Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-07-21
MISSIONARY MATTERS.

N DoAn"hI ooNehty years ago, there
was not single Christian. Now there
are not far from 100000. The Baptists
alone have 500 churches and nearly 3O,-
0Oo communicates.
MICRONESIA saw her first Christian
baptism but q little over q quarter of a
century ago. Now there are forty-seveu
self-supporting churches and about 6, 900
church members.
The Friendly Islands fifty years ago
had not native Christian. Now there
are more than $4,000 church members,
who give annually from their scanty
store $4,000 for religious objects.
PoMARE, the South Sea Island Queen.
died at the age of seventy years. At
her birth the first missionaries were
Just landing; ut her death, 800 of the
South Sea Islands had become Chris
tianized!
The Sandwich Islands in 1890 were
peopled by naked savages, living in the
surf, eating raw flesh, and practicine
human sacrifice. In fifty years they
were regarded as Christianized. AL
ready these native churches have
trained up more than sevGnty-flve for
efgn missionaries to be sent to the ISL
ands beyond!
.CHINA's pioneer missionary, Robert
Morrison, began work in 1907. In 1S43
only six Christians could be found in the
Empire. Now there are $4,000 church
members who gave last year moro than
$4,000 for the support Of the Gospel.
There are at present thirty-eight socie-
ties at work in China, employing more
than 1000 missionaries. Already there
are from 1876, 900 to $50, 900 adherents.
THE Fiji Islands Afty-fve years ago
had never seen missionary, and were
peopled by ferocious cannibals. In 1879
Sir Arthur Gordon, the first British
Governor, said on his return to London:
"Out Of population Of about 12O, 600,
100000 are now regular worshipers in
the churches. which number 800, all
we'll built and completed. In every
family there is morning and evening
worship"
JAPAN had but ten Christian converts
in 1872. According to statistics lust
now published there are now 31.1S1, of
whom 6,542 were received into the
churches last year. Twenty-six mission.
ary societies are at work in the Empire,
and already there arc no less than four.
teen theological seminaries with nearly
300 native students for the ministry.
The Buddhist priests have dwihdled
from 244,O to 5O,0OO-a most siRnificant t
fact.
lr Is not yet seventy-hve years since
the first convert was gained in Poly
nesia. Now the converts number 750,-
900. A band Of 100 young men and
women from Tahiti and the neiuhborin1
islands are going forth as evangelists to
other benighted tribes. OF all these na-
tive workers not one, it Is said, has
ever proved fecreant or faithless. Yet
these are the cannibals of loss than q
century ago who had lost all idea Of any
God save that Of some strange, tyran.
nical despot.
AFRICA now has at work within her
borders ten American, twelve British
and thirteen continental missionary So
cieties. There are more than 700 or
dalned missionaries, ana moro than
1000 native preachers. It Is estimated
that there are, both white and native,
about liz, 900 communicates and 800, 900
adherents. The Congo region, so re.
Gently opened, now has chain Of mis-
sion stations extending almost from the
mouth Of the river to tho equator, and
five large steamers are engaged in mis-
sion work on the Upper Congo.
MADAGASCAR, early in the century,
was nation of fierce idolaters. The
first missionaries were told that they
might az we'll try to convert cattle. The
most inhumsn cruelties were practiced
upon the first converts, and as late az
1857, 1900 were put TO death for their
faith. But the church that went under
the cloud with few hundred souls and
Gods Word in their hands came out .
host Of $1,000! Now the London Society
alone has moro than 10000 church NOM
bers and about 100000 adherents. SIX
ty-flve years ago not native Of the
island could read, now 300, 900 can read.
Madagascar has moro than 5000 or
n