Foreign Mission Journal, December 1885

FOREIGN MISSION JOURNAL” _ Published Monthly by the Foreign Mission Board of tho SoutJiorn Baptist Couvoution. “ALL POWER J.S GIVEN .UNTO ME IN IIEAVEN AND IN EARTII. GO YE. THEREFORE, AND TEACH ALL NATIONS/ Vol. 17— New Series. RICHMOND. VA„ DECEMBER, 1885. No. 5— Whole No. 209. (Entered i it- I’oat-Ofnce nt Richmond, Va., я» eecond-chve* matter.] Foreign Mission Journal RATES PER ANNUM: I. Vorr'd^re noimrately n<blrei*al, either to same or to different voetofllcei : 31 U* Threevopie* 6( 4*1 . or . . . Л.1Н cu. «piece. II For imckacce eent to one регион, who ehall be rffpootlblc for their die til hut Ion i Roar cople* for ♦!, or того at . 23 cte. n piece. Twenty- 11 vn copies for *Л. or mold lit . '2(1 ct*. «pica*. One Hundred cople* for *1Л, or more lit. Id ct« nplecc •уГ1***»е remit by Draft, 1'о»Ы Order, or In Keel* tered better, nnd notify u* fiioMiTLy of nny clmnpe In nddrei*. Addles*, FOREIGN MISSION JOURNAL. Richmond, Va. FOREIGN MISSION BOARD OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION, I /k:\tko at ItlOHSIONI», VIHOINIA. Phbsidbmt— Vir«-PB»<iOKNTe.— Jo»hurt T.tMrlnc. Mil., О \V. Впкоч. I.*., .T. Г.. Burrow», Va . N. A. Hailey. VI.-,., MBTVhllll.lil, N.O.. W. II. T'Hlx, Ky.. .1. J.b.Jt.41- Iroe, Alabama. K. S llimeim, Mo . Я II. Carroll, Tnm, W. b. Kilpatrick, (la.. Cline. Manly, Я. ().. J. M Sealer. Tenu ,T. H. Searcy, Ark., Пеагве 'VMtlleU. Mlei , TV. K. .Ulkleeon, TV. T a. coiiBKeposinsci sicnierAiiv— II. A. TCI’PEH. TtiBABtTiBK — ,1 . a. \vi i. r. i aims. Rsrohnisn SKCBKTAKY— W It CIWATHMEY Timiron— .lOSr.PH Г CfllTHKI.r. Ilnan nr M an АМКПВ,— ,T. II. Walk n*. И. 4. EHv ■r. TV. 0. Tliomae, II. . ... II Clarke, TVln«tnn. S. 0. wo, W. H. Hatcher, П, Oci.per. ' . , ... H. Harrle, J, rollanl.Jr , I vV. Jenee. A. II Clarke, X В WlC'lae .T II lint ce Cleptoo, TV TV. Land rum, ('. N -T.Sfcl t&rAll communications in reference to the iiuuim of this Hoard should be adtlresscd to H. A. Tuitkh, Corresponding Secretary , Richmond. Га. ANOTHER DEATH. The devoted Mrs. Myers breathed her last in her father’s home at Ml. Sterling, Ky., on tlie ;lli of November. She was a noble Christian worker, and in her fall our missionary ranks have sustained a heavy loss. Our sineerust sympathy is extended lo the bereaved husband, Rev. F. M. Myers, ami to the sorely afflicted family of our de¬ ceased sisler. Mary Lee Thomson was the daughter of John Thomson, Esq., of Montgomery county, Ky. Her mother having died when Mary I, ее was six years old, she was reared by a devoted father and a step-mother, who is a devout Christian and baptist. At fourteen she was baptized by her pastor, Rev. J. i’ike I’owers. Doubting Iter conversion, she was re-baptized in 1.Ч78, and received into the church at Mt. Sterling, of which she was an active and prominent member. Rev. Mr. Myers, appointed by our board a missionary to Africa in March, 1SS4, mar¬ ried Miss Thomson in the September fol¬ lowing. but it was thought best for the health of belli of them that they should go to Mexico, and to this proposition, made by die board, they reluctantly consented, and entered with earnestness into tlie work at I'atos, in the State of Conhuiln, Mexico, ac- fluiring the language with great facility. The Master ordered her home by tlie un¬ mistakable providence of rapid decline in health. They returned some months ago, and, after intense suffering, she fell on sleep, as stated above, in the midst of loving kindred and a wide circle of friends. Our brother Myers wishes to return to his work in Mexico. THE FLORIDA CONVENTION. This body met November 7th in the city of Jacksonville. The rapid growth of the State showed itself in tlie progress of the Convention. Six years ago it was reorga¬ nized with less than twenty members. Tins Умг there could not have been less than one hundred and fifty delegates present. Some of the most intelligent, enterprising and wealthy citizens of Florida are mem¬ bers of the body, and of “honorable wo¬ men ” there nrc not a few. The gentle and brave Chaudoin was made president, and tlie i fair-minded and strong- voiced bailey, secre¬ tary. The subjects of Education, Sunday schools, Church building, Temperance, Mis¬ sions and other matters were fully discussed. The sermons preached were able, and the collections taken seemed numerous and very liberal. It was stated in the report of the Mission board that the contributions to For¬ eign Missions had increased in five years tenfold, nnd we presume that the increase in other departments of its work has been equally great. Tiiis is a splendid record. The Woman’s Missionary Society, of which Mrs. N. A. bailey is President, reported some $1,200 received and disbursed. Tlie business of the Convention was hap¬ pily interrupted by a presentation to the board of Foreign Missions of the Southern baptist Convention, from the baptist women of Florida, of an elegant satin banner, draped in mourning, memorial of our de¬ ceased missionaries, Mrs. David and Mis. Halcomb, and inscribed with .Mrs. David’s dying words— " Never give up Africa." They had not heard of the deatli of Mrs !•'. M. Myers, tvho fell on sleep November 7H1. This handsome tribute to genuine wortli is highly appreciated by our board. Tlie pastor of the church, Dr. Leavitt seemed ubiquitous in the administration of attentions, and tlie hospitality of the church and city was everything that could be de¬ vised by liberality and good taste. An object of special interest was the pro posed mission to Cuba. Rev. W. F. Wood, pastor of the church at Key West, who had recently visited Cuba, made some thrilling statements with regard to the work and promise of this field. Sparks from the fire of divine grace among tlie Cubans in the island of Key West had been wafted over to Havana, and a great kindling of religious interest seems to be experienced there and in other cities of Cuba. Our board was asked to lake charge of tlie work, as within its territory assigned by our Convention. It was stated to the Florida Convention that this field had been recommended to our board by tho Convention, as early as 1S51 ; that, in 1879, it was pressed upon our alien tion by noble Christian women of that island, through the Convention of Missis¬ sippi ; that, in iSSt.our board reported on the subject, and the Convention agreed, in view of the facts presented, that the time had not come for us to enter the field. The aspect of things seems changed now. There appears to he a Macedonian cry, like that which came. from Mexico. The Convention at Jacksonville was assured that our board would give the matter serious consideration, and the brethren agreed that they would await our decision, which they hoped would not bo delayed beyond the annual report at Montgomery, in May next. It should be stated that our board nev r enters a field merely because it is interest¬ ing or even promising. Otherwise it might have gone into Persia, or Armenia, or India. In every instance of its planting or fostering a mission, it lias had what was believed to he a Providential indication that tlie plant¬ ing or fostering was designed by God to be a special work for its bands and hearts. Tlie history of such indications in our for¬ eign mission work is full of interest, and forms a basis of hope in our missions which, up to this lime, has never been disap¬ pointed. The board moves slowly, but surely. Tlie index-finger of Providence seems to point now to Cuba, and the board, trusting the churches, will go forward, if the Master savs go. Meantime, the Honda Conven¬ tion will take charge of the work, the un¬ derstanding being that their work is only preliminary to the full assumption of the mission by our board; provided it is ac¬ cepted by us and approved by the Southern baptist Convention. The report adopted by the Florida Con¬ vention is as follows : CUBAN MISSION. Vour Committee 011 the Cuban Mission beg leave to report that we have listened with intense interest to the thrilling account that brother W. F. Wood lias given us. in private conference to-day. of bis recent visit to Havana and other cities ill Cuba, also to letters recently received by him from anxious and earnest workers, whom he ap¬ pointed to publish tlie good news from God to tlie awakened Cubans; nnd that our hearts were made to burn within us while lie talked to us of tlie way — the door that God has opened to us to conic over and pos¬ sess at once the queen of the Antilles for Christ. After prayerful nnd earnest consideration, your Committee recommends that as there are scores and hundreds of Cubans and Spaniards in the great city of Havana, (containing about 250,000 souls,) and I11 neighboring cities and towns, who manifest evidences of spiritual life, and arc now anxiously awaiting the ordinance of bap¬ tism, that this Convention be instant to seiz.e this God-given opportunity to organize th, :e people into missionary baptist churches at the very earliest practicable moment, and realizing that every day’s delay is fraught with serious and imminent dangers. Your Committee had the honor and pleasure to invite and have the presence and counsel of our brother Topper, of the Foreign Mission board. And we unani¬ mously agree that this Macedonian cry from these islands of the sea. must have our prompt attention; nnd the duly to heed this cry is as imperative as it is important, nnd as important as lo obev the mandate of the Master. We conceive that this Convention is able to undertake this work at once, 1. «..the pre¬ liminary or provisional work— to go nnd prepare the way, to lay foundations, to throw up hreast-works, and hold the fort till the Foreign Mission board of the South¬ ern baptist Convention can come to the res¬ cue, which we lic-e will be not later than the next meeting of the Southern baptist Convention. We recommend that our beloved brother Wood, whom it seems God has been edu¬ cating and preparing in Key West for this important work, he appointed by this Con¬ vention to guide the Cuban mission, his headquarters in Key West, with authority to visit tlie island of Cuba at least quarterly, to direct, encourage and foster the various missions there. The greatest of poets and philosophers said: "There are tides in tlie affairs of men which, taken at tlie ilood, lead on to" success. We feel that the Ilood tide is even now at its maximum height, and that ns time and tide wait for no man, fearful, in¬ deed, will be tlie responsibility if we delay. J. Ii. Mookk, Chairman. “SELF-SUPPORT." In our last June number it was mentioned that Dr. T. P. Crawford, of Tung Chow, China, had returned to this country " to con¬ fer with the boards in Richmond and boston regarding tlie future direction of our Foreign Mission Work.” Efforts were made to have him meet our board in June, and again in uly, hut communications by letter and by telegraph failed to reacli him in time. During August and September many mem¬ bers of tlie board were out of town, and so t was not till the 12th of October that the Doctor presented bis views to the board, and requested the appointment of a com¬ mittee who should hear him more Sully, and report. This special committee was made to consist of the chairmen of the Standing Committees on Chinese, African, European, Mexican and braziliau Missions, nnd after a full hearing of tlie matter entered into an arrangement, by which another meeting of the board was held October 27th, and breth¬ ren David, of Africa, and Taylor, of Rome, along with Dr. Crawford, were invited to present their views candidly and fully. Dr. Taylor was detained by sickness, but pre¬ sented bis views in writing. The other two were present, and spoke at some length. The questions at issue, together with a mass of letters and documents, were then referred back to the special committe, who, after ma¬ ture deliberation, presented the following report. It was adopted November 6tli, and ordered to be published in the Journal.. We prefix this sketch of the origin of the report, both to explain its verbiage, and to show that it embodies tlie results of long and patient consideration. It is proper to add, that besides the honored brethren, whose names have been mentioned, several other missionaries communicated their views by letter. We trust that the conclusions reached will be generally acceptable, and that all who have been so deeply interested in tlie issues will join in earnest work for a practi¬ cal realization of the common end. All may not be able to work on the same line, but all can press toward the same end. REPORT. Your committee have heard vvith interest tlie views of our veteran missionary. Dr. T. 1*. Crawford, on self-support, or the policy of confining appropriations strictly to work done by our missionaries, and leaving na¬ tive laborers to support themselves, or be supported by their fellow converts. We clearly recognize self-support as the consummation towards which all missionary operations should tend. Without such an aim missions are, and must be, a Failure. We believe that the principle of self-sup¬ port should be put into practice ns soon as possible in every mission field, and that where- ever it cannot be adopted in whole, but might be in part, there it should be adopted just to tlie extent to which its adoption is practicable. These are our convictions of the rightfulness and necessity of self-support as an cud. to be kept in view; and we do not doubt that they are shared by all the mis¬ sionaries under our appointment. An entirely different question is presented when we consider whether we will incorporate this principle into a rule which would, in the future, forbid all appropriations for work done by native Christians, at least in the fields of missionaries that may be appointed here¬ after. Should self-support assume the shape of inflexible law ? We are constrained to think not. 1. It would introduce confusion into our missionary operations. If we applied the rule to missionaries now in tlie field, they might find occasion to complain that we hail imposed conditions upon them that did not enter into tlie original agreement ; and if we restricted the application to new mission¬ aries, a difference would be made between tlie old and the new which might become a source of discontent and friction. 2. An inflexible rule would seem to as¬ sume what we think the facts would not sus¬ tain. It would assume that circumstances and conditions are the same everywhere; that missionary labor has like environment under every sky, and among every people and tribe ; that one method is equally suited to the plodding Chinaman and to the restless Mexican, to the jungles of Africa and to the classic shores of Italy ; that in dealing with men no account need be taken of race distinctions, of different social customs, and different degrees of enlightenment. 3. It would seem to implya distrust of tlie elfecls of God’s grace in mission fields. We' would seem tosay we fearthe gospel cannot lift the Chinaman or African above tlie cor¬ rupting influences of money. To the foregoing views your commiuee append two resolutions, recommending their adoption by the Hoard. Resoloed 1, That while the principle of self-support in our mission work is essen¬ tial to healthy progress and ultimate success, we believe its practice is to be established not by formal rule, but as the result of growth and development. Resolved 2, That we urge upon our mis¬ sionaries the duty of holding constantly in view self-support ns nil object to be at¬ tained. and of training their converts and churches in this direction with all possible diligence. Two other subjects were brought to our attention by Dr. Crawford : the. plan of making exactly the same appropriation to each missionary, and the abolition or modi¬ fication of the system technically called “ missions.” Hut as these questions proper¬ ly be long to your Committee on Revision of Rules we have not felt it our duty to give special consideration to them. John Lollard, Снля. H, Winston, IT. H. Harris, SAM’!. C. ClOPTON, • W»t. E. Hatcher, ' • Committee.