Claims of Africa
At no period since Christians have been laboring to
evangelize and civilize Africa, has the prospect that “Ethiopia shall
soon stretch out her hands unto God,” appeared so bright as at
present. During the twenty-seven years which have passed since
the first Baptist colored missionaries were sent from this country,
scenes of prosperity and of adversity have alternately cheered and
depressed the struggling band of Christ’s servants in Africa. But
now the clouds have been scattered, the Sun of righteousness has
begun to shine upon our efforts, and nothing but energetic labor
and fervent prayer seem wanting to gather a rich harvest for God.
What overwhelming motives God has combined to impel Southern
Baptists to work in this vineyard! 100,000,000 immortal spirits
there lift up an imploring cry for the bread of life. Not 1,000,000
of these have ever heard the name of Christ, and the majority of the
remainder are plunged in grossest ignorance and most abject
superstition. Can we look upon such destitution without tears of
pity, or dare we, like the priest and the Levite, pass by without
aiding the wretched sufferers? True, they must be raised from the
very depth of ruin, but Jesus came “to save the lost;” they are
shrouded in “the blackness of darkness,” but that gives them more
pressing need for the “light of life.” Like the Athenians, “they are
in all things too superstitious,” but they must be redeemed from
their fanaticism by a pure Christianity; and who so capable of
sending them the truth as the people whose glory it is to maintain,
“that the church of Christ is a spiritual building,” and who
acknowledge none but “ believers ' baptism?”
Providence has given Southern Baptists facilities for this
enterprise possessed by no other people on earth, and now with
trumpet-voice summons them to the conflict. The recent formation
of the republic of Liberia will attract hundreds from our shores.
The Bible and the preacher must go with them. Religion must be
the corner-stone of that republic, as of all others. The alternative
must be, Christianity or anarchy. The triumph of gospel truth for
years may depend on the result of this experiment; for if ever the
gospel is to spread through Africa, we must, with God’s blessing,
unite with the colonial churches in doing it. He who appended to
the great commission the promise, “Lo I am with you always, even
unto the end of the world,” has stamped his divine seal upon the
labors of this Board there. The great increase of missionaries
during the past year,— the evidence they give of uncommon piety,
prudence, zeal, and talents,— the kindness and eagerness with
