GENERAL NOTES.
Africa.
—In South Africa, where Dr. Moffat waited years for a conversion, there are 50,000 Christians.
—In almost every leading town in Egypt, from Alexandria to Assouan on the First Cataract, mission stations have been founded by the United Presbyterians.
—Four persons have offered to take up the mission work in the field left vacant by the death of the Rev. Dr. Bushnell, of the Gaboon, Africa.
—From their possessions in Algeria, the French are projecting a trans-Sahara railroad from the Mediterranean coast to Timbuctoo, on the Niger; and another from Senegal to the Niger. The English are planning four other railways to the interior of Africa. If these plans are carried out, new districts of the vast continent will be brought within easy reach of the Christian missionary.
—Mr. Arthington at a breakfast meeting in Leeds.—At a convention of the Baptist Churches in Leeds, England, the following minute was passed unanimously: “Resolved, that this meeting, on behalf of the Leeds Churches, pledges itself to raise a sum not exceeding £500, which shall be employed in supplementing Mr. Robert Arthington’s gift of £1,000 for the purchase of a steamer to be placed on the Congo River.” Mr. Arthington himself was present, and delivered a most interesting address on the claims of mission work in Africa.
—At the Livingstonia Mission Dr. Laws has already trained one native of the country to be a teacher among the Angoni, and has two others in preparation. Mrs. Laws has received a sewing-machine from Glasgow, and has taught two native girls to work it. Money has been introduced to the country, as have also the rites of Christian marriage.
—On August 22d, Archdeacon D. C. Crowther baptized 27 converts at Bonny, in the presence of a congregation numbering no less than 842 persons. One of the candidates was Orumbi, the rich woman who has been holding daily family worship for all her dependents.
—Bishop Crowther was recently visited by a wealthy chief from Okrika, a town of 10,000 people, 40 miles from Bonny, who informed him that his people had built a church for Christian worship, to hold 500, which was filled every Sabbath to listen to the reading of the service by a school boy from the Brass Mission.
—Mr. Felkin has fulfilled his commission in seeing the Waganda envoys safe to Zanzibar, and in paying a visit to Frere Town. At the latter place, the missionaries have been instructed with regard to runaway slaves, and the disturbances threatened recently are likely to be avoided.
—There is said to be a marked difference between the tribes on the eastern and those on the western shore of the Tanganyika Lake. The former have neither images nor idols, while the latter have both, in great numbers. An image is found at the entrance of every village, and of nearly every hut. These are carved in the shape of human figures. The art of carving exists in great perfection among some of the tribes.
—R. M. Wanzer, of Hamilton, Ontario, is running his immense sewing machine factory largely with gold received from Africa, from the sale of more than 100,000 of his machines in that country. It is not until we have seen orders from the agents of one great manufacturing establishment like this, that any adequate idea is formed of the extent to which our civilization is being introduced into that dark continent. We may well hope that when the native African is royally clad in long, flowing robes, made from American prints, on American sewing machines, that he will be ready to listen to the Gospel from the lips of him who represents these material blessings.
The Indians.
—“If you want to civilize the Indians you must keep from them schools and churches.”
If you want to civilize the Indians you must keep from them intelligence and morality.
If you want to civilize the Indians you must keep from them civilization itself.
The first remark above was made by a somewhat celebrated scientist at a great meeting of scientific people in Boston, last summer. The last two we simply intended to give emphasis to the first. We think the biggest argument that we can make against this scientific conclusion is to say nothing about it.—Exchange.
—On the 6th of November, the Indian school at Carlisle, Pa., welcomed fifteen new students: four boys and three girls from the Menomonees at Green Bay Agency, and four boys and four girls from the Sisseton Sioux Agency; an exceptionally bright and promising delegation. An Apache boy, captured by the 4th Cavalry in Arizona, six years ago, has also been admitted to the school, thus making the total number 212.
—Recently, at the Cheyenne Agency, Walter Matches, one of the Florida boys, was married to Emma, formerly a scholar at the boarding-school. The teachers of the school, where the wedding took place, prepared an entertainment to which all the Florida boys were invited, and the occasion is described as having been a very pleasant one. The newly married couple are to live at the school, where they are both employed, and we wish for them a life of great happiness to themselves and usefulness to their people.
—On the 6th day of October, the Carlisle Indian Training School completed the first year of its history. At a little impromptu gathering of the school and its teachers and helpers, on the evening of that day, the children were asked to vote for, or against, continuing the school work. Every hand went up in favor of continuing it, and some of the boys even stood up and held up both hands. Speeches were in order. Everybody was happy and many reminiscences were brought out with much incentive to continued effort.
—That a great wrong has been done the Poncas, all parties agree. Who is responsible for this wrong is not at present so important as the question whether as Bright Eyes asserts, and the Boston Committee believe, a still greater wrong is attempted in the effort now making to have them relinquish their title to their own homes in Dakota on the false pretence that it is their own desire to do so. That the Hon. Carl Schurz, so far from being a friend of the Indian, is the most unscrupulous enemy he has ever had, we shall believe only when the proof is overwhelming. The delegation which has gone out to investigate, goes with some very decided convictions on this subject, but its report, whether favorable or adverse, will doubtless be accepted as just to all concerned.
The Chinese.
—Our Chinese brethren on the Pacific coast have organized a society called the “Congregational Association of Christian Chinese.” They have a General Association and several branch Societies. Mr. Jee Gam, the Secretary, reports the following interesting facts and figures:
The Central has 107 members, of whom 11 were received, and 11 have been baptized, the past year. Six are now absent in China. Total contributions, $265.55.
Bethany Branch, San Francisco, has 23 members, of whom 6 were received the past year, and 4 baptized. One member expelled. Contributions, $112.00.
Marysville—Eleven members; all received the past year. Two have been expelled. Contributions, $98.00.
Oakland—Thirty-two members; 2 received, and 2 expelled the past year. One baptized. Three gone to China. Contributions, $643.25.
Oroville—Six members, all added the past year. Contributions not known.
Petaluma—Two members, of whom one has recently been received. Contributions not known.
Sacramento—Thirty-two members; of whom 9 have been received, 5 expelled, and 7 baptized, during the year. Two have gone to China. Contributions, $225.35.
Stockton—Nine members; 3 received, 2 expelled and 1 baptized during the year. Contributions, $157.25.
Besides the contributions noted above, a general collection has been taken, amounting to $137.50. In the effort to free Bethany Church, San Francisco, of debt, the Chinese members and friends of that church contributed $212.50—of which $30.50 given in Sacramento, and $13.00 in Stockton, are included in the amounts given above.
The total of gifts and offerings by the Chinese connected with our Mission daring the past year cannot be less than $1,957.40. The total membership, as above reported, is 222. Added the past year, 38. Baptized (including 2 at Santa Barbara), 26. Expelled, 10.