The Missionary Review of the World — October 1891
'722 THE COMING AGE OF MISSIONS
MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD.
VOL.,XIV. No.lO.-OldSeries.–OCTOBER.–VOL. IV. No.lO.-Nc'W Series.
THE COMING AGE OF MISSIONS.
[EDITORIAL, A. '1'. P.] We stand on the threshold of a new century of missionary enterprise. The time is coming when the Church of God will look: back to the present age of missions as we now look back to the feeble beginnings of a century ago, with astonishment and shame that believers in Christ could ever have stood on so Iowa plane in respect to their debt and duty to the lost.
We now marvel that William Carey should have met persistent and even malignant opposition from professed ministers of Christ, and even from brethren of his own denomination, in his scheme for a world's evangelization ; and that for ten years his own enthusiasm and consecration should have been so nearly stifled by the atmosphere of indiffereFlce and resistance which he was compelled to breathe. We read with surprise the assaults of the Reverend Sydney Smith; we see him sharpening most keenly the arrows in the quiver of his wit, to shoot into that" nest of consecrated cobblers" whom he meant to " rout out" by the sting and smart of his unsanctified ridicule; we hear him, with a sarcasm and irony that verge on profanity and blasphemy, mockingly portraying the heroism that lcd holy mcn and women, of whom the world was not worthy, to seek a home amid cannibal savages; hinting that they might, at least, furnish for travellers, stopping at thol'le " hospitable shores," a "slice of cold missionary." We read with amazement the speech of Charles Marsh in the House of Commons, remonstrating against the sending of missionarics to India, lest thcy should disturb thoso beneficent systems of religion and morals devised by Providence for the welfare of the people of Hindniltan ; and we rccall with even greater surprise the arguments of an orthodox ecclesiastic in the Houso of Lords, who undertook to demonstrate that the command of Christ did not apply to the evangelization of India! We cannot understand now a condition of things a hundred years ago, when there was scarce a missionary soeiety in Protestant Christendom, and when the Church of God doubted if it did not deny the obligation to go into all the world with the Gospel witness to all nations; when scarce a thousand pounds a year were Bpent upon all the missions of the Reformed churches, and a mere pioneer band of workers, mostly Moravians, made up the entire mission force; when there were no missionary periodicals j when the" Monthly Concert" was but eight years old j when no entrance had been made into Japan, China, Siam, Africa, Burmah, Papal lands, or Mohammedan territory, and when there was so little interest in foreign missions that the task seemed hopeless of making even a beginning.
We are far ahead of the starting point of a century ago. We have left away behind Widow Wallis's little parlor at Kettering, with its dozen humble Baptists and their dozen pounds sterling j and great Exeter Hall is too small for the monster meetings of one society, and the Crystal Palace has been talked of for the great anniversaries. But we are far from the goal, the reasonable goal, toward which we should promptly press; and if we grow in grace and knowledge as we ought, no goal that is now in sight will satisfy us j it would only become a new starting-point for a new goal, as yet too far off to be visible now.
We have been long meditating upon the coming age of missions, and looking forward hopefnlly to see in the immediate future some radical changes made in the methods of prosecuting missions j and, at risk of seeming visionary, chimerical, or even fanatical, we boldly outline on these pages some of the features which we believe we discern in the future prosecution of a world's evangelization. Once more we write large that word ENTERPRISE as the true motto of the Church of Christ. The world ought not to put us to shame in manifesting more zeal for that which perishes than we do for the unfading crown and heritage. Obviously, if we are to make any approach to the ideal age of missions, all real radical advance must begin with the individual disciple. We can never convert or consecrate people in the mass j souls come one by one into the kingdom, never two at a birth j and so also is it that saints climb to loftier heights. When every true believer regards himself as one with his Lord in the enterprise of missions j when he seeks to inform himself thoroughly and constantly of the needs of the world and the progress of the work j when he follows for himself the great campaign, notes the strategic points and the position of the forces j when he studies to keep tra~k of the world-wide field as he would trace day by day the movements of his country's forces in an enemy's territory-then the first granite block will be laid for the coming structure of a thoroughly organized work for God. The ignorance that prevails begets indifference as its natural offspring. Yherever there is true piety, knowledge will kindle zeal.
Then we need individual and systematic prayer for missions j definite prayer that has alio individual objects, that takes up one field at a time and one missionary at a time, and intelligently pleads with God for that field and work and worker. We knew a devout reader of the Missionary Herald who was wont to make every p'articular missionary thus a subject of prayer by name, and who read that nohle record of events that he might follow the development of each laborer's work by intelligent supplication. Nothing gives the China Inland Mission more strength and heroism than the knowledge of its hundreds of workers that, each week in the mission rooms, every scattered member of that great band is remembered by name in prayer, and with mention of any circumstances that specially environ him or her.
From such intelligence and prayerfulness in the individual every other result which is needful will naturally develop. The man that knows the field, and prays for the workman, is the man that will find hiB alms going out as his prayers go up. It will be natural to give and to give systemati- cally, liberally, and proportionately, when mind and heart unite to unloose purse-strings. And so will come family life pervaded with the missionary spirit. Children will be begotten for God, and suck in missionary mIlk, and learn missionary prayers, and talk the dialect of missions; the divine alphabet will be among their first lessons, and self-denial for Christ and souls will be among their earliest habits. We shall have consecrated cradles, family altars with fires kindled from above, family boards where simple diet displaces extravagant luxuries, and family life where the spirit of missions is cultivated for Christ's sake and in Christ's name.
And so, likewise, must we have a new church life when the individual and family life is renewed and quickened. It will be easy to give, and . pray, and send laborerll forth, and go forth ourselves, when the training that begins at the cradle, and gets iti true bent even before birth in a con- secrated parentage, prepares the church-member for co-operation in missions.
But in this editorial it is our desire to hint at least a few directions in which church enterpri&e may push the work of missions. Looking back- ward and then forward, it would seem that now, on the eve of William Carey's centennial, we might expect greater things from God and attempt greater things for God than even Carey dared expect or attempt. Worldly enterprise combines" dash" and" push," and on a bold scale of daring ven- ture undertakes colossal schemes for worldly profits. Why should not the Church take a risk, if such it be, and venture somewhat for her Lord?
1. If we discern rightly, the coming church will be essentially a mis- sionary church distinctively, educating its membership to intelligent and systematic participation in the work of witnessing to all men. To give and to pray will be as much a part of church life as to go to church meetings or the Lord's table. No member will be in good standing who takes no part in this loyal obedience to Christ's last command.
2. Every church, in the coming age of missions, will have a distinct field to culti~ate abroad as well as at home, and a double pastorate, a minister or missionary on the foreign field as well as for the home church, &nd the support of both provided for as equally a part of the financial administration of the church. It would not be surprising if there should be an apportionment of missionaries to each church on the basis of its numerical and financial ability, so that for every fixed number of members a missionary should be sent forth. It will then be reckoned, a reproach to any church to have three hundred communicants without at least one laborer representing them abroad. We have long believed that a living link between the home church and the foreign field is an essential condition of true missionary zeal. It brings the two closer together, and supplies a bond of mutual sympathy; and so far is it from diminishing interest in the general work, it rather increases it. In our own pastoral experience we have found that to have a missionary supported by a church in a particular station makes every other missionary and his work dearer, and helps the whole cause. But we look in the coming age of missions to see the churches united in great enterprises for God.
1. For example, why should there not be a grand Society for Regions Beyond, representing all denominations, whose office would be to explore new territory, to apportion laborers to unoccupied fields, to act as a eommittee on comity, and interpose to prevent friction, overlapping of work, and clashing between societies and workmen ~ 2. Why not a Pioneer Bureau, to receive and guide newly arriving missionaries, instruct them in the peculiarities of climate, local diseases and their preventives and remedies, and, in brief, prepare wurkers for intelligent occupation of new fields, and so prevent needless waste of life, and hundreds of serious blunders ~ 3. We look for a great .Education and Sustentation scheme, which shall provide for the training and support of missionary candidatel, and which shall provide for a part of their training on the field. As it is, no doubt time and strength are wasted in part in the curriculum of study. There ig a general preparation which the college and seminary can give; but there is a specific preparation only to be had on the field itself; and some of the wisest missionaries have said that if the latter half of the candidates' training could be had where he is to labor, under control of resident missionaries, they could secure greater fitness for the work to be done.
4. We see no reason why there might not be a Millsionm'Y Transportation Society, owned and supported by the Church, to transport without cost missionaries and supplies, and become a means of mutual communication, as well as to furnish passage for workers who need rest. If Pastor Harms's poor people at Hermannsburgh could build the Candace to carry their workers to the field, cannot the whole Church provide transport for its mission band?
5. Why might we not have a great Society for Christian Literature, providing not only Bibles, tracts, and religious books, but setting up pnnting presses wherever needed, and supplying in the vernacular the needed helps to popular education ¥ 6. We look, in the coming age, to see godly women representing the (Jh~rch upon our great Boards of Missions, partly for the infusion of their counsel and spirit into the work, and partly for the quickening of their own interest in the general prosecution of missons by a personal participation in its conduct. At present we have women working on their own boards, but in separation. 'Vill not the time come when there will be no separatc women's boards, but instead a union of men and women in the adminiRln.ttion of the whole work Y 7. We look lor a more thorough trial of missionary colonization as a means of evangelization; iamilieli going in a group, representatives of arts and trades establishing a Christian community in the midst of papal, pagan, and Moslem communities for mutual encouragement, protection, and co- operation; where the main business shall be proclaiming the Gospel, but where, as with Paul, the trade shall be the means of support.
8. Volunteer missions will form a feature of the coming missionary age. ' Men and women will go at their own cost to labor for a longer or shorter time in the field in co-operation with the missionaries, assisting in estab- lishing 8('hools, dispensaries, hospitals, preaching stations, and printing presses, and giving personal aid and comfort so far as they may, gathering facts and receiving inspiration from personal contact with the work and workers; and then returning to give intelligent, sympathetic aid in the support and advocacy of the enterprises of the foreign mission field.
9. We look for systematic and practical co-operation between all denomi- nations on mission fields, the elimination of unnecessary doctrinal and ecclesiastical differences and peculiaritieli, the avoidance of all needless waste, whether of men or money, and the presentation of a united front before the great mallses of unsaved souls, as another of the features of a greater missionary epoch, if it shall ever come.
These are some of the features of that nobler and more consecrated church activity in behalf of a dying race for which we look and hope in the near future. vie can see no reason why every evangelical church should not regularly IlIlpport at least one preacher, teacher, or evangelist on the foreign field ; and include in current annual outlay the estimate of the cost of the support of such worker, thus having a local field outside of the home church, and a living link with the great body of the unevangelized. We can see no reason why there should not be an accepted basis of apportionments and proportionments; every church upon a certain basis, agreed to as equitable, appointing one man or woman to go to the field, who shall be morally bound either to go or to furnish a substitute. The Church thus becomes a recruiting office, and drafts for ,the Master new soldiers to serve in the army. VIre see no reason why denominations should not act in concert to promote great common ends, and save all the needle8s outlay now involved in separate action and adminiBtration. While not jealous for any particlllar modo or plan, w feel very deeply 80licitous to see the spirit of holy and consecrated enterprise infused into all our missionary work; to seo the Church .taking up the causo of the Master as though there were faith in His leadership and confidence in the ultimate triumph of the Gospel. This result, we again affirm, with unalterable confidence, can be reached only by a searching self-scrutiny and a devout and most prayerful fellowship with Him whose we aro and whom we serve. The world waitS and He waits for a new spirit of thorough surrender to His will, and for a new epoch of enterprise in missions. How long shall this waiting of ages be in vain ~ THE FAITH ELEMENT IN MISSIONS.
BY A. J. GORDON, D.D.
This subject, so admirably treated in a recent article in this REVIEW, may' be worthy of still further consideration. No doubt the work of the Gospel in foreign lands is exposed to the same danger as that work at home -the danger of becoming mechanical and perfunctory. One of the most alarming symptoms of our nineteenth century Christianity is the secular symptom-the tendency to substitute other forces for the original motive- power of the Church, the ever-present Holy Spirit. Faith is the coupling by which we become attached to this Divine motor, and unless we are abso_ lutely sure of our spiritual connections, we cannot be certain of our spiritual successes. We accept the sentiment which the editor of this REVIEW quotes from the Bishop of Ripon: that" the story of Modern Missions is a con- tinuation of the Acts of the Apostles, with all its essential supernaturalism." But there could have been no Acts of the "Apostles without the faith of the apostles j it was because they wrought in God by the IIoly Ghost, that as they went forth and preached everywhere the Lord worked with them j and since what gave them pOW1lr can stiII give us power, therefore we urge more faith.
As to men.-Where can we get the missionaries to occupy the fields now white to the harvest ~ We find but one direction in Scripture con- cerning this question, " Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His harvest." The choice and commis- sioning of His evangelists the Lord has reserved entirely to Himself. Woe to the Church if she shall rashly undertake the enterprise of manufacturing missionaries either by her sacerdotal or by her educational machinery. Mere hand-made ministers, thrust forth from under the fingers of the bishop, and mere school-made ministers, fashioned by the training of the college, are alike inadequate for executing the great commission.
Without the call of God vain is the culture or the consecration of man. Unless, therefore, we can be assured that the Holy Spi1'it is really 1'ecruiting, the Students' Volunteer Movement may prove injurious. We strongly believe in this movement j but the very enthusiasm and magnitude of it constitute such a call to prayer as has not till lately been heard-prayer to the great Head of the Church that none shall be suffered to go without His appointment. Would it be rash to say that the deficiency of missionaries is due most of all to the deficiency of prayer in the Church, that the Lord will send forth laborers ~ And not only the deficiency of missionaries, but the maladjustment of the ministry to the needs of the world. The same constituency which has seven thousand ordained missionaries on the foreign field has a hundred and twenty-seven thousand ordained m£nisters on the home field. While many a labOler in CLina and India has a parish of millions or hundreds of thousands, three or four pastorR are often found in a single little New England village, jostling and elbowing one another in their attempt to do a work which is only sufficient for oue. All this indicates but too clearly that the" Shepherd and Bishop of souls" is not haying sole direction of the diocese of the world. 'What humiliation and prayer to God this unhappy state of things calls for! Certainly, if the Saviour bids us pray that the Lord will thrust forth laborers, He binds Himself by this very injunetion to send laborers and to place them where He would have them.
Here then is a large demand for faith j not only in asking, but equally in recelvmg. The same Scripture which enjoins us to ask, reveals the ascended Lord as bestowing. "When He ascended on high . . . He gave so.ne apostles, and some evangelists, and some pastors, and some teachers." But what a fine spiritual discernment it requires to recognize His gifts when He has sent them! Natural sagacity and business prudence are not sufficient here. "Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the hcart." It requires a very diseriminating faith to read the Divine credentials of applicants for service. vVe have often thought that the history of rejeeted missionary candidates would make a most interesting book j not lcss interesting than the history of rejected manuscripts, out of some of which such literary fortunes have been made. A venerable secretary opened this subject slightly at a recent conference, touching on it just sufficiently to remind us that some of the most eminent and successful laborers on the foreign field were at the outset refused a commission by their boards. It is a historical fact that William Milne was denied an appointment as a missionary, and was !lent out to China only as a servant to Dr. Morrison, asking that he might be a hewer of wood and a drawer of water, if only he could reach his longed-for field. And yet Milne, from being a servant, became such a master-missionary that history speaks of him as .. that excellent man, whose talents were surprising, whose labors were incessant, whose whole life was devoted to his Saviour." We could mention several missionaries of the very first rank in our day whose experience has been similar-rejected once, twice, or thrice before getting their appointment. Nowhere is the discernment of lin cnlightened faith more demanded than in the examination of candidates. The prayer, "Lord, send forth laborers into Thy vineyard," needs to be supplemented by another; "Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show us which of these Thou hast chosen." In this important decision there is great danger that the physician's certificate may outweigh the Master's credential, and the college diploma outrank the Spirit's call. Experience proves that the decisive qualific'!ltion is not to be found in cultul'e or in the absence of culture j in physical health or the absence of physical health j in great natural talents or in the absence of great natural talents. Probably the truest criterion is in the deep, serious, unshaken conviction of a Divine eall in the heart of the candidate himself. With such conviction the most unprepossessing applieants have often proved mighty under God as missionaries of the cross; without it those of the highest talent and culturc have proved a failure. Who can deny, then, that it is a real test of faith, whether one can recognize God's gifts to the Church when they are bestowed ~ Businesll sagacity may discern the marks of sound common sense j culture may discern the marks of sound learning. But with both these eyes wide open, one may be unable to recognize a missionary whom God has sent, unless there be also the vision of an anointed faith. We remember a candidate who came before a certain board five years ago, confessing that he had neither academic nor theological training, but requesting that he might occupy some subordinate place, if only he could satisfy his deep sense of duty by going to the foreign field. When asked what qualification he had in the absence of those above-named, he replied that of one thing he was sure, that he had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It must be confessed that this last remark was deemed by some an evidence of eccentricity, which rather damaged than helped his case. By the closest squeeze, however, he was passed. He is now in charge of an important station, and such a missionary that during the first four months of the present year he reported three thousand converts baptized at his station. Such instances should admonish us to join prayerfulness to discretion and faith to prudence, lest haply we be fonnd rejecting those whom God has ~hosen.
As to money.-Thc problem whieh so taxes and tries our missionary boards-that of getting the money to support the work-may have a relation to faith of which we have little thought.
Christ is the Chief Bishop, who appoints the missionary evangelists and pastors j is He the Chief Treasurer, who supplies the missionary funds ~ Practically there is a very wide difference of opinion upon this point. " And Prudence sat over against the treasury watching the expenditures, to see that Faith did not overdraw her account, " would fairly state the financial method of many missionary committees. "Faith in the work of preaching the Gospel, indeed j but in administering the missionary exchequer, sound business principles if you please!" So have we often heard it ; and we do not dispute the wisdom of the saying.
TIut here we are conducting the King's busiuess, let it be remembered; and iu its transactions are no over-drafts of faith ever allowable ~ May the promises of God never be taken as collateral in this business ~ Is the Lord's Rervant forbidden to hypothecate the bonds of the everlasting covenant as a security for a missionary contract when he has no funds in the hank ~ The enterprise of missions is peculiarly the Lord's work, and as such has guarantors and guarantees back of any human. He who says, ., All power is gh'en unto Me in heaven and in earth; go ye, therefore, and teach all nations," by the very act of sending us binds Himself to support us. Rev. John Wilkinson, who as a missionary to the Jews has" purchased to himself a good degree and great boldness in the faith," states it thus: "If we allow the Lori! to do what He pleases with us and by us we shall get the greates~ blessing and He will get the greatest glory, and He will bear all the expenses of His own work. If a master send a servant to a shop for a shilling's worth of anything, he makes hiIr!self responsible for the shilling; and shall it be thought for a moment that God will not pay for all the work He acknowledges as His 1" If, then, we are assured that the Head of the Church has committed a certain piece of evangelizing to us, is it presumption for us to draw on Him at sight for the funds to accomplish it ?
We are not dealing here with a sentimental theory, but with a most practical question. Is a missionary board justified in enlarging its work to the extent of many thousands of dollars when it has not the money, either in hand or in sight, for meeting the added expense? Sound commercial prudence would answer most emphatically, "No! determine the Elxtent of your business by the amount of your capital." But desiring the opinion of experts on the question, we consult a few eminent spiritual financiers to get their opinion: Pastor Fliedner, of Kaiserwerth, gives us an inventory of his vast workorphanage, seminary, deaconess' house, asylum, etc.-and when we ask how he manages to support it all, his answer is, " We live by grace; and the gracious Lord of the heavenly treasury knows how to furnish us every year with so many under-treasurers of every rank and age that to the question, , Have you ever wanted?' we must joyfully answer, ' Never.' "
Pastor Gossner single-handed scnt into the field 144 missionaries; including thc wives of those married, 200. Besides providing outfit and passage, he had never less than twenty missionaries depending directly on him for support. How did he raise the necessary funds ¥ Read his life and learn. The answer can be best given in a ~entence from the funeral address spoken over his open grave: " He prayed up the walls of an hospital and the hearts of the nurses; he prayed mission stations into being, and missionaries into faith : he prayed open the hearts of the rich and gold from the most distant lands."
Pastor Harms and his single church of poor peasants at Hermannsbnrg did a foreign missionary work almost equal to that of any of our largest societies, sending out and supporting 357 missionaries in "thirty years. We read the story with astonishment, and ask again, " And how did you get the money for all this 1" His reply tells us only that the Divine draft, " My God shall supply all your needs, according to His riches in glory," was promptly cashed whenever presented. It is so artless, the way in which he jots down his busine~s transactions with the Lord. " Last year," he writes in 1858, "I needed for the mission 15,000 crowns, and the Lord gave me that and 60 over. This year I needed double, and the Lord has given me double and 140 over." "I needed," and" my God shall supply all your need /" No mention of what he had as a basis for his enlarged undertaking, but only of what he mUlt have, making that the schedule of his expectation from God.
These noble lives constitute a kind of latter· day exposition of those memorable words, " When I Rent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye anything 1 And they said, Nothing" (Luke 22 : 35). "But remember," we hear some one say, "that our missionary boards are not operating under the commission in Matt. 10, with its command to provide neither gold nor silver nor brass in the purse, to heal the sick, and cast out demons. Very true. Nevertheless, there is a lesson for us in that Scripture, and there is instruction to be gained from these histories just cited. In the missionary enterprise let our prudence at least be "mixed with faith." Tax the .churches more, but trust God a hundred times more. Carey's maxim is right in the logical order of its clauses: " Attcmpt great things for God, expect great things from God."
We believe that when God, by a clear providence, opens some" wide and effectual door" before a missionary society, it is not presumption to enter it, though there be not a penny in the treasury for meeting the expenses. It is sad to think how easily we shelve great missionary demands which come before us with the concession that they are reasonable, but with the conclusion that they are not practicable. We hear that call of the Shanghai Conference of 1890 for 1000 men and women immediately for China; the importunate request of Dr. Clough for 25 men and $50,000 at once, that the nnsurpassed opportunity in the Telugu land may be embraced; the stirring appeal of Bishop Thoburn, made at Northfield and elsewhere, for a mighty lift on his field in India, that the present emergency may be met; and we cheer the missionaries for the heroism of their demand without blushing, as we ought, for our cowardice in counting those demands impossible. The paradox, Verum est quia impossibile, which Tertullian uttered concerning doctrine, it is time for us boldly to apply to action, saying, "It is practicable because it is impossible ;" for uuder the dispensation of the Spirit ollr ability is no longer the measure of our responsibility. " The things which are impossible with men are possible with God," and therefore possible for us who haye been united to God through faith. Since the Holy Ghost has been given, it is not snfficient for the servant to say to his Master, "I am doing as well as I can," for now he is bound to do better than he can. Should a New York merchant summon his commercial agent in Boston to come to him as quickly as possible, would he be satisfied if that agent were to arrive at the end of a week, footsore and weary from walking the entire distance, with the excuse, " I came as quickly as I could?" ·With swift steamer or lightning express at his disposal, were he not bound to come more quickly than he could? And so with the power of Chlist as our resource, and His riches in glory at! our endowment, we are called upon to undertake what we have neither the strength nor the funds of ourselyes to accomplish. The enterprise of evangelizing the world is peculiarly the Lord's. Therefore in the crisis of missions which is upon us, is it not time that we cease to layout God's work according to our ability, and begin to layout God's work according to God's ability?
The one consideration that the Lord is rich, and that in the work of the world's redemption He has taken us iuto partnership with Himself, so affects the missionary problem, that what were the height of folly in secular business may be the height of faith in Divine business.
We have watched with the deepest interest an experiment of enlargement which came under our own observation. A missionary treasury taxed to the utmost for years to meet. the demands upon it was assessed at one stroke an extra $50,000 annually for a new work which the providence of God seemed to enjoin. Seven years have passed since the un· dertaking, and yet the treasury has kept just as full through all this period, notwithstanding the extra draft, as during the seven years previous. Certainly this outcome does not seem like a Divine admonition not to do 80 again j but rather like a loud invitation to repeat the experiment upon the first new call. And now, when the bugle is sounding for an advance along the entire line, we do well to mark the significance of such experiments.· Our Lord does not say, " Be it unto you according to your funds," but, "Be it unto you according to your faith." If He sees that we trust Him for large missionary undertakings, He will trust us with large missionary remittances. If, on the contrary, we demand great things of God as a condition of attempting great things for God, we shall be disappointed; for that is not believing, but bargaining. "Said I not nnto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God f' (John 11 : 40.) Shall we reverse this ord.er, and believe only according as we have seen the glory of God ~ If so, He will give us little credit for our faith. Most significantly is it written, " Many believed on His name because they saw the miracles which He did j but Jesus did not believe in them" (John 2 : 23, vd. Greek).
As to methotls.-Tn the naturalistic drift which is now sweeping the Chnrch into its current, we cannot emphasize too strongly the supernatural elements in the work of missions. If the preaching of the Gospel shall make a powerful impression upon the heathen, it will not be by what is human in it, but by what is superhuman. There has been no change of method since the day of Pentecost. The Gospel is still to be preached " with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven;" and the Lord is pledged still to work with His servants, " confirming the Word with signs following." Therefore all supernatural phenomena appearing in connection with the missionary's work should be emphasized, not ignored. There are few minds so stupid that they do not reason from effect to cause. If the effects attending missionary effort are only such as can be traced to natural causes, the mind is very likely to rest in such causes without being carried further. Teaching, doctoring, civilizing, mechanical and agricultural training are all good, and not to be depreciated in connection with missions to the heathen. But the evidential value of such works is very slight, unless acc6mpanied with miracles of regeneration and wonders of moral transformation.
Of this question of the supernatural in connection with evangelical labors among the heathen, we have space to speak only of a single phase-viz., the one about which thete has recently been considerable discussion in missionary magazines.
The late Professor Christlieb, of Bonn, in hill powerful chapter on miracles, after defending their perpetuity and present possibility, says: " The work of missions is outwardly, at least, more extended than it ever was before. In this region, therefore. according to our former rule, miracles should not be entirely wanting. Nor are they. We cannot, t.herefore, fully admit the proposition that no more miracles are performed in our day. In the history of modern missions we find many wonderful occurrences which unmistakably remind us of the apostolic age. In both periods there are similar hinderances to be overcome in the heathen world, and similar palpable confirmations of the WORD are needed to convince the dull sense of men. We may, therefore, expect miracles in this case." * He then cites many instances from missionary history in confirmation of this view, especially instances of bodily healing in answer to the prayer of faith.
Is there anything in this paragraph of Professor Christlieb which is worthy of our consideration ~ Hostility to his view is sufficiently pronounced at the present time not only in such conservative and guarded criticisms as those of Professor Tyndale on the Prayer Cure, but especially in the severe animadversions of some high evangelicals upon the same point, whose motto seems to be, " Allopathy or homreopathy. as you like, but no theopathy. " "Palpable confirmations of the Word are needed to convince the dull sense of the heathen." It is the palpable confirmations that are most direct and obvious. Something must be done to persuade the heathen of the beneficent character of Christianity, as well as mnch said. Hence medical missions, hORpitals, surgery, nursing. Blessed and true servants of Christ are they who go forth to the heathen with snch ministrie(! as these. If only as they are bestowed npon the hlind, and the lame, and the leprous, they do not take their eyes from Christ, and fix them upon human benefactors or benefactions. At home or abroad this is the difficulty with all secular helps to Christianity.
An eminent missionary lady in Burmah recently gave us the following chapter from her experience. In one of her tourR she came upon a village where the cholera was raging. Having with her a quantity of the famous antidote, Perry Davis's Pain Killer, she went from house to house administering the remedy to the lick ones, and left a number of bottles to be Ilsed after she had gone. Returning to the village some months after, the missionary was met by the head man of the town, who cheered and delighted her by this intelligence, " Teacher, we have come over to your side; the medicine did us so much good that we have accepted your God.' , Overjoyed at this news, she was conducted tc the house of her informant, who, opening a room, showed her the pain-killer bottles solemnly arranged in a row upon a shelf, and before them the whole company immediately … Modern Doubt aud Christian Belief," p. 332. prostrated themselves in worship. This apotheosis of mustard and pepper does not move us violently to denounce the nse of all medicine as tending to idolatry. W 0 believe that all the help possible should be derived from medicinal remedies. But the instances are numerous enough in which medicine can go no further, and the doctors surrender the case with the confession that they can do no more. In such instances God no doubt often interposes in answer to believing intercession and restores the sufferer. Here is the peculiar sphere of the prayer of faith for the sick, in which, we boldly say, the healing ministry of Jesus Christ should not be despised. For now it is possible, since the hand of man bas failed, tbat tbe hand of tbe Lord should be recognized, and glory won for ilis name. Missionaries are naturally shy of revealing their experiences in this field, if they bave snch, owing to the opprobrium attaching to so-called "faith-healing." But the writer, from the fact of his views on this subject being known, has had the honor to be much confided in by missionaries, especially those of the China Inland Society, who have made successful use of intercession for the sick. Their testimony as to the impression of supernatural cures upon the heathen is very strong.
May the writer be allowed to give two illustrations out of many from his own experience! An opium-eater of the most desperate stamp came into Mr. Moody'S evangelistic meetings in Boston in the spring of 1877. His case was one of long standing, in which the coils of habit had closed about him tighter and tighter each year, every medical help, every human remedy having utterly failed. None present will forget his pitiful cry as he rose up in the meeting, and begged to know if there was any hope for him in Christ. Prayer was offered in his behalf, and he was led to accept Jesus as his Saviour and Healer. He came the next day with the glad tidings that his appetite was gone. Mr. Moody, knowing how much more powerful is experience than assertion for proving that Christ is " mighty to saye," put this man upon the platform night after night, to tell the story of his healing. It was "a palpable confirmation of the Word," not to be gainsaid, and the effect was irresistible upon the great audiences who listened.
The other case was almost identical. A stranger, rising up at a revival meeting in our own church, the marks upon his person confirming the testimonyof his lips, confessed that he was a long suffering victim of the opium habit, who bad spent all his living upon physicians, and was nothing bettered but rather made worse. Here also, upon the offering of prayer and the surrender of the sufferer to Christ, the cure was instantaneous-at least, so t.he patient has al ways claimed. Fifteen and ten years have passed since these respective experiences. The men on whom the cures were wrought are exemplary members of the church, with whom we have maintained a conRtant acquaintance, and they solemnly testify that from the moment of tllCir appeal to the Great Physician they have been absolutely delivered from their former plague.
MISSIONS THE TRUE PRAYER·GAUGE
Now in a great missionary field like China, where the victims of the opium habit are numbered by millions, why should not such demonstrations of the risen Saviour's healing power be frequently witnessed ~ And why should the testimony of such occurrences to the supernatural character of our Gospel be ruled out of court by evangelical Christians ~ We have given this one line of illustration of the faith element in mis. sions for a purpose. Is it not possible that the Lord, in self-defence, may be reyiving His supernatural working in the Church ~ When, in modern times, has there been such a widespread tendency among Christian scholars to eliminate the supernatural from Christianity as now ~ A few more conquests of advanced thought, and God will have been abolished from His Word and from His work. We do not speak unadvisedly. In the doctrine of inspiration, in the doctrme of miracles, in the doctrine of prayer, in the doctrine of prophecy, in the doctrine of regeneration, and in the doctrine of resurrection, how, more and more, in the teaching of the learned, is the Divine element minimized, and these transactions reduced to natural processes! The tendency is so quiet as to be ignored by easygoing optimists; but it is so unquestionable as to occa..ion serious alarm among thoughtful observers. If it shall be so that the doctrine of the supernatural shall cease to have a home among high scholars, then, as has been the case constantly in the history of the Church, it will find a domicile among the unsophisticated and simple-hearted Christians, who, because they know no better than to believe the vVord of God, will make bold to pray for rain in time of drought, to pray for healing in the time of sickness, and to pray for regeneration in time of ruin. And because our de- 8upernaturalized Christianity is likely to be transferred to the foreign field, there is so much the more reason why missionaries who hold to the simple Gospel should appreciate and emphasize the Divine phenomena of our holy religion.
MISSIONS THE TRUE PRAYER-GAUGE.
BY REV. CHAUNCEY T. EDWARDS, COUDERSPORT, PA.
" I do desire to say. gravely and earnestly, tltat my missionary life has been successful so far as 1 have been prayerful, and non·,uccessful so far as . I have been lax in prayerfulness." -A Missionary of the American Board.
" Jesus, seeing their faith, said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee." This is a true missionary incident. The friends of the paralytic were, in fact, missionaries. The best .r thing they could do for him was to bring him to esus, and the faith which led them to do this be(ame instrumental in his saving and healing. Just so the Church's best work for the world is intercession, and the Church's best years have always been years of prayer. As the Gospel more and more affects politics and all progress, the eye of faith can trace in everything the influence of prayer. From the breaking down of the East India Company to the founding of the Congo Free State-two events that enlisted the mightiest intellects and interests of this generation-the spirit of gracious supplications, it is hardly too much to say, has been more plainly the ruling power than in any other thirty years of history.
That rare little book, " The Still Hour"-which is, perhaps, the richest work of its lamented author, Professor Austin Phelps-quotes a letter of Sir Fowell Buxton's on a parliamentary vote important to West India emancipation: " ·What led to that division? If ever there was a subject which occupied our prayers, it was this. Do you remember how we desired that God would give me His Spirit in that emergency j how we quoted the promise, , He that lacketh wisdom, let him ask it of the Lord, and it shall be given him j , and how I kept open that passage in the Old Testament, in which it is said, ' We have no might against this great company that cometh against us, neither know we what to do j but our eyes are upon Thee '-the Spirit of the Lord replying, 'Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's'? If you want to see the passage, open my Bible j it will turn of itself to the place. I sincerely believe that prayer was the cause of tkat division j and I am confirmed in this by knowing that we by no means calculated on the effect. The course we took appeared to be right, and we followed it blindly."
To be sure, these are not testimonies of missionaries, but they are none the less missionary, and all the weightier as being from outsiders.
Mission work brings out the fact that many more events are answers to prayer than we commonly believe. For instance, an English missionary (Rev. James Main, quoted in the Foreign Missionary, January, 1884) thus describes the look of a Chinese audience: " When I used, at home, to speak of ' the heathen,' I meant by the word men who had never heard the Gospel. The look in the faces of the Chinese crowd made me realize for the first time that it meant mnch more than this. In consequence of their not hearing it they have lost all capacity for understanding it. That look made mil feel that to the heathen the Gospel is not only a new, a strange sound, but that it is an unintelligible sound, and that every conversion will be a miracle. " If we believe thus, we may be ready to head the column of converts in mission reports, Answers to Prayer; for every convert is a Samuel (1 Sam. 1 : 27), a paralytic who has been carried by true friends into the presence of Jesus.
1. Dr. A. J. Gordon's remarkable book, " The Twofold Life," is full of testimonies to the power of prayer. Passing by the witness he quotes of Christmas Evans and W. C. Burns and Jonathan Edwards and a host of others, let us hear him tell (p. 37) of David Brainerd: "Brainerd had many seasons of this uncommon renewing of his spiritual life through prayer and fasting; and, in summing them up, President Edwards records this noteworthy conclusion: 'Among all the many days he spent in secret prayer and fasting, of which he gives an account in his diary, there is scarcely an instance of 01'1,6 which was not either attended or soon followed with apparent success, and a remarkable blessing in special influences and consolations of God's Spirit, and very often before the day was ended.' .And we may add yet more. The record of these fastings and prayers of Brainerd, and of the power of God which followed, written only for himself, but wisely published by Edwards after his death, has brought rich blessing to the world. William Carey read it on his shoemaker's bench, and asked, 'If God can do such things among the .Indians of America, why not among the pagans of India ~' Henry Martyn, the thoughtful student in Cambridge, England, read it, and was moved by it to consecrate his life to missionary service in the East. Edward Payson pondered it, and when twenty-two years of age wrote in his diary, 'In reading Mr. Brainerd's life, I seemed to feel a most earnest desire after some portion of his spirit.' Considering the vast results which have followed the labors of these servants of God, who shall say that Brainerd has not wrought more since his death than in his life ~ And who, looking at the great sum total, can question whether or not it is profitable for one to wait upon the Lord with prayer and fastin~ and intercession for the renewal of his spiritUal strength ~"
II. At the London Missionary Conference it was told that Toronto Methodist women had a weekly prayer-meoting, where a record was kept of special petitions and their answers; and, said the speaker, Mrs. Blackstock, "I am afraid that some of you would be astonished to find how many answers to prayer are recorded in that book." vVhat associations connect with the name of the China Inland Mission but those that belong to the glory shadowing the mercy-seat!
The story of the recent experiences of the Church Missionary Society of England is well known: "Its first Day of Intercession was appointed for December, 1872. The day was spent in prayer offered distinctly and definitely for more ruen." It was followed by more offers for service than it had ever received. In the five years following" it sent ont 112 men, whereas in the five years preceding 1873 it had sent out but 51." In 1880 special prayer was offered for money, for which there was great need. In a few months $135,000 was raised" to wipe off the deficit; and this was followed by $150,000 specially contributed for extension, as well as by other special gifts and a substantial advance in the ordinary income." In the latter part of 1884 men were sorely needed, and a day was appointed to pray for them. The previous evening Mr. Wigram was summoned to Cambridge" to sec a number of graduates and undergraduates who desired to dedicate themselves to the Lord's work abroad." More than a hundred university men met him, and he returned to the prayer-meeting next day to prove to his colleagues the promise, " Before they call, I will answer."
III. If this is true at home, much more, or at least more plainly, is it true in heathendom, where" night brings out the stars." If a topical index were wanted for that lively little monthly, Brazilian Missions, it could almost be found in Paul's phrase, "the Word of. God and prayer :"
for the stories that fill it belong to one or other of these closely lelated topics. This is largely true of the great missionary magazines whose view is wider and more varied.
In the week of prayer in 1887 native Christians in Campanha (Brazil) are I:Ipecially earnest in praying for the rapid progress of the Gospel. Be- fore the week is out the fanatical town of Canna Verde, eighty miles away, sends for a preacher; and the article (in the first uumber of Brazilian Missions) telling of it is headed" A Whole Village Becoming Protestant."
In 1872 missionaries and English residents in Yokohama and the very few interested Japanese kept the week of prayer with great solemnity.
English and American sea captains who were present wrote, "The prayers of these Japanese take the heart out of us." As the result the first native church was organized March 10th, 1872, the beginning of Japan's marvel- lous Christian history. * Who has not read the" White Fields of France"? Every record of the MeAll Mission cannot help showing how the work is all in answer to prayer, and so pervaded by the spirit of prayer that the converts at once form the same habit; witness the pathetic testimony t of that Lyons woman, seventy-five years old, and no longer able to work, who said she prayed God" 80 much, so violently, and without ceasing that He would cause her to be received into the hospital for aged persons, that He an- swered her."
IV. It is part of the blessed simplicity of Christian life in heathen lands that everything, little and large, is made a matter of prayer. In the last of November, 1887, a Brazilian boy presented by his brother anxious re- quest for admission to the Sao Paulo Presbyterian School the following term. No money was available, and the missionaries could only exhort all parties interested, to believing prayer. "Day before yesterday (January lIth)," says Brazilian Missions, "came a letter dated November 21st, from a Christian lady, who, unsolicited, sends $200 to ' support a student'
in our schools. " I A Presbyterian missionary, Miss Thiede, writes from a village in India:t "I trust the Lord will allow me to build a school-house and a house for the catechist, though I have no means for them. He kindly enabled me to build a small house which shall accommodate the missionary when he visits this station, but will now be a shelter for me. . . . The ~ord wonderfully helped me, though I had to pray most earnestly for everything-for workmen, for wood, for bricks, for money. I got it all !"
The very next letter in the same magazine is from Miss Edith Blunt, who writes: " A few new doors have been opened to me in direct answer to * Foreign Missionary, Sept., 1885. t American McAli Record, Oct., 1888.
~ To Winnan'8 Workfor Woman, Oct., 1886., prayer; that is, while going toward my field of labor I have asked the dear Lord to take me to some house where they have never heard the truth, or where He would want me to go; and invariably a pressing invitation has come, and the vVord has been sung and expounded. "
At the May anniversary of the China Inland Mission, in 1883, Dr. Mackcnzie told how he and his colleague, Bryson, prayed day after day for two months fqr a hospital in Tient~in; and then, by means of a remarkable cure wrought through prayer by skill for the wife of the Viceroy, Li Hung Chang, that statesman was led to offer a temple and an income for the now successful hospital.
At the annual meeting of the American Board in New York (1889), Secretary Alden presented a paper on the place of prayer in mission work; a paper which for varied interest and suggestiveness is remarkable even in missionary literature. It includes the testimony of twenty-six missionaries as to their experience in this matter. The words quoted at the beginning of this article are from one letter. Another, writing of all sorts of work in Constantinople, adds, " But the point I wish to emphasize is thi8-it is my sincere conviction that opposition was overcome and the fruits of labor bestowed in answer to prayer-persevering prayer-offered in faith by the ladies of the executive committee in Boston, and by our constituents in New Britain and New Haven." Another writes of apparently fruitless prayer for revival offered in the Doshisha (Dr. Neesima' s school in Kyoto) from the week of prayer to the middle of March, when the praying band had decreased to half a dozen. Then" on Sabbath, March 16th, 1883, in the afternoon and evening, an invisible influence struck the school. None of the teachers knew of it till next morning. But of about 150 young men then in the school, very few closed their eyes in sleep that night. Almost every room was filled with men crying to God for mercy."
V. Let us turn to" darkest England." Not milch is said in public of the work of the late John Ashworth and his" Chapel for the Destitute" in his town of Rochdale, Lancashll'e. Yet his" Strange Tales from Humble Life" have been circulated by the million, and for simple, heart-reaching power are hardly excelled among the records of Almighty grace. The characters with whom he dealt may be imagined from the fact that a drunken, dirty fellow, who had been persuaded by his wife to attend the chapel, began swearing at her for bringing him to such a place, for" all the scamps in the country were collected together, and it was a disgrace for anyone to be seen among them !" ""Ve could as soon have thought of old Nick going to chapel, as Niff," was said of the villain who became the subject of the story" Niff and his Dogs." Drunkards and rogues, the despairing and the destitute, infidel and invalid, men, women and children were reached and brought into marvellous light.
Says the biography, " Mr. Ashworth commenced the work with a firm conviction that God would open up his way, and send pecuniary help to [.ny amount or aIly extent that might be required, withot+t either ilnniversary sermons or public collections. He belip,ved in answers to prayer, and had good reason for so doing j and to him it was at all times in his arduous undertakings a great source of strength and comfort to know that hundreds throughout the land were daily remembering him and the Chapel for the Destitute in their petitions at the throne of grace. The very thought of it gave him joy j and for sixteen years, without any solicitation on his part from any human being, the necessary funds have been supplied. " The prayer of faith, rather than the disbursing of fundi, was the power and characteristic of all his work. It is the atmosphere, tho spirit of all his" Strange Tales." In the prefatory note he writes, ., I am a tradesman, and make no prett<nsions to literary ability. If He whom I desire to serve condescend to use me as a medium of good to others, my earnest wish will be realized. To Him my prayer has been, ' Hold Thou my right hand.' "
One of these tracts is entitled" A Wonder j or, the Two Old Men i" and this is the story of it: "An old man of eighty-three, only twelve months a pardoned sinner, earnestly, and in the best way he could, urging an old man of eighty-five to trust in Christ, is such a wondC!' as falls to the lot of few to witness. Here knelt two men whose lives had been one long course of open iniquity, producing untold misery, sorrow, and suffering in their families, and, probably, by their example and precept, having been tho direct cause of many going down to the regions of despair. Yet these two have fonnd mercy and forgiveness! 'Ve repeat, It is a Wonder /" Not many months afterward Mr. Ashworth was the means of saving the older man from the home and th;l dread of the pauper-the workhouse. " When the old man saw the money paid down, and heard my promise to find him another home, he lifted up his head and gazed in my face with a look of inexpressible thankfulness. He wept like a child. exclaiming, 'God has done it! God has done it! He yeard me pray et neet, and sent yo to help me awt 0' me tronble. He's done more nor I expected i aw'l praise Him as long as aw live! ' "
It would be hard to say how many such records of answered prayer are to be found in Mr. Ashworth's writings. In none are they more frequent or striking than in the testimony of six pauper invalids, of whom he says (" My Sick Frier,ds"), " I leave them with a conviction that though they have unitedly been in pain, affliction, and helplessness for one hundred and sixty-five years, yet they are among the happiest creatures in this world. They may go down to their graves in silence, but they have taught a lesson to thousands i and that lesson is, that IIeaven's brightest beams can pierce the darkest cloud."
VI. In a region in England, missionary enough to be the diucese of Bishop Selwyn, the Christian genius known as Sister Dora lived her devoted life. Not more nurse than missionary, not less heroic than any other missionary, through fourteen years she kept her consecration unbroken, her chcerfqlnesR qndaunteq, her strong will alwals ~entle! her faith always tri· umphant by personal communion with her Lord_ Of all the saintly biography with which the Church has been enriched in the last ninety years, no life is more fascinating, none more redolent of the heavenly" vials full of odors" than the life of this hospital nurse in the" black country." Says her biograpber, " She spoke unreservedly to ber householu upon the absolute necessity of constant private prayer, and expressed openly her own strong conviction that no blessing could attend the hospital unless those who worked in it fulfilled their duty in this respect. It was literally true that she never touched a wound without lifting up her heart to the Giver of all virtue, and asking that healing might be conveyed by her means. . . . The striking feature of her prayers was the strong faith which animated them. . . ' At night, when the ward was quiet, she might often be scen kneeling by the bed of some . • . sufferer." Once she undertook to save a young fellow's mangled right arm when amputation had been pronounced necessary to save the patient's life, but when amputation mcant paupeIism to his family. Night and day for three weeks the case was in a suspense that was terrible. But she saved the arm; and the surgeon, who had been in no good humor over the case, but" without whose leave, be it remembered, she could not have done this, . . . brought the rest of the hospital staff' to show them what. might be done,' as he said." '" IIow I prayed over that arm!' she used to say afterward." "Vhat wonder the man went by the name of " Sister's arm."
Lnther draws a beautiful parallel between Paul's entreaty with Philemon for Onesimus and Christ's intercession with the Father for us, adding, " For we are all IIis Onesimi, to my thinking." The great Missionary " who went about doing good" is the great Intercessor; and from Pentecost down He has stamped that characteristic on His work. If a man believes himself Christ's Onesimus, he will have no doubts about prayer in His name. If one prayer ill answered, every prayer must be. Whether we can trace the answer or not is of small importance. If, however (and this with reference to the controversy suggested by the title of this paper), we can historically connect the providence of God, and the promise of God, and the prayer to God, who can reasonably doubt THE POWER OF GOD IN ANSWER TO PRAYER?
" 'Tis the fire that will burn wha+ thou canst not pass over, 'Tis the lightning that breaks away all bars to love, 'Tis a sunbeam, the secret of God to discover, 'Tis the wing David prayed for-the wing of the Dove."
THE following letter cannot fail to interest sincere and prayerful disciples: DEAR DR. PIERSON: I thank you very earnestly for your words in the March number of the MISSIONARY REVIEW concerning prayer. You seem to feel your way into II world wl1erein manl hav~ b~e~ trying to enter.
PROPOSAL FOR A PRAYER UNION
When I was in the north of England ag deputation for our London Missiouary Society, pleading the claims of China (with which I have been connected for twenty-five years), consultation and prayer were carried on in a friend's house up till midnight, and a written agreement was entered into to pray God to raise up one hundred of the best missionaries for our society. Since then ProfeRsor Armitage, along with other leading ministers, has been led from on high to bring out a solemn appeal for consecration and personal service; and there is a great spirit of waiting on God concerning this matter. You will thw; see that the point I now wish to submit to .you is not one which I dare approach lightly. A leader in one of our largest London churches lays down very solemnly this position: that any amount of good preaching is insufficient unless there be some definite action taken. I venture now to plead for a part of your REVIEW definitely devoted to forming and encouraging a prayer union, so that any of God's people, upon whose hearts it is laid to pray very specially for any great public matter concerning His kingdom, might have an opportunity of stating their case, giving their reasons, encouraging each other in a conquering faith, waiting for and recording answers j and, in general, dealing with God in a direct and definite manner. Your editorial wisdom wou!d direct how far it would be well to go into particulars.
But, for the sake of an illustration, let me refer to the opium traffic. At the present time throughout England the hearts of God's people ar& being moved as perhaps never before, so that the will of God may be thoroughly known and carried out. It is believed that if the Christian conscience were once thoroughly aroused, it would prove to be such a power as no government could resist. The first important matter is to spread information, and, as a matter of fact, information has been widely spread. But gain seems too much for godliness, and the flesh too much for the Spirit, so that individual and national sin, according to many, cannot be put away. In fact, there is, in some minds, a complete despair. Surely if " the regions beyond, of prayer," once became a part of common Chris· tian life, there would be such a keen sensitiveness to God's touch that the opium victims would startle men's minds j fearful prejudices against the Gospel, created by the traffic, would bring us down in humiliation, and the fact that a shadow between God and His people exists, would rouse to such concern as would give no rest till the evil was put away. Such a matter might well be a subject for definite believing prayer. Christians are, perhaps, a feebJe folk in regard to "orldly power, but this may drive them the more earnestly to seek God.
Some who are of little usc otherwise may at least prove the power of prayer. God can use tools of the poorest nature to spread abroad impressions of what is right.
This matter is one which may possihly receive more attention in China. The same request has heen made so' that missionaries and native converts may. be united in this hallowed bond. The more such ideas can gain
MOHAMMED AND MOlIAMMEDANISM
ground, the more help we shall have against the materialism of the age; and there may be some very great matters cODcerniDg God's will which may become clear as we agree to pray about them-e.g., how far mission- ary work !Should be evangelistic, missionaries only settling down as far as is really necessary; and whether fixed salaries are wise or unwise, etc.
The proofs of prayer given in the China Inland Mission and in the move- ments of the C. M. S., which began in prayer at Keswick, might be more definitely known than they are; also the proof of God's hearing prayer in the progress of woman's work, of which the foreign secretary of the L. M. S.
lately made a striking utterance at the monthly meeting for prayer held at the mission house. Yours faithfully, LONDON, April 7, 189l. J. SADLER.
MOHAMMED AND MOHAMMEDANISM.
BY REV. HENRY RICE, MADRAS, INDIA.
For the last twelve hundred years or more that struggle between the East and West which has ever been the centre of all history has takeu the special form of a struggle between Christendom and Islam. There is not a nation in Europe or Asia which has not had its share iu the great conflict. The struggle still goes on. The more we feel the prominent palt which the struggle between Christendom and Islam has borne, and is bearing, in the general history of the world, the more deeply we feel the importance of a right understanding of Mohammedan history. In considering the life of Mohammed and the effects of Mohammedanism, one cannot help touching on questions which are theological. Through the whole history, both of the man and the nation, the religious element underlies everything. Mohammed was a conqueror and a ruler, but he was such only because he declared himself to be a divinely commissioned prophet. His immediate followers founded the vastest empire that the world ever saw, which, though it soon split asunder, has maintained a theoretical unity ever since. But that empire was not, strictly speaking, the dominion of a nation or of a dynasty, but of a religious sect with which the acquisition of political power was a religious principle. In the Mohammedan system there is no room for national distinctions; religious belief stands in the place of nationality. Every fellow-believer is a fellow-countryman. There is no dis~inction between Church and State. In Islam the Church comes first in fact and in idea; the State is simply the Church in its unavoidable temporal relations. In every Mohammedan country the whole civil and social fabric rests on the groundwork of a divine law once revealed. In everything the spiritual element comes first, and the temporal element is a mere appendage.
The primary faet, then, to be ob~erved is that Mohammed was a man who founded a temporal dominion, but who grounded his temporal domin- ion solely upon his claim to be a divinely commissioned teacher of religion. He taught a doctrine; he founded a sect; and the proselytes of that sect went forth, in the name of their new faith, to conquer the world. Every Moslem was, as his first duty, a missionary; but he was an armed missionary. In this the religion of Mohammed forms a marked contrast to the two religious systems which had gone before it. Judaism proclaims itself as the divinely given code of a single nation, a system which does not refuse proselytes, but does not seek them. Christianity proclaims itself as a divinely given system of faith and morals, addressed to all mankind, content to make its way among mankind by moral forces alone, leaving the governments of the world as it finds them. Mohammedanism also proclaims itself as a divinely given system of faith and morals addressed to all mankind, but to be enforced by the sword. It is a system which, in its perfect theory, would require all mankind to be members of one political society. Each, again, of these three great monotheistic religions has its written revelation. Herein consists one of the most marked distinctions between the three. The Mohammedan accepts nothing as of divine authority except the personal utterallces of his prophet, taken down in his lifetime. With the Jew and the Christian the actnal discourses of Moses and of Christ form only a portion of the writings which he accepts as the sacred books of his faith. As to the main facts of Mohammed's life there is no reason to detail them, for they are well known. But we think there can be no doubt as to his sincerity, and as to the honesty of his fait1:l in the truth of his own mission during the early stages of his career. It is impossible to conceive any motive, except faith in his own missior , which conld have borne him up through the contempt and persecntion whlCh he underwent as long as he abode at Mecca. The mere fact of his lapse, followed as it was by his recantation, seems decidedly in favor of his sincerity. It is the act of a man, believing in himself and in what he taught, but whose faith failed him for a season in a moment of temptation. But his mere belief in his own mission would not prove that mission to be divine; it wonld not cven prove the work which he undertook to be a work tending to the good of mankind. That the early teaching of Mohammed, in the days of his first preaching at Mecca, was directly for the good of the men of that time and place there can be no doubt. His moral and religious teaching was imperfect, but it was a measureless advance on anything which his hearers had heard before. Whatever Mohammed may have been to the world at large, to the men of Mecca of his own time he was one who spake of righteousncls, temperance, and judgment to come, one who taught in the midst of debasing idolatry that there is one God, and none other than He. Every man who at this stage accepted the teaching of Mohammed was at once raised to a higher level in the scale of moral and religious beings. The strivings of heart which led Mohammed, in the face of 8corn and persecution, to preach to an idolatrous city the truth and unity of God could never have risen from any low personal motive. We may even venture to say th!it it Was a move- ment from God Himself.
One of the most difficult thillgs is to find out the exact amount 01 knowledge of Christianity which Mohammed had at any time of his career. It is certain that while still at Mecca he Was oil frielldly terms with thll Christian King of Abyssinia; and it was in his domilliolls that his early fol. lowers sought shelter from persecution. Some means were, therefore, clearly open to him of gaining a knowledge of what Christianity really was j but it seems likely that he never came across the genuine text of the New 'Testameut or its genuine teaching in any shape. The one Christian doctrine he seems to have thoroughly grasped is that of the miraculous birth of Christ. But on all other points Mohammed's notions of Christianity seem to have been of the vaguest kind. His ideas of the life of Christ are borrowed from the stories of the Apocryphal gospels, and he emphatically denies the reality of the crucifixion. When he confounded the Angel Gabriel with the Holy Ghost, and represented Christians as looking on the Mother of Christ as a person of the Trinity, he must surely have misconceived what Christianity was even in its corruptest form. We cannot wonder that. he cast away such doctrines as these with indignation, nor that he confounded the Christian doctrine of the Divine sonship with the idolatrous belief in the danghters and other satellites of God which it was his special mission to overthrow. We cannot blame Mohammed for rejecting Christianity in the shape in which it seems to have appeared in his eyes j but we cannot acquit him of blame for rejecting Christianity through not taking pains to find out what it really was. If this neglect was owing to spiritual pride, to an overweening confidence in himself. as not only a divinely commissioned, but an absolutely infallible teacher, we may see in this failure to seek after the truth with all his heart and with all his strength tne Drst step in a downward career. The flight to Medina was the beg~nning of Mohammedanism as part of the history of the world j but it was aho the beginning of a distinct fall in the personal character of its founder. The preacher of righteousness now appealed to the sword. Had he not done so, it may be that his religion would have died out. But, looking at the man's own moral being. from the moment of his appeal to the sword he fell away from the righteousness of his earlier days. lie stooped from the rank of a religious teacher to the rank of one of the ordinary powers of the world. He put on the character of a statesman and a warrior j he exposed himself to the temptations which beset either character, and he learned to practise the baser as well as the nobler arts of both. IIis policy was now of the earth, ~arthy; in becoming a ruler and a warrior he became a man of craft and of blood.
One aspect of the prophet's life we cannot pass over without notice. What Fronde says of Henry VIlt is yet more truly to be said of Mohammed, that he ought to have lived in a world from which women were shut out. It is useless to defend the sexual laxity of Mohammed by saying that he was neither better nor worse than the usual morality of his age andl country. The preacher of a religious reform ought to rise above·the usuali morality of his age and country j and Mohammed, at one time of his life" showed that he could rise above it. The youth of Mohammed, according: to all evidence, was a youth of temperance and chastity, and not a breathl of scandal rested on his married life passed during twenty years with Ii woman old enough to be his mother. The manners of his country allowed both polygamy and concubinage j but no rival, whether wife or slave, ever disturbed the declining years of Kha<!ijah. A man who had so long lived a chaste life could surely have prolonged the effort, if only for the sake of keeping up his own dignity a~d consistency of character, and should not have proclaimed for himself exemptions from the laws which he laid down for others. Yet in Mohammed's relations to women we cannot but see a distinct fall, both from the standard of the Gospel and from the standard of his own early life. One of the oldest charges against Mohammed is that he promised his followers a paradise of sensual delights. Nowhere is the contrast between the Gospel and the Koran more strongly marked than in the veil which the Gospel throws over all details as to the next world, when compared with the minuteness with which the Koran dwells on its, rewards and punishments. And this charge of holding out sensual promises; to his disciples is one that cannot be' got over except by the startling apologetics of certain Mnssulman doctors, who assert that the" houris" of Paradise are to be taken figuratively.
We hold, then, that Mohammed, from the beginning to the end of his career, was honestly convinced of the truth of his own mission, but that he gradually fell away through not taking due pains to find out the real nature of the Christian revelation. When the first downward step had been taken, the other steps of the downward course were easy. The prophet of truth and righteousness, the assertor of the unity of God against the idols of the Kaaha, sank to the level of an earthly conqueror, extending the bounds of his dominion by the sword. He died while waging war to force his own imperfect system on those who, amid all the corruptions of Christianity of those days, still held truths which he had rejected and blasphemed. The real charge against Mohammed is that, after the Gospel had! been given to man, he fell back on the theology and morality of the Law. The effects of his life and teaching on the world at large have been in close analogy to his own personal career. In his own age and country he was the greatest of reformers. He founded a na~ion, and gave that nation a religion and a jurisprudence which were an immense advance on anything it had as yet accepted. He swept away idolatry j he enforced the practice of a purer morality ; he lightened the yoke of the slave ; he even raised the condition of the weaker sex. If he had done nothing else than remove the frightful practice of burying female children alive, he would not have lived in vain in his own time and nation. But when his system passed the borders of the land in which it was so great a reform, it became the greatest of curses to mankind. The main cause which has made the Mohammedan religion a blighting influence on every land where it has been preached is that it is an imperfect system standing in the way of one more perfect. Islam has in it just enough of good to hinder the reception of greater good. When Mohammedanism is preached to a tribe of savage heathen, its acceptance is in itself an unmixed blessing. But it is a blessing which cuts off almost all hope of the reception of a greater blessing. The heathen, in his utter darkness, is far more likely to accept the faith of Christ than the Mohammedan in his state of semi-enlightenment. In all lands wherfl Islam has been preached it has regulated and mitigated many of the evils of the earlier systems; but in doing so it has established them forever. The New Testament nowhere forli>ids slavery; it can hardly be said to contain any direct prohibition of polygamy. Preached as the Gospel was to subjects of the Roman Empire, among whom frightful licentiousness was rife, but among whom legal polygamy was unheard of, there was no need to enlarge on the subject. The principles of Christian purity would of themselves, without any direct precept, hinder polygamy from beeoming the law of any Christian land. But Islam,by the very fact of restraining and regulating the license of its own native land, has made polygamy and its attendant evils the abiding law of every Mohammedan people. As Professor Fairbairn has well said, " A religion that does not purify the home cannot regenerate the race; one that depraves the home is certain to deprave humanity. Motherhood is to be sacred if manhood is to be honorable. Spoil the wife of sanctity, and for the man the sanctities of life have perished." The Gospel nowhere forbids slavery; but it lays down precepts whose spirit is inconsistent with slavery, anll which have, after a long struggle, succeeded in rooting out slavery from all European and from most Christian lands. But Islam, by the very fact of enforcing justice and mercy for the slave, has perpetuated the existence of slavery among all its disciples. Christianity, by giving no civil precepts, has remained capable of adapting itself to every form of government and every state of society. But Islam, by attaching the civil power to its religious head, has condemned all Mohammedan nations to abiding despotism; and by enjr)ining the toleration of the unbeliever on certain fixed conditions, it hinders the e~tab lishment of religious equality in any land where it is dominant. "Christianity waged no direct war against these social evils of antiquity, but it killed them much more effectually by breathing into the conscience of the world truths which made their continuance impossible. It girdled the tree and left it to die. Change the climate, and you change the vegetation. "
Let it be granted that, in all heathen aI?-d even in some Christian lands, Islam in its first and best days appeared as a reform. Still it is a reform which has stifled all other reforms. It is a reform which has chained down every nation which has accepted it to a certain stage of moral and political growth. As such, this system of imperfect truth must ever be the greatest hindrance in the way of more perfect truth. Because Islam comes nearer
THE ARMENIAN PROTES'],ANT ORPHANAGE OF BROOSSA
to Christianity than any other false system, for that very reason it is, above nil other false systems, pre-eminently anti-Christian. "It has reformed and lifted savage tribes; it has depraved and barbarized civilized nations. At the root of its fairest culture a worm has ever lived that has caused its blossoms soon to wither and die. Were Mohammed the hope of man, then his state "rere hopeless; before him could only be retrogression, tyranny, and despair." The life of every great Mohammedan nation has died away. ·Wherever Mohammedanism has come into contact and conflict with Christi:m civilization it has succumbed. It is incapable of progress beyond a certain point. It has lost the" dew of its youth," and is destined to wane before advancing light and growing knowledge. In India we may look forward to the time when the bigotry and fanaticism of its sixty millions of Mohammedans will melt away before the warmth and genial influence of Christianity.
TIlE ARMENIAN PROTESTANT ORPH.A.NAGE OF -BROOSSA, IN ASIA MINOR, TUl~KEY.
BY M. BAGHDASARIAN, SECRETARY OF THE PROTESTANT ORPHANAGE.
Asia Minor is the fairest portion of Turkey, and one of the finest countries of the world. It is a peninsula, and is bounded on the north by the Black Sea, on the south by the Mediterranean, on the west by the Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmora, and the Dardanelles, on the east by Armenia and Koordistan.
The country is very mountainous, and many rivers pass through the most picturesque valleys, flowing into the Black Sea as well as the Mediterranean. The soil is very fertile, and produces every kind of vegetables. fruits, and corn. Asia Minor is considered the or(~hard of Constantinople.
The prcsent condition of this vast country stands in frightful contrast to its great and glorious past. It was once the seat of riches and learning, and some wonderful events in secular and church history happened here. The still remaining ruins of the ancient cities of Nicea, where the Nicene Creed was composed in the year A.D. 321), and of the seven churches testify of the splendor and wealth of its former inhabitants. Desolations, storms, and terrible judgments of God have, however, converted that dear country into a great wilderness.
The population of Asia Minor consists chiefly of Turks, Armenians, Greeks, and Jews. The Turks are the most unchangeable people of the world. Their habits, customs, dresses, manners, character, ideas, and aspirations are almost the same as they were centuries ago. when their ancestors came to conquer the country. They always think of a general massacre of all Christians existing in Turkey, and blame their fathers for not having accomplished it in the early era of the empire, while nobody would have interfered with their destructive work. The Armenians are a people spoken of very often in the Bible. They have a glorious past recorded in the history of the ancient world and nations, and belong to the first Oriental Christian Churcll, which is, un- fortunately, fallen to decay, and represents now but a very low form of Chris- tianity, being entirely deprived of the influence of the evangelical prin- ciples of the Gospel. Pomp, ceremony, and priestcraft support the religion, which exerts very little influence over the daily lives of the people, and can afford little or no comfort, in their experiences of privation, suffer- ings, and toi!. But they are good farmers, prosperous merchants, and able professional men, and have a great future. Being very religious, and having always an open heart for the Truth, the Armenians accepted with great pleasure the Gospel when it was sent to them in the beginning of the present century from the Christians of the New World. My father, Bagh- dasar Russian, of Bithynia, was one of those Armenians who at once converted themselves to the Protestant faith, and leaving everything, like the apostles, on they went as the first Armenian missionaries, preaching the Gospel in the towns and villages of Asia Minor and Armenia, and establishing the first Armenian evangelical churches, and that, of course, amid great and continual persecutions and sufferings.
" By their fruits ye shall know them" is the divine criterion given us to be used whet we jndge those who profess the true faith of the Gospel j and, guided by that principle, you can judge of the Armenian Protestants of Turkey. When we adopted a scriptural creed, it would have been ground for a serious imputation against the sincerity of our Christian profession had we looked with indifference on the many objects around us that -called for active self·denial and the persevering labor of Christian love and .charity. But such was not the case; and among the fruits of the Reformation in Turkey will, no doubt, be reckoned the Armenian Evangelical Charity Mission of Broossa.
Broossa is an ancient city and the capital of Asia Minor, only a round ihundred miles from Constantinople, nestling at the foot of snow-capped lIount Olympus. Its population is about 80,000, of whom 20,000 are Armenians, GOOO Greeks, 4000 Jews, and the remainder Turks.
It has passed through many political changes, and has been nearly destroyed at various times by fire and earthquake; but it has survived all these disasters, and is, with its fine climate, hot and cold springs, large Oriental bazaars and beautiful marble tombs of the sultans who resided there from 1825 nntil the capture of Constantinople, one of the most important cities of the East.
During 1874-75 Asia Minor was the scene of a terrible famine, caused by a long continued drought, and many thousands of peoplo starved to death. When the calamity was at its height, the city of Broossa was filled with refugees j and seeing the terrible condition of the little children who {)ame to the city in search of food, the heart of the writer's brother, Gregory Baghdnsarian, who then was professor in a seminary at BrooBsa, was moved to gather in these poor little orphan children; and this was the beginning of the Armenian Evangelical Charity Mission at Broossa. A HQme for Orphan and Destitute Children was at once established, and hundreds of poor children who had beeu bereft of horne and parents have lbeen since received in its sheltering arms, and trained for Christ and useful IJii.ves. Later on a boarding and day school, too, were added to this institution.
The Tnrkish Government recognized this Armenian Evangelical Orphan Asylum, with its educational branches, and sanctioned it by granting the usual Rukhsatname-permit-in which tbe title" Dar-ush-Shefakai Sharikiye"-Oriental Charitable Institution-is attached to it.
A committee composed of Protestant brethren, with the resident American missionary keeping the treasnry, is, ever since its establishment, ,duly guiding this good work. The late B.ev. Sandford Hichardson was the ;first treasurer of the orphanage; and in his last statement he says, ,. You ·can say to your friends that we regard the ~rphanage as eminently Chris- ;tian, and auxiliary to our evangelical work."
The Broossa Orphauage is now fifteen years old; it has been established °iby entirely voluntary contributions, the first donation of $300 being gen- ,erously granted by the late Rev. Adolf Sarasin, of Basel, in Switzerland. :Later on a few German and Swiss prominent clergymen and editors, the Basel Mission Society, and the London Turkish Missions' Aid Society have ,espoused the cause of the Broossa Orphanage, and recognizing it as a neces- :sary 'and usefnl institution in the East, recommended it warmly to the sympathy and support of the benevolent throughout the world, and helping hands were stretched toward us to carry out the work. More than six hundred children, coming from fifty different parts and places of Turkey, and belonging to different religions and nationalities, have been admitted into the orphanage during the last fifteen years, and many others passed through tha boarding and day schools, enjoying a strictly evangelical education.
The Broossa Orphanage was often inspected and illl'estigated by competent hodies, one of which was composed of the Revs. T. W. Brown, D.D., Secretary of the Turkish Missions' Aid Society of London, Alexander Thom- :son, D. D., agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society of Constantinople, :and Joseph Greene, D. D., one of the veteran missionaries of the American Board in Turkey, and two Armenian Protestant pastors of Constantinople. 'They were much pleased with what they saw, and gave a long report, in 'which they say, " We have great pleasure in bearing our testimony to the perfect discipline of the schools, and to the thoroughly intellectual training, both in general knowledge and in Divine truth. Mr. and Mrs. Baghdasarian seem, indeed, to have succeeded to no smail extent in attaining their high ideal of so conducting the orphanage as to render it a pure and happy Christian home." Another official inspection took place last year, in September, when the Twenty-fifth Annual Assembly of the Evangelical Pas- .
tors of the Bithynian U uian W&s held in Broossa. In th4;)i. statement they say, "We have carefully inspected the whole establishment, and are much pleased with the order and th'l excellent training of the children. We with fuJI confidence say that the whole orgal)-ization of the institution serves one distinct purpose, which is to impart to the children the love of God and the truths of His salvation."
Charity is an indi8pensable branch of the grand work of the Christian Church and her mission in the wide, wide world. The Roman Catholic Church uuderstallds this well, and domg accordingly, their mission is very successful and prosperous in the East. Actually, they possess in Turkey, comprising Syria, Palestine, Asia Minor, Armenia, and Koordistan, 12 hospitals with dispensaries treating yearly 100,000 people, 30 orphan abylums and other charitable institutions, fiO boarding and as many day schools, with 20,000 pupils belonging to all nationalities and religions of Turkey.
The Gospel is to he preached to all creatures, but especially to the poor, because they need it the most, hear its good tidings gladly, and accept willingly the com.fort and consolation it offers them through Jcsus Christ, the only Saviour of the world_ Though there are so many colleges, high schools, and seminaries in Turkey under the care of the American Doard, yct in and for the whole of Asia Minor it is the Broossa Orphanage as a Protestant charitable institution that receives homeless and destitute children irrespective of creed and nationality j and we could admit hundreds of them at once if we could only feed and dress them; but we at present are hardly in. a position to care for those who are already under our shelter, for whose sake the writer is in America, endeavoring to awaken the sympathies of the philanthropists and the benevolent Christians of the New IVorld in 1>eha1f of our charity mission in Asia :Minor j and in case that my humble " voice from Mount Olympus" would reach some noble hearts to move them in our aid, we intend to erect a large chapel in the orphanage, and to establish a small hospital with dispensary, as we most indispensably need these three things, which will, no doubt, be a means of great blessings to the country. We are convinced that no more effective means can be employed for the extension of the Redeemer's blessed kingdom and the temporal and spiritual welfare of the vast population of Asia Minor than the establishment of such charitable institutions. Only Christian, active, energetic, and sacrificing love will be able to conquer the hearts of the people, making good all their damages and healing all the cvils occasioned by misgovernment and oppression.
We need to conceive of mlSlllOns as pre-eminently God's work; and, therefore, as ours only because it is God's, and we are HIS co-workers, permitted to share with Him in this supreme privilege. The power and energy are, therefore, not human. but Divinc, and in any and every cxigency we have only to appeal to Him, take new courage, and gather new confidence, and take steps, never baokward, but always forward, for God never calls a r(!trellt.-[En. ]
THE WHITE FIELDS
THE WHITE FIELDR.
BY A. WOODRUFF, ESQ., FOREIGN SUNDAY-SCHOOL ASSOCIATION, BROOlrLYN, N. Y.
A look at them retrospectively and pruspectively, through the'medium of the Sunday-school movement of the nineteenth century, presents gratify- ing signs of promise to the intelligent beholder.
All along the line of history, from the time when the churches of Asia Minor received St. John's admonit.ion, to that of the introduction of the Hobert Raikes period, near the beginning of the nineteenth century, there was a rising and falling, an ebbing and flowing, of spiritual life and pros- perity, answering to the faithfulness or unfaithfulness with which the youth of nations have been tanght in the truthR of revealed religion. The Sun- day-scllool ml)vement has lifted the pall of unbelief that hnng heavily over the English.speaking nations at the commencement of this century, and although recent awakenings have begotten a religious liberty that has given birth to countless religious organizations, each one of them will, if we are faithful to the teaching of the inspired record, prove a strengthening timber in the one Divine edifice.
It will be the aim of this article to describe the methods by whieh the Foreign Sunday- school Association seeks to reenkindle these spiritual fires, faintly glimmering from previous centuries, and in our own times so rapidly spreading as a ground of future hope; /lnd, to show their fitness, to prevent relapses, and assure a near future and one more permanent and enduring than any that has gone before.
The Foreign Sunday-school Association is a growth, not a formation; an influence more than an organization; a power rather than an instrument. The interested inquirer who accepts these definitions desires to know, then, by just what means it accomplishes results.
It may not be easy to exactly separate influences so subtle as the spiritual fruits of religious education and labor, and we may not be able to say just what has been accomplished in the past twelve months; but we can tell what has been done in connection with it and as a part of it ; what results are transient and belonging to the past, and what, are promising to be permanent for the future. How to bring revealed truth into sanctifying contact with the masses of mankind, especially children, is the question of questions, and will continue to be such until the stream of time shall be lost in the ocean of eternity.
The field is boundles~ and ready for reaping; and the reapers, whom we will call letter-writers, must be indefinitely multiplied until the ground is covered. Our association comprises about forty-would that we eonld say four hundred 1-of these workers, and divides them into four parts or groups, each of which takes a quarter for investigation. This investigation is aided by mi~sionary reports, travellers' letters, magazines, colporteurs, 13ible agents, streams of commerce, etc., and by it they are enabled to dis. cover somehow and somewhere an indefinite number who will accept from strangers a friendly greeting, and respond to their letters if written in the ,spirit of the Master who· commands, "Go ye to every creature."
Once a week one of these committees meets to report how their letters 'or IDessllges have been received, and to prepare again others, with small gifts and helps, hoping always for better and better success, the results showing generally that the seed has fallen upon good ground.
Once a month the four committees meet to show to each other the aggregate of results, and vote supplies as they are recommended by the different committees. It is not our purpose to establish schools that shall be called our schools in the sense of depending permanently upon us for support; we seek rather to lead the Christians living in those countries to engage in Sunday-school work.
We try to have the schools as rapidly as possible pass even beyond self-support, and become themselves propagating centres of religious influence, The help we give looks forward to that goal.
As a slight illustration of this correspondence, we subjoin the following extracts from two or three letters received from Austria, China, and Madagascar: Pastor Daniel Nespoe, of Nesslau, Moravia, Austria, writes as follows: " I am glad to tell you about my Sunday-school, for one likes to speak and write about that which he loves. I will give you the lights and the shadows, the advantages and the needs. " We can show but little spiritual life. Rome, the dark power, exercises everywhere a dreadful influence. If it should be Letter in our parish, the Sunday-scho,o,I must help us. About twenty years ago I saw that in our scattered parishes only a well-o,rganized Sunday-schoo,l could help us ;and bring an inner spiritual life in our families, and so into, our congregation; therefore I did not delay, after I knew the benefits of the Sunday- :scho,o), and foundlld first a Sunday-school in Nesslau; to-day we have 6 schools in our parish, with 21 teachers and 325 scholars. " In all our Sunday-schools not only children attend, but all grown-up youths and maidens; in short, all sons and daughters, without distinction of age. They go to Sunday-school until they are married, and the sons come after they have served their threc years in the army. All our Sunday·schools are held in the afternoon between two and four o'clock, and are everywhere well attended; in some the parents come with the children~ and listen attentively as the 'Vord of Life is explained by the teacher$, We use the International Lessons in all our schools. But now I will' .101~ you of the needs of our Sunday-schools. First, we have so few whole :Bibl!~ f. we need more. . . . Then we need hymn-books-the poorest chi~d Q,ugh,t to, have one. One of the chief needs of the Sunday-schoo,l is that the necessary means are lacking for me to visit each of the six Sunday-schools at least once a month; to be present at the instruction, to incite the children" 1.e ~a.t:~l),ts~ al.ld tei«hers ~hm:ns~)ves, and impart the neceRsar.y adv~c~ and instruction. Can you help us in any way ~ Pray do; but, above all, I ask you to pray to the Lord, our true Saviour, for our congregations in Moravia and Bohemia, and bear also our Sunday-schools on praying hearts. "
The Rev. William Key, of the China Inland Mission, in the province of Shansi, north China, thus writes: " When your letter came we were at one of our out-stations, of which we have six. You will be pleased to know that the Lord is blessing our labors, and we have had the joy this year of baptizing twenty-nine con- verts. I am sure your' Sunday-school Guide and Hymn-Book' would be II great help in the out-station work. In a new district like this, that has only been opened four years, the teaching of the converts partakes more or less of the Sunday-school line of things.
"Here at this station we have II Sunday-school, where, as a rule, we have about a dozen men. My wife has a class with the women, in a separate room, at the same time.
" Although our scholars are men and women, we ha"e to treat them in much the same way as home children. We get them to repeat hymns and verses of Scripture, and then tell them some simple Gospel story.
" Here in China, as at home, we find the Gospel is ' the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.' r know casefl where the bare 'Vord has been blessed in leading souls into the light. " At S–, one of our most promising stations, the leading elder, who is to be made pastor shortly, was converted through reading the Gospel of Mark. He was then a. Buddhist priest in a temple!
.. I would ask your prayers for the work of this dist!ict, especially for the native workers, that they may be all taught of God, and thus be able to teach others."
Mis~ Mary T. Bliss, of Faravohitra, Antananarivo, Madagascar, recently wrote the following letter: " I am interested in your society, and I should think it may do a good work in stirrirg people up to realize the great importance of Sunday-school work in all its branches.
" When I first came here fourteen and a half years ago there was only one Sunday-school in Antananarivo; it was held in a central place, and children from all parts of the city were welcome. I do not quite know why, at that time, there was not a Sunday-school in connection with each church; perhaps it was felt to be scarcely necessary, as, of course, Scripture forms the basis of much of the teaching in our mission schools, and so many Bible classes are held dtuing the week, some by ladies for women or children only, others by gentlemen for men and youths, or for any who choose to attend.
"Then another difficulty in those days arose from the fact that there were so few Malagasy suitable to superintend and carryon such a work ; the missionary gentlemen have to be away in the country preaching, their wives are often prevented by family reasons from undertakiug Sunday work, and the single ladies were very few at that time. About ten years ago though the churches were suddenly roused to take an interest in Sunday-school work, and one by one they formed their own schools, 80 that now each of the ten city churches connected with our society has its own school, and, I believe, all the .suburban churches and those of the nearer villages also. Then away in the country districts, schools (no doubt many of them very small and feeble) might be counted by the score; and even in far-away military stations and out-posts, Christian commanders, or governors, or their officers form Sunday-schools and do what they can for the families of their followers and the heatben tribes around them.
"Quite recently I heard from an officer who was formerly one of the best teachers in the' school I superintend, and he tells me that they have succeeded in gathering together four hundred Lakalana children from the thoroughly heathen tribes surrounding their military post on the southwest coast. Again, I am to-day sending off a parcel of testaments and hymnbooks to help in the work being done by a young friend who was also connected with me in Sunday-school work here, but a year or two ago he llad to accompany his father, who was appointed as governor, to a place in the northeast. They at once began Christian work, and built II church at the cost of $700 ; but, unfortunately, it has lately been destroyed by fire. I mention all these facts to show you how this work is spreading in Madagascar. We formed a Sunday-school Union a few years ago, but the Malagasy never seemed to care for it, so it has gradually died II natural death. We were premature, I fancy, though we hoped it would have strengthened the schools.
" Two or three of the schools here are held in the afternoon, but most of them immediately after the morning service, lasting from an llOur to an hour and a half. Primary classes properly conducted are unknown here; little children are among the scholars, but I fear the teaching is beyond them as a rule. For one thing, we have no pictures or anything to make the teaching attractive to them, and we have no suitable teachers; the little ones are obliged to be left to the native teachers, and they do not understand the art of instructing the little creatures. Few of our schools have more than one European to help them, and the large majority not even that one; so, you see, we are crippled, however good our intentions may be. I often wish I could turn my attention to the' tinies,' but then I have to teach their mothers and grandmothers, who think themselves above being taught by any but the missionary. Our school is exceptionally favored though in the kind of teachers we have, many of them having been edncated in our L. M. S. College; they are men of good family and position, too: one tbe Foreign Secretary, another the Minister of Educas tion, and three others members of the Cabinet.
" I see you ask for the number of Sunday-schools we have here, but I think you will understand that I cannot answer the question. As to methods of working, they are of thc most simple kind. I fancy most schools have two adult classes, one for men and one for women, and the children are divided into classes according to their number and the teachers available. The session opens with singing, reading, and prayer; then about half an hour is allowed for the teaching, and afterward all are assembled and questioned on the lesson taught, and a short address is given. Outline lesson helps are published, monthly magazine-Good Words-and are pretty generally used, I think, except in the distant places. Lesson helps for translation and Scripture pictures especially would be most valuable to us if your society can give any assistance in this way. I should not ask for them, only you request a statement of our needs.
"In conclusion, may I ask your prayers for our work here ~ We so long for a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all churches and schools here; and sometimes we think our prayers are to be answered, for among the young people especially there has been a decided work going on during thc last two years or so.
"I shall be very glad of any hints and suggestious as to the better management of our schools."
To quote from Rev. Dr. R. S. Storrs, in his speech in behalf of our society at the reccnt State Sunday-school Convention in Brooklyn: "A Sunday-school is an eminently practical institution; it is not ornamental, it is not formal, it i& a working instrument for the purpose of teaching Christian truth, and to inspire Christian usefulness." And again, " It is not altogether for the direct benefit conferred upon others, but partly for the reflex influence upon those who perform the work, for we always gain by giving; and where we are sending good influences upon others, they come with redoubled influence upon our own hearts, so that we desire to send the Sunday-school into foreign lands where it is not."
In this connection a member of our society writes: " We have urged these Christians to start mission schools wherever a place could be found to hold one; and the idea has been so carried out that it is no longer an experiment. "
" From year to year the importance of this kind of Gospel work among the children has grown on the part of our correspondents all over the world; their letters have bronght accounts again and again of whole families brought to Christ through the influence of a child, who first learned of Him at Sunday-school."
"These schools are held in many places in private houses, and are under the superintendence of a colporteur or Bible-reader, in some cases under that of hard-working miners; and in some they are carried on by ladies." In the past year, by diligent inspection of the ground, earnest co-operation and ceaseless letter-writing, we have received 80me six or seven hundred letters from correspondents scattered in different parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and Mexico.
Our association has assisted in organiz!!!.g and sustaining Sundav.schools in many conntries, and distributed 180,000 Sunday-school papers in differ- ent languages, and over 45,000 books for Sunday-school libraries.
During the past ten years we have translated and published" Christie's Old Organ," by Mrs. Walton, in some fifteen different languagcs, and " Saved at Sea," by the same author, in nearly as many. while such books as" Tip Lewis and His Lamp,"· ': Alone in London," and" A Candle Lighted hy the ·Lord," etc., have each been translated and printed in one or more foreign languages, making altogether an aggregate of 45,000 volumes.
We have had such frequent. reports of blessing through the reading of these books and papers that we are convinced that the money spent in their publication has been most wisely expended. Sunday. school statistics of 1889 show in continental lands, in Asia, Africa, Mexico, South America, and the West Indies, about 20,000 Sunday-schools, with between 70,000 and 80,000 teachers, and over 1,300,000 scholars.
If we add to these figures a percentage for the ten years left to this century, the year 2000 will dawn with a world sprinkled with Sunday-schools, giving cheerful promise of coming triumph, and a shout of harvest home!
As it has been successfully contended, the Sunday~8chool has been the spring of all this lay activity, this activity which has made possible the gigantic mil!.sionary movement which characterizes the times in which we live; and is it not clear that in this movement around us there is signified a permanency that has not pertain.ed to any that has gone before.
But although we point to 18,000,000 of English-speaking people as the force now gathered in this department of labor alone, to say nothing about those that are marshalling in outside fields, we wish to point to an element of power in it which no previous pp.riod of the world's history has even surveyed, much less enumerated.
Stupendous as these movements are, the last half of this century has given birth to a sign of the times which as a star of hope already begins to shine brightly above and around the whole spiritual horizon.
Wherevcr we turn our eye of faith, it is woman who dissipates the darkness still remaining, and sheds no flickering light upon the future of our race. Modestly unpretending, but nobly strong, her banner points steadily forward to the day when the promise shall be fulfillcd that all shall know the Lord, from the least to the greatest.
In her lies a source of strength which, when united with missionary assistance at home and abroad, forbids the sceptic to doubt that there is a consummation at hand and almost in sight which assures that our harvest shall not be uncertain or endlessly distant. Not uncertain if our cherished institution shall retain the characteristics which a hundred years have given it, and an its lost spiritual life be revived with a Heaven-in8pired ardor; not distant if the churches continue to send forth the right leaders in a genuine spiritual crusade to rescue the sacred soil from the deadly pollutioll '. of sin, unbelief, and death.
SUMMAS MEEKHA OF MOSUL
[The preceding article was written to follow another, " Sunday-school and Lay Work in the Nineteenth Century," printed in the REVIEW, December, 1888, page 910. We regret that the publication of this was so long delayed, that it borrows little light from the former article.-ED.] SHEMMAS MEEKHA OF MOSUL.
BY REV. T. LAURIE, PROVIDENCE, R. I.
If the tree is known by its fruit, then we may learn the value of missions from the character of their converts. It has been the privilege of the writer to enjoy the acquaintance of a number of the converts in western Asia, Tannoos el Haddad and Rahil Ata in Beiriit, Pastor Apisoghom and Der Vartaness in Constantinople, and others elsewhere, but with none was he brought into such intimate relations as with Shemmas (Deacon) Meekha of MOBUL Yonan, a Jacobite millwright of tllat city, had a son born to him in 1816, and when the plague carried off nearly 40,000 victims there in 1828, Meekha, the son, recovered from it to find that the same disease had made him fatherless. He sought relief from the burden of his sins through faflting and confession to the priest, but with such small success that he was led to study the truth for himself. This was not so easy,' for at sixteen years of age he could not read; and when he sought to learn, his associates mocked him, quoting the proverb, " Baad rna sar shab, yereed yikra el kelab" (" After he grew up he wanted to read"). Yet he got the son of a priest to teach him the Syriac alphabet, and after his day's work was done, spelled out by lamplight a tolerable knowledge of ancient Syriac, while thus blindly groping after truth. God sent to Mosul Rev. Joseph Matthew, an evangelical graduate of the college at Cottayam, in southern India, on his way to Mardin to be ordained as bishop, and from him Meekha received such help in the Syriac that he was soon able to interpret his friend's sermons in that language into the vernacular. Dr. Grant was sent at the same time to Mosul, and aided both Meekha and the bishop after his ordination as Mutran (Metropolitan) Athanasius. Meekha was teacher of Arabic to Rev. A. K. Hinsdale, and was as earnest in learning the English as he had been in mastering the old Syriac ; so that when, after the death of-Mr. Hinsdale, he became the teacher of Arabic to the 'writer, he was able to derive a good deal of help from the English library of the mission.
One Sabbath, as we sat alone in the upper room conversing of Christ and redemption, he moved his seat nearer and nearer, till, grasping my hand, he said eagerly, " Do come with me and repeat these good words to my people, and I will interpret them, for they never heard truth like that !" It was delightful to see his Christ· like interest in the good of others. The result was a Bible class every week in that same upper room, where numbers were brought in by him to hear the truth that he enjoyed so much. If from that class came several members of the little church formed November 3d, 1851, it was through the loving labor of him who knew so well how to set it before those who had been brought up under the same influences that had moulded him till then.
May 26th, 1844, the lesson was the close of Matt. 12 : 46-50, and as he said, "How would Christ be grieved to-day to see you turning from Him to other intercessors. He would ask you, Did you think that I did not love you, or that I could think more of my mother than of you when you come to Me for salvation ~ Did Mary die for you, or the saints give their life fQr your redemption ~ Why, then, do you doubt my love, or bold back from the welcome with which I long to receive yOll~" the class swayed like a field of grain before the wind, and even gray-haired men were in tears.
Some charged him with introducing schism into an ancient church, be- cause he preached the truth, and offered to double his wages if he left the service of the mission j and when afterward we increased those wages a lit- tle, his voice choked as he asked if we doubted his devotion to the Gospel.
It was a great sorrow to him that our mission was withdrawn from Mosul in 1844, but 8till his lamp shone brightly at home, and his letters witnessed for Christ as far as Aleppo and Beirut. From the first he was the leader in the little church j and when the Assyrian Mission was also broken up in 1860, the church was able to stand alone through the grace of God so manifest in him. 'fhe Papists have made the most strenuous efforts to crush it out. All that money, French political power, splendid church edifices and pretentious schools could do has been done to drive out the truth from Mosul, but the little church stands like a rock through the firm scriptural faith of this one man. Two at least of the hymns in the Arabic hymn-book published by the Syrian Mission are from his pen, and he left among his papers an unfinished Syriac MS., whether a translation of Bun- yan's "Pilgrim's Progress" or an original work of the same sort, I am unable to say.
Re had long been in feeble health, and suffered from the great heat of Mosul, which rises in July to 117° in the shade. One needs to keep this fact in mind as he reads in one of his letters, " Pray that God wonld keep me from sloth, and make me perfect in His service. I long to impart to . others that knowledge of an atoning Saviolir which God has given me. How can I describe the greatness of my obligation for this grace! I grieve to see so many without Christ. Pray that I may have grace to instruct and they to believe j and yet, should I bring the whole world to Him, that would be the work of His power and grace, not mine. Of Him and to Rim be glory forever."
In another letter he says, "I think I know something of that sweet word of John, there is no fear in love j and I know that nothing can
1891.J 'fHE :BRAVE MOUNTAIN GIRL
separate me from His love. I try to lead men to Christ. Some aprrove my words, but yield no fruit, yet I hope that if the grain of wheat fall into the ground and die it will not remain alone."
These last words he once repeated to the writer after one of our repeated bereavements in MOBul, half afraid to renew grief, and yet longing to console.
He wrought at his old trade till the gift of a set of watchmaker's tools from Mrs. Thomas A. Davis, widow of it former mayor of Boston, enabled him to change to that business, for which he harl such an aptitude that after cleaning an old brass clock for another, and I think without knowing that such a thing existed, he made a wooden one for himself, and so prospered in his new calling that he was known in his last days as Meekha el saati (the watchmaker) and no longer as Meekha el nakkar (the millwright), his former occupation. This fact sheds light on the origin of our family names in all languages.
-He became constantly more feeble, till he peacefully fell asleep June 14th, 1881, and the church, deprived of its living leader, insisted that he should be buried in the church building that they might be constantly reminded of the Gospel he taught them while alive, though he would never consent to be pastor of the church. He left a widow and nine children, several of whom are church-members. One of his six sons is a manufacturer of watches in French Switzerland, and another is in the same eity with the writer, while two are in the old shop in Mosu:.
Rev. D. W. Marsh, D.D., who belonged to the Assyrian Mission, writes of Meekha, "His mind was clear, with splendid acuteness and strength, and was very receptive of truth. He was a thinker rather than an actor j but by unswerving probity among a most dishonest people, Christ-like gentleness among violent men, and steadfast loyalty to Christ and truth, he bore testimony for God."
It will be a long, long time before the memory of his intelligent and consistent piety ceases to be a mighty power for good in all that region. .
THE BRAVE MOUNTAIN GIRL.
Rev. John C. Mechlin, Salmas, Persia, writes concerning Mrs. J. N. Wright, of whose death our readers have heard: " At one time a missiop.ary party had been into the heart of the moun- tains of Koordistan, and returning, had brought with them several families of their helpers and several boys and girls who were coming down to the- plain to attend school. Among this n~m her was Shushan Oshannah, the – daughter of one of the mountain kashas (or pastors). Somewhere on the way down to the plain the muleteers made a plot to plunder the party. The time came, the signal was given, and the people, finding that they were unable to defend themselves, fled and hid bebind the rocks, leaving their baggage to tbe tender mercies of tbe muleteers. But they did not all flee. One brave mountain girl stood by tbe mi!'sionary, and did not quail before tbose wild, rude men. She stood ber ground; she shamed them; she argued with them; she pleaded with tbem until they gave up tbeir plan to rob and leave the party tbat they had promised to carry safely to the plain. Gradually the rest of the party came forth from their hiding-places, and in course of time went on their way. But the courage of that brave mountain girl had saved the party from robberJand perhaps from much suffering. And when we realize the rudeness and wildness and lawlessness of those people, we can then understand how much bravery it required to meet them and to thwart tbeir wills.
"Her bravery and beauty made ber famous among the mountain people, and a nepbew of the Nestorian patriarch asked for ber for his wife. She refused, as she was afraid to trust berself in the hands of such a lawless man. She did. not love the man, and that was reason enough for her; but they brought such pressure to bear on the parents that they were compelled to flee to Persia for safety. Their flight being made known, forty horsemen pursued them to the Turkish frontier. But they made good their escape, and reached Oroomiah in safety. But the danger and the trouble connected with this offer of marriage broke down that wonderful nerve, and she was never so brave as in her girlhood days.
" In Oroomiah she met kind friends, and was also at one time a teacher in the Tabriz school.
"Iu December, 1885; she was married to Rev. J. N. Wright, of Salmas, Persia. She was a loyal, devoted wife, and tried with all her soul to fill her difficult position. She bad just returned from her first visit to America (less than seven months), and she had, seemingly, a brigbt, happy future before ber.
"But one black eloud was hovering over her. Why she had such a fear none ever knew; but she was full of fear for the life of her husband. She felt that some one wanted to kill him. No attempt was ever made, and we know no reason why she was so afraid. But many a time, when some stranger came to see Mr. Vright, she would enter the room, lest some harm would come to Mr. Wright. It was with this same purpose that she was in the room at the time when she. was so brutally assaulted. She feared the boy whom Mr. Wright had dismissed would take revenge on him for his dismissal. But she was the object of his hatred and of his revelige, though she had done him no harm, nor had she personally rebuked him for his sin. Mr. Wright did that. Mrs. Wright only rebuked the sin-abetting woman, and she fired the wrath of the boy against Mrs. Wright.
" After Mrs. Wright's return from America, the rumors of approaching cholera reached us, and it was remarkable the depressing effect that it had . on her. She seemed to see in that disease some great evil for her.
" She was frequently speaking of the precautions necessary to ward off
1891.J EXTRACTS FROM LETTER FROM HASSAN BOTAN
such a disease. She told several of her friends, and also her husoand, that ,he would not live until another winter came. She did not know how this death would come, but she believed she would die erelong. Her great fear was death from cholera, but she never dreamed of such an awful death as was in store for her. And when she was struck down by the murderous knife, she then felt that she would not recover. This presentiment came many weeks before her death, and she firmly believed that her days were few.
" Several times she had said to near friends, ' How nice it would be to die at the age of thirty-three, the age at which Christ died! I do not want to live past that time.' She had expressed herself in similar manner to her husband some time before her death. She said she loved her home and her children, and did not want to leave them; but still it would be so nice to die at the same age at which her Saviour died. And, strange to say, she was in her thirty-third year when she died. The Lord had need of her, and called her home."
TRACTS FROM LETTER FROM HASSAN BOTAN.
BY REV. F. G. COAN, TURKEY.
There is certainly enough in the ignorance, cruelty, poverty, and wickedness of this people to call for faith-an unbounded faith in the power of God and His Gospel that can reach even such as these. If there is a needy field in the world it is here. The power of Rome has been supreme here for centuries, but it is on the wane. Even this people cannot always be duped, and they long for something better.
One thing that impresses one out he·re is the collapse of the Government. It has lost its hold and forfeited all right to its privileges.
The country is a fine one, with splendid resources; Persia is poor in comparison. The mountains are well wooded and fnll of coal, silver, and iron.
At times one feels that if once he got out of here nothing would ever indnce him to come in again, and again is ashamed of such a thought, and feels as if he mnst cast in his lot with these wretched creatures, and could never leave them groping without a ray of hope save in the blessed Gospe.
We are never idle. Crowds are always here for medicine or from curiosity, and at morning and evening prayers. Alexander, who seems greatly changed, usually gets a crowd about him at noon and preache8. Individuals can always be seen and a seed sown. Then there is the visiting of the sick.
Of one thing I am certain : any labor e~pended here is going to give fully as good a return as in Oroomiah. Josip, son of Malip Pettoo, in Tiyari, who is true blue, and a splendid specimen of a man every way, is a
7G2 '1'WEN'ry "EARS OF REPUBUCMHSM tN FRANCE
Christian; and Berkhoo in Dihi and Hannoo in Botan are Christians who would honor any church, men of deep piety and consecration. Alexander has been, in regard to cholera, as abject a coward and great a fool as one could find-perfectly terror·stricken when the word is mentioned. He came near" lighting out" the other day when he heard a man was sick in Hassan. Well, Hannoo, who is a splendid fellow, got hold of him (after all we could say that was like water spilled on a goose's back), and in an hour had so impressed him that he came smiling to the tent and said he was ready now to die, and had no more fear. Poor fellow! when he-Hannoo -came in Wednesday night, bareheaded and barefooted, black and blue with the cruel beating he had received at the hands of the ruffian Roords, and with arms and feet swollen with their tight bands, it broke me all up. " Why," he said, " it is nothing j wasn't it au' for Christ 1" He sat there and preached to those Roords, who were there to slay, in such a way as would melt a heart of stone. I don't wonder Sherroo said, " You had better pray, Hannoo." He did pray, and, when through, the robbers slunk off and left them. W ell, you can see what material there is here j can we refuse them the Gospel ~ Dr. Wishard may go as far as Vau or return to Mardin and take up Arabic, but he has given up Oroomiah. It is now eight months since he has slept in a bed or sat down with ladies; and I don't wonder he is ready to settle down. It has been a great pleasure as well as of great benefit to be associated with him.
TWENTY YEARS OF REPUBLICANISM IN FRANCE.-Rev. J. C. Bracq, from Paris, now at Philadelphia, in his address, in New York, February 16th, said: "We suffer from being seen by you through English eyes. It is practically impossible for Englishmen to understand us, and fairly represent our condition and prospects. Then we suffer from misrepresentations through that syndicate known as the Associated Press. Amerieans have been told that the hybrid republic is a failure, that we have shown fickleness, incapacity, and corruption. Look at the facts calmly. You will see that the work of the Republic has been constructive and beneficent j first, of organization, prosecuted in face of foreign jealousy and clerical opposition. The civil and military service was reorganized, forts built, arsenals filled with the best materials j a navy only second to England j territory doubled through colonial extension j 7500 miles of railway and 10,000 of canals constructed; art, science, agriculture, and education extended j common schools furnished with better buildings and teachers, the expenditure raised from 24,000,000 to 140,000,000 francs, ·and illiteracy reduced from one thirteenth to one twentieth j higher schools and universities enlarged, and women put nearly on apar with men; sociological questions considered, and not a little accomplished in the better housing of the poor, in political equality, and in establishing the freedom of the press. We have had to contend against the earnest and honest opposition of Legitimists, who hold to the divine right of kingly rule j Orleanists, or constitutional monarchy, and Imperialists of Jerome and Victor Bonaparte types. Those who lived formerly on court favors have opposed us. Specially we have had to contend with the clerical party, demanding privilege, while the Republic advocated equality. Ignorant friars who had taught in schools after old, traditionary methods, were angry when required to submit to examinations the same as other teachers. Crucifixes, pictures, prayers, and Romish worship were no longer tolerated. As here to· day, so there, the cry of " godless schools" was raised. There is really more of the ethical element there than in American schools. Over-zealous nuns were removed from hospitals. The Romanists have compared their condition to that of the Christians under Nero. Opposition against the government increased. After a little General Boulanger came to the front and waxed bold in his attacks. His groundless calumnies at last were exploded, and his unprincipled associates exposed. The success of the Exposition showed that France was not powerless. The vindication of the ministry restored quietness, and France, for the fifth time in nineteen years, expressed confidence in the Republic. Some monarchists, and eveI]. priests, became moderate republicans, convinced that this form of government had a permanency and value. Carnot is a noble, patriotic man, and Madame C. an excellent woman.
" France has passed through a more radical change the past two decades than did England in the seventeenth century. It now has a government , of the people, by the people, for the people.' Woe to them who stem its tide ! We have made mistakes. We have shown unwisdom, at times, in finance. We had 20,OQO,000,000 of francs debt after the Pru8sian war. Six weeks ago, when a new loan was called for, the people were ready to take si xteen times the amount. We see real estate depreciate, so does England and New England. The virgin soil of Western wheat fields floods ns with products at cheaper rates than we can fix. The phylloxera has devastated our vineyards and· enemies have said it was a scourge for our sins. Is it a fair generalization ~ " France tires of abstract discussions which crowd aside practical, urgent needs. The Monarchists have had three factions in parliament. Moreover, the common people did not understand the real significance of the political abuse ventilated freely in the press, which before had been gagged. They are learning that' thief' in popular and political parlance is not the same word.
" Our great danger now is that of materialistic infidelity and its legitimate outcome, not from Roman Catholic democracy-a contradiction in terms. There is improvement in thought. Students are no longer Vo"Itaire followers. The McAIl Mission and similar agencies more carefully guarded than mission work here are reaching the creedless and churchless. Christianity will be the salvation of France."
EXTRACTS AND TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN PERIODICALS
EXTRACTS AND TRANSLATIONS FROM FORELGN PERIODICALS.
BY REV. C. C. STARBUCK, ANDOVER, MASS.
-At a meeting in London, reported in the Anti- Opium News, Donald Matheson, Esq., president of" The Society for the Suppression of the Opium Trade," remarked: "As regards China, the opium vice seems to have settled upon the vitals of the people, and it will be most difficult to break it off. A great authority has stated that if this goes on for fifty years the empire will be in ruins. As the Chinese emigrate largely, wherever they go-in the straits about Singapore and in the South Sea Islands -they carry the vice. According to a recent issue of L'Eglise Libre, of Paris, the French colony of Tahiti has become infected, and the ravages have been terrible both there and in the Marquesas Islands. There have been various edicts forbidding the trade, but smuggling is only too easy, and the natives seem unable to resist the deadly influence of the drug. The French Government, however, has now absolutely prohibited the introduction of opium. Surely we will not allow France to put England to shame 1"
-" A recent census of church attendance in Aberdeen showed that there were present at the morning services in the city 26,785, being over 1000 less than the attendances on a similar occasion thirteen years ago, although the population has meantime grown from 95,000 Ito 122,000."- The Ohristian.
– " The Irish Presbyterian Church is now in a very satisfactory condition. It has 558 congregations, with 81,716 families and 102,725 communicants. It has also 1008 Sabbath-schools, with 8909 teachers and 103,255 scholars." -The Ohristian.
-The Ohurch Missionary Intelligencer for June says: "Was the hundred and third psalm the right passage of Scripture with which to open the annual meeting of 1891? One might easily have thought the fortysixth or fifty-sixth more suitable. Many grave anxieties had marked the year to be reviewed that day; and we have by no means come to an end of them yet. But there is nothing like the anniversary to put things in their right places. In the preparation of the report, in the arrangement of the speakers, the work as a whole, at home and abroad, has to be considered and its progress set forth ; and then our controversies and perplexities are seen in their true proportions. They are not small, nor light, nor unimportant; but other things are seen to be larger and weightier and more important. We can conceive of a friend coming to Exeter Hall on May 5th, 1891, full of thoughts about a certain bishop and the sources of his income, and wondering what could induce Mr. Fenn to choose Psalm one hundred and three at this particular moment j and we can imagine him listening to the report and the speeches until he is constrained to cry, , Yes, that is the right psalm-" Bless the Lord, 0 my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name !" , " It is seventeen years since that psalm was read at the anniversary. The immediate cause of its being then chosen was, as in the present year, an unprecedentedly favorable financial account. But there were other special causes for thankfulness. Henry Wright had been a year and a half in office, and his ardent spirit had already set the society's feet upon the path of development and extension. ' The coming year,' said the annual report of 1873-74, , presents three special directions for expansion-Japan, Northwest America, and Ea~t Africa' -all three of them fields that had specially enlisted Mr. Wright's Rympathies. It is worth while comparing those three missions in 1873-74 and 1890-91. At the end of 1873 we had three missionaries in Japan, two of them just arrived j three missionaries in East Africa, two of them just arrived j and seven in the Northwest American territories just referred to-i.e., beyond the province of Manitoba-thir- teen in all j and now we have in the same fields ninety-seven missionaries. The expenditure in those fields was then about £6000 a year; it is now over £30,000 a year. Again. in that same report, the committee' rejoiced to announce' that eighteen missionary candidates had been accepted. In the past year the number has been eighty. Of the eighteen, six were University graduates, and the committee' could not refrain from express- ing their deep thankfulness to Almighty God for that indication of increasing interest in missionary work in the universities.' In the past year the university graduates accepted have numbered twenty-four. Then, if one glances over the pages of the detailed reports on the missions for 1873, one is struck by the absence of name after name which now enlists all our sympathies. No Frere Town j no Chagga, or Mwapwa, or Usambiro; no Uganda; no Cairo, or Jaffa, or Gaza, or Baghdad; no Calcutta or Allahabad Divinity School j no Gond Mission j no Bheel Mission; no Beluch Mission; no Sukkur or Quetta j no K wan-tung, or Fuh-ning, or Chu-ki ; no Fuh-chow or Ning-po College j no Osaka, or Fukuoka, or Tokushima, or Tokio, or Hakodate j no Ainu Mission j no Blackfoot Mission; no Eskimo Mission j no Hydah Mission j no Kwaguth Mission; one medical mis8ionary in Kashmir and one in China j no Christian sisters laboring in East Africa or Palestine or Japan. Truly if the one hundred and third psalm was suitable in 1874, how much more in 1891 1"
Yet" we feel that our gratitude is due to the Archbishop of Canterbury for taking occasion, in his speech on the 5th of May, to remind us how little we had to boast of. The spirit which had dictated the thankful language of the report, and had led to ihe choice of psalm oue hundred and three for reading, was, it is true, not one of vain-glory, but of heartfelt gratitude for mercies felt to be nndeseryed. But still the archbishop did well to remind us that although the 230 missionaries of 1874 had grown to be 440 now, they ought to be a great many more. 'I am thankful,' he said, 'to that meeting which lifted up its voice and said suddenly, Youmust send out a thousand more.' The moral of the report, he reminded us, was not, What a splendid game we have played! but, Follow up, or you will not win the goal."
As to the controversy which has lately agitated the society, the Intelligencer says: " Now to us it seems that if ever stress was laid upon trifles in controversy, it is laid upon them in a recent document entitled the Primary Charge of a Certain Bi8hop in the East, and that if ever sound principles were being contended for, they are being contended for by the Church Missionary Society in the country to which that charge calls attention. Bnt yet, even in a controversy like that, and still more in the minor differences that arise from time to time among onrselveR, we do need to stand, as it were, upon Olivet and watch the ascending Lord, and fix our eyes ou His returning, which, as the archbishop. says, ' will come some time, and may come any time,' and thus to put ourselves into the right attitude for judging what are absolutely essentials and what are relatively trifles. The Archbishop of Canterbury is not the only one among us who i~ conscious of ' a sharp pang going through him' when he reads of Chinamen observing that Christians abuse one au other, and saying, ' We can do that without becoming Christians.' . . . The archbishop gave the society not only his own presence and countenance j he brought with him an unexpected visitor, the Bishop of Minnesota. We imagine that this was Bishop Whipple's first appearance at the C. M. S. anniversary j but the greeting he received told him of the honor in which we English churchmen hold the' Apostle of the Indians,' as our president termed him. "
EAST INDIES.
–Periodical A.ccounts for June introduces the valuable testimony of Mrs. Bishop (formerly Miss Bird), given publicly in London, to the value of the Moravian work in Tibet. She records her earnest conviction that on no account should any thought be entertained of giving it up because of present apparent paucity of results.
"Leaving Kashmir, Mrs. Bishop went eastward into Ladak or Little Tibet. Hcre she found Mr. and Mrs. Redslob and Dr. and Mrs. Marx at Leh, the capital. She pitched her tent in the mission compound, spent the nights in it, and by day enjoyed the hospitality of our missionarieR. We do not wonder that their letters tell us that to them her visit was an intellectual and spiritual treat. They showed her everything connected with their work-the church, the little hospital, which is the centre of Dr. Marx's mission work, the large school for boys, and the small one for girls.
"Mrs. Bishop spoke very appreciatively of Samuel, one of the most advanced of the Christians. He is a man of noble birth, who has suffered much for his adherence to Christianity. His ancestral castle near Leh was razed to the ground. By all manner of inducements he has been tempted to renounce his faith, but remains firm. 'I do not know anyone anywhere,' said Mrs. Bishop, 'who follows the Lord Jesus more devotedly than Samuel.' She described the converts in general as ' quality, if not quantity.' Owing to the pains taken by the missionaries to instruct them in the Scriptures, they show a striking enlightenment. They are able to reason with and confute Buddhist adversaries, who bring all manner of objections to their faith. The)! are still a semi-nomad people, but in winter they settle in their houses near the mission compound, and have the advantage of seeing the simple, godly lives of the missionaries.
" No gulf of caste, or wealth, or luxurious living divides these from their converts. She said the missionaries' wives are saintly ladies whose godly example the Tibetan women see and follow. Noting their high tone of spirituality, she asked the missionaries how, seeing they were so cut off from Christian privileges and so surrounded by the evils of Buddhist heathenism, they maintained their spiritual life. They answered that they founel it necessary to spend an unusual amount of time in the reading of God's Word and in prayer. To the question how they managed to be so cheerful and hopeful, though seeing so little tangible result of forty years' sowing in tears, Mr. Heyde of Kyelang replied in similar terms to his colleagues at Leh: 'Weare where the Lord has placed us, and it is all right, and that keeps us cheerful.'
" From Leh Mrs. Bishop accompanied Brother Redslob into Nubra, a mountainous country to the north, through which the NuLra and the Shayok rivers flow down to the Indus. Crossing the Dega Pass, 18,000 feet high, the two travellers descended 5000 feet iuto a lofty, populous valley, full of villages along the banks of the streams. Here and there along the steep sides of the valleys almost inaccessible rocks are crowned by monasteries. These are Buddhist, of course, for the whole of Nubra is Buddhist. Mrs. Bishop had ample opportunity of observing how re- spected and beloved was her travelling companion. Both in the villages and in the monasteries they were warmly received j in the latter, indeed, their welcome was often deafening j for the lamas would go to the top of the highest towcr and blow their six-foot silver horns, which can be heard three miles off. So noisy in its heartiness was their reception, that they had occasionally to request a cessation. EI'erywhere, as is the invariable custom on such tours, tracts and portions of Holy Scripture were given to the people. While crossing the broad Shayok, Mrs. Bishop made painful experience of the perils which attend ~hese journeys. Her horse fell, and she was not only plunged into deep water, bu~ had a rib broken. She attended to the injury herself, and did not even let her companion know its extent. .
"Between Leh and Kyelang she travelled over the de~ert plateau of Rupchu with only one or two attendants. Though the region is traversed by wild Tartar nomads, she was not afraid, for she bore a letter of intro- duction from Brother Redslob, and its fame preceded her. For his sake she had the wildest welcome. Now and then horsemen would come dash- ing up to inquire about their friend. How is he? When is he coming?
His name seemed a talisman far and wide ; and Mrs. Bishop had ample proof of the influence exerted over a large area by our missionaries, and of the respect and love borne to them by the people.
" Truthful, hospitable, independent, kindly and helpful, these Tibetans are, next to the Japanese, the most pleasant people Mrs. Bishop has trav- elled among. But pleasant as they may be, their morals are so terribly corrupt that nothing but the cross of Christ can sweeten the auominably bitter fountain of their life. Like her friends the missionaries, she longs for the time when the welcome and the love accorded to them and to her for their sake shall extend to their message, and to the Master and Lord whom they are serving in those Buddhist lands.
" She found Kyelang an oasis in a moral desert. She briefly described the missionary compound, with its friendly church, mission-house, its guest chamber, surgery, library, and the printing-room, whose little primitive lithographic press is always hard at work sending forth the Scriptures as fast as they can be translated. A tract on sin, a very necessary subject for a Buddhist population, was passing through the press during her visit.
In summer the converts are away during the week, high up the mountain slope, 13,000 feet above the sea, attending to their agricultural and pastoral pursuits j for the winter they come down to their houses near the mission compound.
"She was present at the Tibetan service. It was attended by about forty people, some Christians, some heathen, and she noted with approval the loud responses and the hearty singing. She found she was able to fol- low the liturgical parts of the service in the English Moravian hymn-book.
Even at Kyelang it is still sowing-time. There are not many Christians yet. A Buddhist abbot remarked to Brother Heyde, • I will tell you what you have done here j you have given Buddhism a resurrection. ' So it is ; all religion had almost died out j but the coming of the Christians has stirred up even the Buddhists to zeal. Brother Heyde considers this a hopeful sign.
.. In conclusion, Mrs. Bishop pleaded warmly that there might be no thought of giving up the mission, which, she said, was one of the noblest she had seen. It may be expensive, but the expense is warrantable. The results are indeed at present apparently small i but she shared the faith that this work of hope would yet bear abundant fruit. As already stated, there is an encouraging side. The converts gained are' quality, if not quantity. ' The language has been acquired; both the learned and the colloquial Tibetan are now doing service for Christ. The written Word has preceded the spoken Word on the highways of Central Asia, and when Chinese Tihet is opened to foreigners, as assuredly it will be some day, the Moravian Mission is ready with all appliances to enter in the name of the Lord. "
-Mr. Shawe, on his way to the mission, passed through ~rinagar, the capital of Kashmir. He thus describes it: " We entered the city at sunset, the best possible time for seeing what has been termed the Venice of Asia. The last rays of the sun glancing 011 the picturesque houses, with their windows of lattice-work and many-colored balconies, and on the silver and gilt roofs of mosques and palaces; the heavy wooden bridges j the river itself covered with boats of all sorts j the throngs of people in their brilliant cloaks and white turbans engaged in eager conversation or noisy bargaining-ail this formed a scene of dazzling brilliancy, which made a lasting impression on me. "
-The Sailors' Magazine for July reports from Karachi (at the mouth of the Indus) through Mr. D. A. Lukey : "The ~eamen's Rest in Karachi is situated near the quay, and is only about five minutes' walk from the steamship landing. The building erected this year is in dimensions 80 feet in length, 22 feet wide, with an eight-foot veranda all round. The building site was gi'en by the Karachi Port Trust, and the building paid for by public subscriptions, costing about 3000 rupees. The Rest has been newly furnished with 55 new arm-chairs, six round tables, two long tables, three new hanging lamps, also new organ and new furniture for the supcrintendent's apartments. Bishop THOBURN came to Karachi and formally opened the new Rest in March.
" Already llIany evidences for good have been witnessed from time to time, and very many testimonies of the saving grace of God could be mentioned. One night a sailor came into the meeting, and by his manner showed that he was unaccustomed to such gatherings. He, however, took a seat, and not long after tears were seen falling down his cheeks j his heart had been touched into tenderness by the Word of God. This sailor repented of his sin that evening, and gave his heart to God. He became a leader among his comrades on board 8hip, and taught them the best he could the way of salvation. On his return to England he gave himself up entirely to the work of the Lord, and is now leading men to Christ. Every sailor conve~ted removes a stumblihg-block out of the way of the heathen."
-The Rev. Arthur W. Prautch, American missionary in Bombay, says, as quoted in Devastation of India's Millions: "It has been remarked to me by strangers, 'How very quiet many native children are!' Yes, they are very quiet j but what will the harvest be ~ Of course these drugged European aud native children will grow up with an awful craving for opium and stimulants, and will soon make shipwreck of life. "
-The Annual Report of the Malayalan Mission, Trevandrum District, Travancore (S. W. India), connected with the London Missionary Society, says: "One Brahman lady said, 'The Brahmans also will become Christians; the time for that is approaching.' "
The report considers at length in an appendix the question of the recent republication of an antiquated prohibition against the erection of churches near native shrines. It remarks that scarcely a site could be found in the kingdom which might not be forbidden on that ground. If the Maha- rajah perseveres we should suppose it probable that the intervention of the imperial government will be ultimately invoked. The right of a native prince to favor his own religion will never be disputed, but his right to persecute the religion of the empress is not likely to be long allowed.
-The Missionary Intelligencer for June continues Sir Bartle Frere's article on the adaptation of Christianity to all forms of civilization. We quote the following: "You have in India a great civilized population, four times as numerous as that of Christian America, as numerous as all the populations of Europe, excluding Russia. They are quite as advanced in all the arts of social life-I may say they are more advanced-than were the populations of Europe in the time of our grandfathers, before the great French Revolution and the outburst of modern mechanical invention. They have practically had nothing to do with Christianity till within the last half century. But every other religion in the 'world is there, and has been long represented on the grandest scale-idolatries more varied than the popular superstitions of Greece or Rome; a full third of all the Mohammedans in the world, and every form of esoteric religion, philosophies, mysterious and secret creeds without end.
" How does Christianity fare in the face of all these powers of the air? Is it forced to give way? Is it silent-inoperative? Is it powerless, or put to shame?
" I speak simply as to matters of experience and observation, and not of opinion; just as a Roman prefect might have reported to Trajan or the Antonines; and I assure you that, whatever you may be told to the contrary, the tcaching of Chrililtianity among 160,000,000 of civilized, industrious Hindus and Mohammedans in India is effecting changes, moral, social, and political, which for extent and rapidity of effect are far more extraordinary than anything you or your fathers have witnessed in modern Europe. Presented for the first· time to most of the teeming Indian communities within the memory of men yet alive-preached by only a few scores of Europeans, who, with rare exceptions, had not previously been remarkable among their own people in Europe for intellectual power or culth'ation, who had little of worldly power or sagacity, and none of the worldly motives which usually carry men onward to success-Christianity has, nevertheless, in the course of fifty years, made its way to every part of the vast mass of Indian civilized humanity, and is now an active, operative, aggressive power in every branch of social and political life on that continent.
" We hear continually of the ambition and rapacity of Russia; but we are apt to forget that there is a power urging Russia on to subjugate and civilize her barbarous neighbors which is more potent and more persistent than worldly ambition or cupidity, and that is the religious duty of Christianizing and civilizing. Anyone who, in estimating the forces of Russian aggressive movement, left out of view the impulse derived from religious convictions among the leaders of national thonght-that it was a national religious duty to extend to all barbarians around them the blessings of being within the pale of the Russian Church-would leave out of calculation the most energetic element of the motive power. This notion of doing good to the conquered is, moreover, an element not traceable among the motives of Assyrians, Romans, Saracens, or other conquering non-Christian nations.
" We are not now arguing an abstract question of right or wrong. The d(lsire of con~uest is probablr one of the most powerful 311q universal o~ human instincts. 'Vhat we are now considering is how this universal instinct is modified by peculiarities of religion; and what I wish you to note is, that in the case of our own nation and of the Russian-two of the great conquering Christian nations of modern days-considerations of which we can distinctly trace the origin to ChTisti~n morality add greatly to the effective force of the natural instinct, while they elevate and humanize it in a manner of which no trace is to be found in the action of the great conquering nations of other ages and creeds."
INDIA.
-The Marathi Mission laments that, just as cheering prospects for the work are opening, there comes (as reluctantly given as received) an order for heavy retrenclment, for a reduction of 25,433 rupees below indispensable necessities. " Our hearts are saddened as we look upon the fields white for the han'est, while we are not able to thrust in the sickle, and to listen to calls from every quarter to which we are in nowise able to respond. Will not the friends of mission work in India help us in this emergency? Donations, large or small, will be thankfully received by any member of the mission."
-It will be remembered that in the High Court of Travancore judgment has been given in behalf of Mar Dionysius as metropolitan of the Syrian Church against Mar Athanasius, who has considerable sympathy with Protestantism. The two majority judges are Brahmans; the minority judge is " Mr. Ormsby, a European barrister and a doctor of laws, possessing many years' experieDce as an appellate judge in Travancore." He seems, as a Christian, more likely to have an interior sense of the case than his colleagues, nnless, indeed, his Protestantism may have been thought to incline him to the Athanasian side. The .Madras Christian College Magazine thinks that the majority decision has a rhetorical warmth which hardly speaks well for its impartiality. Perhaps, however, it is only the difference of national temperament.
-It appears that all the Hindus have not been included in the opposition to the bill raising the age of consent to twelve years. Two or three enthusiastic meetings of natives have given emphatic approbation to it.
-The Indian Witness of April 11th, speaking of Manipur, says: " The political development of the Indian Empire has not yet altogether passed out of the period of upheavals, submersions, and catastrophes. V{e are hardly established in what geologists would call the tertiary period, and affairs have not yet become so stratified and settled that we may rest entirely free from fear that some unexpected rift in the surface formation may set free a flow of lava from the subterranean sea that will bury all the moral, intellectual, and political deposits of the nineteenth century."
The comforting reverse, "The native Christians of India are so increasing in number that they begin to feel each other's presence," of which it gives various examples.
– " Delhi itself is," remarks the Calwer Missionsblatt, " a striking in- stance of the desperate reaction of heathenism in India." Many such sad- dening experiences probably await us in the immediate fnture. " The lion is stung at last," says a Hindu. "If he did not feel your darts he would still lie dormant." On the other hand. a fakir alld saint near pelhi have pecll baptize~! .. …. . -The Canadian Baptist brethren among the Telugus mean work. They lay upon the conscience of their home churches the immediate duty of sending out 52 men, and lady missionaries as the work demands. They also ask if Canadian Baptists cannot raise $2.50 a member, seeing that the so much poorer Moravians raise $7 a member. Those provoking Moravians! It is plain that we shall either have to massacre them or imitate them.
-The North India Methodist Episcopal Conference reports for the last year 980 full memb(Jrs added, 2935 probationers, 1256 adult, 1051 infant baptisms, 28,400 Sunday scholars-au increase over the previous year of 3367.
-During the Baptist Quarterly Meeting of December, 1890, at Ongole, Teluguland, 363 were baptized. At the final Sunday meeting 1671 were baptized.
– " Of every six infants in the world, one is born in India; of every six orphan girls, one is wandering in India; of every six widows, one iii mourning in India; of every six men that die, one is passing into eternity from India. Think of it, and give India a part in your prayers. "-Children's World (C!. M. S.).
-All the Irish Presbyterian missionaries in India have thus far been university men, drawing a salary of £350 each. Now (says the F. C. J£onthly) it is proposed to begin the" Jungle Mission, " employing lay agents paid something more than £117 each.
-The Missionary Record (U. P.) for May has a communication from Rajputana: "The Pr lsbytery on Thursday spent a long time in considering the basis of union for the proposed United Presbyterian Church of India. A large number of Presbyterian missions are at work in India, and there has been a growing feeling at home and here that the churches created by them should be united into a comprehensive whole. The difficulty lies, not so much in differences among themselves, as in the tremendous size of the country and the great variety of languages in use among its 250,000,000 of inhabitants. Presbyterians are to be found from the extreme north to the remotest sonth, and how they are to be united into one well-nigh passes the wit of man. The proposals of our Presbytery are practicable, and remove 80me of the greatest difficulties which the scheme of the Presbyterian Alliance creates. It was decided to recommend the formation of four great Presbyterian churches-for Bombay, Madras, Bengal, and North India respectively-between which there might be a federal union. • . . We should belong to the North Indian Church, and should have, among others, as sister presbyteries, the American Presbyterians of the Punjab and Northwest Provinces, the Canadians of Central India, and the Ohurch of Scotland working among the Santals."
-The Rev. T. It. Waltenberg, in the C. M. Intelligencer for May, describes a movement in Madras, whose object is " the preaching of the gospel of Islam and the conversion of Hindus, and, if possible, Christians, to the faith of Mohammed. The young men who go out preaching are, on the whole, very friendly toward us, and try to live lives-at any rate, aa far as we can see them-akin to those of Christians. They are free fro~ the prejudices of the old-fashioned Mohammedans, and practically preach a Mohammeda~ism w~ic4 is uearer Ohristianity thiltll. was preay"~q by their co-religionists heretofore. To say the least, the sword has been cast aside for the word, though not the Word of God. They claim to be at one with the Unitarians of America and England." It must be, then, that they explain away the sensual paradise of the Koran.
-The Rev. Ernest Droese, quoted in the Ohurch Missionary Gleaner, says: "If the missionary dwells on the love of God as seen in the Atonement of Christ, the Moslem will listen with an expression of cuntempt, and his features will seem to say, , Nonsense! blasphemy!' the Hindu with a sceptical smile, as if to say, ' Who will believe that ~ There is no such love to be found, either with man or God.' But the hill man will listen with awe, as if he were about to exclaim, ' What do I hear ~ 0 God ! is it thus that Thou lovest man ~ , "
-The Indian Witness says: " We hope to see the day when the ordinary' Mission Report' wiU be an extinct form of literature, found only in museums or on the shelves of archreological societies. But that day has not yet dawned; and since it is still the fate of unfortunate missionaries to prepare annual reports, we commend the Report of the American Marathi Mission for 1890 as a model worthy of imitation. The report gives that broad, general, and well.arranged presentation of the work which meets the requirements of the statistician, while it is not wanting in detailed accounts, showing the various processes by which the mission docs its work. . . . The most encouraging item in the report is that which shows that the rate of increase is rapidly rising. The report laments the necessity for retrenchment, occasioned by reduction in appropriations from America. But less money sometimes means more work done and of a better quality.
" The mission occupies six districts in the Bombay Presidency. There are 113 out-stations, in which 323 native agents are at work. The entire Christian community numbers 3826 ; there are 134 Sunday-schools having 4836 scholars, 2865 of whom are non-Christian. The mission began its work in 1813.
"The Marathi Mission is one in that bright circle of missions with which what is commonly caIled ' The American Board' has encircled the world. When the religious history of the nineteenth century is written, the sacrifices and achievements of this great societv will form one of the brightest chapters in the record. "
M·ISCELLANEOUS.
-Rev. De Lacey Wardlaw reports from Brazil, with just satisfaction, that most of those clauses of the new constitution persecuting the Catholics, and especiaIly the priesthood, against which he had energetically protested, have been struck out.
-The Oanadian Church Magazine remarks that the Good Friday offerings are now very largely devoted to the work of evangelizing the Jews, " That they may be saved among the remnant of the true Israelites."
-The Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention complains that, for the year ending April 30th, 1891, it has received from the churches $33,000 less than its disb.usements~ and $76,955.96 less than i~s. lleeds, -The Christian states that six Swedish officers of the Salvation Army have been detailed to work among our Scandinavians.
-The Rev. William Howell, commissioned by the S. P. G., has labored for eleven years at Sabu, Borneo. The number of baptized persons has increased from 70 to 790.
-Mr. Ziock, Moravian mlsslOnary in Mosquitoland, was lately visited by an Indian named Kaila, of a neighboring tribe, on the Kruta River in Honduras, noted, even among the heathen, for their singularly evil characters, especially as poisoners. Kaila declared that Divine visions had warned him to solicit the preaching of the Gospel, under the threat that if the people did not give up their evil ways the whole country should be laid waste. Mr. Ziock sent Christian companions back with him, but the people refused to hear him, and repaired to one of their profligate funeral wakes. Raila followed them, but being driven away by jeers, retired with words of warning. The lightning falling on the house, scattered the guests and consumed the building. Soon after a vast tidal wave swept the whole coast, and blotting out Kaila's village, destroyed every place in it except his own. The fame of this Divine visitation, it is hoped, may result in wide opportunities of evangelization.
– " Being very tired, I went up to my room about a quarter past nine; and, as Thimann tells me, the conversation turned upon me, and he remarked that I was very happy in this work. 'Yes,' replied our Jewish infidel host, 'I have noticed that he is a happy man, and that all pious Christians are happy. 1 wish I could believe and be so.' "-Mr. S. VIL- KINSON, lJantzig, Service for the King.
– " One day the officials of the Canadian Government summoned the Indian chiefs, David Landon among them, to meet on Sunday for business. David replied, ' No ; the Head Chief in heaven says no, and so do 1. ' "~ Children' 8 World (0• .M. S.).
-The New York Sailors' Home, 190 Cherry Street, belonging to the American Seamen's Friend Society, has had, during the forty-nine years of itl existence, 115,443 boarders, and during the past year 1364. During the past year the society has published 56,400 copies of the Sailors' Magazine, and 118,200 copies of the Lifeboat for Sunday-schools. The seventeenth annual presentation to the cadets of the Naval Academy took place on Sunday, June 1st, 1890. In a class of thirty-four men, twenty-five chose the Bible out of the four volumes submitted to them. Of Mr. R. W. Ropes, president of the society, who died October lOth, 1890, it is said: "He Was simple in his habits, wise and generous in his benevolence, sincere in his faith, useful as an officer in the Church and in several charitable organizations. As the president of this society he was punctual, earnest, and faithful, always showing a deep interest in its work."
-" Much has been done of late for the intellectual and spiritual improvement of the men on our naval vessels. Twenty years ago the library of a man-of-war consisted of a Bible, a prayer-book, an almanac, a dictionary, . and one or two works on navigation. Now many of our ships have a library of a thousand or more books. Libraries of 300 books have been ordered for each of the new vessels now in process of construction."
'1'74 tNTERNATtONAL nEl'ARTMENT
II.-INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
EDITED AND CONDUCTED BY REV. J. T. GRACEY, D.D.
Lapses in Mission Lands. lJ. T. G.] Once Christian always Christian ease. Some of the people blamed him seems to be a foregone conclusion in for doing a good deal of harm in this the minds of many people about com· way, saying they still believe in such munities converted from heathenism. things.
They do not bear in mind that human Another case is given of a youth of nature essentially tends toward the eighteen years of age, son of an elder in moral and religious attitude which we the Church. from whom were recentl'y mean by heathenism. Away on the taken sections of bamboo filled with frontier, in the sparse settlements of the charcoal of certain leaves, used formerly wilderness, or in the worse atmosphere to bewitch young women for the pur- of the mining or lumberman's camp, we pose of seduction, and he was using know how those sharing the heritage of them for a similar purpose. A recur- centuries of Christian influences find it renee of hef1then dancing and singing difficult to maintain spiritual life, and among young men who never knew real how frequently, as communities as well heathenism also has become prevalent.
as units, they lapse into superstitious Reviewing all this, the missionary beliefs or outright disbeliefs. What says:" It seems quite evident to me wonder, then, if there should be an ag- that each generation of these natives is gravation of this tendency in native born with a strong heathenish tendency, Christian communities who have a her- and it needs wise dealing to counteract itage of uncounted centuries of supersti- this, and instruct them in the principles tion and low morals in their veins. But of the Bible." Some of the missions this is not enough reckoned with, as an in India have found their native Chris- essential part of the foreign mission tians secretly obstrving the heathen work. Even when peoples fire convert- ritual of marriage, and also prematurely ed, they will long have need to be kept marrying their daughters. The very in touch with the most vitalized Chris- heart and soul of Hinduism is in this tians of the home lands. They cannot child-marriage custom. The Baptist be left to isolation. They must not be Mission in Delhi hf1s had the discourag- abandoned. The brain and heart of ing experience of seeing a large part of these Christian communities may, for a their convert~ of recent years. who have hundred years to come, be in the been baptized from the Chumar (leath- churches of the Christian lands whence er-workers) caste,lapse into heathenism.
the Gospel was sent to them. The work The whole body, a thousand or more, of caring for these native communities have been lpd away by a wily ascetic, is not one that can be finished as a con· who first induced them to merely in- tract job. dulge in some innocent observances Take two illustrations. The New without giving up their Christianity.
Hebrides islands have seen Gospel tri- When he had gained influence over them umphs, and have long been recognized he led them back to Hinduism. The as Christian. But the old sediment of Society for the Propagation of the Gos- heathenism is not easily got quit of. pel had a similar experience the year An illustration is given in the Free before. ,Cases of individual defection Church of Scotland Annual Report of a of a prominent character have elsewhere man who died last year, who had pro- stirred whole communities of late in fessed Christiani.ty for several years. It India.
was found afterward that he had reo Turning from this to "Greenland's tained three sacred stones wherewith to icy mountains," the Moravian missiona- raise storms, make rain, and bring dis. ries are depressed with the condition of things among a people who" have borne form of organization, its establishment the name of Christian for more than a of missions, the extension and conduct- hundred years." They say that the ing of its operations, its preservation Greenlanders live ~he old thoughtless, from dangers which were often im~i thriftless life, thinking only of the pres· nent and great, Ilnd to be in its pres~nt ent, while the" distrust so deeply root· circumstances an(l prospects, eminently ed in their nature sometimes makes a child of Divine Providence.
them look on Christianity itself in the Very interesting is the stor.yof the light of a European importation whose way in which young men were led to adoption on their part tends to the ad- consecrate themselves to personal work vantage of the foreigners living in their for the heathen, and seek guidance and land." They are not so conscientious as help in the enterprise; the steps were they formerly were. The seal fisheries taken for giving them that which they have greatly failed them. Sealing de- sought; great encouragement came from veloped robust character. Fishing is responses to appeals that were made; their substitute, and European luxuries the churches were stirred as by a breath have come in. They grow indolent. from heaven when the first missionaries They arc obliged to wander far from and their heroic young wives were sent home to gain a livelihood; but this seat- forth; Mrs. Norris, of Salem, made her tercd and even isolated condition does contribution of $30,000 to the founding not foster their spiritual training, ann. of foreign missions, and the opposition the missional'ies' influence is more diffi- to a charter of incorporation for the cult to maintain. The people lapse in Board was finally overcome in the Massa- moral qualities. The men are less care- chusetts legislature.
ful about maintaining their families and The form of constitution given to the aiding relatives. They fall into distress Board was providentially the best th[t and increasing dependence of missionary could have been adopted in the circum- assistance. They will not all remain stances of its origin. It is, by its char- Christian under present conditions. ter, a self.perpetuating corporation (now They will lap3c. It may require more of 241 members), and thus possessed of wisdom than has yet been evolved to great stability; but, dependent upon keep them from becoming paupers or the contributors to its funds for all its pagans. means of action, it is amenable to pub- Thus much have we written to call at- lic sentiment, which finds expression tention to the fact that the most intelli- not only in contributions and the press, gent and vital Christianity of the world but also in the public meetings of the will not have got quit of the responsi- Board, in which thousands of honorary bility of leadership and supervision for members constituted by donations have generations among peoples who have all rights of discussion, making proposi· only half a century or so of Christian tions, acting on committ(les, etc., equal· inherited tendencies and appetences in their make.up. The very methods of the Eighth Annual }leeting of t.he International earning a livelihood among a semi- Missionary Union. The plan of the Union nomadio people are against their deyel_ meetings inclndes one historical or other exopment in civilization and Christian position of some of t!w general missionary culture. societies. The first was that of Dr. Mudge on the Methodist Episcopal 1IIissionary Society.
Notes on the American Board.* The second was by Rcv. J. Hamilton Taylor, treating of the Jioravian Missions. They were BY REV. GEORGE w. WOOD, D.D., GENESEO, presente d t.o the rcoders of the REVIEW in 188V, 1890. This is therefore the third in the series. N. Y. Ve arc sorry to be OJJigcd to omit some points of the able opening of the sketch, as pre- 1. The history of the American Board sented by one who, besides being long in active shows it to have been in its origin,_ its service abroad, was for eighteen years one of the * This paper was presented and read before secretaries of the Society. Iy with corporate members. The annual speech, nowhere else surpassed, is oftell meetings lasting through three days, de- heard on its platform j and the spiritual voted exclusively to the interests of the atmosphere was frequently such as for- Board and of foreign missions, and held merly to have given rise to the saying in different parts of the country, have that "no place or occasion takes one been ror many years usually the most quite so near to heaven as an annual largely attended of religious or benevo. meeting of the American Board." Marlent assemblies in our land, and most vellously has it been guided and guarded successful in arousing enthusiasm. Itis in times of great public excitement, believed that no decision has ever been and steadily, amid all drawbacks and voted by the corporate members that was changes, it has been carried forward in not in harmony with the feeling of the an ever advancing work. large majority of honorary members and friends of the Board present at the meet· Eleven years after its formation the ing, and also throughout the country. first corresponding secretary, describing the sending forth of the first missiona- The executive administration is com· ries, when eight or ten thousand dollars mitted to a Prudential Committee of ten were needed within a fortnight, and but or eleven members, partly carefully se- five hundred were in hand, pictured the lected clergymen, but more than one perplexity of the new Prudential Comhalf consisting of eminent laymen. mittee in that day of small things, and These serve without pay (except from their resolution, after hesitancy, to go the Head of the Church), devoting sev- forward trusting in God, and added: eral hours to a regular weekly meeting " Upon the principle then adopted-of (on Tuesday at 3 o'clock P.M.), and often following as Providence leads-trusting to to occasional meetings, giving careful the same sovereign Providence, with assiduconsideration to all matters coming up ous attention to the proper means for the now from missions in all parts of the needed supplies, have the operiltions of world, as presented by secretaries, the the Board ever since been conducted." treasurer, and the editor, who are pres· From this princi~e the Board and its ent, but without a vote. The pressure executive administration have never deupon them is often very onerous, but is parted; and wonderfully has it been cheerfully borne. When, from want of justified in so doing. means to meet the exigencies of the missions, it is needful to make special ap- 2. Omitting other references to provipeals for aid to the treasury, it is their dences of far-reaching significance, let privilege, often grandly exemplified, to me invite attention to the Divine leaderset an example of large personal offer- ship in the choice of fields for its misings. What wisdom is required in deal- sions. The first missionaries were sent ing with questions at home affecting the in the directions to which the Spirit of work abroad, and the many that arise in God in their hearts drew them, and an the foreign fields, only those intimately unseeing hand by new events guided acquainted with the missionary work them. In the first decade the special can duly appreciate. If a missionary or responsibility of American Christians other person feels aggrieved by any for evangelization of the aborigines of action or non-action of the Prudential our own continent was practically ac- Committee, he can take an appeal to the knowledged. The conversion to Christ Board, which elects the committel' and of Obookiah and three other waifs who executive officers at its annual meetings, had drifted from the Hawaiian group to and reviews their action. The reports this country was a call from heaven to made to these meetings, and special care for the lowest condition of humanpapers read to them, embody discus- ity as found in the beautiful islands of sions of missionary principles and prob- the Pacific. Marvellous were the effects lems of the highest value. Eloquent of missionary exhibition of the Gospel of love there. Naked, brutish, warring, pagan savages were reached and elevat- favored with high qualities of character ed into peaceful, decent, orderly, read- in the first missionaries and the directing Christian communities; thus dem- ing agency at home. Of its distinonstrating the moral unity of the human guished foreign secretary at that date, race, and that barbarians are not to be the venerable senior secretary of the Christianized by a method of previous Church Missionary Society in England, civilization, but are most easily civilized Henry Venn, said to me in London in through an awakening of their moral 1863. " To no other human source am I nature by the power which is found indebted for so Illany valuable suggesalone in the Gospel given to them. The tions in respect to missions as to your picture of such moral and social trans- secretary, Dr. Anderson." The latter formations as were wrought not only was indeed not at all points infallible; against greatest difficulties from the but what other name is there in the natives, but also from opposition and history of modern missions to place vices of ungodly agents of foreign com- above his as an adept in the science of merce, fascinated many Christians, who missions and a leader in conducting became supporters of these missionary them? The missionaries of this Board, efforts while they were less interested in being the earliest, also set a standard other missions. In this way important for others, so that American foreign help was brought to the general mission- missionary character in general comary treasury that would not have been mands throughout the world the highreadily given if sought only for the work est confidence and respect for its energy, undertaken in fields which yielded less purity, and practicalness, as, in the striking results, and these gained at a words of the late Earl of Shaftesbury much greater cost. But other classes of often repeated by him, " a marvellous mind had a special interest in the his- combination of piety and common toric and Bible lands of the East, and sense." in a conflict of the Gospel with the mightier forces of ancient compacted 4. By the system of mission organizasystems of false religions which reign tions which has been wrought out, unity, over the vast populations of a heathen, stability, and safety are in a high de- Mohammedan, corrupt Christian and gree secured, with freedom of personal Jewish civilization. Thus step by step action under its proper responsibility the Board was led on by a wisdom not to associates in the field and the direct. its own, and sustained in its diversified ing power at home which furnishes the work of blessing among barbarous tribes means for needful approved expenditure of Indians on this continent, savages of of money appropriations; and by keep- Polynesia, Micronesia, and Africa; in ing in view the spiritual aim as supreme, the missions beyond sea since trans- and harmonizing as far as possible differred to other missionary agencies, and ferent views in regard to methods of the widely extended and gloriously suc- gaining it, the missions of this Board cessful system of operations which it is have a high repute for wisdom and sucnow carrying on in 80utheastern Eu- cess in their plans of evangelization_ rope, Asia Minor, and ancient Assyria; Aiming so to deal with native agencies in India, China, and Japan; in Austria as to develop self-support, self-governand Spain and Mexico; and which it ment, and self-propagation in the Chrishas enlarged in Africa and Oceanica_ tianity which they seek to establish, they are among the foremost in the ex- 3. In the development of its missions hibit which they make of attainment in it has providentially been given to the this regard. The Board does not admit American Board to take the lead among an obligation resting on it itself to American organizations in grappling carry the Gospel to all dwellers in the with difficult questions of missionary fields to which it conveys the light of policy. In doing this it was singularly Divine truth; it recognizes time as an essential element, and fields for occupa- Girls on the two shores of the Bosphorus ; (the Presbyterian inRtitutions at Beirut tion at home and abroad by native con- and in Persia); the Central College at verts as an indispensa.ble factor in the Aintab, und the one for girls at Marash, solution of the great missionary prob- in the Central Turkey Mission; Eulem. Hence the Board has urged on its phrates College and the Mardin School missionaries the ordination of native in Eastern Turkey; Anatolia College pastors, and arrangements to draw in ancient Pontus ; the Samokov School churches formed at chief centres of in Bulgaria; the College at Honolulu in population into active evangelistic the Pacific; the Doshisha in Japan; operations as early and widely as possi- the Jaffna College in Ceylon, and the ble. Thus in concert with the Hawaiian high schools or call eges for both sexes Board it extends its operations over the in all tl,e missions, and at nearly every North Pacific; and we have the pleasing station occupied by resident American spectacle of lately Christianized savages mlsslOllaries. It is now settled that by giving nearly $1,000,000, of which al- the preaching of the Gospel in the vermost $200,000 has been directly for for· nacular languages, and by Christian eign missions; and who have sent more schools and colleges adapted to the peothan seventy. five of their church·mem- ples and the times, is the world to be bers as foreign missionary laborers saved. among other peoples who are such as they themselves or their fathers were. 6. When, in 1857, the Reformed In other missions the same principle is (Dutch) Church, and in 1870 the New exemplified to the great benefit of the School Presbyterians withdrew from the churches adopting it, even when very American Board, they declared it to be weak. from no dissatisfaction, but under a constraining sense of duty for the greater 5. Discussions and experience have advancement of the cause for which the brought nearer to each other some who Board exists. In mutual love and conwere once far apart in their judgment as fidence a partition of missions and to the place to be assigned to education property in them was made. In estiamong missionary agencies. It has been mating results of the work of the Board, abundantly proved that while merely account should not be overlooked of the secular education' awakens mind and Amoy Mission in China and the Arcot overthrows confidence in false religions, in India, belonging to the Reformed it fails to reform morals, and generally Church; of the West Afric~n, the Syria makes infidels, not Christians. Left and Persia, and several North Ameridestitute of education, a Christian com- can Indian missions transferred to the munity is unstable, always in danger of Presbyterian Board; the Indian misfalling into grievous error, and with too sions, from which the American Board little power of influence for good. There withdrew in the Southwest, now cared is need of common schools for all, and for by the Southern Presbyterian of higher schools for limited numbers; Church, and the Dakota Mission, which but these all thoroughly Christian, and, the American Missionary Association as far as possible, at native cost. The received in exchange forits field in West church, the school-house, and the col- Africa. lege must be seen together in their true order and proportion. The press m'lst 7. The achievements of the missions find and create readers. The Bible and of the Board, in the value of results ale.n intellect – awakening and guiding ready attained, and especially in the re- Christian literature must go into all lations of these to the future, who can habitations. Hence have grown out of adequately set forth? Twenty.five unthe missionary enterprise the Bible written lauguages reduced to writing; Rouse on the Golden Horn; 'Robert the Word of God and a considerable College and the American College for Christian literature given in these to barbarous tribes; and the same, and ennobling motives and action, which far more, in the tongues spoken and read transcends in value all the cost of carry- by the great nations-Mohammedan, ing it on. The. gain in its gifts back to pagan, and nominally Christian, for the its supporters and to the home interests evangelization of which its missionaries of our own land is too various to be labor; the influence of 33,000 communi- here specified, and exceeds any measure cant members in 360 churches, and more thl1t can be made of it. ths.n 100,000 attendants worshipping statedly at about 1200 preaching places 8. The history of the American Board, (exclusive of Hawaiian churches and as of all missionary organizations, is a congregations, which would add several continual proof that growth is the law thousands more), and of a missionary of life, and that, as in the family. in- force of 195 men and 313 women in the crease necessitates augmentation of ex- 22 missions, occupying 1116 stations penditure, while further progress brings and out – stations, co – operating with help. Thus while the total expenditure whom is a nati ve force more than four last year was $762,946, the sum of native and a half times this number, and em- contributions for all purposes is report- bracing 694 native pastors and preach- ed as $117,494. The receipts from all ers ; the value of the educational sys- sources enabled the treasurer at the an- tem, which includes 82 training and nual meeting to announce a balance in theological schools, in which 4325 young hand of $848.44. men recei ve instruction, besides colleges mentioned above not under the care of When comes the need, then comes, in the Board; girls' high schools, 52 in answer to the cry of God's people, the . number, enrolling 3218 pupils; common providential supply. A mark of prog- schools numbering 930, and having 34,- ress is seen in this, that wh'3reas in 500 pupils, making a total of 43,000 per- years gone by a legacy of $60,000 was sons under Christian instruction (not followed the next year by a large falling including additional thousands in the off in receipts, lately a $1,000,000 be- Hawaiian Islands) ; the worth to human- quest, wisely appropriated, has stimu- ity, science, material interests of society, lated to increase of contributions from and the kingdum of God throughout the the churches, and a second one from world of this agency of Divine power another wealthy friend, which has yield- and grace for blessing to the world ed over $600,000, is producing the same abroad and at home, is beyond the com· effect. Embarrassment from an en- prehension of a finite mind. The Ely larged work now ceasing to have this volume on " Science and Missions," by Apecial source of support, and the de- Dr. Laurie, is a rich treasury of illustra- mands of success, appeal urgently at the tive facts; the pages of the Journal of present moment for a new standard of the American Oriental Society frequently general giving, which. it is hoped will be present striking evidence; the annual adopted. reports of the Board, the Missionary Herald, Life and Light, and other publi- The gratifying advance which signal- cations, are filled wHh instructive and izes this epoch in missions is due large. thrilling narrations; special presenta- ly to the remarkable uprising of women tions, like those of Dr. Andrew P. Pel1- in their behalf. Of the income of the boJy, in extended magazine articles, and Jast repOl'ted year more than $169,000 speeches of Drs. Mark Hopki:ns and was given to mission work for women R. S. Storrs have exhibited wHh sur- by the three Women's Boards auxiliary passlllg eloquence the indebtedness of to the American Board. The new con- our age to the missionary enterprise in secration of women in all forms of ser- especial connection with this Board, for vice in which they can be useful to the high ideals of character and impulse to cause of foreign missions, and home evangelization as well, is a peculiarity and wonder of this, the new missionary age. Is it not one of the brightest. signs of promise for the speedy triumph man with ample means, who might of the kingdom of Christ in all the have lived comfortably at' home, moved earth? by the inspiration received from the life One other point must not be passed of Henry Martyn (God's leagues are unnoticed. It is the providential as- linked), without companionship or hu- signment to the constituency of the man support, he plunges among fanatio American Board and to American Pres- Arabs to lift high the banner of the byterians of the greatest, most difficult, Cross, till by sunstroke, which came and, in some aspects, most glorious of more like the kiss of God than His curse, missionary achievements to be accom- the banner falls from the dying hands plished-the conquest to Christ of the which had borne it through forty years wide domain which is under the present of apostolic ministry. It falls a chal- political domination of the Moslem. lenge to all Christendom to take it up Why is this? Is it because in the Con- and carry it farther, till placed where gregational and Presbyterian American this great leader would have chosen to traits of character are found those which plant it. We pause for breath in this can wait as well as work, can hope kodak glimpse at so splendid and so '.mder disappointment, patiently endure 'saintly II career. We must, however, and persevere under heaviest discour- admit the following from the Punjab agement, conciliate and win when open lIfission News: attack would be madness, and by weak- " His is a memorial that will not per- ness can be made strong? God knows. ish, for the heart holds on to it as well But how great is the honor, how mo- as the mind; his is an example that mentous the responsibility, which are cannot cease to stimulate, for it makes put upon those who have been thus se- its appeal to what in men is highest and most enduring; his a friendship lected! based on foundations and bound with cords which last forever; and his a work that must go on, and in which all Christians must bear a part till the re- Bishop Thomas Valpy French. [.T. T. G.1 turning Master Himself proclaim it fin- ished. He was a teacher as ready to Bishop French died at Muscat on learn from his pupils as to instruct June 14th, 1891. That consecrates them; a general now strenuously fight- afresh the Arabian peninsula to Christ. ing in the dusty ranks, now beckoning Following the Keith Falconer alabaster the whole Church forward to scenes and box, it lends an aroma to the east shore deeds of arduous heroism; a man whose firm convictions left the widest Christian of the Red Sea sympathies unchecked; a bishop who . "More fragrant than Arabia sacrificed, magnified not himself but his office, yet never abated his loving interest in And all her spicy dcserts in a flame. " Christian work and in workers on lines Bishop French was born the first day not identical with his own; a Highof the year 1825 in an English rectory. Churchman in the truest sense of the word, he kept clear himself, and strove Educated at Rugby side by side with to keep others clear, of Romanizing and Sir Richard Temple; gaining honors sacerdotal entanglements. His preachthere, and later at Oxford University; ing was of the Head of the Church, whom founding a missionary college at Agra, he adored, not of the body of the Church, which he loved. The Church, in the India; heroically defending native Chris- • Punjab at any rate, can never forget tians during the Sepoy rebellion ; found- him."
ing a frontier mission at Dera, and then a divinity college at Lahore; and agli.in, Fifty Years a Missionary Secretary.
in 1877, founding the bishopric of La- -The Society for Promoting Female hore ; remaining Bishop of the Punjab Education in the East in England is the for ten years; resigning this position, oldest organized society for carrying on while beloved and never more effective, work among the women of the Orient.
an old man at sixty-six years of age, a It commenced its work in India as early liB 1834, and its work now extends to province of Satsuma, compelled the Ceylon, Japan, Straits Settlements, South Koreans to make the china and to inlind West Africa, the Levan~, Egypt, the struct the Japanese in its manufacture. Holy Land, Turkey in Europe and Asia. Thus it is to-day-electric lights and Miss Webb, the corresponding secre- telegraph, foreign ships and war tactics tary of the society, has given fifty con- foreign postal and school systems for~ secutive years to the work; and we be- eign dress and wines are readily adopt- lieve this is an event for which there is ed. And the world looks across the no parallel in any society. Wisely has water in amazement" and exclaims 'Be- hold, a miracle! A nation is ch~nged she administered its affairs, giving al- in the twinkling of an eye from a state most II lifelong devotion to the blessed of semi-barbarism to the full splendor work of helping to uplift the women of of civilization! ' the world. She has seen wonderful "But the nation has not changed. changes. From a few gathered in the New clothes don't make a new man. schools at first, she can now look at II Social life is just as impure, the mar. multitude of 20,000 gathered in the riage laws as loose, passions as unvarious schools, with a multitude hav- bridled, and their beautiful etiquette ing gone out, etc. covers as many sins as of yore. The The society is celebrating this her whitening of the outside of the sepulfiftieth anniversary by presenting her chre does not prove that it is not full of with a token of their personal regard, dead men's bones and all uncleanness. and also making special effort to in- No longer do the people ook on the crease the society's funds by raising a adopted things as foreign. They have worthy jubilee offering. become Japanese. They are an intelli- MRS. J. T. GRACEY. gent and keen-sighted people. Love Is Japan Fickle ?-Miss Susan A. Searle furnishes, at our request, the fol- of country is strong in them, and, lowing ,. Few facts about Japan" : readily recognizing what will benefit " During the last thirty years no one country has been so ceaselessly under Japan, they adopt it. Just as quick to the public eye as has Japan. And yet very few people understand the Japan- see what will weaken her, they will have ese. The first Mikado ascended the throne 660 years before Christ, and from none of it. This is the reaBon that the that time to this there has remained an unbroken succession, though what may , treaty revision' has been so unsuccessbe called the war of the roses threatened at one time to break the direct line. ful. The people understand that the Never has Japan been conquered. Never has any nation so nearly obliterated basis on which foreign nations mean to Christianity within her borders as did Japan 200 years ago. Catherine de revise is pure selfishness, and they will Medici. in the fearful massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve, signally failed as not consent to become the prey of forcompared with them. eign avarice. In the seventeenth cen- "Quick to see the advantages that would accrue to them, they employed, tury, when Romanism was introduced in A.D. 287, Korean teachers to instruct them in Chinese literature anc11anguage, by the Jesuits, it found a ready hearing, and to-day Chinese is the classical language of the people. From Korea also and gained many friends. Notunaga, they learned the use of the potter's wheel. The art of making Satsuma the greatest of the Japanese lporrodps~ ware is a lost art in Korea, because when favored them. They were given the Japanese conquered Korea they brought all who understood the art to erty at Kioto. At one time in Nagasaki ~a.pan, and, .plantin~ a colonr ill. the there was not a heathen temple. AI.
ready the eyes of the Jesuits gleamed exultingly as in imagination they SIIW these beautiful islands under the con- trol of the Roman See. But the dream was never realized. Seeing the danger, those in authority so quickly quenched the fire and so effectually removed the traces of it that to all outward appear- ance it were as though it had never bcen. Do you censure Japan?
., But it is an uneasy hour. The crisis is upon them. About three fourths of the people are Buddhists, and the priests are trying to strengthen themselves."
The American Board Mission in Japan.-Miss Abbie M. Colby, of Japan, kindly favors us with the following about the Japan MissioD: of the A. B. Q. F. 1:,[. i " Probably no mission has called more Japanese call it the best meeting ever loudly for re-enforcement than this. held. Certainly it was the best one of And because of this earnest appeal, it recent years. was felt best to be exact in the require- ments. A paper was prepared by the 0< , During the meeting It serious ques- chairman of the Mission Committee on tion about raising $GOO came up. Sev- the kind of new missionaries needed. eral plans were proposed_ Among the It reads: • The main requirements of a delegates present was a 74 inch man in candidate for work in Japan are (1) his stocking feet, " the tallest ChristiRn spirituality; consecration to the point in Japan," who led a movement to raise of self-sacrifice_ (2) Ability to get along the money on the spot; and in thirty minutes $528 had been obtained. It is with a sensitive and patriotic people. hoped the rest will be given by some This means willing to help, and not who were not present. This represents anxious to be bosses; no forf'igner can much self-sacrifice.' drive the Japanese. (3) Intellectual strength. Of course health and com- " I have also had news from the anmon sense are of prime importance. nual meeting of the Women's Mission- ary Society, held in Osaka, in the Y_ M. " 'In some respects foreign work C. A. building, which holds about 2000. grows harder in Japan each year; and This was well filled. The women wastthereforeforeign missionary service here, ed no time, two or three starting to pray to be economical, should be immediate.' at once." 1 have a report of this year's annual meeting of the native Congregational Church The Rev. Wellington J. White, misin Japan, extracts from which will be, sionary, of Canton, China, was killed by perhaps, interesting: accident at Elmira, N. Y., July 27th_ " 'In addition to the business sessions, Rev. Mr. White, Mrs. White, their intensely interesting meetings of various three daughters, a little girl friend of kinds were held-one theatre meeting the children, and a nurse girl, were ridand two private sessions of the workers, ing in a carriage in Elmira, N_ Y. While Japanese and foreigners, to tell each crossing the Erie Railroad an express other how to work more efficiently. train struck the carriage, instantly kill- Great plainness of speech marked these talks, but all in the best of spirit. Those ing Brother White and the oldest daughmissionaries who display the most sacri- ter, Lillian, the little friend, and also fice, especially in touring, and who live the nurse girl. Mrs. White was SIIPmost like the Japanese, were held up by name as models. posed to be fatally injured, but is still alive, with a bare possibility of recovery. " 'A few of the points elaborated The two girls, aged three and seven, are were: We ought to have more faith in our talents as God-given. We should doing well. We have no words for our give ourselves to men as well as to God. own feelings, much Jess to voice the gen- Preach the simple Gospel; not envy eral wave of grief that this event has scholars, nor be abashed before them. caused to swell over this land and other Keep out of debt. Keep in the spirit of prayer. Let there be greater frank. lands. ness between missionaries and Japan- All those who were at the last annual ese. Let the missionaries do only those kinds or that kind of work which each meeting of the International Missionary can do best. Some evangelists (Japanese) are too lazy. Be a magnet. Let us Union will recall the ability with which have individuality based not on one's ],fr. and Mrs. White contributed to it. own wisdom, but on allegiance to Christ. Let us evangelists (Japanese) who re- Cheery, practical, consecrated. they lent ceive $10 salary a month live on one an inspiration by their personal preshalf that amount, and give the other half to the work. Then ask the mis- ence and their platform power. Little sionaries to make further sacrifices in thought Wflg there that these gladdening order to get nearer the people. Work and helpful ones were so soon to enter with, as well as for the poorest. Bring your baggage to my house and stop with into a cloud-even the cloud bright me when you come to my city. I,et the with the presence of the Lord_ living God into your hearts. Keep your faces turned heavenward. From the secular press we Jearn that Mr. White was forty-one years of age, a " 'Prayers were earnest, speaking, forcible and practicable. The spirit all aon o~ A1?ne. White, chief of the Eri(j ~4rough Was moat e~cellellt~ Some Bridge builders. He was graduated at Holy Virgin, Queen of Apostles, and Amherst College and Union Theological Succor of Christians." The brief has Seminary. Tho New York Tribune said: been fcrwarded to Brussels, accom.
"Mr. White and his family had been punied by a special letter from Leo XIII.
home on a year's vacation from their. to the King of the Belgians, couched in work in China. nnd W81·e about to re- terms of the warmest affection and adturn for another period of ten years. miration. They had had httle rest during the year, as both were in great clemand all over the country to leeture upon mission work, and they became unusually popular in their line of lectures. Mrs. White was an -That is a very true remark in the especially interesting talker, and bad ad- Seventy-fifth Annual Report of the dressed churches, Sunday schools, mis- American Bible Society that "the resion bands. and other societies as far west as Minneapolis, all through New Eng- ports of this society present a most im- land, and in Maryland and Washington. pressive history of missions. We have She made her lectures brilliant with anecdotes and personal experience~, and tried to find time and space for a proper never in a single instance posed as a review of this grand society's work, and martyr to seclusion in the mission field. to express our congratulations on the She and her husband had made them- occasion of its diamond anniversary. It selves masters of the Cantonese dialect, works so quietly, with such dignity, and were especially fitted to do prac- avoids all sensational presentation of tical Christian work among the Chinese.
They had had several tempting offers to itself, that its vast enterprises do not remain in the United States, but Mrs. become as popularly known as they de- White said, , Our hearts and souls are serve to be. There lies before us the Gospels in the language of the Sheetswa, committed to tbe missionary field, and we must go back.' "
They were to sail for China from San which they have just completed, trans- Francisco September 10th. lated by Rev. B. F. Ousley, of the American Board Mission in ED.st Cen- tral Africa, a language never written be- -The Rev. Dr. John Inglis is dead! fore 1885, allied to the Zulu, but with Who that knows what missionary work peculiarities of its own. This will open means will not be sadly intere~ted? the evangel by text to some 200,000 or Thirty-three years "In the New Heb- more of people in tbe Dark Continent."
rides /" What a fascinating book, the -Mission work among the boys of story of his life, as told in a volume London is being carried on by the bearing the title we have emphasized. Rugby School Mission. It takes the The Free Church of Scotland has a roll form of furnishing homes and institutes of grand missionary names, but that of for these boys. The field of activity is John Ingli~ shines with a lu~tre all its mainly in the west London district. own.
-In spite of the breezy discussions -And now, 10 ! the Congo Free State of the past year, and the omens of evil has been "consecrated to the, blessed which many discern, foretokening great- Virgin Mary." This is done to rescue er contentions, it has been a good year the millions of AfricD. "from the dark- for Presbyterian foreign missions. The ness and superstitions of paganism." grand total of the gifts of the Church This is the way the papal brief reads: for this cause stands at $942,690.64, the .. It is in response to the petitions of largest sum ever given for foreign mis- eminent Belgian Catholics, both clerical sions in any year since the reunion of and lay, that the Pope has taken the the churches. The various organiza"
step now announced, by whi~h his holi- tions of the women of the churches con- ness places the entire State of the Congo tributed $336,224.78, more than one !.luder the special pr~tectiou of the Most third of the whole sum.
EDITORIAL NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS
III.-EDITORIAL NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS.
The following letter is from a beloTed These men go out three Sundays in friend, who accompanied Dr. Gordon every month and preach in surrounding and myself in the brief tour of missions villages, where there are either Chris- in Great Britain in 1888. Her ad- tians or inquirers, so that there are eight dresses, so simple, unaffected, childlike, services held each Lord's day in villages moved the great audiences everywhere distant from three to fifteen miles.
with unique power. Though not meant These preachers willingly give their for publication, we cannot withhold this time, and are often out three days at a charming letter from our readers. time. I pay their travelling expenses.
C. I. M., WENCHOW, CHINA, Jan. 20, We meet once a month, when they re- 1891. port and change districts. The Lord is blessing their labors.
My DEAR DR. PIERSON : It has been on We have just suffered a heavy loss in my heart for a long time to write to the death of one of our most earnest and you, and only pressure of work has pre- faithful evangelists. He came in from vented; for I have often thought of you his district last Thursday suffering with and dear Mrs. Pierson, and have follow· bronchitis. He would not rest until his ed you in your tour of 1889-90 through son had gone off to take his place, say.
my native land with much interest, and ing that, as there were many who were was often reminded of that blessed and calling out for the Gospel, some one remarkable missionary tour which we must take it to them. The son, who is made together in 1888. one of our unpaid local preachers, had Alas! how much has happened since gone but a few hours when he said to then-that little company scattered and his youngest son, ,. The Lord is calling divided. One, my dear husband, rest- me home. I see heaven open; oh, so ing from his labors, and now in the lovely! You have not been earnest presence of the Lord; another, Rev. enough; you must be warmer-hearted, James Scott, of Impolwene, witnessing and live n.earer to God." He then said, for the Lord in South Africa; you and " Sing a hymn;" and as they ended the Dr. Gordon continuing your labors on hymn he quietly breathed his last, only behalf of missions; while I am here, one day after his return from his sta- trying, however feebly, to do the will of tion. We mourn his loss, for it is to my God. such men that we owe in large measure The past year has been one of many the prosperity of the work. We can do trials. So much of persecution, sick- but little compared to them; and if we ness, and death has surrounded us that are only permitted to train one such at times the heart seemed almost faint, worker for the Lord, our life would not and one was often tempted to think the be in vain.
road too long and the burden too heavy. A few weeks ago we had our preach- And yet the Lord was ever nigh and ers' quarterly meeting; and as I looked ready to help in every hour of need, so upon the twelve native preachers pres- that when troubles pressed, one had but ent, only four of whom were paid, and to lean the harder to find out how strong two of those supported by the natives He is. "Not one good thing hath failed themselves, my heart welled up in praise of all which He hath promised." to God as I thought of now and the day During the past year we have made when we first entered this city. Then steady but slow progress, for many new not a soul had heard of the God who doors have been opened to the Gospel; made them.
and I hflve been able to form a band of In one district about forty miles from seven unpaid local preachers, who have here a number of bright, earnest lads ~l,~red so~e of t4ese oven doors, l1~vEl bEletl COBVer~ed~ a~il, ~t has b!le~ laid upon our hearts to try and do some- they naturally look to me for guidance.
thing to fit them for future service. We The church is under the care of a native took the matter to the Lord and asked pastor, who was brought up in our boys'
Him to provide the needed funds for school years ago, and is a very earnest, their support. He has sent the answer godly man.
in l gift which enables us to begin with' Yours very sincerely, five boys. Our pll>n is to give them two GRACE STOTT.
years' education and Bible training, and then let them return to their homes and It is true, undoubtedly, that the Hindu their farm worK, and, while earning converts to Christ have as yet come their own living during the week, preach almost entirely from the humbler and in the villages on Sundays. Miss Bards· micl.dle classes, so to ~peak. But, as we ley, who accompanied me to China last contrast the two Brahman's prayers that year, will take up this branch of the we here present, we can perceive eyiwork, while Miss Whitford, another dence that the Christian spirit has beyoung sister who accompanied me, takes come, in a measure, pervasive of the entire charge of the girls' school. We moral atmosphere, even of the highest stj.J.I keep up th(, uumber to twenty. five, caste. and for everyone who is married out, there are three or four applications to The Brahmans have been in the habit fill her place. of offering the first prayer of the two for ages: "May humanity fare well! We have a small home for poor old May the lords of the earth rule the same olind Christians. There are ten at pres. in the ways of justice. May Brahmans ent, besidelil two old widows; and duro and cows ever prosper. Mayall relig. ing this cold weather one feels very ions become bappy. May the rains fall grateful to be permitted to help these in· season. May the earth be fruitful. POM of the flock. May th~ country be without troubles. May Brahmans be without fear." There is a good work going on at a place twelve miles from here.' One of The second short but remarkable our Christians, a silversmith by trade, prayer was offered by a well-known who was once an opium smoker. opened orthodox but liberal-minded Hindu on a shop there last year. Wherever he an occasion when he was about to degoes he must preach; and as his own liver a lecture on Marriage Reform in a shop was a small one, he rented a place Christian church: "Our Father, we be. at his own charges, where he conld seech thee to teach us the truth, to help preach on Sundays. He does all the us to love and wor!!hip the truth, and preaching himself. and now there are to walk according to the truth, for Thou about thirty persons who attend regu- art the truth. " larly. This man has been very much used of God in opening up work in sev- -By way of in81igurating the eff?r~ eral places, and spares neither himself nor his means. which has been resolved upon to raIse A good deal pf my time during the $500 ~0e0n0teansarav special fHud to celebrate last three months has been spent in vil. the of the English Baptist lage work, where we have had many op. Missionary S(~ciety, the treasurer of the portunities of spreading the Gospel. At society, Mr. V,'. R. Rickett, ~f Lond?n, has just intimated his intentIOn to give $25,000.
one place, where we spent a week, there -In 1890 there were 494 American are six or seven families seeking after M E foreign missionaries who had the truth. Indeed, we find it difficult ~apdolo~Syetoa~ftuettshferooWfmowmthhaoenmc'sh1nF2ro2crhea~ergseninMintihsteshieoUnenamirty– to enter all the open doors. Society. These show an lllcreas~ of 86 American missionaries and aSSIstants, Will you ask disciples to pray that milch wisdom may be given to me? or nearly thirty per cent. There is no male missionary here, and
THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS
IV.-THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS.
BY J. T. GRACEY, D.D.
Persia, Arabia, Turkey, Mohammedanism, and the Greek Church.
These words stand for what an infini- west and the borders of the Tigris val.
tude of facts relating to the history of ley, to the remote frontiers of Afghan- the human race, as well as to the istan and Beloochistan. The surface is chances and changes which have be- largely a plateau with high mountain fallen the kingdom of God upon earth! ranges, but the southern portion is a And, taken together, they are fairly plain, and upon the southeast is a large representative of all the events which expanse of desert. The population is have transpired in Bible lands not only, heterogeneous, exhibiting thc effects left but, with an exception or two, of those behind by the multitude of masters, but connected with the course of all the the bulk is composed of Turks, Persian great empires of antiquity. And to Mongols, and Arabs about the Persian think that over all the vast area they Gulf, besides Koords, Armenians, Nes- cover, for long centuries the Cross as a torians, Jews, etc. Nearly 2,000,000 are symbol has been supplanted by the wandering tribes. Of courqe Islam is crescent! the ruling religious force, but some PEIRSIA. 70,000 nominal Christians are found.
In order to kindle our interest it is The Nestorians, in particular, gathered only necessary to recall that this is the about Lake Oroomiah, are a feeble rem- land of Cyrus and Darius, of Ahasuerus nant of a church which once numbered (Xerxes?) and Esther, and of Susa, millions, and with wonderful zeal car.
Persepolis and Ecbatana, and that the ried the Gospel throughout Central Asia early inhabitants were of Aryan stock, and to India and China. But there fol- and so in origin related to the Greeks lowed degenerate days, as well as perse- and Romans. Zoroaster and the fire- cution from the Moslems, by which they worshippers were Persians, and the were well nigh annihilated.
Wise Men who came to worship the in- As far back as 1742 the Moravians fant Saviour, while Parthians, Medes, sought, though in vain, to carry into and Elamites were present in Jerusalem Persia the light of evangelical truth. In to behold the wonders of Pentecost. 1811 the sainted Henry Martyn pene- This people rose to fame when Cyrus trated the country from India, bearing captured Babylon, and his successors his Persian translation of the New Testa- pushed their conquests to the lEgean ment, but died within a year. In 1834 and beyond; but in later days it was the American Board opened a mission their hard lot to be subjected in succes- among the Nestorians which, since 1870, sion to the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Sel- has been in Presbyterian hands, and has jukian Turks, Mongols, Tartars, Af- grown to 6 stations, 65 out-stations, 55 ghans, and Ottomans. The ruling Shah missionari'ls, of whom 20 are ordained, feels the touch of modern ideas, gov- and 243 native helpers; 31 churches erns, for an Oriental, fairly well, and with 2267 members, 188 added last through a ministry on the European year; 283 schools with 3290 pupils.
model, and has introduced banks, gas, Upon this Persian mission $83,662 were telegraphs, street railways, etc. expended last year. In 1869 the Church His dominions cover ahout 700,000 Missionary Society sent Rev. R. Bruce square miles, and his subjects number to begin work, and now has Ispahan not far from 8,000,000. From the Cas- and Baghdad as main stations. The.
pian modern Persia extends to the Per- Propagation Society sent its agents to sian Gulf and the Arabian Sea, and from Persia in 1882. Within a half century Ararat as a bulwark at the extreme north· not less than 75,000 Bibles, or portions thereof, from the press of the American time within the scope of their opera.
Bible Society alone, have been distribut· tions was embraced the entire known ed. and in these 6 languages -Persian, world. Mohammed died in 632, and Turkish, Arabic, Syriac, Hebrew, and two years later Damascus fell; Alexan- Armenian. dria in 640 ; Persia the year after, with ARABIA. Baghdad in due season reaching the With this name are indissolubly linked zenith of its gloi'y under the Caliph Edom and Uz, Ophir and Sheba, the Haroun al Raschid (immortalized in the Wilderness of Wandering, eighty years " Arabian Nights," which, if Persian in of the life of Moses, and two years of literary origin, are intensely Arab in in- Paul's life; but most of all the region spiration and spirit), and by 711 Spain for which it stands holds the site of had become Saracen, to remain such Mecca and Medina, and gave birth to nearly 800 yeal's, or until delivered theFalsePropbetand his Book. Itsarea under Isabella. During those halcyon is some 1,200,000 square miles. and con- years the Arabs were among the fore.
stitutes a vast peninsula. extending into most in the civilized world for knowl- the Indian Ocean. After 4000 years of edge of medicine, mathematics, gram.
travel, trade, and warfare this land is mar, and rhetoric, and various useful but little known, and yet the fact is well arts, such as the tempering of steel.
established that it is not all a barren And hence it would seem to be a gross waste, as we are wont to think. About mistake to ascribe Ara.b dominion wholly 'one third of the surface lies upon three to the sword as a cause instead of. in sides next to the sea, and consists of a great part at least, to the wondrous plain varying in width from a few miles power of mind, of intellectual genius.
to one hundred, and then a long stretch As yet next to nothing has been ac- of mount1tin ranges which rise abruptly complished, or even been undertaken, from the coast side. Another third lies for the redemption of Arabia from the toward the southeast and is desert in- degrading thraldom of a false faith.
deed, with surface divided between The country is inaccessible, the climate drifting sands and rocks. But in the is torrid, and Oriental ideas and prac- centre and farther north is found a large tices with the lapse of the centuries be.
tract fairly well supplied with streams come strangely fixed and unsusceptible and fertile soil, and able to sustain to change. And besides, as everywhere, quite a population fixed and residing in so also here, the combination of truth villages and cities. Of the 8,500,000 or and error fashioned by Mohammed easily 9,000,000 inhabitants, not more than one gains a giant grip upon a certain quality fifth are nomad Bedouins. of mind and hea.rt which it is difficult Arabia made her capital impression exceedingly to shake off. Mr. and Mrs.
upon human history through the tre- Keith Falconer projected, under the mendous and unsurpassed and really auspices of the Scottish Free Church, a sublime enthusiasm and zeal and daunt. mission to South Arabia in 1885, and less vigor with which her sons took up two years later Aden was occupied by the teachings of their greatest repre- them with combined Bible and medical sentative, and in two or three genera- work, but a few months after he laid tions carried the Koran from the Atlan- down his life a sacrifice to his faith and tic to the Indus, and made an impres- zeal. Other toilers have followed since, sion so deep and so broad that after 1200 and the mission is maintained. A second years their language is spoken by 80,- undertaking in the same region was set 000,000, and the cry, Allah Akbar, is on foot in this country not long since echoed by one eighth of the earth's by Professor J. G. Lansing and others, population. Arab merchants penetrat- and tW() missionaries have been dis- ed to China and interior Africa, to the patched thither, and a third, by the Eng- Baltic and northern Siberia, and at one lish North Africa Mission, has begun labor for the Bedouins in the extreme Asiatio Turkey. Though themselves north, with Homs as a oentre. So, not stalwart Moslems, it has always been yet has" the gold of Sheba" been given their policy to tolerate other faiths, and to " Him," not yet have" the kings of not less than 13,500,000 in the empire Sheba and Seba" offered" gifts." are nominal Christians, and principally TURKEY members of the Greek and Armenian ohurohes.
brings us yet nearer to Bible lands What was sorrowfully said of Persia and themes, since it covers among the and Arabia must be repeated here, that rest Palestine, Phmnicia, Syria, Asia hitherto upon the Mohammedan part of Minor, and Babylonia, with ita Ur and the population but a slight impression Haran, and hence was the home of every has been made. For a follower of the patriarch, prophet, or apostle named in Prophet to abjure his faith, even yet, Holy Writ. It was nearly 700 years ago after all the reforms, is to sign his death.
that the Ottoman Turks began to make warrant; aud therefore missionary toil their prowess seriously felt in the oivil. has been expended almost entirely upon ized world ; in 1452 Constantinople fell the ohurches whioh name the name of before their vigorous assault; the olimax Jesus, but whose truth is so lamentably of their power had been reached when mixed with error, and whose religious under the walls of Vienna, in 1683, their praotice is so remote from the New hosts were utterly routed by John So. Testament standard. When these have . bieski. Ever sinoe the decline has oon· been reformed and their spiritual life· tinued, aooelerated in this oentury when thoroughly quickened a beUer chance Greeoe oonquered her independenoe, by will be found to catch the ear and win the results of the Crimean War, and the the heart of the Turks. The first mis.
various aohievements of diplomaoy and sionaries entered the Ottoman Empire arms in days more recent. There is a in 1823, when Goodell and Birrllanded larger and a lesser Turkey, and henoe at Beyrout under commission from the the boundaries are not easily defined Amerioan Board, and later followed with acouracy. Thus Tunis is a de- others to occupy Constantinople and pendent'yof the Porte; Egypt pays trib. western, central, and eastern Turkey.
ute; and though in Arabia a long, nar· Upon thisfieldthisSooietyexpended up· row strip lying upon the Red Sea is ward of $207,000 in 1890, and has gath- politioally Turkish, the vast interior ered to date 117 churches with 11,709 owns no outside ruler. Acoording to a members (1367 added last year), 46,000 medium estimate the Sultan is civil and adherents, 464 schools of all grades, with religious lord over about 1,500,000 20,226 under instruction. The native square miles, and a population of 35,. contributions have reached $43,474 an- 000,000. And these may be divided nually. The principal stations are 19, thus: Europe, 100,000 square miles with with 311 out·stations. The missionaries 10,000,000 inhabitants; Asia, 700,000 number 177, with 791 native helpers as square miles with something more than auxiliaries. In 1870 the Syrian field 20,000,000 inhabitants, and Africa (in_ oentring in Beyrout was transferred to cluding Egypt and Tunis), 600,000 the Presbyterians, and is now held by square miles and 6,500,1100 inhabitants. them at 20 points with a force of 3ll And this same monarch, whose magnifi. American and 205 native toilers. The cent seat is upon the Bosphorus, sways churohes are 26; the members, 1658 ; the the sceptre over a mixed multitude of additions last year, 103; schools, 130 ; jTurks. Greeks, Bulgarians, Armenians, soholars, 6214; native oontributions, Arabs, Roords, Ciroassians, SyJians, eto. $7658. The Beyrout printing.press is Of these the ruling race constitutes but a mighty instrumentality for the Gospel.
a minor fraction, numbering, say. about From it issued in 1890 in A.rabic and 1,500,000 in European and 4,500,000 in other languages 76,000 volumes and 23,. 746,000 pages, of which 14,217,000 were members of the human family who hold leaves of the word Of life. During the that" God is God, and Mohammed is year 31,000 copies of the Scriptures, his prophet. " complete or in parts, were distributed. In all Syria, with Palestine, some 30 The astonishing successes and vitality societies are engaged doing preaching, of the religion of the Koran may well be teaching, and hospital work at 150 deemed the scourge of God upon His points, with 200 missionaries and 600 people in the Oriental churches and native helpers. Palestine is largely left their successors ever since, in Asia and in the hands of British societies. in Europe, visited because they lost the spiritual power of the Gospel, and had MOHAMMEDANISM. but a name to live in Jesus Christ, be- cause they fell into such grievous follies The three countries which have passed and sins, suffering the pure Gospel to in rapid review, covering in the aggre- be 110 grossly defiled with doctrinal error gate an area about equal to that of the and heathenish practice, expending United States and containing about the their strength not upon the spread of same number of inhabitants are, of the kingdom to the ends of the earth, course, overwhelmingly Mohammedan. but in endless disputes and quarrels and But the spiritual domain of Islam is schisms among themselves. But though vastly larger both in territory and ad- thus far effort for the conversion of Mosherents. This form of faith, once ag- lems has been, upon the whole, quite gressive beyond precedent, is not yet by barren of rf'sults, yet genuine converany means effete or eTen in decrepi. sions haTe by no means been unknown. tude, but is still steadily enlarging its In India in particular and in Africa boundaries, especially within the Dark and even in Persia scores and hundreds Continent. The northern half is al- have heartily embraced Christianity, ready overrun, a territory 2000 X 3500 and in Turkey, too, a few have faced miles in extent. death for Jesus' sake. Christian schools contain thousands of Moslem children From the Straits of Gibraltar almost and youth who cannot but be largely to the mouth of the Kongo it holds the leavened by the truth. But probably Atlantic coast and upon the eastern side the Bible printed in languages which to Zanzibar, with centres of influence Mohammedans can read-the Arabic yet farther south in Mozambique and more than any other, their sacred even in Cape Colony. Thus over two speeoh, in which the Koran is given-is thirds of the periphery of Africa the the mightiest leTerage yet employed. Prophet of Arabia is re'l'erenced, and The preparation already made is so 70,000,0(10 appears to be a consenative manifold, so extensive, and so thorough estimate of the number of his followers that great things for the Gospel may any found dwelling between the Mediter- day occur within the realm of Islam. ranean and the equator. But Queen And for this grand consummation let us Victoria is monarch over more Moslems diligently labor and fervently pray. than the Sultan himself, since in her Indian Empire alone she has 50,000,000 ! THE GREEK CliUBCH, Add to these the hosts of others of the same faith in Siberia. Central Asia, called also the Eastern Church. This Afghanistan and Beloochistan, Western is defined to be the church of the coun- Ohina, the Malay Peninsula, and the tries which were formerly Greek-speakvast Indian Archipelago to farthest Java ing, or which were comprised in the -distant 1000 of longitude east of Mecca Greek, GrIDco-Roman, or Eastern Emand 1600 east of Cape Verde, the latter pire, as well as of the countries evangela vast stretch of almost 10,000 miles- ized from it, as the Russian; or the and a total of 200,000,000 is not too large Church. or group of local and national to name as denoting the sum of the churches. which accept the See of Con. stantinople as their ecclesiastical head, guages !tre spoken. The various" Chris. like the Armenian, etc. The full name tian" sects are full of bitterness and is "The Holy, Orthodox, Catholic, hate each toward the other, and are kept Apostolic, Oriental Church." Its begin- at peace only by Turkish force. The ning dates, at least potentially, from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is divided founding of Constantinople, in 326 A.D. off into several sections, and these are A rivalry soon sprang up between the parcelled out among the Copts, Greeks, two cities, and also naturally betw3en etc. their bishops. The breach was widened by differences of language, and more, by For many centuries the Armenians the division of the empire into the were either independent or, at least, a Western and Eastern. In due season distinct people, fixed within definite followed the Great Schism, and finally boundaries; but in 1604 they finally from Rome came the act of excommuni- lost, like the Jews before them and the cation. Poles in later times, their national ex- istence, and ever since have been scat- The differences of doctdne and prac- tered far and wide through all the lands tice existing between the Greek Church of the East. and its rival, the Roman, are fewer and less fundamental than the resemblances. One peculiar phase of Christian phil- The former rejects the idea of the Pope anthropy is exhibited at Aden by the as universal bishop; in Russia the state Keith Falconer Mission, in the fact that and the church are in closest union; last year not less than fifty African slaves the ofliciallanguage is Greek instead of were rescued by purchase from their Latin; the priests may marry, though Arab masters and adopted, and at a cost but once, and only upon bishops is celi- of £1650. bacy obligatory, and the people may receive the wine as well as the bread at The University of the Great Mosque the sacrament. But the ruling spirit is of EI Azar, in Cairo, i!l resorted to by substantially the same; the departures more than 10,000 Moslem students, not from the simplicity and purity of the only from Egypt and Turkey, but from Gospel are fully as many and as serious, Algeria and Morocco, the Soudan, Darlike worship of images, asceticism with foor and Zanzibar, Arabia, Persia, Turmonastic vows, the necessity of confes- kestan, India and Malaya. Nothing is sion and penance, and the dogma, ., No taught except the Koran and the literasalvation outside the Church." And lit- ture relating to it. tle prospect appears of its further sprClld except as Russian arms or diplomacy The number of adherents to the varimay extend the area ruled by the Czar. ous minor bodies in the Oriental Church is stated to be as follows: Armenians, The number of adherents of the 3,000,000; Abyssinians, 1,200,000; Nes· Greek Church is notfarfrom 85,000,000. torians, 300,000 ; Copts, 200,000 ; Jacob- Of these about 58,000,000 are found in ites, 300,000 ; Maronites, 200,00 the Russian Empire; in the Turkish Empire, 10,000,000, consisting of Greeks, -Among the most teIling speeches at Bulgarians, Armenians, Nestorians; in the late meeting of the Church Mission- Roumelia, Servia, etc., 6,000,000; the ary Society was that of the Episcopal United Greeks of Austria and Poland, Bishop of Minnesota, who said that he 4,000,000; the Church of Greece, 1,300,- was .. glad to notice that the report 000 ; Russian Dissenters, 1,000,000 ; and said not a word about the hardships of various smaller sects. miRsionaries. It is no harder to go to Africa to preach the glorious Gospel It is stated upon good authority that than to dig for gold." in Jerusalem over forty different lan-
GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELUGENCE. '791
V.-GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.
Organized Missionary Work and Statistics. Edited by Rev. D. L. Leonard, Bellevue, O.
-The Anglican Communion embraces about 6000. The nation is responsible all Christians in full communion with for 105 tribes and fragments of tribes, the Church of England, and so is com· but in 17 only does it supply accommoposed of these parts: The Church of dations for all the children of school England proper, with its 38 biRhops and age; in 52 one half are stilI schoolless ; 24,090 other clergymen; the Protestant in 24 about 90 per cent are neglected; Episcopal Churoh of the United States, while in 16 no provision at all is made. 61 bishops and 38000lergymen ; Church of Ireland, 13 bishops and 1807 clergy. -The Young People'S Society of men; Church of England in Cllnada, Christian Endeavor is evidently, in its etc., 24 bishops and 1300 clergymen; origin and surprising growth, in the best Church of England in Asia, 13 bishops sense providential. It meets a spiritual and 713 clergymen; Church of England need widespread and deeply felt. It in Africa, 13 bishops and 350 clergy. numbers 16,274 local societies at the end men; Church of England in Australia, of 10 years, and a host of 1,008,980 21 bishops and 269 clergymen; Episco. members, a growth in" year of almost pal· Church in Scotland, 7 bishops lind 350,000 members and of 5261 organiza. 266 clergymen; scattered, 9 bishops and tions. No less than 30 evangelical de· 120 clergymen: a total in round num- nominations are represented in it ; the bers of 200 bishops and 32,600 clergy. Presbyterians havi.ng 4019 societies; tho men. Congregationalists. 3545 ; the Baptists, 2381 ; the Methodists, 2860 ; the Chris· -The Church of England must be set tians (Disciples), 801, and so on. Sodown as one abundantly blessed with cieties exist in almost every State and material resources. For, ·according to territory; 768 in British America, 120 retUl"llS recently presented to Parliament in England, 82 in Australia, 30 in India, by the ecclesiastical commissioners, the 12 in Turkey, and 7 in China; in all in aggregate income of the establishmAnt is foreign countries, 307. And, best of all, £5.753,557, or $28,767,785, of which from its members 82,500 last year joined nearly the whole is derived from endow· the churches represented. ments antedating the beginning of the eighteenth century. And to thIS must -According to these figures, Cape be added the enormous sums expended Colony is heathen and barbarian no in the construction and repair of longer. In size it is equal to some 5 churches, etc. The membership of this States like New York, and holds a popu· church cannot be far from 15,000,000, lation of about 1,500,000, of whom about and the gifts for foreign missions ap. 350,000 are Europeans. The Dutch Re· proximate to $3,000,000 annually. formed Church naturally leads in num· bers with a membership of 203,776 ; the -Though by no means so much as we Wesleyans follow next with 110,250 ; the could wish, Congre8s is doing something Church of England, with 79,126; the Insubstantial toward solving the Indian dependents, wit.h 39,829 ; Presbyterians, problem by ar::propriations for schools, 23,786 ; Moravians, 14,012 ; the Rhenish which have steadily grown from $20.000 Society, 13,159, and Roman Catholics, in 1877 to $1,842,770 in 1891. Of this 14,012. The total church-membership sum the contract schools (under the care is nearly 528,000. The mission stations of the churches) receive $570,000. In are 621, and the out·stations 1744. the government schools are found pro· vision for 17,000 childrAn, soon to be – The Chinese in America are not en· increased to 20;000, and in the others tirely forgotten as to their spiritual well being. In Boston, for example, as far back as 1876 a school was opened for the fourth time' for $100,000 to be paid their benefit, and the work has grown in five annual installments. until now 8 large ones are f(mna; in them at least 600 of the 1000 Chinamen . -General Booth lliakes the announce· receive instruction, and 50 have bll€n ment that he has already received $50,. received into the Boston churches. And OUO more than the $500,000 he asked for, then, in return, one school for 3 years and besides, has a pledge for $50,000 has given annually $125 to support a additional, and so is at liberty to begin mi~sionary in Hong.Kong ; and recently the execution of his colossal social.re· a special offering amounting to $114 was form scheme in behalf of the poor of the made to maintain a native preacher in cities of England. that same city. -The principal missiop.lI.ry work in -·The Wesleyan churches of England Palestine is done by the English Church have a membership of 424,303, and the Missionary Society, which has a Euro- Foreign Missionary Society, at the las; pean force consisting of 9 ordained, 3 annual meeting, reported expenditures lay, and 7 female missionaries. The last year of £132,885. Work is carried native clergy number 8, with a total of on in India, China, West Africa, the 72 lay helpers. The stations are Jerusa. Transvaal, British Honduras, the Ba· lem, Jaffa, Gaza, Nablous, Nazareth, hamas, as w!)ll as in Europe. The prin. and one east of the Jordan. The num. cipal stations are 363; out.stations, ber of baptized is 1428, of whom 455 are 1572 ; missionaries and assistants, 338 ; communicants. A little over 2000 pupils other paid agents, 2163; and unpaid are in the schools. The Society for agents, 4334. The chUl'ch.members are Promoting Christianity among the Jews 34,772 ; the probationers, 5250 ; and the also has stl/otions at Jerusalem, Jaffa, and Sunday.school scholars, 65,083. Safed, with a force of 4 ordained mis· sionaries and several assistants, about -·The Missionary Society of the 20 of whom are Christian Israelites. Primitive Methodist Church (England) reports an income of £11,099, and an -Friends of Italy will hear with de· expenditure of £10,477. Aside from light of the diffusion of the Scriptures this there was the special income of the in Rome. It is said that during the African fund, amounting to £3313, with first six months of 1'890, 21,000 copies an expenditure of £2263. The work of of the pUblications of the Bible Society the society is carried on entirely in Af. were sold in Rome and its environs. An rica in the Kaffraria Mission at Aliwal, especially encouraging circumstance is North. An increase of 150 members the introduction of the Bible into Ital· is reported. The Zambesi Mission had ian schools. Schools where other Ian. entailed considerable cost, and some guages are taught have, it is stated, reverses have had to be encountered; adopted the New Testament as a read· but the party sent out by the Board ing book. have croBsed the river, and are now en· gaged in real missionary work. -Offerings are asked by the Prot· estant Episcopal Church to sustain mis· -The Livingstonia Mission of the sions in 13 missionary jurisdictions and Scottish Free ChUl'ch (the first one 34 dioceses, also among the Indians and founded in Central Africa) dates from among the colored people in our land, 1875 ; and now, at the end of 15 years, as well as missions in China, Japan, about the three great lakes, Victoria, Africa, Hayti, and Greece; to pay the Tanganyika, and Nyassa, Protestant salaries of 16 bishops and stipends to chUl'ches alone. have 44 stations, 121 1000 missionary workers, and to support missionaries, and 1800 adult converts. schools, hospitals, and orphanages. The Free Church alone is expending Five hundred thollsand dollars are asked $20,000 annually, and this year asks for for this year. -The Presbyterian Church of Canada is held by 21 men and 31 women-52 in reports a membership' of 160,102, and all-with the aid of 68 ordained and 144 additions upon confession last year of unordained nati ve preachers -a total 10,128. The receipts for home missions force of 439. Of its 75 churches 18 are wer.e $142,000, and for foreign missions self·supporting, and in them are 41,841 $115,525, of which latter sum $40,000 members-an average of 550 and over- were from the woman's societies. In 6 of whom 6113 were received last year.
missions (New Hebrides, Honan, For- The principal stations are 14, and the mosa, Central India, Trinidad, and ou t·stations 534. In the 422 schools among the Indians in Western Canada) 5292 ara taught. Out of the depth of are found 31 ordained mIssionaries and their poverty the natives contributed 22 teachers; 9 women (in all 7 trained $1048.
for medical work), 2 ordained native -The Baptist Burman Mission will pastors, 52 native preachers, and nearly always be linked indissolubly with the 100 other native helpers-a total force name of Judson, and only God can say of 216. The churches are 65, with how much of its prosperity is the fruit 3950 members, and the schools 98, with of his prayers. and toils, and pains. It 3800 pupils. is composed of 21 stations and 614 out· -The Presbyterian Church (North) stations. The working force includes reports 12 missions in foreign lands, 134 missionaries (of whom 88 are worn· with 108 principal stations. The mis· 'en), and 530 native preachers (141 of sionaries number 598, of whom 348 are whom are ordained), a total of 763. Of women. These are assisted by 1228 na- the 542 churches the surprisingly large tives, 193 of these being ordained; and number of 44'7 are self.supporting, and thus a total force of 1826 is found. Of they have a membership of 29,666, 1976 churches there are 377, with 28,494 joining last year. The contributions members; and the additions last year were $48,499. The schools number were 2875. In the schools 27,813 pupils 466, and the scholars 12,250.
are instructed. The native contribu- -The Methodist Episcopal Church tions amount to $49,423. (South) expended last year upon its for.
-This same branch of the Presbyte- eign missions $219,940, which amount rian Church has in West Equatorial Af· was divided as follows: Mexico, $93,- rica what is known as the Gaboon and 676 ; Japan, $48,822 ; China, $46,056; 'Corisco Mission, extending along a and Brazil, $30,936. In these lands it coast line of 250 miles, and at one point sustains 76 missionaries, 26 of them into the interior 210 miles. Within this women, as well as 99 native preachers.
area are contained 7 stations and 15 out· The membership of the mission churches stations, a missionary force of 8 ordained is 4944.
and 4 unordained men, with an equal -The Churchman accounts for the number of women (24 in all), 7 native prominence of the work of the American preachers, and 17 other native helpers; Board in Japan by saying that Congre. 9 churches, 1147 members, 108 additions gational churches, with a membership last year, and 1158 children in Sunday. about equal to that of the Episcopal schools. The 7 day schools are much Church, send annually to foreign mis_ hindered by the civil authorities, who sion fields twice as much money as Epis. compel the exclusive use of French. copalians send to the foreign and do- mestic taken together. -·The American Baptist Mission to the Telugus can no longer properly be termed the Lone Star, but has become -In Utah there are 85 mission schools the bright and morning star among all in 78 different tOWIM!, employing 172 mISSIOns. In it the wonders of grace Christian teachers, and educating 6500 continually abound more and more, It pupils, three fourths of whom are from MOl'mon families, The Young People's $25,000,000, while the regular receipts Society of Christian Endeavor is repre- and expenditures of the l<lst five years sented in Utah by 23 organizations, have averaged not far from $700,000 a representing 750 members, of which 11 year, exclusive of native funds received are in Salt Lake City, containing 350 and expended in the field; 475 churches members. have been organized, into which have been received on confession of faith not – Of the 1,100,000 Lutheran communi- far from 110,000 souls. cants in the United States, about three fourths are Germans. The remainder –The Society for Promoting Female are Scandinavians, English, etc. In no Education in the East was formed in fewer than 12 languages do Lutheran 1852, and combines Zenana schools with pastors preach the Gospel in this coun- medical work. Its income has now try. The total number of ministers is reached $55,000 ; the number of Euro- 3692 ; .:Jhurches, 7948. pean agents is 70 ; the schools are 66 ; in them 4000 receive instruction, and in -There are 92 Chri8tian churches and 3 normal schools 130 more are trained chapels ,in the city of 'Tokio, Japan. The to teach. In 1889 there were 283 infirst one WaS erected only 25 years ago. patients and 18,782 attendances at the hospitals; and 932 were visited at their -This example of growth from a homes in part by 12 female physicians, small and "accidental" beginning made with 180 native workers, of whom a large in 1869 is not so very unsatisfactory. proportion are excellent Christian As far baok as that, in Madura, India, a nurses. city of 60,000, two lines of Zenana work were started-the educational and the British"Poreign Missions. By Rev. James medical-and at the close of 1889 there Johnston, Bolton, England. were found engaged in service at the ditferentstations, 40 Bible women; 1438 China Inland Mission.-In celebratnat,ive women under instruction; 3890 ing recpntly its twenty" fifth anniversary, houses had been visited during the year; the total force of missionaries and IIBSOand 71,929 persons had heard the Gos- ciates in Cbina on January 1st was repel message from these native Christian ported at 409, since augmented by 70 women. Thus we are beginning to real- more work.ers. From the time of the ize the import of that verse in the mission's inauguration, 4500 natives Psalms, .. The Lord gave the Word, and have been baptized and 93 mission stagreat was the company of the women tions opened, Last year the income who published it." amounted to £28,361. The beloved founder and director, the Rev. J. Hud- -During the 81 years that have Hon Taylor, is at present in China, elapsed since its organization, the where, says his deputy, the Rev, J. W. American Board has sent out 651 or- Stevenson, it is computed 900 large dained missionaries, 48 physicians un- cities are yet untouched by the heralds ordained, and 151 other missionary as- of faith. sistants-a total number of 850 men, During the same period it has sent out PrimitiTe Methodist Missionary 1233 women, of whom il91 were unmar- Society.-For its African Fund the ried-a total of men and women of 2083. year's income has been £3313, and the The force now in the field numbers 200 receipts for other branches of foreign men and 333 women distributed over 22 missions £11,099. The nobly conceived mission lields-4 in the Turkish Empire, Zambesi Mission undertaken by the 3 in British India, 4 in China, 2 in Japan, society is thus far crowned by the ar- 3 in Africa, and 4 in papal lands, The rival of the pioneers, who hope to begin receipts into the mission treasury from active operations in October next. donation~ and legacies aggregate about Moravian Missions.-By the rescue tive ordained missionaries, 1202 ; and of 1500 souls from heathenism in the native preachers, 4365. Church·mem.
conrse of the past year, the nnmber of bers are given at 67,797 ; native adher.
converts reaches nearly 90,000. The in. ents, 276,521 ; with 377 Sunday.schools come was £8866 in 1890. There are 135 having 22,881 scholars; also 1643 day stations of the missions in Greenland, schools, attended by 63,873 scholars.
Labrador, among the North American The year's income from the mission Indiang, in the West Indies, America, stations, including school fees, was South Africa, Australia, Northwest In· £22,433. A bright feature in the so- dia. Thibet, and Alaska; the congrega. ciety's record was the intelligence that tions numbering 87,263, of whom 40,000 its agen La preach the Gospel in no less are British subjects; of European and than 1200 Malagasy churches. In con- native missionaries, 355 are employed tn gratulatory language the Rev. R. Ward· the several fields. In 113 Sunday· law Thompson, foreign secretary, spoke schools are some 15,000 scholars, and in of the distinct growth of Christian charac.
the 235 day schools 20,629 children are ter seen in the converts, and likewise of under instruction. Four young Mora· the resolve of the directors to maintain to vian missionaries are on their way to the the uttermost of their power the stations newly established station on Lake occupied. Before the centenary of the Nyassa. society' B foundation in 1894 the directors hope to send out 100 additional mis· The London Missionary Society.- sionaries. In this wish they seem to At the annual meeting of the Ladies' have been anticipated by four promi.
Auxiliary for Foreign Missions the year's nent ministers in the younger ranks of receipt of £7293 was announced-an in- English Congregationalism issuing a crease of 2582 over the preceding year. missionary manifesto, in which th.. con.
The auxiliary has 39 lady agents, 19 of stituents of the society are entreated in whom are in India, 15 in China, 3 in earnest terms to dispatch 100 more Madagascar, and 2 in Samoa. Upward laborers into the harvest field without of 8000 scholars are taught in their 150 waiting for the guaranteed fuuds. This day and boarding schools. with which appeal, exhibiting a spirit of enterpris.
288 native agents, chiefly belonging to ing courage, ought to command prayer- India and China, are connected. The ful thought. To realize it, something entire school attendance in British India like £40,000 of an increase per annum was represented in 1888-89 by 2,901,160 will be necessary, which means thor.
girls snd 5,580,996 boys. A glorious ough.going liberality if the funds of ex· future was predicted for China by Miss isting institutions remain uninjured.
Mann, from Swatow, if the women of A telegram reporting the death of the that land could be won for the Master, Rev. James Gilmour, M.A., at Tientsin, in effecting which, women doctors and the devoted superintendent of the Mon· native Bible women were the principal golian Mission, has caused widespread need. regret. By his charming work " Among The ninety-seventh anniversary of the the Mongols" he was endeared to a large society has been held in Exeter Hall, section of the Christian public.
when it was stated that the year's in- come realized £114.293, an encouraging London Society for Promoting growth on the receipts of the preceding Christianity among the Jews.-It ap- year, though behind the current expendi- pears that the society has 130 agents, of ture by a sum of £14,597-a deficit whom 78 are Christian Israelites. The partly due to the rise in the value of silo stations are 38 in number; 6 being in ver in India, and a decrease in legacies. England,. 18 in Europe, 6 in Asia, and 8 The society's English missionaries num· in Africa. By the society's aid the Jews ber 159 ; female missionaries, 39; nil.· have the Scriptures in their own hand, together with a Hebrew translation of Baptist Missionary Society.-Markthe New Testament. It has circulated ed vigor has characterized the anni- 170,809 complete copies of the Old versary proceedings of this venerable Testament; 415,896 parts of the same, society. in spite of a debt of £10,500, and sold or given away 221,112 copies which stands against it. The honored of the New Testament. In the United secretary, the Rev. A. H. Baynes, is not Kingdom there are about 5000 Christian easily daunted. Lack of means rather Israelites. Last year's income was than of men is the regretted difficulty.
£36,768. The Rev. T. Lewis and R. D. Darby, of the Congo Mission, delivered thrilling British and Foreign Bible Society. addresses, illustrative of the power -No less than 4,000,000 copies of the which the Gospel is exercising over the Scriptures, whole or in part, were cir- tribes along the Upper Congo. United culated last year by the society-an in. preparations are being made for the crease of 130,000 over the year 1889. celebration of the society's centenary, Though the total income was £217,148, next year, which will doubtless bto sig- the expenditure exceeded it by £14,435. nalized by memorable gatherings. The Altogether the society has issued 95 ver· society's treasurer, Mr. W. R. Rickett, sions of the Scriptures and circulated of London, has just contributed £5000 120,000,000 copies in 300 languages. to open the subscriptions toward the On account of the enlarged openings for sum of £100,000 which the Baptists have the distribution of the Bible. a strong pledged themselves to raise. An in- endeavor is being made to improve the come of £7992 was received in 1890 for society's returns. the Ladies' Zenana Society, whose staff is shortly to be enlarged.
Church Missionary Society.-Never has this great organization had more The Wesleyan Missionary Society.
prosperity in all departments of its -In the mission districts occupied by operations than in the course of the past the society, the secretary says that the year, notwithstanding the occurrence joy of harvest is almost overpowered by of some vexed questions of mission- the loud calls for reapers. Reports of ary policy on the Niger and in Palestine. growth come from France, Germany, The Divine blessing reached a climax in and Austria. Ceylon afforded proof of the historic meeting.place in the Strand, aggressive Christianity, taking hold of London, in May last, on the occasion of thousands of the natives. From the Ind- the ninety·second anniversary. Over· ian field rose a note of sadness on ac- flowing audiences assembled. The year's count of limited resources, preventing income was £247,737, and the payments the missionaries grappling with the de- £239,208. Missionary achievements in mands for the message. South Central East and West Africa, Mid-China, South African missions had been much dis- India, the Punjab, and other fields were turbed by the rush to the gold.mining narrated in glowing terms by missiona- regions. Stations on the coaRt of West ries on furlough. As the writer hinted Africa were happily in a flourishing con_ in the June number of the MISSIONARY dition. Progress was announced in the REVIEW, Bishop Tucker is making a hur- Honduras district of Central America ried visit home from Uganda. A pub- lind in the Bahamas. The year's income lic reception has been accorded to him, was £122,072 against an expenditure of in which he graphically stated the obsta- £132,885, making a total debt with that cles in the way of direct progress in of 1889 of £19,377, mainly due to the Uganda, and spoke of the methods about increased cost of sustaining existing sta- to be pursued in extending the Master's tions. In an optimistic vein the chair- kingdom and glory throughout Mwan- man remarked on this discouraging ga's dominions. statement, that he preferred success, in face of a diminished income, to a large- the sixth annual report of this noble ly increased income coupled with barren organization every proof is afforded of missionary labors. The Rev. John Wal- the philanthropic aid, admirable manton, Senior Secretary of the Wesleyan agement, and progressiveness achieved Foreign Missionary Society, has just re- by its founder and controllers. The tired on a supernumerary grant, after a statistics are astonishing. In 1890 upworthy career of ministerial toil, half of ward of 411,691 women were treated by which was spent on distant shores. the lady staff, as compared with 280,694 in 1889. More surprising was the pro- Zenana Bible and Medical Mis- portional increase of in.patients in the sion.-The supporters, chiefly ladies, hospitals, represented by 8159 women, are rejoicing over a year of progress over against 3603 in the previous year. marked by total subscriptions amount- This is an unmistakable sign of the aping to £17,500, the largest sum received preciation in which the fund's endeavors since the formation of the society in are held by the native women. The 1852 : 260 missionaries and assistants medical staff consists of 13 lady doctors, (an increase of 16), 2120 Zenanas under 27 assistant surgeons, and 204 pupils at visitation (an increase of 740), 73 the various medical colleges and hosschools (an increase of 10), and 29 sta- pitals. It is strange to hear of a school tions. Pupils in the schools and Zena- of medicine having been opened for nas numbered 6034, having increased Hindu women to study anatomy and by some 1800. Bible women visited in kindred subjects. The charitable fund 939 villages (an increase of 534), and in in England has not commanded the as- 2789 houses, making 1600 of an addi- sistance which it demands, and, on the tion. There were 2 hospitals and 5 dis- other hand, the liberality of wealthy pensaries, with five lady doctors in at- Hindus requires to 'be cultivated in tendance. The in-patients for the year order to make so worthy an institution had been 326 (an increase of 43) ; out- a national blessing. patients, 6963 (an increase of 1300); and dispensary attendances, 22,056, Mission to Lepers in India.-In an showing an increase of 1274. At Ben. effective, economical, and devoted manares the foundation of a new hospital ner this British Society is extending had been laid (the gift of a lady), and its operations. It has in India over 20 another at Lucknow, as a memorial of centres of activity. It asks but £6 a Lord Kinnaird's mother. Miss Leitch year to support one leper, and £20 for has made an eloquent plea to British the same period to furnish a Christian ladies for more sacri fice, stating that if teacher to any of its asylums. The outthe natives of India are to hear the Gospel side cost of building a home is estimat- 'in the present generation, not less than ed at £:110. It is said that the lepers 5000 additional missionaries are needed, are touchingly susceptible to Gospel inwhich the society sustained by appeal- fluences, lind lately a Burmese mising for £30,000, that its income and work sionary remarked that their conversion might be doubled. The Misses Leitch, was the best means of propagating the recently accepted for service abroad by Gospel throughout India, inaf'mueh as the mission,have doubled their subscrip- the example of the patience under suftion of £200 this year. Of the 140,000,- ferings of the victims to leprosy every- 000 women and girls in India (according where producecl a strong impression. to the last census), only a very few have been reached by the missionaries of the The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts.-Among crOSR. its special features during the past year, besides the splendid income, are the Lady Dufferin's Fund for Medical extensicn of the episcopate by the con- Aid to the Women of India.-From secration of the first Bishop of Chota India has resulted in the adoption of a Nagpur; the actual commencement of minute which recognizes the undoubted -the mission to New Guinea, and the value of educational institutions, in- Bishop of Bloemfontein's enterprising cluding the need of a visible connection operations in the enormous tract of between these and evangelistic labors. country opened up by the British South It further recommended that, in view of Africa Chartered Company. With the evangelical benefits not keeping pace eight bishops there are 660 ordained with those following the departments of missionaries on the society's lists. education, there was a loud call to give These embrace 127 natives, laboring in the former more time and energy than Asia, and 29 in Africa. At the various previously. A limited sum was voted missions were about 2300 lay teachers, for education, beyond which any funds 2600 students in the society's colleges, received were to be apportioned to evanand 38,000 children in the mission gelization. Both vernacular and medi. schools in Africa and Asia. At the cal mission work in India were reOf- 190th anniversary of the society, the ganized and extended in 1890. Bishop of Derry observed, in his sermon in St. Paul's Cathedral, that in British Very gratifying accounts were given India 40 years ago there were 113,000 of the six missionary colleges in India followers of Christ; some 20 years later and South Africa. At Lovedale and 318,000; and now over 2,000,000. At Blythswood, in Africa, the buildings this rate of progress, he surmised there were about to be enlarged. Free Church would be from 36,000,000 to 40,000,000 missions are being commenced in East Christians in India in 2091. Central A1:rica by the inauguration of a New Lovedale in the country, lying be- Anglo-Indian Temperance Associa- tween Mombasa and Victoria Nyanza, tion.-This vigorous agency, helpful in the funds for which are contributed by many phases of Hindu life, is better Scotch directors of the East African known in India than abroM. In the Company. The results of mission work last winter campaign above 100 meet- in 1390 show that 523 adults were bap. ings were addressed, attended by aggre- tized, oi whom 95 were in India, 229 in gate audiences numbering 200,000 per- Caffraria, 184. in Natal, 12 in Li.vingsons. It is rejoicing in the decreed stonia, and 3 in the New Hebrides, and abolition of the out-still system, the 173 admitted on profession. The chilclosing of 10,000 liquor shops in Mad- dren baptized were 731, and the candiras, and their diminution in the Pun- dates for baptism or full communion jab. The evils of the traffic in India numbered 1788. Students and scholars were lamentable and a great hindrance in the 6 colleges and 307 schools were to mission work. Connected with the returned at 22,131 ; of these, 1275 are association are 77 temperance societies, university undergraduates. There were 32 of these being officered by missiona- 26 stations and 198 branches, G895 naries. The young Indian gentlemen tive communicants, 67 ordained misstudying in the English universities are sionaries, of whom 52 were Scottish; 7 reported to be abstainers. licensed native preachers, 11 medical missionaries, 58 European professors The Free Church of Scotland's and teachers, and 439 native teachers; Foreign Missions.-Most encouraging 217 artisan catechists and Bible women, reports were presented to the Assembly making a total Christian agency of 799. in Edinburgh on the position of its mis- Probably the Free Church has no equal sions in Europe, the British colonies, in the number of missionaries which and foreign landlil, to the latter of which she supports or sends forth. The area our present referenco is confined. The and stations over which her flag is unstorm of a year past respecting the al- furled include India, with 7 principal leged failure of educational effort in and 75 branch stations; Kaffraria, with 9 principal -and 63 branch stations; but on this point Captain Lugard speaks Natal, with 3 principal and 24 branch loss hopefully_ He apprehends that the stations; Livingstonia, with the famous intrigues of the Roman Catholics for Bandawe headquarters, to which 23 court favor may provoke disturbances branches are attached; New Hebrides, eventually. For the safe navigation of with chief stations at Aneityum and the great lake, the committee of the Futuna, having 6 branches; Syria, with Church Missionary Society have dis- principal Etation at Shweir and 7 patched a steel boat. It is expected that branches; South Arabia, with the a larger craft will be sent on in a few Sheikh Othman station. In the course months.
of the past ten years the sum raised for A Loss to the Niger Mission.-News mission work outside the United King- to hand of the death of the Rev. J. A. dom has increased from £38,735 to £94,- Robinson, a co-leader with Mr. Grah_am 385 per annum-a bright index of the Wilmot Brooke, of the recently underconsecration of the Free Church to mis- taken mission to the Upper Niger and sionary obligations_ the Soudan, will be received with regret, Baptist Missions in China.-Dr. mote especially following the serious Glover, of Bristol, and the Rev. T. M. troubles in connection with this hazard- Morris, of Ipswich, have returned from ous enterprise. He lent much assisttheir miilsionsl'y tour through China. ance to' the Church Missionary Society They speak in glowing terms of the in their late Niger inquiry. For the character, magnitude, and success of tbo cause of Mohammedan missions in that work of missions in that empire, and part of Africa, Mr_ Robinson gave up a particularly of the flourishing Baptist brilliant career and a large income at centre at Shantung. Their appreciation home. His attainments as a Cambridge of the worth of missions had been graduate were unusually promising. heightened by the visit. Here and there His personality recalled the figure of were failures, which only had compara- that scholarly and saintly missionary, tive significance in face of the promis- the Rev. Marsham Argles, who died a ing outlook of Chinese missions. Dr. few years back in the service of the 0;- Glover urges the importance of occa- ford Mission to Calcutta. Mr. Robin_ sional visitations to the stations abroad son was a man of inexhaustible energy, for mutual encouragement. and yet of such modesty that it-was with difficulty he could be persnaded to ac- The Call to Uganda.-Gratifying cept the post of joint leader of the misresults are attending Bishop Tucker's sion.
flying visit to this country. The 40 Ngamiland.-Now that this large termen required for Uganda and interven- ritory is under British protection, a ing mission stations are forthcoming. fresh opening ill offered to missionary Gifts are as freely being made. With' enterprise. Since Moremi s death, last the aid of the missionaries the native November, the government of the coun- converts of Uganda may become as use- try has been in the hands of Dithapo, the ful in spreading the faith as the possi- chief headman, as a kind of regent, as- bilities of the country are illimitable. sisted by other headmen. His weak- The sacrifice of the lives of Hannington, ness and unpopularity have been detri- Parker, Mackay, Hunt, Dunn, and like mental to the interests of the Towana.
heroes is bringing forth fruit~not im- nation, in consequence of which the probably the story of the Madagascar natives have begun to lean on Mr.
-mission may be repeated on the shores Strombone, of the African and General of Victoria Nyanza. Bishop Tucker Exploring Company. He is an oracle states that the quarrels of the Protes- to the natives, who take no steps of im- tants and Catbolics have ceased to exist; portance without his counsel. Very shortly Techome, a youth of 16, will -There is no marked decline in the come to the throne. In character he is African slave trade, according to current shy and unprepossessing, though cred- blue books. It seems to be diverted ited wibh ability, and may possibly fill rather than reclutJed.
the position in a satisfactory manner. E very missionary tells us that no He is a half-brother to Moremi, being a peril that beset him was half so great Bon of Leshulatebe by Khama's sister. as the chilling influence of surrounding He is not a Christian, but, like Khama, heathendom. We should pray that in a strong teetotaler. For two or three that stifling atmosphere they may be years his reign will be subject to the kept in the fresh air of the influence of guardianship of Ditha{lo and the head- the presence and power and peace of men. The company alluded to, repre- tho Lord Jesus Christ.-Rev. H. G. sented by Messrs. Rtrombone, Hicks, Moule. and Nicolls, has obtained valuable con- cessions, and may not unlikely urge the Rev. Dr. Narayan Sheshadri, tho friends of missions to extend their in- famous East Indian convert and preach- fluence in that <uarter. In the vicinity er, whose turbaned head and imposing of Ngamiiand are the wild tribes of the presence in his native Indian dress Namagua._ Dltmara, Bakwena, and others. attracted so much notice in tho Evan- The company's agent, Mr, H. O. 'Buckle, gelical Alliance, etc., died on the Circas- is due in England. sia on July 21st, atsea, on the passage to Miscellaneous. – The North African Glasgow, and was buried at sea. Tho Mission funds are much below receipts loss of this man will be very keenly of the corresponding period last year.- felt in the missions in India. Dr. She- Grave charges of mismanagement have shadri was a very keen-minded Brahman been mad'e against the directors of the priest, who, when converted, became Baptist Congo Mi8sion.-It is contem- the founder of a community of native plated by the LOllllon Missionary So- Christians, and has done as efficient work ciety to dispense with their district .as any maninHindustan. Hehad such deputation agents. The society is sec- a command of English and. was so highonding a pri vate appeal for a re-enforce- ly educated thab both in his own eountry mento! 100 mi~sionaries.-TheRev. Sil- and in Great Britain and the United vester Whitehead, formerly of 'China, States he was among the most eloquent has been appointed a secretary of the of men.
Wesleyan Missionary Society.-Thrill- It is a highly creditable fact that the ing accounts have arrived of the extraor- contributions of the Methodist Episco- dinary hardships endured by the mis- pal Church for Home and Foreign Mis- sion party of the Primitive Methodists on sions have during the last ten years an- their journey across the Zambesi, and of nually increased about $50,000. This M. Coillard's timely SUllcor of the gallant is separate from the income of the little hand. Work has been initiated at Woman's Board. The increase over the station. Strange to say, this new the corresponding eight months of last missionary campaign is causing a revival year, to July 1st, is $124,000. There is of home missionary work.-Messrq. Har. little doubt but thatthe$1,250,000appor_ ris and White, of the mission to the tioned will be raised this year, and the Central S:Judan, have completed a pre- Woman's Society will add a quarter of liminary missionary trip on foot from a million or more for foreign missions !Tunis to Gabes, a rlistance of 200 miles. to that.
They write of the hospitality accorded Out of Debt- Let us Keep Out.-For to them by the Arabs; who are in great the second time in a quarter of a cenneed of the Gospel and medical skill. tnry-once in 1887 and now again in The two friends are at Tripoli making 1891-unlesB all signs fail, the Missional'rangoments for an early march inland. ary Society will be out of debt on No- vember 1st, 1891.
The Missionary Review of the World — April 1891
A JESUIT MISSION IN INDIA
MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD.
VOL. XIV. No. 4.-Old &ries.–APRIL. –VOL. IV. No. 4.-New Series.
A JESUIT MISSION IN INDIA.
BY REV. EDWARD STORROW, BRIGHTON, ENGLAND.
The Portuguese found their way to India before aLY other European nation, in ] 497. From the beginning they were zealous, after their fashion, in the spread of the Roman Catholic faith, but their zeal, being neutralized by great moral laxity, commercial greed, and political ambition, the" European idolaters," as they were called, made but few and mostly doubtful converts. But it was seen that India presented a' splendid field f~r the propagation of the faith, so Xavier was selected as " the apostle to the Indies. " He went with every human advantage. Ignatius Loyola sent, him forth with the inspiring words, " Go, my brother. Rejoice that you have not here a narrow Pale8tine or a province of Asia in prospect, but innumerable kingdoms; an entire world is reserved for your endeavors.' , The pope conferred on him the authority and dignity of Apostolic Nuncio throughout the East, and commended him to the respect and protection of all princes and governors. The King of Portugal sent him with every demonstration of interest and authOt'ity, and aided him all through his splendid but erratic career with whatever royal zeal and power could command.
Xavier landed at Goa in May, 1542. For three years he was ceaselessly active, passing from one part of Southern India to another; then, in 1545, he left for Malacca, and after visiting several other islands returned to India in January, 1548. Here he remained for fifteen months, busily occupied in the affairs of the college he had founded at Goa, visiting some of his former scenes of labor, and arranging for the prosecution of the mission, and then, in April, 1549, he sailed for Japan.
It is difficult to ascertain with any degree of precision the results of his " wild but splendid" career. Roman Catholic biographers and historians, having now Protestant eyes on them, are guarded in their statements, but in the past, when not so liable to criticism, gave almost as much rein to fancy as a Hindu panegyrist writing a Purana; By them Xavier is credited with all manner of gifts, natural, supernatural, and spiritual, and with an extraoldinary amount of success, his converts being said to amount to 500,000-" all fervent, and desiring nothing more than to become martyrs for their faith;" while, on the other hand, the Abbe Dubois affirms that Xavier left India in disgust, disheartened at the difficulty of making any real converts.
The latter opinion is the true one. He made many Christians, according to the Jesuit theory, though far fewer than is reported, but the vast majority were Christians only in name. Most were infants, baptized craftily and surreptitiously by the agents of Xavier.* A large number of adults submitted to baptism through fear and greed, and almost all the converts baptized had but a formal and most inadequate acquaintance with the doctrines and requirements of Christianity. That Xavier was himself dissatisfied and discouraged at the inadequate results is proved, first, by the fact that after so brief a span of labor he should have abandoned an enterprise 80 extensive, so splendid, and to which he had been specially appointed; and, secondly, on his owno testimony. In a letter to a missionary in Travancore he writes, in December, 1548 : "If you will, in imagination, search through India, you will find that few will reach heaven either of whites 01' blacks, except those who depart this life nnder fourteen years of age, with their baptismal innocence still upon them." In the following month he wrote to Loyola: "The natives, on account of the enormity of their wickedness, are as little as possible fitted to embrace the Christian religion. They so abhor it that they have no patience to listen to us. To ask them to become Christians is like asking them to submit to death. Hence, all our labor is at present to guard those who now are Christians. Hence, since there is not the least need of my labors in these parts, and as I have also learned of Japan, I have determined to start for that country as soon as possible."t In these letters Xavier obviously refers to the Roman Catholic missions generally, his own and those which had been conducted for the previous fifty years, at least, with the concurrence and aid of the Portuguese Government.
But the most condemnatory proofs of the want of success on the part of Xavier and all preceding missionaries, and of the genius of Jesuitism to adopt" ways that are dark and tricks that are vain," are seen in the methods adopted by the Jesuit missionaries in Madura, and persistently prose- * " When these children," says Father de Bourges, "are in danger of death, our practice is to baptize them without asking the permission of their parent_, which would certainly be refused. The catechists and the private Christians are well acquainted with the formula of baptism; and they confer it on these dying children, under the pretence of giving them medicines."-Lettl'es' Edijlantes, tome xiL, po 107.
t" The Missionary Life of Xavier," po 156, by the Rev. Henry Venn. Some Roman Catholic authorities state the number of converts, soon after .the death of Xavier, at 300,000 iu the western portion of India. In the beginning of the eighteenth century the native converts in the Madura district are reckoned by Father Martin to amouut to 150,000, and each missionary is said to have baptized at least 1000 each yearo Bnt the Abbe Dubois, who labored in India from 1790 to 1815, states the number of Roman Catholic Christians in all India, inclnding half·castes and Portnguese, at 635,000. Now, no one will claim that the Roman Catholic native Christians nnmber more than a million and a quarter; or for the whole Roman Catliolic popnlation more than a million and a halfo Where, then, are the boasted resuits of Roman Catholic missions, of which we hear eo often, and whose methods we are advised to follow l" cuted for one hundred and fifty years, which, as an instance of ,religious imposition, has been declared " to be without a paralleL"
The various steps by which this was done were kept secret, as Jesuit methods usually are, but of the fact there i" abundant evidence, as the following account will show.
Early in the seventeenth century, about fifty years after the departure of Xavier, Robert de Nobilibus, a nephew of Cardinal Bellarmine and grandnephew of Pope Marcellus II., and other Jesuit fathers in Madura, perceiving the strong prejudices of the Hindus against Europeans and the Christian religion, devised a plan, as subtle as it was criminal, whereby they hoped to overcome native prejudices by pretending that they were substantially one with the Brahmans themselves, and that Christianity and Brahmanism were essentially one, only that the former, being older and purer than the latter, should be accepted in its place. Studying the native language carefully; attaining a minute acquaintance with the usages and customs of the priesthood; preparing themselves, by a long course of austere training, for the part they were to act, and armed with writings made to resemble certain portions of the Vedas, and declared to be of equal authority, they entered Madura, not as Christian missionaries, but as Brahmans of a superior order, who had come to restore the most ancient form of the native religion. Their success, at first, was not great, but when charged in a large assembly, specially convened, with being an impostor, who sought to deceive the people, in order to introduce a new religion into the country, Malihilus produced his manuscripts, affirmed that the Romaca Brahmans were of much older date than those with whom he was contending, and in the presence of all declared and made oath that he was really descended from the god Brahma. On this, three Brahmans, impressed by his specious evidence and earnestness, advised that they should not persecute a man who declared that he was one of themselves, and gave such evidence of the truth of his assertions. Thus audacity and speciousness gained a certain amount of credence.
To sustain these pretensions spurious documents were produced,* and the fathers adopted names and usages which gave them a close resemblance to Suniassis, men devoted to the most ascetic forms of Hinduism, and greatly reverenced and feared by the more ignorant and superstitious of the people.
As Father Tachard wrote: "The missionaries have resolved to assume the dre!s and manner of living of Brahmanical Suniassis. This was a very difficult undertaking, and nothing less than apostolic zeal and love cOlild have enabled them to sllstain its hardships and austerities. For, besides * The most important of these was a work pnblished in Paris in 1778, nnder the title, .. L'Ezour Vedam, ou Ancien Commeutaire du Vedam, contenant I'exposition des opinions religieuse. et philosophiques des Indiens, Traduit du Sauscritam paiun Brami." An elaborate and scholarly analysis of this remarkable production is given in the fourteenth volume of the" Asiatic Researches" by Francis Ellis, Esq. He declares it to be "an instance of religious lmposition without a parallel." The author is unknown. abstinence from everything that has life-that is to say, flesh, fish, and eggs, the Suniassis must bathe every morning in a public tank in all weathers, and do the same before every meal. ,,* The Father did not think it expe- dient to add that Suniassis, among others t.hings, must wear an orangecolored dress j rub cow's dung on their foreheads and breasts j have a tiger's skin across the shoulders j have a club or staff on which are seven natural knots, and go daily through numerous .ceremonies, and that all these have a close association with heathenism. Thus armed and equipped did these "Brahmans from the north, " these "Roman Suniassis"
(" Lettres Edifiantes," tome x., pp. 15, 46), go forth to teach idolaters how to worship and serve the true God ! All the missionaries did not resort to these methods. They were adopted by a class, certainly with the assent of some others, for the purpose of winning over, if poss?ble, to the Catholic faith the social and intellectual leaders of the Hindus. It was seen that the Brahmans were excessively hard to wiu, and that between them and the lower castes and out-castes marked distinctions existed, but that if the former were gained over the conversion of the latter would be comparatively easy, if not inevitable. But this method involved the recognition of caste and of much beside utterly subversive of Christian doctrine, and even truth and honesty. "The catechist of a low caste," writes Father Maduit, "can never be employed to teach Hindus of a caste more elevated. The Brahmans and the Sudras have great contempt for the Pariahs. . • . We must, therefore, have Pariah catechists and Brahmanical catechists for the Brahmans, which causes us a great deal of difficulty." And then he illustrates the difficulty thus: A catechist came to beg him to baptize some Pariah catechumens and.to confess certain neophytes. But" the fear that the Brahmans and Surlras might come to learn the steps I had taken, and hence look upon me as infamous and unworthy ever after of holding any intercourse with them, hindered me from going." Subsequently he went, and writes: "I made these poor people go to a retired place about three leagues from hence, where I myself joined them in the night, and with the most careful precautiolls, and there I baptized them"!t Not only had the Pariahs separate catechists, but separate churches j nor ~<luld a Christiau Suniassi enter one of their dwellings to administer the 1allt rites of the Church, though he would do this if the dying were removed out of their own d welling-contamina.ted by low caste or no caRte-into the open air, or a proper caste church. The results of such a policy were such as might have been anticipated. As the Roman Brahmans had their poitas, cow * See "Lettres Edifiantes et Curienses," tome x., p. 324. Paris, 1780.
Also" Systema Brahmanican Fra Paolicio Bartolomeo," pp. 47, 56, 57. Romal, 1791. The leading features of Nobilibu8'8 or Nobilis's course are stated by the Jesuit Jouvincy in his history of the order, and in vindication of the policy pursued when it was subsequently called in question, the Secretary to the Congregation de Propaganda Fide wrote in 1676 to Pope InnQC('nt that Nobilis, although he called himself a Brahman, was not guilty of falsehood I t " Lettres Edi1lantes," tome x., pp. lJ43…!.:.5. dung ashes, and strict ritual, their converts, really few in number, ill- instructed and beguiled into Christianity, rather than intellectually ac- cepting it on conviction, retained with but slight modification the superstitious manners, customs, and beliefs of Hinduism, a residuum or virus of heathenism which has kept the Roman Catholic community of Southern India ignorant, poor, weak, uninfluential, up to the present time.
The boasted unity of the Church of Rome has always been more of an Rssumption than II reality, and these proceedings were too scandalous, es- pecially in the eyes of the Dominicans and Capuchins, to be alJowed un- challenged. An appeal was made to Rome, and Pope Paul V. appointed the Archbishop of Goa to investigate the charges. His report confirmed the charges, and condemned the policy of Nobilis and his party: To this the Jesuits replied with their usual speciousness that the rites and practices now challenged and condemned were merely civil .observances, having in them nothing of a religious nature; that they were neither opposed to the faith nor morality, but were absolutely essential to the spread of Christianity in India, and nothing more than prudent and innocent concessions to native distrust, superstition, and ignorance! On these conflicting reports a Papal declaration was issned, in 1623, condemning some of the practices, and counselling great care on all points in dispute, and to avoid scandal and. exposure, it was sent privately to the Jesuits only. The worthy fathers received it in silence and went on doing as before, so th'lt it was not until fifty-seven years afterward that the Capuchins so much as knew of the existence of such a document!
The Jesuits about ,this time were at the zenith of their power, and so for a long time were able to defy their enemies. And so, like other mortals, they abused their power and acted with more audacity and less caution, so that public attention was again called to their proceedings. So numerous and flagrant were their alleged compromises with Hindu rites and practices, that Pope Clement XI. was moved, in 1702, to send out C. T. Maillard de Toumon, a man of high rank and great repute, as Legate, with power to investigate the charges and report. The decree he issued condemned, among otlier things, the marriage of children six or seven years of age; the hanging of the talz about their necks–the usual Hindn symbol used in such cases; the abolition of certain nuptial ceremonies–" for they overflow with the pollutions of heathenism ;" the disuse of the twig of a certain tree which was emblematic of the Hindu Triad-Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva; of the circlets used for averting misfortune; the use of seven vessels filled with growing rice, emblematic of the seven planetary gods. The Christians were condemned for taking a part in idolatrous festivals; bathing at set times, and in tlie manner of the heathen; passing themselves off as Suniassis; using the ashes of cow's dung, with marks on the forehead, chest, and elsewhere, practices common among the" most superstitious Hindus;" and among other things condemned was a feminine ceremonial the decree characterizes as " the festival of immodesty and wanton- ness. ,.
A great outcry was raised against the decree. Father Tachard sent to all the missionaries under his charge a set of inquiries in detail asking if the ceremonies thus condemned were necessary, or could be dispensed with. The answers declared it was necessary to continue the methods in use. And this was affirmed in the following solemn document: "I, John Venaut Bouchet, priest of the Society of Jesus, and Superior of the Carnatic Mission, do testify and swear on my faith as a priest th.at the observance of the rites, as set forth in the preceding answers, is of the greatest necessity to these missions, as well for their preservation as for the conversion of the heathens. Further, it appears to me that the introduction of any otller usage contrary to these would be attended with evident danger to the salvation of the souls of the neophytes. Thus I answer the Reverend Father Superior General, who orders me to send him my opinion as to these rites, and to confirm it by my oath, for assurance and faith of which I here sign my name." Signed, November 3d, 1704, in t.he Mission of the Carnatic, Jean Venaut Bouchet.
" Fathers Peter Manduit, Philip de la Fontaine, Peter de la Lane, and Gilbert Ie Petit took the same oath, and attested it by their signatures; and after like fashion, swore all the Portuguese Jesuits in Madura and Mysore" .<" Memoires Historiques," Luques, 1745, tome iii., pp. 8-10).
Thus the reverend fathers publicly, solemnly, and deliberately make oath that, in these missions, the religion of Christ must necessarily be joined to the idolatry of the heathen, and that the introduction of Christianity alone, and in its purity, would be fatal to the salvation of souls!
This document was carried to the Pope at Rome by Bouchet and Lainez, who did their utmost to have the report of Cardinal de Tournon set aside. In this they were unsuccessful, but with wonderful audacity, on their return to India they affirmed the opposite! Norbert states that on a day when a large congregation of French and native Christians were assembled at Pondicherry, Bouchet "came forward in his sacramental robes, and calling to witness the body and blood of J esns Christ, protested before God that of a truth he had obtained from the lips of the Pope himself that the decree of Cardinal de Tonrnon was in nowise binding, and that the missionaries might permit the practice of ceremonies which the Legate had condemned, because so doing they might the more easily convert the heathen to the faith. ,,* Lainez, now Bishop of St. Thomas, made to the Superior of the Capuchins a similar declaration. These statements were denied by the Pope in a brief addressed to !:.ainez himself, dated September 17, 1712 ; in a letter addressed to the Bishop of Claudiopolis, Cardinal Sacrissanti, Prefect of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, encloses a copy of ,. .. Lettres Edifiantes," tome iii., p. 320. the original acts of the Congregation of the Holy Office. "They will show you," he writes, "that the report you have heardin your co'un- tries announcing the suspension or annulling Of the decrees of the Cardinal de Tournon, Visitor Apostolic of happy memory, is false and without the slightest foundation." * The fathers, though hard pressed, were not yet vanquished. They reo ported that the Pope had been misinformed as to facts on which his de- cision had been founded, and prepared a document which was signed by many of their converts and three eminent Hindu Pundits affirming that the rites in question were all mere civil observances. But the contrary was affirmed by other Brahmans, yet with little effect; for the wily Brother- hood held on their way. Again Clement XI., in 1714 and 1719; Benedict XIII., in 1727, issued briefs, insisting on obedience to the decree of De Tournon, to which no attention was paid. But· a yet more ~x traordinary instance of disregard of moral obligation followed. Pope Clement XII., in 1739, issued a brief insisting on instant and absolute submission. Every Jesuit bishop and missionary in India was required to subscribe on oath to a most binding document, part only of which can here be given: "I, – – , of tha Society of Jesus, . . . obeying the precept of . . . Pope Clement' XII., . . . issued in 1739, enjoining all the missionaries • • . to take an oath that they will faithfully observe the Apostolic determination concerning the Malabar rites, . . . promise that I will obey fully and faithfully, that I will observe it exactly, entirely, absolutely and inviolably, and that I will fulfil. it without any tergiversation; moreover, that I will instruct the Christians committed to my charge according to the tenor of the said brief, . . . and especially the catechumens, before they shall be baptized, and unless they promise that they will observe the said brief . • . that I will not baptize them; further, that I shall take care, with all possible zeal and diligence, that the ceremonies of the heathen be abolished. . . . Thus, touching the Holy Gospels, I promise now and swear.
• • . Signed with mine own hand, –." t This evidently was designed to be a net from whose meshes no fish should escape; nevertheless, though it was signed by every Jesuit father, the Madura Brotherhood went on their way, systematically doing what~ according to the common understanding of mankind, they had taken an oath not to do !
The fathers yet continuing their methods, another Pope, Benedict XIV., issued a brief, so precise that it was difficult for even Jesuit ingenuity to evade it, and to make it public, commanded that it should be read every Sunday in their congregation, and that all converts should be made to promise obedience to its requisitions. Thus for a century and a half was this deliberate and systematic lying and imposture persevered in, and even then was but reluctantly, sullenly, and partially abandoned, not because it * "MemoireB Historiques," par Ie R. P. Norbert, Lucca edition, tome L, pp. 319-61.
t The original of the brief at full length is found in " MemoireB HiBtoriques," tome ii., p. 465,.' was evil and unchristian, but under the extremest pressure. Jesuitism remained true to its principles of concealment, evasion, and double meaning, if an end is to be gained, and submitted, but did not recant.
And the evil wrought remained. As a Roman Ca~holic historian writes: " In order to take away every pretext for tergiversation, Benedict XIV. issued the bull Omnium Sollicitudium, in which he recited all that had passed on the matter, . . . and left nothing undone in order to put an end to the disputes in regard to the Malabar rites. N6,"ertheless, a leaven of discord always remained between the Jesuits and the other missionaries, aud the latter reproached the formerfor not observing the bull honestly."* What have been the issues of this most shameful and systematic deception, this doing of evil that good might come ~ Ignominious failure, since Christianity has been slandered, the success of missions been hin- dered, and native Christian life and character permanently degraded and weakened! The natives discovered that the Roman Suniassis were, after all, only Feringhees, Europeans in disguise. This enraged and disgusted them. It stopped conversions. It aspersed the Christian name, and men of Western race. It lowered the standard of native Christian life and character almost iJ.leradicably. About twenty-five years after the bull of Benedict was issued, Fra Bartolomeo describes the :Madura Christians as "living in the lowest state of degradation and ignorance." The Abbe Dubois, who was a Roman Catholic missionary in Southern India from 1790 to 1815, gives in his remarkable volume of " Letters on the State of Christianity in India," a most humiliating account of the weakness, ignorance, and superstition of the Roman Catholic converts. Hereis one of his statements: "During a period of twenty-five years tbat I have familiarly conversed with them, lived among them as their religious teacher and spiritual guide, I would hardly dare to affirm that I have anywhere met a sincere and undisguised Christian."
Nor has the evil leaven yet been purged away. In the Harvest Field of this year, p. 329, an experienced and intelligent Protestant missionary in Southern India, the Rev. S. V. Thomas, M.A., thus writes: "Their converts are now to be found in certain districts of South India, in Madura, Trichinopoly. Tangore, and other places. These Catholic Christians, as they call themselves, are living monuments to attest the Jesuit policy louder thatl Pascal's letters or European proverbs. They wear marks on their foreheads as their heathen neighbors do, go to Hindu temples on festival occasions, and bow down before the images of pagan gods, while perhaps they inwardly repeat Paters and Aves. Part of their marriage ceremony is performed in the Christian chapel, and the oouple is blessed by the Catholic priest. When this is done they go home, kindle a fire and walk round it, tie the wedding knot in the presence of Agni, and call upon that fire god to witness the solemn contract. Their church is divided into compart- * " A Continuation of the Church History of Bersult Bercsstei," by Comte de Robiano, tome 1., p. 197. ments, so that the high-class Christians may worship the image of Him who was the friend of outcasts, without being contaminated by the touch of the low-caste worshippers. Christians and the descendants of Christians for several generations, they are sunk in such gross ignorance that, like the good lady in the" Monastery," they are often puzzled to know why Eve forgot to ask the advice of St. Peter or St. Paul before eating the forbidden fruit. Three hundred years of Christianity has left them only where it found themthe slaves of Brahman superstition and of Brahman fraud. Their condition is worse than that of the Samaritans described in the Second Book of Kings, ' Who feared the Lord and worshipped their own strange gods.' "
Such is Jesuitism and its fruits. The leading statements in this paper rclative to the Madura Mission are taken from a remarkable article in the second volume of the. Oalcutta Review, called" The Jesuit Missions in India," by the Rev. Dr. Mackey. The following are the Roman Catholic authorities on which it is principally based: 1. "Lettres Edifiantes et curieuses, ecrites des Missions etrangers, par quelques Missionaires de la Compagnie de Jesus." The original consists of 25 volumes, printed in Paris. The first volume was published in 1717, the last in 1741. The letters they contain were written at various times between 1699 and 1740. 2. "Annales de la Propagation de la Foi." The publication of this was commenced at Lyons, in 1823. . 3. "Memoires Historiques presentes (en 1744) au Souverain Pontife, Benoit XIV. Par Ie R. P. Norbert. Besangon, 1747 j et Luques, 1745. Avec la permissiou des superieurs." Norbert went out as a missionary from Rome to Southern India in 1737. He subsequently held the office of " Procureur General en Cour de Rome des Missions aux lndes Orientales." His work is most condemnatory of the proceedings of the Jesuits, not only in India, but China, and gives ample documentary evidence in proof of his statements. Like the Papal Legate, Cardinal de Tournon, of whose mission he gives a full account, he suffered much from the implacable hostility of the Jesuits.
From the Congo Balolo Mission, Lolongo Station, Lulanga River, Upper Congo, F. Theodora McKittrick writes, correcting a statement in the June number of THE MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD regarding the Mission at Lolongo : "Only one lady here has suffered from fever since our arrival fourteen months ago j three of us have enjoyed wonderfully good health. We are living in what appears to be a healthy neighborhood; the combined fevers of all three of us may perhaps have lasted twenty-four hours. "
MI~SIONARY METHODS OFFICIALLY REVIEWED
MISSIONARY METHODS OFFICIALLY REVIEWED.
BY REV. J. T. GRACEY, D.D.
Partially owing to adverse criticisms and partly to increased general intelligence in the Church concerning missionaries and their work in heathen lands, large sections of the Church in Great Britain and some in America, have been led to make a patient and thorough investigation into existing methods of missionary work and their results.
The Wesleyan Missionary Society was precipitated into an investigation of mission economics and mission resnlts in India, by the hasty and extremely indiscreet criticisms of a young missionary, only one year in the country, finding access to the home public through an influential journal, and fostered and fended by its popular and vigorous editor. The result was, the society was obliged to make investigations into the charges against it for allowing extravagant living of its missionaries, and for general expenditure to which results were not commensurate, whether judged of in themselves or by comparison with results achieved by others at less outlay. The ill-feeling and general critical attitude of parties, equally eager to ascertain what was right, but working from wholly divergent points, did not place the society in tile best attitude, to ascertain the calmest judgment, of those whose testimony was essential to a thorongh judicial investigation; but it did result in the severest testing of ,all evidence rendered in the case, and the discarding of everything that did not stand the fiery ordeal of a stiff controversy. We think very good results were obtained, but we cannot discern that anything was elicited under this burning.glass that might not have been better reached by other processes. Be that as it may, this was one of the forms in which answers" were wrought out to clitieism of a dam-· aging nature to missions in general and to those of this society in particular.
The London Missionary Society was favored with a more peaceful method of examining its work and of considering all suggestions that were made commonly public, by the agitation of the missionary critics. They appointed a special committee of investigation on all these subjects of metb(~ds, polio cies, and fields of labor. They secured able men to discuss these questions in formal memoranda. They also invited missionaries of recognized standing of the most prominent and widely separated fields, as China, India, and Madagascar, to lengthened interviews with the ::::pecial Committee.
The Free Church of Scotland sent an able delegation to India to examine all these questions of policy and methods on the field. The Church of Scotland Missionary Society instituted inquiries by correspondence with eminent laymen as well as missionaries, especially concerIling educational methods compared with evangelistic methods of work.
We caunot follow these various investigations in detail. They should convince the Church that missionary societies are careful to keep their whole work on the most approved plans, and are ready to make any advance movement that circumstances and experience demand and justify. We select from the topics specially considered a few, and give the result of the iuquiries, not, however, strictly confining ourselves to these official reports.
CELIBATE MISSIONARIES.
The London Society's committee represents the general concensus of opinion in the matter of sending out unmarried missionaries on the ground of economy and efficiency. The conclusion reached was that the system of celibate missionaries was bad. The results in the case of both native and Roman Catholic missions were unsatisfactory and often worse. China testimony was unqualificdly against celibate missionaries, as presenting insumountable obstacles to the work. In every field it was recognized that the Christian home and Christian family were absolutely necessary for exhibition of Christian life. The committee, therefore, made a minute in accordance with the testimony, and condemned the practice of sending celibate missionaries, exccpt in special cases and for a limited time.
LAY EVANGELISTIC MISSIONARIES.
The general drift of thought among those who have given largest attention to the subject in all fields and all societies is undoubtedly more and more favorable to the employment of If much larger number of Jay missionaries. The openings for their labor are increasing constantly along the avenues of commerce, colonization, and geographical extension; and coincident with this condition is a sort of general movement, which it is judged may be divi~ely originated, among great numbers of young men as well as young women, to engage in some form of work among heathen abroad, as mechanics, teachers, professional persons, engineers, clerks, and other secular offices.
The directors of the London Society have decided to accept offers of service from men who have not passed a course of theological collegiate training, and to send them out for a term of years as lay evangelists; the object being to open the door to foreign service, to men of good education and of proved experience as Christian workers, having missionary enthusiasm. They have to admit, besides, that the theological schools are not at present able to supply the increasing demand for workers. They, however, deem i~ desirable that the study of Christian missions, of the history of philosophy and comparison of religions, should form part of the course of preparatory study for all missionaries, especially for those appointed to India or China. The committee after thorough investigation approved of this action of the directors.
NATIVE AGENCY.
It is often urged that native agents should be relied on to meet the great demand, now unsupplied, for workers. But as yet it is plainly acknowledged that such agency is deficient in quality and quantity, and this, in fact, only points out the necessity as yet but partially cared for, of more institutions for the training of a native ministry, and more trained men to develop them j but as yet these trained men are not forthcoming, and the native ministry is not forthcoming as needed, hence the emergency must be met by accepting others whom God has raised up and thrust on the notice of the societies-laymen eager to be evangelists and teachers abroad.
EDUCATION.
The relation of Christian missions to education, and of educational work to results in conversions, was the gravest question that these societies were called upon to investigate. The Church of Scotland invited one hundred persons to give their opinions on the desirability of maintaining their col- leges in India. Of the eighty-five replies received, sixty-eight were favor- able to their continuance and sixteen unfavorable. Of the seventy Pres- byterians to whom the testimony was submitted, sixty voted favorably to the continuance of the schools. The symposium, composed of the sixty- 'eight opinions received in answer to tho crircular letter of inquiry, is in- structive reading, though mnch of it is quite too general and too long to admit of our making such extracts as would do justice to the authors.
Sir William Muir, formerly Secretary of the Government of India, said: " I have no hesitation whatever in saying that it would be a calamity for . India if missionary schools were withdrawn. Apart from immediate con- version to the faith, their influence on the mind of the people has been of. inestimable value. It was the t!cotch schools and colleges which first called forth the sympathies of Hindus toward Christianity. The country has by them been inoculated with Christian sentiment.
•, I take the Brahmo community as the exponent of this new phase of Indian life. The two sheets enclosed are random specimens of the hold which Christian truths and ideas have gotten of the minds even of those who ostensibly reject them. The Brahmo faith, no doubt, is but a poor travesty of Christianity j but it takes the life and teaching of our Saviour for its real basis, and through it vast numbers have access to the Bible and do study it. The process will go on if our missionary schools are maintained i and they are the only means at present available for leavening the minds of the young."
Sir Richard Temple, Bart., G. C. S. I., argues at length to show that the Educational Commission of 1881-83 felt itself obliged to recommend that the IJducation supported by the Indian Government should be religiously neutral, and though the foremost Hindus of the land deprecated that coarse, circumstances had justified the decision. He says: " If, therefore, the Scottish Missions were to withdraw from educational work in India, the state system of public instruction would be deprived of one of the most important class of institutions which have hitherto tem- pered the exclusively secular teaching of the Government schools. Further, as the native religious leaders have been encouraged to give spiritual in- struction in aided schools of their own, the Indian races would be left to the influence of a constantly increasing propaganda of Hinduism and Islam, while the Christian teaching hitherto given by t1>e Scottish Mission schools and colleges would be curtailed. " In short, just as Hinduism and Mohammedanism are entering more largely into the field of religious instruction in the schoob, Scottish mis- sionaries would be withdrawing from it. So far as regards the welfare of the people of India, therefore, I should deprecate any relaxation of the educlltional efforts of the Missions of the Scottish Church."
Sir Charles E. Bernard, Chief Commissioner of Burmah and Home Secretary of the Indian Government, at the close of .an able paper, says: " In so far as the existing educational system leads men to reject Hindu- ism, it prepares the way for Christianity. But if no effort is made to teach Christianity, and if Ohristian Rchools and colleges were closed, atheism would be unchecked until some extension of Brahmoism or some new sect like the Brahmos arose. If Protestant colleges and schools were abolished or greatly diminished Roman Catholics would probably extend their educa- tional work, and would occupy much of the .ground vacated by Protestant missions. "
Hon. George Edward Knox, formerly Sessions Judge, now Legal-Remem- brancer, Northwest Provinces, say~ : " I feel assured of this fact, that educational missions have, under God's blessing, conferred a boon upon India, and have been permitted by Him to be the means of bringing many souls to Christ. Of the extent of the boon, and of the number of souls, we shall not and cannot hope to have a com- plete record, at any rate until the day when we attain perfect knowledge. I have long entertained a belief that His Word is working secretly to an ex- tent which we cannot perceive, and that the day is not far off when the number of those who are added to the Church will be as unexpected as was the draught of fishes after our Lord's resurrection. May we be prepared to me~t it! The practice of employing heathen teachers should, I say unhesitatingly, be abandoned."
Sir William W. Hunter, an unquestioned authority on all things per- taining to India, as preface to a most interesting paper, says: "With reference to the welfare of the peoples of India, I should regard any withdrawal of the Scottish Missions from the work of education as disastrous. The weak point in our system of Indian public instruction is our inability to give any form of religious teaching in our state schools. We cannot teach Christianity, for the great proportion of the tax-payers are Hindus and Mohammedans. We cannot teach Hinduism or Islam, for we are a Christian Government. The result is an absence of religious teaching of ar:y sort, which the natives of India deeply deplore."
Rev. J. Murdoch, LL. D., of the Christian Vernacular Education Society, says: " It would be a great calamity if the higher education in India fell exclusively into the hands of Government, the Jesuits, and Hindus."
We cannot pursue this repertoire of very thoughtful expression of judgment and of most expert testimonv. It is fair to say, however, that the whole question is not covered in the above extracts.
SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES.
But the troublesome kernel of this whole question still remains. Are these schools giving Christian education and reaching definite results in conversion 1 One of the recognized difficulties is the scarcity of Christians competent to do the teaching, and 1ence the employment of non-Christian teachers. The London Society's Committe(; thus conclude on the whole subject: " Ad things stand at present, such a course of instruction as will pre- pare for University degrees and Government service, necessitates the em- ployment of non-Christian teachers. An adequate supply of Christian teachers is not forthcoming. Difference of language forbids the trans- ference of teachers from one part of India to another. The non-Christian teachers are, of course, confined to secular subjects, and work under the eye and control of the missionary. Still, it is evident that their presence and influence detract from the Christian character of the school ; and may even, in some cases, seriously hinder the work and influence of the mis- sionary. By some devoted friends of missions, in India and at home, this danger is deemed so serious that they are ready to abandon our edu- cational work sooner than tolerate the presence of non-Christian teachers in mission schools. The grave responsibility and inevitable results of fluch a course must be fairly faced. It would mean the reduction of our schools to the level of elementary vernacular schools-the surrender of our hold on the young mind of India, in this crisis of its intellectual and moral history, when the first stirrings of ~ national mind are beginning to be felt, and old faiths are tottering to their fall. It would mean the handing over of the cultured youth' of India, the hope of the future, either to schools from which religion is systematically excluded, where morality has therefore no firm footing, and where there may be Agnostic and Positivist teachers as bitterly hostile to Christianity as the heathen; or clse to Rome and the Jesuits, eagerly watching the opportunity to step in and fill our empty place. "
THE EXPLANATION.
A really much more penetrating view of the whole subject is found in the conclusions reached by the Free Church Delegation. vVe do not know how far this has been made public, nor how far we are at liberty to make public what was committed to us witb the implication that it was official matter, for exclusively official uses. But surely the following most impor- tant general points are of too great value, and quite too general to make our use of them obtrusive or too enterprising. They admit that the Mission Colleges do not now produce the number of converts they once did. In fact, they produce hardly any, and they are not to be looked for. This was not the case in the old days. Dr. Duff and his colleagues had a noble band of converts from the college in Cal- 'cutta. So was it in Bombay and Madras. Why should this have been, and yet not even be anticipated now 1 We wish we could give much space to the reasons so ably assigned. 1. In the earlier days of mission colleges and lligh schools there was no balf-way house between Hinduism and all its abominations, and Christianity. Educated young men had to remain Hin- dus and accept what they came to loathe, or become Christians. There is now no such limitation. Oriental scholars have recovered the earlier Hindu faith, which has fewer disgusting elements, and even some elements of morality. There has, besides, been a decided attempt to read the spirit of Christianity into Hinduism. All this makes new conditions ; the then and now are not alike.
2. There is also the position which the higher schools are obliged to take in the Government system of education. The colleges are affiliated to the universities, and must satisfy Government educational requirements. This results in a pressure on the missionary for an amount of teaching which precludes the quiet personal talks on religious matters, and the private companies gather.ed formerly for instruction in Christian truth. The school is in the toils of competitive work and its secular results are essential to its Government revenue, and the teaching force is, at the minimum to reach this secular standard alone. The preparation former1y wont.to be made for conversion in the class is well-nigh out of the question.
3. In the old days baptisms sometimes suddenly emptied the school for a time, but the support of the 8chool being drawn from the missionary treasury, it was financially unaffected; but now these colleges and high schools are dependent on Government because its grants are conditioned on the fees raised in the school, and Ii stampede from the school means a finan· cial collapse in that portion of mission work; aud neither the local mission nor the home treasury is prepared to meet such emergency.
Professor Miller, in the Contemporary Review, October, 1889, cautions the public what to expect of mission high schools. " Education," he says, " is not fitted to bring men of immature minds, whose characters are only in process of being formed, into the organized Christian Church upon any extensive scale. . . . But it is fitted to plant thoughts and awaken impulses which may make the work of the missionary tell more powerfully.
It is in rare cases more than preparatory." There is no doubt that the general opinion is that educational work absolutely mnst be supported by evangelistic work. But there is still another side to this entire question, which has not been touched in any of the quotations or references we have made. What about the schools, the higher schools, as essential to the existing native Christian community V They cannot be educated in Hindu or Moslem schools, and the Government schools are positively negative or worse in religion. What then V We will let R,lV E. W; Parker, D.D., and Rev. E. H. Badley, D.D., of North India, state this case. This is their utterance about the work in the North India Methodist Mission: " Our evangelistic work is bringing in converts at the rate of 6000 per year, with a rapidly increasing ratio, and our s«hools have had and are haying a very important share in this work. We never could have had this work without our schools, and we dare not continue it without them. If we go forward-and go forward we must-we must educate or we will have a heathen Christian Church. "
But the Free Church Commission boldly puts the question also of the relation of higher education to the higher class of the Indian population. It is, they say, the only way of reaching them. They deliberately assert that, " Unless the Christian Church is prepared to abandon its efforts to get a hearing for Christianity among caste Hindus, unless it is prepared to confine its missionary enterprise to the sixty or eighty II ilIions outside Hinduism proper, this higher education must be included among missionary agencies and given an important place."
The Rev. Archibald Turnbull, B.D., of the Church of Scotland Mission in Darjeeling, with its 1200 converts, remarks that the discipline exercised by the monthly Panchayat (church-court) would seriously decimate the home churches. Our Scottish brethren have a high standard, and apply it strenuously.
Our readers already know that another of the "Soudan Pioneer Band," Mr. Helmick, who received the best medical treatment, has, like others before him, fallen a prey to the African fever. His letters show that even his short career in Africa has left the seed of a blessing in that dark soil. Mr. Brooke was also very sick with typhoid, and had to go away for a rest. We fear that too much blame has needlessly attached to other members of the Soudan Pioneer Company, because they refused medical treatment. One of the principal physicians of New York City has recently stated to the editor that if he were going to explore Africa, he would rather trust to the vigor of his constitution, with care as to his habits, than to risk a greater injury to his system by the daily use of quinine. He says the quinine habit is sometimes as dangerous and enslaving as the opium habit.-EDIToR.] Mr. A. R. Miles, referring to Treasurer Dulles's note in November REVIEW, writes from Bogota, that while the silver law has caused exchange to depreciate, the loss this year will not fall on the Boards-at least not on the Presbyterian Board. The appropriations being made on a gold basis, the loss is borne by the stations in the countries where silver is the monetary basis. The salaries of the missionaries of the Presbyterian Board North are fixed on a gold basis, and do not fluctuate from year to year.
Reginald Radcliffe, Esq., writes from Liverpool urgently appealing for greatly increased prayer in behalf of world-wide missions. He says it is time to " call a halt!" that we may consider whether the greatest need of the mission work to-gay be not that believers unite with each other in believing appeals at the Throne of Grace. We believe Mr. Radcliffe is right, and have often urged this as the grand and imperative demand of our missionary work. The laborers, the money, the energy, the enterprise will all be abundant when we get on our faces in penitence, in faith, in obedience, independence; and when our confidence is only in God. Then every door now shut will open. and every door now open wilL.be entered, and every field be sown with the good seed of the kingdom.
LING CHING TING, THE CONVERTED OPIUM-SMOKER
LING CHING TING, THE CONVERTED OPIUM-SMOKER.
BY REV. S. L. BALDWIN, D.D.
In 1863, as the Rev. S. L. Binkley was preaching one day in the Mission Chapel at Ato, in the southern suburbs of the great city of Foochow, China, a mim about forty years of age, seeing the chapel doors open, strayed in out of curiosity, and took a seat with the congregation. He listened with great attention to the preaching; and, at the close of the service, when all the rest of the audience had gone out, he made his way up to the altar, and said to the missionary, "Did you say that Jesus (I never heard of Him bcfore : 1 don't know who He is); but did you say that He can save me from all my sins ?" "Yes," replied, Mr. Binkley, "that is"just what 1 said." " But, ,. the Chinaman responded, "you didn't know me when you said that; you didn't know that 1 have been a gambler and a sorcerer for many years; you didn't know that I have been a licentious man; you didn't know that I have been an opium-smoker for twenty years, and every " one knows that any man who has smoked opium for that length of time can never be cured of the habit. If you had known all this, you wouldn't have said t.hat Jeflus can save me from all my sins-would you 1" " Yes," r-eplied the missionary, " I would havc said just what I did; and I tell you now that Jesus can save you from all your sins."
The poor, sinful Chinaman was bewildered. It seemed to him impossible of belief. Yet there was a charm about the very idea of a Saviour, who could deliver him from all his sins. He went away in deep thought. The next day he sought Mr. Binldey at his residence, to talk with him about this wonderful Saviour j and day after day for many days he came, examining the proofs of Christianity, and bringing his objection~ to be solved by the missionary. But one day he came to the missionary's study with a radiant countenance, exclaiming as he entered: "I know it! I know it ! I know that J csus can save me from my sins; for He has done it !"
He had a gteat battle to overcome his habit of opium-smoking, but seeking help from his new.found Saviour, he soon conquered, and said, " I don't want to smoke opium any more; I don't want to do any of the evil things I have been doing; but I want to go and tell the people of Hok-chiang that Jesus can save them from their sins." When his friends heard of his purpose, they tried to dissuade him, saying, " Don't go down, there j the people are fighting there all the time j they will soon take your head off, and that will stop your 'Preaching. If you will preach the , foreign doctrine,' stay here at Foochow and preach it where you will be safe." But he replied, "No j I must go to flok-chiang. The people there need the Gospel, and they are my people. I came from there, and I must go and tell them about Jesus. "
There was no time for a college course or for theological training. He went out with the Word of God in his hand, and the experience of his Saviour'8 love in his heart. His lSimple message to the people everywhere was, "Jesus can save you from all your sins; I know it, for He has saved me from mine!" He suffered much persecution-stoned in one place, pelted with mud in another, beaten in another, he pressed on with ill.domitable energy, proclaiming everywhere his simple message of salvation. Many listened to his earnest words anrl became followers of Christ.
After a time he was caught by his enemies in the city of Hok-chiang, and brought before the district magistrate, with false charges against him, and false witn~sses to testify to them j and the too-willing heathen magistrate sentenced him to be beaten with two thousand stripes. This cruel sentence was executed with the bamboo upon the bare back of the victim. I well remember the day when he was brought to our Mission premises, apparently almost dead. I well remember the sorrowful countenance of our good Scotch physician, as he came out of the room, after examining his patient, and said, " I don't think we can save him. I never saw such terrible injuries from beating. The flesh on his back is like quivering jeUy. But we will do our best to save him." I remember how I thought over some of the comforting words of Jesus, as I made my way toward the room, that I might try to comfort my brother in his great distress; and I remember, too, the smile with which he greeted me, and how he, speaking first, before I had a chance to say anything, said: "Teacher, this poor body is in great pain just now; but my inside heart has great peace. Jesus is with me ; and I think perhaps He will take m!> to heaven, and I will be glad to go. " And then I could see the old fire flashing again in his eyes, as with effort he raised himself a little from his bed, and said, " But if I get up from this, you'll let me go back to Hok-chiang, won't you ~"
He was in a precarious condition for some time, but soon began to mend; and before the missionaries thought he ought to leave the premises, he was off again to Hok-chiang, preaching to the very men who had persecuted him, and with such effect that some of them were converted, and became members of our church in that city.
He continued to preach with much energy and success for a period of fourteen years. He was ordained by Bishop Kingsley, in 1869. Soon after he was appointed to Teng-tiong in 1876, finding himself very ill, he went to his native island of Lam-yit, hoping to improve in the sea breezes, and under the care of physicians there. But when, after some weeks, they told him that his case was hopeless, and that he could not live many weeks, hc said: "Then I must go back to my station. I only came here in hope of getting well, so as to do Jonger service; but if I cannot, then I want to go where my work is, and die at my post. " So, in his feebleness, he made his way back to Teng-tiong ; and when he could no longer stand to preach, he sat down, gathered the Christians close around him, and talked to them of the love of Jesus, and His power to save from sin.
On Saturday – evening, May 19th, 1877, he sang two verses of the " Saturday Evening Hymn," beginning, " To.night all worldly things we clear away; To.morrow, keep holy the Sabbath day."
Finding himself unable in his weakness to sing more, he slowly repeated the last lines : " Resting on Jesus, my heart has no fear ; I shall reach heaven, my evidence is clear."
Casting a look of tender affection upon his family and the Christian brethren who were present, he gave them his parting blessing, and in a few moments, peacefully breathed his life away, leaving hundreds of converts to Christ, and among them a score of native preachers, brought into the Church through his labors.
Mr. Binkley was obliged to return to the United States, by the illness of his wife, before he had been two years in China. I remember how the tears flowed down his face, as I stood with him on the deck of the steamer which was to bear him away, and he said, " I can't bear to go home, when I haven't yet been able to do anything for Jesus here." But in leading this one man to Christ, our dear brother was honored of God in doing a work which will go on in increasing power while the world lasts.
Our last reports show over seven hundred members, over five hundred probationers, and over fifteen hundred adherents in the Hok-chiang district. Does it not pay to preach the Gospel to the Chinese ~ [The above article has already been published in tract form j it has; however, awakened such deep interest that the editor has asked permission of- Dr. Bald win to reprint it in the pages of this REVIEW. Among all the narratives of the mighty power of God in the conversion of a human soul, we believe that not even the Acts I of the Apostles give a more convincing example. We commend the reading of this tract to those who have charge of missionary meetings and monthly concerts. It is of itself a sufficient vindication of missions. -EDITOR.] Word comes from Figueras, Spain, of thi opening of the new hall and schools, in October last. Over 1000 persons were present, and most decorons was the assembly. Copies of the New Testament and religions tracts were distributed as the crowd dispersed. About $3000 are needed to pay for the new accommodations. The Town Council of Figueras has actually granted £5 sterling to the Protestant hospital or dispensary in acknowledgment of charity exteuded to patients, and there was only one dissenting vote! Here is an act unparalleled in th~ religious history of Spain. The work seems reaching all classes of people. Children from high Catholics are being transferred from the convents to these Protestant schools. We regard this work of Signor Rodriguez as very remarkable and promising.
WHY MISSIONS ARE SO ,MODERN
WHY MISSIONS ARE SO MODERN.
BY REV. DELAVAN L. LEONARD, D.D.
How happened it that the work of evangelizing the world, after centuries of such vigorous prosecution, attended with such marvellous success, was afterward well nigh suspended, and for well nigh fifteen hundred years? This most serious question we answer correctly Dy alleging that Europe became semi-barbarized and half-heathen, that the Church became secularized and religion formal, that Gospel faith, and love, and zeal went into long and almost total eclipse.
But this only leads to another question equally pertinent, and corriing much nearer home: Why, when through the Reformation ensued an astonishing spiritual quickening, a widespread revival of New Testament fervor and force, was not the sublime task at once resumed and pushed as at the beginning? Or, how happened it that for nearly three hundred years longer next to nothing was even attempted, so that the nineteenth century ·of grace was well on its way before the ears of the Christian Church began to be opened to hear the agonizing wail of a dying world? To this latter question let us seek a reply more at length; and also together with it, to the further and pleasanter query, How came it about at length that His disciples began to reperuse their Lord's Great Commission, and, though slowly, began to obey his last command? It is my purpose to set briefly forth some of the principal and more patent causes which hindered the beginning of modern missions and postponed them to a day so painfully and so culpably late, and also other conspiring forces which in the fulness of time made a beginning easily possible, and communicated the heavenly impulse, and then carried the majestic movement onward from strength to strength, from grace to glory.
And, first of all, be it remembered that in God's strange providence Protestantism was compelled at once to engage in a most terrible life-anddeath struggle with Rome, one whose fury did not in the least abate for five or six generations, and which has continued to the present time. The new doctrine must establish a right to existence, must conquer standing ground for itself, define and then enlarge to the utmost its bounds in Christian countries. So that as yet there was neither much time nor energy left to expend upon the vast and even far more benighted regions beyond. In Babylon, out of which they in horror had lately fied, the reformers found a foe ever present. wily, unscrupulous, and most determined to crush them, and commonly with the ruthless civil power in close league and co-operation. The horrid enginery of the Inquisition was steadily at work, and the Jesuits were. plotting destruction night and day. All Germany was in perpetual chaos, social, political, and religious. Recall the unspeakable desolations attending the almost constant "religious" wars of those dark days; the hapless and most tragic lot of the W alUenses and Albigenses; how the Huguenots found no rest from persecution, and finally were slaughtered by the wholesale, imprisoned, impoverished, and driven from France. For the better part of a century little Holland bent the utmost of her almost miraculous energies to save herself from utter destruction by the diabolical schemes of Philip II. and his Duke of Alva. And as for England, in the persons first of the Lollards and later of the Puritans, those who would have none of Rome suffered manifold afflictions from Henry VIII., Bloody Mary, Elizabeth, and the four Stu'arts, for a hundred and fifty continuous years in all j nor was the fearful stress finally over until happy 1688. Therefore, it is not at all to be counted strange that the dreary and bloody sixteenth and seventeenth centuries witnessed no evangelistic crusades to speak of aimed at remote Africa, Asia, America, and the islands of the sea.
But besides the theological and ecclesiastical strifes which began from the Reformation, esteemed one and all by the frenzied combatants " wars of the Lord," were almost as bitter, as exhausting, and even more interminable thau the clash of arms. And, indeed, the task was tremendous, full of difficulty, demanding the .utmost of wisdom and skill, to separate Bible truth from Romish error, with which for more than a millennium it had become worse and worse intermingled. The trouble extended to all matters of both belief and practice. The reformers of necessity resorted to the Scriptures anew and investigated for themselves. The human mind and conscience now jllilt set free from age-long and galling tyranny, of course were altogether unused to untrammelled exercise, and so not strangely they ran riot sometimes, and went to the other extreme of license, lawlessness, anarchy. Sects sprang up by the score, all manner of hobbies got upon their feet and performed their antics before high heaven. While some would bring the least change possible to religious beliefs and customs, others would reject to the utmost, and thus be as unlike as possible to the harlot of the Reven Hills! But the most temperate and conservative were compelled to fashion fresh creeds and church forms. And, should ecclesiastical rule be monarchic or aristocratic, as aforetime, or democratic rather ~ And the confession, should it be of the Augsburg pattern, or of the Helvetic, or the Gallic, or the Belgic ~ Which was verily nearest to God's Word, the Heidelberg, the Westminster, the Thirty-nine Articles, or the Savoy 1 The spirit of war filled the air, fighting was the chief business in all realms, and hence Luther was hot against Zwingli, and both against Calvin, and all three could by no means in the least tolerate the heresies of Servetus, Arminius, and the rest. In England for long it was not only Protestant always against Catholic, but also war to the knife between the Established Church and Presbyterians, and Puritans, and Independent~ and Baptists, and Quakers, etc. Nor, indeed, in the nature of things, could it be any light matter, a short and simple process, to escape altogether from the intellectual and moral night of the Dark Ages, to return fully to the , truth as it is in Jesus, or for Protestantism to come thoroughly to itself, to a knowledge of its sublime mission, and as well to fashion the needed instrumentalities for its accomplishment.
A further difficulty as good as insuperable was found in the fact that everywhertl Church and State, the spiritual therefore and the material, were closely united, and so long had the relation existed that now it seemed to most to be not only eminently proper, but also necessary. This was another portiQn of the evil inheritance received from Rome; but as a result religion had come to be largely a political affair, to be managed in cabinets by kings and statesmen and generals, by them to be fostered and guided, to be defended by the secular arm. Force was in common use to punish opinions and convictions which by theologians, or philosophers, or politicians were adjudged pestilential. And such a wretched caricature of the teachings and example of Christ as resulted was not at all fit to be carried to the ends of the earth. Better wait for generations until this unnatural and unchristian alliance is ended, and a sharp distinction is made between the things of Cresar and the things of God.
And then, in addition, as yet nothing of importance in any realm of activity was undertaken and prosecuted by the individual of his own motion, from an impulse abounding~ within, but every movement was by prescription, authority of pope or king, and under the lead of orders, and companies, and guilds. The day of voluntary associations was not yet, and far in the future. The benighted people were nobodies, but cattle to be driven or clay to be moulded, instruments to be played upon by the few enjoying the divine right to originate, and shape, and manage. As we shall see, what little was done to carry the Gospel abroad was devised wholly and engineered in every case by royalty and privileged corporations. As far lUI possible all this from the glorious days of the apostles and of their successors, when missionary effort was mainly individual, when the entire body of Christ was instinct and overflowing with celestial aggressive force. No world-wide progress could be made uutil such ignoble and enfeebling bonds were in some way broken, and if need be through violent civil .and ecclesiastical overturning, and the rude shock of war. The English revolution, with the sublime outburst of the Puritan spirit, must precede, and the American, yes, and also the French, with the terrible throes and destructions included 'of the Napoleonic campaigns, to end a great host of old abuses, to teach p·riests and nobles an unpalatable lesson in humility and modesty, to exalt the rights and privileges of the many. Above all, the religious world was waiting for the rise of a great people beyond the sea, untrammelled by tradition, God-fearing, intelligent, each one trained to think and act for himself, with democracy in the State reacting upon the Church, a people loving liberty of thought and conviction better than life. Then, at fellgth, the Gospel, free as at the first, left to itself to do its appointed work under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost and the guidance of the Word, an<l with reliance only upon spiritual forces, couId enlarge itself indefinitely on every side, and spread around the whole earth.
• There was yet another obstacle to the origin and growth of mIssiOns, well nigh prohibitory, and resident in the fact that for nearly a hundred years after the rise of the Reformation Protestant peoples possessed no point of contact with the heathen world. Hence the existence of any widely extended and deplorable moral darkness was a mere matter of hear- say and untested theory. All navigation to distant paris of the world, all commerce, all colonization were exclusively in the handt! of such z!lalous servitors of Rome as Portugal and Spain. Because Catholics saw with their own eyes they also felt, and sent out missionaries in abundance. It •was not until after the destruction of the Spanish Armada and the rapid decline of those powers behind the Pyrenees that Prot~stant England, Holland, and Denmark stepped forward to the first rank as rulers of the ocean. But a few years more elapsed before colonies were planted at Jamestown, at Plymouth, and on Manhattan Island, while factories were opened in South Africa, Asia, and the Indies, both East and West. And when thus finally the supreme naval and commercial hegemony passed into Protestant hands, it was the Lord's sure token that the pure Gospel was about to fly abroad.
Then, in due season, followed yet other and even more astounding victories for the rising faith of Luther, and these chiefly through British valor and aggressive enterprise. It was nothing less than one of the greatest epochs in human history, especially in relation to the career of all English-speaking people, and the publishing of the message of salvation to all mankind, when almost in the same year Clive conquered at Plassey and Wolfe at Quebec, and thus 200,000,000 Hindus were brought into closest intercourse with English Christians, and the French were driven from this continent to make room for the speedy rise of a " Greater Britain," which should fairly rival the mother country as an ardent evangelizer, and continually provoke her to Gospel good works.
One more step of a similar character remained to be taken, nor was it long delayed. Since the generation which followed Columbus. and Magellan, and the Cabots there had been a litrange and long-continued apathy with regard to carrying forward to completion the discovery of unknown regions. Little progress was made in that direction save by a few like Barentz, and Tasman, and Behring, until Captain Cook's three famous voyages (1769-79). In· particular he turned the attention of the civilized world to such continental land spaces as Australia and New Zealand and New Guinea, and brought to light in the vast and hitherto untraversed expanse of the Pacilic, the South Seas of a century since, islands innumerable, such as the Society, the Friendly, an<f the Sandwich groups. We can little understand. the great stir that was made, the boun·dless en- thusiasm that was kindled by his achievements. The deeds of our Living- stone and Stanley were received coldly by comparison; and the impulse . directly given to the cause of missions was immediate and very great. Two facts in evidence of this must suffice. It was the reading of Cook's narrative that first set Carey's soul on fire with holy zeal, and his original purpose was to proclaim Christ to the heathen in Tahiti. And, moreover, the London Missionary Society, at whose organization such a remarkable wave of religious zeal arose and spread all over Britain, was formed expressly to carry the cross to the South Seas, and in Tahiti its earliest representatives first touched land and opened their work.
A final step remainp,d in preparing the way for successful attempts to turn the heathen from their idols to worflhip the living God. A mighty and widespread outpouring of the Spirit of the Most High had long been the chief desideratum. From various causes in conjunction during the.' latter part of the seventeenth and extending far into the eighteenth, a sad and dark eclipse of faith had befallen the reformed churches throughout both Europe and America, a serious decline of vital piety, a lapse into frigid formalism and rank rationalism. The only zeal left was for an orthodoxy which was stone dead. After the Restoration in England had ensued a woful reaction, a descent into infidelity and immorality. "Never has there been a century in England so void of faith as that which began with Queen Anne and ended with George II., when the Puritans were buried and the Methodists wp,re not born." In 1732, when the Moravian Church came into being, cheering evidence began to appear that the Lord's grace and mercy were not clean gone forever from his apostate people. And a little later began to descend those refreshing showers of divine blessing through the fervid and tireless labors of the "'IVesleys, Whitp,field, and our own Edwards, whereby were supplied to hundreds and thousands a spirit truly apostolic, a zeal fiery and vehement, a faith hardy and venturesome, . like that which inspired the church in the pentecostal age. Without this almost unparalleled anointing from on high modern missions could never have begun to be, but now it was possible for the kingdoms of this world to become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.
Closely akin to what has just been mentioned, and in great part as a result of the operation of the same spiritual forces, the heart of Christendom began to be strangely touched, and melted, and filled with compassion for the millions who were perishing-that is, the spirit of humanity, of philanthropy, of the Good Samaritan, which is inherent in the 'Gospel, was everywhere active in the early days, but had long since been almost quenched, was wondrously revived. Even Christian souls were in an unfeeling, an inhuman frame, reflecting thus the old pagan and barbarous times. Sorrow and woe found slight sympathy. When the general case was so forlorn little heed was given to the misery of others, especially if .of a different nation, out of sight, !It a distance. But a marked change in this regard was at the door. Howard had started upon his painful journeys to mitigate the grievous wrongs inflictcd upon prisoners; the voice of Wilberforce was lifted up in denunciation of the sin of African slavery, and Raikcs had opened his first ragged school. And all this was but the feeble beginning of an era of reforms which constitute one of the most striking characteristics of the passing century, as well as one of its best claims to be remembered with gratitude in centuries to come. And of this pity and compassion the heathen world presently began to receive at least a portion of its share. '
This brief glance at the Protestant Christian world, extending from near the beginning of the sixteenth century to near the end of the eighteenth, is sufficient abundantly to show that the long failure of the Lord's host to go up and possess the earth for Christ, though in no inconsiderable degree their sin and shame, and because of their indifference and unbelief, was also in yet greater part their misfortune, the result of their evil environments, for which they were not responsible, and which they were compelled to endure. Moreover, those tempestuous years were not by any means wholly wasted, but, on the contrary, were an all-important and indispensable period of extensive seed-sowing in preparation for the magnificent missionary harvest to follow. At length the time was fully ripe. Rome was now so badly battered that no longer need any live in mortal fear lest either by guile or by open assault she should recapture lost territory, and therefore Protestant Christianity could well afford to face some other way than toward the Tiber. Freedom, both ecclesiastical and civil, had extensively become the inheritance of the masses, and to them the printing press and the public school were fast bringing intelligence. There were no more lands to be discovered, and the steamship and the rail car were soon to make easily accessible the very ends of the earth. And, finally, in the nick of time a few, at least, in loving obedience to the command of their risen and ascended Lord, were ready to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.
The news from the Micronesian missionaries, received January 6th, by way of Japan, Was brought there by the steamship Alliance, Commander H. C. Taylor. It is briefly summarized as follows: The shelling of Ouas Ponape and the burning of the mission premises by the Spaniards took place September 20th. The missionaries, Mr. Rand, Misi Fletcher, and'Miss Palmer, were then at Kiti, on the other side of the island. On October 16th, the United States man-of-war Alliance arrived at Kiti, and after some effort, Commander Taylor was permitted to take Mr. Rand, the ladies, and seventeen girls from their school to Kuraie. There are now, therefore, no American missionaries on Ponape. It was useless for them to remain, for the governor had strictly forbidden the holding of any meetings or the opening of schools. It is a sad day for Ponape ; and it is neither to the honor nor to the advantage of Spain, as it breaks stipulations with the United States.-Missionary Herald.
England, Germany, Italy, and Portugal have signed an agreement for the reCiprocal protection of missionaries of these four nationalities who settle in Africa, in regions accorded to their respective States by the recent treaties. For liberty to exercise their ministry the missionaries must have a passport from the government to which they belong. -Missionary Herald.
THE LONDON PAPERS AND INDIA'S WOMEN
THE LONDON PAPERS AND INDIA'S WOMEN.
BY MRS. J. T. GRACEY.
An impression prevails that many of the stories concerning the evils of child-marriage and enforced widowhood in India are somewhat exaggerated.
Upon opening a recent India paper, I read the following: "In one of the largest cities of Southern India a marriage was recently arranged between a young man of twenty-three years, suffering from white leprosy all over his body, and a bright young girl of only twelve. The girl was bargained for, and rupees five hundred were paid down in hard cash. She of course knew nothing of the arrangements made until told by her father, ~hen she quietly submitted to her fate with a resignation characteristic of a Hindu maid."
Turning over the page, another item fell under my notice : "On Sat- urday last a young girl-wife, aged eight years, was admitted into the hos- pital suffering from burns all over her body, caused by her husband having branded her with a hot iron because she was absent from the house rather longer than usual." Still another: "A marriage has been celebrated within the week in which the bridegroom (name given) is aged 35 years, to an infant nine months old!" A marriage was recently performed be- tween a Brahman and fourteen girls belonging to one family. The corre- spondent of a native paper says : " We learned that fourteen Misses Ban- nerji were to be given away; I went to the spot out of curiosity. I saw the bridegroom older than a grandfather, seated on a painted wooden scat, and fourteen girls, varying in age from three to twenty-six years, seated about him in the form of a crescent. The ladies were veiled, and faces east down, as if they were cursing their parents for shambling them in this fashion." This was not done a century ago. It was done in the latter half of this year of grace, 1890.
Instance after instance could be given, but these facts, a few of many occurring within the last few months of ] 890, will surely prove that the statements have not been exaggerated. Then another item attracts our attention: "The number of persons who died by violence or accident in the Bengal Province alone this past year was between thirty and forty thousand; more than ten per cent of these deaths were from suicide, and the greater number of suicides were among women. " Poor women, with life so intolerable it cannot be borne ! .
For several years past the London Times has most ably discussed these evils in its columns. At one time a series of articles appeared gi.ving most startling facts in regard to existing customs, and demanding a reform in the interests of humanity, and when it became known that these articles were written by a Hindu woman, who knew from bitter experience whereof she wrote, a most profound 8ensation was created.
In a recent issue of the paper a very able editorial appeared, headed, " The Fundamental Problem," in which it explains the origin of the social condition of caste women in India, and deals with the general subject of legisla- tion. This is followed by a letter from a Mr. Malabari of Bombay, an Indian reformer and a Parsee, who has for many years been indefatigable in his efforts in India to stir up the natives to' the physical, social, and moral evils of these customs. He has been recently in England, nsing vig- orously both pen and voice in the hope of arousing public opinion, where legislation onght to begin. He sayR: "The system of infant marriages in India has spread under the regis of British-made laws." He has writ- ten a pamphlet entitled, "An Appeal from the Daughters of India." He urges English women to use their influence, and the Government its authority, to help banish these terrible evils.
Rukhmabai, the young and accomplished Hindu lady, whose sentence of six months' imprisonment for refu'sing to marry the husband to whom she had been betrothed in infancy, awakened such sympathy a few years ago, comes out in a very excellent article on the subject ia the September num- ber of the New Review.
And now Punch takes up the subject, having for its text the following extracts from the T!mes editorial : " It is our national boast that odious and cruel institutions cannot long breathe the atmosphere in which the Queen rules. But in India we have long connived at cruelties-cruelties none the less odious because practised in the name of religion, and upon victims that mutely acquiesce in their fate-which need only to be understood to excite profound repugnance and compassion. The time has arrived for the rulers of India to ask them- selves whether they can any longer throw the shield of British law over the tortures perpetrated upon the Hindu child-wife and the Hindu child-widow."
Again: " Before the' silent millions' who make up the rank and file of Hindus, discard the cruelties of their marriage system, their opinions, preju- dices, and habit of thought must change. Nothing is more certain than that they will change slowly j but we hold to the belief that judicious leg- islation will hasten the process more powerfully than anything else."
A full-page cartoon is given to the subject under a legend, " The Shield and the Shadow": "At the feet and clasping the skirts of the armed Island Queen-the Shield, kneels in agony the child-wife or child-widow, behind whom, closely pursuing, is a dark menacing shadow, ' Caste,' " and in a dozen or more ringing stanzas Punch states some very plain truths, and closes with these lines: – " Poor child ! the dark shadow that closely pursues her Means menacing Terror, she sues for a shield, And how shall the strong lEgis-bearer refuse her? '.rhe bondage of caste to calm justice must yield.
" We dare not be deaf to the voice of the pleader For freedom and purity, nature and right, Let Wisdom, high-throned as controller and leader, Meet cruelty's steel with the shield of calm might!"
WOMAN'S WORK
Docs anything practical come out of this agitation? Yes, but it comes ·slowly. In England !J, very influential' committee has been formed including the names of three ex-viceroys of India, as well as several ex-governors and lieutenant-governors, who are familiar with the facts, and such a committee will have influence.
Then the Christian women of England are being stirred as never before, and as a result, a society has been formed called" The Indian Widows' Union." It is an organization of the Christian women of England for the purposeof improving the condition of Hindu and Mohammedan widows in India. The members are" widows only," but any Christian woman may become an " associate member." They pledge themselves to prayer that God will break the yoke and set the captive free. They raise money to be expended in training widows to useful industries, and they gather and diffuse information with regard to the condition of the widows. At the head of this institution is the Dowager Lady Dynevor, and a depot for the work done by the widows has beep. established at West Kensington.
The agitation in India by the native press, and by liberal and advanced natives on the platform, and this agitation in England should, and surely must lead the Government soon to act j but the evil lies too deep for the Government to remove. Nothing but the teachings of the Gospel of Christ will reach the root of the evil, or cure the disease.
WOMAN'S WORK.
The Woman's Board of Missions of Boston (Congregational) held its twenty-third annual meeting in Hartford, January 13th-15th.
Over two hundred delegates represented its constituency in New England, New York, and Pennsylvania.
At the delegates' special meeting on Tuesday, the subject of first importance was the pressing, imperative need of money. This was ably emphasized in a paper on "Aggressive Work" at home, presented by Miss A. B. Child, Home Secretary.
It marshalled such an array of startling facts that it ought to take every woman's auxiliary by storm, and make "aggressive work" for the treasury of each a success, so that the advan,ce called for this year, $25,000, may be secured without fail. This leaflet, "Aggressive Work," is already in print for circulation.
This Board is invited to meet in Brooklyn, N. Y., III 1892.
One result of General Booth's scheme will be found, we hope, in renewed attention to the rescue work done by the clergy. Looking into an appeal sent out by the Rev. J. H. Scott, rector of Spital fields, we find that in this one parish "during the past year 230 cases [women and girls] have been dealt with, llO of whom were below the age of twenty years j 104 hav~ been sent to rescue homes, 13 returned to their parents, 21 sent to hospitals, 11 to service, and the remainder dealt with in a variety of ways." This is, of course, b,ut one side of the work carried on from year to year in such parishes fiS Spitalfields and WhitechapeI.
THE LIGHT IN DARKEST ENGLAND
THE LIGHT IN DARKEST ENGLAND.
BY FRANCIS EDWARD SMILEY, EVANGELIST.
The.!' Bitter Cry of Outcast London," ., In Darkest England," and other startling announcements of the social and spiritual destitution of our cousins across the sea have conveyed to those, unfamiliar with the numerous agencies struggling to deliver the" submerged tenth," the erroneous im- pression that the misery has resulted from the Laodicean apathy of the churches themselves. We hear so much about the lapsed classes and so little of the saved masses, that the pessimistic world regards England, and especially London, as synonymous with heathendom. So many clouds and so few sunbeams, so much darkness and so little light have furnished 'th~ material for the sketches of rhetorical writers, that one is not s~rprised to hear the question seriously asked, Has the Kingdom of Light in Chris· tian England been overshadowed and blotted out by the Kingdom of Dark~ ness ~ While it is our duty to penetrate the darkn~ss, we can do so more safely and speedily even with tapers to encourage us. Let us hold up a few lights, then, that light even "darkest England" for the encouragement of those at home and abroad who seek to penetrate the darkness and bring the perishing out from the regions of the shadow of death into the light and liberty of a Christian life.
In the city of London, where are to be fomid the darkest spots in darkest England, the herculean efforts of the churches to rescue the perishing are as astounding as the gigantic evils to be grappled with. There are literally hundreds of organizations employing thousands of missionaries, colporteurs, Bible women, nurses, Scripture readers, deaconesses, and teachers, who are striving night and day, on the streets and in the tenements, to raise from the mire the souls and bodies of the "submerged tenth." In no city in the world is there exhibited a more aggressive Christianity, or are more evangelistic agencies effectively organized, or more money spent for philanthropic purposes, than in so-called " heathen London."
If the malignant forces that seek to destroy the moral life of the world's metropolis are legion, so also are the benign influences that oppose with irrepressible energy every evil tendency that manifests itself. If the devil is active, so also is the church or the true diRciples in it.
Among the numerous agencies that hasten to answer the" bitter cry" is the London City Mission. "Lux in tenebris" should be its motto. This single society sends out daily five hundred agents, who occupy as many districts in the poorest neighborhoods of the city. Three hundred halls have been provided in these parishes, wherein the missionary gathers his motley congregation for religious services. The missionary is practically the pastor of the outcasts. He lives among them, is their counsellor and friend. The London Female Preventive and Reform Institute, with its mission- aries, matrons, and seven homes adapted for the classification of all ages and conditions of unfortunates, may be taken as an example of the twenty- five societies engaged in similar work. The girls are induced to forsake the streets for a comfortable home, where Christian influences, motherly sympathy, food, shelter, and employment are furnished as stepping-stones to a virtuous life.
The St. Giles' Christian Mission for men and the Elizabeth Fry Refuge for women are prominent among the numerous agencies laboring among discharged prisoners. Their agents are at the prison gates every morning to invite the discharged men and women to partake of a warm breakfast, and to offer them a friendly shelter and secure for them situations, away from the evil influence of former companions.
Such institutions as the MiJdmay Mission and the Bible and Domestic Mission send out daily hundreds of deaconnesses, nurses and Bible women, who, with food and medicines for soul and body, labor among the inmates of hospitals and asylums, among the toilers in factories and dwellers in the tenements. They visit among the poorest of the poor, nursing the sick, relieving distress, teaching the helpless mothers by simple economic and , sanitary rules the valuable lessons of health and thrift, and proclaiming by precept and example the joyful messages of Christ.
It is idle to attempt in this article even the enumeration of the numerous enterprises sustained by the Christian people for the evangelization of this great metropolis. There are at least one thousand agencies, recorded in the Oharities' R~gi8ter and .Digest, at work relieving distress, both physical and spiritual.
There are two thousand places of worship with all the evangelistic agen- cies for aggressive work. There are, moreover, a number of churches ex- clusively for foreigners.
In addition to their usual services, many of thc London churches carry on mission enterprises among the poor. They send out evangelistic bands to conduct meetings in the open air and call the attention of the thoughtless pedestrian to eternal things. They support colporteurs, Scripture readers, and missionaries, who devote their entire time, visiting among the people of the parish.
To reach those who will not attend the churches, special religious ser- vices are held in concert halls, theatres, and other popular resorts through- out the city, where attractive music, .spirited singing, and brief Gospel addresses interest, instruct, and influence many to a better life. There are special agencies that look after the spiritual welfare of the soldiers j others that care for the sailors. The policemen, firemen, and post-office em- ployes have their special services. There are missionaries that visit the cab-stands, market-places, and railroad stations. There are missions to the Jews, Catholics, and foreigners, w.hile the thousands of toilers along the riV<lr are not neglected. The ~riminal is met as he ('ornes from the prison gate in the early morning j the prostitute is accosted as she plies her trade in the streets at midnight, and urged to forsake her life of sin j and the homeless urchin is aroused from his hard couch, with literally a stone for his pillow, on the bridges and in the parks, and provided with comfortable bed and board, and brought under the influences of a Christian home.
The messsge of salvation is proclaimed through tens of thousands of Bibles, tons of tracts, and numerous volumes of Christian literature, which are scattered broadcast through the agencies of the religious publication societies.
Nor does this charity remain at home. Evangelists are sent out to neigh- boring towns and cities; mission boats cruise about the coasts, visiting the coastguards and lightships in their isolation j hospital ships are dispatched to the fishing fleets in the North Sea, to administer both temporal and spiritual nourishment to the toilers of the deep. Nor does this expensive service diminish the magnificent sum annually contributed to send the Gospel to heathen lands.
In addition to these united efforts there are many individuals engaged in evangelistic work. England's Christian queen becomes an evangelist to the families of the poor crofters in their Highland cabins, and other mem- -bers of the royal family count it a privilege to visit the poor and dis- tressed in hospitals and asylums. Members of the nobility lay aside the cares of State to preach the Gospel to the outcasts. The Christian banker, merchant, and editor supplements his daily labor by mission work after business hours. He erects a building or rents a hall wherein to gather the lost sheep. while he himself. often becomes the pastor of the flock. Sons and daughters of the aristocracy, students of the universities, repre- sentatives of learned professions, have given up their homes to live among the people, and have consecrated their time, talents, and means for thtl, " help of the Lord against the mighty."
Back of all this personal and combined effort for extending the king- dom of Christ, are the sympathy and encouragement of the English Govern- ment, whose sovereign bears the title, "Defender of the Faith." Every- whtlre one sees amid the surrounding wickedness traces of the nation's trust in Almighty God, and professions of Christianity. It is inscribed upon her chief commercial establishment in the humble declaration, "The earth is the Lord's and th~ fulness thereof." Upon her public buildings, her monuments and fountains scriptural quotations are carved in stone.
These evangelistic agencies, stationed like a mighty army throughout the metropolis-contesting every foot of territory against the encroachments of the kingdom of darkness, and winning glorious conquests for the King- dom of Light-have weakened the power of the destroyer and defended London from his complete mastery.
. There have been marked improvements during the last thirty years in the moral and social condition of the people. London is wicked, but Lon- don is growing better. Official statistics testify to a healthier atmosphere, and the Christian visitors notice It decided improvement. The prisons have fewer occupants, the poorhouses fewer boarders, and the public houses fewer customer!!, than three decades ago. The wage-workers live better and dress more neatly. They have discarded corduroy for tweeds, and fustian for more substantial cloth. The wife and mother keeps herself and children more tidy, and her home more inviting. A few pictures or chromos, in rough frame8 or no frames at all, adorn the walls; a flower-pot or box, witb a bright geranium or an aspiring fern, decorates the windows. The people show more respect for the clergy, and welcome the Christian visitor to their humble homes. The minister is invited to the workingmen's crubs, and his address is cordially received.. The deepening interest in spiritual things is manifest in the increased attendance at the churches and other places where religious services are held.
Through open-air preaching, colportage work, and mission services, the people have been brought more into contact with the Gospel. and through the visits and instruction of devoted missionaries, the poor fI~cognize the church as their friend.
We do not mean to imply that this improvement is noticeable uniformly among all the lower classes. It is noted principally among the working people, who a few decades ago were very indifferent to the claims of religion. • Such is the testimony of many of the clergymen laboring in the East End.
All the Christian world is anxiously watching the contest that is being waged in London between sin and righteousness, between the followers of Christ and the followers of Belial. This anxiety arises from the intimate relationship existing between this noble city and the cities of other lands.
The throb of London life is felt throughout the world. If her moral pulse is weak, the effect is visible on people that live afar. Moreover, every city must witness the same struggle within its walls as is now being waged in the British metropolis. It is only a question of time when the fair cities of our own land will house a population as !arge as London. Places that are designated upon our maps to-day as villages will, in a few years, be metamorphosed into citics with teeming populations. The Rame enemies mllst be faced ; the same evils must be resisted that threaten our most sacred institutions. The same social problems will arise. The" bitter cry" will be heard. A" way out" of the darkness will have to be devised. Tbose of us who are laboring in the cities are already in the midst of these burning questions.
We will do well, therefore to turn to the mother country, which has given us so much instruction in art, science, literature, and law, and learn from its Christian activity the methods adopted and the success attained in evangelistic work among the millions dwelling in "the greatest city of ancient or modern times." vye will thereby be better able to grapple with these same evils before they reach the same threatening proportions, and thereby stay the destructive onslaught of the enemy by weakening and scattering his gathering forces. And while we face the" dark forest," let us generously acknowledge the work of the pioneers, who have blazed the trees for our guidance in leading its helpless inhabitants out from their bondage into the light of the glorious liberty of Christ.
Harriett Warner Ellis, No. 64 Mildmay Park, London, North, writlll, with regard to women's work for women: "As one of the oldest survivors of the littld company called together in 1834 by the saintly Abeel, Baptist Noel, and others, and having continued to be a member of that first committee up to the present day, you will, I feel sure, pardon my intrusion. When the first twenty ladies were selected from members of all Christian denominations holding the great vital truths of Christianity, it was suggested by Dr. Abeel, or one of his eo-workers, that four young ladies, who were themselves Christians, should be added to the number, to learn about the work, and so be trained to take the place of others when removed by death or other causes. I was the youngest of those so chosen, not being nineteen. My dear father, John Sherman Elliott, was an active member of the Britil:!h and Foreign Bible Society and other similar work, and missionaries of all names were frequent visitors at our house. The first ladies sent out found, as a missionary's wife wrote, ' our efforts as yet are all among the very dregs; in time all may get access to the higher or more respectable native females.' Miss Wakefield was the first lady sent out to India by the new society. Miss Thornton went, in response to an earnest request from Mr. and Mrs. Medhurst, to Batavia.
" On the 29th of March, 1836, Miss Wakefield wrote: 'All attempts to get at femaleI'! of the higher classes appear to be utterly useless.' In that year, Lady Bryant, who had just returned from India, and who joined the committee, wrote: 'By cautious and persevering efforts it may be done,' and in June, 1837, four native gentlemen in Calcutta gave Miss Wakefield permission quietly to visit their wives to teach them Bengali, from Christian school books, and needlework. But nothing was to be said on the subject in public, and the word Zenana was not to be used, as it might stop the work altogether. In March, 1838, Miss Holliday, afterward Mrs. Leider, obtained the same permission from Mahomet Ali in Cairo.
"Prior to this a ladies' association had been formed in Calcutta to maintain the Central School, established by Mrs. Wilcox, and it had a branch in London. That branch had become extinct before the Female Education Society was formed. While rejoicing that now there are twenty-two ladies' societies, we ask for help, not only as being the first in the field, but because it comprises in its sphere China, Japan, Persia, the Straits, the Levant, and West and South Africa. We have no expense of offices, but still meet at each 'other's houses."
THE CREATION ACCORDING TO KRASI TRADITIONS
THE CREATION ACCORDING TO KHASI TRADITIONS.
BY REV. WILLIAM WILLIAMS, ASSAM, INDIA.
First of all God created the heavens, the earth, the sun, the moon and the stars. He created also the beasts of the field.
Heaven and earth were connected by a very high mountain, which is called" Heaven's Navel."
The beasts of the field, at the beginning, could talk like men, and the tiger was their king. They had a market also of their own, which is called the Lurilura-market. As far as I can gather, the word Lurilura carries the idea of "confusion" or " hurriedness."
After that God made man out of red earth, and He put him out in the sun that he might become hard.
The tiger saw this" son of humanity" and said to himself, "This one will be the king j" and being filled with the spirit of rivalry, he asked his subjects, the beasts of the field, "Who among you will go and tread under foot that son of humanity ~" No one responded. After that a creature which goes under the name of "Horse-divine" came forward and offered his services, saying, " I will go and tread him under foot." He went and bruised in pieces the son of humanity.
This" Horse-divine" was a red creature, and the descriptions of him remind me of the pictnres I have seen of the " Welsh red-dragon."
Early the following morning God came to see the" lion of humanity," but to his great sorrow he found out that he had been destroyed.
Now God called together all the beasts of the field and asked them who did it,but no one answered a word-there was a great silence !
At last the dog came forward and said that it had been done by the " Horse-divine."
God made man the second time in the same way as before, and commanded the dog to watcJ:!. him lest he should be trodden under foot and destroyed again by the enemy. The dog obeyed and watched. The "Horse·divine" made his appearance again, but the dog barked at him and threatened him, and being afraid of the dog, he went away.
After that God breathed spirit or soul into that " model of man," and it became a living creature and it spoke.
God said to man, " Come to me to-morrow morning." When the morning came, the tiger got to God's presence before man, and God gave him twelve bodily powers j and the tiger went his way. After that man came, and God gave him twelve inventive or mental powers.
Having received these mental powers, the son of humanity wended his way to the market of confusion, and to his great consternation he found the tiger waylaying him on the road that he might kill and eat him. Man went back and told God of it, and God presented him with a bow and arrow in addition to the twelve inventive powers.
Thus equipped, man went back and followed the path in the direction of the above market, and he found the tiger still waiting for him. He proceeded this time, and when the tiger came forward with an open mouth to eat him man drew the bow, and the arrow, to his great joy, went straight into the tiger's mouth, and he died.
God saw that man was very lonely in the world, being without a companion ; and He caused a deep sleep to fall upon man, and when he awoke he found the woman standing by him.
God married them; and two genii, one representing" an oath" and the other" a curse," acted as witnesses, who also received power from God to destroy, or, as they express it, " to eat them," if either would be guilty of bigamy.
The Khasis were most strict on this question and other questions relating to the sexes previous to the coming of the English to the Hills. And it was an attempt among the Sepoys to violate their rules and customs in this respect that was at the root of the massacre which took place on the Hills in the year 1829, when two European officers and several Sepoys were killed.
The next thing in the tradition is the existence of sixteen families in the world; but a separation took place; nine houses or families ascended into heaven by that" H!)aven's Navel" referred to at the beginning, and seven families remained on earth. And for a long time there was a continual intercourse between the two parties, and God used to talk with men.
The Khasis very often call themselves" the children of the seven families," or" the children of the seven nests."
Now God commanded His servants to prepare a throne on earth, that He might- hold a durbar to judge and to administer justice. When the throne was ready, and before God made His appearance, man ascended the throne and sat on it, saying to hims~lf, " I also will judge together with God." God came and saw man sitting on the throne prepared for Himself, and He went away in great indignation.
The communication between heaven and earth was ended. God and man were separated. The pride of man's heart drove away the divine favor and fellowship- aspiring To set himself in glory above his peers, He trusted to have equalled the most High."
God determined to punish man for his pride in aspiring to equal his Creator and Judge, and He caused a great tree, which is called" The Tree of Shame," to grow in the middle of the earth, the branches of which filled the heavens, and the world became quite .dark; it kept away the rays of the sun, the light of the moon and stars, and the dew fell incessantly night and day.
The children of men were in a very great trouble indeed. With such darkness and dampness life became almost unbearable.
A great durbar was held to consider their trying situation, and the best way to get out of it; They could see no better way than by trying to cut down the tree. They all agreed to this, and went in a body with their billhooks and axes and worked hard all day. When the evening came they returned to their homes to rest for the night. The following morning they all went again to their work and found, to their great astonishment, that there were no marks whatever of their work the previous day. The tiger, their great rival and enemy, went there in the night and licked the cut they had made, hence the filling up. This aggravated their situation.
When thus overwhelmed in their calamities, God showed mercy to them by sending a .little bird whioh is called in Khasi I Phreid, something like the wren in size, to teach them wisdom. The little bird asked them, " What will you give me if I teach you wisdom g" The children of men said, ' , We shall give yon grain and Indian corn." The terms were accepted, and the little bird 8aid, "When you go home in the evening do not take your billhooks and axes with you, but leave them at the foot of the tree with their edges pointing outwards, and when the tiger comes in the night to lick the cut he will cut his own tongue." Man believed the little bird, and acted according to its instructions. The plan proved snccessful, and the" Tree of Shame" was felled at last, to the great joy of humanity. The branches thereof fell into the land of the foreigners (the Bengalese and the Assamese), and this accounts for their lands being plains; the enormous trunk remained where it fell, and this accounts for the land of the Khasis being hills !
The tradition we see does not improve as it goes on. It begins well, and in several point~ it agrees with Divine Revelation- (1) The order of creation, man being the last and the best-the" roof and crown" of the whole fabric of the world. (2) Man made of ., red-earth." (3) And God breathed ~pirit or sonl into that model of man, and it became a living creature, and it spoke. (4) A deep sleep falling npon the first man, and the woman standing by him when he awoke. (5) The fall of man, cllUsed by the enemy and the pride of his own heart. (6) The" sixteen families" and the" seven families" (see Gen. 10 : 2, 6, 22).
NOAH I JAPHETH. SREY. HAM. ' 13. Cush, 1. Gomer, 8. EIam, 14. Mizraim 2. Magog, 9. Asshur, 15. Phut, 10. Arpbaxad 16. Canaan. 3. Madai, 4. Javan, 11. Lud, 5. Tubal, 6. Meshech 12. Aram, 7. Tiras, The Khasis also have a tradition of a nniversal flood, and their religions ceremonies are full of the atoning and the mediatorial elements.
Mr. J. B. Braddon, an officer of the Indian Government, wrote: "It would be well if those persons who speak and write 80 earnestly respectin/!: mission work should spend some time among the Khasees, and look without prejudice at the work that is going on there. I feel very certain that they would no longet think that the missionaries labored in vain."
LETTERS FROM EUROPE
LETTERS FROM EUROPE.-I.
MISSION WORK IN THE SCOTCH ATHENS.
BY DELAVAN L. PIERSON.
Scotland is generally known as a religious country. One can readily understand this after walking the streets of Edinburgh on a Sabbath morning, and seeing the numerous and magnificent church edifices lifting their lofty spires on all sides, and the populace thronging the thoroughfares in every direction on tll e way to their places of worshi? Not a street car is to be seen on the Lord's day; and, as a natura] consequence, the vast majority of the people walk, if they go to church at all. Yet the congregations seem to gain rather than lose from this cause, for it may be doubted whether in any city in or out of Britain the average audiences exceed those of this modern Athens.
It would be strange, however, if, as in other cases, there should not be found a darker side to the religions life of the city. One needs only to take a stroll through the Lowgate or Canongate on a Saturday night to be convinced of the truth of that fact. It seems as though the higher the spiritual life of one factor of the citizens, the lower would be the degr~da tion of the other. But however that may be, there is at least plenty of opportunity for earnest missionary effort to be expended in behalf of the lower classes of Edinburgh.
In the former residences of the nobles in the High Street and Canongate, some of the lowest classes now have their dwelling places. It seems oddly out of place to see fine panelled ceilings and carved oak woodwork in the homes of the paupers, and it is a peculiar fact that the mansion once occupied by the Duke of Queensbury is now used as a House of Refuge for the Destitute. There three hundred paupers and inebriates find their homes; forty destitute men and women nightly find shelter, and hundreds of the poor buy there daily their twopenny dinner of soup and bread for a penny. Great improvements are being made in the homes of the poor. Dark and dirty closes and narrow winding stairs are being replaced by light and airy courts lined with glazed brick and stairways of iron, so that it is next to impossible for the dirt to find a sticking place. In the lodging houses, too, there is noticeable a vast improvement. Instead of the close, dingy, crowded" metropolitan lodging houses," fit only to breed and foster poverty and vice, " model lodging houses" have been erected that are provided with all necessary sanitary arrangements. Here, at the small price of from four to sixpence per night, so much better accommodations may be had than most of the, poor men enjoy in their own homes, that many leave their wives and families to take advantage of them. A reading-room, with newspapers and Sunday services, is connected with them, and a kitchen with a huge range, where each man may eook his own food. In the washhouse, with its drying room, reminding one of the fiery furnace, a man may wash, rinse, and dry his whole wardrobe in the space of fifteen minutes. Everything is clean, comfortable, and well ventilated. No profanity or vulgarity is allowed, and fines or expulsion are the penalty for every offence. S~arate lodging houses are provided for the women, and each has accommodations for some three hundred and eighty.
But while all this is being done for the moral aud physical improvement of these men and women, their spiritual natures are not neglected. There are missions of every description scattered throughout the city, some of them peculiar to Edinburgh, and all apparently accomplishing a noble work.
The Territorial 'Mission was instituted by Thomas Chalmers, and has continued in a flourishing condition ever since his time. After the disruption he first held his meetings in an old tan loft in the West Port, and in the surrounding district carried out his ideal plan of city evangelization. The church which was afterward erected for him there, and where he preached for several years, is now used as a mission hall in connection with the Chalmers' Territorial Church. In this old church meetings of various sorts; carried on by the members of the church, are held nightly. These meetings include temperance, evangelistic, song, children's, and other services. But the principal emphasis is put upon the" from·house-to-house" visitation, which is carried out most systematically and regularly. Over this mission department of the church work is a missionary, and under the missionary some seventy or eighty workers, each ten having its own superintendent. Each worker visits from five to six families on e,very Sabbath afternoon, so that all of the four or five hundred families in the district are visited at least once a week. Spiritual effects are those sought, and each worker endeavors to become intimately acquainted with the family history and cares of those with whom he comes in contact. Tracts of educational, temperance, and religious character are distributed regularly, and differ in character from Sunday to Sunday. The temporal wants of those who prove worthy are also looked after to some extent. The missionary and workers have lodging house and bakeshop tickets, marked with symbols to denote their worth, so that they cannot be exchanged for drink; these they distribute to the needy, and clothes and food and other assistance are often given when the nature of the case seems to warrant it. Many ladies of the church are interested in the work of reclaiming the fallen women, many of whom are from high familics of the city and neighborhood, and are weary of their wretched life and long for better, nobler things. If Christ is the one whom they seek, some home is usually speedily found for them, and their old life buried as much as possible in oblivion. If, on the other hand, respectability only is their aim, they must agree to spend eighteen months in a reformatory or "home," where they are clothed and fed 2nd are obliged to do a little work. After this a situation is usually obtained for· them, and they may begin life practically anew, apart from all their old surroundings and companions. Open-air services play an important part in the evangelisti,c wo!.k of the church, and every Sabbath f evening they are held in various parts of the city, by which means people are gathered and are led singing down the street to the door of the church, where an evangelistic service is held at eight o'clock. The singers remain without for a time, to endeavor to attract more wanderers, fer music seems to have especial powers over the Scotch nature, and then all are invited in, and the pure Gospel is preacbed to them there.
There are many difficulties and disappointments connected with the work, but one soul saved would put ten thousand misgivings and fears to flight. The scene of the work was, in the early part of the century, the scene of the ghastly tragedy of the" Burke and Hare murders," wheril unsuspecting strangers were decoyed into a so-called lodging house only to come out corpses, sold to the medical students. The body of Burke himself was afterward delivered as that of a criminal to undergo the same treatment that his victims had undergone before him. The most difficult people to) reach are those who have lived in t,hese low circumstances from their childhood. As a rule, they marry early and live a drunken, brawling life. It is those who have falien in some degree at least who appear most susceptible to earnest entreaty. Many are the dangers and inconveniences which the workers are obliged to undergo in carrying on their work, often being called upon to stand between the knives of knavish brawlers or remain up until daylight with those whom they are seeking to reclaim.
Newton's great law of motion seems to apply as truly to religion as to matter, and for every energetic evangelistic action there appears to be an equal reaction in the religious lives of the workers. Never was a church more thriving than the Territorial Church of the West Port. It is noticeable even in the very walk of the members up the church aisle j it is energetic, and not as if the congregation only came to the church to attend a funeral service.
Another excellent example of the Edinburgh mission work is that of the " close" missions. The Carrubber's Close Mission is the most interesting and influential. It was founded in 1858, and for over twenty years carried on its work in small, insufficient, and dingy quarters at the foot of one of the old closes in the High Street. Finally, through the energetic efforts of Mr. D. L. Moody, a fine seventy-five thousand dollar building was erected for their use, with all necessary class-rooms and an audience room with a seating capacity of about twelve hundred. Here meetings are held nightly in connection with the various departments of the work. There are over six hundred workers identified with this mission who, under superintendents, work in connection with one or more of the thirty-two sections. These sections carryon work very varied in character in co-operation with open· air meetings, temperance and evangelistic, together with societies foJ." women, girls, young men and boys, and special work among the J."ailroad men, coalmen, and policemen. During the last year there were 4500 meetings in connection with the Carrubber's Close, including prayer-meetings, open-air services, temperance meetings, Bible classes, and meetings for the young in country and city. There are ten open-air meetings in various parts of the city every Sabbath. A prominent feature of the work is the temperance movement, in conjunction with which a monthly periodical is published, the Gospel Temperance Appeal. Every Saturday evening a temperance meeting is held, at which everything is done to provide an attractive programme of temperance addresses and sacred music. Although m.'lny of the meetings are considerably disturbed by those under the influence of liquor, still often these very men are led to Christ and become earnest and enthusiastic workers. Pledges are to be had at the close of the meeting for those to sign who will, and always a number remain to take the pledge or, at least, be spoken to on the subject. The names of those who take the pledge are written down with the address, and thus they are put into communication with the workers, several of. whom follow up each one and endeavor to help them on in their new stand for the right.
The Girls' Sewing and Bible Class is also very helpful for reclaiming those who have fallen, and for saving many another from a downward course. At a meeting recently of the girls who had been reclaimed through the efforts of the lady in charge of this department, there were present over one hundred and sixty, all in good situations, and leading respectable lives. Need it be said that they have a great affection for their benefactress, and most of them for Christ as well ~ Many tracts are distributed throughout the streets also in connection with the mission work, and have the naHle of the mission upon them· as a guide to those seeking further light.
As an instance of how much influence thc mission exerts for good in the city, we need only cite a letter from the governor of the Edinburgh prison to the Superintendent of the Gospel Temperance Section. It reads : 30 Waterloo Place, Dec. 8, 1890.
DEAR MR. BARCLAY: Will you kindly do me the favor to express to the Directors of Carrubber's Close Mission my thanks for the interest manifested by themselves and their workers in the reformation of the criminal classes. I think you are aware that for many years I have given you the credit of keeping down the daily average number of criminals by about one hundred, and I do trust that you will not diminsh your exertions, as this is 8 very important time for action.
****** ** * Unfortunately, I have not been able to attend so many of your meetings as I could have wished, but when I have been present it has often been a matter of wonder to me, on seeing so many familiar faces, to imagine where they might have been and what trouble they might have got into had it not been for such meetings j although I am aware many of your people have dond much in the way of individual help. With many thanks, Yours very truly, J. E. CHRISTIE.
The Edinburgh City Mission, like those of like character in other cities, takes a large part in the evangelistic work of the city. Its efforts are confined to the poor of no one portion or district, and, unlike other forms of missionary societies here found, employs a number of salaried men to devote their whole time to the visitation and care of the lower classes. For this purpose the city is divided into nine sections of about four hundred families each, and over each section is a missionary who holds services in the mission hall of the district, and whose business it is to visit as often as possible the families in his section, and to care for the general spiritual welfare. There are besides five special departments of the·work for specified classes, having missionaries for each department; these include the cabmen, policemen, lodging houses, prisons, inebriates, and public houses and fallen women. In the division of the city care has been taken not to interfere with any well-organized work of a church or other mission, but there are many churches which work in connection with the city mis- sionaries, thus supplying a large body of workers to assist them in their vis- itation.
The City Mission is entirely undenominational, but is thoroughly evangelical, and in consequence its workers do not as frequently meet with a cold reception at the hands of the Roman Catholic portion of the city. The methods used are very similar to those of the other societies, first and foremost being that of personal contact with the men and women on the streets and in their homes, thus seeking to raise them morally and spiritually, and in raising the individuals from the degradation into which they have fallen to raise the whole community. As a rule, the city missionary is the only pastor and adviser that they have; but the men are well chosen, and keep their hands to the plough faithfully, endeavoring, by becoming all things to all men, to try if by any means they may save some. The results are tangible and encouraging, though the work is one fraught with trials and discouragements.
A fourth form of mission work, and one peculiar to Edinburgh, is that of the" Students' Settlements." These are conducted by the students of the university or theological colleges, and are found to be of the greatest benefit both to the students and to those among whom they labor. The Ponton Street Mission, in connection with the university, originated about four years ago, largely through the efforts of Professor Henry Drummond. Its object is .nominally secular, but much religious work is done by the students who are engaged in the work. A large hall has been erected in one of the poorest districts of the city, and here the students live and endeavor by personal contact, especially with the young men, to raise them intellectually, morally, and spiritually. Classes in wood-carving, drawing, history, and other departments are conducted during the week and, together with the reading·room, furnish an opportunity for the personal contact sought. Sabbath-school and Bible classes, with an occasional evangelistic address, and now and then a meeting for social intercourse, also form an important part of the scheme by which the work is carried on. About five or six students usually live in thE' mission and devote much time to the work, often at great inconvenience to themselves.
The other settlement is in connection with the Free Church College Missionary Society, and has only recently been organized. Its object is solely religious, and avowedly so; other benefits are expected to follow the spiritual uplifting of the community. The" settlers," six in num- – ber, comc into contact with the men, chiefly in the Young Men's Club, where they have an opportunity to converse with them as they at the same ·time endeavor to entertain them at games of dominoes, check- ers, and in other ways. The men's club forms' the chief feature of the work. There is a fee of one shilling a year to entitle one to membership, and the men make their own rules, elect their own officers, and have entire charge of it, subject to the approval of the" settlers. ,. Of their own free will they prohibit gambling and profanity, and are, as a rule, orderly and appreciative. The club is intended to take the place of the public house in the leisure hours of the men, and to afford an opportunity for the students to come into direct contact with the individuals whom they seek to benefit. Other departments of the work are the Sabbath-school,- chil- dren's church, Band of Hope, library, savings bank, Boy's Brigade, Bible classes, prayer and temperance meetings, and meetings for women, chiefly under the charge of ladies from St. Andrew's Church, which works in connection with the students.
The subscribers to each of the various departments of mission work form the society from which managcrs, directors, and the variolls officers are elected, and who guarantee the financial support of the mission.
There are many other, and private, missionary enterprises carried on by individuals and churches, besides many charitable societies for the relief of the poor and distressed. • Few cities of the size seem to be so thoroughly and energetically cared for as this home of Knox and Chalmers, and the results of the labor ex- pended may be seen as much in the spiritual life of the churches as in bet- tered condition of the poorer classes. But there is no l.ack of room for workers, and in spite of all that has been done or is being done, the con- dition of the poor in many districts seems as wretched as can well be im- agined. The workers, however, continue faithful, taking to themselves the consolation and promise given in the word.s. " Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. "
. EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND, January 17, 1891.
Few things impress one more in all Scotland than the old gate in Dundee, where the martyr, George Wishart, preached to the plaguestricken people gathered outside the gate, while the inhabitants of the city were gathered just inside. What a type of the true missionary, standing between a living church and a dying world, and preadhing the gospel of spiritual healing!
THE TELUGU MISSION
THE TELUGU MISSION.
BY C. B. WARD.
This Telugu Mission was born in a prayer-meeting, February 22d, 1879, in Goolburga, Ii railway station about three hundred miles from Bombay, in the dominion of H. H., the Nizam. Two persons were present, a padri and an engineer: the padri, a member of South India Conference, pastor at Ballory, and thc engineer a district officer in the Public Works Depart- ment of the Nizam's Government.
This event took place at the close of the great famine of 1876-71'1, in which five millions perished.
The Bombay Guardian, editor, George Bowen, missionary, first announced the" new arrival" in its last issue of February, 1879, and commended the" little one" to the confidence of the good. March 12th, 1879, we took over from a famine poorhouse, kept up a yenr on private charity, five boys and girls. Here began the actual work.
In the order of Providence, Rev. T. S. Burnell, over thirty years an A. B. C. F. M. missionary at Melun, Madura district, South India, had the honor of taking the firiit financial share in the new concern. His] 0 rnpees were received by us March 20th, almost one month from the prayer-meeting. March 29th on this Rs. 10 we took 14 more waifs from an overcrowded famine camp at Adoni. These, with 2 more taken at Goolburga by Mr. Davis, gave us 21 in all-Telugu; Canerese, and Mohammedan, both sexes.
. The Bombay Guardian of April 5th published progress, and declared rising faith and intensifying purposes.
April 1st the padri got married, and received for the orphan work Rs. 50 from an unknown friend, who continued to do the same thing monthly for a long time. We have since learned he was the great-hearted Henry Conder, Esq., General Traffic Manager of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway.
And so the work went on. At a later date we took up ;30 new ones, at a later, 50, and a later, 13, and the la"t large accession, September 30th, 52 boys and girls from Adoni. A few more scattering ones came in, till about October 1st we found we had actually collected over 180 orphans at Mr. Davis's place in Goolburga. Death did so quick work, however, that we never reached above 122 on hand at anyone time.
The Bombay Guardian, the India Methodist Watchman published our testimony and helped us much.
Thus began the work. God's Word supplied the base for the faith the Holy Spirit inspired in our hearts. We boldly avowed our purpose to trust God and never solicit, except in prayer. The Holy Ghost was chancellor of the exchequer, and in the first six months He called in from whom He would about Rs. 2000.. And in this time the bulk of the care of all these little ones feU upon Mr. Davis. He wrought not by proxy. His own hands fed, dressed, washed, assisted, and he spent hours a day trying to impress these precious souls for God; and surely we shall meet some of those little ones who passed away with Jesus' name upon their lips and His truth in their newly opened hearts.
I saw now the providence of God in the last ten years of my life-from the plough to four years of student life, one and a half years of work in Chicago among the street Arabs of Halsted Street, till William Taylor (now Bishop) found me in December, 1875, and sent me to India.
God's Holy Word, Finney's" Autobiography," and ~Hiller's " Life of Trust" were the pabulum our souls thrived on in those days. How won- derfully the great God led us! Starting as we did without bank or missionary treasury, from the very beginning we b'"gan to cast about us for a productive footing somewhere. We dreamed and prayed over factories, farms, industries, etc. But the Lord had us in hand, and first gave "r the orphans some public road-making on which they realized something like Rs. 100 in a short time. e had no idea of greasing our wheelsforever with charity, but rather designed to repay to the Lord the charity money lent us, and send workers to the " regions beyond" and support them there.
We cannot follow in detail the wonderful history of these ten eventful years. But what have we now ~ 1. C. B. and E. M. Ward and their children, Wesley Asbury, William Taylor, George Fletcher, Susanna Ruth, and Nellie Marion, in all 7 souls.
2. Eurasian orphans, boys, 8, and girls, 5. 3. Native families, 19, blessed with 24 living little ones. Unmarried boys, 4 j girls, 2. One widow with her son-in all, 67 souls. Grand total of 90 -adults 50 and children 40. So we cannot, as of old, say" orphan children," for we are become a colony of families. 4. Of the whole number, 40 are full members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and another dozen we rank probationers. In most of these honesty, diligence, observance of the Lord'tI day, prayer, testimony, and general upright character give us much ground for believing a work of grace is wrought. We have no tobacco, or liquor, or jewelry Christians in our" little church in the wilderness." 5. When we gathered up famine waifs we found them from five to twelve years of age. All our native people except one, my assistant, Nunsoya Naidu, have been a full ten years with us. Our Eurasian orphans have not been with us so long, but most of them during eight years. 6. For years stern necessity has made us two houses: one in Secunderabad, where Mrs. Ward, our children, and the unmarried girls stay with one or two pairs of the married ones as servants j and one in the district, wherever I may have work for all the field force of our colony, migrating as work leads us on railway construction and mining. The bulk of the family have been in camp with me for about four years now. We find much to encourage us in the Christian character of those we have spent ten years with, for Jesus' sake. They are our" seals." '1. The entire work which we have had upon our hands has cost about Rs. 10,000 per year (ovcr $3000). This includes not only our own mission work, but doing something to help other work. We have spent outside of our own work in this time several thousand rupees-contributions to other missions and support of other missionaries, distribution of religious literature, the publication of tracts, and our own India Watchman, etc.
Of this Rs. 100,000 passing through our hands in ten years more than half are our own earnings. Formerly contributions exceeded, but for four years our earnings have by far exceeded the gifts made to us. In the whole ten years our receipts from places outside of India fall below R8. 5000. Our contrihutions have always come unsolicited, except in prayer. Weare not concerned about money, and never beg. But we do believe and plead God's promises, as they are neither lies nor out of date.
8. Weare not in debt. In an honest and rather daring endeavor to realize the capital needed for a Chr~stian colony, on a large railway contract we lost Rs. 20,000. But God enabled us to make it up and pay the loan with liberal interest.
9. God started us in orphan work in 1879, and kept us closely to it and learning the language up to 1883. In these years God cheered us with the genuine conversion of half a hundred of our orphans.
Then came three years (1883-86) of very steady and vigorous evangelistic work, in which we were much blessed, but the only abidirtg, visible fmit was the conversion of two natives, who are both preachers now.
Insurmountable difficulties in the way of acquiring any land under the Mohammedan Government made dropping into the present" two house" arrangement a necessity-No. 1 at Secunderabad, No. 2 at Beersheba or Dothan, as good grazing leads us. Wonders hath God wrought for us during these years. We can only bless and praise Him.
10. We hope to publish soon a report for the ten years, in which we shall try to rccord something of the goodness of our prayer-hearing God.
11. In the years of our history God has been good, but it has been hard to understand all His ways. Three of his handmaidens, than whom we expect no more spiritual and successful workers in India-Cecilia O'Leary Moore, Hapley Freer, and Hester Ann Hillis-God took from us, each one suddenly. They did work that lasts, and now enjoy reward everlasting. One lady after leaving us became the wife of a Baptist missionary in Bengal. One from iII health was compelled to return to America. Our brethren, Ernsberger and Blewitt are now both honored members of India Methodist Conferences. The latter took away from us Ruth Freer, a good worker with us, a good wife with him. One young man apostatized fearfully. One found the work uncongenial. Miss Bell went to study inedicine in Hyderabad Medical College. One native preacher and wife, lent to us, stayed but a little time. One of our converts left us, and is now promoted to the post of head native preacher in Conference work.
12. Eight little ones hath God taken. Our firstborn first; after him seven other children in our native families. Six of our native orphans have died, ~ giving us their testimony to Jesus' saving power. They surely await us. Three Eurasian orphan boys have died, of whom we have hope, one a poor, ,suffering epileptic all his life. Several have fallen back into the world. Some Eurasian orphans, after two or three years with us, were taken by friends or relatives. A few have died, leaving us no certain word. Our total death-roll in ten years reaches a little over 20.
13. But the best of all is, God has at last answered our earnest prayer in giving us a large piece of land (over' 2000 acres) on an annual rental of Rs. 800. This is what we have besought of Him for years. Our utter extremity has become God's gracious opportunity. And now what! Our migrations may cease, our two homes become one, and our colony be the base of supply for dozens of workers. We may again get into shape for vigorous evangelizing. Our 20 families of native Christians have of their own efforts acquired cattle and caris, and cash to the amount of about Ra. 2000. They are not paupers, and are ready to go to work at once in our village. The rental we can as easily pay as the rent of Secunderabad house. And we believe God has arrangements on foot for the small capital required for the immediate restoration of the entire village, thereby making it worth at an early day several thousand rupees per annum.
We have no complaints, but we can clearly see it has taken ten years to f;ubdue the missionary aristocracy in us, and teach us truly humble, economic, and New Testament lines of life and labor. We have also learned that physical labor is conducive to health in the tropics by these years in India, and are just ready for many more, if it please God.
Trusting God, we have begun work upon our village, and with a home and a promise that" we shall be fed j" with a fine field of souls about us, with our years of experience among the people, and naturalized in India, we look forth after this ten years' journey-not forty, as the Israelites hadto a grand future in this goodly land God has glven us.
Bishop Thoburn recently recognized us fully as a part of the great Methodist Church, and henceforth our members shall have a place in Methodist totals, as they have not had for a few years lately, though we have prided ourselves upon the fact we belonged there. Our only contention has been to be le;ft alone as non-subsidy workers. This is now granted us, and God is with us.
The hard work is not done. Years yet must be spent teaching native Christians confidence in their own ability, and teaching them how better to utilize and develop the resources of the country, making foreign aid unnecessary either for their support or such work as they should do for tIle salvation of the heathen. We have some fine specimens of natives who, under God, will make good business men and women for Him, and some who will make good Christian workers and preachers.
We believe God is with us j we need no other aid to live upon or learn by. God has given us, as capital, strong bodies, common sense, rich soil, aU tributary to our faith. Our prayer has been for a piece of land, that
A. B. C. F. M•
with this productive base we might maintain a whole force of Gospel workers in the surrounding country, whose lifework, and exchequer and methods of filling it, might all be open to the gaze and study of the surrounding heathen. God has schooled us for ten years to ·fit us for the work before us, and now given u!' the land, and here we are a happy family, a monument of God's care in the midst of a heathen land, subjects of His continued love-a little church of Jesus Christ of His own planting. To God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost be all the praise and glory, world wit-hou-t e-nd-I – – – – On January 20th last, a party of five sailed for Secunderabad, India, to join the self-supporting work of Rev. C. B. Ward. One of the party-' Rev. M. F. Smootz-who already spent several years iu this work. bas now married and gone back to the Deccan, India, for life. Rev. R. H. Madden, wife, and son, who accompanied him, have been doing successful mission work in New York City.
There sailed the same day for South America, Mr. T. W. La Fetra and an experienced teacher, Mrs. Anna Dodd. Mr. La Fetra has already spent seven years in mission work in Santiago as auxiliary and helper to his brother, Rev. I. H. La Fetra, in the large college in Santiago. He visited the United Stateil to purchase a complete outfit for printing-costing about $5000-a religious paper and books for educational work in South America.
A. B. C. F. M.
A despatch from Nagasaki, Japan, published recently in the daily press, stated that the United States steamer Alliance, in its visit to Ponape, found that the war between the natives and the Spaniards had been instigated by the American missionaries, who on that account were forced to retire from Ponape to Kusaie. "The story," says the Missionary Herald, "is so absurd as to be comical. The only Americans at the point of conflict on Ponape were two women, who at the time of the difficulty between the Spaniards and the natives sought to their utmost to preserve peace, but failed. And when the revolt occurred, these two women, aided by a native teacher, risked their lives to save from destruction two Spanish priests and some soldiers. And they succeeded in their efforts, only to be accused by the Spaniards of having incited the natives to their deeds of violence. "
The following item is found in the report of the Hiroshima circuit (Methodist), given by Rev. B. W. Waters in the Missionary Reporter: " Hiroshima has been well chosen as the centre for our work in that part of . Japan. But the city itself, a strong Buddhist centre, is not as open to Christianity as some of the smaller neighboring towns. Neither the city nor the country work ought to be neglected. But owing to school-work and passport regulations, it is difficult for one man to carryon both. We really need two additional men for Hiroshima and for the work that proper- ly can be connected with it. "
THE MISSIONARY'S SHOES
THE MISSIONARY'S SHOES.
BY A. J. GORDON, D. D., BOSTON, MASS.
The homely and the sublime were never more closely conjoined, we venture to say, than in the following from the history of Herrnhut : Zinzendorf sent one day for a Moravian brother and said to him : "Will you go to Greenland to.morrow as a missionary F' The man had had no previous intimation of his call, but after only a moment's hesitation he replied: "If the shoemaker can finish the boots which I have ordered of him by to-morrow, I will go."
Need we say that if such a spirit of prompt obedience were universal in the Church, there would be no highways unoccupied or byways untravel1ed in all the regions beyond now waiting for the Gospel. But we have not to tarry even for a day for our shoes to be done. What saith the Scripture, and how much it saith in a single comprehensive sentence ~ "Having '!lour feet shod with th,e preparation of the gospel of peace." The law said to Moses: " Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." Grace says: " Put on thy shoes upon thy feet, for the place where thou standest is missionary ground. " "All roads lead to Rome," says the proverb j but since the day of Pentecost all roads lead from Jerusalem j "that remission of sins should be preached among alnations, beginning at Jerusalem." Therefore Christ's witnesses were sandalled at the outset for their journey j and of this we desire briefly to speak.
The Gospel is its own preparation. For our shoes are not the preparation for, but the preparation of, the Gospel. The tendency is inveterate and constantly recurring to introduce some forerunner of grace into the missionary field in order to make ready for its coming. Even those who firmly believe that" Christ is become the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth," have not infrequently thought that they must take their starting-point from Sinai, again employing the law as a school, master to lead men to Christ. The story of Henry Richards's experience on the Congo-which has made such a profound impression of late wherever recited-has its chief interest in this idea. Brutal and bloody savages, among whom the murder of innocents was a sacred rite indispensable for the solemnizing of the funeral of their chiefs, and man·slaying a medical prescription to be adopted as a matter of course on the order of the witch. doctors, what impression could the Gospel of the grace of God make upon such sonls if immediately applied ~ No wonder that the thunders and lightnings of Sinai should be invoked as a necessary prelude to the sweet strains of redeeming love. "Grace, of course," said an old Scotch preacher, "but did you ever know a woman to sew without a needle? So I say unto you, thrust in the needle of the law till the sinner is pricked to the heart and cries out, and then you may draw as long a thread of Gospel consolation as you choose." But these degraded sons of the C;ongo did not wince in the least under the needle of the law. "Thou shalt not kill," "Thou shalt not steal"-instead of" kicking against these pricks," or being in the least wounded thereby, they were absolutely insensible to them. As for being sinners, when this charge was made against them they blandly conceded that while the missionary and his countrymen might be such, they certainly were not.
But now, after the seven years' fruitless ministry, comes the great change. In translating the Gospel of Luke, and reading therefrom the story of the sufferings and death of Christ, and pressing home upon the people the message, " And all this for you," tears began to fall, exclama- tions of astonishment began to be heard, and then conversions began to occur, till within a few weeks more than a thousand were added to the Lord of such as should be saved. As this story has been repeated of late before churches and theological students, the missionary has rarely been allowed to stop at the expiration of an hour; cries of " Go on !" break- ing out at every attempt to pause. "So astonishing; so well-nigh incredible !" people say.
And yet it is but the repetition of an old stQry, though on a larger scale. What student of missionary history does not know of the work of Hans Egede in Greenland, with its long, weary years of moral teaching, ending with the farewell sermon, " I said I have labored in vain and spent my strength for naught g" And then the translation from the gospels of the story of the Saviour's passion, by John Beck, the Moravian missionary, and the astonished exclamation of the listening savage, Karjamack, " How was that ~ Tell me that again, for I would be saved ;" and through this Word the savage changed into a Christian and a faithful preacher of the Gospel to his countrymen? So it was when Mr. Nott opened the third chapter of John to the hit~erto stolid and unconcerned South Sea Islanders. When reading the golden text of redemption, " God so loved the world," a man rose and demanded, "Is that true ~ Can that be so? God love the world when the world does not love Him ~ God so loved the world as to give His Son to die! Can that be true f' And as the verse was read once more he burst into tears, and the long-delayed blessing began.
It is a lesson which we have constantly to relearn, that" the preaching of the cross is the power of God." Not that evangelical Christians are likely to doubt the efficacy of such preaching tor accomplishing the one thing of bringing peace to distressed and penitent souls; but that it can also effect the opposite result of bringing contrition to hardened and indifferent souls, it is difficult to credit. Yet this is one of the paradoxes of Christianity, that the cross, which is the highest exhibition of divine compassion, should also serve as the most powerful instrument for human conviction. It has proved true a thousand times over that by His wounds we are wounded, as well as that " by His stripes we are healed." As the same sunlight can warm and comfort when falling gently on our persons, or scorch and blister when focussed by a burning glass, so the same love of God revealed on Calvary- can be Ilsed by the Spirit to bring the most tender consolation or the most poignant contrition. 'l'herefore, the Gospel in first, and its fulness, to the most degraded heathen!
Then let us refer to the sandals of education which have so often been bound upon the feet of the Christian herald.
One may well wonder why the temptation has been so constant for the missionary to turn schoolmaster. "No greater than for the pastor to turn pedagogue," it may be truly replied. Yes, and here is the most serious defect of our present-day Christianity, that it is leaning on crutches when it ought to walk by faith, undertaking to accomplish by culture what God has ordained to be effected" by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. " Art, architecture, music and ritual, how prominent the place which these are coming to occupy in our modern churches! Ask their promoters why 1heyattach snch importance to them, and they reply, " For their educational influence. " But we make bold to say that their tendency has generally been to educate away from Christ rather than toward Him, prepossessing men with forms, sensible impressions, and so disinclining them to the things of the Spirit 1 We have more faith a thousand times over in the regenerating power of the simple Gospel than in the educating power of all these elaborate accessories of Christian worship.
But we are speaking of education in the strict sense of the wordgrammar, arithmetic, and·· the arts, as introductory to the Gospel. Has 8uch a dispensation of teaching ever proved really helpful in preparing the heathen ,mind to receive the Word of life ? No more probably than a gymnasium in the basement of an American church, with its curriculum of dumb-bells and vaulting-bars, has conduced to a change of heart in the young men who have entered therein. The tendency is inevitable for these preparatives to become substitutes so prcoccupying the interest and attention with themselves as to render thc heart less accessible to the Gospel than before they came in. Education by all means! But in the school of grace the law seems to be not" know, in order that you may believe," but " believe, in order that you may know." Culture, when set forward as a forerunner of Christ, has constantly failed to become such, because it Ja~ks the humility to say: "He it is who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to unloose." It being true, according to our Lord's own words, that the Father hath" hid these things from the w'ise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes," it cannot be the missionary's business to make men wise lind prudent in order that they may receive the Gospel, but rather to tell the wise and prudent, that except they repent and become as little children, they shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.
A wide observer of missionary operations in Japan has recently expressed the opinion that the chief occasion of solicitude.for the country is found in the excess of education over evangelism, and that the wisest missionary policy would be a bold immediate movement among the lower classes, who are as yet untouched by Western 'culture. Let this call be heard, then, all over our country-not for more teachers merely, but for more evangelists.
Concerning industrial and mechanical forerunners of the Gospel we may speak with equal emphasis. So ingrained is the notion that what has been called" a propredeutic dispensation of civilization" must prepare the way for Christianity, that colonization has not infrequently been proposed as a John the Baptist to evangelization. Ninety years ago Wilberforce lent his influence to a great scheme for ameliorating the condition of Africa by this plan. Artisans with saw and hammer and anvil were despatched to- her western coast, with the understanding that after a considerable progress had been made in civilization, missionaries should follow up tho ~ssault with Bible and catechism. But the onterprise had not momentum enough to reach its destination, and proceeded no farther than Sierra Leone.
Even had it entered the field, its work would have been a gratuitous one.
For the trce does not bear the root, but the root the tree. As certainly as the planted acorn produces the oak, so surely will the incorruptible seed of the Word yield the fruits of righteousness and social order when believingly re~eived into the human heart.
David Brainerd gives a remarkable testimony to this fact, when sum- ming up the results of his labors among the American Indians at Cross- weekslllJg. Indeed, his witness supports all that we have been saying in this paper. Lest any should accuse his work of being the outcome of excitement and fear inspired by the preaching of the terrors of the law, or charge that his converts were only such as had been" frightened by a fearful noise of hell and damnation," he says: "God left no room for this objection in the present case, this work of grace having been begun and carried on" by almost one continued strain of -Gospel invitation to perish- ing sinners." Not the law of Sinai, but the cross of Calvary must have the credit for this remarkable work. Amid the multitude of inquirers and the urgency of the claims of perishing so~ls, he had little time, he tells us, to inculcate moral reforms or social llnd domestic improvements.
He could only sound out the message of salvation 1>y the blood of Christ, "and eternal life through faith in His name, and pass on. But note the result, as he records it : .
" When these truths were felt at heart, there was now no vice unreformed, no external duty neglected. Drunkenness," the darling vice, was broken off from, and scarce an instance of it known among my hearers for months together.
The,abusive practice of husbands and wives in putting away each other and tak- ing others in their stead was quickly reformed, so that there are three or foul' "
couples who have voluntarily dismissed those whom they had wrongfully taken, an(l now live together in love and peaco. The same mignt be said of all other"
vicious practices. The reformation was general; and all springing from the internal influence of divine truths upon their hearts, and not from any external restraints, or because they had heard the~e vices particularly exposed and repeat- edly spoken agaim.t. Some of them I never so much as mentioned-particularly that of the parting of men aud their wives-till some, having their conscience awakened by God's Word, came, and of their own accord, confessed themselves guilty in that respect.
" The happy effects of these peculiar doctrines of grace, upon which I have so much insisted, upon this people, plainly discover, even to demonstration, that instead of their opening a door to licentiousness-as many vainly imagine and slanderously insinuate-they have a directly contrary tendency; 80 that II close application, a Bense and feeling of them will have a most powerful influence toward the renovation and effectual reformation both of heart and life."
By as little pains as Brainerd labored to introduce" Christian Civilization," by so much are many modern missionaries anxious to exclnde if -from their fields. Its avant-coureurs in these days are the whiskey bottle and the powcer-flask. " If only we can keep out European and American civilization," says an earnest missionary in Africa, " there is hope for our work in the Dark Continent." On the whole, what a mockery there is in this much-vaunted word! And how little apprehension of the subject does an eminent writer on the evidences of Christianity exhibit in saying that" The wisest modern missionaries admit that they mnst civilize heathen nations in order to make Christian institutions permanent. " No! ~ot the sandals of law, of education, or of social science for the missionary of the Apostolic school j but" feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace." The first take but tardy steps, and rarely those condescending steps that reach the sinner where he is j but the latter: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace j that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation. "
THE BURMAN BIDLE.-The first edition of Dr. Judson's translation of the Bible into the Burman language was in three large quarto volumes, twelve by nine inches. The second edition was printed from the same type but upon thinner paper, and was bound in one volume. It bears this imprimatur: "Maulmain: Printed at the American Baptist Mission Press for the American and Foreign Bible Society and the American Baptist Board of Foreign Missions; 1840. " Now after the space of fifty years a third edition is published by the American Baptist Missionary Union at its Mission Press in Rangoon, copies of which have just been received in America. It is a royal octavo, much smaller and more convenient than the earlier editions, having been newly set up and stereotyped, with many corrections noted by Dr. Judson himself inserted in the text by the careful hand of Dr. E. A. Stevens. This translation of the Bible into Burman was made amid great difficulties, Dr. Judson being obliged to make ~is own grammars and dictionaries as he went on, but it is remarkable as being one of the most accurate and idiomatic versions of the Bible in any language. It is an imperishable monument to the great ability of America's first missionary to the heathen, Adoniram Jlldio1on.-Baptist Missionary Magazine.
EXTRACTS ANlJ TRANSLATIONS FROM: FOltElGN PERIOlnCALS
EXTRACTS AND TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN PERIODICALS.
llY REV. C. C. STARllUCK, ANDOVER, MASS.
-The Church of Scotland, Home and Foreign Mission Record for January 1st, 1891, has the following statement: "A collection on behalf of the Committee of Correspondence with Foreign Churches is appointed to be made in all our churches and chapels on Sabbath, the 18th inst., provided always that wherever this day may be unsuitable the collection shall be made on another Sabbath.
" The great object of this committee is to foster friendly relations with the Reformed Churches of the Continent, ani to give aid to those who require it. We are especially brought into contact with the Reformed churches of France, Italy, Bohemia, Switzerland, and Belgium. With these churches the Church of Scotland in former days maintained constant correspondence, and it would be a loss both to them and to us should· such communications cease. Since the last appeal was made in 1888, deputies from the Church of Scotland have been present at one or two memorable meetings (If Continental churches. The celebration of the Bicentenary of the glorious return of the Waldenses took place in August and September, 1889, when the Rev. Dr. Mitchell, of South Leith, represented the Church of Scotland. At the jubilee of the formation of the Missionary Church of Belgium, which was celebrated in June, 1890, the Rev. Duncan Campbell, of Rosemount, Aberdeen, represented our Church, and received a cordial welcome. To enable the Church worthily to maintain these relations, and to bestow assistance in accordance with the needs of the struggling communions on the Continent, the present collection is made. "
-Says the Record: "A correspondent in Aberdeen reports a much appreciated visit of our Foreign Mission Convener to that city. Dr. M'Murtrie preached an impressive and an appropriate sermon to the students ill the university chapel 011 the 7th ult., and addressed a crowded congregation in Rosemount Church at night. On the Monday morning he addressed a full meeting of divinity professors and students, to whom he stated that the Mission cause was now attracting to its service a portion of the flower of our divinity halls, and that no less than twenty-four of our present missionaries (including missionaries' wives) in the foreign and Jewish mission fields came from Aberdeen and its neighborhood. At noon, on the same day, Dr. M'Murtrie addressed the South Church Ladies' Work Party ; in the afternoon he took part in the monthly meeting of the Ladies' Association Committee, and in the evening he addressed successively the Rosemount Young Men's Guild, and an Old Muchar congregational social meeting. Verily our Convener does not spare himself !"
-We give two of the collects of the Church of Scotland for the Week of Prayer. For Tuesday: " 'Ve beseech Thee, 0 Lord, on behalf of Thy Church Universal, in all lands and places, under whatever name or form, worshipping Thee in various tongues, and approaching Thy presence in the name of Jesus. We pray for union, for unity of spirit, for love; that Christian life and teaching may be increasingly subject to the Holy Ghost; that Christian people may witness unto Christ by living in godly love; that we no longer be opponents or rivals, but all one in Christ Jesus; and that for His sake, Amen." For Thursday: "For Thine ancient people, o God of Abraham, we earnestly pray that the veil may fall from their eyes, and that they may be turned tu the Lord; and for our Home Missions in the darkness still found in our land, we beseech Thee that the labor of Thy servants may be blessed in bringing many to the cross: through Jesus Christ, thy Son, Amen."
-In the Conferences Fraternelles, held in Paris, last October, various judgments were expressed of Roman Catholicism; but Pastor R. Hollard seemed to strike the centre when he gave as its damning sin, " It destroys the conscience." J esuitized Catholicism values blind obedience above everything else. It will be a sad thing for France to recur to this as her best conception of Christianity. But the leaders of intelligence seem to be awaiting the issue. Professor Atlier said: "The University is deliberating whither it shall go. It has made the round of all the systems, and now is eager to reach a goal. One of its professors said to me, ' My ffiend, count us as belonging to whosoever shall know how to conquer us.' "
Pastor Hollard thinks that Protestantism is not qualified to take the place of Catholicism in France until it understands better than now to respond, in evangelical simplicity, to those spiritual wants which Catholicismconsults the instinct of adoratiou and the craving for unity. Why should Pere Hyacinthe and the Protestants with the same aims be so little inclined to friendship ¥ The sentiment appeared to be very decided, that evangelizin~ work and charitable work ought to be carried on by distinct agencies. At Geneva, M. Ernest Favre attests, evangelization has been much more effective since this separation was made.
-The indian Standard, speaking of a recent Church Congress, allows that sanitation is important, but very reasonably insists thaI; the Kingdom of God and the Cross of Christ have not lost their prime importance. Speaking likewise of Brotherhoods (whose result!! in India do not thus far appear very marked), it wishes to know why the absence of God's unit of human society, the family, should be so highly esteemed. And asks why Archdeacon Farrar contends for vows where a celibate life appears a call of duty. Semi· monastic Sisterhoods and Brotherhoods, as Count Gasparin long ago pointed out, are apt to be of dubious results on Protestant soil. Every plant has its native and congenial habitat.
-The Rev. C. A. Schonberger, through the Jewish Herald, reports " that notwithstanding the sad fact that all open preaching to the Jews is prohibited in Vienna, yet they are constantly flocking, as inquirers, to the missionary's house, where Bible and other classes are regularly held. The Bible-class is largely attended, and this branch of the work is most encouraging. "
– " Regions Beyond," quotes Mr. Stanley's description of the proud Wahuma race, which he discovered, "being clearly of Indo-African origin, possessing exceedingly fino features, aquiline noses, slender necks, small heads, with a grand and proud carriage; an old, old race, possessing splendid traditions, and ruled by inflexible customs which would admit of no deviation." Stanley pronounces the features of the great KafEr race to be ., a subtle amalgamation of the Hindu and West African types." Although the foraying W ahuma have abundance of heathen vices, yet their higher type, mild and courteous manners, and salubrious country, render them hopeful for missions. To Stanley they brought up thoughts of "those blameless people with whom the gods deigned to banquet once a year upon the heights of Ethiopia. "
~ ".'. -The Universities' Mission in Central Africa, which now has 2000 adherents, is rejoicing in the ordination of its first native priest.
– " The Paris correspondent of Evangelical Ohristendom," says the Indian Standard, writes: 'There is a fearful increase of crime, conwadicting strikingly those who hoped that 'schooling' and 'good behavior would go together.' Increased schooling and increased crime proceed pari passu. Youthful literates, fifteen years ago, were 68 per cent, now 78 per cent. "The evident failure, in a moral point of view, of education without religion, is throwing weight into the Roman Catholic scale; children are crowding their private schools."
-Mrs. Dods, of the McAll Mission, says: "The old hall at the corner of the Rue de Rivoli, where the dirtiest of people used to crowd in night after night-some said to get warmed-has disappeared; its successor- Boulevard Sebastopol.-has come and gone, and now in its place are not one, but two or three large halls in densely crowded streets-St. Denis, Temple, and Salle Rivoli-the last redeemed from its evil uses as a rendezvous of atheists, anarchists, and lovers of guilty pleasures j wafihed and purified materially and morally, and consecrated, with its 600 seats, to the service of the Lord."
-Charlie, a convert of the Universities' Mission, having fallen into the handt,; of the heathen Gwangwara, was asked by them, " Why do not these white men and you fear us, seeing that we can kill you all~" He answered: "Because you can only kill our bodies with your spears; it is our souls we care about, and you can't touch them, and so we don't fear you." I heard from others at the time that Charlie had made this answer, and that the Gwangwara were not only awed but actually made afraid by these words. Doubtless it was the first intimation they had ever received that there was anything about a man they could not kill. Yet they believed it when Charlie told them, and, cowards at bottom-like all bullies-they trembled at the news."
-It has been decided in India, says the Bombay Guardian of January lOth, that if a full. grown minor appears capable of caring for himself he may lawfully be baptized against the will of his guardian. But a violent persecution against the Wesleyan Mission at Banknra, Bengal, has been excited by such a case, resulting in the burning of a school.
-A Christian New Year's Mela (or fair) has been held on the banks of the Jnrnna (as lately recommended by the S. F. G.) attended by Anglicans, Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians, meeting " in oneness of spirit, as sheep of one fold." It was held in the Presbyterian grounds.
– " Several thousand representatives of the eight chief Indian languages," says the Indian Witness, "lately met and transacted all their business in English. And no one seems astonished."
-The Ohinese Times, as quoted in the London and Ohina Telegraph, says, of Chinese appropriation of Western science, that it has as yet had very little effect on the national life. "Her dalliance with the skill and science of the Vest is rather a species of coquetry than honest wooino-. The truth is that powers less tangible and material, yet far more pote~t than railways, telegraphs, balloons, or phonographs, must be evoked before any deep or lasting impression upon this slnmbering mass of stagnant life can be expected. Spiritual forces cannot be conquered with material weapons."
tNTERNATtONAL DEPARTMENT
II.-INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
EDITED AND CONDUCTED BY REV. J. T. GRACEY, D.D.
The Religious Attitude of the Ohinese which he is entering, is somewhat like Mind. a scientific farmer who studies and BYREV.W. A. P. MARTIN, D.D., PRESIDENT OF analyzes the soil into which he intends to cast the precious seed. He may find THE IlIIPEBIAL TUNGWEN COLLEGE, that that soil was produced by the disin- PEKING, CHINA. tegration of many kinds of. rocks, some deposited from water, others thrown up Religion consists of two elements by the action of internal fires, others thought and feeling. Its thought i~ yet affected by atmospheric influences. directed toward the mysterious prob- We find, in a similar manner, the lems of existence. In this aspect mental soil of China composed of three every religion that emanates from hu- leading elements which have been comman thought is, to a certain extent, to mingled and brought into interaction be regarded as a philosophy, hence in such a way as to present to the superworthy of careful study, not as throwing ficial observer a homogeneous aspect. light which to us would be valuable on These are known as the three religions the question of human destiny, bdt as -Confucian,Tauist, and Buddhist. throwing light on human character on national character, and the relation's of Before attempting to point out their nations to each other. The religious interaction, which, after all, is the objecexperience of the Chinese people, the tive point, allow me briefly to sketch the elements forming their religious beliefs, leading characteristics of each, as they constitute the subject which I have to rise successively before our eyes. I discuss. No field could perhaps be of shall not be able to go into detail in greater interest, partly on account of the our allotted time, nor would it be demultitude of people who are affected by sirable, inasmuch as I have in mind the these views, partly on account of the distinct object of pointing out only a vast antiquity, presenting records reach- few salient features by which these reing back, without a break in the chain for ligions have acted upon each other. many thousands of years, and also because that great people have been seg- The Confucian system did not origregated by mountain chains and ocean inate with Confucius. He said: "I am breadths, from intercourse with the rest an editor, not an author." He took the of mankind, to a very large extent for records of remote antiquity and sifted the greater part of their national exist- them, in such wise, however, as to exert ence. In order that our lessons may be in a most effective manner the influence of value, it will be important that we of an editor, giving to the readers of all should take them out of the stream we succeeding ages only that which he may say, at a point prior to the in'flux wished to have produce its effect on the of the living waters of Christianity; national mind. We consequently date for Christianity has to some extent Confucianism from the beginning of his affected the modes of thought of that people beyond the pale of Christian com- twenty~ records, from the time of Yao and Shun munities which, for the last three hundred years, have been growing up in his favorite models of virtue, that land. But the systems of which I have to speak date back far beyond that tw~ two centuries before the Christian era time. The missionary, thoughtful, and accustomed to study the field upon Viewed as a religion, it' presents leading features: the first is the worship *Addrc•• before the American Society of Com- of Shang-ti; the second is the worship of the spirits of men under the title of anparative Religion. cestors. Shang-ti signifies the Supreme Ruler. Coming before us in some of the most ancient books extant in any language, that august being suggests at once the Jehovah of the Clll:istian Scrip- show, by the influence of other religions, tures-the Lord, the Most High, who more or less corrupting even the com- was worshipped not only by those who parative purity of the primitive ideas. are recognized in the canon of Scripture as' possessing the guidance of inspira- Confucius was himself strongly in- tion, but by such men as Melchizedek, clined to agnosticism. In his intimate the King of Salem, who was both king conversations with his disciples he re- and priest. We find the earliest sov. fuses to give them any positive state- ereigns of China combining this double ment in regard to the things beyond the function of king and priest, signalizing reach of hnman sight. He said: " We their accession, especially in the case of know not life. How can we know founders of dynasties, by going to death, or what lies beyond the grave? mountain tops, the highest points ap- We are unable properly to render service proaching to heaven, and there offering to onr living parents; how should we up burnt sacrifices to the king of know how to render fitting service to heaven, by whom kings reign and those who have passed into the other princes decree justice. If there were any world ?" Yet he enjoined service to doubt as to the lofty spiritual conc~p those who have passed into the other tion connected with this grand object world as the cardinal dnty in his reo of worship of the one alone to whom all ligious system, and it is that, more than kings and princes were recognized as anything else, which makes it a religion accountable, we may find it in a single potent and living to this day. The worpassage among many scores that I might ship of Shangti, the Supreme Ruler, cite to you if I only had time. The grand as it is, is nevertheless like a ray founder of the dynasty of Chow, eleven of the sun falling upon an iceberg, so hundred years before the Christian era, far as its influence on the publio mind is leading a small army to attack the in concerned. It is limited to the empowerful host which upheld the thron-e peror and to a few remarkable and au· of a tyrant. On the battle-field, before gust manifestations of public ritual, but the critical engagement, he addresses an you do not find it in the household. eloquent harangue to his soldiers, and You do not find it on the lips of the the most eloquent passage is that in people. You do not find that God in which he points upward and says: " The that form has taken up his abode with Most High God, the Supreme Ruler, is ' men. He is still far remote, on the sum· looking down upon you. Let not your mit of an icy Olympus, as it were, hearts waver." The worship of Skang- although to a certain extent dimly per. ti, the Most High (for that is almost a ceived by the mind of the Chinese naliteral translation of the name), contin- tion. ues to the present day, the sovereign now on the throne acting, as did his Tauism rose next. The founder of predecessors of four thouand years ago, Tauism preceded Confucius, but by a as high priest for the empire. On an kind of paradox his religion is of later altar within the walls of Peking he offers date. The founder of Tauism goes by up burnt sacrifices to the Supreme the name of Lautse, which signifies the Being. In the earliest days, however, .. old philosopher," probably because this worship was impure. We find no he was old when Confucius was young. point in Chinese history where it was They were contemporaries. The Tauist not mingled with the worship of sub- system is not found clearly developed in ordinate deities, nature.gods-gods of the only book which bas been transmit. the hills and rivers-and that intermix ted to us from the hand of Lautse, and ture not only continues to the present the authenticity of which has been to a day, but it has b!)en very largely in. large extent questioned. His followers, creased, as I shall have occasion to however, deduced from the obscure hints contained in that book two ideas, or rather one idea, which afterward sub. divided itself into two. The one idea genii. The term genii we usually em· was that by persistent effort we may ac- ploy as a translation for shensien or quire a mastery over matter in such a sien)in, both forms being used, which is way as to command all its potencies, and the word the Tauists apply to their employ them in accomplishing objects adepts, those who obtain the precious which would seem far beyond the reach gift, the elixir of immortality. This of human power, unless it were elevated view may be illustrated by the following by this process of discipline. The mat- lines from a Chinese poem : ter thus spoken of is subjectively that of our own bodies, the discipline of " A prince the &ought Immortal went to seek, which would result in a possible immor- And finding it he soared above the spheres; tality, and objectively the material objects surrounding us, but chiefly the In monntain caverns he had dwelt a weekelemental forms, the careful study of Of human time It was a thousand years." which would enable man finally to transmute the baser metals into gold, and to The Tauist system, deifying, as it were, accomplish many things which have the matter, being essentially materialistic, air of miracle. You perceive at once laid hold upon that august and sublime how naturally from this root conception conception of the ruler of the universe, springs the two fundamental ideas of and incorporated it into the material alchemy-the transmutation of metals world. Not only so, having arrived at into gold and the attainment of immor- , the idea of the five elements, it subditality. These came forward under the vided the idea of the supreme ruler, influence of perhaps the two leading de- and made five gods, each a god of a 'sires which characterize human exist- special element. Thus it corrupted the ence-the first to be rich, the second to idea of God, and it has been one of the live long, or to Iive forever, in order most fmitful sources of corruption in to enjoy wealth. This system has, how. the history of the Chinese mind, introever, a close relation to what preceded ducin" a multitude of favorite idols, it as a cause and explanation of the nature·gods of material origin, which power with which it took hold of the continue to be worshipped to the preshuman mind. I have just l18id that ent day. Confucius was something of an agnostic. He dealt largely in negations-refused The Buddhist system came in, as you to give any light beyond the grave, or are aware, early in the Christian era, the to hold out any hope of immortality, Emperor Ming Ti having sent a mission although that is to some extent implied to India to bring Buddhist priests and in the formal worship of ancestors. books from that country in the year 66 The longing of the human mind for a of the Christian era. The occasion for future life sought satisfaction in the the introduction of Buddhism was, on Tauist conception of a possible immor- the one hand, the eclipse of Confuciantality which was to be conquered by a ism, and, on the other, the religious long and laborious discipline, and which thought, or phases of thought, stimucould not be the heritage of the many, lated and introduced by Tauism. The but Which might become the possession defects of both were supposed to be of a very few. supplied by the stronger, more intel- lectual, and more spiritual creed of In- This system, at the same time, im. dia. The eclipse of Confucianism was parted a kind of life to all nature; every not caused by the ascendancy of a rival form of matter is instinct with an in- creed. It was caused by a political revextinguishable, divine essence, which is olution. The buililer of the great wall capable of assuming personality. In rose up in his might and conquered the this way it peopled the whole world with rival kings,-and resolved that he would a new Pantheon of gods, fairies, and extirpate the feudal system. He was made to believe that without extirpating the books of Confucius he never could eradicate that system, and that though he might overthrow one king after an- a very powerful attraction in contrast other, yet after he should pass away the to the meagre promises of Tauism and system would again spring from the the cold negations of Confucianism, pages of the Confucian books. He re- which preceded. This was connected solved to burn the books, and then, lest with the doctrine of the transmigration these books should be reproduced from of souls, which "Was common to almost the memory of able scholars, he put all Indian creeds. The Indian philosthem to death, and thus flattered him- ophy on that subject regarded transmiself that he had swept away Confucian- gration as something amounting to a ism from the face of the earth, and with physical necessity, that it is absolutely it the whole of the feudal system. It impossible for a man to extinguish his was during this eclipse of Confucianism, being-that he has, as it has been exwhich lasted for about two centuries, pressed, come into this world without that the Emperor Ming Ti sent his em- his own choice and will go into the next bassy to India. without his own choice, and thence go on in a succession of changes forever. The Chinese people, having got the This succession of changes is described, idea of immortality from Tauism, were under the figure of a wheel, the turn of at first fired with it, but disappointed destiny, or wheel of fate, which is repthat through that system there was no resented as revolving rapidly and drophope for any but a very few; they were ping out human souls to be born again fascinated with a report they had heard in the form of man or of some higher or of a blessed religion in India, which lower being, there being six categories offered salvation to all. Hence the em- in all, according to the Buddhist diviperor sept his embassy to India and in- sion. The religious view of the founder troduced this new religion, which had of the faith was pessimistic. To escape perhaps to some extent already found from this series of changes constitutes its way into China, and begun to exert happiness, and he devised a method for some influence, but which from that day that purpose. In the Northern School became a potent factor in the develop- of Buddhism, especially in its popular ment of the Chinese mind, and contin- phase, we seldom meet with this idea_ ues to the present day to be the leading We meet more frequently with the idea religious influence in that country. I that to rise in the scale of being is hapmay say, as an illustration of the posi- piness. Sakyamuni had in his system tion which Buddhism acquired and no heaven. The Northern Buddhism, holds in China, that I hold in my hand which has prevailed in China, has a a document never given to the world in heaven, borrowed, it may be, from the the English language, nor, perhaps, so Christian's Paradise. It has, presiding far as I know, in any other Western over that heaven, a goddess of mercy, language, showing that if in the year 66 borrowed, perhaps, from the Catholic an emperor was so impressed with conception of the mother of Jesus Christ. Buddhism as to send an embassy to the Many other ic!eas present a transforma- West to introduce it into China, four- tion-Iwill not say a travesty-of Christeen centuries later another emperor tianity. was so much influenced by it as to send an embassy to introduce the Buddhist Weare asked particularly the relation classics from Thibet. (The paper, which and the interaction of these three syswas an edict of the Emperor Yungloh, tems which we have thus briefly 1412, was here read.) Various doctrines sketched. You have noted that they are alluded to in that paper, only one rose one after the other, each of them or two of which I will touch upon. I introduced by a felt want, and that each have already referred to the full and 'was preceded by a yearning of the hnbounteous offer of salvation and immor- man soul for something better; consetality made by Buddhism as furnishing quently, in a religions point of view, each one may be considered as an ad. to the doctrine of immortality, in the vance upon that by which it was pre- duty of worshipping departed spirits. ceded. They were a long time antago- But this is faint, very faint, in compari. nistic, sometimes even inciting bloody son with the religious teaching of the persecutions, but in this day they have other two sects. Buddhism has been become comparatively quiescent, like especially potent in instilling ideas active chemicals, which, being brought which are so nearly akin to those prop· into juxtaposition, exert for a time their agated by Christianity as again to pre. various qualities, but which soon be. pare the way for the introduction of ancome quiescent and inert, until they are other system. Buddhism, no doubt, brought into contact with some more en· vastly enlarged the area of Chinese con. ergetic agent. We shall find that in ceptions, To borrow a mathematical Christianity. A remarkable illustration illustration, the religious ideas of the of the quiescence of these long, active, Chinese were limited, before the intro. and conflicting systems is found in the duction of Buddhism, to two dimenfact that there are in some parts of sions, something th!t may be described China little shrines or temples where as a "flat-land," with length and the three religions are seen represented breadth, but no height. Buddhism by their founders-Confucius, Buddha, gives it height, soaring up to the heav_ and Lautse-all sitting sid" by side and ens and developing the conqeption of a receiving at one and the same time the universe, the grandeur of which perhaps homage of worshippers who acknowl. nothing can exceed. Is it possible that edge all three. You might object that after this universe of three dimensions it would be a strange mind that would we shall have one of four dimensions? acknowledge and swallow all these Mathematicians tell us that with space creeds, yet there are many who assert of four dimensions it is possible to 'do that the three creeds are identical, if you many things which cannot be done could only get down to the bottom. In without it. There is, in my view, room fact, nothing is more contradictory. The for the fourth dimension, or, to drop the Confucian system is essentially ethical; figure, there is room for a fourth stage the Buddhist system is pure idealism, in the progression, one which Ohina is as pure as that of Berkeley or Hegel; waiting for-that is, the introduction the Tauist system is materialistic, be- of Christianity. Each of the previous ginning with gross materialism. How religions was ushered in by a felt want. is it possible that three systems so Christianity alone can supply the de· utterly divergent should ever be recon· fects of all the systems and present one ciled? The fact is, they are irreconcil· harmonious unity. If I were to express able. Each one presents some one thing in one word what Christianity is to con· which meets a human want, Qut recon· fer upon China, it would be this: Not ciliation there is none; peace, union, a God seated far away, upon some reo harmony, there cannot be, though 0. mote Olympus, as in the Confucian systruce, a permanent truce, seems at pres· tem ; not a God inherent in matter, as ent to exist between them. They are in the Tauist system; not a God, as in' no longer belligerent. The question the Buddhist system, who has risen from may be raised, What benefit has each the ranks of the disciples of virtue, a one of these conferred upon the Chinese mere deified man, but God, the Spirit people? Each one has enlarged and of the universe, in Christ Jesus, coming widened the speculative thought and reo into the human Boul, taking up his abode ligious conceptions of the peop] e. Con. there and working by his Holy Spirit a fucianism gave them, or, at least, pre· regenerating influence such as none of served for them, and preserves to the these creeds has ever possessed, and of present day, the grand idea of the Suo which they have presented only a faint preme Ruler, and it bears witness, too, and dim frophecy. This I believe to be the mission of Christianity, and I be- tombs. Here these mounds are, howlieve the Chinese, though it may be un- ever, the great hieroglyph of Americaconsciously, are waiting. for it and up in the mining regions of Michigan, reaching out after it. a thousand miles up the Missouri River, all over the Ohio and Mississippi basins In reply to a question as to what re- five hundred of them, if our memory ligion preceded Confucianism, Dr. Mar- serves us correctly, in one county of the tin said: State of Ohio alone; and all over the Southern tier of our States. How old "Confucius edited the canonical they are is an antiquarian's conun_ books 'of China, the earliest of which, drum. Trees have been found growing or rather the records contained in it, go .upon them with upward of four hunback twenty·two hundred. years before dred rings, recording their annual Christ. These two religious elements growth; and these, the" primeval forof the Confucian system, worship of est" of our forefathers, were a second Shangti (conjoined with that of the growth on the .. primeval forests" of hills and rivers) and that of deceased the civilized races, on whose graves ancestors, were in full flower at that they have grown, and who, some think, time. These mUl!lt have taken some retreated from the Ohio valley two time to attain the form in which they thousand years ago ! appeared. As to the idea of the Supreme Ruler, which, so far as it goes, But monuments they are of a people is very analogous to the Christian's idea of settled life, who had organized inof God, whether that is from a pa- dustries, habits of intelligent work-as triarchal tradition, as I am inclined to skill in masonry and pottery, and in think, I will not affirm." weaving and spinning cloth; and who could mine and move blocks of copper The Mound·Builders of America. ore weighing sixty tons.
We are paying large attention in these Who they were and whence they days to 'he antiquities of Oriental coun- came will be a scientist's riddle for tries. But the more one pursues the many a year to come. .Had half the atstudy of the antiquities of the pagan tention been bestowed on the dead lanpeoples of our own continent, the more guage of these sun·dried or burned interesting does it become. brick books which has been bestowed on the brick books of Babylon, and had The study of the mounds of North the arrow-headed alphabet of these our and South America is equal in interest own prehistoric peoples received the to those of Egypt or Assyria, and no one attention that has been given to Asc.an now say how important their study syrian research, it might not now be 1<0 may become. mortifying a failure to try to answer this question. They are the .. lost All the pre.historic mounds of North tribes of Israel," say some; Malays, and South America are of one type from say others, whose empire, maritime and Peru and Yucatan to Mexico and the commercial, and whose fleets of great Mississippi and Ohio valleys, in being ships reached all over the Pacific island a terraced elevation. Some, possibly, and to Peru; Phcenicians, cry others, once furnished the foundation of a the great colonizing navigators of anbuilding, as did those of Guatemala tiquity. Not so, say others still; they and Southern Mexico, where ruined are" Atlantics," from the lost" islands stone edifices still remain on the sum- of Atlantis," a portion of the American mits of similar earthworks. It is high- Continent now below the waters of the ly probable they were constructed for Atlantic Ocean, which once stretched in religioUI!I uses, some say, giving indica- neighboring groups from the West Intions of sun.worship and other sacred dies to the Allorefl. But, leaving all symbol, while othel"S think theIr} only these external theorizings out of view, arrested at the instigation of the eccle- we have two most adverse theories of siastical authorities on a charge of pub- scientists to amuse U8, if they do not licly performing religiolls services not satisfy us. sanctioned by the Rcman Catholic Church. On a hearing before the Crim- First, the civilized life of the ancient inal Court in November, it was proven Mexicans and Central Americans origi- that his religious services had been nally began and reached its climax in conducted privately within closed doors, South and Central America, and extend- and entirely within the' limitations of ed itself with gradually lessening com- the law, and he was acquitted; but in- pletcness over large portions of Ameri- asmuch as the parties urging the prose- ca, the civilization being less perfect as cution appealed the case to the Superior the colonies were remote. Second, the Court he was remanded to prison. The theory of the modern passionate evolu- Superior Court, after visiting the site of tionist, who would show that the begin- the chapel, affirmed the decision of the nings were everywhere, the gradual de- lower court and directed his release ; velopment reaching highest in Mexico, when his enemies again interposed, and Yucatan, and Peru. by appealing to the Supreme Court, suc- ceeded in having his imprisonment pro- These diyergent schools teach-the longed. Mr. Hicks, of the United States one that this is a great prehistoric race, Legation, telegraphed on the 16th of with arts of civilized life, reading, writ- January, that he bad watched the case ing, and aJ:chitectural decorations, and closely, and had had almost daily prom- skill not to be excelled by the best of ises of Mr. Penzotti's release, which tlie our constructors and decorators. These Foreign Office deemed certain; but al- ( find in the mounds of the United States though his imprisonment has con· evidence of a civilization such as the tinued for more than six months, a race of Indians known to history could decision dops not seem to haTe been never have produced. The other school rendered as yet. thinks there is nothing about these earthworks that may not be accounted Penzotti is an Italian subjeet. He has for after the most ordinary manner as been twenty-five years in South AIDer- belonging to the modern Indian. More ica. He was converted in Buenos Ayres entertaining literature is not easy to and became a colporteur of the Ameri- find, though it be only a babble of can Bible Society. He was some while books. ago placed in charge of Bible distribu- tion on the west coast of South Amer- -A brother kindly sends us a note ica. For threE years, amid a great deal stating that we inadvertently used the of persecution, he has been selling wrong title when we alluded to the Bibles in Peru. The priests had him "Church of England Missionary So- arrested and thrown into prison, where ciety," in Persia, in the February num- he has remained till now, among the low- ber. He says the missionaries whose in- est and vilest criminals in a dark filthy trusion in the Persian Presbyterian mis- cell. The charges cannot be sustained; sion field is complained of are an .. in- but, under Peruvian law, he must prove dependent mission under the special himself innocent. The Italian minister direction and patronage of the Arch- at Callao has sought his release as an Ital- bishop of Canterbury, and receive part ian flubject, and the American Bible So- of their funds from the Society for the ciety has appealed to Mr. Blaine for pro- Propagation of the Gospel." tection of certain property and other rIghts of Americans involved in the At the meeting of the American Bible case. But meanwhile Mr. Penzotti is Society in February, letters were pre- behind those barH, the representative and sented from the society's agent in Peru, champion of religious freedom. who has been in prison at Callao since the 25th of July last. Mr. Penzotti was
EDITORIAL NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS
III.-EDITORIAL NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS.
COMPARATIVE RELIGIONs.-The New which Dr. Martin himself was good York University has shown commend. enough to reyise and place at our dis- able appreciation of the thought.need posal. We present it now, with the im- of the age, in establishing a Lectureship pression that it is one of the very best on Comparative Religions, and is to be and most suggestive papers we have congratulated that it has secured Rev. published. We are also pleased to an- F. F. Ellinwood, D.D., as Lecturer. nounce that we hope to present, in an We understand that two courses of lec- .early issue hereafter, a paper from Dr.
tures are given. In the first, Dr. Ellin- Martin on "American Influence in wood considers Hinduism, Buddhism, China." G.
Mohammedanism, Zoroastrianism, and Confucianism, giving a large proportion A NEW MISSIONARY CYCLOPlIllDIA.-We of attention to Hinduism, as embracing soliciteil from Messrs. Funk & WagnaIIs all phases of the religion of the Hindus for temporary use, some advanced sheets from the first Aryan faith through Brah- of the new "Missionary Cyclopredia"
manism, Buddhism, Philosophic Ra-· they are about to issue. We were so tionalism of the schools, etc.-in a delighted with the excellence of the word, all that belongs to the> composite work, that we venture to violate a rule which may be called Hinduism. In of the house, admirahle though it be.
the second course he subsoils these It is, we believe, understood that their same fields with a more thorough study, own books are not to he presented in taking also the ancient religions of the this way in their periodicals. It is our world, studying them with a view to the pleasure to establish that rule by an ex- light which they throw on the question of ception. It is not too much to say that a primitive Monotheism, the testimony for more than a dozen years a missionary which they give by their traditions to the cyclopredia has been a desideratum.
general truths of Christianity. He con- We do not know of an edition of New- siders also Tauism and Shintooism, comb later than 1860. Aikman's Cyclo- and the religion of the Druses. He predia appe'ared in 1859, and reached a takes up particularly the relations of the second edition in 1861. Hassell's" From Dhammapada and the Bhagavad Gita to Pole to Pole" and Elliot Stock's Christianity. . He gives a full written "Handbook of Christian Missions"
lecture. He also furnishes lists of books were issued in 1872, as was also Boyce's to be read in connection with the lec- invaluable" Statistics of Protestant Mis- tures. His classes, as a rule, are enthu· sionary Societies, " which was published siastic in this study. Out of these only for private circulation, but worth courses of lectures has grown the organ- its weight in precious metal. Grunde- ization of "The American Society of man's "Allgemeiner Missions-Atlas,"
Comparative Religion," which though Vahl's" Missions-Atlas," and Werner's young is enterprising. On February 6th "Atlas der Evangelischen Missions,"
last it secured Rev. Dr. A. P. Martin, are of high value within their sphere, President of the Imperial University at but are not in English dress. There Peking, China, to deliver before it a lec- are smaller works, as Badley's" Indian ture on " The Religious Attitude of the Missionary Directory" and Dobbin's Chinese Mind." As the lecture was not " Foreign Missionary Manual," and the a written one we solicited the kind admirable "Missionary Year Book."
offices of the Corresponding Secretary But the great gap is unfilled. We of the Society, Rev. C R. Blauvelt, want a comprehensive, well-digested, Nyack, N. Y., in securing for publica- historical, geographical, and statistical tion in our columns a report of the lec- Bummary-a vast dictionary of mis- ture, and he 'furnished a full synopsiS, sions, And at great cost and pain!! that desidemtum is, we are confident, China is a greater scourge than war or now to be met. We base our judgment pestilence." These China Christians on some two hundred pages which we are taunted with having adopted the re- have examined and tested, by working ligion of "the foreign devils, who are with them for a month. Those who making China into a hell by their opi- know the nature of such a production um." Worse still, the poor, weak lit- will not expect a faultless volume. It tle Christian church in the Celestial Em- will not be free from some inaccuracies. pire is being well nigh decimated by Biographically, it will be like heaven: the use of the drug. G.
one will find persons there he did not expect to see, and miss persons whose -" Maokay of Uganda" has been is· sued by the Armstrongs. Alexander names he thought certainly would be Mackay was styled by the Pall Mall Ga- ·zette the ., St. Paul of Uganda." Stanthere. That is inevitable. But, after ley, Grant, Jephson, and scores of the great Afrioan "lights" have poured all such natural and necessary exception their vials of odors on Mackay's grave. We doubt if he is not to stand out the is taken, this promises to be a mission- foremost missionary layman of the cen· tury. This book is one to " read, mark, ary cycloprodia on a scale and of a char- learn, and inwardly digest." It is a religious tonic. acter such as we have not had. It will be hailed heartily and studied dili- gently. Missions represent more than anything but the Bible the nnity of Protestant Christendom. Manyare eager to get a glance at the whole field down to date. We believe from what we have seen of these sheets they are not to be disappoin ted. Our readers may observe that, for unity's sake and convenience of refer- The leading articles which we have ence, we have assigned to each month a general field, as follows : examined, snch as "Buddhism" and January: The general outlook of the "Bantu," must have been written by world field.
persons speoially competent to furnish February: China, Thibet, and Con- fucianism. them. We understand that.llpeoial care Maroh: Mexioo, Central America, has been exeroised in the assignment of West Indies, Cuba, and Evangelization of Cities. the several classes of work, by which the April; India, Ceylon, Java. Brahmanablest talent has been brought to bear ism.
upon the whole wvrk, which is editorially May: Burmah, Malaysia, Siam, Laos. Buddhism. in the oharge of Rev. E. M. Bliss. June: Africa. Freedmen in North The publioation of such a book or America.
books, for it is in two large volumes, July: Islands of Sea-Polynesia, Me- lanesia. Utah and Mormonism. North requires the investment of a large sum Amerioan Indians. Chinese and Japan- ese in Amerioa. of money, and deserves the encourage- August: Italy, France, Spain. Papal ment of the Christian publio, as furnish- Europe. Bulgaria.
ing a thesaurus of missionary informa- September: Japan, Korea. Medioal Missions. tion. Dr. Rufus Anderson's axiom Ootober: Scandinavia, Germany, ought not to be lost sight of-" The Switzerland, etc. Turkey, Persia, Arabia. Mohammedanism. Greek interest which truly Christian people Oh~roh, Nomu.al Christianity take in missions is equal to their correct knowledge of them." G.
-There is a traot entitled" Christian Woman of North China to the Christian Women of England upon the Opium In-· iquity." In' this these Chinese Christian women deolare to all Europe and to all nmnkind that" forei6n opium in November: South America. Y. M. Bulgaria to the Bulgarians and Servia C. A. Home Missions. Papacy. to the Servians now give Palestine back to the Jews? These provinces as well as December: Syria and Jews. Green- Roumania, Montenegro, and Greece, land. Educational Missions. were wrested from the Turks and given to their natural owners. Does not Pal- A remarkable movement, headed by estine as rightfully belong to the Jews? It is said that rains are increasing, and MT. W. E. Blackstone, of Oak Park, Ill., there are many evidences that the land is recovering its ancient fertility. If is on foot to present an overture to the they could have autonomy in govern- ment, the Jews of the world would rally leading nations of the world, to buy Pal- to transport and establish their suffering brethren in their time-honored habita. estine and put it at the control of the tion. For over seventeen centuries they have patiently waited for such a Russian Jews, for occupation. The list privileged opportunity. They have not become agriculturists elsewhere, because of signatures to this document, already they believed they were mere sojourners in the various nations, and were yet to obtained, include editors, lawyers, mer- return to Palestine and till their own land. Whatever vested rights, by poschants, and men in every secular call- session, may have accrued to Turkey can be easily compensated, possibly by ing, as well as clergymen of every de. the Jews assuming an equitable portion of the national debt. nomination, inclusive even of Roman We believe that this is an appropriate Catholics. We have seen no document time for all nations, and especially the Christian nations of Europe, to show for twenty years that so impressed us kindness to Israel. A million of exiles, by their terrible sufferings, are piteously with its five hundred signatures. appealing to our sympathy, justice, and humanity. Let us now restore to them The following is the text of this me- the land of which they were so cruelly despoiled by our Roman ancestors. morial: . To this end we respectfully petition " What shall be done for "the Russian His Excellency Benjamin Harrison, President of the United States, and the Jews? It is both unwise and useless Honorable James G. Blaine, Secretary of State, to use their good offices and into undertake to dictate to Russia con- fluences with the Governments of their Imperial Majestiescerning her internal affairs. The Jews Alexander III., Czar of Russia. have lived as foreigners in her domin- Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Empress of India. ions for centuries, and she fully be. William II., Emperor of Germany. Francis Joseph, Emperor of Austrolieves that they are a burden upon her Hungary. Abdul Hamid II., Sultan of Turkey. resources and prejudicial to the welfare His Royal Majesty Humbert, King.of Italy. of her peasant population, and will not Her Royal Majesty Marie Christina, Queen Regent of Spain, and, with the allow them to remain. She is deter- mined that they must go. Hence, like the Sephardim of Spain, these Ashkena- zim must emigrate. But where shall 2,000,000 of such poor people go?
Europe is crowded and has no room for more peasant population. Shall they come to America? This will be a tre- mendous expense and require years.
Why not give Palestine back to them?
According to God's distribution of na- tions it is their home-an inalienable possession from which they were ex· pelled by force" Under their cultiva- tion it was a remarkably fruitful land, sustaining millions of Israelites, who in- dustriously tUled its hillsides and val- leys. They were agriculturists and pro.
ducers, as well as a nation of great com- mercial importance-the centre of civil- ization and religion.
Why shall not the powers which un- der the treaty of Berlin, in 1878, gave Government of the Republic of France, and hopeful that our Government should and with the Governments of Belgium, initiate this friendly movement, to give Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Portugal, these wandering millions of Israel a set- Roumania, Servia, Bulgaria, and Greece, tled and permanent home. to secure the holding, at an early date, of an International Conference to con- " The President listened attentively to sider the condition of the Israelites and Mr. Blackstone's remarks, and promised their claims to Palestine as their ancient to give the subject serious considerahome, and to promote, in all other just tion." and proper ways, the alleviation of their suffering condition." The editorial staff of this REVIEW is now unusually complete. It embraces, Several petitioners wish it stated that besides the editor-in-chief, Rev. Drs. the lews have not become agriCUlturists, Gracey and Gordon, leading Methodist because for centuries they were almost and Baptist divines, Rev. C. C. Staruniversally prohibited from owning or buck, an Episcopalian, Rev. D. L. Leontilling land in the countries of their dis- ard, a Congregationalist, besides a leadpersion. ing Presbyterian clergyman whose name does not appear. Neither effort nor ex- On March 5th, Mr. William E. Black- pense is spared by the publishers and stone, of Chicago, presented this remark- editorial staff to make this the leading able paper, with its signatures of the review of world-wide missions. Mr. most prominent men of the country, to Starbuck, who has charge of the foreign the President of the United States; and exchanges, is seeking to make his dethe following is the report of the inter- partment the American review of review, as found in the daily press: views.
"Mr. Blackstone explained to the The greatest embarrassment which President and Secretary Blaine that the attends our work is perhaps the lack of memorial was the result of a conference trustworthy statistics, or rather, conof Christians and Jews, recently held in sistent and uniform statistics. One of Chicago, and called especial attention to our correspondents complains of the the fact that it did not antagonize Rus- statement on page 232 March issue, of sia, but only sought, in a peaceful way, the work in Africa. He compares this to give the Jews control of their oIa with the figures of Mr. Liggins in his homes in Palestine. He pointed out ., Value and Success of Foreign Mismany evidences of the possibility of sions," page 31, who reports 175,000 great development of ihat country, both communicants and 300,000 baptized agriculturally and commercially, under members of churches, etc. Now we ask an energetic government, and said that our friend to bear in mind, first, that the railroad now building from Joppa Mr. Liggins's estimates, published in to Jerusalem, if extended to Damascus, 1888, were probably taken from reports Tadmore and down the Euphrates, can- made in 1887, and covering the year not fail to become an international high- from 1876-77. These estimates in the way. He said that the poverty of the REVIEW are from the most recent reports Turkish Government gives emphasis to available. But most of all must it be the proposed indemnity by funding a borne in mind that scarce any two portion of the Turkish national debt statisticians proceed on the same printhrough Jewish capitalists, and that only ciple of estimate. A Baptist connts only peaceable diplomatic negotiations are baptized adult believers; an Episcoasked for, to the end that all private palian or Catholic would reckon every ownership of land and property be care. baptized infant; and some high churchfully respected and protected. In clos- men have been Jmown to reckon all the ing, he said that, being on such friendly household of a baptized communicant. terms with Russia, and having no com· plications in the Orient, it is most fitting For years we have been seeking to get not detect the fact that on page 149, some uniform basis for such tables line 17, immorality would read better adopted, but in vain. If we could have for another" t". If any reader thinks uniform forms for such tables, no errors that proof.reading is a sinecure he or contradictions would seriously occur. should try it. For example, if we could have a column for baptized adults, one for baptized in- By some strange oversight in the brief fants. etc., one for adherents, etc., we article on "Missionary Training might prevent confusion. As it is now, Schools," page 300, Vol. III. of thid our only way is either to discard figures REVIEW, no mention is made of the Interentirely, or else publish such as we can national Medical Missionary Society and get, and ask our readers to take them Training Institute, at No. 118 East fortyfor what they are worth as approxi. fifth Street, New York. This institu· mates. We say this once for aU. tion was founded in 1881 and incor- porated in 1886, its objects being, "to Another esteemed correspondent heal the sick and preach the Gospel in thinks the word" boasts," on page 205, New York and other cities, and train March issue, a "venomous word to young men and women to go abroad as thrust at a bishop." The editor will medical missionaries." The medical only say no such indignity was intend· director and founder of the institute is ed. The word was used in a mild sense, Dr. George D. Dowkontt, a devoted misof a perfectly lawful exultation at a very sionary and able manager. creditable increase. This word has a legitimate use. Camp. Psalm xliv., 8. Seven dispensaries have been estab- lished-6 in New York and 1 in Brook. In his annual report of the Congrega. lyn, and upward of 25,000 cases of distional Union's work, Secretary Cobb ease have been treated. suggested, and Dr. Taylor advocated. for promoting the progress of mission. In 1889, 59 students, 12 of whom were ary enterprise: (1) a clear presentation, ladies, were received; and missionaries at least once a year, in every pulpit, of from this training I>chool are working in the work of the various departments India, China, and Africa. of Christian service in the light of the latest facts; (2) the adoption by every At the time of writing the artiC'le, we church of a plan by which offerings of had in mind general training schools, money shall be made, precisely the same and not medical. Hence the inadvert· as offerings of prayer and praise, to ence. carryon the work of the on.coming kingdom of God; (3) a greatly awakened A writer in the Christian suggests that apprehension of the fact that evangeliz. a good service could be rendered by ing work is rapidly growing, so that mllny Christians if they would write let· funds which sufficed twenty.five, or ters to missionaries in foreign lands. even ten, years ago can by no PORS;- There are many who can write a few bility do the work demanded to.day. simple sympathizing lines that would cheer lonely hearts, but perhaps could Our correction in the February num· not otherwise do much for the Master. ber, page 142, needS correcting. The There are also many earnest believers line misplaced on page 51 of the Janu· whose interests would be widened if ary number belongs on page 50. And they were to write to missionaries in in the February number, page 83, line different fields, for wherever their let- 12, Siberia, should, of course, read Libe· ters go their hearts would go thereafter. ria; and even Dr. Gracey's eagle eye did In most cases such letters will be an· swered, and thus new and holy bonds would bind together the hearts of the writer and the lonely workers in far· away fields.
THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS
IV.-THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS.
BY REV. J. T. GRACEY, D.D.
-Asia is the most populous of con- ism, in the strict SQnse of the word, they tinents. But its population is un- say is, what may be called a cellular sysequally distributed. Taking the whole tem of society, where the cells are built area of Europe, it has a denser popula- up separately, and kept from all possition proportionately than Asia has. It bility of coalescing by an elaborate sysaverages 90 to the square mile, while tem of boycotting in food and in mar- Asia averages only 46. riage. And this has given rise to a hab- it of thought which is the deadliest foe But four countries of Asia-India, to Christian aggressive work. The one Java, China, and Japan-with five- sin which the caste Hindu regards as sixths of the total area have double the unpardonable is to think and act for population of Europe. himself. Individual responsibility, one of the most important elements in Chris- INDIA- BRAHMANISM. tian morality, is the one great sin to the caste Hindu. The individual is noth- The population of India is roughly ing, the caste is everything. If the classified as : (1) Hindus, (2) Aboriginal caste Hindu is to accept a new faith, tribes, (3) Mohammedans, (4) Miscella- then the probability is that he will come neous sects-Buddhists or Jains, Parsis, to it by a movement of masses and not Sikhs. The first two are estimated of individuals_ at 206,000,000, the Mohammedans at ronndly 50,000,000, and the miscellane- This finds at this moment an emphatous at 6,000,000. In counting the Hin- ic illustration in North India, among dus and Aboriginal tIibes together, we the Methodist missions. A great movedo not mean to say that Gonds, Rhonds, ment among certain low-caste peoples Santals, and the Hill tribes are Hindus. has taken place by which the communi- Many of them are so counted, but per- ty, as such, is turning to Christianity; haps 20,000,000 of them, at a low esti- and 5000 were baptized last year, and mate, are not even Hinduized, and pos- perhaps as many more were ready to be sibly 50,000,000 of them must not be baptized, but the missionaries preferred counted as Hindus. they should wait for further inRtruction and testing; yet they will, notwithstand- Of the 186,OOO,000-if we reckon it so ing this repression, baptize at least 5000 high-of the Hindu community, a large more this year, and have at least 10,000 number are out.castes by the system, eagerly awaiting baptism. It is a moveor are very low·caste people. These, ment much like that in Ongole among strictly speaking, are religiously with- the Baptists, and in NellorEl also. out privileges and socially without standing, separated necessarily and In the Deccan, this Scotch delegation eternally from the body politic of the thinks, the family feeling is stronger four castes which constitute the Hindu than the caste feeling in the depressed community. classes, and they think that there, the aggression will be along the family line. Professor Lindsay and Rev. J. F. Dr. Sheshadri's success is based on the Daly, deputized last year to visit the family as an indirect agency in the prop. Free Church missions in India, report- agation of the Gospel. It is confessed ed that caste Hinduism includes all man- that the mission does not show the sa~ne ner of religions in our Western sense of proportion of results in conversion the word, varying from a refined theos- among the strictly caste Hindus, but it ophy down to what is little better than is certain that, through mission and govrude fetich worship, and has no com- ernment schools, and other contact with mon creed, although beneath all there Western civilization-in society, letters, lies. a curious pantheism which is the one common religious basis. Hinducommerce, and laws-caste Hinduism is community, . which challenges fresh being seriously undermined and greatly effort on the part of the Christian modified.* Church; for it shows that, after all the European scholarship has disclosed to advance of the Christian community in these Hindus their own original scrip. India, there were more heathen in India tures, now overlaid with the debris of at the end of the decade than at its be- Iustful and foolish idolatry and fetich- ginning. Itmustnot be a source of dis.
ism; anu. whole segments of this commu.i couragement, however, for the Christian nityare breaking from the strict social community in India was shown to have order and organizing at a sort of half.way increased at nearly double the ratio of house between Hinduism and Chris- the non-Christian population. Then we tianity, while individuals in large num- must not overlook t.he fact that Brah- bers have swung to a stage of infidelity manism has been deteriorating for a in all religion. India to·day is not thousand years. It has died at the top.
the India of even fifty years ago. The It has been struck in the head; as a re- British Government steadily urges a ligious sYRtem it has been brained. It European standard of morals on the has added nothing to its philosophy for community. The pressure brought to centuries, nor to its aggregate of re- bear on them just now on the family and ligious force. If because of its exten- marriage life is in illustration, by which sion among depressed masses it has the" age of consent" has been raised found geographical or communal ex- to ten years. Gross abuses forced the tension, it has yet seriously declined in government to this action; but what us its purity. If there are more Brahmans, feel more hopeful is that the public there is less Brahmanism. It has even sentiment of the native community has been compelled to take a back seat on been elevated so far as to fortify the gov- the school forms, while European schol- ernment in this action. This gives en- ars should teach it what its sacred books couragement to hope that the govern- say it is. It is a learner and not a ment may be induced to press the mar- teacher of its own literature.
riage laws of India in the near future A preacher of the Brahmo Somaj is yet nearer to a standard becoming a reported as saying in a sermon : Christian nation. But in considering the " Men's minds have become restless. contact of Christianity with Brahman- Their minds now are filled with doubts ism, high caste or low caste, it is always regarding those things which formerly well to bear in mind that it is an absolutely local religion. It is confined to commanded respect. . . . A great flood the soil; crossing certain geographical has come and swept over the face of the boundaries, a caste Hindu loses his caste. Caste HindJlism, therefore, can have coun'try, carrying away the roofs of the no geographical extension. It is also edifices of past creeds and customs. confined within blood boundaries. It Drowning men, in their despair, are catching at whatever they find nearest their hands. They are finding it diffi- cult to obtain peace of mind."
can only be propagated along race lines. The New Light, an organ of the Brahmo The only possible increase, therefore, of Somaj, has the following: the Brahman community is as the " Christ Jesus … is as much necessary birth.rate exceeds the death.rate. If in this age and in India as He was 1800 the census can be relied on, Hinduism years ago in Judrea. As sinful children (not Brahmanism) increased in the re- of men, we, the people of India, are as cent decade six per cent. This marks a much in need of the Living Son of the great aggregate increase if a heathen Living God as the people of Judrea were in days gone by."
• The part of this official report of the Free But let us not overestimate the utter- Church of Scotland delegates to India, which an~es of the more intelligent classes. we have followed, would make a very excellent Below them is still the vast horde who tract. eat. drink, and are given in marriage, The extensive influence of the San- caring only how to plough, and reap, and skrit language on the Javanese is in evi- trade, and keep from starvation, not able dence of long intercourse. Every to read, not caring what the brains of language of the Eastern Archipelago will India are occupied about at all. Only be found to have engrafted upon it a 11,000,000 out of a total of 250,000,000 quantity of Sanskrit proportionate to the can read. extent of its own cultivation. The Kavi, / Mission work was never more neces- a language of Java, is chiefly SanskTit. sary, never so vast, so intelligent, so co- One sixth of the Malay language is San- operative, so compacted, so jealous of the skrit. The Mohammedans came in 1478, efficiency of its own methods, so intro- and Arabs and MaJays drove out every spective as now. The ratio of conver- description of Hindus, even a sect of sions steadily advances as weil as the Sivaites, who attempted to propagate ratio of the Christian community rela- their peculiar worship. tive to other portions of the population. Bishop Thoburn is authority for the Islam, so modified as to form almost statement that the largest missionary a distinct religion known as Javanism, conference in the world meets monthly remains the religion of the Javanese in Calcutta. race, and is reported to have rapidly ex· tended. The Sundas, who occupy the The next Decennial Conference of the west end, are less civilized than the Jav. ruissionaries will be held in 1892, and anese, who occupy the rest of the island. we have no doubt the summary of re- Politically the country is divided into sults will be greatly uplifting. 24 governorships. It has the electrio telegraph and two railroads. JA.VA.. Missionary work on this island as Java is about equal in size to one a:c.d nearly records a failure as in any part one-third of Great Britain, and count- of the globe. The Christianity of the ing little Madura, in its bosom, with Netherlands has had this eighteen or less than one·fifteenth of the area of the twenty millions of people within touch whole Eastern Archipelago, it has more for two centuries and a half, and enrolls than half the population of the group; not perhaps more than 4000 Christians. and its population is rapidly increasing. The Netherlands Missionary Society has It is the third in size, but first in trade labored here. The Dutch Missionary of the group. It is the granary of the Society commenced work among the archipelago. It is the most noted, too, 4,000,000 of Sundanese in Western Java for its ruins. Brambaban abounds with in 1863. It has schools and perhaps stupendous relics of Indian origin, the nearly 1000 in its congregations. It hilS remains of an extensi ve and splendid translated the entire Scriptures into city, while prodigious monuments of an- Sundanese. The Dutch Reformed Mis- cient Hindus appear in every direction. sionary Society labors in Central Java. The finest Sii ecimens of Buddhist stat- It reports a remarkable movement in ues in the world are in Java. Boro the last two or three years among the Buddha is the most magnificent relic of populations ruled by Moslem Sultans, Buddhism remaining in any country. notwithstanding that no missionary can Three hundred Buddhist images are preach without a government license, here. Buddhism was the prevailing re- and that license restricts him to one po· lision of the ancient Javanese. Civili- litical division. Over one thousand zation spread from West to East in the souls were reported converted in one Indian Archipelago. district where permission to preach hIlS beE'n persistently refused, and no min. The Javanese trace their origin to In- ister allowed to administer the sacra· dia. Probably commercial intercourse ments. The Mennonite Society, or- existed between the Coromandel coast g,an"iz._ed–in. 1849, made Java its first neld and Java from time immemorial. but it reported not more than 133 adhe- tered the field in 1813, by the ap- rents in 1889. pointment of four missionaries. This Board has given great attention to the (lEYLON. establishment of a well-ordered educa- tional system. They have had encour- Ceylon, the natives say, is the" Seat aging results in the way of self-support. of Paradise." Its 3,000,000 of people They now enroll 1477 communicants, are crowded about 118 to a square mile. and number 3116 adherents and 328 na- It is about two_sevenths the size of Great tive workers. The contributions of the Britain. It is called the "adopted native church last year amounted to country of the persecuted Buddhists." $4878. Singhalese and Tamils are the two principal races of the island. These are The Wesleyan Missionary Society endifferent from each other not only in tered Ceylon in 1814. The story of Dr. language and religion, but in vigor, in- Coke dying on the way to found this telligence, and personal characteristics. mission is a familiar one. The Church of England Missionary Society entered The Tamil is industrious and enter- in 1818, and the S. P. G. in 1838. prising, while the Singhalese is just the opposite. The HindUIsm of the Tamils In a large public square in the northdiffers but little from Hinduism in South ern part of Calcutta missionaries preach India. They are mostly devil-worship- every Sunday afternoon to large and repers, and devil trees and temples are spectful audiences. Recently a man common. The Buddhist Singhalese, like appeared in the audience interrupting their Tamil neighbors, have retained the preacher. He was remonstrated many of the lower forms of superstition. with, but continued his impertinent questions. Suddenly a native police- Ceylon has been mission ground for man arrested him, though he called nearly four hundred years, and has been loudly on the Hindus to rescue him; made the victim of some of the most re- and he was taken to the police station markable experiments in Christianiza- where, before the magistrates, he con- Hon that the world can anywhere show. fessed that he was a paid agent of the Its missionary history may be divided Madras Hindu Propagation Society, sent into three epochs, corresponding to the to Calcutta to put a stop to street governments which held it : the Portu- preaching! This illustrates the tactics guese, the .f)utch, and the English. now being pursued in India. When the Portuguese held most of the island, the Roman Catholics, in the be- Dr. W. A. P. Martin, in the librum, ginning of the sixteenth century, sought contradicts the impression that China to introduce Christianity, but it was lit- will menace the world's peace. Chinese tle less than paganism itself. The traditions are opposed to war. Defence, Dutch, in 1556, made the great blunder not conquest, is the aim of her military of seeking to turn the natives from Ro- organization. Internal improvements manism to L)ltheranism, by offering are progressing. To meet the needs of government offices only to such as were commerce, the rich coal-fields of the baptized in the national church. They Empire are being developed. These banished the priests, Catholic rites were mines are connected with the sea by a forbidden on pain of death, and the railway. Soon other railroads will be people were commanded to become built. China, Dr. Martin says, will Protestants. The 30,000 Christians soon mine her own iron and produce which they soon reckoned were of little her own steel rails. She is mining for worth, and there is only a feeble rem-. silvel.' and gold, and is prospecting for nant of them to be found. petroleum.
The English Baptists came in 1812. They number now about 1000 communicants. The American Board en-
GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
V.-GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.
-The North Afrjca Mission has in lem are in protracted unhappy friction.
all 58 missionaries engaged in its field Complaint is made by the Society that of operations, embracing Morocco, Al- the bishop'S late charge, instead of geria, Tunis, Tripoli, and North Arabia. being primarily addressed to his clergy, -·Last year the Foreign Mission Fund was evidently intended for English of the English ;Presbyterian Church High Church friends. More deplorclosed with a debt of £3100. able, it magnifies "points of external service and ceremony," to the exclu- Italy-Evangelical Alliance.- The sion of the truths of the Gospel of president of the Roman branch of the Christ. Other charges ar~ made which Alliance had the honor of a private audi- mark strained relations. As the Society ence with King Humbert, before whom provides a large proportion of the bish- were laid the arrangements for the ap- op's salary, some change is inevitable. proaching international conference at Bishop Blyth decla.res that he will not Florence. He expressed his cordial in- resign. terest in the meeting, and hoped that the Alliance would ~e warmly greeted Archdeacon Maples. – Rev. James by the Italians. The subjects for dis- Johnston has recently, in Manchester, cussion comprise" Religious Thought listened to this nobly devoted worker, in Italy," "Florence and the Reforma- identified with the Lake Nyassa branch tion," "The True Unity of the Chris- of the Universities' Mission, over which tian Church," "The Divine Authority Bishop Smythies presides. The archof Holy Scripture," "The Relation of deacon belongs to a family of eminent the Church to Modern Society," "In- solicitors in London, and was educated ternational Christian Co-operation," at the Charterhouse and University Col- "Christianity and Social Questions," lege, Oxford. Upon taking holy orders, and " Foreign Missions." in 1876, he left for East Central Africa, where he has bravely remained, an inde- India-Salvation Army.-By the fatigable missionary pioneer. He gives toilers continued advance is reported a cheery account of the conquests and throughout Ceylon and the Indian Em- prospects of the Universities' Mission. pire. In 1886 the Army had 15 corps, One of the chief trials which the Uniwith 39 European and 41 native officers, versities' missionaries have to face is the while in 1888 some 56 corps had been irritating effect produced on the nerves established, represented by 166 Euro- by the malarial climate, and the consepean and 102 native officers. The re- quent difficulty of dealing justly and turns for 1890 show 96 corps, 171 Euro- gently with the natives. ~'his may pean and 273 native officers. Out of a partially account for, though not excuse total of 4673 conversions there had been the cruelties practised by secular ex- 263 Europeans, 317 Roman Catholics, plorers in many parts of Africa.
592 native "Christians," and· 3501 East Africa.-A Berlin correspond- "raw heathens saved." In December ent of the London Times telegraphs that last 55 new officers embarked for India, the Central Board of the African Society where some of the Army's social work of German Catholics has granted 25,000 is being attempted. As regards the marks toward the fund for placing a.
position of the Salvation Army in the Wissmann steamer on Lake Victoria, United States, the figures are 86,662 on condition of the success of the enter- members, 40 church buildings, and 287 • prise being otherwise assured, and fur- halls, with sitting accommodation for ther sums, amounting to 75,000 marks, 102,261 persons. for the promotion of missionary enter- -The English Church Missionar,}" prise in various districts of German East Societs and the Bishop of Jerusa- Africa. Although Major VOIl Wissmann, on his return to Berlin, last summer, in and Christian manner," and continues, comparing the work of Catholic and " I shall never forget ODe time, when Protestant missionaries in East Africa, speaking on this subject with his late awarded to the former the palm of much Highness the Maharajah of i Travancore. greater success, his statements were His Highness said the day of rest was stoutly challenged and, in some cases, observed by his Government in the certainly disproved. jails, public offices, etc., but he asked, Would it not be a strange thing if he, English Wesleyan Missionary So· a Hindu prince, had to interfere to ciety.":-The discouraging statements make Christians keep the Sabbath? ' " made in the January issue of the REVIEW The missionary concludes by observing relative to English Wesleyan finances that the question is one which, so far may now be considerably modified. as the obse"ance of the day of rest is With the disappearance of the contro- concerned, "very closely affects Chrisversy on the Society's Indian policy, tian missions." which led to a serious decline in receipts in Great Britain, there is reported at Hindu Child Marriage-" Age of the opening of 1891 a "marked improve· Consent" Bill.-Moderate as the Inment." Fresh sympathy has been awa· dian Government measure is to raise kened. From Tonga good news still ar· the minimum age of a girl capable of conrives. With the return of religious sent,ing from ten to twelve years, it is liberty the native Wesleyan chapel is some advance toward the removal' of a regaining the ground which it lost by shameful abuse in relation to Hindu the recent persecution. child marriages. By the majority of representative subjects in India the bill India.-The eminent Baptist minis· will be deemed inadequate. It was ter, Rev. E. G. Grange, of Bristol, who only a few months ago two thousand has just returned from India, says that Indian women asked that the consenting the style of life in which missionaries age should be fourteen yearli. This live does strike a visitor as being luxu· memorial to the Viceroy was supported rious, but it is inevitable. His general by fifty.five ladies practising medicine impression is that the life is a trying in India. For this step in legislation one, and nothing save the love of God great praise is due to Mr. lblabari, or the love of money would keep a man whose efforts have been of the most in India. self·denying character. He thought that fourteen years might be adopted, Indian Factory Commission.- an opinion similarly held by the medi- Although this commission, at the con. cal profession, and likewise long recogelusion of its sittings in 1890, recom· nized by the Parsee and Brahman commended important amendments touch. munities. The Rajpoots have lately fol· ing the excessive working hours of lowed this examp1e. Fortunately, the women and children, there is a further l'rincipal Hindu reformers are press. call for humane -legislation in such na· ing amendments by which to strengthen tive States as Travancore, where the the rights of parents in withholding Factory Acts have no operation. A their daughters from cohabitation with friend of the writer, the Rev. J. Knowles the husbands they have married as mere (L. M. S.), Travancore, South India, re- children, till they have reached a proper marks that" professedly Christian men age. It is admitted that the Viceroy may and do work women and children has escaped being charged with violating from dawn to dark, with only a short outrageously social custom and ecclesipause of about twenty minutes in the astical tradition. The ultimate developmiddle of the day." Referring to the ment of this measure is scarcely less imneed of intervention, Mr. Knowles says, portant than the virtual abolition of " The only thing I am pleading for is the legal status of Indian slavery in 1843. that things shall be done in a humane Monthly Bulletin. year of 42,124. All the Methodist de- nominations in the United States nUll!- -The Christian Alliance has some ber 54,711 churches, 31,765 Dnnisters, suggestive words on taking secondary and 4,980,240 communicants. places in service for Christ. We must learn to help as well as lead, if we would -The Deaconess movement is spread- be used of God. It is a great thing to ing. In connection with the Baptist be wiIIing to be second, or third, or Forward Movement, a new Deaconesses' fourth, or hundredth, if need be. Paul Home was recently opened in London. went out second, but God soon reversed Ladies will be trained in nursing and the order, and so it reads now, " Paul other work among the poor, and will be and Barnabas," not" Barnabas and placed under the direction of such Saul." Andrew Milne was refused as churches as may desire t.heir aid. missionary, and then offered to go as a servant. Be blacked Robert Morrison's -The Rev. G. W. Morrison, of the shoes, and did a servant's work for a American U. P. India. mission, may be time, bnt became at length one of the compelled to return to this country this greatest missionaries of the world. spring to bring his motherless babe.
-There are in the United States, -The Rev. J. Kruidenier, of the Canada, England and Scotland, 34 American U. P. Egyptian Mission, who women's missionary societies, and they has been laid aside for :five months with have 1397 missionaries in the field. critical illness, has recovered, and has resumed his work at Assiout. -The work of telegraph building in South Africa has pushed far ahead of -The Rev. Dr. Lansing, of the railroad enterprise. A line now reaches American U. P. Egyptian Mission, is the new capital of King Khama, 1700 slowly recovering his health, and is bemiles in an air line northeast of Cape ginning to take some part in public ser- Town. Savage Africa will thus be vices. Be is at La Grange, Mo. joined with civilization by electric wires. Two hundred and sixty wagons, -Dr. Pentecost reports the outlook each drawn by from ten to twelve yoke for India most hopeful. The older misof oxen, have taken their way northward sionaries are .full of expectation. Imloaded with nothing but telegraph wires. portant conversions are occuring at all No recent enterprises of the sort surpass the stations. Be emphasizes the fact, in magnitude, or in the energy with however, that the mission field is sadly which they are being pressed forward, undermanned. Be appeals to all Christhese railroad and telegraph projects, tians in America for special prayer for now far advanced in South Africa. India, for the outpouring of the Spirit upon the workers and on the people. -It is said there are about thirty Be pleads also for increased gifts to the thousand children of school age in Chi- mission boards. "Let our men of cago who are not in school, and not at wealth double their SUbscriptions, work. This means that, in most cases, and let one hundred of our very best they are on the street. Verily, there is young men offer themselves. It is need of Gospel work very near home. absolutely of no use to send second- class men· to India. _ . .. Do not -The Methodist Year BooTe for 1891 believe the report of the unbelieving gives many interesting facts. The spies. God is able to give us the land." Methodist Episcopal Church in this Dr. Pentecost presided lately, at the country has a membership of 2,283,154, Town Hall of Calcutta, at the annnal a net gain of 46.691 over last year. The prize distribution of the boys' and the den()mination is serv~d by 14,792 min- girls' schools of that city, and Mrs. isters. It has 2,264,832 Sabbath·school Pentecost gave away the prizes. Dr. scholars, an increase over the previous Pentecost's work among the Englisheducated Bengalis is declared by the home with ruined habits. The Rev. Indian Witness to have been attended Eugene Dunlap, for many years con- with much blessing. One address, at nected with the American Presbyterian Duff College, made a profound impres- Mission at Siam, is making the arrange- sion. Young Bengalis present have ments, Up to the present time only since signed a solemn covenant to take four young men from Siam have been Christ as their Saviour, declaring they educated here. One. is now in the will make a public profession soon. Auburn Theological Seminary. " 'rhe feeling prevails among all classes who know the facts," says the Witness, -October 2d, 1792, the Baptist Mis- " that we are on the eve of a mighty sionary Society waa organized, the first work among this class, who have so long society in the world organized exclusivestood at the very threshold of a Chris· ly for sending the Gospel to the heath- tian life." It is a notable fact that thA en. The first offerings amounted to Englishman, the leading daily paper of about $66. Now there are 223 evangel- Calcutta, gave a sympathetic as w,ell as ical missionary societies, 5594 foreign elaborate account of Dr. Pentecost at missionaries (over 3000 of whom are orthe outset of his mission. It ascribes dained ministers), 33,543 native helpers, much of his success to his striking per- 681,503 native communicants, and in sonality and manner. 1890 the contributions reached $11,42::1,- 58.8. -From Tahiti and the adjacent islands a band of not less than 160 -There are several excellent training evangelists have gone forth, carrying the schools for nnrses in Japan. One of message of salvation to other benighted these is under the direction of a lajy tribes, and yet less than a century ago who left the superintendency of a Bosthe ancestors of these evangelists were ton hospital for her laborious post in lying in the grossest darkness and su- Kyoto. Another school in Tokyo is perstition. raising money for a building. Its man- agers consist of both American and Jap- -A Young Men's Christian Associa- anese ladies. tion has been established in Jerusalem, and modern methods of reaching the -Recent reports from the Presbytemasses are to be instituted in that his- rian mission in Shantung, China., are of toric city. a most encouraging character. The meeting of Presbytery at Wei Hien -The Rev. Dr. R. Hamill Nassau, a brought together about forty mission_ Presbyterian missionary on the Ogove aries full of enthusiasm, besides a goodly River, West Africa, is preparing to re- number of native preachers_ This Presturn to this country with his motherlells bytery has twenty organized churches on little daughter. Mrs. Nassau died in the its roll, with applications forfour or five wilds of Africa, with no white person new organizations. Four hundred and near except her husband. Dr. Nassau fifty-eight additions to t)le churches expects to reach Philadelphia about the were reported for last year. It is estifirst of May. mated that there are fifteen thousand in- quirers in the different districts. -Arrangements aTe making by the King of Siam to send six young men to -The Young Men's Christian Assothis country to be educated. They are ciation work in India is most encouragto enter Westminster College, at New ing. The number of members on the Wilmington, Pa., an excellent United roll of the Madras Association increased Presbyterian institution. The reason in three months from 85 to 165, 50 of given for bringing them here is that whom are active members. The influsimilar experiments in England have ence of the work is great, first in failed, the young men having returned strengthening and enconraging those I who are Christians, but who are exposed the Britons. They were too lazy and to many temptations, and then also in illiterate, he said, for any good. The reaching those who are not yet Chris- darkeys saw the point. It is a good tians. thing to look at the hole of the pit whence we were dug, especially when -British papers announce the death we are impatient enough to say that the at Newchang, China, of the Rev. J. H. lower races about us cannot be civilized. Fitz Simon8, missionary of the Irish Presbyterian Church. He had been -Leading Hebrews in San Francisco, only three weeks in his chosen field it is said, have dt!cided to raise a fund when called home. of a quarter million dollars for the re- lief of their persecuted brethren in Rus- -It is said that not more than one sia. The plan includes the purchase of eighth of the people of Japan live in a million acres in Mexico on the Pacific cities having more than 10,000 inhabi- coast, which will cost only one dollar tants ; the vast majority are farmers or an acre. This tract will be divided into fishermen. small farms, on which large numbers of these Hebrew exiles, who are mostly -The Evangel, the American Baptist farmers, will live. Colonists are to be mission steamer on the lower Congo, is sent out through the English Society of the first vessel to make the passage from Israelites. All the rabbis and rich the mouth of the river to Matedi in a Hebrews of San Francisco ar(}active supday. porters of the projE!ct.
-There are said to be 11 provinces in -The Shah of Persia, it is said, re- China, with 982 walled cities, in 913 of cently paid a personal visit to the Amerwhich there is no missionary. ican mission home and school in Te- heran. This is the first visit ever paid -The American Baptist Mission on by the Shah to a private foreign resithe Congo has founded a new station on dent, and it is not surprising that it the upper river at Irebo, 375 miles made quite a sensation. His Majesty above Stanley Pool and 750 from the was greatly pleased. sea. -From the report of the Japanese -Two new editions of the Burman Minister of Education it appears that Bible are being printed by the Baptist there are nearly three million pupils in Missionary Union, one in Rangoon and the public schools of the Empire of Jaanother, from reduced plates, in Boston. pan. The cause of education is rapidly advancing. -The American Baptist missionaries on the Upp!'r Congo have made discov- -The Rev. A. W. Thompson, the eries which show that Lakes Mantumba new Presbyterian missionary to Triniand Leopold are connected and form a dad, was recently designated at Dursecondary course for the waters of the ham, Nova Scotia.. Mr. Thompson Congo. The Upper Congo Valley is one leaves with the full confidence and the vast network of lakes and rivers. earnest good wishes of his church.
-There are three mission steamers on -The Rev. John M: Greene, D.D. the waters of the Upper Congo. They now for some years at the head of the convey preachers and teachers to the Presbyterian Missions in Mexico, was various stations on the great river and obliged, some six months since, to decarry supplies when needed. sist from his manifold labors and cares, and return home to recruit his health. -A missionary in South Afriea was We are gl ad to learn that he is now reading Cicero's Orations with his negro again in nearly fnll strength, and expects students. He came upon the passage to return to Mexico at once. where Cicero advised the general to make slaves of all the prisoners except -On November 29th last Dr. Henry ing the high passes of the Himalayas H. Jessup, so long of the Presbyterian and fording dangerous streams. They Syria Mission, had the pleasure of wel- have not seen a European for ten years. coming a son as a recruit to that mis- sion. The Rev. William Jessup and -The Presbyterian Mission in Chili wife arrived that day in Beirut. Mr. has five organized churches as well as Jessup left Syria when a little child in preaching halls in the principal towns 1864, and now returns for the first time. in the country, Evangelists make long Educated in Princeton, he was ordained tours, sowing the Bread of Life. There by the Presbytery of New Brunswick are two schools: an elementary one at last April, married to Miss Faith Jad- Valparaiso, attended by 200 scholars, win, October 15th, and sailed for Syria and a superior institution at Santiago early the following month. He is now with 80 scholars, some of whom have stationed at Zahleh, on the eastern side come from homes in Peru and Bolivia. of Lebanon. A young Spanish pastor, M. Francesco Diez, who studied at Lausanne, has re- -The Rev. Hunter Corbett writ~s to cently settled at Santiago in connection the Presbyterian Banner from China: with the mission. " During a journey of two months in the interior visiting churches, stations -McCormick Seminary has at present and schools, forty persons were redMved 40 young men who expect to enter the into the church on confession of faith, foreign field. They appeared before making ninety-two this year. Three Presbytery lately, and asked permission church.buildings were dedicated. Two to visit the churches to present the work of them are built of stone and the other so dear to their hearts. They hope by of brick. These buildings cost the these meetings to stimulate large lib- ChriRtians no small amount of self- erality, so that when the time comes denial." During this year about five the Board will be able to accept them. hundred members were added to the They received the hearty endorsement churches in the Presbytery and five of the Presbytery. men were ordained to the ministry. -As showing the vitality of the sim- -Cardinal Lavigerie proposes to re- ple old Gospel, a missionary from China claim large regions of the A.frican Sahara says: ., If there is anything which lays by monkish settlements. He is organ- hold of the poor people in that country izing a French Sahara Brotherhood, who it is the simple story of the crucifixion will live as engineering monks, and of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is not the after five years' trial devote themselves morality, or the miracles of the Gosfor life. They will be posted near old pel, or even the wonderful sayings or wells in the Sahara, and will reopen teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, those wells and start new ones and but the old story of the cross, of the plant fruit far~s to form a series of blood, of the sacrifice, of the satisfacoases in the desert. They will make it tion of Christ in dying for sinners on their special work to gather the scat- the tree, that is the power for good in tered nomads, suppress their slave trade, touching the heart and awakening the and convert them if possible. The conscience … system is to extend itself until vast tracts are fertilized, as was the case in -The anti-rum congress at Khartoum the time of ancient Carthage, seems to have been a vigorous one. It was held at the same time with the anti- -AMoravian missionary and his wife slavery congress in Brussels. Bishop have been laboring for thirty years at a Taylor's magazine says: "While the station in the mountains of Thibet, Christians in Brussels were resolving to with the nearest post-office fourteen • search all vessels and dhows suspected days distant and reached only by cross- of having slaves on board, and to con- fiscate the vessels and return the slaves,' the Arabs were adopting a resolution are also 27 80cieties on the continent of • to surround the entire coast of Africa Europe. As to results, it is said that with a cordon of armed dhows and con- within the past seventy-five years 100,- fiscate every European vessel contain- 000 Jews have been baptized, and that ing liquors, and sell .the crewS into sla- the number of Hebrew Christians with very.' " their children reaches a quarter million. Many of the converts are men of influ- -It is said that for what it costs to ence. fire one shot from one of our largest cannon, a missionary and his family can -The work among the Chinese in be supported over two years in Japan. America has a very important bearing Would we not better spike the cannon on the evangelization of China. The and send the Gospel abroad? number of Chinamen converted in thi's country who go back to extend Gospel -The Woman' B Executive Committee influences in their native land is surpris- of Home Missions of the Presbyterian ingly large. They are valued helpers in Church has for several years prosecuted the stations of both the Presbyterian educational and industrial work for Ind- and AmericllnBoardmissions, and some ian children and youth in schools in of the strongest churches have been New Mexico, Indian Territory, Arizona, founded by Chinamen who have been Nebraska, Iowa, and Wisconsin, with converted while living in California. In gratifying results. There are now un- four or five cities natives who are either der the care of this band of Christian now residents of the United States, or women thirty-two schools, where chil- who have sojourned there, are provid- dren are thoroughly instructed in gos- ing the funds for evangelistic enter- pel truth, and through the influence of prises. There is said to be less opposi- which many savage homes have been tion to the Gospel in those sections from transformed. Chapels have also been which there has been emigration to built, and the precious seed of living America. These facts should urge us to truth scattered broadcast. greater activity in behalf of the Ori- entals now among us. -A Methodist medical missionary in India makes a strong plea for a prelim_ -Here is a pleasant item from Glas- inary service in the home field for those gow, Scotland': "Mr. Quarrier was vis- who go abroad, Such experience would ited the other day by friends from the not only be a test of their qualification, West Coast, who laid on his table £2000 but would also be educational, prepar- in bank-notes, saying they wished to ing them for wiser and more efficient build a house for the orphans in mem- service when they enter the foreign field. ory of a beloved husband and father. They were most anxious that no name, -Dr. Tucker, who succeeds the heroic not even initials, should be published. Bishop Hannington in Equatorial They refused to take a receipt, saying Africa, under the appointment of the to Mr. Quarrier, "You have got the Church Missionary Society, found his money, and that is enough." journey to his post at Uganda one of great peril. But for the opportune help -It is not pleasant to read in the of German soldiers the missionary would Christian World that ., Black Mass" was , have shared Bishop Hannington's sad celebrated in 250 Anglican churches on fate. All Souls' Day. Prayers for the dead were offered, and the altars were drapeu -It is usually supposed that mission in black. Straws show which way the work among the Jews does not yield wind blows, and when 250 of them blow sufficient results to encourage its con· in the same direction it is not difficult tinuance. But our friends in Europe to decide the tendency of the prevailing do not appear to share this feeling. breeze. Other indications of 8 Bomish Great Britain has 14 missionary soci- eties. which employ 312 agents. There tendency are furnished by English Epis. the Roman Catholic, and the Anglican copal clergymen in abundance. Church have missions in Alaska.
-The London City Mission has 300 -Yes, even our aborigines can be Gospel halls in which religious services touched and renewed by divine grace. are held during the week, in many cases To the wildest and worst of them, a livevery night in the year. ing Indian can be a good Indian. For Bishop Hare, who knows whereof he -The American Bible Society has reo writes, exclaims: "Nine Sioux Indians ceived from the National Bible Society nobly working in the sacred ministry! of Scotland a copy of the New Testa. About 40 Sioux Indians helping them as ment translated into Tannese by the licensed catechists. Forty branches of Rev. William Watt. the Woman's Auxiliary among the Sioux Indian women. Seventeen hundred -One consecrated man may set in Sioux Indian communicants! Sioux motion great influences for good. Sir Indians contributing nearly $3000 an- Keith Falconer founded a mission at nually for religious purposes! But Aden, in Arabia, and with his last what impression have all these solemn breath begged that it be not given up. but cheering facts made upon the pub. The Free Church of Scotland has ac. lie mind as compared with the wild cepted it as a legacy, and Professor Lan- antics of the heathen Sioux Indians, sing, of New Brunswick, is preparing which excited the attention and stirred some young men for the mission. Mean- the feelings of the country, and daily while a German, reading the life of occupIed column after column of the leith Falconer, was moved to give newspapers for weeks ?" himself as a missiopary, and proposes to enter upon the work of evangelizing -Woman's work for woman in forthe Bedaween Arabs who dwell around eign lands, which had its beginning Mt. Sinai. So the torch is passed from only about 20 years ago, has been atthe dying to the living, and new con- tended by a marvellous development. secrated men are never wanting to take In all 70 societies are in existence, supthe place of those who fall in the field. porting a force of 1468 missionaries, and gathering and expending last year the Organized Mi.~ona.ry W"ork and Statis- snug sum of $1,692,963. Of these so- tics. Edited by Rev. D. L. Leonard, cieties 34 are found in the United States, Bellevue, O. 10 in Canada, 24 in Great Britain, and one each on the Continent and in South -England has 8 Jewish missionaries; Africa. The American societies alone Scotland: has 5 ; Ireland 1 ; and these sustai~ 926 missionaries, and raised organizations in all employ 312 agents. $1,087,568 last year, or almost three- There are 27 societies upon the Conti. fifths ~f the entire amount. nent, and in the United States 7, with 34 in their employ. The total of organ_ -In connection with the Day of izations designed especially to carry the Prayer for Colleges, statistics appeared Gospel to the Jews is 48, and their mis- of an interesting and important charsionaries number 377. acter from 24 colleges having" substaJ;l. tial relations with the Presbyterian -According to Dr. Sheldon Jackson, Church." These figures throw welthe Presbyterian Church now has 7 mis- come light upon one or two weighty sions and 4 churches, with from 70 to questions. Omitting the colleges for 80 communicants each in Alaska. The women only, and including only the church in Sitka has 360 communicants. students in institutions for men, or Besides the Presbyterian Church, the those where co-education exists, it ap- Moravian, the Protestant Episcopal, the pears that 82 per cent of the attendants Methodist Episcopal, Congregationalist are church members in the college classes proper, or 61 per cent if pre- the women 28. The visits made aggre_ paratory students are included. And of gated 22,766. They conducted 2946 the 1509 students, 361 are reported as church, cottage, and mission meetings, "meaning to be ministers." Making 549 children's meetings, 235 tent meetall due allowance for women found in ings, and taught 2163 Sunday-school the mixed colleges, the conclusion is that classes. The number of visits made to not less than one in three has the minis- saloons was 1932, and the number of try in view. inquirers professing conversion was 2729. It is evident from these figures -The educatiox{al work of the vari- that while a large proportion of time is ous societies is always to be borne in zealously devoted to Bible study and mind as only second in importance to attendance upon lectures, attention to the direct preaching of the Gospel in " applied Christianity" is by no means pagan lands. And the aggregate of neglected. In vocal classes 448 were schools of all grades, and of pupils as taught, while 74 received private inwell, is cheeringly large. Thus the strnction for the voice, and 91 received London society alone supports no less private instrumental lessons. than 1615, with 105,980 in attendance_ The Church Missionary Society has -No friend of missions can watch 1796 schools with 75,581 scholars, and that unparalleled movement known as the American Board 1025, with 47,319. the Partition of Africa, without wonder- The Methodist Church, North, is edu- ing what is to be the effect upon the cating 30,049 in foreign lands; the Pres- well-being of the 200,00,0,000 that inbyterian Board, North, 23,935, and the habit the vast spaces of the Dark Con- Baptist Missionary Union, 20,615. The tinent, or without hoping that it will be schools sU'ltained by the various Ameri- blessed in almost. every particular. can societies contain almost 175,000 Eight European nations ~re concerned pupils, and the 12,000 Protestant mis- in the colossal affair, if we count the sion schools are training to Christian Congo Free State with its 1,000,000 intelligence an aggregate of not much square miles, as Belgium'S share in the less than 600,000 children and youth. " deal." France easily leads in the ex- tent of her acquisitions, having her hand -The first annual report is out of upon Algeria, the Sahara country, and Mr. Moody's Bible Institute for Home other regions farther south, or a total and Foreign Missions (and Chicago of 2,300,000 square miles. Though, if Evangelization Society), and will be a to Great Britain's 1,910,000 in South surprise to many. Three departments and Central Africa we add her most exhave been in operation during the year, cellent prospects in Egypt and the Souone for men, one for women, and one dan, and the superior soil and climate for instruction in music; and the num- of her possessions, then her share is ber of persons enrolled in them is most valuable by far. Germany, just at 173, 80, and 578 respectively-in the present, is content with 1,035,00,0 square two first named 253, or a total of 831 miles, Portugal with 775,000" Italy with students. Upward of 20 denominations 360,,000, and great expectations as touchwere represented in the attendance, ing Tripoli, while Spain brings up the and more than 3.1> States of the Union. rear with the trifle of 210,000. Upon Sixteen came from England, 15 from the entire continent-some 50,0,0, by 50,00 Canada,· 9 from Sweden, 4 from Ire- miles in extent-are found some 12,00,0,- land, 4 from Germany, 3 from Norway, 000 square miles, of which only 2,500,- 2 from Turkey, and 1 each from Russia, 000 remai!l unassigned. It can scarcely Bohemia, and Finland. They came be but that roads, the locomotive, and from 51 secular occupations, and 41 stable government will Boon follow; and were ministers or evangelists. The so let the Lord's people make haste to average age of the men was 30, and of go up to possess the land for Him.
The Missionary Review of the World — October 1890
CARDINAL LAVIGERIE AND HIS ANTI-SLAVERY WORK
MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD.
VOL. XIII. No. lO.-Old Series.–OCTOBER.–voL. ill. No. lO.-New Series.
I.-LITERATURE OF MISSIONS.
CARDINAL LAVIGERIE AND HIS ANTI-SLAVERY WORK.
BY REV. J. C. BRACQ, PHILADELPHIA.
The statements of both the colleagues and the opponents of Cardinal Lavigerie remind us that mankind always inclines to ex- aggerate the qualities or the vices of men before it is willing to bestow upon them admiration or contempt. The friends and the foes of th~ Cardinal have each from their own standpoint enlarged upon his merits and demerits, and overrated or minimized the importance of the services which he has rendered to the anti-slavery cause. Their utterances have much value, as they are mutually corrective. Weare not, however, left to these partisans for our information on the Cardinal and his anti-slavery work. The Grey Book, prepared for the Conference of Brussels, gives us an impartial resume of what had been done to destroy slavery prior to the conference. Mgr.
Lavigerie has favored us with a volume of documents, * giving not only his own estimate of his work, but also the means of ascertaining the measure of the (Euvre Antiesclavagiste and of the man whose name is so intimately associated with it. The historical part of the documents is decidedly unfair to the world at large in relation to its share of efforts for African emancipation. The work of Wilberforce, of Granville-Sharpe, of Zachary Macaulay, of Buxton, of Livingstone, of Stanley, of Gordon, of the Anti-Slavery Society of England, the appeals of Englishmen before the Parliament, the patient negotiations of the Powers with Eastern potentates, the work of Protestant missionaries whose eye-witness reports stirred their respective countries-all this is overlooked; or, if referred to, has but an incidental or minifying allusion. The Cardinal speaks too disdainfully of the work of his predecessors, and too triumphantly of his own. He mentions, indeed, the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the Conference of Verona in 1822, the Congress of Berlin in 1884; but he says that up to this time "everything remained in the official world. " Then he adds: "It is true that the first explorers, and particularly Livingstone and Stanley, had begun to inspire learned societies and chancelleries with a feeling of horror and pity which the evils of Africa could but excite. The missionaries in their turn, the * Documents sur ia Fondation de I' <Euvre Antiesciavagiste. witnesses of so much infamy, have not waited, by their letters, to rend the veil." (Documents, p. 9.) According to Cardinal Lavigerie the reports of Livingstone and Stanley did not go beyond the range of learned, societies and the precincts of chancelleries. The multi- tude of their books and reports, which had a circulation a hundred times wider than any of the verbal or written utterances of the Cardinal, and to which he constantly refers for statistical purposes, or fo~ broad surveys of the African evil, count for naught among the powers that have brought to light the African horrors. Again, the "mis- sionaries" to~whom he makes allusion are Roman Catholic, and notably his own. The half century of heroic efforts of Protestant missionaries in Africa before his advent does not seem to trouble him in the least when he calls himself" the pastor of Africa," or when he speaks of" my missionaries" as the only Christian workers on the Dark Continent.
All this represents 'but one aspect of the historical unfairness of the prelate. There is a more serious historical defect: it is his abortive exertions to cause the Pope to appear as the prime mover in the anti-slavery crusade. A careful reading of the encyclical letter to the bishops of Brazil (pp. 1 to 27), of the allocution of the Cardinal to the Pope (pp. 30 to 37), of the answer of the Pope (pp. 38 to 41), of the Cardinal's expression, "daigna 8e rendre d ma priere" (p. 495), and of many similar passages, will convince one that, prior to the first success of the African prelate in this campaign, the Pope had no especial interest in this cause. All through the documents we find exaggerated, irrelevant and unhistorical praises of the Pope of the same unreal order as the statements that make Leo XIII. "the prisoner of the Vatican." Weare far from unwilling to recognize the rare qualities of the present Pope or his co-operation in the present anti-slavery movement; we only contend that neither he nor'the Cardinal, nor the Roman Catholic Church, ought to monopolize the credit of a movement to which Protestant missionaries, explorers, tradesmen, statesmen, and all the great factors of civilization, have been the most important contributors.
Cardinal Lavigerie has certainly aroused the Catholic nations of Europe to the importance of eradicating the slave trade from Africa; he has led Protestant nations to take up with new ardor and in a more practical way a cause dear to them; he has set earnest men to devise. means to destroy African slavery; he has inspired several thousand young men to go as volunteers to Africa; he has so affected public opinion in France that the French Government receives popular support in its campaign of Dahomey, where one of the greatest strongholds of slavery.is being overturned; he has done much to bring anti-slavery men of different countries to act in concert; he has organized the different anti-slavery societies in Europe into the large society, L' (Euvre Antiesclavagiste. These re- sults are remarkable, but they were secured by appealing to Catho- lics, Protestants and Free Thinkers alike. For a long time the work was presented as unsectarian, but it is no longer so. At the height of enthusiasm, Mgr. Lavigede announced the convocation of an im- mense Anti-Slavery Congress on August 5, 1889, in Lucerne. All the anti-slavery societies of the world were to be represented. The greatest anti-slavery orators were to be heard. This was to be the Ecumenical Council of the friends of negro deliverance. A few weeks before the opening of the congress, the Cardinal suddenly and arbitrarily postponed it, and then adjourned it indefinitely. He gave different reasons for this. rrhose made official were tha~ the coming French elections would prevent France from being fairly represented; but how could that be, as the elections were still at least six weeks distant? At a later date he announced, not his immense gathering, but a small conference with four delegates from each society. This was to all a conclusive proof that the "French elections" were but a pretext. The general interpretation of the Cardinal's action is that he clearly saw that, with such a large assemblage and so many Protestants present, it would be impossible to bring the movement within Catholic channels. N ow the organization is not only completed, but the Catholic Church holds command over it. Every friend of anti-slavery will lament this course. Why did the Cardinal appeal to Protestants and Free Thinkers upon a broad humanitarian platform and then put the whole organization underthe control of the Pope? Can those who thought that they were joining an unsectarian philanthropic organization now see it, without indignation, become the appanage of the narrowest sectarianism? That the work' has become thoroughly Roman Catholic is plain enough from pages 490, 497 and 498 of $e documents. It is not astonishing that the Swiss Anti-Slavery Society has already sent the Cardinal a note which is tantamount to a threat of separation.
One of the special features of Cardinal Lavigerie's work is the bold endeavor to stop slave-hunting by the sword. He proposes for Africa the revival of some of the old religious military orders of former days, such as the Knights of Malta, the Knights of Saint Lazarus and the Knights of Alcantara. These bodies of knights, placed under the authority of the Church, would be moving about, interrupting the work of slave-traders. Whether or not this part of the programme is reaHzed, the campaign will take place and volunteers are preparing for it. Will not these volunteers be a danger to Protestant establishments in Africa? As a minority, the Catholic missionaries have done much to wreck our Protestant missions; will not this corps be animated by the same spirit? This is a question which the past of Catholicism brings home to ns with increasing intensity. Another question forces itself upon us. What could not the (Euvre Antiesclavagiste have done, had it remained unsectarian, to destroy slavery in Africa, to improve the relations between all bodies of Christendom, to uphold some of the best interests of mankind and of civilization? It is with irrepressible melancholy that we contemplate possibilities that have been thwarted by unscrupulous sectarianism.
Cardinal Lavigerie is a great man, an adroit leader, one of the most distinguished representatives of the Roman Catholic Church, and one of the most liberal-though honest liberalism is no longer possible in that church. Few bishops have revealed more independence in reference to the Holy See, and probably none have burned more incense before it. His education, more rhetorical than scientific or philosophical, has prepared him for quick rather than ·prolonged action upon intelligent audiences. His addresses in England, Belgium, France and Switzerland sent a thrill of horror through his audiences as he related the harrowing scenes of carnage and barbarism attending the slave trade. The Cardinal stirs up the feelings of his hearers by the appropriateness ()f his utterances, the sympathetic glow that warms them, and the felicitous use of his surroundings. Still, his pictures of slavery are from documents rather than observation; it is easy to see that he has not witnessed the curse of manhunting and man-selling that desolates Africa. His addresses are' full of repetitions, not only of facts but of forms. Even his beaua; mots are ever the same. Compare him with another anti-slavery orator whose voice was heard in England a quarter of a century ago. How witty, brilliant, quick and spontan~ous was the American; how elaborate in method and restrained by religious forms is the French. How matter-of-fact was the Brooklyn preacher; how poetical and emotional is the primate of Africa. What singleness of purpose in the Plymouth pastor; what constant effort on the part of "the pastor of Africa" to win sympathy for the Church, the Pope and his mis-' sionaries. What absence of personal concern in the American patriot; what frequent allusions to age, to fatigue and self-sacrifice on the part c;>f the Catholic philanthropist. The one, how modern in address, how fond of democratic simplicity; the other, how riveted to the past by his ideals; his ecclesiastical rank, his delight in high-sounding titles and aristocratic pretensions. The one must be humanitarian because he is a Christian; the other a Romanist because he 'is humanitarian. Both men have in common great popularity and great zeal for the highest interests of the colored race.
There are traits in Mgr. Lavigerie that we would not discuss. His shrewd diplomacy, his extensive land speculations, and his lotteries, permitted by the French Government on conditions that were not fulfilled, need no comment. His love of personal mise
A FOREIGN MISSIONARY OF OLD TESTAMENT TIMES
en scene is known to all. He had arranged to have eighty of the pupils of his schools go to the famous Congress of Lucerne to sing. One of his priests in Algiers had composed a cantata in which the Cardinal was constantly praised, and several times called "the Liberator. " We do not say that the Cardinal ordered this cantata, but he accepted it. He even invited Gounod to write the music, but this distinguished composer could not comply with the request. Mgr. Lavigerie offered two prizes, one of a thousand francs and one of five hundred, for the best musical composition. When his anti-slavery lectures were published he sent them to the Catholic prelates of France, who acknowledged them in letters of excessive praise. One of the bishops places him among "the illustrious apostles of the Church and the unspeakable benefactors of mankind." Another would make him an "Urban II.," a "Peter the Hermit." Th~se letters, which even a vain man would read stealthily in his closet, the Cardinal published among the documents. While he gave scarcely two pages to what others had done before him to destroy slavery, he devoted more than one hundred and thirty to letters as flattering to him as they were irrelevant. Lately his tomb was finished in the Cathedral of Carthage. He gathered all his clergy and with them marched in procession to bless his last resting-place. That he should have withdrawn from his usual work to go and meditate and pray near it would have been natural enough, but all this ceremonial display reveals a nature which, on the border of the grave, is too self-absorbed. Great as his services have been to the anti-slavery cause, his anxiety to give the history of a work in which he is one of the chief factors; his parsimony in dealing with those that preceded him and prepttred the ground for him; his .finesse in making his (Euvre AntiesclavCtgiste Roman Catholic; his self-glorification in the cases mentioned, have led us to ask ourselves if this modern Urban II., this contemporary Peter the H~rmit, has not much of Loyola in his spirit and something of Boulanger in his methods? Be that as it may, it is certain that Protestants would do well to reflect before giving the Cardinal their money or their praises. Had he continued ashe began he wouldhave deserved both.
A FOREIGN MISSIONARY OF OLD TESTAMENT TIMES.
BY F. F. ELLINWOOD, D.D., NEW YORK.
It is believed that the first missionary to the heathen of whom we have any knowledge was Jonah, and he was far enough from being a model. To show that the cause then, as well as now, was a divine and not a mere human enterprise, the impulse came from the infinite compassion of Jehovah. Jonah was reluctant, evasive, disobedient. Even at the last he was churlish and took his allotted task at the hardest. This brief sketch of him which we find among the minor prophe, cies of the Old rrestament, constitutes an interesting and most in, structive object lesson.
First of all, it shows how much broader and grander is God's com. passion for the heathen than that of his select prophets and apostles. It also reveals a wise and tender discrimination, even in the midst of dire judgments. And it affords another proof that a plan of aU-embracing mercy and salvation was in force long bffore Christ came to be offered once for an for human redemption.
As we shall see, this illustrative picture was placed in the very darkest setting. The scene was laid in the thickest gloom of the old world apostasy; the heathenism which Jonah confronted was of the very worst type that the world has seen, either in ancient or in modern times; and even the witnessing power of the Church of God, as represented by His chosen people, was at its very lowest and most ineffectual stage. Out of this widespread and manifold darkness shines forth this prophetic light of the Divine pity for the worst of sinners.
It is scarcely necessary to discuss the mooted question whether the story of Jonah is real history, or only a parable like that of the prodigal son, since, in either case, the lesson taught concerning the mercy of God is the same. No words could portray a father's forgiving love more impressively than the story of the Prodigal; no greater proof could be given of God's compassion to the heathen than is found in His plea for the repentant Ninevites against the peevish remonstrances of Jonah.
I prefer to consider the story a real narrative and to take it as it stands. Miracles are miracles-and nothing is gained by explaining away one and leaving another equally great and extraordinary. All nature is God's handiwork, and He is not limited by our conceptions of law. To accept the Divine Incarnation, the Resurrection and the Ascension, and yet reject the miracles of the Old Testament, has aI– ways seemed to me illogical and capricious. It is a species of discrimination which can rest on no firmer basis than mere human fancy or conjecture.
The mere incidents of Jonah's commission and his flight are very simple. He had been commanded of God to go to the great and wicked city of Nineveh with a definite message of warning. It was not a pleasant errand to be the bearer of evil tidings-in fact, to pronounce upon the city a sentence of doom which would in all human probability cost him his life. He was afraid, and unquestionably that was the secret of his flight. Where he erred was in failing to realize that He who had commissioned could also protect him. "Be not afraid; have not I commanded thee?" expresses the real logic of all Divine commissions. Jonah not merely failed to respond-he proceeded in the very op- posite direction. He labored under the absurd infatuation of suppos- ing that he could be safer and more comfortable in far-off Tarshish than at home, or, as we sometimes express it-that he could gain something by putting the sea between him and the unwelcome com- mand. He proceeded therefore to embark; with a business-like bravado he paid his fare; he would have no issue with any but God. Yet withal he was not so brave as he would seem; he half smuggled himself on board and hid away and went to sleep "in the sides of the ship. "
'l'heJ'e are admirable touches of nature in the part taken by the crew of the ship when under the terrible pressure of the storm. They began to suspect that they had "some Jonah on board." They had labored at the oar and they had prayed, but evidently the case did not belong to any of their gods. They made inquiry therefore concern- ing the mysterious stranger who alone seemed unconcerned enough to sleep. They cross-examined him: "What is thine occupation and whence comest thou? What is thy country and of what people art thou ?"
It is interesting to observe the awe which filled all minds when the judgments of Jehovah were named. These seamen evinced it, and afterward the people of "Nineveh were equaayawe-stricken. Their apostasy could not quite obliterate their fear of that omnipotence which belonged to the God of Israel. When Jonah said, "I am a Hebrew and I fear the Lord, the God- of Heaven, which made the sea and the dry land," they were "exceedingly afraid."
Then there followed some tokens of humane consideration on both sides. On the one hand Jonah frankly avowed his belief that he was the sole occasion of the tempest, and advised that he be sacrificed. On the other hand the seamen were loath to adopt extreme measures, and they struggled hard to reach the land; and when they found that they had no other alternative, they themselves prayed to God that the dire necessity which confronted them might not be laid to their charge. The recalcitrant missionary was thrown overboard and was swallowed by "a great fish."
One might have stIPposed that after his candid acknowledgement of his wrong, and especially after God had mercifully heard the prayer wllich he had offered out of the depths, Jonah would prove thenceforth most grateful and submissive; that he w(luld be fearless also, since God had signally delivered him, and that above all ],e would be forgiving, even as he had been forgiven. He ought to have been, after ~uch a discipline, a model missionary to the Nillevite~. But instead of this he showed peculiar weaklless-the gospel designed for the Ninevites was in an earthen vPRsel.
Jonah prayed fervently in his affliction, and he indicted what seems to be a psalm of thanksgiving for his deliverance. He made solemn vows and was very sure that he would fulfill them. He did obey when the second summons came, "Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee," but his obedience was not well sustained. He had a higher opinion of his own righteousness than Paul had of his, and he was not willing to "pluck out his eye" or "be accursed" for the salvation of any man or any number of men.
The solemn message which he bore was that after forty days Nineveh was to be destroyed. God intended it as a warning, involving a chance for repentance; Jonah understood it as a sentence of irreversible doom, and he was piqued at the idea that his prediction was not to be literally fulfilled.
How far the Ninevites repented is an interesting question. The advocates of the theory that the book of Jonah is only an allegorical poem, ask with much emphasis, "Where is the evidence that Nineveh was ever reclaimed? What historic proof appears that it became a God-fearing city?" It is not necessary to suppose that the repentance here referred to was that Godly sorrow which needeth not to be repented of; it was more probably a turning from the specific and unpardonable wickedness which had brought the judgment of God upon it. It. was at le&st a temporary reform of intolerable offenses.
Of all the types of heathenism that the world has witnessed, that of Nineveh and of the Euphrates'vaHey-that which spread westward to Sodom and overran the land of Canaan and Phoenicia-was the worst. It made universal prostitution a religious duty; from this it proceeded still further and spread everywhere the unnatural vice of Sodom; still further revolting cruelty was added to revolting vice, and children were burned alive by thousands a8 sacrifices to MoLoch.
These were the sins that caused the destruction of the cities of the Plain, and all the severest judgments recorded in the Old Testament.
Ebrard has shown how these terrible sins followed all the Phenician colonies on the Mediterranean; and when one contemplates the alternative of allowing the eorrupting influence of such a people to spread everywhere westward till all Europe and the world should be brought under its power, he can better understand the justice-nay, the humanity-of those wars of extermination by which Jehovah swept the land of the Canaanites and planted in their stead a better seed, in which all nations should be blessed.
The preaching of Jonah seems to have operated only as a cheek. Even in judgment God remembered mercy. He would never destroy till patience could no longer forbear, or till the cup of iniquity was fulL ,Vars of extermination waged by divine behest are hard for us to contemplate who see not the end from the beginning, and cannot say whether in the long run this or that may prove more merciful. But the mission of Jonah to the Ninevites throws a bright and pleasing light upon the dark mystery of divine judgments. It shows that in a :sense God loves to repent-we may say 'Waits to repent-of His threatenings; that, notwithstanding all the carping of men against His severities, He is more forgiving than man, and earnestly remonstrates against the hot – headed zeal of His prophet, who, having spoken, would carry out to the letter all that has been threatened.
The most difficult thing to understand in the authorized wars of ·extermination is the destruction of the innocent with the guilty-even little children. But there is a single sentence' in God's appeal to .Jonah which shows that even in that sad extremity God is not without tender consideration. "And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein there are more than six-score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand, and .also much cattle."
We cannot compass the broad and far-reaching considerations which affect the divine mind, with whom one day is as a th6usand years and a thousand years as one day. We know not in the case of .any infant whether it were better to die than to live. Certainly the death of the innocent were better than a long life of inevitable wickedness like that of Nineveh or Sodom.
Yet no opportunity for repentance is to be withholden, and the ,one thing which is conspicuous in this beautiful glimpse of the divine -character is the compassion-the considerateness-which, in pleading with the indignant prophet, points to the hundred and twenty thousand little children and the multitude of dumb beasts. The attributes of God here present a symmetry which is in strong contrast with the -caprice of man.
The late Dr. Horace Bushnell, in his incomparable chapter on the .divine character of Christ, calls attention to the fact that while men are always losing the balance of truth and verging to one extreme or another, the Christ rests ever in divine poise and harmony. Men talk ,of mercy so soft and limp as to sacrifice all law and order and fill the universe with anarchy, and yet what a history of intolerance and relentless cruelty do the records of mankind present!
So God threatened the Ninevites and held His prophet to the faithful discharge of his duty in warning them, yet how wonderful were His expostulations with that prophet when they had shown signs of repentance! There was no false estimate of their sincerity or their probable stability, yet there was a whole city in sackcloth, from the king to the lowest menial, and by royal decree everyone was" commanded to turn from his evil ways and from the violence that was in .his hands!" A respite must be given. Sentence was suspended and
A SKETCH OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC MOVEMENT IN KOREA
the door of mercy was thrown wide open, and who can say how many souls in that great city found the repentance which is unto life?
We love to think that this remonstrance with Jonah in favor of the Ninevites was kindred with that which Christ made with His disciples when they asked that fire should descend from heaven on the heads of those whose acts they condemned, and with that other lesson of similar intent which was set forth in the parable of the barren fig tree. Doubtless, it was He, the same-" the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world "-that interceded for sinners both in the Old Testmnent and in the New.
The scheme of redemption was in His mind even when the wickedness of the world was at its height. Others outside of the Abrahamic Church, and even the chief of sinners, were objects of divine compassion; J·onah's missionary commission was a part of the great commission which in the fullness of time was given to. the apostles and to the whole Church.
A SKETCH OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC MOVEMENT IN KOREA.
BY PROFESSOR H. B. HULBERT, SEOUL, KOREA.
Weare accustomed to speak of the missionary movement as one which had its origin during the second quarter of this century, and this js quite natural, because the missionary movement among Protestant peoples did have its origin about that time; but what of the missionaries of the Roman Church? Is it not remarkable that at the very time when the missionary movement was being decried in England and Scotland, and had not so much as been broached in America, the Roman Church had its missionaries in a large proportion of the Eastern countries? The seminary of the Societe des Missions Etrangeres had long been founded in France, and was sending out scores of men to India, Siam, China and Japan. Their great central station in the East was at Macao, near Hong Kong. This place was granted to the Portuguese in ]557 by the Chinese, and became one of the important ports of the East. It made a splendid centre for evangelistic work-a fact which the Roman Church was Dot long in percelvmg. From that point it sent out missionaries into all parts of China, which was at that time violently opposed to evangelistic work. To that place missionaries retired when times of special persecution and hardship came. 'l'here they brought some of their most. promising converts, and tat{ght them in a seminary specially endowed for this purpose.
But I desire to speak more especially of the work of the Roman Church in Korea. I make bold to say that in no country has Christianity been founded under circumstances more peculiar-more romantic, I might alrno~t ~a.". The l'tpry of it, as detailed by one of its workers, is fascinating-bloody almost beyond parallel, to be sure, resume but it was the blood of true men. Let me give a short and entirely inadequate of that story; for, although we differ in some im- portant particulars from our brothers of the Roman Church, it is as well that we should note the truly great qualities which have made them 80 tremendously powerful for good in many parts of the would.
In the winter of 1784, at about the end of our war for independ- ence, the annual Embassy from the court of the king of Korea en- tered the gates of Peking to present the customary compliments and gifts to the Emperor of China. Among their number was a young man of great honesty of character and of high culture, judged by the standard of the East. While in Peking this young man fell in with some Chinese Christians and was brought in contact with the Vicar Apostolic of that city. It resulted in his embracing the Ohristian religion and carrying it back with him to Korea, which before'that time had not so much as heard of the existence of Christ.
It was not long before he had gathered about him a small company of men who found no answer to their religious nature in the Confu- cian cult and, before a year had passed, the Church was an established fact in Korea; not, to be sure, after the Roman idea of establishment, but the seed had taken root and the true church was there. For sev- eral successive years one or other of this band accompanied the Em- bassy to Peking in order to receive baptism and to try to induce the Vicar Apostolic to send a missionary to Korea. But this was impos- sible, for the constant state of uncertainty as to the fate of the work in China rendered additional work impossible. It was just preced- ing the time of the Revolution in France, and the Church found it difficult to send men even to supply the urgent demand in China.
But each time the Embassy went, the Christian who accompanied it brought back books and religious objects, and gradually the band of Christians acquired a good knowledge of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity.
Of course these visits to the missionaries in Peking were unsus- pected by the Korean Government, but the fact of the presence of Christianity in Korea could not be long concealed. In 1791 it was remarked that certain men did not worship at the graves of their"
parents according to the Confucian code. It led to an inquiry, and the open confession and profession of Christ. Then began the first of the persecutions, which have followed each other at short intervals almost to the present day. The methods of torture in Korea are al- most too horrible to be believed. It consisted generally in be.ating the victim with huge paddles about the size and weight of a heavy oar. The victim lying on his face received from twenty to a hundred blows of this murderous instrument, every blow of which was suf- ficient to break the bones of his limbs, and reduce his flesh to a pulp_ Again thongs were put through the wrists and ankles between the tendons and the bone, and the sufferer was drawn back until his wrists and ankles came together, and in this posture he was left for hours. Others had chains put around their necks so heavy that they could scarcely lift them from the ground. They were literally devoured by vermin in the wretched prisons. They died of cold and hunger. Widows who professed faith in Christ and were arrested, suffered treatment a thousand times worse than delth at the hands of the majesterial agents.
In 1794, the Church in Peking, being unable to send a European missionary, put the Korean Mission into the hands of Father Tsiou, a Chinese preacher. But how to enter Korea was a question very difficult to solve. Between the northern boundary of Korea and the eastern boundary of China was a belt of land called neutral. It was forbidden to all men to reside on this belt of land, because it was considered that it was for the mutual benefit of Korea and China that an uninhabited tract of land should separate the two States. This belt of land was overrun by outlaws and refugees from justice of both countries, and they formed powerful bands, rendering it extremely dangerous for anyone to cross it in either direction. At the same time, the points where one could enter Korea were very strictly guarded, and everyone who passed had to undergo a minute examination. Many were the expedients adopted by missionaries from time to time in order to evade the examination. Sometimes they came to the place in the dead of night and made a dash past the sentries and gained the mountai,ns, where pursuit was impossible, but where they had to undergo untold suffering and privation before they could reach a place of comparative safety. Sometimes they would hide among a drove of cattle and thus pass through without being detected. At a later date missionaries all came by the way of the sea, ,crossing from China to a certain island on the coast of Korea, where they had to rendezvous with the Korean Christians. 'l'heir password, or rather signal, was a white cross on a red flag, and whenever such a flag was seen on the horizon a small boat put off to the island rendez- VOIlS, where the transfer was made and letters interchanged. Many a time a boat bearing a new missionary to Korea has hovered about for weeks waiting for its signal to be seen, and not a few times have they made three or four trips from China to the Korean coast before being able to effect a landing. The stories of these adventuresome journeys are as exciting as the most lively fiction.
But to return to the narrative.' Father Tsiou hovered about the boundary of Korea for a long time before he was able to enter. In the month of December, one bitterly cold night, he crossed the Ya- Lou River and was smuggled across the line, and finally arrived in Seoul and began the administration of affairs. From 1794 until 1801 there was a steady growth in the Church, but then broke out the first great persecution. It was not only the hatred of Christianity which made such havoc among the Christians, but it was intensified by party animosity.
There are four great parties in Korea, named from the four points of the compass. Two of these held about equal power, bat a large number of the Christians belonged to one of these, and the other naturally made Christianity the handle by which to exterminate their rivals. The persecution raged with frightful force. The agents of the magistrates sought for the evidences of Christianity with the instinct of bloodhounds. The whole Christian population, amounting to several thousands, was totally uprooted. All who did not renounce their religion and curse J esue were put to death, after the most cruel sufferings, and their relatives, whether Christian or heathen, were banished to distant islands. The detailed account of this persecution is enough to make the blood run cold. The sight of little children and aged men plodding along barefooted through the snow of winter or" the intolerable heat of summer is enough to fill the beholder with the deepest pity. This persecution seemed to have destroyed the Church, root and branch, but it was not so. Those who had been sent into different corners of the land began the work of reorganization immediately, and eventually their banishment caused the spread of the faith into the remotest parts of the country. Persecutions contin,ued at short intervals from that time on. Father Tsiou had been seized and decapitated in the beginning of 1801, and the Christians sent every year to Peking imploring the Church to send some one to administer the sacraments, and meanwhile they struggled on as best they could. The severest persecutions took place in 1815 and in 1827.
Finally, in the year 1830, after the Pope had received an urgent and touching letter from the church in Korea, Father Bruguiere was commissioned to make his way into Korea and take charge of matters there. From 1831 until October, 1835, Father Bruguiere was working his way overland through China to the borders of Korea. The hairbreadth escapes which he had during this journey and the suffering which he underwent would form a volume iu themselves. And no sooner had he reached the borders of Korea than he was stricken with fever and died. Soon after Father Maubaut, a missionary of Manchouria, was appointed Bishop of Korea, and in January, 1836, he arrived in Seoul and began his labors. Soon he was joined by two other workers, and the work was pushed with vigor. But in 1839 the Government became aware of the presence of foreign preachers in the country and a persecution began which bade fair to surpass in violence all that had preceded it. Not one of the native Christians that were seized would divulge the secret as to the dwelling place of the foreign preachers, and suffered death in consequence. Father" Maubaut, seeing that the Government would not stop the persecution until the foreigners had been apprehended, made the determination to give himself up to the authorities, and going quietly to the magis- tracy he announced hi~self. He sent to his two fellow-workers asking them to follow his example, which they did, and the three together, after many severe beatings, were taken out of the south gate of tpe city and beheaded. The persecution gradually died out, and the work again went on. Soon more missionaries came; 1841 saw a terrible persecution, and each year saw its martyrs. In 1855 there were several missionaries stationed at different points throughout the coun- try, and at their head was Bishop Berneux, perhaps the most remarkable of all the Latin fathers Korea had seen. At that time there were about 12,000 communicants in the whole land, but the Christian population numbered nearly 20,000. Steadily the Church increased in spite of opposition from all sides. It has always been poor from the fact that the majesterial agents, or as they are called in the East, " eja~en runners," made Christianity a pretext for seizing a man and demanding a heavy fine before they would release him. In this way the Christian population has always been reduced to the lowest reach of poverty. , And so matters went on until about the time of our civil war in America. At that time the heir to the throne was yet so young that the government was administered at the hands of a regent. It was about the time that the Russians had obtained possession of the territory north of Korea, extending to the Tumen river. Russia was demanding of Korea freedom of trade for her merchants in Wensau, the eastern port of Korea, but at no time has the Korean Government been more averse to the opening of the country to foreigners than it was then. It is said that Bishop Berneux had considerable influence among a certain class of officials in Korea, and that at one time he had it in his power to aid the Koreans in their negotiations with the Russians, and that he refused to do so. Be this as it may, the Regent and ~he Government formed the sudden determination to destroy all the foreign missionaries and to annihilate the whole native church, and then began the great persecution of 1866. First, all the missionaries that the Government could lay hands on were seized and thrown into prison. Two made good their escape after weeks of hiding and starving among the mountains, but Bishop Berneux and eight other missionaries were seized.
Allow me to describe briefly the trial and execution of Bishop Berneux, and that will suffice for all. Being seized in his house, he was bound hand and foot' and cast into the prison reserved for those who had been condemned to death. On the next day he was brought before the high tribunal and was put to the question: "What is your name?" "Berneux." " What is your nationality?" "French." "Why have you come to this country?" "To save your souls." "How long ha,:e you been here? " "Ten years." "Will you apostatize?" "No, indeed, I came here to teach Christ, and I never will renounce Him." " If you do not you shall be beaten to death." " Do what you wish, I am in your hands." " Will you leave the country if we give you a chance?" " No, I will not leave unless you carry me away by force." Then he was stripped and laid upon the ground and beaten with the great paddle-like implement of torture until his flesh actually hung in strips along his limbs. He was also punctured all over the body with sharp sticks. His limbs were thrown out of joint, and in this plight he was thrown into the prison again. The next day he was brought out again to be questioned, but he was too weak to articulate. All the other missionaries went through the same ordeal. On the day of execution a cortege of soldiers bore the prisoners in litters or carts to the place of execution, about three miles from the city to the south, near the river. There a great circle was formed, and the execution commenced. Bishop Berneux was placed in .the circle, cords were passed through his ears and under his arms, and, suspended on a pole, he was carried three times around the circle. Then he was placed on his knees in the center, his limbs securely tied and his head extended forward by means of a cord tied to his hair and held by a soldier. 1'hen half a dozen soldiers, sword in hand, began a savage dance around the victim, uttering horrible cries and brandishing their heavy weapons, and as each soldier passed in front of the victim he delivered a blow at the neck. At the third blow the head fell, and one of the most horrible massacres of modern times was perpetrated. So fell that whole band of noble men. Is it easy to believe that this ghastly work was done in the nineteenth century, nay, within a quarter of a century of the present day? And yet it is true. The persecution, among native Christians, which followed, carried off between six and ten thousand men, women and children. Whole villages were blotted from the face of the country. Whole districts were decimated. The powers of hell seemed to have risen in revolt against the Cross of Christ. Ingenuity, little short of Satanic, was exer.cised in the detection and slaught.er of Christ's followers, until a half of their whole number were added to the list of martyrs. The Church has recovered in large part from that persecution, and its work is being actively pushed by a force of eighteen fathers. The statement that the work in Korea is being carried on by Jesuits is incorrect. It is carried on by the Societe des Missions-Etrangeres of Paris.
UNDENOMINATIONAL MISSION WORK
UNDENOMINATIONAL MISSION WORK.
BY REV. JAMES F. RIGGS, BAYONNE, N. J.
It is a charming theory: Let them go everywhere preaching the- word. Let this new crusade be introduced at once, and let thousands. and tens of thousands of individual missionaries go to all lands,. carrying the knowledge of Christ to gladden the world. Now, if this means that we rejoice in the personal influence of Christian men in every city and town, and further, that we wonld multiply such holy influences without limit, then, of course, we can all say Amen with all our hearts. A noble life, whether it be of tea merchant, ship captain, or railway engineer, can not fail t~ tell in the end. God knoweth them that are His, and the power of a pure, honest, and de- voted life is always a matter of congratulation to us. Especially do, we insist on this high and sacred responsibility in the case of all physicians, editors, and men who employ labor on a large scale in heathen lands.
But observe one important qualifying fact: Such men are not called missionaries; they do not refer to themselves in such terms, and they claim no privileges or exemptions on any such ground. Each man of this class is self-supporting, and he does not fall back on the sympathy or material aid of the home churches. Hence we shut out all such at once from our inquiry. Our aid is not asked for them, nor do they defer to our technical ecclesiastical authority. But there is a class of men to whom we must call attention. They claim, and actually assume, the entire liberty of a wanderer, who may come and go at pleasure, yet they call themselves missionaries, and demand the moral sympathy and the material support of the home churches. To this we do object. They are superior persons, they have discovered the spiritual elixir of life, and they alone possess the secret. Their discourse is based on the general principle that the laborer is worthy of his hire, but they decline all ecclesiastical direction. Even a word of inquiry as to their theological position is often resented. Unfortunately, the supply of such persons is inexhaustible. Hercules cut off one head of the hydra, only to see two heads spring up in place of it. We read in scripture that Jonah's gourd came up in a night and perished in a night. And in the moral world there is a parallel. Such a city as Constantinople is a sort of perennial gourd-garden. The prospectus of each gourd is set forth in great confidence, but the result is not such as to justify the promise.
In these remarks we have no reference to the great established charities of the world, such as the Bible Society. That is not what we call undenominational-it is rather pan-denominational. The Bible Society occupies a position wholly unique, and its agents are like other recognized missionaries. They constitute in real life a body that may be fitly compared with any denomination, and their confession of faith is the Bible itself. But in actual praotioe it is a business enterprise, and so far from coming into collision with any other mi,s- sion, it is the right arm of all missions. Very little enduring work can be done in any place until the Bible Society lends its aid.
Again, special emergencies demand special forms of activity. The Christian Commission, which did a noble work in war times, and other colossal enterprises of that nature, are simply the outcome of a sudden demand that can be met in no other way. So, too, we would set aside the China Inland Mission, which is often called undenomi- national, simply denying that it is in any way a model for general jmitation.
Having thus briefly indioated what we are not discussing, we oan take up the undenominational mission itself. What is it? It is a mistake from beginning to end. It is poor eoonomy in the use of ma- terial, it is poor economy in the collection and transmission of funds, and the individual free-lance, who sallies forth to destroy the works of the devil without assistance, usually stumbles into a trap before he has accomplished very much.
It would astonish and amuse the friends of real mission work if they could listen to the talk of some of these men, and note the nature of their propositions. The most wild, vague and impracticable schemes are suggested by them, in perfect innocence. They know nothing of systematic mission work. They come at a bound into an Asiatic community, knowing nothing of customs, prejudices, and lines of effort that are already familiar to the people. They give needless offense at many points, and they fail to take advantage of points that might be utilized. They have no definite notion as to the possibility or impossibility of any given thing. Many years ago a famous Spanish monk, Raimundus Lullius, proposed to the leaders of Christendom the notion of dialectics as a weapon of universal religious warfare. He proposed to overthrow all forms of error, paganism, Mohammedanism, all schismatics and infidels, by his acuteness in· word-fencing, in dialectics. Roger Bacon proposed to the Pope, Nicholas IV. (who was greatly interested in the crusades), that he should erect large focal mirrors near the great Mohammedan cities, and so set them on fire by the conoentrated rays of solar heat. We are reminded of these beautiful but impracticable plans by the very simplicityof some inexperienced zealots in our own day. Even the young missionaries, who come out to join our regular systematized working force, fall into these inconsistences; how much more the mere religions adventurer who goes out to the field without any allied forces on his flanks.
It will probably be said in defenc'e of this guerilla method, that the regular missionaries have made mistakes. So they have; but their mistakes are noted, recorded, and when all the testimony is gathered into a body of doctrine it becomes the science of mission enterprise. l1issionaries do make mistakes, and what hope do we have that it will ever be otherwise? Only this; that the systematic development of the work, not under a despotic superintendent, but on the true fraternal principle of mutual aid and brotherly co-operation-in a word, the vital denominational system will obviate disorder and provide a trustworthy, scientific method, built up out of the experience which has been so dearly bought.
The common system, known as the denominational method, is the true method for many years to come. Why? Because men are not perfect, and because the only way we can approach perfection is by a mutual system of aid and of encouragement. We must here protest against a little bit of pure theorizing that is certainly thrust in and made a basis of error in this discussion. Weare told, the missionary should preach only the great outline truths of the gospel, in which the entire mass of Christendom is agreed. All minor matters ought to be left in the native churches, that they may develop a local system of ecclesiastical life and manners that shall suit the place and the times. This is a sheer dead-lift of theory. '1'he man who can preach effectively the great cardinal doctrines will be the man who has a well-worked-out theory of systematic theology, complete in all its parts. Who are the successful preachers? Are they not the men of clear-cut and well-matured views? We need the consciousness of reserve force. Denominational details are not trifles, but they are the solid backing of an immovable conviction. The denominational clutch on the sword of the Spirit is simply a confident clutch. Better work with a man who is left-handed than with one who says that there is no appreciable difference between one hand and the other.
In order to teach well, the teacher must know a vast deal more than he actually imparts, and the missiona.ry who is cut off from denominational sympathy has suffered a loss that no personal genius can ever make up.
Very little good solid enduring work is accomplished without the co-operation of a number of departments. Look at any given mission. It has its educational department, training up a native ministry. It has its publication department, providing a religious literature. It has its evangelistic department, the visitation of villages for the purpose of preaching. And, finally, it has its properly episcopal department, or department of superintendence, which is absolutely neceBsary for the proper co-ordinating of these diverse branches. No individual, however highly endowed, can. keep up all these various activities any more than a solitary individual could maintain a complex civilization all by himself. The fatal objection to these sporadic mission enterprises will be found just at this point. But we are told that if we would sustain them, these feeble missions would grow as the others have grown. Yes; then let us humbly ask, What Cate- chism would they use in their schools? How would they examine their candidates for the ministry? Where would they draw their supply of religious literature? There are a thousand practical diffi- culties in the way of all mission work that is not identified with some strong, well-defined denomination. No such worker is content to be always a mere tract-distributor. He will not tolerate the idea of oc- cupying permanently the lowest position in religious life. Every workman longs to see his superstructure rise to its proper eminence, and if this is to be done there must be a foundation, not only deep, but broad. There is a process known in electrical science as " completing the circuit," and in our active work for Christ we .need to do the same. We are not content with a mere piece of wire, or a strip of zinc, or a few drops of acid; we may not stop till we have completed the circuit. Nor are we afraid of denominational zeal. What if the battery is highly charged? What if men do speak unadvisedly with their lips? Have we not a check on such mistakes?
Why do men desire to organize any such efforts? Is it not generally because they wish to shake off responsibility? They are impatient of control. They are not willing to be advised. They find the exact, inexorable character of theology a yoke and a bondage. 'l'hey prefer to abandon themselves to the action of the centrifugal force. They are willing to wander alone, misled by the moral mirage which shows them facts, indeed, but facts turned upside down. Setting out in such a spirit, .it is not strange if they find this world a trackless wilderness.
It may be urged, perhaps, in reply to tp.is, that there is already friction and jealousy between the rival denominations. This is a VfYy unfortunate exaggeration. As a rule the large societies are friendly and sympathetic. A beginning has been made. Now let each society press its work to the utmost, and let the individuals ally themselves as they best can.
Just before the great battfe of Trafalgar, Admiral Nelson stood on the quarter-deck of his flag-ship, the Victory, and his fleet-captains, who had been summoned on board, stood around him. It was an anxious moment. They would soon be enveloped in battle-smoke, and one of the captains expressed the fear that one of them might make a mistake. The reply of Lord Nelson is worthy of a permanent place in the mind of every servant of Christ. It was the very utterance of genius. He said gravely, "No' captain can make a mistake if he lays his ship alongside a French ship."
A SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE.
The exception only illustrates and enforces the general law. The world is familiar with some' remarkable examples of noble, honest, and successful mission enterprise, conducted outside the lines of our regular denominational boards. The present writer has no wish to be unjust, nor would he withhold an iota of the praise due in any case. But mark the facts as they are in real life, not as they are in the dreams of unbalanced courage. Men have crossed the Atlantic in open skiffs; would you therefore advise anyone to go and do like- wise? Men have crossed the Andes alone, without any guide; would you assume from this fact that such a mode of travel is to be com- mended?
A very common mistake in modern times is the undervaluing of system, because somebody got along without any. Mr. Moody never went to college, hence a college course is superfluous. That mode of reasoning would do away with almost every blessing in civilization, because at one time or another some person was compelled to do with- out it. 'fhe independent or undenominational mission is a mission conducted under extraordinary difficulties, and the aim of this plea is to induce men to avoid those difficulties which are now quite needless.
There was a time when each and every mission was an experiment. Methods were uncertain-experience limited. Men who gave their lives in those days to the determination of grave questions in the policy of evangelism, did not throwaway the opportunity, for there was a cause. Now many things are entirely different. Experience is ample, and we know what can be done and what cannot. Let not the old rash ventures be made again to no purpose. We praise Dr. Joseph Wolff, but it would be very foolish for any person now to llndertake to repeat his journeys in the disguise of a dervish. It is not necessary to do so.
The enthusiast who sets forth on an independent mission, is not always to be blamed, but he ought to be instructed. He does not . know the facts in regard to the foundations already laid, and the tunnels already driven far into the rock. It is easy to point to a man of genius, and to imagine that all further debate is shut off. On the contrary, we ought not to be guided too exclusively by the triumphs of genius, because a mighty man may do what a man of ordinary force and consecration could never do. And failure is not simply failure, it is disaster in the foreign field, making the whole region sterile to those who follow.
If the question be put as to our immediate duty toward the scattered forces now in the field, the present writer would suggest: 1. That those persons who can influence any enterprise of this nature should concentrate their men just so fast as may be possible. Missionary power is like the mathematical law of the cube. 'fhe cube of two is eight; but the cube of three is twenty-seven. By all means gather the men into organic missions rather than depend on isolated units at long intervals.
2. Let those missions that are already denominational in substance
THE PRAYER FOR LABORERS
become such also in name and honest avowal. If this involves some criticism and official inspection, so much the better. The tendency will be to weed out errors, to correct bad methods, to bring about harmony in all sorts of questions, and it will prove a check that we greatly need on the reckless waste of money in some places.
The one point on which we insist is that success renders denominational boundaries absolutely necessary. Just so soon as the missionary is able to lead men to the Saviour, then immediately the questions of organization and education come up, and cannot be set aside unless there be such vigor and nerve in the leader as to make of his work, practically, a new denominatio,n.
THE PRAYER FOR LABORERS.
[EDITORIAL.-A. T. P.] "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest that He would thrust forth laborers into His Harvest."
How long shall it take us to learn that the grand inspiration to all missions, the world over, and to all missionary spirit and sacrifice in the Church, is PRAYER? not appeal to men, but appeal to God.
This is but one of those injunctions and promises which fix our eyes upon Prayer as the great motor in the kingdom of God. Again we affirm it: Prayer has turned every great crisis in the kingdom. It can bring' men, it can furnish money, it can supply all the means and materiel of war. Yet, we sadly but seriously affirm that this, the grandest of all the sprhIgs of missionary activity, is that on which the least practical dependence is placed in our missionary machinery.
Let us look at the bearing of believing supplication upon our supply of laborers for the harvest field.
The fascination about all true Christian work is that, first of all, it is God's work. The true child of God longs to find his place and 1'!phere in that grander sphere of divine activity where he is permitted to share co-operation with God. Now all true adaptation to our work depends on a higher plan than ours. God's work reaches through the ages and spans even the eternities. Every workman must have hisfltness for his particular work, and that fitness must be (If God, for the workman cannot know what peculiar demands that :t work will make upon him until he gets at work, and then it is too late to prepare. Preparation must be carried on earlier, and, be- -cause no man can tell with certainty what he is to be called to do, or where he is to be placed, the only hope and faith that can solve the, perplexity must fasten on the Providence of God. He who foresees and foreknows what the work is to be must predestine and prepare the worker to do it.
Does He not? 'Who that studies history-which is the mere record (If God's dealings with humanity-cannot see that a divine plan is at work? that in the great crisis of affairs He brings forth some man or woman singularly prepared, unconsciously' prepared, often unwill- ingly prepared, for the work and the sphere? so that, as, in the build- ing of the te:nple, no sound of axe, hammer or tool of iron was heard while it was in building,-so again there is no need of any adaptation after the man and his work meet-they mutually fit as stone does, stone, or timber does timber, where the work has been properly done in the quarry and in the shops.
Many a man has no chance or need to adapt himself to his" en- vironment." One of the great objections to "evolution" is found in the frequent examples of preadaptation with which nature abounds. A caterpillar that lives on the earth, crawls on its own belly, eats leaves and refuse,-at a certain stage of its history enters the chrysa- lis state. It is to emerge from its cocoon a winged butterfly, hence- forth to soar, not creep or crawl, to sip the honey from the dainty nectaries of flowers. Here is a wholly new' experience, of which the' life of the worm furnished no earnest. Now if you run a sharp blade down the length of the cocoon, and cut through the cuticle of the animal while yet in the chrysalis state, you will find all the peculiar' organs of the future butterfly 01' moth mysteriously enfolded beneath that skin. How are they to be accounted for? That caterpillar nO" more knew its future state and needs than the unborn infant knew its coming wants. It could not be said to adapt its organs to its new life after its emergence from the cocoon, for those organs were all there- long before the moment of that new birth. And so the reverent Christian scientist accounts for the preadaptation by a higher evolu- tion in the plan of a Creator.
Just so we discern in history preadaptations that defy any ex- planation without faith in the providence of God. M~n themselves have been undergoing a peculiar training for ten, twenty, thirty" forty years, which has found its explanation only when God has brought' them and their preordained work together! Moses, in the- palace and court of Pharaoh, from the hour when he was taken out of the basket of bulrushes, was unconsciously preparing to become , God's great agent in Israel's deliverance and organization: the fitness of that man as leader and law giver, poet and prophet, organizer and administrator, is so exact and marvellous that it compels belief in God. Luther at Erfurt and W urtemberg, Knox in Scotland, Calvin in Switzerland, J ohn Wesley and Charles Wesley in England, J ona- than Edwards in New England, William Carey at Hackleton, Adoni- ram Judson in 'Villiamstown, John Hunt at Hykeham Moor, John E. Clough studying civil engineering, David Livingstone poring over Dick's "Siderial Heavens," Henry M. Stanley reporting for the New York Herald-these are examples of men whom God was unconsciously making ready for a special work of which they had no conception, and for which they could make no intelligent preparation.
Who was it that not only raised up those six remarkable men and missionaries-Schwartz, Carey, Judson, Morrison, Wilson and Duffbut raised them up in the same age and epoch of missions? All of them from humble life, but of varied nationalities, of different denominations, Lutheran, Baptist, Independent, Presbyterian; who was it gave to all of them essentially the tastes and the training of scholars, though their early surroundings in several cases specially forbade; who was it that singularly fitted them to be theologians, translators, philologists, scientists and teachers? Who was it that so singularly adjusted the plan of these several lives that each spent some forty years among the natives of India, Burmah or China; passed the advanced limit of three-score years and ten, and died rejoicing not * only in their labors but in the fruit of their labors?
Sometimes, indeed, it suddenly appears to the man himself that the adaptation somehow exists; but it is only the consciousness of a pre-fitness. John Hunt has been compared to the forest bird, which, hatc'hed in the nest of some common domestic fowl, moves about restless among the pullets and ducks in the barnyard, until some day, finding its pinions grown long and strong, and instinctively conscious that the air, not the earth or the water, is its native element, suddenly soars from the ground and makes straight and swift flight toward the freedom of the woods and the higher realms of the atmosphere! Of how many of God's workmen might similar words be written? And what new hope does it impart to missiolls as the enterprise of the Church to know that while God buries the workmen He carries on the work ! No gap ever occurs that He cannot fill. How often a desponding spirit cries, when such a man falls as John Williams of Erromanga, or Mackay of Uganda, or Livingstone at Lake Bangweolo, or Keith Falconer at Aden, "How shall that man's place be filled?" But God has another man ready, and sometimes two to take the place of one. And so the work goes on.
The subject will bear indefinite expansion; but our object is only to sound once again the grand key-note of all missions: Believing Prayer. The field is wide-world wide. The Harvest is great, but the laborers are few. How are they to be supplied? There is but one way authorized in Scripture: "PRAY ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest that HE would send forth laborers into His Harvest." Nothing else can fill these vacant fields with an adequate supply of workmen. Education cannot do it. A great deal of our education is leading young men and women away from mission fields. "The spectacles of the intellect," says Dr. David Brown, "are binocular." 'l'here is a tendency in all intellectual culture, as in the gathering of earthly * See Dr. George Smith. riches, to make us practically Godless. Men become purse-proud by accumulating wealth, and brain-proud by accumulating learning. If God does not hear prayer and give learning and culture a divine direction, a heavenly anointing, our colleges will only raise up a generation of sceptics. Our appeals and arguments will not give the Church missionaries; unless the demonstration of the Spirit is added to the demonstration of logic, no conviction will result that leads to consecration-that higher logic of life.
And, when workmen are on the fleld, it is the same prayer that must secure to the word they preach" free course," so that it is glori- fied. When the Church at Antioch, praying and fasting, sent forth Barnabas and Saul on that first missionary' tour, the Church kept praying; and, in answer to prayer, doors, great and effectual, opened before them, and repentance unto life was granted unto the Gentiles, and mighty signs and wonders were wrought by the hands of those primitive pioneer missionaries.
We have heard many things said in depreciation of J. Hudson Taylor and the China Inland Mission. We have he~rd his whole work stigmatized as" without a foundation," a " wild scheme," "im- practicable," "lacking all elements of stability and permanence;" we have heard said of it, that it " gets men and women into Inland China, and then leaves them there to starve," etc. One thing is very remarkable about it: it sets us all an example of faith in God and power in prayer. It has been the writer's privilege to meet frequently and in circumstances·favorable for confidential intercourse, this be- loved man of God-this" Paul, the little "-and from his own lips to hear the history of the China Inland Mission. It is a wonderful story; it sounds like new chapters in the Acts of the Apostles. Mr. Taylor was at the little Conferences of Believers at Niagara-on-the-Lake in July 1888 and 1889. At the first, he made a precious address, fra- grant with the anointing of God-unpretentious, modest, simple, childlike. It took us all captive by a divine fascination. He simply unfolded the word of God, made no appeal, would, in fact, have no "collection. "But that little company of believers, mostly poor, con- strained him to accept a freewill offering of some $2,500. To our surprise he was rather anxious than pleased. And in 1889 he told us the source of his perplexity. As nearly as we can recall, these were his words: " When that money was put into my hands, I felt burdened; when the Lord sends me workers I feel no anxiety, for I know that He who .provides laborers for His harvest-field will provide the means to put them into the field. But when the Lord gives me money and not the workmen to use the monsy, I know not what to do with it. When from the Conference of 1888 tMrteen volunteers subsequently offered • themselves for the great field of China, I said, ' Now the Lord has .solved my perplexity.' But, 'you see, we sometimes reckon too fast. And so it was with me. For when I went to the places from which these beloved laborers were to go forth to the harvest-field, the churches to which they belonged insisted on paying all the expenses .of their outfit and journey; and so I had this money still on hanel, and my perplexity was increased. Now, dear friends, don't give me any more money unless you give me the men and women to use it! "
We have made and heard thousands of missionary addresses, but never any like that! For once we have found the l1ead of a great missionary movement whose main care is not money at all, and who is more an';£ious to have workmen than funds; who, in fact, begs us not to give him any more money until we first provide the workers to use it. The ordinary conditions seem somehow reversed. We hear on all sides frantic appeals for money. To-day, it is said, scores of young men and women are coming forward, offering to go, but there is no money to send them. Brethren told me in Scotland that they were compelled to stop appealing for workmen, because the appeals were so much more enthusiastically responded to than the Church responds to the needs of an over-taxed treasury!
We have no thought of using invidious comparisons; but we are compelled to ask whether we have not, in our missionary work, fallen into the snare of worldly care-whether missions do not stand in our thought too much as an enterprise of the Ohurc.h, and too little as the work of God, of which the Church is the commissioned agent. We feel conscious, like all others that have passed their meridian hour, that our day of labor slants toward its western horizon and its setting-hour. We desire to make every utterance of tongue or pen as serious, solemn, candid, and conscientious, as though it were, as it may be, the last. And, with fnll consciousness that no othel' "Editorial" may ever issue from the pen and hand which write these lines, we here record the profound conviction that, back of all otl.!-er causes ·of the present perplexity in our mission work; behind all the apathy of individuals and the inactivity of churches; behind all the lack of enthusiasm and the lack of funds; behind all the deficiency of m,en and of means, of intelligence and of consecration, of readiness to send and alacrity in going, there lies one lack deeper and more radical and more fundamental-viz.: THE LACK OF BELIEVING PRAYER. Until that lack is supplied the doors now opened will not be entered, and the .doors now shut will not be opened; laborers of the right sort will not be forthcoming, nor the money forthcoming to put them at work and sustain them in it; until that lack is Rupplied the churches in the mis-. sion field will not be largely blessed with conversions, nor the churches in the home field largely blessed with ~utpourings and anointings of zeal for God and passion for souls.
The first necessity for the Church and the world is also the first
THE RESULTS OF MODERN MISSIONS PERMANENT
central petition of the Lord's Prayer: Thy Kingdom Come! of which the hallowing of God's name is the preparation and the doing of God's . will is the consequence. And that Kingdom comes only in answer to . expectant prayer. We need, first of all, a revival of the praying spirit which moved Jonathan Edwards to publish his appeal in 1747, and led 'William Carey and John Sutcliffe to republish it in 1787. Modern missions had their birth in prayer; all their progress is due to prayer. A few souls that have close access to the Mercy Seat, like Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Daniel, have kept up the apostolic succession of prayer. And because of this, and of this alone, doors have been opened, workmen thrust forth into the open fields, and money has been provided. But suppose the 'Whole Church would get down before God! What if, where one now prays, a hundred were bowed on the face like Elijah on Carmel! What, if in place of the naturalism that. is eating at the vitals of spiritual life there might be a revival of faith in the supernatural, a new and universal awakening to the fact. that God is a present, living, faithful, prayer-hearing God; that the closet is his ante-room, nay, his audience-chamber, where, to the sup- pliant soul, he extends his sceptre and says, "Ask what thou wilt in Jesus name, and it shall be given unto thee !"
The late Mr. Neeshima, of Japan, said to his fellow-countrymen when planning an evangelistic tour-"Advance on your knees!" To· work without praying is practical atheism; to pray without working is idle presumption. But to pray and work together, to baptize all work with prayer and to follow all prayer with work-that is an ideal life. Of such a life we may reverently say, labo1'are est orare- work is worship and worship is work.
In the vision of Isaiah (vi.) the seraphim have six wings, and four of them are used in the office of humble and reverent worship, while only two are reserved for flying. As Dr. Gordon beautifully says, " Let us learn a lesson on the proportion to be observed between supplica- tion and service." Better twice as much devout preparation as work~ than a hurried and superficial communion with God, and an unpre- pared and hasty dash and rush into activity. Let us linger before God until we get power, and then life becomes grand. It shines with the glory of His Face, and it moves with the might of His omni- potence.
THE RESULTS OF MODERN MISSIONS PERMANENT.
BY REV. THOMAS LAURIE, PROVIDENCE, R. I.
The American Board began its work in Western Asia by sending missionaries to Palestine. In other words, the new world sent the gospel to that part of the old world whence that same gospel first went forth to bless the rac~-to the city where our redemption was wrought out and where the first Christian church was formed. That fact starts the inquiry, whether the power of the gospel, like that of mere human influences, is short lived? As earthly kingdoms rise from obscurity, flourish for a season, and then decay, does the kingdom of God in like manner have its era of growth and harvest, and then leave nothing but stubble to be ploughed under by new laborers in their preparations for another crop? Missionaries from New England occupied chUl'Ch edifices in Ceylon that had been built centuries before by Papal missionaries from Portugal. Shall missionaries to China a millenium hence find no trace of the work being performed in that empire to·day save some stone like that at Singan Fil, which records the labors of N estorians eleven centuries ago? Or shall future evangelists from Central Africa find such wrecks of churches in New England as we have found in Tarsus, Smyrna and Thessalonica? On the one hand it may be said that our country has not been in existence so long as the time between the visit of Xavier to Ceylon (1544) and the present; but on the other, we can say with the prophet, "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever" (Isa. xl:8), and that word has .been translated into the language of China, "and it shall not return to Him void, but shall prosper in the thing whereto He sent it" (Isa. Iv: 11).
These questions present a very interesting topic for discussion. The writer sincerely wishes that he were able to do justice to so grand a. theme, and ventures to submit these few thoughts only as a starting point whence others may advance further into a land flowing with milk and honey, and bring back far richer clusters.
First of all then let us keep in mind that in this discussion we are not inquiring as to the certainty of the conversion of the world to God. He settled that forever when in His word He put the certainty of that result alongside of the certainty of His own existence. The old version of Numbers, xiv:21, read thus: "As truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord," but the new revision translates it more accurately, "In very deed, as I live and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord." At first sight this seems a weaker statement, but it is in fact much stronger, for while the old rendering made the existence of God a pledge of the conversion of the world, this more correct one co-ordinates the two things as alike certain and incapable of change. How could it be otherwise, when it is written (Daniel vii:14): "His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." And then this divine result is the work of God Himself, as He says (Isa. 1x:22), " I the Lord will hasten it in its time." We must never forget that it is "not by might or by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord." And to this agrees Isa. liii:12, "Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He poured out His soul unto death: and was numbered with the transgl'essors; yet He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the trangressors. " Thus binding the redemption already achieved and this future triumph of that redemption in one inseparable bond. Well does the Holy Spirit say through Jeremiah xxxiii:20: "Thus saith the Lord; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant (Jf the night, so that there should not be day and night in their season; then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant."
It is well that our hearts be established by recalling such words of God before we launch out on the more uncertain sea of human probabilitie!l, for what Christian can read such words of God and for (Jne moment doubt the final issue.
Still the fact remains that the gospel was once preached in Palestine by our Lord and His Apostles, and now missionaries from other lands are needed to restore to that land the knowledge of the truth, and the question is, "Have we any reason to think the present evangelization of that region will be more permanent than that which went before?"
We see at once that there is a difficulty here which does not exist in some nations whose nominal conversion to Christianity took place during the dark ages. Take France as a representative of many others. There Clovis, a fierce fighter, when Thor and Woden seemed to fail him in battIe, turned to Christ for help, vowing to be His follower if He gave him the victory. The bloody battle was decided in his favor, "and thousands of his wild warriors followed him to the font with as little thought as they would have followed him to death or victory." It was this conversion that won for the King of France the title of" the most Christian king." The historian adds: "It is from this robber, liar and murderer that France rightly dates her beginning." (Encyclopedia Brittanica, Ninth Ed., Vol. IX, p. 529). It is not at all surprising when nations whose conversion has been brought about by such methods fall away from the faith, for the tru~h is that they never had a faith to fall away from. If the church in Palestine had been brought iuto existence by such methods we might be grieved, but we could not be surprised by its fall; but when the preaching of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit lie at its foundation, we must look elsewhere for the explanation of its falling away_ Still no thoughtful reader of the New Testament ought to be surprised at it. The Apostle says to those among whom he had labored more than two years at Ephesus (Acts xX:29): "I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them." It may be said that this does not anticipate so utter an overthrow as destroyed vital piety in all that region. True, and yet tha~ same Apostle strove to prevent in, his own lifetime an apostasy that would have been utterly subv~sive of the truth, for he says of some op'posers (Gal. ii:5) that he" gave place to them in the way of subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you," imply- ing that otherwise the truth had perished from among them. Then in 2 Thess. ii:3, he speaks of falling away and a revelation of the man of ,sin. "For," he adds in verse 7, "the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is one that restraineth now,until he be taken out of the way. And then shall be revealed the Lawless One, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of His mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of His coming."
Besides, over and above these warnings of the Apostles, how often did the Lord Jesus say to His churches: "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen [note it: already fallen] and repent, and do the first works; or else I come to thee, and will move thy candlestick out of its place." (Rev. ii:5). Surely such utterances ought to make surprise impossible when we look on the spiritual desolation 'of Bible lands, and their political and pecuniary desolations are only the consequences of the spiritual ruin that had gone before.
Another truth claims our notice in this connection. At no time in the past has any religious movement been either perfect in its nature or universal in extent. In other words, it has not thoroughly transformed the whole character, or pervaded the entire community. No one man has done good and not sinned at all, and there have always been those who have floated with the current whichever way it turned, but without any spiritual life of their own. Hence among the ancient people of God His kingdom did not move forward in one continuous advance, but rather by seasons of progress, interrupted by either lack of movement or positive retrocession. An advance under Samuel was followed by a backward movement under Saul. Another advance under David was succeeded by a retrograde movement that culminated under Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. Again, light under J ehoshaphat was followed by darkness under his son, Jehoram, and so on to the captivity. That, however, was under a dispensation that was growing old and ready to vanish away.
Under the gospel, our Leader teaches us to aim at nothing less than the doing of the will of God on earth as it is done in heaven; and this, which involves complete obedience on the part of each, and the combined obedience of all, we are never to lose sight of. It is to be the object of our daily prayer and constant endeavor. Still, being so high an aim, it is not strange if its attainment be more difficult, but we trust that the morning has dawned that shall shine more and more unto this perfect day, for under the power of the Spirit of God, things shape themselves toward a higher standard of character throughout the Ohurch iu all lands. And here belougs one truth that is fuil of comfort. The work of the Spirit is not stationary, but progressive.
He began by brooding over material chaos. He insp~red Bezaleel and Aholiab for 'their work, and He now works a spiritual transformation in human hearts. Though He did this before Ohrist came, yet it was confined to EO few, that the evangelist could say (St. John vii:39), "The Holy Spirit was not yet given; because Jesns was not yet glorified." After that He wrought the wonders of the day of Pentecost; yet that was only one step in an advance that shall overcome the powers of evil with a continuous and unending victory. The same divine energy that overcomes for one moment is able to overcome forever. And it is in the line of the divine progress to show the power of the redemption that is in Ohrist Jesus, to conquer the causes that now render revivals temporary, as well as those that render them impossible at all to man unaided.
As the plan of God involves this progress, we should expect to find instrumentalities provided to carry it out, and we are not disappointed. The past history of the Ohurch has shown God working toward perfect ends through imperfect instrumentalities. At first there was a needs be for Apostles, lifted out of and above the rest of the Ohurch. Still they were not an unmixed good. Their presence involved the danger of depending too much on leaders, although one of the chief Apostles begged the prayers of the churches for a blessing on his labo.rs. This undue reliance on leaders led to the attempt to perpetuate the apostolic office without the apostolic gifts, hence ruinous ambition among the clergy, who forgot how the Master said, "He that is greatest among you shall be your servant" (Math. xxiii:ll), and that" Whosoever shall humble himself as a little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (xviii:4). When we look back on the bitter fruits of ambition in the Ohurch, we are at no loss to explain the disappearance of spiritual life from Bible lands. Still this does not involve the failure of divine plans, for the same chastening that visited retribution 011 sin in the Ohurch, also prepared the way for a renovated sanctuary and a holy people who should carry out the glorious idea of a Ohurch, as it existed in the mind of God.
Look at some of the wonderful works of Him who is King in Zion. Once copies of the Holy Scriptures could be multiplied only by the slow labor of the pen. Then the common people could not possess them. Even churches could hardly secure a copy for their public worship. This left them dependent on the clergy for their knowledge of the truth, and it is humiliating to have to confess that this great power in the hands of ecclesiastics was not always used to make their people wise unto salvation, but rather to strengthen their own supremacy.
Even now good men look more to the preacher than to Ohrist. How much more when $ey had no Bible at home to correct that tendency, and everything in the Church magnified those who sought their own greatness at the expense of the edification of the people. Even now some true disciples are influenced more by the visible splendor of a church edifice and the audible music of the choir than by unseen spiritual virtues. How much more, when those who ought to have pointed them to the "Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world," claimed that they themselves had power to forgive sins and impart salvation! But now that the common people have the Bible in their own hands, which can make them wise unto salvation, they have a divine deliverance from this bondage to a clergy, and we may estimate the greatness of that deliverance from the frantic efforts put forth to-day to take away the Bible from the masses, or at least to prevent them availing themselves of its divine instructions.
The Master in his day preached the coming of the Kingdom of God, looking beyond the temporary thraldom of his people to that freedom wherewith the truth would make them free. And the Church has now come forth from that dark house of bondage to walk in the light of the truth of God.
The fact, then, that the Providence of God, by means of the press, has put the Bible into the hands of the common people, and stirred up His Church not only to see that it is distributed but that men are stimulated to engage in its study and assisted in that study, is one pledge that the waters of this flood of ignorance shall not return to destroy the Church and necessitate another replanting of those lands where the truth is taking root to-day.
Another fact which strengthens this conviction is the influence which the Bible exerts on those who receive it. It has already been intimated that something is needed to interest men in the truth, so that they shall feel its power, and that something is the Holy Spirit, who, Christ says, "Shall take of mine, and declare it unto you" (St. John xvi:14). It is not necessary to determine the minimum of truth essential to secure the work of the Spirit in a human heart. It is enough to know that He works through the truth. Anyone who has ever had opportunity to compare the working of Papal missionaries with those who go forth from our Puritan Churches, appreciates this fact as no language can describe it. There is a puny weakness in the adherents of the one, and a stalwart energy in the converts made by the other, to which words cannot do justice. On the one hand are Lilliputian superstitions and Brobdingnaggian legends of the Saints. On the other are a wonderful manliness and the fruit of the Spirit in all its v6riety and sweetness.
Some magnify education as a power to renovate persons and peoples; and no doubt education produces great results, but the highest style of education is seen where a soul, regenerated by the Spirit, studies that Word of God through which the Spirit sanctifies. NOl science can compare with the Bible. Other sciences deal with the, works of God, whether in the realm of matter or of mind; Scripture, deal~ with God Himself and our relations to him. No college can rise so high along any other line of study; no university can secure, such a large and well-proportioned mental development through the pursuit of all other sciences put together, and it is this highest style, of education that is given in our higher missionary schools. There,. whatever other line of science is pursued, the Bible is supreme, and_ that not only enmancipates from the bondage of ignorance, it lifts; the soul into the plane along which it is to advance forever, and on which they move in Heaven to-day. And the- men so trained will never degenerate as Bible lands have degenerated under an ecclesiasticism that ignored the Redeemer, and his great Redemption, and sent them to the priest for salvation, instead of sending them to the only name under heaven that is given among men whereby we must, be saved. Men do not go to Him and come back empty.
Some talk as though a new discovery in politics or in science was· lifting up the masses to-day and righting the wrongs of ages-upheaving society from its depths and creating all things new. It is neither a new discovery iu politics nor in science, but an old truth sung by a woman nineteen hundred years ago in connection with the incarnation of the Son of God. "He hath showed strength with His. arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart. He hath put down princes from their thrones, and hath exalted them of low degree. The hungry He hath filled with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away." (Luke i:51,53). It is that power of an Incarnate Saviour that was spoken of even a millenium before- Mary thus magnified the Lord, when the Psalmist said of Christ, "He shall deliver the needy when he cricth; aud the poor that hath. no helper. He shall spare the poor and nee(~y, and shall save the souls of the needy." (Ps.lxxii:12, 13).
In the labor questions that now vex society, we see this power grinding like Samson in the mills of the Philistines-a captive shorn of its strength; but in the missionary station we see it wielded by omnipotence, to shatter every hostile force that exalteth itself against God and human well being. There it asserts its divine energy, and there is one line of its working that calls for special notice. The heathen, like sinners at home, are selfish, and their selfishness has. found expression in a lazy looking ont for their own advantage, regardless of the interest of others. At first missionaries were made so happy by the sight of interest in spiritual things, in however small 8. degree, that they were in danger of hindering the work of God by doing everything for their converts and shielding them from every self-denial. They hrnished employment; they protected and coddled
MAHDISM AND MISSIONS IN THE SOUDAN
them till they were in danger of destroying all manly self-reliance. Now they have learned the love as well as wisdom of those words of Jesus (Luke iX:23): "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me," and they teach converted heathen that the work of the kingdom in their land belongs to them and not to the missionary. That to them belongs the support of the churches, and that their feet are to carry the goopel into the regions beyond. The consequence is a type of Christian zeal and self-denial that puts us at home to shame, and our churches are stimulated to new consecration by the example of those who yesterday were heathen. Here is another fact on which we build our assurance: that the present results of missionary labor have come to stay. The churches that lazily leaned on the store of merit which their clergy claimed to have at their disposal may pass away; but these Christian workers are only the vanguard of others who shall enter into their labors, and together press on in the service of the Lord till the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
It is said that even the most fervent zeal may grow cold and disappear. Yes, if its roots go no deeper than the heart, which is deceitful above all things; but if the zeal of the Lord of Hosts is performing this, if the life that is iu Christ as well as from Christ is the power at work in this matter, is anything too hard for the Lord? "Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of His understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not> faint." (1sa. xl:28-31).
MAHDISM AND MISSIONS IN THE SOUDAN.
BY REV. LEWIS GROUT, WEST BRATTLEBORO, VT.
Among all the characteristics which mark the followers of the False Prophet in Beled-es-Soudan, "the country of the blacks," perhaps none is stronger or more peculiar than their faith in Mahdism. Nor can any organization or enterprise that may have in view a thought of promoting the essential well-being of that people, whether social, political or religious, afford to be indifferent to the opposition this religion would offer to its efforts. Least of all can any missionary, or missionary society, hope to succeed there without knowing something of the character of the Mahdic phase, of the Moslem faith, and something of the reasons why its devotees are so strongly attached to it. Should a study of the subject show that the Mahdism of the Soudan includes not only a purpose to see their faith extended and established throughout the continent, but also a desire to be relieved from crushing assessments for that which brings them no good, to be exempt from interference with their dealing in slaves, and be left free of every foreign yoke, whether military, political or financial, to govern themselves as of old, it would not be difficult to see why its friends and advocates are firm, active and aggressive. It will help to give some good idea of the hold Mahdism has upon the Soudanese, to take a brief look at the traditions of the people respecting the Mahdi, and at some of the reasons for the ready response they gave to the claims of Mohammed Achmet (or Ahmed) to be the true and very Mahdi for whom they had been long looking.
Soon after Ali, surnamed the Lion or God, married Fatima, the daughter of Mohammed, whose doctrines he addpted and labored to enforce, his rival, Abu Bekr, being chosen calif in 632, the Mohammedans were divided into two sects, the Sunnites and the Shiites, the latter of which were the partisans of Ali. .Ali became calif in 655, but was assassinated in 661, and was succeeded by his son, Hassan. Under the auspices of the Fatimite dynasty, the Shiites soon spread over all Persia and a large part of Egypt, including the Soudan.' They believed Ali ranked equal, if not superior, to the Prophet himself. Some of them looked upon him as the incarnation of Divinity. He was counted the :first of the 12 Imams, or Pontiffs, of the Persian creed, who, one after another, without arms, treasures or subjects, enjoyed the veneration and provoked the jealousy of reigning califs. Their tombs are still visited by the devotees of the sect. For solitude, sanctity, and veneration paid him, the twelfth and last of these Imams surpassed all that went before him, and was made specially con- spicuous by being called EI Mahdi (Mehdi, or Mehedi), literally, "the guided"- that is, "the inspired one;" and hence, a spiritual guide, a deliverer invested with a supernatural mission. The time and place of his death were never known; indeed, it was believed that he never did die. For many generations his votaries pretended that he disappeared in a cavern, where he still lived, and from whence he would emerge before the coming 'of the last day, to overthrow the tyranny of Antichrist. Some of the Persian traditions taught that this Imam, EI Mahdi, would outrank all other prophets and divine messengers; that, being "well-guided," heaven-directed, sent of God to be the leader of His people, he would come out of his concealment in time to accomplish the last things, unite with Christ to consolidate the Christian and Mohammedan law, declare EI Islam the world's true religion, and convert Christians and idolaters alike to the Moslem faith. It is well known that for some years now past the Shiite Mohammedans were looking for the early coming of the last day, and for the speedy reappearirtg of the long-expected Mahdi. Nor can there be any doubt that the superstitious adventurer, Mohammed Achmet, or Ahmed, aware of these shadowy expectations, had endeavored to prepare himself in the seclusion and silence of a studied retreat, to answer the description which tradition had given to the coming EI Mahdi, and seize upon some auspicious occasion to declare himself the promised guide and deliverer.
He was born in Dongola, in 1843, the son of a carpenter, the grandson of a Moslem priest; dark-skinned, with .Arab blood, though he claimed to be a full-blooded Arab-a regular male descendent from Mohammed, through his daughter Fatima and her husband Ali. He is said to have been a strange and precocious child. His father apprenticed him to a boatman, an uncle, from whom,'he ran away, and joined himself to a priest or fakir, a dervish, who lived near Khartoum. Here he studied for several years and made such progress iQ. learning the Koran that, at the age of twelve years, he knew a large part of'it by heart. He lived for a time with a French surgeon-general, Dr. Peney. He attended a Mohammedan school for a few years, and then, for another term of years, studied under a famous saint, by whom he was ordained a priest. Having completed his studies of Mohammedan literature, at the age of 25 he betook himself to a cave on the island of Abba, above Khartoum, near Kana, on the White Nile, where, for fifteen years he lived an austere life, fasting, praying and meditating on the mission to which he would eventually give himself. By his unique personal appearance and mystic manner of life, he soon began to get a wide repute as a most devout and saintly man. Crowds eventually flocked in to ask his prayers and make him presents, and become his disciples. He cultivated the friendship of the influential Sheiks, selected wives from the families of the rich and powerful, and in that way increased his own wealth and power and laid a train for political influence. Having established a school of dervishes, he only needed a good opportunity to an- nounce himself as the Mahdi for whom the people were looking, to draw around him hordes of fanatical followers. Nor was it long before the desired opportunity came to hand.
The Soudan had now, for some years, suffered greatly from the onerous taxation and cruel Bashi-Bazouk system, while Egypt had been continuously imposing upon her, and was now ready to rise in her might and follow any leader who might promise deliverance. And the sad home-troubles to which Egypt herself was just now subject, were too many to admit of her giving any thought or care to her Soudan dependency.
Arabia's attempt to revolutionize the government, England's interference with affairs in Egypt, making the imbecile Pewfik Khedive in place of the enterprising Ismael, bombarding Alexandria, and claiming control over the revenues of Egypt, all conspired to give Mohammed Achmet all the opportun- ity he could wish to announce himself the Mahdi, the deliverer from oppres- sion, the long-expected redeemer of Islam, whom the past had promised. Gor- don, too, the Governor-General of the Soudan, had now, two years since, resigned his charge and left the country, after he had done much during his few years' administration to rouse the ire of the slave dealers, and prepare them to welcome any deliverer who should promise them protection or even tolerance, as the Mahdi would, in their nefarious pursuits. Announcing himself the true Mahdi, as he did in May 1881, a host of zealous emiASaries hastened to carry the news up and down through all the Nile country that Soudan was about to rise in rebellion, throw off the dominion of Egypt and the Turk, and make the triumph of freedom and of the Moslem faith universal and complete. His pretensions were at once reported to Raouf Pasha, Gordon's s~ccessor as Governor-General, at Khartoum, upon which he sent a band of 200 men to capture the prophet; but they were soon surrounded by his adherents, many of them massacred, and the rest put to flight. Upon this, Sennaar and other parts of the Soudan revolted, and the Mahdi soon found himself at the head of an army of 50,000 men. Several bands of Egyptian forces, one of them numbering 6,000 men, were sent against him in 1882, only to share the fate of the first and be annihilated. The city of El Obeid was taken and made the Mahdi's capital. In November 1883, a large Anglo-Egyptian army of about 10,000 men and 42 guns, in command of Hicks Pasha and his European staff, and many Egyptianofficersof high rank, undertaking to recover EI Obeid, were hemmed in among neighboring passes, and, after a most heroic struggle of three days, was overpowered and utterly destroyed-"not a man left to carry the fatal tidings to Khartoum."
To the Arab, these many and great successes of the Mahdi attested the butt of all his claims, and contributed greatly to the rapid increase of his popularity and power, doing more than all his asceticism had done to make him, in the eyes of the people, the very prophet and deli.erer, the religious teacher and political leader they had desired and expected. His. political importance, passing rapidly beyond the bounds of the Soudan and of Egypt also, had now begun to agitate the counsels of England, and trouble the Sultan of Turkey. The British Government which, at first, refused specifically and repeatedly to be accessory in any sense to the military do- ings undertaken by Egypt to subdue the Mahdi and hold the Soudan, had now entered upon a long and disastrous campaign in conjunction with Egypt against the impostor. Long and sad would be anything like a full account of the monies and men sent by England and Egypt to subdue that Soudanese re- bellion, of which the Mahdi and his general, Osman Digna, were distinguished and successful leaders. Nor should it be forgotten that the Premier of England admitted, claimed, that the Soudanese had a good reason for the revolt in which they were engaged, and were fighting for their rights. Gordon, too, was evidently of the same opinion. And yet, in one form or another, the cam- paign was continued till January 1885, when Khartoum was betrayed into the hands of the Arab host, Gordon slain, the English army ordered to withdraw, and the Prophet of Islam left to follow up his so-called mission.
With varied success the Mahdi's career was carried on till about the middle of June, when he fell a victim to the small-pox, which was then raging in the country. But it was not long ere another Mahdi, Khalifa Abdullah, was found to take up and prosecute the work to which Mohammed Achmet had devoted his energies. The long-continued war, and especially the blockading of Suakim and other ports on the Red Sea, bringing much annoyance and damage to the Soudanese, the new Mahdi sent Osman Digna with an axmyof dervishes. and others to lay siege to Suakim and drive the Egyptians into the sea. Upon this, near the close of 1888, the British Government sent troops and ships-ofwar in such numbers as to compel their foe to raise the seige. But the repulse was only local and temporary. Worsted at Suakim, the Mahdi undertook to invade Egypt, and was setting heavy guns, gun-boats and regiments of dervishes. along the southern border to this end, when British forces were sent to aid the Egyptians in repelling their foe. The leader of the dervishes being asked to surrender, replied: "I have been sent to conquer the world. I call on you to surrender. Remember Hicks and Gordon." On the 3d of August, 1889, the Anglo-Egyptian army engaged the derviShes, who made a gallant defense, and yet, losing 1,500 killed and wounded and having 1,000 taken captive, they were completely routed. But anything further, as a move on Dongola, was deemed useless, unless the Government would accept the views of the generals. that Berber should be taken and held as the key of the Soudan.
The Mahdism of Abdullah evidently makes more of the religious element than did that of his predecessor. Abdullah and his dervishes are working for the most extended triumphs of the Mohammedan faith. Some of the less religious of the Soudanese profess willingness to accept English rule, could they be rid of the Egyptian, be rid of exorbitant taxation, be rid of interference with their trade, and be at peace; and the reason of their making common cause with the Mahdi and dervishes is to secure these results. But the more devoted of the Mahdists would expel or subdue all that oppose their making Islam universal in Africa. To this end they invoke the aid of all classes in the Soudan, assail Christian missions in the equatorial provinces, intrigue with the Congo tribes, purpose to push their conquests to the Atlantic, and claim, indeed, already, nothing less than all that part of Africa which lies north of the Zambezi as Mohammedan territory. To this end have they pushed their arms into the equatorial provinces, made war upon the stations and forces under Emin Pasha, compelled him to move southward from time to time, till~ finally, with great reluctance, he has been persuaded to accept the opportunity Stanley's Relief Expedition offered, to abandon the field and leave the realm he had in charge to the undisputed control of the Mahdists.
To be sure, there are those who predict that the Mahdists may yet have trouble in their own camp. The Moslem society, called Sid-es-8enoussi, is reported to have said that Abdullah is only Calif of Khartoum, and not a real Mahdi. But this large and powerful sect of the Senoussi, having its headquarters in Northern Africa, west of Egypt, whose calif, or "divine lieutenant," has under him a complete hierarchy of subordinate officers, with a probable following of 1,500,000 fierce fanatics, is governed by the same spirit and committed to the same end as the Mahdists of the Soudan-all alikeaiming ata speedy, complete, universal triumph of Islam. However great, as between themselves, the jealousy or rivalry of these two califs and their respective followers, or whichever of them may be in the lead, they can but be in sympathy and united in the great end of their common faith, in their purpose to make their religion and their rule universal.
Here, then, is a great field for Christian missions-in some respects the largest and most important in the world. Taken in its largest dimensions, and in general terms, the Soudan extends from the Atlantic to the Red Sea, and from the Great Desert to Upper Guinea on the west, and to the equator on the east, making some 3,500 miles in length, and from 500 to 1,500 in width, with an estimated population of 50,000,000. Some make the Soudan to include more than the above territory, and put the population at 90,000,000, the larger part of whom, be they more 01' less, are in that part of the Soudan of which we have been speaking in the foregoing pages. Converting these millions to Christ is not only redeeming them from errol' and making them a truly civilized and Christian people, but it puts an end to one of the most cruel and nefarious of all traffics, and turns the most active and hostile foe of Christian missions into a friend and helper-believers in a fetish into believers in Christ, the priest of Islam into a preacher of the gospel. And yet it continues to be said there is not a single true missionary of the Cross of Christ in all that brO'ad realm, which, in both area and population, makes little, if any;less than a fourth part ()f the whole Dark Continent.
To be sure, good men and societies have been turning their thoughts and efforts in that direction, and will doubtless continue to do so till an entrance shall be made and a good work done. Some ten or more years ago Mr. Robert Arlington, of England, offered to give the American Missionary Association '$15,000 towards a mission in the Sobat region, and the association undertook to make it up to $50,000, and sent out two men in 1881 to explore the field. They were gone more than nine months, met with many obstacles, incurred many personal dangers, and returned just at the outbreaking of war in Egypt, and at·the uprising of the Arabs under the Mahdi in the Soudan. The exploration was counted a success, but the enterprise was postponed and finally abandoned.
For some years a young English layman, Mr. Graham Wilmot-Brooke, has been laboring to establish a Christian mission among the Moslem tribes of the Soudan. At one time he had hoped to reach some of the central tribes of that region by going up the Nile; at another, by going south from Algeria; at another, by way of the Senegal sources; and then, again, by the Mobangi river, one of the northern branches of the Congo. He is now hoping and working to reach that central region by way of the Niger and Sokoto. Commencing work in Sokoto, his plan is to move forward at an early date into the heart of the Soudan, and give himself to mission labor among the Mohammedans. Four of the general secretaries of the Young Men's Christian Association of Kansas have given themselves to mission work in the Soudan, one of whom has reached Africa; the others are on their way, and others, from both Kansas and Minnesota, are preparing to follow.
The Roman Catholics have several stations in the Soudan, as ~t Khartoum, EIObeid and Delen, where they have at least comfortable houses, hospitals and gardens, and workers trained in Arabic and in the negro dialects. Nor is their mission likely to fail for want of money or recruits. The Moslems, also, especially the religious society of the Sid-es-Senoussi, have schools in many parts of the Soudan, and for the blacks as well as the whites. The dominion of Nadai, the sultan of which is a fervid adherent of the sect, is said to be fairly overrun of Moslem workers. Manyof the blacks are drawn into the schools. Their influence is felt far and wide-" from Senegambia to Timbuctoo; to Lake Tchod, Bahr-el-Gharel, and even to the Danakils, the Gallas and the Somalis." Why should Protestant Christian missionaries be less interested, earnest, self- denying, or less successful in the Soudan than Roman Catholics or Moslems? Earnest Christian efforts to com-ert believers in the False Prophet into believers in Christ have been already successful enough to encourage other and greater efforts. Hitherto comparatively little has been done in this direction, and the methods adopted have generally savored too little of wisdom, faith and hope, and too much of prejudice or dislike for the Turk and Arab to insure the best results. Indeed, too little has been known, or at least too little advantage taken, of the common oneness there is on many points in the beliefs of Islam and Christianity. To those who contemplate laboring among the Mohamme- dans, the conclusions of this kind to which able students of the Koran, as Sir William Muir and Max Miiller, have come, should be of special interest, in that the Jewish and Christian Scriptures, as current in Mohammed's age, were by him held to be the genuine, and of divine authority. The 131 passages brougJat together and compared by Sir William to sho~e testimony which the Koran offers to the authority of the Scriptures, together with the great number of Biblical stories and incidents and passages quoted from the Bible in the Koran, with little or no change, 'give the true Christian missionary of this day much of common ground on which to approach and win the adherents of Islam. As has been said: "It is much that the Koran, despite all its errors, inculcates 'the divine unity, perfections and all-pervading Providence; the existence of good angels as well as of Satan and the fallen angels; the immortality of the soul; the resurrection and retribution of good and evil, and the sin of idola- try.''' And then, too, were we to consider the kind of Christians the Moslem has generally had before him, as in the decayed and corrupt churches of the East, whether Armenian, Nestorian, Greek or Coptic, with which he has been most in contact, we might doubtless make some good allowance for his preju- dice or hate toward the Christian. The debased systems of the so-called Christian faith, which have prevailed for so long in the Turkish empire, have been alike a reproach to the Christian name and a hindrance to any attempt to reach the believers in Islam with the grace and truth of the gospel of Christ. But in the great changes and interchanges of the day, the Moslem is having a . good opportunity to see the difference between a true and a corrupt Christian faith, and to modify his antipathies_ The successes which well-ordered mission work has achieved among the Moslems in other parts of Africa are a good index to what might be expected from such missionary labors among the Mahdists in Eastern Soudan. Rev. E. F. Baldwin, writing of his work in North Africa, speaks of frequent conver- • sions from the false to the true faith in South Morocco, notwithstanding the
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great persecutions to which the converts are subject. Under date of March 1889, he says: " For upwards of a year new accessions have been constant, and everyone baptized has renounced Mohammedanism." On one occasion he made a trip of twenty days into a part of the country where Europeans have seldo)Jl gone, and" enjoyed unusual facilities for preaching to the people, and was even admitted to the mosques and preached to the Mohammedan priests. A considerable numper of converts have been gathered, but they suffer great persecutiou." And again: "Tidings from different places in the interior, where the Word of Life has been carried from here, tell us of many turning from Mohammed's cold, hard, false faith, to the love and light the gospel brings them. May not all this encourage the zeal and faith of Scotland workers toiling in these hard }Ioslem fields?"
TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN MISSIONARY PERIODICALS.
BY REV. CHARLES C. STARBUCK, ANDOVER, MASS. My DEAR DR. SHERWOOD:-I send you the following letter, a translation of one which I have received from Nice. Willyou be so good as to publish it, and thereby relieve the feelings of our French brethren of what they feel as an injustice on my part? Sincerely yours, C. C. STARBUCK. "L'Eglise Libre," Journal de la Reforme Evangelique.
NICE, FRA."WE, July 21, 1890. SIR:-THE MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD, in its last May number, maintains that the Protestant journals of FraJW6.have not disapproved of the proceedings of the colonial govern- ment of the Loyalty Islands with regard to the Rev. Mr. Jones, miss;onary at Mare. One of our missionaries, in Informing us of the fact, says that he has addressed you a protest, begging us to furnish you the proof of your error. Nothing more easy, Mour journal has in at least a dozen articles remonstrating against the wrongs done to him and to the natives who remain attached to him. Indeed, our energetic protests against the exile of several teachers, supported by the Tahitian pastor who sits in the superior council of the colonies, have procured the recall of the exiles. I hope that you will, in a near issue of the REVIEW, rectify the involuntary but regrettable error into which you have fallen, and will be so kind as to address to me the number containing the rectification. Accept, Sir, our Christian salutations.
H. DRAUSSIN, Editor of L' Eglise Lib,·e.
-The last year's edict of the Russian Government, restraining Protestant Christians from holding missionary meetings, and sending abroad missionary gifts, has been modified as follows: "(1.) Pastors are not forbidden to take a text during worship and to preach from it on the extensionof Christianity. It is only such missionary gatherings as lack a warrant of law that are abolished. (2.) Collections for the benefit of foreign missions may be taken up, but every such collection must have previously been approved by the governor. Such contributions are to be sent only to the Leipsic and Danish missionary societies, and the 'amount raised in each parish and sent from it, is always to be notified to the governor." A grudging concession, but still a concession.
-The Paris Society, finding that the maintenance of the growing number of Basuto catechists and evangelists begins to weigh heavy on the limited means of the nativeI Christians and of the French Protestants, has decided to solicit the assistance of English Christians, Lessuto being under English authority. They find an encouraging response to their appeals.
-M. Ellenberger, French missionary at Massitissi, in Basuto Land (or, as the French call it, Lessuto),writes: "At the opening of this month (Nov., 1889), and on the occasion of the reception into the church of fifty-six neophytes, we had at Massitissi a very delightful Christian celebration, lasting three days. The Christians of the out-stations had been very cordially invited by those here, so that brotherly love has greatly contributed to a good understanding among them and to the joy of all. On Saturday morning we were called to bless nine mar- riages of persons who had been long united according to the customs of their fathers. On the same day, at the beginning of the service preparatory to the Holy Communion, forty children of Christians were baptized, and after a brief meditation upon John iv:19 several members of the church addressed fervent prayers to the Lord.
"On the morrow, Sunday, in an open-air meeting of 800 persons, the neo- phytes, conducted by one of the elders, came in procession, two and two, and were received by the assembly, which raised a hymn of thanksgiving. After a brief address from their missionary,45 of them were admitted to the church by baptism and 11 by confirmation. Several of the men received, edified us by the spontaneous account of their conversion, and one of them offered, with so much unction, a prayer in Zephuthi, his mother-tongue, that the whole as- sembly was deeply moved. My colleague, M. Bertschy, who took part at the reception of the neophytes, presided over the Communion service of the afternoon. Although the sickness, the rain, and the rivers, had made it impossible for many Christians to be with us, nevertheless 353 communicants approached the Lord's table." Deeply profitable meetings in the evening and morning, not unattended by conversions, closed the solemnity.
-The French brethren in the Upper Zambesi, in the country of King Le- wanika, have appeared about as far retired as any missionaries in the world from both the comforts and dangers of civilization. But the magic of gold supposed to be discovered has already begun to bring the world of white men upon them. Let us hope that the Barotsis will not be swept away before it.
But, indeed, from latest accounts, there appears to be more danger that the white race will disappear in South Africa before the blacks, than the blacks be- fore the whites. Many a hopeful tribe, however, has been trodden to pieces first.
-The following shows some of the accompaniments of missionary life in South Africa: "It …vas the season of rains; the country traversed resembled an immense sheet of water; the water-course to be passed had overflowed its banks and rolled along its yellow waters, enormous, impassable.
"They camped. Bushmen stole from us our two goats. Farewell, then, to the few drops of milk which we appreciated so much. Our horses began to die one after the other, and so suddenly that we could do nothing. . . . Our draught-oxen went on dropping like flies. Clouds of vultures, which no longer quitted us by night or day, struggled and fought over the carcasses. Bands of Ma-saroa (bushmen) came to dispute with our horrible guests the morsel of putrified flesh.' This lasted fifteen days. Dysentery and other maladies attacked our travelers, who, however, were at length relieved by the help of Knama, the Christian king or Shoshong."
-The JOurnal of March has the following remarks upon the projected en- terprise of Mr. Graham Wilmot-Brooke, and his three companions, for pene- trating into the Soudan by way of the Niger, under the general direction of the Church Missionary Society, and under the Episcopal superintendence of Bishop Crowther, but, as to details, being left very much to themselves, and renounc- ing the protection of the British Government: "We observe the distinctive traits of this evangelical enterprise: to act, above all, by spiritual means; tv enter into personal and intimate contact with the souls which one wishes to draw to God; for this end to place one's self on the level of those towards whom a pity, without lachr;vmose phrases, but so much the more intense, ought to draw the missionarIes, as Jesus Christ has descended to earth out of pity for our fallen race; finally, in a Moslem country, where to make profession of Christianity may have as its consequences persecution and death, not to cover one's self with the protection of a powerful European government, saying to converts: 'Be firm in suffering, I shall not be touched,' but to share with those whom God shall regenerate, the joy of suf- fering reproaches for the name of Jesus. We find here the alliance of apos- tolic principles with the sound and sobel' experience of a directing committee. The infinitesimal commission of missionary agencies is avoided by the humil- ity of men whose youth is equal to the boldness of great initiatives, and by the wisdom of men of age and established balance of character, but who do not fear the truth of the Spirit and who consent to second missionary essays which depart from the beaten tracks. Thus it is a sweet and vivifying breeze which conveys to us the fragrance of the simple and heroic times of primitive mis- sions."
"How," says the Journal, " when hearing of these projects, can we avoid thinking of our own Senegal? The upper river gives access to the upper course of the Niger and to all the great occidental region of the Soudan; the language of the llandingoes, who, with the Foullas, dwell in these countries, is of the same family with that of the Bambaras; the industrial Mandingoes and the pastoral Faullas are both Moslems; but they are at least as ac«essible as the motley and corrupted populations of the Lower Senegal. When shall the time come when, instead of leaving our mission in barracks amid the pernicious miasms of the Senegambian coast, we shall be able to dispatch men who shall . do, for the glory of Christ, what Captain Binger has just been doing for h~s earthly country, and march simply and resolutely to the conquest of the Afn- .can world, like David going forth toencounter the giant of Gath?"
-It is a matter of satisfaction and thanksgiving, not merely to the Unitas Fratrum, but to Christians generally, that with January of this year the Periodical Accounts of Moravian Missions entered upon its second century.
-11. Grandjean writes in the Bulletin Missionnaire (organ of the free .churches of French Switzerland): " The stay of M. Berthoud is extremely valuable during the Easter season. He has opportunity to give a thorough exposition of the fundamental facts of the work of salvation to' hundreds of souls, that possibly hear all this for the first time. It is not that our excellent Timothy does not well discharge his task, but the preaching of a native, especially of one who has not passed through a school course, cannot but be inadequate, and gradually become thinner, if the voice of the missionary is not sometimes heard. Last Sunday M. Berthoud preached in the morning on the death of Christ, and in the after- noon Timothy resumed the same subject, in order to bring it within the reach of the more ignorant and to drive the nail home. The missionary and the native evangelist admirably supplant one another. The preaching of the missionary is more complete, but it often remains unintelligible to a good many, in view of the immense distance which subsists between their manner of thinking and ours. The evangelist gives to the word of the missionary a form which the negro comprehends."
-Missionary G. Stosch says, in the Evangelische Lutherisches 1/1issionsblatt: " At the death of the venerated (Protestant) Abbot Thiele, in Brunswick, it was relat~d of this faithful witness of thE' Lord, that, from year to year, as the passion-tide returned, he came into new animation; for in the Cross of Christ lay his strength. That is what our Tamil Christians also feel. Should you ask, " What is the main thing in Christianity?" I doubt not by far the most, of high and low, would answer: " The Cross and the wounds of our Saviour." There- forE' they love Passion Week and the weeks preceding. Many a one looks up to the Southern Cross that, still and great, a Joseph among the constellations, is just at this time rising upon the horizon. The soft, luminous flood of the milky way flows down upon the crORS: a lovely- image, holding quiet watch over the pinnacles of India. But yonder cross IS only an image and symbol, impotent to allay India's wretchedness. The true power of the Cross is in Word and Sacrament."
-Tranquebar, on the Coromandel coast of South India, about 170 miles south of Madras, will be remembered as the seat of the Danish-Halle Mission, established about 1706. It is still a station of the Leipsic Society, which, how- ever, works chiefly in other towns. Mr. Stosch writes: "Outwardly Tranquebar is falling into ruin. Its houses are decaying; its :streets begin to look desolate. And yet it will retain its charm for every sensitive mind. It remains the city of a great past, and of earnest, quiet work in the present. There, in all stillness, many an earnest decision is passed. There our Church has won a right of citizenship, even in the consciousness of the heathen. Would that it might please God, through the spirit of revival, t(} bring yet many heathen there to living faith! There is yet much room in our Jerusalem church; nor, indeed, is Tranquebar wanting in outward attractiveness. There you hear, day and night, the thunder of the ocean. How peaceful is this monotonous melody! Our children, too, exclaim, full of delight, when they see the blue flood from the upper chamber of the mission house: , The sea! the sea!' How homelike have been the hours of chat at evening in the veranda of our house, when the white Jerusalem church opposite glittered so festively and yet mysteriously in the moonlight and the cool sea-breeze rustled through the palms.
"Whoever wishes to make studies in the observation of men finds in a· Hindu railway station a wealth of opportunity. Women in brilliant garments and golden ornaments, poor Pariah women wrapped in rags, naked children, gossipping men, all waiting for the late train. We recognize the proud face of the Brahmin; we recognize the Sudra by his more intelligent. countenance and his more elastic gait. People at home are far from imagining the difference between Sudras and Pariahs as great as it really is. It is a, deeper distinction than thatat home between rich and poor, between cultivated' and uncultivated. See this group of Pariahs. What deep furrows sin and superstition have ploughed in these faces. A gloomy trait remains in their features, even when they laugh. But through the influence of Christianity it is effaced. It is surprising how utterly different the expression of countenance' is in Christians from what it is in heathen. This comes out still more strongly in women than in men, and in children than in grown people."
-M. GeOl'ge Casalis, ordained last year in Paris, for the Basuto Mission.
gave, at his ordination, a very interesting address, of which we quote a part: "My brethren: I can well believe that no one among you is astonished to see me to-day occupying this place and ready to receive, ill the midst of this a5sembly, the imposition of hands. Son and grandson of missionaries as I am, it is natural, you think, that I should follow the footsteps of those who have preceded me; it was almost inevitable, you will say, that, being born in a mission field and having grown up in a thoroughly missionary atmosphere, I have felt· myself impelled, when once arrived at manhood and the use of reason, to embrace the missionary career.
"Unquestionably, if at this solemn hour one thought bears special sway in my soul, it is that of a profound thankfulness toward God for the €;race' which He has shown me in causing me to be born in a missionary fanuly; for it is· under the paternal roof, and thanks to the principles instilled into my mind from my earliest childhood, that I have learned to know and love the career which to-day is about to become definitively mine.
" But if, on one hand, I am bound to acknowledge the hereditary element of my vocation, I am bound also, and not less emphatically, to certify that this alone was not sufficient to make of me a true missionary. God has taught me in a very special manner that, to be a genuine messenger of His Word, it is needful to possess a personal faith, firm and immovable, such as alone has power to engender conviction.
" After a classical course pursued in France, I quitted France for Scotland. I was to take up medical studies there, and undertook these with a double aim of becoming both physician and missionary. I was thus fulfilling the prayers of my father and of my grandfather, and had the joy of hoping one day to· follow in their steps.
"Very soon, however, I began to chan~e my point of view. Drawn away by my new studies, I saw, in the shock WIth naturalistic theories, new to me' and whose novelty and appearance of science charmed me, my religious convictions go down one after the other; I abandoned the faith of my childhood, and with it all thought of ever becoming a missionary.
" It would be too Ion&" to recount the struggles which my soul had to sustain during the years followmg this defection. Suffice it to say that God was about to avail Himself of my studies themselves to bring me b;tck to the faith by confronting me, as a physician, with deathbeds which gave me to feel how false and void of consolation all human reasonings are against the remorse of a troubled conscience and the tears of the afflicted.
"The inward work, which at this period went on in my soul, was power-·
GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
fully seconded by the l?resence in Edinburgh of a man whose livinO' faith, joined with profound SClence, has been for many students the means of arriv- mg at salvation. Henry Drummond was then giving his first lectures at the University. I went to hear him; I was touched by his ardent and persuasive words, and, thanks to his influence, I becaUle once more a Christian m the true sense of the word. Such were, my brethren, the means of which God made us.e, despite !lly i.ngr~ti:tude, despite my doubts, to reveal to me the. depth of HIS compaSSIOn, m aIdmg me to comprehend that, apart from Him, I could attain neither to the pardon of my sins nor to salvation as it is found in Jesus."
1I.-GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.
Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions.
Of the 5,000 volunteers, 550 have The first pamphlet of the special completed their courses of study, 400 series is from the pen of John N. For- of whom have graduated this year man, and is entitled "The World's from colleges and professional Need," being Student Volunteer Series .. schools. It would be hard to guage No.7. In a single sentence he thus the value of the reflex influence on sums up the needs abroad: "'You the churchathome andon undergradu- know that multitudes are living and ate volunteers, if the men and women dying without hope; then just act on now equipped for their work become this knowledge." Of his own country established in their chosen fields this he writes: "As I write to you from year! Hence, it is of incalculably one of the mission fields of India, sur- great importance that the large major- rounded by multitudes whom we can ity of those whose studies are com- barely touch, how small look the fields pleted, go abroad at once. To the end in America? During the past winter that this exodus may be speedily ac- I have stood to witness for Christ in complished, appeals from various scores of towns, with population from parts of the unevangelized world 7,000 to 28,000, towns which, perhaps, have been written, and are issued in receive a brief visit once in one, two, pamphlet form in the Student Volun- or three years. There is a city of 60,000 teer Series. These appeals will be of which I had hoped to reach. It is un- service to undergraduates as well as occupied by Protestant workers, and to graduates. Those still engaged in hardly ever even visited. It is part ofan preparatory work will find in these immense tract containing 8,000,000 little pamphlets facts and figures on people, and in all this region there is which decisions for chosen fields in just one mission station."
many instances may be based; those There is hardly a paragraph in the who are ready and undecided can gain appeal in which the idea of consecra- much .practical information from tion does not occur-whether the con- them, because from no other single sideration as to time of going, or "fit- source, in so compact a form, can ness for the work" or " ·need for ser- such accurate and recent data be ob- vices at home." The writer's own tained. Furthermore, the peculiar attitude toward all questions requir- needs of different peoples are pictured ing decision is conveyed in the lines with graphic and spiritual power. It he quotes: will be profitable to all friends of "0 use me, Lord, use even me: foreign missions, whether volunteers Just as Thou wilt, and when and where."
or not, to read carefully these Again, in his replies to the personal pamphlets; statements contained of queries," Is now the time?" "Shall such absorbing interest, will give a I prolong my studies?" the thought of fresh incentive to special prayer for consecration is discerned throughout, missions and aids to a more 'intense "like a subtle ether pervading the and personal interest in the evangeli- whole." .
zation of the world. Because Mr. Forman writes from so high a spiritual plane, all that he says others, I look to our dear Lord Him- is characterized by eminently practi- self to show me. It is in His presence cal sense. To those who are thinking every word is written, and I would ·of engaging temporarily in home pray you, in His presence alone, and work, he says: "There is very great prayerfully, to read and ponder. Oh, danger of the work which is under- let us first of all draw so near to Him taken temporarily becoming a perma- in spirit that we may look on all nence. And I doubt whether it will, things with His eyes, feel with His in the majority of cases, prove any heart, love with His yearning com- real preparation for foreign work; at passion, and in His light see light least, not nearly enough to compen- upon these great and important sate for the time taken. As to pro- themes." longing one's studies after having completed the ordinary course for minis- She writes as one who has strong and ters, you must remember that there deep convictions; there is no faltering will be two years of preparation after or ambiguity in the statement of her reaching the foreign field, in the line position, while her language, always ' of language stndy.••. To be able to chaste and beautiful, sooms the true speak the vernacular like a native, will medium for thought so true and subbe worth vastly more than a post- lime. "Fourteen hundred every hour, graduate in philosophy, theology, or one million every month, they die in medicine. But do not understand the China-without God. Think over it; above as favoring your coming out be- weep over it; pray over it. Let the fore having completed the ordinary tears of Christ's compassion fall hot course in theology or medicine." and heavy upon the heart-tears of His anguish, of His love. Think how Miss Geraldine Guinness is the he loved and suffered, loved and gave author of "An Appeal from China," -gave all-until, constrained by the which is No. 8 of Student Volun- same spirit, you too can say with deepteer Series. Miss Guinness is the est reality: 'I haVE:> nothing too daughter of Rev. H. Graham Guinness, precious for my Jesus;' nothing too F. R. S., of London, and is becoming dear to lay down for Him, and for known in America through the His lost and perishing world." volume entitled, " In the Far East," which contains her own letters writ- The writer's method of representing ten from China-a book which has China is by a division into provinces been received with great favor in of which there are eighteen. " Six of Great Britain and America, and with these that border on the sea, and one signal blessing to many readers. inland province, Hunpeh, having been longer and more thoroughly evangel- There is a word which ought to be ized than the remaining eleven, in used with great caution – but which consequence of their having afforded conveys adequately the effect of this open ports and on earlier entrance to appeal-that word is "thrilling." No foreigners. " honest man or woman can thoughtfully read Miss Guinness' message Respecting the remaining eleven without being profoundly touched. provinces, she writes: "At a low es- She is dead in earnest and has com- timate there must be considerably passed her subject in a masterful way: over a hundred and fifty millions of "How to speak to you briefly enough, souls in the vast cities, busy market and ·yet adequately, upon a subject so towns, and thickly scattered villages great and so momentous, upon your of this region. To give some slight own individual treatment of which idea of how unreached these millions hang issues of such supreme and are, think for the present of the cities eternal importance to yourRelves and only-the important, walled cities, the governing cities of each province -where the cultured and ruling six such cities, and fifty-four utterly classes reside." unreached by the true Light.
Two instances will show in how flo-nan, Ton-nan, Kwong-si, and comprehensive a way the need is con- all the rest are similarly represented, veyed: "Shen-si, possessing eighty- giving one a complete picture of the eight such cities, has eighty-six with- whole-and a very black picture it is. out a missionary. Kiver-chon has lifty- MAX WOOD MOORHEAD.
Missionary Oorrespondence, by Rev. James Johnston, Bolton, England.
Zanzibar: Abolition of Slavery.- earnest worker for the extinquishing The decree which the Sultan of Zanzi- of the curseof infant female betrothals bar issued, August 1, prohibiting the and marriages. It is shown that the right of property in slaves, marks the supposition of any buttress resting on dawn of a brighter era in the history the VeWc sacred writings is an entire of' Eastern Africa. Within a com- misapprehension. More probably the paratively short period it is anticipated evil had its birth in the native Hindus.
that the "open sore" on the island ages back, desiring to protect their and coast of Zanzibar will be healed. offspring from the invading Mongols.
Meanwhile the Arabs acquiesce, But the origin is of secondary moment chiefly because of the weakness of in view of the disastrous misl:hief their position and the determined atti- attending it. No darker blot stains.
tude of the Sultan. By and by, when Indian social life, the exposure of the Arab masters recognize that their which becomes an obligation upon labor can only be obtained on terms the whole of Christendom. Girls· similar to what prevail in European whose ages average from five to seven countries, and, further, that polyga- years are universally married to boys mous customs may not be gratified, of scarcely higher age, and forthwith some friction may arise. To the mem- the relations of the married state bers of the Brussels Congress, which commenced. Although the usual age, the Sultan's envoys attended, hearty when the girls "marry" is seven, congratulations will be conveyed. they are pledged to boys by their The Sultan's edicts form the first fruits parents in veritable childhood. One· of the objects of that memorable abominable feature is the common gathering. As regards the influence habit of the parents of female children of the measure upon the interior of selling these to their destined hus- Africa, it is generally believed that the bands. A notorious case may serve· closing of slave outlets, as in Lower for illustration. At Bamundangah, Egypt, will gradually exterminate the near Ionai, in the Hooghly district, traffic throughout the central regions. the wedding of a young bride, whose Seyyid Ali, the Sultan, a monarch of age was registered" eight months,"
only six months' standing, and of was solemnized with a man twenty- thirty-five years in age, has a promis- eight years old. A sum of 200 rupees ing future. With considerable intelli- in cash formed the bride's dowry.
gence he unites good judgment, Such revelations bearing on the years.
honorable principles and strength of and contracts seldom come to the ears will. of American or British missionat;ies.
India: Child Marriages.-All who After parents have arranged the are in helpful communication with betrothal for a girl it is impossible for Hindu life will gratefully welcome her to get it cancelled. That dis- the pamphlet, " An Appeal from the graceful English doctrine of the Daughters of India," the latest publi- " restitution of conjugal rights"
cation emanating from Mr. Behramji woven into the administration of M. Malabari, a weli known Parsee and Indian law works in the most enslaving fashion. A female of tender forcible appeal for the missionary age united by her guardians or a for- cause in the Indian empire. Its tune-teller, to a boy, youth or man, is enormous population made the pro- compelled to make the best of the too gress of missions insignificant com_ frequent .degrading match. During pared with what was expected in the the lifetime of the husband or subse- near future. Twenty-five years since quent to his death her condition is there was not one lady working in the alike one of torture. The widow of a Zenanas, whereas there were now boy husband who may have died early over 100 in India, from Tinnevelly in is exposed to nameless cruelties. It the south to Peshawur in the .Pun- has even been seriously asked whether jaub in the north; and beginnings some kind of immolation is not pre- had been made by the Church of Eng- ferable for the victims than their sub- land at Foochow and in Japan. The jection to barbaric outrages. The bondage of their Indian sisters was British, too, have not by any means terrible, owing to the thraldom of stamped out Suttee. Evidence can caste and the blighting influences of be produced, if necessary, that it is infant marriages and child widow- practised to-day among several of the hood. These sad facts could' not fail less civilized States of India in de- to incite help for missions. The quiet- fiance of the law and, to many a ness of India was not a full guarantee brutally treated girl of eight or nine of security. When masses of super- years, death is a happy release. stitious natives congregated there was A greater knowledge of the cruelty the risk of the flame of revolution of child marriages is awakening the being enkindled and excesses com- spirit of reformation. Among edu- mitted, as in the days of the fearful cated Hindus endeavors are being mutiny. For the prevention of the made to check or abolish it. They recurrence of such a calamity, religious are asking for a prohibition of mar- education was the main safeguard.
riages under twelve years-low as The church society taught equally that will appear to Western minds. women and girls, men and boys. By In numbers of the Indian cities the recent development also of the devotea men and women are working Indian Widows' Union, industrial to mitigate the lamentable iniquity. schools were established with the One of the most efficient agencies is object of training widows to support located in Madras, and receivesgener- themselves. .
ous support. The labors of Mr. Mala- Testimony to Indian Missions.- bari, the voice of Ramabai and the At the complimentary banquet of wel- sufferings of Rukmabai have con- come which was given in July at the demned the social custom and moved Northbrook Indian Club, London, to not a little the world's sympathy. Lord Reay on his return to England Until native and foreign opinion is after five years' service as Governor of strong the viceroy declines to interfere the Presidency of Bombay, his lord- with a national religious (so-called) ship, in replying to the toast coupled privilege. Consequently many strenu- with his name, delivered an important ous advocates of amelioration have speech, in which he reviewed the been much disappointed. Hope is civil, military, judicial and commer- nevertheless growing that the viceroy cial factors associated in promoting having full provincial reports may the growth and unity of that empire.
shortly introduce long overdue bene- Concluding his remarks, he observed: ficial legislation. " Among my non-official allies I must Zenana Missions.-Mrs. Moorhouse, place all missionary bodies. The ad- wife of the eloquent Bishop of the mirable work they are doing is Manchester diocese, lately made a thoroughly appreciated by all the people of India, and I should willingly been accomplished there. Similarly dwell on this pleasant topic." the devoted young missionary, Rev. E. V. Cooper, of Huahine, South It should not pass unrecorded that Seas, feels the pressure of French rule the exertions of Lady Reay to benefit and Roman Catholic emissaries. Nor all classes of women in India were is it long ago that Madagascar was remembered in an unusual manner by the scene of high-handed proceedings the native ladies. Before her lady- on the part of France towards Mr. ship left the shores of India, the native Shaw and others, which are not for- ladies, who assembled for the first gotten. Now it is evident that the . time for such a purpose, presented her ambition of France will be gratified with a handsome testimonial. On by the announcement of a protectorate Lady Reay arriving in London, the over this " pearl of the Indian Ocean." Indian ladies of the metropolis gave a What the Hovas and other powerful similar tribute in recognition of her tribes will resolve upon remains to be ladyship's assistance to advance the seen. The political character of the admirable organization founded by transaction cannot stand investiga- Lady Dufferin. tion, otherwise its morality would be strongly censured. Numerical mis- Lepers in India.-Great attention sionary returns indicate that the Lon- is being given to the better protection don MissionarySocietyhas 31 male and vf the lepers, largely due to the agita- female missionaries, and adherents tion promoted by missionary and numbering a quarter of a million; the philanthropic bodies. At a public Society of Friends have 15 missionaries meeting in Bombay, their housing and and 32,000 adherents, and the Church care was discussed and a committee of England 12 missionaries, to whom appointed to frame a scheme to carry are attached 10,000 adherents. out such requirements of the subscrip- tions amounting to 12,000 rupees, the -A correspondent writing to one of Governor contributing 1,000 rupees. the London papers from the capital, Calcutta is similarly alive to the Antananarivo, respecting the gold necessity of State legislation in leper craze on the island, says, that in the asylums, and a new leper institution country thousands of natives are seek- is recommended by the Bengal Gov- ing gold on Government account, ernment for the city. Present accom- which demands forced labor, Sundays modation for the poor creatures is included. For the same purpose inadequate. Though 387 lepers were children are taken from school. Both registered in Calcutta at the last at Tamatave and the capital he obcensus, the number was below the served the domination of French mark. Probably not more than one- influence, which must be a dishearten- fifth of the leper population is within ing spectacle to the English and other asylum walls. Protestant missionaries, whose years of arduous work is seriously jeopard- Madagascar.-The constituents and ized. The writer continues: directors of the English missionary societies have been unexpectedly " One very noticeable change is in thrown into deep concern regarding the slave market. Formerly (three the position of their missions on the years back), not more than twenty, or island under the Anglo-French agree- at most thirty, slaves were ever exment'just signed. A number of Prot- posed there for sale, and transactions estant missionaries have no reason to took place in such a quiet way that look with satisfaction on France they were not noticed; indeed, the abroad. It seems only yesterday that natives appeared ashamed to acknowlthe Rev. John Jones, of Mare, in the edge complicity in slave trading. But Loyalty Islands, was ignominiously when I visited the market the other expelled after a grand life work had day over 200 slaves of both sexes, men, for English clergymen have kept him women and children, were on offer, incessantly occupied pleading the· and there was little or no reluctance cause of missions in the far East. He on the part of the owners to quote loudly complained, at a meeting of prices. Dancing, also, in European the English Society for the Propagafashion, is now the order of the day. tion of the Gospel, that he could not The French resident gives balls, invit- secure followers from the ranks of ing the Malayasy aristocracy, the the English clergy. In response, four prime minister and the queen's ladies- have promised to join him anda candiin-waiting taking a very active part, date for holy orders. In New York and giving balls themselves in return. he expected to have a young .Ameri.' What do the missionaries think of it, can physician as fellow traveler, to· I wonder?" assist in hospital work. It is intended to make this department a prominent Korea.-For his distant and unset- feature of the mission. The bishop tled diocese the .Bishop of Korea has deserves to be classed high in the recently sailed. Though consecrated annals of heroic missionary bishops. in November last, his engagements Atrica.-The British East African ficates were given tothem. They them- Company. Grave doubts have been selves paid nothing for their freedom. It was an absolutely free gift. No one expressed in some quarters, where controls them. They go and come as perhaps " the wish was father to the they please, and earn their daily wages thought," that the British East Afri- like other people. The second (b) can Company would not prove spec- class of these fu~tives who had ially zealous in the suppression of the sought refuge at mlssionary stations, slave trade, and in the emancipation had fled from masters who were not of slaves within its" sphere of influ- Arabs, and with whom no communience." Such fears may now be dis- cation could be secured. To these missed. The company has recently only a permit of residence was given. adopted measures which have secured While no payment whatever was the liberation of from 5,000 to 6,000 made by the company in their behalf, slaves within its territory, and has or by themselves, they are really on given satisfactory assurance that in the same footing in all respects as are that territory of 50,000 square miles, those of the class first mentioned. and bounded on the south by a line extending from the mouth of the The second general class are known Uniba river, about four degrees and as "the Fuladoyo Runaways," who, thirty minutes south latitude, to a forming a powerful settlement in the point on Lake Victoria Nyanza in interior by themselves, had no conabout latitude one degree south-the nection whatever with European missame being the line dividing the Ger- sionary mcieties, and whose freedom man and English "spheres of influ- depended upon their remaining a unitence"-African slavery will not be ed and compact body. Neither when allowed. "Slaves cannot breathe in their crops failed, as they frequently England," neither can they in the ter- did, nor in any other emergency, ritoryof the British East African Com- could they leave their strongholds to pany. earn money for self-support in the service of the company, or as porters That this work of emancipation has in caravans. These fugitives are also been judiciously and yet promptly registered, and after registry are at effected by the company, will be made liberty to go where they please, upon apparent by the following statement, undertaking to pay their former as to the three different classes of masters $15 per capita, which they can slaves already emancipated. These readily earn in the service of the comare first, the fugitives who have sought pany, and so secure a" freedom cerrefuge, and found it, at the different tificate," according to them all the missionary stations in the company's rights and privileges of free men. territory, and who form two distinct classes: (a) those belon@ng to coast The third general class embraces all Arabs of any African tnbe who were slaves belonging to tribes at the back redeemed by a cash payment of $25 of the British coast line, and for about per capita to their masters. They three hundred miles into the interior, werethenregistered andfreedom certi- who have treaties with the company, and have thus brought themselves sums of money for its colonization. under its protection. Caravans have He has sought to promote its moral heretofore captured these people, and improvement. He has been active in sold their captives as slaves upon measures to suppress the slave trade reaching the coast. The country of and the liquor iniquity. And recently these tribes is subject to fammes, his Premier introduced in the Chamwhen parents sell their children as ber of Representatives What is known slaves to coast-traders to secure food as the Congo State Bill, in which Belfor themselves. A proclamation by gium agrees to loan the Congo State the company has closed all this busi- 25,000,000 francs, without interest; ness, and now all slaves from the 5,000,000 to be advanced at once, and country promptly secure their free- 2,000,000 each year for ten years. It dom when they are discovered or is stipulated, however, that "Belmake themselves known, and without gium can annex the Congo State and remuneration to their purchaser and all its properties and rights, in connominal owner. formity with the acts signed in Berlin, on February 26, 1885, and in Brussels All this is matter for thanksgiving. on July 1, 1890, Belgium assuming all And now let us have something of responsibility toward other parties, the kind from the German " sphere." and King Leopold .renouncing his -The Evangelist (New York). claims for indemnity on account of sacrifices made by him. If, on the -The Congo River of To-day. On expiration of the term, Belgium does not desire to annex the Congo State, the Congo there are no beasts of bur- the loan will bear interest at 3~ per cent., and repayment can be deden, there existing merely a manual manded on the expiration of a further transport, the porters being the natives ten years." These are generous of the Bakongo tribe, inhabiting the propositions, and will likely be agreed cataract regions. In physique, these to by the legislative power. They are me~ are slight and only poorly devel- the result of the discussions and labors oped; but the fact of their carrying on of the Anti-Slavery Conference just their heads from 60 to 100 pounds closed at Brussels. weight twenty miles a day, for sometimes six consecutive days, their only Brazil.-Reaction. While the Re- publicans are wasting precious time food being each day a little manioc in the non-essentials of civil service,. root, an ear or two of maize, or a the arch enemy is organizing all his. handful of peanuts, pronounces them forces to resist the Republic by every' at once as men of singularly sound means known to Popery and Jesuitstamina. Small boys of eight and ism. Archbishop Don Antonio is en- deavoring, with apparent success, to nine years old are frequently met create a Catholic Party which will carrying loads of 25 pounds weight. adhere to the dogma of Roman Catho- lic Infallibility. Although the Gov- Throughout the cataract region the ernment has abolished the Saints:' general accepted money currency is days from the list of official holidays" Manchester cotton cloth nlade up into .he churches never before were so pieces of six yards each. The Euro- filled, nor the feasts so well attended, pean cost of the cloth, paid to these as during the month of May-" the month of Mary." Public departments natives for transporting a load to and the schools, are kept open on the ~tanley Pool from Matadi, including old''holy" days, but neither employees rations, amounts at the present day to nor scholars come; and teachers, in $5 for a load of 65 pounds. Five years ago the cost was only one-third of this amount; but it has increased on account of the competition of the various trading houses that have established stations at Stanley Pool for the ivory trade on the upper river.-Century.
-King Leopold, of Belgium, has manifested a remarkable interest in the development of the Congo State. He has personally advanced large defiance of the new law, take their ornament callf'd the Semboo. It is pupils to confession and the mass. -somewhat egg-shaped, and a foot in During the late persecution of Protes- height, tipped by an enormous dia- tants at Cruzeiro, the parish priest, mond, encircled by many smaller while denying complicityin theattack, . ones, crusted on like barnacles. All added that he had only to raise his over this exquisite oval object are finger to have every Protestant driven similar clumps of diamonds, no other from the village. stones being used for this part.
The Bishop's pastoral hasbeen sent England.-Dr. Bamardo, of Lon- all over the land; papers 'are pub- don, had his annual meeting this year lished in the interest of Rome; schools at the West End, in the Royal Albert are organized, and the priests are Hall. His aim was to take the children, teaching the people that they owe for whose interest he so diligently their duty to the Church first, and the labors, right into the midstof thericher Government afterwards. Civil mar- classes, that they might see and hear riage is proclaimed as no marriage at the little ones for whose welfare their all; and the rumor that the Synod of means and sympathy are solicited.
Bishops, lately held at Sao Paulo, had The experiment was a perfect success.
issued a secret circular instructing The Marquis of Lome presided, and the clergy to resist every measure between seven and eight thousand adopted by the Republic, is confirmed people were present. The speakers on by the defiant attitude taken by the occasion were the Rev. C. H.
priests of the interior. A hard fight Spurgeon, Canons Girdlestone and is before us, for Rome's old cunning Fleming, Sir Arthur Blackford, Lord and craft are still available. The Kinnaird and Mr. W. Fowler. Lady people are in her grasp, and the very Kinnaird distributed about 140 prizes ignorance and superstition she has to the girls and boys from the differ- fostered, are now powerful weapons ent Homes. The total number of in her hands. children rescued since Dr. Barnardo It is estimated that there are 500,000 beg'dn his work 23 years ago is 15,563, Protestants among whom iliteracy is and the income last year was £106,- rare; and there is about an equal 722. The work of last year is shown number of free thinkers, materialists, by the following figures: 1,893 were " indifferentists," and positivists, who, admitted to the Homes, 1,287 boys and if united with the Protestants, could 606 girls, which, with the 2,749 in control the electious. If this unum is residence, make up the total to 4,642 not effected, Rome is almost certain resident in the Homes during the year.
to control the first Congress.-Brazil- Great interest was excited in the ian Missions (August). meeting by the passing across the Burmah.-The Buddhists in Bur- platform of selections of the various mah do not consider the question of classes of children; especially was expense in beautifying their temples. this so when the deformed and crip- Here is the description of the new pled went by. The sight was a grand vane of the pagoda at Rangoon. The object lesson, and aroused the sympa- vane is about three by one and a thies of the audience to an unusual half feet broad, and thickly crusted extent. A collection of £1,850 was with precious stones and lovely fans taken up.
of red Burmese gold. One ruby alone India.-The Opium Curse. Canon is worth 6,000 rupees, and there are Wilberforce, who has returned from several hundred rubies alone on this a visit to India, was present at the beautiful thing. On the tip of the annual meeting in Exeter Hall of the iron rod on which works the vane is a Society for the Suppression of the richly carved and perforated gold Opium Trade, and moved a resolution -calling upon the Government of India many distinct races and religions, led to use the discretion conferred upon it to the same speculations. In India, by the Indian Opium Act of 1878, by long before the Brahmo Somaj, the dosing the licensed opium dens. The Emperor Akhbar tried to form a Canon, in the course of a fervid natural religion for this country by a speech, charged the English people "combination of. what is best" in with the responsibility of the degraded Christianity, Mohammedanism, Hin- social state of the people of India. He duism and Buddhism. In Europe, hadbeenalmoststifiedin opiumhouses, more than a century ago, the atheist where he had seen seventy, eighty, Volney's " Ruin of Empires" was full .and a hundred people in every phase of these ideas. There are some who of intoxication, with emaciated bodies think that this doctrine, made con- and lack-lustre looks. He had seen crete in the form of a great world- these people being slowly poisoned in religion, will be the final, form of ()rder to raise the Indian revenue. Anti-Christ. There are many facts There were ten thousand of these dens which seem to point in this direction.
in India, and he had satisfied himself The proclaiming the "truths" of that the practice of opium smoking Mohammedanism every week in a was spreading among all Classes there. mosque at Liverpool; the spread of It was a common thing, he said, for pseudo-Buddhism in France and the proceedings in one of the courts to America; the acceptance of Theoso- be stopped because the witness was phy with its lying wonders taken unable to proceed with his evidence from Brahminism; the growth of until he had had his pipe of opium. Unitarianism-all are signs of that Dealing with the financial question, he final darkness which is settling over maintained that the revenue of India the world prior to the rising of the might be secured by diminishing the Sun of Righteousness. – Bombay expenses of the administration. This Guardian.
might be effected by employing native Switzerland. – The religious condition of Switzerland pr~nts· -civil servants, so that not a single many interesting facts. According to the statistics of December, 1888, farthhdg of taxation need be put upon the country contained 1,750,000 Prot- estants, and 1,200,000 Roman Cathothe people by the suppression of the lics. There is perfect liberty of creed and of conscience. The person who ()pium traffic. The resolution was exercises paternal authority or acts as guardian can determine the religious seconded by Mr. Frederick Sessions, education of the children till the age of sixteen. TheJesuits are forbidden, ()f Gloucester, who also was able to but the priests are much more numer- ous than the Protestant ministers. As testify, from recent personal experi- is so often the case, the C1}urch in the minority is especially vigorous; in the ,ence, to the physical and moral de- ,Reformed cantons the Catholics are on the increase, while the Reformed pravation caused by the opium are gaining in the Catholic cantons. The Catholic Church is a unit and is traffic. ' domineered by ultramontanism; the Protestants are divided, fierce contro- -There is a strong tendency in this versies raging betweentheevangelical and the liberal parties. In point of ,country towards Brahmo Somajism, zeal the Catholics are far ahead of the Reformed. In the Catholic canton of even outside the cult, to the belief Uri I inquired into the attendance at church, and was told that, as a matter that in some sort of way all the differ- of course, everybody went except the little children and the infirm. In ,ent religions of India are sisters; that winter the people fill the church, even each and all contain sufficient truth to save those who have been born into them; and that the only true religion is to be found in a combina- tion of "what is best" in all. The ()rigin of these ideas is not with the Brahmo Somaj. In ancient Rome, as well as in modern India, the universal empire of one paramount power over on week days, coming from the number of the MISSIONARY REVIEW mountain-sides and the valleys, OF THE WORLD, a periodical which through the snow and over the ice, to continues to maintain its pre-emiattend divine services. I rode through nence in the field it cultivates, Dr. the Rhone valley on Corpus Christi Pierson gives an interesting account· Day. I saw not a person at work the of his mission tour among the Scotwhole day; even the cows were kept tish churches. He testifies that the in stables that their keepers might results every way, so far as they can attend service. Every village had its be now estimated, abundantly repay celebration. The processions were all the cost in time and toil. The large; the display was surprising, re- arrangements, thanks to Dr. John vealing a splendor which, under the Lowe in the east, and Dr. Pagan, of circumstances, seemed impossible, Bothwell, in the west, have been sinand contrasted strangely with the gularly complete, relieving him from ap,parent poverty and squalor of the all needless correspondence and pervlllages. plexity. "We have been met at trains," says Dr. Pierson, "and escorted to hos- Never before did I understand pitable homes; welcomed with a genu- Zwingli's iconoclasm. Of all the re- ine cordiality; we have found everyformers he was most intent on re- where warm hearts and exceptionally moving images and pictures from the generous co-operation. The whole· churches. One need but see the tour reminds me of Paul's testimony Catholic cantons to-day to appreciate to the Galatians. We have met abunhis iconoclastic zeal. Many of the dant hospitality and Christian generimages and pictures are worthy of osity elsewhere; but never any exsavages rather than of Christians, and perience of loving kindness that on the the devotion of them cannot but be whole quite equals this. The meetdebasing. This is true of the repre- ings have followed each other in so sentations of Christ, as well as of pic- well ordered a scheme that there has tures .of the virgin and the saints. In been neither loss of time nor retracing the Reuss valley I saw, in front of a of steps." chapel, the representation of a saint with a hog leaning against his legs, Dr. Pierson sees no reason why apparently rubbing its itching side. I similar campaignsmay not be planned asked for an explanation, but, of in America, so that such men as Dr. course, received none. Gordon of Boston and Dr. Taylor of New York-these are only two of a I can give but one instance of the long list he gives-may be brought superstitions, which are worthy of into living contact with large congre- Spain. In passing up the Rhone valley gations throughout the United States from Brieg to Fietsch, my companion, and Canada. He adds that Scotland a Catholic, proprietor of a hotel in the is a land of martyrs and missionaries. valley, called my attention to a church at our side. "The two naturally go together. The martyr spirit has survived the' "This church is peculiarly rich in martyr fires, and so the vital energy grace," he said. "Emblems of won- that once made martyrs now runs derful cures performed are hung into the channels of missionary enabout the altars. And the church has thusiasm. We go nowhere without this wonderful power: It often occurs feeling ourselves to be on holy ground." that children die without baptism. He seems to have been especially They are then brought to this church struck with that house at Strathaven for the rites of burial. Now it fre- from which have gone William and quently happens that during these Gavin Martin to India, James Martin exercises some sign is given by the to Jamaica, James Martin's son to deceased child. Then the priest im- India, and now Miss Martin, the sister, mediately baptizes it." to Jamaica. "What an outcome," he exclaims, "of one consecrated home! Thus the child is supposed to give Five missionaries almost from one some evidence of life, but just enough cradle! No marvel Scotland is into make it fit for baptism; then it is terested in missions. Instead of coming buried. What the sign is and how it across the sea to kindle a missionary ill recognized I could not learn. But revival, the flame was found already a rare chance is given to the priest, burning, and needing only the fuel of and to the credulous and excited par- facts, and the fanning of the breath ents, to establish a miracle which re- of the Spirit of God, to become a con- suming fire. Coti!d all this intelligent dounds to the glory of the church.- and aroused enthusiasm be effectually Dr. Stuckenberg in Homiletic Review.
MiscellaneouS.-Five Mission- aries from One Cradle. In the March
1890.J MISSIONARY CORRESPONDENCE FROM ALL PARTS•
.applied to action, the whole machinery fice. One lady sold a bracelet and of missions would move with greatly sent the proceeds; one young man increased rapidity and efficiency." took off a solid gold vest chain, and Dr. Pierson mentions the intel'esting another a diamond seraf-ring, and enfact that, although his meetings have closed them to Dr. Pierscn; others not been with immediate reference to sent the price of a pair of kid gloves, raising money, no collections being or a box of cigars, or a concert ticket, taken save for current local expenses, or various other gratifications and voluntary offerings have been sent in indulgences foregone for the sake of to him, some of them very significant, the perishing. – Chri8tian Leader because the fruit of evident s-elf–sac-ri–(-Lon-do-n).
III.-MISSIONARY CORRESPONDENCE FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD-FIELD.
Ohina. in March, 1889, "to consider questions 0/ policy, methods o/work, extension or restric- [Our readers will remember that a tion 0/ fields o/labor," etc_ branch of the China Inland Mission, In view of recent criticisms of the work of representing North America, was re- Foreign Missions and general administration of Missionary Societies, a special importance cently established in Canada, of attached to their duty, and they entered upon which our friend and brother, Mr. their task with a desire to make thorough in- H. W. Frost, is the worthy secretary. vestigation. They appointed sub-committees -This brief letter from him shows that on home and foreign expenditure, and on the best means of bringing the 'lhurches into a good beginning has been made.- closer relation with the society. Rev. Pro- J. M. S.] fessor Anthony, reported on .. The Best Train- ing for Missionaries;" Rev. Dr. Macfadyen, on CHINA INLAND MISSION, } " Celibacy," and Rev. Dr. Mackennal, on Council for North America. "Education in India." Interviews with mis- sionaries supplied valuable information, and Toronto, Ont., July 3, 1890. their varied experience and high standing DEAR DR. PIERSON:-During the short time gave great weight to their opinions. -of our existence in this country we have had the privilege of helping forward 24 persons, The report of the committee was agreed and are hoping to send forward 10 more" ac- upon after much prayerful Inquiry; and sugcepted " ones in the early fall, with others to gests no material change as to the education follow. But this does not satisfy us, just of missionarycandidates, but that the study because we feel it does not satisfy the great of the history of Christian missions and of heart of Him who gave His life "to every comparative religions, form part of the pre- -creature." If, therefore, you can turn the paratory course, especiallyfor thoseappointed thoughts of any, who are not led otherwise, to India or Ohina. toward this mission we will be thankful to you, and shall count it a precious privilege to As to celibate life among the hedthen, the do all we can to help such ones to realize their missionaries all discountenanced making celi- .desires. bacya system in mission effort. The results, With warm Christian regards, In the native and Roman Catholic priesthoods, were declared to be bad. The Oxford experi- Yours faithfully in Christ, ment in Calcutta does not involve a lifetime H. W. FROST, Secretary.
England. of celibacy: In China, celibacy Is an almost [The following report of The Special insurmountable obstacle to the work of the Oommittee of Inve8tigation appointed by the London Mis8ionary Society, missionary, while in India.. it raises grave difll- culties. The unanimous testimony was that in ,should be incorporated in this REVIEW, every mission field the 0 hristian home and not only as a matter of current history, but as a testimony to the grand ohristian family are absolutely necessary as society at whose request the investigation was conducted. Our space makes factors of evangelization. necessary considerable abridgment, As to the proposed new departure, the combut the main conclnsions of the committee we are glad to put before our mittee approve the action of the directors who readers.-EDS_] recently decided to accept, under conditions, offers of service from men who have not A Special Committee of Investigation was appointed by the London Missionary Society passed through a course 0/ theological colle- giate training, and to send them out for a term of years as lay evangelists; not to en- courage any lower educational standard; nor to introduce Into the field workers who will labor for a smaller salary than that hitherto given to missionaries; but to open the door to foreign service to men of good education and who claim high respect are decidedly un- of proved experience as Christian workers, favorable to it. who have not been able to obtain special ministerial training, and to help supply the The committee ask that the following facts increasing demand for workers which the be borne in mind: theological colleges do not at present meet. (1.) The scholars in the schools receive a The committee believe the ultimate success cousiderable amount of regular Bible instruc- of this society, as an evangelistic agency, will tion from the missionary. (2.) Though con· largely depend on the employment of native versions are rare, they receive a degree of workers, and that the existing institutions for preparation, otherwise lacking, for hearing their training should therefore be fully sus- the Gospel and reading the Scriptures in after tained, and, where necessity arises, new insti- years. (3.) Nominally heathen teachers are tutions should be started. not always foes to Christianity; often they are convinced of its truth, though not prepared to They also hold that the existing policy of avow themselves Christians. In some cases, a working lrom centres, where churches and considerable proportion of both teachers and schools are set up, and evangelists trained for scholars voluntarily attend ChrIstian classes, the regions beyond, (as contrasted with a on the Lord's day. (4.) By means of Govern- Tague itineracy), is the method sanctioned by ment grants and fees these schools are to a Apostolic example, by divine authority, by considerable extent self-supporting. The experience, and by the nature of the kingdom committee do not recommend the discontinu- of Christ. ance of these schools, but urge the im- portance: 0.) Of exercising the utmost care· The committee report emphatic and hearty to maintain the distinctive Christian characexpressions from missionaries with whom ter 01 the school.; (2.) Of insisting that suffithey conferred, as to tbe methods and man- cient time daily be given to the Scripture' lesson throughout the schools, and in all theiragement 01 the 80ciety, and their cordial rela- classes alike; (3.) Of substituting Christian teachers in all schools supported by the tions with its directors and secretaries. society, as soon as possible; (4.) Of training, as speedily as possible, qualified Christian. .As to the paramount question of gravest im- teachers in all branches of instruction. ' portance, viz: the relation of Christian missions in general, and those of our own society They urge the noble opportunity which in particular, to education in India, the com- presents itself to wealthy Christians to meet mittee say: At present, such instruction as this great need, by founding Christian colwlIl prepare for university degrees and Gov- leges on unsectarian lines, in each great lanernment service, neceJJ8itates the employment guage area, for the training of such teachers- 01 non-Christian. teachers, as an adequate for the whole of India; and also to well-qualisupply of Christian teachers is not forthcom- fied university men, consecrated to the service ing. Dilference of language forbids the trans- of our Lord, to go out to India and becometerence 01 teachers from one part of India to teachers. another. Even the non-Christian teachers are, of course, contlned to secular subjects, With regard to the expenditure on the misand work under control of the missionary. sion house Btat!. the committee record com- Still their presence and influence detract plete agreement that the staff of assistant. in. from the Christian character of the schools, the foreign, home and accountant's offices is and may, in some cases, hinder the work and not larger than the work demands; that no inflnence of the missionary. Some devoted reduction Is practicable, and that the remunerfriends of missions deem this danger so seri- ation Is very moderate. In fact, the financial ous that they would abandon the educational position of the society has constrained those work llQOner than tolerate the presence of who serve it to contribute a large share of non-Christian teachers. Such a course would their own income. mean the reduction of the schools to the level of elementary vernacular schools-the sur- As to expenses of traveling deputations, anrender of the hold on the young mind of niversary services, etc., during the past ten India, in this crisis when the national mind is years considerable reductions have been beginning to be stirred, and 'old faiths are effected. The committee think this process tottering. It would mean the handing over of may be carried further without loss of effithe .cultured youth of India, the hope of the ciency, especially if neighboring churches and future, either to schools from which religion districts would arrange meetings in concert. is systematically excluded and where morality has therefore no firm footing, and where .As to the salaries of missionaries, etc., the there may be Agnostic and Positivist teachers committee conclude: (1.) The principle, acted as bitterly hostile to Christianity as the upon by the society, of regnlating payments heathen; 'or else to Rome and the Jesuits, to our missionaries by the claims of the several who eagerly-watch the opportunity to step in localities is the only sound one. (2.) Any reand fill the empty places. duction of the present scale of payment would be at the cost of efficiency. (3.) The fixed The great weight of opinion is in favor of scale of payments, as hitherto adopted, should. continuing the present sy.•te"" though some be strictly adhered to. (4.) The existing ar- Bordeaux, etc. The Berlin Conference has rangements for furlough after ten years' done a great deal in that respect. service; a second, afrer eight years'; a third, after seven years'; are the best in the Faithfully yours, interest both of the society and of the mis- E. LENOIR. sionaries. [NOTE:-This brother is one of the most de- As to methods for increasing contributions, voted men we met in our European tour dur- diffu8ing information and awakening and ing seven months. He not only conducts the 8'Ustaining interest in rnissions, throughout McAII work in Marseilles-teaching, preach- the churches, the committee suggest pas- ing, visiting, etc.-but he takes his violin and toral visitation for the purpose of reviving leads the Singing in person. His father is a the missionary spirit; the spread of informa- banker, and Mr. Lenoir gives ~p lucrative tion through lady visitors: that advantage be employment with prospective wealth for the taken of a fifth Sunday in the month to en- humble work of a McAII evangelist. What it force the claims of foreign missions; that the means for him and others like him to lead in a Sunday evening service sometimes take the total abstinence movement can only be underform of a missionary meeting; and that stood by those who know that the use of light special efforts be made to inrerest the young wines is almost as universal among the.French in missionary work, by lantern lectures, etc. people as ice water is on American tables.- A.T.P.] In summing up the result of this prolonged, painstaking, searching and impartial inquiry, India. conducred at the request of the directors and on behalf of the society's constituents, the Comilla, Eastern Bengal, July 19, 1890. committee, with intense satisfaction and DEAR DR. SHERwoon:-Rather more than a thankfulness, bear emphatic testimony to the year ago I wrote to Dr. Pierson, giving a slight wisdom, Belf-devotion, fidelity and executive sketch of our Australasian missions. Since ability with which the work of the society is then, sickness and overwork have made sad carried on, at home and abroad, and commend havoc amongst our laborers, Lutwe are exit to the unabated confidence and largely- pecting considerable additions next cold increased support of the churches. season. Oh, that God's people at home were aroused to the urgency of this work: Only to- The report is signed by J. Wycliffe Wilson, day, as Ilie on my bed, unable to rise, a Hindn- J .. P., Sheffield, chairman. and sixteen others, stani woman who received a little medical help well known in the Congregational body. some days ago, came to see me, and seemed loath to leave. Hitherto, it has seemed utterly France. hopeless to try and speak to her about Jesus, as she knows only one or two words ot Ben- Marseilles, July 9, 1890. gali, and I know only one or two of Hindu- stani; but, to-day, after finding out about her DEAR DR. PIERSON:-YOU will hear with physical stare, the desire to do something for satisfaction that your visit and that of Major her soul was overpowering. With many Whittle, in April last, has not been forgotten. signs and repetitions we managed to get at Every one of us remember, with thanks to the what is meant by hell, heaven and God. Then Lord, your speech on missions in the Y. M. C. coming to an understanding of what "sin" A. Hall; your powerful teaching on "Recon- signifies. the poor creature would have it that ciliation," in the Salle Repub/ique, has often I was siuless, and God to her. It was hard to been referred. to since, and with profit; and make her understand that! disowned to that. the young man whom Major Whittle brought Finding that all her children had died, and to Christ the same evening. We are glad to that one boy who lived to be four or five years say that the work goes on with ever so much old was specially remembered, I asked, joyful spirit. Our halls are both always "Where is he now!" She replied, "He is dead, croWded. I never should have believed that what more is there to say about it." She is we would soo such general desire in the south a strict Hindu, professedly, but is even too of France to hear the Gospel. What marvel- ignorant to think of transmigration. I You lous fervor the doctrtne of Atonement has on should have seen her poor face when she our working people I Long live evangeli- gathered that her child is in heaven and she zation! may go to see him. She tried vel'J:' hard to understand how she might get there, but I Larely, a friend from Switzerland spoke on fear it was beyond her. Oh, may God's Spirit temperance in our halls. We had about 25 enlighten the poor dark soul! May God's people who signed the pledge. I was obliged to people wake up to their duty! We have not join and to lead and take the head in the move- to go and seek for the work-it comes to our ment as there was nobody else to take it. We doors, to our very bedsides every day-and are encouraged on that point, and we hope to how many hundreds who invite us to their increase; there is a good spirit in the new so- houses have to be turned away I The desire ciety. Sabbath observance makes good pro- for more laborers comes to be the one desire gress too. Many shop-keepers enter that of my heart. door; I hear it is the same in Paris, Lyons, Did strength and time permit, I should so eastern :l.nd western extremes, as Arabia, like to tell you of what God has done for us Egypt, Tnnis, Tripoli, and Algeria, as well as poor, weak women, here, regarding the Mis- some lesser States. These all lie in great sion House, and land to build it on. Such darkness and almost wholly unevangelized. wonderful deliverances, such answers to The considerable and admirable educational prayer, and such tenderness. Now, that the mission-work of the American Presbyterians building is suspended for want of funds, our in Syria and in Egypt is confined almost society in debt (unknown to us until lately), wholly to the corrupt, native, nominal Chris- no "allowance" for ourselves, and many of tian sects, such as the Greeks, Latins and our friends in New South Wales bereft of all Maronites of Syria, and the Copts of Egypt. earthly possessions by heavy floods, it seems But Mohammedans are still fast bound in the as thongh our hearts grow lighter and chains of their religious delusions, and in the brighter. The house was so very certainly dense darkness that envelops them. The started at God's bidding and not mine, that I need, in several of these Arabic·speaking, can just rest and let Him manage His own Mohammedan countries is as great as the need business, even though the season for roof- of Morocco was five and a half years ago, making is fast slipping away, and I want the when I began as the only missionary to Mo- house to be ready for the new comers. He hammedans. Now, thank God, in both north- knows what He is about. ern Jllorocco, with Tangier as its base, and southern Morocco, with Mogador, there are Wishing still greater prosperity and useful- many devoted missionaries, over thirty in all. ness to the REVIEw. The desire to be used by God in similarly Yours in the work, opening up other parts of the vast Arabic- speaking Mohammedan world has been much ELLEN ARNOLD. on my mind. I feel my unworthiness for this, but if God deigns to thus use me, the glory Japan. shall all the more be His. It is with a view to this thatI have come East to Syria, and am now A CORRECTION. engaged in seeking to fit myself to be under- Arima, July 23, 1890. stood in Arabic wherever the Lord may lead me. May I ask your pr~ers that I may be EDITORS OF THE MISSIONARY REVIEw:-The helped in tillS language study,which is difficult article of Rev. F. S. Cnrtis, in July, 1890, No. to one who is past forty. Aggressive gospel 7, pp. 535-37, in speaking of Zamaguchi Ken, work, even when hampered by an imperfect and profesBing to give the numberof mission- knowledge of the Arabic, is much more to my aries west of Hiroshima, is unjust to the Bap- taste; but the present occupation is needful tist work there. The A. B. M. U. has two for the future. families now on that field, and they expect to be joined very soon by three ladies, already It is well known that I have advocated and appointed. sought to practise simple and self-denying methods of mission work, and such as seemed The A. B. M. U. had a missionary residing to be, for me, the most direct and effective, in ShinIonoseki two years before any mission- although hard to the flesh. I drew them from ary settled at Hiroshima, and it has never for the Lord's instructions to his first missiona moment withdrawn from that field. In the aries,as recorded in Matt. x. It has become a absence of the first missionary, the work was maxim with me, that while leaving all others carried on for eighteen months by r('gular to conduct their work as seems to them best, visits from Kobe, our men remaining from I must conform mine to the principles conone to four months at a tinIe, until the arrival tained in those instructions, read and underof some of the present workers, a year ago. stood in the light of "the great commission," in the end of Mark and Matthew, and of the It seems but just to the A. B. M. U., and to recorded practice of the Apostles in the men who are your subscribers, that correction preaching tours in Acts. Practically speaking, should be made, so that their work in this im- following out these principles leads those portant field should not be iguored. Asking pledged to them to live upon the level, in mathat you will kindly grant this, I am, terial things, of the people to whom they are sent, as far as is consistent with health and Yours sin('erely, cleanliness. So, when located among the people, such missionaries would live, out- T. E. SHOEMAKER. wardly, as they do; and when traveling, they would go, two by two, on foot, carrying only Syria. the Gospel message, unimpeded by anything to excite the envy or cupidity of the natives, Brumana, Near BeyrO'Ut, June 25, 1890. and, as a rule, depending on the hospitality of DEAR EDITORS:-I have recently come from those among whom they are at the time Morocco to this Lebanon village, where I am traveling. spending some months in close study of pure Arabic. Here, every facility exists for this, but Morocco furnished none. We there labored under the most difficult and discouraging circumstances in gaining so much knowledge of the Arabic tongue as we already possess. Arabic is the language, not only of Syria and Morocco, bnt also of the great Mohammedan nations lying between these two
INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT
These views of mISSIOn work have been may be better fitted to go out on repeated jour- greatly opposed, and sometimes with much neys for preaching among Moslems wherever I bitterness of feeling, in religious periodicals, may be led. especially in England, where, in The Christian (London), I published, week by week, a series When I left lIIogador the converts were of eighteen articles dealing with the question. greatly scattered and persecutions continued. Since then, some dear friends have become Some of the most true, who had endured both thereby alienated, while enemies have scruti- stripes and imprisonment, left the town to es- nized and criticised every move I have made_ cape further similar treatment, just before I Even fellow-workers, who had pledged them- came away. Others gave ns much concern by ,selves to stand with me in advocating and prac- lack of steadfastness. Through the American tising these methods,after awhile, fell back and Consul I was officially forbidden by the native left me almostalone. I now find myself obliged, governors to travel in either of the two large with barely a single associate, to go forward provinces adjoining Mogador, and through in the path of service to which I feel called, which I must pass to reach the interior. On ,and from which I dare not go back. It is this one visit I was arrested in consequence of this disappointment as to others standing with order, but released in answer to prayer, before me, especiallY, co-workers in the field, com- our captors had reached the governor's house. bined with lesser reasons, that has led me On another journey in the same part, we were to feel unwilling to encourage other young turned back with violent threatenlngs with men to join me. Therefore, I do not now pro- clubs. On stm another journey, in conse- pose, as I had thought to do when I arranged quence of being in some danger in a native to come here from Morocco, to become respon- sok or market, we were reported at home at ,sible for the guidance and support of others. first imprisoned and then killed. On still .such responsibility is a wearing and heavy another journey, we were arrested on two oc- burden indeed, as I have found, and I am not casions, once by being taken before the govsorry to be relieved of it, though I was not un- ernor, and only escaped from his soldiers by willing for It so long as I felt it was God-ap- stratagem. AS to the future of the work in pointed. Such friends as have written, olIer- Mogador and Southern Morocco, the presence ing to support workers with me will accept my of a number of new missionaries provides suf- thanks for their kindness, and will, from this, ficiently against its being neglected. understand how it is that I cannot, at present ,atleast, make nse of their olIers. A bi-monthly statement of the amounts sent toward my support to Mr. Eugene Levering, We are living here very simply Indeed, and No.2 Commerce street, Baltimore, 11M., ap- very much as the native Syrians do. Our pears regularly in The Baltimore Baptist. To organ is about the only article of European all who have kindly helped thus, I return furniture in our little native house of four , heartfelt thanks. The difficulties and trials of rooms and a kitchen. Our food is native. Mr. a life of faith, as to temporal supplies, are not Brading, my devoted co-worker, is at another few nor small, but the compensation in seeing Lebanon village for language study, where he the hand of the living Father in one's daily .only hears Arabic, and where, in his single life, is great indeed. Hence, after years of room with its earth fioor, is scarcely a single treading this pathway, I can recommend it article of all those found in even an humble heartily to such as have falth therefor. But home in America. Notwithstanding his being let none others attempt it. brought up in soft and easy surroundings, he gladly endures hardness, as a good soldier of As great difficulties and keen trials have of Jesus Christ. late thickened about me, may I not ask for an increase of prayer on my behalf. "Grace be From what llIave said, it will be seen that I with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ have not come to Beyrout to make this my in sincerity." ,sphere of work, but only temporarily, that I Yours, in Gospel service for Mohammedans, C. F. BALDWIN.
IV.-INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
CONDUCTED BY REV. J. T. GRACEY, D.D.
'The Foreign Missions of the Moravian Lord and Master, it is that He has Church. caused it to be distinctively a Mission- BY REV. J. TAYLOR HAMILTON, ary Church. Through His grace the ,SECRETARY OF THE SOCIETY FOR PROPAGATING Moravian brethren early realized that THE GOSPEL (MORAVIAN MISSIONARY the business of a Christian's life is not SOCIETY), BETHLEHEM, PA.
If there is one feature in the history to become one of a select coterie, a ,of the Moravian Church for which we clique banded together to luxuriate have cause to render heartfelt thanks selfishly. in the enjoyment of personal to the overruling providence of our religion, but that the express com~ mands of the Lord and the needs of- Scarcely has the first enterprise the times demand at the hands of be- been undertaken, in 1732, than a- lievers the most strenuous efforts for second is inaugurated. The cousins, the evangelization of the world and :Matthew and Christian Stach and the furtherance of Christ's kingdom. Christi!tn David, on January 19, 1733, I wish briefly to sketch the rise and leave Herrnhut to assist the Lutheran progress of Moravian Missions in sub- missionary, Hans Egede, in his appar- stantiation of this assertion. ently hopeless labors in bleak Green– Ten years after the renewal of that land. Negotiations are next begun at ancient Protestant Church which, in Amsterdam with the directors of the 1467, as a result of the teachings of Dutch Trading Company for Surinam, the martyred Hus, came out from or Dutch Guiana, and in 1735 three Rome, but which had been almost missionaries depart to explore its- blotted out of existence by the merci- rivers and lagoons. As the years pass less barbarity of the dragoons, and the by, other West Indian islands besides cunning procedure of the Jesuits, to St. Thomas are entered-8anta Cruz, whom the House of Austria turned San Jan, Jamaica, Auligna, St. Chris- over Bohemia and Moravia at the close topher and Barbadoes.
of the thirty years' war-ten years In 1735 the first colony of Moravians after the renewal of the Church of the destined for this continent of ours pro- Bohemian and Moravian brethren, ceeds to Savannah, Ga., to labor for- through the instrumentality of Count the Indians, and in 1740 Christian Zinzendorf, at Herrnhut in Saxony, in Henry Rauch preaches to the Mohi– the year 1722, when that settlement cans of New York State. In 1736 of religious exiles numbered only six George Schmidt, who had served an hundred souls, two of the Moravian apprenticeship at confessing the gospel~ immigrants, Leonard Dober and David by lying for six years, for the faith's Nitschmann, with about three dollars sake, in an Austrian dungeon, works apiece, setout on foot for Copenhagen, his way to Amsterdam to find ship for- thence to proceed by ship to St. Cape Colony; and although his success– Thomas, to bring the gospel to pegro fullabors amongst the Hottentots are- slaves. ere long harshly terminated by the- Since then unsuccessful attempts to Christian DutchJ)ettlers, in 1792, when found missions have been made byour missionaries are again sent out, they people in the following countries: in find Schmidt's garden at Guadendal..
Lapland, amongst the Srenoyedes, in his outpost amongst the heathen, with Algiers, Ceylon, Persia, the EastIndies a thrifty pear tree to mark the civiliz- and Demerara.; and the following were ing agencies he had introduced, and.
established but afterwards suspended: better yet, they find aged Magdalena, on the Guinea coast of Africa, amongst one of his converts, with the gospel the Tartars, in Abyssinia and in Tran- Schmidt had preached still fruitful in quebar. Concerning these I shall say her heart; and to-day our South Mri– next to nothing. In their zeal the can Mission has the care of 13,590'
brethren sometimes overestimated souls. In spite of the failure of a first their own resources; sometimes so- attempt to land on inhospitable· called Christian governments inter- Labrador in 1752, owing to the massa- fered, or unscrupulous trading com- cre of a boat's crew by the natives, in panies placed unsurmountable obsta- 1764 J ens Haven, after years of care- cles in their way; sometimes heathen ful preparation and the study of the savages refused to allow a permanent Eskimo language in Greenland, taking- residence amongst them. I shall his life in his hands, hazards a visit.
speak only of those fields which have and later the mission is permanently • been permanently occupied. established by fifteen Moravian colonists, of whom he is the leader. Themis- commenced amongst the Indians of sion amongst the Indians of New York, Southern California, and finally, this Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Ohio year, the negroes and coolies of Trini- having experienced various vicissi- dad hear the message of salvation tudes during the war with the French from our brethren. in colonial days, and during and after the struggle for Independence, notably Whilst there has been individual the massacre of more than ninety instances of failure and seasons of ap- Christian Indians at Guadenhuetten, parent standing still, on the whole Ohio, had found refuge in 1792 at New there has been ever a steady and Fairfield in Canada. Nevertheless, in general advance. The work comspite of the ruthless reduction of the menced 158 years ago has widened converts,who had once been numbered out into a vast series of missionary by hundreds, to a mere persecuted enterprises. In the foreign field our handful, in 1801 new operations are Church has now about 86,000 souls in commenced amongst the Cherokees. her care, ministered to by 343 mis- Again fourteen years elapse, and an sionaries, of whom 51 are native born, old field is re-entered. The Calmuck with 1,659 native assistants. There are Tartars are revisited, though they 135 stations and out-stations, with 140must later be once more abandoned. schools of all sorts, attended by about 20,000 scholars. The support of the Yet within the 'decade of this relin- work entails an annual outlay of quishment, namely in 1827, possession $300,000 in round numbers. is taken of a new outpost on the Island of Tobago. One year after that Kaf- It has been with deliberate purpose fraria is entered. Less than a decade that I have gone into this somewhat: passes when Demerara is invaded in tedious skeroh of the growth of the the name of Christ, to be temporarily operations of o~r Moravian Church, yielded, indeed, five years later. But which has ever been federated together in 1848 there is a new advance, the in the Continent of Europe, in Great coast of palmy Mosquitia in Central Britain and Ireland, and in our own America being claimed as a Moravian country, for work in the foreigu field. mission field, ere long to be one of its I have done so because three special most fruitful. In the following year features stand out from such a survey, attention is paid to the degraded state which are not without their signifiof the black fellows of Australia. And cance for tile Church of, Christ in in 1859 the eternal snows of the Hima- general. They are these: layas are pressed by the footprints of our brethren in Cashmere. In the First, the missionary activity of the sixties Hus' descendants in the faith renewed Moravian Church is seen to seek to revive vital godliness in their have been not spasmodic, but steady spiritual fatherland, and their light and on principle. It cannot be atnow shines amidst the dark supersti- tributed to an overwrought and temtions of Bohemia. In 1867 a mission porary excitement, but must 'be no less noble than that of Father ascribed to the intelligent recognition Damien is begun, one leper hospital in of the truth, that the Church cannot Jerusalem, that has been steadily discharge its duty to the Master withmaintained ever since, having at out steadfastly seeking to win the present twenty inmates. In 1878 the world for Him in accordance with His outpost in Demerara is won back. In command. 1884 we rejoice in the privilege of sending God's Word to Northwestern Secondly, there never has been a. Alaska, to the Eskimos along the time when the renewed Moravian Kuskoquin river. In 1889 a mission is Church has been dead to missionary work. It has a record of constant ac- tivity. Decade by decade new field" have steadily been added to the old. In the third place, the Moravian Of course we have our theological Church has often made grateful ac- seminaries and our institute for the knowledgment of the reflex influence training of missionaries; and we, no of the foreign work upon the home less than others, place a high value {)hurches. Itisactivity here-the being upon a medical education as a valubrought face to face with the needs of able element in a missionary's equipthe perishing heathen and the utter ment. Yet from the days when .abyss and sin into which these have Leonard Dober, the potter, we!lt to fallen, and it has been the steady the West Indies, and Christian David, drain upon the Church's strength to the carpenter, to Greenland, to the meet the demands of the hour abroad present, in which we have sent men that have preserved the home congre- who were farmers or carpenters by gations sound in vital faith, during occupation to Alaska, our Church has periods when enthusiasm within never hesitated to accept as volunteers, threatened to degenerate into fanati- or directly call for the services of cism, or when rationalism was abroad such who have been, if you are pleased outside and was rendering callous the to put it so, untrained laymen, pUl"e sense of responsibility in the souls of and simple, up to the time of their thousands of professed believers. going forth to the heathen. And in many a case these men have met with In considering the methods and gloriously fruitful success. principles according to which Morayian Missions have been conducted, I And again a second characteristic believe that the following are worthy of our work has been to manifest" less ·of attention. First of all, both in solicitude to bring a great number of theory and in practice, we have en- persons to a mere profession of the deavored to maintain that all the mem- Christian faith,"-again I quote the bers of our Church should feel that Synodal Results-" than by means of the responsibility for the success or the gospel preached with the demonfailure of our heeding the Lord's com- stration of the Spirit and of power to mand to go and preach the gospel rests turn souls from darkness unto light, upon everyone. Iquotefromthereso- andfrom thepower ofSatan unto God. lutions published in the "Results of For this purpose the preaching of the .ourGeneralSynod,"thehighest legisla- gospel must be accompanied by the tive body in our Church, as follows: specialcareofindividualsouls;periodi- clI,l conversations of the missionaries "The Brethren's Unity is a Mission- with the members of their congregaary Church. It finds its missionaries tions according to their several in the rank and file of its own mem- classes, and visits to the houses and bership, and there is no special class to the beds of the sick and dying, are out of whom they are to be selected. deemed of the utmost importance." Even if the majority do enjoy a .special preparation before their en- This principle is faithfully observed trance into the service, such prepara- in all our mission provinces. In order tion is not necessary in every case. tofacilitate itsapplication, theconverts The chief preparation for missionary are divided into the following classes: service must take place under the 1. New People, the lowest class, conteaching of the Holy Spirit, in order sisting of those who have applied to that it may be said of all missionaries, the mISSIonaries for instruction. ., They shall be taught of God.' All These are taught the rudiments of the human learning and external accom- Christian religion. 2. Oandidatesfor plishments will abide without influ- Baptism, a higher class, those who ence and result if inward enlighten- have passed the first stage and arenow ment and the training of the heart be being prepaJ:ed for baptism. 3. Bap- , -'tnting." tized Adults The term explains itself. 4. Communicants, those of the third managed by an elected board, repre_ class who have undergone probation, sentative of our entire Church, and and, having been confirmed, are ad- having its seat in Berthelsdorf, mitted to the Holy Communion. Saxony. I refer to the fact that There are besides, two other classes: about $25,000 a year come to our sup- Baptized Children, the children of port from the "London Association parents in fellowship with the Church, in Aid of the Missions of the United and the Excluded, those who, being Brethren," an association composed under church discipline, are deprived of members of the Church of England, of the privilege of sharing in the of Independents, of Baptists, of Metho- Lord's Supper, but who receive the dists, and of other Protestants, and particular attention of the mission- which was formed in, and has been aries. It must be remembered that supporting our operations ever since the position of a convert from the year 1817. On the continent of heathenism, or even that of a Chris- Europe, and particularly in Switzer- tian of a second generation, is far land, moreover, large sums are different from that of a man who has annually received from Christian grown up in a Christian land with the people who are not in immediate con- inherited tendencies of many genera- nection with our Church. In fact, tions of Christian ancestors. Hence without this noble assistance, our the need of special fidelity in watch- denomination, which numbers only ing over individual souls. about 33,000 at home, could never sus- And I may yet mention a third tain a work which embraces almost characteristic. For the· sake of the three times as many abroad. We may natives themselves, in order to teach be said, therefore, to stand a living them habits of thrift and to educate monument to the truth that Christian and civilize them, no less than in union for the Master's cause is a fact order to diminish the cost of the mis- that isreal, even in these days when sions, in many of the fields mercantile sectarianism seems sometimes to have concerns and trades are carried on, run mad.
the profits of which are for the benefit In the latest edition of his Church of the gospel work. In Labrador, for History, Professor Kurtz of Dorpat, instance, a considerable business is is pleased to pass judgment upon the done in furs and fish and cod-liver missions of the Moravians in the fol- oil. In Surinam the mission has in lowing words: "Their procedure was some years been almost or quite self- admirably suited to uncultured races, supporting with its various commer- and only for such. In the East Indies, cial operations. In South Africa the therefore, they were unsuccessful."
raising and preparation of arrowroot, Perhaps there is something in what under the guidance of the mission- he writes. Yet he overlooks much.
aries, has saved our native converts He forgets that they made their from extremest want in times of attempt in the East Indies at a con- scarcity or famine. Yet, it may well be siderably earlier date than Carey- understood that, with all the revenue namely, in the year 1759, and then, derived in favorable seasons from too, in spite of the fact that almost all such sources, the entire work has re- the colonists of a Danish commercial mained and will remain pre-emi- establishment on the Nicobar Islands, nently one of faith. north of Sumatra, whither the In as much as I have touched upon brethren proposed to go, had died one of the means of support, just here from the effects of the climate. He I may be permitted to draw attention forgets that when they first founded a to a unique feature in connection with settlement at Tranquebar, on the our work, which in the last instance is Coromandel coast of Ilindustan, for the purpose of preserving connection too, for the most insignificant, for with civilization and the home Church, whom also Christ did not disdain to the climate carried off one' of the die. And they belieTe that the living leaders and his wife in less than three Word of God is for the salvation of :years. He seems to forget that when these also-body and soul. They the brethren began to gain converts know well enough that the same .at Tranquebar, their Christian adver- amount of disinterested persistent saries among the colonists sought to fidelity would have produced possibly procure from the King of Denmark, richer harvests elsewhere; but they in whose territory the place was know also that these are the peoples <situated, a prohibition of all further who might otherwise say in the Judgoperations there. He further over- ment, "No man cared for our souls." looks the fact that when, in 1768, the They believe that even the most brethren were at length enabled to utterly degraded are still within the pass over to the Nicobar Islands, the reach of the Bible to Christianize and climate speedily carried off two of the civilize. And their success has warsix missionaries, and utterly pros- ranted a firm continuance of their trated the remaining four. He does traditional policy. Notoriously low not tell you that in 1781 the war ip. the scale, for example, are the between the French and the English black fellows of Australia. Yet it has hampered the missionary operations happened that amongst twelve hunat Tranquebar, and that in 1778 already dred colonial schools in Gippsland, the Nicobar Islanda were seized by one mission school for the natives at the Roman Catholic commanderof an Ramahyuk has gained the first prize lmperial frigate in the name of Joseph offered by the Government. The II. of Austria, and every hindrance Bush negroes of Surinam were savages placed by him in the way of our descended from the fugitive slaves of brethren. Finally, in less than twenty- the colony, brutal, fierce Ishmaelites, five years, forty missionaries were vic- finding a secure refuge amidst the tims to the East Indian climate. malarial swamps. Yet after conver- Christian charity would take these sion, our missionaries have so trained things into account. them as to awaken an appreciation for the grandest of sacred music-in Might not the true explanation of fact, themselves to sing with powerthe fact that our people have labored, ful effect choruses from the Oratorios, .as a rule, amongst those heathen who with orchestral accompaniment furare lowest.in the scale of humanity, nished by themselves. The Dutch be rather found in pursuance of a settlers of Cape Colony were wont to deliberate pm'pose to do something class the Hottentots with their own for those whom others might overlook? dogs. Overthe river Sonderend there It is probable that the conviction that is now a bridge one hundred and such is the true explanation, occa- eighty feet long, resting on five massioned the formation of that unique sive piers-the whole entirely the work auxiliary society in London in 1817. of Christianized, civilized natives. The Moravians are not so devoid of It is said that a farmer who was once judgment as to be blind to the policy just passing over the bridge, began to of seeking to convert to Christ rail at a Moravian Hottentot from the populous, cultured and influential Guadurdal near by, and to grumble nations of heathendom, whose con- at the laziness and worthlessness of version would insure a large IWcession Hottentots in general. The Hottentot to the capacity of the Church of Christ pointed to the bridge, and replied reto compass the whole globe. But spectfully: they seek to give testimony to their conviction of the necessity of caring, "Baas, I do not choose to answer. Let that bridge speak for us. If baas the day will surely dawn-sooner than had built it for me, and I could with- many anticipate, if the Church uni- out trouble walk and ride over it, I versal is permeated with the spirit of 8h~uld not venture to complain of service and is faithful to her calling- baas' laziness, for I should think it when" all shall know the Lord from required more diligence and labor to the least unto the greatest," and when build a bridge than to walk over it." " the earth shall be full of the knowl- edge of the Lord, as the waters cover Surely the Eskimos of Labrador, the sea." whose winter lasts from October almost to June, with a thermometer First Impres8ions in Brazil. sometimes forty degrees below zero, have very little to stimulate them to BY REV. THOMAS J. PORTER, CORYmake exertions for self-improvement. Yet the Rev. Benjamin La Trobe, of TIBA, PARANA, B~ London, England, who visited the country two years ago, thus depicts Among our very first impressions an Eskimo interior at one of our sta- is a painful one of the irreverence of tions: "It is furnished with the usual Romanists in their use of the names <louches spread with skins. One o. of God. For example, the square on two objects in the room testify to a which we live is known as "the refinement that is unusual. A guitar square of the Good Jesus." They call their children by the same sacred hangs on the wall near a cage with d. name, "Jesus." And they have in Rio the " Navigation Company of the bird in it, and against the partition Holy Spirit" and the "Brewery of stands a piano. Fancy such an instrn- the Holy Spirit." ment in a low turf hut, even though it be but an old square piano!" The Roman Church has made them so irreverent, ignorant and skeptical, Elsewhere he describes a native that the majority of Brazilians have church choir as accompanied by four practically no religion. Many writers native musicians, three of whom play for the press evidently do not know on violius and the fourth on a violon- what Christianity is. They have seen cello. There are natives, too, who it as belied by the lives of priests, of have cabinet organs in their homes. whose wickedness horrible stories are He speaks of Eskimo choristers as currently believed. No intelligent rendering chorals and anthems so man now send3 his wife or daughter difficult, that the ability of the average to the confessional. Old missionaries European church choir would have say they have never met a Brazilian been well tested in attempting them. who confessed belief in the infalli- bilityof the Pope. And now, since the If the missions of the Moravian separation of Church and State, the Church teach anything, they cer- only power of the priesthood is " the tainly demonstrate this in a way not power of the keys." But very few to be successfully controverted, that Brazilians ever confess, except at marthe gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is riage and at death. And very often the power of God unto salvation; that they are buried without the presence its sufficiency is dependent upon no of the priest. What effect civil marextraneous or accidental combination riage Iuay have on the influence of of circumstances and upon no purely Romanism remains to be seen. But mental qualities inherent, or, at least, evidently the even*s of the past year dormant in the race, whether favored have weakened that influence. Alor unfavored by those things which most nobody in this city attended the in and of theIUSelves incline to intel- services of Holy week. Yet it is scarcely lectual culture; and finally, that if four years since the vicar-general of the very lowest pagans can be thus the province of Parana, from tl$ savingly illumined by the light divine, same capital, dared to order the people neither a scholar nor a father to his to burn the Bibles the missionaries country. He left without a friend were selling. and without an enemy. I have heard Brazilians say "He was a bananf." On April 21 the hanging of Xavier He did much for his empire. But Tivadentes, in 1792, for conspiracy to why did he not stimulate his subjects create a republic, was celebrated with to develop their rich but uncultivated great show of attachment to the country? Why did he not educate Republic. You remember that after them to independence of foreign his execution, the Bishop of Rio had labor, capital and enterprise? What, the Te Deum sung in the churches. I has he done of late years, except at was glad that I could not discover a the monition of the coming event?' priest among the crowd. The speeches Since the martyrdom of Tivadentes, I heard were very weak and tame. republicanism has lived and thought The only man who made a goodspeech, and waited the fullness of time. The was promptly carried off to Rio de emperor knew this, and knew when the Janeiro to be tried for treason in time had come. mildly and justly criticising the provincial governor. The large portrait I will not lengthen this letter by of Tivadentes which appeared in the ~umerating facts to show the proleading daily paper of the city, bore a found ignorance of the people and striking resemblance to the head of the wretchedness of their schools; Christ, as drawn by Carracci. This such facts as these-there is no college fact was probably the resultant of in the American sense in the counjournalistic enterprise, infidel irrever- try; thirteen teachers of the public ence and republican spirit. schools in Pernambuco were dis- missed because they could neither read The eight men who form the present nor write-but, in view of the whole military dictatorship are considered to situation, it is evident that the imperial be intellectually the ablest in the coun- need of this country is Christian edutry. So far they have been wonder- cation, from primary schools to a fully wise, temperate and just. The Robert College. Such schools would preference expressed by many for be the right arm of the Church of adopting a national constitution by Christ in moulding the Republic of arbitrary methods, rather than by a Brazil. vote of the people, forcibly reminds us that this is not Saxon and Protest- Trinidad. ant America, but Latin and Roman Brazil. However, it should be re- A. NOTE FROM REV. JOHN MORTON, D.D. membered that more than four-fifths of the population cannot read nor Tunapuna, Trinidad, May 31, 1890. write, and, therefore, cannot vote. To the International Missionary Union, hold- And many voters are hardly fit for self-government, they are so ignorant ing its Seventh Annual Meeting at Clifton and destitute of patriotism. At best Springs, N. Y., June 11 to 18, 1890, Mr. and the Republic will be, for a time at Mrs. Morton, of Trinidad, send greeting: least, an oligarchy. Yet, if it accom- We returned December 5, 1SS1l, having seplishes the tithe of what Brazilian cured when in Canada one missionary and patriots hope from it, the abolition of two female teachers for vacancies, and the the monarchy will be justified. promise of a fifth missionary, who is already virtuallyunder appointment. These were the Contrary to the prevailing opinion objects for which, at the convention at Bing-' in the United States, Dom Pedro II. hamton, we asked the special prayers of the was not a remarkable ruler. It is said International Missionary Union. Our united here that he aimed to be thought prayers have been answered; let us praise scholarly and liberal, and was, in fact, the Lord together. At the close of 1SS1l our agency consisted of 4 Canadian missionaries, 2 ordained native ministers, 20 native cl'te- chists, 3 Cl'nadian female teachers and 34 native teachers. We had 2,060 children in our schools, 36 couples were married and 210 per- sons were baptized in 1889.
THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS
We received from the Government for edu- Chinese who come to the United cation in 1889, $7,350; from proprietors of States and our treatment of a Treaty estates, $3,BOO, and from the native church with China or any other Government nearly $2,000. We began the year with a debt on earth. It is on the latter phase of of $300, and closed it with a balance to credit the subject that this deliverance was of $280. made by the Missionary Union.
The returns for 1889, just published, set the The following was adopted: total number of East Indians in Trinidad at 88,000. The increase by immigration alone in CHINESE RESOLUTION. 1888 and 1889, was 5,200. Of those who arrived in 1889, 537, or nearly one-sixth, had been Whereas, the United States of America. and in Trinidad before, and 131 had been in other the Empire of China are bound by solemn colonies. These figures show that our field is treaties, and whereas, unjust laws discriminafast widening. ting against Chinese subjects have been passed by our Government, and whereas, The work of enlightening and Christianizing missionary work, on account of this wanton this people goes steadily forward. We are insult to a friendly power, China is greatly with you in spirit, and wish to share in your retarded, and whereas, leading Chinese statesinterest and prayers. men, through a memorial presented to the throne, have petitioned for retaliation against Yours faithfully, Americans in China, and whereas, it is stated, on competent authority, that new treaties, as JOHN MORTON. strict in regard to Chinese immigration as may be desirable to our Government ca.n be nego- REV. DR. GRACEY, President International tiated; therefore, Missionary Union. Resolved, That we petition Congress to re- Our Oonduct in Relation to the Treaty peal that unjust and dishonorable Scott Bill, known as the "Chinese Exclusion Act of with Ohina. 1888," and at once. in a manner compatible We present herewith the action of with our honor and dignity as a Christian the International Missionary Union on nation, to commence negotiations with the the question of our treatment of the Chinese Government for the revision of former Chinese Government. There should treaties, or the making of a new one, as may be be a distinction kept in mind between deemed best. the treatment we should give the V.-THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS.
BY SECRETARY F. F. ELLINWOOD, D.D.
Missions and Sects in the Turkish in controversies and often in open Empire. strife, are now too thoroughly under subjection to Turkish rulers to al- No other country presents such a low of conflict, and they have been medley of reljgions as the Empire of the Sultan-and the fact most re- too deeply humbled and dispirited to- markable of all ii!, that although hat- exercise any very aggressive characing each other most cordially, they all ter. For a long time the Patriarch- remain in a sort of trnce. That truce ate of the Greek Church was regularly has continued for centuries with com- sold to the highest bidder by the Sul-· paratively few religious outbreaks, tan, and that fact alone WIj.S enough to whatever may have been the political destroy all spiritual life in the church.
intrigues, and however great may Much the same policy has been ex- have been the oppressions visited by ercised by the dominant power to- the strong upon the weak. In the ward all other Christian sects. If one Turkish Empire, or at least the coun- would gain a realizing sense of the tries which it now dominates, the two moral condition of the Christian great 'Western religions had their de- Churches in the Turkish Empire, and velopment. They have both passed at the same time would see the hu- its boundaries, however, and have miliating subjection in which they are been characterized as "missionary held by Mohammedan authority, he religions. " has only to witness the services of The Christian sects, which in the Greeks, Maronites, Armenians, Jacob- early days were so constantly engaged ites, Copts, and Nestorians, in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Je- of Constantinople, claimed supremacy rusalem on Easter Sabbath-all wor- over both the Eastern and the Western shipping at the same time, and all churches. Gregory the Great,of Rome; kept from quarreling with each other defended hiR See against this assump- . by the stern authority of a Moslem po- tion, by the scriptural doctrine that lice. It should be borne in mind, bishops are equal.
however, that this subjection to the The Greek Church agrees with the Turk, however it may have been ne- Church of Rome in reference to bap- cessitated centuries ago, is now only tismal regeneration, the worship of an accident of European diplomacy. Mary, prayers for the dead, the use of As for the humiliation of the Greek relics, the infallible authority of coun- Church in any part of Turkey, the cils, prayers to the saints, and the Russian power would make quick virtual substitution of their interces- work of it were it not for the political sions for those of Christ. It differs restraints of Protestant and Catholic from Rome in allowing the marriage Europe; and, on the other hand,Catho- of the clergy, in denying the supreme ·lic Europe would sweep away Moslem authority of Peter and his viceregents.
:tyranny from.. the Holy Land but for It rejects the doctrine of supereroga- _the fear of Russia and the armed pro- tion and the dispensing of indulgences.
test of England. So, from age to age, It does not accept the doc~rine of -the Turk continues to insult and hu- the immaculate conception of Mary, miliate all branches of the Christian though it does claim for her a miracu- Church within his dominion. lous resurrection like that of Christ.
Let us take a very brief glance at It rejects the ;worship of images, but some of the sects of the Turkish Em- (very illogically) it does worship the pire. flat paintedforms of saintscarved from THE GREEK CHURCH. boards. A Patriarch of the Greek This has its principal seat of power Church has great authority over his in Russia, and it is supreme in all bishops, but he alone is not infallible.
parts of Greece, but it is also found The Greek Church holds the unique in both European and Asiatic Turkey. doctrine that the souls of unbaptized It was formerly known as the Eastern infants, and of the ignorant heathen, Church, in distinction from that of go at death to a limbus which is Italy and Western Europe, or as the neither heaven nor hell, but a place Byzantine Church to distinguish it suited to their case.
from that of Rome. Its separation The history of the Greek Church from the Latin or Roman Church has shown far less moral corruption began with the removal of the throne in its average clergy than the Church .of Constantine to Constantinople and of Rome. It is, however, far more the division of the Empire between his torpid and inefficient than the Western sons. This led ultimately to the over- church, partly' from the repression .throw of the Eastern Empire by the suffered from the Turkish power, and .Turk, and it also facilitated the over- partly from differences of race. It throw of the Western Empire by the has never been, to any extent, a mis- Goths. sionary church. The missions of the The Eastern Church also began to Russo – Greek Church, as in Japan, diverge from the Western on doctrinal may owe their inspiration quite as .points, and especially on the question largely to political designs as to the of ecclesiastical supremacy. The coun- spirit of Christ. The Greek Church cil of Chalcedon, A. D. 451, decreed differs from the Papal in reckoning the equality of the Eastern and the the time for observing Easter accord- Western prelates, and about the close ing to the "old style" instead of adopt- of the sixth century, John, Patriarch ingthedates oftheGregorianCalendar. It also immerses its candidates for characteristics, however, a degree of baptism three times-once for each of independence has been maintained.
the persons of the Trinity. Maronite patriarchs and bishops The Greek Oatholic Church, num- must be Maronites by birth, and must bering thirty or forty thousand people be chosen by their own people; the in Syria, is simply a branch of the clergy may marry once; tHey may Greek Church which, after cen- also own private property, imless be- turies of proselyting and intrigue on longing to a monastic order. No the part of Rome, finally acknowl- Maronite can belong to a European edged the supremacy of the Pope. monastic society; the saCred language But it makes some reserves. It ap- used must be the Syriac, and not the points, or at least nominates, its own Latin. Scriptural lessons are printed patriarchs,who must always be chosen in Arabic. from among its own people, and its In their relation~ to the Turkish clergy may marty before ordination. Government the Maronite bishops Its formularies declare Christ to be hold a degree of political power-the the only intercessor for sinners, and governorships of their districts being yet, in consistent subserviency to subject generally to their choice. Mul- Rome, it proceeds at once to commend titudes of the Maronites have been the intercessions of Mary. The Greek won to an evangelical faith by the Catholic Church persists, against all Syrian Mission of the Presbyterian flatteries and threats of Rome, in ob- Church, and they have been found to serving the Eastern reckoning for the appreciate education to a remarkable time of Easter. degree.
THE MARONITE CHURCH. The lack of space forbids even a To speak very briefly, the Maronite brief notice of the Armenian and Church, which is found principally Jacobite Churches, also found in the on Mount Lebanon, is a branch of the Turkish empire, as we desire to pre- Roman Catholic Church, though ad- sent brief sketches of the sects of the mitting only a qualified adherence. Druzes and thE( NllI'sareyehs.
The fact that its ilartial dissent is Mohammedanism, the staple and allowed, is but another evidenceof the dominant faith of the empire, would tact, and, when necessary, the flexi- require a treatise instead of a sketch.
bility of the Papacy in adapting itself THE DRUZES.
to all possible conditions if only its The brave and desperate resistance supremacy is acknowledged. which the Druzes of Syria have re- The name Maronites is derived cently made against the Turkish from Maro, the name of their first Government, suggests a brief review bishop. In doctrinal controversy they of their singular religious faith and adopted the theory of the Monothe- their characteristics as a people. Even lites, a sect of heretics who, in refer- Mohammedans are scarcely more diffi- ence to the question whether Christ cult to be reached by the gospel than had two natures or one, settled upon these strange fanatics of the Lebanon.
the belief that He had two natures, They are generally reckoned at about but one will. The sixth council of 50,000. One half this number are on Constantinople, A. D. 680, condemned Mount Lebanon, and the remainder the doctrine, but it survived for a long are scattered through Hasbeyia, time. At length the persistence of Merj Ayun, Damascus and the Hau- Rome brought the Maronite Church ran. They do not consider themselves to abandon the Monothelite theory, Mohammedans, though the Govern- and in most other points to come into ment so far classifies them as such full subordination. On the side of as to include them i~ the military political sympathies and national conscriptions. The genesis of the Druze sect grew the Court of El Hakem, and to him is. out of the assumption that the de- to be ascribed the real authorship of scendants of Ali, the cousin of Moham- Druzism as it now exists. His name med, and husband of his daughter was Hamzeh Abu Ahmed. He con- Fatima, were the true successors of demned many of the teachings of EI the Kaliphate. Dorazy, but confirmed the divinity of EI Hakem. During the reign of the Abbassides, Mohammed Abdullah, who claimed This tyrant, after many atrocities, to be a descendant of Fatima, suc- was assassinated, probably at the in- ceeded in detaching from the Kaliphs stigation of his sister, Sit EI Mulook. of Bagdad, the Mohammedans of Hamzeh represented to the people Arabia, Syria and Egypt. The latter that the Kaliph had not been murder- became the seat of government. ed, but had mysteriously disappeared Early in the eleventh century, Abu to test the faith of his followers. And Aliel Hakem, the sixth of the Fatimite he claimed that a book which he had dynasty, came to the throne at the written, containing the Druze docearly age of eleven years, and began trines, had been" found at the gatea reign of folly and unparalleled op- of the great mosque at the disap-· pression. He fancied himself inspired, pearance of our Lord." and at length divine. His monstrous assumptions were encouraged by a Druzism was not the first system in Persian mystic, who came to Egypt which the old Persian philosophy had and succeeded in raising himself to a been mingled with the Monotheistic position of great influence and power. religion of Syria and Egypt. Mani- His name, EI Dorazy, was, with a cheism and Gnosticism had some cen~ slight change, given to the sect who, turies before greatly disturbed the under his teachings, came to regard peace and corrupted the doctrines of EI Hakem as divine. EI Dorazy con- the Christian Church. But a different ceived the idea of framing a system combination produced a different reof religion which shopId unite the sult. The allegorical tendencies of all mystic dualism of Persia, which had branches and products of Zoroastrianborrowed some admixture of Hindu- ism, engrafted upon the stock of stern ism, with the Monotheism of Islam. and dogmatic Islam, presented a weird EI Hakem aided this project by severe system which is altogether unique. persecution of non-Fatimite Mohammedans, and also of the Christians. The basal doctrine of the Druzes, as. He himself claimed to be an incarna- of the Mohammedans, is the unity tion of God. and supremacy of God. Theirs is the most strict and intense type of When EI Dorazy, having finished a Unitarianism, though with a panthebook designed to prove the divinity of istic notion of man's absorption into his master, undertook to read it in the that unity, and they virtually regard great mosque, the exasperated Mos- God (as the Hindu Brahm is regarded), lems rose in rebellion, and he was as destitute of attributes. Like the obliged to flee to the valley of EI Hindus, they insist that we cannot Teim, which lies between Lebanon predicate anything of the Infinite. and Hermon. There he won many Very inconsistently with this doctrine followers, by money furnished by his they contend that the Deity has often royal patron, and by the licentious- been incarnate in human form, though ness of his teachings. it is not quite clear that such incarna- tions are not merely phenomenal. After EI Dorazy's escape from Egypt, another Persian, of the same The Druzes attempt to reconcile Batemite sect of the Indo-Persian Islamic Monotheism with the Persian Mystics, was instated in his place at Dualism by the theory that the Su- preme created out of His own essence. an intelligent being known as the '. by the question" Did this man sin or Universal Mind, and that this being his parents, that he was born blind? ..
.sinned through his personal vanity. This doctrine of transmigration or Thereupon, as a punishment to him, metempsychosis was common in old God caused to spring from him another Egypt as well as in India. It was also we being-the Antagonist or the author held by Pythagoras and the Greeks, .()f evil. Here have the Persian and by the Pharisees, and it was one Ormazd and Ahriman as secondary of the heresies charged against Origin .()r created beings. The Antagonist by the fifth ecumenical council. The was not made evil by arbitrary cre- Druzes make it very prominent.
ation, but became so by his own rebel- When the souls of men first came to lion. Other beings were created, till inhabit human bodies they were with.
the moral antagonism of the world out bias toward goodor evil; theyhad ,came to be represented on the one no moral law and were not account.
hand by the Universal Mind, the Uni- able. But they were at once subjected versal Soul, the Word, the PrecedeI' to the influence respectively of the ,and the Succeeder-as ministers of ministers of truth and the ministers God, and on the other hand, by the of error above named, in order that Antagonist and the Foundation-as they might freely choose between the .ministers of evil. All human souls two. God Himself also then appeared were created at the same time-viz.: in human form and preached the .at the beginning of the world. No truth to men. The sun, moon and addition has ever been made to the stars and the winds were sent as ob- ,original number. All souls are im- ject-lessons or symbols, to reveal to mortal and pass from one bodily form men God's wisdom and power. Under ,to another according to the'Indian doc- this Divine manifestation, all men be- trine of transmigration. The dualism lieved and all were good; but after a ,of good and evil enters into all human time God withdrew from the world, life; every soul is a battle-ground for and then the ministersoferror succeed· the two conflicting principles. ed in leading a large part of the hu- The last of material creations was man race to apostasy. The choice once that of human bodies. The world was taken was final. No man has changed ,stocked at once with human beings in since that first decision, nor can he'
.all stages, from infancy to old age. ever' change in all his transmigrations.
.All the souls of the world's history It will be seen from this how utterly were thus variously and contempor- hopeless is the fatalism of this strange aneously embodied-some for a longer system. All Druzes, of course, are and some for a shorter term. The believers, and therefore are on the idea of Adam and Eve as progenitors side of the good; all the rest of man- is ridiculed. The world was fullypopu- kind are faithless and evil, and there- lated and in full tide of activity from fore in an utterly hopeless condition.
the outset. This is probably the farthest But from our standpoint it is the of all removes from the doctrine of hopelessness of the Druzes that pains Evolution. us. How are a people thus environed The Druzes defend the doctrine of and encased in conceit to be reached transmigration by the Hindu argu- by the gospel or by truth of any kind?
ment that the unequal allotments of Their creed leads them neither to the life can only be explained on the sup- conception of being converted them- position of sin in a previous existence. selves, nor to any desire to proselyte They meet the objections of Chris- others. All outside of their narrow tian!! by referring to the New Testa- sect were eternally doomed by the ment assertion that John the Baptist fatal choice made thousands of years "Was a transmigration of Elijah, and ago. These people are the most com-: When Ibrahim Pasha, taking them pletely isolated of all men; their or- at their own professions of faith in ganization is a secret society. Their Islam, compelled them to bear arms, dootrines are carefully withheld from multitudes became Christians, only to the rest of mankind. Every Druze is throw off the mask at the close of sworn to secrecy, and' it was only the war. Except in their many acts through the wars of Ibrahim Pasha, of kindness toward each other, Dr.
between 1837 and 1842, that their W ortabet, of Beyrout, from whom I sacred books first became known to have received many facts, regards the world. them as " the most fraudulent and de- The Druzes have many mythical ceptive of all peoples."
doctrines in regard to the successive They believe that the inhabitants of manifestations of God among men, in China are all Druzes, or, as they say, which Adam, Enoch, Noah and Shem "Unitarians," and that in a great playa part. The Deluge is treated alle- future conflict between Mohamme- gorically; honor is shown to Isaiah, dans and Christians, a great Druze David and Daniel, who "allegorized leader, with a vast army, will come the Law of Moses;" also to Pythagoras, • from the far East, and conquer both.
Plato and Aristotle. Jesus is said to EI Hakem will then reappear in visi- have been only a representative of the ble manifestation, and will reign for true Christ, who remained concealed ever from his throne in Egypt, attend- in the person of Lazarus. ed by five ministers! What can be Druzes reject the doctrine of the done with such a people? It is well Resurrection, but admit that the true to know their real character. Their Christ promulgated the story that the bitterness and ferocity was shown in son of Mary had risen, as a means the massacre which attempted the of establishing the Christian religion. extermination of the Maronites of This was done in order that, under Lebanon in 1860. Their system seems the foil of Christianity, the esoteric a master-piece of Satan. Only the Druze religion might be concealed. power of the Divine Spirit can trans- It was the real Christ, and not Jesus, form them. The work of missions that appeared to the Disciples after must be a work of faith and prayer.
the Resurrection. Discouraging as missionary labor God is represented as having pur- among the Druzes is, the Presbyterian posely misled one portion of the Mission in Syria has rejoiced in many human race and to have enlightened apparent conversions. It even num- and saved another. And this arbi- bers two or three Druze preachers.
trary and fatalistic doctrine has given The native Protestant Christians, how- a vitiating tendency to all Druze ever, look with great distrust upon ethics. For example: the sacred members of this sect who profess their books enjoin strict veracity in dealing faith. But all things are possible with with fellow Druzes, but justify false- God. His mean~ may be various.
hood toward all others. No confi- Education will effect changes. The dence, therefore, can be placed in the absurdities of the old system will be word of a Druze beyond the dictates seen. Prevailing Christian sentiment of his own interest. He is commanded will make itself felt.
to love the brethren of his sect, but no THE RELIGION OF THE NUSAIRIYEH.
others. An implacable hatred exists These strange people, found in the toward Mohammedans, and yet, as a extreme north of Syria, are even less matter of policy, the Druzes conform understood than the Druzes. Their to many outward requirements of mystical and mysterious faith has Islam. They are not greatly trusted as been kept a secret by the force of the soldiers, though they are enrolled. death penalty which awaits any man who shall divulge it. Yet glimpses in constant conflict with each other, discovered here and there seem to and are only united in their opposition favor the conclusion that the basisisthe to the gospel, missionary effort is by old Phrenician heathenism, to which no means in vain. additions have been made from time to time, from Persian Mysticism, Mo- As a result of the faithful labors of hammedanism, Druzism and Christi- its missionaries 213 native preachers anity. They believe in many incar- are now proclaiming the truth to their nations of God in human form. countrymen. There are 130 churches, with a membership of thousands. In this, as in the doctrine of trans- There are 16 colleges and high schools migration, they agree essentially with for young men and boys, 13 girls' the Druzes. There is, however, this boarding-schools and 235 primary or difference-that they believe that the common schools. The whole number souls of wise men, after many changes, of pupils of all grades is over 11,000. become at length stars in heaven, The number added to the churches while base men become incarnate in last year was 683. beasts. Like the Persian fire-worship- . pers, they associate God with the sun, Two generations of native Chris- and they turn toward the sun, morn- tians have spread their influence far ing and evening, when they pray. and near, and it would be scarcely too They seem to regard both J esut! and much to say that the whole Armenian Mohammed as prophets, and they race has been awakened to new life. favor Ali, son-in-law of Mohammed, as the true successor, and the Fati- The work of the American Board in mites as the lawful dynasty of Islam. Turkey cannot be measured by statis- They hate the opposite and prevail~ tics. Education has achieved a tre- ing party, the Sunnites, and some of mendous influence, whether we esti- them at least profess to honor Jesus. mate it from the standpoint of Rob- The element of doubt lies in the fact ert's College in Constantinople and that, like the Druzes, they recognize the other flourishing institutions in the no claim of trutl:t or veracity, except interior, or from that of the widely toward their own people. They believe scattered primary schools, each one of that women have no souls, and they which becomes an object-lesson and a treat them accordingly. They are powerful stimulus to a whole comcharged with domestic crimes of a re- munity. Home life has been raised volting character, and, in spite of some to a higher grade, all the wholesome mauly traits, they are a degraded peo- influences of a better public sentiment ple. Secluded from the world in their and a purer morality have been felt. wild mountain life, they have resisted A general thrift has been promoted, the civilization, such as it is, of the the common comforts of life have Turk, and the religious influence of been multiplied, and the oppressions Mohammedans and Christians alike. of a tyrannical government have at least been mitigated. Medical science The Reformed Presbyterian Church bas come in Turkey, as everywhere of America is trying to reach them else, as a handmaid of missions. The with missionary labor, and has had hopelessness with which Mohammesome success, but the field must be dan fatalism looks upon the unresistregarded as extremely difficult. ed ravages of disease has given place to a new confidence and a better esti- MISSIONS IN TURKEY. mate of human life. Not only are thousands saved by the direct efforts The success of the American Board of the missionaries, but a native mediof Foreign Missions in Western, Cen- cal corps is being raised up: the whole tral and Eastern Turkey furnishes treatment of disease is being revoluabundant proof that, even in a coun- tionized. try where gigantic forces of error are
EDITORIAL NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS
In a purely economic view, the its true value. So great has been the Turkish missions have accomplished impression which it has made upon inan untold good. Fanning mills and telligent Englishmen that years ago other agricultural implements have a Turkish Missions Aid Society was gone forth in the train of the mis- formed for the purpose of increasing sionaries, and the mean and grudg- the funds of the American societies in ing spirit of those who complain at their work. Among those noble men the alleged robbery of our own coun- who, from their ownobservation, gave try by foreign missionary outlay, has it their cordial endorsement, was the been rebuked by the tens of thousands late Earl of Shaftesbury. of dollars which the enlightened districts of Turkey alone have paid Even the Turk appreciates if he for various lines of American manu- does not approve the work. He canfactures. not be indifferent to its educational influence or to the general enlighten- If there are American Christians ment and moral elevation which it is who, through a satisfied ignorance, promoting among the people. The fail to appreciate the missionary work apprehension which his restrictive accomplished in the Turkish Empire, measures imply is a proof that mis" there are others who estimate it at sions are a power.
VI.-EDITORIAL NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS.
.The Soudan Pioneers. of petition was that the Kingdom of God might come; that the gospel Whatever may be said about the might be published to the world in this ., intemperate zeal" or the" mistaken generation, and that God would in methods" of the Kansas brethren, who, some remarkable way use us-the four. under the lead of Mr. George S. Fisher, men there bowed in prayer-to give a have organized this new Soudan new impulse to this work of a world's movement, we feel constrained to say evangelization. That prayer has been that we have never known any move- already most remarkably answered. ment that in its inception and pro- God laid on the heart of the then gress seemed to bear more distinctly pastor of the Philadelphia church, the the stamp and seal of God. In fact, burden of arousing the churches to the whole movement may be said to more intelligent zeal for missions, and have had its unexpected origin in the in June following he resigned his little prayer meeting, held on a Sab- pulpitand parishtospendsix monthsin bath morning in May, 1889, in the Great Britain in addressing the people study of one of the editors of this RE- of God on this great subject. Mean- VIEW. The International meetings of while, these brethren went to their the Young Men's Christian Association Western fields and could not layoff were at that time being held in Phila- this load of a world's destitution. Undelphia. Early on that Sabbath morn- expectedly to themselves they were ing, as by a common impulse, Messrs. led in a strange way: they found grow- Fishel' and Nash, Y. M. C. A. Secre- ing up about them a new foreign mistaries of the States of Kansas and sionary interest. It grew and spread Nebraska, and Rev. Thomas C. Hor- like a prairie fire, until it swept everyton, Y. M. C. A. Secretary from St. thing before it. Had they proposed Paul, Minn., came to unite in aseason at the outset to turn the Y. J..f. C. A. of prayer with the editor, then pastor into a foreign missionary organization, of Bethany Church, Philadelphia. they would have felt it at least a di- That prayer meeting, will ;never be version if not a perversion of the purforgotten by the four men that con- P?ses of the organization. But the stituted that gathering. The burden .movement took so sudden and rapid martyrs to follow in the steps of John .a progress, that it seemed to defy con- Williams, and Coleridge Patteson and trol. We have never felt otherwise James Harrington. than satisfied that the Y. M. C. A., be- ing, as it is, established for undenomi- At the same time, is not God speak- national work among young men, it ing to us a word of caution' Is it {)annot be turned into foreign mission- prudent to rush into Equatorial Africa ary work in such form as to interfere with no knowledge or experience of a with other established agencies with- torrid climate, to face unknown foes, ·out inevitable friction; and we believe peculiar forms of disease, and a thou- that if this Soudan Pioneer Mission is sand perils which, like the flora of the to be permanent, it must separate country, are indigenous to the soil, from the State associations where it without all adequate information and ·originated, and take a separate, inde- provision against such exposures ? We pendent fprm. are nOl to count our lives dear unto ourselves, but are we not to reckon At the same time we cannot see that them dear to our Master and for our any intentional perversion of Y. M. C. Master's sake? When this movement A. money or energy has been intended. began, we cautioned our brethren not 'This whole movement strikes us as to go into the Soudan without ex- -one of those rare and exceptional ris- perienced guides, without explorers ings of missionary interest which can- familiar with the country and its .not be accounted for by ordinary peculiar dangers and diseases, who causes, or confined within ordinary could also advise as to all proper prebounds. We simply wait for this cautions respecting dress, food, habits rushing torrent that has swept be- of life, and exposures to malarial in- .yond its banks, to scoop out a new and fluences . permanent channel, and we look with prayerful interest to see the final is- Those who have read Bishop Crow- .sue. We ca~ appreciate the emphatic ther's life, will remember the strange protest of the brethren of the Inter- fatality attending that first exploring national Committee, while we confi- party of which he was a member, be- .dently believe many of their fears are cause of the green wood that was groundless, and that if they patiently stowed in the barge. A simple wait and rather seek to guide sympa- precaution such as was afterward thetically than to arrest arbitrarily adopted, would have saved a score of .a movement so might.y, the ultimate most precious lives. Those who go to result will be advancement all along Africa or any other untried climate, the lines. should first get all the wisdom that ex- perience canfurnish, and go armed and Meanwhile, three of the Soudan Pio- equipped as the laws of prudence en.. neers are reported dead with African join, with all the panoply that a true fever; and a startling rumor in the science can supply. We may be called New York World, which has not been to martyrdom but not to suicide. We .confirmed, states that Mr. Kingman earnestly hope our Soudan Pioneers and others have been massacred. We will exercise unusual precautions, and wait with no little solicitude to hear advantage themselves of every prepafurther and authentic news. It would ration that the combined experience not be surprising if God should bap·· of all explorers and missionaries can tize this new mission in blood. If He supply, before venturing into such a has a really great future before these perilous district. Let us guard human devoted young men, it may be that a life in proportion to its priceless value, ~up of suffering is to precede thechal- and so make our offering to the Lord ice of joy. That is God's way. Let one of the more permanent service. us not hesitate if He calls for more A.T.P. Dr. Penteoost's Siege of Oaloutta. that in India, China, Japan, Syria, Our readers have, before this, this class who are familiar with the· learned of the scheme of our esteemed brother, the Evangelist, Rev. George English tongue, its literature, and its. F. Pentecost, D.D. He proposes to go to India, to be joined by volunteers gospel message, are the last to yield from Britain and .America, and to attempt evangelistic work among to the power of that gospel, and often English-speaking residents, Anglo- Indians and Eurasians, and native the most pertinacious foes of its prog- Indians who are familiar with the English tongue. He proposes to go as ress and the most malignant adversathough there was no concert of action, and as though the concurrence ries of its spirit. were merely accidental, and to have these pilgrims meet in Calcutta for a We say this not to cast any chill over stay of five months; then lay siege by Bible-readings and sermons and prayer the enthusiasm of our brother. We services, to the English-speaking population; and, having thoroughly bid him God speed, but we believe he aroused them, seek from this vantage ground to reach out and affect wider will need to be sustained by the prayers results. We hope for great results from this mission. It seems to us a of an unusually consecrated band mistake, however, to announce at the beginning of a programme, which in- of God's watchers. If this work can cludes a meeting of various parties at one centre, as though it were wholly be done and the English-speaking resiundesigned. Anything that produces an impression of disingenuousness can dents and natives can be aroused and hardly be according to God's will. And, besides, the rapid communication of quickened and consecrated, it may be· intelligence in these days makes sure that this sailing under sealed orders the signal for the Revolution of India. becomes an open secret. Tbe people of East Indies will already, before Dr. God grant it I A. T. P. Pentecost has landed at Calcutta, have been informed of the "un-designed The "New Herrnhut." coincidence. " A PROPOSED HOME-REST FOR RETURNED' We are persuaded that the work MISSIONARIES. undertaken by Dr. Pentecost and his co-laborers is not an easy one, but the Every reader of this REVIEW, and hardest job that could well be under- every friend of missions, will feel taken. No class of the community is warm interest in a new and unselfish so impervious to all impressions as project which has in view the comfort those who have been confronted with and welfare of returned missionaries, the gospel and have been accustomed who are seeking rest and recuperation to resist its power. Give us the most after years ofexhausting toil; and no hopeless Regions Beyond as our field, class of the Lord's servants are more rather than the gospel-hardened sin- deserving of our sympathy and gener-· ners whose eyes are blinded by the ous aid. very blaze of gospel light. 'We have the common testimony of missionaries Every year, at the great Northfield. gatherings, these dear brethren and sisters are to be found, sometimes by .the score, and, not infrequently, like our esteemed friend and correspond-· ent, Rev. George W. Chamberlain, of Sao Paulo, Brazil, they find Northfield a convenient place, not for their own rest and refreshment alone, but also for the education of their children during their furlough.
We have been impressed with a· growing depth of conviction that, if some adequate and permanent provis- ion covId be made for the accommo- dation of such missionaries and their families, it would be one of the noblest and most useful forms of benefaction. Just now, a farm of fifteen acres, beautiful for situation,' just border- • ing the grounds of the Northfield when our colored brethren of the Seminary, was found to be for sale, and at a very low price. One of the South, properly trained in medical editors ventured to purchase the property in behalf of the friends of science, could traverse and live in the missions, and we now desire the prayerful and sympathetic co-opera- "dark continent" with comparative tion of all willing hearts in the further- ance of what we believe" God has impunity. We believe that God will put into our own heart to do" for his own servants. force this question upon the considera- Letter to Henry M. Stanley. tion of the Church, North and South, We have been favored with the fol- and upon our missionary societies. lowing letter, with the request to give it to our readers, with such com- We shall wait with interest Mr. Stan- ment as it might suggest. We cheer- fully comply. The letter will speak ley's reply to Mrs. Ray's letter, which for itself. And sure we are that 1:11'. Stanley will give it due consideration, we introduce by a note from Miss and a fitting reply. The subject of the letter is one of profound interest to Frances E. Willard, who sends it to- the whole American people, as well'as to Africa. It is an important factor us:-J. M. S. in the stupendous unsolved problem of the future of the negro race. For "Evanston, Aug. 14, 1890. ourselves, we are more and more con- "DR. J. M. SHERWOOD: . fident that Divine Providence is shap- "ing events so as to use our rapidly-aug- "HONORED BaOTHER:-I am sending you 8c menting colored population to take a letter addressed to Henry M. Stanley, by 8c very important part in the occupa- tion, the civilization and the evangel- gifted Christian woman of the South. Would ization of the immense territories in Africa, so suddenly and wonderfully it not be well to publish this letter, with opened up and brought under the favorable commentary? It is not at all in- protectorate of the leading European tended to exploit the colored people, but in SO powers. We have in the South, abun- far as they desire to do it, to set before them dant material out of which to make, in due time, thousands of mission- this open door. Mrs. Ray says: 'Our South- aries, the peers of Bishop Crowther, ern women were, for a long time, unconscious who was a slave in his youth, and missionaries in the home for the foreign now a l~ding bishop in Africa, and field;' and if a great magazine, like the who commanded the homage and ad- ~EVIEW, would take up the subject, in its own miration of the W orId's 1:1issionary Conference, in London, in 1888, and wise and cautious way, immense good would whose striking photograph forms the come of it. A resolution, urging the National frontispiece in the January number of Women's Christian Temperance Union to give this REVIEW. Such being the case, attention to this feature of missionary work, why should such numbers of the choice young men and women of the was adopted at the Asheville Women's Chris- North fall victims to the climate of tian Temperance Union training-school, re- Africa (three of the Kansas band that sailed in May have already fallen), cently held. Please let me know how this· looks to you, and give me any ideas that you think will be helpful. " Yours, with best wishes, and grateful re- membrance of your kindness, "FRANCES E. WILLARD."
"HENRY 1:1. STANLEY: "HONORED SIR:-I write at a ven- ture, to ask how shall the Southern women of the United States co-operate for the evangelization of Africa ? You know the institution of slavery as it once existed in theSouth. You know Africa. You can contrast these con- ditions and determine what sort of an evangelical factor these colored peo- ple, once slaves, who still remain with us, might become to their own race in Africa. If the discipline of slavery, under superior moral condi- tions, should prove to have been the prinaary training-school for such work, now that the second step of preparation is opened to the race, through citizenship, with its atten- dant responsibilities and opportuni- ties, the last link in the chain, of out- going missionary effort by Africans in America for their own continent;. might soon be forged. Individuals, given, and simple ways were sug- great or small, have a measure of re- sponsibility. The thought, 'How gested for saving that small amount. shall we help these people to do this work?' has often stirred my heart. We observed that Mr. Wilkins ex- One way suggested to me (leaving the commercial view of the subject to plained the plan at Northfield, at one statesmen and publicists), has been to ·organize our Southern women, of Mr. Moody's conferences, and it thro~gh ohurch missionary societies, intO home missionary bands, for the seemed to meet with favor. In a purpose of aiding the willing-minded among the blacks to go out on such a note, just received from him, he holy errand, to which they are better ,suited than the Anglo-Saxons. I am says: anxious to present this feature of pos- sible Christian enterprise to our mis- " You were good enough to publish sionary boards, and a statement from in the July number of the MISSIONARY .you would have great weight. May I not hope for it, in the interest of the REVIEW my paper on the' Extra-Cent- , dark continent,' which you have done a-Day Band. I am sure that you and more than any other person to bring your readers will be very glad to know ;to light. that there are now 13 or more bands, ,, Yours, with high esteem, with aggregate membership of about " Mrs. J. E. RAY. 650. More bands will be started imme- ." Asheville, N. C." diately.
Grand Possibilities. "There is a widespread interest in We gave in our July issue the out- the movement. Among the letters of line of a plan, devised and put in inquiry that I have received, some have come from Maine, New York, {)peration by a leading banker of Pennsylvania, Illinois, Nebraska, and Boston, to increase the permanent re- even Oregon. I am more and more ceipts of all our missionary societies sanguine that the' Extra-Cent-a-Day Band' may be made a tremendous without interfering with already-es- missionary power. tablished agencies. Simple and unos- " Sincerely yours, tentatious as this plan is, it seems to "S. F. WILKINs."
us worthy of careful study, if not of This is a good beginning, and we see general adoption. In the nature of no reason why the plan should not things it is adapted to all churches, come into general use. We earnestly all lands, and all conditions of things. commend it to our churches of all It is systematic in principle; it en- denominations, and to the considera- courages self-denial; it is within the tion ofourmission-boardsandsocieties.
reach of every friend of missions; the A cent a day is but a trifle, but if the method costs nothing but a little thirteen million Protestant Christians ,effort; and while the gift is small, the in the United States would give at aggregate is likely to be large. Mr. that rate, yeady $47,450,000, instead of Wilkins' own experience, at Newton $6,000,000, would flow into the Lord's -Centre, Mass., in the church which treasury. Is the plan not worth a he attends, we regard as a fair speci- vigorous trial? J. M. S.
men of what the method is capable of In response to a recent statement in yielding, if a fair chance be given it. the REVIEW, that a church in Phila- The Extra-Cent-a-Day Band there delphia had undertaken the support of numbered, in July, 111. The ex- at three of the native helpers whom Rev.
pected receipts for the year will be R. M. Mateer has hired his own over $400, which will practically all be charge in Shantung Province, Shang- extra. It is not intended to interfere hai, we have received the following: with other ways of giving, but to -EDS.
supplement the usual methods or "The Willing Workers' Band, of the Broadway Presbyterian ,Church .agencies. So an extra cent only is of Rock Island, a band of some 25 lads, has assumed the support of another, and it has kindled great en- thusiasm to think of supporting a preacher for a year in China.
"Yours, "WM. S. MARQUIS, Pastor."
PROGRESS OF MISSIONS-MONTHLY BULLETIN. 797'
VII.-PROGRESS OF MISSIONS: MONTHLY BULLETIN.
Africa.-The London Spectator reports a five Europeans superintend the work.-Afri..
recent decree issned by the Sultan of Zanzi- can News.
bar which is more immediately important as Brazil.-Protestant newspapers.-Brazil'
a blowto the African slave trade than the con- has at present six, to wit: ImprensaEvangeli- ference at Brussels. Zanzibar has heretofore ca,weekly; Evangelista, three times a month'
afforded the largest outlet for slaves from the Apologista Christao, weekly; Expositor fJhris: interior, Under the decree of the sultan, the tao, fortnightly; Arauto, monthly; Pulpito.
exchange, sale, or purchase of slaves is ab- Ji}vangelico, monthly. The representative'
solutely prohibited; all slave-dealing estab- Christian newspaper has not yet made its ap- lishments are closed; all slave-brokers carry- pearance in Brazil; a paper that is able to ing on the business made liable to heavy cover the whole ground. The capital and the penruties, and to deportation; all Arabs deal- men are both wanting. The present religious ing in domestic slaves are included in this press is in the hands of busy, overworked mis- provision, and any houses hereafter used for sionaries who edit their newspapers in the any purpose connected with the slave traffic hours stolen from rest.
are to be forfeited. Regarding slavery in Cbina.-Recent trustworthy calculations Zanzibar itself, the decree provides that on of the population of the Chinese Empire, by"
the death of their present owners slaves shall Russian antporities, reckon it at 382,000,000, be ipso facto free, unless the deceased leave and the annual increase at 4,000,000. Not one lawful children, who alone may inherit them. in 10,000 ever heard of the religion of Jesus, Slaves cannot be willed away or sold after the Christ.
death of their owner, and their ill-treatment -The China Inland Mission received last by their masters will be severely"punished, and, year £51,484, of which £33,642 were available"
in certain cases, involve the penalty of for- for general mission purposes.
feiture. Any Zanzibar subject married to a per- France.-The Rev. Dr. McAII, ofParis, in son under British jurisdiction is disabled from a recent letter, doolares his intention to have holding slaves, and all slaves now in the pos- anchored in the Seine a large missionary boat, session of such persons are declared free. Per- which has done service in many of the French sons who have themselves been slaves are pro- seaports. "It will be the first time," he says, hibited from owning slaves. Every slave is to "that this mode of evangelization has been at- have the absolute right to purchase his freedom tempted in Paris, but, though the popUlation· at a reasonable price; every slave is to have the is not seafaring, we have the impression that same rights as Arabs in courts of justice, and with God's blessing, the novelty of the method the sultan binds himself to accord them special will draw the attention of many hitherto ig- protection. These regulations will undoubt- norant of the Gospel. The cabin of the ship"
edly inflict a very heavy blow on a large sec- will contain nearly 200 persons, and we hope tion of the slave trade, besides involving a to have daily servi~ on board for two very serious social revolution in Zanzibar. If, months. The authorities have given us every as is reported, this decree has been secured by facility and protection."
English influence, the English protectorate in Formosa.-Rapid progress.-Some per- Zanzibar has made a most auspicious begin- sons complain that the missionary work ad- ning. vances so slowly, but God often shows that -Africa has now within her borders 10 He can accomplish His ends rapidly. One of American, 12 British, and 13 continental mis- the latest Instances of rapid progress is the sionary societies. There are more than 700 change wrought in the moral and religious ordained missionaries, and more than 7,000 condition of the inhabitants in Formosa, an native preachers. It is estimated that there island in the China Sea. The population here are, both white and native, about 175,ooocom- is mixed in character, being partly Chinese, municants, and 800,000 adherents.-North- and partly wild tribes. Among the latter western Ohristian Advocate. people, the missionary began some fourteen -Hamburg, July 23d.-The Reichstag, the years ago, to labor. At that time, idolatry first steamer in the new East African line, held sway, and hatred was felt and expressed sailed hence to-day with a full cargo and sev- for the foreigners. The diftlculties and ob- eral passengers. stacles in the way seemed almost insuper- -Congo Railway.-Over 1,000 Africans are able, but the workers had faith and energy, now at work on the Congo railroad. On April and God was with them. They gradually 12th, two miles of it had been completed; this found favor, and their labors proved success- portion begins at Matadi, which is at the ful. Now 12,000 conversions are reported, western end of the road, ninety miles from and churches are In full operation. Schools the sea. The principal difficulties lie in the have also been started, a native ministry is building of the first ten miles before the level being trained, and hospitals have been estab- plateau of the Congo hills is reached, Twenty- lished. Christianity has thus gained a strong footing. The next 14 years should,with such a Japan. – Murder of Mr. Large. Dr. wonderful foundation, manifest most remark- Thwing, our correspondent, who has just re- able gains in this island, and its complete turned from Tokyo, and who spent some time domination by Christ may be expected in the among the associates of the recently-murdered near future. GDd has his own way of work- missionary, w!'ites us that it was clearly a ing; but whether it be by slow or by speedy cltse of revenge, and not of cupidity. The processes, let us not despair of his final con- reply to the question, .. What is it?" which quest of the world, nor relax our efforts to met the two assassins as tbey entered the eircle the earth with His Gospel. chamber, was "Business," the euphemistic word for revenge. Mr. Large had not an Italy.-The Evangelical Church of Italy, enemy, but he and his wife were regarded as formerly called the Free Italian Church, is one in this savage, retaliatory action. There doing a noble work for Christ in that land. is a widespread feeling of unrest and of re- Its report for 1889 shows that it has many en- pugnance against the revolutionizing infiu- couragements attending its work. The ence of Western ideas, both in education, re- ehurches number 31, with 55 stations. There ligion and politics. are 2,305 communicants, and 1,374 school -It is a noteworthy circumstance that the ehildren. Evaugelist Spigno, of Genoa, one first Japanese Parliament, elected on the first of its agents, makes the following cheering of last July, contains ten Christians, or one in statement: .. The time is not mature for a thirty of the whole number of members. profound and general revival among the These Christians were elected in the face of Catholics, but it is certainly coming through much opposition to them on account of their the power of Christ. With pleasure, too, I religion. observe that the skeptical spirit, once so dominant, is gradually dying away, so that -It is reported that there are 3,000 Japan- the Gospel is no longer the object of scorn. ese in this country, of whom 2,000 have been In regard to Catholicism, it is morally de- baptized by missionaries in their own land, or molished. since they came to the United States.
India.-At a recent meeting in connection New Hebrides.-We have another strIk- with the C. M. S. in Salisbury square, a letter ing instance of the fact that the gifts of con- was read from Rev. H. J. Hoare, of Peshawar, verts from heathenism for the work of the Punjab. He speaks of it as a city of seventy Lord, put to shame the contributions of Chris- or eighty thousand inhabitants. The Afghans tians in better circumstances. The converts in it call themselves Bani-Israel- sons of on Aneityum, one of the New Hebrides Israel. They have a decidedly Hebraic cast Islands, volunteered the price of this season's of feature. Theyare great enemies of idola- crop of cocoanuts for the purpose of roofing try and higoted Mohammedans. The GDspel two churches with corrugated iron. The ean be freely preached; a handsome church copra, which is the dried fruit of the cocoanut, is built; and English-speaking natives attend is the chief source from which these islanders a literary institute. Before this wide door obtain their foreign goods, such as clothing, which is opened, the paucity of missionaries is ironware, tea, sugar, rice, etc. These Christhe pressing distress. "Fields white unto tians agreed to use for this purpose all their harvest" is the summons proceeding from copra for six months, so dispensing with every quarter. the comforts, not to say the necessaries of life. In this way they gave twenty-six tons of -Two Bengalee ladies, after a five-years' copra, valued at $574. While engaged in this course of study, received the degree of M.B. work of self-denial one of the churches was (Bachelor of Medicine), at the Calcutta Uni- destroyed by a hurricane, and so the people versity. They are both Christians. One has proposed, in addition to what they had already received an appointment under the Countess done, to devote the proceeds of the annual of Dufferin fund, and the other will open pri- arrowroot contribution toward this object. vate practice in Calcutta. Giving like this, were it practised among Christians generally, would make the Lord's -The baptism of Baboo Poresh Nath Sar- treasury overflow. kar, an interesting young Hindu, by Mr. Hector, principal of the Free Church College New Zealand.-The last census in New at Calcutta. which took place on a recent Zealand reveals the interesting fact of a pro- Sunday at Mahanad, has excited no little fession of religion on the part of no less interest. His relatives tried to prevent the than 95 per cent. of the whole population. baptism by detaining him in Calcutta, but he escaped from their toils, and reached the ap- Palestine.-Bishop Blythe, of Jernsalem, pointed place in time to meet Mr. Hector. He says there are now in Palestine double the has had to leave his wife and three children, number of Jews that returned from the Babywho have been taken possession of by his lonish captivity, and that the "latter rains" father, a bigoted Hindu. This persecuted which had been withheld since the times of disciple took his B.A. degree in 1884, and has the exile, had been granted again during the been head'master in a Christian school in last two years. Mahanad since 1887. -Colonization.-At a meeting of about '2,000 Jews in London, an address was given had done all in their power to dress the wounds by the Rev. H. Mackobe, on the new move- and sustain the patient. For a time good ment for the colonization of Palestine. It was hope was entertained of her recovery, but in stated that large numbers of Jews were be- the course of a few days inflammation set in, ing enrolled as members, and that the pro- and neither tender ministrations nor medical posed agricultural pursuits on the ground skill availed to save the precious life.
round Mount Zion were meeting with general As usual, the authorities were slow to take support. The allotments would be by ballot. measures for the arrest of the murderer, but Russla.-The Russian Minister of the In- through the vigorous efforts of Col. Stewart, terior has prdered the local authorities to pre- the English Consul, who stirred up the officers vent foreign missionaries from carrying on and himself offered a reward of $75 for the their religious propaganda among the Jews, capture of the murderer, the man was finally to the detriment of the exclusive right of con- arrested and imprisoned.
version possessed by the orthodox church. Mrs. Wright was an Armenian lady of most Scotland.-A society in Scotland, the Ayr- excellent Christian character, the daughter of shire Christian Union .has undertaken the a noble Christian mother who had been identi- work of sending out young men to Southern fied with our mission for ml;lny years. Mrs.
Morocco, to become missionaries after the .Wright visited this country with her husband plans advocated by Rev. E. F. Baldwin, going a few years ago, and won the confidence and forth two by two, without purse or scrip, ac- esteem of all with whom she came in contact.
cording to Matt. x: 9, 10. Although enjoying her visit to this Christian Switzerland.-The annual session of the land, she welcomed the day of her departure Switzerland Conference of the Methodist for her own land, that she might resume the Episcopal Church was recently held at La work which lay upon her heart, and to which Chaux de Fonds, with Bishop Warner presid- she had giTen her life. The bereaved husband ing. The Conference reports 5,109 members, and children and the mission so greatly 33 preachers, and 28 chapels. Formerly the afflicted are commended to the prayers of churches of this Conference were united with God's people. -Dr. Gillespie in New York those of Germany in one conference. Evangelist.
Turkey.-A·n extraordinary result of mis- -The Proportion of Missionaries to Popusion work in Turkey is the large Armenian lations. When the total statistics of missions emigration to America. The Armenians have are submitted one gets the notion that the learned that America is a paradise, next to . laborersaremanyratherthanfew. Butletthe heaven; and they are here, now, literally by number be placed side by side with the poputhe tens of thousands, all as the result of mis- ·Iations to whom they are sent and the imsion work. They do not go to Europe, but to pression is very different. America, and here they are industrious, respectable people. But this is a serious loss to China has one to 733,000 of population. the mission churches in Turkey. Siam " 6(X),OOO -The great revival which has taken place in connection with the Turco·American MIs- Korea 500,000 sion at Aintab, in Armenia, has resulted in the addition of 534 new members to the church. India 350,000 -Murder of a Missionary's Wife. A re- Africa 300,000 cent telegram in the newspapers has already announced the murder of Mrs. Wright, the In Central Africa and the Soudan the prowife of Rev. J. N. Wright, of Salmas, one of portion is one to each 5,000,000 of people. the stations of our Western Persia Mission. What are these among so many f Like the The facts, as they have reached the Board of five barley loaves, they must be multipled to Foreign Missions, are hriefly these: An Armen- supply the needs of the hungry multitude. ian teacher who had been employed in our We confess that it requires a miracle to make boys' school at Salmas was dismissed because the supply equal to the need. But nothing is of gross sin. As a maid servant iI'. the family too hard for God. Were His people as obediof Mr. Wright was involved, Mrs. Wright had ent to His will and as responsible to His comfelt constrained to reprove the young man, mand as were the loaves to the Lord Jesus, who in turn charged his dismissal entirely to there would soon be more than sufficient for the work of evangelizing these millions, and th~re would be no lack of funds, but the peo- ple, like the Israelites in the wilderness, would her, and took revenge by stabbing her five have to be told to cease from giving. Chris- times. Mr. Wright, who was in the adjoining tendom has the men and the means necessary room, immediately rushed to the rescue, but for the conversion of heathendom. Our chosen too late to avert the assault. A telegram was fields-China and India and Central Africa- a_ once sent to Tabriz for a physician, there are in especial need of more laborers. The being none nearer. Tabriz is thirty hours few converts call to us to come over and help from Salmas, but because of various delays, them. Let them be helped promptly, liberally, forty-nine hours elapsed before a physician and as if we are resolved soon to win China reached the bedside of Mrs. Wright. Mean- and India and the Congo for Christ.-The while her husband and associate missionaries Freeman (London).
INDEX OF CONTENTS OF THE OCTOBER NUMBER. [Oct•
INDEX OF CONTENTS OCTOBER NUMBER.
PAGE PAGE· I.-LITmRATURE OF MISSIONS•••••• 721-759 mated population, 797: ChinaIulandMis· II.-GmNmRAL MISSIONARY INTICLLI' slon……………………………….. 797'
GENCE…………………… 763-778 ENGLAND.-Dr.Barnardo's annual meet- m.-MIssIONARY COaREBl'ONDENCE•• 773-777 ing of children, 770: Report of the Inves- IV.-INTmaNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.•• 777-785 tigating Committee of the London Mls- V.-MoNTHLY CONCER? OF MISSIONS 785-792 sionary Society…………………….. 773, Vl.-EDITORUt. NOTmS ON CuRRENT FRANCE,-Letter from our cOxTespon- TOPICS ………………… 792-796 dent at Marseilles, 775: a missionary boat on the Seine…………………… 797'
VII.-PRoGREss OF MISSIONS: MONTH- FORMOSA.-Rapid progress in mission t.Y BUUmTIN ……………. 797-799 work ……………………………… 797'
vm.-INDEX TO OONTmNTS ••••..• ••••• 800 INDIA.-Child marriages, 765: Zenana Authors. missions, 766; Testimony to Indian mis· sions, 766; Lepers in India, 767: The EDITORS. – A. T. Pierson. The Prayer opium curse, 770; Tendency toward Brahma Somajism, 771: Letter from for Laborers, 741; The Soudan Mission, Miss Ellen Arnold, 775; Hebraic race in the Punjab, 798; Baptism of an interest- 793: Dr. Pentecost's Siege of Calcutta, ing Hindu …………………………. 797 794: ~he "New Herrnhut," 794: J. M. ITALY.-The Evangelical Church Mis· sion……………………………….. 798- Sherwood, Editorial Notes…………… 795 Bracq, Rev. J. C., Cardinal Lavigerie and his Anti·slavery Work……. …. … 721 Ellinwood, F. F., D.D., A Foreign Mis- sionary of Old Testament Times, 725; JAPAN.-A correction of statement, Missions and Sects in the Turkish Em· 776; murder of Mr. Large, 797; First Jap· pire ……………………………… 785 anese parliament…………………… 798- Gracey, J. T., D.D., International Depart- KOREA.-RomanCatholic movement In. 730 ment……………………………… 777 Lavigerie, Cardinal, and his anti·slavery Grout, Rev. Lewis, Mahdism and Missions work ……………………………… 721 in the Soudan………………………. 753 MADAGASCAR.-Confcern of Eng. Hamilton, Rev. J. Taylor, The Foreign Mis- lish missionary societies, 767; The gold sions ofthe Moravian Church ………… 777 craze…………………………….. 767 Hulbert, Prof. H. B., A Sketch of the R0- Missions, modern, results of permanent. 767 man Catholic Movement in Korea …… 730 Mission work, undenominational…. •• …. 736 Missionaries, Five from one Cradle. . . . . .•. 772 Johnston, Rev. James, A. S. A., Missionary Moravian Church, Foreign Missions of the 777 Notes …………………………….. 765 NEW HEBRIDES.-Remarkable Liber· Laurie, Rev. Thomas, D.D., The Results of ality of the Converts …….. ………. 798- Modern Missions Permanent………… 746 NEW ZEALAND.-The Last Census..• 799 Moorhead, Max Wood, Student Volunteer PALESTINE.-The Number of Jews Movement…………………………. 768 there, 799; Colonization. …………… 799 Porter, Rev. Thomas J., First Impressions Prayer for Laborers, 741: The Bishop of in Brazil……… . ….. …………… 783 Korea……………………………… 768' Riggs, Rev. James F., Undenominational RUSSIA.-Repressing Missionary Work. 799 SCOTLAND.-Sending out Missionaries Mission Work ……………………… r.m to Morocco….. .. …………………. 799 Starbuck, Rev. Charles C., Translations SWITZERLAND.-The Religious Con· from Foreign Missionary Periodicals•••• 759 Countries and Subjects.
AFRICA.-Mahdism and Missions In the dition of, 771: Annual Meeting of M. E.
Soudan,753: Abolition of Slavery in Zan· Conference .. ,…………… .. …….. 799 zibar, 765; The British East African Co., SYRIA.-Letter from our African Cor· 768; The Congo river of to-day, 769; King respondent, now in Beyrout…………. 776 Leopold and the Congo State, 769; Zanzi- TRINIDAD.-Letter from Rev. John bar decree against slavery, 797; Number Morton, D.D……………………….. 784 of missionary societies in Africa, 797: TURKEY.-Large Armenian Exodus to Congo railway.. . .. …… • •.. .. .. .•• :. 797 America… … .. ………….. , …….. 799 BRAZIL.-Reaction, 769; First Impres- TURKISH EMPIRE. – Missions and sions in, 783: Protestant newspapers .••• 797 Sects, 785; The Greek Church, 786; The BURMAH.-Buddhist extravagance in Maronite Church, 787; The Druzes, 787: beautifying their temples…………… 770 Missions in Turkey, 791; The Religion of CHINA.-China Iuland Mission of North the Nusairiyeh…………………….. 799 America, 778: The treaty with China, 785; Note from Dr. Thwing, 798; Wright, Mrs.
Support of a missionary in, 796; Esti· J. N., of SaJmas, the Murder of……… 799
The Missionary Review of the World — June 1890
MISSION TOUR OF BRITAIN
MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD.
VOL. XIII. m. 6.-0td Series.—JUNE.-voL. IlL No.6.-New Series.
I.-LITERATURE OF MISSIONS.
THE MISSION TOUR OF BRITAIN-No. IV. BY ARTHUR T. PIERSON, D.D. Edinburgh, Scotland, March, 1890.
DEAR DOCTOR SHERWooD-ApeHes' familial' maxim has been constantly before me in this mission tour of Britain: "Nulla dies sine linea." By the time this letter falls under the eyes of our readers, this six months of daily labor will have closed, and on May 31 it is. our expectation to sail for America. The aim has been to let no day pass without a new" line" of definite effort for the cause; Being now nearly at the end of the work, as mapped out for the British Isles, it may be well to record some impressions made by the-. experiences of four months in England and Scotland. Everywhere, the welcome has been most cordial and the co-operation most generous' and complete, recalling what Paul said of the Galatians, that they received him" as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus." Everywhere the assemblies have been large, attentive, responsiv~, sympathetic. Invitations pour in upon the committee from every quarter, which it is impossible to provide for, and which indicate abundance of opportunity were time only at my disposal.
1. It is quite noticeable, first of all, that here, as in America, evangelical belief and evangelistic zeal are inseparably wedded. In proportion to the spread of doubt as to the realities and verities of the Christian religion, is the reign of indifference as to missionary enterprise,or at least, of practical apathy. A firm faith in the Word of God and the person of Christ; clear views of sin and salvation, of law and penalty, and of atoning love and grace, seem to be vitally connected with earnestness and enterprise in world-wide exangelism. Nothing has impressed me more than this, that wherever I have found any man or woman absorbed and engrossed in missions, invariably further acquaintance has revealed that there was also hearty acceptance, without question, of the grand truths of Christianity; so that 1 have come, almost unconsciously, to accept intelligent missionary enthusiasm as a safe gauge of soundness in the faith. It is to be fcared that the so-called" higher criticism" is making havoc of missions, so far as it prevails, not only because it insinuates doubt., if not misbelief, but because it diverts attention from what is practical to what is speculative. Dr. Gardiner well says that" Geological strata, studied from a mineralogical point, are very perplexing; but no one mistakes the significance of a boulder/ that is, at least, an unmistakable FACT, driven about for ages and rounded off by friction. The boulder has a history, and to that as a fact geology must accommodate its tale. The gospels are full of boulders: the sermon on the mount is one; the parables of the good Samaritan and the prodigal son are others. We must admit the boulder; and then we may ask how it came."
As to this new critical school, Delitzsch sagaciously says: "Willful contempt of external testimony and frivolity in the treatment of historical data have, from the very first, been the fundamental evils apparent in the manner in which modern critics have handled certain questions. Those two coryphcei of the modern critical school (Hitzig and Ewald) find themselves hemmed in between two foregone conclusions: 'There is no true prophecy,' and' There is no trne miracle.' They call their criticism' free,' but when examined more closely it is in a vise. In this vise it has two magical formularie~ with which it fortifies itself againt any impression from historical testimony. It either t.{rns the prophecies into merely retrospective glances, as it does the account of miracles into sazas or myths; or it places the events predicted so close to the prophet's own time that there was no need of inspiration, but only of combination, to make the foresight possible. That school of criticism which will not rest until all the miracles and propltecies which cannot be set aside exegetically, shall have been eliminated critically, must be regarded by the Church as self-condemned. "
Connected with this destructive "higher criticism" is almost always a speculative tendency as to the questions of eschatology, especially the future state of the heathen. Doubts creep in as to the doctrine of eternal punishment, and all the related teaching of Romans, Chapters T. and II., and kindred passages, as to the condemnation and exposure of those who have lived and died without the gospel. And the consequence is that, instead of promptly bearing to the heathen the saving gospel and leaving the hereafter to settle speculations, the energies of disciples are expended on speculations about the" eternal hope" and" future probation," while with each second of time a human being passes heyond the reach of Christian labor! Some questions never can be settled in this world; there are secrets that exegesis, criticism, research, archreology, philology, philosophy, are powerless to unlock. Let us leave them to Him who holds the keys of David, while we enter at once those open doors which He has set before us, and to every soul thus divinely made accessible let us carry the tidings of that name which is the only name whereby we must be saved.
2. The use of a good missionary map has been abundantly demonstrated. I have had with me the grand map of Prevailing Religions, generously lent me by William E. Blackstone, Esq., of Oak Park, Illinois, which is the most complete and accurate I have seen. It is prepared, not to show the various countries or nations, but solely the religious dominant syetems, and these are represented by various colors. 'l'his map, being about fifteen feet by ten, can be seen in any church where there is a space to hang it. It illustrates at a glance much that cannot be "seen by the ear," as an Irishman might say. I use it to make manifest four things: first, the vastness of the world-field, with its vast yet unoccupied spaces; secondly, the great plan of God's campaign, in which it is the map of his battleneld; thirdly, the grand successes of missions, in which case it represents a harvest-field; and fourthly, to show the possibility and the practicability of the church's actual possession of this world for Christ. I do not see how any man can speak very effectively for missions who does not learn how to use a first-class map, and how to address the eye as well as ear. Wherever this map has been hung and used it has been the most eloquent of orators, as Webster said of the silent shaft at Bunker Hill. Best of all is it, when the man who WJes it makes his own map, so that he has been over it in :all its details, and so knows just what it means and why everything is as it is represented. Together with this map, I have used two charts: one representing the comparative extent of the false and the true faiths numerically, and the other representing the comparative expenditure for frivolities ($100,000,000), for tobacco ($600,000,000), and for liquors ($900,000,000), annually; with another column showing the comparative expense, during ninety years, for missions and 1iquors, the latter reaching the enormous sum of $80,000,000,000 in ninety years, while the former would not reach over one two-thousandth part of that sum. 'l'hese estimates are for the United States alone, but they are about equally true for Great Britain.
The farther I go the more I feel that the great need everywhere is information. The bulk of the people do not know the facts about missions, and if those facts could be widely disseminated and presented in an attractive manner, no one can tell the result in quickening and intensifying interest throughout the Church. It is melancholy to see how little even intelligent people know of the real destitution which exists, the wide areas yet unsupplied with missionaries, and the great facts of missionary history and biography; and therefore it is that faith in missions is easily shaken with some. I heard Miss Child say, at Edinburgh, that at the gates of the Golden Horn the black gulls are seen flying, and, being never seen to rest or alight, are called" l08t souls." Even Moslem and Pagan peoples have a con,cep- tion of the soul as restless without God; and, to wander without such rest in Him, is the synonymn of all forfeited bliss. The same lady also remarked' that one hundred thousand people, representing every variety of national type and religious faith, p:}ss over the Gallica Bridge; but the proverb is, "Not one idea goes over," so little intel- lectuallife and vitalizing power does Turkey seem to provide for its subjects, and so little mental activity is there to be found in the Greek church, likewise.
But again, Miss Child said, that in Constantinople, when they build, a cross is set up in the corner of the scaffold, and it means a constant prayer to the patron saint of the builders at the Bosphorus until the work is completed. What a suggestion to those who are seeking to build up, whether at h~me or abroad, a true missionary work! Whether as pastors we seek to arouse our own people and the communities where we live, to a new intelligence and interest in God's world-wide work; or whether, as missionaries abroad, we are building up for God a church among the heathen, the cross should stand on the corner of the scaffold, and our eyes should be upon it. 'fhe work can only go on as the prayer of faith goes up. He who praY8 is he who build8. Here, above all, orare e8t laborare-work is worship.
Curious are the synchronisms and correspondences of history. 'fhe first slaving voyage from England was made in 1562 by Sir John Hawkins. Queen Elizabeth, on his return, called him to account, and expressed her disapproval of carrying off Aft-icans without their own consent, declaring such an act detestable, and invoking vengeance on the perpetrators of such deeds. Whatever assurance Captain Hawkins may have given that he would act within the limits of her majesty's instructions, and however he may have glossed over the iniquity of Bis doings, greed proved too powerful a temptation for his veracity and integrity. Captives on the African coast were very cheap, and the profits in St. Domingo were very ample, and the slave traffic went on.
In 1564, he sailed with four vessels, one of which was named the Jesur (Jesl1s?), and he made str;tight for Cape de Verde and Sierra Leone. At the Island of Sambala, Hawkins and his crew stayed for days, going on shore daily, burning and spoiling towns and taking the inhabitants for a prey. This voyage proving profitable, another was undertaken in 1567 in the Jesur, and some 400 or 500 captives secured. The voyage, however, proved disastrous, calamity after calamity befell them, and few of all the crew ever found their way to England. Yet Sir John went on with his work of trading in the bodies and souls of men, and records his sufferings as though he we~e writing" the lives aud deaths of martyrs," as, on previous prosperous voyages, he had entered on his log book, how God had not "suffered his elect to come to harm."
Curiously enougp, it was just 300 years from that time (1861-1865) that in America a civil war was raging, the natural fruit of that very slavery which such. traffic had planted on these shores; and in 1865, Abraham Lincoln struck the fetters from four millions of African slaves!
In 1622 Japan was driving out Catholics and Jesuits who brought to the empire of the Rising Sun a nominal Christianity but no Bible; and at the same time, at Plymouth, Pilgrims were landing from the Mayflower, and planting the Bible as the very corner stone of liberty and religion; and from their descendants, says D-r. A. J. Gordon, came Commodore Perry, who, in 1853 and 1854, more than two cen- turies later, 'was peacefully negotiating a treaty by which the faith of those Pilgrim fathers was to find its way into the island empire. How remarkable, too, was that year, 1858, for the opening of wide doors to Christian missions! That was the year when Japan, by treaties, made successively with the United States, Britain, France, Russia and Holland, became generally accessible to those nations; in that same year, China, which, by the treaty of Nankin, in 1842, opened five ports, Canton, Amoy, Foochou, Ningpo, Shanghai; further, by the treaty of Tien-Tsin, opened other ports and conceded t9 British subjects the right to travel under passports in the interior. That same year, 1858, India became part of the British Empire, and David Liv- 'It: ingstone a second time sailed to Africa to pioneer the way for mis- sionaries into the unexplored interior of that Dark Continent. Thus in one year the doors were mysteriously opened to mOl"e than half the population of the globe. Probably no such a series of providen- tial interpositions ever occurred in history before. The year 1858 ranks as the Annus Mirabilis.
Not only is God in missionary history by his providential inter- positions, but by his gracious transformations.
Whc;m Barnabas and Saul were separated, qualified, called of God and sent forth by the church at Antioch, to go to the Gentiles, they completed their mission tour by returning to Antioch and gathering the church together to rehearse all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the gentiles. Afterward, when they went up to Jerusalem, being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phamicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, and caused great joy unto all the brethren. When they were come to Jerusalem they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders,and they declared all things that God had done with them, and what miracles and wonders He had wrought among the Gentiles by their agency.
It is most noticeable throughout these three chapters of the Acts (xiii., xiv., xv.), how constantly and emphatically God is recognized in the whole inception, progress and success of this first missionary campaign. Christ had accompanied the first great commission by a grand declaration, ".All power is given unto me in heaven and on earth;" and by an equally grand promise, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." .And now the .Acts of the .Apostles records the fulfilment of that promise. Such was the success of that campaign that it could be accounted for only on the ground of divine interposition. From first to last He is gratefully acknowledged and glorified. He selected the laborers and thrust them forth into his harvest fields; He set them apart, appointed them and annointed them for this very work, and as the church sent them forth, so also the Holy Ghost sent them forth and went with them. He who thus thrust forth the laborers, opened the doors, wide and effectually before them. Their entrance in unto the Gentiles was plainly of God. He gave. them access to foreign and hostile peoples and secured them an audience, and turned even their persecutions to a testimony, and their rejection into a welcome. Then he granted conversion unto the gentiles, and sanctification, purifying their hearts by faith. Then he wrought various miracles, signs and wonders by the hands of his apostles. So that throughout the whole course of their campaign GOD'S PRESENCE and POWER were conspicuous.
It is our deep conviction that no candid man can read the history of the last century of missions without being impressed that it is the twenty-ninth chapter of the .Acts of the .Apostles; and that through. out this whole historic chapter, as throughout the rest of that book, God's providence and grace are conspicuous. So far from missions being a failure, their success demands a supernatural force and factor as their only adequate explanation. From the time when William Carey began to revolve in his humble shoe shop at Hackleton the plan for a world's evangelization, all along through the periods of organization, .occupancy of the fields, and realization of results, the mighty hand of God is marvellously manifest. We believe that the study of missions is the effectual cure of all skepticism. If there be any modern Nathaniel who doubts whether any good thing has come out of Nazareth, let him" come and see." Let him read and study Robert Morrison, Charles Gutzlaff, Peter Parker, and their work in China; let him follow the footsteps of .Adonaram Judson and his devoted wives in Burmah and among the Karens; let him sail with John Williams through the South Seas, until he falls beneath the savage club at Eromanga; let him watch the work of Charles Wheeler on the Euphrates, and Dr. Barnum at Harpoot; let him go to Zululand and hear the native preachers now. telling the gospel story to their yet benighted countrymen; let him visit the crowded salles of Mc.All in Paris and the French provinces, and go for fo.ur months every night into a new station among these mercurial Frenchmen; let him go to the Eternal City and see thirty Protestant chapels within the walls where thirty years ago no Protestan t could bring a Bible; let the candid investigator go. into the Madras Presi- dencyand visit Tinnevelly, where in six months 16,000 were bap- tized, and the Telugu country, where 10,000 were baptized in a twelve- month; let him trace the footsteps of Fidelia Fiske in the Land of Esther, and sit down with her at the Lord's table with seventy young ladies brought to the Lord by her influence; let him visit the sun- rise Kingdom, and realize that the changes of ten years, as Kawmura says, have" left nothing as it was before except the natural scenery;" let him go to Formosa, where, on the twelfth anniversary of his arrival, McKay sat down at the Lord's table with 1,200 converts; let him who is willing to be convinced go to William Duncan's Metlakahtla and see a model Christian state among the Indians, whom some even now think good only to kill; let him go to old Calabar and see the heathenism of a thousand years yielding its long established customs and superstitions before the gospel; let him compare the India of to-day with scores of its cruel tortures and outrageous oppressions either abolished or abated; let him read t,he story of Madagascar and the twenty-five years of persecutions that not even with scalding water and martyr-fires, with hurling from precipices and drowning in the sea, could intimidate Malagasy disciples; let him go to Aniwa and see John J. Paton's memorial, a savage cannibal population turned intoa Christian community, with churches, schools, hospitals, hallowed homes and civil order suoh as becomes a Christian state; let him look on the thousand churches of the Fiji group, many of them built on the site of cannibal ovens; let the doubter who is willing to be convinced that God is in missionary history, follow the steps of the mission band from William Carey's sermon in Kettering in 1792 to the latest triumph of men of faith and of prayer who still " attempt great things for God," and" expect great things from God;" and he will find himself following the pillar of cloud and fire, and. dazzled by the glory of the Shekinah !
We have written and spoken for twenty-five years upon missions. And to-day, conscious that we stand a quarter of a century nearer the bound of life, where burdens of duty are laid down for the nnresting but unwearying service of a higher life, we calmly and confidently say that, for closeness of fellowship with God, and for the vivid vision of His almighty power, and for the effectual removal of all honest doubt as to a supernatural presence in human history, and especially the work of world-wide evangelization, we know of nothing equal to a participation in preaching the gospel to the lost.
After about three months of missionary campaigning in Scotland, my tour closed there on the twenty-thircl instant, with meetings at Campbeltown, Cantire, and;as was becoming, a closing meeting in that border city, Berwick-on-Tweed, which is on the Scotch side of the 'l'weed, but within ,English jurisdiction. From first to last there has been but one experience of welcome from all disciples, and gen- erous cordiality and hospitality.
At Alloa, in connection with one of the grandest meetings held north of the border, I saw a man that reminded me of what Bayard Taylor said to Baron von Humboldt: " You have seen a great many ruins, :Mr. Taylor," said the Baron, "and now you behold another." " No, not a ruin, but a pyramid," responded the accomplished author of " Views Afoot." So I felt when I saw in my audience that venerable man of ninety, who is one of the noblest givers of his generation-David Paton, Esq. In the course of his life he has contributed to missions his whole fortune of some million dollars, and is now living on a small annuity. Yet when in course of my address he heard me refer to the present straits of the McAll missions and the threatened danger of being compelled to close thirteen of the Salles for lack of funds, out of the little left to him, David Paton managed to contribute another two hundred andfifty pounds sterling (nearly $1,250), as a letter from Dr. :McAll jnst informs me. It was worth going to Alloa to look upon such a " pyramid."
That meeting at Alloa was an example of energy in working up plans for a public assembly. The week days are, of course, the difficult times in which to secure large gatherings for such purposes. Almost all the local committees beg for a Sabbath, and the Central Committee regret that Sunday comes but once in seven days. But although Alloa is one of the smaller towns and the only day that could be given was a Wendesday, the great Town Hall was crowded and not a few had to go away without getting even standing room. And, writing of meetings, it is very, noticeable how much the success of a meeting depends on the spirit of the local committee of arrangements, and even on the way in which what the Scotchman calls the "intimations" are given. I happened to be present in Barony' Church, Glasgow, when the genial and gifted Dr. Marshall Lang was announcing the meeting to be held at St. Andrews' great hall on the Monday evening following. He said: "We are to hold a great meeting to-morrow night. If you want to get a seat you must go early; and that you may not fail if you go early, I have had enough tickets brought to the church to supply such as wish to go; and if you find you cannot go, you must surrender your ticket to some one else who will." Of course St. Andrews' great hall was filled. " According to your faith be it unto you," is true in more spheres than one. The very next Sunday I happened to be where a brother minister, who felt great misgivings about the week-night meetings being a success, besought his people to go, as many as possibly could, all though he wished to save it from disastrous failure. Both enthusiasm and des- pondency are contagious, as this campaign furnishes abundant proof.
After having held 150 meetings in England and Scotland, from Bristol to Aberdeen, and from London to Glasgow, there are now more applications unfilled than brought me over the sea last autumn, showing that there is abundant opening for work of this sort. As yet Wales and Ireland are untouched. England has been approached only at some principal points like London, Birmingham, Bristol, Liv- erpool, Leeds, Leicester, Oxford, etc. Even Scotland, where three months have been spent, has not been overtaken. Inverness, Elgin, Forres, and all the country north of that line we have been unable to -embrace in the tour, not to speak of many other places as large as Kirkcaldy, which in the more southern portion have been necessarily omitted. One of the most delightful visits I have yet made was to St. Andrews, the venerable university town, sacred to the martyrs of Christ, and consecrated by the graves of such men as Halyburton, Rutherfurd, Adam Ferguson, and the like. I was a guest of Dr. A. K. H. Boyd, the Moderator-elect of the Established Church As- 'sembly, whose pen has made his name a household word far beyond the limits of his voice. Under his genial guidance I went to see the famous" bottle dungeon," where Wishart and other martyrs were con- -fined, and saw the spot where he and Hamilton were burned, and the window from which Beaton was hung, just opposite, in the castle; we walked through the Abbey grounds and among the University build- ings, only regretting that the time was so short.
Scotland is full of accomplished men, and from many a humble llOme has gone martyr or missionary. From one lowly cottage in 'Strathaven, went the Martin brothers, William, Gavin and James, two of them to India, the other to Jamaica. Then a son of James followed, then the surviving sister, allfive to the foreign field. And when I spoke at Edinburgh to the students on Friday evening, March 14th, two more sons of those Martin brothers came up to me and -shook my hand and told me they were in training for the same work! Seven from one house-we might almost say from one cradle! What a land of missionaries would this be if the cradle-s were consecrated! From how many other humble homes whose kingdom cometh not with observation might there go forth bands of missionaries to spread the good tidings!
In all my addresses here I have sought to impress the vital connection of prayer with missions. Nothing is more important-notlling is so important. The work is essentially divine in conception and ,execution. This supernatUl:al gospel can accomplish that supernatural 'work of conversion only through a supernatural power, the Holy Ghost. Prayer is the only hold we have upon the Spirit of God, and Ithel;efore prayer is the single secret of all blessing upon our work.
PASTOR HARMS AND HIS MISSION WORK. [June-
Prayer means every other form of blessing. It means plenty of workmen, it means open doors of access, it brings plenty of money and means, it brings unction upon the workmen, it brings success of the highest sort on the field, large harvests and frequent harvests-the rain on mown grass making the grass to grow again for another crop.
Those who cannot go, who have no child to give, and but little' money to give, can pray)' and it is noticeable that of all the gifts we can offer, this of fervent supplication is the most emphasized in the· New Testament!
Our beloved friends in Scotland have, with characteristic generosity, crowned all their former loving kindness with one last act, of which I can hardly write without indelicacy and yet scarcely forbear to write without ingratitude. Just as my three months' campaign, closes, a letter reaches me from the beloved and venerable Rev. Dr. Andrew Thomson, of Edinburgh, announcing that the" Duff Trustees. have appointed me as their next lecturer on missions." Dr. Thomson. gracefully adds that" nothing could be more cordial than the appointment, as well as more gratifying to himself, and that he hopes no obstacle may be found to stand in the way of my acceptance." This lectureship, founded in memory of Dr. Alexander Duff, has already been filled by such men as Dr. William Fleming Stevenson and Sir Monier' Williams, etc. It deserves mention in these letters, for, as it seems to· the new appointee, this election is not so much a tribute to the capacity and ability of the lecturer-elect, as it is a beautiful and graceful expres!'lion of appreciation for the work that he has sought to do in, Scotland. If the way shall appear open for acceptance, it will give· opportunity also for the gathering up of the loose threads of a some– what scattered and imperfect impression, and weaving them into a more substantial and permanent form. This last act of our Scottish friends we cannot but esteem an undeserved honor, but it is the most fragrant laurel wreath that has ever been placed upon the writer's head; and it is specially grateful as the last of a long series of generow; and appreciative acts, crowning this short mission tour of the churches with a diadem that shows rather the princely nature of my hosts than the princely title of their American guest. One hesitates, to follow where such men have led. But if the providence of God shall permit, we shall feel constrained to say, like Franklin of his. illustrious predecessors at the Court of Versailles, "I come to follow,. not to succeed them !"
PASTOR HARMS AND HIS MISSION WORK.
BY REV. LEWIS GROUT, WEST BRATTLEBORO, VT.
LOllis Harms, the son of a Lutheran minister, was born in 1809,. at Hermannsburg in Hanover, and educated at Gottingen. From his youth he gave promise of being, as he proved to be, a man of manystrong parts-thoughtful, sympathetic, self-reliant-a man of great energy, industry and perseverance, together with a kindness of feeling and a high sense of honor, truth and purity, that could not fail to win the confidence and esteem of all who should know him. ,His good judgment, good memory, and great activity made him a good man- ager of great enterprises; while the great simplicity of his trust in God, his strong faith, and rare devotion, made him bold and strong to attempt great enterprises. Such a man was needed in just the times and place in which he lived. Many of the two millions of people around him were given to infidelity, many to formalism and worldli- ness. Few of them cared at all for either the house or the word of God. For a man of traits like those of Harms: the l,ord had a great work, both in Hanover and among the heathen beyond the sea. But for this work the man must have more than natural talent-must be himself first roused to a new spiritual life. To this he was moved and converted by reading the tender, loving words of Christ in his intercessory prayer. Being himself divinely imbued with the spirit of his new Master, he entered at once upon his labors of love for others, and soon became assistant pastor in his native village; and at the age 'of forty, on the death of his father, refusing many temptiftg calls to other places, he became pastor of the parish in which he was born and reared, and set himself to the joyful work of developing in it the best type of a useful church and ministry.
Nor was it long ere his earnest efforts began to yield a rich return. " The attendance in church increased; reverence for the Bible grew; there was more conversation on sacred things, more order and neatness in the village, and the 'Hermannsburghers' became a proverbial people. The noon bell was sounded, and every head was bared in prayer. No- where else in Hanover was a parish to be found where apostolic piety seemed revived as here, in the consciousness of a present Christ and a present Spirit, and in the effectiveness of the means of grace."
And now the heart of the pastor began to beat warm and strong for the millions in heathendom, especially in Africa, who had never as .yet heard of the love of that Saviour who had died for them. Upon this he began to speak to his people. Sometimes the subject gave him wakeful hours at night; sometimes he made it the theme of a dis- course on the Sabbath, and often was it the chief topic of remark in his visits from house to house among his people. They soon caught his spirit, and began to talk of the work among themselves and with their pastor, and some of them began to give. Their first contribution was a silver penny from a child, sixpence from a poor laborer, and six shillings from a widow. Little did these humble givers think what" a soaring pillar of fire" was to come from these trifling sparks, by means of which many a benighted soul on the Dark Continent would yet be guided and cheered in the way of life. And now this enthusiastic pastor begins to urge his church and parish to give themselves, personally and practically, to the work, be- {Jome responsible for a portion of the heathen world, form a society, choose a. field, and go in person, or help send others of their own number to man the field. 'rwelve came forward and offered to go, one of whom gave his farm as well as himself. With the avails of the farm a training school was established, where the twelve put . themselves under their pastor's teaching for two or three years, by way of preparation for mission work. Then the people began to study and plan with their pastor how they should send their brethl·en, when they should be ready, and provide for their support. Meantime, others offered themseives and came into the training school for instruction, and among them a number of newly converted sailors from the German fleet. Then some of the peasants expressed a wish to go as farmers, and some of the villagers as tradesmen or mechanics. In this way a new element was infused into the scheme, emigrants or ()olonists being now associated with the missionaries, and the hope cherished that the mission might eventually become self-supporting. And here the pastor himself is not only greatly encouraged, but set forward and furnished with a new idea; for, says he, "Without these sailors we should never have become colonists; for we, honest but somewhat stupid, heath-people, should never have dreampt of sending out any but real missionaries." And then, too, out of these sailors, they got the idea of building and having a ship of their own for mission purposes. Putting their minds and hands together, by faith, work and prayer, the ship was built, and the much-loved pioneer pastor, with some hundreds of his parishioners, took a special train to Hamburg to see the new ship, christen it Candace, and dedicate it to the work of carrying the gospel to the Ethiopians. Eight of the twelve candidates for appointment as missionaries being accepted, together with eight colonists, on the 21st of October, 1853, the Candace took them joyfully aboard, weighed anchor, and spread her sails for Mombas and the Galla country, via the Cape and Port Natal.
And now it was, on reaching their desired haven, that their faith and zeal were put to the first and severest test. The Mohammedan powers at Mombas, subject as they were to the Imaum of Zanzibar, jealous of all foreign influence, and especially opposed to the· incoming of Christian missionaries, set themselves firm against the proposed enterprise, and compelled the missionaries to depart. "The Arabians themselves towed the ship, with wild cries, out of the harbor of Mombas, as if they had gained ·ha1£ a world by getting rid of the Christians." The Candace now put back to Natal, where she had called on her way up the coast a few months before. Here they had a glad reception by some of their own countrymen, by missionaries from other lands, and by the Government of the colony. Without renouncing the hope of yet reaching the Gallas, on which their hearts are deeply set, they settle down to begin work where they are. Consulting with others' as to the best way and place to begin, on the 19th of September, 1854, with five ox-teams, after the Dutch Boer fashion, they reach the seat of their first and central station, which they call by the dear homeland name of " Hermannsburg," on a large farm of six thousand acres, called" Perseverance," and situated on the Iuhlimbiti, one of the inland branches of the U mvoti, their purpose being to strike out, eventl].ally, from this in different directions, especially into Zululand and the regions beyond, even to the Gallas, as the field should open and their forces increase. Already had they entered on their work by making tours of observation and by studying the language of the people with other missionaries, and aiding them in their work as best they could.
Having fixed upon a station, their next work, like that of other enterprising missionaries in the same or any similar wild and barbarous region, was to build themselves a house in which to live and a place in which to worship. To this they devote themselves at once in right good earnest, and yet keep up their study of the language,. and let pass no good opportunity to teach the people in whatever would be helpful to them, both in this life and the next. The carpenter, with the best workers in wood, went to·" the bush" for timber. The smith made ready a smithy for work in iron. The farmer gathered a native force to care for the teams and help him in his husbandry. The mason, with a few good helpers, began to make brick. The thatcher worked in the garden till he was wanted on the roof. The cook, as yet without a kitchen, had" a laborious business to feed so many hungry people." They planned to build a house· 120 feet by 40, with eight dwelling-rooms and twelve bedrooms, a large dining alld sitting-room, a large kitchen, and a long hall running through the centre from end to end. The writer, bEing there on a visit at a later date, after the house had been finished, and the mission enlarged by the incoming of other members, found this house the abode of thirteen families, who took their meals all at one table in the large central dining-room. Here, too, they all met,. morning. and evening, for family worship; and everything, as the visitor was atl>ured by the superintendent and his lady, went on,. from day to day, in the most orderly and harmonious manner. Less than half a mile away there was another band of seven families, living in a similar manner in one house.
Nor was it long, considering the missionaries' imperfect knowledge of the language, before they began to get from God "an earnest of an extended blessing on their religious labors, and to be thus encouraged to persevere." Ere three months had expired four natives, a married couple and two others, who had been under instruction, came to their teachers with a wish to be baptized and make a public profession of their faith in the Saviour of whom they had been told. After some weeks of further instruction, on the first Sabbath of the new year, they were examined before the congregation, accepted, baptized, and made the nucleus of a church among the Zulus. Forthwith, upon this, say the missionaries, "Satan broke loose, and did all in his power to hinder and destroy their work; but, thanks and praise to God, his grace gained the victory." Writing home, they entreat their patrons and friends to help them in their prayers, that the Lord may give them true humility and a self-sacrificing faithfulness in their calling, that they may not look for soft beds, luxurious sofas and good eating and drinking, but look to the I.ord Jesus and the extension of His kingdom. Nor was it long ere they felt that they had still further evidence of God's readiness to bless them in the ~oming of many natives to be taught to know and read the gospel. Some of the natives ask the missionaries to come and teach them at their homes, in their kraals, and some bring their children to the station to be taught. "Are not these fair prospects 't 0, Lord Jesus, the seed sprouts already. Preserve it from the hail! "
:Meantime, the full and frequent reports and familiar communications which these missionaries and colonists make to their friends and patrons in their fatherland, and especially to their beloved pastor, who, in turn, from time to time, talks it all over with his people, or has much of it published in his missionary magazine, help to keep the stream of mission interest ever full and rising. The training school was kept full, usually numbering about fifty. In 1856, a second company, chiefly farmers and maids, was found ready to go out; in 1857, still another company, numbering forty-six, of whom twelve were missionaries, was sent out; and then, in 1860, still another, numbering twenty-nine, of whom four were missionaries, the l'est colonists. On one occasion more than a hundred stood ready to go at one time. All this led to the frequent founding of 'a new station, so that in 1860, six years from the beginning of their work at Hermannsburg, they had ten stations, four in Natal, three in Zululand; and, at the united request of the chief Sechele and the Dutch, they had sent and formed three stations among the Bechuana, which were proving prosperous, the schools large, the attendan~e upon Sabbath worship good, and baptisms many.
At the end of the first decade of this mission, 1864, they had founded 24 stations and started two more, and baptized 190 converts. How well founded, planned and managed was Pastor Harms' mission enterprise, is seen in the fact that it went on to live and prosper marvelously after his death, which occurred Nov. 14, 1866. The annual Christmas festival, at which the pastor and his devoted charge of peasants and villagers were accustomed to review their year's mission work, was still kept up; and at that held in 1870, they reported their work greatly enlarged. The number of stations in Africa was now said to be 37, of which 7 were in North Zululand, 5 in South Zululand, 8 in Natal, 2 in Alfredsland, 10 in Bechuanaland, and 5 in Little Mosika District. At these stations 200 persons re- ceived baptism during the previous year. They had also 5 stations in India and 1 in Australia. Two brethren were about to leave for California to labor there in behalf of the Chinese in that State. The moneys received for the support of the Hermaunsburg Mi1!sions the previous year amounted to 50,311 thalers. The expenditures were 44,590; the balance, therefore, in favor of the treasury was 5,721 thalers. Their South African missions continued to grow till they numbered 50 stations and 5,000 converts, when some 12 or 15 of these stations were swept away by war; since which, however, it is under- stood that some of these devastated 8tations have been rebuilt.
In 1886 the income of the Society was $48,500, its missionaries and native helpers numbered 219, of whom 40 were ordained Euro- peans, 50 laymen and 42 women, likewise Europeans. The native communicants numbered 4,680, and baptized persons, 12,120. The gain of the year was 260 communicants. Rev. Egmont Harms was secretary of the Society in place of his father, now deceased. Aside from South Africa, the Society was doing mission work in India, Australia and New Zealand.
At an early stage of his Zulu Mission, Pastor Harms began to look for some suitable person to have the general superintendence of the work, and made choice of Rev. Mr. Hardelalld, D.D. arid Ph., who for many years had been a missionary among the Dyaks in Borneo. Dr. Hardeland would take this charge on condition that the Mission' .should be brought, in some measure, into connection with the Lutheran Church of Hanover, so far, at least, as to require that Church to examine and ordain all missionaries who might be sent by the Hermannsburg Society to this field. To this Mr. Harms assE:llted. Dr. Hardeland reached the field in 1859, after which the mission was subject to his oversight and direction.
Nor should we fail to notice that Pastor Harms and his enterprising people seemed all the more interested and active in their homework becaustJ of. their interest in the foreign field. In addition to other charitable efforts, they established a refuge for discharged convicts, about whom there hung a taint of disgrace, whose sympathies were perverted, whose sensibilities had been hardened by crime, and whose career had alienated common confidence. Moved to pity and helpfulness toward this neglected class, the warm-hearted Hermannsburgers bought a farm and built an asylum on it to be a home for the helpless and the hopeless, and yet a means of self-help for those who ·could labor. And then, again, as a means of imparting information
THE RELIGIOUS WORK AMONG THE IMMIGRANTS
and promoting mutual sympathy among themselves, as also between themselves and their brethren in a distant land, they started a live missionary magazine. This gave employment, for a portion of their time, to some in the training school, and thus helped to prepare them for the handling of type and a preBs, in a land where press and type had never been known. Beginning in this humble way, this department of the work went on to unfold and grow, till, eventually, they had" a Parish Publishing House~ issuing catechisms, tracts, and the literature of the Gospel, yielding an annual profit of six hundred pounds sterling."
In the narrative before us, what pastor, missionary, or missionary society, church or individual, can fail to find instruction and inspiration? In the Hermannsburg pastor and people, what an example for us to study and be encouraged! In it we see what an earnest, devoted pastor, who has God and a responsive, united people to help him, can do in face of great obstacles. Pastor Harms was a man of faith. He made his work, whether at home or abroad, a work of faith. He had faith in God, and faith in his people. He was a man of prayer. Of God he asked-in faith-the help he needed from God; of his people he asked-in faith-the help he needed from them. Putting·and keeping his work before his people, making it their work, consulting with them, informing, cheering them, he had their confidence, their hand and their heart, and found that as the work grew upon them, the means to carry it on grew also. Pastor Harms was a man of great spirituality, and yet a man of affnirs, a great worker, intensely active, a great organizer and manager, eminently original, progressive, trustful, hopeful, faithful, successful. His ways and means of securing a mutually helpful interest .between the church at home and his missions abroad-his way of promoting a loving, personal sympathy and attachment between the laborers in the field and their patrons at home, are worthy of consideration in this day of diverse thought and study as to the best me~hods of mission work. Indeed, in all the union of individuality, fres~ess, freedom and fitness in his beneficent plans and labors, never running in the ruts of lifeless uniformity or imita– tion, always finding some good place or use for everybody and everything, and especially in his great simplicity of purpose, his Christly spirit, his consecrated life, there is much for the whole Christian world to admire and emulate to-day.
']'HE RELIGIOUS WORK A~fONG THE IMMIGRANTS.
BY REV. PROFESSOR GEORGE H. SCHODDE, PH. D., COLUMBUS, OHIO.- It is only within the last decade or two that the immigrant problem has assumed in the public mind a moral and religious phase, in a. measure crowding into the background the purely economic feature of the question. The number of strangers entering at our gates. average each year more than half a million. The new factor and fer- ment introduced into the thought and life of the nation by the advent of millions grown up' in environments and surroundings often radi- cally at variance with the ideas and ideals of American traditions, make the inquiry as to what is being done for the intellectual and religious education of these masses one of direct home interest, in which every citizen and Christian must look with personal concern and solicitude. This modern migration of nations is also a mjgration of national peculiarities; and the number of new comers is so great, that it is a question as to how far they will assimilate to American life, and how far they will attempt to impress the stamp of their own individuality upon our people. Experience has shown that the efforts made in the latter direction are far from being welcome innovations and transformations.
Naturally the State can do nothing for the religious wants of these strangers; and what is done in the way of establishing schools, is practically of. .little benefit on account of the language difficulty and the age of most of the immigrants. Only the second generation can hope to make use of the opportunities offered for intellectual improvement by the State. Accordingly, the whole work in this direction must be of a voluntary character, carried on by those whose interest in it prompts them to this labor of love. The immigrant, himself cannot be expected to do much for himself in this respect. As a rule they are poor, and are intent, above everything else, upon the establishment of a house and home. Then, the majority of them have grown up in State churches and have never learned the lesson of self-help in regard to church and school, which is the condition of success in America. They are helpless as regards both ways and means. Often, too, they are but little concerned about their highest and deepest interests-those of their souls and hearts-the religious life in the State churches being but poorly adapted for the develop- – ment of personal piety and a clear appreciation of;he individual's religious needs and duties.
The work has then been left for those religious organizatio;ns in our country which, from a national or confessional point of view, must evince the deepest concern for the spiritual welfare of the immigrant. Nearly all of these strangers who come from southern Europe and from Austria and Ireland are Roman ·Catholics, as are also, perhaps, one-third from Germany and Switzerland; while the great majority of the rest of the Germans, as also all the Scandinavians, Swedes, Danes, Norwegians, Finns, Icelanders, and a small per cent. from Austria are members of the Lutheran State Churches, the Reformed Church being represented by a small German and Swiss contingent. From a l'eligious point of view, at least twotlJi",]R of tIle immigrants are P,'otestants, or, at any rate, non-Roman Catholics. The new immigration spirit which has in the last three or more years taken hold of the Roman Catholic Latin nations in Europe, and has made the number of emigrants from those States almost equal to that from the Anglo-Saxon and Teutonic nations of northern Europe, has not changed this proportion, to any perceptible extent, in favor of the Church of Rome, because the great majority of the Latin wanderers go to South America and not to the United States.
The work of the Roman Catholics for housing their portion of the immigrants is carried on more systematically than can be done by any of the Protestant denominations. The magnificent organization of the Church of Rome enables it to do effective work in this direction. Of the more than five hundred thousand children in Roman Catholic parochial schools, one-half or more are taught in languages other than the English. 'That Church claims no fewer than two million German members in the United States, divided into thirteen church provinees. Seminaries and ins,titutions for the education of priests and teachers multiply with great rapidity, and, in general, every effort is made to take care of their people and to keep them faithful members of the church. Just in how far this is to be regarded as consistent with the best American citizenship, is a mooted question. It is quite clear, that Roman Catholic ideas and methods in this regard are not yet in agreement with the public thought and conscience of the country.
The provision for the spiritual wants of the Protestant contingent naturally falls to the lot of that church to which it chiefly owes at least a formal allegiance, namely, the Lutheran. Unfortunately, the Lutheran Church of America, with its communicant membership of considerably more than one million, is a divided household of faith, the lines of separation being along a more or less rigid confessionalism, aided to some degree by linguistic and national divergencies; but, notwithstanding its divisions, the whole church is a unit inrecognizing in the home mission work among their newly arrived brethren in the great Woest and Northwest, the task above all other tasks for them to engage in. Accordingly, the Lutheran Church of this land has. bent all its energies upon the accomplishment of this one end, and of the four large general bodies and the independent Synods, numbering, in all, more than fifty Synodical organizations, there is scarcely one which does not take active part in this work. It is for this reason, chiefly, that this church has been able to take but a small part of the evangelization of the heathen world upon their shoulders. The large bodies of the General Synod and the General Council, indeed, carryon work in India and Africa, and the Southern I~utherans are beginning in Japan; but the largest complex of Synods, the Synodical Conference, as well as the independent Synods, engage in foreign mission work only in so far as they contribute to the missionary societies of Germany and the Scandinavian lands. Other denominations are not idle in this important field, but quite naturally cannot, and do not, accomplish what is being done by the Lutherans. The Methodists have a German membership of more than fifty thousand; the Presbyterians of nearly ten thousand; the Baptists are working among the Germans, while the Congregationalists have devoted their energies chiefly to the Scandinavians. The United Synod, a German body, representing the standpoint of the Prussian State church, in which the Lutheran and the Reformed confession are of equal authority, have a membership of about one hundred and twenty-five thousand; and the Reformed church, a German membership of fifty thousand. Of the more than a million Lutherans in America, at least two-thirds are non-English, she being the most polyglot church in the United States, no less than nine or ten languages being preached from her pulpits.
The care for the spiritual interests of the immigrant begins even before he leaves the fatherland. Small pamphlets have been published containing the address of every Lutheran or United Synod pastor in America, and these are scattered throughout the districts of Germany, informiug the immigrant where he can find a church home in America of his faith and confession. In Hamburg, Bremen, and <>ther seaport towns, immigrant missionaries have been stationed, who provide the people with good advice, and help 1;hem in general to get into Christian hands upon landing in America. In New York there are three Lutheran immigrant missionaries and two missionary houses, in which annually more than fifteen thousand strangers are housed and sent on their way. The Roman Catholics, too, have their mission house in New York, and the Methodists did have, but its discontinuance has been agitated amid the protests of the German brethren. In Baltimore there is also an immigrant missionary. These men and concerns are supported by the church at large, as the immigrants are charged only a nominal price for lodging and board, and the needy receive these free. The missionaries have large correspondence with the pastors throllghout the West.
The work of hunting up the new settlers and inaugurating the religious movement among them is the special task of the missionaries in the employ of the various Synods, who have scores of men engaged in this work. The ordinary method is to learn where there is a sufficient number of Germans or Scandinavians, or others, in a certain locality, and then to send a man there who is familiar with the language of the people. As a rule, no attempt is made at a church organization at once, even if the people were all nominally members of a State church in Europe. The most solid foundation for a congregation has, by experience, been found to be the establishment of parochial schools, in which the instruction of the young in the truths of Sacred Writ formfl the ellief feature. To this is added regular preaching, until the people are ripe for an organization, and with the assist- ance of the church building funds, if necessary, a house of worship is erected. But the parochial school system has been the backbone of the success of the Luther~lll church in the West. No less than 150,000 children are being educated in these schools at present, while the United Synod has more than twenty thousand in their schools. :More than two thousand teachers, nearly all males, are engaged in these schools, for the education of whom special' seminaries have been established at Addison, Ill., Woodville, Ohio, and elsewhere, or special courses have been arranged for this end in connection with the colleges and academies under the control of the church. The po- sition of the Lutheran church in the parochial school question differs radically from that of the Roman Catholics. While the latter are loud in th,,:ir denunciation of the public schools as "godless," the former establish their schools chiefly for the purpose of securing a religious education for their children, which, in the nature of the case, the State, because separated from the Church, cannot furnish; and besides, offering an education to those who are not acquainted suffi- ciently with the English language to make use of the public schools, the establishment of which is recognized by the Church as a duty of the State. The Lutheran church does not antagonize the public- school system; but for her own members she seeks to supplement it by supplying what, in her estimation, is the chief element of a true education, namely, the. religious.
It is from this standpoint that we can understand the opposition of the friends of the parochial schools in the Northwest to the re- cently enacted laws, particularly of Wisconsin and Illinois. There is no dissatisfaction with the demands of these enactments that pre- scribe that certain branches shall be taught in English, nor with their compulsory features, for in nearly all the parochial schools English is, in a greater or less extent, the medium of instruction in certain branches, and no one is more in favor of a thorough education than are the Germans and the Scandinavians. But those features of the new laws which virtually deprive these schools of their independence or of congregational control, by putting them under the supervision of county officials and non-religious authorities, have induced the tens of thou- sands of Protestants in Wisconsin and other States to inaugurate 'an agitation looking to a modification of the laws. The Protestants have steadily refused to go with the Roman Catholics in their opposition to the public schools, for the simple reason that they occupy an en- tirely different position over against these. On principle, the friends of Protestant parochial schools do not at all antagonize the school , system of the country; on the contrary, as a rule, their children for a certain number of years attend these schools, going to the parochial only for their religious training, especially for their preparation for confirmation. From these data it is plain why these church schools, established at so great a cost by the struggling non-English Chris- tians of the Northwest, have been one of the greatest features in the religious education of these people, doing a work which the State neither could nor would do.
In the line of higher education-the establishment of seminaries, 'Colleges, and other institutions for the special or partial benefit of the immigrant-immense strides have been made in the last half century. Then scarcely one concern of this kind existed; now, several of them are scattered over the whole land. The Lutherans maintain no fewer than twenty such establishments for the Germans alone, with an at- tendance of more than two thousand students. The capital invested in buildings reaches the millions, and the annual running expenses are fully $150,000. The returns for all this outlay and work can be seen in the progress of the church; for, on an average, one new Lu- theran church is dedicated each day of the year, and four-fifths of these are among the new citizens in the West. The Reformed Church has two chiefly Gennan colleges; the United Synod has a seminary .and two colleges; the Methodists have five small colleges of this {lharacter; the Presbyterians have two German seminaries, o~e in Bloomfield, N. J., the other in Dubuque, Iowa; the Baptists have a German department in Rochester, N. Y.. A similar work is being done among the Scandinavians and other Protestant strangers. Swedish institutions like that at Rock Island, Ill., are prominent educational forces; while fully a dozen smaller college~ and academies are maintained among the Scandinavian Lutherans. The Methodists have a Scandinavian theological school at Evanston, Ill.; the Baptists a Danish department at Morgan Park, Ill., and the Congregationalillts have one in connectiqn with their seminary in Chicago, Not a small agent in this religious education of the immigrant is the press. The polyglot newspaperdom of the West is almost entirely in the hands of the church, with the exception of a number of German papers in the larger cities. It is extremely interesting in this connection, to note the fact that all work of this kind undertaken by other agencies than the church, or from another standpoint than the Christian, has signally failed. The Milwaukee teachers's seminary, established on a "liberal" basis. has been a dismal failure.
Taking all these data into consideration, it is evident that the religious interests of the immigrant are receiving probably more marked attention and are treated with greater success than is the calile with" the native churchless masses of America.
PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS IN BRAZIL
PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS IN BRAZIL.
BY CHARLES E. KNdiIK:, D.D., BLOOMFIELD, N. J.
(Concluded from page 348, May number.) 3. We were much impressed with the personnel of our missionary force, and with the missionary's opportunity. The men and women in the service, the churches and stations, the centres of missionary power, all inspired us. The Southern Methodist Church was under strong guidance in the person of Bishop Granberry, and his missionaries seemed able and zealous men, intelligent and devoted women. They were strengthening efficient centres at Rio and Piracicaba. Frequent visits from their bishop, who returned with us on the steamer, and who left his daughter as a teacher at Rio, gave them all courage and animation. An earnest preacher and teacher was prosecuting a mission under Bishop Taylor's self-supporting plan, in Para. The Baptists, who 'had come late, had made a beginning in Rio and Pernambuco, although still without a church edifice. Maranhao, Pernambuco, Bahia, Rio, Sao Paulo, Campinas, all Brazilian centres, were occupied as centres of our own missions. The Southern men and the Northern men from our own church were men of ability, strong in character, prudent in action, harmonious in purpose, versatile in pastoral and evangelistic service. The native ministry and elders, so far as we could judge, were men of excellent qualities of mind and of heart, and foretoken a large body of worthy preachers and rulers. The evangelistic work opened everywhere and greatly outran the missionary force. In any new place the traveling preacher could have a congregation on a half-day's notice. With common prudence and loving endurance of the priest's opposition, and with perhaps a little cool courage under a shower of stones, he could in a short time establish a permanent congregation. Two missionaries, one a Bible society agent, joined our steamer at Pernambuco, who had come 1200 miles down the San Francisco river. They had started from the farthest interior station in the south, inland from Sao Paulo and Campinas, crossed from the head-waters which flow to Buenos Ayres, to the head-waters of the San Francisco, and canoed to its mouth. Through two of the larger provinces, Minos Geraes and Bahia, a full thousand miles northward on high land parallel to the coast, then on the borders of the smaller provinces of Pernambuco, Alagoas and Sergipe, eastward to the coast, they followed the stream second only to the Amazon. Everywhere they had met with kindly reception. The Bibles distributed may be expected to repeat the work of Dr. Kidder's Bibles distributed in 1839, developing into inquiring souls and into groups of inquirers ready for the future missionary; but the long journey revealed the universal plaint of the desolate heart, ready now to turn its cry of need to a song of joy at the message of love. In the Sao Paulo region the excellent evangelistic service of Mr. Chamberlain and of others has dev~oped a vast region ready for the detail work of a large missionary force. At one place was a school, whose origin was from a Bible in a Masonic lodge, purchased as a sacred book on which to take oaths. The planter whose curiosity led him to read it, vowed to furnish a building whenever anyone would come preaching the doctrines of that book. After the preaching he established the school, and then vowed that as soon as a white teacher would come to take charge of the school, he would put an endowment in his will. The last steamer of this present year brings the news from the college-bred lady teacher who has just located there, that the endowment is already in his will. At another place was a saintly member of a church, himself at one time full of hatred, who was con- verted by another whose heart and life had been full of ugly violence a few years before. At another place, where our Philadelphia engine stopped, was a flourishing church, where twenty years before Mr. Chamberlain and his assistant were stoned for explaining to the people the gospel of St. Mark. In rural plantations, in hamlets, in villages, in larger towns, notwithstanding the priests' protestation!;, the people will listen to the pure and loving story. An ebullition of emotional hostility may send off hot steam, but the prudent missionary stands one side, and soon the same emotion pushes the piston of a well-ordered life. The sub-stations and preaching places with one accord, in fourteen out of the sixteen sea-coast provinces, give the same testimony to the accessibility of the people.
One hundred new men, our missionaries said, could be at once profitably employed, as soon as they could learn the language, and another hundred could follow them at once.
The subject of lay colonies of Christians, in default of clerical missionaries, was discussed in our missionary company on the steamer. Most of the missionaries considered such colonies desirable, if practicable, and most of them thought something of the kind practicable under careful conditions. The oldest missionary, whose judgment was entitled to special weight, did not consider colonization from the United States practicable, and would not like to enconrage it. "The United States people," he said," do not colonize-they emigratethey will not remain together." General Magalhaes, who had personally explored the Amazon, said, at Sao Paulo, in answer to the question-Would colonies on the Amazon, from the United States, be practicable? "It would not do to bring people whose condition of life is too far above the conditions on the Amazon. The colonists must be of a class something like the conditions there-common ·laborers-not too cultivated." As the country becomes develop-ed and rises in intelligence and in civilizing institutions, such colonies will undoubtedly succeed, and it may be that colonies, like the colonies from the Southern States, if founded on Christian principles, may help to develop the civilization a.a Christianization of the country.
The Southern colony on the Amazon went to pieces. The Southern colony at Santa Barbara, in the more favorable conditions of Sao Paulo province, through many changes remains the same substantial unit, and has Presbyterian and Methodist churches. If such a colony founded on disaffection arising out of our civil war and on worldly ambitions has maintained its life for a quarter of a century, a Christian colony, founded on nobler motives, might wield a powerful influence under the new Republic.
4. The native and immigrant population impressed us as presenting certain characteristics which are specially hopeful. Three aspects are full of interest. In the first place, the Portuguese and the Brazilian are an amiable people. They are not intense and vindictive, like the Spanish. They are affectionate among themselves and hospitable to strangers. The.y may be aroused to sharp encounter, but their pre- vailing mood is placid. The history of their former revolutions shows this, and the present bloodless revolution exhibits the same trait. Religious animosity, therefore, inspired by selfish priests, is not likely to be persistive, as under the Spanish type of character. Never was there a better opportunity to introduce the high principles of Christi- anity, than among a people who have a strong social nature, who have ardent desires for a pure religious love, whose confidence in their false religious teachers has been broken, and whose present revolution points them towards civil and religious liberty.
In the second place, the color line is unknown. Prejudice in a. race caste does not exist. The ebony black, the Corinthian bronze, the Indian copper, the Caucassian white, and all the shades, statures, features, dress and manners of all these classes, sit side by side in the congregation and mix in common society. Grades of social distinction do not depend on color. Our brethren from our Southern States said , to us again and again: " We have no difficulty here in respect to the color line." "The old idea at home does not disturb us here." "We hardly know ourselves in the changed condition." This condition of the Brazilian community· arises out of the long intermixture of blood, the consequent impracticability of applying any race distinction, and the continued adjustment of social relations and customs to such a historic fact.
In the third place, the immigrant population has already become a powerful factor in the nation. The German people in the extreme South, especially in Rio Grande de SuI, have been recognized as a possible foundation for a separate republic. They occupy districts. and towns and cities. In Sao Paulo, also, their numbers are increasing. " We have a contract to bring in ten thousand faJllilies from W ur- temburg," said General Magalhaes to us. "The German emigra tion to US has been resisted in Germany, but the obstacle is now removed." The Italian constitute/the principal immigrant for mul- tiplication of "arms." They were not regarded formerly as m~king good citizens, but recently a better class from the farms of Italy has come. They do a large amount of work and consume little food. 'The Portuguese immigrants, principally from the Canary and Azores Islands, are less numerous. They are chiefly in the cities.
The great demand of the Empire has been for" arms," or, as we say, for" hands," to develop the acres, to open the mineral depths, to lay the railroads and build the mills. National laws and provincial laws have therefore offered a premium for the introduction of labor. The province of Sao Paulo has been the most enterprising. Large buildings were pointed out to us in the city of Sao Paulo) built for the temporary accommodation of these multitudes in transit. " We are bringing five thousand a month into this province," said General Magalhaes. "We have a contract by the province for this purpose." "More immigrants have come into the country since October last (about eleven months) than during the preceding history of the Empire."
By far the greater part of all this immigration is Roman Catholic. But from the old life of Europe they are coming into a new condition which is in rapid transit towards free ideas and private judgment. Met with a pure gospel in their own tongue, they may be converted to Christ and made a mighty force in the Christianization of that imperial nation.
5. We were very greatly impressed with the opportunities for Christian education. We heard t,he clamor of children in high voice, as we passed the common schools of the towns. In Pernambuco, our (lompany found its way into a girls' school-house at the edge of the dty. The voices were in full concert-the pitch was high-the action forte, the chorus without solo or duet. About fifty little girls and two little boys filled the room. Behind the desk sat a young lady <>f twenty-six or t~enty-eight. Her face was bronze, her eyes black, her jet black hair went down her back in a praid. With happy features, abounding spirits, a ready affability and overflowing pleasure 'in her work, she went freely on in the gu~dance of the school. She called up a girl to read. While hearing and correcting her, she gave attention to another, who came with an example in arithmetic; and then to another who came with her sewing, and sent another still for the tin scissors-and-tape box. When the little bronzes and blacks of all shades grew quiet from looking at their visitors, her vigorous itnd (lheery voice shot out the word" study," and off they all started in loud chorus again. We were reminded of what we had read of Mohammedan schools. The course of instruction was reading, writing, arithmetic, Christian doctrine (a Catholic shrine was in the corner) and sewing. One or two little ones recited in simple geometrical "form." They all seemed delighted with their cheery teacher. The same mode of education we saw in a school for boys of older age in Maranhao. From our Protestant Church school in Rio, we l~arned that the national habit was to train the memory, but that· the child was instantly lost if the teacher put his question outside the page of the text-book. Memory, obedience, emotion-these were to be cultivated among the people as a foundation for a blind church life. We were never more impressed with the value of a healthy logic in popular and in high education-to teach the child, the family, the community, the nation, to think for itself, and to exercise a private judgment in civil and in religious life.
There are professional schools of high character in leading cen- tres, law schools with large attendance in Sao Paulo and Pernambuco, medical schools in Bahia and Rio, a theological school with small attendance in each of the twelve dioceses. For these high institu- tions there are private and Governmental preparatory schools. And the "collegio," which is either a private school or an ordinary high school, is to be seen here and there in every city. There is, however, no university nor college of high degree in all Brazil. A few of the leading statesmen were educated in former years at the University of Coimbra, in Portugal, or in othe~ European universities. A few of th~ young men now go abroad. A bright young man on .our steamer was receiving his education in the Polytechnic. Institute at Worcester, Mass., where others of his nation had been. A polytechnic institution on the plains of Ypiranga, just outside Sao Paulo, is expected to grow out of its incipiency, if it escapes political complications. One considerable institution in the interior is founded on the doctrines of Augustus Compte. Independent of the missionary school and of pulpit instruction, the common people of the towns have the meagre education of the Catholic church, and the reflective mind tends towards materialism.
In several places Protestant schools had been begun. In four places they already assumed significant character. Under the Southern Methodists in Rio and in Pericacaba; under the Southern Presbyterians in Campinas; under the Northern Presbyterians in SaO" Paulo. The Methodist school property at Rio is on a noble site, commanding the city and the harbor. The school was in its early beginnings, the prosperous school at Pericacaba having been established some years, but we expect to see at the capital an institution of wide influence as an outgrowth at no distant day. The Campinas school had attained a high order of excellence and had gathered numbers and older students in spite of the rival Compte institution in the same town. The Sao Paulo school was, however, the leading missionary institution. Beginning as a little school for the missionaries' children, it had grown into a system of Kindergarten-Prjmary, Intermediate and Grammar departments-with a class for instruction in teaching and an advanced class ready for collegiate or theological education. There were 244 pupils present in the main hall on the day we were there. The number has since in- creased to about 400, the accessions again outgrowing the walls. The buildings adjoining the church should be at once assigned to one or two departments, and new apartments sought elsewhere for the other classes. The young men's dormitory, on the edge of the town, was an attractive building of yellow brick, one story in height, with dwelling-rooms for the Director. It stands on an elevated site, overlooking the city, and has ample grounds for a" future college. The teaching force, composed chiefly of intelligent ladies, Southern and Northern, under the excellent guidance of Dr.
H. M. Lane, was of high order. In our company we brought to them a New England teacher to take charge of a normal class of teachers.
Education had here advanced up to the line of the college system. The Sao Paulo school was ready at that time to present seven or eight, and the Campinas school five or six students for a" freshman class, as soon as a curriculum and the first professors could be provided. The opportunity is ripe for the completion of the educational system. Superior Protestant education would at once command wide attention. Its high morality would appeal to the deepest desires of parents who have fared ill under the Romish training. This highest complement of the system should be at once expressed in a college which should develop into a genuine university.
Roman Catholic education is unequal to the crisis. It is insufficient for the mind and morals of the masses. So long as the leading minds of the nation are under Catholic education, the people will not rise to high moral and religious convictions. The alliance of Protestant principles with professional edncation will at once give external and internal support to true Christian life. The State needs Protestant principles in its conception and administration. Such an education is the speediest way to produce the ministry which Brazil needs. The existence of a body of learned men at such a high institution is a constant educational force through all grades of political and domestic society and through all ranks of instructors.
Teachers of an elevated common school system, educated Christian fathers and mothers, communities which shall demand a" higher popular education for both girls and boys, leading Protestant minds in common society, in common commercial and in common agricultural life, educated church officers, native ministers to fill the countless opportunities, Christian men in the professions, leaders in the State Chambers in the new chambers of the Nation-these are within the speedy reach of such an institution. Next to the proclamation of the gospel-this is for Brazil the all-important thing. An opportunity for so broad a work, so world-wide an influence, is seldom presented to the Protestant Church.
HOW SHALL MOHAMMEDANS BE EVANGELIZED
HOW SHALL MOHAMMEDANS BE EVANGELIZED. [We are not at liberty to give the name of the writer of this article. Sui- nce to say, that it is from the pen of one who has lived forty years in the Turk- ish empire and is thoroughly conversant with the subject. Like the masterly paper we gave in the August number (1889), on "Islam and 9hristian Missions," it merits careful reading.-J. M. S.] This article does not discuss the general subject of Mohammedan- ism, giving an abstract of its tenets; nor does it propose to give a history of its progress and a statement of its present extent and power; nor does it compare this religion with Christianity, presenting the similarities and the contrasts between the two religions. It aims simply to treat of the best mode of presenting the gospel to Moslems, so that it may meet with their acceptl!-nce-treating the subject in view of the obstacles which hinder the success of the gospel in the Turkish empire. Is the inquiry presumptuous ?-The fact is not ignored that some persons regard this subject as not properly one of human discussion and inquiry. They say that the opening of the Mohammedan world to the gospel is a work so entirely dependent upon divine interposi- tion.and Almighty power, that it is presumption on our part to spec- ulate and plan, or do otherwise than" stand still and see the salva- tion of God." They say that it becomes us to acknowledge that the evangelization of Moslems in the Turkish empire is a sheer impossibility to human endeavor, that God has purposed it, and in his own time will indicate the means to be used for its accomplishment, as he did when the Egyptian bondage was to be broken and Canaan possessed; that we now stand before a closed door wl!-itingfor the providence of .God to open it, and that such an inquiry as this is as uncalled for and ill-timed as if J oahua had presented a paper on the best mode of delivering Israel at the time when they were hemmed in by the Red Sea and Pharaoh's ~rmy, or as if Eleazar had prepared a similar paper on the speediest mode of reducing Jericho before God had revealed anything about the blowing of the ra~'s horn and the seven times encompassing the city. They say, and they say this truly, that when the allotted period of 430 years was passed and the iniquity of the Amorites was full, all the walled cities of Canaan were powerless to resist the Israelites, and not before; that when the 70 years of the Babylonish captivity were fulfilled, heathen kings were inspired of God to further the return of the Jewish captives; that "in the fullness of time" Christ came; that forty days after his ascension the wonders of Pentecost were revealed; and so, when the Holy Spirit moves upon the darkness and bigotry of Mohammedanism then will begin the dawn of a new creation for its followers, for the decree still stands in regard to all the religious movements of the world: they are to be accomplished" not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord." But, while we reverently acknowledge the divine decrees and pa- tiently wait for their unfolding, we should never fall back upon them as an excuse for our supineness.
Is the inquiry skeptical.j>-Braving the charge of presumption in proposing this inquiry, we expose ourselves to the charge of skepti- cism. Weare asked, Has it not been revealed from heaven that the gospel is the divinely-appointed remedy for the whole race of man? Has not the command been given us, "Go, preach my gospel," trust- ing to the power of the Spirit to make that preaching effectual to the evangelization of all men without exception, whether Jews, Moham- medans or heathen? And is not the raising of this question with reference to the evangelization of this one class an implication that the divinely-appointed remedy is inadequate to the peculiar difficul- ties of this case, and that it must be supplemented by means which human wisdom must devise; that the naked sword of the Spirit is in- sufficient to pierce the armor of this Goliath? Are we not preparing ourselves for a rebuke from our ~Iaster, similar to that which those nine disciples received from him when, having received from him a commission and power to cast out evil spirits, they failed in the case of the child in Cesarea Philippi and learned the cause: "Because of your unbelief, you could not cast him out?"
Or, at the least, we are told that there is, in instituting such an inquiry, a reflection on former and present laborers in behalf of the Moslems, and on the agencies used by them, and an ignoring of these long, faithful and prayerful efforts, and an assumption that the want of success which has attended these labors was a consequence of their having overlooked or neglected measures which they ought to have discovered and used, of which we are now on the track and ,repared soon to reveal.
If there is seeming ground for this objection, the writer of this article would hasten to disclaim all disposition to ignore the zeal and activity of these laborers, or to imply that they had shown a want of wisdom or courage, and that their efforts had been failures; or to counsel the abandoning of their plans and the adoption of others. On the contrary, he recommends the gathering up the results of their experience, the marking of their footprints for future guidance, and the imitation of their faithfulness.
The peculiar difficulties in the case.-That there are peculiar difficulties attending the efforts to evangelize Mohammedans everywhere, and that these difficulties are aggravated in the Turkish empire, is conceded by all. A cursory survey of these difficulties is a necessary preparation for surmounting them, as a knowledge of an enemy's defences is of prime importance to the general who intends to break through by assault.
1. The first of these difficulties is that of finding means of accesS' to Mohammedans, in order to teach them the gospel. Rarely do they {lome to our churches to hear our preaching. They do not visit us in our houses nor invite us to visit them. We have hardly any oppor- tunities for contact with them, so as to be able to explain our religion to them, and to urge them to accept it. The constitution of Moham- medan homes, with thejealousy and seclusion of the harems, creates a serious bar to the evangelization of the Mohammedans. The leaven has no access to the lump in order to leaven it. The salt cannot reach that which it is desired should be preserved by it. The patient knows not the remedy, therefore cannot apply it, to feel its power. Places of business in the daytime, and coffee-houses in the evening, where all listen to a story or a poem, are not favorable places for relig- ions discussions, and yet there are few other places for meeting Mos- lems.
2. A second obstacle to their evangelization is their pride and arrogance of opinion. They consider themselves the favorites of heaven, the depositaries of the truth, the elect, true believers, saved. They despise Christians, and couple their names with those of the lowest animals. This pride, this feeling of superiority, this lofty dis- dain, is an effective obstacle to their being influenced by Christian teachers. It increases their contempt of Christianity, that it is the religion of those whom they have been accustomed to regard as their subjects-their slaves. Shall the conquerors adopt the religion of the {lonquered? Shall they bow down to that. which they were commissioned of God to root out and destroy?
3. A third obstacle is the strength of the fortress 'Which Mohammedanism occupies. Heathenism has no such defences. The natives of Borneo, Java and Sumatra, while they are yet heathen, are far more easily reached by the gospel than after they become Moslems. This is the case also with the heathen of Central Africa. One reason of this is that there is so much of truth mingled with error in this religion-truth derived from God's own word. As the Moslems have taken possession of some of the fairest Christian churches and made them mosques, so they have stolen some of the most sacred'truths of Christianity and used them as buttresses to their fortress of error.
Another strong bulwark of this delusion is its harmony with the self-righteousness of the human heart. It offers a salvation by works, which it is possible for man to perform, such as prayers, fasting, pilgrimages, ablutions and alms-giving; and the performance of these acts gives the Moslem an assured title to Paradise.
This religion is stron~ again with sensual man, in that it allows and sanctions immorality and licentiousness, which Christianity forbids. It allows a man to act like a beast, and to account himself, at the same time, a saint. It lets him indulge his lusts without a bridle. and think that he has a special license from heaven for so doing and an illustrious example of such conduct in the person of his prophet. Being thus strong, it surrenders few captives to Christianity from its own ranks, and it gains many captives from heathenism, and holds them with a firm grasp.
4. Political complications give Mohammedanism greater power to oppose Christianity in the Turkish empire. The religion of Moham- med is the State religion. Defence of the faith of Islam is regarded as essential to the integrity of the empire. To sustain the tottering throne of the sultan, religious fanaticism has been invoked and fos- tered; during the last few years schools for teaching the Koran have been multiplied in all parts of the land; even among the Bedouin tribes have apostles of the revived faith been sent; new mosques have been built and old mosques repaired, and praying places opened, where religious devotees may shout the name of Allah till they become voiceless and nerveless with their frenzied effort. Bigotry and patriotism have become synonymous terms. And, since Moslems only are drafted into the army, the government dreads that they should become Christians, lest they should found thereupon a claim from exemption from military service. Moreover, they fear that such conversions may be made by foreign powers a pretext for their interference in the affairs of the empire, and a ground for demanding new concessions and national dismemberments.
5. Another obstacle is the fact that in the Turkish empire at this time the death penalty hangs over every Moslem who becomes a Chris- .tian.
The Koran authorizes this. Religious liberty is a doctrine inconsistent with the spirit of Islam. It is almost certain that a Mohammedan who professes faith in Christ must leave the country, ifhe can,or be impressed into the army, or be arrested and imprisoned on false pretences, and all traces of him be speedily lost. This terror, so imminent, hinders Moslems from indulging any disposition to examine carefully the Christian religion and to balance properly the claims in its favor. To be known to be an attendant upon the religious services of Christians subjects a Moslem at once to a warning from the heads of the sect; and if he perseveres, he soon feels the weight of their power to compel him to separate himself from such associations. As long as civil power remains in the hands of :Mohammedan rulers, it is difficult to see how it can be otherwise than it is now. If the sultan should declare that every Moslem was free to adopt what religion he chose, he would be regarded as a traitor and an infidel, and be in danger of deposition and. assassination.
While the pope was king of Rome he repressed Protestantism with an iron hand; and while Abd-il-Hamid or any other Moslem holds sway in Western Asia, we must expect that he will do all in his power to prevent his Moslem subjects from becoming Christians. From the very nature of things, the religion propagated by the sword must be sustained by the sword; the same means which were employed to make disciples will be used to keep disciples. The death penalty incurred by Moslems renouncing their religion stands as a. powerful obstacle to hinder their evangelization.
6. Moslems have imbibed a prejudice against Christianity from the false reprel!entations of its character and its effect as given in the worship and conduct of nominal Ohristians, with whom they live. As the superstitions and idolatrous worship of these Christians brought the wrath of God upon them centuries ago, and caused him to deliver them over to their Mohammedan conquerors, so their clinging to their errors has kept them under the yoke of their oppressors, and they have during all these centuries been bearing false witness against the holy doctrine which they profess, and making their conquerors hate, scorn and detest a religion so idolatrous in form and bringing forth such fruit of unholy lives and conversation. Can we blame men for rejecting Christianity when it has been so misrepresented and profaned by the so-called Christians of the East?
7. Another obstacle exists in the misconception by the Moslems of the cardinal truths of Ohristianity, without opportunity being sought or found to correct those misapprehensions. They totally misunderstand what we mean by calling God "our Father," and Christ "the Son of God," being misled by hearing Mary called by Christians "the mother of God." They misunderstand the doctrine of the Trinity, thinking that we worship three gods, and they miss entirely what we mean by calling God "a Spirit," thinking that we thus rank him with angels and souls of men, which ar~ spirits. They have been taught. always that the Scriptures, though originally from the hand of God, have been changed and corrupted by Christians, into whose hands they have fallen, and therefore these holy writings have no power over' them. Apostate Syrian Christians, educated in Protestant schools, taught foreign languages in order that they might be more efficient helpers in evangelizing their countrymen, have gleaned among infidel books in England, France and Germany to find every objection that has ever been raised against Christianity, no matter how absurd or how many thousand times refuted, and hav;e translated the accumulated mass of objections into the languages of the East, and published them as the u:iJ.challenged and irrefutable proofs that the Scriptures of the, Christians have been corrupted on every page, and that Christianity itself is an imposture. Let anyone who would see proof of this statement read the book" Izhar-il-Hok," prepared by Fares Shidiak, once an employee of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and a translator of the New Testament into Arabic, under their direction, now a devoted adherent and strong ally of Mohammedanism in Constantinople,. and a bitter foe to Christianity, in whose folds he was born. 8. Another obstacle is that there is no liberty ofthe press in Western .Asia, nor lioerty of public iliscussion, by which the fallacies of Mohammedanism migh! be exposed and the slanders against Christianity refuted. Islamism enters the lists, free, untrammeled, permitted to strike as hard and as foul a blow as it will, while Christianity stands manacled, not allowed to raise a finger even to ward off a blow. Customhouse officers and public censors watch jealously to prevent foreign importations of books exposing J'Iohammedan errors; a printing press which printed a word against Mohammed and his religion would instantly be stopped; and if the missionaries braved all personal risks and denounced openly in their pulpits the prophet of Mecca, not only would they fail to reach Mohammedans with their message, but speedily their churches would be closed, and all other work done by them in the land would be stopped.
I will only hint at other obstacles, such as the indifference of many native Protestants of the East in this work, their want of faith and of zeal and of prayer in its behalf, while they have facilities vastly exceeding those which foreigners possess of reaching the minds and the hearts of their countrymen of a different creed; and again, that so many Protestant officials, representing Christian nations, men of the highest positions in civil life and in the army, should ignore their faith and their convictions and their customs when among Moslems, and for political reasons pay the most profound respect to their superstitions and their vain worship.
Has Christianity any allies ?-Leaving a further consideration of these difficulties, let us inquire if Christianity has any allies in this contest upon which she can rely. The answer is yes, and the most prominent of these are three: 1. The first of these allies is the progress of human thought. As surely as the fervid sun and the warm tides of the temperate zone melt the icebergs drifting down from the frozen North, so surely will this relic of the seventh century feel the influence of the second and third decade of centuries, and grow powerless before them. Mohammedanism represents the feebler intelligence and narrower range of thought of the world twelve centuries ago. It cannot adapt itself to the advance of the world in knowledge, like Christianity, which indeed leads the van of all human progress; but being of human origin, the product of a mind which could not look beyond the horizon of the age in which it was born and the region of its birth, it is out of sympathy with the present current of ideas and contradictory to the later teachings of science. Every new discovery is a protest against the errors imbedded in Mohammedanism. All advances in science expose the fallacies of that system, and prepare its followers to perceive these and make the necessary deductions from them as to its earthly origin. 2. The second of these allies is the human soul awa/Cened to a consdousness of wants which Mohammedanism fails to meet, and which Ohristianity meets fully. When man. awakes, as he must sooner or later, to the consciousness that he is a sinner and that his own self-righteousness will not suffice to justify him before God, then he looks in vain into the Koran to learn of a mediator and an aton- ing sacrifice and an effectual intercessor. Mohammedanism knows nothing of a "Father in heaven" to comfort the soul in its hours of loneliness and sorrow. It knows nothing of the Holy Spirit to change the heart and aid it in overcoming sin and temptation. But Christi- anity meeting these and other wants of the soul, for which Moham- medanism has no help, possesses in man's soul itself a powerful witness to its divine origin.
3. The third auxiliary is that course of divine providence which is weakening the political power of Islamism over the peoples and count?·~es now held in its grasp. The dismemberment of the Turkish empire is preparing the way, in its gradual progress, for the triumph of Christianity. The frequent conversion of Mohammedans in India, where English rule prevents the death penalty from being visited upon the converts, and in Egypt, where partial religious liberty now exists, show what we have reason to expect in Turkey when there is free2-om of inquiry, freedom of· discussion, freedom of the press and pulpit, freedom of profe~sion of faith in Christ.
To these elements of hope might be added the fact that there is much buried seed in Turkey of past labors, of Bible truth which has been sown-and what God has sown shall not return to Him void- so many unanswered prayers for Moslems yet in the golden censer.
The next question to be considered is: What agencies have proved most successful hitherto in commending Ohristianity to Moslems, and what may still be accounted the most hopeful means to be used in seeking their evangelization? .
1. The first and foremost of these is. the circulation of the Word of God. Bibles can enter homes whence preachers are excluded.
Bibles can be read where there is no fear of jealous witnesses and cl:uel betrayers. The Holy Spirit can apply that word with resistless power to the conscience and heart.' There is no doubt that immense good has been done by this agency alone, and that many Moslem men and women thus taught have lived and died, clinging to Christ and His cI:oss for salvation, of whom we have no record. We have cer- tain testimony of some who have been savingly enlightened by this means alone. Let us not despair of our influence in evangelizing Moslems while this agency is left to us. Let us rejoice in the oppor- tunity of circulating the Word of God with so few restrictions. Let us rejoice in possessing the Scriptures in the languages of Moham- medan peoples, and particularly in their sacred tongue, the Arabic, and in vowelled form, fitted to compare so favorably with the form in which the Koran is possessed by them. Let us use all available efforts to place the -Bible in the hands of Moslems, and to induce them to read it. Let us show ever in our conversation with them our assurance of its divine origin and our certainty of its being 'un- corrupted, and our belief in its saving power. Let us multiply colporteurs, wherever we can, to circulate and explain the word of light and life.
2. A second means, justified most amply by experience, is the edu- cation of Moslem children and youth of both sexes in our common schools, higher schools, boarding schools and colleges, and giving them both scientific and religious instruction. All science refutes in some form Mohammedan teaching. The schools which have been ()pened iu Turkey by American and English Christians, and in a lesser degree by Germaps, have brought in a flood of light which has been crowdin'g back into narrower confines the ancient night of Mos- lem delusion. School teachers are the sappers and miners who are undermining this gigantic fortress of error. Moslems perceive this, and hence their new zeal for opening schools of their own to coun- teract Christian schools, and hence that wonder of wonders, that Mohammedans should open schools to teach girls to read. It is to be regretted that so few Moslem youth attend our institution,s of learning. We should double our efforts to pring them in and to re- tain our hold upon them. While the children are yet young they carry home and teach to their parents by means of the hymns which they have learned to sing, and the verses of Scripture they have been taught to repeat, lessons which we could not otherwise introduce into those homes, and which may be the means of making the parents wise unto salvation, while these children themselves, sooner or later in life, may find their way to the gate of heaven by means of what they have learned in these schools. Boarding schools for Moslem girls have been wonderfully blest as means of good. May they be sustained as they deserve, and may they be multiplied!
3. Bible 'Women can do immense good by visiting Moslem harems, teaching the women to read, and reading the Bible to them. Some most interesting cases of hopeful conversions have occurred in connection with such labors. Women are thus' reached by the gospel who would otherwise never have heard it. There is less jealousy of female laborers thau of men. Where suitable Bible women can be found there is large encouragement for their employment.
4. Another object to be striven after is the cultivation of the acquaintance of Mohammedans. If we meet their coldness with coldness and their seclusiou with a corresponding non-intercourse, when can we expect that the barriers between us will be broken down? Personal influence, the world over, is the strongest influence. Men will not listen profitably to teachers who have not their confidence. Conviction is a matter of the heart as well as of the reason. A word from a friend influences more than a hundred words from a stranger. Difficult of acquisition as this way of influence may seem, yet it should not be slighted. If it is set before us as an end to be reached~ it can be compassed. On their fast days some rooms of Moslem houses are open. We can show an interest in their joys and sorrows" attend their weddings and their fuuerals, invite them to join literary coteries. When once an acquaintance is formed with a few Moslems it is easy to extend it by their means. Neither should the wives of missionaries limit their acquaintance to the poorest class of Moslem women, whom they teach to sew and to whom they give charity, but should cultivate the society of the better classes, and seek to gain an influence over these, doubly secluded as they are and wholly debarred from learning of Christ. Lady teachers in female seminaries have rare opportunities of making such acquaintances by visiting the mothers of their Moslem pupils. As matters now stand, women have better opportunities than men in evangelizing Moslems. In the nine- teenth century crusade women can have the honor of planting the ,standard of the cross where men are powerless, and this will not be the first time that the softest hand has proved the strongest.
5. Another important point is that those who expect to influence Mohammedans should make their religious belief a study / they should know what the Koran teaches, its truths and its errors; they shollld study also the commentaries upon it, and they should do this not second-hand, through translations and comments by foreigners, bllt should be acquainted with native modes of thought' and expression. Moslem literature, secular and religiolls, its philosophy, history, poetry and books of proverbs, which are now almost a terra incognita to scholars in other branches of science, should be carefully studied by those who hope to benefit them. Without such a knowledge we can no more hope to prevail over Mohammedans in discussion than Indians with bows and arrows could cope with Europeans armed with rifles.
6. Medical 'Work, and especially hospital 'Work, affords rare vantage ground for evangelical teaching of Moslems. A doctor among them is a privileged character. His life is safe where others would be in peril. He can enter within doors barred to others. His words carry weight which 'another man's do not. He meets men under the most favorable circumstances to influence them for good, when their hearts are made tender by sickness 01' bereavement, and when the nearness of another world makes the conscience alert and the soul susceptible to religious impression. The gentlfl ministries of Christian men and women in hospitals have, again and again, softened the hearts of bigoted Moslems, and the daily listening to the name of .Jesus and receiving care and healing in his name, have prepared them to accept the Christian's faith and Saviour.
From the agencies thus enumerated, as sanctioned by experience, it is plain that indirect, unobstrusive, unostentatious efforts are those upon which most reliance must be placed in this stage of the work.
An organized, avowed, aggressive mission to the Mohammedans, which proclaimed its designs and its results, would defeat itself and imperil those it sought to benefit. While the servants of the church are faithfully using all the means in their power to find an entrance for the gospel, the church must be content to allow the kingdom of God to come in Turkey without human observation, and to accept it that God's spiritual work here should move on as silently as the great processes of nature.
The vast importance of the theme.-In concluding this paper it is worthy of being set forth in words, although it is doubtless already the burden of the thoughts of many hearts, that the evangelization of the Mohammedans is a theme of great importance; it should be the subject of our careful consideration, strong faith and earnest prayers. It deserves to be made prominent as the subject of united, special, importunate and persevering prayer.
The vast number of the Mohammedans makes a strong appeal to our interest in their behalf, they constituting at least one-tenth, and perhaps one-eighth, of the human race. Their influence in the world commends them to our notice. That influence is not negative, like that of the Brahmins, and of the followers of Confucius, but positive, aggressive and visibly effective and ascendant in some parts of the world, and destructive always; but, if turned into right channels, promising to be as conducive to the triumph of the Lord as it now is influential to hinder it. They need the gospel as much as others to enable them to bear the woes of life and to light them through the dark valley. The gospel is as well adapted to their needs as to those of others. The commission, " Go teach all nations," extends to them. The success which has attended labors for them in individual cases shows that no impassable barriers lie in the way of their enlightenment and conversion.
The difficulties in the way of reaching them do not relieve us of the responsibility of laboring in their behalf. The dangers which may threaten us should not make us hesitate. It would be hard to prove that the difficulties and dangers attendant upon preaching the gospel to Mohammedans now in the Turkish empire are greater than those which faced the apostles and martyrs and early teachers of Christianity in the Roman empire in the first three centuries of the history of the Christian church. They preached to proud Romans, as well as to bigoted Jews and sensual Greeks, in spite of threatenings, scourgings, stonings, imprisonments and cruel deaths, and as a result pagan Rome was Christianized. So, with like faith and prayer and courage and perseverance and effort, in due season, and it may be after a hard struggle, the gospel will a second time triumph on its old battleground where its first victories were won; exiled Christianity will return to the home of its birth, the Bible will supplant the Koran, the prophet of Nazareth will t::tke the place of the prophet of Mecca in the heart of Moslems, the Son of God the place of the son of Abdullah, to the glory of God and the salvation of immortal sEmIs.
~S8 THE DRUID CELTS
THE DRUID CELTS-THE EARLY MISSIONARY RACE OF WESTERN EUROPE.
BY F. F. ELLINWOOD, D.D., NEW YORK•• The first wave of Aryan migration into Northern Europe was that of the Celts. They were the first column in that grand westward march which has wrought the highest civilizations. and filled the world with great achievements. In France they were first known to the Romans as Galli or Gauls. In Britain as Cimbri, or, more generic- ally, Britons.
But there were successive waves of migration: In the fourth cen- tury, B. C., one of these broke over the Alps and made a victorious entry into the city of Rome. In the year 279, B. C., another horde of Celts entered Macedonia, Thessaly and Greece, but were repulsed in the gorges of Delphi, whence passing through Thrace and turning eastward, they crossed the Hellesponte into Asia Minor. But having been conquered by the armies of Augustus, 25, B. C., they were con- fined thenceforth to the province that bore their name-Galatia. It was these brave adventurers whom nearly a century later Paul found it difficult to bring under the curbs and restraints of the gospel of peace, and to whom he found it necessary to write a very plain and outspoken epistle. And yet we get the impression even from Paul that they were a manly race.
During the Punic wars of Rome, large bodies of the Celts or Galli were found aiding the Carthagenians, and on many a well-contested field the Roman legions found them worthy of their arms. These alliances prompted R~me to crush their power, if possible, on their own soil, and Julius Cresar, with the Greek colony of Marsailes as a base of operations, began that series of resistless invasions which pursued the Celts over the whole area of France, and even to the British Isles. During fourteen years of conquests he is said to have sacrificed two millions of men. He respected his foes, however, and at last even cultivated their friendship; for in his further ambitious schemes he led the brave Gauls under his standards even to the gates of Rome.
The conquest of the Britons was a more difficult and protracted undertaking. The tribes who took their stand in the mouutains of Wales and of Scotland, as well as the inhabitants of Ireland, were never conquered by their Roman invaders, and on more than one occasion these vigorous mountaineers pressed upon the Roman colonies so fiercely as almost to extirpate their power in Britain. They seem to have been reserved for a great purpose. "Their forefathers," says McClear, "had formed the vanguard of the western portion of the great Aryan migration; they were to form the vanguard of the missionary history of Europe. While the Roman world was more and more decaying, and the great Teutonic movement was as yet in its infancy, they were destined to train and send forth some of the earliest and bravest pioneers of Christian missions in Switzerland and Germany."
Before entering upon the study of the Christian conquest of Britain, first by the Romans and at a later day by missionaries from Iona, one should first understand, if possible, the ancient religion of these brave and stalwart tribes. Enthusiastic writers have not hesi- tated to declare that the religion of the Celtic priesthood, known as Druidism, was the primitive religion of mankind. Discounting, how- ever, this extreme statement, it is enough to say that the faith of the Druids could not have been the faith of a savage race, for never has uninspired man attained to nobler conceptions of his own being or his relations to Deity than some of those which were taught by the Druids. Hume, the historian, declared that" no religion has ever swayed the minds of man like the Druidic," and in Cresar's Commen- taries are found brief references which show his profound respect for the faith of the vanquished Celts. "The Druids," he says, "make the immortality of the soul the basis of all their teaching, holding it to be the principal incentive and reasoll for a virtuous life." Again, in the fifth book: "The Druids discuss many things concerning the stars and their evolutions, the magnitude of the globe and its various divisions, the nature of the universe, and the energy and power of the immortal gods." Again in the same book: "The Druids teach that in no other way than by ransoming man's life by the life of man is reconciliation with the divine justice of the immortal gods possible."
It is easy to see that abuses of this last strong doctrine may have led the Druids to justify human sacrifice, of which in fact they were guilty; but we certainly have here presented, on the testimony of a Roman warrior and historian, some of the grandest conceptions of religious truth that have ever been assigned to any people. And in the last clause quoted, many have found what they believed to be an enunciation of that great principle of vicarious atonement which underlies the Christian faith.
The proverbs of the Druids, which are generally found in triads, are indicative of very noble qualities of race. Thus:" Three duties of every man-Worship God, be just to all, die for your country." How much nobler is this than the vaunted Buddhist triad: "Trust in the Buddha, trust in the Law, trust in the Sangha" (of Monks). It would be almost Christian if it had in it the element of love, for, like Christianity, it begins with the supreme claims of God, and is at leastjust to one's neighbor as to himself, and it adds the most exalted patriotism that a man can cherish. Yet its falls far short of the Christlike spirit, which loves all men even better than self, and is ready to spend and be spent in their service. Here is another terse triad: "Three things came into being at the same moment-light, man, and moral choice." Another: "There are three men whom all should love-he that loves the face of his mother nature, he that loves rational works of art, he that looks lovingly on the faces of little children." Again:" Three things only God can do-endure the eternities of infinity, participate in all being without changing, re- new everything without annihilating it." Another: "The three necessary essentials of God-infinite in himself, finite to the finite, co-unity with every mode of existence in happiness." These are noble utterances, one and all. How clear and just is the discrimina- tion which makes God infinite in Himself, and yet finite to the finite. Unlike many a heathen religion, this exalts God to infinitude; unlike many a cold philosopy, it brings him down to our finiteness, and recognizes the necessity for a Goa with us. 'l'hese triads set forth a the sublime responsibility of moral choice in man, and yet the ten- der grace that looks lovingly on the faces of little children. In word, the faith of the Druids differed entirely from the dark pessim- isms of the cotemporary philosophies of India and Egypt. It was a bright and hopeful system. "Three things," says still another triad, "decrease continually-darkness, evil, and death. Three things increase continually-light, truth, and life. These will finally prevail over all, then probation will end." 'l'his idea of the gradual and eternal progress of man and of the universe, stands apart from the teachings of most heathen systems.
A summary of the doctrines held by the Druids may be given as follows: There is one supreme God, and His nature is spiritual and invisible. The universe is pervaded by Him as His body, and He rules it as the human mind rules the human body. To human apprehension, though not in Himself, he appears in a triple aspect in relation to the past, the present and the future; the Oreator as to the past, the Saviour or Preserver as to the present, the Recreator as to the future. In the Recreator the idea of destroyer was also involved. This trinity strangely corresponds to the Hindu Trimurti, in which Brahma is the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Siva both destroyer and renovator. Of the Druid trinity the names were Belis, Taran, and Esu or J esu, and when Ohristianity was proclaimed in Britain, J esu was retained, and it is still retained as the name of the second person of the Ohristian Trinity.
The Druids held that man was created at once in his full strength, and that all matter was both created and arranged in the order of the universe in one and the same act. Nature is the action of God through matter. There is no such thing as the annihilation of matter. Every particle is capable of passing through all possible forms, and every form has its own laws of existence and action. They also believed that there had been a fall of once pure and happy beings into sin and condemnation, and that it was brought about by an attempt on their part to rival God in sustaining and governing the universe. In so doing they brought themselves to the lowest degree of unmiti- gated evil (annwn). For the redemption of these fallen beings God granted a period of probation (abred). By this means, after a long disciplinary course, they might again attain to the lost purity and happiness (gwynfyd).
The essence of the soul, according to Druidism, is the will, and the essence of religion is willinghood. The first essential of manhood, as distinguished from the nature of beasts, is the ·power of free choice. No other system of belief has ever more fully emphasized man's freedom and responsibility. Every man, ere he can be immovably settled in the bliss of heaven, must have passed through every experience of good and evil. Memory of evil endured is the only safeguard against yielding to temptation. Heaven then cannot be a place hedged against wrong. In an intense and sublime degree it is character reinforced by the remembrance of all evil suffered and mastered.
With the Druids the life hereafter was to be one of eternal progress and growth. No such conception as that of future rest occurred to them. Suffering might be willingly endured, either for one's own good or for that of another. In the one case it might expiate his own sin, and this, accompanied by confession, might absolve him. In the other case his suffering might atone for another's sin.
It cannot be successfully maintained that Druidism was free from polytheistic tendencies. At least, subordinate gods were regarded with something akin to worship. But the above outlines are sufficient to show that the Druidic faith was at once the product, the expression, and the perpetual source of great moral power. No wonder that the Celtic race produeed such characters as those of the exiled Caractacus, or the sublime heroism of a Boadacea. And it is not strange that the armies of Rome found it well nigh impossible to conquer Britain, and, in fact, never did conquer her remoter tribes.
Weare told that about five centuries before the Christian era the civil laws of the Druids were codified by Dunwal Moelmud, and that since that time they have remained the common unwritten or native laws of the island, as distinguished from the Roman, the Canon, and other codes of foreign introduction. "These Druidic laws," says Rev. R. W. Morgan, "have always been justly regarded as the foundation and bulwark of British liberties," and he refers to the testimony of Sir John Fortesque and of Coke, to that effect.* So, far from savagery, the Druids were possessed of a high degree of civilization. They studied science with a truly religious fervor, since the laws of nature were regarded as the modes of divine activity. Theya-re said to have supported sixty colleges, and the * St. Paul in Britain, p. 64. •1.umber of students from Britain and from Gaul sometimes rose to sixty thousand. These institutions were generally located in the, fortified capitals of the tribes known as Caers, Castras, and finally,. Chesters. Very many of the old names still remain, as Doncaster,. Leicester and Winchester. The pride of learning in these institutions was very great. The only prophets recognized were those who had penetrated all nature's laws. Only the highest social classes were eligible to the Druid order, and each applicant must prove his descent from nine successive generations of free forefathers. In the Druid order centered all knowledge, human and divine. They were the hierarchy and the parliament. They never bore arms. Expulsion from the order rendered the culprit an outcast, whom none might. fellowship or assist or pity.
The conversion of the Britons to .Christianity was facilitated by two favoring influences. The first was the fact that their own system of belief had so many high and noble elements in common with the religion of the Bible. They claimed identity as to the unity of God, in three manifestations, of whom "Jesu "was one. They recognized also the principle of vicarious expiation for sin, and the doctrine of repentance and confession. Like the Christian doctrines, their creed_ emphasized the freedom and responsibility of the human will and the moral influence of discipline, as a blessing in the government or God. Said Taliesin, a Druid bard, with some exaggeration: "Christ" the Word from the beginning, was from the beginning our teacher, and we never lost His teaching. Christianity was a new thing in Asia, but there never was a time when the Druids of Britain held. not His doctrines."
The second special influence which opened the hearts of Britons, to the gospel was a fellow feeling with the Christians under the cruer wrongs of the Roman power. The Christian church was persecuted,. and Druidism soon shared its trials. It became so evident that the_ strong religious faith of the Celts was the real secret of their invincible bravery, that orders were given to the commanders of the legions to extirpate Druidism at all cost. Thus by a common sympathy ilL suffering were the hearts of the Druids opened to the gospel. The family of the royal exile, Caractacus, became prominent among. the Christians of Rome. Many memorable names, like that of Pelagius, appeared in the history of the British churches.
In our common habit of lauding the Anglo Saxon, have we not, unduly overlooked the Celtic element in the civilization and moral power of Britain? From the Picts of Scotland, and the brave and hardy sons of Wales, who even yet speak the original tongue of the Britolls,and the secluded Irish, whom Patrick won to the truth, we~ trace very many of those early influences which have leavened the ooaracter of the nation. That enthusiastic youth, who, from having
TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN MISSIONARY MAGAZINES
been a captive and a swineherd, became, in the fifth century, A. D., the apostle of Ireland, belonged to this Celtic race. Before the con- quests of Saxon and Dane, which waged a war of extermination against Roman and Briton alike, he had established Christianity in Ireland. From Ireland a refluent tide of Christian influence returned to Wales. In both countries monasteries sprang up, which were really missionary trai~ing schools. Northward to Iona this monastic enthusiasm spread. Thence, men of heroic faith and endurance carried the gospel to Scotland and to N orthumbria. From the Ban- . gors of Ireland and Wales missionaries passed into Burgundy, Switzer- land, Germany, and even Italy. It was an evangelical faith which they proclaimed. Patrick had studied with Martin of Tours, who, sur- rounded by Celtic monks of Gaul, had followed the culture of Poly- carp rather than that of the Popes. It was an age of moral earnest- ness, and the faith of Britain was exceptionally free from the hair- splitting doctrinal speculations which prevailed in the East. It was free from ecclesiastical ambition and intrigue; from the accumulations of human traditions; from the worship of pictures, im'hges and relics. .
Religion was the great interest of life. Mo,nastic devotion and missionary effort, far and near, were considered nobler and more desirable than money getting, or fame, or earthly pleasure. It was then that the foundations were laid for the political and religious liberty and power of Western Europe.
TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN MISSIONARY MAGAZINES.
BY REV. CHARLES C. STARBUCK, ANDOVER, MASS.
-The following from the Macedonier is a fair specime,n of what" secular instruction" means when carried out logically. The writer is speaking of Dutch Government schools in the East Indies: " This was the first fault (the denationalization of young teachers), but the second was not lessgrave. It was the principle of neutrality. 'There might not be any religion ill the Government schools!' This measure roused an unnecessary aversion in the parents towards the Government schools. Among a population where but one church was known, the name of God or of Jesus might not be named; nay, even proverbs, like that of Solomon, ' Go to the ant, thou sluggard,' were objected to as injurious because they stood in the Bible." Are we going to yield to Antichrist in that fashion?
-The same writer, after remarking that the Government schools do not deserve to be called people's schools, inasmuch as for the great majority of the youth who are not looking for Government appointments, the little knowledge they give is of a kind to spoil them for their actual life, pronounces the missionary schools to be true people's schools, because (1) They use, as a rule, the vernacular tongue, although in the Minahassa (the northern arm of Celebes) they still use the Malay too much. (2) They keep in view, in their instruction, the development of the understanding and the forming of the heart agreeably to the stage of development on which the popUlation stands, and the occupation and course of life which lie before by far the greater proportion of the school-going youth. (3) They limit themselves to giving instruction in read- ing, writing, ciphering, geography and singing. Point 2 is, in the writer's judgment, of great importance. His conclusion is that the East Indies require, not the Government school, but the free, subsidized private school.
-The following from the Dansk Missionsblad gives an impression of how, where there is still a zeal for Hinduism, the gospel is weakening its defences in more cultivated Ininds, and how fierce a reaction of heathen bigotry is still possible even against Hindus, whose greater enlightment compels them to make certain concessions to Christianity: " As we were returning from church, we came by a great company of people that had flocked around a speaker, who, with enthusiastic words, was extolling the excellence of Hinduism at the expense of Christianity. My companion knew the speaker, a young Hindu from Madras, who had seized on this festal occasion to make an essay to strengthen the tottering thrones of his gods. We stopped and listened; and our native preacher having undertaken to answer him with somewhat dubious success, Herman Jensen entered the circle. He extended his hand to the abashed Hindu, and kindly inquired after his health, which for an instant stayed the flow of his eloquence and drew the hearers' attention. Jensen availed himself of this moment, and, without entering upon the interrupted discussion as to the trustworthiness of the Bible, he began to speak to the people of' Him who is not far from anyone of us.' . . • Having ended, he at once took leave, that the impression left might not be effaced by aimless disputes. We afterwards learned that some of the crowd had begun to make sport of the Christians and their religion, but were checked by the young Hindu, who reminded them that although as Hindus they were antjl.gonistsof Christianity, yet they could not refuse it their respect, as it was in reality a good religion. At the same time he let fall a hint that the Hindu zeal to drag their gods about the streets was of doubtful value.
"The next day we heard that the young Hindu had been obliged to leave the town early in the morning. For as soon !,S it became known in Tricalore that he had permitted Herman Jensen to speak, and had even expressed himself favorably as to Christianity, no one in the whole town would sell him rice or anything else. The Brahmins in particular began to assume so threatening a demeanor toward him that he judged it prudent to leave Tricalore as quickly as possible."
-Kaiser-Wilhelms-Land, the German part of New Guinea, the northeastern part of this great island, is about ten times as large as the kingdom of Wurtemberg, but has only about one-twentieth as large a population. We are glad to see that the German Company which controls it forbid the importation of either spirits or gunpowder. The people are not, like many Papuans, cannibals. They are of strict morals, and of a reasonable disposition. The Inissionaries say: "If only they would wash themselves now and then !"
-'fhe Missions-Blatt of the Moravian brethren for JanuarY,1890, opens with the words: "Thy Kingdom come. Praying thus we enter upon the New Year. We utter it with universal Christendom over the broad earth. But above.all it should be the watchword for the missionary church of the Unitas Fratrum. The Kingdom of the Lord our God, as yet invisible in its .full depth, power and glory, by us as yet uncomprehended, but in faith apprehended as the Kingdom gained by the conflict unto blood and death, of the Son of God, wrested from the devil and formed by the communion of the redeemed, ought in this year also to gain ground afresh and to make a victorious advance. There should be assured to it victory upon victory, as well among ourselves as also abroad, in the far distance where light and darkness are wrestling together, or where the yet unbroken darkness rests in thick masses upon the nations. This is the tenor of our prayer. And if we pray thus believingly and confidently, with a 'heart full of love for this kingdom, into which we know ourselves to have been translated, then we all labor together for the coming of the same, then are its victories also our victories, then something of the glory of the Kingdom is likewise reflected into our own life, and purifies our faithfulness, our labor, our patience, so that they put on some value in the eyes of its King." -The Moravian brethren remark that the past year has been marked by liberal gifts for their modest but model missions. In a peculiar sense, what- ever is given to the Brethren's Church is given to the Church universal, and has, therefore, a double value, immediate and exemplary. In 1889 the extra outlays of 1887 were fully covered. And large giving soon showed itself, as commonly, to be the parent of larger giving. For the church at Dornburg, Surinam, costing more than 20,000 marks, the costs are assured. 6,500 marks have been paid and subscribed for opening a work in the island of Trinidad. .a Mr. McNiece, in Ireland, has left the Moravian Church the equivalent of 115,000 marks for their missions in Africa and .asia. Mrs. Disney Robinson having given in 1888 the sum of 20,000 marks, and 20,000 marks in 1889, has bequeathed 40,000 marks.
" But with the chords of thanksgiving and joy there mingles also a subdued strain of sadness in looking over the past year. We trust it does not lessen gratitude, but in a measure it troubles joy. It has pleased the Lord to, visit our missionary brethren and sisters the past year in a very extraordinary degree with sickness. This has occasioned many withdrawals from the service, and has diminished the strength of many who remain. It has also made it necessary to decline many overtures of service. Finally, this year has seen a, larger number called to the heavenly home than many others. Five brethren and sisters have been called away out of a fruithful activity-five in Surinam alone.
" In the past year a special consecration was imparted to our missionary' work by the meeting in Herrnhut of the General Synod of the Brethrens' Unity. In this the missionary work of our church, in all its aspects, was thoroughly tested, unfolded and weighed. And this was done with so comprehensive an interest, and with so hearty an affection, that we were thereby mightily strengthened and filled with the consciousness that we were acting in the commission not only of an important but also of a praying missionary church, and could take up our work afresh in the refreshment of such a. consciousness.
"Thus, then, may the Lord go with us into the new year, and His blessing accompany all we do! May His spirit rule without in the field, as well as at. home in the church. May He build up His kingdom in our midst, and, through us, ever wider and wider out into lands remote! The experiences that we may have gathered in the past year, painful as well as consoling, all this should firmly conjoin itself for us'into piers and arches of a bridge, on which Hope shall advance, boldly and securely, from time unto eternity. To the Lord, the victorious king of his kingdom, be glory and praise and honor, .amen!"
-The Brethren's missionaries in the little Mosquito State complain that the Catholic State of Nicaragua is constantly nibbling at the eastern boundary, and, unless restrained by England and America, the guaranteeing powers, bids fair to devour it altogether. The two governments ought to be stirred up to look into the matter.
-The Berlin Missionary Society gives its present statistics as follows: In South Africa, 6 superintendencies, 47 stations, 83 out-stations, 143 preaching places, 53 ordained missionaries, 4 candidates for ordination, 6 colonial brethren, 93 paid and 323 unpaid colored assistants, 20,000' baptized Christians now living, 8,000 deceased, and 3,500 scholars. In China, 4 ordained European missionaries, 2 European candidates for ordination, 28 native helpers, 4 of them ordained, 9 stations, 7 out-stations, 23 preaching places, 736 baptized Ch..istians, living in 135 localities, and 116 scholars. In tbe Mission house in Berlin there are some 25 or 30 pupils under training (after the Continental metbod) for work abroad. The almost entire talk of University men is a deep drawback in Continental Protestant Missions.
The Society, now 66 years old, is assisted by 300 auxiliary associations. -Director Wangemann says, with considerable humor, that the effectiveness of the system of auxiliaries is by some set much too high. " My dear friend, Professor Flash, once remarked, that the Director of Berlin I. (for there is another Berlin Society) has a good position; he sits like a telegraph director before 300 wires, at whose ends are to be found 300 auxiliaries. He only needs to press on the buttons, and movement ensues in the whole system. Now, whether a Berlin Misfionary Director has ever been in this happy situation or not, I do not know; but, as concerns myself, I h~ve never enjoyed it, and even less to-day than when I took up my office 26 years ago. I may press on the buttons as much as I will, the great majority give no answer whatever. Some wires are rusted; some quite broken asunder; the system as a whole no longer works. For years, 60, 70, perhaps 90 answers, has been all that my pressing on the',00 buttons has brought to pass, and of these more than half not at all thorou:,;lly entering into my questions." So it seems that even German thqroughness has its provoking limitations in the missionary cause.
– " As Paul, with good right, was honored with the title of ' Apostle of the Gentile~,' so our time, above others, is the period of the world·mission, whose business it is to be thoroughly in earnest with the commission of the King of the kingdom of heaven: 'Go ye into all the world,' , Make all nations my disciples.' But in this great mission field the Supreme Missionary Direc· tion has distinctly designated certain fields of labor, above other8, as those whichju8t now need our especial faithfulness and energy, for the very reason that here more than elsewhere' a great door and effectual, offerinli:' abundant fruit, is opened unto us, and there are many adversaries.' As in a hattie a wise general sends the main reinforcement to those points where the crisis is imminent, and the enemy most vigorously unfolds his force, so ahro in the combat for the world's conquest, which missions have to wage, the most decisive and energetically assailed points must be occupied with the most numerous and the best troops. The greatness of the duty, which the present opening of the world imposes on Christain missions, has an almost bewildering effect, and involves the danger of an inauspicious scattering of forces. It often misleads Christians to an unreasonably rapid succession of new enterprises, not seldom at the cost of such elder fields of labor as afford fruit already ripe for the harvest. The opening of new doors should certainly not be left unregarded, but be an incitement to multiply our exertions; but they ought neither to afford nourishment to a certain missionary romanticism, which is only intent on 'either seeing or hearing some new thing,' nor to infringe on due fidelity towards elder fields, nor to come in conflict with the wisdom which demands the fullest outlay of strength where, at a particular juncture, the opportunity is most distinctly given by God for wide·reaching decisiveness of result." -Dr. Warneek in Allgemeine Missions·ZeitBchri/t, January, 1890.
-" The great missionary decisions do not, in the first instance, impend in the newly·dis· covered regions, especially of Central Africa; but in older fields, where access to human throngs is conjoined with an entrance of the gospel message into human hearts, and the enemy is organizing a resistance to the gospel. There, as in Madagascar, in India, in Japan, where the situation already draws near to a final issue, the missionary forces should receive the greatest possible concentration."-Ibidem.
-" We can but lament that so many in our day account as insufficient the only means that is given to Christian missionaries, namely, the Gospel, and, therefore, meditate how they may rel!der it effective by additions of their own devising. Their unbelief arises out of the just observation, that the missionary with the Gospel has to attack, not only an individual, but a world that, in its manifold political, social, ethical, religious relations, is fortified against the truth. For this the Word appears to have too isolated an operation. But the Word finds not only one individual, but then a second and a third; there arises a Christian community, which is the legitimate means of warfare against the heathen community. The greater this community becomes, so much the greater is the capital with which missions work. Every mission· ary society which founds a second station, which has a fiourishing neighbor-mission, experiences that the first helps to bear up the second, the neighbor to support its own work. It appears to me that this source of efficiency is at present overlooked, when in Africa so many entrenched camps are broken up, and the war almost wholil. carried on by skirmishes. Especially is this a tactical mistake in a land where one has to do Wlth Islam, which works by its compact masses; in a land that intelleCtually, morally, religiously, is so little prepared for Christianity as Africa, where all the spiritual capital, all the instruments with which we labor, for instance, in most places the very alphabet, have first to be created. What is natural, appears also here to be reasonable. Why should one carryon the war some hundreds of miles away from the nearest of our country's troops, and not rather advance shoulder to shoulder into a stronglyfortified enemy's land."-F. M. Zahn in Allgemeine Zeit8chrijt, January, 1890.
GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE
n.-GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.
Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions.
The organization of the Student academic students; 200 (4.%) grammar Volunteer Movement is not perfect as and common school students; 500 yet; nor are its methods infallible in (10%) who are not students, and 500 aim, however its representatives are (10.%) who are out of school on account united, for they are striving in single of health or lack of means. Besides hearted endeavor to evangelize the these, about 275 (5~ Yo) have completed world in this generation. And be- their course of study (125 of whom are cause they are honestly and earnestly not likely to go), while neady 250 (5%) and prayerfully striving to enfolce have departed to their foreign work.
our Master's last command, they wel- About 250 (5.%) have renounced their come, and most gladly, criticism from decision; and 50 (1.%) have been re- friends-criticism in the broad signifi- jected on account of ill health and cation of that much abused term. other reasons.
Now and then statements like the In the following estimate the same following reach us, and because these persons are considered with reference statements are typical of criticisms to the time required to complete their which come from various quarters, we courses of study which they have laid give this sample: "We have heard out: The number who have completed of some thousands of students in our education and gone. to their work, colleges 'pledged to foreign missions,' about 250; number who have finished but, somehow, they do not material- their education and are still in this ize. We would be willing to hear less country, about 150; that expect to com- about their enthusiastic pledges if we plete studies in 1890, 400; about 550 might see more proof of the enthusi- will complete their studies each year asm." Lookers on think it a little for the next four years; while 1200 will strange that out of so large a number have more than four years of study be- {)f volunteers so few appear to be fore them. About 500 are uncertain as ready to embark in the work. An ex- to time required to finish, on account of amination of the latest statistics very health and means. To complete total recently compiled will show results of 5,000, there must be added 50 who encouraging to all who are anxious have been rejected by the Boards, and for the extension of Christ's kingdom, 250 who have reversed their decision.
and will reveal some of the reasons There are between 90 and 100 mis- why even a greater number of volun- sion boards organized in colleges' for teers have not already sailed for for- promulgating the missionary spirit in eign shores. their respective localities; but volun- The American Board sent out last teers are reported from 300 insti- year 52 missionaries, the largest num- tutions. There has been pledged for ber for any year in over half a century, the support of missionaries through and has as many more.applications on the influence of the movement: by nle. This Board has sent out 30 vol- colleges, $19,450; seminaries $9,850; unteers in the last three years. churches, $13,000; miscellaneous Dod- Five thousand persons have signed ies, $3,400. These figures include the pledge. single contributions and permanent The most accurate estimate gives annual pledges, but omit all work the numbers and proportions of the done in 1890, and much done previous- volunteers in the various grades of ly and not reported.
educational institutions as follows: Mr. John N. Forman will be remem- 1750 (35.%) college students; 125 (21 Yo) bered as the person who was associa- medical students; 450 (9%) theological ted with Mr. Robert P. Wilder at the stUdents; 650 (13%) preparatory and date of the inception of the movement, in 1886. Mr. Formanis now in In another part of the REVlEw* may India, and is supported by the students of Princeton college. He writes from be found an appeal from the Kolhapur Datia, Central India: Mission for 16 new workers. It will " Datia Is a city of 28,()()() souls, a fine specimen of an eastern city, surrounded by a strong be remembered that the founder of wall which is pierced by five gates and three 'windows.' The people are independent, with this magazine, the Rev. R. G. Wilder, a king of their own, who is responsible to the English government." established this mission, and that his Since Mr. Forman's arrival at Datia wife and daughter, Miss Grace E.
he has been endeavoring to establish Wilder, are carrying on the work an independent native church, and he there now. has adopted, in a measure, the mode of living of the natives. He does not There are at present only 18 work- yet feel convinced that this latter plan el'S in Kolhapur. How needy the is altogether wise; but of two points he is convinced: first, no man should field is will be seen by examining the live in this country without a com- apportionment of workers to other panion; and second, it is not best to countries. Mexico has a population work among natives as poor men. of 10,OOO,OOO–two and one half times "We certainly must have," he writes, "all that Is necessary to health and efficient service, that to be reached by the Kolhapur and must not go in for asceticism. The preaching is sometimes quiet, and sometimes stormy. missionaries. Mexico has 48 ordained our Evening before last a young man came, intent missionaries, 44 lay missionaries, and on breaking up preaching. He tlrst tried 43 female missio!J.aries. Total, 135. to get me into an argument, but finding that would not work he talked away, pretty loud, If Kolhapur wen to have an equal to those about, and at the same time another man preached to another part of the audience. proportion, it shoull be furnished with I had to preach pretty loud to make myself heard, even by a small part of the audience, 54 missionaries. Japan has 15G orfor, in addition to my two rivals, there was all the ordinary noise of a public square.". . . dained missionaries, 161 lay, 113 fe- male, and 14 medical. Total, 443. If Kolhapur were to have as many in proportion, she should be equipped with 48. Even" in dark, benighted"
Africa, there are proportionately more missionaries at work than in Kolha- pur. MAX WOOD MOORHEAD.
* See page 456.-EDs.
Aftlca.-The British Missions Zambesi for navigation was being- and the Portuguese. On Livingstone's sounded, and a new and direct com- return to England in 1856, after 16 munication from the sea discovered. years of self-inflicted banishment in The Shire was then unknown to Por- the heart of the "Lost Continent," he tuguese voyagers except in its lower said: " I have opened the door, and I reaches and near the Zambesi. Dr. leave it with you to see that no one Livingstone and Sir John Kirk traced closes it after me." This door was not it to the Falls; proceeding on foot be- to be shut, either by the murderous yond them to Lake Shire, until their' Arab or the Portuguese filibuster. discovery of Nyassa. On this explor- Thirty-two years ago a well equipped ation Dr. Livingstone had proof that expedition was placed by the English the Portuguese encouraged slavery. government at the disposal of living- stone to extend geographical knowl- Next in chronological order came edge, and to assist the people in land the Universities' Mission. Livingstone cultivation and production of raw ma- chose a site for it which had many terial, for which the latter might be natural advantages. At this point exchanged for English manufactures. gang after gang of miserable slaves By this form of legitimate trade the were met, being led away to Portu- terrible slave traffic might be mitigat- guese settlements. Native villages. ed. Concurrently, the capacity of the likewise were commonly fired. At Chi- bisas a colony was formed, which had. continued to grow, and which to-day al experience, Portugal had all but was claimed as a birthright by Portu- strangled the life out of commerce, and gal. During the intervening 32 years the soul out of freedom; while on the Livingstone's old friends and servants East, the story was one and the same." had been peacefullysettled, save under The personal experience of Captain attacks from the Angoni and Machin- Lugard and Commander Cameron ga tribes. The Universities' Miss!on should not be forgotten. It was W. in Nyassaland had cost £43,000. In H. Stanley who wro~, in 1856: "If 1874 it was followed by the mission of you deliver these people into the hands the Free Church of Scotland, stationed of the Portuguese, the past as well as on the shores of Lake Nyassa, or the the present teaches you what to ex- Lake of the Stars. Its missionaries pect. You deliver them body and had explored the country surrounding soul into slavery." Effectively, it had Nyassa, attached the natives, and as- been said by the Rev. Dr. Symington, certained the natural resources. A an acknowledged authority on Af- sum of £50,000 had been expended on rica's regeneration, "that the only this powerful and successful enter- thing which can give any right in the prise, for whose enlargement four new highest sense to go in and occupy the missionaries had just gone out. The soil of Africa, is an honest, open desire Church of Scotland beginning in 1875 to restore to the' natives the first birth- at Blantyre, its retained headquarters right of mankind, their personal free- had enjoyed much prosperity. Blan- dom, and then to bring them into re- tyre lay equi-distant from the lake lations with our knowledge and our northward and the southerly Chibisas. commerce, which shall make them On the shores of Lake Tanganyika, sharers of our privileges."-Our En- 420 miles long, the London Missionary glish Correspondent. Society's gallant workers had battled against the combined forces of heath- -German Protestant Missionaries enism and slave rading. The African on the Cameroons River -The noble Lakes Company, formed in 1878, to achievements of the Baptist Missiondevelop the resources of this region, ary Society in the Cameroons district, i.e., Nyassa, and to act as carriers for with which the name of the Rev.'Althe mission stations, had been a large fred Saker is imperishably associated, and prosperous undertaking, with have not failed to receive admirable twelve trading depots and a capital devotion from the German Mission of £170,000. Stringently prohibiting since the territories were ceded to Gerany commerce with the liquor traffic, many. Eight European missionaries it has introduced' new sources of are engaged in the German Colony of wealth into the country. Throughits the Cameroons. For the training of expansion and the presence of other teachers and catechists, a small school Scotch traders, a British Consnl had was founded at Bethel, in January, been appointed. Until about five 1889. On its roll are the names of years ago Portugal had done nothing nine pupils. Native assistants have for the advance of scientific explor- also been appointed, partly in connecation. Her tracks along the lower tion with the mission work, and likeand upper banks of the Zambesi were wise to give independent courses of marked by slave marauding and an- instruction. The Mission in the Protagonism to the enlightenment and tectorate is making progress. Bethel, civilization of the natives. the main station, serves as the centre for other stations further up and down Mr. James Irvine, of Liverpool, to the Cameroons River, some of which whom the writer is indebted for some were taken over from the English of the foregoing details, said, that "on Baptists. South of Bell Town stands the West coast, he knew from person- the lately founded settlement of the Christians in Tokoto village. The pull down th!J teacher's house raised by the Baptists at Banjongo and re- -chapel here is utilized as a school. At build it at Bwea. To effect the Chris- tianization of these native cannibals, Hickory, on the right bank, the old the Baptist Society sacrificed a few heroic lives and expended over a sum Baptist mission house is being rebuilt, of £100,000 in holding forth the word of life upwards of forty years. Pray where one or two European mission- for their consecrated German mission- ary successors!-Our English Correaries will soon be stationed. The old spondent.
school-house has been repaired and – A Pathetic Story. The Free Church of Scotland has just issued a fitted up as a chapel. Towards the tract treating of 300 captured slave children in their Nyassa Mission. For overhauling, the little community of five years past the mission at the north end of Lake Nyassa has been seriously 27 souls, all counted, contributed about threatened by the man-stealing Arabs. These surround a village at early dawn 100 francs. In several villages, as far and fire into the houses, and ~hen the terrified men rush for their lives as Bakundu, on the Upper Mungo, the they are shot down, and the women and children captured. This is no mission undertakes both teaching and new tale. In this case the Arabs ~ent south to these villages with the bark preaching. rope made ready for their captives, to a village seven or eight days' journey At the end of 1888 the number of from Bwana, and there sold their cap- tives for powder. A second band atnative converts in the Protectorate tacked the village of Kapiyira, thirty miles south of Karonga, shooting down was registered at 160, not including the men as usual and capturing the women and children. These were 88 persons who were receiving instruc- surprised by some Christian natives, when every Arab bolted. The women tion with a view to baptism. The they had captured, being bound, could not escape. Six women and children number of children under the influ- had still the ropes on their necks. One little girl in the fight had received a ence of the mission is estimated at 300. bullet wound in the back of the head. One poor, old, helpless woman was led The Bille Missionary Society accepted into the stockade with the gore (slave stick) still on her neck, who had been the mission at Christmas, 1886, and of found by some Wankonde in the woods, and was brought to us. Her the 12 missionaries employed, four story was very sad. She was one of the women stolen lately, and was, have died. To fill the vacancies three with five other women and five chil- dren, put into the slave-sticks. By more will shortly depart for the Guinea night the end of the sticks-young trees, indeed-were tied to the roofs coast. . of the houses; but by day they were allowed to crawl about the verandas The Mission has advanced from Vic- toria, on the Ambas Bay, to the moun- tains peopled by the Bakwiri tribe.
In attempting the conquest inland, a native Christian was sent as a teacher to Banjongo, and the missionaries, Scholten and Aulenrieth,went to Ober- Bwea, a place some two thousand five hundred metres above the level of the sea. On this site they were permitted to stay, after lengthy nego- tiations with the chief and his pe~ple.
A hut was next purchased and re- moved to a suitable locality. The missionaries stripped a delightful hil- lock of its trees, and then laid an un- derstructure on which the hut was erected. Here the teacher lives, and Bwea is a mission station with a promising spiritual outlook. The neighborhood, which is healthy and populous, is weIl adapted for the cru- sade. Already a Iargerhouse is need- ed, and, in the absence of building materials, and the difficulty of their .transport, the missionaries propose to of the houses, always dragging the Among these is Lieut. Stairs' account tree behind. The morning of her es- of an attempt and failure, in June cape she crawled outside the village last, to reach the snow – crowned gate and got into ihe grass. Soon a summit of Ruwenzori, which Mr. cry was raised, and although they Stanley claims to be the ancient searched everywhere, and even set fire " Mountains of the Moon." The to the grass, she eluded their inhuman Lieutenant, after reaching a height of vigilance and got off, being only ten thousand feet, found his progress slightly scorched. All day and all arrested by three deep ravines, on the night she crawled along on hands and farthest side of which tlie nearest knees, and in the morning was found peak rose to an additional height of by the Wankonde in the woods. six thousand feet. Beyond this were other peaks rising still higher, and to Dr. Cross has a school composed of an altitude of at least eighteen thouchildren that have been thus rescued. sand feet! While there were many Three hundred of tbem are enrolled on indications of life within the ten his books; 250 have been present at thousand feet passed over by Lieut. one . time. There are six classes, Stairs, there were no evidences that taught under six giant trees. The this upper region was the regular Sabbath meeting is sometimes very habitat of animals. The lower mounlargely attended, 600 to 1,000 people at tain sides were overgrown with bamtimes being present, the whole serv- boos, above which.was found a dense ice being in the Ikimwamba dialect. growth of heaths, some of which rose The little scholars are of the Wankonde to· a height of twenty feet. The villages, the children the Arabs fought whole Ruwenzori range is evidently for and longed to enslave. They are one of extinct volcanoes. Of course, ~very one naked and helpless. But even with a registry of sixty degrees what touches us tenderly is that these by the thermometer, t;he night spent "naked, helpless" African children, on the mountain-side was felt to be instead of being in the slave pens of uncomfortably cold. Mr. Stanley rethe cruel slave hunters, are in Dr. ports that the debris brought from Cross' stockade, and all sing most these mountains, by the Semliki river, .sweetly: is rapidly filling the southern end of Lake Albert Nyanza. The lower eight .. Ut&ndeke Yesu wangu thousand feet of these mountain- Pilika UD~. sides were found inhabit;Qd by a people who had retreated up them before Wangi ukubiIikiIa hostile invaders, and who assumed Ut&ndeke we." the retreating business so promptly before Lieut. Stairs and his party as This is the first verse of "Pass me to quite escape their observation. not, 0 gentle Saviour." It is a very touching cry from helpless ones in the The discovery of this great mounheart of Africa, and the mute a,ppeal tain-the Mont Blanc of Africa-is hut of the prayer is to us as well as to the one of the geograpical results of this great Father of us all. expedition. Other discoveries solve perplexing questions in African geog- J. T. GRACEY, D.D. raphy. The real discoverer of the Congo has now discovered a source of -Ascent of Ruwenzori in Africa. the Nile in Lake Albert, and the Any attempt to detail to the public water-parting between those two the important results of Stanley's last rivers. From the Yambusa country African expedition must prove very to the Albert Nyanza, and thence inadequate until some map-maker onward to Msalalala, he discloses what gives to the public a full map of the vast regions traversed by the explorer. And yet some things that will prove interesting, without the aid of a new map, may be said just now. is really a new country, gives to the surface, we find that the mischief world its_physical features, and more under which we, Hindus, at present.
accurate information than it has ever labor is owing chiefly to the influence had before about the tribes of people of Christianity, brought steadily and who inhabit it.-The Evangelist. constantly to bear on our national China.-From Wei-Hien, China, mind for nearly a century and a half.
comes the intelligence that an Ameri- Raja Ram Mohun Roy, of happymem- can missionary lady, Mrs. Mateer, ory, felt its influence with the deepest who had been engaged in famine concern, so far back as 1821, and did relief work, had the high honor all he could to check its progress.
lately shown her of being taken Since his time, it is to be regretted, no through the city by an escort of literary Bengali gentleman (with one or two· men of high degree. They presented honorable exceptions) have done so her with a beautiful banner and much as to send a serious thought.
other tokens of esteem, and their escort after this matter, which is of such was a very brilliant one. Such honor vital importance to our Society.
shown to a woman, and a foreign " The result of this national apathy woman, too, and by China's proudest is, as might be expected, that the men! This was a marvelous spectacle, countless Christian missions at work in and it evidences how men who are this country, especially in Bengal, are hardest of all to reach and influence in a fair way of achieving their object, in any other way, may be moved to not so much, however, by carrying'
admiration and esteem by deeds of conviction to our hearts about the su- charity and mercy and loving personal periority of their religion as by slowly service to the unfortunate and the and imperceptibly changing our ideas.
suffering. Mrs. Mateer said that with regard to our moral, social, and while she was being thus honored, she domestic life. The unflagging energy tried to observe a fitting humility, and the systematic efforts with which as she remembered times when she these bodies are working at the foun- had suffered quite different treat- dation of our Society, will, unless coun- ment at the hands of the prejudiced teracted in time, surely cause a mighty and unfriendly literati and gentry of collapse of it at no distant date. Any China. family man who lives in town will, on India.-An Extraordinary Pamph- examining his household, discover un- let. We find in the Ohronicle of the mistakable evidence of the absence of London Society an extended quotation that domestic simplicity and spiritual from a pamphlet entitled, "Are We integrity that marked the ways of our Really Awake,! An Appeal to the Hin- women only a decade or two back."
du Oommunity," which has been re- The appeal proceeds to speak of the cently published in Calcutta. Vve can entrance of Bible-women into the give but part of the appeal here. It homes of the Hindus, and of the mis- is significant in many ways as showing sion schools to which the children are the attitude of the Hindus in the midst sent without hesitation, because there of the influences which are brought to are no Hindu schools for them, and it bear upon them. If those people who affirms that unless ihey arouse them- are asserting that missions are a fail- selves speedily to guard against the in- ure would candidly read this statement sidious progress of Christianity their of the Hindus themselves, they would society" will surely be turned topsy- find how wide of the truth are their turvy in a few generations hence." As assertions. The appeal says: a result of this appeal some Bengali " The life-blood of our Society is fast gentlemen established two or three ebbing away, and irreligion is eating schools close to the schools of the Lon- into its vitals. Looking beneath the don Society, but no appreciable difference was seen in the attendance at the in all Jewish learning, and one who latter.-Missionary Herald. will very soon qualify himself to be a JewS.-Free Church of Scotland valuable laborer in the ~ion field, MissIOns. There are many and striking indications that that" day of for which he has already discovered visitation" has at length begun to aptitude, and to which his whole soul dawn. Within the last twenty-five years there has been a remarkable tends. His baptism has produced a change in the attitude of the Jew towards Christ, and in various parts very deep and widespread impression. of the Jewish field we hear of a singular openness to listen to and consider The way has been opened up for the the great facts and truths of the gospel. The conversion and testi- permanent extension of the Sea of mony and work of Joseph Rabinowitz in South Russia, and of Rabbi lich- Galilee Mission to Safed, the traditenstein in Hungary, have produced a profound impression, and may be tional "city set on a hill " of Matthew taken as the forerunners of what is coming. The Jewish missions of our v: 14. The town contains about own Church are occupying an important . place in this interesting 15,000 Jews and 5,000 Moslems, and movement. Our mission schools are doing a great work in the way of vigorous operations-medical mission, leavening the young and impressible Jewish mind and heart with Christian and, it is hoped, educational-will be knowledge and sentiment. It is preparatory work, but we believe in begun among these this season. We sowing, and can wait for the harvest. Already the first fruits are being welcome this opening hopefully and gathered in, some of them rich and beautiful in no 'ordinary degree. joyfully. It cannot but stir the heart The school work has been resumed of the Church. to think of carrying on for the Winter at Budapest, Constantinople, and Tiberias with undiminished the work of healing and evangelizing numbers and with unabated zeal and hopefulness on the part of our devoted among those of His own nation, on teachers. At these three stations the Medical lIission continues in vigorous the very spot where our Lord carried operation. Every door may be said to be open, and in the case of the on His personal ministry in the days thousands of patients treated at the dispensary or visited in their homes, of His flesh, where He taught the our missionaries are not mere physicians, but avowedly preachers of people and wrought so many of His Christ. This arm of the service is growing in power from day to day. deeds of mercy. The first of the mis- From Breslau Mr. Edward has just sionaries' houses at Tiberias is nearly reported the baptism of a young Jew, to which he attaches unusual import- ready for being roofed in. Dr. Moody ance. He speaks of this young convert, who was preparing to be a Stuart writes regarding this: "It Jewish rabbi, as thoroughly at home brightens all our hopes to know that in. the great goodness of the God of Israel we have now taken a permanent position in the land of Israel."
Portugal.-Under the well- known initials of R. N. C., the Rock offers the following note of warning with regard to the claims of Portugal, which is well worth the consideration of all who wish to form a just judg- ment in the matter.
The subjectseems at the first glance, to be far removed from that of Chris- tian missions, but when we examine it closely we tip-d that these two are intimately connected, and it is as well that this should be understood: If the claims of Portugal are admitted the Protestant missions will be hampered or totally extinguished. Behind Portu gal is a greater power-the Church of Rome-and the reason why this little inert State is put forward to arrest the progress of civilization is because it is felt that wherever British influence prevails, there is toleration, and mis- sions of all denominations have a free hand. In the Mission Catholiques,
MISSIONARY CORRESPONDENCE FROM ALL PARTS
published weekly at Lyons, in France, It is, therefore, expedient that the no secret is made that Cardinal Lavi- religious organs, especially those gerie ha.tmade arrangements with the which look ypon Christian missions as King of Portugal to occupy what he one of the chief duties of a Christian, is good enough to call the Portuguese Provinces of the Shire and Nyassa. to support the present Government in The Romish missionaries would be the bold front which they have prearmed with power and privileges, sented to the ridiculous Portuguese partly from Rome, partly from Lisbon. claims. For three hundred years they We should hear of principal chiefs be- had the field open to them, and had ing received, like Mwangaof Uganda, they annexed the whole of South into the Church of Rome, and the door Africa from Mozambique on the east closed to the commercial activity and to Angola on the west, no one could have called out; but it is an admitted missionary enthusiasm of Great Brit- fact that Livingstone discovered Nyain. The crafty Cardinal knows well assa Lake and the River Shire, and all enough that under British rule or pro- that remains of the Portuguese mediretectorate no let or hindrance will be val power is but a dream. made to his missioJ:Y3. but he requires not toleration, but exclusion of the We have long thought that the osapostles of error, as he calls Protest- tentatious anti-slavery demonstrations ants. It may be taken as an axiom of Cardinal Lavigerie had but one obthat when a Romish Cardinal preaches ject-the advancement of the Romish an anti-slavery crusade, or asserts the church. At the same time we most rights of a weak and effete monarchy earnestly hope that the war spirit and nation like the Portuguese, he has may be kept under, and that the misbut one object, the advancement of the sionaries whose work is threatened Roman Catholic religion by force or fraud, by violence or chicanery, or, if may put their trust neither in this necessary, by bloodshed. government nor that, but only in the living God, who rules and overrules in the affairs of men.
I1I.-MISSIONARY CORRESPONDENCE FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD-FIELD.
Ohins.. a revision of the Tien·tsin treaty with Great Britain, so as to exclude the legalized importa- GOD AND THE OPIUM TRAFFIC. tion of opium into China, may be embraced, signed by about 750 foreign missionaries, 1,200 [The following letter from an native pastors, evangelists, etc., and 5,000 American missionary at Shanghai, other Christians in India, as well as a goodly and the Petition of the Christian number in England and America, along with a Churches at China, we are sure will similar memorial from Scotland containing get an attentive reading and incite to nearly,7,000 signatures. Another object is to earnest prayer that the dreadful see and hear what we may on the spot, and curse to which it relates may be supply the religious newspaper press of Great abated, and in due time removed. Britain and elsewhere with some new and While the petition is addressed to the additional material for arousing the Christian Christian churches of England, the churches and people on the subject of the churches of America are 'not innocent opium curse-which we doubt not the Lord is in the matter, as the letter of our cor- going very soon to overthrow. respondent and missionary will show. The facts to which he alludes have The accompanying is an address, with its faded from the public mind, but they translation, from the Chinese Christians of are none the less true, and are written Canton to their brethren in Great Britain, but in God's book of remembrance.-:J. it has occurred to me, since visiting that M. S.] ancient and populous city, that it would serve a good purpose in stimulating Christians in As ambassadors of Christ, with the burden my own land, who, as well as our English of the Lord upon us, my friend, Mr. A. S. cousins, have a duty to perform in putting Dyer, of the Bombay Guardian, and myself down this iniquitous traffic; for though the left Bombay, on the 3d ultimo, on a special United States, in the final treaty with China, mission to China. The object of the mission wiped their hands of it, they have not yet is to present to the Court of Pekinga memorial, entirely wiped out the stain of their former praying that tbe opportunity now afforded for complicity with it. Because, as I have found on the spot, it was not merely the American eagle swooping down over the field, ready to pounce upon the prey as soon as the paw of the British lion might strike it down, and thus craft deteriorates, business suffers and time is reaping the fruits of the two unrighteous squandered. There is no worse evil than this, opium wars, but rather an actual participation and its curse appears again-in the gradual of American vessels, with their officers and destruction of the industries and trade of the others, in the nefarions work of smuggling country. the contraband drug into China up to the time of those wars. Our people originally are comparatively strong and healthy, but when once they At least, it is our dnty to unite in prayer to acquire the opium habit they become mere God to pnt a stop now to the wicked traffic, weak skeletons and can neither eat nor sleep and to avert the cnrse which is coming home with comfort. This physical deterioration to us in the shape of opium dens in America, is transmitted to their children and grandnot only for the Chinese, but for our own children, and the curse of opium is seen in the countrymen. injury it inflicts upon the very life of the people. 'With this hope and prayer, I am sending copies of this address for publication in When a man has enough to eat and to wear America, trusting that Christians generally he observes the proper regulations and cusmay soon be able to rejoice together in the toms of society, but when once he takes to removal of this great barrier to the progress opium he loses all self-respect, and as money of the Gospel in this land. becomes each day harder to obtain, he resorts to dishonest, means to gain a livelihood and W. E. RoBBINS, becomesutterly debased; so the curse of opium Missionary to India. appears again' in destroying the character and Shanghai, Feb. 21, 1890. manners of the people. The Christian Chnrches of Canton respectfully address the Christian Churches of Eng· While these evils are preying upon the land: people of China, the.obstacles they present to This year, when holding our Annual New Christian work are not a few. Your people Year's Meetings, we were 'favored with a come to preach the doctrines of the Gospel, visit from a Western Evangelist (Alfred S. which are indeed the truth, and your real Dyer), who told us how the Christians in India, desire is to lead many to believe; but those to the number of several thousand, had iP-l- who hear them say that opium and the Gospel proved the opportunity afforded this year, have come together from England, and the before the time fixed for t,he revision of the doubt arises and tinds expression in words Commercial treaty in reference to opium ex· that the Gospel is false. Your missionaries pires, to appeal to the Executive Council and come with the real desire to benetit the people, the Emperor of China to co-operate with your but those who see them maliciously declare Government in abolishing the opium traffic. that opium IOnd missionaries are alike English Having been told this, we were incited thereby productions, and they suspect the missionaries to prepare this letter, signed by representa- of secretly doing evil. Moreover, the Church tives of all our Churches, beseeching your oppns free schools, and although they are Churches, pastors and teachers to combine meant to benetit the youth, yet it is impossible your strength in devising some efficient means to stop the mouths of those who are not to remove this curse of opium. Years ago, taught, while opium remains unfprbidden. Mr. Turner, besides other good works, pre- The Church has opened hospitals; but, sented an appeal to your Parliament to pro- although they are saving men from disease, hibit the importation (by British merchants) it is impossible to iutluence the hearts of those of opium into China. who have not been healed while opium remains Although the object sought has not been unforbidden. Your Christians, with siqgleattained, the agitation of the matter should ness of heart, are zealous in many good not be -allowed to flag, for the calamities works, but while opium remains they are all which opium brings are numberless. like so much water poured out. Per~it us to set forth briefly a few of the .more conspicuous forms. It is said by some that the Ghinese are fond The introduction and sale of opium extends of opium, and the calamities they suffer are of to all the cities and villages of the land, the tbeir own making, and the English have noth- Chinese expending upon it more than $50,000.- ing to do with it. The New Testament says: 000 (about 10,000,000 pounds sterling) every "Have no fellowship with evil." Now, when year. By this means the rich are made poor, your Government plants and sells opium to and the poor led to sell their children, and its minister to the evil propensities of the curse appears in the dissipation of the wealth Chinese, you are partskers with them, and of the land. Scholars, agriculturists, artisans what can you say in excuse thereof? and merchants represent the constant and productive employments of the people. When An opportunity having now been provionce they acquire the opium habit they dentially afforded by our friends in India to become weak, inefficient and indolent in every renew the agitation of the matter in the department of labor; every form of handi- memorial they have presented to the throne of China for consultation and prohibition, our hope is that your Christians will, with one heart, exert themselves, without regard to time has come when as a .mission we must profit or loss, and be enabled to abolish opium, divest ourselves of this modesty and make that the Chinese may be released from this known, in part, at least, our desire and the yoke of bondage and the obstacles to the claims of the field committed to our charge. preaching of the Gospel be removed. Wehave Such is the object of this appeal. but litt.le strength, but night and day we pray the Lord above to reveal Himself, and help Our mission-field embraces a population of England and China to abolish this great evil. four million souls, contained in the native May this exceeding blessing come to us and to states of Kohlapur, SaugJi, Miraj, and parts of China. For this we reverently wait. other states in the Deccan and Rutnagiri col- lectorate in the Koukan. (Signed) LEUNG To, AN FUNG-SHI, YEUNG WING Cm. With our present staff of missionaries, in- In behalf of the London Mission (which has cluding ladies, we have only one worker to every 235,000 of the population. Three of the aoo native communicants). above missionaries are now in America for health, and two others will probably follow CHAU HOK-SHUE, MAK RANG NIN. within three months. This leaves us with an actual force of only one worker to 330,000 In behalf of the English Wesleyan Mission souls. (which has 700 native communicants). In Kohlapur state alone there are 1097 vil- U PIN-OM, WONG KWONG-FUK. lages, many of which have a population of several thousand. Preaching thrice daily In behalf of the Berlin Mission (wbich bas 350 in three different villages, it would take a native communicants). missionary a whole year to· proclaim the Gos- pel to the villages of that single state, to say FUNG, FuNG TaUN-TAK, CH'AN SUN-MAN. nothing of the thousands of villages within the bonnds of our field. Kohlapur City could In behalf of the Baptist Mission (which has easily occupy 12 more missionaries. Miraj, 470 native communicants). another city of 24,000, is without even a native resident worker, while two of our stations are KWANHIN-SHAlII, UEMUNG-LING Tao TAU-SHAN. now without missionaries, viz., Pauhala and Rutnagiri. The collectorate of Rutnagiri con- In behalf of the Presbyterian Mission (which tains a population of at least a million, and all has 600 native communicants). without a single missionary. Apportion one to every 50,000 souls, and this field would re- NG UEN-LI. quire twenty missionaries.
In behalf of the American Scandinavian In Miraj, Sangli, and adjoining states, we Mission (which has 10 native communicants). have 2,500,000 people, humanly speaking, de- pendent upon three missionary families for India. the .. Bread of Life." Within a ten-mile [We gladly give place to this earnest radius of SangJi there are 125 villages. Here and affecting appeal in behalf of this alone is work for six missionaries. Within the mission, first, because the mission limits of our field there are five large towns needs immediate reinforcement, and (capitals of native states), with a population the field is an inviting one; and, varying from 8,000 to 24,000 each, and all as second, because the appeal comes yet unoccupied by any missionary. from the mission in the establishing of which the founder of this REVIEW As to work among women, Eastern women spent the best years of his life, and must necessarily be reached in their individual whichhis widow and daughterarenow homes. The demands of school work are such rendering efficient aid in sustaining. that our present ladies give but a fraction of We recognize the appeal as coming their time to evangelistic work, so to say that from the pen of the devoted and ac- each could be responsible for a parish of 2,000 complished Miss Grace E. Wilder.- heathen women would be to give each a large J. M. S.] average. Provided we could work at this rate, we need now 1,000 lady workers to reach AN APPEAL FROM THE B:OHLAPUR MISSION. the women of our field. In Kohlapur state there are 1,000 girls attending Government Mission work in the Kohlapur field has been carried on for nearly forty years, and with a schools. Last year aoo passed the standard measure of success that certainly justifies its continuance and extension. Many years have examination. Eight are preparing to be been spent in arduous preparatory toil, the teachers. Probably not a dozen of these girls fruits of which can never be estimated by hu- own each a single Christian book. Is anyalaman reckoning. The little band of half a baster box of ointment too precious to be dozen missionaries and their devoted wives broken for the honor of our King and the salhave for years labored earnestly to plant the vation of these souls ? precious seed of the gOspel among these four millions of immortal souls. There is a crisis upon us now. At least twelve important towns should be occupied at once.. In their modesty, and the consideration of the urgent needs of other fields, they have never asked for more than a mere fraction of the required number of workers. But the Never before were all classes so accessible. soulsare passing into eternity every day; dy- We must seize this opportunity. Scores of ing without Christ and without hope! villages are wanting schools. The ouly native Biblewoman in Bangli was laid to rest recently, Who will come "to the help of the Lord and the heathen women are now asking, "Are against the mighty?" That this appeal may you not going to send some one to teach us ?" be a call to some who from their hearts will Such are the open doors. Shall we enter and respond, "Here am I, send me," and that it possess this land for Christ? Can we do it at may lead those who cannot Come personally the present rate ? to provide the support of a substitute, is the earnest prayer of every missionary of the To forsake our stations to occupy others, KoIhapur mission. would be to bring discredit upon the cause of Christ. To open new stations and at the same "If thou forbear t{) deliver them that are time maintain present work is impossible. No drawn unto death, and those that are ready to one of us is giving more than a few days of be sIain; if thou sayest 'Behold we knew it each year to touring; hence the great mass of not,' doeth not he that pondereth the heart ·our village population is left without a wit- consider it? And he that keepeth thy soul, ness for Christ most of the year. In the face doth he not know it? And shall he not ren- of such need shall we not have the few mis- der to every man according to his works ?" ·sionaries we are asking for? We call for 16 new workers for the whole Kohlapur field. On behalf of the mis8ion, Eight of the 16 to be ordained, one a physician, one a consecrated layman to superintend the ! GRACE E. WILDER, English High School in Kohlapur. (One of ·our missionaries ofi'ers $200 towards the sup- W. J. W.u.'LESS, rCommittee. port of this layman.) One is to be a devoted J. P. GRAHAM, ·and intelligent mechanic, to take charge of We, the undersigned, heartily endorse this mission building and teach Christian boys in- appeal, and would urge that the new mission- dustrial work. The ordained missionariesare aries be sent at once, needed to occupy new centres, and so Eliza J. Wilder, G. W. Seiler, M. F. Seiler, ,strengthen the present force at existing sta- J. H. Sherman, A. M. Goheen, M. L. Ewalt, tions, that preaching may be systematically A. M. Hull, M. E. Wanless, S. M. Tedford and ·carried on in the surrounding districts without L. B. Tedford. neglecting regular work at the stations. Japan. Five of the 16 should be single ladies. Well might it be asked: "Why this request for five THE MODERN MARTYR OF THE ORIENT. workers, where 125 are needed for Kolhapur :statealone?" This is not the measure of what [This brief paper will be read with we want or what we need, but five we must mingled tears and thanksgiving.-J. have now. So urgent is our case that two of M. S.] ·our lady missionaries have each ofi'ered half her salary to any Christian sister who will OUYAMA, March 1, 1890. -come out and share it with her. Japan never witnessed an auto-da-fe. A pale martyr in his shirt of fire, could not be One of the five is needed to take charge of a written of her old-time Christian heroes. The girls' school in KoJhapur City; one to be a martyr was there in generous numbers, hut physician; two others are wanted for evan- never the paleness, the shirt, nor the fire. gelistic work in and about Kolhapur. One is Sword and sea took the place of wood and needed for school and evangelistic work in flame. Thousands died for the faith in those Bangli. In order to continue the Christian stern days 260 years ago. boys' boarding-school, which should be in Aud now the word comes to the front once charge of a married missionary, one of our more. A man dies peacefully in his bed, sur- ,.single ladies must, until help comes from rounded by loving friends. Everything pos- home, give up the greater part of her evan- sible has heen done to save his life. The best gelistic work. physicians at the capital summoned by tele- graph. Also a faithful nurse and many attend- We are asking for two physicians when our ants. A leading statesman of the land telefield could furnish immediate work for 25. graphs to his bed-side, "Make him live at all The present and only medical missionary, hazards." Thousands of Christians all over though he has been in Sangli but two months, Japan were pleading in prayer for his life. has more patients than he can possihly attend Can such a man be called a martyr? And yet to. Many have to be turned away. This medical the word is used repeatedly in speaking of work is disarming prejudice and preparing the him. Hiscountrymen delight to call him one. ·way for direct evangelistic work. Through The sermon at his funeral was from the text, the dispensary or hospital many from distant "Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth villages will be brought to us. Shall not two and die." … and its leading thought was be sent to engage in this Christ-like work of martyrdom. .11ealing and preaching? Some 150 precious How explain this seeming contradiction? Some one-was it Napoleon-has said, "It is the cause, and not the death, that makes the martyr." Yes, Joseph Neesima was a martyr. Hehad
INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT
the martyr spirit. He sacrificed himself for earth." He feared no man. When ordered by church and school and country. High office Prince Iwakurayears ago to go from Andover was within his reach. He spurned it for the to Washington, to act as interpreter, he re- higher one of teacher and preacher. Duty plied, "I acknowledge no lord save God Al- with him was a law of love. He never thought mighty." When traveling through Europe of self, but always of others. with the embassy, he insisted on keeping the Sabbath, and often remained alone from Sat- No wonder his students loved him so much urday till Monday. He felt as clearly in his· 'that they were eager to play the part of cool- soul as did John the Baptist, that he was ies and carry the body of theirlamented presi- called of God to do a definite work. He felt dent through the streets of wondering Kyoto. himself to be a "child of Providence." His· More than once he had risen from a sick bed, plans for his beloved school, with its 700 stu- and gone with aching head but pitying heart dents, and his equally loved churches, always. to hunt up some wayward boy, or to urge some kept ahead of their fulfillment. He was the departing student to take a Christian stand in prophet leader of Japan's Christian hosts. On life. There were times when no doctor could January 1st he wrote a brief poem for his own hold him hack, and he was ready to take any consolation. He died on the 23<1. The thought. risk to life or health for the sake of school or was, "Though weak in body and every way un- people. Whatever we may think of his judg- worthy, yet with large aspirations I greet the ment, there can be no impeaching the loftiness opening year." of his motive, or the loyalty of his spul. As iIlustrntive of his daily anxiety over his. He was dying all his days in behalf of great Kyoto College, just budding into a University, causes, and that the end should come in mid- he frequently quoted a heautifullittle stanza dle life, while his mother still Iives-a mere ex- in Japanese: istence, at the age of 84-was as fitting as it was expected. He loved life. He was the es- "Every morning we look anxiously to see sence of humility, and never strained after ef- if the white clouds have lifted which shut out· fect; and yet he was always overdoing, and the blossoms on the mountain of Yoshi." his life and early death stand out in the mind of every Christian Japanese a clean-cut, strik- Now $50,000 are needed at once to open the· ingly impressive lesson. University in accord4nce with Mr_ Neesima's· final request. Will not some American admirer- Worn by his wearying winter-work in behalf of this sincere man, who in his short life did of the Kyoto school, he runs away to Oiso, a more than anyone else has done to link the' watering-place near Yokohama, for needed best of two lands together, send on the money? change. Even there he will not rest, bnt writes a hundred letters, many of them sixfeet Free schools and a working church were' long, to individuals, mainly in regard to evan- what he aimed at for Japan. He ever worked gelistiC work in Japan; begging men to give for both, practically sacrificed his life in their themselves more unreservedly to the blessed behalf, and died, as it were, with one hand of service, to seize strategic centres, to send blessing on his college at Kyoto, and the other' preachers to the needy places, to occupy all on the churches scatteredover the land. Budd- Japan for Christ and make a forward move- hists are reporting that the head of Christianmentall along the line. ity being dead, Japan will soon see the last of the Western religion. When he was too weak to write he began to dictate to another, and spent a large part of But Christian Japan-and that means now the day before his death sending last mes- 38,000 strong in the Protestant ranks-is· sages, burning with love and earnest appeal, aroused to renewed activity. to friends far and near. He loved everyone, once punishing himself severely before his Neesima dead is even more powerful thall. school, that the law might be upheld, and yet Neesima living. All Japan rings with his- 'his students escape. praise and emulates his spirit. God give her hundreds of Neesimas-men full of faith and Some of hislastwords were, "So far as I know the Holy Ghost-to carry on to its final tri- I have not an enemy in the world;" and again, umph this wide and waiting work. "I envy not heaven and I blame no one on JAMES·H. PETTEE.
Missionary of A. B. O. F. M.
IV.-INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
COND~CTED BY REV. J. T. GRACEY, D.D.
Let Us Expect Great Things. thought which is of great significance.
The times we live in afford topics It is an old observation that an earth- of great interest to the Christian stu- quake in the Andes has an answering dent of the movements of Providence. earth-wave in the Himalaya Moun- We glance only at a few of these fac- tains; and that a hurricane in the tors of the present times. 1. There is West Indies is most likely accom- a wide-spread disturbance of religious panied by a cyclone in the Indian Ocean. It is something like this ma- Revolution were all in that religious terial simultaneous perturbation to and social revolution which has long which we call attention in the relig- been characterized as " The Reforma- ious world. Archdeacon Hardwicke tion." But at this same period the pointed out years ago the fact of Thibetan form of Buddhism, now the great periodic perturbations in the re- purest Buddhism perhaps extant, ligious thought of mankind, occun-ing came into existence under the mould- simultaneously among peoples widely ing hand of that new incarnation, the separated from each other. Great Lama of Thibet. The import- When the Jews were in Babylon, ance of this movement can best be the Orphic brotherhood were diffus- appreciated by the student who has.
ing in all quarters in the West their seen the mongrel Buddhism of Bur- thirst for an objective revelation. At mah and China, or even the better the same time that Confucianism was preserved Ceylonese branch of this being re-formulated by its great vast nightmare of thought. But author, thus rehabilitating the State while Protestantism was being born, religion of China in a mode it was to and Thibetan Buddhism, with its vast· .maintain for many succeeding cen- literature, was taking form, Baba turies, every village in Persia was Nanak, the Luther of the Panjab, quickening under the Zoroastrian doc- was reasserting the absolute unity of trine of Dualism; and simultaneously God, and endeavoring to blend Hindu with both, Buddhism began to be dis- and Moslem by a new fusion of seminated, and to exert its wondrous thought, which resulted in the foun- witchery on the millions of the East. dation of the Seikh religion.
It is doubtful if the masses of man- It is to illustrate the widespread un- kind have ever been to such an extent, settling of the religious opinions of our in anyone period, agitated by religious own time that we have cited these reform on SO large a scale as at that instances of simultaneous disturbance time. The well nigh simultaneous of the religious convictions and notions.
origin of three systems destined to in- of men. The importance of giving fluence the world on so stupendous a attention to the recasting of religious scale as Confucianism, Zoroastrian- thought is seen in the fact of the long ism and Buddhism, marks a most ex- continuance of the forms in which the traordinary epoch in the destiny of faith of mankind were cast, in the our race. Centuries passed, and there case of these religions to which we occurred another of those periodic in- have made reference. Confucianism, tellectual and religious movements, Buddhism and Parsiism, the last two affecting communities which did not modified, to be sure, in localities, touch each other, and which had remain practically the same as when nothing in common, and each must simultaneously erected. Ifsomething have been but little acquainted with like this is occurring now, it will the fact that such perturbations other therefore appear to be of vast import- than its own were taking place. ance that the Christian church appre- Martin Luther, "with a little book ciate the situation, and lay her utmost and a beating heart," was upheaving moulding force upon the phenomena all Europe, and with his compeers, of the times. We need hardly point Melancthon, Calvin and others, were out the tendency in the Christian laying the foundations not only of world to-day to re-examine the entire doctrinal reform, but of that vital dis- foundations of its faith, and to re- tinction between ecclesiastical and state and reformulate its doctrinal civil authority as has resulted widely basis. Perhaps there never was a more in the separation between Church searching investigation made by the and State. The seeds of the American friends and allies of any body of religious teaching than is being frankly ing farther and farther into antiquity, made by the Christian scholars of the and are being found to be less and less world to-day. They shrink at no dis- satisfactory. Back they must go to closures, are disheartened by no diffi- Menu and the Vedas, and the more -culties, and are fearless of ultimate these are made the standard of morals, -consequences. They have flung their or of social or political order, the more faith into a crucible of their own and more they are found to be vague -erection, and push boldly toward the and unadapted to the times. Hinduism last analysis. Foes have sometimes is thus experiencing this profound perset a religious community on their turbation. defence, but it is the truest and best friends of the Christian religion that It is needless to pursue the Japanese to-day are thoroughly testing every through his athletic reforms and revopart of it that will submit to the lutions. Nationally it is without a -<lrdeal. They are quite' ready to dis- faith at this hour, and the very hearts credit -what cannot be thus satisfac- of the people might wear the placard, torily put into the furnace. The "Wanted, a Religion!" Its perturba- Christian religion was never more tion is like that of an earthquake. thoroughly an agitator of society than it is at this hour. We believe it to be It is not our purpose to more than in preparation to be a far mightier point out the fact of this widespread, factor than ever it has been in human diverse and yet simultaneous religious affairs. disturbance of our times, and to press upon the Church the consideration of India is unsettled religiously. It is its importance relative to the future. in a ferment. The Brahmo move- It will not remain in this agitated ment is a sort of Lutheran reforma- condition. What phases it may pass tion in~ the community. But deeper through before it finally settle!:; down and broader than that is the profound into forms which it will accept, one disturbance which is compelling it to cannot guess, but this period of unrest, answer, not to the foreigner, but to of remoulding of thought. of restating itself about itself. It is being forced faiths, will not last. Large communito open the question, now vital to its ties will settle down in some forms of €xistence, as to what it really is. faith which will probably be accepted What it really ought to be it may take for centuries. It is the duty of the up later, but for the present its rela- Christian Church not the less to investions to the courts of a gigantic con- tigate its own faith, but to instantly querer, which concedes its right to be, set itself to guiding other disturbed is obliging it to answer in court as to communities to reformulate theirs. what it really is. The British Government, acting on the principle of relig- 2. There are pre-intimations that ious neutrality, and assuming to be demand thought. It is with no little ready to adjust itself to authoritative interest that a careful student of his- Hinduism, asks it to show from its tory observes that great political and {)wn standards what it really is. To do religious epochs have frequently been this it is obliged to acknowledge the prefaced by a general pre-intimation accumulation of a vast debris of in the public mind of some great Rabbinism; and the farther it pushes change. The country of the Aztecs its investigation into its own acknow- enjoyed a golden age, under "the god ledged law the less satisfactory it finds of the air." He had long departed the it to be. Hinduism in the presence of land, but the people were ever eager for British authority and Christian his return. When Cortez and his felthought is compelled to search for its low-Spaniards proved invincible, the {)wu foundations, and they are reced- Indian became possessed of the idea, either from his arms or his art, that he must be "the god of the air," returning from the sun-rise, a'ld at the stead of his customary answer, he said thought of contending with Deity, he "The truth is the Messiah is come, quailed, and the Spaniard conquered. and if you will show me a place of The legend and its application un- safety from the scimiter of the Mos- locked an empire, while the physical lem, I will show you ten thousand force and courage of the people were Jews ready to say that the Messiah not yet half spent. Popular impres- is come, and that Jesus of Nazareth is sions are great factors of history-and that Messiah." that, whether formed on principle, prejudice or mytb. There are other instances in which such impressions are testified to on all When the trouble in Herzegovinia hands. In the Zenanas even of Cal-· and Bosnia arose some years since, it cutta, Mrs. Page says, that one day a was found that the insurgents were woman said to her: "Only have a lit- animated by an old prophecy, found tle patience, and all the Hindus will. in a work on Bosnia, published fifteen become Christians." A little woman years before, which stated that in the in the seclusion of the Zenanas of Cal- fifth century after the taking of the cutta expressed a similar sentiment. last Bosnian king by the Turks, the She said to Miss Britain, "Don't take· rising of the Christian Slavs in Turkey so much trouble, our folks will all would be victorious. Stephen Thom- soon become Christians even if left to· aserce, the last Bosnian king, was ex- themselves." The Lucknow WitnesS" ecuted on the 30th of June, 1463, on some years ago said on this topic~ the plain of Blagaj, and the insurrec- "We believe we speak the simple truth. tion alluded to commenced on the an- when we say, that millions of natives. niversaryof that event. are firmly convinced of this. We have· found it an accepted belief in the most It is said the Mohammedans in the remote mountain hamlets, where no- valley of the Euphrates were greatly European had ever penetrated, and we disturbed when they saw an iron find it received as an inevitable event· steamer floating on the Euphrates. of the near future in every city and There was an old proverb that "when town of the plains." Rev. Dr. Waugh iron floats on the Phrat (Euphrates), said: "A deep and wide-spread con- Mohammedanism will come to an viction prevails, not only in the cities, end." That was meant by a simile of but also in the country places among one impossible occurrence to assert the villagers, and indeed throughout. the impossibility of the occurrence of all classes, that a day of overthrowing another. All the laws of nature would of the old religions and effete faiths, of have, as they fancied, to be reversed, the breaking up of old forms, is at. before iron could be made to float, and hand. The common people speak of it was just as impossible that the Mos- the coming day of overturning, and lem faith should fail. But, 101 here seem not dismayed at its approach, before their very eyes iron was float- but announce themselves as ready toing, and that on the Phrat. This im- join in the van-indeed, are only waitpossible thing had occurred: might the ing its coming to break away from other impossible thing occur? It was their present thraldom and bonds of an ominous event, and that floating caste." iron steamer was a depressing circumstance. Indian Evangelization.* A missionary iiL Constantinople, The North American Indians are, some years ago, said he was in the ethnologically one people from the habit of meeting a pious Jew, and asking him " When will the Messiah * "By Canoe and Dog-Train Among the Cree come?" His usual reply was," The Messiah cometh." But one day, in- and SaJteaux Indians." By J;tev. Edgerton R_ Young. Eskimo of the North to the Aztec and ilized world, having mail communica- Peruvian in the centre, and the Fue- tion but once in six months, and regean on the extreme south. They duced much of the time to the food have ever been an independent people. resources of the country; living, on They have conducted a war of in- occasion for six months at a time, on dependence protracted through cen- fish, possibly varied by small contrituries. They have gradually perished, butions of wild meat. Mankind have but, except in Mexico, they have not always shown an appreciation of the in North America been conquered. heroic element, and Mr. Young and They have seen their heritage gradu- his wife have found a wide apprecia- ,ally wrested from their possessions, tion of their self-denial and devotion and have laid themselves down to die among a, very large circle of symwithin an ever-narrowing area. But pathizers with missionary work, in they remain the same dignified, seri- Europe as well as in America. ous and proud people. Mr. Young has been called to nar- They have a natural element of rate his experience before audiences poetry in their character. Among varying from a few scores to many no other of what are styled nature thousands, and always with the same peoples could the equivalent of the peculiar result. At the annual meetscenes of Hiawatha have been laid, ings of the International Missionary nor could any other have afforded Union at Niagara Falls and at the ,such simple and natural material for Thousand Islands, before the vast asromance. We have wronged them semblies at Ocean Grove, at Chautau- -often and grieviously; not always qua, and at other gatherings over the with intent; often' from ignorance of United States and the Canadas, he them and their necessities. We have has told of the trials and the triumphs misgoverned them, or rather failed to of his missionary career. There was govern them at all. and then cruelly always the same fascination about the ,shot them down because of our blun- story told so artlessly, and with an ders. The ill-acquaintance with their eloquence fresh as the breeze in the temper and their force has often been tops of the fir-balsams of the great ,costly. General Grant is reported to North land. Mr. Young has spent two have said that in one of our Indian winters in the British Isles telling of wars, "we spent six millions of dol- these stirring scenes in the same simlars and killed six Indians." The ple and charming way as hearth-stone Christian sentiment of the country tales are told, and as the world's folk- ,still forces the Government to take a lore has grown. paternal interest in them; and we are pressed to one more and final expedi- Naturally enough those who have ent of admitting them to citizenship listened to these tender or humorous and to individual instead of tribal stories, these traits of the red man and holding of lands. these triumphs of divine grace, begged Mr. Young to put these narra- Weare moved to write of their tives into a more permanent form. evangelization at this moment because We take the liberty in advance of the we are favored with the advance issue of the book in America to make sheets of a deeply interesting book by some extracts. We have alluded to Rev. Edgerton R. Young, relating his the natural eloquence of these rude personal experiences as a missionary races, whose oratory has on occasion among the Cree and Salteaux Indians risen to the highest level. Mr. Young of the extreme North land. Mr. had gone to a tribe which had never Young, with his estimable wife, heard the gospel, and summoned them spent nine years among them in a to a council to seE' if they were disposed state of practical exile from the civ- to become Christians. The principal chief, according to their unwritten " Missionary, once my hair was laws of precedence, spoke first. His black as a crow's; now it is getting voice was good and fuIl of pathos. He said: white. Gray hairs here, and grand- children in the wigwam, tell that I am " Missionary, I have long lost faith getting to be an old man, and yet I in our old paganism." Then pointing never heard such things as you have cdown to the outer edge of the audi- told us to-day. I am so glad I did not ence, where some old conjurers and die before I heard this wonderful medicine-men were seated, he said: story. Yet I am getting old. Gray " They know I have not cared for our hairs here, and grandchildren yonder, .old religion. I have neglected it. tell the story. Stay as long as you And I will tell you, missionary, why I can, missionary; tell us much of these have not believed our old paganism things, and when you have to go for a long time. I hear God in the away, come back soon, for I have thunder, in the tempest, and in the grandchildren, and I have gray hairs, .storm; I see His power in the light- and I may not live many winters ning that shivers the tree to kindling more. Do come back soon. Mission- wood; I see His goodness in giving us ary, may I say more?" the moose, the reindeer, the beaver and the bear; I see His loving kind- " Talk on. I am here to listen," said ness in giving us, when the South the missionary. "You said just now winds blow, the ducks and geese; and 'No tawenan' (our Father)." "Yes, I when the sno~ and ice melt away, did say our Father." "That is very cand our lakes and rivers are open new and very sweet to us. We never again, I see how He fills them with thought of the Great Spirit as our fish. I have watched these things for Father. We heard Him in the years, and I see how during every thunder, and saw Him in the lightmoon of the year He gives us some- ning and tempest and blizzard, and we thing; and so He has arranged it, that were afraid. So when you tell us of if we are only industrious and careful, the Great Spirit as Father, that is very we can always have something to eat. beautiful to us." Lifting up his eyes, So, thinking about these things which after a moment, to the missionary, he I had observed, I made up my mind said: "May I say more?" " Yes," he years ago that this Great Spirit, so answered, "say on." " You say , No kind and so watchfuI and so loving, tawenan' (Our Father). He is your did not care for the beating of the Father? " "Yes," said the missionary, conjurer's drum, or the shaking of the "He is my Father." Then he said, rattle of the medicine-man. So I for while his eyes and voice yearned for years have had no religion." Then, 'the answer, "Does it mean He is my turning to the missionary, he said: Father-poor Indian's Father?" "Yes, "Missionary, what you have said to-' oh yes, He is your Father, too." said day fills up my heart and satisfies all the missionary. "Your Father-misits ~ongings. It is just what I have sionary's Father and Indian's Father, been expecting to hear about the too? " " Yea," said the missionary. Great Spirit. I am so glad you have "Then we are brothers," he shouted. come with this wonderful story. Stay "Yes, we are brothers," said the misas long as you can, and when you sionary. have to go away, do not forget us, but .come again as soon as you can." The excitement in the audience became wonderful. But the old man Many more responded. The last to had not yet finished. He said: speak wasanold man withgrizzly hair. He was a queer, savage-looking man, "May I say more?" "Yes, say on; and spoke in an excited way. He said: all that is in your heart," was the reply. "Well," the Indian resumed, " I do not want to be rude, but it does seem to me that you, my white and beaver, and other things to exbrother, have been a long time in coming with that great book and its change for :flour and tea." wonderful story, to tell it to your red brothers in the woods." "What have you got, pOCl>r woman?" "I have got a couple of fish nets." Among the many incidents recorded "What do you do when it is too in this volume is a thrilling one of stormy to visit the nets?" Christian Indians volunteering to "Sometimes some of the men from carry food relief to some white settlers the other houses visit them for me, far" in the north, shut away from sup- and bring me fish. Then we some-" plies by the prevalence of the small- times get some by fishing through the pox. It was a long and perilous ice." journey, with risk of contagion. ~he " What about when it is too stormy expedition was well conducted by an for anyone to go?" Indian named Samuel, but thoug-h he She quietly said, "If we have nothbrought back all his force in good con- ing left we go without." dition, the strain had been too much The missionary hurried out of the for him, and, nervously prostrated, he room to stifle his emotion, but the soon died. His death, however, was a woman, suspecting the feelings of his happy one. His widow and children heart, followed him out and said: were cared for, but after a time re- "Ayumeaoke (Praying master), I do moved to a distant settlement, where not want you to feel so badly for me; it. Mr. Young subsequently found them is true I am very poor; it is true, since in great need. Looking at their ex- Samuel died we have often been very treme poverty the following colloquy hungry, and have often suffered from ensued: the bitter cold; but, missionary, you have heard me say that Samuel gave. "Nancy, you seem to be very his heart to God, so have I given my poor; you don't seem to have any- heart to God, and He who comforted thing to make you happy and com- Samuel and helped him, so that hefo$ble. " died happily, is my Saviour; and where Samuel has gone, by-and-by I Very quickly came the response, in am going too, and that thought makes much more cheerful strains than those me happy all the day long." of the missionary. Of course, her necessities were re- lieved by the care and thought of the "I have not got much, but I am not mISSIOnary. We have no room for unhappy, missionary." extracts showing the cost at which this missionary work was done, the· "You poor creature," he said, "you long privations, exposure to severe don't seem to have anything to make weather, and danger from vindictive you comfortable." heathen tribes; nor can we quote the" fascinating stories for young people "I have but little" she said quietly. about the canoe and dog-sled adven- "Have you any venison?" "Nol" tures. "Have you any flour?" "Nol" "Have you any tea 1" "No!" The Worship of Words. "Have you any potatoes?" When this last question was uttered A brother wrote us recently ask-" the poor woman looked up, and said, ing the meaning of the words, Om, " I have no potatoes, for don't you re- Manee Padme, Hom, found in Armember, at the time of the potato nold's •• Light of Asia. " We replied planting, Samuel took charge of the that we doubted if anybody on earth brigade, that went up with provisions knows. One authority renders the to save the poor white people. And meaning as "Oh, the Jewel on the· Samuel is not here to shoot deer, that I may have venison; and Samuel is not here to. catch mink and marten Lotus I" and Dr. Hooker translates it, forth, becomes forever the means of "Hail to him of the Lotus alid the the worsliip and knowledge of Brah- Jewel." Cheeboo Lama says the six rna." syllables represent the six states of future existence. The first represent- Once the idea of sacredness starled ing Lha, or the state of the gods; the in relation to words, and there is no second, Mee, or the state of human existence; the third, Lhamayin, or end to the coinage of such, whether the state of neutral and mischievous in the sacred incantations of the spirits, to which men who die in war Egypti:'m Book of the Dead, the Hindu are regenerated; the fourth, Tendo or Ram Ram, or the Roman Catholic Ave Dado, the state of beasts in which lazy and indifferent Buddhists are born Maria, or the unspeakable but not unagain; the fifth, Yedag, or the state of thinkable words of the Ancient Parsee wretched demons in a condition of suf- sacred books. fering; the sixth, Myalwur, or the state of punishment. Those born in Ohurch Dis-establishment in Brazil that state are exposed to tortures, heat, cold, thirst; those sent there for abus- The following is the text of the de- . ing the priesthood are born with long tongues, perpetually lacerated with cree with regard to the Church estabploughshares. The constant repetition of these six syllables closes the en- lishment in Brazil: trance of the six states of metempsychosis, and procures Nirvana. "Article 1. The Federal authorities, as well. as the different Confederate States, are pro- But a writer in the East has re- hibited from making laws, rules, regulations, cently pointed out the tendency in or any administrative acts establishing a human nature to worship sound or religion. speech, independent altogether of the meaning it conveys, and because of its "Article 2. To all people is given the privimysteriousness. The thunder and lege of exercising their religious cults in acstorm have been thus worshipped, and cordance with thetr belief, and they are not to speech has been deified under the be interrupted or disturbed in such devotions, name of voice (vach, vox), and Hindu either private or public, which belong to this tunes have. been deified as gods and privilege. goddesses. Words have been singled out because of oddness or potency as "Article 3. This liberty not only embraces divine or demoniacal. The East is full individuals in their individual acts, but also of them, and the West has them churches, associations, and institutions in buried in its folk-lore. Scott's "Lay which they are employed, all having full right of the Last Minstrel" beautifully illus- to unite themselves and live in accordance with trates this in the wonl,s which he dare their creed without interference from. the pubnot utter lest the Abbey be wrecked lic powers. about him. Thus the syllable" Om," or in Sanskrit form, "Aum," has been "Article 4. Patronage, resources, and pre- rogatives of all religious institutions are heremade to stand for "A," "U," and "M," by extinguished.
representing the triad, Brahma,Vishnu "Article 5. The right is recoguized of ali' and Siva. churches and religious orders to acquire and administer estates under limits made by the "Om" is especially a word of power. laws concerning corporations, grantingto each Meditating on it or muttering it, one one the right to ownership in property, as well becomes Brahma. "By the Om, the as the use of buildings for worship. supreme light of the ether, which is within the heart, starts, rises, breathes "Article 6. The Federal Government will continue to furnish ecclesiastical revenue and support for the actual personnel of the Catho- lic Church, and in other institutions will sub- sidize for one year the professorships in the seminaries, it being at the option of each State to recognize in the future the ministers of this or any other religion where they do not run contrary to the preceding articles in this de- cree.
"Article 7. All acts to the contrary are here- by revoked."-Brazilian Missions.
The International Missionary Union.
The International Missionary Union will hold its Seventh Annual Meeting at Clifton Springs, New York, June 11th to 18th, inclu- sive, 1890. Free entertainment will be pro-
THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS
vided for all foreign missionaries, or persons lator of the Scriptures at Bangkok. The Ex- who have heen foreign missionaries, of what- ecutive Committee are: Dr. J. L. Phillips, Rev. ever evangelical society, or board, or field. :l1essrs. M. B. Comfort, C. W. Park, Benj. Memhership in the Union is open to all such Helm, and J. A. Davis; Miss C. H. Daniells, persons and includes no others. Candidates M. D., and Mrs. M. E. Ranney. Treasurer, Prof. under actual appointment to the foreign field M. N. Wyckoff; Librarian, Rev. James Mudge. of any evangelical organization are earnestly invited to attend, and will also be freely en- It was resolved at the Binghamton Meeting tertained, as far as provision can be made. It to establish a Circulating MiSSionary Library will not be practicable to provide for the at- for the benefit of the memhers of the Union. tendance of children of missionaries. The following volumes were contributed as a nucleus of what it was thought might grow to A special rate offare (one fare and one-third) be a very useful and valuable collection: " over certain railroads (' 'Trunk Line" territory, and perhaps the Southern Passenger Associ- :rhe Great. V'!-lue and Success of Foreign ation and others), can he obtained at any im- )fISSIOns. Llggms. portant station on the conceding roads, and must be certified by the agent selling it, and Roport of the London MiSSionary Confer- on retnrn by the Secretary of the Union. The ence. 2 vols. ticket must be bought not earlier than June 8th, and not later than June 13th, and on re- Report of the Calcutta Missionary Confer- turn not aft"r June 21st,and must be a through ence. ticket on the conceding lines only; no stop- over. There must he at least 50 ticket·holders The Missionary Year-Book. Vol. I., 1889. at the meeting, to secure the deduction of two- Letters from India. Rev. H. J. Bruce. thirds return fare. The Natural History of the Marathi Bible. Rev. H. J. Bruce. The programme of this meeting cannot yet Among the Turks. Dr. Cyrus Hamlin. be furnished. The papers and discussions are Ann H. Judson. Dr. W. N. Wyeth. always on topics of special practical concern SarahB. Judson. Dr. W. N. Wyeth. to missionaries; but numerous addresses will India. Dr. J. T. Gracey. be made of a character interesting to the gen- China. Dr. J. T. Gracey. eral public, who are always cordially wel- Open Doors. Dr. J. T. Gracey. comed. Missionaries are requested "to com- Woman's )fedical Work in Foreign Lands. municate with either the President or the 1I1rs. J. T. Gracey. Secretary, to obtain further particulars, as Africa in a Nutshell. Rev. G. Thompson. well as to make suggestions as to topics, Memorial Papers of the American Marathi -papers, or addresses. If any would like to -discuss some particular subject themselves, Mis~ion. :provided suitable arrangements can be made, ·or if they know of any missionaries specially Further donations to the Library from ,qualified to present papers before the Union, members of the Union and other friends are or to address popular meetings, the President respectfully solicited. Will not all authors -will be glad of such information. among the members see that a copy of their works is sent as soon as possible to the Libra- The roll of the Union (organized in 1884) now rian? It is hoped that during the coming year 'includes 179 names, representing 18 different a beginning may be made of circulating these denominations and societies, Canadian, Ameri- volumes through the mail to such of the memcan and British, and at least 23 distinct fields. bers as may wish them. The plan is for the Its Vice-Presidents are: Cyrus Hamlin, D. D., person desiring to read any volume to send to founder of Rohert College, Constantinople; the Librarian the amount of postage required S. L. Baldwin, D. D., one of the Mission-Secre· to dispatch it by mail, and then in a month to taries of the American Methodists; and William Dean, D. D., the veteran Baptist trans- return it, postpaid, by the same channel. The Librarian is Rev. James Mudge, of East Pep. perell, Mass.
Inquiries concerning the approaching meet ing at Clifton Springs, or on any subject con- cerning the International Missionary Union, will he answered with pleasure by J. T. GRACEY, D. D., President, 183 Greenwood Avenue, Buffalo, New York WILLIAM H. BELDEN, Secretary, Bridgeton, New Jersey, V.-THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS.
BY REV. F. F. ELLINWOOD, D.D.
The Great Afrioan Mission Field. once and a half that of the United No other country is attracting so States from New York to San Franmuch attention as Africa. For many cisco. If it were divided by an east generations most of it has been con- and west line, running a little north sidered an unknown land, and even of the equator, the northern portion yet there is generally but a slight ap- would receive all North America, and prehension of its vast extent. Its the southern would embrace all Eugreatest width from east to west is rope, including Russia. The population is estimated by Mr. Stanley at of eastern Soudan. It bears north- 250,000,000. This is not to be compared in density with India or China, ward that annual tribute which for but it is far greater than has been supposed. Six hundred languages and ages has made Egypt the granary of dialects are spoken, of which not more than one in six is a vehicle of the word the East. ·of God. The fourth great river, theZambesi, The coast line of Africa throughout nearly its whole extent is low and gen- receiving the waters of the Nyassa erally insalubrious, but the interior is, for the ]Lost part, a vast table-land, and the Shire, passes over the great with mountain ranges which, in one {)r two instances, rise nearly two thou- cataracts to which it has given its .sand feet. name, and flows eastward into the No river in the world, unless it be the Amazon, equals the Congo in Indian Ocean. It is a remarkable volume. It is said to be thirty times as great as that of the Mississippi. It fact that the Congo, Nile, and Zambesi has no such breadth as the Amazon at its mouth, and instead of emptying find their sources all within a limited through the channels of a great delta .like the Ganges or the Niger which area of high table-lands, though they ·embraces three hundred miles of coast, it pours over a long succession of discharge their waters into widely disfalls and rapi~, and thence rushes to the sea through a deep-cut channel, tant seas. with a current well nigh resistless. Through its lower stretch it has Since the discoveries of Krapf and scooped the bottom of its channel till it is said to measure miles in depth; On Rebman, and the wonderful achievethe Upper Congo, including branches, there are five thousand miles of navi- ments of Livingstone and Stanley, all ,gable waters opening up in all directions a great interior basin of almost Europe has been enkindled with the unequalled fertility, and inhabited by not less than fifty millions of people. spirit of African discovery. For a Besides the Congo, three other great rivers and many smaller ones drain century previous there had been octhe great interior table-lands and -empty their waters into the sea. casional expeditions, but the explora- The Niger, rising in the country tions of the last two decades have back of Liberia, makes a circuit northward and eastward, draining the probably been equal to all that had western Soudan, and joined at length by the Benue, which flows westward previously been made. from the region south of Lake Tchad. It proceeds southwar4i to the Gulf of The following list of discoveries, for Guinea. which I am largely indebted to Rev. Dr. R. R. Booth, presents the principal The Nile, which has never been ex- African explorations down to Stanley's plored in its sources until within the discovery of the Congo: last twenty years, is the outlet of the great Equatorial Lakes and the waters Bruce, in 1768, explored the Blue Nile and Abyssinia.
Horneman, in 1798, reached Fezzan by way of Cairo.
Burkhardt, in 1812, visited Suakim and Dondola.
Captain Luckey, in 1816, explored the Congo for 200 miles.
Denham and Clapperton, in 1822, penetrated the desert from Tripoli to Lake Tchad. In 1825, they. passed from Guinea to Socotoo.
1I:1ajor Laing, in 1826, marched from Tripoli to Timbuctoo.
Clapperton and Lander, in 1827, ex- plored the south shore of Lake Tchad.
11:1. Cailli, in 1827, passed from Mo- rocco to Samagambia.
The Lander Brothers, jn 1830, ex- plored the Niger.
Laird and Oldfield, in 1833, also visited the Niger.
Engliflh Niger Expedition, in 1841, attended by missionaries.
Barth, Richardson, and Overweg, in 1849, passed from Tripoli to Lake Tchad.
Livingstone, in 1849, visited the Makalolos from the south. Egyptian Expedition, about 1850, up tended by the murder of Bishop Harthe Nile to 4° N. L. rington; the new conquests of Samadu, and of Islam in Western Soudan; the Krapf and Rebman, 1850, entered discoveries and.telTitorial occupations by Mombas and discovered Mount Kili- of DeBrazza on the Ogovie; the manjaro, and heard of the Lake Coun- strange fortunes of Emin Pasha; the try. founding of the Congo Free State; and the very latest achievements and dis- Anderson, 1850-54, explored South coveries of Henry M. Stanley. Africa from Cape Town, and discovered Lake N'gami, S. Lat. 21°. The Congo Free State demands fuller consideration. The king of the Bel- Livingstone, in 1852, discovered the gians, supported by the Geographical Falls of the Zambesi. Societies of Europe and the admiring sympathy of the civilized world, has Edward Vogel, in 1853, joined Barth interested himself in the opening up at Lake Tchad. of Central Africa to the interests of Livingstone, 1853, crossed Africa, and in 1858 discovered Lake Nyassa commerce and Christian mISSIOns· and the Shire Valley. and all the elements of a humane and Christian civilization. Burton and Speke, 1857-59, discovered Lake Tanganika. In the prosecution of this great en- terprise the leadership of Mr. Stanley Speke and Grant, 1859, discovered has been engaged, and the co-opera- Lake Victoria, Nyanza. tion of the different European powers has been enlisted. Agreements were Samuel Baker, 1861, discovered entered into exempting a vast terri- Albert Nyanza. tory from encroachment, and enabl- ing King Leopold to make and enforce Livingstone, in 1866, discovered treaties with the native tribes for the Lakes Moero and Bangweola. preservation of a general peace and harmony. The King is now virtually Schweinfurth, 1869-71, explored the the sovereign of the Congo Free State, Nyam-Nyam country, and discovered and is expending annually hundreds the Wells River. of thonsands of dollars from his private resources in the prosecution Stanley, in 1870, found Livingstone of his noble plans. at Ujiji, on Lake Tanganika. The Christian churchesof the world Muncie and Petherick, about 1870, explored the Upper Nile and the Bah- have been welcomed to the mission rel-Ghazil. fields of the Congo, and several socie- Gordon and Long, about 1870, ex- ties have established their stations plored the two great branches of the upon its waters. There are now said Nile. to be thirty small steamers plying above the falls, of which several are Livingstone, in 1874, died near Lake connected with missionary work. Bangweola. Of the different missionary organi- Stanley, in 1875, visited Mtesa's zations, the English Baptists, among kingdom, having advanced to the east the first, if not the very first, to ocside of Lake Albert, and in 1876 he cupy the country, is perhaps the passed westward into the interior. strongest. The American Baptist Union having received the mission Gamerou, 1874-76, crossed Africa to which was established by Dr. H. Benguela. Grattan Guinness and others, and known as the Congo Inland Mission, Stanley, August, 1877, arrived at now employs 29 missionaries, and Emboma, on the Lower Congo.
Since the discovery of the Congo more than forty expeditions have been sen~ into Africa by different na- tions, and many thrilling events have occulTed;-such as the overthrow of Arabi Pasha and the occupation of Egypt by Great Britain; the ill-fated mission of Gordon to Khartoom, and the bootless expedition up the Nile; the tragic career of El Mahdi; the varied and desperate encounters with Osman Digma; the Italian campaigns about Massowa; the struggles of British arms in South Africa, and the tragedy of the French Prince Im- perial; the death of Mtesa and the cruel persecutions of Mwanga, atits work is prosperous. The Metho- nificent government road, with tele- dist Congo Mission, under the direc- graphic communication and military tion of Bishop Taylorl has made a stations along the line. In the equa- vigorous beginning, and quite recently torial regions also, including Gaboon the Southern Presbyterian Church of and the Ogovie, with a territorial the United, States has sent a devoted claim extending along the northern young man with a colored assistant to bank of the Upper Congo, she holds lay the foundations of a mission some- a territory numbering 240,000 square where in the great valley. His ex- miles. The aggregate of these three ample in leaving high social at- protectorates is three times the size of tractions in the South to devote France.
himself to the colored races of Cen- 3. Germany hasannexed West Cam- tral Africa, is a proof that whatever aroons, and a vast territory in south- ground may be taken in the Southern western Africa, embracing Demerara churches in regard to the color line, and Namaqualand, whose united coast there are not wanting those who line extends 900 miles. Besides this, cherish the Christlike spirit of love Germany holds a vast territory in East toward the African. Africa, lying between Zanzibar and There has within the last few years Lakes Tanganiyka and Victoria Ny- been great rivalry on the part of anza.
European powers in gaining posses- 4. Great Britain has held permanent sion of Africa. In the words of Dr. possession of the Cape of Good Hope Guinness, to whom I am indebted for since 1795, and her various possessions many facts, "the whole coast has of Cape Colony, Cafraria, Natal, and been literally besieged by protector- last of all Zambesia, have been added.
ates." A railroad is now being projected two The following is the present situa- thousand miles from the Cape to the tion: Zambesi River. England also claims 1. Portugal holds large territories as large territory extending from on the west coast below the mouth of Mombas on the east coast above Zanzi- the Congo, besides its claim to Mozam- bar to the lake Victoria Nyanza, in- bique and territories extending west- . cluding the beautiful mountain region ward till they meet those of the west Kilimanjaro. She also holds a coast <coast. These claims are being seri- line of 400 miles in the Somali country, ously challenged, and important con- opposite Aden. She holds a virtual cessions have of late been made to protectorate of Egypt, besides posses- Great Britain in the region of the sions on the west coast at Sierra Leone.
Zambesi and Lake Nyassa. 5. The Italian Government, by pursu- 2. The French have held possession ing a vigorous policy on the west coast Df Algeria since their conflict with the of the Red Sea, has gained a strong- Riff pirates in 1831. Algeria is larger hold at Magada, and seems likely to than France, and has cost her some exert a dominant influence over Abys- hundreds of thousands of men and sinia.
$1,200,000,000 in money. It is a strong Two great questions, affecting the colony and is i~habited by a manly moral and religious future of Africa, race. A French protectorate, which are of such vast import as well nigh to looks towards annexation, is also ex- baffle the wisdom and the faith of tended over Tunis. France also claims Christian men: The Slave Trade and two hundred thousand square miles in the Liquor Traffic.
the region of the Senegal and the The fornler has been the topic of dis- Gambia. This large territory extends cussion in the great International Con- €astward to the waters of the Niger, ference recently convened in Brus- and is connected therewith by a mag- sels. That the problem of its suppression is notan easy one, a single example to suppress the introduction of liquor will show. and fire-arms into certain groups of the Pacific Isles, where terrible havoc It is said that Tippoo Tib, whose pow- was being produced, the State Depart- er is yet unchallenged on the Upper ment at Washington refused to join. Congo, commands 2,000 men, armed Public sentiment in Europe has not. with Winchester rifles. It is their credited our Government with the business to raid the villages through- highest and purest motives for this re- out a wide range of country for the fusal, nor has it hesitated to declare acquisition of slaves. Pillage, slaugh- that the responsibility of failure rests. ter, fire and devastation are merely with the United States and Germany. incidents in the work of capture. The terrible journey to the coasts is a What the Conference at Brussels has. sequel, and the business must be ex- accomplished in reference to the liquor tensive enough to cover a large per traffic, is to affect an agreement that cent. of deaths by the way, and an oc- beyond the present coast belt-rather casional loss by rescue. How shall a broad one unfortunately-the liquor this evil be reached at its source? importations shall not extend. This is something to be thankful for, and 'Ve understand that the Conference it points to the interior as the most. has agreed: First. That where it is pos- hopeful mission field. It affords an sible, the tribes concerned in the raid- answer also to those-some of them ing shall be held responsible. Second. Christian men-who have been ready Any tribe through whose territory a to conclude that Mohammedanism, slave caravan passes shall be held to with its strong prohibition of all inaccount. Third. The chief in whose toxicants, would, for the present at territory on the coasts the shipment least, offer a better evangel to Cenof slaves occurs shall also be dealt tral Africa than our Christian faith with. Fourth. The police of the sea coupled with the vices of Christendom. shall be maintained by the joint effort of the European powers. In any view, the outlook of Africa. is mixed with light and shade. Its It may confidently be hoped that problems are too great for human these measures will greatly curtail wisdom; too great for the Conference the desolations of this horrible traffic of the Powers. in flesh and blood. More than this cannot be expected till European Unfortunately, the Mohammedan philanthropy can draw the ligatures slave traders of Africa have two of repression more closely and strangle words which they may hurl back the hydra in its inmost retreats. with terrible force in the face of Chris- tian nations: "Opium!" "Rum! " And In regard to the liquor traffic, the they are not careful to discriminate problem is still more difficult. In this between Christianity and Christencase it is the civilized powers them- dom. They take ~o account of any selves that are the offenders. The difference between the counsels and dark tide of poison that deluges the prayers of the missionary societies. the coasts of Africa flows from so- in Boston and the agnosticism and called Christian lands. The Govern- whiskey of the distilleries not far away ments of Great Britain, France, and which are under contract to supplyfor' Germany.are ready to capture slave the African trade 3,000 gallons per day ships on the Red Sea-are they pre- for seven years. pared to confront the liquor interests of their own realms? Is there any way then for the Chris- tian church but to look away to the The attitude of the United States is hills whence cometh her help? It is still more doubtful. In 1885, when the time for a concert of prayer for Great Britain, France, Italy, and Aus- Africa. A greater burden was never tria were ready to unite in an effort brought to the mercy seat.
E;DITORIAL NOTES ON CURRENT TOPIQS
VI.-EDITORIAL NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS.
Comparative Destitution in Christian American missionary in Sweden, and Pagan Lands. writes us: The venerable Dr. McCosh remarks "I am astonished at reading one that in the contempl~tion bf the waste sentence in a letter which you pub- of resources by want of church union, lished in the liarch number (page 214) while not only in heathen countries of THE MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE but in our own great cities there are WORLD, and am very sorry that you multitudes who have not had the gos- should allow it to go out to your pel preached to them, he fears that thousands of readers without com- the judgment of Heaven may descend ment. The writer, in speaking of the upon the churches. He counsels the drink curse in Africa, says: 'The forming of a Federation in America amazing thing is that all this traffic to see that the whole country be di- [the rum trade in Old Calabar, West vided into parishes or districts, each Africa,] is conducted, in the main, by to be provided with a gospel minister not over a dozen firms, the members of and a lay agency put under obliga- which are most excellent men, many tions to have the gospel preached to of them, I believe, sincere Christians.'
every creature, young and old. He " Do, I beg of you, say to your read- will be glad to correspond with those ers, that you do not endorse such a who are ready to carry out this view. sentiment. It is high time to protest This is a suggestion in the right di- a against the doctrine of some of our rection. There is everywhere a mani- English friends-that man can be a fest disproportion between the differ- Christian and at the same time deal ent local fields. In Africa, at least out death and damnation to his fellow- 150,000,000 of people are entirely men!"
destitute of all knowledge of the gos- It is scarcely necessary to say that pel. The Soudan districts and the an editor is not to be held personally Congo Free State are absolutely with- responsible for all the sentiments ex- out the gospel. In Siam 13 Presby- pressed by his correspondents. In this terian missionaries, including women, instance we felt that our highly re- are the sole force for evangelizing the spected correspondent stretched his native Siamese and Laos population! charity beyond proper bounds. We These are two instances of the im- are not willing to believe that the man mense vacancies in heathen fields. I who traffics in liquor, asa drink, in this spoke in a village of Scotland having enlightened age, is a "sincere Chris- a population of about 1,200-800 of tian," or a Christian in any sense.
which are of a church-going age, and And the sin is the greater, incompar- there are five churches and as many ably, when a British or an American ministers! One, or, at most, two merchant holds out the temptation ministers could care for the entire and inflicts the ruin coollyand deliber- population and leave the others free ately upon the poor benighted African, to go to these vast vacancies of hea- in his heathen ignorance and degra- thendom, and leave the money that dation. The slave traffic and the rum those other church edifices cost free to traffic are twin curses, and no really be expended in foreign fields. God good man can have anything to do will surely hold us accountable for with either, save to pray and strive the immense waste of resources im- for their overthrow. J. M. S.
plied in maintaining so many -There are two pictures Stanley loves to draw. The first is Mohamchurches simply in the interests of medanism overrunning North Africa from Guardafui to Cape Juby, where sectarianism! A. T. P.
-An indignant correspondeut, an the gospel of force is triumphant and the standard of the crescent is planted. [On the 12th of May 1889, four men He pictures the followers of Mahomet met to hold a consecration prayer- advancing on their fleet dromedaries, meeting in my study, at Philadelphia. coursers of Yeman, and white asses of One of them was George S. Fisher, Arabia, against Paganism, with the the Y. M. C. A. Secretary of Kansas; fierce cry of "Death to the Unbeliev- one was Mr. Nash, who filled a like er-there is no God but God, and post in Nebraska; another was Rev. Mahomet is His prophet." He graph- T. C. Horton, of St. Paul Y. M. C. A., ically describes how terror precedes and the fourth was the writer. God them, death accompanies them, deso- laid his hand in a marked manner on lation follows them, and disease marks each of the four from that day on. their course. The Libyan desert and Those three men from the Northwest the Sahara are traversed by these in- returned to their respective fields, and vincible and dauntless Arabs until the in each of those fields there began a Equator is reached, when they have mighty movement in the direction of to succumb to the mysterious changes pioneer missions to the regions beyond. of nature and retire baffled, leaving The same answerer of prayer disthe southern half of Africa to other lodged one from my church in Philaand higher influences. delphia to undertake a crusade for missions among the churches, and The other picture is of a more mod- made the other three the pioneers of ern period. From the Cape of Good missions in the great States of the Hope advances a meek and humble Northwest. From Topeka, Kan., follower of the Cross, who penetrates February 3, 1890, there has gone forth towards the untraveled wilds of Southern Africa to seek the heathen in his the following communication. Let home. He hails him as a brother. every reader ponder well this signal He tells him of a loving Father in of the moving of God's pillar of cloud heaven, and of redemption through and fire.-A. T. P.] Christ. He repeats the song of Bethlehem: "Peace on earth and good All our readers will be interested in hearing will towards men." He travels over something about the three young men, Messrs. 30,000 miles, and dUling his thirty- Mails, Helmick and Kingman, who have left two years' labor discloses to Christen- the Association work of Kansas to give their dom one million square miles of inner lives to the work of spreading the joyful Aftica. All on whom he gazed, with tidings in the dark Soudan districts of Africa those eyes radiant with loving fellowship, he blessed with the view of a Since the "great meeting," at Topeka, good man made perfect by trial in the October 16-20, 1889, they have spent the time wilderness. At last he surrenders his in traveling, and have conducted missionary life at Bangweolo, loving and loved, meetings in nearly all the larger cities and blessing and blessed. There was colleges of Kansas, besides having spent about pomp and majesty in the proud ad- six weeks in work outside of the State, visitvance of Mahomet north of the Equa- ing, among other places, the following cities: tor, but the picture of the lone Chris- Chicago; St. Louis; St. Paul and Minneapolis, tia~ wandering in these untrodden 'in Minnesota; Eau Claire and Milwaukee, in wilds of Southern Africa is almost Wisconsin; South Bend, Indianapolis and divine. Stanley then adds:" I was Greencastle, in Indiana; Fayettville and Fort the last of David Livingstone's race Smith, in Arkansas. It has pleased the Lord and color who talked with him, and to own, in a wonderful manner, the labors of my desire is to take up his work with these brethren during these weeks, and many the view of redeeming Africa from its have been led to the Lord Jesus Christ in the forlornness and squalid poverty-in- meetings conducted by them, while the hearts itiating true missionary enterprise." of not a few of God's children have been deeply stirred.
Speaking from a human standpoint, it is truly marvelous how these brethren have been provided "ith all things needful as they have gone about from city to city, and from State to State. Of course, they had no means of their own with -:hich to cover the expenses of their tour, and so, during the first week or two, collections for their benefit were taken they have word from Kingman, after his in the meetings conducted; but it was very arrival in Africa. ,evident that this only tended to detract from the spiritual power of the meetings, and the [I was present at the farewell meeting of the taking of collections was dropped. Since Wilmot-Brooke party in Exeter Hall. and was then they have traveled almost continually, called on to offer the consecrating prayer.- asking nothing whatever of men, depending A.T.P.] alone upon the Lord to supply all their needs, and never yet have they lacked for any of the Messrs. Mails and Helmick will still continue "good things" of this life, nor have they been their tour around the country, conducting delayed a single hour for want of money with missionary meetings, and already dates have which to meet railway expenses. Often, how- been arranged for until during March, cover- ever, the Lord has permitted them to go to ing appointments in Arkansas, Ohio, Pennsyl- the depot without a cent in their pockets, but vania and Maine. On the 14th inst. they will always, before the train pulled out, although be joined by Mr. Frank M. Gates, for some sometimes at the very last moment, the neces- time past gymnasium superintendent and sary money has been provided. (phil. 4:19.) acting secretary of the Topeka Association, In addition to supplying the needs of these who will leave for the Soudan with them. It men as they have journeyed about the country, is also probable that Mr. Roy Codding, of York, the Lord has used their words to touch the Neb., will join the party at the same time. hearts of His people; one man in Kansas offered $125 towards the passage of one man Two of the young men from the Y. M. C. A. for the Soudan, and, in St. Louis, the ladies of at St. Paul will sail for Africa with the Kansas one of the churches offer to become responsible men, and intend going to the Upper Congo for the support of two of the Soudan mission- country, to prepare the way for" The Upper aries. We could add many other testimonies Congo Missionary Colony, " which has recently along this line to show that the King has set been ~rganized at St. Paul, as a direct result His seal of approval on the efforts of these of the interest in missionary matters awakened His servants, as they have tried to present the in the Association work there. . " world-wide Gospel." The Lord has seemed to make it plain to the Word was received a few weeks since, that Kansas missionaries for the Soudan, that it was Mr. Graham Wilmot-Brooke, of England, a His will that they should sever their connec- 'young man who has traveled a great deal in tion in this movement with Dr. Guinness. the Soudan, was about to leave again for that Some of the reasons for this are : "country, and he kindly invited the Kansas missionaries for the Soudan to have one of 1. That while in a certain sense, Dr. Guin- their number meet him in England before he ness' missionary work is undenominational, sailed, and, if possible, set sail with him. yet it was found that the men who were at ,After much waiting before the Lord, it seemed the head of his training institutes, both in this to be His will that one of the men should go, country and in England, were all members of as a forerunner in this movement; thus it was the same denomination, and the doctor him- that on Wednesday, January 29, Mr. E. self stated, that while the Boston institute is Kingman set sail from New York for the undenominational, yet its main object is the Soudan, going by way of England. 'trainil',g of missionaries for one of the denomi- national missions on the Congo. 2. It was The following telegram was received from found, that while Dr. Guinness has been the agent of the steamship company by whose wonderfully used of the Lord in the caus..,f line Mr. Kingman sailed: missions, yet, so far as the e:;perience of t'Le Kansas young men went, he did not seem to " To-day has seen, in the departure of King- be able to handle the details of this movement, man for the Soudan, the beginning of what is which seemed to them a matter of great going to be the greatest missionary movement Importance. 3. After conference with persons of this century. God bless it, and the West in other parts of the country, the doctor con- where it started. Keep believing." cluded that he could not aceept, for the Soudan mission, money contributed by the missien And SO the Soudan missionary movement is bands of our State. no longer something talked of, but is now something real. Praise the Lordi Mr. King- These points, among others, led to a sepa- man will join the Wilmot-Brooke party at ration, which, however, was brought about Liverpool, and take ship with them for Africa. with the kindest feeling on both sides, and Mr. During the voyage out he will have ample Guinness yet shows a deep IIfnterest in the opportunity for conference with Mr. Brooke, work which the Kansas men hdtJe to do, and is, and other members of the party, and by the from time to time, giving such information time of arrival on the coast of Africa, he will as he can. have gained much valuable information in regard to the Soudan country, and will at once And now, may we not ask that every reader 'communicate with the othe~Kansas mission- will be much in prayer, that the Lord Himself :aries in regard to what to bring, etc., etc. will guide very clearly these of our brethren "They, of course, do not expect to set sail until whose hearts He has touched and filled with a desire to carry the Gospel to the neglected Soudan, the" regions beyond."
Yours, for" the uttermost part of the earth, " E. S. WALTON. Bedford, England.-A memorial and devour, now combine to rescue statue to John Howard-the great prison philanthropist and missionary and protect." A. T. P. to the criminal classes and the inmates of hospitals-is next year to be China.-The literary teacher in erected, at a cost of $15,000. The money is fast coming in. It will be China is called" The First-born," and borne in mind that one of the last requests of this disinterested man was is almost worshipped. Books written that no such memorial should be erected to him. And, in our judg- in the literary character may be read ment, that request should be sacredly regarded. If any monument should in every province of China, and even be built to his memory, would it not be better far to construct a model hos- in Japan, Korea and Mongolia. pital, and call it the "Howard Home?" Why waste money on a statue? Hence the vast power of a Christian Prohibition. – Prohibition Kansas literature in the Chinese tongue. Mishas 100,000 more population than Texas, which is under license. Kansas sionary work proper began with the has one penitentiary, with 966 prisoners, while Texas has two, with more cession of Hong Kong in 1843. Now ~han three times as many convicts. Is there any connection between the doors are open everywhere. The pubdrink traffic and the excess of crime? If prohibition does not prohibit drink, lic mind is getting free from prejudoes it lessen criminality? A judge with whom I stayed at Greenock, dices and dislikes of foreigners, and a Scotland, explained the absence of every form of liquors at his table, by truer notion prevails as to the characsaying that he used wines until he became a civil officer. When he ob- ter and unselfish aim of missionaries. served in court that nearly every case of offence against law was traceable Now, the law protects a man in the Ijp drink, he gave up the use of all trquors, fermented or distilled, and espousal of Christian faith. had since been a total abstainer. That man is ex-Provost Dugald Campbell. In Manchuria, William Burns was Captain H. B. Kennedy, Ballater, the pioneer, and now there is abundtold Rev. Wm. Robertson, who had been speaking on Missions in the Es- ant opening for 1,000 laborers. There tablished Church of Scotland: " I was the captain of the Ruby that took are 23,000,000 of people, and only 900 Bishop Sterling to Terra del Fuego, when he gathered the facts that over- converts, so far. Medical Missionswhelmed with surprise the mind of Charles Darwin, and led to his re- have especial promise in China, markable confession as to the success of Christian Missions. Those very where Benevolence is so prominently Terra del Fuegoes have now formed a , society for the rescue of shipwrecked taught as a leading principle of Conmariners.' Those who would a half century since have united to plunder fucianism.
Recently a prominent Chinese liter- ati came to the Missionaries and said: "I want a Saviour! Confucianism provides none; neither does Bud- dhism, or Taoism." In Christ he found the very Saviour he wanted.
Anti-Ohinese Legislation.
The enemies of the Chinese in this country seem determined to fill up the measure of their iniquity. Not con- tent with securing the passage of the "Scott Law," by which a solemn treaty between the governments of the United States and China was nul- lified, and 20,000 certificates entitling absent Chinamen to return to this country and to which the faith of this government was pledged, were repudi- ated, they delibeFately framed another "outra~eous and barbarous" scheme, as the Herald justly characterized it, and the House passed it without op- position. The object of this Enumer- ation Bill was to exclude absolutely all
PROGRESS OF MISSIONS-MONTHLY BULLETIN
Chinamen from this country; without moralized the Senate. And it was not regard to rank, character, occupation or the purpose of their coming. Mer- in vain. The Independent, of New chants, tourists, students, all, in fact, would be prohtbited from setting foot York, which, from the first, unsparin the United States. We had penned an indignant protest against such a ingly condemned the measure, thus shameless abomination, but before the cold type had put it in permanent voices the feeling and sentiment of the shape the welcome news came that the Senate had killed.the bill by so amend- nation, outside of a narrow circle of ing and eliminating its most offensive features, that its friends were politicians: willing to let it die. " The final result is a victory for the God be praised that the country has Christian sentiment of this country. been saved the shame and wrong of We rejoice in it. '];he Senate did not such an infamous measure. One can- dare to disregard this sentiment. And not read the provisions of this bill and for the present, at least, the tide of conceive how it was possible that the legislative persecution, as we may call popular bFanch of this nation could it, of the Chinese has been stopped. propose such a wanton violation of We trust that it will never come to a our treaties with China, and offersuch flood again. We hope to see it turned a flagrant insult to that great nation. and to see our National Legislature That the passage of the bill would engaged in undoing the wrong that have been followed by retaliatory has been committed in the Exclusi.on measures on the part of China, imperil- acts. ing the lives of our missionaries there and interrupting their work, and re- " What is needed now is an earnest· coiling on American commerce, is be- champion for the Chinese in each yond a doubt. House; some strong man gifted with the courage and perseverance of No more earnest protest was made Senator Blair, who would introduce a against the passage of the bill than repeal bill at every session and keep the that sent up by the New York Cham- subject constantly before Congress and ber of Commerce; and even the secu- the country. Wearesure that the Chrislar press, with few exceptions, spoke tian sentiment which has just shown out against it at the last. Likewise, its power so signally would express our leading Missionary Societies, the itself as openly and emphatically in American Bible Society, the Evangeli- favor of this repeal as it has expressed cal Alliance, and the Society of itself against the Deportation bill. It Friends, as well as several Confer- would, we are confident, rally to the ences of the M. E. Church, vigorously support of such a measure. protested and warned, and also me- The Exclusion acts are directly opposed to the whole policy of this nation from the time of the adoption of our Constitution down to the present. The sentiment of our Christian people does not object to the regulation of the immigration of the Chinese any more than it does to t~e regulation of the immigration from any other quarter; but it is opposed to the absolute exclusion of the natives of any country on the face of the earth. As our Government must sooner or later return to this sound policy, now is a good time to begin to agitate for the repeal of the Exclusion acts."-J. M. S.
VII.-PROGRESS OF MISSIONS: MONTHLY BULLETIN.
ACrlca.-An English Missionary among couraging, after one's dismal thoughts, to perthe Balolo tribes, on the Upper Congo, says: ceive the readiness with which the people " The people here are a very fine-looking race; listened to what was said to them, and their tall and well made, with intelligent counte- appreciation of it. We have certainly been nances, some of their features being far IIlQre guided as to settling in this place, by far the Enropean than negro. There are five native most populous district we have seen, and huts on the ground which have been bought. utterly untouched by the gospel. To-day, for We have also on the land some plantain trees, the first time in their lives, many of them a few pepper bushes and some maize, the be- have heard the good news." ginning of our future garden. It was qnite en- -" The end of the geographical feat is the beginning of the missionary enterprise." So wiII need the constant intercession of God's said Livingstone in reference to his own plans, people on their behalf. At Matadi there are and so it has proved in connection with the no less than three steamers for the Upper discoveries of Mr. Stanley. His first expedi- Congo besides the Pioneer, two of these are tion resulted in the opening of Uganda to the for the State, and one for the French house. Church Missionary Society, and of Lake One of the State steamers will be the largest Tanganyika to the London Society, and subse- on the Upper Congo.-Mis8. Notes from the quently his passage of the Congo prepared Congo. the way for not less than half a dozen mission- ary societies to enter into that formerly -The grant ofan immense territory along unknown region. Shall not his last crossing the Zambesi River in Africa has been made to of the continent start some new missionary the Duke of Fife and some English colleagues. expedition for the redemption of Africa?- The region embraces nearly three hundred Missionary Herald. thousand square miles, and is very rich, both as to soil and mines. Tile company has power -Lieut. Werner, recently returned from to abolish slavery and restrict the liquor traf- the Congo, said that when he was at Stanley fic in its domains. Missionary work will be as Falls, just before Major Barttelot was killed, free here as in India.-The Helping Hand. Tippoo Tib had a large quantity of ivory, which he would not dispose of for anything -The Basle Mission Magazine gives a ~but gunpowder, and this he could not get then. compreheusive statement as to South African Eventually he sold it to a trader, and Lieut. missions: These missions deserve notice as Werner afterwards met hundreds of barrels of exceptionally strong, and ere the century powder being taken up to pay for the ivory. closes it is probable that Christianity will hold This powder would no doubt be used in raids the predominant position south of the Zam- upon the natives. As to the liquor trade, it besi. We give some of the statistics of tbe was one of the greatest curses under which missions: Rhenish, 30 missionaries, 6,384 com- Africa was at present laboring. This question municants. Berlin, 53 missionaries, 9,763 com- could be much more easily dealt with than municants. Hermanusburg, 52 missionaries, that of arms, as the importation of intoxicat- no statistics of communicants. Paris Evan- ing liquor could be prohibited or put under gelical Mission, 23 missionaries, 6,534 commu- high duties-the more so, as there were few nicants. Free Church of Scotland, 13mission- articles of African commerce which would aries, 3,779 communicants. United Presby- bear taxation. terian, 12 missionaries, 2,307 communicants. American Board, 14 missionaries, 979 com- -Upper Congo Steamers belonging to the municants. To these there are to be added State: "Stanley," "A. I. A.," "En Avant.," three missions of high importance, but which " Ville de Bruxelles," "Ville dQ Gand, " the Basle Resume does not notice, as their "Ville de Liege," "Ville de Charleroi" (the missionary and colonial statistics are not .last is coming); to the Baptist Missions: readily distinguished. These are, first, the S. " Peace, " "Henry Reed;" to the French P. G., which is carrying on with great zeal and House: "France;" to the' Dutch House: euergy a work not second to any. The Wesley- "Holland;" to the French State: "Olima;" an Missions are also most importaut and sucto the Belgian Company: "'Roi des Belges," cessful. To these is to be added the Dutch "General Sanford," HBaron 'Veber,H "¥lori- Reformed Church, which, under leaders such {la," "New York "-17 in all. On the lower as Andrew Murrayand others, is peuetrated by river are, belonging to the State: "Heron," an evangelical and evangelistic spirit, and is "Prince Baudouin," "Belgique," "Esper- doing a great native work. There are also the ance," "Camille Janssen " (the last is a steam Norwegian and Swedish missions inZululand; launch); to the English House: "Itumba;" long oppressed, now with larger promise. to the Dutch House: "Morian;" to the Portu- There is also the Finuish Lutheran Mission, guese House: "Luso."-African News. now under the German protectorate.-Ohurch Miss. Intelligencer. -Bishop Taylor's steamer will be put to- -The Swedish Missionary Society will gether and run on the Lower Congo. shortly send eleven new missionaries into the field, of whom seven are going to the Congo -A steamer of over a thousand tons is and four to Chiua. Good progress is being about to be placed on the Lower Congo to run made on the Congo. Mr. Nilson writes from between Banana and Matadi, in connection Kibunzi that they have had the great joy of with the Congo Railway. baptizing lately three pupils iu their school. The candidates confessed before all their -Messrs. G. D. Adamson, R. Cole, and J. people that they believed in the Lord Jesus Luff, of the Congo-Balolo Mission, arrived Cilrist, aud wished to live in future for His safely at Mpalabala from England, February glory and for the salvation of their fellow-men. 4th. They bring with them a new steam It was a beautiful scene. The congregations launch, the Pioneer,which already has reached are increasing rapidly, as also the confidence Mamdi, the higbest point on the lower river. of the people in their missionaries; so that They hope that this new steam launch wiII they now send their children freely to School. greatly facilitate the preaching of the gospel among the Balolo tribes of the Upper Congo. They have an arduous task before them, and The seven who are going out shortly will raise planted the papal standard four days farther the number of the Swedish missionaries in the inland than the advance Protestant posts. Congo field to twenty. The prosperous and hopeful effort is one of the offshoots of our old "Cheering news comes from the new Congo- Livingstone Inland Mission, which has now be- Balolo Mission, on the Lu Ponga River. They come three bands: this one, the A. B. M. U., have all had fever, but were well and hopeful and the new Congo Balolo. at last writing.
-The Royal Niger Company has, accord- "Out of the small band of missionaries labor- ing to the London Times, reduced the import ing on the Upper Congo, five have had to re- of spirits on the Niger to one-fourth of what it turn home recently. was, prohibiting the trade absolutely in one- third of its territories, with the intention to do "Our daily cry to the Lord of the harvest is, so in another third, and being ready, as regards , sendforth laborers.' " the remaining third, to welcome any definite arrangement on the subject agreed to by -The British South Africa Company is, England, France and (krmany. The total pledged by its charter to labor for the extinc- importation of spirits into these widely-ex- tion of slavery and the slave trade, and to pre- tended territories last year amonnted to vent the sale of intoxicating liquors to the 70,000 gallons. The-complaint made by Ger- natives. In connection with the African Lakes man merchants as to tbe neglect of their in- Company, it proposes to establish regular terests on the Niger has not yet been finally postal and passenger service on the Zambesi disposed of by the British and German gov- and Shiril. ernments; but, from an official reply in the Reichstag, the main question is not the im- ChloD.-Dr. Peck, on retuming from position ofcustoms by the Niger Company, but China, after nine years of service, finds that, their excessive rate. This applies specially to he has a record of 70,000 cases which he has intoxicants. treated, including those who have come more than once, and that fully 45,000 persons, -Bishop Taylor arrived in New York in have thus been brought under his influence. Aprilin good health. He says: "Our missions in Africa, in spite of all sorts of discourage- IodID.-It is reported from India that ments, are developing most encouragingly. two women commissioners are to be appointed This year will exceed any in the past in pre- by the Nizams' government to take the testiparing mission-houses. We have just com- mony of the residents of zenanas who are not pleted the repairs of the Monrovia Seminary suffered by usage to appear in court to testify. building, and will, by July, complete the repairs of Cape Palmas Seminary. They are -Out of 900 foreign missionaries at present large, stone buildings, erected by our Mission- in India, representing various lands and peoary Society many years ago, but for years ples, the oldest is an American, the Rev. John abandoned to the wastes of decay. We will Newton (of the Presbyterian Church), the this year (D. V.) rebuild the seminary at veteran missionary of Lahore, who at the age White Plains, twenty-three miles from Mon- of 78 is still a happy worker in his chosen rovia, up St. Paul's River-the old battle- field. Mr. Newton landed in Calcutta in Febground of Ann Wilkins-also, repair our ruary, 1835, almost 54 years ago; he has, church in Cape Palmas, and build two mission- labored since in connection with the wellhouses for new missions in North Liberia. All known Lodiana Mission. Four sons born here this belongs properly to the old Liberia mis- and educated in America, returned to this sion work of our Society, and they are fur- country 'as missionaries; one of these, Dr. J. nishing the fnnds for the improvements Newton, died in India after 22 years' service; named, except forthe Cape Palmas Seminary. the others are still in, the ranks; the five We expect, by the will of God, to find the men laborers have given 125 years of service to and the money for passage, and have all these India. A daughter returned to India as a manned in this year, 1890. About a dozen missionary, and afterward married Rev. Dr. houses for chapel and for school purposes, Forman, of Lahore, whose two sons and commenced in our Cavalla River and Kru daughter have recently returued to India as Coast Missions last year, are to be completed missionaries, the first representatives of the this year. Further, the builders of our steamer third generation in this grand missionary on the Congo have gone on at the time ap- family. pointed, and will (D. V.) construct and launch her during the coming summer. " -The Cambridge Mission to Delhi, estab- lished twelve years ago, is earnestly com- -Our correspondent at the Equator Station mended to the sympathy and support of CA. B. M. U.) writes us: Cambridge men by Dr. B. F. Westcott, as chairman of the Cambridge committee, in a "The Leo XIII, Catholic mission steamer, letter to the Times. At the present time the has just returned from Bangola, where the Mission is building a new college at the sug- Jesuits have been to complete arrangements gestion of the Indian Government, who have' for opening a new station. Thus they have given the site, the higher education of the Southern Punjaub having, "by a series of most unexpected events," been entrusted to the Mission.
-Seventeen Kohls were baptized by Rev. E. Petrick, in Assam, January 5. Thousands ous churches and vigorous schools established of these people are laboring in the tea-gar- under their care, over a territory nearly as dens of Assam, and they offer one of the large as the State of Massachusetts. But there finest fields for missionary labor. is one large part of this interesting field, in and around Konia, the Iconium of Paul's epistles, -Darjeeling. Baptisms in 1889. There have where schools and church work are almost at been 118 baptisms in the three missions dur- a stand still because the station cannot pro- ing the last year, viz. : 72 in Darjeeling, 45 in vide for the slight additional expenditure Kalimpong, and 1 in Sikkim Mission. Since which is needed. With $675 more at command Jauuary 1, in Darjeeling Division, 13; Kalim- each year for the purpose, this part of their pong Division, 36; Sikkim Division, 1; total, 50. field, as open and promising as any other part, There are now 1,182 baptized Christians in the could be well manned and a noble evangelical three missions, viz.: 562 in Darjeeling, 566 in work inaugurated. Who will come forward Kalimpong, and 54 in Sikkim Mission. with special gifts to aid in re-establishing the Christian Church on these apostolic found- Japan -A telephone has been estab- ations?-Missionary Herald. lished between Yokohama and Strizuoka, a rustance of 100 miles, in Japan, by order of B1Bc:ellaneou8.–Moravian Missions. the Mikado. It is the first in the country and works finely.-Electrical Review. TABLE SHOWING THE NUMBER OF BAPTIZED ADULTS IN THE VARIOUS MORAVIAN MISSION -The Osaka fre-{)ity and surrounding dis- trict-in its last annual statement, gave the FIELDS IN 1790 AND IN 1890. number of Christian church buildings in the jre on Dec. 31, 1889, as 25, and of rented chap- As the first column, taken from the first els, 19; total, 44. This is the first Japanese issue of the Periodical Accounts, 1790, ex- official recognition in annual statistics of the cludes the catechumens and baptized chil- status of the visible Christian Church in the dren, the second, showing the present number land. of converts, must do the same.
-Rev. J. L. Dearing says the eagerness of 11S.
the Japanese for Christianity is overstated. I~ They are eager for education, but Christianity is a stumbling-block to many. 1~210,,§co"l~ 0:p:~ ::j"..'3q ~q~ ~O;"I~ g ~ "'I!' !I:: -A New York publisher has been shipping ..",,,, IIR ~.; I~., l""'I ~ .$ 50,000 American school books a year to Japan. "~8'"~.8…!.:: ~ I I w. .""~ . -The Roman Catholics have organized in .Japan, with four bishops, at Tokyo, Kyoto, ""0<'"l : Nagasaki, and Bendai. ~=~.~~;:~~:: .. < .. :" S """"<~'"l .";::: "S'l ':.~- ':-Z.~,' Korea.-The Korean Alphabet is pho- :ai ~5: 8~.,.;~s::~.r…; ; CIS netic and so simple that anyone can learn to §~ 0 read in a day. Nearly all thewomen in Korea '<l iw. : ~ -can read. 0 .. " : :.S "~'" ~S:!';':~ Ne'W Zealand.-The last census in I ' : : ~ ~ ~1: .S "<'"l New Zealand reveals the interesting fact of a • •:"<'"l profession of religion on the part of no less 'I " :s~ ~ than 95 per cent. of the whole population. .01-1 •• ? ~ ~""'~ II.UBBla.-Aside from the idolaters of : :.~ Siberia there are thirty million subjects of ! ~ Russia whose religion is foreign, namely: 'S~~"""''Sl~;.~g ~ ~t.,w:o .S 1,500,000 Armenians, 5-6,000,000 Lutherans, I"'"~'"~"=~1"!=a';<:5:l.jECIS ~'" 9-10,000,000 Catholics, 3-4,000,000 Jews, and ""~'" O.S"'l§8 ? about 10,000,000 Mohammedans. Buddhists " ;.J;48~~:"d~,!::I:dI abound in Siberia, and extend even to the borders of the Volga. ~","1"'0lO"=i="S<-"il'll Thlbet.-A Roman Catholic missionary, liHHH2E §lei ~~~~CX~l~OH~¢~OO~~ the Abb6 Desgodius, has been for thirty years trying to gain access to Thibet. He has been ..=&, all that time living on the southern and easternJ'rontiers, and has compiled a compendious ~~ Thibetan dictionary. l""'I'P"'I..-t,….,….
Turke;y.-Probably no mission station Including baptized children and converts for in the Turkish Empire can give a better ac- baptism, the total at present under the care of count of the work attempted and the results our missionaries is 85,806.-Periodical Acaccomplished in"evangelistic labor and tour- count•. ing among the out-stations than Cesarea, in the Western Turkey Mission. Dr. Farnsworth -The chief religions of the world may be and his associates there have a noble memorial classified according to the number of adherof their enterprise and fidelity in the numer- ents as follows: Christianity, 450,000,000; Confucianism, 390,000,000; Hinduism, 190,000,- 000; Mohammedism, 18,000,000; Fetishism, 150,000,000; Buddhism,I00,OOO,OOO; Spirit Worship, 50,000,000; Shintoism, 20,000,000; Jews, and abroad, for publications, loan libraries, 8,000,000; Parsees, 1,000,000. Total, 1,449,000,- expenses, etc., amounted to $30,241.41. 000. $491.85 has been expended for the aid of the shipwrecked and destitute. -The following shows the distribution of missionaries in the chief missionary fields: -A popular edition of the Bible in Portu- China has one ordained missionary to each gese is to be issued in numbers on the same '733,000 of population; Siam, one to each 600,- plan that has been so sucoessful in Italy. 000; Corea, one to each 500,000; India, one to each 850,000; Africa, one to each 300,000; -Medical Missions: Facts and Testimo- Japan, one to each 215,000; Burma, one to nies to their Success. Compiled by W. J. each 200,000. Nearly all the missionaries in Wanleas, M. D., and published by the Mission- Africa are around the coast. In Oentral ary Echo Publishing Co., Toronto, Oanada. Africa and the Soudan there is as yet only It is a small, convenient, and admirably ar- one missionary to each 5,000,000 people.- ranged manual. Price 6 cents; 30 cents a Baptist Mission. dozen.
-Heathen at Home. The Rev. J. S. Stone, -Rev. F. T.Whitman, of the Brighton Ave. formerly of Bombay, now engaged in mission Church, Boston, Mass, has sailed for Rangoon, work in this city, testifies that the moral deg- Burmah, where he is to become pastor of the radation of New York city equals the worst English-speaking Baptist church in that city. pht>nomena of the Black Holes of sin in Cal- cutta and Bombay, where the depravity of -Bishop Thoburn of India expects to be the Orient shows its darkest sides. At times, in this country in July for a brief visit. he says, it is appalling even to an Indian mis- sionary. -Mr. Joseph Thomson's article on "The Results of European Intercourse with the -Chinese Evangelist. We deeply regret to African," in the March Contemporary Review, note that our friend, Mr. Rapper, has been will strengthen the hands of thA British repre- obliged to discontinue the issue of this excellent sentatives at the International Oonference now missionary magazine for want of support. It sitting in Brussels. The importation of ardent is a pity; for just such a periodical is needed to spirits is producing results even more appall- awaken a deeper and wider interest in our ing than many philanthropists have pictured. Chinese population. We earnestly hope it Our own merchants, says Mr. Thomson. may be revived. Is there not some liberal through the trade of gin and rum, are spread- ,soul who will furnish the means necessary? ing ravages of demoralization that ought to Would it not be well for some of our mission- clothe us in sackcloth and ashes. European ary societies to consider the matter? Such a intercourse along the West Ooast, and over the promising agency ought not to be left to die. whole of East Central Africa, spite of mission- -J.M.S. ary efforts, has been an unmitigated curse. The warehouses along the coast are filled with -American Seamen's Friend Society. gin; the air seems to reek with it, and every Dr. Meredith, of the Tompkins Avenue Oon- hut is redolent with its fumes. To walk gregational Ohurch, Brooklyn, preached the through the squalor and vice of a village is annual sermon in his own church to a large like a horrible nightmare. Women and chilaudience on Sunday evening, May 4. dren even are calling out for gin, and all is be- sotment and fiendish debauch. This awful The report of the secretary of the society, witness is from one who has seen it all, and the Rev. Dr. W. O. Stitt, was read, giving par- ought profo'undly to affect the Church of God. ticulars in regard to the society's work that cannot fail to be gratifying evidence of suc- -A Missing Missionary Steamer. A telecess in its sixty-second year. The feature of gram from Victoria, BrItish Oolumbia, anthe work for seamen that was most empha- nounces that the missing missionary steamer, sized by both Dr. Meredith and Dr. Stitt was Glad Tidings, concerning whose safety considthe "loan library" scheme. These libraries erable apprehensions have been entertained, are selected by experts and placed upon ships has arrived safely at Port Simpson. ·on their outward voyages. -The American Baptist Year Book for During the year ending March 31, 1890, the 1890 gives large figures for the Regular Baptists BQCiety had sent out 490 of these loan libraries. in tlie United States. They have 21,175 or- 'The total number of volumes in these libraries dained ministers, 33,588 churches, and 3,070,047 'is 21,070, and of new books 6,665, available members. These figures include white and during the year to 7,026 seamen. The United colored, Northern and Southern Baptists. states naval vessels and the hospitals, as well The number of baptisms last year was 144,575. as the life-saving stations, have also all been They' have 17,096 Sunday·schools, with 1,158,665 provided with these libraries. pupIls; the value of their church property is $53,568,502, and the aggregate of their contri- The cash receipts of the society from lega- butions last year was $9,363,S77. ·cies, donations, loan library contributions, and ·other sources amounted to $38,5l!O.35. The -American Colonization Society. Receipts ·disbursements for missionary work at the during the past year, $17,144; expenses, $13,- 'Cherry street home and elsewhere at home 508: balance in t.he treasury, $3,636. Sixty emigrants were sent out during the year, making a total of 21.858 persons to whom the Society has given homes III Africa. Liberia is in a flourishin~ condition. It is America's gift to Africa. It 1B a comprehensive missionary station. It is a ~rand basis from which to in- troduce civilizatlOn and Ohristianity into all that region of the Western Ooast.
INDEX OF CONTENTS OF THE JUNE NUMBER. [June-
INDEX OF CONTENTS OF THE JUNE NUMBER.
PAGE China, 474; Anti·Chinese Legislation, I.-LITERATURE OF MISSIONS..•••••• 401-446 474; Dr. Peck's Nine Years' Service, 477; n.-GENERAL MISSIONARY INTELLI' Chinese Evangelist……. . …………. 479" Colonization Society, American, last re- GENCE ……………………. +17-454 port……………………………….. 479 m.-MIsSIONARY CORRESPONDENCE••• 454-458 Comparative Destitution in Christian and IV.-INTERNATIONAI.. DEPARTMlllNT.••. 458-466 Pagan Lands…. ………… ……. .••. 471 V.-MoNTHLY CONClllRT OF MISSIONS 466-470 Consecration Prayer Meeting, A, and What VI.-EDITORIAI.. NOTES ON CuRRENT Came out of It……………………… 472 Druid Celts, The-The Early Missionary TOPICS. '•••.•.•……. " …… 471-475 Race of Western Europe, Dr. Ellinwood 438 VIT.-PROGRESS OF MISSIONS: MONTHLY GREAT BRITAIN.-Dr. Pierson's Mis· sion Tour of Britain, 401; Memorial BULLETIN •••••••••••••••••••• , 475-479 Statue to John Howard …………….. 474 Heathen at Home ……………………. 479 Authors. How Shall Mohammedans be Evangelized 428· INDIA.-An Extraordinary Pamphlet, Anonymous, How Shall Mohammedans be ~52; Appeal from the Kohlapur Mission, 456; The Gospel Weakening the Defences Evangelized••••••••••<.. ,……… •.••.• 428 of Hinduism, 444; The oldest Foreign Missionary out of 900 in India is an EDlTORS.-A. T. Pierson, The lIlission Tour American, Rev John Newton, 477; The of Britain .•••••…•…•.••…. , •. , .•…• 401 Cambridge Mission to Delhi, 477; Darjeel. ing Mission ………………………… 478' Editorial Notes, J. M. Sherwood………. 471 Indian Evangelization, J. T. Gracey, D.D .. 461 Ellinwood, Dr. F. F., The Druid Celts-The International Missionary Union, Seventh Annual Meet.ing……. . …………… 465, Early Missionary Race of Western Eu· JAPAN.-The Modern Martyr of the rope, 438; The Great African Mission Orient, Joseph Neesima, Letter from Field ………………. ,' …………. 466 Rev. JamesH. Pettee, 456; Various items Gracey, J. T., D.D.; International Papers. 458 of interest. '" ……… '" …………… 478 Grout, Rev. Lewis, Pastor Harms and His JEWS.-Free Church of Scotland Mis· Mission Work ……………………… 410 sions …………………………….. 453 Knox, Charles E., D.D., Personal Observa- KOREA.-The Korean Alphabet.. ……•. 478 tions in Brazil…………. . ……… 422 Let Us Expect Great Things, Dr. J. T. Moorehead, Max'Vood, The Student Vol· Gracey …………………………… 458 unteer Movement ……. , …………… +17 Medical Missions, Facts and Testimonies Schodde, Rev. George H., Ph. D., The to their Success. … ….. .. ………… 479 Religious Work Among the Immigrants 416 Missionaries-the distribution of, in the Starbuck, Rev. Charles C., Translations world…………………………… 479 from Foreign l1issionary Magazines .. " 443 Mohammedans, How Shall They be Evan· gelized …………………………… 428 Countries and Subjects. Moravian Missions …………………… 445 Moravian llnssions, table of statistics in AFRICA.-British Missions and the Por· 1790 and 1890. .. . . .. .. … • .•• ………… 478. tuguese,448; German Protestant Missions NEW ZEALAND.-Ninety·five percent. on the Cameroons River, +19; A Pathetic of the population professing Christians.. 478 Story, 450; Ascent of Ruwenzori in Opium Traffic in China; Powerful Appeal Africa, 451; The Great African Mission Against it from the Native Churches..•• 454 Field, by Dr. F. F. Ellinwood, 466; Afri·· Pastor Harms and His Mission Work, Rev. can ExPlorations, 467; "Sincere Chris· Lewis Grout ……………………….. 410 tians" and the Liquor Traffic in Africa, PORTUGAL.-Its Claims to Afrlcan Ter- 471; Two favorite Pictures of Stanley, ritory, a Note of Warning from R. N. C. 453 471; The Balolo tnbes on the Upper Religions of the world classified. . •• . . •. . .. 478 Congo, 475; Geographical Discovery and Results of European Intercourse with the Missions, 476; Lieut. Werner and Tippoo African ………………….. '" …….. 479 Tib, 476; Congo Steamers, 476; Mission. RUSSIA.-Foreign religions in the em. ary Notes rom the Congo, 476; South pire ……………………………… 478 African Missions, 476; Swedish Mis. Seaman's Friend Society, American, an· sionaries to the Congo and China, 476; nual report. . … .. ….. .. .•.• • .. .•. …… 479 Royal Niger Co., 476; Bishop Taylor and Secular Instruction……… : …………. 443 hl"African Missions, 477; From our Cor· Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign respondent at the Equator Station, 477; Missions ………………………….. 447 British South Africa Co.,……………. 477 THIBET.-Thibetan Dictionary ……… 478 UNITED STATES.-Religious Work Baptist Year Book for 1890, the American 479 Among the Immigrants…………….. 41& Berlin Missionary Society, Statistics of, ••• 458 Worship of Words, The ………………. 464, RRAZIL.-Dr. Knox's Personal Observa.
tions in, 422; Church Disestablishment.. 465 CHINA. – High Honor shown to an American Missionary, 452; God and the at Opium Traffic, Letter from an Ameri.
can Missionary Shanghai and an Appeal from the Christian Churches of Canton to the (''hristian Churches of England, 454; The Literary Teacher in
The Missionary Review of the World — March 1889
THE CITY AS A FACTOR IN THE WORLD'S EVANGELIZATION
MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD~ VOL. XI. No. a.-Old Series.–MAROH.–._VOL. II. No. a.-New Series.
I.-LITERATURE OF MISSIONS.
THE CITY AS A FACTOR IN THE WORLD'S EVANGELIZATION.
I "WHAT a fermenting vat lies simmering and hid in the great city."-CARLYLE. [SOME two or three years since we wrote and pnblished an article in The Hl>miletic Review entitled, •• The Enormous· Growth of our Cities, and the Duty of the Church in Relation to It." The paper attracted no little notice at the time, and we have been repeatedly asked to reproduce and give it a wider circulation. While w1itten for a uitrerent specific purpose, the following article will embody many of the facts, statements, and considerations given in the paper referred to. We freely quote our own language, where it subserves the end we have in view in the present contrihution. The facts here stated have been carefully scrutinized, and the statistics, wherever obtainahle, brought down to a late date. Our object now 1S not to suggest or discuss the best methods of city evangelization-we have not space to do justice to that burning question-but simply to show, from their rapid growth, and the character and outcome of that growth, the aboslute ·necessity of evan- gelizing OUr cit:es if we would save the nation and,evangelize theworld.-J. M. S.] [EDITORIAL.-J. M. s.] THE history of great cities is, substantially, the history of man. Not only have they played a conspicuous part in the political affairs of nations, but they have originated and determined the social and intel- lectual, the moral and spiritual conditions and destiny of the various peoples and communities that have dwelt upon the earth and made its history. Blot out the record of a dozen ancient cities and but little will remain of man's history prior to the coming of Ohrist. Babylon and Nin!lveh ruled the largest empires of antiquity. The cities of the Nile gave to the Pharaohs for many centuries vast dominion and power. Jerusalem was long the glorious life, and finally the over- throw and ruin of God's chosen people. Rome imperiaZ long -dic- tated laws to the world and subjectcd it to its iron scepter, while Rome spiritual, for more than twelve centuries, has perverted the faith and ruled the consciences of a large part of the Ohristian world. While Athens swayed a majestic power in the realm of the intellect and of the civilizing forces of humanity.
Ooming down to later times we find that Paris was France under the Empire, and is substantially so under the Republic; while uuder both, as the goddess of Fashion and the genesis of the French novel and the French play, Paris is fast corrupting the morals of Germany and England, and spreading her infection on this side the sea. London to-day dominates Great Britain and Oceanica and the commercial world, and rules 200,000,000 souls in India, while New York has long corrupted ~nd cursed, politically and mQrally, the Empire State, And Ohicago and Oincinnltti and other cities of our land are fast becoming centers of tremendous forces and agencies of evil, which the patriot and the Christian cannot contemplate with complacency. The opening of the next century 1"Hl find New York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Chicago, Cincinnati, St. Louis, San Francisco and New Orleans, the dominant force in the government, and in the moral, social, and religious life of from ninety to one hundred millions of souls spread over this vast national domain, speaking, for the most part, one language, and living under one system of laws. .
What is to be the character and influence of these cities thus des- tined to overshadow and sha.pe our political, social, and religious development as a nation in the near future is, therefore, a vital ques-.
tion. The problem,confessedly, is one of tremendous proportions, and the solution of it is proportionately difficult and momentous. It is a problem which presses more and more every day upon the atten- tion of the thoughtful patriot, the Christian, and the social and political economist. We must grapple with it in dead earnest, and solve it in the interest of law and order and sobriety and good morals and Chris- tianity, or it will solve itself in the overthrow of our institutions and the reign of lust, communism, and anarchy in their worst forms. We sound no trnmpet of the vain alarmist. But we cannot shut our eyes to facts which are patent to observation-to a state of society already existing in our chief cities and towns, and daily growing worse and spreading throughout the country, and permeating society every- where, which, unless checked and remedied, must at no distant day imperil, if not actually subvert, state and church alike.
I. The first matter for consideration is the enormous growth of our cities, and the character of this growth.
1. There is a marked tendency in our day to gravitate toward great centers of life-to mass in cities and large towns-and this ten- dency becomes more and mor.e general and intensified every year.
The census of th~ last few decades shows that onr cities are growing with unprecedented rapidity in population, as well as in wealth and luxury, and consequently in power and influence on the body politic- growing so rapidly, indeed, as to essentially change the elements, condi- tions, and relations of the social problem. This marvelous increase of city life and wealth and power is at the cost of the rural popula- tion, wealth and influence. Notwithstanding the importation of so many foreigners into our manufacturing towns and districts, the growth of the city population is much faster than that of the country districts.
In fifty years the ratio of city growth has advanced from 4 1-2 per cent. to 22 1-2 per cent. The next census (1890) will show that one- fourth of our entire popUlation is massed in our cities! So great is the drain to the city that very many of the country districts of New England, of central and western New York, and of other of the older States are actually decreasing in population and thrift and wealth, and the school-house and church, once their glory and strength, are dying out!
We need not stop to point out the meaning and outcome of this startling fact. The enterprise, tIle sinews, the hope of the rural poplation, are fleeing to the city. What the city gains .the countrJ loses! What might prove the glory and salvation of country life may prove the shame and evil of city life! From 1790 to 1880 our entire population increased but 13 times, while the city population increased 86 times! In 1800 we had but 6 cities, with a population above 8,000; in 1880 we had 286! The census of 1890 will make this showing still more significant. Such phenomenal growth and· preponderance of city population constitutes one of the most serious portents of modern times. Weare not prepared to forecast its final effect on our. national life, l)olitical, social, or religious. But its influence, whatever be its character, will be tremendous, if not irresistible.
2. Another fact of momentous importance. The condition of our large and rapidly expanding-cities has unquestionably changed decidedly for the worse during the present generation. The growth has not been a healthy growth, whether viewed politically, morally, or religiously; whether estimated in its influence on country life, on business integrity, on political and commercial morals, on the spiritual life of the church and the welfare of the government, or in its bearings on class relations, on social economics, and on the uplifting and purification of society in general. There has been a marked and alarming deterioration. There is no denying this fact-the evidence is too overwelming. Weare confronted to-day with gigantic and rapidly augmenting evils, economic, social, political and moral, caused mainly by the massing of such multitudes in afew great centers, which attract the worst elements of society, as well as the better-centers where all restraints are thrown off, and vice and crime and lawlessness run riot, and corruption and an manner of wickedness take on huge proportions, and endanger the peace and welfare of the people at large, and ultimately the permanence of our free institutions.
The depravities of our great cities increase in the ratio of their growth jn population. Of one thing we may be sure, the cities, owing to !l;dvantages of centralization and organization and countless wealth, will ultimately triumph over the rural regions. It has been so always in the history of the world. And history repeats itself to~ day along this line, and will repeat itself with greater emphasis in the future. It is evident, then, that the decisive battles between Christianity and infidelity and agnosticism; between true liberty and licentiousness; between law and order and virtue, ~nd the hostile alien forces which are waxing so strong and defiant among us, are to be fought out in a. dozen centers of our widespread republic. Tacitus long since described Rome as the coZluvies g'entiu7rlr'-the sink of nations-and his history, and that of Gibbon, justify the designa- tion. Our chief cities are fast becoming the sinks and slums of the Old World depravities, added to those which have their source in .our own soil. Hither they flow in a broad, ceaseless, putrid stream- a menance to our institutions, a curse to society, a disturbing and cor- rupting element in the body politic. "A little less than a third of the entire population of the United States is foreign by birth or parentage, and yet 62 per cent. of the population of Oincinnati are foreign, 63 per cent. of Boston, 83 per cent. of Cleveland, 88 per cent. of New York, and 91 per cent. of Ohicago! * This fact alone is enough to startle us out of our fancied security and excite the gravest apprehension for the future. The danger is not so much in their numerical strength as in their social· ideas and political affinities and hostility to religion and the church and the old order of things. They come here largely, not for liberty, but for license. They are as a class ignorant, degraded, hos- tile and dangerous.
Romanism has its centers of organization and strength in our cities, where there is such a; vast foreign element, largely in sympathy with it, and offering favorable conditions for ·propagandism. Here it con- centrates its strength, plants its institutions, organizes its forces, sways political influence, fills its coffers from the city treasury, t and openly fights and secretly intrigues for the overthrow of our public schools and for ultimate ascendency. Beyond a question, Romanism is a menance to our free schools, to a free Bible, and to an enlightened, patriotic, catholic Ohristianity. And yet Romanism is rampant in New York and other cities of our land. Moretlmn half of the teach- ers in our public schools are Roman OatholIcs. Our municipal offices are largely in their hands. The Romish Ohurch is growing rich on the favoritism of politicians and legislators. Its influence is courted ob- sequiously by office-seekers.
Already the large foreign element concentrated in our chief cities is making its power and pernicious influence tremendously felt in our social condition, in our politics, in municipal, state, and national legis- lation, and in public sentiment, which is st~onger than law. Many of * .. Our Country," page 129.
.. The Compendium of the Tenth Census gives the number of persons foreign-born in each of the fifty principal cities, but does not give the native-born population of foreign parentage. We are enabled to compute it, however, by knowing that the total number of foreigners and their children of the first generation is, accordin~ to the census, 2.24 times larger than the total number of foreign- born. "-Ibid.
t The Independent gives a chapter of what it calls" Sectarian appropriations," which have been made dnring the current year in the city of New York. The total amount appropriated during the year to the charitable and benevolent institutions of the city is $1,142,232.61. The non-sectarian, private and public, institutions receive $510,092.88. The surprising thing is that sectarian institu- tions receive a larger sum than the non-sectarian, to wit, $632,130.23. The Hebrew Benevolent Society receives $60,000 annually. Several institutions of thc Episcopal church receive altogether $81,814.68. The Roman Catholic Ohurch receives for its institutions the large sum of $540,- – a~.60. our city governments are controlled by this elemcnt, and when it gets the ascendency the people are cursed by the most corrupt rule ever inflicted upon a Christian people. This is the Force that is at war with om.: American Sabbath, and with all our American ideas and habits in relation to social economics. It is an un-American, socialistic, atheistic, dynamite force that is fast intrenching itself in the chief centers of our commercial, social and political life. Its manifest purpose is to revolutionize the entire order of things, in the interest of what is called labor, socialism, communism, the rights of the masses; and it will do it, if suffered, even though it drenches the nation in blood, and plunges it into a state of absolute anarchism.
The city is also the chief seat of the saloon or liquor power. Here it has rapidly grown into a formidable power, antagonistic to every interest of the individual and of the public. Here it is intrenched, and corrupts and ruins, and crowds our prisons and jails and asylums with its victims, sets laws at defiance, and outrages decency and public sentiment. Such a gigantic iniquity-satanic in character, satanic in its :work and designs-never before in the sunlight of heaven so afflicted and cursed a Christian community. It decoys and pollutes our young men. It controls the ballot-box. It corrupts our legisla~ tures, and dictates to our political parties. It spends money freely to gain its ends. It has of late growu arrogant and defiant. In our reccnt election it dictated the nomination, and carried the election of the Governor of the Empire State, the friend and abettor of their interest and schemes! And they will rule him and use him, and he dare not say nay to his masters. There is not at the present time an element or force in American politics and American social life so powerful for evil, so actively at work to corrupt and destroy all that is good, as the liquor power, the saloon element, which our cities foster. And it will yet throttle the city and the nation, if not checked and put down. The more than 200,000 saloonists who flank our thronged streets and avenues are mostly foreigners, multitudes of them are ex-convicts, and their dens a,re so many centers and sources of political corruption, as well as of social ruin and crime in every form.
3. The most alarming fact of all, in our judgment, is, that this appalling state of things is largely the product of our boasted modern civilization! If it were caused by accident, or by agencies and forces which are artificial and transient, there would be infinitely less to fear from it, and we might reasonably hope that society. would in time right itself and pass the crisis without serious permanent damage. But, alas I we can indulge in no such pleasing dream. The causes which have produced the several great evils and imminent dangers which to-day threaten the United States, and more or less threaten every other civilized nation on earth, are radical in character, every one of them. They enter into the very structure of modern life. They are born of new ideas, new forces, new agents, new developments, in nature, in social economics, and in the laws which govern humanity and organized society. The wonderful growth of our cities in population, largely by immigration; the rapid increase of wealth and its concomitant evils; the corruption of morals and the decadence of religion; the formation and grasping greed of odious and oppressive monopolies; the rage for mammon, and the reign of lust and pride and sensuality; the rise of socialism and anarchism, a,nd the assertion of power on the part of the laboring class; the strange contrast of overgrown wealth and extreme poverty in city life, and the discontent and muttering tempest we hear-are but the natural outcome of the new elements which permeate and rule our nineteenth-century civHization. Such gigantic and deep-seated evils are not easily checked, much less eradicated. "Seven devils" possess the city, and nothing short of Almighty power, in response to much fasting and prayer, will be able to cast them out. If we are ever to find and apply an adequate remedy for these formidable evHs, we must dig down deep into the subject, and meet the new condition of things in the only way that will afford relief, namely, by an enlightened apprehension and appreciation of the natural and social causes anu conditions which are at work in our day antagonistic to our p~os perity; and then work along the great lines of Providence and Christianity, to restrain and uproot by methods and forces adapted to the changed state of things which exist. The old ideas and modes and appliances will not meet the case! The old easy-going and half-earnm;t policy of the church, and of organized governments, will end in awful disaster, if adhered to. The church certainly can no longer afford to slumber. The danger is immine:p.t. The enemy is at hand, strong and defiant. A single decade will be likely to decide for us whether Romanism, rum and corruption, and anarchy and agnosticism and a gross materialism, shall rule this great nation; or whether the church of God, Christian morality, and a purified and Christianized civilization shall predominate in it.
II. The facts already cited in regard to the growth of our city population, and the character of that growth, raise the question whether the church of Christ is alive to the duty which such a condition imposes, and whether the policy and the methods which have ruled past efforts to advance Christ's kingdom in the world have been wisely adapted and vigorously prosecuted? It seems to us that we have made a terrible mistake. We have not estimated on the one hand the appalling evils incident to the city, and on the other hand the mighty lever it puts into our hands to uplift the world. We have not bent our energies to evangelize this mass of humanity brought to our doors from all quariers of the world, nor concentrated our efforts to Christianize it and enlist it in the work of the world's evangelization. We think we hazard nothing in saying that our cities have been, fC1r the most part, left to take care of themselves, and that our present policy and methods are a sad and conspicuous failure in both particulars.
And our condition is waxing worse and worse every year, and on a gigantic scale of proportious. The church is fast losing ground rela- tively, as to population, and actually, as to its hold on the masses, and its restraining and evangelizing influence on the whole community. Under the very shadow of our costly and stately churches, and in spite of the ten millions of money given yearly to foreign and home missions, and to the various works of charity and benevolence among us, there are to-day millions of souls as ignorant, as degraded, as godless, as abandoned to iniquity, as any community in heathendom! 'rhe gospel exerts no more influence on them, or over them, except it be to excite their hatred and contempt, than if they lived in Africa! The church, with all her institutions, and machinery and appliances, does not so much as touch the hem of their garments; nay, they are bitterly hostile to it, and to its teachings. The ministry they denounce, the Sabbath they scout, the laws and the restraints of virtuous society they set at naught, and a feeling is growing up among them not only adverse to Ohristianity and the church and Ohristian society, but absolutely destructive to them. Many will question the truth of such sweeping statements, and cry out against them as exag- gerations. But it will be only those who have not been, or who will not be, at the pains of studying the problem in the light of existing facts and tendencies.
Take an illustration or two, which is better for purposes of argument than general statement. We select the city of Brooklyn, where the writer happens to reside, once designated" The Oity of Ohurches,"
and doubtless above the average of city population in point of intelli- gence and social standing. 'rhe popUlation of Brooklyn in half a century has advanced from a few thousand to full 800,000. But sta- tistics prove that the church, instead of keeping pace with the incont- ing population, has fallen so far behind that its relative strength to- day is tenfold less than it was three decades ago; indeed, so far as church accommodations for the Protestant population are concerned, it actually makes a worse showing than any other city in the land! The Presbyterian, Oongregational and Reformed (Dutch) churches-once in the ascendant, and which, it might be said, had the right of domain-have added little or nothing to their number ~nd strength in the last twenty years! While several new church.es have been started, so many have died or been consolidated that the number to-day is but a trifle in excess of that 20 years ago. Hence this great city, rising into such prominence, is a city of relatively few churches.
And the most of these are in the older part of the city. The outlying wards, where the main growth is, are poorly supplied, while the older and wealthy down-town churches leave them to struggle witll debt, and many of them to die out. . In nine of the wards of the city, with a population of 195,131, there is no Presbyterian church whateve~.
And' what is the result, from a moral and spiritual point of view? Full half the population of this once favored city are living without church instruction and influence. The Protestant Church provides for only a small part of her population. There is already a marked change for the worse in the tone and moral sentiment of the city. 'rhe Sabbath is now largely a day of pleasure and dissipation. More than 3,000 saloons are in full blast, defying the law even on the Sabbath. King's County has become the" Paradise of Gamblers." * The rum power and H bossism" rule our politics. Theaters have multiplied at a fearful rate, and some of them are of a most demoralizing character. 'rhe church, though manned with some of the most popular and gifted ministers in the world, is essentially weak, and her power is scarcely felt on the mass of population. If this state of things continues and grows worse, as it naturally will, for ten or fifteen years to come, Brooklyn will inevitably become one of the wickedest and· most Godabandoned cities in our land! There is no helping it. Her doom is decreed as truly as if a mystic hand traced it on the sky.
And what is true of Brooklyn is substantially true of New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Cincinnati, and other great cities of the United States. 'rhe same conditions exist, the same forces are operating, in them all, and with similar results.
Take New York. The population of the city has for years been steadily and rapidly inereasing, while at the same time the numbel' of churches has been relatively decl'easing. In 1830 there was one Protestant church to every 2,000 people; in 1880, one to 3,000; and in 1887, one to 4,000. South of 14th stl'eet there is an estimated population of 587,616; and north of 14th street, exclusive of two wards, 732,048. Survey the latter first.
The xvi., xvii., xx., xxi., xxii., xix., and xii. wards had a popUlation, according to the census of 1880, of 622,872, probable increase in eight years of 109,176. Present population, 732,048. These wards had 221 Pl'otestant churches and chapels in 1880; now, 195. They contained 2,947 saloons in 1880; now, 3,988. In these seven wards thel'e was one church to 2,947 of popUlation in 1880, and one to 3,754 10 1888. In these seven wards there was one saloon to 211 of popUlation in 1880, and one to 184 in 1888.
"Ten thousand saloons, or one to every 150 of the inhabitants of the entire city, stand over against the 355 Protestant churches, or one to 4,464 of the inhabitants of the entire city, as a constant menace. They breed poverty and crime. They increase in ratio fastel' than the churches and schools. They are open day and night. They make legislators, aldermen, district attorneys, and judges. Thev modestly claim to control 40,000 votes in this city; and twenty men, mostly bl'ewers, hold 4,710 chattel *The main issue In a recent election in Brooklyn was. whether the laws relating to gamb. ling should be enforced or remain a dead letter, and the candidate who had pl:ostituted his office to shield the open violators of the statute from punishment. and who on the eve of the election malle a bold and scandalous bid for the saloon inlluence, was re-elected to IItnce 1 And h~ is anything but a terror to evil doers. mortgages on saloon fixtures to the value of $4,959,578. Thirty-two tenement-houses contain an avel'age of thirty-three persons each, with 1,079,723 tenants and with 237,972 families. Home is virtually banished by these abodes, and physical and mOl'al misery necessitated. How can Christianity reach these people?"* NEW YORK SOUTH OF FOURTEENTH STREET.
Estimated population, 621,000. The numl1er of churches 127, and this includes Catholic churches and Jewish synagogues. In 1868 there were 141 places of worship. There are now, with nearly 200,000 more people, only 127, PL'otestant, Catholic and Jewish. That is to say, a city double the size of New Haven has moved into the lower half of New York, and 14 Protestant churches have moved out. Even these figures do not tell the whole story. For with a few notable exceptions these places of worship are very small, and will not seat over 150 each.
" New York has an enormous population-larger than five of our largest Territories combined. Many of these Western States and Territories, for which appeals are so oiten made, and where such vigorous and constant efforts are made by us to plant new churches, are better {Jupplicd with churches thanJV'ew York and Brooklyn!" It seems incredible, and yet it is true. And still the astounding fact has little or no influence on the policy of the ch urch. We strain every nerve to build up Ohrist's kingdom in remote and sparse regions, while we neglect the mllltitudes that throng our streets and are living in heathenish ignorance and sin and moral and social degradation under our own eyes ! We send missionaries abroad-would that we sent more-while we have tens of thousands in our midst from the very countries we send oUI'missionaries to for which we are doing little or nothing. We seem slow to comprehend God's purpose in pouring such immense tides of immigration upon our shores from almost every natIOn and people, and criminally remiss in taking advantage of the opportunity it gives for their evangelization-certainly at far less cost, and in far more favorable conditions, than if they staid at home. We have 400,000 Germans, 30,000 Bohemians, 10,000 Hungarians, a large number of Jews, and some 25,000 Italians. Why send mi8sionaries to these nationalities when we have so many of them living in the midst of us, and who have come here to stay, and who, as all testify who have made the experiment, are easily accessible to gospel influences when wisely approached. They are as "foreign" in ideas and habits of life as if they were in their native land, while they have stronger claims on us than if they had staid at home. Promising mission work has been begun among them, and why should not our" Foreign" Mission Societies as well as our "Home" and "Oity Missions," lay hold of * These facts and fignres respecting New York City are condensed from the addresses of Rev.
J. M. King, D.D., and Rev. A. F. Schauffler, D D., at a Christian Conference held in Chickering Hall. Dec. 3, 4 and 5, 1888. The entire proceedings of this important Conference, called by a large numberoflhe leading clergymen and Christian laymen of the city,with all the addresses made, have been publ,shed in a book, paper cover, by the Baker & Taylor Co., fifty cents, entitled, .. The Religions Condition of New York City." We advise all who desire to know what that" condition" is, to get and study it. It is a fit companion of Dr. Strong's famons book, .. Our Conntry:' these agencies and reap a glorious harvest here at home as well as in foreign and pagan lands?
It is time to look at the question of policy and methods in the matter of the world's evangelization. For this end the church exists, and for no other. What can be done to save our cities in order to save the world? Weare confronted with facts and conditions that demonstrate that the cause is imperiled-that our past policy in reference to the city is a ruinous policy – and that without immediate, concentrated and united efforts to Ohristianize our great and growing centers of life and power the conversion of the world is hopeless.
1. First of all let om; ministers, our intelligent laymen, and all our church-workers study carefully and thoroughly this serious, stupendous problem, which we have brought to their attention. It is.of the utmost moment to the whole church of God. There is none more urgent. It touches her at every point. It demands immediate, solemn, prayerful attention, and prompt, intelligent and combined action. We cannot take these facts into full view, and give them due consideration, and yet sit still and do nothing. We cannot discern the failure of past methods and policies, and not anxiously cast about for something better adapted to the tendencies and changed conditions of the times. Upon the church of God devolves the fearful responsibility of solving this greatest problem of the age. Let us fully understand it, in all its essential facts and relations, as a necessary condition to suitable action. 'rhe movement which found expression in Ohickering Hall recently was not begun a moment too soon. Let it be followed up in every city.
2. 'rhe teaching and example of Ohrist and the Apostles present a marked contrast to the policy which has ruled the church in these modern days.
(a) Ohrist himself devoted almost His entire ministry to the city popUlation. Says Matthew: "And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities." Luke quotes Him as saying: H I must prea.ch the kingdom of God to other cities also, for therefore am I sent." "And behold the whole city came out to meet Jesus." " And all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? " He taught and wrought wonders in Nazareth, Jericho, Ohorazin, Bethsaida, and Oapernaum. He was frequently at Jerusalem. It was over that metropolitan city that He "wept," crying: "0h, Jerusalem, J erusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children" together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" Though born in the country, and living there till He entered upon His public ministry, yet the greater part of that ministry was given to the city. And how He upbraided the cities" wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not! " " Woe unto thee, Chorazin; woe unto thee; Bethsaida," etc !
(b) Christ enjoined the same policy upon His disciples. To the "twelve" sent out, His instructions were: "Into whatsoever city or town ye enter," etc. And also the "seventy": "Into every city and place whither he himself would come." "Into whatsoever city ye enter and they receive you," etc. But" into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways," etc. "When they persecute you in one city, flee ye into another; for verily I say unto you, ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of :Man be come." Why such prominence given to the city if its reception of Christ were not of supreme importance?
(c) The same rule is laid down and emphasized in the last commission which the riseu Lord gave to His disciples, and through them to the church in all ages, not only in reference to itself, but to the establishment of His kingdom in the earth. 'l'hat bloodstained city was the center of the new Faith and the new Life that were to conquer the world. There the royal commission of Zion's King was to be opened and proclaimed. There the Spirit of God was to descend in mighty power and inaugurate the new dispensation. There the Christian Church was to be organized, on the very theater of the crucifixion, and of resurrr::ction marvels. And thence "the Word or God was to sound out in all the region about." There "the banner of the cross" was to be planted, in the royal city of David, on Calvary, by the open sepulchre, and nigh to the mount of Bethany; and when persecution arose, thence the chosen aud anointed army were to bear that consecr,l.ted banner forth and plant it, in a single generation, in all the chief cities of the Roman Empire. Had not the Apostles given their main, if not exclusive, attention and labors to iarge cities, Christianity could not possibly have made such rapid progress, and in so brief a time conquered the Roman world for Christ. They felt, as did the Founder of the Church, that to convert the great cities was to convert the country. Hence they went direct to Antioch, Ephesus, Corinth, Philippi, Thessalonica, and Rome itself. There they preached Christ, wrought miracles, and organized strong 6hurches. Paul, the,great Apostle to the Gentiles, spent three years in the city of Ephesus-the Paris of antiquity-and with such success that from that great city" sounded out the Word of God over all Asia, both among Jews and Greeks." He spent two whole years also in Rome, the capit~l of the world, and among the fruit of his ministry there we have the grandest Epistle of the New Testament. "One who studies even cursorily the beginnings of Christianity will not fail to detec,t a masterly strategy in apostolic policy. Christian enterprise at the outset took possession first of strategic localities, to be used as the centers of church extension. The first successes of Christian preachers were in the great cities of the East. The attractive spots, to the divine eye, were those which were cro'wded with the densest masses of human beings." * Now if centralization was so vast a power for good or evil in Paul's day, it is even more so in our day, for reasons that will readily suggest themselves to the reader. If cities have been the strongholds of Satan in the past, so that God has swept them with the besom of His wrath, as with Sodom, Gomormh, Babylon and J ernsalem, because there was no other way to maintain His religion on earth, they are fast becoming satanic strongholds at the present time, blighting and cursing the earth with their pestiferous influence.
4. The policy of the church of modern times contravenes both the letter and the spirit of her Master's example and partinlf instructions. The divine policy involved in the memorable words, BEGINNING AT JERUSALEM, is practically disregarded. Our great centers of life and power have been left to take care of themselves, after being drained of all available means to help others. The church has been more anxious to plant and foster feeble churches in sparsely settled rural districts, and in far-off heathendom, than to do it amidst the teeming populations of our cities. There is more spiritual destitution prevalent to-day amonlf a million ofthe dwellers in Hew York and Brooklyn than exists amonlf a dozen whole States and Territories at the West! And what is being done for this million of degraded sinners, who are our neighbors, in the way of providing churches, or of evangelizing efforts? Nothing-or next to nothing. 1'here are single wards in the cities whose population exceeds that of whole states.. in which there is scarcely a Protestant church or Bven mission chapel, or evang~lizing agency of any kind. If such a state of things existed out of the city anywhere, the church would put on sackcloth, and the land ring with appeals. New York City, below 14th street, and the outlying wards of Brooklyn, into which a mighty tide of souls is pouring, present as dark an outlook for the future as many parts of heathendom itself.
And still the ministry here, and the church at large, for the most part, sleep over the volcano which is smoldering nnder us-over" the fermenting vat which lies hid and simmering" with the worst elements of society. It is easier to-day to plant a dozen new churches ill districts or hamlets never heard of, or in India or China or Africa, than to plant and nourish into vigorous life one in either of these cities. We write from a painful knowledge of this subject, and on the basis of well-established facts. Forty years ago, when Brooklyn had just begun its rapid growth, the writer, with a few brethren, made a vigorous fight in the Presbytery of Brooklyn for a plan of church extension and evangelizatioll, the fundamental pl'inciphi of which was, belfinninlf "'Prof. Austin Phelps, in Introduction to" Our Country,"
THE EXPOSITION OF MISSIONS
at Jerusalem. But it was resisted by the pastors and elders of the wealthy churches, and by the American Home Missionary Society. And what has been the result? The Presbyterian Church there, as we have shown, is but a trifle stronger to-day than it was then; while, relatively to .population, it is tenfold weaker. Until quite recently our Home Missionary Boards and Societies refused to aid churches located in any city, and presbyteries and associations and large city churches were required to pay over all their funds to these national agencies, and let their own local feeble churches go! It just begins to dawn on the minds of some of the brethren that this is a most unnatural and losing policy.
And what is true of Brooklyn and New York, is largely true of all our great cities. The Protestant Church located in them is growing relatively weaker in numbers, strength and effectiveness, year by year, while sin and wickedness and ungodliness in every form are waxing stronger and more aggressive and dominant.
What will be the outcome of all this? But one answer can be given, unless the church shall quickly arise in the might of her power, and concentrate for the next few years her attention and means and prayers and evangelizmg agencies upon our large and wicked cities, till the plague is stayed, and they are made centers of a powerful spiritual life and power. This, as a Christian duty of the hour, is imperative. The crisis is upon us and can be met in no other way. No other policy will save us as a people! What if the country population and the heathen world, for the time being, receive less attention and aid from us? Save, Christianize, our cities, and in the end the whole world will be infinitely the gainer. One strong church in the city IS a greater force than twenty.in a sparse population !
The larger part of the wealth and talent and enterprise and liberality and agressive power of the church is in the city. The church is a unit. The church is the incarnate Christ sfl'J!nng the salvatiou of the world. Work where the greatest results oan be had! The field is one-no home, no foreign, no East or West or North or South. John Angell James, of England, never made a truer or more pregnant remark than when he.said, in urging that the :flrst duty of the American Church'was to evangelize our own land: "America for Christ for the sake of the world." And we say, convert our cities to Christ for the sake of America and the world.
THE EXPOSITION OF MISSIONS. [EDITORIAL.-A. T. p.] THESE are days of great" expositions." This term, imported from the Freneh, does not convey to us the exact meanmg It does to a ParIsian-an exhibit of those products of human invention, and industry which are the exponents of the progress of the age, For example, there was the late International Exposition in Glasgow. A vast building, a quarter of a mile in length, was filled with twentyfive classes of indu;;trial products. Agriculture and horticulture; mining and engineering, both civil and naval; machinery of the most colossal and the most minute and delicate character; cutlery and arms; carriages and all manner of wheeled vehicles; the most recent and improved methods and devices for illumination by oil, gas and electricity; textile fabrics of wonderful variety and delicacy; food and cooking utensils; paper, printing, and book making; furniture and decoration; fishery, pottery and glass; jewelry and plated ware; ship-building, with a profuse display of exquisite models; nay, e~-en the subtler sciences and fine arts-physical training and education, chemistry and philosophy, music and painting and sculpture and architecture-all these and much more found there exhibition and exposition. What a new world was unveiled in the single department of woman's work, the arts and industries at which her deft and delicate fingers preside. How far and wide the field represented in this garner of abundant harvests. Not only England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, but Canada, France, India and Ceylon-all helped to make this International Exposition one of the world's wonders.
What if we could have an exposition of missions, as the first century of modern missions draws to a close the triumphant history of this sacred evangelism! What if the present condition of the world, of every land and people touched by missionary effort, might be compared, contrasted with that of one hundred years ago! What if we could have there; represented in miniature, the Schway Mote 'rau Pagoda on one hill, with its idol shrines and superstitious wild men, confronting the Kho-'l'hah-Byu Memorial Hall with its holy worship, its reverent church members, its intelligent cla~ses of pupils, and the fifty thousand Jiving and dead Karen converts, of which it is the "Ebenezer." What if we could have the thousand cannibal ovens of the :Fijians to confront in glorious contrast the twelve hundred Christian churches now reared in their place (the chiefs' huts, built on piles round which human beings were buried alive; the chiefs' canoes, lau~ched over human bodies as rollers; to compare with the Christian homes in which thc voice of family worship now may be heard, and the floating bethels where seamen may learn of the Christ who came not to kill but to save. What if we could in the same .department represent the horrors of that mixed multitude in Sierra Leone, the refuse from slave-ships, that had no communication but that of vice, and no co-operation but that of crime, until William Johnson introduced that gospel which became a common dialect and brought this score of hostile and fiendish tribes mto harmony at the Lord's table.- What if Sierra Leone conld be "exposed" as it was in 1816, and again exhibite~ as it was in 1823! Suppose we could on one side set Madagascar as it was under Ranavalona 1., and then as it was under Ranavalona II., or Nanumaga as it was when Thomas Powell set a native evangelist there, and the superstitious inhabitant:;; kept him two 'hours on the beach while they reconciled their dumb idols to his remaining; . and two years later, when there was not an idol to be found on the island, and the whole community was under Ohristian instruction.
A.nd these are not exceptional, but rather representative cases; for wonders like these make th!;) march of missions, like the" milky way," a pathway of light. Take the story of Tahiti. Oaptain Oook thought and said: "This island can neither serve public interests or private ambition and will probably never be much known;" This was before 1779 when he perished at the Sandwich Islands. About the close of the last century, under the rousing appeals of William Oarey and others, the London Missionary Society sent missionaries to Tahiti. There was indeed a long "night of toil." Sixteen years and not a convert, or a sign of blessing, so hard was that fallow ground to break up. Behold a missionary with a group of savages about him. The only weapon in his hand is a manuscript of the gospel of John. He reads chapter iii., and as he repeats the sixteenth verse a warrior in the group asks him to read it again and yet again. Amazed at this new revelation of a love of which he had never heard, he said: "If this is true it must be for you only." But the missionary read again, "that whosoever believeth .on Him should not perish." "'rhen your God shall be my God," said the savage warrior, with the ardor of Ruth; "for never have we heard such a message as this. Our Gods do not:ove us so-we never heard of such l{)ve as this." At Dufftown, this summer, I heard Mr. Green himself testify, that in 1861 on the island of Taha, he himself received from his predecessor in charge an old female chief who had been converted from the lowest state of savagery, whose wonderful conceptions of grace filled even Ohristian missionaries with amazement. Not yet seventy-five years have passed since the first convert crowned these labors, and that convert was the first fruits of all Polynesia. Now in those Pacific Archipelagoes there are 750,000 converts and the work has reached that greatest of islands, New Guinea. A band of not less than 160 young men and women, themselves native converts, have gone from Tahiti and surrounding islands, as evangelists, and of them all not one has ever proved recre- ant or faithless. Among no equal number of Ohristian laborers in the most favored part of Ohristendom can a like measure of consecration and fidelity be found. And yet these are the very people, who, before the gospel touched them, had absolutely no conception of God save that somewhere, somehow, afar off from men, some sort of a being dwelt, who wielded the scepter of a divine despotism; these are the very people who were wont to go to the graves of their ancestors, and . beseech them to plead with that same unknown, unattractivl$, unapproachable God, not to destroy his human victims altogether. Missionaries found in their language no adequate terms to express divine and spiritual conceptions. The idea of God had dropped out of their native tongue. A new matrix was needed in which to cast the forms for conveying spiritual ideas. And yet this is the people who have been setting, even to Ohristian England and America, an example of intelligent piety, discriminating insight into spiritual truth, loyalty to Ohrist, passion for souls, and self-sacrifice in giving!
It was but a few years ago when in Zululand, Dingaan, a cruel chief, caused one hundred innocent maidens to be slaughtered, who bore propitiatory offerings from a tribe which had offended him. For that offense the penalty exacted was a thousand head of cattle, and in the aritlllpetic of those savages one girl was equal to ten cattle; hence to slay one hundred girls was the equivalent of the thousand oxen or heifers. This same Dingaan gouged out the eyes of the scouts, who being sent out to search for cattle, mistook tame herds for game. "Dig out their eyes," said the monste'r. "Of what use are eyes to such men?" Go now to Zululand, visit the Ohristian homes where every amenity of Ohristian civilization sheds its lustrous light. Hear those eloquent native preachers with tearful eyes illustrate love, by love's stupendous sacrifice; go into those churches, sit with those converted savages at the 1-1ord's table; see them bring their weekly offerings, saved by such self-denial as we have never known, to send the gospel to others still in the habitations of cruelty; behold those churches, selfgoverning, self-supporting, self-propagating, and then pronounce missions a failure if you can or dare.
In the leading daily paper of Britain * there appeared, during the sessions of the ",Vorld's Oonference of Missions, an editorial, in which, after sundry compliments to the distinguished membership of that grand gathering, we read this closing paragraph: " One of the conference chairmen congratulated his fellow delegates on the pleasant pJaces in which the lot of modern missionaries is cast. They have no longer, he said, to break the gNund. They have not, he might have asserted with still more assmance, to strive agfiinst a (lead weight of English apathy less penetrable even than Hinduism and Islam. They have their countrymen with them in their endeavors to extend the frontiers of Christendom. Criticism is not hostile to their object because it cannot express itself as altogether contented with the amount of ground whieh has been annexed. An army of diligent and Jearned laborers is occupied in missionary work. Two millions stet'ling are annually subscribed for their maintenance. An appeal is being made for more men and more money. It is declared that the income of missions should be nearer eleven millions than two. Befot,c the promoters of mIssionary work can expect to have greater resources confided to them they will have to render a satisfactol'Y account of their trust in the past. Their progress, it is to be hoped, is suee j indisputably it is slow. A congress like the present wguld b~ Qetter employed *, London rimes/ June 1[)/ 1888, in tracing the reasons for the deficiency in quantity of success than in glorifying the modicum which has been attained. The cause it advocates has vanquished the obstructions interposed at home to the accomplishment of its aims. It enjoys a sufficiency, which according to ordinary estimates might seem an abundance, of good will and fnnds. Still it marches at a pace which, unless it be registered by the enthusiasm of Exeter Hall, appears little more than funereal. If Carey.could have foreseen the magnificence of the means which his successors were destined to command, and the re- moval, as if by magic, of all the barriers which hemmed him in, he would have supposed that the foes were beaten, and the harvest was being reaped. Exeter Hall says it is,'and that the only thing now to be done is 'to hold the conquered forts, and to push on to fresh conquests.' For eyes not endowed with the second sight of the platform, the prinCipal citadels of heathendom continue to flaunt their banners as before. If some people profess to believe, as one speaker deplored the other day, that they hear too much of foreig"n missions, the explanation is that they see too little of their results."
With this" editorial" in his hands, the present writer from the'plat- form of the Conference made the bold challenge, which, from the more commanding-platform of this REVIEW, with its many thousand readers, he now repeats: he defied any man to show, in any other sphere, in whatever age or by whatever means, results so magnificent, and so out of proportion to the agencies and instrumentalities employed, as have been wrought in the last century by a few pioneers in the field of mis- sions! With a conviction as profound, he is prepared to add, that, of all the evidences of Ohristianity, this is the perpetual and present proof, that, in face of foes so gigantic and of obstacles so insurmountable, such progress haS been made. To him who will study it, the whole his- tory of missions is the overwhelming demonstration "of a supernatural Gospel, environed by a supernatural Providence, and enforced by a supernatural Spirit!
Of course rhetoric is not logic, and declaration and declamation are not demonstration. We neither ask nor wish such a statement to be accepted witho~t investigation. On the other hand, it is a searching – examination that missions court. The main difficulty is that, to most disciples, and even to the more intelligent, the field of missions is a terra incognita. When a leading philanthropist of Britain confesses himself to have been ignorant of the great facts of missionary history, -we shall not wonder if the bulk of disciples ha,'e yet to make their first voyage of discovery. But to those who, like the Genoese navigator, will venture on the unknown sea, a whole continent, a new world of startling facts, waits to be unveiled and revealed.
The flippant fashion in which too many dispose both of the con- quests and claims of missions finds illustration in a conversation over- heard by the writer on the Umbria. "I have been in a number of countries," said one, "and never yet saw nUloh good done by mission- aries." " Nor I," said another; "and in fact I think the people would have been as well off without them as with them." Perhaps these far-traveled observers were related to that wise woman who said that she lived at Kobe for eighteen months, "right opposite the mission chapel, and never saw one native Japanese enter there." A good reason why! for that happened to be the chapel for foreign residents, and of course the natives did not attend there; the mission premises were in other quarters. An American clergyman, passing through Beirut, said to a friend, "'1'he missionaries here seem to accomplish nothing." Further inquiry revealed that he had not even heard of the crowded audiences of Drs. Thompson and Van Dyck on the Sabbath, nor visited one of the schools which are the glory of the Syrian Mission and the envy even of the Moslems; nor had he looked in upon the presses and publication rooms, which kept a score of men constantly busy, and send Arabic Bibles and Testaments to every quar- ter of the Mohammedan world. * Instead of being straitened by lack of proofs, we are rather embarrassed by the riches of the evidence both of the extent and rapidity of mIsSIOnary progress. '1'he first Malagasy who ever learned the alphabet of his own native tongue died six years ago last month, aged seventy-two. He had lived to see fifty thousand of his countrymen taught to read, and over seventy thousand profess their faith in the Christian's Redeemer. We could fill the pages of this REVIEW with similar testimonies from all quarters of the mission field, and even then should have but gleaned, like Ruth, a few handfuls from a harvest field that has supplied the vast garners of miSSIOnary biography and history with countless sheaves. In fact, these astonishing successes of missionary effort are so world-wide and conspicuous that we feel as though we were arguing with willful ignorance, or attempting to point out the glories of a prospept to eyes blinded or voluntarily closed.
The writer in The Times calls the progress of missions" funereal" for its slowness. '1'0 us it seems rather triumphal for its rapidity. We cannot understand how any intelligent observer can apply such a term to the march of missions during the century_ If anything has been conspicuous about it, it is the wonderful celerity of movement which has marked its whole history. The writer in The Times manifestly knows more of the kingdoms of this world than of the Kingdom of Christ. Some of us who are "not yet fifty years old," have seen the major part of all this astounding development. '1'he century is not complete by three years since the first Baptist society was organized by William Carey, and yet within that space of time there has been both in Christendom and heathendom a revolution so wonderful that we c&n only account it a revelation of supernatural energy at work among men. Missionary organizations have multiplied, averaging con. sic1erably more than one every year, until now their network wraps -If Ely Volume. lutl'od, viii. the globe in its golden meshes. Within this ninety-seven years, they have averaged nearly three translations a year; and for nearly each year a new language, which had neither alphabet, grammar nor lexicon before, has been reduced to writing by the missionaries, and a literature created out of nothing. During this ninety-seven years, a total force of not less than 20,000 missionaries has gone from Christian lands, an average of 200 for each year. Where scarce one door was open a century ago, scarce one door is shut to-day; women, who were then secluded in seraglios, harems, zenanas, are now accessible; and in great cities, even in India, one society alone has access to 2,000 homes.
It is estimated that the number of converts gathered within this time, including those who have died in the faith, forms an aggregate of from 10,000,000 to 30,000,000. Among the Karens alone we know of 60,000. And every convert represents both a rallying and a radiating center for all holy and benign influences. During this time whole systems of polytheism, idolatry, superstition, have been swept away like chaff from a threshing floor. Jno. Geddie, after eighteen years in Aneityum, wished to bring away some idols as relics, and none cou~d be found.
Of the great mass of missionary history we have no written record. A converted Chinaman on our Pacific Coast sold himself to work as a coolie in New Guinea, for the sake of working among his own countrymen; and before he died personally led to Christ two hundred of his companions. But how many such heroic lives have no written annals, save in God's" Book of Remembrance?"
Were no other results of missions apparent, their reflex influence on the church at large no gauge can measure. Had not one convert been gathered or one conquest won in pagan lands, the effort put forth on behalf of the heathen by the Christian church would have been more than repaid by the healthy reaction upon home life. One of the lead- ing thinkers of our day,* discussing the question, "What have the home churches gained by foreign missions?" cites in reply, "The noteworthy examples of Christian zeal and self-sacrifice, an answer to skepticism, an impulse to earnest Christian labor, and the prevailing spirit of Christian brotherhood." But this covers not half the ground. At the beginning of the last century, and during its first half, the church of God was almost dead of apathy and inactivity, like a halffrozen man amid arctic ice and snow. Irreligion, immorality, and infidelity, together, seemed closing in upon the body of nominal disciples, folding the church in the fatal embrace of a merciless winter. Nothing but the activity of a new missionary era broke the awful charm of this dp.adly stagnation and congelation. God's clarion peal, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature," fang once * Rev. Dl·. Wm. M. Taylor. more in the ears of a slumbering and half-frozen church. A new col- lege of apostles-the apostles of modern evangelism-laid hold of the body ecclesiastic and violently shook the church with impassioned and prayerful appeal. Men woke to see that, as Samuel Blair said, "piety at home lay a-dying," while pagans abroad were perishing; and it was this arousing to a new activity for the lost, that brought back warmth, restored circulation, and quickened all the pulses and currents of spir- ituallife. Oanon Taylor may try to depreciate modern missions, but a 'far greater than he, who a century ago bore the name he is dishonor- ing,* declared that England herself wag" in a state of virtual heathen- ism" until William Oarey led the way in foreign missions. Missions a failure? No, not if it be worth while to displace a fatal frost by a summer's sun, barrenuess by fertility, and spiritual apathy and lethargy by a world-wide, unselfish ministry to human want and woe, whose reflex influence is even more -precious than any direct blessing it bestows!
England and the Anglican Ohurch, to which the Oanon belongs, are justly proud of her cathedrals. But there are no Gothic structures on British soil that compare, in grandeur, symmetry, and beauty, with her magnificent Bible and missionary societies. "Walk about Zion, tell the towers thereof, mark well her bulwarks, consider her palaces." What" towers" are those Bible societies that lift the word of God, in three hundred tongues, to such a height that all the world shan see and read its witness! What "bulwarks" are those-great, aggressive, organized activities whose offensive warfare against the foes of Ohrist are the best defensive and protective measures of the church at home! What" palaces" are those churches where the Killg himself delights to dwell, drawn to abide by that spirit of missions which is the Spirit of Ohrist! It is these united movements of the great Ohristian brotherhoods to give the gospel to every man in his own tongue and by the lips of the living missionary, that are reversing the miracle of Babel and-perpetuating the miracle of Pentecost!
Three years hence, in 1892, Spain proposes in an imperial way to celebrate the foui' hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America, and to honor the memory of Ohristopher Oolumbus. A royal decree has been issued, announcing an exposition to which the Kingdom of Portugal and the governments of Latin America are to be invited. The object of the exposition is declared to be "to present in the most complete manner possible the condition of the inhabitants of America at the time of its discovery, by collecting for that purpose all the· objects which can give an idea of the state of their civilization, and of the civilization of the races inhabiting the American continent at the end of the fifteenth century; and by a separate exhibition at the same time of all the products of the art, science, and industry which char~ * 18&ac Taylor. acterize the present culture of the nations of Latin America." In that same year, 1892, the full century will be complete since William Oarey formed the first distinctively Foreign Missionary Society of Britain.* What a grand celebration of that centennial would it be, if in some great center like London or New York, there could be an actual colossal exposition of missions! What if, in some ma~uificent building like the Orystal Palace at Suydenham, the Ohristian Oh'.1rch might undertake to exhibit to the eye some such comparison as Spain proposes, in the language of the royal decree just quoted! Would it not be worth while to express, by the unspoken and unwritten language of such an exhibition, the fruits of missionary toil?
Let us suppose pains to be taken to bring together, from all parts of the world, the visible, tangible proofs and products of the work and its success. In one department the Hawaiian Isles would have their place-on one side rude hovels with earth-floors, in which two-thirds of all children born on those shores were, by their own mothers, buried alive; a despotic Tabu system putting even between husband and wife impassable social barriers; idolatries and cruelties, innumerable and indescribable; then over against this exhibit of the islands as they were a century ago let them be represented, transformed into the abode of a Ohristian nation, when instead of being a field for missions they supply a part of the force to work other fields, like Micronesia. In another department Polynesia and Melanesia would be shown as they were and as they are. On one side would stand the idol shrines and cannibal feasts, with half-naked savages engaged in senseless rites of worship, or in their horrible butchering, roasting and devouring of human bodies; on the other side converted natives in decent dress, with their neat cottages, commodious churches, varied industries and Ohristian literature.
Burmah would have a department. Her wild Karens as Boardman and .Jndson found them, and the Ohristian Karens as t:1ey now stand among tho aggressive missionary force of the day,. their huts, habits, dreso, degradation, sharply in contrast with their present high level of Christian civilization. France would have a department as she was when, as the right arm of papal despotism, she was ready to sound another tocsin from the tower of St. Germain, and repeat the tragedy of St. Bartholemew's Eve to uphold the papal tiara and crush out the hated Huguenots; and France as she is now, with Re"eillaud and Saillens and McAll and Miss DeBroen teaching and preaching the simple gospel of the Apostles to hundreds and thousands of attentive workingmen, and that, too, with governmental approval!
In such an exposition there would, of course, be one department assigned to the literature created by missions; to the seventy-five * The .. Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," formed' in 1701 rather for colonial than foreign miSSionary objects, became a distinctly missionary agency in 1821. topgues whose alphabet was first formed by missionaries, with the three hundred translations of the Word of God and the millions of pages of religious reading produced by hundreds of mission presses. The industries planted and developed by missions would demand a like display; in a word, the entire results of this unselfish ministry to lost, man would as far as possible be put into visible forms.
Could some such exhibition of the results of a century of missions be actually planned and properly conducted; could such industry, zeal and disngard of cost, as mark commercial and industrial expositions, be put at the service of the Kingdom of God; could Christian merchant princes and men of letters combine to gather from all lands, from museums of archreology and. private collections of curious relics, the needful material; could master workmen he employed to construct and arrange the material basis for such a display; in a word could the Christian Church take up the task of furnishing such a Centennial Exposition of Missions, and give the work of her devoted men and women such an exhibition as all other forms of labor have, in this nineteenth century-we are not sure that Christian history would record an achievement more important in its impression upon the minds and hearts of men. Thousands, it may be millions, who do not sec the exposition of missions already furnished in the printed page would see presented, represented, before their eyes, the testimony of a century's work in a form not easily to be forgotten.
Nor are we persuaded that the conception of such an exposition is merely chimerical, a yagary of the imagination. Modern enterprise, in the Crystal PILlace at Suydenham, has built upon a scale of one-third the actual size the Assyrian palaces, rock-tombs of Egypt, Greek and RomaL! temples, gorgeous Alhambra, superb dwellings of ruined Pompeii, and cathedrals of medireval France and England, so that visitors walk through them and see three thousand years of successive civilizations crystallized into material forms. In the Egyptian museum at London, vast galleries and corridors are assigned to the huge tablets, sculptures, sarcophagi, papyri, vases, gathered from Babylon, Nineveh, Thebes. In Paris, the" Nouvelle Bastile" is the actual reproduction of the old fortress prison demolished one hundred years ago; you may cross the drawbridge over the moat, descend to ,the subterranean dungeons, see prisoners in effigy, and realize. somewhat t.he horrors of those cens when the Bastile actually stood where now stands the Colonne de J uillet.
Such are the costly and elaborate methods by which the children of this world seek to impress the eye in the interests of trade and manufacture. Is there any adequate reason why a corresponding effort might not be made to impress the actual and stupendous achievements of a century of missionary labor?
The thought may not seem practical and practicable, but it was first suggested by the Indian Department of the Glasgow Exposition. There were to be seen, not as pictures or photographs merely, but in actual forms on a small scale, the native habitations and dress, the Hindoo temples, car of Juggernaut, suttee-piles, modes of torture, etc•. In San Francisco, Ohinese Joss-houses, pagodas, shops, and theaters may be seen confronting Ohristian churches and mission halls. In the Ohurch Missionary and London Missionary Societies' rooms are relics of a half century ago that tell m'ore eloquently than any words can the depths out of which the gospel has lifted whole tribes of men; and those remains of idolatrous customs and savage life, gathered from among peoples now pervaded by the light of the gospel, would go far to furnish such an exposition of missions.
The fascination of such a scene would be marvelous. It might be made so attractive as to draw visitors from every quarter, and so effective as that no one could evade the force of its argument and appeal.
But those who are familiar with the ,rich literature of missions are already constantly walking through the corridors of such an exposition. Even an English canon cannot infect them with suspicion .touching the "Failure of Missions." To them the story of missionary labor and success is a tale of fact, rivaling, surpassing the tale of fancy which finds expression in the" Arabian Nights." They have seen a more wonderful lamp than that of Aladdin. Its rays reach into the deepest darkness and banish the death-shade. Touch that lamp and the angels of God are at your side to do your bidding. Place it in the huts and hovels of misery and poverty and it transforms them into the palaces of princes where dwell the heirs of celestial thrones and crowns! Give it a place in the midst of pagan society and with incredible rapidity it changes the whole aspect of mankind. Robes take the place of rags; virtue, of vice; cleanliness, of filth; intelligence, of ignorance; courtesy, of cruelty; and health and happiness, of disease and wretchedness. Yes, the magician's enchantments are once more outdone by the miracles of the Spirit of God, and even unbelievers are compelled to confess, "ThIs is the finger of God." Fables and fancies fade before facts, real, tangible, indisputable. That fine, poetic saying, "Architecture is frozen music," has been attributed by some to Madame de Stael, by others to Schlegel. The structures which missionary heroism has built are crystallizations of piety. They are God's temples; they rest on rock; their timbers are as of cedar, fragrant and enduring; and within and without they are covered with the gold of the upper sanctuary I
CiUTICISMS UPON FOREIGN
ORITICISMS UPON FOREIGN MISSIONS.
BY REV. EDWI~ M. BLISS.
[ON page 95 of the February number of THE REVIEW, in my paper on "The Results of Missions in the Levant," the sentence, "Up to the present year there have been distributed by the American Bible Society," etc., should have read, "During a single generation, from 1858 up to the pr$ent year," etc. The total distribution of the two Bible Societies from the beginning is estimated at about 2,250,000 copies.-E. M. B.] ATTACKS UpOIJ. foreign mis.sionaries and their work, such as have. appeared recently, voiced in England by Canon Taylor, and echoed in New York by The Evening Post, are nothing new. The would-be zeal covers over for the multitude the writer's absolute ignorance of his topic, and many, supposing that position implies knowledge, are inclined to applaud what appears to them a frank looking in the face of important questions. A writer in The Church Missionary Magazine has pretty thoroughly riddled Oanon Taylor'S claim to worthy consideration, showing him up as a man who, having failed in his regular work, has undertaken a sort of guerilla warfare as a free lance in an outside field, in much the same spirit as Napoleon used to start a foreign war-to hide defects of home administration.
Were it possible to penetrate 'the obscurity surrounding the authorship of an editorial paragraph in a New York daily, it would probably appear that the one who is so earnest lest "poor Sunday-school children should be cheated out of their hard-earned pennies" for the benefit of a school in Athens, or for reconverting an Armenian Ohristian, is some disappointed agent for a torpedo or rifle manufactory, a naval officer disgusted at being compelled to leave the fashionable charms of Nice, or a chance traveler who goes abroad with the idea that a missionary ought to be It sort of Christian dervish, a Protestant anchorite, like the Greek hermit of Cape Matapan. Such critics it is of little use to argue with. Their attacks are not the result of serious conviction founded upon careful investigation, but upon chance information or constitutional prejudice.
Not all hostile critics, however, are of these two classes. It not infrequently happens that travelers not especially interested in mlSSJOn work, yet with no positive prejudice against it, receive decidedly adverse impressions; and sometimes those who are genuinely, heartily interested in it, and who make earnest efforts to get at the truth, come to the conviction that missionary work, as carried on, isnot what it ought to be.
The opinions of such critics carry weight, and should be fairly and honef1tly met. Their complaints may in general be included under four classes. 1. That the missionaries do not accurately represent their work to the churches at home. 2. That they are extravagant in the use of funds. 3. That they are not in cord~al sympathy with the native Christians and churches. 4. That they pay undue attention to education and civilization to the neglect of spiritual work. To answer these fully would require a treatise, not ari article. Little more can be done here than to offer certain suggestions. The first charge, of misrepresentation, is sheer nonsense. There is no line of action in any department of life so fully described, so thor-' oughly advertised as is that of foreign missions. Secretaries and mis- sionaries are doing their best to give a "clear idea" of their work, but • no one who has not tried it, can understand how difficult a thing it is to give a " clear idea" of a foreign field. Even those who have made it a special 'Study are constantly compelled to revise their opinions as they learn more, and it is not unnatural that the great mass of people who give little or no attention to the subject, except as they hear a missionary address, should be surprised at what they see, even dnring a brief and hasty visit to a mission field. ~'o charge" malversation, deception, fraud," because of this failure to understand, is not only foUy, but crime.
2. Extravagance. This has reference chiefly to the style of life among missionaries, their" good, sometimes handsome houses," "suf- ficient servants," "books, periodicals," "pIanos, organs," etc. There is an idea, prevalent in many circles, that the foreign missionary should go to his work just as the home missionary goes to his. That he should living among the people to whom he goes, eat the same food, wear as nearly as possible the same dress, get down to their plane, and then lift them to a higher style of life. Not a few have entered the foreign work with this idea and have sought conscientiously to carry it out. The experiment has never produced the results hoped for, aud has been repeatedly abandoned as a failure. The reasons for the failure are several. The foreign missionary has to create an ideal, and for this he must not merely instruct but exemplify. Moral forces are not easily measured, but it is certain that the moral influence of a mission- ary's home, with its refinement, its comfort, is a very large factor in the development of the communities about him. If he lives as the natives do, they are very apt to say, "Wherein is he better than we? If his Christianity does not bring him more than our religion brings to us, why should we change?" This may not be entirely logical, but it is cer- tainly natural. The average home missionary community has already an ideal of a better life, and cordially works with the missionary toward its realization. Not so on the foreign field, where the ideal has to be set before the people, and a desire for it enkindled. An- other reason for the fl1ilure of the attempt to live as the people do, lies in the fact of the abnormal strain it brings upon the missionary. Ohange of climate and food, separation from home, friends, and national life, the nervous exhaustion resulting from the necessity of listening t(}, trying to understand and be understood in a new language, are at the best a severe tax upon most constitutions. It has been recog- nized by all Mission Boards that it is economy to reduce this strain so far as possible, by giving the missionary pleasant surroundings, a healthful, comfortable home. It does not pay to send a man and his wife to Africa or India, and have them break down and return in two or three years. Every added year of life and se.rvice increases a missionary's usefulness in an almost geometric ratio; hence, heaUh is a prime consideration in his arrangements. For health it is as essential there as here that houses be good, food be wholesome and palatable. It is clwaper for the churches to provide "sufficient servants" than to compel their missionaries to spend their time and strength in the ordinary household duties. Not less important than health of body are health of mind and soul. Books and mnsic are not seldom genuine means of grace to the community as well as to the missionary. Of course, when one gets beyond the bare necessities of life, it is difficult if not impossible to draw a sharp line. Personal taste and tact enter in, and produce widely different results with the same means. Some missionaries have private incomes which they use for the advantage of those around them, as well as for their own comfort. Others have wealthy and generous friends who rejoice in adding to their homes those adornments that make a missionary's house like a beautiful oasis in the desert of comfortless dwellings about him. A missionary lady once adorned her walls with arrangements of autumn leaves sent to her from the New England forests. A native preacher entering, exclaimed, "How beautiful! it is a Paradise!" Then drawing nearer and examining more closely, he added, "How much you make out of little!" No foreign missionary ever yet laid by a competence out of his salary.
3. Missionaries are often charged with lack of sympathy with the native Christians and churches, with exercising a sort of tyranny over them, not allowing them that independence of action that is essential to their best development. It is undoubtedly true that here is a great difficulty in community as in home training. The surprising thing is not, that there are so many mistakes, but that so few are made. Every mission has experience of individuals, who begrudge the consideration paid to what they call (( foreign" influence, claim that the missionaries are really aliens, do not understand the peoples' needs or capabilities, etc., etc., and demand that the direction of affairs be placed in their own hands. They talk about the funds collected in America as belonging in truth to themselves, and pose virtuously as champions of national rights. Occasionally they secure the indorsement of a native church, but never of any number of churches, and invariably lose whatever hold they may have gained upon the community. Such men are very apt to get hold of passing travelers, and lament over the overshadowing influence of the missionaries, which is so great that the churches are really not free to hold the position of independence that is their due, and for which they are entirely fitted. Occasionally one
THE MffiACLES OF MISSIONS. iS7
finds a missionary who is inclined to be somewhat autocratic, just as one sometimes meets a pastor who knows better than his church what is good for them, but as a rule the whole history of foreign missions is marked by constant deference to the desires and opinions of native churches, an earnest desire to make them as soon as possible entirely independent of extraneous support and influence. Indeed, sifted to the bottom, the trouble with many of these complainants is that the missionaries are putting too much upon the people, in the way of their own seH-support, so that they are unable to give to their pastors as large salaries as a few-by no means all, or even many–claim as their due.
4. Perhaps the most serious charge made against foreign missions is that they pay undue attention to education, to the neglect of distinctively spiritual work. Here some, who honor missionaries and their efforts, feel obliged to dissent from their position. They say, "This education is all well and wise, but so long as there are such wide regions unreached by the gospel, it is not right to withhold the offer of salvation to thousands, that a few hundreds may learn more of this world's wisdom." In order to a correct understanding of this most important subject, certain things must be kept in mind. The object of sending foreign missionaries to any community is not merely the conversion of a certain number of individual souls, but the development of a Ohristian community, founded upon solid Christian character. Except as this is accomplished, there can be no permanence. It cannot be accomplished without education. The native communities cannot give that rducation, foreigners must. In this all agree. There must then be some education given by missionaries. The question thus bccomes one of degree. How much is essential, or rather, how little can possibly meet the most urgent demands. Here it may fairly be claimed that the churches must trust their missionaries. None realize so keenly as they do the great need. N one are more fully alive than they to the heavy responsibility resting upon them. None understand so well the shifting phases of the great problem of the world's evangelization, or are so competent to judge wisely how to meet them. At 7,000, 10,000, 12,000 miles' distance, their acts may not always seem wise, but the chances are that they are fully as wise as the criticisms that are passed upon them. They may fairly claim, that if they are worthy to be the churches' representatives, they are worthy of their confidence, especially in so vital a matter as this.
THE MIRAOLES OF MISSIONS.-No. XI.
A WONDERFUL WORK IN THE WEST INDIES.
[EDITORIAL-A. T. P.] FOR years we have been watching one of the most remarkable of all the missionary movements of modern times. It is remarkable for its strange inception, its providential progress, and its unrivaled success. Dr. Tichenor's brief and beautiful accounts of the work supply the main sources from which we draw the material for this little sketch, which we are confident no one can read without thanksgiving to God.
During the last Ouban rebellion Oaptain AlbertoJ. Diaz, then in the rebel army, was dispatched to one of the army outposts to warn against an expected attack by Spanish forces; and in ob@yingthe order he and those with him were surrounded by the enemy. The only avenue of escape was by the sea, anq. to that they intrusted themselves. They were, however, borne out from shore, and would have perished had they not been picked up by a small vessel.
Oaptain Diaz then went to New York. Having already been graduated from both the literary and mediqal departments of the University of Havana, he resolved to -prepare himself to treat especially diseases of the eye. During the winter a severe attack of pneumonia brought him to the gates of death. Among those whose regard this polite and intelligent Ouban had won, was a Ohristiau young lady, who visited his room and vainly sought to converse with him. He could speak but little English and she did not understand his Spanish. Leaving the room, she shortly returned with her New Testament, read a portion, and then silently prayed. This she repeated for several days, until the patient sufficiently recovered to write to her, in broken English, his heartfelt thanks. He inquired what was,the little book out of which she read every day, and why" she closed her eyes and talked to herself"? She replied that the book was the New Testament, and that, after readmg it, she had prayed for him. He.had never seen anybody pray in that way before. In the great cathedral of his native city he had seen people kneel upon its marble pavement, count their beads, and, with" vain repetitions," mutter the lifeless forms and call it prayer. But this was a new idea of religion to him. He expressed his desire for the "little book," that he might find out what it was that could make her so love it. She gave him a copy, and he began to translate it into Spanish, as best he could, so that he might the better comprehend its teaching. While thus engaged, he learned that he could procure a Spanish translation at the American Bible Society; and having obtained one, he read that new and wonderful story of the life, suffering and death of Jesus.
rroward the story of blind Bartimeus his mind and heart were peculiarly attracted. The helplessness of the poor blind. man, and the wonderful goodness and power of Jesus overwhelmed him. Again and again he read it, until it dawned upo~ his soul that he was just like blind Bartimeus. Ohrist had been standing before him, but he had no eyes with which to see Him. He fell prostrate on the,fioor, and in speechless agony lay for a long time. He had never prayed and did not know how. Only with the" groanings unutterable" could he cry unto God. But God who hears just such moans and groans heard the I voice of his longing heart, and opened his lips to ask in the very woriis of that blind beggar of Jericho, "Thou Son of David, have mercy on me !" The eyes of his understanding were opened. He arose" a new man." How strange, how wonderful! A new world was revealed to him; his blindness was gone; his Saviour was found; his sins were for- given; he was a child of-God.
Having been received into the fellowship of the Willoughby Avenue Church, in Brooklyn, N. Y., he yearned to go back to his native island and tell of Jesus; and he soon set sail for Cuba. He could scarcely wait for the usual salutations of love to be exchanged with his family, so eager was he to witness to the great Saviour who had opened hi~ blind eyes. But when his parents, brothers and sisters learned of his "apostasy from the true church," and of his embrace of the Protes- tant heresy, they were beside themselves with alarm and grief and for- bade him to speak to them further on the subject.
For days this bitter disappointment overwhelmed his soul with darkness; and he could do nothing but in cries and burning tears ap- peal to God for help. At length it occurred to him, that if his kin- dred would not hear him, he had friends in the city who might. To these he went, and to his great delight some of them listened and said, "We will hear thee again about this matter." On a Sunday morning a numher of them met him in the parlor of the Pasaje Hotel, and to that little company he preached Jesus and the Resurrection. All were impressed; many well-nigh convinced. The next Sunday the attend- ance was larger, and the numbers and the interest increased until the place became too small. 'By this time several had found peace in be- lieving, and it was resolved to rent a han and form a society for relig- ious worship. The Baptist articles of faith were adopted, and only those who had been made new creatures in Christ were permitted to unite with them. Diaz preached to them every Sunday, and shortly about one hundred converts were gathered into fellowship.
One holiday, as he was passing along the shore of the bay, he saw two men fishing. He stopped and began to talk to them of Jesus and salvation. They stopped and listened, and soon another party engaged in sports drew near. Then others were attracted, until from every quarter the people began to throng. In order to command his audi- dence, he mounted a barrel and spoke with great power the wonderful words of God. While he was addressing the eager crowd, two policemen stepped beside him, as he thought, to preserve order. But at th~ conclusion of his discourse he found himself under arrest. 'rhe American Consul secured his release after a short term in the guard house, but he could no longer preach on the streets. The priests re- solved to crush this Protestant movement, and warned the people not to employ the heretic physician, under pain of churchly anathemas. Djaz had been supporting himself by his proiession in order to make the gospel of Christ without charge. But now he saw himself compelled either to desert his field of labor or starve.
He sailed for New York, hoping an<,l praying that he might find the means by which to return and go on with his work. Finding that the Ladies' Bible Society of Philadelphia wanted a colporteur for Ouba, he offered his services and was accepted. Joyfully he went back, and once more was among his people; on week days he scattered Bibles and Testaments, and on Sundays met his congregation and dispensed to them the Word of Life. For more than a year the work went on; his brother and sister embraced the faith. Persecutions arose, but this fearless man continued his work.
One day he went to a town in the interior to preach and distribute books. In Cuba no religious service can be held except indoors; and he found every available place to preach barred against him. Nobody dared to allow him to hold religious meetings on their premises. At length an old, unoccupied frame building was found near the Oatholic church. At one end a rude platform was built, and Diaz began the services. The multitude thronged the place, but were ready on the slightest pretext to break into open violence. While Diaz was preaching a shot from behind and above him was fired; and the ball, passing close to the intended victim, struck a boy in front of him. The deadly shot had been fired through an opening in the weatherboarding from the tower of the Oatholic church, and the priest was the assassin. He was tried and convicted, and sent to Spain for punishment.
The screams of the wounded boy excited the multitude to frenzy. "Kill them !" "Kill the Protestants !" "Shoot the heretics !" was heard on every side. Diaz and his brother who was WIth him entered a room close at hand and barred the door agaillst the mob. With howlings and curses the infuriated rabble demanded their blood, and nothing but Divine interposition saved their lives. When the tumult died away they unbarred the door and Diaz's brother went out to see if they could find better protection or make their escape. Soon some one ran to Diaz and told him that others were beating his brother to death. He sprang from his place of concealment and ran to his relief. The mob seized him and would have killed him had not the police come to the rescue. With their coats torn off and their hats and shoes gone, bruised and bloody, they were taken before the mayor. They represented to him their treatment by this lawless mob. He promised them protection, tried to dissuade them from prosecuting their persecutors, and ol:dered his police to see them safe upon the cars. They returned to Havana, glad to escape with their lives.
Meanwhile at Key West, in Florida, W. F. Wood was laboring among the English-speaking population. In that city more than a thousand Oubans were at work in the cigar factories. No attention had been paid to their religious condition. It was taken for granted that, being foreigners and Roman Oatholics, they were inaccessible to the truth.
One Sunday morning, as Mr. Wood arose to announce his text, a stranger and a foreigner, who was deformed, slowly and with halting step moved up the aisle. All knew he was a Ouban. He gave earnest attention to the sermon, and at its close was found by Mr. Wood sitting upon his doorstep waiting to converse. '1'hey tried to talk, but as neither could speak easily in the other's tongue, a Miss Adela Fales, who lived near by, was asked to act as interpreter.
It was then found that this Ouban had come to Key West, attracted by a rumor that he could there find what he longed to find-a religious faith that could satisfy him better than the papal doctrine in which he had been reared. He had landed that very morning. Mr. Wood that week gave many hours to instructing this poor, cripplecl wanderer; and when, on the next Lord's Day, he saw two women baptized he hurried from his seat, saying: "I want to be baptized! I want to be baptized! That what my Jesus tell me do !"
All present were deeply moved by the earnestness of this simple man to follow his Lord in this ordinance representing death to sin and resurrection to newness of life. Mr. Wood wept for joy. A church conference was called. Through Miss Adela Fales he related his experience of grace, and he was received and baptized. For some weeks he remained in Key West. He was a man of intelligence, anu one evening in the Baptist house of worship he gave his reasons for leaving tHe Oatholic church and uniting with the Baptist. The house was filled to overflowing. Many Oubans were there; and at the close one of the most intelligent among them arose and asked some questions, which evinced the interest awakened in the subject.
After a few weeks this stranger returned to his home in Ouba, and nothing more has ever been heard of him. Whether he is dead, or whether for his faith in Ohrist he may be immured in some dungeon, we may never know until that day which discloses the secrets of all hearts. His coming had accomplished one great end: the Ouban people of Key West were no longer to be disregarded. Ohristian sympathy for them was awakened. '1'he Home Mission Board was appealed to for help, which was cheerfully given. A church was erected, and Miss Adela Fales was appointed missionary to this people. A Sabbathschool and a day school were established. Mr. Wood gave every enc6uragement and help to the work. Soon one, and then another, and another, until they numbered five, ten, fifteen, twenty, thirty, forty, were, as hopeful converts, brought into the fellowship of the church. The harvest was ripening for the reaper. Bya strange Providence the work in Ouba and Key West were thus linked.
This wonderful work in Ouba, considering the time and means expended in its prosecution, has n,ever been surpassed in the history of modern missions. ~n December, 1885, Alberto J. Dia.z was ordained to the work of the ministry at the request of the Baptist church in Key West, of which he was a member. In Jan- uary, 1886, a church was constituted in Havana. In May, 1887, that church numbered 301, with two other churches elsewhere, four Sunday-schools, and two day schools; and six men preparing to preach.
The whole island is open to Christian labor, and thousands are ready to abandon the system of superstition in which they have been reared, and embrace the truth as it is in Jesus. A house of worship is greatly needed in Havana. It is essential to the highest snccess in that city and in the island. Unceasing prayer for Cuba, with large and liberal offerings, should be made.
The reports of Rev. Mr. Diaz sound like battle bulletins.· They are short, almost telegraphic, but they mark wonderful progress. Here is one of them : "I baptized 33 the last quarter of 1886; up to March 1, 1887,69 more, mak- ing the total in fellowship 202, and I have received for baptism 100 more. We have now great excitement, and the cry from every part of the island is, 'We want the gospel,' but we have not the means to support the laborers on the field. Your brothel', A. J. DIAZ."
Note these remarkable facts from Dr. Tichenor's appeal: H This Cuban mission, established in January, 1886, grew within the first year of its existence to have in Havana- H 1. A church and five other preaching stations, three Sunday-schools numbering three hundred scholars, and two day schools, where Christ is taught as in the Sunday-schools, numbering one hundred and fifty more, all in the city. This church, numbering two hundred and two baptized believers, with one hundred candidates for baptism and six men studying for the ministry.
H 2. Another church, with a Sunday-school and a day school had been organized in a town nat far from Havana.
H 3. Two churches, numbering over three hundred members, four Sunday-schools numbering about three hundred and fifty members, and three day schools, where Christ is taught, numbering say two hundred pupils-were the work of a single year."
Here is a later account, published early in 1888 : ,( Two years ago a Baptist church was constituted in Havana–the first one in the island of Cuba. This church now numbers 700 mem- bers. Three other churches have grown out of it, which aggregate probably 250 members. These four churches have seventeen regular preaching stations, twelve of which are in the city of Havana.
" The smallpox has scourged the city terribly in the last three or four months. These Baptist people went everywhere when the disease was raging, visiting the sick, caring for the dying, burying the dead.
The martyr spirit animated them. Ttw ~~~e of Christ constraine<i them, and when the dark pan hung over the city, they became mini~ter ing angels to the pOOl' and the needy.
"Thirty-five church members, and 150 of the congregation, became victims of the destroying pestilence. Since last May 200 adults and about 150 children have been buried in the Baptist cemetery in Havana. But see how God has rewarded the faith and Ohristian heroism of his people. At the beginning of this fearful epidemic the church in Havana numbered 350 members; it now numbers 700. On the 13th of November brother Diaz baptized 105 "new men and women" born into the kingdom of God during this time of trouble.
" Do you wonder at it, and inquire how such a work was accomplished?
Here is part of the secret. Two of our female missional'ies reported more than 1,600 conversations with individuals about their soul's sal- vation during the last quarter, forty-four of whom embraced Ohrist as their Saviour and were baptized into the fellowship of His people.
Similiar work was done by many others not in the employ of the Board. Into the plague-smitten homes they carried healing for the soul as well as the body. God blessed their words and let none of them fall to the ground.
"Read brother Diaz's letter, and while you rejoice and thank God for His wonderful work, remember that you cau help to redeem the mil- lions of that fair island who yet walk in darkness."
"HAVANA, 27 de December, de 1887.
"The epidemic disease is over, only one or two cases we have daily. We hitve lost over 150 members. Last month I baptized on Sunday evening (the 13th) 1()5 that were converted during the epidemic disease. I asked one Of the deacons to go with me into the water, and we both expended two hours baptizing the new women and men. The membership in Havana is 700. I calculate we have 1,000 Baptists on the island. Last year we had in our Sunday-school 500 pupils, and in the present year we have 1,844 in the city of Havana. All the missions outside Havana ha'e their own Sunday-schools and they may have 150 or 200, each one of them. We celebrated the Christ- mas tree this year, and took one of the theaters, where we gathered 2,000 children and over 3,000 adults; the hall was full. We will double Oul' mem- bership if we have the church building. Your brother, " A. J. DIAZ."
IT is not to be wondered at that the Southern Baptist Convention in its last session at Richmond, Va., declared that in Ouba a crisis has been reached that imperatively demands an expenditure of over $50,- 000. The Home :fifission Board, to which this work is intrusted, pro- poses to purchase a property built for a theater, which is admirably situated and adapted to the needs of the work. To purchase this valu- able property will enable the congregation to have an immediate place of worship instead of waiting two years to build one. We hope the appeal of the corresponding secretary. Dr. Tichenor, will meet with a prompt response. The door has been opened by God in Ouba and the right man is there to carryon the work.
PROT~STANT MISSIONS IN EASTERN EQUATORIAL AFRICA
From Dr. F. M. Ellis, of Baltimore, we have just received additional facts) from which we gratefully glean a handful for this article: The work has gone steadily forward, and the progress reported has been simply marvelous, until there are now 17 mirsionaries, six regularly organized churches in as many cities, about twenty preaching stations, over 2,500 pupils in Sunday-schools, and 500 more in day schools where the Bible is taught large congregations, and a revolution of pnblic sentiment, which is as remarkable as it is hopeful. In a little more than two years, 1,100 bave been baptized, and nine native preachers l'aised up. These converts have contributed $4,610 in a single year, faced the pestilence, endured mob violence and priestly persecution. Over8,OOO have applied for baptism, but only those are received who give clear evidence of the new birth. One of the most eminent priests is among the converts, and intends to give himself to preaching the pure gospel in Cuba.
PROTESTANT MISSIONS IN EASTERN EQUATORIAL AFRICA.
[WE reproduce from the London Reco)'d a timely article relative to events in which the whole missionary world feels intense interest. The illltlals to it show it to be from a source which entitles it to the most serious consideration. It presents a different view of the movement on foot to suppress the African slave trade from that usually taken, but it is well to see both sides. Some of the sad eveuts preuicted in Decembel' have already come to pass.-Ens.] BEFORE the blow has fallen it is as well that those who are interested in the sacred work of missions should reflect upon what is likely to happen in the first half-year of 1889.
During the last fifteen years (or more in some cases) the following British Protestant Missionary Societies have, out of pure love to their fellowcreatures, without any idea of personal or national profit, prosecuted their quiet and unselfish labors among the inhabitants of the vast region which extends ft'om the Victoria Nyanza south to the River Zambezi, and from the IndIan Ocean west to Lake Tanganyika: (1) The Church Missionary Society. (2) The Universities' Mission. (3) The London Missionary Society. (4) The United Free MethodIsts. (5) The Established Qhurch of Scotland. (6) The Free Church of Scotland. They ha'e been received by the people willingly, and quite as much progress has been made as the most sanguine dared to hope for. Tens of thousands of pounds have been disbursed, but on tIllS no stress is laid, as missions are not commercial concerns, and it is not easy to assess the value of one redeemed soul. But the prayers, the deepest intel:est-, the greatest selfdenial and self-consecration of the British nation have gone forth into Eastern Africa. Bishops Mackenzie, Steere, Hannington, and Parker, and a great army of. Christian confessors, male and female, have left their bones in Africa as a witness, before men and angels, that the land has been claimed for Christ. Suddenly a Protestant continental nation, which had not studied the A B C of colonial policy, or the rudiments of treatment of Oriental nations III a lower state of culture, puts itself forward, and goes in for so-called colonies. Just as an upstart citizen, who has amassed a competency, sets up a carriage and an expensive establishment, so a newly-formed empire, remarking that the elder Powers of Great Bl'itain, France, Spain, Portugal, and Denl1lal'k had colonies, cries out, "Oh! We must have colonies also," an<l the statesman of Friedl'ichsl'uh sends for tIle traveler, the botanist, the liquor dealer, and the general merchant, and takes counsel with them as to the unoccupied tracts in Africa and Oceania, on which violent hands can be laid; the more unprotected the less trouble to annex. Unhappy Eastern Equatorial Africa presented an opening. A company is formed, armed at all points, for it hal', its Protestant and Roman Catholic Mission Department in connection with it. Fictitious treaties are formed with imaginary chiefs, and the German cartographers hasten to recolor their political maps with so-called colonies. Men are sent out to administer, utterly ignorant of the elementary principles of rule. The Mohammedan chief of Zanzibar and his adherents are insulted; it is openly asserted that plantations are to be es- tablished, as all proprietary right" belong to the state; that the natives are to be made to work as the condition of existence; and that it is the duty of the missionaries to substitute industrial training for religious instruction and teach the natives how to work. The Hamburgh liquor exporters have a new field of profitable commerce thrown open to them.
Last autumn the whole thing blew up; every German is driven out of the country; many are killed, and the work of reconstruction "with blood and iron" has to be recommenced. The British Government has been in- duced to join in a blockade, ostensibly against the slave dealers, with the Germans, who have never as yet shown any anti-slave-trade interests; the blockade may not do, much to restore the German power, but it may do much to injure the British missions, and this is the real and only point of interest to us.
Wherever the missions are planted they have gained the affections of the people, and their very existence depends upon this fact. A capricious chief may give occasional trouble, but he is soon appeased; a covetous chief may demand excessive presents, but, ff the missionary has little to offer, he can- not be plundered to any extent. There is the great fact-that the missions were there and were doing well until the German trouble arose. 1'11e great object must' be to convince the natives that, with the exception of being white men, there is no connection between the British missionary and the German trader and annexationist; that the aim of the two parties is totally different. Whatever may be the object and method of the Germans, it should he impressed on the people that the British missionaries seek not the lands or the products or the wealth of the people; they desire to exercise no au- thority over them. They will not raise their hands against anyone of them, and they are prepared to die rather than fight: It is a shocking thing that it should have come to this, but the only chance of maintaining the mis- sionary position is by asserting this and practicing it. If the rule of "blood and iron" be introduced by the Germans, it will go hard with the British mIssionaries, unless they take up an entirely separate position from the in- vaders of a peaceful country with no shadow of right.
The British missions on Victoria Nyanza will suffer trom want of supplies of men and means; the mission on Lake Tanganyika will be in great peril on both sides, from the Kongo on the west as well as from the east. The missions on Lake Nyassa may possibly hold their own, if the passage of the Zambezi is kept open. On the Universities' mission in U-Sambara, north of Zanzibar, and on the Rovuma to the south, the storm will burst with greatest violence. '
These excellent missions have been conducted on the soundest principles- for the good of the people, spiritual first, and material as a consequence; they have the credit of being popUlar, and now will come the proof. AU the female agents of the mission I have been sent to Zanzibar, and the Bishop and his subordinates will hold the fort, not against the people, but against the Germans and the low creatures of the coasts who may take service for the purpose of plunder. In U-Sambara there is a large popula- tion of several hundred thousand agriculturists, dwelling in villages, peace- fully disposed, but well armed with European weapons, and under one su- perior chieftain, a man who is quiet and yet determined, wl;o declares that he has made no treaty with the foreign invader accepting their suzerainty, and who, "like Ulster, intends to fight." Bushirk, whose name is mentioned as leader of the Country Party, is a man well known to the missionaries and of good reputation. These people are not Mohammedar.s, not Arabs, not Arabized Africans, not subjects of the Sultan of Zanzibar, but an indepen- dent Bantu population who will fight, and all that the missionaries can do is to keep clear of the combat both in word or deed, and retire to some safe spot till the issue is decided. Any partisanship in deeds of blood is con- trary to their office.
These remarks are made from a missionary point of view, and not a polit- icalone. We should be silent if the Gel'mans annexed wantonly a large region where there were no miRsions. But the highest principles of mis- sionary opera,tions are violated by the German annexationist. Forgetful of the hospitality shown to German missions in British India, he commences his career of colonial government by ejecting the British Baptist Society from the Kameruns in West Africa. The welfare of the Universities' mis- sion on the East Coa1't is now at stake. The view of the German annexa· tionist as to missions is cynical. He introduces both Protestant and Roman Catholic under the condition that they are German, and teach only the German language; religion must give way to patriotism; the banner of the Lamb to the German flag. How different will be the position of the mission- ries in U.Sambara after the country has been invaded, villages burnt, and hundreds shot down; yet there is no other way of re-establishing the Ger- man rule, which was based on unprincipled annexation. R. N. C.
lWe append two items from the daily press of a more recent date as con- firmatory of the above-EDs.] .
.. The fight of slavery for existence in East Africa is one oC desperation, and for the past few weeks all the successes have been on its side. Save for the jOint action of the European powers in patrolling the shores, there would be an enormons exportation of the victims of this traffic, who are said to be found in the coast districts in great throngs. The attack on the Dares-Sakem station and the selling into slavery of a hundred natives there captured, besides several of the missionaries themselves, shows the cbaracter of the struggle now going On. So does the establisbing of a great slave mart close to Bagomoyo. The Arab slave-dealing power is, in fact, now alert everywhere. The wbole 1I1ahdist movement had back of religiOUS fanaticism tbe slave-hunting infiuence to uphold it, and propably Khalifa Abdullah, as well as his predecessor, has drawn sinews of war from this source. In Mwanga's domains the Arabs have made a clean sweep, and from many points between the lakes and the coasts tbe mission stations have been recalled. These will hereafter appear memorable days in the history of tbe slave traffic in Africa, when it made a fierce struggle against the advance of civilization and humanity."
.. ZANZmA.R, Jan. 17.-'l'he Arabs have destroyed the German missionary station at Tugu, 15 miles west of Dares-Sakem. A majority of the slaves captured by tbe German man-oC-war Leipzig were lodged at tbe station. One missionary succeeded'in escaping from the Arabs, but eight others were massacred. Three bodies, One of them that of a woman, were found mutilated in a barbarous manner. The Arabs carried off the servants and slaves at the station. The Frenell missionary stations, e6pecially those situated near Tugu, are in imminent danger. The Arabs, who are now joining in the slave trade, come principally from Kilwa and Lindi, and are richer and more infiuenlial than Busbirk, and are likely to overshadow him. These accessions to the l'anks of the slave traders will have the effect of reinvigorating the revolt, whieh wonld have died ont if the Germans had not retained Bogamoyo and Dares-Sakem."
Iii!!.) 'l'Jllil BONDEI MISSION, EAST AFRIOA. 1~
THE BONDEI MISSION, EAST AFRICA.
BY W. H. MORSE, M.D., WESTFIELD, N. J. [IN connection with the fore:::oing article, the foJlowing paper we are snre will be read with lively interest.-EDS.] IT is doubtful if, in the history of modern missions, there has been anything more pronounced in the way of the reflex influence of missions than that which has attended the labors of the "Universities' Mission" on that section of the East African coast which is now the theater of the revolt against the authority Of the Sultan of Zanzibar. It is less than a quarter of a century since the inauguration of efforts outgrown from the notable work of Bishop Steere on the site of the former slave-market. The spire of the new cathedral had hardly been reared to cast its shadow across the straits upon the dark mainland, when men of the band bore the gospel to the savage tribes whose fire-winged arrows had repelled the advance of trader and teacher.
•, vVe bear Life and we trust to live! " they said when warned of the embrace of death's opportunity. And they lived. Not.a knife was drawn-not a spear was raised. Incredible as it may seem, within ten years the Bondei country was the seat of several flourishing stations. Magila had its mud-walled chapel; Pangani.was made the port of entry for the good tidings; and all along the water-side from Bagamoyo to Dar-es-Salaam striking results were visible. More than this, the chiefs of Usagara, Nguru, Uzeguha, and Ukami, and the redoubtable Kimweri, Sultan of Usambara, all invited an extension of the sphere of activity and welcomed the missionaries. Nothing could have been more encouraging. Moreover, the country was thus opened for trade, and the merchant, following in the track of the missionary, and profiting by the protection afforded him, gained a success which commercial endeavor could not have achieved alone.
All went prosperously. For benevolence of intentions, modesty of demeanor, and purity of proceedings, the missions had no superior. The year 1884 brought the first premonitions of a change. With the Englishmen came other Europeans-Italians and Germans-men with other aspirations and ambitions than those of evangelization and trade. On the 26th of February the General Act of the West African Conference for the future partition of Africa was signed by the European Powers, and within twenty-four hours the Emperor William chartered the German Colonization Society and confirmed certain papers which Dr. Karl Peters and Count Behr Bundelin had brought from Africa. These papers were distinguished as treaties, and were concluded by Dr. Peters in November and December of the previous year with the four principal savage chiefs, who, by their presents, made cession of large territories to him with sovereign rights. The charter conferred the Imperial Protectorate. Supplementarily there was added to the bundle of treaties a formal concession from Seyid Bargash, Sultan of Zanzibar, which granted to the company for fifty years the administration of the entire coast line from the Umba to the Rovuma river. "The secret of the proceedings which led to the signing of these several documents stands unrevealed. One of the missionaries, Rev. J. P. Farler, writing of the matter, says pointedly: "No chief ever did knowingly make such a treaty with utter strangers for no equivalent."
That this opinion had some basis the sequel showed. When the news gradually reached the natives that the Germans had acquired sovereign rights over the countries of Bondei, Chaga, Pare and Usambara, the indignation was of the most intense character. They came in crowds to the missions to inquire what it all meant, anil to absolutely repudiate the so-called treaties as exceeding any intention entertained by them. They inquired of the missionaries as to who the Germans were, and were greatly relieved to find that they were a different nation from themselves, speaking a differ- ent language. To again quote Mr. Farler: "They said, 'The English we know, and the Arabs we know, but who are these people?' As we foresaw trouble," he continues, "we made it clear to the chiefs and natives, that in Europe, as in Africa, there were many l'aces, speaking different languages, and ruled by different sovereigns," -"Vhen the news of the Sultan's conces- sion was added to the previous information, and was emphasized by the sad fact that it had been obtained on his death-bed, "the Arabs and Swahili of the coast towns were highly indignant, and openly said: 'The Sultan is our lord, and we will obey no other master. If the Germans merely take over the administration of the customs, and we remain under the Sultan's rule, we shall offer no objections. But if they attempt to exercise sovereign rights we shall oppose them by every means in our power.' ,', It is easy to see the reason for the insurrection with which the cable is still burdened. When the time came fOl' replacing the Sultan's officials by Ger- mans, they unfortunately, through their want of tact and experience in dealing with indigenous tribes, excited the angel' of the people by ignoring their customs, and treating both the flag of the Sultan and his officials with contempt. '1'he patience of the natives gave way, and the whole coast rose against them. The tribes of the interiol' shared the feelings of the coast peoples, and in September they began to come down to the coast in vast num- bers to support the Arabs and Swahili against the obnoxious foreigners. Thousands quickly assembled, and beginning with Tangani, the port of Maglla, they visited town after town, until the Germans were all driven out or killed. In less than thirty days the company were driven out of the country, and the new Sultan's authority was in abeyance at all points.
Toward the close of the month grave fears for the safety of the missional'ies began to be entertained at Zanzibar on the part of their friends, and especially on that of the British consul-general, Colonel Euan-Smith, whoat once implored the Sultan's aid. An Arab of importancf', and possessing large influence with the insurrectionists, was dispatched to Pangani in one of the Sultan's ships, under orders to bring away the misslOnaries, if they had survived the rising. At Pangani this official was refused permission to land, and had to return to Zanzibar. The following day (Sept. 27) the insurgents surprised all by sending CoL Euan-Smith a letter, "guaranteeing the safety of the missionaries, in recognition of their many good deeds." "They have always treated llS with courtesy," the letter simply said.
Soon after the mission party found means of communicating with Zanzibar, and sent word that they were not in any danger, and that they were receiving the kindest of treatment from· the natives. The Arabs and the chiefs, who have the most influence at Pangani and in its neighborhood, are the close personal 'friends of the missionaries; and one, an Arab of the highest prominence in the country, had paid a long visit to Magila just before the rising, and had been hospitably entertained. Indeed, there is not the slightest hostility of the coast people; and the same may be said of the inland tribes. There might be danger from some of the savages from the far interior, who might consider all white men of one race, and make no discrimination.
But this peril will hardly be great, from the fact that Usambara lies between the Bondei country and the interior, and Kimweri, its sultan, who 1889.j TIlE BONDEI MISSION, EAST AFRICA. 199 has a warm friendship for the missions and the Christian religion, would not allow any tribe to pass who would attack Magila. "We can therefore conclude by saying," writes Mr. Farler, "that we believe our missionaries to be in no greater dangers than are incidental to uncivilized countries. The time of anxiety for oui' brethren at Magila has at least Ehown that the natives far and near are our friends, and that we have won our way into the respect and confidence of the people among whom we dwell."
Nevertheless, the British Government wants to "remove" the missionaries "to save them from the savages." It advises them to leave, and offers to help them get away. Protection is declined, and would not be given were it needed. "Solid tude for their welfare" is Lord Salisbury's wish; but so confident is Bishop Smythies of Magila that, in answel' to the proposal he has written the Foreign Office: "If you remove us by force we shall l'eturn; and the only way to get rid of us is to take our lives." There may, of course, be a matter of mistake as to the political fault in the case; but putting aside all question as to the honor of intent and purpose, the idea of removing a number of Englishmen accepted by the natives as their instructors and benefactors is characteristic of the time as it is interpreted in England. But the brave Inen propose not to be removed, and while the hatred for the Germans and the Sultan's officials is intense, they are enjoying their steadilyprogressing labor of love. Not one of the members has been molested, and· the brave band of eighteen remain to do more for the extinction of African slavery and the suppression of the rum traffic than all of the efforts of Cardinal Lavigede and his crusaders.
The success of tlle missions in the real work of evangelization, while not wonderful, is certainly notable. The New Testament, translated into Swahili, is read by hundreds, if not thousands, who, from the sea-coast to the lake-country, have a general acquaintance with that language. There has been accomplished a real work of civilization; but the testimony to the value of the results is as nothing when there comes forth the fact that such is the influence of the missionary that, in this time of fiercely jealous savagery, he stands protected by the Divine favor shown in the savage heart.
[We append the following items of interest from the London Times of a late date.-EDs.] Extract from a letter of Prince Bismarck to the German Consul at Zanzibar, censuring the German Company: .. As to the events at Bagamoyo and Pangani referred to, the detailed accounts thereof now before me confirm me in the opinion that the hoisting of the Company's fiag at the ports was neither called for nor advisable, and that the disputes which have arisen 011 the subject might have been avoided had the agents of the Company prudently confined themselves to doing what was practically needful. which constitutes the primary condition of success in hazardous undertakings on nnknown territories. . . . The Company's conduct, as it appears to me, was more energetic than circumspect, and energy in a region which 1s beyond the ran:re of our guns can only be displayed at the cost of incommensurate sacrifices,"
BISHOP SMYTHIES' PROTEST.
Extract from a letter from Bishop Smythies of Zanzibar to his brother: .. I hope it is clearly understood in England that the distnrbances on the coast have had nothing to do with opposition from the slave-traders, or With Mohammedan feeling; but are entirely due to the high-handed action of the members of the German East-African Company, who have treated the parts of the coast where they have settled as a conquered country."
MISSIONARY VOLUNTEERS
MISSIONARY VOLUNTEERS.
[THE movement among college students in our day is so remarkable in its inception, progress and possible results, that we think it ought to be chronicled in these pages. We have put into competent hands the work of preparing from time to time a brief statement of new developments.-Ens.] THE two leading features of the student movement at present are the steps, first, toward a better system and permanency in organization, and secondly, toward having each college send its representative to the foreign field. i At first a man was sought who should give his whole time as chief exec- utive; afterward it was thought best to choose instead a~ executive com- mitteeof one representative from the Y. lL C. A., the Y. W. C. A., and the Inter-Seminal'y Missionary Alliance respectively. The Y. M. C. A. was already represented in Mr. John R. Mott, College Secretary, one of the" Mt.
Hermon Hundred." The other members will be chosen soon by the Northfield Committee, subject to the :;tpproval of the national Y. W.C.A. and the Inter- Seminary Alliance committees. Mr. R. P. Wilder, inseparably connected with this movement, consents to give one more year to develop and extend it by visitation among the students. He has already v.isited several insti- tutions and conventions with rich results. There will be, too, a corre- sponding secretary and a press secretary of the movement.
The succeSi; of the Princeton college men last year in raising money to support a representative in the foreign field, and the prompt departure of Mr.
Forman for India, stimulated like effort in the theological seminades of Prmceton, Union, Xenia, Rutgers, Allegheny, and the Virginia Protestant Episcopal Seminary in the United States, and Queen's, Wickliffe, Univer- sity, and Knox colleges in Canada.
This year also Princeton College has raised $938 for Mr. Forman, Prince- ton Seminary reports $1,000, and Union has pledged $747 for a foreign missionary, and voted an additional $300 [or a home missionary. Brown University has chosen a member of the Senior class who goes to the Congo valley next June, and already $700 are subscribed toward his support.
Hampden-Sidney, Va., has a fund of $625; Lafayette, a total subscription for this year of $787.68, and an aggregate for foul' years of $2,157.08.
Othel1s are moving -in the same direction, sl1ch as Boston, Wooster, Grove City, Drew and Oberlin. In some cases, as at Lafayette, funds are pledged for a succession of years.
The number of volunteers anj the interest in the bands are also increasing.
The total number of volunteers reported at Northfield last July was 2,600.
The work of Messrs. Wilder, O'Brien, Stoops, and others increased that number to 2,900 in October, and on December 13th the total in the United States and Canada was 3,100.
This movement has been characterized as merely a "splendid burst of enthusiasm," an "excellent harvest of promises"; but the steady increase in numbers and practical interest, and the fact that, according to the reports of the Canadian and American Foreign Mission Boards, 103 have already gone to foreign fields, and 17 more are under appointment, prove God's hand in this uprising of student volunteers.
As yet, however, not one-half the colleges have been touched. Even those visited by Messrs. Forma,n and Wilder have two new classes. Each band must reach out to its sister colleges, and each volunteer to another rnan, a.nd so help on this work so grandly begun.
la8~.] TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN MISSIONARY MAGAZINES
A VOLUNTEER'S EXPERIENCE.
FROM one who has been visiting among the churches of Ontario we cull the following interesting account: "My summer's work for' missions' bas been eutirely in connection witb tbe Presbyterian Cbnrch in Ontario. I bave addressed, since tbe 15tb of May, 44 congregations and some of tbem twice. Several of tbese were doing practically notbing, oLhers almost indifferent, and but few awake to tbeir responsibility. Being in tbe conntry most congregations were comparatively small, and tbe work of missions quite new to many; and several do not even support their own pastors. However, all congregations visited promis~ to do more, and one cburcb will likely support a man, and I trust also our own in Parkdale before anotber year. My work was simply that of stimulation, presenting missions in tbe plainest way possible, using charts and diagrams, showing' the encour- agement, tbe need and tbe claims upon tbe cburcb at bome,' and speaking oftbe ' volunteer students,' and the responsibility of Obristians regarding tbem. Tbrough the introduction of our pastor here, I went out, trusting only in tbe Lord for support. I made no appeal for myself or my work but I can noW say experimentally that' I lacked nothing.' My expenses were all provided for by voluntary contributions and witb the surplus 1 bave circulated free over 100 copies of the' Crisis of Mis- sions,' cbeap edition, and 17,000 of 'A Group of Facts on Foreign Missions.'
"In conclusion I add a tonching story: .. On tbe evening of the 9tb of July,1887, a Cbristian girl but fifteen years of age departed this life.
Sbe had, for a long time, suffere'd from consumption. On tbat evening sbe asked that her mission- ary box sbould be brougbt, and sbe began to count ber savings for missions durine; tbe month; and it amonnted to forty cents. She placed ber little savings in the usual envelope for miSSions, and two hours later went to be witb the Saviour.
.. Having known the cbild personally,whose life bad been a wonderfnl stimulus to me in my work, and wbose death I sball never forget, I asked her motber for tbis forty cents for missions. It was gladly given and inclosed in a little purse to organize a WQ1'k in China. I began to give testimony concerning ber life, nsing tbis last act by way of iIlnstration, and at tbe first meeting the Lord added $14 to tbe little purse. .. Since tbeu God has increased the amount to $117,and simply as the resnlt of r~peating to otbers tbe simple story."
BRIEF NOTES.
THE total number of volunteers iu the States and Canada (Dec. 17) was 3,100.
One hundred and three volunteers have sailed; 17 more are under appointment.
The student interest in missions extends over two continents. American colleges are joined in this work with the universities of England, Scandanavia and Germany.
Tbe" appeal" of volunteers to the churcbes bas called forth a corresponding appeal from a member of the church to stUdent volunteers for foreign missions, which may hereaiter appear in these pages.
Missionary "bands" are being introduced in the English universities. Oxford has just started one with a membership of fourteen.
The entire Senior class-fourteen in number-in tbe United Presbyterian Theological Seminary at Allegheny, Pa., have "eported to their Board of Foreign Missions their willingness to engage in the foreign work. Churches and an individual have engaged to provide for tbe support of six, who will probahly be sent during the coming season.
Al! the missions of the Reformed Church in America are asking for men and some for women. Present necessities call for five or six men, and two or tbree women. Two years ago their Japan mission asked for ten men and four women. Only one of each could be sent. Already this year tbree applications have been refused from lack of means.
TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN MISSIONARY MAGAZINES.
BY REV. CHARLES C. STARBUCK, ANDOVER, MASS.
THE Lund Missions-Tidning, speaking of the Missionary Conference in London, says; " There was no parading with great names in this conference. Tbere was no disposition to regard anyone else than Jesus alone. Many of tbe names wbicb stood upon tbe programme are not especially well known. IDlt it is just the true renown of the possessors of tbese names tbat, in self·forgetful love, they bave busied themselves among tbe heatben, and bave come forth from these living graves, called by the conductors of this conference, to describe wbat they bave seen and beard in the land of darkness and tbe sbadow of death, with all its bideous abominations, and to bear witness of tbat gospel wbich both for higb and low is God's power nnto salvation."
A Lutheran missionary of Madura, writing in the Tidning as to the needs of their native helpers, says, among other things: " We onght to take care tbat tbey have or get good books. Of these some of them are sadly destitute. I once met with a native helper, who had been ten or twelve years in the missionary service, and yet did not own a Bible, nor eYen the New Testament. In Madnra I have had all my native helpers give me a list of their books, and where they need good books I procure them and let them pay me gradually. But it is not enough: they must also learn to study them. The natives are in general no friends of literary occupation. Diligently as they labor upon tbeir studies when preparing for an examination, yet, as soon as this is over, they cast their books into a corner, and trouble themselves no more with them. Our native helpers are no exception to the rule. They have to be encouraged, and indeed compelled, if nothing else will avail, to make use of their books, so that·they shall not forget what they have learned in the seminar)", but shall go on to build upon the foundation there laid. It is true, the yearly examination they have to undergo before lhe Church Council is an admirable means of driving them to study, especially as the increase of their wages depeuds essentially upon their passing it. Yet these yearly examinations comprise only a small part of the circle of knowledge which it concerns them to cultivate. They do not supersede, but rather imply special instruction and examination by the missionary himself."
The Dansle Missions-Blad says that its soqiety has had, this last year, in its fields of labol' abl'0L:' especial occasion to complain of indifference to the preaching of the missionaries. Madras, however, contrasted favorably with the country parts of South India. A Brahman had been baptized. The Danish Society is considering under what form those are to be received as catechumens, who cannot be baptized, as having more than one wife. In the annual meeting of the society there was a lively debate upon this topic, evincing decided divergences of view. The introductory prayer to the annual sermon of the Danish 111. S., preached at Ringsted, in Zealand, is worth translating. It is a good missionary collect: "Holy and mighty God.! Holy and compassionate Saviour! Thou thyself hast said that thou wilt be with thy friends a)l the days. Let us, therefore, perceive beyond doubt that thou art with us to-day, that thou dost operate within our hearts and upon our hearts by thy Holy Spirit, and that thou dost bless this missionary festival throughout all its course, even as thou alone canst bless. Amen." In the following serl1:lOn is this brief reminder: "The Missionary Commission. was given to men who were unhesitatingly ready to show their faith in Jesus by their deed. But yet it was given to sinfttl men, who could be terrified, over-scrupulous, and often doubtful. Even a Paul and a Barnabas, on a missionary journey, could fall at variance as to the best method of carrying on the work, and thereupon separate, although neither of them was separated or wished to be separated from the Lord."
The German friends of missions are under strong temptation, continually repeated, to subordinate their work to the colonial ambitions of their country. They appear to be meeting this temptation manfully. The following, from the Evangelisch-Ltttherisches Missionsblatt, can be best understood as having such a reference: f "Th~ kingdom of Christ was not to succeed the great dominions of the world as these succeeded each other. There the later always brought· destruction to the earlier, and one transmitted to the other the germ of sinful corruption. But in the midst of these temporal and earthly changing and tranSitory images of the prophet's vision, there grew up, out of the seed of the gospel, out of the mustard grain of the preached word, the eternal kingdom of the Most High, in the unostentatious, simple form of the congregation of Jesus Christ, of the Christian church. This has, it is true, experienced at the hands of the kingdoms of this world much injustice, hostility and oppression. She has had also many enticing offers to receive their characteristics into herself. But she has steadily asserted her peculiar character of God's kingdom in this, that she has never and nowhere allowed herself to be permauently fettered by the boundaries of nations or langnages, by the enactments or policies of states, by distinctions of race or grades of culture. She has remained true to the apostolic declaration: 'There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, .there is neither male nor female.' Over all these severing barriers she has striven toward the higher unity: •Ye are all one in Christ Jesus.'"
The Leipsic M. S., though sending out within three years 11 missionaries to South India, has met with so many losses by death or sickness that now, for its 23 stations, it has only 22 missionaries. Yet "we have to acknowledge as a speci~l blessing of God that these our missionaries do not stand alone, but are supported 1?ya stately array of native helpers, namely: 14 native preachers, 4 candidates, 57 catechists, 267 teachers, and some 130 inferior assistants of various sorts, making out 472 in all." The income of the Leipsic SOCiety for the last financial yeal' was: contributions, $69,614.40; intel'est on legacies, profits of the Missionsblatt, etc., $4,098.72; total receipts, $73,713.12; balance in. the treasury, $10,440.24. Grand total, $84,153.36; outlays, $72,317.76; balance, $11,835.60.
Trichinopoli is a main station of the Lutheran lfission. I therefore give at length the following description from Missionary A. Gehring, as it conveys a vivid impression of South India: " A citadel of heathenism. This citadel lies ever plain before my eyes as a steady admonition not to become weary in the combat for the truth. For when in my study I raise my eyes to the window it frowns threateningly across the city upon me. This citadel is 'the Rock of Trichinopoli.' A brief description of it may perhaps serve to convince my friendly readers that there is still much, very much, to be done before the King of Glory can enter India also in triumph.
"At the northern end of Trichinopoli, not far from the banks of that stream of blessing, the Cauvery, there rises out of the plain an isolated, massive rock of granite, apparently ejected from the interior of the earth by volcanic forces. The rock, unclothed with soil, lifts itself in the form of a truncated sngar-Ioaf to the height of 330 feet. At its foot extends the city, toward the south. Coming from the Enropean quarter, which lies outside the city, we pass through the long marketstreet dil'ectly to the point at which begins the ascent to the rock. From thence we behold the whole rock-temple lying before us in its imposing grandeur. For it is no modest footpath which leads to the summit. For you must climb toilsomely up, some two-thirds of the height, by ample staircases and under lofty halls, constructed of great granite blocks, which are built to the rock almost as if amalgamated with it. The steps are perfectly smooth from the continual ascents and descents of the barefooted visitors, and the walls have been colored black by their oily hands. For in India people like to oil themselves, and even the idols receive their daily unction, so that at last they acquire the veritable color of darkness. After the first landing we turn into a street which runs around the rock, and is already within its preCinct. There dwell Brahmans, at the feet of their gloomy idols. A little farther the visitor is greeted by two huge elephants, which ofter their salutation by lifting their trunks to their foreheads with a trumpeting roar, begging a gift for the temple. These, notwithstanding their clumsy feet, have learned to go up and down the staircases most handsomely. For all, their puffing we leave them without a present, and still ascend. The Brahman women, mostly close-shaven widows, who are toilsomely ascending and descending, carrying water-pots on their hips, crowd shyly back against the wall as if fearing the polluting vicinity of the nnbelievers, or retreat into the niches which are built on here and there on either side, and in which Pulleiar, that hideous idol with the elephant's head and huge paunch, broods in the darkness. He never lacks for fresh flowers and a sacred candle, nor for timid worshipers that humbly bow before him, presenting oblations and prayers. About halfway up the ascent we reach two great halls to right and left, supported by stone pillars hewn out with skill and art, and serving as a storehouse for all manner of tinsel used in adorning the idols, and as a place of abode for guests at the great heathen festivals. The covered staircases end only at the entrance of the main temple, which lies to the left of the ascent, and, massively built of granite blocks, rises in a lofty oblong. Into this temple no· European dare venture, and only from the threshold do the anxiously watchful doorkeepers allow him to cast a glance into the dusky halls. No great loss. For the space within seems like the ve"tibule of hell. Bats flit around by thousands and poison the air. Filth, moisture, darkness. and uncanny music resounding out of the background quickly drive the visitor away, to go out upon the open rock, and to enjoy himself in the fresh air with the beautiful prospect which offers itself from here over the city, and beyond it over a plain overflowing with abundance. How beautiful, indeed, it is I Below, the variegated throngs of natives in their picturesque costumes passing through the streets; beyond, the green trees and gardens out of which the European dwellings shimmer forth, and to right and left the palm-woods and luxuriant plantain-gardens interrupted by rice-fields in the most glorious green. We then learn to understand the words of the missionary Bishop Heber, who)ndeed lies buried in Trichinopoli : " •For every prospect pleases, And ouly man is vile I '
.. Bnt there is one thing wt.ich I may not leave:unmentioned, which rejoices the heart, after hav- Ing come up hither through the darkness of the courts of heathenism. That is, the crosses which rise before us over the slender church-spires_ One of these spires belongs to our Zion Church, which in its vestment of rose color, illumined by the evening sun, greets Ius with a friendly mien ~trengthening to our faith.
" But we are not yet at the summit, for on the very uppermost pinnacle there still stands a tempie of Pulleiar, over which rises the flagstaff of the Euglish Government. From here night by night bright lights gleam over the city. To reach the top we turn eastward and climb toilsomely up on steps hewn in the stone. We pass traces in the rock which resemble a wagon track, and lead into a deep cleft of the rock. They have evidently beeu hewn by the stone masons in the rock, but the superstitious multitude relate that here the war·god, Subramanien, came in his chariot out of the air and entered the cleft. From the temple on the snmmit, which is surrounded by a covered gal- lery, there is a convenient prospect round, revealing on the north the broad river beds of the Collu- dam and Cauvery, surrounding the fruitful island of Srirangam (i. e. holy river isle), which is reached by great bridges over the two rivers. The distant ,'region, bounded by blue mountain ranges, fairly deserves the name of. a paradise, unknowing fall or winter. but in which perpetual spring appears to reign. The rock on this side descends almost perpendicularly, and the houses at its foot seem, with their level roofs, to lie flat upon the ground. Looking westward, we see right at the foot of the rock the old church and dwelling·house built by 'Fatber' C. F. Schwarz in 1766. They are now in tbe hands of the English, who are in a way to obliterate nearly everything which betokened their Lutheran origin. The old pulpit I have bought for our new chapel in Ichumpati.
.. Bangalore, the greatest city of the Maisur land, is reached by a night journey from Madras, on the railway. It is a great military station, with 156,000 inhabitants aud 15 Protestant churcbes, upon a table-land 2,000 feet high, and rejoices, nine months of the year, in an Italian climate, leaying only three to the prevalence of the Indian heat, "
,,'What avails all morality without God!" exclaims the jl:fissionsblatt. Buddha denies the existence of God. This is distinctly declared by the catechism published by Colonel Olcott, under sanction of the Buddhist high priest in Ceylon, which says: , The Buddhists rcgard a personal God as only a gigantic shadow, tllrown by the fancy of igno- rant people upon empty space. Therewith they put to death the heart of religion, Faith. Therefore , it is that you find among Buddhist populations a churchyard stillness, a spiritual insensibility and lukewarm indifference, which far more impedes the activity of Christian missions among them than it is impeded among the bigoted Hindus. 'Would that thou wert cold or hot,' one is inclined to say to these frog-like natures which are engeudered by Buddhism. They let everybody have his say, answer yes to every opinion, and-remain what they were."
The Journal des ~Iis8ions Evangeliques for September, under the title, "A Double Sorrow," gives the following sad intelligence: "Up to this day the life of our missionaries on the Zambezi had been so marvelously pre- served, tha t we had in some sort lost ant of view the dangers to which they are exposed by a murdcrous climate. But the last mail, arrived at Paris August 15th, shows us that, if up to the present they have served God by word and by action, they may, never- theless, be c[LlIed to glorify Him in suffering and by death. ThL H. Dardier, missionary physician, whom the previous mail had let us know to be seriously ill, has sunk under the fever and exhaustion, Fcbrnary 23, at Kazungula. A month later M. and nladame Jalla were afflicted in losing a little daughter, whose birth, Jannary 13, had brought a gleam of joy into their home.
.. The letters which bring us these monrnful tidings at the same time portray in somber colors the situation of the mission at Sesheke ; the greater part of its members have been snccessivelyattacked by the fever; their cattle are decimated by the murrain; and lastly, civil war has raged all aroulld them, and made victims at their doors.
"Profoundly moved and afflicted by this news, we are, however, not minded to let it shake our confidence in the final success of our mission to the Zambezi, the beginnings of which have been so visibly directed and blessed by God, and we reckon on it that the Frelwh churches, which join with us in the sorrow for our dead, will, with us, strive to bear up against everything which might resenlble discDuragement. . •• U We consider these tidings, moreover, as a summons to us to disavow, more entirely than ever, all ex~ggeration, all lack of simplicity and sobriety, in our way of regarding and speaking of the work of missions. We must recall to mind yet agaiu that this work is no child's play, byt a serious labor, an enterprise which can be brought to its goal only at the cost of great sufferings and great sorrows, and to which no one ought to put his hand Who is not effectnally resolved to renounce himself, to bear the burden of the cross, and tp follow the Master even unto death." . . . . . I hope," writes M. Jalla," that the death of Dardier will not discourage anyone of those who expect to rejoin us one day. It is very evident 'that here one feels himself, like the bird au the bough, always ready to depart; but on the other side one experiences with ever increasing vividness how precious it is to be in the hands of God. "
M. Jalla gives a touching description of the death of his infant daughter, with allusions which may well go home to the hearts of us who, in a healthy
CORRESPONDENCE AND GENERAL INTELLIGENCE
climate, see our children growing up around us exposed to the minimum of danger, while those who go out on our account tremble every time a child is born, lest, as in this case, the" murderous climate" should claim it immediately for a victim.
.. We possessed a suubeam to cheer OUr moments of sadness or of weariness. God has seen fit; to take it from us. Our dear little daughter soared away on ,Thursday. March 27, in the arms of her father, while her mamma was moistening her parched lips. Dear little creature, so well beloved I It seemed to us almost impossible that she could one day be taken away from us, so perfectly did she fit into her place in our Zarnbezian home. But God has doubtless been minded to spare her many sufferings, for shewas born in a climate which gives little hope of escaping them. She is to-day a little angel which will one day receive U8 in her arms. Rut her departure leaves our house mournfully empty; we find it cold and desolate. Ah I how much the presence of a child was appreciated in our solitude! How we enjoy being, We too, papa and mamma, as well as our friends the Jeanmairats I How many dreams aud projects concerning our little daughter I To-day everything still speaks to us of her, but she is no longer here to rejoice our hearts, and we find it hard indeed to realize all we have lost. God, however, faithful to His promises, has been with us in an extraordinary manuel'. We had so distinct a consciousness that it was He who had taken her from us that we have surrendered her with a full confidence, althoug-h our hearts even now demand why we have been so SOOn deprived of her. . . . You, without doubt, comprehend our sorroW and this is why I have not feared to give you these details. May you possess your dear children during long and happy years I but in your happiness think sometimes on your young friends so sorely tried."
n.-CORRESPONDENCE and GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.
THE EVANGELICAL :MISSIONARY SOCIETY " The statements made on page 808 in regard AT BASEL. to the finances of the Basel Mission are, as far as I see, taken from an article pnblished in the LETTER from Prof. Henry W. Missions Magazine, 1885, page 433, as also the statement of $43,742 (which corresponds to Hulbert: the 174,847.20 marks in the above article of the magazine, page 440), as heing the Sum that DEAR DR. SHERWOOD.-As I sug~ested to 'above all expenses was paid into the you I have submitted the articles contributed to coffers of the society by the Industrial Commisthe October and November issues of the MIS- sion in 1886 (1884 ?)' Bnt as it is pnt here this SIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD concerning statement might, I am afraid, be liable to some the" Basel Mission" to the authorities of that misconstruction. In the article in the magamission for their correction, and have received zine it is clearly stated emt these 174,847.20 a very courteons reply, the substance of which marks (or $43,712). was the total sum con- I herewith send you. The letter gges on to say: tributed by the l:ldustrial Commission toward "The outlines of the history of the. BaRel mis- the eX)Jenses of the society. It consists of two Sion, as given in the papers, as well as the different items, between which it is very description of the work done by the society at essential to distin,guish clearly-for strictly home and abroad, are, I am glad to say, on the speaking, only 43,200 marks ($1O,80P) were whole correct. There are only a few and un- paid into the [(eneral fund of the SOCiety important errors we have met with on reading 'above all expenbes ' by the Commission, wherethe articles, and I beg, in accordance with your ~s tbe remaining portion ($32,912) had to be request, herewith to point out some of them. expended in the keeping up and management of the Industrial establishments nnder different "On page 743 it is said that the fine structnre heads, such as salarie. (or 'allowances ') and (Home of the Mission at Basel) was the gift of home voyages of the agents of the CommiSSion, Christian Merian and was presented to the contributions toward the children's home, society, etc. This statement is not quite cor- widows' fnnd, etc. It seems not fair nor correct rect. The fact is that, at the very time when that the latter sum, forming, to speak strictly, the construction of a new bnilding was found part of the' expenses' of the management of the necessary, the society received a very liberal indnstrial and mercantile establishments of the donation at the hands of Christian Merian, part Commission, should be put on the same basis of which was allotted to the building fund by with the regular contributions toward the the committee. general Mission Fund.
"The statement on page 807 about the staff of "You are, as it appears, not aware that the instrnction needs to be slightly modified. Strictly Rev. Th. Oehler, the present Inspector of the speaking there are only six theological teachers, society, in September last started on a tour of and among these there are only four that devote inspection to China and India. He is accomtheir whole time to the instrnction of the students. Besides these 'theological' teachers there are two other teachers, who are laymen, though trained educationistli. panied by Mr. W. Preiswerk, a member of the Christian Church. Especially in Tokio-the committee. According to news lately received capital, a city of a million souls and constantly they arrived safely in Hong Kong. After having growing, center of social and political life, seat visited all the Chinese stations of our society, of the coming Imperial Parliament, of the Unithe Inspector intends, God willing, to proceed to versity and countless other great schools, India, and after a stay of several months there whither the youth of the nation come up to rereturn home in J uue next (1889) if possible. ceive edncation and inspiration, whence they return again as teachers, doctors, lawyers, au· " Praying that the Lord may bless your efforts thors, officials, etc., to mold the empire for to interest vour countrymen in His cause, good or ill-there is ample field for the largest enterpri~e. Whatever Tokio hears and heeds, "I remain, yours respectfully, that hears and heeds.a nation; whatever moves "CHRISTIAN ROMER, and molds Tokio moves and molds the em- pire; whatever or whoever puts an impress on "Secretary to the Basel Evangelical Missionary Tokio and Japan just now will leave an infln· Society. BASEL, Nov. 24, 1888." ence for ages to come. The question is whether The two publications sent forth from the the nation shall become Christian or agnostiC within the next very few years. The multiplica- Basel Missionary Honse are the Evangelisches tion of small chnrches and of schools cannot Missions Magazine, devoting itself to general meet the immediate necessity of appealing to information concerning missions, founded by the intelJectnal classes of Japan, in whose hands Inspector Blumhardt in 1816, and the Evangel- lie all the national issnes and who are not inacische Heidenbote, founded by the same man in cessible to Christian thought if presented in the 1828, which deals exclusively with the transac- proper way. tions of the Basel Missionary Society, giving extracts from the quarterly and yearly letters of In 1883 these thoughts culminated in an exthe missionaries laboring at the different stations periment, when a conrse of apologeticallectures of the society in India, China, on the Gold Coast, for the educated classes was given in the Meiji and in Cameroons. Under the management of Kwaido extending throngh a period of fonrteen their astnte fonnder, Inspector Blumhardt, weeks. The resnlts in the immediate effect at these two magazines (monthly) attained such a the time of delivery, and subscqnently through circulation, that at his death, 1838, the income pnblication, have jnstified the highest hopes from this source alone paid the expenses of the with regard to that class of work. In February Mission House. This is an interesting item in of 1884, I read a paper before the lInssionary view of the present discussion concerning mis- Conference of Tokio on the" Immediate Christsion pnblications by the churcbes. There is a ianization of Japan" in which this matter was certain shrewd business sense displayed by the referred to : Basel Mission anthorities which is well worth most careful study. If ever a "science of mis- "We want to appeal to the intellectual acth" sions" is to be developed and elaborated, the ity of the land. In Japan Christianity is on trial experiences (we need hardly call them experi- with no prejndice in its favor, where old phil· ments) of the Basel Mission must receive special osophies ha"e molded a ripened phase of attention. In 1890 this society will celebrate its civilization, ",;here western materialistic infidelseventy-fifth anniversary. ity has the Htart of western religions thought, where the nnh'ersity is absolutely agnostic, Appeal for Japan. where the learned believe in Spencer & Co. as LETTER from. Rev. Chas. S. Eby, we believe in Christ and His Apostles, where out of Tokio: into the tiniest hamlets have penetrated the scientific inquiries and the scientific donbts of THE general facts as to the transformation of the day. We mnst go through a phase of apOlo- Japan from the most exclusive of hermit nations getics in Japan. But it is not necessary that into the foremost Oriental pioneer of western each church should expend its energies on such civilization are widely known. An empire of a work as this; it can be done a thousand fold nearly forty millions, which within the memory more effectnally by concentration in an institute of living men prohibited the introdnction of that conld be used for other purposes as well. I Christianity under penalty of death, is now as propose therefore that we have one central open to the gospel as the most Christian nation Apologetic Institute or Lectureship of Christian on earth; colossal changes in commercial, Philosophy, which shonld be housed in an imsocial, political, edncational, literary, moral and posing building of solid constrnction, containing religious matters have taken place and are now a hall capable of seating from 1,000 to 5,ooD people progressing on a national scale. The variou~ and a library Of choice apologetic and other great chn~ches of Christendom have not allowed literature in English, German, Chinese and Japthe opportunity to pass of bringing to the people anese. The soul of this institute shonld be the light of the gospel, and great has been the some one man or two men npon whom could joy of success resulting from increasing mission- fall the mantle of the confidence of the whole ary work on educational, literary and evange- chnrch and around whom the chnrches could all listic lines. gather at times for a great demonstration; !l.
But more shonId be done to meet the 'unprecedented opportnnities-and hence to the Qhristian the vast privilege and dnty of the course of lectures, similar to that about to be results will not be reaped alone by one denomibeld iu the Meiji Kwaido under the auspices of the Evaugelical Alliance, conld be an annual nation, but by all, and will advance the Chrisfact, and celebrated men of power could occasionally be invited from abroad to make a still tianization of Japan as a whole. larger impression by such efforts as bave moved the West. The man in charge should be one Funds may be sent to the Methodist Mission who commands an outlook npon the intellectual ebb and flow of the land, to meet issues as they Rooms, Toronto, Canada, or direct to me, 18 arise by a perennial use of platform and pen." Kasumi cho, Azabu, Tokio. C. S. EBy. At subsequent crowded meetings of the Conference, when Yokohama missionaries were also A Voice from India, largely represented, the desirability of such a Christian institute was strongly urged. INDIA has about 800 foreign missionaries wholly ordained ministers-a noble band Difficulties however arose as to the practical and nobler still judged by what they have realization of the scheme, and the whole thing done. We want more missionaries. Dr. fell through. In March and April of the same Pierson's lay brigade of men of means year a second course of lectures was given, this who give their service and money; of men time under the auspices of the Evangelical Alli- whose friends have meanR and support them ance. These were likewise largely attended and as an offering for this world's salvation; of produced marked results, strengthening the im- those who in secular service here teach the pression that such work should be more con- rising Christian host how to utilize and destant and on a wider scale. As it seemed how- velop tbe resources of this great land. Docever nnpossible to unite the missions in the en- tors, merchants, lawyers, engineers, finanterprise, I turned to our own church and urged ciers, editors, educators, authors, bankers, that we should uudertake central mission work scientists and philosophers-all are needed. in the city, which, while under the auspices of The devil is sending in hosts of all these, and the Methodist Church of Japan, would as far as paying them well out of tbe indigenous repossible carryon the work of popular apologet- sources of this land, to oppose the gospel ics, not doubting that help would be forthcom- and leave as little as possible for Cbristianing from other churches as well; for the influ- ityto feed upon. A few men called to the once of such an enterprise could not possibly be exclusive work of the ministry are not the confined'to one denomination, but would be for only ones to whom Jesus says, U Go preach the general advancement of the canse as a my gospel." The great command is to every whole. While in Canada and the United States individual believer, and men of all callings dnring a part of the years 1885-6 I spoke repeat- ought to be found obeying. There is too edly of the need oCthe undertaking and seemed much left to be done by proxy in these days. to arouse considerable interest in it, but little If men of means would for Christ's sake was done in the way of raising money. Subse- come here and use their wealth for the quently amounts were sent in aggregating be- . work, their business sense and sagacity tween one and two thousand dollars, an earnest would nobly serve the cause. .. Cotton of larger gift. if the work were only once inaug- kings" have left old England for the com- urated. Hence at our annual meeting last mercial fortunes life offers. Real estate spring it was decided to open a "Central Mis- yields a heavy revenue here to English and sian" in the midst of that section of the city native house-owners. Our great lawyers, largely occupied by government and other edu- and editors, and bankers, and engineers are catioual iustitutions. There is to be a " Central Englishmen, but too seldom Christians. Hall," seating between one aud two thousand people, for all the purposes of a Christian insti- Thenative Christians of this country now tute and evangelistic work. number over half a million. Christian men and "romen in every line of human pursuit Providence has put into our hand just such a are demanded to teach by example and pre- piece of ground, and in the place we needed. cept these Christians to labor and do busi- This we have secured for 4,000 yen, paid for by ness. The finance problem is troubling all the money referred to above and other amounts missions. Three thousand volunteers offer collected in Japan. for foreign service. But whatof the financial limit? We need a producing element on the We want $4,000 (gold) to build at once. It battle-field. India is poor, but she spends would be better to build of brick, but we be- more for tobacco and spirituous liquors than lieve it betterto build a temporary strncture and 10,000 new nlissionaries·need cost. get to work rather than postpone longer. In the meantime we shall probably build with bor- Out here the idca is getting deeply rooted, rowed money in the expectation that this appeal as in too many home churches, that no one will bring the wherewithal to pay. Our church has any duty toward the nnevangelized but has seen fit to appoint the writer to the charge those who are paid to preach. The expedi- of this" Central Mission" work, and I appeal encyof missionary efforts is questioned by to fpends of Jaran in every church because the some. Let some of God~s almoners come and see for themselves, and stay and administer their own benefactions for God and His Christ.
1'he great ibody of the people here are agrieulturists and artizans. They toil against odds many others, perhaps another sixty, could be with nnwieldy and nnprofitable implements, and found if the place were more thoroughly ex- plored. against odds with brute force to utilize the water and soil. There is an army of Ia90r-sav- Tbe higbways of the district are canals and ing machinery or implements in America and rivers. I have traveled over portions of the England. Would it not be a benefaction to plain at different times between the Grand Canal teach the "poor Indian" how to treble his re- and tbe sea, and from the Yangtsi river on the turns, whether in field or shop? Here are mil- sou th to the old bed of the Yellow river on the lions of untilled acres, unmeasured material to north. The usual way is to travel by boat, of work up, or treasures to be dug out. But such which there are thousands. As the cities and lay service will be top secular, uuless pente- towns lie alongside the canals and rivers and are e.ostally baptized. easy of access by boat our plan was, on arriviug at a place, to leave the boat in charge of the Iu this far off-land we hail the pIau for churches, boatman or captain while we went along the culleges, families, communities aud individuals streets offering the Scriptures to anybody we to have their own missionaries in the field. met, visiting the shops and preaching the gos- One hundred times the present expenditure on pel to the crowds of people at different points. the outline of salaried society missionaries won't suffice to Cover the land. May God thrust ThBse journeys were all taken for the purpose out at an early day 1,000 men workers, who of selling Scriptures for the American Bible Sobring their means with them, and teach Christ's ciety, and with the help of the native colporsalvation. teurs there were sold some 20,000 portions and New Testament Scriptures. In the city of Ru- We need in India some man of God with kao, on a second visit, accompanied by Mr. $100,000 to found a Christian publishing honse Hogg of the Chiua Inland Mission, we sold over to flood this land with pure literature and Coun- a thousand portions in a day. At a small town teract the infidel and immoral publications now on another occasion, single-handed, I sold 450 rolling upon us. God's stewards we waut, not Scriptures during the day. They bought these answerable snbstitutes for themselves in the books, not because they contained gospel truth, form of a few thousand doJlars-men filled wi th but from various reasons-some out of curiosity, the Holy Ghost andfaith who can preach Christ some attracted by the cheapness and well-got with slee,es rolled up or over a work-bench or up-style, some because they tanght doctrine, counter. and others possibly becanse they contained what we had beeu talking to them about. The gospel can be preached to all men in India by the year 1900, if lay workers come and The people are quiet, industriOUS, and well-tolead out the lay ho,ts of the daily increasing do generally. On onr last Bible-selling journey, Christian Church in India. But if the multipli- Sept., 1887, through the plain the people paid cation of the herald force depends on the in- great attention to the preaching of the gospel, crease only warranted by funds to subsidize besides purchasing a goodly number of Bible the workers with, such results are impossible. portions. Some thousands of these people must have heard the gospel on this journey, and I fre- We are thankful for scholarly missionaries. quently heard the remark, chit chit zun(!, every Bnt we need au army of common men and sentence (we understand). women in India, made wonderfuly uncommon only by the induement of the Holy Ghost, and This, added to the attentiou with which they fine colleges do not make missionaries. Mis~ listened, was most encouraging to the preacher.. sionaries made of the Holy Ghost, educated and I never enjoyed a month's gospel work so much or little, small in men's eyes, but made much anywhere. It was the most blessed work mighty through God, these are wanted every- I ever engaged in. It was a time long to be re- membered with joy. To know the joy there is where. C. B. Woon, in preaching the gospel to crowds of willing listeners on such virgin soil one must go and en- Methodist Episcopal Local Preacher. gage in the work. It is a glorious work and it is a blessed privilege to be allowed to go to the SECUNDEROBOD, DEACON, INDIA. ends of the earth for Christ's sake to take part in it. A Call to China. As far as I could ascertain the people in these LONDON, Dec. 4, 1888. parts had never heard the gospel before and had ON the east coast of China, between Shanghai neyer seen another European among them, save and Chinkiang and on the north bank of t],e perhaps with one or two exceptions. There great Yangtsi "iver, there lies an immense is throughout the whole of thut region not plain. This plaiu is some 150 miles broad from a mission station nora missionary, either foreign east to west and 170 long from north to south. or native, resident or itinerant, so far as I could It is for the most part well watered, very fertile, learn, for all that six and a half millions of heaand teeming with a population of some six and then. I believe the people in the extreme north a half millions. of this province of Kiangsu are in the same neg- There are thirteen cities on this part of the lected condition. plain, not counting Yangchow, a large city situated at the main entrance to this region. Besides tbese there are sixty towns and villages known to us, and I have reason to believe that This part of the country is open to European of His servants to-day? He is " the same yestravelers from one end to the other, and should terday, to-day, and forever." be occupied at once in the name of Christ by a number of men and women with the love of God Yours in the service of Christ in China, in their hearts, and a burning desire to make ALFru:D CCPP. known that love to the perishing heathen. I say at once, for the Romanists, who are already Africa. on the borders, may enter and occupy it at any time. The fact that I could find no Roman FROM our editorial correspondent Catholics throughout the plain is one reason for considering it a more promising field than in Tangier, Morocco: otherwise. WE have had grea~ encouragement in the Dr. Pierson says that" in America and Eng- work here. For some two months we have land, a band ofprobably no less than 3,000 young had nightly meetings for iuquirers and men and women stand ready to go to the for- young converts, attended by from ten to eign field if the door shall open before them." twenty. Many have received Christ as their lIlay 30 or 40 of this number or of some other personal Saviour and have been at once number respond to this call! If 'the Lord has baptized. For some weeks most of my time laid it upon our hearts to go to~these needy was occupied from mornin~ until night talkpeople, let us go in any way that He may open ing with interested ones who visited me, up, whether through missionary society or not. and daily there would be natives in my There are independent workers to-day who are room much of the time. At times convernot connected with any of these organizations; sions occurred daily. All of them are one I know in particular who is doing a most brought out of Mohammedan darkness. self-denying work in China in preaching the They all renounce that false religion forgospel to the heathen. Are we to let these peo- mally at their baptism. Almost all are ple all perish for lack of the Bread of Life? young men, some of good position, but most Would their blood not cry to us from the of them from among the poor. There is not ground that we had stood by unconcerned while one who has not prayed and spoken in our these heathens were going down to perdition? meetings from the day of his conversion. lIlay not a few lay themselves upon God's altar and say" HERE AM I, SEND ME !" Two of the earliest converts are in the mountains traveling on foot without purse, I believe the Lord will provide the means, scrip or pay, preaching in both Arabic and not only to send out everyone who is willing to Shillah. They have been away now several go for Christ's sake, but will also support them weeks. Others, whose faces we have never there. Who fed his ancient people in the wild- seen, have been converted III distant places erness with manna from heaven? Who taught through one from here, and write us of us to pray" Give us this day our daily bread? " many others believing through their word. Who cares for lIlr. Geo. lIluller and his num- We have reason to believe the gospel has erous family of orphans? Who cares for Mr. taken root in several places in southern Mo- Hudson Taylor and his army of missionaries? rocco within these few weeks. Two others Who feeds the sparrows? Shall he not also care of our number are arranging to start at for you, oh ye of little faith? Let us have child- once to preach in another direction. Mr. like faith in our Heavenly Father who is faithful Martin and I are also leaving as soon as we that has promised .. lily God shall supply all can get away, and will travel also as Christ your need according to his riches in glory by commanded, on foot and without purse or Christ Jesus." Phil. iv: 19. To doubt God's scrip. faithfulness is the same as doubting His fatherly care for His children. Only let us be fully per- Within a few days Satan has come in like suaded that we are following the command Of a flood and some of the converts have been Jesus out of real love to Him and a desire to summoned before the kaid or governor, serve Him, to "Go into all the world and some beaten, almost all threatened, and all preach the gospel to every creature," and we notified that the governor had sent a list of need not fear the consequences, for we have His their names to the Sultan with a letter ingracious promise, .. Lo I am with you alway, quiring what is to be done to them. They even unto the end of the world." are the derision of the whole town and are mocked and literally spit upon. They be- I am purposing (D. V.) to return to China with lieve the Sultan will require them to be my wife and family early in February to work sen~ to him. Some have left the town to in this hitherto ne/(Iected field, above described. escape. Others are leaving. Many fear to attend the nightly services. So it is a time One word to help strengthen your faith. In of sorrow and perplexity. Some few of the our gospel work we may always fall back upon converts have given us anxiety and even this sure and certain promise, "Lo I am with sorrow, but most of them are bt'ave and you alway, even unto the end of the world." true. What they have learned they well God promised His servant Joshua, chap. i: 5, understand and several of them are faiththat He would not fail him nor forsake him_ ful in speaking of Christ to others. We feel DId th$ Lord fl'll Joshua? Will He fail anyone the need of much prayer.
E. F. BALDWIN. [The idea of a definite assumption that an armed expedition assist in the blockade. of responsibility for evangelizing He invokes all the European people to unite in others is taking shape in many minds. a crusade not against the natives, but against the Moslem slave.trade, the Bole source of the Witness the following letter.-EDS.] evils ofslavery.-African News.
WEST NEWl3URY, MASS. China.-Dr. Martin'S Labors in Peking. DR. A. T. PnRsoN.-In your masterly book, .. The Tung Wen Kwan, or College of United "Evangelistic Work," page 49, is a clear state- Learuing,the college founded by the Chinese Govment of a magnificent possibility for the evan- ernment at Peking for the instruction of distingelization of the world. It seems practical and guished native scholars in the Western Sciences, practicable. Why not make some attempt to though as a government institntion not open to carry the plan into execution? Even if not fnlly realized, might we ,not expect to accom- systematic instruction, in Christian truth must plish more by snch a method than by any other, still be regarded as in a yery high sense a misor all others combined? Would it not com- sionary institution. Its president, Dr. W. A. P. mand the blessing of God in the largest degree? Martin, is known throughout the Chinese Empire Wisely conducted, in the right hands, startling by his work On 'The Evidence of Christianity,' a results would be attained in a few years. work whose influence in Japan also, the appendix " Who kuoweth whether thou art come to the of Joseph Cook's 'Orient,' furnishes some inter. kingdom for such a time as this?" As co-editor esting proofs of. This book has led many of of the MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE 'VORLD, as the Chinese to couple Dr. Martin's name with well as in other ways, you have a good oppor- that of Matteo Ricci, when they speak of the tunity for bringing the plan before the public. most powerful foes of their religion. When" The" student volunteers" might enlist in such missionary of the Presbyterian Board at Ningpo, a movement, and greatly aid it by their conse- in addition to the preparation of this treatise, crated enthusiasm. Some simple organization Dr. Martin contributed largely to the translation will be required. Little machinery is necessary. of the Bible, wrote or translated a number of I inclose a form of pledge, which will convey smaller books, and did good service in the imsome idea of what is intended. Make such use pOl-tant matter of determining a suitable alphaof it as you see fit. I commend it to your pray- bet for the Ningpo colloquial dialect, which was erful attention as it stands. first reduced to writing by the missionaries. I hope for some encouragement that something will be done toward carrying so good "Going to the north of Ohin" with Mr. Ward and promising a plan into speedy execution. I in 1859 to act as an interpreter in the conclusion shall await your answer with much anxiety, and of a treaty between China and the United earnest prayer that you may be divinely guided States, a felicitous quotation from Oonfucius at in a matter of such vast importance. a critical moment won him the friendly regard of Prince Kung. When !Peking was opened to Yours in Christ, foreigners he became the founder of the Presby- F. H. BOYNTON. terian mission there.
PLEDGE " In connection with his missionary duties, as Believing in Christ as our only hope, and in 8 means of obtaining the regard of the educated the urgent need of many Christian workers, classes and a favorable hearing of the claims of engaged in personal effort, in humble reliance Christianity, he condncted, at the request of Sir on Divine grace, I hereby pledge myself: Robert Hart, Inspector·General of Maritime To make .an honest effort to lead to Christ Oustoms, and Prince Kung, a school for interat least one person every year. preters, which has been gradually developed To earnestly endeavor to induce other Chris- into the present college, where Dr. Martin himtians to subscribe to this pledge, one every self instructs in International Law, Dr. Dudgeon month, as long as practicable. in Anatomy and Physiology, and a Chinese, who has translated a nnmber of works of Prof. GENERAL INTELLIGENCE. Loomis, in MathematiCS. while there are speCial Africa.-The East African Policy. A chairs occupied by Enropeans for instruction in series of resolntions, by Dr. Wiudthorst, in the Chemistry, Astronomy, French, Russian, and German Reichstag, relating to the Government's English. A great part of the labor of the Facnlty East African policy, will find support among the has been the preparation of works that would Government group, with some qnalifications. acquaint the Chinese with the history and The first article expresses the conyiction of the science of foreign peoples. Among these the Reichstag that it is necessary to combat the contributions of Dr. Martin include a translation slave trade without mercy, to win over Africa of Wheaton's' International Law,' executed at to Christian civilization. The secona resolution the suggestion of Auson Burlingame, Woolsey's pledges that the Reichstag will pay attention to , International Law, ' De Marten's' Guide Diplo- and examine the measures of the combined matique,' and Bluntschli's 'Droit International Powers, approving all legitimate means taken Codjfie,' and a treatise explaining in popular for this Christian crusade. Dr. Winthorst de- forl. the principal applications of chemistry and fends the German East African Company against the charge of causing a native revolt by phYSics. "It is an into,"" .~~ fact that Dr. Martin in Ql'l'r~s§iQnl apq leclar~s tl1!1tit i~ !!!tljspeDsabl~ l860, while ill t1)e In, 'fjtates, leal'Ied how to nse II, telegraphic instrument, that he might in- loved, or homeward-bouud to rest Well troduce the telegraph to the knowledge of the earned, have been brought safe to their desired Peking officials if he should find opportunity. haven. Truly He that sitteth upon the flood The first dispatches sen~ in China were sent by hears our intercessions and watches over His him arouud his house in Peking, some of them messengel's oy sea. -Periodical Accounts. in the presence anll. with tha participation of inlIuential members of the Government. The '-The Salvation Army. A great meeting telegraph in China to-day, and the fact tbat she was lately held in London to take farehas about a hnndred miles of successfnlly oper- well of fifty missionaries of varions nationated railway, must be regarded as having been alities about to embark for India and differmaterially hastened by the existence in the ent parts of the world in the work of the Chinese langnage of a popular scientific descrip- Salvation Army. General Booth presided. The tion of these wonders. A crowning trinmph of missionaries were from Germany, Holland, this book is the circnmstance that the young Sweden, India, and Canada. When the great Emperor has expressed 'a desire to study physi- body marched ou to the platform clad in the cal science, and has commanded the preparation brilliant Indiau costumes, the scene was exceedof an edition de lnxe for his nse. Of course, the ingly pictureSl"ue. The General said many peo- Emperor conld not use the ordinary edition! ple wondered what it was that had made the Dr. Martin is now engaged in the somewhat army so successful. He could tell them that the arduons task of revising the book and bringing secret was due to the intense love which they it up to date. . had for each other as IDembers of one family. They had commenced operations in Holland "While this toil i~ nominally secnlar, it can- eighteen months ago, and the work was so innot but be seen that the spirit in which it has creasing tlmt the Dutch missionaries would been performed has been in the highest sense start for Holland that night. Great progress religions, and that its certain effect upon the was being made in Norway, while in Denmark lidvance, not only of secular civilization, but and Sweden the work of the army was greatly 11180 of Christianity itself, make it a genuine hampered oy the excessive interference of the missionary work. As such It has oeen oegun, police, who even forced themselves into the and steadily carried on amid a thonsand ob- private meetings of the officers. In Germany stacles. The Master has recognized It as His they had a great struggle, though there was work. And let us be thankful that our Board much cause for hope. One of the converts the of Foreign MIssions of the Presbyterian Church, General introduced was a notorious German by sending its able and laborious missionary Anarchist, who was known by the name of to this field of labor, has promoted results so Black Charlie. Mter threatening to shoot the great."-New York Evangelist. General in the United States, he was converted and was now on his way to Germany as a mis- England.-" Watch over thy messengers sionary for the army. The whole of the mis- by Sea." Marvelous has been the answer to sionary party were to leave at midnight. A this petition of our Church Litany, which Sao- former Buddhist, and some Indians, addressed bath by Sabbath has ascended to the throne of the meeting, and sang some Indian songs to the grace during the 156 years of our missionary en- beating of the tom-tom. A relative of the late terprise. To say notbing of long and often very orator Gongh gave an address. A Ceylonese perilous river voyages in such crafts as open woman, named Captain M'Taffery, sang a salvaboats, Eskimo umiaks, Alaskan oidarkas, tion solo with such stirring effect as to elicit Surinam corials and Indian canoes of various loud applause, after which she gave an earnest kinds, what a record ofinfinitemercy is involved address. The meeting closed with the singing in the protectiou vouchsafed for more than of hymns and a general farewell greeting, and a centnry and a half to our missionaries, who, the waving of oauners and the sounds of army as God's messengers to the heathen, have mnsic.-Our English Correspondent. crossed and recrossed the ocean. About 2,300 have been sent forth to distant lands; many of Germany.-The German papers contain these have traversed the deep more than once; some interesting reports of Dr. Ziemann's the majority of their voyages have not been labors in Schleswig-Holstein. He had been made in ocean steamers, bnt in small sailing invited to attend the Conferences of the Church vessels; and yet lww few have been the number Congress in Neuminster, October 3d to 5th. of fatal accidents which the church has had to Accompanied by Pastor Brauue, the Secretary deplore! Eleven times only have shipwrecks of the Evangelization Society, he afterward resulted iu the loss of lives so dear and valua- visited Flensburg, Gluckstadt, Preetz, Schles- ole. Twelve missionaries and six wives or wig, and Serup. Says one writer: "To the widows of missionaries have been drowned at Congress the Doctor came as an old friend, and sea, and once two children shared the fate of a very hearty welcome was accorded to him. their widowed father. Of all the children sent He delivered a very powerful address on onr home to Europe for education in charge of present wants and, difficulties. He gave a friends, and accompanied by the prayers of lov- dreadful picture of the abonnding forces work- ing, sorrowing parents, not oue has been snf- mg iniquity, and contended that all work against fered to perish at sea. Thousands of our mis- them must be Christian work, while he related ionaries, whether outward-bound to labors Ulany remarkable gospel triumpl1s from his owa experienee in the work in Germany. The audi- experience, by fits Rnd starts, but tbe cnrrent·ot ence was deeply impressed. Iu the provinces he the life. There are some people who. in mohad very crowded meetiugs, and it is chiefly ow- mentary ecstasies, seem to go into the third ing to his euergy that different local associations heaven, but the current of their life is earthly. have been started for vigilance and rescue work sensual, devilish. Walking with God is the in connection with the Evangelization Society. source of power. Many speakers followed on The Doctor won even the most cautious people. the same subject, most of them d welling upon His language is simple and direct, ·and he has the necessity of a childlike trustfulness. the power of arresting attention and holding his audience spell·bound from the first word to the Rev. W. H. HOllister spoke on the admonHion, last. We thank God for him and for the results "Confess your fanlts one to another, and pray which have attended his work." one for another." Man's way of saying things is, ., Confess one another's fanlts, and pray for India.-Times of Refreshing. Dnring the yourself," bnt God's command was to confess Daijehra Festival among the Hindus, when the one's own faults and pray for others. Many deeds of .. gods which are no gods" are re- others spoke briefly, and amongst them a clergyhelr<led all over the Northwest Provinces and man. who thanked God that he had been Oulih, the missionaries are unable to do much present, and asked the prayers of everyone, as in the way of aggressive Christian work. For he intended. by God's grace, to go home aud some years past, therefore, missionaries of ail confess his bad temper to his heathen native denominations in the region have assembled at servants. this period of the year for spiritual refreshment and prayer to God for increased poweI' for In the course of a powerful address, Rev. F. service. The meetings have always been held W. Warne pointed out that the way to get at the at Lncknow, which, being a central point, has Rajah is to convert the coolie; when the Rajah also the advantage of " large and influential is in spiritual want, he will seek for the spiritual Enropean and native Christian Church, the peace he has seen in the coolie. The early members of which, with the visitors, are accord- Church was built upon this principle. The ingly brought under the influences of this first that were converted were slaves and " Christian Dasebra." people of the loyer classes, in greater and greater multitude_, until the whole of society The session this year extended from October was permeated. The Reformation started on 10th to 14th, and the proceedings were reported this same basis and every revival since. God is at length in The Bombay Guardian of October always getting His choicest workers out of the 20. At one of the meetings, Rev, Dr. Johnson, most unexpected places. He choo.es the weak presiding elder of the Methodist Episcopal things of the earth to confound the mighty. Chnrch, alluded to the fact that there are at present some thonsands of Hindus all over the At the several meetings many signified their conntry who are intellectually convinced of the desire for abounding spiritual life, and not a Cew truth. Having, however, to face casting out persons confessed Christ for the first time. from home in the event ot their confessing Among the latter was a Jew. and among the Christ, they hesitate to give proof of their faith. former a lady reputen to belong to the Roman Missionaries are being asked how they would Catholic commnnion. Many natives also testiprovide for such converts if they should become fied their faith, and among the children there Christians f In answer, he pointed out that were some who stood up and blessed the name Christ had the same difticnlty to face. It will of Jesus.-The Ohristian, London. be remembered, moreover, that He had nothing to give His converts, and though He told them -Sir Wtlliam Hunter predicts that the abo.. that "He hnd not where to lay his head," rigines living in Iudia will, within fifty years, thousands followed Him. Dr. Johnson main- be absorbed into either Mohammedanism and tained that the problem will be solved by the Hinduism or Christianity. Looking at the rate power of Christ resting upon every Christian at which the Santals, Kols, Bhils and other worker iu India, then thousands of the people aborigines are becoming either Christians or will be fonnd willing to give up all for Him. Mohammedans or Hindus, I would readily ac- cept Sir William's prediction. But I would ven- In an exhanstive address on " The Fullness of ture to predict that of these people the greatthe Spirit," Rev. J. N. Forman said: Every est number will be the Christians. a lesser num- Christian, weak or strong, has the Holy Spirit. ber wonld be Mohammedans, and the leastnum- That is the One great difference between a moral bel' Hindus. Hiuduism is not a ~proselytizing Mohammedan or Hindu and a Christian; one religion, while the other two religions are. has, and the other has not, the IJoly Spirit. But Already it is seen that there are more thorough the command is, "Be jilled with the SPirit.', Christians among these aboriginal races than This fullness of the Spirit is wanted for active Mohammedans, and more Mohammedans than service. It gives wisdom, boliness. courage, Hindus. This curious fact was recently discovand power. The knowledge of God is hy the ered. that Mohammedans were increasing in IJoly Ghost. .. They that know the Lord shall India at a rate faster than that at which the population increased.-Indian Spectator. do exploitft." Dr. McCoy. of The Indian Witness, spoke on The Dialects of India.-More than 150 I"n- guage~ and dialects are current in India and in .. Walking witb God." This Is not a temporary BritisbBurmah, with tbeir Z56,OOO,OOO ofpeople and the distinct alphabets of those couutries, it is ore-emiuently Unitarian; one God, with many of which are very elaborate, outnumber the human admixture, Mohammed, God's great all others in the world. Some forty different prophet. Islam has its strength and its weak. alphabets or syllabic systems, each having ness: has had its prosperous and adverse day•• Crom 250 to 500 combinations, are used to rep- Among Mohammedans it is a matter of surprise resent the sounds of ]50 languages, and more that in Christian lands all are uot Christians. thau 1O,COO different signs and types have been In their communities all are looked upon as elaborated from the original alphabet to rep- Islamites. No greater insult can be offered one resent the fifty simple souuds-all that the com- of them than to say that he has no religion. If bined Indian vernaculars contain. As these one of them swears by his religion and his life, simple Bonnds can not all be represented by the it is regarded as the end ofa1l controversy. The 26 letters of the English alphabet, 24 letters oC prevailing and educating idea is that every man the English phonetic alpha)et are captured and has a ~eligion. The Mohammedans also insist made to do service in this new English phonetic upon the religious head being the political head, alphabet; aud we then have one simple alpha- and cannot uuderstand tne Protestant theory of bet taking the places of forty or more. and be- the separation of the state and the church. As coming available as the written langnage of 200,- to the questIOn whether Cnristianity is spread- 000,000 people who have no written alphabet, ing faster in Africa than Islam, Dr. Post conbecause they don't know just how to use one. cedes to Islam a greater rapidity of advance, -The Bombay Guardian. but holds that it is due, not to the better adap- tation of Islam to the negro populations, but Jerusalem.-A German newspaper, pub- because Christian nations have not fully exerted lished in Palestine, states that the city of tnemselves, and also to the existence of those Jerusalem is growing in size and population restrainiug and hindering forces-the liquor at a remarkable rate. Its growth is the traffic and gunpowder. Let these destructive more surprISIng because neither its situa.. agencies cease and missionaries be sent in suffition nor its trade is favorable to a rapid in- cient numbers, and Christianity would prove its crease; it lies among a not very fertile conquering power and leave her rival Car in the group of mountains; it has next to no com- background. Dr. Post deprecates the injurious merce, and it has no manufactures. Never- effects of Christian divisions, and pleads Cor theless, new buildings are rising- daily; unity of spirit and co-operation on the part of churches. gardens and institutesof various the Church of Jesus Christ, particularly in miskinds are 11J1ing up the formerly desolate sionary enterprises and in heathen lands. neighborhood to the distance of half an hour's walk beyond the old limits of the Spain.-A Bonfire of Bibles. The Madrid city. The Jews are to the front as builders. correspol1dent of the Daily News writes: .. The Their honses spring ont of the gronnd Liberal Government tries in vain to enforce the like mushrooms, uniform, ugly,one-storjed, spirit of toleration among the authorities and plentifully supplied with findows, but with subjects of his Catholic Majesty. Very recently no manuer of adornment. The Rothschilds in Biscay an agent of the Bible Society was have completed a new hospital. Close be- attacked and insulted by twenty young Catholic side it there is a new Abyssinian church. students led by a Jesuit father who excited the The Russians are also great builders. They lads to take possession of, tear up, and make a have erected a new chur'ch, consulate,lodg- pious bonfire of the Bibles, Testaments, and ing-honses for pilgrims of the Orthodox tracts. The Spanish judges after carefully invesnational churches, and a hospital. Near to tigating the case declined to send the offenders the Russian group stands the "German before the tribunal Cor the assault and the de- Honse" for German Roman Catholics, from strnction of the property oC the Foreign Bible whose top tbe German and the Papal flag Society. The students and not the JesuiHather, 1l.0at side by side. The Russians have also who was the principle instigator of the outrage, bnilta high tower npon the Monnt of Olives, will have to appear before the municipal magisfrom whose summit the Mediterranean and trate, who can only infl'ict a line and a few days' the Dead Sea can both be seen. The Greeks arrest even if they are convicted. While this and Armenians are also busy builders, but treatment is meted out to foreigners and Protthey provide for the bodily rather than the estants, the Spanish courts of justice send religious demands of the pilgrims. The for- journalists to penal servitude Cor criticising the mer build cafes and bazaars and the latter State religion." set np shops. Syria.-H. H. Jessup, D. D;, pf Beirnt, MOhammedanism.-Dr. Post, in an ad- writes, that 46 young men have just completed dress on "Islam in Western Asia and Africa," their course of training in the various educasays the Eastern, or, as he maintains, the South· tional institutions of that city in connection ern question, instead of being 200 is nearly 4,000 with our chnrch. Six young men were graduyears old. The reverence ofIslam's followers ated from the theological seminary. wenfor name is marked, God's and. the secret of the equipped for the work of the ministry. Twelve power of Mohammedanism consists in a tena- received their diplomas from the college proper, cious holding on to one God. There are in the 6 Crom the medical college, 1 from th~ depart- ment of pharmacy, and 21 completed the connll Koran mllny Christian doctrines and ideas, but
"'INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT
of instruction in the:preparatory department. hotels. Moses, no doubt, had a hooked nose; During the same week the Youug Woman's Where did you get your material civilization Literary Society held its anniversary. A notable from? From the Eastern descendants of Ham, feature in this was the presence of a :Y:ohamme- who were settled on the Euphrates in the dawn dan sheik, who expressed himself as greatly of history. God alwayr has an eye to worldpleased with the society and interested in its service when He gives superior endowments success. An nnusually large number of Mo· Have you ever thought that the admisfioion that~ hammedan sheiks and effends were present at negro may become a true Christian involves all the college commencement, and one of the possibilities of development? Godliness has Mohammedan journals on the next day spoke the promise of the life that now is as well as of in the highest terms of the occasion. The that to come. A capacity for reJi!,ion implies British press continues to scatter the leaves of the prom,se and prophecy of all enlargements. the tree of life. During the first six months of But we make a mistake in urging the undethe current Year more than 15,000 copies of the veloped race tc run before they can walk. Don't Arabic Scriptures were issued, a larger number make the education of the negroes top·heavy. than ever before in any similar period. Every We want more industrial training·schoo)s. The copy bore the following stamp:" By the permis- majority of any race mnst live by mannal labor. sion of the Board of "Public Instruction of the Ot- They have a greater chance to live by work toman Empire."-Church at Horne and Abroad. South than North. If you give them the ability to earn good wages and save them, they will by United States.-Missions Among the and by build their own universities, and then Colored Race. We hear that races do not rise missionaries of that race will lead Africa to the by external helps, but by iuternal forces. I point where she will shine as a black diamond don't so read history. Where did you get your in the crown of Christ.-Dr" A. J. F. Behrends, religion from? From the despised Hebrew at A. M. A. Annual Meeting. race, Whom you try to crowd off the piazzas of III.-INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
OONDUCTED BY REV. J. T. GRACEY, D.D., OF THE" INTERNATIONAL MIS- SIONARY UNION."
Islam. was necessary to cement these peb- I. PRE-MUHAMMADAN ELEMENTS. blesinto a bowlder. There was noth- A PATIENT and profound study of ing in the times to demand this ag- Muhammadanism reveals, as is com- glutina,tion, nothing even in the se- monly known, pre-Muhammadan el- cret thought of the best people that ements which were incorporated, and called for religious revolution, cerare extant, in the Islam of to-day. tainly nothing that wa,s a,t all na- Further, this study reveals two other tional that demanded any return to facts: first, that Muhammad was a,n older and primitive faith. Neither not the product of his times; sec- had Arab culture reached a point of ond, that Muhammad is necessary development, intellectual, .social or to Muhammada,nism. Thatis to say: moral, that caused it to demand ad- "Remove Muhammad and neither vance, or to ask for something less Islam nor anything like it comes gross, less offensive than the idolatry into existence." extant.
The elements of Islam were pres- Religious indifferentism and negent in the times of Muhammad, but lect there may have been. Dr. Tielle they were not conjoined. He appro- of the University of Leyden thinks priated, agglutina,ted, or crudely religion was in a deep decline, that assimilated them. Islam is an Arab- but few retained faith in their idols, ian gnosticism. It was composed on" and these invoked them only as methe central idea of gnosticism, that diators with Allah. The chief gods, of making a conglomerate of relig- he thinks, had neither temples nor ious thoughts. YetlVIuhammad-Mu- priests. Personal and tribal interest hammad with his intense individu- only, kept the ancient fetishism alive. ality, his personality, his peculiar But there was no longing for revival proclivities and appetences, his phys- 01' reformation, or for the revelation ical, mental and moral qualities- of someting better. What was the material, then, out of which Muham- charms, and sacrificed a pledged mad made Islam? sheep on the fulfillment of his de- THE PRE-ISLAMIC ARAB. sires. Blood for blood was his meas- No estimate of Muhammadanism ure of justice, and his national code is complete that does not include an of honor would not allow him to analysis of the pre-Muhammadan compound with a murderer without Arab and his times. vVe can scarcely becoming an object of contempt. He say "pre-Islamic Arab," for "Is- loved his camel and his horse, and lam" and" Muslim" both antedate set the one free on the occurrence of the prophet Muhammad. Yet this various events, and raced with and historic technicality being explained bet on the other. The only trace of we shall speak of Muhammadanism cruelty to either was his custom of aslsla~. tying a camel to the tomb of a de- 'l'he civilization of the Arabian ceased friend and suffering it to peninsula, in the midst of which Mu- starve to death. War would arise hammad was born, was unique. The on trivial cause. Women shouted nomadic Arab had few and simple wa,rriors on in the fray, refusing to wants. He fed on milk and dates be wives if they flinched before the and half-raw flesh, wrapped his per- foe.
son in a long sheet, and dl'Ove in the vVood, Yaghoos, Yaook, and othel'
earth the 'pegs attached to which idols healed their sick, removed the was the coarse canvas that consti- pestilence, sustained their genera- tuted his only home. Cattle and tions and received the people's adora- camels and slaves were his precious tion as they kissed their images, things. His more settled life com- marched round them, or prostrated prehended tillage and trade; but themselves before them, sacrificed whether in tent or town the national the camel, or offered the first-born of chal'acteristics were the same. their flocks, and the first fruits of Frugal of food, rising "while their fields, at their shrines.
birds reposed within their nests," he Some lVere Sabeans, worshiping never failed of hospitality, and had a the heavenly bodies and dedicating curse for himself if he gave" bark- pagodas to deified planets and fixed flour" bread while wheat was in stars. Seth and Enoch were their store. Kindness to neighbors, suc- prophets. They prayed seven times cor to prisoners and aid to the help- a day to avert the malignant and to less were to be accorded before they secure the propitious power of the could be solicited. Clean clothes, per- stars.
fumed shoes, and hail' scented with Some were atheists, to whom the musk added to his personal attrac- existence of man was precisely simi- tions, while eloquence, humor and lar to that of plant or other animal.
wit were always modified with for- Others were deists, holding to no bearance. His horsemanship must· revelation but what was afforded in indicate a childhood apprenticeship, rock or river. Some reverenced the and his bravery be tested with the Kiiba, and built imitations of it.
wolf. Poetry was the vernacular of All were superstitious. The ail' was his daily life. Himself unblushingly the soul, and blood the breath; or licentious, his verse was correspond- the soul was an animalcule entering ingly immoral. He gambled at fav- the body at birth and expanding till orite resorts, and sang and danced death, when it screeched around the with female slaves. He robbed with- grave till it was as big as an owl.
out misgiving, and murdered with- Demons and evil spirits, good and out remorse. He told his fortune by bad genii, some half body, half spirit, divination, used small stones for haunted desert!> and rivers in fantastic shapes, while others forever un- tent, inclosed by a waUthatis in turn seen uttered prophetic warnings and surrounded by a colonnade of three forecast the future. hundred and eighty pillars of marble, granite and porphyry, which sup- Society was of low type. Females port one hundred and two small were wretched and degraded, and domes. It has but one door, which licentiousness was open. The num- is opened but two or three times a ber of wives was unrestricted, and year, and is reached by a ladder. It divorce and remarriage were subject is wholly coated with silver, and has _to caprice. There was a limit to the gilt ornaments. Wax candles are period of divorce beyond which re- bUl'ned before it nightly, and permarriage was prohibited, and a man fuming pans of musk and aloes. The might keep his wife in perpetuated water-spout is golden. Veilf.ng the divorce by remarrying her just before Kaba is a very ancient custom. A the expiration of the limited term, covering is stretched over the buildand redivorcing her at once. Daugh- ing; sometimes it is Yemen cloth, ters were killed at pleasure or buried sometimes Egyptian linen, somealive. Women mixed in public as- times red brocade or even black silk. sembli4s without restriction. To furnish this veil is the emblem of Mosl~m royalty. The Khalif THE STONE AGE SURVIVAL. Sultan of Egypt and the Turkish Empet'or have furnished it. Of this pre-Islamic fetishism Muhammad retained the most promi- About one-third of the distance nent feature. Mecca is essential to from the top a band of golden emthe communal life of Islam. It would broidery of Koran texts is placed disintegrate without it. across the building. Poems, for which prizes have been awarded, are What is it, then, that gives Mecca also hung in golden text within the its importance? It is the Kaba and building. the Kaba alone. And it is the black stone built into it which renders the The whole territory about Mecca, Kaba of any worth. This has made five, seven or ten miles distant, is con· Mecca a place of pilgrimage from a sidered sacred. No twig must be cut, period long anterior to Muhammad. no fowl must be killed, within this From' 'hme out of record" Mecca has precinct. Touching' this line, the been a place of pilgrimage from I, a pilgrim must clothe himself in two circuit of a thousand miles, inter- woolen wrappers, and a pair of scant rupted only by the sea." slippers. The Kaba has been rebuilt several Since the second year of the Mos- times. Muhammadfound it damaged by a flood and falling into decay, lem et'a the Kaba has been the being without a roof and despoiled prayer-point (Kibleh) for Moslems of some of its treasures, and the re- in all the world. The direction of mainder insecure. He built it A. D. 605, lfecca is marked in every mosque- and it was rebuilt A.D. 1627. The best in the desert of Africa, on the levels authorities think it to have been con- of the Gangetic valley, on the high nected with systems ofidolatry preva- tables of Central Asia, and in the lent in the southern part of the Ara- cities of Turkey. Five times a day, bian peninsula. Some have supposed wherever the Moslem spreads his it devoted to Saturn, and it has been prayer-carpet, he bows with his face the emblem of four different faiths, toward :M:ecca. Hindu, Sabean, Gueber, and Mos- lem. This "CubeHouse,"orKaba, is But remember what has already called by the Moslems" the house of been said. The black stone is essential God." Itis forty orfifty feet in height, to the Kdba. It is a fragment of vol- and fourteen by eighteen paces in ex- canic salts, sprinkled with colored crystals and varied red felspath upon idea that the Hanyf were remnants dark ground like a coal. It may be of the Israelites and that "the be- an aerolite, some say a lava stone. It lief of Abraham" and the traditions is bordered all round with a large and usages which Muhammad adopt- plate of silver about a foot broad, ed at Mecca were Israelitish, and not and is worn uneven by the touch and heathen. Yet we must recognize kiss of pilgrims. The Moslem world the Hanyf as another Muhamma- is full of traditions concerning it. It dan elemeut here asserting itself was originally white, but became black before Muhammad appeared. They in the surface by virtue of its con- had early taken the name Moslem, tinual weeping on account of the sins the believer, from the root Islam, of men. The tears were as unseen as "submission." They claimed to be they were silent, and left the interior blindly submissive to the commands of the stone as white as before. Others of God, according to their name.
think the continual touching of the What they were besides is the subject millions of pilgrims has changed its of widely divergent opinion: A color, as all pilgrims, in marching sect, say some, which arose under round the Kaba, either touch it or the influence of the Arabian religions kiss the finger. Some call it "the in protest ag'ainst idol-worship and right hand of God." It is reputed to low morals; a remnant of the Israel- be one of the precious stones of Para- ites, say others, who made their way dise, which came to earth with Adam, into Arabia in the times of David and having been preserved miracu- and again in the days of Nebuchad- lously during the flood, was brought nezzar. It mightseem at first glance back to Mecca by the Angel Gabriel of little import who or what they and given to Abraham to build in the were, but it is not so. The question Kaba. It is said that it once was whether Muhammadanism was mere- stolen and could not be purchased for ' ly a natural and national reforma- five thousand pieces of gold, but was tion is involved in this, in part, as afterward restored. a primary C'luestion. Was there al- Hel'e is then a survival of a poly- ready a revolt in the heart of the theistic" stone age," a symbol of an people against the abuses of idolatry?
idolatrous cultus which is appro- Had Arab culture reached a stage priated, account for it as we may, by where the secret thought of the best the most fanatical monotheism the people demanded something purer, wo1'ld has seen. Destroy this, and less gross, less offensive; a simpler, you despoil Mecca of that which gives truer recognition of God and ethical it worth. Strike out Mecca, and goodness?
where were Islam? Judaism and Christianity had con- Iconoclastic beyond any body of tributed to the Arab stock of ideas religIOnIsts known, and flaunting those of revelation and the moral the "green banner" as the symbol government of God, and had intensi- of hatred to idol-worship, one hun- fied at least, the doctrine of the unity dred and seventy-five millions of Is- of God, even if we suppose that, un- lam turn their faces in prayer to a derlying this Arabian polytheism spot which finds its most sacred there was the apprehension of it ail characteristic in a relic of old Ara- the while.
bian stone worship. Strike this out, Was Muhammadanism simply are- we have said, and the Moslem world turn to the primitive faith, as Conhas no geographical nor communal fucianism was to the primitive c®ter. doctrine for which the Arab mind was ready, or which, in fact, was THE HANYF.
We have little sympathy with the evolved by the national heart and mind, and which Muhammad simply opium. To smoke opium is slow suicide. To eat or drink it, as some represented. Would the reformation do, is more rapid suicide. While it does not make one quarrel and fight have come without him? We have as liquor does, it is harder to leave off, and brings one surely though already said we think not. Muham- slowly to an untimely grave. The victim's body becomes weakened and mad was nQt the product of hW times. emaciated, his will becomes enslaved, and even his conscience seems to be Hanyfism had assumed no such pro- destroyed. When he has used up all his luoney and cannot borrow more, portions, had found no such expres- he is sure to ste::t.l to get money to buy opium. Men who once were rich sion, as to indicate a national revolt and strong and well educated are made pOOl' and weak and thoroughly against the religious usages and vile. The people express their hor- ror at the sight by calling them thought of the times. It was not a "opium devils." In Kalgan, a city of nearly 100,000 inhabitants, more religion, not "a fixed doctrine," not than half of the men smoke opium. In farming communities only one or an "organized worship." It wanted two out of ten smoke it. In Kui Hua Ch'ing, a l~rge city west of Kalgan, divine sanction, it had no prophet. almost everyone smokes it. It is impossible to reform without medi- It needed Muhammad. Kuenen fair- cal help, and many of those who reform go back to their vice again. ly puts .QUI' thought, when he says, Over thirty-fi ve million dollars' worth of opium is imported in a year, and as already quoted, "rcmove Muham- the Chinese. themselves raise twice as much as they import. For a few mad and neither Islam nor anything years past food w::t.s dear at Kalgan, and it was feared that there would like it comes into existence." be a famine. An abundance of rain in 1886 made food cheap again. But True, it is claimed that, denying priceR were so low that the farmers could not make money. The result this, it is just as difficult to account was that they raised more opium in 1887 than ever before. What an for Muhammad. How should he awful state of things! If they have less rain, they have less food; if they have discerned the short-comings of have more rain, they raise more poison! Though its awful effects are this national religion? He was a well known, the use of the drug is increasing. It exhausts the soil, "Semite of the Semites," and the impoverishes the nation, enfeebles the army, corrupts the magistrates, " keynote of Semitic piety is submis- brings unspeakable sufferings upon the innocent wives and children of sion to the Divine power," but was Its victims, and kills two 01' thtee million people each yeaI'. A physithis intensified Semitic tendency to cian in China says: "Of all narcotics recognize the unity of God enough to explain Muhammad? This we shall never know. The historic fact of his association with Judaism anu a per- verted Christianity come in as factors to prevent a solution on any hypoth- esis which omits to recognize them.
But let all these be given quantities, and they do not account for the rise and development of Islam without Mpl}ammad. '
(Concluded in next number.) The Oharacter of the Chinese.
By REV. J. H. ROBERTS, KALGAN, CHINA. (Concluded from last issue, p. HZ.) BUT the great vice of China is the use of opium. The poppy is the plant from which opium comes. In July the fields are bl;ight with its blossoms. As soon as the seed-pod is fully formed, but before it is ripe, the farmer' cuts around and around the pod with a knife, and collects the juice that comes out in a little tin mug. This juice, when boiled till it is a thick paste, is used by the human race, opium is, always avoid paying if they possibly on the whole, the most pernicious. can. Christian faith, in greater or It not only injures the physical sys- less degree, frees the converts from tem, but has a peculiar effect upon superstition and from the fear of the brain, perverting the moral sensi- death. They all endure more or less bilities, and permanently confusing, of persecution. Unworthy ones have in the patient's mind, the distinctions been excomlnunicated. So that, be- bet'ween right and wrong, truth and tween persecution on the one side falsehood." Thus opium deadens its and church discipline on the other, victim to all appeals and makes him the sincerity of the Christians has unable to respond to Christian truth been fully tested. In the south of and friendly pleading. China at a few points the gospel has In view of all these facts, is it not been preached for about forty-five evident that the Chinese need the years, and the churches number sev- gospel? Their good traits of charac- eral thollsands of communicants. In ter are perverted by their many sins. the northern half of the country the Anger and lying, cheating and steal- work was begun twenty-seven years ing, wine-drinking and gambling, ago by one missionary, and now obscenity and lasciviousness, malice, there are about a hundred ordained revenge, cruelty, and opium-smoking missionai'ies, and perhaps two hun- have defaced the fail' image of God, drecllady assistants, and about three in which they were created, and have thousand converts. The Bible has reduced them to a most deplorable been translated into the book lan- state of degradation and misery. guage and into all the principal They need-oh, how greatly they dialects of the spoken language.
need-the forgiring mercy of God Gospels and tracts have been sold in and the compasMon and help of all great numbers throughout the em- true Christians! pire.
Thirdly, I must tell you briefly their At the end of 1887 there were 38 character as redeemed by Christ, and miss~onal'Y societies represented in what has been done for them already. China by 1,030 missionarips, of whom The gospel bears fruit among them, 489 were men and 221 were single as it does in all the world. Theil' re- ladies. There were 175 native or- pentance and faith are proved to be dained ministers and 1,316 unor- sineere by the change that takes dained helpers, 32,260 communicants, place in their lives. One of our na- and 13,777 pupils in schools, and the tive pt'eachers was once addicted to contributions by native Christians gambling, and another used opium, amounted to $38,236.70. The in- but both have lived irreproachable crease over the preceding year was, Christian lives for many years. The of missionaries, Including men and converts destroy their idols, study the women, 111, or over 11 per cent.; Bible, learn to sing and pray, and of communicants, 4,260, or over 12% testify for Christ among their neigh- pel' cent. ; and of contributions, $19,- bors and frierrds. They are generally 862.14, or over 100 pel' cent. Last truthful and honest, in which re- year the Chinese Christians, in their spects they are very different from extreme poverty, doubled their con- the heathen. 'Ve find that Chris- tributions to every benevolent work.
tian servants do not chcat us, nor Do not they set a noble example to steal our goods, as heathen servants their brethren in this more favored do. The members of our church land?
have a good reputation for paying up It requires great moral courage for their debts; whereas the heathen a Chinaman who believes the gospel have, to be dunned repeatedly, and to openly confess it. He is looked upon with contempt for following saved is by faith in the Lord Jesus the foreigners. He is despised for his Christ. In a long and intimate ac- atheism in not worshiping the gods quaintance with the Chinese one of his fathers" and for impiety in not does not find one person who with- worshiping his ancestors. He is be- out the gospel has come to love what lieved to be a willing tool of political God loves, and to hate what He agents from foreign countries, join- hates. They themselves say that a ing in a plot for the injury of his holy man is not seen oftener than native land. He is sure to be reviled once in five hundred years; and by a and persecuted, and it is wonderful holy man they mean one who, like that our Chinese brethren have so Confucius, could readily tell a lie. great a degree of patience and faith- How exactly does the character of the fulness. Farmers who become Chris- Chinese correspond with the words tians find it impossible to rent land of !ioly Scripture: "'fhere is none to till. No one will rent to them, righteous, no, not one. They are all because they will not pay taxes to gone out of the way, they are to- the heathen temples. If they till gether become unprofitable; there is their own land, the refusal to pay none that doeth g'ood, no, not one."
those taxes arouses persecution God grant that His truth may be again!:'t them. If an apprentice is con- proclaimed throughout China, and verted he loses employment, and if that the other words of Scripture a shopkeeper is converted he loses may soon be fulfilled: "that as sin patronage. You will see that our hath reigned unto death. even so Chinese Christians have a heavy might grace reign through right- cross to bear. They prove their sin- eousness unto eternal life by Jesus cerity, and deserve our prayers and Christ our Lord."
our help. The Habitations of Cruelty. Such are the people in "the land THE North China Herald some- what recently narrated the punish. of Sinim" : with many good traits, ments which were inflicted at the commanding our respect and even Che-hsien's jail, on some prisoners admiration, but depraved by their brought before him. We need not sins and helpless in their moral ruin, recite the points of the case, as these yet believing our message and being punishments are not uncommon. truly converted in such numbers The Herald quotes from the Hupao, that we may well "thank God and and says: take courage."
One word more as to their sinful character. It is positive, not negative; .. The Che-hsien thereupon ordered the not a mere absence of good motives leader to receive 1,000 blows with the rattan and feelings, but a great combina- and 1,000 with the bamboo; a second man tion of eVIl ones. It is sin against 1,000 with the bamboo and 2,000 ''Hth the rattan; a third 1,000 with the bamboo and light, though not against the gospel the fourth 2,000 with the rattan. These light. The knowledge of right and pumshments were mflicted in the courtwrong, which God has gIven to them yard. and III addition the foot of the chief and to all men, is a great light. They was placed on a stone and he received thir- ty-three blows with an iron hammer on the know that it is wrong to lie and re- ankle; and the second, who had flogged the vile and steal and fight and cheat. new prisoner and his friend, got fifty blows They are condemned by their own with the same hammer on the ankle. Both consciences. The Bible says that men's ankles were broken, and the men fainted under the pnnishoent. The other those who do such things are under two were kept kneeling during thiS time. the wrath of God, and are doomed to This took place between five and SIX o'clock an awful punishment. We know that in the afternoon, and It is said that the men the only way In which they can be whose ankles had been thus hammered were insensible until nine o'clock. Three of the men were placed in cages, and yesterday whence they came, and the result was furmorning the leader, who could not walk, ther atrocities. It is difficultto estimate the was carried before the magistrate, who is number of killed and eaten, but reports to preparing a special cell for his detention. hand put the number at 150." The leader is, we are informed, the same man who was put in a cage in the city to be But now comes the rub. What we starved to death a few months ago. The above punishments were, the Chinese say, have been quoting is about noninllicted by orders of the superior officials at Soochow. No doubt all the men were Christian lands. We venture, with thorough-paced rascals, and their chief, or leader, had not only broken every law that deepening shame, to refer to our it suited him to break, but had made his authorities ridiculous by setting them at Alaska possessions. The following defiance. Nevertheless the sentences on them were barbarous in the extreme. It quotation from the New York World, does not matter that the men were probably able to obtain some miti.!::ation of the of a part of a letter written to that severity of their punishment by bribing the executioners to lay the blows on lightly, journal by Mrs. Voorhies, a welland that therefore they did not suffer much known lady of New York city, is si~ from the bamboo and rattan. It is the iniquity of the punishment which foreign na- ply startling: tions will bear in mind when considering Chinese claims to be on an equality with "In all that country there is no law-thAre can be no restraint-and the lowest animal them." passions of the rough miners, trappers, hunters, soldiers, and sailors rage uncheck.. Turning from China to Africa, we ed. The Indian woman is considered the find in The African Times of Nov. 5 lawful spoil of these men. They steal them if they can; if not, they buy them from the following: their parents for a knife, a jug of rum, or a. string of beads. If these considerations do "Last September a section of the Ogoni not weigh, then they make the old people tribe, once a powerful people but now split drnnk and ca.rry off the girl. A miner will up into factions, apPilaled to the king and come and dicker for a child of fourteen, and chiefs of Okrika to intervene in a dispute bear her off shrieking with terror. She bebetween themselves and another faction. comes the slave of the whole camp, and is This quarrel originated at the oil markets, finally sent back to her people to die. A which it is to the interest of the Okrikans, lady with whom I talked of these horrors at as middlemen, to keep open and free. The Sitka told me of a case which had come Okrikans sided with the appellants, and nnder her own observation. so she could warned their opponents that in the event of vouch for its truth in every revolting parhostilities they would assist them and put a ticular. This lady, by the way, is the first stop to the feud. The warning was without white woman who ever went to Alaska. Of effect, and the hostile Ogonis attacked the course there may have been some Russian allies of the Okrikans while they were re- women there before, but I mean the .flrst turning from the markets, killing a chief woman from onr conntry or England. and taking a number of prisoners and a quantity of property. The Okrikans, on .. Well. she knew of a little girl having being informed of this raid, planned with been carried off forcibly by some soldiers, their friends a terrible scheme of revenge, and one day, a few months after, an Indian which they proceeded at once to carry into woman came to her exhibiting signs of great effect. Under the pretext of an invitation grief, and begged the white mother, as she to a frieBdly palaver for the purpose of called this lady, to go and look at her settling the differences between the parties, daughter, who was dying. The lady went the Ogonis concerned in the attack, accompanied by eighty of their chiefs, were to the place where the girl lay on the treacherously lured into a trap, captured, ground, a mass of rags, filth, and corruption. and taken to Okrika, where they were She had been returned to her people by her butchered and eaten. The reports received captors to whom she was no longer useful. as to the condition of the town during the Such horror is felt by the Indians at the aptragedy are too revolting for publication. proach of anyone afflicted as she was, that Mangled remains and remnants of human thev avoided the victim as thongh she was beings were strewn in all directions, while plague.stricken. In the case of this poor mutilated bodies were observed floating child, who was only fifteen years of age. down theBonnyriver. After the captnre of they had built a stockade about the place the party invited to the palaver, a raid was where she lay, completely inclosing her. A Ulade upon the virtuaUynndefended villages small aperture had been left on one side close to the ground. through whieh food and water were thrust to her. The 'white mother' cl'awled through this hole to reach the sufferer, and did what was in her power for the wretched young crea.ture. One ear was entirely gone, and the girl's face horribly disfigured. Because she had been kidnapped by soldip.rs. the brave white lady sent word to the garrison that they must give medical aid. A physician came, through whose efforts the child's life wall saved."
'l'HE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS. [MAR"
IV.-THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS.
BY ARTHUR T. PIERSON, D.D.
Evangelization of Oities, In addi- ed, a surprising likeness to the women tion to Dr. Sherwood's article, we of Paris, and perceives with a thrill give simply a few hints in the form of dismay that the models for this of paragraphs and notes. picture of decadent human nature 1. The Modern Decadence. "There are furnished by the very city in is a picture in the Luxembourg Gal- which he lives."-Putnam's Monthly, lery at Paris, the' Decadence of the Feb., 1853.
Romans,' which made the fame and Oities have always been the Oit- fortune of Couture, the painter. It adels both of sin and of the Christian represents an orgie in the court of a fu,ith. "They were the .first points temple during the last days of Rome. of assault by primiti ve Christianity.
A swat'm of revelers occupy the They have ever determined, by their middle of the picture, wreathed in attitude towu,rd religion, the posi- elaborate intricacy of luxurious pos- tion of nations and the destiny of ture, men and women in tenningled ; men. It is therefore not strange that their faces, in which the old Roman when Christ sent out His apostles to fire scarcely flickers, brutalized with convert the world, He should have excess of every kind; their heads of bidden them to begin their operadisheveled hair bound with coi'onals tions at the ecclesiastical capital of of leaves, while from goblets of an their native land. This law has antique grace they drain the fiery never been changed. .The spirit of torrent which is destroying them. our age, the trend of civilization, the Around the bacchanalian feast stand pressing necessities of the world, the , lafty upon pedestals the statues of manifest exigencies and perils of the old Rome, looking with marble calm- times, all combine to urge more and ness and the severity of a rebuke more faithful obedience to the Mas- beyond words upon the revelers. A ter's law and conformity to His youth of boyish grace, a wreath method. Nothing has so mm'ked the woven in his tangled hair, and with growth of America as the extraordired and drowsy eyes, sits listless from nary development of our principal drunkenness and proffering a drip- cities." They expand with marvel- ping goblet to the marble mouth of ous rapidity. There is an unceasing the statue. In the corner of the pict- activity in building operations all ure, as if just quitting the court- along the margins of their popula- Rome finally departing-is a group tion. The drift is continually outof Romans with care-worn brows, ward. In many the popUlation and hands ru,ised to their faces in doubles within u, few decades, and melancholy meditation. In the yery the per cent. of increase is probably foreground of the picture, which is more rapid to-day thu,n ever before. painted with all the sumptuous splen- How shall we meet the obligations dor of Venetian u,rt, IS u, stately vase, which these facts lay upon us? around which hangs a festoon of Protection against Rum. Rock- gorgeous flowers, its end dragging ford, Ill., proposes a "Home Protecupon the pavement. In the back- tion League," for the suppression of ground, between the columns, smiles the dram-shop and the saloon; to the blue sky of Italy. the only thing pursue constantly, vigorously and Italian not deteriol'ateci by time. persistently "the absolute over- The careful student of this picture, throw of the dram-shop and beer-sa- if he has been long in Paris, is some loon.?' Entirely non-partisan, and day startled by detecting, especially free from alliances with any and in the faces of the women represent- every political party, it has but one foe-the saloon. It proclaims hostil- was that the Buddhists in a temple ity to that as its one object, and it in- in Southern India allowed the great vites all who sympathil!e with this American theosophist to plant a tree purpose to join. inside the sacred inclosure commem- orative of his conversion, and to en- The Question of Free Churches. ter the temple to worship. But as At the thirteenth annual meeting of soon as he was gone they cleaned the the" Free and Open Church Associ- temple from his unholy contact with ation," held in Boston lately, the re- the excrflment of a cow, burned to port for the year showed the mem- smoke out his defilements." While bership to be nearly 100 clergymen we talk about the evangelization of and about 60 laymen. The object cities, the danger is that the foreign is to promote the free-church idea; faiths will heathenize us completely. to do away with all pew-rents, and all distinctions on account of wealth, Why Churches are Empty. Rev. so far as the sanctuary is concerned. Dr. Huntington, rector of Grace Already nearly or quite one-half of Church, New York, thinks the folall the clergymen in the diocese of lowing are among the causes to Massachusetts give the movement which the emptiness of churches their cordial support. We notice seems attributable. "1. Unsettlethat Dr. Parkhurst of New York has ment of the public mind with respect publicly declared his adhesion to the to the first principles of religion, system of free pews as one method mainly occasioned by large, undiof promoting access to the common gested masses of new knowledge people. supposed to be irreconcilable with the Christian creed. 2. The unexam.. Paganism in 01£'1' Cities. There is a pled material prosperity of the coun- Buddhist temple in New York city. try, whereby men's thoughts arl!; " This temple, which makes no pre- turned away from spiritual things. tensions as an edifice, is located at 3. The reluctance of young men at No. 10 Nassau street. It is concealed promise to enter the Christian minis, from.the curiosity and access of the try. 4. The failure on the part of 'profane,' by a shop, or office, in Protestant Christians to compose front, through which the initiated their differences and to achieve visimust pass to enter the sacred shrine. ble unity. There is little complaint of This is said to be duly equipped with empty churches among Roman Cathan idol, with rare mystic paintings, olIcs. 5. The Sunday newspaper. 6. and with a sacred oracular crystal. The Sunday opening of club-houses. The walls of the temple are enriched 7. Saturday night social entertainwith twenty-five memorial shields, ments carried to the edge of Sunday. each bearing some legends in San- Some of the above causes are remediscrit, these being donated by the able, but the greater number of them twenty-five Theosophical Societies areaslittlewithin thel'eachofhuman of the United States. It is no Chi- effort as is the movemen t of the tides." nese Joss house, but a high-toned sacred resort, where the cultured in CAN THE MASSES BE REACHED? occult religion meet at stated times each month for worship, meditation, There is no insuperable difficulty and training 'in the mysteries.'" in the way of approach and even as- The Presbyterian Observer adds: "It similation between the highest and is probable that Col. Olcott and the lowest classes of society, pro- Madame Blavatsky are in this place, vided there is a will to reach men as it has become most too warm for and an adaptation of means to ends. them in India. One of the stories of Much of the lllutual antagonism is the Colonel's Buddhist conversion due to a simple lack of acquaintance. Points of cont;l,ct will become points of attraction or of repulsion, accord- army consists, on a war-footing, of ing as the contact is or is not sympa- 165,000 officers and men. The pavy thetic. Habits of selfish isolation, is small, having five gunboats. Mexthe culture of our "affinities," the ico's exports are minerals and metals; habit of consulting our own refined precious woods, especially mahogany tastes, comfort, and gratification, and dye-woods; coffee and cocoa, will lead us to avoid all unnecessary vanilla, tobacco, cochineal, drugs, contact with those who occupy a cattle, etc. lower social stratum, and will make points of necessat'y contact points of Proximity to our own country forrepulsion. But when there is volun- bids us to regard Mexico with indiftaryand kindly approach we always ference. At our very doors, our discover something that is a basis nearest neighbor, her elevation and for sympathy and love. evangelization touch not only our duty but our interest. The great The :;;ecret charm of the gospel of variety and richness of her fauna Christ is that it inspires, not simply and flora; the possibility of finding the love of complacence, but the love almost any desired climatic condiof benevolence. The true disciple tions within a small range of terriloves not for the lovely and lovable tory; the beauty of her scenery, qualities already seen and developed, constituting a modern occidental but for the sake of what may be lIe- paradise-all these considerations veloped. And so, in the most repul- make Mexico a country of supreme sive object, love sees a field for celes- importance to the United States. tial blooms. The stagnant marsh brings forth the white and fragrant There is sure to be contact and water lily, and the desert becomes commerce between these two neighthe garden of the Lord. bors. As facilities of travel increase, this favored land will throng not THE subjects assigned to this only with visitors but residents from month are Mexico, Central America, our republic. If we do not raise her West Indies, and Evangelization in moral and spiritual state, she will the Cities. We refer our readers to lowel> our own. Self-protection de- Vol. 1, New Series, p. 224-226, where mands that we send to our Mexican the main facts as to Mexico are set neighbors the gospel in its purity. forth. Much other valuable matter is presented in the same volume. See The papacy in its worst form rules copious index. The editors earnestly in Mexico, though in 1873 church hope that every student of missions and state were separated, and Conwill avail himself of the bound vol- gress precluded, from passage of laws ume for 1888, which he will find an either establishing or prohibiting encyclopedia of missions. any religion. Marriage was made a civil contract; slavery abolished, MEXICO. and a severe blow struck against the monastic orders and religious estab- In 1882 its area was computed at lishments, and in favor of public 743,948 square miles, and its popula- education. In 1884 there were about tion at about 10,500,000. It consists 9,000 public elementary schools, with of 30 States, of which the largest are 500,000 pupils, and about 140 for Chihuahua, Sonora, Coahuila, Dur- higher education, with 17,200 pupils, ango; and the most populous are and that year the Government grant IaliS-Co, Guanajuato, Mihoacan, Oax- fot> educational purposes was $3,000,- aca, Puebla and Mexieo, all of which 000 and upward. contain upward of 700,000. In 1882 Mexico had 23 towns containing over These were rapid steps-strides in 8,000, the City of Mexico being advance, in fact too rapid for the igmuch the largest, with 300,000. The norance and superstition, of the peopIe. Reaction was inevitable, and church edifices and 265 hired halls, the laws-passed in a previous decade are in danger of becoming a dead 350 congregations, 18,000 church letter. The priests, who see the scepter passing out of their hands, members, and about twice that numare making desperate efforts to retain their influence and recover lost ber of adherents, 180 Sunday-schools ground. But the danger is now that in this reaction the people will swing with 6,000 scholars, 110 day schools away from all religious moorings, and plunge like France in 1789 into with 4,500 scholars, 3 theological an atheistic revolution. seminaries with 50 students, and 8 As we have said, papacy in its moral form dominates Mexico and evangelical presses and 8 evangelical Central and South America. The religion has been nominally Roman papers. But what is a total force of Catholic, with a mixture of Toltec less than 400 Christian workers in a and Aztec superstitions and idolatrous relics, and utter ignorance of popUlation of ten and a half millions? the Scriptures, together with most shocldng immorality. Many of the Every worker must care on the averpeople not only have no copy of the Bible but do not know how it differs age for 26,250 souls! And yet Bishop from a prayer-book! The better features of Catholicism, such as may Hurst of the M. E. Church, after two be found among the more intelligent adherents of the Romish Church in months spent in Mexico, wrote from France and Austria, are not found among Mexicans, while all the worst El Paso in March, 1887 : features-abject ignorance, servile bondage to superstition, empty and "As a proof of the readiness of the meaningless forms, the despotic con- Indians of Mexico for Protestantism, I fessional, the tyrannical and licen- may say that the local authoritieshave tious priesthood, corrupt monastic given us temporal'Y use of the Roman institutions, an enriched clergy and Catholic church, where our missionan impoverished people-these are ary preaches every Sunday, and in prominent chamcteristics of the another town the authorities are ar- Mexican Church. The people are ranging to give us outl'ight another enough awake to be conscious of Catholic church. The bolts are all their religious enslavement, and suf- broken and the doors wide open for ficientlyaroused to seek deliverance; Protestant work among all the 32 but the risk is that in breaking their races of Mexican Indians. President present bonds they will run riot in Diaz informed us in person that if free thinking and scorn all religious any of our missionaries were threatobligations, becoming churchless, ened, we should immediately telecreedless, Christless. graph him, and troops would be fur- nished for their safety." Now is the time to enter Mexico with the gospel. But we are doing TEXTS AND THEMES. almost nothing. In 1887, Rev. John W. Butler reported 10 Protestant The Gospel Preached to the Poor.-Luke vii: denominations in the field, with 16 22.-The last great sign of Messiahship-the missions, 105 ordained ministers, 100 grandest moral miracle. For this Christ was unordained, 180 other workers, 85 specially anointed, iv : 18.
This is not a class distinction, even though in favor of the poor. The poor represent here the most numerous, needy, and neglected; hence, the hest representatives of humanity at large.
SOCiety drifts toward patronage of rich, wise, great. Christ the only teacher who treated the 8mtl of man as the only great thing in man.
I. The church is truly Christian only so far as she follows in His footsteps.
The great question of our day is the evangeli- zation of the masses of the people. One-half of the community are non-church goers. Their ma- terial and moral condition only makes our duty more imperative. We must go out into alleys as well as avenues, hedges as well as highways, and compel them to come in. It pays, every way, to preach the gospel to the poor.
The largest harvest, are gathered from such preaching. When brought iuto effective con- taot with the gospel tile poor prove the more susceptible to it.
II. Conditions of effective preaching to the poor.- 1. Simplicity of thought, word, and illustra. 2. A habit of making even the poorest feel a tion. If anything ought to be plain it is the gos- home. The oftener the people can be got into pel. Preaching should be comprehensive-em· the church building by any legitimate means bracing the whole gospel, and comprehensible or attraction the better. To connect the edi· -easy to be nnderstood. fice with homelike associations and frequent gatherings makes it attractive. Hence all pop- 2. Sincerity. We must first ourselves thor- ular meetings on temperance, ph,ilanthropic and oughly believe and be affected by the truth. benevolent work, and for innocent recreation and Lyman Beecher said: "Eloquence is logic on entertainment, help to run the stream of popular fire." Every preacher ought to be the gospel life through the church as a channel, and a on fire. All trifling sensationalism, etc., is ulti- stream will naturally flow in its usual channel. mately fatal to pulpit power because it impairs People who go to a church-building through the impression of the preacl1er's sincerity. The the week will naturally go there on the Sabbath. grace of feeling is the gift of God. Old theolo· But if shut doors compel them to find Bome gians wrote of" donum tach'rymarum." other place every other day, why should open doors on Sunday find them thronging the place of 3. Sympathy, both rhetorical and popular. prayer? Rh'l,torical sympathy brings the preacher into accord with his theme, hearer, and occasion. 3. A habit of power in preaching and pray· Popular sympathy brings his heart into contact ing and working for God. It was the popular with the heart of humanity. It abates fastidious expectation of some wonderful display of miractastes, prevents a perfunctory discharge of duty ulous power that drew the people in throngs to and social seclusion and separation from the meet Christ on His triumphal entry. Jno. xii: great mass of the people. F. W. Robertson said 18. A church which is wont to be filled with the power of God dra ws the people, becanse his tastes were with the aristocracy, hut his they expect great things. The lame and sick principles were with the moh. To a spiritual will crowd the porches of Bethesda because they are looking for the angel of healing to preacher" not man'8 merit, but his misery, is trouble the waters. Hence the ultimate secret the magnet" that draws him toward all men. of all church power is prevailing prayer.
SUGGESTIVE PARAGRAPHS. Robert Murray McCheyne's tomb in old Dun· SIR HUMPREY DAVY once said, .. Of all my dee reminds us of the fact that a missionary discoveries the greatest was Michael Faraday." spirit will find abundant Christ·like work to do A church in Scotland gained but a single memo anywhere. Here is a touching account of his ber in a twelvemonth. But the single memher was David Livingstone. last service: Harriet Newell, dying before any heathen had listened to her voice, has been a ministering He had heen visiting in the fever-stricken angel to the mission cause ever since. Within dens of Dundee. Typhus fever had laid hold of one year she was a wife, a mother,-8. missionary, him; but, ignorant of the cause of the languor and a saint. She buried her heart with her and pain which oppressed him, he had gone to child, on the Isle of France, aud then was celebrate a marriage, and remained for the buried by her baby's side. Her life had failed, entertainment which followed. Some were she thought. She knew not. If we do the there who were no friends to his faithful preachvery best we can, even thongh it be but little, ing and thought that his grave manner was due God will not allow its influence to be lost. to pietism and not to illness. So one of them Church HabiUi have much to do with success said, "See now if I cannot tease your minister." in evangelism. So saying, she sent a little girl of nine years to 1. A habit of accepting her mission to preach Mr. McCheyne with a marriage favor and a the gospel to all men, and disposing all things bouquet. When the child approached him he with reference to that divine purpose. From brightened up. " Will you put this on ?" said the hour of organization-from:conception of she. "Yes, if you will show me how." When the idea of a new church, in all arrangements it was all arranged, he said: "I have done what looking to pastor, site for building, details of you asked me. Will you listen while I tell you structure, administration, etc., everything a story?" So he began to tell her the" sweet should have in view reaching the people to story of old." Very soon six other little girls save souls. We must not invest any "conse- gathered round and listened with upturned crated building" with a false sanctity. The only faces while he told them how the Lord Jesus had H temple'~ or "church" known to the New come down from heaven to earth, had lived 'Testament is the body of believers. Our per- and loved on earth, and then died to save sinmanent model is not the temple but the syna· ners. When he had finished, he laid his hand gogue, a place of assembly free from rigid, on the head of each child and asked God's frigid Jines of separation and a cumbrous cere- blessing on her. Soon after he said he felt so monial. And any place is to be preferred for ill he must retire. He went home to his bed, purposes of snch assembly where the greatest and in a few days he was with the Lord.
IlUmber can oe reached and saved.
PROGRESS AND RESULTS OF MISSIONS-MONTHLY BULLETIN
V.-PROGRESS AND RESULTS OF MISSIONS MONTHLY BULLETIN.
Africa.- The Universities Mission has Upper Congo among the large and intelligent received the following cable message from Zan- Balolo tribes. Eight thousand dollars is subzibar: "Sunday, 10: 36. Bishop Smythies safe scribed in Great Britain to begin the work, at Mkuzi. All the ladies, Revs. Wallace and which is to be nnder the direction of young Dr. Maxwell, and Mr. Coggan have come down to Guinness. Zanzibar." The secretary of the mission explains that the political disturbances on the Belgium. – Evangelical Society of Bel. coast have obliged the mission to snspend its gium. We call particular attention to the work on the mainland, that while the ladies following extract from the preface to the have been withdrawn to the Island of Zanzibar, report for the year ending 30th June last: none of the mainland stations have been aban- .. This year, that of our Jubilee, has been doned, and the work of the mission is still car- marked by abundant blessings, of which ried on. The British Consul-Geueral at Zanzibar this is one. )vIore than 500 new members, has issued a stringent proclamation, 'warning all Roman Catholics or infidels, have been British snbjects of the penalties incurred by added to our church. In many cases facts their making illegal contracts with slave-own- show that their public professioo was preers for the employment of slave labor. Great ceded by real conversion and a change of Britain and Germany having invited Portngal to life. No new station was added during the co-operate in the blockade, two vessels have year~ our funds preventing it. This causes been ordered to reinforce the Portuguese squad- us much cenceI'll." ron on the East African Coast. The French Government, however, declines to permit a Brazil. – The opportunity for Christian search for slaves, but only for arms, on boal'd missions in Brazil, says the Presbyterian vessels carrying the French flag. Observer, is very extraordinary. The peo- ple are without confidence in the Romish -Bishop William Taylor, now in his 68th priests. The,attitude of the Brazilian mind, year, left New York for a second four years' high and low, is large1y either of disgust or sojourn in Africa, December 1. Notwithstanding indifference. Everywhere the Protestant his age, he plunges into the wilds to accomplish evangelist can have an assembly at a. few a work sufficient to tax the physical euergies of hours' notice. Everywhere he can have a the strongest man, thirty years younger. Fevers, nuclens of a church after a little loving ILnd perils from the natives, a burning equatorial right teaching of the truth. A hundred sun – these have no terrors for him. He additional missionaries could be set to work is "moving out on the high lines of human im- at once. possibilities, trusting alone in Him with whom all things are possible," and he is strong in faith Cllina.-The Synod of China metat Tung. for the conversion of the heathen millions of the chow, September 13th; in attendance 2~ "Dark Continent." He was to preside over ministers and 9 elders. Of the ministers the annual Conference of the African Methodist present 20 were missionaries and 9 Episcopal Church, at Greenville, Liberia, on natives. The elders were all natives_ There ure now on the various church rolls January 10. 3,632 communicants. Additions since last -The Times correspondent at Zanzibar tel- Synod, 1,981; expulsions, 560; deaths, 292. The churches number 42 and the ministers egraphs: "At the Church MIssionary Society's 61, of whom 23 are natives and 38 foreign Station of Rabai a very remarkable sight was missionaries. Besides these, there are 8 witnessed on New Year's Day, when Mr. Mac- licentiates, who do regular work as preachkenzie, before an immense concourse of people, ers. The day schools have 1,358 pupils, and presented papers of freedom to many hundreds the boarding-schools 643 pupils, making a of runaway slaves, for whose unconditional re- total of 2,001 in these Christian schools. demption he had amicably arranged with their Total contributions for the five years, owners. This philanthropic measure has had $6,695.15. Resolutions looking toward a an extraordinarily widespread and beneficial union of the different Presbyterian ehurches effect on all cJasses."-The Record, London. in China were unanimously adopted.
-Eastern Africa is in a ferment. The efforts -The China Inland MiSSIOn records, as the to stop the slave trade between Africa and Asia most striking feature of tire past year, the has roused the Arab slave dealers to the fiercest arrival of Ruccessive parties of u the Hunanger, and they are using every means in their dred," each reporting souls won for Christ, power to destroy European influence. Com- backsliders restored, or believers quickened mercial and missi,onary stations have been de~ on the voyage. F,)urteen new stations were stroyed, aud several Europeans killed. The opened in the year, making 64 stations in result will undoubtedly be the extinction of all. In no province has there been more the slave trade, and the opening of the country decided advance than in Shansi. The numto the free progress of commerce and missions. ber of converts baptized in the year was 308.
-A new mIssion is to be started on the -The An-ting Hospital, connected with the Presbyterian Mission at Pekin, is an illus- income is £2,000 lives on £200, and gives away tration of the importance and the economy £1,800; another who earps £1,500 lives 011 of this branch of mission work. It has two £100, and "ives away £1,400; anotber whose in- dispensaries, a, t which the total attendance come is £8,000 lives on £250, and gives away has been 18,333. The hospital has received £7,750. The latter gives back to God $31 out of 322 in-patients, who have been treated for every $32 received.. As we read these things, all sorts of diseases and accidents; of these we begin to get some idea of what is mnnifi- 87 were treated for the opium habit. This cence." work ought to be greatly extended among -There are at the present moment 110 stu- the large towns, as nothing else so attracts dents nnder training in the Eost London Insti- the admiration and gratitude of the Chinese. tnte for Home and Foreign Missions-the largest nnmber reached since its establishment in -A recent letter from the President of the 1873. Christian College in Canton, Rev. A. P. Happer, D.D., says that the purchase of -The annual summary of contribntions to ground for the building is impossible at foreign mission work, jnst completed by Canon present, owing to the strong anti-foreign Scott Robertson, shows that for 1887 the snm feeling of the Viceroy Chang, due to the given by religious bodies in the British Isles was passage of the Excusion Act by the United £1,228,759. Of this total the sum of £461,236 States. This Viceroy is one of the most was given through Chnrch of England societies; powerful officials in Ohina, and the rejection £187,048 throngh jOint societies of Ohnrchmen of the new treaty was largely due to his and Nonconformists; £367,115 through Non- efforts and influence. Hampered as the conformist societies in England and Wales; . work is, the instruction is carried on faith- £202,940 throngh Scotch and Irish Presbyterian fully, and much progress is being made. societies, and £10,420 throngh Roman Catholic societies. -The latest news received from China is that a recent issue of the Ohinese l'irne8 con- -Five Continental Powers maintain twelve tained a communication from a Chinese official millions of fighting men, costing annually £112" residing in Peking, which probably foreshadows 000,000. So says Lord Lytton speaking as the course to be adopted by China at an early Rector to the stndents of Glasgow University. day toward this country as a result of our re- He said that" war wonld be, tberefore, sudden cent legislation against its people. This com- and gigantic. conclnding with decisive and far- munication states very positi"i'ely, that should reaching results."-B011'boay Guardian. the obnoxions provisions of that legislation con- tinue to be enforced, Ohina can pnrsne bnt one – Canon Taylor's article on Foreign Mis· course Qconsistently with her self·respect and sions spoke highly of the . Salvation Army dignity as a nation. They will compel her to methods of missionary work in India. There consider whether the time has not come to is a department at the Headquarters of the abrogate all existing treaties with the United Salvation Army in London the duty of whose States, recall all her subjects now in this conn managers it is to issue any literatnre likely to try, expel from China all our citizens now resid- make the work of the Army more widely ing there, and terminate all relations and inter- known. Canon Taylor's article was therefore cOnrse with ns of a commercial or diplomatic reprinted by them. Bnt when General Booth character. This conrse would involve a diRas- heard of it, he issned orders that it shonld be at trous interruption to our missionary work in once withdrawn from circnlation, as the pnbli- China, and perhaps occasional violence to the cation of snch a pamphlet by the Salvation Christianized Chinese, if not to the missionaries Army would appear to be an indorsement of themselves. Canon Taylor's strictures on the ,,ork of other miSSionary societie~. -When Dr. S. Wells Willi"ms arrived in Canton in 1833, there was only one Ohinese -Rev. George Muller. Upwards of fifty convert, and the penalty for teaching for- years ago he receil'ed his first orphans in his eigners the Chinese language was death. house at Wilson street, and withont canvassing Now there are 33,000 COllverts. or regnlar list of subscribers, or pnblishing the names of donors, he has received volnntarily England.-Real Munificence. Great gen- npward of £1,153.000, Over £100,000 has been erosity is often ascribed to those who give large spent in providing accommodation for lodging snms without regard to the amonnt of property and educating the orphans, and the Cnrrent ex- which they possess, bnt sometimes more real penses are npward of £25,000 per annum, in benevolence is shown in giving $10 than $10,000 : addition to £10,000 yearly spent in edncational it depends on what relation the gift bears to the and missionary work, !J.nd the distribution of giver's prosperity. The National Baptist calls tracts and Bibles. The average cost of each attention to the follo," ing : orphan is £13 78. 6d. After preaching for forty- three years exclnsively in Bristol, during the " At the late annnal meeting of the Baptist past 13 years he has traveled 150,000 mile. in Missionary SOCiety of Great Britain, Rev. F. B. Europe, Canada, United State., Palestine, AlIiI' Meyer mentioned tbAse instances which came Minor, Anstralia, China, and Japan, lind is DOW nnder his notice: A governess earns £100 a at Sydney, New Sontb Wales.
year, and gives away one·balf; a person wbose -The printing of the revised version of the emphasized. We d.. not look hopefnlly npon Malagasy Bible has been completed. The Re- this new amalgamation. Brahmanism, following vision Committee, presided over by Rev. W_ a well-beaten track, has tried this role with very E. Consins, of the London Missionary Society, indifferent success. Christ will enter no pan commenced their work in December, 1873. It theon save to hurl all the demi-gods from their has thns taken flfteen years to accomplish the seats of nnlawfnl authority.-lndian Witness.
great work, which has nOw been happily bronght -The Synod of the American Presbyterian to a snccessfnl conclusion by the printers, Church of India has held a three days' session Richard Clay & Sons. at Umballa. Rev. C. B. Newton, of Lodiana, Guinea.-Bunyam's "Pilgrim's Progress" was elected Moderator. Rev. J. J. Lucas, the is again translated, now into the Fantis tongnes, retiring Moderator, preached the opening ser- for the people on the Gold Coast, Upper Guinea.. mon, taking for his text "Be ye filled with the It is to be early translated into Korean, Dr. Spirit." The depntation from the American M.
Pierson's Satnrday afternoon Bible class, in E. Church, conSisting of Rev. A. J. Maxwell, Y.M.C.A. Hall, Philadelphia, on the anniversary Lucknow, Dr. T. J. Scott and Rev. F. L. Neild of Bnnyan's death, having taken up a collection of Bareilly, gave some interesting particnlars of for this pnrpose, of over $300. their work in the villages and among the low -The first printing ever done in New Gninea caste people which it is hoped will indnce the has just heen· put out by the mission on Murray Presbyterian brethren to make more special Island-so again is missions the pioneer of efforts on behalf of the villages in their districts.
civilization. Mr. Neild gave the following statistics for the Hawaiian Islands.-Two-thirds of the M. E. Church, BareillyDistrict: 6,ooomembers, infant children, before the advent of missions, 9,000 adherents, 488 day schools with 1,500 male were strangled or burned alive. and 1,200 female pupils, 594 Sabbath schools India.-Rev. Dr. Wilson, of Budaon, has with 18,000 non-Christian and 5,000 Christian baptized over 160 persons since February last. scholars. A reciprocal depntation was ap- The work is expanding rapidly. pointed to the North India Conference of the -The Woman's Union Missionary Society M. E. Church which meets at Bareilly in Janu- of America has in Calcntta and the villa!!;es ary. The next Synod will be held at Allahabad south of it 22 schools, with 1,178 girls, and 114 in December, 1891.
zenanas in which are 130 regular pupils. A -In India 50,000 Bengali Bibles were issued Bible lesson is given every day in the schools (not given away, but sold) in 1885; in 1886, and at every visit in the zenanas. 86,000. In Madras in 1885, 109,000; and in 1888, -It is proposed to erect as a memorial to the 419,000.
Rev. George Bowen, so long a missionary in -Of missionary success in India, Sir Bombay, a native Christian institntion and a hall Rivers Thompson says: "It has been most to serve as .. center of missionary effort. pronounced and indubitable amongst the abo- -Upward of 2,000,000 of the youths of India riginal tribes, the low-castes, and the no-castes are to-day receiving a liberal English education, throughont the country. from whiclr class for the most part pnrely secular. The spread of I believe I am right in saying we may claim Western knowledge is opening the flood-gates something like 500,0(0 converts to Christ· of infidelity and of non-religion, leaving the ianitv."
people in a state not only creedless, but godless. -One thousand converts were baptized last -A lady from Dr. John Hall's Chnrch, New year in the American Baptist mission at Ongoll, York, bas given $500 to ftnish the chapel at under the care of Dr. J. E. Clough.
Sungli, India, and provide a bell and commnn_ -There are twenty-two Protestant places ion service. This chapel affords the only ac· of worship within the walls of the city of Rome.
commodation for Christian worship in a city of There are twenty-six iu Bombay.
600,000 inhabitants, a population eqnal to that of Italy.-Padre Agostius, "the modern Sav- New York below Fourteenth street. The force onarolo," addresses average congregations Of of Christian workers consists of two married 8,000 people, and reports of his sermons have missionaries and their wives, one of them at been published in volnme form. He makes great home, and two native helpers. use of the argument from fear, and creates a -It sounds a little Japanese to hear Hindn great sensation.
gentlemen proposing to call a Congress of Brah- Japan.-In 1714 the whole number of the man priests and pandits for the pnrpose of in· temples was found to be 393,087. In 181J5 an- corporating the Christian Scriptnres among the other enumeration was made and the whole Sacred Books of India. The argnments nrged number was found to be only 57,842 or 335,245 are prudential, social, and religious. The less than 171 years before.
ancient priesthood is admonished that its power -The Empress of Japan has established a is waning, and that it must adjust itself to the college for women, which is to be rnled by a demands of the age or perish. That Christian_ committee of foreign ladies. Two of these are ity is the religion of the conqnering and ad- Americans, two English, and the other two vanced nations is pointed to; and that Christian French and German respectively.
teachingia adapted to the oriental mind is also -Rev. H. M. Scudder, 0.0 .. is deliverilll!; a course of lectures on Christianity at Tokio, In Stockbolm there are three Metbodist cburcll. Japan, to crowded bonses. es, with a total membership of 983 and 317 011 probation. To this Conference belong also tbe J ews.-At the late anniversary of the mission Methodists of Finland, where several orthodOJt to Jews in Paris, three young Israelites were Russians bave joined them. The Norwegiall baptized. One is a Russian, three years a resi- Conference has 33 preachers, and a membership dent in Paris, a full scholar and a joyful believer; of 4,403, who contributed 90,445 kronen. In the another an Anstrian, wbo was destined for capital, Christiana, the Methodists have two synagogue service; and .tbe third is from Pestb, churches. and means to go and preach ill the Hungarian tongue. South Pacific.-Three thousand out of the four thousand people on the island of Mase, of -29,602 Jews landed at Castle Garden during the Loyalty group, in the South Pacific are now the year ending Sept. 30,1888, the largest num- Christians, and they are well clothed and comber in anyone year. fortably honsed, and are remarkable for tbeir industry and thrift. By this industry they are -A Writer in the Advance, Chicago, asserts not only able to support all their churches, that there are to-day more Protestant mission- schools, and other institutions. but also to send aries working among tbe Jews, in proportion to a goodly sum to the Society in London.- Spirit tbe wbole number of Jews in the world, than Of Missions. tbere are among the heathen. According to Dr. Dalman, of Leipzig, there are at the present South Sea Islands.- The church on the time 47 P"otestant missionary societies devoted little island of Atafu includes all the adults on to work for the Jews ; the societies support 377 the island. Not one remains in the service of laborers at an annnal expense of $432,000. Satan.
Korea.-Americans are in great favor in Smnatra.-In the southern part among the Korea, and the army is to be reorganized on Passumahs two Dutch missionaries are settled, the American plan. but have not yet permission from the Dutch Government to begin their proper work. The lUadagascar. -The Queen has presented east of the island may be said to be under the Mrs. Mary Clement Leavitt with $lCO as an ex- spiritual care of three Rhenish missionaries aud preSSion ,of her interest in the total-abstinence their native belpers. In Battalan, in the north work. of the island, a raid of robbers, headed by an escaped prisoner, threatened for a time to stop North Sea.-Elght mission ships are now mission work; but their career was soon cruising in the North Sea, each a combinatiou stopped by the Dutch soldiers; and around of church, chapel, temperance hall, and dispen- BaJige fear and distress seems to have drawn sary. the native Christians together. Here and at Lagaboti the members number over 1,000, and Persia.-The Rev. W. S. Whipple writes: further additions are likely soon to be made. " At Oroomiah I met several Moslem converts; On the further side of the Toba Lake a colporfive of them were Sayids, direct descendants or teur and several voluntary evangelists have Mohammed, who are held in especial awe and done good work. In the district of Silingdring, reverence, who told me that they attribute for instance, the church at Pantgar-na-pitn has their ~onversion directly to the reading of the become quite an important one. New Testament." Syria.-Miss Eddy writes from Beirut there Russia. – Two hundred and thirty-four is much to encourage our workjustnow. "In the were baptized into the:Baptist churches in Russia quarter of Beirut called Musaitbe my father last year. In spite of persecution, the work has for fonr years past preacbed in a small room prospers greatly. to a congregation of from twenty to forty." Lately they moved to a large ball, and even this Scandinavia~·-In the three Scandinavian for several Sabbaths has been packed with eager, attentive listeners. Calls for more schools come countries, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, from every part of Syria, and the demand for the Lutheran is the state religion, and up to trained workers from Palestine, Northern late years other denominations were not per- Syria, and the Egyptian missionaries is far larger mitted to labor there. In the neighboring state every year than this mission with its deservedly of Finland religious equality, and this only to a renowned educational institutions can supply. limited degree, was introduced only one year ago. But since the doors of Scandinavia were Turkey.-American missionary enterprise opened to others, these have not been inactive. is bearing fruit in Christian colleges. The The Roman Catholics have done somethin!( youngest of these is " Anatolia College," at toward realizing their dearly cherished hope of Marsovan, sixty miles inland from the Black "redeeming" northern Europe. The most' Sea port of Samsoull. It has had great sucsuccessful in this work against the state church cess in winning pupils and the confidence of have been the Methodists. The Swedish Con- aU classes, and even of the Government. It ference of this church now numbers 57 active has no debt. but its need of endowmellts is aud 18 probationary preachers. A theolog- most urgent. ical seminary bas been established at Upsala. The congregations have a membership of 12,393 and 3,582 probationers'. The total number of congregations is 84, and the total contributions for all purposes last year were 195,095 kronen. -The right man in the right place. Our were present and participated in the pro- Minister to Turkey has added -another im- ceedings. The attendance was large. portant achievement to the series of valuable services he has rendered during his -The American Board is urgently calling official career. The State Department re- for 32 lnis.siunary fa.milies and 29 women for ceived information from him recently that their various Inission fields. he had obtained from the Grand Vizier the necessary authorization for the Bible -Rev. Jacob Freshman, of New York City, Honse atConstalll>inople, to print in Turkish has established a mission in Philadelphia, which 35,000 Bible tracts, consisting of the Psalms. he visits once a mO~lth. At the first meeting Proverbs, the four Gospels, and the Acts. there were forty Hebrews present in eamest, When tne British Government found that rapt attention, and at a late meeting there were Lord Stratford de Hedcliffe was remarkably about eighty. At this ratio it would seem as if successful in treating with the Sultan's the Lord's hand had directed every thought government, it continued him as its Minis- toward these people. Two of Mr. Freshman's ter-plenipotentiary for nearly forty years. converts are in ~hal'ge of the mission, main- Would it not be wise for our Government to tained by the New York work. At a recent follow so good an example? meeting iu New York thirteen were conyer(ed ; twelve Jewish meu and women and one Roman United States.-Isa'ah V. Williamson, a Catholic. millionaire of Philadelphia, has donated $5,000,000 for the establishment of a great -The new schQol. building at Tucson, indnstrial school for boys. If $5,000,000 Arizona, will accommodate from fifty to sixty prove inadequate for his cherished scheme, children. The Indians there are of the Pimos he will make it $12,000,000 if necessary. The and Papago tribes. Around the central buildinstitution will be known as the" William- ing it is proposed in course of time to erect son Free School of Mechanical Trades," and cottages where the Indian boys will Hve in will be devoted to the education of white families. Miss Clara Shreiner has just" gone to boys in the old-fashi)ned trades; all white Tucson as a teacher, from Bethany Ohurch, Philboys, orphans or otherwise, will beadmitted adelphia. She is a noble woman. free of tuition, and afund set apart for expenses of those who cannot pay their own -The Work of the Sailors' Bethel in New way. No religious qualification will be ex- Orleans, under the charge of A. J. Witheracted of any applicant, and Jewish, Irish or spoon, D.D., has had marked success. Last German boys will be admitted on the same year 21,873 sailors are reported as entering basis as those ofAmeri can birth. The school that port. The English and Belgian consuls is to be located in Philadelphia or vicinity have given special aid. Religious services are held Sunday and Wednesday, and a -Convention of Christian Workers. The' temperance society is kept up. The late third convention of Christian and mission Chief of Police in New Orleans, M. J. Farworkers in the United States and Canada, veil, says the sailors are now seldom seen having for its object the study and discus- intoxicated in the streets, and are more sion of practical subjects and methods of rarely arrested than some years ago. Christian work among our home heathens. met in Detroit, Mich., for six days, Nov. -It is reported that the Presbyterian Church 15-20, under the auspices of the committee, of Bryn Mawr, Pa., assumeS the expense of including many well-known and representa- maintaining a married missionary in Japan; tive ministers, evangelists and city mission- considerably over $2,000 pledged to be given aries. Among the list of subjects dis- annually. The Second Church in Scranton, Pa., cussed at the Convention were: Woman's is supporting a missionary and his wife in Place and Work as a Christian "Worker, The Persia. Bethany Church, Philadelphia, supports Caste Spirit as a Hindrance in City Evan- the daughter and son-in-law of Dr. A. T. Piergelization, The Use of Newspapers by Chris- son, its pastor, and we believe that Dr. McIntian Workers, A Free Church Experiment, tosh's Ohurch, Philadelphia, is working by the Christian Union or Co-operation in City same method. Mission Work, Child Saving Work, Christian Living, The Best Means of Applying the Victoria.-The Congregational Union of Charity Necessary for the Prosecution of Christian Work among the Fallen, Work in Victoria has inaugurated a jubilee fund of Police Courts among Prisoners, COBstttu- $500.000. One layman of the church, Mr. G. W. tions and Forms of Organization, Social and Taylor, proposed to contribute $150,000, at the Entertainment Accessories, etc. All Chris- rate of $50,000 per annum for three years, if tians, without regard to denomination, as the Congregationalists of the colonies would the COllvention was entirely unsectarian, raise a similar sum; or he would make it £10,000 a year for five years if they would raise another £')0,000. The latter chRlienge has been accepted with great enthusiasm. "The money is to be largely used in founding a theological Semina!y.-Nashville Christian Advocate.
STATISTICS oF THE WORLD'S MISSIONS. [MAR.,-
VI.-STATISTICS OF THE WORLD'S MISSIONS.
The Growth of the Ohurch. sions, $91,134. Total for all purposes, $1,- 036,086. No one familiar with the facts, questions -The statistics of American Baptist missions that the Evangelical Church is making en- to foreign conutries are given as follows: The American Baptist Missionary Union-stations, couraging progress In the United States_ 6O,out·stations, 831; missionaries of aU classes, 2,060; chm'ches, 1,2a6 ; members, 127,208; bap- We now have 107,200 churches,82,723 min. tized last year, 10,602. 'l'he Southern Baptist Convention-Churches and stations, 51; missionisters and 11,869,000 members, distributed aries of all classes, 114; members, 1,968; baptized last :year, 391; making the grand total of misas follows: sionaries, 2,174; churches, 1,374 ; chnrch mem- bers, 129,1';'0; baptisms last year, 10,993. The Churches. Ministers. Members. appropriations of the Union were, for the past year, $890,586.40; those of the Southern Baptist Methodists,…. . .. 32,000 30,400 4,600,000 COllvention, $83,000; total appropriations, Baptists,………. 4~,700 28,255 3,800,000 $473,586.40, an average of about 17 cents to each Presbyterians,…. 15,000 11,500 1,500,OeO memberofBaptistchurches in the United States. Lutherans,…….. S,IOO 4,217 1,023,000 Congregationalists, 5,000 4,500 5OO,COO -The Protestant Episcopal Church, accord- Episcopalians,. . . . 4,700 3,860 446,000 ing to Whittaker'. Almanac for 1889, has 50 dioceses, 16 missionary jarisdictions, 69 bishops, The increase is shown according to the 6,766 priests and deacons. The baptisms for 1888 numbered 56,709; confirmations, 39,590. following table. The membership of the The whole number of communicants, 450,052; Sunday-school scholars, 342,431. The contri- Church was in butions amounted to $11,483,597. The increase of communicants is npward of 12,000. 1800, one in 15 of the population. 1850, one in 7 of the population. -According to recent statistics the Lutheran 1870, one in 6 of the population_ Church in America now nnmbers about one 1880, one in 5 of the population_ million commnnicant members. Of these less 1888, one in 4.5 of the population. than one-fourth are entirely English, more thau one-half are Germans, and about one-fonrth are The Evangelical Protestant Churches of Scaudinavians, Fiuns and ot·hers. The dllIsr~ ence of language, together with doetrinal disthe United States since 1800 have contri- agreements, have caused the Lntherau Church of this land to divide itself into no less than buted to fifty·four synods. A number of these are again united into general bodies, of which there are Foreign Missions….. ' . . . . . . . . . .. $ 75,000,000 fonr. The Synodical Confereuce, with 333,987 Home Missions…… .. ……….. 100,000,000 members, is nltra-conservative and is almost Religious Publishing Houses…. 150,000,000 entirely German; the Geueral CounCil, with a membership of 245,228, is composed of German, They build ten new churches every work- English, and Swedish Synods, or occupies a more moderate position; the General Synod, ingday. entirely English, with a membership of 140,553 is the most liberal ofall the branches; while the In their colleges in 1884 they had 79 per United Synod of the South, entirely En,!!lish, with a membership of 33,703, at least officially cent. of all the college students. accepts the symbols in full. The independent Synods, all Germans and Scandinavians, have They have a church for everyone thou- 241,552 members.
sand of the population. -The Welsh Calvinistic Methodists em- brace 1,220 chnrches, 1,290,000 members, 1,012 Sabbath-school scholars in United ministers, and 1,450 Sabbath-schools, with home States…………….. ……….. 9,156,739 and foreign missionary societies.
Sabbath-school scholars jn the -The Catholic Church in the United Stlltes world………………………. 18,419,961 has 13 archbishops, 71 bishops, 7,976 priests, 1,411 seminaries, 7,424 chnrches, 3,183 chapels YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS. and stations, 27 seminaries, 97 colleges, 516 academies, 3,024 parochial schOOls, 585,965 pupils No. in United States,………….. 1,240 in parochial schools, 519 charitable iustitntions, No. of Members,………………. 180,000 and a Catholic populatiou of 7,855,294.- Oatholic Buildings, etc. (value) …………. $7,202,000 Review.
These statistics are taken from the exhibit made in the Cincinn"ti Centennial Exposi- tion, and are, we presume, approximately correct. Surely such figures should en- conrage the Churcl: to more zeal and effort for the upbuilding of Christ's kingdom in our beloved land.-Herald and Presbyter.
-The statistical report as given in the An- nnalMethodistEpiscopal Year-Bookshows : Annual Conferences, 110 ; itinerant preach- ers, 14,135; local preachers, 14,132; lay mem- bers, 2,093,935; number of Sunday-school scholars, 2,016,181; value of church prop- erty, $80,812,792; value of parsonages, $12.- 908,047. Total value of chnrch property, $93,720,839. -The Year-Book of the United Brethren in Christ for 1889 shows 4,451 organized societies, an increase of 55 in a year. Itin… erant prea~hers, 1,490; local preachers, 560; number of members in the church, 204,517, increase, 9,239; Sabbath-schools, 3,,509; teachers and officers, 32,026, increase, 1,975; preachers' salaries, $474,590, an increase of $25,91~. Totai collected for mis- -Hoffman's Cathotic Directory for 1889 gives Jukes, may be quoted as an example,and be somewhat different statistics, namely: Priests, thus summarized: 8,118, of whom 6,110 are secular; churches, 7,353; chapels, 1,480; stations, 2,770. There Number of schools……………… 88 are 119 orphan asylnms, with more than 21,358 Number of boys………………… 2,196 inmates; 32 theological seminaries, with 1,570 Number of girls ………………… 2,265 candidates for the priesthood; 124 colleges, 549 Number of children able to read … 1,702 academies, and 2,799 parochial schools, with an Number of children able to write .. 1,134 attendance of 1)97,194 pnpils, several dioceses Number of children able to cipher. 984 not reporting. The' estimated Catholic popu- Nine schools knew a little elementary lation is given as 8,159,676. New York diocese grammar, ten a little geography. The heads the.1ist with 800,000 ; Boston has 475,000 ; children'S knowledge of Scripturewas fairly Chicago, 450,000; Philadelphia, 400,000 ; New satisfactory. This district is one of ten Orleans, 300,000; St. Louis, 280,000; Brooklyn, connected with the capital itself. Besides 230,000; St. Paul, 2$,000; Baltimore, 220,000. these there are about twelve country dis- tricts.-ChronicleLondon Miss. Society. NORTH INDIA CONFERENCE -STATISTICS FOR 1888. . -The receipts of the Congregational Union th~ last year were $134,72.5, an in- The statistics for the year ending October crease of $7,800 over last year. Forty-one parsonages and 104 churches were aided in 31,1888, have been compiled by Rev. J. E. the last twelve months. -Missionary zeal is a fair test of the vi- Scott of Muttra, and show a marked ad- talit:y of a church. If that testis applied to the churches of Great Britain, and a comvance over last year. The largest church parison is made of the funds given to the foreign work, it will be seen that the Estabmembership is connected with Bareilly lished Church does not maintain the pre- eminence which its membership and its (700) ; Budaon is the banner charKe for bap. great wealth would lead one to expect of it. In the last full fiscal year, the total amount tisms (243) ; Shahjehanpore, for day schools given to foreign missions through the Church of England societies was $2,300,000, (35); Lucknow, for pupils (1,490) ; Cawnpore, in round numbers; through Nonconforlnist societies in England and Wales, $1,800,000 ; for Sunday-schools (45); Lucknow, for throngh joint societies ol Nonconformists and Episcopalians, $~OO,OOO ; through Scotch scholars (2,250). and Irish Ptesbyterian societies, $1,000,000; through Roman Catholic societies, $50,000. SUMMARY. The Presbyteriansand the Noncomformists, as a wpole, are makIng long leaps toward Totals. Increase. the front in the work of evangelizing the Members ……… 3,728 world. 607 Indian Empire.-The Statistical Ab- Probationers….. 4,216- 7,944 1,317- 1,924 stract of India which has just been issued Baptisms during contains an estimate of the present popthe year, adults 1,201 ulation of India. According to the census 369 of 1881, the population of British territory Children. . . . . . . 751 was 198,790,853 and of the native states 55,- Adult accessions 151 191,742, giving a total of 253,982,595. The es- timated population of Cashmpre (which was during the year not included in the census) in 1873 wasl,500,- 000; of Upper Burmah in 1886,3,OOO,OOOandof -Hindus. " …. 1,118 297 the Burmese Shan States, 2,000,000. The Mohammedans. 35 yearly increment of the population is at Others………. 29 8 least 5 per cent. With these additions, and No. Schools…… 545 with the allowances for annual increments h Teachers…. 852 "57 since the census of Febrnary,1881, the pop- 89 ulation of India in March, 1887, would be- Sc];olars…. 16,418 1,120 British territory 207,754,578, the native Sunday_ states 60,382,466, giving a total population for all India of 268,137,044. Both in British schools….. 703 109 territory and the native states, the num- ber of males is much larger than that of Scholars…. 26,585 2,672 females. In 1881 in British territory there Nati ve Ohris- were 101.2 males to 97.4 females, and in the tians-adults… 6,653 native states 28.7 males to 26.4 females, and 978 in all India there were in that year just 6,- Children.. .. .. .. 3,765-10,318 214- 1,092 Missionary co 1- lections ……… Rs. 1,618 Rs. 12 Children's Da y collections ….. For Pastors-Eu- 669 75 ropeans……. .. 7,000 For Pastors-Na_ tives ………. ,_ 2,497 Tot a 1 contributions from na- 3,566 tives……….. . Total amount collected in India. .. 109,726 .. 12,739 -The Star Of lndia.
Madagascar. – School Statistics of an Imerina District. The missionaries of this society in the central provinces of Madagascar are chiefly occupied in the superintendence of large districts (dioceses), in which they have churches and schools to be reckoned by the dozen or the score. The statistics of recent school examinations held in the Ambavahildimitilfo district, which, beginning at the eastern gate of Antananarivo, stre~ches away to the East Coast, and is under the Care of the Rev. C.
EDITORIAL NOTES
013,418 more males than females.-India better than ever it was. The hospit"ltl is Witness. open to all, but he says they do not practice indiscriminate giving away of medicines, –The Hangchow Hospital. We have re- nor give charity to those who are able to ceived from Dr. Duncan 2I1.ain, of the O.II. pay. To the out-patient there is an en- S., a copy of his in teresting report of the trance fee of 14 cash, which is not sufficient work in this hospital, for 1887. After re- to cover the cost of tile medicine given, but ferdng tothe arrival of Dr. Hickin, he says still makes him feel that it possesses a cash they were startled on the 21st of Feb- value. For the in-patients there is a scale ruary, by finding that all the instruments of charges according to their means. The had been stolen to the value of $800, and so out-patients numberetl 10,271 (w.th 26,811 far neither the thief not" the instruments visits); the in-patients 502; suicides 134; have been discovered. It is gratifying to patients seen at their homes 195; in the fiud, however, that through the generosity eountry 2,234.-The Messenger. of friends tbe stock of instruments is noW VII.-EDITORIAL NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS.
Bishop William Taylor. Taylor's future movements, and the THE editor of the New York Mail result of his bold experimentto plant and Express says: and sustain a self-supporting mission in Africa, will be watched with in- "The heroic days are not yet over; Bishop tense interest.-·J. M. S. Taylor is a proof of it. The story of his life reads more like a tale of medieval days than "WITHIN 1888 nearly one million Of converts a history of the immediate past. He has traveled more, been in stranger places, made more were added to the Christian churches in heathremarkable conversions, endured more hard- en lands; and yet there are those who say that ships and seen more adventnres, than any other foreign missions are a failure. " preacher now alive. He has preached the !!;OSpelin every continent on the globe, and in many So says the Presbyterian Banner. of the islands of the sea. He is one of the most We do not know whence come these nniqne personalities of the nineteenth century. figures, but they are so amazing that Iu 1862 he went to England, Ireland and Pales- we cannot but think them' erroneous. tine. Then Australia and Tasmania were visited, There are years in which 100,000 and in an evangelistic tour, lasting nearly three even more have been added in foreign years. In 1865 he first enteretl Africa, and lands. But as there are less than labored in Cape Colony, Natal Colony and 40,000 laborers, all told, a million Cafi'raria, where multitndes of foreigners and converts would imply an average of natives were converted by his preachiug. In over twenty-five converts for every 1870 he went to India, and in 1871 he began his worker in the field, male and female, self-supporting work there, which has devel- native and foreign. We think there oped into the Sonth India Conference. Since is a mistake somewhere.-A. T. P. that time he has established a chain of churches and mission stations in South America." Women's Ohristian Temperance Union.
His brief visit to this country last THE recent anniversary of the yeat·, and the deep interest he every- Union in the city of New York was where awakened, are well known. a notable event. Its sessions were We have elsewhere chronicled his held in the Metropolitan Opera return to Africa with fifteen mission- House, which seats about 5,000 peraries as a reinforcement. sons, and which day and night for nearly a week was filled to its ut- We at'e glad to receive the initial most capacity at every session. The number of The African News, edited audience was chiefly composed of by Bishop Taylor, with Dr. I. B. women, and a more intelligent-look- Welch, associate editor, whose ad- ing and cultured and dignified audress is Vineland, N. J., a magazine dience we have seldom seen. Miss of fifty pages, with a striking like- Willard presided with a grace and ness of the Bishop. It will keep us deliberation, impartiality and pa- tience rarely witnessed in any coninformed about missionary news from Africa, and from Bishop Taylor's wot'k in particular. We bid the new- comer a hearty welcome. Bishop vention. The business of the Con- WE give space in this connection, vention, vast in extent and variety, by request, to the following petition was conducted with order and deco- of the World's W. C. T. U., of which rum, spirit and ability, deserving all Miss Willard is also the President: praise. While there was divet'sity of opinions, and strong feel ing apparent, ~~ PETITION OF THE WORLD'S W. C. T. U. FOR THE especially on the" political" question, yet there was no breach of par- PROTECTION OF THE HOME. ADDRESSED TO liamentary rules or exhibition of evil temper. This Convention settled THE GOVER~MENTS OF THE WORLD. the question th~t women are as capable as men of understanding and dis- "THonored Rulers, Representatives and Brothers: cussing the grave questions which e, your petitioners, although belonging agitate and interest the social and to the physically weaker sex, are strong of public weal of the nation. It was a heart to love our homes, our native land, grand, inspiring sight, to look upon and the world's family of nations. such an assemblage of Christian women, intent on noble work, and con- We know that clear brains and pure hearts secrating their gifts and organized make honest lives and happy homes, and efforts to its promotion. _that by these the nations prosper. and the time is brought nearer when the world shall We have not space to note the pro- be at peace. ceedings. The President's address was very able, evincing a rare mas- We know that indulgence in alcohol and teryof the situation, as well as tact, opiumt and in other vices which disgrace discretion, and charm of manner our social life, make misery for all the that won all hearts. We have but world, and most of all for us and for our one regret, and that is that the Ca.n- children. vention entered the arena of "Politics" and committed itself to the We know that stimulants and opiates are "Third Party." Personally I am a sold under legal guarantees which make the "Prohibitionist," and have been for governments-partners in the traffic, by acmore than forty years. Yet I regard cepting as revenue a portion of the profits, this step as unwise in policy and de- and we know with shame that they are often plorable in effect. forced by treaty upon populations, either ignorant or unwiIIiug. The organization now represents a membership of over 200,000 wo- We know that the law might do much, men, pledged to promote by all pos- now left undone, to raise the moral tone of sible pl'opel' means the purity of society, and render vice difficult. hom~, the abolition of the saloon and the advancement of the cause of "Ve have no power to prevent these great temperance. It is unsectarian, and iniquities beneath which the whole world its membership is limited to those groans, but you have power to redeem the who are in sympathy with the cause honor of the nations from an indefensible of temperance. complicity.
The Corresponding ;3ecretary's report con- We therefore come to you with the nnited tains the following statistics of the National voices of representative women of every Union: Number of Unions, 7,371; membership, land, beseeching you to raise tue standard 164,243; Young Women's Unions, 958; member- of the law to that of Christian morals, to ship, 21,278 ; Loyal Temperance Legions, 3,427 ; strip away the safeguards and sanctions of membership, 163,743; Colfee Honses and the state from the drink traffic and the Friendly Inns, 433; money raised by Local opium trade, and to protect our homes by Unions, $227,948.07; received by State, $52,926.- the total prohibition of these curses of civil- 46; convention organizers, 758; county and zation throughout all ~he territory over district conventions held, 694; States having which your government extends. Scientific Temperance laws (besides all the Territories and the District of Columbia), 21. On the back of each petition slip is found provision for the indorsement of men and of gatherings of any and all kinds that by vote will join their plea with ours. This petition has been in circulation wherever the voice of our organization is heard, but the meas- ure of effort in our own land bears nnfavor- able comparison with that elsewhere put forth. Mrs. Deitch, President of the Ceylon W. C. T. U., has forwarded signatures to the number of 33,797, and these from Tamil, Singhalese, English, Bengali, Marathi, Gug… erati, Santali, and Hindustani men and women of the Island of Ceylon, while we of the United States have not largely exceeded that number. Mrs. Leavitt writes of it in sorrow, and have we not reason to fear that our Lord will say, 'I have somewhat against thee,' unless there shall be an immediate ment, and hinder the work of misarousal to activitv ? sions. We wish the voice of the world's Christian Womanhood had Surely a million'of names may be secured spoken also on this subject in the in this country by diligent, systematic above vigorous petition.-J. M. S. effort." Dr. A. A. Bonar, at Mildmay Con- We say Amen to this petition, and ference, in his inimitable way 'asked, urge every woman to sign it. What do you suppose the disciples imagined to be the reason for Christ's We regret that the Union omits calling them to meet him on that anothel' monstrous vice in regard to mountain in Galilee? We may supwhich their VOlCe should be heard, in pose themsaying among themselves, thunder tones, and we believe would "Why did not the Master say he would meet us here? We remember be if they knew the facts. We refer that the night before he died he said, to the" Licensed Vice Act" in India, 'When I am risen I will go before which, although the British Parlia- you into Galilee.' What new and ment unanimously resolved last June wonderful revelation can he have should be repealed, is still in force in for us that he appoints to meet us India, and harlotry is legalized and there where the most of his disciples practiced among the English soldiers. have been gathered'? He has already The IndiaGovernment still upholds it given us his blood, the peace, joy, in the face of the British Parliament, love, glory of God. What more has he to give or reveal? But when and" official perfidy" is practiced by he came it was just like this and no Lord Crosse, the Secretary for India, more: 'Go ye into all the world and and Sir John Gorst, the Under-Sec- preach the gospel to every creature, retary. See this REVIEwfol' Novem- and 10 I am with you alway.''' ber last for decisive evidence of this fact. And recent papers from India And yet the more we study this confirm it. The Bombay Guardian the more we are impressed that this refers to it as notorious. is the richest revelation of privilege ever given to disciples. "All the .. The Sentinel for September pledges it· world" is collective; "every creaself to the ,accuracy of the statement that ture" is distributive; "go ye" is when Lord Cross, the Secretary for India, individual. No one is shut out. It is stated to a deputation that the whole of the more blessed to give than to receive. infamous regulations under the Cantonment When the serpents stung the rebelacts were ~ absolutely suspended and non- lious camp of Israel, w~ may supexistent,' and when Sir John Gorst, the pose every individual bitten, and the under-secretary, told Prof, Stuart in the healed ones-Moses, Aaron, the sev- House of Commons, that 'the regimental enty elders-going about absol'bed in system has already been wholly abolished,' the holy business of pointing others the government of India was actually still to the healing brazen serpent. continuing-as it still continues-to license women to sin as heretofore. Let all OUr This is the work of the dispensareaders demand of their representatives in tion. The chm'ch is to "rule in the parliament that no rest be given to Lord midst of her enemies" "until He Cross and Sir John Gorst until the truth is come." He is now gathering a peomade manifest. Let the women of Britain, ple for himself. Your only time for in behalf of their Indian sisters, besiege the converting labor is now, and it is the Throne, if necessary, that these cunning only time for tbem unto whom the devices of the unscrupulous may be de- gospel is preached.-A. T. P. feated. The repeal of the wicked act in India, decreed by the Imperial legislature, must be carried out; and officials who deliberately lie must cease to oceupy the high offices of state which they dishonor."
The Missionary Society of the M. E. C. (United States) last summer memorialized the Imperial Government to repeal these infamous laws whioh disgrace a Chl'istian govern- The Christian Unity Commission of the of power, and in both departments Episcopal Church w!ll, we are glad to know, of the highest order. There is such continue their work of conferring with the a thing as luster withont weight, Presbyterian, Congregational, and Lntheran even as there may be weight without brethren in the matter of Christian Union about luster. Here we have both: the the declaration of the House of Bishops. This most glorious moral radiance with is auspicious. It would be really assuring if the the weightiest moral dignity, worth, Episcopal Church would, at the outset, take two sublimity! And such a gospel is it important steps: 1, recognize the validity of the wherewith the world is to be won for ordination of their non-episcopal clerical breth- Christ. Let us take courage, for never ren; 2, open their closed pulpit doors to non- man spake like this man !-A. T. P. episcopal evangelical ministers. For onrselves we are not very expectant as to any approach to Chinese Benevolence. An article organic nnion, or even very close fellowship-as in the London Times or recent date long as one denomination unchu'f'che8 another. has a pertinent discussion of Chinese If the things in which we differ are vital and fundamental, then they forbid not only unity but benevolence worth publishing. It fellowship. If tbey are not vital and funda- carries its own moral: mental, they should not shut our pulpits or our sacramental tables to our brethren. This is "Renevolenc.. the Chinese have placed at short logic, but we cannot see where the fallacy the head of their list of the five constant lies in the argument.-A. T. P. virtues. The written character which de- notes it is composed of the symbols for De Quincey has drawn a beautiful .. man' and" two,' by which is supposed line of distinction between the" lit- 1>0 be shadowed forth the view that benevoerature of knowledge and the litera- lence is something which ought to be develture of power." "What," he asks, oped by the contact of any two human "do you learn from 'Paradise Lost' ? beings with each other. It is by no means Nothing at all. What do you learn true, as might be supposed from a superfrom a cookery book? Something ficial examination, that tbere is no benevonew, something you did not know lence in Chinese practical life ; the forms of before, in every paragraph. But benevolence which have commended themwould you therefore put the wretch- selves to Chinese are fonndling hospitals, ed cookery'book on a higher level of refuges for lepers, for the aged, etc. But estimation than the divine poem? these are relatively rare. Nast soup kitch- What you owe to Milton is not any ens, which are set np anywhere and everyknowledge of which a million sepa- where when some great fiood or famine rate items are still but a million of calls for them, are familiar, as well as the advancing :steps on the same earthly dona1;ion of winter clothing to those who level; what you owe is power-that are destitute. Then there are societies for is, exercise and expansion to your providing coffins for those who are too poor own latent capacity of sympathy to buy them; for gathering human bones with the infinite, where every pulse which have become exposed in course of and each separate influx is a step up- time and giving them suitable burial; for ward-a step ascending, as upon Ja- gathering up paper on which there is writcob's ladder, from earth to mysteri- ing or printing that it may be burned and ons altitudes over the earth. All the thereby saved from desecration; for giving steps of knowledge, from the first to plasters of a mysterious nature to all applithe last, carry you farther on the cants; for presenting" virtue books,' etc. same plane, but could never mise But organized charities are few in number you one foot above your ancient level and narrow in their range of action, and of earth; whereas the very first step except the institutions above mentioned, in power is a flight, is an ascending into another element, where earth is Chinese chaNty is very intermittent. A forgotten !" typical example of Chinese benevolence is In the teachings of Jesus we have the curious ebullition of charity which the literature both of knowledge and tak"'" place on the eightiJ. day of the twelfth moon. Everyone who has accumulated a large quantity of benevolent impulses which h!<ve had no opportunity for their gratifica- tion is accustomed on that day to make the most liberal donations to all comers, of the very chl'oapest and poorest quality of soup, during about twelve hour~. This is called • practicing virtue,' and is considered a fifth. No.6, income, $54; given to idolatry mode of laying up merit. If the year is a good one people do not apply for soup, the $12.20' ratio, more than one·fifth. No.7, in: poorest of them having as good or better at home; but, all the same, the donors adver- come, $66.66%; gil'en to idolatry, $12.72; ratio, tise their intentions to practice virtue; and when the day ends and no one has asked less than one-fifth. No.8, income, $133.33%' for a bowl of the soup it is put into the broken jars out of which the pigs are fed, given to idolatry, $25.11 ; ratio, less than one: and the benevolent man closes his door feeling that he has beeu virtuous for the fifth. No.9, income, $48; giveu to idolatry year. The narrow range of Chinese charity is shown by the circumstance that asylums $20.22; ratio, less than two-fifths. ' for the weak-minded and insane, for the deaf and dumb, for varieties of disease, do Rev. J. L. Atkinson of Kobe, Japan, gives an not exist, and would remind a Chinaman of nothing he eYer saw or heard of. Chinese acconnt of a Japanese family which worshiped benevolence, indeed, has no heart in it; • that state of mind, in which practical the god Kanni.n lJaimiyo.jin-san. In Japan, a. philanthropy becomes an instinct, demanding opportunity to exhibit its workings, in China and India, it is common to have a god whenever the need of it is clearly perceived, may be said to be almost wholly for almost every object and virtne, and this very wanting among the Chinese.' " self-denying famjly had chosen the one named. We cannot but think this Chinese custom a parable for Christian na- The master of the house, on being questioned, tions. In our churches our benevolent uprisings are too often sup- gave the following account of the practice of his pressed, and wait for the annual collection, when a dish of weak soup household: dealt out to perishing millions is supposed to atone for the year's .. From ancient times my family has believed neglect.-A. T. P. in and worshiped 'the great bright god of self- Heathen and Christian Giving. Idolaters, restraiut.' We have alsomadeabox, and called whether from fear of their false gods, or from it 'the self-restraint box,' for the reception of the hope of physical, pecuniary or social gains, first-fruits and other percentages, all of which give far more to support heathenism than Chris- are offered to onr god. As to percentages this tians give to maintain and propagate the true faith. Dr. Scudder, long a missionary in Iudia, is our mode of proceeding: If I would buy a says: "The offerings made by the heathen to dollar garment, I manage by self-restraint and support their idolatry are far greater than those economy to get it for eigMy cents, and the rewhich are made by Christians to honor their maining' twenty cents I drop into the ~ self-redivine Master." Rev. J. L. Douglass, writing from Rangoon, BUrmah, says: "The whole straint box' ; Of, if I would give a five-dollar length of the empire is consecrated to idolatry. feast to my friends, I exercise self-restraint and The people spend thousands of dollars for pago- economy and give it for four, dropping the redas, and only tens for their owu homes." Rev. maining dollar into the box; Of, if I determine Mr. Noyes of China reports, in addition to the to build a house that shall cost one hundred dolvast sums paid for the support of Confucianism, lars, I exercise self-restraint and economy and Buddhism, and Taouism, more than $200,000,000 build it for eighty, putting the remaining twenty spent annually by the Chinese for the worship of dollars into the box as an offering to Kannin ancestors. He furnishes important data in the IJaimiyo.jin-san. And it is always my purpose Ohinese Recorder, the results of careful inves- thus. to make an ofier to my ~od twenty per tigation. Of nine persons he gives the annnal cent. of everything, hy the exercise of the virtues income of each, the yearly amount given to of self-restraint and economy. In proportion to idolatry, and the rabio-thus : my annual outlays the sum in this box is large or small. This year my outlays have been No.1, income, $120; I!'iven to idolatry, $29.30; ratio, almost one-quarter. No.2, illcome, $60; large; hence, by the practice of the virtues given to idolatry, $14.?4; ratio. almost one- named, the amount in the' self-restraint box' is quarter. No.3, income, $84,; given to idolntry, great. Yet, notwithstanding this, we are liviug $21.48; ratio, more than one-quarter. No.4, in comfort, peace and happiness." income, $60; given to idolatry, $21.69 ; ralio, more than one third. No.5, income, $33.33% ; Some native Christians in Japan, China, and given to idolatry, $7.31 ; ratio, more than one- India equal or exceed the ratios already quoted in giving to support the gospel, but most of them fall very much helow. A striking feature of the proceedings of the Missionary Confer- ences at Calcutta aud Osaka was the confession of certain missionaries of their failure to do their full dnty in this respect, and their resolve to act differently in the future. Already very marked results appear in the increased liberality 'of the native churches.
But the converts in the Foreign Mission fields have given more to the cause of Christ, in pro- portion to their means, than Christiau people at home. While many of the latter have abounded in the grace of giving, yet the withholding more than is meet is the rule, and the liberal givers are the exceptious. One cause of this is that many of the clergy do not educate their people in this duty. Bishop Stevens says: "'When I first went to Philadelphia as rector of a church there, I was called upon to present a great object to my congregation. I did so, knowing that they were wealthy, and expectin~ from them a Iibeml response. Afterward I called on several individuals, one a rich gentle- man, who, after some hesitation, promised me fifty dollars. Noticing my surprise. he said: • I see you are disappointed.' 'I am : I ex- pected a thousand dollars.' 'Well,' replied he, 'I have not been educated to j!ive.' I said, • You shall never have cause to say that again, By the blessinglof God I was enabled so to bring will press in, from mere curiosity and asthis great subject before my people, that when tonishment to hear a woman addressing a I was called to the Episcopate, there were few meeting. Christian women in, Japan have churches which would via with it iu the liberal- done incalculable service in promoting unity ity of its gifts for the support of the church of and peace in the chnrch. Christ." The women of Japan are not yet aspiring Women in Japan.-REV. JAMES H. for truth and purity so mnch as they are ambitious to stand side by side with women BALLAGH, at the annual meeting of of Occidental countries. But this ambition presents a tremendous leverage for their the Reformed Church Women's nplifting to a higher plane.
Board, said, referring to Psalm lxviii : The woman already referred to is Mrs. Louisa A. Pierson, a member of the Re- 11,12. formed Episcopal Church (Bishop Cheney's, Chicago), and a representative of the Wherever Woman begins her work the ·Women's Union lliission at Yokohama. enemies quail, and even kings flee apace. She conducts an English and Japanese All the elevation of woman in our day is young ladies' school, giving instruction in found mainly in what she is doing for the both languages, from the beginning to com- Lord. She has a mission, and in Him it cen- pletion in English, ending with psychology ters. Mary inaugurated it in her anointing and Bntler's analogy, algebra and geometry. of her Lord, pouring her ointment not on She lectures on the Old and New Testament his feet but his head. history and gi ves analyses of Romans and Panline epistles; carries on honse visita- In Japan there are 231 women at work tion and women's and other meetings daily; for Christ; 128 are wives, 103 are single. in vacation goes on evangelistic tours with There are 128 male married missionaries and a company of her trained workers in her' 20 single; some 21 voluntary workers, also Bible School for Women; holds meetings in women, making in all 400 Christian laborers, churches and theaters for both sexes; is of whom about three-fifths are women, and withal most womanly, a fluent speaker in these 240 Christian women represent the in- Japanese, and most powerful in prayer; a crease in that land in a single generation. poetess by nature and a most richly endowed When I went there there was only olle Chris- spirit by grace. She has received the Holy tian woman at work there. She went with Ghost and seeks to obtain larger gifts, Dr. Brown, hut removed to China, where she believes in healing by prayer and the speedy died. coming of the Lord.-A. T. P.
These women are distrihuted as follows: It is often said that we must Chris- The Northern Presbyterians have 34, of tianize the pagans or be pagani~ed whom 13 are married, 21 single; the Reformed Presbyterians 14, of whom 10 are ourselves. The Archbishop of Cantermarried and 4 single; the Woman's Union Mission has 5, all single; the Southern bury, at a meeiing in behalf of the Presbyterian German Reformed has 9, the Umted Presbyterian 3, alld the A.B.C.F.lI. Society for the Propagation of the has 45, of whom 24 are married and 21 single; the Methodists have 63, of whom 37 Gospel, took occasion to speak of the are married, 26 single; the Episcopalians 28. of whom 19 are married, 9 single; and heathenizing process to ,vhich Engthe Baptists 22, of whom 12 are married and 10 single. land was in danger of being sub- The school-work, mainly controlled by jected: women, has 29 boarding·schools, with 2,~'07 .. Go to the Temple, where the familiar pupils, and 2,895 pupils more in day schools, making in all 5,502 nnder lady teachers. sight of our barristers with their peculiar There are 247 Sunday-schools, with 3.000 costnme used formerly to be the only thing pupils. The .higher schools, like the Ferris we saw, and we find Some sixty Hindus and Woman's Union lliission and Methodist members of the Temple or Lincoln's-Inn, still seminaries, all work toward a high grade of remaining Hindus and heathen, in the cen … scholarship. ter of English civilization. Go, again, to another quarter of the city-to the East End In the Ferris Seminary no language but of London-to what is called the Oriental English is allowed. Of course the religious Home, where every specimen of the heathen character of all these schools is high. Then of the East is gathered together in consethere are four or five advanced sehools for quence of our merchandise with the Eitst, women, training them as Bible readers, etc. living here for nlOnths, mixing with our There is one woman alone, who has for 10 people; or follow Mr. Dickens into the Chinayears been laboring there continuously that man's shop and see there men smoking stands for efficiency higher than any other opium as if they were in the center of China; laborer, whether man or woman. or go elsewhere l1,nd meet a whole troupe of AIlJapan is open to women's work. It is aitllcult to hold a women's meeting-the men Japanese, and you will see that a man no and his barrow and donkey. And yet more requires to go to the extremities of the this man, who coflld spend his fortune earth to be convinced of the claims which and the fortune of his imperial faculthe heathen have upon us, and that in our ties for home work of every kind, had ,own metropolis we are brought so near a heart that beat for foreign ~issions heathenism of the worst class that unless with the quick pulse of aHenry we take some steps, instead of converting Martyn or a Robert Moffat, a standthe heathen the heathen will be converting ing proof of the fact that all true us. For this is not merely an imaginary mission work the world over is part idea. I am almost afraid to say it, but I of one grand whole.-A. T. P. cannot help thinking that this great prox- imity of the East to ourselves has somehow Rescued Slaves' Fund. or other infected the philosophy on which the yonng men feed in our great semina- THE KElTH-FALCONER MISSION, SOUTH rie. of learning, and that men of learning, from rubbing shoulders with men who alto- ARABIA. gether disbelieve in Christianity, have more toleration for that denial than they had in THE English gunboat Osprey recently the olden times; and that systems which have existed for centuries in the extreme captured three cargoes of slaves off the la.uds of heathenism are finding some sort of echo even among the literature and phi- island of Perim, which guards the Aden losophy of this Christian country." entrance to the Red Sea. The engagement The statue of the late Lord Shaftesbury in Westminster Abbey, un- was severe; the captains of two of the veiled by Lady Burdett – Coutts, is in face and posture a striking like- slave-dhows were killed. Fonr ofthe slaves ness of the late earl, in peer's robes and of full length, and, after the were killed and four wounded. When date of his birth and death, bears the inscription, "Endeared to his coun- brought to the Admiralty Court at Aden trymen by a long life spent in the cause of the helpless and suffering. they proved to be about 217 in number, 'LOVE-SERVE.' " These last two words fonned the motto on his crest, chiefly Abyssinian boys and girls from 10 and never perhaps did mortal man more beautifully exemplify the senti- to 20 years of age; capturE'd by the fierce ment of his coat of arms. In our recent stay of four months in England Mohammedan Gallas, and rnn across to we saw innumerable proofs of the in- weaving of Shaftesbury's life into Mocha to be sold for the vilest sexual purthe whole structure of British society. Identified in person with up- poses to the ·lIIohammedans. The British ward of sixty forms of benevolence and beneficence-institutions, organ- Resident at AdE'n offered the Keith-Falizations, societies, almshouses, or- phanages, mission halls, ragged coner Mission the care of the freed captives. schools, lodging houses, industrial institutes, €lvery conceivable form It acc'lpted 62 of them, all they dared to un. and method of reaching the poor-the wage-workers, the unfortunate and dertake to care for. The Foreign lIl:ission outcast classes, borrow his name as if it were a talisma.nic charm. Eyery Committee in Scotland appeal for a special costermonger wheels his barrow with the greater ease and hopeful- Rescued Slaves' Fund of at least £1,500, not ness a.s he thinks of the cOiter-ell-rl only for the support and Bible education of these Abyssmian youths, but for the other captives who, at such a center of the opera.
tions for suppressing the slave-trade at Aden, will likely be pressed on the Keith- Falconer Mission.
Says the Committee: "Thi5 blessed Christ- like work is not new. It was begun by Dr.
John Wilson more than half a century ago. Of the two fugitive Abyssinians whom he fed at his own table and educated in the college 'which now bean.; his name. one, Maricha Warka, is the PrIme Minister of King Johannes, who in 1884 sent him as envoy to Queen Victoria. The son of the other is now receiving a Christian education in England at the hands of the British Government. Since we induced the Egyptian Khedive to make over his frontier Soudan dis- tricts to Kinl'( Johannes, and since the Italians have come into conflict with him at Massowah, it is more than ever important, for the future of pure Christianity in Eastern Africa, that Abys- siuia should enjoy the services of mauy of her own sons, who will do for her what the brothers Maricha aud Gabl'U Warka did.• I trust,' wrote Dr. Wilson, • they are not the only Christians connected with the Eastern churches exterior to India who will be pnt under our care.' Lord Napier of Magdala sent bim four more, rescued from slavery, and now God Himself, in His lov- ing providence, has given us tlle Privilege. of. trainingothers."-J. M. S. -. .
The Missionary Review of the World — January 1889
Rt. Hon. The Earl of
.MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD.
VOL. XII. No.t.-Old Series._ _JANUARY, _ _VOL. U. No. t.-New Serle•• I.-LITERATURE OF MISSIONS.
LOOKING BACKWARD AND FORWARD. [EDITORIAL. ] "OUR work is practically that small portion of God's eternal work and will which is allotted to us in our little corner of space and our short minute of time."
So spake Pasteur Monod, truly and tersely, at the late Mildmay Confer- ence. It is an august conception of service, that, in God's gTand sphere, there is a little segment, bearing our name and the date of this present YE(ar. The youthful Victoria, when the Archbishop of Canterbury came to announce her father's death and her own accession as Queen of Britain, begged him first of all to pray with her that she might take the throne and weal' the crown only as the servant of a Higher Sovereign. But when we rightly. conceive of our work, however humble, it becomes invested with a divine dignity. The rudest implement 01' instrument becomes a scepter. the bench of the workman or of the magistrate alike a throne, and the blouse and ermine alike a royal robe.
A tw~lvemonth since, this REVIEW, in its present enlarged and modified form, was, with many prayers and not without some fears, launched like a bark upon strange waters. The beginning of the new year naturally sug- gests a retrospect and a prospect.
Looking back, we thank God and take courage. At every step of the way we trace providential and gracious guidance and help. We undertook the work because we heard a loud call of God amt saw a great need of man. A Jericho lay before us to be taken for Christ's crown and covenant; but, between us and success rolled a stream neither narrow nor shallow. Believ- ing that the invisible and invincible Captain of the Lord's host was leading on, we set our foot in this Jordan and have gone over on dry ground. Every difficulty, when approached, has disappeared or been surmounted. Our sub- scription list has passed our most sanguine expectations. The public press has so cordially commended our work that scarce a word has found its way into print that has been controversial or even critical. Encomiums, that seemed almost extravagant, have come from the secretaries of great Mis- sion:;try Boards and the editors of other missionary magazines. Letters by the hundred have reached the editors and publishers, referring to our endeav- ors III the kindliest and most fraternal spirit; and contributions to our pages, often gratuitous, have been sent by men and. women who stand in the front rank. of the Church of Christ.
If we rightly read the signs of the times, it has been clearly demonstrated that just such a Review of universal missions is an imperative need of our day; and that in seeking to supply this need we were simply falling into our
LOOKING BACKWARD AND FORWARD
place in a divine plan. With the enlarged circulation and the increased excellence for which we both hope and strive, a career of increased and increasing usefulness opens before this messenger of the churches. We therefore, without hesitation, appeal to all lovers of Christ and His cause, to give us sympathetic and prayerful aid in our endeavor to furnish and diffuse missionary intelligence and in.spiration throughout the wide circle of the common Christian brotherhood.
What was said at the outset, one year ago, we now emphatically repeat, that this is with us no mere money-making scheme. Neitller of us would have considered that we had any time to give to a mere business venture however promising. One of us, besides filling the onerous position of literary editor of a large publishing house, was editing The Homiletic Review, whose ninety-six pages a month made additional editorial work by no means a sinecure. The other was pastor of a congregation where thousands of people look to him for work in pulpit and pastorate. With such tax already upon tongue and pen, such engrossing and absorbing work as this REVIEW demands would not even have been weighed in the mere balances of worldly gain. We had neither time nor money to invest in a literary enterprise, though it might promise pecuniary rewards. But we weighed the matter in God's scales, over against higher motives and compensations. The leading of God seemed singularly obvious. A network of providences entangled us as in a golden snare. A higher destiny-a divinity~shaped our ends, and we yielded to the pressure of duty, which is always also privilege. We believed strength would be given us, and it has been given.
The impression and conviction with which this enterprise was begun have only become deeper and stronger by the year's eXperience, viz.: that, in respect of missions, no greater need exists than that of the universal diffU8ion of information as to the facts of past and present missionary history. To know those facts, to be informed and keep informed and fully informed, as to the march of God and His hosts in all the earth, is, in effect, to quicken the pulse of the whole Church of Christ. In missions. Love is the skillful alchemist that turns knowledge into zeal and out of intelligence distils inspiration. If we would have more prayer we must know what to pray about and pray for; if we want more money we must know what open doors God is placing before us for the investment of consecrated capital, and what wondrous results He has wrought and is working with the merchant's millions, and even the widow's mites; if we waRt more men and women as workers, the mind and heart and conscience of disciples must be awakened from sleep and aroused from sluggishness, by the electric touch of thrilling facts. If we want more zeal, all true zeal is "according to knowledge" and consequent upon it. If we want the spirit of holy enterprise, doing and daring for God, missions must be exhibited as the enterprise of the Church, and it must be shown that no equal or proportionate investment of men, means and money ever brought returns so ample-all of which the logic of events stands ready to prove by the most overwhelming of arguments.
In a word, we believe that, if every true disciple could be continually confronted by a fresh bulletin of news from the world-wide field and kept familiar with the movements of every assaulting column now moving against Satan's citadels, all the workmen and all the money-both the per80nnel and materiel of war-would De voluntarily furnished for prosecuting this colossal campaign I To do our part of this work well-this is the absorbing question. To mix. UP the secular spirit with the Lord's work is fatal to a true and large success; and, above all other work, missions mean and demand self-sacrifice. We could no~ ask a large blessing upon any plans that had in view such gross pay as silver and gold. A Review, such as we conduct, i(not likely to be a money-making investment; if the necessary price of its production is met we are content, and any surplus would go to enrich its contents and cheapen its cost, and so enlarge its circulation and influence.
The time has come, moreover, for a Review of Missions that may take its place side by side with the ablest periodicals in the secular sphere. The gospel has found its way into Cresar's household, as well as into the jailer's family and Bethany's humble home. God is now calling the wise, the mighty, the noble, to the kingdom. Merchant princes, public leaders, statesmen, journalists, philosophers, generals, judges, sages, bow at the cradle of Christ as did the Eastern seers. Kings' daughters are among the honorable women who follow the Saviour and minister to Him of their substance, and at His right hand stands more than one queen in gold of ophir. Piety is not linked with stupidity and superstition, ignorance and imbecility. Even the infidel no longer sneers at the gospel as "fit only for women, children, and small men." The thoughtful, cultured classes of society are compelled to ask whence came that wonderful religion that illustrates the survival of the fittest because fittest to survive; that amazes the evolutionist by not being evolved at aU, but springing at once into maturity without development, and yet defies for eighteen centuries all improvement, either by addition or subtraction I And we are profoundly persuaded that a Review of Missions, properly conducted, will not only inform the ignorant and enlighten and educate the uncultivated, but may also command and compel the attention of the most intellectual and intelligent readers, and bring them into closer and more practical fellowship with mission work.
Such aims and objects necessitate no little outlay of brains and money and hard work. 'I'o these pages we invite first-class contributions, and we therefore offer propel' compensation. Culture is a costly product in the intellectual market. The pen that is dipped in liquid gold commands gold as the wages of its work and the means of refilling its magic inkstand. Literary work brings a high price because it is bought with a large sum. We cannot ask able writers to furnish us papers gratuitously, though some of them do so, unsolicited. We began this REVIEW determined that, whether it broug"ht us any compensation or not as editors, our contributors should be paid; and we have observed this rule, not only to the utmost limit of our resources, but beyond it.
There are some directions in which we need prompt and vigorous co-operation from the Christian public, and we ask every reader to give us aid.
1. First of all, we wish for our REVIEW a greatly enlarged circulation. The same cost of time and strength by which we now reach 10,000 subscribers, may as well avail for 100,000; and the larger the list of subscribers the smaller the relative cost of production, and therefore the less the price of the REVIEW. Every pastor ought to have a copy, and to secure its wide circulation in a congregation would double and treble the annual gifts to lllissions. Is there not in every church some godly man or woman who will try at least to collect enough money to supply the pastor with THE MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD? And with l:;Iow little labor might copy after copy find its way into the homes of leading families? The pastors are leaders, and missionary interest in any congregation seldom rises above their level. "But we greatly desire that in every family the news from the mission field may find eager readers, if not always paying subscribers. Let every subscriber, therefore, take pains to see that his copy is read outside the limits of his own home. After it has done service in his own household, let it be sent on its rounds, visiting homes where otherwise it would not find its way, to spread information and inspire interest.
If a pastor would take the trouble to suggest to his people the raising of a club and request a suitable person to take it in charge, our circulation would be trebled among them and they would get the REVIEW at a less price. Ten subscriptions for $15; or for 20 at $2 each, a large missionary map of the world, which is sold for $20 by its publishers, is given. And the map and the circulation of 20 copies of THE REVIEW for a year among his people would largely increase the interest in and the gifts to the missionary cause.
We crave help to enlarge our free list. We renew our appealfor a Review Mission Fund, by which we may furnish copies gratuitously, orat less than cost, to young men and women who are studying and preparing for work in the mission field. Whenever $1 is sent us, we add what is necessary to pay for a free copy, and place it where it will do the most good. In this way we last year put it into the hands of several hundred volunteers.
2. Secondly, we ask aid, from any quarter, in providing matter for the pages of THE REVIEW i and particularly information from all parts of the field. Accurate and prompt reports of the Lord's work in any land we cordially welcome, and if necessary will pay for. What we specially desire is, early and authentic reports from all the missionary societies of the world. If the Secretaries of these many societies will see to it that we are furnished with advance sheets of their annual reports, or a copy of the report itself when issued, we will invariably publish a careful abstract of it in the REVIEW. Many have done so, and we have, including the Woman's Boards, given the past year the latest authentic statistics of some 125 societies. We have not yet attained to the scientific form of the late Mr. Wilder's reports, but we hope in time greatly to exceed them in fullness and practical worth, if not in the element of scientific arrangement. But very much depends on the co-operation of the friends of missions, in the foreign fields and in the Boards and Societies at home. Let every reader remember that, in effect, he is one of the editors and publishers of this REVIEW; these pages are at his command to improve almost without limit. Give us a larger constituency and so a wider circulation; give us contributions from the whole field, reports of all existing societies, helpful suggestions, and in general a helping hand; and, to the last limit of our ability and resourCQS, we will make this MISSION- ARyREVIEW OF THE WORLD worthy of its name, and of the cordial place already accorded to it in the hearts of thousands of readers.
Never was the whole field of missions so inviting or the harvest so prom- ising. Never was the Church of Christ furnished with facilities so ample and abundant for the speedy and successful accomplishment of her work. Human thought and social changes move with a rapidity unknown in the lethargic ages of the past. There is a stirring of all the elements both of individual and national life; new conditions exist; new aspirations are awakened, and new developments are possible. The next decade of years will witness not only evolutions but revolutions that even now seem incredi- ble within so short a time. The Church of Christ must push all her forces' to the front, and lay a moulding hand on the plastic material of social life. The anointed tongue and the consecrated pen, the printed page and the living ep~tle, the Church and the school, the Christian family and the Chris- , tian home, must unite their witness to the power of the gospel in the eyes and ears of every creature.
CHRISTIAN MISSIONS AS THE ENTERPRISE OF THE CHURCH
I A word by way of apology. It has caused us no little painand.mortification that, in spite of our best endeavors, a few typographical errors have marred the pages of the REvmw hitherto. This has been owing to the fact that the printing-office which does our work has undergone, as all business establishments are liable to, frequent and radical changes during the year, resulting in more or less chaos and haste, over which we had no control. We are determined, however, that this state of things shall no longer exist.
CHRISTIAN MISSIONS AS THE ENTERP;EUSE OF THE CHURCH.
[EDITORIAL.-A. T. p.] To proclaim the gospel in aU the world and to every creature is, in the most emphatic sense, the one divine vocation of disciples. It is the King's business; not only as committed to us by the King Himself, and bearing the signature and seal of royal authority, but as the business which the King, first of all, Himself undertook. In all missions, the pio- , neer and exemplar, the inspiring leader and peerless worker, was and is our imperial Divine Captain. He compressed into one sentence His whole subjective biography: "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost." Luke likewise compressed into one sentence His whole objective history: H He went about doing good." All intelli- gent zeal in missions kindles its enthusiasm from the live coal brought from that celestial altar whereon the Lamb of God was offered in self- consuming devotion. The highest heroism is but a borrowed beauty; it only reflects luster from that face that shone with the supreme supernal glory of perfect unselfishness. The vindication and the inspiration of all missionary work are alike found in this: that He, the King of kings, emptied Himself of His divine attributes and divested' Himself of His divine glory and consented to the limitations of a human nature and an earthly life, that He might take the form of a servant and become obedient to death, even the death of the cross.
However loosely we may use that phrase, H cross-bearing," it has one, and only one, scriptural application: "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Christ took up the cross. That, to Him, meant self-sacrifice jor others' salvationj and it means that, and only that, to every follower or disciple. Life's petty annoyances and vexations, the daily trials of patience and tests of temper, may be spoken of as "our crosses," and everything that " crosses" us may be construed as a cross. But the Word of God authorizes no such breadth of application or interpretation; it knows noplurality oj crosses j the plural form of that word is never once :found in Scripture~ Moreover, it is not our cross, but His cross; or ours only as it is first His. To" bear the cross" after Him is to give up our- selves to a life, or if need be a death, as He did, for the sake of saving souls. Moses anticipated such oblivious self-offering when he plead: "And now, if thou wilt, forgive their sin-;' and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written." The true interpre- tation of that sublime intercession of the great Jewish 'lawgiver is not found in a desperate determinatioll to be identified with Israel even in their rejection; but, as we conceive, Moses was offering himself as a sacrifice for the sinning people with whom God was so justly incensed: "rather than not forgive them, blot me out of thy book!" Paul, long after and with far more light upon the glory of such divine altruism, said: "I could wish that myself were accursed from Ohrist for my brethren." That was bearing the cross; that was being crucified with Ohrist; that entitled the great apostle of the Gentiles to say: "From henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks (u'!"IrtLa'!"a) of the Lord Jesus."
This, then, is the business to which the King gave Himself, even unto death, and which He has entrusted to all disciples. First of all, we are to get salvation, and then to give it; and to get it that we may give it. Every disciple is called to be a co-worker with God the Father) a co-sufferer with God the Son, a co-witness with God the Holy Ghost,* in the saving of souls. Whatever other pursuit may claim our attention and endeavor, this is the one business of every disciple's life. This is his vocation; all other things are but avocations. This is the one and only legitimate calling deserving to "occupy" us "till He come." Until this truth and fact be acknowledged and felt-until this obligation and privilege become real and vivid, vital and vitalizing-there can be no adequate prosecution of the work of missions. Until then the impulse and impetus are lacking: there is no adequate motiv'e to become a motor to our personal and ecclesiastical machinery. Weare building without a base, and the whole structure is unstable.
But, on the other hand, let this conception of life, duty and responsibility take tenacious hold of every believer: I am called of God to bear the cross after Ohrist, to follow the same business which He followedseeking and saving the lost. Then let a holy affection-a passion for souls-set this conception on fire with the flame of love! And, before such a conviction, transfigured into such overpowering enthusiasm, the work of missions would advance as forest fires move, with the strides of a giant and the speed of the whirlwind, sweeping or melting all obstacles in its path, rapid and resistless as the march of God! Such will be the energy of our work for God, when we rightly conceive it, and receive into our hearts the omnipotence of its appeal, and of its impulsive and propulsive and expulsive passion for souls.
But another kindred result will follow: We shall take up missions with a new spirit of enterprise. That word, enterprise, has come to have a fixed and definite meaning. It suggests an undertaking of importa~ce, an arduous endeavor, with the acceptance of hazard or * See 1 Cor. iii: 9; Col. i: 24; John xv: 26,27. risk. It admits difficulty as a factor in the problem and hardihood as the price of success.
Christian missions represent the most colossal undertaking ever presented to the mind of man. Here is a world lying in the lap of the evil one, and entangled in his seductive snares as Samson was ill the net of Delilah's wantonness. Here are fifteen hundred millions of perishing people to be overtaken with· the gospel message, if at all; within the life-time of a generation. Yet Christ says to a comparatively few disciples: "Give ye them to eat," and yet what we have seems hopelessly inadequate provision for such a vast multitude. But there is the authority of the King; He certainly will not command what is impossible or even impracticable. With proper organization and distribution of this multitude into companies; with our few barley loaves brought to Him to be blessed, broken and mnltiplied as broken; with simple faith in His power and presence, and with implicit obedience to His Word, we may not only feed all these millions, but find fragments left in abundance; for the gospel provision strangely multiplies as it is divided.
All true enterprises are earnestly prosecuted. David said to * Abimelech: "The king's business requireth haste." And prompt- ness, celerity of movement, needs to be introduced into our way of doing the King's business, as a part of our loyal obedience to His command. In the book of Esther we are furnished with an example of the haste with which a royal decree may be carried out. t First the fatal word went forth at the prompting of wicked Haman-a decree of death-unto the King's lieutenants, the provincial governors and rulers, to every -people after their language; a copy of the, writing was published unto all people, aIld the posts went out, hastened by the King's commandment. Afterwards when that counter-decree of life was issued, written in the king's name and sealed with his signet, letters were dispatched by posts on horseback and riders on mules, camels and young dromedaries. There were 127 provinces to be reached ;- the empire of Ahasuerus stretched from the Danube and the Nile on the west to the Indus and the Ganges on the east, and from the Black Sea and the Caspian on the north to the P61:sian .Gulf and the Indian Ocean on the south – its length nearly two thousand and its breadth nearly one thousand miles. It was on the three and twentieth day of the month Sivan that the king's scribes were called to put that decree in writing; it had to be translated into every language represented in those provinces from Ethiopia to India; it had to be promulg-ctted with haste, and yet without one of those modern facilities which we possess. There were no printing-presses,. postal unions or telegraphs; no railro&ds or steamships. Every copy must be transcribed by hand, and borne by mes- * 1 Sam. xxi: 8. t Estheriii.-viii. sengers who could move no faster than horses and mules, camels and dromedaries could carry them. And yet, through all those 127 provinces that decree was actually published upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month Adar! Throughout that wide domain, to every Persian subject, that message of the king was thus born13 in less tha,n nine months I More than eighteen hundred and fifty years ago the King of kings issued a decree of salvation and bade His disciples bear the Word of life to every creature in all this world's vast empire. And now, after waiting with divine patience for nearly nineteen centuries, He sees threefourths ojthe htlman race yet without the knowledge of the good news of grace! It is plain without argument that the Ohurch of Ohrist has never yet, in any proper sense, attempted to solve this practical problem. When Dr. Duff declared that as yet we have been only" playing at missions," he meant that this world-wide work has never been seriously conducted as the enterprise of the Ohurch. We have not yet felt that the King's command is urgent and the King's business requireth haste. Were true, sound, sensible, practical business principles applied to this 'problem, no hindrance would be huge enough even to delay the prose- cution of the work solemnly committed to the Ohurch of Ohrist. And once more we record our solemn conviction that, with thorough organi- zation, sanctified resolve and practical co-operation throughout the Ohurch, the gospel may be preached as a witness, not only among all nations, but to every living creature, within the lifet'ime oj the present generation, or even before the present century closes.
In affirming this conviction we do not forget the wide extent of ter- ritory yet to be covered with gospel effort. There are unoccupied provinces, absolutely without a single missionary or mission station. Kurdistan with 3,000,000; Afghanistan with 8,000,000; Anam with 30,000,000; Africa, north of the Equator and west of the Nile basin, with 50,000,000 more; Thibet and Mongolia, virtually left to the dominion of the grand Lama; Arabia, over whose whole ex- tent floats the green flag of the False Prophet ;-these are some of the territories yet to be taken possession of in the name of Ohrist. A few years since Mr. Stevenson, of the Ohina Inland Mission, went from Bhamo, in Upper Burmah, to Ohungking in Ohuen, Ohina, a distance of over 1,000 miles, ,and for 500 miles north and south of his line of travel, only one station, K wei-Yang, then existed! Stanley in Africa, journeying from the Great Lakes in the east to the rapids of the Oongo, found not one native Ohristian in 7,000 miles of travel.
Even countries nominally fields of mission labor are not occupied. Siam, with eight or ten millions of impressible people, whose King, Ohulalangkorn, is the most intelligent and progressive ruler in Asia, and the active, generous friend and patron of the missionaries, has a few Baptists working among resident Ohinese in Bangkok, and less than a score of Presbyterians, constituting the sole working force to bring those millions to the knowledge of God; and yet Siam has single cities with 200,000 inhabitants where there is not one mission station or even evangelist; and such things as this are true after more than eighteen centuries of Christian history! – The wide area of unoccupied territory needs not dismay us. Africa and Asia together embrace less than 26,000,000 square miles, only about twelve or thirteen times as much as the Persian Empire in the days of Ahasuerus. If in those days the royal proclamation could be carried through the imperial dominions in nine months, what is to hin- der our bearing the gospel message through these two continents in nine years? With all our modern facilities and instrumentalities we could certainly cover a territory twelve times as large in a period twelve times as long!
This thought of a possible proclamation of the Word of life to every living creature before this century closes, we have sought to trumpet forth by tongue and pen for twenty years; and it has never yet been shown to be either impossible or impracticable. It can be done; it OUGHT to be done; it MUST be done. We must cross this Jordan of Selfishness and roll away this reproach of neglect at the Gilgal of a new consecration. We must resolutely marcq around Jericho and blow the gospel trumpet. Let men deride the fewness of our missionary band, and the foolishness of preaching. Let pagan priests and heathen phil- osophers ridicule the credulous faith that expects to see ancient systems fall before the peal of a Jubilee trump. God's word is pledged. "Lo, r am with you alway." The Church of Christ has but to undertake this work, in the energy of the Spirit and with the enterprise of a true consecration, and wonders will follow to which even Pentecost was but a prelude and precursor. Yes, thig- King's business requires haste. Be- hind that command, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature," there stands the majesty of imperial mtthority.
Such authority is itself urgency. He obeys not the King who does not move promptly, immediately. Celerity of movement is a necessary part of loyalty and fidelity. To move tardily at the King's command is next to open treason.
The opportunUy calls for haste. God sets before the Church an open door, great and effectual. While the command rings in our ears, "Go ye"! 10, silently but suddenly the iron gates of intolerance and igno- rance, bigotry and superstition, swing open as of their own accord. Ob- stacles that for a thousand years have stood like walls of adamant quickly disappear. But what is thus our opportune; hour is also Sa· tan's, and he appreciates and improves it, if we do not. Forward into these new openings he pushes his obedient servants, with all theirvari- ous agencies and instruments of destruction. He sends his emissaries to preach his anti-gospel and carryon his crusade of infidelity and immorality and set up his printing-presses to scatter the literature of death. Satan never lacks earnestness or enterprise in his work.
Meanwhile, what are we doing? Trifling with the whole matter of a world's evangelization; trifling on a magnificent scale! Since our Lord on Calvary breathed His dying prayer, fifty successive generations of human beings have passed away. In this awful aggregate twenty-five times the present population of the globe have perished without the gospel; and as yet the entire Christian Church sends less than 6,000 laborers into the foreign field and spends less than $12,000,000 a year on the world-wide work!
Never yet have we been in haste to enter even the most conspicuously open door. That word" opportunity" is full of ethical suggestiveness: ob, over against; portus, the harbor. The gospel ship lies at the very entrance of the harbor whose wide-stretching arms and open gates invite entrance, and where millions of people wait to welcome the gospel. While God's breezes blow toward the port and we have only to spread sail and speed on ward, we lie at anchor as if becalmed, or move so slowly and sluggishly that the barges of the vain pleasureseeker and the swift gall~ys of a piratical foe sweep past us and preoccupy the openings. Where is the enthusiasm of the Christian Ohurch ! Where our zeal for God, our sympathy for a lost race, our loyalty to our Lord, our sense of duty and responsibility!
Moreover, behold the King's couriers and posts, furnished by His providence, ready to do our bidding in hastening the King's business! First, the printing-press, what a magnificent help to evangelization, ready to multiply copies of the Word in any tongue, at a trifling cost and with incredible speed! . From a single steam-press thousands of copies may be produced every month, and tracts and religious books by the million pages. Here is a doubly useful messenger in the work of evangelization. It moves like a magic shuttle, to and fro. While it multiplies and scatters afar the message of the gospel, it spreads at home information of the workabroad. This courier of the King he never sent forth until the Dark Ages were giving place to the new dawn of the Reformation, and the Church was prepared to attend to the King's business. This courier we must use, as never hitherto, to scatter information of the King's work among disciples, as well as to scatter the leaves of the tree of life among the heathen. Information is the handmaid of evangelization. Thousands of intelligent disciples are ignorant of missions. One of the foremost philanthropists of England, to whom a copy of "The Crisis of Missions" was sent, wrote to the author: "I am sorry to confess that of the bulk of the facts which you present I have hitherto been entirely ignorant." No wonder the flame of zeal burns low when no fuel feeds its fires, and no oil fills its l~mps.
Money is another of the King's couriers. Consecrated capital is not only potent, it is well-nigh omnipotent. No marvel that Mammon is treated III the Bible as a rival god to Jehovah. Wealth suggests divine attributes-omnipotence, omnipresence, immortality, transforming en- I ergy. To have and to use money well is to multiply personal power a thousand fold, nay, to multiply one's self a thousand fold. The giver is potentially wherever his gift is. Sarah Hosmer's frugal savings educated six young men to preach the gospel in Oriental lands, and where they were she had her representatives and preached through them. A man recently died in New York City whose noble benefactious had spread so far that in not less than two hundred and fifty different places he was represented by a mission Sunday-school, a church, an asylum, a hospital, a college or seminary, or some other form of beneficence: his money made him virtually omnipresent as a benefactor. Money makes the giver also immortal. It represents not what is transient, but what is permanent. The good that men do with money lives after them; it is not interred with their bones. They who use it aright hold the lever of God, and lift a whole people to a loftier planemultiplying themselves indefinitely and rendering themselves practically present wherever their donations are doing work in their behalf ; and so even when dead their works do follow them, and they survive themselves!
If the King's business requires haste, there are ready facilities to meet the requirement. Sanctijied scholarsh-ip is another royal courier, pre- ' pared to mount the swift steeds of modern civilization and bear the divine tidings to every nation in its own native tongue. When Ohrist gave His command, he addressed humble, unlettered men. Since then the gospel has found its way into Cresar's household. Here are the princes of this world, the seers and.sages, bowing at the cross. The Bible has been translated into over three hundred languages and dialects. A Ohristian literature has been created and may be reproduced in any known language 6f earth. Steam has been harnessed to the gospel chariot-nay, even lightning waits to do the Ohurch's bidding. What are we waiting for? Twenty thousand millions of dollars lie. in the coffers of the Protestant church members of Great Britain and America; 3,000 young men and women are knocking at the doors of the church asking to be sent abroad; the whole world permits and invites missionary approach; there is every preparation for such universal movement and such rapid progress as no other century ever even forecast. WHAT IS THE OHURCH OF OHRIST WAITING FOR?
The necessity and feasibility of a grand campaign for Ohrist, with reference to the immediate occupation of all unoccupied fields, and the immediate proclamation of the gospel to every living soul, are beyond dispute. After a wide discussion by the ablest writers upon the subject of missions, the conviction is only established that the present crisis imperatively demands that the entire forces of the Christian Church should be enlisted and engaged in this glorious work. A spirit.
of consecrated enterprise must apply to this giant problem the best and soundest business principles; a system must be devised which shall prevent waste of time, money, and men, and economize and administer all the available forces of the Church. The imperial clarion of our tord, as with the peal of the last trnmp, summons all His hosts for the great crusade. , Nehemiah was a model organizer. He built up the broken walls of the Holy City, and with a small, poor remnant of the people finished the work in fifty-two days. The perfection of his organization was the secret of his success, and it embraced three grand principles: first, division of labor-every man at work over against his own door; sec- ondly, co-operation-all engaged in one work and operating upon one plan; thirdly, concentration-all at the sound of the trumpet rallying to defend any weak and assaulted point. Put those three principles into practice in the work of foreign missions, and we may build the wall of gospel witness around the world in a few years; we may push the advance of our missionary hosts so rapidly and systematically, that on every hill, in every valley, from equator to pules and from sea to sea, the gospel's silver trumpet shall sound.
Fifty years ago seven humble men in a shoemaker's shop in Hamburg undertook the work of evangelization on the principle of individual responsibility. In twenty years they had organized 50 churches, gathered 10,000 converts, distributed 400,000 Bibles and 8,000,000 pages of tracts, and preached the gospel to 50,000,000 of people. As they went from place to place the work grew, and new converts in- spired with similar zeal became helpers, so that a population as great as that of the United States, or of the Congo Free State, heard the gospel within those twenty years. If any are distrustful of mere arithmetic as applied to the problem of missions, here is a practi~al proof that it is perfectly feasible so to organize the work as to reach 100,000,000 of people every year, and that, too, with only an insignificant Gideon's band. An English preacher asked some British soldiers, "If Queen Vic- toria were to issue a proclamation, and, placing it in the hands of her army and navy, were to say, 'Go ye into all the world and proclaim it to every creature,' how long do you think it would take to do it?"
One of these brave fellows, accustomed to obey orders without hesita- tion or delay and at peril of life, promptly answered, " Well, I tkink we could manage it in about eighteen months."
There are, perhaps, in round numbers, thirty millions of Protestant church me:gJ.bers in the world. Could each of that number somehow reach thirty-three of the unsaved, the whole thousand million would be eva~gelized; and could each be brought to give one cent a day, our missionary treasuries would overflow with over one hundred millions of dollars every year. Of course we cannot depend upon enlisting in this " work all church members. Nominal Protestants include millions of mere professors, members of state churches, formalists and ritU(tlists, and millions more who, while they profess to be disciples, are actually immoral and infidel. But let us suppose that there are ten 'millions of true disciples who can be brought into line, and who by systematic effort can be made to furnish men and money for this work, even 1vith this tenth part oj Ohristendom the world may be evangelized bifore the twentieth century dawns.
Weare not responsible for conversion, but we are responsible for con- tact. We cannot compel any man to decide for Christ, but we may compel every man to decide one way or the other; that is, we may so bring to eyery human being the gospel message, that the responsibility is transferred from us to him, and that we are delivered from blood- guiltiness. God will take care of the results, if we do our duty. We are to preach this gospel everywhere" for a witness "-not coldly, officially, formally, but earnestly, prayerfully, lovingly. Christian churches, schools, institutions, homes, reared in the midst of pagan communities, constitute part of this" witness" to the power of the gospel; then, whether the gospel prove a savor of life or of death, our fidelity will not fail of its reward.
We repeat, that it is our solemn and mature conviction that before the close of this century the gospel might be brought into contact with every living soul; for if we could so organize and utilize ten millions of disciples as that everyone should be the means of reaching with the good tidings one hundred other souls, during the lifetime of this gen- eration all the present population of the globe would be evangelized; or, if the sublime purpose should inspire the whole Church to do this work before this century ends, each of this ten million believer::; has only to reach between eight and nine souls every year for the twelve years that remain. .
When Sir Thomas More's "Utopia" was first published there were some who construed the fiction as fact; and they said, "But there is among these Utopians no mansion of gospel truth: let us go and tell them the good news!" Is it not high time that we re~lized that the destitute and desperate condition of a lost race is fact and not fiction; and that, having the Bread of Life, we carry to the starving millions of earth's popUlation the gospel of salvation, with the promptness and holy haste which are the only fit way to attend to the King's business?
At the beginning of this new year, let us write on the very door- posts of our churches and houses, and on our gates, this grand motto: THE WHOLE WORLD TO BE EVANGELIZED IN THE PRESENT GENERATION.
" Let us go up at once and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it." The Earl of Shaftes~ury said: "During the latter part of
HENRY MARTYN
these centuries it has been in the power of those who hold the truth, having means enough, having knowledge enough, and having opportunity enough, to evangelize the globe fifty times over." Recent testimony is given by 120 nTtssionaries in China, representatives of twenty-one Protestant societies. They say: aWe want China emancipated from the thraldom of sin £n this generation. It is possible." Our Lord has said, "According to your faith be it unto you." The Ohurch of God can do it, if she be only faithful to her great commission. This statement comes from those who are intimately acquainted with the discouragements-who know the difficulties. And now" for the sake of the Name," that name which is above every name, "the love of Ohrist constraining us," let us go forth. Let the sublime faith and hope of such a grand result, under divine leadership, inspire our effort. Pastors, awake! Be yourselves flaming missionaries! From the lofty altitude of your own high devotion let the stream descend that shall raise every devout hearer to a higher level. Fan the slumbering embers of a smouldering missionary zeal-heap the facts like fuel on the fires. Make the coldest congregation hot with your own burning enthusiasm. Parents, bring up your children to see the dark places of the earth and the habitations of cruelty before their eyes, as Oarey's rude map confronted him on that sheet of leather in his cobbler's shop! Merchants, open your treasuries and pour out your money. Never was an altar that so consecrated the gift. Meanwhile, let the voice of prayer, as with tho mingling sound of multitudinous waves, surge against the throne of God!
HENRY MARTYN.
BY JAMES M. LUDLOW, D.D., EAST ORANGE, N. J.
IN the year 1812 a lone traveler, passing through Eastern Asia Minor, died at Tokat. His dragoman even did not know his full name, but scratched something like it upon a rude slab and went his way. The grave was soon covered by the sand from a mountain stream. They who buried him thought of him only as one of the millions who every year fan into forgotten graves. But this man was missed. Though but thirty-one years of age, he had struck the chord of heroic appreciation in England and America as almost no other man had. A statesman said: "His name is the one heroic name which adorns the annals of the English Ohurch from the days of Elizabeth to our own." His grave was sought; his body removed to a more public spot; a handsome monument reared, and inscribed with his praise in four languages. Lord Macaulay, with fine appreciation of the truly great in character coming from familiarity with the heroes of all ages, who thrills us with his lines on Horatius and Harry of Navarre, was affected to reverence by the story of this young man's life and wrote this epitaph: , " Here Martyn lies! In manhood's early bloom The Christian hero found a pagan tomb; Religion, sorrowing o'er her favorite son, Points to the glorious trophies which he won.
Eternal trophies, not with slaughter red, Not stained with tears by hopeless captives shed, But trophies of the cross. For that dear naJ1le Through every form of danger, death and shame, Onward he journeyed to a happier shore, Where danger, death and shame are known no more."
Henry Martyn was born in Oornwall, England, in 1781. At sixteen he entered Oambridge University. He was intensely ambitious, and was nettled because at the early examinations he took only the second position. But at twenty he graduated as Senior Wrangler, with the first honor.
He could, however, apply his mind better than control his passionate nature. Angered one day he threw a large knife at a comrade, who dodged it, and let it stick quivering in the wall, instead of in the intended victim's heart. He was self-willed even to obstinacy and surliness to his father. No natural saint was he.
His after saintliness was not due to development, but total change, point-blank conversion. Its occasio,n was the death of his father, and the thought that it was now too late to ask from those cold lips forgiveness for his undutiful conduct. He could only go to God for it. But, having once come before that throne, and felt upon his soul the shadow of God's condemnation for sin, all his pride was crushed; having felt the light of God's countenance reconciled, his soul was ever after filled with gratitude and love. From this time Martyn was another man. 'rhat strong willfulness became strong willingness, as he gave his whole being up to his Redeemer. He was ambitious still, but he had now an Over-lord, even Ohrist. His favorite text was" Seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not, saith the Lord." So thoroughly did he belong to Ohrist that selfish honors no longer pleased him. When he graduated first in his class, he wrote: "I obtained my highest wishes, but was surprised to find I had grasped a shadow." His energy was not lessened, rather intensified, by having higher appeals, those of conscience and service, added to natural desire; and his faculties were new-fired by his communion with the Holy Spirit. Yet he was not without tremendous temptations from his old ambition. For a while he proposed to study law, "chiefly," he says, "because I could not consent to be poor for Ohrist's sake." But he did not know his newer self when he thought that way, and when the moment of decision came he turned his back upon all prospect of secular gain, and sought the ministry. He could not restrain his impulse for Ohristian service; it came out in daily incidents of conduct. He once rebuked a fellow student for sinful trifling. Speaking on the im1ulse, he thought he had overstepped propriety; but the honesty of his manner gave such weight to his rebuke that it led to his friend's conversion, and in after years they labored together in the foreign mission field.
But that was not the day of missionary interest such as now fills the Church. Carey had gone to India, the first English missionary there; and David Brainerd had laid down his life for Christ among the A.merican Indians. Vanderkemp was in South Africa. 'l'hese and a few others were then the far-scattered stars in what has now become resplendent galaxies of missionary heroes and martyrs in many lands.
To conceive the idea of being a missionary showed independence, enter- prise, courage, and far-sighted pioneer faith not required of those who now go out to help bring in the spoil of almost a century's campaign in pagan lands.
Martyn was in spirit alone in the world when he formed the missionary purpose, almost as much as when he lay down to die at Tokat. He loved his home; hearts close to his seemed necessary to the existence of his warm, affectionate nature. Could he break these ties? He was a man of most exquisite intellectual refinement, by genius a student, with a brilliant career awaiting him in a university chair, or as leader of a refined congregation. Could he give his life to the dull monotony of teaching the most degraded people the rudiments of decency and truth'? There was no glamour about the work. It was not a roseate outlook, but one of dirt and dreariness to anyone; and especially to a man physically weak, knowing that he inherited 'a tendency to disease that needed to be counteracted by tender living. He wrote, "This is what flesh cannot endure." There was one other obstacle, such as has determined the career of many a man. He was deeply attached to a lady of rarest worth in all that a noble man would seek ina wife.
His affection was returned. But she could not accompany him to the mission field. Thus to go was to isolate himself from everything which made life worth living, looked at from the standpoint of self.
Yet he said, "I will go," though he, quite naturally under the cir- cumstances, made that great offering of himself in the very words of Christ when expiring on Calvary, and of Stephen bowing his head to martyrdom, "Lord, into Thy hands I commend my spirit." Why not? The man then died to the world as truly as if he had mounted a funeral pyre. ,I In 1805 Henry Martyn sailed for India. Nine months were con- sumed in the journey, which took him across to South America and then back around Cape Good Hope. Much of the time was spent in hard study, mastering the Hindustani language, varied by burning fever as the fiery conflict of his thought consumed his very flesh. He tells us that the most helpful uninspired sentence he ever heard was one that he found at this time in Milner's" History of the Church" ; "To believe, to su:ffel', and to love was the primitive state," i.e., of the early Ohristians. This he made the purpose of his life. At the Oape of Good Hope he went ashore. A furious war was raging between the English and Dutch for the possession of that point. Amid the horrors of the battle-field, bending over the fallen forms of English, Dutch, or Hottentot braves, he had his baptismal experience of a kind of duty such as the elegant and thronged churches of England never gave him.
Arriving iu Oalcutta he"was felled by fever, and his weakened body became a source of discouragement overcome only by his deathless devotion. The horrid rites of widow burning and devil worship were then practiced. He said he "shivered as standing in the neighborhood of hell." English friends urged his remaining at Oalcntta, where he would meet with countrymen and could preach as much as he wished without danger, receiving a salary as army chaplain. But :Martyn determined to go to the heathen beyond, to whom others would not go.
For weeks he pushed his way in a little boat up the Ganges, during the day translating Scripture into Bengalee by the aid of his boatmen, at night talking of Ohrist to the natives on the shore. Passing into new provinces he found new dialects to be mastered. His rare scholarly habit and genius came to his help. At Dinapore we find this in his diary of a day: ":Morning in Sanscrit; afternoon, Bahar dialect; continued late at night writing on Parables in Bengalee. The wickedness and'cruelty of wa,sting a moment when so many nations are waiting till I do my work." He finds that he has use for Arabic, too, in dealing with :Mohammedans, and thflrefore masters that tongue. Then the Persian language is studied. The mau seems to have been a mingling of :Max :Muller and Livingstone.
Through the glaring sun he traversed the sandy plains of the Ganges hundreds of miles to Oawnpore, fainting, fevered, with a terrible disease developing in his chest. He preached statedly to the soldiers in the barracks, and at times the poor natives would gather by the thousand in front of his door to receive his alms and hear his addresses. A strange fascination went out from his person to all who came in contact with him. A fellow English Ohristian, speaking of :Martyn's ill health. said: "If I could make you live longer, I would give up any child I have, and myself into the bargain."
Physical nature could not endure the strain of that intense spirit, and :Martyn's condition necessitated his return to England. But ha was not quite satisfied with the correctness of his Persian translation of the New Testament, and therefore proposed to put in an intermediate journey to Persia to perfect it. Pale, emaciated, too weak to speak except in a low voice, he seemed to live only by force of soul. They beheld him" standing on the verge of another world, and ready to take his flight," rather than about to endure another earthly journey. His thirtieth birthday found him en 1'01100 for Persia. In his journal he says: "I am now at the age when the Saviour of men began His ministry-when John the Baptist called a nation to repentance. Let me now think for myself and act with energy. Hitherto I have made my youth and insignificance an excuse for sloth and imbecility; now let me have a character and act for God."
After several months he reached Persia. He was prostrated by sunstroke. Recovering sufficient strength, he penetrated the country. The thermometer in June ranged from 120 degrees to 126 degrees. He existed only by wrapping hip1self in heavy blankets to exclude the heat, or wet blankets to temper ~t. So he traversed the plains. Then over the mountains where the cold at night was piercing, but with a fire in his head, his skin dryas a cinder, his pulse almost convulsive.
Reaching Shiraz, the Persian seat of learning, he began a new translation of the Testament with the help of some intelligent Persian gentlemen. While doing this work he debated publicly with their great men, and wrote articles in reply to their chief books. Sharp arguments were sometimes inspersed with brick-bats hurled at his head. Withinthe year his translation was completed. He would lay it before the Persian king. To accomplish this another long journey was undertaken. To its natural hardship was added the danger to his life from the bigotry of the people, as they knew his mission to introduce a foreign religion. He one day attended a reception given by the Vizier, bringing his Bible. Vizier challenged him with "You had better say, 'God is God, and Mahomet is the prophet of God.'" Martyn replied, at the risk of losing his head, "God is God, and Jesus is the Son of God." The by-standel'S cried out, "What will you say when your tongue is burnt out for such blasphemy?" They would have trampled the Bible with their feet had not Martyn rescued the manuscript from the floor.
But'what was the use of antagonizing the prejudices of the people? Had we simply the· diary of Martyn we might only be able to say that his burning zeal would not permit him to be silent. Everywhere he went he must be talking about Christ. But there was a providence in his tongue that he knew not of. Years afterward Sir Robert Ker Porter, in journeying through Persia, was met by people who asked if he knew "the man of God," some one who had made an impression upon the people like that of a brief sojourn of an angel among them. They said ~'He came here in the midst of us, sat down encircled by our wise men, and made such remarks upon our Koran as cannot be answered. We want to know more about his religion and the book he left among us." At Shlraz, long after Martyn's death, there lived an accomplished Persian, Mohamed Ratem, who confessed that for years he had been secretly a Ohristian. He had been convinced, he said, by "a beardlesl!. youth; enfe~bled by disease; who ~ave him a book," which had sinc~ been his constant companion. It was a Persian New Testament, and on a blank leaf the name Henry Martyn.
Martyn probably knew nothing of his personal influence upon these people; as little as we know the result of our lives.
But to return to our narrative. He was out of money, and would have starved but for help from a poor muleteer. Burning with fever, aching with weariness, breathing with difficulty from the progress of his disease, he reached Tabriz, where the English ambassador received him. For two months Sir Gore Ousley and his lady watched by his bedside, until temporary return of strength allowed his departure. In the meantime the ambassador himself presented the New Testament in Persian to the king, by whom it was graciously received and publicly commended; since which it has shone as a day star of hope to Ohristian missions in that part of the world. England has spent millions of money and many lives of soldiers in Persia. but the work of Henry Martyn, though his face was hardly known to its people, has accomplished a thousand fold more.
His work done, the frail man started for home. Thirteen hundred miles overland must be traversed before he could reach even Oonstantinople. With a heartless dragoman and servant he started across burning plains, dangerous rivers, under the mighty peak of Mount Ararat, through dense forests, drenching rains and thieving villages, he rushed onward, though fainting, and always with the dread fever or chill. After a month or more of this sort of life, we find the last note in his journal, Oct. 6, 1812: "No horses to be had, I had unexpected repose. I sat in an orchard and thought with sweet comfort and peace of my God-in solitude my company, my friend and comforter. Oh! when shall time give place to eternity?" Ten days later he was dead. How he died no one knows, except that it was alone. There was no loving kiss of wife or sister or friend upon the chilling brow, but as they would say in the East, "God kissed him and drew out his soul."
Friends·in distant India waited for the coming of one who would never come. But the story of his work floated over the lands, and with it the story of his heroism. A thrill of missionary interest went through the Ohurch. The cause of evangelization received an impulse second to none since the early days of the English Reformation.
The story of Henry Martyn almost oppresses an ordJnary Ohristian. His spirituality was so refined that it is difficult to even appreciate it. It was like the rare atmosphere of mountain heights, hard for some to even breathe. His courage and concentration of purpose make our lives seem so weak and disconnected–like water spilled on the ground, compared with the torrent that turns a hundred factories. He was dead at thirty-two, having awakened a nation, and some of us are twice that age and have hardly begun to do anything for the great crying
IN THE LEVANT
world and Him who redeemed it. We cannot fol~ow Martyn; we are not brave enough, nor fine enough in moral fiber to take his luster. Let us, then, more deeply appreciate the lesson now carved in four languages upon his tomb in Tokat: "May travelers of all nations, as they step aside and look at this monument, be led to honor, love and serve the God and Saviour of this devoted missionary."
MISSIONS IN THE LEVANT: THEIR PROBLEMS, METHODS AND RESULTS.
BY REV. EDWIN M. BLISS. [OUR printer marred the first article by some serious errors. On page 889, 6th line from top, for" American historian," read Armenian Nestorian. Again, 8th line from the bottom of same page, for" American be an American," read, an Armenian be an Armenian. And again, page 890, near middle of page, for" Misairyeh," read Nusairyeh.-EDs.] II. THEIR METHODS.
THERE has never been a time when the methods of Christian work in every department, and especially in the foreign field, have been so sharply criticised as at the present. Not a few, looking over the vast fields covered by foreign missions, have received a sudden and startling revelation as to the amount still to be done, and have leaped to the conclusion that the reason why more has not been accomplished is that wrong methods have been used. Christianity, they say, is bound to conquer. Its equipment is of the best. The trouble is that its arms are not handled wisely. The tactics are faulty. Intelligent, help- ful criticism is welcomed by no class of men more than by foreign mis- sionaries; but criticism based upon an examination of one phase of a . many-sided problem, or gained in a hasty glance over the surface, is apt to be neither just nor helpful. 'fhe charges against foreign mis- sions that have recently broken out show such phenomenal ignorance of the methods in actual use, at least in the Levant, as to make them of little or no value. Th!3y are best refuted by a simple statement of facts.
The one principle underlying mission work as carried on in the Levant is that the kingdom of Christ is built up on individual life and character. Its aim is not the destruction of one system in order to establish another. It is not that Islamism is to be overthrown, but Moslems are to be converted. Not that corrupt, degenerate churches are to be brought back to pristine, or even better than pristine, purity, but individual Bulgarians, Armenians, Copts, Maronites, Nestorians are to be helped to lead Christian lives. False systems will doubtless fall, corrupt churches give place to purer ones; but that is a re.~ult, not an end in itself. The end is the development of individual Christian character. To this end are mission methods directed; by this principle are they to be judged.
The question then comes: Is the development which is sought a natural, normal one, or is it abnormal, stunted, twisted out of all recognition, So that the convertlld MOf;llem, the evangelical Greek or Jacobite becomes, not a Ohristian Oriental, but a something half way between Asiatic and European-a sort of religious hybrid, utterly incapable of reproduction; so that the moment the supporting influence of the foreign funds is withdrawn the genus disappear?
The answer to this again will come best from the consideration of the methods in use. These are: Bible Distribution, Evangelistic Preaching, Ohurch Organization, Education, Ohristian Literature.
BIBLE DISTRIBUTION.
Taking the position that the highest development of character ill built up on a personal knowledge of the Bible, it is held to be a prime essential that the Scriptures should be in the hands of every man, woman and child; should be not merely listened to from the pulpit, but read and studied in the home.
In the countries occupied by American missions in the Levant this fundamental work is done by the American Bible Society, and has three departments: Translation, Publication and Distribution,' To the former the best of scholarship is summoned, resulting in versions unexcelled for critical accuracy and fluency of idiom. There are: the Arabic, prepared at Beyroot, but reaching to the farthest bounds of Africa and Asia; the Turkish, Armenian and Bulgarian, at Oonstantinople ; the Syriac, at Oroomiah ; the Aherzijan Turkish and Ararat dialect of the Armenian, chiefly at Tiflis; the Persian, originally the work of Henry Martyn, now revised and much ~mproved; the Koordish Testament, prepared by a Koordish Armenian pastor in the valley of the Euphrates. In this work America and England have joined hands, now aividing, now sharing; each desirous of the one end-to reach every man in his own tongue with the story of the cross and the resurrection. Then comes publication. The needs of every class are carefully studied. The peasant of the Nile Valley has his Testament in type especially suited to the eyes blurred and almost blinded with opthalmia. The inquiring Bulgarian, rendered half skeptical by the statement of his priest, that the Protestants have wandered far from the venerated Slavic, has a Testament with both ancient and modern versions in parallel columns, that he may see for himself. On the shelves at the Bible House in Oonstantinople are the Scriptures in more than thirty languages and four hundred styles of printing and binding, that no one, whether he be officer of the Sultan's household, or villager on the mountains of Kurdistan, may say, "There is no Bible for me." Thus far the preparation. Then comes the direct work of distribution. Over one hundred colporteurs are employed by the American Bible Society, but every t6acher, pastor, missionary, is an assistant. These men aim to reach every reader in every city, town, village and hamlet, with the offer of the Bible. The distribution is not, however, gratuitous. A price is set upon every book, often far below its real cost, so as to bring it within rQach of the poorest, and that price is.demandod and received • from all. Except in special and rare cases, not a Bible or Testament, not even a Gospel, is given away. This is not because American Christians are unwilling to give, but because, in the experience of all, free distribution of the sacred books cuts at the very root!! of that selfrespect and sense of the Bible's worth, without which there can be no strong Christian character developed. It is also never forced upon the attention of any. Cordially, earnestly, kindly, is it offered;' but he who takes it must do so of his own free will, under no external pressure. Undoubtedly such pressure might be used as to greatly increase the sales. Sometimes it has been used, but always with loss rather than gain.
A half century of experience has shown that, as a rule, in the Levant, the best results. are reached from planting the Bible in individual hearts, rather than by sowing it broadcast.
EVANGELISTIC PREACHING.
Sometimes preceding the colporteur, sometimes accompanying, sometimes following him, always in heartiest sympathy with him, is the preacher. Now Methodist, now Presbyterian, again Congregationalist, or sturdy descendant of the Scotch Covenanter, with various names, but one heart; differing uniforms, but 'one flag. His one purpose to show the Bible as a rule of faith, but still more a guide in life. Hence, he seeks to understand and sympathize with the life about him. This was the hardest task of the missionary when he himself was the only preacher in the early days of the work. It is no easy thing to enter into the life of a strange people, get accustomed to new habits of thought and language, learn to put old truths in new lights, and none realize it so keenly as those who have tried it. One principle has been constantly made clearer. A man, to have genuine, lasting power with men, must be himself. Just so far as an American, in dealing with Turk or Arab, Greek or Jacobite, ceases to be an American, and becomes an Orient~l, just so far he loses his power to convince, persuade, help. This is not matter of theory only, but of experience. Over and over again has the effort been made to accord the daily life of the missionary to that of the people among whom he labors, and it has ever been demonstrated to be not only impracticable, but unwise. The missionary must remain a missionary. However deep and strong his sympathy with the people, he not only cannot, but he ought not to become one of them. His best power for good depends upon his preserving his own individuality, and that must be national as well as personal. With the growth of the work the physical impossibility of the missionary's reaching all who sought to learn became increasingly apparent. Thus has arisen a great body of native preachers-men drawn from every class and walk in life-who, gathering from personal contact with tlie missionary the influence of his life and thought, assimilating it to their own national character, go forth . to the thousands of their fellow-countrymen, and with them are devel-
oping a Christianity which is far more natural, and will prove far more permanent, than could be the case were the missionary the sole bearer of the gospel message. Of not less importance is the method adopted by these preachers. Its principle is entirely in accord with that underlying the work of Bible Distribution. It is not polemical. There are times when denunciation is needed, and then they do not fear to expose fearlessly the deceit and fraud by which ecclesiastical powers would blind the eyes of an ignorant people, and hold them in subservience to their own ends. This, however, is the exception, not the rule. The Moslem, drawn by curiosity or interest to attend an evangelical service, will not turn away repelled by what are to him harsh attacks upon the faith in which he has been nurtured.. The Armenian or Copt will hear no harangue against those who have hidden from him the Word of Life and held him fast in bonds woven in the cells of monk and anchorite. It is the want and duty of every day life, the consciousness of sin, the need of forgiveness and help, alone possible through a Redeemer; the hope of a blessed immortality. These are the topics of the preacher, by the earnest personal presentation of which he seeks to emphasize men's personal relations to God, develop the sense of personal responsibility, and secure the growth of personal character.
CHURCH ORGANIZATION.
The adoption of this as a distinct method of missionary work in the Levant, except in regard to the Moslem converts, was not a part of the original plan of missions, and is not now pressed to the forefront. The aim has been, so far as members of the Oriental churches were concerned, to help them to a Christian life, whatever their church connection might be. As a matter of fact, those who were thus influenced were unwilling to remain in the old comlllunions, and the priesthood were unwilling that they should, using the sharpest means of excommunication to drive them out. The formation of evangelical churches became thus a necessity, and has proved a most valuable method, not only of stimulating individual Christian hfe among their members, but of illustrating the broader relations that the Christian must sustain to the community and nation.
Under Moslem rule, church and civil life are identical. He who leaves his church leaves his nation, and heresy is treason. How to overcome this, and show that national life is properly independent of religious rites and ceremonies, has been a great problem, and the evangelical church organizations, by keeping distinctly aloof from political entanglements, have sought to show the true position of the Christian as a citizen. The formation of evangelical churches has served also as a method for developing that self-reliance which is essential to the permanence of the work commenced by the missionary and carried on by the native preacher. It has been the constant e:lfort of
MISSIONS IN THE LEVANT
the missionaries to throw upon these churches, as rapidly as possible, the whole responsibility of self-management and growth. Recognizing that mistakes are less dangerous than stagnation, they have left to them large liberty of organization, of creed and of worship, seeking not to bind, but to develop by influence rather than authority. Realizing, too, that self-support is an indispensable element of growth, they have aimed at such gradual withdrawal of foreign aid as would strengthen, without bringing too heavy a burden upon communities already overtaxed.
EDUCATION.
Over this method of missionary work there nas been very earnest discussion in every land. With little or no difference of opinion as to the necessity of some instruction, there has been a wide divergence of views in regard to the degree or amount of education that legitimately comes within the scope of a missionary society. The missionaries to the Levant found absolutely no system of education, even the most rudimentary. What instruction there was was in the hantls of the priesthood, and so warped by priestly craft as to be almost useless for the development of Ohristian character. The Ohristian teacher became thus the indispensable coadjutor of the preacher and colporteur. At first his work was simple. But with community growth developed community needs. The teacher himself had to be taught. An effort was made to confine this broader instruction to those who were themselves to go forth as instructors and leaders. The advantage, the necessity even, of the same opportunities for the people were realized to the full. It was a question not of what was wanted, but of what was possible. Mission funds and mission strength, being limited, must be concentrated upon the special objects to which they were devotedthe development of Ohristian life. The necessity of community se1£- support in order to self-development also entered mto the cousideration of the question. The result has been that the missions provide free schools only for the most pnmary education aud the training of preachers and teachers, and these are free only when absolutely necessary. Just as fast as possible the whole care and support of the lower grades of general schools are placed upon the community. Grants in aid of money, assistance in superintendence and counsel, are given cautiously, though not grudgingly. With regard to the higher education, the position that has been taken in general is that the running expenses must be met by the pupils. The missions may assist by giving the tme and labor of missionaries to the schools, but there must be such charges for tuition as may be reasonably expected to meet the actual expense of each scholar, apart from the salaries of the teachers. FOT collegiate education the Mission Boards assume no responsibIlity, except that in certain cases the American professors are enrolled among their missionaries, and occasional grants are made in consideration of ot the relief that these colleges give to the Boards in the trainmg a native ministry. The general support comes from tuition and endowments secured abroad.
There are thus four classes of what may fairly be called mission schools. 1. Those supported chiefly or entirely by the Mission Boards, for the specific purpose of religious training. 2. Those supported and controlled entirely by the native communities, for the general purposes of Christian education among the common people. 3. Schools of a higher grade, under the care of the Mission Boards, with such charges for tuition as are calculated to meet the general expenses. 4. Oolleges, independent of the Boards, yet in heartiest sympathy with them, working together to the one great end of building up Ohristian nations.
CHRISTIAN LITERATURE.
There are four lines in which foreign missions seek to meet the constantly growing needs of minds stimulated to activity by the opening up of new truths through the methods already spoken of. These are the preparation of text-books for use in schools, of books for distinctive religious instruction, general information and periodical literature. The text-books are based upon the latest advances in the science of ' education, and are a means not only of instruction to those pupils in the regular schools, but a revelation to the old communities of the wide sweep of a tnllyOhristian science. In the commentaries and books of devotion are met the questions that for centuries have stirred the intense thought and speculation of the East, mellowed and attuned to the duty of everyday life by the practical common sense of the West. The department of general l1terature has not been developed as all would desire, sImply because it is Impossible to do everything that it would be well to do. The lack here IS met in a degree by the periodical literature, cluefly in the form of weekly newspapers, that bring the newly formed growing churches and communities into contact with the activity and life of America and Europe. Steadily avoiding complications with political or religious strifes, aiming to bring forward that which is noblest and bes,t in life everywhere, these form a most vl}luable means of reaching multitudes who would stand aloof from colporteur, preacher or teacher, and serve as a bulwark against the rush of infidel publications that are to many the sole representations of the advanced intellectual life of the day.
This is but a brIef sketch of the Methods by which missionaries seek to lay the sure foundations of Ohristian life in the Levant. As a sketch it is by no means complete. There are many lines of action unmentioned. Each mission has to a degreee its own methods, adapted to Its own special needs, in accordance with its own habit of thought and life. In these general lines of action, however, all agree. Upon this principle all stand, that a permanent Ohristian church is built up on individual ChrIstian lives, that such lives .are developed only by 26 ENGLAND AND FORErGN MISSIONS. [JAN., individual personal influence. This work is slow work, but all foundation building is slow. It may be that some changes of method would be wise. If so, none will welcome advice and help more gladly than those who represent the churches of America on the foreign field. The tree is known by its frUlts; methods by their results. The results achieved through these methods by Foreign Missions in the Levant will form the subject of another paper.
ENGLAND AND FOREIGN MISSIONS.
BY THE REV. JAMES JOHNSTON, F. S. S., ENGLAND.
THE ARCHBISHOP OF YORK ON FOREIGN MISSIONS.
AT the annual meeting of the York Auxiliary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel on October 29th, the Archbishop delivered a rousing speech. He remarked that there must be something significant in the great gathering of bishops at the Lambeth Conference, and in the fact that, whereas in 1878 they mustered 100, in 1888 they mustered 145. The only wonder to him was that having in their midst such an undeniable evidence of the progress of missions they should have heard such a quantity of stuff talked about them-and, for his own part, he was quite sick of it. He could not follow the parts of the discussion into a debtor and creditor account of the amount of converts they had bought with their money, and he thought they had better forget it as soon as possible. They were in a sense obliged to those who had put them on their defense; but they could not avoid a certain measure of contempt for the turn the. discussion had taken. What did the increase in the bishops from 100 to 145 mean? It was not a mere numerical augmentation. A diocese meant ~not only a bIShop but an organization-a complete body of clergy requiring church government; and a diocese was never made before it was wanted, as far as he was aware. He thought it was quite absurd to talk about the failure of missions and the mismanagement of missions. Failures there would be. Mismanagement! There was mismanagement sometimes at home, and he did not see why the colonies and foreign parts were to be exempted from it. But, allowing for all that, there was a great and mighty progress for which they had done very lIttle; and if they had been punished for their neglect a century ago they would hardly have had much cause to complain of the chastening hand that sent that punishment. Why, since the Reformation down to the latter half of the last century, they might say that nothing at all was done for missions. A nation that for a couple of centuries neglected its duty had no rIght to complain, because when it did only a very little certain fruits were bestowed upon it, and those fruits not little, like the gifts, but great, like the love of God which sent them. They might all of them take courage. The subject of those objections had now been thoroughly consIdered, and it had done /
ENGLAND AND FOREIGN MISSIONS
no harm; quite the contrary, in his opinion. For good, or for less good, they could not possibly neglect missions. They confessed themselves infidel when they did so. As long as they believed the truth of the love of God they must tell other people of it-that from the nature of the case, unless they hated their brother. Therefore it was useless for them at that time of day to be haggling about the exact products of missions. Whether they had gained an abundance of fruit or not, they ought to be up and doing. It was an undeniable fact that the fruits during the past twenty years had been far beyond those given them before that time.
THE BAPTIST UNION MISSIONS IN INDIA.
At the autumnal meetings held in Huddersfield early in October, Mr. John Barron, M. P., presided. After speaking of the necessity of increased missionary effort, he said that India was the first field of Baptist missionary enterprise, and they never could forget that God had honored them in that country beyond the most sanguine expectation of those who first entered on the work. Carey, in his labor of evangelization, met with discouragements not less trying than those. which were met with by their missionaries in the present day who were laboring in new countries. He fought against great difficulties and amidst great trials, but God blessed his e:tIorts and enabled him and those who labored with him to do a work in India, in connection not only with religious teaching but of educational work, the influence and· power of which were felt far and wide throughout that great country of India. In India the,English people had great responsibilities, and he was sorry to say that as far as Parliament was concerned that responsibility was neither fully recognized nor wholly met. If it were not for the permeating influence of Christian life in India-if India were left alone to the Government of this country-he feared that our position in India would not be nearly so secure as it was at the present day. India was at the present time open to influences of good and evil, and upon what the churches in this country did in promoting missionary work in India depended the future of India and the relation of that empire to this country.
The Rev. A. McKenna, dealing with the work that had been done in India, acknowledged the great assistance which had been rendered to missionaries in India by the civil and military authorities, who were the finest body of men in the world. There was not a single. man who was not in favor of progress.
The Rev. Bower Jones, of Bengal, said he had been appalled at the darkness in which India had for ages been plunged. During eighteen centuries but little had been done. There was a popUlation of two hundred and fifty millions in that empire, but no more than half a million have embraced the cause of Christ. The gospel had, however, fairly commenced its work of emancipation, an¢!. had lIghted up
THE MmAOLES OF MisSIONS. [JAN
the harems and zenanas. The condition of women in India was being improved, and there was less opposition to the propagation of the gospel.
COMMANDER CAMERON" ON THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC IN AFRICA.
At the Oanterbury Diocesan Oonference, held on October lOth, the gallant traveler gave a stirring history of the ruinous _effects of the drink traffic upon the native races in Africa. The four great evils of that county were, he said, slavery, gin, gunpowder and land-grabbing. The Africans, as a rule, were strongly addicted to a liking for strong drink, but he had never seen any illneys or delirium tremens arising from excessive drinking in the interior. A large proportion of the cargoes of ships trading on the west coast consisted of large red boxes from Hamburg full of liquor known as gin, but containing some vile chemical material. In the English colonies or Protectorates on the west coast the revenue chiefly consisted of excise and licensing duties. and it appeared to him that anyone who could pay for it could obtain a license. Thebeens abounded in the gold-digging districts, and in some of the smaller districts they actually f(jorced native teachers, sent out with the good intention of teaching people, to give way to the ruling vice, and not only to drink the gin themselves, but to trade in it. At the Oape itself "Oape smoke and the contents of the Hamburg steamers'~ were taking the heart out of the best native races, and on the east coast a large portion of the trade was in drink. Slavery, during the last few years, had been worse than ever before-whole districts being devastated-while at one camp of lJ'ippoo Tib, no fewer than fifty right arms had been seen nailed up, and his men were amusing themselves by shooting the slaves, who were afterwards cut up to feed the cannibals in the train of slave dealers. The loss of life in this trade was calculated at two millions a year. When traveling in Africa he himself opened up many routes which slave dealers had taken advantage of. He hoped to be able to do something to reparir the mischief, and if he could not get his idea carried out he might adopt the suggestion of Gordon, and form a colony at r~ake Nyanza to fight against slavery.
THE MIRAOLES OF MISSIONS.-NO. IX.
[EDITORIAL.-A. T. P.] SIGNS of THE SUPERNATURAL IN THE GENERAL WORK.
THE Resurrection of our Lord was established" by many infallible proofs." Not less unmistakable and unanswerable are the evidences of the coming of the Holy Ghost and of the presence of a supernatural providence in human history. Most of all may we see God's hand in mISSIOns.
Thus far we have sought to illustrate and exemplify this great truth in specific cases and on special fields. It may bel well, however, to take
1889;1 c THE MIRACLES OF
a wider glance and get a glimpse of His presence and presidence in the whole field and work of missions; and more especially as during this month our eyes are turned, not to anyone land or form of false faith, but sweep round the entire circle of the continents.
When science, as nature's interpreter, would show us her greatest wonders, she points to the crystal and the cell; one the mystery of inorganic symmetry, the other the miracle of organic life. When God would reveal to us the signs of His own handiwork, and prove to ns that through all the ages His unceasing purpose r1ns, He points us to the mystery of a symmetrical and crystalline historic unity and harmony which no human foresight could have planned and no human skill have wrought out; and then He points ns to holy lives which combine the beauty of the crystal with the living energy of the cell; which shine not with a cold, imprisoned luster, but with the radiance· of a living light.
Dionysius of H(l,licarnassus said: "History is phil9sophy teaching by examples." The Ohristian believer mounts higher and declares that history is God, teaching by His providence and grace. Nature does not bear marks of a designing mind and hand as clearly as human history, and pre-eminently the history of missionary enterprise reveals the plan and presence of an infinite God. No man with eyes open, and mind open to conviction, can long resist this evidence. The history of missions not only reveals miracles, it is itself a miracle. It is a demonstration and an illustration at the same time that, high above and far behind all human actors on the stage, is a divine director and controller. He shifts the changing scenery to suit every new act inc the drama of the ages; and he shifts the positions, yea, and the persons of the actors, too. When He wills, when His work demands it, and His time has fully come, they enter and take up their part; and, as surely, when He wills it and His time has fully come, they leave the stage and give place to others. "God buries His workmen but He carries on His work," is one of the sayings of John Wesley, carved on his monument in England's great Abbey. But it is not less true that He raises up a Pharaoh and Oyrus and girds those who have not known Him, to show forth His power in them, and in spite of them carryon His eternal covenant purpose.
Those who have read that fascinating story of "Life Among the Turks," by Dr. Oyrus Hamlin, will remember one of the myriad in- stances of the providential limitation of human power and tyranny. At a critimil point in the history of Turkish missions, the Sultan Mahmud suddenly startled the whole empire by an order for the expul- sion of the missionaries. The news fell like a thunderbolt unheralded by the lightning flash~ The order was so imperious and arbitrary, and Mahmud was so unreasonable and implacable, that even Mr. Brown, the Secretary of the American Legation, and Oommodore Porter gave over the cas~ as hopeless. Commodore Porter prepared a. dispatch to the Sublime Porte, acquiescing on behalf of the missionaries, for whom he could not venture to interpose. Just then, on the first of July, 1839, the Sultan himself died, at the very hour when the missionaries were waiting in suspense for the execution of the order! And at the same time his entire fleet was betrayed into the hands of the Pasha of Egypt, and the Ottoman army of 80,000 men was almost annihilated. Well may Dr. Hamlin exclaim: "A startling series of events that struck every heart with dismay"! Man proposes, but God disposes. A higher plan swallows up the lower, as Aaron's rod swallowed all the rest. Dr. Goodell had, in the very midnight of that trial hour, and before there was the first hint of a dawn, said in his own peculiar way:" The great Sultan of the universe can change aU this," and lo! it was done. H God blew, and they were scattered." The work of the missions was resumed with new courage; the exiles came back, and the execution of Mahmud's order of expulsion was never again referred to. The silence of the grave fell on the Sultan and his tyrannical decree alike. A h~gher hand was holding the invisible scepter.
And this is what we mean by the supernatural factor in missionary history. It may not manifest itself in any two cases in precisely the same way. Evil may at times be prevented, and at other times permitted and overruled. But the overrule is there.
" Careless seems the great Avenger; history's pages but record One death grapple in the darkness 'twixt old systems and the world. Truth forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne; Yet that scaffold sways the future; and, behind the dim unknown, Standeth God, amid the shadow, keeping watch above His own."
It would be impracticable within the necessary limits of this article to illustrate fully this general supervision of missions by an -Almighty Wisdom and Power; but it is to the mind of the writer a fact so vivid as to be well-nigh visible; and a few examples of this divine interposition will suffice for the present purpose of this paper.
1. The removal of obstacles and the opening doors of access to the nations.
2. The sudden and unaccountable subsidence of barriers at critical periods and. points.
3. The raising up of men and women previously prepared for work, as obviously prepared for them.
4. The theology of inventions-a divine plan in the development of the race and of human discovery.
5. The direct transformation of individual character and of entire communities.
6. The indirect results in the modifications of existing evils and the elevation of the entire social level.
7. The obvious overruling of human mistakes and failures, and even of bitter hostility and persecution, 8. The supernatural ordering of human lives, and the limitations of them when God's purpose is accomplished.
9. The evidences of a divine strategy extending through the ages and embracing the whole world.
10.. The turning of the crises of the kingdom in answer to prayer, and in a marked order of development.
11. The development of new agencies, organizations and instrumentalities at the precise hour of need.
12. The prophetic element in all these divine plans, making these developments not an evolution but a revolution.
Such are afew of these signs of the supernatural mind and hand in the history of missions. Let us b~iefly advert to some of them.
1. The progress of missions would have been impossible without the intervention of a higher power. When, a century ago, the Ohurch as a body took up the work of evangelizing the world, ten great obstacles stood in her way, to human view insurmountable. They may be classed under four heads: obstacles to approach, obstacles to intercourse, obstacles to impression, obstacles to action.
The world seemed locked against the Ohurch, and the Ohurch seemed indifferent to the condition of the world. Oonverts were punished with death; missionaries were martyrs; woman was shut up in harems; some races seemed too high, others too low, to be reached by the gospel. Now all these obstacles are down. Who has done it?
2. Barriers have sometimes gone down as though a continent had sunk to let the sea overflood the land. Hawaii had burned her idols while the Thaddeus was crossing the deep with the first band of missionaries. Japan was undergoing a civil revolution while Oommodore Perry was casting anchor in the harbor of Yeddo. Over and over again the missionaries have gone expecting to find gigantic barriers confronting them and have found only prostrate walls. Who has done it?
3. Men and women have been prepared for the work and the work for them when no human foresight could have shaped either for the other. Who fitted William Goodell to begin in 1831 that wonderful work in Oonstantinople which at that very time needed just such a pioneer! Who but God knew that in 1877 a famine would overspread Southern India, and that a civil engineer would be needed to complete that canal, and so give the starving thousands work; and that the engineer must be a Ohristian missionary who would teach the workmen of Jesus? and who was it raised up Mr. Clough to go there long before he knew why he was a civil engi~eer and felt so strangely drawn to that very station at Ongole? Who was it fitted the peg to the hole when he set Eli Smith in Syria, Robert Morrison in Ohina, Fidelia Fisk in Oroomiah, Lindley among the Zulhs, Moffat among the Boers, Duncan among the Indians of British Oolumbia, and Hunter Corbett amon~ the simple converts of C~efoo? (Jan all history show a more marked adaptation of the man and the place and the hour, than Robert W. McAll and Belleville and 1872, when the French nation was reacting from clericalism and imperialism and formalism, and yearning for a simple, positive, primitive gospel? Who did all this?
4. Look at the theology of inventions. How came the mariners compass, steam as a motor, the printing-press, and all subsequent sim-' ilar inventions and discoveries, to be withheld from the race until the- ology, anthropology and soteriology had fought their battles, and sociology was coming to the front; and until the Church of the I4Jfor- mation was preparing to give the Bible to every people and the press was indispensable; and to carry the gospel to earth's limits, and the compass and steam were needful? Nay, who withheld this continent from unveiling until the pilgrims were ready to settle New England!
5. Passing by for the present many other points already briefly stated, and emphasized in previous articles, behold the crises of the kingdom turned in answer to prayer. Time was when the Church itself was asleep. And such men as Gutzlaff and Carey and Jonathan Edwards laid siege to the throne of grace and the Church woke, and missions began on a world-wide scale. Then doors seemed shut and a few con- secrated men and women prayed, and within ten years the openings defied occupation-they were so many. Then there was need of men and money. Prayer again turned the crisis. Gifts that· for amount were never before equalled began to be consecrated, and an unparal- leled number of young men and young women began to offer them- selves. The women began to organize till their Boards cover the Chris- .. tian Church with their network; and the Y. M. O. A. ~nd its kindred organizations multiplied from one in 1844 to 3,800 in 1888. And now signs appeal' above the horizon of a period of general missionary intelli- gence and activity more marked than any during the last eighteen cen- turies. These are but a minute fraction-a fragment from the vast aggregate of testimony that the work of missions is the work of God, and the march of missions the march of God.
It will-be yet three years before we reach the year which marks the complet~ century since the Warwick Association made the first Monday of each month a "Monthly Concert" of prayer for the world's evan- gelization, and that first :,Foreign Missionary Society sent out William Carey to India. The Church might have compassed the world already had the faith of disciples been equal to the grandeur of God's promises. But, nevertheless, God has led, ruled, moved, swayed all through this century. He has shown His Word to be all-powerful, and His Spirit all-subduing, and His Providence all-controlling. The whole history has been His story; full of mystery because full of a mysterious God; full of power because full of an omnipotent God. 1.'his needs no argu- ment; it needs only an open eye and an obedient heart. To our own conception it is the supreme charm of missions and the supreme argu- ment for missions. It invest's the work with an awful dignity!
lIIISSION OAMPAIGN IN AMElUOA
MESSRS. TAYLOR AND RADCLIFFE'S MISSION CAMPAIGN IN AMERICA.
BY REGINALD RADCLIFFE, ESQ., ENGLAND. DEAR EDITORS: Many of your readers doubtless know something of the Chiba Inland Mission that has its headquarters in London. It was founded about twenty years ago by the Rev. J. Hudson Taylor, and he is now its Director, with a Council in London, and a Council of experienced missionaries in qhina. Mr. Taylor had previously been engaged as a missionary in China; sickness required him to return to England, and for a few years he was engaged inLondon by the British and Foreign Bible Society in translating, in conjunction with an Episcopal clergyman. While so occupied, a map of China was on view, and so he got a more comprehensive view of the vast needs of the interior of that mighty country than when engaged in China doing his own little personal work. This was so burdened upon his heart that he went round to the different missionary boards in Lonuon, endeavoring to get some one of them to take up the vast interior of China; but he did not succeed. Thus was he constrained, in fact, after much trembling and much prayer, almost forced to originate the China Inland Mission. From the first he determined, in order not to interfere and not to have the appearance of interfering with the other missionary boards, 1. That this new society should have no collections made for money at any of its meetings. 2. No collection books. 3. No one to be applied to for money for the Mission. 4. That the agents should be taken from different denominations, so that the mission should be unsectarian. God has prospered the little mission greatly; no difficulties from different denominations working happily in one great mission field have ever arisen. About three years since, the remarkable band of seven young men of the Cambridge University going out stirred the hearts of our young people, especially, as one of the band, Mr. Charles Studd, was a famous criclreter, and another, Mr. Stanley Smith, was the stroke oar of the Cambridge Eight, to row against Oxford, whilst another was a young cavalry officer, who, in answer to the question, "Why are you going out?" replied, "I read' If ye love me, keep my commandments; , I love Christ and so I am going." Some time after this Mr. Taylor was with a gathering of his missionary friends in China-they were giving a day to fasting and prayer, the next day to deliberation and examination of the wants of their enormous field, the thira day to fasting and prayer, then the next day to deliberation and examination, and so on for several days. They were also agreed that they would not override a minority by a majority; but though it might take much more time, prefer waiting till they were all of one accord. Well, one thing they were of one accord upon was that they could make accommodation to receive, in addition to their then number of about 190, 100 extra missionaries, and that there were ample openings for them. So they asked the Lord of the harvest for these 100, and that they should be dIspatched within a year, and that money to dispatch them should be sent in; for the mission as usual had none. There and then the assurance of faith was given that these requests were answered. Accordingly, within the year about 600 volunteers applied, and out of these 102 were selected and dispatched, and all the money needed was sent in without solicitation, except soliciting their Heavenly Father. It will be seen what a needful part was the money when it is stated that this mission will not go into debt to the extent of a single dollar.
Now, some little time after this a young American layman, Mr. H. W.
Frost, came over to ·London and took up his lodging close to the headquarters of the mission that he might learn its workings minutely. He tried to per- suade Mr. Hudson Taylor to visit America. But Mr. Taylor, full of his heavy work at headquarters and traveling over Britain and over China, hesitated to consent. But this young American could not be shaken off, and he and Mr. Taylor got on their knees for guidance, and thereafter Mr. Moody invited Mr. Taylor to his Conference at Northfield. Mr. Taylor then yielded to the solicitations of this young friend.
Having myself worked much together with Mr. Taylor in Britain he asked me to accompany him, and it was resolved that my wife and I should go, as well as Mr. Taylor's secretary, and his son, Mr. Howard Taylor, as also Mr.
George Studd, brother of the Mr. Charles Studd already mentioned, and also brothel' of Mr. K. Studd of London, who, about a year previously, went through a number of the American universities. At this same time Mr.
Wishard of the Y. M. C. A. came over to England and induced several Cambridge undet'graduates to cross the Atlantic to attend Mr. 1foody's Conference.
It would be hard for me just at this point to withhold recording with a grateful heart the very refreshing hospitality my wife and I have received from so many kind hosts and hostesses, both in the States and in Canada.
If my friend, Mr. Hudson Taylor, were beside me instead of being in another steamer on another ocean, I am sure most warmly would he join me. Indeed, it was his own suggestion, days before we had to part, that we should both have put our signatures to a joint letter, but the rush was so great the last few days that it was not practicable, yet the work seemed only commenced. But if we should never see your land again, we have formed friendships that are not likely ever to be forgotten.
The welcome afforded to Mr. Hudson Taylor, both in the United States and in Canada, by ministers, Young Men's Christian Associations, and private Christians, and the reception given to his novel and startling, but simple, childlike statements, have, indeed, been so gratifying as to make himself and his praying friends devoutly thankful-you way be sure that his praying friends are very many, scattered over the world. In fact, it is a great feature that at the London headquarters a crowded prayer-meeting is held from four to six every Saturday afternoon, where, by a large map and long pointer, each mission is pointed out and every missionary prayed for by name.
After leaving Mr. Moody's Convention at Northfield, from which two or three volunteered and were accepted for China by Mr. Taylor, an early place visited was a Bible Reading Convention at Niagara. Here there was a glorious response-ample scope was given for Mr. Taylor and another to plead for the heathen, and after he had left, Mr. R. P. Wilder arrived and spoke on the same subject. In conclusion, Mr. H. W. Frost had to write, telling Mr. Taylor that sufficient money had been given to support six missionaries to his China Inland Mission. The money having thus been pro- vided unasked, volunteers wet'e prayed for to consume it. It was soon found that the same Father could supply laborers as easily as he had supplied the money. I Laborers sprang up like willows by the water-courses-both men and women-especially in Canada, and not vel'Y distant from the region in which the Niagara Convention had been held. After careful consideration twenty were accepted by Mr. Taylor as associates of the China Inland Mission. Thirteen of these were ready to depart from Toronto. Mr. Taylor met with them and gave minute instructions, having arranged with Rev. Dr. Parsons of the Presbyterian Church of John Knox, in Toronto, for themselves and their frIends partaking of the Lord's Supper at nine in the evening, before their train left at eleven for Vancouver and China. Mr. Taylor could not be present with us, as he had still to give one day to Montreal, overtaking this band on the track for Vancouver. A sister from Mr. Moody's school had also to overtake the train, making the volunteers to sail across the Pacific with Mr. Taylor fourteen. After receidng the Lord's Supper there was an impressive scene at the depot, a great crowd singing hymns outside the cars and inside the cars, tender:partings; whilst outside simultaneous prayer for the departing ones and for those to follow the crowd-chiefly young men-repeating the petitions together, sentence by sentence. 'rhus at 11 P.M. the train slowly swept away for the China steamer to be met at Vancouver.
Besides these fourteen gone, and the six more accepted, one of whom is a Y. M. C. A. secretary, I have since received distinct intimation of 46 more that I believe are wishing to follow. There is little money to tempt anyone, viz., only about $250 a year for a sister, and about $50 more for a brother on account of his having to travel and live in inns more than a sister. The dressing, too, in Chinese costume cannot be a great inducement. This is not much to tempt an American or a Canadian. Yet I shall not be surprised if el'e long fully 100, including the twenty already fixed, soon follow those gone before.
Are not such men and women the best, the greatest friends, of the home churches? Can they go to real war without rousing their friends left at home to fight at home as they have never done before? Can they go without stirring up a far deeper interest in the American and Canadian Missionary Boards, not only for China, but also for India, for Africa, for the continent of America, etc.? Let them ever remember what noble missionaries these Boards have sent out, from Judson downwards, and what noble ones- perhaps not much heard of-they have now in the field. I have myself enjoyed their co-operation in Europe.
If we older men will not lead, 0, for the sake of Christ's dying wish, let these young ones lead us! 01' else, are not we older one!;! in flagrant disobedienc~? and I for one do not see how our churches in Britain may not sink lower and lower. Do speak out and show them that Christ has laid the responsibility on every converted soul to give the gospel to the heathen, and that we laymen cannot shift the responsibility 6if our shoulders upon the shoulders of ministers, or upon the shoulders of university men. Let us gladly accept settled ministers, who will lay down their charges. A vicar at Leeds, just before we left for America, laid down his charge in order to go out with the China Inland Mission. But for every such cultured man, and for every finished and cultured undergraduate, do we not need at least twenty men, who, like Spurgeon, Moody, or Carey, have never seen the inside of a col- lege, provided only they have the needed gifts, ;:tre already experienced in winning souls, are wholly surrendered to Christ as their king, and are full of the Holy Ghost?
THE Gustavus Adolphus Society of Germany, which aims specially to es- tablish Protestant churches in Roman Catholic countries, during the last fiftY-SIX years, has erected 1,398 churches and 691 school buildings. It re- ports immediate need of 314 more church buildings.
OPIUM IN CHINA
BRITISH OPIUM IN CHINA.
BY G. L. MASON, AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSION, HUCHOW, CHINA.
BRITISH Christians lead the world in beneficence. Their home charities are multiform, their foreign missions are everywhere. But the British Government, for the sake of revenue in India, persists in a course against a weaker nation which Canon Wilberforce pronounces "simply dastardly from beginning to end." John Bright and many other distinguished men express the same view. Christian opinion in China is fairly represented by a conservative Englishman, Archdeacon Monle of Shanghai, who says: "British authorities in India, fully knowing the attitude of the Chinese Government, deliberately engaged in the preparation of opium for China. with only two years intermission, continuously for sixty years." Americans, too, blush at sight of the Chinese caricature of an Englishman with a whiskey bottle in one hand and an opium ball in the other. In many ways so closely linked to Great Britain, and especially so in evangelization, it behooves American Christians also to know the facts and to labor and pray for the removal of this tremendous hindrance to missions and to honorable commerce and international good-will-a professed Christian government engaging in a trade which is a blighting curse to millions.
Since many may not have access to information, the following outline of events has been compiled, from personal study of the Chinese maritime customs' reports, from files of the Ohinese Repository, and from other trustworthy sources. As partisan statements have been made in books and newspapers, "that opium-smoking isas harmless as twiddling one's fingers," and that" Great Britain has not coerced China on account of opium," it may be well to remark that the writer is prepared to cite authority for every statement in this sketch.* Some hold that opium was first brought to China by the Arabs toward the close of the thirteenth century. But it was in small quantities, and" commonly used as a medicine before the trade with India commenced" in the eighteenth century. Previous to 1767 the trade was in the hands of Portuguese, but with an import of only about 200 chests a year, a chest being about 140 pounds. The habit of smoking was scarcely known. Even as late as 1830 large inland cities like Hangchow had no opium smOking-shops. Now that city has, approximately, 2,000. The very rapid growth of the habit and of the trade began when the East India Company regularly engaged in the business in 1773. In 1790 the importation reached 4,054 chests, twenty times the amount imported yearly previous to 1767. In 1799 it was 5,000 chests; in 1826, 9,969; about 1830, a yearly average of 16,800. In less than ten years just preceding the first Opium War the trade more than doubled, reaching 34,000 chests in 1836. In 1834 the East India Company closed its career, but other British officials continued the traffic, which has grown to 52,925 piculs in 1850 and 75,308 in 1880, a picul being 133~ pounds.
Smuggling is the proper term for this trade previous to 1860. In 1780 the British establised a depot near Macao on two vessels, a plan continued in later years, when armed vessels lay outside the ports, and delivered the opium to Chinese smugglers who had previously negotiated with American or British merchants living at the ports under consular protection. The East India Company entered upon the trade knowing it to be contraband.
* Besides the authorities named, any one desiring further information should see the Friend of China, London: Morgan & Scott; a small monthly. Also Th6 Truth .4lKrut Opium, London: Hodder", Stonghton.
BRITiSH OPIUM IN
For the Abbe Raynal (tr. i. 424) writes, as early as 1770: "The Chinese Emperors have suppressed it in their dominions, by condemning to the flames every vessel that imports this species of poison." The Emperor Kiahmg in 1796 issued an edict against it, and the prohibition was often renewed by imperial decree or high provincial authority (1799, 1809, 1820, 1836 and 1837) and the prohibition always based on moral grounds. "Severe prohibit<;>ry laws (1828) destroyed the trade temporarily and exasperated the British, who made some military demonstrations by sending armed vessels to Canton in 1831 and 1834. Meanwhile the contraband opium trade was fostered and the smugglers provided with armed ships."-American Cyclopcedia. See also British Encyclopcedia. In the penal code of 1830, strangling is the punishment for keeping an opium shop. In 1832 at Macao foreigners witnessed a case of its execution, the culprit being tied to a cross and strangled. ,_That the prohibition of 'the importation of opium or planting of the poppy was only partly successful among a heathen people is not strange. But is the fact that Chinese minor officials often connive with native and foreign smugglers any excuse whatever forthe relentless aim of the Bitish Government to thwart the often expressed and humane wish of the heathen government?
A crisis came in 1839. The Chinelie Imperial Commissioner Lin, at Canton, addressed a long letter to Queen Victoria, requesting her to interdictthe traffic. He also demanded as contraband, 20,283 chests of British opium, and by command of the emperor utterly destroyed it. This annihilation by money-loving Orientals, for the sake of a moral idea, of ten million dollars worth of salable property will shine in history as a deed of sublime heroism.
The British Encyclopedia calls it" a sufficient proof that the Mandarins were in earnest in their endeavor to suppress the trade. The few foreigners who were present were deeply impressed to witness this deliberate and solemn work of destruction, which occupied twenty days and took place in the presence of a great multitude of Chinese officials and people. Soon after this the British renewed the attempts to smuggle cargoes ashore. The merchants complained that the wholesale confiscation of the opium was sudden and unfair! a vain plea, for the storm had been gathering for years and was foreseen by all whose eyes were not blinded by gold. The seizure was the chief point of the casus belli.
In 1840 England declared war. At its close China had to cede the oppressor the island of Hongkong and pay twenty-one million dollars. Twelve millions of this were for England's war expenses, three millions for debts owed by Chinese to British merchants, and six millions partial payment for the opium destroyed. This outrageous robbery was perpetrated in the Treaty of Nankin (1842) and ratified the year following.
That the enforced opening of the five" treaty ports" to trade gave a great impulse to commerce and missions no one denies, but these benefits blind Western eyes to the cruel injustice of the war. At that time Sir H. Pottinger, British Minister, 'strove to get China to legalize the opium trade j and the Emperor Two-Kwang made answer in these pathetic and now historic words: "It is true that I cannot prevent the introduction of the flowing poison, but nothing will induce me to derive a revenue from the vice and misery of my people."
During the next fourteen years the unwelcome trade flourished, until in 1857, the Arrow, a smuggling vessel bearing the British flag, was fired upon. This furnished the pretext for the British bombardment of Canton. As if this were not enough, the English and French combined the next year and made an expedition up the river Pei-ho to Tientsin: Thus the capital
OPIUM IN CHINA
was in danger and the terror-stricken government felt obliged to yield to the persuasion of Lord Elgin and legalize the importation of British opium. The import duty was fixed at the low rate of thirty taels a chest, or about thirty cents a pound, the British agreeing not to carry the opium 'inland. This political villainy was ratified in the Convention of Peace at Pekin, October, 1860. Thus oppression scored a great triumph in Asia to offset the grand advance of liberty then about to take place in America. China again paid Eng-land an indemnity of $10,800,000 in gold, one-quarter of which was paid to the foreign merchants of Canton; also $6,000,000 to France. Is it strange that patriotic but uninformed Chinese would fain have excluded all foreigners, missionaries included, regarding the opium trade as a direct plot against the life of the.nation? 'fhis treaty secured the opening of five additional ports, through which missionaries might enter with the gospel and merchants with shiploads of opium.
The second opium war only riveted faster the chains of the demoralizing habit and trade. The government, discouraged, made few serious efforts after 1860 to repress native cultivation of the poppy. According to Consul Spence, in Sichuan province, government interference with the planting ceased about 1865. Bu:t in July, 1869, the Chinese Government made a pathetic appeal to the British Government. And in October, a "Supplementary Convention" was signed at Pekin by which, in consideration of China's reducing her duty on coal exported and for other commercial advantages, England should allow China to advance the import duty on opium from thirty to fifty taels. As though China had not the right to charge what duty she chose without asking leave! But this arrangement the British Government steadily refused to ratify, lest a higher duty might check the trade and thus lessen the revenue at Calcutta.
In 1876 occurs the Chefu Convention. China by this allows four more ports to be opened to trade, in return for which the British ambassador agrees that opium shall stand on a different footing from other goods as regards transit duties,inland, so as to enable China to check the internal traffic. The clauses of this convention in favor of foreigners were soon ratified. The one clause'in China's benefit was not. At length after seven years of evasion by England, the irritation felt in China and the anti-opium agitation in England caused an opening of official correspondence on the subject (January, 1883), Earl Granville writing to Marquis Tseng, the Chinese ambassador in London. China proposes in addition to thirty taels import duty, a uniform rate of eighty taels for internal transit dues. The noble earl objects, proposes seventy taels (April, 1883), and insists that China 'must guarantee not to hinder the trade by imposing further taxes inland. 0 shameful sight! a mighty Christian nation haggling with a weaker heathen government for easier terms on which to debauch its people! Tseng Claims (September, 1884) that China may raise the tax on opium to any figure she may think proper as soon as the drug shall have passed into Chinese hands. And why not? Not until July, 1885, was the agreement finally signed, to be in force four years. It came into effect February 1, 1887, more than ten years after the Chefu Convention. The import duty remains the same, thirty taels. But the fluctuating taxes formerly levied inland (the Lekin) a!'e now fixed at a uniform rate of eighty taels, and these dues also England allows China to collect at the ports; but China stipulates that British opium may pass inbud, unlike other goods, exempt from taxes, and that local licenses to sell sllall be at the same rate as for native opium.
This new arrangement has been hastily called a "settlement" of the vexed
BRITISH OPIUM IN
question. A total revenue of about $1.10 per pound, all due at the ports,' brings a little more mon~y than formerly into the treasury at Pekin. Butit also hastens the physical and moral ruin of multitudes. Nine and three quarter million pounds were imported in 1887,- an increase of nine pel' cent. on the average yearly amount from 1882 to 1886 under the former arrangement. The trade has now clearer official sanction. The authorities provide safe and cheap storage at ports, and untaxed transit inland. And the cancer is to strike its roots deeper into the nation's heart. In proof of this, read the Customs reports for 1887, how at various ports the new rule "benefits the trade"; how the trade "acquires stability" and "increased facility" and "great benefit"; while at Pakhoi the opium partly "takes the place of silver as a circulating medium." The Shanghai commissioner reports: " Transit passes are respected and the native dealers are sending the opium to more distant markets than ever."
That missionaries do not magnify the evils of opium to excuse the slow progress of missions let Sir Thomas Wade, ex-ambassador, testify: "The habit is many times more pernicious, nationally speaking, than the gin and whiskey drinking which we deplore at home"-a strong-er statement than missionaries make; still it is hard to decide which of the two habits produces the more misery. Forty-five million dollars spent in one year (1887) for foreign opium, and half of it spent by people unable to buy both opium and good food, means a wide extent of woe. Mr. Eason, of the China Inland Mission, says that in Yunnan Province half of the women and fourfifths of the men are smokers. When Baron Rich'toven is quoted that in Si-chuan Province as much opium is used as anywhere, and that nowhere are the effects so little seen, it is not explained that the climate of the mountains is salubrious and that the people of the river valleys are wealthy. It is among the poor, who cannot buy both food and opium, that the misery is most seen. Here is the exact parallel to the drink curse,-work neglected, debts unpaid, clothes and bed ill pawn, children and aged parents half starved. There are frequent instances of wives sold tp provide opium. In some parts of HucllOW, Chikiang, opium-ruined vagabonds have been a terror to the farmers. In that part of the city of Shanghai under the municipal contl'Olof Europeans more than 1,200 opium saloons were licensed in 1887. No wonder that the number of prisoners in jail was twenty-five per cent. greater than in 1886. The opium habit often co-exists with alcoholism in the same individuals. All vices thrive within the opium dens. Especially does the opium mania burn out of the man all capacity for truth. A professional burglar would be received to church membership in China as soon as would an opium user.
Foreigners, shielded by British civil or military officials, smuggled opium into China for seventy years. After two wars and the payment of vast indemnities the traffic was legalized, as the Grand Secretary, Li Hung-chang, said in 1881, "not from choice, but because China submitted to the adverse decision of arms." Yet apologists say that China's concessions have been voluntary. As well call the delivery of one's put'seto a highwayman voluntary, That the Chinese submitted at all graciously only illustrates their pt'overb "The legless man who meets a tiger might as well make a present of himself." After 1860, for twenty-five years, British influence prevented China from raising the duty even to a .partiallY prohibitory rate. Finally in 1885-7 a new arrangement was made which friends of China hoped might be somewhat of a check to the trade, but which ill the working seems to be rather a strengthening of eVIl. But it is an arrangement for four years only
TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN MISSIONARY MAGAZINES
and the question will be re-opened. Meanwhile let the Christian world con-' tinue in prayer that God may touch the conscience of all concerned. Parties to the gt'eat sin are not only opium merchants, but the Indian officials who, in Bengal, by subsidies, assist planters of the poppy, and who buy the whole opium crop and prepare it in government workshops expressly for the Chinese market. In this sin Christian England also shares; for" under the specious name of the home charges of the Indian Government, England is annually exacting a tribute of fourteen. millions sterling from India" (Friend of Ohina. April, 1888). And England's sin and England's punishment, unless she repents, more or less involve all Christendom. Our sharing of responsibility and the Chinese feeling were vividly impressed on the writer once when preaching on the street in Shashing. Hell was mentioned and a fine looking elderly man exclaimed with equal courJl.ge and severity: "Yes, there is such a place. Since you foreigners came, Ohina has become a hell!"
TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN MISSIONARY MAGAZINES.
BY REV. CHAS. C. STARBUCK, ANDOVER, MASS.
THE Evangelisch-Lutherisches Missions-Blatt says: "Can one live to be old in India f Whoever brings with him a good constitntion, and lives regnlarlyand temperately, can, by God's good providence, even in India. reach an advanced age. The old Dano-Halle Missionary Kohlhoff labored in India 53 years, his son 57. his son 60, C. F. Schwarz 47. Similar examples of long life in India and Burmah are to be found in more recent times also, though not so frequently as in the last century; our Senior Schwarz lived in India 44, Kremmer 47 years. There lately died in Kottajam in Travancore, Mrs. Baker, granddaughter of the elder Koh- 10ff, who in 1819 established a girls' school in Kottajam, and conducted it for 69 years I Mr. Rice. of the L. M. S., lived to celebrate the semi-centennial jubilee of his missionary service, and this year, on the 9th of February, the same honor arrived to the missionary bishop, Caldwell, of the S. P. E.,who may well be regarded as one of the most valuable missionaries in South India, an experienced administrator and an eminent lingnist. He has lately pnblished his remembrances in the Madras MaU, from which we extract the following: • As a youth of lour-and-twenty he landed on the 8th of January, 1838, in Madras, where he remained three and one-half years. His first business there was, of course, to study the language. He ,rapidly made himself master of the two dialects of Tamil, the classical, and the vernacular dialect, and laid an especial stress upon right pronunciation. which to an English tongue offers double difficulties. • • • His first practical work was among the native domestics of the English. Noteworthy is the missionary method which he then recognized as the true one, and which he has maintained through life: 'My plan was to make the congregation the middle point of my whole missionary activity. With the assistance of my native helpers I made it my endeavor to exhort and induce individuals to unite themselves with our congregation. As soon as we had won, instructed and baptized a proselyte. I urged him to bring to us all his relatives and friends. We hoped that in this way eacb new proselyte would become a shining light, around which others would gather. The plan succeeded beyond expectation, and soon the congregation was too nnmerous for the building.' He makes little account of stl'eet-preachings in great cities. •They do not reach the higher castes, and the direct fruit is in no proportion to tbe labor given. I never heard of a case in which any abiding blessing has resulted from this sort of effort.' In 1841 he removed to Tinnevelly. He made the journey on foot, passing throngh Tranqucbar. In his account of this journey there occurs a most unwarranted attack upon onr mission, which he accuses of proselyting efforts among the adherents of the Propagation Society. He shows, thereby. that he, too, has allowed himselfto be carried away by the intolerant spirit of this SOCiety, which is . well inclined to claim aU India as its domain. and while its missions are always ready to encroach upon other fields of labor (as, for instance, in the Kohl Mission) would not even concede' to the Tamils of Lutheran views the liberty of returning to their mother church. • . . Yet Dr. Caldwell, long ago, was one of the few English missionaries who maintained the sonndness of the principles of our mission in regard to the question of caste; a view which, in later times, has gained more and more snpport among them.
"In Tinne.elly he made Idyengudy (Shepherdhome). near Cape Comorin. the center of his resuUful activity. He gathered a great number of Christians out of the surrounding heathen. The congregations nnder his presidency have multiplied tenfold, increasing from 14 to 129, and the number of souls eightfold, from 1,201 to 8,167. The whole number of Tinnevelly Christians connected with the Propagation SOCiety had risen from 4,352. in 1841, to 39,577. To this increase the famine year, 1877-8, bas contributed not a little, for during this the number of souls of this mission, as well as of that of the C. M. S., was nearly doubled. His like-minded wife, a missionary's daughter, contributed not a little to this great success. She helped especially in the education of the girls and elevation of the female sex. She introduced into her girls' school the weaving of lace, in which her scholars attained very considerable skill. Dr. Caldwell's example shows what, in India, the right man in the right place can accomplish, when he is able to remain for a good long while, and so take root. In 1877 he, with his fellow· missionary, Sargent (of Talamcottah) was con- secrated in Calcutta as missionary bishop-hoth being suffragan~ to the Bishop of Madras. He has since then ordained 51 native pastors, and removed his residence to Tutticorin.
" He says that he was never thoronghly well. And yet he has held ont so long in one of the hottest districts of India. For it may be said of Tinnevelly that it has in the year •three months hot weather and nine months hotter.' Yet, strangely enough, he once, during a· furlough in England, had a sunstroke while driving in an open carriage. Sunstrokes are more common where the heat.
is variable. . He has had his share of trouble to bear. Especially since his appointment to the episcopate he has had so much hostility and opprobrium to undergo at the hands of the Christ- ians of his own charge, who felt themselves wounded in their caste pride by his reports, that it is no wonder if he compares himself with the tree of Jotham's parable, who was asked to reign over the other trees. But he concludes his reminiscences with the sentence: •Every year spent in God's service should be regarded as a jubilee year.' "
M. Weitzecker, describing the dedication of a Bassuto Church, writes • •• A numerous company of horsemen approaches, who, on drawing near the village, bring their horses to a walk, close up ~heir ranks, and advance singing. They are our Christians, of whom several took part five years ago in burning and plundering the neighboring village, the capital of this chief. But now no one flees at their approach, and behind this loophole wall, raised to guard against them, no one makes ready to fire upon them or to bar their entrance. On their side they carry neither guns nor assegais nor hatchets nor clubs, and they intone, not a song of war, but a hymn of peace. . . . Soon the women and young girls approach on foot, they also singing. They can, I cannot, for emotion chokes my voice when I remember how often I have seen these very ones fly trembling before the very chief whose domain they now enter with songs."
M. Coillard, of the Zambesi Mission, relates a fact respecting Lewanika, the Zambesi king, powerfully illustrating the tender mercies of the wicked. He lately sent a message to the missionary, assuring him that he had taken to heart his rebuke of him for killing people secretly, and that accordingly, finding hidden in the woods seven children of rebels, he had simply administered to them beer which had been poisoned before their eyes, and had then ordered them to be transported to an islet of the river, and left to die at their leisure! Well may M. Coillard say: "You see in what an atmosphere we live; our heaven would be of lead without the light of the countenance of God; our isolation would be insupportable without the communion ot the Saviour, and, let us add, without the communion of the saints."
The Allgemeine Missions-Zeitschrift says: "It is now often the fashion to speak disparagingly of the old pietists. This is, in the first place, very unthankful, for in missions, above all things, we are standing on their shoulders. The fathers of the present German missions were pietists. It is, moreover, immodest; for, looking at many of these pietistic fathers, we must say: We are not worthy to unloose their shoe-latchets. Grant that they were one-sided; but this one-sidedness consisted in an exclusive emphasis laid on" the one thing which is needfu1." We have become more broad-minded; but does there go out more virtue from us! We broad-minded people have always something to be' learning afresh from these one-sided pietists, namely, more selflimitation to the one necessary thing, more burning love of Jesus, more edifying application of the Word of God to ourselves, more zeal in prayer, a fuller victory over the world, and al80 more renunciation of the world. without, indeed, being altogether obliged to follow them in their avoidance of the world. These pietistic fathers sat at Jesus' feet, and did at the·same time zealous Martha service; they withdrew themselves from the world, and were yet a >alt of the earth and a light of the world. Therefore it is that, despite all the disparagement With which they treated the world, and despite all the one-sidedness with which they avoided the world, they have so much abiding fruit to witness to them."
The Zeitschrijt also says: "It is, indeed, a matter of great joy, and is worthy of all acknowledgment, that we are so inventive in trying ever more, ever newer, a.nd ever more expeditious ways of drawin~ larger and larger circles iuto an interest for missions; hut independently of the fact that many of these ways already draw very ·near to the bounds of a dubious secularizliotioll. tley are also only too apt to induce neglect in gathering and caring for the "little flock," to which it is the pleasure of our He",venly Father to give the kingdom, and which, there_ fore, at all times and in all places, remains the corpa d'elite, with which the missionary cause wins its victories. To gather and maintain this corps d'elite is above all things the heart of the work."
Again.: .. It is also quite to be approved, when we make it a point, not only to refute tha many ignorant prejudices against missions, and the many malicious misrepresentations which are always springing up afresh with regard to them, but when we also set before those who a.s yet do not appreciate the religious value of missions, the manifold incidental benefits which have redounded by their means to science, commerce, colonization and civilization generally. Doubtless in this way many a one can ana will be introduced more deeply into the cause and converted into a warm and vigorous friend of missions. Yet, if such efforts are prosecuted withont reference, or with only a timid reference to the religious motives and aims of missions, we forget that the deep r08ts of our strength are found only in the living obedience of faith, whose meat it is to do the will of God. If we forget this, all our tricks of persuasion are mefe cobwebs. It is the labor of Sisypus to be always pushing the hands of the clock from without."
"The lack which is made plain by the common complaint that nothing but the driver's stick will bring in collections, will not be made good by always contriving new ways: It rather sets home tous: You must make it more and more exclusively your aim to dig living weU.! And these are living wells: men who have the driver within themselves, of whom it is true that· the love of Christ constraineth' them; men of faith, whose faith brings them to obedience."
"Missionary narrative and history is excellent. It is the three measures of meal. But the leaven of this must be found in "the Word." This must be the chief thing. The sainted Lewis Harris has given the cause of missions in Hermannsburg an abiding root, because he was earnestly and powerfully bent on doing the central work in his parish, the work which was committed to the Apostle Paul among the heathen: 'To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.'"
A Lutheran missionary in South India, writing in the Leipzig Evangelisch- Lutherisches Missions-Blatt, considering the q1lf~stion how far foreign missionaries in India ought to assimilate themselves to the native ways, says: "The missionaries in Santalistan "-a district of Bengal, inhabited by an aboriginal tribe-" have accommodated themselves to the natives perhaps more perfectly than any others in India. They have, so to speak, put themselves on a footing of equality with them. This wise policy, so worthy of imitation, is, next to God's grace and blessing, a chief cause of their success. Yet we must remark, that what they could do there, among the un-Hindnized, uncivilized Santal people, they could not have done here among the Tamils with their many castes, classes, and peculiar institu· tions. Even the Tamil missionary finds no great difficulty in becoming a pariah to the pariahs, but in just the degree that he does this, he ceases to be a miSSionary to the Tamils; that is, he closes the door against himself, and robs himself of the opportnnity of drawing near to the hiaher castes, the Tamils proper, and gaining influence over them. It is, undoubtedly, very qnestionable how fa~ it is practical and judicious for us Europeans here in India;o live so entirely in the European style as is commonly the case. It may be questioned whether it would not be better to assume, at least in part, a more Indian manner of life. But even if this were done we should yet be far from becom· ing Hindus. At best we should only be Eurastans. There would therefore still be a wall of parti.
tion between the inhabitants of the land and the missionary. On this account these East Indians can never be fully served withont the ministrations of native helpers, who, belonging to the people by birth and nationality, feel, think and speak like them, and share their weal and woe, and so find the way to their heart as strangers never can."
M. P. Berthoud, writing in the Bulletin Missionaire, the missionary organ for French Switzerland, from the Portuguese town of Lourenzo-Marques, where there are also a good many Hindus, says: .. The passion for alcoholic drinks is what first strikes an observer on his arrival; and the more intimate his knowledge of the mhabitants becomes, the more thoroughly is he
ORGANi~ED; MISSIONARY WORK
obliged to admit that great as the eyil is on the surface, it is much greater still at the bottom. It is a terrible scourge and plague. .' : .. After this discovery, one makes another still more sad, that of the indescribable 'immo- rality which reigns without restraint. Not a soul cares to raise the least dike agailst its invading floods. The Hindus and the natives themselves follow the Europeans and better the example• .. Lourenzo-Marques possesses a Catholic church, served by a priest of mixed race: Except a few such mulattoes, few people, I am assured, attend the religious services.
However, the inhabitants, white or colored, are not anti-religious; they are satisfied with that which they possess, to wit, a priest, a church, the resources necessary to accomplish certain religio)ls forms of which Qne does not love to be deprived, that is to say, above all the funeral rites. They would, on the contrary, feel themselves annoyed, and perhaps harassed, if religion was more living, if it recalled with too sharp a distinctness the image of a holy God who will judge sinners."
"What a consolation," writes M. Berthoud," in the midst of this Sodom of Lourenzo- Marques, to see approaching to meet us a little serried column of native Christians chant- ing our hymn.! It was the 9th of July-twelve years, to the very day, since the founda- tion of our mission at Vald/izia-that, seated on the front ofour wagon, we saw them coming afar and followed their march with a moved and joyous heart. There were morc< than a hundred of them, al~clad becomingly and simply. The countenances of some beamed with delight, those of others were tremulous with emotion, with all the strength of feeling found vent in an explosion of song.
.. It is touching to see the cordiality which unites them, and which they reanimate in- cessantly by calling each other 'children of the Lord," children of the Father," beloved of the Lord,' etc. Their joyous piety has a certain self-communicating power which may well be one of the causes of the rapid propagation of the gospel. We cannot but perceive a great difference between eur Gwamba of the Spelonken and those of this region, who are in general much more vivacious. This difference may have its bad as well as its good side.
We will not judge, but note.
H I come now to another trait of the life of this church, to wit, the exaltation of the religious sentiment. It appears, first, in the ordinary language, which takes a piou" form apro_ pos of everything, even the most simple material things. Thus people cannot salute each other without making long phrases concerning the will of God and its manifestations; they no longer say of anyone that he has been sick, but that' he has been smitten of God.'
'You ask one who is taking leave when he expects to return. • It is God who knows,' is his reply, given in a peculiar unctuous tone, though' all the while he has his well-defined plans of return. Whatever work has been dose, whatever word has been pronounced, 'it is the Spirit who has shown it, has dictated it.' A person who is going to his work, will say that he IS going' to labor for the flesh,' without giving any heed to the nonsense of the expres.
sion. 'The Spirit, the flesh,' these terms occur in conversation apropos of everything. 1 can in a measure understand how a language constantly made up of pious expressions might be employed by a community of Christians who had all attained perfection. But in a church of which each member still has to strive with the old sinful nature, it be<lomes affected, and we shall soon see one of two results: either the religious sentiment will be- come exalted, or quite as probably it will become enfeebled, and pious phrases will no longer be anythmg more than pharisaical forms; or, quite as often, the former alternative will give birth to the second."
Since M. Besthoud's arrival at Lourenzo-Marques there had been more than thirty conversions, n.-ORGANIZED MISSIONARY WORK.
Woman's Missionary Societies. of • amongst the Indians of Manitoba and the Oanada.* Northwest. I. Woma~'s Foreign Missionary So- ciety of the Presbyterian Church in SUMMARY. Canada-Western Division. Organ- ized 1876. Home Work.
Mrs. Hugh Campbell, Secretary, 194 Rich- Number of Mission Bands ….. : ……. 124 mond street, West Toronto, Ontario. Members in Mission Bands .• a,829 Auxiliary Societies … , ….. . 351 They sustain work in India, Formosa, New Members in Auxiliary Socie- Hebrides, Trinidad, and Honau, China, and ties ………………….. . 9,025 Life Members … , ……….. . 251 .. We are indebted to Mrs. Dr. J. T.Gracey Members of both Local and for this additional account of Woman's General Society……… , • 2,336 Missionary Societies in ClLnada and Great Presbyterian Societies .. , .. . 21 BritILin.-EDs. Total Membership ……………….. . 12,854 Increase in Membership …………. .. 4,291 New Presbyterian Societies………. . 3 New Auxiliaries ………………….. . 98 New Mission Bands ………………. . 49 New Life Members………………. .. 00 Finances. retary, Mrs. E. S. Strachan, 113 Hughson Contri~1;lted by Miss~C!n Bands. . . .. $5,273 25 street, North Hamilton, Canada.
Auxlhartes .. .. …. 19,856 19 The work of this Society in Canada is di- from other sources 528 00 divided into Branches, as follows: Western Branch Central, Eastern, Nova Scotia, New Total amount contributed …..$25,65754 Brunswick and Prince Edward's Island. To these Branches there are certain Districts II. Woman's Foreign Missionary So- auxiliary as follows: St. Johns East, St. ciety of the Presbyterian Church of Johns West, Winnipeg and Qu'Appelle. Canada-Eastern Division. Organ- ized 1877. The tabulated statistics are as follows: Auxiliary societies, 138; members, 4,086; Miss Edith Burns, Secretary, 18 Kent life members, 237; mission bands, 49, with street, Halifax. I,711 me~bers. For the year 1887 the amount of money raised was $14,197.51. The amount The grand total of the receipts of the So- since organization in 1881 is $46,909.46 ciety for the year ending Oct. 17, 1887, which Twelve missionaries have been sent to the is the latest report available, amounts to various fields. $5,091.77. This Society has no missionary period ical III. The Women's Baptist Foreign of their own, but edit a department in the Missionary Societies of Ontario and Outlook, a periodical of their Board. Quebec, Canada. The foreign work of the Society is III President, Mrs. J. H. Castle, Toronto, Japan, the home workthroughont the Prov- Canada. Corresponding Secretary, Miss inces. The" Crosby Home" a't Port Simp- Buchan, Toronto, Canada. son, B. C., is in a flourishing condition. Th4ilre are now 20 girls in attendance. The The work of this Soeiety is represented by McDougall Orphanage and Training Institwo sections, Eastern Ontario and Quebec tute among North American IndianS' has and the Society of Ontario. It has been in 10 boys and 8 girls. A mission school for operation over eleven years. girls (French) has been established at Actonvale with 25 pupils 14 of whom have The section of Eastern Ontario and Que- been converted during the year. bec is represented by 47 mission circles, and raised the past year the amount of $1,555.80 The girls' school in Tokyo. Japan, has while the Society of Ontario is represented been crowded to its utmost capacity, 127 by 150 circles, and money raised $4,626.74 ; or, boarders and 100 day pupils. Fifty of these the two sections, exclusive of balance of have been converted and baptized. Th.ere previous Veal'S, $6,182.54. are now 65 native Christians in the school, Much attention has been' given to evan- W9rk is carried on in India, at Akidu, Co- gelistic work, and the training of native canada, Samulcotta and Tuni, all in the .Christian women for work among their own Telugu country. people. A special donation of $1,000 was given the past year to open work in another '!'hree Eurasian women are employed, and station in Japan, and Shidzuoka was se- report more work than they can do. A ected, and a building free of rent secured &::lCces.ful girls' school is reported at Co- fo), two years. and Miss Ounningham has reo canada. Miss Alexander, of Toronto, sailed cently reached Japan to take charge of this during the veal' to recruit. the mission. A work. Arrangements were also made for Zenana House has been built at Cocanada. aiding the Chinese girls in Victoria, B. O.
IV. Woman's Baptist Missionary Women's Missionary Societies of Great Union of the Maritime Provinces,. Britain and Ireland. Organized 1870. I. Society for Promoting Female Educa- Mrs. John March, St. Johns, N. B., Cor- responding Secretary. tion in the East. Established 1834.
Its home territory includes Nova Scotia, Secretary, Miss Webb, London, England. New Brunswick and Prince Edward's Island. This SOCiety is the oldest organized Society for carrying on work amcng the women of the The Society supports its own missionaries East. It commenced with schools in India and in India and contributes to the support of China, but the work was snbsequently extended fonr of the men employed by the parent to other countries, and now Includes Ceylon, Board. With much misgiving they appro- Japan, the Straits, South and West Africa, the priated at the beginning of the year $3,500 Levant, Egypt and the Holy Land, Turkey in but rejoice at its close over an income of Europe alid Persia. As early as 1835 one of the $1,735 in excess of that, and $258.30 given to Society's missionaries gained access to a house the Home Mission Board. Total income in Calcutta. $4,493.30. The object of the Society has been and ill V. Woman's Missionary Society of the Methodist Church, Canada.
President, Mrs. James Gooderham, 166 Carlton street, Toronto; Corresponding Secstrictlyevangelistie. Recently they have estab- supports 29 schools, with about 8,000 pupils. lished medical missions in North India and the There are day and night schools, and for Holy Land. Forty European missionaries are boys and girls and women. All. are inemployed, who have charge of abont 275 structed in the Scriptures. The annual schools, attended by 19,624 scholars. Some 380 income is about $25,000. zenanas are visited, with about 3,000 pupils_ The annnal income about $35,000. V. Ladies' Association for the Support of Bible Women and Zenana Work The Society publishes The FemaU MiBBion- in Connection with the Baptist Misary Inteliigencer, a monthly magazine of some sixteen pages. sionary Society of England. Es- II. Indian Female Normal School and tablished 1868.
Instruction Society; or Zenana Bi- This Society has work in India, North- west Provinces, Bengal, Madras and the ble and Medical Mission. Estab- Punjab, which consists of schools, zenana, medical and dispensary work. lished 1852. The annual income is about $30,000. This Society was organized in Calcutta, Forty-four European female agents are emand the first work was the establishment of ployed, and 105 native workers, with the a Normal School in that city for Eurasian support of 50 schools, with over 1,600 pupils, teachers. The Society extended its opera- and over 20,000 dispensary patients. tions into three Presidencies, and added to the training of teachers, zenana visiting, VI. The Female Association for Proestablishment of female schools, employment of Bible women and medical missions. moting Christianity among the Wo- The constitution of the Society had been undenominational until 1880, when a division men of the East_ Irish Presbyterian occurred, some adhering to the old constitu- Church. Established 1873. tion, others forming a new society in connection with the Church of England. Since This organization was established through the the division the work has greatly extended, inlluence of Dr. Murray Mitchell and Rev. Nathe societies working in different parts of rayan Sheshadri. Their first missionary sailed India. Annnal income about $50,000. About for India in 1874. Now there are eight lady 27 stations are occupied, with 52 female missionaries, two of whom are medical. Three and 150 native workers. About 55 schools stations are occupied, Surat, Ahmedabad and are supported, with over 3,000 pupils. The Borsad, while girls' schools are supported in Society publishes a quarterly magazine, three other places. There are 14 schools with The Indian Female Evangeli8t. 800 pupils; Bome 30 houses visited. There are two dispensaries, one at Surat, the other at III. Ladies' Auxiliary of the Wesleyan Ahmedabad. The SOCiety employs 12 female native workers. This organization has some Missionary Society. Established 160 auxiliaries, an annual income of about $10,- 000. 1859. Woman'8 Work Is a small magazine published The prejudices against female education" by this Society, quarterly, at Belfast, Ireland. Were giving away somewhat when this Society began its work. It has work in Cey- VII. Woman's Missionary Association lon, India, China, South and West Africa. This Society is auxiliary Ito the General of the Presbyterian Church of Eng- Wesleyan Missionary Society. Their most successful work has been in Ceylon. Their land. Established 1878. annual income is about $35,000. Their work is in 48 stations, with 80 missionaries, 35 The work done by this Association is in native workers, 202 schools, with nearly five stations in China and Singapore, and 10,OOD pupils. Much of their work is super- one station in India-Rampor Bauleah. intended by the wives of missionaries. Miss Ricketts was their first missionary to China, and went out in 1878. IV. British Syrian Schools and Bible The annual income of the Society is about Mission. Founded 1860. $10,000. Thirteen female (European) and 8 native workers are employed, and 5 schools, This Society was organized soon after the with 155 scholars, supported. A quarterly fearful massacres of 1860 in and about magazine, caUed Our Sister8 in Other Lands, Damascus. The Druses put to death about is issued by this Society, published in Lon- 11,000 Christians, and their widows and don. children were turned adrift and fled to the seaport towns. Mrs. Bowen Thompson, who VIII. Church oflEngland Zenana Mishad spent much of her life in Syria, went to Beyrout and at once organized schools, and sionary Society. Established 1880. then established others in various centers. The Society has now about 28 alrents. with This Society was formed by a separation ~ male native workers and 94 female, and from the Indian Female Normal School and Instruction Society. It works in connection with Church of England Missionary Society. At its formation it had 31 Enropean mission-
CORRESPONDENCE AND GENERAL INTELLIGENCE
aries in 17 .stations, and at the close of the XI. Ladies' Society for Female Eduseventh year it had 88 missionaries, 49 na- cation in India and South Africa, tive assistants, and 396 Bible women and of the Free Church of Scotland. native teachers in 42 mission stations. Its present fields are India, China and Japan. This SOCil"ty has done very suceessful work Income for 1887-8 about $115,000. in Southern India and Africa, and has re- centlv added medical work to its various The Society supports 181 schools with 6,928 agencies. It has a staff of 20 European and scholars.* India's Women, the organ of Eurasian helpers in India, and 120 native' this Society, is published every alternate Christian agents, with some 5,000 pupils unmonth, a magazine of 56 pages. der instruction. In Africa 12 European and 57 native Christian agents, with 1,675 pupils. IX. Zenana Medical College. Estab- A very successful boarding-school is car· lished in London, 1880. ried on at Loredale, South Africa, with over 100 pupils. About 30 missionaries' wives This is an unsectarian institution. Its object have supervision of the work. is to train Christian women for medical missionary work in the East. The ladies wl10 The income for 1887 was about $55,000. have finished their college course have been sent to Iudia, China, Ceylon, Syria, and Africa XIII. The Helping Hands Zenana by various missionary societies. The appli- Association. cants for admission have been more than could be accommodated. The income for 1887 was The object of this Association is to bring about $4,000. G. G. Griffith, M.D., Secretary. the young people of Great Britain and Colo- 'nies into active sympathy with the Protest- X. Ladies' Committee in Connection ant missionary societies working among the women of India. The Society has sup- / with the London ,MissionaryS 0- ported schools at various places in India, paid part of the expenses of a medical mis- ciety. sion,and aids in several other departments of missionary work. This Society supports 24 missionaries, 15 in India, 6 in China, and 3 in Madagascar; This Society publishes a monthly paper also 136 girls' schools, boarding schools. 20; called Indian Jewels. day schools, 116; with OVer 7,000 scholars. Over 250 Bible women are employed. It is WOMAN'S BOARD OF THE CUMBERLAND difficult to properly present this work, because of the lack of classification of the PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. information concerning it which obtains in the report of the Society. Recently this WE gladly correct a mistake in stat- Society has issued a magazine of woman's work called Quarterly News. ing the income of the Board last year XI. Ladies' Association for the Promo- (p. 922), which we made but $1,920.87. Rev. H. C. Bird, one of the leading tion of Female Education among the pastors of this Church, writes us: Heathen in the Missions of the So- "The figures are incorrect as you may ciety for the Propagation of the Gos- see by referring to the Assem8lv's Minutes, p. 104. The receipts of the board were $7- pel. 6.',8.44 ; and the whole amount in the trea- sury during the year was $11,212.63. I would This Society has work in India, Burmah, be glad to have you make the correction. South Africa and Japan. In India 61 mis- It is still a poor exhibit, but is a little betsionaries, and in Africa 10 are at work, ter than in your notice." with over 300 female native agents.
The Society publishes a monthly magazine called Grain 01 Mustard Seed.
III-CORRESPONDENCE and GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.
Ohina. Chinese elders. Seven of the native pastors came from Central China, and one from Pe- LETTER from our editorial corre- king. The foreign missionaries represented different stations along the coast, and in spondent, John L. Nevius, D.D. : the interior, as foHows: Two from Canton, one from Ningpo, two from Shanghai, .two CHEFOO, Oct. 5, 1888. from Hang Chow, two from Suchow, one The Synod of China connected with the from Nankin, two from Chefoo, two from American Presbyterian Church, North, Weihien,~two rom Chi-nan-fn, one from Pewhich convenes once in five years, held its king and three from Teng-CllOwfu. One of last meeting in Ling-Chow-Fu. in the Pro- the representatives from Canton was' our vince of Shantung, on the 13thofSeptember_ veteran missionary, Dr. Happer. Though It was composed of twenty foreign mission- forty-five years have passed since he first aries, eight Cbinese pastors, and twelv~ came to China, there IS very little a.ba.te- * Over 2,000 Zenanas under visitation, and ::,187 pupils regularly ta.ught. ment of his physical and mental vigor, and ganizations in the West have now their recetltainly none in his missionary enthusiasm presentatives in China, viz.: American and zeal. Presbyterians, North and Sonth; Dutch Reformed, English Presbyt.erians, Scotch All the delegates, except those who reside Presbyterians, Irish PreslJ) terians, United in the interior of Shantung, came to Chefoo Presbyterians, and Canadian Presbyterians. by steamer, and completed the journey to A committee was ·appointed to open a cor- Teng-Chow, distant about fifty-five miles, respondence with these Presbyterian bodies, in mule-litters, or on mules and donkeys. inviting them to meet us by their represent- The road lies over a rough and compara- atives at the next General Missionary Contively barren and sparsely populated coun- ference, to be held in Shanghai, in 1890, to try, presenting, however, many picturesque devise a plan of uaion. It is hoped that it views of hill and valley, while much of the will not be many years before the moveway the Pechili Bay is in full view on the ment towards organic union will overleap north. Our guests from the south of China Western denominational bounds, and incorwill have many interesting experiences to pOl'ate different families of churches mto remember connected with our rough, and one Chinese National Church. to them novel, modes of locomotion. Now the mule-patH winds round the edge of a The longest and most spirited discussion steep gorge or precipice, again we ford a during Synod, related to the use of other st,ream or fiounder through a pool of mud than grape wine in the administration of the and water. The mules and donkeys meeting Lord's Supper. In China, the manufacture on the road make the hills resound with of grape wine is unknown. There is, howtheir vociferous salutations, and sometimes, ever, a fermented wine produced from gluwhen sportive or intractable, overturn the tinous rice and millet in common useamon<:, litter, and leave the passenger to extricate the people, and believed by some of us to himself from his portable mat-shelter, and correspond in almost every respect, except the muleteers to catch the refractory ani- its origin, to grape wine in the West, and to mals, repair damages, and make a new start. be equally appropriate as a symbol. This Wheu Dr. McCarter came to this region, wine has been generally used in Shantung, about twenty-five years ago, he very aptly especially in stations in the interior. It was characterized the motions of these mule- objected to enjoining the use of grape wine litters as a constant alternation between in all cases, that such a course would be unthe motions of the" sieve" and the "pepper- necessary and burdensome; that the nse of box." Dr. Gulick, who visited us later, very grape wine is not essential to the validity of discriminatingly added the" bottle-washing the ordinance, and insisting on it would be motion." The U SIeve motion" is the result contrary not only to the intent of the ordiof the animals keeping step; that of the nance, but also to the general spirit of "pepper-box" of their breaking step; while Ohristianity; that the introduction of this the U bottle-washing motion" comes from· new wine in China would excite curio.ity the mules jumping down the rocky inequali- and a superstitious reverence for outward ties of the road, From these happy simili- and uuessential formR; and that it wonld tudes the experience of a traveler during make the Ohurch the instrument of introa journey of a day and a half, including a ducing a new beverage into Ohina, and innight in a Chinese inn, can be imagined. crease drunkenness with all its attendant evils. Differences of language form a serious difficulty in transacting business in this A resolution expressing the o;>inion of the Synod. The records of the Synod are kept Synod tha.t grape wine should be used whenin the universal written language of China. ever it could be obtained was passed by a Members speak in English and Mandarin, majority of 21 to 17. Another resolution which is the spoken language of North enjoining the exclusive nse of grape wine China. The native members from Central was negat,ived by a large majority. The China have learned to speak Mandarin, so minority entered a complaint against this that they are fairly well understood. As a. last action of Synod, and the matter will thus rule speeches are formally translated from be brought before the next General Assem- English into ~landarin, andvice-versa. Busi- bly. ness is conducted in a very orderly manner, the native members being now almost as Some of the statistics of the Synod of familiar with rules of order as the foreigners Ohina are as follows: Initiatory steps were taken toward securing the organic union of the dlfferent Pres- Number of Churches……………….. 42 byterian bodies in China. This movement .. .. Church Members added which nas been a matter of great interest to many missionaries in China for years past, since last Synod …………………. 1,981 has been much stimulated and facilitated Number of Church Members Expelled.. 560 by the action of the recent Pan-Presbyterian .. " H " Died. . . . . . . 292 Alliance. Seven distinct Presb;yt~ri1<n 01'- Total Number of Male Church Members 1,837 U Female" .~ 1,325 " ..
" ., Foreign Ministers….. 38 .. Native .. .., . . 23 .. Preachers of all Grades 85 .. Preaching Stations••• 179 Brazil. diminished. The so·called enthusiasm over the abolition of slavery in Brazil was largely dne to PERNAMBUCO, September 24, 1888. the popularity of the movement. Althougb but HOWEVER high may be th estandard of morals One case has com~ to my knowledge, I am so of the Romish Church, her practices have so well acquainted with the Brazilian character nullified her precepts that in Brazil morality that I do not hesitate to say that many people seems to form no part of religion. Morality who were not in sympathy witll the work of the separate from religion is .a frail bark on the abolitionists, and who will evade the law as 10lllt swiftly fiowing current ofsin, and religiou with. as they can, contributod to defray the expenses out morality is a vehicle for hypocrisy to ride of the public demollstmtiOllS, and decorated and in. An indication of how little moral infiuence illuminated their own houses becanse abolition is exerted by Romanism may be taken from the was popnlar and they had ltot the courage to fact that in this city of Pernambuco, the popu. appear on tbe othor side. If they shonld bEt lation of disreputable characters Is thickest called upon to justify tbeir action, they wonld right around the principal churches, where they make patriotism their shield. 'l'he Brazilian is attend mass for the purpose of display and con- very jealous of the honor of his country, and in quest as they would a theater. the abolition of slavery the thOugbt of the re- From this separation of religion and morals moval of Brazil's reproach of being the only civarises one of the chief difficulties for the gospel ilized country maintaining slavery seemR to give to overcome. Romanism answers the purposes more satisfaction than that of the right and of those who desire to be religious without in- jnstice done, or that of the oppression removed terfering with their morals; and those who dis- from so many Imman beings. This same national regard religion are not snsceptible to appeals for pride has been of great service in suppressing 190rality through religion. Hence it is that persecution whenever it has arisen against us while tbere are many people wbo have practi- missionaries. The tOlle of inflnential people who cally renounced Romanism because of its being endeavor to pl'Otect ns is: "Are we not a civil· found wanting and not because of something ized people, and sball we permit indignities such better having been presented to them, it is hard as only could be expected of barbarians? " now to make them desire religion of any kind; and since they will not see it, we mnst deVise It is somewhat of a trial for us who, methods to more fully carry ont Christ's word, through experience, have learned wba~ it " Go." We hold our services in private houses, is to be a Christian, not to be able to use the halls and small churcbes. Occasionally a passer- word" Christian" as we understand it; but by is attracted by the singing and enters shyly. in this land, the simple question" Are you He hears the Word of God read or proclaimed. a Christian? "would invariably be answered Perchance his heart is prepared by grace to re- in the affirmative. Christening is what ceive the word, and he at length becomes a makes a Christian; so we have to resort to member of tbe church. But oh ! the many who other phraseology in speaking of 01le'8 renever come to hear of Jesns. We go in private lation to Christ. Amollg the followers of to this one and that; but the masses are not Christ, the word" believer" takes the place reached. Street preaching is prohibited bylaw. of the word H Christian.n In differ~nt parts The colporteurs of varions Bible societies have of Brazil the names given to Protestants by planted the Word in many parts of the country; tbe popnlace vary according to circum-· but, except ill the principal cities, no misSionary stances attending the introduction of the Apollos has entered. work. In Rio de Janeiro, the first place in While the Romish Chnrch fails to exert a moral which the gospel was preached, they are infiuence, it has made its impress on the so~ial called "bibles," due probably to the st"ess life and cbaracter of the people. The deception laid on the use of the Bible alld the estimaengendered shows itself not only on lying lips, tion with which it was held by the first bebut in the disposition of tbe people to appear lievers_ Before the good news would be acwhat they are not. The maintenance of a good cepted, the genuineness of the evidence had reputation is of more importance than that of a to be established. In another part, the good character, and to a wonderful degree the Protestallts are called "Jesus," for that Brazilian is bound to that which is conventional name, of course, was above every name in and popular. Many people there are who regard the preaching_ In the province of Ceara, the Ro!nish Church and the various social cns- where the first missionary was a married toms out~·! J. in;; therefrom as folly and super- man, every believer, whether man or wostiiion, an" ret, rather than be thought pecnliar, man, married or single, is called a U marthey conform thereto. Others there are who are ried priest." Here in Pernambuco We arc impressed with the truth of evangelical teach- called H new sect." ings and practices who are kept by tbis false pride from frequenting our meetings, insignifi- There are. several things that lead me to cant in aspect and attended mostly by people of advocate" self-support" as the most feasilowly station. Let our cause once become popnlar in Brazil, and missionary reports will con- ble ba.si~ for missionary work in Brazil. tain large figures, but the proportion of genuine Christian character among our members will be First, it is possible. I consider that theobh- gation to support me rests 110 more upon the whole church than upon the individual members of it. of which I am one, and therefore, it being possible for me to support my- the missionary is not self.supporting, any self and serve my Master a& missionary, I am compelled to do it. To live 'on the char- convert who shows any capability for pubityof others when God puts it within my lic work expects, if he engages in it, to ~ive power to provide for myself would be incon- up his present occupation and receive a sistent and insincere. In so saying" I am salary from the missionary society. not accusing anyone who does not support himself. The question turns upon the p08si- A self-supporting mi.sionary in Brazil is bilityof supporting one's self and fulfilling bound to have the respect of the general pubone's obligations as missionary at the same time. It has been said that if a missionary lic when it would not be given to another. for has to,take time to earn his own living he two reasons; first, because his occupation cannot do as much missionary work as if he were free from all care as to his income. I brings him into constant contact with the people, will not dispute that point in this paper; and lack of respect for a missionary is in most but it must be granted that whatever mis- cases due to lack of acquaintance with him; sionary work is done by a self-supporting missionary in a foreign field is just so mnch and second, because the Brazilian looks with more than wonld be done if he stayed at snspicion upon anything that may be propaganhome for the wa.nt of a salary. Let the dism for tbe sake of the money there is in it. churches in the home lands support as many missionaries as they can-as many as need Their own experience with priestcraft and the to be supported-and let as many go forth Jesuits has made it so. Only recently a gentleas are willing to support themselves, and man who comes to our meetiugs told me that yet the laborers wiII be inadequate to the work to be done. Do some of you say you the vicar of a certain important parish in this don't see how any missionary can support city had told him that he is a priest because his himself; that yon are overworked as it is, and to attempt to earn your own living be- father had educated him for one, and although sides would be death to yon? Let me say that earning one's own living is a check he does not believe in half that Romanism against breaking down. With nothing to teaches, he remains a priest because it is his restrain you, and surrounded by so much that appeals to your sympathies, and work occupation. Is it at all unreasonable that a pouring in upon you which you did not seek, Protestant missionary, against whom Romanists how can you refuse even thongh you know that you ought to rest? Self-support puts are already prejudiced, and who lives in better you under obligations that compel you to style than their own priests, should be suspected refuse, and so takes your mind from the very work: that wears you out as to be more of being what he is for the sake of what he is beneficial than idle rest. paid? ', Moreover, there are other things to be taught'the people besides what is done un- Up to the present, the best resource for selfder the head of regular 'missionary work. Lessons of thrift aud industry are best com- support in Brazil s~ems to be that which arises prehended if exemplified by the mission- from the demand for private tutorage in varions aries themselves. With au appearance of good living: without any ell'ort on your part branches of learning, and particularly in the to obtain it, what idea can you give them of industry? You may tell them of how English language. There are always to be many hours a day you devote to study in found people of too liberal ideas to be governed order to labor ell'ectively among them; but what idea have the majority of our converts in matters of business and secular education by ';f what intellectual labor is? If they can religious prejndices, while many most unyieldsee what you do to earn your livelihood, they wiII understand better what industry ing Romanists do not hesitate to employ us means, and the ell'ort you put forth in order to live among them to preach Christ will be rather than not receive instruction on a par with a strong proof of how much you love Him that of their neighbors. In choosing this occuand them., In imitation of you, they will coutitiue to support themselves, and labor pation we are not obliged to take upon ourselves for Christ among their own people without any more work than is necessary for our supexpecting any pay therefor. This feature has been noticeable in connection with self- port, or any that interferes with our gospel supporting work in Brazil, while, on the other hand, we have observed that where work. We invite our pupils to our meetings; some of them become regular attendants and a few have been converted. Besides the indirect beneficial results of our contact with the people, there are others that the missionaries of the next generation, and even we in later yelJ.rs, will feel. God ha,tl blessed the missionary work of the past century to a wonderful degree. He has not despised the inexperience and poor methods em- ployed; yet He would have us profit thereby and improve thereon. Let the Pr.otestant churches of Europe and AmericlJ. give their millions of money; but I believe that the acme of missionary times will not be reached till there are millions of person~ going forth from those same churches into all the world, depend- ing only on God's blessing, on the labor of their hands or brain to provide them with means to live and labor among those who are dying for the want of the bread of life. God speed the day. GEORGE B. NIND, Methodist Episcopal Layman. Persia.; Islam in the village of Ula, to begin work there until It could be opened in Haft Dewan. The LETTER from Rev'. John C. Mech- first thing to do was to secure a house In that village. A man who was connected with civil lin: matters was willing to rent us his property, pro- vided we would give him big rent. But before SALMOB, May 16, 1888. the bargain was made the proposed transaction became public, and the man received such II I was one of the 2,000 young people that beatin~-bastinado-that he died from the ef- fects of it. Thus the work was begun in blood, pledged themselves for Missions a year ago. I though the man was not a martyr for our cause, bnt for money. Before long another man vengraduated from Western Seminary, Allegheny, tured to offer his place for rent. He received large money in advance for three years. As Pa., was accepted by the Presbyterian Board soon as this became known it caused an awful stir. He was fined-one-quarter of the money and sent here. bein<: taken from him-and he was also severely beaten. Afraid for his life, he fied to Tillis, Rus- Three of the seven missionaries that arrived sia. Many times his wife came to Dr. Shedd and pleaded with him to take back the money and here in October remained at Salmos-Mr. Mech- give her the paper. But though we had the right to the place, the next qnestion was to get lin and his wife, and Miss Emma Roberts of possession. The people were furious and it did not seem safe to go to our house. We had to Atlanta, Ga. Messrs. McDowell and St. Pierre appeal to the government; finally, our minister at Teheran carried the matter before the Shah, and their wives went on to Oroomioh. and a special order was sent froin the throne to the Governor of this province~ I will tell you how this station was opened, A chain of circumstances showed God's and how God's hand was seen in it. Work has providence and answer to prayer. The present Ameer was then Governor of been done in this Plain for several years by Oroo- Oroomioh, and on the death of the then Ameer, who had been unfriendly, was apmioh helpers. But frequently "they disgraced pointed to fill his place. Jnst as he left for Tabriz, he got the mandate of. the Shah. their profession by quarreling and by lying. He sent for the Governor of Khoy, who was responsible for the troubles having The missionaries felt it necessary to put a mis- gone so far, and degraded him before the people, probably more to revenge himself sionary here who could always aid and control than to punish the Governor, with whom he had a qnarrel. He also gave orders that no the helpers. As to the peoples of Salmos, five one molest us iu Salmos. Posters were put up in DHimon, the central market town, nationalities are represented here. 1. Per- wa.rning all against interfering with us. Here was the chain of providences: The sians-from whom come our rulers and many death of the Ameer, the appointment of a friendly successor, his receiving the decree business men-all, of course, Musselmen, but when he did, and the orders he left in Sal- mos. And this was not all. He r~ported the very friendly. We call On them anc1 they on us. Governor of Khoy to the authorities in Teheran and they summoned him to the Many of this class are reading the Bible. Sheik capital. He knew that if he obeyed, he would be beaten, and deg~aded from his Islam, the religious head of this Plain, is very position. So instead of going, he sent a present of seven hundred Tomans ($1,050), friendly, and a man of such infiuence that the and aU trouble passed over. As soon as Mr. Wright, who was stationed here by the mis- Governor does not meddle with his affairs. sion, could take possession, he made his home in Haft Dewan. Some of the leading Much prejudice has been broken down by the men met him and said that they would op- pose him in every way, would raise money medical treatment of Drs. Holmes and Cochran, and have their own schools, and their child- ren should not come to his. They said: whom they hold in high esteem. 2. Jews. .. Why don't you do as your Master did? If they did not want him in their city, he They are many and very friendly. We will went to another." Mr. Wright answered soon open work among them. They are here, as everywhere, a marked race, and their busi- ness is trading. 3. Nestorians. These people, among whom we have one church, belong to the Oroomioh Plain, and still cling to the Old Church. 4. Monntain Koords. They are 80 near that we may count them as belonging to the Plain. 5. The Armenians. They are the rich- est, and are either farmers or merchants, hav- ing a strong national pride. Their great hope is one day to become a separate power, but Russsia, Turkey and Persia will all resist this.
Snrroundcd by Mohammedanism, and often sorely pressed to become followers of the False Prophet, they never gave up their form of wor- shiplor their belief in Jesus as the Son of God; but they did not hold so strongly to ltJe spirit as to the letter, of the Bible. Formality took the place of heart worship, and the priests cared more for the fieece than for the sheep.
But here they remained, as if to witness for the doctrine of the Trinity; and it seems as if God had left them here, that, revived and qnickened, they might give salvation to all these peoples.
At the annual meeting in the fall of 1884 it was, therefore, resolved to open a station for work among the Armenians. Haft Dewan was chosen because it was one of the most central and in- flnential Armenian villages of the Plain.
Dr. J. H. Shedd, of Oroomioh, came that fall to Salmos, and rented a house from Sheik that he loved their souls too mueh to leave alHicted are drawn to the gospel wi~ them; he would stay. A year passed by greater interest. Since reaching the coun. and all parties became and have continued try it has been my privilege to preach two very friendly. or three times weekly. In Tarsus from 200 to 400, and in Adana from 1,200 to 1,500 per- The hostility to our mission may be easily sons were gathered each Sabbath; prayer_ accounted for. Twenty minutes ride from meetings are largely attended, and the Haft Dewan is the village of Khosroo-Shah, Sabbath-school lesson has to be given from where for nearly fifty years the Catholic the pulpit, there not being room to arrange Lazarists have had a mission. When they classes for such large numbers. came there the town was one of the richest on the Plain, partly Armenian and partly The Kenerous contributions of Christian Nestorian. To-day it is one of the worst; friends in America for the famine sufferers its lewd women and drunken men give it have proved a means of grace among everywhere a bad odor. Tke Catholics have the people. A few Sabbaths ago we had taught them to gamble and encouraged' communion in Adana, at which 54 perstrong drink by their own example. For sons united with the church on profession the first time in twenty years a man has of faith. In Tarsus the work has not been been seen in Persia dead-drunk by the road- so prosperou~ owing to the lack of a regular side. For many years these monks meddled pastor and an unsuitable place of worship. with civil affairs, securing justice only for Yet there are many to be gathered into the those that favored tbem and pnnishing churches. whom they would. They also farmed the taxes and became so obnoxious that the Gov- Another promising feature is the educaernment gave strict orders that they should tional interest among the youth. Besides let civil matters alone. They are now under the contributions for the famine sufferers, the ban. Dreadful lies had been circulated which were $2,445 last year, there was given concerning us, and these poor people of $2,400 for the scholarship fund for the poor Haft Dewan expected the worst from us. and orphan children of St. Paul's Institute. But as time showed that we did not meddle From this last amount $425 was seut with with their affairs, they became friendly and the famine money for immediate use in now wonld not wish us to leave. Though helping our poor children. On our arrival' none have come out on the Lord's side, we were surprised to learn that 75 children many seem glad to hear the Word. The had been assisted. Calling at their schools woman whose husband rented to the mis- we saw dozens of pale, sickly-looking, yet sionaries at first stole everything she could bright children, sitting on the hard fioor, get, but this sbe has ceased to do, and has their clothing patched with pieces of many been known to speak good words for Mr. colors, and worn daily for more than a year Wright. She seems in fact to be a Christ- (they stay in the house while their ollly garian. ments were washed and dried). Some had only worn-out books, which they· shared The work has thus begun; .the Bible is with others. Asking the teacher, ' Is this read and studied, and the fields are ripen- the condition of the children all the year?" ing to the harvest. Next winter I hope to the reply was: .. They are now in a better work on the Plain among the Armenians, state, as the famine is passing. Many conmany of whose villages have not been vis- tinue the school with insulHcient clothing, ited. barefooted and often hungry for days." Many lived on two or three metallics (cents) Asia Minor. daily. .. Often hungry, yet industrious; shivering with cold, burning with heat, still ST. PAUL'S INSTITUTE, TARSUS, Ang. I, 1888. most eager to make progress." Beyond the EDITORS OF lI1lSSIONARY REVIEW.-YOU will pale faces and frail bodies we saw active be glad to know of the safe arrival of our minds and souls to be loved and won for party, our expenses being paid by Col. Christ. They are entirely dependent on Elliott F. Shepard. Arriving at Mersine, benevolent friends for futher education- •Tarsus and Adaua, we were most cordially if they are properly cared for and educated, welcomed by the missionaries and hundreds what a greatblessing they will prove to this of the native friends. These three cities needy and darkened lalld J now being connected by rail are almost as one city, having a population of nearly It was God's own time for us to come while 100,000, consisting of Mohammedans, Arme- the people are so needy and eager to receive nians, Greeks and Fellaheens. The first the gospel. Our mission is to teach and thing we noticed was the exceeding poverty preach the truth. The kind interest of the of the people, owing to the recent severe missionaries and people here encourages us famine. This year's harvest is good, still in our work. Tarsus will be our head- there are thousands of sick, aged, feeble quarters, where our school will be located, women and little children who are unable yet we will worK in other cities and villages to work for their support, whose suffering throughout Asia Minor, is beyond description. The people thUS We expect to.open our school in a rented her husband was on a journey far from hOIDe. house, October 1. There are many appli- He heard a rumor of what was going on, and cations for admission, most of whom are started in a hurry for home, telling his friends orphans and poor children. The sum of $50 that if his wife had taken up with these fanatics will support a child for one year in the he and she would soon separate. Within two school. days he and his wife were found with hands joined praising and blessing God for His good- For the success of our mission we depend, ness In giving them such a blessed outpouring with God's blessing, upou the direction of of His Holy Spirit. our Board of Trustees and Managers and the benevolent support of Christian friends. Whilst the Boers were praisio!( God for His I hope you will always be interested in this goodness, it came into the hearts of some that work, and help it any way you can. It is they had a duty toward the heathen, whom they the Master's work, to whom be all the glory. had hitherto looked upon as little better tban animals, to serve them, the snperior race. In I shall be glad to correspond with -and their gatherings for prayer they brought the hear from you at any time. condition of the heathen before their heavenly Father, and SOOn they felt that they must be up Yours in Christ. and dOing. Applications for help were made to (Rev.) H. S. JENANYAN. various missiOnaries, especially to those of the, Free Church of Scotland. These appeals were Mission Work Among the Zulus in gladly responded to, and before long 'they had NataJ, Africa. several native evangelists preaching the gospel throughout the country. There are now fifteen BY REV• .TAMES SCOTT, IMPOLWENI. stations or preaching places where the heathen are gathered together to hear of Jesus and His A VERY nnexpected and interesting work has love. These stations are just the Boers' farmbeen begun amongst the Zulns in Natal. The houses. On the Sabbath the Zulus may be seen European population of the county of Umvoti, gathering in from the neighboring kraals and of which Greytown is the principal place, are villages, old and young, men and women, a few Boers, who belong to the Dntch Reformed clothed, but mostly heatheu in their blankets, or Church (Presbyterian). Their minister, the even without one. The largest shed available, Itev. James Turnbull, was a licentiate of the generally the wagon-house, has been prepared Free Church of Scotland, educated at the New for the occasion, and there the missionary or College, Edinburgh. native evangelist, or, in absence of either, the Dutch farmer, conducts a simple service in the Mr. Turnbull's congregation, like their coun- Zulu language. The writer has on some of these trymen throughont Sonth Africa, read their occasions seen as many as eighty Boers and Bibles, attended ordinances, and were ont- three or four hundred Zulus gathered together wardly good Christian people. Their Christi- to worship the one true God, the services comanity, however (except in some special cases), mencing on Saturday and being continued till did not extend so far as to caring for the salva- Monday afternOon. There was often a dearth tion of the heathen perishing around them. of preachers, but gradually this difficulty is van- Being nnder British rnle, they showed no open ishing. Most of the Dutch farmers know the hostility to mission work; probably, however, Zulu language, and are well acquainted with the same spirit was in them -as in their country- the Word of God; and though at first diffident men who burned down Livingstone's station, of their own powers, they were persuaded to who destroyed the stations of the French mis- hegin by reading a few verses of Scripture and sions in Basutoland, and who hindered the ad- offering up prayer. Now they are conducting vance of rmissions whenever they had the services more and more freely, and thus are bepower. coming bound together, black and white, in one common love to the Lord Jesns Christ. Very Three years ago God's Spirit worked in a soon God gave the blessing to this wonderfnl marvelous way amongst these people. The work. Not many months after the first attempts commencement of this outpouring of the Holy were made, over One ,hundred gave in their Ghost has been attributed to different human names as candidates for baptism, These have agencies; the Boers themselves say the chief now been formed into a native church in conagent was the reading and meditating upon nection with the Dutch Church of Greytown ; God's holy Word. many more have professed faith in Christ, and are now under instruction and being gathered in After varied experiences, one and another from time to time. Tbe work is carried on amongst them began to feel that they were new under the direction of a committee of Dutch creatures in Christ Jesus; although they had f:irmers, who, besides being themselves heartily been members and office-bearers of the Church, engaged in the work, employ three native evanyet they now for the first time felt Christ a)iv- gelists. ing power within them. No SOOner did one speak to his neighbor of the change which had Amongst thElse evangelists is one man, Petros come upon him or her than the reply came: Skosan, whOse case is a striking fulflllment of J.' Such also is my experience" ; and soon whole families were rejoicing together and praying for theil' neighbors and kinsfolk.
One case worthy of mention is that of a WOIDan who was brongbt into the light while the prophecy of Isaiah xi. This man's father government, foster a universally spread was one of the regiment of Zulu warriors who, sense of distrust and insecurity; Everyone sees a foe in his neighbor and a snare in iu 1836, at asignal from that cruel tyrant, Din- friendship. Thelife of the chiefs, great and small, is one of extortion, sensuality and gaan, fell upon and in cold blood murdered, in intrigues. Revolutions, like fever, are en- Dingaan's own palace, the Dutch leader, Retief, demic. and all his party of about seventy men. The son is now an evangelist, supported by the de- Some time ago, in London, the cloak of scendants of these same Dutch Boers to preach respectability was torn asunder, and the the gospel of peace to his heathen fellow-coun- world shuddered. Here there is no cloak trymen. The father, who still lives, is also a of respectability, no law, no public opinion member of the Church of Christ. to fear. Passions are let loose without any restraint, and the grossest bestiality goes GENERAL INTELLIGENCE. about in broad daylight, barefaced and shameless. There is no innocent childhood Central A.frica.-Themail from Europe and or family ties. National brigandage and news from our nearest neighbors, 900 miles slavery have borne their fruits, and brutalolf, reach us only once a year by occasional ized man.–The Christian (London). traders or travelers. The rest of the year We are entirely cut off from the outer world. North Africa.-Within four days' journey of I send these lines by a caravan of Portu- Britain one may land on African soil and find a guese traders returniug to Benguela. We large field-almost untouched-for Christian hope that in time communications may be labor among the natives of Algeria, the Kaopened with the West Coast through our byles. Visiting recently among these people, American brethren of the Biha. The be- and making known to them for the first time ginnings of a mission like this, far away the glad tidings of salvation, I was much struck from the great arteries of trade and immi- with the atteution given to the message. Doubtgration are expect.ed to be bard. Pioneers less the novelty of an Englishman speaking to ought to bE' giants in faith and courage. them in their own unwritten langnage and deliv- ering snch a message as a free salvation with,ont The climate is most trying to Europeans, works was sullicient of itself to caI1 forth snch and bardly less so to tbe natives. The land attention. Seated one evening in a Kabyle devoureth its own inhabitants. Independ- house I was greatly delighted with the readiness ently of that, there is much worry in set- to listen to the gospel. The wonderful story of tling in a place so difficult of access, and in the resurrection of Lazarus was being read laboring to make a wild sand-hill overlook- when my host announced that supper was ready ing marshes habitable•.Materiallife is very and when I liked I conld have it bronght up. difficult. It is a constant struggle and trial Having expressed a desire to finish the narraof faith, a daily lesson of trust and un- tive the little company of Mohammedans conreserved confidence in the loving-kindness tinned to give the ntmost attention to the words and faithfulness of -our heavenly Father. read and spoken. Snpper ended, the conversa- Far from complaining of hardships and pri- tion was renewed. One of onr company, an vations, I must say that, on the whole, they honorable Marabont or religions Mohammedan, are less th!l.n we had anticipated. who, becanse of ha'i'ing made a pilgrimage to Mecca, was called Elhadj, entertained us while Those who read our monthly, Journal des he read from an Arabian tract. The man Missions Evangelig:ues, know that when we showed us with evident pride a book in Arabic crossed the Zambesi we penetrated into one (I presume a portion of Scripture) gh'en bim of the Prince of Darkness's strongholds. two years ago in Algiers by a Christian English During '30 years of mission life I have lady who was distribnting tracts among the found nowhere the ideal heathen, so good, people. Frequently dnring that evening's con· so meek, so yearning after the things of versation my statements were met by the words, God, which some preachers at home rel'lre- "You are right," "Trnly." That night I had sent the African savages to be. But no- two sharing the sl~eping apartment with me. where have I met with a tribe so hopelessly Having seen me bow the knee in prayer, one of degraded. The Barots6 themselves say that them asked me afterwards U I had been pray· theirs is a land of murder, that no one is ing. Replying that I had. he added, "May God allowed to grow old: their soil is saturated answer yonr prayer I" How one is saddened with blood; human bones bleach every- in observing these people praying, as they proswhere in the sun. The spear, a terrible trate themselves toward the east! How the piaything in the hands of these Zambesians, longing comes up to see them worship God in does not ever get rusty. Superstition and spirit and in truth I Who will offer himself to witchcraft spread their wings of darkness help make known the gospel among them? and death over every village, hamlet, hut Those of us who are in the field wonld do more and individual. We live in the middle age", if our hands were s!rengthened by brethren at but the middle ages in savagedom. The in- home. Sometimes too much is expected of missatiable l:Teediness of these poor people, sionaries in forei&n cl/untries, where, with 11Imitheir inveterate habit of stealing and lying, the total absence of anything like justice, the utter powerlessness of the so-called lies to be looked after and no domestic help olany growth of grass covered the formerly weUreal value, and often without means to tlnd even trimmed paths. proper help, the missionary has much secillar .. As we approach the skirt of the groves we labor to perform which necesarily reduces his are strnck by the dead silence which reigns. No laughter is to be heard, no sign of a welcome tilne and strength for his proper work. Like from our old friends. The silence of death breathes over the lofty crowns of the palms, the China inland missionaries we are without slowly waving in the wind. We enter, and it gnarantee of salary. Moreover, no fixed sum is in vain we look to the right and left for the can We look for regularly. The society sends to happy homesteads and the happy old· scenes. its missionaries that which is entrusted to it, Tall grass covers everything, and a charred pole but it leaves the missionaries free to receive here and there, a few banana trees are the oilly from any source through which God may be evidences that man once dwelt here. Bleached pleased to send to the help of His servants. sknlls by the roadside, and the skeletons of Want of means often puts a drag on the chariot human hands attached to poles tell the storr, of wheels, and causes the worker not a little anxi- what has happened here since our last visit. ' ety as he finds the will present to perform more, but the wherewithal to perform lacking. May It appeare<i that the notorions Tippoo Tib had the Lord of the harvest enable all who pray that been there to " trade," and in the coorse of that laborers be thrust forth to help also in the send- process had killed all who offered resistance, ing of them on their way.-Aifred S. Lamb. carried off the women, and devastated the flelds, gardens and banana groves. Bands of destroyers -Mohammedanism and;Missions. An inter- from the same gang bad returned again and again, esting article on the influence of Arab traders and those who escaped the sword perished by the in West Central Africa, contributed by Lieuten- small-pox and famine, which the marauders left ant Wissmann to the current issue of the" Pro- in their train. The whole tribe of the Bene Ki ceedings of the Royal Geographical Society," ceased to exist, and only a few remnants found throws light on the qnestion of Mohammedan- refuge in a neighboring state. ism and missions, raised by Canon Taylor at the last Church Congress. The writer's experience Snch must be counted amongst the'resillts of of Mohammedan influences upon the native Arab "trading" in Africa, and if it is at such popUlations is in direct contrast with the asser- cost that the bleSSings of Mohammedan civllzation that the creed of Islam is that best suited tion are purchased by the native races, it is no to their need.. He gives a graphic account of wonder that they are not considered a desirable two visits to Bagna Pesihi, and certaiu villages acquisition. Even if it be true that Christianity of the Bene Ri, a division of the Basonge, in is sometimes tardy of operation in its beneficent Central Africa, before and after tbe arriv/!l of effect upon the blacks, Christian missionaries a gang of Arab traders on the scene. and Christian traders can at least boast that they have never wittingly acted otherwise than On the first occasion, in 1882, he was welcomed beneficently towards them. In their case the by a prosperous and contented tribe, whose perpetration of such atrocities would be imposcondition and occupations bore ample evidence sible. With the followers of the False Prophet it to the existence of its villages for decades In is different. Their religion is merely a superstipeace and security, free from the disturbing tion, adapted to the needs of aggressive and elements of war and slave·hunts, pestilence and militant tribes, and does not profess to inculcate superstition. The huts of the natives were tenderness or humanity, mnch less the loftier roomy and clean, fitted with shady porches, and teachings ofthe:gospel of Christ. surrounded lly carefully kept fields and gardens, in which were grown all manner of nsefnl England.-" The Christian Union plants and fruits, including hemp, sugar, to- for the Severance of the Connection of bacco, sweet potatoes, maize, manioc and mil- the British Empire with the Opium let. A thicket of bananas and plantains occupied the back of each homestead, aud shady Traffic," with Sir S. A. Blackwood palm groves supplied their owners with nuts, oil, fibers and wine. Goats, sheep and fOWls as its President and Dr. Maxwell abounded, and no one seemed afraid of thieves. Honorary Secretary, gives the fol- The people all had a well-fed air, and were anxious to trade, their supplies being plentiful lowing reasons for its formation: and ell'tremely cheap. A fowl could be pur- Became as a nation we are responsible cbased for a large cowrie shell, and a goat for a yard of calico. Everywhere the visitors found through our Indian Government for a trade a cheerful, courteous and contented population, which is ruining the oodies and souls. and uncontaminated by the vices of civilization, and destroying the homes of multitudes of the yet not wholly ignorant of its arts. Chinese.
Four years later Lieutenant Wissmann Became our national connection with this chance(l to be in the same district. and after the evil traffic is peculiarly close and revolting. privations of a toilsome march through dense, The poppy is grown in Bengal alone over an inhospitable forests, rejoiced as. he drew near to . extent of more than 500.000 acres, and this the palm groves of the Bal:D& Pesihi. A dense growth is carefully fostered by the Indian Government. The OpiUIU drug is ma.nufac- tured under c.onstant Government direction and supervision. It is sold at auction by the Government, expressly and intentibn- ally for the Chinese market. Including that from the native states, about 85,000 of the vilest offenders in .. the trade," some chests, containing over 5,000 tons of opium, holding positions as office-bearers, others', are thus exported annually from India to through taeir liberality and pecuniary aid China, and a revenue of five, six, or seven to missionary and charitable institutions, millions sterling is derived by Government enjoying contentedly the admiration of from it. It is a great Government institu- their fellow-worshipers as great Ohristian tion, for which England is directly and pe- philanthropists. It is a sin and dis,,"Tace culiarly responsible. tb.a.t the representation of a Christian to a heathen mind should be the rapacious Because through many, many years this cupidity of merchants whose merchandise traffic nas been carried on in spite of the is making the unhappy peoples they trade remonstrances of the Chinese Government, amongst .. twofold more the children of hell and of the thousandfold testimony that it than themselves." It is impossible that the ministered only to debauchery, and to moral Church's foreign missionary effort can sucand social ruin. The Convention of 1885, ceed as long as she goes with a soul-saving though it has given to the Chinese the right gospel in the one hand and a soul-damnIng to put a heavier tax upon imported opium, trade in the other. May God give her minishas not altered in the slightest degree our ters grace to declare His whole mind and own relations as a country to the gross im- will in the matter, and enable her to wash morality of the trade. her hands and garments clean from all complicity therein. If her efforts in the Because while, for very shame's sake. we ensuing struggle are not to prove futile, in have done a little (only a little) to restrain deep contritioll her first step must be that the bavoc which opium was working among of self-judgment and purification. Judgour Burmese Ifellow-subjects. we have done ment must begin at the house of God. As nothi"g to check the ruin which it is work- co-workers with God all His true followers ing in Ohina among a people in friendly alli- are under a threefold obligatIon to do their ance with us. utmost. We owe this for the sake of our Lord and Master, who has commanded His Because eVJlry thoughtful and educated gospel to be preached in every part of the Ohinaman, heathen though he be, cannot world; for the sake of our missionary brethhelp denouncing the immorality and un- ren, in removing the stumbling-blocks we righteousness of the nation which has de- have placed in the way of their work; and liberately sown among his people a seed of for the sake of the poor heathen whom we ever-extending vice and degradation. have enthralled body and soul.-Christian Leader. Because in the largest mission field of the world, according to the unanimous testi- India.-We have received the report of mony of missionaries in China, our relations the Travancore District Committee of the as a country to the opium traffic form one London Missionary Society. It is a closely of the chiefest hindrances to the spread of packed little volume, and its perusal leaves the gospel. a vivid impression of unusual activity and ingenuity in all :departments. Read- Because national judgment must surely ing-rooms have always played an important follow upon national sin, and it faUs upon part in Travancore. The room at Nager- British Ohristians especially, not only to coil has now been the scene of special gathacknowledge this sin, but to lead the com- erings on Sunday afternoons for many munity in protesting against it, and in con.. months. At these meetings the people have tinuous efforts to effect its removal. produced the publications of the Hindu Tract Society, and have put forward their -The Foreign Liquor Traffic. Weare glad best men to argue the case against Ohristto hear tbat the Foreign Missionary Society ianity, while the Christians have replied of the Glasgow Y. M. O. A. are making in- forcibly and clearly. This is excellent vestigations into this subject with a view work, stirring up in the people a great exto the taking of some definite action. Brit- citement, and making them feel that Hinain has a terrible account to settle with the duism must fight if it is to continue to live. Almighty in this matter. The blold of thou- The medical mission has proved itself of sanas of natives in India and Africa is to- great value. There is a medical native day ('rying out to Heaven against her. agency, carefully trained, and doing most These dark races implore our aid in turning valuable work in the branch dispensaries, the tide of a traffic which threatens them and it is proposed to enlarge this departwith rapid ruination; but Ohurch and State ment by training a large number of young alike seem to turn a deaf ear to every ap- Christians as dressers. Classes have been peal. Why is the voice of our churches held in which domestic medicine has been silent? Oan it be that the terrible extent carefully taught to catechists who have to of the trade is not fully known? or is it that labor in the remoter parts of the districts; the Church shrinks from fear of the revela- a.nd the elements of obstetrics have been tion" which a careful search would entail Y Silence, in view of the facts which many' of her ministers and pastors do know. only increases her blood-g1liltmess. Alre.a.dy it is lmoWll that in her very bosom a.re a number ,ta.ug,ht to Bible,women similarly situated. II. They are to have in 18110 a constitutional A new dispensary has been opeued at Par- government-the first native example of it uttipalIi, and another one is being erected in Asia. at Nagercoil. Toward the latter H. H. the Maharajah of Travancore has con~ribnted 10. They have separated Shintoism and Rs. 800. The evangelistic work of the mis- Buddhism from the Government, and abolsion 'has been encouragingly su~cessful, 411 ished their administrative Bureau of Reliadults from heathenism having'beeu bap- gion. Universal toleration prevails. The tized during the year. During that period ancient faiths are considered barbaric and 593 persons were admitted from the rank of incompatible with the new career of 1;he adherents to that of church members. empire. The Government acknowledges itself to be without a religion, and is consid- Japan•..:….Progress. An interesting ering what form of Western cultus it may best adopt. letter appears in The Ohristian Advocate from Abel stevens, D.D., now 11.' They have legally recognized the in Japan. He groups together an Christian Sabbath, and it is observed as a. extraordinary chapter of events, in- day of rest by all Government offices, the dicating the rapid approach of Japan public schools, banks, etc. toward Christian civilization. -Japanese Views of Christianity. Several The following is a summary of the remarkable changes that have taken eminentpnblicists ofJapan are carrying ona very interesting discnssion just now. The object is place amongst the Japanese: to determine whether or not it is advisable for the people of Japan to embrace the Christian 1. They have abolished their old dual sov- religion. The Japan Weekly Mail, in a recent ereignty, and restored to power their an- issue, summarizes this discussion. It states cient Mikado, the representative of a that those connected with the movement say dynasty more than 2,000 years old. that Christiau dogmas are a bitter pill to swal- low, but advise that it be swall~,wed promptly 2. Theyhave thrown off the strongest sys- for the sake of the after effects. Mr. Fukuzawa, tem of fendalism that history records. a well-known writer, nrges this course, although he says he takes no personal interest whatever 3. They have established a single national in religion, and knows nothing of the teaching of army, a navy, and a general police after the Christianity; but he sees that it is the ereed Western models. All these are clothed in of the most highly civilized nations. Professor European costume and drilled in European Toyama, of the Imperial University, has pubmanner. lished a work to support his view. He holds that Chinese ethics mnst be replaced by Christ· 4. They have organized a remarkable sys- ian ethiCS, and that' the bene1lts to be derived tem of national education, which Gen. Grant from the introduction of Christianity are: (1) pronounced, when here, the hest he had the improvement of music;. (2) union of senti- Seen in his circuit of the globe. It was de- ment and feeling, leading to harmonious co·opvi~ed by an American. It comprises primary eration ; and (3) the fnrnishing of a medium of or common SChools, n..rmaland polytechnic intercourse between men and women. It is academies, and an Imperial university on argued by others that the youth of Japan, being the model ofthe German university. . free from tbe tbraldom of creeds, and free to act according to reason. are so far in advance of 5. They have established a mail system, Europeans, and instead of talking about adoptand have entered into the "Postal Union." ing " foreign religion, Japanese should go After the example of England, their postal abroad and preach their religion of reason to department includes the savings-bank sys- foreign countries. Other writers nrge the same tem, and the deposits (mostly by the poorer views. The writer in the Yokohoma newspaper classes) for last year amounted to $12,500,- says that those wbo urge the teaching of Cbrist- 000, nearly double the amount of the preced. ianity represent an in1lnential section of eduingyear. cated Japanese opinion; they are signs of the times. "To Japan, in an emphatically agnostic 6. They have esta.blished a scientific medi- mood, came Western science, with all its marcal faculty, with native physicians educated velous revelations and attractions. At the in Europe, and all the European improve- shrine of that science she is worshiping now." ments, in place of their old medical jugglery. Jews.-Dr. Dalman's statistics of the work 7. They had Ino knowledge of the public and success in Jewish evangelization must surjournal before the arrival of Perry; they prise all who have not watched the course of now have the public press, including no less events. There are no less than 47 Protestant than 500 per10dicals – dailies, weeklies, missionary societies devoted exclusively to this monthlies; political,literary, scientific. arduous vocation. These employ 377 mission- aries, laboring at 157 centers of Jewish pop- 8. They have introduced the steamboat, ulation, and have an annual income of about the telegraph, the telephone, etc., now made by native hands. Native companies navi· gate the rivers and neighboring seas with excellent steamers, quite satisfactory to foreign travelers. half a million dollars. In addition .to these very patent fact in n very plain phrase. The Proother missionary societies engage in this special testant Church has not only skeptiCism and inwork, as a branch of their general work. Eng- differentism, but also Vaticanism, to deal with, land has eight of these 47 societies, sends out and a fresh illustration of the nalTO w. persecnthlg' about two-thirds of the 377 men, and supplies and intolerant spirit ofthe Roman ChIll cli is seen about two-thirds of the money. Scotland has in the trial and imprisonment of Rev. J. M.'Vila, a five societies, Ireland one. Germany twelve, hard-working and successful Protestant pastor Switzerland one, the Netherlands three, France of Malaga, in Spain, A Roman Catholic priest one, the Scandinavian lands five, Russia (i. e. issued a violent pamphlet against him, to which the Protestant churches of,) four, North Mr. Vila replied in another pamphlet. Vila was America seven. The cities in which the larg- arraigned in the courts on charges, the chief of est number of mIssIOnaries are engaged which was that he had said that the" timber of are London, lBudapest, Constantinople, Da- the manger out of which the priest's horse fed mascus, Jerusalem, Tunis. As the total of was the same kind of wood employed by the all the Jews on the face of the globe is artificer to mannfacture an image bf the Virgin abont 6,400,000, there is one missionary of Sorrows, and that one timber had quite as for every 16,976 Jews. In addition to these the much virtue as the other." From an account Roman Catholic and the Greek Churches also just at hand in Light and Truth we learn that engage in this work. Pastor de Ie' Roi,of Bres- the trial took place in the presence of a large lin, also a reliable statistician, claims that at crowd of people. The public prosecutor asked least 100,000 Jews have confessed Christ since the Court to sen~ence the accused to six years' the beginning of the present century. Those imprisonment, a fine of 2,500 pesetas and costs. yet living of these, together with their descend- The counsel for the defense claimed that the ants, probably nnmber 250,000 children of Abra- Bible supported everything found in the pamham who havh entered upon the spiritnalinherit- phlet. ance of their father. When we recall the fact that ten years ago there were in existence only .. Then Se:'ior Vila spoke, and his simple, elo- 20 societies for the evangelization of the Jews, quent address greatly moved the people-many with only 250 laborers and an income less than of whom wept, and said, as they left the hall, half of what it is now, the marked progress in 'We are now Protestauts, also l' He said his this sphere of Christian activity. is peculiarly intention was not to make a personal attack encouraging. on the priest, but to combat the false teachings of the Roman Church. As true followers of -The existing Jewish Congregation at Mos- Christ, they did not hate or attack anyone. The soul (Mesopotamia) boasts of very ancient or;- Roman Church, on the contrary, had always opgin. When Tiglath Pileser, King of Assyria, posed the truth of the gospel; and, without apconquered the northern regions of the kingdom pealing to history or uncovering the ashes of the orIsrael, he carried captive a uumber of the il1- thousands sacrificed by the execrable Inquisihabitants, and settled them in different parts of tion, his presence in the tribunal that day was a his own dominions. At that time a Jewish con- living testimony to Romish persecution. A gregation was established at Nineveh (now large crowd followed Senor Vila from the Mossoul), and it is this congregation which has court, and expressions of lively sympathy rewithstood the vicissitudes of ages. The Jews ~011nded on every side. He teIls us that he was of Mossoul even now consider it as a special full ofjoy that he had been priYile~ed to testify favor of Providence that their ancestors became publicly beCore the tribunal concerning the truth captives before the destruction of the first Tem- of the gospel." ple, so that they were spared the great misfortune which overtook Jerusalem. They glory in "Great attempts were made to influence the the fact that their congregation is older than tribunal, and so powerful are the Roman Caththat of Babylon, and that later on, when the olic clergy in Malaga. that only one paper dared kingdom of Judea came to an end, those of the to refer to the case. At last, on April 3, the inhabitants who made their way to Assyria, magistrates pronounced sentence, and Senor were enabled to enjoy their hospitality, and to Vila was forthwith condemned to two years, receive every possible support from their breth- four months and one day's imprisonment, beren in faith already settled in that country. The sides 250 pesetas fine and payment of costs. Mossoul Jews possess two synagogues, a Beth The Spanish prisons are such abominable dens Hamedrash and a cemetery. The ancient burial of filth and iniquity that this sentence is no gronnel which was first used by the early settlers light matter. Senor Vila lias appealed to the was destroyed at the capture of Nineveh. The Supreme Court at Madrid, the sentence of present-day Jews have adopted the Sephardim which will be final. ritual as their minhag.-Jewish Chronicle. " The trial has been the means of producing a Spain.-Persecution. When (in 1883) the great awakening in :Malaga, and numbers of late ArchbiSHOp of Canterbury said .. power- persons are confessing Christ. It has also led ful influence.. are at work which are entirely many to attend for the first time Senor Vila's antagonistic to Christianity," and that .. the church, and all the services are very crowded- Church of Rome is absolutely powerless to meet even on week-nights persons are turned away. these anti-Christian movemente," he expressed a ill" The same growth is taking place at the mission IitatiftDi ill t.~ i.rreu•• villai'eli. "
INTERNATlVNAL DEPARTMENT
IV.-INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
CONDUCTED BY REV. J. T. GRACEY, D.D., OF THE "INTERNATIONAL MIS- SIONARY UNION."
Mohammedanism in Ohina. Clarke in 1886. (6) A proclamation BY REV. H. V. NOYES, CANTON, CHINA. published in Peking in 1866, by a How was Mohammedanism intro- Mohammedan mandarin, and trans- duced into China? What has been lated by Professor Vassilief, a Rus- its history? What is its present sian learned in Arabic.
status? The evidence is all in favor of be- In this attempt to answer these lieving that Canton City is the place inquiries, information has been de- where Mohammedanism was first rived from the following sources: (a) established in China. 'rhe account Mainly from a work printed in Paris given in the" Annals of Kwantung"
in 1878, and written by P. Darby De seems pretty well corroborated, viz.: Thiersant,Consul General and Charge "At the commencement of the dy- d' Affaires from France to China. nasty of Tang (618 to 908) there He tells us that his book is the result came to Canton a considerable num- of investigations running through bel' of strangers, natives of the king- fifteen years, and that he got much doms of Annam, of Cambodia, of Me- information from Mohammedan dina, and of several other countries.
priests. Doubtless he was able also They worshiped heaven and had no to get much definite knowledge from statue, or idol, or image, in their Roman Catholic priests, who are temples. The kingdom of Medina is scattered so widely through the coun- near to that of India, and is where try. (b) From writers on the subject the religion of these steangers, which in the eighteen volumes of the is very different from that of Bud- "Chinese Repository." (c) From dha, originated. They do not eat Williams' "Middle Kingdom." (d) pork, nor drink wine, and regard as From writers in the Chinese Re- 'impure the flesh of every animal not corder, and the China Review. slain by themselves. HaVing asked It is generally conceded that little and obtained f,'om the emperor an information, as to their origin, can authorization to reside at Canton, be obtained from the Chinese Mo- they built magnificent houses of an hammedans of the present day. architecture different from that of What is known in regard to it, seems the country. They were very rich to have been obtained from: (1) In- and subject to a chief chosen by scriptions on tablets found at the themselves. By reason of their good mosques in or neal' Canton City. (2) fortune, they became so numerous Accounts of India. and China by two and influential that they were able Mohammedan travelers, written, to maltreat the Chinese people with one A.D. 850, and one A.D. 877, in impunity. This was carried to such Arabic, and transla:ted into French a pitch that a mandarin high in by the Abbe Eusebius Renaudot. (3) rank'was impelled to issue a procla- The Chinese annals of Kwangtung mation in the name of the emperor, (Canton province). (4) A Chinese warning these foreigners that if they work" Ui UiYuen Lvi," that IS "Ori- continued to conduct themselves so gin of Mohammedanism," "Ui Ui" badly they would be punished se- being the name given to Mohamme- verely."
dans in China. (5) A Chinese book The tablets at Canton, the Peking found in the province of Yunnan proclamation and the t~o Chinese and translated by Rev. George W. books alrE'ady mentioned all give, in somewhat different forms, the story China. The first Mohammedan temof a bright appearance in the West- ple, built afterwards in the Northern sky, connected with a singular west, at Si Ngan Fu, one of the two dream of the emperor, which the as- capitals of the empire, dates from trologers and soothsayers interpreted A.D. 742, from which we may suppose to mean that a great sage had arisen that Islam did not penetrate by land in the West, who was ruler 01 a pow- into the north of the empire until erfulcountry named Medina, and that that time. In the flourishing period it was very important, in the inter- of Kai Yuen (713-742), relates the Si ests of the empire, that friendly rela- Yu Chen, 'the barbarians of the tions be established with him; that W est arrived en masse in the Middle then the Emperor sent an embassy Kingdom, and, as by an irruption to Mohammed, who appointed three from more than a hundred kingenvoys, of whom only one lived to doms, removerl at least a thousand reach China, by way of Si Ngan Fu, leagues, bearing with them as presand afterwards settled in Canton. ents their sacred books, which were This sounds wonderfully like the received and deposited in the hall for story of the introduction of Bud- translation of sacred books and candhism, and may be taken with at least ons of the imperial palace. Starting one grain of salt. This much, how- from that epoch, the religious docever, appears to be true, that in the trines of different countries of the early part of the Tang dynasty, West spread themselves and were about A. D. 628, a maternal uncle practiced openly in the empire of of liohammed, Wahib Abi Kabcha, Tang.' came to China, was received with much favor by the Empet'or, and " The first real nucleus of Mohamestablished himself in Canton. P. medans of the West implanted in Darby de Thiersant states that" this China was a contingent of 4,000 man obtained an authorization to Arab soldiers, which the Kaliph build a mosque at Canton, and, at Abu Giafer sent, in the year 755, to the same time, the right for his co- succor the Emperor Sou Tsong, menreligionists to profess freely their aced by the rebel An-Io-chan, and worship in the empire." He then who. as a recompense for their sergoes on to say: "Wahib Abi Kabcha, vices, permitted them to establish his mission accomplished, returned themselves in the principal cities of to Arabia in 63-&, hoping to find again the empire. These soldiers, who the Prophet, but on arriving he was married Chinese wives, may be conapprised of his death, which caused sidered the first stock origin of Mohim profound grief. He rested for a hammedan Chinese." time, and when Abu Becker had. formed the Koran from the scat· The above extract contains the tered leaves left by Mohammed, he substance of what is known concerntook the holy book and set out again ing the entrance of Islam into China, for China. He ,suffered much in and the account is corroborated by returning to Canton, where he died, the fact that those who have given worn out by the fatigue of the voy- attention to the matter say that the age. He was interred in one of the Mohammedan Chinese are different suburbs of the city, where his tomb by race from other Chinese; that in remains until this day, an object of them may be clearly recognized a veneration to all believers in the ex- mixture of Arabic, Turkish and treme East. It is to him that lVlus- Chinese blood. sulmansare indebted forthe construction of the most ancient mosque in From this time, A.D. 755, or there- about, until the lattel' part of the ninth century the trade of Canton With Arabs and other people fro~ the West must have been very dians. This is the account given of flourishing. One writer says that them when Yunnan was constituted "under the dynasty of Tang the a province of the empire in 1295. ocean was fatigued with the thou- "They were true savages, without sands of ships sailing from the Orient the least trace of civilization, living to the Occident." In 1068 the em- in a state of nature, ignorant of how peror appointed a foreigner named to cultivate the soil, sustaining them-. Siu Ya To Lo to administer the gov- selves by hunting and fishing, and ernment of merchants from the burning their dead without cere~ W-est. That functionary designated mony." The emperor, Kublai Khan, quarters for the fOl'eignel's, and their appointed one of his ministers, called families continued to be inscribed on Omar by some, by others Sayid Edthe registers of the State. It is prob- jell, or Si Tien Che, to administer the able that harsh measures were after- government of the province. He wards employed against them, for a taught the people agriculture, social number emigrated to Kiungchow, obligations, and the art of writing, on the island of Hainan, whel'e they and by wise institutions succeeded in built foul' mosques which still exist. civilizing th,em. He taught them the On that island also are yet found the religion of Mohammed, and at the descendants of ancient Mohammedan same time the respect which they families. From this time the com- ought to have for Confucius, to merce of Canton with foreigners whom he erected temples, and also diminished continually, and they for built mosques in all the cities. He the most part returned to their na- gathered around him a great numbel' tive land. of Mussulman scholars and others whom he loaded with favors, and In the Yuen dynasty, commencing who established themselves in the 1280, the Arab merchants, profiting country. He governed for six years, by the influence which their co-re- and died much lamented. The people ligionists had at the court of Kublai- built fol' him a magnificent tomb, Khan, renewed on a grand scale their while the emperor erected a temple relations with China. But for thel in his honor. This man was originmost part, instead of returning to ally from Bokhara, but submitting to Canton, they betook themselves to Genghis Khan became a part of his the provinces of Fuhkien, Cheh- guard. He evidently had a large inkiang' and Kiangsu. The port of fluence over the people. Marco Polo Foochow became by this circum- says that from 1280 to 1300 the stance a grand center of commerce. whole population of Yunnan was Mohammedan. We have given a view of the course of events which brought Islam There have been several rebellions. into the provinces that lie along the One, in 1817, induced by the massacre eastern coast of China. It evidently of a number of Mohammedans by came by means of commercial inter- other Chinese, the burning of a course to a great extent, and by way mosque, and the injustice of certain of the sea. mandarins, sustained by the gov- ernor. The insurgents, after having It remains to inquire how it was defeated in several encounters the planted in the remaining provinces. imperial troops, laid siege to the capi- At thE' extreme south of the western tal of the province, where the gov- border is the province of Yunnan, ernor had shut himself up. The em- said to contain three and a half mil- peror sent at once, a large body of lion Mohammedans. In the earlier soldiers who defeated the rebels and centuries this province seems to have obliged them to take refui'e with the been inhabited by wild tribes not less savage than the North American Insavages on the frontiers. The chief all the Mohammedans in China. was made prisoner and cut into frag- And these Mohammedans came by a ments. This Insurrection continued different route from those who enabout a year. tered the eastern provinces. Those came from Arabia, by way of the sea, Another rebellion broke out on the but these from Turkey and Persia, western frontier in 1826 which was through Bokhara, and thence into ended in 1828. Another took place the province of Kansuh. THis provabout 1834, provoked by the manda- ince is therefore considered the cenrins of Chan Ning Fu, who caused tral point of the sect, in the extreme a massacre of Mohammedans at East. And the sect has had its exthe city of Mong Mien, under the istence there mainly since the genpretext that they wished to revolt. eral breaking up that took place More than 1,600 men, women and when that fearful Tartar general, children had their throats cut with- Tamerlane, swept not only through out mercy, and this horrible butchery Central Asia, but over the burning was continued until Mohammedans plains of India, and over the frozen from the neighboring towns ran to steppes of Siberia, passed beyond the their succor, and meted out terrible Caspian Sea, beyond the Black Sea reprisals. The troubles were settled to the banks of the Danube, conby a general whom the Viceroy sent quered Asia Minor and Syria, and for that purpose. even went down into Egypt, and stopped, at last, not because de- By far the most serious rebellion in feated, but only tired of conquest. this province commenced in 1855, and was not ended till 1873. It origi- The first mosque in the northwest nated in a contention about some sil- was built at Si Ngan Fu, in the provver mines, but grew until the whole ince of Shensi, A.D. '742. The Ohinese province was embroiled. Near its Repository mentions an embassy commencement a fearful massacre of sent with valuable presents, by way Mohammedans took place, encour- of Kashgar, as early as 708. From a aged and even ordered by the officers Mohmamedan writer in the same periof government.' This was followed odical we have the following: "In by eighteen years of bloody strife the reign of Wan Tsing, A.D. 842, sevculminating in the surrender of eral myriads from the tribes of the Ta Li Fu by the Mohammedans, Ui Ui (Mohammedans) petitioned to which virtually ended the rebellion. enter China, and the emperor directed After the surrender seventeen Mo- them to be settled in the various dehammedan chiefs were invited to a partments of Shensi, where they banquet, and suddenly, a precOIi- have enjoyed the support of many certed signal being given, were all sovereigns and have furnished a sucbeheaded; those who had favored cession of loyal and upright scholars the surrender as well as those who for the service of the State. These had opposed it. To the lasting dis- have maintained the pure, true faith grace of the Chinese general, within for a thousand years without defecthree days, in the city and surround- tion." The information about Kansuh villages, out of 50,000 inhabitants in these early times is very meager, 30,000 were mercilessly butchered by but we have the following in regard the soldiers acting under the com- to the country lying farther west. mand of their chief. In 713 a Moslem, Couteybe Ibu, con- quered Bokhara, and took Samar- In regard to the rest of China, it is kand. The Chinese eIt!peror was only necessary for our present pur- much alarmed at his conquestH, and pose to consider particularly the treated the ambassadors that he sent provinces of Kansuh and Shensi. They contain nearly three-fourths 'Of with the gl'eatest respect. This there by the rebels or abandoned by event is important, as from it dates the owners, who had been obliged to the establishment of Mohammedan- ism in ~houresm, where later was flee to save their lives, The Chinese founded the kingdom of Ui Ui, or militia of the neighboring districts, Mohammedan Chinese. In 1124 this kingdom gave its subjection to China learning of this, clamored for a part at Samarkand. There is not much more of importance to relate in con- of the booty, which the Mohamme- nection with these provinces, until the present dynasty. It is evident dans stubbornly refused. TheChinese that in the contentions which were did not dare to attack them, but continually occurring between the Chinese and th.e Mohammedan prov- waited an opportunity for revenge. inces on the west and in Central Asia, It came at length from quite a small the Chinese now and then conquered portions of Mohammedan territory, affair. One day a Mohammedan cut and now and then theseoutlyingprov- inces regained their independence; some bamboos from a grove neal' the that Mohammedans were more 01' village where he was. The owner, less employed as allies 01' soldiers in not a Mohammedan, ('harged him the Chinese army, became officials, with cutting them without permis- sometimes 'occupying very high po- sion, and was answered arrogantly. sitions, and that in this general mix- He then complained to the Moham- ing up along the border a large num- medanreligious chief, and not obtain- ber of Mohammedans became per- ing l'edrel>s went to the Chinese dis- manent inhabitants of the western trict magistrate. The magistrate did provinces of China. not dare to punish the offender, but plotted with the leader of the large This account would not be complete town of Chely to massacre the Mo- without some notice of the great re- hammedans. One of their villages bellion which took place in Shensi was therefore laid waste by the and Kansuh from 1861 to 1873. Like Chely militia. This was followed by all othet' Mohammedan rebellions in a general uprising of the Mohamme- China, it was not on account of relig- dans, and a sanguina,ry contest of ion. The members of this sect are three daysand three nights, in which quite as clannish as the pure Chinese, they came off victors. When the and generally go together in any mandarins sent imperia,l troops to attempt to resist what they deem op- succor the vanquished, these were pression or to gain dominion. The also obliged to bea,t a shameful outbreak of 1861, commencing in retreat. Shensi and spreading to Kansuh, originated in this way: "A Chinese "The insurrection then spread rebel chief, after having devastated throughout the provlllce and made Sz Chuen, invaded Shensi. To resist its way into Kansuh. It was kept the invasion the militia was organized up for twelve years, and cost an im- in every locality. The Mussulman mense amount of blood and h-eccsure militia, commanded by their own before it was finally and most thor- chiefs, were by their own wish kept oughly put down by that valiant . separate from the other militia. The General Tso Tsung Tang." bandits at length took the city of U Nau. The Mussulman militia took " In regard tothe central provinces back the city, in which they found of the empire, the following quota- immense treasUl'e, either brought tion will suffice: "The history of lfohammedans in these provinces is the history of the inhabitants of each province. We need not speak par- ticularly of them. We only say that since the dynasty of Yuen, 1280, a great number of them have occupied very high positions, both in the capital and in the pr.ovinces, as ministers, noting, h.owever, some facts whi"eh generals. vicer.oys .or g.overn.ors." have a bearing upon the answer.
Mention ought also to be made .of (1) Mohammedanism in China does those colonial dependencies of the not seem to have gained its numbers empire which are largely Moham. by proselytizing. The Mohammedans medan, viz.: Koko Nor on the south of to-day in general trace their deof Kansuh, and on the west all that scent, fo!' hundreds of years, from part of IIi which lies south of the Mohammedan families. They have Tien Shan Mountains, and where multiplied by a natural increase. are situated the noted eight Moham- They also add to their strength by medan cities. purchasing, in times of famine or other calamity, large numbers of The following is an approximate children, who!:n they bring up accordestimate, in round numbers, of the ing to the doctrines of their religion. present Mohammedan populati.on of They llaye been known, during a China. Dr. Williams says that. single famine, to purchase 10,000. n.orth of the Yang-tsz Kiang, there are at least 10,000,000. (2) They hold to their religion very tenaciously, by which is only meant P. Darby De Thiersantgivesan esti- that they do not easily leave their mate, more partIcularly by provinces, sect. The instances are rare where as follows: Kansuh, 8,350,000; Shen- they become Christians. On the si, 6,500,000; Yunnan, 3,500,000 to othe).' hand, they sit so loosely on their 4,000,000 (this includes the savage foundations of doctrine that they tribes who reside on the frontiers of find no difficulty in going through Burmah); Shansi, 50,000; Chihli all the forms of the Chinese ritual 250,000. Of these 100,000 are in the when they are appointed to office. neighborhood of Peking.. There are They can wOl'Rhip the tablet of the in the city eleven mosques, one near emperor, but they put the picture of the palace, vel'Y beautiful, built the Prophet hehind it. opposite the imperial pavilions, in honor of a Mohammedan queen, (3.) There does not seem to be any whom the Emperor Kien Lung es- special 'antipathy against them, on poused in 1735. Shantung. 200,000; the part of either rulers or people, Hunan and Hnpeh, 50,000; Kiang,;i, on account of their religious belief. 4,000; ~iangsu and Nganhwui, 150,- They have often held office and have 000; Kwangtung, 21,000; Kwangsi, had many favors granted them. Tho 15,000; Kweichau, 40,000; Szchuen, contests or rebellions in which they 40,000; Honan, 200.000; Chekiang have been, from time to time, conand Fuhkien, 30,000. If we add to cerned have seemed more like imthese a probable estimate of 300,000 mense clan fights than any contenfor Koko Nor and the southern part tion about religious belief. The of IIi and take the larger estimate for question has been about dominion, the province of Yunnan, we have a not about faith. This is evidentfr.om total of somewhat more than 20,- the fact that when, in one part of 000,000. the country, Mohammedans are en- gaged in a bloody rebellion, those in Having given a cursory view of other parts are not molested. Durthe introduction of Mohammedanism ing the years of rebellion in the into China and its subsequent history northwest, and also in Yunnan, Mo-' there, having given statistics to show hammeclans, under the very shadow its present strength, we wi}} not ven- of the imperial palace, lived without ture to tread the delicate ground of the least appearance of molestation. prophecy, but leave others to an- The great clan fight ahout a silver swer the question, ,Vhat in the future mine in Yunnan' could never have is likely to be its influence itl China? been dl'awn out into an eighteen N. Y., became Corresponding Secre- years' bloody contest, unless there tary. Twenty-five thousand dollars had been something more than that was estimated as necessary for pur.
silver mine at stake. So in the north- chasing and finishing buildings to ac- west, a contest about the division of commodate fifty boarders, and $5,000 spoils, or the cutting of a few . annually for its maintenance. Salubamboos, was, indeed, the match tations came to the organization which set fire to combustibles, but from England and from India. certainly did not furnish fuel for . Sir William Wedderburn, of Engcombustion to the flames of that land, lately retired from the Indian fierce contest that raged for twelve Civii Service, wrote: years, and was only quenched at last "Both Lady Wedderburn and myself are in rivers of blood. The contest was very glad to receive news of Pundita Rama- a contest for power. bai. We are both much interested in female (4) We can never be sure how education, especially in India, and it will give us much pleasure to do what we can to much the Mohammedans in China promote the Pundita's proposed normaJ are influenced from without. Dr. schooL When you have completed your Williams says that the last great plans I shall be glad to hear from you rebellion was largely fomented by again; in the meantime allowme to express Turkish sectaries. the pleasure I feel that Pundita Ramabai has found such good friends and snpporters Ramabai'a Institution for Ohild- in America." Widows. Dr. Ramakrishna Bhandarkar, pro- THE little high.caste Brahman fessor of Sanskrit in a college in widow, Ramabai, bearing the high- Poona, India, after a confet'ence with est honorary and literary degree be- several of his friends, wrote: stowed by the Brahmanic brotherhood, and known by the title" Pun- .. We are glad that you American ladies dita," invented by an English lady are going to interest yourselves actively with the amelioration of the condition of your unfortunate sisters iii India. I assure 'for convenience of foreign introduc- you we shall consider it a duty to give you tion, came among us in an unosten- all the assistance we can. I suppose the tatious way, studied our institutions details of the scheme will De settled when and organized support of a cherished Pundita Ramabai and the female teachers will arrive in India."
plan of her own for elevating and Dr. Bhandarkar and his friends educating "little widows" of high- were indol'sed by Hon. Lionel As- caste families in India, and departed bUrner, who was for thirty-six years the country as unostentatiously as in the Indian Civil Service, as "very she entered it. The organization responsible, influential men."
which she accomplished while in On the· eve of her departure from this country is entitled "The Ram- the United States we received from abai Association," which was formed her the following personal note: at Channing Hall, Boston, Dec. 13, .. VALLEY STATION, NEB., Jun" 16, 1888.
1887. It was supported by Rev. Ed- .. DEAlt BROTHER IN CHaIST : ward E. Hale, D.D., who was elected President, and Dr. Phillips Brooks, .. I received your kind letter a few weeks Miss Frances E. Willard, Rev. Geo. ago, but could not answer it through want of time. I have sent a few circulars to you already, and am sending a new one which A. Gordon, and the since ascended, has just come out. It isjust twenty months Dean Ra.chel L. Bodley, M.D., who since I have seen you when we talked about was Ramabai's patron saint all the· my work and when so little of hope seemed while she was in America. to exist, but the Heavenly Father has been with me in all that I have attempted, and A Board of Trustees was consti- my hopes are now almost realized so far as tuted for America, and an" Advisory the material assistance goes. The main Board" was appointed for India. work is y..t to be done, and I hope and pray Miss A. P. Granger, of Canandaigua, that the heavenly grace will strengthen and sustain me in my undertaking. .. Many good people seem to have a misun- religious schools. High-caste girls, derstanding about the work that I am try- she says, may be in the missionary ing to start, and are generally inclined to schools in some instances prior to discountenance my project. Their fears marriage, but not after that event, seem to have arisen from th"fact that my institution for child-widows is to be a purely either as wives or widows. She says secular one, and also from a misappr..hen- the missionary schools are open to all sion that its founder is diverting in this castes, as they should be, and are none direction the energies of Christian women of them devoted exclusively to highand funds which should properly go into missionary channels. This latter I emphati- caste women, much less to high-caste cally deny, having never, in public or pri- widows. In the circ-ular referred to vate, attempted to do such a thing which in herletter, she set forth some feawill injure the foreign missionary cause. tures of the case. The movement is truly unique, its author, talented, .. I havegood reasons for making my school purely secular. Such institutions are a necessity at present. sincere and standing in her individ- uBecause: ual capacity for what she esteems an .. The orthodox Hindu widows will notgo to important reform in her own coun- try, by what she thinks is the only anv school home if the study of Christian religion is made a condition to their admit- tance . feasible method for reachlllg and re- .. It is against their faith, and they will not lieving high-caste Hindu widows, sacrifice their conscience to worldly advantages. whose trials and deprivations she has .. Such a condition will prove a strong •experienced. It would seem that even temptation to many light-minded women, Anglo-Saxon love of fair play, not to and make hypocrites of them. say of freedom of speech and press, .. Missionaries do not reach the strictly or- would justify us, even if we disap- proved her measures, which we do thodox widows, who suffer most, and who not, in allowing her to reach those of are in the keeping of their male relatives. Some of these relatives will be glad enough to have their daughters or sisters educated our readers who may not other.wise in purely secular schools, but they will by have had the opportunity, through no means let them be instructed by mis- the following quotations from her sionaries. Such widows, if once educated own statements of the case. and become self-supporting, having all the freedom of action and thought, and un- She says: trammeled, it is hoped that they will accept .. A few Hindu parents would not mind tbeir daughters coming in contact with chil- Christ, when they realize the advantages of dren or people of inferior castes before the marriage, but this cannot continue after the His religion, which they will be requested girl has gone through the marriage cere.. mony, the only religious sacrament to to study if they choose to do so. And even which she is entitled and which is consid- ered the means of her regeneration and by if we are disappointed in our hopes fur their virtue of which she becomes a high-caste woman and a member of her husband's famconversion,.we shall at least have the com- ily. A few married high-caste girls and women are allowed to be seen and instructed fort of having done ()ur duty in relieving by foreign missionaries in the zenltnas, but not in the missionary schools. These women, their sufferings and giving "them the means it must be remembered, do not belong to the strictly orthodox families; their husbands, by which they may lift themselves out of fathers-in-law or fath~rs, in whose keeping they happen to be aR wives or widows, being the lamentable state of drndgery, and be- half skeptical, half Brabmanical, or, per- haps, partly Brahmo and partly Christian come self-respecting, self..supportin~ mem- ill belief, and all of them men who are edu- bers of society. The Bible will be placed in their hand, but we cannot make its study a condition for the above reasons. I do not ask any people to give their money to this instead of to missionary work, but I ear- nestly solicit the assistance of our friends who have it in their power to help forward more than one good cause.
•• Very truly yours, RAMABA!."
Ramabai affirms the unique char- acter of her proposed institution cated in Western ideas.
as devoted to high-caste widows-a U Even among these families the educa· class which she thinks is wholly un- tion of Women is limited to merely reading, reached and absolutely unapproach- a little writing, and at the best the four fundamental rules in arithmetic-an educa- able through missionary or other tion not so thorough as to enable them to think for themselves or to qualify young together with the pious Hindus who look widows to become teachers or to engage in upon this movement as dangerous heresy, any occupation which would make them in- may try to annihilate it. dependent of male relatives. There may be a few exceptions to this statement among "But our trust is in the Heavenly Father, the Brahmos and other non-orthodox fami- who is our st:rE'JIgth aud who~ because He is lies, but among these the necessity is not so almighty, is aole to bring us safely out of great. as widows are not put to the severest this serious difficulty." trials as in orthodox communities. Death of Mr. Ahok's Mother. .. It is strictly true of every orthodox Hindn family that women are never allowed WE say" Mr. Ahok's mother," beto be visited or instructed by a foreign mis… cause we cannot present her after sionary. I derive my knowledge of the so- our custom by her own name, and cial condition of the orthodox high-caste also because her estimable son has Hindu women neither from fables nor from become so Widely known that the the statements of half-informed persons, but mother shares in the luster of his I get it directly from what I have seen and renown, though her sterling qualiknown. I myself Was born and reared in ties merit wide recognition and rean orthodox Brahmanical honsehold, and spect. Mr. Ahok is a wealthy Chithough my parents approved of women be- nese merchant who was led to Christ ing educated they would have been the last through the agency of Rev. S. L. persons to allow their daughters nnder the Baldwin, D.D., now Recording Secinstruction of missionarjes~ retary of the Methodist Episcopal 1IIissionarySociety,and who before he .. It was not until after their death when I professed Christianity at all donated had attained my leg-al age, and then there $10,000 for the founding of an Anglobeing no male relative to control me, and Chinese College at Foo Chow. 111'. my education having enabled me to get my Ahok waR a lay delegate from the Foo independence, that I had any chancL' of see- Chow Conference to the Methodist ing the missionaries and other people not of Episcopal General Conference held my own caste, and of reading the books in New York last May, but was unwhich were antagonistic tomy ancestral re" able io come; whether alone because ligion. This is true to-day of every other he was unwilling to risk his chances household like that of my parents. of escaping the leasllPs of our ob- structive Chinese legislation, we can- "I have deduced from these facts that not sav. Ahok's mother stoutly anthe orthodox high-caste women of India tagOlized his acceptance of Chriscannot be helped by missionary societies. tianity, but later herself beC>1:{llle a An agency which is neither identical With genuine Christian with marked indinor antagonistic to these societies lllust be viduality of experience. employed in order to draw these women out of t~eir secluded homes. Purely secular in- 'Ve take from the California stitutions are the necessity of the hour in Christian Advocate the following India, institutions which will be like homes account of the funeral of Mr. Ahok's to the little widows, where their material mother: wants will be supplied, and their physical pain alleviated. The education afforded in Not long since~ at the age of eighty..six, these homes must prepare them to face the occurred the death of the mother of 1I1r. world and must pnt within their reach the Ahok. The first intimation the writer had power which will be the means of their in- of the sad event was the receipt of the fol- dependence,leaving them free at length to lowing note, written by an Eng-lish-speaking think and choose for themselves. . . . clerk in Mr. Ahok's store: .. I am sorry to inform yon that my mother left this world "As for ourselves we are convinced that at 7 o'clock this evening, and we shall pnt it is not against our Christian belief to carry her in her everlasting bed to-morrow morn- to those who need it help in any shape, even ing at 8 o'clock. Will you please notify though we may not be able to carry our others," etc. Having been requested to creed with it. It will do no harm to any of conduct the funeral exercises, we reached us to read the beautiful parable of the Mr. Ahok's residence a little before the . Good Samaritan" twice over, and try to time appointed, a,ud noticed a. coffin in II find out what our Lord Christ meant to teach by it .
.. I am aware that even after setting forth this plan in the plainest language, many Christian people may still mi.apprehend or misrepresent it without meaning to do so; and, on the other hand. all enemies of woman's_progressand freedom in Hindustan,
THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS
framework of a recess of the room where day until the burial; but, instead of having the services were to be held, Soon after senseless heathen ceremonies, social religious the company had assembled loud weeping meetings are held, and the gospel Is preached. was heard, aud immediately Mr. Ahok and Thus our Chinese Christians adhere to harmless his two adopted sons, together with several native customs, only substituting Christian for other ",ale relatives, slowly entered the heathen worship. recess from another room, bearing the body, encased in elegant silk, and laid it in We are informed that about five years ago the collin. The weeping continued wh~e Mr. Ahok's mother had quite a protracted the unoccupied space in the collin was struggle, deciding whether she wonld become a being filled with the pith of a certain plant, Christian or remain a Buddhist. Since his conand with bits of paper rolled into small version, Mr. Ahok has had preaching Sunday balls. After this, the assembled friends afternoons at his residence, as well as mid'- viewed the face of the deceased, when we week social meetings and family prayers. His were requested to proceed with the ser- mother used to alternate between these services vices. These consisted of the singing of a and the worship of the idol, which had for so hymn, prayer, a short address from the many years delnded her. While continning words," Blessed are the dead that die in the this practice she had a good opportunity to com- Lord." etc.• followed by another hymn and pare the two religions. One day, after attending the benediction-aU, of course. being- in Christian worship, she said to her friends: Chinese. During tJ,e services Mr. Ahok sat "You may take my idol away; hereafter your on a piece of matting on the floor, near the God shall be my God, and your Saviour my head of the collin. 'Vhen tbe benediction Saviour." And the joy which shone in her was pronounced, the friends quickly dis- countenance showed that she had indeed found persed, leaving the sorrowing relatives him of whom Moses and the prophets did write, alone with their dead. In a short time tbe Jesus of Nazareth. The idol was presented to collin was closed and hermetically sealed; Bishop Merrill when he was here in 1883. From but it has been decided that the interment the time of her conversion, this aged Chinese will not take place until the forty-ninth day lady had a bright evidence of acceptance with after the death. In this part of China the God, and became more and more firmly estabwealthy families, and many of the middle lished in the faith during her few remaining classes, begin on the seventh day after a years. Through her influence Mrs. Ahok's death a series of U meritorious" ceremo.. mother, who still survives, was also constrained nies for the repose and general benefit of the to turn from idols to the true and living God. soul of the departed, or the three souls, according to the heathen notion. In one form How encouraging all this to the missionary of or another these ceremonies are repeated the cross, who, in such a benighted land, is every seventh day from that of the death, oftentimes depres8ed by the mass of heathenism, some continuing until the forty-ninth day. which, like a moral miasma, environs him as Buddhist or Taoist priests are hired to man- does the very atmosphere I What proofs the age these exercises, which are described in conversion of these aged ones that in China, as that painstaking work, .. Social Life of the elsewhere, the gospel of Christ is "the power of Chinese," by Rev. Justus Doolittle. for four- God unto salvation to every one that believteen years a missionary here at Foochow. eth " lOur millions of dear brothers and sisters in America, who, by their prayers and money, Mr. Ahok is following the custom of having are advancing God's cause in heathen lands, his friends and relatives meet every seventh may well rejOice with us over all such triumphs of grace.
V.-THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS.
BY A. T. PIERSON, D.D.
GENERAL SURVEY. MARCH: Mexico Central America. OUR intention is during the twelve- City Evangelizati;n. month to turn the whole wheel round and bring successively to view every A PRIL: I n d'la and C eyI on. Brahpart of the world-wide circle of missionary labor. We give the scheme manism. for the year, and as far as may be the MAY: Burmah, Siam and Laos. structure of THE REVIEW will conform throughout to this plan: Buddhism. JANUARY: General Outlook. Sur- JUNE: Africa. Freedmen in North America. JULY: Islands of the Sea. Utah.
vey of the World. North American Indians.
FEBRUARY: China and Confucian- AUGUST: Italy, France, and Papal ism. Thibet. Eurqpe. SEPTEMBER: Japan, Korea. Medi- and master the languages that must cal Missions. be the vehicle of communication.
OCTOBER: Turkey, Persia. Mo- To estimate the entire number of hammedanism and Nominal Chris- converts in all foreign mission fields tian Sects. at 3,000,000 is very liberal, in fact in NOVEMBER: South America, West excess of the real number; but it Indies. Papacy. Home Missions. ~ust be remembered that these rep- DECEMBER: Syria. Jews. Educa- resent not less than 600,000 families tional Work in Missions. and 30,000 churches, mission stations As in January we propose a gen- and schools; and that out of these eral survey, it may be well, first of 3,000,000 converts, 30,000 workers all, to keep before us certain figures have gone into the field, Of' one out of and facts of world-wide significance, every 100, while Protestant Christen- even at risk of repetition. dom has sent forth but one out of There are 3,064 languages in the 5,000 !
world, and its. inhabitants profess The money annually raised for more than 1.000 religions. carrying on Protestant foreign mis- The most cat'eful computation sionsis a little short of $11,250,000, or which we have been able to make an average of 37Yz cents per year for at' find makes the present popula- each evangelical chul'ch member, or tion of the globe somewhat over leES than one tenth of a cent a day.
1,500,000,000. Of these, pagans, Accurate figures we are unable to heathens and Mohammedans con- give or get concerning either medi- stitute 1,040,000,000, and the rest cal missions or the educational work.
(460,000,000) are nominally Chris- As to the first, theil' growth is so tian, Papal, Greek and Protest- rapid that if we could present accu- ant. There are, however, not more rate returns they would be hope- than 31,500,000 Protestant church lessly in the rear before we could get members. At least one-half of this this number of THE REVIEW electro- 460,000,000 are Nothingarians and typed. For example, the Edinburgh Oonfucionists, To these more than Medical Missionary Society alone, thousand millions, Protestant Chris- which had in Hl71 only 7 students, tendom sends 6,230 messengers of the and in 1881, 16, had in 1886, 170 qual- cross, of whom 3,000 are ordained ified medical missionaries in active missionaries and 2,500 women. To service. Within ten years the in- these, in estimating the sum total of come of the society increased five- workers, we must add some 30,300 fold.
native preachers, teachers, catechists As to schools, they exist in con- and lay helpers, who have been raised nection with all missions and are up out of pag'an, heathen and Mo- often the first form of evangelistic hammedan communities as the first ageney. It is computed that for fruits of missions, making a total every fifteen church members and ad- force in the foreign field of 30,530, of herents gathered in heathen lands, which about five-sixths are converts there is one school. If so, then the from heathenism, Could these work- total number is not far feom 200,000, ers so be distributed as that the en- which, including schools of eveey tire .unevangelized po>puiation could size and grade, feom the primary to be equally divided among them, each would still have to reach, within an the collegiate, is not, we are persuad- ed, far from correct. But we hope average lifetime, at least 28,400 souls before the year closes to gather more with the gospel! And this, too, with accurate and trustworthy figures.
all thp. disadvantages of having to There are in the world 16,447,990 get to the field and get over the field, Sunday-school 'pupils, by the last figures published, The average Of the rellults of missions, w,: have membership is probably about fifty, no space to pl'esent facts, which must which gives 329,000 Sunday-schools be exhibited as the various fields pass in the world. All these figures are before us. approximate only, but they may The American Board alone occuhelp to form a general conception 9f pies 1,000 centers of evangelical in- the world's present condition and fluence, and $124,274 were contrib- needs, the comparative growth of uted last year by native converts in missions, and the outlook for the these various fields!
future. The largest body of the Prpsbyte- Certain grand facts ought to stand rian Church of our land, and in the 'boldly before us like the mountains North. has organized and sustains 34 on a landscape. miSSIOns in both hemispheres, 1. The world has been fully ex- manned by 550 foreign missionaries, plored. There remains probably no of whom 115 are ordained mi;J,sters llndis'covered territory. and 154 unmarried ladies, besides 151 2. The origin and history of every native ordained ministers, 171licen- nation have been traced; languages tiates and 804 other native helpers.
have been reduced to forms, and lit- The churches number 311, with 23,- erature created. 740 communicants, of whom 2,897 3. The present marvelous facilities were received during the past year; for rapid travel and communication in schools of all grades 23,770 pupils give easy access to all parts of the were enrolled; 80,000,000 of pages in globe. 21 languages were issued from 8 4. Commerce of the globe, espe- printing presses, and upward of 75,- cially by sea, is in the hands of Prot- 000 patients were treated in hospitals estant nations; postal and telegraph and dispensaries.
unions extend into all countries. Reports of other denomination!
5. The Bible has been translated may be found in our pages for the into more than 300 tongues-the past year, and can be traced by the press is greatly utilized. copious index appended to the De- 6. Barriers so completely removed cember issue.
-Christian missionaries under pro- Missions to the Jews are assuming tection of law in every land. new importance and meeting with 7. A native ministry is developing, new success. The professed converts and the churches gathered out of from Israel number 1,000 to 1,500 heathendom will ~on be taking care annually; and most of these are from of themselves. the educated class. Joseph Rabin- As to missionar:y societies, etc., The owitch in Bessarabia, and Rabbi Lich- Quarterly Review for July, 1886, es- enstein near Buda-Pesth, are leaders timated the total number asnot fewer in this modern movement among than 146. They must in 1889 exceed their own countrymen.
150, at the least, and more likely The destitution of the world must reach 170. In Great Britain there not be overlooked. During the cen- are from twenty-five to thirty; in tury since Carey went to India, Dr.
the United States from forty to fifty; Murray Mitchell computes that at on the continent as many more, least 200,000,000 have been added to known to exist at the beg'inning of the pagan population of the globe; the last year, while scattered through and that for every 10,000,000 added heathen and Mohammedan lands are to nominal Christendom, fully 15,- as many more; from the Hawaiian 000,000 have been added to heathen- group to Japan, and from Japan to dom.
Syria; and Madagascar round to Some countries like Thibet hav.eso Polynesia again. far been practically inaccessible to evangelism. Immense tracts, em- For thirty years his life was spent bracing a thousand iniles square and in an unwearied effort to evangelize millions of people, have not, in some the' native races, to explore the un- cases, one missionary station. Mex- discovered secrets, to abolish the des- ico is called a Christian country, yet olating slave traffic of Central Africa, Bishop Hurst of the Methodist and with his last words he wrote, , Church says that there are 8,000,000 "All I can add in my solitude is, people there who never saw a copy of the Holy Scriptures. In many papal may Heaven's rich blessing come lands St. Joseph is practically wor- down on every vne, American, En- shiped as superior to the Virgin glish, or Turk, who will help to heal Mary his wife, and Jesus Christ her this open sore of the world." Son. "And other sheep I have which SUGGESTIVE PARAGRAPHS. are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, PAUL and Barnabas went on a and there shall be one flock and one mission tour. (Compare ~cts xiii: 2-4; xiv: 3, 27; xv: 3, 7-12.) Their shepherd." career and report to the churches at Antioch and Jerusalem typify and TEXTS AND THEMES FOR MISSIONARY prophesy the whole history of mis- sions. It has been a history of su- SERMONS. pernatural interpositions. God has given testimony unto the word of THE following is old, but worth His grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by the hands of preservation: His servants. At the London Con-' ference the modern apostles of mis- .. Go lie into aU the world, and preach the gos- – sions gathering the Church together pel to every creature." in the metropolis of the world, re- Unbelief. There are so many heathen, and so hearsed all that God had done with them and how He had opened t.he much oppositiou to the gospel, the world can door of faith unto the Gentiles, de- never he converted. claring what spiritual miracles and wonders of transformation God had THE LORD. " The God of heaven shall set up wrought among the nations by them. a kingdom which shall never he destroyed: but Every result wrought in apostolic it shall break in pieces and consume all other days has its correspondent and coun- kingdoms, and it shall stand forever." Read terpart in modern days: Dan. ii : 44, 45. Psalms ii: 8, and lxxii: 8. Isa.
1. God gave testimony to the word ii: 2, 4. of His grace. Unbelief. The heathen will be saved without, 2. Opened the door of faith to the the gospel. Gentiles. St. Peter. "There is none other name [but 3. Converted the Gentiles and puri- Jesus] under heaven, given among men, fied their hearts by faith. whereby we mnst be saved." Acts iv : 12.
4. Gave them witness, imparting St. John. .. He that believeth not the Son the Holy Ghost. shall not see life,. but the wrath of God abideth on him." John iii : 36. LIVINGSTONE'S SLAB IN WESTMINSTER. Brought by faithful hands JESUS CHRIST. .. He that believeth not shall be damned." Mark xvi: 16. Over land and sea, here rests DAVID LIVINGSTONE, Unbelief. The gospel makes the heathen no Missionary, better. Traveler. Philanthropist, Facts. Eighteen hundred years ago, except Born March 19. 1813, the Jews, there were none but heathen; what nations are now better have been made so by at Blantyre, Lanarkshire. the gospel. Died May 1, 1873, GO, PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE. a.t Chitambos Village, Ulala. Scruple. But all have not gifts to preach. St. Paul. "Having then gifts, differing ac. cording to the grace that is given to ns; whether MINISTRY, let ns wait on our minister· ing-he that GIVETH, let him do it with sim· plicity. For as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office; so we, being many, are one body in Christ… See Rom. xii :4-13. 1 Cor. xii: 14-22. Read 1 Cor. ix : 7, 13. Rom. x: 15. Truth. God hath made all nations of one blOOd. Eyery man is one m"mber of Ii bod.y of
PROGRESS AND RESULTS OF MISSIOKS-;)!O~THLY BULLETIN
1,500,000,000, 800,000,000 of whom are perishing, yon, 0 ye oj tittle faith?" "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." Read Matt. vi : l1H34. through ignorance of the gospel and the way of Miser. Then you forbid me to providefor my life. – i'amily? "He that provideth not for his own Inquirer. As one member of this family, is worRe than an infideL" Experience. Is the best way "to provide" what ought Ito do' for your own to "rob" God and your fellow JESUS CHRIST. Have the same care for your men? Read Mal. iii : s-:.10. The very way" to provide" a curse. "Thel'e is that maketh himfellow men, as the members of the body for self'rich, yet hath nothing: there is that mak€'th every part. Place yourself in their condition, himself poor, yet hath great riches." Provo xiii : 7. See also 2 Cor. viii : 9. then in yours. .. Whatsoever ye would that Avarice, I am not able to do much. IfI had as they should do to you, do ye even so to them." much as 80me men I shouldn't value giving.
Per}Jlexity. I have a family and friends to St. Paul. "If there be tirst a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath." provide for-so many calls, I cannot attend to 2 Cor. viii: 12.
the wants of the heathen. Ignorance. I would give, but I know not what becomes of my money. Bellevolence. _Yourself in their condition, Public Prints. Read and understand. would you have them lhus treat you? "Render Pride. I am ashamed to give so little as I feel able. I must do more, Or it won't be to all their ducos." Provide for every part. thonght anytTling. THE LORD. "The pride of thy heart hath de- False Philosophy. By giving much to send ceived thee." Obad. iii. See the widow's two mites. Luke xxi: 1–1. the gospel abroad, I shall rob myself and child- Self-Indulgence. But why banter and urge a man so? What the" great hurry" of sendren, and come to want. ing the gospel to the heathen? THE LORD. "There is that scattereth, and Mercy. Heathen die as fast as Christians; yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth 15,000,000 sink into the grave every year, and go, without the gospel, to the judgment unpremore than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." pared.
" The liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that Zeal. "What thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." Ecc. ix : 10. watereth shall be watered also himself." Prov. GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD .ilID PREACH TIDli xi: 24. 25. GOSPEL. Selfishnes8. But I ought to lay up something beforehand, for myself FIRST.
JESUS CHRIST. "He that trusteth in his riches shall fall." Prov. xi : 28. " Seek FIRST [to promote] the kingdom of God, and his righteousness." Matt. vi : 33. "Lay not up for yourselves trea8Ures on earth."
WO'l'ldly Prudence. But if I lay not Ull some- thing against time of need, who will take care of me, when old and infirm?
JESUS CHRIST. "Take no thou-ght for your life," etc.-" Shall he not much more clothe VI.-PROGRESS AND RESULTS OF MISSIONS: MONTHLY BULLETIN.
Africa.-The native boats on the Upper ciative attendance of colonists at purely mis- Congo have begun to liy the Free State liag, sionary meetings than at the public evening seswhich insures to them protection. From Stan- sions of the conference this year. We were ley Pool to Equator Station, traveling is per- thankful to see it. MiSSIOnary work among the f~ctly safe. One boat brought from Stanley natives here is not definitely understood ~mong Falls five tons of ivory. the colonists generally. They get some strange impressions of it which a very little personal -At Badza Manteke, in the Congo Mission observatiou shows them to be wrong. Wewant of the American Baptist Missionary Union, them to inform themselves. seven persons have been put to death for the testimony of Jesus. The work is steadily pro- -At Kangwe, on an island of the Ogowe, 379 gressing. candidates were recently received into the class for catechumens, and 91 persons have -REV. CHARLES W. KILBON writes entered tbe churcb. from Adam's Mission Station, Natal, -The first section. of the Trans-African South Africa, July 19, as follows: Railway from St. Paul de Loanda to Arubaca has heen finished, and the work is going on. "You will be interested to know that while This section is forty miles long, extending from the' International Missionary Union' was open- the coast to Kabiri. The road from that point ing its sessions in New Jersey the Natal Mis- turns sonth to the Coanza River, whence it is sionary Conference of our little colony was hold- to be extended directly west to Ambaca, 225 inlJ; its annual meeting at the capital, Pieter- miles from the coast. maritzburg. Your first day was our last. On that day, in our devotional exercises, your meet- ChinR.-The communicants, which were ing was spoken of, and special mention of it scarcely a score forty years since. accordwas m'lde in their prayer. ing to the report of the American Board. _"We have never had fuller and more appre- now exceed 32,000. and are increasing at the rate of 2.000 a year. Telegraph and railroad faith and as a missionary force. Now he appears Jines thread the land, a knowledge of the in an article with the title, "The Great Mission- J%iglish language is eagerly sought, and tbe ary Failure." He enters into calculations and stir of a great movement is felt in the land. comes to the conclusion that" it would take the A proclamation lately issned in many prov- Church Missionary Society 2,7!JO years to overw inces describes the missionaries as teachers take the additions made in India by birth in a of virtue, and their influence as helpful to single year." His manipulation of figures is the state,' enjoining all citizens to refrain deceptive. Sir Charles Atchison, an Englishfrom violence, and to live with them in the man in India, says that" in the Punjab, the relation of hosts and guests. Hindu and Mohammedan religions are practi- cally stationary, that of the Sikhs has declined, -After eighty years of contact with Eng- whereas the Christian religion has increased land, there are 32,000 Christians, for which 38". per cent." The quality of Canon Taylor's we may be thankful, and 150,000,000 opium intellect may be j lldged by the fact that at the smokers, for which we may hang our heads late Episcopal Congress at Manchester" he exin shame. The slave trade, the liquor traf- pressed the opinion that the bishops' physical fic, the licensing of immorality-these were pO'~'ers often g'ave way because they were corow bad enough, but the opium curse is the sum pelled to put their hands on the greasy heads of of all vilJainy.-J. Hudson Taylor. thousands of confirmation candidates." There were cries of" shame" from the audience. -The Chinese Government threatens to drive all missionaries out of Pekin and Can- Franre.-The annual report of the Societe ton in retaliation for the bill which has been du Nord says that they have now in the adopted exclndlng the Chinese from the north of France 52 pastors and 145 places of United States. worship, of which 84 are temples, and nearly 30,000 adherents. -The Baptist Missionary Magazine for December reports 260 baptisms, and news -Dr. Pierson was present and made an adhas been received of 23 recent baptisms at dress at the opening of a new station in Swatow, China, and 73 at Ongole, India. PariS, the Salle Rivole. The very name of this hall is associated in Paris with all that -The first railroad built in China with the is included in the words, .. The world, the sanction of the government was completed tieRh and the devil," and where ior .one hun w in August. It runs from Tientsin to Taku, dred years Satan has held sway. It is situfifty miles. and the trains are crowded with ated in a densely populated quarter, at the passengers. confluence of the rue St. Antoine and the rue de Rivole, abont half way between the Englnnd.-London Missionary Society. The Bastile and the Hotel de Ville. It was for- Ladies' Committee, in connection with the so- merly nsed as a ball room; then a fashionciety, does not form a separate organization, as able billiard room; later it was most notoriin the case of some of the other large societies. ous for the low dances which were held in We append the leading statistics: Mission sta- it; and since the days of the republic it tions and sub-stations, 1,.87 (1,161 in Madagas- has been the meeting-place of the Anarcar) ; foreign workers, ordained, 150; lay, 21 ; chists. This wicked den, in the very heart native workers. ordained, 1,143; lay, 5,156; of Paris, has been transformed, by the McAll communicants, betweeu eighty and ninety thou- 1iission, into a gospel temple, where every eand, of which more than sixty thousand are night the H good news" will be proclaimed. credited to Madagascar. The statistics are not Its support is furnished by the New York quite complete. Full returns would show some- Anxiliary. whst increased figures. The total income is over a htindred thousand pounds sterling. lndia.-Out of the 555 adult converts bap- tized by the English Church missionaries at -The valedictory dismissal of a band of Amritsar, India, since the establishment of forty-five missionaries in connection with the the mission in 1852, no less than 253 have Church Missionary Society took place in St. been converts from Islam. While this be- James's Hall, Piccadilly. Twenty-five of the tokens no great movement among the Momissionaries are returnin!( to the field, and hammedans toward Christianity, it shows twenty are new recruits. Already nearly twenty that Moslems can be reached and brought others have departed, chiefiy going to Africa. under the influence of the gospel. Except Bishop Crowther, who returns to the Niger, and one lady for Lagos, all the forty·five -A revival of Hinduism is taking place in taken leave of are for Asia-Palestine, Persia, Madras Presidency, India. In the past the India, China, and Japan. Eight of the new re- Hindus have looked on the efforts of the cmits are university men. Sir J. Kennaway, missionaries with contempt or indifference. Bart, M. P. (presiden t), presided over a large Now they are becoming alarmed at the gathering of friends and supporters, and on be- progrbss of Christianity, and are opposing half of the society and the meeting bade the it by every means in their power. They missionaries Godspeed. have formed U preaching societies" and u tract societies," and are fighting for Hin- -The latest outburst of "Paganism" in England is an arrai!(nment of missions as a duism by the methods which have proved "failure." Canou Taylor last year made a sen- .'tiou b111 laudatiou of Islam as a system of so effecti ve for the spread of Christianity in English missionaries, it reports the astoundthe hands of the missionaries. ing number of 838 native ordained ministerll, and 4,005 native preachers, 61,000 chur"h Japan.-The Christian converts increased members and 280,000 adh~ents. But as yet 50 per cent. last year, till they number over scarcely one-half of the population has 7,000, with more young people seeking in- been reached by the gospel. struction than ever before. Contributions of Japanese Christians the past year for lIfexico.-Mexico is a Christian conntry, educational and religious objects amount yet Bishop Hurst of the Methodist Episto over $41,000; and not only professed copal Church says that in Mexico 8,000,000 Christians give, but others who see the have never seen a copy of the Holy Scripwork in progress, especially parents, for the tures. sake of the moral culture 'obtained in our New ]lexico.-The South American Mis_ schools. Mr. Neesima reports $3i.ooo sub- sionary Society has started a new missiou in Pa.ragua.y under encouraging circum… scribed by a few Japanese gentlemen, in- stances. cluding tw ' of the highest officials of the government, toward the enlargement of the New Guinea is one of the most interesting Doshisha school into a Christian university. points in the world's missionary work at Count Okuma, minister of foreign affairs, present. A few years ago the whole people Count Inouye, late minister of foreign af- were the worst lotof cannibals known. Now fairs, but who has recently returned to the many of them are receiving the gospel, and cabinet as a minister of agriculture and a change is rapidly coming over the island. commerce, have subscribed l,OOO yen each. Viscount Aoki, vice-minister of state. gives New Zealand.-New Zealand, as a matter 500 yen, while six other prominent officials of fact, is evangelized. Christianity has and bankerc have given together 28,500 yen. not failed of success in a single island. In India and elsewhere they had to gather the -The number of converts in the Japan converts one by one, but in New Zealand a Mission of the American Board has in- movement set in, and great numbers came creased in fifteen months from 4,226 to forward; its advance was almost like a bush 7,093, a gain of 2,801. This ie. the most re- fire. The number of native clergy at presmarkable record in any mission of the ent laboring there is qnite three times what Board, except the Sandwich,Isbnds. they had previously been. These are not supported by money from home, bnt by the -Awakening. The Rev. A. B. Hntchlnson, contributions and endowments of their own C.M,S., Nagasaki, says: .. In this remote people.-Bishop Stuart, D.D., of Waiapu. corner of distant Japan there is an awakening and inquiry after the truth which have Scotland. – A recent number of The already resulted in the baptism of over 200 Scottish Geographical Magazine has papers converts, principally adults, in the northern dealing with subjects specially engaging the part of Kiushiu, which is the portion allotted attention of the friends of missions. Not to to me as my special sphere of work. Others speak of Mr. H. O. Forbes's paper on .. Atare being prepared for admission into the tempts to Reach the Owen Stanley Peak," fold of Christ. My fellow-worker on the which goes over ground occupied by the eastern side of Kiushiu, Rev. J. B. Brandram, New Guinea Mission of the London Missionanc1 our brethren of the Presbyterian and ary Society, we have notes on .. Recent Ex- American Episcopal Methodist missions, are plorations in the Territories of the African rejoicing over similar proofs that the gospel Lakes Company," by E. G. RavenBtein, is still the power of God uuto salvat,ion to F.R.G.S., with a map of the territory, at everyone that believeth. I would ask 'ear- this moment of more than usual interest, nest prayer for the workers in this land." between Lakes Tanganyika and Nyassa, far in advance of anything that has y+t been -According to The Ohinese Recorder the given of that region of Africa. There is need of Japan at the present moment is also a very graphic account of .. Lnkoma," 1,000 preaching missionaries. Out of 100 an island in Lake Nyassa. by Archdeacon ordained missionaries, only thirty are en- Maples, F.R.G.S., the headquarters of a gaged in preaching. Some Buddhist priests hopeful branch of the Universities Mission have taken snch titles as bishop and rever- in Central Africa. The Archdeacon,like his end, and a Professor of the Old Testament chief, Bishop Smythies, warmly commends has been engaged by the Kioto Buddhist the work of the Scottish Mis~ion~ on the college. There is a crying demand for lady Lake, referring to the members of the teachers for women of rank, and also for Established Church of Scotland at Blantyre Christian teachers for pri vate and govern- as competent translators of the Scriptures, ment schools. This is as tr..e of India as of and to the Buchanan brothers as the enter- Japan. prising missionary-colonists at Zomba. His account of the work of his own mission at Madagascar. – The London Missionary Lukoma is most instr,uctive, showing how Society continues to push its work here with the missionaries in their mission ship, increasing success, notwithstanding the political changes and the aggressive atti- OharleS Janson, rea.ch the coa.st villa.ges to tude of the Church of Rome. Witu its 30 the south, holding classes for inquirers and he was for more than thirty years superin_ preaching the gospel to the people who tendent of tbe Sabbath-school of the First come out to hear. Presbyterian Church, Augusta, Ga.
Syria.-The first volume of Dr. Eddy's -A Gift '-_ Books. The author and pub. Arabic Commentary on the New Testament, in lishersof "ThA Crisis of Missionst'~ Rev. Dr. chIding Matthew and Mark, has been published Pierson and Robert Carter & Brothers, have in a book of nearly six hundred pages. offered to the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions a second thousand copies for gratu. -The Abeih field hasa force of 50 workers, 89 itousdistribution. These will be sentprompt. ly by the Board, postpaid,to all who will order being teachers and alicensed preachers. There them witb the understanding that they are to be read and loaned to others. A thousand are 4 'organized churches, with a membership copies have been offered by the same parties of 297, 24 having beeu added during the past to the American Board. year. Regular preacking services are maiutained at 18 places. There are 20 Sabbatho -'ii, M, C. A. The eleventh World's Y. schools, with 980 scholars; 43 high and com· M, Co A. Conference, at Stockholm, in mon schools enroll 1,681 scholars. The total August, showed the American continent at contributions for benevolence and education the front of this great work. The United amouuted to $2,308. States and Canada, taken togetber, report 1,240 associations and 152,721 members. -The Death of Dr. Meshaka, of the Jewish Canada organized the first association on mission in Damascus, is a great loss. Says the the American continent in Montreal on the Presbyterian Messenger, London: 9th of December, 1851. The choice is to be between Amsterdam and Paris for tbe •• He was, perhaps, the oldest Protestant twelfth World's Y. M. C. A. Convention. Christian in Syria, and exerted a powerful influence for good. He was respected by his -Christian Endeavor. The report of the townsmen of all classes and creedS, and his Seventh Annual Convention of the Society of funeral was the largest eVer Seen in Damascus. Christian Endeavor gives the very rapid growth The streets, windows and housetops were of this movement within two or three year., uncrowded all the way through the city, and eveu til it numbers over five thousand societies with outside the gate vast crowds were assembled." Over three hundred thousand members (while scores of new societies are being formed every 1'urkey.-Government opposition to all evan- week in all denominations). This indicates a gelical inlluences is manifested in restrictive widespread desire and need for that which in legislation towards the mission schools, and in in- some degree at least is met by this organization. terference with the personal liberty of native The United Society of Christian Endeavor asks teachers, and sometimes of missionaries. Mr. no allep;iance, exercises no authority, levies no Straus, the American minister at Constantino- taxes. It simply exists to give information, ple,is ably guarding the interests submitted to his aud to aid the societies, by giving them the best care, and his efforts are warmly appreciated by methods by which young people can be traiued the missions, and are worthy of hearty commen- for usefulness in the Church. Its affairs are dation. • . . Colleges at Aintab, Harpoot, managed by representatives of the evangelical and Marsovan, almost the only schools of this denominations. grade in the Turkish Empire, the great numher of boarding-schools for boys and girls.in all -Protestant Episcopal Missions. The 20th these missions, and the far greater number of annual session of the Missionary Council day-schools taught by graduates of these higher of the Protestant Episcopal Church was recentschools, are far superior to all other schools of ly held in Washington, D. C. About 250 delethe same grade in the land, and are steadily gates were present. Tbe report of the Board pervading the life of the whole people with the of Managers of the Domestic and Foreign sentiments and examples of the Christian faith. Missionary Society showed that the SOCiety The theological seminaries at Marsovan, Har- has in foreign lands 41 priucipal and 145 poot, and Marash are quietly raising their stand- ont stations, an increase of 37 since last year; ards according to the growing needs of the field that it has 133 missionaries and 227 native and the better class of candidates for the min- helpers in the field. an increase of about 60; istry furnished by the colleges.-Report to the that it has 91 day and boarding schools, an in- American Roard. crease of 12, and 3,364 pupils, an iucrease of "193. At the hospitals and dispensaries in Japan and United States.-Magnificent Gift for Freed- China 16,331 individuals were treated during the men. Securities to the amount of $1,000,- year. The treasurer's report shows a balance 894.25 ha.ve been placed in the hands of the of $53,000 to the credit of foreign missions. treasurer of the American IIlissionary Asso- The report of the Woman'8 Auxiliary to the ciation' by Mr. Daniel Hand of Ciinton, Board of Missions showed that the gifts in Conn. The interest of this munificent gift money and boxes this year amount to $276,154. is to be spent every year in the education of the colored youth of the South, and is -Inter-Seminary Alliance. The meeting given by one who for many years was in held in Boston this year was the largest of the business in the South. He has had a pur- gatherings of this association ever held. It was pose to devote his fortune to this work for the ninth convention. Five hundred young men a long time, and has fulfilled it in the clos- from the seminaries were reported to be p"esing years of bis life. He is now in the ent. The papers presented were valuable. Drs. eighty-ninth year of his age. It is said that Herrick Johnson, Phillips Brooks, A. J. Gordon and Joseph Cook stirred the bearts of these young men.
STATISTICS OF TBE WORLD'S MISSIONS
VII.-STATISTICS OF THE WORLD'S MISSIONS.
BRITISH OONTRIBUTIONS TO FOREIGN MISSIONS, 1887.
[WE are indebted to Rev. W. A. Scott Robertson, Hon. Canon of Canterbury and Vicar of Throwley, England, for these highly interesting statistics, summarized and analyzed.-EDs.] Summary of British Contributions to Foreign Missions, 1887.
Church of England Societies (Table No. I.)•…..•…………………•..•••….••……. £461,236· Joint Societies of Churchmen and Nonconformists (Table No. II.). ……….. … ………. 187,048 English and Welsh Nonconformist Societies (Table No. III.) ………………………… 367,115 Scotch and Irish Presbyterian Societies (Table No. IV.)…………………………….. 202,940 , – – – Roman Catholic Societies (Table No. V.)………………………………………….. 10,420 Total British Contributions for 1887………………………………………… £1,228,759 N. B.-This total does not include any fund.• derived from Rents, Dividends, or Interest, nor Balances in kand from the previ0U8 year, nor any Foreign Contributions. ANALYSIS OF THE RECEIPTS, 1887.
Table No. I. Foreign Missions of the Church of England.
Analysis of Receipts.
From Abroad British When & from In- Contri- Founded. Name of each Society, and Total Amount of Receipts for 1887. "estmeuts. butions.
1799 …. CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY, £221,330 (in addition to £48,604 received at Mission Stations). British Contributions………………………………………… . £207,704 Borne Receipts from Churchmen Abroad …………. , ….•……… £1,075 Dividends, Interest, and Rents. . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . ……………..••• 12,551 No B.-This Society maintain8 the Church Missionary College at Isltngt(}n, which it founded in 1825. 1701. ••. S00IETY FOR THE PRoPAGATION OF TilE GoSPEL, £112,245. British Contributions ……………………………………….. . 9~,811 Borne Receipts from Churchmen Abroad………………………. . 3,388 Dividends, Interests, and Rents ………………………………. . 10,051 1808 ….LONDON SOCIli:TY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIANITY AMONG THE JEWS, Brft~!~~ontributions……………………………………….. .. Borne Receipts from Churchmen Abroad……••..•……..••…•..••• 1,090 28,174 Dividends, Interest, etc………………………………….•…… 2,700 1880…•CHURCH OF ENGLAND ZENANA MISSIONARY SOCIETY, £23,268. British Contributions………………………………………… . '22,674 From Abroad ………………………………………………. . 594 1823….COLON[AL AND CONTINENTAL CHURCH SOCIETY, £37,673. British Contribntions ……………………… , • •……………. . 18,395 Raised and Ex-pended Abroad ……••………………….•……… 19,237 Dividends, Interest, etc•……….•……………………….•…•.• 41 1698 …. SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE, £33,699 (in addition to £79,000 derived from trading).
Portion paid in aid of Foreign Mission work, about …………….. . 12,000 1860…. CENTRAL AFRICAN MISSION ON THE UNIVERSITIES, £13,285. British Contributions ……………………………………….. . From Abroad ………………………………………………. . 399 12,169 Intere"t ……………………………………… ; …………. . 717 1844…. SOUTH AMERICAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY, £12,215. British Contribntions…. . …………………………………… . Raised and Expended Abroad …………………………………• 3,470 8,745 1870…. MISSIONARY LEAVES ASSOCIATION (aiding Native Clergy of the Church MIssionary Society), £8,348.
British Contributions……………….. . …………………… . 8,315 Dividends………………………………………………….. . 33 SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE CHURCH AID SOCIETY, £4,787. British Contributions………………………………………… . From Abroad and Sales ……………………………………… . 115 4,672 1865 ….LAPrE.' ASSOCIATION FOR PROMOTING FEMALE EDUCATION AMONG THE HEATHEN, £:;,188 (included above in the S. P. G. total), 1860…• BRITISH SYRIAN SCHOOLS, £4,196.
British Contributions…………………………………….. .. 4,010 Grants and Interest ……………………………………….. . 186 MELANESIAN MISSION, £4,703.
British Contributions …………………………………….. . 2,215 From Abroad……… ……………………….. …………….. 2,488 1841. … COLONIAL BISHOPRICS' FuND, £12,546.
British Contribution………………………………………. . 495 Dividends and Interest…………………………………….. 11,437 Grant from S. P. C. K. and S. P. G………………………… ••• 614 1869 …•"THE NET' 8" collections, £2,084. For McKenzie Memorial Mission …………………………… . 110 1,311 For other Funds …………………………………………… . 663 1883 …•CENTRAL AGENC.i FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS, £1,646.
Sums not herein included in the totals of other Societies, about 385 1848….ST. AUGUSTINE'S MISSIONARY COLLEGE (exclUSive of Endowments for a Warden, a Sub-Warden and three.Fellows), £2,862.
From Missionary Studentship AssoCIations•..••.•…•..•..•••••.• 2,251 From Funded ExhibItions, ••••• , •••• , •••• , •• , .. ,., ••••• " •• , …… . 611 ,An-a_ly_sis_oJf-R_e-c-e-ip-t.s.. , From Abroad British When & from In- Contri- Fonnded. Name of each Society. and Total Amount of Receipts for 1887. ,estments. butions.
1860 ..• .CORAL MISSIONARY FUND (to aid Schools and Catechists of Church £22 £952 98~ l1i"sionary Society), £974. 69 997 British Contributions…………….. ………………………. 2,176 570 Interest……………………………………………………. 442 1840…. FOREIGN AID SOCIETY (for France, B"lgium. Italy and Spain)…….. 300 18M .. .. ANGLO-CONTINENTAL SOCIETY. about.. …………………………. 1867 …. DELBI MEDICAL MIS~ION TO WOMEN AND CHILDREN, about. ……… 437,236 1877 …. CAMBRIDGE MISSION TO DELHI………….. ……………….. …….. 1691 …. CHRISTIAN FAITH SOCIETY FOR THE WEST INDIES (Rents)…… ……. 24,000 COLUMBIA MISSION, about……………………………………….. Tot;al amount of Donations, Legacies and Annual Subscriptions from the British Isles to the Societies above named for 1887… ESTIMATED VALUE of other gifts sent direct to Mission Stations, or gathered specially for Missionary dioceses, schools or Zenana work………………………………………………
Total for Church of England Foreign Missione. 1887 …………. . £461,236 Table No. II. Foreign Missions-Joint Societies of Churchmen and Non- conformists-A. D. 1887.
1804…. BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOOIETY, £147,881 (in addition to £102,443 derived ('rom sales) Devoted to Foreign Mission Work, abont………………………. £89,000 1799 …. RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY, £Z9,J40 (exclusive of £170,950 derived from 16,812 29,961 Trade). 9,883 Devoted to Foreign Mission Work…………………………….. 8,109 1866…. CHINA INLAND MISSION, £J3,717. 5,171 , British Cvntribntions ………•.•……. ;………………………. 4,626 From Abroad ……………………………………………….. £3,756 6,000 18fi2 …. INDIAN FEMALE NORMAL SOCIETY, £9,995 …………. :……………. 112 3,274 184ll…. BRITISH SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL AMONG THE 3,100 JEWS, £~,183 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,……… 74 1,517 2;595 1834 …. S0CIETY FOR PROMOTING FEMALE EDUCATION IN TIlE EAST, £6,249 (in 7,00« addition to needlework sent abroad, valued at £.,306). £187,04~ British Coutributions……….. ………………………………
Dividend", etc., £931; Grants, £147.. .. ….. . .. .. . . . .. . . . …. . . .. . . .. 1,078 1732 …. MORAVIAN (EPISCOPAL) MISSIONS OF THE UNITED BRETHREN, £16,803.
British ContributlOns ………………. , …… ,………………..
1872 …. EAST LONDON INSTITUTE FOR HOME AND FOREIGN MISSIONS, £11,592.
Portion de·oted to Livingstone Mission and other Foreign Mission Work, abont ……………… , .. , ………….. ,…….. ……..
)858 …. CHRISTIAN VERNACULAR EDUCATION SOCIETY FOR INDIA, £4,742 (in addition to £4,904 received in India from sales).
British Contributions…………………………………………
Grants and Contributions in India ……………………………. '.' 1,402 Interest…………………….. .. ……………………….. …. 66 W ALDE:r{8IAN MISSIONS AID FUND.
English and Irish Contributions, about…………. ……………… TRINITARIAN BIBLE SOCtEl'Y, £1,5~1 (iu addition to £456 from sales).
British Contributions ………………….. '" …………………. Interest .. _…………………………………………. _.. , ….. 4 1856.•.. TURKISH MISSIONS (FROM AMERICA) AID SOCIETy…….. ………….
ESTIMATJIlD VALUE of other contribntions in money and in needlework, &c………….. ……………. ……………. …………………
Total amount of British Contributions through Unscctarian or Joint Societies of Churchmen and Nonconformists for 1887…… ……….
Table No. III. Foreign Missions of English and Welsh Nonconformists, 1887.
1813…. WESLEYAN MISSIC:l1ARY SOCIETY, £133,303 (in addition to £58,827, raised and expended in Mission Stations).
British Contributions … _……………………………. , …… . £119,898 From Abroad …………………………………………….. . £7,035 Dividends and IntereRt …………………………………….. . 6,370 1795 …. LoNDON MISSIONARY SoOIETY, £146,410.
British Contributions ……….. , . . 0 ………………………… . 118,554 Raised Abroad .. _ ………………………………………… .. 23,716 Dividends and Interest ……………………………………. .. 4.140 1792….BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY, £7;;,058.
British Contributions ……………………………………… . 56,173 Raised Abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,3.31 Dividends,Interest1 etc…………………………………… . 1,534 1855 …. ENGLISH PRESBYTERIAN FOREIGN MISSIONS, £13,450.
British Contributions……………………………………… . 13.400 From Abroad. etc…………………………………………. .. 50 For Women's l'lission Fund see below.
1867 …… FRIENDS" FnREIGN MISSION ASSOCIATION. £8,964.
British Contributions…………………………………….. .. 8,529 Dividends and Interest……………….. . ………………… . 435 1832 .••. WESLEYAN LADIES' AUXILIARY FOR FEMALE EDUCATION, £7,529.
British Contributions…………………………………….. .. 7.347 Interest I'nd I' Grant..• , .. , …… , ……… , …………… , … , .. . 182 Analysis o.f Receipts.
From Abroad British When & from In- Contri· Founded. Name of each Society, and Total Amonnt of Receipts for 1887. vestments. bntions. 1~56 …. UNITED ME1'HODIST FREE CHURCHES' FOREIGN MISSIONS, £17,475. British Contril:>utioDS………………………………………. £7,722 Raised Abroad. . . . . . . .. •• . . . • . . . .. •• . • . . . . .. . • .. . … . . • . . .. . . ….. £9,753 1840 .••. WELSH CALVINISTIC METHODISTS FOREIGN M,SSIONARY SOCIETY, £.,bll. British Contributions…………………………………….. . 5,118 From Abroad………………………………………………. 2,332 Interest, etc………………………………………… ……. 361 1817 …. GENERAL BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY, £8,107. 4,735 British Contributions……………………………………… .
From Abroad…………. ………………………………….. 3,181 Interest, etc……………………………………………….. 191 METHODIST NEW CONNECTION FOREIGN MISSIONS, £3,782. British Contributions……………………………………… . 3,210 From Abroad ……………………………………………… . 464 Grants £61, Interest £47…………………………………… .. 108 1845…. EVANGELICAL CONTINENTAL SOCIETY, £2,208. British Contributions…………………………………….. .. 2,194 Interest, etc ………………………………………………. . 14 1836…. COLONIAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY, £6,314 ……………………………. . 6,053 British Contributions ………………………………………." . Repayments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 190 Interest, etc ….. " ………………………………………….. , 71 1,829 h FRIENDS" MISSION IN SYRIA AND PALESTINE . ……………….. .
PRIMITIVE METHODIST COLONIA.L MISSIONS, about …….. .., … : ……. . 2,000 PRIMITIVE METHODIST AFRICAN MISSION, £2,154 ………………….. .
British Contributions………………………………………… . 2,042 F'rolD Abroad" .. .. . . ……. … . …………………………….. . 112 ENGLISH PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN'S MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION, £2,356.
British Contributions………………………………………. . 2,311 .
Interest …………………………………………………… .. 45 ESTIMATED VALUE of needlework sent to mission Stations, and other un· reported Contributions. …. ….. . …………………………. .. ~,ooo Total British Contribntions throngh English and Welsh Nonconform- ist Societies for 1887…….. …………………………………. £367,115 Table. No. IV. Foreign Missions of Scotch and Irish Presbyterians.
FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND MISSIONS, £102,112.
, (British Contribntions .. £35,488 F orel.gn "JIU,SS.lOns ………………………. 1J SFcrohomolAFbereosaadn.d..G..r.a.n.t.s £5,465 2~,053 LInterest …………. .. 5,792 Ladies' Society for Female Edncation………………………….. . Jews' Conversion Fund ……………………………………… . 11,005 921 6,706 Continental Fund ………………………………………….. .. 130 5,116 Colonial Mission……………………………………………. . UNITIW PRESBYTERIAN FOREIGN MISS[ONS, £57,465. 63 3,373 General Fund.. { British Contributions and Legacies…………. . 48,309 Interest, etc……………………………….. 4,077 CZeonnatinnaenMtaislsaionnd.C..o.l.o.n..i.a.L……………………………………l…………………………………. .. 931 J CHURCH OF SCOTLAND MISSION BOARDS, £55,709. 4,148 British Contrioutions ………………….. . Foreign Missions. '1 rna{::~st~.~~~~'.~~.~~~.l. ~~~.s.'.~.~~~.t.~,. ~.t.~ .. :" 10,~: 24,481 Jewish Mission ……………………………………… , ……. . 1,131 7,165 Colonial ",nd Continental Missions………………………….. . 11 4,938 Ladies' Association for Foreign Missions… …………………. 5,721 Ladies' Association for Educating Jewish Girls…….. ……… 811 1,117 1864…. NATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND, £16,077 (in addition to £16,439 500 15,266 from sales). 6,481 British Contributions …………………………………….. .. Interest …………………………………………………. .. 3,000 1841 …. EDINBURGH MEDICAL 1I1ISSIONARY SOCIETY, £6,981. 1,300 British Contributions ……………………………………. .. • 774 Interest …………………………………………………… . 3.000 W ALDENSIAN MISSIONS AID FUND, abou t …………………………. . 18.",1 .•.. LEBANON SCHOOLS, about ………………………………………. .
1,s'j'1, … OR.IGINAL SECESSION CHURCH'S INDIAN MISSION, about …… _………. .
ESTIMATED VALUE of other Scottish Contributions ……………. ..
Total Scottish Presbyterian Contributions, 1887…………… . £188,319 IRISH PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONS, £18,500. 2,053 6,098 British Contributions…………… .. 285 274 3,553 Foreign Missions, £8,710 .. School Fees and Grant.s …………. . 3 2,800 { From Abroad. .. .. .. .. . .. .. … . ….. . 1,'719 Interest………………………… .. 97 288 Jevish Mission ……. o • o • o ••••••••••••••• _0 ••• 0 ••••••••••••••••••••• 1,167' 163 Ladi..s' Female Missionary Society…………………………. . Colonial Mission….. ' ………………………………………. . £202,940 Gujarat Orphanage ……………….• o •••••••••••••••• •••••••••• _ Continental Mission ………………………………………… . Mrs. Magee's Indian Education Fund (interest)……………… .
Total British Contributions through Scottish and Irish Pres- byterian Societies for 1887 ……………………………. .
NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS
Table No. V. Foreign Missions of British Roman Catholics, 1887.
Founded. British Contributions. ASSDCll'rION FOR 'rHE PROPAGA'rION OF THE 'FAITH, £8,760. England …………………………………………………………….. £1,883 Ireland. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . …. . . .. . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . .. … . . . . .. .. .. .. . . . .. .. … .. .. .. .. 6.572 Scotland. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . … 30li N.B.-7'he total 'income of the Roman Propagnndafor 1887, collected fl'Ome1lery diocese in Christendom, amounted to 6,462,276francs .. i. e., about £258,491. 1870.•.•ST. JOSEPH'S FOltEIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY A,l'm COLLEGE, at Mill HIli, Hendon. 1,660 Total. …………………………………………………………… £10,420 SUMMARY FOR SEVENTEEN YEARS.
TOTAL BRITISlI CONTRffiUTIONS FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS.
1871 …………………………….. £855,742 1880 ……………………………. £1,108,950 )872…………………………….. 882,886 1881. ……………………………. 1,093,569 18T& …………………………….. 1.03:!,176 1874 …………………………….. 1,009,199 1882 ……………………………. 1,191,175 1875… , …………………………. 1,048,408 1883 …………………………….. 1,216,530 1876 … , …………………………. 1.018.472 18~4 …………………………….. 1,220,861 1877…………………………….. 1,100.793 1885 ……………… , ……………. 1,228.951 1878 …………………………….. 1,071 ,944 1886 …………………………….. 1,195,714 1887 …………………………….. 1,228,759 1879 …………. , .. , ….. , ………… 1,086,678 VIII.-EDITORIAL NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS.
The Earl of Aberdeen. man in the House of Lords and at the same time moving as a benefac- THE Earl of Aberdeen, whose pic- tor among the common people ! We ture forms our frontispiece, was hon- are pleased to be able to put before ored by the presidency of the great our readers the "counterfeit pre- Conference of Missions in London, sentment" of a man noble in a douwhich began June 9, 1888. ble sense, perhaps the nearest to the late Earl of Shaftesbury of any of He is a man comparatively in.his the many lords of England, and youth-we judge not over thirty-five whose lady is not a whit behind him years of age-with black hail' and in true nobility of character. eyes, a slender figure, and a nervous temperament. While speaking he As president of the Conference he moves from side to side, rests on one performed the duties of the chair foot at a time, frequently crossing with much g'l'ace and manifest pleasone leg over the other; is by no ure, and right cordially welcomed means a flueut speaker 01' a great the delegates in' a brief speech. He orator. But his character and life aLso entertained the Conference at his are his standing oration. He is country seat a few miles from London. known among his countrymen as a Our readers, we are confident, will be man foremost in every good word glad to look upon his face. A. T. P. and work, a friend and patron of all benevolent societies and institu- The Slave Trade in Eastern Afrioa. tions, While other landed proprietors are using their immense estates IT begins to look as if the hour had for their own emolument, grinding struck for the suppression of this their poor tenants into more abject curse of curses! For the first time poverty, and while the wretched in history there is a coalition formed crpfter system leaves the land which of the great powers of Europe effectthe tenant has improved and e,"en ually to stop a traffic that for centhe hut he has built to revert to the turies has been the scandal of Chrislandlord when the term of the ap- tendom, and has entailed untold prenticeship expires, the Earl of Ab- miseries and horrors upon Africa. Competent witnesses testify that the erdeen is enabling his tenants to be- trade was never carried on more excome owners of their own little farms tensively than at the present time, and houses, parceling out his own nor with greater cruelty and sacrifice estates among his tenantry. What of life.
a blessing- to Britain to have such a Against this enormous and iniquitous trade the British Government prosperous, there was a disposition has waged a single-handed and al- to regard the activity of England in most useless warfare for half a cen- the same quarter with jealousy, and tury. Her vessels have pursued the there was ground to suspect that slavers wherever they have been the value of British co·operation found. She has kept' them in con- was not thought of till the A~ab stant fear and mitigated the evils of slave traders had proved more than the trade, but has not succeeded in a match for the company. breaking it up; indeed there has of late years been a revival of it. With England's support secured, Thank God, several of the other the circle of the alliance was com- European powers have now agreed pleted by assurances of assistance to assist in the good work. The first from Italy, Austria, France, Belsuggestion for a movement of this gium, Russia, Greece, and, last of character is credited to the Nor-th all, Portugal, in maintaini.ng a naval Ger-man Gazette, a paper which is blockade of the East African coast. supposed to be the mouthpiece of For a century or more Portugal Prince Bismarck. Recently an article has been the greatest European appeared in the Gazette which stated helper of the slave trade, having not tbat the Arab slave hunters werp not only not interfered with the slave only the curse of the native tribes hunters, but encouraged them by but a menace to the English, the putting difficulties in the way ofthose Belgians, and the Germans, and to who attempted to do so. For years the work of civilization carried on by England has endeavored to force a those nations. Hitherto, it was said, reversal of her policy. but Portugal's England had been the only power very weakaess has protected her. and that had made any effort to put a she has only yielded now reluctantly stop to the slave trade. The work, and when the pressure has become however, was too large for any sin- irresistible. gle people. "Only by co-operation can the. civilized nations concerned Among the methods of action sugsucceed in putting a stop to a state gested by these powers for the supof things which is a disgrace to our pression of the slave traffic, the most century, and we may confidently practicable, under the present cirhope that the German as well as the cumstances, is the establishment of English people will prove equal to a naval patrol along the coast of the the task which is here imposed upon Red Sea and as far south as the them alike by the sacred principles southern boundary of Zanzibar. This of religion and of humanity." In coast is now controlled for the most other words, Germany invited .Eng. part by England, Germany and Porland to join her in putting down tugal, and these three power;; might the slave trade-the invitation being together form a most effectual b.lockback~d up by a subsequent proposal ade against the slave ships touching which seems to suggest that the at Eastern ports. If these outlets anti-slavery crusade started by Car- are permanently closed and the slave dinal Lavigerie might be advantage- traders cut off from all their princiously used as the basis for common pal markets, the traffic must soon action. come to an end of itself. J. M. S.
What stirred up Germany to make THE refusal of the American Gov- . this proposal were the troubles lately ernment to unite with other great experienced by the German settlers powers in putting an end to the drink and traders on the East African coast. traffic, so utterly destructive of piety, So long as the affairs of the Ger- morals, human happiness and human man East" African Company were life in the Western Pacific, may well arouse all true men and women to a vigorous remonstrance. In Polynesia This evil of drink is so mighty and the native races are in danger of ex- so increasing that the most strenuous termination by the" unrestricted use exertions should be at once put forth of firearms, ammunition, dynamite, and especially intoxicating drinks." to at least prevent its fiuding new fields for its destructive and demoI,li- acal work with the countenance of u.
For the sake of the profits accruing Christian government. A. T. P from this infamous business traders The Brazilian Synod. pus!} their trade and thrust "firewater" upon these poor savages. IT is doubtless known to our read- ers that the last General Asseml,ly Then these ignorant and degraded of the Presbyterian Church appointed and half brutal people. maddened by Drs. J. Aspin wall Hodgeand Charles drink, act like madmen, and use E. Knox to assist iIi the organization murderous weapons and explosives with fearful recklessness. Is it any of the independent Union Synod of ~onder that Christian missions Brazil, representing both the Northmake but little progress among ern and- the i:::louthern Presbyterian them? What head way can the most Church. While these two branches heroic labors make when offset by a of the great Presbyterian family at home were not ready to come to- gether again as one, the mission churches of both and the missiona- diabolical intoxicant that unseats ries of both, in "Brazil, earnestly reason from her throne and turns the sought a union, which has been haphuman body into a stronghold of Satan and sets every power and pily accomplished. The occasion was one of intense and memorable inter- est, and the Union Synod will un- passion on fire of hell! Austria i doubtedly become a great power in and Germany, Russia and France, that kingdom. The delegates came and even Protestant England and America, join hands in this nefarious back full of enthusiasm, which they have imparted to several of thegr~at home synods.
traffic. To such a terrible extent has .. It is a grand truth, when one fully compre. hends and measnres it," says The Church at it gone that an effort to terminate it Home and Abroad, .. that another independent was inaugurated through the "sim- Presbyterian body las been created in the world by purely missionary work. Five months ago ultaneous and united agreement of the Presbyterian Chnrch of PerSia, also a child of missions, was taken into the fellowship of the all the powers interested." Lord Presbyterian Alliance in London. Now the Granville, the Eng-lish Foreign Secre- second, the offspring of the Presbyterian Boards North and South, is ready to be added to the tary, the prime mover in the under- Alliance; and by the time that the next quad- rennial meeting of that body shall be held in taking, received favorable answers • Toronto we hope that there may be still others from all the governments except the ready for admission."
United States, which should have Fr.om the letter of our Editorial Correspondent at Chefoo, China, Rev. been prompt to respond and to Dr. Nevius, elsewhere given, we learn second the laudable movement with- that one of the important questions out regard to the money interests of discussed by the Synod of China, at traders. Secretary Bayard has here- its recent session, was the union of tofore taken high moral grounds in his state papers, but the Christian all missions in the empire holding sentiment and conscience of the na- the Presbyterian system of doctrine and form of government. A com- mittee, consisting of A. P. Happel', tion demand a better and more posi- D.D., John L. Nevius, D.D., and Rev. George F. Fitch, with an equal numtive answer than the following, of ber of native brethren, wasappoi'lted to correspond with the representaour Secretary of State: tives of the other" consulting" mis- sionary bodies laboring in China, and "While recognizing and highly approving the to propose a meeting of delegates moral force and general propriety of the pro- from all such bodies at Shanghai in posed regnlations, and the responsibility of con- 1890 during the meeting of the Misducting such traffic nnder proper restrictions, sionary Conference already arranged the government of the trnited States does not· for. Another forward step in the feel entirely prepared to join in the international interest of union on mission ground nnderstanding proposed, and will. therefore, for the present, restrain its action to the employ- J. M. S_ ment, in the direction ontlined by the snggested arrangement, of a sonnd discretion in permitting traffic between its own citizens referred to, .and the natives of the Western Pacific Islands."
The Missionary Review of the World — September 1888
THE CENTENARY CONFERENCE OF MISSIONS
MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD.
VOL. XI. No. n.-Old Series._ _SEPTEMBER, _ _VOL. I. No. 9.-New Series.
I.-LITERATURE OF MISSIONS.
THE OENTENARY OONFERENOE OF MISSIONS. SECOND EDITORIAL LETTER FROM REV. A. T. PIERSON, D.D.
LONDON, June 26, 1888. My DEAR DR. SHERWOOD :-This great World Oouncil impresses me as, so far in history, the climax of a series of astounding developments, which, like a pyramidal structure, have been rising from the broad base laid a century ago in the recognition of duty and debt to this lost world. 'These developments may especially be noted in seven directions or successive stages. First, there came the opening of doors till the whole world is now practically open. Then the organization of Missionary Societies and Boards now numbering over two hundred. Then the revival of the doctrine of divine stewardship and the consequent consecration of money; then the multiplication of laborers until the church knows not how to send those that offer. Then the development of the woman's agency in direct mission work. Then the bestowment of a new spirit of united prayer, and now the exhibition of the essential unity of all true disciples in what seems to me the most important and thoroughly ecumenical council that has ever yet assembled. The greatness of this gathering grows upon us all. Babel's miracle was reversed at Pentecost-the confusion of tongues that divided and dispersed mankind was offset by the tongues of fire uttering in every language the wonderful works of God. But here we have an advance even on Pentecost. Then and there, disciples could do nothing more than utter the gospel message, each in his own tongue. Here, from the east, west, north, south, the scarred veter~ns from a thousand fields have come up to the metropolis of the world, to translate into our one English tongue the stupendous triumphs of this gospel as wrought under their own eyes, in the isles of the sea, in India and Ohina, Japan and Burmah, Turkey and Syria, Africa and Papal lands. But though we have reached a climax of development, the topstone and capstone have yet to be laid before the pyramid of wonders is complete. The 1JJhole world must now be taken possession of and occupied for Ohrist. Without this grandest result, all else is comparatively not only unfinished, but is failure. To this end all elsc points and tends. For this God led His people to see and feel their debt to a dying world. For this He opened wide the doors, led to the organization of societies whose network of effort should encompass the globe; for this He led disciples to give money and offer themselves; for this ·He brought woman to the front, gave a spirit of prayer and manifested the essential unity of all true disciples. And if now, with all these encouragements and helps, we do not go up and possess the land and drive out the sons of Anak, it will be the most faithless and cowardlyapostacy of the ages! Never came the words of the inspired apostle with more force to the church: "See then that ye walk circllmspectly, not as fools, but as wise, buying up opportunity, because the days are evil! Wherefore, be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is, and be not drunk with wine, wherein; is excess, but be filled with the Spirit." Eph. v. 15-18.
Another impression most profoundly made by this Oonference is the necessity for a positive, aggressive type of Ohristian faith and life. The gospel needs no defense-if it does, the best apologetics are found in ener·getics. ;, To use the spade and throw up defenses may be well enough for those whose principal thought is to put up a barrier and a rampart between themselves and the foe. But whenever an enemy can put the opposing army on the defensive an immense advantage is gained. The only hope of successful warfare is to carry the war into the enemy's country-give him all he can do to take care of himself, press him to the wall, divide his forces, giving him no chance to combine and concentrate; compel him to garrison every imperiled point, not knowing where next you are about to strike. God never meant that His troops should busy themselves throwing up intrenchments and hiding behind defenses. To attempt to defend the Bible is a confession or concession of its weakness, or rather our own. Ohristian missions have shown that the gospel needs no defense. It is the power of God unto salvation, and the wisdom of God, too. All we have to do is to let philosophy, speculation, doubtful hypotheses alone, and simply, persistently, faithfully, lovingly, positively preach Ohrist, and the gospel will assert its own authority and vindicate its own divinity. There is such a thing as obscuring its glory even by the smoke of the incense of our own praises. There was one paper read on the work in the Fiji Islands; it occupied but twenty minutes, yet that twenty minutes, packed full of simple facts, carried conviction not to be produced by a half a day's subtle reasoning. The logic of events is the demonstration of the Spirit. The world may dispute the conclusions of argument: the keen edge of the metaphysician's sword often only whets the edge of his antagonists. But there are wonders of God's power that compel even Oharles Darwin to say, with Pharaoh's magicians, "This 1:S the finger of God." Those facts, modern missions must multiply and spread before the people. We nc:cd not yoke our arguments to God's chariot: only gather out the stones and give it free course and it will be glorified.
Another profound impression left by this World Oouncil is that of the. marvelous celerity of movement in this march of the ages. Truly God is marching on, and he who would keep pace with God must not lag behind or lack for energy and enthusiasm.': This is an age of steam and telegraph. There has been an amazing development of human invention and discovery. The march of humanity has been so rapid as to leave every other age far behind in rate of advance. Within a quarter of a century changes have taken place which have revolutionized human society. The spectroscope has been added to the telescope and microscope. The telegraph has yoked the lightning to its chariot, and now outstrips even the wings of the wind. We have devised photometers so delicate that stars which the greatest telescope cannot reveal are detected by the delicate instruments that betray the presence of the faintest light.. 'The deaf are almost made to hear and the blind to see. The most terrible surgical operations are performed while the patient is wholly unconscious through the beneficent action of anmsthetics. But if the march of man is rapid, how much more so is the march of God. He never falls behind. ~'The faster man moves the faster God moves. The celerity of His march is always in proportion to the preparation and capacity of His people to follow. And hence we may expect Him as leader to move onward and forward with more and more astounding rapidity as He gives us facility and opportunity for a corresponding rapidity of advance.
The unthinking man and even disciple may sometimes become discouraged and complain that it is impossible to meet the growing demands of the constantly advancing and enlarging work of missions. But such forget two things. First, this is the comincing proof that it is God's work and He is in it. No human power could have opened doors as He has done it, or swept away obstacles such as He has removed, or insured such miraculous swiftness of movement. In every part of the world-field God is manifestly working, and because He is working, His church finds new developments perpetually challenging her attention and response. While hurrying to occupy one new point and post of advantage another and another invite immediate occupation. While going up to possess some fair land that has suddenly been thrown open, fresh territory on every side commands and demands our prompt entrance, lest the enemy go in before us. While we are hurling back one wing of the enemy, the other gives way and the very center reels and staggers, and God sounds the trumpet call for fresh battalions to come to His help and complete the route of the foe. All healthy work and successful war makes constantly increasing demands on our resources, our sacrifices, our energies, our endeavors. A healthy boy will outgrow and outwear his old clothes, in fact they never get old, for while yet comparatively new, he gets too big for them, or his very activity quickly wears them through or tears them through. But no sensible mother ever complains because her boy is growing. A poor sickly cripple may wear the same pants till they rot from mere age, but the cripple does not grow. Because missions represents the healthy offspring of the church in her best type of life, the work of missions will always astonish us by rapidity of development. The more rapid~ the more normal and healthy and hopeful.
Secondly, let us not forget that it is the salvation of the church to be il'l, stra£ts. Laodiceanism is always already developed whenever and wherever disciples become rich in goods and easy in mind, as those that have need of nothing, or are sufficient unto themselves. Emergencies drive us to God for new help and strength, as they drove Moses and Joshua and Hezekiah to the throne of grace. To feel deeply our own inadequacy to the task; to be consciously in the minority; to be humbled by our own weakness, poverty, jgnorance, infirmity-this is the first condition of real power. If our trust in God be only as great as our distrust of ourselves, there are no triumphs impossible.
It is an indisputable historic fact that the eras and epochs of the greatest power in the church have been those when the exigencies and emergencies have been the most trying and desperate. The very fires which, by a seven-fold t"rial in the furnace, kept the Huguenots and Waldensian churches pure and true, were the fires of persecution. The most startling supernatural deliveranccs were wrought when every human hope had been crushed by apparent and overwhelming disaster. The church of God will never be in easy circumstances. Whenever J eshurun waxes fat he always kicks. Whenever God's people get in comfortable and especially luxurious circumstances, then evangelism declines, worldliness creeps subtly in, devotion dies, and the church has but a name to live. But to see a host of foes in our very front, which we cannot meet in our own strength; to behold a work whose very opportunities far overtax our available resources of men and means; to find God's chariot hastening on at such a rate that at our utmost speed we can barely keep it in sight-ah, this deepens the spirit of prayer, evokes consecration, and compels close fellowship with each other and with God.
Another impression left by this conference is the necessity of closer and more acUve fell01lJsMp among disciples.
Much has been said of our un'ity as expressed and developed in this great conference. Let us not forget that the very emergency of the church compels unity. Our opportunity and our peril alike make unity absolutely necessary. Before a united, determined, malignant, desperate foe, marshaling all his hosts and concentrating all his force against the Bible, the Ohrist and the instItutions of the gospel, we cannot afford to be divided. We unconsciously and involuntarily draw together in presence of a common danger. When the ark is in danger, we forget our tribal standards and close up our ranks about the tabernacle of God, until we touch shoulder to shoulder and forget our tribal allegiance in our anxiety for the treasures of our faith and hope. Macaulay says that in presence of men that worship a cow, the differences between evangelical disciples become positively insignificant. We add that to magnify and emphasize them till they become separating barriers and dividing lines, in the presence of foes that, like Herod and Pilate, become friends for the sake of crushing Ohristianity, is positively criminal. I take no merit or credit to myself that in this great conference I have forgotten my own country and my father's house, and almost lost my own identity and denominational connection. In the presence of issues so vast, and perils so tremendous, and work so herculean, and foes so colossal, all has been driven from my mind save the fact that I am a servant of God, and am standing with other servants of God, watching the imperative signals of His hand in the crisis of the opportunity of the church and the destiny of the world. And if, in- presence of such an enemy on the one hand and the Jehovah of the covenant on the other, I could not forget all else but this, that we have one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one common cause, hope, and home, I should doubt whether, after all, I am a disciple. A man who, in such a presence, magnifies his denomination is only a fossilized ecclesiastic-a mere mummy.
In connection with this necessity of closer fellowship, one other impression this conference has graven on my heart, and that of many others, as with the pen of iron and the point of adamant: The voice of God to-day commands active co-operation among disdples in mission qoork. Here for ten days we have met from every quarter and every evangelical branch of the great Ohurch Oatholic, and not a discordant note has been sounded. Brethren may dwell together in unity, may talk freely and frankly of things in which there is wide difference of opinion, and yet feel one heart-beat of responsive sympathy. This harmony of feeling and concert of action would continue if the contact and fellowship could continue. But there is danger that when we separate, diversities of sphere, denominational view and practical working may leave the way open for misapprehension and possible conflict. Oan we not perpetuate this contact and preserve this fellowship? The conference has bound itself by wholesome restraints not to open the door to resolutions. But even wholesome restrictions must not become a yoke of bondage.
I am fully persuaded that there is at least one way in which we may preserve certain links of contact and co-operation. We have spent hours upon the discussion of missionary comity, and in it we were touching the very core of practical mission problems. Now the only hope of permanent adjustment of missionary comity is by a missionary committee. Change the emphasis of your accent and you have the remedy suggested. This blessed contact which has developed such overflowing charity it would be a disaster to have broken and lost. Could there not be a committee, not legislative but advisory, representing different denominations and societies, to whom might be referred any questions pertaining to the adjustment of our common and co-operative missionary work? What if such representative men as Sir John Kenneway and Eugene Stock, Wardlaw Thompson and A. C. Thompson, Ellenwood and Gordon, Hudson Taylor and Wm. M. Taylor, Bishop Wilson and Ninde, could be organized into an interdenominational and international missionary committee, to keep up this blessed contact and counsel with each other by correspondence or converse as new exigencies arise I Let me mention one direction especially in which such a committee would be pre-eminently helpful: the occupation of fields for Ghrist. First, as to fields already fairly preoccupied, it could be determined to leave them to those now working in them, unless too large. So has the Nile Valley been practically left to the United Presbyterians, Turkey to American Congregationalists, Palestine to English Churchmen, and Siam to American Presbyterians.
Second, as to fields now open but unoccupied, whose very vastness demands division of labor, such a committee might aid in securing prompt and united occupancy without overlapping and interference.
Third, as to fields not yet opened fully but just about to be-like Korea and Thibet-preparations might be made by which both delay and waste of material might be prevented. So important does this matter seem to me that I can think of no other work more important, and for the sake of doing this any man might feel honored if he were called of God, to lay down any other and separate himself unto this. I am painfully conscious that the occupation of the world-field, vast as it is, is not a matter of numbers. There is an enthusiasm of mere numbers that is often misleading and mistaken. God can work by a few humble faithful consecrated souls better than by a vast host of nominal disciples. Quality is far more important than quantity. But the fewer the heroic souls ready to dare the self-denying work the greater the need of preventing waste. We shall need all the men and women and all the money and means which can be obtained for the Lord's work. Let us have wise and holy counsellors, who act for the church and the Lord Christ, in mapping out the world-field and distributing the workmen widely and wisely.
But above !}ll our eyes need to be turned to the Lord. In the year-1863, in the midst of the great war for the Union, the ordinarily rainless summer in Nevada was suddenly interrupted by a
THB TRAINING OF WORKMEN
densely dark and threatening sky of storm-clouds. So heavy the pall that rested over Virginia City that Mount Davidson could scarcely be distinguished in the distance from the black masses behind it.
A remarkable phenomenen then appeared. Upon the very summit a little tongue of golden flame swayed to and fro like some weird supernatural signal; strange flame, indeed! for it neither waxed nor waned, but steadily burned on. It was the flag of the republic. There chanced to be a rift in the dense clouds, and the setting sun through that unseen rift flung its radiant beam upon that nation's standard and transfigured it to golden flame, an(l for an hour that burning bauner held the charmed gaze of the multitude. And, stranger still, that very day marked the fall of Vicksburg and the victory of Gettysburg!
Darkness that may be felt overspreads the earth, and gross darkness the people. The black clouds of skepticism and infidelity, irreligion and idolatry gather their awful masses in our sky and threaten a destructive storm. But on the very summits of Pagandom, in the midst of the death-shade, waves God's own signal. '1'he flag of the Cross burns in the ray of the Sun of Righteousness, the glory of God transfigures it. Even while we gaze upon it Satan's strongholds are giving way before the onset of God's missionary hosts, and the very tide of battle is turning. We have only to keep our eyes fixed on that banner, . and by that sign we shall conquer!
THE TRAINING OF WORKMEN.
• BY HENRY GRATTAN GUINNESS, LONDON.
[Dr. Pierson writes, concerning this paper, read at the London Conference and furnished 08 by the author for publication: "Clear, practical, pungent and powerful, it captivated the Rssembly. "-EDS.1 WE have in thiJ'l year 1888 reached an important crisis in missions. A hundred years of missionary labor lie behind us, and we gather at this International convention from east, west, north, and south, to study its records, and to learn its lessons, that we may start with the fresh knowledge and renewed energy for our still unreached goal-the evangelization of the world.
The century has been a glorious one in gospel work. After ages of apostacy-followed by stormy times of Reformation-the church awoke a hundred years ago to its duty to publish the gospel to all mankind. During the century, thousands of devoted laborers have gone forth; hundreds of heathen languages have been learned; the Scriptures translated into them; the Wora of God widely proclaimed, and some three millions of heathen converted to Christianity. Among all people the gospel has proved its soultransforming power. A co-operative providence has opened the world. Railways and steamers traverse it in every direction. Meanwhile Protestant Great Britain, America and Germany have largely increased their Ipopulation and their wealth. England alone, after spending freely on necessaries and luxuries, hoards annually now no less than 240 millions of money (1,200 millions of dollars). The means to accomplish our God-given work are increased and increasing. What we want now, and what we seek, is full purpose and resolution to use the powers we possess. God grant that this conference may be, as it ought to be, a tUrning-point in missions-a stage from which the church will make a fresh start, and push on her glorious warfare against sin and Satan with tenfold courage and energy, l'esolvingby divine help to evangelize the world before the present generation has passed away!
If this is to be done it is clear that there must be an enormous increase in the missionary army. The non-Christian nations number over a thousand millions. To give no more than one missionary to every ten thousand of these we should need a hundred thousand missionaries. There are at present only six thousand-in the entire field-men and women, all told. A new era, however, seems dawning-witness the hundred missionaries added to the China Inland Mission in 1887, and the thousands of undergraduates in England and America who have recently pledged themselves to missionary work.
God is evidently answering prayer, and thrusting forth laborers into His harvest.
We gather here to-day at the outset of this convention, to consider the qualifications and training necessary for missionaries. Four points al'e raised for discussion-the first as to mental and spiritual qualifications; the second a as to special training at home; a third as to training in the field; and fourth as to the advisability of establishing missionary lectureships in our colleges. I take up here the first two of these points-the testing of candidates to ascertain their suitability for the work, and their training after acceptance, and before being sent out.
And firstly as to the qualifications required. A missionary is an ambassador for Christ to the heathen-or to any non-Christian people. It is of necessity, therefore, that he be a true Christian-an anointed man, one called of God to the ministry of the gospel, and sent forth by Him. The church cannot create such laborers; only He who made the world can make a true missionary. No training can manufacture him; no human ordination can fit him for his work. The best musical education cannot make a musician of one who has no ear, nor the ablest instruction an artist of one who has no taste. It is clear that we cannot create even genius, how much less grace. A true missionary, like a true minister, is a supernatural gift to the church and to the world from the ascended Saviour. He ascended np far above all heavens, and gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. He alone gave them then, He alone can give them now, In considering the application of a candidate, therefore, the question to be settled is not, Can he be made into a missionary? but, Has God called him to be such? Have the necessary qualifications been bestowed? Only where this is the case can the training be of any use. If a man or woman is to become a true and useful missionary, there must first be not only genuine convel'sion and sincere personal piety, but whole-hearted self-consecration to the work of God, and a call to His holy service; including a strong inward sense of vocation, together with providential indications and adaptations. There must be mental and physical fitness for foreign service, and abQve all the spirit of Christ, for no matter what other qualifications So mah may have, he will never be a missionary unless he is filled with Christ-like compassion for the lost, and with a burning desire to seek and save them. This should be the ruling feature of his character. With this almost any special talents may be utilized in missionary service; without it, even the most brilliant are useless, If the heart be intensely set on the salvation of the perishing, love will teach ingenuity, and lead to painstaking and perseverance. Love will overcome all obstacles, and accomplish its object. The love of souls, the longing for llalvation, is one of the leading qualifications that should be looked for. But even the presence of this does not make testing needless, for there may co-exist with it physical, mental or moral disqualifications. Delicate or unsound health, a nervous irritabitity or desponding temperament, a lack of vitality or vigor, personal defects of a serious character, hereditary or acquired tendency to any dangerous malady or bad habit-these are so many physical disqualifications. So again, a prevailing mental obtuse~ess, the absence of general intelligence and common sense, the want of good memory, of the power of attention and observation, of ability to distinguish between thin~ which differ-to reason correctly and to reach right conclusions-any conspicuous defect in these mental requisites should create grave hesitation as to a candidate's fitness for missionary work.
And there are moral dejects also which would hinder usefulness even if body and mind were all right. Pride, obstinacy, want of docility, of meekness, of sympathy; habits of exaggeration, misrepresentation, or mischiefmaking; indolence, selfishness, rashness, levity of character, lack of patience and perseverance, of faith and courage, of self-denial and prayerfulness; all these are prohibitory defects, and the candidate in whom any of these are observed should be recommended at least to wait till he has grown in needful grace.
On the other hand, it should be noted that there are defects of a different character, which constitute no real disqualification, because training may, to a great extent, remedy them. Ignorance, lack of habits of study, or of experience, narrow-mindedness arising from want of intercourse with various classes of men, awkwardness of manner, and many and similar faults, indicate only a candidate's need of education and training, and should not stamp him as ineligible.
2. We turn now to the subject of the TRAINING of accepted candidates. The question stands in the prospectus, "Should there be special training for the missionary service in addition .to general education?" The answer is, ttndoubtedly. God always trains His instruments. Every true missionary must be specially trained for his work, though not all in our schools. God has His own schools. They are very various, and some of them strange and severe. Moses was trained to be the deliverer and lawgiver of Israel in the courts and schools of Egypt, and in the mountain solitudes of Midian, for eighty years. David was trained to be king over Israel by years of spiritual experience, and by many dangers and toils. Daniel was trained for his wonderful prophetic office by his education and career in Babylon. Any training that we can give to a volunteer for missionary work will form at best but a small part of a greater and more effectual training which God himself bestows. We can do something to help, though not much. Let us see to it that what we do be done in harmony with that which is done by the'great Master. Our Lord himself carefully trained His apostles for the great work He committed to them-;-the evangelization of the world. His example is full of instruction for us.
Christgave His disciples a threefold training-theoretical, moral andpractical. This was one of the principal works which He accomplished in the world. He prepared the instruments, He trained the men who should afterwards evangelize it. He chose them, called them, kept them, taught them, prayed with them and for them, impressed Hisspirit upon them, breatheditinto them : He corrected them, expanded their minds, exalted their conceptions, and purified their motives and purposes. Before He sent them forth into the world He kept them for over three years with himself, during which He set before them His own glorious and sacred example. What a development of soul! What a training for service! "Follow me," He said, "and I will make you to become fishers of men." "Take up your cross and follow me." "Learn of me." " Abide in me."
Besides this He imparted to them priceless instructions. He tanght them the nature of His divine kingdom, His own personal character and claims, the nature of true holiness, the simplicity, spirituality and power of prayer, the excellence of humility, the essential duty and blessed results of self-sacrifice, the sin of hypocrisy and formality, the spirituality of worship, and the supremacy of the Word of God over all human tradition,;. He revealed to them also the future, unfolding the prospects which lay before the church the Jewish people and the Gentile world. He revealed the advent and th~ work of the Comforter, to whom they were in future ,to look for guidance and help. It was by these instructions and influences that He fitted His disciples to be the promulgoators of a pure, spiritual, universal religion, with charity as wide as the world, with consciences sensitive about sin, yet free from superstitious scruples; with habits of obedience to the divine law, though emancipated from bondage to human customs, and with characters cured of pride and passion, impatience, selfishness and self-will. Christ employed as His first ambassadors God-given, God-taught and God-sent messengers, and even these He had both sifted and trained.
Hence it is evident that the development of spiritualli!e is the great thing to be aimed at in missionary training. Woe to the church if she neglects this, or gives it a secondary place! Her messengers will be of little use, for un_ spiritual agents can never accomplish spiritual work. Are we not building up a spiritual temple? Must not each stone of it be a living stone, seeing the house is to be the habitation of God through the Spirit? If, then, the end in view be spiritual, so must the means and methods be-we must follow the example of Christ.
The effect of this training was to transform the men who received it. They became a wonder in the world. Men marvelled at these Galilean fishermen -ignorant and unlearned as they were in earthly things-that they should possess such spil"itual light and love, such wisdom and boldness as they evinced. Men took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus. Yes, they had been with Jesus. That was the secret of their power; that was the method of their training. The society of Christ was the school of their apostleship, the college in which they graduated. They had been with Jesus, and as the Father had sent Him so He sent them into the world, promising himself to be with them, and with their faithful successors even to the end of the age.
The calling, qualifying and directing of the laborers thus commenced by our Lord was afterwards continued by the Holy Ghost througoh the church. He sent forth missionaries unto the Gentiles. The Apostolic Church acted directly under the Spirit's guidance. " As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." Then the church fasted, prayed, laid their hands on those men and sent them away. That is, they set apart and sent out those whom God had qualified and called. The Lord was with these missionaries and wrought glorious things through their instrumentality.
We cannot improve on this example of the primitive church. The Acts of the Apostles form the best guide-book for missionary societies and missionaries. The impulse and the energy must always come from heaven. Successful missionaries are God-appointed men. We must pray for such; watch and wait for them; welcome them and utilize them as they are given. Yes, for the thousands of workers still needed in the mission-.!ield we must first of all pray-pray as Elijah prayed for the rain, fervently, effectually, incessantly tIll the prayer is answered; pray as the church prayed for the promised Spirit before Pentecost. Such prayer would bring another Pentecost, and we need such a season to-day. We want the world to be evangelized, but we must remember that He who redeemed it and commanded His apostles to evangelize it, forbade them to leave Jerusalem on their glorious mission till they were endued with power from on high. They obeyed Him; the power came, and thousands were converted by it. But there never was and never will be any substitute for this spIritual power, this holy anointing. Without it evangelistic or missionary work must be in the deepest sense a failure.
With these sacred examples before us we cannot but ask the question whether our mode of testing missionary candidates is sufficiently careful and thorough, and whether our plan of training them aims, as it should do, at the development of the moral and spiritual naturH even more than at the invigoration of the mental powers, and the impartation of mere knowledge. Do we seek and select in the first place, and cultivate in the second, the type of character which Christ cultivated? Are we guided in our selection mainly by the spiritual stature of the candidate-by his humility, patience, prayerfulness, and faith-by his possession of the Spirit of Christ? In our training, again, is our aim the right one? We educate abundantly, and education is undoubtedly a good thing, but it is a poor substitute for grace exercised and spiritual gifts strengthened by use, for habits of practical devotion and self-denying labor formed and established. Collegiate study and examinations are not enough. Degrees are no criterion. Men of high scholastic attainments have been sent out in our own day to convert the heathen, who have been converted by the heathen, or rather perverted by them from the truth. As Gideon tested his three hundred, so do we need to test and sift our missionary volunteers, and the testing should include the Oross. "Master," said one of old, "I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest." "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests," was the answer, "but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head." That is, Christ intimated to the would-be disciple that to follow Him, he must be prepared to share His lot." No training that misses this element is worth nluch.
'fhe reality of the missionary's devotedness is best proved and developed by hard a.nd humble work among the ignorant, the prejudiced, the poor, the degraded at home. If a man objects to, or slurs labor among them, as beneath his dignity or disagreeable to his tastes, it is useless to send him forth as a missionary. Selfishness may make a good student, natural ability an acceptable speaker, but only distasteful service puts to the proof a man's grace, his sense of duty and strength of principle. Fifteen years' experience in the training of young men, and personal dealing with more than three thousand volunteers for missionary service, leads me to urge the importance of this test. Next, perhaps, in value to spirituality may be ranked evangelistic gift and ability. How is this to be developed? In the same way that skill in any other line is imparted-by instruction and practice. The preparation for all ordinary work consists in the actual doing of it, not merely in gaining a theoretical knowledge of how it ought to be done. No one would employ a mechanic who had never worked at his trade, nor an architect who had never erected a building. No one would employ a doctor who had not treated the sick, nor should we ever send out missionaries-preachers and teachers for the heathen-who have not done teaching and preaching work, and been blessed to the conversion of souls at home. If a man is not a successful soul-winner in his native land, he is not likely to become such in China or Africa. It is surely unwise in a high degree to commit to unproved men one of the most difficult of tasks. Unless a man has succeeded in turning others to righteousness in these lands where it is comparatively easy, what reason have we to conelude that he will do so in heathendom where it is much more difficult? There are home heathen enough in our crowded cities to afford practical training for missionary students. Just as medical students walk the hospitals, so should om' missionary students learn their future work in our courts and alleys-in the centers where sin-sick and perishing souls needing the gospel remedy congregate. East London, for instance, with its vast and varied population, is an admirable training ground for missionary students. It was this fact which led uS,many years ago, to plant there our Institute for Home and Foreign Missions, from which, during the last fifteen years many hundreds of missionaries have gone forth. We have more than a million of the working classes in this quarter. We have infidels, Romanists, English and foreign Jews, French, Germans, and Italians; Africans and Asiatics, including Chinese, Hindoos, and other nationalities. We nave drunkards and paupers, and multitudes who are heathen in their habits, if not in their creed. Among these the evangelist can prove his gifts; he can either deal singly with indiVIduals, or preach to companies gathered in rooms, mission-halls, lodging houses, or on board ships; and above all, he can address crowds in the open air.
The value of open-air preaching as a preparatIOn for missionary work is exceedingly great. It cultivates aggressiveness, boldness, simplicity, directness, and earnestness of style, an extemporaneous delivery, and an interesting and striking manner of presenting divine truths. The open-air preacher 'must first gather his congrq'ation, and then hold it in spite of surrounding distractions, with nothing but the simple power of his words. He must suit his style to the roughest and shrewdest of his auditors. He must promptly meet objections, answer questions, and quiet disturbances, as he seeks to win an entrance to unwelcome truths in the hearts and minds of neglecters and rejecters of the Word of God. He has to face opposition, and enaure at times contempt and shame for the Master's sake. It is not easy work, and there is nothing in it to foster conceit or gratify self-esteem. It is really hard, self-denying service, more analogous to that which would be required of a missionary in the streets of India or China than almost any other form of gospel labor.
To preach from a pulpit to orderly congregations, prepared to listen re- spectfully and sympathetically, is no preparation for labor among the heathen. There is no trouble in gathering the people under such circumstances. Everything in their surroundings helps religious impression, and intelligent attention is bestowed on the preacher.. But there is nothing of this sort in heathendom lOne who is only up to work of this conventional type might almost as well stay at home. The missionary has to press his message on mim who have no notion of its importance, no disposition even to listen to it, no substratum of religiOUS knowledge on which to work, no enlightened conscience to which to appeal, no habits of reverence or decorum, no sym- pathy with the preacher's mode of thought, and but an imperfect compr~hen sion of his language. Like the open-air preacher, the missionary must not expect either to be sought, appreciated, or thanked for his service, nor to find in it any other gratification than that of serving Christ and saving men. In this and in other similar efforts to raise and transform degraded and sunken populations at home, the missionary candidate is not the best trained for his future work, but best tested, best proved fit for it.
In addition to such experiences a missionary needs, of cours'e, knowledge of various kinds. Education of the mind has its place, though it be not the first place. The higher the mental qualifications of a man or woman (other things being equal) the better. But here it should be clearly stated that the nature of the case indicates that only a certain proportion of missionary workers require what we call a thorough education. Do we not limit too narrowly the class of men from which we select missionary agents? Do we sufficiently remember that the first missionaries were mostly poor and uninfluential in worldly position, ignoran t and unlearned as regards mental attainments, not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble were called. For one learned Paul of Tarsus there were elev.en plain men of no special erudition, fishermen and men of that class whose principal education was that which they received from Christ himself. The army requires more privates than officers; and one architect can plan a building which will need many hands to erect. Some highly-cultured men are of course needed in a mission, and are essential to its highest prosperity; they are needed to do literary work, reduce unwritten tongues, and translate the-Scriptures; to train and teach native evangelists, to lead and organize, to direct and to originate. But are they the only men needed? Did any army consisting of officers only ever march to victory? Are not rank and file required as well? and does not the mission army need hundreds and thousands of privates? Is it essential that all, or even the great majority of missionaries, should be scholarly gen- tlemen who have studied from boyhood to maturity at heavy expense of time and money? Do the ninety per cent. of thc population of China who cannot even read, 01' the savages of Central Africa or the New Hebrides, de- mand teachers of a higher stamp than do the working classes in these coun- tries? Should we not elSteem it a great waste of rQsources to insist that all home and city missionaries should be classical scholars? And are not work- ers of all classes required among the heathen as much as at home? May not many men without either the leisure or the means, or perhaps even the incli- nation for a long and elaborate course of study-intelligent artisans, young clerks in banks, in offices, assistants in shops, the sons of farmers, mates of vessels and skilled mechanics, tradesmen, teachers and others-be well suited to serve Christ among the heathen, to preach the simple gospel to the masses of the people?
On the other hand, to send out ignorant and untrained men to undertake missionary work were clearly folly. "Let such first be proved," is a dictate of common sense as well as a precept of Scripture. Paul said to Timothy as regards the truths of the gospel which he had taught him, "The same com- mit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also." Of all men a missionary should be a man of general intelligence and fertIle resources. Without a measure of cultivation it is impossible that he should be this. Knowledge is power, and missionaries as a class should know something of everything. A missionary has to travel, and should understand geography. He may perhaps have to build his house, to make his own furniture, to till or direct the tillage of his garden, the cooking of his food, to work the printing- press. Knowledge even on such matters will therefore be valuable to him. He may be situated far from any skilled physician, and ought there- fore to have at least some elementary knowledge of anatomy and physiology and of the use of simple surgIcal and medical aids; The more grammaticaJ, knowledge he has the better, for he will have to learn and use a foreign tongue, and possibly to translate into it the Word of God. He ought to know enough of nature to appreciate the works of God, and enough of history to perceive the background of Bible facts. As he has to teach Christianity, he should know something about the history of its planting, its early sufferings and triumphs, the origin and progress of existing apostacies, and the story of the Reformation. He should also be acquainted to some extent with the history of modern missions, including the lives of eminent missionaries. But above all, he ought to be well acquainted with the Bible. That Book will have to be the companion of his loneliness, the guide of his perplexity, the support of his life, the instrument of his labors. It should be the chief subject of his study. His mind should be familiarized with the sacred text, with the evidences of its lDspiration, and with the varied doctrinal and practical truths which it reveals. He needs to be rooted and built up in Christ, and established in the faith, and the aim should be to give him afirm grasp of the teachings of Scripture, and instruction; as far as possible, in the whole counsel of God.
It is a serious question whether in our training of missionaries we give the Word of God the place which it deserves. Is not Bible study in our colleges apt to be too cramped, and too merely critical? We teach our stu- dents to dissect the Scriptures, but are they taught to dissect their own hearts, to understand themselves? We teach them the letter of Scripture, but do we lay due stress upon the posession of its spirit? We teach them to judge the Book, but they should he taught to let it judge them, and by its light to judge of all things. Is not God's Word a fire and a hammer? Woe to us if by our processes we strip it of its sacredness and strength. Let us give the Word of God its propel' place, and own its supreme authority, pre-eminence. and power.
It is the desire of this conference that those who take part should contribute to the general stock the,results of their experience, suggesting for the con- sideration of their brethren the chief practical conclusions to which they have been led. I may mention, then, that guided by the principles indicated in this paper, we founded, fifteen years ago. in East London, an institution for training' and helping into the foreign field young men who desired to be mis- sionaries. We subsequently added a country branch of the Institute, and later on a Training Home for Deaconesses. During these fifteen years we have dealt with more than three thousand volunteers for missionary work, have re- ceived on probation between eight and nine hundred, have trained and sent out five hundred missionaries, and have now about a hundred students in the Institute. Our plan is to give the students, where they require it, preiimi- nary secular instruction in the country branch, and then practical training in East London, including missionary, evangelistic, linguistic and medical de- partments. All our students receive from a qualified medicaJ man the train- ing of the ambulance corps, the results being tested by a public examina- tion. The deaconesses, in certain instances, are sent for three months to live in hospitals where the maternity cases are treated. Students going to Africa receive instruction in the treatment of tropical fevel's, and where there has been special fitness we have given students the advantage of a four years' medical course in the London Hospital. In almost every case these have be- come qualified medical men, and are now in the mission-field. The time spent by students in the Institute has varied according to their age and needs. Our system has been an elastic one. We have tried to give to each the help he or she was capable of receiving, and to introduce each to the sphere in which we saw they could best do good gospel service.
The results have not disappointed us. We have received men of all nationalities and all classes, as well as of all evangelical denominations. We have trained them for all countries, and former students are now working in connection with between twenty and thirty societies and organizations, while many of them have founded new and independent missions. As a rule they had done well, and given much satisfaction in the missions they have joined. There are exceptions. Every rule has such, but we thank God on remembrance of the majority of them. They have gone into every country in Europe. They have gone to the roughest and most westerly parts of North America, to the negroes in Jamaica, and to the Roman Catholics and English settlers in South America. They have evangelized in Morocco, Algiers, Tunis and Egypt, in North Africa; have established missions in Cape Colony, Natal and Kaffir-Iand; and have penetrated the heart of equatorial Africa, founding fresh stations, reducing the languages of the people to writing, translating the Scriptures, and turning hundreds from heathenism to the knowledge of God. They have suffered, literally, thousands of attacks of fevers, and many of them have laid down their lives in the service of Christ and for the gospel. They have founded medical missions in Constantinople, Syria, and Armenia ; have evangelized in the wildest parts of the HaUl'an, have preached in the crowded cities and mountain wilds of India, and opened many mission-stations in the most distant provinces in China. They have scattered the Word of God in every province in that vast empire, and have traversed in their missionary labors almost every country in the world. Our experience has shown us that there are thousands of devoted young men and women suited for missionary work, and desirous to give themselves to it, that they are capable of rapid improvement under Christian training, and willing to go anywhere for the sake of the gospel, that there are open doors in all lands, and fields waiting for reapers, white to the harvest, and that the Christian Church may increase with appropriate effort the number of its missionary laborers to an almost indefinite extent.
Allow me, in conclusion, to summarize what I have said, and to emphasize certain points.
First, we agree most thoroughly with our highly esteemed and respected friend, Dr. Pierson, in his published opinion that "if we would largely increase the missionary force we must in some way lessen the time and cost of preparing the average workman.. . A most formidable barrier to the work of evangelization is that even where both men and money may be obtained it takes too long a time and too costly a culture to train the average workman; and this one obstacle often overtops all others, and is practically insurmountable. •• There ought to be a change in our ecclesiastical tactics; our system of training for the mission-field must be more flexible and more economical of. time and money, or we cannot send workmen mto the great world-field in adequate numbers." Without any rigidly uniform system.of training, we must encourage every willing soul to do the work for which he 01' she is best fitted, and endeavor further to fit eaeh for their proposed sphere of labor, and we must shorten and simplify the course of training.
Secondly, no candidates whatever should be accepted for training save spiritually-minded men and women, possessed of good health, good common sense, devotedness to God's service, and a divinely indicated call to the work.
Thirdly, such persons should be thoroughly tested, and carefully trained.
THE WORK AMONG THE FIJI ISLA.NDS. [SlU"f
Their training should be adapted to develop the unworldly spiritual character which missionary work requires. It should always be adapted to the individual case. All missionary students should be trained in laborious and self-denying habits, and exercised in evangelistic work among our own lapsed masses, especially open-air preaching.
Lastly, every missionary student should be furnished with the practical instructions of the ambulance corps, as to how to deal with accident cases; while those who are prepaung for labor in Central Africa and other parts of the world where no qualified medical aid is to be had should receive, in addition to other teaching, special medical instruction of an elementary and practical nature, and in those instances where there is marked aptitude and desire for it, the missionary student should have the advantage of a full medical course.
THE WORK AMONG THE FIJI ISLANDS.
[A Paper read before the London Conference by Rev. John Calvert.1 [The facts concerning the missionary life of this remarkable man, stated in a note to Dr. Pierson which we give below, will add interest to bis paper.-J. M. S.
.. DEAR DR. PIERSON: .. SEVENOAKS, KXN'!', June 19, 1888.
"IN 1838 I went to Fiji with John Hunt. 1n 1856 I came home with the printed New Testament and MS. of the complete Bible, and was four years in England. In 1860 I went again to Fiji with several younl!; missionaries newly married. Iu 18721 went to South Africa for nine years. In May, 1886, I went on a visit to Fiji and returned through America, and I am now settled down here as supernumerary. 1 have lately supplied twenty cases of Bibles and Testaments, from the Bible SOCiety, and four cases hemispheres iu ziuc cylinders to keep them safe, when not used, from the cockroaches, And I am now putting to press Hunt's Theology, Hymns. Catechism and Book oC Offices. .. Affectionately yours, "JAMES CALVERT."] OF all the many Oceanic missions in the Pacific, I am here to represent but one, in which a. great part of my life has been spent-the Mission to Fiji. This large and beautiful group, which lies 1,800 miles northeast from Sydney, and 1,200 north of New Zealand, consists of some 200 islands and islets, eighty of which are inhabited; and the two largest are ninety miles in length. The islanders are a fine race, of fair intelligence, and, according to the measure of their own simple wants, very industrious. Having been left to themselves and to the undisturbed control of bad influences in all the past, they became extremely vile and degraded. Cannibalism was a recognized institution among them and practiced to a frightful extent. Infanticide was a general custom, and the burial of sick persons before death was common. Cruelty of all·kinds abounded; and polygamy, with its inseparable consequences of evil, was established throughout the group.
The condition and claims of Fiji were brought urgently before the Chris- tian people of England, and particularly before the Wesleyan Methodist Churches, about fifty years ago. Already two white missionaries were doing noble work in the Islands. They were re-enforced from time to time. They never exceeded thirteen at anyone time-now they are only nine; and this number will probably be still further reduced, the work being carried on chiefly and successfully by agents raised up among the people themselves. Happily we have always been heartily one, so that our prayers and. labors . have not been hindered, but greatly helped. Regular weekly English wor- ship and the class-meeting among the mission families were of the utmost value in keeping our own souls alive. God chose the men employed; none of them extraordinary or great, but suitable, well adapted, ready to rough it and go on heartily with every branch of the work that had to be done, making little of difficulties, dangers and affiictions, but the best of everything and everyone. And all our work personally, and in the training of native agents, has always been done in the Fijian language, and interpreters not employed. On a recent visit to Fiji, my heart was gladdened at finding the same stamp of men supplied by Australia, carrying on the work successfully. A very great help to our progress was, as I believe, that we had the whole field to ourselves, and our laborers were not interfered with, by the presence of any other Protestants. The Romanists came too late, arriving after we had got a good footing, and supplied the Scriptures. They avowed themselves as our opponents, and relieved us of a few troublesome persons. They have never succeeded. to a large extent, and are now losing ground, though they have zeal and self-denial worthy of any cause.
The vital, experimental and practical truths of God's Word were explained, applied and enforced. Christ, the living Saviour of all, especially of them that believe to the saving of the soul, was shown to be all in all, able and willing to save to the uttermost all who came to Him. The divine personal Spirit, in all His glorious energy and saving power, was prominently set forth, and He was ever present, convicting of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Great numbers from the beginning of our work, and, thank God, to the present time, were thoroughly awakened by the truth and by the Spirit. They sorrowed after a godly sort, turned from sin, and turned fully to God through Christ alone. And such penitents in very large numbers have, throughout the whole history of the mission, found peace with God through believing, and have shown to all men the evidences of life renewed in righteousness and true holiness. Old things passed away: behold all things became new. On several occasions, on many of the islands, there have been special outpourings of the Divine Spirit, when considerable numbers were saved, and all ~ere quickened into life and prosperity.
The spirit in which they endured trials, persecution and loss, and their steadfast aim with all kindness to do good to anyone by any effort or sacrifice, proved the truth, depth and excellence of the religion they experienced, enjoyed and practiced.
Many of these new creatures in Christ Jesus, quickened and raised into newness of life, began to speak, and testify and entreat as the Spirit gave them utterance. It was more than meat and drink to them to spread among their relatives and countrymen the religion that was such a reality and boon to themselves.· Thus the truth and saving grace of God spread from one to another, from village to village, from tribe to tribe, from island to island. None could gainsay or resist their testimony in holding- forth the Word of life. The missionaries and our mission needed no better or stronger commendation. These real converts have been and are" manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written with the Spirit of the living God," "an epistle known and read of all men." And by their agency a most substan- tial, most blessed and extensive work of God has been wrought in all direc- tions throughout Fiji.
On my last visit I was d4llighted with the grand sight I witnessed at the District Training Institution. There I found 109 fully-devoted men, selected from the institutions in each circuit, under training as preachers of the gospel: fine, strong, whole-hearted men, who 'cheerfully surrender them- selves to the cause of Christ in Fiji or elsewhere. To the oversight of this vastly-important branch of our work are devoted a missionary and his assist- ant, a native minister, who are specially qualified and adapted. Since my return an appeal was made to these students to hazard their health and lives among the dangerous people and in the unhealthy climate of New Guinea, where Fijian teachers have already been sacrificed. Fifteen were asked for: forty volunteered! eighteen were chosen, and sent forth.
Mission work in every-conntry must mainly be done by the converts them- selves. The foreigner is an expensive agent, with the many real and im- aginary wants of himself and his family. His continuance is often inter– rupted, and his stay shortened. And he can never manage the climate and customs, or find out and adapt himself to the native character, so well as one of themselves. The native agent was well-known before the glorious change that has renewed him on the spot before their eyes: and he is a liv- ing specimen-well studied-of the power of the gospel to transform. He is already there without any expense, can be employed at small cost, and that raised mainly by those for whose benefit he labors: and mission funds are not required for his removal and sustenance should he fail. With only 9 white missionaries, we have 3,505 native preachers: 56 ordain{>d, who take full part in the work of the ministry with the English missionary, 47 catechists, 983 head preachers, with 1,919 ordinary local or lay preachers. There are 1,268 chapels and other preaching places; 28 English church members, 27,097 full native church membQrs. These are well cared for by 3,480 devoted class-leaders. There are 40,718 scholars in our 1,735 day and Sunday-schools, taught by 2,526 teachers; and 101,150 attendants on public worship. The jubilee of the mission was lately held. Fifty years previously there was not a Christian in all Fiji; then not an avowed heathen left! Canibalism has, for some years past, been wholly extinct, and other immemorial customs of horrible cruelty and barbarism have tiisappeared.
Behold! what hath God wrought! A nation has been born at once!
"Instead of the thorn the fir tree came up: and instead of the brier came up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for aname, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." "The wilderness has become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is counted for a forest." "Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel [and of all nations, great and small], who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be His glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen."
Though poor, the people are most liberal in contributions for carrying on their own work, building all the schools and chapels and teachers'
houses; and they give generously, at much personal sacrifice, to the general mission funds. Had it not been for the business calamities that have come upon Fiji, as upon most parts of the world, the mission promised well ere this to have been self-supporting. Their deep poverty is borne well: and the riches of their liberality abound. I was delighted now to find them thoroughly good and fully devoted to God and His cause. Their religion is a grand , and powerful reality in very trying circumstances.
When this mission began, the Fijian language had never been written; the missionaries, therefore, had to supply it with an alphabet, and reduce it to a written form, and then to set to work to explore its grammatical structure, so as to give the people in their own tongue the Word of God, and furnish them with a useful literature. Very early in the history of the mis- sion the printing-press was brought into use.
When our printer failed in that far-off and out-of-the-way place we were in great difficulty, as a new edition of the New Testament and other books were urgently required. We ordered a man from London who would rough it, be content with the poor fare and small pay and hard work we were ac- ';:l!stomed to, but slch a man was not found. Then it came to pass that il! French count, an infidel, who was wrecked from an American beche de mer vessel, was thoroughly awakened, and sought and found mercy and saving grace. He was completely reformed and wished for employment with us. I taught him printing and book-binding, which he quickly learned; and just then, when we were in deepest need, he became a most efficient laborer wIth us. He could make sails, splice a rope, pull an oar, sail a schooner, floor a house, put in windows, make a door and fit it in. He became a teacher in our schools, and a good local preacher. The people felt that he loved them, and the best of our converts from any part of Fiji were cheerfulJy ready to settle down and work with him, so that we had a good staff of earnest and cheap workers in our printing and book-binding establishment. A new edition of the New Testament and all the books we required were well done and quickly supplied, helping on the work amazingly: A wh'ole-hearted man like that was beyond all price. Had one been made to order on purpose for our needs and work, he could not have been better adapted. And the case proved to us the all-sufficiency of God's resources; and just at the right, the very best time on the spot the demand was supplied, and without any cost. Oh, that we looked more to God for all we need I Then we printed innumerable portions of the Scriptures, catechisms (one especially, consisting o~ passages of Scripture only, which was invaluable), reading, and other books, as well as an excellent and immensely valuable system of theology, prepared by the eminent John Hunt when his heart and mind were in their best state, and when he had gained an excellent knowledge of the language; also an invaluable dictionary and grammar, provided by David Hazlewood, a man not known to fame, but whose record is on high, who did service of immense value in the language and translation department.
Since 1856 large supplies of Bibles and New Testaments in good bold type and strong and some elegant binding are constantly forwarded by the British and Foreign Bible Societies, on which many missionary societies are largely dependent, and from which all are cheerfully and promptly supplied with all they require. These Scriptures are highly l)rized, eagerly purchased and diligently read, the natives in many instances depriving themselves of the conveniences of life that they may secure and possess God's Word. The proceeds of these books are returned to the Bible House. They have supplied two editions of the completed Scriptures and fifty-six thousand of the New Testament in six editions. Other books in large quantities are also supplied fl'om England, better and at less cost than they can be printed and bound in Fiji, or obtained from the colonies.
Though Fiji is small when compared with the great nations, yet it affords a specimen and example of what can be done by the Word and Spirit and Providence of God, and it enheartens and encom'ages all to attempt and expect great things for all the nations of this sin-stricken, redeemed world. Ample provision for all our race has been made in the grand atonement and all-prevalent intercession of our great and loving Redeemer, who by the grace of God tasted death for every man, and wills that all should be saved in the gift of the life-giving Spirit who works mightily and can renew every depraved heart; and in the glollious gospel which saves all who believe, God intends to save our fallen race, and will do it. His glory shall be revealed antl all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. He hath said it, and He will assuredly bring it to pass. Christ must reign over all. Let us then go fOJ;'th in faith and preach the gospel to every creaturel feeUng sur~ tbat we have strongest ground for ille utmost hopes iu Him who has said: "And I, if 1 be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." And again: "All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth; go ye, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and 10, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."
SEVENOAKS, KENT, June 1,1888. JAMES CALVERT.
THE KARENS.
[Paper read belore the Conference by Mrs. W. F. Armstrong. It made 8 deep impression.-Ens.J THE only apology for my appearance here this evening is that I am the only Karen missionary attending this Conference, and so noble a people should not be passed by unnoticed. Thousands of them are praying for us, and it is right that we should remember them.
The Karens were once the hill tribes of Burmah, treated by the Burmese with the greatest injustice and cruelty. While they were under the Burmese Government they hid themselves in the jungle on the mountain sides, con- cealing the paths to their bamboo homes, and constantly moving from one place to another to avoid detection. They were content to live on the pro- duce of their gardens, to weave their own clothing, and to be as independent in the forest as the birds or the bees.
Their religion was peculiar to themselves. They lived pure, honest, truthfullives-I speak advisedly-they were unbounded in their hospitality, had no idols; but made offerings to propitiate the demons whom they feared.
They had no books, but they had carefully preserved traditions of a book they once possessed to which they were disobedient, and it was taken from them. Some day-so their legends ran-their white brethren would come across the sea in ships and bring back the book which told of the Great Father. They retained much of the moral and historical parts of the Old Testament in sayings of theil' old men, and it seems probable that tpey had at some time had access to its sacred pages.
No wonder such a people should receive the gospel when it came. No peo- ple have ever been discovered who were so prepared for it or whose very prejudices were on its side. When missionaries came among them their old men said, This is what our fathers told us of, it is this for which we have so long waited; and they flocked by hundreds to receive it. Not without change of heart. Their simple faith took Christ at ilis word; the Spirit accom- ied that word. Though they were ignorant and untaught in schools, they came forward eagerly to learn, believing with all their hearts, and re- ceiving the promise of God" to everyone that believeth."
An entire change has been wrought among them in the last fifty years.
Now there are over 450 Karen parishes, each one of which supports its own native pastor and lts own village school, and many subscribe largely to send the gospel farther on. !
There are about 30.000 baptized communicants, and fully 100,000 nominal Christians, about one-sixth of the whole tribe in Burmah.
A marked characteristic of their Christianity is that th.ey are earnest for- eign missionaries. They have their own foreign missionary society and send out their own young men to distant countries and other languages, support- ing them there and re-enforcing them as the need arises. These have opened up new fields of labor where other missionaries could not reach; they have tuken educated <Lnd devoted Karen wb'esto assist them, and have undergone
HOME WORK FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS
much hardship and privation with a true spirit of heroism worthy of any Christian nation. One instance, which I was personally cognizant of, and I have done.
I loved the people dearly; I looked upon them as brothers and sisters indeed, but when my husband went to the Telugus I went too. One of my teachers, who had traveled with me in many a jungle tour, and who loved souls as well as I did, who had risked her life over and over again for Christ's sake, was moved to go wIth me. This Karen girl went to India and learned the Telugu, both written and spoken, and this more rapidly than any missionary I have ever known. She started a girl's school among them, teaching them in Telugu more efficiently than any of their own people could do on account of her previous training. Of course I speak of work in a new station where mission work had to begin from the foundations. She won many women and children to listen to the gospel, and was everywhere treated with respect. The natives giving her the same title they applied to myself. Indeed, she proved herself in all respects a genuine foreign missionary.
She is now living in Rangoon, where she is married, and works among Burmese, Telugus and Karens, as she has opportunity. She is Secretary of the Karen Women's Foreign Missionary Society, which supports and directs its own Bible women. She is not in mission employ, but is supported by hel" merchant husband, who also is an educated Christian Karen, speaking daily for his Master during business hours and giving nobly to the cause of Christ, as you in this country do.
I always felt that work among Karens was only half way to heathenism. Among the Telugus I saw many debasing influences of idolatry which I did not find among Karens. In the estimation of those who know them best they are the most remarkable of all Eastern tribes. God has surely some wonderful purpose for them in the future, and we see a forecast of this in their eagerness and ability to work as evangelists among other nations.
Another conference, I trust, may see some of them in your midst to speak for themselves.
HOME WORK FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS.
BY REV. A. T. PIERSON, D.D. [A paper read at the World's Missionary Conference on Monday. June 18.] WHAT the source is to the supply, the motor to the machine, the home church is to the foreign field. The vigor of the heart's beat determines the ' pulse beat at the extremities. It is of first importance that, at home, work for missions abroad be continuous and constant, healthy in !one and spiritual in type.
How shall the churches be raised to the degree of consecration required for the evangelization of the world? Sheldon Dibble used to say that two conversions are needful: first, to Christ as a Saviour from sin; and then to missions as the corrective antidote to selfishness. A century ago William Carey felt the thrust of the keen lance of Sydney Smith, who, by his unsanctified wit, proposed to "rout out thai nest of consecrated cobblers"; and Carey had to fight for fifteen years the apathy even of his own Baptist brethren. Dr. Judson's hand was nearly shaken off, and his hair shorn off, by those who, in the crisis which can be met only by self-sacrifice would, to save themselves, willingly let missions die.
Foremost among the means by which deeper devotion to the work of eV'an~ gelization is to be secured, I would put the education of the chu1'ch in the' very principle of missions. Where the hearty acceptance of this is lacking, the impulse and impetus of missions are wanting. The church of God exists, not only as a rallying, but as a radiating, center. It is indeed a home, but also a school; a place for worship, but not less for work. For a society of disciples to be engrossed even in self-culture is fatal to service, and even to true sanctity. The church is no gymnasium where exercise is the law and self-development the end. The- field is the world, and each sower and reaper. while at work for a harvest, gets in his exertion the very exercise which is needful to growth.
So important and so fundamental is this principle of missions, that any church which dj!nies or practically neglects it, deserves to be served with a writ of quo warranto. This law of church life must be constantly kept before believers, enforced and emphasized by repetition-that upon every believer is laid the duty of personal labor for the lost. This conviction must be beaten in and burned in, till it becomes a part of the very consciousness of every disciple, until the goal is seen to be not salvation or even sanctification, but service to God and man in saving souls.
In the educatiop of a church in foreign missions, nothing is more essential than that the missionary spirit burn in the pastor. A stream rises no higher than its source; and, ordinarily, the measure of the pastor's interest In the world-field determines the level of his people's earnestness and enthusiasm. He ought to be a student of missions, an authority on missions, and a leader in missions. He is not the driver of a herd, but the leader of a flock: he must therefore go before. His contagious enthusiasm and example must inspire in others the spirit of consecration. The personal character of the man gives tone to his preaching, and is perhaps itself the best kind of preaching. That must be a frozen church in which a man, alive with intelligence and zeal for the work of God, could not warm into life and action under such a pastor as the late W. Fleming Stevenson.
The rudiments of a true education being laid, we must go on unto perfection; and among all the means of this higher training we put, first and foremost, a knowledge of the facts of missionary history and biography. Information is a necessary part of all university training in missions; not a partial, superficial impression, but information-a knowledge of missions complete enough and thorough enough to crystallize into symmetrical form in the :mind and heart. Facts are the fingers of God. To a devout student of His will they become signs of the times, and signals of His march through the ages. Like the gnomon of a sun dial, even their shadow may mark the hour in God's day. Prince Albert used to say to the young men of Britain: " Find out God's plan in your generation and never cross it, but fall into your own place in it." There is a pillar of providence, the perpetual pillar of cloud and fire, whereby we may be led. That pillal'is built up of facts, oftentimes mysterious and dark, like a cloud, yet hiding the presence and power of Him who dwelt in the cloud and made it luminous.
To a true disciple missions need no argument, since the chm'ch has what the Iron Duke called her" mat'ching orders." But duty becomes delight, and responsibility is transfigured into privilege, when it is clearly seen that to move with the missionary band is to take up march with God. The apathy and lethargy prevailing among believers upon the subject of missions is to me unaccountable in view of the multitude and magnificence of the facts which demonstrate that in the movements of modern missions, more <han in any other of the ages, there has been a demonstration and a revelation of God.
We are observing the centenary of modern missions. But the most amazing results of this century have been wrought during its last third, or ihe lifetime of the generation now living. This World's Conference is simply the church coming together at the Antioch of the Occident to hear those whom the Holy Ghost has chosen and the church has separated unto this work, rehearse all that God has done with them, and how He has opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. Who dares to say, in the light of modern missions, that the days of supernatural working are passed? So far, as in primitive days, the disciples have gone forth and preached everywhere, it has still been true that the Lord has wrought with and confirmed the Word with signs following-signs unmistakable and unmistakably supernatm-aJ. Doors have been opened, within fifty years, that no human power could have unbarred. The mighty moving of God can be traced back through the centuries, long since g'iving Protestant England a foothold in the very critical; pivotal center of Oriental empires and religions. The necessity of protecting her Indian possessions, of keeping open the line of communications between London and Calcutta, determined the attitude of every nation along the water highway. Then from beyond the Pacific another mighty, puissant people, the offspring of Protestant Britain, moved forward thirty years ago to turn the extreme eastern wing of the enemy while Britain was piercing and holding the center. Commodore Perry knocked at the sea gates of Japan, and in the name of a Christian Republic demanded entrance. Rusty bolts that had not been drawn for more than two centuries were flung back and the two-leaved doors of brass were opened to the commerce of the world. Rapid has been the progress of the march of God. Japan unsealed her gates in 1854. From that time not a year has passed without some mighty onward movement or stupendous development. In 1856 the g-reat breach was made in the Chinese wall, and by the treaty of Tientsin one-third of the human race were made accessible to Christian nations, and, as Dr. Gracey says, that wide door was opened, not by the vermilion pencils of the Emperor, but by the decree of the Eternal. The same year, 1856, also saw signed and sealed the Hatti Sherif in Turkey, by which the Sultan, at least in form, announced the era of toleration. The next year the mutiny in India changed the whole attitude of the East India Company towards missions, and prepared the way for the surrender of its charter to the Crown of England.
Let us leap the chasm of twenty years and nole the progress of eventR on the Dark Continent. In 1871 Stanley pierced the jungle to find the heroic Livingstone. In 1873 Livingstone died near Lake Bangweolo; in 1874 Stanley undertook to explore equatorial Africa; in 1877, after a thousand days, he emerged at the mouth of the Congo. At once England took up the work of following the steps of the explorer with the march of the missionary, and now, ten years later, the missions of the great lakes in the east, and those of the Congo basin at the west, are stretching hands to link east and west together. Give us ten years more and Krapf's prophecy will be fulfilled: "A chain of missions will cross the continent." In 1884, fifteen nations, called together by King Leopold and presided over by Bismarck, met in Berlin to lay the basis of the Congo Free State; and in that council not only Protestant, but Greek, Papal, and Moslem powers joined I Such are some of the great providential signs of a supernatural presence and power. What shall be said of the gracious transformations that have displaced cannibal ovens by a thousand Christian churches in Polynesia; that reared Metlakahtla in British Columbia; that made Madagascar the crown of the London Missionary Society; that turned SielTa Leone into a Christian state; that wrought mightily with Hans Egede in Greenland, Morrison and Burns in China, Perkins and Grant in Persia, Carey and Wilson and Duff in India, McAll in Paris, ,and a host of other missionaries!
If disciples are indifferent to missions it is because they are ignorant 'of missions. A fh'e needs first of all to be kindled, then to be fed, then to have vent. The only power that can kindle the flame of missionary zeal is the Holy Spirit. The coal must be a live coal from God's altar. But, having that coal and a breath from above, all that is needed is fuel to feed the flame, and that fuel is supplied by a knowledge of facts. Too much care cannot be taken to supply these facts in an attractive, available form, at the lowest cost. The women's boards and societies have done no greater service than in providing and distributing a cheap literature of missions. The printed facts that are to do this work of education must be put in the briefest and most pointed form. This is an age of steam and telegraph. While Methusaleh turned round, we have gone around the globe. Men need now what they can catch at a glance. Ponderous volumes may do for ponderous men, who have leisure for prolonged study and research, but the bulk of people must get their knowledge of facts in a condensed form. Our bulletins must be bullet-ins. Some of us must skim the great pan and serve up the cream in a little pitcher, rich and sweet; we must boil down the great roots and give others the sweet liquorice in the stick, so that a bite will give a taste and make the mouth water for more. Students of missions will read with avidity the Ely Volume, and" the Middle Kingdom,"and kindred books that are the authorities on missions; but students of missions are not made by this process. We must feed first with milk, and not with strong meat-and by the spoonful, until both capacity and appetite are formed.
The value of simultaneous meetings, missional:y conventions, and other special services consists perhaps mainly in the wide, rapid, and attractive and effective dissemination of intelligence. Truths and facts are brought before the mind with all the help of the enthusiasm of a public assembly. The eye helps the ear in producing and fastening impression. The hearer comforts the living men or women who have come from the field, perhaps with the very idols of the heathen in their hands, or the relics of their superstitious practices; sometimes the native convert, or preacher, himself pleads for his benighted fellow countrymen. And so the most apathetic soul, III whom grace has kindled the fire of love, finds the fire burning, spreading, consuming selfishness, and demanding a proper vent in Christian effort! This is the way that missionaries are made.
In 1885 there assembled at Mr. Moody's boys' school at Mount Hermon, in Massachusetts, about 300 student." from the various colleges for a few weeks of study of the Word of God. A few who had in view the foreign field greatly desired a missionary meeting, and all the students were invited. There was not even a missionary map to assist in impressing the facts; the speaker drew on the blackboard a rude outline of the continents, and then proceeded to trace the great facts of missions, and so deep was the interest awakened, that meeting after meeting followed; from about a score, the number who chose the mission field rose to a hundred; then certain chosen men resolved to go and visit the colleges and carry the sacred fire; they went, met their fellow-students, and brought out the leading facts of missions; and to-day, in America and England, a band of probably no less than 3,000 young men and women stand ready to go to the foreign field if the door shall open before them. If disciples do not wish to flame with missionary zeal, ~hey must avoid contact and converse with the facts and the heroic souls who are the living factors of missions. It is dangerous business to trifle with the combustible material, unless you are quite sure there is not even", spark of life or love in your soul!
Among the means of education we mention last what in the order of time and of importance belongs first: the influence of Christian women in the home life. If God has shut out the ordinary woman from much participation in public life, and shut her in the home, iii is because her sphere makes up in quality what it lacks in quantity. Here are life's arcana, veiled from the common eye; the home is the matrix of character. The faith of the grand- mother Lois and mother Eunice still descends to Timothy. Anthusa and Monica still give the church her golden-mouthed Johns and her giant Augustines. To one woman may be traced the rise of the seven kingdoms of the Saxon Heptarchy. At evet'y stream there isa point where a human hand might turn its current, and at that point in human lives the wife and mother presides. The heathen rhetorician Libanius exclaimed: "What women these Christians have!" And, if the secret things were brought to light, it might be found that many, beside Morrison and Burns and Lindley and Pat- teson, have owed their saintly character and missionary career to the sanct- ity of a mothet'. Even before birth, maternal character leaves its impress upon the unborn, and at the mother's breast and knee the earliest lessons are learned in piety and prayer and personal consecration.
The nursery may be the garden where the precious germs are first nourished from which develop pillars of cedar and olive for the temple of God. The Earl of Shaftesbury learned of humble Maria Millis the first lessons in living,which made his influence capable of being measured only by parallels of latitude and meridians oflongitude, and its results only-to be computed by the :eons of eternity! My sisters in Cht'ist, do not hesitate to break on your Master's feet your alabaster flask; though it may seem but as waste to some, the house shall be filled with the odor of your consecration, and you shaH at least create in the home a mighty mould of chat'acter from which shall go forth men and women whose words and deeds shall shake the world: Here, in the home, if prevailing selfishness and extravagant self-indulgence are to be correctea, must be taught first lessons in giving, the divine doctrine of stewardship, and the responsibilities both of wealth and poverty. Munificent legacies cannot atone for parsimonious gifts. It is not God or His poor who need our gifts, so much as we ourselves need to give. Giving is the sovereign secret of serving, but also of getting and growing. To deny self and help others is God's antidote to that monstl'ouS sin of selfishness w,hich is the root of all others; and soit is more blessed to give than to receive. And if there ever was an altar that sanctified, magnified, glorified the gift, it is the altar of missions. Let the ethics, the economics, the :esthetics of giving be taught at the mother's knee, and we shall have a new generation of givers.
Too much emphasis cannot be laid on placing at the center of the family a consecrated woman. She is like Goethe's mythical lamp, which, set in the humblest hut of the fisherman, changed all within it to silver. She pours on the root of the cocoanut-tree the water, which comes back, by and by, sweetened and enriched, in the milk of the cocoanut which falls from the top. A selfish, sordid woman, presiding in the home, perverts child-life; in such a household there is a malign influence, which, like the mirrors in the temples of Smyrna, represents the fairest images distorted and deformed, and makes even piety seem repellant. The more I see of woman's influence on the whole structure of society the more I feel the stress of the apostolic injunction that the believer should marry only in the Lord.
The responsibilities of wealth are to be discussed by another in a separate paper.' BlIt I must add, to complete my own thought, that, among other necessary reforms in our church life, we must cease to depend upon the donations of the rich. It is alike harmful to them and to the church. God never meant that with such wealth of divine promises we should appeal to the rich, and especially the worldly wealthy, for money for the kingdom. Such appeals discount our faith, dishonor our Lord, and humiliate the church, while they inflate the rich with self-righteous conceit and complacence as patrons of the cause of God. Let there be a Bible type of systematic and proportionate giving by every disciple, and the treasuries of the church would overflow with voluntary gifts of disciples.
Above all other spiritual agencies affecting missions from the home side, we place earnest and habitual prayer. This is a supernatural gospel and demands a supernatural power, for conversion is a supernatural work. Not even a knowledge of facts can make a missionary or inspire a missionary spirit. The coal must be there, and the breath of God, before even the best fuel will take fire. A thermometer may be held in the direct line of the sun's rays and show but little rise in temperature, because the radiant heat is reflected from the bright, glassy bulb, like light from a mirror. Heat rays from the sun may pass through a lens of ice, and concentrated to a sufficient deeree to ignite, at the focus, combustible material, and yet those rays may not melt the ice of which the lens is formed. It is only when knowledge is sanctified by prayer that it becomes a power.
For one, I regard the increased-or rather the revived-observance of the monthly concert as a necessity to true home work for missions. It is now comparatively a thing of the past. Once it was a regular observance of the first Monday of each month; then merged into the first Sunday evening; then the first mid-week service; and in many cases, divided between home and foreign missions, it lost its original special character, and has now only a name to live, and is practically dead. I know a church member who thought the monthly concert meant a musical entertainment. To allow so valuable a help to the culture of intelligent interest in missions to he dropped from our church economy and become an arclu.eological curiosity is a fundamental mistake. It may be made both interesting and stimulating. I have found the most successful way of conducting it to be to divide the world-field among the church membership, so that every man and woman, willing to help, may have a special field from which to report from time to time, changing the fields once a. year, in order to broaden both intelligence and interest, Then have maps, and, best of all, maps made by the church members themselves. A man or woman who draws a map of any mission field will never lose the image of that field from the mind's eye. I have had a full set of fine maps made for me without a penny's cost, by members of my own congregation.
The lack of earnest, believing, united prayer for missions is both lamentable and fatal to success. Prayer has always marked and turned the crises of the kingdom. No sooner do devout souls begin to unite in definite supplication than stupendous results begin to develop. Fifty years ago the burden of prayer was for the opening of doors, and one after another the iron gates opened as of their own accord. Then the plea went up for larger gifts of money; and at a critical period, when the whole onward march of missions was threatened, God gave a spirit of liberality; in 1878, that annusmirabilis, some twenty persons gave about four millions of dollars. Woman came to the front, and showed how, by gathering the mites systematically, the aggregate of gifts may grow steadily year by year, and rapidly. Then devout dis-
1888.J THE HEROIC MISSIONARY SOCIETY
ciples were led to pray for more laborers, and especially for the consecration of our foremost youth; and now from the universities of Britain and America a host of three thousand young men and women are knocking at the doors of the church, saying, "Here we are; send us;" and even the church that has been praying for this very result can scarce believe that they stand before the gate.
Brethren, we shall have learned little at this Conference if we shall nothave learned new lessons of the power of prayer. Themistocles delayed the naval engagement at Salamis until the land-breeze blew which swept his vessels toward the foe, and left every oarsman free to use the bow and the spear. How much wasted time and strength might be saved if the church of God but waited for the breath of the Holy Spirit to provide the impulse and momentum which we vainly seek to supply by our own energy and endeavor! When He breathes and blows upon us, how tbey who have toiled in rowing are left free to wield the weapons of the Lord's warfare, to exchange secular anxieties for spiritual successes!
Zoroaster bade his followers let the fires go out periodically upon their hearthstones, that they might be compelled to rekindle them at the sacred altars of the sun. What mean the smouldering en;bers on our hearths and altars, but that we have forgotten whence come the live coals, and the breath which alone can fan them into an undying flame!
THE HEROIC MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
BY ROBERT N. CUST, J.L.D., LONDON.
(Ooncluded from page 603, August number.) I NOW pass to the Heroic Missionary Society. I take as my type "the Moravian, 01' the Church of the United Brethren;" for the church and society are identical. It was the offspring of a bitter persecution by the Roman Catholics in Moravia: a small remnant fled across the boundary of hated Austria into Lusatia, and settled on the estate of Count Zinzendorf, and founded their city of Herrnhut. I have lately visited it, sat in the councilroom, conferred with the leaders of the community, visited their widows and worn-out missionaries in their humble homes, and knelt in their great Freidhof: they were first in the Protestant mission field, they are one ot the few associations that have obtained a footing in everyone of the five portions of the world: and they deliberately chose the most debased and degraded tribes as the object of their love, because such as they seemed to need the gospel most; their agents in truth wore the garb of poverty, and were poor in spirit also; in the countries, where they worked among slaves, they became slaves also, even as our Lord took upon himself the form of a slave, "p.6p</>1JV dOVAOV Aaf3wv." With the poor Hottentot they were not ashamed to suffer hardship and persecution, and to maintain that these poor outcasts had souls for which Christ had died: with the Eskimo they lived as brethren, and won them to themselves, content with the poorest and most unsavory fare, laboring with their own hands, trying not to be a burden to their church, which was so poor that it has still to be sustained by the alms of universal Christendom, for they were doing work which no other society could do; they literally went about as the disciples of Jesus, without scrip 01' change of garment, and their examples of self-denial carried the hearts of their people by storm: in these last days they have opened an asylum for lepers at Jerusalem. Their doctrmes were as simple as their practice, "Nothing but Christ crucified"; they had a courage which no danger could daunt, and a love which no harsh treatment could efface; who ever heard of a Moravian appealing to public meetings, or a public press, to organize armed relieC-e:fpeditions, or avenge their slaughtered brethren? They took death and the spoiling of their goods joyfully; they had a quiet constancy which no hardship could exhaust; there were, and are, no Exeter Halls to trumpet their praise; in their church there are no rich men to sub- scribe annual thousands, and yet they have left a mark on the world which no time can efface. Their types were, ,singleness of pm'pose, simplicity of bearing, self-consecration, and contentment with a little. If I wished to praise a missionary, I should say that he is worthy of being a Moravian. Many societies have done well, but this has excelled them all, for it has most nearly approached to the ideal church, formed after the pattern of the Founder-first and foremost in the great battle-field, yet seeking the last and lowest among the ranks of men. "I was a stranger, and ye took me in; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me." The blessings of those ready to perish have accompanied, and still accompany, the gentle footfall of the Moravian brethren, as they tread the soil of distant and inhospitable climes, unknown, unpraised, but not unrewarded, The mode of conducting missions must be heroic also. We have but one _.life to keep or lose: how can we spend it in the best way? If souls are to be won to Christ, it must be by men or women whose souls are overflowing with lo'e to Christ. We ask not for ascetics, nor adopters of the native dress, nor the turner of the formal prayer-wheel, nor the daily celebrant, but such an expression of character on the countenance, such a mode of utterance, such a voice, thoughts that move, words that burn, as display earnestness and that the soul of the missionary is on fire. All human talents are only so far profitably employed, as they are used to save souls; all human knowledge is of no avail, unless it conduces directly or indirectly to the extension of our Master's king- dam: the simple gospel outweighs it all, so simple that all can understand, so profound that no one can get beyond, ,The great he- roes of whom I have spoken, and the great missionary band of Moravian heroes, differed from each other essentially, but they had formed the same conception of Christ, and of their duty; they looked over the human fences of churches, and saw the awful vision of the face of Christ only; they had a burning desire to carry His message face to face, mouth to mouth, in i{s naked simplicity; they thought nothing of chapels, and altar-cloths, stoles, m.usic, painted glass and decoration; they took the living Word to dying souls, teaching the poor heathen to live decent, holy lives in this transitory world, and through faith to inherit eternal life hereafter. There was no necessity for hair shirts or flagellations, for long ceremonies or retreats; theirs was the daily round of holy duty, whether steering the mission-ship, building the mission-school, or preaching the mission-sermon, until the very hour that they are called away, which is the best proof that their allotted task was done. I would have you realize the dignity, the greatness of the office: it is not a romantic or sentimental employment, such as discoursing witb Brahmins under a tree, or gathering sweet little children in a school; there is much that is distasteful, and humbling, and sometimes a feeling of despair.
The hero must not be cast down, must not be diverted from his purpose, must not change his ground. We can admire the perseverance of a bad man in a bad cause, how much more 01 a good man in a good cause I The famous Las Oasas had a fixed purpose to protect the poor natives of America, and he IS reported to have done,something every day of his life to advance the one great idea which dominated his existence. Hudson Taylor has put it well, "GO· in glad obedience; in fullest confidence, without anxiety, to do a definite work." Such is the high type, s,uch the practice of those hero-missionaries, * * * whom I have noticed. (See our !August number.) Let me look at the subject from another point of view. How much do we read, in missionary letters and reports, of theirfamilies, birth of children,death of children, illness of wife, and domestic cares, while the reader is anxious to know how the gospel warfare goes on, what progress has been made. Only imagine the public dispatch of a general or governor in which such details were even alluded to! In private letters to friends such things might be noticed, but not in the documents placed before the dommittee. Nothing strikes a committeeman more than the preponderate proportion of the corre- spondence which is occupied with notices of the wives and children of mis- sionaries, as if the committee were a board of guardians of the poor. How often a missionary comes home in full health and vigor, leaving for a time, or forever, a field of work for which he is suited, and in which, after some years of pupilage, he has learned to be useful, because his wife is ill ! Would the general commanding an expedition, or the governor of a province, have done so? How often the Indian official, or soldier, has to ship off a sick wife and cannot accompany her! We have not far to look to find out what St.
Paul would have said, and what our Lord did say (Mark x : 29). Even in the life of John Williams we find mention of the illness of his wife brought much too prominently forward: he was !1lways anticipating the necessity of an early return to England for her sake: but he clung on for eighteen years, and she arrived home in excellent health, and outlived him some years. It is against this exaggeration of human affections that the servant of Christ should struggle valiantly and prayerfully.' * * * * There are giants amidst the body of missionaries, for whom nothing is too good, for they would in secular professions have risen to distinction and wealth, but to a very large proportion this would not have happened. The praise of the good, self-denying, consecrated missionary is in the heart of all who care for such things, and many, unknown to him personally, talk lovingly of him when he is absent, and sadly when he is dead; but the great missionary is thinking always of his own infirmity, of how much he has left undone, and how much he could have done better, and rejoicing that it is given to him to spend and be spent. There is in modern times a far wider spread of missionary spirit than in past years, but it is not so deep; it has become a fashion, not a revelation, in a man's mind.
We find no idle calls on the part of the heroic missionary society, or the survivors and relatives of hero-missionaries, for vengeance on the murderers of the slain; this is one of the features of the gradual degeneracy of the age and the overweening self-assertion of a certain section of the British middle classes. It is well to have a giant's strength, but it is not well to use it as a bully. Nothing would have been easier than to have swept the islands of Erromanga and Nikapu from sea to sea clean of all their inhabitants to re- venge the deaths of Williams and Pattison; but the missionary societies pro- tested against the very idea of retaliation, nor would tl:J.e British responsible authorities have tolerated it. The relations of the deceased did not gather excited meetings in British towns, and pass resolutions, as in later cases, to petition the Government to send expeditions of rescue or intimidation. Such weakness of faith, such want of sound judgment, such incomprehensibleruis- 1 We do not indorse all the strictures and criticisms of the writer in this paper, and think he is at times unduly severe and sweeping. Still, what he writes on mi.sionary subjects-and few write more-deserves careful reading and candid consideration. Missions and missiOnaries have not IL warmer friend thllIl he.-EDs. understanding of the duty of a Christian man, were reserved to a later age. On the platform the missionary proudly, yet humbly, professes that he C.al'- ries his life in his hand, ready to live, God willing, and ready to die: if this were not the case, how low the British missionary would rank after the Swede, the Norwegian, and the Swiss, who have no ships to send, and whose countrymen still are ready to give up their lives, and fill up all that remains of the sufferings of Christ. If a misdionary has not stomach for such warfare, he had better retire into the safe refuge of a London curacy, or a Lancashire manufactory, where he will find heathen to minister to, without risk to his life, or causing alarm to his over-anxious relations.
The hel'o-missionary remembers that his service is a life-sel'vice, not the pastime of youth, or the employment of manhood, until a good living and a pleasant home is provided for him in his native country. Nothing is so disheartening as to !;lee so many instances of this forgetfulness of their first love, and of the words of our Lord (Luke ix : 62), "No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." 'l'here should be no discharge in this warfare save death or certified ill-health of the missionary himself, not of his wife and his children. It is a matter of congratu- – lation that we have aged bishops content to occupy their posts until death, that we have missionaries who have not preferred tbe ties of blood or the claims of family to the work which has been the desire of their youth, the joy of their manhood, and the solace of their old age. The hero-missionary is tender in heart, gentle in words, slow to anger, and easy pacified. He is not insensible of the heinousness of sin, but his heart melts in pity towards the sinner. He does not strike with his hl),ud or stick the bodies of the poor natives whose souls he has come out to try to save; he does not usurp an authority over them because his face is white and he is one of a strong nation, as he remembers that he is their minister, the servant of servants, as was his Master, who washed the feet of His disciples; he doe~ not tie them up to trees to be flogged, and kept in durance for whole nights, but he .attaches them to himself by the silken cords of love.
He may be the son of a noble in his own country, and he is not puffed up, or he may be the son of a country shopkeeper, and he is not abashed, nor does he strive in his new profession to be coventionally treated as a gentleman, for in his humility he takes in either case the standpoint of being a Christian, occupying the same position that was occupied by Paul the great scholar and Roman citizen, and by Peter the humble fisherman : he seeks not high places, nor great companies, nor first-class accommodation in steamers or railways; he is economic of the funds of the good society which is his nursing mother; he is not always calling out for grants for his wife or his children; he does not dwell in a fine, comfortable house, for he minds not high things, and is content with men of low estate; his door is ever open to the people, whom he came to win to Christ; his attire is simple, and he seeks not the company of this world, though indirectly the type of the holy, upright man, which he presents to their eyes, has a reflex blessing on their souls; though silent, his life is a sermon to them. He acts up to the ideal of the Christian soldier which he had conceived in his youth when the message came to him, when the Holy Spirit overshadowed him; to be brave and strong, yet loving and tender; full of holy ardor yet self-controlled and free from spurious excitement; firm in convictions, yet tolerant; firm of purpose, yet merciful and considerate; meek and lowly, yet proud of his calling; fearing God, and fearing no one else.
~y friends, you must lJe thorou~hly equipfled for th«;l cQmbilot with something more than the surface teaching of the ordinary theological college. One of my fellow-students, forty years ago, at the East IndIa Cl>Uege, was a Jew, a believing Jew and a clever Jew, and he took the highest marks in PalPy's Evidences. I asked him whether he were not entirely convinced, and he re- plieu that it had not the least effect upon him. Such must often be the teach, ing of the oruinary missionary to a Hindu, a Buddhist, a Mahometan, and, to a certain degree, to the Pagan. It is always easy to speak with contempt of the Indian Fakir, smeared with ashes, and sneer at the pJ'ayer-wheel of the Buddhist (something very like which in kind is found ill many a Christian church) and point out the blots in the Mahometan scheme of salvation; it seems casy to show up the utter abomination of pagan human sacrfiices; but the missionary will find that behind these exoteric symbols there is a rad- ical misconception of the problem of human nature in the minds of the pro- fessors of a false religion, and behind the poor ignorant devotee he will flnd men with minds much more l;ubtle than his own, gifted with a power of argu- ment far .exceeding his own, appealing to authorities, of which the ITltssion- ary is ignorant. The idol is something more to the believer than a bit of wood and stone; the believers are not men of the nineteenth century, and with the impress of European training. To miracles and prophecies quoted by the missionary the teachers and believers of the false faith will quote prophecies and miracles of their own; to the words of the Bible and the claim of inspil'ation they will oppose the words of their own sacred books, and claim equal supernatural authority; the sequence of historical events and the facts of geography are unknown to them; it becomes at last a struggle for life upon the first principles of human existence, and the contest must take place upon an arena, of which the poor theological student of England never dreamt, behind the altar, out of sight of the church, in scorn of the Bible or any Christian authority, and nothing but the outpoUl'ing of the ,Holy Spirit can bring the unbeliever to see, and know, and bow to the truth.
The Hindu in his prolific literature works out his great metaphysical ques- tion, "What am I? whence came I? whither dol go?" , lIov yev6f1a1; 1f60ev ripl; rivo, XaplV i;')JJov, a1fij')JJov; and it ends in nothingness; his successor the Buddhist makes this nothing- ness the object, aim, and end of existence; the Mahometan boldly pillages the Old and New Testaments to fashion a system which can never respond to the yearnings of the human heart or satisfy its aspirations; the pOOl'
pagan in his blindness is so far ahead of the modern educated atheist, that he feels and admits the presence of the Deity and His omnipotence, and tries to appease Him by sacrifices; he is ready, however, to listen to some- thing better, and welcomes the teacher, who .comes with a semblance of greater knowledge of the great Unknown. We read how, when the first missionary arrived from Rome in Northumbria, and a council was summoned to discuss how be should be received, a wise old baron remarked, that the life of man seemed to them in their heathen ignorance, like the flight of a bird outo[ the dark winter outside into the warm and lighted chamber, and then out at a window into another world of dark winter at the opposite side; the passage of a moment from a long unknown past into a long and unknown future; the contemplation of this was crushing; and, if the stranger from Rome could tell them something a little more certain, he should be wel- comed. Such is the spirit, with which a teacher is welcomed in many a pagan community. But is the ordinary missionary equal to this occasion?
Bred up in an atmosphere permeated by Darwinism and atheism, in a church whel'!~ more value is plac~d on the human surroundings, the ritual and th~ externals than the eternal truth, can it be hoped that he will mount up to the level of the religion of religions, the object and aim of human existence, and with the Bible in his hand aRd in his heart, and nothing else, grapple with the Hindu, Buddhist, Mahometan, or Pagan on the common ground of right and wrong, truth and -falsehood, judgment and mercy, sin and repentance, pardon and peace, opening out new worlds of thought to his astonished hearers? The hero-missionary can do this. He exhibits his principles, and his doctrines in his Christ-like life and words, and challenges his hearers to show him a better way than the way of self-sacrifice, self-control, and selfconsecration, to procure a higher conception than that of the fatherhood of God, of faith in a Redeemer, of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit leading poor weak men to personal holiness.
There are plenty of men who will volunteer to go out and dwell a season amidst the polished Persian, the civilized Arabized races, the Indian, who, with all his faults, is gentle and reasonable, the intelligent Chinese, and the progressive Japanese. They represent nations on the highest roupds of the ladder of civilization, our superiors in many arts and graces, with their monuments of literature, and architecture, and their time-honored customs: they have centuries ago got beyond the epoch of human sacrifices or cannibalism; they have had in their midst great sages who felt after God, if haply they could find Him, men standing on the same platform as Socrates, and Aristotle, and Pythagoras. There is very little discomfort in such service, and no danger; mere worldlings dwell among such races for the purpose of commerce and the service of the state. We do not wish to undervalue such services, for such were the missionary operations of St. Paul among the Greeks and Romans. The process of sapping and mining has long been going on. Education has brought with it a contempt for idolatory, but civilization has brought with it a contempt for all religions, and a disbelief in the supernatural, a doubt as to the reality of a future state.
But this is not the higher order of service; it does not mean the same self-sacrifice; it does not approach so near the services rendered to man by our Saviour; our Lord abased himself when He took the form of a slave and became man for our redemption. He thought it not vile to dwell in the tents of men, and associate with the poor, erring children of men. Patteson and John Williams, and the whole army of Moravian missionaries, learnt to look over the-wall of partition that separates race from race, and to call no one common and unclean; there have been missionaries who have had the fortune given to them to go in and dwell among lepers, and have succumbed to the disease themselves; there are those who have found a grace vouchsafed to them to dwell among the POOl', dirty savage outcasts of the human family, to submit to insult, hardship and perils; to die in spirit every day, and at length breathe out their last breath in some round straw hut, looking to Jesus, yet still thinking of friends and home.
U Dulces moriens reminiscitur Argos."
But there was no murmuring, for they knew how to be humbled but not ashamed, to be cast down but not disheartened, bearing about them the marks of the spear in their sides, and the print of the nails on their hands and feet. The service of such was great and noble; the heart of the worlding beats high when he hears of such achievements. Surely there must be joy in heaven w/len one of the miserable savages, to the outward eye nearer the beast than the man, is brought into the fold, and his body becomes the temple of the Holy Ghost, for Chris~ in very deed died for him also. The seU-sacrificing missionary teaches the men to lJe br(l.ve, yet not cruel, and the women to be sweet and affectionate, yet not unchaste; out of the stores of his acquired experience he teaches them humble arts, and the very rudiments of knowledge, the very fundamental of human graces, to be decent in act and word, to respect human life, to recognize property, to be sober and chaste, to love God as a father and cease to fear Him like a slave, to bow in gratitude to the free offer of pardon. And yet all this is possible: it has been done, it may be done again; it must be done by some of you who stand here and hear me this day: "EV 'TOV'Tr,J VlK(L."
It will be nothing wonderful, if in due time we convert the people of India, China, and the extreme Orient. They are not wiser and stronger than were the Greeks and Romans in the day of their greatness, and we know that the cross proved sufficient for their conversion. And experience has shown that the same cross is sufficient for races whom Cmsar never knew, of whose existence the Greek philosophers, and even St. Paul, had not the faintest idea. We thus begin to realize the full meaning of the prophecies of Isaiah, "The isles!lhaU wait for his law," and the words of our Lord, "They shall gather his elect from the uttermost parts of the earth," and again, in the Revelation, "Behold a great number, whom no man can number, out of every nation, and all tribes, and peoples and tongues."
There are three classes, in one or other of which you must, as Christian men, range yourselves : I. Whatever secular station you occupy, whether at home or abroad, you -must place the duty of assisting the evangelizing of mankind in the very first rank of duties, for nothing can approach it in impdrtance; if your lot takes you to non-Christian countries, you will find plenty of opportunities to serve the cause, and bitterly you will regret in your old age, if you neglect your opportunities.
II. If you have a call to go forth as a missionary to the civilized non-Chris- tian nations, if you find yourself in possession of special gifts, consecrate them; do not take a worldly view of the subject, and mix up a mission to a dying world with visions of early matrimony, social advantage, and a pleas- ant career. Mere worldlings act thus. Many a soldier, many a student of nature, ml:ny a ruler of men has risen far above such a low level of human aspirations. The athlete and the mechanic give you a lesson. Show to the heathen that you come among them unjerstanding the law of self-sacrifice, and that you come not, as the haughty Briton, one who lords it over, and sometimes strikes or ill-uses the lower races, but as then' brother and their servant for Christ's sake.
III. But Jet me show a more excellent way to those who are strong in body, strong in spirit, and also have worked out the sublime idea of self-sacrifice and self-consecration. The call will come to some of you, as it has come to others, in your dreams by night, in your visions by day, as you walk alone, or are in prayer, or in the midnight watches. It will gradually overpower you and make you captive, and at length you will call out with a loud voice, "Send me, Lord, for I am ready." For still many a sunny island of the South Seas, many a retired valley of the great central plateau of Asia, many a dark, forest-clad savannah of ,the great valley ot the Congo, many a wild tribe of South America, and, alas! our own fellow-subjects, the neglected, ill-treated Australian aborigines, and the poor Bushmen of the Cape Colony, are waiting, waiting for the moving of the waters of the fountain of life, and for some one to help them down; lifting up their eyes for the sight of the blessed feet of those who bring the gospel message; calling for their man, the Allen Gardiner, and Patteson, and Williams of this generation; they are standing in your midst, though not as yet revealed to the eyes of men. In the long course of centuries no prophet or evangelist has ever come near these poor heathen; they have laid out of the course of the revolution of the gospel; they are waiting for one who, in his life as well as his words, will illustrate to them the life and passion of our Lord and their Lord; they ask not for the refinement, nor the fantasies of modern religious thought and practice, but with dumb voices they ask the men of the nineteenth century and civilized Europe to teach them to clothe their nakedness, to dwell in decent dwellings, to cluster in villages, to live with one consort, and to respect human life, to do all things in a Christian way, and to realize the presence of the risen Saviour. In the last desperate struggling of heathendom it may be .:that the man of God, who thus appears like an angel among them, will be killed and devoured; but his death will prove the dawn of the new life; over the martyr-tomb will spring up the new chapel, and the younger generation, who witnessed the slaughter and partook of the ter~ible feast, will, by the grace of God, be converted and made new men, and, like St. Paul, become evangelists. When their day of grace comes, and they understand the matter, like the Jews at Jerusalem a few days after the crucifixion, they will be pricked to the heart. History is always repeating itself; but on this generation, the men of your age and country, rests the duty of completing the work, till the gospel cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. At the present moment there are regions still unevangelized, sufferings for Christ's sake not yet suffered, and crowns of martyrs and confessors not yet won.
Finally, my dear friends, suffer me to say to you one word more, and this word applies not only to the missionary, whose vocation is the highest of earthly vocations, but to each one of us, however humble and prosaic our special vocation may be. What were we created for? Why are we kept alive, except to do some special work which is marked out for us by the inexorable teaching of circumstances, circumstances wqich are controlled by the omniscience of God I How can we succeed in any work if our attempts are not sanctified by prayer! "Labora et Ora," for true prayer is somethmg done in the service of the Master, followed by praise for being selected to do it; not the empty litany or the conventional prayer-meeting. Say what we like, we are all day-laborers, and he serves his God best who does his day's work in the best manner and in the best spirit. None miss so entirely the mainspring of human action as those who strive to dissociate religion from the simple round, the common task of the most prosaic, the mostunroniantic, the most depressing lot in life.
It is not success that sanctifies the work, fot many of the best of us in our noblest undertakings do not succeed. We are thwarted by some narrowminded obstructers standing on the next round of the ladder above us; we are baflled at every turn, and at length laid aside by poverty, sickness or death. It is not striving that wins; the race is n()t to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. We must not look for the selfish satisfaction of thinking that we have done something; we must not hope for the applause of bystanders, for the foolish multitude generally praise the wrong person, or praise the right person for the wrong thing. We must find our reward in the work itself; something each day accomplished; something done; some kindly word spoken; some cup of water offered to the suffering; some noble thought cherished, some achievement, which the world ought not willingly to let die, shadowed forth, thought out, conceived, If not actually brought forth. Good work, earnest work, prayerful work, can never be without a
A TRINITY OF MONSTROUS EVILS DENOUNCED. 6'75
blessing to the worker, which will follow him after life's endless toil and endeavor to his rest, and what greater work than the saving of a soul I I once stood at the mouth of the great Panjab Salt Mine on the river Jhilam, and watched the long procession of women, children and men, of young and old, slowly advancing towards me, toiling up the steep incline, each with his head bent and back curved under the burden of rock-salt, which they brought from !he bowels to the surface of the earth. This was their hard and palpable day's labor. To the strength of each the burden was adjusted ; the young daily grew into capacity to bear heavier, the old daily felt their strength less equal to their diminishing load, but all rested night after night wearied with their daily round, and all each morning rose to the consciousness of a day's sweating and straining, and a risk of accidents and disease, and the dark river to be crossed at last. Tears started in my eyes as I thought of the sad procession of my contemporaries, whom dut'ing my own life I had seen toiling and striving, lifting their heavy burdens, or sinking by the way under them. I thought of the strong and enthusiastic, too eager for the strife, who fell years ago; the patient and uncomplaining, who toiled on till within the last few years; the yearly diminishing group of fellow-laborers, with yearly diminishing force, and the dark unknown future before me.
But there is no prison so deep that its depths are not reached by some ray of God's interminablfl day, and, as I looked into the faces of the salt-bearers, I became aware that one ray of light reached to the lowest slope of their dungeon, and, as they advanced upwards, it ever became brighter and brighter, shining hopefully in their uplifted eyes, and gladdening their hearts with the thought of home, and rest, and of labor, sanctified for the sake of the little ones, the old ones, the sick ones, to whose cOljJlforts their earnings ministered. The hero-missionary places the heathen, to whom he goes as Christ's ambassador, in that corner of his heart where other men place their families. Nay, more; God's greatlessons are taught in His works and in His creatures. As each laborer reached the outer world, and flung ((own his burden, his eyes insensibly turned up with a look of thankfulness and acknowledgment to the kindly light which had led him, and then each unconsciously shrouded his eyes with his hands, as if unable to bear the full glow of unutterable gladness, which the grace of Gcd sends to testify to the sanctity and dignity of labor, however humble and contracted the sphere: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things. 'Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
A TRINITY OF MONSTROUS EVILS DENOUNqED.
[A popular meeting of an extraordinary character was held on Wednesday evening, the twelfth dl>y of the session for the express purpose of giving public and indignant expression to the intensified feeling of the Conference in relation to three stupendous evils which had been brought to its notice during the meeting. It was not down on the programme, but the Loudon papers speak of it as a "magnificent dembnstration," and the most .. enthusiastic as well as the largest meeting of the series. Several of the speakers were Americaus-Dr. William M. Taylor of New York, Dr. A. J. Gordon of Boston, Dr. G. E. Post of our Syrian Mission, and our associate, Dr. Pierson of Philadelphia. We have full reports of the meeting in various English papers, aud proceed to give our readers a bird's-eye view of the great meeting, that they may feel the pulse of the world's missionary representatives in regard to such giant social, commercial and national sins as those here unauimously denounced by the largest and grandest popular council ever held. We follow chiefly the report in The Christian of London.-J. M. S,1 THE final meeting of the great Missionary Conference will not soon be fo.rgotten by those who were present. It was the largest of the series, and by far the most enthusiastic. The subjects under consideration-the Opium Traffic, the Drink Traffic, and Licensing Sin-naturally lent themselves to the expression of strong feeling; both speakers and hearers fully took advantage of the opportunity. The opinion was expressed during the evening that in the matter of the opium trade the Christian conscience of Great Britain has of late gone to sleep. The proceedings of Wednesday evening ought to do something in waki:e.g it up and keeping it wide awake till the cause for such wakefulness has disappeared. The outstanding features of the evening were the powerfully explosive utterance of Dr. Taylor, of New York, the remarkable reception given Mr. Alfred Dyer, on his return from India, and the heartiness of feeling shown towards our two eloquent American brethren, Dr. Gordon and Dr. Pierson.
"The chair was taken by Sir Arthur Blackwood, who was supported on either side by an array of gentlemen well known for their active interest in questions of national morality. In the opening prayer, Dr. Parsons, of Toronto, struck an appropriate keynote by his reference to the foes that oppose the kingdom of Christ and prevent the salvation of men.
SIR ARTHUR BLACKWOOD'S ADDRESS.
" After some remarks on the wisdom of the decision to hold such a meeting in connection with the Conference, the Chairman said: 'Not as part of a cutand-dried plan prepared beforehand, not as an outburst of hasty enthusiasm, but as the deliberate, solemn conviction of men and women qualified to judge, you have decided to speak out and denounce certain deeds and practices, and to deplore their terrible results. I a!ll sure I am right in saying that we do this in sorrowful confession of the blameworthiness of the churches, as well as in solemn condemnation of these practices. Were it not for lack of faithful testimony, watchful attention, earnest prayerfulness, courageous utterance, these things could never have attained their present magnitude. Surely the standard of morals in so-called Christian nations and governments must be low ir..deed, when practices like those cannot only continue unchecked, but be defended; and that not merely ou the ground of expediency, but of actual necessity. Where have the churches of Christ been in their testimony against these things? We must confess om' own guilt. We are not met for discussion; that time has gone by. Denunciation is our object to night-unanimous, I hope, and vehement if need be. What cause can demand it more? It is to be the denunciation of deedsdone contrary to every pre- cept of the gospel, contrary to the whole spirit of the Christian dispensation, and even protested against by the very heathen themselves. We are indeed deeply thankful that no sooner has one of those practices in its clear and ter- rible character been fully exposed and recognized than the British House of Commons resolved unanimously (for the few defenders of the practice dared not record their votes against the resolution) that this system should be abolished root and branch.* That proves, thank God, that the moral sense oC this nation is still alive with regard to such matters. But doomed systems often live long, and your denunciation and your protest to-night are none the less needful because, so far as that judgment has been uttered, this thing is doomed in all its horrible enormity and atrocity.
We are not only here to denounce, but to deplore the results, direct and in- direct, of these deeds and practices. The direct results, alas! who can esti- *This reference is to the formal licensing of harlotry by the British Government for the gratifiea- tion of the army in India. A fierce fight has been going on against the awful and scandalous in- Iqnity for months past, led on by Mr. Alfred S. Dyer, who in return has been assailed with as mnch bitterness as the Pall Malt Gazette once received for uncovering similar, though unlicensed, in- iquities in Lonaon. The British Parliament was finally forced by the terrible revebtlons made and the protests nttered to repeal the act, just as the Conference came together.-EDs. mate? Eternity alone will disclose the ruin to the thousands and thousands of bodies and souls of those amongst whom these practices have been carried on by members of so-called Christian nations-carried on by those who ought to have been the protectors and the friends and the saviors of the heathen to whom they went. The indirect results have been no less fatal. What might not the progress of the gospel of Christ have been among the nations of the earth had that gospel been commended and enforced by the lives of those who profess to be Christians? What can more effectually have barred its advance and have stayed its progress? I must allude here, for one mo- ment, to a challenge thrown down to you by the world. It is not often need- ful nor wise to pay much heed to what the world says about Christian work. Yet at times it is necessary, and I wish to draw your attention to the utter- ances of The Time8, which, in a leading article dealing with your Conference, spoke the other day in these words :- .. , Criticism cannot express itself aR altogether contented with the amoont of groond which has been annexed. • . • Before the promoters of missionary work can expect to have greater resources confided to them they will have to render a satisfactory acconnt of their trnst in the past. Their pro- gress, it is to be hoped, is sure; indisputably it is slow. A Congress like the present would be better employed in tracing the reasons for the deficiency in quantity of success than in glorifying the modi- com which has been attained. • • • The cause marches at a pace which, unless it is registered by the enthusiasm of Exeter Hall, appears little more than funereal. • • • For eyes not endowed with the second sight of the platform, the principal citadels of heathendom continue to 1lannt their banners as before. If some people profess to believe that they hear too much of foreign missions, the explanation is that they see too little of their results.'
"I think that demand is a fait- one, and that we are right in answering the challange. The world asks, Why have you not accomplished more? It says: 'Traae the reasons for your want of success, instead of talking about what you have done.' We have come together for that purpose to-night. Whilst . in the spirit of self-judgment and true humility before God for our well- known shortcomings in enthusiasm, in zeal, in self-denial, in prayerfulness, in effort, we declare before the world that, foremost, perhaps, amongst the causes which have hindered the progress of the gospel of Christ in heathen lands, have been the three practices which we desire to hear denounced to- night. How could it have been otherwise, when wherever the missionary has pitched his tent the rum merchant has sent his barrels, so that we have gone to the heathen in certain lands with the Bible in one hand and the rum-keg in another. What can those people have thought of the character of the Chris- tianity which thus presented itself to them? How can we wonder that the gospel makes small progress? With our cannon balls and bayonets we have forced the introduction of opium into China, and, alas! taught the popula- tion to grow the drug itself in order to oust our Indian products, thereby inflicting upon them irretrievable injury. What can that people think of the Christianity that came to them in that guise? And, again, when upon the defenseless, uneducated female population of India, a Christian government has fastened the horrible diabolical system to which allusion must be made to-night, and enforced it with all the tremendous weight of its authority; when side by side with the chaplain and the church has been the Govern- ment brothel, how can we wonder that there, in India, they have laughed at our Christianity, and cast contempt upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ? If the world taunts the missionary enterprise with its little progress, and says, 'Find out the reasons for your lack of success,' we can indeed say, with all self-judgment as regards our own shortcomings, 'These practices, carried out by Christian nations, and authorized and enforced by so-called Christian governments, have much to bear of the blame for our want of success.' It is our business to-night to lift up our voices, and that with no bated breath; a.nd in no indistinct manner, to declare, in the name of the Lord, and on the ground of every obligation that we owe to Him who has redeemed-us by His blood, that, so far as lies in our power, so far as our protests and prayers can effect it, these deadly evils shall be stayed, and, by God's help, be impossible for the future."
THE CHINA OPIUM TRADE.
Rev. J. Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, moved the following resolution: .. That this Conference, representing most of the Protestant Missionary Societies of the Christian world, desires to put on record its sense of the incalculable evils, physical, moral, and social, which continue to be wrought in China through the opium trade-a trade which has strongly prejudiced the people of China against all missionary eftort; that it deeply deplores the position occupied by Great Britain through its Indian administration in the mauufacture of the product, and in the pr'Qmotion of the trade which is one huge ministry to vice; that it recoguizes clearly that uothing short of the entire suppression of the trade, so far as it is iu the power of the Government to suppress it, cau meet the claims of the case, and it now makes its earnest appeal to the Christians of Great Britain and Irelaud to plead earnestly with God, and to give themselves no rest until this great evil is entirelv removed; and further, that copies of this resolution be forwarded to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for India.'
"Mr. Taylor observed that the fact that the opium traffic is a huge ministry to vice, and an obstacle to the evangelization of China, is surely sufficient reason why the subject should be brought forward and protested against by this Missionary Conference. He then said: 'I made the statement at a previous meeting, which I will repeat, that while the result of eighty years of evangelistic effort in China has brought us to rejoice in 32,000 converts to Christianity, about 150,000,000 of the Chinese have been either turned into opium smokers or have come to suffer from the opium vice, as husband, wife, father, or mothe)'. If the evil is so rampant, and it is most difficult to help the smoker or his unfortunate family, surely it is high time that our protest was raised against it, and that we did our utmost to bring the evil to an end.'
"Proceeding to quote from official documents and the writings of wellknown men, Mr. Taylor showed the iniquitous character of the traffic. Rev. Griffith John condemned it unsparingly, and appealed to 'the great heart of England' to remove the curse. Rev. Howard Malcolm, of the United States, remarked that' the proud escutcheon of the nation which declares against the slave trade bears in this trade a blot still broader and darker.' Mr. C. Aitchison, chief commissioner of British Burmah, in a memorandum addressed to the Government of India, speaks of the' demoralization, misery, and ruin produced among the Burmese by opium smoking.' After quoting other testimonials, Mr. Taylor contended that England is directly responsible for every acre of Chinese soil engaged in the cultivation of opium. We introduced the drug, and then the people of China raised it themselves. The Chinese appealed in vain to England's kindly feeling and sense of.rectitude; they appealed to every sentiment which was likely to move a professedly Christian people: but in vain. Then they came to the conclusion that Eng- land has no moral sense, no conscience, but only a pocket, and that the only way to move England was to prevent the money from reaching her revenue by China producing the drug at home, until the pressure of England is removed. , "The government of India is to a large extent the producer of the drug. More than half the drug manufactured in India is produced and sold directly by the government of India. It is said that we need the revenue. Remem- ber the well-known words of Mr. Henry Richard in the House of Commons. He said he had a firm conviction that no nation had ever been engaged in any business so absolutely indefensible on all grounds as the opium traffic: … It might be true that the power of England was forcing it upon the Chinese, and was spreading among them demoralization. disease and death-but there was the Indian Revenue. It might be true that the tralllc created an enormous amount of ill-will and heart-burning towards England on the part or the Chinese Government and the Chinese people, which had led to one war and might lead to another-but there was the Indian Revenue. It might be true that the traffic constituted the most formidable of obstacles to Christiauity among the Chinese-but there was the Indian Revenue. It might be true that it interfered with the development of every kind of legitimate commerce-but there was the Indian Revenue. It might be true that it dishonored the character of England in the eyes or other nations, and prevented her from protesting against similar practices elsewhere-bnt there was the Indian Revenue.'
"To put it plainly, as Mr. T. A. Denny had well put it, this plea amounts to this, that' the English nation cannot afford to do right.' I sincerely trust that this meeting will make it very plain that in its estimation the English nation cannot afford to do wrong. In conclusion, Mr. Taylor expressed a hope that the wrong may be put right while there is opportunity, and before the wrong-doer is visited by divine judgment.
Dr. James L. Maxwell, formerly missionary to Formosa, seconded the resolution. It is quite true, he said, that the Indian Government is the chief party to the evil. But before that there is a BritIsh House of Commons to be reached, and still before that there is the conscience of England to be reached, and, yet again, before that, there is the heart of the Christian church in England to be touched. The question is absolutely beyond discussion. We deliberately cultivate the poppy and minister to the vice of a heathen people; more than that, we fatten upon that vice, in spite of the fact that the rulers of the Chinese have again and again remonstrated with us, and in spite of the fact that our action is leading to the physical, moral and social ruin of the people. Of late years there has crept over the Christians of this country a very strange apathy in dealing with this opium trade. Intellectually we have acknowledged that it is wrong, and we have signed memorials against the traffic; but we have not kept it in our hearts as a burden upon our souls before God. Why do we not arouse ourselves? In this hall to-night, there is a constituency large enough, if set on fire on this subject, to begin to move England from end to end. Who dares to measure what the progress of speed in dealing with this would be, if each of us pledged himself before God not to forget the matter; but in private and in public so to move that this blot shall be removed from the nation? Only let us get to faithful handling of the evil, looking to God for help, and absolute suppression will in due course be reached." The resolution was carried unanimously.
NATIVE RACES AND THE DRINK.
Dr. W. M. Taylor, of New York, submitted the following resolution, which he supported, by a tremendous earnest and rousing- speech :'- " That the International Conference, compristng delegates from most of the Protestant Missionary Societies in the world, is of opinion that the traffic in strong drink, as now carried on by merchants belonging to Christian nations among native races, especially in Africa, has become a soarce of terrible and of wholesale demoralization and ruin, and is proving a most serions stumbling-block to the progress of the gospel. The Conference is of opinion that all Christian nations should take 8teps to suppress the traffic in all territories under their influence or government, especially in those under International control, and that a mutnal agreement shonld be made to this effect without delay, as the evil, already gigantic, is rapidly growing.
" After stating that he had received several pressing mandates on this topic, to be delivered to the Conference from Presbyterian bodies in the United States, Dr. Taylor said: 'We who look back to this as our dear old home-land have a very tender regard for her reputation, and we feel sad to have to hang our heads in shame over her when the opium traffic is brouglit up against her. But our hands in America are as deep in this drink traffic~ yours are, and we come here to beseech you a!ongwiih us that the Christian Church of Europe and America as a whole shall advertise itself out of this business, and shall declare that whosoever hereafter is responsible for its continuance, that responsibility, by the help of God, shall no longer lie at our doors. I protest against this traffic because of the demoralizing effect it has on the native races. We know something of what it does at home, but these effects are far more tremendous abroad. These native races are in the position of minors or infants. If we insist, and rightly insist, that those who sell liquor to children and minot'S shall be punished, shall we force this traffic on those nations that are composed of minors altogether? I protest against the traffic, also, because it is destructive of legitimate commerce. The expenditure of resources for the gratification of the drink appetite renders it impossible for the natives to deal in more wholesome articles of trade. I ask you, in the name of common sense and righteousness, if you are going to allow this one deadly traffic to deprive you of honest gain in those countries which in so wonderful a way have been opened up to trade in modern times? If you force rum upon them, you cannot give them cotton, because they have nothing to buy cotton with. But stay, there is one trade that may be Improved by the rum trade. I saw in one of your morning papers this week a paragraph with reference to King Quamin Fori, and a visit paid to him by Sir Brandford Griffith, Governor of the Gold Coast: 'All that King Quainin Fori asks is that Her Majesty's l'epresentive will instruct the merchants of Addah to pay for palm-oU in cash instead of gin.' The Governor, III answer to this appeal, said he could not interfere with the course of trade. The last sentence in the paragraph is to the following effect : of .. The prevalence of the habit among Christian traders in that region paying the heathen for his goods • in gin,' may possibly have something to do with the curious circumstance that king after king with whom the governor held a palaver, during his official progress, appears to have asked for a supply of handcull's,"
"Yes, the trade in handcuffs is one that is stimulated by the gin traffic. Here is a trade-mark for the gin bottle. Handcuffs! Handcuffs ! Yes, handcuffs that enslave, handcuffs that degrade; 0, yes, put it on the gin bottle everywhere.
"I protest against this traffic because of the retribution wbich it is sure to bring on the nations who protect it. I rejoice in the ringing words quoted by Mr. Hudson Taylor from Mr. Henry Richard: 'The government of God is real; the government of God is moral; the government of God is retribu- tive.' Has Great Britain forgotten to read the lesson of the Indian mutiny? Has America forgotten to read the lesson of the civil war? Shall we allow ourselves to go to sleep agamover an eVil like this, folding our arms and saying : ' Let it alone; it will take care of itself'? The Governor of the Gold Coast said, 'We cannot interfere with the course of trade.' This has been said again and again in history. It reminds me of the passage: 'Yet a little more sleep, a little more slumber . . . so shall thy poverty come as one that travaileth, and thy want as an armed man.' Oh, that armed man! We saw him in America twenty years ago, and Gettysburg was the retribution of letting it alone. You saw it in the Indian mutiny away back among the fifties, and that fearful time was the retribution of letting it alone. Are we to let it alone again, and bring down still greater retribution upon our heads in America and upon you here?
" Once more I protest against this detestable traffic because of its neutral- izing effect upon the efforts of our Chrlstian missionaries. Why should we go to the heathen handicapped and hampered by men who have no care but to make money, and who have yoked the motive-power of appetite to the car of Mammon, that they may ride the more surely over men? Oh, brethren, as the representatives of the Missionary Societies of the world, let us rise in our might and say: 'It is time that we should be unlimbered and unhampered and delivered from this terrible evil.' If the churches of England were united, and in earnest, and right, no government would be able to resist them. If the churches of England, of Europe, and America were united, and in earnest, and right, no evil in the world could stand before them. Let there be no pessimism among us in regard to this. PessimIsm is lor those who have no Christ; courage is the characteristic of those who know they have Him with them and in the midst of them. But we must ourselves have clean hands. Let us labor, and pray, and determine in the might of God to lay low everything in the shape of demoralizing traffic with these native races. Let us knock it on the head, and sweep its kennel clean out. The resolution was carried by acclamation.
KING LEOPOLD AND THE TRAFFIC.
" A third resolution, recognizing the benefits that have already accrued to Africa in connection with the founding of the Congo Free State by the King of the Belgians, invoking his aid in suppressing the drink traffic, and appointing a committee to proceed to Brussels and lay this important matter before his Majesty, was submitted to the meeting by the Rev. Dr. J. Murdock, of Boston. In doing so he mentioned an incident told in New York by Mr. H. M. Stanley. When that explorer met the King in Uganda, the King asked him many questions about Queen Victoria, the Emperor of Germany, and others i then he said, •What tidings can you bring me from above?' Mr. Stanley, unhappily, was not an expert in these matters, but he gave the King a New Testament, which he declared contained the only answer which man could ever receive to that most momentous inquiry. After a long passage across the continent, Stanley came at last to meet with the colored people of the Western Coast, and the first question they asked of him was, 'Have you any gin?' That, said Dr. Murdock, is the difference between heathendom pure and simple and heathendom as touched by the curse of Western civilization. It was in order to touch this evil at its very core that the matter would be laid before the King of the Belgians. The resolution was seconded by Mr. H. Grattan Guinness in a paper full of startling facts, most eloquently and impressively stated. The resolution was heartily agreed to i the gentlemen appointed to carry out its provisions being Dr. Murdock, Mr. Grattan Guinness, Mr. J. Bevan Braithwaite, and Mr• .Alfred Baynes.
L!OENSED VICE IN INDIA.
"The fourth and last resolution was moved by MI'. Alfred S. Dyer, who, as the Chairman remarked, had only a few days before returned from India. On rising, MI'. Dyer was greeted with oft-repeated rounds of cheering, and it was some time before he was able to speak. He read the resolution as follows: " That this Conference has heard with shame and sorrow of the extensive system of State·licensed vice carried on throughout India by authority of the Indian government; that at the same time it desires to place on record its deep sense of the great service rendered to the canse of morality and religion by the House of Commons determining the repeal of all legislation which anthorizes and en· courages vice; and it confidently expects that Her Majesty's government will now take Immediate measures to abolish what constitutes a social degradation, and so remove a stnmbling-block to religion, and the dishonor to the name of Great Britain which have resulted from this system; and further. that copies of this resolution be forwarded to the Prime :Minister and the Secretary of State for Indis.
"The time being far spent, Mr. Dyer had proposed simply to read the resolution, leaving it to speak for itself without any advocacy of his own. In response, however, to the calls of the audience, he said: The uppermost feeling in my heart is one of unbounded thanksgiving to God for the great victory which has been gained in the House of Commons in this cause of social purity. I honor the noble men in that House who have stood faithful to this cause amid so much ridicule. I honor them in that they have been • faithful to the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I look upon this victory entirely as an answer to the prayers that have been offered up. We have been praying about it in India. Not a day passed that I did not pray for it, so that I feel, as I have said, unbounded thankfulness to God, while I thank those members of Parliament. After seven or eight months' patient investi- gation in India, and coming into contact also with the drink traffic, I have come to the conclusion that the two great obstacles to the success of mission- ary work in India are the systems of licensed vice and of licensed drink. I would only add that we must see that the resolution of the House of Com- mons is carried out in India. I hope in a few weeks to go back there; and I intend to stay there, to act as your representative, to exercise a due vigil- ance, and to see that the system of licensed Ivice is abolished. While I am there, I shall also make it my business to investigate further these questions of the drink traffic and the Chinese opium traffic, and to see if I can help you to get rid of them.
"Rev. G. E. Post, M.D., seconded the resolution. He said: 'It was with extreme repugnance that I undertook to speak. My repugnance arose from the fact that I felt myself to be a citizen of another land, and that this was a question which primarily concerned Britain. But in presence of such a ques- tion you are not Eng-lishmen, and I am not an American, but we are all of us citizens of the commonwealth of man, and endowed from heaven with the freedom of the city of God. I take that freedom to protest against the worst form of outrage that has ever been perpetrated against a defenseless people, Anglo-Saxon fathers, hang your heads with shame for the cause that brings us here to-night. Anglo-Saxon mothers, turn your hearts away from your husbands and your sons; you cannot look them in the face as you discuss a question like this. Anglo-Saxon daughters, draw your veils over your eyes lest you put me to silence by ihe mantling blushes on your cheeks. Twelve years ago the civilized world was stirred to its depths by the story of the Bulgarian atrocities. A few undisciplined Bashi Bazouks, elated by victory, were guilty of atrocities which brought down upon their country a desolating war, which dismembered it, and which drew from one of your statesmen that famous utterance that the Turks must be driven, 'bag and baggage,' out of Europe. We have been guilty of an atrocity which surely might justify the statement that we ought to be driven, 'bag and baggage,' out of Asia. This, moreover, is not an atrocity by a few guerilla soldiers, but by a Christian Government, with its two estab- lished religions and its numerous churches and chaplains. We have gone into India in an official capacity, to degrade, first our own sons, and then the daughters of the weak subject races. It is with shame that we confess that our race has sunk to such a degradation as that. Turn to a lIlore cheerful aspect, and reJoice at the action of the House of Commons. All honor to those noble men who have stood up and vindicated the right. I repudiate, and never will believe, the accusation, that the medical profession stands behind these acts. I have been a member of that profession for twentyseven years. I say that when you press this matter on your legislative bodies, you may rely upon the medical profession being with you. And let us press forward in the consciousness that God is with us." The resolution was carried unanimously.
CLOSING WORDS.
The evening was now far advanced, but the Chairman called out Drs. Gordon and Pierson for brief addresses.
Dr. A. J. Gordon said: "It has been said, and I think truly, that there is enough sentiment, and conscience, and enthusiasm, and spiritual power in this audience to move our governments to the abolition of these terrible iniquities. Let it be remembered for our encouragement that in England, when the slave trade was to be abolished, agitation began with only two or three men, who carried it to a successful issue. I remind you also that our great conflict in America began with two or three men, who for years stood alone. Again, remember that the leader of that movement placed on his banner the motto, 'Immediate, Unconditional Emancipation,' and in spite of all ridicule and all abuse, and all dissuasion, he never would take that motto off his banner, but carried it forward until at last the whole nation followed him, and we swept the curse of slavery from our land. I suppose it will be admitted by our American brethren that the most eloquent man America has produced in modern times was Wendell PhiUips. He stood side by side with Lloyd Garrison-the two stood alone for years. I remember the time when they could not rally twenty men in a city to listen to them, eloquent as they were. This, however, is what I am going to say: Dh, English women! oh, American women! do you know what you can do? Just before Wendell Phillips died, I had a memorable conversation with him. Knowing that he had sacrificed social position, and much besides, I had the curiosity to ascertain what led him into the agitation. He had an invalid wife, who for years never left the house. I asked, 'What first led you to espouse the cause of the slave and to stand by him? ' He replied, 'My whole career is due to my wife. She said to me before the thought had ever touched my conscience, 'Wendell, you must take up the cause of the slave,' and I did it at her request, and I fought it out because she stood behind me.' There is a lesson for Christian women! And now let us remember that if two leaders can. finally bring a whole vast nation to follow them in deIpanding the abolition' of such an evil, we are more than two, and we have had as eloquent men leading us to-night as either of those I have named. Let us follow them. There is nothing that ca'n stand against iteration and reiteration. Suppose you suspended a piece of iron .weighing a hundred pounds In the midst of this hall, and, when it was perfectly poised, you brought a schoolboy to pelt it with pieces of cork. At first there would be no impression, but if the boy kept at it long enough and directed the pieces of cork at one point, the time would come when the whole mass would begin to mo,'e. In like manner, our testimony may in itself be very weak and unworthy, but let us bring it to bear long enough-testimony after testimony, protest after protest, demand after demand, abhorrence after abhorrence, expressed in the intensest terms against these evils; and by and by the great mass will begin to move, and it will be swept out of the way. Let us not be disheartened. Let us take courage from the assurance that God will bruise Satan under our feet shortly."
Dr. A. T. Pierson, lD the course of a stirring address, said: "If I had time I would like to take up the challenge thrown down in that secular news-
MISSIONARY MONTHLY
paper. For I reckon that it knows a good deal more about the kingdom of Britain and other kingdoms than it does about the kingdom of God. We stood this afternoon in the London Missionary Society's premises, and had rehearsed to us in brief outline the wonderful story of the progress of the gospel in Tahiti and the neighboring groups of islands. The missionaries labored in Tahiti for years without any apparent results, but then within a very short time the people became so thoroughly Christianized that they sent to the otqer groups, and within forty-four years the regeneration of Polynesia was accomplished. And yet this newspaper thinks that the progress of foreign missions has been funereal! Having told of wonders wrought in China, Dr. Pierson said :We have spoken much in this Conference about the union which has been exhibited. I want to say that I take not the slightest credit to America or to myself for this unity. If in the presence of the gigantic foe that unites all its forces and masses all its hosts against the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, I did not forget that I am an American, and also forget the denomination to which I belong, I should consider myself a fossilized ecclesiastic, and not a disciple at all. When Herod and Pilate are made friends in order to crush Christ and Christianity, it behooves all true disciples to stand shoulder to shoulder, and to close about the ark of God. The fact is, our unity is largely the involuntary unity of those who in the presence of the adversary have come together because they cannot help it ; and I think that the methods and manner adopted by our foes make it clear that we can pursue no successful policy of warfare but an aggressive one. We had better stop throwing up defenses, and carry war into the enemy's camp. A positive, aggressive gospel is surely the one that is going to win the day."
THE MISSIONARY MONTHLY CONCERT.
BY DR. JAMES L. PHILLIPS, CHAPLAIN TO STATE INSTITUTIONS, R. I. ALMOST a century ago a few earnest Christians in England founded the Monthly Concert of Prayer for Missions. To this day it is faithfully observed in many churches of the mother country. More than twenty years ago, when I was a student in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, this monthly concert was regularly held in many of the New England and New York churches; and while visiting friends in the Western States, before embarking for India, I found it in some of the churches there. On coming back to America I have been making many inquiries, and regret to learn that there seems to be a marked falling off in the observance of this missionary service. The history of this meeting for nearly a hundred years affords ample proof of its importance. Its real value cannot be estimated, for facts and figures can neither detect nor determine the full benefit it has brought to the church of Christ at home and abroad. The journals of missionaries in foreign fields, and records found in our best periodical missionary literature, and in the memoirs of men who have been valiant pioneers in extending the triumphs of the kingdom of God on earth, yield abundant and remarkable testimony to the benefit and blessing that this monthly concert has been to Christian toilers in many lands. It is very cheering to find THE MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD calling attention regularly every month to the Concert of Prayer, and the following incidents may serve to illustrate and impress the importance of this service. Ten years ago, when at home on furlough before, one of the last things I had to do was the raising of an endowment fund for our Bible School in India. While engaged in this work, which occupied several months, I was traveling much and met with many very Ct9nvincing proofs of the educating power of the Missionary Concert. One of these I wish to cite, because it illnstrates how the regular observance of this monthly meeting tends to plant the habit of cheerful giving, one of the hardest habits, so the pastors tell us, for Christian disciples to acquire.
The committee sent me to some strange spots for money. Everyone who has done such deputation work among the churches on either side of the Atlantic knows wh~t surprises, pleasant and otherwise, drop into this line of service, and some of these become the salient points of the scene as you look back upon it in after years. One week day evening I had an fLppoint- men t in a village of Central Ohio. On stepping off the train, and looking over the place from the railway station, and there learning that the church to which I was sent was without a pastor, I wondered how this appointment came to be made. The outlook was anything but bright.
The hour for the missionary lecture found about seventy people seated in a plain house, the women on one side and the men on the other. They listened admirably to what was said about gospel work in India, and the demand for. trained native helpers. A stranger minister had offered the opening prayer, and no one volunteering to take pledges or the collection for my endowment, I asked my brother to wait upon one side of the house, while I did on the other. Catching up paper and pencil, he straightway went for the men, fancying no doubt that the pocket-books belonged on that side of the house. For once it wasn't so, for in cash and pledges together moire . than ten times as much came in from the women's sIde as from the men's side of that small congregation. I shall never forget the very first woman whom I asked for money that evening. Her quick answer to my question, "Would you like to help our Bible School?" was significant and cheered me so. Looking up through her glasses squarely into my face, she said :- "Indeed, I should, sir," and she gave me fifty dollars. Anotherlittle woman gave me twenty-five dollars, and still another ten. On reaching my lodg- ings I learned from my kind hostess that these three women were sisters, and naturally I was curious to know their history. One of them lived close by, so the next morning on my way to the railway station, I called upon her and thanked her and her sisters for the good cheer they had given me at the meeting. And from this humble Christian woman I learned these facts. Their childhood home was in Western New York, and they used to attend a Presbyterian church. Their pastor never failed to observe the monthly concel·t of prayer for missions, at which service he regularly brought be- fore his people the conditions and claims of the pagan nations, the freshest news from the front ranks of Christ's advancing army in all lands, and also the duty and the privilege of helping on this grand movement for the world's evangelization by earnest prayers and cheerful offerings. That faithful pastor had reached his rest and reward in heaven, and I, a stranger from the opposite side of the earth, had been permitted to reap' some of the golden harvest for which through years of patient toil he had sown the seed.
Another incident of more recent date illustrates the other side of the ben- efit that accrues from thIS missionary concert, that is the cheer it carries to our brethren across the seas. On the 6th of March, 1887, the concert topic in quite a number of churches was New Fields, and particular men,tion was made in the addresses and prayers of a little station recently opened on the Orissa coast. The young missionary planting this station had met with serious obstacles. A cyclone had blown down his first buildings, there had
ISLAM AND CIVILIZATION
been lack of funds for pushing on the work of rebuildhtg, and other discouragement. He did not know that on the first Sabbath of March we were to offer up special prayer lor him in our monthly concert. But the blessing came just the same.
In a private letter this missionary writes: "On the 6th and 7th of March I received a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Such courage I have never felt in my work, and all the native Christians felt more or less the same spirit of consecration. The following Sabbath I baptized six, and there are a number among the Hindus and Telugus here who, are seeking Christ. Wherever we go, the Spirit of the Lord seems to be going before to open up the way. It has been surprising to me, and the native workers have remarked a number of times, how wonderfully the people accept the gospel."
By the slow course of an ocean mail, our brother on that Ori!'sa coast learned on the 3d of April, from a Boston newspaper dated February 24th, that the missionary concert of March 6th was to make him and his field the special subject of prayer. Whereupon he writes: "Then it flashed upon me like light from heaven that my wonderful blessing on the 6th and 7th of March was a direct answer to your prayers, and I went into the service and told the Brethren. Instead of preaching, we had a consecration meeting, in which the power of the Spirit was wonderfully manifest. It was a blessed day. I believe the prayers offered there for this special field were answered. Today the hardest man in this place sent to buy a New Testament. God's Word will make its way, and His kingdom prevail."
These words from a lone man on a far-off shore speak volumes to every pastor in America and Europe. Would that all pastors, in city and country alike, could be of one mind in observing this Monthly Concert of prayer for Missions. How the church at home needs the quickening and refreshing it would surely bring! One of the most interesting sessions of the Convention of the International Missionary Union, held at the Thousand Island Park in 1887, was devoted to discussing ways and means for stirring up our home chnrches to persevering prayer and systematic beneficence in behalf of the millions still in pagan darkness. Over and again during this discussion, it came out that wherever the monthly concert was regularly kept up, the interest i,missions was intelligent and aggressive. Beloved pastors of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ throughout all lands, will you revive and sustain this MONTHLY CONCERT, and so teach your people to obey His great command to disciple the nations?
ISLAM AND CIVILIZATION. "THE recent controversy as to the comparative merits of Islam and Christianity raises issues deeper and wider than the so-called' religious world.' It is not Christianity alone, but civilization, which is involved in the issue. I believe that under Christianity alone can man reach the perfect development of his nature. • . • Islam can raise to its own level tri,bes lower than itself in the scale of humanity; but this it does at the terrible cost of petrifying them at that level forever-the level, that is, of the barbarous Arabs of Mahomed's day. For, except in the matter of idolatry and infanticide, Islam, as we find it in Mecca, its metropolis, is not in advance of the social and intellectual condition of the Arabs of that time; and inasmuch as the Koran claims to be the last declaration of the divine will to man, it follows that any progreiis beyond the Koran is not only superfluous, but impious in addition. And the history of Islam all ovel' the world proves to demonstration that what was antecedently to be e~pe~ted has in fact occurred. • • • The Koran, in Islamic belief, was written by the finger of God in the highest heaven before all time, every word and letter of it, in the Arab tongue; was· then, at the predestined time, taken down to the third heaven by the angel Gabriel, and there recited, word for word, to Mahomed in an audible voice in 'suras' or chapters, as occasion required, and was by him miraculously re- produced from memory. This is an article of faith throughout the world of Islam; and as the Koran professes to be the last revelation of the divine will to man, it follows, of course, that nothing which is sanctioned in the Koran, explicitly or implicitly, can· ever be abrogated, altered, or become obsolete.
Nobody who realizes this fact will believe that the Koran can possibly be a preparatory discipline, like Greek philosophy, for Christianity.
There is no living voice in the church of Islam to reconcile the past with the present and make provision for the future. It claims an infallibility more sweeping and more rigid than that of the Vatican decrees, but it is the in- fallibIlity of a dead pontiff, an ignorant and immoral Bedouin, who died twelve centuries ago. . . . As a spirtiual force, in so far as it ever was one, Islam is not advancing, but retrograding. The Musulman world contains no longer a single center from which radiates any intellectual light 01' any sign of material progress. There is not one Mussulman state in the world which wields independent sway-which, in fact, does not exist solely by the suffer- ance of Christendom. A creeping paralysis has fastened upon Islam, and the shadow of the devouring eagles may even now be descried on its horizon.
How stands the case of Christianity in comparison? Its Pattern Man is not only to the Christian, but to the great mass of intelligent and educated un- believeJ's, the highest and noblest ideal of humanity that history records or the human mind can conceive. His teaching and example are the most per- fect exhibition of human virtue that the world has seen. . • . As to the comparatively slow progress of Christianity and its imperfect success, even within the frontiers of Christendom, we must distinguish between the essence of a system and its separable accidents. Islam, at its best, bears within it the incurable germ of inevitable decay and dissolution. The hin- drances to the spread of Christianity, on the other hand, are but parasites whioh cling to it and which it may shake off. They may be summarized as follows: "1. The divisions of Christendom. Islam, too, has its sects, and many of them; but they close their ranks and present a united front to the 'unbe- lievers.' 2. Faulty methods of propagandism, such as neglect of rearing in foreign lands a native ministry, while importing European habits, customs and dress among native converts. 3. The discredit cast upon the Christian name by the lives and demoralizing traffic of professing Christians. 4. To which may be added, as regards India, the active discouragement and even resistance which, until a recent period, a professedly Christian government offered to the propagation of Christianity. . It is a superficial view which would confine the comparison between Christianity and Islam to the numerical proportions of their respective adherents, though even on that score Christianity has no reason to blush, as I have already shown, and as Sir William Hunter has explained with respect to India. At the time of Christ's dea.th, 'the number of names together,' who owned themselves His disciples, 'were about an hundred and twenty.' Was that a fair test of the success of his ministry? The apparently signal failures of Christianity have generally been the preludes to fresh victories. So it may be now. The suc- cess of Christianity at any given time is not to be measured by visible r~sults.
In India, in Japan, in China, in Africa, throughout the Turkish empire, it is
ORGANIZED MISSIONARY WORK
silently sapping the foundations of rival religions. Its ideas and principles are in the air, like those minute yet potent germs of which physical science tells us. Only they are germs of health inoculating diseased organisms with the seeds of a. regenerate life. Christianity is impregnating Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Paganism, with hopes, aspirations, ideals, principles, which are gradually but surely disintegrating the old order of things, and preparing the way for the reception of Christianity."-Malcolm MacOoll, in Oontemporary Review.
n.-ORGANIZED MISSIONARY WORK.
Established Ohuroh of Scotland. crease in the membership of the church to the number of 7,973_ The total number of commu- AT its recent session the Foreign nicants is 579,002. In 1873 the membership was Mission Committee reported to the 460,464, so that there Is an increase of 118,538 in General Assembly 827 baptisms as fifteen years. the fruits of the labors of their missionaries during 1887. Of these The Free Ohuroh of Scotland. 676 were in the Punjab, around Sialkot; 120 in the threefold Darjeeling GEN1IRAL abstract, showing the sums raised Mission; 13 in Madras, and 13 in Ar- for the various objects of the church for tbe konam; 4 in Calcutta, and 1 in Bom- year, from 31st March, 1887. to 31st March, 1888: bay. To these add 1 at Calcutta and 2 at Madras, in connection with the I. Sustentation fund ………… £167,37474 Ladies' Association. There are at II. Local building fund. . . . . . . . . . 65.689 8 IIJ-ii present about 3,000 baptized persons III. Congrega- In the Church of Scotland's missions to the heathen in India, Africa and tional fund. £16:>,005 8 5J-ii China. Congrega- RECEIPTS. tional mis- cellaneous The Foreign Mission Revenue from all sources objects …. 43,123 12 6 in 1887 was £43,399. This sum inclndes income – – – – 208,129 0 llJ-ii IV. Missions and education.. . . •. 117.916 5 1 at home, £24,481; income abroad, £10,799; in- V. Miscellaneous ………….. 33,746 3 2 terest on J1lvested funds, £1,267; income of Total……………………£592.855 5 1 Ladies' Association for Foreign Missions, £6,8,;2. The missionary receipts were as follows: Revenue at Home…………………. £50,295 As regards income, results, and additions to the Revenue Abroad………………….. 33,5UI For tho Conversion of the Jews…….. 8.682 sta1l', 1887 has been the most prosperous year ill Making the whole missionary revenue the history of the Foreign Mission. of the Free Church of Scotland for – – 1887-8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £100,756 The total contributions to the various schemes of the church for the year amounted to £151,805, an Increase on the previous year of £9,293.
DUring the past year there bas been an in- United Presbyterians of Sootland.
SUMMARY FOR 1887.
Annual Income, '£43,430 13s.• Including a Small Expenditure in Spain.
No. of Com- Native Fields of Labor. Sta- Foreign Workers. Native Workers. muni- Schools. Schol- Contri- – – – – – – – – tions. cants. ars. butions. ——— —— — — — Or- Fe- Or- !~~. dained. Lay. male. dained. Lay.
Jamaica ………… 46 19 . …. …… 13 82 ………… 8,796 68 £ Trinidad ……….. 3 2 "2" 1 ··42" 359 2 5,967 6,000 Old Calabar. 6 6 7a 4 "iil' 269 ]6 Kaft'raria ……….. 11 11 3 76 1,426 India…………… 10 15 10 ….2· .. 65 2,180 3'~ 517 194 195 1,482 1,266 .. ..2.. 15 2 445 92 5,029 . 217 ..2… …1… 499 5 – – – -13- – – – – – – – – – – – China ………….. 43 -3-90 Japan ………….. 4 –** – ** 80 – -ll!2- Totals………… 84 61 7 21 22 389 44 12,938 210 13,071 £9.325 *Not reported.
The Income as given above IS over 1886 gaye, and 161 more native com- .£3,800 more than our report for municants. Irish Presbyterians. Total home receipts .. " ……•.. £124,581 19 fa FORTY-SIXTH annual report on FOREIGN RECEIPTS.
Foreign Missions, presented to the Mission districts auxiliaL·'ls…… 5,803 0 6 General Assembly in Belfast, June, Total ordinary receipts. . •. . •. . 130,337 19 8 1888. EXTRAORDINABY RECEIPTS. The report is encouraging. The Contributions for special missions year 1887 has been a notable one in the Indian Mission. There were 147 in UpperBurmah, Central Atrica, baptisms, and an increase of communicants, and two natives were China, India, etc…………… 1,508 18 6 ordained over congregations of conveds from heathenism. The outlook Ditto, for St. Vincent Hurricane in China to.day is more hopeful than it has been for many years. The in- Di5tress Fund…. …………. 20 4 4 come of the Society is also steadily, though not rapidly, increasing, as Total Income ..•…………. £131,867 2 6" the figures below will show: PAYlIlENTS. Total sum raised 1884-5, £11,130 5s.; 1885-6, £12,032 lOs.; 1886-7, £12,728 18s.; 1887-8, General expenditure …………. £136,124 8 0 On account of Special Missions, £13,054 16s. If we add to last year's sum the £2,000 raised etc ……………………… . 1,529 210 Ditto,Ladies'AnxiliaryCommittee 313 19 5 for the Stevenson Memorial Fund, it would Total expenditnre ……….. £131,967 10 3 make the sum total above £15,000. From which deduct ordinary and Presbyterian Ohuroh in Oanada. extraordinary receipts for the year.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. …. . 131,867 2 '> THE report made to the General Leaving a deficiency on 1887 Assembly, which met in June, is account of……………. . 6,100 7 9 highly interesting and inspIrIng. To which add the debt of 1886.. . 10,768 19 11 Decided pl'ogress is reported in all Leaving a total deficiency of. £16,869 7 8 the Missions under the Assembly's GENERAL SUMMARY.
care. Missions nnder the immediate direction of the Wesleyan Missionary Committee and British According to the returus the Canadian Pres- Conference, in Europe, India, China, West byterian Church now embraces 1831 churches 4(rica, the Transvaal, B,"itish Hondura8, and stations, with 793 ministers. The active and the Bahamas. membership aggregates 76,226 families, 13,261 single members, while the church-goers number Central or Principal Stations called Cirahout 400,000. There are 112,940 Sabbath cuits ……………………………. 336 scholars, and 12,976 teachers, having the privilege of libraries containing 183,471 volumes. Chapels and other Preaching Places in The income of the Church last year was $1,772,- connection with the above-mentioned 000, against $1,215,000 in 1881. Last year Central or Principal Stations, as far as $738,000 was paid in stipends, or an average of ascertained.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . .. . 1,338 $943 to each minister. $112,000 was also subscribed last year towards Home and Foreign Missionaries and ASSistant-Missionaries, missions; $86,866 for foreign missions, as including Supernumeraries.. . . . . . . . . . . 333 against $69,000 last year. Knox and Queen's College each have sent out and support a mis- Other paid AgentR, as Catechists, Inter- sionary to China. The Women's Foreign Mis- preters, Day-school Teachershetc…… 2,000 sionary Society contributed over $23,000, as against $18,500 last year. Unpaid Agents, as Local Preac ers, Sab- bath-school Teachers, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,859 Wesleyan Missionary Sooiety. Full and accredited Chnrch Members…. 32,lt?O THE seventy-fourth annual meet- On trial for Chnrch-Membership…….. _ 4,1114 ing of this society was held in Exeter Scholars attending either the Sabbath or Hall, London; April 30. The abstract of the report shows that the Day·schools… . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . .. .. .. . … 59,388 Society's debt has been increased by £6,100, and is now £16,869. Unless Ohurch Missionary Society. there is an increase of income this year it will not be possible to main- THIS society, which has the largest tain the existing missions of the income of any missionary society in society. the world, held its eighty-ninth an- niversary in Exeter Hallin June. Its income for the year was £221,331 ($1,106,655). We give an abstract of the financial report: Last year the committee reported the larg- est ordinary income on record, viz., 207,7931., the advance being mainly due to an exceptional amount of legacies. This year the total is only 191,557l., the lowest in the past five years; but this again is due to a falling-off of nearly 14,- ODOl. in legacies. The receipts from all sources except legacies, viz. 173,7561., are the highest in the past five years. The committee therefore feel constrained to utter a note of heartiest thanksgiving. Moreover, some of the most im- surplns of one year and being charged with the portant gifts of the year do not come nnder deficit of another, is entirely exhausted for the ordinary income. The Extension Fund has re- first time since it was formed, in 1880. Judged, ceived, 8,6791., including a benefaction of 5,5OOl., therefore, from a business point of view, the po- specially allocated to Japan and the Punjab. sition is a seriOlls one. Yet the committee dare More than 4,0001. has been received for the Ny- not send back the candidates for missionary ser- anza Mission. The contributions for the Winter vice who are coming forward in increasing Mission to India amounted to 1,700l.; and 700/. numbers, and who are plainly brought by the has beeu given towards the proposed Hanning- Lord of the harvest to be thrnst forth into His ton Memorial Church at Frere Town. The total harvest. Nor do they believe it is necessary to receipts from all sources amount to 221,3311. do so. If only there is faith to roll upon Him the whole burden, and to follow in simple obedience Nevertheless, the facts remain that the defi- the clear indications of His will, there is no ciency in legacies has diminished the resources cause for fear. But the committee are bound to at the committee's disposal for carrying on the state the case to their friends exactly as it stands. work by Over 13,0001. ; that the expenditure of Put in one sentence, it is this: to replace the the year is more by 2,333l. than that of last year, Contingency Fund, and to cover the estimated and though considerably under the estimate, expenditure of the current year, will require a sum exceeding the income of the past year by I has exceeded the receipts by 12,oool. ; and that 3'.ooOl. the Contingency Fund, which is always the bar- ometer of the Society's position, receiving the Fields of Labor. – – ——– — – – ——– – – No. of Com- Schol- Native Sta- Foreign Workers. ars. Contri- tions. IDuni- Native Workers. Schools – butio-ns. cants.
Or- Lay. Fe- 01'- J..ay. Fe- £ dained. male. dained. male. West Africa…….. 42 10 14 49 151 75 9,598 96 6,995 7,875 East&Central Africa 11 14 11 1 Egypt aud Arabia .. 2 2 14 ..7 281 .. 8 528 95 Palestiue ……….. 9 6 13 1 1 '5 2 140 9 11 45 1,875 266 48 12 885 Persia and Bagdad. 2 4 1 .. 1 11 11 93 8 309 Poenrslyia } 343 India…………… 91 Ceylon………….. 12 109 1..2 12 137 1,724 421 24,531 1,314 47,089 6..,8..73 Mauritius ………. 6 12 250 93 2,009 192 9,793 …… China ………….. 20 18 1 ..1 29 1,470 Japan ………….. 5 3 52 4 16 3 421 115 2,007 New Zealaud……. 42 10 5 N. W. America ….. 31 23 3 I .. 242 16 2,570 129 North Pacific……. 7 8 '43 11 ~17 ~415 is 336 1;211 15 I .. 122 2,562 1,115 227 2 .. 92 201 7 268 Totals………. 280 247 40 22 265 2,881 653 4i,115 1,859 71,814 £15,452 The London Missionary Sooiety. and kindred societies to preach the The ninety-fourth annual meeting gospel to the heathen." The plea of this society was held in Exeter Hall, May 10, under the presidency of Lord Brassey made for the extension the renowned traveler, Lord Brassey, K.C.B. The testimony of the chair- of the work was very effective. man, who has had such exceptional opportunities for witnessing the " Iu the report reference is made to the splenwork of missionaries in different did success which has attended the work of lands, haviug, as he himself indi- your Society under those illustrious missioncated, seen the work in Labrador, aries, Lawes aud Chalmers, iu New Guinea. We Terra-deI-Fuego, in Turkey, India, have very interesting details with reference to Tahiti and elsewhere, is very valua- the progress of the work iu Iudia and in China; ble. He admits that there have been and as a most remarkable instance of the sucindiscretions in some cases, but he cess of our work, let me refer once more to that adds: "I venture to say that few in- devoted zeal which is shown by the native misdeed are those instances of indiscre- sionaries who are recruited from the South tion in comparison with the mass of Seas. I do not know any evidence more imnoble work which has been done for pressive of the good results of the work which generations by those who have been is done by this Society than this most telling sent forth under the auspices of this fact, that the work which is being carried on by those 160 devoted men and women, who have gone forth from this country, is being supple- mented and carried forward by no less than 1,000 native ordained ministers, and 6,000 native preachers. Aud looking to another and per- haps a less impressive circumstauce, is it not ex- ceedingly grat!(ying to observe that the statement of income which this society has at its dis- tary (Dr. Green), set forth that: posal for its good work contains an item of nO less than £17,000, which Is subscribed by the The receipts from !Ill sources during the year, native people from theIr limited aud narrow re- ncluding the balance at commencement,. were sources,to carry forward the missionary work?" £211,108. There was a net increase on the year of £9,098. The total expenditure had been The total income of the society Cor 1887 £208,662. The number of new publications isamounted to £157,000. But uo less than £27,000 sued during the year amounted to 757, of which of this sum came from legacies, which is £16,000 214 were tracts and leafiet.. The circulation above the yearly average, necessitating mnch had reached 61.061,050, including 24.590,600 more liberal giving the current year to avoid a tracts. To this number must be added that of heavy debt. the Issues from foreign depots, estinlated at 15,- 000,000; the total amount being 76,061,050, a Religious Traot Sooiety. slight diminutiou upon the whole as compared with the issues of the previous year, although EXETER was crowded on the occa- the circulation of the tracts has shown an insion of the eighty-ninth annual meet- crease of 870,300. In the year 1887 no fewer than ing of the Religious Tract Society. 222,000 of the London Board School children Lord Balfour, of Burleigh, presided. were presenled for examinalion in Scripture, of The annual report, read by the secre- whom 5,555 received prizes and certificates.
Methodist New Oonnenon Missionary Sooiety.
Annual Income, £7,106.* No. of Ad- Com- Native Sta· herents. Contribu- tions. muni- cants. tions. Fields ofEntered Foreign Native Schools. Schol- Workers. Workers. arB. —- —- I ;LaY'1 – – — – – – – Labor.A.D.
— £ daOiure-rl. Lay. • mFaele-.
Ohina …. 1859 50 6 1 47 3 2,436 1,218 6 162 388 *Iucluding the sums spent in Ireland, Canada and Australia. The Missiou in Canada 1D 1874 united with the various other Methodist bodies in the Dominion, and thus was formed '.' The Metho- dist Church of Canada."
United Methodist Free Ohurch Missions.
Annual Income, £21,876 178. 9d. * No. of Foreign Native Com- Schol- Native Sta- Workers. Workers. muni- ars. Contribu- tions. cants. tions. — – – – —- – – – – – —- —- Entered A.D. Fields of Labor. Schools.
'– Ordained. Lay. £ China ……………… 1864 3 3 11 306 4 77 34 East Africa ………… ]861 5 4 9 180 5 241 24 West Africa………… 1859 6 5 92 2,894 11 1,122 641 J-am-aic-a .- – ……. – – ……..- -1838- -10- – -9 – – -48 – – – 3,342 -31- -1,-924- -1,-188- – Totals ………………… 24 21 160 7.622 51 5,864 1,893 * This total includes the sums expended in the colonies of Australla and New Zealand, as well as in heathen lands and in Jamaica.
The Southern Baptist Oonvention Maryland. . •.. . . •. . •.. . •••. •.. . . . .. .. •.. .. 2 M!ss?u~i…………………………….. held its forty-third anniversary in 4 MISSISSIPPI. .. . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . .. .. . .. . .. • 3 . ~r::i~i~· …………….:.:::.::::::::::: 1~ Richmond, May 11-15.
Total income from April, 1887 to Western Arkansas and Iudian Territory.. 15 Western North Carolina……………… 18 April,1888 $86,385,66 West Virginia………………………. 1 Total expenses 84,848,34 Total………………………… ~ Actual balance for the new ••• WORK DONE. MISSIonarIes ………………….. '" year – $1,748,60 287 Churches and stations …………… . 1,114 The number of missionaries in the employ of Baptisms ……………………… .. 4,857 the Board during the past year has been as fol- Reeeived by letter……………… .. 2,63n Total additions . . . . . . . . . . . " ……… _ '1,4H6 lows: S. S. organized ………………….. _ 431 Arkansas ……………….. ~………… 22 Cuba………………………………. 17 Teachers and pupils ……………… . 17,240 District ocColumbia……… …. …….. 1 Churches constituted……………. . Houses of worship built………… ,_ 306 FlOrida…………………………….. 37 Georgia…………………….. …….. 5 64 Iodi!,,! Territory. . .. .. . … .. . . .. . .. .. .. . . . 15 Cost of bouses of worship ………..• $54.068 LOulSlana………………….. ……… 21 Pages of tracts distributed……….. . 442,852 Bibles and Testaments …………… . 1.769 Total Snnday-school publications…. . 4,754,000
CORRESPONDENCE AND GENERAL INTELLIGENCE
III.-CORRESPON DENCE and GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.
The Jews of Morocco. or forced outside the city walls and there m~ dered in cold blood. Their hodies were then cat By Rev. E. F. Baldwin, our Ed- into pieces, and their clothes as well. The money itorial Correspondent at Tangiers. that each one had was put into hi. hands, which MOGADOn, MOROCCO, May 25, 1888. were severed from the bodies. Their headlcss DEAR EDITons.-Although I am working as trunks, their heads themselves, their hands and a missionary among the Moors aud Arabic- feet were laid in order in a long ghostly row.
speaking Berber races of this great empire, yet The scene of lamentation and woe the next morn- I feel great ,interest iu the Jews which are found ing, when the entire Jewish population poured crowded tcgether in all its many cities. A few out to behold the harrowing sight, was inde- notes respecting them will doubtless interest scribable. The heads only conld be recognized.
your readers. It was impossible to know to which of the mur- Large numbers of these ancient people of dered men the severed members belonged.
God are supposed to have been settled in Moroc- Doubtless the Jews often exasperate the co from the earlier centuries of the Christian era. Moors beyond endurance by their nsurious if They were greatly increased by the influx from not dishonest extortions. The following incident Spain about the end of the fifteenth centnry. was just told me by a credible witness. In an When Columbus was sailing westward to dis- inland Morocco city a Moor died, leaving a wid- cover a new continent many scores of thousands ow and three little children. Before there had of wretched Israelites were sorrowfully making time elapsed to bury him, a Jew appeared, de· their way out of Spain and Portugal, where they manding from the widow the sum of $600, which had been enslaved and persecuted, and from he clainaed was dne him from the deceased. The which they were now finally banished. Spain had widow protested that it could not be so or she long afforded them an asylum. To them is would have known of it. She had nothing to largely due the attainment in arts and letters pay. He was one of the protected Jews referred that marked the period of Moslem conquest and to. At his demand the body of the dead man rule in Spain, and which has been so vaunted by was brought out of the house which had bethe admirers of Islam, which in itself is incapa- longed to him, and his widow and her children ble of aught but blight and ruiu. The descend- were also ejected. She buried her husband and ants of these forlorn Jews are now found then made her way to the house of the chief throughout Morocco. They densely fill the sep- rabbi of the Jewish community. She was ad- arately walled off portions assigned to them in mitted, her children being with her to add force the Moorish cities. These Jewish quarters are to her appeal. She tcld hina her piteous tale.
called the Mellahs or places of damnation. Into He was an upright man. He sent her away to these they are shut from sunset to sunrise. They return after three days. That night he called are downtrodden and despised. They formerly together the leading Jews of the place, the of- were compelled to wear only black garments. fending Jew among them. The rabbi, when Also when outside their Mellaha in many towns the Jew persisted in its being an honest debt, they must go in their bare feet. Neither may counted out before him the $600 in gold from his they ride through the Moorish part of the town. own store, and, placing their Scriptures before They are in constant dread of the Moors, who him, demanded of him that he shonld swear tc oppress and maltreat them. The Jew never the righteousness of his claim and then take his makes the least resistance. The fear of the na- money and restore the widow her house. He tions among whom they dwell is indeed upon refused to swear, from which his gnilt was evi- them as foretold. dent. The next morning the rabbi sent for I recently heard from an eye witness of an mules, and began lading them with his goods, appalling circumstance that occurred in Fez, the saying he would leave such an iniquitous people northern capital of Morocco, now less than a year before it was smitten with the wrath of God.
ago. ·Several Moors, it is asserted, had been The Jews gathered about hina and entreatedhina thrown into prison on false claims for debts and entreated him to stay, but without avail. brought against them by Jews who had the ben- Then they insisted on the offending Jew leaving efit of foreign protection, that is under the pro- the town, hanishing him from their midst. Upon tection of one of the foreign consuls. Such pro- this the old rabbi consented to remain. The tected natives, whether Jews or Moors,cannot be Moorish authorities were appealed to, and the called to account for their actions by the Moorish addule, or Moorish officer who conspired with authorities, being only answerable to the minis- the Jew and gave him a false paper on which he ter or consul who gives them protectIOn. The made his claina, was arrested, and on confessing friends of the agrieved Moors took summary his gnilt was thrown in prison, where he still re- and dreadful vengeance by waylaying nine of mains. the chief men of the Jewish community, includ- On the Jewish Sabbath just passed I accoming some of the offenders. They were on their way from the business part of Fez to the Mellak, panied a missionary of the Jews who is laboring In the gathering dusk, when they were enti~ed here to the Jewish synagogues, and there saw much the saml) scene as was witnessed when the Lord and IDs apostles were on the earth. sible tiDle; and to this end it is the duty of There was the venerable rnier of the synagogne. Christians to give personal effort and money. Then, too, after their reading of the law and Besides. this there are some things that need prayers it was virtually said to the friend I was special attention. One is to sonnd out a strong with, "If ye have any word of exhortation for voice against the Drink Tramc in the Free Congo tile people, say on." Whereupon he preached State. Such a protest will be concurred in by Christ to them from their own law, much in the the leading inlluence of the Established Churches same way that Paul did in Antioch, in Pisidia. of England and Scotland. At the same time, The place, the faces, the dress, the manners, the however, the arts of the opium trade aud use in service were all Oriental, Jewish and full of China and India, and of the free still system of Scriptnre suggestions. I noticed also that" when India'ought to be noticed as great hindrances to they heard that he spake in the Hebrew ton!(ue the evangelization of the 600 millions in these to them, they kept the more silence." The two lands. brother I speak of was a converted Persian Jew who is the assistant of Mr. Zerbib, the mission- Another question in relation to which the ary of the London Jewish Society for Promoting Conference should give expression is this, viz.: the Gospel among the Jews_ He succeeded Mr. What shall be done with converts who have, in Guinsburg, who was long here, but has now accordance with the laws and us~ges which prebeen removed to Constantinople. He was much vail in China and India 'from the days of Abrabeloved in this field. ham, and before them, two or more wives. The present prevailing usages of different mission- I have no space to speak of my own work, ary societies is to require them to put away aU which is among the Moors and other Arabic- wives but one. I think this contrary to aposspeaking races of this vast and almost entirely tolic usage. I think they should be permitted til unevangelized empire. I have recently come to retain their wives till separated by death. I Mogador in the sonthern part of Morocco, from seud you a printed copy of my views. Tangier, where I have been working for several years. The outlook is full of promise. We are The estimated number of Buddhists. EdwlJ: hoping soon to be joined by others. Perhaps I Arnold, in his .. Light of Asia," states the num ought to mention that I am an independent missionary, unconnected with any society, and ber to be 470 millions-the greatest number or therefore looking to the Lord alone for needed direction and supplies. But we find it true that religionists of one sect in the world_ Others, al "He is faithful that promised." Mr. Eugene Rev. James Freeman Clarke, in his" Ten Great Levering, 2 Commerce street,Baltimore, receives Religions," states the number to be 300 millions, and forwards funds for me, Dr. John Peddie, and others at 250 millions, and so on_ These pastor of the Fifth Baptist Church, Philadel- statements are made with a view to discredit phia, and Rev. A. C. Dixou, pastor of the 1m· our holy religion. I regard these statements as manuel Baptist Church, Baltimore, know me entirely unwa'/"1"anted and uiuJUpported by facts well. The church of the first licensed me to and principles which guide in classifying re preach, and in the church of the second I was ligionists. I inclose a pamphlet in which I dis- ordained. My father was formerly a pastor in cuss the subject and give my reasons for fixing New York city. the number of Buddhists at 8eventy·two millions. Prof. Monier Williams, who is a very much Ohina. more reliable man than EdWin Arnold or Dr. Freeman Clarke, states, as his opinion, that 100 LETTER from Dr. A. P. Happer: millions would be a large estimate of the Bud- [This lp.tter was written before the dhists in the world. It is too bad that Christian writers should accept and publish the opinion of meeting of the London Conference, skeptics and infidels on this point when there is and contains several important sug- positive testimony. If the Conference should appoint a committee on this point who would gestions in relation to its action, most publish a report, accepting Prof. Monier Will- iams's estimate of the number of Buddhists in of which received due attention.- the world, viz., 100 millions, it would be ac- cepted by Christiau writers as a reliaQle state- EDS.] ment, and do away with this infidel reproach to Christianity. For, with Protestant, Greek and CANTON, April 30, 1888. Roman Catholic followers, Christianity has the My DEAR DR. PIERSON.-THE MISSIONARY most numerous following lin the world, and au REVIEW OF THE WORLD for April has just ever increasing multitude. I include a pamph- reached me. I suppose you expect to be in Lon- let on this subject that may go into the hands of don from Juue !l-19th at the World's Missionary such" committee. Conference. I pray that the Spirit of God may be poured out upon the members with great Iu this day of multiplying the number of mis- power. sionaries, I think it specially importaut that There are some things that should have con- sideration of the Conference. First, and above some arrangements should b'e adopted to give all, it will seek to deepen the conviction in the whole Christian church that it is its duty to them some distinct and practical instruction aud evangelize the whole world in the shortest pos- training regarding the work to be done, and the best way to do it, by missionaries, men and women. :Many men and women come out with In what lis God glorified t 1110 being kTI(JWn. the most indefinite idea of what they are to do, A biographer. in making people adniire his hero, or how to do it. I inclose a pamphlet on this does a great deal of "touching-up," cutting paint. I do emphasize !uno it may best be none. down faults and expanding virtues. A homan I favor a professorship in existing institntions, character suft'ers by being perfectly known. But though a distinct institute for that purpose may the glory Of God is in being known. Our busibe best. ness is simply to cry with Isaiah, "Behold your God! " One cannot look at the sun without Some of these papers may be of use to you, if Beeing ItB brightness. One cannot look on Jethese pOints come up in the Conference, and I hovah without beholding His glory. noticethat several ofthem are on the programme. The drink trade in Africa, and the opium trade If, then, we would be God-gloriften, we in India :and China, I observe, are not down, must be God-revealers. Isa. ii : 9-" The earth but I think they ought to be acted upon. The shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord." number of Buddhists is a matter of fact, and it Hab. Ii : 14-" The earth shall be filled with the somewhat concerns the honor of our Lord, and knowledge of the glory of the Lord." The two it is easy to vindicate that point from the taunts are one. To know Him is to know His glory. of infidels by Btating the fact. . When His glory is known, then He is glorified. The end of creation and redemptionis attained. With best wishes, and praying that a special In both passages it is written that this knowlblessing may rest upon the Conference and the edge is to fill the earth "as the waters wver the Spirit of God direct all their counsels. sea." God has set the limits of the sea, and from limit to limit the waters sweep. The Yours in Christian work, limits of the gospeJ.sea are uothing short of the A. P. HAPl'ER. limits of "the earth." "As the Waters Cover the Sea." Here, in India, we have tracts nearly equal to FROM Rev. John M. Forman. London in population, which are unoccupied. FATERGARR, N. W. P. INDIA, May 26, 1888. In China there are a thousand counties, averag- .. What i8 the chief end of man!" "To ing in population about the same as English glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." counties, unoccupied. The Soudan, with about To ENJOY GOD. 1. The Christian is sure of 70,000,000, occupied by two young men I If all heaven, and the JOY of heaven is God. So, as this extent is to be filled with the knowledge of to future enjoyment of God, he is certain. Let the King of Glory, we must be at work. him, then, be glad of what he has, and go on to " As THE WATERS COVER TI'IE SEA."-The the next point. waters fill every crack and crevice. How differ- 2. The present enjoyment of God. Any child ent from the knowledge of God thus far. Look at London, Boston, New York, Chicltgo and the knows that when he takes candy into his mouth he need not try to enjoy it. The enjoyment is Great West. The number of unfilled corners is iuevitable. A man who tries to be happy is un- allpalling. Then look at our nominallyoccupud happy. But even an atllicted and sorrowful fields in India, China, etc. Here in the district soul, when once occupied in seeking to make of Fauakhabad (one of our oldest mission-fields) others happy, is itself happy. When the enjoy- we have yet some half million practically unment of God is our aim, we fail to eUJoy Him. touched. If this world is really to be filled with Simply because the aim is selfish, and selfishness the knowledge of Jehovah we must be up and is sin, and sin hides God from us. doing. "Woe unto them that are at ease in Zion." A man who carries the name of Christ The way to enjoy God is so to live that He and does not try to fill the earth with the gospel enjoy us, i. e., to please Him. There is no ques- is a clog to the wheels. He is a destroyer… He tion as to Enoch's having a keen enjoyment of also that is slack in his work is brother to him God, as he walked with God; for in that walk- that is a destroyer." ing he had "witness borne to him that he had been well-pleasing unto God." But wbat an inspiration in this prophecy I It will be fulfilled. The sea bed with all its rough- The way to enjoy God is to please God. The nesses,ups and downs, is covered by one great way to please God is to fall in with His plans. ocean. So this earth, scarred and furrowed and The consummate plan of God is God's glory. valleyed by sin, is to be covered by the glory of Then, though man has two ends, he must have but one aim. That one conscious aim or pur- the Lord. And when we look we Bee His glory, pose Is TO GLORIFY GOD. glory; nothing but a sea of glory I Praise the Lord I "Let us fall in line with God's plan, not :Many Christians think this savors of tran- with theories but with work, giving first of all . scendentalism. But Paul, by the Holy Ghost, makes it a plain, business·like. every-day prin- our own selves unto the Lord. " ciple. "Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, ·do all to the glory of God." "Now concerning the collection," give cheer- Our first petition must be, "Hallowed be Thy folly, give liberally, give to the last cent. What uame." Christ's loftiest prayer is "Father, is holding the wealth of a million millionaires glorify Thy name. And there came a voice from compared with knowing that we have" fellowheaven saying, 'I have both glorified it, and I ship with God" in His glorions purpose! When will glorify it again.' " Alexander Duff was a yonng man he locked his closet door and said," Silver and gold have I years, at last will throw open the doors to none, but such as I have give I thee; I give thee missionary efforts over the length and breadth myself." Young man, young woman, go and of Dutch India. Being thus challenged to send do thou likewise. And let the mother teach her out more missionaries it is to be confidently ex- child from infancy that the only thing worth liv- pected that the Christians of Holland w!ll, in the ing for is to fill the earth with the knowledge of name of God, accept the challenge. So be It.
God. Japan . .. What Beest thou 1 And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree (shaked). Then said the Lord LETTER from Rev. C. S. Eby: unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I watch (shaked) over my word to perform it." As TOKIO, June 23, '88. sure as God is sure, this earth is to be filled DEAR BRETHREN.-I "m not sure whether I with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah as have not already sent you a copy of my " Appeal the waters cover the sea. Brother, if you are for Japan," at all events I send you a copy each not striving for foreign missions, you are miss- by the present mail, and also a copy of the ing the purpose of your creation. course oflectnres delivered in the Meiji Kwaido in 1583, English edi!ion.
LETTER from Rev. F. Leon Cachet: I am delighted with tl:.e MISSIONARY BEVIEW OF THE WORLD, and wish it godspeed ; it will [Foreign Secretary of the Dutch do much to stimulate the missionary zeal of the Reformed Missionary Society, Rot- churches and to promote the missionary revival terdam, Holland. The news it con- almost upon us. God grant that the real misveys will carry joy to the missionary sionary age may soon dawn when the efforts of world.-EDS.] the churches will be commensurate with their AlIlLITY and with the OPPORTUNITIES of the DEAR EDITORS.-Will you allow me room in hour.
your highly valued REVIEW to state that the Rev. The " Appeal " will speak for itself. I do feel Mr. Cook's' powerful appeal,' which you give in that the imperial opportunity in Japan is not your June number (p. 448), respecting the want being fully met by ordinary methods, arid tre- of missionaries in Dutch India, and which ap _ mendous forces of prejudice and unbelief and peared at length iu The Straits Times, is bearing imported misbelief run rampant and almost un- good fruit alre!,dy. You must know that there rebuked, except in a small way. A large and was a change of government in the Netherlands bold movement" takes" with the Japanese as a few weeks since, and one of the first official well as with any people, and through the central acts of the new Secretary of State for the col- institution piIrpose we shall be able to speak so onies, Mr. Reuchenius, was to send a circular as to be heard by an empire.
to all the Protestant mission society in the Neth- Will you give the aid of your powerful advo- erlands, of which the following is a translation: cacy? Surely there are devoted men of wealth "COLONIAL OFFICE, No. 46. who would invest. May our common Master THE HAGUE, May 8, 1888. guide.
In an article, 'Netherland's India: An Ap- Spain. peal,' appearing In The Straits Times, a Singa- pore newspaper of March 6th, attention is drawn ~ur readers will recall the brief to what Dr. Schreiber, Secretary of the Rheney appeal we made in our July issue in Mission at Basmey, had pointed out ten years behalf of these heroic missionaries. ago, that the number of missionaries in Dutch The Lord gl'antedspeedy help, and we India should be greatly increased, in order to rejoice with His sel'vants.-EDS.] counteract the growing influence of Islam there: and it is further shown how great the need FIGUERAS, SPAIN, June 30, 1888.
yet is that the number of missionaries should he DEAR EDlTORs.-The pastor nnites with me increased. It appears to me that this article de- in thanking you very warmly for so kindly in- serves, in every respect, yonr attention, and I serting my last letter in your valuabie MISSION- therefore do myself the pleasure to offer you a ARY REVIEW. If you remember, it was there copy thereof. stated that we were anxious to build a Gospel I need hardly state that the government Hall in this dark Spanish town, and that £400 would valne it highly if the mission societies in was needed for a site. A friend, then traveling the Netherlands would put forth their utmost in Italy, most kindly wrote telling us to buy the efforts to increase the number of missionaries in land at once, adding, 'I will cover the cost.' The butch India, and to counteract the increasing pastor lost not a moment in trying to secure it, influenee of Islam among the heathen in the but the lawyer would not credit the assurance Indian Archipelago. that the money would shortly he sent from Eng- The Minister for the Colonies, land, and refused to draw up the legal document.
(Signed) " REUCHENlUS." The landlady, however, agreed to wait a couple This is a most important docnment, as it of week•.
shows that the Dntch Government, after having The Romanists at once seized their opportu- more than favored the Mohammedans for many nity. Deputations from the Societies of St. Yin·
INTERNATIONAL DEPAtfT:M:E~'t'. [SEP'l'
cont de Paul and the Holy CroBS, beaded by tbe returniug home iill after midnight. Will your rector of tbe largest church here, called on the readers praythat his precious life,and thoseofhis landlady and urged that she on no account be fellow workers, may be preserved. Our comfort gnilty of selling land for a Protestant capilla. At and conlldence is that .. not a shot cau hit till the same time they laid down the money (£400) the God of love sees lit." For the angel of the for·the site, and also £1,400 to purchase a house Lord eilcampeth ronnd them tbat fear Him, aud "nd garden adjoining, thus effectually shutting delivereth them. From month to month our the Protestants out on each side. All we could do little party give a hearty welcome to your valuwas to unite in prayer that God would undertake able and most interesting M,SSIONARY REVIEW for US and for the honor ofilis cause. The triumph OF THE WORLD. Wishing it increased blessing of the enemies of the trnth seemed complete. and a yet wider circulation, But, contrary to all expectations, a far better Yours faithfully, site was immediately offered for sale. It is EMILY LOPEZ RODRIGUEZ. situated in the principal street, in a central part of the town, having also the great advantage Afrioa. that it commands a back street by which many who, like Nicodemus, lack courage, may be LETTER from Rev. Jos. Clark: able to enter the hall unobserved. Our only dilllculty was that the price, including govern- CONGO, PACAVALA STATION, May 9,1888. ment payments and legal costs, came to £250 Rev. J. H. Weeks and Mrs. Weeks, also more than we had in hand. This we laid Rev. A. D. Slade, all of B. M. S. (English), arbefore the Lord in prayer, and He graciously rived safely at Bauana ou the 24th of April. Mr. answered by inclining the hearts of two of His and Mrs. Weeks spent some considerable time servants to come to the rescue. In addition to at San Salvador, Congo, and have beeu to Enga former donation of £100, a friend in Surrey land for rest and change. sent us £200 more, and another in Scotland Receut reports from Bishop Taylor's party £50. Thus the e:JJact sum needed arrived just state that M,.,.. Walker has been ill and delayed in time to make the purchase I Truly the in journey to Stanley Pool. When taken ill she Lord has made what seemed so evil to • work was fortunately able to be taken on to our Lu- together for good,' kunga Station. Messrs. Waiker and Burr are also there. About 600 loads of their steamer are What would not the Romanists give if they now at Isangila; none beyond. could take from us that precious site I But it French, State and trading steamers refuse to is legally secured. .. If God be for us, who can take Mr. Brooks and his companion to the falls be against us f" All that now remains for us to of the Mobangi, where he desires to be placed so do is to build the first permanent Gospel Hall as to work his way to the Soudan. They refuse in the province of Gorona. Being for the to leave him in any place except where there is Mastor's glory, we believe that through His a station with white men. servants He will provide the means. Recent news from Stanley's Aruwimi camp report the whites there all well, bnt a good deal Since writing the above we have heard, on of sickness among the Zanzibaris. No news of reliable authority, that a priest belonging to a Stauley. church quite near to our new site, said, 'I All well at various missiou stations. would gladly have given $5,000 to have 'Jre- May, 12, '88.-Mr. J. S. Cutler of Ohio, who vented the Protestants bnying that plot of land.' joined himself to Bishop Taylor's mission here, Last Sunday night, while we were returning died at Vivi on the 3d May of gastritis. He was home from the service, a man was seen hanging about 65 years of age. about our house armed with two long knives, and At Vivi aud Isangila the bishop's people are was arrested by the civil guards. We thank God working hard at getting the steamer up country, for what we have reason to believe was a narrow but they are hampered for trade goods (cloth escape. Of Rome our Lord's words still hold etc.,) wherewith to pay carriers. Those that good, .. The time cometh that whosoever killeth are left are not at all dismayed, though their you will think that he doeth God service." In numbers have been greatly reduced. If the preaching among the villages the pastor has to Methodist Church "Would only take up the work, drive along very lonely country roads, often not they have a grand opening before them.
IV.-INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
CONDUCTED BY REV. J. T. GRACEY, D.D., OF THE "INTERNATIONAL MIS- SIONARY UNION."
The Medioal Work in Missions.* sityof urging the importance of the BY REV. EDWARD CHESTER, M.D., medical, in connection with other forms of mission work. And more INDIA. than ever before, most missions are feelIng that the medical work THE time has passed for the neces- must be cared for and }'alued, just *Read before International Missionary Union, Bridgton, N. J., 1888. as are the educational, the evan- Fourth, and lastly, the exigency of gelistic and the congregation and the times demands a much larger church work, and that for women force of medical men and women and girls. upon mission fields.
There will be cases where the par- 1. The medical work should be ticular circumstances of location, given a place in every well organized custom, a deficiency of funds, or a mission. I do not mean the having paucity of laborers may render it one or even more men in a mission almost impossible to carryon every who know a little about medicine, or form of mission work. But in a mis- even have a degree,. providing they sion with a sufficient force, not confine their medical work to the lim- cramped for funds, and with ability o its of their own family and servants, to undertake the various forms of or even the families of the catechists mission work, the medical work and teachers living at headquarters.
should be conducted with the same Nor do I mean an occasional taking care and energy as the educational up of the medical work for a week or or other form of labor. two, and then giving it up for months The statement that the medical at a time. With the same expecta.- work is very expensive, almost as tion of permanency as you would much so as the educational, will not commence a high school or boarding be found true in all cases. And it is school at headquarters, with the a question whether it may not al- same use of recognized appliances, ways be almost self – supporting. the same amount of energy and sys- Certain it is, that the medical man tem in carrying on the work, and the himself in each locality may do same generosity in the use of funds very much to make this work in a for necessary expenses, thus only, is mission inexpensive, and it depends it of any real use to conduct the greatly upon him whether it is pop- medical work in missions. One or ular with the people and a success more dispensaries at important cen- or not. tel's; a hospital, if the funds will I would start with the proposition allow, and accommodation in this for "that in organizing any new mission at least a dozen in-patients, a good in a locality where none had existed supply of inexpensive medicine, so before, the medical work should be. that all the out-patients as well, who given a place, as much as the educa- attend the dispensary, may receive a tional or the WOJ:k of preachmg. supply of medicme; a sufficient staff And even in missions of long stand- of native trained assistants to pre- ing, if the medical work has not been scribe, compound, and look after entertained, I would' urge a trial of surgical cases, with a sufficient stock it, with an eye to the great gain it of surgical instruments for all mi- would be to the mission. nor operations. All these are neces- My second point would be that the sary for a successful medical work in medical work in a mission must be a mission.
eminently evangelistic, and In har- I have for years, m my mission mony with all the other work of the work in India, found it wise, as en- mission. abling me to save myself for more A third consideration is that if the important work, to do nothing my- medical work is taken up at all in a self which could be about as well mission, it must be a thorough and done by a native. It is on this line efficient work-one which will com- that I have always had, in my work ..land the respect and regard of all in the Dindigal Dispensary, such a classes. staff of native assistants that I could trust the work to them for a few the relief of suffering and saving of days at a time, when obliged to be life. myself out in the villages. In short, I think that in the medical work 2. But I pass to the second point: in missions, as in the educational that the medical work in a mission work, those steps must be taken which must be eminently evangelistic and will insure success. The natives of in harmony with all the other work India are clever enough to know of the mission. The more skilful the which are the best schools, the gov- medical missionary as a physician, ernment or the mission schools, and the more clever as a surgeon, the choose the best, which are, as a rule, better for the work and for making the latter, even though they know it a success, so far as popularity goes. they will have to give an hour a day, But it will not be a success as a for five days of the week, to the study mission work unless the saving of of the Bible. And just so is it with souls is ever brought to the front as dispensaries in India. As a rule, the the main object to be accomplished, mission dispensary is the most popu- and unless the medical missionary is lar and has the largest attendance. eminently a spiritual man with much And it is good policy for any mission of the mind of Jesus. As in New to make its schools and its dispensa- England of old, the church and the ries the best in the market. schoolhouse were side by side, and each helping the other, so should the Tothe work of the dispensary and church and the schoolhouse and the the hospital already noted, I would dispensary, on mission ground, work add, to be attended to, if possible, into one another's hands and be emiby the medical missionary, the train- nently fellow-workers. In a mission ing of good native men and women dispensary, among out-patients and for the work of hospital assistants Ill-patients, there is ample opporand nurses. Then native Christians tunity for making known the goscould be selected, and a choice made pel. And oftentimes the patients among these, so as to secure those are in such a state of mind that they who would add evangelistic to their may truly be said to hear the Word medical work:. gladly. In every part of our mission work we turn to the Lord Jesus as I would give the medical work a our great example. But eminently place in every well organized mission, in the medical work must we follow because I believe that, in a very His example in striving to reach the specialdegree, it adds to the efficiency heart and save the soul by showing of every branch of mission work, and our desire to relieve suffering, to heal makes the work, as a whole, more the sick, to give sight to the blind, successful. and hearing to the deaf. The medical work in missions is nothing, save as I would do so, also, because I think it helps to show to the heathen that that it furnishes, in the course of a the divine Christ is the center, the year, a very large number of most at- soul anltthe life of Christianity, and tentive and mterested hearers of the that we are His disciples and followgospel, not to say scholars. I would ers. do so because I think it gives us an entrance into many houses, 3. Our third consideration is that and an intimacy and friendship If the medIcal work is taken up at all with many of the more intelli- in a mission, it must be a thorough gent, respectable and influential na- and efficient work, one which will tives, such as could be secured in no command the respect and regard of other WilY. And all this quite aside all classes. In all cases with which from the positivegoodresulting from I am acquainted in India, the medical form of medical disease and surgical, missionary has become proficient in of which our best American medithe vernacular, so that he speaks cal text books inform us. And a with his native patients without the medical missionary has seldom the help of an interpreter. 'I'his is sel- opportunity of holding a consultadom the case with the civil or govern- tion with a brothel' doctor, even in ment dispensaries. But this greatly a dangerous case, requiring, perhaps, pleases the natives, especially the a most difficult surgical operation. women. Then, with hardly an ex- The nearest European doctor, as in ception, the rule in a mission dis- the case of the writer, may be 38 pensary is one of kindness. Not only miles away, and the medical missionis the medical missionary very care- ary may have to treat all his medical ful to gain the affection of the native cases and decide upon all his surgIcal patients by his invariable krndness, operations entirely by himself. If a but he insists upon his native assist- mission would have the medical ants in the dispensary following his work a Slccess, it must be willing to example. And here the natives are take pains to secure a really efficient not slow to mark the difference be- workman and grudge no expenditure tween the mission and other dispen- which is necessary to secure him a saries. competent corps of native assistants and a fair supply of surgical instru- But, important as it is to let the ments and medicine. law of the dispensary be a law of love, other things must be added. The medical mission work has been The work of the dispensary must be found to pay, and to pay well, in all carried on with the greatest regular- cases where it has been conducted ity, precision and care. It must be properly and in a liberal spirit. Indecidedly first-class work. There is stances to prove this could be given no place here for half-way work, by the hour. Thorough work and skimping 01' sham. He who is not the best, carried on in love to Christ willing to give his whole time, his and souls, and for Christ's sake, this whole heart, and his whole love to must be the motto and life of all sucthe medical mission work, had better cessful medical mission work. leave it alone altogether. The loathesome leper must have our best care 4. Fourth, and lastly, the exigency as well as the simple cases of fever. of the times demands a much larger Case;; of cholera and small-pox can force of medical men and women in no more be avoided or neglected than mission fields. I can speak of India the farmer neglect to feed his horses from what I know of the state of 01' cattle. The best results, which mission work there, after an experionly follow the best service, must ence of twenty-eight years. But gain for a mission dispensary a good what I note of India, I think, I may, name. Let no one imagine that a with equal force and truth, say of mere smattering of medical matters, China, Japan, Turkey, Persia and the knowledge of medicine which Syria. Never before has there been would be picked up in reading a few such an interest felt in medical mis- pages here and there of the books sion work; never before such an denominated" Medicine for the Fam-' opportunity afforded for reaching the ily" would suffice to enable a man people through the dispensary. In to have charge of a dispensary in India the Lady Duiferin scheme has India, Japan, China 01' Africa, where, excited an intense interest through- in the course of a month, there may out the whole of India in the medical present themselves almost every work for women, and though more lady physicians have come out to India in connection with the various pensaries. Even for this purely evangelical missions during the past evangelistic work we need more medten years than in all previous years, ical missionaries. And I can speak yet it seems to-day as if there were from personal experience when I say places for scores more. And in the that with an efficient corps of trainmedical mission work for women, in ed native assistants in his dispensaall the countries noted above, there ries the medical missionary can do is, perhaps, the strongest argument a great d('al of evangelistic work. for the importance of the medical For 24 years I have been compelled, mission work, the strongest ground from th£' smallness of our mission of its great necessity as a part of force, to have charge of a large and mission work, than can possibly be important station, with its churches given. I need not take fl'om any and congregations and schools of table of statistics the proportion of various grades, and the work of the women to men in the population of itineracy, or preaching in heathen the prominent countries of, the East. villages, while carrying on all my Their number is immense. And with medical work. An English service all this countless number of women every Sunday evening, with an Engand girls there is no possible way of lish sermon, has been thrown in as a reaching them and influencing them, matter of simple recreation. It has and blessing them, which will com- truly, however, been a great pleaspare with that in the power of the ure. Christian lady physician. To ev('ry lady physlCian now on the ground, That my Dindigal dispensary has in the countries noted above, if there been of the greatest help to me in were ten, yes, a score, it would not my general mission work, I have had be one too many for the great and many proofs. I have gained the good impol·tant work the Lord is giving to will of the people; our native pastors just this class of Christian laborel's. and catechists can preach and sell Scripture portions and tracts in any And the number of male medical part of the station without any fear missionaries should be greatly in- of insult or opposition. They are creased. We can do much of our listened to with the greatest interest. work through our native Christians, I would receive a welcome in the but they require to be trained for house of any man in the whole of the special work. We can never, in any Dindigal district. I find it more easy, heathen or Mohammedan country, on this very account, to establish expect to have all the European or schools in the villages, and I receive American laborers required for the more money from the people for evangelization of these countries. their support. And the Dindigal dis- We must call to our aid the natives pensary and hospital, with about of the different countries. But for 9,000 new cases every year, and 20.- aid in Christian work the missionary 000 old cases, or those coming more must train them for each specific than once to the dispensary, and form of mission work. For the med- patients coming in the same period ical work, both among men and from 500 and more different villages, women, many more native men and have cost the mission nothing these women need to be carefully trained, 24 years, from the first year they and this is an important work de- were established. For my services, volving on the medical missionary. which I am only too glad to give gratuitously, the English Govern- I have already alluded to the large ment gives me the whole cost of the and appreciative audiences which the dispensary establishment, all the medical missionary has in his dismedicines required each year, and all about doing good to all. A mission the surgical instruments and hospital dIspensary on heathen ground is a. appliances. The American Board of beautiful and strikmg object lesson. Foreign Missions kindly gave me the It is ever educating the heathen in money for the hospital and dispen- the first principles of the gospel. Its sary buildings, which secures these golden word is "Love," its motto, permanently to the mission. " Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do And I see no reason why the Eng- ye even so to them." lish Government would not grant International Missionary Union, Fifth this favor in any part 0/ India, if Annual Meeting.
satisfied that a medical work in a As the International Missionary given locality is needed, and will be Union IS a unique institution, not yet carried on efficiently. fully understood in many quarters, and unheard of in some others, we After these twenty-eight years in may once more introduce it to our India, watchillg with intense interest readers as a permanent organization the work in various missions and va- seeking to accomplish in its measure, rious localities, I have been forced to the same general ends aImed to be the conviction that it is not best to reached by the great missionary undertake anyone form of mission conferences in bringing together the work at the expense of the others, missionaries of all societies, from all but rather have them all carried on fields, that they may annually comwith as much skill and energy as pare views on current developments possible, letting each help and sup- of Christ's kingdom in the several port the other. I would not, there- parts of the globe. The Union was fore, exalt the medical work beyond organized at Niagara Falls, Canada, others, which for many veal'S have in the summer of 1884, met there been found worthy of trial. I would, again in 1885, and at Thousand Island however, strive to have this work Park in the River St. Lawrence in given the place it deserves, and fairly 1886 and 1887. It is composed of re- turned foreign missionaries of all tried. branches of the Evangelical Protest- W hen we see m England and ant Church, temporarily or perma- nently in America. Its international America the splendid building's which character has thus far embraced are being erected for hospitals, when representatives of the British Empire we know what large amounts are and the United States of America. necessary to carry them on success- The constitution names as the object fully, we cannot believe that this of the Union "to promote the gen- medical work is being tried, and the eral cause of Missions in all possible large expenditure made without care- ways, chiefly by the diffusion of mis- ful consIderation. More costly hos- sionary mtelligence, the discussion pitals are being built and a larger of missionary topics, and the increas- expenditure incurred, because it is ing of mutual acquaintance among known that the work appeals to the missionaries of different churches interest and sympathy of the whole and countries." people. And none the less is this medical work needed in heathen The Union holds one meeting a. lands. We cannot conduct it on such year, as near August as possible, on a magnificent scale as in this country. invitation of such community as may It is not necessary. But we can show proffer entertainment to its members the heathen, in a much less expen- sive manner, the same lesson of the gospel, and how our Lord and Master cared for His fellow men, and went a.nd be easily accessible.Thetotal num- fifth annual meeting, held in Bridgel>er of missionaries now enrolled is 134. ton, New Jersey (1888), are found On the roll of attendance at the the following names: Years of NAME. Field. Denomination. Service.
1858–…•. Rev. H. N. Barnum. D.D ..•.•••………••.•…•. Turkey•••••.. American Board. 186(}-'64….. Rev. A. Bates …………•…•••.••…..••.•….• Ceylon.••…… American Board. 1879-·81. •.•. Rev. W. H. Belden…………………………. Bulgaria.•.•••. AmericanBoard. " ….. Mrs. " …………………………. Bulgaria..•…. American Board. 1861-·69•…. Mrs. M. H. Bixby………………………….. Burmah .•.•…. Baptist. 1S6{}–•…. Rev. E. Chester. M.D ..••••…•…•••••.•.•…… India ….••..•.. American Board. 1867-·74•…. Rev. M. B. Comfort ……………•.. , ..•••…… Assam•…•….. Baptist. 1878-'84•..•• Miss C. H. Daniells, M.D ……………………. India ……….. Baptist. 1869-'70….. Rev. J. A. Davis …………………………… China………. Reformed " ., … Mrs. " …………………………… China………. Reformed. 1834-'84•…. Itev. William Dean, D.D ……………………. China……… Baptist. 1883- – ….. Rev. N. H. Demarest……………………….. Japan .••……. Reformed. 1846- – ….. Rev. S. B. Fairbank……………………….. Iudia……….. American Board. Rev. L. A. Gould…………………………… China………. Baptist. Mrs. " …………………………… China………. Baptist. 1861-'68•••• Rev. J. T. Gracey. D.D ……………………… India ……….. MethodistEpiscopal 1856- – ….. Rev. R. H. Graves. M.D .•……………•……• China………. Southern Baptist. 1837-·77….. Rev. Cyrus Hamlin. D.D.• LL.D ……………… Turkey ……… American Board. 1885- – •…. Ira Harris. M.D.. . .. .. . . . . ••• .. . …………… Syria ……….. Presbyterian. 1884- – .•… Mrs. " ……………………………. Syria•…•…… Presbyterian. 1846-·72••••. Rev. Allen Hazen ………•••.•••…………•… India…..•….. AmericanBoard. M. B. Kirkpatrick. M.D …………………….. Burmah …….. Baptist. Rev. R. M. Luther. D.D. (Secretary) ………….. Burmah…….. Baptist. 1878-'83….. Rev. James Mudge ………………………… India ………. Methodist Episcopal 1870-'78….. Rev. R.E. Neighbor ………………………… India……….. Baptist. 1861-'82….. Mrs. S. E. Newton ………………. , ……….. India……….. Presbyterian. 1866- – ••••. Rev. H. V. Noyes ………………………….. China………. Presbyterian. 1872- -…. Mrs. " ………………………….. China………. Presbyterian. 1873- – ….. Rev. G. W. Painter………………………… China………. Sonthern Pres. 1570-'81. …. Rev. C. W. Park ………………………….. India ……….. AmericanBoard. 1885- – ….. Rev. J. L. Philli~s. M.D., D.D ………………. India ……….. Free Baptist. " ….. Mrs. ' ……………….. India ……….. Free Baptist. Regillald Radr.lilfe. Esq ..••.••..••…•.•…••…. Russia ..•••…. Church of England. 1877- – ….. Rev. J. H. Roberts …………………………. lJhina………. American Board. 1880-'86….. Rev. W. Royall ……………………………. China………. SouthernM.E. 1682- – ….. Rev. E. C. Scudder. Jr ……………………… India……….. Reformed. 1854- – ….. Rev. J. Hudson Taylor, M.R.C.S.• F.R.G.S ……. China………. Inland Mi,sion, 1848-·56….. Rev. Geor~e Thompson …………………….. Africa………. Am. Miss'y Society. 188()…'87….. Miss Jeume S. Vail ………………………… Japan ………. MethodistEpiscopal 1846-·64….. Rev. Edward Webb ………………………… India ……….. American Board. 1872-·82….. Miss Lula Whilden …………………………. China………. Southern Baptist.
To this group of missionaries was heartily sustained the Executive added Rev. Dr. Wm. Kincaid, one Committee in the experiment of apof the Secretaries of the American pointing the meeting aw&y from pop- Board, who made a handsome ad- ular summer resorts, and though the dress, in which he recognized the spe- smaller number was doubtle·<s in part cial benefits of such a union, not only attributable to this "new departto the missionaries, but to missionarv ure," yet the meeting was acknowlsecretaries and other prominenthome edged as equal to any of the precedworkers for missions. Rev. Dr. ing meetings in all other respects, Luther, a member of the Union by and superior to them in some features. virtue of service in Burmah, is also Bridgeton, through its churches, Di&;trict Secretary of the American represented by their Ministerial Un- Baptist Missionary Union. Miss ion, became the host of the Union McIntosh was the only lady secretary from July 5 to July 12 inclusive. It is this year, and she represented the a beautiful, thriving city, with glass, young organization .of the Woman's nail and iron manufactures and ex- Board of the Southern Baptist Con- tensive canning interests, seminaries vention. No one was discouraged by of learning, a personally highly rethe small number in attendance, as spected mayor and council, and not a compared with previous years, but 8aloon! The hospitality was cordial, and the guests found themselves af- annual meetings are usually inaugu- fected with "enlargement of the rated served to stir the finest relig- heart" ; the local newspapers gave ious emotions. This "Recognition daily reports of the meetings; fast meeting," in which each missionary friendships were made, and we trust introduces himself or herself, stating both entertainers and entertained field, form and years of service, call were made mutually helpful to each to the work, special difficulties, trials other in spiritual things. It will not and triumphs, or other personalfacts, be surprising if a gracious revival of tends at once, and at the beginning, religion shall follow on this sweet to blend souls that have hitherto only season of the "communion of saints." known each other through remoter The devotional meetings which agencies in purest fellowship. Cloud- occupied the first hour of each day's pillar and fire-pillar, springs in the exercises sustained the character of desert, manna that "tasted to every those of previous sessions. Dr.Dean man like that which he liked best,"
pronounced them amongst the most dew on Hermon, vision, miracle, par- precious· of his experience, and de- able and prophecy-all were recalled clared that of Tuesday morning to or realized in this mosaic of Chris- be the best meeting he had beep in tian narrative. One becomes confi- since he returned from China. Of dent that neither the Acts of the course, it was with depth of tender- Apostles nor the eleventh chapter of ness that these members prayed for Hebrews is yet finished, as he listens missionaries' children. The session to these "testimomes." God does devoted to interchange of thought on "in very deed yet dwell upon earth the specific power of the Holy Ghost and among men.
was not only one of earnest self- Turning from this feature of the searching, but of discrimination be- week to the free" round table" con- tween even the most highly analyzed versations on practical problems, one moral character and power and the finds in these meetings What Dr.
supernatural c~:;erations of the adora- Chester would call "sanctified com- ble Spirit. mon sense." The hour given to the If ever, since Pentecost, a company consideration of the subject of re- of Christians realized more fully the production of western ecclesiastical unity of the Spirit, it wDuld be diffi- forms on foreign mission fields was cult for any who enjoyed these hours the most remarkable of its kind the to name the place or time. The writer ever knew.
deeply spiritual character of the de- It was much more remarkable than votional hours of the Union through any participating in it had planned its five annual meetings suggests that or could have anticipated. The frank- that they be placed in the list of ness and freedom, the manifest intent "movable feasts." It were worth· to lay aside as far as possible the bias traveling across the continent to ex- of education, association or other perience the indwelling, the abiding preference, that each might contrib- presence of the Holy One as it· was ute his quota to the honestest pos- realized at Bridgeton. One may go in sible inlook to the real needs of the the strength of such meat more than foreign churches; earnest Chris- forty days. Some of the addresses, tian rivalry in making concessions, eminently those of Rev. J. Hudson without yielding or expecting any to Taylor and his associate, Reginald yield what he was supposed honor- RadclIffe, Esq., only served, if possi- ably to maintain-all made this ble, to deepen the divine impressions company of ten denominations ap- of the devotional hours. Even the pear a charmed circle. The equal of peculiar service with which these it has seldom been experienced. If the spirit that pervaded that com- American Indian vernaculars by pany could become the spirit of the Rev. E. _Arnold, of the St. Regis churches everywhere it would make Reservation, caused considerable dis.
but a mite of difference what forms cussion and showed wide diversity of of church government and polity ob- view. The question whether it was tained. Herfil was a Congregationalist desirable to bring natives from the brother saying that in his district the foreign fields to give them an educa- churches would in his judgment soon tion in Europe or America developed form into a modified episcopacy, as a the existence of only one set of opin- form of government most suitable to ions. All declared against the course, the native mind ; and another, a Pres- as leading to most unsatisfactory re- byterian, declared to be, in fact, a sults.
bishop over the churches under his A paper from Rev. Dr. Cunnyng- care; and others, not Presbyterians, ham, formerly of China, now Secre- conceding that the Japanese would taryof the Sunday-School Union of probably prefer and possibly come to the M. E. Church, South, was read, demand a Presbyterian form of gov- and followed by healthy discussion ernment, and yet another declaring on the development of this and other that the Anglican Church in China agencies for increasing-the interest of did not aim to strictly reproduce the the home churches in missions. Rev.
Episcopal polity, but to recognize in Dr. Barnum of Persia, who contrib- it such modifications as might nat- uted much of wisdom and interest to urally grow out of its new relations. several of the leading discussions, Some oC the discussions were much read an able pap{'r on" Some points more formal than others, and were of comparison between the mission- introduced by able papers. One of ary work of to-day and the early these was by Rev. Edward Chester, planting of Christianity."
M.D., on "Medical Missions," to Women's work for -heathen women which we have given the position of was considered during one session, leading article in this department, and the missionary ladies took part and which it is possible may be in the discussion, rendering there, as printed hereafter in other form for they did at the evening platform general circulation. meetingsand specialafternoon ladies'
Dr. Cyrus, Hamlin's paper on services, the most helpful interest to "Five Hundred Years of Islam" the whole annual session. Their con- was a terrible impeachment of Is- tribution to the spiritual directness lamic civilization. We hope to be and power of the devotional exercises able to favor the readers of the RE- was of great worth.
VIEW with this paper, and some others The papers and addresses cannot also hereafter. The wide range oC be all recounted, though none were experience and observation, and the below the merit that would entitle intimate personal acquaintance with them to speCIal mention. The even- Islam in Turkey, Persia, Bulgaria, ing platform meetings were devoted Africa, India, China, Ceylon, and to countries or to subjects, as other quarters of the globe, by the "India," or "Medical Missions."
members present, made the discus- One whole evening was occupied by sion of the subject of "Islam as a Civ- Rev. J. Hudson Taylor, founder and ilizer" one of rare value a.nd interest. present Superintendent of the cele- A paper presented by the writer of brated China Inland Mission, in these lines on Bible and other trans- narrating his personal experiences lations in' the Mexican vernaculars, and the development of his peculiar and another paper on the narrow- work which challenges solargeatten- ness and the limitations of the North tion. The spiritual effects of the simpIe story were not the least of the Several missionaries not present results of the evening with this sent their congratulations, and made brother, who was admitted to mem- suggestions of value for the future bership in the Union. The Union usefulness of the Union. We furhad been represented at the World's nish herewith the personal letter of Missionary Conference in London by the venerable Dr. Wood to the meettwo of its members, Rev. W. H. Bel- ing at Bridgeton. den and Mrs. Belden, and an hour was profitably and entertainly spent LETTTR from Rev. George W. in listening to their report of the Wood, D.D., to the Secretary of the great meeting from the personal and International Missionary Union: social, as well as the more official side. They evidently absorbed much, Unable myself to attend yonr meeting last and were able happily to reproduce it year, I was glad that the missions in Turkey for the delight of others. It was to Mr. and Mrs. Belden that the Union were so well represented by Drs. Hamlin and was primarily indebted for the courtesy of entertainment in. the city Barnum; and I hope tbat they and others from where they reside. that field may be with you also at Bridgeton dur- The address by R. Radcliffe, Esq., before the Union, on his personal ex- ing the present week. It would gratify me highperiences as an evangelist in several countries in Europe, eminently ly to be with you in bodily presence, as I shall Italy and Russia, was instructive and practically suggestive. It was a be in spirit and fullest sympathy; but the ordersurprise to most of those present, surely, to be told that Russia is pEn'- ing of the Divine Will, ever wise and good, defectly free for any number of evangelists who may go from person to nies me this privilege. From my late temporary person, and do effectivework through interpreters. sojourn in Summit, N. J., I have come with my The officers of the Union were, in wife for a little visiting among relatives and the main, re-elected, but Dr. Dean was added to the list of Vice-Presidents, friends in Livingston County, N. Y., on our way a class which Dr. Hamlin already. graced. to Dakota and Montana, to spend the summer, if The Rev. Mr. Mudge says; the Lord will, with children whom we have in .. Notes can give but ltttle idea of the rich those Territories. feast that was spread before us for each of the seven days, enlarging our stores of information, The death of our brother, Dr. Byington, has qnickenlng our sympathies, broadening Our view, deepening our consecration, and intensi- brought a great a1lliction upon the missions in fying our love for the work of saving the nations. We lloated ou a stream 01 keen enjoyment where Bulgaria and Turkey. Cut off in mid career of the pOints of beauty .ucceeded each other with almost bewildering rapidity. The people of a most useful life, he speaks to us impreSSively Bridgeton, who opened their doors to us with most cordial and abundant hospitality, showed of the supreme importance of spiritual and eteralso by their attendance a high degree of appreciation of the great privileges thus brought nal realities as a motive power in all Christian withiu their reach. Their pulpits were nearly alllll1ed on Sunday by the ·misslonaries, and the activity, and in the spirit of a true consecration, testimony of the pastors was that an entirely new era of interest in lllissions among their of a wise husbanding of physical energy in order people would date from this Convention. The members of the Union will certaiuly hold in to continuance of service in a world where the grateful remembrance their unstinted kindness. " most that we can do in the longest period that may be allowed to any of God's servants, is so greatly needed. '
May I exprees in a word the joy which I feel in the multiplying evidences of a new uprising of a zeal, not blind or tranSitory, for the conquest of the whole world to the dominion of Imman- uel, our Saviour and Lord 1 The trend of divine providences over our entire globe and the work of the Spirit in its measure and fruits in the hearts of Christ's true disciples, while accom- panied with much that is painful, bring to the church an appeal which it becomes us to wel- come with cheer and thauksgiving, and glad re- sponse in the line of individual and organized efforts to which we are called. :May you con- sultations be stimulating and productive of richer results for good than in years past, when occasion for congratulation was so great. In the might of the forces of evll in our Own country and in other lands, let ns see no ground of dis- couragement; for greater is He that is with ns than can be all they who are against us. What- ever drawbacks or defeats may occur, these are permitted for benellcent ends to which they are noedful or may be made subservient. What we may not now understand, we shall see hereafter
70ti THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS
With adoring admiration of the wisdom that Is Dege of carrying it forward to new triumphll higher than oura, May the, be wise, faithful and happy, lind ui As I look forward, knowing that my con their turn be succeeded by a generation who nection With present Corms of service Is com- Ing to Its termination, I desire, with penitent 'shall be more honored and blessed even than confession and supplication in respect to my own relations to the cause I love, to give the hand of they, as workers together with God for the fulfellowship, with words only of encouragement, to the young and vigorous who have the prv- filment of all that He has promised to do for men, With fraternal affection and regard, youra most sincerely, GEO. W. WOOD.
V.-THE- MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS.
BY A. T. PIERSON, D.D.
JAPAN. of fellowship." What a scene was that to betoken the change that ABOUT twenty-five years ago a twenty-five years had brought I native of Japan, not known by name to modern history, conceived the The whole nation is awake and adidea that for his country to open her vancing. In 1872 the name of Chrisgates to Occidental civilization would tian was odious in Japan; now there be a benefit and blessing, and with are 16,000 who are loyal to Christ, a the prophetic foresight of a practical multitude of students there are waitpatriot and statesman, he dared pub- ing to learn of this new religion; and licly to advocate the abandonmen~ thousands are on the very pivotal of the exclusive policy hitherto pur- point of destiny, the question must sued by his nation. For such advo- speedily be determined whether they cacy he became so obnoxious to his become Ohristians or agnostics and countrymen that it was resolved to atheists. Years ago a school for put an end to his influence by put- boys and girls began in Yokohama; ting an end to his life. On a great now 'the boys' school is moved to festival day, when Japanese came Tokio, and becomes the Union Colfrom all quarters to do honor to the lege, with 300 students, under presigods of the kingdom, three bands dency of Dr. Hepburn; and the girls' prepared to waylay him: he escaped school remains at Yokohama as the the first, but fell into the hands of Isaac M. Ferris Seminary. Christhe second and perished. tianity is penetrating to the very borders of the land of the Rising A few months ago, a native pastor Sun. The Government itself offers was celebrating the Lord's Supper in to aid teachers while they are studyone of the Christian churches of the ing the Japanese tongue, and the island empire. He was a relative of door is wide open to Christian misthat murdered man who was the sions. Five denominations are united first modern martyr to his country's in the Union church, which is repreadvancement. In the congregation sented in the Union College. Young an old man arose and begged to be men are so anxious to get an educaheard. He said, "I am one of those tion and be fitted to preach to their who murdered that man, twenty-five countrymen that they resign lucrayears ago, and I want to confess my tive positions, or refuse tempting part in that crime. " The young pas- offers for secular positions, in order tor said, "By all the ancient customs to fit themselves for Christian serof Japan, I am bound to avenge that vice. Who shall guide these inquirblood-feud by plunging my dagger ing, intelligent minds and encourage into the throat of the man who was these young disciples, unless the the murderer of my relative. But church in this land supplies men and Christ's blood reconciles all blood- means? Was there ever such opporfeuds, and in Christ's name I wish to tunity offered by God 'for the evan~ extend to this brother the right hand g'elization of an empire containing on a persecution, and the Catholic thirty-eight millions of people I How converts recanted or fled to China, slow we are to go in and possess the or endured torture and martyrdom. 131nd I With a proper, prompt, ener- In 1835 Roman Catholic missions getic occupation of these wonderful again found a way into Korea by way fields of Christian labor, we might of China and Mantchuria, and the turn the whole future of the Sunrise Jesuits claimed 15,000 converts even Kingdom in the direction of the as late all 1857. cross: Not only is all antagonism abated, but Japan actually invites But we are especially concerned Christian teaching and missionary with the late opening for Protestant labor. The plowman may overtake missions. Japan in 1876 made the the reaper, and the treader of grapes first complete treaty with her neighhim that soweth the seed. The sower bor across the channel; six years' must carry the sickle. later, partly through the aid of the great Chinaman, Li Hung Chang, a KOREA. similar treaty was made with the United States. In 1884 the Presby- AFTER a strict isolation of centuries terian Board, at the solicitation of this hermit nation is open to the Rijutei, a Korean of rank, who was gospel. Its territory is partly penin- converted while representing his sular and partly insular; the penin- government in Japan, established a sula is about 400 miles long and 150 station at Seoul, H. N. Allen, M. D., miles broad, and is shaped like Italy. a medical miSSionary in China going Numerous adjacent islands constitute there. The American resident minthe Korean archipelago, chiefly of ister, General Foote, gave him an granite rock, some rising 2,000 feet appointment as physician to the above sea-level. The population legation. Dr. Allen was simply numbers from 8,000,000 to 12,000,000. tolerated at first by the Koreans; but during a revolt 10 Seoul, he skilfully The predominant religion is Bud- treated several persons of rank who dhism; though there are some follow- had been wounded, and saved the life ers of Confucius, as in China, and of the king's nephew, Min Yong Ik. some of a religion similar to that of He found the native doctors and sur- the Sin-tu in Japan. Indeed, Korea geons trying" to staunch the wounds seems, in some respects, a cross be- with wax, and his own scientific tween these two immediate neigh- treatment won the admiration of the bors. In 1882 Korea was, by treaty, Koreans. The king's nephew de- opened to American commerce, the clared they that believed him" sent key used by God to unlock this em- from heaven to cure the wounded." pire to the gospel was the medical His medical services to the royal m~88ton. Somewhere between the family led the king to build a gov- sixteenth and eighteenth centuries ernment hospital, which he named Romanism was carried into this Hay Min Lo, House of Civilized country by papal converts from Virtue, and which he placed under Japan and China. About one hun- the care of the Presbyterian mission dred years ago, Senghuni, a distin- and the supervision of Dr. Allen. guished official, professed conversion The mission finds in Rijutei a true and was baptized under the name of helper who has devoted his energies Peter; the missionaries were popu- to giving the Koreans the New lar, and the more educated classes Testament in their own tongue. Mr. saw that even this corrupted form of Arthington, of Leeds, gave the money Christianity was an improvement to pay for printing 3,000 copies of the upon "paganism. The government Irospels of Luke and John; and so became alarmed; the priesthood led the last door is opened by this her- change in public opinion, we would emphBSlm mit nation for the admission of the this fact, which very much simplifles the probgosPIlI. The working force has been lem : that you are not now asked to build and increased by the addition of Rev. Mr. furnish school-houses, supply native teachers, Underwood and Dr. Herron and his pay annual detlciencies, etc., but simply to fur- nish and support lady teachers to work witla wife; and some are so sanguine as to sympathetic Japanese in giving the girls ot Jwhope that God is going to work a pan .. Christian education. The ripe opportlD" greater and more rapid change here ity consists in this-that not only Christian than in Japan. Fragments of evan- clmrches, but non-Christian philanthropists, are gelical truth, brought by stealth from looking to Christianity as to the ouly force they the· Sunrise Kingdom, found their know of that will lift woman ont of her Ignoway to the heart of Rijutei. Years rance and degradation, and enable her to exert passed by, and the crisis came. such an Influence in the home as do the womell Rijutei was the means of saving the ot Christian lands." life of the queen, and so earned favor with the king. At once he went to Dr. Wm. Fleming Stevenson, while Japan, where he learned the way to Christ more perfectly, and so was an enthusiast in Missions, said to his led to undertake, like Luther, to give brethren: his own countrymen the Word of God in their own tongue. Here is .. We must not be over sanguine as to the rll' another pruof of God's seal on the ception given to the gospel in heathen communiwork of missions. A few years ago ties, as in Japan. It is partly of an Athenian type, born of cnrioslty and love of novelty; and we were just beginning missionary partly the result of proverbial politeness, giving teaching in Japan, and now Japanese courteons audience to a foreigner; and partly converts are proposing to go to the fruit of a Progressive, aggressive spirit, Korea as evangelists I which, especlaily in educated people, takes to Occidental civilization; and partly the movement SUGGESTIVE PARAGRAPHS. of governmental policy. From motives of State, neutrality is exercised. The Sabbath is ob- Desire of Japanese Philanthro- served in Japan only in government omces pists.-The Rev. J. H. De Forrest, a where are many foreiguers. The edict against missionary in Japan of the American Christianity Is not repealed, and much real Board, says in a recent letter: hostility hides behind the veil of indifference."
"Thoughtful Japanese have long been watch- The Mildmay meetings and all the ing missionaries and their methods of work; and when they compare the gifted women en- great religious societies' anniversagaged in school and evangelistic work with the better classes of women here, tbey see tbat ries held in England and America, in something-either that Christianity or civilization-has given tbe women of the west a posi- the month of May, have already their tion that excites their admiration and earnest longing to bave the women of Japan gain a sim- counterpart in Japan. This year the ilar place of influence. They also see that unless some way of elevating woman is systematically tide of these has been at its flood for uudertaken, Japan cannot push forward into the position of a truly civilized country. Hence it nearly the entire month in Tokio and happens that woman's work is now attracting tbe thought of philanthropists, who are asking vicinity. The meetings may be said in pnblic and in private that we aid them, espe- cially in the establishment of Christian girls' to have commenced with the fourth schools. We have already at hand importnnate calls for lady teachers from TokiO, Okayama, biennial meeting of the General As- Takahashi, Matsuyama, and other large cities; and what &11all we do in the face of these re- sembly of the United Church in qnests? Professor Toyama vehemently says, •It is an opportunity that missionaries cannot Japan, when fifty-seven churches, afford to lose.' In asking you to do all you an to take advantage of this unexampled represented by their delegates and a nearly equal number of natives and foreigner ministers met in Tokio, and a large number of clergymen of other churches were invited to sit as corre- spo n ding me m be-rs-. – .
. Mistaken Devotion.-In one of the great temples in Japan the devotion of the worshipers consists in running around the sacred building one hun- dred times, and dropping a piece of wood into a box at each round, when, the wearisome exertion being ended, the worshiper goes home tired and 000, about that of the United States very happy at the thought of having in 1845. done his god such worthy service. Are there not some Christians whose How the Gospel was first Planted activity is very similar to this, and of in Korea.-This incident is related about as much value? They are on by Mrs. Fannie Roper Feudge, Balthe street, running to all sorts of timore, Md. : meetings, and ever bustling from place to place. They feel and talk as .. Among many efforts made during the presif they were rendering most valuable ent century to carry the gospel into Korea, and service, and solace themselves in their weariness with the comfort that with little apparent success, one seed ot sacred they are doing great good and will have a rich reward. Yet really they truth was planted by a little Chinese lad shortly are accomplishing nothing. Their before Korea was opened to missionary effort ; exhausting labor is really only run- and this, so far as we know, was the first in nil ning round and round the temple; the hermit kingdom to spring up and bring forth no cause is advanced by it; God's fruit to the glory of God. This little boy's name name is not honored by it. was Ah Fung. He had been taught at one of the mission schools at Ningpo to read the Bible, Every indication goes to show that and to go to Jesus iu prayer whenever he was the Hermit Nation, as Korea is called, in need of help. When he was about nine years is rapidly leaving the hermitage and of age, his father took Ah Fung with him on one coming to the fore. The United of his trading expeditions to the Korean capital. States steamship Omaha has just By some mishap, while there, the boy was stolen arrived at Yokohama from Korea, and sold to the governor, who presented him to and Captain McNair reports his ob- his wife. She made him her page, and he would servations from a visit to that coun- often attempt to tell hili young mistress of the try, at whose capital, opened up to Saviour he loved and trusted, but withont avail, Americans by the treaty of 1882, he until one day the reaper Death took away her met the American Consul. For baby girl ; and then, in her great loneliness and miles, in the journey to Sevul, the sorrow, she recalled the words of her little page capital, the country looks like one about Jesus and His love, and asked him to teU vast cemetery, with its thousands of her the story agalu. Day after day did this green mounds on hillsides where Christian child talk of the Saviour, until she, too, sleeps the dust of more than ninety came to love this same Friend." generations. The crops are grown, the trades flourish as they do here. TEXTS AND THEMES. They have crime and criminals just as we do, but unlike our own courts, Zech. iv : 6-" Not by might (num- Korea punishes thieving with decap- bers), nor by power, but by my itation, consequently a great many Spirit." heads roll about wanting bodies to fit them. Remington and Martine rifles, Zechariah is encouraging Zerubbawith Gatling guns, the telegraph and bel,who was disheartened in attemptelectric lighting abound in parts of ing to build the second Temple by Korea, so rapid is the march of civil- paucity and poverty of the returned ization. Mission work is just begin- captives, who must be his human dening to occupy the ground, and no pendence. God assured him that not doubt there it will meet with great by a host of people, nor by human' opportunity for spreading the gospel, resources, but by His Spirit, all although at flrst the work will have work for <Sod is to be accomplished. to be limited to the youth. Korea When His Spirit moves, the most now contains a population of 20,000,- colossal mountain of obstacles be- comes a plain.
To enforce and illustrate this, the vision of this chapter is portrayed.
The candelabrum represents the church of God-God's golden light- bearer. The reservoir of prophecy supplies the lamps with oil. _ But the reservoir itself must be supplied by golden pipes, and these must connect with the living trees, which are per-
PROGRESS AND RESULTS 01' MISSIONS-MONTHLY BULLETIN
ennial oil-producers. These trees, personal influence more obviously represent Jesus Christ in His royal appear. This compels us to shout and priestly offices as Mediator, in " grace! grace!" all the way from which offices He was typified in Ze- cornerstone to capstone. rubbabel and Joshua. Exodus xxxviii: 8-" And he made The way to build and nourish the laver of brass . . . of the churches is to depend on the Holy looking glasses of the women assem- Spirit. The foundation must be laid bling." in Jesus, and then the structure carried from corner to capstone as a The banished metal mirrors of ~he work of grace. Let us not despise women were contributed to be melted the day of small things. If the seven and cast into a laver for God's tabereyes of omniscience are supervising nacle. What a sacrifice of vanity! our work, and the seven hands of and what a lesson for us on the way omnipotence are building for us, to furnish God's house with needed even the feeblest, faintest body-a supplies! mere remnant-can build the temple of God in a strange land. This has 1. We ought to sacrifice our luxbeen the hope of missions always. uries. Not one step has ever heen taken successfully in d~pendence on num- 2. Common things may be put to bers or wealth or social patronage. uncommon uses-a brazen mirroJ' In no work does the Holy Spirit's becomes a brazen laver.
2. The instruments of vanity unto the sacred vessels of the tabernacle.
VI.-PROGRESS AND RESULTS OF MISSIONS: MONTHLY BULLETIN.
Africa•…,..Mr. Moil', of the African The native church among the Hydahs, Rev. J. Lake Company, states that at least Loomis Gould, missionary, has 42 communiten thousand slaves cross Lake Ny- cants. At the communion of the Thllngit Presassa every year. "I once looked into byterian Church, Sitka, on May 5th, Rev. A. E. the hold of a slave-dhow," he says, Austin received six adults and baptized four "and saw eighty or ninety little chil- infants. dren there. Oh, friends, if you had seen those eyes gazing up into yours, Austria.-The British and Foreign you would pray earnestly that this Bible Society distributed by sale and 'open sore,' as Livingstone called it, gift 20,597 Bibles, 102,01l Testaments might be healed."-Spirit of Mis- and 45,391 portions, making a total sions. of 167,959 volumes. The largest number was in the German language, -The first Christian church in the the next in Hungarian, then Bohe· Congo Free State was organized in mian, Hebrew, Roumanian, Servian, November of last year, and there are Polish, etc. now 1,062 converts in the Congo Mission. Burmah.-Sir Charles Bernard, wbo has two sisters working as missionaries of the Alaska.-The reports of the churches in South- Church of Scotland in India, has recently stated some interesting facts a.bout the east Alaska are f8ll of encouragement. Rev. S. Christian Karens of Burmah. He says they number about 200,000, that is, about one- Hall Young reports from Fort Wrangel47 com- third of the Karen people. There are from 500 to 600 congregations practically if not municants ; 7 added on examination and one by entirely self-supporting. It is their practice to set apart as much produce of their land certificate; adult baptisms, 7 ; Infant baptisms, as will support their native pastors,and this they do before appropriating any of the har- 4; enrollment of Sabbath-school, 50 ; collections vest for themselves. They also sen4 mig. sionaries into Siam, and support them fully. Corall purposes, $277. Rev. Eugene S. Willard -The annual meeting ofthe Bassein reports from the native church, Jnneau, com- Sgau Karen Churches was held remunicants, 'rI ; 'added on examination, 14, and by cently. During the year, 562 have certficate,13 ; adults baptized,14, and Infants, 1 ; enrollment of Sabbath-school, 80. Rev. Alonzo E. Austin reports from the native church, Sitka, communicants, 222. Added on examina- tion, Ill, and by certificate, 1. Adults baptized, 108, and Infants, 75. Enrollment of Sabbath- school, 175. Collections for all pnrposes. $70. been baptized on profession of faith, given away, the rest sold. The of whom an unusually large number American Bible Society has also have come from the heathen. The made a grant of $1,500 to the Evantotal contributions of th(l churches of gelical Society of France to aid in its work of Bible distribution. That the association for the year amount society has had in its service durto Rs. 41,000. The pupils in the town ing the year 42 colporteurs, and high school have increased to 400, the distributed 28,745 volumes of the largest number ever known in the Scriptures. history of the Bassein Sgau Karen Mission. Besides the Sgau Karen Germany.-Fifty years ago seven Association, there is a Pgho Karen Association having about 1,500 com- shoemakei's in a shop in the city of municants. The Henthada Karen Mission numbers 2,000 communi- Hamburg said, "By the grace of cants. These Christians have taxed God we will help io send the gospel to our destitute fellow-men." In themselves voluntarily to raise Rs. 5 twenty-five years they had estabper member toward new school buildings in the town of Henthada. Al- lished fifty self-supporting churches, ready Rs. 7,000 have been paid in, and the rest ,will be forthcoming had gathered out '10,000 converts, soon. It must be remembered that the great body of the Karens are had distributed 400,000 Bibles and small rice cultivators, yet they are willing to bear heavy burdens in or- 8,000,000 tracts, and had carried the der that their children may receive gospel to 50,000,000 of the race. It would take only 150 such men to carry the gospel to the whole world in twenty-five years. • -Pastor Rohrbach, of Berlin, said that he an education.. . gaioed his first ideas of evangelistic work from China.-The news from Central Mr. Moody, and when he read of the work of China, received by the China Inland Robert Moffat in Buchuanaland, he asked, Mission, is very cncoura.ging. Mr. " Cannot the same power be' brought to bear Stanley Smith reports 210 baptisms upon Germany Y" He was glad to say that the at one time, and as many inquirers. initiatory work of Dr. Schluembach, Dr. Somer- The Rev, G. Clark tells of preaching ville, Dr. Ziemann, and others, had done a great deal for the caose of evangelization. to immense audiences, sometimes as Hawaiian Islands.-Seventy years many as 4,000. It is stated that "a ago the inhabitants were depraved few as influential men as the empire has produced have embraced Christi- heathen, and human sacrifices formed anity, others are ready to do so, or a part of their religion. In 1820 the wish to reap the benefit of its civiliz- American Board sent the first mis- ing influences." Nine men have been sionaries there. From that time baptized and admitted to the Lord's Supper by the China Inland Mission there was steady progress; at one at Honan. This is stated to be the first Christian church founded in time, during a great awakening, 1,700 this province of 15,000,000 souls. The only other society at work in persons being received into the the province IS the Baptist Mission- church in one day. The time came ary Society, and there are but three when the islands could be called European agents in all this vast Christianized, and in 1863 the Amerpopulation.-O. M. Intelligencer. ican Board closed the evangelizing agE:ncy, continuing only the educa- China Inland Mission.-Ohina's Millions for tional, and an independent self-sus- taining native church was formed July says of last year's labors: "Looking on under the name of "The Hawaiian the work of the whole year, we have to praise Evangelical Association." From a report of the Association made in God for the addition of between five and six 1886 we gather the following: There are fifty-eight Hawaiian churches hundred members to the churches-a larger ac- connected with the Association re- porting 5,387 members, who paid cession than we have ever yet had to report. $8,463 for pastor's su~port; $9,829 for church building; $3,655 to send We look for yet greater results this year. All the gospel to others; $5,593 for misthe stations and oot-stations can be better cellaneous purposes; a total in one year of $28,142. worked by our augmented numbers."
France.-By the aid 01 the Ameri- Holland.-The Ministerof Colonies, can Bible Society the Bible Society of France has printed 10,000 copies of the New Testament, and distributed by sale and gift 13,938 volumes, of which 196 were Bibles, 9,486 Testa- Mr. Keuchenius, has sent a missive ments andS,487 portions. About one third of the entire number were to the various Missionary Societies in the Netherlands, declaring in it, that 8,523 probationers and 10,180 Chris- tians. This is Bishop Thoburn's the Dutch Government should like to " diocese."
see if the societies 01' unions afore- At the Conference on Foreign Mis- sions in London, Sir W. W. Hunter said could contribute largely to in- saId that while the ordinary increase of the population of India had been crease the number of missionaries in 10~ per cent. the increase of Chris- tians had been 64 pel' cent. in the last the Dutch East Indian Archipelago ten years.
and to stop the progressing influence -The Indian census shows that the native Christians are increasing of Islam among the heathen popula- fifteen times as fast as the general population. tion of these islands. -The Maharajah of Darbhauga, of N. D. SCHUUMANS. Bengal, has given $25,000 for a hos- HAARLEM, July 5. pital and dispensary in connection with Lady Dufferin's medical work. -The evangelical population founded a union His gifts for benevolent purposes the last eight years reach fully $1,- for the purpose of establishing schools independ- 700,000.
ent of the State becanse of the law forbidding Italy.-In this stronghold of Ro- man Catholicism the work of the the reading of the Bible and Christian teaching British and Foreign Bible Society has met with marked success during In olllcial schools. These independent schools the past year, the distribution being 83,349 copies in advance of the year are prospering; at the end of 1886 there were preceding. The figures are: Bibles, 7,322, Testaments, 18,885, and por- 441, In which 71,000 children receive a good ed- tions, 102,821; total, 129,028.
ucation.-JOIIN1Cil Reli{lieux. -A Japanese correspondent writes India.-The Hindus are not disposed to the Christian Union: to allow Christianity to win a victory " Sunday, March 25, was another rad·letter in India without a struggle. Publica- day in Kyoto. Twenty-five yonng men and tions in defense of Brahminism are eight young ladies, students in· onr Doshisha scattered widely over the country. schools, publicly confessed Christ as their Just now we hear of a Hindu Tract Society started in Madras, which is Savionr. This, with six young ladies baptized issuing large editions of handbills monthly, in which the Christian re- in January, and forty-three young men baptized ligion is furiously attacked. The English missionaries report that all In December, makes eighty-two accessions from this is working for good, and that "the Tamil country is being stirred the school during the current school year. Ten as never before." These conflicts are rousing men from their indifference, were received Into one of the city churches on and will lead to decision, either for Christ or against him. the same day. One of the young men joini~ -A Parsee Student. A Parseegirl in from the school is a son of one of the most fa- India named Sorabji has become mous men in Japan. The Osaka Church will quite distinguished for her intellec- dedicate a very large and commodious chnrch tual ability. In her University course April 5."
she has gained scholarships each Jews.-The number of Jews in the world is estimated by the Hebrew year, and has kept at the head of the .Annual at 6,500,000; of these 800,000 list of competitors in English. She are in Palestine. The largest disperhas recently graduated in the first sions are in Russia, which contains class. Only six students in all, of 2,550,000, of whom 766,000 are inRuswhom the remaining five were men, sian Poland; in Austria-Hungary, succeeded in obtaining this degree. 1,645,000; Turkish Empire, 800,000; Miss Sorabji is the only" girl gradu- Roumania, 265,000;· United States, ate" in the Bombay Presidency. 230000, and Abyssinia, 200,000. Best of all, she is a Christian, and the child of Christian parents, one of -Alexandria Reports for 1887. The seven sisters, all of whom have been Rev. William Kean, the head of the well educated and are doing good station, givesa frank statementof the service as educationists. Her mother difficulties of work among adult Jews. has established a successful high Miss Kirkpatrick reports continued .chool in Poonah. success in the two schools under her charge, the fees of the girls' school -calcutta has 200,000 Mohammedans and one not only paying:aU expenses, but with ordained missionary to them.-Indian Witness. £25 from the Glasgow Ladies' Associ- -The Methodist Episcopal Church has in India foreign, native and zenana missonaries, 4,450 members, ation, meeting all the requirements rents, $32,986, and the remainder ~m mis_ of the pOOl' school in the Jewish cellaneous sources. The appropriations already quarter of the town. Mr. Douglas pledged by the Board for foreign work during Dunlop, the head of the boys' school, the coming year amounted to $183,076. To reports 251 pupils (124 being Jews) translate, publish and distribute 500,000 volumes enrolled in the boys' schools, 190 be- of the Scriptures In foreign lands, $143,570 was ing in attendance at St. Andrew's paid. school. Of the 190 there were 63 Jews, 42 Roman Catholics, 31 Protestants, -The address ofthe Methodist bishops 24 Moslems, 23 Greek Church, and at the Geueral Confereuce shows that In the 7 Copts; 01', with regard to nat:ion- past few years 450,000 souls have been brought ality, 51 Egyptian, 45 British, 25 into the church, and the membership Increased Greek, 25 Italian, 20 German, 11 from 1,769,534 to 2,093,935. Receipts for mis- French, 8 Austrian, 3 Spanish and sionary work last year upwards of $1,000,000; 2 Swedish pupils. The ages of the approprlatlons for next year, $1,200,000. The pupils were remarkable. Of the 190 church claims 12 theological semi)laries, 54 colenrolled in St. Andrew's school 6 leges and 120 seminaries, with a property valua were over 20 years of age, or 21 over tion of $25,000,000. seventeen, or 42 over fifteen, or 78 in all over thirteen. The New Testa- -'l'he General Assembly of the United ment is carefully read and explained Presbyterian Church of North America recently in various languages every day, and held its sessions in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Ten all the Jewish boys without exception Synods and 61 Presbyteries belong to the Assemtake full part in the devotional exer- bly, with 753 ministers, 3,580 elders and 9S,992 cises and religious instruction. At members. The contributions of Sunday-schools the Sunday-school there is a good at- and missionary societies frp: the past year tendance of Jewish boys-sometimes amounted to $1,019,937. a dozen of them senior pupils. The basis of the success of the school is -The foreign missions of the Protestant the solid and high-class commercial Episcopal Church report communicants as foleducation provided, for which £347 lows: Liberia, 472; China, 374; Japan, 429; were realized in fees in 1887.-0hurch Haiti, 855; total,1,730. The income was $175,- of Scotland Record. 84S.46, including a balance of $20,739.51 from last year. There is a balance of $44,974.3Sln the -The Mission work among the treasury. 6,400,000 Jews of the world has been developed with especial rapidity -The English Wesleyan MisBiona.ry since 1881. An investigation made Society expended last year $700,000, and reports then showed that there were engaged statistics as follows: Stations, 339; preaching- in it 20 societies, employing 270 mis- places, 1,224; missionaries and assistant mis- sionaries. Statistics recently pub- sionaries, 324; other paid agents, 1,825; unpaid lished report the existence of 47 so- agents,3,651; cburchmembers,31,26S; scholars, cieties, with 377 missionaries. The 58,10S. increase in contributions has not been proportionally large, being only -During the six years, 1881-7, the North- about $96,000. Of the $432,000 which ern Baptists expended for Home Mission work, constituted last year's income, $363,- as shown by the receipts of the "American 163 were given in the British Isles. Baptist Home Missionary Society," $2,256,656. The missionaries make their head- For the same period they expended for foreign quarters at those cities where the missions, as shown by the receipts of the Jews chiefly congregate. Fifty-eight "Baptist Missionary Union," $2,327,289. The work in London; 14 in Buda-Pesth; Southern Baptists duriug the same six years 33 in Constantinople, and 28 in Jeru- contributed for Home Missions $455,399, and for salem. A proportionally smaller Foreign, $472,411. number of wQrkers are stationed at the less important cities. -The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, reports a total of members and preachers MISSIONARY SOCIETIES' RECEIPTS FOR of 1,107,456, an increase of 41,079. It has 11,364 churches, valued at $15,204,883. 1887-8. -The United Presbyterian Church of -The seventy-second annual meeting Scotland reports 565 congregations, an increase of 1, aud 182,170 members, an Increase of 107. olthe American Bible Society, New York, was The total congregational Income the past year held May 10. The cash receipts for general pur- was $1.603,500. -The German Evangelical Luthera.n poses amounted to $557,340, and disbursements, Church Synod embraces 246 ministers, 387 con- $506,443. The receipts from legacies for gen- gregations and 38,000 members, 219 parochial schools, and an average yearly attendance of eral purposes amounted to $113,778; from 6,427. churches, individuals aud auxiliary donations, Russia. – Rabinowitz. The Free $85,405 ; from books and the purchase account Church of Scotland Monthly contains $296,540 ; from trust funds, etc., $23,944; from a letter-written by Rabinowitz tp Dr. ary who came to this country to ob- Wilson of Edinburgh, dated March tain funds for the erl'!"ction of a Chris- 12. Dr. Somerville, who will be re- tian high school in Bangkok, has remembered as the Scotch minister turned to his field of labor. He sewho has preached in Constantinople cured $15,000 in this country, to and in various parts of the world with which the King 01 Siam will add such good effect, had visited Rabinowitz at Kischineff, which is the capi- $5,000. The erection of the school is tal of Bessabaria, some eighty-five thus made possible. miles northwest of Odessa. Dr. Somerville stayed with this Christian Sweden.-The Swedish Magazine, Israelite a few days, preaching, as Lunds-Missions Tidring, gives the Rabinowitz says, "to a house crowd- present number of baptized converts ed to overflowing by children of of the Berlin society as 16,539 at 47 Israel coming to see the eminent and stations. The last year's contriburespectable doctor." And he adds: "Dr. Somerville was 'moved to his tions of these amounted to $3,780. very heart, seeing how here the Jews, Syria.-The Quaker women have a with God's Word in the hand, are seeking the Lord their God, and "Syria-Ramalleh Home." They pro- David their King, Jesus Christ." pose to build a girls' training-school there, for which ,3,000 is raised, twice -Lord Radstock gave some interesting in- that amount being needed. Sybil Jones was the first woman to preach stances which had come under his notice. Two the gospel in the land since the apos- tles' day. They have a school at prominent workers had heen banished; one had Mansnrieh, near the Svrian Mission, on Mount Lebanon. The Philadelto walk 1,000 miles in chains to Siberia, bnt his phia Society supports a Bible woman in this mission. joy was that he would" now have the privilege -The Mission at Brumana on the of preaching the gospel to the prisoners," who heights of Mount Lebanon. overlook- ing Beirut, is under the joint mancould not otherwise be reached. In St. Peters- agement of the Society of Friends in Great Britain, Ireland and the burg the" open meeting" principle works ad United States. There is a training home for boys, with 30 inmates, and mirably, hecause when the gatherings are broken for girls with 20, and a well-ordered hospital with 15 beds, besides disup by the police-as is invariably the case when pensary, open five days a week. The mission has the charge of various discovered-the converts are each competent to day-schools for both sexes in several surrounding villages, in which more minister the Word to others, and thns, as in the than 300 children are under instruc- tion ;, it also employs a colporteur early days of the church, the scattering of the and several Bible-women. There are people secures the scattering of the seed. In also two mothers' meetings, which in earlier days had sometimes to be fact, on one occasion a number of imprisoned shortened becaulile of fights among the women, but which now are comconverts were released, hecause by their testi- posed of large numbers who delight to learn texts of Scripture, and be mony " they did more harm in prison than out." read to, rather than give vent to evil passion.-Presbyterian. Scotland.-,At the first meeting of the National Bible Society directors -The Pilgrims to Mecca this year for the new year, held in Glasgow, the from Syria are very few. The steamtotal income for 1887 was reported to ers offer great inducements, but as be £33,432 7s., being only £335 Is. less the pilgrimage takes place in June than the income of 1886, which in- and July the people dread the intense cluded £4,875 ofa fund raised in heat of Mecca and stay at home. A honor of the society's semi-jUbilee. Moslem of Beirut was asked, "Are The expenditure had been £30,992 6s. The issues in 1887 were 6a2,073 copies many of the Beirut Moslems going or parts of Scripture, including to Mecca this year?" "No," said he ; 164,729 Bibles, 180,662 Testaments, "only about ten." " Are those who and 286,682 portions. Though some- go generally made better men by the what less than the exceptional circulation of the last two years, these fig- pilgrimage?" " Better I They are uresare considerably beyondany form_ worse. Mecca is the wickedest place er record. The issues at home were in thQ East; full of robbers, thieves 220,754 copies, and abroad 411,319. and pickpockets, and everything vile.
Siam.-At a meeting of the Pres- Hardly a man goes but is robbed." bytery of Siam, it was reported that an addition of 48 members by confession, and five by certificate, makes the Whole number of communicants in connection with this Presbytery now 881. One new church was organized and one student licenl:!ed to preach the gospel.
-The Rev. Mr. Eakin, the mlssion~ Swltzerland.-The Basle Mission native Bible readers, and more'than has 111 missionaries and European 150 schools. teachers in its three fields, and 489 native pa.stOl'S, catechists, evangelists -The Woman's Foreign Missionand teachers. In 1884 there were ary Society of the M. E. Church just made to the quadrennial conference, baptized in Africa, India and China is full of encouragement. The re- 531 adult heathen,204 heathen chil- port covers the past four years. dren and 773 Christian children. The Basle Mission Church numbers to:day The society now nUlllbers 4,888 auxiliaries. with an annual membership of 115,228. The 17,053 members. German work had fnlly justified the expectations Turkey.-We are beginning to hear of the originators and had grown constantly. The last report gave a total of 104 auxiliaries, of spiritual result'i following the ad- with 2,694 annnal members and 19 life members. ministration of relief to the famine The aggregate recelpte of the last four years sufferers in Turkey. In some places have been $658,898.77, an increase over the pre· portions of the Scriptures have been vlous fonr years of $154,314.23. distributed with needed bread for the body. Mr. Gates of Mardin reports -The Woman's Society of theAmerican Bapthat in one village a man said, after tist Missionary Society received, East, $55,880 ; an earnest discussion: "It is nothing West, $25,882. other than the words of this book -Reports of the Five Women's Foreign which have sent us this aid." A Mos- Missionary SOCieties of the Presbyterian Chnrch lem at one village affirmed: "I know Cor the year ending May 1, 1888, namely: that the Protestants are the best of all the sects." " How do you know Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the that?" said a bystander. .. You are Presbyterian Chnrch, Philadelphia: Receipts, a Moslem. What do you know of the $149,640, a gain of $19,821; Anxullarie., 2,000, teachings of the Protestants?" The gain, 221; Missionaries, 133; Native Teachers and Bible Women, 91. Moslem replied: "I know by one sign. If I go to a priest, he says to Woman's Presbyterian Board of Missions or me, Give. If I go to a Moolah, he the Northwest; Receipts, $132,472, gam, $15,412; says to me, Give. If I go to an offi- Auxiliaries, 1522; Missionaries, 6~; Native cial or a friend, they say to me, Give. Teachers and Bible Women, 49, All;ay, Give. The Protestants alone say, Take. Theil' schools say, Take; Women's Board of Foreign Missions of the their teachings say, Take; their Presbyterian Chnrch, New York: Receipts, charities say, Take. By this I know $62,544, gain, $12,407 ; AUxiliaries, 900, gain, 76 ; that they are the· best." Mr. Gates Missionaries, 41; Native Teachers and Bible reports that villages are asking for Women,3D. teachers, and that the evangelical Woman's Presbyterian Foreign Missionary helpers are honored wherever they go Society of Northern New York: Receipts, $10among the mountains.-Mi88ionary 418 ; Auxiliaries, 118, gain, 14; MiSSionaries, 5 ; Herald. Native Teachers and Bible Women, 13.
Women's Missionary Work.-The Woman's Presbyterian Board of Missions of Women's Foreign Missionary So- the Sonthwest: Receipts, $7,217, gain, 503; ciety of the Presbyterian Church in Auxiliaries, 47, gain, 8; Missionaries, 7.
Canada reports $10,058 as the amount Total receipts, $812,286, gain dnring the year. of last year's receipts. Its foreign 848,143; Auxiliaries, 4,587, galu, 319; Missionwork is thus summarized: Three aries, 254; Native Teachers and Bible Women, schools for our Own Indians in the 83. Northwest, one girls' school in Formosa, six schools under the care of -The Fifteenth Annual Report of the Woour ladies in Central India, six native man's Foreign Missionary Society of the Presteachers assisting in these schools, byterian Church of the Pacific Cocst Is an ex- ceedingly Interesting one. The receipts from two Bible women, general mission- all sources were $10,700.4Q. ary work in the hospital, villages and zenanas, three missionary teachers, -The Woman's Union Missiouary SOCiety of one medical missionary, one lady America has In Calcutta and the villages south ready for the work, one lady in of It 22 schools with 1,178 girls, and 114 zenanas Canada receiving medical education, in which are 130 regular pupUs. A Bible lesson donation for Trinidad. Is given every day in the schools and at every visit in the zenanas. -The money given by the women of the Presbyterian Church in the -At the recent annual meetIng ofthe Chnrch United States during the past sixteen of England Zenana Missionary Society It was years amounts to $2,150,000, repre- stated that there had been good success at al- senting the entire support of more most every station. The receipts for the year were $133,000. There are now at home nearly than 200 women missionaries, 200 900 ass,ociations, and upward of 600 working parties in support of the mission.
'716 STA.TISTICS OF THE WORLD'S MISSIONS
VlI.-STATISTICS OF THE WORLD'S MISSIONS.
WORLD – WIDE DISTRIBUTION OF THE The issues of the Hibernian Bible So- 59,105 ciety for the same year were as fol- BIBLE. lows: Bibles, 20,897; New Testa- ments, 25,862 : Portions, 12.846. To- [Rev. John Wilkinson (London) has tal…. ….. ….. ………. …. …..• published a powerful tract with the Portions reduoed to Bibles, 402, which 46,661 above caption. We avail ourselves with Bibles and New Testaments of his statistics relating to Bible dis- make a total of Bibles, New Testa- ments and Portions reduced to Bitribution.-EDs. ] bles, of…………..••…..•……• REv. JAMES JOHNSTON, in his" Centnry of The Issues of the American Bible So- ciety, as given in the report for the Christian Missions," puts the population of the same year, were as follows : Bibles, world at about 1,470.000,000: Protestants, 135,- 369,714; New Testaments, 598.515; 000,000; Greeks, 85,000,000; Papists, 195,000,- PortiOns, 469,211. Total……….. 1,437,440 000; Jews, 8,000,000; Mohammedans, 173,000,- 000 ; heathen, 874,000,000; altogether about Total Bibles, New Testaments and 1,473,000.000 as the world's population at present. Portions reduced to Bibles. . . . . . . . . . 982,892 The Mohammedans and the heathen together The report states that "there are at least make 1,047,000,000, besides about 11,000,000 of .Tews. These 1,058,000,000 are unevangelized. twenty-five German Bible SOCieties. Some of Besides, there are millions of Greek Catholics them are very small." Only four or five-occupy and Roman Catholics as destitute of the Bible as a prominent position. These are: (1) the Prus- 8re the Mohammedans and the heathen. sian Chief Bible Society, for the eight original provinces of Prussia; (2) the Wllrtemberg It is esthnated that there are yet more than Bible Institute, for the kingdom of Wiirtem- 3,000 langnages and dialects into which the Holy berg; (3) the Saxon Chief Bible Society, Cor the Scriptures have never been translated. kingdom of Saxony; (4) the Nuremberg Bible Association, for the kingdom of Bavaria; and A.t the head of the list of agencies for the dis- (5) the Berg Bible SOCiety, on the Rhine. The tribution of the Bible is the British and Foreign circulation of the Prussian Chief Bible Society Bible Society. According to the report of 1886 for 1885 reached 97,400 copies; SO,694 of them the issues of the Society were as follows: Bibles. None of these were issued by the From the Bible Honse, London: Bi- British and FOreign Bible Society, but were ad- ditional. " The other four Societies mentioned bles, 636,411 ; New Testaments, with put into circulation, in 1881–39,539,20,731, 6.752 or without Psahns, 1,100,891 ; Por- and 17,477 copies respectively. About one-half tions,365,517. TotaL………… ..• 2,192,819 of these books were supplied by the British and From depots abroad: Bibles, 195,102 ; Foreign Bible Society. The work of the re- New Testaments, with or without maining twenty Societies was limited in extent, Psalms, 625,295 ; Portions, 1,110,688. and comprised but few of the British aud For- TotaL…………… …………… 1,931,085 eign Bible SOCiety's books. "
Total for the Jear, of Bibles, New Now let us gather the sum total of Bible cir- Testaments and Portions. . . . . .•. . . .. 4,123,904 culation by these German Bible Societies: First we have the Prussian Society… 97,400 Total portions, 1,476,205, divided by 82, Then we have the Wilrtemberg,Saxon, and thus reducing them to whole Bi- bles, make 46,181 ; which brings out Nuremberg, and Berg SOCieties, al- the following total of Bibles, New together 84,499; from these we must Testaments and Portions reduced to deduct half, as reckoned to the Bibles: Bibles, 831,513; New Testa- British and Foreign Bible SOCiety's me nts,l,816,186; Portions, reduced issues-so these four Societies cir- to Bibles, 46,131. TotaL…. •. . . . .. 2,693.830 culated ………………………. . 42,250 We put down for the other twenty The issues of the National Bible Soci- 645,662 small Societies a circulation of….. . 60,350 ety of Scotland for the same year, 1886, were as follows: Bibles, 154,- 450; New Testaments, 256,507 ; Por- tions,234,705. TotaL…………..
Total portions, 234,705, divided by 32, 418,692 This will make a total for the twenty- and thus reducing them to whole Bi- five Societies of………….. …… 200,()()(1 bles, make 7,335; which brings out The Trinitarian Bible Society's report fOl the following total of Bibles, New Testaments, and Portions reduced to 1887 says: "The circulatiou of Scripture dur Bibles: Bibles, 154,450; New Test- ing the past year has been as follows, in twenty aments, 256,507; Portions reduced languages" :- to Bibles, 7,335. TotaL………… Bibles, 3,354; New Testa- ments, 11,038; Portions, 96,620…•…•••.•.••Total 111,012 Special sale or HebrewNew PRESBYTERIAN MISSION OF NORTHERN BRAZIL.-STATlSTICS FOR 1887. Testaments, 75,000; special NAlIlE OF grant oC Hebrew INew CHURCH.
Testaments, 25,000..Total 100,000 Recife ………. 1~ ~ ~'i 25 58 39 . . . . . . . . Total circulation, sales, and grants… . 211,012 Goyanna……. 11 •. 32 29 1 …. 1 8 The Portions, 00,620 rednced to Bibles, i" .. Fortaleza. . . . .. 9 .. 1 47 40 27 " .. 1 1 by being divided by 32, make, In Mossoro.. .•. . . . 5 20 21 12 ……. . Parahyba .•…. 11 3 1 1 16 ~~ <I I ….. . round numbers, 3,020; which with Maranham….. 1 1 …. 15 …. 1 ..
the Bibles, New Testaments, and Pao de Assucar. 8 7.. .. … IS 17 .. 1 .. ·. Maceio……… 8 1 …. ,.. 3 1 1 ….. . special 100,000 oC Hebrew New 8146 3 3 108 215 143 3 1 2 2 Testaments, make the total……… 117,412 Totals. Catholic and Protestant Converts.
British and Foreign Bible -DR. WARNECK, who also is a lead- Society – Bibles, Testa- ments and Portion: issued ing authority on mission matters, from the London House and from def.ots abroad.. 4,123,904 has compiled some statistics on the The same tota , with Portions reduced number of converts reported from to Bibles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . •. •. . .. 2,693,830 Catholic and from Protestant socie- National Bible Society ot ties. His summary is that the former Scotland-Bibles, Testa- ments and Portions. . . . . . 645,662 reports 268,700 converts in Africa, The same total, with Portions reduc- 2,000,000 in Asia, 55,000 in Oceanica, ed to Bibles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . •. . . • 418,692 330,000 in America, or a total of Hibernian Bible Soclety- 2,053,700. Protestant societies report Bibles, Testaments and 577,000 in Africa, 700,000 in Asia. Portions. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 59,105 280,000 in Oceanica, and 688,000 in The same total, with Portions reduc- America, or a total of 2,245,700. Dr. ed to Bibles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . •. . . . . 56,661 American Bible Society- Warneck remarks: Bibles, Testaments and Portions ………………. 1,437,440 .. I must confess that these figures sur- The same total, with Portions reduc- prised me. Considering the grand and im- ed to Bibles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • 92,982 posing organization of the Catholic Church. The twenty-five German Societies…. 200,000 the larger number of its missionaries, their Trinitarian Bible Society- rapid method of receiving into church com- Bibles, Testaments and munion larger numbers, and the great ad- Portions …………. , . . .• 211,012 vantage enjoyed by the fact that they have The same total, with Portions rednc- been at the work many centuries before our ed to Bibles…………….. ……• 117,412 work began. I had thought that numerically Grand total, InclndingBibles – – – their mission success would vastly exceed Testaments and Portions. 6,477,123 that of the Protestants. Leaving ont of consideration Asia, where chiefiy those who The same total, with Portions rednc- are descendants of converts of earlier cen- ed to Bibles.. ………………… 4,4.59,487 turies in China and India swell the number in the Roman Catholic reports. it must be Only frrur-and-a·1uJlj' milliOns of Bibles are seen that everywhere else the mission work being prodnced a year, while the annual increase of the world's popnlation is estimated at twelve of the Evangelical Church is far in advance mUli0n8! of that of the Roman Catholic."
BlBLE WORK IN CHINA IN 1887.
B. & F. Bible Soc. North China. …… ~~ 790 75,228 76,212 Central .. . . . . . . . 839 83,652 84,664 – – Sonth " .. . . . .. …. -. .-. . – -. . . -. 91,010 TotalB. &F….. 367 1,629 158,880 251,886 Scotch Bible Soc. -Mission work ofthe Catholic Church North China. . . . . .. …. 136 7,229 7,366 Central" ….•…… 1,952 168,859 170,31J is in the hands of the Propaganda Total N. B. S. S.. 2,088 176,088 178,176 Society, In the periodical Kathol- iscke Missionen recently this Society Amer'nBible Soc. 80 689 713 1,482 Sales-Depot …… . ]20 2,082 29,932 82,13'" makes its report for 1886. 77 2,059 :103,782 205,918 h Missionaries. 35 121 1,145 1,301 According to this France furnished about 48 899 9,837 10,784 two-thirds of the funds needed Cor the work. " Colportenrs.• namely. 4,855,658 francs; Germany contrib- Donations-Depot .. 72 1,184 1,256 uted 409,271 francs; Belgium, 358,767 ; Elsass " Missionaries. and Lorraine, 286,987 ; Italy, 382.214; Great " Colportenrs.. Britain. 166,319; Switzerland, 77,139; the Total Am. B. S . . 360 5,922 246,593 252.875 Netherlands, 112,551 ; Spain,97,522; Portugal, 47,249; Austria, 88.403; Hungary. 3,952 ; Bnl- SgacrainadainnadviRaonnmcoaunnitar,ie5s0,0;84R7u; ssAiaSlia5,288;,4t0h5e; Grand total, 1887. . . 727 9,639 581,581 682,937 Total, 1886… . . . . . .. 1,019, 14,256 493,678 583,429 Africa. 35,373; North AmerlCa.l00,928; Cen- tral America, 566; South America, 55,569 ; – Chute8e Recorder. Australia, 14.519. ' .Je'll'I.-lI'rom the HelJrsUJ Annual we learn A.merlcan Baptflt 1Illmoa&l]' tlnton• that France contains 000,000; Germany. 562.000, of whom 89,000 inhabit Alsaee and LorraIne; REOAPl'rULA'rI01I'. Austria-Hungary, 1,644,000, of whom 688,000 are in Galicia and 638,000 In Hungary; Ita!;!'l to.QOO ; The Burman Ml88ion.-51 mll!l!Ol1aries, 1ft Ns~'e!Ith~e~r,laOnOdOs, 82,000; RPooluamnda,ni7a6,8,2O6OO5~U;WTu; r~kUeIyI, men and 85 women (including wfflllJ of mis- (Russian sionaries) ; 13 Ordained and 89 nnordalned na- SloWotlutuzuerilanBde,lg7iu,0m0,0; 3,O:Kl ; Bulgaria, 10,000; tive preachers; 21 churches, 1,680 members, Denmark, .,000; Spain, 150 baptized in 1881. 1,900; Gibraltar, 1,500 i. Greece, 8,000; Servia, 3.500; Sweden, 3,000. m Asia there are 30,000 TAe Karen .Mi8rion.-47 missionaries. 15 men of the race. Turkey In Asia has 195,000, of whom and 82 women; 10 ordained and 851 unordained 115,ooo are in Palestine, 407,000 In Russian Asllr, native preachers; 494 churches, 26.008 mem- 18,000 In Persia, 14,000 In Central Asia, 111,000 In hers, 1.877 baptized In 1887. India, and 1,000 in China. In AfrIca 8,000 Jews lgievrel~In.60E,0g0y0pitn, 55 000 In Tnnisia, 35,000 in AI- TAe Shan Mi88ion.-6 miSSionaries, 2 men Morocco, 6,000 in TrIpoli, and and 4 women; 7 unordained native preachers; 2OO,uuu In Abyssinia. America connta 280,000 2 churches. 42 members, 1 baptized In 1887. i;rg~clr:; g}::n:ee~~~s ~l~em~':ts~fIa:ll:; continent, while only 12,000are scattered through TAe Kachin MiBrion.-2 missionaries, 1 man Oceanica. The entire total ~f the Hebrew race and 1 woman; 2 ordained and 1 unordained na- tive preachers; 3 churches. 39 members, 3 bapon the surface ot the globe Is estimated at tized in 1887.
6.300.000. TAe Ohin'Miasion.-5 missionaries, , meB and 3 women; 15 ordained Bnd 16 unordalned -The French Protestant mission- native preachers; 7 churches. 174 members. 62 aries among the Bassutos of south- baptized In 1887. eastern Africa report for 1886-7 as follows: The M8Gme8e .Mi8sion.-9 missionaries, 8, men and 6 women; 2 ordained and 9 unor Stations……………… . 17 (Same as previ- dained native preachers; 15 churches. 786 mem- ousyear. bers, 37 haptized In 1887.
Out-stations…………. . 89 Increase of 5 The Garo MiBrion.-4 missionaries. 2 men and 2 women; 5 ordained and 6 unordalned na- Native helpers•……….. 160 18 tive preachers; 10 churches, 986 members. 165, baptized in 1887. Marriages…………… .. 109 14 TAe Naga .Mi88ion.-8 missionaries. 4 men InCant baptisms.. . . .. . .. . 322 64 and 4 women; 6 unordalned native preachers; 8 churches. 70 members. 6 bap.tized In 111117. Catechumens.. . . . . . . . . . .. 2.245 387 The Tcl'U(fU Mi8sion.-44 missionaries, 19 men Communicants. . . . . . . . . . .. 5,525 385 and 25 women; 56 ordained and 137 unordalned native preachers; 52 churches. 68.629 members, Total number adherents… 7.770 672 2.321 baptized in 1887.
– – – Scholars….. . .. . .. . . . 4,066 982 The OAineBe MiBBiOn.-1IOmi8sionaries,12 men and 18 women; 7 ordained and 33 unordalnod Congregational Statistllll. native preachers; 19 churches, 1.568 members. 51 baptized in 1887. Chur~hes: whole nnmber………. .. 4.404 new ………………. .. 246 TAe Japan MisBion.-2/i missionaries. 8 men gain in number……… . 127 and 17 women; I) ordained and 21 unordalned Mell!.'>ers: whole number ………. . 457.584 native preachers; 11 churches, 770 members, added on conCession…. . 41,156 211 baptized in 1887. .. by letter …….. .. 26.185 total [189 not di- T1Ie Congo MilI8ion.-28 missionaries. 17 men vided] …………. .. 67,530 and 11 women; 4 churches, 248 members, 1111 removed…………… .. 38,644 baptized in 1887. apparent increase ……. . 28,886 gain [actual. comparing JiJurqpean Ml&siom.-1I72 preachers; 654 totals] ………….. . 21.200 churches. OO.14l1 members, 5,532 baptized In difference [due to Inacu- 1881. rate report<! …….. .. 7.681 BaPHsms : I!-dult………………. .. 20,123 In the missions to the heathen there are 60 mfant……………… .. 11,1166 stations and 831 out-stations. Including those Families reported.. . .. .. .. .. . .. …. . 268,775 now absent from their lI.e1d8, there are 282 mis- Sunday;~chools. me.mbers ……….. . 551.691 sionaries. including 159 single women lll!d 84 gam in members … . 29.704 wives of missionaries. " average attendance . . 324.719 united with the church In an the missions there are 262 misaionarles from……….. .. 18.399 (Including la1 evangelists), 1.798 preachers, 1.296 benevolent contribu- churches. and 127.208 members; 10.602 were tions ot…. ….. . $162,012 baptized in 1887.
BENBVOLEN'r CON'rRmU'rlON8 oJ!' 'rHIII I1IJIJ'tWUe frum laBt Slear.-14mia8Ionaries, 31 OHURCHES: churches, 8.678 members.-8eventy;fourth ~ lIual Report. For the year 1887 only………….. $2.095.485 Increase over 1885.. .. .. .. .. . .. . .. .. (18,275 O~,which lor ~oreign Missions. . . . . . 319.404 ~ucation.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 221.287 .. .. Church BuildiIlg……. 122,590 Home Missions…. . .. . 436.577 .. A. M. A…… ………. 151,698 .. Sunday-schools……… 28.986 .. New West………….. 43.960 .. Ministerial Ald….. …. . 9.138 " •. Other ob,tects……….. 787,731 Legacies paid. . .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . 829,663 !lome Expenditures……………… 5.078,980 Increase. . . . . . . . . 1,100,750 U U – Congregational Year-Book JfYr 1888. " Faetl COllCemiDg the COllege Department of or more tl'&veling secretaries, and the Interna- YOlIIIg lieD'. Christian As.oelatloDs of North tional Committee's secretarial force numbers America. 14. 77 or these associations are engaged 231 college associations are In existence. specially in work among raUway men; 10- 41 have been orgallized within the year. , among German-speaking young men; 273 are in ' 179 have an aggregate membership of 9.863. colleges; 29 are colored and 18 Indian. 226 203 have an active membership of 8,699. associations report educational classes in trom 174 have an associate membership 0(2,240. one to fifteen branches of study; 287 report 177 have 2,570 members serving on committees. special attention to physical culture through 143 expend annually $6,067. gymnasiums and out-door sports; 898 Bible classes, 367 Bible training classes, and 661 4 haTe buildings; Princeton, valued at $20,000; Hanover, '$1000; Toronto University, weekly prayer-meetings are among the services $7,000, and ~"e University, $50,000. Cor young men only, which are reported.
59 have rooms devoted exclusively to their UStt. -In heathen countrie. Protestants occupy 54 have furniture valued at $20,732. 100 separate mission fields, containing 20,000 18 have libraries of 8,655 volumes, valued at mission .tations, supplied by 40,000 missionaries. In these 20,000 mission stations there are 500,000 $3,577. Sabbath-school scholars, an average or 25 to 27 had 101 lectures during the year, and 68 ha. each station. In the 20,000 Protestant mission stations there are 1,000,000 of native communi- 144 sociables. cants, or an average of 50 to each etation. There are also 2,000,000 of adherents who are friends BELIGIOUS MEETINGS. of the evangelical faith and hearers of the gospel preached from tbe Bible, an average of 100 to 87 report 98 Bible classes, with a total average each station. Including all classes, there are attendance of 1,688. now identified with Protestant Christian mis- sions 3,500,000 persons, served by 40,000 mis- 59 report 99 traiuing classes, with a total aver- sionaries. The nationalities friendly to Protest- age attendance of 1,024. tant Christianity, or nominally Christians, contain a population of about 150,000,000, or 188 report 198 prayer-meetings, 147 ofwhich have one-ninth ot tbe whole population of the earth, a total average attendance of 3 998. ' covering 14,000,000 of square miles, or one-fourth of the whole geographical surface oC the globe. 84 report gospel meetings, 50 of which have II The Greek and Roman Catholic churches cover total average attendance of 1,481. 18,000,000 square miles in nations friendly to them or dominated by them, and have 250,000,000 23 report song services, 13 of which have a to- of adherents. The Mohammedans bave a fol- tal average attendance of 394. lowing of "bout 200,000,000 nominally. Strictly pagan conntrles, therefore, have yet a popula- 80 report missionary meetings. tion of OM bution souls who are not reached by 3 report daily prayer-meetings. Mohammedan, Catholic, Greek or Protestant 19 report 21 cottage or neighborhood prayer- churches.
meetings. -Statistical tables In the Baptist Year-Book 8 report meetings In almshouses, jails and hos- show the total number of members In the 31,891 Baptist churches to be 2,917,815, indicating a pitals. gain of 184,745 members during the year. Tho 18 report 27 Sunday-schools conducted in their number of baptisms reported is 158,373, which ia 2,995 more than were reported a year bofore. members. 137 881!OCiations observed the day of prayer for -" The Presbyterian Church of the United States, ,,11 branches, have over 15,000 churches, colleges the last Thursday in January, :1886. 11,500 ministers, 1,500,000 members, and ex- 181 observed the day of prayer for young men, the second Sunday In November. 200 report 81,420 young men as studenta In their colleges. 157 report 9,956 young men, stndents of their colleges, 8S members of evangelical churches. 150 report 1,7~ professed conversions during the year. 161 report that 2,750 students in their colleges intend to enter the ministry. 48 report tbat 135 or these have been convocted since entering college. 24 report that 86 of these have been converted the past year. 19 report that 64 have been inflnenced in their , decision for the ministry by tbe work of the College Association. 59 report that 126 students in their colleges In- tend to be foreign missionaries. 4 report that 5 of these have been converted the past year. 3 report that 16 of these have been influenced in their decision for the forei!(n field by the missionary department of the College Asso- ciation.
– The International Committee of Young pends annually in her work 816,000,000 ; has also Men's Christian Associations at 40 East 23rd 46 colleges, with 5,000 students; 20 theological street, New York, bas just issued the Associa- seminaries, with 1.900 studenta ; 34 female sem- tion "Year-Book for 1888." There are now, inaries, with 4,000 pupils."-Dr. G. P. Hay,.
according to this annnal report, 1,240 associa- -The statistics preseuted at the last Interna- tions in America, aud 8,804 in the world. The tional Sunday-school Convention show that American associations bave a membership of whlle there are in the Sunday-schools oC our 170,000 ; they own buildings valued at $5,609,- country and the Dominion of Canada seven mil- WS, and have a total net property of $7,261,658 ; lion children and youth, there are more than IIIstyear they expended $1,181,888 In local work, nine million outside of the Sunday-school. Dr.
~d $104,949 In general work. 752 men are de- Worden stated that of this number 800,000 are In voting their entire time to the local, State and New York State,575,OOO In Pennsylvania. 440,000 IIlternational work as secretaries and assistants; in Ohio. 365,000 in Kentucky, 840,000 in Indiana, ~here are 23 ,Btate committees that employ one 600,000 in DlinOi8, 550,000 In Missouri, 228,000 In Kansas. In three years the gain In" Sunday- l!'aith in foreign /parts was organized in L7ona.
school membership has been nearly 500,000 ; but France, in 1822. Since that time it has received an aggregate of 220,000,000 francs, mainly in this ill small, compared"with the gain in our pop- small amounts. Its receipts during the past year were 6,648,000 francs, of which 4,850,000 ulation, which Increases more rapidly every were drawn from France.
year. -According to the Directory of the Roman Catholic Church for 1888, there are, in England -The Weilih Calvinistic Methodists embrace aud Wales,2,314 Catholic priests to 1,728 in 1876, and these preside over 1,:lO* churches, chapels 1,:e20 churches, 129,000 members, 1,012 minis- "nd stations. Scotland has 5 bishops, 324 priests and 237 churches aud chapels. The R0ters, aud 1,450 Sabbath·schools, with home and man Catholic population iu 1887 is given as 1,354,000 in England and Wales, 326,000 iu Scotforeign missionary societies. land, 3,961,000 in Ireland. Together with the colonies, the number of Catholics under British -The German Evangelical Lutheran Chureh rule is 9,682,000.
Synod embraces 246 ministers, 381 congrega- -New England Catholic statistics count up as follows: Priests, 906; seminariaus, 233; tions, and 38,000 members, 219 parochial schools, churches, 602 ; chapels and statiOns, 133; col- leges, 7 ; academies,38 j parochial schools, 205 ; and an average yearly "ttendance of 6,4'l7. pupils, 69,105 ; charitable institutions, 36; Cath- olic population, 1,185,000. This estimate is -The African Methodist Episcopal Chureh, based on the reports of the parish priests to their ordinaries. It is rather uuder thau over the fig_ whose General Conference recently in session at nres. Exceeding care is taken in making this ceusus. Estimations are generally based upou Indianapolis, reports 1 membership of 408,351, baptisms, marriages, etc., which yield a certainty on the safe side, but which exclude that host and the total of money raised for all purposes of Catholics who hold their religion loosely, who seldom attend church, who frequently neglect to during the year 1887 as 51,064,569. There are have their childreu baptized, yet who are sub- stantially Catholics, if anything, and who some- 3,394 churches and 660 parsonages, valued at times, soouer or later, return to the faith of their rathers. There are at least a million and a half $5,340,889. There are 11,009 stewards, 14,190 Catholics in New England. It has been assertsd, without contradiction, that over half the popustewardesses, and 14,778 class-leaders. lation of Boston are Catholics.- Catholtc Re- view. The statistics of the United Presbyterian – In 1881 the 1,200 members of the United Church for the present ecclesiastical year are: Presbyterian Board in Egypt-most of them very poor meu and women-raised more thau 1887. 1888. $17 each, for. the support of churches and schools. Look on this picture, then on that. Total membership… . . . . . . • 94,641 98,991 Christians in America give 50 ceuts each to mis- Total congregations" . . . . .•. . 885 1107 sions. Christians in poor Egypt give $17 each Total pastoral charges…… 618 708 for missions, and yet America is considered" Total contributions ………• $977,860 $1,019,937 Christian nation -Presb. CoUtge Journal.
-According to the Year-Book of the Disciples -The wealthof church members in the United States of America in 1880 was 8,723 m!llion dolof Christ for 1888, they have 6,437 churches, lars. Of this pne-sixteenth of one per cent. or one dollar out of $1,586 is given in a year for the 620,000 communicants, 4,500 Sunday-schools, salvation of eight hundred million heathen.
with a membership of 318,000, and a teaching – I t is difficult so learn thstatistics of J emsa- em. Probably as reliable information as can be force of 33,340 ; number of preachers 3,263. The secured is given by the Bote aus Zion, a carefwly edited German Protestant quarterly, published value of church property is $10,368,361. in the Holy City. The Mohammedans number about 9,OOJ, the Jews 18,000, and the Christians -In Germany and Switzerland there are eigh- 7,000, making a total of 34,000. The Jews genteen foreign missionary societies, with betweeu erally claim more, making the estimate as hlgil 522 and 550 missionaries in the field, and with an as 30,000.
Income of about $720,000. The particular cir- cumstances of their origin, no doubt, account for this state of things, bnt it certainly ought now to be possible to consolidate the smaller so- cieties, and thus save the expense of so many different officials.
-Mr. David McLaren has made II careful ex- amination and analysis of the home contribu- tions of four great missionary societies and of the British and Foreigu Bible Society during the ftftyyears of the present reign. The annual av- erage amount of the five societies for the last ten years was £556,631, shown as follows: Baptist Missionary Society. . . . . . . . . . . .. £57,229 Wesleyan Missionary Socie!y………. 109,433 Church Missionary Society…………. 193,670 London MisSionary Society..• , . . . . . ••• ro,742 British and Foreign Bible Society. •.•• . 109,557 The total contribntions for the IIfty years were £10,798,160, being about the amount spent on drink in this country in sixty days.
One feature bronght out by the examination is that, when al large sum has been raised for a special object, the income of sncceeding years has not suffered In consequence.
-The Roman Catholic Propaganda of the
The Missionary Review of the World — July 1888
A ROMANOE OF MODERN MISSIONS
MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD.
VOL. XI. No. 7.-0ld Series.–]ULY._-VOL. I. No. 7.-New Series.
I.-LITERATURE OF MISSIONS.
A ROMANOE OF MODERN MISSIONS.* BY REV. J. W. BASHFORD, PH.D., BUFFALO, N. Y.
ONE day in the winter of 1832-3, four Flathead Indians appeared upon the streets of St. Louis with a request which no white man had ever heard before. They came, they said, from the land of the setting sun. 'rhey had heard of the white man's God and they wanted thtl white man's Book of Heaven.
General Olarke, then commanding the military post at St. Louis, was a Roman Oatholic. The Roman Oatholic missionaries have per- formed heroic service for the Indians. Unfortunately, however, they have tried to give the Indians Ohristianity without :civilizatiOi,Q So . while the four Flatheads were received with the greatest hospitality, and were shown the Roman Oatholic church, the pictures of the saints, etc., yet they were steadily denied their oft repeated request for a Bible. Two of the Indians died in St. Louis from the fatigue of their long journey from Oregon. The other two, homesick and disappointed, prepared to return. Gen. Clarke made a banquet for them and bade them God speed on their journey. One of the Indians was called upon to respond. His response deserves to rank with Lincoln's Gettysburg speech as a model of eloquence and with Washington's Farewell Ad- dress in the influence it subsequently exercised. We can give no just idea of the circumstances, or of the impression it produced. We can only give the English version of the speech which, like all translations, loses much of the force of the original: "I came to you over the trail of many moons from the setting sun. You were the friend of my fathers who have all gone the long way. I came with an eye partly opened for more light for my people who sit in darkness. 1 go back with both eyes closed. How can 1 go back blind to my blind people? I made my way to you with strong arms, through many ene- mies and strange lands, that 1 might carry back much to them. 1 go back with both arms broken and empty. Two fathers came with us. They were the braves of many winters and wars. We leave them asleep here by your *Barrows' Oregon, Gray's History of Oregon, Reed's Missions of the Met.hodist Episcopal Church, Gov. Simpson's Narrative, Parkman's Oregon Trail, and per- sonal correspondence with Rev. Daniel Lee. great water and wigwam. They were tired in many moons and their mocca- sins wore out. My people sent me to get the white man's Book of Heaven. You took me where you allow your women to dance, as we do not ours, and the Book was not there. You took me where they worship the Great Spirit with candles, and the Book was not there. You showed me images of the good spirits and pictures of the good land beyond, but the Book was not among them to tell us the way. I am going back the long, sad trail, to my people of the dark land. You make my feet heavy with gifts and my moc- casins will grow old in carrying them, yet the Book is not among them. When I tell my poor, blind people after one more snow in the big Council, that I did not bring the Book, no word will be spoken by our old men or by . our young braves. One by one they will rise up and go out in silence. My people will die in darkness, and they will go on the long path to other hunt- ing grounds. No white man will go with them and no white man's Book to make the way plain. I have no more words."
A young man was so impressed with the address that he wrote to friends in the East some account of this strange visit and of the pa- thetic plea of the Indians for a Bible. The letter was published in The Christian Advocate in March, 1833. When President Fisk, of Wilbraham, read the thrilling story, it was like fire shut up in his bones. He issued through The Advocate a trumpet-blast, entitling it, "Hear! Rear! Who will respond to the call from beyond the Rocky Mountains?" The church was aroused. Contributions began to flow in. President Fisk at once wrote Rev. Jason Lee, who had been at the Academy in 1828, and was then waiting to engage in mis- sion work among the Indians of Canada. Jason Lee was six feet two inches high, physically strong, intellectually clear, and morally with- out a blemish. He is pronounced by the Oyclopedia oj Methodism "the peer of any man who adorns the role of modern workers in the Church of Christ." Jason Lee selected his nephew, Rev. Daniel Lee, now living at Caldwell, Kansas, to accompany him. Three laymen, Cyrus Sheppard, T. S. Edwards and P. L. Edwards, volunteered to share the danger and the labor with the ministers. These five men, under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Board, joined Captain N. J. Wyeth of Cambridge, Mass., who had been West asa fur-trader, had built Fort Hall in south-eastern Idaho, and was returning West. After a journey of many months the party reached Oregon, and Jason Lee preached the first Protestant sermon on the Pacific coast at Vj:tn- couver, September 28, 1834.
Meanwhile, what had become of the two remaining Indians, and where was the tribe from which they came? After leaving St. Louis for the West in the spring of '33 the two Flatheads fell in with George Catlin, the famous Indian artist. They traveled with him for days. But with Indian reserve and stoicism they did not mention the object of their visit or their desire for the white man's Book. Upon Mr. Catlin's return to Pittsburg months afterward he saw the letter written froin St. Louis, and said it must be false. He wrote to General Olarke to learn the facts. General Clarke wrote back, "It is true. That was the only object of their visit, and it failed." It will interest you and add to the romance to learn that Catlin, without knowing that these two Indians were to be historic, yet enriched his gallery with their portraits, which are numbered 207 and 208 in his Collection. After leaving Catlin one more of the Indians died on the journey home, and only one returned to announce to the great Council the death of his companions and that the white man refused them the Book. The tribe was embittered and gave up all hope of help from the white man's God. So when our missionaries at last found these Indians, they received no welcome from them. Worse still, the tribe was small and their location poor. So that if their invincible prejudices could be overcome they offered a very limited field for missionary labor. At first the Lees were discouraged. The whole movement seemed a miserable, methodistic fiasco, in which zeal had outrun knowledge.
Did you ever think that the Bible says nothing about Paul finding in Macedonia the same man who appeared to him in his vision? But Paul found Macedonian heathen in abundance, and thus concluded that he had a mission. So Jason Lee found Indian heathen in abundance in the Willamette valley and some members of the Hudson Bay Company who had never heard the gospel. So, nothing daunted, he concluded he was sent of God, and prepared to stay. He established a Manual Labor School for the Indian children and began to teach the Indians Christianity and civilization. Now see how God was in this movement-how He aimed at and accomplished through these missionaries a far greater work than they had ever dreamed of! It was really the battle between the school-house and the Bible on the one side and the steel-trap and the rifle on the other, between American self-government and British domination, between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism upon the western coast, that these missionaries were sent to Oregon to help fight out. Nay, it was even the battle between freedom and slavery in our Republic which they providentially helped to settle. You remember that by an agreement between the United States and Great Britain, made in 1818 and renewed in 1827, the western boundary between Canada and our Republic was left undetermined. The territory remained open to settlers from both nations. Under this arrangement the Hudson Bay Fur Company, which outnumbered by far all other whites upon the coast, laid claim, under an English charter, to the territory. It broke down in succession eleven fur companies which the Americans organized; it drove from the country a man of the indomitable zeal and enterprise of John Jacob Astor; and its Governor, Sir George Simpson, practicallyexercised control over the whole territory north of California and west of the Rocky Mountains. But the Hudson Bay Company found motives loftier than money making and perseverance surpassing that of the indomitable Astor in the Methodist missionaries; and a contest between these two parties now began. When under the Methodists some of the Indians were converted and civilized, the company refused to sell them hoes and spades and ploughs. It sent to Oanada at its own ex- pense for Jesuit missionaries to teach the Indians Ohristianity without civilization, and thus at once appeal to the native indolence of the Indians and keep the country from cultivation. On the refnsal of the company to sell the Americans cattle, Lee organized an American Oompany, went to Oalifornia, and bought 600 head of cattle of the Mexicans. Four more Methodist missionaries, including two women, arrived in 1835; and in 1836 eight more, including Jason Lee's wife, sailed from Boston for Oregon. The Methodist missionaries saw at this early date that the allegiance of the country would be determined by the predominance of English or American settlers; and in the inter- ests of Ohristianity, of Protestantism, and of freedom they determined to save the land to the United States. In 1838 J ason I~ee started to the States with two Indian boys. A messenger overtook him with the sad intelligence that his wife and child had succumbed to the hardships of the frontier and were both dead. These were the first martyrs to the cause in Oregon. Broken-hearted and lonely Jason Lee pressed on and induced thirty-six persons to emigrate to Oregon in '38, and about seventy more in '39, and one hundred and twenty more under the guidance of another Methodist missionary in '42. The letters written home from Oregon began to have an influence, and other settlers fol- lowed in the next few years. On the arrival of Jason Lee in Oregon the British outnumbered the American whites ten to one. After 1840, . chiefly under Lee's management, the American population outnum- bered the British ·population, and had chosen the permanent industry . of farming while the English had chosen the temporary occupation of hunting and trapping.
But the struggle for the possession of this joint territory was not over; and it might not have ended favorably had not the missionaries of the American Board come to the assistance of the Methodists. The Board of Missions fQr the Oongregational Ohurch had been stirred by the appearance of the Flathead Indians, and planned to send two missionaries in company with the methodists to Oregon in 1834, but could not secure the men in time. So this Board sent out in 1835 Dr. Marcus Whitman and Mr. Parker who were to explore the country and return. Dr. Whitman returned and reported favorably, and in 1836 Dr. Whitman and his bride and Rev. H. H. Spaulding and his bride were sent to found a mission in Oregon. Methodist women had gone to Oregon in 1835 by ship; but these were the first white women to cross the Rocky Mountains-six years be- fore General Fremont the noted pathfinder disoovered the pass through which they entered Oregon. There was a marked di:8'erence between Mr. Whitman and Mr. Spaulding. Mr. Spaulding was a man of some literary tastes, but was certainly not one of wild nature's fa.- vorites. On the trip out he was shaken by the ague, kicked by a mule, pushed off a ferryboat by a cow and saved himself from drowning by clinging to her caudal appendage; while an incipient western cyclone carried off his tent and stripped him of his blankets. We do not wonder that he concluded he was not adapted to western life# and that he would have turned back had not his brave wife persisted in going forward. But Dr. Whitman was one of nature's noblemen. He was not tall but was compactly built, was a physician as well as a missionary, was keen, independent, self-willed, had the lofty courage of Sheridan and the unconquerable tenacity of General Grant.
Despite the protestations of the British agent at Fort Hall Dr. Whitman insisted upon taking his wagon through and actually took it as far as Fort Boise before he abandoned it in 1836. Later he had it brought on to Oregon and thus proved against the persistent statements of the Hudson Bay Company that a wagon road from the United States to Oregon was practicable.
In October 1842 Dr. Whitman was called to visit a sick man of,the Hudson Bay Co. at old Fort Walla Walla. While there the express rider from Canada dashed up with the mail. Dr. Whitman now learned for the first time that Governor Simpson had gone to Canada some months before, and had dispatched a body of one hundred and fifty emigrants to Oregon, to bring the English numbers above those of the American settlers; that these emigrants were only ten days behind the express-rider, and that Governor Simpson had gone on to Washington to try to arrange for the yielding of our claim to Oregon. On receiving the news the traders and the priests cheered for England and Oregon, and cried: "America is too late; the land is ours!" Dr. Whitman saw at once that the country would be lost without a most daring effort to save it. He rode back twenty-four miles to the American missions that afternoon, announced his determination to try to reach Washington, and asked for a companion. General Lovejoy of the Methodist Mission offered to go with him, and October 3d, with a guide and two pack mules, the two men set out on horseback for the United States. These two brave riders saw before them a journey of four thousand miles. The first three thousand would be across trackless wilds, and the first one thousand through mountains which were almost impassable in the summer-time. They knew they would be exposed to wild beasts. The Blackfeet Indians had been aroused to savage ferocity by the advance of the whites across the Mississippi, and their fierceness had infected many other tribes. Worst of all, these travelers saw the winter coming on. From the human standpoint it did not seem probable that a journey of three thousand miles could be made over mountains and across trackless plains in the depth of winter, with scarcely a house to shelter them. But they felt that God would help them. They were struggling for the civil and religious institutions of a region of large extent and boundless fertility, and the cause was worth their lives. To avoid the Blackfeet Indians and the cold on the northern plains, they resolved to bear southeast from their starting point- Waiilatpu, Oregon, to Fort Hall, thence almost South to Taos and Santa Fe, in New Mexico, thence east to Bent's Fort in Indian Territory, on the Arkansas River, and thence northeast across Missouri to St. Louis.
General Lovejoy's brief notes of the trip show that the winter overtook them soon after they left Fort Hall. 'l'heir progress became very slow because of heavy snows. The snow covered the familiar landmarks so that the guide became uncertain of the way. In one instance they rode a week, supposing they were going east, and came back to the camp they had left seven days before. Again they started forward, and succeeded in reaching Grand river, 600 yards wide, and frozen on either side about 200 yards, but with a swift, dangerous current in the center. The weather was biting cold, and the guide declared the stream impassable. Dr. Whitman, however, determined to risk his life; and Gen. Lovejoy and the guide pushed the horse forward with poles until the ice broke, and both horse and rider disappeared in the rapid current. They rose far below, and Dr. Whitman guided his horse to the other shore~ broke the ice with a pole for a distance, then dismounted and helped his horse out. Then the others took the fearful plunge. Their clothing was frozen before they could build a fire. Again, a few days later, they encountered a western blizzard. For ten days they were imprisoned in a canon by the storm. They kept the horses alive on the bark of cottonwood trees, while they ate the faithful dog that had followed them. It was fast becoming, not a question of reaching Washington, but a question of life or death with the heroic travelers. On the eleventh day Dr. Whitman resolved to break the barricade of the storm, and they attempted to cross the mountains. But the storm blinded men and beasts; and after riding for hours they resolved to turn back to the canon they had left in the morning. But alas! after riding back a short distance, they found that the storm had obliterated their tracks. At last the horses came to a standstill, and all were becoming rapidly chilled with cold and hunger. Dr. Whitman now gave up in despair. He dismounted, and, kneeling in the snow, commended themselves and the loved ones in Oregon and their beloved land to Almighty God. Just then the mule on which the guide sat began to prick up his ears. The guide gave him the rein. The mule started, then hesitated, and at last, by a strange instinct, started again and led the party back to the morning camp. The guide now refused to go farther east. One of the men must go back with him to the nearest friendly tribe and procure, if possible, another guide. As Gen. Lovejoy was beginning to fail, he was advised by Dr. Whit-
THE GREAT COMMISSION: FACTS AND THEm PHILOSOPHY
man to rest and recruit his strength(?), out of doors in a fearful storm in the winter, while the doctor went back after a guide. Dr. Whitman's imperious will overcame the returning guide's representation of certain death, and another guide was induced to undertake the dangerous trip.
The Doctor and the new guide reached Gen. Lovejoy seven days after Whitman had left him in the cafion. They started on and at last reached Taos, and soon after Santa Fe. Despite Gen. Lovejoy's exhaustion, he accompanied Dr. Whitman to Fort Bent, on the Arkansas. The dangerous part of the journey was now past. Dr. Whitman crossed the State of Missouri alone, and reached St. Louis Jan. 3d, just three months after they set out from Oregon; and pushed rapidly on to Washington.
[Ooncluded in next number.] THE GREAT COMMISSION : FACTS AND THEIR PHILO- SOPHY.
[EDITORIAL.-A. T. P.] THE Duke of Wellington, in the familiar phrase of war, called the last command of our Lord the "marching orders" of the Church: "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." That was indeed a short but suggestive and impressive valedictory. The Son of Man, about to leave the scenes and companions of his earthly life for his heavenly throne and crown, himself in person delivers the first great missionary commission and command to the first missionary band. From the grand universal center he was to survey and supervise the whole field, while they were to disperse from the earthly center, carrying on a world-wide campaign.
These marching orders are remarkable, first of all, for their comp1'ehensiveness: "all the 10orld": "every creature." What world-wide breadth! What sublime universality! This must have sounded strangely in the ears of a Jew. The Hebrew church was not a missionary church: its policy was exclusive. The idea was inbred, if not inborn, that Israel was God's peculiar people, and all other nations had for centuries been regarded as simply so many obstacles or hindrances to the progress of the one church and the true faith, for whose speedy removal or annihilation the believer ought to pray and work. The thought of the conversion of the world to God probably never entered the Jew's mind. How sudden and startling even to those first followers must have been that grand flinging open of the doors of the church of Christ. Eyes yet blinded by Jewish prejudices, ears yet dulled by spiritual apathy as to the world's condition, could not at once take in the sublime significance of these words: "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Here was the enunciation and annunciation of the peculiar law of the new church of Christ. Her gates were to stand forever open as a perpetual invitation to all to come in and share her blessings, and her walls. were to stand four-square, facing the cardinal points of the compass, as though to tell us in symbol that her bounds shall ultimately be nothing less than the North and South, the East and West, and that from every quarter believing souls shall approach and entel'.
" Into all the ~lJorld" they were to go. Not alone to classic Athens, royal Rome, elegant Ephesus; not to balmy Sicily, queenly Crete, fragrant Cyprus; not to the lovely cities and lonely isles of the Mediterranean, the coasts of Italy or Greece or Syria, but into all the world. East to the farthest Orient, the golden Indies; West to the unsailed seas which laved the sands of Britain and of France. North to the fir forests of Scandinavia, South to the confines of Cush and the Arabian Sea; wherever man had gone Christ bade them go, bearing the news of salvation. There is no possibility of honestly mistaking the breadth of the great commission. It is the first thing we are to learn, as of the love of God-its" breadth "-that it reaches even to us and to the farthest off and most hopelessly alienated from God.
"To every creature;" as though even to the dumb beast would accrue some part of the blessing attending upon the spread of the gospel, in the better treatment which might be expected from the prevalence of humane and Christian feeling. The phrase evidently means the whole family of man. Not to the rich, refined and learned only, to the Areopagus or Amphyctionic Council, the Sanhedrim of Judea or the Senate of Rome; but to every man, whatever his class, color, caste or condition, rank or residence, amid the snows of Siberia or the sands of Africa, the stormy waves of the far west or the serener seas of the remote east. They were to pass no human being by without a word of warning,. witness and invitation.
The first and fundamental truth which is the broad basis of missions is this: the Gospel is an economy of grace for a ruined race. Man was created in God's image. When the representative man fell, with him fell the whole family of man which he represented. The Hebrew name, Adham, means manj Adam's fall was man's fall. By reason of its organic unity, humanity went down in that first sin, as the oak is crushed in the acorn; and Redemption is the rescue of that fallen race.
In two senses the fall is universal. First, as a clean thing cometh not forth from an unclean one, as like begets like, a corrupt nature passed from sire to son, exposing to suffering even those who bore no actual part in the first sin; and secondly, as each human being, coming to the age of conscious moral choice and action, falls anew for himself by a voluntary course of sin, he adds to the fall of the race his own personal fall by willful transgression. The whole race is thus doubly ruined, and redemption appeals to the whole race. Had none of us ever sinned; save through the representative head, redemption would no doubt have been purely representative, and we should have been saved absolutely through Ohrist. But as we all choose to sin, the entrance of choice-that imperial endowment of a will-into our fall, makes it necessary that we entet into redemption also by voluntary choice; choice implies appeal to motive, and hence the necessity of a proclamation of redemption. Here lies the power of Paul's argument in Romans X. 14,15, where interrogation becomes the boldest form of affirmation: how, then, shall they call on him in whom they have not believed, believe without hearing, hear without a preacher?
The necessity for a world-wide preaching of the gospel must become obvious upon the bare statement of these four facts: 1. The whole race is fallen. 2. Redemption is provided for every creature. 3. Ohoice is the condition of salvation. 4. Proclamation is necessary to choice. Fix in mind these four facts, and it becomes plain why Ohrist's last command was: "Go ye into all the world," etc. The rescue provided must be co-extensive with the ruin, and preaching is God's way to bring that rescue face to face with that ruin. The more we study the philosophy of the gospel the more do its simplicity and necessity flash upon us, as beneath a clear and sudden revelation of light, which makes us wonder we have not sooner seen the truth and felt its power. The fall is a fact, and it is not worth while to stop and discuss its philOllophy; but being a fact, the gospel is its companion and collateral fact.
Redemption is for all, though all may not be redeemed because all will not accept what is adequate for all. God's electing purpose can, in no case, impair the freedom of man's electing choice! This, however, has nothing to do with your duty and mine. We cannot foresee who will accept and who will reject, to whom the gospel will be a savor of life and to whom of death, aud so the proclamation is to be absolutely universal, and without discrimination. We are to do our whole duty, and leave results with God.
'fo the eye of God all souls are precious. If there be any discrimination, it is doubtless in favor of those whom we are prone to pass by in neglect, perhaps in contempt. He has always chosen, in a special sense, those whom man would not have chosen. The only Ohrist-like evangelism is that which loves every human soul for Jesus' sake.
The comprehensiveness of this command found illustration in the history of the New Ohurch. For fifty days after Ohrist's crucifixion, for ten days after his resurrection, the disciples remained at Jerusalem. Then Pentecost, with its reversion of the miracle at Babel, opened the door of the church to the world. At that time and place representatives of every nation under heaven were gathered, and heard, in their own tongues, the wonderful works of God. Then came the death of Stephen, and a persecution which scattered the brotherhood of believers to spread the good news. Then came Peter's vision and call to the Gentiles, and the unfolding to the church of the lesson so long and plainly taught, yet so ~lowly learned, that "God had also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life." Finally, Paul's missionary journeys actually bore the message of redemption to every nation under heaven, and it is supposed to Gaul and Britain. To us, in these latter days, new worlds have been thrown open by the disco'veries of the explorer and the enterprise of the merchant. The area of civilization is doubled, trebled, quadrupled, and all this vast territory is crowded with the race iuvolved in the same ruin, interested in the same rescue. If to Paul and Peter Ohrist's last words came with mighty force, how shall we measure the momentum which that command has acquired in the sweep of eighteen centuries of invention, discovery and human progress? Behold the area of O1tr "world I" the extent of the race in our day 1 How shall we ever overtake the march of the centuries unless we bestir ourselves and begirt ourselves for giant strides?
This great commission also contains a Charge for every believer. Examination will show that these marching orders are not more universal as to the unbelievers theycomprehend than to the believers they commISSIOn. Ohrist appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and said unto them: "Go YE." This commission was special, but not exclusive. The whole world was dying; the grace was world-embracing; the message short and plain. It was natural and needful that every believer should have part in spreading the good neWfJ. The infant church, like an army of raw recruits, must, however, have organizers and leaders; and the eleven, commissioned directly by Ohrist, constituted those leaders; but only leaders. The rank and file were to do the work.
They were commanded and commissioned to " go" and"preach." A positive duty and responsibility was laid upon disciples, as such. To stay at Jerusalem, build a grand mother church of the world like St. Peter's at Rome-" Omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum, mater et caput," though they might indeed let the gentiles in when they sought entrance, would not do. Ohrist made all believers heralds of grace, bidding them go forth and tell the good news, and compel the nations, whom they had despised as barbarians, to come in. They were to seek others and not wait for others to seek them, giving the gospel even to the unasking and unwilling 1 To lose sight of this aggress~'ve feature of evangelism is to leave out its most emphatic and distinctive characteristic. The world will never come to the church, save to corrupt it and conform it to itseJf; the church must go to the world and constrain even reluctant ears to hear. The attitude of rejection makes the word of witness no less our duty. And as in the apostolic days, so now; no class of ordained preachers can ever meet this world-wide emergency. While the church waits for such alone to do the work of preaching this gospel to the world, or for the training of a regular ministry for its official pro- clamation, whole generations perish. Christ foresaw this, and so a wider commission was given and actually made the basis of spreading this good news; and the commission was: "Let him that heareth say come! "
The divine scheme was to reach every human soul by the shortest road. Hence, (1) an oral proclamation was chosen as the method, and (2) every believer as a means. -': First, an oral proclamation. God chose to send the gospel to lost men, not by means of miracles or the agency of angels, but through natural channels and by means of those who had part in the ruin and rescue. Man could use two methods: books for the eye, the voice for the ear. Christ chose the voice! He said, "Preach." The word means, as Homer uses it, to be a public crier, herald. Oral proclama- tion then was God's chosen method. Why? Books were then written laboriously and expensively upon huge, heavy parchment' scrolls by scribes. The world could not wait to get the knowledge of salvation from books. Even had the press, which dates from the fifteenth cen- tury, been then ready as a mute but mighty messenger of grace, still no doubt the commission would still have been, Go, ye, preach / For had Bibles been so plenty as to be sown like seed broadcast over the world's field, reaching every man in his own tongue, how few among the masses could have read them! To a very late day even in enlight- ened England, the famous "privilege of clergy" indexed the ignorance of the common people even of the simplest rudiments of reading and writing; and the Magna Charta was signed June 15, 1215, by nobles who could only make their mark for a signature!
Beside this, when Christ said, Go, preach, there was no New Testa- ment. The gospel according to Matthew, the pioneer book, cannot date earlier than A. D. 38, and John did not add the fourth and last of the gospels till close to the birthhour of the second Christian century.
But had a complete New Testament been ready, how tedious and tardy the process of translation and republication; and how few could have availed themselves of it, even in their own tongue!
The grand reason, however, for an oral proclamation was the peculiar force andfltness of the voice. It has a strange magnetism, when through it thrill a true earnestness and enthusiasm, which no book has. More- over, a man can fit his methods and measures to new times, places, men and needs, as no book can; and the voice has a flexibility and fa- miliarity, compared with which the formality and stateliness of a vol- ume is a disadvantage. And so from lip to ear flew the good news, every hearer a herald; and so while a Bible society would have been translating, publishing and circulating one version, the gospel actually wheeled its first circuit round the known world! The duty and privilege of preaching was thus from the first, universal. All who had an ear, a voice, must say, Oome. To have excluded any from this simple part in heralding salvation would have been to shut up an inward fire, and the voice of a pent-up flame would have burst forth in utterance saying: "We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."
Whatever marks of distinction may rightly exist between the ministry and membership of the church, they should never become lines of division in the work of saving souls. Those who are set a.part for the special office of leadership, are to project the advance movement, plan the campaign, and conduct the hosts: but who must do the fighting, but the bannered hosts who come after with the whole armor of God?
And so there is a sense in which every believer is a preacher, and every hearer a herald. The whole' world is the audience, and not a soul is to be passed by; the whole church are the witnesses, and not a believer is ~o be tongue-tied with a ruined race about him, God's grace within him and a voice wherewith to make himself heard! To all, of every age and nation, pardon is to be proclaimed with its simple conditions: repentance toward God and faith in the Lord J eaus Ohrist. By the words of our Lord the missionary office is laid upon the whole church till the whole world is evangelized. Not a man or woman or child can escape or evade this responsibility. Let this be really apprehended, and wherever God locates our sphere of service, we shall be found leading essentially the life of a missionary.
Out of 1,500,000,000 who crowd the earth to-day, 1,000,000,000 have not heard the good news. Generations are sinking into an abyss or hopeless ruin, one after another. Yet forevermore ring in our ears those words of responsibility and indirect rebuke: "Go ye," etc. You and I are charged with this duty, only more imperative because neglected. Weare to help tell the good news to every creature under heaven; if we can go, in person, here is the call of God, and the condition of a lost world calls if possible more loudly. He who cannot go to the heathen in person must go by proxy. But how shall they preach except they be sent! Send the Bible with a man behind it, a man to bear it, to add to its pure precepts, its glorious messages, the inspiration and magnetism of the living voice / If you must stay here at home, still go you and preach! to your children, companions, neighbors, friends, and by your prayers and purse, help others to preach to the millions over whose very souls hangs a funeral pall! And yet we stand still, while we have one minister for every 700 of our population, and Ohina one for 2,000,000.
There is no reason, or even pretext, for the present apathy of the Ohurch of Ohrist. We can gird the globe with a zone of light in twenty years if we have men and money, both of which the church is perfectly able to furnish to-day in abundance. The awful extent of
MISSION PROBLEMS AND WORK IN
the field need not disoourage us. We can reach this thousand millions with the gospel and we can do it with surprising rapidity, if we have the will to do it in God's way. He has gone before us. He has flung the doors wide open, actually ohallenging the church to enter and take possession. He has wrought results within a half century that have constrained even unbelievers to Baf, 'This is the finger of God.' There is muoh said in these days about the amazing progress of soience and invention. Within a quarter of a century the most stupendous aohievements of the human mind seem to have reached their climax. Think of the telegraph and telephone; the photometer and audiphone; the speotrosoope and microscope; the wonders of optics and anresthetics of photograph and phonograph, of steam-printing and typewriting; and these are a part of man's ways in scientific research and ingenuity. But God always keeps pace with man. However rapid man's strides have been in letters and art, in discovery and invention, God has moved yet more rapidly in his providence and grace. The study of history shows that in the march of humanity God has always led. Even the van is always but the rear of a vaster procession. Acoordingly God has accomplished within half a century what we should have supposed it would require half a millenium to effeot. Talk of "waiting upon God?" God has been long waiting for his people. He is a thousand leagues ahead of the foremost of his missionary hosts. Japan could fully occupy ten thousand missionaries to-day. Ohina could fill the hands of ten times that number. Africa has only been explored; the first chain of stations is yet to stretch from Zanzibar to the Oongo's mouth. What are we doing? 0 for a kindling of apostolic fires on the smouldering altars of the church! We have scarcely made a beginning and we talk as though the work were almost done. Ten millions of dollars is all the entire Ohurch of God can raise to prosecute the missions of the world; while one city spends far more than that on a city hall and two others, on a suspension bridge, and there is buried in jewelry, gold and silver plate and useless ornamentation, within Ohristian homes, enough to build a fleet of fifty thousand vessels, ballast them with bibles and crowd them with missionaries, build a church in every destitute hamlet and supply every living soul with the gospel within a soore of years! only let God's fire come down and take possession of our hearts and tongues, and the gospel would wing its way like the beams of the morning and illumine the world's darkness!
MISSION PROBLEMS AND WORK IN ABYSSINIA. By PROF. GEORGE H. SCHODDE, PH.D., OOLUMBUS, O.
PROBA:BLY nowhere in the wide world has this great mission cell~ury to deal with a more unique and in some respeots more diffioult problem than in the Ethiopia of history-the Abyssinia of recent centuries. All the remnants of Oriental Ohristendom, found scattered chiefly among the Moslem conquerors, the Armenians, the Syrian or Northern Nesto- rian Ohristians in the Persian Empire, the Thomas or Southern Nesto- rian Ohristians iIi India, the Oopts of Egygt, and their ecclesiastical monophysitic allies of Abyssinia, all to a greater or less extent present a more or less solid petrifaction of certain phases of Ohristian doctrinal development. Their divisions and schisms are near]yall due to the great theological and christological controversies that, from the fourth century for more than three hundred years, agitated the whole Greek Ohurch. Their individual existence over against the rest of Ohristen- dom generally originated in their maintenance of certain doctrines, which were condemned as heretical by the great Ohurch Oouncils, be- ginning with that at Nice in 325. In this way sprang up the Nesto- rian, the Monophysitic, and other branches of Eastern Ohristianity.
The source of their individual existence, namely, their peculiar doctri- nal position, was also the source of their vitality. They lived for the one object of defending their peculiar standpoint. The great charac- teristic of Oriental nations is their intense conservatism and adherence to the traditions of the fathers. These factors combined to cause these Eastern Ohristian sects gradually to solidify their idiosyncracies.
Thoroughly incrusted in the traditions of centuries and defended with their life's blood, not only over against the rest of Ohristianity, but also against the fire and the sword of the Moslem conquerors, these systems have gradually become nothing but a petrifaction of dogmas, liturgies and worship. The spir,i.tual element has long since been lost and its place has been taken by a cold and mechanical formalism. Ohristianity is not a life nor a living power, but only certain ancient dogmas and forms; , These singular factors, which make the regeneration of the stagnant Oriental churches and the infusion of the principle of evangelical Ohristianity a matter of extreme difficulty, have all existed and do yet exist in aggravated forms in Abyssinia. '1'he historical surroundings of the· introduction and early development of Ohristianity in Ethiopia were such, in connection with the natural disposition of the people, to produce that extreme case of a soulless ecclesiasticism, which has for more than twelve centuries reigned supreme in Abyssinia. Of all the strictly national Ohristian churches on the globe that of Abyssiania is the oldest. It was established already in the fourth century. Its first bishop, or abuna, received his ordination from the hands of Athenasius.
It played an important part in the dogmatic controversies that followed, being organically connected with the church of Egypt, as an import- ant element in the Oriental church at large. With the Egyptian, the Abyljlinian church adopted monophysitic doctrines concerning the person of Ohrist; and when, in 451, the Synod of Ohalcedon con- demned this doctrine, the monophysitic portion cut loose from the church general and formed a new sect. In this way the living connection between the Abyssinian church and the church universal continued for only about one century, and that was a century of intense dogmatical controversies, in which the ideals of Christianity were more and more regarded as consisting in the acceptance of certain metaphysical formulas, however true these in themselves doubtless were, to the detriment of the feeling of spiritual connection between the church or individual with Christ, as the essential requisite of true Christianity. In the interests of one phase of this general tendency of tbe times the Abyssinian, with the Egyptian church, took a standpoint hostile to the church at large, and thus voluntarily withdrew from the influence of that progressive element that controlled the development of the church, and it recognized as the object of its existence the maintenance of its doctrinal position over against any change or modification. That such forces controlling the spiritual life of a nation or a church must inevitably lead to the despiritualization and encrustation of its doctrinal teachings, is easily understood from psychological reasons, In the education of a nation such factors could lead only to such results.
What made matters in themselves bad even worse, was that the Abyssinians were called upon to defend their national and religious existence over against the Mohammedans, who, by taking Egypt and all northern Africa, completely isolated the Abyssinians from the rest of Christendom. Indeed, it is the glory of the Abyssinians that they were the only Ohristian nation of Asia or Africa that was not overwhelmed by the hordes of the false prophet of Mecca. Partly because of the character of their country, which is a high plateau accessible only through narrow defiles easily defended against invaders, but also because of the bravery and prowess of the Abyssinians, they were enabled to hurl back every attack of their Moslem foe. This complete isolation and entire separation from all people who might have had an influence in developing the national and religious chl',racteristics of the people, made the Abyssinians, who, as a Semitic people, were naturally as unprogressive as the Arabs and the Hebrews, live only for the faith and the worship of the past. Having defended the nation and the church against such enemies as heresy from within and a false religion from without, their conservative instincts led them to guard with jealous care what had been handed down as the most sacred inheritance from earlier generations.
For over one thousand years, namely, from the time when the Moslem conqueror of Egypt isolated Abyssinia, down to the end of the last century, almost the very existence of a Christian nation on the Black Continent was unknown to Western Christianity. It is indeed true that in the sixteenth century the Portuguese formed an alliance with the Abys¥– ians, and the Jesuit missionaries attempted to win the venerable Abys- sin, ian Church for the pope; but these were only passing incidents, and, if anything, only hardened this church in its traditionalism. ThE!
Jesuitic measures of the fathers won over the great king Susmejos, and he attempted to compel his people to submit to the yoke of Rome. An insurrection followed, attended with extremely bloody scenes; and finally the national party, headed by the clergy, succeeded in driving out the hated "Franks." Under the next king, Bosilides, the old faith and worship were re-established more firmly than ever.
The first attempts to revive and instill a new evangelical life into the different members of this ancient church that were made with a full appreciation of the difficult problem involved, aud with an aim rather to win them back to a genuine Christianity, and not to an ecclesiastical hierarchy merely, date from the beginning of the present century.
They belong to the first fruits of that spirit which has made the present the greatest missionary century since the apostolic era. They aimed first, indeed, at the regeneration of this old Christianity, but also at making Abyssinia the base of operations from which to operate further into the heart of Africa with the mission of the gospel and of civiliza- tion. This idea was all the more attractive because there are remnants of older Christian nations also south of Abyssinia, and at least one of the missionaries, Krapf, endeavored to penetrate further and found these at Cambat and Wolamo. The leader of this missionary band was Gobat, who first reached Abyssinia in 1829, and who died several years ago as the Bishop of the Anglo-Prussian bishopric of Jerusalem. He was sent out by the British Society, as were also several of his coadju~ tors, while the Basel Society later also sent out some men. With these the London Society for the Conversion of the Jews co-operated, because in Abyssinia are found a most peculiar class of people-the so-called Falashas, or Black Jews. How they ever got there no man knows; even their traditions are silent on the subject. They have the Old Tes- tament and observe the Mosaic ritual. They know nothing, however, of Talmudic Judaism and the latter Pharisaic phase of their religion as this is developed in the Talmuds and Midrashim and is practiced by the extreme orthodox Jews of southeastern Europe. The probabilities are that they are a portion of the great Jewish Dispersion, the" Dias- pora," but whether they found their way to Abyssinia before the days of the New Testament, or after the destruction of Jerusalem, is uncer- tain. The fact that ethnologically they could be classed as Abyssinians does not speak against their Jewish origin, since the Abyssinians them- selves are a Semitic people, and hence belong to the same family of na- tions of which the Hebrews are such prominent members. Then the hostility of centuries that has existed between them and the Christians of Abyssinia would speak for a difference of nationality. They usually live in separate villages, mostly in the province of Goodar, and are often persecuted by the ruling race. Among these peculiar people mission work was also done, and with good success. The Rev. H. Stern, a German sent out by the London Society, did some service, but was not as careful as he should have been, and contributed not a little to arouse the anger of the great king Theodorus in the sixties, which finally induced that monarch to imprison and threaten the lives of all the foreigners, especially the missionaries laboring in Abyssinia. They were only liberated through the expedition of Lord Napier in 1868. At the .same time Krapf was laboring with great success among the Falashas, and to the present day; while living on the retired list as a missionary veteran in Germany, keeps up a correspondence with the eight hundred who have been won for Ohrist, and who have braved all the dangers that have threatened to deprive them of their faith. Although for a number of years no missionaries have been allowed in Abyssinia, except from time to time, one or two in the most southern province of Shoa, and, of course, least of all among the hated and despised Falashas, these dusky children of Abraham have yet, amid all persecutions, maintained their faith and confession.
The mission work among the Ohristians of Abyssinia has been a remarkable record of successes and failures, and at present is at a standstill. Such men as Gobat, Isenberg, Krapf, Stern, Flod, and a number of others, have labored hard and long to re-evangelize Abyssinia. What the full fruits of their labor are or will be no man could presume to say. Statistically but a discouraging report could be given. But there can be no doubt that in Abyssinia, as is the case in that wonderful Ohristward movement among the Jews of southeastern Europe, there are many in whom the seed of the word is silently bearing good fruit, but whose outward profession may not be loud "for fear of the Jews." Like Nicodemus, they come to Ohrist by night. But on the subject of missionary method and a clear understanding and appreciation of the intricate problem involved much has been gained. Again and again have the missionaries been expelled from Abyssinia. Gobat and his friends were compelled to withdraw on account of the anarchy that prevailed in the land. When that talented and, in his early days, excellent prince, Theodorus, managed to secure the crown of all Ethiopia, hope revived, and a number of men were sent from Europe and were welcomed by the king. They went not merely as preachers of the gospel, but also as teachcrs, who prepared books for the instruction of the people, and translated the Bible into the dialect of the people. They took with them mechanics who aided the people in learning useful arts and learning useful trades. But a number of untoward circumstances again blasted these hopes. Theodorus became involved in wars with his lieutenants who commanded the provinces; his good genius, namely, his first wife, died, and his second wife was wilful and tyrannical; he took to drink, and rum converted him into a typical Oriental barbarian, whose cruelty delighted in cutting off his enemies' hands and feet. With his subjection by Lord Napier in 1868, and his suicide when his capital was taken, ended the flourishing period of Abyssinian mis- '
sions. .
Since then attempts have been made again and again to build up these waste places, but with poor success. The present Emperor, John, is hostile to western ideas, and is seeking a reunion with the Oriental Church, particularly: with that of Russia. The golden opportunity for Christianity and for modern civilization in historic Ethiopia would have been in 1868. If England had then, instead of leaving the conquered land upon which she had taken her vengeance to its miserable fate, to anarchy and internecine destruction, assumed so much of a protector- ate as to secure freedom and liberty for the gospel messengers, a new and encouraging era for Ethiopia's Christianity would have been inaugurated. The complications with Italy are not promising as far as the cause of the gospel in Abyssinia is concerned.
But whatever the fate of Abyssinia may be, and of Christian work in Abyssinia, certain it is that this work there will always be one of peculiar difficulties. The Abyssinian being a church with a highly developed ecclesiastical organization of bishop, priests, deacons, monks and nuns, with a fixed dogmatic system and settled and stereotyped forms and ideals of worship, it will always be a vexed problem as to the position to' be taken over against the native clergy and the native church. Are the Christian missions to co-operate with the native church, to revive the church from within, or to establish new commun- ions of renewed Christians as opposition organizations to the existing church? Heretofore the first has been the only method pursued, not .
so much from choice as from necessity. The missionaries could labor only as long as the king permitted it, and no greater danger to the king's authority could be imagined than the opposition of the native clergy, who control the minds of the people almost absolutely. For this reason none of the missionaries established new churches or entered into open opposition to priests or monks. In the case of the conversion of the Falashas these were baptized by the native clergy and made mem- bers of the national church of the land. The little bands of converted Christians were thus an eccle,~iola in ecclesia, and it was thought that they as a leaven could eventually leaven the whole lump. Whether they would have done so if the missionaries had been able to con- tinue their work, only a prophet or a prophet's sou could say. But as long as the new gospel spirit could find its way only into 'the hearts of the people, and not into the hearts of the spiritual leaders, the success of this method would seem to be doubtful. Sooner or later the con- flict would be inevitable; indeed it at some places already had com- menced when Theodorus turned against the mission enterprise. Future mission work in Abyssinia must be guided by the light of the experi- ence acquired by gospel workers in the last sixty years. The task is not hopeless, nor have all hopes bean given up. On the contrary, socia-
THE RELATIV1!: PROGRESS OF CHRISTlA.NlTY
ties and men are only waiting for a favorable opportunity to reorganize the work in Abyssinia. If this can be done, and if a firm foothold can be gained there for a living and aggressive Christianity, then one of the greatest problems in the Christianization of Africa has been solved. It is a task of peculiar difficulties, but it is one whose consummation and success will be attended with peculiar blessings.
THE RELATIVE PROGRESS OF CHRISTIANITY.
BY J. T. GRACEY, D.D., BUFFALO, N. Y.
[Continued from page 411.] INCREASE OF ISLAM IN AFRICA.
Turning to Africa,where Islam is alleged to be spreading rapidly,. we touch a region again where the indefiniteness of the information preeludes more than qualified judgment, but accounts reach us that indicate an encroachment of Moslem power and some Moslem missionary advance.
Journal des Missions EvangeUques states perhaps most of the truth about this feature of Moslem advance in Northern and Central Africa when it says: "Among some of the negro tribes a missionary work, properly so called, is being carried on by the Khouan, or members of a religious order that originated in a very remarkable reformation. It was an attempted return to primitive Islam. The man who founded its powerful association was Si- Mohammed-ben-Si-Ali-ben Snoussi, born at Mostaganem, in Algeria, about 1792. He traveled much, lived a long time in Mecca, and in 1843 took up his abode in the Tripolitan district. A few years after the Djebel-el-Akhdar, where he lived, abounded hi Zaiouya, or establishments for instruction in the Koran. To all his disciples he imparted his Puritan doctrines, his gloomy and silent character. The Snoussiyas or disciples of the Sheik Snoussi are very numerous, and are going in every direction, trying to win over to their pan-Islamite notions the Mussulman Arabs and the negrpes, who know little more as yet than the prophet's name."
The Journal also thinks they are preparing the materials for one of those sudden and gigantic explosions of Islamite fanaticism, the result of which it is impossible to predict.
Dr. Blyden is a full-blooded Christian negro, born in the Danish West Indies,. now long resident in Liberia, at one time Minister Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Liberia to the Court of St. James, and Secretary of State for the republic in 1864. He made a journey to the East in 1866, "visiting Egypt and Syria, chiefly with the view of studying the Arabic language in order to its introduction to the curriculum of the College" of Liberia, in which he was for some time a professor. He has had large opportunities for personal knowledge along the west coast of Africa and for perhaps two hundred miles in the interior, and of learning from Moslem pilgrims and merchants what they had to say about the remoter interior. Dr. Blyden has contributed articles to Fraser's and other magazines and quarterlies during twenty years or more, and has recently collected and published these in a book entitled " Ohristianity, Islam, and the Negro Race." He says, "From Senegal to Lagos, over 2,000 miles, there is scarcely an important town where there are not at least one mosque and active representatives of Islam" ; and he speaks within touch of the facts. He further says, "A man might now travel across the continent from Sierra Leone to Oairo, or in another direction from Lagos to Tripoli, sleeping in a village every night except in the Sahara, and in every village he would find a Moslem school." The writer will perhaps never forget the thrill of emotion that passed over him when, in company with Dr. Blyden, sailing up the St. Paul River, Liberia, the distinguished author-guide pointed to some steps cut in the bank of the river and a little footpath soon lost in the forest, he said, "Do you see that path? That leads straight to Egypt."
The Methodist Recorder of London says of the character of these African conquests to Islam: " At least in Northwest Africa the Moslem missionaries win their way without assistance from any earthly power. Their advance is due both to the truth and the errors which their creed contains. The pure monotheism of their religion is an undoubted advance upon the gross idolatry of savage tribes. The semi-civilization introduced is an undoubted improvement. It is no small matter to teach these degraded tribes a measure of self-control, decency, reverence, and such virtues as Christians are glad to know Moslems both teach and practice. But it is comparatively easy to whitewash a number of tribes with a superficial religion which never changes the heart, though it may outwardly improve some habits of the life. If the Christian missionary of to-day were content with a form of baptism and a simple item or two' of his·creed, while permitting polygamy, granting social equality, and promising the certain blessings of a material Paradise, how many tens of thousands might be 'converted' in a year."
The writer of the above is too candid to desire to belittle the aggressive work of Islam in Africa, but he probably states what is about the truth over very extended districts, The extension of Islam in Africa must be conceded, and the full force of the rebuke should b~ felt that the Ohristian church so long neglected the swarmiug multitudes of this continent. Yet within the century we have planted missions all round the coast, have occupied outlying Madagascar as a base of operations, and have at least taken up the line of march" from salt sea to salt sea," and from the mouth of the Zambesi to the delta of the Nile, and a good deal of reconnoitering has been done.
We have s'aid nothing of the character of the civilization which Islam 'superimposes on that of the ruder African, because it does not come within the scope of this article. Weare not, however, ofthose who hold that it will be materially more difficult to convert these people from the rude form of Islam, which is all they have to any con- , siderable extent adopted, than from the fetish, with its most aeaden- ing and blighting superstitions. They may turn intelligently from Islam to that which is higher and better, and if they can be saved from the persecution of Moslem fanaticism, they may at once throw off its shackles; but the dreadful overshadowing superstitions represented by the fetish are ever and anon wont to burst upon the Ohristian convert in after years in the presence of calamity, and to carryall before thein. It will be another thousand years before Islam can bring the African to the cultured and lettered prejudices of Moslem, civilization, snch as bind its snbjects at Oairo, Ispahan and Delhi; and the Ohristian church has no need to be discouraged from attempting vigorous evangelism of the African Islam by just such methods as she has pur- sued in Fiji, Benares and Yokohama; and she should address herself to the duty which is now in so marked a degree providentially imposed upon her.
CAN :MOSLEMS BE REACHED?
The question whether Christianity can make inroads on Islam is quite another and very interesting one. The common assumption has been that it was much more difficult to make converts from Islam than from any other quarter, but it must be borne in mind that in no quarter of the globe has there been any attempt to convert them corre- sponding with the efforts made to reach other classes. Rev. Mr.
Wherry, American Presbyterian of North India, writing to the Missionary Intelligencer (Jan. '88), says: "The Muhammadans of India are a hopeful class for missionary ea;ort compared with the three high castes of Hinduism. I venture to assert that, so far as North India is concerned, and in proportion to the labor bestowed, five Muslims have been converted to Christianity for every Hindu convert." And at the Decennial Conference in Calcutta he saId: 'Almost every mission in North India numbers among its preachers, lay and ordained, those who were once followers of Islam. I recognize among the names of ordained missionaries and evangelists contained in Mr. Badley's Directory fifteen converts from Islam; the number of catechists and lay preachers who were convel'ts from Islam would increase this to at least fifty.' "
The "Church" missionaries say that most of their converts at both Peshawar and Krishnagar are of Muslims. The Indian Witness, noticing Canon Taylor's statement that out of 841 converts to Christian- ity last year in Central and Northern India only 17 were Moslems, says: "We know of one mission in North India where thel'e were 1,183 conversions and 1,114 baptisms last year, to 892 conversions and 584 baptisms the preceding year. Thirty of last year's converts were from Islam."
The ablest, calmest and fairest discussion of this entire subject of the missionary activity of Islam in India, the character of its converts, its accessibility to Christian effort, and the nature of its antagonism to the same, will be found in the proceedings of the Missionary Conferences held in Allahabad in 1872-73, and in Calcutta 1882-83. It requires self~restraint to refrain from making numerous quotations from tb:ese able papers and addresses. They were not spoken in the heat of the present controversy, but afford testimony the most definite and reliable on perhaps every point now raised. In a broad survey of the relative progress of Ohristianity it would be neooBSairy to deal with a vast num- ber of subjects not yet ,alluded to, but which want of space precludes our entertaining.
THE OUTLOOK.
The vast array of preparatory agencies which Mr. Johnston so ably summarizes. might easily be augmented by a "great variety of other facts. Not only, as Mr. Johnston says, does the "vital force of the native church increase in geometrical ratio; " not only have we twenty times as many languages subject to our use as were spoken on the day of Pentecost; not only have the 120 of the apostolic" upper chamber"
become 120 millions of Protestant Ohristians; not only has the Ohris- tian community of the world been augmented by double the three thousand accessions of the day of Pentecost, for each day of the past hundred years; not only have the great systems Buddhism, Brahman- ism and others been so materially modified by Ohristian influence that even if there were more Buddhists there is less Buddhism, or more Brahmans there is less Brahmanism; not only have we learned the methods of a.pproach on the inside, where these systems are weakest; but the forces of Ohristian attack are strategically distributed over the globe as are those of no other one system, and the measure of our out- posts is that of the measure of the geographical extension of our century. It is not only that there are 30,000 Ohristian communicants in Ohina, but that these are distributed at important points. Twenty-five years ago there were only five churches in Ohina, now there are enough to make one for every 25 miles along the coast, and a traveller might sleep, as Dr. BIyden would say, under a Ohristian roof each night while traversing the entire coast line of that vast country. Then, too, the spirit of evangelism is infused into these mission communities.
Fiji and other islands were not Ohristianized by Europeans, but by Ohristian natives from Tonga, and this spirit is being developed in all mission fields.
But besides all, it must ever be borne in mind that in dealing with Ohristianity we are dealing with the supernatural, and in the divine economy there is provision for far more than merely steady advance even in geometrical ratios. There is provision for leaps, for vast up- heavals, for sudden uprisings. Do we forget the six weeks in 1878 when in Nellore 8,691 heathen were baptized, and the 34,564 registered applicants for baptism the same year in Tinnevelly? Are we blind to the fact that forces are already at work which will probably, ere many decades, result in the collapse of the great systems of heathen religions?
There are epochs and revolutions, as well as reformations, in the divine economy.
lVBY DOES THB COST INOREASE'1
WHY DOES THE OOST INCREASE P By REV. JAMES F. RIGGS, BERGEN POINT, N. J.
WHAT is the reason of this constant advance in expense? Why is it that each mission is more and more costly from year to year? Ought we not to set a fixed limit to the appropriations in advance and adhere to our own rule?
A mission grows just as a healthy child grows. It has the same vital organs from year to year, but it needs more food. Growth is the evi- . dence of life. If any particular mission did not grow that would be a just cause for alarm, but the demand for a larger appropriation is a clear proof that the sums expended already have been well spent. This general law of depth and width applies to a mission just as it applies to a schoolboy. More books, and those of greater depth, better grade. A wider range of facilities and a more expensive system of defense. For in these days there is a double process in our foreign work, like that in Jerusalem in the days of Nehemiah. It is not trowel only, or sword only, but both sword and trowel, and both must be paid for. It is perilous to sleep after we have aroused the enemy. The cost is the certain result of pushing on such a warfare. It is daily more absorbing and the demands more inexorable.
Mission work is generally conducted in departments, like the branches of a large business enterprise. In each of these we shall see the reasons that belong to that particular part of the work. These departments are six: viz., the evangelistic, educational, publication, medical, churchbuilding, and Sunday-school.
FIRST.-Evangelistio: The missionary is sent to preach the gospel to the poor. He makes a "tour" in the territory assigned to him. traveling at the smallest possible expense, and preaching in the villages. Such a tour is planned according to the work that must be done. It may be completed in less than a week, or it may require all the summer months. In each village the missionary talks with old friends, and draws about him some new friends. But when the trip is ended he hastens home, because much work of other kinds yet awaits him in his own place of residence. Notice how the system works. When the missionary sets out on the same tour again, three months or six months later, he is compelled to make it a little longer. Why? Because earnest entreaties are sent to him from villages not yet visited asking that he come to them also and preach. In each case he weighs the reasons, and is often obliged to decline. Time is precious, and he must hasten on. But yonder is a village only an hour's ride off his track, .and four men have come down beseeching him to give a day to their place. The fire is already kindled, and he deems it his duty to go. He is more than pleased, delighted, to find a real work of divJne grace going on in that village, and he stays two days instead of one, preaching to crowds in the coffee-shops and under the trees. But at length he leaves them, promising to come again, and such a promise must be kept. Thus each tour becomes a longer one than that preceding it, and the vital force of the missionary is taxed to the very limit of safety. In many cases he comes home after a month's tour so hoarse that it is a difficult matter for him to discharge common daily duties. In the meantime, as these trips to the villages become longer and more exacting, the other work of that station is neglected, so that matters get into confusion, and the next thing reported to headquarters will be that a new man is absolutely necessary if work is to be carried on at all. Thus the cost of the journeys is increased, and at the same time the local expense of each station is increased by reason of the absence of the man who makes the tour: For there are accounts to be kept, and books to be sold, and schools to be superintended, and candidates to be watched.
SECOND.-Educational: After work has been begun in any place, 'the kindling of a new flame is certain. A Protestant school must be started. And although the object is to keep expenses as low as possible, yet there will be some points of outlay in every instance. Even if the school should be from the beginning self-supporting in respect to tuition, there is the cost of sending a teacher to the place. And in some schools, as the high-schools for girls, and the theological schools for young men, a considerable part of the expense must always be borne by the mission. An increasing number of candidates for the ministry means increasing expense at every point-for instruction, for books, for postage, and innumerable miscellaneous items. If there be in any particular mission a bill rendered annually for the freight paid on books used, and if the number of pupils in those schools be increased ten per cent., will not that freight bill be somewhat larger?
The growth of a mission is like that of a child, not sudden, but certain: it will not be surprising, but it must be met.
THIRD.-Publication: No part of the work is more essential than this. If a soul has been saved, the work of Ohristian culture must begin, and a pure literature is absolutely a vital need. Standard religious works, such as "Pilgrim's Progress," are translated and sold (not given away), but the cost of the first publication is a large item, and every subsequent reprint involves some fresh outlay. For the book trade is not advanced in the Asiatic world to such a position that we can leave it to take care of itself. It must be fostered, and if a depot for Bibles be opened in any village, the rent of a little shop must be provided for. No money is wasted in experiments, but that which has been tried and found the very best is employed, and this arm of the service hail been greatly blessed. A modest weekly religious paper is of very great value for the cultivation of a living practical piety.
MIRA.CLES OF
FOURTH.-Medical,' If each medical missionary were sent out simply to practice medicine, as he would at home, he would then earn far, more than his salary, and so be a source of revenue to the board, instead of being an expense. But as a rule this would be a mistake in policy. For it would shut off the great mass of the popUlation from any advantage. It would be easy for an educated missionary physician to confine his labors to the wealthy portion of any people, and the men of rank are' willing to pay large fees for genuine skill. But in that case a serious loss of moral opportunities would ensue. The example of Christ himself is a better guide than modern financial policy. To go about like him "doing good" is the true wisdom of a physician on heathen ground. Much medicine is given free; many cases are treated without charge. Small hospitals are established, and sometimes the missionary in charge is able to earn enough to support his own hospital. . But as a whole, the medical branch of the work is an additional expense. And the reports of such an institution as the hospital at Aintab, Turkey, will abundantly justify both the hopes and the outlay that will be identified with such an undertaking.
It will require no argument to show in like manner that any progress in the fifth and the sixth of these departments must involve heavy cost. No church can be built at first by an unassisted native community. No large measure of success can be attained in Sunday-school work without some expense for the books circulated and the lesson helps provided.
If we believe that the expense of ploughing and of sowing is to be justified, then surely by all means we ought to provide for the expense of harvesting. If the church of God persevered in cherishing a lofty faith in His promise, when the doors of the kingdoms were ahut, shall we permit that faith to fail us in these days, when the angel' of God is leading us, and the heavy iron gates that lead to the cities are opening before us of their own accord?
MIRACLES OF MISSIONS.-NO. V.
[EDITORIAL.-A. T. P.] THE ISLES OF THE SEA. NEW ZEALAND.
IN the South Pacific, east of Tasmania, nearly midway between the capes, Good Hope and Horn, is a curious inverted boot that from end to end would measure nearly 1,000 miles, and is cut in two just above the ancle. It is New Zealand. The physicalfeatures are very interesting: the 4,000 miles of sea coast, with some of the finest harbors in the world; the highlands, with the Pumice Hills, the volcano Tongariro, 6,000 feet high, and Mount Ruapahu, 3,000 feet higher, and others rising to a height of 14,000 feet; the 'forests so dense that beasts of prey
JOBA.OLES OJ!'
are not found and sound does not penetrate; the fine rivers and boiling lake of Rota Mahana.
But we wish to trace the early triumphs of the gospel among the Maoris or aborigines of these islands of the sea. Let us get an idea of the condition of the Maoris in the days when Europe first made their acquaintance and down to a comparatively recent date.
They li~ed in very contracted dwellings, not high enough to permit a man to stand upright in them and were unfurnished, showing no orderly arrangement. Their cooking utensils, a few stones. Polygamy had no limits but the ability of a man to procure wives; every household was a. little hell, with daily strifes and deadly hatred. Extreme barbarism prevailed, in fact the lowest type of savage life. New-born babes were left in neglect to cry themselves to death. When five days old, infants were sprinkled or dipped at a stream and named, while a priest mumbled a prayer to an unknown spirit, "May this child become brave and warlike," or perhaps, "cruel, adulterous, murderous." Stones were forced down the throat to make the heart hard and pitiless.
Tabu prevailed. It set apart men from all common approachno one dared visit or converse with a tabued person; death was the penalty for being found in a canoe on a tabued day, or for a woman to eat certain articles of food, even accidentally. Tattooing with chisels or fish bones, dipped in indelible dye, was quite universal, slow, painful and prostrating. Superstitions too absurd to be soberly recorded ruled the people. A pain in the back was treated by jumping and treading on the patient. Dreams and omens were regarded infallible. The issue of a war was determined in advance by setting up sticks to represent contestants and watching which were blown down. Jugglers were their oracles, and witchcraft was the dreaded foe, to defeat whose malign designs any innocent person was liable to the most cruel death.
The Maoris were the worst cannibals. They drank the blood of enemies as it flowed on the battle-field, and then feasted on their roasted remains. Their virtues were so few, and their vices so many and appalling, that not a few Christians doubted whether there was anything left worth saving, or possible to use as a basis for the gospel. They could scarce be called idolators, for they were so low sunk in barbarism that they had not even the invention to construct a god, and had no gods nor any objects of worship. Thunder they attributed to Atua, a great spirit whom they feared as author of all calamities. They believed him to come as a lizard and prey on the vitals of the sick, and hence incantations were used, and they threatened to burn or kill and eat the demon unless he should depart. They also believed in Wiro, the Satan of the Maoris. They were virtually atheists, or, at beat,
MIRACLES OF
devil-worshippers. They had a vague belief in a future state, but, of course, it was robed in gross and sensual conceptions. When a chief died, slaves were killed to wait on him, and widows sometimes put themselves to death to rejoin their husbands.
When, at Samuel Marsden's request, the Church Missionary Society sent out three laborers in 1814, they were met at first with curiosity, then distrust and hate. The task of acquiring the language was great, but it was next to impossible even then to get a hearing. The few who came, almost nude, or in fantastic dress, would rudely leave in the midst of the service, saying aloud: "That's a lie; let's go." .
When, in 1821, Samuel Leigh and other Wesleyan missionaries went to Wangaroa, the chief Jarra bade them welcome; but Mr. Leigh and his colleagues had some hints beforehand of J arra's treacherous nature. The sailors called him "George," and he had a notorious history. He was one of those who, twelve years before, had left Port Jackson for England with a few other Maoris. Oapt. Thompson found" George" mutinous; he rebelled, refused to work, claiming to be a chief's son, and was reduced to submission only by being whipped and half starved. He brooded over his punishment, and hatched a terrible revenge. He pretended to be penitent, and so gained the captain's confidence that he put up for repairs at Wangaroa-. Once ashore, George moved his father to vengeance. With great subtlety he induced the captain and crew to land, drew them into the woods, under pretence of selecting timber, then murdered them, and, in their clothes, went to the ship, assaulted all he could find, and plundered the vessel. But a sudden retribution ·was awaiting these murderers and plunderers. George's father set a powder keg on the lower deck, and amused himself trying the muskets, a large number of New Zealanders being on board. An accidental spark caused an explosion, which blew up the npper works of the ship and killed every Maori on board. Then the natives on shore set fire to the vessel and ate every survivor.
With such a record, Jarra was not likely to be trusted; and about six weeks after they landed he began to show his tiger teeth. He threatened to burn Mr. Turner's house and eat the missionary and his wife, simply to extort a present. Other like-minded chiefs harassed the missionaries by similar threats and outrages, but were kept at bay by the remarkable Ohristian coolness and fortitude of these brave souls.
The cannibalism of the Maoris has never been exceeded in atrocity. Mr. Turner found several chiefs rollicking by a fire. On turning toward the fire he saw a human being roasting between the logs. Sick at heart, he tried to warn them of the wrath of God, to preach to them the new law of love; but to what an audience I An English missionary, while on a cruise, touched at New Zealand for fresh food, fruit and vegetables. Of these he obtained a fresh supply, and was about leaving, when a chief asked him if he would like some flesh food. Says the missionary: "Thinking that doubtless they had hogs, I said yes. He gave a quick glance around him, as if he were looking for a messenger, and singled out and, called to a fine young lad, apparently about eighteen years of age. The boy came and stood before him; and before I knew what he was about to do, and having my back turned to him, looking at the fruit, etc., I heard the sound of a heavy blow, and looking quickly around, found the still quivering body of the boy laid at my feet, with the words: 'Hevi ano te kai ? ' (Is that blood sufficient for you ?) Horror-stricken, I denounced most bitterly the deed, and, leaving all the provisions behind on the ground, returned sorrowfully on board."
The natives were very indolent. The missionaries could get no help in building mission premises, and not until 1824 were the buildings completed. But where idleness prevailed, curiosity, its kindred vice, also existed, and this led the natives to send their children to learn to read, and so many of the young Maoris were taught the catechism and learned to pray and sing; and the same curiosity led the adults to go and hear what the missionaries had to say.
'1'he work looked hopeful; but despair came. A civil war became the occasion for acts of violence; the mission houses were burned, and it was a long time before quiet was restored and houses and fences rebuilt. Ohief" George" was taken very ill. The death of a Maori chief rings the tocsin of vengeance-the quarrels and grudges of his life are then settled. The natives insulted the missionaries, stole their goods, broke down their fences, and replied to expostulation only with new threats of worse violence. George gave ominous signs that if he should die the missionaries would be held accountable for the fatal explosion on board the Boyd, when so many Maoris were killed, as the God of the OhriOitians had caused that spark to leap from the gunlock to the powder keg. Of course, with such unreasoning and insane passions no argument was possible.
The women and children were sent away to a distance, and the missionaries lived for weeks in constant apprehension. George died, charging his followers to exact vengeance for 'his wrongs. The poultry of the missionaries was stolen, and some of it offered as a sacrifice to George's father. In January, 1827, the whole party of Wesleyan laborers were compelled to embark for New South Wales, after under- going numerous exposures and barely escaping with their lives from these treacherous and cruel savages.
To one of the New Zealand chiefs, however, their departure was a matter of great regret. He, Patuone by name, had" rubbed noses" with the missionaries, and was known to be very friendly to Europeans. From him, in October, 1827, came an invitation for the exiles to return. It was an irresistible Macedonian cry; and the whole, band, in the early part of the next year, landed on the north island and settled in Patuone's province.
Two years of fruitless labor passed by. Few would hear the message. The very chief whose letter had recalled them neither attended their place of worship nor gave them any encouragement. With the strange faith, seen nowhere so richly as among missionaries, they toiled and prayed, believing "that prayers and tears in Christ Jesus can accomplish anything." In 1830 there were manifestly more attendance and attention given to the truth. But the most powerful witness was that of the lives of these godly men and women. " Ye are the light of the world." Bunsen said to his English wife, when dying, "My dear, in thy face I have seen the eternal!" And these Maoris could not but see a tremendous contrast between themselves and the heroic and unselfish souls who were risking life itself for their sakes.
The first conversions startled the whole community. Tawai and Miti, two of their greatest warriors, openly declared their allegiance to the new captain of their salvation. God's Spirit was at work. Some came forty miles in canoes to hear the gospel, and, as in one day, multitudes turned to God. The natives overflowed the chapel, and the forests and hills became sanctuaries, where the Word was preached to attentive listeners. The missionaries could now travel far and wide only to find multitudes ready both to hear and heed the gospel.
When Mr. Leigh first came to Wangaroa there was no book written or printed. The missionaries no sooner learned to talk than they began to teach spelling and reading. They sent to England and had types cut, and books were printed in the Wangaroan dialect. 1840 was the golden year, when a new religious literature was introduced into New Zealand. Within two years the press printed 5,000 scripture lessons, 3,000 spellers and readers, 6,900 catechisms, etc. ; 13 regular stations were established, 4,000 boys and girls in schools, 3,300 church members were gathered into the fold. The demand for native New Testaments greatly exceeded the supply, though 15,000 copies had been printed.
It will be remembered that in 1809 the ship Boyd had been plundered and burned .by these cannibals, who devoured every survivor of the crew. Behold the contrast, and let who will dispute the miracles of missions! A shipwreck at Kaipara Heads cast over 200 persons naked and destitute on the shore. How were they received? With humane and Christian kindness. Not to be clubbed and roasted, but snugly housed and fed in Okaro, and not one farthing would these Maoris accept in return for their hospitality. On the shores of Christian England a nobler reception could not have been awaiting shipwrecked sailors!
Most wonderful of all, these New Zealanders felt that they must send the gospel, which had brought them such blessing, to the destitute about
EGYPT SMITTEN AND HEALED
them. A grand missionary meeting was called by the Okaroans. It was a three days' meeting. One whole day was consumed in addresses on missions, fifteen or sixteen of which were made by converted natives. No wonder if all eyes wept as these regenerated cannibals told of him who had saved them, and of their passion to tell of Jesus to the lost. Poor as they were they made an offering of sixty-five dollars-an average of about thirty cents for each attending native Ohristian !
The subsequent history of New Zealand was one of large and frequent outpourings of the Spirit. They sought to water others and were watered themselves. Hundreds were converted, new churches were organized, and new buildings erected in all peopled districts; native young men were trained and sent forth as evangelists, and the isles resounded with praise to God!
We have designed only to give the early history of the New Zealand missions; but in 1860 the Wesleyan Ohurch numbered 5,000, with 200 Sunday-schools, where 7~000 children were taught. Over 12,000 were regular attendants at worship. About one generation's life time, thirtythree years, had been spent by the Wesleyans in securing such results. No Ohristian land can present any parallel in the same space of time. Even skeptics stand in mute astonishment at the results wrought by Ohristian missions, constrained with Mr. Hume to acknowledge that these are things which their infidel philosophy cannot explain in the 'Christian life.
Mr. Darwin was not regarded as a Ohristian, but he had the greatest respect for good in Ohristianity, and was great enough to acknowledge it. This is the way in which he answered some shallow critics of foreign missionaries: "They forget or will not remember that human sacrifice and the power of an idolatrous priesthood; a system of profligacy unparalleled in any other part of the world; infanticide, a consequence of that system; bloody wars, where the conquerors spared neither women nor children-that all these thing-s have been abolished, and that dishonesty, intemperance, and licentiousness have been greatly reduced by the introduction of Christianity. In a voyager to forget these things is a base ingratitude; for should he chance to be at the point of shipwreck on some unknown coast, he will most devoutly pray that the lesson of the missionary may have extended thus far."
What a fulfilment of prophecy! "The isles afar off that have not heard my fame neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the gentiles! "
EGYPT SMITTEN AND HEALED.
By ORAS. S. ROBINSON, D.D., NEW YORK.
[The Rev. Chas. S. Robinson, D.D., of this city, recently delivered a course of Sunday evening lectures to his people on Egypt, which attracted wide attention and were received with marked interest. Few persons have studied the subject more closely, or are better prepared to discourse or write upon it than he. Egypt figures prominently in the sacred writings, as well as in profane history. Egypt occupies a conspicuous place in prophecy. Egypt has indeed been" smitten" of the Lord as scarcely any other land has been; but Dr. Robinson brings out the particular prophecies which relate to her splendid future, and weaves into his familiar but finished lectures not a little of history, incidents of travel, and matters of missionary interest. These lectures have not been published, and we have arranged with him to give those bearing on the scope of this REVIEw-about six of them-in consecutive numbers. Our readers, we are confident, will be profited by them.-EDs.] The Persians have this proverb: "God's club makes no noise; when it strikes there is no cure for the blow." This is no Christian sentiment; it is heathen and hopeless. God does sometimes smite, but never with a club. His rule of dealing with his creatures he announces: "For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a . moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer."
So well known to spiritual believers is this fashion of his discipline that no one is surprised by the declaration contained in that passage concerning Egypt, which is familiar to all students of Isaiah's prophecies-the predictions and the history combined as they must be: "The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof. And the Lord shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it : and they shall return even to the Lord, and he shall be entreated of them, and shall heal them." Egypt is to have a time of sorrow and smiting, so the prophet declares in this verse, but that is to be succeeded by the outpouring of blessing, and a new glory is coming upon the land. Has this in any measure become true? Certainly the discipline commenced years and years ago.
For one thing, the national integrity is vanishing. Oppressions are killing the soil and the people. Every traveler sees this the moment he becomes domesticated in anyone of the cities and looks about. Two visits, with five seasons between them, make manifest great changes which have occurred in the meantime. True oriental scenes can never be found now outside of Constantinople, or even distant Persia.
The experiences of our first day in Cairo were all so novel that my memory is hardly firm enough to range them in order here. I cannot give a connected description. of them. Grim and shadowy do all eastern outlines of things appear. Yet th~re is a decided sense of familiarity with the objects, and acquaintance with the people, which one feels he has carried over from his reminiscences of text-books in his childhood at school. You remember the pictures in the earliest geographies you ever studied, and here they are suddenly come out into reality and fact. The Nile river has erected banks for itself on either side; its level lies higher under the current than the district it runs through, .after each annual overflow; thus it rolls lazily along, muddy and solemn, pretty much as a canal might be expected to run, if at any time a freshet should render it excitable or antic. The edges of the embankment are of a dirty brown color, without any vegetation to speak of or even verdure upon their ridges. Bare and unattractive as these appear to a tourist, they are, nevertheless, in the absence of hills and forests, the only background for one entering a settled precinct, against which afar off shine the graceful minarets and towers of the city.
The train paused at the station, and immediately on alighting we seemed to be in a world of fantasy. The oddest and most picturesquely bewildering of the sights was the train itself-especially the third-class cars. These were crowded to suffocation with the aborigines belonging to the region, in all their motley costumes. The sides of the rather rough and box-like enclosures are high and close, and hence the small windows are placed on the level of the passengers' heads; thus a row of turbans alone appeared as the inmates sat while we tried to become acquainted with them from the platform. It looked like a collection of heads without shoulders, really, head-dresses without visible heads. And these were of hues so positively innumerable and of so amazingly brilliant and flaring display, as the colors of red, crimson, white, yel- low, and green, shook in the sunshine, and mingled with each other, that the entire thing seemed to me more like a crate, a gardener's market-wagon, or an animate conservatory of poppies and tulips on its travels, than like anything else my western eyes ever admired.
As we took our way to the hotel, the scene grew wilder still. A winding course with mysterious turnings carried us along thoroughfares narrow, crowded and offensive, filled with men and women gazing vacantly at the new-comers. One would imagine the inhabitants to be on a masquerade; for the habiliments are so showy, so gaudy in bold contrasts of dye, that it strikes one- as being impossible that he sees the living people in their ordinary dresses. Many of the females studi- ously conceal their faces; it was according to the ancient regime of modesty that all should do so; but this, I am prepared to say, is just an affectation now; the fear or shame of exposure hardly exists. For ladies of rank and fashion use only white gauze of the most preposter- ously transparent gossamer, which pretends to hide their features, but which, as they are very well aware, only sets-them off more finely, if one chooses to invoke their attention with an admiring stare. And the common women employ black muslin, which they twist most uncom- fortably across their countenances, but take any occasion comfortably to drop.
It is said by those who have been resident in the city that many of the customs are yielding more and more every year to the demands of the French, the Italians and the English, who frequent the place. An interesting account has just been published by an American mission- 11 ary: "Where ten years ago you saw one European costume you to-day see a hundred. Formerly, if a man heard another speak in a foreign tongue in Cairo, that tongue would be French; to-day it is English. In every street signs attract your attention to British goods, whether , dry' or 'wet.' I am sad to find so many bar-rooms; but I must say that I have seen but one intoxicated soldier among those thousands who have passed before my eyes in five weeks. Every afternoon, in Ismail Pasha's day, I saw chariots filled with the white-veiled ladies of the Khedival harem, and such vehicles were preceded by the swift-footed, picturesque-looking syces or heralds. To-day you might see English ladies driving in their pony phaetons, or riding out with their husbands, brothers, or friends, as quietly as if they were at Brighton or Saint Leonard's-by-the-sea." It is thus that the national integrity, the whole fabric of Egyptian individuality as a people, is yielding to outside pressure at every point, and ere long the oriental characteristics ' will disappear. The likelihood now is that a permanent protectorate, so-called, but in reality a constant absorbent force of occupation will be established; if so, the mastery of some European governments must greatly increase.
But note besides this disintegration of the nation by the arriving of new forces of disruption from without, there is also the unfortunate scourge of the climate, which has just begun to manifest changes most unexpected and peculiar. For ages those mummies, lately given to the world in the cave at Deir-el-Bahari, were preserved because the rains did not fall on the rocks beneath which they lay. Egypt was almost literally a land without showers. Now the skies have begun to arouse fears to which the Egyptian world has been an utter stranger. A wide illustration might be offered just here, but it serves my present purpose better to quote in full what the public prints are saying in a warning letter addressed to such as are seeking the Nile for health in the winter season. Some information may prove very valuable to all.
Under the sanction of high medical authority it is said that the prevalence of typhoid and other fQrms of malarial fever at Cairo within the last few years tends to complete the ruin. of the reputation of the Egyptian capital as a winter resort for invalids. The climate has been undergoing extensive and disadvantageous changes. Whereas, until 1878 at least, such a thing as rain was entirely unknown in that city, there is nowadays one perpetual and almost tropical downpour, commencing in November and lasting until March. Not only this, but two years ago there was actually a snowfall at Suez, on the shores of the Red Sea itself, which astounded and frightened the natives like a scourge.
Archooologists have reported that nowhere among the pictures already" copied in the illustrated volumes has there ever been found anything like an umbrella or portable shelter from showers, nor is any open gutter or eave-trough to be noticed in the ruins of ancient buildings. Evidently there was no expectation of rain, nOr any protection from it, in the plans of the architects of those olden times.
The atmospheric phenomena, which are often attributed to the existence of the Suez Canal, and of the Sweet Water Canal, are naturally causing a complete revolution in the construction of dwellings and the mode of life. The entire roofs have had to be rendered water-tight, as they are in the rest of the world. Fireplaces and stoves have already begun to make their appearance in the rooms, instead of the old-time open braziers. Even the unfortunate fellaheen are on the lookout for a material capable of resisting the weather better than the dried mud it has been hitherto traditional to use in putting up their pitiful huts.
Nor is this the worst; a much more serious result is found in an unmistakable increase of the unhealthiness of the larger towns. Cairo, as it now exists, is builded on the ruins of a dozen defunct cities, an older, and then an older town, belonging to the remote past, lying deeply sepulchred beneath the cellars and the streets. The present buildings are perched upon the summit of a sort of plateau, formed by some sixty feet of detritus of all kinds, and all unwholesome, as might be imagined. Potsherds, wicker-work cinders, scraps of metal, bits of tile, and no man can conjecture what else besides, constitute the substrata that underlie the city. And the roadways appear never to have had a sewer or a gutter for deliverance from the reek of men and beasts for ages.
As long as there was no regular fall of rain, no ill efi'eets had to be apprehended. The annual inundations of the Nile did not come up so high as the elevated towns. The waters were poured only on the depressed and arable plains. But now the heavy rain which drops day after day during the winter months eventually soaks through the terrible mass, and in fact renders it (so it is declared) nothing more nor less than a heap of wet garbage. Hence, in the warm nights, a dense mistiness of gray fog may be observed rising up from the ground, enveloping the city-this city, to which invalids are strangely sent for health!
Moreover, the moisture in conjunction with the detritus produces a sort of chemical liquor and acid vapor which saps and literally eats away the fouudations of the old buildings. In a few years the beautiful tombs of the Caliphs and Mamelukes, with all their delicate tracery and emblems of the most glorious period of Saracenie art, will have disappeared. It was high time for the wonderful providence of God now to interpose, and gather the inscriptions and the mummies for his use.
Thus is the Lord smiting Egypt; but he is going to heal Egypt in the better days to come. Signs of his turning are already to be found in thll>t desolate lll>nd ; they will come under our consideration next.
TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN MISSIONARY
TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN MISSIONARY MAGAZINES. By REV. CHAS. C. STARBUCK, ANDOVER. MASS.
M. COILLARD, of the French Protestant Mission in South Africa, writes of the work in Africa: " Now at· never is the time for vigorous and sus- tained action. Let us be on our guard against a spasmodic zeal, subject to all the mutations of the passing caprice, as novelty may suggest. For you who give and pray, as well as for us who are at the breach, the work which is confided to us is eminently a work of patience, of perseverance and of faith j let us be ready to carry it forward through dangers however serious, disap- pointments however keen, as well as through sacrifices ho~evercostly. Let us recoil before nothing. The disasters of Dr. Holub's expedition, the mar- tyrdom of Bishop Hannington, that of a Wesleyan missionary and his wife on the west coast, the massacre of Count Porro and of M. and Madame Bar- ral, and other similar facts, clearly apprise us that it is not with impunity . that science, civilization and Christianity attack the Dark Continent, one of the principal fortresses of Satan." ___ M. COILLARD, who has gone to establish a mission on the Zambesi, writes: "The Zambesians do not know how to speak in public, nor to discuss affairs with the decorum of the Bassoutos j they love pleasantry, and among them no'One is safe from the stinging darts of mockery and sarcasm. It is hard to understand how people of so volatile a disposition can be so cruel. Alas! we cannot so much as take a walk without stumbling over some shattered skull, or some caleined fragments of human bones. Leivanika" [the king] "I'jhowed us the remnants of the fuel which but a little while since, only ten paces from here, had served to burn some sorcerers. Verily,' the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.' "
IN the Dan8k Mi88ions-Blad for April, Missionary Kofoed, of Southern India, writes: " I have often wondered that many at home suppose that these souls, gathered in from the lies and excesses of heathenism, are to be better Christians than people at home, reared in an atmosphere of civiliza- tion and domestic love, with good examples before them. No, this is not to be looked for j the higher fruits will only come with future generations. Even when baptized and weaned from devil worship, and all their other ear- lier follies of heathenism, yet their families, their friends and their fellow- laborers are so infinitely ignorant and degraded that we may be well content if, from one year to another, we are conscious of a step or two of moral advancement."
NOTWITHSTANDING the intense Protestantism of Denmark it appears that some Danish Christians grudge missionaries the joys of a family. Herr Kofoed writes: "Everything in this world must accommodate itself to facts. The notion of unmarried missionaries would never go down among the MalayaIee, for among them no man, be he white 01' black, dare speak to a woman, be she young or old, unless he is a married man."
THE Dansk Mi8sion8-Blad for April fills ten pages with a biographical sketch of Royal Gould Wilder. In it Denmark the land of sailors, and America, the land of mighty wielders of the axe, are thus incidentally con- trasted: "He who does not know how to pray should go to sea," says the proverb. The experience of Royal Wilder might have taught him to say, "He who does not know how to pray, should go into the woods;" for it was in the woods that he learned the art of praying.
THE Blad has lately given a statement of the missionary contributions of various countries proportionately to population and wealth. Denmark stands very low, but it mentions one" happy exception." This is the little town of Soeby, in upper Jutland, a place of about 1,550 inhabitants. In the Epiphany collection for foreign missions the people contributed in 1883, 181 crowns; in 1884, 384 crowns: in 1885, 452 crowns; in 1886, 571 crowns; in 1887, 81J2 crowns; and at the Epiphany offering for 1888, 1,370 crowns; besides many and liberal gifts on other occasions. The amounts are modest, answering to the probable wealth of the place, the last being $367.16. But the rapid growth shows how the cause has taken hold of hearts.
HERR JENSEN, writing in the Blad about hiring a house, incidentally mentions one of the thousand ways in which an influence radiates from a mission upon. heathenism: "The landlord was glad to secure a European family as tenants. As I am also a missionary, he knew that he should have no trouble about the regular receipt of his rent."
THE mild summer climate and many quiet beauties of Denmal'k make the change from that to the terrible heat of Southern India a self-denial greater than we, accustomed to fiercer extremes than our kinsmen of the Olde:;t England, can altogether appreciate, though for all of us it would be sufficiently felt. I have made the following extract from Mr. Jensen's letter or considerable length, as giving us an insight into the unappeasable longing with which those who go from such a home to the torrid fierceness of Lower Hindustan have to contend: ,. Though only May, we have it in the house night and day, 86°. Our little son, four years old, will often throw himself despairingly on the floor, exclaiming, '0 mother, this country is too warm, too warm; can't we go into the great ship again and sail home to Denmark?' In the morning we find no application of our Danish hymn, 'Renewed in strength by nightly rest.' The power of the hot, scorching wind is the same day and night. The water-caraffe is our constant resort. Yet we are thankfulfor general health. But we cannot help thinking how, when nature is the most withering upon us, she is opening into her fullest loveliness in Denmark. This very day letters were received from home, and all spoke of the spring, of the beeches that were ready to leave out, of wood anemones and violets, of gardens filled with Easter lilies, crocuses, hyacinths, and all the other delicate and gracious flowers which are now covering the Danish land. Nor did the letters merely speak of them; for in one there were violets, in another tender beech leaves, blue and white violets. We are fresh from seeing all this; how living it all becomes on the receipt of such letters. Involuntarily we exclaim: , The Pentecostal feast does natnre keep In robes of flowery magnificence.'
Ah I how lovely is Denmark I "
THE Missions-Blad, in answer to the contemptuous disparagement of mIssions which seems to be much more common in Denmark than it now is with us, though common enough here, subjoins: "But after all, we must not make out that worldly men are wholly in the wrong. 2,000,000 converted heathen I how few compared with 1,000,000,000 unconverted heathen! 2,700 missionaries for this thousand millions, how few! It is as if five clergymen set out to Christianize our Denmark. 27,000,000 crowns annually, how little, when Germany alone, every year, exports some 15,000,000 crowns' worth of brandy and powder to Africa. Ofithese 27,000,000, England alone gives 18,000,000. America, Germany, Holland, France, and our Scandinavia give the rest, and how little after all! And even England's missionary munificence is less than she spends in three days for wine, ale and brandy. And yet let us not lift ourselves up against her. The missionary contributions from our native country amount at most to $21,440, two-thirds of what we spend in one day for intoxicating drinks."
THE comparison of various countries as to their contributions of money and men to the foreign missionary work, published in the Blad, is as follows: Missionaries (male and female) to every 100,000 of the population: England, 48/ 10 ; France, 4'/,., Switzerland, 2"/10; the Netherlands, 2'/10; Germany, 18/ 10 ; Norway and North America, 1'/10; Sweden,~8/,o; Denmark, 6/10' This estimate includeil, we see, both Protestant and Roman Catholic missionaries, of which France furnishes the most and the best.
Money, contributed pel' head of the whole population: England, 60 ore; France, 39; Switzerland, 19; the Netherlands, 179/ 10 ; North America, 15'/10; The ore is a money Norway, 9'/10; Germany, 9; Denmark, 4; Sweden, 19 10, / of account, worth 0.268 of a cent. We must remember that most of the work of church-building IS regarded in Burope as complete, and that of our vast home missionary work at the West they have nothing. The exactness of this estimate it is difficult to test completely.
THREE hundred years ago some Roman Catholic missionaries made a flying visit to the Caroline Islands. On the strength of this the" Missionsblaetter" (quoted in the Allgemeine Missionszeitschrijt) makes the following statement: "No other nation than the Spanish has brought the light of the gospel to the Caroline Islands, and what we know of the natives and their ways is derived only from the 'Catholic'missionaries." This is putting a good front upon it. But the conclusion is still more astounding: "It is, therefore, evident that the right of Spain is beyond dispute." The writer goes on to declare that of all rights to the sovereignty of a barbarous country none can be compared in cogency with the right inuring from having been the first to send the gospel to them. Of course, then, since Rome first sent the gospel to England, not only does the spiritual, but the immediate and plenary temporal sovereignty over England, and over America, as descended from her, appertain to the Pope. No doubt this course of reasoning would be quite satisfactory at Rome. The Zeitschrijt pertinently inquires; to what Roman Catholic nation Rome attributes the sovereignty of China, and to what one the sovereignty of Japan. Or are these two nations exempted as not being barbarous? One protest must be lodged before Leo XIII. is installed in Windsor Castle, namely, that the archiepiscopal province of York was converted by the Irish, and ought, therefore, to be governed from Dublin, not from Rome, which two powers at present seem not quite coincident.
The Zeitschrijt concludes its comments on this astounding doctrine thus: , "In brief: it is a most flagrant outrage against Christian Missions, aD;d against the peoples, among whom they are carried on, to deduce from the diffusion of the gospel a 'right' to the assumption of colonial sovereignty. This is in a measure intelligible as done by politicians; but it is doubly, nay, tenfold, to be deplored, when done by the man before whom the jubilee rites of apotheosis have burned incense as the' light from heaven,' as the 'kingly highpriest of mankind.' " MR. THOMAS WENTWORTH HIGGINSON has disparaged Christian missions as being, from his point of view. merely an endeavor "to render the condition of barbarians a little more comfortable." It is true that his point of view would never have evoked foreign missions. Yet even from his point of view it seems to be an exaggerated disparagement which so describes, for instance, the Zenana mission. This is one of the thousap.d cruelties which it is gradually helping to abolish. "A female missionary physician is summoned to a Zenana patient down with the smallpox. The young woman lay in a little chamber into which no ray of light and no breath of air could penetrate. It was in the very middle of the hot season in Upper India, and yet there stood a dish with burning wood coals right under the bed of the patient, who lay in a burning fever, tormented with devouring thirst! But not a drop of water had anyone been allowed to give her. She died, and her clothes were -given to her attendant, a woman of lower caste, who took them home. At once the disease was propagated throughout this part of the city, where it raged fatally for weeks."
IN South Africa there is among the whites a great deal of contemptuous hatred of the Caffirs, and disposition to believe them incapable of either intellectual or moral improvement. Various travelers take occasion of this to discredit the missionary work. In answer to such opinions Mr. Charles Brownlee, who lately, on retiring from the office of Minister for the Aborigines, was granted by the Cape Parliament his whole salary as retiring pension, entirely without precedent, as a mark of esteem, says: "I once asked a heathen who complained that some goats of his were concealed in a mission station by the Christian natives, whether in fifty years he, a great man and privy cOUnCillOl", had ever known a Christian Caffir convicted of theft. He owned he had not. Had he ever known cattle-tracks traced to a mission station?" No." That is saying a good deal for a people among whom cattle-stealing seems to be the principal crime. Again:" In one of the wars 3,000 Christian militia-men camped for two years on Brownlee's station, and during this whole time it was never needful to station a single policeman there." Particular umbrage is taken that the Goverment makes grants to the mission academy of Lovedale. It is declared that the scholars, once dismissed, forthwith revert to heathenism, grease and red ochre. Mr. Brownlee says: "Baron von Hubner makes much of it that out of 2,058 scholars 15 are lmown to have reverted to heathenism. Fifteen I" "The question, says he, has been proposed: Where are the young people trained in Lovedale, and what is now their occupation? Again I refer to 'Lovedale past and present' from which I find that four have gone as missionaries to Livingstonia, of whom two have died. We find them str€wn over Natal to the farthest 'end of the Transvaal Republic, in Mashona, Bechuana, Basuto and PondoJand, and over the whole of the Cape Colony, employed as pastors, evangelists, teachers, mechanics, as policemen, justices, interpreters and clerks in the service of the Government, and of merchants and lawyers, while the greater part stay at home honestly earning their living. The most of them-excepting the fifteen returned to heathenism-exercise a wholesome influence among their countrymen, requiting the Government double and treble for the support which it has contributed out of the public funds toward their instruction."
THE Journat des Missions Evangeliques for April reports a. remarkable awakening among the pagans in the district of Thaba-Bossiore, in the Bassuto country. At the main station 110 have lately been en-
THE ADVANCE GUARD OF MISSIONS
rolled as catechumens, making the full number 210. At an out station 15 have been enrolled. At Morija 373 have been enrolled during 1887. Seven hundred at Morija have been enrolled as "desiring conversion," but not yet admitted as. catechumens. The remark is made that the churches as yet remain strangely cold, compared with the rising fervor outside. M. Jacotiet says: "Most of the converts received by me showed an .individual physiognomy of conversion, which, as all my colleagues will assure you, is by no means the most usual fact." One old woman baptized was over a hundred. At Morija "we had," says M. Mabille, "a communion service, peaceable and solemn, in the open air. Nearly or quite 600 persons approached the Lord's table."
"But all is not beautiful and satisfying. In the midst of our joys we have had the deep sorrow of learning of the shameful fall of one of our evangelists not yet a year in the service. Here, as of old, there is no lack of Pagan enemies of the Lord to blaspheme."
THE ADVANCE. GUARD OF MISSIONS.
By JOSEPH COOK.
"BECAUSE I do not believe in a Probation for men after death, therefore do I believe in sending the Gospel to all men before death I" Like a pillar of fire should we be guided by that definitive declaration that we shall be judged" according to the deeds done in the body." We know nothing about another opportunity for men in an "intermediate state," therefore will we send missionaries to them in our present state. In Pagan, as in Christian lands, now and always, our peace with God depends upon our similarity to God, hating what he hates, loving what he loves, and, everywhere and always, is there a deadly dissimilarity to God; and a dissimilarity which tends to permanence of character. Over all the world is it equally true of every man and woman that to be happy there must be salvation from that sin which is true, alas, of everyone. If I possess a Christ who alone can save from sin, and from the inevitable, invariable consequence of sin, my responsibility toward other men is simply immeasurable. Science teaches this. Nature prompts to it. Common sense ratifies it. Three hundred millions of women hold the Buddhist belief, as it is held of them, that they will reappear on earth after death as bugs and all manner of vermin; unless, indeed, they are extraordinarily good, in which case they will be born again, this time as men. The money we give to send the Gospel to these, our yearly contributions to missions, will not pay the liquor bills of the United States for three days; will not pay for the spirits drunk in the British Islands during two days I Protestants give ten millions of dollars annually to evangelize the heathen. What is ten millions in comparison to what we could do? Some one has said that this nineteenth century will seem to those coming after us an amusing century, and nothing in it will amuse our posterity more than our absurd conceit that we are doing great things for the world. It is because we have so slight a conception of the visible need of the heathen. Out of the sixty-three millions of Bengal, ten millions so utterly depend upon the current harvest that for it to fail is for them to perish; thirteen millions more do not know, except while the mangoes are ripe, what it is, the year around, to have a full stomach. In China sixty dollars a year is wealth beyond the reach of myriads. In India many a million of men has to support life, each man on less than *15 a year, multitudes of widows supporting existence on a dollar a month.
WHAT IS SUCCESS?
Their bodily poverty is but a type of their spiritual penury. If they live as upon the extreme edge in temporal, how much more in spiritual things! The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions is decidedly in the lead of every other missionary association. In this, for instance, that they require their mission churches to be self-sustaining, laying it down as law that every convert should give a tenth of his income to the Lord, in which they differ from other boards. If they are charged at home with being extravagant of expenditure, everywhere in heathendom the reproach is that they are too close-fisted. The missionaries of other boards are rich in comparison to theirs, have better accommodations for guests, larger, handsomer, better adapted church buildings and school-houses. Bombay is the second most populous city in the British dominions, and at a large gathering there of missionaries it was voted, seven out of ten, that the policy of the A. B. C. F. M. in devolving the churches upon native support, is right; and everywhere in my travels around the globe I found this to be the conviction of native converts themselves-a converted Brahmin urging this view with great force upon the Bombay people. There is this difference, that Christianity is being embraced by people of the middle classes in Japan, while in China and India its suocesses are rather with the lower classes, as was true of the world at large when the gospel was first preached. There is not now one ordained missionary for a million heathen; surely there should be atleast one for every fifty thousand. Remember that the population of the world is increasing at a more rapid rate than the increase of missionary effort. It oug~t to be the law of every Christian in the world: "For every five dollars I expend upon myself I will give one dollar to the spread of the gospel." Because, bear in mind if we send the heathen the gospel, we are sending them also an English, German, American Infidelity. which is more bitterly hostile to Christ than is heathenism. What with hereditary and imported belief there, it is essential we should send as missionaries our ablest men. The longer we delay, the harder the work to be done. The more penurious we are now, the heavier will oe our expenses in Pagan lands hereafter. In the last lines written by Longfellow he expresses this sentiment: "The day is breaking everywhere, and God deliver us from dawdling at the dawn of such a day!"
WHAT IS SUCCESS?
SINCE writing the brief article on George Bowen for the June number of this REVIEW, I have been made acquainted with his own thoughts in regard to his lack of direct success in winning souls, during his long missionary ministry. It was a great sorrow to him. It weighed heavily upon his heaq all through his life in India. In a letter written not long before his death and shortly after the fall which fractured his thigh, alluding to this apparent failure, he said: "Compared to the great trial which has followed me for forty years, this physical disability is a very small thing to bear."
This is certainly suggestive. The Lord measures success in a different way from man. The greatest of the prophets threw himself under the juniper tree, bewailing the utter failure of his life, and requesting for himself only that he might die. How pathetic was the career of Jeremiah. When a mere youth called to confront the desperate depravity of a whole generation, king, priest and people against him, with never a ray of hope thrown upon the future of his ministry. Dying in Egypt without a convert! Yet the influence of these two old heroes will never die out of the world. Many
MISSIONS FOR MILLIONS
a man is never so influential as after he is dead; dying prematurely, perhaps, like Abel, but like him, though dead, still speaking.
Foreign missions afford many illustrations of such ways of God. Samuel J. Mills was buried in the ocean when his work for the heathen was only in anticipation. Harriett Newell, at nineteen years of age, died when her lips had hardly been taught a heathen syllable. Yet their brief lives are still great living forces in the work of foreign missions. David Brainerd's brief and marvelous work among the Indians won perhaps seventy heathen souls to Christ. Of the subsequent lives of these converted Indians, or their de- scendants, who can speak? But the short life of Brainerd is among the richest treasures of the Church. When he was dead he became at once a greater power than when he was alive. So he continues to be, and so he will be so long as his memoirs live in missionary annals. Good and great men and women are usually greater powers after dea.th than during life. They wait for the last of earth before the men of the earth know how great and good they were; then they begin really to live.
Among such as these, undoubtedly, Bowen will have his place. Filled with the Holy Spirit, dwelling in the mount with God, while yet among men, exerting a widening influence for Christ and holiness through India, his name will not die out of mission records; and he, too, will henceforth be greater after death than he was during life.
MADISON, N. J. ROBERT AIKMAN.
MISSIONS FOR MILLIONS.* By REV. IRA G. Ross, NEW YORK.
Air-" Marching Thruugh Georgia," arranged.
1. HARK, the sound of bugle calls from Zion's mission bands, Raise a song triumphantly o'er earth's sin-darkened lands; Legions now are speeding forth to do their Lord's commands, Planting the missions for millions. CHORUS. Hosanna! Hosanna ! We'll bring the jubilee! Hosanna! Hosanna! The Lord hath made us free! So we'll sing redemption songs o'er ev'ry land and sea, Planting the missions for millions.
2. See the gleaming signals are now flashing from on high, Watch the fiery pillar's light appearing in the sky; Forward march with fearless mien though hosts of Hell defy, Planting the missions for millions.
3. Rally at the battle cry, ye soldiers of our King, Let each church her quota full of men and money bring; Deeds of love and courage high in endless chorus sing, Planting the missions for millions.
4. Doors of hermit nations now unhinged are tumbling fast, Towering wall and buttress fall at blare of trumpet blast; Vain is heathen rage or boast, we'll crown our King at last, Planting the missions for millions.
5. Quick! the crisis-hour has come: then forward all the line, Dare not flinch or falter now, a failure would be crime; Jeweled crowns for victors wait that shall the stars outshine, Planting the missions for millions.
* Missionary Song Leaflet No.1. Copyrighted by Funk & Wagnalls.
ORGANIZED MISSIONARY WORK
H.-ORGANIZED MISSIONARY WORK.
Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian at NewcastIe-on-Tyne, 1888, shows Ohurch of England.. progress. The mission of this church holds a prominent, place among the THE work of this Society is carried various missionary bodies in China. on in China and India. The report for 1887, presented to the Synod STATISTICS OF THE MISSION FOR THE YEAR 1887.
,; '.". ~…., .~….'S~co…" ~…. ,; ~ C;; ~~l .; .. ….';"="l .1l aa","Q", 8 ,; CI A'" .S '8 .S :'"."a… g~ ,Q …;.. A'" ,:'Q.'a"" i'."", '" B ,~Q" aa" '""''i""""il' s.~~ 1sol O'"J ~ '".'".".. ,Q ~ CENTEBS. .., "g ~~ 0 r"n ~ "'"" ~.; ".: ~'" ·'s" ,Q !3 ",,,, OJ .."s ~ "" "at: ,Q~ ·!"a"a..:0.I..cw.0..o… '."… -$a~':"""a '" '"~ .~.p:.s .~ .s 0 s~ .''..""0.. '; 0" 0"" ~ C) Eo< 0 ~ ~","Q'.''~' ~ ~ ~"" 0 …. ~.~ 0 :=;! 0 Eo< – — – – – – — — — Amoy …………………… 822 56 15 21 3 5 5 14 893 69 587 36 1,516 – Swatow…………………. 942 54 7 2 8 31 4 962 47 371 80 1,413 Hak·ka …………………. 211 16 3 2 2 6 2 1 225 12 86 36 347 – Formosa· ………………. 1,317 79 – 1 11 27 33 1,348 87 937 119 2,404 – Singapore ………………. 105 9 – 20 4 7 19 100 7 43 7 150 – — — – – – – — — — Totals ………………. 3,397 214 25 44 18 50 78 33 3,528 222 2,024 278 5,830 .. * In revIsmg the Formosa r.olls, a mIstake has been discovered in the statistics for 1887 and for Bome previous years, and conseqnently there is a discrepancy between the number returned then and now. JrceiPts of the year from all source~ …………………………………………… £13,769 17 4 xpenses.. .. .. .. .. . .. . .. .. .. .. . .. . .. . . .. .. .. • .. .. • .. ………. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. .. .. …. 13,473 19 2 B~ance in bank.. . .. .. .. .. .. .. • .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. • .. .. .. … …………………… £295 18 2 WOMEN'S MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION.
JrceiPta for 1887………………………………………………………………. £2,777142 xpenses.. • .. .. .. .. . .. .. . . .. . . • . .. .. • . . . • . …. .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. .. . . .. • … .. ……. … 2,009 18 1 Baptist Missionary Society (English), support – these and kindred facts surely give promise and pledge of THE ninety-sixth annual report, far wider conquest, and of the combearing date May 1, 1888, furnishes ing of that glad time when the evidence that this venerable society Saviour shall subdue all things unto is prosecuting its great work with himself, and the kingdoms of this ever-increasing zeal and vigor. Its world shall become the kingdoms of missions are planted in almost every our God and of his Christ." part of the broad mission field. The Committee report" continuous pro- "The balance sheet for the year gress, a larger number of conversions just closed exhibits a debt of £5,859 than for many years past, a wide- 9s. 7d. It is, however, matter for spread spirit of inquiry, a growing thankfulness that this deficiency is desire for copies of the Scriptures not due to any falling off in receipts, and Christian books, and the develop- but to a considerable increase of exment of the native Christian church penditure. The total ordinary rein aggressive earnestness and self- ceipts for the year just closed show an increase of £2,938 5s. Sd. upon Ba.ptist Sta.te Oonvention of North Oarothose of the year previous, the actual lina. figures being: THEFifty~seventh Annual Meeting 1887-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . … £61,341 5 1 was held in Durham, N. C., Nov. 16- 1886-7…………… …….. 58,402 19 5 20, 1887. The report was highly en- couraging. Increase 1887-8………. £2,988 5 8 FOREIGN MISSIONS. "In addition to this increase of £2,938 5s. 8d., £2,385 2s. 8d. has been We give the following summary: contributed for the extinction of the debt of 1886-7. Brazil-Missiouaries (native and foreign), 14; "The contributions for general churches and stations, 6; baptisms, 30; mempurposes, as compared with the year before, show an advance of £863 bers,I75. ' 9s. lld., the figures being: Mexico-Missionaries, 17; churches and sta- 1887-8………………… '" £43,625 18 1 tions, 21 ; baptisms, 100 ; members, 350; contri- – – – – – – 1886-7.. . . … .. .. . . .. . . .. . .. •.. 42,762 6 2 butions, $823. Increase 1887-8…. . . .. . . £863 11 11 Italy-Missionaries, 15 ; churches and stations, " The special gifts for the Congo Mission also exhibit an increase of 14; members, 306; baptisms, 26. £9884s. 7d., and the Calcutta Press profits and gain on exchange are also Mrica-Missionaries, 16; baptisms, 26 ; memin advance of . the year before by £1,08419s. 4d. bers, 138.
"While, however, the receipts have China-Missionaries, 54; churches and stakept in advance, the expenditure exhibits a much larger increase, the tions, 24; baptisms, 46; members, 677; COnfigures being: tributions, $699; besides a chapel built at 1887-8…………………… £67,208 14 8 1886-7…. ……. …………. 62,576 4 6 Shanghai by Deacon Wong, costing about $1,000.
Our Foreign Missionaries are 58; of whom 2{ are ministers and 34 ladies. The baptisms for one year were 238, and the contributions In mission fields, $3.012.61.
The receipts of the Foreign Mission Board were 187,830.53, the largest in its history. Of this amount North Carolina contributed $7,942.- 34. The amount contributed in this Convention during the year ending November 10, 1887, is $6,428.53.
Increase 1887-8………. £4,624 10 2 Wesleya.n Mission. in the Mysore Prov- mee. "The large deficiency is mainly due to the Congo Mission, the Forty – ninth report for the year amount charged to the account of 1887. 1886-7 having been only £5,820 8s. 3d., and for 1887-8 £9,955 9s. 5d.-an ap- " The past year has been distinctly parent increase of £4,135 Is. 2d.; one of encouragement. There has although as explained before, the been no great spasmodic outburst of real increase is only £2,192 Os. 5d., power, but there have been everythe balance in hand of the Congo where 'signs following.' In the re- Fire Fu.od(£1,943 Os. 9d.) having been ports of the various departments we credited to the previous year's ac- find reason for praise and hope. To count, as fully set forth in the bal- the country generally the year has ance sheet for 1886-7. brought prosperity. The rains were ample and timely; the crops have "With regard to the debt of been sufficient; no severe epidemic £5,859 5s. 7d., the Committee are has visited us, and the people have thankful to report that they have been comfortable. and contented. received intimation of certain lega- This state of things has found its pacies which, by the special direction rallel in the Mission. Our workers of the legators, are not to be added have, almost without exception, been to the Legacy Reserve Fund, but de- able to sustain thsir industry uninvoted to expenditure, which will terrupted; our members have been probably be sufficient to extinguish generally freed from pressinganxiety, the present burden." and in God's mercy all outward circumstances have been fairly favor- NOTE.-In this account are not included the able to the progress of our work." salaries of the missionaries, as these are paid directly to them by the treasurer of the Execu- In connection with the English churches in tive Committee. Bangalore, there has been gracious spiritual quickening aud accessions. Sixty-nine mem- Expenditnres in America, October 18, 1886 to bers were added to the nativechurches making August 26, 1887: 844 in all. There has been great advance finan- Drafts (salaries of missionaries). ….. $4,273 33 cially. English schools are growing in importance and influence. The need of additional " (general expenses).. . . .•. . . .. . . . 3,900 00 fnnds is keenly felt. Interest on loan…………………. 116 00 Mrs. L. V. Artman, on account. . •. . . . 50 00 TA"BULAB. VIEW OF MISSIONS IN THIS Salary of agent. . . . . . . ••. . •••. . .. . . . . . 75 00 Three copies of Missionary Review DISTRICT. Number of cbapels, 19; number of other and Mission Zeitschrijt ……… . 1410 preaching places, 21 ; catechists, 33; day-school Printing Cent Collection Books . …..•. 12 00 teachers, 327 ; Sabbath-school teachers, 91 ; lo- Type for printing office in India……• 2400 cal preachers, 39; number of full church mem- The Artman Memorial. ………….. . 29000 bers, 990; on probation, 101; number of Sab- Error …………………………. . 3780 bath-schools, 26 ; number of scholars, 982; number of day-schools, 117; number of scholars, Total expenditures. . . . . •. . . . . . . .. $8,792 23 7,929; total number. deducting those who at- Leaving a pretty heavy indebtedness. tend both Sabbath and week-day schools, 8,038; attendants on public worship, 2,983. Oounoil of the United Missions in Japan. Total amount of receipts, 27,819 reals. Eleventh annual report, presented Geueral Oounoil of the Evangelioal at the annual meeting, January 21, Lutheran Ohuroh, 1888 : Annual report at its meeting, Sep- CHURCH STA.TISTICS. tember 8, 1887 : Eight churches have been added to our list All our missionaries have been at work in the since the last report, making a total of fifty-eight field during the past year. churches connected with the United Church of Receipts in India from July I, 1886, Christ in Japan. During the year 1,688 adults and 199 children have been baptized. The total to June 80, 1887. . . . . . . . . . . •. •. . .. $4,903 23 church membership is 6,859. The contributions Total expenditures in India.. •. ••••••• 4,918 8l for Christian work amount to 18,553,832 yen, the equivalent of about $14,250 U. S. gold.
STATISTICAL TABLE.
e;. '" PBESBYTERIES !:l~ BAPTISMS IN MEMBERSHIP, ~ .; CZi!>il~• A>: AliD 18117. OCTOBER, 1887. Ol .; 'z" 0'" 11<"" ~ Ii! .; "… …,. .. CHUBClIES. IQ Ol 0<'lri' >:> p>.:>. ~'~" Z E< ~ E< <Xl:oIOl ~ ~ ~ '" "" ~ Oll'l fo1 A;~'" ~ ,~g c:i c:i c:i f9 -<l – 1 – – – – – – – – – – – —- — – SUMMABY.Ol:>1~-""'-l E< 0 .; S" :::I ~ II< ,.;l o – Z i~!l -~<l=0l <'l ,.;lO 0 E< ~'" 0-'" E-< ~ ~ IQE< >:> :01 ~O -:>1- ~ ~ 0 >:> 0 E-< 0 ~:>1 Z ,E-< Daiichi, To"kyo.. …. 21 2,882 704 77 781 1,491 1,089 371 2,951 9,115.385 12 2 5 Daini, 17 1,526 228 20 248 939 651 257 1,847 5,437.373 10 3 7 Chinzei. .••…… 7 449 80 18 98 223 180 132 535 523.590 4 1 7 8.4. 463 428 337 1.3. 3 898 1,286.314 205 297 439 189 628 2,191.170 Naniwa ………. 7 464 379 6- 2 5 Miyaga……….. S 331 297 – – – – – – – – – – – – — – – – 1199 Grand Totals .. 58 5,152 1,688 1,887 3,520 2,446 893 6,859 18,553.832 4834 8 29 AustraliaIl Wesleyan Missionary Sooiety. ers 2,659; local preachers 2,100; class leaders 3,761; full members 39,546; on trial 4,647 ; cate- The expenses of the Society for 1885 was £11,- chumens 11,888; communicants 20; deaths 1,156; 479 4s. 5d. Deficiency for the year, £593, 168. 1d. Sabbath-schools 1,584; Sabbath-school teachers Receipts for 1886, £11, 632 7s. 10d. Total expen- 2,812; scholars 44,840 ; day schools 1,887 ; scholditure, £12,,403 Os. 8d. Deficiency, £770 12s. lCd. ars 43,900; attendants on public worship 110,242. The deficiency in both years was paid out of the special grant fund. The work of the society is carried on in five districts: Samoa, Fiji, New SUMMABY OF GENERAL EETlffiNS. Britain, Chinese Mission in Victoria, Nnmber of churches 973; other preaching and Chinese Mission in New South places 432'1 missionaries 17; native ministers Wales. 62; catechists 66 ; teachers 1.079; school-teach- Bethlehem Hospital. station where missionaries can tarry and learn languages. Here they have 155 head We are indebted to Dr. George H. of horned cattle as mission property. (. Savage of London for his succinct Pungo Andongo is 39 miles farther on a· and valuable report as Medical Super- mountain elevation. 5. Malange is 60 miles intendent of Bethlehem Hospital. further along the same path. .. On each side There have been 560 cases treated the of this path is a continuous grave-yard 150 past year, and the number of in- miles long. The hundreds of thousands of mates at the close of 1887 was 246. slaves sold in Loanda for two hundred years There were 32 discharged improved trod this weary way amid tears and blood… and 139 recovered. Over thirty came as voluntary boarders, recognizing The objective point of this line of stations their peril on the borders of lunacy. is the Tushilange country some 1,200 miles Women are willing to sew, read and from the coast. It may be reached along paint, but men are not disposed to do Pogge and Weismann's route, and Dr. Summuch. There are 49 paying patients. mers, one of Bishop Taylor's missionaries, Heredity, anxiety and parturition has already arrived there. But it may also lead in causes. There are more be reached by going up the Congo river and unmarried than married, and the thence by the Kasai river. average a,ge of admission is 36. Most of the patients are of good education. Bishop Taylor started to reach the Tushi- Clerks and governesses form a large lange country by this Congo-Kasai routeand number. has established several stations on the Congo, and has a steam yacht in process of This hospital has a history of more transportation around Stanley Falls, for use than six centuries. Hogarth's "Rake's on the Upper Congo and Kasal. The Bishop Progress" and Shaksspeare's "King makes a very interesting statement of Afri- Lear" picture the condition of thfl can hospitality as bearing on Moslem propalunatics of Bedlam. An order of gandism, and which is equally available for monks, named "Star of Bethlehem," self-supporting Christian evangelism. He had care of the insane in olden time, says: and wore a star on their mantles as a badge. .. The king, chief or head man of each town, assisted by his wives, clears and sows Bishop William Taylor's Report. or plants a field each year for strangers. All Bishop Taylor made his Quadren- the products of that field are kept for strangers, except what may be used for the nial Report to the General Confer- chief'S head wife who has charge of it. When a stranger enters the town he goes ence of the Methodist Episcopal directly to the king, chief or head man and Church on May 12th. He says: shows himself and tells what he came for. If the king or head man is satisfied he replies, .. The productive iuterests of Liberia are 'I receive you.' Soon he will be shown into fairly prosperous. Within ten miles of Mon- one of the best houses in the town, to use as rovia, up St. Paul's River, there are ten his own indefinitely, and he not only gets his steam sugar-cane crushing mills, and during daily rations from the supply for strangers, the past year more than 600,000 pounds of but it is daily prepared for him and brought coffee have been exported from Monrovia. to him. In opening stations on the West The Bishop had superintended the regular Coast of Africa among native savage tribes work in the Liberia Conference and estab- they thus provided for me and those who lished self-supporting missions on the Ca- were with me the best houses they had, and valla River. brought thrice per day boiled rice, palm but- ter, fried chicken, good kid soup, etc. They He has made a beginning in the Congore- are good cooks, and can make more out of a gion, and Angola south of the Congo river; little than the cooks of any other country. in all 36 new stations have been opened by In every place we found it difficult to get him. with 32 mission houses, built at a cost away from their hospitality, and such peoof £20,000 and all are free from debt. The ple never begged us for a cent; but when stations in Angola are, 1. St. Paul de Lo- our people went to take possession of the anda, with a self-supporting school. 2. houses built for them, and took with them Dando, 240 miles distant from Loanda, with needed supplies-boat-Ioads of trunks, boxes, a self-supporting school also. 3. Nhangue- bales, etc., such a profusion of stores the pepo, ~ 51 miles farther inland, a receiving- natives never saw before. Their meager supplies were kept out of sight, their cupid- ity was excited, and quickly a large propor- tion of them were perverted from benefac- tors to beggars."
The Bishop says the Moslem teachers avail
CORRESPONDENOE AND GENERAL INTELLIGENCE. [JULY
themselves of this hospitality, and their As to his organizing a missionary society heralds have consequently overrun the separate from that of the regular missionary northern half and a large part of eastern society of his church, the Bishop says it Africa. .. From the days of Moses," the was necessary, because his methods were so Bishop says, .. or earlier, the provision for diverse from their's that to try to manage the reception and support of strangers has the two from one office would be like trying kept an open door In Africa, and supplies all to run a cdal-yard and a milliner's shop in in wait~ to be utilized by God's ambassa- one office. He cannot consent to be on the dors." Still the Bishop says they must have advance picket line as a leader and be compermanent stations and training schools, as manded by men nine thOUlana miles in the well as industrial schools. rear/ lII.-CORRESPONDENCE and GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.
Java. and its Missions. and every kampong or town section its punden or holy place, where is oft'ered to the spirit of [WE give with pleasure the follow- him who was the lirst man to cultivate that ingvaluable statement from the Rev. grouud. In a word, the religion of the Javanese W. Schuurmans, of Holland, concern- is a mixture or conglomeration of heterogeneing the missions on the island of ous elements of Mohammedauism and heathen- Java.-EDS.] ism, mingled together, but not united as to be- Java is one of the lsrgeet: and most fertile come one, the various parts or ingredients ever iSlsnda of the Dutch possessions in the East In- dian Arcbipeisgo. Except the two small States seen separately. Therefore it can truly be said Jogjokarta and 8oerakarta, that have their own of this people that it dwells "in tenebrIs," princes, called Sultan and 8usuhunam (though aud is in great need of the glorions" hun wholly dependent on the Dutch Government), Mundi." the island is divided into several provinces, called Residences, because administered by resi- Though in former times some ell'orts were dents. Its population at present numbers more made in order to propagate the gospel among the than eighteen millionli, besides the Dutch, the Chi- Javanese, miSSionary work, properly said, benese, the Arabians and some other Eastern people gan at work about the year 1848. At present that have taken np their abode on Java. The the following Missionary Societies or Mission natives, called Javanese on the Eastern and mid- Unions of Holland have their stations and agents dle parts of the isisnd, and Sundanese on the on the isle of Java. Western part of it, profess the Mohammedan religion, at least outwardly, for at home they 1. The Dutch Missionary Society, with stations are heathen. A Javanese, with respect to his at Semarang, Kediri, Swaru, Modjowarna, and relipon, may be compared with somebody who 5 missionaries. wears an upper garment and an under ,coat. With his upper garment, i. e., the Mohamme- 2. The Mennonite Mission-Union, with a stadan faith, he is seen in public, and he is proud of tion (better said a native Christian colony) 'at It, thongh this habit does not suit him. When Margaredjo, and 2 missiouaries. he returns home, he puts it off, and is at his ease 3. The Ermelo Mission, with stations at SaIin his undercoat, t. ~., he thinks and acts like a atiga, Wonoredjo, Klampok, Kalidjeret and Fjemeh, and 5 missionaries. heathen. For, though he confesses, "There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his apos- 4. The "Java-Comite," with statious at Batatie," thongh he practices circumcision, abstains via and Sumber-Pakem, and 2 missionaries. from eating swine's tIe.h, and some of the Javanese, namely the alim, ia e., "pious people," 5. The Dutch Mission-Union, with stations at say prayers, spend alms, keep fasting or are going Meester-Cornelis, Cheribon, Indramaju, Madjafnpilgrimage to Mecca according to Mohamme- lengka, Sumedang, Sukabumi, Fjiandjur, Pangdan rites, the greatest part ofthe natives adores harepan and Buitenzorg, and 7 missionaries. any object that has something extraordinary in it, because it is belleved such objects are ani- 6. The Mission-Uuion of the Dutch Reformed, mated with good or evil spirits; for instsnce, a with stations at Pnrweredjo and Pnrbolinggo, well, a river, a tree, a Itone; also animale, as a and 3 missionaries. tiler, a crocodile, a snake, etc. Nay, even the priests and santris, or they that have received 7. The Mission of the Christian Reformed rellgious teaching in the priest-schools by the Church, with stations at Batavia and Surabaya, Mohammedan Gurus (teacher of rellgious and 2 missionaries. truths), in man, cases tollow the heathen customs or habitA. Moreover, the 25 stations and 26 missionaries .Besides the superstitions above mentioned, on J aVI! that had been mentioued above, there ~er, village has its Dahnjang, or titular deity, are.many outposts or native Christian communi- ties and several native helpers, evangelists and schoolmasters. At Depok, on the western part of the isle, is aIso a large native Christian com- munity under the care of an European Assistant preacher, snstained or paid by the Dutch Gov- ernment. Iu the neighborhood of this commnn- ity is a training-school for native evangelists or helpers with a missionary as Director, assisted by an appointed European schoolmaster. The number of native Christians on Java quite unknown. Sometimes a few boats with amounts to 12,000. heathen Eskimos trom these parts would come round the Cape Farewell to buy various articles IlA.ABLBK, M.6.Y 11, 1888. at Jnlianshaab, the southernmost colony; but every attempt to reach them having failed, the [We have received the following eastern coast was considered as inaccessible, interesting letter from Rev. V. until one of the Moravians, Mr. Brodbeck, some Holmes, Secretary of the Danish 1ears ago, made his way through Ice and other Evangelical Missionary Society, Co- impediments, I do not know how far to the north on that side of the country. In 1884 a penhagen. We gladly correct the Danish expedition, led by a lieutenant of the royal navy, succeeded in proceeding to the 66° statement made in the item to which N. Lat., and found some 600 heathen living on the coast. A mission to them is planned by the he refers, which we copied from an ·ecclesiastical government, and a young man, who has been a sharer in an explor1ug expedition exchange.-EDs.l in Greenland and during a year's stay there has learned to love the people, has offered to go GLADSAXE (NEAR COPENHAGEN), thither. He is now studying In Copenhagen, March 10, 1888. and will, when he has passed his exa.mination, be ordained and sent out to begin a mission REv. J. M. SHERWOOD, D.D. Dear Brother. among these people. -In possession of your memoraudum of Feb. 25. I bave ordered our missiouary paper Letter from Miss Grace Wilder: (DaTl8k Mi88ionsblad) to be sent to your address, and I shall not omit to give you what iu- KOLAPOOB, INDIA, Feb. 23, 1888. formatiou I cau relative to Danish missiou DBAR EDITORS: work. The January REVIEW, so rich in facts and soul- As a beginning, I beg leave to make a few re- stirring words, reached here a little before us. I marks in regard to au item on Greenland iu the rejoice that you are striving to make the RBVIIIW February number of THE MISSIONARY REVIEW one of such personal interest to missionaries. 011' THE WORLD (p. 144), as some of the state- The great thonght in enlisting missionary letments given there are iucorrect. ters is their effect on home readers ; but if old missionaries are willing to express their honest Rev. Hans Egede did not begin the missiou convictions, thoughts which are the result of of the Moravlans in 1728. He was a minister in years of experience-the RBVIEW will be a power Norway, belonging to the Danish-Norwegian among its missionary readers. You cannot Lutheran Church, and as a true member of that realize what an inspiration it is to us here to get church he began the mission in the said year. magazines from home which assure us that the This work has since that time been carried on churches are watching us and are eager to hesr by the Dauish State Church. The Moravians a word from the lIeld. went out to Greenland in 1733. I long to say a word for Kolapoor, which The Danish Mission has always been the prin- might help the young people of America to feel cipal. According to the last census, in 1880, the a per8fJnal interest iu this kingdom and mission. popnlation was 9,767. Of these 8,250 belonged The natural advantages and beautiful scenery of to the Lutheran Church, 1,517 to the Moravian. the Kolapoor State snrpass my brightest recol- From this It will be evident that nilssion service lections. The name Kolapoor is applied to a proper is not carried on in Greenland. All the plateau of some 2400 square miles, with a popinhabitants belong to either of the two bodies nlation of 800,000. Besides six chief rivers that are at home there. this region is well supplied with spring water. The hills are a chief feature, and when near I have not the last report of the Moravians at streams these hillsides are carefnlly tilled by the hand, so that I cannot compare the statements in poor hard-working farmers. THE REVIEW with those of the report, but I do not think that the extracts are quite correct. The capital, Kolapoor, is the largest city in It 1s qnlte impossible that 115 adnlts can have the Southern Marathi country. It Is nearly 1800 been baptized, as the Moravians are not Baptists. feet above the sea and Including the suburbs has I dare say that the brethren would scarcely be a circumference of 4% miles. Though we are able to find one adult who was not baptized. sixty miles east of the coast we have a strong The number of Moravian Greenlanders being sea breeze. Koiapoor is supposed to be one of some 1,500, it is quite impossible that they, in the oldest cities in India. Buddhist coins have the course of a year, should baptize 475 children been found in the city, which are believed to -so many babies cannot be found in a popnla- belong to the first century before Christ. The tion of 1,500. finding of shrines at a depth of over 15 feet; also the discovery of the bed of the chief riTer, On account of vacancies which cannot be the Panchganga (five Ganges) 70 feet above the filled up now, there are at present only six or- level of its present bed, lead to the conclusion dained ministers in the Lutheran Church of Greenland, three of whom are natives, three Danes (called missionaries). The number of catechists and teachers in 1880 was 88.
What I have stated here refers to the Danish colonies on the Western coa~t of the land. The Eastern coast has, up to our day, been almost that in the 8th century an earthquake over- ris. There is here a church of 18 members. turned many temples and buildings. During Mr. Ferris has built a chapel, a church in the the last of the 18th century, under the MarathaB, town, and is just completing a dispensary. I Kolapoor rose in importance, aud at this time its cannot understand how our mission has waited stone wall 30 feet high and 10 to 26 feet thick so long for a medical missionary. In a single was built. Outside of this was a deep wide day 60 people have come to Mr. Ferris for medicine. It makes my heart ache to look at ditch. these poor suffering creatures. This is hard, but Kolapoor is now a great religious, as well as a what can I say of the feeling that comes over me as I look out from these old towers upon trade center. Of some 250 temples in the city scoreS of villages and know that among them six are noted. The most noted and very old there is not a single Christian home? The views temple of Ambabai is visited by large numbers of pilgrims, many coming long distances. Ac- cording to tradition the cost of this temple from here remind me of the Connecticut, as seen equalled the weight of the stones in gold. Be- from the top of Mount Holyoke. The small sides contributions from pilgrims, which amount patches. under careful cultivation, turn these val- to some $2,000, the temple receives a yearly al- leys into beautiful gardens, and in some ways the lowance of £500. country is even more beautiful than our lovely Among all these temples there stands but a Connecticut. Why should this land be so differ- single Christian chapel. This stands on one of ent spiritually? Why ten and twenty church the most valuable lots in the whole city, just spires in a New England town and here in many in front is the grea.t city Bazaar, where thou- a city not one Christian to tell the people that a sands of people assemble on Sunday-the great Saviour lived I In the vaIIey east of us there market day. At half-past eight Sunday morning are some ten native Christians, but north we we have Sunday-school here. The songs of our touch no mission station until we reach Ratna- native Christians attract many, but the vague geri, some sixty miles distant, and there the wit- faraway looks of these people say plainly, .. We nesses for Jesus are a church building, a mission don't understand." Many have come from dis- bungalow, and a schoolhouse and homes for tant villages. and some have never heard the Christians-all deserted now, siuce Mr. Tedford name Jesus. A few Sundays past I was stand- has gone to Sangli. Though Ratnageri has a ing near an elderly woman. While our heads population of some 10,000, the claims of Sangli were bowed in prayer she said in a {oud earnest seem even greater. Mr. Graham tells me that voice, .. What is this?" I cannot say that the within a radius of 15 miles from SangIi there are people here are eager for the truth. They do 125 towns and viIIages. One of these, the trad- not say that they want the bread and the water ing town of Miraj, has a population of over of life, but they look it. Just now there is a 20,000. This is 30 miles northeast of Kolapoor.
very special crisis in Iudia. Government schools Some 27 miles east is another large town, Nerla.
are rapidly increasing. Kolapoor has not only a The surrounding country is densely popu- college but the Rajaram High School, attended lated with people that seem favorable to the by 375 pupils, six vernacular schools, with some gospel. Mr. Seiler has toured in this district, 760 boys, and four girls' schools with about 150 and says that some of the Nerla people lingered girls. Christianity is not allowed. The Eng- until eleven at night to talk with him. Mrs.
lish ,officials seem to guard these educational Ferris said this morning that when the band of institutions as zealously as the Canatical Mos- missionaries just about to sail shan have left, lem does the Mosque of Omar. Even the within a single year 16 missionaries and 15 mis- British president of our college says that the sionary children wiII have retired from our India present system of education, while destroying field I The railroad brings us now right into faith in HindUism, is giving nothing to take its the heart of this Southern Marathi country.
place. My pundit, a finely-educated man, Said Five weeks brought us from New York to Born to me one morniug in Marathi: "The present bay, and 18 or 20 hours more on the railroad condition of our people is fearful. They don't hrought us to Miraj, 30 miles from Kolapoor.
believe in their own religion, and they don't he- I wish the nearness of India to New York lieve in any religion." At another time he said: might lead every young man and woman to " Our people are a religiOUS people. They want think and pray very earnestly before deciding to to find God, but they don't know how. Feeling remain in America. If the dear young gIrls of their own inSufficiency in religious things, they America could walk through th~ 1,079 viIIages go to a Sudu priest." of this single State; if they could look into the The other day a young Brahmin borrowed the hungry, and stolid, and painful, and, in some January number of THE REVIEW. It is returned cases, beautiful faces of these poor women and with marks along the article" Christian and children, it seems to me there is but one ground Non-Christian Religions." I do wish that I had ou which they could hesitate to carry them the brought out with me some short pamphlets on joyful news of the gospel, and that is, the fear the central truths of Christianity. There are that they are not fit to he messeugers. I do many opportunities of lendiug a book or a realize more than ever the need of our being flned with the Holy Spirit, so that God can use us leaflet. Just now we are on the hill fort of Panhalla, for soul work. But God is wiIIing to do this.
spending the hot season with Mr. and Mrs. Fer- He even promises a daily filling. This week I have fonnd one of these preclons assurances in three months' study, and then three months in Isaiah I, 4. preaching and itinerating work. .A. member of one of our churches in the interior lately died, The facts and figures and sights and sounds all 89 years of age. He has been a devoted Chrisspeak so loudly of the needs of this land, that 1 tian about fifteen years. His triumphant death long to tell my friends about them. Yet I do has left a happy impression not only on his famhope and pray that nothing but deep, trne ily, but on all the church members. God has love Cor Jesus and souls will lead anyone to proved faithfnl to all his promises to our people india. In talks with dear father, 1 have been here again and again. helped to see that a lack of true missionary spirit is no excnse Cor us. God Is certainly will- I have, for the money you kindly sent about a ing to give us what he asks us to keep, and he year al:o, secured the services of a worthy says: "Let this mind be in yon which was in brother for six monilis to labor in a district Christ Jesns." about 200 miles in the interior, where as yet the gospel has not been fully preached, ,In some We are now pleading for three more mission- places the preacher has been kindly received aries. Can you not send twenty 1 If Gene- and he is greatly enconraged. A nnmber are ral Assembly could convene on Panhala Fort reading Christian books and a few have asked next May, it seems as if little else could be dis- to be taught to pray and what they are to do in cussed and prayed about except Jesus' last com- order to become followers of Christ. One old mand. Letters are coming assuring us that this man who heard the gospel.a. number of times Kolapoor field is being remembered by name in and professed to believe, lately died. To the family circles, and by individuals. last he said he believed Cbrlst would save him. He regretted that he had not been more diligent Letter from Rev. Hunter .Corbett in learning the trnth, and delayed a public pro- fession of faith in Chlist until too late. of China. You may be interested in knowing that one of CHEEFOO, March 9, 1888. our theological stndents who will soon have lin- ished the full course was, for several years sup- DEAR DR. PIERSON: 1 send enclosed a copy ported by the Sunday-school connected with Bethany church. He is well educated and in Chimse of the letter sent by the General As- gives promise of being an able and faithful preacher. He has been invaluable as a teacher sembly of 1886, to our Chinese Cbristians. It in our training school here, for two years after he left college. He has been my companion durhas greatly cheered our people. Some of them ing eeveral itinerating journeys and rendered efficient service both in preaching to the heathen have read it again and again, and are seeking to and in conducting services with the Christians. He understands music and has been able to live so as to be worthy oC the conftdence of God's teach our people to sing. Surely if it was known that the sum of $40 per year wonld enable a people in A.merica. young man to devote his whole time to stndy, there would be many in our home churchee who Since 1 saw you in April last, when leaving would gladly undertake the education of one or more worthy youths in China. for China, I have made a journey of three It gives us joy to welcome Rev. Mr. Goforth months, visiting our country stations, assisted in and wife from the Presbyterian Mission in Can- ada, who are to be followed by others to begin teaching our class of theological students one work in the Honon prOvince, where as yet the gospel Is scarcely known. term, and since then have had a class of 23 men Brazil Mission, Under the Superintendstudying the Scriptnres. One of the class is a enoe of Rev. Emanuel Vanorden.
man of 64 years w110 heard the truth for the " In the providence of God the province of Sao Paulo has become the headqnarters of Protestfirst time only a few months ago. He teUs me antism. Already four denominations are at work there. In the city of Sao Paulo the South that day by day he sees new beauties in the Scrip- American Missionary Society has a fine church building and a devoted chaplain; the Methodists tures and feels his heart drawn out in love to have a very flourishing school for boys and girls in Piracicaba; and the Presbyterians have a Jesus. One young man of great promise won- newly-erected chnrch, capable of holding 600 persons, a girls' and a boys' b01lrding-school, a ders how he should ever have been so blind and stndents' boarding-hall, and a day-schOOl, at- tended by a goodly number of scholars. They stupid as to have worshiped idols. His father, have taken the preliminary steps of organizing, 86, bitterly opposed his son's studying the Scrip- tures, until a few weeks ago he said he wished to be taught, and hear how Christ .could save the soul.
To-day I had a conversation with an old man.
He said he must soon die and that would be the end of all things with him. He seemed to have no ears to hear as I tried to tell him the way of salvation through Christ. He left me saying if the Heavenly Father would give him food, he wanted nothing more. I pleaded then with some young men, as we stood on the street at the market place, to live with reference to the next world. They seemed to feel that this world is all they need to be concerned with. How help- less we are without the power of the Holy Spirit I We have a very interesting class of nine theo- lOgical students near the end of their stndies.
Most of them are men of good edncatlon and of much promise. Onr plan is to have a term of in August next, the Synod of the Presbyterian will furnish a dwelling, SChool-rooms, an office, Church in Brazil, to be composed of 3 Presbyte- and in short all the room we will want for a ries, 50 churches and 32 ministers, of whom 12 long time. It is worth half as much as the are natives. The missionaries of the Presbyte- Zacatecas property, that we bought cheap at rian Churches in the United States, North and $25,000, but they do not ask 810,000, but only South, will unite in effecting this organization. $3,000, and the ground would cost us that were we to build. If we get it we will save twelve .. Thousands of emigrants continually pass per cent. on the investmeut at once in the saving throngh the capital. Already 70,000 Italians are of rent. And we can get the property at ten per scattered In the province, of whom 13,000 are in cent. of wbat it is wortb. The mission has never the city of Sao Panlo, besides thousands of Ger- had such an opportunity. May I not ask that man and Portuguese emigrants who continually you use your infiuence to help us get the prop· arrive. The Italians bring their priests with erty Y Very sincerely yours, M. E. BEALL. them, and the Germans are steadily increasing the number of their priests and sisters of charity [Will not some of our liberal givers by fresh importations. cheer the heart of this noble mission- " The priests are more afraid of our smali pam· phlets than of the Bible; for it is these silent ary and her devoted husband by a preachers which are directing the people to God's Holy Word. Many a member of the con- generous response to this reasonable gregation I have been permitted to gather in Rio call?-EDs.] Graude has been called tbrough tracts given us by the Religions Tract Society; one of them is FIGUERAS, SPAIN, April 17,1888. now supplying the pulpit during my absence. DEAR EDITORS.-LaSt autumn you kindlyin- serted in MISSIONARY REVIEW OJ!' THE WORLD .. We need help to establish printing and book- an account of the work in Vilabertran, one of binding workshops in the city of Sao Paulo. The our seven mission etations. We have since subcost Is estimated at £1,500, but they will be en- scribed and read it regularly with much interest, tirely self-supporting if not a source of income. being a link between us and fellow-workers in Our converts will thus have an opportunity to the mission field all over the world. Some time learu a useful trade, aud those who lose their em- ago we sent you a report of this mission; with ployment because they refuse to work on Sundays, yeady balance sheet. I now beg yonr kind inwUl have an opportunity of earning their living. terest in enclosed letter, with plan of Figueras, and the pressing need of a gospel hall in tbe .. General Couto Magalhres, an eminent Brazilian center of this town. Just now tbere is a bit of scholar, the day I left Sao Paulo for England, land for sale in an erocellenl; situation where 813: gave me nearly $1,000 towards opening these 8treeta meet. We are 11W8t anxious to secure it. workshops, and said, •I give you tbis money The importance of tbe step may be judged by the towards opening a Christian printing office be- following incident: Tbe other day a conference canse we most urgently need it ; tell your frieuds of priests was held in Gerona, presided over by abroad that we appreciate your labors and those the bishop. A friend of the pastor was admitted of your associates, that we need many more of in a business way, being a lawyer, and he has them, and that the workshops will be a means told us that one of the subjects discussed was of teaching our people those habits of industry tbat of the plot of gronnd in Figueras. Tbe and application in which they are so much de- resolution was passed that" something must be ficient.' He Is as yet not converted, but prayed done to prevent the Protestants making the with and prayed for; he has also given £900 to- purchase." The price is £400. Toward that wards educational work in Sao Paulo. sum we now have £132-2-6, and £100 promised. The lease of Our present han expired in Febru- .. EMANUEL VANORDEN." ary, and our landlord may turu us out at any moment. The fact that in all tbis prOvince there [We print this brief appeal, hoping is not one permanent gospel hall is a sufficient plea. Are the Romanists to trinmph by secur- that some whom the Lord has ing that plot of land for lack of £167-17-6 Y The Jesuits, those indefatigable enemies of God's blessed may find it in their hearts to troth, have ample means at tMir disposal. Surely tbe Lord's people wUl not allow the gos- respond.-EDS. ] pel to sn1fer for want of so small a sum. No wonder Romanism gains ground when Cbris- SAN LUIS POTOSI, MEXIOO, March 15, 1888. tians do so little to stop its progress, and Pro- DEAR EnITORs.-Our mission has no property testant missionaries are crippled in their efforts in San LUis PotOSi, though established here in by lack of means. .. Who will come to the help l872, and otber missions tbat have come in since of the Lord, to the help of tbe Lord against the have secured important properties. Our present mighty Y" If you will kindly aid by inserting congregation is now too large for the .. hired thIS note in your valaable REVIEW we shall be house" in which we worship, and there is no grateful. With kind regards from the paRtor prospect of getting a better in this fanatical and myself. Yours very truly, place. And now just as we are wanting some- thing better, there is offered to us a Catholic MADAlItE ElIILY LoPEZ RoDRIGUEZ. church and the part of an old convent, that is just what we need. The church is a very fine one, will seat at least four hundred people, is of dressed stone, and the rooms .that ~o with it A New Development. three to five active men, who shall have charge of detailed work. , [THE University Students' move- 2. The annual meeting of this State Committee ment is assuming every day larger and of its Executive Committee should be held at a time and place of the State Convention ot proportions. The following address the Y. M. C. A. This assumes that all the mem- bers of this Committee will be delegates from recently issued to the Colleges is so their college to the Convention. Other meet- ings of the Executive Committee may be held as Important in its possible near and the work may require.
remote results that we give it in full. S. The special work of the State Committee at its annual meeting should be to consider the -EDS.] Colleges individually, and on the two-fold basis of the nnmber of students and their approxi- The wonderful wave of missionary zeal which mate individual expenses at college, it should has swept through our American colleges dur- suggest to each college its proportiouate share ing the last eighteen months has moved about of money to be raised. 1,800 young men and 600 young women to offer their lives in service to Christ as for_ 4. The Y. M. C. A. of each college should take eign missionaries. If all these could be up the estimate suggested by the State Commitsent out and supported in the field as tee, and after public consideration the Associarapidly as their education may be completed, tion should decide npon the adoption by a vote the next ten years would witness a missionary of its members. If a favorable vote is given, advance and success such as has never been they should then pledge themselves to raise the known. The finauces of the Missionary Boards amount, pushing the cauvass to a successful in this country are already too heavily taxed to close as rapidly as possible. carry on this additional and extensive work alone. The feeling has already found expression 5. The State Executive Committee should be in a number of colleges and seminaries that they composed of young men of special ability and should not ouly furnish men, but share in the energy as well as of marked missionary enthusiduty of providing money as well. Princeton asm, selected from colleges in different sections College has raised $1,600 for this object, Rutgers of the State. It will be the dnty of each mem- $780, Hampden Sidney $6~5, University College ber of this Committee to aronse missionary in- $250 ($500 expected), Knox College $1,425, and terest in his own and in neighboring colleges by Queens about $800, (the last three are Canadian.) pnblic meetings, to be present and advocate the Knox College took the initiative in this move- report of the State Committee when presented ment. The seminaries have also made a good at these colleges. and, if necessary, help them in beginning, Princeton Seminary having raised pushing the canvass. $850, Alexandria (with about 45 students) $750, Allegheny U. P. (annually for ten years) $530, 6. An effort should be made by the State Com- Xenia (with 26 subscribers) $325 and Union $700, mittee to secure from friends of the move- (total amount in the latter for missionary pur- ment outside of the colleges a fund suffiposes $1,130). $800 is the average amount cient to cover the necessary railroad exneeded to support a missionary in the field. This penses of the Executive Committee, so that feeling that tbe colleges should support one or this extra burden may not fall upon the more of their alumni missionaries is without colleges. This money should not be nsed, howdoubt unexpressed in many of our colleges, and ever, to pay the expenses of the Committee as with proper effort could be awakened into ac- delegates to the Y. M. C. A. Convention, this tion. The few dollars which each Christian' being provided for in the usual way. student would need to give annually to effect this in his college would be but a paltry item in 7. There should also be in each college a spehis annual expenses, of which no part surely cial Missionary Committee (or if one already ex- would be better invested. Now, an organized ists the work may be placed in their hands), effort among the colleges and seminaries would whose duty it shall be to canvass for and secnre accomplish vastly more than mere scattered and pledges for the full amount at the beginning of local action. The following plan which seems each college year, make the collections, select practical is snggested, which we trust may meet the candidate to be seut ont, and whatever yonr hearty interest and approval. other matters demand attention, all their action being brought before the Association for adop- PLAN POR CO-OPERATIVE ACTION AMONG COL- tion. This Committee should consist of two men each from the senior and junior classes, and oue LEGES AND SEMINARIES POR THE SUP- each from the sophomore and freshman. In case of special departments in any college, as the Pre- PORT OP ALUlIINI MISSIONARIES. paratory for instance, such department should also be represented by a man. In the case of 1. Each State should have a State Missionary seminaries it may be lidded that the plan of hav- Committee, composed of one member from ev- ery school of learning in the State which has a ing two members from each of the three classes Y. M. C. A., (or in Seminaries some other form has been found satisfactory at Union Seminary. of organized Christian work), and which agrees to raise money for the support of a home or for- 8. Each college should of course raise its eign missionary, or a foreign Y. M. C. A. Sec- money and send out its missionary under the retary. This State Committee shonld elect from their number an Executive Committee of from auspices of the Missionary Board of the denomi- Street, New York City, at the low rate of $1.10 nation which controls the college_ The candi- a thousand.
date selected by the college as missionary will 12. Special questions, as for instance whether be snbject to the approval of this Board. In the the faculty should be asked to contribute to the case of colleges too small to support a mission- fund, or in co-educational colleges, what share ary, two schools of the same denomination in the young women should take in the movement, any State or neighboring States could unite in may be left to the discretion of the colleges.
providiug for one. When this is impracticable the money can be put Into tlte hands of the De- GENERAL INTELLIGENCE. nominational Board to be used in helping to pay the expenses of some missionary whom they are Africa.-[Mr. G. Wilmot Brooke, about to send out. who has gone up the Congo on an in- 9. If possible, the missionary to be sent out by dependent mission, sends home the any college should be a graduate of the college following dark picture of Central who is finishing a seminary or medical course. Africa. EDS.] When none such is available, the support of a graduate already in the mission field is advised. " I am now at the furthest post on the Congo, 10. The system of support should be on the ' with a vast sea of heathenism around; amaz- basis of at least four years, each student upon ingly shameless immorality, habitual lying, and entering the Freshman class pledging himself to the utmost ferocity now to be found on the give not less than a certain amount yearly while globe, shut out"the faintest hope that their con- he Is in college, The following pledge adapted sciences will excuse them in 'that day.'
from the one used in Union Seminary is sug- " Away a hundred miles or so to the south a gested. .. We the undersigned students of small island, so to speak, some four square . , ……….College, feeling that the honor of our miles, has had the gospel preached for a testi- college, the sphere of Its infiuence, and our ac- mony for a few months-I may almost say tive interest in the work of Christ in foreign weeks. Away to the east nothing but the vast lands would be greatly increased by binding our- sea of towns and villages, town. and villages, selves together for the support and encourage- • doiug evil with both hauds earnestly,' till over ment of a man who will be our special charge, 1,000 miles away to the southwest we come to a and will be known as the, …•. , .•.•• CoUege little spot of light, where Arnot is working. Mi88ionary, do pledge for his snpport not less Again the darkness is broken by some scattered than the sum of, …•. , , , …cents each week for points of light in the lake district, but 1,000 the forty college weeks, this pledge holding good miles of utter darkness is between us and for the four years of the college conrse. This them. pledge shall not be binding until amounts aggre- " Then comes another )!rilliant spot, sending gating $800 annually (or whatever the amount suggested by the State Committee may be) has light round the world, the Christians of Uganda, been subscribed." but nearly 1,000 miles of almost fiendish ferocity Is between us and them, and then the last gleam 11. Payments of subscriptions can' best be of light ends. made weekly by the systematic plan of giving. .. If I look northwest, nothing but 1,700 miles Each student upon filling a pledge to give a certain amount each week is presented with forty of utter darkness, the huts garnished with huenvelopes (one for each college week), each of man sknlls, human limbs boiling in cauldrons, these envelopes having the same special number man-hunting, and droves of wretChed women which dlstingnishes that student from the oth- and children in chains, and the desert strewn ers in the record book of the treasurer of the with human bones till we come to the Red Sea. Missionary Committee. Each student having a ditl'erent number obviates the necessity of writ- .. Away to the north the same, or rather worse in, names and amounts upon the envelopes. -crowded villages, with the fiercest cannibals; On a certain day of each week, a locked box is large vill.geA, with great walled towns, and put in some public place. into which the students drop their envelopes. If any student crowded markets and schools, and all in darktails Into arrears the treasurer sends him a note ness-away over the Sahara, with its fierce robonce in ten weeks informing him of the fact. ber tribes, 2,000 miles to the Mediterranean, but and stating the amount. In colleges of less than not a ray of light. 200 students, 135 can raise $800 annually, without anyone being too heavily burdened, If 30 "Northwest, again the same, till 2,200 miles ,will each give twenty-five cents weekly, 40 give away we see the scattered points oflight rapidly ftfteen cents and 65 give ten cents. A college spreading from the North African Mission, and which would find it qnite impossible to raise then comes bright light from the Niger and the that amount in one or four instalments will be Cameroons, but from the latter we are separated sure to find this system an easy and a practicable by 500 miles of the very fiercest and most deone. Sultable envelopes already numbered can graded cannibals. belt.d from Goodenough &Woglom, 122 Nassau " I wish the churches at home would pray over these facts. I think that some of them would have their eyes opened to see new things."
-Church Miss. Gkaner.
-Writing from Lake Nyassa, in the northeastern portion of Southern Upper Burma.h, within sight of the Africa, a correspondent of the Man- prison pens of Ava and Oung-penla. chester (England) Guardian gives a very interesting account of one of the China. – Urgent Appeal. In view of the grea.t need for more missioncauses, and probably the main cause, aries in the province of Shantung, of the revival of that Mohammedan or Sha.ntung Presbytery has made an Arab influence in Central Africa, of urgent appea.l to the Presbyteria.n which so much has recently been Boa.rd of Foraign Missions for an adsa.id in England a.)'ld in this country. dition to the working force of ten ordained ministers, two physicians Until 1883 the blockade of the eastern coast of and three unmarried ladies. Dr. Africa by English cruisers was so efficient as to Nevius writes to the New York Obmake the slave trade unprofitable. ThiS, and server from Chefoo : the immigration of Europeans into the lake regious, seemed to make it probable that the "This province, containing abont 21,000,000 forces of a European civilization would be al- inhabitants, was entered by our missionaries in lowed to operate efficiently in that country. The short-sighted withdrawal'of the cruisers in 1883 1861. There was not a single convert and the seemed to the vigilant slave-trader au indication language had to be learned before direct mission of a return to the old slave-trading era, and as work could be begun. We have now seventeen the Congo Free State was closed against them, ordained missionaries; fourteen wives of misthey begau to drift acrOSS the country northward to Lake-Tanganyika. ,There, taking prompt ad- sionaries; five nnmarried female missionaries; vantage of an opportunity given tbem by a quarrel with one of the native races, which they one ordained native minister; twenty-nine unpromptly subjugated, they have continued to ordained helpers; 2,203 communicants, and 871 grow stronger and more audacious, and are put.. tlng forth all their efforts in a very successfUl pupils in Christian schools, and in the interior way for au early conquest of the whole country. more than one hundred stations and sub-ststions, Their success presents to us the important question whether Mohammedan or Christian in- including fifteen organized churches. Four fluence is to be dominant for many years in central Africa. boarding·schools (one the high school or college at Tung Chowfu, having about seventy students), -The Livingstonia Mission on the East Ceutral African lakes is a memorial or Dr. liv- absorb a considerable proportion of our working ingstone, founded by admirers of this great man. force. Some of the younger missionaries are as It is not strictly a denominational enterprise, though it is a mission of the Free Church of yet only prepariug for work by the study of the Scotland and receives support from the United language, and others will soon be obliged to Presbyterian Church of Scotland. It was plan- leave in consequence of impaired health or other ned and has been prosecuted as an evangelistic miSSion, linked with an industrial settlement causes. Our country stations are snJl'ering for for the introdnction of Christian oivilization by want of sulllcient supervision. In the capitsl of commerce and indnstrial arts. "The African Lake's Company" was organized as an ally of this prOvince, Chinanfu, where there is an unthe Livingstonia. The African Times says it usually hopefnl opening for chapel preaching and was intended "partly to supply mission material needs, but mainly to introduce legitimate tralllc for work in the country in every direction, we with the natives. The company was founded on broad commercial principles, but with the im have at present ouly three ordained missionaries portant provisO, thoroughly carried ont, of supplyiug no intoxicants to the natives. The (iucluding one principally occupied in the study financial basis of the company remains with of the language) and one physician. This torce the wealthy Glasgow capitalists, who rather for philanthropy than gain began the undertak- is wholly inadequate to attend effectively to the ing and who alone still direct and control it." work required in that city alone." Burmah.-The one hundredth an- niversary of the birth of Adoniram [AMONG the delegates to the great Methodist Conference now in liIession Judson occurs August 9, 1888. In in this city is the Rev. Sia Sek Ong, commemoration of this event it is from China. We give the substance of a brief address he made at a mis- proposed to erect a Judson memorial sionary meeting on the evening of Ma.y 9.-EDs.] church in Mandalay, the capital of "Fathers, brothers and sisters in the gospel, with deepest gratitude and highest respect I come here to greet yon.
"In speaking of the miisionary work in China, I would ask you to look back into the condition of China in the past, and then glance at the present.
"For generations China had little dealings with other nations. No other country was regarded her equal. From the emperor on the throne, down through all classes of society, they re- garded China, with her sages and her clasSics, as com.plete within hel'Slll'f. When western na- tions wanted to come in, they objected, and re- sisted with violence. .. These old custoDlS and sentiments were Dot productive of moral or mental growth to the na- bigoted a Hindu as can be found in tion. They were like the great forests in Amer- Northern India. The name Newal ica that shut out the sunlight and dews of Kishon is derived from the Sanskrit, and Mohammedans do not go to that heaven, and the earth produces no fruit.
.. But now there is a change. The Government language fo'r their words, much leSS of China is seeking friendly relations with West- for their family names. The first ern nations, and coming in contact with these word, Newal, means weasel or ferret, nations, we realize more and more the deficien- and the second, Kishon, youth or cies in our own civilization. son, so the shrewd old publisher might "Now China is erecting various grades of be the "son of a weasel." Any com- schools and colleges, seeking to acquire your mon cooly in the streets of Lucknow arts and sciences and language. Schools of or anywhere else in India could have medicine and mining after Western systems, told the "nodding" bishop that the railroads and telegraphs, have been introduced. name was that of a Hindu and not of "It is a remarkable fact that while for ages a Mohammedan.
past the study of the Confucian classics was the -British rule in India has not reonly preparation for the competitive examina sulted in the removal of the hateful tions, now the stndy of mathematics and some customs which prevail in reference ot your Western sciences are admitted. Look- to marriage. Parents continue to ing at the past and the present, is it not like that forest now cleared away and the fertile soil contract marriages for their children.
appearing f One bad feature of such marriages is illustrated by the story of two sisters " Do you ask, what has this to do with preach- In a zenana school at Serapore.
ing the gospel r Very much indeed. Forty years ago your missionary toilers entered China, morally a dark forest. Much of their time was These girls resemble each other, but spent in felling the trees and clearing the one has ugly scars on her face, which ground before sowing the seed. Now the soil disfigure her. It is said that the lies open to the sun and the dews of heaven, and father intends to repeat Laban's the seed they have sown brings forth this won- fraud on Jacob. The expectant bridederful change. groom will be told by his parents " Where once there was opposition, and every that the bride is all he can desire eWort to introduce the gospel was rejected, now (they will have seen the scarless we hear the people say, The' Jesus doctrine' sister) ; but when the marriage is very good, and followers of the Jesus doctrine actually takes place the disfigured are good men.' " girl, duly veiled, will be seated at India.- Bishop Hurst wrote an the lad's side, and not till too late to • article in Harper's Magazine on "A draw back will he see her face. Of Mohammedan Publisher in India," course, as Leah was hated, so will this Hindu girl be when she becomes Manshi Newal Kishon. He says of a wife. No government, however him: "He is a Mohammedan and paternal, can succeed in insuring makes no secret of it. But with the happy marriages, but the wrong we publisher's instinct he keeps his reli- have instanced ought not to have gionin thebackground. Heneverputs the semblance of the sanction of his faith on the top of hisbillheads. He British law.
is a broad man-broad in everything -A Hindu Husband's Creed.-The Hindu idea of marriage is curious. except Christianity, and it is noLlikely A man both day and night must keep that the gospel has a more vigorous hater in the whole Gangetic valley than this wily man. He is no big-ot- his wife so much in subjection that ed professional. Bitter hater as he is she by no means be mistress of her of Hinduism and of all the numerous own actions. If the wife have her non-Mohammedan faiths, he seems own free will, notwithstanding she is as ready to publish books for the J?ro- motion of Brahmanism and its rlval of superior caste, she will go amiss.
faith Buddhism as to issue apologies A woman shall never go out of her and text-books in behalf of Islam." house without the consent of her hus- This, to use the mildest words, is band, and shall pay proper respect to a strange and unaccountable blunder her husband's father, the spiritual for a man in Bishop Hurst's position guide and her guests, and shall not to make in such a prominent maga- eat until she has first served them zine. In the first place the man is a with victuals (If it is medicine, she Hindu of the Hindus, and has a num- may take it before they eat); a wo- ber of priests to do pooja or idol-wor- man shall never go to a stranger's ship several times a day, and is as house, and shall not stand at the door, and must never look out of the useful as a native preacher; while window. If a woman, following her the first native minister ordained by own inclinations, goes whithersoever the Church Missionary Society-a. she chooses and does not regard the convert of Henry Martyn's-was in- words of her master, such a woman strumental in getting some sixty shall be turned away. If a man goes soulE! into the fold of Christ.-Mison a journey, his wife shall not di- sionary Outlook. vert herself by play, nor see any public show, nor laugh, nor dress herself -THE work done for India. by mis- with jewels or fine clothes, nor see sionaries, as viewed by Sir W. Hundancing, nor hear music, nor sit at ter, is matter for amazement and the window, nor ride, nor behold any- gratitude. He speaks of two distinct thing rarE' or choice, but shall fasten periods of missionary work-private well the house-door and remain pri- effort and organized effort. The vate; and shall not eat any dainty private effort, conducted by those victuals, and shall not view herself solitary workers who first came and in a mirror; she shall not exercise had to seek refuge from English op. herself in any agreeable employment position behind the Danish fort walls during the absence of her husband. of Serampur, was wonderful: -In the eloquent words of Dr. "They created a prose vernacular Hterature Stevenson: for Bengal; they set up lhe lIrst steam-engine in India; with its help tbey introduced the modern " It is just three centuries ago since English manufacture of paper on a large scale; in ten adventurers, traveling in pursuit of commerce, years they translated and printed the Bible, or bronght back from India such reports of the parts thereof, into 81 languages. Altbough they splendor of Its princes and the solidity and mag- received help from their Baptist friends in Engnillcence of its government, that they llred the land, yet the mail.. part of their fuuds they heart of England, and became the unconscious earned by their own heads aud hands. They founders of the English rule. built a college which still ranks among tbe most splendid educational edifices in India. As one "Is It unlikely that travelers of no remote contemplates its maguidcent pillared facade date will bring DB back from the same East overlooking the broad Hooghli river, or mounts tales of another and greater splendor, not, as its costly staircase of cut brass (the gift of the they might to-day, of an Indian ruled by Cbris- King of Denmark), one is lost in admiration at tian men, but of a Hindu population that from the faith of three poor men who dared to build the Himalaya to Cape Comorin has accepted on so noble a scale."-Indian Witneu. Christ' " -Sacrifice.-The heathen sacrifice To-day the Christian church is more than money. Miss Grace Wilder asked at a Woman's Meeting in India working in India as the people worked in days gone by at those how many had given up friends for superb palaces a)ld tombs which, al- Christ. Many arose, and the story though in ruins, still dominate the of their sacrifices was pathetic. This towns and cities of the Mohammedan one's mother had not recognized her conquest. Far down into the foun- since her conversion; anothel" one's dations they sunk-with what infi- sister had refused to speak to her; while still another had been cast off nite patience we may imagine-vast by her whole family as a " despised masses of dull red sand-stone, and Christian." Miss Wilder says, "how built it up in mighty walls that only hard it is to preach sacrifice to people lose their gloom when glowing in who live it." the setting sun; but on the summit they placed, as if to last forever, -Says the Indian Witness: some structure of fair, white, pierced and fretted stone, so fitting and beau- " The high court of the native State oflndore tiful, so airy and delicate, that it has decided that child-marriage is not always to seems like a marble dream. be confirmed." The Hindu judge declared: "That the appellant should not be compelled to go and Let us be patient and persevering, live with her husband, and that the framers of pouring into the foundations of this the section of the code never intended or meant that it should be used as an engine of torture to Christian India true hearts and noble compel young innocent wives into submission to lives, the named and the nameless together, until there shall arise on those foundations-once the dream, but then the fair and stately fact-of a Christian India, a fragment, yet complete in itself, of that great city, the Holy Jerusalem, which descends out of heaven from God, and where the nations of the saved walk in the light of His glory.
-CAREY'S first Hindu convert built· a chapel at Serampore entirely at his own expense, and ws:s himself very husbauds who were deformed or uoobletomain- home and to those laboring in other tain them, although it has been their misfortune fields. to be mamed in their infancy when their wishes -Rev. Mr. Fyson, in an address could not have been consnlted or paid attention to by their parents." before the British and Foreign Bible -The" Harvest Field," published Society,refers to the willing reception in South India, says it could mention of the Scriptures by the people of twenty or thirty places in which Japan, and says tha,t they are ready to pay for the copies which are Brahmans have formed themselves brought them. He says: "I once found the Scriptures being sold where into societies for the sole purpose of I never should have expected it. I came across a little book stall near studying the Bible. No missionaries one of the Buddhist temples in the heart of the country. This stall was are admitted to their meetings; but standing on the temple grounds, and I noticed Scriptures and other Christhey occasionally submit questions to tian books on the stall. I was sur- prised, and said to the stall keeper, missionaries by messenger, and the 'Do the priests allow you to sell these books?' The man replied, 'They buy am,wers are reported back to the them themselves; they are some of my best customet·s.' I went into the meetings of the societies. A writer temple and talked with the priest. He was quite willing to hear what I says, "Even in the monasteries of had to say, and to buy some books of me." this land, and by some of the high- -The Japanese Gazette rt'grets priests of Hinduism, the Sanskrit " to say that Buddhism cannot long hold its ground, and that Christianity Bible is to-day a book anxiously stud- must finally prevail throughout all Japan. Japanese Buddhism and ied." Western sciences cannot stand to- gether. They are inconsistent the Japan.-The type of Christianity one with the other." The Buddhists coniinue to make a most vigorous now growing up in Japan is intensely effort to counteraCt the spread of Christianity in Japan, and the HomIsSIOnary. In almost every indi- ganji sect was never so busy., One school in Kioto alone is to be rebuilt vidual church the members combine at a cost of twelve thousand dollars, and other Buddhistic seminaries and to carry the gospel to their uncon- colleges are being started in various parts of the country. verted friends and neighbors. Many -A Chinese official recently disof the churches have regular preach- covered in Japan a copy of Hwang ing places in the localities lying out- Kan's "Confucian ARalects," over side their own congregational limits. 1,200 years old, with all the ancient Already numerous home missionary commentator notes. This work has boards and societies have been organized and are in full operation. This disappeared in China for 700 or 800 missionary spirit must soon make itself felt abroad. Indeetl, attempts years, and, as the whole history of have been made already to organize foreign missionary socicties, but the present copy is known, the Chithey have failed because of the great pressure upon the church from the nese Government has directed its necessities of the work at home; and no doubt this will be the caS6l for minister in Japan to borrow it, in many years to come. The Japanese church will be so much occupied with order that a carefully corrected copy the work at home that it cannot give much attention to foreign work. It may be taken. i1l probably true also that, in case Japanese missionaries should be sent -That the Jews largely despair of to China, their influence would not be so great as that of missionaries finding the Messiah in the future and coming from countries that have been Christian for a lop.g time, but it can- begin to look for him in the past is evinot be doubted that, if Japan should become thoroughly Christianized, the dent from the present success of misfact would have a great influence in favor of Christianity in China. The sions among them, and from the fact mere fact that a great nation like Japan. s.hould ~ecome practically a that 100,000 Jews have been baptized ChrIstian natIon as a result of missionary effort would prove a great stimulus both to the churches at 1888.] CORRESPONDENCE AND GENERAL INTELLIGENCE. 587 by Protestants during the present ising, and a great movement toward the Christian faith on the part of century. The oldest society organ- Russian Israelites seemed just at hand. Shall it be hindered by the ized for Jewish missionary work is the interference of anti-Christian rulers?
London Society for Promoting Mis- Madagascar.-Canon Farrar, in sionary Work Among the Jews,which writing of the liquor traffic in East- was organized in 1808 and has ex- ern Africa, says: tended its work over all Europe and .. Turning to Eastern Africa, we are faced by the tragic story of Madagascar-a story which parts of Asia and Africa, and notably the Rev. H. W. Little, once a missionary on the island, calls 'without parallel for pathos and in Jerusalem and Abyssinia. When consuming interest in the history of the world.' this society began its work there In 1800 the Malagasy were a nation of idolaters; now, thanks in great measure to the London werE' only about fifty baptized Jews Missionary Society, they are a nation of Chrisin England. There are now more tians. They loved, they almost adored, the than 3,000. This society has 35 sta- English, who had done so mnch for them. Untions and 145 agents, and for more happily, however, Mauritius became a sugarthan seventy years it has sustained in producing colony, and rnm was made from the London a church for Jewish converts, refuse of the sngar mills. What was to be done a workshop for teaching themtrades, with it f It was not good enough for Enropean a school for the education of their markets, and Madagascar' was made the recepchildren, and a Hebrew college for tacle for the damaged spirit of the colony.' They the education of missionaries to the received the curse in their simplicity, and it pro- Hebrews. A dozen or more societies dnced frightful havoc. 'The crime Q/ the iBland of various denominations are doing rOle in one &lwrt year by leaps and liounds to a excellent work in Europe. The work height too fearful to record.' The native govern l of the German Lutheran Societies in ment was seized with consternation, and the Southern Russia, under the control of able and courageous king, Radama I., paid the Prof. Delitzsch, is perhaps the most dnty, and ordered every cask of rnm to be promising of them all. staved in on the shore, except those that went to the governni ent stores. -The Longevity of Jews.-Dr. Ben- "The merchants of Manritins complained, the jamin Richardson, the leading sani- Engli8h officials interfered, and from that day the ' cursed 8tuJ!' has had free course, and t1iltary authority of England, delivered uged the land with miBery and C'l'ime."
a lecture recently before the Jews of -The government ofM adagascar lately London upon the "Vitality of the passed a law declaring that any Malagasy women Jews and the Mosaic Sanitary Code." who lived in concnbinage with a foreigner shonld After giving some interesting statIs- forfeit all property held by rights peculiar to the tics as to the large proportion of native of the conntry. This law having come Jews who reach old age, Dr. Richard- into operation last month, many foreigners have son took up the causes of this lon- appeared before the Home Minister for foreign gevity, chief among which was the affairs, and expressed their willingness to conobservance of the laws of Moses. Its form to the new law by marrying the native woprovisions, he said, form a marvelous men with whom they lived. :British subjects collection of sanitary rules. The rest who took this line were referred to Her Majupon the seventh day is a most im- esty's Vice·Consul. According to the Madagasportant provision for health, which, car Times, Mr. Pickersgill said to them: "I if strictly obeyed, would insurE'! to any cannot marry the woman to you without, at the nation an extra term of life. The same time, marrying yon to the woman, and if cleansing of the house, vessels and you are married here, yon cannot unloose the persons which is enjoined, aud the bonds again." The great majority of the appliabstaining from the flesh of animals cants shrank from the responsibility of placing which feed upon garbage, are great themselves under the marriage laws of England. checks upon the spread of disease. In order to secure the enjoyment of the lands or In addition to these are the control of other property which their native concnbines the passions and the special care of possessed, they were willing to recognize them the aged enforced in the Command- as wives under the Malagasy law, and to allow ments.-Hebrew Christian. them to be registered as such in the government -Joseph Rabinowitz, the Christian booka ; but they would not, if they could help it, bring the contract within the jnrisdiction of reformer among the Jews, has re- the British courts. The British Counsellor aucently been warned by the Russian thorities in Madagascar have made it known government to cease from his mis- sionary labors among his brethren in the south and west of Russia. The work he had begun was most prom- 538 INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT. [JULY"
that they do not Intend to be parties to the eva- and prince, which was very bitter at the comaion of the Malagasy marriage laws in order to mencement of the mission, and also In the opporenable British subjecta to coutrol the lands or tunity which it affords the doctor and his helpers the slaves of native womeu. to refer to the needs of the sonl while attending to those of the body, and giving access to places Siam. Friends' Syrian Mission.- otherwise closed against mission effort. A new This mission is situated at Brumana, meeting-house has recently been erected to hold on the heights of Mount Lebanon, 300 persons, and the message of life and salvaoverlooking Beyrout, and is under tion throngh the Lord Jesus Christ Is faithfully the joint management of the Society preached to an attentive congregation, which of Friends in Great Britain, Ireland usually fills the building. There are twenty-six and the United States. There is a persons working in connection with the mission, training home for boys, with thirty seven of whom are Europeans. inmates, and for girls, with twenty, and a well-ordered hospital with fif- At Ramallah, near J ernsalem, the Friends teen beds, besides a dispensary, open have another mission, which is dOing a good five days a week. The mission has work among the inhabitants of that dark region. the charge of various day-schools for both sexes in several surrounding vil- -Miss M. L. Cort writes from lages, in which more than 300 chil- Petchaburee, Siam, for the Herald dren are under instruction; it also and Presbyter: employs a colporteur and several Bible-women. There are also two " A Japanese prince has been in Bangkok this mothers' meetings, which in earlier month, and some Siamese ladies were invited to days had sometimes to be short- one of the dinner parties given In hiB honor, and ened because of fights among the they actually sat down and ate with their royal women, but which now are com- husbands for the first time in the history of this posed of large numbers who delight little kingdom. to learn texts of Scripture, and be read to, rather than give vent to evil pas- " The old foreign minister dined with us lately. sion. Althongh he is not a Christian, he Is great friend to us and our work, and he told one of us that he All these agencies have been prodnctlve of prayed every day to the Creator that the condimuch good In the district, and even over a wider tion of his poor people might be improved, slavarea. Many of the pupils of the training homes ery abolished, and opium,. liquor and gambling have gone to their various villages imbued with be prohibited by law. He says, •Siam need true Christian principles, and several boys have never expect to be recognized among civilized taken In1I.nential positions. In the medical de- nations till she throws away her Idols and Budpartment also the work has been much blessed, ftrstly in largely disarming oppositiou from priest dhism.' " The Siamese newspaper lately started pub- lished a very good article abont Japan, and a splendid one on the abolition of slavery which, if carried into effect, will set free thousands of these wretched, debt-bound boys and girls, who were sold by their parents before they had sense enough to object, and whUe they were too young to know",hat slavery meant."
IV.-INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
CONDUCTED BY REV. J. T. GRACEY, D.D., OF THE "INTERNATIONAL MIS- SIONARY UNION."
The NeoeB8ity and Rule for the Oome- successes of the gospel in heathen, Mohammedan and papal lands. oration of Property to Ohnst.* Many illustrations have been related of the removal by the Almighty hand BY REV. WILLIAM SPEER, D.D., WASH- of the obstacles which for ages had seemed to be insuperable to the ad- INGTON, PA. vancement of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have been Dear orethren and sisters in lifted up to higher faith and courage Christ: We have come to the last by proofs of the awakening through hour of this most refreshing and in- the Holy Spirit of some classes of structive series of meetings. Many those who possess the knowledge of wonderful testimonies have been borne in them, of the power and the *Address before International Missionary Union, 1887.
INTERNATIONAL
the truth to the dl,lties which these religious blessings such as no otliel" things impose upon them; such, es- land on earth possesses; blessings in pecially, as the enlistment of women so many forms, blessings in such and children in distinct efforts in be- boundless profusion. Second, that half of the heathen, and as the spon- He has heaped upon this natioll taneous uprising of thousands of the wealth, agricultural wealth, mineral young men and women in our col- wealth, commercial wealth, the stat- leges and schools, and their avowal istics of which are appalling; wealth of their willingness to go forth to so distributed, wealth so within the teach the gospel to the nations in reach of the toiling and poor classes, darkness, if only the churches are that, as many of us can testify, the willing to send and maintain them. rich in Asiatic and some European Now our minds turn to the momen- countries do not enjoy the comforts tous inquiry: What more is needed and luxuries of the common laborers in order that salvation may be pub- here. The horrible want and suffer- lished to the perishing millions in ut. ings, and degradation and helpless- tel' ignorance of it? To answer this ness of the poor in those lands, peo- should be the consummating aim of ple brought up here do not know and these meetings. It should be the could not conceive. And third, that consummate end of the prayers and these incalculable and overflowing thoughts and efforts of the entire riches are mostly spent in self-indul- Church at this time. gence, in uses of vanity, or in acts and employments which create and Is it not evident that the Church foster crime or are made necessary to has come to the borders of the great the repression and punishment of final movement in behalf of the king- crime. Itis ounces of holy and wise dom of her Lord? Does she not now prevention; tons of ineffectual cure. confront the crowning duty, the last It is grains and straws for the glory and most difficult requirement, of of God and the welfare of mankind; her long and desperate. warfare with huge mountains of outlay and waste sin in the world? Is it not that of for the world, the flesh and the engaging the whole body of his fol- devil. lowers in the provision of the pecuniary means which the employment See how we fling down thousands of earthly instrumentalities, accord- of millions of dollars for war I how ing to God's sovereign plan, makes we cover land and sea with thousands an indispensable necessity? of millions of dollars' worth of the agencies of trade I We pour out in The greatest of all practical ques- every passing year hundreds of milltions now before Christendom is: ions of dollars for liquid poisons; Or How shall the prOfessed believer in for articles craved to pamper the ap- Jesus Christ be aroused to consecrate petite and uselessly adorn the body; to his service the money and prop- or for palatial houses and luxurious erty without which sin and evil can- churches. But oh I how we toil and not be overcome, without which the groan to wring out of some great degifts purchased by his blood cannot nomination, numbering hundreds of by any possibility be conveyed to thousands of assumed followers of men dying of hunger and thirst, the Christ, and several millions of adherhunger and thirst of the immortal ents and worshipers, possibly one palsoul? try million of dollars a year for any oneof.its general organs to employ in The paramount need now is, plain distributing through the nation or and earnest instruction in duty. through the famishing world a few crumbs of the benefits which fall from These are awful facts in the sight of heaven and hell: First, that God has loaded Christian America with
DBPARTlIBNT
these peoples' tables and are swept acceptance· by the Judge on the from about their feet! throne, will be the reward of him who has been faithful in this heaven- The existence of such facts as these ly stewardship. " Ye have done it means judgment. Judgment upon unto Me," shall the King of glory the nation. Weare warned by the himself say. "Ye have done it unto wrath which has turned countries Me!" "He shall walk with Me in that formerly rejected the warnings white." " To hIm will I give to eat of God into barren wildernesses, and of the tree of life, which is in the which left not in Jerusalem one stone midst of the Paradise of God." upon another; which removed their candlestick from Antioch and Alexan- Oh, how vast is the range and varidriaandEphesus, and Constantinople ety of subjects which the glorious and Rome; which has given up theme of "the kingdom of Christ" Greec~ and Spain and France to idol- opens before the mind-the revelaatry and unbelief, spiritual blindness, tions of the Scriptures,the providences a blight upon all their former honor of God-the condition of the church, and power, a decay withering all or of the nation, or of the world-the their prosperity, outbursts of crime, opportunities in the different contirivers of blood. And such beyond nents and nations-the operations of question will be the doom in its turn the various agencies of good-the hisof our nation, if it repent not, and do tory of the past, the prospects of the works meet for repentance. Judg- future-the duties of men, and of ment upon every man and family women, and of children at this juncthat shares in God's spiritual and ture-the recompences and the pentemporal benefits to it and in its un- alties, for time and for eternity! If paralleled opportunities; everlasting only looked into, and thought upon, punishment to unbelieving and sloth- and plainly and earnestly presented, ful professors; a sword of wrath to accompanied with the prayers of minmany a slumbering watchman, who isters and people forthe influences of has not warned them of their evil the Holy Spirit, how would they kinways, and let them die in their in- dle in young and old, in male and feiquity. We dare not shut our eyes to male; yea, in all classes of people, the plain declarations of the eternal in the few who could give millions Word in respect to the account to be and in the multitude who can give given for all these things. mites, aglow of interest which would lead them to consecrate life, and time, "He that withholdeth corn, the and means of every kind, to the adpeople shall curse him; but blessing vancement of the cause of their Reshall be upon the l)ead of him that deemer and Lord with a zeal which seneth it." Upon him that with- would work wonders in themselves, holdeth the bread of life, the true and in the churches, and in the bread from heaven, the bread which spread of the knowledge of Christ givethlife unto the world, the bread throughout the world. which if a man eat he shall live forever, from immortal souls, the The parallel momentous need of curses of nations, the curses of the the present time is, that the ministry assembled universe, the curse of God shall teach professing Christians their forever, the wrath of the Lamb whose obligations to obey God's word, and agonies and blood of atonement to follow God's rule, in respect to matsave haye been made ineffectual ters of money and property. through his wickedness and sloth, will in the last day be poured without It appears self-evident that those measure. But blessing, glory, riches, whom Christ has set to be teachers honor, the rejoicings of angels, the of his people should instruct them that they are to be guided by the
INTJmNATIONAL DBPARTMBNT
principles and inculcations of God's Consider the rule: "UPON THB word in this as in other duties, and FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK LET EVERY that they should follow in thE.'ir em- ONE OF YOU LAY BY HIM IN STORE AS ployment of their material means in GOD HATH PROSPERED HIM."
his service the definite, practical and This is an inspired "order." It is all sufficient rule which God, by his given in Omniscient wisdom; to Holy Spirit, has given. And yet how further the Divinepurposes of mercy little are the lessons which stand out to mankind through Christ. It so massively in the commands and teaches us the Christian use of money admonitions and history and typical and property.
appointments of the Old Testament, I. Universal responsibility. "Every and in the teachings and promises one" must give. All are created by and warnings of the Lord Jesus and God, dependent upon God, can only his Apostles, pointed out in our pul- be saved through Christ, must give pits. How wonderful in itself, and account in the judgment; those of in its relations and influence is this every age, sex, condition.
divine rule I-brief as one of the ten II. From Ohristian motives. Re- commandments; the complement, lated to "the first day of the week."
we might almost say, of the peti- From love to the risen Lord. For the tions of the Lord's prayer; vital to advancement of his cause among the fiscal success of the kingdom that men. In harmony with the aims is to come; the neglect of which has and efforts of his church. With been the woe of the Church, and the prayer and thanksgiving. Looking ruin of her children, and the means chiefly to the recompenses of the of withholding the bread of life, final day.
Christian truth, Christian agencies III. As a personal transaction with of mercy, Christian forces of civiliza- God. "Laying by him in store. "
tion, from the hundreds of millions With private prayer, intelligent in- of our brethren and sisters of the hu- quiry, business calculation. Employ- man family now living, and from the ing care and with sense of responsi- thousands, oh, the thousands and bility for what belongs to God. A thousands, of millions in the genera- part to add effect to personal labors, tions which have passed beyond the charitable and religious. A part to dread bourne of such opportunities. be distributed to general claims as How astonishing, before earth, and they are providentially presented.
heaven and hell, that this rule is not IV. In definite measure, and in ceaselessly and commensurately with the ratio of increasing ability. A its importance to the King's revenue, lower proportion when poorer, a .explained and urged in sermons, larger proportion as means in- taught to the young, inculcated in crease. Bestowing thank-offerings families, enforced by personal ex- for special and unexpected beneflts.
ample, represented in inscriptions Guided by the standards of holy con- and pictures, commented upon and secration exhibited in the ancient illustrated in nlany ways by religious saints; but recognizing the higher periodicals, insisted upon in ecclesi- light and privileges, aims and prom- astical proceedings, as must be done ises, and duties and opportunities, of to accomplish a reformation in Chris- this dispensation and above all of tianity, to effect the promised open- these "last days."
ing of the windows of heaven and the Here is a rule which is perfect as a outpouring of its celestial blessings, financial measure. Its divinity grows and to introduce a new era, the res- upon one with the contemplation of toration of more than its first para- it, and with his efforts to apply it in dise, to our sinful world. practice. It is evaded by many; human "plans" are·substituted for it home· was at Norway-House, 400 in church work. Those who heed miles north of Winnipeg, and on the little Christ's command to ., preagh the gospel to every creature," will lake of that name. His circuit was be indifferent to the method by which he instructs his followers to 350 by 550 miles, the temperature fallregulate their earnings and their gifts. His precept should be taught ing sometimes as low as 550 below especially to the rising generation, zero. Mr. Young told the following story: and to the young men and women .. At Norway-House, on a certain occasion, a who are to be its ministry and guides. number of Indians came into my room, noise- When its principles shall have been lessly, after their fashion, so that the room was put widely into operation, according filled with them before I knew it. When I be- came aware of their presence I asked whence to its full scope and design, the king- they were. 'From a journey of fourteen nights,' they replied ; for they reckon distance by the dom of heaven will be advanced with number of nights they are delayed to sleep. 'We majestic strides and the arm of the have got the Keesenaychen [the Great Book], Lord will awake to wonders of sal- but we don't understand it, although we can vation. read it.' I thought they were joking, for the In- dians cannot read unless some one has· taught The Voluntary Demand for the Gospel them, and I knew from their account that they Among Hea.then. must live far away from any missionary; but I asked them: ' From what missionary did you ONE of the most interesting hours learn l' 'We nevel'saw a missionary nor a of the International Missionary Union teacher I ' I took down from my shelf our meetings in 1887 was the one devoted Bible, printed In the beautiful syllabic character to testimony from personal experi- for the Cree Janguage, and opened to Genesis; ence of the call directly and spontan- they read It with ease and correctness. I turned eously from heathen, both individ- the pages and they read in many places. I uals and communities, for the Gospel. was amazed, and asked them again where they Rev. W. H. Belden to.ok notes of the lived. They described It to me ; it was far away conversations and narratives, and north of Hudson's Bay, hundreds of mUes from collated from other sources subse- any mIssIonary. Their hunting-grounds, it quently, more testimony of the same seems, adjoin those of some Christian Indians- kind. He published selections from they cover great distances in hunting-and, con- these for use in the November Sim- tinued my visitors, 'We visited your Indians ultaneous Meetings, held in New Jer- and fonnd that they had the KeeBerta'Vchen. We sey, last year. It has been our pur- got them to read it and then to teach it to us ; pose for some time to yield to the de- and we wel:e so pleased with It that we all learn- mand for the publication of some ed to read it during the winter.' Every soul In of these recitals in the more perma- a village of three hundred popnlation had thus nent form of this REvmw. We can actually learned to read the Bible without ever now only give a few samples. The having seen any white teacher; and having Editor of this Department will be providentially come Into possession of Bome grateful for further illustrations of copies that happened to be in the hands of the this" feeling after God" among non- Hndson's Bay Company's agent, these heathen Christian peoples. Let missionaries Indians had journeyed throngh the snows four-' on all fields favor us with such nar- teen nights' distance that to them might be ratives and we will promise to make given instruction In the Book they had thus the best possible use of them. learned to love.
At the Thousand Island meeting, Another response came from J. L. the first to speak was the Rev. Eger- ton R. Young of Canada, for nine Phillips, M.D., D.D., at present act- years a missionary amongst the In- ing as chaplain of State institutions dians Qf the far North-land. His at Howard, R. I., while waiting to return to his (Free Baptist) Mission in India. He said: "A little mission station two mUes trom us had, almost every week, companies of men coming in from the jnngle, some of them travel- Ing many mUes to reach a native evangelist. Among the Santhala aronnd me, one day a native helper came to say: A man ont here has just asked me, 'Are there any Christians here? for I have Been a black Christian and a neighbor of received some benefit, but hia great gain was to mine once saw a white one; tell your Christians his soul. A deep impression was made on him that tbere are some of ns who want Christianity.' by the worship and the kindness in thehospltaJ. So we went away to where this stranger lived. After he returned to his home he went about An old man came and prostrated himseU on the from "Village to "Village telling what he had grass before us. He brought out a little book earned and pleading with all to accept Christ as printed by the English Baptists at Cuttack, Oris- their Saviour. Many scoffed, but some believed, sa [India]. It was not even a chapter of the and these sent a request to the missionaries to Bible; it was some Scripture truth metrically send some one to teach them more fully. A written, and these people had been singing it teacher was sent, and the missionary subsewith their lips not only, but with their hearts. quently baptized thirty inquirers." • A man,' said one of them, • went to a Sunday market and would not let some whites who were Miss Mary L. Cort, of the Presbythere preach; but they lert some books. One terian Mission in Siam, author of day I heard my neighbor reading in one of these and I aaked him, as I found he cared nothing for " Siam, the Heart of Farther India," it, to give it to me; and I brought it home. I wrote: believe it, and my wife; the priest and his wife, and my son and his wife.' So [continued Dr. .. In April last, while making a mission tour to Phillips] we found eight souls, now ready for Ratburee, I met an old nobleman from KRnbuwhalevcr Christianity should require of them." ree, a large city fifty miles further up the river who begged us to visit his city, for, he said, he Among those who wrote to Mr. had never before heard of a • Jiving' God and of forgiveness of sin I " Belden was Rev. J. B. Porter of Kan- Rev. J. L. Nevius, D.D., of Chefoo, azawa, Japan, who said: China, wrote: .. It has become 80 common in this part of Japan for heathen to make known voluntarily .. In the Spring oflB85, while itinerating In a their own desire to have the gospel brought to them or to their people, that at this station we region about 260 miles from here, previously uthave adopted the following for our' out-station' work: WMreaa, the invitations are 80 numer- visited, I was by providenti~l circumstances OU8 from towns and villages to give them the drawn aside from the road I was traveling, and gospel, and preachers are so scarce, Resolved, a person whom I should not bave met in the that we, 8S far as possible, will open new preach- proposed course of my journey, waa providening stations only at those towns and villages tially drawn from his home to meet me. While where people have expressad a desire to have the crowds with whom I met in the marketthem; and we call upon those persons who send town where I was stopping sought me out and invitations to become responsible for at least the listened to me from mere curiosity, this manexpense of the preaching place from the begin- listened with intense interest to all I said. Arter ning." listening for some time he introduced himself and addressed me as follows: •This is what I Rev. T. C. Winn, of the same sta- have been waiting for, for twenty years. I have been earnestly seeking for light and guidance, tion in Japan, says: but without success. This is the very truth I want.' This man-his name is Yang-yiu·shin- .. On a visit to the city. of Tayama, in 1881, we received and embraced the truth at once, as a were visited by an old gentleman, in our hotel, person prepared and called. He has been an who said, • I have long held an important posi- earnest and successfol student of the Bible ever tion in one of the temples here; but I have lost since, and he has been God's instrnment in es- faith in the religions of Japan. I am an old man tablishing three churches in and about his home. and must soon die. But my religion gives me I have met with no similar caae in my experi- no hope for the future. I find no consolation in ence." it. For some time I have been thinking that there must be some other and true religion. The Church Missionary Society of From what yon have said I believe that you have England has published numerous ac- at last brought it to me. Please teach me all about this true religion.' This man became a counts similar to the foregoing; we Christian. " give one as a sample: In sympathy also with these letters, .. One who had been a heathen red mau," says Bishop Whipple of the American Episcopalians, the Rev. Dr. Hunter Corbett wrote whose missionary labors in the diocese of Min- nesota have made him illustrious on both sides from Chefoo, China: the Atlantic, .. came 60S miles to visit me. As he came into the door he knelt at my feet, say- .. Our hearts are constantly made sad by the ing: •I kneel to tell you of my gratitude, that supreme indift"erence of the masses to the claims yon pitied the red man.' He then told this sim- of the gospel, but occasionally the clouds lift ple, artless story: •I was a wild man living be- and light appears to cheer our weak faith. A man yond the Tnrtle Mountains. I knew that my from a certain district in Manchuria, where the people were perishing; I never looked in the United Presbyterians of Scotland are engaged, face Of mf child tbllt my heart was not sick. went to a millsionary Jlhfsician for llls efes. He My lathers told me there was a Great Spirit, and its educational course, the first of its I hllve often gone to the woods and tried to ask Him for help, and I only got the sound of my kind in the country, having under voice.' And then he looked in my face in that instruction over a hundred girls. artless way and said, 'You do not know what I mel'n. You never stood in the dark lind reached In one of the mission schools in out your hand and took hold of nothing. One this city one of the civil officers (a day an Indian came to my wigwam. He said to Mahommedan) said to the missionary, me he had heard you tell a wonderful story at Red Lake: that you said the Great Spirit's Son "You can teach your Bible as much had come down to earth to save all the people as you like, only give just a little th~t needed help; that the reason that the white while to the Koran." man was so much more blessed than the red man, was because he had the true religion of One writing from another part of ' the Son of the Great Spirit; and I said I must India says ': see that man. They told me you would be at the Red Lake crossing. I came 200 miles. I " The work among the Mahommedans is inasked for you and they said you were sick, and creasing very mUCh, and I am asked constantly then I said, 'Where can I see a Missionary 1' to go and preach to them. In trying to explain I came 150 miles more, and I found the Mission- to some that Christ died for all, one asked, 'Did ary was a red man like myself. My father, I he die for the Mahommedans, too 1' And when have been with him three moons. I have the I replied, ' Him that cometh to me, I wiJI in nostory in my heart. It is no longer dark. It wise cast out,' they said, 'Then we can come, laughs all the while.' And he turned to me and too.' " said,' WiJI you notigive me a Missionary l' " A lady writing from another point Oan Moslems be Reached? says: BY MRS. J. T. GRACEY, BUFFALO, N. Y. "A Mahommedan moulvie has opened his house to us. He said to me, 'You know it is FROM the discussions which have considered a disgrace amongst us to let our' recently attracted the attention of women and girls learn, but I now think that nothe Christian public, one might sup- tion foolish, and I want mine taught.' He is the pose Christianity had in Islam an first one here who has had the courage to send unconquerable foe. But even the his daughter to us." Mahommedans cannot accept what Canon Taylor said. His Wolver- .another writes,: hampton address was printed by them in Constantinople, in Damascus and .. There is an increasing desire among the :Mein Beyrout. One Moslem editor calls hommedans to read the Scripture. They often upon the faithful to hear what the ask for the gospels, and sometimes buy the "English Monk" says about them. whole Bible. Where the Canon describes Islam as a brotherhood, the editor says, •• An intelligent Mahommedan girl, very bigot_ " Would to God it were so !" ed, was reading the story of Christ's entry Into Jerusalem. She asked: But there are facts showing that many of these followers of the false … Why did Jesus ride on an ass 1' prophet are seeking for light. In " 'Because in old times among the Jews king'. the province of Mysore, India, which sons and judges rode on them.' contains half a ~illion of Mahom-, " , But he was not a king's son.' medans, there is no distinctiveLy mis- " , Oh, yes; he is the Son of the KIng of kings. sion work among them. Yet, in the He Is God's Son.' city of Bangalore, one of the largest " She then said, thoughtfully: •It says In our in the province, there is a great awak- Koran that Jesus rode on an ass, and' I never ening among the Mahommedan popu- knew what it meant, but I understand It now.' .. lation, and particularly are they stirred on the sub~ect of female edu- Another writes: cation. They have here a "female educational institution," with its " A special bleSSing seems to rest just now on committee of native gentlemen, and work amongst Mahommedans. In one mission alone eight of them are nnder instruction for baptism."
The Mahommedan Educational Congress held in Lucknow, not long since, decided, by a vote of 200 to 20, that weak and inefficient schools were better than no schools at all; that missionary schools, where the Bible was taught, were better than schools where nothing religious was incul- cated, and that the Koran was not taught as much as formerly, and this fact was eonsidered as a national dis- 'I am a Slav [Slahv], but I am a captain II: the Tnrkish army. I want to ask you when Enggrace. land is going to give us liberty . • • r Be- These facts are all suggestive. cause, if there was any freedom, I should become a Christian, and here in these provinces (Euro- There are many of this class, not pean,Turkey) out ofour 4,000,000 Mahommedans, only In India but elsewhere, who one-fourth would embrace Christianity.' I reare earnestly seeking for" the way, plied: 'What are your reasons for such an opin- ion l' He said: 'Don't you know that tbere are the truth, the life." a great many of us who are not really Turks at The following incident is only one all t And to this day, when a Mahommedan fatber has a son born to him, it often happens illustration of many: that he takes him into a dark room and puts The son of a very influential and water on him and says certain words-tbat Is a remnant of Christianity. A Turk will never do famous Afghan has been baptized in that 1 And I said to my colonel: 'I wish there Amritsur. The young man is him- was liberty to profess Christianity l' 'Tush,' self a moulvie (teacher). He says: said my colonel, 'don't say that, for I feel just so, and you know what the consequences would .. From my earliest years I have been care- be." fully taught in the Mahommedan faith. Three years ago I began to have great doubts, which Archdeacon Farlar is stationed at wonld not Jet me rest. The consciousness of Magila, East Africa, engaged in the sin crushed me, but I could see no salvation Universities Mission. He says: anywhere. I wanted to get,the Bible, to see if it could help me, but I did not_kr.ow where to .. I cannot speak for tribes, as no tribe in East get it. The weariness ,and misery of my heart Central Africa has ever accepted Islam; but I God alone knew. At last, one day, I heard a can speak from personal experience as to the Christian was in our village. I found it was a fact that many Mahommedans relapse into lady preaching about Christ. I got a Testament paganism, and that many Mahommedans become from her, and very soon Christ gave me rest." Christians. Last week a Mahommedan Mualim was baptized by our bishop in one of the sub- The lad suffered persecution, and stations. Yesterday I baptized a young man, finally had to leave home, hoping to tbe dying son of a Mahommedan, at his father's be baptized. His father offered $100 earnest request. I am now preparing for bap- tism another Mahommedan Mualim and two reward to anyone who would bring Mabommedan master tradesmen. I have this him his son's head. A number of Ma- day received into our school a young Arab, or hommedans asked him why he for- Mussulman Hindi lad, born in Zanzibar, who sook th~ religion of his fathers, and made his way to Magila, wishing to be taught. his answer was as simple as it was Three of our most promising teachers, two of whom are preparing for holy orders, are Mahombeautiful, "Because there is no soul- medan converts.
rest in it." .. I am speaking uow only of the results of our work in one tribe; there are many other in- At the International Union Mis- stances of couversions from Islam; but as these sionary meeting, August, 1887, the are just taking place as I write, I mention them especially. Rev. Dr. Cyrus Hamlin, founder and first president of Robert College, Con- .. In a number of villages in the neighborhood stantinople, Turkey, arose and said: of this station, where I remember seeing a mosque a few years ago, there is now a school .. There is certainly a suppressed demand chapel, while the mosqnes have fallen down, for the gospel among Mohammedans in the and no one rebuilds them. Many a young man Turkish empire. They do not hate Cbrist; that I used to see at his ablutions, preparing for they honor him; it is Christianity that they the Sala-ya-Gioni at sunset, is now a worshiper hate, from the false examples of it seen around in the Christian church." them in the corrupt Oriental churches. Among the great Mahommedan population in the three Notes. empires of Turkey, Persia and India (150,000.000 to 200,000,000 of souls) there is a suppressed de- -Three monthly periodicals of one mand for the word of God and for freedom to hear of Christ. Years ago, before the founding missionary society of England had of the present mission (American Board's) to the Bulgarians, I was in Philippopolis (350 miles a circulation in 1886 of over 900,000 west of Constantinople), now the capital of Eastern Roumelia, or, as it is just now called, copies. Many of these were distrib- Southern Bulgaria. A military man called upon me, who I at once saw belonged to the Slavic uted gratuitously, but the public race, of which the Bulgarians are a part. I said to him: 'You are not a Turk?' 'No,' said he, bought over $13,000 worth of them. -Murray's Magazine for August, 1887, has an article on "The Church of the British Empire" which treats and these Christian Japanese conlargely of foreign missionary work. tributed $160 toward starting the The National Review, for June, 1887, Hawaiian Mission. has a lengthy article on" The Foreign Missions of the Church of England." -A number of Dundee gentlemen The Nineteenth Oentury for Novem- have purchased a barque to be sent ber, 1887, had a long article on "Brit- on a commercial and missionary exish Missions in Africa." pedition next July into the Arctic seas about Pond's Bay to Christian- -Books of travel through non- izE' the natives. If thE' report is favor- Christian countries almost all now- able from this expedition a Polar adays treat favorably or unfavora- mission will be carried out. bly of Christian missions in those lands; vide "Journal of A. R. Mar- -" Moslem prayers are rarely supgary," p. 71; Mr. Charles Darwin's plications for blessings. It has been "Journal of Researches" in Tahiti stated that among the 10,000 verses and New Zealand, 2d edition, pp. 414, of the Quran, there are not as many 425, 428, 505; "At Home in Fiji," by petitions as are in the Lord's Prayer." Miss Gordon Cumming; "Wande)'- ings South and East," Mr. Walter -The Bengal Methodist Episcopal. Coote, in Fiji, Loyalty and Sandwich Conference, reports last year's pap- Islands. Almost every author of tisms as being, from Hinduism 46, travels treats missions as one of the from Muhammedanism 21. This foremost topics of popular interest. large proportion of Moslem baptisms is significant. The inflexibility of the -Governments take cognizance of Moslem too often means that no SPE'- missions in our times in official re- cial effort has been made by Chrisports and in Parliamentary and Con- tians to reach him. gressional debates: e. g. " Report of the Secretary of State and Council -In a history of the London Misof India for 1871-72," ordered printed sionary Society in South Africa, pubby the House of Commons April lished in London, Mr. John McKen- 1873; "Report of Madras Census for zie, for twenty-five years missionary 1874;" Report of the Indian Education in Bechuanaland, discourses of the Commission, 1884, p. 535; Reports of prevalent impression that the introseveral Secretaries of State for India. duction of Christian civilization has a tendency to seal the doom of native -Eminent men are connpcted of- races. Mr. Mackenzie cites the case ficially with the conduct of mission- of the Gariepine people at the Cape, ary boards. Before us lies a list of Hottentots, Bushmen, Korannas, those of the Chnrch Missionary So- who were once so degraded as to be ciety, alone having one duke, ten hardly accepted as human, and who earls, 6everal lords, one major-gen- at the commencement of the century eral, three generals, three colonels, were "fast dying out.'· Not only one admiral, five members of Parlia- has decrease in their numbers been ment, and eight men knighted for arrested, but a steady increase has valor or worth. been going on, so that the 15,000 Hot- tentots increased to 98,561 in 1875 -Rei Kanichi Miyama, a Japanese and the race there are now all prowith his wife, left San Francisco on fessing Christianity. March 8 to commence a self-supporting mission among Japanese in the -"Missions are so characteristic a Sandwich Islands. He had previous- feature of our church, so essentially ly made a visit of inspection to the a part of her functions, that, even locality. He has been connected had they not yet sprung into existwith the Methodist Episcopal mis- ence, their commencement could not . sion to Japanese in San Francisco, but be daily expected."-Baron Von Schrautenbach, Moravian Historian.
THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS. M7
V.-THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS.
[THE month of July we have given to the At the request of the chief, he Islands of the Sea and the Indians, Chinese and chose Raratea as his first center. It Japanese in America, together with Utah and was the largest of the Society group, Alaska. We shall devote our space to such se- politically supreme, and the stronglections and snggestions as may cover these hold of idolatry-the "Ephesus of various interesting themes.-EDs.] that portion of Polynesia." Thence he bore the gospel in succession to I. THE ISLANDS OF THE SEA. the Hervey and the Samoan clusters, and to over 300,000 souls. The story of the gospel in the South Sea Islands reads like a ro- He found that a ship, at his own mance. John Williams was the disposal, was indispensable to the pioneer messenger to so many of prosecution of his work; without it, those jewels of the deep, and his "what prison-wall had been so strong "narrative of missionary enter- as that white and wailing fringe of prises" seems almost incredible, but sea?" And he set about making one every word can be verified by the with his own hands, with some help testimony of successive visitors to from the wondering natives. Marthose beautiful islands. His work of velous is the account of the making marvelous adventure, transcendent of his own machinery and the buildsuccess and sudden martyrdom should ing of his ship at Raratonga, where be studied by every lover of missions. he spent a year. He had to sacrifice three out of his four goats to secure John Williams was born near Lon- leather for a pair of bellows, and, to don in 1796, and murdered by the na- his dismay, when they were comtives at Dillon's Bay, in Eromango pleted, ready, as he hoped, to blow Island, New Hebrides, in 1839, at the the fire that should melt his iron, age of 43. Yet what usefulness was every particle of goat-skin was eaten crowded into that short life! off them in a single night by the hordes of rats. Seventy-five years ago this ironmonger's apprentice stood at the cor- Discouraged by no hindrances or ner of a street in London one Sunday difficulties, in less than four months evening, waiting for some wild com- the Messenger of Peace was companions. That was the man with pleted, and bore him four thouwhom the destinies of thousands of sands of miles to hundreds of thousavage South Sea Islanders were sands of heathens, whom he found mysteriously linked. His master's sunk in idolatry, superstition and wife, going to worship, observed the nameless pollution, practising polad, and, with difficulty, persuaded lygamyand infanticide, sluggish in him t.o go to church with her, where intellect, and, when not at war, living he heard the words by which he was in indolence. It would be difficult to saved. find a people over whom a feeble faith or a mere human philanthropy His early love for practical and would have been more ready to bend mechanical work developed, in after in mingled pity, disgust and despair. years, into skill so many-sided as to greatly increase his influence over Believing that Christianity not the simple-hearted natives that only emancipates man from his vices, crowded around him in wondering but most effectually awakens the admiration. torpid intellect, he looked to God for His blessing on the ministry of the In 1817 he sailed, with his wife, Word, preached the gospel faithfor the Pacific, and in exactly one fully, and used all prudent secuyear cast anchor in the beautiful lagoon of Eimeo. Ten mvnths later he was preaching to the people in their own tongue. lar measures. He built himself a 1821, and left there two native preach- .tasteful house, with due regard to ers. He found the natives very noisy ventilation, neatness and comfort. and wild savages; some tattooed Outside were vine-shaded verandas, from head to foot, others fantasticalgardens and poultry-yards. Soon ly painted or smeared with charcoal, the natives began to rear houses after dancing, shouting and madly gesticuthe same models; then a house of lating. They were cannibals, killing worship, holding three thousand, and eating one another. Eighteen with an ornamented pulpit and ten· months after, he again visited the chandeliers of turned wood, holding island; and as he approached, canoes cocoanut shells for lamps. Gradually, met his boat with Christian salutathe wliole aspect of the people was tions: "Good is the word of the changed; all the idols were cast Lord! it is now well at Aituaki! away; multitudes became Christians The good Word r.as taken root !' in heart and life. A code of written laws was formed, and trial by jury On landing he found chief and peoestablished, so that within three ple had embraced the Gospel, and years, Raratea became a Christian had built a church 180 feet x 30, in island, its sea-beach studded with which he preached to about 2,000 white cottages, with their own people from J no. iii, 16. One such an schooner lying at anchor. example is an irrefragable proof of the Divine sanction upon foreign· Williams' mechanical gifts, his missions. rare ingenuity and fertility of resources, made him a missionary of a FIJI GROUP. thousand. God had brought about a wonderful juncture in the history IN 1874 Sir Arthur Hamilton Gorof missions, and had raised up the don was sent out by the British Govman to meet it. Even his joyful, ernment as the first Governor of Fiji. hoping spirit, contributed largely to The Fiji Island group, consisting of his success. "Like the sunny islands about 250 islands, of which eighty or among which he sailed, his soul lived ninety are inhabited, and two of in a perpetual summer." He used to which are about t!e size of Long say, "There are two words in our Island, was voluntarily placed under language that I always admire, the sceptre of Queen Victoria by Trust and Try. You know not what King Thokambau and his chiefs. you can or cannot effect until you The reason for this step given by try, and if you meet your trials in the Thokambau, who had been converted exercise of trust in God, mountains of some years before by Wesleyan misimaginary difficulties will vanish as sionaries, was that foreign advenyou approach them, and facilities will turers had become so troublesome in arise which you never anticipated." their unprincipled efforts to instigate This was the golden motto of his war between the chiefs, that he whole missionary life. feared the total extinction of the tribes, and the destruction of every- His short, bright, beautiful career, thing that was good on the islands. closed in mid-splendor of his usefulness. Faith could only be silent It was a singular spectacle which when the bitter tidings arrived- these chiefs, headed by their king, that John Williams had received presented, when the great war-club, from the hand of his God the double the emblem of Fijian power, was crown of missionary and martyr. handed over to the representativlls of the British throne, and an island em- His whole career furnishes another pire was made over without bloodspecimen of' Gospel power, John shed or any other means of conquest Williams went to Aituaki island in than those which had been used by a handful of faithful missionaries. It was to them that this wonderful way they do. You may now PIISS from isle to transformation was due; it was by isle, certain everywhere to find the same cordial their influence that the auspices of reception hy kindly men and women. Every village on the eighty inhabited isles has built British rule had been estimated and for itself a tidy church, and a good house for its teacher or native minister, for whom the village coveted. also provides food and clothing. Can yO'U real- ize that there are 900 Wesleyan churches in Fiji, at everyone of which the frequent services are crowded by devout congregations; that the A niece of Governor Gordon, Miss schools are well attended, and that the first sound which greets your ear at dawn and the C. S. Gordon Cummings, went to last at night is that of hymn singing, alld most Fiji as a member of his household. fervent worship rising from each dwelling at the In a well-written book entitled" At hour of family prayer? '
Home in Fiji," she has much to say .. Strange indeed is the change that has come of the wonderful transformations over these isles since first Messrs. Cargill and wrought by Wesleyan missions Cross,Wesleyan miSSionaries, landed here in the among a people known to have been year 1835, resolved at the hazard of their lives to bring the light of Christianity to these ferocious the worst of all known cannibal tribes cannibals. Imagine the faith and courage of the two white men, without any visible protecupon the globe. Living for eight tion, landing in the midst of these bloodthirsty years in the country, not as a mission- hordes, whose unknown language they had in ary nor in the missionary circle, nor the first instance to master; and day after day witnessing such scenes as chill one's blood even even belonging to the same body of to hear about. Many such have be,en described to me hy eye witnesses. Christians as the missionaries, she may be considered an entirely disin- .. Slow and disheartening was their labor for many years, yet so well has that little leaven terested witness. She speaks as fol- worked that, with the exception of the Rai lows: Shobes, the wild highlanders who still hold ont in their mountain fastnesses, the eighty inhah- H I often wish that some of the cavillers who ited isles have all abjured cannibalism and other are forever sneering at Christian missions could frightful cnstoms, and have lotered (embraced see something of their results in these isles. Christianity) in such good earnest as may well But first they would have to recall the Fiji of put to shame many more civilized nations." ten years ago when every man's hand was against his neighbor, and the land had no rest n.-N. A. INDIANS. 'from barbarous intertribal wars, in which the REV. DR. TIMOTHY HILL, in his last foe, without respect of age or sex, were looked upon only in the light of so much beef, the pris- report, said of the Indian Territory: oners deliberately fattened for the slaughter, dead bodies dug up that had been buried ten or .. There are something over thirty tribes and twelve days, and could only be cooked in the portions of tribes, varying in the widest exform of puddings, limbs cut off from living men tremes from each other. There are remnants and women, and cooked and eaten in the pres- from the far East, descendants of men who ence of the victim, who had previously been heard David Brainerd preach. There are Mocompelled to dig the oven and cut the firewood docs from the lava heds of the Pacific coast; for the purpose; and this not omy L time of others from far North, and from Mexico and war, when such atrocity might be deemed less Texas on the South. They differ as widely as inexcusable, bnt in time of peace, to gratify the possible; on the one hand a painted savage, caprice or appetite of the moment. a blanket Indian, dependent on government rations, the extremity of human ignorance, " Think of the sick buried alive; the array of degradation and general worthlessness; on the widows who were deliherately strangled on the other we may see an Allen Wright, the gradu- ,death of any great man; the living victims who ate of Union College and our own Union were buried beside every post of a chief's new Seminary-the governor of his tribe by official house, and must needs stand clasping it, while election, the pastor of large churches, the earth was gradually heaped over their devoted heads; or those who were hound hand .. There are five civilized tribes who have a reg- and foot and laid on the ground to act as rollers ularly organized government of their own. They when a chief launched a new canoe, and thus are the Cherokees, Choctaws, Chickasaws. doomed to a death of excruciating Mony; a Creeks and Seminoles. time when there was not the slightest security for life or property, and no man knew how .. These five tribes may be justly called civi- quickly his own hour of doom might come; lized. A considerable portion of them speak when whole villages were depopulated simply to and read and write the English language. Each supply their neighbors with fresh meat. of these tribes is, within narrow limits, a nation, H Just think of all this and of the change that has been wrought, and then just imagine white men who can sneer at missionary work in the electing its own officers, making and executing Episcopalians have' 856 communicants in eight / their own laws. They have a regnlar system of mission5. The American Missionary Association schools, which are taught in English. has in Dakota and Nebraska four churches with 274 members. We do not undertake to verifX "In religion these tribes have ceased to be the entire 30,000, for we suppose it wonld be pagans; they all profess some form of Christian necessary to embrace the reports from Roman faith. But the standard of morals among these Catholic missions. civilized rndians is low. There are still 4.0,000 wild Indians in this " Other tribes and bands occupy more than country, 12,000 in government and mission half of the conntry. What shall be done for schools, 28,000 to whom no school opens, no their moral elevation and religiOUS welfare? missionary comes; 60 whole tribes npon whose The first thing we need there is a large increase darkness no ray of gospel light has ever fallen, as of educated men.for the ministry. There are to- pagan and as savage as were their ancestors when day in the new synod, living in the Territory, the tlrst white man landed upon these shores. twenty-eight ordained ministers and four licentiates. Earnest efforts should be made to carry THE annual report of the Indian the gospel to all these people as quickly and as Bureau shows the past year one of fully as we can. distinct advancement, on the part of the Indians, in education, industry "There is a favorable opening for us among and other lines of civilization. The the Indians of the five tribes, ariSing from the good effects of the severalty act are great r~spect that is felt for the old missionaries. already apparent. Under this act The names of Worcester, Butler, Kingsbnry, many of the Indians have acquired Byington, Wright and others, are spoken of their own lands and homes, and with great respect. An old missionary is al- started upon the way to independways remembered with respect, and we are ent citizenship. According to the considered as coming in their places; and report about thirty-three pel' cent. as they were benefactors, so they expect us to of the Indians on the reservations be. The field is white for the harvest for ns wear the clothes of civilization; there, and wherever faithful labor has been about 2a,OOO speak English intelliseen, large results have followed. gibly; 10,000 of their children are in schools. More than 31,000 families .. They clamor for schools; it comes to them are engaged in industrial pursuits. cheap; bnt with us all the schools must be but There are cultivated more than 238,- the scaffolding by which we may build the sanc- 000 acres of land, on which have tuary of the Church of God. been raised 750,000 bushels of wheat, 950,000 bushels of corn, 402,000 bush- .. It is plain that we cannot nndertake to edu- els of oats, 68,000 bushels of barley cate the whole population, nor would it be wise and rye, 514,000 bushels of vegetables, to attempt it with our limited means. Bnt we and 83,000 pounds of butter. They can have a few schools of a high character, have built houses, fences and sawed where the Bible shall be a daily stndy, where lumber. They own cattle, horses prayer and a deep religions inbnence can be a and other stock, their sheep reachpresent thing which silently bnt effectually ing the number of 1,120,000. shapes all who come under its influence. The schools should be religiOUS first 9f all ; the end III.-CHINESE IN NORTH AMERICA. held in view above all others shonld be bringing the gospel before the pupils in all its beauty and THE absurdity of the outcry against power. There shonld be no teacher employed the "Mongolian Invasion,"-as the who is not considered a Christian; the teacher .arrival of a few thousand Chinese in shonld always be a missionary. California was called-is more ap- parent every day. In 37 counties of "What is to be done must be done quickly; that State, not including San Franthe race is passing away, bnt a remnant can be cisco, there were, according to the saved." late census, 350,000 people, of whom only 26,000, or less than 8 per cent., The present religious statistics published by are Chinese, while of the population the Government give the following: "Number in these counties fully one-third is of missionaries-male, 77; female, 27; total, composed of foreigners. 104 ; number of Indian church members-male, 14,550; female, 15,994; total, 30,544; number of church buildings, 155." Where are these 30,000 church members? The Southern Baptists have an association in the Indian Territory, embracing 81 churches. "that may be nnderstood as composed of aboriginal members," and these number 4,263. The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, has a conference in the same territory with 5,394 Indian members. The Cumberland Presbyterians have there two Presbyteries, including nine native ministers and 37 congregations. In the diocese of South Dakota alone the The celebration of the Chinese welcomed at their shrines. A brief New Year took place in San Fran- acquaintance with these deluded recisco with great rejoicing. The ligionists is sufficient to at'ouse the principal ceremonies were on Satur- missionary zeal of all who know the day, Feb. 11, and the pageantry was superiority of a pure monotheistic continued in a less degree for several faith. days. The festival in " Chinatown" was ushered in with fire-crackers SUGGESTIVE PARAGRAPHS. and noisy discords, which form the prevailing strains in Oriental music. Universal evangelization. – The The Chinese stores, restaurants and matter is primarily one of simple theatres were gaily decorated, and obedience to ollr Lord's Jast comall the celestials were in their best mand. Here are our marching attire. At the several joss houses orders. A true soldier does not hesithe priests of Buddha adorned their tate, parley, or even delay to ask a hideous idols with robes of costly question. brocaded silk. The number of incense sticks was doubled, and in front Secondly. It is a matter of love to of the i ma~es were placed offerings of man as well as loyalty to Christ. rice and other articles of food. Sup- Every motive of humanity and piety pliants with written petitions, at- unite to constrain us to give the gostached to little bamboo sticks, pros- pel to the world. Huber, the blind trated themselves before the sense- naturalist, observed that a wasp will less deities. H"ere, as in Christian not stop to eat a precious morsel by churches, the majority of the wor- himself. He goes to the nest and shippers were women, and the value leads others forth to the feast. He of their votive gifts was proportion- that withholdeth corn, the people ately large. The need of Christian "shall curse him. No monopoly is so ladies as missionaries in this West- inexcusable and monstrous as that el"n metropolis is painfully apparent. in the Bread of Life.
An impetus was given to the hea- There is nothingeither impossibleor then ceremonies this year, by the impracticable in the immediate evanopening of a new and gorgeous joss gelization of the world. We need. house at No.9 Brooklyn Place, near the most thickly settled portion of 1. To accept the principle of Evanthe Chinese quader. This temple gelism-that every believer is a herof degraded Buddhism is under the ald, responsible for his proportion of auspices of the Hong Yen Gi, and the unsaved world; bound to do the idols were recently imported from directly his share of bearing the good China by the Lung Gong Gung Com- tidings. The curse of the church is pany. The uncouth images are the dependence on proxies. known as the supreme god, the god of wealth, the god of agriculture. the 2. We need a spirit of Enterprise. god of medicine, and the god of war. Men of the world, simply to serve In the centre of the group is the chief worldly interests, have made it posdeity, resplendent with lavish orna- sible to go round the world in three ments. On his right is the god of months, to reach by the mails the wealth, monopolizing a large share remotest quarters inside of six weeks, of worship. Next in Oriental esti- and by telegram all great centers mation is the god of medicine, regard- inside of an hour. What might not ed as the impersonation of wisdom. a little enterprise do for God!
The Pagan priests are very polite, 3. We need a holy Earnestness, an and American visitors are cordially enthusiasm for God. This is the inspiring soul of all Christian effort. It makes one man chase a thousand, etc. ; it makes him a hammer to break the hardest; a fire to burn and melt away; a sword to pierce.
PROGRE!'lS AND RESULTS OF MISSIONS-MONTHLY BULLETIN
4. We need the divine Enduement, 2. The disciples going into all the The power that converts cannot be described any more than the frag- world. rance or tinting of-a rose; but it may be fQlt. Faith and prayer are the 3. Particulady into the byways, conditions of this enduement. The means will always be inadequate. hedges, etc. Our salvation lies in being in straits. The work cannot be done on a 4. Encouraged by the promise, "La mathematical basis. We must attempt great things for God, while I am with you alway," etc. expecting great things from God; and then the victory will come. The proof that God is with us : TEXTS AND THEMES. 1. The providential opening of WHEN Bishop Hannington preached doors. his farewell sermon at Hurst, before departing for Central Africa, his text 2. The gracious transformations of was 1 Samuel xxx. 24: "As his share is that goeth down to the battle, so individuals Rnd of society by the shall his share be that tarrieth by the stuff; they shall share alike." gospel.
God's plan is : 3. The exalted character of the 1. The gospel preached everywhere as a witness. consecrated laborers.
Weare debtors!
Thrice, thrice are we the debtors of the heathen world. Debtors-for we possess what they have not.
Debtors-for we have kept back for centuries what should have been given them with generous hand.
Debtors-for instead of a loaf we have given a stone; instead of a fish a serpent. • VI.-PROGRESS AND RESULTS OF MISSIONS: MONTHLY BULLETIN.
Africa.-To-day 34 Missionary So- tance of fifty miles for the building of cieties aloe at work in Africa, and all a chapel. Most of the men have its 200,000,000 souls are practically made the journey three, and some within the reach of Christian mis- four times. bringing loads on their sions. Thirty-three societies have heads. To do this requires a walk of begun work in China, and all its 350,- three or four hundred miles, and it 000,000 souls may be visited with the is well asked, "How many hypocrites would do that?" The women have message of the gospel. More than hired carriers, and thus have done fifty societies have entered India, and their part. The boys, too, have the light is dawning upon its 250,- brought half loads. This disposition 000,000. Turkey and Persia and Japan to labor for Christ is the best sign are filling with misi;ion churches and that the Christian professions of the people are sincere. mission schools. Practically, the whole world is open, and the grand- -At a recent meeting of the Presest day of opportunity for the king- bytery of New York, a committee dom of God that the earth has ever seen has fully dawned. was appointed to prepare an overture -The Mission of the American Bap- to the General Assembly with regard tists sends further reports of the re- to the rum traffic in the Free Congo vival at Banza Manteke. About 200 State. The whole business is a shame to our civilization, to say not a word have been baptized and enrolled as relative to its character, as carried on church members. More are asking from seaports whence Christian misfor baptism. There is much persecution in some parts, and in December sionaries go out and come in! three persons were killed for profess- -The Romish Church is pushing ing to be Christians. In the towns about Banza Manteke there are peo- for the open regions of the upper ple who are anxious to hear the gos- Congo. Two Portugese steamers repel. An interesting incident is given cently carried from twenty to thirty Jesuit priests and nuns to labor in showing the zeal of the converts in Africa for the propagation of their transporting timber and iron a dis- faith. -It is stated that a nephew of the ing in numbers and improving in late King Cetewayo, after six years moral and religious life. The 15,000 in Sweden in theological and other hottentots of that region have grown studies, has gone back to carryon to 98,561 in 1875. The gospel has put mission work in his native land. physical and mental vigor into them as well as moral. Central Soudan.-The last letters Alaska. – From Alaska come tidand journals received from .~fr. Gra- ings of progress. Sitka, which is the central and most important mission, ham Brooke are from Equator Sta- has been freed from the outside op- pressions of last year, and has made tion, on the Upper Congo, where he rapid progress in good work and fa- vor with all who see and know it. stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Banks and The workers are much the same- Rev. Mr. Austin as minister, Mr. Mr. Murphy. He writes from the Kelly as superintendent, and Mrs. Austin, Mrs. Winan and the Misses Equator Station, December 5, 1887 : KelRey, Rodgers, Palde and others. Mrs. McFarland has the Hydah mis- " The diJference is very striking np here be- sion and labors with Mr. and Mrs. Gould. New building-s have been tween the natives of this country and those erected, and a boarding-school of 20 scholars begun. Mr. and Mrs. Wildown river. Those are degraded, sqnalid and lard are at present laboring among the Chilkats and other tribes who puny; these are warlike, proud-looking and center at Juneau to get employment at the mills. Mr. and Mrs. J. W. prompt in action." "December S.-Time slip- McFarland are at Hoonyah, laboring 'ping by, and nothing heard from the chief. He at some disadvantage because of the cannot get the men, I suppose. The great Arab migratory habits of the tribe; but ~ettlement of Ali Kobo is the most southern they still report a large school and hopeful worJi:. Rev. S. Hall Young known, and that is what they at present hope to is at Fort Wrangell, where a church of 54 members is reported, some of reach, and then begin itinerating work. Of whom are bright examples of the power of the Christian faith. course, there are the two dangers of passing SUMMARY. through savages and being ill-received by the Ministers. . . . . . . . . . . 1886. 1887. Arabs. v?e ought to hear from them once more 30 31 Native ……….. _.. 8 17 from Equatorville before plunging into the in- Churches. . . . . . . . . . . 48 59 Church members… 2,001 terior."-Reg.ions Beyond. Teachers. . . . . . . . . … 63 2,306 Schools ………… , 20 95 Western Africa.-New version of 26 the Scriptures. Mr. Heli Chatelain, Scholars………… 1,134 till recently a member of Bishop 1,607 Taylor's American Episcopal Methodist Mission, on· the West Coast of Britisb America.-A recent num- Africa, has labored at Malange, in- ber of the Gleaner contains an hisland from Loanda, among people of the same race as those described by torical sketch of the work of the Livingstone, and he is visiting England and America to obtain the means Church Missionary Society among for providing the Scriptures for "those studious, industrious and the Indians in BritIsh America. The progressive natives." He reports that in Angola there are plenty of following extract shows how remarknative scholars able and willing to be of use to the man who sets to work able has been the growth of the translating the Scriptures into the principal dialects, only they cannot work: afford to give their services without payment. The Committee of the "In 1887, from an area of 'thirty-five miles on British and Foreign Bible Society each side Qf the river,' the '.York has spread over have expressed to Mr. Chatelain their most of 2,373,490 square miles, from Rupert's readiness to undertake the work he House and Fort George on the eastern shores of desires, as soon as they have sufficient .ames bay, away to the Rocky mountains, and preliminary evidence that the trans- over them to Queen Charlotte's islands in the lations will be correct and satisfac- North PaCific oceau, and from Fort Francis in tory.-Bible Society Reporter. about 48° north latitude, to Rampart House on -The Gariepine people, at the Cape the Porcupine river, more than 2,000 miles -Hottentots, Bushmen, Korannas- north from Red river. There are nine huge sunk to the deepest degradation, were dioceses, six on the eastern, and three on the fast becoming extin~t at the begin- western side of the Rocky mountains. In the ning of the present century. Mr. five dioceses of Mool'lOnee, Rupert's Land, Sas_ John Mackenzie, laboring in connec- katchewan, Athabasca and Mackenzie, and in. tion with the London Missionary that of Caledonia, are 14,687 Christian adher- Socie~y for 25 years in South Africa, states that, instead of dying out, these native races are now multiplyof ents connected with the Church Missionary So- westerly province bordering on Bur- mah, there are two Mission stations. ciety. The Bishops Moosonee, Athabasca, It is hoped that a highway will soon Mackenzie river and Caledonia are all mission- be opened between Burmah and this province. From Kwei-chau there arics of our society. There are about 80,000 are cheering accounts. Itinerating work has been carried on in Hunan, red men with whom our work has to do." though there is no station 'at present. Burmah.-Rev. G. Holbeck writes from Burmah that thero is a gl'eat In Hu-peh the work among the movement Christianwards in Man- women is particularly encouraging. dalay and district; many persons In Gan-hwey there are more openhave been baptized. He concludes ings than cau be filled. This provhis letter by a statement that the ince has been selected to found the people are ripe for religious teach- training home for young men before ing, and an appeal for help. going into the far interior; while the -The Church of England has a mis- training home for young women is sion in U ppel' Burmah under the lead of six priests, two English, one Tamil in the province I,)f Kiang-su. In and three Karen. Fifty villages are Shan-tung are thl'ee stations. At reached; there are 1,237 communi- Chefoo thirteen persons were bapcants and 597 scholars. tized in the summer. The name of Jesus is widely known in Cheh- -The Burmah Baptist Missionary Convention held its 13th annual kiang. Showers of blessing from on meeting at Moulmein, November 5-7. high are wanted to quicken the seed The convention represents about sown by the workers of the Mission. 500 churches and more than 26,000 communicants. Its meetings were -In China there are among the difharmonious and profitable. The dis- ferent Protestant denominations 79 turbed condition of the country has prevented its missionary work from persons who devote themselves chiefly being as extensive as usual. Itsfields to medical work. Twenty-seven are of labor are the Karens of Northern Siam, the Red Karens and the Chins. women. There has been issued by The reports from the different fields their Medical Missionary Association showed a goodly numberof baptisms. The convention is the Foreign Mis- the first number of a medical journal, sionary Society of the Churches in whose columns contain valuable pa- Burmah. None of its money is used pers from native and foreign physiin the old fields, where each associa- cians of high standing. 1.'he articles tion is supposed to care for home mission work, of which much is done by the Chinese doctors, 1.hemselves by the associations. Christians, in the Chinese language, will have a wide influence among China.-Progress has been made their countrymen in removing the III the work of the China Inland prejudice against foreign physiciaml. Mission during the year 1887. The -Presbyterian Journal. greatest success has been in Shan-si where in April 200 converts were -The Ningpo Presbytery recently baptized, largely through Native met in the city of Hangchow. There agency. Opium refuges, which are are 9 pastors, 26 elders, 9 deacuns. almost self-supporting, have been 7 evangelists, 6 licentiates, and 6 greatly used. There has been a con- theological students. The additions siderable development of women's to the several churches during the work. Three distinct stations in year were 68; children baptized, 21; Shan-si are occupied by two foreign deaths, 31; expelled, 5; the whole ladies each. The same plan is pursued in Kiang-si. Honan has been number of communicants, 719; coneventful, not only from the inunda- tributions, $991. . Of this $73 was for tion of the YeHow river. but from the formation of a Native church in education, $60 for home missions, connection with the Mission. In $20 for foreign missions, $712 for Shensi there has been development pastors' salaries, the remainder for and consolidation. At Hang Chung, sundry expenses in connection with the Natives take entire charge of the church work, and for the care of the service!!. In Kan-suh four impor- poor. tant centers are occupied; and in Si-ch'uen there has been decided im- -Recent statistics show a total of provement. In Yun-nan, the most about 500 church members within the walls of Peking, connected with the five Protestant missions in that city.
-Mr. Stanley Smith, of the China Inland Mission, reports 210 baptisms in Central China, at one time. An- other missionary states that he has been preaching to immense audiences, sometimes numbering as many year $165 towards the extension of as 4,000. Some of the most influen- Christ's kingdom. The total amount tial men in the Empire have em- paid last year by natives for all purbraced Christianity. poses, church schools, books, Sab- bath-schools and zenana work, was -Chinese in America.-The New $29,188, an average of $14 for each York Chinese mission has between professing Christian. Dr. Lansing 4,000 and 5,000 Celestials in its reports that 53 of the congregational Sunday-schools. About sixty have schools are entirely supported by the joined the various churches. The natives, as well as over two-thirds of the salaries of the nine natiye pastors first Sunday-school for these people being paid by the people whom they was founded in New York 18 years serve. ago. England.-More than twenty can- Columbia.-There is an established didates have offered themselves for agency at Bogota, the capital of work under the Universities' Mission Columbia, for the burning of Bibles and are awaiting Bishop Smithies' and Protestant books. Columbia is answer. It is feared that lack of probably more undel' the power of funds wiil keep many of them back. the priesthood than any Roman Cath- To bring the income of the Mission for general purposes up to £10,000. it olic country in the world. is proposed to appoint correspondents in each rural deanery, The increase Ciscuucasiu.-The first portion of in the figures of the Mission are thus the word of God ever printed in given: 1n.1874 the income for genethe language of the Kumuks is now ral purposes was 2,9921. ; other funds, on the eve of publication. The peo- 448l. ; gross income, 3,440; European ple live on the western shore of the missionaries, 5. In 1887, General Fund, 8,713l.; other funds, 6,9001.; Caspian sea, northeast of the Cauca- total, 15,600l. ; missionaries, 63. sus Range, near Kisliar and the rivel' Terek. The Gospel of St. Matthew Fiji Islands.-Of the 17,743 Fijians inhabiting the Fiji Islands more has been translated for them by than nine-tenths attend church Khasan Bey, a young MoHah, and with fair regularity; where, fifty his work has been carefully revised. years since, there was not a single The printing has been done in Ger- Christian, to-day there is not a single many. The difficulties to be sur- avowed heathen; all the Fiji chilmounted in securing a reliable ver- dren are in the schools; the schools sion have been great, and the labor and churches have wholly displaced has extended over some six or seven the heathen temples.
years. [From a speech by Rev. A. G. Egypt.-A most remarkable his- Webb at Melbourne in November tory attaches itself to the mission work in Egypt, since its very begin- last, we give the following account of ning. Along the valley of the Nile, from Alexandria to the first cataract, his work in Fiji.-EDS.]: are 79 regularly established mission … Now, the great work that has been done stations and 70 Sabbath – schools, numbering 4,017 scholars. The 65 in Fiji has been touched upon by others, and day and boarding – schools number over 5,200 scholars. A recent Amer- manystories have been told of the terrible doings ican traveler, after looking into the faces of the 327 native students of of the Fijians when heathens. But I am not Asyoot Training School, said: "This going to tell you those stories to-night; I prefer is the grandest sight I have seen in all the East!" The steady growth to tell you a story that is a Christian story. I in the evangelistic and educational departments is almost without prece- think that Christian people ought to be far more dent. The opportunity for such work is to-day greater than ever before, interested in that than in the doings of a race and never in the history of Egypt of wild cannibals. All traces of their ancient has there been such a demand for the Bible. . During the past year heathenish practices have been cleared away, 9,651 copies of Scriptures, 8,993 vol- and visitors now cannot imagine tbat this people, umes of religious books, and 19,179 v()lumes of educational books were with their almost Parisian manners and their sold by colporteurs and shopmen. Four women's missionary societies meliftuous speech, were the cannibals of ancient have been organized among the na- times. tives, with a membership of 217. These fOUl' societies contributed last .. I have the latest Government returns, show- ing the present state of the people, bnt they only partially represent it. The true character of the work cannot be estimated by figures, bnt by the inner lives of the people. There are at present in Fiji-Fijians, 111,743; Europeans, 3,567; half-castes, 796; AsiatiCS, 4,230; Polynesians, 5,664 ; Rotumans,4,214-total, 128,414. Of these India.-Sir William Hunter gives 111,743 Fijians, 100,154 are attendants atonr own very encouraging figures as to the pnblic worship-a very large proportion indeed. progress of Christianity. In the nine years preceding 1881, while the gen- " I may say, that where fifty years ago there eral population of Bengal increased was not a single Christian, to-day there Is not an 10.89 per cent., the Mohammedan avowed heathen. There may be heathens, but population at the rate of lQ.96 per If so, they don't stand up and say so. When I cent., and the Hindu population at went to Fiji there were thousands of them. In less than 13.64 per cent., the Chrismy first circuit of Rewa there were more heath- tians of all races, the natives exens than in any other-men who would stand up cluded, increased at the rate of 40.71 :lDd avow It proudly, too. I well remember one per cent., and the native Christians 'Wild young fellow of an immense size (some at the rate of 64.07 per cent. Fijians are very fine looking men), and with a head of hair standing out on all sides, which -" They have in Bombay a special fund of added to the wildness of his appearance, coming right in front of me, and looking me boldly in 16,000 rupees for the support of new converts to the face, saying, 'I'm a heathen, and I'm going to be.. heathen,' as if it were something to be Islam; a house bought for 6,000 rupees, whose prond of. Bnt there is none of that now. Instead of it, we have as many people worshiping in rent aids in supporting such converts; and in Fiji as you have in Victoria; we have as many people whose names are on the class-books in Lahore, about fifty rupees are collected each Fiji as yon have in Victoria, and those whose names are on the class-books are not conspicu- month for the support of open-air preachers of ons by their absence. Islam. These Mohammedans have their eyes .. We have at present 53 native ministers, 44 open to all that is goin~ on around them. They catechists, 1,877 local preachers, 3.192 class leaders, 27,421 members of the church, 4,121 on trial, preach against Christianity in the bazars of 2,795 catechumens, 1,019 teachers, as well as day and Sabbath-schools with their teachers, for all nearly every important city and town in India; the children of Fiji are educated in the mission schools. It is diJllcuit to believe that in a place they reply promptly to nearly everything of imwhich fifty years ago was studded with heathen temples-where the first parsonage was a canoe portance written against Mohammedanism; and honse, open at both ends, in which the Rev. David Cargill and his noble wife were glad to they have five papers, all of which are ably take shelter-there is not to-day a single heathen temple; in 1,255 places of worship God's Word edited, and are devoted to the defense of the was preached yesterday (Sunday), and will be preached again next Sunday."- ltZUB. Miss. claims of Islam. 'In addition to all this they New8. publish works claiming to point out serious dis- Home Missions. – The American Baptist Home Mission Society received the past year crepancies In the Christian Scriptures; a work $551,596, of which $145,603 was received by contributions for general purposes, $41,579 for in which they are greatly aided by European schools and buildings, and $39,629 for church extension. The receipts from legacies were Unitarians and infidels." $245,485. "It is also a singular fact that, since the The annual report of the Board of Home Missions of the United Presbyterian Church gives bloody mutiny of 1857, the adherents of Islam the total receipts of the year as $53,ll96.61; total expenditures, $51.696.09. have written no single book against Hinduism, Foreign Missions.-The Presbyterian Board and that the five special organs of the former did not get the $1,000,000, but it had $901,180.89 when its books closed May 3. say nothing of any importance against the latter, The receipts of the M.E. Church for last year and do not urge Hindus to embrace Islam. In for missionary work were upwards of $1,000,000. fact the efforts of Islam seem at present to be Total receipts of the American Baptist MissloRary Union for the year ending March 31, almost entirely directed in India to securing 1838, were $411,385.39. converts from Europeans and native Christians, The annual report of the American Tract Society shows that the receipts for the year were and to meet with a very limited success in both $459,858, and the expenses $448,504. One hundred and ninety-four colporteurs have been em- directions. " ployed in the United States during the past year. -The Presbyterian women of India raised last year, in their missionary societies and Boards, in cash and missionary boxes, nearly $8,000 for home missions.
Japan.-Mrs. Rhees, an American missionary at Kobe, Japan, writes: "There is so much written about Japan and the desire of the young people to study English that I need not write about it. But there was a convention of Japanese physi- cians held in Yokohama a few months ago. that to me seems of great importance. The object of the meeting was to consider what could be done to prevent the diseases that cause so much weakness and suffering among the people. The decision reached by the meeting was that they recommend the placing of the daughters of the people in Christian schools. It seems to me a great gain when really educated physicians ac- knowledge sin to be the cause of many of their diseases and Christianity the remedy. All the boarding-schools among the mission- aries are enlarging their accommodations to meet the constantly-increasing demand." -Spirit oj Missions.
STATISTICS OF THE WORLD'S HISSIONS
VII.-STATISTICS OF THE WORLD'S MISSIONS.
JEWISH MISSION STATISTICS. SCOTLAND. 122,910 State Church Mission …..•. 23 Ii 117,000 [These valuable statistics were Free Church Mission ……. 43 8 Scottish Home Mission ….. 2 2 6,720 translated and arrangad for us by Edinbur~h Emig't Mission .. 1 1 6,000 United resbyt. Mission …. 2 1 Prof. Chas. H. Schodde, Ph. D. EDS. Total ………………….. 71 17 252,630 IT is not generally known that our 72,680 own day and generation has witness- IRELAND. ed a growth of mission interest in the welfare of the once chosen people of Irish Presbyt. Mission …… 27 9 God, which can compare favorably with the miracle of missionary activ- Totalfor the British Isles. 312 81 1,513,180 ity that we see before our eyes in heathen lands. In the " Supple- GERMANY. 20,440 ment," which Dr. Dalman has been 1,840 publishing for the past two years Edzard Endowment……… – 2,310 to the quarterly called Saat auf BerlinSociety… ………… 3 1,710 Hoffnung, edited by that zealous Berlin Proselyte Society… – 11,000 and veteran friend of Israel, the Saxon Society…………… – 3,200 translator of the classical Hebrew Bavarian Society……….. – version of the New Testament, Pro- Central Society (at Leipzig) Ii 1 21,600 fessor Franz Delitzsch, of Leipzig, Wurthemberl§ Society….. 1 1 1,410 in the interests of Jewish missions, Mecklenburg ociety……. -_ the former has collected the statistics Rhenish Society.. . . . . . . . . .. 4 3 260 of Christian work in this field, which Lubeck Friends of Israel. .. — are doubtless the most complete ever StrassburgFriends ofIsrael – published. As a result of extensive correspondence and reading, Dalman Tota!. ………………… 13 6 63,780 has learned that there are 47 Protest- ant Mission Societies devoted exclu- SWITZERLAND. 10,350 sively to this work, laboring at 135 Basel Friends of Israel. …. 1 3,260 stations with 377 men and expending 11,090 each year 1,800,000 marks (1 mark NETHERLANDS. 3,400 equal to 24 cents). In 1881 C. F. He- Netherland Aid Society…. – 17,750 man had published similar statistics, NetherlaDd Israel Society.. 2 1 1,200 but reported only 20 societies with Christian Reformed Society 1 1 270 laborers and an anIJUal income of I 1,400,000 marks. In other words, in Total for the Netherlands 3 2 scarcely half a dozen years the activ- FRANCE. ity in this arduous field has literally been doubled. And this does not in- Mission of Pasteur Krueger – clude the other societies who engagtl in the work in addition to other mis- SCANDINAVIA. sion enterprises, such as the British and Foreign Bible Society, the Amm'i- Norwegian Central Society – 22,810 ean Tract Society, and others. Swedish Israel Society….. 4 2 31,220 Evangel. Fatherland Assoc. – 2,020 Swedish Mission Associat'n 2 2 1,570 Danish Israel Society……. – Totalfor Scandinavia…. 6 4 57,626 e., RUSSIA (i. the non-orthodox churches).
St. Petersburg Mission….. 2 1 3,800 Baltic Mission………….. 2 1 5,000 Pastvr Faltin's Mission…. 3 2 20,000 J. Rabinow;tch's Mission… 1 1 Dalman's summary of this work Total for Russia………. 8 5 28,800 is given in the following table, and 113,000 NORTH AMERICA. the whole is translated for THE MIS- Episcopal. ……………… 2.5 25 6lO SIONARY REVIEW of THE WORLD. Hebrew Christian work…. 3 2 Missouri Lutberan ………. 1 1 ~i~ns SOci<cty:" …………. 2 2 Chlcago Mlsslon ………. , . 1 1 J1ethodist Mission………. 1 1 Wesleyan Society………. 1 1 ENGLAND. Total for North America. 34 33 113,610 Of these, the oldest is the Edzard endow- Mission.. Sta- Income ment (in Hamburg), established in 1667. aries. t'ns. (in M'ks.) This had no imitators until in 1808, when the great London Society was organized. Other London Society…. . . . . . . .. 135 29 733,280 societies were established in 1822 (two), 1830, British Society…….. ….. 31 20 206,880 1835, 1836, l841 (two), 1842 (two), 1843, 1844 Mildmay Mission.. ……… 31 1 189,690 (three),1849, 1860,1861,1870, 1871 (two), (1874 London Cit.y Mission……. 6 1 (two), 1875, 1876 (two), 1878, 1879 (two), 1880, Parochial Mission… …… 6 1 18,630 1882,1883 (two),1884, 1885 (five), 1886 (three) . English Presbyt. Mission.. 3 2 23,500 •Jewish Emig't Aid Soe'ty.. – 5,860 The missionaries labor wherever BarbicanMission…. ……. 2 10,030 the chief centers of Jewish popula- Total …………………. 216 55 1,187,870 tion are found. In London there are fied that these figures are substantial- 58 at work, in Budapest 14, in Con- ly correct. Of course this includes stantinople 33, in Damascus 31, in also those who have been won by the Jerusalem 28. In other places from agents of the Roman Catholic and 1 to 5 men labor in this cause. The the Greek Orthodox churches, both total number of Jews on the earth is of which are also active in this work, about 6,400,000. Accordingly, there but not as much so as are the Protesis one missionary for every 16,976 tant Societies, especially those of New England. Dalman's articles, of Jews. Concerning the success of the which we give here only a bare skelework, no complete statistics can be ton, are full of interesting details collected. However, as good an au- concerning this important though thority as the Jewish convert and little known, and, unfortunately, ofmissionary de la Roi says that at least 100,000 Jews have been con- ten little loved field of Christian misverted since the beginning of the sion activity. present century, and Dalman is satis- Foreign Missionary Sooieties of Germany, they covel' nothing more recent than the reports of the years 1883 and DR. R. GRUNDEMANN published in 1884. In response to a request for . several numbers of the Allgemeine information, Dr. Grundemann now kindly sends us in manuscript a sta- Mi88ion8 – Zeit8chrijt for 1885 elabo- tistioal table of German societiescov- rate statistical reports of evangelical ering the year 1887, and we gladly missions throughout the world. Those tables were remarkably complete, but give the table here: STATISTICS OF GERMAN EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY SOCIETIES FOR THE YEARI887.
SOCIETIES.
———-,— — ——— — —-. — Moravian …………………………. 107 147 83,052 29,283 590 208 17,407 $101,261 Basel, Evangelicallllission…… .. . . . .. .. 42 120 19,187 9,497 1,057 208 7,486 199,507 Berlin, Evangelical lIIis8ion…………. 48 60 17,764 8,400 1,225 53* 3,377 71,611 Rhenish Mission (Barmen)…………. 53 66 29,125 9,666 1,100 66* 5,370 E8,440' North German, (Bremen)…… ….. ….. 4 8 556 325 114 5 199 20,389 Gossner Mission…………………… 13 19 34 000 11,868 1,775 80t 1,685 42,431 Evangelical Lutheran, Leipzig.. ,……. 23 22 14,014 4,500* 7g6 129 3,993 67.5g6 Herrmannsburg .. ………………. … 61 71 11,196 5.000* …….. 63· 2.000* 63,713 St. Chrischona tOo………. ………… 1 15 4CO J ernsalems-Verein.. .. .. .. …. .. .. .. .. .. 3 2 150 20 5 1* 120 8.132 40* …. .. . . 4* 200 6.585 Brecklum (Schleswig-Holstein)………. 4 8……… ….. .. …. ,. 21 * * 43 14.914 Berlin Woman's Mission for China.. .. .. 1 40 3.778 1 81.. .. . .. . 17 New Church Mission………………. 5 5 305 80* 77 3* 74 2,523 East African Verein <Berlin).. ………. 1 2 …….. …….. …….. ….. …….. 3,239 Bavarian Verein for East Africa… ….. 11 2………. …. .. …….. …… …….. 3,000 ms50 Oen'! Prot. Miss. Verein (for Japan.)… 1 220* …….. …….. …… 2 3,COO , Totals ……… ' .. . …………… ~ '3681550 ~ 6.756 823- 4l.994 $700,1i4 *Estimated. t2Statistics ofSyrian Orphan Home only.-MI8sionary Herald.
The M. E. Ohuroh in India.
The statistics of this Church for 1887, as compiled from the Annual Minutes of the Conferences, show a marvelous growth in the past twenty years.
North India, South India. Bengal. Total. For 1867. 28 32 86 18 Foreign Missionaries………… 26 4 4 46 5 Native Do………… ,….. 38 28 Zenana Do.. .. . .. .. .. .. …. . 3 5 338 20 4.450 Members………….. … ……. 3.121 563 766 3,523 212 151 473 10.180 500 Probationers……….. ………. 2.899 6.484 400 Native Christians.. .. .. .. .. … . . 9.226 163 771 62 133 531 515 2.563 Da.. Communicants……….. 5.!l2O 4 23 16.515 62 Schools………. …………….. 488 752 Scholars…. ………………… 15.298 212 1.005 689 15 36 39 23.146 20 Sunday Schools.. .. .. . …. . …. .. 594 2.204 2.029 Scholars……………………. 23.913 109 Churches…………………… 19 14 54 76 9 5 Parsonages………………… , iO • Protestant Missions in Africa.
(THE following report was made January 7,1888, by Mr. Wm. Coppinger, Secretary of the American Colonization Society for Africa.) The British and American Missionary Societies operating in Africa, with the statistics of their work, are given in the following table: MISSIONARIES. i j 8 – – – – – – – – – – – -8 – BRITISH SOOIETIES.
Chnrch :….., .. :. …………………………… 17 12 4 277 4,164 UniverSitIes MIssions……………………… 26 23 14 218 … 5;00." 12 Society for Propagation of the Gospel. . . . . . . . . . . . 122 London ………. …. … ……… ….. …….. … 48 1 6,052 United Free Methodist.. . .. .. .. .. . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . 10 Primitive Methodist.. . . . . . . …. . . .. . . .. .. . . .. . . . . 2 233 14 3,035 Church of Scotland…….. ….. ……. ………. 2 5 1 Free Chnrch 0, Scotland………………….. 15 …. laij" 181 15 n Baptists. .. . . .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. 20 5 Wesleyan Methodists…….. . … .. . … .. .. .. .. . 33 2 30 "'i,427'" 8,280 United Presbyterian Church of Scotland…….. 17 9 Moravians……………………………….. 58 …. ·7 .. 69 "i:,,',io7"
336 2,073 Friends…………………………………. . …2.0…. ………. 2,828 Bible Society.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . 6 3,509 AlIIERlOAN SOCIETIES.
American Board. . .. .. .. .. .. . .. …………….. 17 1 25 11 866 Baptist Missionary Union……….. …………. 12 7 429 2 12 22 Presbyterian.. .. . …. ……………………… 9 868 ~ 5 8 125 Sonthern Baptist …………………………. '. 5 3 United Brethren………………………….. . i 53 3,929 Protestant Episcopal.. .. …… .. .. .. ……… . . . . 42 640 African Methodist………………………… . Methodist Episcopal……………………….. .. ..ii… iii'" 76 … 2;400"
Bishop Taylor Mission…………………….. . l 22 1 1 .0.0. Lntheran.. ……………………………….. i Free Methodist…………………………… . 4 16 _._…_.2.1._ 9..-.-'-._…..i_;.S..4_.3.". United Presbyterian………. …. .. .. … . .. .. .. . Western Colored Baptist……………….._._,,_._.' -_ _1 – -_ _ _- '-_ _ _'
Foreign Sunday-School Association, Countries. S. Schools. Teacher•• Scholar•• DURING the twenty-flve years' work Italy. .. .. …. .. . .. .. . 200 850 12,560 of this society it has introduced Sun- France …………… 1,100 4,500 115,000 day-schools, as a specialty, into Ger- Belgium…. ……… 57 many, and aided in their establish- Switzerland ……… 1,590 160 2,350 ment, until now there are in that Spain……………. 100 6,522 97,890 country over 3,000 schools, with 30,- Portugal………… 30 8,009 !l00 teachers and 300,000 scholars. Holland!…………. 1,291 400 1.000 "The work is now spread all over Bohemia.. . . . . . . . . . . . 90 100 141,640 Germany," writes Mr. Brockelmann, Moravia.. .. .. ….. .. 38 3,800 2,875 its great Sunday-school worker, Sweden.. …. …….. 500 260 1,423 "and all clergymen who are not Denmark………… 300 60 200,000 rationalists have Sunday-schools." Russia (among the 18,000 25-;lO,000 The association has also aided and 2,000 established Sunday-schools in Italy, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, German popuiat'n) 23 428 6,017 Portugal, Holland, Denmark, Swe- Brazil…… ………. 21 35 518 den, Russia, Hungary, Bohemia,Mo- Chili…………….. 255 ravia, Bulgaria, Egypt, Turkey, In- Uraguay…….. ….. 11 40-45 dia, China, Japan, Mexico, Cuba, 700-900 San Domingo, Guatemala, U. S. of Colnmbia, Venezuela, Brazil, Chili, American Sunday·School Union.-The last Uraguay and Southern Africa. three annual reports of the American Sun- day-School Union show that since 1884 it has The following table gives the fig- brought 185,034 ohildren into 4,947 new Sunures, as nearly as can be ascertained day-schools, a number equal to 5,000 more at the present time: than one-half of all the increase reported as having been secured by this and all other a~enoies during these three years. The Union aided 4,825 other schools, which have 46,774 teachers and 515,714 scholars, so that in these three years it reached 9.872 com- munities and Sunday-schools and 700,748 chil- dren and youth, and then re-aided and re- visited these sc.hools 11,245 times, hesides making 92,584 visits to families, supplying 45,019 destitute persons with the ScrIptures, and holding 27,247 religious meetings. . Sunda.y-School Sta.tistios-1881~87. [The subjoined statistioal table is given by Rev. B. H. Badley, D.D. of Lucknow, in the Indian Evangelical Review (April). It was prepared'ror the recent Sunday-school Convention held at Cawnpore, India.-EDS.] FOR lE81. FOB 1~87. ~ .; .Sg NAME OF CHUBCH. .; …;. Date. ~-§ ~ "0 rl ..C:: '"0 ''c0" ~ ,,<11 os S ..:: "0 -"- "" -""- – – -"" – – – – ————— r.J:J Q '"r.J:J " <.> ~"
-<11- <11 – – – – – r.J:J I Baptist Miss'y Socy ………………. . 26 730 15 942 Oct. 1, 1886 1,966 Burma 2 London do. do.. ……………… . 17~ 6,670 44 2,206 May 1, 18b6 23,311 is in- 3 American Bd., Marathi Miss. If ' 76 2,339 Jan. 1, 1887 Do. Madura do. …… . 105 3,999 2,523 eluded 123 3,337 u " 5,019 in these 4 Church of England……………….. . 640 11,299 640 11,299 Jllly 1, 1887 47,089 stati"- 5 Socy. for Propagation of Gospel. …… . 126 2,447 126 2,447 (1881) 21,329 tics. 6 Wesleyan Miss'y Socy ……………. . 50 2,113 124 5,983 Jan. 1, 1887 10,772 7 General Baptist do ……………… . 676 Mar. 1, 1887 531 7 347 (f) 8 Church of Scotland ………………. . 12 821) 12 825 (1881) 6,507 9 Free do do L..u.d.i.a.n.a..I. . … . . … . 55 3,172 55 3,172 (1881) 11,156 10 Am. Pres. Church. Do. 24 2,437IJan. 1, 1886 6,637 Rothapur ( ……… . 16 2,523 8 584 Jan. 1, 1885 578 Do. Farruckahad ) (?) 1,095 Nov. 1, 1886 1,990 11 Basel Miss'y Socy ………………… . 7 330 7 409 Jan. 1. 1887 4,696 12 Am. Bapt. Miss'y Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 4385 131 5,348 Jan. 1, 1885 16,549 13 Am. Free Baptist Mission …………. . 3i 1:532 (1) 2,672 Apr. 1, 1887 3,628 14 Gossner's Lutheran do……………. . 1 20 1 20 (lH81) 2,045 15 Leipzig Miss'y Socy ………………. . 16 Irish Pres. Mission ……………… . •• I (1881) 2,788 17 Welsh Cal. Meth. do ……………… . 8 '3141 5 235 Jan. 1, 1887 8,042 56 2,682 (1) 4,290" 8,141 H 18 Am. Evan. Lutheran Miss ………… . 65 3,145 65 3,145 (1881) 2,087 19 Am Reformed Church……………. . 36 1,074 (?) 1,074 Jan. 1, 1887 2,~ 20.Episoopal Moravian Mission. '" ……. . "11 940 .. (1881) 8,260 15,298 I 21~Am. Un. Pres. Church… ……. …… (f) 1,473 Jan. 1, 1887 591 23,913 Nov. 1, 188~ 2~ Meth. Epis. Ch. North India B~: ~~~~~fndia . . . . . . . . 226 13,566 34 1,973" u (?) 39 2,029" " (f) 23 Un. Pres. Church of Scotland."……… 27 1,313 27 1,313 (1881) 3,726 24 Danish Ev. Luth. Mission …………. . (1881) 10 12 25lpres. Church of England………….. . 10 (1881) 282 26 Hermannsburg Mission …………… . .. t1881) 160 27IFriends do. .. …………. . ] 36 1 3" (1881) 56 28iIndian Home do. . …………. [ 8 280 8 2801 (1881) 745 329OIA,Cman. aGdI;eann. EvaI?-' do. . ………… . 2 70 1 8.'5 Jan. 1, 1887 171 Baptist do. . ………….. . 7 177 7 177 (1881) 603 31,Scotch Epis. Church …………….. .. ..' 32,Orig. Secession Church of Scotland … . 1 30 1 80 ., (i881) 208 33 canadian Pres. Mission. . . . . . .. . ….. . 3 120 3 120 (1881) 348 (1881) 34 Swedish Evan. do.. .' .. " …….. . 1 69 1 69 124 35 Am. Free Methodist Mission………. . I 36 do. . …. . 37 tDOitshceirpsl.e.s. . … . . ….. .. .. 5 500 NOV. 1, 1887 (1) … . …… 2,690 _1~ 2,690 _ (1881) . .. . . . . . . . . . . . ~ 11,498 Total… … . . .. .. .. . ….. …. . . . … 1,992 65,728 2,337 89,2331_.:.:_'_._ 216,447 I .. 345 23,505 .. Increase………… , .. .. … .. .. . .. . . .. ..
Sunday.Schools of 111. E. Chnrch.-The nn- nates who have gone out as missionaries, to merical statistical summaries presented in the end of 1887. Of these,Ill went for C.M.S. i the Quadrennial Report of the corresponding secretary are as follows: 48 as chaplains, or for S.P.G., or for the DelhI Mission (this includes Henry Martyn and Number of Sunday-schools, 24,225. other East India chaplains, but the list is Number of officers and teachers, 268,391. incomplete); five for the Universities' Mis- Number of Sunday-school scholars, 2,006,- sion to Central Africa.; five· for the China 328. Inland Mission; three for the London Mis- These show a net increase during the sionarySociety. In the C.M.S.lIst 14 stand quadrennium of 2,272 Sunday-schools, 38,826 for the year 1887; only one other year (1860) officers and teachers, and 312,708 Sunday- had as many as six. Even taking all socieschool scholars. ties together, no year came up to the C.M.S. The conversions in the Sundays during 1887 list alone. The best was 1885, when the the four years reach a total of 410,224. This is an increase over the number reported five China Inland men went, with five C.M.S. during the preceding quadrennium of 112,421. and two S.P.G. Eleven on the C.M.S. list were Ridley Hall men. The report expresses Uuiversity lIIissions.-The last report of the the hope that the increase last year" is but Cambridge University Church Missionary the earnest of a still larger increase, and Union gives a list of 172 Cambridge grad- that the number mav never fall again to its former low standard'."
The Missionary Review of the World — June 1888
THE RELATIVE PROGRESS OF CHRISTIANITY
MISSIONARY REVIEW OF THE WORLD.
VOL. XI. No. 6.-0Id Series.–]UNE.–VOL. I. No. 6.-New Seriea I.-LITERATURE OF MISSIONS.
THE RELATIVE PROGRESS OF OHRISTIANITY. * BY J. T. GP..ACEY, D.D., BUFFALO, N. Y.
THE Ohristian public has been somewhat startled by statements recently made to the effect that in estimating the relative extension of Ohristianity through its aggressive agencies, there has been a singular oversight of a most important factor in the sum-that of the annual increase by birth of the non-Ohristian populations of the world. Mr. Johnston puts the case thus: " The heathen and Mohammedan population of the world is more by 200 millions than it was a hundred years ago; while the converts and their families do not amount to 3 millions. The numbers now generally accepted as accurate and quoted by the church missionary and other societies, are 173 millions of Mohammedans and 874 millions of heathen, 1047 in all. When Carey wrote his famous Enquiry in 1786 he estiqtated the Mohammedans at 130 and the Pagans at 420 millions, equal to 550 millions. This would give an increase of 493 millions. But as we have come to the knowledge of vast populations in Africa and the East, which could not be even guessed at in Carey's time, we must largely increase his estimate, but I am not prepared at present to say to what extent. Of this, however, I am sure, that the ACT- UAL INCREASE during the hundred years is much more than the 200 millions at which I have put it down. • . . We mourn over the sad fact that the increase of the heathen is numerically more than seventy times greater than that of the converts."
Mr. Johnston is recognized as a candid, careful and capable author and an earnest friend of missions, and he makes these statements the basis of an appeal to the Ohristian church to address itself more vigorously to the task of evangelizing the nations, which he says it is abundantly able to do. He informs us that he could easily give the details of his estimates, and will do so on another occasion, and also says that the members of almost all the missionary societies of Great * A Century of Protestant Missions and the Increase of the Heathen during the Hundred Years. Rev. James Johnston, F.B.S. 1886. James Nisbet & Co. 2d. Christianity, Islam, and the Negro Race. By Edward W. Blyden, LL.D. 1887.
Whittingham & Co. lOs. 6d. . Mohammed and Mohammedanism By R. Bosworth Smith, M.A. New York: Harpers. 1875. Canon Taylor's Wolverhampton Address. London Times. Britain have had ample means of testing his accuracy, and their secretaries have given him many kind marks of confidence. He does not of course say that they concur in this specific statement.
It seems that it would have been more desirable that the author should have furnished the details of the evidence before he announced his conclusions and made them the bases of an appeal, or at least set them forth as an incentive to Christian effort.
Instead of following the course he proposes, the reader will most probably hold the statement in suspense or decide from such data as may be at his command as to its credibility, while many will question if even such tolerable accuracy can ever be obtained in the estimate, as to bring it within the range of practical missionary thought. It is difficult to say what is the population of China even in our own day, and there is little hope of establishing any but questionable inferential proof of what it was a hundred years ago. Whoever has made a close study of the H Table of the Different Censuses of the Eighteen Prov-, inces," and other carefully made estimates as quoted by Dr. Williams, and his elaborate discussion of the entire subject of the past and present population of the Chinese Empire (" Middle Kingdom," vol. i. pp. 206-240), will readily understand that there is no credible statistical data on which to formulate anything approaching exact statements, such as we have become accustomed to for a comparatively few years past, in the Western world; and inferences, deductions and "guesses" have been always easily matched by counterinferences, deductions and" guesses."* One becomes curious to know what fresh sources for reliable statement or argument are to be brought to light, to prove what the popUlation of China was a century ago.
Dr. Williams estimated the population in 1876 to be less than it was in 1812, because the Taiping rebellion probably destroyed twenty millions of human beings during eighteen years of carnage in the fifteen provinces to which it reached. For twenty years prior to that the increase of the population was estimated at less than one per cent. per annum, and this renders Dr. Williams's statement probable. We put emphasis on China, because it popularly is supposed to contain about one-third of the population of the globe, and if no basis of calculation approaching accuracy can be had here, it would cause serious defect in the total result.
It may not be quite fair to allude to Africa, as that may be included in the two or three hundred millions which Mr. Johnston so generously deducts as peoples which have come to our knowledge within the century. But suppose these three hundred millions of newly discovered people have been numerically reduced within the century, what then? Whether the populations of these nations newly added to the world's census are more or less than they were a century ago, cannot be now * See International Department for discussion of the latest Returns. shown. The internecine strife of the tribes of A.frica, the devastationB of the slave-hunt and other causes may·have lessened the aggregate in the last hundred years, and that would affect the total sum. India comes more nearly within the range of statistical comparisons, specially within a few decades, but it lacks anything like exact figures for a century ago. Even within the latest decade covered by the British census, territory has been brought for the first time into the census tables, and the prejudice against the census-taking was so great even twenty years ago, as to limit accuracy. It is impossible to prove what part of the increase in the tables is due to greater accuracy in the returns. But as the people under the British raj are saved from much internecine strife, and measurably from infanticide, and subjected to hygienic and other regulations calculated to afford peace and to increase longevity,-notwithstanding two, and even four millions have been swept off within sixty days by famine in a single province,- it is probable there has been an actual increase in the popUlation, though it is variously estimated in the aggregate, all the way from three to ten per cent.
We have thus hastily sketched the probabilities as they will appear to the ordinary reader of establishing either increase or decrease by birth-rate among perhaps four-fifths of the total non-Ohristian population of the globe.
Of course we write all this merely as indicating the problem which Mr. Johnston promises to deal with and the difficulties surrounding its solution, and as justification of suspense of judgment in the premises till the promised evidence is furnished. But we must think it scarcely fair for Mr. Johnston to make bold assertions in the "text, while in the preface to the second edition he starts off at a tangent to say, "Even if the increase of the heathen were not so great as asserted, it would only prove that the death-rate from war, infanticide, pestilence and famine was greater than my estimate for these ~ad calamities, and would only furnish fresh arguments for sending the gospel," etc., which is very much like saying, If I cannot prove what I promise, I can prove something else. It is not with something else that he asks us to deal, but with this; and whatever allowance must be made because of the brevity of the treatise, it is long enough for us to understand the unvarnished statement which is offered to our faith, and which we are asked to take merely as the announcement of a fact. But as many will decline so to do, the influence of the alleged fact will be paralyzed till the evideuce is furnished.
The author would have broadened his discussion if not made it more fair, if instead of comparing the increase by birth-rate with increase by conversion, he had compared birth-rate with birth-rate among Ohristian and non-Ohristian peoples, in order to show what the probabilities are, of the total Ohristian population of the world gaining on that which is not Ohristian. But he gives promise of dealing with that too, in a separate treatise. In other words, he has given us only a fragment of the total argument, while the whole is essential io the reaching a conclusion about the reasonable probability that the world is to become Christian. Besides, if even the fact of comparatively greater increase by birth-rate were established in favor of heathen nations, that is certainly no more than the early church must have experienced, if not within the Roman Empire alone, then over the world at large. Mr. Johnston singularly enough, thinks there was no increase throughout the Roman Empire by birth-rate through the three hundred years in which the early church rose to supremacy therein. That in this his view will be challenged, is a matter of course.
While we doubt if any argument or compilation of facts can at all remove the question of the comparatIve world population of 1786 with that of 1886, out of the realm of pure speculation, and hence doubt if any practical value is to be got from its discussion, we beg that the Christian public will not overlook the masterly array of other statistics, facts and stirring appeals of this extraordinarily thoughtful pamphlet. And we caution them against ill-considered statements and influences which Mr. Johnston's pamphlet would not warrant, but may incite.
A. STUDY OF RATIOS.
The Bombay Gnardian some time since furnished an illustration of this heedless use of figures. It quoted the Independent as follows: "In round numbers the non-Christian population of the world is generally estimated as a thousand millions, leaving a Christian population of four hundred millions. Now the naturalincrease of a thousand millions, though it may not, because of the conditions of population in crowded countries like China and India and among uncivilized hordes like those of Africa, be quite as large in proportion as that of the four hundred millions of Christians living under the highest forms of civilization, it must be vastly larger in bulk. The rate of natural increase in India, in the last decade, jwas seven per cent. If that rate were applied to the whole of the thousand millions of pagans we should have a gain of 70,OOU,OOO every ten years. In Europe (exclusive of Turkey) and the United States, the increase in the decade was something undel' ten per cent. Apply that to the 400,000,000 Christian population and we have a gain of 40,000,000. In other words, the natural increase of the heathen world is thirty millions greater evel'y decade than that of the Christian world. Thirty millions in a decade is three millions a year, and this three millions a year must be overcome by propagandism among non- Ohristian peoples before it can be said that Christianity, by which we mean the whole Christian population, is increasing as I"apidly as Paganism. This is a fact which we need to look at steadily, in order to understand the vastness of the work before us."
Just why the Independent should assume that the increase by birthrate in India, which it puts at seven per cent., is the rate of natural increaseof the world for the last decade, is not very apparent. It singularly overlooks the emigration from Christian Europe to other places than the United States, though its colonies have overrun British America, Mexico, South America, and Australia. It places the heathen rate ridiculously high and that of Christian Europe fallaciously low. It would seem that such calculations might be relegated to the curious, but when a sober Christian paper like the Bombay Guardian is misled by it to make mischievous comment like the following, the time has come to call a halt on such indiscriminate ciphering. That paper complemented the above quotation thus: " A decennial augment of 7 per cent. on the population of India (250,000,- 000) would be 17,500,000, or 1,750,000 annually. But it would be thought a marvelous thing if our converts reached 100,000 in one year. If the addition of one to our converts implies the addition of 17 to the number of the unevangelized in this land, it certainly does not look as though we were subduing the world to Christ."
Both these quotations illustrate afresh the habit which has become common among too many well-intentioned writers on missionary progress, of singularly ignoring true ratios. Archdeacon Farrar is reported as stating that a century ago, in a procession of the inhabitants of the globe, only one in five would have been Christians; to-day, in a similar procession, the Christians would be nearly one in two, while the Christian population of the globe is increasing at the rate of 86 per cent. each decade. We do not know his basis of calculation, though the last remark comes within touch of modern statistics, and is susceptible of proof or refutation. But we do know that a preeminently important factor in all these comparisons is, that among Christian populations and notably among Christian converts from non-Christian populations, there is a remarkable increase of the ratio of increase. Christlieb says that in 1800 there were 170 Protestant missionaries in the whole heathen world, with 50,000 converts. George Smith, Esq., says there are now roundly three millions, of whom 802,028 are communicants, an increase of sixfold within the century. India furnishes a more definite illustration of our point. A writer (" R. H.") in the British and Foreign Evangelical Review, Oct. 1870, said the progress of Christianity in India was as great as that of early Christianity in the Roman Empire, it being popularly estimated that there were eight millions of Christians in that empire after 300 years; but if the rate of increase of the India native Ohristian community between 1852 and 1862 were maintained for 300 years, it would give 200,000,000 of converts. Making his calculations on that ratio, he anticipated that there would be in India in 1882, 273,000 Ohristians, but four years earlier than the date of his estimate (1878) Ohristlieb gave the numbers as 460,000! And Ohristlieb further says that the ratio of increase between 1852 and 1862 would give in A. D. 2002 a Christian popUlation to India alone of 138,000,000; or two hundred years after Oarey's first baptism, a victory seventeen times greater than that of the early church in the Roman Empire. If it be urged that such estimates are speculaative and untrustworthy, it is to be borne in mind that the above calulations are made on the rate of increase between 1852 and 1862, and that e::ch decade since has not only sustained that, but has shown an incI'B{!se of the rate of increase. The Christian population of India is now doubling itself e,very ten years, and every change of ratio is an increase of that ratio. And what is true of India may be reasonably anticipated for the future through- . out the missionary world as a whole, if we give due weight to the munificent equipment of agencies and preparatory occupancy of posts so ably summarized by Mr. Johnston.
COMPARATIVE INCREASE OF RELIGIOUS SYSTEMS.
We have glided into another phase of the question stated by Mr. Johnston in the caption of one of his chapters, thus: "The great heathen and Mohammedan systems of religion are not only increasing their adherents by the ordinary birth-rate, but are yearly making far more converts than our Christian missions." As Mr. Johnston does not promise further information on this specific topic, we are left to deal with the general statements of the chapter. A statement like this needs examination in detail, and from the title of the book it is fair to confine our examination to the century past. As to China, Buddhism, Oonfucianism, and Taoism have divided the population among them, and as no man is wholly of either in Ohina, it seems difficult to see what room there has been for converts. ~'hey had the whole, and except the Christian community represented by 31,000 Protestant communicants, the increase of Roman Oatholic Christians, and probably some accessions by Islam on their western borders, they have the whole yet. If the increase by birth-rate be not established, it seems difficult to establish .an increase at all within the bounds of the empire. Japan may be placed in the same category. Buddhism has been disestablished of late, and unless a birth-rate increase is proven, the case probably falls to the ground. Such is the influence of Western Christian civilization that it is possible that Ohristianity may any day be established as the national religion. In India proper there is no Buddhism except in name, and Oeylon's population is too inconsiderable to enter into these broad estimates.
Brahmanism-or rather Hinduism, a much broader term-has made encroachments on some of the aboriginal tribes by social absorption or by a sort of religious accretion. It is not a missionary religion, and its accessions are by marriage, or by the exchange of a popular fetish for some popular deity of thQ Hindu Pantheon. The total evangelistic task of the church is not increased by such social amalgamation, as these hold too loosely to Brahmanism to make it more difficult to convert them from Hindu idolatry than it was from Dravidian demonolatry. Then the aggregate accessions to Hinduism cannot be known, for if the total increase of the population be even 10 per cent. within the decade, it would be difficult to show what deduction must be made for increased longevity and other itcms, such as new territory now first included in the census, or the incompleteness of statistics ten years ago. There seems little room to construct an argument either way.
Not as a matter of logic, but as a curiously interesting item, we quote a Hindu. opinion on the relative progress of Ohristianity and Hinduism in India, published as Tract No.2, issued by the Hindu Tract Society of Madras, and sent to the Ohurch Gleaner by Rev. H. Schaffter of Tinnevelly Oollege: "How many hundreds of thousands have these padres turned to Christianity, and keep on turning! How many hundreds of thousands of dear children have they swallowed up! On how many more have they Gast their nets! How much evil is yet to come upon us by their means I 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. Do you suppose these padres to be mild and gentle? Do you think they are excellent teachers? Are you ignorant of the fact that Hinduism is daily decreasing and Christianity increasing? How long can a lake last that has an outlet and no inlet? So if, as we see, no converts are coming in to Hinduism, and every year multitudes on multitudes are going over to Christianity, there will not be a single Hindu left. Then what will become of caste, what of the Sivite and Vishnuvite faith I What of our temples and sacred tanks? We shall see no monastery or even footprint of a Hindu. When Christianity has laid waste the land, will a blade of Hinduism grow there?
" Now who cares or speaks about these things? When the flood rushes over our heads it will be too late. It is because of our carelessness that these strangers insult our gods in the open streets during our festivals, Is there no learned pundit to be secured for money who will crush the Christians?"
INCREASE OF ISLAM IN THE EAST INDIES.
Weare left to glance at the increase of Islam, and as it is convenient we begin with India. Oanon 'l'aylor's paper or address, read at the Ohurch Oongress at Wolverhampton last year, has been supplemented by so many fragmentary utterances of his in the London Times and el,sewhere that it is not easy to know for just what he is to be held responsible. His Ohurch Oongress 'Paper has been abundantly reviewed, quite beyond its deserts. Mr. Bosworth Smith in the Nineteenth Oentury charges him with lack of originality and wholesale plagiarism from his lectures on "Mohammed and Mohammedanism," published a dozen years ago, and alleges that even the opinions are" as nearly as possible identical" with those which thirteen years before he had promulgated, though " they were couched in an exaggerated form and without any modification or explanations," and were reproduced" without any adequate preparation or study of the subject at first hand," and that he "rushed at the task with headlong heedleslmess."
But the archbishop may be credited with originality in his statement in the Times when he says that the Moslem population of India increased in the decade 1871-1881 between nine and ten millions, of whom he estimates six millions to be converts, while the Ohristian missionaries had not made one-tenth as many converts in the same period. The recklessness of such a statement was equaled by the ludicrousness of the method of ciphering, when it became known that the canon had added to the later Moslem population the entire number in the Moslem feudatory states, which were not included in the census of 1871. If this is not" heedlessness" it is difficult to furnish a specimen of it. The London Spectator too, was so far misled in this general controversyas to place the annual conversions to Islam in India at 100,000. Sir William W. Hunter, the distinguished author of the Imperial Gazetteer of India, in a paper read recently before the Society of Arts, said, "The recent discussion in the Times was vitiated by a forgetfulness of the fact that the great Muhammadan pmvinces layoutside the influence of the famine of 1877, which fell with full force on Hinduism."
The Indian Evangelical.Review (Jan. 1888) said these statements were " so recklessly absurd that to many the very idea of formally contradicting them is itself absurd. And yet," it adds, "such dense ignorance abounds both here and at home that to many a formal contradiction becomes necessary. And that contradiction we unhesitatingly give as full and as formal as we can. After inquiries and investigations in various parts of the country, we emphatically assert that there is not a word of truth in Canon Taylor's sensational statement as regards India. He would be within the mark if he had said six hundred as the utmost figure for all India. Archdeacon Matthews has answered for the Punjab, and the Rev. J. J. Lucas for the Northwest Provinces and Oudh; Mr. De St. Dalmas and the Bombay G-uardian for Western India, and of Bengal we say that the Englishman regards the matter as simply fit to be made a joke of; the Statesman treats the statement as regards India as beneath notice, but grapples with it so far as it concerns Central Africa; and we ourselves, having inquired of not a few most qualified to inform as rega.rds Bengal, give the statement an emphatic denial. We do not believe six hundred Hindus, Christians and aborigines have become Mussulmans within the last ten years. The only cases thateame within our knowledge were all cases of seduction-Hindu wives or widows seduced by Muhammadans-and one or two Christian girls tempted into so-called Muhammadan marriages. We have also heard of Muhammadan men and women becoming Roman Catholics in the same way, so that possibly as many are lost to Muhammadanism in this way as are gained."
But the figures were shown to Maj.-Gen. Haig, an acknowledged authority in such matters for India, and he is reported as saying that "in Bengal, with a popUlation of 42 per cent. of the whole Muhammadan population of India, the Mussulmans are at a standstill, while in the Punjab and Northwest Provinces, with 36 per cent. of the total Mu- 'hammadan population, Islam is slightly advancing."
The Indian Witness was quoted in the April Review as follows: "Gen. Haig furnishes interesting facts and statistics concerning Muhammadan progress in India. Of the 50,000,000 of that faith in India, 21,000,000 are in Bengal. From the most careful census reports ever taken in India it appears that the followers of Islam increased during the nine years 1872- 1882, 2,145,472, or at the rate of 10.96 per cent., the whole population increasing at the rate of 10.89 per cent. The actual gains of Muhammadans were 15,000. This figure shows how much faster they increased than the whole population. A careful thinker would not concede all of this number to proselytism. A small increase in the health and longevity of the Muhammadans, which is not unlikely, would wipe out all the gains at one stroke. But we would think that a church of twenty millions of members, that only gathered 1,666 members a year more than another body, that made no converts and could make none, was not a model of progress. The case grows darker fo~ Muhammadan success when we remember that few have left Islam in Bengal, although several are far from being as orthodox as of yore."
The Bishop (designate) for Lahore is quoted as saying: "The movement in certain parts ;of India of low-caste or outcast Hindus toward Islam may be compared with the yet larger movement of the non- Aryan tribes toward Brahmanical Hinduism. In both cases the movement is far more social than religious. Impartial writers like Sir A. Lyall are forward to recognize the unfairness of comparing this wholesale melting into another religious system, which is the outcome not of individual persuasion, but of great social changes, with the results of Christian missionary enterprise, which represent personal conviction, and entail, not social advantage, but social loss."
Rev. W. J. Smith, also of Lahore, says: "My surprise is not that so many Hindus have turned Mohammedans, but that so few have done so. Had Mohammedanism in India possessed its old vitality we shouldindeed have been startled by the result."
The Methodist Recorder of London discriminates when it says: "The result of the discussion, therefore, as regards India, is to show that there is no cause for anything like panic at the advance of Islam as a missionary religion in India, while there is every reason for increasing our own efforts thoroughly to Christianize a population which amidst the decay of ancient religious. beliefs is naturally somewhat prone to adopt a form of religion which is close beside them in full force, which makes little demand upon them of a spiritual kind, and interferes so little either with their superstitions or their domestic habits."
The accomplished author of the Gazetteer oj India, already quoted, says the converts to Islam in India are attracted less by religious fervor and conviction than by considerations of social convenience. Islam offers to the" teeming low castes of Eastern Bengal, who had sat for ages abject on the outermost pale of the Hindu community, a free entrance into a new social organization." But he goes on to say that " Christianity holds out advantages of social organization not offered by Hinduism or Islam. It provides for the ~ducation and moral supervision of its people with a pastoral care, which Islam, destitute of a regular priesthood, does not pretend to. It receives the new members into its body with a cordiality and completeness to which H:induism is a stranger. . . . Christianity also raises the position of woman toa degree unknown to Hinduism or Islam."
He says "the new religious force of missionary Christianity is Protestant." He then shows the growth as represented by the statistical results of three periods, into which he divides the work from its initiationat Serampore down to 1881. He says that " a cordial recognition of the wide field for evangelical labors does not exempt Christianity in India from being judged by its present l'esults. Nor need the friends of missionary enterprise shrink from the test; for while the number of native Protestant Christians has increased by fivefold during the thirty years preceding the last census, the number of their communicants has multiplied by nearly tenfold. The progress has been a progress of conversion, concurrent with a progress of internal growth and of internal discipline. It .is the result, not alone of the zeal which compasseth the earth to make a proselyte, but also of the pastoral devotion which visits the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and labors to keep its Hock unspotted from the world."
Again we say, we are willing to hold all that we know of difficulty in the way of Mr. Johnston's establishing his statements, in suspense, until he presents the evidence which years of patient toil and assiduous study, with special adaptation and rich experience in dealing with statistical problems, might perhaps have justified us in taking on his mere announcement, if the immense interests involved warranted such acquiescence on the mere assertion of any authority whomsoever.
But we caution the Christian churches against construing anything we have said into ground for relaxation of effort, or miscalculation of the forces to be mastered. Whatever has been the absorption of the uncasted natives of India by any of the lettered religions in the past, Sir William Hunter utters a prophecy of startling import when he says that he believes that the dense and dark mass of jifty millions outside thepale of orthodox Hinduism and Islam will within jifty years be absorbed into these or into Ohristianity.
'fhat Islam is extending in the East India islands seems well established, for the German and Dutch missionaries laboring there seem to fear great difficulties from them. Journal des Missions Evangeliques says: "Nor have the missions alone reason for alarm. Some months since hundreds of Dutch merchants and others having direct relations with this part of the world sent a petition to the King of Holland urging him to take active measures for the protection of his subjects and their property in those regions. The Atchin war seems never ending and increases the peril of the situation. The Atchinese and the Malays are the tribes mostly moved by Islam to fanaticism, and the Battas, among whom the Rhenish missionaries are working so successfully, live between the two tribes."
At the Mildmay Conference some ten years ago Rev. Dr. Schreiber, secretary of the Rheim (Barmen) Missionary Society, speaking of the Netherlands mission in the East Indian Archipelago, said: "At present in Java almost all the whole population (twenty-one millions) is. Mohammedan, at least in name, a great deal of heathenism still being concealed under the surface. On Sumatra the fourth part is still heathen. On Borneo and in the Celebes, perhaps one – half; but wherever in Dutch Indies a heathen population is in contact with Mohammedism the latter is ad,vancing steadily." He says that " By far the greater part of the ground Mohammedanism holds at present in the Indian Archipelago, it has gained after the time the Dutch took possession of those regions. In the island of Sumatra it is true Atchin and Menangkabao had become Mohammedan before that time, and thence Islam had found its way to Java; but on both these islands the great majority of the people were still heathen whe!! the Dutch took possession of them, and to the island of Borneo and Celebes Mohammedanism has crept in the time of the Dutch Government."
He holds the Dutch Government to be responsible for this advance
AFRICA: A WONDERFUL OHAPTER IN MODERN HISTORY
of Islam,. The Bataks had been for centuries in contact with Islam • through Mohammedan Malays, but had kept their heathen creed firmly up to forty years ago, since when, under the patronage of the Dutch Government, it has extended all over the colony, "while almost no Mohammedan is to be found beyond the borders of the colony."
He says there are few proper Mohammedan missionaries there, but that there is personal Moslem zeal in propagandism, especially among the Hadjis, "whose number increases year by year on account of the· passage to Mecca by steamer being now so cheap and easy. In 1875 there were no less than 5,600 Hadjis (pilgrims) from Dutch India." (Mildmay Report, 1878, pp. 137-155.) [Ooncluded in our nex:.] AFRICA: A WONDERFUL CHAPTER IN MODERN HISTORY.
[EDITORIAL.-A. T. P.] THE organization of the International Association of the Congo and the Congo Free State are among the modern marvels in African history. T~e steps in this movement are marked by a peculiar touch of the divine finger.
Fifteen years ago, May 1, 1873, Livingstone, one of the great pio~ neers of African discovery, died upon his knees in his grass hut at Ilala, in the very heart of the Dark Continent. He was alone and utterly worn out by forty experiences in the furnace of African fever, and by every form of exposure and exhaustion. The awful death shade overhung the vast regions of Central Africa. Such depravity and degradation can be imagined only by those who have come into contact with it. Such cruel customs, such a cyclone of crime, such scenes of horror, such a carnival of lust prevailed, that Livingstone, moderate and temperate as he was in his habits of speech, could only write of them, "They give me the impression of being in hell! Oh, Lord, let thy kingdom come I"
The civilized world no sooner learned of the departure of this marvelous hero of African exploration and evangelization than there was a spontaneous and simultaneous movement in two directions: first, in the direction of scientific and geographical investigation, and secondly, in the direction of missionary effort. The latter we put second, not in the order of time but in the order of importance, for the Christian church was for once on the alert to follow Livingstone's labors in a true apostolic succession.
The next prominent step or stage in this remarkable history was the transcontinental tour of Henry M. Stanley. Strange indeed that such a man as James Gordon Bennett, and such a man as Stanley, the reporter of the New York Herald, should be chosen by God to open up the vast Congo basin! But so it was. In 1874 Stanley started at Zanzibar, and after a thousand days emerged at the mouth of the Congo in • 1877; the mysteries of the unknown interior were penetrated, and King Mtesa's appeal for Ohristian teachers echoed round the world and revealed Ethiopia stretching out her hands unto God. Of course Africa was during all these years more and more becoming the one point of attraction; like a constellation in the firmament which for some cause glows with supreme splendor, it became the cyn- osure of all eyes. The worldly man looked that way, for vast riches, vegetable and mineral, lay disclosed between the seas; the scientific man looked that way, for geology and geography, the fauna and flora invited and would reward a thorough research; the Ohristian man looked that way, for a hundred millions of people waited for the gospel, and a highway had been opened for the chariot of missions. A zone of light had taken the place of the deep darkness that so long lay like an impenetrable pall upon equatorial Africa. Robert Arthington of Leeds resolves to make new investments for Ohrist in planting the gospel along the shores of these lakes and rivers, and missionary societies appeal for fresh recruits to follow up the path of the explorer by the labors of the evangelist and teacher and conse- crated physician. Meanwhile from the little kingdom of Belgium there comes a new and very remarkable sign of the coming future for Africa. King Leo- pold II. has been watching the developments of African discovery and studying the signs ofthe times. God had taken his only son, and when he laid his dust in the sepulchre he turned away from the grave say- ing, "I have nothing to live for." But a voice from above seemed to say, "Live for Africa." He heard and heeded the celestial voice, and determined henceforth to adopt the sable sons of the Dark Oontinent as his own, and spend his life and his imperial treasure for the devel- opment and direction of this new empire lying along the Oongo. This Belgian king, while Stanley was yet in the heart of equatorial Africa, summons a conference at Brussels, Sept. 12 to 14, 1876, and the A.frican InternationaZ A.ssociation is the result. His Majesty the King of the Belgians invited to this conference a num- ber of the leading geographers of the chief nations of Europe. Represen- tatives gathered from Germany, Austro-Hungary, France, Great Brit- ain, Italy and Russia, as well as from Belgium, and the result of their deliberations was an agreement that an international commission, hav- ing its seat at the Belgian capital, should be founded for the purpose of exploring and ci vilizing Oentral Africa; each nation co-operating should establish a national committee to collect subscriptions to further the common end and send delegates to the commission. The first to form such national committee was Belgium, the mem- bers meeting under the presidency of Leopold II. himself, November 6, 1876. We cannot follow the history of this International Oommis- sion in detail. Those who are not already familiar With the minutire may find them fully preserved in Stanley's book on the Oongo. vol. i. chap. iv. But this was the foundation of the African International • Association. out of which have grown all the stupendous movements now fulfilling Victor Hugo's prediction that in the twentieth century the eyes of the world would be on Africa.
Into the treasury of this International Association in ten years this one man, Leopold II., sends gifts amounting in the aggregate to $2,500,000. The Oongo river is thus arouEled from its long sleep and is soon alive with steamers, and the surrounding forests resou:l.d with axes, and trees are felled and buildings are erected, and all the machinery of modern enterprise and civilization is put in motion. Mission bands advance westward from Zanzibar and occupy the shores of the great lakes, and other pioneers move eastward from the Oongo's estuary until the equator is reached and the cross is set up at Equatorville.
As to Stanley's connection with King Leopold it behooves us to add a few words. '
When Stanley, in January, 1878, reached Europe, slowly recuperating from the effects of famine, fever and fatigue endured in his great journey of three years, he was met at Marseilles by two commissioners of the King of Belgium, who communicated to him King Leopold's desire that he should undertake to assist him in accomplishing something practical and permanent for Africa, and asking Stanley to pay him a personal visit. Too exhausted to attempt any new enterprise, or even venture a visit, the explorer rested for a season and then went to Brussels and saw the king. Then a few weeks of pedestrian touring in Switzerland, a few months' lecture touring, and in November, 1878, Stanley was again summoned to the royal palace at Brussels, and found various persons of note in council as to what might be done to utilize previous discovery and make the Oongo river and basin of service to humanity. A new expedition was organized, with Leopold II. at its head, and on Nov. 25001. Strauch of the Belgian army was made president of the society, called" Oomite d'Etudes du Haut Congo;" and the expedition was put in charge of Stanley. The coincidences of history are often startling. He had emerged from the Oongo at Banana Point Aug. 12, 1877. On the 14th of August, just two years 'later almost to a day, Stanley arrived before the mouth of this river to ascend it, to sow along its banks the seeds of new settlements, to suppress the slave trade, and to prepare the way for a new and Ohristian civilization.
Another great step remained to be taken. Ten years pass away from the time when Stanley first began the transit of the continent, and a conference is held in Berlin which for its character and the possible magnitude of results probably has had no equal during the Ohristian era. The Berlin Oonference sprang from the African International Association. It met in the closing months of 1884, under the presidency of Prince Bismarck. There were representatives of fourteen European powers-Great Britain, Germany, Aus- tria- Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, France, Italy, Holland, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Norway and Turkey-with the United States of America. After full conference with leading explorers, philan- thropists and missionaries, they have created by solemn compact a Free State, embracing nearly all of equatorial Africa. They have covered by the protection of their covenant a territory equal to two and a half Europes, as large as all the United States except Alaska, peopled by nearly fifty millions of souls; and this is the covenant into which they )lave entered with reference to the land for which Livingstone prayed. It is to be read in the sixth article of their Convention: " All the powers exercising sovereign rights or influence in the aforesaid territories bind themselves to watch over the preservation of the native tribes, and to care fOl> the improvement of the conditions of their moral and mental well-being, and to help in suppressing slavery and especially the slave trade. They shall, without distinction of creed or nation, protect and favor all religious, scientific or charitable institutions and undertakings created and organized for the above ends, or which aim at instructing the natives and bringing horne to them the blessings of civilization. Christian missionaries, scientists and explorers, with their followers, property and collections, shall also be the objects of especial protection. Freedom of conscience and religious toleration are expressly guaranteed to the natives, no less than to the subjects (of the sovereign states) and to foreigners. The free and public exercise of all forms of divine worship, and the right to build churches, temples and chapels, and to organize religious missions belonging to all creeds, shall not be limited or fettered in any way whatsoever."
Every wQrd of this international covenant deserves to be written in gold. A more wonderful highway has not been cast up for Christian missions even in this wonderful century. A page more remarkable, both for the prophecies which it fulfills and the promise which it gives, has not been penned during the Christian era.
It is an appropriate recognition of his generous gifts and unselfish labors that the Kingof Belgium is appointed the sovereign of the Congo Free State. His sovereignty implies little else than the dedication of his energies and resources to the elevation of Africa, with the good-will and the powerful support of the whole civilized world.
The Berlin Conference, springing from the African International Association and under the presiding hand of Prince Bismarck, apparently conferred blessings upon Africa, during the few days of its session, surpassing all that had been secured for her during the present century. At this conference kings became "nursing fathers" for the church, and the basis was laid for the Congo Free State.
Fifteen great powers, thus embracing adherents of Protestant, no-· man Catholic and Greek churches, and even the Mohammedan faith, met in conference at the invitation of the German Imperial Government. One of our British exchanges says: "This conference of powers which sat at Berlin during the past few closing weeks of the year 1884 has dop,e more for AFRICA than all the political action of individual states, including our own government,· during a century. On the 2d of Decemb~r these high contractors adopted a declaration of free trade and oj free intercourse in the basin oj the Oongo, embracing religious, philanthropic and scientific enterprise and the protection in all respects of the native races. Geographically the basin of the Oongo includes 1,300,000 square miles, although a commercial area is reached of more than 3,000,000 square miles. It is understood that the boundaries covered by the Oonference embrace the whole country eastward to the Oentral Lakes, and the Pree Ohurch Monthly of Scotland considers the Lake Nyassa mission field as embraced in the scope of this convention. "
We have watched these signs of the times for twenty years with intent and interested eye. Here is one land alone, of all that at the opening of this missionary century lay in the impenetrable death-shade. Robert Moffatt went to the southern Oape and began his course upward; he was joined by Livingstone, who became his son-in-law. In 1873 Livingstone dies. In 1874 Stanley takes up the unfinished work of exploration. In 1876 Leopold II. calls a conference in Belgium, and the African International Association is born. Stanley emerges from the Oongo's mouth in 1877, and barely reaches Europe in 1878 when he is called to Brussels to meet the king. Before the year 1879 opens a new expedition is organized with Stanley to conduct it, and in August he begins to ascend the mighty river of Africa. Five years pass away and fifteen powers meet in Berlin and lay the foundation of the Oongo Free State. And yet there are some who see no God in history I or who, faintly recognizing a general Providence in human affairs, take but little interest in such mighty and momentous changes as these! For ourselves, we see the luminous pillar of cloud moving, and moving over Africa. If God ever called his people to "arise and possess the land" it is now. Here is a vast territory suddenly thrown open under the united protection of fifteen of the dominant powers of earth and waiting to be taken for God. This is but the latest of a series of developments, the like of which history may safely be challenged to produce, showing that the God of nations is constructing a highway for his people to encompass the world. To the mountain obstacle he says, "Be thou a plain!" and straightway it disappears and there is a level road for his mission band. The danger actually is that the doors have been opened too fast and too soon for the church to enter and take possession! Worldly enterprise, commerce, science, are moving so much more rapidly; even infidelity is outdoing us in propagandism! Rum is flowing into the Oongo basin and threatening to flood it, while one hundred millions of nominal Protestants lethargically delay vigorous efforts to follow God's moving pillar, and risk the loss of the greatest opportunity ever yet placed before the church of God! Have we not wronged Africa enough in the enslaving of her children to make some tardy recompense by giving to her myriads the redeeming gospel?
REV. GEORGE BOWEN
REV. GEORGE BOWEN.
By ROBERT AIKMAN, D.D., MADISON, N. J.
I DO not propose even to sketch the life of this saintly man and eminent missionary; but having been his classmate and familiar friend during his theological course in Union Seminary, I would like to speak of some of those early experiences which gave tone and color to his unique spiritual life and career.
Of the class which entered the seminary in 1844 Bowen was almost the oldest man, having been born April 13, 1816. There was nothing striking in his countenance or personal appearance-of slight frame, quiet demeanor, unimpassioned utterance, and no magnetism of manner -a man who could hardly ever be an orator, and indeed who never came to be one-a most unpretentious man, and courteous as was to be expected of one who had been much in the world of men.
Within the few months during which classmates learn to place each other, we all came to know that Bowen was different from most men, and better than most of us. He had never been to college, yet his Greek and Hebrew recitations were among the finest, and his thoughts at our missionary and prayer meetings, expressed with choice simplicity, were original and quickening beyond the common run. He looked at Bible truth in a novel way, which yet was evidently his natural way. He was not communicative of himself, but we learned that he was newly born into the ChristiaJ.!. life, and almost up to his entrance upon_ ministe:cial studies had been a skeptic, utterly unacquainted with religious truth, and as ignorant of the Bible as a man of his general intelligence and cultivation could well be. The remarkable and pathetic manner in which his mind was turned to the Bible and his striking conversion have been well told and will never lose their interest. Up to that period he was an infidel of the French school, and although never a mocker, he told me that he had always regarded the Bible very much as he had regarded Esop's Fables.
Out of this darkness Bowen came into sudden light, and the light was strange and wonderful and sweet. He probably never had a doubt of Bible truth, of the way of life through Christ, and of his own acceptance with God, from the beginning to the end of his Christian life; and it was at first matter of surprise to him that any believer should have doubts as to his spiritual estate. His expressions were the least hackneyed of any man I ever knew, which, no doubt, was because he had read almost nothing upon religious subjects and was so unacquainted with the views of other Christians. He drew water directly from the wells of salvation, and it is both interesting and profitable to know that he became an evangelical believer; without bigotry,caring little for denominational peculiarities, but evangelical through and through. About the middle of our junior year, Bowen passed into a spiritual experience which I find it difficult to describe, although I was somewhat familiar with the process and the results. He had been giving hlmself more and more to protracted and intense study of the Bible, and particularly of the Gospel of St. John, and more especially still, to those deep portions of it which comprise the Saviour's last discourses with his disciples in the passover room. He discovered that there was an experience to which he had not yet attained, and in which it was possible permanently to abide-a state of absolute certainty as to spiritual truths, of entire devotement to the glory of God, and of rest in God. This, of course,-was nothing else than the" abiding" of which our Lord speaks, and it was not different in its nature from that of Bowen's first experience; but it came to him as almost new, and so it came to his classmates. I shall never forget an evening prayer meeting in the seminary and the impression which his testimony made upon his classmates, although nothing could be less ostentatious than his words and manner. One of our most intelligent men arose and said, "Is this something new in the Ohristian life, or is it a deepening ot the cur- rents which flow in all our hearts?" No doubt it was the latter, but it made the impression almost of newness.
At that time Bowen began to come under the power of a mental habit, not peculiar to him indeed except as to its completeness and permanence. He made a distinct effort to realize the actual and personal presence of the Saviour with him, to become intimately and at all times conscious of the nearness of Jesus as one to be spoken to and walked with. This grew by cultivation to be a great life power with him. One day, Bowen, J. Edwards Ford (afterward of the Syrian Mission) and myself were together in the room of Thomas A. Weed. The last named was a genial and even jovial man, and a great favorite of us all. H.e led the conversation into the line of the nearness of Ohrist to his own, in order, I suppose, to draw remarks from Bowen, who, after a while, said in his quiet way, "I have at this moment a more vivid sense that Jesus is in the room here than I have that either of you three are."
Quite a singular illustration of the power of this mental habit occurred with him in Bombay. In the fall of 1848, when he had been less than a year on missionary ground, he was seized with what seemed to be a fatal attack of ulceration of the larynx. This was long before the days of telegraphs, and on the day when the India packet sailed Bowen was supposed to be dying. Obituaries appeared in the papers, and in one of our religious journals a tribute to his memory and a chastened lament over his" early sickness and death." 'rhe very night the ship sailed the ulceration was arrested and his recovery began. During this illness he began to be troubled with the not uncommon hallucination of groups of persons apparently visible in his room. He said to himself, "I will arrest this delusion by the realized presence of Jesus; of that l am sure>,' and as these forms be~an to appear he su~~ cooded in banishing them simply by the power of this fixed habit of his mind. I have always believed that this habit was almost the greatest force in his life, and it is certain that he endeavored to make it such.
In the ~omplete surrender of himself to Christ, George' Bowen has had many equals, but few I think who became at once and so utterly dead to all former things. Just as absolutely as Paul, did he say, "What things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ; yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." All his literary ambitions and pursuits, all his linguistic attainments, all his social reputation, he not only laid upon the altar, but he seemed to forget that he had ever had such attainments or objects. I was often with him in his room and in the family circle, yet I never heard him speak of Italian or French art, although he was master of both languages and had looked with appreciative eye on most of the galleries of Europe, in this resembling the great apostle, who saw the temples, statuary, and altars of Athens, yet spake of one altar only, and made that the text for a sermon. I am not characterizing this, but simply making the statement. He had entered upon a literary career. From others I knew that the Putnams had published a graceful volume from his pen; he never alluded to it in my hearing, One of the family told me that he had nearly completed a much larger work, of which all I ever saw was some manuscript pages which he was putting to some common use; it never saw the light, except perhaps as kindling material. I think he underestimated the influence of his early literary habits and his study of the modern languages; they were of greater service to him all through his life than he seemed to recognize. His facility in acquiring languages was such that he commenced preachi,ng in the difficult Mahratta tongue before he had been nine months in Bombay. The ease with which he accomplished his varied literary and editorial work was due to the practice of those earlier years, when he was building better than he knew and preparing for future work divinely planned for him.
When he gave himself to foreign missions he made two resolvesnever to marry and never to return to his native land. So he lived alone, and died where he had labored. It may be questioned whether his choice to live so near the low plane of Hindu life in food and expenditure was a wise choice; it would not have been possible had he been a married man, as most missionaries will be and ought to be, but his course was prayerfully and deliberately taken, and he had the right to be his own judge. That most devoted Scotsman, William C. Burns, adopted the Chinese mode of living, and went so far as to adopt the Chinese dress. In later life he expressed doubts as to the wisdom of this course, and said that he would probably not do the same if his missionary life were to begin over again. When Bowen withdrew from the American Board and adopted his new mode of life, Dr. Rufus Anderson said it was well to have one man make such an experiment and to
MORMONISM MORmUND
mark the results. Christian Frederick Schwartz and George Bowen were men of great ability, entir'3 consecration, and of wide Christian influence; each was unselfish and generous to the l~st degree, and the work of each abides and will ever abide. That Schwartz hindered his influence because he lived in European modes, or Bowen helped his by living in the Hindu mode, who shall say?
A remarkable feature of Bowen's work has awakened thought among his friends. It is not known that many conversions can be traced to his personal efforts. That he himself ever mourned this or even regarded it as strange does not appear. The Head of the church gives to every man his own work, and Bowen's work seems to have been as nearly perfect as is often given to man to do. When Bishop Randolph Foster returned from India he said to me, "Bowen is called the Saint of India." To be thought .of as such by the many missionaries of the great peninsula is proof of an influence for good greater than is often given to men to exert. He said once to his classmates, "Our aim must be to bear the greatest possible amount of the best possible fruit." It is enough to say of him that for more than forty years he endeavored to fulfill the purpose thus tersely expressed.
The last time I saw him we were standing at the parting of Broadway and one of the avenues. He said, quietly, "It is as if you took this road and I took that, to meet soon where the streets join again."
The class that entered Union Theological Seminary in 1844 had this distinction, that eleven of those who were its members became foreign mISSIOnaries. Bowen was the last who remained in the foreign field, and was the latest of them all to be taken home.
MORMONISM MORIBUND.
By REV. AND PROF. DELAVAN L. LEONARD, OBERLIN, O.
NOT exactly in articulo mortis. Alas, no. The glad time for the setting forth of funeral baked meats is not yet, and most likely is still somewhat remote. But that the obnoxious and abominable system has seen its best. (that is, worst) days, is well advanced on the road that leads to death, and is even in the earlier throes of dissolution. No doubt abundance yet remains for Oongress and the courts, the churches and the whole people to do; but in the thick of the fight there can be no harm, there is much comfort and profit, in surveying the situation, steadily if slowly improving, and in reconnting some of the cheering facts in the case.
A review of thirty years, of twenty, or even of ten, will supply a multitude of indications that the theocracy, long so haughty and defiant, is playing a losing game. Think of it: time was when for an entirdecade Brigham was the despotic head, not only of ecclesiastical but also of civil affairs, and for as much longer governor de facto if not dll jure, since no other than church authority was in the least regarded. How changed from the day when such a one as he could proclaim martiallaw, forbid the Federal army to enter the territory, and send out the Nauvoo Legion to burn the trains and capture the stock! Even so late as 1862, so evil was his disposition and so great was his power for mischief, that even wise and cool Mr. Lincoln shrunk from provoking a conflict by executing the law against polygamy then just passed, removed a governor at the demand of the hierarchy, and promised, "I'll let Brigham Young alone if he will let me alone! " Never again can that so-called" Reformation" return, outbreak of fanaticithn, lust and every devilish passion, a veritable two-years' reign of terror, and whose legitimate culmination was reached in the massacre of Mountain Meadows, engineered altogether by Mormon elders.
Yes, the good work of bringing" the saints" to reason and to decency has made fine progress since Cannon the polygamist, and selected because he was a man possessed of divers wives, took his seat in Congress in 1874, and was able to hold it for eight years. And since about the same date a grand jury, composed of John Taylor and other apostles and high priests, was called to investigate the charge that Brigham had added to the already ample number of his "celestials" by marrying Amelia Folsom, and though the fact was as patent to their knowledge as the shining of the sun, after a two-days' inquisition had the truly sublime impudence to allege that they could find no evidence of his polygamy, and with faces solemn as owls!
Verily the world has moved; and not backward, since Norman Mc- Leod, the first Christian missionary, crossed the rim of the Great Basin in 1865 and opened the batteries of the gospel hard by the Tabernacle. Within two years his Sunday-school superintendent was murdered and he himself compelled to return lest the assassins take his life also. But now teachers and schools, ministers and churches, are found in every considerable settlement in the Territory, and have gained a solid foot. hold, have even conquered a place in the respect and affection of the people.
Through all the earlier years one great difficulty was found in the fact that Utah was so remote across the Great Plains, and the seat of disturbance was hidden behind the mountains. Interference of any kind was an effort at arm's length or a stroke in the dark. But isolation came suddenly and forever to an end when the railroad reached Salt Lake in 1869. Another perplexing feature was this, that the population was so homogeneous, or was Mormon almost to a man. The saints held all the land available for agriculture, and only from the soil could sustenance be gained. But 10 ! in 1863 it was found that the mountains round about the Latter-day Zion were full of the precious metals, and Gentile miners by the thousand began to pour in, and ever since have wrought mighty disturbance to the souls of the hierarchy. These rough delvers for gold, silver and lead regard the peculi/tr institutions of the region with intensest hatred, and never fail to speak their minds on all occasions with the utmost of freedom and force. And through the .impulse borrowed from the mines and from railroads now existing and soon to be built, it looks much as though ere long further additions to the anti-Mormon population by the ten thousand might be made.
And even the execution of Federal laws has been fairly successful of late, at least by comparison with former years. Wholesale disfranchisement of polygamists has been achieved, and in Idaho, wr.ere the elders had long carried things with a high hand, everyone is politically bound hand and foot and fiat upon his back. Whoever in that Territory belongs to the Mormon church is not only debarred from holding any office whatever, he may not even approach the polls! And the edifying spectacle, too long postponed, is continuous now of a procession of those high up in priesthoods, both Aaronic and Melchisedec, marching tramp, tramp, tramp to jail with none to deliver, and with no signs of relaxation in the severe stress of prosecutions. How the nation is minded was seen not long since in Washington, when Senator Ingalls .presented to the Senate a petition against statehood of the size of a nail keg, and signed 105,000 by persons, all from the thirteen original States! And numerous signs, of which these are specimens, unite to show that the theocrats themselves begin to catch glimpses of the handwriting upon the wall. They are willing, now at least, to pretend that polygamy is defunct, and to promise to prohibit it in the future State. Four years ago the Legislature (wholly Mormon) would rather lose a $40,000 appropriation for Deseret University by a gubernatorial veto than elect any but saints to the Board of Regents, but at the last session (with five Gentile members) three were appointed who refuse to bow the knee to Joseph Smith, one of them a Jew, and another a Congregational minister!! And it is even given out by one high in church station that some months since Wilford Woodruff, the present head, issued orders forbidding any more polygamous marriages. This statement, however, is not to be believed until well corroborated. A bold front is still maintained, but the strong probability is that the Mor- mon Church is in the same critical condition which marked the Con- federacy when Grant had reached Petersburg and Sherman had cap- tured Atlanta-just ready to collapse.
Certainly, however, it will not be at all wise to count the victory won. It is altogether too soon to trust any talk that wears the sound of contrition,' or of purpose to mend marital ways. The whole career of this most odious concern has been such as to breed grave suspicion that to date it is only the old case over again: " The devil was sick, the devil a monk would be : The devil was well, the devil a monk was he."
Only a protracted and most searching probation, with large and long bringing forth of fruits ,meet for repentance, will be wise and safe.
MIRACLES OF MISSIONS.'
[JUNE, For not the ancient Jews in their worst estate w~ a whit more stil!- necked and nncircumcised in heart and ears than these same Utah po- litico-religious leaders. Fifty years of successful resistance to law and defiance of public sentiment has made them exceeding bold and se1£- confident, and theirs is a pride to which yielding is an evil only less ter- rible than death itself. .
And so, though it be with trembling and with loius girded for further fight,. let us thank God that giveth the victory to righteousness, and rejoice to see the curse removed.
THE MIRAOLES OF MISSIONS.-No. IV. [EDITORIAL.~A.. T. p.] SIERRA LEONE.
SIERRA LEONE is a well-known British colony of Equatorial Africa, situated in the southern part of Senegambia. It has an area of 319 square miles, aud had twenty years ago a population of 60,000 to 80,000, nearly all blacks. This territory was in 1787, one hundred years ago, bought by a number of private indviduals for the purpose of establishing there a place of refuge for the negroes rescued from slavery and especially from the holds of slaveships, and it was hoped it might prove a convenient and open door to introduce into Wes~ern Africa the blessings of a Ohristian civilization. It early acquired the name of the White Man's Grave from its extreme unhealthiness. Freetown, the capital, contained in 1864 about 16,000 inhabitants, among whom were but a few whites besides the authorities, garrison and missionary agents. In the colony there were said to be, even as late as within a quarter 'of a century, members of seventeen chief and two hundred minor tribes, and from one hundred to one hundred and fifty different languages aud dialects were spoken in the streets of the capital.
If such are the conditions within'the last twenty years some conception may be formed of the state of things early in the present century, when this colony came under the governorship of a ruler appointed by the crown. Seventy years ago if you had gone to what was afterward known as Regent's Town you would have found about one thousand, people, taken at different times from the holds of slaveships, in the extreme of poverty and misery, destitution and degradation. They were as naked and as wild as beasts. They represented twenty-two hostile nations or tribes, strangers to each other's language and having no medium of communication save a little broken English. They had no conception of a pure home; they were crowded together in the rudest and filthiest huts, and in place of marriage lived in a promiscuous intercourse that was worse than concubinage. Lazy, bestial, strangers to God, they had not only defaced his image but well-nigh effaced even the image of humanity and combined all the worst conditions of the most brutal savage life, plundering and destroying one another. Here it pleased God to make a test of his grace in its uplifting and redeeming power. If out of materials so unpromising and in circumstances so unpropitious he could raise up a native church of true disciples and create a Ohristian community, surely men must be compelled to say this is God's husbandry; here is the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
'rhe oldest mission on the western coast of the Dark Oontinent is at Sierra Leone, and is that of the Church Missionary Society. It was about 1816 that William A. B. Johnson applied to this society asking to be sent as a schoolmaster to this colony. He was a plain German laborer, having but a very limited common-school education and no marked intellectual qualifications, but he was trained in the school of Christ and was a good man, full of faith and of the Holy Ghost. It became obvious that he was called of God to preach the gospel, and he was ordained in Africa. His period of service was brief, but marvelousin interest and power, and he raised up a native church of great value. Into the midst of these indolent, vicious, violent savages he went. He found them devil worshipers, and was at first very much disheartened. But though William Johnson distrusted himself, he had faith in Christ and his gospel. Like Paul, he resolved to preach the simple gospel, holding up the cross, show them plainly what the Bible says of the guilt of sin, the need of holiness, and the awful account of the judgment day. He simply preached the gospel and left results with God, confident that his word would not return unto him void. For nearly a year he pursued this course. And he observed that over that apparently hopeless community a rapid and radical change was coming. Old and young began to show deep anxiety for their spiritual state and yearning for newness of life. If he went for a walk in the woods he stumbled on little groups of awakened men and women and children who had sought there a place to pour out their hearts to God in prayer; if he went abroad on moonlight evenings he found the hills round about the settlement echoing with the praises of those who had found salvation in Ohrist and were singing hymns of deliverance. His record of the simple experiences of these converts has preserved their own crude, broken, but pathetically expressive story of the Lord's dealings with them, and the very words in which they told {)f the work of grace within them. No reader could but be impressed with their deep sense of sin, their appreciation of grace, their distrust of themselves and their faith in God, their humble resolves, their tenderness of conscience, their love for the unsaved about them, and their insight into the vital truths of redemption. It was very plain that the Holy Spirit was once more working the miracle of Pentecost.
'1'he outward cha,nges were even more striking and marvelous. Those who had before been idlers or vicious busybodies in evil, now learned trades, became farmers and mechanics. About their dwellings gardens were to be found, with evidences of industrious tillage. Marriage took the place of that awful indifference to the family relation that had made the wreck of households imposRible only because there were none to be wrecked. Their night revels and orgies ceased; they stopped swearing, stealing, drinking and quarreling; they built a stone church with galleries, where about two thousand persons regularly gathered for worship, and a more decorous, decently attired, reverent body of worshipers the Church of England herself could not produce. They gathered a thousand of their children into schools; they built parsonage, storehouses, schoolhouses, bridges, all of stone, and in a word exhibited all the signs of a well-regulated, orderly, thriving community of Christians.
William A. B. Johnson died in 1823, having been engaged in his work only seven years. And yet all that we have here recorded he saw before his death-God's word had not indeed returned void. It had been as heavenly seed in earthly soil. Instead of the thorn had come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier the myrtle tree. There could be no doubt who was the Husbandman.
The work was not due to, nor dependent upon, Mr. Johnson. It was God's work and not man's, and therefore it survived the loss of its consecrated leader, although the effect of his sudden removal could not be otherwise than for the time disastrous. Twenty-five years after the mission had been begun one-fifth of the entire population of Sierra Leone was already gathered in Christian schools, and twelve thousand people were regular attendants at the places of worship! Twenty years later not only were native pastorates established, but ten parishes were supporting their own native pastors; and to evangelize the tribes yet beyond the colony's limits not less than six different missions were established and maintained by a people, less than forty-five years before so hopelessly lost in grossest sin and abandoned to the vilest and most shameless wickedness that few thought them worth the ~tJort to save them. In 1868, after a little more than a half century had elapsed since the inception of the mission, the number of nominal Christians in the colony was estimated by some as high as 80,000, and of communicants 20,000, and Sierra Leone was regarded as no longer a field for Christian missions. The rallying point had now become a radiating center. God's husbandry was already so complete that the harvest field was yielding not only bread for the eater but seed for the sower. To any who would fill out the outline of the wonderful work of God furnished in this sketch we commend the memoir of Mr. Johnson, published in London in 1852, also the r~ondon Missionary Register for 1819 and 1829, and the twentieth report of the Church Missionary Society.
Here is a chapter in the modern book of the Acts of the Apostles. The days of the supernatural have not passed, nor will they ever pass while the spirit of God continues to produce in the hearts of men results so amazing, superhuman, stupendous.
THE INSUFFICIENCY OF
THE INSUFFICIENCY OF BUDDHISM.
[We reproduce the following article from the Presbyterian College Journal, from the pen of its editor-in-chief, Prof. E. H. MacVicar, D.D., with his approval It is able and timely.-EDS.) To attempt to show the insufficiency of· Buddhism in an article necessarIly short as this must be, is an ambitious and difficult task. It may seelll even audacious in view of the fact that a choice community of Americans in Boston-ay, at the very "Hub of the Universe"- have openly avowed themselves as Buddhists. But fairness demands that we should recognize truth wherever it is found; and in every system of human thought, it seems to me, we may discover elements of truth as well as of error, so that it is really not surprising that those who persist in eliminating the divine from Christianity should become devotees of the next best system-that is, the next hest regarded from a purely ethical standpoint-that exists. For not only does Buddhism rank next to Christianity: it contains much that is directly parallel. The parallelism is indeed so striking that to some minds it affords not a little perplexity. The Church of Rome especially has found so many of its own doctrines and practices revealed in the" Light of Asia" that it boldly ascribes the whole system to the malignant agency of the prince of darkness transformed into an angel of light. And no wonder. The correspondence between the two is more than shadowy. Both have" a supreme and infallible head; the celibacy of the priesthood; monasteries and nunneries; prayers in an unknown tongue; prayers to saints and intercessors, and especially and principally to a virgin with a child; also prayers for the dead, with the use of a rosary; works of merit and supererogation; self-imposed austerities and bodily inflictions; a formal daily service, consisting of chants, burning of candles, sprinkling of holy water, bowings, prostrations, marchings and countermarchings. Both have also fast days, religious processions, images and pictures and fabulous legends, and revere and worship relics, real and pretended."
An equally striking correspondence is detected in the account of Shak-ya-Muni-Buddha's life, which is made to resemble in a remarkable degree that of Christ himself. Buddha is described as "coming from heaven, being born of a virgin, welcomed by angels, received by an old saint, presented in a temple, baptized with water and afterward with fire, astonishing the doctors with his understanding and answers; as led into the wilderness, and after being tempted of the devil, going about doing wonders and preaching. He was th) friend of the poor and wretched, was transfigured on a mount, descended into hell and ascended into heaven." These remarkable coincidences, skeptics of course have not been slow to seize upon. They at once pointed out that Guatama must have lived at least six centuries before the birth of Christ, and sought to explain the phenomena by alleging that during the eighteen years intervening between Ohrist's twelfth and thirtieth years-a period concerning which, it will be remembered, the inspired record'is quite silent-Jesus went to India, and after possessing himself of the particulars of Buddha's life, returned to Palestine to become the barefaced imitator of the Indian prince. The Ohurch of Rome surmounts the difficulty, as already stated, by declaring that Satan, six centuries in anticipation of Ohrist's coming, counterfeited his history and religion in order that men, being seduced by the false, might refuse to accept, when presented to them, the true.
Fortunately, we are not compened to resort to either of these theories. For reasons clearly stated by another writer in a former number of this magazine, we cannot, on the one hand, consider Ohrist a deceiver; and while, on the other hand, it may be admitted that Satan is the instigator of every system of error, it is unnecessary to attribute these particular resemblances to and perversions of the truth to occult influences, since it has been discovered that none of them are mentioned in the Buddhist writings earlier than the 5th or 6th century after Ohrist. So that in order to assert the paganism of Rome we are 1mrdly justified in pointing to this religion in the Middle Kingdom as if it had borrowed most of its errors from that source. There is rather more reason for believing that Buddhism borrowed from Romanism (since resemblances have been detected chiefly in the modem developments of each) and that "the so-called Light of Asia shines in a borrowed radiance from the Son of David," who is the true Light of Asia and of the world.
But quite independent of this, there is much in Bnddhism which, from the very nature of things, could not have been borrowed and which yet calls for our approval. This may be said more especially with reference to its code of morals. Shak-ya-Muni laid down four principles which he regarded as fundamental. In spite of the luxurious life he had led in an Indian palace-and possibly in consequence of it-he became convinced that the normal state of existence is a state of misery, of sorrow, of unhappiness, and in casting about for the ca~se of all this wretchedness he fixed upon desire as the real disturbing element. Desire, satiRfied and unsatisfied, brought misery into the world and kept it there. Desire was fraught with sorrow. Desire made life unhappy. Therefore, he concluded, if desire could but be quenched, life's misery would cease, for then man would attain to nirvana-a state of perpetual quiescence. But how to quench desire-that was the question. Ultimately he propounded a fourfold method of doing this. To quench it a man's life must be characterized, 1st, by proper wisdom or faith; 2d, by proper judgment or thoughts; 3d, by proper language; 4th, by proper actions. "Under these, the principles he laid down were five, in a negative form-not to kill, extending even to animal life; not to steal" (a good maxim for Boston Buddhists, by the way); "not to commit adultery; not to lie-this extending to the use of improper language; and not to use strong drink" (a good maxim for Christian lands as well); "and positively, he enjoined six virtues-charity, purity; patience, courage, contemplation, science. " Now, to none of the latter principles can we take exception. They are all sound and embraced in Christianity. They all go to show that the law is written on the heart of man; that the" invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse." But, while there is much that is good in the system, there is more that is bad. Let us briefly consider the points that are most assailable.
And we must attack it- I. First of all, on its ETHICAL SIDE. From this standpoint the most serious defect presented is 1. That it ignores Oonscience. The ethical system of Buddhism, so far as I am able to understand it, is not unlike the egoistic or selfish system which made Thomas Hobbes both famous and notorious, driving him to Paris in terror of his life. 'rhe Sage of Malmesbury started out on premises similar to those which Siddhartha adopted. He contended that in every performance, even the simplest, we are actuated by a specious motive of desire-desire to escape pain and enjoy pleasure; in short, the great mainspring of all activity, individual and collective, is selfishness, or as some people prefer to distinguish it, self-interest. And just as Buddha declared that misery, sorrow, sui!ering, is the normal condition of existence, the inevitable result of sentient being, so Hobbes declared that the state of nature (as distinguished from the artificial state brought about in society) is a state of warfare-warfare inevitable, continual and bitter-each man pitting his own interests against those of his fellows, and waiving them only when mutual concession to abstain from the exercise of certain common rights claimed by both at the same moment is established and observed. Far be it from us to deny the pa:T,',tial truth involved in both instances; life is far from being unalloyed enjoyment or unbroken peace; but the error lies, in the one case, in making this imperfect condition to depend entirely upon the presence of desire, and, in the other case, in making the performance of every act, the simplest, depend entirely upon the wish to escape pain and secure pleasure. The fact is that much, if not all, our misery arises through an entire or partial failure to obey the dictates of conscience. It is the peculiar function of conscience to make distinctions between right and wrong, and that all men make such distinctions is evidenced by the occurrence in all languages (including those spoken where Buddhism prevails) of ideas of moral excellence and moral evil, as well as by the prevalence in all civilized lands of systems of reward and punishment, indicating that there are some actions which ought to be done, and others which ought not to be done. This is the work of conscience. But Buddhism simply proceeds upon the supposition that all desire is undesirable. It takes no cognizance of the fact that desires are neither all alike right nor all alike wrong. It ignores the question of right and wrong altogether; and upon the broad assumption that all the misery in the world is caused by desire, often in itself perfectly innocent, seeks the ultimate extinction of desire of any and every kind. As a code of morals, therefore, it signally fails in that it ignores conscience and its function of declaring right and wrong.
2. This failure really arises from another. It has no true standard of right and wrong. This, simply because it ignores the existence of God. Buddhism originally came from India, but is now said to be more widespread in Ohina than in· the land of its birth. Originally, it was pure Atheism. Gautama used to say that he could not conceive of a Being who could create a world so full of misery as this is, and therefore he denied the existence of a Oreator altogether. In India the system developed into Pantheism, nirvana corresponding to ab- sorption in the Deity; while in Ohina it has come to assume the form of Polytheism. It will thus be seen that no immutable standard of right and wrong can be adduced. The true standarCi. is God's own nature; but in Atheism the existence of God is absolutely denied; in Pantheism God is regarded as devoid of personality, so that there can be no room for responsibility; in Polytheism a multiplication of standards IS obtained, so that the Buddhist is debarred from saying, "Right is right, since God is God,"
because with him" God" would stand for gods many, and one of these might be offended by obedience rendered tc q,nother; no two of his standards might agree. Buddhism, if it have a standard at all, must place it either in a series of antagonistic deities, or in human nature, and to do this is to make it mutable and gooJ for nothing. Such a law must be ever shifting with the moods, the dispositions, the envi- ronments of those from whom it emanates, and on that account can never have reliance placed upon it.
3. The insufficiency of Buddhism is further manifest in the practical outcome of it. In its favor it must be said that it has never deified vice nor sanctified prostitution (as has too often been the case in East- ern lands), nevertheless it is confirmed at the mouth of more than one or two witnesses that the statement of the fourteenth psalm de- scribes with vivid accuracy the system in its practical working out: "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works." Under it the grossest immorality has been developed. But this I would not press too confidently as evidence of weakness in the system of ethics as such, since the failure may, and indeed must have arisen, not so much through imperfec- tion in the system itself (for this we know to be directly opposed to immorality), as through its inadequacy to change human nature defiled by sin. It is a matter of fact that abominable scandals have occurred, more especially in connection with its monasteries and nunneries, which have more than once been condemned and suppressed by the imperial authorities as hotbeds of immorality. It is true that at the time when Buddha appeared in India, his system was a revulsion from lower forms of heathenism, and elevation of thought and life was in a measure secured by it; but nowadays Buddhism is a mass of degrading formalities and inconsistent superstitions. Even the priests are densely ignorant, and the majority of its votaries are said to know really less of it than many Europeans who have made it a study.
So much then for Buddhism on its ethical side. II. Let us consider it now on ITS RELIGIOUS SIDE. For it is well to remember that Buddhism is received bS one-third of the human race, not as a philosophy, but as a religion. Buddha described himself as "the father and mother of his helpless children; their guide and leader along the precipitoHs path of life; shedding the light of his truth like the sun and moon in the vault of heaven; providing a ferry-boat for passengers over this vain sea of shadows; as a propitious rain-cloud, restoring all things to life; providing salvation and refuge, by directing men into the final path that leads to the' Eternal City.'" Let us then inquire, Did the path he pointed to, in very truth lead to the It Eternal City" or away from it? Most assuredly the latter, since it only led away from Him who is the Light of it. 1. For in the first place we may instance its materialism. It gives no proper recognition to the soul. Indeed it does not recognize spiritual existence at all. It denies that the.re is a soul in man, a permanent self separable from the body. And as a consequence of this it regards life as material, involving decay. Buddha's last words were, "Beloved, that which causes life causes also decay and death. Never forget this; let your minds be filled with this truth. I called you to make it known to you." But it may be asked, Does not the doctrine of transmigration, which in these days has come to occupy the most prominent place in Buddhism, involve the idea of a soul? One would think so; but such is not the case. Life is looked upon as something material, and therefore may change and dissolve like anything material. And this was the whole essence of the salvation Buddha had to proclaim. "Life involves death. Wherever there is life, decay must follow. In eVt;lry form of existence there are already the germs of dissolution. To get rid of decay and its accompanying misery we must get quit of life; of life not merely in this present world, but of life in every form. For in the Buddhist philosophy there is no such conception as a purely spiritual existence. He is a heretic who holds that a man has a soul or permanent self separable from the body. Whatever is material is subject to change and dissolution, and there is no life which is not material. These are postulates, the ultimate facts on which Buddhism proceeds. As long therefore as man is, he must be miserable. His only salvation is not to be. There is no cure. The only escape from evil is escape from existence. The great problem comes to be, how to commit suicide-suicide not of that pitiful and de- lusive kind which rids a man of life in one particular form, but which rids him of existence in every form. The ultimate good to which the individual looks forward is annihilation; the consummation of all things which is to be prayed for and striven after is absolute universal nothing." Now with materialism like this we must as Ohristians take issue. And apart altogether from revelation we know that though physicists have often given us analyses of matter, they have never dis- covered in matter the phenomena of thought. They have never, for instance, found in it hope, fear, joy, sorrow, volition, a sense of per- sonal identity or anything akin; and these being yet unaccounted for in their analyses we properly relegate them to spirit. And if with our modern medical science we can persuade the Buddhist that these frail bodies of ours Imdergo a complete change every seven years, while the sense of personal identity remains unaltered, he must (so be it that he is an intelligent Buddhist) admit that life has not been changing, though the physical frame, the material body has, and that conse- quently this life or spiritual entity must be quite a distinct factor from the body.
2. And then in the next place Buddhism as a religion fails to teach the trzte nature of sin. This was to be expected since it admits of no personal God against whom sin can be committed. While it profes- sedly seeks to purge the outward life, it does nothing to remove the pollution within, denying indee4 that there is any heart, any soul, Ifrom which evil can proceed within. As a consequence, missionaries assure us that their great difficulty lies in convincing the heathen of their guilt; a difficulty which we shall all have to encounter whether we stay at home or go abroad.
3. A third defect in Buddhism as a religion-and it is the most serious of all, being the very root of all-is that it presents false views oj God. Space forbids anything more than a mere comprehensive statement of this defect.
In a general way it may be said that Buddhism, and for that mat- ter all heathen systems, both of philosophy and religion, fail utterly to reveal a Saviour and sanctifying Spirit; and it is especially unsatis- fying in the dim, shadowy allusions which it makes to the future state. .
The task I have now tried to accomplish of showing the insuf- ficiency of Buddhism has been far from a self-imposed one. I was requested to undertake it by the Montreal Foreign Missionary Volun- teers, and hardly realized its magnitude till I began to consult the voluminous authorities upon the subject. It is told how a learned divine across the waters once waxed so eloquent over the excellences of Buddhism that some one passing out of the door was forced to exclaim, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a heathen!" This is matched by the story of the Unitarians sending a missionary to Ohina who actually was persuaded to be a Buddhist heathen. But until the defects just pointed out-namely, the denial of spirit, the belittling of sin, the dishonoring of God, silence as to the true way of salvation-have been remedied, we must still regard the "Light of Asia" as wofully insufficient.
I have then tried to suggest how we may refute the system theoretically; but after all, as our own Professor of Apologetics recently remarked in the class-room, there are not many infidels converted through Apologetics; often the most powerful argument with them is that of a consistent example, so that if anyone would prepare to meet Buddhism effectively the surest course of preparation will be by seeking spiritual life" more abundantly," in order that by Ohristlike lives we may convince the followers of Buddha that we follow a Greater than he.
Only the power of the Holy Spirit can really be depended upon for meeting Buddhism, and that power, in terms of the great commission is at our disposal. The Saviour still says, "Ask and ye shall receive." If we have been finding it our greatest difficulty in preaching, especially to the heathen at home in cushioned pews, to make them fuel their sinfulness, we may depend upon finding this difficulty as great and greater under the Buddhist system. Our true work whereever we go shall be to promulgate the great cardinal doctrines of Ohristianity–to preach the gospel to every creature-but in doing so we shall have to tear down as well as build up. To us, as to Jeremiah, the Master says, "See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull uown, and to destroy, and to throw down "-all eventually in order "to build and to plant." And the only question that arises is as to the manner of doing it. Shall we be destructive before we are constructive? Or shall we first and always sow the seed of positive truth, in the expectation that, like the single parasite that took root in the walls of a massive building and in the course of time brought the whole structure crashing to the ground, even so the word of God "shall not return unto him void . but shall prosper in the thing whereto he sent it," both to the down-pulling of every refuge of lies and to the upbuilding of the truth in Jesus. Whatever we may conclude regarding methods of warfare, the conviction must surely force itself upon our minds and hearts that we are called not so much to attack and refute every heathen system that prevails the wide world over as to preach in a positive and persevering manner Ohrist and him crucified, relying on the power of the Holy Ghost, whose it is "to reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment."
THE SPEECHLESS TESTIFYING FOR CHRIST
THE SPEEOHLESS TESTIFYING FOR CHRIST.
By REv. W. H. BELDEN~ BRIDGETON~ N. J.
IN a city sixty miles from Oanton, Ohina, Miss Whilldin of the South- ern Baptist Mission noticed once in meeting a few years ago a man evi- dently dumb, who was indicating by extraordinary attempts his delight at the Ohristian hymns. His incoherent mumblings as he attempted to sing from the printed page before him led to some inquiry. The man had the unusual faculty, to one dumb, of hearing; he could read and hear, but he could not speak. His home was in a village at some distance from the city, and his neighbors testified of him that since he had begun to learn our Saviour's gospel his devotion to it had known no bounds. He had somehow obtained a copy of the Scripture in Ohi- nese, and when he would encounter some of his neighbors quarreling, he would open his Testament to some pertinent word of admonition and hold it ont for the wicked ones to read and profit by. He had never been known to utter more than a single word, or rather sound like a word, such was the nature of his malady. But the villagers said that his zeal seemed to lead him even into supernatural utterance, for he would rush upon his neighbors, bringing their paper devotions to idols, and, tearing the papers to pieces, would manage to speak these three words with significant gestures: "Pai go wai !" "Worship that one! "
In the course of time this poor man was proposed for baptism. The pastor and brethren hesitated, feeling that it was impossible to gain from . his speechless mouth any adequate proof that he had the knowledge re- quisite for church membership, or that he was not acting with duplicity. He was brought before the church, however, and the minister asked him this question: "What is the ground of your belief that there is sal- vation for you in Jesus Ohrist? " The others looked at one another in dismay; this question seemed impossible of answer from a dumb man. But he, on hearing it, instantly arose and proceeded to answer by signifi- cant signs. First, he put his hands upon his breast with an expression of loathing, to indicate his own sense of sin; then he stepped forward and looked down as if beholding a deep and awful pit, from which again he shrank back with a look of terror ;' but presently drawing near again, he looked and seemed to see something just beyond; then he made the sign of the cross! Jesus was there! And now agfin he looked into the pit and smiled, as that he saw his own sins cast in there! At last he looked up and pointed to heaven with a smile of ecstasy. Jesus had died for his sins and was risen forever to make intercession for him !
Was not this speech? It brought vividly to the missionary's mind the words of Scripture (Isaiah xxxv. 6), "Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb s-ing, for in the wilderness shall waters break out and streams in the desert." " Behold! (Isa. xlix. 12) these shall come from far, and lo! these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Sinim I ,.
TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN MISSIONARY MAGAZINES
TRANSLATIONS FROM FOREIGN MISSIONARY MAGAZINES.
By REV. CHARLES C. STARBUCK, ANDOVER, MASS.
M. VERNIER, in a letter to Paris from Tahiti, says: "Weare profoundly rejoiced to learn how greatly the interest in missions has increased within a year among the Protestants of France. They assuredly will not halt in so happy a path, but will show more and more that the Saviour's injunction to make the gospel known to every creature is not for them a dead letter. Our Tahitian churches also begin to have a better understanding of their duty in this direction. The proceeds of the system of collections recently organized among them by our little Missionary Committee, in view of a work on the Marquesas, already amount to a very respectable sum, which now allows us to form plans of action. The Lord, we trust, will soon let us know which one of our Tahitians he would have set apart to open this work."
THE Journal des Missions Evangeliques for December, 1887, in comment- • ing on Canon Taylor's and Dr. Blyden's commendations of Islam, remarks that a religion which has taken twelve centuries to occupy Northern Africa, and which has left still surviving there tribe after tribe of pagans, while of those nominally Mussulman some do not even practice circumcision, must not be rated too high as a missionary force. The editors remark that when the followers of the Crescent are once setin motion by one of their periodical outbursts of fanaticism, idolatry has certainly a way of disappearing very rapidly, inasmuch as entire populations professing it disappear in one grand massacre. That, however, is not our usual conception of missionary effort, though it may suit the purposes of Canon Taylor and Dr. Blyden to give it this holy name. And it must be confessed that when a tribe chooses rather to be Moslemized than extinguished, it is allowed its election. In this case, however, the conquerors, according to the great traveller Barth, do not give themselves the trouble to communicate the slightest tincture of religious knowledge to their new subjects.
There is, however, the editors remark, one important exception to this easy willingness to take the name of Islam for the fact. The disciples of the Tripolitan saint Snoussi are innumerable, and bent on spreading far and wide the somber and taciturn type of their Puritan Mohammedanism. "They are making ready for one of those gigantic and sudden explosions of fanaticism of which it is impossible to calculate the effects." But, say the editors, it would be a strange hallucination to imagine that they would receive with any other feeling than that of furious scorn the knowledge of the fact that a Nazarene mollah complacently claims their system as "an incomplete Christianity," or to impute to them any other attitude toward civilization than that of uncompromising hostility. "What they are dreaming of is a return to the Islam of the early ages-a violent and definitive triumph by an irresistible conquest."
Among the benefits of Islam, according to Canon Taylor, is the spread of chastity. Upon this the Journal remarks: Islam and slavery are one. The news that slavery is the parent of chastity is news indeed. Well may Islam advance toward the heart of Africa, for the spread of Islam is one prolonged slave-hunt. "Almost always," says the Journal, here quoting from an eyewitness, the celebrated traveller Schweinfurth, "almost always the agents of this traffic in human beings are educated Mussulmans. This commerce is for them an ordinary accessory of their religious character; they traverse the country, the Koran in one hand, the knife destined to furnish guardians for the harem n the other; they associate with their religious practices infamies the most revolting, cruelties the most atrocious. . • • Brokers of human flesh, lustful and pitiless, they watch for their booty as vultures watch over a camel fallen in the desert; the shrill sound of their blasphemous prayers mingles with the imprecations with which they overwhelm their merchandise; nothing is to be seen but uncleansed wounds; cadaverous stenches spread themselves far and wide. The sum-total of these scenes forms a spectacle the most revolting, impossible to efface from the mind; it leaves behind an insurmountable disgust, an unutterable horror."
If the hordes of Brigham Young were turned loose in the middle of Africa, they surely could not do a completer devil's work than this. No wonder the Journal concludes with, "Behold, Canon Taylor, your missionaries, your apostles of humanity!"
LAST year, at the Moravian station of Gnadenthal, near the Cape of Good Hope, was held the 150th anniversary of the commencement of missionary work among the Hottentots by the Moravian Schmidt. He had previously served a term of three years at hard labor in Spielberg for having endeavored to carry a purer gospel to some remnants of the Brethren's Church still found in the Austrian territories. After gathering a community of forty-two converted Hottentots and revisiting Europe, he was refused permission to return by the Dutch East India Company, and died at home. At the anniversary services, the Lutheran minister who preached, instead of being furnished by the Moravian pastor with a well-bound Bible, was requested to take his text from a shabby New Testament, the sight of which, it is remarked, profoundly moved all who were present. It was the book which Schmidt had left to one of the first Hottentot women converted; "it was in this little book that she was to read during fifty years, waiting always for the return of her spiritual father, or of some other messenger of God; it is in this New Testament that she taught her children and grandchildren to read; it was, in fine, this New Testament which had been, at the end of the last century, rediscovered by the first missionaries who bad again come to the Cape; and it was in this volume, so full of remembrances, that Missionary Schmidt of Amalienstein was invited to take his text at the celebration. The seed may indeed be no' larger than a mustard seed, but sooner or later it has its harvest, that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together." '
IN the Dans7c Missionsblad (Danish Missionary Magazine) for January, 1888, Missionary Lazarus of Madras says, in substance: "Our activity in street-preaching has lately aroused a new spirit among the Hindus. They are no longer listless as they were. They now show unmistakable signs of life and energy. They may be now regarded as coming forward in an effectively organized opposition, both to our preaching and to our faith. A new society has been organized in defense of Hinduism, with regular collections-' missionaries' and 'catechists,' who are sent out to preach Hinduism and attack ChristIanity and the Christian missionaries. They make it a point to preoccupy our preaching places, going to them an hour or two before the time. If they fail of this, they make it a point to annoy us by asking questions in the middle of the discourse. If we answel'~ which we never do till we have finished preaching-they badger us and hunt us from point to point, with the one thought of hunting us off the field. Of course we can claim no rights in the matter, as our Christian government observes a contemptuous neutrality. Often a Hindu preacher, taking his station close by us, begins his discourse at the same time with OUnl, which naturally carries over to him most of the hearers. If a.ny remain with us, a messenger comes over from him and asks upbraidingly hew children of lawful marriage between Hindu fathers and Hindu mothers can stand there encouraging a Christian to preach. This appeal commonly strips us of our few remaining hearers.
"They have also a Hindu tract society in operation, which issues all manner of pamphlets, including many which are so vile as to expose both author and printer to the law. But who is to bear the cost of prosecution?
"Meanwhile Madras resounds with preaching, especially every afternoon -Christian preaching, Hindu preaching, Mohammedan preaching, Brahmo preaching. The Tamil journals are full of announcements of sermons and debates: The Tamils have also a 'Punch,' which loses no opportunity to make merry at the expense of the' padres.' To meet such attacks a joint committee of various missions has determined to issue a popular journal in English and Tamil, of which I have been put in charge.
" However much the Hindus may have combined against us, I am glad to say that there are none the less a good many schisms in their camp. 'A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand,' and Hinduism is divided against itself. One preaches against the other's doctrines and moral!!. One will defend idolatry, and another will unsparingly condemn it. One will attack the Bible, especially the Old Testament, and another will take up arms in its defense. One party will issue tracts discussing Hindu questions, and another will rejoin with pamphlets, taking the opposite view of everything, and laying bare the vulnerable points of Hinduism. And so Hinduism divides itself and goes to buffets. Hinduism is so tolerant and elastic that every religious system, even to the worst atheism, can find a corner within its spacious domain. But under the disintegrating influences to which it is now exposed, these incongruous elements cannot long maintain an armistice. Some reformers, clearly conscious that Hinduism is in great danger of losing its hold upon the rising race, are trying if they can revive the old Veda religion, and so we have around us sooieties entitled Veda-Somaj, or Arya-Somaj, or Societies for the Propagation of the True Religion, and what not. All this stir and commotion may end in something good, may issue in the recognition of the crucifled Jesus as the Saviour of the world."
A DISCUSSION had lately been held in Madras before an audience of 2,500 persons, between the Hindus and Mohammedans on the one side, and the Christians on the other, concerning the Godhead of Christ. The principal spokesman of the former was a learned Moslem. He concluded his argument by saying: " Although we cannot acknowledge that the Bible represents Christ as the Supreme Being, we must all concede that he is the best and holiest man that has ever li ved, so good and holy that he can secure to all who put their trust in him the inheritance of eternal life." The force of this testimony, from such a man at such a time, must have been very great.
DR. W ARNECK remarks, in the Allgemeine Missionszeitschrijt, that a few years back at a synodical meeting in Berlin indifference to foreign missions was excused under the plea that" the shirt is nearer than the coat." He says, however, that even in Berlin they have since learned to be ashamed of this flimsy pretense, and to discern (1) that seemliness does not allow a man to go in nothing but a shirt; (2) that for the prosperity of the church the export of missionaries is as advantageous as for the mercantile world the export of goods. Dr. Warneck goes on to rem&rk that there has been a marvelous reversal of opinion in Germany generally as to the value of missions. Now that the German ambition is opening out toward colonization, the auxiliary value of missiona,ries as a~ents of culture cannot well be overlooked. The assistance rendered to science by missions is also coming to be more and more appreciated. Thus multitudes who care very little for the kingdom of God are nevertheless learnipg to set a higher estimate upon its ambassadors.
THE Zeitschrift recalls the time, some fifty years ago, when a missionary secretary in Scotland wrote to the young Duff, afte/'ward so famous, that things were going well; $6,000 had been raised for foreign missions. "No more?" wrote Duff in reply. "It ought to be ten times that." " Is the man mad?" wrote the secretary on the margin of the letter. " Has he had a sunstroke in India?" Perhaps Duff himself would have been staggered had some one told him that in fifty years Scotland would raise for foreign missions not ten times but a hundred times as much as the sum which had so encouraged the worthy secretary. ," Had anyone then," says Dr. Warneck, "ventured to prophesy that before 1890 Protestant Christendom would annually contribute $8,400,000 for foreign missions, and put in the field, ordained and unordained, much more than 3,000 missionaries, and have translated the Bible into some 400 languag'es, the question as to his wits would not have been raised. It would have been taken for granted that they had forsaken him. Yet for all that the impossibility has become reality.
THE Tidning, after remarking that two hundred years ago the heathen world was almost wholly shut out from the knowledge and activity of Protestantism, and in large measure of the whole Christian world, happily says: " At present the heathen world lies like a poor Lazarus at wealthy Christendom's door, so that this, as it were, can neither go out nor in without stumbling over its unhappy brother, whose case may well awaken to compassion all who have a heart to feel for the wretchedness and for the religious degradlJ,tion of their fellow-men."
THE Missionsblatt of the Leipsic Lutheran Mission, referring to the present disposition in Germany to yoke missions to the car of national ambition, says, in its January number: "Whence shall we draw new strength, in order, with the new year. to receive a fresh impulse toward making ready the way for the returning Lord? Shall we seek it in new plans, new missionary gatherings, and allmanner of means of stimulating interest? Or shall we, as some would have us do, enlarge our missionary programme, and write also civilization and colonization upon it? Far be it from us. Our work is, and is to be, to' bring the present Saviour. in the offer of the means of grace to the heathen, and so to prepare the way for the coming Lord. Therefore we know only one means to get new strength, namely, above all things, in simplicity and faithfulness, to do and pursue this one thing, first to win Christ for ourselves, and then to seek also to find an entrance for him into the hearts of others."
WE used to be taught at school that there were four castes in India. But the Leipsic Mis8ionsblatt says that among the Tamils of South India there are computed to be 8,000 castes and subcastes, and in all India perhaps more than twice as many. A subcaste appears to be for most purposes the same as a caste. We must not expect these 16,000 walls to fall at 13 blasts of the trumpet, though fall they will.
THE Bulletin Missionnaire of French Switzerland, the churches of which support a mission in the Transvaal Republic, remarks, in view of a possible war between the Boers and some savage tribes: "If war does break out, there is a prospect of scenes of sickening brutality. During the summer the people of Mpafouri have devoured their prisoners of war, and M. Beuster has been himself witness to all the prepa-
CONTAGIOUS SUPERSTITION
rations for a cannibal feast. Our neighbor Ndjabune of Tsofirn has also eaten one of his brothers who gave him some matter of offense fifteen years ago, and there is every reason to believe that he would have a very good appetite'for another such repast if a fair opportunity offered itself. Yet it would be wrong to put all this to the account of a depraved taste for the flesh of the hostile warriors. A good many only take part in such horrors when urged by the chiefs or the kindred of those who are called to face the enemy. The fact is that there exists among our Bavenda, and a good many other Africans, an inveterate opinion that whoever has tasted of' human flesh is invulnerable in battle. Of all medicines this, it is held, is the most efficacious for turning aside the stroke of an enemy and giving victory. This horrible practice among these wretched people, therefore, roots not so much in depraved appetite or cruelty as in superstition. The need of protection is a sentiment so natural to us poor human creatures that it seems as if nothing ought to be spared to assure us of it. Let us then pity these eaters of men; their wretchedness is extreme. 'Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm.' The prophet, in writing these words, so profound and so simple, did not perhaps know that there could ever be occasion to attach to them a material and literal sense as true as the other. Ah! how many surprises for one who lives in a pagan worldl"
"CONTAGIOUS SUPERSTITION."
By Lucy E. GUINNESS OF LONDON. IT was 1700 years ago and more, in the early days of the church. Pliny, the Roman governor and historian, was writing to his master, the Emperor Trajan, of the progress of the province of Bithynia, and the questions that arose in the administration of justice there. Among other elements that he found most difficult to deal with was a certain small religious sect of simple and harmless tenets, but who absolutely refused to pay homage to the gods. As citizens these people were exemplary in'life and conduct, but they actually held their opinions as regards the worship of one God and the great evil of idolatry in defiance of all the laws of pagan Rome. The whole heaven of mythological deities was as nothing to them, and they refused, even under torture, to burn incense on the altar of Jove or before the statue of Trajan. Such conduct was incomprehensible to the Roman governor. But it was not the worst of their crimes. Not content with themselves forsaking the state religion, they were far from keeping silence on the subject of their guilt, but so published abroad the delusion under which they labored that Pliny exclaims in distress, "This contagious superstition is not confined to the cities only, but has spread its infection among the neighboring villages and country. Nevertheless," he adds, with a gleam of hope, "it still seems possible to restrain its progress." And so he went to work, and torture (that the old Romans knew well enough how to inflict!) measured its strength with the faith of Jesus Christ. Then it was that Pliny discovered what a marvelous unseen power lay in this" contagious superstition." Some few professors, he relates, gave way, but even flame and sword utterly failed in compelling the early Christians to offer incense to the statue of Trajan or to the gods. All his efforts were vain. They would die, but they would not deny Jesus! And the Roman governoc makes the striking statement that" There is no forcing those who are really Ohristians into any of these compliances! " The" contagious superstition" was more than a match for him! Seventeen centuries have rolled by, and could Pliny look around Ol,lr world to-day he might ask what had become of the "contagious superstition" that baffled his skill long ago. Had it been trampled out of existence by the iron heel of Rome? Or had it run a brief course, like so many other superstitions, and died a natural death, according to the law of such fungus growths? And he would be astonished in no little measure at the answer of Christendom. For the" contagious superstition" has spread overthe world, and still it is reaching forth its arms to the heathen, nor will it ever cease to spread till it has affected all nations.
Yes. The faith of Jesus Christ is verily contagious. This is one law of its being. It must be aggressive or it cannot live. "The Christian or church that does conquer will be conquered." The vital principle in Christianity requires that it should extend or die.. There is no middle course. We know this individually in our own experience. If we have" been with" Jesus we cannot help witnessing for him, "we cannot but speak." Freely we have received, freely we must give to others of the water of life. And thus watering we are watered ourselves. But very surely is the converse of this blessed fact also true. If we water not we shall be withered. "We do not find warrant in the Word of God for spirit-level experience. Count the dead and dying churches, all because they did not fight and conquer I"
From its earliest dawn to this nineteenth century of its existence the Christian faith has been essentially "contagious." To-day we see this contagion spreading to the heatben by means of missionary effort. The hundreds of missionary societies all over the Christian world; the thousands of workers at home and abroad; the millions who help by their gifts to forward missionary work; the stream:of missionary literature in the shape of reports, periodicals, accounts, letters, appeals, and countless other productions, that issues month by month, and even hour by hour, from the press; the earnest missionary addresses delivered from all sorts of platforms, from that of Exeter Hall down to that of the simple Sunday-school in the bush at the antipodes, and in all sorts of places, from the crowded metropolis to the quiet country lane, where the student confides to his fellow his purpose to enter the great harvest-field; the countless hearts that turn with love and longing to the regions beyond; the countless prayers that ascend to our Father for the dark places of the earth i-all these are so many agencies for that spread of the truth which so long ago attracted the marveling attention of Pliny.
And the soul that is out of touch with this missionary zeal and energy, this contagious spirit of tlie church, is out of touch with the Spirit of Jesus Christ, who was the First Great Missionary; who so loved us-the dwellers in darkness-that he gave, not money, nor time, not thought or interest or help, but himself, for us !
A NOTABLE CONVERT TO MISSIONS.
BEFORE the late M. Paul Bert was appointed as Resideht in Tonquin, he was most violent in his opposition to religion and in any crusade against clericalism. His hostility to missionaries was equally pronounced. In the report of his administration of Tonquin, just published, he dropped his hostility to missionaries altogether. and availed himself of their immense knowledge of the people, by which, if not by their advice also, he guided his actions. Without their assistance it was almost impossible for him to succeed, and he had to acknowledge the great value of their services. It would be difficult to find a more surprising example of a complete turning upside down of a public man as publicly avowed; and the fact is an important testimony to the value of missionary work.
SENT BEFORE THE MAJiTER
SENT BEFORE THE MASTER.-LuKE x. 1. By MRS. MERRILL E. GATES, NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J.
Air, .. From Greenland's Iell Mountains…
Isaiah 6. 8 "WHOM shall I send? He sayeth ; " What servant shall it be?" " " " " 'Tis Faith's strong voice that prayeth, " " "My Master, 0 send me !"
Gal. 1. 16 Send me to tell Thy story, Abroad, or here at home. Acts 22.21 Send me, 0 Lord, before Thee, Luke 10. 1 Where Thou Thyself wilt come.
Acts 10.89 Send me, for I have known Thee, I would Thy witness be ; Acts 22.15 To speak thy message only, Acts 5.20 My Master, 0 send me.
Romans 10. 15 Send me to speak of Jesus, Of what my Lord hath done- John 1. S His finished work most precious, Luke 8.89 Of this and this alone.
John 17. 4 Ps. 71. 16 Ez. 34. 4 To bring the lost and sinning, To Thee, the Sinless One, Reb. ~ 26 To speak sweet words and winning, Eph. 3. S Of Christ, the Father's Son.
John 17. 1 Send me to darkest places, To many a shadowed home, Isaiah 9. 2 Where with Thy shining gl'aces, 2 Peter 1. 19 Lord Jesus, Thou wilt come.
2 Cor. 4. 4 2 Cor. 4. 6 Heb. 3. 2 Send me to work appointed, But, Master, let me be Micah 3. S By Thine own power anointed, Acts 2.4,17 Then, Master, 0 send me !
Acts 1. S Not unto us the glory, When lost ones find their home; Ps. 115. 1 We only go before Thee, Luke 15.24 Where Thou Thyself wilt come!
Luke 10. t " "
BRIEF NOTES ON NEW BOOKS OF A MISSIONARY CHARACTER
BRIEF NOTES ON NEW BOOKS OF A MISSIONARY CHARACTER.
])ictionary and Grammar of the Kongo Language. By Rev. W. Holman Bentley. Bapt. Miss. Society, Holborn, London; also Trilbner & Co.
This book is one of the landmarks of the age. Here is a volume of over 700 pages, both English-Kongo and Kongo-English, and all printed in Roman characters! The Congo Free State became such only in 1884–85, and here in 1887-88 we have a complete grammar and lexicon of the language, pre- pared by a scholarly missionary, and printed in beautiful typography by English publishers. This will put all students of the language in the way of easy conquest of the Kongo tongue. Not only are words given with their equivalents, but sentences and phrases and idioms are placed at the disposal of the student. The wide and warm interest felt on iJoth sides of the water in Africa's unveiling and revealing will insure in many hearts a deep interest in this new and largely pioneer work toward mastery of the Kongo dialect. -A. T. P.
Brazilian Missions. A Monthly Bulletin of Missionary Intelligence. Edited In Sao Paulo, Brazil, aud published in Brooklyn, N. Y., at 25 cents per annum. Subscriptions may be sent to Donald McLaren, D.D., 372 Lewis avenue, Brooklyn. Outside of the United States and Canada, 12 cents for postage.
We are glad to see this monthly of eight pages. It aims to keep before the church the details of the work in Brazil more fully than hitherto has been possible. Thebulk of Christians know very little of the work of God in papal lands, and especially in South America, where the Romish system may be seen in its most corrupt, idolatrous and immoral form. Those who, in their desire to be charitable, talk of the Romish Church as simply a branch of the church catholic but in error in some particulars, should become familial' with papal customs, manners and morals in Brazil. Dr. Howard Crosby in- cisively says of those W!:l0 call the Papal Church a church of Christ, "Yes, an apple may be an apple, even if it be rotten to the core!" This little peri- odical will be found both interesting and instructive if the numbers we have seen may give indication. We shall present extracts from it from time to time, particularly in months when papal lands are under review.-A. T. P.
Our ])ay. A Record and Review of Cnrrent Reform. Joseph Cook, editor. Boston: Onr Day Publishing Co., 28 Beacon st. $11.00 a year.
This new magazine of eighty pages starts with flying colors. With Mr. Cook as the editor-in-chief, it unites six prominent specialists-Miss Willard, Anthony Comstock, Profs. James and Townsend and Revs. Eby and Pente- cost. Its contents are what its name and prospectus would indicate, and we predict for it a foremost place in the periodical literature of the world. It is epigrammatic, comprehensive and glowing. It deals with living questions in a living style.-A. T. P.
Autobiography of William G. SchauJfter. Edited by his sons. Randolph & Co., New York. 12~o, pp. 258.
The introduction by Prof. E. A. Park is admirable and sets forth the liter- ary and moral characteristics of Dr. S. clearly and effectively. He was an . extraordinary man-scholar, Christian and preacher, as well as missionary. He is said to have understood twenty-six languages and was able to preach extempore in six of them. His gifts were varied as well as eminent. But they were all singularly consecrated to Christ in the mission work, spending forty-nine years as a missionary in the Orient. His own account of his life, from the time he left Odessa (he was born at Stuttgart in 1798), whither the family had removed, embracing the period of his conversion while in Russia, and. his visit to America, his life at Andover, his consecration to mission work among the Jews, and his long and eminently useful service in connection with the American Board, is modestly and succinctly told in these pages. And no reader can follow him without being impressed with the sincerity and single-headedness of the man and thanking God for raising him up to do the work he did.-J. M. S.
Life ofRev. Justin Perki1!8, D.D. Oloth, 30 cents.
This is the fourth in the "Missionary Annals" series, published by the Woman's Presbyterian Board of Missions, Chicago. The son, Rev. Henry Martyn, gives in this brief space a clear and interesting account of his father, a pioneer missionary to Persia, where thirty-seven years of an earnest life were consecrated to the Master's service.
P1'Otestant Missions in Pagan Lands. By Rev. Edward Storrow. London: Snow & 00.
12mo, pp. 191. Price 3s. 6d. .
The author has written other missionary books, particularly" India and Its Missions," and the" History of Protestant Missions in India." The present volume purports to be "A Manual of Missionary Facts and Principles relating to Foreign Missions throughout the World." It gives a bird's-eye view of the religious condition of the world, the missionary effort in the three pre- vious centuries, the rise and development of modern missions, and the work and the results of missions on various fields. It is an instructive manual, giving definite information on a multitude of points. Its tables of missionary societies are taken from our own MISSIONARY REVIEW.-J. M. S.
The M"usionary Problem. By James Oroil. Toronto, Canada: Wm. Briggs. 12mo. pp. 224.
This work is similar to the one noticed above, although not covering so broad a field nor quite so recent in its survey. Still it gives a condensed his- tory of Protestant missions in several of the principal fields of missionary enterprise. Brown's" History of Missions" is the author's chief authority for the earlier times.-J. 1:1. S.
The Inspired. Word. A Series of Papers and Addresses delivered at the Bible Inapiration Conference in Philadelphia. Edited by Arthur T. Pierson. Randolph & 00. 12mo, pp. 359. Price $1.50.
This is a work of solid merit. There are no less than eighteen distinct papers on the various phases of the subject by as many writers of acknowl- edged ability, each fitted for his special theme. Most of .them are" special- ists" in their departments and represent all forms of evangelical faith. They came together and gave their united testimony, and the reader of these pages has the result. And it is not too much to say, there is scarce a chord shuck in which there is not the fullest harmony. The editor well says: "It is not strange that upon the Word of God all the forces of the foes of Chris- tianity should be massed. If confidence in that word can be undermined; if, by subtlety and sophistry, its infallible inspiration may be made to appear like an old wives' fable or groundless tradition; if in any way men may feel at liberty, like Jehudi, to use a penknife on the sacred scrolls and cut out of it whatever is offensive to the proud reason or the wayward will of the natural man, the devil will have achieved his greatest triumph." The work is as timely as it is able, and deserves extensive circulation, both for the sub- ject's sake and the character and ability of the treatment.-J. M. S.
NfYr'ard of the Dor;ger; or, Deep Sea Trials and Gospel Trinmphs. Being the Story of the Initiation, Struggles and Successes of the Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen. By E. J. Mather, fonnder and director. with illustrations. London: Nisbet & 00. New York: James Pott & Co. 12mo, pp. 376. Price $1.50. Fourth thonsand.
Few among us, I fear, are well informed respecting the "Deep Sea Mis- sion." And yet it is doing a much-needed and highly useful work, as Mr.
Mather's enthusiastic and charming narrative makes clear. Fishermen in deep waters-fishermen on board of thousands of "smacks," fishermen in the North Sea-are the special objects of this mission'fI care. The miBsion on their behalf began in 1880. By means of mission ships, which are really hospitals, churches, schools, etc., going to sea with the fleets of fishing vessels, and staying with them, and by every other possible agency and influence of a social, moral and sanitary kind, this mission strives for the temporal and spiritual welfare of this class, so exposed to perils and hardships and enjoying so few privileges of any kind. It is a blessed work, and the mission has been greatly blessed. The reading of this book cannot fail to awaken an interest in it in the United States and Canada, especially in the maritime provinces, where so many fishermen follow the sea fOl' a living.-J. M. S.
Pale8tiM in the Time Qf Ghrist. By Edmond Staprer, D.D. Translated by Annie Harwood Holmden. !'p. 527. New York: A. C. Armstrong &; Son.
This volume has reaahed its third edition, and now appears in a beautiful form, accompanied by very valuable maps and plans. It is open to every believer's observation that the Land is at this present' time greatly aiding the Book. While the two international societies for exploration, the Egypt and the Palestine, are doing admirable work in bringing forth corroboration and elucidation of the Scriptures from the ruins discovered in the countries around the Mediterranean and up the Nile, any book treating of the Holy Land is sure to be welcomed by Christian students. The author of this one is a professor in the theological faculty of Paris. He writes fiuently and well, and his general orthodoxy as well as his devout spirit is evidenced by his own declaration: "Jesus Christ was not the natural product of his eBvironment ; his appearance was a miracle; he came from God." Science has at last become a foreign missionary and is preaching with a spade. It would be an interesting theme for study, if one at his leisure would search out and com- pare for use how much missionaries have done for scientists within the last few years, and how much now scientists are doing in an attempt to return the favors.-J. lL S.
The Dawn of the Modern Mission. By Rev. Wm. Fleming Stevenson. D.D. Edinburgh: McNiven & Wallace. 1887.
This charming book of 188 pp. contains the foul' lectures delivered in con- nection with the Duff Missionary Lectureship, in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen during the years 1884-86. They possess peculiar and pathetic interest as a posthumous pUblication of the last utterances of that gifted , and consecrated author of "Praying and Worh.'ing."
It may be doubted whether any man of his generation has, from a pulpit and parish in a Christian land, done as much as Dr. Stevenson to kindle the fiame of holy enthusiasm and intelligent consecration in the direction of the' ch)lrch's mission to the unsaved millions. He was a missionary pastor. His tongue and pen were both aflame. Though he was a Dublin clergyman, his field was the world and his church only his working force,. nay, he was him- self the centre and spring of all his church force. He sought to spread the knowledge of missionary trials and triumphs, to bring those who heard and read his words into sympathetic contact with the degradation and destitution of a dying world at its remotest corners and deepest needs. " Hans Egede's Story," illustrated by his pen, stirred many a home pastor to yearnings over those who were far off; his beautiful picture of "Pastor Harms and Her- mannsburg" quickened many a listless minister and church to organize the home force into a base of supplies for the foreign field. He made a world tour of missions, his pulpit being meanwhile supplied by the members of his Presbytery, without cost; and being elected the second lecturer under this Duff Lectureship he delivered these four grand lectures, which come to us scarcely complete, w1).en his pen dropped from. his dying hand, and his de- voted wife took it up to prepare the manuscript for the press.-A. T. P.
ORGANIZED MISSIONARY
n.-ORGANIZED MISSIONARY WORK.
National Bible Sooiety of Scotland. number 335, and represent more than 700 parishes. Annual report for 1887, being the seventyeighth report of the Edinburgh, twenty-eighth The purely missionary side of the work is of the National, seventy·fifth of the Glasgow, growing year by year. The grants at reduced sixty-sixth of the Glasgow Auxiliary to the ·rates to charitable and evangelistic agencies British and Foreign Bible Society, and twenty- at home amounted isst year to 38,921 copies, beseventh since the Union was formed. ing more than one-third of the whole issues in 1861; and of the 384,703 copies issued in foreign FOR the first time since 1877 the in- lands, only 71,130 went to nominally Protestant come of the year has sufficed to meet countries, while 71,652 were circulated in Roman expenditure, the receIpts having been Catholic countries and 241,921 among heathen £33,432, and the outlay £30,988. nations. Thus, in a period of great commercial depression and without any spe- The China issues for the year reached the cial effort, the income has almost large number of 183,559 copies, and the publicareached that of the semi-jubilee year; tion of its new Wen-Ii version places the &0and 1887, which came in under the ciety in the front rank of agencies at work for cloud of a. deficit, passes away in the the evangelization of China. Iu Japan the year sunshine of a surplus. is notable for the issue of the complete Scrip- tures in the tongue of the people-a work in The issues, though they do not which the society has taken its full share. quite reach the exceptional figures of Since 1861 it has issued in Spain 531,561, in the two preceding years, are far France 750,346, in Germany 1,247,542 copies. above the record of any former year. It touches .. the dark coutinent" at more than They are in all 632,073 copies, of one point-last year in Calabar, Kaffraria and which 411,319 have been circulated Natal. In South America it aids Protestant abroad and 220,754 at home; and aggressive work in Brazil, where a congregation they include 164,729 Bibles, 180,662 in Pernambuco, itself the fmits of colportage, Testaments, and 286,682 portions. supplies several successful distributors or the The total issues since the union of Word. In Asia it has begun work among the the Bible societies in 1861 are now wandering Bedouins of the Syrian Desert; it 10,110,975 copies. has distributed the Scriptures in thousands among the Tartar tribes of Mon~olia ; it is sow- The auxiliary societies – whose ing the good seed of the Word in four great co-operation not only supplies well- provinces of India; it was among the first to nigh half the free income, but establish regular colportage in Corea, Into whose keeps the board in touch with the tongue it was also the first to translate the goscountry and gives the society its pe1.story; in the great Chinese Empire, where it right to the name it bears – now has since 1864 circulated 1,024,280 Scriptures, it employs four European agents and forty native colporteurs, and has the aid of missionaries be- longing to eleven different societies; aud in the island·empire of Japan, under two European agents, forty·one colporteurs sold last year 46,687 Scriptures, making a total of 321,458 since 1875.
TREASURER'S REPORT FOR 1887.
Receipts for Scriptures during year, viz.: INOOHE.
Home, including grants, etc ……………………………….. £9,392 15 9 Colonies, do. . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. .. .. 2,028 12 4 British and Foreign Bible Society for Scriptures supplied to them in China, 1886 ………………………………………… .. 417 17 5 do., 1887………………………………………… .. 544 2 3 Foreign agencies, per contra…………………………….. .. 4,055 13 1 £16,489 010 t~Nf~r;~~~~~~f!!~.~~·.::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: : 1,174 10 0 Donations, viz. ~ . 8,123 9 9 Ordinary………………………………………………… £2,956 14 5 For semi-jubilee fund…………………………………….. 213 19 10 £2,95614 II Total received …..•………. £3,187 14 3 2,780 1 9 582 II 8 Legacies available in 1887………………………………………………… . 2lIII111 9 Net rents……………………………………………………………. .. Iuterest on investments and bank accounts ………………………………… . Semi-jubilee fund, viz.: Amount received in 1885 and 1886 ………………………….. £4,875 13 4 Whereof available for curreut year-twenty·five per cent….. £1,218 18 "' .£1,276 13 3 And twenty-five per cent. on £230 19s. "1Od., amount received 14 Ii 8 in 1881, as above .•…………………. :………………. 57 14 11 £33,576 3 Chinese Blind Mission amouut paid in excess on 31st Dec. last, repaid………•…• .£10,582 8 4 EXPENDITURE. 1,252 14 1 385 1911 Scriptnres for home and colonies…………………………………………. . Home circulation, viz.: 15,920 1 6 2,135 13 7 Scotlaud… . . . . . . . .•• • .. .. .. . . .. . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . .£974 8 4 Ireland . .. . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. .. . . . . .. .. . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 5 9 538 910 21514 9 Colonial circulation. ………. ………….•……….. . …………………… . Foreign circulation- 990 Applied to circulation Remitted to 2,58712 1 as recelved. Agents. Total. £33,576 3 Africa . .. . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . •. . . . . . . .£7 0 0 .£12 13 3 .£19 13 3 Austria.. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . .. . . . . 268 1 2 96412 5 1,23213 7 Belgium. …. . .. .. . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . 46 10 0 221 15 0 268 5 0 125 0 0 Brazil……………………… 0 0 0 125 0 0 3,009 13 I) Ohina……………………… 176 8 2 2,833 1) 3 France… . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . .. .. . . 147 9 2 1,192 18 1 1,340 7 3 Germany…. .. .. .. . . . . . .. . .. . . . . 2,196 8 4 2,825 18 3 5,~~ ~ ~ Holland. .. . . . … ………….. 142 1 0 104 0 0 95 9 8 123 9 8 Iudia………. ………….. …. 28 0 0 737 1 3 Italy……………….. ……. 10817 0 628 4 3 Japan….. …. .. .. …. .. .. … … . 805 8 1 2,060 10 2 2,865 18 3 Norway……………… …… 0 0 0 66 12 5 66 12 I) Spain……………………… 90 0 0 424 9 8 514 9 8 Swedeu……………………. 0 0 0 178 17 7 178 17 7 t30 2 5 169 12 7 Tnrkey and Syl"ia.. .. . . . . . . . .. . . 39 10 2 £4 055 13 1 '£11,864 8 5 Salaries and wages, viz.: General managemeut (including visitation of auxiliaries) …•…… '£1,277 I) 7 Bible department……………. : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . •. . . . . . . . . . . 858 8 0 Office expenses (including freights, traveliug, etc.) ………………………….. .
~:?l.~;;~~~:t~~i:~,: ~~~: : : :: :: ::: :: : :: :: ::: :: :: ::: :: : :: :: : ; :: : :: : ::: : :: :: :: :: :: :: Ameri,can Mission, Egypt. from the natives for congregational and school purposes, the expense THIS mission was begun in 1854, in 1887 was £7,600. New places are and carries on its work in three de- calling, some for schools, others for partments-the evangelistic, book preachers. The mission gratefully and educational. The work of the acknowledges the generous aid of mission extends from Alexandria to .the A. B. Society and the B. and F. Assouan, and entails a large expendi- B. Society in Bible distribution. ture. After deducting all receipts STATISTICS OJ!' THE EGYPTIAN MISSIO!{-GROWTH 1!'ROM 1865 TO 1887.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – -186-5. -1-870.- -1-875.- -18-80. – -188-7. Ordained missionaries……………………… . 7 7 8 8 11 Unmarried female missionaries……………… . 3 Native pastors…………………………….. . 3 7 8 10 1 3 Native licentiates………………………….. . 6 10 3 8 I) 7 Organized con~regations…………………… .. 1 3 6 12 24 Stations occupIed………………………….. . 5 Communicants……………………………. . 79 10 21 48 85 Average Sabbath attendance……. . ………… . 125 237 676 1,036 2,307 513 1,133 1,837 4,747 Pupils in Sabbath schools……………………. . 1,494 4,~ Number of schools…………………………. . '5 236 658 49 Pupils in schools…………………………… . 315 8 23 520 1,040 2,219 . Tuition fees ……………………………….. . 5,601 ; $655 i4,863 $13,083 Books distributed (vols.) …………………… . 5,506 $797 24,534 33609 11,890 Proceeds from sales of books………………… . r $1,037 $2,975 $5,541 $1;815 Total paid by natives for preaching, schools and books………………………………….. . $2,788 $4,840 $14,986 $27,173 Tuition" fees for 1870 and 1875 do not include amount paid in congregational schools. That sum was not large, as the demand had not arisen for such schools. It wili be noticed that in the most important items the work has nearly doubled, in some cases trebled itself each five years.
ASYOOT. March 7. 1888. JOlIN GI1!'lI'EN. The Syrian Mission. 1850. The Sultan, Abdul Mejid, issued an imperial firman, called [The following historical sketch was prepared the Imperial Protestant Charter of by Dr. Jessup of Beirut, Syria, at the request of Rights, guaranteeing to the Protest- the edltorR, as this Syrian Mission is one of the ants all the rights and privileges of pivotal enterprises of the East.-EDs.] other Christian sects in the empire.
THIS outline history may be divided 1846. The first boys' boarding into three periods: school was opened in Abieh, Mt• Lebanon. Also the first girls' board- FIRST PERIOD, 1820-1840. ing school in Beirut under Dr. and Mrs. De Forest (see" Women of the .A Period of Exploration and Prep- Arabs," by Jessup). aration.-Its features: intolerance, persecution, banishment, wars, and 1848. First Syrian evangelical pestilenc.e. church organized, with eighteen members. 1822. The American Arabic press was founded in Ma1ta. 1848. New translation of the Bible into the Arabic language begun by 1833. The press was removed to Rev. Eli Smith, D.D. Beirut. The first girls' school ever opened in the Turkish Empire was 1853-1855. Crimean war. British commenced by American ladies in influence predominant. Beirut and Mt. Lebanon. The first Protestant martyr, Asaadesh Shi- 1857. Death of Dr. Eli Smith. diak, was starved to death in the Translation continued by Rev. Cor- Maronite monastery of Kannobin by nelius Van Dyck, M.D., D.D. order of the Maronite patriarch. When the missionaries returned from October, 1858. Female Seminary Malta to Beirut, in 1833, one small opened in Suk el Ghurb, Mt. Lebanon. rowboat came out to meet them, containing the entire Protestant com- 1860. Translation and printing of munityof the Turkish Empire-viz., Arabic New Testament completed by five persons! The number of Prot- Dr. Van Dyck. estant adherents in 1887 is not far from 50,000 in the empire. The THIRD PERIOD, 1860-1888. Greek war, the plague, the invasion Light Out of Darkness.-New imof Ibrahim Pasha, son of Mohammed pulse to Christian education and Ali of Egypt, and the disturbed state great advance in civilization. of the country rendered continuous 1860. Ci viI war between Druzes missionary labor impossible. and Maronites in Lebanon, followed by bloody massacres in Lebanon, SECOND PERIOD, 1840-1860. Hasheiya, and, Damascus. Occupa tion of Syria for nine months by From the Expulsion of lbrahim 6,000 French troops on behalf of the Pasha by the European Powers to European powers and with the conthe Oivil War and Massacres of sent of the Sultan. New govern- 1860.-Protestantism was recognized ment instituted in Lebanon under a by the Turkish Sultan as one of the Latin Christian Pasha appointed religions of the empire. with the approval of the European powers. Increase of European and March, 184.4. The Sultan issued a Christian interest in Syria. New firman that Christians of all sects are educational and benevolent institunot to be insulted, nor be persecuted tions founded. for their religion. 1862. American Female Seminary reopened in Beirut with native Syri- 1840. Boys' boarding school estab- an teachers. lished in Beirut under Mr. Hebard. October, 1862. Suk Female Semi- nary transferrE'd to Sidon. 1847. The Protestant Charter of 1860. British Syrian schools, found- Rights was issued by the Grand Vizier ed by Mrs. Bowen Thompson, now in Constantinople (see "Goodell's Forty Years in the TU1'kish Empire" -appendix). have 3,000 children in their schools Majesty the Sultan the Caliph of Mo- hammed, place the seal of authorizain Syria. – tion upon 33 different editions of the Arabic Scriptures and parts of Scrip- 1860. Prussian deaconesses' orphan- tures. The local board in Damas- cus also approve 330 different Arabic age founded. in Beirut, with 130 or- publications of the American press in Beirut. phans. Up to this time they have [See statistics of the World's Missions near the trained about 800 orphan girls. close of this nnmber for tabnlar statement ofthe Presbyterian Mission in Syria.-EDs.] 1863. Syrian Protestant College in- corporated by Legislature of New York.
1865. The college formally opened in Beirut (see catalogue, which can be obtained of Rev. D. Stuart Dodge, 11 Cliff street, New York. See also General Ohristian Missionary Society.
"Missions and Science," "The Ely THIRTY-EIGHTH anniversary held at Indianapolis, Ind., Oct. 20, 21, Volume," for account of the college 1587. The work of the society is chiefly evangelistic in its character and other work in Syria, especially and is spread over most of the States and Territories of the Union. the press). Number of students Jan- RECEIPTS DURING TH1I YEAR. uary 1, 1888, 175. Girls school of the Missionary Fund ……… $20,019 37 Society for Promoting Female Edu- Regnlar Extension Fund. . 937 00 Special Extension Fund cation in the East, at Shemlan, Mt. (Boston House)…….. . 2,23621 Lebanon; Free Church of Scotland Ministerial Relief Fund.. . 17205 Tract Fund…………. .. 27093 schools at Shweir, Mt. Lebanon, Kirk Interest on Extension of Scotland; Jewish Mission schools Fund loans…………. 54 00 Repaid loans…………. 300 00 in Beirut; Miss Taylor'sSt. George's Borrowed.. .. .. . .. .. .. .. . 800 00-$24,789 54 Moslem girls' school in Beirut. I 1873. American Female Seminary opened in Tripoli, Syria.
I append the last statistical sum- mary of the missionary and educa- tional work in Syria up to January, Total from all sources …..•…….. $25,772 31 1887. This will give you a compara- DISBURSElIENTS.
tive view of the progress in the ten To missionaries, cash.. . .. $8,228 12 To missionaries, collecyears 1876-86. tions on field…. …… 9,68722–$17,915 M 1877. Mohammedans open schools For all incidental expenses 81848 To cor. sec'y, salary….. . 1,800 00- 2,61348 for girls in Beirut, Damascus, and For Boston house deht .. . 2,09685 For ministerial relief…. . 24500 Tripoli; Greeks, Maronites, Jews, For tract distribution…. . 340 00 To other miss. boards …• 9110 and other sects open schools for boys Loans from Extension Fd. 1,100 00- 8,87fl 45 Leaving bal. in Miss. Fund 21622 and girls. The whole number of chil- " Extension Fund….. 980 57 dren in Protestant schools in Syria " Ministerial ReliefF'd 158 80 .. Tract Fund ……… 20 45- 1,37077 and Palestine is probably about Total…………………………. $25,772 81 15,000, of whom at least 7,000 are girls. The number of nominal Prot- estants is not less (in Syria and Palestine) than 6,000. There has been a steady growth in the work of The Foreign Christian Missionary Society held its twelfth annual sesthe press in Syria. There are 11 Ara- sion October 19 and 20 at the same place as the General Society. bic journals in Beirut, 1 Turkish offi- cia.l, 3 Protestant, 2 Papal, 2 Greek, 2 Moslem, llitera.ry. Three hospitals SUMlIlAllT.
have been founded !!ince 1860-St. Number of missions.. .. …. . . .. .. .. • 6 John'!!, Protestant; St. Joseph's, Pa- stations.. .. .. …. .. .. .. .. 2S pal, and the RUl!Isian Greek HOl!lpital. missionaries (male). . . •. • 22 lM7. The Mejlis el Maarif, or Board (female)…. II natin assistants……… 13 « of Public In!!truction of his Impel'ial Whole number of workers ………. Whole number of converts under were $317.36, making the total ineome $11,102.02. Total receipts, including the $487.50 for the pereare of Society. . •. •. . . . ••. ••••. • l,85G mauent tund, $11,588.52. Expenditures direct1;y out of our treasury were $10,536.31. Addition31. (This does not include 348 at expenditures reported from China, out of tunds received on that fteld, $317.36, making the total Chester aud 120 at Southport.) expenditures $10,853.67, viz. : Home missions………………….. $5,330 83 Number added during the year…… 592 China .. .. .. .. ….. .. .. .. .. …. 2,559 36 Holland" .. . .. .. .. .. … .. •.. .. .. 490 00 Net gain…. …….. ………… …• Ii02 Salary and expenses of the corre- Whole number added from the 1Irst.. 3,518 sponding secretary, printing min- utes, interest on loans, and inci- Receipts for year ……………….. $40,559 35 dental expenses……………….. 972 98 Pa;yments for money loaned . ••••. •. •• 1,500 00 Total receipts [rom first…………. 259,201 60 The receipts canceled the debt, met It has a mission among the Scandinavians of all expenses, and left a balance of the United States, the Turkish Mission, India, $247.35. China and Japan missions, and the Perslau Mis- sion.
T,tal receipts of the year..•……..•. $48,489 27 .. disbursemeuts.. .. .. .. .. .. ….. 47,597 75 TABLlI JlXUmITING TUB LABOR OP llISSIONARIlIS POR THB YEAR ENDING OOTOBER 1,1887.
Baptisms… .. ….. ….. .. . . . .. . .. . •.. 762 Other accessions.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. • 792 Churches visited and assisted… . . . . •• 143 New places visited………………. 96 The Baptist Oonvention of the Karitime Nnmber churches organized… . . . . . •• 25 Pronnces. – Amount collected on field for remu- ORGANIZED in 1846. Forty-second annual meeting held in Charlotteneration… . . . .. .. .. .. . . . .. . .. .. .. .. $9,687 21 town August 20, 1887.
Amount received from treasury G. C. Strength of the denomination, 375 churches, 1,768 baptisms during the M. C… .. .. .. .. .. .. .. …. ……… 8,228 12 year; total membership, 43,553.
Amount received in cash and pledges for local work ………………… 26,200 00 TABLlI EXHmITING THE MISSIONARY WORK OJ'
TUB STATE ORGANIZATIONS. 200 Receipts of the' Foreign Missionary Board 8,970 (comprising Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Number of missionaries. . . . •. . . . . . . . • 5,134 Prince Edward Island) amounted to $9,325.65, Baptisms.. . . •. •. . . •. . . •. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,878 the expenditures to $10,269.06, leaving a balance Other accessions………………… of $442.58 due the treasurer. Churches visited and assisted. . . •. . .. 326 Unorganized places visited………..
Churches organized…………….. 123 Places assisted in building……….. 63 Raised by State Board…………….$83,422 58 The Baptist Foreign Missionary Oon- Raised by County and District Boards 29,327 49 vention of the U. S. Raised by evangelists for church build. ORGANIZED in 1880. Eighth annual ing and other local worlt ……….. 89,571 44 meeting held at Little Rock, Ark., Kembers in State.. .. …. .. • . .. .. .. .. • 625,000 Sept. 21-25,1887. Receipts reported, $4,069.22, and expenditures, $4,018, Adding work of G. C. M. C., we have, mis· leaving a balance to the new year of sionaries, 231; baptisms, 9,932; other acces- $51.22. We are not able to give an Sions, 5,926; new organizations, 140; collec- account of the results of the year. tions, $137,539.63. Ten States were represented. It resolved to devote the fourth Sunday Seventh.day Baptist General Oonference. in July of each year to the work in THE seventy-third annual session Africa. was held at Shiloh, N. J., September 21, 1887. The forty-fifth annual ses- Baptist Foreign Mission Society of Onsion of the Seventh-day Baptist Missionary Society was held during the tario and Quebec. sessions of the conference. The annual report gives the following FROM the twenty-first annual refacts: port, made in October, 1887, the Tbe amount oCthe permanent tund is $7,486.91, being an increase during the year of $487.50, board expressed its "fervent t;ra.tiwhich is for missionary purposes. The receipts tude for another ye&r of hard work or the treasurer from all sources from Septem- and marked prosperity in the Socieber 9, 1888, to I!!eptember 12, 1887, for the «eneral fund were $10,71!3.66; the receipts on the ty's operations. Four ap- China deld b;y our missionaries from contrlbutiOllS, etc., for the year ending June 30, 1887, pointments, the largest ever madein one year to our missionary staff, viz.,
CORRESPONDENCE AND GENERAL INTELLIGENCE
the Rev. J. E. Davis, B.A., Rev. H. The Southem Baptist Oonvention. F. Laflamme, Rev. H. Garside, B.A., THIS society was organized in 1845. and Miss Bella Alexander. Numer- The forty-second anniversary was held in Louisville, Ky., May 6-10, ous converts have been baptized dur- 1887. The Board of Foreign Missions reported 116 laborers in the field, dising the year, making the member- tributed in Africa, Italy, China, Bra- zil and Mexico. ship of our Telugu churches on June 30 last something over 2,000. New churches have been organized. Ad- ditional native helpers have been put SUllI)[ARY. into the field, and important buildings Missionaries ………………….. .. 116 in course of erection last year have Baptisms for the year …………. .. 228 been completed." Total members…………………. 1,551 RECEIPTS. Churches and stations………….. . 65 Total from churches ………………. 88,424 98 Schools ………………………. . 25 Sunday-schools. . . .. .. . . . . . . … 1,260 11 Pnpils ……………………….. . 587 Woman's For. Mis. Soc. (West) 3,100 00 Contributions from the native . (East) 1,095 00 churches… .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. . .. . .. . $3,012.61 Fyfe Missionary Soc., Toronto.. 50 00 Receipts from all sources. . . . . . . . . . . 154,559.04 J udsou Missionary Society. . . . • 13 00 Expended on mission fields. . . . . . . . .. 62,584.81 Association collections …….• 88 41 In agency work………………… 8,264.44 legacies.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. . 250 00 The debt of the board had been canceled dur- individuals…… …………… 684 70 ing the year and a balance left in the treasury.
Miscellaneous.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 253 02 The Home Mission Board sum- marized the labors of the year as fol- Total received during the year…… $15,219 22 lows: Balance on hand,at last audit… ….• 364 78 Balance due treasurer…………… 142 32 Missionaries …………………. .. 251 Churches and out-stations……… . 822 TotaL …………………………$15,726 32 Baptisms …………………….. 3,923 EXPENDITURliiS. Total additions. . . .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 6,242 Sunday-schools reported. . . . . .. . . . . . 318 Paid to missionary ……………….. $14,642 87 Teachers and pupils……………. 13,031 " for printing .. .. .. .. . .. . .. .. .. .. .. 254 68 Churches constituted…………… 119 " for interest…………….. …… 136 95 " other disbursements……. , .. . .. • 549 50 Houses of worship built. . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Balance due treasurer.. ……… …… 142 32 Total receipts from all sources …… $122,097.20 The year began with an indebted- ness of…………………….. .. 8,500 815,726 32 This has been reduced to ………. . 2,500 III.-CORRESPONDENCE and GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.
Netherlands India: An Appeal With- heathen. In Borneo and in the Celebes per- out a Response. haps about one-half; but wherever in Dutch India a heathen population is in contact with [THE following letter from our cor- Mohammedanism the latter is advancing steadrespondent in Singapore we are sure lIy." In fact, wherever the Dutch Government will be read with deep interest.- extends, Mohammedanism is spreading. Dr. S. does not charge this government with" know- EDS.] ingly and willfully propagating Mohammedan- ism," but, as he says, "here Mohammedanism About ten years ago the Rev. Dr. Schreiber, steps in to do that which Christianity ought but secretary of the Rhenish (Barmen) Missionary neglects to do." Society, gave an account of his society's efforts in Neth. India, at Mildmay.* He said that Mo- Dr. S. speaks of the workers already on the hammedanism was spreading with astonishing field and of their ntter insufficiency to occupy rapidity, especially in Java. "At present in Java the whole field. This field in some parts has almost the whole population (21,000,000) is Mo- been wonderfuily productive. In Ninnahassa, hammedan, at least in name; a great deal of or Celebes, in 1886, out of a population of 138,- heathenism still being concealed under the sur- 026 there was a nominal Christian population face. In Sumatra about the fourth part is still of 115,361. But" there is only one Ninnahass8 !nthe whole archipelago." In many parts • MIldmay Conference of )l'oreijpl Missions where there is a large nominal Christian popula- Report, 1878. tion " the poor Christians are quite neglected and forsaken," and are now fast falling before Mo- 19, in Lias 5, Borneo 7,' Celebes 11, Sumba 1, "hammedan influences. Ten years ago Dr. S. said Timor 1, Rotti 1, Wetter 1, Buru 1, Ceram 2, N. his society could not increase its staff of work, Guinea 5, Jilolo 2, Saugi 3, Talau 2, Saparina. 2, Amboina 4, Ternate 1, Letti 1, Harnku 1. ers, and it has not increased them. He made a strong appeal for other workers, assuring all According to censns (1885-1886) there were na- that the government would allow other nation- tive Christians, Malayan races, 235,070 ; Chinese, 939 (but not one missionary able to speak Chi- . alities to work freely, as the Germans do in nese), and natives of India, 121. In Dutch Timor there are 33,015 nominal Christians, with only Neth. India. one gove~nment helper. Truly the harvest is The part of his ,address I wish to emphasize plenteons, but the laborers few.
is this: " Will no otMr missionary society step (REV.) J. A. B. COOK, in, in order to at'ert suck a reproack to tke Presbyterian Missionary in Singapore. Okristian name? I want to make an earnest Oxford University and Missions, appeal to all the missionary societies in Englaud, America and Australia." Tkis appeal as yet kas LETTER from our correspondent in kad no response. Surely before long there will Oxford, J. F. Reyes, F.e.S" F.R.G.S. be a willingness to consider the claims of Malay- sia, especially the claims of the 27,000,000 of A MODERN ROBERT BRUCE. Neth. India. All that the Christians of England are doing for the 35,000,000 of Malaysia is being In Oxford the other day we had a remarkable done by the Sarawak (S. P. G.) Mission in illustration of the way in which the world will Borneo, and by a few scattered workers in continue to miss its greatest heroes. A great Singapore and Penang, with occasional visits to crowd had assembled to hear a notorious states- the peninsnla. There is only one solitary man speak on the Irish question. A few gradu- American missionary to represent the Chris- ates in a small room met without advertisement tianity of America in this wide region. two days later to hear from Dr. Robert Bruce an account of his work in Persia. He strongly re- Let me give a few facts as to the present state minds ns of Livingstone in his appearance and of missions in Netherlands India, with a few directness, and there is the further analogy that other facts, to be well pondered by thoughtful he has heen working alone in Jl1ifa,near Ispahan, Christians. these twenty years. Any ordinary person be- coming a Christian would be sure to disappear The Dutch possessions extend from Atcheeu", in a few days, probably by poison, but it would in Sumatra to New Guinea, and contain 612,520 be impossible to trace it. On the other hand, he square miles, with a population of 27,000,000 instanced a woman who became Moslem, and , under the Dutch flag. Among all this vast mul- speedily acquired property from Christian or titude of souls there are only 69 Dutch and Jewish relations in the law courts. German missionaries and 24 government mis- sion "helpers." These" helpers" are in govern- Dr. Bruce in fact gave incidentally many illus· ment pay. Their sphere and all their move-' trations of some of the misleading criticisms of ments are regulated by the officials, and thongh the now famous paper read by Canon Isaac Tay· they speak Malay are only allowed to work lor at the Wolverhampton Church Congress. In among the nominal Christians, The mission- Persia there was a "complete divorce of morals aries alone are free to go to the heathen and from religion," and his observation was that Mohammedans with the gospel. Mohammedanism " made every country a Wilderness." It is only fair to state that Canon Of the 93 missionaries on the field (always in- Taylor referred more especially to the civiliza- cluding the 24 government "helpers") fully 70 tion of the negro. He has since excluded the have arrived since 1870, the result no doubt of stations of the nniversity's missions to Central the reaction in university and college life in Africa from his criticisms. favor of evangelical doctrine and many forms of aggressive Christian efforts in the Nether- Before passing from this subject let me call lands and Germany. The 69 missionaries are attention to the remarkable phenomenon of the as follows: Times admitting correspondence on this question in extenso, writing leaders on it, and finally 6 from Neth. Miss. Society (Rotterdam). printing Sir W. W. Hunter's lecture on the re- 6 from Neth. Miss. Association (Rotterdam). ligions of India in full, with a leading article. 8 from Utrecht Miss. Association (Utrecht). Missions both in Africa and China have similarly 1 from Neth. Ref. Miss. Ass. (Amsterdam). been dealt with in the jubilee year. No facts 3 from Ermelo Miss. Association (Ermelo). could testify more emphatically that the time is 4 from Mennonite Miss. Ass. (Amsterdam). now ripe for the existence of a really great and 4 from Hague Home and For. Miss. Soc. impartial Review devoted j 0 missions and abso- (Hague). lutely independent of all missionary societies. On the whole I am inclined to think that the 3 from Christian Reformed Church (Leyden). best place for such a Review is America. Its 1 self-supporting Dutch missionary. language is available for one bundred millions of There are besides these Dntchmen 34 Ger· that party, the human race, which seems called man missionaries, of whom 28 are from the by God to an extraordinary future and an ex.- Barmen Mission, supported by the sub·society at Amsterdam; the rest are of the Berlin Mission These missionaries do not live together in large centers, but scatter themselves in families among the natives. In Java there are 24, in Snmatra ceedingly great present responsibility with re- MUKTSAB, PuNJAB, Jan. 31, 1888. spect to the actual condition of and openings in To the Princeton College .Men: the non-Christian world. The name of this town means" The Fountain Dr. Bruce's remarks on Mohammed and the of Salvation." The town Is not yet this, but I Koran were often at variance with the apologies trust the name is prophetic. It is one oCthe holy we sometimes hear. Even in the matter of places of the Sikhs, who are a reformed sect of temperance it was clear that the Shiite was the Hindus. There is said to be already a spirit always glad to get the drink which the base of earnest Inquiry among some few, and we hope Christian trader supplied him with. If they there will be II church established before long. are kind to their slaves, they are grossly cruel to their animals. The state of the women needs I have come here with Mr. FrankNewton, my no notes here. But the Doctor confessed his ad- uncIe. He and his few native helpers have II miration for Mohammed np to his 50th year and parish of about one million people, Ferozepore the death of his wife Khadisha. being the center. It is one of the finest districts of the Punjab, and the men are an exceptionably Here I must stop. The Oxford Graduates' strong, independent, manly lot. Missionary Association was privileged to hear a great and good man. There are others like him Last week we spent a couple of days at Jaito, in the misSion field. My thoughts for the mo- a village of somewhat over three thousand peoment turn to Burmah and the American Judson. ple. It had Once before been visited by a native In their single-handed translation work the par- catechist, but never by a missionary; so far as allel is very close. But Dr. Bruce has a parish we know. In doing village work, missionaries of half a million of square miles, covering three often carry tents with them, but this Involves great ancient empires. much trouble and expense. We are depending on getting quarters in each place. At J aito we The type of Christian hero changes in each had a very comfortable little house of two rooms ceutury. We cannot stop the progress of the lent us by a railway official. Here we are putage, nor get nineteenth-century people to like ting up in a sarae or native hotel. There are what was admired in a different epoch. Let us three native preachers with us, and we five ocnot make any insidious comparisons, but thauk cupy one long room. The hotel charges for all God for all, and not least for that great gift of five are nine cents a day. adaptability to environment which is evinced iu the work of our best missionaries from either While here we expect to visit a number of the side of the water, a gift which seems akin to that surrounding villag~s, sometimes all four of the which made the great apostle" all things to all preachers going together, and sometimes two by men," and yet ever loyal to the great Head of all, two. Mr. Newton has a small organ, and this who, however imperfectly. show the apostolic with singing attracts a great many. Last evenspirit and the divine power. J. F. HEYES. Ing the audience of a1}out one hundred and fifty listened closely for nearly two hoors. OXFORD, :March 5, 1888. It seems to bc the general opinion that the Mr. Porman Heard Prom. most hopeful feature of the work in India is the villages. Many missionaries give II large part of :MR. JNO. N. FORMAN, after arrJving in England toward the close of September, spent two their time to school work in -the large Cities. months in working and speaking throughout the universities and larger cities of Great Britain, This work is important, but many of those who much of the time in company with :Mr. Taylor have been engaged in it now think that what Is of the China Inland Mission. In the universities needed most is men who will gi"l°e their whole he frequently found it difficult to gather an audi- time to evangelistic work, chiefly touring among ence of the students. At Cambridge the largest the villages. Mr. Newton is considered very number of stUdents he succeeded in assembling good in this line, so I was advised to go with was but thirty. At Edinburgh some thirty-five him for a while before starting for my own field. men pledged themselves to the foreign mission- The truth of the matter is that we need men in ary work. Meetings were held at Oxford and every department of work. In our mission in Wales, and in London an inter-hospital meet- school at Lahore we have over a thousand boys. ing of medical stndents. In Belfast thirty-three And the college which was started less than two men signed fo~ miSSionaries, and Mr. Taylor years ago has already some seventy students, coming after found that these were but the first and is growing fast. One feels often inclined to fruits. At Wakefield, Leeds, Duudee, Aberdeen. be discouraged at the size of the work and the Glasgow and other cities, meetings of the citizens and especially of the Young Men's Christian fewness of workers. But I believe firmly 2 Cor. Associations were held. ix. 8, and this Is a "staying power." I am now Mr. Forman left England early in December engaged in a study of the Holy Spirit, searching and landed in Bombay January 2. He has been through the Bible to find just how mnch is promstationed by the mission at Allahabad for the ised to us, to me. May God grant, each of us first year, during which he will devote most of may claim alt. his time to the study of the language. He writes to the stUdents at Princeton: I am praying daily for a great blessing upon you in Princeton, and expect to hear of a good work. Eph. iii. 14-19. And may God add the .. exceeding abundantly" of verse 20. When yoo pray for me, please pray by name.
Yours in Christ's service and in Christ, JOHN N. FOBJu.N. A Boat Journey in Ohina. [OUR editorial correspondent, Prof.
[EXTRACT from a private letter from W. C. Wilkinson, D.D., is making the Mrs. Edward P. Thwing of Brooklyn.] tour of Palestine. The following in- Just now I am living on a boat. To-night we teresting note from him shows that are auchored near Chung Wan. We leftCautou Dec. 27, and have had lovely weather since. We he is on the lookout for missionary are about 115 miles from that city. There are twelve of us-Rev. Charles R. Hager, missionary information. The observation and of the American Board from Hong Kong, my son, myself and a Chinese woman Bible reader, testimony of so close an observer and six boatmen, a captain and a cook. We have already stopped at several towns and villages On critical a mind are worth noting.- the river. At Hong Moon we found A. S. [a Christian pupil taught a year before in Brook- EDS.] lyn], and I rode about ten miles in a sedan chair PORT SAID, EGYPT, March 24, 1888. . to his home. He and Edward walked behind the bearers. I never before realized the expres- I have just been visiting the Egyptian missiou sion, .. The whole city came out to meet him. ,,- stations of the United Presbyterians of America, There was a general turn-out to see us, strange both at .Alexandria and at Cairo. At the latter beings from a foreign land. When we went into place I saw also something of the work in progthe house it was at once crowded full, probably ress. In both places I was favorably impressed much as when Jesus found" no room, no, Dot so with what I saw. Excellent men and women much as about the door." The open space in the the missionaries seemed to me to be, and sinroof reminded me of the opening through which it is said the sick of the palsy was let down. cerely devoted to their work, which is prosecuted The women and children felt of my clothes and nnder the disadvantage of resources in money hat and hair and shoes. They were grently amused. We took supper and remained over seriously inadequate to the demand. Cairo is a night. When we left town crowds preceded and followed us. Suuday we were at anchor at San Bwarming Oriental capital of perhaps 450,000 Ui, where there is a mission chapel. Mr. White of Macao admiuistered commuuion and Mr. H. people, with a reputed supply of 400 Mohammepreached. The room opened into a little sunny inner court. Thirty-one gathered, and fifteen in dan mosques, to feed these hnngry human souls all partook of the sacrament. After dinner on the boat I took my Bible woman and went to a with the dnst of death instead of the bread of village close by. As we entered a crowd of women and children swarmed out of every open life. I was irreSistibly incited both in .Alexaudoor. They were more interested in me than in anything she said, examining my clothes and dria and in Cairo to pray for poor groveling person. God only knows whether any good was accomplished. Work was going on just as on Egypt. Can these dry bones live' Let our any day all about us. United Presbyterian brethren redouble their We observed the week of prayer. and have had good meetings on our boat. Mr. H. is a spiritual prayers and their toils and their gifts for this man and it is a blessing to have his society. He has evening prayers in Chinese, and calls the perishing people. W. C. WILKINSON. boatmen into the cabin. Some come in and he talks very earnestly to them, and one asks mauy From a Student Volunteer. questions, apparently much interested. May God bless this" bread cast upon the waters." Pass- NEW BRUNSWICK THEO. SElIl., April, 1888. ing from place to place by water we have time DEAR EDITORS: One of the most iuteresting for the study of the language and reading. My features in THE MISSIONARY REVIEW to me is Bible woman has small feet and cannot walk far the letters from the Student Volunteers. lhave at a time. Many of the villagers never saw a read with pleasure the circnlar addressed to foreigner and very few ever saw a foreign woman them, and am heartily in favor of the plan that till they saw me. When they saw me from afar, each college or seminary send out a letter sketch- the news spread rapidly from lip to lip, and ing the history of its own foreign missionary countless swarms poured out through every alley movements and plans. Some of our colleges to meet us. We visited many places. as the and seminaries, however, are perhaps too weak whole district is intersected by many streams to print and send out circular letters, but all of and canals. I cannot tell how -many hundred them can tell their brethren what the Lord has mUes our sixteen days' trip will aggregate, bnt done for them and what they are trying to do for it is a most instructive aud profitable journey to him, through the columus of THE REVIEW. us. and. we trust, to the thousands we·have seen. The volunteers in the three educational insti- tutions at New Brunswick have not been idle this year. The District Miss. Alliance held here in February, of all the seminaries in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania,was the outgrowth of missionary interest at oor mission circle, and the alliance has been a great blessing to us all. The students of the seminary, college and gram- mar school, with their respective faculties, have pledged more than $800 yearly for the support of a missionary in the field, and at a meeting held March 21, the following resolution was unanimously carried: .. Resolved, that in view of the especial qualifications of L. R. Scudder, M.D., who has offered himself to our mission board, and in view of the special needs of the mission field in India and our Board of Foreign Missions, the entire subscription of the Stu- painted and oiled snch parts of our steamer and dents' Missionary Association for the first year sawmill stnff as were liable to rust. lirother be given to the board for the equipment and Rasmussen has given us a plan for a cheap passage out of L. R. Scudder, if the board shall bnoyant raft for the discharge of our traction appoint him and start him out before Octoher 1, engine when she shall be bronght up by the 1888." • steamer. The materials for said raft are being Oor mission circle meets weekly, and we dis- prepared, so that we hope we shall within a fe,!!, cuss every part of the world-field during the weeks see our road engineers, Brothers Clamn, course of a year. Our prayer is that every vol- Rasmussen, White and Briggs, moving inward unteer may read aud ponder the article in the with our steam wagon and traction engine.
April number of THE REVIEW, entitled" What Brother Wm. H. Arringdale, our architect and Oue Did." What one did all can do, "(hrough man of all mechanical work, has been busy and Christ which strengtheneth us." I heartily join effective in house-building and repairs.
in the cry, " 0)) that the volunteers would pull "Our dear sisters have done the cooking for together" ; but let each of us be sure that his all our working force-a heavy task that is never hand is on the rope. Let us link Matt. xxviii. 20 finished. Meantime, though I have wrought in to 1 Cor. xv. 58. ONE OF THE VOLUNTEERS. our varied work at Vivi three months out of the five of our sojourn here, I have explored the line What Bishop Taylor is Deing in Africa. to Isangala, and report the opening of five sta- tions-1. Vivi, the site of" the former capital of THE second annual meeting of the District the state. For a little over seven acres ofground Conference of the Upper Congo District assem- here and the buildings remaining we paid £160. sembled at Vivi mission station Dec. 3, 1887, at 2. At Vumtomba Vivi, four miles distant, in 2 o'clock p. M., with Bishop Taylor in the chair. sight of the mountain, we have built an abode honse and opened a station. 3. Sadl Kabanza, Fifteen members were present, including the about twenty miles from Vivi. 4. l:Iatamba, bishop, and sixteen were unavoidably absent. about twenty-nine miles from here, all on the The bishop reported briefly as follows: caravan trail. 5. Isangala, where our freights have to be taken by boats up the river to Manyan- " Our disappointment in not being able to get ga.. We have not bnilt, but our missionarY,E. A. direct and prompt tral)sport of our steamer and Shoreland, occupies rent free the station-honse other stuff to Stanley Pool, and detention in Vivi, of the government. 6. Natumba, near Banana, tllough trying to our faith and patience here, we have just received permission from the govand hard on the bopes of our patrons at home, ernor-general to select a Site, and I hope to be is working fOl' our good and for the enlargement able to send in duly a sketch of the land selected, of our field of operations on the Congo: and to settle on the premises in a tent till we can get a small iron house ordered from Liverpool." "1. In the nnexpected depletion of our transit funds. lIad the government of the State of Reports from varions stations were then pre- Congo been able to transport onr freight to Stan- senled. John A. Newth stated what had been ley Pool at a pound ($,;) per man-load, according done at Sadi Cabanzi. He said that the natives, to agreement, we could not have paid their trans- though willing to be taught English, declined port bills. Here, in Vivi, onr expenses are but having anything to do with the worship of God, light and our transport by steam will he much believing that all joining in it will die. Yet Mr. cheaper than by carriers alone. Newth helieves there is ground for hope. The witch-doctor, having been warned ,!gainst his ,. 2. It has been the means of a government barbarous practice, now brings all sick patients authorization to open a line of mission stations to the mission to receive medical treatment. from Vivi to Isangala, 55 miles, and thence to This is certainly a step in the right direction, for Manyanga, 88 miles, thence on the south side of it will give tbe natives confidence in the misthe Congo 100 miles to Stanley Pool. sionary. Mr. Newth thinks that when he is able ,to speak the langnage of thl' natives he will be "3. We are finding out as our acqnaintance able to {eason away tbeir prejudices. extends that north of said base line of stations there is a densely populated belt of conntry belonging to the Congo Btate, extending back to the Loango River, and that parallel east a belt of about 100 miles or more.
"Since our arrival here, about the first of The report from Vumtomba, back of Vivi, de- July of this year of grace-five months-we have, tailed the building operations, and stated that under the mechanical generalship of Brother the natives are very friendly, and there is a daily Critchlow, extemporized the construction of a class of from eight to eleven to learn English.
new steam wagon of 'Va.t pulling power, for the Miss Mary Kildare reported the result of her transport of our heavy freights np the steep hills, teaching in two villages near Vivi. She first got by means of this wonderful wagon and a little good classes of children, taught them to sing man force. All our cargoes have been bronghtup Christian songs; and to repeat the Command- the crooked, steep, rocky hills, from the beach ments and the Lord's Prayer. The interest and to Vivi top, a distance of about a mile and a attendance increased, and the parents began to half, since which our preacher and storekeeper, come, and one man has given up idol worship.
J. C. Teter, has taken stock of all our stores and The report from Matamba, by Charles Lamn, pat them under roof, lock and key. pur chief stated that that station was opened in September.
engineer, Silas W. Field, has rubbed up and The natives are eager to be taught. Letter from Our Oorrespondent at long as he could. My dear little son (12 years Tangier, Morocco. old) was so impressed by the sight that he also I JIAVE just returned .from Fez (the great nortbern capital of Morocco). I Was absent desired baptism, to my great joy. Muley four montbs; nearly" fortnigbt was consumed in getting tberp. We "dwelt in onr own hired Hasham'S conversion oC~llrred onlyabont tour house, and received all that came unto us, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching weeks after my arrival in Fez. Therefore I those things which cOncern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding bad bis help in the work all the rest of my us." A beloved young Scotch brother, wbo volunteered to accompany me and look after sojourn. He boldly and publicly confessed material matters, and my little son Frank, were my only companions. We were in great dis- Christ, abandouing the false faith of Moham- comfort for a time after our arrival, but after- ward secured a little bouse in a garden through med. He daily instructed tbose who came to which the river of Fez flowed. Here we spent some happy months, though with scarcely any the house. He has gifts that make it desirable of the ordinary appliances and comforts of civil· ized life. The people came freely about us. that he should give himself wholly to the work Many heard the word of life. The great op– portunities and large promise of work in this of the ministry, which is his great desire. I have land were more than ever impressed upon us. Not a few were at least intellectually convinced brought him with me to Tangier, where he has of the truth of Christianity. Some professed conversion. I will speak confidently of but one, eudeared bimself to us all, and hope to retain whose experience was most remarkable, and – who abides faitbfnl. His name is Hasham, and bim for help in the gospel. He supplies my im- he has the title of Muley, being a lineal de- ·scendant of Mohammed, and is looked upon perfect knowledge of Arabic. He is withont with peculiar veneration by his fellow-country- meu. His father's grandfather was the Sultan means, and I should be glad if some rich friend of Morocco. He is of middle age, of great iu- telligence, and well educated for a Moor. He should covet the exceeding honor of supplying had been greatly devoted to the faith of Moham- med and held an hereditary position in connection his temporal needs; $250 a year would amply with one of the many mosques (some fifty) of Fez, which he relinquished ou his conversion. meet this dear man's humble needs, and enable The details of bis being brought to believe in aud confess Cbrist arc of thrilling interest, and me to keep bim wholly occupied in gospel ef- some of them I would fear to tell lest they migbt be doubted. His awakeniug illustrates fort. Who will do it? My stay in Fez was of how feeble a word may be blessed. He had a child at the point of death, and I simply told great help to me in increasing my knowledge of him it was useless to pray to God for the child save in the name of Jesus. This word ent.ered Arabic. At our out-station (Arzeela) ten or eleven at once into his soul, and he spent that night praying for his child in the name, the thriee- souls have evidently received Christ, of whom blessed name, of Jesus. The next day but one he professed himself a believer in Christ, tell- two have fallen asleep. In tbis work God has ing me of a vision of the Lord Jesus he had had, that sounded like a leaf from the Acts of the honored the faith and toil of two devoted sisters, Apostles. It filled me with amazement and joy, aud I could do little but stand still and see tbe who fearlessly took np their abode in tbat little salvation of God. I bad but to point out what God said about a thing, and he received it Witll city where were no otbers than natives save rejOicing, and daily waxed strong, and he has already become a stalwart believer whose faith themselves. I cannot express how deeply I feel and patience would put many at home to shame Two or three days after his conversion I pointed that there are hundreds of Christian young out what the Lord Jesus said as to baptism, and he was eager to at once obey. I baptized him women in America who could give themselves that noon in the river in onr own garden. He did not wish me to raise him up at once, saying to such like work here. What an unfading as Christ remained in the grave three days be should like to lie upon the bottom of the river as crown would be theirs! I will gladly be the belper of sucb, or of young brethren, either.
Who will come? Who bas faith and courage for it? Snch as can trust the Lord for support shall lack no good thing, though among the good things they will find as part of them plenty of trials, as do we. But noue of these things move us. We count not our life dear to us. if we may; but finish our course with joy. I am about starting on another trip, or series of trips, into the interior to occupy these spriug months.
My wife and daugbter Carrie and Muley Hasham will be with me. We hope to a~ain go to Fez and perbaps other towns of southern Morocco after the summer heat has passed. Traveling is expensive, and we must have at least five mules.
To hire them consumes too much, so they must be purchased. Brother Eugene Levering, No.2 Commerce street, Baltimore, continues to re- ceive and -forward the bounty of tbe friends of our work. E. F. BALDWIN.
The McAll Mission.
[THE following letter, lately re- ceived from Mr~ MeAll, will be of in- terest to our readers.-EDs.} PARIS, January 14, 1888. At the close of the year 1887 and the opening of the new one our work in Paris and through- out France 'presents very many features which I am sure will not fail to rejoice the hearts of our dear friends of the American auxiliaries, who, with us, are so earnestly desirous for the Bayroux, the French pastor of St. Germain, will spread of thE> gospel in this land. I will attempt take the direction of the station, we supplying no more than a faint sketch of what we have him weekly with speakers from Paris. On the been enabled to accomplish within the last two opening evening we were cheered to ~ee the little or three months in the way of extending the hall filled, and though all was new and strange work, planting new stations in hitherto neg- to the majority of those present, there was re- lected districts of Paris and throughout France. spectful and serions attention thronghout. The Yon are aware that deficiency of funds had pro- speakers remarked that, while during long cen- hibited, during some years, our responding to turies the town had witnessed all manner of the many and urgent calls to break new ground. events and revolutions, never had a place been It is only quite recently that, having somewhat opened in its streets for the preaching of the recovered, through the efforts of our French pure gospel (the Protestant church is on the out- friends, in connection with the sale they held for skirts) until that night. We all felt that it was us last May in Paris, and from other sources, we our privllege to make thus a direct assault on have had the great joy of once again" lengthen- the strongholds of ignorance and incredulity, Ing our cords." This we have been enabled to and returned home with the glad conviction that do at a comparatively small additional outlay, as .. the Lord was there."
the entire work of many of the new stations is Time and space fail me to detail the openings undertaken gratuitously by the French pastors which increased our stations from 99 at the and others in the respective localities, so that close of 1EE7 to 114 as it now stands. In all we we have only to provide the little mission halls have increased our number of sittings by about and their incidental expenses, which, In many 1,600, raising the number with which we start cases, the very small means of these frieuds on the year tu about 17,000.
the spot would not enable them to meet. Will you not, dear American friends, join I will begin with last evening, January 12. with us in fervent prayer that, through the Holy We had the privilege of opening at 8 o'clock P.lI[. Spirit's influence, each of these sittings may, our 114th station. It is situated in a quarter during the year, witness the drawing of at least of Paris peopled by very poor and religiously ig- one heart to the Saviour? R. W. McALL.
norant people, In a district called Monceau.
Several of our valued helpers live near the spot, and have long much desired to attempt some- GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.
thing for their less favored neighbors. During Results of Missions. At the end the visit of M. Guillamne van der Beken, Secre- of 1884 there were at least 2,400,000 tary of the Paris Young Men's Christian Associ- adherents and 650,000 full church ation, some friends at Cincinnati felt so much interested in his statements respecting our members; 2,283,000 evangelized hea- work that they resolved to aid its extension. then-that is a significant number. They assured an extra fund to M. van der Beken for this pm·pose. He and his wife and It may not be that each of these is a her cousin and two ladies, all living close by, mature believer. Certainly;the ma- sought out this new mission hall, and last night jority have much weakness, and we set it apart for an effort to reach the poorest their Christianity is still in its juveand most neglected around. It is in the Rue de nile stage. Yet how many striking Tocqueville, close by a benevolent institution in instances of wonderful divine guidwhich houseless men get a meal and a night's ance, of the power of the gospel, of lodging. From this proximity we doubt not that many will turn into the room and hear the real conversion, of childlike faith, of gospel for the first time in their lives. The devout prayer, of love for the Word, opening meeting was very encouraging. With of willing self-sacrifice, of heroic enthe exception of a few friends, it consisted en- durance for the confession of Christ, tirely of the neighbors, working people, etc. The place looked exceedingly neat and attractive and are included in these 2,283,000 I How was well filled. It was delightful to hear the widely spread in different lands are people try to sing the hymns, and their attention these 2,283,000 I If we may take a. was reverent while we commended them to our journey around the globe, almost Father's blessing. These Christian ladies (men- tioned above) of the neighborhood propose to everywhere do we meet more or less organize in the hall, in addition to the public of them. In Labrador and Greenland, meeting, children'S religious services, mothers' among the Indians and negroes of meetings, etc. British America and the United On Wednesday of last week we opened our llath station, at St. Germain-en·Saye, an ancient States, in the West Indies, off the town of 18,000 inhabitants, a few miles from coasts of Central and Southem Ame- Paris. Mr. Elliott J. Shepherd of New York rica, and even in the wilds of Terra. has generously supplied the fands for this new del Fuego, 688,000 of heathen have movemeut, in memory of the birth of a little daughter during his sojourn in the town. M. Zealand and Australia, missionary been gathered into Christian commu- supply of two factories only. Mr. nities. If we leave San Francisco to go across the Pacific Ocean, we find in the Bently says" he has heard of 50,000 Sandwich Islands, in Micronesia and Melanesia and Polynesia, in New or 60,000 cases of gin as the annual converts numbering 240,000 souls. If we turn to the Indian Archipelago sale of certain factories of the Dutch and from there go to the Japanese islands, and then to the Asiatic con- House." / tinent, India, China, Persia, and Asia Minor, we find 754,000 heathen who Says Dr. Cuyler, in the New York have become Christians. Coming at last to Africa, we meet the converts Evangelist: in Madagascar, among the Caffres, Bechuanas and Hottentots, South .. I went to Washington to present a memorial Africa, the negroes of the interior, from the National Temperance Society to the and the west coast from Congo to Senegambia, amounting to 577,000. Committee on Foreign Affairs of the United -The Prospect in Asia. Dr. Abel States Senate, in behalf of rum-cursed Africa. Stevens, writing to the Central Chris- Wheu the Berlin Conference shaped the future tian Advocate from Yokohama, Japan, says: of the vast Free State of the Congo, three "I have been inspecting the great Asiatic years ago, they prohibited the slave trade. But battle-fields, and I report the general conviction of both foreigners and intelligent natives here, they left a worse scourge uncheCked. The Hon. that the epoch of a grand social and religious revolutiou has Bet in in India, Burmah, China. Mr. Kasson, who represented the United States, and Japan; that this old 'Asiatic heathendom is generally gIving way before the continually in- Sir Edward Malet, who l·epresented Great creasing power of Western thought and Chris_ tian civilization. The present is the most pro- Britain, with Count de Launey of Italy and pitious hour that ever dawned on Asia since the advent of Christ. Let us hail it, and march into Count; vau der Straten of Belgium, strove hard these great open battle-fields with all our fiags uplifted. I am not carried away by the enthu_ to have a clause prohibiting the sale of intoxisiasm of the heroic meu I have met in these tlelds: I know well the diftlculties that still cants to the native tribes. The German and remain, and can criticise as well as anybody grave defects iu the campaign. But I feel sure Dutch commissioners fought it out, and Gerthat the hoary paganism of this Asiatic world is tottering to its fall; that the tlnal Christian battle many has sent over BeVen millions of gallons of is at hand." • fire water' into that doomed region in a single Wendell Phillips says: year I Holland has sent over one million lAud .. The answer to the Shaster is India; the answer to Confncianism is China; the answer to out of the port of Boston, between J une,1885, and the Koran is Tnrkey; the answer to the Bible is the Christian civilization of Protestant Europe June, 1886, there was shipped 733,000 gallons and America." of death-dealing New Englaud rum into the -Africa and Rum. The exports of spirits to Africa from Great Britain, Congo country I The negroes are becoming Germany, Portugal and the United crazed not only with the drink, but for it. Many States in a single year amounted to nearly 9,000,000 gallons! And these of them refuse to take in exchange for palm-oil, gallons are multiplied many times before they are dealt out to the na- Ivory and other prodncts, any manufactured tives. One of the National African Company's steamers recently carried fabrics, and clamor for strong drink I Two re- 25,000 cases of gin and mm for the sults follow: the natives are being bestialized with alcohol, and all hope of opening a valuable market for our goods is being destroyed. The chief ' Christian' powers of the world are be- coming the colossal grogsellers to poor imbrut- ed Africa, and are destroying one hnndred times as many as Christiau missions are saving. A powerful influence is being brought to bear on the English Government to prohibit the liquor trallic iu Africa by British SUbjects. The memo- rial I took to Washingtou besought our gov- ernment to adopt effective measures to suppress this destructive trallic by American citizens. A vigorous push should be made by every constit- uency upon its representative, by petition and by correspondence. No time is to be lost. One year now iu the history of Africa is worth a century in its degraded past. If Christendom is going to supplant Paganismwith whiskey-barrels, then Africa had better been left in heathenish se- clnsion. At any rate, let our republic wash its hands of any further participation in this whole- sale crime against a whole race of immortal beings."
" What is being done out there in the name of conscience," says the New York Tribune, edito- rially, "is a world of crime of a character so colossal, of an immorality so shameless and pro· found, that if it could be regarded as a type and !1lustration of nineteenth century civilization, it would be necessary to denounce that civilization as a horrible sham and a conspicuous failure." Says Canon Farrar in the Contem- They are said to be a very musical . porary Review: people. Music enters largely into all "The old rapacity of the slave-trade has been matters of social importance, and followed by the greedier and more ruinous ra- the love of it finds expression in the pacity of the drink-seller. Our fathers tore from manufacture and employment of a the neck of Africa a yoke of whips; we have variety of instruments. The Bursubjected the native races to a yoke of scorpi- mese gong, when deeply struck by· ons. We have opened the rivers of Africa to the accustomed hand and thereafter commerce, only to ponr down them the' 1'aging gently waved in air, is by no means Phlegethon of alcohol,' than which no river of unpleasant to hear. And when, as the Inferno is more blood-red or more accursed. is often the case, it is employed to ls the conscience of the nation dead? If not. will no voice be raised of snfficient power to awaken it from a heavy sleep?" summon a passing neighbor on his Bosnia.-Pastor Kolatschek, who way with an offering to some distant spent the years 1884-1886 in gospel temple, in order that he may become work among the Bosnians, gives the agent in transmitting a similar some interesting reports concerning gift from a worshiper whom cir- the evangelization in that county.r cumstances detain at home, it con- The political authorities do not op- veys a lesson which we do well to pose this work in any way, which is lay to heart.
conducted under the auspices and China.-Ex-Secr«!tary Holcomb of with the financial aid of the Gusta- the American Legation at Peking vus Adolphus Society of Germany. says that out of the 400,000,000 in- habitants of the Chinese Empire fully Burmah.-All of Burmah belongs 300,000,000 spend less than $1.50 a to Great Britain and forms a part of month for food. the East India Empire. Lower Burmah consists of the· provinces of Ar- France.-Rev. Dr. Muchmore of rakan, Pegu, Irrawaddy and Tenas- the Presbyterian, Philadelphia, who serim, with an area of 87,220 square recently returned from a two-years' miles, and a population in 1881 of travel abroad, and whose admirable 2,736,771. Upper Burmah, known etters during that time have received previously to 1886 as Independent wide attention, gives in one of his Burmah, is estimated to have 190,- latest his views touching the MeAll 500 square miles and a population :Mission, which will be read with inof 3,500,000. It is probable that in terest by many of our readers who all Burmah there is now a popUlation are interested in this great religious of near 8,000,000. In Lower Burmah movement of our day. He says: the census of 1881 divided the people religiously into 88,171 Hindus, 168,- ., The McAJI work has never been independent 881 Mohammedans, 3,251,584 Buddh- of the churches and pastors of Paris. The selfists, 84,219 Christians. The people negation of this wonderfnl Christian man. who of Upper Burmah are almost en- is the founder and head, is monumental. It tirely Buddhists. wonld have been the easiest thing in the world to have started a church bearing his name or The Burmese make jokes freely, any other name. But instead. he has wrought but are not so ready to take them, in the greatest harmony with the French pasand have a. bitter dislike to being tors. Re has advised with them, has had their teased. Their manners are courteous, constant help. Some of the most eminent preaching in these stations- two, three and some- but quite free. They are not an in- times four times a week, is by men of worlddustrious race, yet we ought not to wide repntation, such as Dr., nOw Senator de call them lazy. A moderate amount Pressense, Pasteurs Bersier, Monod, Recolin, of work for two days supplies them Dhombres, Rollard and others. There is but with ample provision for both, and one opinion about this work in Paris, nay in all for a third, which they spend in medi- France, which is enthnsiastic and profOlmdly tation, boat-racing, football, or other trustful. It is the auxiliary ofthe French Protestrecreations according to taste. ant churches, and at this moment we are told that there are a hundred applications for these helpers for the churches throughout France by the pastors and consistories.. The work, by its of the people by a common religious own momentum. of grace, widens and deepens, bond. Hinduism is a social organizaand the cry, not only in France but far beyond tion an!i religious confederacy. As it, is to them, ' Come over and help us.' One of a social organization it rests on caste. its most blessed fruits is in imparting a knowl- As a religious confederacy it repreedge to the pastors of France of better methods sents the coalition of the cultured of work. In the long inactivity of the church, faith of the Brahmans with the ruder when it was practically fettered, the tendency rights and materialistic beliefs of the was to take the life and aggressive activity out more backward races. In both asof it and its pastors. Many had fallen into a pects Hinduism is a deliberate system humdrum conservatism, little less lively than of compromise. It accepts the posithe dead march. Then courage, which now tion that the spiritual needs of races works throngh their marvelous aggressiveuess, differ in each stage of their developwas all repressed by the terror which through ment, and that man most naturally ages becomes the law of being. The pastors worships what, for the time being, he come up from all over France. aud catch the . most reverences or most fears. On spirtt and learn its methods, and carry them this foundation Hinduism has built home, not in vain, as the wonderful revivals up the enduring but ever-changing' throughout France during the last two years st.ructure of Indian ritual and belief. have shown. To the ministry of France it has No conversions to Islam on a considbeen betterin its teaching how to work than a half erable scale have taken place since dozen ordinary seminaries. The French clergy 1872. Even a solitary case might be appreciate it, pray for it, French Protestants sought for in vain of such a change contributed to it over five thousand francs, a of religiOUS belief from conscientious great snm consideri~ their condition and the conviction. But a small amount of demands upon their poverty. They commend converRions is going steadily on. It it, as they well might, and God forbid that they proceeds from social and economical shonld ever become so blind as not to feel that reasons, and is confined to the lower it is the pnlsation of their own church heart. orders, and occurs oftener among For they mnst never be separated. It would females than males. Hindus who imperil, to our judgment, the hopes of the sal- have lost caste, women who have vation of France. But it may be asked, What fallen into an immoral life, men who are the results, not general, but organized? The have abandoned their family faith French Protestant churches are receiving con- for the sake of a woman of the other verted sonls that they could never have reached. creed-these, and such as these, re- All the pastors, who have wrought in this work, lease themselves from the restraints have had accessions from it, pastors Bersier, of caste rules by adopting Islam. In Monod, de Pressense, etc., and so has it been such conversions religious feeling has with the Methodist, Congregational and Baptist no place. churches" Into this ancient and powerfulor- -India's Religions. "The first idea ganization a new religious force has of our missio.aaries was to make con- thrust itself, a force animated by a verts from the established religions profoundly different spirit. Christianof India. During the last fifty years ityis not a new rpligion in India. Its this idea has been modified. In such a history dates from a period 700 years country a religion must stand or fall before the rise of media'lVal Hinduism by what it does for the well-being of and 1,000 years before any wideits own people. This principle ap- spread Indian settlement of Islam. plies to the three great religions of The new religious force now at work modern India – Mohammedanism, amid Hinduism is neither the Nesto- Hinduism and Christianitv. There rianism of the patriarchs nor the Cais a dense and dark mass;f $50,000,- tholicism of the popes. The Catholic 000 of human beings in India lying and Syrian churches still go on calmon the outskirts or beyond the pale ly with their great task and claim of orthodox Hinduism and Islam. Within fifty years these 50,000,000 will be absorbed into one or other of the higher faiths. Islam represents in British India a compact and coherent mass of 45,000,000, who in spite of internal divisions are more closely united than any equally large section over 1;600,000 of the 2,148,227 Chris- dition of one faith."'-Sir William tians in India. The new disruptive NelsvnHunter, in the London Times. force is Protestant and Anglican Christianity. English mlssIOnary Hindu Astrology in Trouble. The work began in the last year of the Bombay Guardian gives a singular last century. 'fhe results achieved story of the trials which some emiby three missionary periods in India nent Hindu pundits are undergoing -the period of private effort, the on account of the interference of period of great organized societies, Western science with their system of and the period of societies side by astrology, which is closely connected side with ascetic brotherhoods-may with their religion. A meeting of be thus summarized. In 1851 the learned Brahmans from Benares and Protestant missions in India and Bur- other places had been held to conmah had 222 stations; in 1881 their sider this conflict between science stations had increased nearly three- and their religion. It seems that the fold, to 601. The number of churches date of a certain holy festival, the or congregations had during the thir- Durga Puja, which ought to be fixed ty years multiplied from 267 to 4,180, by the study of the stellar influences, or over fifteen-fold. There is not has of late years been fixed by an only a vast increase in the number of examination of the Englishman's stations, but a still greater increase Sheet Almanac. The Guardian says: in the work done by each station, while the number of native Protes- .. This impious conduct, subversive of the tant Christians increased from 91,092 very principles on which Hindu festivals were in 1851 to 492,882 in 1881, and the instituted, has been reported by an enemy to the communicants increased from 14,661 orthodox Brahmans, and great has been the agito 138,254. During the same thirty tation produced by the disclosure. Not only years the pupils in mission schools according to this discovery:have past feasts been multiplied from 64,043 to 196,360. observed in violation of planetary conjunctions These enormous increments have and stellar influences, rendering acts of merit been obtained by making a larger nugatory, neceSSitating the repetition of vows, use of native agency. A native Prot- upsetting marriages, confusing births, and in· estant church has, in truth, grown ducing blight, pestilence, and disaster of every up in India capable of supplying in a kind; but the holidays this month, for which large measure its own staff. In 1851 many of us have made all arrangements, will be there were twenty-one ordained min- useless and need not be observed. Such were isters, and in 1881 they had increased the asseverations of the Brahmans, and as the to 575. The number of native lay great question when to hold the forthcoming preachers had risen from 493 to the pujahs must be settled immediately, the meetvast total of 2,586. The wonderful ings we have mentioned were convened." growth of the native clergy in recent years has brought Christianity closer There was a heated discussion at to native institutions. The appoint- this meeting. Many were not prement of native bishops, for which the pared to admit that all their rites time is at hand, will do more. Indi- and ceremonies were wholly without an Christianity, organized on the merit on account of the failure to hit Indian communal basis and in part upon the right day. But there was directed by native spiritual leaders, agreement upon the doctrine that would reproduce, as far as the diver- the stars must fix the day, while it gent creeds of modern times permit, was gravely disputed whether their Tertullian's picture of the early positions should be determined by churches united by 'the communion the use of modern astronomical inof peace, the title of brotherhood, struments or by the study of the the token of hospitality, and the tra- shastras.
Japan.-Joseph Cook, in Our Day, says as to the prospects of Unitarian missions in Japan: ":Mr. Knapp, who was lately sent to Japan on a Unitarian' embassy,' said in his farewell ad- dress in Boston, November 6, 'My errand 1ft not a mission to heathen. • • • It is conference, not conversion, at which I aim.' A son of Fu- i[ your committee think fit to elect knzawa, the eminent Japanese educator, readan me an honorary member of your soaddress following :Mr. Knapp, and closing with ciety. I have often said that the this extraordinary benediction: 'May God, progress of Japan was the greatest Buddha, and the eight million deities of Japau wonder in the world, but I declare bless him.' (Okristian Register, Nov. 17, 1887.) that the progress of Fuegiais almost The gross irreverence of tbis reference in its equally wonderful.' After commendconjunction of the divine name with pagan dei- ing the success of the London Misties shocked many hearers, but met with no re- sionary Society in the South Seas, buke, although Dr. Hale and President Eliot the late Professor Rolleston, at the were on the platform. Eveu tbe Unitarian Re- meeting of the British Association in view <Dec. 1887, p. 592) says only tbat no mis- 1875, quoted Dr. Gerland: 'The desionary was ever before sent abroad with' so crease of the Polynesian popUlation oomprebensive a benediction' as that pro- is not now going on as fast as it was nounced ou lIIr. Kuapp by young FUkuzawa. It in the first half of this century. is painfully evident that Unitariau missions COn- Whilst in this matter the English ducted in the spirit of this keynote wonld be ex- Government deserves great praise, ceedingly injurious to Japan, and that their suc- and whilst Sir George Grey has done cess wonld give to her population ouly a plenti- more for the Polynesians than almost ful feast of east wind. A Unitarian journal of any other man, the missionaries, nevleading authority lately said that the most noto- ertheless, stand in the very front rious inlidellecturer in the United States might rank among the benefactors of these be admitted to membership in a liberal Unitarian races, with their unwearied, selfchurch. Japan should remember the bright sacrificing activity.' Russell, in his saying of Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of work upon 'Polynesia, 1840,' said: Charles Darwin: 'Unitarianism is a feather-bed 'The progress which the Polynesians to catch a falling Christian' (Life of Darwin, Am. have made was really set on foot by ed., vol. i. p. 513). The Land of the Rising Sun the missionaries. They have had the should keep in mind Coleridge's remark (Table greatest influence ~upon the civiliza- Talk), •A Unitarian may be a Christian, but tion of the natives; they have taken Unitarianism is not Christianity.' .. their part and protected them when they could; they have further given Polynesia. – Much has been said them the fast foothold, the new fresh against the introducion of Christian- object, motive, and meaning for their ity and civilization among the peo- whole existence, of which they stood ple of the South Sea Islands, as tend- so much in need.' Whatever ridicule ing to the destruction of the native 'The Earl and the Doctor' and simiraces. It has been affirmed that to lar books may have cast upon miscarry the gospel to them was the sure sions in the Pacific, this has been way to exterminate them. An arti- conclusively refuted by the unbiased cle in The LondonMissionary Ohron- testimony of Admiral Wilkes and icle brings some testimony on this Captain Erskine, to the effect that matter and shows what missions have the moral reformation of the islanddone for the" elevation and preserva- ers is pre-eminently due to the exertion of the islanders in the Pacific. It tions of the agents of the London SlJ,ys: "For the sake of the preserva- Missionary Society. So again, in retion and raising of the aboriginal na- sisting the coolie traffic of Polynesia, tives, whatc1ass of men have equaled the natives have not had more steadthemissionariesin promoting asancti- fast champions than the missionaries. fied manhood and womanhood among How much has also been accomsavages and heathen? It will not be plished for the redemption of the out of place to give Darwin's opinion slave in the West Indies, and in the upon the civilization of degraded alleviation of the brutish and servile tribes through the agency of mis- condition of the natives of India I If, sions. Writing to the secretary of the South American Missionary Society in 1870, he says: 'The success of the Terra del Fuego Mission is most wonderful, and charms me, as I always prophesied utter failure. It is a grand success. I shall feel proud
INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT. '
further, we c6nsider the superhuman Arabic-speaking peoples, Pl'. Geo. E. self-abnegation of Livingstone for Post, in the New York Evangelist, the suppression of African slavery, or the labors and endurance of worthily says: Vanderkemp, Phillip, Ebner, KitcheneI', and Moffatt for the welfare " It would take a long'list to exhaust the ~ of the Bushman, KaffiI', Bechuana, !igious, literary aud scientific contributions to and Hottentot, there can be no the Arabic language from the missionaries in stronger exposure of the calumnies Syria. They include the translation of the which Sir Samuel Baker has raised SCriptures and the stereotyping of the same in against the missionary and his mes- numerous styles; the preparation of a Scripture sage." goide, commentaries, a concordance, and a complete hymn and tune book; textbooks in Syria.-Contributions of Mission- history, algebra, geometry, trignometry, logaaries to Science and Education. In rithms, astronomy, meteorology, botany, zoiilonoticing the completion of another gy, physics, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, hygreat work by Dr. Dennis of Beirut, giene, materia medica, practice of physic, snrone of a series prepared by him, in- gery, and a periodical literature which has cluding the Canon and Interpretation proved the stimulus to a very extensive native of Scripture and Evidences of Re- journalism. The Protestant converts of the ligion, which have become the stand- mission, educated by the missionaries, have ards of theological instruction for the written elaborate works On history, poetry, grammar, arithmetic, uatural science, and the standard dictionary of the lauguage, and a cy- clopoodia which will make a library by itself, consisting of about twenty volumes of from six hundred to eight hundred pages each."
IV.-INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
CONDUCTED BY REV. J. T. GRACEY, D.D., OF THE" INTERNATIONAL MIS- SIONARY UNION."
The English Language on Indian Res- the red races must, be taught the English language in order to their ervations. nationalization, and pressure, stead- THE relation of languagfls to the ily augmented, has been brought to civilization and nationalization of pagan peoples is no new topic. The bear on all having to do with these governments of Europe have given tribes, to secure compliance with large attention to the subject. Mis- this policy. The cousensus .of pubsionary organizations during the last lic opinion supports this aim of century have studied it more pro- the government, though there is di- foundly and with wider experience versity of view as to its relative im- than anyone government, if not portance among the several means more than all governments. contributing to the same result. The The United States Government moral and religious training of these has experience limited to its own ter- races is fundamentally essential to ritory and to the one aboriginal race their civilization and nationalization, found therein. It has, within a com- and the philological influences and paratively few years past, given a lit- facilities, stoutly helpful and impor- tle consideration to the relations of tant, are yet imperatively subordi- the languages of these people to the nate. All parties, therefore, outside question of their preparation for citi- of the Indians themselves, may be zenship, and their ultimate absorp- said to have favored the acquisition tion into the national commonwealth; of the Englis"h language by these a view of their possible future which tribes, and all have sought, at least in is itself of recent date. During these some degree, to attain this object. few years, those charged with the It appears that the Indian Bureau conduct of Indian affairs have had a or the Indian Commissioner, or a steadily deepening conviction, that subordinate of the Commissioner whose instrument he became, thought 2. Rev. Dr. Strieby has partially this object was to be secured more summarized the objections to the new rapidly by means of fOi'ce, and an regulation as, first of all, judged of edict was issued which forbade in- from only a secular and government struction, by anybody, to any Indians, standpoint. It is said that this in any of the Indian vernaculars. sacrifices the present generation of This was afterward modified in a adults, and is impracticable; it is imhomeopathic degree to read: possible at once to educate the chil- dren of school age among the Indians, .. No other person than a native teacher will as there are only 13,000 pupils now in be ~ermitted to teach in any Indian vernacular, the schools of a total population of and these native teachers will only be allowed 46,000 .of school age; that it would iu schools not supported in whole or in part by cost the government a half million the government, at remote points where there dollars to furnish school-houses for is no government or contract school where the these, and another half million for English language is taught." books and teachers, and thus require a million dollars for the first year; President Cleveland says, in his re- that it is simply impossible to secure ply to criticisms against this order, the teachers if the government werewhich were formulated in resolution otherwise ready-it would require one by the Philadelphia Methodist Epis- thousand teachers; that there must be copal Annual Conference, that it ap- increasing expenditure for the schools plies to text-books also. He says of the character desired, as the ap- propriations of the government show .. That uo text-books in the vernacular will be the expense of these schools to haye allowed iu any school where children are placed increased forty-fold in ten years, under contract, or where the government con- while the average attendance has tributes, in any manner Whatever, to the sup- scarcely trebled. At the ratio of inport of the schools; no oral instruction in the crease of attendance of these children, vernacular will be allowed in such schools. The in school during the past ten years, entire curriculum must be in the English lau- it will require sixty years to get these guage. The vernacular may be used in mission- children in schools. It will therefore ary schools ouly for oral instruction in morals probably, even following out the govand religion, where it is deemed to be an auxiliary ernment policy, require half a cento the English langnage in conveying such in- tury before the English language can struction, and only native Indian teachers will be be made the language of communicapermitted to otherwise teach in any Indian tion with the Indians; and thus while vernacular; and these native teachers will only the permanent use of these Indian be allowed so to teach in schools not supported languages is not necessarily to be dein whole or iu part by the government and at sired, their temporary use is of great remote points, where there are no government consequence. But it is essential that or contract schools where the English language the Indian be Christianized in order to is taught, and such instruction must give way to his nationalization. When the Indian the English-teaching schools as soon as they are becomes a Christian, his eyes are established where the Indians can have access opened for the first time to the idea to them." of a right qivilization, and he begins then to know the value of the Eng- It appears that even interlinear lish industries and of the Englishlantext-books are prohibited. guage.
Several objections have been raised 3. Rev. Charles W. Shelton, .at the to these regulations of the govern- same Mohonk Conference at which Dr. Strieby spoke as we have shown, ment. illustrated the process of Christiani- t. While the Board of Indian Com- zation as the short cut both to civil- missioners are on record over and again as favoring and strengthening the influences which would bring the Indians to a knowledge of English, they yet say in their last annual report that .. The school 'facilities being now snfficient for only abont one-third of the Indian children of school age, every effort for their education should be encouraged. A little teaching even in the vernacular is better than no instruction." ization and to the use of the English right to say whether they may have language, by reference to the 75,000 a theological seminary? How can it Indians of the Indian Territory, for be "satisfactol'lY" to missionaries to whom Congress has no need to legis- accept as a concession from the govlate, no bills coming before Congress ernment the right to have a " theoon their account. He says it is be- logical class," the number of which is cause three-quarters of a century to be "limited" at the discretion of ago the missionaries commenced to the Indian Bureau? This is a funda- Christianize them. He affirms that mental interference with fundagovernment cannot Americanize the mental and recognized rights which Indian from their standpoint, and if it were the sweetest charity to it were possible it is not the goal, as excuse as merely an impertinence. education in English is not a pre- And when again the President exventive of crime. plains that "these rules are not in- tended to prevent the possession: or 4. Serious exception is taken to this use by any Indian of the Bible, pubgovernment order, as invading nat- lished in the vernacular, but such ural and moral rights. Rev. Dr. possession or use shall not interfere Gilman asks if the government has with the teaching of the English any right to prohibit the Indian to language to the extent and manner teach his child in the only language hereinbefore directed," can he expect he knows. And if one may, may it will be "satisfactory," inasmuch "Ilot a half dozen employ the same as it involves the moral right of every means to teach them? Is it not man on American soil to own his proper to inquire what rights parents Bible and read it in Greek or Chochave over their children? taw without asking or receiving the concession as a privilege from the 5. Still graver objection is made to government? The very explanation the invasion of the rights of Ameri- is unfortunate. The government is can citizens in their personal and simply dealing with that which, out- private capacity. It is contrary to the side of its own schools, is none of its genius of the nation itself that the business, even if the matter at issue moral right to conduct benevolent, were vastly more essential to the charitable or Christianizing agencies nationalization of the Indians than it by such means as are esteemed nec- is or possibly can be. essary thereto by the parties in the case, shall be interfered with by an The brief expression of opinions of officer of the government. President eminent gentlemen, who have stud- Cleveland, in the letter already re- ied this subject for years, which will ferred to, says : be found below, was solicited by us with the privilege of their publica- "A limited theological class of Indian young tion in the REVIEW, and they will be men may be trained in the vernacular at any read with great interest. purely missionary school, snpported exclusively by misSionary societies, the object being to pre- OPINIONS OF EMINENT MEN ON LATE pare them for the ministry whose snbsequent ACTION OF THE INDIAN BUREAU. work shall be confined to preaching, nnless they are employed as teachers in remote settle- GENERAL CLI"TON B. FISK, CHAIRMAN BOARD 011' ments, where Ellglish schools are inaccessible." INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. And then, singularly enough, adds: • NEW YORK, March 26,1888. "The mIes referred to have been modified and changed in their phraseology to meet the I am in favor of using the English language views of good men who seek to aid the govern- ment In its benevolent intention, nntil it was only, in the schools conducted for the edncation snpposed their meaning was quite plain and their purpose satisfactory." of the Indians, as speedily as that can be done, How can the President suppose it I believe the Indian Bnrean erred in attempting to be "satisfactory" to American citizens or American Indians either, to prohibit the use of the Indian language in that the government shall claim the schools snpported by missionary societies. It was a wrong I Wish might be corrected withont delay. CLINTON B. FISK. THE BIGHT REV. BISHOP HAllE OF TIm lIIIS- gnu among the DakotaS' more than half a cen; SIONARY DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN DAKOTA. tury ago, and the result has been the conversion SIOUX FALLS, DAKOTA, March 31,1888. of hundreds from savage and heathen practices to Before answering your question and giving the white man's faith and civilization and the knowledge of the Saviour of men. Must this my opinion of the order of the Indian Burean good work cease at the nnchristian demand of prohibiting the teaching of the vernacular lan- an officer ofthe government of the United States , guage On the Indian reservations by missionary Why should the Bible in their own tongue be or other agents not supported by the govern- taken away from the Dakota people f And why ment, I must say by way of introduction, lest I should official edict prevent a poor Indian from reading and being taught of things divine in his should be misnnderstood, that I think some ac- Own vernacular? "Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe In me, It Is better tion in the'premises on the part of the govern- for him that a millstone were hanged about hill ment was called for. There is a tendency in neck and he were cast into the sea" (Mark many:of those who live on Indian reservations, ix. 42). The Washington order and not the Dahoth the Indian and the white missionaries, to kota Bible should be put under the ban. shut themselves in from the commOn life of onr people. This seems to me a capital mistake. E. L. FANCHER. Safety for 250,000 Indians, divided np unto several hundred trihes, speaking as many different HERBERT WELSH, ESQ., SECRETARY OJ!' THE languages, scattered on about seventy different reservations among 50,000,000 of English-speak- INDIAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION. ing people, can he found ouly if the smaller people fiow in with the current of life and ways of PHILADELPHIA, March 31, 1888. the larger. The Indians are not an insulated people, like some of the islanders of the South I believe that while it is of great importance Sea. Our work is not that of building np a national Indian chnrch with a national liturgy in or Indians to have a practical knowledge of the the Indian tongue. It is rather that of resolving the Indian structnre and preparing its parts for English language, so that they may know what being taken up into the great whole in church and state. things to take and what to reject in our civil- I think that decisive measures were needed in ization, a knowledge of Christian principles Is order to give emphasiS to these principles and to stir teachers and missionaries np to more intel- still more necessary to their welfare, as it is esligent and strenuous efforts to teach the Indians the EngliHh language. sential to the development of high strong per- I think, however, that the government has sonal character. Hence to oppose instruction shown, in the shape in which they have pnt the order referred to in your letter, great want of for Indians in the essentials of Christian trnth consideration for Christian teachers and missionaries who have been its best helpers in the throngh the medium of their own tongue, where work it wishes to do, and has trampled upon sa· cred rights which I had supposed would never circnmstances forbid the nse of English, I bebe made light of in this free land. lieve is nnsound policy. Yours respectfully, W. H. HARE, Bishop. "Forthe government to forbid or to restrict the HON. E. L. FANCHER, PRESIDENT AMERICAN use of the native tongue on the part of those who BIBLE SOCIETY. NEW YORK, March 30,1888. are laboring for the civilization of the Indians, I have no hesitation in saying that the edict independently of government financial aid, is, ofthe Commissioner of Indian Affairs is a blot on the page of Christian civilization. To command in my jndgment, for it to transcend the moral as it does that "no person other than a native Indian teacher will be permitted to teach in any limits of its authority. Such an act is oppressive Indian vernacnlar" is to close the door oCmission schools among the Indians and deny Christian in its nature, out of harmony with American missionaries the right of teaching the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and anyessen- ideas, and will only succeed in irritating and tial doctrine of the Bible. For there are thonsands of Indians who do not understand the alienating Protestant missionaries and In ham- English langnage, and before they can learn it their earthly existence, as to many, will ter- pering their valuable work for the welfare of the minate. Indians. HERBERT WELSH. The Dakota Bible is read in Indian schools by BEY. DR. GILlIlAN. SECRETARY OF THE AMERICAN many who cannot understand English, and what right has an officer of this free government to BIBLE SOCIETY. forbid its further nse f Mission work was be- BIBLE HOUSE, NEW YORK, April 4, 1888.
The rulings of the Commissionerof IndlanAl- fairS seem to have been determined, first by his personal opinion, repeatedlyannonnced, that any instrnction of the Ind4lns in their native tongne is nseless and detrimental to them; and sec- ondly, by his conviction that fidelity to his oath of 01lice requires him to prohibit instruction altogether. 1 In hoth these respects I think he Is wrong.
The missionaries are not dOing a nseleHs and harmful thing in teaching Indian boys and girl"
to read the Scriptnres in their own tongue, and even if they were it Is a high-minded measure for a government officer in Washington to set up his personal jndgment'on such a matter as a rule with which they must comply or be debarred from carrying on their philanthropic edncatlonal work. He goes out of his province when he dictates the methods of instruction for them to pursue, aud attempts to suppress a language by lows: In Philadelphia Yearly Mee~ ing, 1882; Iowa, Hl83; Indiana, 1883; an official edict. By his own confession "the New England, 1884; Ohio, 1884; Can- ada, 1885; North Carolina, 1885; Kaneffect of this policy upon any missionary body sas, 1885; New York, 1887. College societies are also formed at Earlham, was not considered," and that, when self-deny- Ind., and Wilmington, O. The mem- bership of these societies in 1886 was ing missionaries for all these years have been 3,892, and they had at that time raised $27,840. They have done much interested in giving the Indians a literature in valuable service in stimnlating the raising of money, and have rendered their OWn tongue. This is the gravamen of my much aid in establishing and sup- porting missions in Syria, China, Jacomplaint. EDWARD W. G,LMAN. pan, lVlexico, Jamaica, and among the American Indians. This work REV. LYMAN ABBOTT, D.D., EDITOR THE CIlRJB- has led to the establishment of a mis- sionary paper, the Friends' Mission- TIANU~ION. ary Advocate, edited and published at Chicago by Esther Tuttle Pritch- NEW YORK, March 31, 1888. ard. I can only say in answer to yours of March 28, in the briefest possible words: These several societies, ten in all, 1. That I think it very desirable to cease all were entirely separate, each from all nse of the vernacular in the Indian schools at the others, and have had no bond of earliest possible moment. union except that of their being 2. That I think the government has an entire of the same denomination, but they right to prohibit the use of the vernacular in any judged the time had a1'l'ived to seschools dependent in whole or in part upon gov- cure, if not some general organizaernment aid. tion, at least some unity of plan in 3. But it clearly has no right morally, what- the conduct both of their work at ever its technical legal right may be, to prohibit home and abroad. religious or philanthropic organizations from carrying on their work in any way and by any Representatives of these societies instrumentality they think best. were appointed to meet for this pur- pose, and some seventy of them met LYMAN ABBOTT. in Indianapolis, March 31, 1888, and organized" The First National Mis- Fifth Annual Meeting of the Interna- sionary Conference of the Woman's tional Missionary Union. Foreign Missionary Societies of Friends." 'fhe opening session it- THE fifth annual meeting of the In- self was marked by what is a "new ternational Missionary Union will be departure" among Quakers: it was held at Bridgeton, New Jersey, July inaugurated with singing. 5-1.2, 1888, inclusive. Ministers and others interested in foreign mission- This was an interesting moment, ary work are invited to be present. for in the veins of some of these All foreign missionaries, ladies or women flowed the blood of a Quaker gentlemen, temporarily or perma- ancestry of many generations, the nently in this country, are eligible to temporary president herself being in membership in the Union and will re- a line of Quaker preachers as far ceive free entertainment during the back as it can be traced; and to her meeting. For information address these associations were almost as the president of the Union, Rev. J. family ties; yet in this meeting, T. Gracey, D.D., 202 Eagle street, which was to set the precedent for Buffalo, N. Y.; the secretary, Rev. C. the future, the keynote was st.ruck W. Park, Birmingham, Conn.; the by singing treasurer, Rev. William H. Belden, Bridgeton, New Jersey; J. L. Phillips, M.D., Howard, R. I.; or Rev. E. R. Young, Brampton, Canada.
First National Conferenoe of the Wom- an's Foreign Missionary Sooieties of Friends. THE work of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Societies of Friends began in Western Yearly Meeting, the first s?ciety being formed at Plainfield in 1881. Since that, similar so- cieties have been organized, as fol- "All hail the power of Jesus' naDie." relative to future punishment, or other doctrine, in conflict with. the The season of devotion which fol- standards of other orthodox churches. lowed was oneof deep, quiet spiritual There are women of ability in this power. The address of welcome was church of whom this could not be made by Eliza C. Armstrong, who said, but the.y are not among these was among the first to suggest the delegates. This is attributed to the organization for women's societies revival of experimental holiness among the Friends. The Indianapo- which has swept largely over the lis Friends had spared no pains to denomination. give the delegates a fitting reception. An easel supported the pictures of The special aim of the conference their missionaries, with a life-size was to adopt, if possible, some basis engraving of Elizabeth Fry for a cen- of co-operation among the ten indetral figure, and an excellent portrait pendent missionary organizations of of Sybil Jones, one of the founders Quaker women. This was accomof Friends' Syrian Mission. On the plished in the establishment of a sort wall back of the pulpit were groups of confederation, by resolving that of pictures of pupils in the schools the independent boards of the several of Syria, and two idols that had yearly meetings have, each, three dejust been given to their Tokyo Mis- partments of work, as follows: (1) sion by a family that had embraced Junior and juvenile work; (2) gen- Christianity. as the result of the eralliterature; (3) systematic Chrishealing of a son who had been deaf tian giving; with a general superinand .dumb from his birth, but who, tendent over each department, to be it is said, received hearing and com- elected annually. These board sumenced to articulate sounds in an- perintendents, representing their sevswer to prayer in a meeting of the eral departments, shall elect their mission. A pleasant incident of the general secretary of that work anopening session was a telegram of nually, a two-thirds vote being necesgreeting from Mr. H. W. Fry, son of sary to elect. These general secrethe youngest son of Elizabeth Fry, a taries shall be a medium of communispiritually-minded business man, sec- cation through which the propositions retary of the London Bureau of of one board shall be conveyed to the Registration of Self-Supporting Mis- others. It is proposed that the name sions. It was, Col. i. 9, 10. under which these general secretaries shan act, shall be "Woman's For- The company of women was in eign Missionary Union of Friends." strong contrast with what a company These recommendations are to be reof Quaker women composing a simi- ferred for the consideration of the lar gathering would have been thirty various independent boards, to adopt years ago. There was but one "plain or defer, according to their several bonnet" among them, and that was needs, until the next General Conferworn by the veteran delegate of the Conference, a woman of striking ence. presence, sister to the late Dr. J. T. Another topic of interest was the Updegraff, M.C., and of the Quaker evangelist, David B. Updegraff. One relation they should sustain to the who has intimate personal acquaint- established missionary boards of the ance with the entire personnel of the Yearly Meetings: Should they be- company says they were a company come auxiliary to them, and turn of women fully consecrated to God their collections over to them, or up to their measure of comprehen- maintain their organic individuality sion of what that means, and, though and, self-government as women's so- the remark was not solicited, she cieties? The following action was adds, "not one of them holds views had: "Re8Ol'/J6d, That as a confereuce of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of Friends in and pleaded that the Friends do all America, we deslr~ to record our conviction they can to save these lost souls. that tlie separate form of organization represented by the societies is the providential chan- The committee suggested that all nel of women's work in mission fields; and Christian colleges should encourage further, that we cherish the organic individ- missionary societies among their stuuality of our boards and regard their self-govern- dents, to promote general intelligence, ment as essential to the best results; at the to secure a symmetrical development same time we earnestly hope the most cordial of mind, and a proper appreciation of relations of sisterly sympathy may ever be main_ personal responsibility in the dissemtained by our boards toward the other foreign ination of gospel truth among the msssionary agencies of our church." heathen. It also recommended that the different boards encourage the The Conference was addressed by promotion of junior and juvenile so- Dr. George E. Post of Beirut, Syria; cieties whose object shall be, the edu- Rev. V. C. Hart of China, and Rev. cation of their members concerning J. M. Thoburn, D.D., and his sister the needs of the heathe.n world and of India. Several papers were read their responsibility thereto. It was on methods of raising money, mis- further urged that the principles of sionary literature, and other practi- peace and arbitration be taught in cal topics, and the enthusiasm of the these organizations. ladies rose to a high point. The Committee on Resolutions re- Emeline Tuttle spoke of her Indian ported that it was the imperative experiences. She spent many years duty and exalted privilege of every as a missionary among the Indians, human being who believes himself mostly with the Modocs. Her work the purchase of the Redeemer's blood, . was firlilt among the Ottawas, in a to use all his natural and acquired log-schoolhouse; soon they had two ability to proclaim, either in person other schoolhouses. Then the Mo- or by proxy, the glorious possibility doc war came. She prayed much of salvation through Christ, "to the and longed for the deliverance of the uttermost parts of the earth," It also women and children. Soon word submitted a resolution "expressing came that the government would earnest sympathy with all efforts for bring the Modocs to the Indian Terri- the enlightenment of the North Amertory. She was full of joy at this. ican Indians, and for the securing of She visited them in their homes, their just rights under the governprayed for them, and soon got posses- ment, and recommending that the sion of twenty-five of their children boards do as much'as practicable for in the school, and within a year the promotion of the interests of the they all could speak English. The aborigines of the country." mistakes of Friends at first were that they did not bring the Indians to A resolution indorsing the policy Christ, so that little ones and igno- of the Friends' Missionm'y Advocate, rant ones might know about Jesus and and expressing appreciation of the be sweetly saved. In three years she labors of its editor, pledging the sohad twenty happy Christians among cieties to earnest and persistent them. She told of the conversion of efforts for its support and ex- .. Steamboat Frank," his union with tended circulation, was also adopted. the church, his ministry, his godly Anotherresolution commits the socie- Hfe,the death of his wife and five chil- ties to efforts in promoting systematic dren one after another, and his own giving, and to preventing the introtriumphant death. She then told of duction of any methods of raising the Ponca tribe, who had been driven money for the work upon which the from theil' home and were very de- Friends as Christians could not conjected. She spoke of the terdble sistently invoke the divine blessing. evils to this tribe, and to the Sioux, as perpetrated upon it by white people, The reports of the societies connected with the several Yearly Meet- the well-known De Guignes, give the ings gave the following results: population at that time, the one at 143,125,225, and the other at 203,916,- Indiana has as anxiliaries 59 and members 477-a slight difference of over sixty 911. Of the anxiliaries, 38 nS" nniform lessons millions. We also know that the and 21 do not; libraries, 14; women in Indiana "census" of 1711 gave the popula- Yearly Meeting, estimated, 5,857. We"tern : tion as 28,695,716, and that of 1753 at Auxiliaries, 41 ; members, 41 ; use uniform les- 103,050,060, and that an increase of sons, 32; do not, 9; libraries, 16; meetings three and one-half times in forty years without auxiliaries, 19. New England: Auxilia- cannot be accounted for as natural or ries, 28; monthly meetings, 29; Advocates birth-rate increase. As the object of takeu, 187; membership, 646. Ohio: Anxilia- taking the census was for enrollment ries, 19 ; members, 306; life members, 21 ; nse iJl, the army and to levy a capitation uniform lessons, 10; do not, 9; meetings with- tax on males between the ages of sixout, 13; Advocates taken, 233. Iowa: Anx- teen and sixty, it may have been very iliaries, 20; members, 650; meeting's without, unreliable. When we comparethe re- 24; using nniform lessons, 12. Canada: Aux- turns of the census of 1753 and 1812, ilianes, 15; members, 203; withont auxiliaries, we find that the increase is more 8; use uniform lessons, 4 or 5. North Caroliua : than 300 per cent. for the fifty-nine Auxiliaries, 5; members, 65 reported, proba- years, which also must be accounted bly 200; nse nniform lessons, 2. Kansas: Aux- for in some other way than by birthiliaries, 13' members, 246. New York: Aux- rate. If"authorities" are to be aciliaries.5; members, 86. cepted, then between 1790 and 1792- two years-the popUlation doubled, It is probable that a similar Na- and that could not be accounted for tional Conference will be held in 1890. by birth-rate. Dr. Williams says if We congratulate not only these so- the methods of taking the census in cieties, but the Society of Friends at the early dates are to be accredited large, who have been disturbed for as equally trustworthy, then there two years past almost to the point of was a period of 150 years in which schism, over the toleration of the there was no increase, while from ordinances of baptism and the Lord's 1711 to 1753 the population doubled it- Supper, that these ladies represent- self, as wehave shown, in each twenty ing both sides of ,that controversy years. A comparison of the figures of were able to meet in Christian con- the Anglo-Chinese College report for vention and that they realized a deep 1792 and the Chinese census of 1812, spiritual unity among themselves on would give over two millions, or an the platform of practical missionary annual increase of not quite one per work. cent. per annum for twenty years; but Dr. Williams says no one sup- Population of Ohina. poses there has been any such rate THE North Ohina Herald reports of· increase down to the present.• "Nor," he adds, "are there any data the last year's official tables of the from which to make even the least Chinese Government as giving a total guess of the present population of population of392,000,000,which is per- the whole empire." (Edition-of haps about what the general con- "Middle Kingdom," 1876.) J. Hudsensus of the most modern opinion son Taylor, after large itineraries would place itat. But so far as "cen- over the country, says some people sus" goes,it means the numeration for think the population not to exceed poll-tax of the Board of Revenue, and 250,000,000, and that in some provthe estimate of five persons for one inces the population is not one-fifth thereof. But the Herald goes on to of what it formerly was. compare the calculation made on the revenue returns of 1760 with those of It was as late as September, 1887, 1848, and concludes that the popUlation has increased at the rate of two and a half millions a year. We do not know wh<J,t the revenue returns-were in 1760, but two "authorities," astatistical work of Yih Tung Chi and
THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS
that Mr. Rockhill of the American Mr. Rockhill was confident this was Legation at Peking; writing to the considerably above the true figure; American Oriental Society, enclosed which goes to confirm the doubt a clipping from the North China about the possibility of reaching. Daily News of Shanghai, giving the very definite results. It is a matter results of a recent census, translated of reasoning, not of statistical accufrom a document emanating from racy. Yet the statistics are not the Board of Revenue, which gave without their value. They help us, the total of population in fifteen though sometimes it seems as if it provinces in 1885, as 319,383,500, with were after the order of the clock, the five provinces to hear from, whose owner of which said, when the ~ig population could not be much short hand was at ten and the little hahd of 60,000,000, which would make an at three and it struck twelve, ~e aggregate of about 380,000,000, and knew it was about sundown.
V.-THE MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS.
THE DARK CONTINENT. literature in their own" tongue, and WITH strange rapidity God has to preach the gospel, gather converts, opened the doors oC Africa. When, organize churches and educate a nathirty or forty years ago, boys were tive ministry. studying geography the vast district in the interior was marked on It was indeed a stupendous work to the maps "unexplored." Little was undertake. Prof. Drummond, W;ho known of the Dark Continent ex- had confessed his doubts as to the cept its six thousand miles of sea- results of such a scheme amid such a coast, its great desert, and those nar- people, himself sat down at Dr.. row strips of country which border Law's station with the seven men the ocean or the Nile. When the and two women who were first fruits heroic Livingstone, who had entered of that mission, with them partook from the south, seeking to know of the Lord's Supper, and in them besomething of the unknown and open held the promIse and prophecy of a path for the missionary, died on Africa's regeneration. his knees amid the swamps near Lake Bangweolo in 1873, his death Among the many wheels which sounded the new signal for the evan- Livingstone's death set in motion for gelization of Africa. The churches the evangelization of the Dark Conof Scotland, united, founded the sta- tinent, no one agency is more contion Livingstonia as the first fruits spicuous than Henry M. Stanley.. of that dying prayer. In May, 1875, Let us read Stanley's own testimony the party of missionaries left Scot- as to the influence exerted on him: land and, reaching the mouth of the Zambesi, put together their mission "Livingstone tanght me, during those {pur vessel, the steam-launch which had months that I was with him. In 1871 I went to been transported in parts, and in him as prejudiced as the biggest atheist in Lon- October the flala steamed into Lake don. To a reporter and correspondent, snch as Nyassa. With headquarters at Ban- I, who had only to deal with wars, mass-meetdawe, the missionary band began to ings and political gatherings, sentimental matsurvey the lake, erect buildings, ters were entirely out of my province. But make roads a.nd till the soil; to es- there came for me a long time for reflection. I tablish medical dispensaries with was ont there away from a worldly world. I competent physicians; to gather saw this solitary old man there, and asked mychildren into schools; to give the self, 'How on earth does he stop here? Is he people the Scriptures and a Christian cracked, or what? What l! it that inspires him 1 ' For months after we met I simply found myself listening to him, wondering at the old man carrying ont all that was said in the Bihle : 'Leave all things and follow me.' Bnt little by little his sympathy for others' became contagions; my sympathy wae aroused; see- Ing his piety, his gentlene~s, his zeal, his ear- lation of fifty million people; with nestness, and how he went quietly about his marvelous variety of scenery,climate, busines.,I was converted by him, although he product, fauna and flora. When in had not tried to do it. How sad that the good old 1877 Stanley completed his tour of man should have died so soon. How joyful he Central Africa, it was nine hundred would have been if he could have seen what has and ninety-nine days since he left since happened there… Zanzibar. He could now, " in forty- three days after leaving Glasgow, be Events move fast in these days. housed in his own station at Stanley Livingstone's death being known, Falls, and instead of running a this intrepid explorer determined to gauntlet for his life from the day he become his successor in opening up reached Vivi, his ascent of the river Africa, and when he reached the would be one continued ovation." mouth of the Congo the greatest step in-the exploration of Equatorial Afri- Well may all eyes turn to Africa. ca had been taken. England at once God is disclosing by his providence sent her missionaries to plant stu.- the great animal, mineral and vegetions from the Congo's mouth to the table resources of the interior; os- Equator, as well as about the great trich breeding is more profitable than lakes of the East, and now all Chris- that of South Down mutton; the tian denominations seem about to elephant tusks will supply the deconcentrate upon the Congo basin, to mand for ivory; and so through the carryon vigorously the work of evan- very avarice of men and the higher gelization and fulfill the prophecy love of science, the great unknown of Krapf, that a chain of missions contiuent is to be crossed with a netwould yet be stretched between the work of railways, penetrated in every eastern and the western shores. direction by travelers and explorers, settled by adventurers and far- The explorations of a quarter of a sighted traders, and planted with century have now unveiled Africa; Christian missions. Already steamso rapidly is the work of discovery boats sail the rivers and great lakes; going on that the maps of yesterday roads are being built and railways are imperfect to-day and will be ob- constructed, and a submarine cable solete to-morrow; nothing but the laid. Before this number of THE outline of the continent is as it was REVIEW can be issued changes will a quarter of a century ago. Victoria have taken place which will make Nyanza, Albert Nyanza, Tanganyika, this record out of date. Nyassa and Bangweolo, the five great lakes, have been surveyed, We have in another article traced which remind us Of our five great the remarkable history of modern American lakes; and as many great African civilization and evangelizarivers are discovered running to the tion. If God thus opens such a wide four points of the compass-the door of opportunity, what shaH be Zambesi, Nile, Congo, Niger and said of our obligation! Orange-furnishing with their great tributaries ten thousand miles of Early in the year 1565 a strange river roadway. ship was descried on the southp,rnho- rizon, slowly making her way toward The Congo Free State, thus sud- the continent of the New World. denly constituted a new empire The name of that ship was The Jesus, o~ freedom, is a rich area of one her"commander was Sir John Hawkaid a half million square miles, one ins; in her hold was a cargo of four of the richest countries of the globe, hundred wretched negro captives, with the noble Congo and its many who had been seized on the coast of -navigable affiuents for its water high- Africa and were now, for a round way, connecting with great lakes sum of Spanish dollars, to be sold whose, shore lines would measure into hopeless, servitude. Notwiththree thousand miles; with a popustanding perilous storms and dis- 1852, the Yoruba country was unheartening calms, the officers of this touched till 1842, and the Niger disship were able to recount a prosper- trict ri3ceived its first missionaries ous voyage, and piously to record in only in 1857, when no one dreamed their journal that their safety and that the youth helping Mr. Kissling success were due to the preserving in Fourah Bay College would be care of Almighty God, "who never known all over the Christian world suffers his elect to perish." Was in 1887 as one who, for a quarter of a there ever such a desecration of sa- century, has well filled tile position cred names and subjects – a slave- of the first native African bishop since ship inscribed with that holiest name, the days of the early church. and a company of men-stealers calling themselves by that intimate title In studying Africa as a mission of the chosen of God? fi~ld we ought to remember Dr. Bush- nell, in some sense the father and in The first missionary to Southern every sense the hero of Presbyterian Africa was George Schmidt, who missions in Africa, and who died in planted the gospel among the Hot- the service of the Gaboon Mission. tentots fifty years ago. We remember him bringing wants of that mission before the churches It is impossible in a few lines even and seminaries; supervising printing to mention the many changes in the by the American Bible Society of a aspect of missions in Africa, since part of the Scriptures in Thfpongwe David Livingstone gave his parting dialect, and smaller books in the charge to the students of Cambridge, same; providing for a grammar of in 1857, "I go back to make an open this language, and a vocabulary of path for Christianity and commerce. the Benga soon to be printed. He Do you carry out the work I have should ever be thought of side by begun." The Universities Mission side with Dr. Lindley, the hero of the sprang into existence at this call. Zulu mission, on the southeastern Two years or more ago, as a proof of coast. God's blessing upon its labors, it could show the old slave market at There are many who have fol- Zanzibar, where annually 30,000 lowed the fOl'tunes of Bishop Taylor's slaves were sold, transformed into a missionary enterprises, have watched Christian church, in the center of a as his advance guard reached the native Christian colony. Thirty-five goal in the depths of Africa toward missionary societies are now zealous- which he has so long been strugly at work in Africa, and in sixty gling. Before nis pioneer band of years 600,000 native Afl'icans have missionaries left this country, the been added to Christendom. The bishop declared his ambition to plant whole interior of the country is now his stations among the remarkable open to Christian effort. tribes that WiSSIl1ann had described. Toward this region, along the Upper Missionary work in West Africa Kassai and its tributaries, his chain has been wonderfully successful. of stations from the sea has been Speaking only of that part of it steadily lengthening. His new steel which is connected with the Church steamer was sent from England for Missionary Society, there are seven the Congo to take the newly-discov- European missionaries and forty na- ered water route to the populous tive clergy (one of them a bishop and street villages of which Wissmann two archdeacons), with 9,000 com- and Kund have informed us., Mean- municants, and 7,000 scholars in while Dr. Harrison, one of the party ninety schools and seminaries; there that Bishop Taylor led up the Congo, were 1,228 baptisms in the last re- reached Luluaberg, the new station ported year. Yet the Bishopric of of the Congo State. He. is one of the Sierra Leone was not founded till two physicians who followed the was the wren which aided Prometheus bishop to Africa, and he is now es- in stealing the sacred fire of knowl- tablished among natives who fully edge from beneath Jove's throne in justify Wissmann's enthusiastic de- heaven. Accordingly, he who kills a scription. wren will have his home destroyed.
If you have money in your pocket THE FREEDMEN. when you hear the cuckoo for the THE negroes of the South are mak- first time it is a good omen, and you ing material gains. Late statistics of will have your pockets well lined the States of Georgia, South Carolina during the year; if, on the contrary, and Louisiana indicate that since the you have no money, cultivate your war they pay taxes on $48,000,000. friends, for you will be in need of their Since the colored people have become assistance before long. The black- citizens, a decided force in the poli- bird which crosses your road brings tics of the country, it is of the utmost you good luck. No physician should importance tha,t they have a property fail to procure a bed of partridge interest in, the communities where feathers. A patient laid upon such a they are; and to good citizenship, bed, no matter what his disease, will thrift and economy and saving are never die of it, although he will not needful; as they acquire land and necessarily get well.
houses, they will be able to support schools and churches. Intelligence SUGGESTIVE PARAGRAPHS.
and religion with homes and real es- Saving others by sacrifice of self.
tate will elevate and fit them for ad- John Maynard was well known on vancing duties and responsibilities. our northern lakes as a God-fear- Ignorance is inseparable from su- mg, honest, intelligent pilot. On a perstition, and while ignorance re- steamer from Detroit to Buffalo, mains this will be one great hindrance 8moke was seen from below. The to the Christian manhood of the captain ordered a hand below to see negro. Among the negroes of the whence it came. He returned with Southern States the moaning dove the word, "The ship on fire!" and moans to save a man's soul; to kill there was no lifeboat, and large one of these doves is a sign of death, quantities of rosin and tar were but more frequently the death of a on board. It was seven miles to Buf- child. A buzzard or a crow upon the falo; they had perhaps three-quar- housetop is believed by these same tet·s of an hour to reach it. May- people to be an invariable sign of nard sent all passengers forward and death or disaster; a visit at the door stood firm at the wheel, enveloped from a rooster, the approaching visit in flame. The captain spoke through of a friend; the notes of the screech- his trumpet, "John Maynard!"
ing owl or "shivering" owl are a "Ay, ay, sir!" "Head boat south- bad omen of many interpretations, east and run her ashore. Can you while if the common owl hoots on hold five minutes more?" "By your right good luck will follow, but God's help I will." He lifted one bad luck should he take np his posi- hand, burned to a crisp, from the tion on your left side and hoot there- wheel, and put the other there to be from. The reputation of all night burned. All the passengers were birds, great or small, is no better; saved, but John Maynard's soul had but Southern imagination has discov- fled.
ered a remedy for all their spells. It -IT is said that the mirrors in the consists of throwing a pinch of salt temples of Smyrna represented the into the fire as soon as the sound is fairest and most symmetrical objects heard. If a chaffinch perches on your with distorted and deformed ima- window-sill, beware of treachery. It ges. Is it not so of t,he unregenerate
PROGRESS AND RESULTS OF MISSIONS-MONTHLY BULLETIN
'72 or even unsanctified heart? How gospel to every creature. Always aboandin& in much of the distortion of truth has to the work of the Lord. Gen. i. 28; Josh i. 6, 3; do with the imperfection of the re- Gen. xxvi. 13, 12; Neh. iv. t>-21; vi. 15; Mark flecting surface I He who reflects as xvi. 15; 1 Cor. xv. 58. in a mirror the glory of the Lord must be in close spiritual fellowship THURSDAY, JUNE 28. with the Lord in order to be true to When ye blow an alarm, then the camps shalt go the glory he reflects. Francis Bacon said there are three rays-the 7'adiu8 forward. directu8, radiu8 rejlectu8, and radiu8 HINDlUNCES TO PROGREss.-I. In Walk. He refractu8. How many rays are bent lingered. His wife looked back. He saw that out of their true direction by the me- rest was good. At ease from his youth-settled dium through which they are trans- on his lees. A little sleep. A little slumber. A mitted! lion in the way. His heart was not perfect. He pitched his tent before the city. Is there any TEXTS AND THEMES. secret thing with thee? Thou restrainest prayer. Gen. xix. It>-26; xlix. 15; Jer. xlviii. THE following is the programme 11; Prov. xxiv. 33; xxvi. 13; 1 Kings xi. 4; Gen. xxxiii. 18 ; Job x''. 11. 4. for the Grand Mildmay Conference, n. In Work. Strength decayed. Much rub- June 27-29. We print it as a model bish. Hands hang down. Feeble knees. The programme for a missionary meet- wind was contrary unto them. We sailed slowly, the wind not suffering us. Being armed, they ing: turned back. He went not with th~m to the work. Slack to possess the laud. Cannot see WEDNESDAY, JUNE '%I. afar off. Neh. iv. 10; Heb. xii. 12; Mark vi. 48; Acts xxvii. 7; Ps. lxxviii. 9; Acts xv. 38 ; Speak unto the children Qf I8rael that they go Josh. xviii. 3; 2 Pet. i. 9. forward. FRIDAY, JUNE 29. PROGRESS THE LAW OF THE KINGDOM.-I. In They went every o-ne straightforward. HELPS TO PROGRESS.-I. In Sanctification. Life. Grow in grace. Be no more children. Laying aside every weight. They lightened the Grow up into him in all things. They shall ship. Be filled with the Spirit. Looking unto Jesus. Beholding. as in a glass, the glory of the mount up. Still upward-still upward-still up- Lord. The sincere milk of the Word. Holding the head. By joints and bands having nourishward. From strength to strength. From glory ment ministered. Let us go on. Let us cleanse ourselves. Heb. xii. 1; Acts xxvii. 18; Eph. v. to glory. More and more unto the perfect day. 18; Heb. xii. 2; 2 Cor. iii. 18; 1 Pet. ii. 2; Col. ii. 19; Heb. vi. 1 ; 2 Cor. vii. 1. Like him. Conformed to the image of his son. n. In Service. Zeal as a cloke. Loins girt 2 Pet. iii. 18; Eph. i v. 14, 15; Is. xl. 81 ; Ez. about with truth. Feet shod with the preparaxll. 7; Ps. lxxxiv. 7 ; 2 Cor. iii. 18; Provo iv. 18; tion of the gospel of peace. The love of,Christ constraineth U9. Moved with compassion. The 1 John iii. 2; Rom. viii. 29. voice of his word. Exceeding great and pre- cious promises. That blessed hope. Is. lix. 17 ; n. In Labor. Replenish the earth, and sub- Eph. vi. 14, 15; 2 Cor. V. 14; Matt. ix. 36'; Pa. clii. 20; 2 Pet. i. 4; Tit. ii. 13. due it. Divide for au inheritance the land. Ev- ery place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you. And the man waxed great, and went forward. And received in the same year an hundred-fold. And the Lord blessed him. So built we the wall. So we labored. So the wall wa~ finished. Preach the VI.-PROGRESS AND RESULTS OF MISSIONS- MONTHLY BULLETIN.
Africa.-Trouble with the Arabs at the northwest Ride of Lake Nyassa at the North End of Lake Nyassa. The daily papers have informed us of has been besieged for five days, and this, notably the Manchester Guard- with difficulty held by a small band ian of Feb. 25, which had several of Scotchmen, Englishmen, and nacolumns of detailed narrative and a tives, the Arabs erecting platforms leader on it. Finding themselves menaced with the competition of upon neighboring trees, and attack- European commerce, and seeing the ing with great persistence and dedanger of a collapse of their nefarious termination. The arrival of a strong body of friendly natives, who came to traffic in human flesh, the Arabs in the rescue of the beleaguered party, East Central Africa are growing insolent and aggressive. For the past caused the Arabs to beat a hasty re- treat, but probably only to gather retwo or three years symptoms of com- enforcements and return to the ing difficulties have been noted. Now charge. Our alternative route to Tanganyika, via Quillimane, the , the storm-cloud has burst. A station Shire River and Lake Nyassa, is thus threatened. Dr. Tomory, who was declaim against idolatry. One reaon his way home in broken health, son is that in some of the temples was detained by this attack of the the Confucianists lecture, on the Arabs, and was one of the party be-, sieged. He has since left, ltnd .will 'Sacred Edict.' Another, that the soon, it is hoped, be in England. cupidity of the priests has led them to rent the temple precincts for petty Alaska.-Methodism has neglected merchandise, so that the ground is Alaska. It is comforting to find that no longer considered sacred. There the Presbyterians have a prosperous is no land so free for the gospel preacher as China." mission there. Here are the figures: -The progress of Christianity in SUMMARY. China is increasing rapidly. In 1t:>53 1886. 1887. there were 350 native converts; in Ministers………… , ….. 30 31 1863, 2,000; 1873,8,000; 1883, 22,000; 17–48 1888, 30,000 The Rev. J. L. Nevi- Native,; …………. : …. 8-38 us, D.D., in closing a series of article Churches… …………… 48 59 2,306 on Methods of Mission Work, says: Church members…. ….. 2,001 Teachers.. .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. . 63 95 " I believe a great de"l has been accomplished Schools …. '" 00 .. .. .. .. .. • 20 26 in every department of missionary work in Chi- Scholars………………. 1,134 1,607 n". The literary outcome of the paRt forty years is alone and by itself a rich legacy to the mis- Is it necessary to remind our bish- sionaries and native Christians of the present, and gives them a vantage ground in undertakops that Alaska is a part of the ing future labor which it is difficult to overesti- 'mate. The ratio of increase in the number of United States '(-Gospel in All Lands. converts and the evidence of growth and de- velopment in native churches are also full of en- Brazil.-Ten more adults have couragement. While we must record many made profession in Conceigao, and cases or coldness and defection, we remember nine children have been baptized. that such cases have characterized the history aud progress of the church to a greater or less -A letter from one of our mission- extent in every age. On the other hand, we rearies in Brazil says: "Weare look- jOice in being able to point to many who give ing forward WIth deep interest to the undouhted evidence of being God'8 chosen ones, formation in August, when the Pres- while there are others whose names are already byterians meet, of a united synod enrolled among the noble army of martyrs. It and Brazilian church." It will be has been my privilege to know many Christian remembered that the last General men and Christian women in China whose godly Assembly of our church gave "its lives and peaceful deaths have been an inspiraapproval of the formation of a Bra- tion to me, and made me, I trust, a better man zilIan synod, formed of presbyteries and a more earnest worker. I count among my which shall be separated from both nearest and most honored Christian friends not the assemblies in this country, and a few who are now bearing faithful testimony constituting in Brazil a distinct and to the truth in the midst of opposition and mauiindependent church, free from for- fold trials, such as Christians in Western lands eign control."-The Missionary. can only imperfectly appreciate."
Burmah. – Christian Karens of England.-Canon Maclear's annual Burmah. In an address to the Edin- "Combined Report of Missionary burgh University Missionary Asso- Studentship Al'!sociations" for 1887 ciation, Sir Charles Bernard, late shows that £2,186 has been raised in Chief Commissioner in Burmah, who 23 English dioceses toward the suphas two sisters working as mission- port of 91 studentships. Oxford leads aries of the Church of Scotland in the dioceses with a contribution far India, gave some interesting details in excess of any other, giving £496, regarding Christian Karens. They number about 200,000, being a third while the second on the list, Worcesof the Karen people, and there are ter, gives £200. Since the foundation from 500 to 600 congregations, prac- of the college upward of 400 students tically if not entirely self-support- have been sent forth from it for the ing. It is their practice to set apart work abroad. The report gives in- formation about the mission houses so much of the produce of their land at Warminster, Burgh-Ie-Marsh and as will suffice for the support of their Wallingford. Burgh shows a roll of native pastors, and this they do be- 110 students admitted, of whom 56 have proceeded in due course to St. fore they appropriate any of their Augustine's, 14 have gone direct to harvest to themselves. Nor are they missionary work, and 18 are now in residence.-The Mission Field. content with self-support. They send missionaries into Siam and regions India.-N0 less than 5,067 of India's, beyond, where hardships and priva- sons and daughters were baptized by tions of no ordinary character have the agents of the Church Missionary to be endured. Society in 1886. To this number must China.-Rev. H. C. DuBose writes be added the baptisms by all the diffrom Suchow, China: "It is a sur- ferent branches of the Church of prising fact that we may almost daily Christ., Taking into consideration have large congregations in the tem- ple arenas, and without molestation these hundreds of thousands of con- was finished Feb. 3. It is largely verts t<;> Christianity in India it is ob- the result of the Rev. John C. Hepvious that a spiritual development of burn, M.D., LL.D., assisted by six an uncommon type has so advanced other scholars. It has received high itself as to arrest attention.-Madras commendation from the Japanese Weekly as well as from missionaries Oh,'istian Oollege Magazine. -The Indian Witness, noting the capable of appreciating its excelretirement of a noted infidel educa- lence. It is dedicated to God's honor and service "in the name of the tionist from India, says: "The ancient god Nemesis seldom worked a whole body of Protestant missionmore striking revenge than he has done on Prin- aries in Japan." cipal Wordsworth, who has jnst left the shores of India, after abont a quarter of a century spent -Not long since Tokio and the there. Instead of a crowd of native friends on rest of Japan were thoroughly pagan. the pier to bid him farewell, such as gathered to Now we hear of a great Christian revival in that city, with five hunsee Sir Richard Temple away, two of the gentle- dred conversions in a single month. The whole city seems stirred, and men for whom he spent his life came to show their good will. The learned professor might well exclaim, •If I had served my God with half the zeal I have served my friend, he would not.' etc. Opposition to the gospel of Jesus missionaries, native pastors and Christ has been the most conspicuous feature of Mr. Wordsworth's efforts among the natives theological students are busy gather- _ing in the harvest. Everybody is in- throughout his Indian career." terested in Christianity, and nobody Principal Wordsworth is a disciple speaks against it. This is a revolu- of Herbert Spencer, and he com- tion of itself.-.New York Indepen- mended to the Hindus the gospel of dent.
Agnosticism. -The last report of the various Prot- -Bishop Sargent of Madras, who estant missions in Japan is a signifi- last year celebrated the jubilee of his cant index of the growth of Chris- missionary career in India, has out- tianity in that land. The total mem- lived all the original missionaries of bership of the 221 organized churches his society in that diocese. When he is 19,827, the 5,000 added during the went to Tinnevelly in 1835 the Church year representing a gain of thirty- Missionary Society had only three or three per cent. in the Congregational four missionaries, one native preacher and Presbyterian forces. Twenty- and 114 communicants. There are four societies have 253 missionaries now 81 missionaries, of whom 64 are on the ground, and the large part connected with his own society. In that America is deRtined to play in 1,618 villages there are now 98,184 the evangelization of Japan is Christians and catechumens, of whom shown by the fact that five-sixths of 18,460 are communicants. There are the workers are connected with so- 22,170 pupils in schools, and the con- cieties in the United States. There tributions last reported were 47,761 is a great demand for the new trans- rupees, or about $22,000. lation of the Bible, orders pouring in -Dr. Chamberlain's scheme for a by mail and telegraph for a consider- united Presbvterian Church in India, able time after its pUblication. It is the thirteen Presbyterian and Re- cause for deep gratitude that the formed bodies represented in the em- 37,000,000 inhabitants of the country pire uniting in one general assembly, can now read the entire Scriptures has been favorably received in Scot- in their own language. A sentence land.-ScottishFree Ohurch Monthly. in a recent communication to our -There is a great movement in the office from a correspondent in Yoko- Punjab mission of the Church of hama deserves pondering. He says: Scotland. New villages are receiving "It is felt here by all Christian work- the gospel and new churches being ers that the length of time required formed. The strength of the mis- to make this a Christian nation de- sionaries is taxed to the utmost by pends simply upon the number of the demands of the work. competent men which the churches -Christianity in British India has at home are ready and willing to fur"
advanced 30 per cent. during the last nish. Would that many would fol- decade. Mohammedanism during the low the example of Dr. Scudder, and same period only advanced 10 per others, who have come here with no cent. From these figures the general expense to the missionary boards."
increase of the population, which is Madagascar.-Two or three years now 201,000,000, must be deducted; ago 900 barrels of whiskey were this amounts to 7~ per cent.-Punjab landed on the shores of Madagascar Mission News. with a brand which indicated that Japan.-Japan has now an ex- they had come from a proffssedly cellent translation of the entire Christian nation. The authorities of Bible. After sixteen years the work that once heathen nation actually purchased this cargo of whiskey and India was a huge Anglo-Indian deknocked the barrels in the head, that moralization society, and that it was their vile contents might be swal- their duty to send out no uncertain lowed up by the sand rather than by sound regarding facts which had the people. come to their knowledge, and which had not been .contradicted, because -The London Missionary Society they could not be. continues to push its work in Madagascar with increasing success, notwith- Siam.-When Admiral Foote in the standing the political changes and harbor of Bangkok received the Kingthe aggressive attitude of the church of Siam on board his flagship,' the of Rome. With its 30 English mis- ChristIan commander asked a blesssionaries, it reports the astounding ing at dinner. "Why," said the number of 838 native ordained min- king, "you do just like the missionisters and 4,395 native preachers, aries." "1 too anl a nlissionary," 61,000 church members and 230,000 was the reply. adherents. But, as yet, scarcely onehalf of the population have been SwitzerIand.-The Basle Missionreached by the gospel. ary Society reports its variolls mis- sions communicants as follows: -Friends' Mission. Besides a large China, 1,808; India, 4,694; Africa, amount of work in connection with 2,995-total, 9,497. The income was schools, training of teachers, hospi- $198,847.60. tal, printing, etc., in the capital (Antananarivo), the district of Madagas- Turkey. – Euphrates College at car under the care of the Friends' Harpoot (formerly Armenia College), Foreign Mission Association covers is doing a noble work under its presiabout 2,000 square miles, and contains dent, that veteran missionary of the 133 congregations, with nearly as American Board, Rev. C. H. Wheeler, D.D., who is now in this country, many schools. Mr. H. E. Clark writes but means to be at his post on the that there is a pressing need that Euphrates by September 1. The more workers should be sent out this college has an attendance in all desummer. In Antananarivo there are partments of 500 students, about 100 only five Friends' missionaries (not being in the college proper. The Jiield including ladies), two of whom will over which its influence is especially shortly be leaving to take up work felt is about 100×200 miles. Here are in the country districts of Arivoni- twenty-four churches, ten of which are independent of the .American mamo and Manddurano, while the Board. The college has twenty in. health of one of the ladies is so shat- structors, of whom nine are ladies. tered that she will be compelled to Up to the junior year the students come home on furlough at once. study the Bible every day. Ten years ago a strong effort was made -I also tell you that I place my to raise funds for the college, and kingdom under the protection of $71,000 was secured. Now Dr. Wheeler is anxious to raise $30,000 God, for I know that it is the kingdom that is governed by dependence more for endowment, $5,000 for a upon God, that it is true and has new building (wfiich is about comstrength and progress. Go forward in wisdom that the glory of this king- pleted), and $2,500 for scholarships dom may increase. Remember that for need v students. it is righteousness that exalteth a nation, and that the fear of God is the United States.-Amf'rican Bible beginning of wisdom. – Queen of Society. At its recent meeting a Madagascar at her coronation. specimen copy was presented of the complete Bible in Japanese, just ScotIand.-The Anglo-Indian Evan- pl'inted at Yokohama, with a letter gelical Society. A most encouraging report of this society was presented from Mr. Loomis saying that there at the annual meeting in Edinburgh is a large demand, especially for the last week. Rev. J. Fordyce, secre- Old Testament, 1,600 copies of which tary, stated that larger contributions were called for within one month had been made in India than in any after its publication. Grants of books former year, and that they balanced were made for benevolent dish·ibu. tion, at home and in foreign lands, a slight decrease in the contributions from this country. Rev. G. G. Gil- of the aggregate value of about $10,- lan of Bengal appealed for increased 000. Appropriations of funds were. funds, and Mr. Duncan McLaren also made for publishing and dismoved a resolution embodying the tributing the Scriptures in foreign claims of our countrymen in India, countries, to the amount of $17.450, provision being thns made for Bible who were destitute of Christian or- work during the ensuing year in dinances. Rev. John McNeill said India, Italy and Siberia, and in the he believed that the English army in society's agencies in Persia and family. She also pursued the full Brazil. Numerous letters from three years' course in the Woman's foreign lands were laid before the Medical College of New York, and board, containing in some cases the was then invited to the position of summary reports of the distribution intern in the Presbyterian Hospital of the Scriptures during 1887. Dr. of Chicago, where she served two Gulick reported the distribution of years. She has also enjoyed valu- 252,915 copies in China and Siam. able advantages in the medical The Levant agency reported a circu- schools and hospitals of Zurich and lation of 51,000, the Japan agency Vienna. 72,926, and the La Plata agency 17,- 314, while the distribution in Russia -Student Volunteers. There has and Siberia was 39,771 copies. Cash been a great increase of missionary receipts in March were $69,131.66. spint among the students of Union The total cash receipts in the year Seminary, Va., largely ascribed to ending March 31 were $61B,373.B3. the recent visit of Dr. Houston. Sev- The whole number of volumes issued en of the young men have decided to during the year, not'including those go as missionaries, and others are inforeign lands, was 1,.032,672. considering the subject. An effort is being made to raise enough money to -Home Missions. The Presbyterian support a minister in the foreign field. Board, for the year just closed, re- The faculty have given $100, the stuport $783,527.30, and $130,000 more dents of Hampden Sidney College than any previous year. $100, and the young men of the sem-. inary are to give the rest. -The American Home Missionary Society is in an equally prosperous -The United Presbyterian Seminary condition. The close of the society's at Allegheny has resolved to send sixty-second year brought special out a missionary to India in October occasion for thanksgiving to God. The 31st of March found every note next; the choice has fallen on the at the banks paid, and not a dollar Rev. J. H. Martin, just graduated. His salary ($1,200) has been pledged due to any missionary who had reported labor. The debt at one time for ten years by the seminary and contiguous colleges of the denominawithin the year was over $75,000. tion. Besides paying this the society was -Xenia Theological Seminary has able to replace $30,000 of the $50,000 also started a similar movement, and borrowed from the Swett Exigency the students and faculty have pledged Fund. $330 annually for ten years toward the support of a missionary. They -The. Woman's Board of Foreign hope to get the balance needed from Missions of New York report for the certain colleges in the connection. year just closed, $62,244.35, an advance of more than $11,000 over the Wales. – The Nonconforming previous year. The receipts have churches are multiplying rapidly in largely gone into the treasury of the Wales. TheynumberedllOinl716; in Board of Foreign Missions. 1775 they had increased to 471; forty- one years later to 993, and in the next – The receipts of the Woman's 45 years to 2,927. In 1887 they had Board of the Southwest, which are grown to nearly 4,500. All these divided between Home and Foreign churches depend for their support Missions, amounted in the year just upon the voluntary contributions of closed to $15,226.11, an advance of the people. This shows not only a $2,700 over last year. marvelous development, but a hold upon the heart and conscience that -The first National Conference of no State religion can evoke. the various woman's missionary organizations of the Society of Friends Zulus.-Dr. Elmslie, an American in the United States was held at missionary, who has been stationed Indianapolis during the first part of for some time among the Zulus west of Lake Nyassa, has sent home the April. This is an important movement among the Friends, designed to first book printed in Nbungoni lanstimulate every department of mis- guage. The book was issued from sionary work among the young and the press of a neighboring mission the old. station called Blantyre. It contains the Decalogue. passages from the -Miss Alice Mitchell, daughter of Psalms, Proverbs and the Gospels, Secretary Mitchell of the Presbyterian with fourteen hymns. Much is ex- Board of Foreign Missions, is under pected from the book, as the Nbun. appointment to the Woman's Pavil- goni language is intelligible to a ion of the board's hospital in Peking, China. She began her medical large number of the tribes, studies with her grandfather, Dr.
Post of New York, living in his
STATISTICS OF THE WORLD'S MISSIONS
Vn.-STATISTICS OF THE WORLD'S MISSIONS.
General View of the Condition of Prot. MissiQns in East Africa-Approximate.
[From the Neukirchen Kis8i0r!8- und HeidenOote.] ;. Europeans. Africans. ,,; 1:l ~ tbw -',,00 2,; ~ a> 0 I'<~ I'<~ "" '"."" " ,; "a> Expend!- ,",.S< p. tures in one oi .! .e s .>l a> ",a> ",,01 year. a> §~ " ~" i "'" " ,., ~u2~ ,,~ 0 :'""a0>' .; I'l "8 'tl 00 . ,,"a2> 'OJ p. S " a> ~ ~o S 'tl … " d – – – -"" — -,..- – – – – ~~ ~ ~S -is::- ~a> S"0 0 ..c: 00. 0 Eo< 0 0 00.
I. Church Miss. Soc.- (a) Mombasa. Tiata and – Chagga ……………
' (b) Usagard and Uganda. II. Universities' Mission- 6 5 I) 1 2 21 34 565 231 1126 3 378 } $64,800 6 9 – 16 250 50' 150 5 150 7- (a) Zanzibar Island ….. 3 6 24 – 1 8 40 2 174 26.400 (b) Rovnmd district ….. -1 9 1 45 8,640 (e) Usambara ………… 36 2 14 18 421 4 43 17,280 46 3 1 -2 6 26 } 993 – – 529 13,200 m.(d) Lake Nyassa …….. 14 5 Free Meth. Miss.- – – 15 6,000 (a) Mombasa district …. — 23.040 (c) Jana River ………. 4 -1 — – .8 – 1491 1491 50 4 181 } 17.200 IV. London M. S ………. 1 5 V. Free Ch. Scotland ….. 34 8 1 – – 6 311 – 3l! 17 1 31 ~ – 9 – -2 58 2- 20 9 2 2 6 600 VI. Bavarian East African 8 — — — 1 f 4.800 – – – – Mission …………….. 2 3 10 1 f 7,200 – VII. Berlin E. A. M .• ….. 2 2 6 — VIII. Neukirchen Mission – – – – — – — – – — – (Pastor Doll)…………. – 1 3 -1 Total. …………….. 41 52 65 78 – – 3 – ca. 1,140 4,-71- — 200 1757 812 1766 30 1552 ca. $192.000 +1801 +1801 +f Approximate Estimate .of Oertain Missions in Heathen and Mohammedan Oountries for Five Years Past.
——————- . I .. . ~.~ Years.:::I .~ .'=6 2i Expenditures in …. ",,~ 0 00 a> "
'" '" " .~~",' "".~ . !;,'" '" ~ ,s"" .;~ll§" — —- – – —- —– —— 00. <D~11 .'2" S ~ heathen and .~ ~:a Mohammedan ,",,~ ~Q)tJ "0 countries. "", – – 0 ..:! iZi 'll 00.
1883…………………… 540 818 966 6,224 205,056 261,812 $2,947,000.00 1884 …………………… 574 882 1,003 6.026 216,829 271,852 3,145,000.00 1885 ……… ………….. 636 867 1,005 6.888 225,919 303,074 3,412,000.00 1886…………………… 648 927 1,044 8,646 230,819 307,739 3,160,000.00 1887…………………… 677 911 1.086 7,876 286.322 311,485 3,130,000.00 SOCIeties Included: American Board; Presbyterian Board; Baptist Union; MoraVIan Chureh' Church Missionary SOCiety; London Missionary Society; Protestant Episcopal Board; Methodist -Episcopal Board. The estim..te excludes the missions of these societies iu the West Indies, but inclndes Polynesia and the nomadic tribes of British America.
The Lntheran Synod of Missouri, which which $32.589.62 was for Home Missions.-The Christian Cynosure. thoroughly excludes members of secret lodges United States.-The new census gives the and represents Lutheranism of the strictest type, number of Protestant churches In the United States at 92.653; Protestaut ministers at 71,662, has 931 ministers and 620 parochial school teach- and members at 9,003.030. Taking the Catholic ers. who respectively have the care of 459,376 and Mormon population from the total population baptized membe!'!! and teach 71 •.504 children. it leaves 43,864,381. This gives one church for There is a total of 1,424 churches and 544 preach- every 473 persons, including infants and chiling places, with 266,000 communicant members. dren. one minister for every 612 of the people, Only 678 of these churches are officially con- and nearly one professing Christian for every nected with the synod. though served by pastors five of the popnlation outside of the two classes of the synod. Last year there were m,391 bap- named. We distrust these figures. Abont threetisms. and 13.724 were confirmed. The twelve fifths of all the population are children nnder 16. districts of the synod contributed offerings for education, orphans and widows. synodical treas- This would make everv other adult a professing ury and mi!!eions amounting to ,$107,346 71, of Christian ! !
of the American Presbyterian Mission in Syria. ~
00 I. EVANGELISTIC AND GENERAL MISSIONARY WORK.
1876. 1881. 1882. 1883. 1884. 1885. 1886.
– – – — – – – — – – — – – — – – – — – – – — – 2123 }35 2103 }33 2113 }34 ~}37 2144 }38 ~}a7 i American Men ……………………………….. 1~}191 1~}203 1~}179 3~}189 — Mis810naries Women…………………•…••…..•… 1153 }28 Native {Ordained pastors ………..•…………….. S LYb.lGn Llcensed preachers……….•……………. 136310} 204 School teachers•…..•…•…….•••.•…•…. 1969}12O 1a48g}l94 142 rJl 12 >i a orer8 Other helpers……………•……..•…….. 8 10 14 10 9 ~ 5 Stations ……………………………….•……….. 5 5 5 5 5 5 86 .>…i Out-stations ………………….•………………….. 60 99 98 99 89 90 19 Churches …………………………………………. 10 12 19 19 19 19 31 rJl Church buildings …………………•………..•……. 24 21 28 30 30 30 Added on profession during the year.. . . . . . . . . . . .. . …… 75 131 109 120 130 153 .>…i Male church members ……………………………. 653}68 320694 } 573 579 } 1008 549798 } 1,00"7 652332 } 1,155 750938 } 1,301 677655 } 1,440 Q Female church members ……………… ·.·.··········· 429 ' 554 1,207 rJl Regular preaching places …. , ……..••……………… 61 74 89 84 87 92 Average congregations ……………………………. , 2,642 3,693 3,755 3,900 84 3,891 4,293 ~ Sabbath schools …………………………………… 84 3,961 40 3,094 80 79 73 68 >i Sabbath scholars ……………… ··· .. ·········· ……. 1,540 2,915 3,348 76 3,804 3,746 3,584 =l;;I Syrian Protestant Community (within the field of the 3,594 3,816 3,652 3,847' 3,977 4,165 ~ American Pres. Mission)………………………….. 2,982 $1,653 $2,022 $6,381 $6,302 $6,451 $6,980 ~ Contributions of native churches…………………….. 1 $1,252 t< t1~ II. EDUCATIONAL WORK. rJl College (Syrian Prot.) ………………. , ……………. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I..i.:. 1 1 1 1 1 106 152 170 175 185 1 1 rJl 1 1 1 1 1 165 rJl Medical School. …………………………….•……. 7 7 7 9 4 ~ PupilS in college (including Med. Dep't) ., ..•..•…..••… 1 1 2 2 2 1 165 Theological Seminary …………………….•…..•…. 42 37 67 75 68 4 1 3 3 3 3 3 7 !'" PupilS in do ………………•………..•…. 89 92 97 118 97 2 3 .2 9 14 20 18 72 Boys' boarding schools.., …………………………… 209 235 414 447 347 3 151 Pupils in do. . ……………………………. 71 113 119 123 118 110 8 20 Female seminaries ………………………………… 2,031 }2 840 2,925}4187 81,,;4)3992 } 4,831 31;648824 } 5,166 3,775 } 5 1801 443 119 819 ' 1,262 ' 1,405 ' 108 15 Pupils in do. . ..•…..•……………………….. 80 141 151 379 ~~~~:~~odo~~ :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::: :::: 128 5,590 5,990 144 ~;~}4,871 Common schools ………………..•……………….. 3,509 4,710 5,881 97 ………… ………… 99 62 136 Boys in do……………………………..•..•… 111 5,665 3,178}4505 ~ 1,327 ' Girls in do. 134 121 Total schools …. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : 5,344 j Total pupils. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . ……………….. 230 – – – Women in Bible Classes …………………… ········ ..
PRESS WORK, PRmTmG AND DIBTRmU'l'ION OF BmLE8, T1U.CTB, &0
1876. 1881. 1882. 1883. 1884. 1885. ~ ~ 1886.
Bible House and Press Establishment:- …………….. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 W::d'J~~~~~s::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::: 4 3 3 3 8 3 8 Lithographic press ….. . ……………………… 2 5 5 5 6 6 6 ~ iilpe foundry………………………………….. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ~ ectrotype apparatus…………………………… 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Press employees ……………………………….. 44 45 42 35 41 44 PUblications On Press Catalogne. . . . . . .. .. . . .. … . … 2{)7 240 244 253 258 268 50 ~ Volumes printed during the year ……………………. 57,500 55,400 50,490 47,500 87,900 836 38,450 72,050 W ?of Page9 " H H ,. • ……………………. 13,786,900 18,041,600 20,190,600 19,579,480 19,235,547 27,981,600 83,284,675 <Jl 4,277,500 8,923,000 8,245,600 8,651,000 9,465,000 17,378,600 19,331,750 w~!ch pales Scriptures……………………….. 1,045,500 1,702,500 ~ 232,000 8S9,000 946,320 851,500 451,600 311,742,044 845,026,719 *ToStcarlipptaugreess from thterabcetsg:m..n.m..g……………………………………………….. 159,810,300 224,754,817 244,945,417 264,524,897 283,760,444 ~ distributed duriug tbe year………………. 23,576 15,571 t Other books and tracts sold and distributed. . . . .. . ….. 5,641 15,718 11,600 15,€67 15,953 68,311 Copies Of publications of all kinds issned during year ….. …….3.6.,7.5.2. 372,710 …….2.5.,7.2.1. …….2.9.,8.5..4 …….8.0.,0.0.0. …….2.8.,0.0.0. …….2.8.,2.3.2.
IV. MEDICAL WORK AT ST. JOHN'S HOSPITAL. <JlI ~ The pbysicians of the Medical Department of the Syrian Protestant College have been appointed by the Order of St. J obn in Berlin as the medical attendants of the "Johanniter-Hospital" in Beirut. This most interesting charity, supported by the above mentioned Order, and served also by the Deaconesses of Kaiserswerth, has received ~ during the past years :' 'l'
"I Indoor patients ………………………………….. 537 539 642 577 571 595 465 Patients treated in the Polycliniqne………………….. I 9,162 9,874 9,213 11,172 7,489 6,009 7,126 Total of days of treatment …………………………. 17,879 19,015 18,248 16,489 16,348 18,146 17,500 * These figures represent the copies of Scriptures sold and send out from our Mission Press to private purchasers, and to our own and other missions, and to Bible Society agencies, for further distribution.
t The distribUtion bas been by the various missions among Arabic-speaking peoples, and the American and British Bible and Tract Societies. ~- ~
EDITORIAL NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS
VIII.-EDITORIAL NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS.
THE INDIAN SCHOOL QUESTION. young Dakota Indians, who are attending school, on the question' Which has done the more good THE Fifth Annual Report of the for us, the Catholic or the Protestant church Y' Executive Committee of the Indian Rights Association, from the pen of The Protestants, it is said, beat their opponents. Mr. James B. Harrison, is a vigorous One of them was asked bow thlly won. He and outspoken contribution to the said, •I showed them the Bible in Dakota and literature of the subject and should read to them in their own tongue. I sh<;lwed be widely circulated and duly con- them a letter from an absent young man written sidered. It justly characterizes the in Dakota, which all could understand wtien I recent orders of the Indian Bureau as read it, and I said, hOur reljgion -gave ;us a written language and the Bible. 'Vhat has 'your " uuiutelligeut, arbitrary, despotic and unstates.' religion given to onr people?'" Is not this manlike, merely a blow at missionary work. pretty fair reasoning for a mau who, according There is no reason to suppose that a single to Commissioner Atkius, has no lauguage; only Indian anywhere will ever learn ten words a barbarous dialect? 'rhe promised concesmore of English by reason of these orders. There is, indeed, no provision made by tho sions of the Iuterior Department have' just government for any increase of facilities in the reached the missionaries among the Dakotas, study of English. The damage to the missionary two months after they were i.,sued. Under date work produced by these orders is their sole re- of Feb. 11 Commissioner Atkins added another sult. The orders should be distinctly and concession to those of Jan. 18, allowing Indians wholly revoked and withdrawn. It is not neces- to possess and use the Bible in the vernacular, sary that the missionaries and churches should and allowing a •limited theological clas" , of submit. If they will publish the facts fully, these Indian young men to be trained in the vernacuorders will be revoked. The facts must come lar iu any purely missionary school supported to light. Then the people of the country will exclusively by miSSionary societies, provided have something to say." they are to devote themselves exclusively to preaching. These conceosions, be it remem· No one can read this report with- bered, are from the InteriM Department of the out having his heart stirred with in- Republic Of the United Slates, wt from the Indignation at the condition of Indian teriM Department of the (lrnerument of tM affairs, through the unfitness of the Czar, and they apply to our Indians, and wt Indian Bureau. The Nation says: to the Poles Of Buss,a."
" The Indian Bureau appears to have made a The President's long reply to the serious blunder. Government has no moral right to order peremptorily that miSSionary Philadelphia Conference, while kind societies which maintain schools in many places without assistance from the Federal treasury in spirit, gives evidence that he has shall cease using the Indian language." not studied the matter with his The religious and missionary press, with almost entire unanimity, has wonted care and clearness and does condemned the policy and arbitrary edict of government, and the Phila- not comprehend the problem iI,l all delphia Annual Conference of the its aspects. . M. E. Church adopted very strong resolutions on the subject. All our We commend to our readers the ecclesiastical and missionary societies should follow suit and cease not to letters from distinguished civilians, protest till their demand shall be heeded. The President has not re- lawyers and divines, given in our Invoked the obnoxious orders; the slight modification conceded does not touch ternational Department (pp. 462–3), the essential iniquity. And his recommendation of a Commission, one-half in relation to this subject.-J. M. S. to be army officers, to manage the Indians, gives no promise of relief, A WORD to our subscribers. We but the contrary. The Interior well puts the case: are glad to be able to say that in the "There are two objectious to thi!l–One of future there will be no occasion for principle, and one of policy. The principle involved is that it is a violation of a fundamental delay in receiving THE REVIEW when right of civil and religious liberty. The policy involved is that the scrambling politiCians who ordered. The demand for it so climb into such positions are not, as a rule, tbe kind of meu to be intrusted with educational greatly exceeded the faith of our and moral interests. We never would have believed that this piece of utterly indefensible publishers at the start, and even tyranny would have been permitted to remain so long in force. Some one who has the ear of the down to a recent date, that they President ought to suggest to him that his fia/l:- ship is about to go into action, and that it is failed to make due provision for the high time for him to clear his decks." supply. Already four editions of the The Independent says: January number, three of the Febru- ary and two of the March have been "There was a discussion recently IJ.llOD~ sQ!IIe printed, and the demand does not abate. But this experience sufficed to show them the necessity of a much larger edition of succeeding numbers, so that in the future they will be able promptly to supply the work to all who apply. Every num- ber is stereotyped, so that THE RE- VIEW can be had from January. Our thanks are due to the press and to our many friends in all parts of the field fo~ their heal'ty commendation . and words of cheer.-J. M. S.
The Missionary Review of the World — May 1888
THE SUPREME QUESTIONS OF THE HOUR
MISSIONARY REVIEW .OF THE WORLD.
VOL. XI. No. 5.-0Id Series.-MAY.-VOL. 1. No. 5.-New Series.
I.-THE LITERATURE OF MISSIONS.
THE SUPREME QUESTIONS OF THE HOUR.
[EDITORIAL.-A. T. p.] As we study missions we are more and more convinced that the defect in our methods is radical. There is something wrong, and it reaches down to the very foundations of our system; otherwise there would be a greater and grander onward march and a more speedy and glorious success. Let us be ,honest with ourselves and with God, and handle this subject with ungloved hands.
The supreme questions of the hour, in respect to missions both at home and abroad, are these two: How can missions be prosecuted vigorouslyand efficiently? How can missions be supported generously and systematically?
1. As to the prosecution of missions as an enterprise of the church. Any worldly man who is considering the question of his calling in life from a purely secular point of view will ask four subordinate questions: 1. As to the character of the business he proposes to pursue: its honesty and honorableness, its effect on his own physical, mental and moral well-being. 2. As to the opening for such a business: whether there is room for it, where he proposes to prosecute it, and a reasonable prospect of its success. 3. As to the profit of such a business: whether whatever capital he has can be· best invested in that particular way, as to quick and safe and large returns. 4. As to the associations of such a business: whether they are like to be congenial, helpful, stimulating, harmonious, and especially if a partnership in business is involved in the proposition.
Missions must be regarded as the business and the only business ever yet divinely committed to the believers as individuals and as a collective body. "Follow me, and I will make you FISHERS OF MEN." No other calling is legitimate unless it is in harmony with this; any other calling is legitimate if in it we may abide with God and carryon God's work. Let every believer get this fixed in his mind and heart: whatever his employment may be, his business is saving souls, or more exactly stated, bearing witness for Christ. He is responsible not for results, with which he has nothing to do, but for his work as a herald of good tidings.
Now apply to this life-vocation the four tests heretofore stated. 1. The character of such a business is of the most exalted possible order. Beside it everything else, however lustrous, dims and pales. The most colossal schemes of human enterprise are small beside this which embraces the whole world and reaches forward into a limitless eternity! What is all making money to making a human being godlike? What is all the triumph of art in comparison to modeling of character? It is architecture, painting, sculpture, poetry and music, aU in one, and elevated to a spiritual sphere! Consider such a life business in its effect on the 1vorker, the heroism of endeavor and endurance, self-sacrifice and self-oblivion to which it inspires; the atmosphere of influence with which it surrounds character, the transfiguring halo with which it invests common mortals-nay, the transparent spirituality which refines away all the grossness of materialism and carnalism. Go read of Ziegenbalg and Zinzendorf, Krapf and Schwartz, Carey and Moffatt, Martyn and Morrison, Dober and Duff, Harms and Eliot-the illustrious host who~have burned with the quenchless fire of missions-and tell us where will be found the like of such characters? Where the glory and joy of such reward? 2. The opening for such a divine vocation is especially inspiring, for it is purely of God. Fifty years ago the world was like the sealed jar in the tale of the genii. Now the seal is broken, and forth in the form of a colossus that strides from pole to pole comes the gigantic opportunity that challenges us to make it our servant to do our bidding in great achievement. Again we hear Prince Albert thunder out, "Find out God's plan in your generation and do not cross that plan, but fall in unto your own place in it." Has God a plan in this generation? If so, what is it, and how am I to know it? By every sign and signal God has shown -the men of this generation that his purpose is the immediate evangelization of the 1(Jorld. Behold him, while the church is yet asleep, arouse here and there a heroic soul to dare to go, like Jonathan and his armor-bearer, to attack the strongholds of the enemy. B~hold him, when the church is yet but half awake, go before the little missionary band, and as they shout the gospel message at high walls and closed gates he makes the barriers fall and within thirty years flings wide the two-leaved portals of every leading nation on the globe to the entrance of the gospel. He who doubts providential interposition in missions is blind. Nothing like it has ever occurred in human history. The cleaving of the Red Sea or Jordan, the tumbling of Jericho's walls, the defeat of Amalek, were not as conspicuous miracles as the opening of modern doors of access to an people, because these modern miracles have been on a larger scale and repeated through a half century. Obstacles are out of the way that were as broad as continents, as high as the Himalayas, and as hard as adamant. Facilities of approach have been provided in a succession of discoveries and inventions unparalleled in history-the mariner's compass, steam, the telegraph, the printing press, all the new machinery of human progress can be made available to carry us and our instrumentalities to these open gates and occupy the vast fields of labor. And besides all these openings God has by his grace so proved and approved the work that a whole series of miracles of another ,order may be seen following up the wonders of his providence by even greater wonders of his grace in the transforming of souls and even of society. Men have seen the deserts blossom as the rose, with the excellency of Carmel and Sharon; instead of the thorn the fig tree; instead of the brier the myrtle tree; the obvious planting of the Lord-God's own husbandry-that he might be glorified.
3. The profit of such a business as winning souls, who can estimate it? There is another capital to be invested besides the capital of money. Brains as well as brawn, mind and morals, gifts' and graces, time and talents, acquisitions and accomplishments, the inherited and gathered riches of human character – knowledge, love, speech, life-tell us, young man, young woman, you who wish to serve your own generation by the well of God, where will you find such opportunity for the investment.of your intellectual, moral and spiritual capital? Do you want to make your life tell for God and man? Do you want to wield a sceptre of far-reaching and deathless influence? Do you want to multiply yourself a thousandfold, to make your tongue and your pen a redeeming factor in human history? Here is your chance. On our border lands of civilization new empires form in a quarter of a century. A desert tract to-day is a hamlet to-morrow, next year a thriving village, within five a flourishing city, within ten a radiating railroad center, within fifteen a capital of a new state, and so on, marching with gigantic strides to the imperial control of vast territories with teeming population. The clay is on the wheel; you may go and sit at that wheel as the potter and mould that plastic society, now in the crude lump, into vessels for God. Here are old empires now opening to a new civilization; the Orient welcoming the Occident, asking for the western schools, manners, inventions, and taking with them the western faith because it is inseparably interwoven with the western civilization. Here is a new set of conditions, such as the world now sees for the first time: nations like Japan asking you to come and teach them, casting away hoary super- , stitions and effete faiths to take whatever you will bring, and jn danger of taking something worse than what they cast away in the craving for something new and fresh. While you hesitate the devil pushes his army of skeptical and infidel teachers and books into the new openings and threatens to sow the tares before the Lord's people get in the wheat! While you are looking about at home, waJting for something to turn up, you are losing the greatest opportunity for the investment of your mental and moral capital ever offered to the sons of men! You can shape a nation, perhaps a continent, anew before you die!
4. The associations of such a business are nothing less than divine. Human companionships of the most ennobling character, but beyond and above all the rest, fellowship, partnership with God! « Lo I am with you always" is a promise that can be enjoyed only by those who at home and abroad are engaged in the work of missions. The assurance is the divine reward and encouragement of the herald of the gospel, the cross-bearer, the witness. The business you are invited to take as your vocation, employed, engrossed, absorbed the Son of God. It drew him to these foreign shores, it made him to assume our nature and become of kin with us, learn our language, and suffer our cruelties and scorn, and fall a martyr, that by his blood he might buy the way for us to heaven! Ohrist Jesus was the pioneer in foreign'missions, the first Ohristian martyr and the leader of the host of heralds. Partners who share work share profits. No man hath forsaken all to go on this errand for Ohrist and with Ohrist who receives not a hundredfold here and now, and in the world to come both the gift of eternal life and the jru'it of his toil, which is the added wages for his work. Tried by this fourfold test, this business overtops all other in its claims and in its charms! Those who have heartily undertaken it would not exchange it for all the honors and dignities and coffers and crowns of earth. They prefer the fiery furnace, with the Son of God as a companion, to the throne of a world without him. The very self-denials of the work are an attraction, since they imply a fellowship with his sufferings; to be crucified with him is only next in bliss to being glorified together.
Such are some of the motives to the immediate and energetic prosecution of the work of missions. It is but too obvious they have never yet grappled with the convictions, affections and consciences of the bulk of disciples. Think of it. It is now 1850 years since Jesus ascended, his last message being, « Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." For fifteen centuries the church lost sight of her duty, until she even disputed and denied the obligation itself, and sneered at the few fanatics who would obey the great commission; and now after all this millennium and a half of lost time, worse than lost, while the world has been gaining on us, outstripping us, vastly outnumbering us, until the task of evangelization seems like an impossibility, we still send only about 5,000 missionaries into the whole field and'spend only about $10,000,000 a year on the work, while in this country alone $100,000,000 are spent every three months on popular amusements alone, and many times that sum every year on strong drink! The Ohristian churches, counting only the evangelical and reckoning only the more intelligent and consecrated members, could put one million workers in the field by giving to the Lord's special work one out of thirty church members, and could put at their disposal $1,000,000,000 yearly by laying aside systematically one-tenth of the average income of those members! Are we not jCistified in saying that there is something radically wrong about the methods in which our missionary enterprises are prosecuted, or rather are not prosecuted? The church is but just half awake, rubbing her eyes from her long sleep; they need to be washed with the milk of the word and get fully open to the duty, the privilege, the opportunity of modern missions. Never was sueh a business, never such an opening, never such returns, never such a divine partnership possible to the children of God! Let the church wake up and gird herself for the work and win, and seeing her white-plumed leader in the van of the fight, press on to get by his side and bear the flag of the cross to the summits of the citadels of the enemy!
1. But as yet we have not touched, save in passing, the obher grand factor in this problem of missions, namely, their systematic ana'generous support! This is even more shameful than the lack of vigor and enterprise in pushing the work itself. To think of crippling foreign missions and home missions too by withholding adequate support from self-denying servants of God already on the field; obliging them to retrench when every voice of God sounds the word, "expand j" compelling them to hesitate and halt in the very face of such magnificent opportunities; begrudging them the pittance which keeps them from starvation, and helittling their heroism by showing a lack of appreciation! This is the crown of our dishonor.
We take up the latest printed appeal of the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, as an example. The brethren that are in charge of this work we know-know intimately-and we dare affirm that there is not a more capable, conscientious, careful body of administrators of such a trust anywhere to be found thau the four men who as secretaries conduct this work in behalf of a church of nearly 800,000 members, and representing more wealth than any other like number of Christians in this country, with perhaps one doubtful exception. At the last general assembly in Omaha it was determined in view of the loud calls of the foreign work that at least one million dollars should be raised this year, which is only about one and one-third dollars per member, or a little over one-third of a cent. daily! The secretaries, notwithstanding this enthusiastic vote and the imperative needs of the work, did not venture to layout the expenditures upon any such scale in advance; and yet, with but two months·left to finish the fiscal year, again they trumpet forth their note of alarm, that nnless the church they represent redoubles its fidelity and increases its gifts, this year cannot close without repeating the disaster of debt! In this appeal these brethren will say: "This Board is not a producing capitalist. It can assume no obligations of its own. It is only a board of trust for the receipt and disbursement of whatever the churches may give for their great work of foreign missions. But the Board is so circumstanced· that its grants must be made or pledged in advance. The general assembly, instead of ordering a halt, called for more than $200,000 advance. The actual pledges made by the Board in June last were far short of the amount which the assembly named, and yet even at that lower figure, there will be a heavy debt unless a more adequate supply of funds shall soon appear!"
And such appeals as this have been chronic. Year by year, not only this Board but other similar societies have been compelled to appeal to their constituencies importunately and repeatedly to help them out of the slough of debt. On the one hand they are distressed by the needs and openings of the vast field abroad, and on the other hand by the slow, sluggish movements or lack of movements on the part of the church at home! Pity. indeed-shame, indeed-if we are to be embarrassed by the very opportunity that God gives us ; if we dare not ask for other open doors because we cannot enter those now open; if we dare not reach out a helping hand to those who entreat us for aid, because our hands are now more than full; if we dare ,not ask for more workmen because we do not know what to do with those now offering or even already on the field!
We deliberately say, after much thought and prayer over this matter, that something is radically wrong in this matter of the financial support of missions. Our methods are either unscriptural and unspiritual, or else they are defective in their application. God certainly does not need our money; it is for our sake that he uses us as almoners of his gifts. We need the discipline of unselfish giving, and the church will never grow in the grace of giving until she recognizes the fact that no believer ever puts God under any obligation by the most" munificent donation," as though" he needed anything." We must from the bottom rebuild both the science and the art of giving. We must learn for ourselves and teach others, that 1. It is a privilege to give, rather than a duty. To scatter is to increase, to give is to get. The richest growth comes by the most heroic pruning. It makes one comparatively omnipotent and omnipresent to use money aright-multiplying his power and his presence a thousandfold.
2. The giver can sanctify the g{ft, however small or insignificant, by his unselfishness and magnanimity of motive. A cup of cold water in the name of a disciple cannot lose its reward. It becomes a great gift by a great motive and spirit in the giver. Whatever is done in His name is divine. Give what you can, when you can, where you can, but give it cheerfully; give a cup of water, a mite, a kiss, a word, a smile, grandly, nobly, as a disciple. That way of giving swells the gift, and God will use it grandly. 3. The altar sanctifies the gift. Put on God's altar as such, the humblest offering acquires dignity. We should study to' give discrim- . inatingly, to the worthiest objects, not carelessly or indiscriminately. Money may be thrown away and lavishly wasted on nothings, while the greatest objects appeal in vain for our aid. Where can be found any altar so sacred as that of missions? The Lord himself laid himself on that same altar, the first grand whole burnt-offering, and any gift laid there is made divinely sacred by his sacrifice.
4. God values the little gifts from the many more than the greater gifts from the few. For the church to depend upon large donations from a comparatively few is not God's way. It is bad alike for the many and for the few. The many learn to lean on the few, and the few become self-complacent and self-righteous as though the progress of the church depended on their munificence. God's way is not that other men be eased and a few burdened, but that there be equality, i.e. a sharing of responsibility according to ability. " Organize the littles," make many little rills unite in one great river. The Women's Boards both teach and illustrate this lesson: they have gone straight on, giving more and more, and yet the immense sums they gather are all the aggregate of small and regular gifts.
5. Giving does us little good until it comes to the point of downright self-denial. The tithe system may answer for the minimum, but never for the maximum of our gifts. It is obvious that one hundred dollars from a man whose income is a thousand is a very much larger proportion than is one thousand for him who gets ten thousand, or ten thousand for him who has one hundred thousand a year. In one case the man has 900, in the next 9,000, and in the last 90,000 dollars left for his own expenses. The fact is that all these rnathematics of giving are sadly, radically misleading. The ethics of giving reach higher, hut we need some higher plane than either. Shall we call it the (Esthetics of giving? We need to apprehend the beauty of giving. It is the highest of the fine arts. We ought to be enamored of it as of the most resthetic productions of the artist, the sculptor, the architect, the mu- SICIan. Then giving will not need to be urged; there will be rather need of restraining the people from bringing, as Moses dia. The man or woman who learns to give in the right spirit forgets all about the duty, in the privilege, and the absence of life's necessities would bring no such distress as to be cut off from this lztxury. To illustrate and enforce this truth, we add to this article a few facts from history and biography. First, we recall a fine tribute of Bishop Ooxe to one of his old parishioners, Mr. Lee: "He was an instance of religious principle and system as regards tithes and offerings. For years it was his habit to set apart a most liberal portion of his income as the Lord'sportion. Hence giving was to him a great pleasure and a mere act of stewardship. If an object struck him as a good and valid claim on him he said, 'My only-task is to reckon how much of the Lord's portion should go to this object in view of others. Hence,' said he, 'the visit of a good man 1;0 solicit aid is a source of pleasure to me. 1 say to him, If you have a good cause I've something for you; you must help me to judge how much.' Sometimes he would say to one calling on him, 'I've money for you, but this morning. I've no time; please state the case in few words, and if 1 find it a just claim on me I'll gladly do something; only, 1 am sorry to say, 1 can give but five minutes to the matter.' Often, in such case, the five minutes would send the laborers away $50 or $100 richer, and cash in hand. Once a solicitor said, 'Mr. Lee couldn't give me anything this time, but he told me why so kindly and so satisfactorily that his very refusal has done me more good than some men's contributions.' At a crisis in the early history of St. John's church he came to me and said, 'If they will go on and pay the debt 1 will give $5,000.' 1 said, 'You can't afford it.' He answered, 'I intend to sell my house and live in a plainer one till 1 make it up.' And he did so! When Christmas came he enabled me to give a Christmas turkey to everyone of my poorer parishioners. Henry IV. of France, who wished that 'every peasant in his kingdom might have a chicken in his pot every Sunday,' did far less than Mr. Lee by way of personal sacrifice to make the poor man's heart rejoice over his Sunday meal. When prevented from attending the Board of Missions he would send a check equal to what would have been his expenses in attending. 'I can't go, but that will do more good than my presence.' "
Next, we remind our readers of the famous story of the origin of The Order of the Iron Gross. Frederick William III., the father of the present king and son of the great Frederick of Prussia, was the providential prompter of a simple and sublime testimonial of the pure patriotism of his subjects and their readiness to come up nobly to the help of their country in the time of its greatest distress. At the call of their king to pour their gold and silver ornaments into the public treasury and to receive in their stead iron ornaments of the same form, the people cheerfully and nobly came forward, stripping themselves of their bracelets, necklaces, rings, brooches, crosses, earrings of gold, and jewels, casting them into the treasury, and receiving only in exchange similar articles, beautifully worked in bronze and bearing the inscription, " I gave gold for iron, 1813." Hence arose the "Order of the Iron Cross." What an interesting instance of the confidence of subjects in the wisdom and valor of their king! And how impressively does it demonstrate their patriotism and willingness to make any sacrifice for the liberation and glory of their country. They were ready to surrender all their luxuries for the relief of their oppressed nation. Hence, as long as the war lasted, gold ornaments were never worn, and the beautiful Berlin bronze ornaments became more admired and more highly prized throughout Europe than were the most costly jewels before the war.
What if the disciples of- Jesus would but form a new Order of the Iron Cross, and cheerfully sacrifice their superfiuous ornaments to supply the needs of his poor, destitute ones! We should not know what to do with the money! And yet our sacrifices would not have touched our necessities or even our comforts; we should have got only so far as the women when they gave their burnished metal mirrors to make the brazen laver.
Our last illustration shall be the story of Princess Eugenie and her jewels. Eugenie of Sweden has a name already immortal for her selfsacrificing, sympathetic friendship for the poor and suffering. It is now many years ago that she was ordered by her physicians to go to an island off the coast for her health. On that island she found a large number of wretched cripples, many of them hopelessly incurable. She could not be happy until she had done something for their relief. She devoutly prayed God to put into her own heart his own thought about the matter and show her his will concerning this thing.
Then the thought came into her mind which has now made her famous. She would build a home for those poor cripples, where they might have loving nursing and sisterly care. Their number was so great that the house must be large and costly, and she knew not how to raise the necessary funds. Then another thought came into her heart. She wrote to her brothel', the king, asking his c~nsent to sell all the crown jewels that belonged to her and to use the proceeds of the sale for God. The letter was baptized in tears and hallowed with many prayers that the king would accede to her request.
At first he thought Eugenie must be crazy. These jewels were heir- . looms'; they had come down to her from past generations. Who had ever heard of such a preposterous notion, that a royal princess should part forever with her precious family treasures to build a hospital for cripples! But there was one phrase in her letter that her brother could not forget. Her whole plea was "for OMist's salce." And at last he wrote a reply giving his consent. The princess, happy in the sacrifice, sold her jewels and finished and furnished the hospital.
.And not only so. Her sublimest gift was the gift of herself. Into 'the home she had built she went day after day, God's ministering angel to those deformed and loathsome cripples. One day a poor woman, at whose bedside day after day she had thus been a visitor, was drawing near to death. Eugenie had been wont to sit by her, holding her hand and pleading with. her to accept Jesus as her Saviour. And now as the last hour had come she raised herself in bed, bent over the princess' hand, and caressing it said, "Lovely princess, I bless the Lord for sending you to this island, for but for you I never should have learned to love Jesus and my soul would have been lost." Then she fell back and expired, but the hand of Eugenie was covered with the tear-drops from those dying eyes. Eugenie, looked down at her hand, saw those grateful tears glistening upon her hand in the sunlight, and lifting her eyes to God said, ., 0 my Saviour. I sold my jewels for thee, bu,t I see them all restored, and hOtv much more beautiful they are titan lJ)hen Iformerly owned them!"
THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE AGES
Let our giving to missions be wholly reconstructed. Let as awake to the fact that we have not yet begun to learn the divine lesson of self-sacrifice. Our luxuries must be surrendered in view of the destitution of a ptlrishing world-yes, even our comforts, our very necessities must be diminished and sacrificed in the face of the extremities of those who must perish for the want of bread.
THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE AGES.
By JACOB OHAl[BERLAIN, !lI.D., D.D., OF M~DANAPALLE, INDIA.
INDIA is the home of one-sixth of the human race. Reaching from Oape Oomorin, within eight degrees of the Equator, north 2,000 miles to the peaks of the Himalayas, and from Afghanistan through 1,800 miles to Indo-Ohina, we have a country inhabited by 252,000,000, and equal to about one-half of the area of the United States.
The people are not homogeneous. There are forty languages spoken in India; many are very ancient and polished. The Sanskrit, in which the Vedas were written, rivals even the Greek in fullness, power, and beauty, and is stiU the language of ritual in all India, being to the Hindus all that Latin is in the Romish Ohurch. The people are as different as their languages; not of one cast of countenance, not of one ethnological descent. The religion of the people of India is one- Brahmanism or Hinduism-with the exception of the descendants of the Mohammedan invaders of some seven centuries ago. Of these, 40,000,000 remain in India still, and are Mohammedan. .
Let me remind you what Brahmanism or Hinduism is. Their ancient Vedas, the most ancient of which is believed to have been written about the time of Moses, teach, in the main, a true conception of God· and man and sin and sacrifice. But though they have these ancient Vedas and these purer ideas of God, there came later the teaching and the practice of polytheism and idolatry, until what once was light in Asia has become darkness.
As the purer religion of the Vedas degenerated, their purer morals gave place to sensuality, corruption and vice. As a physician I have treated many thousal!ds of patients, from the Rajah to the beggar, and I say that there is no such thing as purity or virtue among them.
And I have this from the confessions of their best men, that" there is not a family that is not tainted with the impure disease." Honesty in dealings is scarcely known, and is not expected in trade. And al- though their Vedas, poets and sages call on the people to main- tain truth as their choicest heritage, yet there is no truth among the people. A common proverb among the Telugus is, "If a man tells the truth, the town will soon become too hot for him." I was once preach- ing in a Telugu city; said I, "You Hindus tell a lie as often as you tell the truth." "What, sir I" said a Brahman right before me, "do you say that we Hindus tell a lie as often as we tell the truth?" " Yes," said I, intending to staud my ground. "Sir," said he, "we Hindus tell ten lies for every truth we utter." That time he certainly told the truth.
Hinduism has two chief bulwarks in this generation: caste and the endowed temples. Caste is a religious distinction. It is not a social distinction, but one of birth; for Brahma created each caste by a different creation, they hold. 'fhe Brahman claims that he is holier than the rest, and if we yield to caste we must allow him to say to the rest, "Stand by thyself, for I am holier than thou." If we give place to caste, we can no longer proclaim, "As in Adam all died, even so in Christ shall all be made alive," for they hold that there were a dozen Adams. Caste is so firmly rooted that I have known of a Brahman that died by starvation when there was food placed by his side, because that food was cooked by one of a lower caste. "Better die," said he, "and reach heaven, than eat that food and live, and lose caste and lose heaven," Caste, then, is the adamantine chain which Satan has wound around these people to hold them back from embracing the truth.
The second great bulwark which supports the system is its myriads of endowed temples. They dot every hilltop and every plain, endowed in former ages with rich lands-the choicest of the fields. AU the revenues of those lands go to the support of the priesthood, who carryon the ceremonies of the temples. If Christianity prevails the Brahmans will cease to reap those revenues. By this craft they have their wealth, and they lock arms to defend their ancient system against the missionary. I had a discussion in the Mysore country, in a city where no missionary had been before, with the chief priest of that region, the president of their theological seminary, where were seventy young Brahmans studying under him for the priesthood. He, surrounded by his disciples, had come to meet us in the market-place, and the discussion lasted hour after hour. He had been pushed to the wall; but darkness coming on he said there was no time to discuss further then, but he would renew the discussion the next evening.
At noon the next day, when all the people were indoors at their midday meal, he stole out of the northern gate of the city, and, coming around through the rice fiel~s and behind the trees to our tent, asked if he might come in and let down the curtain. " Certainly." " Is there anyone within hearing besides yourselves?" " No ; all our people are away at their dinner." At once his whole mien and appearance changed. "Sirs," said he to us, "what you said yesterday was utterly unanswerable. I did the best I could to defend my own posi- I tion, but I am not going to meet you again. What you said is so pure, so holy, so good, it appeals so to the highest needs and desires of men, that it seems as if it must be divine, it must be true. At all events, it is a better religion than ours. But, sirs, we Brahmans canuot afford to let you succeed. Look at our position. . We reap the rich revenues from all these temples. Weare treated as demigods by the people. At every festival we receive rich gifts. Weare looked up to and worshiped. But let your system succeed, which teaches that there need be no human mediator between God and man but Jesus Ohrist, and we Brahmans drop from our high pedestal down to the level of what we are worth, and you know what that means as well as we do. We Brahmans can't afford to let you succeed. We have got to fight you." And fight us they do.
How then is such a system, defended by the power of caste and of an endowed priesthood, to be overcome? We missionaries try to follow our Master in the oral proclamation of the gospel to the people, carrying it to them in the highways and the byways, in their towns, their villages, their hamlets; at their markets and their fairs. We take our tent and pitch it by some central village, and preach in that and each of the surrounding villages within a radius of say three or four miles, reaching perhaps forty to eighty villages, before moving on. We mount upon some platform and gather the people together, and preach to them of Ohrist and his salvation. In our part of the country we gather them by the voice of song. The eighteen millions of Telugu people are a very musical people, and their language is a language of poetry and song. They have old tunes by the hundred, weird and sweet and pleasant, which they have sung through twenty generations in the praise of their gods. We, anxious to seize the devil's choicest weapons to thrust him with, take these tunes of theirs and marry them to Ohristian words, and set them afloat again through the country in tracts with the gospel message put into their style of poetry, and adapted to their choicest tunes. They, curious to see how the new words fit the old tune, will often sing until they sometimes sing the gospel message into their understanding, and the love of Ohrist into their hearts. And on in the night, mingled with my sleep, I have been conscious of hearing songs of redeeming love sung by Hindus who had that day, for the first time, heard of the Redeemer, Jesus. Thus with preaching and with song and with tract and Scripture scattered as we go, do we canvass the country sowing the seed of the kingdom, and the seed is taking root.
We are reaching the people also by medical work. Many of us are physicians as well as ministers. We have gathered in thousands from all the villages around simply by the knowledge that if they came their diseases would be healed. They have come from thousands of towns and villages in all directions. They hear the Bible read; they hear the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Ohrist; they listen as we raise ~he voice of prayer to him who made us and who can save us; they go back to their homes; they take with them the tickets on which are printed a concise statement of Christian truth, and thus the truth is being scattered where we have never set foot.
Our schools present the truths of Christianity. Heathen pupils come to them with the understanding that they will study what the Christians do. Everyone of them studies the Bible, and so we initiate the young into the pure teachings of the religion of Jesus; and we have girls' schools now, which are filled with the highest caste of Hindu young women. They all read the Bible, learn our Christian hymns, study our catechisms, and come to a knowledge of the truth in these schools; and thus we are reaching the secluded zenanas everywhere. Then we have our Anglo-vernacular schools, high schools and Christian colleges, with which we reach young men preparing for the universities and help them on their way through those. In everyone of these schools the Bible is studied as a text-book in each class every day. In December, 1883, I received a very singular petition from Vayalpad, the county town of the adjacent county. There were no Christians in that county. The petition was brought by a special 'messenger and signed by the chief men, not one of whom was a Christian. They petitioned me to receive under my charge the Anglo-vernacular school which they had established the year before for teaching their sons, and to introduce the Bible as a text-book in every class every day.
Much surprised at the tenor of the request, I went out at once to see them and see if they were in earnest. A meeting was summoned of all interested in the school. I read this petition to them. I said: "If this school is placed under my charge, it will be my aim to present the highest truth that man can conceive of to all the pupils. With that understanding, do you wish me to receive the school? The head mas- ter of the school, a Brahman, not a Christian, but who had himself been educated in a mission school, spoke first, telling of what he had learned in that mission school, how he had learned to reverence the Bible, and how anxious he was that these, his pupils, should be under biblical instruction. By experience he knew what the Bible did for one, even though he did not become a Christian. Then a native judge, . the judge of four counties, spoke. He was a high-caste native gentleman and finely educated. His speech was so remarkable that when I reached home I wrote it down in English. He said : "I was not educated in a mission school, but I have many friends who were and who studied the Bible daily in school. I have witnessed its effect upon their lives. I have read the Bible myself privately a great deal. I have come to know the pure and beautiful morality it inculcates. Nothing in our Vedas can compare with it. Let your sons study the Bible. They need not become Christians; but if you want your sons to become noble, upright men, put this school under the charge of the missionary and have the Bible taught in it daily. I have but one son. On him all my hopes are centered. I am able to send him where I please for his education, but I want him to be a noble, earnest man. I have therefore sent him to the Madras Christian College, and there he studies the Bible with the missionaries every day." • By unanimous vote the school was placed under my charge. The Bible from that day was introduced in every class, taught by our cate- chists, and as I examined the school from month to month before I came home I found there was no lesson learned with more avidity, no examination passed better than in the Bible. Thus are we reaching the young men of India. But they seek, as did this Hindu judge, to obtain the morality of the Bible, the nobility of character which its precepts give, without embracing Christianity. They forsake their old religion. They neglect their ancient scriptures. They sip at the fountain of the Bible, but alas, they do not take the Jesus of the Bible to be their Saviour. Fearful danger lies before them.
Thirty-five different missionary societies laboring in India, with their 658 ordained missionaries, have been diligently working, sowing the seed and preparing for the harvest. The Scriptures in twenty-five languages have been scattered throughout the hundred thousand towns and villages of India. These gospels have gone into ten thousand vil- lages where there is no missionary, no native assistant, and not a Christian. We have indeed made the people dissatisfied with their own system, but we have not yet given them Ohrist. Said a Brahman to one of our missionaries visiting that village for the third time in ten years: "Sir, you come just often enough to make us dissatisfied with our old religion. You shake our faith in our ancient gods. You do not come enough to explain your religion to us, so that we can intelligently embrace it. Either keep away entirely or come and bring us to your God and Saviour."
And there was truth in what he said. 'rhe mass of intelligent men all through India have lost faith in their old religion, and now Satan comes in to reap the harvest. 'rhey are dissatisfied with their ancient system, and he brings in the books of John Stuart Mill, Herbert Spencer and Huxley, and men of that class-yes, and of Bradlaugh and Mrs. Besant, and of Voltaire and Thomas Paine. The writings of these are scattered all through India, and presses run night and day casting off pages by the million for the poisoning of these awakened Hindu minds.. Anything opposing Christianity, no matter how vile, will be published by them and scattered through the country broadcast.
The whole nation is on the eve of coming out of Hinduism and going into-what?
" Sir," said a Brahman priest to me, "I have never seen a missionary. I have never seen your Veda. But one of our townsmen went to your hospital and was cured, and brought a little ticket which you give your patients, on the back of which was printed a statement of your religion. That is all I have ever seen. He told me what he had heard of your preaching at the hospital. That is all I have ever heard of your religion. We Brahmans have been reading that gospel ticket. It has shown us that Hinduism is not the complete soul-satisfying system that we imagined it to be by pointing out a nobler way. We have talked it over. Sir, Hinduism is doomed. It must go by theboard. Now I have come eighty mile'tto ask you, What are you going to give us in its place?"
I tried to tell him of the pure religion of Jesus Christ, which we were going to give them in the place of Hinduism; and as I talked with him, said I to myself: "Am I telling this man true or false? Are we going to give to these teeming and now awakened millions-are we going to give them the religion of our Jesus? Or are we going to awaken them and dissatisfy them with their own system and then leave them to drift out into skepticism or rationalistic deism or black agnosticism? That is what they are drifting to, and that does not interfere with their caste and the enjoyment of the revenues of the Hindu temples. Shall we let them go out into that realm of darkness? Shall the ruins of Hindu temples be built up into temples for Satan, or into temples of the Most High God?"
THE TIME FOR ACTION.
There is a "tide in the affairs of men" in matters spiritual as well as temporal. That tide in India is now at its flood. If it recedes, the advantages that we now have will never again be offered. There is not a province where Hinduism stands firm on its ancient basis. There is not a caste or a creed whose ranks do not show gaps made by those who have deserted them and enlisted under the banner of King Immanuel. The thirty-five missionary societies now in India are coming together for the conflict. The strategic points have been gained. Plans for the final attack are matured. The enemy are weakening and are dispirited. Already do we see them on their citadels prepared to let down the flag and surrender if a vigorous' assault be made. But, alas! our forces on the field are still too weak to make that assault.
But can the men and the sinews of war for this stupendous battle be obtained? When Lincoln, in the early daya of the war, issued his call for 75,000 volunteers, the cable told us that the roll of 75,000 was filled; that word had to be sent out to stop the enrollment, as so many more offered. Then the men and women of the North said, "Send them into the field. We will raise the needed funds." And right royally was the promise fulfilled.
We must have an army of 75,000 to conquer India for Christ! The privates for the army we will enlist there. We must have 5,000 "West Point officers" within five years to lead that army. 'rhoy must be men from America and Europe, trained for the conflict in the older Chris- tian lands. There has been no greater msplration in this century than . the springing forward within the past twelve months of 2,500 young men and women in America enrolling themselves thus as volunteers to go to the front if God shall open the way. "Is it possible for the church to send out and support such a great number of new recruits?" That question is born not of faith, but of fear. Behold God's triangle! He has created the opening bj; his marvelous providences. By his Spirit he has called for these volunteers, and they have responded. The apex of the triangle only needs the funds. The silver and the gold ate the Lord's. God's triangle is never incomplete. In the name of our Immanuel, I ring out the caU for 5,000 volunteers for tMs glorious warfare!
There are in India 60,000 young converts to be trained for the work. They have not the life, the energy, the spiritual earnestness for the work of saving other souls that we have longed to see in them. Their piety, their endurance under persecution, their devotedness to Christ, we do not question. But they have not inherited the capacity for organized vigorous effort. '.rhey do not know how to touch their fellows. We need in India the life, the fire, the method, which the Y. M. C. A.'s are giving to the young men in America. We need organized effort all along the line.
In our great cities in India there is abundance of material to work upon and to work with. Our colleges, our universities, our schools, all give abundant scope. Send us out one of the best-trained General Secretaries, trained in the school of failure as well as in that of success, that we may know that he will endure. He need know no language but English, for his labor should be given to laying the fouudations all through India, not among the people of one language, and for such work the English is sufficient. Let him be a man of experience, of spiritual power, of hop@fulness, of tact. With him send us five younger men to be general secretaries in the five capitals of India-Calcutta, Madras, Bombay, Allahabad, Lahore. They will need to learn each the principal vernacular of his presidency.
When out upon a tour in 1879, in a county where there was not a Christian, a native official, high in office, in caste, in social position and in wealth, sent a message to me saying that he would like to come and see me privately for the treatment of an ailment. I found that he had some trifling ailment, the treatment of which was dispatched in a few moments; he had used the little ailment merely as a cover to talk with me about Christianity. 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 hisfollowers so distinctly that I cannot deny his divinity. He is not yet my Saviour. 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 that comes from embracing his religion, the more do I feel that in the end I shall have to accept him at any cost as my personal Saviour. But how can I do it and bring ruin upon my family?"
That was six or eight years ago. He has not yet come to the Saviour ; and there It.J"e thousands in this position all over India. They are not being reached. They need not polemics, but a loving, feeling presentation of the gospel of Christ.
Five hundred years before Christ, India was groaning under Brahmanical sacerdotalism, priestcraft, polytheism, idolatry, and caste. Buddha arose as a reformer. With the modicum of truth which he presented to them, teaching them that there was one God, that no human mediation was necessary between God and man, that all men constituted one brotherhood, that service for others was man's highest glory, he fired his disciples with zeal, and they went forth with him to conquer India to their new-found faith. Kings became the nursing fathers of the new religion. A prince of the royal house of Magadha, with his associates in the work, went down through India, and crossed to Ceylon, and all Oeylon was converted to Buddhism. Other disciples went around the northern end of the Bay of Bengal and converted all Burmah to Buddhism. They entered Siam, and all Siam and its monarch embraced the faith. These Buddhist missionaries, climbing up the ascents. of the Himalaya Mountains, went through Nepaul, and all the Nepaulese became Buddhists. They went over into Thibet, and Thibet became and remains Buddhist. They passed on into Siberia; into Ohina, and two hundred millions of its people embraced their faith. ~'hey crossed over to the island empire of Japan, and the standard of Buddha was planted there.
Let this history be to us a prophecy and an inspiration. Give us the men and all the agencies God has put in our power, and we can, by God's blessing, bring India to Ohrist within this onr generation. The Hindu converts will repeat the history of the past; but with new zeal, aided by a power that Buddha's disciples knew not. Again will they sweep through Nepaul and Thibet. Again will they traverse Siberia to its northern limit, and sweep over northern Ohina, conquering not for Buddha, but for Ohrist. The Mohammedan population of India, thus converted, will sweep northward and westward through Arabia and the Turkish Empire, and joining with the missionary forces already at work bring their coreligionists to Ohrist. The Japanese, now so rapidly and grandly enlisted under the banner of Christ, having then through their vigorous home missions completed the conversion of the islands of Japan, will sweep across through Korea and on through Siberia, to meet the advancing Hindu army of Ohrist. And the Chinese contingent, starting northward from Canton and Swatow and Amoy and Foochow, gathering force from the other coast missions and the Inland Mission, will complete th!;l conquest of Ohina, and all Asia will have been brought to Ohrist. Then upon the high mountains in East- will ern Asia will those three armies meet, and together plant the royal standal'd of King Immanuel, and from those united hosts go up the shout, "Hallelujah! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth."
THE MIRACLES OF MISSIONS
THE MlRAOLES OF MISSIONS.-No. III.
[EDITORIAL.-A. T. P.] THE "WILD MEN" OF BURMAH.
WHEN the missionaries first landed in Burmah they were not even aware of the existence of the Karens or Karians or wild rnen, a rude race inhabiting also Siam and parts of Ohina, dwelling in jungles and mountainous districts, and numbering from 35,000 to 40,000. They reckon themselves by families, and though a family should number hun- dreds of souls it has but one house. Their government is primitive and patriarchal. They wear but little clothing, generally a long sleeveless shirt of coarse cotton. It is now sixty years ago since these obscure people were discovered by the Baptist missionaries. They were oppressed and virtually enslaved by the Burmans.
While their Burman oppressors turned proudly away from the cross, and clung the closer and the more resolutely to the follies and absurdi- ties of their atheistic idolatry, these humble people emerged from their obscure hiding places and not only heard the simple message of the gospel with a strange gladness, but bore the tidings from village to village till hundreds had been baptized and added to the church of God. Wherever the missionaries went the good news had preceded them, and in even the most remote, retired and untraveled quarters they found some who, like Simeon, were waiting for more light and prepared for its reception. Side by side with preaching went the mission schools. By lessons in language and science, as well as in the faith of Ohrist, these devoted men and women sought to lead the young from the vanities, idolatries and superstitions of their ancestors, and displace the , doctrines of Gautama by the teachings of Jesus. The printing press was also brought into requisition. Within ten years after the mission was begun fonts of type were prepared in each of the Karen dialects, and thousands of copies of books, tracts and portions of the Scriptures were published. The natives speaking the several languages soon learned to print them and became valuable helpers both in producing and distributing the issues of the press.
It may be worth while to trace at least the grand 9utlines of this wonderful history of modern gospel triumphs. When in 1828 Mr. Boardman removed from Maulmain to Tavoy there lived in his family a middle-aged man who had been a slave till the missionaries themselves purchased his freedom. Already a convert to Ohristianity, soon after' their arrival in this stronghold of Gautama with its two hundred Bud- dhist priests, this poor Karen was baptized. His name was Kho-Thah- by-u. He was the first Karen convert; his turning to Ohrist was the turning point in the history of the degraded race to which he belonged, and the work begun in his transformation was ~he auspicious forerunner and foretaste of a success which has in all Christian history scarce any superior or even equal as a demonstration of divine power. These "wild men," upon whom even the Burmans looked down with haughty contempt as servile inferiors, weaker in body and mind than their oppressors, the victims of intemperance and disgusting vices, were cruelly trodden under foot and virtually enslaved by the Burmans, who forced them to till the land, pay exorbitant taxes, and do all kinds of slave labor. To escape their persecutors they became half-nomads, wandering into remote and inaccessible regions that they might not be kidnapped and reduced to bondage. Though they had some crude belief in deity, and a future state with its awards, they had neither a definite religious faith and form of religion nor a priesthood. Yet these were the people whose unbounded enthusiasm in receiving the gospel has proven that none are so low that the good news may not at once reach to their deep degradation and accomplish their moral uplifting and utter transformation. Soon after Mr. Boardman settled at Tavoy, Ko-Thah-byu brought to him several Karens of the city. 'l'his first convert not only evinced a true and deep interest in Christ, but a passion for other souls that proved how the degraded pagan may not only be converted, but take up the work of winning souls with avidity and constancy.
At one of the Karen villages, twelve years before, a traveling Mussulman had left a mysterious book, which he told the Karens was sacred and entitled to divine honors. The superstitious party who had charge of it knew nothing of its contents, but wrapped it in muslin and enc~sed it in basket-work of reeds covered with pitch, like the Nile cradle of Moses. The mysterious book became a deified obJect and religiously venerated. The keeper himself became a kind of high priest and sacristan combined, and it was vaguely believed that a treasure had been sent them from a.bove which some future messenger would claim and explain. When Mr. Boardman came to the village he was visited by the guardian of the holy book to ask concerning its character. He could give no opinion till he should examine the book. So the keeper of it returned to his own village and came back after several days bearing the revered book and followed by a numerous train of interested people, all eager to know Mr. Boardman's verdict concerning this unknown volume. The wrappings were removed, and an old, torn, worn-out copy of The Book of Oommon Prayer and Psalms was revealed. It ,was an Oxford edition in English. Mr. Boardman, like Paul at Athens, told the people they were, in their way, very religious, but their devotion was misplaced. They had been ignorantly wor- shiping an unknown god, and he took opportunity now to declare to them the messa;ge of the true God. ." That book," said he, "is a good book, and teaches of the true God in heaven." The docility of the people was amazing. These Karens seemed to feel the sin of having given to a mere book the homage due only to God, and during the two days of Mr. Boardman's stay received with deep interest his instruction. The aged keeper of the book saw that his office and dignity were at an end and laid aside his sorcerer's fantastical dress and wand which had been for twelve years the sign and sceptre of his authority and influence.
In 1831 Mr. Boardman yielded to solicitation and began to visit the Karen villages, accompanied by the devoted Kho-Thah-byu. First of aU they went to the village of Tshick-Koo, the repository of the" sacred volume." The journey was through a country where the very hills and mountains were monuments of idolatry-every height was crowned with a pagoda.
Three days' journey brought him to Tshick-Koo, where he not only found a cordial welcome, but a zayat had been built in anticipation of his coming, and it was large enough to accommodate the whole population of the small village. There at once he preached, Kho-Thah-byu being his interpreter to such as were ignorant of Burman. Not only was he heard gladly, but some stayed all night at the zayat to hear him and the next day crowded about him with presents, and at the end of the second day five came for1vard to receive baptism, one of them the old sorcerer himself. Wherever he went he was received with great hospitality and frequently found candidates for baptism who had first heard of Christ from the lips of Kho-Thah-byu. This itinerant experience of ten days determined him to form a grand plan of comprehensive missionary operations, embracing preaching tours among the villages and establishment of Christian schools.
In 1829 the famous Tavoy rebellion scattered the little band of Karen disciples, broke up the schools and destroyed the mission premises, but when Mr. Boardman returned the fugitives came back from the jungles and new power attended the preaching of the word. There were those verging upon old age who traveled fifty miles by hard and perilous paths to apply for baptism. Kho-Thah-byu went often over the mountains to bear the gospel message, and from these distant homes, some of them on the borders of Siam, there came to the missionaries Karen inquirers who had been first reached by these disciples, who, scattered abroad, went preaching the word. On one occasion Kho-Thah-byu brought back forty of his countrymen.
Mr. Boardman's health gave way and he saw that his end was near. These simple Karens in the villages roundabout, fearing that he would not be able to visit them as he had promised, came to Tavoy and bore him ona cot upon their shoulders to the zayat they had builtior his use on the banks of a beautiful stream, where the sloping mountainsides were lined with Karen villages. There he found about fifty can- di@tea for baptism. With the aid of Rev. Mr. Mason and native disciples the dying missIonary examined the candidates, and at the sunset . hour his cot was placed by the riverside and the first Ohristian baptism: ever known in that district was celebrated in that mountain stream by Mr. Mason. This was Mr. Boardman's" closing scene "-fit close to the labors of a devoted missionary. They attempted to bear him back to Tavoy, but he died on the way, and his tomb is in the midst of what was once a Buddhist grove and beneath the shadow of a ruined pagoda. Its simple marble slab bears an epitaph which reminds us of Ohristopher Wren's memorial in St. Paul's cathedral, "If you seek his monument, look around you."
The next prominent stage in this wonderful work among the Karens was the gathering of these scattered converts from the villages into a community by themselves, in order that they might be provided with schools and other means of religious culture and growth quite impracticable in their scattered condition. This docile people accepted Mr. Mason's proposal, and about the year 1833 actually abandoned their homes, and a site was chosen for a new Ohristian town. It was the site of a former settlement known as "the ancient city," but only tradition of its former condition survived. The new settlement was called Matah, city of love, almost the Karen equivalent for Philadelphia. Fifteen years wrought there marvelous transformations: there might be found, forty years ago, a flourishing church, Ohristian schools, a.nd a happy, harmonious people, their nomadic habits having given way to a settled life of trade, industry, and agriculture. Heathen vices had already been displaced by neatness, cleanliness, decency and ordl(r. They began to support not only their own families but their own schools and the institutions of the gospel. The history of the wonderful changes wrought by the gospel among the "wild men" of Burmah we cannot trace further. Both in manners and morals, in manhood and hvusehold life, the Karen became unrecognizable after tHe gospel had touched his mind and heart.
When Mr. Mason in 1832 visited the fields of the beloved Board- man's labor, he came to the villages under the jurisdiction of Moung So, the chief, who early sought the missionaries at Tavoy, and he beheld with astonishment the changes already wrought. Hear his own words: " I no longer date from a heathen land. Heathenism has fled these banks. I eat the rice and potatoes and fruit cultivated by Ohristian hands, look on the fields of Ohristians, and see no dwellings but those of Ohristian families. I am seated in the midst of a Ohristian village, surrounded by a people that love, talk, act, and in my eyes look like Ohristians !" And this was over fifty years ago• .At Dong-Yahn the lamented Eleanor Macomber, in December, 1836, found the poor Karens, slaves of drunkenness and all the most loath- SOIJle vices of heathenism. With the aid only of two or three natives she maintained at her own dwelling daily prayer and Sabbath worship and opened a small school. Before the close of the .first season tw~lve Karens; rescued out of their low and degraded paganism, were baptized and formed into a church of Christ. By September of 1837 native preachers were in charge of the church and schools, and Dong-Yahn was the seat of a flourishing Christian community, from which Over a wide district crowded with Karens the ligbt and life of the gospel was extending. Her influence on the women and girls was such that scarce a home in the numerous villages of the jungle had not felt the power of her Christian womanhood to uplift and transform female character; and when in 1840, after less than four years of labor, she was called to her reward, the wilderness had already begun to bloom like Eden and the desert like the garden of the Lord. Persecution broke out, and the poor victims fled in every direction, but they held fast their fai~h, and like primitive disciples preached it when scattered abroad.
Among the most fascinating stories of missions is this triumph of the Christian faith in the wilderness of Burmah. It was propagated by Karens, who themselves had only just heard it and had scarcely learned to read the Gospels-men" persecuted and despised by cruel priests and superstitious despots"-yet that gospel took possession of hundreds of Karen hearts and homes and lifted a whole people to a new plane of domestic and social life and started them on a new career! What hath God wrought!
But the work thus begun has grown with a rapidity seldom paral- leled. In 1878 the fiftieth anniversary of the conversion of Ko-Thah- byu was kept by jubilee gatherings and the consecration of the Memorial Hall that bears his name. The Karens themselves built it for school and other mission purposes at a cost of fifteen thousand dollars. It rep- resented twenty thousand then living disciples, converted from demon worship, maintaining their own churches and schools, besides twenty thousand more who, in the faith of Jesus, have died and gone to be with him in glory.
At the dedication of this Hall four veteran native Karen pastors and hundreds of others were present. 'fhe hall measures 134 feet on its south front, 131 on the east, and 104 on the west. It has a splendid audience room 66 by 38 feet, and with a fine gallery. Along the east side is carved in Karen, "Behold the Lamb of God," etc., and on the west side, "These words . . . thou shall teach diligently unto thy children." What a work may this hall see done in fifty years to come!
He who would realize what the gospel has done for the Karen slaves must go and stand on that" gospel hill" and see Ko-Thah-byu Memo- rial Hall confronting Shway-Mote-Tau pagoda on an opposing hill, with its shrines and fanes. Here is the double monument of what the ; Karens 1(Jere and are. Burmah has not only taken her stand among· the givers, but in 1880 ranked third in the li!:St of donors to the Bap- tist Missionary Union, only Massachusetts and New York outranking her! Burmah gave $31,616.14! and of this amount the Karen churches gave over $30,000! Fifty years ago in idolatry, now an evangelizing power! And not content with this, they set about raising another $25,000 to endow a normal and industrial institute! Their liberality puts to shame the so-called benevolence of our Ohristians at home. We give out of our abundance; "the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abound unto the riches of their liberality."
In the Government Administration Report for British Burmah for 1880-81 there is a glowing tribute to the American Baptist missionaries, followed by the statement that there were then attached ,to their communion" 451 Ohristian Karen parishes, most of which support their own church, parish school and native pastor, and many of which subscribe considerable sums for missionary work." The report adds: "Ohristianity continues to spread among the Karens, to the great advantage of the commonwealth, and the Ohristian Karen communities are distinctly more industrious, better educated and more, law-abiding than the Burman and Karen villages around them. The Karen race and the British Government owe a great debt to the American missionaries, who have, under Providence, wrought this change among the Karens of Burmah."
In connection with these gospel triumphs the name of that first Karen convert can never be forgotten. First in the Burmese Empire to embrace Ohristianity, afterward pastor of Maubee, for many years he preached the gospel to his despised and oppressed countrymen. The servant of Ohrist, the apostle of the Karens, whose conversion was the pivotal point in the history of a whole people, was a poor degraded Karen slave!
Sau Quala was one of the first converts among the degraded Karens. From the lowest state the gospel raised him, with a rapidity that no civilization ever knew, to a noble Ohristian manhood. His' first impulse was to tell others of Jesus. He helped to translate the Bible into the Karen tongue, for fifteen years guided the missionaries through the jungles, and then himself began to preach and to plant new churches. In one year he had formed nine, with 741 converts; in less than three years the nine had grown to thirty, with 2,000 converts. He did his work without salary, and when the English Government offered him a position, with large compensation, he at once declined, though his poverty was such as prevented him from taking his lovely wife with him in his missionary tours! This one man, whom no bait of money or position or personal ease could win to leave his holy and unselfish work, is an unanswerable proof that a power higher than man works in Ohristianity. And yet there are those who "do not believe in missions !"
WOMAN'S WORK FOR MISSIONS
WOMAN'S WORK FOR MISSIONS.
[EDITORIAL.-A. T. p.] PAUL writes to the Philippians of those "women which labored with him in the gospel;" mark the phrase, "who labored with me in the gospel"- tTwtjO).1)tTav – were my co-athletes, fellow-gladiators, al':! though the life and labor of the gospel were an arena and they were his fellow-combatants, destined to the crown of life!
God fitted woman constitutionally for a high service in the gospel. Woman is pre-eminent above man in her sentimental, emotional and religious nature, and so it is that she holds the very keys of the domestic ~anctuary in the opportunity to form youthful character. She has marvelous capacity for teaching and for endurance. She is especially fitted to care for, sympathize with and reach her own sex. Hitherto in our denominational schemes she has been quite too much neglected and her work almost altogether ignored. But now the time has come when her capacity and sagacity, her intelligence and her consecration, bid fair to constitute her the leader of the modern missionary host. When we think of Augustine and his mother Monica, Ohrysostom and his mother Anthusa, Basil of Ooosarea and his grandmother Emmelia, Gregory of Nazianzen and Nonna, Theodoret and his mother, no marvel that Libanius, the pagan rhetorician, exclaimed in amazement, "What women these Ohristians have!"
Let us not forget how much woman can do for the rising generation by fostering in them a spirit of consecration to the work of God in evan- gelizing the world. The Scriptures * tell us to whom the world and the church are indebted under God for the labors of Timothy: "I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice"; "from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures." Here is the double secret: not only a pious education, but a pious ancestry transmitting an aptitude for a religious life, almost as though faith and devotion of soul to Ohrist were become hereditary, like the curse of a sinful character.
Put in contrast to the exclamation of Libanius what Napoleon said: "France is lost for want of mothers." There was a .boy at Athens, according to the old story, who used to boast that he ruled all Athens. and when asked how, he said, "Why, I rule my mother, my mother rules my father, and my father rules the city." But there is a reverse side to this statement. The mother shapes the character and influence of the child, the child determines the future man and woman; and so in the hands of the mothers God puts the character of the whole generation that in thirty years is to give shape to society. As we trace * Compo 2 Tim. i. 5, and iii. 15. great rivers to their sources we find a point in every stream where by the palm of the hand you may divert the current to any direction. At that point in the stream of human life God puts the mother.
We wish, however, to magnify especially woman's work for the conversion of woman in pagan countries, and in the organization of her own sex in Ohristian lands for missionary effort. Let us remember that she can especially understand and appreciate the condition of her own sex, and the elevation to which the gospel of Ohrist has brought her and can bring her degraded sisterhood elsewhere, and again that she alone can have access to the women of pagan countries. The severe restrictions of the seraglio, harem, zenana, forbid a mau to approach Eastern wives and mothers, even in capacity of a physician. There are perhaps four hundred million women who, if reached at all, must be reached by Ohristian women.
Jerome in his letter to Otesiphon says that Simon Magus founded his heresy by the help of Helena, a prostitute. Nicolaus of Antioch, the founder of all impurities, led about troops of women. Marcion also sent in advance to Rome a woman for his greater pleasure. Apelles had Philumena for a companion. Montanus first corrupted Prisca and Maximilla with gold and then polluted them with heresy. Arius, that he might deceive the world, deceived first the sister of his prince. Donatus was aided by the fortune of Lucilla. The bliud Agape led the blind Elpidius, and Galla was allied to Priscillian, and Justinian and Theodora were associated.
Even so has God ordained woman's work for the conversion of the world to be the grpat auxiliary to man's endeavor.
A student at Auburn inquired, "Shall I go to the heathen married or single?" Dr. Eli Smith replied, "By all means, married. 1. Because a single man must depend on another missionary's wife for home comforts, etc., which is unfair. 2. Because the question is not whether he shall take care of her, but she of him. 3. Because a single man in the East is looked, upon as corrupt. 4. Because woman proves the equal, if not the superior, of man in Ohristian work." He might have added, Because nothing more influences the heathen mind than the exhibition of what Ohristianity makes woman and home life.
Woman's work in the conversion of the world may be considered from four points of prospect.
1. The womanly nature and character. 2. The relation woman peculiarly bears to Ohristianity. 3. Woman's identification with her own sex in pagan lands. 4. Woman's opportunity and responsibility in the education of children. Woman sets us the example of self-sacrifice. The Roman maidens gave their tresses to make bowstrings for the Roman soldiers, in the second war with Oarthage. The Tyrian girls gave their long locks to be woven into cables to defend the city against Alexander. The women of Ephesus contributed their jewelry to restore Diana's temple. From the day that the hosts of women gave their polished metal mirrors to be cast into the mould for the brazen laver for the tabernacle, women have been our examples in the heroism of self-denial.
Woman's nature gives predominance to love. Now religion is more than anything else a matter of the affections. Although there can be no holy living without first a basis of conviction or belief, there may be this basis without any structure of godly character resting upon it. Not until the heart is touched by the truth and our love responds to our faith does true union with God begin, and the building of a renewed nature surmount the basis of belief. Hence when the affectional nature predominates we may naturally expect to see the noblest developments of piety. From the beginning of Christ's ministry until now women have been largely in the majority in the number of the followers of Jesus, and distinguished alike for their service and their suffering in his cause.
The elements of womanly character, therefore, indicate her peculiar fitness to co-operate in the conversion of the world. She is confessedly prominent and pre-eminent in her sentimental, emotional, affectional and religious nature.
St. Elizabeth of Hungary, before she could read, used to go into the castle chapel and bow before the crucifix and place her little golden crown before the thorny crown. Whatever power woman may manifest in intellect, and whatever prominence she may exhibit in purely intellectual faculties and functions, no one will deny that her affectional and emotional nature is especially rich and exuberant.
Women have been pre-eminent in literature, like Martineau, Browning, Bronte, Beecher, Edgeworth; in art like Hosmer and Bonheur; in science like Somerville and Mitchell; in humanity like Patton and Nightingale; but the pre-eminence of women in direct and indirect missionary work is greater than all. The life of Harriet Newell has made many a missionary. Mrs. Grant and Fidelia Fiske in Persia, the three Mrs. J udsons in Burmah.• Mrs. Krapf in Africa, Mrs. Bushnell at the Gaboon-these are a few specimens of the heroic women who have thrilled the world by the exhibition of their consecration.
The woman of Samaria gave an early example of woman's power as a preacher. What preaching that was! Evangelical, experimental and consistent, earnest, simple, practical, effective. True; she was uneducated and unordained. She inquired of Jesus, .then told of Jesus, and so brought to Jes"iIs, directly and indirectly.
Great is the service rendered by woman in the evangelization of mankind. From the very beginning of Christ's ministry we find women following closely in his footsteps, ministering to him of their substance and sympathy, love and devotion. At his death there stood by his cross the three Marys-Mary his mother, Mary wife of Cleophas and mother of James and J oses, and Mary of Magdala; and Salome wife of Zebedee, and many other women who came up with him from Jerusalem. And again at the sepulchre we find two of the Marys and Salome very early in the morning bringing spices and ointments for his embalmment.
Subsequent to Ohrist's ascension we shall find woman still p;ominently engaged in spreading the conquests of the cross.
Acts ix. 36 : At Joppa there lived Tabitha or Dorcas, a woman full of good works and alms deeds which she did, and at whose bedside stood all the widows weeping and shewing the coats and garments which she had made for the poor while she was with them; and so abundantly did God recognize her service to the saints that Peter was sent to restore her to life. Acts xvi. 13 : When Paul visited Philippi he went out of the city on the Sabbath day by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
There it was that Lydia, the seller of purple cloths from Thyatira, heard the wQrd, whose heart the Lord opened, and who, after her baptism and that of her household, manifested such a grace of hospitality, saying, "If ye have judged me faithful to the Lord, come unto my house and abide," constraining Paul and Timotheus and Silas.
The last chapter of Romans is a chapter of farewell messages. rrwenty-seven persons are mentioned particularly and by name: with special salutation and commendation. Of this number nine are godly women. "Phmbe, our sister deaconess of the church at Oenchrea, who hath been a succorer of many, and of myself also;" "Priscilla, my helper in Ohrist Jesus,'~ who with her husband Aquila actually took Apollos, who though converted, eloquent, and mighty in the Scriptures, was a raw recruit, and "expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly;" "Mary who bestowed much labor on us;" " Junia, of note among the apostles." Ohrysostom regards this as meaning of note as one of the apostles.
Paul describes the good works of the godly woman: "If she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the affiicted, if she have diligently followed every good work" (1 Tim. v. 9, 10). All this both evidences Ohristianity and advances it; the pious discharge of motherly responsibility, the exercise of Ohristian hospitality, the ministry of humble service to the weary and afflicted-all this constitutes a method which the humblest woman can follow for the furtherance of Ohrist's gospel. A modern example of fellowship in missionary service may be found in a Vermont mother, following her son Henry in all his work in the missionary field with her prayer, becoming a participator in every visit, discourse, and journey, about four weeks after.
Well may woman be devoted to Ohrist. Ohristianity was the first great step in her elevation to her true rank and place. Even Judaism treated woman with comparative contempt. The Talmud abounds in insulting references to the female sex, classing women with slaves and idiots. 'Whoever will read such works as "Women in Persia," by Laurie, or" Woman in India," by Rudolph, or "The Women of the Arabs," by Jessup, can see what woman is and always has been, independent of the uplifting power of the religion of Ohrist. Well might woman, when apostles fled, the danger brave, last at the cross and earliest at the grave of Ohrist, for all that she is in social position as well as spiritual hopes she owes to Jesus.
Weare sometimes told that it is civilization, not Ohristianity, that has rescued woman from degradation and elevated man in morals. It is a great mistake. When Rome was in her highest state of civilization she was in her lowest stage of morals. Ohina has been a civilized nation for centuries, but the Ohinese women have no educational facilities and no social status above that of a slave; the girl babies are heartlessly murdered and the wife and mother is a mere chattel. No; civillzation without Ohristianity is incapable of purifying man or elevating woman. Ohristianity is the great purifier and elevator. Let us thank God for it, seek more of it, and rejoice more in it.
Woman's work for the conversion of the world is a natural result of her conscious indebtedness to her Saviour and his salvation. Woman feels her indebtedness to Ohristianity for what she is. Man owes to the religion of Ohrist all that he is spiritually as an heir of heavenly hope. But woman owes even her social and domestic dignity and liberty to the gospel. Independent of the influence of Ohristianity, what has she been everywhere and in every age? The slave, the tool, the victim of man. Education even in the Garden Oity of the Orient was the badge of the courtesan. Degradation and thraldom were the universal law of her condition. When Ohrist condescended to be born of a woman and call a Jewish maiden mother, he elevated her sex to a new dignity; I henceforth her social progress began. Paganism had treated her with contempt, as it does still. You insult a Turk by inquiring after the welfare of his wife and daughters, and to bury a female child alive car- ried no twinge of suffering to a parent's heart.
Tryphena and Tryphosa and Persis still labor much in the I~ord. They love his service and the service of souls. God bless the women of this day of missions for their widespread effort to inform the mind, inspire the heart, move the conscience, in the direction of missions I It is now held that the new version of the Old Testament gives a clear authority for women's foreign missionary societies by its rendering of the eleventh verse of the fifty-eighth Psalm: "The Lord giveth the word; the women that publish the tidings are a great host." Their separate organizations are not twenty years old, yet they have overspread the earth. The great uprising of young men and women, unprecedented in human history, who knows how far it is traceable past all the nearer impulses to the remoter cause-the training at the.
knee in the nursery. Go forward, godly women! God has given you the rare gifts and graces, the emotional, affectional fervor, the warm sympathy, the heroic sacrifice. Penetrate the harems and zenanas of the Orient; set up your schools and touch the child heart; build up the Ohristian home in the very centers of pagan, Mohammedan and pa.pal superstition and degradation. Gather your dimes till the mites make the millions; scatter yourtraets till the knowledge of the facts has penetrated even the lowliest home and humblest heart. Leave the stereotyped methods behind while you devise larger and more liberal things. The Lord is with you. May he give you yet more abundant grace and wisdom and success!
In 1883-84 the following list of women's organizations was published by Mr. Wilder. It might now be greatly enlarged: Woman's Union Missionary Society, New York. Organized in 1861. Income, $44,779.
Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, Philadelphia. Presbyterian. Organized in 1870. Income, $138,778.
Woman's Board of Foreign Missions, New York. Presbyterian. Organized in 1870. Income, $43,219.
Woman's Presbyterian Board of the Northwest, Chicago. Organized 1870. Income, $59,134.
Woman's Presbyterian Board of the Southwest, St. Louis. Income, $3,646. Woman's Baptist Missionary Society, Massachusetts. Organizf:'d in 1870. Income, $63,424. Woman's Baptist Foreign Missionary Society of the West. Chicago, 1871. Income, $30,419. Woman's Board of Missions of the A. B. C. F. M., Boston, 1869. Income, $137,949. Protestant Episcopal Woman's Auxiliary, New York, 1871. Income, $18,179. Boxes, $131,617. Freedmen and Indians, $30,362. Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of M. E. Church, New York, 1869. Income, $143,199. Woman's Missionary Society of M. E. Church South, Nashville, 1878. Income, $52,652. Woman's Missionary Society of M. P. Church, Pittsburg. Income, $2,135. Woman's Board of Foreign Missions, Reformed (Dutch), New York, 1875. Income, $20,573. Woman's Missionary Association of the U. P. Church, Dayton, Ohio, 1875. Income, $9,689. Cumberland Presbyterian Board, Evansville, Ind., 1879. Income, $8,860. Lutheran General Synod's Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary Society, Baltimore, Md., 1879. Income, $18,825-for two years. Woman's Board of Missions, Church of the Disciples, 1875. Income, about $14,000. Woman's Missionary Society of the Evangelical Association, 1884, Cleveland. Income, $1,220. Free Baptist Woman's Missionary Society, Danville, N. H. Income, $5,712. Woman's Foreign Missionary Association of Friends. Income, $3,000. Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of Presbyterian Church in Canada, Toronto, 1876. Income, $10,381. Woman's Baptist Foreign Missionary Society of Ontario, Toronto, 1877. Income, $2,500.
We add a selection as in the line of this paper: "Woman occupies a conspicuous place in the primitive church. This will· be evident if we simply mention some of the feminine names which appear in the New Testament records: Anna, Apphia, Chloe, Claudia, Damaris, Dor-
DAVID BRAINERD
cas, Elizabeth, Eunice, Euodia, Joanna, Julia, Lois, Lydia, Martha, Mary of Bethany, Mary of Magdala, Mary of Nazareth, Mary of Rome, Mary the mother of Mark, Mary the wife of Cleopas, Persis, Phoebe, Priscilla, Rhoda, Salome, Susanna, Syntyche, Tryphena, Tryphosa, etc. Moreover, there are many women on whom the Lord bestowed signal favors, but whose names have not come down to us ; for example, Peter's mother-in-law, th~ widow of Nain, the daughter of Jairus, the woman with the issue of blood, the Canaanite mother and daughter, the woman with the eighteen years' infirmity. Once more, there are the many anonymous women who tried, in one way or another, to serve the Lord J.esus; for example, the woman at Jacob's well, the penitent adorer in Simon's house, the widow with her two mites, Pilate's wife, the wailing women on their way to Calvary, the praying women of the upper chamber, etc. Indeed, it.may be doubted whether any secular history so small as the four Gospels wal> ever written in which the womanly element so largely prevails as in the life of Jesus the Christ.
"Nor is this surprising. For, first, woman's distinctive temperament makes her, if one may so say, a natural believer in Jesus Christ. He is emphatioally 'the seed of the woman.'
u, Not she with traitorous kiss her Saviour stung, Not she denied him with unholy tongue; She, while apostles shrank, could danger brave, Last at his cross, and earliest at his grave.'
"Secondly, woman owes an incalculable debt to Jesus Christ. His birth marks the turning point in woman's history. Hitherto, as in heathen countries to this day, she had been the victim of man's caprice, cruelty, lust, scorn and tyranny. EYen the Hebrews themselves, although taught from the beginning to reverence woman, had been wont to regard her as man's handmaid rather than his equal; in fact, a Jewish morning prayer prescribes that a man shall bless God for three things, namely, that he was not born a Gentile, a slave, or a woman. But when the fullness of the time came, and God sent forth his Son to be born of a woman, as well as under the law, then was woman herself emancipated and restored to her·paradisal equality with man. Henceforth, at least in the realm of the spiritual life, there was to be neither Jew nor Greek, neither bond nor free, neither male nor female; for all are one in Christ Jesus. It has been so ever since; wherever Jesus Christ has been best known, there woman has been most honored. Woman owes everything to the Son of Mary."
D A V I D BRA I N E RD.
[EDITORIAL.-J. M. s.] HAVING sketched the Life and the Oharacter of this extraord~nary missionary saint, it only remains for us to touch upon the matter of his expulsion from Yale Oollege and vindicate his memory from the asper- sion cast upon his good name by that unjust and cruel act, and offer a few remarks suggested by his life and experience. .
His expulsion was as high-handed a measnre as the annals of college discipline can produce. Viewing it even from this distance of time, it fills us with amazement and indignation. If we were a member of the Faculty of that venerable institution, we would not rest until that iniquitous measure was expunged from its records. Sure we are that no unprejudiced mind, possessed of the facts of the case on which the act was based, as carefully stated by President Edwards and also by Brainerd himself in his journal and letters, can come to any oth~r conclusion than that the college authorities erred in expelling him in the first instance for so slight an offense; erred in inflicting the severest academical punishment in their power for a word spoken in confidence to two 01' three college mates and intimate religious friends with no malicious intent; that they erred again in refusing to accept his very humble and penitent confession and restore him to his standing; and again erred by their strange and relentless persistency in refusing the request of a large number of the most distinguished clergymen in the colonies, that Brainerd might be allowed to take his degree with the class from which he was expelled the year before. Had his alleged offense been tenfold more serious than it was, we cannot see how the~r conduct in this instance could be justified, especially in view of the peculiar circumstances of the case and the fact that the offending party had made a prompt and manly acknowledgment. But the offense in fact was a trifling one, and one that the o.:ffended tutor and the faculty of the college ought not to have laid to heart or made a serious fuss over. If the authorities of Yale or of any other college in the land to-day should expel a student for such an Qffense, a cry of shame and indignation would ring throughout the land.
The offense consisted of two particulars: The first a hasty and foolish remark, reflecting on the piety of one of the tutors, made in private to two or three fellow students and overheard and reported by another student who happened to overhear it. The other item Was in going to a religious meeting in the town when the college had forbidden attendance on such meetings. That 10as the whale of the offense. It seems scarcely credible to us in these days. The last item must be ruled out. For no college rulers had a right, legal or moral, to enact such a rule. It was a high-handed assumption of power, and was a fling at the promoters of the great religious Revival which then agitated and divided New Haven and many other parts of New Englaud. And whether the other offense-the words applied to tutor Whittlesey-were true or false, there was, as all must admit, a great deal to excuse or palliate the offense in the spirit and occurrences in the life around him at the time the words were spoken.
A great religious movement was then on foot. Whitefield and other apostles of the new evangelism had fired the hearts of multitudes. Excitement ran high. The revival had shaken the town of New Haven and the mass of college students had come under its power, Brainerd among the rest, who entered into the work with all the intensity of his earnest nature. « Ministers of long standing," and churches without number, were divided in regard to these « New Lights," as they were .
called. Extravagances and evils, according to President Edwards'
testimony, mixed with much that was good. A censorious spirit was rampant. Whitefield himself publicly judged and denounced ministers of standing and experience, and many leading churches also, for their supineness or opposition-so much so that the pastor of Northampton, while sympathizing with the movement and throwing the great weight of his example and preaching in favor of it, deplored the excesses of intemperate zeal, and specially exposed and condemned the. censorious and self-righteous spirit which characterized a portion of its promoters.
Even Whitefield himself he censured and personally rebuked!
Surely, when old and staid ministers-ministers of learning, piety and recognized standing-were led away for the time being from the meekness and sweet gentleness of Christ, and in speech and manner, in preaching and praying, implied that all who were not of their way of preaching and praying-all who cast not out devils after their fashion -all who failed to enter heartily into their measures, or who dared to oppose them, were hypocrites or graceless professors-the young and zealous sophomore who had caught the contagion and entered 'into the excitement and took an active part in the revival, which changed the character of the college and numbered many of its students among its converts, might have been pardoned the hot, thoughtless words spoken in private concerning the lack of piety in one of the tutors who had just been "pathetically" praying before the students! What college law was broken? What was there in the nature and extent of the offense to call for college discipline ? Were there not many palliating considerations in the times and in the circumstances of the case? Would not a reprimand have been all that the offense called for? On what principle of justice or fairness could they visit upon him, a student too of blameless virtue and exemplary piety, condign punishment, blast his future prospects and consign him to disgrace, so far at least as their action had effect? Fortunately it did not seriously injure the character of Brainerd, even at the time, or lessen the high esteem in which he was held by his friends, while it served to rally to his support many of the most eminent ministers of his time, and called forth great sympathy and interest in his career, not only over all New England, but also in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. And God so overruled the matter that, beyond all question, it was one of the chief causes which led to the establishment of Princeton College.
The first point suggested by these memoirs that is worthy of careful consideration by all the friends of missions at the present time relates .to the methods and the machinery of missionary operations. We do not propose to discuss this important and vital question here, but simply to note the example of this eminent Christian and missionary and the results of his labors. Brainerd literally obeyed the ascended Lord. He went forth with the Bible only in his hands. He gave himself to prayer and to the preaching of the Word of God, to catechetical instruction, to direct efforts to convert souls and train them for Ohrist. He at once began to preach to these untutored, uncivilized, degraded barbarians the central trnth of Ohristianity, the cardinal doctrines of the Ohristian system -the very same doctrines which Jonathan Edwards then preached in Northampton, and which Dr. John Hall preaches to-day on Fifth avenue in New York Oity-and he preached them with the same distinctness and discrimination and directness and urgency and application; and the same results followed! He had to preach through an interpreter. He labored under a thousand disadvantages. But he honored God's word, God's method of saving sinners, and he preached and prayed with faith in the efficacy of the gospel and the Holy Spirit's power; and the effect, the fruit, was the same at Kaunaumeek, and Orossweeksung, and at the Forks of the Delaware, as at Northampton, and in New York Oity, and in primitive times.
Have we not, in these days of weak faith and decay of spiritual life, departed quite too far from the apostolic idea and practice in our missionary endeavors? Are we not making organizations, schools, civilizing influences, machinery, and merely human devices, altogether too prominent? Is not the natural, if not the inevitable tendency of such a policy to unduly exalt the human element at the expense of the divine'! And is not the effect to weaken our hold on God, to lessen the felt necessity of prayer and the Holy Spirit's omnipotent energy? Is it not precious time lost? are not energies wasted? and is not the time of harvest delayed?
Ohrist understood perfectly the conditions and necessities of the case, andthe nature and adaptability of the gospel to its end, when he commissioned the disciples to go and teach all nations. And we know how the disciples understood his message, and how they obeyed it; their one uniform and universal method among Jews and Greeks and Romans, alike among barbarians and in civilized communities, was to preach Ohrist and him crucified, and to organize and gather the converts into Ohristian churches on the simple basis of the gospel. They knew nothing about our modern theories and accessories. We do not find the slightest trace of any of these modes or machinery in the primitive church's effort to evangelize the world. And human nature is the same to-day as then; and the condition of the heathen world is essentially the same. And yet we have drifted into a totally different method. We have come virtually to put civilization, education, preparation, before and in place of the gospel. It is not "the foolishness of preaching" so much as it is the perfection of appliances and constructive agencies and civilizing forces that is the church's main reliance today for the evangelization of the world, both nominally Ohristian and heathen! The Indians to whom Brainerd ministered were exceedingly ignorant; their social and moral condition was of the lowest order. They were simply savages. And yet the gospel, as preached and expounded to them by this single young isolated missionary, whose heart was all aflame with the love of God, and who spent hours every day on his knees in prayer, was made mighty through faith in God for their salvation. The grace of God achieved in four short years among that degraded race as signal and as glorious a triumph as it achieved under Whitefield and Edwards among the civilized and educated whites. No one can trace the history of God's converting and transforming grace at Kaunaumeek and Orossweeksung-note the operation of gospel truth and of the Holy Spirit's influence on these ignorant and degraded sinners, and especially such manifestations of power and grace as are recorded in Ohapter X. of Brainerd's memoirs-and doubt for one moment the sufficiency of the gospel in the hands of the Spirit of God, when wisely and faithfully preached in faith and with importunate prayer, to tr3.nsform and elevate any people, however depraved and degraded. 0 for the simplicity, the faith, the whole-heartedness, the reliance on the teachings of Ohrist and" the witness of the Spirit," which characterized the early Ohristians, and which characterized the life of Brainerd! 'l'he chl1,rch ?rmst yet come to this, or the" millennial " age, for which she has prayed and waited so long, will prove only a pleasing dream. Maya renewed study of the life and example and achievements of this illustrious missionary help to bring it about!
A second remark. Brainerd and his co-workers on the same field- Eliot, Horton, Sergeant and Edwards-really solved for us in theory the. Indian Problem, and we have been almost a century and a half in finding it out! Had the work which they began among and in behalf of the aboriginal tribes of North America been continued and prosecuted to its legitimate end; had the policy which they clearly marked out and inaugurated in their treatment of the Indian race-viz., honest dealing, evangelization, education, teaching the industrial arts-had this Ohristian policy been recognized and pursued by the United States Government and people in their subsequent dealings with them, what untold millions of treasure had been saved the nation! what bloody wars and frightful massacres had been averted! The long dark record of injustice, cruelty, perfidy, treaty-breaking-the strong oppressing the weak, high-handed unrighteousness in the sight of Heaven and the civilized world-had not been written.
At length, blessed be God, the truth which these missionary pioneers clearly perceived and exemplified in their teaching and lives begins to dawn upon the American mind. The gospel of Jesus Ohrist, the church, the ministry, the school, Ohristian society and civilization, are coming at length to be recognized,by the Ohristian church at least, as the only forces and methods to settle this perplexing question, which has so long overmatched alike the wisdom of statesmanship, the resources of military genius and power, and the humanities of philanthropy.
If our Government, which has so strangely blundered and so grievously sinned in the past in its Indian policy, will now at least keep its hands ofi and not sufier evil-minded or pig-headed officials in our Indian Bureau to Jlerpetrate monstrous stupidity and outrageous interference and injustice at the dictation of political intrigue; if the policy and trend of our missionary efiorts in behalf of the Indian established by Eliot and Brainerd and Edwards, and kept steadily in view ever since by those who have sought their elevation, shall not be interfered with, the practical solution of the Indian problem is nigh at hand.
. We bless God to-day for such a noble life, for such a saintly char- acter, and for such an example of Ohristlike sacrifice and toil in the glorious cause of human redemption as we have been contemplating.
That life, that character, that example are calling to us to-day-call- ing by the printed page which perpetuates his wondrous, burning testi- I I mony; camng by those earnest soul-wrestlings and prayers, which God witnessed and heard in the American wilderness five generations ago; calling by those displays of almighty and regenerating grace which he was the occasion and the instrument of displaying among the heathen and savage tribes of this new world; calling by the tongues of prophets long dead, by the sacrifices and the triumphs of modern missions, and by the hopes and expectations of the church of God, to awake out of sleep and take hold of the work of the world's conversion in dead ear- nest! The appeal is made to 1l8, of this generation, as truly as though an angel were flying through the midst of heaven summoning the sacra- mental host of God's elect to be up and doing, to go up and possess the land, to thrust in the sickle and reap, to "stand and see the sal- vation of God." The prayer of the church for more than eighteen hundred years has been, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." And the apocalyptic angel has joined in the grand chorus, "Even so come, Lord Jesus! Amen." The souls under the altar that were slain for the word of God are crying, " How long, o Lord, holy and true! " The earth groaneth and travaileth in pain for her redemption hour. The nations which sit in darkness stretch forth their hands unto us and are struggling upward toward the light.
There are signs too in the heavens, and commotions on the earth, and stately steppings of almighty power and converting grace in the providential world, which plainly indicate that Ohrist the Lord is speedily coming to take to himself his great power and assert his king- ship over aU and establish his millennial reign on the earth.
The preparation of long ages is now complete. Prophecy has closed its testimony. The promises are world-embracing. Discipline, waiting, training, developing, laying foundations, have had their day and done their assigned work. ~he time for ACTION has now fully comethe time for a combined assault on the kingdom of darkness, the time for a grand aggressive movement all along the line. The trumpet is sounding to the charge! In the name of the Lord of Hosts, lift up the banner of righteousness and fling to the breeze the all-conquering standard of our Immanuel. Long since the church had her marching orders: "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature !" Why hesitate? Why wait for other manifestations?
Young men and maidens! can you look on the stirring scenes which this world presents to y()U to-day-the world in which the Eternal Son of God has planted the cross, the symbol of omnipotent love and divine sacrifice, by which he is to conquer and reign over a redeemed uni. verse-can you view these scenes and events and not long to participate in the glorious struggle and the glorious conquest? Ye Brainerds and Henry Martyns and Careys and J udsons and Livingstones, ye Harriet Newens and Mrs. J udsons, this is the day for such as you to come to the front and assert your Ipission and fire the heart of the sacred brotherhood with flaming zeal, holy enthusiasm, and a self-denying spirit-the day to emulate the faith, the heroic spirit, and the sublime self-sacrifice of Paul and Peter and John and the other primitive disciples.
Weare approaching the close of the nineteenth century; and what a century it has been, especially the latter half of it, in the way of change, development, progress, achievement! Stirring events are transpiring before us every day. Divine providence is writing history with a rapidity and on a scale of magnitude unparalleled in the past. And have these things no significance? Have you no personal interest in them? Is not God speaking in them all to you, to me, to every disciple with'loud and solemn voice? And especially the young men of this generation, are they not" brought to the kingdom" at a momentous crisis in the world's history? Is not human life to-day, measured by its opportunities, its responsibilities, its possibilities, worth a hundred lives in ages gone by? Did ever a generation have such opportunities to distinguish itself in the grand march of human events? Was ever such a cry heard from so many lands, and from the isles of the sea-from India and from Africa, from China and Japan and Mexico-from so many races and nations and peoples and tongues, saying, "Come over and help us," as noUJ resounds throughout Christendom?
If we will not respond to these wondrous providential calls-these calls of the Spirit of God, these calls of a groaning and perishing world, going up day and night to heaven like the sound of many waters-we shall be thrust aside, and the kingdom, the work, the honor and the victory will be given to others. For, CONVERTED TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST this world will be. God has purposed it. Prophecy proclaims it with a thousand tongues. Divine promises without num·
THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN JAPAN
bel' are the pledges of it. All the instrumentalities and facilities necessary to its accomplishment are ready. All over the earth prayer is continually ascending for the hastening of th~ work. Ohristianity was never such a living power in the world as it is. to-day, despite the unbelief and wickedness of the times. The Anglo-Saxon race-the race of progress and dominion, the custodian of Ohristianity-which nnmbered but 7,000,000 when the Pilgrim Fathers replanted Ohristianity on these western shores, numbers to-day 100,000,000, and is marching on to universal snpremacy ; while the achievements of the last seventyfive years in the missionary field are on a scale of grandeur unparalleled in the history of the church, not excepting even the apostolic period. A few decades of years will decide the momentous issue; will flood the earth with supernal glory, or witness the going down of the sun of human hopes in a night of darkness that shall have no morning!
THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN JAPAN.
[For prudential reasons the writer of this interesting paper prefers not to give his name, but we assure our readers that it comes from a source which entitles it to the highest consideration.-EDs.] THE Japanese follow the West in politics as in all else. Already there are two parties, with leaders, organs and programmes. For years the strife has been hot; it will reach a crisis in 1890. Both parties profess their devotion to Western ideas and civilization; the strife is as to the European country that shall furnish the political model. Shall the new parliament be German or English in its powers? The Imperialists are in power. They command all the forces of government-the public purse, the army, the police, the signature of the Emperor. The Liberals are in opposition. They have neither public power nor wealth, and must depend upon enlightened sentiment. The extreme radicals are supposed to place some reliance on dynamite.
The Liberals state their case somewhat as follows: For some years after the revolution of 1867-68, which resulted in the overthrow of the Shogun and the re-establishment of the rule of the Mikado, the men of new Japan acted in harmony, All agreed that Western civilization must be adopted, and all desired complete reform. Great things were accomplished even in politics, and a constitutional development was begun that would eventually place Japan abreast of the most advanced of the free kingdoms of Europe. There was complete freedom of the press and platform, and both were widely used for the enlightenment of the people. Local self-rule was, to some extent granted, and both town and provincial assemblies were formed. A national parliament was promised. So far there was agreement. But dissensions arose. Some of the statesmen thought the pace too fast for safety. Absolutist tendencies became manifest, and a desire to replace the feudal despotism with a powerful and centralized imperialism. Some of the J,iberals protested, and were silenced or forced to resign. Thenceforth the development of the new imperialism was more rapid. In 1876-77 was the Satsuma rebellion, led by General'Saigo. It was not directly connected with liberalism and was personal in its origin, but its repression was followed by stringent political measures. One by one the political rights already granted were curtailed or abolished, and an open tyranny was established. Freedom of the platform and of the press was overthrown. Political meetings were broken up by the police, and public speakers were hurried off to prison at the will of petty officers. The privacy of the mails was invaded, and spies entered the homes of suspected r~iberal leaders. The press was intimidated or bribed, justice was corrupted; there was false imprisonment of political opponents and no hope of redress. The powers of the local assemblies were so reduced that men of position refused to enterthem. The governors of the provinces were given great powers, and became the mere creatures of the Tokio executive. The police and army were strengthened and force became the ruling policy. Taxation became more and more oppressive, the administration WaS grossly extravagant-in short, all the evils of political tyranny followed. The government has finally agreed to establish a parliament in 1890, but it will be a parliament with little power to benefit the people, since every change during the past ten years has been in the direction of centralization and personal government. The events of December, 1887, are only the last in a long series, and show that the right to petition has ceased to exist. The ministry stands between his Majesty and the people, and the most moderate petition is refused a hearing. Nobles and men influential in the restoration of the Emperor are denied all access to him if their politics displease the men in power. The Liberals sum up their charges in an adjective an~ call the government Russian.
The Imperialists are ready with their reply. The men in power are not reactionists; they are not tyrannical nor intolerant. They are the very men who have been most instrumental in the advancement of Japan. All the progress of the past is owing to their wise statesmanship. They are not even conservatives; they are leaders of young Japan. In other lands governments are goaded to reform by public' sentiment, but here reforms have been in advance of popular demands. The nation follows, the government leads. The story of the past fifteen years is the all-convincing evidence of good faith. It must not be forgotten that a few years ago Japan was feudal, and even now the ignorant people know nothing of politics. Surely England is too advanced to be a safe guidE' at once for Asia. Men who can lead Japan from Asiatic feudalism to German constitutionalism in a single generation are not tyrants. Progress is as rapid as safety will admit. The promise of a parliament in 1890 is enough to satisfy all reasonable men. The leading Liberals are carried away with crude ideas of English politics. They have no experience of practical government, and have no notion of its responsibilities. The radicals are dangerous and must be repressed. If the press and platform were not controlled, the people would be inflamed by irresponsible politicians. Most of the people are content, and the agitators are only a handful. It is better to repress a few and thus preserve the peace. Oertain of the radicals plot, and men who play with edged tools must not complain if they are hurt. The government is repressive only as freedom is abused to the injury of the people.
Missions have nothing to fear from either party. The present government is friendly and has afforded every protection to miSSIOnaries. It has shown its good feeling iIi very many ways. It regards the Ohristianization of Japan as inevitable and as a part of the adoption of Western civilization. It naturally desires that religious work be kept wholly distinct from politics. The Liberals are not less friendly. Some of their leading men are already professed Ohristians and all desire the rapid extension of the religion of Ohrist.
The severely repressive measures of last December are used as an argument to strengthen the position of those men who are opposed to the abolition of extra-territorial rights in Japan. It does not seem to us that the question is involved at all. The argument is that the government is irresponsible and not to be trusted. An imperial rescript can change the laws without notice, and there is no guarantee that the modern system of legal procedure will endure.
The objection would have a show of force were there any party in the empire desirous of re-establishing the old system of Asiatic and feudal Japan. Extra-territoriality is justified when Europeans dwell in barbarous and hostile lands. In Ohina and Turkey the system is necessary if foreigners are to dwell in those lands at all. In Ohina judicial procedure is crude and cruel, and in Turkey the Ohristians have no rights that Moslems are bound to respect. When foreigners first went to Japan the same system was the necessary condition of residence. N ow all is changed; the law is no longer Asiatic, but has become European, and no one.desires a return to the old ways.
The men in power rightfully refer to the history of the past years as proof of their earnestness in the adoption of Western civilization. And as to guarantee, the treaties will be guaranteed by all the safeguards of treaties made between J:ltrong and weak powers. There is no danger that the stability of the laws, that are the very reason for the abolition of the present extraordinary rights, will be endangered. 1'he Japanese proposals guard our rights in fullest measure. Oertainly no debate within Japan as to the European model that is to be accepted there can justify the treaty powers in refusing a simple act of justice. As Americans we naturally sympathize with liberal politics and regret absolutist tendencies. But much as we prefer England to Germany, the questions at issue now in Japan in no wise alter the fact that foreigners in Japan should henceforth submit to Japanese laws.
THE MISSIONARY CAUSE. [M.A.Y
THE MISSIONARY CAUSE.
[One of the most powerful appeals ever made in behalf of missions was recently made by Canon Liddon in St. Paul's Cathedral, London. We give a few extracts from it.-Ens.] "IF when Christians had been free to do their best for their Master's cause, missionary enterprise has at any time slackened, it has been because the real nature of the claims of Christ has been lost sight of. Missionaryimter- prise is at once wasteful and impertinent if the Christian religion, instead of being necessary for every child of Adam, is only suited, we will say, to the . Western world at a particular stage of civilization. And if all religions are partly true and partly false, and the choice between them is to be settled, not by recognizing any universal necessity of man or any decisive proof of a clear mandate of God, but by considering what is called the' genius' of a par- ticular people, then Christianity has been mistaken in a vital manner and from the very first. If we have not lost part and lot in the spirit of St. Paul we should not deem the antiquity and vast empire of Buddhism, or the aggressive and more modern religion of the false prophet Mahomet, any rea- son which should deter us from doing what we may to rescue races, some of them more highly endowed by nature than ourselves, from the tyranny of these and other errors. Be the genius of these people what it may, we, like St. Paul, are debtors both to the Greeks and to the barbarians; we owe the gospel to them, but especially do we owe it to that loving and gracious Saviour, who, without any claim or merit of ours, has called us out of dark- ness into his marvelous light, and has bidden us go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
"It is urged that missionary work, like charity, should begin at home. 'Look at your great cities! '-so an anonymous correspondent wrote only last week-' Look at London before you busy yourselves about the needs of dis- tant populations.'
" A religion issuing from the mind and heart of the Universal Father must be adapted to the needs of everyone of his rational creatures; and to say that there are any stages of their development for which it is less adapted than some false creed which would fain support it is to deny that our Lord Jesus Christ is what he claims to be-the Saviour of the world. But are those who thus object to Christian missions always and entirely sincere? Is it not the case that when the church takes their advice and is enabled to restore Christian faith and life in a particular English parish, district or diocese, to something like a primitive standard of fervor and excellence, she is apt to be cautioned against thinking too much of any such success, while two- thirds of the world are not Christians? And yet if we ask them to help For- eign Missions they plead their absorbing interest in Home Missions' To such critics we cannot afford to listen. Time flies, and our Master's bidding is plain and imperative. Some of you will remember an occurrence which took place during the Second Punic War. It has often been referred to as showing how from very early days the Roman people possessed what is called the instinct of empire. When the victorious Carthaginian general, Hanni- bal, was in the heart of Italy, and threatening Rome itself, the Senate dis- patched a fleet and army to Spain that they might, by laying siege to Sa- guntum, deal a deadly blow to Hannibal in his rear; and this bold venture w-as abundantly justified by the result. Now every heathen land is the Sa- guntum of the Christian Church, and if it be true that some spiritual Hannibal is ravaging possessions which had long owned her sway, or even
THE DESERTED MISSION
threatening ruin in this or that of her ancient homes, still she owes the gospel of salvation to all the world.
"It is sometimes said that England best does her duty to heathen lands by conferring upon them the blessings of civilization, by which is meant all those material improvements in human life which European science and industry have so largely multiplied. Certainly it is not my duty or my inclination to depreciate these great advantages; but, unhappily, our civilization is accompanied by an alloy of evil which we cannot ignore. We cannot forget what has been the moral meaning of the sale of some British drug, or of the arrival of a British ship's company at a pagan port, or of the methods of capitalists in savage lands. There is no need further to lift the veil. All those who have looked into these matters must know that England owes a debt to more pagan lands than one, not merely that of the glorious gospel, but also some sort of moral reparation for evils which those who bore her name have too often carried with them into pagan lands and homes.
"I ask you to give your generous support to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. . . • With a history that now approaches the completion of its second century, it has necessarily done more than any other body for the expansion of our portion of the kingdom of Christ . . . and you will not, we feel sure, be found wanting in an effort which must command the sympathy of every man and woman who sincerely believes that through our Lord Jesus Christ alone is there real approach to the Father of spirits."
THE DESERTED MISSION.
PROF. HENRY DRUMMOND of Glasgow, in a lecture on "The Heart of Africa," before the American Association for the Advancement of Science, gave a striking illustration of the peril which besets missionary life in that deadly climate. As his boat swept along the beautiful Lake Nyassa he noticed in the distance a few white objects on the shore. On closer inspection they were found to be wattle and daub houses built in English style and whitewashed. Heading his boat for the shore he landed and began to examine what seemed to be the home of a little English colony. The first house he entered gave evidence of recent occupancy, everything being in excellent order, but no human form was to be seen or human voice heard. The stillness of death reigned. He entered the school-house. The benches and desks were there, as if school had been but recently dismissed, but neither .teacher nor scholars were to be seen. In the blacksmith shop the anvil and hammer stood ready for service, and it seemed as if the fire had just gone out upon the hearth, but no blacksmith could be found. Pushing his investigations a little further he came upon four or five graves. These little mounds told the whole story and explained the desolation he had seen. Within them reposed the precious dust of some of the missionaries of Livingstonia, who one by one had fallen at their posts, victims of the terrible African fever. Livingstonia was Scotland's answer in part to the challenge which Henry M. Stanley gave to the Christian world to send missionaries to eastern equatorial Africa. When that intrepid explorer, after untold hardship, had found David Livingstone, and during months of close companionship had felt the power of that consecrated life, he blew the trumpet with no uncertain sound to rouse the church to her privilege and responsibility in central Africa. But it was not till the death of the great missionary explorer that the land which gave him birth resolved to send a little army of occupation to the region which he had opened to the Christian world. On the 18th of January, 1875, at a public meeting held in the city of Glasgow, the Free,
ORGANIZED MISSIONARY WORK
the Reformed and the United Presbyterian churches of Scotland founded a mission to be called Livingstonia, and which was to be located in the region of Lake Nyassa, the most southern of the three great lakes of central Africa, with a coast of eight hundred miles. Although founded by the churches just named, it was understood that it was to be regarded as a Free OhUl'ch mission, the others co-operating with men and means as opportunity offered or necessity required. The choice of location was most appropriate, not only because Dr. Livingstone had discovered that beautiful sheet of water, but because he had reqnested the Free Church to plant a mission on its shores. The first company of missionaries, which included also representatives of the Established Church who were to found a separate mission in the lake region, after immense toil and severe hardship, reached the lake via the Zambesi and Shire rivers, October 12, 1875. They selected a site near Cape Maclear as their first settlement, and as soon as possible put into operation the various parts of the mission work they had been commissioned to prosecute-industrial, educational, medical and evangelistic. From the first the mission met with encouraging success,. becoming not only a center of gospel light to that benighted region, but also a city of refuge to which the wretched natives fled to escape the inhuman cruelties of the slave-traders. As the years rolled on, however, it was found necessary to remove the main work of the mission to a more healthful region on the lake, hence the desolation seen by Prof. Drummond, the work at Cape Maclearbeing now mainly evangelistic and carried on by native converts. The mission still lives and comprises four stations, one of which is situated on the Stevenson Road, a road constructed at a cost of $20,000 by ~n English philanthropist, and intended to promote communication between Lakes Nyassa and Tanganyika. An additional station is soon to be occupied in the uplands southwest of Cape Maclear.
It is still the day of small things with the mission so far as tangible results are concerned. In the annual report submitted last May but one organized church is mentioned, with a roll of nine communicants. The missionaries write in a hopeful spirit, however, both as to their work and their health, and the friends of the mission at home are encouraged at the outlook, and have recently completed arrangements by which the support of the work for a third term of five years is assured. They are not discouraged by the fact that already some $200,000 haye been spent upon the mission, exclusive of the expense of constructing the Stevenson Road and of efficient help rendered without compensation by the African Lakes Company. They are determined to push forward in the noble work of evangelizing the lake region of Central Africa. Livingstonia, therefore, so far from being a deserted mission, gives promise of being a power for good to the dwellers by Lake Nyassa who are sitting in the region and shadow of death.
II.-ORGANIZED MISSIONARY WORK.
Missionary Society of the Methodist third year from the union of the Ohurch (Oanada). Methodist Church of Canada, the Methodist Episcopal Church, the REPORT for 1886-87 (sixty-third an- Primitive Methodist Church, and the nual report), being the thirteenth Bible Christian Church. year from the union of the Wesleyan "The General Board of Missions Methodist Church of Canada, the submits this report with feelings of Wesleyan Methodist Church of East- devout gratitude to the Head of the ern British America, and the Meth- church, who has crowned the work odist New Connexion Church, and the of the society withabundantblessings, Montreal Conference ………….. . 22,490 86 and with cordial acknowledgment of Manitoba Conference…………… . 28,626 13 the liberality with which the fund Nova Scotia Conference………… . 5,930 10 has been sustained. Having now New Brunswick and Prince Edward passed the $200,000 line, it is hoped that the church will make this the Island Conference ………… :… 6,56923 starting point for a grand onward Newfoundland Conference……… . 10,64793 movement, and the board suggests Mount Elgin Industrial Institution .. 3,125 28 that the motto for the present year Sundries …………………….. . 16,132 16 shall be, 'A REVIVAL IN EVERY Cost of management ………….. .. , 8,942 53 CONGREGATION, AND A QUARTER OF A MILLION FOR MISSIONS.' The re- Total expenditnre……………. $189,286 15 ligious reports for the past year are Balance, being excess of income full of interest and encouragement. In almost every department there over expenditure for the year. . . . . $12,588 19 has been substantial growth, and there is a spirit of hopefulness about $201,87437 most of the reports which promises well for the future." Balance, deficit June 30,1886……. $13,58i 41 After a very full and detailed state- Balance brought down, net deficit.. $999 22 ment of operations, covering some 350 pages, the following summary is The ,General Baptist Missionary Society. given: THIS small but venerable society INCOME FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, '87. made its seventy-first annual report June 29, 1887. It sustained a great loss Toronto Conference, including mis- in the death of Rev. John Buckley, sionary districts …………….. . $46,588 71 D.D., their senior missionary, after more than forty years of devoted ser- London Conference ……………. . 16,27002 vice. His death is greatly lamented, and it is proposed to raise a "Buck- Niagara Conference ………….. .. 24,69641 ley Memorial Fund" for a twofold object: 1. The support of a native Guelph Conference ……………. . 18,14663 minister; 2. The establishment of a scholarship' in the Mission High Bay of Quinte Conference ……… . 19,16905 School.
Montreal Conference ………….. . 32,707 18 The chief mission of this society is in Orissa, a district containing over Manitoba Conference………….. . 5,463 42 9,000,000 souls.
Nova Scotia Conference ……….. . 11,687 03 The general statistics of the mis- sion, March 31, 1887, were as follows: New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island Conference ……………. . 7,985 16 English missionaries (male aud female) 17 Native ministers. …………………… 23 Newfoundland Conference …….. . 5,104 10 Ministerial students… …. …. .. …… .. 3 Mission stations……………………. 16 Legacies…………………….. .. 1,868 30 Mission chapels……………… …….. 14 Mission churches…… .. .. .. .. . .. . .. .. .. 9 Lej(acies ,!mltted from Mission Church members…………………… 1,306 Rooms List: 1. Rev. Wm. Shaw, Total native Christian community….. 3,366 devise acc., 1 year's interest ….. . 1800 Baptized since the commencement of 2. Duckworth legacies, Brantford. 2000 the mission …………………….. 2,162 Donations on annuity………….. . 1,500 00 FINANCES. The committee are concerned to Indian Department …………… .. 9,04798 report that the debt, which at the commencement of the year was £696 ForJapan……………………. , 1,103 00 17s. 7d., now stands at £1,197 9s. 10d.
Miscellaneous ………………… .. 67735 The total disbursements for the past year have been……….£8,147 4 II Deduct unpaid subscription, $202,052 34 The total receipts for the past Toronto district, 1885-6.. $Ui 00 year have been ……………. 6,949 14 8 Deduct amount charged to Leavin~ a balance due to the miscellaneous income acc. bank of………………….. £1,197 910 in error……………. .. 163 00- 178 00 Thus the balance due last year $~1,87434 of ……………………….. £69617 7 Balance brought down, surplus. . . . . $12,588 19 Has been increased this year by £500 12 3 This ~iffel'ence arises from a de- Balance, net deficit …. ; . .. .. . .. .. ..- -9-99 -22 $13,58741 EXPENDITURE.
Torouto Conference, including mis- sionary districts …………….. . $52,00057 London Conference……………. . 9,87266 Niagara Conference……………. . 4,30854 Guelph Conference …………… .. 9,454 60 Bay of Qulnte Conference ….. , … . 10,219 56 creased income and an increased ex- 97; 4 local preachers; 180 Sunday- , penditure, the latter having been oc- schools, with 935 officers and teachers casioned by sending out a new mis- and 12,255 scholars; 25 churches val~ sionary, by extra payments on ac- ued at $207,652; 4 parsonages valued count of passages, by grants for print- at $24,175; present indebtedness on ing Scriptures and tracts, and by church property, $101,832. The colgrants for schools. For some years, lections had been $576 for missions, however, the ordinary expenditure $88 for church extension, $35 for has been in excess of the income, Sunday-school Union, $40 for Tract hence the balance against the society Society, $44 for education, $37 for has gradually increased. American Bible Society, $68 for Women's Foreign Missionary So- Southern Baptist Home Mission Board. ciety, $7,404 for pastors, presiding elders and bishops, $254 for confer- THE work of the board during the ence claimants.
past conventional year has been as Poreign Mission Work of the Reformed Ohuroh in the United States. follows: OUR Board of Foreign Missions cel- Missionaries.. . •.. .. .. • . . .. . ••. . .. • 251 ebrates its year of jubilee in 1888. Places occupied. .. . .. . . . .. .. . . . . .. 822 Ten years ago we had no mission in Baptisms …………………….. 3,923 the foreign field, but we carned on Received by letter. .. .. … . .. .. . … 2,319 the work of-evangelization by giving Rev. Benjamin Schneider, D.D., and Total additions. . . … . . . . . . .. 6,242 318 our means to the American Board of Snnday-schools reported.. . . . . . . . . . Commissioners for Foreign Missions. Teachers and pupils. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,031 In the year 1878 the Spirit of peace Churches constituted. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 began a gracious work in our vener- Houses of worship built.. . . . .. .. .. 62 able General Synod at Lancaster, Pa., which gave us, among other THE EXPENDITURES $86,827 05 precious results, our present promis- 35,270 15 ing foreign mission in Japan. A com- Have been for missions………… parison of our men, means and re- Our missionaries have raised for sults with those of other boards fur- nishes abundant reasons for praise houses of worship built upon and encouragement. their fields oflabor.. .. . . .. . . . . . . Rev. AmbroseD. Gringis the senior Total. . …. .. . . . . . . . •. . . •. . . • $122,097 20 missionary of our church in Japan. This sum represents actual work done for the His recent return to America has had Baptists of the South. a very refreshing influence on our people. The Reformed Church in The board calls for an increase of 50 the United States forms a part of the per cent. on the receipts of last year. Union Church of Christ in Japan. We have three principal centers of "God has so enlarged the sphere of operation-Tokio, Sendai, Yamagata. our labors that nothing less than this will enable us to do what is im- At Tokio the work is mainly evanperatively demanded of the board." gelistic. The church owns a very handsome parsonage at '28 Tsukiji, The Switzerland Methodist Oonferenoe. and supports the Bancho and Nihon Bashi Missions. THE German and Switzerland Conference of the Methodist Episcopal At Sendai we have a flourishing Church was organized in 1856. At girls' school, with 70 pupils, and also the conference held in Zurich, Switz- a theological school for the training erland, June 24-30, 1886, the confer- of young men as evangelists. ence was divided into two conferences, one to be known as the Germany Conference and the other as the Switzerland Conference.
The last session of the Switzerland Conference was held in Berne, Switzerland, April 23–27, 1887, Bishop Ninde presiding.
The statistics reported showed there were 4,638 members, an increase of 238; 996 probationers, an increase of The students are doing good work thing gave promise of further adfor the Master, some thirty souls vance. During the fifty years now having already been won for JesU!; closed five connections of mission through their personal efforts. A churches have been formed under the large school building and residences jurisdiction of no less than eighteen for the missionaries will be erected annual conferences. on a large lot during the summer. The native Christians have recently The missions of 1837 are to-day purchased a fine Buddhist temple, represented, as nearly as can be ascerwhich ~will be used for church pur- tained, by 1,959 circuits, 10,919 chapposes and for the training school. els and preaching places, 2,592 minis- ters and missionaries, and 430,247 At Yamagata the Rev. J. P. Moore members. is acting as professor in a native cooperative boys' school, with three The society operates in almost ev- Christian native teachers. The school ery part of the world. In 1836 the work here promises to be a great suc- expenditure of the society was 4%, cess. One hundred and fifty students per cent. of its expenses in Europe; will attend the spring term. The citizens wish to raise $30,000 for the 12~ in Asia; 11%: in Australasia; 17 school and make it one of the best in the north of the empire. in Africa, and 38 in America and the West Indies. During 1886 the corre- A congregation has already been sponding percentages were: Europe, organized which will become the cen- 15%; Asia, 27%,; Australsia, 0; After of a number of out-stations. rica, 21; America and the West StatiBtiCG.-Number of married missionaries, Indies, 574' 4; lady teachers, 2; native preachers and helpers, 13; churches and ont-stations, 16; com- The gross income for 1886 amountmunicants, 1,000; receipts for the year 1887, $2,000. ed to £135,259. In addition to this £7,922 was received and disbursed by ALLEN R. BARTHOLOMEW, the ladies' auxiliary, and is not in- Secretary. cluded in the general treasurer's ac- count. Total amount for the year was £1~,182 ($715,910).
Wesleyan Missionary Society. FINANCIAL REPORT.
THE seventy-third annual meeting HOME REOElPTS. £. 8. d. of this society was held in E~eter Hall, London, May 2, 1887. It was Mission House donatioll!l, suhscripan occasion of special interest, not tions, etc.. ………………… 3,864 13 11 only because of the advent of a national Jubilee but also because it Home districts,includcloses a "century of missions." ing England, Wales, When the society published its first Scotland and Zet- £. 8. d. report in 1818 it had 82 mission- land ……………. 82,987 3 0 aries in charge of 109 stations, with 23,473 enrolled members. The income Ditto, Christmas offerfrom ordinary sources was £18,434. ings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,655 14 5 At the close of 1836 the society reported 64,691 members, under the Ditto, juvenile asso- ciations. . . . . . . … . .. 11,149 0 1 care of 306 missionaries, aSSIsted by 100,791 17 6 1,955 paid agents and 3,1li6 gratuitous helpers. These were grouped in 180 Less expenses and recircuits. The total income of the wards. . . . . . … . . . . . . 6,239 16 7 society from all sources was £75,526. – – – – 94,552 0 11 The expenditure exceeded £70,000, and there was in the hands of the Hibernian Missionary Society, in- treasurers more than £11,000. Every- 19 g cluding Christmas offerings ….. . 4,833 18 :- Dividends on investments …….. . 5,~ Interest on centenary grants…… . Lapsed annuities …………….. . 2,600 0 0 Legacies …………………….. . 12,760 10 9 Loans repaid ………………… , 139 0 9 Indian Famine Fond, for orphan- ages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 445 15 3 RFreont~ Centenary Hall…………. . 50 00 Stratton Extension Fund for the Transvaal………………. . 1,500 0 0 Total home receipts …………. 126,995 10 8 FOREIGN RECEIPTS.
Mission Districts auxiliaries… . . . . . 6,668 1 3 Total ordinary receipts . . . .. . .. 188,663 11 11 EXTIlAORDINAlIY BECEIl'TS. To which add the excess or aver· £. B.d. age on legacies carried- to Lega- 6,853 6 I> Contributions for speCial missions cy Reserve Account……. : … . in Upper Burmah, Central Africa, £. 8. d. China, India, etc……………. 1,431 1 7 Total expenditure ………….. . 141,345 19 10 From which deduct ordinary and Ditto, for St. Vincent Hurricane. Distress Fund………………. 165 4 10 extraordinary receipts for the year.. . .. .. .. .. •.. .. .. .. •. …… 185,259 18 4 Total income……………….£185,259 18 4 Leaving a deficiency on 1886 ac- PAYMENTS. count of.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6,086 1 6 General expenditure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138,145 1012 To which add the debt of 1885.. •• 4,682 18 5 Onaccountofs~eCialmissions, etc. 1,596 6 5 Ditto, Ladies Auxiliary Com- Leaving a total deficiency of.•••..£10,768 19 11 mittee……………………. -' 250 16 10 Total……………………..£134,992 13 5 Presbyteria.n Ohuroh in Oanada..* FROM the report made to the Thirteenth General Assembly, held at Winnipeg, June 9-17, 1887, we glean the following items: FOREIGN )[lSSION FUND-WESTERN DIVISION.
. – Receipts.
Balance from last year ……………………………… _………. : …… . $8,25820 Total receipts for year. _.. _………………………… _……………… . 49,817 13 Balance ……………….. _………………………………………. . 2,906 43 $55,98176 E:r!penditure. I. Northwest……………………………………………………… $9,71078 II. Formosa- Salaries and expenses, hospital, etc. …………………………… . 22,528 87 m. India- Payments ……………. _………… _…………….. $16,806 00 Miss Oliver, outfit, passage, etc…………….. _. __ .. _… 1,030 00 Miss Wilson ………………………. __ .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. 800 00 Misses McKellar and Fraser.. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 600 00 Rev. R. C. Murray, special………………………….. 5000 IV. New Hebrides, Trinidad, etc.- 19,286 00 From W. F. M. Society, 1885-6 ……………………… . $600 00 do. do. 1886-7 ………………. ;…… .. 80000 On account of Rev. J. Gibson's salary………………. .. 97222 2,872 22 Chinese work on Pacific Coast………………………-……………… .. 6400 Jonathan Goforth………………………………………………….. . 1000 Expenses of committee, secretary aud convener ………………..•….•..•• 01054 Printing and advertising ……………………. , ………"……………… . 4680 Proportion of general expenses and salary of agent ……………………. .. 620 00 Balance of interest …………………………………………………. . 228 60 Interest per Mrs. J ……………………………………………….. .. 21000 $55,98176 It is gratifying to report that the receipts for the several schemes of the church have been in almost every case in advance of last year's receipts.
We subjoin a comparative statement of receipts for the last three years : Home missions.. .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. 1884-5. 1885-6. 1886-7. Stipend augmentation……………………….. …… $81,960 10 $82,276 46 $82,83190 Colleges …………. _…………………… __ ……. _.. 23,721 S6 Foreign mission ………..-………………. __ .. , _. … . . 22,45994 80,57498 Widows' Fund……………………………………. 8,499 88 8,404 99 5,95791 38,773 71 38,881 70 49,81718 Rates……………………………………. 4,685 41 4,065 77 4,868 37 Aged aud Infirm Ministers' Fund .. _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,994 20 2,24150 2,304 65 5,658 59 t 10,026 89 7,630 ('fI .. Rates……………… ……. 1,292 CR'I 9,08748 1,91045 7,138 05 8,83991 French evangelization……………………………. _. *6,347 41 3,000 40 8,120 11 3,287 ('fI 3,372 84 Manitoba College….. …….. ……………………… 3,196 49 3,806 fY1 Assembly Fond.. .. .. …………………… … …….. .
Total………………….. _……… _… $127,987 92 $185,081 62 $150,910 CR'I * The report is so elaborate aud embraces such a variety of subjects, that is is diJllcnlt to giva in briefspacelln intelligent view of the Assembly's mission work.-EDs. t This amount includes several special contributions and donations. :1= 'l'I!llI'!e amQunt~ 40 not InclUde the amounts received at Montreal or Halifax.
CORRESPONDENCE AND GENERAL tloTELLIGENCE
FOIlEIGN lIHSSIONS-EASTElIN DIVISION. $16,363 34 Cr. 17,21704 By total receipts .. : …………………………………………………………. . $853 70 Dr.
To balance dne May 1, 1886………………………………………. 0 .. • $719 64 " total elq)enditnre ……………………………………………. 0 • • •• 16,497 40 Balance due treasurer . . . . . . . . 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
III.-CORRESPONDENCE and GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.
An Appeal to the Ohurches from Student ministry go to the foreign field, and out of each 100,000 communicants in America only twenty. Volunteers for Foreign Missions. one go to the foreign field.
It is our desire to place before the S. The reflex irifluence Of foreign. mis8ions on the spiritual life of the home church. Many churches some of the reasons which minds ask the question, Does not this uprising mean a decline in the work at home f A proml. have led us to decide- nent evangelist of our country, 0 when asked what he thought of it, replied, " I rejoice, for it 1. First and foremost, our Lord's command, means revival at home." The week of prayer "Go ye into all the world and preach the gos- was suggested by missionaries in India. Though pel to the whole creation." Does" go" mean carried out with reference to foreign needs, the stay ? ~nd does" preach the gospel to the whole first week in January has become a time of spiro creation" mean keep repeating that gospel to a itual awakening at home. few while two·thirds of onr race have never o The missionary movement, starting among the heard the name Jesus? Instead of regarding the world as the field, have we not been practic- stUdents of Cambridge University, was followed ing •• high farming," cultivating certain sections by floods of blessing in Great Britain. The forto the highest degree, and anowing the vaster eign missionary work started by Pastor Harms tracts to go to waste? Has not the church said of Germany resulted during the remaining sevof each sncceeding ,generation, "Send the mul- enteen years of his pastorate in a continuous retitudes away?" Or, at best, has it not, in re- vival at home and the addition of 10,000 to that sponse to the words of the Master, "Give ye one church. Two divisions of the Baptists in them to eat," continned to feed the first three or the United States were about equal in memberfour frows over and over again, allowing the ship; after seventy years the anti-missionary masses beyond to die of starvation? section had 45,000, wbile the missionary Baptists numbered two and a half millions. Truly, 2. Because the needs of the foreign ./leld are "the religion of Christ is a commodity, of which 80 mIJAJh greater. Our heart's desire and prayer the more we export, the:more we have at home." to God for America is that it might be saved, "There is that seattereth, and yet increaseth ; but we go because the need abroad is a thousand· there is that withholdeth more than is meet, and fOld greater. This is so in some countries from it tendeth to poverty." Let it be our earnest a purely numerical standpoint. In the United prayer that there may be such an outlet of men States there is one minister to 700 people; in and money from this country as shall lead to an China one ordained missionary to 1,000,000. Of inlet of blessing from heaven. the 200,000,000 of Africa, 140,000,000 have not been Wuched by Christian teachers. The United 4. Because of the" pre8ent crisis." The fields States has 80,000 preachers. while India, with are white, the harvest must be gathered at once five times the population, has but 700 ordained or be lost. Are we alive to the fact that the hosts missionaries. of evil are rushing forward to gather these golden sheaves f The Mohammedans are at work in Says one: "But two thousand two hundred Africa. Thousands of the aborigines are yieldhave offered to go." "What are these among ing to them because Islam appeals to the sensuso many Y" China alone would swallow them ous and is propagated by the sword. If we deup, and adding them to her present farce, includ- lay, the present difficulties of evangelization will ing the native ordained ministers, there would be at least dOUbled. For" Mohammedanism, so then be but one man to 175,000 people. If you would get an approximate idea of what that far from being a stepping-stone to Christianity, means, eliminate from the United States the is one of the very strongest fortresses of unbe· great mass of her Christian institutions, her lief. Converts from Mohammedanism are comschools, hospitals, churches – the church and paratively few." A missionary who has labored S. S. workers-in a word, take away her whole twenty·six years in India says: "India is now Ohrl8tian atmosphere. Throughout the length ready for our work, and if this crisis is not met and breadth of the land seatter but 343 ministers with a few thousand converts and adherents, and by the cburch at least two or three generations you have Ohina in miniature. will paos before an equal opportunity can again be offered." Do not fear that our country will be depleted; for only one and three-tenths per cent. of our From Brazil the word comes: U This land is ready; thousands would accept the gospel if dying at the rate of a hundred thousand a day, they ouly had preachers." One writes concern- and Christians are giving to save them at the ing China: .. A thousand missionaries are worth rate of OM·tenth Of a cent a day." Every tick of more if sent now than ten thonsand ten years the watch sonnds the death-knell of a heathen from now." As for Japan-it is melted and soul. Every breath we draw, four souls perish, ready for moulding. What skatl the mould be? never having heard of Christ. Christianity or infidelity 1 You may help us also by prayer. "Helping 5. The whole world can be evangelized in the together by prayer." Oh for some five hundred present generation. "Let us go np at once aud Elijahs, each one on his Mount Carmel crying possess it; for we are well able to overcome it." nnto God I Then we should soon have the The Earl of Shaftesbury says: "During the lat- clouds bursting with showers. " There shall be ter part of these (eighteen) centuries it has been showers of blessing." "I will pour . . . jlood8 in the power of those who hold the trnth, hav- upon the dry ground." . . . Oh, for more ing means enongh, having knowledge enough, prayer, more constant, incessant mention of the and having opportunity euough, to evangelize mission cause in prayer, and the blessing will be the globejifty time8 ()'/)er." Listen to the dying snre to come. words of the veteran missionary, Simeon H. Calhoun: .. It is my deep conviction, and I say WE have received the following it again and again, that if the church of Christ letter from Rev. John Crawford, were what she ought to be, twenty years would pastor at Morristown, N. J. : not pass away till the story of the cross would be uttered in the ears of every liviug man." ])ear Editors: Will you give us in THE MIS- Bot mark more recent testimony. It is ginn by SIONARY REYI'EW the present status of Pllstor one hundred aud twenty missionaries in China, Harms' mission work? In" Praying and Workrepresentatives of twenty-one Protestant socIe- ing" I can find no sequel to Fleming Steventies. They say, "We want China emanCipated son's account, and Harms' work is a wondrous from the thralldom of sin in this generation. inspiration for us pastors. Indeed, Dr. Steven- It is possible. Our Lord has said, 'According son's course in promoting missionary interest at to your faith be it unto you.' The church of home, as a campaigner for that cause, has greatly God can do it if she be only faithful to ber great aroused me. But I can find very little of detail commission." This statement comes from mis- concerning him. In my conference I have been sionaries who are acquainted with the discour- trying to engage some of the men as lecturers in agements, who know the dilIiculties. "missionary concerts." If we could hear of such work as Stevenson's we would be much Money is wanted for this work. There is need quickened. With great relish for THE REVIEW for the millions and for the mites. All cannot on its new departure. go, but all can give. There are two colleges in Canada-Knox and Queens-Princeton College, REPLY. New Jersey, three theological seminaries in the United States; each has jdecided to support a The Hermansburg Misl!lional'Y Sograduate in some foreign field. ciety's last report to which we have access was that of 1886. Rev. Louis Are there not enough churches, each of which Harms, its originator, died in 1865. will give enoagh money to support at least one Rev. Egmont Harms is now secreof these men 1 Eighty-five people each contrib- tary, and may be addressed at Heruting twenty-five cents a week will pay the sal- mansburg, Germany. The income of ary of a missionary and of his wife. Thonsands the society was, in 1886, $48,500; it of churches, Sunday-schools, young people's so- employed 219 missionaries and native cieties, and Young Men's Christian Associations helpers, of whom 40 were ordained can support one, two or three missionaries apiece Europeans, 50 laymen and 42 women, -if they will. Single individuals can each hold likewise Europeans; and 25 were naa representative abroad. A student about to be tive ministers and 62 native helpers. admitted to the New York bar has pledged to There were 4,680 native communisupport a friend as soon as he enters the foreign cants and 12,120 baptized persons. field. Can you not yourself give enough money Two hundred and sixty communito support at least oUll missionary? cants represented the gain of the year. South Africa is the chief field Is there one law of self·denial for the mission- of this society, and the work is prinary disciple and another for the disciple who cipally among the Zulus. Mission " stays by the stuff? " Is it a time for Christians work is however prosecuted in India, to hoard money? Is it a time for thinking only Australia and New Zealand. The of society and fashion, for spending money on society feels the need of the remarkrich eating and dressing, while the world is waiting Cor the gospel and the eyes of the dying are able inspiration communicated to its fixed on us? Is it not a time for close economy, for handling our substance as stewards of God? Out of every dollar given to the Lord's work we spend niuety-eight llI'!lts at borne. "The heathen are work by Louis Harms. He was a illustrated by a native artist. It is produced very uncommon man; it is no dis- handsomely in a small volume by the American paragement of his successors to say Baptist Mission Press at Rangoon. A copy has that his enthusiasm was contagious. been, through the courtesy of the translator and His fire burned so bright and hot that superintendent of the press, Mr. F. D. Phinney, everyone about him took flame. He sent to Prof. W. C. Wilkinson, who is advised was one man among a million. It is that copies of the volume may be had from a marvel that the work survived at Scribner & Welford, importing booksellers in all when it lost such a head. But it New York. will ever stand as a proof and illustration of what one man can lead one Oft' Duty. church to do, composed of the middle class, rept'esenting little if any THE missionary is also a man. He has his wealth. It was all accomplished by moments of relaxation. It may seem to afford faith, prayer, gathering of the littles, readers an idea of how much a missionary's life and self-giving. may resemble the life of his brother minister at home if we print here a list of books lately Letter from Mrs. J. O. Braq, Gen. Seo. given, by the way, In private correspondence by of the Amerioan MoAll Assooiation. a missionary In India, that he had been reading as a diversion and replenishment of his mind. I SEND you a few items regarding the McAll We simply print the list as throwing a light of Missiou, takeu from letters just received from reality on what to the imagination is often a Paris. Perhaps the oue thing for which we are dimness of romance: the most thaukful is the Intelligence that ten new stations have been opened lately in the "I am to-day reading 'Charlotte Bronte,' by provinces. These stations are very nearly self- Laura C. Holloway. We have been reading supporting, the mission being responsible for 'Sartor Resartus,' 'A Tale of Two Cities,' the rent of the halls only. The French pastors 'French Revolution,' 'Never too Late to Mend,' and their people provide the speakers, pay the 'IHeart of Midlothian,' 'Vanity Fair,' 'Woman running expenses, etc. This seems like a long in White,' 'Mrs. Browning's Poems.' To-day I step in advance. received Dr. Smith's 'Modern Church History.' I notice that Dr. Fisher is publishing a Church A letter dated Paris, Jan. 3, 1888, says: "The History." work this winter has surpassed our expecta· tions. We have never had so large and so good Prom Rev. J. Hudson Taylor, audiences, and never such signs of regeneration and salvation being wrought in the halls. . . . CHINA INLAND MISSION, At Bonne Nouvelle we have lately adopted the LONDON, Feb. 17, 1888. plan of asking all friends who wish to be privately talked to concerning their souls to remain DEAR DR. PIERSON: I have not yet had the after the meeting Tuesday evening. There are pleasure of seeing your January REVIEW, but always as many as 25 or 30 young men who re- have had a card from your pnblishers telling me main, and 80 women. The sight which the hall it is ont of print and will be forwarded later on. presents from 9 to 10 O'clock is beautiful." .•• The February No. came to my hand yesterday, At Rue Royale we are also much encouraged. and though only able to glance at it hastily I feel The hall is more than full on Sunday afternoons. profoundly thankful that such a periodical has (This is the street leading from the Place de la been brought out. Concorde to la Madeleine.) My friend Mr. Reginald Radcliffe of liver- " In general it may be said that there seems to pool tells me he has mentioned to you the probhave been a wonderful outpouring of the Holy ability of our being able to pay a hasty visit to Spirit In the mission, as the renewed consecra- the States, and perhaps to Canada, together. I tion of the workers and many conversions think that I shall very likely come over In time testify." , to attend Mr. Moody's Northfield conveution, and bring with me a clergyman-a member of Buddhist Literature, the Church of England-who is shOrtly going to China, and whO, like myself, will be refreshed [Note from Prof. W. C. Wilkinson.] and helped by coming in contact with onr breth- ren in America who are animated by the same READERS who may like to take a fresh taste spirit. of the real quality of Buddhist literature at its best have now a new opportunity to gratify I presume we shall see yon at that conventhemselves. Mr. L. Allan Goss, inspector of tion or otherwise, and if any suggestions occur schools In Burmah, has translated from the Bur- to you that would be helpful to a stranger and mese version of the Pali text the " Story of We- also helpful to the missionary canse, I shall be than-da-ya," a Buddhist legend. This has been very thankful to receive them.
From our most recent Intelligence from China the water is retiring from the fiooded districts, partly from lessened influx and partly probably from improved egress Into the Yellow Sea; and the Imperial Government is most manfully and nobly coping with the distress. The spiritual progress of the work in China is in Peking, then there is one ordained minister to very encouraging, aud we are grateful to God for answers to prayer, the 103 new missionaries every r5O,000 people. " , having gone out during 1887, and our income having been raised as we asked God, and antici· In 184:~ the population was estimated to be pated by £10,000. 330,000,000. On this snpPosition, notwith- Letter from Dr. A. P. Happer. standing the immense loss of life by wars, re- CANTON, CHmA, January 31, 1883. DEAR EDITORS: The statistics of the missions bellions, famine, and pestilence, there has been in China have been partially made up for the year 1887. These show the missionary workers an increase in the population of 32,000,000. in China to be 489 men, 820 wives, 231 single women, in all 1,040, of whom some 400 are or- The statistics ,above given state the number dained ministers. There are 175 ordained native ministers, 1,816 native workers as preach- of church members to be 32,260, which may imers, colporteurs, Bible women and teachers of schools. There are 32,260 adult church mem- ply that the members of their families nnmber bers, 13,777 pupils in Christian schools. The contributions amount to $38,236. say 150,000. It may be supposed that two or These statements compared with those of 1886 three millions of the people may have such a show the increase to be as follows: Of men mis- knowledge of the gospel as would enable them sionaries,43 ;.,of wives, 4; of single women, 74 ; making 121 in all. Of native ordained ministers to accept of Jesus Christ as their personal the increase is 35 ; of native assistants, 20. The increase of communicants is 4,260; of pupils iu Saviour, and that a larger number have some schools is ouly 198 ; of contribntions is $19,862, which sum is double the amount of contributions knowledge of Christianity. On these supposithe preceding year, and is more than $1 for each tions the efforts of the Protestant churches member. These statements will be gratifying to all the during these 46 years to propagate the gospel supporters of missions and call forth thanksgiv has not been sn1llcient to reachune-tkird of the ing to God for his rich grace and mercy. It is to be noticed the great increase in the number increase of the population during these years. of foreign laborers; this is much greater than in any previous year, and of this increase it is to be The accepted time for the life of one generaremarked that 74 are single women, nearly double the number of the increase of men. They tion is 33 years. During these 46 years more everywhere find ready entrance to the homes of the teeming millions of women and girls who are than one whole generation of the population of in all the darkuess of heathenism; there is room for hnndreds more of Christiau laborers in this China has passed away. If then the efforts of populous empire. the Protestant churches have ouly reached 1888 Let the churches cousider these facts and arouse themselves to the greatness of the work t::'on one-third of the increase of the people, and to be done. In the year 1842 China was partially opened to the introduction of the gospel by a whole generation and more has passed beyond the treaty England made with China at the close of what is known in history as the opium War. all hnman effort to reach them, when will the It was still more fully opened to the gospel in 1858, at the revision of the treaties with Western present measure of effort by the churches fulfill nations, when toleratiou to Christianity was granted and missionaries were permitted to the command of our Lord and Leader to preach propagate the gospel in all parts of the country. natives to profess it and to assist in its propaga- the gospel to every creature? May the leaders tion without hindrance, according to the stipnlations of the treaties. It is now 46 years since of God's sacramental hosts devise the means God in his providence opened this populous land to his people, thus preparing the way for them to for carrying out these orders of the Captain of carry out the command to .. go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." In our salvation, and may all the host follow ont ol)edience to his command there are now some 400 ordained ministers here laboring for this ob- these plans to a complete accomplishment of the ject. If we accept the recent statement of the population of China proper to be 882,000,000, as work, and until the knowledge of God covers given by the secretary of the Russian Legation the whole earth even as the waters cover the sea I Letter from Rev. G. W. Ohamberlain.
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL. I HAVE read with much pleasure and profit your editorial on the" Apparent Waste of Missions," in the March nnmber of THE REVIEW. Simon- ton, our first missionary to Brazil, was perhaps the most able man that our churCh' has ever sent to Brazil. He died after seven years' services, at the age of 33, when he seemed to be indispen- sable to our work. Yet he lived to see three chnrches begun-Rio, Sao Paulo, ann Brotas. To-day these three have a membership of 491, 47 of whom were added on profession of their faith last year, an increase of over 10 per cent. They contributed toward their own snpport last year the sum of $3,300.00. The Presbytery of Rio, which Was composed at the time of Simon- ton's death of these three churches, has now on its roll thirty-three. This year they will (at our next annual meeting), in combination with the fourteen or fifteen churches of the Southern Presbyterian Chnrch Brazil Mission, form the Synod of Brazil, and enter, 21 years after Simon- ton'8 death, upon an era of self-propagation and increasing self-snpport, whose results in the next 21 years it is difficult to forecast. At Sao Paulo, where Simonton died In 1867, we now publish the ImprelUla Evangelica, a weekly re- foreducation, and in furnishing a number of exligious paper, of which he was the first and cellent text-books in the Siamese langnage. aolest 'editor; a monthly Missionario Juvenil They are, however, mainly used for fitting native (organ of the young people's missionary society young men for positions as clerks and translators of the chnrch and school at Sao Paulo), self- in the government service. They are not aVRilsustaining, and third, Revista das M"1.8soes able for the traiuing of teachers of good eduea: Nacionals, edited by one of our native ministers tion and ability, nor for the preliminary educaon behalf of the Society of National Mission!- tion of native ministers. It is believed toot a self-sustaining and stimnlating by its monthly suitable institution of the kind here suggested reports all the churohes of the presbytery to would receive extensive patronage from wealthy self-snpport. The school which I began in 1872 Siamese princes and nobles, as well as from the as a parish school has grown from a primary to king himself, wbose gifts in aid of Christian edua school of over 200 pupils, embracing normal cation have been frequent and liberal. It is not elasses of both sexes and a department for intended at present to expend a large snm of training our theological students. We have eight money in organizing an institution beyond the native pastors (two others have gone up to the present demand, but it is proposed so to organ- General Assembly of the First-born), and sev- ize it that it shall be able to keep pace with the eral candidates under care of the presbytery. needs of the people, and in time to become an The Synod of Brazil will have on its roll the institution like Robert College in Constantinople, ,names of at least 12 native ministers, besides 21 doing efficient work for the country of its locaforeign missionaries. tion.
Bhaisdehi, Betul Diat" Oent. Prov., India. It is proposed to establish a Christian high school in Siam for the purpose of giving native • J anusry 24, 1888. young men a plain, practical education, such as will fit them for usefulness in any honorable EDITORS OF MISSIONARY REVIEW. – I pmise employment, but especially with a view to pre· God that he has led you to take npthework which pare them for teaching, with the ultimate design of raising up a native ministry which can be dear R. G. Wilder was, compelled to lay down. supported by the people. It will be a school for May he grant you grace and spiritual power to the training of native Christian workers. In undertaking this work it is not considered addo mighty things for Christ's glory in the visable to erect buildings in the outset, which would require nearly two years of valuable responsible place in which he has placed you I time, but rather to rent the necessary buildings I am thankful that you have started a .. fund" for the present, expecting that after the school has made a reputation and its work has become to send THE MISSIOlS"ARY REVIEW OF THE favorably known, a more desirable location can be obtained, perhaps as a gift from the king, and WORLD to the 3,000 young men and women in considerable aid can be secured in the way of contributions from Siamese gentlemen of wealth the United States aud Great Britain who have and liberality, and from foreign merchants residing in Bangkok. devoted their lives to the missionary work. The school is to be organized under the care I hope that you will also start another fund to and control of the Presbyterian Board, which send THE REVIEW to all missionaries now will have charge of all property belonging to the actually laboring among the heathen who are school, and direct the general policy to be fol- lowed and the expenditnre of the funds connot able to pay for it. As a rule, among this trihuted, being assisted by a board of advisers residing in Siam. The Bible will be a text-book class are laborers in self-supporting missions for all classes. Daily stndies in both Siamese and English will be required of all students, and so-called independent or faith missionaries. translating each language into the other. In addition to this the course of study will in- There are also beloved brethren under some or clude instruction in mathematics and the nat- ural sciences, mental and moral philosophy, and all of the boards who on account of the demand normal methods of teaching, being similar to the course given in onr best normal schools, and for the education of their children or other de- equivalent in mental discipliue to the· course in mands are not able to pay for THE REVIEW, a first-rate classical academy.
though they would much like to have it. One It is estimated that S15,Coo will be sumcient to way to sustain the zeal of this goodly army of establish this institution ou a permanent basis, with a prospect of becoming self-snpporting young men and women who have devoted their after a few years. It is proposed to raise this snm in advance, and to place it in the haeds of lives to the mission cause is to keep the fire of the Preilbyterian Board, to be expended by them III sending out and snpportin~ three teacher~ devotion and enthusiasm burning in the hearts of the laborers already out in the harvest field.
God bless you and wondrously endue you with power from on high I Yours in Christ, KORKOO MISSION. ALBERT NORTON.
Ohristian High School of Siam.
[Letter from Rev. J. A. Eakin.] EDITORS OF MISSIONARY REVIEW. -In the opinion of the missionaries in Siam and also of the Pres. Board of Foreign MiSSions, the time has come to found in Slam a school which will ultimately grow into a flrst,class educational establishment for that country. The government schools which have been established there have Ilolje a 1500d work in exciting a popular delIsnd and providing the necessary equlpments for the rather tban God·s will? "Herein is my Father school. Of this sum $10,000 has already been glorified that ye bear much fruit. " secured, mainly in large contributions, and it is hoped the remainder wilrsoon be offered, so that But has not God for each child that sense of the work may be begnn as soon as possible. This nearness to him which. comes from special diboard has elected Rev. J. A. Eakiu, who was for rection? God does send special impressions, four years a teacher iu the Kiug's school iu Bang- but should we lean On these except as confirmkok, to be principal of the Christian high scbool, ing God's word f Is not what we term a special and authorized him to solicit fnnds for this pnr- call simply God's hand reaching down to help us pose. The board also cordially recommends to acknowledge onr "bigh calling in Christ this school to the churches as a suitable object Jesus? ,~ for memorial offerings during the centennial year, and the Executive Committee of the Cen- If in Christ Jesus should we not find our mistenary Fund have placed it On their list as one sionary call as easily as the Crown Prince finds of the special causes for which contributions are his heirship to the throne? If challenged for requested. onr right to seek a missionary life, we can per- haps point to the hour or circumstsnce through There are special reasons for urgiug the begin- which we realized our bigh calling, bnt if not ning of this enterprise at the present time. this, directly to Onr high calling. "He that_ winneth souls is wise." "Follow me." U I 1. The Siamese are entirely dependent On the come to s~ek and to save the lost." "Ye shall Presbyterian Cburch of this couutry for the be my witnesses, both in Jerusalem and in Judea knowledge of the gospel. No otber denomina- and Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of tion is laboring for their evangelization. the earth." Accepting this Bible missionary call, we can extend it and say to a brother 2. Tbe present missionary force is altogetber Cbristian, "It is your privilege to be a missioninsumcient. In Siam proper there are only four ary just as much as mine." .. Let him that ordained missionaries and four or five native heareth say come." It is your privilege to seek preachers for a population of six million souls. a neglected field, unless hindered. "Go ye into the highways and hedges." Tbis choice <I. Tbe situation of affairs iu Siam is remarka- will not diminish daily guidance or nearness to bly favorable for tbe successful planting of such God. A fixed purpose to enter Canaan was tbe a school. The king has promised to establish a reason of the guiding pillar and cloud. Tbose system of national scbools throughout the coun- who lean bardest and are asking God to try. He has intimated his willingness 1.0 employ shape every hour of life mnst be those who be- Christian teachers in these schools. Here, tben, lieve that the Cbristian's calling is to carry life is our opportunity to prepare Christian young to those in the sbadow of death. This convicmen for this work, and so mould the future edu- tion leads to close walking with God. .. Go " cation of the entire kingdom. Tbe opportunity and" 10 I " (Matt. xxviii. 19, 20) were linked by is ours now. It will soon pass away from us un- Jesus. less it is improved. Contributions may be seut to Rev. J. A. Eakin or to the treasurer of the Oh that the spirit of God~may so fill us that Board of Foreign Missions, marked for the we shall seek Christ'S'last command, yea have it Christian High School of Siam. our cbief desire to "preach the gospel to the meek, to bind up the broken-hearted, and bring Have Not IOommanded Thee'l .deliverance to captives." We sball then, like a certain young man, be willing to .burn the im- [Letter from Miss Grace E. Wilder. plements of our former pursuits. We shall, like Concluded from p. 285, April No.] him, follow even wben a prophet says, Go back. Three times was the temptation repeated, but ONE has said," Where our Father has written every time the young man answers, .. As the out for us a plain direction about anything, he Lord liveth and as my soulliveth I will not leave will not of course make an especial revelation to tbee." Is this fixedness of desire rewarded f us about that thing." Doubtless in his great When they had passed over Jordan Elijah says, love he does help our weak faith by special Ask what I shall do for thee? "Let a double providences. Bnt God forbid that we insist on a portion of thy spirit be upon me," was the special providence before we obey such a clear young man's request. revelation as that to carry the gospel to every creatnre. His desire must stand still another test. .. Thou hast done hard in asking, nevertbeless, Some are saying, My concern should be, not the if thou see me when I am'taken from thee it conversion of souls, not the evangelizing of this shall be so unto thee." Tbis condition involved world, but the doing God's will, accomplishing not only intense desire but a firm purpose. He his purpose for me. Does not this imply that must keep watch constantly. Tbe great future his purpose for me is an exception to his re- of Elisha-the power with which he performed vealed purpose'· for his cbildren? Did the early twice as many miracles as Elijab-was con- Christians make a mistake that all interpreted ditioned upon eager seeking for his Master's God's will to be the extension of Cbrist's king- spirit. dom f In the space of 8 year the Thessalonian church made the gospel known througb the re- Our prize is the mind flf the Lord Jesus and gion of Macedonia and Achala. Is this ambition the power of the Holy Spirit, by which we are to do greater works than he did. The condi- prime minister, summoned Dr. Thompson and tion of our receiving it is, "Go ye into all the his medical aSSistant, Rev. Mr. Cooper, and the world and preach the gospel to every creature." writer, to an audience. It was a glad day for ns and an important one in the history of this mis- A Remarkable Letter from Siam. sion.
[The following was written and published by After ascending the mountain we were invited us in another magazine some months ago, but is to seats in a ball occnpied by several princes, worthy of a place in this REVIEW. We give it among them the Minister ofEducation, the king's only in part.-EDs.] private secretary and the Minister for Foreign Affairs. We were hardly seated before the THE past fifteen days have been busy and joy- princes began to qnestion' us regarding the ful Ones for the missionaries at Petchaburi. The Christian religion and the nature of our mission. king of Siam, with hundreds ofprinces, ministerb They pnt many searchiug questions about the of state, nobles and soldiers, has been in our creation, atonement, forgiveness of sins, miracity, the king resting in his palace on the top of a cles, future life, etc., thus giviug ns a good opmountain, one mile from our home; the plains portunity to preach Christ to them. One of the below covered with soldiers and followers in princes stated that he was a reformed Buddhist, camp; the river in front, "bove and below our that he discarded the supernatural from Bnddhhome, filled with crowded boats. We have had ism, and tbat he did not regard Bnddha as a god, daily preaching of the gospel to good audiences, but simply a great teacher, and received only and at 0 night through the sciopticon, Bible pj.c- his moral teachings. We learned from the tures have drawn large crowds to hear the life prince that tbis view is rapidly gaining adherents of our Lord. Ouro.homes. schools and hospitals in Siam. Our conversation lasted for one hour were visited by princes and nobles, who encour- and a half, and was enjoyed by all. After this aged us in onr work, some of them in a very pleasure we were conducted to the palace and substantial way. met at the door of the drawing-room by the king, who, after grasping our hands, warmly in- We conld not help noting the contmst between vited us to chairs, and at once began questionnow and former days. Not many years ago, ing us regarding our work, relieving US of no when tbe king passed along the highways, the little embarrassment, and showing us that inpeople were compelled to fall upon their faces stead of being summoued to a formal audieuce and did not dare look upon his Majesty. Now we were to have a familiar talk on mission work. the king rode ont to the villages and through The king at first expressed his gratitnde to Dr. the streets, halting now and then to speak with Thompson for the surgical aid given the marines the people. Crowds greeted him along the way, who were injnred by the gunboat explosion, and and large companies visited him daily at the then for his medical work among the people, palace. His Majesty had many kind words for assuring him of future aid and urging him to them. On one occasion about two hundred aged carryon the work to the best of his ability. He women sought him at the palace, carrying with then told ns of his joy at seeing and hearing of them offerings of fmits, sogar, sweetmeats, flow- our schools over the city, asked many qnestions ers, etc. The king received them kindly. Ad- coucerning our plans and told us of his plans for dressing one old lady, he said, "Well, grand- a system of public free schools for his country, mother, when your king comes to visit the which he hoped to establish at an early day. prOVince, are yon filled with fear or does it give you joy?" The old lady answered, "Your He then called the Minister of Education, and Majesty's visit fills us witb joy. Why, before told him that if the missiouaries should apply for your Majesty arrived we took three meals a day, text-books or other aid for the mission schools but since your arrival we have been so happy ill' Petchaburi, he mnst grant them freely. Then that we take but one meal a day, and are satis- turning to ns he said: "I wish to place yonr fied." The king laughed heartily land replied, schools-as to aid from the government-on a "If that is the case I shall come frequently." plane with the government schools." We ex- His Majesty sent these (as well as all who sought pressed to him the gratitude of the Board of him) away rejoicing over liberal gifts from his Foreign Missions for liberal aid and encourage. hand. ment received from him in the past, and also for the liberty granted the missionaries in their la- Shortly after his arrival the king rode throngh bors. The king replied, "During our reign we the streets, and on noticing our little school- always have encouraged and will in the futnre houses expressed his joy, and inquired of the encourage the American missionaries, being prime minister of Siam and the governor of fully persuaded that you are deeply interested In Petchabnri as to the extent of the school work, and laboring for the good of the people." IDs number of pupilS, how it was sustained, etc. Majesty then bestowed upon Dr. Thompson a These otllcials having visited our schools were handsome silver medal, to his medical assist- able to give the king considerable information. ant a well-filled purse, and the Rev. Mr. Cooper The next day the royal physician visited our and the writer beantiful presents, saying, "These hospital and inspected it. That night he report- are tokens of my appreciation, and they will ed to the king, who intimated that be would be serve to keep this occasion in remembrance." glad to have a report from the missionaries re- After taking ns each by the hand and wiehing nB gardiug their )Vork, its needs, etc. We there- success iu our work, he withdrew. fore prepared reports, and they were presented to him, and on the following day he, through his But this was not all. The Jing's private sec- and family, and otherwise animadretary handed us two letters-one from the queen verting on Bishop Tayloll's scheme, addressed to the ladies of the .mission, and one which he adjuges to be a failure and from the king addressed to the gentlemen. The a folly. We have not much occasion former read as follows: "Her Majesty the to discuss the case now, as it has queen has been informed of the work of the lady been largely presented by the secumissionaries in the girls' school and of your de- lar and religious press, but we doubt sire to establish a home for aged women. This if this brother's testimony is worth so work has produced great joy and gratitnde in much notice. Discussion of methods her Majesty's heart, and it is her pleasure to grant s generally wholesome, and this the sum of sixteen hundred Iicals ($960) to aid may" provoke" to good works. Ceryou. Her Majesty prays that the work may be tainly there are formidable obstacles carried on free from difllculties, and ever pros- to Bishop Taylor's plans, but it is per." The king's letter read as follows: "His rather early to summon them for Majesty the king has been informed of the medi- judgment. cal mission work in Petchabnri, and deems it a great pleasure to aid in this department of your China.-Professor Joseph Edkins work. His majesty feels that it is proper taup- of the Educational Department at hold this work, because it is one of vast benefit Peking, and one of the foremost ta his people. He therefore takes pleasure in authorities on the language and litergranting the sum of twenty-Cour hundred licals ature of China, has traced an inter- ($1,440) for the purpose of enlarging your hospi- esting connection between the Pertal buildings. His Majesty asks that you labor sian and Chinese calendars. Instead to complete this work, and that it may be firmly of fire, air, earth, and water, the established and ever prosper." Thus the day Chinese hold to five elements, omitbrought us the good wishes of the king and ting air, and adding wood and metal. $2,400 to help in the Master's work. The system of five elements has not been discovered in India or Babylo- GENERAL INTELLIGENCE. nian archreology, but is the basis of the Persian calendar, in which five Africa.-The opening of Central angels, corresponding with the spirits Africa to commerce is working great. of the five elements, preside over the changes among the people. They months and over the days of the are rapidly laying aside their native week. The date of its entry into clothing, arms and implements, and China is referred to the Ria dynasty, adopting those brought in from civ- or about 2100 E.C.. so that Persia ilized lands. People that four years must stand for one of the prehistoric ago asked the traders for beads, trink- Bactrian empires. During the Chow ets and brass l'ods, now ask for guns, dynasty, one thousand years later, cloth and-rum. The Hakka or high- the Chinese had an increased knowlland people of Kwangtung province, edge of the elen)ental philosophy, China, furnish more literary men to and elaborated it to suit their own the National Academy than any other counting and their own tastes. But class. They are the people in South- the modern Chinese calendar was not ern China who do not bind the feet completed till 140 B.C., when the of their women, and their character route to the Caspia.n was opened, and is vigorous and independent. The King Fang, the philosopher of that American Baptist Missionary Union period, received clearer ideas of the has a mission a few years old among Persian system than had previously this interesting people. been known in China. The fitting of the five elements to the months and – Bishop Taylor Criticised. A days, which is characteristic of the brother by the name of Waller, who Persian and Chinese calendars, was joined Bishop Taylor's Congo mis- not expanded to its modern fullness sion in the capacity of cook for the in China till 140 B.C., after which steam yacht, has returned to this country and attained notoriety by allowing himself to be "interviewed" by the secular press, and giving out that he was not suitably provided with necessaries of living for himself followed the construction of the an- the annual address. .A large company nual calendar as now established in of native gentlemen were present, the empire. together with one European lady and less than ten European gentlemen. England.-Fifty Years of the Brit- Oratorically the lecture was labored ish and Foreign Bible Society.-.At and the sentenceslabyrinthian. Theothe late anniversary of the British logically the lecture was pantheistic, and Foreign Bible Society, the presi- theistic, and occasionally Christian. dent, the Earl of Harrowby, in his His views of God were in harmony address from the chair, referred to with the gospel according to Spinoza. the progress of the society's work On the question of sin he was more within the reign of Queen Victoria. orthodox, declaring that Theodore The story is most cheering; Parker erred in saying "every fall is a fall upward." Mr. Mozumdar's " Fifty years ago our receipts were plan of salvation is opposed to Mat- £100,000; now they are nearly £225,- thew the Evangelist's, but in hal'- 000. Fifty years ago that great test mony with Matthew the peculiar son of the interest taken in this noble of a well-known .Arnold of Rugby. work – the auxiliary societies – The lecturer spoke of the ills of idolamounted at home to jl,370; now atry and the" demon caste." For they are over 5,300. If there is any this we praise him. He frankly conproof of the spread of the interest fessed that the present state of his taken in the circulation of the Bible, branch of Brahmoism in Calcutta that is one. .Abroad you had 260 was" anarchy," and affirmed aU the auxiliaries and bl'anches fifty years evils of hatred, jealousy, falsification, ago. You have now 1,500. Fifty etc., of his people. We regret this years ago, what was the issue of the fact, but do not think that Mr. Bible and portions of it from this Mozumdar's closing invocation to our great society'? The annual issue was Saviour and aU the prophets of his 600,000; now it is about 4,000,000. pantheon can stem the tide that has The cheapest copy of a book half a set in. Theism has no conservator century back was issued at about two but Christianity. Hindu or Brahmo shillings; now the price is sixpence. pantheism is only refined or figurative The cheapest Testament then was idolatry.-The Indian Witness. tenpence ; the cheapest now is Lord Shaftesbury's, and the price is a -British rule inIndia has not resulted penny. .And that not done by any in the removal of the hateful customs grinding of the people who produce which prevail in reference to marthese works. In how many tongues riage. Parents continue to contract and languages were the Scriptures marriages for their children. One bad circulated fifty years ago? In 136. feature of such marriages is illustrat- That figure is actually doubled, for ed by the story of two sisters in a now they are circulated in 280. Fifty zenana school at Serapore. These years ago 14 fresh languages of Eu- girls resemble each other, but one has rope had been honored by Bible pub- ugly scars on her face which disfigure lication. Now the Bible has been her. It is said that the father intends published in 12 fresh languages in to repeat Laban's fraud on Jacob. Central.Asia and Siberia, 12 in India, The expectant bridegroom will be 14 in China and Mongolia, 19 in the told by his parents that, the bride is Pacific, 30 in .Africa and 30 in .Ameri- aU he can desire (they will have seen ca. That surely is a most marvelous the scarless sister); but whlln the marriage actually takes place the record. disfigured girl, duly veiled, will be India.-The town hall lecture of seated at the lad's side, and not till too late to draw back will he see her Keshub Chunder Sen used to be the event of January in Calcutta. Last Saturday Mr. P. C. Mozumdat· gave face. Of course, as Leah was hated, undertake a humanitarian work for so will this Hindu girl be when she the relief of Hindu child-widows. becomes a wife. No government, She does not propose to do this on however paternal, can succeed in in- any pronounced Christian basis, as suring happy marriages, but the she thinks that would be fatal to the wrong we have instanced ought not attempt, in the present state of to have the semblance of the sanction Hindu prejudice. She seeks to found of British law. and sustain a school and home at a cost of $25,000, and estimates that -A Hindu Husband's Creed. The $5,000 w:ill meet the expenses of fifty Hindu idea of marriage is curious. scholars. At a public meeting in A man both day and night must keep Boston, Dec. 13, an association was his wife so much in subjection that formed to assist her, and a constitushe by no means be mistress of her tion drawn up under which friends own actions. If the wife have her might co-operate, and an organizaown free will, notwithstanding she is tion was effected. Among the offiof superior caste, she will go amiss. cers we find Rev. Edward E. Hale, A woman shall never go out of her D.D., Rev. Phillips Brooks, D.D., house without the consent of her hus- Miss Frances E. Willard, Dean Rachel band, and shall pay proper respect to L. Bodley, M.D. A board of nine trusher husband's father, the spiritual tees, aided by an advisory board in guide and her guests, and shall not India, controls all business matters. eat until she has first served them " Ramabai circles" are being formed with victuals (if it is medicine, she throughout the country. The cormay take it before they eat); a wo- responding secretary lis Miss A. P. man shall never go to a stranger's Granger, Canandaigua, N. Y. Of the house, and shall not stand at the benevolentintent of this society there door, and must never look out of the can be no question. It distinctly diswindow. If a woman, following her claims being a missionary movement. own inclinations, goeswhithersoever she chooses and does not regard the Mexico.-The General Assembly of words of her mastel', such a woman Evangelical Mlssionaries in this reshall be turned away. If a man goes public, held in the City of Mexico on a journey, his wife shall not di- January 31 to February 3,1888, was vert herself by play, nor see any pub- attended by nearly one hundred mislic show, nor laugh, nor dress herself sionaries-male and female-l'eprewith jewels or fine clothes, nor see senting eleven different Protestant dancing, nor hear music, nor sit at churches. Many visitors were also the window, nor ride, nor behold any- present, besides six of the eight inthing rare or choice, but shall fasten vited speakers from the United well the house door and remain pri- States. The meeting occupied six vate; and shall not eat any dainty nights and three whole days, and invictuals, and shall not view herself cluded social reunions, devotional exin a mirror; she shall not exercise ercises, written essays, oral discusherself in any agreeable employment sions, sermons, and addresses. The during the absence of her husband. subjects embraced in the programme covered many points of prime interest -The Ramabai Association. The and importanGe to the evangelization learned Sanskrit woman, Ramabai, of this country, and were ably treated has for a year or more attracted in the essays and discussions. Work public attention in this country. was assigned to fifty persons, nearly Ramabai was baptized in the Church all of whom met their allotments, of England. She is one of three high- and many of those who had no specaste Brahman women who have cific tasks took part in the exercises been known to make their way to and discussions. The following sta- America. She is very desirous to tistics were presented, which will be sacrifices, of the blood feuds that exread with interest: All of the States isted among them, of the rule folof the republic occupied except Cam- lowed by all of keeping alive two peche and Chiapas; number of cen- children, and no more, in everv famtres of operation, 86; congregations, ily, and of the whole aspect of"life as 393; ordained foreign missionaries, something fearful. All this has been 48; assistant foreign missionaries, changed through the influence of 44; foreign lady teachers, 43; whole Christianity. The spiritual work has number of foreign workers, 123; na- been most interesting. To see a peotive preachers ordained, 81; native ple who once were cannibals partakpreachers unordained, 65 ; native ing of the Lord's Supper has been teachers, 96; other native helpers, truly delightful. At the New Year's 49; total native workers, 273; grand gathering it has been the custom for total of foreign and native workers, all the members of the church at Rar- 442; church societies, 17'7; communi- atonga to assemble together for worcants, 12,135; probable adherents, ship. Looking around upon this 26,967; training and theological gathering, the family history of all schools,10 ; pupils in same, 66; board- known to him, he had seen the bread ing schools and orphanages, 15; pu- administered by one to a man whose pils in same, 503; common schools, father that man had murdered, or the 71; pupils in same, 2,187; total reverse. The work of evangelization under instruction, 2,492; Sunday- in these islands has been done almost schools, 199; Sunday-school teachers entirely by the natives whom it has and officers, 367 ; Sunday-school been Mr. Gill's object to train for scholars, 4,187; total membership of this purpose. It is wonderful what Sunday-schools, 5,306; publishing they have done. Hundreds have houses, 8; papers issued, 10; pages sacrificed their lives to carry the of all kinds of religious literature is- gospel to their brethren. Sixty of sued since establishment of presses, Mr. Gill's own church have been killed 49,471,295; church buildings, 73; ap- while acting as missionaries. proximate value of same, $257,900; parsonages, 39; approximate value -French Policy in the South Seas. of same, 93,260; educational build- France is quite liberal in religious ings, 16; approximate value of same, matters at home, but she has a very $147,200; value of entirfl publishing different policy for her colonies. In outfit, $39,500; total value of all mis- her colonial policy she is almost as sionary property, $599,251; churches intolerant as Spain; indeed, quite so. and chapels built without aid from It is true that the Spanish governor Home Boards, 16; receiving partial of Ponape, one of the Caroline Islaid, 19; martyrs, 62; native preach- ands, seized and imprisoned, on the ers, sons of former workers, 2; for- most absurd charges, a missionary of eign workers, sons and daughters of the American Board; but the govmissionaries, 3; foreign workers, sons ernor-general promptly gave the misand daughters of ministers in the sionary redress and removed the home field, 9. offending official. What French in- tolerance is capable of was seen a South Pacifico-At a recent meet- few years ago in the case of Mr. in London, Rev. W. Wyatt Gill, a mis- Shaw of Madagascar, and has been sionary from the South Pacific, gave a illustrated more than once in the statement of work there and its re- Loyalty Islands, over which, unhapsults. His work since July, 1851, has pily, the French protectorate has been among eleven islands of the been extended, since missionaries of Hervey group. He spoke of the con- the London Society began many dition of the natives at the time-of years ago to make Cllristians and their love of revenge and human civilized beings of the savage population. The Loyalty group lies between or his banishment was his having New Caledonia, the French penal roused the wrath of his coreligionists colony, and the New Hebrides, where by declaring on a public occasion his French influence has been asserting belief that the Messiah came in the itself to the discomfort of the mis- time of the second temple. This consionaries, and with the manifest in- viction doubtless remained rooted in tention of seizing the islands. Hap- his heart, but does not seem to have pily, English protest has prevented become a living power within, until this. On Mare, one of the Loyalty one day at Tomsk, where he had group, the Rev. John Jones of the gone to meet his family, he founa a London Missionary Society has been tract containing Rabinowitch's conlaboring since 1853. He has wrought fession of faith. He at once entered a wonderful work among the natives, into correspondence with the writer, and is one of the most popular men and procured more of his writings. in the Western Pacific. Mr. Jones These were read by some thirty of has, by order of the governor- the Jews at Tomsk, and Scheinmann general, been expelled from the expounded to them what the Talmud island. This is the news which his and other Jewish books say about society has received. There are no the Messiah. "The scales," he says, particulars, but it is thought that the " fell at once from their eyes." In expulsion was caused by his protest the letter in which this passage ocagainst the introduction of convicts curs, Scheinmann asks Rabinowitch from New Caledonia into Mal·e. Two for a New Testament, only one copy years ago Mr. Jones's church and of which he had ever seen, and which schools were closed by a decree of no one in Tomsk knew what it was the governor, but they were re- about! All the books and tracts opened by permission of the French which were sent to him, except the consul at Noumea. There are Cath- New Testament, he distributed among olic priests on the island, and they his brethren in Siberia and Poland. have, it is said, been waging a relig- And there is reason to think that they ious war against Mr. Jones. It may are being read to good purpose. be that their influence has helped to Schienmann seems to be devoting his bring about Mr. Jones's expulsion. energies to the propagation of his Whether English influence will be so newideas. He has published several exerted as to secure his reinstate- letters, in one of which he calls upon ment is a matter of doubt.-Method- the Jews to "take up the New Testaist Review. ment, the true Thora, which Jesus, the Son of God, and our Master, has Siberia.-A Judmo-Christian move- taught us, and give yourselves to the ment has begun in Siberia, analo- study of it day and night." The New gous to that which for two or three Testament is being read by the Jews years has been proceeding at Kisch- as it never was before.-Chronicle of nieff, in Southern Russia, under London Miss. Society. Joseph Rabinowitch. It owes its institution to a Polish Jew, one Jacob- – The Oldest Missionary Journal. Zebi Scheinmann, who, on the The present volume of Periodical ground of utterly false accusations, Accounts relating to the missions of was banished to Siberia in 1874. He the church of the United Brethren settled at Irkutsk, where he set up in will complete the century of their business, and at the end of five years issue. In 1790 the first number of found himself in possession of a cer- this oldest of missionary journals was tain competency. In his native land "presented to an that pray for the he had heard about Jesus Christ from coming of the kingdom of Christ one of his 'friends, the late David and take an active share in its pros- Levinsohn, and the indirect occasion perity." Since then successive vol-
INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT•
. umes have followed at intervals of Bureau of Information, where mag- about two and a half years, until azines and leaflets on all flelds and by more than thirty now stand slde by all evangelical denominations are side. In anticipation of the approach- kept for consultation and sale in ing hundredth year of the issue, the cheap form. A catalogue of these latest volumes have increased from publications, with their prices, can be ten to twelve quarterly numbers. had on application by enclosing 5 The present one will therefore (d. v.) cents in stamps to Maryland Baptist extend over three years, and its last lfission Rooms, 10 E. Fayette st., number will be published in Decem- Baltimore. ber 1889, so that a new volume will commence in 1890, the centenary -Prize for Essay on Missions. One year of the venerable publication. of the recent graduates of Hanover College' offers to the students a prize -A Missionary Training School in of $25 for the best essay on "The Philadelphia has been opened at 4045 Relations of Missions to the New Ogden street by Mrs. W. B. Osbdrn, Civilization in the Orient." This a former missionary in India. It is prize will be continued for at least two conducted on the basis of faith and years. prayer, and aims to put a course of preparatory study within the reach -Missionary Intelligtmce. Two of the humblest and poorest who are thousand secretaries of district mis- seeking to go abroad as miSSIOnarIeS. sionary meetings are now furnishing the daily and weekly papers of the -Mission Repository. In compliance country with missionary intelligence. with a resolution adopted by the last Never was such an amount of infor- Maryland Baptist Association, there mation distributed as is being sent has been established in Baltimore a forth now.
IV.-INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
CONDUCTED BY REV. J. T. GRACEY, D. D., OF THE "INTERNATIONAL MIS- SIONARY UNION."
Islam in West Africa. with those who were authorities on this subject, such as Rev. Dr. Blyden, THE writer had the good fortune then professor in the Liberia College, when in Sierra Leone, West Africa, and Archbishop Crowther of the some ten years or more ago, to have Niger, enabled him to collect what a letter of introduction to Muham- was then and is still esteemed valumad SanusL who presented him with able information on this subject, just an illuminated manuscript, written now attrar.ting attention afresh. by himself, of an original Arabic composition by Sheikh Omaru-al- The measure of Moslem bigotry Haqq, a native of Futah Toro, West and fanaticism did not seem to be Africa. It is an acrostic poem, with equal in all parts of the coast. preface on the letters contained in Bishop Crowther said that in conververses 9, 10 and 11 of the 63d Sura of sation with Moslems along the the Quran. Being on a tour along Niger, on which river lies a portion the West Coast of Africa, partly of his diocese, and where, as on some with a view to study local Muham- of its lower tributaries, he has bemedanism, as far as opportunity come familiar with Moslems, he had might allow, this interview ana con- never met with a stern opposer of tribution were specially valued. Christianity among them. He could Little incidents of this nature, and a not say whether this WaS becau:se of peculiar good fortune in falling in theil' apprehension of the purer moral teaching of the Scriptures, or purchase of them, establishes less bigbecause they were ill informed con- ogtry than elsewhere we do not say. cerning the Quran, and surprised to The Moslems of India do this from a find how much more the Christian variety of motive; sometimes with a missionary knew of it, than they view to endeavor to prove their corthemselves. He said he had in a ruption and disagreement with the number of instances given the Quran. The Wesleyan missionaries Christian Scriptures to Moslem chiefs about Sierra Leone have made a someand moulvis, but never met with an what vigorous attempt to reach the obstinate disputant of his teachings Moslem community in that quarter, in connection with the present. The and at the time of which we write, had Emir of Nupe accepted from him an just held a soiree with them on an ap- Arabic Bible in the presence of his pointed evening, when seventy Moscourtiers, and a copy was sent lems were present. Working among through him to another king. The them was a Rev. Mr. Schafira, a Jew head messenger of the Emir solicited who had been under instruction in a copy like that given to his master. Palestine with the view of becoming a He also presented a Bible to an old rabbi, and after his conversion was priest, keeping an Arabic school at educated in the Missionary College at Lokoja, who had solicited it a long Islington, England. Many Moslem while previously, but to whom it had chiefs had called upon him, and a large not been given through fear that it number of Arabic-speaking Moslems was his purpose only to put the book from the interior purchased Bibles of to poor use, by taking scraps of the him. :Qr. Blyden informed us that paper and writing on them some many Moslems came from a long dis: verses of the Quran and selling them tance in the interior for the purpose of for superstitious uses to the people. learning of Christianity in its relation The native preacher under the to Islam. In November, 1870, one Bishop read selections from the came to him from Kankan to inter- Arabic Bible to merchants who came view him, bringing a manuscript copy to certain trade centers to sell ivory. of the Quran and many other elegant Arabic manuscripts. Kankan is nine Bishop Jayne of the Episcopal days from Musardu and six from Church had added similar testimony. Footah. He said that the Moslem priests are found all through Central Africa, In some other localities the bigotry from the borders of Egypt to the At- is objectionable enough. A missionlantic Ocean, zealously prosecuting ary at Lagos said, that whenever in their mission, yat exhibiting none of preaching they speak of the sonship the bigotry and fanaticism usual to and divinity of Christ, the Moslems Islam. present cease not to repeat the Sura of the Quran which says, "God does Rev. Mr. Day of the Lutheran Mis- not beget, neither is he begotten." sion at Muhlenburg said that Moslems He affirmed that the priests were dilof the Mandingo, and Vei tribes fre- igent to keep the people from listenquently came to his house and spent ing to their preaching, advising them hours in reading the Christian Scrip- in their public services to avoid the tures for the purpose of comparing Christian missionary, and refused to them with the Quran. The Liberia hold conversation with them, consid- College has distributed copies of the ering them enemies. An active con- Scriptures among Moslems of the troversy among them the year prenorth and northwest portions of Li- vious, respecting the authorship of beria and beyond, toward Boporo and Jallaloddin's Commentary on the Musardu, and found no disposition to Quran would have resulted in bloodreject them. How far this willing shed but for an appeal to the Lagos acceptance of the ScriptUl'es or the Government. Rev. Mr. Picot, the fourths of the additions were from account of whose journey to Kumasi conviction and not by natural inis more thrilling than Stanley's of crease by birth-rate. his travel over the same route, says he met a Moslem priest at Houssa The African Moslems appeal' to be who said his native place was Stam- great travelers. Dr. Blyden met at boul [Constantinople], and that he Toto Korie a young lad, bOl'n in had been traveling two years, all of Mecca, while his mother was on a which time had been occupied in pilgrimage at that place. Newlyreaching Houssa. He conversed converted Moslems often go from the freely about the nature of the road, desert of Bornou or Lake Tchad, to and the countries through which he the great collegiate mosque at Cairo, had passed, and entered into a vigor- and return. They go long distances ous defense of Muhammedanism. for the purpose of securing education. One young negro Moslem is told of, That the Qill'an is studied in towns who was accustomed to send orders from seventy-five to three hundred to Trubner of London for books, who miles from Monrovia, and by the went two hundred and fifty miles to Veis and Mandingos much nearer, is be instructed. A copy of the Quran well accredited. At Boporo, Man- was found in the interior which dingo, and other places many travel- proved to be of Liberia origin. It ers testify that the muezzin calls reg- was written on coarse folio leaves of a ularly five times a day to prayers, ledger, such as is used in the customand it is not to be called in question, houses. It was written by a negro. that mosques are to be found from It was imperfect, comIIlencing with Senegal to Lagos, but they are not to the 19th Sura. The Muhammedans be imagined to be fine specimens of appeal' to have shrewdly stationed Moorish architecture, modeled after themselvE's in influential towns near St. Sophia of the Levant or The the coast, and generally in those com- Pearl at Delhi. The Moslem is too manding the trade from the distant zealous to wait till he can construct interior. They have succeeded in an elaborate edifice, and often his impressing the people that their re- "mosque" on this coast, is not dis- ligion is peculiarly adapted to the Aftinguishable from his ordinary house rican. A missionary who had been of bamboo, wattled and lined with laboring in the interior for two years mats, covered with its thick straw said that on urging Christianity he thatch. Still it is his "mosque," be- met with two common answers: cause it is set apart as his place of first, that Christianity was good for prayer. Such is the mosque as found ., 'Merican man," but no good for in Liberia. "country man." The other came from Moslems, that "Christ is the Dr. Blydeninformedus that during white man's Saviour; Muhammed is his travels in 1872-73, on the explor- the black man's." To what extent ing expedition for the Sierra Leone Islam has proven a blessing to the Government, in every large pagan West African negro, is quite too large town he found one intellectual Mos- a question to discuss in a fragmentlem acting as prime minister to the ary way, and the testimony gathered chief and directing his policy. He by the writer can itself only be conlearned that the chief advisers of the sidered fragmentary. King of Ashantee are Moslems from Sokoto, and this was true also of One should be slow to disparage Da,homey. The Rev. JamesJohnson, any agency which ameliorates the now archdeacon, a native clergyman cruelty or the degradation of any of the West Coast, thought Muham- portion of mankind, yet after the medans were numerically increasing most assiduous inquiry made of misabout Sierra Leone, and that three- sionaries, merchants, sailors, explorers, among Europeans of several na- and his fetish may become bewitched tionalities and negroes of several and powerless. It can be befooled.
tribes, the writer reached the con- He will whip it and throw it away clusion that the balance between the or exchange it for a better. The in- blessing and the bane of Islam in evitable gree-gree may be seen every- West Africa as compared with those where, hung on doors or trees to se- of fetishism or Christianity had not ~ure good crops. Only the rich can been struck. As to the demoraliza- afford a good many. .Anything may tion of the natives by rum, there become a fetish, and the Moslem of- seemed to be much testimony that fering his superstitious charms sim- many non-Moslem tribes, like the ply asks the negro to substitute Quran Pessahs and Barline people. were not Suras as a fetish, for tigers' teeth, cats'
more given to the use of intoxicating clawsor alligators' scales. The Qu- liquors than were the Moslems about ran fetish becomes the most popular Musardu, and even among those like because supposed to be the most pow- the Kabyles of North Africa. erfu!' But all that, leaves the heart It is claimed by some along the of African heathenism untouched.
coast, that the Moslems work with Re'. Mr. Picot makes special mention wiser adaptations to native preju- of these men in the journal of his visit dices, customs and idiosyncrasies to Coomassie. When he found one than the Christian missionaries do, of these lIoslem teachers, with his and their success is quoted in evi- manuscripts and his beads, he asked dence of the statement. But Islam if he was not ashamed to be deceiv- has been for a thousand years gradu- ing the people by giving them these ally spreading over the northern half scraps of paper, telling the people of Africa, and has held the country they were capable of protecting them of these Mandingos since the days of against evil. The man suddenly pre- the Norman '(onquest, and that of tended not to understand the language the Foulahs and of Lake Tchad for spoken, but the people made sport of six hundred years, yet there are large him, and he confessed his deception.
tracts not conquered by it to this As to the unity of the godhead taught day. Mr. Boswell Smith speaks in by Islam, that is an article of faith his" Mohammed and Mohammedan- from end to end of Africa among the ism" of "whole tribes laying aside entire negro popUlation, and this devil worship or the immemorial fe- compounding with the superstitions tish, and springing at a bound, as it of existing heathenism, or overlaying were, from the very lowest to one of it with another without any im prQve- the highest forms of belief;" but ment, does not look much like Mr.
from facts learned all along this coast, Smith's description, of the African that seems to be quite a rhetorical laying aside the immemorial fetish statement. After more than a thou- and springing at once to the highest sand years of effort to subjugate these form of religions belief.
pagan tribes, the Bornous, Fulahs, Muhammedanism, if it has added Mandingos and Jaloofs, who profess any to the limitations which the Af- Islam, have done little more than rican's povel·ty imposes in most cases abandon some of the rites of pagan- to the practice of polygamy, has in efism, while their belief in some su- fect left it in principle and practice perstitions is said to be intensified•. intact. Rev. Mr. Adcock, Wesleyan A Moslem negro offered for sale to missionary on the river Gambia, the writer,alarge silver locketor box, properly put this part of the case for said to contain selections from the the whole coast, when at a breakfast Quran, to be worn as a charm to meeting in London he said: ward off evil. The gree-gree does the "We have no difficulty in getting members. same thing for the native African, The difficulty is to keep them out of the chqrch, We could have thousands of members if we stra.tes to these heathen, the secret would allow them to come iu with a wife ou and strong power in Christianity that each arm, aud many other things which we do binds together all who truly love and not permit. We never have to refuse the sac· serve our Lord Jesus Christ. rament because people do not believe in the per sonality of the devil; they believe in it a great Much to our astonishment there deal too much." has recently come a proposition from Mr. Joyama, the former president of Affairs in Japan. the Imperial University, to place all schools of the middle grade underthe BY REV. H. LOOMIS, AMERICAN BruLE care of Protestant missionary bodies.
AGENT, YOKOHAMA. The reforms and improvements which have been inaugurated by Mr. ONE of the many encouraging and Mori, the Minister of Education, delightful features of Christian work have been important and helpful, in this land, is the unity of spirit that but the claims on the government prevails among all the followers of are so many and varied that it is Christ. found impossible to do all that is felt to be needed. In this emergency it The prayer of Christ is being an- is urged that suitable preparatory swered here in the manifestation'of a schools would be found, by calling in oneness of heart, so that even those the aid of the missionaries and givof different folds mingle together as ing them the charge of this branch one flock and followers of the same of educational work. This is a mere Shepherd. As evidence of this, a suggestion, but it comes from one social meeting was arranged for all who knows of what he speaks, and the theological students in Tokyo. whose opinion will have weight in It was held in a sort of park near the the minds of those who are to decide center of the city, which is a popular such matters. Possibly such a thing place of resort for all classes of people. is not wholly feasible even should it A meeting was recently called in meet with the approval of the proper Tokyo by the various pastors, in Japanese authorities. It would inwhich the question for discussion volve large expense on the part of was, "What is the present need of the missionary bodies, and at present our respective churches?" none of them seem to have surplus funds, even if there was a willingness A monthly meeting for prayer and to devote their income to an almost conference was arranged; it was well distinctively educational work. But attended and exceedingly profitable. the suggestion is an important indica- At the recent gospel meeting held in tion of what has been accomplished Tokyo under the auspices of the Epis- by the missionaries in this land in the copal mission, were Bishop Bicker- work of educa.tion. Of course no steth of the English church, Rev. such proposal would have been made Dr. Verbeck of the Reformed mission had not the work hitherto done atin America, Rev. Mr. Honda of the tracted the attention and won the Methodist church, and Rev. Mr. approval of those who are best qual- Hashimo of the Congregational or ified to judge. Mr. Joyama is not an Independent body. As Bishop Bick- avowed Christian, and has therefore ersteth was unable to speak in Jap- no religious bias that would lead him anese, he was assisted by a Presby- to take this step. The 'proposition terian interpreter. It is reported shows the confidence that the leadthere were one thousand persons ing men in Japan have in the charpresent. At a similar service recently acter of the missionaries, and of their held in Nagoya the speakers repre- ability to conduct such a work even sented the Protestant Episcopal and better than the Japanese themselves. Methodist Episcopal, the Reformed and the Presbyterian churches. The general influence of such unity is most beneficial to all, and demon- It will not surprise us if we see in to missionaries on a number of forthe future a flocking of the young eign fields, to secure an expression of men of Japan tothe Christian schools opinion on the importance of musical as the most desirable place to secure a training as a part of the preparation complete and thorough education. of persons for service abroad, and re- There is no question but what the fu- ceived such responses as to lead him to ture of Japan depends on the training make most liberal proposals to miswhich the present generation of schol- sionary boards, or to intending misars receives. sionaries themselves, for special edu- cation at his institution, in any or all There is a most blessed work now branches of music. This paper was gomg on in the various schools, es- presented at the meeting of the pecially in Yokohama and Tokyo. At International Missionary Union last the Ferris Seminary forty-five con- August, and a general discussion was verts are reported among the girls entered into, which gave a good with no extra effort or excitement, deal of information to those present. one after another has come out bold- Perhaps nothing was more striking lyand joyfully on the Lord1s side. On than the diversity demanded by the a recent Saturday it is said that more several fields oflabor in the character than fifty letters were sent by these of the music to be used. Rev. Mr. new converts to their homes and Chandler of South India, said three friends in all parts of the land, courses were open to the missionary: asking permission to profess their First, to teach the English system, faith in public, and pleading with one which imposed no end of labor in and all to repent of their sins and fol- teaching. Second, to translate hymns low the Saviour. In the Methodist and sing them; but in India the peo- Protestant school there has also been ple knew nothing of our scale and great interest of late, and on a recent nothing of harmony, and even the Sabbath forty-five persons received reduction of native airs to notation baptism. had to be done by ear, and then they could not get them as the natives did. In the school at Ayoma, in Tokyo, If the natives tried to sing in parts in there are seventy-four applicants for harmony they went through together baptism. The students have become if they started together, but whatever so aroused that they have for some difference obtained at the start was time gone out into the streets and maintainetl to the end. The third preached to the people and distributed method, which he thought the best, tracts. At another of the mission was to use native tunes and metres. schools in Tokyo there has been a general awakening and twenty of the Rev. Mr. Nicholls, Baptist, of Burscholars asked for prayers at a single mah said the natives there learned meeting. English music very quickly. Rev. Mr. Stanley said in Northern China The churches also have been arous- there had been no exoensive attempt ed and are at work as never before. to use native tunes. The Chinese At many of them special services are scale was unlike that of Europe, and being held; not only are sinners being our instruments were not adapted to converted, but those who have been their music, which was in minor visited by their brethren aroused to a chords mainly; yet in the boardingnew zeal. schools the pupils learned our music very creditably. Mrs. Culbertson Musia and Missions. spoke of Chinese girls learning our tunes, and singing as they strolled, THE subject of music, as related Moody and Sankey hymns. Dr. Barto the work of the foreign and native num said in Turkey the natives readmissionary, seems to lose none of its interest. Professor Tourjee of the Boston Conservatory of Music wrote ily adopted our tunes and caught the an article intended to show how great airs of the military bands. a work has bt::en accomplished by missionaries, in the introduction of The Indian Evangelical Review for Christian. hymnology among the va- October, 1887, had an excellent arti- rious nations of the earth, and for cle on "Hindustani Hymns and this purpose Rev. W. R. Stevenson, Hymn Writers," which will be con- M.A., Carrington, Nottingham, Engsidered as contributing much of inter- land, wishes answers to the followest to the general subject. Rev. John ing questions from all mission fields: Chamberlain of the English Baptist Mission was the first to enter this " (1) Please state to what part of the mission field, by the publication of a volume field your answers refer, and the language or of Hindu hymns still su,ng after 70 languages there spoken. (2) What hymn-bookR years. Following him was Rev. Shu- have been prepared for the use of the converts· ? jaat Ali, a native preacher, whose Abont how many hymns do they contain? By hymns" will be sung for many years whom were they prepared, and when P Where to come." Rev. John Parsons, an- are they printed? Are the same books nsed other Baptist missionary, "became elsewhere, or by the missionaries of any other famous for his vernacular hymns, society, so far as you know. (3) Are the especially Bhajans, which are still hymns chiefly translations or originals P If widely sung and are full of poetic translations, by whom were they translated P If fire." Rev. John Newton, Sr., now the Original, who were the authors? If possible, of. Lahore, the oldest missionary in kindly give the first lines in I!Jnglish of the India, was the first Hindustani hymn- prinCipal tran81atedhymns. (4) AreourEngJish writer am~ng the American Presby- metres and tunes used? Do the lines rhyme 8S terians. Rev. Mr. Janvier and Rev. with our hymns. Please address reply to Rev. Mr. Ullman are also noted for their W. R. Stevenson, M.A., Carrington, Nottinglarge contributions to Indian hym- ham, England." nology. Several other societies have contributed through their mission- Bnlgaria.-W e cannot fail of symaries, original hymns and transla- pathetic interest with Bulgaria. It tions. The author of the article says is an old battlefield of Asia and Euthat Mrs. J. E. Scott of the M. E. rope, and hard soil for missions, with Mission of North India, has been forces that would grind them as beat work for two years on a book of tween the upper aud nether mill~ native tunes and hymns. He further stones, but it is a vast strategic point says: for Christian work as well as for the soldier and the statesman. It must be "Munshi Shankar Dyal, literary assistant in taken and held for God. The people the Methodist Publisblng House in Lucknow, has are a noble stock, and though trouwritten at least one hundred ghazals (hymns), bled about political existence now, many of them of a bigh order, several of which they are as likely to yield results to have found their way Into various hymn·books. Christian toil as any branch of the One of these is sung more frequently In the Slavic race, and they are admirably Christian congregations of the Methodist mission situated to be a leading Christian than any other native hymn, and yet this inter- power among their ninety millions of esting writer, whose literary prodnctions (the brother Slavs. In less than seven product of his spare hours) are found so accept- years this race of Slavs became a able, breathing throughout a truly Christ-like nation of freemen, with power to spirit, is as yet a Hiudu. He admits that at heart govern themselves. They set themhe is a Christian, and those who know him best selves to crush brigandage,. and they are convinced that illuminating grace has reached did it completely in East Roumelia his soul. For twenty years or more he has given and almost completely in Bulgaria. all his time and strength to the preparation of Christian books in tce vernacular; evidently he The Rev. D. C. Challis of Bulgaria is not far from the kingdom of God." calls our attention to the stamina, strength, and promise there is for And now we learn that a "Dic- Bulgaria, as illustrated by the action tionary of Hymnology" is in course of their national assembly; He says: of preparation, which is to contain "The serious and businesslike man- Delegates to the London Oonferenoe. nerwith which the Bulgaria National Assembly, lately adjourned, ad- REv. WILLIAM KINCAID, D.D., Bible House, dressed itself to the work in hand is a striking instance of coolness under New York, Secretary of the American Commitfire. A gh1nce at the list of laws enacted during the late session shows tee of the General Conference on Foreign Miathe presence of no mean legislative ability, and the published reports of sions, informs ns that our Euglish brethren are the discussions show that nothing making generous provision to entertain all reg~ was done by force or the abridgment of the freedom of speech. The most lady accredited delegates during the continunpractical and cranky members were free to express their opinions and uance of the Conference, June 9 to 19. Delecast their votes. gates may expect to hear from the London com- " Among a large number of enactments ofgeneral importance we notice mittee on this snbject in due time. – the following: A law authorizing a subsidiary nickel coinage of 3,000,000 He also says: "Societies that have not yet apfrancs. A law for the disposition of cases pending in the courts of Eastern pointed delegates, but still hope to do so, will Roumelia at the time of the annexation. Alaw for the suppression of brig- confer a favor by taking action at the earliest andage, granting the government extraordinary powers in cases of neces- convenient date. It is important that the list sity. A press law guaranteeing full freedom with responsibility, and pro- should be completed and be in the hands of the viding for the speedy trial of offenders. A law authorizing a loan of committee as soon as possible. The requisite 50,000,000 francs ($10,000,000). A special credit of twenty millions to credentials will be sent in proper season. payoff the debts of Eastern Roumelia. A special credit of 370,000 .. Special attention is called to the request of francs for the preliminary survey of new railroad lines. Many other our English brethren that 'earnest and conmeasures of importance were passed, all pointing to the fullest possible tinued prayer be offered in behalf of the prorealization of the provisions of this liberal constitution." posed conference,' and to the suggestiou of the In his address on closing the session, American committee, in this connection, that Prince Ferdinand expresses the highest satisfaction with the "loyal and interdenominational meetiugs be held throughpatriotic co-operation of the assembly" and the "tact, intelligence and out this country to inform the Christian public devotion of the ministry." Cut off from the recognition of the "pow- with reference to the conference and awaken ers" by their" illegal" position, and themselves the bone of the fiercest interest in it. Such meetings, with great succontention, the Bulgarians quietly attend to their business and defeat the cess, have been held in New York; may they intentions of their enemies by presenting an example of good govern- not be planned for throughout the whole land?" ment on a system almost purely democratic. The delegates from American societies, so rar as reported to Dr. Kincaid, are as follows: Pre8byterian Board of Foreign MisBionB- Rev. F. F. Ellinwood, D.D., Secretary.
ForeignMisBions of the Presbyterian Ghurch- Rev. M. H. Heuston, D.D.; Rev. W. M. Murk- land, D.D.; Rev. J. A. Lefevre, D.D.; Christian Deovies, Esq.
Board of Foreign Mis8ions Qf the Reformed Presbyterian Ohurch – Rev. D. McAllister, LL.D.; Rev. D. McFall, Mr. A. Alexander.
Board Qf Foreign Missions Of the Reformed Ohurch-Rev. T. W. Chambers, D.D.; Rev. W. J. R. Taylor, D.D.; C. L. Wells, Flatbush, N. Y.
Board Qf Foreign M'f,8sions Qf the Rejormed Okurck-Rev. D. Van Horn, D.D. Alternates, Rev. C. L. Weiser, D.D.; Rev. S. G. Wagner, D.D.
American Board of Oommissioners for For- eign M'Ulsions – Rev; A. C. Thompson, D.D.; Rev. Judson Smith, D.D.; Elbridge Torrey, Esq.
American Missionary Association-Rev. A. F. Baird, D.D.
American Baptist M'f,8sionary Union-Rev. John N. Murdock, D.D.; Rev. A. J. Gordon, D.D.; Hon. Eustace C. Fitz.
Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Okurch-Rev. William S. Langford, D.D.
Missionary Society Methodist Episcopal Ohurch-Bishop W. F. Mallalieu, D.D.; Rev. J. N. Fitzgerald, D.D.; John M. Phillips, Esq.
Home and Forei(1n Missionary Society of the African Metfwdiet J!Jpiscopal Ohurch – Rev. Wm. B. Derrick, D.D.; Rev. D. P. Roberts, M.D.; Prof. Philander Outland. Alternate, Rev. C. T. Shaffer.
MONTHLY CONCERT OF. MISSIONS
Board of Fusions Metlwdi8t Protestant DR. hUD'lJD-DIN is the first native oC India Church-Rev. F. T. Tagg. who ever received the title of Doctor of Divinity. The Punjab New8 has the following interesting Mis8ionary Board Free Metlwdist Church- incident: "Recently the Rev. 1I10ulvie Imad-ud- Rev. B. T. Roberts, Rev. T. B. Arnold. din, D.D., was asked by a rich and infiuentlal 1I10hammedan to come and see him on important American Bible SociBty-Re…. E. W. Gil- business. When he reached the place he was very man,D.D. cordially received aud hospitably treated. After some time the business was broached. His host Chicago Tral.ning Schoolfor City, Home and took him into an inner room. There he found Foreign Musions-Wm. E. Blackstone, Esq. about forty 1I10hammedan gentlemen, including some 1I10ulvies and well-to-do infiuential per- Washington City Bible Society-Rev. A. W. sons. They carefully shnt the door, and having Pitzer, D.D. taken every possible precantion against interrup- tion and eavesdropping, they said to him, • Now Foreign Missions Southern Baptist Conven- you are alone with us and God. We charge you tion-Rev. H. A. Tupper, D.D.; Hon. J. L. M. by the living God, to whom you will one day Cnrry. give account, answer our questions truthfully. The Lord judge you ifyou deceive us.' The 1I10ul- Woman's Foreign Missionary Society Pres- vie said, • God is my witness. Ask, and I will byterian Church-Mrs. William Dugdale, 1111's. answer truly.' They then said,' We see you are Arthur T. Pierson. a man of learning and worth. Why did you be- come a Christian f ' •For the salvation of my Woman', Board Cumberland Presbyterian soul,' the 1I10ulvie replied. • Could you not find Church-1111's. A. H. Stephens. salvation in Islam, 0 brother?' •No. ' • Tell us why not.' Woman's Board Of Riformed Church-Mrs. W. J. R. Taylor. "Dr. Imad-ud-din then preached Christ Jesus to them. They listened attentively, and ouly in- Women', National Indian Assoc·iat·on-1I1rs. terrupted him now and then to ask pertinent Amelia S. Quinton, Mrs. Geo. D. Boardman, questions. Be stayed three days. and each day was spent in converse about the things of Christ. 1I1iss 1I1ary L. Bonney. Wheu he left they all showed him great honor, Woman'8 Board, Congregational – 1I1iss embraced him and said, 'God bless you and be with you. Now we' know that whatever yon Abbie B. Child, 1111's. A. C. Thompson, 1111's. have done you have done, not for the sake of gain, but with a pure heart. for the sake of Geo. W. Coburn, 1I1iss Carrie Borden. what you believe to be truth.' .. Woman'8 Foreign Missionary Society Of I()Wa Meeting if Friends – 1111's. Elizabeth Hutchinson. lJelegates at Large-Rev. Geo, E. Post,1I1.D.; Rev. A. T. Pierson, D.D.; Rev. Geo. D. Boardman, D.D.; Rev. Wm. 111. Taylor, D.D.; Corneliu. Vanderbilt, Esq.; Re,·. Daniel Dorchester, D.D., General Clinton B. Fiek.
V.-MONTHLY CONCERT OF MISSIONS.
Burmah and Siam. two sects; one held a kind of panthe- BURMAB contains about 3,000,000 ism, believing the godhead to pet'- of people and is rich in resources, vade all nature and life, but especially both vegetable and mineral. Here, the Buddhists: the other sect rejects as in Hindustan, God permitted Brit- the doctrine of the metempsychosis, ish arms and diplomacy to establish cloister system, etc., worships one an Anglo-Indian empire, controlling spirit supreme and all-creating (Nat), the seaboard from the mouth of the and holds to a life beyond death with Gang-es to the Malacca strait, but un- weal or woe according to the works locking this land also to the gospel, of the departed. These heretics were which here fonnd a field for special burned by the king, but were reported triumphs. The article on another numerous though worshiping in sepage of this issue gives an account of cret. the work among the Karens. The Burmese are Buddhists, and The empire of Burmah reached its their religious faith is purer from ad- apex of glory in the eleventh cenmixtures than that of the East Ind- tury; in the sixteenth the state was ians and Chinese; there is not as rent into several warring factions. much picture-worship as in China, Alompra, founder of the present dyand the monks are more faithful to nasty, restored the empire to sometheir vows of poverty and celibacy. thing like its former territory and About the close of the last century prestige. But the British have since the state religion branched off into then, in the wars of 1823 and 1852, made it largely a dependency of Britain. The government is dflspotic ; society in the world. This great or- the hlwot-dau or council of state reg- ganization is revising its whole mis- ulates details, and is composed of four sionary policy, to bring it into line ministers and presided over by the with the demands of the times. The heir ~pparent to the throne, or a General Commjttee has resolved: prince of the royal blood. First, not to refuse any candidates for The Burmese courts seldom dis- missionary service on the sole ground pense justice. From the Supreme of the lack of funds; second, to rec- Council down, every office-holder is a ognize the present methods for the plunderer; the judges are venal, the collection of funds; third, to employ police powerless; life, liberty and more lay evangelists; fourth, to ar- pl'opertyare at the mercy of the vio- range for more meetings for ulllted lent and vicious. Thefarther from the and special prayer. The Henry Reed capital the less heed is paid to the Steamboat Company, connected with king. The provinces near the Chi- the American Baptist Missionary nese border live under two govern- Union, raised $1,056.02 in 1887 for ments, the Chinese and Burmese ac- the support of the steamer on the tually sharing the control. The in- . Upper Congo River, in Central Africa; terior of Burmah is comparatively $1,750 is wanted for 1888. The Equa- unknown, the seacoast having been tor Station of this mission is farther mainly the scene of missionary oper- inland than any other from the West ations. Coast. Baptist missionaries in Assam The Irawaddy, navigable for 400 are laboring among people speaking miles, is the" Father of Waters," and seven different languages, three of Ava, made capital in 1819, is the" City which had never been acquired by a of P-..)arls." foreigner until the missionaries went Those who would read it fascinat- there. One station is sixty milfls ing story of mission labors and tri- from even a cart-road. Rev. J. E.
umphs must real Gammell's "His- Clough, D.D., has been laboring on tory of American Baptist Missions" the Ongole field in the Telugu Bap- and the "Life of Adoniram Judson and tist Mission for twenty-one years. In his Wives." No more thrilling chap- that time the number of Christians ter can be found in the entire record has risen from none to 25,545. More of modern missionary labor. than six hundred converts were bap- The Burmah Baptist Missionary tized in the first eight months of last Convention held its thirteenth an- year. Rev. Kyouk – kai, a Karen nual meeting at Moulmein November preacher of the Toungoo District, 5-7. All the work is encouraging. Burmah, has been presented with a The convention was preceded by a silvel' sword by the British Govern- three-days' conference for prayer. ment for his efforts in suppressing On the last evening of the conferenee the rebels and restoring peace to the a mass-meeting of all races was held district. This is the only case in on the Burman Mission Compound, which such an honor has been be- near where Dr. Judson's chapel used stowed.
to stand. Addresses were given in SIAM has a territory of about seven languages-English, Burman, 200,000 square miles, and a popula- Karen, Shan, Talaigu, Telugp and tion estimated at eight millions. Lit- Tamil. No one of these languages tle has been known of this romantic was understood by all present, but a country in literature until of late.
hearty Christian unity prevailed. We are now beginning to know some- The Church Missionary Society is thing of this second great river basin supported by the evangelical element of the Indo-Chinese peninsula, with of the Church of England, and has BangkOk, its capital, the "Venice of the largest income of any missionary the Orient." Vegetation is abundant and luxuri- The Presbyterians have but two ant, the fruits unsurpassed in variety main stations – at' Bangkok and and excellence, the animal kingdom Petchaburi-and two more among the varied and interesting. The white Laos, at Chiengmai and Lakawn. elephant is the form associated with Their entire force, including native the appearing of Buddhas and the preachers and teachers, would num- transmigration of souls, which are ber less than thirty workers, who, if believed to be far on their way to- their responsibility could be aver- ward the Buddhist heaven, Nirvana. aged, would each have thl'. rare of a Woman's condition is far above that quarter of a million souls. of her sex generally in the East, and her treatment more affectionate and It is a rare opportunity that Siam considerate. Social distinctions are presents. Contact with vVestern civ- numerous and numerical, 5 repre- ilization has embraced Siam in the senting the lowest slave, and 100,000 telegraphic circuit, that thus binds the second king. her to the Christian world; the ,. postal system reaches from Bangkok The sacred literature, in the Pali, to the bounds of the kingdom. Com- is written with a stylus on long slips merce is developing the exports and of palm-leaf, and the 400 principal introducing imports. Next to the works embrace 4,000 volumes. The Mikado of Japan, the kin!; is pro- secular consists of about 250 principal nounced the most" progressive sov- works with 2,000 volumes. Of the ereign in Asia." Himself an educated males, from 80 to 90 per cent.. can man, he favors education; more read, and education is afforded gra- than this, the government has given tuitouslyat the temples. Buddhism practical proof of its estimate of the absolutely sways this people. Its value of Christian missions by giving sacred fanes are among the costliest the land for a new mission station at and finest of the Orient; one, esti- Lakon. The king subscribed $1,000 mated to have cost $800,000, holds for a hospital building. A series of nearly a thousand images of Buddha, friendly acts shows the attitude of the principal of which is 158 feet the royal court toward the work of long, inlaid with pearl and overlaid the mission. with gold. The priesthood, now much reduced, once numbered This new and liberal policy was in- 100,000. augurated by the government in 1851, when a new king took the Protestant missions date from the throne. He reigned for seventeen days of Gutzlaff, Tomlin and Abeel yf'ars; was a scholarly gentleman, 'in 1828-31, and properly from the who had been taught in languages settlement of Jones in 1833. A half and modern science by a missionary century ago all foreigners, whetheL' of the American Board; and under missionaries or merchants, were ex- his successor, the present king, the cluded; now all Christian countries influence of Protestant missionaries . enjoy treaty rights. No country on with the government, as we have earth is perhaps more widely open to seen, has not waned. An official the gospel, and Providence has espe- document, under royal sanction, tes- cially given to Presbyterian Christians tifies to their intelligence, integrity this land to occupy for him. and personal worth. It acknowledges the debt of the Siamese to them for The American Baptists, who have teaching them to read and speak the had a mission there for over fifty English tongue, and says: " The years, are now working only among American missionaries have always resident Chinese, from whom Dr. been just and upright men; have Dean in 1837 organized the first never meddled in the. affairs of church of Chinese Christians in all government, nor cre:lted any diffi- Asia. culty with the Siamese; have lived breathe new life into her explrlllg with the Siamese just as if they flame, so that her light may shine belonged to the nation; " and further- clear and far. more this document affirms the high standing. of the missionaries In the The fourth verse is open to a simirespect and love of the government. lar construction, and may be trans- When this young king, by a sad ac- lated, he shall not burn dimly nor cident some years since, lost his wife, be bruised; and then the thought his brother came to the missionaries throughout is beautifully consistent. for a copy of the New Testament, and gave as a reason for the request that Christ finds his church with the king had lost faith in his own re- branches bruised and lights dim, and ligion; that he could find nothing in by his corrective judgments he makes Buddhism to console him in his great her capable of a powerful testimony grief. It might cost the king his to the truth. But we are to look up crown, or even his life, to renounce from a fallible, imperfect body of disthe state religion, yet this bereaved ciples to an infallible and perfect monarch flies to the Christian's Bible Head and Lord; he cannot be bruised for the solace that his pagan creed and broken, nor does his light ever cannot supply! Siam may be much nearer to becoming a Christian nation become dim or threaten to be extinthan we think! The additional fact should be put on record that the first guished. He shall not only correct zenana teaching ever attempted in his church by chastening judgments, the East was by missionary women, but by punitive judgments destroy in 1851, among the thirty wives and the wicked and set up his throne upon royal sisters of the king of Siam. the earth. And for his law tile isles shall longingly wait and Ethiopia THEME FOR A GRAND MISSIONARY shall stretch forth imploring hands.
SERMON. God has called him to be the justi- Isaiah xvii. 1-7. fier, and holds his hand and keeps him; he has entered into covenant THE Messiah is here set forth as the with him, and that covenant is as servant of Jehovah, upheld by his sure as the word and oath of God can almightiness, his elect, the object of make it. Christ shall be a light of his delight, the subject of his Holy the Gentiles, though the church's Spirit's unmeasured indwelling and lamp may at times seem to be going outworking. out and her testimony be almost quenched. He shall open blind eyes, His special mission is to the Gen- release imprisoned souls, and those tiles. He shall not cry as in helpless in the shadow of death. We do not grief, nor shout as in boastful glory. claim that this is a precise, exact and He shall perform his service in the scholarly exegesis of this passage, quietness of a divIne confidence and but we believe a careful study of the certainty of result. Hebrew will satisfy any student that the drift of this paragraph is not or- The bruised reed and smoking wick dinarily apprehended; that the hope seem to me to refer to the golden of missions is here shown to be the candlestick, whose branches were infallible covenant of God; not the called reeds; and so regarded this golden candlesticks, but He who walkverse may refer to the church,which eth in the midst of them; not the even in her periods of spiritual de- efficiency and energy of human orcline he shall not forsake. When her ganizations, but the power and grace branches are bruised he will not of the living, risen, glorified Christ. break them off, and when her lamp The word judgment occurs here in burns dim he will not quench it, but three conspicuous connections, and by his patient, loving discipline heal that word always calls attention to her schisms, repair her breaches, and divine energy of action. God invites the co·operation of his people, but SUGGESTIVE PARAGRAPHS. he is not dependent upon it. He can work in his own way, and sometimes DR. W. M. PAXTON said to his stu,. by mighty jugdments he both brings dents at Princeton Theological Semian unfaithful church to see her duty nary as to the Signs of a call to the and a rebellious world to bow and foreign field: submit to his law. The wholetlutline of missions is suggested in this 1. Desire. passage in Isaiah-the outline of mis- In general, when the Lord wants sionary history and of the divine a man to do a certain work, he puts philosophy of missions. into his heart a strong desire to do it. "I have long observed that God It is also particularly noticeable puts certain proclivities in men's that a conspicuous change in pro- minds," etc. (Albert Barnes.) phetic terminology occurs at chap. liii. of this prophecy. The Sel'- II. Qualifications. 'ant of the Lord is a phrase which Many men would make good minisoccurs frequently up to chap. liii. 11 : tel'S at home who would not perhaps the Messiah who represents the true do for the foreign field, e.g. : Israel, the holy seed of God, the in- 1. One must have some faculty for destructible germ which assures con- acquiring a foreign language. tinuity to Israel's life, who restores 2. A man must be good.tempered moral order. But though this title enough not to quarrel with his occurs nineteen times in chaps. xli. to brothel' missionaries. Scores of trouliii., after the eleventh verse of chap.. bles have arisen from this source. liii. it disappears. "My righteous Bad temper is easily developed iI) a servant shall iwdify many." Now missionary field, especially in a bad his work as servant is done. He llas climate. Above all, don't take a bad· suffered the just for the unjust to tempered woman. A man who is to bring us to God. He has justified be a missionary must not have a many and made them servants of curious, prying or gossiping disposi- God. They now take up the work tion. He needs especially to mind be has laid down, and fill up that his own business. which is behind of his sufferings. 3. Must have aptness to teach and And so aftel' this, as in chap. liv.17, patience in imparting knowledge we have the new phrase, "servants even to those of a low grade of caof the Lord," which occurs ten times pacity. from chap. liv. 17 to lxvi. 14. The 4. Must have good health, and his servant of God now sees his seed, and physical constitution should be it is a numerous seed. The servant of adapted to the climate where he God is multiplied a thousand fold labors. Every man must have a phy- (Rom. v. 15-19). He ceases to suffer, sician's certificate-e.g., one with a and in the former sense to serve, and torpid liver should not go to a very his spiritual offspring take up service hot country like India or Afl'ica, nor ~nd suffering for his sake. They go with weak lungs to a land unfavormto all the world, and as witnesses able for pulmonary weaknesses. testify and as martyrs die for him ll;nd his cause, until he comes again, III. Opportunity. and then service and suffering are This means. that providence will merged into triumph and glory, and open the way when God has a purthe new heaven and earth, wherein pose in a man's hfe. There may be dwelleth righteousness, take the place an insuperable objection – e.g., an of this sin-cursed and sorrow-stricken aged and dependent mother, etc. world, and chaos is once more displaced by cosmos. -Dr. Barnardo, the English phi- lanthropist, has now the largest fami· ly in the world cared for by anyone man. It numbers 2,233.
PROGRESS AND RESULTS OF MISSIONS-MONTHLY BULLETIN
VI.-PROGRESS AND RESULTS OF MISSIONS- MONTHLY BULLETIN.
A.frica.-Bishop Taylor's advance advance of those of the preceding party have at last reached the goal year for the corresponding period, ~ in the depths of Africa toward which which amount about $30,000 was from he has so long been struggling. Be- donations and $48,000 from legacies. fore his pioneer band of missionaries started the bishop declared his inten- -The French Government and Mistion to plant stations among the sions. Rev. John Jones, a leading tribes along the Upper Kassai and its missionary of the London Missionary tributaries. Toward this region his Society, has been expelled from the chain of stations has been steadily Loyalty Islands by the French Govlengthening. Dr. Harrison, one of ernment. The directors of the sothe party that the bishop led up the ciety have given to the press the de- Congo in July last, has reached Lu- tails of the outrage from Mr. Jones's luaburg, the new station of the Congo own pen, and now pnblish them in State. He is one of the two phy- their own periodical, The Chronicle, sicians who have followed the bishop for March: to Africa, and he is now established among the natives. These Balubas .. Mr. Jones has been summoned home by are among the most remarkable sav- telegram to meet the Board, whose future ages in the world.-The Christian. action will be determined upon after his arrival. In the mean time, suffice it to say -Dr. Elmslie, an American mis- that they sympathize deeply with their sionary, who has been stationed for missionary in the wrong he has sustained, some time among the Zulus west of and regard him as the subject of harsh and Lake Nyassa, has sent home the first unjust treatment. He has been expelled book printed in Nbungoni language. not so much on account of his Protestant- The book was issued from the press ism, as on that of known friendliness to the of a neighboring mission station islanders, and as being a sturdy representacalled Blantyre. It contains the tive of earnest British Christianity, a type Decalogue, passages from the Psalms, of man the French Colonial Office is not Proverbs and the Gospels, with four- partial to." teen hymns. Much is expected from the book, as the Nbungoni language India.-They write from Kolapoor is intelligible to a large number of that it is wonderful the joy the nathe tribes. tive Christians show at seeing the Wilders, mother and daughter, after -The Royal Niger Company has an ab~ence of thirteen years, and that determined to impose a tax of fifty Miss Grace talks Mahratta (or Maraper cent. upon all spirituous liquors thi) "like a native." landed within its territories. Total prohibition is impossible, as the river -The Lutheran Missionaries in is free to all hade under the Berlin South India have long had a German Treaty; but this tax will limit the synod, but in June, 1887, their first supply. The company has been en- Tamil synod met, composed of deledeavoring to induce the government gates of the churches (which have to negotiate with other powers for hitherto had a very loose connection a uniform duty on spirits all along with each other), of all the native the West African coast for :!,500 miles. ministers, and of three missionaries, together with the Senior of the mis- -American Board. For the first sion. The synod is to meet triensix months of the financial year the nially. Tanjore, as being the most total receipts were about $78,000 in central station, was chosen as the first place of meeting.
-July I, 1883, was the bicentennial anniversary of the missionary Ziegenbalg, the first foreign missionary of whom no fewer than 115,361 were of the Lutheran Church. It was in Ninnahassa, or Celebes, the whole therefore resol ved to build a hand- population of that island being 138,- some memorial church at Shiali, on 026. In Dutch Timor there are 33,015 the southeastern coast of India, some nominal Christians, with only one six leagues south of Tranquebar. government helper and no mil.sion- 'l"his was dedicated last July. ary. The Dutch Government has no objection to missionaries of other na- -The North India Methodist Con- tionalities working, as the Germans ference met at Cawupore on the 4th do, in its possessions; and the Rev. of January. The reports presented J. B. Cook of Singapore, who sends were full of encouragement. The us the above information, is very native Christian community now urgent that British Christians should connected with the conference num- come to the help of these multitudes bers 9,226, of whom 5,675 are adults. of Mohammedans and heathen. There has been an accession during the year of 832 adults by baptism. Of -Commercial Value of Missions. these 27 were from Mohammedanism, Take the following figures, vouched the rest from Hinduism. Inquirers for by competent authority: The are not reported, yet the~e are so nu- commerce of the United States with merous that' if the missionaries de- the Sandwich Islands alone in 1870 sired only to swell their numbers, was $4,400,426, while in the same 2,000 persons could be baptized at year the whole amount expended in once. One native preacher, the Rey. foreign missions by all denominations Philemon, ordained by Bishop Ninde in this country was $1,633,801. "The a year ago, has since baptized 211 cost of the Sandwich Islands mispersons. The conference greatly sions," says Dr. Andel'son, "up to needs a staff of goo'd colporteurs. 1869-that is, for fifty years, and dur- There are 23,913 scholars in the ing the whole period of its dependschools.-Indian TVitness. ence on the Board-was $1,220,000. The profits of our trade with the -Netherlands India, that is, the Sandwich Islands for 1871 was $660,- India under Dutch rule, possesses a 964-more than half of all that was popUlation of 27,000,000. It stretches expended on the mission during fifty from Atcheen, in Sumatra, to New years." Guinea. Among these 27,000,000 there labor 70 missionaries, 36 of -Pope's Jubilee. The gifts to Pope whom are Dutch, the rest being Ger- Leo, at the late Jubilee, exceeded mans, principally from Barmen, and $10,000,000 in articles of value, besubsidized by the society at Amster- sides as much more in cash. The dam. Besides these there are 24 United States outstripped every other "helpers," who are in government country, and no greeting was perpay and labor only among the nom- haps more cordial than that of the inal Christians. These 94 agents (in- New York Independent! cluding helpers) are distributed as follows: In Jaya, 24; in Sumatra, Madagascar.-Rum! The British 19; in Mias, 5; in Borneo, 7; in Weekly says: "Rum and the gospel" Celebes, 11 ; in Sumba, 1; in Timor, have reached Madagascar in the 1; in Rotti, 1; in Wetter, 1 ; in Buru, same boat. The official Chronicle of 1 ; in Ceram, 2; in New Guinea, 5; the London Missionary Society, in in Gilolo, 2; in Sangi, 3; in Talan, 2 ; announcing the safe arrival of the in Saparina, 2; in Amboyna, 4; in Rev. A. G. Shaw and Mrs. Shaw at Ternati, 1; in Letti, 1; in Harnku, 1. Tamatave, and the hearty welcome given to them by their old friends, -According to the Census (1885- adds that they shortly afterward left 86) there were in Neth. India Malay- in the coasting vessel which had an race native Christians, 235,070, taken them across from Mauritius. It "was partly laden with rum, the Syria. – The good tidings come stench of which filled it from stem to from Syria that the late attempt of stern, and accommodation on board the Turkish authorities to force was of the most meager description." new and intolerant restrictions upon the cause of Christian education has Persia. – The Persian mi~sions been earnesly resisted by the diplohave been more richly blessed during matic representatives of the different the past year than ever before, both powers, that it has utterly failed and in the accessions to their churches has finally been withdrawn. and in the general prosperity of their work, while as to opportunities for -The Y. M. C. A. in Evangelization. the extension of the .work they seem Mr. L. D. Wishard is about to underliterally without limit. take a tour of the world in the in- terests of the Y. IV!. C. A. Eighteen -Reformed Dutch Missions. The associations are now established on treasury of the Reformed (Dutch) foreign missionary soil-Japan, Tur- Board of Foreign Missions is becom- key, India, China, Persia and Ceylon. ing seriously burdened. It is main- There are 300,000 in India speaking tained at present by the use of the English, and 60,000 Christian young credit of individuals. The receipts of men, and 100 government schools October were twice those of October, from which the Christian religion is 1&86. Since that statement such a excluded, but where the undenomidecline of income has occurred as to national Y. M. C. A. could enter. cause increasing anxiety. The receipts of December, usually a fmiHul -The Eleventh Triennial Meeting month, were much below those of re- of the Young Men's Christian Assocent years. ciations of all lands is to be held in Stockholm August 15 -19. A spe- South America.-The William Tay- cial rate has been secured to Lonlor Transit Fund and Building Fund don and return by the new steamer Society has a self-supporting work City of Berlin. of the Inman line, in South America, begun eight years sailing from New York July 21; ago, embracing four well-established the return tickets are available from missions in Chili and property in Antwerp by the Red Star line, as churches, parsonages and schools well as by the Inman line steamers worth about $100,000. There are in- from Liverpool. Special rates becipient church organizations, one tween London and Stockholm. with a membership of thirty-six, and Friends in England extend an invithere have been about 3,000 pupils in tation to a special steamer trip along the~e schools, with from 600 to 1,000 the Norwegian coast before the meetchildren under tuition now. The ing. There will be a trip provided schools are patronized by the most which will include all expenses of influential classes, from the Presi- the journey from New York back to dent of the republic down. There New York, covering about seven are also stations in Brazil. These weeks, the cost of which will be foundations, say the officers of the $300. Particulars can be obtained society, have been built up largely from Geo. A. Hall, State Secretary within the quadrennium now closing, Y. 11. C. A., Twenty-third street and and more missionaries and larger Fourth avenue, New York. premises are called for. Zenanas.-The needle of a mission- -Spanish Armada. In May next it ary's wife was the instrument God will be 300 years since the" invincible used to give access to Oriental zenaar-mada" met with the beginning of nas. A piece of embroidery wrought those disasters which terminated but by her deft fingers found its way to with its destruction, and it has been the secluded inmates of a zenana. If proposed in England properly to cele- a woman could do such work as that brate the anniversary.
STATISTICS OF THE WORLD'S MISSIONS
other women could learn under her gaged; four normal schools with 123 instruction; and so, with the cordial pupillil, and lil3 other schools with consent of the husband, this Chris- 5,411 scholars. Last year 2,364 zetian woman was welcomed to the in- nanas were regularly visited. Finanside of his home; and as she taught cially it received 19,497 rupees in his wife the art of embroidery she government grants, 7,916 rupees in was working the" scarletdyed in the fees, and 18,953 rupees locally subblood of the Lamb" into the more del- scribed. Its home receipts during icate fabric of their hearts and lives. the year amounted to $118,185. Of 14 missionaries recently sent out by -The Church of England Zenana the society, 3 were self-supporting, 4 Society is the most enterprising soci- draw no salary, 2 have their salaries ety of its kind probably in the world. plid by their friends, and 5 only are It has 88 missionaries, with 445 Bible chargeable to the. society. women and other ageIts locally en- VII.-STATISTICS OF THE WORLD'S MISSIONS.
The Comparative Cost of War and The English army has now under of Missions. Dr. Fed. Garlanda, in arms 218,569 men, with 22,242 horses, an unusually able article, has recent- and 624 guns. The navy is equal to ly measured the military strength of the combined navies of France, Ger- Europe at the dawn of 1888. many and Austro- Hungary, em- The Italian standing army presents bracing about 700 ships.
a total of over 871,000, of whom over The Russian Empire could bring 250,000 are in actual service, and into the field over 2,500,000 troops, 17,800 officers; the milizia mobile and and a navy of over 300 ships. Tur- the milizia territoriale being added key and Spain could muster over to the others, we have a grand total 1,000,000 more, and 200 vessels. In of 32,248 officers and 2,475,533 men. other words; the combined armies of The navy includes 235 ships. Europe could bring into the field The French army can in case of over 16,000,000 men and cover the war summon to her aid over 2,000,000 waters with 1,400 vessels of war, men and a navy of over 400 s4ips. many of them of the most destruc- Her yearly expediture on navy alone tive sort.
is $46,000,000. The total annual expenditure for The land forces of the German Em- the war and navy departments of pire consist in time of peace of 19,264 these governments is said to reach officers, 468,409 men, with 84,091 the enormous sum of $906,000,000.
horses. The artillery has 364 batter- These' governments are also im- ies, 47 of which have six pieces each, mensely in debt, yet the political sit- and 317 have four. In time of war uation is such as to require increased those 317 batteries have also six – armaments. They cannot go to war pieQes, bringing up the total to 2.184 because they have not the financial guns. In case of war Germany can credit to extend their indebtedness.
muster 1,753,000 men of the standing The total annual interest upon Eu- army and 993,000 men of the Land- ropean indebtedness is about $1,070,- wehr. The Landsturm numbers 000,000. Hence the people are bur- 3,955,000 men. Altogether about dened with high taxes.
6,000,000 men. Bel' navy contains All this it costs simply to .be pre- about 200 ships. pared for international conflicts in The Austro-Hungarian Empire can Em·ope.
command nearly 44,000 officers and Now look at the cost of actually 1,533,296 men, with 207,034 horses, carrying on the Lord's war for hu- and a navy of 106 ships. man redemption by the universal church I We have put into the en- tire church of Christendom can mustire foreign field, including men, wo- tel' in men and money for the Lord's men and native helpel'S, considerably war of the ages! less than 50,000 laborers, and we ex- How would these figures be changed pend about $10,000,000 yearly;. so if the Christian church should but apthat Europe alone has 333 times as preciate her opportunity and her remany soldiel's, and spends 900 times sponsihility-the perils and possihilas many dollars each year as the en- ities of the critical hour of history!
—- Women's Foreign Missionary Societies.
[THE first in the field was the Woman's Union MissionarY Society, organized in the City of New York in J annary, 1861. In 1885 more than twenty foreign missionary societies of ladies exi~ted in the United States. The following table we copy from Dr. Dorchester's" Christianity in the Uuited States," showing that over eight and a half millions of dollars have been raised by these women's societies in this brief period of time.-Ens.] ·C.; 1 .0.0,00 " , ' "• ~~'''':"": '0'" . …. 00:.:$:: FROM REpORTS FOR 1885. .; – -.~ :"".0..,''0 "'-0" ~ ,-:011 0 .. '0 ~ 0 ~ -< . —— " .. l A~"'bat~ I'< -1.'<~-.". -w"- – – – Union Missionary Society.. . … ………….. …. •. .. .. 1861 521 141 49… . 78: 2,881 Congregational Board ………………………….. " 186~ 1201 97 98 98 2C9 ….. .. .. " o f Interior ……………….. " 1868 1,275 …… 43 35 58 …… . .. of Pacific ………………… " 1873 50 25 4 .. .. …… . ….. . Methodist Episcopal Church Woman's Board…… . . . . ]869 3,&70· . . . . . . 59 225 2C3 5,772 .. .. .. South, Woman's Board. " ]878 ],406 514 ]6 6 21 522 Protestant Church Woman's Board ……. " ]879 ]02 20 2 ] 1 47 Presbyterian Woman's Board…………………….. 1870 1,327 1,2131124]02 152 …… . .. of the Northwest…….. 1870 1,506 …… 6] 4~ 98 …… . " h 102 113 7 15 31 53 of Northern New York .. 187~ 489 259 34 62 47 …… . of New York City ……. 1870 294 ….. . ]4.. .. •………. . of the Southwest …… " ]877 1,189 528 27 57 109 4,049 Baptist Woman's Board…………………………. 1870 ],363 327 25 107 147 1666 .. . ", .. of the West ……………….. 1871 Southern Presbyterian Cburch Board. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. …… 369 …. " …. …. …… . .. : .. .
United Presbyterian Church of North America Board.. …… 4691 ………………..•…… Cumberland Presbyterian Church Board ………. , .. " 1879 589 …… …. …. . ……….. . Reformed Presbyterian Board ………………….. " …… ….. . …… …. …. …… . ….. . Friends' Foreign Missionary Society… ……………. 1881 9 …………………….. . Reformed (Dutch) Church Board …… " ………… " 1875 190,1…………………….. . Protestant Episcopal Church Board…………….. '" 1871 43 …………………….. . Free Baptist Foreign Mission Board. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ]873 ]93 49 7"… ……….. . Mite Society of African Methodist Episcopal Chnrch. " ….. . United Brethren Board ………………………….. 1875 ·· ..S03 ….861 …6 '''9 ….. i; …. iii; Disciples' Foreign Missionary Society…… .. ………. …… 454 5:1 .. .. ….. .. . .11.1………. …. Lntheran General Synod…………………………. 1870 302 29: 2 20 Total of 26 Women's Missionary Boards ……… ~ 15,8663,4541 578 785 1,1421 ]5,165 TOTAL REQEIPTS OF WOMEN'S FOREIGN MISSIONARY BOARDS.
Woman's Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1861 $119.827 $473.221 $246.687' $1,026,239 Congregational, East. . . . . . . … . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1868 20,495 688,134 841,78] ],550.410 Congregational, West. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1868 ]69,364 276,446 450,903 Methodist Episcopal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1869 505,246 Presbyterian, Philadelphia. .. .. …•………….. 1870 567,394 1,066,338 1,661,585 Presbyterian, New York City………………… 1870 166,194 692,765 ],250,]65 Presbyterian, Northwest…… ………………. 1870 207,560 208,771 374,966 Presbyterian, Albany and Troy…………. , .. . . .. ]872 45,341 371,005 578,565 Baptist, East ……………•…………………. 1870 281,100 1)5,165 100,506 Baptist, West………………………………. 1871 104,841 378,753 659,863 Protestant Episcopal. .. '" …. .. …….. …….. .. 1871 67,278 160,191 244,031 Reformed (Dutch) Chnrch… …………•……… 1875 35,869 115,005 182,283 United Brethren. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1875 15,000 119,6!H ]54,972 Methodist Episcopal, South. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1878 20,319 69,755 84,755 232,144 25.!,463 Total ……….. i……… …………….. …… $140,322 $3,436,361 $4,884,419 $8,57],706 NOTE.-There are I1bout a dozen other woman's boards very recently organized, a statement of whose receipts we have been unable to obtain. Most of the above receipts are included in those of the various denominational boards, but not all.
* In a few instances the receipts are limited at ]885, and in a few others ]887 are included.
g StatistilSs of Missions and Missionary Work in Japan for the Year
THill following table is condensed from one prepared by Rev. Henry Loomis, agent of the American Bible Society at Yokohama. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel Mission declined to give statistics, and the figures for this society are partly approximate. In the column for contributious the yen is equal to 75 cents gold. Two columns, for which we cannot make room, giving statistics of churches wholly or partly self·supporting, show that of the 41 connected with the American Boartl33 are wholly, and the remainiug 8 are partially self-supporting. The progress of the past year, as indicated by this table, is most cheering. "' "". . . . ~',…;.. .~8;; w ".',"151£ .~ ,,; .t:.f3 Q).f, " ., . … ,;0 .~ ~ ~~~ w,; 0 '" NC)~ .,,,; .~~ 'a~ 't:IooaJ oW 1-<-;; ~ ~g ., s .. "" ~~.~;::S~-·OJ'off.i.'~"~ "-" .~ I-< '~d .~_.Sc ~~ ~:§ ~ .~ 00 p"~'~S ~ ~-5 MISSIONS. i; I-< ;.S~ .c bll., '"8"~-'"g .~…,. c:::1 I~U .,.~ E-o"< '''' 0-" .P-=I – – ::":a .9"" uz l – – – – ~ -"- """""" —- — – – —- -I><- – :::a-;~ :a1lj ~~~ i:il~.~ 0 " ,,~ 0 0 Z".~ – – – – 00 -,,'" 0""0 .0..0. Eo< —',– ~ -~- en American Preshyterian Church ………………….•………….. 18:)9 14 21 85 ts 6 85 Reformed Church in America ….•……………………………. 18.';9 10 4 14 8 19 Union Presbyterian Church of Scotland ……………………….. 1874 8 United Church of Christ in Japan (Native) ……………………. 8 1 6 I 1,688 6,859 I 3 I 44 I 34 I 48 I 18,553 "A Reformed Church in the United States………………………… 1879 4 1 5 I 8 10 ~ Presbyterian Church in the United States ……………………… 1885 4 2 6 2 5 Woman's Union Missionary Society ………………………….. 1871 ~ ·s 5 5 1 2 J7 454 15 700 2 408 1,085 CAummebriecralnanPdroPtreesstbayntteEripainscCohpualrcChh.u.r.c.h..*……………………………………………… 1877 11 4 7 2 21 11 88 1 1 2 4i 1859 4 15 207 Church Missionary Societ.v. . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1869 2 11 5 12 19 222 880 1 19 3 7 1,209 I'iI Society for Propagation of Gos'El ……………………………. 1873 9 200 ~ 7 1 8 2 2 bOO 300 Eo< Society for Promoting Female ducation …………………….. 1877 ·s 2 2 1 ·2ij 1 10 8 20 745 American Bapti,t Church …………………………………… ]860 6 22 10 715 ~ English Baptist Church ……………………………………… 1879 2 7 15 33 1 4 3,166 3 1 11 2 20 140 1 1 57 1 7 Disciples ………………………………………………….. 1883 2 2 5 1 6 16 .i 00 Christian Church ………….•……….•…………………….. 1887 1 1 2 ·i 868 5,65·) ·6 4 t 15 A.B.C. F. M ……………………….••.•………………….. 1869 1 49 1 100 1 25 15 t 12,769 0…. 28 8 102 41 64 21 845 2 700 eEon< Independent Native Churches ……………………………….. 2 t ~70 355 American Methodist Episcopal Church ..•…………………….. 1873 jiJ 4i 2,a5~ 87 23 32 3,395 -rE"w<<o"< Canada Methodist Church. .. . ………………………………. 1873 15 33 11 46 109 2 15 5 12 Evangelical Association of North America. . ………•………….. 1876 9 15 3 25 12 64 1,012 1 t 1,500 Protestant Methodist Church ….. ,. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. … . ……….. 1880 3 6 4 1 64 250 3 1 2 ·i 4 30 177 1 6 4 4 7 75 2 125 1 2 43 American Methodist Episcopal Church (Sonth) …….•…………. 1886 5 6 4 1 3 76 ·i 4 85 3 37 Gen. Evan~elical Protestant (German SwiSS) ………………….. 1885 2 2 1 1 :;'5 5 17 Society of riends, America ………….•….•………………… 1885 1 11 Unitarian Church. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. 1887 1 148 1 1 — — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Total, 1887 ……………….•………•.••……………… 128 — – – – – – – – – – – – – Total, 1886 ……………………………………………. 216 102 19) 41,511 103 253 69 -316- -221- -5-,020- -19-,829- 14 S.S — — — 169 98 166 26,866 215 50 211 193 3,640 14,815 11 – – – – – …. 1 i Increase, 1887………..•……………………………… …. 20 18 38 19 105 28 1,380 5,014 3 47 9 ' 25 14,705 .-< • Statistics to June 1. t Approximate. -Missionary Herald.
Episoopal Mission in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Vicinity
~ A HALF OENTURY of mission work in South America was closed in 1887. It was begun by no less a man" than John Dempster, followed in successiou by William H. Norris, Dallas D. Lore, Goldsmith D. Carrow, William Goodfellow, and Henry G. Jackson, all men who had made their mark in the service of the church at home before coming to South America, and who proved after their return, by still more eminent services and successes, that it was no fault of the workers that the work in South America did not meet Impatient expectations. The difficulty was in the field, and not in the men. Not till 1882, when the mission was reinforced and backed up by a pollcy of aggressive evangelization, were there satisfactory results secured. The work of 1886-87 prospered all along the line. We give 'the statistics of the mission for 1887, for which we are indebted to the (Iogpel tn all Lands, which gives an interesting history of the mission.-EDs.
J ~ ~ Q1 5 ai: STA.TISTIOS OF THE MISSION, 'g -0 fn ~ ~~ ~ ~~ W~ ~ g~ -o trn5~a~dl ·~Wg~.8'0>~ ~ ~ ~ ~.E ~ ~ ~ '8 ~ • • ~~ -a• . -~~. (J,) -0 a~. '~~- i ~ ~& @9 !ll a t rB 0 e~,Q g 1=3 ~ ~i ~ ~ .'~;I..0~… ';:::.. ~ ~ ,g 8 :w; ~ g3 U '~" • ,.gr!i "d (J ,g ..t:I ab~r~7o .:s.=~. "'" ]. –.: Q1 CD .~0 . ~g ~CD f ~"'" :. '0 -§ § 'Q -0 Q. ~~Q;> ~ -~§ ..0 5·…. • A. Q;l rn. • rn CD 'tj :: CD >'l r~ .~~ ~~l ~ ~ i ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ i J~ ~ j j j ~ ~ ; ~ ~<~ ~~ ~ ~ -~ge:-§;2m §!ONOI] = S §! $ e::t .——I~i'.0:T0.•l~:~.rn~,:i~Trn.".l~.~~0."~.-0~t=+~.""'~0~"~:~..t.'=:".". -~ .0~'" :.~Q=al:iI_dcd….j.=;P~'>4,:Q~SQ,:) .,~:0~3~I''§.r~=0tl::'~~t-,:I,'.:;~~t:~~o: ~~'00Q~..) &'~.00~ii~'00J.~"'.d00~~~~~I0>~.J ~,~C~0~.: ~,~~I0~::J.. ~-~00""-':500;=::l"~('fl0= -~Q~'I~-~.0•EPc0F~:"-i.E,..(I~~l.)~.sr":i"C.f,l.l..gS0. 1887. -S.; ~ '~~~O- _~~~ ~~ ~~'~~8 "gg ~ CD ~ :=1:=1 W :=I 1]-0 b ~ ~. := I'o:s: , , 0~ 00 0 0 0 Q1 Montevideo and its Depen- I> 00 00 0 '"Sl "" ,'" ;,,+01.. '" .. ..,.1 ,I ",",,' ",~, ,,~, dencles…………….. . fa "",700' '" "" n ,., ,; m,,, …" …. .,,' _ …. ~ Buenos Ayres and its Depen- dencies ……………. .. 2121 I 2121111111 .• /4122112751 2,100/ .• 1 761··1 .. 1··181 815181 5051·.121 46,0001 6111 16,000/ .·.·1 3801 101 6,6861 1,6001 1,006 Rosario and its Dependen- 11 11 2 I 8 I 21 81 6181141 861158/ 2,6501 21182 .. 1.. 1.. 151 3371141 4051191 21 9,000113 ,.. …. ,$14,0001 631 651 2,2391 8,BOOI 64Il 'I' cies ……………….. .
Total ………………. I 51 51 2 1 82 1 8137/531 31281 546 724 7.450/ 8 3041 11 lil0134 2.1321371 1,740119 5:$64,000/ 32 I 21$16,500:$14,000/ $626/ $86/$9,4721$5,8581$8,213 Last report (1885) ..•.•.•• ~I~I~I':'I~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 46: 4'5~ ~ 185'~ ~ ~I~ 1,204 ~ 1'6041~ ~ 64,O~ ~ ~ 16,000 14,000 ~1~ 444 5,753/2.991 2,950 15 Increase in two years … 1 1 .. 10 819 .. 9 109 262 2,950 4 119 .. " 21,2 928 5 136 12.. •… 1 1 $500 ~ …. $"0' .. $3,7191$2,867 $268 1 ~,
! Reoeipts of the Poreign Missionary Societies of the United States from the Origin of Eaoh.*
SOCIETIES. !S10 to 1820 to 1830 to 1840 to I 1850 to 1860 to 1870 to 1881 to Total: 1810 1819. 1829. 1839. 1849. 1869. IfSO.t 1887.+ to 1887. 1859. —– .——— .American Board C. F. M……….. $162,430 $664,247 $1,684,751 $2,550,277 $3,140,811 $4,519,112 $5,243,137 $4,488,112 $22,452,877 .American Baptist Missionary Union 43,780 81,471 591,230 769,265 1,061,608 1,429,149 2,753,977 2,327,239 9,057,719 Methodist Episcopal. . ………… …. . ….. 195,403 330,213 785,357 1,505,550 3,773,887 2,756,251 9,346,661 Protestant Episcopal …………… … .. …. 227,816 309,026 559,435 709,200 1,270,731 916,246 3,992,454 <Ii Presbyterian Board i …………… … .. …. 186,639 784,750 1,772,873 2,372,552 4,885,241 4,744,533 14,746,588 …. ……. 65,886 276,263 238,365 404,428 472,411 1,457,353 ~ Southern Baptist ……………… ….. …. .American Foreign Church Union 0 ••••• 246,505 608,424 829,164 518,613 129,625 2,404,331 w. …. (chiefly foreign) !' … '" •…….. Sl Reformed Church (Duteh) with .A. w. B. C. F. M. until 1857……….. ….. …….. · ….. 20,000 41,111 568,424 701,576 413.2[10 1,724,401 ~;j Evangelical Lutheran 'IT •.•••••••••. ….. · ….. 35,000 80,000 165,000 257;089 557,089 ~ Evangelical .Association ………… ' … . …. · ….. 12,000 30,000 62,000 145,000 85,000 334,000 United Brethren……………….. ….. ….. · ….. 44,402 161,101 345,150 200,000 750,653 …. ….. . United Presbyterian……………. … " . …. I>l Southern Presbyterian …………. …. · ….. · ….. . ….. 400,331 609,298 616,610 1,626,239 · ….. 54,767 483,174 498,570 1,033,511 0 ••••• · …..
E=o=! Reformed Presbyterian …………. .. .. …. · ….. · ….. · ….. · ….. 92,732 9Po,000 185,732 . ….. . ….. · ….. S Disciples ……………………… ….. , … . ….. · ….. · ….. 33,177 185,565 218,742 Free-Will Baptist………………. 0 ••••• · ….. 126,000 466,362 w. Methodist Episcopal, South (partly . … .. … . …..
8 .. . . . . . . . . . . . -. -. . . – -.-…-.. 719,43~ 2,719,439 '$il,425, estimated… .. . . Ewo.! . . – -.' '"- – …… .. …. I …… ……
~ —-1—- – —- —– wEo.! Total ………………….. $206,210 $745,718 $2,885,839 $5,087,922i $8,427,284 $12,929,715 1211 $19,028,980 $73,074,151 NOt'E.-Add to the above $2,501,707, received by Woman's Foreign Missionary SOCieties, known not to have been inclnded in the receipts of the parent boards, and we have a total of $75,575,858. There are also some smaller boards which are not included, because the data cannot be obtained. Complete returns from 1881 to 1887 wonld make about 21,000,000, or an average of THREE MILLIONS annnaily• * In a few cases the earlier receipts have not been ascertained. t This period comprises eleven years.
:j: Several are for 1881 to 1886.
…., II For many years the New School Presbyterians contribnted to the American Board of Christian Foreign Missions, but not since 1870• -~ § Formerly more largely foreign than of late years.
,. Estimated by a leading official of that denomination. Since 1880 the figures include other Ln'theran bodies. '-])1'. Dorchester'8 "Ohristianity in the United States." SOCIETIES. 1820 to 1830 to 1840 to 1850 to 1860 to 1870 to lESl to I 1820 to 1829. 1839. 1849. 1859. 1869. lSSO.t 1887. 1887. —- —– – – – — – – – ——– $105,643 $860,599 $394,482 $1,012,281 $1,190,657 65,173 612,658 1,178,017 724,231 1,107,852 1,746,963 o Presbyterian, Old School Board………. Ameri"can New School Board…….. , }t$4,314,327 $3,666,186 $13,334,8 Home Missionary Society…… 2,847,210 11,586,8 1,975,878 3,119,584 Methodist Episcopal Domestic….. " ….. ·6.3.,0..1.0 390,806 660,426 1,576,714 3,011,100 2,907,635 2,505,848 11,164,5 9 ~ 108,184 320,613 463,204 754,507 1;827,724 1,187,904 4,762,1 6 Protestant" " ………… · ….. 1,103,~ 5 ..r~J…,l 453,097 517,690 133,158 American Church Missionary Society …. · ………. 31,661 64,297 139.490 202,534 308,516 217,143 963,e 42 Q · 243,444 441,762 1,149,161 2,330,585 2,256,656 6,556,1 42 Reformed Church (Dutch)…………… 134,534 172,128 254,914 689,796 378,234 !i1,112 421,249 430,766 3,743,113 American Baptist Home Mission.•……. · ….. 94,697 120,000 1,829,624 580,000 2,020,5 5 rJl · ….. · ……….. .4.8.,0.0.0. 693,291 Seamen's Friend Society t …………. , .. 88,804 248,000 258,279 3,257,567 9,302,e 5 ~.., American Missionary Association t……. 266,356 322,201 6,773,082 630,616 1,626,e 6 · Evangelical Association $i •.•..••••••…•• 908,000 495,020 650,078 494,225 · ….. 7,384,218 369,661 455,399 · ….. ·· ….. 27,714 84,410 457,633 1,598,5 United Brethren§ ………………….. · ….. 186,801 7,850,000 1,601,2 ~ ….. …… 117,728 2…0…9…,2…..8….7 410,500 Southern Baptist Domestic…… , …….. · ….. · ….. • •• 0.0 g 22,165,C o ::!l ………………………..' · ….. **893,918 1,372,7 Young Men's Christian Associations II .•.. • .0 ••• · ….. tt50ll,671 · Disciples …………………………… ….. · ….. ……….. H124,284 .. …… · ….. · … • •••• 0 .,0..••.•.•.• 296,890 853,B United Presbyterian Church…………. ,~ . ….. ~ · Southern Presbytedan Board ………… ·………. .0 . . 495,788 1,076,1 .0' .0' .o . .. . rJl'
Cumberland Presbyterian (last 9 years)… 184,734 394,C e: …… Free-Will Baptist…………………… …. • 0 •••• …… 103,900 373,8 · ….. ….. .' 1,061,495 4,061,4 …rJl 221,905 747,8 Meth. E. Church, South (estimated)…… rJl · Lutherans ………………………..'.. ·eO..' .'0 ..' …… o 951,403 .0 •• o ,r Freedmen's Aid Societies .. '~ ….. …… Methodist Episcopal ………………… .. …….. 1,845,3 …… …. .. Presby •• 0…. ….. • ….. United ….. , terian. . .. .. . … .. ………•… . . . – .. 703,356 1,207,0 Prpsby teri an . … " …………. , . – 0 ••••• 176,556 300,8 – – – – – —– – — Aggregate, …………………… $233,826 $2,342,712 $3,062,354 $8,080,109 $21,015,719 $21,272.154 $27,556,673 $100,019,3 NOTE.-The above is by no means a full exhibit. The Reformed Presbyterians, the Reformed German, the Moravian, the Protestant, ·Free Wesleyan and African * i Methodist chnrches, the Disciples, the Christians, the Adventist., and, in short, all denominations do much borne missionary work which cannot be tabulated in any form. * The earliest receipts of some boards cannot be ascertained.' t United in 1869, Chiefly domestic. § Estimated by a leading ofllcial. UIncluding Christian Commission. 'IJ The Freedmen's work of most churches is included with the Domestic Mission work, ** For thirteen years. tt For eleven years. tt For fourteeu II- ~ years. -Dr. ])()rchester's "Christianity in the Unitea;<itaie8."