Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-19

American missionaries OF every cIeco
and church who are now doing so
much in almost every corner or AFRICA
for the physical, the intellectual, ana
the moral betterment of the people. l
hope there will be the most hearty sup
port of these men, who IN 1ar-oit
regions are fighting for progress IN
things OF the spirit no less than IN
things of the body Let us help them
to make the missions centers of lndns-
trial no less than Of ethical teaching;
for unless we raise the savage IN m
dustrial efficiency we can not
permanently keep him on high plane
of moral efficiency, nor yet can we
render him able to hold his own in the
world.
Bishop Hartzell, l greet you: and !
extend my heartiest good wishes
to the great Methodist body on this
golden jubilee of it's far-reaching, work
in Africa. No denomination has done
more Jealous and effective missionary
work than the Methodists. They We're
in many large regions west OF the
AIleghenies the pioneers of missionary
work in our own land; and their mis-
sionaries are now to be found in every
continent and under every CLINE.
In Africa, on the west coast. the
foreign missionary work of the
Methodist Episcopal Church was begun
seventy-five years ago.
From that beginning a worldwide
missionary movement has developed
which now involves the annual eX-
penditure of $3,0OO,OOO from America,
| =. In, M,
various foreign fields. This great
work includes the establishment ana
maintenance in several foreign
countries, of churches and hospitals.
schools of various grades and kinds,
and far-reaching evangelistic effort.
In recent years, with the opening of
that continent TO civilization, the work
in Africa has grown to large propor-
tons, and the church is face to face
with unparalleled opportunities and
responsibilities in the strengthening of
the centers it now occupies and in
answering the calls for enlargement.
The missionary authorities of the
church. with the cordial approval of
the board of bishops. have designated
the year 1909 as Africa Diamond
Jubilee year. The nearly 10000
pastors of the church will present 10
their people the claims of Africa as a
mission field and ask for jubilee cffer-
ings The amount asked for from
America is 100000. Suptable litera-
ture is being published for wide dis
tributon. In addition to the con-
tributions in money, it is fully expected
that large number Of well-prepared
young men and women will consecrate
their lives to service in different parts
of the Dark Continent.
| The twentieth century will see and is
now seeing the transformation of Al
RIGA into new world. Within few
years its vast domain has been par
titioned among various European ma
tionS. These nations are eNpendinS
enormous sums of money and utilizing
their best craftsmanship and coloniz-
ing abilities in the development Of
colonial empires of wide extent and ex-
traordinary material possibilities.
Steamship lines encircle the Continent.
A continental system of railways and
of lake and river steamboats, will soon
extend northward from Cape Town
5000 miles to Cairo, while branch lines
will unite the East and West coasts
at several points. The latest results
Of science are being utilized in mining
and agriculture. while scholarly eX-
perts in different centers of Europe
are studying the questions of native
languages and religions, as we'll as the
best methods Of advancing civilization
among the many millions of native
peoples. The wealth of the commerce
which will be developed cannot be es-
timated The white man rules: but
there is only one white man on the
Continent to one hundred others,
who are either barbaric black heather
or fanatcal Mohammedans.
Self-interest and competition will. |
believe. unite in making the govern
ments fair to the people and the in
domitable energy of the adventurous
settlers and the wealth of the nations
behind them will result in exploiting
the vast commercial resources of the
continents. But there is a question
that is larger than either government
or trade, and that is the moral we'll
being of these vast millions who have
come under the protection of modern
governments. The representative of
the Christian religion must have his
place side by side with the man of
government and trade, and for genera
tons that representative must be sup
pned in the person of the foreign mis-
sionary from America and Europe.
Civilization can only be permanent and
continue Il blessing to any people if.
i'll addition to promoting their material
wcllneing. it also stands for an orderly
individual liberty. for the growth of
Intelligence, and for equal justice in
the administration Of law. Christian
ity alone meets these Fundamental re-
quirements.
The change of sentiment in favor of
the foreign missionary in single gen.
| GRAFTON has been remarkable. The
whole world. which is rapidly coming
into neighborhood relations, is recog-
nizi'.g as never before the real needs
of mankind. and is ready to approve
and strengthen all the moral forces
which stand for the uplift OF humani-
ty. There must be government for the
orderly and permanent development of
society. There must be intercourse
among peoples in the interests of COM
merce and growth But above all.
there must be moral power. established
and maintained under the leadership of