Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-03-25
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.
Topic For the week Besinninr March

Topic For the Week Beginning March
23-Comment by Rev. = II. Doyle
Topic.-A mission study Of Africa--Ps.
xviii zs-9ls lisa xiii.
The continent Of Africa comprises
nearly 100000 square miles. It IS
b.000 miles long and 400 miles wide.
It is as large as Europe and SoJth
America combined IL IS crossed by
both tropics. and the equator cuts il
q little below the center. Thus il lies
largely within the tropics. Africa has
been described as our universal den
Of desolation. misery and crime" and
no continent upon the face Of the earth
has been 50 characterized by degrada-
ton, wretchedness and woe IL has
well been called darkest Africa" for
from all times the vast mass Of its pop
ulation has been submerged beneath
appalling moral and spiritual darkness.
The population OF Africa is supposed
to be about 2O0OO0.oO0. or eDe-seventh
Of that OF the globe. Many races and
languag yes are found on the continent.
Egypt.ans and Arabians principally oe-
cupy the northern and eastern part.
The negro race occupies the greater
part Of the western and northern CEN
uHl Africa from the Atlantic to the
Nile. The Bantu race comprises al
most all the natives and tribes south OF
the equator. They resemble the ne
groes proper in many respects, yet have
more regular features and speak en-
tirely different languages. The Zulus
and Kaffirs belong TO this race The
Hottentot bushmen include the Hot
tentots, the bushmen and the pygmy
tribes who live in the heart Of the con-
tinent This group is the lowest in the
scale Of African humanity.
Paganism is the original and prinei-
pal religion of the native African tribes.
African paganism includes belief in
q supreme being and in spirit world.
The grossest forms of superstition pre-
vail Idolatry. as usually understood,
scarcely exists. 1t is replaced by fe-
ttchisn, the worship of charms. which
may be almost any object-a tree, stick,
stone, shell or plant These are sup
passed to have power to keep of danger
and to give the power to injure enc
mics "One guards against sickness,
another against drought, third against
the disasters Of war; one is used to
draw down rain, another to secure good
crops, and q third fills the sea and riy-
an with fishes and brings them to the
Aaherman's net" Three-fourths of the
people Of Africa are pagans- Next TO
paganism Mohammedanism prevails
It was spread by fire and sword over
northern Africa in the seventh century
and has advanced in recent years.
Nearly one-fourth of the population is
Moha mmedan. The Mohammedans are
found in north Africa the eastern and
western Sudan and on the eastern and
western coasts. Several millions Of the
people are Christians. OF these about
one-half are Copts and Abyssinians and
the remainder ProtestaDts and Catho-
lies in about equal proportions.
For many years our great Christian
denominations have been working to
evangelize the dark continent These
efforts, though put forth in the face of
tremendous obstacles, have produced
remarkable results Our God can re-
deem and save even Africa Egypt is
turning toward God, and by prayer and
offerings we should do our part in the
redemption of this vast continent The
nations of the world have cursed it
With slavery. opium. rum and immoral
fly. Let US make retribution for the
past by sending the gospel to these peo-
pie who sit in great darkness and need
the light of Christ
NOTE
Make special study of your denomi-
national mission work in Africa.