The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1886-09-15
THE MISSION FIELD

is now II ,6O2 showing an increase during the
past year of 2,706 The total number of churches
is ISL
"A farewell meeting was held in
Aisqulth Street Presbyterian Church. Baltimore,
Md lately, to celebrate the departure of DR.. T.
H. Hays, who leaves Baltimore for Siam, where
he will be established In Bangkok as medical
missionary under the Presbyterian Board of
Foreign Missions.
THE New ARABIC BIBLE-Some
short time since the United Presbyterian Church
of Scotland made grant of $4,000 for the pre-
paration of an Arabic Bible to be used for mis-
sion purposes among the Arab populations of
Africa and the East. The Bible has been COM
pleted and put on the market and according to
late accounts it is having an encouraging sale in
Alexandria, Egypt.
The colored Baptists of the north
west have sent two missionaries to the Congo
field, and are showing increased interest in that
mission. They have a membership of about
100000 in the United States, and though many
are very poor, it would be worth the sacrifice
required to send the gospel to the land of their
fathers if, like the churches of Macedonia
the abundance of their Joy and their deep pow
erty abounded unto the riches Of their lberalty.,
The Boston Missionary Herald
states on the authority of the Hawaiian Evan
SellCal ASSOCIATION, JnaJ since the OrdlnatlOn OF
the fret Hawaiian pastor in 1849 ninety five
Hawaiians have been ordained, of whom thirty
eight are at present pastors in the home field and
nine in foreign service. Since 1852, when the
first Hawalians went to Micronesia in company
with three American missionaries, not less than
seventy FIVE Sandwich Islanders have gone as
foreign missionaries, nearly half of the number
being females. The total sum contributed at
the Islands for Foreign Missions has been $l7O,-
l49
Six vessels are now employed by the
Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen" whose head
quarters at London, in their work among
the $4,000 and more fishermen of the North
Sea and a seventh vessel is soon to be manned
and cent out Even when out of port these
fishermen are not free from temptatiC in their
rough, hard life. OF course, there is little or no
Sunday observance and, until recently, vessels
of Dutch gin. merchants used always to follow
each feet of fishing smacks The mission
schooners carry books papers, and magazines
woolen cuffs, caps, comforters, and the like for
the smacksmens use in heavy and biting wealth
er; medicine supplies and surgical inst uments,
and tobacco, which the fishermen insist on hav-
ing, and which is sold to them cheap, In order to
keep them off of the Dutch gin merchants yes
sells. The chief aim of the mission vessels is to
bring the fishermen under some kind of Sunday
religious influence. Services are conducted on
board the mission schooners, with singing con-
ferences of prayer, and Bible reading Three
missionaries are employed by the society in the
work, and large degree Of success has attended
their efforts.
The Rev. j. Macgowan, of the Lon
don Missionary Society, writes from China:
1t is wonderful to watch the Gospel operat-
ing out 10 this Eastern land, Just as il does In
England The Chinese naturally know moth
ing OF sin. The Bible idea Of Gin does not exist
in this land and it ia difficult to get inquirers to
understand 1t. Yet here in a group awaiting
baptism a number of men brought up in
heathenism, ia king about sin, and confessing
themselves guilty Of 1T, Just though they had
been familiar with the idea all their lives The
history Of ne of the men baptized is interesting
Heis about forty-eight is doctor by profess
son For twenty elk years he was an opium
eater. Ten years ago he got copy of Johns
Gospel. He at once gave up idolatry, but took
no steps to become a Christian Last year
native Christian induced him in conversation
to become a worshipper of God. He was told
he must give up his opium. He had the opium
eaters belief that death wonld result from an
attempt to give it up After some hesitation he
at length resolved, From this instant 1 will
give up my opium and never touch it again
He suffered terribly. One evening his wife
thought he was dying, and bought some opium
to save his life Though racked with agony he
would not touch it. After ten days Of terrible
suffering he was a free man. He continues the
practice of his profession and breaches the Cos
pei wherever he goes.
Among the most interesting Of mis-
sionary premises anywhere is the Moffst Insti-
tute ut Keomman in South Africa The mitsion
station rises like an oasis amid desert of mir
age producing sands. There are it's fruit trees,
its pools of water, its growing corn, ts village
and its mission premises The resident mis-
sionsry is a son in law of TIE famous Robert
Moffai. Mofiat drained and cuuvdteI TINS
spot. HIS hands planted the healthy and varied
fruit trees that flourish there. Ounces, grapes
apples pears, peaches of unsurpassed quality
now abound Thus Mofst turned biz gardiner
experience Of early days TO account The mis-
SION buildings are Of stone, and occupy the four
side' Of a square The institute, ln which ten
youths are being educated for evan gelistio work,
ls on the west Size North and south are the
houses Of the missionaries. On the east side is
the home for the pupils. The chapel ninety
feet by twenty FIVE. is across the valley There
s printing department at present issuing in
the Batiaping dialect the Revised Version OF
the New Testament The work is done by ma
tives who, as skilled artisans csn take their
place beside the printers Of any other commune
ty. The whole premises cost about sixty thou
sand dollars. -Four medical missionaries are
now laborng in AntananarivO Madagascar
two Of them IN connection with the Norwegian
Missionary Society, and two with the Friends
Foreign Association and the London Missionary
Society conIointly. They have established a
Medical Missionary Academy, successful candi.
dates at which will be styled Members of the
Medical Missionary Academy" a hospital has
been established, and curriculum with annual
examinations arranged for.