The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1885-03-11

Hon. John Campbell has given $780,
600 towards establishing missionary bishopric
In FJi, where he has large estates And an in.
telllgent Brazilian has recently made the gift
OF 900 towards erecting boys training school
In Sac Paulo, under care of the Presbyterlans.
Such gifts show what value the residents In
heather countries, or those who have large COM
mercial interests there, place upon mission
work.
The Rev. John Macintyre, of the
United Presbyterian Church of England, writing
IRON the borders of Manchuria, says: Ii makes
one hopeful of China to see the present behavior
OIL the people. Here are the French attacking
emma, without observing the courtesy common
among nations, of first declaring war; in the
pure spirit OF aggression, demolishing fortresses
sinking gunboats, and holding the whole coast of
China In awe. Here are the Chinese rrtated
under the crushing sense of defeat-an Oriental
natlon-a nation commonly supposed, and with
some show of reason, to be void of public faith.
An how do they act toward this power, which is
IN the van OF European civilization They de-
clare that the subjects of France, even the much
! hated Roman Catholic missionaries, need not
depart from China In this crisis, and that thew
Will be protected from insult by the Chinese
authorities Even the great cause of disquiet-
Roman Catholic cathedrals, imposing Western
ouildlngs-are now everywhere protected by
Fifteen great Powers-namelv the
United States Great Britain, Germany, Austria
hungary, Belgium. l enmark, Spain, France.
Italy, Holland, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, Nor
way and Turkey-have met in conference at
the invitation of the German Imperial Govern
ment. One of our British exchanges SAYS
This conference of Powers, which has been sit
ing at Berlin, during the past few weeks of the
closing year, has done more for Africa than all
the political action of Individual States includ-
ing our own Government, during century
On the Sd of December these high contractors
adopted declaration of free trade and of free
intercourse in the basin of the Congo. embracing
religious, phllanthropIc and scientific enterprise
and the protection in all poets of the native
races Geographically, the basin of the Congo
includes I,3OO 600 square miles, al hough a COM
merclal area is reached of more than 600 600
square I,iles 1t is understood that the bound
aries covered by the Conference embrace the
whole country eastward to the Central Lakes
and the Free Church lfonthly of Scotland con.
slders the Lake Nyassa Mission field as embraced
IN the scope of this Convention"
The sixth article of the declaration is of pecu
liar significance, and Is as follows:
All the Powers exercising sovereign rights or
influence In the aforesaid territories bind them.
selves to watch over the preservation of the ma
tive tribes, and to care for the Improvement of
VI IuSlI uuOIdl anu material Well
being, and to help in suppressng slavery and es
peclally the slave trade. They shall, without
distinction OF creed or nation, protect and favor
ali religious, scientific or charitable institutions
and undertakings created and organized for the
above ends, or which aim at instructlng the ma
tlves and bringing home to them the blessings
otclvllzation. Christian missionaries, scientists
and explorers, with their followers, property
and collections shall likewise be the objects of
especial protection. Freedom of conscience and
religious federation are expressly guaranteed to
the natives, no less than to the subjects (of the
sovereign States) and to foreigners The free
and public exercise of all forms of divine wor-
ship, and he right to build churches. temples
and chaPels, and to organize religion, missions
belonging to all creeds, shall not be limited or
fettered In any way whatsoever.-Fo'e IN Ms