The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-12-21
MISSIONS.


The Central African Mission of the
London Society has encountered so MANY
difficulties and sustained such heavy
losses that the Board of Directors has
been led to consider whether continued
heavy expenditures of money and peril
to the lives and health of valued mis-
sionaries would be justifable. In June
la last the two missionaries in Ujiji, on Lake
Ianganylka, were Frustrated with fever
and were compelled to leave the country.
DR.. Palmer, of Mtowa, was subsequently,
attacked by the same disease, and he too
was compelled to leave for the coast, suf-
fering temporarily from an attack of
paralysis. Mr.. Hore, of the mission force,
is In England, on turlough, and only
Mr.. Griffith, who is on the west shore of
the Lake, and Messrs Southon and
Williams, who are at Urambo, about two
hundred miles east of the Lake, remained
to prosecute the work of this great Cen
trail African Mission News has recently
been received of the death of Mr. VIII
liams, so that onl y two missionaries, who
are widely separated, are now in the
field. Since the beginning of the Mis-
sion, in 1876, four men have died and
three have retired on account of failing
health, and there has been an expendi-
ture of $4,000. The Directors, in view
of these facts, discussed at their October
meeting the question: Is it not our duty
to confne our work to safe, if less roman
tic fields, or, at least, to abandon the
stations on the Lake? The unanimous
decision was that there can be no retreat.
The great population around the Lake
need the Gospel. They say
The reception of our missionaries by
them has been uniformly friendly and
encouraging. Lake Tanganyika is the
most advanced post in the progress of the
missionary army through Africa. 1t is
the gateway of the west and the best
means of access to those multitudinous
peoples who occupy the great valley of
the mighty, mysterious Livingstone or
Congo River. The post of honor has
been assigned to US. We cannot in honor
retire from it. We must press on more
boldly, though with all caution and care,
determined not to rest or cease from our
labors until we join hands with our
brethren of the American Board and with
the Baptists, who are advancing up the
Congo, and with other Christian workers,
who are pressing inward from the West
Coast, and the whole of Central Africa
becomes subject to Christ"
The Directors are Of opiuion that more
healthy residences can be found, and
UjiIi in particular is condemned. It is
vary low and is sheltered from the most
refreshing wind that blows, the south
east. Hereafter sites for stations will
only be chosen after it shall be ascertained
that they are favorable to the health of
Europeans. A steamer will be provided,
so that the shores of the Lake can be
carefully examined. The Directors say
further:
1t is necessary to secure more fire.
quent and easy communication with the
missionaries on the Lake, and to reduce
the present very serious cost of transport
oy land from the sea, distance of $50
miles. To this end, it is important that
steps should speedily be taken to open
and MAINTAIN communication with the
sea by way of Lake Nyassa and the
River Zambezi. Already the Presby-
terrain Churches have missions and a
steamer on Lake Nyassa and trading
company of philanthropic gentlemen are
carrying on successful trade by means of
steamers on the Zambezi. And now a
generous offer of money has been made
toward the expense of making a road be-
tween the two Lakes. 1t only remains
that the London Missionary Society
should establish station at the southern
end of Lake Tanganyika to make the
chain OF communication complete. With
such road and with the service of an
ettclent steamer on the Lake, our mis-
sionarles will always be assured of rapid
communication and speedy relief in the
hour of need, and the work of evangelical
ton will be rendered more systematic
and thorough"
The Directors took action in favor of
arranging as soon as possible, for the
establishment of a station at the southern
end OF the Lake, to put steamer on the
Lake, and to send out next Spring five
men as reinforcements for the Mission
two to man the new station, two to 90 TO
Urambo, and one to 90 to the eastern
shore OF the Lake, as soon as a good site
is selected. In view of the heavy in
crease OF expenditure involved in these
plans and the exhaustion of the special
funds the Society calls for increased CON
ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
With cheerful feet thy path Of duty run;