Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-09-20
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
1eoinrina Sept. "a, 1911.

Prayer Meeting Topic For Tire E'sek
Beginning Sept. "a, 1911.
Topic.-A missionary journey around tn
world.-IX. Missions in Afriea--Acts viii
$40 Edited by Rev. Sherman H Doyle
d. D.
Africa Is the largest and the most
needy mission field In The world II
Is indeed Darkest Africa" In the
more civilized parts the population ia
predominantly Mohammedan, and the
opportunity and necessity for mission
airy work exist, but 1t 10 especially
among the various native tribes that
there il the greatest need In Africa
we find the lowest scale Of humanity.
represented in such tribes AZ the Hot
tentots. bushmen and pygmies. But
among them and the other native
tribes, such as the Zulus. the Kaff1rs
and the negroes we find also the low
est moral and religious IDEAS and
forms of life
The entire continent b therefore in
need Of the gospel. and when we con-
slider the greatness OF its area and the
immensely Of its population we can
readily understand the vastness Of the
problem before the Christian church
In spreading the gospel among all the
people
Where Afric's sunny fountains
Roll down their golden sand.
and the necessity Of ones doing all
that he can do If this great task is
ever to be accomplished
Here also as nowhere else we see
the need Of humble reliance upon the
power and spirit Of God in all mis-
sionary work. When we think Of AZ
rica-dark. degraded, downtrodden-
we can but cry, "Who Is sufficient for
these thingsT And our only comfort
lies In the thought that with God all
things are possible"
: The picture of Africn's needs Is GER
talnly a dark one. The natives are
indolsnt, slavery still exists In degrad-
ing foFmsi intsmperance abounds. and
It Is a sad commentary upon Christian
government that missionariee and rum
are carried 10 Africa on'th4 same YES
sells; polygamy, with its kindred vices.
which. alas, are too often encouraged
by white men. Is debasins manhood
and womanhood and destroying mar
fiage and family life. When We add to
these gross in1moralittes thu 10y intel
lisence Of the natives snd It's inferior
character Of their religious beaiefs, the
outlook certainly seems DARK and un-
promising. Yet. on the other hand,
there are some encouraging features.
The natives generally are receptive to
religious impressions, they are hos
pitable to strangers, docile and ODE
dent and usually exceedingly kind In
some places each missionary on ar
rival is addressed with the title Of
father and mother" and the ties
between them become strong and often
tender. So that 1t is not impossible for
the enlightening and benefcent influ-
ences Of Christianity to reach the baser
,s!ements Of African nature through
the more uanobling ones and to over
come them. ~
The continent Of Africa has feit the
touch Of Christianity throughout the
Christian centuries. Christ found In
Egypt a refuge and home from the
hatred Of Herod Simon Of Cyrene as
sisted Christ in bearing His cross ur
the hill Of Calvary. An officer OF
Candace, queen of Ethiopia, was one
of the earliest converts to Christianity.
Missionaries early carried the cross to
the home Of the pharaohs, and In the
centuries Immediately following Chris
Hanity took deep root in northern AT
rica, and many OF the early Christian
sects still exist
b But it was reserved for more recent
centuries to carry the truth to the ma
tive tribes Of the east and south and
the heart Of Africa. Moffatt and Liv
ingstone and others led the way thai
has been gladly followed The crown
ing achievement was reached only @
few years ago in the establishment OF
successful missions in the Sudan. The
measure Of previous success against
seemingly Overwhelming odds war
rants our belief in great things for the
days to come. and that it is the purpose
of God to hear the call Of darkest AT
rica and to deliver ''the land from err
ohat