The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-01-25
FOREIGN CHURCH NEWS.

There is no doubt that the services
held by Moody and Sankey in Edinburgh,
Scotland are attracting great attention. The
Free Assembly Hall, when opened, is Immediate
ly crowded, and church near by is always
thrown open for inquirers. Less is said in the
newspapers about the meetings, but the work
seems to be very effective.
"A law has been passed in China ex-
empting all converts to Christianity from the
religious taxes for the support of idol worship.
The English Church Missionary
Society reports that on the Niger tribe after
tribe are ready to receive teachers On the
Delta of the Niger the people by hundreds are
throwing away their idols, and the churches
are thronged every Lords day; while the
famous old temple at Bonny studded with
human skulls, is going to ruin.
"A Yale student, who was to be a
foreign missionary, was rather jeeringly asked
by cassmate six years ago for 1.-THE first
bushel of idols" he should persuade the heather
to give up. He went to Japan, and has already
collected and sent home barrels full, which were
furnished for the purpose by converts.
1t is estimated that within less than
fifty years 10000 900 have been added to the
number of the heather world accessible to the
gospel. The total heather population now open
to missionary effort is placed at 100000 900. In
1880 there were reported as laboring in this
mighty harvest 6, 696 ordained Protestant minis
ters foreign and native, and SO ,856 lay as
slstants. Allowing for those not reported, pro
baby the entire number does not now exceed
$4,000. -'''N
The Rev. r. r. Williams. President
of the. Ramapatan Seminary, connected with the
Baptist Mission to the Telugus, in India. says
they have one native preacher who holds his
congregation with as firm a grip as Sturgeon.
lie says that one element of the power of the
native preachers is the fact that the Bible is an
Eastern book, and hence they understand it,
Professor Christlieb was recently
chosen pastor of the st. Nicholas church at
Leipzig, aud would have accepted had it not
required his resignation of his theological Pre-
fessorship In the University.
The beautiful islands of the southeast
ern coast of Asia are still under the influence o
the most degraded heathenism. Borneo. with
ITS two millions, has few stations under the
khenlsh and English Propagation Societies
Java, with Its nine millions has a larger mum.
Der OF churches and laborers, amountl1e to les,
than thirty, under the Dutch societies, New
Guinea, the largest island on the globe except
Australia, has only been accessible to missiona.
RES Tor seven years but in that time the London
Society has planted about thirtvAtations alone
Its immense coast and among its numerous races
and aportlon OF the Bible has been translated
into one OF the languages. Something has beer
done IN Sumatra. But Madagascar is the crown
OF modern missions. After thirty years 0
persecution, the lovely and prosperous islanC
has enjoyed twenty years of peace and Christian
progress.
DIR. Conrad, editor of the Lalthera,
Observer writing Of the work in hand bv Pres
! byterlans IN Las Vegas, New Mexico saws
1 The Presbyterians commenced a mission her
In 1859, and organized CONGREGATION anon
the Mexican neople in 1870 They erected
parsonage and church building, a part of wbic
} was used for school purposes. A purely Mex
can congregation is about to be ORGANIZED {
winch rev. IL. Vargas has been appointed pas
Ior' Inc American portion of the conprepatIo
mas Just finished a new church edi6ce AT y co,
J Of $1,000, seating 400 persons. The membe,
, ship is thirty FIVE, with good prospsct Of donI
ling that number. The pastor is Rev ]
Eastman, who came upon the Ground sivfea
months ago. In Santa F6 twenty eight wear
7 ago. the Baptists built an adobe church, an
+ fourteen years ago sold it to the Presbyterian
who have since occupied it, They have nearl
completed new brick church in the rear of /
at cost OF $4,000, which will seat 400 hearer
ihey also sustain an academy, taught by Re,
} MT. Reigel, and parochial school. taught by
lady teacher, the pastor, Rev. J McGauphey
rendering assistance in instruction. The cor
gregatlon IS still small, but its prospects are en-
couraging ~ 7. Evangelist.
AT the late concentrations the Pom
looked ill-so wan and cadaverous that the com
mon expression among the French PILGRIMS wa,
" HP"T@1" IN cadovre.' He looks like corpse