Notes and Comments.

PRAY, That the doors in Europe may open wider in Russia, Turkey and Austria for the entrance of the Gospel; that the Protestant State Churches of Europe may be quickened into a spiritual life, and that the Protestant missionaries in Europe from Great Britain and America may have increased success in preaching the Gospel.

During the Week of Prayer, Friday, January 7, is appointed as a day to Pray for Missions, That the Church of Christ may recognize the glory of the commission to "preach the Gospel to every creature." and may feel it a privilege to make sacrifices that it may be fulfilled; that far greater zeal for the Divine glory and far more pity for the perishing may be imparted by the Holy Ghost to all the people of God; that faithful laborers may be greatly multiplied, and that all converts may be comforted, upheld, guided, and made useful; that the hearts of the unconverted may be opened to receive the truth; that Christian missionaries may be favorably received by heathen rulers and peoples, and that native Christians among the heathen may be kept steadfast and made zealous in seeking the salvation of their countrymen; that God's ancient people, Israel, may acknowledge Christ as the Messiah; that the time may soon come when, according to prophecy, the Spirit shall be "poured out like

floods upon the dry ground," and "the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the

As you are probably aware, a fierce | lor to Africa. He was a member of the persecution broke out last June against Society of Friends, and arranged to esthe infant church in Uganda, Central tablish a Friends' Mission at Mossamedes, Africa. Many Christians-thirty-two on Africa, south of those of Bishop Taylor one single occasion-after barbarous tor- in Angola. He afterward returned to the United States and endeavored to intures, were burnt to death. terest the Friends in the Mission but did not succeed. Last summer he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, and this fall the Iowa Conference, and is now stationed at Letts, Iowa. Rev. Levin Johnson who went to Africa with the same expedition was a Methodist preacher. He returned on account of poor health, and is now a member of the North Dakota Mission. His address is Dickinson, Dakota.

"The painful details of these sad events have recently reached this House, and their exceptional character, and the almost unprecedented (in modern Missions) extent and severity of the persecution, the Committee of the Church Missionary Society, assured of the earnest sympathy of their sister Missionary Societies, venture to request their prayers.

May we, therefore, ask you kindly to lay before your committee our affectionate request that they will unite their intercession with ours in behalf of the native converts who still survive, as we trust some do, in Uganda: for Mr. A. M. Mackay, our devoted brother, who is detained in the country by King Mwanga; and for the king and chiefs and people, that they may obtain mercy, and that in them Jesus Christ may show forth all long suffering for a pattern to them who shall hereafter in Africa believe on Him to eternal life."

Questions Answered,

1. We see in the December number of the Foreign Missionary that the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, established a mission in Brazil in 1836. Is this correct?

It is a mistake. The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was not organized until 1845. It was the Methodist Epis

Extract from Proceedings of Board of Managers.

The Board of Managers of the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church met at the Mission Rooms Dec. 21, 1886.

Dr. G. B. Crews was appointed Treasurer of the West China Mission.

It being reported that the losses of the West China Mission in the riot last July were $38,888, Gen. C. B. Fisk, Secretary J. M. Reed and Rev. Spencer Lewis were appointed a committee to visit the President and Secretary of State and press the claim for remuneration.

It having been found impossible to secure for the steamer "Glad Tidings" the right of way on the rivers of China it has been sold for $2,630 and three sailing yachts have been purchased to be called "Nanking Glad Tidings," "Chinkiang Glad Tidings," and Kiukiang

ix, 36-38; Rom. xi, 25-36; Isa. xxxv; Eccles. xi; Isa. xlii, 1-16; Acts x, 34-48.

Mr. Isaac Odell, one of the Board of Managers of the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, died in New York, Dec. 28, 1886.

Mr. Henry M. Stanley, in an address before the Methodist Preachers' Meeting in New York city Dec. 6th, gave an interesting account of the Congo Valley and its people. He considered the Upper Congo healthy, and the region in the vicinity of the sources of the Congo and the Nile as one of the healthiest in the world. Here the facilities for self-support are freely granted by the soil. If a missionary becomes also an explorer for fame, he must needs meet the dangers that involve the explorer. There is a good field for mission work on the Upper Congo by those who give themselves wholly to this work.

The English Church Missionary Society on Nov. 17, 1886, sent out the following note to the Secretaries of the different Missionary Societies:

the New England Conference, was appointed missionary to Brazil, and sailed from New York for Rio de Janeiro in March, 1836. The following year the Rev. D. P. Kidder, of the Genesee Conference, was sent out as missionary, and Rev. R. Mc Murdy and wife as teachers. The mission was closed in 1841. See Reid's History of Methodist Episcopal Missions, Vol. I., Pages 233, 237, 245.

2. Did the Missionary Committee at its recent session refuse an application to appropriate

$5,000 for new educational and medical mission work in Africa under Bishop Taylor?

on

No such application was made. It was recommended by the Committee Africa that $5,000 be appropriated for this purpose, but after discussion it was not deemed advisable. Had Bishop Taylor made such an application, or had he recommended it, or had it been clear to the Committee that he would have ap

proved of it, there is no doubt the appropriation would have been made.

3. Who was the Dr. Johnson who was referred to in the debates of the Missionary Committee as desirous of going to Africa as a Medical Missionary?

It was Dr. Levi D. Johnson. He went with the first missionaries of Bishop Tay

yacht "Stella" will be used by the mission. The action of the mission was approved.

A grant of $38.56 was made to repair the mission dwelling at Chinkiang, China.

A grant of not more than $100 was made for traveling expenses of certain missionaries in Central China Mission, and a grant of $600 for furniture for use in said mission was made.

The Board recognized the appointment of W. P. Byers and his sister and L. H. Koepsil to work under the direction of the South India Conference, and author

ized payment of their outgoing expenses

The secretaries were authorized to pay

Dr. J. M. Thoburn the salary of a returned missionary to begin with the

date of his arrival in the United States.

Appropriations were made of $75 to Greeley and Wichita, S. W. Kansas Conference; $40 to North Salina circuit, N. W. Kansas Conference; $100 to Rev. E. H. Vaughan, of the Virginia Conference : $10.03 to Rev. N. Christofson for traveling expenses; $50 to Rev. J. P. Middleton, of Columbia, South Carolina Conference.

The report of the Committee on Lands and Legacies was adopted.

The payment of $2,154.50 was authorized to be made as balance of extra expenditure by Secretary C. C. McCabe for the benefit of the Missionary Society for the year closing Oct. 31, 1886.

The secretaries were authorized to employ not more than three additional clerks to assist in the work of the office, their salaries to be estimated by the proper committee.

The following was adopted:

"Learning that Rev. C. Blinn, D.D., a member of the General Committee of the Missionary Society is about to visit Germany and travel extensively in Europe it is Resolved, That the Corresponding Secretaries be authorized to commend him to the pastors and membership of our churches in Germany and Switzerland, and that Bro. Blinn be requested, without expense to this Society, to make such careful investigations of our interests in these conferences as may enable him to report to the General Committee the result of his observations and to make such recommendations as in his judgment will promote the interests of the Missionary Society."

New England Conference and Missions.

We like the New England Conference. It is appreciative. We have more subscribers for THE GOSPEL IN ALL LANDS in that Conference in proportion to its numbers than in any other Conference. Our largest list of subscribers is also from

that Conference.

We know of no Conference that is more active in its efforts to increase the knowledge and interest of the people in missions. Much of this is due to the Board of Managers of the New England Conference Missionary Society, and especially to the President, Rev. W. R. Clark, D. D., and to the Secretary, Rev. James Mudge.

They arranged for a series of missionary meetings in December, at Springfield, Worcester, Lynn, Lowell, and Boston, all of which were well attended and will doubtless yield good fruit.

They have since sent a circular to each preacher, asking that the following questions shall be answered and sent to the Secretary at Whitinsville, Mass:

1. Is your Sunday-school regularly organized, according to the Discipline ¶ 273, as a missionary society, with constitution and officers?

2. If so, when was it done?

3. If not, what is the method of raising money for missions in your school? 4. How many copies of "The Gospel in all Lands" are taken in your church? 5. How many of the S. S. missionary periodicals?

6. What increase in the number of these publications taken since one year ago?

7. Will you observe Easter Sunday as Children's Missionary Day?

The circular urges that all join in an effort to secure the general observance of Easter Sunday as the Children's Missionary Day for special missionary exercises and special missionary offerings. It also says:

Easter Sunday will be the 10th of April, the last Sunday before the next session of our Conference, and hence comes at the most opportune time for rounding up and filling out the Sundayschool missionary offering of the year. This can be done with great enthusiasm and success, if only there be proper preparation. That preparation we earnestly entreat you to begin at once.

"In the first place, organize your Sunday-school into a missionary society, as directed by¶ 273 of the Discipline. There is no better time to take up the matter than now. By organizing at once the plan will be tested for the remaining three or four months of this year, a good start will be made, and the school will be in fine trim for entering with zeal on the campaign of another Conference year.

"There is wisdom in our disciplinary scheme for the management of the missionary interests. We cannot improve upon it. We are not justified in neglect ing it. Wherever it has been honestly tried it has not failed to result in a great advance. Why should you not do it? Can it be that there is any school in our borders, at this late day, so utterly without interest in the missionary enterprise, that three or four persons cannot be found who will creditably fill the offices of such a society? The pastor may find it necessary to be president, especially at first, but this extra labor he should certainly be willing to undertake, in consideration of the far reaching influence of the work.

"Let the S. S. Board be called together, a simple constitution adopted, officers elected, and a brief programme of special missionary exercises planned to occupy a part of the Sunday-school time on the first Sunday in every month. Then, by the use of mite boxes, collection cards, class competitions, and other expedients which will suggest themselves, let the cents, nickels, dimes, and quarters be gathered in. In this way, by Easter Sunday a very considerable, and in some cases startlingly handsome, sum will be ready for reporting.

"Then by the use of special concert exercises on that day (furnished from New York), and a special appeal, an additional thank offering may be obtained, which will put the school far beyond

45

where it has ever been before in this department of benevolence, and will be a valuable educational influence fitting it to go forward yet more vigorously for another year."

We give the above that other Conferences may imitate or improve upon the plan. More depends upon the Secretary of the Conference Missionary Society than upon any one person. If any Conference has as good a Missionary Secretary as the New England, it is to be congratulated.

Our Missionaries.

Rev. H. Olin Cady may be addressed care of the American Methodist Episcopal Mission, Kiukiang, China.

Rev. M. C. Wilcox and wife expect to sail from San Francisco about the middle

of January for China.

Rev. C. W. Miller and wife sailed last

month to reinforce our South American Mission at Buenos Ayres.

Rev. H. C. Stuntz and wife and Rev.

C. E. DeLamatter, of Iowa, expect to leave the United States this month to take work in the South India Confer

ence.

Mr. L. H. Koepsel of Wilson, Kansas, sailed last month for India. He will teach

in the Calcutta Boys' school.

Rev. Wm. P. Byers and sister, Miss Fannie Byers, sailed last month for India to engage in work among the seamen in

Calcutta.

Rev. O. W. Willits and wife arrived in Tientsin, China, Nov. 11, 1886.

On December 2 the following missionaries left New York to reinforce the Bishop Taylor Mission in Angola, Africa: Ten is their number. It includes Mr. Hicks, a carpenter from Massachusetts, his wife and two sons; Ellsworth Brown, carpenter from Miamisburg, O.; William O. White, superintendent of schools, Lacota, Mich.; Henry Wright, miner, of Silver City, New Mexico; Dr. D. Reed, physician, Manson, Ia.; Daniel Williams, physician and farmer, from Irondale, Ontario. Others will join them at Liverpool.

Madame Rollando of Geneva. Rev. Wm. Burt writes from Milan, Italy, Nov. 19:

"When in Geneva, Switzerland, I had the pleasure of meeting, in connection with our Italian work in that city, a most estimable lady, who, it seems to me, is worthy, in herself and because of her remarkable history, to be known by all the friends of missions. Her name is Signora (or, in Geneva) Madame Rollando.

"As this name would indicate she is an Italian. She was born and brought up in a Roman Catholic family, living dur

ing, gathering, and preparation of food by which they subsist are all done by the women-every man's wives are his slaves to do all such work-a hard life, but not without its compensations, as seen in their erect forms with a symmetrical development of all their muscles, their strength and power of endurance, and almost exemption from the extreme pains and perils of so many mothers in civilized life. The safe mean between these extremes is of divine appointment.

From Stanley Pool we have in the Congo waterways 5,000 miles of steamboat navigation. With a steamer of our own we can rapidly plant missions through the vast and populous regions thus accessible; but there are no roads for land travel, so that without a steamer we cannot advance a stage beyond Kimpoko. We have tried in vain to get passage for even one missionary. The few little steamers on the Upper Congo are fully occupied for their owners and can give us no help. The Kassai, we learn, is too crooked and too rapid for sailboat navigation, so that our plan for building a schooner, which will soon be available on the Congo, is of no avail for the upper Kassai region.

So I have just come from Stanley Pool to England to ask our friends in England and America to give us a steamer. It requires to be constructed of the best steel and sent out in man-loads of sixty pounds each. The transport alone from Matadi to Stanley Pool, on the shoulders and heads of men will cost $5,000, and the steamer built, launched, and equipped, at Kimpoko, will cost a total of $20,000. "A large sum." Yes, but not too large for its value in spreading the Gospel among millions of perishing people who have never heard the name of Jesus. Can that amount be raised? Yes, in a single week, without infringing any interest. Let 20,000 men, women, and children send us immediately $1 each, and pray for the speedy evangelization of Africa. The money will provide the steamer, and the prayers of the 20,000 share-holders in her will give her propelling power far exceeding all mechanical forces.

Let every dollar also represent one vote for the name which our steamer shall bear the "Lulua,” the "Luabu," the "Kassai," or the "Sankoora," her rivers; or the "American," or the "Methodist," or the name of any trustee of our "transit fund," or any name you like. Send the name you vote for plainly written, with the money, and the name receiving the largest number of rotes will be the name of our steamer. Remit by Post Office order or other wise to Thomas Critchlow, 181 Hudson street, New York, who will acknowledge receipt and pay it over to the treasurer of

my transit and building fund, who will of the Irish Presbyterian Church, reports apply it and account for it.

I must (D. V.) sail from Liverpool for Liberia by Jan. 5, (prox.) and want to learn that the $20,000 shall have been paid in, and get the steamer under contract before I leave, so that I can arrange for new recruits of missionaries for the Congo rivers for the coming year. I purpose to spend a few months in founding self-supporting missions among the neglected native tribes along the Liberian coast till the material for our steamer and our new missionaries for 1587 shall come along, and then proceed with them to the Congo.

All Lands.

The Baptist Church in Copenhagen, Denmark, reports six baptisms and a present membership of 425.

A Roman Catholic Bishop in France in a conversation with the priests of his diocese, is reported as saying: "We need not deceive ourselves, gentlemen; the mass of our people is no longer Catholic except in name. The majority are pure deists, if they are not avowed materialists. The special doctrines of Catholicism are no longer held except by a continually decreasing number of the laity; and amongst these the best are in reality Protestant in doctrine."

It is gratifying to learn that the Russian police have received a rebuff in their attempts to suppress purely religious meetings in private houses. The followers of a sect called "Stundites," which is widely spread in South Russia, having been persecuted by the police of Elizabethgrad for refusing, when summoned, to break up a prayer meeting at the residence of one of the secretaries, were successively acquitted by the local magistrate and the Court of Assize of the district, on the ground that public order had not been disturbed by the assemblage in question. Upon appeal to the Senate the decision of the lower courts has just been confirmed.-Nonconformist.

Nov. 10, at "Madrid schools, inale, female, infant, with evangelistic services frequently held in the school-room; Cordoba, church with 53 communicants, and schools, male and female, with a daily attendance of 100; Puerto Santa Maria, college with seven students, congregation from 60 to 70 regular hearers, schools, male and female, Bible class for women twice a week; Puerto Real, preaching station with attendance of 50."

A correspondent of the Baptist Missionary Magazine gives the following facts respecting Baptists and Baptist Missions in a part of Europe: "In Hun. gary are 2 Baptist preachers with 40 preaching places and 528 members; in Bohemia, 40 members; in Galicia, 110 members; in Poland, half a dozen workers; in Russia, two or three in the north and perhaps half a dozen in the south; in Bulgaria, a small church; in Switzerland, 4 churches."

Rev. J. B. Vinton writes from Burma that the insurrection there is purely Buddhist and that Buddhism is in arms against Christianity, the priests leading the men on the battle-field.

The Baptist Mission on the Congo continues to rejoice in the progress of the revival among the natives, and the clear evidence that the work is of God.

Rev. H. Loomis writes that the statistics of the Greek Church in Japan have just been published, and the aggregate membership is nearly the same as that of the Protestant Churches, and it is generally found that the habits and conditions of the Greek Church members are much the same as those of the heathen.

Dr. Jessup writes from Syria that there is a Mohammedan revival in the Turkish empire. Boys' schools, girls' schools, military schools, civil service schools are being built in almost all the provinces. The Sultan as an individual holds enormous estates in every part of Asiatic Turkey, and has issued orders to have a mosque and a school built in every town and village where he has property. The forty-eighth report of the Mission- Meanwhile the building of Christian ary Church of Belgium states that twen-churches and schools has been stopped ty-seven churches and stations have been by the Government. founded amidst the Roman Catholic population, while the Gospel is regularly preached in eighty-three different places, and this influence is extended to sixty other places by open-air preaching, etc. The society has also nine Bible-readers and five colporteurs, whose visits are well received by Roman Catholics, who, in many cases, are thoroughly disgusted with the priests. One said: "I am tired of their mummeries." During the strikes at the beginning of the year, and amongst the mining population generally, good work was done.

The Missionary Herald for January says: 'Word has just reached us from Dr. Barnum, of Harpoot, Eastern Turkey, that, in obedience to an order from Constantinople, the government officials had recognized the college in all its departments, and that they were then busy in putting the official seal on the textbooks used. This is good news indeed, and apparently puts an end to a contest that has been going on for nearly four years. We trust, moreover, that it indicates a change in the attitude of the Turkish government toward missionary Rev. Wm. Moore, missionary in Spain work within the empire."

A Million for Missions

FOR 1887

BY COLLECTIONS ONLY.

A Million from Collections Alone.

BY R. S.

What for? The Methodist Episcopal Church proposes to raise this large amount for the spread of Christ's Kingdom on the earth.

It can be done and should be done; and will be done if every member is

reached.

The time has come when we as Methodists must move forward in Christ's name to the saving of the world with more earnestness than in the past. A question is before the church. How can this amount be raised? We all agree it should be raised, but how? is the question.

Our people must feel the importance of the subject. Not the few, but the whole Church must be aroused, as never before, and made to feel that our salvation, to some extent, depends on our conduct and treatment of the people who are in darkness. That question put by the stingy Methodist when asked to contribute to missions, "why cannot the heathen be saved without the Gospel?" must be changed; and we must ask them plainly, “How do you expect to be saved and get to Heaven with that kind of Christless Spirit in you?"

For I hold that that Christian is Christless who is not in sympathy with the missionary movement of the Church, and I am puzzled to see what engagement they would have in Heaven, going there with no sympathy in Christ's great command.

In order to arouse the Church we must hold missionary meetings at every preaching appointment from Maine to California. Let the preachers join hands and go forth in twos and threes to sound the trumpet.

And then let the preacher appoint a committee to canvass that appointment to find the last man; and then the Sabbath after the missionary meeting; have it as Missionary Sabbath. By this time the people at that place will be thinking about Christian Missions.

Something must be done to move the people, and if this plan is carried out just as the English Methodists do, the people will be moved and the million raised with a shout.

It can be done. All things are possible to the Methodist Episcopal Church when all the people say Amen.

I would name the months of April and May as good months for the fall conferences to carry out this programme. Let it be done throughout the land and the million is raised. Let every Presiding Elder and every preacher in charge say it shall be done.

And it will be done. Success is in one word. Organize.

Preachers' Meeting at Stavenger,

Norway.

Rev. J. H. Johnson writes from Bergen, Norway, Dec. 6, 1886: We closed a very interesting preachers' meeting at Stavenger last week, at which the following resolutions by a rising vote were passed.

"Whereas we have learned with great joy of the large increase in the collections for missions during the past fiscal year, and whereas we rejoice to see how the Methodist Episcopal Church in America continues to sympathize with and liberally aid us in the mission work in Norway.

"Therefore Resolved 1, That we hereby express our hearty thanks to the General Committee and the Church for the sympathy shown and the aid granted us as a mission.

"Resolved 2, That we will do our best in collecting money for missions during the year 1897.”

Our Norway Conference was organized in 1876, and not as stated in the Missionary Report for 1886, in 1867.

Unwise Methods.

Let this meeting be held the week before the Sabbath, or as near as possible the Sabbath when the collection is to be taken, or take the collection at the meeting if the way is favorable.

common for some speakers and newspaper correspondents to speak of a Million for Missions as a light thing. How easy it is to tell us what ought to be done! How easy to cry out to an audience-We ought to raise two millions! and I have heard it put as high as ten millions per

annum.

Brethren, suffer a word of counsel. Please allow the host we are seeking to inspire, to feel that they are doing a great thing to raise a Million for Missions-at least until they get it done. Then those

of you who think it a small thing to raise a Million, can raise your Two-Million cry, and lead us on.

It is so easy to raise the dollar-a-mem. ber cry, and have it pass for wisdom, before a popular audience; but I verily be lieve that cry has done the cause almost infinite harm. Many a man able to give twenty-five, fifty, or a hundred dollars, has chloroformed his conscience by responding to that appeal and giving what he called his share.

Let us go on with our great task. A Million for Missions by collections only, means an increase of nine hundred and fifty dollars per day for every day of the year, beyond what the income from that source was before the Million-dollar cry was raised.

It is no small thing to secure this increase. If it is done, our great Church must be inspired as never before. Bishop, Editors, Presiding Elders, Pastors, Sunday-school Superintendents must form a holy alliance to win this great victory.

Let those who think it is such a little thing to raise a Million, try their power a little and send us in a few thousands.

The Methodists raise nearly nineteen millions a year for the maintenance and spread of the Redeemer's Kingdom in the world-over ten dollars per member. Think of the hundreds of thousands of our communicants who are poor and dependent; think of the whole families that belong to our communion. Ten dollars per member is a great average. I doubt whether even the Roman Catholic Church does go well

Let us all agree that it is a great thing to raise a Million-till it is fairly done. Help us-do not hinder us. Study human

nature. Do not think the Church can be

inspired by telling them that what we are trying so hard to get them to do will seem a little thing when it is done!

O Lord, give us a great baptism of common sense. We never needed it so much as now. C. C. MCCABE.

Judson preached to the Buddhists in Burma for six years without a convert Every first Sunday he and his devoted wife would celebrate the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and would say at the conclusion, "We are the Church of Jesu in Burma." Somebody wrote to Mr Judson, after he had been there five years to know what were the prospects for the conversion of the heathen. He answered "As bright as the promises of God.”

We have an excellent Easter Exercis for use in Missionary meetings, prepare by Rev. W. H. W. Rees, of Creston, Iowa The price is $1.50 per hundred. Specime copy sent on application. Send in you orders promptly, that we may know ho many to print.

C. C. MCCABE.