The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1884-10-15
THE MISSION FIELD.


Der OF French students for the ministry is ex
pected to reach sixteen this year.
1t is reported that word has come
by telegraph to the rooms of the American
Board that our missionaries in West Central
AFRICA, for some cause not yet fully known, have
been compelled to retire temporarily from their
held In the interior, and that they are for the
present safe in Benguela on the coast. Further
particulars by mail are expected in two or three
weeks"
The Rev. Mr.. Ross, who is evange
lizlng In the North of China, has succeeded after
much Houble, IN discovering the Corean written
character as well as the rudiments of their Lam
Suage six thousand copies of two of the Cos
pels translated into the Corean language have
been distributed In the country, and one Chinese
New Testament, the gift of three Christians has
reached even the Court.
The Christian advocate saws the
Rev. William Summers, M D.. a graduate from
remington Seminary is about to lead a party
OF Christian missionaries into Central Africa, un
der the lead and general supervision of Mission
airy BISHOP Taylor. The plan of Bishop TAYLOR
conclsely stated, Is to plant about twenty mis-
sion stations on line running through the rich
belt OF country which lies Just south of the
congo River, and stretches from the Atlantic to
the faclhc Ocean. For this gigantic enterprise
1orty missionaries are needed to open the work
VI TINS number about twenty have been secured.
BISHOP Taylor himself will ent,r Africa from
the Atlantic coast with twenty missionaries
ABOUT october or November, and DR.. Summers
VIII enter Africa from the Indian Ocean with
twenty more missionaries in Nav or June next
Both parties will advance toward the interior
until they meet, thus completing the chain of
mission stations across Africa from the mouth
OF the Congo on the Atlantic Ocean to the mouth
OF the Iambezi on the Indian Ocean.
-THE Work IN MExICo.-Mexico is
more difficult field for missionary work than
many portions of heather lands, because of the
ppposltlon OF the Roman Catholic priests but
the reports are encouraging. The Southern
Methodlsts have opened new mission at Sal
tl!lo, and here are Rev. John F. Corbin and
wife and Mrs. Sarah M. Burford The Southern
baptlsts nave also found their work advancing
In Saltlllo, and they are about establishing a
seminary there under very favorable auspices.
Inc Southern Methodsts will open mission at
Lagos, and have commenced new church build
lngs IN Soledad and San Salvador, the latter be
ing built with funds raised by the Willing
Workers OF Savannah, Ga Rev w. M. Pat
terson Superintendent of the Southern Metho-
dist Mission, writes very hopefully of the pros
pectr and Is abundant in labors. The American
Board has now nine missionaries in Mexico
| four OF whom are ordained
WHAT THE MISSIONARY DoEs.-Dr
Laws. of the Livingstone Mission, on the shores
OF Lake Nyanza, gives very interesting Die
lure OF mlsslonary's life and work in the heart
OF Africa. He says: There are two hours OF
the day when it is impossible, owing to the heat
OF the sun, to work on the roads. Between
Twelve and two o'clock the people are permit
ted to rest, and before the afternoon toll is re-
sumed they are all gathered together, and after
the roll is called, meeting rather than a ser
vice Is held and the missionaries then serve the
purposes which, to large extent, newspaper
| do In this country. They tell the psople wbat
Is going on in the outside word. in the civilized
countries of the globe, and in this and in a
| variety OF ways the utilize opportunities for
teachlng the ignorant men and women and chill
dren, and OF making them good as we'll as wise "
Some years ago a medical mission
was established at Agra, in India It's object is
to combine the work of evangelization with
practical benevolence. 1t therefore tries to GET
at the peoples hearts through services rendered
to their bodies. 1t takes for its motto the Sa
vlours words, Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers
1t has already had a large amount of success
and so well has the scheme worked in the wav
OF commencing itself to the native population
that the managers of the mission have felt en-
couraged to educate and employ in the work
they have in hand Christian natives. and it is
gratifying to know that the experiment has
been attended with success. Large numbers OF
| young men are being educated in the healin o
art and sent forth among their countrymen az
medical missionaries. The mission has greatly
commended itself to the British Churches.
"A clergyman who has recently made
a tour OF observation in China expresses him
self as surprised at the security which the
traveller experiences In the Celestial Empire
subject to no annoyance himself he made dill
gent inquiry on this point Of English German
ana American missionaries and received the
same reply from all, that traveller who eoe,
quietly about his own business is safe in city OF
country There are now nearly four bundrsd
lady missionaries, married and unmarried II
emma de put the question to a missionary
VINO has been travelling through eight province.
OF the Empire now for several years Have
| you ever known foreign lady to be insulteC
| by native during your residence in China D
The emphatic reply was, Never" He goes or
70 say " Ladies engaged in misslon-w work have
repeatedly Informed me that they have no fear
IN gong OIL alone among the inhabitants Of the
interior of the Empire"
The Missionary Herald for Octobe,
has this report of the schools of the American
Board at Kioto, Japan
Friday, the twenty seventh of June wa,
9, great day In the history Of this school, beine
the DAY OF the graduation Of the first class which
has taken the full eight years course in Enc
llsh, science, and theology 1t is fine class 81
thirteen, and the most of them 90 at once into
the active work Of the ministry. One is already
an ordained pastor, and most of the others have
churches eagerly waiting for them They are
needed In 80 many places that some of then
nave had hard work to decide where they wer,
] needed -.