Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-04-21
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning April rs. 1853.
BY REV 8 IL DOYLE.

BY REV s. Fl. DOYLE.
Topic.-Heroes OF African missions
Ger. l. 6-1a
A hero is defined In standard die
tionary as one "who displays great
valor in the face of danger" If this
definition be true the early, missiona-
ries to Africa. with many Of the pres
ent one, are heroes indeed. In that
vast dark continent, so well called ny
Stanley darkest Africa" what dan
gers lay before those who entered it
20 preach the gospel of Christ-dan-
gers from climate. dangers from rep
tiles and wild beasts and. above all.
dangers from the inhabitants them
selves! The inhabitants of Africa are
mentally the lowest grade Of people TO
be found upon the face of the earth
Ignorance breeds cruelty and barbara
ty. They preyed upon each other:
they held each other In the lowest and
vflest forms of slavery: they even
cold those OF different tribes into slav-
cry among other peoples. Africa until
slavery was abolished by Christian CIV
flization was the great slave market or
the world The race today Is still ig-
norant and cruel. and grave dangers
still face the missionaries. Yet they
have feared not these dangers In
meeting them they have displayed the
greatest valor From the south they
approached northward. with little hope
of ever seeing home again. From the
Nile they have gone westward to the
Sudan to labor in great danger In
small villages and among nomadic
tribes. From the western coast they
have gone eastward into the interior
along the great Kongo river. risking
life at almost every advance. And for
what? Not for fame. not for fortune.
not to display heroism, not for any
selfish purpose. but in obedience to
their Masters, command and to benefit
the poor and needy souls Of those who
would have destroyed them. They
went to lead them from the lowest
forms of idolatry to the highest form
Of religious worship-the worship OF
the true God. Heroes indeed.
In the short space here allotted 1t Is
only possible to mention even some OF
these great heroes. but the mention OF
q few Of their names and deeds should
Ill us with new zeal in the cause or
saving great, dark Africa
1. George Schmidt was the first
Protestant missionary to South Africa.
He was 4 Moravian and reached Cape
Town in 1877. A few crosses were
seen here and there. the remains Of
Catholic missions begun over 200
years before Schmidt's arrival. When
Schmidt reached Africa he found that
the inhabitants had been badly treated
by white settlers and that their need
Of the gospel was very great. Meet
ing with some success at Cape Town.
he was bitterly hated and transferred
to q more inland tribe. But here also
he appealed to the people and was
making progress in the establishment
Of a church. This still further en-
ragged his enemies. and they demanded
that he be refused the use Of the rite
Of baptism. Thus DISTRACTED. he re-
turned to Europe in 1744 with the
hope Of receiving Justice, but 1t was
denied him by the government OF Hol-
land. He again became a common
day laborer but never ceased to be-
lieve that missions would prevail in
Africa nor to pray for his beloved
Hottentots. While on bis knees in
prayer his Master called him to his
heavenly home.
2. Robert Moffat was among the
greatest missionary heroes Of Africa.
He was born in Scotland Dec. p, 1t9o.
Of humble parentage. His mother
carefully trained him in the Bible and
told him much about the Moravian
Brethren, who were active mission
aries. While In an English town he
attended a missionary meeting; his
zeal was aroused. and he prayed that
God would send him to the foreign
1eld God answered his prayer. Upon
his request he was sent by the Lon
don Missionary society to South Az
Fica and arrived at Cape Town in
1877. From Cape Town he Journeyed
to Cape Colony, beyond the Orange
river. Here Africaner had usurped
the rule. The outcast ruler was con-
verified, which Is called one of 1.-The
miracles of missions" After fifty three
years of successful labors Moffat re-
turned to England in 1870. aged and
infirm- He died Aug. 8, 1888. 1.-THE
ANNOUNCEMENTS and dangers which
Moffat met were overcome by his
strong win, heroic faith and genial
humor."
g. David Livingstone. The hero of
heroes of African missions was David
Livingstone. He was born In Scotland
March 8. 1913. His parents were re-
ligious, and he was early impressed
with the noble life of Jesus in healing
the sick and instructing the ignorant.
In 1S40 he went to Cape Town and in
1914 married Mary Moffat. the daugh-
ter of the missionary. His great ex-
plorations and evangelist works can
not even be mentioned. Read his life.