452 African Missions of American Methodists. deacons as Conference workers, 4 local preachers, 3 exhorters, 208 members, 6 probationers, and 85 Sunday school pupils. There are now 13 appointments and over 300 members. The missionaries from the United States are Rev. G. G. Vreeland, Rev. Dr. Alfred H. Chase and wife, Rev. Clement Irons and wife, and Rev. J. P. Lindsey and wife. For the four years closing with May, 1892, the Missionary Department of the African Methodist Episcopal Church sent to Africa $3,172 for the support of the work there. It is proposed spending $10,000 on the work in Africa during the present iscal year. Bishop Turner returned from his second trip to Africa in June last. He held the two African Conferences, and reports that the African churches have had an encouraging growth since his previous visit in 1891. FREE METHODIST MISSIONS. The Free Methodist Church commenced mission work in Africa in 1883. In that year a company of five was sent out, consisting of Rev. W. W. Kelley and wife, Rev. Robert Shemeld and wife, and Rev. G. Harry Agnew. They expected to go to the Nyassa region, but finally located in Southeast Africa. There are now two stations in Natal, called Fairview and Bethany, and a station at Inhambane in Mozambique. At Fairview the mission has twenty-three hundred acres of land and three buildings. A school is in progress taught by a native Christian woman. Services are held regularly, a society has been organized, and the natives are now contributing regularly toward the support of the work. Rev. A. D. Noyes and wife, and Miss F. Grace Allen are the missionaries, with Miss Martha Isaacs as native helper. The post office address of the missionaries is Port Shepstone, Natal, South Africa. At Bethany the mission has sixteen acres of land, with two good stone buildings. The missionaries are Rev. J. J. Haviland and his wife, Mrs. Emma H. Haviland. A school is in progress, and the prospect for a prosperous mission is good. The address of the missionaries is Estcourt, Natal, South Africa. At Inhambane, Mozambique, is a mission with Rev. G. Harry Agnew in charge, and "Tom" as native helper. The Secretary of the Free Methodist Church Mission Board reports that the American Board is about to turn over to them their mission stations in and near Inhambane, with the results of fifteen years of labor. This includes the translation of the entire New Testament into the Gitonga, and the translation of the four gospels and the Acts into the Sheltswa language. The Free Methodist Mission Board expects to send out next spring at least seven missionaries to that field. Rev. F. L. Desh and wife have been at Durban, and will soon go to Bethany to assist Mr. and Mrs. Haviland. Twenty native members have been gathered into these African missions, and for the support of the missions there was expended for the year closing October 1, 1892, $6,321.50. The foundations have been laid for successful work, and the outlook has never been brighter. WESLEYAN METHODIST MISSION. The Wesleyan Methodists of the United States have but one mission in Africa. It is in Sierra Leone, and was commenced in 1889. The report made of the mission is as follows: The first missionary sailed March 10, 1889. This was Rev. A. W. Hall. Since then Rev. H. W. Johnston and wife, Rev. J. B. Omerod, and Alice Harris, M.D., have reinforced the mission, but Mr. Omerod and Dr. Harris have since returned. They all went to Freetown, and have established a station about two hundred miles interior, toward the Soudan. The station is named Bombali. There have been three or four baptisms, and the outlook is encouraging. In January, 1892, there was but a native hut on the mission land. Now a mission house and two other houses for families have been erected and a school opened. About $5,000 is expended annually for the benefit of the mission. Rev. J. R. Hodges, of Texas, has been appointed a missionary and will soon go to the mission. The report for the past year made by missionary Rev. Mr. Johnston says: "The first half of the year the work was meager, owing to the necessity for the erection of suitable buildings, etc., on the mission laud. Work the last half consisted of: First, street preaching in Rokunso. Second, public worship every morning in the mission house. Third, preaching to groups of strangers and visitors at irregular intervals. Fourth, visiting from house to house in Rokunso. Fifth, itinerating to neighboring towns to preach. Sixth, private instruction to five pupils connected with the mission. Fifteen towns have been visited, and hundreds of people have heard of Jesus Christ, the world's Redeemer." Three lessons have been taught and partly learned by the American Methodist Churches in the prosecution of their African missions: First. The missionaries sent to Africa should be strong physically, mentally, spiritually. The missions have suffered greatly from the early death of the missionaries, or their sickness and speedy return. The first Methodist missionary sent was in such poor health that even in the United States he was obliged to rest from the toils of the pastorate three fourths of the year. Who wonders that his active missionary life in Africa lasted only thirty-six days, and that these were followed by one hundred days of sickness and languishing, then death and a grave A Converted Buddhist Nun in Japan. in Africa? The experiment has been often repeated, but with a like result, Workers are needed strong enough physically to endure the African fever and the necessary acclimation; strong enough mentally not to expose themselves to unnecessary risks; strong enough spiritually not to yield to homesickness, but evermore rejoicing in being permitted to work for Christ in Africa; and workers are needed who will be able to give their whole time to the winning of souls, while the Church at home provides all necessary physical comforts and sends up constantly prayers to heaven in their behalf. Second. As in other heathen lands, the evangelization of the natives of Africa must depend largely upon native evangelists, and the work of the missionaries should be to secure the conversion, education, and mental and spiritual equipment of those who shall thus be prepared to lead their own people from the thraldom of heathendom into the purity, peace, joy, and civilization of the Gospel of Christ. Third. The native Africans are as responsive to the power of the Gospel, make as devoted, faithful Christians, endure steadfast as severe persecution, and die as peaceful and as triumphant deaths as the people of any other clime or color. The fetichism of Africa is as powerless before the Cross, when brought face to face with it, as is the Brahmanism of India, the Buddhism of Burma and Siam, the Confucianism of China, the Shintoism of Japan, or the deep-seated wickedness of our great cities. The Lord reigns. A Converted Buddhist Nun in Japan. BY MRS. L. PIERSON. WE have recently been greatly tried with regard to a converted Buddhist priestess, young, gifted, and beautiful, who has joined our corps of Bible readers. Her name is Ochiye San, which means "wisdom." She attended our meetings in Gifu, was there convicted of sin and converted. Her great desire was to study the Bible and to work for the Lord Jesus; so, after a few preliminaries, she came to us. She had been living with an old aunt, also a Buddhist priestess, who reluctantly gave her permission to enter our class of Bible readers, upon which Ochiye San immediately acted. She came alone, almost a stranger to us, with her hair shaven, and wearing the costume of the Buddhist nun. I gladly received her, knowing that the Lord, who is rich in treasures and resources, would provide for her, although there was no special appropriation for her. When she had been with us about a week the old aunt, induced by the Buddhists, came to take her home. We reasoned and expostulated, but seemingly without result. We prayed most fervently that the dear child might be permitted to remain among her Christian sisters until her faith was mature and her work for Jesus accomplished. 453 The relatives had the legal power to withdraw her from us, as she was in her minority. The aunt went to the police to secure their cooperation, and the niece was summoned to appear before those authorities. They inquired why she had renounced Buddhism. She was very firm and steadfast, and replied: "I was sent by my parents when very young to serve in the temple. Then I did not know about the only true God and my Saviour Jesus Christ. As soon as I learned about this happy life in Jesus I longed for it; my sins were great, but he has forgiven them, and I believe in him as my Saviour." The police were angry, but did not undertake to remove her from us violently. After another earnest season of prayer we prevailed with the aunt, who returned home, leaving Ochiye San with us. We were very thankful, recognizing and acknowledging that the victory was of the Lord. A few days subsequently an older brother came, with a firm purpose to take his sister home, indignant that she should dare depart from the superstitions of her ancestors. The Bible women and myself spent the whole day reasoning and expostulating with him, praying for full deliverance from the enemy. I gave him the four gospels, which he reluctantly accepted. The next morning he came again, accompanied by a police officer. My constant petitions were to the Almighty Father for victory full and complete, and he gave it. The police officer favored our cause, although not a Christian. The Holy Spirit thus moved upon his heart, and suddenly the brother's resolution gave way, and his whole aspect changed. He said he would leave his sister with us, return home, and persuade his parents to allow her to remain. He said also he would examine the gospels I had given him, and he departed in peace. God is faithful, and we praise his holy name. The young girl has ten brothers, who are farmers, living about two hundred miles from Yokohama.-Missionary Link. CHRISTIAN PROGRESS IN JAPAN.-Be assured that Christianity in Japan has come to stay. It has become well intrenched. In 1872, 20 church members were reported; in 1875, 538; in 1876, 1,004; in 1883, 2,500; and the figures representing the results of Protestant Christian effort up to 1892 are worth noting, namely: Foreign missionaries, 422; native ministers, 233; unordained preachers and helpers, 460; organized churches, 365; boys' boarding schools, 18; students in same, 1,582; girls' boarding schools, 55; students in same, 2,553; theological schools, 16; students in same, 359; adults baptized in 1892, 3,731; present membership, 35,534; contributions of native churches for all purposes in 1892, in yen, 63,338. This probably means a Christian community of perhaps 175,000.-Rev. D. S. Spencer. CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES. Faith and Census of Some American Churches. WE have received from the United States Census fear or disease. This fear is formed unconsciously in the silent thought." It is to be dissipated by office in Washington the following, prepared by actual consciousness of the "truth of science" that Henry K. Carroll, LL.D.: THE CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS. Christian Scientists are those who believe that all ills of body and all evils of whatever nature are subject to the healing power of mind or spirit. Mrs. Mary Baker G. Eddy, of Boston, Mass., claims to have discovered in 1866 and introduced in 1867 the "first purely metaphysical system of healing since the apostolic days." She began in that year to impart information as to the principles of the system. Out of this beginning was developed the Massachusetts Metaphysical College, which was chartered in 1881. Mrs. Eddy, with six of her students, constituted the first Christian Scientist Association in 1876. Three years later a Christian Scientist Church was organized in Boston with twenty-six members. Mrs. Eddy was called to be its pastor the same year and accepted the position. In 1881 she was ordained. Other churches and associations sprang up in different parts of the country, and in 1886 a national Christian Scientist Association was formed, the first meeting being held in New York city. There are regular churches, with pastors in thirty-three States, and Sunday services are held in numerous places where churches have not been organized. There are also thirty or more Christian Science dispensaries. The organ of the denomination, The Christian Science Journal (monthly), publishes many columns of cards of practitioners of the science of mind healing. The principles of Christian Science have been set forth authoritatively by Mrs. Eddy. According to her statements all consciousness is mind, and mind is God. There is but one mind, and that is the divine mind. This is infinite good, which supplies all mind by reflection instead of subdivision. God is reflected, not divided. Soul is spirit, and spirit is God. There is but one soul, and that is God. The flesh is evil, not the soul. Soul is "substance in truth;' matter is "substance in error." Soul, spirit, or mind is not evil, nor is it mortal. Life is eternal; it implies God. Whatever errs is mortal, and is a departure from God. Evil is simply the absence of good. Evil is unreal; good only is real. The divine mind is one and indivisible, and therefore never out of harmony. Man is immortal, being coeternal with God. The divine power is able to bring all into harmony with itself. Hence Christian Science says to all manner of disease, "Know that God is all-power and all-presence, and there is nothing beside him, and the sick are healed." "Sickness is a belief, a latent fear, made manifest in the body in different forms of man's harmony is no more to be invaded than the rhythm of the universe. Suffering exists only in the “mortal mind;""matter has no sensation, and cannot suffer." "If you rule out every sense of disease and suffering from mortal mind it cannot be found in the body." All drugs are to be avoided. The only means of cure proposed by Christian Science is spiritual. Sin, like sickness and death, is unreal. In order to cure it the sinner's belief in its reality must be overthrown. 221 7 $40,666 8.724 Total THE OLD TWO-SEED-IN-THE-SPIRIT PREDESTINARIAN BAPTISTS. These are very conservative Baptists, who are not in fellowship with the Regular or Missionary, nor with the Primitive or any other body of Baptists. They are strongly Calvinistic, holding firmly to the doctrine of predestination, as their name indicates. The phrase "Two Seed" is understood to indicate their belief that there are two seeds, one of death and one of life. The former became implanted in man when he fell from his state of holiness in which he was created originally; it brings forth the fruitage of eternal death. The seed of life is communi Faith and Census of Some American Churches. Some cated by the Holy Spirit to those who are called and regenerated; it springs up unto eternal life. Not all the associations accept this peculiar title. call themselves simply "Regular," others "Regular Predestinarian," and still others "Regular Two-Seed Predestinarian Primitive Baptists." Their articles of faith also vary in phraseology. One set is quite brief, embracing only ten articles; another is more extended and embraces twelve articles. The latter, which has been adopted by several associations, declares that God was the Creator of all things and governs all things in righteousness; that man was created holy, but by sin fell into a depraved state, from which he is utterly unable to extricate himself; that God's elect were chosen in Christ before the world began and "appointed to faith and obedience in love" by the Spirit of God because of the "righteousness, life, death, resurrection, and ascension" of Christ; that God's elect will in due time be effectually called and regenerated, the righteousness of God being imputed to them; that they will never finally fall away; that good works are the fruits of faith and grace in the heart, and follow after regeneration; that ministers should receive "legal authority" through the imposition of the hands of a presbytery acting for a Gospel church, and should be subject to the discipline of the Church; that the "external work of the Holy Spirit" is manifested externally as well as internally in experimental religion and the call to the ministry, and the true Church should distinguish itself from all "false sects," and have no fellowship with them; that the Church is a spiritual kingdom which men in a state of nature cannot see, and it should therefore receive as members only those who have hope in Christ and an experimental knowledge of salvation; that the ceremony of feetwashing ought to be observed, and that the joys of the righteous and the punishment of the wicked will be endless. Many of the Two-Seed Baptists are strongly op posed to a paid ministry. They hold that the calling of the ministry is "to comfort Zion, feed the flock, and contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. They are Antinomiaus. and do not believe that the help of a minister is needed by the Saviour to reach and save sinners. He is a full and complete Saviour, and carries on the work of salvation without the help of men. "Modern institutions," such as Sunday schools, theological seminaries, Bible and missionary societies, are regarded with marked disfavor, as among the Primitive Baptists. There are 44 associations, with 415 organizations, 333 5-6 church edifices, valued at $135,230, and 9.932 communicants. Though the communicants are scattered over 23 States, they are most numerous in Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Arkansas. The average seating capacity of the edifices is 312, and the average value $405. They have not been increasing lately. 455 Communicants or members. 24 $7,050 538 58 30,800 1,230 4 400 39 18 4,950 330 2 Illinois. 1 800 51 456 Faith and Census of Some American Churches. THE ADONAI SHOMO. This community was organized and legally established as a corporation in 1876, in Petersham, Mass. At its organization it had eleven members. It came out of the Adventist movement. Its leading principles are faith in Christ as the Son of God and a community of goods. All members, male and female, have an equal voice in matters of government and property. There is a common treasury, whence individual needs are supplied. All labor for the common maintenance, agriculture being the chief industry. It has now but twenty members. THE (PLYMOUTH) BRETHREN II. Those constituting this branch are often called the "Loose" Brethren, because they are regarded as less strict in discipline than either of the other three branches. They also hold a somewhat different view of the ministry, a view approaching that common among the denominations which have regular pastors. The statistics of (Plymouth) Brethren I have been previously given. The Roman numerals are no part of the name, but are used solely for the sake of distinction. SUMMARY BY STATES. STATES. 1 50 20 88 88 $1,265 2,419 California Total.......... 86 86 } $200 $200 Value of church property. 3 13 THE (PLYMOUTH) BRETHREN IV. This branch is due to a difference arising quite recently among those formerly constituting the third division. Some held that a second impartation of divine power must be received before a member could be said to be in full possession of eternal life. This view gave rise to various complications respecting the person of Christ and the condition of the Old Testament saints. Those who refused to accept this teaching formed new assemblies or congregations and constitute the fourth division. They are found in 15 States, principally in California, Ohio, and Massachusetts. SUMMARY BY STATES. 30 Communicants or members. 137 |
