ADDRESS UPON THE AFRICAN MISSION.
REV. G. D. PIKE.
Mr. President:—In seconding the report respecting the Mendi Mission, I beg leave to say, that there are four points of interest we ought to consider.
1. One is the Providential call of this Association to Tropical Africa. At the beginning of its existence, as Abraham heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Get thee out of thy country, into a land I will shew thee,” so the fathers of this Association heard the call of God and entered the Dark Continent, anticipatory of those great events about to transpire. In 1842, when the Mendi Mission was established by the return of the Amistad captives, who had been freed from slavery in America, the most important parts of Central Africa were either left blank on our maps, or filled up with great deserts, mountains of the moon, and figures of lions and dragons. It was known, however, that the Mendi country was a great slave preserve, from which ten thousand black people were sent annually into bondage. The Amistad Committee at once pre-ëmpted a portion of that great and wonderful missionary field, which is now so signally attracting the attention of the civilized world.
2. A second point of interest pertains to the land that has been shown us.
By turning to your maps, you will discover that the back lot of the Mendi Mission extends eastwards 4,200 miles, on the parallel of about seven degrees north latitude, over a fertile zone of tropical country. Mr. Stanley tells us the object of his journey was, “To flash a torch of light across the western half” of this zone. Other explorers have contributed their light. Lieutenant Burton, in ’57, carried his torch as far as the Tanganyika. Captain Speke announced to the world about the same time that he had discovered a mighty inland sea, surrounded on every side by the “richest and pleasantest garden in the world;” and the Victoria Nyanza Lake, with Mtesa’s kingdom, were added to our knowledge and wealth—alluring alike to the statesman, merchant and missionary. Meanwhile David Livingstone moved up from the southeast, illumining the whole regions of the Zambezi River—the Nyassa, Bangweolo and Tanganyika Lakes—proceeding as far as Nyangwe on the unknown Lualaba—scattering through all his reports those seed thoughts respecting Christian missions, that have developed into desires to carry the light of life to the “real heathen” in those latitudes. Then, Sir Samuel Baker called the attention of the world afresh to ancient Ethiopia, with one hundred and forty millions of acres of the richest land in the world; covered with millions of people, herds of cattle, and a varied and luxurious vegetation. Discovering also the Albert Nyanza Lake, embosomed amidst mountain ranges—the abodes of frost and snow—and hardy, warlike tribes. Dr. Schweinfurth also penetrated far into the back lot of our mission; flashing his chemical and botanical light, revealing most beautiful flora—every variety of fauna and fish—to say nothing of pigmies and giants. Neither has Commander Cameron contributed the least by his journey across the Continent from East to West. The light given us by these seven explorers is woven into a rainbow of promise, which spans those unknown slave preserves of former generations—beautiful as “Canaan’s fair and happy land” to the Father of the faithful.
If you start from our Mendi Mission and proceed a few hundred miles southeast, you enter the West African gold fields in Ashantee land, where the native rulers are covered with golden ornaments, carrying gold-hilted swords, and attended by hundreds of followers, wearing gold plates upon their breasts, with royal cooks serving their masters with golden spoons. If you journey still farther, to one degree of North latitude on the Livingstone, you reach a country where they build their temples of ivory, and construct their boats with accommodations for eighty oarsmen, and fight their battles with vast armies. If you keep straight on, you reach Munza’s kingdom, “enriched by such beauties as might be worthy of Paradise.” Still further, you see the arena of the missionary labors of Rev. Chas. New; where high mountains rise one above another until they are lost in clouds—mountains with beautiful slopes, covered with patches of cultivated land, and irrigated by brooks, streams and torrents, which tumble and splash on all sides. Meanwhile, you would have journeyed over countries six thousand feet above the level of the sea with an equable climate, and other favorable conditions, such as led Captain Speke to prophecy that in course of time “one of the greatest nations on earth” would be built up in the heart of Africa.
3. But there is another point of quite as much interest to us. I refer to the inspirations that have been kindled in the hearts of Christians in Africa’s behalf; the efforts that have been put forth since our Mission was established for reclaiming Africa. Here let me refer briefly to parallel Providences. There are three of these which are very striking: (1) The revelations to us of the fertility, resources and people of the vast interior of Central Africa; (2) The abolition of American slavery; (3) The eagerness of people of African descent for education at the South, coupled with a great desire to emigrate to Africa (It is probable that not less than half a million black people in America have signified their desire to go to Africa within the last twelve months). To this must be added the desire manifested by Christians of our own race, everywhere to follow up these providences with missionary endeavors. These have been put forth by the English, Scotch, German and American; skirting the borders of Equatorial Africa, both on the East and West Coast; resulting in the conversion of thousands of heathen during the past twenty-five years. Since the close of our war, and more especially during the past five years, great enthusiasm has been manifested for what are termed Central African Missions—missions in the lake regions upon the highlands of the interior.
The Scotch and English have planted their stations on the Nyassa Lake. The London Missionary Society had, at last reports, a corps of missions, heading towards the Tanganyika, while the Church Missionary Society has occupied Mtesa’s kingdom, in Uganda, on the shores of the Victoria Nyanza, and the Baptists of Great Britain are searching for a station on the Livingstone River. The fertile country thus being entered, extends for four thousand miles from east to west, in some latitudes, and three thousand from north to south, and probably contains a hundred million people.
In the providence of God, the American Missionary Association is on that ground. It is the one missionary society of our denomination that sustains missions there. We believe we have an inheritance in that country, and a great destiny in connection with its redemption. We have been true to the negro from the beginning, seeking to do right in his behalf, without fear or favor. I think it is not too much to assert that heaven believes in this Association; that God created it, and will use it for great things in Africa. Good men have believed in it. Mr. Avery gave to it property valued at $100,000, for African Missions. Others, we trust, will follow his example; for we suspect the negro was right when his attentive ear caught the accents which he wove into his song:
“The Lord said to Gabriel:
Take down the silver trumpet,
Loud as the seven thunders!
Wake the sleeping nations—
You will see the Christian rising.”
We are truly seeing the Christian rising—as “the trumpet sounds it in our souls”—that God has come to reclaim Africa.
4. The fourth point of interest relates to what we have been trying to do about it. The story of the departure of our colored missionaries has been sufficiently told. The result of their first year’s efforts has been spread before you. Let me give you, in their own language, their convictions as to the best missions for Africa. Mr. A. E. White—a Hampton student, now at Avery Station—writes: “You would like to know what I think about colored missionaries. My firm belief is that they can do more than any other missionaries under the sun. The natives look upon a white person as unnatural, and think he is above them in every way, and that God made him so. They also think it is of no use for them to try to do the things they see the white man do. But, on the other hand, when they see a colored man do anything, they think if he can do it, they can do it themselves. Do not think I say this because I am a colored man. I say it because I know it is true.”
Mr. Albert Miller, who went out from the Fisk University, writes: “If Africa is to be evangelized, as I believe it will be, it must be done through the children of the summer and sunny clime, educated and Christianized in the South. You in America can’t see this as plainly as one who mingles with this people, and has all chances to investigate in regard to this matter.”
It gives us pleasure to state that the success of our colored band beyond the great waters, warrants as strong expressions as those I have quoted. A letter from Rev. Floyd Snelson, dated West Africa, September 13th, contains the following: “The 24th of this month will make one year since we left New York. Result of work, three stations are opened, nearly three hundred children have been enrolled in the day schools, and about the same number, old and young, in Sabbath-schools. From among these numbers, twenty-four have given their hearts to Christ and united with the Church, and are endeavoring to lead Christian lives. The object of the missionary is to go forward with the work into the interior. There are many places which might be opened to the saving of souls, if the money and men were furnished.”
I repeat, brethren, we had an early call to our African field. God has spanned His bow of light and promise over it. He has kindled inspirations in our hearts concerning it. He has prospered the freedmen who have gone forth for its redemption.
Surely we have a right to believe “the great Admiral, who knows the way,” has taken our ship in tow, and, as the Jubilees sing,
“The old Ark is a movering, a movering, a movering;
The old Ark is movering, a movering along.”
Shall we remember our birthright, and enter more fully upon our inheritance? Shall we go up, with the other great missionary societies, to possess this land? Shall we return over the sea, with songs and rejoicing, those sable sons and daughters, whose fathers came with chains and groans to our American shore?
Notwithstanding our great work at the South, I verily believe this to be our greatest, and that the mighty Ruler of all events will crown our efforts in this direction with magnificent success. Therefore, Mr. President, I most heartily second this Report.