At the present time there are seven missionary organizations at work on the Congo: these are represented by about seventy-five missionaries, occupying twenty stations. Three of these organizations are Roman Catholic, and four are Evangelical. The French Society, Du Sainte Esprit, has two stations on the lower river,—one in the cataract region, and one on the upper river, about a hundred miles beyond Stanley Pool. The Portuguese Mission has a station on the lower river, and one at Salvador. The Algerian Mission, under the direction of Cardinal Lavigerie, has one station on the upper river. At these various stations there are some seventeen or twenty missionaries.
Of the fifty-five Evangelical missionaries, five or six belong to the Swedish Missionary Society, which has one station in the cataract region, nine belong to Bishop Taylor’s (American Methodist Episcopal) Mission at Stanley Pool, and the remaining forty or so are about equally divided between the American and English Baptists—the former possessing six stations, and the latter five. These two Societies also possess valuable auxiliaries in the shape of steamers on the upper river, which furnish ready access to vast populations scattered over ten degrees both of latitude and longitude.
Bishop Taylor’s Mission also possesses a steamer larger than either of the others; but as yet it is not at its destination, being on its way up country past the cataracts, in the shape of plates, frames, and portions of machinery, which will have to be put together at the Pool.
Besides these seven distinct enterprises, and that of the London Missionary Society, which has reached from the east coast the far-away waters of the Upper Congo, at the point where the Lukuga river leaves Lake Tanganika to flow to the Lualaba, another mission has entered the field. This mission is represented by Mr. F. S. Arnot, who, after a series of perilous wanderings, and after enduring many hardships, has established himself at Kagoma, about 250 miles north-west of the point where Livingstone died.
The Swedish Society has published a translation of the Gospel according to John. The American Society has printed the Peep of Day in Kilolo (the language spoken on the Equator for about six degrees of longitude), and has one or two Gospels in Kishi-Congo ready for the press.
A dictionary and a grammar have been published by the Livingstone Inland Mission (the precursors of the A.B.M.U.), and also Kiteke and Kiyansi vocabularies. A grammar and dictionary is being published by the Baptist Missionary Society, and the Religious Tract Society has published the Peep of Day in Kishi-Congo.
Not only are agencies for good being increased, but gratifying results are following the efforts that are made. At Mukimbungu, Lukunga, Banza Manteka, and San Salvador, native Christian churches have already been formed, and the sincerity of the change of heart which is professed by the members is attested by the self-denial and consistency of their lives. At other points besides these the good seed is being persistently sown, and there are evidences manifesting themselves which encourage the missionaries to hope that it is taking root, and that the harvest will ere long follow in these places also.
HENRY M. STANLEY.