and in their willing- ness to borrow from Christianity, even professing to believe in the incar- nation of Christ, but, with the same breath, declaring that they believe Buddha and Zoroaster to be incarnations of the deity.

The A1mita Bazaar Patrika, a stubbornly orthodox Hindu newspaper of North India, in an editorial has these words: " There is scarcely an edncated man in India who has not read the Bible. It is impossible for a Hindu not to feel a profound respect for the Bible. The real fact is that every true Hindu is a believer in Christ also. There is not a true Hindu all over India who does not believe in the Avatar [incarnation] of Christ. Indeed, in the matter of devotion to Christ the Hindus and Christians are on a perfecHy equal level. There cannot be the least objection on the part of a Hindu to pray, , Save me, Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ.' "

They would simply add Christ, with His inimitable life and teachings to their pantheon, but remain Hindus or non-Christians all the same. To this end "The Arjya Literary Society in Calcutta, composed of non- Christian Bengali gentlemen," we are told, " are now engaged in translating the Bible into classical Bengali. They have asked and obtained the assistance of representative men of the Christian communities, lest anything should appear in the translation which should make it anti- Christian in tone."

The third distinct, trend is toward agnosticism, and this I regard as the most portentous trend of all, for it exists not only among those who openly so avow themselves, but untold numbers who for social reasons ally themselves with some one of the other parties, have really thrown themselves into blank and cheerless agnosticism, and the number is increasing faster than we know.

There is, however, in spite of all the above-mentioned opposition, an unquestionable undercurrent tending toward evangelical Christianity. There came to me secretly in my tent, when out upon a tour, a native gentleman high in office, in caste, in social position, wishing to have a private conversation with me on the claims of Jesus of Nazareth to be the Savior of the world. After a somewhat extended conversation he said to me, in substance: " Sir, I am not a Christian. I am still regarded as a devout Hindu. I still perform enough Hindu ceremonies to avoid suspicion, but in my heart I dare not deny the claims of the Bible. I see the power of Jesus Christ in the lives of His followers so distinctly that I cannot deny His Divinity. He must be Divine or He could not work such a change in the lives of those who become His disciples. He is not yet my Savior. Caste, wealth, position, family, all hold me back; but even now I never allow Him to be spoken against in my presence. I have long been reading the Bible in secret. The more I read of Christ and ponder over His life and teachings, and the power to conquer sin which comes from embracing His

TilE PItESENT POSITION OF THE AN'fI·OPIUM MOVEMENT

religion, the more do I feel that in the end I shall have to accept Him at any cost, as my personal Savior; but how can I do it now and bring ruin upon my family ~"

There are more such than we have any idea of. The surface currents so often fail tQ tell what the deep-sea movemeuts are.

Sir Charles Elliott, Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, for thirty years a close observer of missionary activities and missionary problems in many provinces in India, said in a public address: " There is unquestionably an undercurrent working among the higher classes in India toward Christianity in spite of all the open manifestations against it, and we may look forward with confident expectation to the day when all India shall bow at the feet of Christ, who alone can uplift, purify, and save."

This changed front, then, gives royal vantage ground to work for India's redemption. The old apathy; the old supercilious indifference ;, the old silent, ~ut dogged resistance; the old conviction that naught could shake Hinduism's firm foundations has passed away, and passed never to return. Religious thought in India is drifting hither and yon. The time to rally all Christ's forces has come. Let earnestness of effort and persistence in prayer bring out and energize these secret half-disciples. Thf! currents that are veering away from Christianity may now, by God's blessing on trebled effort, be turned toward the Cross of Calvary, and India yet be won in this generation. The time for work is now.

THE PRESENT POSITION OF THE ANTI-OPIUM MOVEMENT.

BY JOSEPH G. ALEXANDER, HON. SECRETARY OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF THE OPIUM TRADE.

India's upium traffic with China has been the subject of protest from English Christians, and even from upright men who do not call themselves followers of Christ, ever since the year 1839, when the Rev. A. S. Thelwall published a pamphlet entitled" The Iniquities of the Opium Trade with China." That same year saw the temporary stoppage of the traffic by the Chinese Government. Its seizure of contraband opium was abundantly justified by international morality, tho all its proceedings toward British subjects cannot be defended. The result was the Opium War of 1840, of which Mr. Gladstone said at the time, in the House of Commons, that he had never read of " a war more unjust in its origin or more calculated to cover this country with permanent disgrace;" while Dr. Arnold, of Rugby, wrote of it as "a national sin of the greatest possible magnitude." China was humiliated and compelled to pay an indemnity for the opium so righteously destroyed, and the trade flourished more than ever. In 1858, after a second war, not so directly connected with opium, China consented to legalize the traffic and to share the revenue derived from it. How reluctantly she took this step is proved by the dignified remonstrance addressed by the Tsring-li Yamen (Foreign Board) of China to the British Minister at Peking in 1869, in which England was entreated to join with China in joint measures for the total suppression of the poppy culture and opium manufacture in both India and China. To this document no reply has ever yet been vouchsafed.

The first leader of the movement was the good Earl of Shaftesbury. In 1843, while still a member of the House of Commons, and in 1859, after his succession to the peerage, he brought forward motions in Parliament attacking the traffic. The first parliamentary division on the subject was taken in 1870 by Sir 'Wilfrid Lawson, now so well known as the leader of the temperance party iu the British House of Commons. His attack was repulsed by 151 to 47 votes. From that time onward the agitation has been continuously kept up. In 1874 was formed the Society for the Suppression of the Opium Trade, with Lord Shaftesbury as its first president, and for its parliamentary leader Sir Joseph Pease, a member of the Quaker family which is inseparably connected with the name of George Stephenson and the early history of railway enterprise, and himself at the present time chairman of one of our great English railways, the North Eastern. Other organizations have since been formed with similar objects.

In 1885 the movement won its first victory in the settlement of the long-standing difficulty with regard to the opium clauses of the Chefoo Convention. This settlement, under which the Chinese Government obtained a greatly increased share of the profits derived from Indian opium imported into China, proved a barren victory for the friends of morality, as the decrease in the import of Indian opium has been but small, and has been far more than made up by the increased production in China itself. It has, however, greatly diminished the profits obtained by the Indian Government from the trade in opium, and may thus have an important bearing on the ultimate issue of the agitation.

In 1891 the House of Commons virtually adopted, by a majority of 161 to 130, Sir Joseph Pease's motion declaring" the system by which the Indian opium revenue is raised" to be " morally indefensible." This vote led to some concessions by tIle British Government, mainly with regard to the increasing consumption of opium in India itself. This side of the question had recently come into prominence; and there was only too much reason to fear that an unscrupulous and influential section of the Indian Government were desirous of stimulating the consumption of opium in India in order to compensate for the loss of profits from the China trade. Even the modicum of reform announced in the Honse of Commons was very imperfectly carried out in India.

In the autumn of 1892, as the result of the general election of that year, Mr. Gladstone's last administration came iuto power. Most of his colleagues in the House of Cbmmons had voted with Sir Joseph Pease in the division of the previous year; and an early appeal was made to the new Secretary of Statc for India, Lord Kimberley, to give effect to the policy endorsed by the votes of his colleagues. The influential deputation which waited on him could scarcely have had a more unfavorable reception. Lord Kimberley told them plainly that India could not afford to dispense with so important a revenue as that derived from the opium traffic, and he held out no hope of reform, with one noteworthy exception. He promised that in Burma, where the Buddhist priesthood and the Christian missionaries were equally opposed to the traffic, and even the officials bore unanimous testimony to the disastrous effects of opium on the Burmese, a measure of prohibition should be granted. This promise was eventually carried out; and tho the measure is faulty in several respects, especially in being applicable only to the Burmese and Karens, it is undoubtedly a great reform, and the most important positive result yet attained by the antiopium movement.

Lord Kimberley'S hostile attitude rendered it necessary again to bring the subject before the House of Commons. Accordingly in June, 1893, a resolution was proposed which, arter referring to the vote of 1891, asked that practical measure; be taken to carry it out by the appointment of a commission charged to inquire, not into the morality of the opium traffic, but into the best mode of satisfying the legitimate needs of the Indian exchequer while dispensing with the revenue from opium, without any increased pressure on the tax-payers of India. The motion proposed to refer it to the commission to inquire whether a temporary grant from the British exchequer would be necessary for this object. Mr. Gladstone's government, however, yielding to the pressure of the India Office, refused to accept such an inquiry. It met the motion by an amendment proposing a commission for a very different purpose-namely, to inquire" whether the growth of the poppy and manufacture and sale of opium in British India should be prohibited except for medical purposes, and whether such prohibition could be extended to the native States." The inquiry was to include various subsidiary points, as to the effect on the finances of India, the consumption of opium in the different districts of India, and, finally, the willinguess of the Indian people" to bear in whole or in part the cost of prohibitive measures." The Government resolution was carried, after a plausible speech from Mr. Gladstone himself, by 184 votes to 105, the latter figures representing the strength of the anti.opium party in the House of Commons.

The commission was constituted of nine members. Lord Brassey, the president, is a man of enormous wealth, considerable ability, and that kind of reputation as a philanthropist which is not very hard to acquire by a kind. hearted man who can figure well at public functions and can give away large sums of money. He is a man of extraordinary vacillation of purpose; but this weakness is combined with a shrewd perception of the line of conduct likely to lead to popularity and advancement. Since the close of the commission he has been appointed to an Australian governorship. Besides Lord Brassey, the commission was composed of two Anglo-Indian officials; a medical man and a Conservative member of Par- liament, who were supposed to be impartial members; two representatives of the anti-opium party, Mr. Arthur Pease and Mr. Henry J. Wilson, M.P.; and two Hindu gentlemen of high standing.

The English members of the commission began their work in the autumn of 1893 by a week's sittings in London, where evidence was taken from various ex-officials, missionaries, and others from India, China, and the Straits Settlements. They then proceeded to India, where they were joined by the native commissioners, and made a four months' tour, beginning at Calcutta anu proceeding by way of Northern India to Bombay, taking evidence at various centers along the route.

Bishop Thoburn has remarked that the commission visited India at a peculiarly unfavorable time. The ever-swelling military expenditure on the northwest frontier of India, combined with the continuous depreciation of the silver currency, causing an aggravation of the weight of the" home charges"-that is, the sums payable by India to England, in gold, for pensions, furlough allowances, and interest on loans-had brought about a deficit in Indian finance. At such a time to talk of cutting off the revenue derived from the sale of opium to the Chinese seemed to most residents in India, whether European or native, who had anything that might be taxed, a most untimely display of morality. The official world of India was strongly opposed 10 the anti-opium agitation; and it is difficult for Englishmen or Americans, accustomed to the air of perfect freedom, to conceive the influence possessed by Government in India, especially as regards the nath-e population. Under these circumstances, it cannot be deemed surprising that a great mass of evidence, extenuating the evils of the opium habit, extolling it as "an unconscious safeguard" against malaria, and attributing to it other (sometimes contradictory) beneficial consequences, was brought before the commission. The really astonishing thing is that there were everywhere found witnesses-missionaries, native Christians, and a considerable number of gentlemen from the small but important class of Indian social reformers-who came forward boldly to express the conviction that the opium habit, in whatever form, is a curse and a disgrace.

The majority of the English commissioners readily accepted the crude theories and loose statements put forward by the official witnesses and supported· by the Europeans and Indians whom they had mustered to support them. In the course of their Indian tour, all of them, except Messrs. Pease and Wilson, had plainly shown their bias toward the views prevalent among the Anglo-Indian officials by whom they were surrounded, and frequently entertained. The medical member of the commission, Sir William Roberts, as has been pointed out recently in the Indian Medical Record, an influential Calcutta paper, was strongly predisposed by his own published writings to the view put forward by several leading official doctors in that city, that opium-eating (more properly, swallowing), which is the common Indian form of the habi1:, has some special relation to the racial and climatic conditions of India. He had propounded the general theory tha1; all habits of taking stimulants, such as alcohol, tea, and coffee, are in themselves wellnigh conclusive evidence of some craving which they satisfy. When, therefore, these Calcutta doctors applied his theory of the benefit of " dietetic stimulants" by boldly asserting, on the flimsiest possible foundation of observation,that opium performed just the same service in assisting the digestion of the poor Indian ryot which alcohol had been asserted by Sir William Roberts to fulfill in the case of the English laborer, he readily accepted this opportune confirmation of his own pet idea, and worked it out in an appendix to the majority report. The Indian Medical RecQ1·d has shown, however, that stubborn facts and figures are absolutely irreconcilable with this theory. One of each must suffice as a specimen. The fact is, that the Indian ryot, except in a few districts, which are or have been poppy-growing tracts, does not consume opium at all j the figures show that, on a careful computation (see Mr. 'Wilson's Minority Report, par. 21, and notes M and N), not more than four in a thousand of the total population of India are habitual opium consumers, and that among these the urban populations supply the greatest proportion, while the least proportion is found in some of the most malarious districts.

Before leaving Bombay the commissioners, except Mr. Wilson, who was kept away by an attack of fever, drew up a series of resolutions to form the basis of their final report. The report itself, however, did not appear till fourteen months later, having been drafted in London by a fresh secretary, an India Office official, who had not been with the commission in India, and who incurred the censure of the Secretary of State for India by communicating to the Times, some days before its presentation to Parliament, an extremely one-sided and misleading summary of its contents. This report, which justified the opium policy of the Indian Government in every respect, bore the signatures of all the commissioners except Mr. Wilson. Even Mr. Arthur Pease, Sir Joseph Pease's brother, had been prevailed upon to sign it. Mr. Pease is a Christian man, and had no doubt brought himself to believe that it was his duty to do so. He had not taken a very active part in the anti-opium movement before being placed on the commission j during his tour in India he moved almost exclusively in official circles j and his close political alliance with the liquor interest at home, through whose assistance he has since succeeded in gaining a muchcoveted seat in Parliament, was not calculated to make him enthusiastic for the suppression of the Indian opium traffic.

The two Indian commissioners, who did not come to England to join in the final discussion of the report, appended to it separate memoranda containing important reservations. They both urge the adoption of strong measures for the suppression of opium smoking, a habit which is, relatively, of modern introduction into India, and which the great mass of Indian witnesses, including most of those who came forward in defense of the opium revenue, decidedly condemned. Even. the Majority Report ad- mits that it is generally regarded in India as a disreputable habit. They also urge the need for an improved system of selling the drug in India, one of them proposing to put it into the hands of medical practitioners instead of the " ignorant opium farmers or venders under the present sys- tem," and the other adding the suggestions that, as under British law at home, it "should be sold in bottles or vials labeled ' poison,' " and that " the minimum dose which is likely to be fatal should be legibly printed in the vernacular on these labels."

Mr. Henry J. Wilson, M.P., presented a Minute of Dissent remark- able for its conciseness and brevity, on the one hand, and, on the other, for its impartial reference to and quotation of evidence on both sides. In these latter respects it forms a striking and suggestive contrast to the Ma- jority Report, which, tho three times as long, does not contain anything like as many references, and does not give one solitary quotation from the anti-opium witnesses except in a few cases where they have made admis- sions that can be turned against them. Mr. Wilson entirely endorses the anti-opium program; he shows that the cultivation of opium is to a great extent unpopular, because unprofitable, among the cultivators; that it is principally produced for export to China ; that " opium in China is a gigan- tic national evil;" and that" it is altogether unworthy for a great depen- dency of the British Empire to be thus engaged in a traffic which produces such widespread misery and disaster." As regards the sale of opium in British India, he makes recommendations similar to those of the two Indian commissioners.

The report of the commission was discussed in the House of Commons three weeks after its presentation, on the last evening of the session of 1895 which was available for other than Government business. The fact that the House had had so short a time in which to master the voluminous documents laid before it was made the most of by the Secretary of State for India, Sir Henry Fowler. But he made no answer whatever to the grave charges formulated by Sir Joseph Pease and his able seconder, Mr.

John Ellis, against the Indian Government and the majority of the com- mission for a series of unprecedented and unconstitutional proceedings calcu- lated gravely to prejudice the inquiry. Tho defeated by a large majority on what was virtually a vote of censure of the commission, the anti-opium leaders have good reason to congratulate themselves on having embraced what has proved to be the only opportunity which they could have had, while their own political party was still in power, to repudiate the authority of the report. .

The debate cannot be said to have produced much effect on public opin- ion ; and it was quickly overshadowed by the fall of the Liberal Govern- ment shortly afterward. The new Conservative ministry can hardly be ex- pected to be more friendly than its predecessor to the anti-opium agitation. The press, only too eager to get rid of a " fad" which is inconvenient to both political parties, has generally followed the lead of the Times, declaring the whole movement to have been founded on a delusion, which the commission has finally dispelled. It is not yet clear how the attention of the British public can best be recalled to the main question at issue, which the majority of the commission has done its best to obscure: Shall the name of Christ still be blasphemed among the Chinese because of Britain's participation in the traffic which feeds her great national cancer ~ Not only have the commissioners overlaid this question by devoting more than nine tenths of their report to the Indian branch of the subject, notwithstanding their own admission that more than nine tenths of the opium produced in India is exported to China and the Straits Settlements, but they have actually stooped to gross misstatements of facts and garbled quotations of evidence in their discussion of the Chinese traffic.

A veteran American missionary, Rev. Dr. Ashmore, of Swatow, one of those invited by British consuls in China to furnish replies to questions issued by the commissioners, is a victim of the latter offense. He had stated: "Some Il,len of vigorous vitality will use opium for many years and not show marked results." In the rest of his evidence, all the more weighty for the carefnl reservation of these exceptional cases, he clearly expresses his opinion that" nearly all of those with whom the habit is fully formed" consume opium " with great injury. " Yet he is quoted in support of the statement that some of the missionaries" take a less decided view" than the majority of his colleagues, by whom, it is admitted, " the use of opium is strongly condemned." He is made to differ from them by the simple expedient of omitting the three important words in italics, the rest of the sentence being quoted without any indication of its incompleteness. The Rev. A. Bone, of Canton, is even worse treated-two disconnected passages being pieced together as if they formed part of one sentence, in order to make him out a dissentient from the general voice of his brethren. Three sentences may be quoted from the report containing three allegations directly contradictory to fact. "It may be added," says the report, "that there is no evidence from China of any popular desire that the import of Indian opium should be stopped." There is, in fact, a considerable body of such evideuce. "In the British consular service the prevailing opinion is that opium smoking in moderation is not harmful, and that moderation is the rule. . . . The medical opinions were in general accord with those of the consular body." Two careful and accurate writer;;, Mr. Joshua Rowntree and the Rev. F. Storrs Turner, have shown that these are untrue representations of the balance alike of the consular and the medical evidence, both of them, in fact, showing a strong preponderance of opinion contrary to that here stated. It is difficult to get the British people to believe that a number of presumably honorable men have put their signatures to a dishonest report; yet when these charges, which ha'e already been publicly made without any attempt being made to answer

XACHIN TRADITIONS AND RELIGION

them, are established to the satisfaction of our fellow-countrymen, as they certainly can and will be, there must be a great revulsion of feeling, and an outburst of indignation which will sweep away the Indian Government's opium traffic forever. In what precise mode this result is to be brought about is a matter which we can leave to Him who has throughout been looked to for guidance and inspiration in our crusade. Meanwhile, we are doing what we can to utilize the platform, the press-so far as it remains open to us-and, above all, the Christian churches, in pressing forward the necessity of putting an end to this great national sin, and removing this serious stumbling-block from the way of the Gospel in China. We believe that our God is leading us on to certain victory, and that, mighty as are the forces of interest and prejudice arrayed against us, " they that be with us are more than they that be with them."

KACHIN TRADITIONS AND RELIGION.

BY REV. O. HANSON, BRAMO, BURMA.

The people of Upper Burma (called by the English Kachins, and by themselves Chingpaws or Singphas) occupy the country extending from the 23° to the 27° 3D' of north latitude, comprising the mountain ranges on both sides of the Irrawaddy. It is believed by some that the Kachins are closely allied to the various tribes residing in the almost inaccessible regions bounding on Tartary. However this may be, if the Kachin traditions are in any way reliable, there can be little doubt as to their original home. Like the Nagas and other tribes on the Assam side, with which the Kachins have much in common, both in language and customs, they must have descended from one of the aboriginal hill tribes of Northeastern India.

The Kachins in their mountain homes are savage, superstitious, easily offended, revengeful, and to strangers unusually reserved. It is especially hard to induce any well-informed Kachin to rev~al the mysteries of his religion. Generally, out of a superstitious dread of the Nats, he will keep back, even when closely questioned, the most important and interesting parts. This religion, altho at present mostly a degraded creation of a degenerated race, must have had a purer source than is at first discernible from a superficial observance of the rites and ceremonies now practised. Confucianism and Buddhism have had little inftuence over these wild mountaineers, even tho they must have been in close contact with Chinese, Shans, and Burmans for centuries. FrQm the Kachin traditions alone we meet with occasional glimpses of a life, knowledge, ideas, and aspirations not now in their possession. It is here attempted to give in a condensed form some leading thoughts found in the traditions, customs, and religious beliefs of this strange but interesting race, Traditions.-(a) The creation. The main points in the lengthy account which a Nat priest can give on this interesting topic are the following: Originally, " before the beginning," only wind, clouds, and a mysterious being, half human and half avian, existed in some unaccountable manner through a self-creative power. From these elements were brought forth, by means of a generative process, the first cosmical matter and the primitive spirits or Nats. These Nats in their turn brought forth vegetation, animal and human life. While the elementary parts of this world still existed in their rudimentary forms, a great Nat, named Chinun, gave birth to a monstrous giant, half spirit and half man, named Ninggawnwa. It took seven years for him to be born, and he held at his birth a great hammer and a pair of tongs in his right hand. With these instruments he in due time gave form and order to the visible earth. As soon as the arrangement of this earth was completed, Chinun brought forth a great pumpkin, which the" omniscient" one (also a later son of Chinun), after the death of his mother, divided into two parts. From the part to the right the first man was made, and the first woman from the one to the left. This human pair dwelt at the central part of the earth, by a beautiful mountain created from the head of Chinun. Man was made immortal, but because of a foolish desire to see a dead being, and having by a lie brought over himself the wrath of the Sun-Nats, death was imposed upon him as a punishment. A number of cattle were sent to eat the "fruit of life," which otherwise would have served as a preventive of death. The first human pair gave birth to another, and so on until the third generation, when nine sons and nine daughters were born to a certain Wachstwa. These are the progenitors of the different Kachin tribes, or, as some would assert. of the Asiatic races in general. The pedigree of white people can be traced to a certain kind of monkeys, and according to some were not found un til after" the great flood." Everything is now existing through itself, and an overruling providence in the Christian sense is not recognized. The Nats at times shake the mountains, thus causing earthquakes, or send a great frog to swallow the sun or the moon, which causes eclipses, but are not otherwise interfering with the regular order of the universe. The Kachins, as far as I have been able to find out, do not believe i~ any interruption of the present order of things. Everything has for them an endless existence.

(b) "The great flood." It has often been observed that the story of the deluge has in some form or another been preserved, with surprising exactness of detail, in most separate countries and by widely different races. The Kachins having no written language, and consequently no literature of any kind, form, however, no exception to this interesting fact. Their unique story of the "great inundation" runs in somewhat the following way: Some time after Ninggawnwa had finished his creative work and appointed to the different races separate places where to live and dwell, an IIottempt was made by him to build a huge bridge, at the central part of the earth, over the mighty Irrawaddy. Nine jealous brothers, determined, out of envy, to frustrate the work, came one day and said to him, " Your mother is dead." This did not greatly trouble him, as he thought it easy to find a stepmother. After some time the brothers returned, saying, "Your father is dead." This caused him great sorrow j his heart was filled with anger, and he crushed in his wrath an adjacent mountain, after which he abandoned his work and returned home. Now he discovered that he had been greatly deceived, and the subject of a most perfidious treachery. In order to take revenge on the nine brethren, their relatives and humanity in general, with which he was now displeased, he caused a great flood to overflow the whole earth, and intended to extinguish every form of life. Two orphans escaped, however, in a great ovalshaped drum. They took along with them nine cocks and nine iron needles. A needle was dropped for each passing day, and on the ninth day they heard the last one ring against the stones. The last cock also crowed, and thus they knew that the earth was dry. One of these orphans some time after this great catastrophe was killed and eaten by a fnrious Nat called Chitong. The other married a being half Nat and half man by the name of Ningcut. A child was born to this pair, which Chitong killed when its mother was absent from home, and prepared its liver for her to eat. The body itself he chopped into small pieces and scattered them over an adjoining field. From this" seed" a new race sprang forth, in everything like the antediluvian one, and is now inhabiting the world.

(c) The lost book. A third tradition deserving attention is the following : After the world was set in order and the different races were settled in their respective homes, Ninggawnwa, at a great feast, met with representatives from the chief and most powerful surrounding tribes. At the close of the feast they all asked him to become their ruler. This he refused, but gave to each of them a book. To the Chinese he gave a book of paper j the Burmans received a book of palm-leaves, and the Kachin book was made of parchment. On the way home the one who had received the Kachin book prepared it as food and ate it. (Some Kachins assign as the cause for this that the man was hungry and had nothing else to eat; others, which I think are more numerous, give no reason whatsoever.) Since then the Kachins have had no book, but the great Nat priests and professional story-tellers can by a kind of inspiration relate its contents. This is always done at their great feasts, when it takes three nights and days to rehearse it all. It contains the only authentic records known regarding crea.tion, the flood, the different human races, the origin of the Nats, and their work and worship.

A number of narratives in the same vein could be given, but the above may suffice to give a general idea of their contents. It would be interesting to know something about the sonrces from which these shallow streams have been flowing.

Ideas 0/ a Supreme Being.-Some writers have been a.nxious to prove that races and nations have existed or are now living who are wholly with· out ideas of a supernatural being. It has, however, always been found that such statements were founded on an imperfect knowledge of the races described, and that behind the crude exterior some apprehension of a supreme power is entertained, altho at times extremely vague. It would hardly suprise us if it was found that the savage and barbarous Nat worship of the Kachins had blotted out all higher ideas of the supernatural. For centuries the vilest practices have been perpetuated in connection with this worship. An educational system, even in its most rudimentary form, is unknown ; any especial worship of a supreme being does not exist. Still, even here it is clearly discernible that God has not suffered Himself to be unknown. The Kachins have ideas of a being higher and more powerful than any Nat. He is called by different names, such as " The one higher than the clouds" (this name has to some Kachins an almost magical power) ; the "Omniscient" one, whose wisdol!1 was especially manifested at the creation of man; the" Creator," who also was active in giving life to man; the "Spirit," or the Spirit above all spirits. Other names, as the" Lord of heaven and earth," may also be given, but the same being is indicated in every case. It is true that a further attempt to explain his ideas of the supreme would bring a Kachin to what a Western mind would regard as an almost hopeless confusion. He would assert .that the same being is indicated in each of the above names, and also that the "Omniscient" one and the "Creator" had something like a human birth, while this would not be admitted in the case of " The one higher than the clouds." To us some form of incarnation, or something resembling an Avatar of Vishnu, would offer the most natural explanation, but a Kachin feels no necessity of solving this mystery. It is enough for him to know that there is f:'ome one greater than the Nats. These Nats, the greatest number of which have once been human beings, are in their present state immortal, but not omniscient, omnipotent, or ubiquitous. All of these attributes are without hesitation applied to the one above all. Beings half Nat and half man were endowed with supernatural power, but were subject to change and death, and exist at present in the same way as any other who has passed into the realm of the dead.

The knowledge of a supreme power exerts, however, hardly any moral influence over the Kachins. It is commonly believed that he ordinarily does not concern himself about human affairs. Only in extreme cases is it suspected that he punishes an extraordinarily wicked person, but when and how this happens no one claims to know. 'When any great calamity befalls a tribe or family; when war, famine, or pestilence is raging, and the Nats do not seem propitious, then supplications are made to the Lord of all, but no sacrifices are offered. That we here meet with a few remaining ideas from the original monotheism of India seems almost certain. God has been forgotten by more' favored nations than the Kachins, but those in closest contact with these wild children of nature have had occa· sion to see that deep down in the savage heart a Divine spark is still flicker- ing, ready at any moment to be fanned into a living flame.

Nat Worship.-The real religion of the Kachins, as far as they have any, consists in Nat or demon worship. These Nats are now innumerable, and occupy almost every imaginable place above and below. Certain Nats rule the sky, the sun and. the moon; others dwell upon earth and are found in every mountain-top, hill, streamlet, river, spring, or well j every field, wood, and even individual trees have their guardian Nats; every tribe, village, and family acknowledge some special Nat to whom they must pay honor. These Nats must not be confounded with Grecian nymphs, naiads, and satyrs, or with fairies or goblins of medieval Europe. Most of them have once been human beings or descend from the early half Nats who took such an active part in the first stages of the world. They are a constant terror to the people. They watch with jealous carefulness every occupied place, and are always ready for revenge if any trespasses are committed. If the usual sacrifices are withheld, if a vessel consecrated to the Nat service has been unduly touched, if anyone out of mistake has stepped in the place set apart for the household Nats, punishment may at once overtake the transgressor. Even if a Nat without any known cause desires a new offering, some misfortune will at once befall the intended family or individual. Houses may be burned, fields devastated by wild animals, "bad luck" will attend every undertaking, and poverty will be the sure result of all. The most common form of punishment, however, is by diseases of different kinds. The Nats alone possess the remedies necessary in case of illness, but do not administer any when offended, unless properly propitiated. As soon as a person is taken ill, a Nat priest is at once sent for. The dwelling-place of the offended Nat is found and the desired sacrifice ascertained. This is done by a kind of divination. The greatness of the sacrifice depends upon the importance of the case. Ordinarily, for slight offenses, a little whisky, a few eggs, some dried fish and meat, or a few fowls will suffice. In more important cases, or if a great work or expedition is to be undertaken, pigs and cattle of any kind must be offered. When larger animals are sacrified, the flesh is prepared and distributed among the inhabitants of the community where the sacrifice is made. As the Nat priest receives a part of the animal offered, the size of the sacrifice often depends on his personal desire of profit in the case at hand.

A few particulars regarding this Nat worship may be of special interest. A large number of Nat altars are always found outside of every Kachin house. They are usually made of bamboo, and are only used as receptacles for certain parts of the offering. The Nats are invoked to come down upon them and to accept the sacrific~ made. A new altar must be built for every sacrifice, even if offerings are successively made to the same Nat. Inside the houses of chiefs and other prominent men a large altar of a different kind is often found, which is used as long as the

GOSPEL WORK IN ISRAEL

house is standing. The sacrifices most acceptable and of greatest worth are those of cattle. A tradition says that when the cattle, after the first transgression of man, ate the" fruit of life," a promise was given that they should always willingly offer themselves as sacrifices for the good of humanity in all ages to come. When such a life is given to the Nat, his anger is appeased and the sacrificer's request is fulfilled. The blood is not of any value as a sacrifice. The Nat receives the life (which the Kachins connect with the breath and not with the blood), while the offerer and his friends eat the flesh. In a case of insanity, when other sacrifices have proved of no avail, a goat is selected, and after appropriate cp,remonies sent off among the mountains. If he does not return it is supposed that the Nat who troubled the insane person has taken his final departure. No one would kill or eat the flesh of such an animal. At the time of sowing and harvest, several days are often set apart for larger sacrifices. No work is being done during such a time. Offerings are made at every birth or death, and I have counted as many as thirty skulls of large oxen around the grave of a chief. In order to prevent witchcraft, to procure " good luck" at any enterprise, if a person begins a journey or ends one -in short, at every occasion of any importance-the Nats are consulted and sacrifices offered.

This sacrificial system has always kept the Kachins in a hopeless state of poverty. They never know when their turn may come to offer up the last oxen, pigs, or fowls. It is not an unusual thing to hear the Kachins complain about the insatiable greediness of these burdensome Nats. But wholesale offerings will soon be a thing of the past, as sacrificial animals are getting more expensive and scarce, and the Nats are even now forced to be satisfied with less valuable gifts. Christianity is also slowly but surely uprooting former superstitions, and only this power can give the help now vainly sought.

GOSPEL WORK IN ISRAEL.

BY PROFESSOR GEORGE H. SCHODDE, PH.D., COLUMBUS, O.

In a recent number (March, 1895) of Nathanael, the Jewish mission bi-monthly, published by Professor Strack, of Berlin, Lie. Dr. Dalman, of Leipzig, since the death of Delitzsch certainly the most reliable authority on this subject, publishes a detailed survey of the work done during the ycars 1893 and 1894 for the evangelization of Israel all over the globe. A brief summary of his facts and figures will give an excellent bi.rd's-eye view of the problems and data of this species of church work.

The anti.Semitic agitation has during these two years calmed down somewhat, and as a consequence the national movement in Israel, which largely owed its vitality to the anti-Semitic agitation, has also become a less powerful factor in Jewish thought. As yet not a single Jewish mis- sion society has been willing to make use of this agitation for its purposes; and the organizations effected in recent years for the purpose of agitating the re-establishment of a Jewish state in the ancestral country of Israel, such as the Jewish Christian Patriotic Alliance of London, founded in 1892, have not been able to make their influence felt. The Jewish-Chris- tian plans of Warszawiak, in New York, have not materialized, and the venerable convert, Rabbi Lichtenstein, of Budapest, who still declines to be baptized, but aims at the organization of a Jewish-Christian church, has been cast out by his people. Rabinowitz, of Kishnef, has given up all ideas, seemingly, of organizing a distinctively Jewish-Christian congrega- tion, and is virtually a vox clamantis among his people in Russia and the East. Pastor Gurland, of Riga, together with 72 Jewish Christians, went in June, 1893, to Palestine, but no further news has been heard of them.

The most noteworthy fact in this connection is the organization of a Jewish·Christian congregation in Smyrna, in the summer of 1894. The head of this movement is a Karite from Sebastopol named Abram Levi, who, while an inmate of the Scotish Jewish Mission Hospital in Smyrna, through the study of the New Testament learned to know Christ, and began his work by calling together Jews for the study of the Sacred Scriptures. These men organized themselves into a separate congregation, the original number being 64 heads of families. Of these just one half again withdrew, leaving 32 families and 17 young men, or a total of 185 souls.

This association, in its statutes, says that it is "a society of Jewish Christians j that its first principle is the faith in God and in the Trinity of God according to the teachings of the Messiah, but not according to the teaching of any commentary or principles of any other communion [thereby excluding the teachings of the Talmud] j that each one binds himself to live according to the teachings of the New Testament; that circumcision shall continue to be practised, not as a law, but as a national symbol indicating that they are the children of Abraham and of the other patriarchs j that each one promises to live in accordance with the spirit of the Messiahnamely, in love, unity, and truth."

Christians of non-Jewish origin have also recently attempted to organize Jewish converts into separate communions. The principal effort of this kind was made in London by John Wilkinson, the director of the Mildmay Mission, under whose leadership 11 converts were thus united into a " Jewish-Christian Church." A modification of this idea found its exponent in A. C. Gabelen, of New York, who, in his jargon periodical, Tikwath Israel, reports the organization of a congregation consisting of 20 members. His position is practically that of Pastor G. A. Krfiger, of France. His program is more distinctively Jewish-Christian than any other of its kind, and includes both the acceptance of Christ as the Messiah, and also the continuation of the observance of the Mosaic law in so far as this is not contradictory to the fundamentals of Christianity. In his organ, Our Hope, he pleads for the pure preaching d simple "Mes- siahism," without any admixture of Gentile Christianity. These are about the sentiments also put forth by Gedalius in Berlin.

In Germany the work is entirely that of efforts to win individual souls from Israel, the enterprise being carried on by a nnmber of societies, such as the Leipzig, the Berlin, the Bavarian, and others. Representatives of foreign Jewish mission societies are gradually being withdrawn from Germany. Dalman himself has inaugnrated a new enterprise by publishing a Jewish-German monthly called Berith Ain, in which enterprisQ he found emulators in Pastor Werber, of Baltimore, and Gabelein, in New York. The leading mission organs in Germany for Jewish work are the Nathanael, and the veteran journal, founded by Delitzsch, the Saat auf Hoffnung, of Leipzig.

In Austro-Hungary, Norwegian missionaries have begun Jewish Gospel work, especially Pastor R. Gjessing and Philip Gordon, with headquarters at Budapest. Another laborer here is Rev. A. Moody, representing the Scotch Society. Rabbi Lichtenstein is sending out tract after tract, pleading with his people to accept Christ.

In Roumania the London and Berlin societies, as also the Norwegian, are at work; the first mentioned with headquarters at Bucharest, where there is a flourishing school for girls; the second at Jassy ; the third at Galatz. Russia is naturally the greatest field for Jewish mission work, and even the government has at times aided the societies in spreading the New Testament among the Israelites; and fully half-a-dozen depots for this purpose have been established in the empire, the leader of the work being the late Axelrud, a son-in-law of Rabinowitz. Faltin, the veteran of Kishnef, continues in his propaganda, and Gurland has been doing excellent work in Riga. The Orthodox State Church had also entered upon this work, but its chief agent, Joseph Levin, recently died. In Poland, Swedish messengers are busy, and Dr. Ellis, from London, has been able to report a large number of baptisms. For 1892-93 the number was 78 ; for 1893-94 it was 103. In the last three years there have been 235 Jewish converts in Poland.

In the Scandinavian countries the contingent of the Jewish population is exceedingly small; but the Scandinavian Christians have a warm heart for the work, as is attested by other contributions, societies, and messengers sent forth by them.

In France the London Society has been at work, as also the French Protestant Society. Naturally England is the headquarters of Jewish mission enterprises. Here are found the greatest and the most societies of this kind, and by far the greatest liberality for the cause. At least a dozen periodicals are published in the interests of the work, and it is supported by men and means throughout the Jewish diaspora. The Mildmay Mission alone in 1893 disposed of 18,406 Hebrew New Testaments, and 69,657 parts of the Testament in the jargon. Since the beginning of this

HINDUISM AND ROMANISM

literary propaganda, in all 208,313 Hebrew New Testaments have been used, and 467,577 parts in the jargon. In every way the Christians of England do as much, or even more, for the cause of the evangelization of Israel than all the other Christian peoples put together.

The immigration of Russian and Roumanian Jews to the further Orient has made the latter a more important field of operation. The headquarters naturally are such centers as Constantinople, Smyrna,and Jerusalem, and, in a secondary way, Saloniki and Damascus. Fully a dozen societies are found represented in these districts from half-a-dozen sections of Christianity, and laboring in many methods and manners.

In North Africa, the London Society has its stations, especially in Tunis, Algiers, and Morocco. The Falashas, or Black Jew, converts in Abyssinia are being reorganized again under a native leader, Michael Argawi, after a period of persecution in which Jewish Christianity in that venerable land was almost eradicated. In Persia, the headquarters are at IRpahan and Hamadan, and in India in Bombay, where the leading mission worker is J. Henry Lord, aided by the periodical Ha-Mebasser. In America, the work for Israel has been manifold and multifold, being in charge of fully a half-dozen different churches, such as the Episcopalians, Lutherans, Adventists, and others, and partly controlled by individual lovers of the chosen people. Jewish mission journals in English, German, and the jargon are published in considerable number.

In Australia, both German and English societies have stations in various parts of the island.

HINDUISM AND ROMANISM. * In much of its teaching Romanism is far more pagan than Christian; for tho Roman Catholics believe in Christ, it is not the Christ of the Gospel, but either a wafer god manufactured by the priests, or a stern judge ready to punish the guilty (in the same way that the Hindus regard many of their gods), and only to be approached through His tender-hearted mother, or some other merciful saint or intercessor.

Perhaps, placed in parallel columns, the comparison will be more readily understood.

HINDUS ROMAN QATHOLICS are subject to the Brahmans, on are under the power of the priests, whom they rely in the performance by whom they are taught exactly of all religious rites, and whom they what they must believe, and through are taught to reverence and bow whom they receive forgiveness of down to. sins and all the benefits of religion.

• The following comparison was printed in the M iB8Wna1'1l Herald (Baptist), from a letter by :Mrs. T. R. Edwards, of Serampore College. Are not allowed (except Brah- As a rule are forbidden to read mans) to read the sacred books j the Bible, which the priests alone these may only be read and explained may read and explain. to them by the priests.

Regard Sanskrit as the religious Regard Latin as the sacred lanlanguage; it is used in worship and guage; it is nsed in worship, tho ceremonies, tho not understood by unknown to the majority of the the people. people.

Bathe in the Ganges and certain Are taught that they are regener- sacred rivers to wash away sins. ated by water in baptism.

Use Ganges water in various re- Use holy water in the churches. ligious ceremonies.

Bow down to and utter prayers Bow down to and say prayers be- before idols. fore images and pictures.

Dress the idols in fine and showy Clothe the images of saints in and sometimes costly raiment. gorgeous apparel.

At certain festivals have great At certain festivals in Roman processions, carrying the idols. Catholic countries have great pro- cessions, in whiCh sacred images are carried.

Pray to various gods and god- Pray to saints and angels and desses. especially to the Virgin Mary.

Offer sacrifices. Offer the sacrifice of the Mass.

Say that when the priest utters Say that when the priest utters certain words, the image they have certain words, the wafer becomes made becomes alive by the indwell- the very Christ.

ing of the deity invoked.

Are taught that there is a great Are taught that it is meritorious merit in making pilgrimages to vari- to go on pilgrimages to Rome and ous sacred places and shrines. other sacred places.

Believe that at certain shrines Believe that at certain churches miracles of healing are performed and places miracles of healing are by this or that god. performed by this or that saint.

Have great faith in amulets and Wear medals blessed by the Pope charms as a protection against vari- as charms against misfortunes. ous misfortunes.

Are enjoined to fast on certain Observe prescribed fasts. occasions.

Count beads in repeating the Count beads in saying prayers, names of gods and goddesses, to especially to Mary. invoke their assistance.

THE ATROCITIES IN ARMENIA

Use lighted lamps in certain cere- Use lighted candles in religious monies, even in daylight. worship, even in daylight.

Use incense in worship. Use incense in worship.

Some priests (chiefly a wandering Priests are not allowed to marry. order) are not allowed to marry. The aims and ideal of monks and Some Hindu religious orders con- nuns is to become like a corpse in sider that the highest ideal here is the the hand of the superior. extinction of all desire and all feeling, such as joy, sorrow, hunger, pain.

When death is imminent they are When death is imminent, they taken to the river-side, and the face send for the priest to administer smeared with the sacred mud of the extreme unction, which includes Ganges. anointing parts of the body with oil.

After the death of relatives, in After the death of relatives, in order to assist the spirit in the next order to liberate the spirit from world, they perform Shraddha; it purgatory, and take it to heaven, consists of various ceremonies, and they pay considerable sums to the especially large presents to the priests for masses to be performed. priests.

Comparison might also be made between Romanism and Buddhism, as there is much in common, as the veneration of relics, forbidding priests to marry, large houses of monks and nuns, etc.

THE ATROCITIES IN ARMENIA-IS GOD ON TRIAL?

BY REV. JAMES M. GRAY, BOSTON, MASS.

I have recently heard good men-professing Christian men-question the goodness and power of God. They have asked, Is God indeed a God of love while He yet permits His people to suffer such dreadful and prolonged barbarities as those which have been witnessed in Armenia ~ Or does He lack the power to prevent them ~ Is Satan, after all, mightier than God ~ Nottice : 1. Such questions have been asked before. Jeremiah, Asaph, and Job are Old Testament examples. Thousands of years ago the souls of the righteous were vexed with this same problem. But they approached its investigation not from the standpoint of doubt but of faith. God help us to do the same. In all his afHiction Job did not charge God foolishly. Asaph's feet had almost gone, his steps had well-nigh slipped into open infidelity, almost, but not altogether, because he held to the fundamental postulate that " God is loving unto Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart." Jeremiah would talk with God of His judgments, but he begins by affirming his belief that He is righteous. In no other way can we expect light to come to us on this Armenian question.

2. Let us remember that similar atrocities have occurred before. God's people have known these things in all ages. Israel in Egypt under Pharaoh was not essentially unlike Armenia in Turkey under Abdul Hamid II. Compare the current correspondence from Constantinople with the opening chapters of Exodus in proof of this. And what about" the noble army of martyrs" who suffered at the hands of the early Roman emperors 1 What about the tender and delicate women who were thrown to the wild beasts in Roman amphitheaters? What of those who were covered with tar and set on fire to illuminate Roman gardens? What of the heroes of the Reformation? What of the victims of the King of Spain and the Duke of Alva? What of the massacre of the Huguenots on St. Bartholomew's Day? What of the fires of Smithfield? What of the Catholics, as well as Protestants, who for their loyalty to God were dragged at the cart end, beheaded, drawn and quartered, and burned in "Merrie England" even as late as Queen Mary's day? What of many of the Jews of Europe in the present decade who are realizing the fulfilment of Moses' prophecy that " among these nations shalt thou find no ease" ? . 3. Let us remember that such atrocities as these were not only foreknown, but predicted in the Word of God. " Thoy shall put you out of tho synagogues," said Jesus; "yea, the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. " Paul exhorts the Thessalonians that " no man should be moved by these afflictions" -that is, he should not be moved away from his faith, because" we are appointed thereunto. " Peter warns the "strangers" scattered 1hroughout these very parts of Asia now so much upon our minds that their" adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour," whom they are to " resist steadfast in the faith." John" saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and they cried, saying, "How long, 0 Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And it was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little season until their fel_ low-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."

4. Let us remember that God gives grace equal to such emergencies as this. Martyrs have gone to the stake with joy. Those who were tortureit in an earlier age would not accept " deliverance." Archbishop Cranmer of his own accord thrust his right hand into the fire because it had deceived him into signing the recantation of Protestantism. We have an illustration to-day of an Armenian in this country recently bereft of his family in Turkey-four of them imprisoned and one murdered-who is nevertheless sustained in his daily calling and enabled to go from city to city and platform to platform awakening our citizens on behalf of his outraged countrymen. Paul had a great affliction, for whose removal he thrice besought the throne of power and mercy. But His answer was, "My grace is sufficient for thee. " The great apostle to the Gentiles found it to be so, and he was able to declare, " Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." There is many a Christian martyr in Armenia at this present moment, man, woman, and child, naked, sick, and in prison, who is saying the very same.

S. Such atrocities as these furnish the strongest evidence of the reality and power of the Christian religion. This conflict in Armenia is between Mohammedanism and Christianity, between darkness and light, between Satan and God. Our Christian brethren in that land could purchase deliverance and peace at the price of apostasy, but they will not pay it. Do the ages show a sublimer proof of the Divine origin of Christianity ~ Men speak of this event as weakening to faith! It would be if the Armenians recanted; but as it is, the event is a wonderful strengthener of faith. Had it occurred eighteen hundred, or even one hundred years ago, it would be employed to prove that; and the Christian apologist or evangelist of the coming century, in his efforts to point men to Christ, will speak of these Armenians who loved Him so as to be willing to suffer the loss of all things for His sake. 6. God is not on trial in Armenia, nor Christianity, but man. Man is on trial there. And it is not man in the persons of the Armenians, nor yet in the persons of the Turks. It is man as represented by the civilized and the Christianized (~) nations of Europe. People sometimes complain of God that He does not convert the heathen; they find fault that so large a portion of mankind are denied the blessings of the Gospel which they enjoy; but it has been found effectual in stopping their murmurings to inquire why they themselves do not convert the heathen. Have they ful. filled their personal obligation in the premises and done all that lies in their power to do to carry out the command, "Go preach the Gospel to every creature 1" It is poor logic which charg-es neglect on God of which we ourselves are guilty. And this principle holds good in the present case. Could we ask God to do more than He has already done to deliver His people in Armenia from the barbarities of the 'l'urks ~ lias He not put the power in the hands of His professing people in Russia, and Great Brit· ain, and Germany, and France ~ Who doubts for a single moment that these nations could stop the outrages referred to whenever they said the word 1 And why do they not say the word ~ Is it anything but selfish. ness that restrains them ~ If all were agreed as to the piece of territory which each should receive in the inevitable division of the Turkish Empire, would there be any longer delay ~ Who is on trial in this matter' Is it God or man' 7. God will reckon with these na1ions when their time comes. The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceeding small. General Grant was no visionist ; he was never charged with giving currency to fanciful speculations, but he tells us with all soberness that nations, like individuals, are punished for their transgressions. He cites as an illustration ou,r own Civil War, the most sanguinary and expensive of modern times, as a divinely inflicted penalty for our unjust treatment of Mexico in the annexation of Texas. Turkey will yet pay dearly for her cruelty, and the other nations will have cause to remember that they helped it on.

s. Let us remember that the situation, which seems to us to be so en- tangled, is very clear and plain in the mind of God. In an earlier day, when the kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers took counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed, He had them in derision, and set His King upon His holy hill of Zion. It is with reference to this same King and this same holy hill that the present commotion l·eigns. The cry of America for the Americans, and Germany for the Germans, is soon to be extended to Judea for the Jews. Tbe capital of that nation is yet to be " a cup of trembling unto all the peoples round about," and then "He that cometh will come and will not tarry," and " out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."

9. Let us remember, finally, that there is one who can kill the body, indeed, but after that has no more that he can do. "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us." These Armenians dwell where Satan's seat is, but they are holding fast the name of Christ, and they are not denying His faith; and He who once remembered and recalled the name of His faithful martyr Antipas has His loving eye upon 1hem, and to him that overcometh will He " give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name wrItten which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." THE RELIEF OF ARMENIA. * The situation in Armenia is simply appalling! No words can describe the suffering which these Christians in the land of the Turk are experi- encing daily and hourly. In the dead of winter, wounded and weak and weary, many of them without homes or even a place of shelter from the wintry blasts, barefooted and almost naked in the snow, they are likewise perishing from hunger by thousands. All Christendom has been thrilled with horror at lales of robbery, rape, and murder, which has been heaped upon innocent and defenseless men, women, and children. In a single province .a Moslem official underestimates the total killed as nearly 40,- 000 men, women, and children; of these 30,000 were murdered outright, and 10,000 perished in their burning homes. Besides this deaths from cold and hunger (in the one province of Harpoot, remember) number about 10,000 more. Women violated and abused in unspeakable ways number nearly 6000, and those forcibly circumcised (converted to Islam) are over 15,000, besides 1500 women and girls consigned to Moslem harEms. The heroism with which hundreds-nay, thousands-have stood ready to suffer the most horrible and ignominious tortures, and to submit to a lingering death rather than deny their Lord, makes them worthy to be added to the memorable list of the " heroes of faith" (Hebrews 11). Chri.stian pastors have unflinchingly faced death and called upon their congregations to follow them; women have by hundreds sought death rather than submit to a worse fate-surely these are they" of whom the world was not worthy." No one with a spark of Christianity or even of humanity in them can read these tales of persecution without being moved to his inmost soul with sympathy and a desire to help them, and yet there are thousands in Christian lands who have not as yet lifted a finger to relieve the distress of the survivors. In the province of Harpoot nearly 100,000 Armenians are destitute of the bare necessities of life, and in other parts of the country there are three times as many more. Many have generously responded to the call for help, and much has been done to relieve the sufferers. From the first, money sent from America and England has been distributed through the members of the British Embassy and the American missionaries. Amid direst peril these missionaries, men and women, have stood nobly at their posts, and thus have been the one hope of the Armenians. Now that the Red Cross Society has entered the work, the door has been opened to distribute food in new centers. The method of relief work is generally to establish soup kitchens and bread bakeries, employing large numbers of the sufferers in preparing food and clothing. About twenty relief stations are in operation, and $200,000 has already been expended in food and clothing, but not more than one half of the destitute are yet reached. Only about one to two cents a day is needed to keep a man from starvation, but this means $4000 to $6000 a day. At Van alone 16,000 gather each day who have no other means of subsistence than that offered by the missionaries. The need is most urgent; competent and reliable agents are ready to receive and wisely distribute the aid which is so sorely needed. It is heartrending to see the suffering of these people without the means to relieve them. No man, woman, or child can afford to lose the opportunity to give something to this cause; give it NOW· !t * Valuable information regarding the :&Iassacres, Destitution, and Relief Work In Armenla may be found in the following: .. The Rule of the 'rurk," by F. D. Greene (Putnam); Ohrtsttan rAteratu'l'e Magazine (February, 1896); Independent (March 5th, 1896) ; also weekly editions of the (/hrtstian Hsrald (New York).

t Sums in any amounts from one cent upward will be received aud forwarded without delay, if sent to the Managing Editor of this REVIEW, or to Frank g, Wiggin, 1 Somerset Street, Boston, or to Brown Brothers, New York (Agents for Red Cross).

INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT

n.-INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.

EDITED AND CONDUCTED BY BEV. J. T. GBACEY, D.D.

The .Rapid Baptisms and Mass Move· years, and multitudes have been think- ing. Thus the present harvest, amount- ment in North India, ing to perhaps 85,000 of a Christian BY REV. T. J. SCOTT, D.D., BAREILLY, community among the Methodists, is INDIA. not a sudden thing without ample The great movement among the plowing and sowing and watering.

poorer castes of North India holds on True. the harvest has been largely gath- unabated. From fifteen to twenty ered in more recent years. Some 65,000 thousand annually are added to the have been added within four years, and Methodist mission alone. The United the number will soon run up to 100,000, Presbyterian mission of the Punjab is and more, if a pastorate to care for the also having a large ingathering. In multitudes gathered in can be raised some cases in the Methodist mission up.

deputations have come in from a long This is no superficial work. It is, to distance asking for teachers to come be sure, not matter for surprise if tares and teach them Christianity and open are found among the wheat in so large schools for their children. In several a harvest. A mass movement like this directions thousands of inquirers are must carry along with it and catch up asking for baptism. One pastor in a good deal that is not altogether good, three months had baptized four hun- and in this it differs in nothing from dred, and was expecting to add at least large revival movements in the home one thousand to his Christian commu- land. But will anyone say such re- nity during the year. The great de- vivals are failures? The weak are mand is for native pastors and evan- strengthened and the utterly worthless gelists to conserve and carry forward are eliminated. So the missionaries the work. The theological seminary deal with this movement which has its at Bareilly is taxed to the utmost to critics in the field, particularly among meet the want. The score or more less successful missions. Those who trained men turned out annually is far know the work realize that a strong below the need. It is much to be re- substantial church is being raised up, gretted that friends in America do not served by a native ministry, and that at once furnish the $40,000 called for effective self-support is being devel- to put this seminary on a larger balis at oped. Tried by the tests of self-sup- once. Instead of eighty at least two port, spiritual life, endurance of perse- hundred students should be on the roll cution, and martyrdom, a true church under training to push and conserve is being founded. Rev. P. M. Buck, this great work. in a recent letter written in the midst This is no sudden movement. For of this work, says, "These converts more than a third of a century the manifest a very encouraging willing- Gospel has been faithfully' preached in ness to do what they can to support the these regions, and many copies of the work among them. Persecution has Scriptures circulated among the peo- been common and persistent. In the ple. They have had the truth held up. region where the greatest Dumber of The sense of sin has been awakened, baptisms has occurred, the leading and the true way of salvation has been men of a large number of villages as- before them. So the baptisms are not sembled in council, where it is said sev- .. hasty" in the sense of some critics. eral hundred were present, and they Preachers, European and native, have bound themselves under a curse to sup- been sounding out the Gospel for press Christianity and prevent its further spread. Petitions were made for moved by the reports brought by the assistance to native government officers. expedition concerning the religious con- Money was freely offered to bribe for dition of the people of that country, I the same purpose, and one of our work- published an article urging the 'misers was asked to name a sum he would sionary society of the Methodist Episbe willing to take and retire from the copal Church to establish a mission in field. Our people have been beaten. Korea. The subject was considered by and were for a time deprived of pastur- the society, but, owing to the pressure age for their cattle, and of fuel for cook- of other claims, it was deemed impossiing their food. One was imprisoned ble to provide funds for the proposed under false charge, and from one village mission. a company of recently baptized converts have been expelled, and the case August, 1882, one of our Japanese awaits settlement in the court. In converts called on me in Yokohama, the face of all this opposition, resulting and requested my wife to teach Engin various other petty annoyances as lish to a class of Koreans, whom their well, I have heard of but one man who government had sent to study in Japan has lapsed from Christianity, and he a the principles and methods of the civlittle later, when we held a meeting in ilization adopted by the Japanese. Mrs. the neighborhood came with his offer- Maclay gladly consented, and soon being for the collection made, which, came interested in the young men, findhowever, his brethren refused, telling ing them to be bright and extremely him he had gone over to the enemy in anxious to acquire the English lanthe time of trial." guage. Shortly after Mrs. Maclay took up this work, Kim ok Kuin, the Korean In all this we have the evidence of a officer who had charge of the students, true work of God. and the home church called to thank her for consenting to may rejoice that great victories are won teach the class, and expressed his dein pushing the conquest of the world sire for the introduction of Western for Christ. civilization into Korea.

Korea's Permit to Ohristianity. March, 1884, while living in Tokio, Japan, having removed to that city BY REV. R. S. MACLAY, D.D., SAN FER- from Yokohama, because of my ap- NANDO, CAL. pointment to the presidency of the Anglo-Japanese College, I received from During the earlier portion of my life the Rev. John F. Goncher, D.D., of in China, commencing with the year Baltimore City, Md., a letter dated 1847. I met in the streets of Foochow January 31st, 1884, in which he wrote City, where I resided, a few ship- as follows: wrecked Koreans who had been picked up at sea by Chinese sailors, and were " Under date of November 6th, 1883, en route to their native country. Their I wrote to the Missionary Committee strange costume, erect forms. and agile that if they deem it expedient to extend movements greatly interested me, and their work to the Hermit nation, and I felt it would be a high privilege to establish a mission in Korea under the carry to the people of Korea the pre- superintendence of the Japan mission, cious tidings of salvation; but at that • . . I shall be pleased to send my time Korea was not open to foreigners, check for, say, two thousand dollars and besides, my time was fully occu- toward securing that result. pied with my duties in China. .. Could you find time to make a trip In the year 1872, shortly after the re- to Korea, prospect the land, and locate turn of the United States naval expedi- the mission? For once we may be the tion to Korea, I spent a sqort time in first Protestant church to enter a pagan New York City, and being deeply land. It is peculiarly appropriate that Japan should have the.honor, and 1t would be a. fitting addition to the ser- some of the Korean and Japanese offi- vices you have been enabled to render cials, enjoyed a season of conversation your church already if you could in- and prayer with a Christian Japanese augurate the enterprise. " colporteur operating here, walked This letter from Dr. Goncher opened through a park-like grove in the vicin- the way for the accomplishment of a ity of the town, and called on Mr. Lov- long.cherished desire, and impressed ett, the American superintendent of me at once as being a Divine call to do Korean customs, who gave us a cordial what I could toward opening Korea to welcome. Fusan is one of the pO1;s at Christian missions. The Japan mission which foreign trade is carried on. In supported Dr. Goncher's suggestion, the portion of the town which we saw, the missionary society indorsed it, and the streets and houses bear the impress Instructed me to go forward. of Japanese influence and many Japa- Communication on the subject with nese families reside here. The place the Hon. John A. Bingham, United with its harbor and surrounding scenery States Minister to Japan, and Hon. presents a cbarming appearance.

Lucius H. Foote, United States Minister Leaving Fusan, we spent forty· three to Korea, satisfied me that the move- hours in steaming round the southern ment was practicable, and, after com- end and up the western side of the pleting the necessary preparations, I Korean peninsula. The fog enveloped embarked June 8th. 1884, at Yoko- us most of the way, and the almost in- hama, with my wife, on board the Eng- cessant sounding of the fog-horn, to- lish steamer TeMm,n, Captain Nantes, gether with the consciousness that we for Nagasaki, where we left the Teheran, were sailing along a dangerous and im- and June 19th, having procured a perfectly surveyed coast, did not con- Korean gentleman to act as interpreter, tribute to the pleasure of the passage; took the steamer Nanzing. Captain Bal- but through all these discomforts the burnie, for Chemulpo. the port of Seoul, Lord brought us in safety, and at capital of Korea. Next morning we 1 o'clock P.M., June 23d. we reached werll off the port of Fusan, near the Chemulpo, the termination of our pas- southeastern point of the peninsula of sage by sea. The following morning Korea; but a dense fog prevented us we landed from the steamer. and being from seeing the land, and it was not till opportunely assisted by T. Kobayashi, noon that the steamer could enter the Esq., Japanese consul at Chemulpo, we harbor, and I felt that at last I waf! procured conveyances and proceeded within Korean territory. up the valley of the Han, a distance of Fusan is a place of historic interest twenty-five miles, to Seoul, where, and commercial importance. It is not 6 o'clock P.M., we were most kindly re- improbable that from it sailed the bold ceived at the United States Legation clans who conquered and whose de- by General Lucius H. Foote, United scendants still hold Japan. Certain it States Minister to Korea, and his excel- is that here landed the military expe- lent lady, under whose hospitable roof ditions of the Japanese, which from the we spent our first night in Seoul. Next eaIlly centuries of the Christian era morning we took possession of a small have harassed and overrun Korea. It building adjacent to the Legation was pleasant and assuring to think that grounds, ~hich General Foote, in ac- times had changed, and that in our day cordance with my request, had pro- tnere came from the shores of Japan cured for our temporary use; and as those who desire to give the Koreans we had brought with us a Japanese the tidings of salvation through faith in cook and some provisions, we were our Lord and Savior. We remained soon settled in our new quarters, and thirty-six hours in Fusan. during which were ready for business.

time we landed, paid our respects to Addressing myself directly to the task before me, I soon learned that the ticipating an emergency so acute as the political situation was not assuring. present one, I had brought with me The party of progress, it is true, con- from Japan. The letter was written trolled the government of the country; in Japanese, and contained an expres- the Korean embassy had recently re- sion of our desire to come to Korea, to- turned from the United States bringing gether with a brief statement of the a very favorable report, and to a fair lines of work upon which it was our degree the business of the country was purpose first to enter. We felt that reviving; but still there was among the if this letter, conceived in the true people an undertone of discontent, a Christian spirit, and expressed in the feeling of insecurity prevailed in many most respectful style, conld be bronght quarters; public opinion was divided, to the notice of the king, he might be and it was matter of common ru.mor moved to grant OUI request. June that the old conservative party, inflexi- 30th I forwarded the letter to Mr. Kim, ble and active in its opposition, was se- requesting him to lay it before the king cretly scheming to overthrow the pres- at his earliest convenience, stating also ent ministry. The entire outlook, in- that our time was limited, and that we deed. seemed so threatening that even must soon return to Japan_ Having my official advisers did not suggest any taken this important step, I felt that method of procedure, or offer me any the appeal had now been made, and encouragement to expect the attain- with prayerful expectancy and ever- ment of the end I had in view. It was brightening faith awaited the issue.

intimated to me that being in all prob- Believing that :Mr. Kim would do every- ability the first Christian missionary to thing in his power to help us, and enter openly the capital of Korea. it knowing that he was in close commu- would be necessary for me to exercise nication with the king, I ventured to extreme caution, both in going about call on him July 3d. He received me the city, and also as to divulging my very cordially, and at once proceeded purpose in visiting Seoul. To increase to inform me that the king had care- and aggravate my difficulties, I discov- fully examined my letter the night be- ered that my own interpreter was con- . fore. and in accordance with my re- nected with the anti-progressive party, quest had decided to authorize our so- and consequently could not aid me in ciety to commence hospital and school communicating with the present gov- work in Korea. .. The details," con- ernment, and, further, that it would be tinued 1:1r. Kim, .. have not been set- difficult, if not impossible for me to tled, but you may proceed at once to procure another interpreter. The situ- initiate the work." The king's favor- ation appeared to be well-nigh hope- able response to our appeal was so less, and for a time I knew not what prompt and complete, that I could not course to pursue. fail to recognize it as from the Lord, " At evening time it shall be light." and after tendering to Mr. Kim hearty "Man's extremity is God's opportu- thanks for his good offices in our behalf.

nity." Fortunately (may I not say I took my leave. repeating to myself, providentially?) Kim ok Kuin, the as I rode through the crowded streets Korean officer already referred to, with of the city, .. The king's heart is in the whom Mrs. Maclay and myself had hand of the Lord, as the rivers of wa- formed a very pleasant acquaintance in ter. He turneth it whithersoever He Japan. was now a member of the de- will. "

partment of foreign affairs in the Ko- The afternoon of the same day Mr.

rean Government, and resided in Seoul. Kim made an official call on me, dur- The problem was solved. Our plan of ing which he tendered congratulations action was easily settled. Among my on the succeSl! of our appeal to the paJ.l6rs was a letter which, without an: king, expreBSed his gratification at the prospect of our society's commencing wanderer from country to country, work in Korea, and stated his readiness with a price on his head, and the sleuthto do anything he could to aid in the hounds of revenge ever on his track, execution of our plans tor the benefit until deceived and betrayed, yet always of his fellow-countrymen. pining for the dear home-land, he fell at last by the hand of the assassin at 'We remained a few days longer in Shanghai, China, in the year 1894, and Seoul to gather information and select his body, cut to pieces, ignominiously a site for our proposed mission. The carried about, oy order of the governelevated grounds near the United States ment. through all the provinces of the Legation impressed me favorably, and kingdom. I arranged with Minister Foote to purchase the house I had occupied as soon It is terrible to think that the gallant as our society could select and send out officer who, on that bright July mornsuitable men to initiate the enterprise. ing in Seoul, announced to me the July 8th we started from Seoul on our king's favorable response to my apreturn passage to Japan, grateful to peal, that the young statesman, filled Him who had thus far preserved us in with the enthusiasm of humanity, who peace and safety, and had enabled us gave promise of a brilliant career as to accomplish so satisfactorily the ob- patriot and reformer, should be overject for which we had come toJrorea. taken by such a fate. Let us hope that during the long period of expatriation, I cannot close this article without re- his heart yearned toward the Savior of ferring briefly to the subsequent sad whom he had imperfectly heard, and life and tragical death of my friend in whose teachings he had become in- Kim ok Kuin. It is difficult to know terested. Let us believe that in the just what credence to give to the ru- time to come, as come it will, during mors that reach us concerning political which Koreans shall rise to a higher troubles in Korea. It is, however, gen- appreciation of the blessings of Chriserally conceded now that in the unsuc- tian knowledge, experience, and civilizacessful emeute which occurred in Seoul, tion, in that noble army of martyrs to December, 1884, the members of the the cause of civic and religious liberty, progressive party were the aggressors, which will then move into a position, and that Kim ok Knin acted a promi- far above canonized warriors and other nent part in the lamentable affair. The heroes, a grateful nation will not fail friends of Kim ok Kuin seek to extenu- to assign a worthy place to him who, ate his conduct by urging that he was knowing the time, in the interest of his acting in self.defence, that he simply country and the truth, procured from availed himself of recognized military the king Korea's permit to Christianity. strategy in striking the enemy, who was preparing to strike him and other Industrial Missions in Afrioa. members of his party. It is stated also that in what he did Kim ok Kuin was Mr. Joseph Booth, who represents acting in accordance with the instincts, the Baptist Industrial Mission of Scottraditious, and precedents of his nation; land, and has been before heard from in and, further, that his proceedings were these pages, a few months ago arrived authorized by the existing government in Scotland from British Central Africa, of Korea. We gladly accord to this to plead for fifty millions of people, acplea. all the force to which it is fairly cessible by the Zambesi and lakes, who entitled, and yet most deeply regret still wait for the glad tidings which are Kim ok Kuin's connection with this at- for" all people," who have a right to tempted coup d'etat. "It was a grievous the Gospel, and from whom we have 1W fault, and grievously hath he answered right to withhold it. it." For ten long, weary years he lived in exile, a homeless, unresting His words are so timely and pungent, we give them a place in our pages and ask that they be well pondered. Tho little. We are made watchmen, and the addressed particularly to Baptists in Book declares their blood 'will I re- Britain, they are pertinent to all. quire at the watchman's hand.' Truly this is an age generous in profession, Of the Central Africans Mr. Booth but parsimonious in performance. God says: is not deceived by our much speaking. If by any effort or self-denial on our ,. They are the constant victims of part we are able to give these the Gosslave-raiding, village-burning, poison- pel, does not our Lord and Judge hold drinking, polygamy, and domestic us responsible for doing so ? In many slavery; yet under Christian and in- cases our churches, houses, ornaments, dustrial influence they rapidly become pictures, investments, and modes of livintelligent, manly, accessible, and tract- ing are a visible evidence that we are able. They voluntarily abandon slave- able to do vastly more. Shall we not catching and selling when employment take up this cross and turn some of is offered them that wJll supply cloth- earth's fleeting baubles into heavenly ing. It is only to buy calico that they and eternal treasure 1 It is written, • If sell slaves. They are both willing and thou forbear to deliver them that are able to work, and prefer doing so to drawn unto death and those that are fighting and trafficking in human flesh ready to be slain. • . . ' 'He that keep- -hence industrial mission centers find eth thy. 80ul, doth not He know it 1' much favor with them because of the • And shall not He render to every man visible temporal good. Great Britain according to his works l' is in no small degree responsible for the slave-raiding habits these people have "We live in an age clever in comfallen into, since history records that promise_ We compound with our duly authorized British ships carried Lord's final and imperative command, fifty thousand slaves yearly from the • Go YE,' by an easily made and modest coasts of Africa for many years prior donation to some society. We flatter to the abolition period. oursel ves that we can thus easily trans- fer our personal liability to service; .. The position of the women in many that we can thus lightly lift the shackles tribes is pitiful: their value but a few of bond-service the Lord has riveted fathoms of calico; their clothing miser- upon us. Our ingenious low-level reaably scant; their children often sonings will doubtless satisfy a self-conwrenched away from them; their bodies siderate and self-centered age whose not their own property; in this life theory is • Seek first the kingdom of they endure oppression and degrada- God,' but whose practice proclaims, tion, and of the life to come they have • Make sure of the comforts of life.' no knowledge. Who is answerablefor these things? Is it not those who have " The inconvenient and pungent utthe remedy placed in their hands and terances of our Lord are too often met withhold it 1 Is it not those who are with an averted gaze, skilfully evaded commanded to carry the glad tidings of and toned down. Nevertheless, the, relief, but tarry at home, with one con- standard He has given remains immovasent making excuse 1 ble. • The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge you in that day.' " For thirty years past have the needs Even to the dim vision of time present and claims of this people been solemnly the shame and poverty of our service is registered in our midst by that man of visible in the mirror His words afford. God, David Livingstone, he who died • Whosoever will come after Me, let him on his knees praying for Africa. Let deny himself, and take up his cross, and us have a care that he be not a witness follow Me. ' It may be that some of the against us in that day. As yet not one prayers we offer and the declarations messenger of the cross has been sent by we make before hea ven and earth, in the whole Baptist denomination. A little has been done by others, but only a song and sermon, will become the very … Lovest thou Me more than these ? '

gibbet upon which is displayed to the has a message for us as well aa for Pe- wondering gaze of angels, man's mar- ter. Our artificial standards of great- velous powers of self-deception, and ness will soon shrivel away and give his complacent nakedness. An empty place to the standard of Him who de- offering of prodigious professions with- clares, 'He that would be greatest out the person and possessions, what is among you let him become the servant it before God? • Sell all thou hast, of all.' Upon those who already have • . . come, follow Me, and thou shalt the Gospel in Great Britain forty mil- have treasure in heaven,' is a recom- lion pounds yearly is spent, while upon mendation and assurance worth reckon- those who know it not, and to whom ing with. we are commanded to give it, we ex- .. We are conscious that a thousand pend one and a half millions only. The million beings with an eternal destiny. mariner from time to time adjusts his all entitled to the Bread of Life, tread compass and seeks to detect any deflec- this earth with us for a brief period; tion from his true course. Should we that this great cloud of witnesses will not do likewise ?

with ourselves soon be ushered into .. The baptized believers of this age the presence of the living God; that alone are able to give the Gospel to the the fierce light of the Great White whole lwathen world in this generation.

Throne will soon beat upon the shallow Let them be yielded up unto God, • a8 excuses coined by deceitful hearts, yet those that are ali'1J8 from the dead.' and the pulse of service and surrender beats this shall be accomplished. Only let low. Truly we are a wonderful peo- God have lI'/,8 wall with us, and we shall ple. In scientific or worldly affairs the behold wondrous things. Let us have nineteenth century is vastly ahead of common moral honesty and give to the early centuries of this era; but in God His own, all we are, all we have, the God-given work of a world's evan- all He can make of us. Anything less gelization, with facilities in wealth, than this, and we keep back part of the numbers, and means of transit incom· price.

parably beyond the first and second cen- " In mission expenditure is not' back turies, we are immeasurably behind in to Carey, ' • back to Paul' the watch- proportionate effort. word needed? Carey lived on £4.0 3, .. Generation after generation has had year. while he earned and devoted to its day of probation and passed away, the mission over £1000 yearly for forty- leaving God's great work unfinished; three years. In East Central Africa none has yet arisen which sought' first cost of maintainence is small; £40 per the kingdom of God' with sufficient year is ample. Those who prefer to zeal to tell e very fellow· traveller to permanently support missionaries with- eternity that the Son of God had tasted out industrial effort can accomplish death for every man, and commanded this upon the outlay named. Many are that every man should know it. This able to go with their own means or is our day of probation. God is testing support their own representative. In us. The responsibilities of the present West Central Africa the Baptists of generation are greater and more aw- Britain have an important work on the fully distinct than ever before. Wide Congo. The lives there laid down for open doors, speedy locomotion, ample Christ's sake will surely bcar abundant resources, leave this generation of fruit. There are about thirty mission- Christ's followers without excuse. aries; the yearly total outlay is £15,000 Nothing but the idols of self, of com- to £16,000. Between the Eaat and fort, and of position hinders the com· West Coasts there remains fully one pletion of the great work entrusted to hundred million souls still unreached man by the Son of God. by Gospellight'-one tenth part of the whole heathen world. Let us consider izing Africa is a measurable one. It this definitely and earnestly. HoW' may also ultimately result in supplying shall we give these the Gospel in this vast funds for the evangelization of generation? How give one missionary other needy parts of the mission field. to every five thousand of these? On Perhaps we have too long set aside present and popular methods that would Carey's example and precept. Is it require £10,000,000 yearly. Can we wise to stake all upon one method of hope to accomplish that task ? or shall working-and that an expensive one? we put to the test Carey's principleviz., make missions self-supporting and .. Stations of this class seem to strike self-propagating. Doesnot the greater at the root of the slaving propensities. hope lie in this direction ? The employment furnished is twice as profitable to the African, therefore the .. 'The Africans are a nation of un- chief sends his people to work instead employed. ' Hence their rich country of to war. The words of • peace and lies undeveloped. The country and the goodwill to men' assumes a practical people have both vast latent resources. form in the daily round of duties; the Both are the Lord's; what more fitting influence of cheerful Christian artisan than that men of God shall go in to workers becomes a rapidly convincing shepherd these lost sheep and develop spiritual power-a living epistle the obthe resources God has stored there, and servant native quickly reads and profits devote the same to His purposes. Shall by. Preaching only he views with this great but broken people be left en- suspicion, for he is a born talker himtirely to the. exploitage of the' children self. He asks awkward questions, of the world'? No, by the grace of such as, • If white men have known God it must not be. By the mouth of these great words so long, and believe His servant Isaiah, God has covenanted them, why have they not let all our to give ' the treasures of darkness, and people know them before?' Does not hidden riches of secret places . . . that this foreshadow the charge of the they may know from the rising of the heathen in the Day of Judgment? sun and from the west' His purposes There are already earnest converts concerning them. Let us send men of among tbe Chikunda, Makololos, Manfaith and skill suited to the work. ganja, Ajawa, and Angoni tribes. The God has the men for the work if we do first seven were baptized on July 19th, not sbut them out by human and arti- 1893 . ficial standards. .. Ten stations afe asked for, and an " At present £1500 capital will com- adequate river transport service. Life plete a station on the basis indicated, is sllffrt, and our opportunities will soon and thus put, in three years, six or eight have passed away. The wO'rk is great, workers in the field. This, judging but we are bidden to get it done, countfrom the facts being realized, seems ing not the cost. God is able, and if able to produce a constant revenue suffi- we are found willing in the day of our cient to plant a duplicate station yearly visitation, His power and glory will be after the fourth year, and further, to seen. Let us not stagger through uncreate a reserve fund with which to belief, or seek subterfuges in multituprovide against contingencies. In the dinous excuscs. Where is the church event of time proving this to be prac- to be found that bas put forth its utticable for twenty.one years in steady most ejf01't to give the heathen their progression, each parent station would rights in Christ? by re-duplication give one missionary to twenty-five hundred persons, reach- .. Brethren! let ulf take heed. We ing a population of five millions. If IJhall only pass thi8 way once. Let us only one half or one third of this be work and endure as seeing Him who found attainable, the task of evangel- is as yet invisible, but before whom we shall shortly appear; let us ' give' or ' go ' as may best forward the end Springs. Some fundamcntal qucstion~ for which Christ died and rose again." of polity were discussed. We needed a President and Executive Committee to properly mix things, but we man- Laos Notes. aged without. But our greatest profit was derived from the exchanging of BY REV. W. C. DODD, LAMPOON LAOS VIA spiritual experiences. The unswerving BURMA. faith and unfaltering devotion to duty Rev. W. C. Dodd, of the Presbyterian manifested by our friends for Africa had a tonic effect upon the whole party. Mission, Laos, in a personal letter, writ- Frequent evangelistic services were ing under date December 9th, 1895, says: conducted by us, and well attended.

.. In some of the older stations our " As for the rest of the journey after mission has reached the second stage of leaving the Atlantic, new and old misdevelopment. The mere novelty of the sionaries have united in the study of Gospel message is wearing off in the the Laos language. All the recruits neighborhood of these older stations. can already read the Laos SCriptures There are beginnIng to be Gospel-hard- with some degree of facility. Our ened heathen, and our native churches view has been broadened by contact are beginning to face some of the intri- with the English, the Scotch, Maltese, cate problems of self-support. Some Italians, Arabians, Africans, and the friction is engendering. New responsi- people of India and the Malay penin. bilities call for new graces. The field sula, as well as the already familiar is large compared with the meagre force Chinese and Siamese. Contact with of missions.ries. How shall we dispose these peoples, and later with our own of our forces so as to get two or three Laos people, has served to deepen our men's work out of each missionary? impression of the simplicity, the com- We need the Spirit of wisdom_ So parative purity, the gentleness, and the heathen Laos Christians and foreign docility of the Laos. Weare more missionaries alike stand in peculiar and firmly convinced than ever that God profound need of the power from has here a prepared people, to whom He above. is sending us as prepared messengers.

"Some of us feel that the vacation May He complete the preparation! in the home land, and especially the to During the nearly eight weeks' last annual meeting of the International river journey from Bangkok we have Missionary Union, together with our been in constant contact with the Laos more or less protracted stay in the at- boatmen, most of whom are heathen. mosphere of the Clifton Springs sani- Devotional services every evening and tarium chapel, have prepared us espe- on Sabbath mornings in the vernacular cially for waiting on the Lord for this have been well attended, and some of blessing. the boatmen have become avowed in· " And our long journey from New quirers. Picture charts of Bible scenes York has not been without its store of have been used of the Spirit in blessing spiritual food or its share of spiritual some darkened minds with a I;'msp of uplift. On the Atlantic we were six- Bible truth. We leave the mcrease teen. Seven were en route to Eastern with the Spirit. During all this long Africa to inaugurate the African Inland journey it has been a pleasure to re- Mission for ninety million Africans. member the International Missionary Rev. E. W. McDowell, whom you will Union in daily prayer." remember as a new member of the In- ternational Missionary Union, was re- Progress of Evangelioal Work in Italy. turning to Mosoul, Turkey, without his family, but accompanied by a new BYE. C.

physician, Dr. Hansen. Four of us Liberty of thought in Italy, that has were returning to this Laos Mission in North Siam, Rev. D. G. Collins and in its ranks many unconscious Protes- wife, and Mrs. Dodd and myself; and tants, has lost of late in Ruggero Bough! we had with us three recruits, Rev. and Mrs. L. W. Curtis, and Miss Ghormley. one of its guiding stars. Almost the In London we were joined by Rev. last public act of this Catholic, who William Harris,' Jr., and in Bangkok wrote a Life of Christ placed in the by Dr. McKean and family and Rev. Index, and whose greatest delight was J. H. Freeman. in whetting his brilliant wit and scath- " Altho there were only three mem- ing sarcasm on the Vatican, was the bers of the International Missionary Union among us, we had frequent mis- contribution of articles in the daily pasionary conferences Ii la Clifton per, La Rijorma, and the periodical, I.e Vita Italiana, on that burning ques- found in regiments he had been among tion of the day, the King of Portugal's years before; most gratifying the at- obedience to the Pope's veto to his in- tendance at the services he held before tended visit to the Quirina1. In La the dispersion of the troops. He was Riforma Bough expressed himself thus: able to talk with many of the younger .. If the Government of Lisbon has officers, some of whom had read the bowed its head to the threats of the Bible, " and from their faces joy mani- Vatican, this is not our affair. The fested itself on knowing and being con- threat of recalling the nuncio J acobini, vinced that the wafer and the wine, if King Charles had entered the royal that the actual laws might still olJIige palace of Italy, reveals all the intrigue me, in this century of progress, to adore practised to fetter the free-will of the as God, are really but bread and wine."

faithful king. For us, meanwhile, I glean from the annual report (1894- this clearly follows that Catholic kings 95) of the W aldensian Church of would have no difficulty in coming to Rome: "There were twenty-six new the Quirinal, and that the fable of their admissions. A group of brethren has reluctance to enter the royal palace of been formed to visit tht: sick, the afflict- Italy is destroyed, … and the Vati- ed, the isolated. The Sunday-school can has recourse to threats to keep numbers sixty·five children."

from the Quirinal the sovereigns of On November 5th, in the great hall Catholic States, using the arms of faith of the Palazzo Saloiati, at Florence, to ends most contemptible and not de- the new term of the Waldensian Theo- terred by the responsibility of engen- logical Seminary was inaugurated.

dering revolution in the States of Eu- Signor G. P. Pons presided, moderator rope' that desire to keep in friendly of the table, surrounded by many Ital- terms with us." ian and foreign evangelical ministers, Pas mal for a Romanist, don't you some of whom Clime expressly from think? other cities to be present. Among I wish I could depict to you, happy them were the Rev. Mr. Miller, Dr.

people, my readers, who adore God Gray, and Mr. Brown. of the Free and honor your rulers with a quiet Church of Scotland, Messrs. Shaw and conscience, the condition of a nation Eager, of the Baptist Mission, and that has to choose between its church many others. After the opening prayer and its king, of a country in which to Professor Comba addressed to the adore God without being a heretic one many persons present a most eloquent must close one's eyes to the testimonies and admirable discourse on the Bible of good sense and reason. Is it so in Italy and its many versions. Mr.

strange that atheism, agnosticism, in- Miller, of the Scotch Church at Genoa, differentism, with all that follows in next spoke, and then Dr. Gray, who their train, should be rampant? Oh, if particularly desired to represent the this people, that by its hatred of super- Scotch Bible Society, of which he is stition is obeying the soul's impulse the agent in Italy. He joined Profes· toward the source of all light, could sor Comba in the hope expressed by be made to know the true God ! the latter in his discourse, that from The reports of the work of evangeli- this theological school a new translator zation are most encouraging. I have of the Bible in Italian might arise.

before me a letter of the Cardinal Luigi Most interesting was the testimony of Cappellini, of the Military Church, Professor Castelli, an eminent Jew, to published in the Italia Evangelica of the Bible, especially as regards the New October 5th. In it he gives an account Testament. ",Vith words from the of his work among the soldiers at the Rev. IHr. Shaw and Rev. Mr. Eager time of the grand maneuvers this au- and of the president, and with a prayer tumn in the Abruzzi. Very cheering and the singing of the Te ])eum, the to him were the fruits of past work he ceremony closed.

FIELD OF MONTHLY SURVEY

III.-FIELD OF MONTHLY SURVEY.

BY D. L. PIEBSON.

India,* OeyloD, Burma,t IDnduiBm.t INDIA. cated and outcaste, rich and poor, men, Twenty-three thousand souls pass women, and children. into eternity every day in India. What Work among Brahmins and students are the Christians of the world doing to give them an opportunity for eternal in India offers a tremendous field for life? The population of this great de- labor. The Young Men's Christian ~endency of England is nearly eight Association has recently entered India, tImes that of the BritiSh Isles, or equal and is doing successful work in many to that of all Europe (excluding the of the colleges and universities of that British Isles), or about four and one half land, especially at Calcutta. The Unitimes that of the United States. Among versityof Calcutta alone examines yearthese nearly 290,000,000 people about ly over 10,000 students, of whom more 1700 missionaries are laboring, or one than 6000 are candidates for entrance. representative for about every 25,000 To many the problem of the speedy Protestant communicants in the world ! Christianization of India seems, hu- If everyone of these missionaries could manly speaking, the problem of Chrisreach (in separate parishes) 50,000, there tianizing the young men while they would still be 200,000,000 without any are still young and while they are means of learning the way of salvation. passing out from under the cloud of The call for more workers and more superstition in which they have been funds to carryon the work comes from reared into the light of knowledge. every part of the field and from every Their period of education is a critical missionary society at work there. Con- stage in their career. and only Chrissecrated men and women of almost every tianity can prevent their passing from type may here find opportunity to use the darkness of heathenism to the cold their talents to the greatest advantage, lifeless state of skepticism or atheism: for there are all kinds and conditions of Much success has attended this work of Hindus among whom to work-edu- the Young Men's Christian Association but the leaders are greatly hampered by lack of funds to support sufficient workers and to supply the necessary • See also pp. 21, 41 (Jannary); 260,286 (pres- apparatus to carryon the work sucent issue). Books:" The Cross in the Land of cessfully. the Trident," H. P. Beach; "Bishop Heber," Dr. George Smith; "Modern Missions in the East" Women have an opening for Chris- Lawrence. Articles:" Studies on India," St'u. tian work in India such as, perhaps, dent Volunteer (October, November, December, they possess in no other land. The 1895); "Kashmir," Littell's Living Age (Janu- seclusion of Indian women in zenanlls ary 11th, 1896); Ohurch at Home and Abroad makes it possible to reach a large class (1896) and Gospel in All Lands (April, 1896). of them only through their Christian StereopttcQn Views and Lecture. Address Li- sisters; they occupy a position at once brarian of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, 156 Fifth Avenue, New York. degraded and unhappy-thus making them peculiarly open to the influence of t See also p. 49 (January); t72 (present is· the Gospel-and influential-thus ren- sue). Article: "Burma," Oornhill (Jannary 1896). '

:I: See also p. 280 (present issne). Books: dering their conversion of special im- "The Religions of India," E. W. Hopkins, portance. As wives and mothers they are the mainstay of Hinduism, and, con- Ph.D. Articles: "The Religions Noofn.ICuhdriia~­" verted, may become a tremendous power Biblia (Jannary, 1896); .. Studies in for the conversion of the whole empire.

tian Religions," Student Volunteer (February 1896). ' Another important branch of the submitted to the government, is interestwork is the education of the children, the future men and women of India. ing and significant. It shows the selfish- Sunday-school work has been carried ness of the Hindu system and its inabilon with much success. In one year ity to raise the lowly; it is a striking the number of Sunday-schools increased 1775, and scholars 66,396. The acknowledgment of the power of Chriswork is now carried on in 25 languages among 250,000 scholars_ Orphanages tianity and to the success of Christian and schools are only limited by men and missions. means to push forward the work. About $35 a year given for ten years In spite of the many difficulties to be will educate an orphan into an effective native Christian worker. More than 20,- encountered in India and the lament- 000,000 girls of school age in Indiahave able lack of support on the part of the still no opportunity for an education other than their heathen homes afford. Christians at home, the outlook was An unintended testimony to the effi- never more bright than at present. The ciency of the methods of missionary remarkable progress made during the work in India is the imitation of those methods by the Arya Somaj, one of the past twenty years still continues. There societies of Hindu reformers. They is, first of all, a marked difference obspend much money on educational work, have built orphanages, and opened servable in the attitude of the people meeting houses in many parts of the toward Christianity. Even the expoempire, where they hold Sunday services. This society also publishes tracts nents of Hindu systems seek to make explanatory of the Vedas and issues newspapers in which Christianity is their beliefs appear as much lik£' Chrisabused, but idolatry, caste, child marriage, and other evils are also opposed. tianity as possible without being Chris- Another remarkable and more spe- tian. Christian Hindus are also much cific testimony to missions is given by a Brahmin, V. Nagam Iyer, in his chap- more highly respected than formerly.

ter on education in the census report of Rev.•1. E. Scott enumerates the follow- Travancore. He says: ing signs of promise for further ad- .. By the unceasing efforts and selfdenying earnestness of the learned body vance: of Christian missionaries in the country the large community of native Chris- 1. Caste is breaking down. It is seen tians are rapidly advancing in their in the way people eat and drink, dress moral, intellectual, and material condi- and work; in the way they travel, in tion…• But for them the humble their schools, on their trains, steamorders of Hindu society would forever ships, and in their mills. remain unraised. . •. The heroism of raising the low from the slough of degra- 2. The pOOl" are coming up. The dation and debasement was an element coming man in India is the converted of civilization unknown to ancient sweeper. India. . •. Neither Brahmins nor non- Brahmins can c;laim to have done thus." 3. The people are broadening out. The National Congress, the Social Con- Rev. J. H. Wyckoff, of India, in gress, the newspapers, the patronage of commenting on this remarkable enco- Western science, the study of law, medicine, and engineering, all indicate mium, well says that this statement, that. coming from the pen of a Hindu of the 4. Christ is honored more. Many highest caste and in a public document among all classes now look upon Him with favor. Brahmos, Brahmins, and Mohammedans speak well of Him.

5. The Christian missions are 8UC- ceeding. Never before in the history of India were they advancing so rapidly as now. "The workers were never so numerous; the schools never so spir- itual ; the methods never so good; the fraternity and unity never so strong; the converts never so numerous; the Church never so spiritual as now."

6. The native Church is taking hold_ Often it is becoming self-supporting_ The people are appreciating their own pastors. Strong men are being raised up.

7. All feel it is worth the effort. Here are 282,000,000 people. CEYLON. British control, and this has given the work there a fresh impetus. The recog- "India's Pearl" presents a prosper· nition of the Rangoon Baptist College ous field for mission work; medical and by the State as one of its normal departeducational work are especially pros- ments has also given new life to the perous, and the only cloud on the hori- educational work. The pacification of zon is that of threatened failure of sup- Upper Burma has made it possible again port by Christians at home. Everywhere to man the station at Bhamo, and push the call for" retrenchment" brings sor- the work there. In all there were. in row and apprehension to the missiona- 1895, 148 missionaries, 710 native helpries' hearts, for it not only means hhrd- ers, and 600 churches, with 33,337 ship and trial to themselves and inabil· members, of whom 2187 were baptized ity to reap the fields which are white to in 1894. There are in connection with the harvest, but it means that the un- the missions 505 schools, with 13,306 converted will have another occasion to pupils. The native churches contributscoff and heathen communities and weak ed $1.56 per member-a sum that should Christians lose faith in the stability and put to shame many churches in Ameritruth of Christianity. Calls come for ca. The toils, privations, and sufferfunds for medical dispensaries for wom- ings of the pioneer missionaries have en and for schools to educate the youth. not been in vain. Rich harvests have Over 200 have professed their faith in already been reaped in Burma, and we Christ during the past year, and many are justified in believing that still greatothers are inquirers. The mission er triumphs are in store for us in the schools contain 14,868 and the Sunday- near future, if we do not become weary schools 64.05 children. J affqa College has in well·doing. 160 students, and the high school 391. .. The Master is sending patients to One hundred dollars will support for a our dispensary in the most marvelous year four native village school-teachers way. We have 400 out-patients a day in Ceylon. Each teacher would have on to whom the message is given, and the average 50 pupils in his school, so since the dispensary opened, less than a that $100 would prevent the giving up year ago, have preached to nearly 35,000 of four schools, and therefore keep 200 coming from nf;larly 800 villages in this children in Christian schools, under district. To follow up the preaching Christian instruction, for a year. in the villages is what we want to do ; Twenty-five dollars would keep 50 but the work is so heavy at headquarchildren in school; $10, 20 children; ters we have no staff for itineration." $5, 10 children; $1,2 children. "Quick So writes Mr. Monro from Ranaghat help is double help." District, N uddea, Bengal.

The dispensary for women at Chava- A Parsee Christian Association has gacherri (opened in July, 1894, through been formed, with headquarters at Bomthe self·sacrificing efforts of Miss Leitch) bay. Parsee converts residing there has now over 100 patients daily, patients feel the need of a bond of union, and who had previously been shut out from that if all Parsee Christians throughout European medical treatment, owing to the world were so united, it would ennative female modesty, which prevents courage others to join the Christian them from consulting male physicians. Church and openly confess Christ. Rich and poor consult the lady physi- Rev. Dhanjibhoy Nowroji, minister of cian, and receive spiritual as well as tem- the Free Church of Scotland, is presiporal aid. Many evince their apprecia dent. Almost every Parsee Christian tion by their contributions to the sus- in India belongs to the association, and tenance of the work. within six months five new converts have been baptized.-A. T. P. BURMA.

Since 1886 Burma has been under

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT

IV.-EDITORIAL DEPARTlV:ENT.

While the editor-in-chief is on his May 28-Jnnc 1. …….. Bnrnley. missionary tour in the British Isles it June 2-5 ……………. Birmingham. is his earnest wish that all who hold the interests of the Kingdom dear to " 7-10 ………….. Leicester. their hearts would unite in earnest pray- " 11-12 ………….. Bournemoutb. •• 15……………..Christ Church, London (C. E. Anniversary).

er that God's blessing may attend these " 16-19………….. Exeter HaIl (London). services. We append a list of both past " 20th, sails for America..on "Lucania."

and future appointments, that by united prayer of God's people the Holy Spirit The March of Events, may manlIest Himself throughout the whole tour. Thus far God's blessing The difficulties which have arisen in has been manifest in a marked degree. the Salvation Army in consequence of From one to three services are held the recall of Commander Ballington and daily, the subjects considered being: Mrs. Booth from the United States are 'l'he Inspiration and Authority of the much to be regretted, tho such a crisis Bible; the Personality and Power of in the Army might have been expected the Holy Spirit; the Culture of the to occur sooner or later. Dictatorship Christian Life; Christian Missions and has its advantages at certain periods and Systematic Giving. The list of en- for some people; but when a fallible gagements is as follows: man is dictator, and uses his authority to dictate a course which is against the January 1-5 ………… s. V. M. U. Conference, judgment of independent and strong- minded men, a .. rub" is sure to come in Liverpool. the course of time. None will deny 6-9……•.•••. Southport. 11-17……….Cardiff, Wales. 19-21 .•••..•••• Hereford.

2-2-23 .•••••••.. Abertillery . the successful progress of the Army or 24…………. Brecon and Trevecca the many noble Christian principles upon which it is founded, and according Colleges. to which its work is conducted; neither 26-28 ………. Newport. is the conscientiousness of the General 29-31. …….•. Abergavenny. February 1-6.•….•…•. Croydon and London.

" 7…•..••….. St. Paul's Cray, Kent. or of the Commander and his wife called 9-12 ……. " .Cambridge. 13-14 ……..•Colchester. in question. If the Commander still be- 16-20 •..•…..Oxford. lieves in the principles and practice of 23-26………Dublin, Ireland. the Army, he should abide by the Gen- 27-28 •…….. Waterford, Ireland. eral's order; if he has lost confidence March 1-4………….. Cork, Ireland. in them, it is time for him to withdraw. No doubt there was undue precipita- 5-6…………. Galway, Ireland. tion on the part of the representatives 8-11…………. Belfast, Ireland. 12-13………. Newry, Ireland.

15-17•……….. Londonderry, Ireland. of the London Headquarters, which 19-20………… Aberystwyth, Wales. forced Commander Booth and his wife ~~~ 22-25……….. . Bristol, England. to the step they have taken. They have ., 26-28 …•..••.•• . Exeter. the hearty sympathy of all Christian 29-April1. …..Bath.

April 3………………Croydon people in these trying circumstances. " 5-9……………. Brighton. This is a time for Christian moderation " 10-13 …………..Lewes. Ilnd charity to be manifested by both " 14-16………….Hastings. parties. It is earnestly hoped that " 19-May 9………Scotland. the Army will remain united and con- May 10-13 ………….. Barrow-in-Furness.

" 14…………….. City Temple, London. tinue its noble warfare, tho ready to " 17-20 ………….. Manchester. alter its policy when circumstances " 21-24 …………. Warrington. demand it. When the forces of evil are .. 27………………C. I. M. Annual Meet- united, the forces of Cl1rist's army can- ing, London. not afford to be rent with internal dwelleth the love of God in !tim 1" There strife. must be immediate relief or it will be too late 1* The situation in Armenia remains un- changed so far as the attitude of Christ- Ohina'8 Millions says: " The Moham- endom and the Turk is concerned, but medan rebellion in Kan-suh, far from •it has been growing worse daily and being quelled. is spreading into the ad- hourly in the increased suB'ering and joining province of Shen-si. It has death· rate among the destitute Arme- been stated that the rebels are led by a nians in Asia Minor. Russia and Tur- man of relentless energy and high am- key seem to have made a compact to bition. A great gulf of religious preju- stand against the other European pow- ers. The Sultan has agreed to allow dices and hatred separates the Moslems Miss Barton a.nd her Red Cross workers from their neighbors. The authorities to distribute food and clothing for the are helpless; they have had to deal, not relief of the starving and freezing men, merely with an army concentrated at women, and children. This enables one spot, but with a general rising carthe work to be carried on more rapidly ried out on every hand and breaking and in points inaccessible to missiona- out wherever and whenever opporturies. The central station for the Red nity occurred. To add to the difficul- Cross work will probably be in or near ties of the situation, the secret societies, Zeitoun, where the misery and sickness organized for the overthrow of the Manamong the refugees arc indescribable chu Government, are acting in concert with the rebels. Half the province is said to be in their hands. The slaugh- ter of women and children has been ap- palling, and the people in the two prov- inces are panic-stricken."

and inconceivable. Arecent letter says: II Can you in America realize what it A Presbyterian rally for Home Mismeans to Bee for your lives from a burn- sions was held in Carnegie Hall, New ing home, having lost property and mon- York: City, March 3d, at which nearly ey, relatives and friends; to walk: for four thousand people were present, and miles barefooted and wounded through speeches were delivered by Dr. Sheldon the snow, and then thank God for His Jackson, Booker Washington, and othwonderful mercy in preserving you ers. The meeting was too long and not from death 1" Intelligence and rumors a financial success. Christians need still reach us from time to time telling more than a temporary enthusiasm for of fresh massacres and increased suffer- the spread of the Gospel-they need to ing, and there are fears of further das- be more thoroughly enthused with the tardly work by the Turks during the spirit of Christ and more keenly and holy month of Ramazan. The Sultan constantly ali ve to the needs of the work meanwhile seeks to deceive Europe by at home and abroad. While almost pledges of reform and to stop contribu- every mission board is burdened with a tions from America and England by re- load of debt, they could be supported ports of " Turkish Relief Work." But ten times over if Christians everywhere the Turk is neither able nor willing to gave systematically even one twentieth relieve the Armenians. Whatever funds of their income. are collected are used for Moslem sub· jects-for the Turk seeks to extermi- Dr. J. Henry Barrows sailed on Feb· nate the Christians. Are followers of ruary 25th for India, where he willlec- Christ in America and England content tura on the Christian religion. He will to look quietly on while their brethren endeavor to present Christianity in such and sisters die by the hundreds for want of succor in their distress 1 "Whoso • Contributions sent to the managing editor hath this world's good and seeth that his of the REVIEW; to Frank H. Wiggin, 1 Somerbrother have need and 8hutteth up his set Street, Boston; or to Brown Brothers, New oowels of compasaion from him, MW York (agents for Red Cross.) a light that educated Hindus will recog- "1. That the United States is to be nize its simplicity, its truth, and its the future land of promise to the Jews power. There may be some difference is a piece of national conceit on a par of opinion as to the utility of this tour, with our insular conceit which breeds but let the prayers of God's people at· such a theory as Anglo-Israelism over here.

tend him, that he may be used to con- "2. That there is to be no return of vince men that salvation by the vicari· the Jews to the Holy Land, but only a ous atonement of Christ is the only • spiritual' • return to Christ.' is, to my salvation, and that they may confess mind. dead contrary to IToly Writ. For His name with boldness. I believe that the • most stupendous miracle ever performed' will most cer- Three men of wide influence have re- tainly be performed. cently been called to their reward. Rev. Talbot W. Chambers, S.T.D., LL.D., "3. 'The Christian Church to-day is one of the most prominent Christian the Israel of God ' ! t We had that theministers of New York City during the sis as one of our two subjects at the last past generation, died on February 3d in meeting of the Prophecy Investigation the seventy-seventh year of his age. He Society, and Rev. Prebendary Webbhas seen great changes in the city, and Peploe demolished it beautifully. As has himself been an important factor in John Wilkinson says, • You cannot the making of many of them. He was widely known as a scholar, a preacher, make a spiritual Israelite out of a Genas a loyal and honored citizen, and an tile.' You must have a raw potato beable exponent of missions. fore you can have a cooked potato; you must have a natural Israelite before you By the death of Rev. Sandford Hunt, can produce a spiritual Israelite. D.D., Treasurer of the Missionary Societyof the Methodist Episcopal Church " Dr. Jessup talks of the' literal in- (North), not only that society and terpretation as being extremely improba- Church, but the whole Church sustains ble.' Does he forget that there is a U'D- ing God 1 and that' the things that are impossible with men are possible with God' ?

" To my mind, Dr. Jessup's paper just bristles with controvertible points, all opposed to the prernillennial and per- sonal coming of our Lord and His reign over the house of Israel…

a great loss. For many years he has While the editor gives room to the ably filled his positions of trust and has above remarks-which were not meant left the record of a noble life. for public eye, and thus gives them Dr. H. C. Bowen, editor and proprie- pUblicity in order to show how such tor of the Independent, died on Febru- methods of dealing with Scripture ary 24th, in the eighty-third year of his shock certain reverent students of age. It is largely due to his energetic prophecy, among whom the writer of and able management that the Independ- this letter Is one of the most beloved- ent has developed into one of the fore- we wish our readers to understand that most weeklies of the day. no personal hostility to this eminent missionary in Beirut actuates the criti- If any of our friends think the cism either of the editor or his corre- editorial demurrer as to Dr. Jessup's spondent. Opposition to a view or article on the Jews (pages 889-891, of opinion may be most positive and un- 1895 volume) was uncalled for, it may hesitating, while affection for the party be well to let a very devoted child of holding it is most tender and true. We God from the other side of the sea add regard Dr. Jessup as one of the most his testimony. He says: "I am disap- self-sacrificing and serviceable missiona- pointed exceedingly to see the paper by ries now on the field, and the more do Dr. Jessup in the December REVIEW. we regret that he has fallen into that It is most painful reading and full of ready. and, to our minds, irreverent shocking skepticism. Dr. Jessup's God method of handling prophecy which is evidently dead and can work no mir- leaves men to dispose of prediction acle. It contains these errors: upon the basis of human probabilities. The predictions about our Lord's first You can find no promise in the Old coming seemed even to Jewish rabbis Testament with reference to Israelso contradictory (e.g., Isa. 53) that they their conversion and the outpouring of could only undel'stand them by imagin- the Holy Spirit upon them-except in ing a (lQuble .Messiah-one suffering and connection with their national restoradying, the other reigning and triumph- tion to the land which God ga'e to their ing. And in view of the fact that such fa~hers. In that very chapter in Jereimpossibilities as birth from a virgin mIah, when God says He will make a and resurrection and such paradoxes as new covenant with them and give to prophecy presents were fulfilled and them a new heart and put a right spirit reconciled in Christ's actual career ~ithin them-in that very chapter and should make us hesitate at least about In the subsequent chapters are described saying that predictions about Christ's to us distinctly that, in that very land second advent, and the future of the which He gave to their fathers, all this Jewish nation, are impossible of fulfil- would take place, and also that their ment or absurdly paradoxical. And thus national existence would endure as long to affirm of any prophecy is a blow as the sun and moon and the heavens' against the inspired Book, since it as- and so you fiud in all the prophets that these things remain steadfast and sure .

and Jesus Christ Himself confirmed these promises. the oath which God sware to Abraham."

sumes that the human reader is to judge Dean Farrar has publicly stated that what is possible for God to bring about: 7000 of the English clergy are avowed This is judging prophecy by the proba- supporters of the Romeward movement. bilities of events, instead of determining How that movement proceeds is being the certainties of the future by the in- illustrated at St. Pancras, where the fallible Word of God.-A. T. P. confessional is being openly used ; at A:Canadian correspondent calls atten- Stratford-on-Avon, where a communi- tion to an extract from Dr. Adolph cant was refused the cup because de- Saphir's .. Divine Unity of Scripture" clining to receive the bread in the form apropos of the article by Dr. Jessup on of a wafer; and at the opening of a .. The Jews in Palestine," respecting mission chapel in Landport. A proces- the covenant about the land :* sion was formed, of which the follow- .. The covenant with Abraham em- ing is a description: braces three points, and you cannot take anyone of them away. First, from .. First came a thurifer swingiug the Abraham was to come an exceedingly numerous nation; second, that nation censer, from which was emitted the was to possess the land of Canaan' and fragrant odor of incense. Beside him third, that the seed of Abraham"';as to was an acoly!e carrying the crucible. be the center of blessing to all the fami- Both were attired in red cassocks with lies of the earth. When we look at shoes. stockings, and skull caps to these three points, if it were not for the match; and above the cassocks was middle point of the promise of the land worn a white surplice or robe. Other it might be possible for people to say acolytes, similarly dressed, came next. that when Christ came, and when aSnoomtehebrotrheeacloroftssl.ongFowllhoiwteicnagncdalems~ and Christ by His death became the Savior the of sinners, the promises to Abraham choir, the clergy, and other acolytes were fulfilled. He had become a nu- with an upraised crucifix and a censer merous nation; the Messiah had come' with incense. Immediateiy behind the and through that Messiah blessings had choir came the bishop, and on each side gone forth to .all the nations of the of him walked two clergymen. Most earth. Take all the promises which are based upon this covenant that God of the clergymen wore birettas. The made with Abraham in a literal and company of clergymen was brought up concrete sense, and never for a moment by , Father' Dolling in gorgeous cope forget the land of Canaan in which these promises were to be fulfilled. and alb; and then a large number of worshipers, walking four abreast completed the pageant." '

To offset the extreme ritualistic and Romanizing tendencies of the Anglican *P.304. Church, a course of lectures on " Dif· ferenceS between the Church of Eng- cated classes, that has been so proland and the Church of Rome" are nOUl'lCed the last few years, is on the being given at St. Peter-upon-Cornhill, wane, and there is slow but sure moveby Archdeacon Sinclair, on Tuesdays ment toward the Gospel. The revolt and Fridays. The subjects are" Papal from materialism is as marked here as Supremacy and Infallibility;" "Sin in Europe and America; attempts to and Forgiveness, Penance, Purgatory;" reform Hinduism have ended in ac- "The Sacraments, Transubstantiation, knowledged failure; theosophy has Sacrifice of Mass, Withholding of Cup;" been tried and.found wanting; and the "Veneration and Invocation of Saints eyes of thoughtful Hindus are unmisand Images, the Virgin Mary, Image takably turning to Christ as the one and Worship;" .. Worship of Relics;" only fulfilment of their hopes. Pre- " Prayers in an Unknown Tongue;" cisely in what way the Lord will lead "Pius IV.'s Addition to the Creed." this people to Himself I would not This is an unusual step, and it is to be dare to prophesy-for • my ways are hoped these discourses will be put in permanent form and scattered; among not your ways,' saith the Lord-but that He is moving among the high and the low in this great land, and prepar- ing the way for the coming of His king- dom, is manifest to all who have eyes to see."

the people.-A. T. P.

We acknowledge $20 for the Arme- :Book Notioe. nian sufferers from the Salems congregation of the Reformed Church, re- The systematic study, of missions is ceived through the pastor, J. H. Beck, demanding more and more attention, of Waynesburg, O. ; also $9 from the especially on the part of those who United Presbyterian congregation of have in view work in the foreign field. Saltsburg, Pa., forwarded by Robert H. There is a growing demand for books Wilson. Both of these sums have been which present in a clear and forceful transmitted immediately to the scene of way the state and characteristics of suffering. separate mission fields, but as yet this demand has been but sparsely supplied. As a study of India, we would heartily The murder of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson recommend Harlan P. Beach's series of and son in Madagascar is the more sur- studies, .. The Oross in the Land of the prising and disappointing because not Trident. ,,* These studies were prethe work of untaught pagans, but of pared especially for Student Volunthose wp.o had been in attendance at the teers, of which movement Mr. Beach church and schools of their teachers, is the Educational Secretary, and and who plundered also adjoining abounds in valuable information and dwellings. The heathen mind is prone suggestions as to the land, the people, to distrust, and its suspiciousness is not and the work of Christian missions. always allayed even by self-denying One of the most useful and unique fealabors of Christian missionaries. This tures of the book is the list of .. Sugseems a day of tragedies even in lands gested Readings" from all the best not usually linked with the apprehen- books which treat of Indian history, sion of such deeds of violence. life, and religions. The book is packed full of information; it is a thesaurus An Indian missionary, Mr. Wyckoff, on missions in India. We hope that a expresses himself in the following way future edition will contain one or two about the outlook in India: maps and charts, and some additional tables of statistics regarding the work " I have never in my whole mission- of the various societies in the field and ary life felt so hopeful of the triumph the territorial distribution of missionof the Gospel in India as to-day. Un- aries. less I am greatly mistaken in reading the signs of the times, the antagonism * Fleming H. Revell Co., New York, Chicago to Christianity on the part of the edu- and Toronto. 50 and ~5 c~ntB.

MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE

V.-GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.

EDITED BY BEV. D. L. LEONARD.

Extracts and Translations from Foreign You may smile, but I know that not Periodicals. only has that man held that view for BY REV. C. C. STARBUCK, ANDOVER, years, and still holds it, but that many men hold that same view. Now is it MASS. conceivable that any man, the most INDIA. unfair of men, could long abide in such -The Harvest Field of a few months an opinion except from absolute igno- since had a valuable paper by S. D. rance of the personal character of mis- PEARS, Esq., entitled" The Missionary sionaries as a class? And surely it i.

and Anglo-Indian Society." ?tIro Pears for the missionaries and not for us to thinks that the missionaries in India remove this ignorance."

seclude themselves too much from gen· The Harve8t Field thinks that Mr.

eral society. He says: "I believe that Pears exaggerates the power that mis- far more might be done by personal in- sionaries could have over Anglo·Indian fluence than is done toward converting society, and hardly blings out in its full the great mass of secular society in this force the deliberate and obstinate ,un- country from a mere apathetic dead godliness of much of this SOciety.

weight round the neck of missionary effort in India into an active and -The Basel Report of South India, vital force tor good, if only mission· among other grounds of conversion, aries would bring the power of their speaks of being "'driven into the fold individual personal influence more of Christ by fear of demons." "Early closely into the midst of non-missionary one morning not long ago the old Chris- society. I know that in some stations tian widow Hanna was seen hastening missionaries do belong to the clubs and to the mission station at Padur. It do intermix in the closest friendship must have been something important with lay society, but I believe these that induced her to leave her cottage so are rather the exception than the rule, early and to come to the missionary.

and from my own experience I know Almost breathless she arri ves and tells that there are other stations where the her story. That same morning at day- missionary and the non-missionary sec- break her neighbor had knocked at her tions are as completely apart as tho an door and told her with streaming eyes ocean divided them. In one such sta- that she could no longer bear the fear tion I remember the complaint being of the bhutas (demons). There was her made by a missionary in the pUlpit that son lying sick at home, and all she did the evil lives led by certain laymen to pacify the bhutas was of no avail, were the greatest possible hindrance to her son was growing worse and worse.

their mission work in the town. Was She had long observed that in Hanna's the complaint justified, I ask, seeing house there was peace and no fear of that the missionaries did absolutely bhutas, and she had now made up her nothing to influence or reform the evil mind to come to the Christians with her lives in question? Again, I heard a whole house to serve the God of the man not long ago, not merely in his Christians in order to get peace and to right mind, but of rather conspicuous have her son made well again. Shortly ability, set to work to abuse mission- afterward the grown-up son of the aries, one and all, as a class without house arrives and corroborates her exception. To be a missionary, he story. He is encouraged in the belief said, was to be, ipso jaoto, a hypocrite. that God Almighty hears prayer, and

EXTRACTS AND TBANSLA1'IONS

can save his brother if it be His will. Methusela, Carolina, Abiathar, Abigail, Mr. Singer, accompanied by his cate- Samson, Abithal, Absalom? We know chist, went to the house in question, that after this custom has been intro· which was about two miles distant. The duced by the missionaries, the native inmates were an old widow, aged about Christians of some parts have now taken sixty-five years, with a face in which it up and sometimes select the most griefhad left visible traces; two grown- singular names for themselves or their up sons, one married to a girl-wife, the children; but we are convinced that other a widower; a widowed daughter, the custom can be and ought to be op- and the sick son, aged about twenty, posed by all right-minded persons, be and looking more like a skeleton than they missionaries or natives."

a living man. These folks belong to Ramkrishnapunt was a name that the caste of the IIalepaikaru, Kanarese- emphasized only the more emphatically speaking people who settled here in an- the conversion of the eminent preacher cient times as soldiers. After a short who bore it, and who, like Hermes, address and prayer the paraphernalia Hermas, Phrebe, Demetrius, and many of the bhuta-worship were destroyed, other apostolic converts, never dreamed and then the people were visibly re- of changing it.

lieved and said, 'Now we belong to -Missionary SeLEScR, of the Danish you.' "-Ha7"Dest Field. Tamil Mission, remarks that the Shiva- -The Basel Report says very sensi- ites have 1008 holy places. It will be bly, and we need not say is confirmed remembered that the great sectarian by the Ha7"De8t Field, which always takes division of Hinduism is that between the sound view of things: " We desire Shivaites and Vishnuites, representing to enter a protest against the custom respectively salvation by works and by prevailing in some of our churches of faith. Which represents which the ransacking the Bible or the German present writer is never able to keep in and English dictionaries in order to find mind. A missionary remarks that names for the new converts. We do when a preacher of either sect is holdnot find that the apostles of our Lord ing forth, you may often see the adchanged the names of their converts. herents of the other sect listening with We find that even the names of Roman an expression of fury in their faces and Greek gods, such as Hermes, Apol- compared with which the extremest relo, etc., were retained. Why should ligious animosities within Christendom we pretend to be wiser than the apos- seem mild. It is, of course, understood tIes? Why should we assist in dena- that Vishnuites and Shivaites equally tionalizing our Christians by giving enjoy all the privileges of caste.

them Hebrew, English, and German -" It seems to me that if Hindus of names? Why should we be guilty of English education can be won for our lowering in the minds of our people the Lord, their families will naturally come estimation they have or ought to have over to Christianity with them, and of the holy rite of baptism by giving then first M accessible to personal in- them cause to believe that baptism is fiuence. The relations of Indian fam- only a ceremony of giving or changing ily life assuredly render almost impos- names? Why should we degrade our· sible -or inconceivable-that a wife selves and our converts by giving our should be convinced before her hus- C!),ristians names of persons whose so- band; their want of independence is so ciety we should shun if they were alive complete and pervading, that an un- now, such as Tamar, Bathsheba? Why cultivated Hindu wife will never come introduce foreign names which to their to a resolution, not even in the com· bearers can have no meaning at all, monest every·day matters, not to speak ,"uch as Asuba, Kerenhappuch, Jemima, of questions of religion. Therefore it

GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE

would be very doubtful, indeed, tional ideas produced by traditional'

whether a European woman, however teaching and by the services of the capable and zealous, would find her- temple and the mosque. As the Chris- self able to influence Indian women tian advocate tries to reach the heart, (that is, such as are bound by family he finds arrayed against him as protec- ties) so that they could be said to be in tive barriers the doctrines of fate, of some measure awakened to a recogni- transmigration, of the use of sacred tion of the misery of sin, so as really to ashes, etc., and no progress toward the seek a Savior from it. I will never call inner citadel can be made till these are it impossible, for nothing is impossible removed. Then there are some who with God; but hard, immensely difficult are dissatisfied with the religious prac- it is, demanding strenuous labor and tices of their forefathers and neighbors, well-fitted instruments in the Lord's and who are in a state of unrest. This hands. If it is immensely difficult for may have been produced by occasional us men to bring Hindu men, even those glimpses of the realms of truth lying of English education. to true conver- beyond the sphere of accepted beliefs, sion-and experience makes only too caught when circumstances brought clear how hard it is-it is a hundred- them to earnest thought about the pres- fold more difficult to lead ignorant, su- ent and the future, or it has been perstitious, servile women to the same brought about by the religious instruc· goal; and such are the wi ves of the tion received in mission schools or from Hindus, even of most of the cultivated Christian publications. Such men have Hindus; therefore, like minor children, been seized upon by some truth, and we must wait for them to come with they can find no rest till they yield to their guardians. "-Rev. ANDREW LAR- it. They cannot believe what their SEN, in Dansk Missions-Blad. forefathers believed, and yet they can Mr. Larsen then goes on to speak of give no satisfactory reason for their various ways in which the missionary disbelief. They are wrestling with ladies can win the confidence and grati- they know not what. When tbe evantude of Hindu women, and so prepare gelist meets with such, he bas to be an the way for their future coming over interpreter of 'thoughts in the air ;' he with the men. has to be in sympathy with the onward movement of religious thought and -" The acute-minded Brahman, feeling; he has to place himself in con- whose studies and knowledge entitle tact with their inner religious life, that him to a place among the disciples of a he may so present the truth that the in- Hindu school of religious thought, is tellectual, moral, and religious facul- in a different mental state for hearing ties of those he speaks to may feel that the truth from the Pariah, whose it is from God and claims their allegi- thoughts seldom rise above the routine ance. Then there are many whose con- of daily life. The man whose mind re- dition is such that life affords them no ceives fresh ideas and stimulus from pleasure, and they have no prospect of the monthly serials that come from Eu- a better state of things. To them the rope and America must have the truth Gospel of hope, of rest, of joy has to presented to him in a ditIerent way be taught slowly, patiently, lovingly_ from the man whose thoughts are lim- Thus to all classes it must be made ited to the range of bis vernacular known as they need it and can receive studies. These distinctions are marked, it ; otherwise it will fail of its purpose.

but there are others quite as definite. -Rev. W. Joss, in Har'0e8t F'ield.

The mass of those around us have their moral natures and their religious sensi- -" The year has brought much bilities protected against the truth of trouble to some members of our con- Obris~ by the hard crust of COIlVen- gregation, who have been subjected to

EXTRACTS AND

perse~utions such as have passed out of ogy, the Anthropology, and the Soteri· memory in English history. The Su- ology of the Vedas. Under each head· dra is able to oppress the friendless ing he shows how his investigations Pariah in a thousand ways, and, shield- bear upon the theory of evolution ed by his caste and wealth, can often [from a lower to a higher religion]. perpetrate iniquities which are only As literature the Mantras, the oldest possible in a land where slavery exists portions of the Vedas, are vastly supe· in all but name. The wealthy Su- rior to the other portions, the Brahdra is practically king of his village ; manas and Upanishads. In the theolhis word is law, and woe to the man ogy of the Vedas we find regress rather who attempts to thwart him. In one than progress. The earliest writings village toward the end of the year a set forth the Divine nature and attri· member of the congregation was bar- butes in such a manner as to suggest the barously murdered by six ryots (it was probability that they contain fragments said) of his own and a neighboring vil- of a primitive revelation, whereas the lage. Among these ryots was a man later writers have a debased conception who is the terror of the country-side, a of the Deity, and in proportion as we rich unscrupulous Kapu, a descendant come down the stream of time, the of an old PQlygar family. So power- number of the gods gradually increases. ful are these men, that altho a warrant As regards the c08mologyof the Vedas, for their apprehension was issued and the most ancient theory is that creation a reward offered, they were able to took place out of nothing. This ac· avoid arrest for ten weeks, appearing count of the origin of the world is given openly in their own villages, altho in one in the 129th hymn of the Rig Veda, of the villages is a police station. They which corresponds in a striking manner were seen constantly by everybody ex- with the first chapter of Genesis. With cept by those whose interest it was to the spread of Pantheism came the nobe blind. It was with the greatest tion now prevalent, that creation is a difficulty that I got the case taken up, phenomenal emanation from the Deity. but it is now under inquiry. "-Rev. Here. again, there is a marked deteriora- F. L. MARLER (L. M. S.), quoted in tion. A study of the anthropology of Ha1'1Jest Field. the Vedas leads to a similar conclusion. The old is better. There is no caste, -The Intelligencer, noticing a work properly so called, in the most ancient of the Rev. MAURICE PHILLIPS, of the part of the Vedas. Lastly, when we London Mission, Madras, on "The consider the 8oteriology of the Vedas, Teaching of' the Vedas," remarks: we find that the farther back we go, "No little sympathy as well as acute- the purer it is. " ness of intellect is required to enable a European to enter into the subtleties " In days of yore, when the Hindu of Hindu speculation. Mr. PhilLips religion was still a living power, possesses these qualities in an eminent princes, priests, and people vied with degree. He deals with his subject in one another in offering their best to the spirit of the motto from Schelling their idols. They decked them with which he has prefixed to his book: costly trinkets, pearls, and precious , The religious instinct should be hon- stones; they gave their best lands to ored even in dark and confused mys- the temples; they filled the temple teries. ' While he respects this instinct, treasury with wealth, so that the he does not shrink from showing how amount possessed by many temples ran grievously it has been led astray by up to millions. This religious enthuthe' dark and confused' system which siasm has long since died out. Since he examines. He passes in review the 1858 the English Government has en· Literature, the Theology, the Cosmol· tirely withdrawn from the administra- tion of this property, and it rests in the

GENERAL :MISSIONABY INTELLIGENCE

hands of Hindus. It is a sure sign of The Lower Congo.-Wisdom in meth.

the approaching dissolution of Hindu· od is shown in the tidings from this reo ism that many temples are the prey of gion. The plan adopted by Mr. W.

robbers and spendthrifts. Even the Holman Bentley has been to gather to idols themselves are no longer safe from the station at Wathen two or three boys the long fingers ot the greedy temple from each of the principal towns, even thieves. In the Indian newspapers, to the distance of sixty miles, the aim the complaints of the bad administra· being not only to educate them and, if tion of the temple property, the dis· possible, lead them to the Savior, but honesty, extravagance, and wantonness also to train them for Christian work; of the temple authorities and priests, so that on their return to their towns, are constantly increasing. The only they may spread the Gospel among remedy suggested is to call ill the help their own people. Mr. Bentley has of the English Government. Last year reaped most satisfactory results from the most distinguished residents of this method. In arranging a mission· 'rirupati, where there is the most fa· ary journey, Mr. Bentley sends on the mous sanctuary of Vishnu in South lads a fortnight or so in advance of India, sent a long petition to the Vice- himself; and by this means finds, in roy of India, in which they entreated many cases, whole towns prepared for him to publish a new law, appointing his coming, and disposed to hear with special officials to protect the property avidity the glad message. he has to de- of the temples, seeing that the state of clare. The plan is worthy of mention, their religious endowments was des- and many may find it worthy of adop- perate. The government in Madras tion.

was attacked on all sides, until it laid Shantung, Ohina.-Speaking on how proposals of the kind indicated before the light spreads in China, Mr. Ernest the supreme power in Calcutta. But W. Burt, B.A., says; "In nine cases the Viceroy firmly answered: • No! out of ten it is through the influence of The Act of 1863, by which the admin- relations who have already learnt the istration of religious endowments must truth." One effect of this is to make be left solely and entirely in the hands the church, usuaUy small, a rather ot the adherents of the religion to "close clique;" for if the people at which they belong, must be main· the north end of a village become tained.' "-Leipziger MissirJmblatt (The Christians, then that is one reason the Ohronicle). more why those at the south end should have nothing to do with Christianity.

English Notes. Another point that Mr. Burt notices is the advanced age of candidates for BY JAMES DOUGLAS. baptism. This, he finds, to be from Bapti8t Mi88ionary Socwty.-The news tifty to tifty·four on an average, wherefrom Shansi, China, shows that while as in England the probability is that 90 the door is, in a sense, open, there are per cent are received under thirty years yet many adversaries. Mr. Towerby of age. The explanation is that in a writes; •• At present it seems scarcely land where there is no Sabbath, and right not to protect our Christians from where the struggle for mere existence persecution when this has been secured is all·absorbing, men have little leisure to them by treaty right." As matters, to think of their soul and the unseen however, now stand,' the mode of reo world till they have passed the prime of dress seems to be the greater evil of the life. Besides in China, the young are two. Despite all, the work goes on repressed, and not expected to have satisfactorily, and inquirers, chiefly opinions of their own. .

through tbe diff uaion of the Scriptures, Londo-n MisaiorUJd'Y Society. -Most en· are springing up. couragi~ reaql.ts ~e reported in con-

ENGLISH NOTES

nection with a missionary tour in Tien- sion. Last Sunday in this city our big Meu, China. In one town, 10 converts church was crammed with men (at the were baptized; in another, 23 candi- men's side) who had come expressing dates for baptism were examined; in their wish to become Christians."

Chang village a service was held at Nothing like this has ever been seen which there were 14 baptisms; while before.

two other places are mentioned where Presbyterian Ohurch of England.- 12 and 29 respectively were baptized. The Rev. Thomas Barclay, M.A., is In addition to all, much public interest able to speak hopefully of the future was shown and the privilege enjoyed of Formosa. Already abundant eviof much Gospel sowing. dence exists that a new era has dawned Thibet.-Considerable interest will for that island, and missionary prosbe felt by many in Mr. F. F. Long- pects are brighter than ever before. man's trial trip into Thibet. Having The Chinese and Japanese alike are labored among the Bhutiya people in sensible of the value of the mediatory their summer quarters in Northern 'services of the missionaries in the inter- Kumaon, Mr. Longman recently ven- ests of peace and goodwill.

tured, under the regis of this wander- Ohina'8 Milliona.-An increasing earing tribe, into the forbidden land. His nestness in listening to the message is conclusion, as tested by experience, is reported from many of the stations of that "Thibet for the present is un- the China Inland Mission. The Chinese doubtedly closed, but through the Christians have proved themselves most Bhutiyas we have an opportunity of true to their Lord, some under circumreaching and influencing its people stances of severe trial, and others under which, under existing circumstances, bitter persecution. In the far-off Provis of unique importance." inces of Yun·nan and Kan-suh, which Ftnancial.-The Centenary Fund have been much prayed for, tokens of now exceeds £90,000, while the gen- coming bleBBing have cheered the workeral contributions are a trifle in excess ers' hearts, and in Ho-nan there have of the amount received under that head been larger additions to the church at the corresponding time last year. In than in any past year, and greatly inone London suburban church the penny creased numbers of hearers.

a week system has yielded over £40.

We8tern India.-A Parsee gentleman THE KINGDOM. has been baptized at Poonah. It was during his travels abroad he was first -The Missionary puts this pertinent" drawn toward Christ, and notably by a question: "Would it not be well for sermon preached in Leopold Rooms, even Christian people to study afresh Ludgate Circus, in April, 1895. The those bits of wonderful missionary hispreacher enlarged on God's method of tory from the Book of Acts? Paul is justifying the ungodly, showing that now a hero, and his name surrounded the prevailing idea of gaining righteous- with a halo of glory. In every pUlpit ness by works was erroneous, and that and in every Christian home his name there was no righteousneBB comparable and career are a watchword and an into that of our Lord Jesus Christ. spiration. Yet he lived that wonderful life amid human ,surroundings just like Suuth Ohina.-Writing from Fuh- ours, and, if he were here to-day, and chow, Archdeacon Wolfe says: "We proposed to go to Kucheng, China, or are already beginning to see the great- Tanna, of the New Hebrides, or the heart of Congo, how many, even of ness of the bleBBlng which. God is about God's people, would cry, 'Tempting to pour down upon the Fuh-kien Mis- Providence I Why this waste? ' "

GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE

-This is both Christian and heroic. and moralists. Yd Christianity, as it Rev. Mr. Marshall, the father of Miss came in the fulness of time, is itself the Marshall, one of the martyr mission- fulness of Divine revelation. It is the aries of Kucheng, China, said in a ser- complement of the other religions. It mon: "I believe that I shall see the supplies what they lack. It realizes mighty fortress of Satan, called the what they vaguely aspire after. It Empire of China, handed over to the takes up and assimilates whatever is Captain of our salvation, and on that good in them. Christ is the uncon- day, whether it shall be here or in Para- scious desire of all nations. He reveals dise, I know I shalt rejoice tltat the one the God whom they are feeling after.

who called me father WaB a member of In a word, Christianity is the absolute that forlorn hope. And I shall rejoice religion…

when those from the land of Sinim ac- -Our lineage is heathen. Missionary knowledge that the martyrdoms of Ku- enterprise rescued us from paganism. cheng were a large factor in the deliv- Gratitude tor our own emancipation erance of their country from its age- and love for our brethren, the heathen. bound heathenism. Wasted lives are of all countries, should move us with a not to be found in the noble army of mighty impulse to engage in missionmartyrs." ary work.-R. Long.

-In a discourse in behalf of the So- -It took three hundred years to ciety for the Propagation of the Gos- transform old Rome so that Christianpel, the Bishop of Dover declared: "It ity became recognize!! as the nation's is the will of Christ that Christianity faith; and it may take a century to shall be the ultimate religion of the transform South America. The plans world, and not only is it God's pur- of the Church should include the time pose, but it is also self-propagating. element in transforming opinions; and, Therefore, coldness toward missions is while there is and should be preaching nothing but coldness toward God. for immediate conversion, there must Christian missions are essentially a part also be the application of such methods of the Church's lite, and the day when as will more and more prepare the way any faith ceases to extend is the day of for the Gospel in the broader sense of the beginning of its decay and death. national readiness to receive the truth. We have to make disciples of all na- -Dr. J. M. Allis. tions. There are no exceptions or conditions to be considered." -A few years ago a brother and sis- ter in Cuba, having inherited a Bible. -Those who would dissuade us from could dispose of it in no other way than evangelizing countries possessing an an- by cutting it in two and each taking cient civilization get no sympathy from half. And a colporteur tells an interest· Sir Charles Elliott, who, after forty ing story of a Bible he gave to a negro years in India, has just retired from in the mountains of West Virginia. the post of Lieutenant-Governor of The next time he saw it, behold, all the Bengal. For he affirms that it is " im- Old Testament was gone. The owner possible to !lhirk or conceal the feeling being asked to explain. said that an that the Christian religion is the one aunt living five miles away, and a pre-eminentIy excellent, and that the brother nine miles, had visited him, morality of the Christian faith is what and each wanted the Bible. After is most desirable for Inma." praying over the matter, they conclud- -Dr. George P. Fisher writes in the ed to make a division. The owner kept Outlook: "The ethnic religions are not the New Testament, and divided equal- to be denounced as if they were a prod- ly the Old between the others. And it uct of Satan. St. Paul found ethical was found that each had made good and religious truth in heathen poets use of what they had. -" The first thing the Protestant eral of the South Sea Islands become missionary does among the heathen is that it would be quite safe to leave the to establish a home," remarks E. A. natives to themselves, only that they Lawrence in " Modern Missions in the are so troubled and tried by the white East." "He approaches them not as md and his sinful practices, and by a 'priest, not simply as a man, but as his religious divisions and jealousies. the head of a family, presenting Chris- The trader comes with his rum; the tianity quite as much in its social as in Seventh:Day Adventist comes with his its individual characteristics. The peculiar notions, and seeks to reap the Christian home is to be the transform- fruit of other men's labors; the Roman ing element in the new community. Catholic comes with his unscrupulous Into the midst of pagan masses, where self-assertion; the pleasure-seeker, with society is coagulated rather than reor- no fear of God before his eyes, comes, ganized, where homes are degraded by and Iives like a heathen. To strengthen parental tyranny, marital multiplicity, and safeguard them, their old friends and female bondage, he brings the the missionaries still have to dwell leaven of a redeemed family, which is among them."-London Ohristian. to be the nucleus of a redeemed society. All the hallowed relationships of do- -" How to Raise lIoney for Church mestic life are to be exemplified in the Expenses" is the subject of a fine dismission home; all the traits of noble sertation, which we commend to all social character and intercourse here such as think that the Church exists illustrated; all the regenerating influ- principally for the sake of keeping up ences of family life are to flow forth an unbroken series of shows and supfrom this spot into the darkened. de- pers. The words are from Paul, and formed. misconstructed communities thus lay down the three points necesabout." sary in the successful administration of church finance: When to give-" upon – " The teaching of singing is of great the first day of the week ;" who should influence in winning the wild heathen give-" let everyone of you lay by in Sakalava of Madagascar. Long before store ;" .how much 'each is to givethe children can read, the teacher makes •• as God hath prospered him." There them learn by heart the hymn, which can be no satisfactory system of church is sung in several parts, and I have finance which fails to cover these three often been astonished to find how many points. Thus far The Lookout; but the hymns they had learned in this way. suggestion is equally pertinent and Hitherto our school has been held in equally cogent when applied to raisthe open air, since we have no school· ing means to carry the Gospel to the house yet. It has this advantage, that ends of the earth. all who like can listen to the teaching_ Few avail themselves of this privilege -The late T. W. Chamben. tells of for the rest of the teaching ; but when one of the Reformed Presbyterian the hymn begins, quite a number as- churches in New York City which semble round the singing children and numbers about 300 communicants, listen with pleasure. Surely many a "the most of whom are in very humword of conviction and salvation is ble circumstances. A few families are thus taken up by their ears, and finds well to do, but there are very few of its way to their hearts. And I am sure the young people who do not have to that there is just as much missionary earn their own living. A few weeks work done in this way as in many ser- ago their offerings to foreign missions mons both from natives and Euro- were received, and the amount was peans."-NO'I'sk Mis8ionstidende. $2429. Besides this, one of the elders gives every year $500 for mountain -Let 80melxJdy blush tor very shame. schools in Syria, and the women give t< So thoroughly Christianized have sevan equal sum for tbe same purpose. in Eastern Turkey. And of her noth- Also, one young man, a bookkeeper, ing bett·er than this has been said : "Be- contributes, besides his regular offer· fore starting, she deprecated being ing, $104 annually, or $2 a week, for a spoken of as • the noble Miss Barton,' particular form of missionary work, or • the heroic Miss Barton,' declaring and bas done so for tbe past five years. that she was simply a woman, • an ill- This is not all. Some years ago the strument in the hands of a human pubyoung people agreed to support a mis- lic,' willing to do what good she could, sionary in Cyprus for a term of five and determined not to give up the effort years. To accomplish this they deter- until every avenue should be barred." mined to lay aside a few cents a week (3, or 5, or 10, or 15, and so on) over -London has lately enjoyed the presand above what they gave regularly at ence of the Countess Schimmelmann, a other times, and raised in this way not Danish lady of whom it may be said, leBS than $5300. But liberality is not .. her praise is in all the churches" of confined to the foreign field. Their her own country. She came in her gifts for all purposes save bome ex- yacht from the Baltic, in the ports of penses last year amounted to the ex- which during last summer she was entraordinary sum of $10,000." gaged preaching the Gospel and advo- cating temperance principles. In Ger- -Dr. Graves, of South China, once man cities, where such effort on the asked a Chinaman if he felt he was a part of a woman is very unconvensinner. .. Certainly," was the answer; tional, she succeeded in getting a ready .. I have sometimes eaten beef, and hearing, thousands gathering to hear have passed by written paper and let it her. And so it is that even in the conbe trodden under foot, instead of rever- servative Old World woman is forging ently picking it up," ahead and making herself profoundly felt, especially in matters pertaining to WOMAN'S WORK. benevolence and humanity.

-Using some bold figures of speech, – These fonr denominations sustain the late A. L. O. E. named these as 850 women in the foreign field, of among the indispensable articles in a whom 53 are trained physicians, and missionary's outfit: Gold, that is, Faith each in number as follows: Presbyteand Love, in great abundance; Silver, rian, 379, 19 ; Congregational, 214, 11 ; which is Knowledge, including small Methodist, 151, 14; Baptist, 106, 9. change; Steel, or some physical Courage, and a large stock of moral cour- -The Methodist (North) women own age; Leather of the toughest quality- $433,660 of real estate in the foreign in other words, capacity for encounter- field, including 11 orphanages with 450 ing Drudgery; a Letter-weigher sup- inmates. and 13 hospitals and dispenplied with the smallest weights, by saries which minister to 60.000 women which sound Judgment is meant; a each year. The 440 schools have 14,000 White-covered Umbrella, representing pupils, while the teachers, assistants, prudence regarding health; and, final- and Bible readers number '750. The ly, a capacious B~ of Salve for use receipts last year were $289,227. upon rubs, scratches, bruises, and wounds certain to be received both -The Presbyterians have a Mary from natives and fellow-missionaries I Allen Seminary among the Freedmen, and this is a specimen of how the col- -Just now the eyes of Christendom ored girls give: .. Some time ago Mr. are upon Clara Barton and her assist- Smith, the president, asked the girls to ants as they attempt to carry relief to contribute 25 cents each toward a scholthe thousands of perishing Armenians arship for a girl here. Some are giv- ing it by self-denial, others by sewing, washing, and ironing. Our Christian day·schools; held 1836 meetings; se- Endeavor Society works for Siam, and cured employment for 610 persons; one of our girls has decided to go as a gave away 9052 garments, and afforded missionary to Africa. A collection is pecuniary aid to 1836 families at 7580 taken each Sabbath, all of which goes times. Through the fresh-air fund to missionary purposes. In a year these there were distributed 48,205 street·car collections amounted to about $100. tickets, 2070 round-trip harbor tickets, and 9170 persons were permitted to en- -February Woman's Workfor Wom- joy a day's vacation or a visit in the an contains an article of intense interest country, a larger number than in any by Grace Newton, entitled "Chinese previous year. At Thanksgiving 1085 Women, Heathen and Christian." families were remembered, and the Among other things she sets forth the Whole number of persons who shared unutterably cruel and barbarous treat- the supplies was 4722. ment accorded to babies when about to die, and to their lifeless bodies, and all -There are 2 or 8 five-cent restaubecause "if their babies die it is be· rants in New York City which furnish cause they never were their babies at a hot meal of beef stew, coffee and all, but only some evil spirits who came bread, and also sell either 20 ounces of to torment them, and they must hate sugar, or a third of a pound of tea and the devil that caused so much misery I" coffee, or, say, 2 pounds of oatmeal- other articles in proportionate quanti· UNITED STATES. ties-for a nickel. Butter, cheese, and pork are sold in dime lots. The qual. -" Happy will that day be when the ity of the articles used or sold is good. Church shall learn to honor her self- These restaurants are under the auspices denying servants at home as she justly of the Industrial Christian Alliance. honors those who serve in China or Charitable persons and business houses Africa I" This sentence occurs in the buy packages of tickets, and dispense report of committee on home missions them to the needy. On a recent Sunto the Synod of Virginia. It is worthy day 1375 meals were served in one of of careful reflection. The home mis- these restaurants. sionary has no halo of romance, has no security pledged to him by the Church, -The American Seamen's Friend Sogoes largely at his own charges, and to ciety began its Loan Library work in make his own living, has no periodical 1858, and up to December 1st, 1895, seasons of return and public welcome, had sent out 10,264 new libraries, conand is not mentioned in any church taining 529,726 volumes. As many liperiodical, nor written up in books braries go out 3 times or more, there when his obscure life is ended. All have been 11,850 reshipments, By the more honorable is the sacrifice he first shipment and reshipment these makes, and all the more acceptable to books have been accessible to 389,502 the head and Savior of all !-OentraZ seamen; 1118libraries, with 36,857 vol· Pr687;yterian. umes, have been put on United States naval vessels and in naval hospitals, ac- -The Bo~ton City Missionary Society cessible to 117,889 men, while 151 librarecently held its seventy·ninth annual ries have been put in as many life-sav· meeting. Its income last year was over ing stations, containing 5866 volumes, $52,000. There were employed 19 mis- accessible to 1241 keepers and surfmen. sionaries, who made 58,985 visits to Into a neat case, 13 by 26 inches, are 24,311 families, 4549 of the visits being put about 43 well-selected volumes: to the sick: distributed 613 Bibles and books of biography, of travel and ad- Testaments, and 106,720 papers and venture, of popular science, of history, tracts; gathered 827 children into Sun- of story, of religion. Into each library goes a Bible, an atlas, a dictionary, deepest solicitude the events of the last several books in German, Danish, Swed- six months.

ish, and some other language. -Bishop Taylor recently said, "I -By the Chicago Methodists, DI)cem- see the dawn of a new missionary ber 20th, was dedicated, on Indiana Ave. epoch." To his practical eye the signs and 50th St., a beautiful and commo· of better times, a larger spirit in mis- dious building to the service of train· sionary activity, are clear and assuring.

ing young women as home and foreign Are there any such signs in the United missionaries. The land, the gift of Mr. Brethren Church? Are we at the N. W. Harris, is estimated at $20,000, dawning of a new mission epoch? We and the structure, which has cost about think we are, and we rejoice in it.

$30,000, has been provided for by gifts The statistics of last year show $69,915 from other sources. The home will ac- given for the cause of missions in a commodate 160 guests; instruction will single twelvemonth. This is not the be without cost, and the instructors $100,000 aimed at, it is true, but it is even will receive no pay for their ser- approaching it. Then a sanitarium, or vices. Applicants for admission need home of rest, has been provided for in not be members of the Methodist Africa since last May; a new mission Church. field, Japan, has been entered under most favorable conditions; the work is -At the last communion 24 natives enlarging in Africa,-Religiou8 Teleunited with the Presbyterian Church scope. at Sitka, Alaska, a number of them coming from a long distance for the EUROPE. purpose.

-According to Sadlier's Catholic di· Great Britain.-MedicaZ Missions for rectory, official organ of the Roman January gives a list of medical mission- Catholic Church, there are 1405 con- aries in the service of the various Britvents in the United States, with an aver- ish and Irish societies. From this it apage of 60 inmates to each convent, ag- pears that the Church of England has gregating 84,300 " sisters," or nuns. 30 ; the Free Church of Scotland, 29 ; the London Missionary Society, 20; -The Baptists of the Missionary the United Presbyterian Church, 19; Union have 184 men and 283 women in the Presbyterian Church of England, the foreign field, with whom are asso- 14; the China Inland Mission, 10; the ciated 2583 native laborers. Including Church of Scotland, 9; and the Society Russia and the Catholic countries of for the Propagation of the Gospel, 8, Europe, the number of members in the and other societies each a smaller nummission churches is 117,382 (and not ber. The medical profession of Great 102,351, as given in the statistical tables Britain and Ireland is represented by of January). No other American 187 men and 39 women. As there are church has so many communicants. over 30,000 men and 200 women who possess British qualifications, it cannot '-The American Board has expended be said that the number engaged in upon missions in Turkey during the foreign missions is in adequate propor- last sixty years about $6,000,000, and tion. In 1890 the list included only 125 now holds some $2,000,000 of property. names; now it numbers 226. India has It has 325 stations and out-stations oc- 71; China, 70; Africa, including Mada- cupied by 58 men and 118 women, and gascar, 40; Syria and Palestine, 16; 878 native laborers. In the 125 churches other places fewer than 5 each. The are 12,787 members, and in the 423 distribution among the churches is as schools 20,496 pupils. Therefore, well follows; Presbyterians, 87 ; Church of may its friends behold with dismay and England, 51; Congregational, 21; Methodists, 9; Baptists, 7; Friends, their numbers than any other denomi· 4; Brethren, 4. nation. Out of a membership in Great -At the recent conference in Liver· Britain of 19,000, there are 78 missionpool, Donald Fraser reported that, since aries set apart for work abroad, or the Students' Volunteer Missionary nearly one in 250 of the whole member- Union was formed four years ago, 1038 ship, or one in 166 of the adult memhad been enrolled-832 men and 206 bers.

women, belonging to all the divisions -The Calvinlstic Methodists of of the kingdom, and attending many Wales have a notable mission on the different colleges and universities, and northeast frontier of India, in the lofty representing 26 denominations. Out of range of mountains which separate Benthe total number mentioned, 212 have gal from Assam, and among such semisaUed; 66 others have been accepted; savage hill·tribes as the Khasis, the 22 have renounced; 34 have been re- Garos, the Jaintas, the Nagas, etc. jected, and several died. The best Since 1840 the difficult work has been proof of the stability of the movement pushed forward, and now the last reis the large proportion of volunteers port shows 110 churches with 2726 who have actually left for the field. communicants, 250 stations, 11,608 Dr. Duff said that if 10 per cent of the hearers, and 6191 day scholars. men who offered themselves in a mis- sionary revival ever reached the foreign The Continent.-The latest official field, that revival was a great success. Year Book ot the Protestant Church From the Students' Union many who in France-that for 1894-gives the fol- have left college are still engaged in lowing data: The Reformed Church is home preparation; notwithstanding divided into 101 consistories, composed this, 'ffW'l'e than 47 per cent have already of 583 chief parishes and 699 minor par- sailed, and 61 per cent have been ac- ishes, with 259 preaching places and cepted by the missionary Bocieties. 926 churches-a total of 1182; 128 par- The' 212 students who have left are sonages and 638 pastors paid by the working in 42 different societies and State. The Reformed population num- in 29 different countries. bers 540,483. The Lutheran Church -In Night and Day" An emigration numbers only 6 consistories, 48 parishes, retrospect" shows that 8043 trained 62 pastors, and 77,553 members. The boys and girls have now been sent out Lutheran official organ is Le Temoigby Dr. Barnardo's institutions to Can- mage, issued weekly in Paris. Algiers ada and the colonies, where a success has 3 Protestant consistories, 16 parof over 98 per cent has attended them. ishes, 20 pastors-viz., 11 Reformed and Dr. Barnardo says: "One of my quon- 9 Lutherans, and 10,789 membership, dam waifs has been called to the bar; of whom 4500 are Lutherans. The to- 2 are solicitors; a very eloquent and tal number of ProtestLnts in France is widely known clergyman was one of 639,825.

my shoeblacks; several are doctors, -The Prime Minister of Italy resurgeons, or apothecaries; others are cently gave utterance to some plain clergymen, ministers, and missionaries; truths as to the restless efforts of the 4 are well·known musicians and sing- Vatican to regain its temporal power: ers; while not a few have entered busi· " It is not really for the protection and ness of a superior sort and are already prestige of religion that our adversaries in comfortable circumstances. " demand the restoration of the temporal – With the exception of the lIora- power of the Holy See, but for worldly vians, the Society of Friends appears reasons-from lust of power and from to have a larger number of missionaries earthly covetousness." Again:" Chris- in the foreign field in proportion to tianity is a divine institution, which is not dependent upon earthly weapons of time it would Dot be necessary to for its existence. The religion of have such a vessel in the work of the Christ, as preached by Paul and Chry- evangelization of the country. After sostom, was able to subdue the world the service a member of the church, a wIthout the aid of temporal arms. and dame of honor to the Empress and we cannot conceive why the Vatican widow of one of the best·known diplopersists in wishing for temporal sover· mats of Austria, the Baroness Laneignty to exercise its spiritual mission. genau, stepped forward. and said: The Gospel, as we all believe, is truth. • Doctor, you must permit me to pre- If it has been disseminated by apostolic sent you with that launch.' The plans teachings, such teachings are sufficient for the construction of the launch. for its existence." The remarkable which will bear the name of Auatria. feature in these utterances is that they according to the express wish of the do not proceed from a Protestant source, oonor, are now so far finished as to but from one who, in the same speech, guarantee the hope that the work will recognizes the Pope to be "Christ's be proceeding before long." vicar. "-BJoangelical Ohristendom.

THE PLACE OF GERMANY IN FOR- ASIA.

EIGN MIssION WORIl:.-An article in the Islam.-The situation in Tcrkey is January number of Dr. Warneck's thus summarized by the I1i.Mpendent: AUgemeine Missions.Zeitsclt1·ift is de- "Disaster has overtaken the general voted to this subject. The progress equipment of the American Board's which has been made within eleven missions in Turkey. Except Constanyears is shown by the following table: tinople and 3 other stations in the ex- treme west of Asia Minor. all of the M!ssionaries. Contribn· Baptized Na· American Board's stations have suf- tions. tives. fered. Probably at least 100 of the vil- lage chapels and school-houses have 1883 . . 517 2,707,218 marks 193,975 been pillaged and destroyed, or seized by the Mohammedans for purposes of 1894 • . 685 3,705,456 290,899 their own. Five sixths of the stock of the books which the American Board But it is pointed out that these num- and the American Bible Society had bers represent far less than the share placed on sale in scores of the depots which Germany should have in Protes- and sslesrooms in various parts of the tant missions. Together with Switzer- country have been carried off. cast land. Germa.ny represents a fifth of into rivers and ponds, or used, after evangelical Christendom. while it only saturation with petroleum, as convenfurnishes a thirteenth part of Protes- ient instruments of incendiarism. Contant missionary contributions, and a gregations have been scattered, schools seventh of the laborers. " We work are broken up, leading men are dead, much more cheaply than the English and numbers of Christian women and and the Americans, and our share in children are missing. The congregathe success of missions is relatively to tions, in general. are financially ruined. the means employed greater than and their members are among those theirs." now dependent on charity for daily bread." -Dr. Leuring, of the Singapore Methodist Mission, has this to tell of – These solemn words are fitly spoken an incident which occurred during his by the Mis8ionary Herald: "While recent visit to godless Vienna: "In recognizing cordially. as we do. the one of my lectures on Singapore, held efforts of our Government in demandin the Wesleyan Church, I happened ing protection for our fellow-citizens in to mention the numerous islands and places in the coast that can easily be reached by means of a steam launch, and suggested, whether in the course Turkey, and in the sending of national -Arrangements have been made to vessels into Turkish waters, we are yet publish, at Beirut, 1000 copies of Anfrank to say that we cannot understand gel's Christmas. translated into Arabic, why the difficulties in the way of the necessary permission having been reaching El'zeroum and Harput by the granted by the censor at Constantinomen who are appointed to American ple. This will enable the Sundayconsulates in those cities should have school children of Syria to read the been allowed to prevent their going to story in their native language. their posts. These consulates have been established by act of Congress, and if India. – Among Queen Victoria's the Turkish Government will not give New Year honors was a knighthood for them exequaturs, and provide them safe Nawab Secundas Jung Ikbal-ud Dowescort, no greater indignity could be lab Iktadar-ul Mulk Vikar-ul-Umal'8 shown us or our nation. Our Govern- Batadur, Prime Minister to his Highment has clearly the right to demand ness the NizaID of Hyderabad. consular representation at points where American iuterests are at stake, and we -The Darjeeling New8 applies these cannot see why that right should not Scripture verses to Sir Charles Alfred be insisted upon at all hazards. If de- Elliott, late Lieutenant-Governor of nied, why should not diplomatic rela- Bengal, a devout Christian statesman tions with Turkey cease, and its minis- and stedfast friend of missions, adding ter at Washington be given his papers? that nothing else so eloquent and apt In that case American citizens could be occurs to us to say: "And Hezekiah intrusted to the protection of the Brit- did that which was right in the eyes of ish or of some other embassy at Con- the Lord, according to all that David stantinople… his father had done. He removed the high pJaces, and brake the pillars, and -We cannot all of us consent to con- cut down the Asherah : and he brake fine ourselves to prayers fashioned for in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses us and prescribed by ecclesiastical au- had made; for unto tho&e days the chilthority, but who cannot heartily lift up dren of Israel did burn incense to it ; this petition set forth by the Bishop of and he called. it Nehushtan (i.e., 'a New York? "Most gracious God, piece of brass '). He trusted in the whose tender mercies are over all, and Lord, the God of Israel; 80 that after whose compassions fail not; grant Thy him was none like him among all the Fatherly pity and protection to all those kings of Judah, nor among them that Thy children, wheresoever they may were before him. For he clave to the be, who are suffering from the cruelty Lord, he departed not from following of the oppressor, and especially that Him, but kept His commandments, ancient nation the people of Armenia, which the Lord commanded Moses. whose sons and daughters cry aloud to And the Lord was with him; whither- Thee, their God, and to us their breth- soever he went forth he prospered. He ren in Jesus Christ, for succor. Stay hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the hands of those by whom they have the poor; his righteousness abideth forbeen so cruelly wronged and outraged; ever" (2 Kings 18 : 3-7 ; 2 Cor. 9 : 9). strengthen the purpose of Christian nations to arise and contend for their de- -It is said that the native evangelist, fence; enkindle in their hearts a spirit commonly known as Tamil David, has of service and sacrifice in their behalf ; exerted a greater religious infiuence in and so hasten, we beseech Thee, the the city of Bombay than any evangelist day of their deliverance. All which who has visited Bombay for a number we ask in the Name and for the sake of of years past. This illustration of what Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." can be done by a native evangelist fills the heart with longing to see the dar when hundreds of such men shall ap- view, but which hitherto they had failed pear preaching and compelling the peo- to reaIize.-Indian Witne88.

ple of India to receive the gracious message_ Let it be one of the special bless- -Rev. P. H. Moore, of Assam, ings prayed for that God would raise writes: "Sunday, October 18th, we up such men and give the missions and spent at BaUjuri. At eight in the morntJle churches wisdom to refrain from ing we had the privilege of baptizing discouraging them or putting obstruc- 31 Kohls in the creek, about a quarter tIons in their way. An Indian evan-' of a mile from the village. There were gelist is not likely to resemble a Euro- 16 men and 15 women and girls. There pean evangelist in his methods of work were 9 men with their wives, and alto· any more than in personal appearance. gether the candidates represented 14 households. A preaching service, the -Indian Witnes8. Lord's Supper, and Sunday-school oc- -According to the last census, 76 cupied the afternoon. In surroundings languages are spoken in Bombay, and which would seem strange enough in each one represents a company of peo- America, we worshiped in spirit and in ple, or caste, with special dress, or un- truth, and God's presence was revealed.

dress, or color, or cap, or turban, A thatched hut with roof just high -Some of the missionaries of the enough to stand up under; walls made London Missionary Society attribute of reed and pl!8tered with mud, with much of the success attending the work holes here and there for doors and winof the Salvation Army in India to the dows; the floor (the earth) swept clean. fact that it does not administer either In this hut,34 by 17 feet, picture 100 baptism or the Lord's Supper. In that adults. and children of all ages, some country one may attend any meeting, in the costume in which they were and to any extent, but so long as he born, all sitting on mats on the ground. does not submit to baptism caste is not In the center is a rough pine box, in broken, and he does not encounter the which the missionary carries a part of persecution which befalls those who his camp outfit, and which is now make a formal profession of Chris- drafted into service as a table for the tianity. Lord's Supper. A clean white cloth hides part of its roughness. A cane , -Sir Alexander Miller, in his address stool serves the missionary as a seat." at the distribution of prizes in the Cal· cutta Boys' School, remarked that this China.-In 1894 there were in all school differed from all other schools 1977 missionaries in China-869 men, he had met with in Calcutta in the fact 562 married women, and 546 single that all the different races in the Em- women. Ten hundred and eighty of pire appeared to be represented among these were representatives of British the pupils. The student who carried Irish, and Canadian societies, 812 of off the largest number of prizes was a them of American societies, and 85 of Burmese, an unusual and unexpected Continental societies. The China Inoccurrence, considering the national land Mission leads all others with 593 reputation of the Burmese for disin- missionaries, followed by the Presbyteclination to sustained effort of any kind. teriani! with 180 ; the Methodist Church, This association of so many different North, with 140; the American Board races in the work and life of the school with 117, and the Church Missionary was a matter of much importance in Society of England with 110. the mind of government. Such inter- course leads to the successful welding -During 1895 the American Bible of the races of India into a homoge. Society sold and distributed in China neous community, an object which the Bibles and portions thereof to the ex- Indian Government had constantly in tent of 385,875 copies. -At a recent convention of Chinese literati of the kingdom. The very ap- ministers, a theme of discussion was, pointment of a commissioner of rail- " Shall our women unbind their feet 1" ways is itself among the marvelous re- The women on hearing of it said, sults of the war, since the very railroad "Why should they discuss it? They has been considered a wrong, a sacri- are our feet; cannot we do with them lege, and almost a direct insult to the as we please?" Are women's rights memory of the revered dead of China.

ideas about to enter the Celestial Em- Among the 14 matriculants are gradu- pire? ates from the 3 grades of government -Here is a striking prayer of one of civil service examinations, and from the Hunan Christians: "0 Lord, Thou that height or Chinese scholarship, knowest that Hunan means south of " The Forest of Pencils," which is an the lake, and Hupeh north of the lake; imperial academy whose scholars are the lake is Tung Ting. Thou know- examined in person by the reigning est, Lord, that there are more people Emperor.-Northwestern Christian A~ in these two provinces than there are vocate. fish in the lake; and Thou hast sent us AFRICA.

to be fishers of men. In many places The United Presbyterian has the in- the Gospel net has not been let down, telligence that Rev. Girgis Anshalian, a and there is no means of catching the member of the Presbytery of Egypt, fish, nor is there any fisherman. We and pastor of the congregation at Koos, pray Thee, Lord, to grant that in every has fallen a victim to the Turkish atroci- place there may be a Gospel net and ties in Armenia. He was a native of skilful fishermen. " that country, and in September last, -Our praise is never more hearty with his wife, returned to visit his than when we get gifts from Christian friends at Diabeker. At the time of Chinese in America to be used in evan- the outbreak they were both arrested, gelizing their fellows in China. Such and a ransom of £600 was demanded. a gift reached us to.day from a Chinese The ransom was paid, but instead of Sunday-school in Ohio. It is $50, and being released, the alternative of Maalong with it comes the message, " The homet or death was given. With a Chinamen wish me to tell you that they faith and heroism worthy of the name are very glad to send it, and hope it of Christ, he declared himself a disciwill do much good in their own land. " ple of Jesus, and was at once hacked to Their teacher also adde, "We have pieces by the Turks in the presence of been very glad this last fall to send home his wife. She and her brother were one of the Christian Chinamen. He shot, beaten with swords, stripped, and has been in the class for eleven years, left for dead. and for the past seven years has lived a consistent Christian life, we believe. -The conquest of Ashantee is com- He has gone home at his own expense. pleted, and the bloodiest kingdom in He hopes to keep a little store in his all Africa is to become an orderly Britown village, and thus support himself, ish colony. The military expedition his father and mother and his wife."- did its work quickly and well and China'8 MillionB. without fighting. King Prempeh seems to have recognized the futility of re- sistance, and on the arrival of the troops -Among the matriculants for the in Coomassie, his capital, abjectly sub- present term in that university are a mitted. He was, however, taken as a grandson of the private tutor of the last prisoner to Cape Coast Castle, with his Emperor of China, a nephew of the family, his counseilors, and two other private tutor of the present Emperor, a petty kings, to be kept as security for son of the imperial commissioner of the payment of an indemnity of 50,000- Chinese railways, and of 14 the proud Olillces of gold. With the return of the expedition, the country passes under -lonely, self-absorbed, irritable, and the rule of Mr. Maxwell, the British not to be relied upon. He hates wom- Resident, protected by a guard of black en, whom he regards as unnecessary troops, until such time as the British impedimenta in the campaign, and he Foreign Office shall definitely decide has no idea of friendship; he only rec.

upon a permanent form of administra· ognizes instruments to be used and ene- tion. mies to be dealt with. Success accen- -The Paris missionaries in the tuated his defeats to the point of dis· French Congo State have been cheered ease, and made him so irritable, so selfby the conversion of a chief and his absorbed, and so insolent that none but son, who enjoyed an immense reputa- parasites could live with him. JJ tion as fetish-men throughout a wide -Professor James Bryce has just re- district. If a sick man possessed by turned from South Africa, and in ad- an evil spirit had to be cured, or the dressing the Edinburgh Chamber of guilty person found out who had be- Commerce said that Mashonaland and witclled him to death, it was to Akele Matabeleland were both possessed of the people came. But one day his much wealth, but that railroads would heart opened to the preaching of the be needed to develop it. The most in- Gospel, and he decided to renounce his teresting part of his remarks relates to fetishes and the gain they brought him. the gold production of the Transvaal.

He gathered together all the people of He estimated the probable receipts from his village, and announced that he no that field at £700,000,000 ($3,500,000,000).

longer believed in spirits, but in the one -A recent visitor to Lovedale, with God. Then, collecting his fetishes and its 800 pupils, writes thus: "Perhaps all the instruments of his trade, he the most interesting was the Sunday threw them into the lake before the evening service, When there were gatheyes of all the people. There was a ered together for worship all the boardgreat sensation, and they expected to ers, numbering about 450, along with see these sacrilegious men fall dead; the Europeans. In the congregation but nothing happened, save that the many tribes were represented. The former fetish-men repaired to the mis- Kafirs formed the majority, but there sion settlement, and asked to be re- were also Basutos, whose home is 200 ceived as catechumens.-Journat de8 or 300 miles to the north ; Bechuanas, MiasionB EvangetiqUlJ8. who come from the northwest; and -Dr. Battersby says in Niger and distinctly marked oil' in appearance Yoruba Note8: "The question of mak- flOm the rest, the Gallas, whose native ing a real advance into the Soudan is land is in the north, near to Abyssinia. at present engaging the attention of Those last, of whom there are about 60, the Church Missionary Society Com- were rescued, along with 200 other mittee, and if only suitable volunteers children, from a slave dhow about will offer for this service, a forward 1890, and were sent to Lovedale to be movement might soon be made. cared for."

-In an English paper it is written -Mr. Pilkington, of Uganda, speakthus of Sir Cecil Rhodes: "He is a ing at a recent conference in Liverpool, strong man, of the kind that is never said that the Soudan and the Congo finished by a single stroke. And he is could be evangelized from Uganda. strong with the strength of a coarse, How was it to be done? By seeking ruthless, greedy egotism, the strokes and finding indications of God's plan, of whose piston-rod force the minds which they could surely now do from and the money of weaker men into its the experience they had had of mission reservoir. As he was at Oriel twenty work. It seemed that for every foryeaN ago, SO he is at Cape Town to-day eign missionary there should,be 100 na- tives employed, and thus, in a compar- atively short time, the whole of Africa might be evangelized.