Foreign Mission Journal, June 1889

Foreign Mission Journal. PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE FOKEIGX MISSION BOAKD OF THE* SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION. “ALL. POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH. GO YE, THEREFORE, ' AND TEACH ALL NATIONS.” Vor.. 26 — New Series. RICHMOND, VA., JUNE, 1889. No. и — Whole No. 251 fEotered at the Post-Omce at Richmond, Va., ns second-class matter.] Foreign Mission Journal. RATES PER ANNUM i I. For papers separately addressed, either to same or to different poet omcee t One copy . S3 cts. Three copies @ »1, or. . ЭЗН cts. apiece. II. For оаекавеа cent to one person, who shnlt be responsible lor IhelrtHstributloni Four copies f or tl, or more nt . S3 cts. nplfCP. Twenty-nve copies (or *3. or more nt . ill cts. apiece. OnoJIuntlred copies forilSi or more at.. IS cts. eplece. «-Please remit by Draft, Postal Order, or In Heels- tered Letter, and notify us ntoui-TLY of nny change (a address. Address, FOREIGN MISSION JOURNAL, , Richmond, Va, ADVERTISING RATES. 1 8 в 12 SI'AOK. Month. Months Months Months One Inch,,... . 1 26 3 46 в 60 1* 00 Two Indies . e. t 40 в 46 П Б" 22 60 ThrceHuches . 9 60 9 20 18 00 32 «1 Quarter column... Half column.......... 4 76 13 00 16 no 48 «-» 9 26 26 26 48 t<0 90 00 One column . 18 OU 60 on 92 60 178 OO FOREIGN MISSION BOARD OF THE 80UTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION, Located at RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. PltEBlDEHT— If. II. IlAIinlS. ViCE-VnEeiDENTS _ Joshua Levering, Md„ O. W. Tomkle». La.. Л. E. Owen, Vn.. N. A. lUlley, Ila , W. L. Wright, N.O., O.y.ilagliy.Ky., W, O. Bled¬ soe, Alabama, J. P. Greene, hlo„ II. II. Carroll, Texas, TV. L. Kil Patrick, Oa., Otms. Manly, b. O., J. M. Senter. Tenu., J. H. Searcy, Ark., George Whitfield, Miss., W. F. Attklesoo, W. Va. COnnESPOtroiHOSBCnETAttY— II. A. TOPPER. Assistant Sechetaiiy. T. I’. IIELL. TnEASunra— J. O. WILLIAMS. RECOnDINO SECRETAnY— A. II. CLAIIKK. AuDtTOit — If. O. BURNETT. B0AI1D or Manaoers.— H. K. Ellyson, J. II. Win¬ ston. О. II. Winston. W. E. Hntcber, ,T. Pollard, Jr., S. <J. Ornpton, T. II. nation. W. I). Thomas, W. W. Landrum, W. J. Shipman, Geo. Cooper. O.II. Hyland, И. C. Burnett, T. V.Mathews, It. II. Pitt, H.S. Ilosher. t&~All communications in reference io the businessof this Board should be addresscdlo H. A. Tupper, Corresponding Secretary, Kichmond, Va. WORDS OF COMMENDATION APPRE¬ CIATED, Such full accounts of the work of the Convention have been Riven in the papers that we have decided not to take up space in the Journal for any notice of the meeting. Hut we do Гее! like saying for the officers and members of the Hoard that they are much gratified at the many kind expressions of approval which their report of the year’s work elicited from many brethren. The "‘well done" of the breth¬ ren lias made them glad, and will cheer and stimulate them as they strive for still better things during the year now opening before them. And may we not, just here, ask that the Board may have a share in the prayers of their brethren ? Many grave and perplex¬ ing questions have to be considered and settled by the twenty-two men composing this Board. Oftentimes, not only in their private devotions, but when they are to¬ gether, engaged in the work entrusled to their hands, do they feel the need of divine guidance and not seldom do they stop in the midst of their deliberations to ask this guidance and the blessing of the God of missions. Will not the brethren who have placed the responsibilities of this work upon them, help them by their sympathy and prayers, as well as by their labors for the common work? When you pray for the missionaries— and you ought to do this every day — dear reader, remember the Board too. .$150,000. At the late meeting of the Convention a resolution was unanimously adopted to the effect that the Foreign Mission Board ought to have $150,000 for tiie prosecution of its work during the present year. At least that much will be needed if the Board does the work now on its hands, not to speak of other work not yet undertaken but which is pressing for consideration. During the last conventional year eighteen missionaries were added to the force already on the field. These eighteen went out at different times during the year, few if any drawing a full year’s salary. This year these must be supported in full. Besides these, there are now under ap¬ pointment, including the wives'some of the appointees expect to take with them, nine¬ teen others, nine of whom will leave for their respective fields of labor in June, the others going in the early fall. Of these nineteen, nine will go to China, four to Japan, five to Africa, and one to Brazil. Ilut even these nineteen will hardly cover tho number to be sent this year. Quite a number of others, men and women, have applied for appointment, several of whom were examined by members of the Board at Memphis, and approved for recom¬ mendation to the Board. All these must be sent out between now and tiie late fall, and their outfit and trav¬ eling expenses provided for, in addition to their salaries after reaching their destina¬ tions. In addition to these tilings, several houses of worship must he built or bought. Zacate¬ cas, Mexico, must have a house at once. Several stations in Italy are in sore need of proper places in which to worship God, and to supply these several thousands of dollars were raised last year by Brother Eager, and will have to be paid over by tiie Hoard this year. A house is needed at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and must be secured in the near future. Less than #150,000 will not meet the ab solute needs of the Board this year. Will the churches give this amount? They can if they will. Will they? OUR INTEREST ACCOUNT, It will be seen by reference to the annual report of the Treasurer of the Board, which is copied in this issue of the Journal, that the Board had to pay interest on borrowed money, last year, to tiie amount of nearly #1,000. During the year, over #46,000 was borrowed, tiie Board being compelled to do this in order to carry on its work at all Nearly enough money was paid for the use of this #46,000 to pay the salarie • of two missionaries. This thing ought not so to be, but how can it be helped? We can see only one way — and that is by churches and individual givers beginning to make their gifts to this work now. Every dollar paid into our treasury now, will save tiie Board nearly a year’s interest, being thereby worth nearly six per cent more than if given next April. Regular contributions beginning at. once will relieve the difficulty and save this in¬ terest money to the Lord’s work. The first month of the new year is only two-thirds gone, and already the Treasurer has had to go into bank for#lo,ooo, to meet the second quarter’s drafts from our mis¬ sion fields. Will not some of our Lord’s people help us to remedy this evil at once? NOTES ON JAPAN, Richmond, Va., May 20, 1SS9. Dear Brother: In response to your request for some notes on Japan, I begin where every mis¬ sionary of the Southern Board must begin in his journeying towards that land of mis¬ sionary hope — at Richmond. From this city to the California coast, the one basis of choice of route is the season. From April to October, "The Southern Pacific” is intolerable on account of the intense heat and tiie blinding sand that must be encountered while crossing the Great Alkali Desert between El Paso, Texas, and Yuma, on the California frontier. From October to April this route is to.be pre¬ ferred, because there is no danger of being snow bound. At any season the long trip across the continent must be very tiresome. The ‘‘Canadian Pacific” is the English¬ man's route, and the one affected by an uncertain class of wouldn't-be Americans, for no better reason than that“it is English, you know." True, lire sea voyage is some¬ what shorter from Victoria to Yokohama, than from San Francisco, but it is very mucli rougher. It is also more tiresome, owing to the inferior class of steamers, and the greater number of passengers— to say nothing of the offensive snobbery ol the average English “globe-trotter.” The steamers sailing from San Francisco are all good and well appointed. The choice depends upon whether you prefer a Yankee or an English skipper. Having tried both, I unhesitatingly cast my vote in favor of under the the former, Of those sailing American flag “The City of Pekin” is the . . „, . . — — ------ fastest and best as well as the largest. The I about twenty feet long, with both muscle and best of the English steamers is the “Arabic," although the “Oceanic "is the favorite. Here let me state that the man who hopes to reach Japan over a smooth sea is doomed to bitter disappointment. The one who dubbed that sheet of wnter “ Pacific,” evidently designed to conceal thought, or had never been more than three hundred miles from the California coast. The Japs have a very suggestive saying: “a sea voyage is an inch of hell.1 You must take that inch for a yard of heaven when you reach the Japan side. If your digestion prove sea-worthy you may expect a most enjoyable trip ; if not, the nausea of a Japanese volcano becomes symbolic. Not even the bracing air, the glorious sunrise, tiie dying splendor of the day and the multitudinous smiles of the phosphorescent night can compensate for the weary monotony of the “mal de mer.” After about three weeks of steaming you may hope to hear the words: “Sometime to-morrow we shall sight Cape King.” Sun¬ rise “to-morrow” will find all .hands on deck, and at last our faith turns to sight. Away off, like a motionless wave rises the snow-crmvned glory of the “ Land of the Sunrise,"— Fujiyama, the Peerless, still sixty or seventy miles away, but beautiful in its solitude, sparkling like a diamond in its setting of sapphire. Not even tiie sky of Italy is as clear and blue as that of Japan. A few hours and we are opposite tiie Cape.. To the right the mountainous provinces of Awa and Kadzu rise in their rainbow glory of coloring. Such combinations can be found only in a country like this, where the land is always under the highest state of cul¬ tivation. Rounding the Cape we see a grand stretch of green. To the left and a lit¬ tle ahead, is the village of Urngn, where Com. Perry anchored, and where tiie Ty¬ coon's [Great Prince] messenger announc ed the favorable reception of President Fillmore’s message, and where the Ameri¬ can Commodore was first received as the accredited Ambassador of the U. S. From this fact the place has acquired the name of “ Reception Bay,” which name it still re tains. Not far away, lies all that remains of the ill-fated U. S. man-of-war “ Oneida,” sunk in collision with the British ship “ Bombay.” The glory of the American (lag has been preserved by tiie sale of the wreck, the drowned being left to their ocean grave I Up to date the memory of those who went down with the ship is just where this grate' ful Republic found it when the news arrived. Passing between the light houses the steamer shoots for tiie lightship which marks the entrance to the harbor of Yokohama. This so-called harbor is really nothing but an open road-stead, which fact accounts for the fearful destruction of shipping that takes place every year. Passing the lightship we drop anchor and the voyage is done. Two guns fired from the steamer announces our arrival, al Ihough the hotel keepers have known that we were in sight of Cape King long before we knew it ourselves. They have probably had a watcher on that peak for two days looking out for the smoke of our ship. They know that this is the only incoming vessel from that quarter, and that we will be glad enough to find a resting place on dry land. First comes tiie steam launch from tiie “Zci Quan” [Zay Kan, Custom House,] bringing the Port physician who is to pro¬ nounce upon our fitness to land. Following this come the various "foreign” hotel launches — [remember that we are now the “ foreign devils.”] Looking towards the “hatoba” [landing place] we see an in¬ numerable fleet of queer looking crafts that defy description. They seem to have shot from every crack and cranny of the long sea-wall, henceforth to be known as “The Bund.” They dart out as though shot from a catapult. The rowers are not trammeled by unnecessary clothing. As they row you.scc that they stand to their oars, the left foot braced against an in¬ clined plank and the thigh used as a ful¬ crum in rowing. With astonishingly quick stroke, six or eight stout fellows drive the boat through the water with yet more sur¬ prising speed, each set of rowers intent on getting their boat first to the side of the lately arrived ship. Sculling, rather than rowing, is the descriptive word . With oars strength thrown against them, and each man working as if the entire responsibility rests on his exertions, they make the boat fairiy skim along the water. How they manage to take sucli rapid strokes must be the first query of one who has done anythingin that line. And all is so noisy. Indeed everything in Japan is accompanied bynoise. The Japs can make more noise witli their mouths than any people on the face of the earth, unless it be the “Celestials." Let me try to transliterate tiie song or noise they sing or shout while bending to their oars. This is about tiie tiling: “ Hoi hay! huida I ho 1 ho ! hai 1 wa I ha I ” Assuming that you wish to learn some¬ thing about Japan, take one of these “sam pan ” [three planks,] a very descriptive name for the Japanese row boat. "If you have tears to shed, prepare to shed them now.” Tiie motion of these boats is in¬ describable. A kind of jerk, that will fairly disjoint you — something like a yawn cut short by a hiccough. You are alter¬ nately pulled out and shoved in like a spy¬ glass. Oh! there has been nothing like it since tiie Inquisition. After a few moments of this torture you arc once mofe on shore and have made yourself the promise to let that voyage in a " sam pan ” last you a lifetime. Next comes the old, old story of the customs. But you will not suffer the agony experienced at the Custom House in the United Stales. * Tiie Japanese Custom House officers are far more respectable -than are those of our country, though that is not much of a compliment. Now you see the one thing that will be ever present to your eyes as you wander about this country. You are on the other side of the world and everything seems to be turned bottom up. I shall have much to say about this up-side-downness of tiie Japanese customs, so I need mention only a few. Noisy conversation is polite. Studying aloud in school is the approved way. Hard work is accompanied by correspondingly noisy talking. Modesty is at a discount. The public baths are open to the street, and I have frequently seen the bathers, male and female, taking tlieii baths in a tub placed where every passer could see anil be seen. Carpenters draw the plane towards them ; but they push the "draw-knife” [as we call it] from them. Horses are put tail first in the stalls. In the house the “polite” tiling would be shocking if not revolting to the average Westerner. If you go to one of the native hotels — and only by doing so will you see anything of the way in which the people of Japan live —you will first ofall be requested to take off your shoes, for otherwise you will destroy more of the beautiful matting that covers the padded mats than your hotel bill will cover. Climb the stejis. They are so steep that you must literally climb them. You are now on a beautifully polished floor, and a few steps bring you to the “shojee,” [so pronounced], or sliding doors, which ad¬ mit you to your compartment, for room it cannot be called. The only furniture in tiie room is a Japanese vase containing some flowers. In a few moments the "nay san ” [ I am spelling according to the pro nunciation], or wailing maid, will bring you tea and some kind of candy. She will very soon stare you out of countenance if .you are the least diffident. Here I leave you for the present trying to look self possessed, while in fact you think the damsel"1 possess¬ ed,” and wonder why she don’t call in a photographer at once. In my next letter I will try to go all over the hotel, and show you in what a queer country you are to spend your time. Geo. H. AprLETON. DELAY OF MAY JOURNAL. The issuing of the May number of the Journal, as is our custom, was delayed un¬ til after the first of tiie month, in order that we might give to our readers the re¬ sult of the year’s work. We are sorry to learn that many subscribers were mucli annoyed by this delay, and were put to the trouble of writing to make inquiries about their papers. We hurried forward the work as rapidly as possible after the books were closed. This explanation is due to our readers and to the good lady who does the mailing as well. For a century the Spirit has poured his fullest blessing on families, churches, and schools of tiie propb'ets, whence have gone the largest bands of laborers to fields re¬ mote. Tho paradox of modern church life is this: Apparent depletion ends in rich¬ est repletion j the most liberal.gifts of men and money to farthest fields are the signal for the most rapid replenishment at home. Here is the key to the paradox : the Holy Spirit rewards obedience. .Should we re¬ call the 6,000 foreign missionaries to re¬ inforce the home fields, it would bring to those very fields the curse of barrenness. Should we, on the contrary, distribute the whole force equally and impartially, with strict reference to the vast extent and awful need of the whole field, such bless¬ ing would come upon fields nearest home as never has been known. Of church life, as of individual life, it is true : ‘‘There 1$ that scnlterelh and yet Increneeth : And then» Is that wtthhoJdem more than la meet, Out it tendeth to poverty." —Dr. A. T. Pierson: When our churches come to believe that paradox to be truo, how will the. work of tlieLord prosper, bothat homeand abroad. The truth of the Bible quotation might be illustrated within the bounds of the South¬ ern Baptist Convention. There is evidence that American com¬ merce with China will sutler on account of the new Chinese exclusion law that is now being rigidly enforced at all the ports of the Uuited States. A Shanghai paper, the Celestial Empire, says that there have already been anti-American riots in Can¬ ton, and the populace feel that if Chinamen cannot go to America they should exclude Americans from China. The Foochow Echo gives similar news, and adds that the strong party in China which hates foreigners has recently been displaying a dangerous spirit. The- Chinese Govern¬ ment which has refused to ratify the exclu¬ sion treaty with the United States, is not averse to these manifestations. There is reason to apprehend that disagreeable re¬ sults may Be experienced by American _ traders in China, and by the shippers of those American goods that have bcenW coming into use among the Chinese. ButTO we can bear with all tills piovided the mis- ' sionaries are not interfered with. Our Lord can turn even the folly of cur Congress to the advancement of his king¬ dom. Let us ask him to do it in this case. Italy. — Wuttke gives the following sta¬ tistics of Evangelical Christians among the Italians : There are 16.500 Waldenses. Most of these are found in the old churches of the valleys, but there are also new churches in cities, namely, one In Milan with 326 communicants, one in Turin with 317, and two in Florence with 325. The Free Church of Italy has 71 churches and stations, with L5S0 members. The Ply¬ mouth Brethren have 50 small congrega¬ tions; the Wesleyans, 55 congregations and stations, and 1.380 members; the Methodist Episcopal Church, 20 congrega¬ tions and 5 stations? with 950 members; the Baptists have 53 stations and 870 mem¬ bers. There are, besides, a few smalL'mis- sioas in different parts of the country. The statistics of the German, English, American and French churches are not given. The total number of Italian communicants in the Evangelical churches is 22,000.— Dr.J. II. IK Sluckcnberg. That is a good large lump of leaven God has put into Italy. And it is gradually leavening the lump. AH vessels bound for West and South Africa, coming from ports in Europe and America, stop at Madeira. Here is the list of liquors which passed through in one week. It is taken from the daily returns posted in Liverpool : 24.000 butts of rum . - . 240,000 30,000 cases of brandy . 90.000 28,006 cases ot Irish whiskey.... 56,000 800,000 demijohns bf rum . 240,000 36,000 barrels of rum . . . 72,000 30,000 case? of Old Tom . 60,066. 15,000 barrels of absinthe™ . 45,006- 40,000 cases of vermouth . 3,060 The compiler calls it “ The Devil’: Mis¬ sionary Enterprise.”— Bombay Guardian. This "Missionary Enterprise” demands more energetic work on the part of the. Lord’s mission workers in Africa, to count¬ eract its influence, and the exercise of ail the influence possessed by the Lord’s peo*- ple at home to put a check upon it. Missionary literature has no adequate- place among the numberless publications which throng even Christian homes. The young are not trained to look upon the world’s evangelization as a great and para¬ mount interest of life, — Missionary Herald. Too true. If a tithe of the money spent by Christian people for the purchase of trashy literature for their children was spent in good, readable, .missionary litera¬ ture, the children would be the better for it, and the cause greatly helped. And children would greatly enjoy the stories of missionary life.