Home and Foreign Journal, March 1870

ЙЯЙЯЯРЯШЯШЯВЯЯЯР “PREACH ИГЕ GOSPEL ТО EVERY CREATURE.” — “ MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE.”— FEED ЛГ? LAMBS.” Vol. 2— Now Series. RICHMOND, ViSy MARCH, 1870. No.'ll— Whole No. 23. ПгЧтЫЁзГхеЗ. -ЖбгхЬШу by the Tlxreo BoalE рхщп KICIIMOND, ТА.- Вот. JAS. В. ТДТЬОВ,. .Cor. Secretary; CHEERFUL GIVERS. \V no is a cheerful giver? One who gives because it is pleasant lo give. The heart is interested. If love in the heart prevails, how easy it is to sufier, to sacrifice and'to give. Look at that mother! She is jiving sleepless nights,' and toilsome days, in caring fa-anil watching over the emaciated form of- her, sick child. She seems not to know or feel the pressure of all this solicitude. She is under the influence of love. Love compels and urges her on in her pathway of duty Why does the father give his money so lavishly in promoting the education and worldly wcl- kre of his sons and daughters? It is* because he ioves them. So it is, if love to Jesus abound, what is there the believer will withhold from him. He п give cheerfully of his money to promote- the Re¬ deemer’s glory. If love to the souls of men is cher¬ ished, how readily will he expend the avails, of liis labor to lead to their enlightenment and salvation. Xor is this cheerful giving a mere impulse. Men may give and give largely under the influence .of mere appeal — or, for the praise of men. But a true cheerful giving, is the result of principle deeply seated in a loving heart. “Every one as lie purposeth in hk heart, so let him give, for God loveth a cheerful giver.” Cheerful giving is acceptable, to God. The pur¬ pose of the heart — that which comes with a hearty good will — is the ofl’oring which the Lord approves, lie loves a free-will offering, and the oflbrer too, he loves. It is not the amount given, butthe spirit witli which it is given which God regards. When the cheerful, loving heart prompts a gift, it will be in due proportion “as God hath prospered The gift of the poor widow was a noble, generous gift — -“all her Hein;/.” Had the ability been greater, the gift would have been larger. . Dear reader, are you giving to spread Christ’s pre¬ cious gbspeL amongUhixhcathQn y.ou_ a chcer- Tu!*gIver?"_J.S tlic heart ot love t^oreus^JrofiTju! yon to do all you can to send out the tidings of his great salvation to the lost of our race?- LIBERAL, CHEERFUL GIVERS. A beloved brother in the ministry, not over-bur¬ dened with wealth, lias appropriated one thousand dottr.rs to the Board, and arranged for its ultimate payment, and in the mean time is paying the interest, eighty dollars per annum. Another dearbrolbcr, with fourteen children, is appropriating one hundred dol¬ lars every year to spread the gospel of. his loved Sa¬ viour in heathen lands. A CONTRIBUTION FROM EVERY CfiURCH AND EVERY MEMBER. The Foreign Mission Board of tlic Southern Bap¬ tist Convention is aiming to enlarge its operations, for this purpose as well as to sustain the missions al¬ ready established, we desire to secure, if possible, a contribution from every church member. Who will give a portion of that, which the great and gracious giver has bestowed, to promote this object? We liave requested a few persons, male and female, to 'work for us in securing contributions on behalf of perishing thousands, but especially for the sake of your loving Saviour. We beg that you will not turn away- from, thb plea. ’The contributipns from each church will bo ac¬ knowledged in the Лоте and Foreign Journal. -THE LAST QUARTER. The last quarter of our fiscal year is now upon us. We must prepare to meet all our engagements, so that at tlie Convention wo may reportoursclvcs ready to begin another fiscal year with measures for enlarged operations! Brother pastor, has the church you served uuidc up its bounty to this cause? Has each member been properly approached, and had a fair oppoftu- nity of giving to it?. A MAN OF DEEDS AS WELL AS WORDS. A brother in Tennessee sending us five dollars, thus' writes: !‘I am an humble minister of the gospel, and after necessities of those having prior claim on my bounties are supplied, I have but little to distribute. '» hen I think of the millions without God’s word, penshmg for the bread of life, how shall I satisfy my conscience without doing something? My earnest prayer is that wc, who have God’s word as a lamp to °ur feet and a light to our path, may become more solicitous for their soul’s salvation, and contribute niore of our substance for the attainment of this end. I have therefore determined as long as Llivcy and can procure any means by labor, togivetlieabovc.amount' every year. Cannot others do likewise?”;-,^; . a,mi f of the Southern JBaptist -re . w,' Convention. -qqcrf. A -PRECIOUS ASSURANCE. The Psalmist David, with prophetic eye beheld tile day when Jehovah’s reign should bo recognized bvafl tap- dwellers on the earth. “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord, anil all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee, for the Kingdom is the Lord, and lie is tlicgov- emor among the nations.” Is not this an encourage¬ ment to. “go. into all the world and preach tlic gospel to every creature.” CHBISTIANITY, THE GREAT CIVILIZER. R. F. Laughton, an English Baptist missionary, say . .“Great Britain and America have no civilization to impart to China but wliat is the result of their Chris¬ tianity. . When the peculiar civilization of China^S- at, its height, our forefathers were in the dcptlis^of heathenism, the votaries of a cruel and bloody super¬ stition; and as to civilization, they had nothing" worthy of the name. We find Cicero writing to a friend: “There is a slave ship arrived in the Tiber lndcnfwith slaves from this island (Britain,) but do not chocfce any. of them, they are ilot fit for use.” What lias made the Britain of the Cresats the England of .to¬ day? Is it not Christianity?' What accountsjfor the decay of civilization in China? Is it not because it lacked those elements of stability and progress which Christianity Mono could have imparted to it.”-' ' 1 fact we are to this SHALL IT BE SO ? ‘\Т; One of our lady contributors thus states which deserves tlic attention of our church elf: “It would seem, in proportion to me miners, behind every denomination in contributions' department of Christian enterprise. “My daily prayer is that our people may bo aroused to a sense of the importance о f^tlie. work — and then I am convinced the means necessary to en¬ large your operation, will flow into the’treasury.” CHINA OPEN — WILL BAPTISTS 'ENTER? A. Wylie, of the British and Foreign Bible Soci¬ ety, with liis associates, has traveled in fifteen out of the eighteen provinces of China, and idistributcd the sacred Scriptures in more than 300 .walled cities, and more than 1,200 walled towns and villages. Mr. Wylie and the-Rev. G. John, of the,- London Mis¬ sionary Society, last year traveled through the prov¬ ince of Sz-Chuen, hitherto decIared-stOj.bc. impassable fed*™; neaus- . . . the -work; of god in africa. B. P. Yates, of Western Africa, a colored brother , .from, Richmond, and who for several years was our financial agent on tlie coast, writes : “The churches here have experienced a glorious revival of religion. Brother Cheeseman has baptized thirty or forty in Edina. Clay Ashland and new Virginia churches have had large accessions, the Providence church will receive or r next Sunday, twenty-four happy_ converts.” These arc churches which were built up by our Board. ' - - - - 1A FIFTY MISSIONARIES FROM THE SOUTH. A friend of our cause in Kentucky thus replies to a communication addressed to him: “Your letter has' touched ray heart. I think of the past success of our Foreign work and the proverbial liberality of Southern Baptists — and then of the state of case, which calls forth your serious question, shall wc continue to prosecute the work, or resign it to other hands? “I hope, my dear brother, the work is not destined to cease. I cannot contemplate such a possible issue without deep sorrow. Oh, for the outpouring of a tnily missionary spirit upon our people. “If wc could have somewhat of the spirit of the Macedonian Christians, wo would not then rest con¬ tented with the fifty proclaimcrs of the gospel among the heathen, but would abundantly sustain hundreds in the field. “I deeply deplore the apathy and indifference of a large portion of our brethren to the great work of sending the gospel to the heathen.” • • ' XETTErTof"wONG BING SAN. The simple out-gushing of Christian feeling which appears in the extract of Wong Ting San’s letter, to -which we call attention, must deeply affect all who at¬ tentively consider it. Will not our pastors read this letter to their churches, while they arrango for their annual contributions to Foreign Missions? GLORIOUS RESULTS. Itis said that the first Karen converted in Burmah wasbaptized by Dr. Judson, and set to preaching, and his first sermon was the means of the conversion of Quala, in 1830. Quala was useful for several years in assisting to translate the Scriptures. In 1 844 he was ordained, and in 1853 he was sent on a mission to the Karens in Toungoo, and such was ins success that in one year the number of converts -connected with liis -labors was 741, who were associated in-nine churches. In less than three years the number of churches under his ministry was in¬ creased to thirty, with an aggregate of 2,127 mem¬ bers, more -than 2,000 of whom were baptizcrt by Quala himself. His labors and fatigues were truly apostolical. He received no salary, but accepted tlie clothing and food of the native converts as lie needed them. He rejected, the offer of a. salary by the Eng¬ lish' government because- it would separate him from .his poo^Karen^ > '" J' GOOD NEWS FROM CHINA. Read brother Graves’ letter — six baptisms re¬ ported sinco last lie wrote. If wc had fifty mission¬ aries in China, as wc ought to have, with God’s bless¬ ing, liow rapidly would the truth spread. EIGHT PREACHERS FOR THE UNITED STATES. IIow sad would be the spiritual need of our coun¬ try if only eight men were found here, preaching a pure gospel. And yet this is about tlie proportion of a true spiritual supply of Chinese population. One preacher for every five millions. Brethren of the South', let us awake from our slumbers. Let us send our well chosen messengers,- with the bread of life to thesc'starving millions.'-' < i . . — _ : _ WHO WILL DO LIKEWISE? An .esteemed sister in Mississippi sends us ten dol¬ lars by her pastor, who says ; “This is the result of a crop of cotton from a little spot of land at the edge of her yard, which lias usually grown up with weeds until last year, when she had it cultivated, with tlic intention and hope that the proceeds might be tlic means, under God, in aiding in the cultivation of tlie Foreign Mission field. Will not eoihc of our good sisters, and brothers too, of the agricultural commu¬ nity be stimulated to imitate tlie example of this no¬ ble working sister? Martha hath certainly chosen the good work this time. Doubtless, many rich little spots of laud that arc lying idle, and grown over witli weeds from year to year, might be cultivated for this purpose and the time never missed.” For the Home and Foreign Journal. SUICIDE AND CHILD-MURDER IN CHINA. From Mrs. Crawford’s pen, we gladly insert the fol¬ lowing. These are “the habitations of cruelty” which wo propose, by the gospel influence, to change into happy, pleasant homes: One cannot be familiar with Chinese manners and habits without being struck with tlie frightful pre¬ valence of these crimes. If a man becomes hope¬ lessly involved in debt, he kills himself — if lie falls into the hands of an oppressor without possibility of redress or escape, lie settles the question with a rope or dose of opium ; thus bringing, if he have friends to avenge him, poverty and ruin upon his enemy. Quarrels between neighbors, between father and son, husband and wife, daughter-in-law and mother-in-law, often result in the suicide of one party, and fear of this end lias a restraining influence upon all concerned. It is not only the deatli of the victim that is deplored but a stain rests upon those who arc supposed to have driven the departed to such desperation, that nothing can wipe out. If the person be a woman living with her husband’s family, her own family sue her hus¬ band’s, and often bring them to utter pecuniary ruin. Two months ago, on a visit to an out-station, wc found the village in great excitement over a recent death. On inquiry, wc learned that an old man of seventy had hanged himself in his own court. The inference among all the neighbors, was that liis sons or daughters-in-law had driven him to the deed by maltreatment. The family therefore was on the de¬ fensive, maintaining that there had been no quarrel, that tlic old man had become half-crazed and was hardly responsible for the act. In an adjoining vil¬ lage a day or two before, a young woman bad put an end to her life, and there was great discussion as to the cause. One said their had been no trouble in the family, but the woman wanted to bo the occasion of a grand funeral and create an excitement! A few days after our return to the city, I learned that a wo¬ man I had often instructed in the gospel, and who had very recently inquired earnestly how to pray, had quarrelled with her husband and huug himself. Within the same mouth three other women in the city attempted to commit suicide by jumping into wells. One who had been severely beaten by her motlicr-in-law, was rescued by some passers-by from tlic well into which she had thrown herself. On drawing her out (the wells are generally only ten or fifteen feet deep,) she begged that she might bo per¬ mitted to end her life of misery. The men, however, took her home aud required her husband to how low to them in acknowledgment of his fault in allowing abuse to such an extremity. The other two above mentioned sueceded -in ending their lives. It is not often that so many cases have come under my observation in so short a time, yet it is always frightfully common. In times of general excitement from the real or supposed approach of rebels, thou- sandsTesort to this means of terminating their fears, first destroying their children, then themselves. A few years ago when large bands of robbers scoured this promontory, the wells were all filled with the dead, while many more, unable to find room, huug themselves on their own doors and beams. Our teacher’s mother, wife and two children thus died, supposing that he who had gone out to fight, had been killed. He returned to his home to find all the fhm- family hanging dead in one room. -No village was without its scores pf such horrors. For months af- tcrwards'the people were in such a nervous state of alarm that the slightest unaccountable noise or ap¬ pearance would create a panic. A fire, or even the ordinary burning of paper, houses and horses, for the dead, seen in the. distance, would excite alarm. Our former school teacher, who prides himself on being one of the most timid of mortals, saw one niglit a fire which he immediately imagined was set by the rebels. Quick as thought he took his only son^ a boy of eight or nine years and threw him headfore¬ most into a large water jar, and then, in company .with liis brother, jfTed to the city wall, hoping to make his escape. When lie ascended the city wall and looked around, ever gono out aric ry thing was profoundly quiet, the fire had d no one was stirring: In shame ho crept back home to meet the indignant rebukes of his mother, wife and sister-in-law, who had been busying themselves in rescuing the drowning boy, and heaping upon the cowards, who had deserted invectives them. Tungchow, Nov. 27th, 18G9. M. F. C. OUR MISSIONS. .CANTON, CHINA. LETTER FROM BROTHER GRAVES; JOYFUL TIDINGS. You will rejoice to hear that I have baptized six- bclicvere during tlie past fortnight. The first was a VbnrigbVianx23o-ears-QCragiN-Aaptizcd at .Shinslling^ two Weeks ago. He has given up idolatry tor a long time, and applied for baptism some months ago, but was deterred by his mother. He baa now fully made up bis mind to profess Christ notwithstanding her opposition. Yesterday five were baptized at Canton. Three of them were Women, one from tlic Old Wo¬ men’s Home, one the mother of my leachcr, and one the motlicr-in-law of one of Mr. Robert’s assistants. One of the men was a country school teacher from the neighborhood of Wu Chau. He applied for ad¬ mission to the church a year ago, but in deference to the wish of the brethren, I deferred liis baptism until wc could know more of bis steadfastness. No one now doubts that he is a true believer. The otl’cr male candidate is a young man, though a Chinaman, dresses as a foreigner, lie has had quite a chequered _ life. When 14 he was kidnapped and sold to Macas as a coolie, but lie was too young and slightly built, so tlie captain of the coolie ship took him as cabin boy. He went with the ship to France, where he lived for some mouths and learned to speak a little French. Wishing to return to liis father, he made his way to Calcutta, from there to Mauritius, and from there to Australia, where ho went to school and learned to read and speak English. I met him atSliin Hing, where . his father lives. Ho is now learning more Euglisb, - hoping to qualify himself for an interpretorship. He has been living in my house for some eight months, and the Chinese express much conviction in liis sin¬ cerity. He has many good points in his character and I hope may hereafter make a useful man. Л NATIVE PASTOR CHOSEN. To-night my mind feels relieved of a matter which lias been weighing upon it for some time. The Can- ‘ ton church has chosen a pastor. Wc set apart to¬ day ач-а season of fasting and prayer -to^scckjjod’s _ direction in this important matter. I have been long praying that there might be unanimity in this mat¬ ter, and still liavc felt it my duty not lo press the claims of any one, but leave every member free to express liis own choice. Out of 43 votes cast only 8 were not in favor of Wong Mui. Some declined ex¬ pressing any wish, except that they would -consent to wliat the majority wished. I feel trnly thankful Jfi- God for answering my prayers. Those who seek JSim arc never disappointed. One text has been ve^ypre- cious to me during the past month, and I can/vbt iny seal to its truth — it is this: “Commit thy wiA^mto tlic Lord; trust thou also in Him and По' wifi bring it to pass.” You can readily understand my anxiety about leaving my churches entirely in the hands of "a Chinese pastor without any foreign supervision, which is an experiment hitherto almost untried. But God is able to make them’stand, and I am pursuaded He will do it. I bog yonr earnest prayers in behalf of these young churches and their pastors. INSTRUCTION 6f NATIVE ASSISTANTS. Since I last wrote I ha те been absent from Canton about a fortnight at Shing Hing. I am now having my assistants and some others, about 20 in all, witli me four hours a day. Wc are studying the Epistles to the Corinthians. I also instruct them in singing and in the principles of church government, «See., from Hiscox’s Church Directory. HEALTH - PUBLICATION. OF TRACTS. Though generally well, I do not feel strong and sometimes break down under the pressure of work accumulating upon mo in getting ready for my de¬ parture. I have just got the blocks cut for a new tract which I have written on “the true doctrines of ‘ rewards and punishments,” being an explanation of Rom. ii: 5, 10. Dam now busy with a little manual on church government, Ac., being chiefly a translation of Hiscox’e Dircctoiy. It is now in press, or rather a part of it, and will make a book of between 40 and 50 pages. I feel tlic importance of leaving tlie churches some such guide to direct them in mv ab¬ sence. ORDINATION OF WONG "MUI. Dec. 14th. Day before yesterday I set apart Wong Mui as pastor of the Second Canton church. After singing and prayer, I read 1 Cor. ix; we then heard Wong S. S. toll his experience and answer some ques¬ tions which I put to him. 4Xlien I ordained him by prayer and ’tlie laying oil of hands. I then gave him a charge founded on 1 Pet. у: 1, 4, and after this, was the charge to the church from Ilcb. xiii : 1 7, 18_. We closed with prayer by the newly ordained minis¬ ter. Tlie church seems united on him and I pray that God’s blessing may rest on tlie union. • LECTURES FOR- NATIVE ASSISTANTS. Last week the several missions in Canton united in getting up a series of lectures for the benefit of our native assistants and others. T delivered one of the course on “The Inductive Philosophy.” The rest were on the Lib King, tlic foundation of Chinese phi¬ losophy, Buddhisin, .Clicmistry,Sects in Judea in time of ,our Saviour, Church History, Astronomy, and Greek Philosophers. .