The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1884-02-20

slble-that Is, vacate them. One
thing is certain-that the Egyptian
should never be allowed out of his own
country. | have withdrawn from more
than half the country which we held at
the equator, and 800 miles will separate
us from Mtesa." The policy of the aban-
donment of the further Soudan which the
Government has despatched him to carry
out Is but development of his own poll
cy, and needs no further justification
than the letters written by him as Gov
General of the Soudan in 1879
The policy which General Gordon would
pursue in the Soudan, if he were left alb
solutely free, may best be described as a
great scheme for the restitution OF native
autonomy. AS Mr. Gladstone demanded
Home Rule for Bulgaria, so Gen. Gordon
advocates Home Rule for the various
races inhabiting the Soudan. He would
withdraw the authority of Egypt from
the tribes, which curiously realise in the
heart OF Africa the political ideal of the
Partisan communalists The sheikhs he
declares, are absolutely devoid of ambi-
ton. Annexation is an unknown vice.
Each tribe of from one to three hundred
families lives its own independent life.
They make war, but not for conquest,
and the removal of the pasta would leave
them to the aboriginal independence
He would limit the authority of Egypt
in Central Africa to the region which
lies between the Red Sea and the Nile,
and is bounded on the south by frontier
running from Senaar to Massowah.
Gen. Gordon is the natural tribune of
the oppressed. If we could imagine a
Socialist revolution in this country, Gen.
Gordon is an ideal sword ready fashioned
to the hand of a democratic revolt of des-
pair. In him the Soudanese will find a
champion far ADLER and stronger than the
Egyptian fellaheen found in Arab. 81
believe I can do great deal to amelio-
rate the lot of the people" That is why
he has gone to the Soudan. He expects
no gratitude and wishes for none. The
difficulties are great. He carries his life
in his hand. Success is almost impossi-
BILE, and failure would impair reputa-
ton hitherto unequalled That, however,
is nothing to him. "Let me ask" he
wrote on one occasion, when he had a
great difficulty to surmount, "who that
had not the Almighty with him could do
that? l have the Almighty with me, and
[ will do it. No man ever had harder
task than 1, unaided, have before me
but it sits as a feather on me. AS Solo
mon asked, l ask wisdom to govern this
great people, and not only will He give
me it, but all else besides And why?
Because value not the all besides" I
have naught to gain in name of riches.
l do not care what man may say. l do
what 1 think is pleasing to my God and,
so far as man goes, need nothing from
any one. I feel my own weakness, look
to Him who is almighty, and leave the
issue without inordinate care to Him. /
am quite alone, and like it. I have be.
come what people call great fatalist-
namely, [ trust God will pull me through
every difficulty. The solitary grandeur
of the desert makes one feel how vain is
the effort of man. This carries me through
my troubles, and enables me to look on
death as coming relief when it is His
will"
General Gordon has never had much
mercy upon his body, but of his physical
health, as he calls it, he has had little
reason to complain. 81 have in me
something he wrote in 1874, "that il
God willed, might benefit these lands, for
He has given me great energy and health
and some little common sense" Yet al
though his energy and health are almost
unequalled. he has suffered much from
angina pectoriS. Describing its symp.
toms he says, {" a rush of blood takes
place to the head, and you think all is
over. l may say l have died suddenly 6
hundred times" But in sickness and il
health he has followed his standing order
Keep your eyes on the cloud by day
and the pillar by night and never mind
all thy heart, and lean not unto thine
own understanding. In all thy way;
acknowledge Him, and He shall direct
Beautiful great soul" said Carlyle
of one to whom the accredited represen-
tative of the English Government in the
Soudan bears no small resemblance in
character and in faith Beautiful great
soul, to whom the Temporal is all irradi
ated with the Eternal, and God is every
where divinely visible in the affairs Of
man, and man himself has, as it were
become divine" and as he spoke of the
Lord Protector of the Commonwealth, sc
may we speak of the new Governor OIL
the Soundan. "Were it not for the
knowledge that 1 have that God is Gov
ernor General said General Gordon
/ could not get on at ALL" Even those
who are most mournfully convinced thai