Uganda in Central Africa has made great progress since the days of Stanley's discovery of Livingstone. Recently an eight-days' meeting was held in one of the stations. The attendance ranged from 3,500 the first day to more than 6,000 on the last day. In the five years ending September, 1907, there was an average increase in membership of 6,000 a year, and in 1909 the total increase reached 8,000.
Even the Near East which has for many years been so comparatively unresponsive to the appeal of the gospel, is more ready than ever to receive the gospel message and especially the missionary school. On a visit to the Near East in 1911, Dr. C. H. Patton, one of the Secretaries of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, addressed some inspiring audiences, in one place a multitude numbering three thousand. At Aintab, the crowd was divided into three audiences so that all could hear. There was a total attendance of four thousand. Among many other encouraging signs Dr. Patton found forty sons of pashas and members of the Turkish parliament in one school. Where a very few years ago there were hatred and hostility, there is now not only toleration but in many places a growing spirit of welcome to the Christian school and the Christian missionary.
These examples are typical of a world-wide response to the gospel never known before. The simplest and most evident proof of the widening sovereignty of Christ in the world is the number of those who are uniting themselves with the Christian Church. It is an inspiring record, but only the beginning of the indications that the kingdom of God is spreading over all the earth.
The Native Church.—Further progress is indicated when it is remembered that there are now about 100,000 native workers in the various non-Christian lands. The calling forth and training of these workers is the greatest and most urgent single task on the field, for the chief hope of Christianizing the world is in the multiplication of the numbers and the increasing of the efficiency of the native workers in all non-Christian countries.
Powerful native leaders are arising in many lands. This is a most heartening evidence of the progress of Christianity. Men like the Hon. T. H. Yun, the statesman, of Korea, Ding Li Mai, the evangelist, of China, Bishop V. S. Azariah of India, and the late Bishop Honda of Japan are the type of leaders who may well inspire hope in the success of Christianity in the lands from which they come. Native leaders are in the forefront of the great social and moral reforms and evangelistic campaigns among their people. The dependence of China upon her Christian leaders in this present hour of great crisis has thrown a great light upon the value of Christian institutions and teachings. The sacrificial giving of the native Church is a revelation of the great depth and sincerity of their Christian life. Dr. Alva W. Taylor in his very valuable recent book, The Social Work of Christian Missions, calls attention to the fact that in China, while the membership of the Protestant Church has increased eleven times in thirty years, the rate of native giving has increased thirty times.
Every land has a contribution to make before there can be a complete interpretation of Christianity. Christendom is as yet only beginning to realize what enrichment of life is to come from Africa and the East, from Mohammedan lands and the islands of the seas, when the living energies of Christ have been brought to bear adequately upon their life.
Humanitarian Institutions.—One hundred years ago there was not one hospital or trained physician in the non-Christian world; to-day there are 675 hospitals; and 8,000,000 treatments in these hospitals were reported in a single recent year. The relief of suffering, the prevention and cure of contagious diseases, the successful war against plague, asylums for the insane and blind, for the deaf, homes for lepers and consumptives, rescue homes, prison work, famine relief—all these are recent forms of Christian service and are rapidly extending.
Social Reconstruction and Progress.—Dr. S. M. Zwemer has well said, "Fifty years ago in the study of missions the emphasis was on theology, to-day it is on sociology."
The expanding influence of Christ in the world is not only shown by the statistical evidences of the growth of the missionary enterprise, but there are also certain large and general aspects of the case which must not be overlooked. Volumes have been written on the subject of humane progress, such as Gesta Christi, A History of Humane Progress, by C. Loring Brace, and Christian Missions and Social Progress, by J. S. Dennis. But two of these humane ideas are enlarged upon here.
1. The growth of the idea of liberty. The freedom of the masses is possible only in those lands where Christ is known. From the days when the influence of the Christians put a stop to the sacrifices and gladiatorial combats in Rome to the wiping out of human slavery among all the civilized nations of modern times is an inspiring record of the expansion of the Christian spirit of liberty. Dr. Josiah Strong says "At the end of the eighteenth century slaves were held in Russia, Prussia, Austria, Scotland, in British, French, and Spanish colonies, and in North and South America." To-day no reputable Christian nation tolerates slaves.