GENERAL NOTES.
Africa.
—Sir Garnet Wolseley has given to the Berlin Missionary Society a large tract of land in South Africa to be used for a Mission Station.
—The mission at Frere Town, East Central Africa, has proved an inviting rendezvous for run-away slaves. The missionaries have no power to keep them, but have opportunity to expostulate with their owners for any cruelties they may inflict upon them. The practical result is that the masters become intimidated and angry, and would make an end of the missionaries if they had the power. The settlement has already been threatened with destruction. It is hoped, however, that the impending calamity may be over-ruled, to the overthrow of slavery on the coast.
—The Victoria Nyanza Mission of the C. M. S., despite every difficulty and disappointment, still exists. Letters from Uganda bring intelligence down to Aug. 14. It appears that Mtesa had engaged Mr. Pierson to build him a boat, and that Mr. Litchfield, in company with Mr. Mackay, had made a journey to Uyui, arriving at that point June 5. As the locality proved favorable to Mr. Litchfield’s health he intended to remain there with Mr. Copplestone, while Mr. Mackay had gone back to Uganda. These brethren are cheered by the belief that the hearts and minds of many of the heathen with whom they have labored have been prepared for the Gospel.
Mr. Litchfield writes: “I have invariably found the poor people ready and eager to listen to the story of the cross. Numbers of instances rise up before me as I write, where the hearers have testified their astonishment and joy at the love of Jesus in dying for them. Do not give away an inch,” he says, “if the place is proposed to be given up. On Dec. 23 we had that crushing vote to reject Christianity and stop our teaching. Now things are changing and public opinion is coming round in our favor. The hand is on the plow and we must not look back.”
—The Jesuits have purchased a large tract of ground near Alexandria, Egypt, and purpose to build a convent for the reception of the members of their order who have been expelled from European countries.
—A short time since, the Khedive of Egypt commissioned Col. Sala to take charge of an expedition for the capture and liberation of slaves who are brought down the Nile from the Soudan into Egypt. The expedition crossed the Nile at Assouan and searched several localities where slaves were illegally retained. After much difficulty and many fruitless endeavors, Col. Sala succeeded in surprising a village during the night time, and capturing and liberating twenty-one negroes. This endeavor set on foot by the young Khedive indicates a more hopeful condition of affairs relating to the East African slave trade than any other event of recent occurrence.
—News from Mr. Stanley.—A letter from Mr. Carrie, superintendent of the Mission at Loango, gives interesting details gathered from Mr. Protche, a French naturalist, concerning Mr. Stanley and his operations. Mr. Protche visited him for the purpose of connecting himself with the expedition, but failed in his object.
He reports that Mr. Stanley was living at Vivi, in a village which he had built with lumber from Europe. The houses were said to be quite comfortable. Mr. Stanley had already constructed a road extending three leagues east of his village, and was performing a large amount of work in a way that must be quite assuring to those who are responsible for his expeditions.
The Indians.
—The number of Indian youth learning trades in work-shops at the agencies under the care of the United States Government has increased from one hundred and eighty-five last autumn to three hundred and fifty-eight this year. Brick-making has been begun, and houses for the Indians are now almost exclusively built by the Indians themselves. The aptitude shown by the Indians for mechanical work, has, in many cases, been surprising.
—Nearly two thousand freight wagons have been in use by the Indians this year, with the result of saving considerable money to the government compared with the amounts formerly paid for the same transportation (of supplies, &c., to the agencies), besides furnishing a civilizing and welcome employment to a large number of otherwise restless Indians.
The Chinese.
—Two Chinamen were baptized and received into the Church at Stockton, Cal., Nov. 7. They were the first of that nation to join any church in that city.
—Restriction of Chinese Immigration.—A treaty has been made by the United States with the Chinese Government which practically leaves the subject of regulating Chinese immigration to the authorities at Washington. Owing to the fact that the Chinese Government has never been anxious to have its citizens emigrate to any country, little difficulty was found in negotiating the treaty.
—The Christian Advocate has a very interesting report of the sermons preached by the native pastors at the Methodist Conference at Foochow, China, in October last. We select one. Rev. Sia Sek Ong preached from the single word “Go:” “Leave father, mother, friends, fields; preachers go thus; world-men don’t like to go in that fashion. Where must we go? To the sea, for the fish. They are not on the surface; they are in the depths. We may find shrimps in shallow water, but we must go to the deep water for the large fish. Go to the mountains to seek the lost sheep. There are lions and tigers and snakes in the mountains; but we must go, not to find sport, but to find the sheep. Go to the vineyard, to work, to watch, to plant, to water. Go to the field to sow seed. Study the soil, and sow accordingly. Field-work is not play. Go to the market-place, and bid guests to the Master’s feast. Go into the army, to fight, to wrestle with the devil, to put forth your strength, and to come home singing songs of victory.
“Ask the Master for Peter’s hook to bring up the right fish; for David’s crook to guide the sheep aright; for Gideon’s torch to light up the dark places; for Gospel seed, without any tares in it; for Moses’ guiding rod; for the brazen serpent, to cure the bites of the world’s snakes; for David’s sling to prostrate your giant foe; for the armor inventoried by Paul in the last chapter of Ephesians; but above all, for the wonderful Holy Spirit, to help at all times. If we have all these, it is no matter where we go. We will come with rejoicing to conference next year, with songs and shouts of victory.”