Foreign Mission Journal, December 1883

FOREIGN MISSION JOURNAL. _ _ 1 hIHIsIhmI .Monthly by the Foreign mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. ^_LIj 1'Q^n’J! IS Gm':N IJNTQ IN HEAVEN AND IN EAIiTII. GO YE, THEREFORE, AND TEACH ALL NATIONS.’ Vol. IB — New Series. RICHMOND. VA„ DECEMBER, 1883. No. S.— Whole No. 18B. lEiltnreil ill tin- I'o-l-Olllci nt lilctiinoiwl. V,i„ u, «••roiitl'Cliifrs mutter.] FoKiiiGiY Mission Journal RATES l’Eli ANNUM: aralcly folilcil anil adiliesstd . ( .0 . ntltlrCSSCil to one person . . I oo tultlressctl to one person.... . 3 00 ndd rcssctl to one person . ...to 00 . copies, addressed to one person . 20 00 remit by Dmll, Postal Order, or in KeRis- nml notify ns rao.MPTLVof any change In FOREIGN MISSION IOURNAL. Richmond, Va. FOREIGN MISSION BOARD OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION. Located at HtOHMOND, VIRGINIA. csiDKNTe.— Joshua T.overlnir, Md„ J. Л. n., J. L. llurrowe, Va., (T, к. Alien. Fla., ary, N. О.. T. T. Knton, Ky., J. J. II. lien- I’iiesident-vT. L. M. OUliKY. VICE- I’ll KSID ENTS. — Joshua Hackett, l.n . O. F. Gregory, . . . . froe, Alabama, It. N. Iliinciln, Mo., И H. Carroll. Texas, IV. L. Kilpatrick. Ga.. Clues. Manly, ti. O., Matt, nillsmiin, Teaii., J. II. Searcy, Ark., George Whitfield, Miss., W. 1'. Walker, W, Va. Goiihesi-ondinu Heciiktahy— H. Л, T UPPER. Т11ЕЛЯШ1 Ell — J. O. WILLI, VMS. KeCOMDISO SEt'IIETAIir— ' W. II. GWATIIMEY. Аиштоп— JOSEPH F. (,'OTTItLI.I.. Hoaed or MANAOEnn.— J. II. Hawthorne, J. II, Wat¬ kins, II. !{. Ellyson, W. E. Hatcher, E. Wortham, W. II. Thomas, W. Ooddln, H. H. Harris, J. Pollard. Jr., J. W. Jones. Л. 11. Clarke, J. II. Wlnetou. J. II. Hut¬ son. О. H. Winston. S. U. Olcpton. t&f’All communications in reference to the business of this Hoard should lie addressed to H. A. Tui'i'KK, Correspondimj Secretary , llichmond, Va. TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS. With this number will expire many sub¬ scriptions to the Journal. We take this oc¬ casion to expiess our hearty thanks for the kind and cordial support we have met with and for the increasing circulation of the paper. It is prospering financially, is fully self-sustaining, and we arc not without hope that it may become for next year a source of some little revenue to the Hoard. This de¬ sirable result can be reached if all whose terms expire will not only renew promptly themselves, but will use a little effort to get others also lo subscribe. The fact that we receive more the first of the year than at any oilier time, shows that then it is easiest to get subscriptions. Some who have tried and failed before, may try again and succeed now. We have still a few copies of Dr. Tupper's " History of our Missions," which we offer as heretofore : A book to any one who sends fid to pay for 20 separate subscribers (new or old ;) or Я Л to pay for (ill copies in pack¬ ages of three or more; or #1S to pay for 00 copies in packages of ten or more ; or #23 to pay for 100 copies in packages of forty or more; or #00 to pay for 100 copies in one package. This offer is good only so long as the hooks last. We have very few left. l’lease notice that the reduced rates are not offered to clubs at one post-oillcc, but only on packages sent lo one person. We arc able to offer these reduced rates partly because it increases somewhat the number of papers taken, but principally because sending them in packages saves a vast amount of time and expense in mailing. We cannot afford to buy a mailing machine for use only once a month, and it is no small job lo fold, direct and wrap up S,H00 papers by band. We often receive requests to direct each paper in the package to a separate person. This we undertake to do on payment for them at tlie rates of CO cents a piece, it is hardly fair to ask us to do it for less. The person to whom the package of three or ten, or even fifty is sent can very easily keep a list of the names and write them on the papers after he receives them. For this service in distribu¬ tion we allow the reduction of price. One other word— the mailing books of the Journal, as is the case more or less witli most periodicals, is cumbered with the names of some "dead heads. ” They have gotten there, we hardly know how, and have been kept, we hardly know why. Arrangements have been made to supply copies of the Journal for gratuitous distribution through the sev¬ eral Vice-l’residenls of the board — one in each State — and the duly appointed agents. 1 his is designed to secure and increase col¬ lections for the Hoard. We take great pleas¬ ure in sending the paper free of cost to all our missionaries, (their letters make its chief in forest and value,) and to such of their friends and relatives at home as they may designate. We will also send it gratis for the year 1SS4 to any pastor who will give us his name and address, and therewith a promise to work among his people to secure other subscribers and regular collections for our Foreign Mis¬ sion work, lleyond this we do not feel at liberty to go in the way of gratuitous circu-' Intion. CHRISTMAS CAROLS. Oil the 25th of this month thousands in all parts of Christendom will be celebrating, with more or less appropriate ceremonies, the birth of Jesus. We do not believe this day is the real anniversary of the nativity, that most probably occurred about October nor do we feel under obligations to keep it as a religious feast, and yet we can fully sympathize with those who regard the day unto the I.ord. The song of the heavenly host is given in our common version in three clauses — " Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men/’ Careful readers will have noticed tiiat the revisors make only two clauses — " Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased." The difference is not in translation, but in the Creek which the translators had before them. The text accepted two hundred years ago might be literally rendered “ among men good will.” That which is now preferred by most critics differs by the addition of an s, making the last word a genitive instead of nominative case, and may he rendered “ among men of good-will." We accept the latter read¬ ing ns supported by tile best ancient manu¬ scripts, as making the parallelism more complete — glory to God in heaven and peace to men on earth — and as yielding a sense more consonant with the general tenor of Scripture. The coming of Christ did not bring peace on eat tli, but, as he himself says in Matthew x, 54, a sword. It docs not cause good will among men. but sets them at variance. It does, however, bring a peace which passelh all understanding to the men of bis good pleasure, to them that are united witli the Son, in whom he is well pleased. Similarly, in a preceding verse, the angel says to the shepherds : " behold, I bring you good tid¬ ings of great joy which shall he [not to all people, but] to all the people;" to all the true children of Israel. As God looks from heaven and beholds the inhabitants of the earth, he secs more than half of them “ given up to the lusts of their hearts unto unclean ness, for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator.” With these he cannot be well pleased. He sees two-thirds of the remaining half holding indeed some truth, but all overlaid and hid¬ den in a dense mass of superstitions and human ordinances. Still less can he be pleased with these. And even in the little remnant, the sixtli part or less of the human race, who are nominal evangelical Christians, how few, how very few, are really earnest in any efforts to promote his glory and to spread his message of peace. The work of missions is to unite the ener¬ gies and means of these few in sending the glad tidings to the millions who sit in dark¬ ness. Shall not we whose hearts are at¬ tuned to celebrate the incarnation of our Saviour, do more lo make him known to others? And as we select tokens of affec¬ tion for our familiar friends, shall we not also bring some gift to our best Friend ? He is represented on earth by his brethren, and, not least, by those who, like himself, have left the land of their fathers to preacli peace to them that are afar off, and to " fill up on their part that which is lacking of the alllictions of Christ for his body’s sake, which Is the church.” With such a gift the Christmas carols may be sung with the spirit, and with the understanding also. AFRICA, Tile "dark continent” is just now attract¬ ing unusual interest. Stanley’s explorations on the Upper Congo and the victories of the False 1’iophet on the Upper Nile, are attract¬ ing the attention of the civilized world. Our space will allow but few words on either of these interesting topics. Steamers ascend the Congo for 115 miles from its mouth. From this point on Mr. Stanley has penetrated 050 miles, passing to the north of the equator. He finds in the main stream and its tributaries, with their several lakes, some 4,500 miles of navigable water. The adjacent country is very fertile, its population is dense, in some parts 55 to tlie square mile, and the natives seem very kindly disposed towards foreign traders. Our brethren in England are giving freely of their men and means to occupy this in¬ viting field. They are rapidly establishing a chain of gospel forts and depots of spiri¬ tual munitions from tlie coast up to the head¬ waters. El Mahdi, the False I’rophet, is a Moham¬ medan, who claims to have been raised up in fulfillment of a certain wild prophecy in the Koran, and lias been for a year past at the head of a large army. Arrogating to himself almost divine honors, and having been able to inspire his followers with fanatic fury, he has thus far borne down all opposition, and though his losses are heavy, the” constant accessions keep up a formida¬ ble array of desperate fighters. His latest victory was on or about tlie 20th of Novem¬ ber, when his army of 300,000, after two or three days of furious battle, broke and an- nihalatcd nil Egyptian force of 23,000, which had gone to meet him. This is reported to have occurred at El Obeid, some hundred miles or so west of the Nile, and about 1,500 miles from its mouth. No particulars have reached ns, nor ever will, if the report be true that all the European and American offi¬ cers were killed. Nor can we yet conjecture what will he the political or the religious re¬ sults. , BOOK NOTICES. Honest and Earnest; or, Fred. Norman’s Trials. By Mattie Dyer liritts, Philadel¬ phia: American Baptist Publication So¬ ciety ; pp. 250. We picked up this little book not without some prejudice against moral tales, but found its story of life and struggles in a Northern village so interesting in itself and so well told, that we finished it at a sitting, and then handed it witli commendation to a boy in whom we have parental interest. The writer is, we presume, a daughter of thebe¬ loved Dr. Sidney Dyer, one of tlie most quiet and faithful workers in tlie world. The war in Aimatn still continues, though nothing of note has been done on cither side within the month. The letters of Dr. and Mrs. Graves herewith published will be read with deep interest. Their calm, hopeful tone is very comforting. Hut let us not forget tiiat our missionaries at Canton, and indeed in all China, continue to be exposed to pecu¬ liar dangers and difficulties, and let us not fail to remember them in our daily petitions. We have two ways of succoring them, one is through the channels of commerce, which convert our dollars and cents into currency which they can use in China, the other is through the channel of prayer, which con¬ verts our sympathetic desires into blessings suited to their needs. We regret to have no letter in this num¬ ber either from Mexico or from Brazil. We shall hope to print something from botli next month. Self- Giviny ; A Story of Christian Mis¬ sions. By W. F. Ilainbridge. Boston : D. I.othrop & Co. ; pp. 521. Price, #1.50. Rev. Mr. Bainbridge, of Rhode Island, made, with his wife and son, a tour of two years duration, visiting most of the mission stations of all denominations in all tlie world. Since his return he has published two books: “ A Tour of Christian Missions,” (undenomi¬ national, I and "Along the Lines at the Front,” (Baptist.) Mrs. Bainbridge has also published “ Round the World Letters ’’ and “Glimpses of Mission Life." These four volumes contain most of their valuable ob¬ servations of men and tilings; but some of the most interesting were of a character too personal or private to be narrated in simple history. These the author has now gath¬ ered and strung on a thread of fiction. There are three principal characters. The first is a talented son of a country preacher, who passes through many trials and falls into skepticism, but conies out safely, and devotes himself to mission work in India. Tlie second is tlie only daughter of a wealthy merchant, whose professedly Christian but wordly-minded parents do all they can to turn her away from giving herself to tlie workof the Lord. She marries tlie first, and hears with him the heat and toil of fife in India. The third is also nil only daughter of a Chicago speculator; first wealthy, then ruined. She joins her friends under the auspices of tlie Woman's Society. The charm of the hook lies, however, not so much in its plot ns in tlie discussions of a thousand and one topics connected with mission boards and their employes, botli home and foreign. Some of these discus¬ sions are wrought into the web of tlie story, others are boldly interpolated. In reading, (only half through as yet,) wo have marked a number of passages to trans¬ fer to the Journal— e. £■., this from page 00. "Many a young man, far away from his native land, has been saved from ruinous temptation and from blank despair, by tlie hospitable homes and loving hearts mid wise counsels of Christian missionaries. If for no other purpose than as beacon-lights along the shores of other continents, to save from shipwreck our own world-wide travel¬ ling young men, Christian missionaries would he worth all they cost.” Take, as a sample from a different vein, tlie following from page 2S0: “The more thoroughly one becomes acquainted with any great and good cause intrusted to human hands, the more surely will be found shadows as well ns sunshine; bitter dregs ns well ns sweetened draughts; thorns as well as roses on the vines. Among ministers and mission agents, and even among missionaries themselves, there is a lamentable amount of self-seeking, of mere professional enterprise, and of fraternal regard that is no better than tlie social feel¬ ings of tlie world. Christ only is perfect." ‘‘Where there is no self-sacrifice, there is no religion ; wiiere sclf-sacrifice begins, there Christianity begins, there the love of God begins.”