west coast of Africa we saw many strange sights and many characteristics of native life. When we anchored on the Kroo coast we noticed a number of canoes leaving the shore and coming towards the vessel. As they neared the boat we beheld a laughable sight. These men in the canoes were very large, and all the clothing they had was a cloth wrapped around their loins, and they wore tall, black hats. The traders had introduced these hats among them,—and they were in fashion in this part of the world as well as in America! In their canoes they had produce, and exchanged this for hats. The officers of the boat had brought a number of these second-hand hats from England, and readily disposed of them. In all parts of Africa where we have been the natives are fond of decorating themselves with anything they can get hold of. Four hundred miles in the interior the chiefs wear regular ladies' calico dresses, and over the calico dress they wear a Portuguese officer's brass-buttoned coat, and then to make them still more ridiculous they wear an odd looking hat. One important place we anchored at was Old Calabar, a native village 40 miles up the Old Calabar River, a little north of the equator. At this place there are a number of traders, and there is a mission here, established about forty years ago, by the Rev. Wm. Anderson, of Scotland. He is still laboring in this mission. There is another mission at Creektown, a few miles from Old Calabar, established by the Rev. Mr. Goldie, 40 years ago. These heroic missionaries have translated the Bible into the native tongue. They have good mission ediThey have good mission edifices and school houses, and are doing a grand work. The boat happened to stop over Sunday at this place, and therefore we had the privilege of attending the different services of the day. We heard the venerable Mr. Anderson preach to the natives in their own tongue. The Sunday-school was very interesting. The native children read the Bible and sang; even as well as children in a civilized country. It did us good to hear them! Our venerable missionary escorted us through the village. The sun sent forth its-heat in such a manner that it was difficult to stroll through the village, even with a pith hat and umbrella over us. One place of importance in a native village is the market-place. Here we saw a sight long to be remembered. The market-place consisted of a large square, and there must have been at least 400 native women here. Each one had something to sell or exchange for other articles. The things for sale being palm-oil, lemons, oranges, chickens, small pigs, wood, etc. The market was completely jammed, and it was with difficulty we through Such "ighhering” we have never queen by Mr. Anderson, a on his crown and showed the clothing he had was a doubt he felt more exalte king. The natives had much looked upon us with won boat at Old Calabar-in children-to visit the m among the natives, as the They ran about and clap around us and watch u Along the Old Calab nations who have never the west coast of Africa, great fields for missionar After eight weeks fro long-looked for destinat anda has 15,000 inhabit tives. It was first settle guese. The Catholics w days, having built many tion of these churches a and religion does not se In this part of Africa is Christian labor. After a the party went to the di order of the Bishop. Five important missic gola, beginning at Loan miles inland. Bishop Protestant missionaries field. East of Malang their thousands living church to take these Af words, "Go ye into all to every creature," appl as to the church eightee The west coast of Afr 1 or grass huts of the natives, surrounded by their dusky If these men and upon their resources caused them much F was spared them by was willing to supple is a vast difference be sions in places where need of either Christ Catholic countries w tion, and where they zation. There are many n would gladly furnish support those who m work, but Africa is n "dash" the parents o having the children things will not alway cated, and learn the and eventually the te When we get within ten miles of Pungo Andongo, a range of great rocks stands up before us. This wonder-ceiving a tuition, the ful sight consists of great conglomerate rocks, mounting scores of feet high-some perpendicular, and some round. This rocky range is several miles long and about three miles in width. After passing through a rocky avenue of half a mile, we come into an open space in among the rocks. Here is where the village of Pungo Andongo is located. As we go out of the village on the east side we pass through another avenue about a mile in length. On either side of these avenues are the great conglomerate rocks referred to. After we get out of this mass of rocks we get into a rolling country again. As we near Malange a thick growth of short timber clothes the country. Within three hundred miles of the coast timber is scarce. Self-Supporting Missions in Africa. BY LEVI D. JOHNSON, M. D. There is probably no mission field in the world that is attracting the attention of the church at large so much as that of Africa. The proposition to introduce missions which should be self-supporting from the beginning, has been applauded by some, and severely criticized by others. The field under consideration is an entirely different one in many important respects, from any that has ever been worked on that basis before. At Accra, on the north side of the Gulf of Guinea, is a self-supporting mission. For many years it was not. It was started, however, with the idea of making it such as That those who ha make a living there, my conception of the to do, to spend all th ing or trading, so tha tion of their legitimat In a letter just receiv he has decided to giv the road, going from natives in their rude Africa for the purpos and not to spend all Portuguese children guages. In this way h thing for his own su and hardship, but d native language, by Now what is the patent to all who ha tion, that it is absol Schools in connectio result may be permane benefit both to the reader and to missions. From that book we gather some of the facts here given. William Taylor was born May 2, 1821, in Rockbridge Co., Virginia. He says: "The Lord Jesus took me into His arms and blessed me with pardon when a child of about eight summers." In 1841 he was licensed to preach, and filled several appointments in the Baltimore Conference. In 1848 he was appointed a missionary to California, and for seven years he preached in that state, most of the time in San Francisco. BISHOP WM. TAYLOR, From 1856 to 1861 he devoted himself to evangelistic labors in different parts of the United States. In the latter year he left for Australia and during two years and a half saw his commission "confirmed by the conversion of six thousand souls to God." From Australia he went to South Africa where his preaching resulted in a large number of conversions. Thence to England, Scotland, West Indies, and British Guiana in South America, and another visit to Australia engaged in the same great work of preaching the Gospel. In 1870 he went to Ceylon and India and organized self-supporting churches that have since developed into the South India Conference. He afterward went to South America and established missions that have chiefly been educational but which will lay the foundations for self-sacrifice and the peril work contemplated, with to be encountered in the Bishop Taylor left for held the Liberian Confere leaving he arranged for a and on Jan. 22, 1885, twe sixteen children left New They went first to Liver anda. We have recorded lishment of the six static Congo, and that this ba 23 missionaries that sail 1886. It is a grand undert pledge of support, beli necessaries of life from labor. We pray them G We recognize that B guidance. He stands fo of the times both in his his ability to form and advancement of God's face of the greatest diffic lishing a Mission in Afri that it will meet with la life and strength may lo work he has inaugurate Bishop Taylor writes lized nations in our day with our civilization, is ipate in its advantages progress leaves no time f growth among them, an our civilization are more useful plants. "When our barbaro rich heritage of the world, they came unde here a little and there though almost impercep manent, having becon growth. Missionaries watch and direct the p beneficial, but incident evil and destructive; t periods of a people's hi vices which accompany Christianity is the min to harmonize the relati send forth the light of darkness and to brin er, 1884 Women T ay to Aff Paul de L nd the es south of by anothe rk, March , without an secure ɔm they st under Dir est missin is work and plans for men. In eded in ext very assuran pray that guide the p une of n their co gness to per ilway spee on and ta , the weeds rowth thr propriated e old Re slow degre the nat at such cr hem against upt civiliza tion. It se Maker and Matthew xxviii, 18, 19, 20.—“And Jesus came and spake unto them, Mark xvi, 15.-"And he said unto them: Go ye into all the To her ministers, Methodism presents few occasions of more profound interest than her Conference anniversaries. Before an audience representing so much of culture as this, it is not needful that I should picture the scene associated with the valedictory utterances selected to overshadow this discourse. Ere Jesus rises from the mount of Olives, He tarries to leave with His apostles this brief abstract of His last will and testament. He appoints them, and by implication the long line of their successors, to the trusteeship of the spiritual interests of a doomed world. As His executors, He bids them announce to all responsible intelligences to the latest generation, their individual interest in this munificent bequest. A small company of unlettered men, living in the golden age of pagan culture, He directs them to promptly separate for missionary labor, and in all lands to propagate the cardinal doctrines of a new, unique and unpopular faith, until its victories shall be universal. Unassisted by such recognized aid as governmental endorsement, social rank, massiveness of fortune, eminence in learning, or military co-operation, they are to lay broadly and permanently, the foundations of a novel religious system, before whose aggressions all idolatrous and other sinful forms of worship shall gradually disappear. Well aware that their convictions of incompetency for so august an enterprise will paralyze their zeal, He bends over all material equipment and possible human resources, a covenant bow from whose ebon background shall forever glow,-like words of flame from an inky arch, -His farewell promise, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." This commission,-divinely attested as the feet of Death's conqueror are about to enter the chariot of cloud,-points to many wide avenues of meditation, a few of which we may appropriately tread to-day. I. In this commission Jesus first presents: THE EXCLUSIVE SOURCE OF ALL VALID MISSIONARY On their credentials he inscribes: "All power is tower hehind the throne" in their selection for original oneness with He created "all thing invisible," and that and take it up again, all things unto Hims tant errands; but emanated from Him w all worlds, are they, among the nations, caption impressed o made heroes of faith, They are to intensely knee shall bow,"-an ners "The world is n difficulties as nothing tive of the divine an parchments, and sign sal power is to impel over the last citadel o shall crown Christ" Independently of Christian baptism, als 2. TWO PRINCIPAL CHRIST APPOI They are to teac preach the gospel; a The earth they ar academy, and unive nature and extent of are to constitute the mankind. They ar mysteries of redemp ing successors, for th be in numbers like night. Mark exalts but on the gospel." He h teaching, and as the apostles by their Lor publish the good nev in Christ a present S of sin. No minister can ] and frequently witho and promises of Go human example, deit redemptive relations the spirituality, prog kingdom tral themes all other pulpit utterances must revolve as secondary constellations revolve around the sun. Much of pulpit discussion frequently goes beyond scriptural boundaries. As the Roman roads all pierced the imperial capital, so should all preaching converge at Calvary. The Corinthian column of pulpit labor is the steady exhibition of Jesus Christ to the people, as a sacrifice for human sin. Argument and illustration are to be but index fingers, inscribed: "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world." Arching all sanctuary platforms should blaze forth the Pauline motto, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ." Every scene in the moving panorama of truth should have the cross for its central attraction. Back of the canvas and as much as possible unseen, the artist is to stand. No splendor of diction,—no gathered wealth of scholarship, no natural or acquired mastery of eloquence, are ever to make misty the spiritual atmosphere between the sun of righteousness and a night-girt human soul. Christ's cross is to be so lifted that He, and not the human lifter shall be the magnetic power attracting sinful men. And an intimate personal realization of the power of the gospel and of the applied blood of Jesus to cleanse, is the chief lock of a pastor's strength. In leading souls to the Redeemer he is to say what Julius Cæsar said to his troops beyond the Rubicon,-what Hannibal said to his staff on the northern slope of the Alps,-what Napoleon said to his soldiers at the bridge of Lodi,-"Follow me." As on each article in the temple of Solomon was impressed the inscription, "Holy unto the Lord," the word "consecrated" is to shine from a pastor's studies, ambition, emotions, utterances, influence, and the particulars of his public and private life. In his apostolical commission Christ directs special attention to 3. THE LOCALITIES AND INDIVIDUALS TO BE REACHED FINALLY BY HIS MISSIONARIES. They must teach "all nations" and preach to "every creature." Hitherto, Judea and Galilee have been their exclusive fields. For reasons, locked up in God's thought, they have been prohibited from planting Christian standards in any Samaritan or Gentile cities. To-day partition walls are leveled, and the world becomes the enlarged field of apostolical ministrations. Divine covenant relationships are henceforth to be universal. Other conquerors, for selfish ends, have mastered the nations, only to crimson their soil with blood, billow their fields with graves, and water their acres with woman's tears. They are to make moral victories that shall inaugurate the gladly go down with the c binding their persons to beams down on the gloom of Him who slumbers not tatives of all false faiths an they are to preach the go villages of all zones,-to Mohammedans, Jews, Rat worshipers, they are to pr fied." Wherever immort Ashtaroth,-to Dagon o mon, or to any one of th Greece, or Egypt, they a Jesus and His love." And it was an impressi in sympathy with the po enough heathen to conv so narrow-minded they ministry amidst the lak Palestine. So magnific the foreign missionary scholars have affirmed t who escaped foreign ma Christianity is intense and genius. It cannot false system of faith. V unsaved nations is made tional gratification, the d tion to exist perishes. riveted on a million vision of privilege, swe with ardor of desire on Christian endeavor. Christianity is that Chr work for Christ as a fa prise of the world's mo This burning convic rim of consecration and constituted an army of until Constantine engirt terial splendors, and th the place of Jupiter in t invested the church with then she laid her brow shorn of her tresses of litical patronage and pa tered her spirituality a from persecution and p that her glory waned. versy burst above her |
