Page images
PDF
EPUB

236

Timely and Interesting Letter.

peril. During the same time some private appeal has also been made. To what effect? The best possible. That does not mean that all our needs are already met or half met. At this early stage of the financial year neither of those things would be best. The best working of this College Board will include a double education, of the scholars and of the school-supporters. A whole Church caring, giving, praying for the triumph of Christian education in this nation promises incomparably more for that cause than would the sudden endowment of this Board by a few men's gifts of millions. Yet we need the best help of the able few, none the less. The inspired rule is complete: "Every man as God hath prospered him ;" but the man chief, and his prosperity as his implement. Sincerely believing these things, we proclaim our satisfaction and gratitude over the response which is coming to our cry of need.

Our general treasury, which is supplied mainly by the annual church collections, has at this time received far more than it has ever received before so early in the year. Yet, inasmuch as our appeal has been loudest in behalf of properties that have needed the succor of personal gifts, we are most interested to acknowledge the generosity of the personal responses already made. The largest of these are as yet in the shape of promises, and there is good reason for not speaking yet of names or amounts, although in every case both are distinct. We tell the exact truth, and all that is material, when we say that we have pledged to us already for the current year, just such gifts as fully encourage us-gifts made according to the divine requirement since they are proportioned to ability, and where ability is not slender. If these should be all indeed, we should be left helpless in some of our greatest emergencies. But we expect other hearts and hands to maintain and end the year for us as some have begun it, and, in that case, we ask nothing better for the seventh year of our work. It will have ended, not with sudden enlargement; we do not desire that; but with precious interests

[September.

well secured; with wide walls built-not high, as yet-but solid and well above the surface, so that men can see where the lines are to run and how the finished temple is to stand. The workmen are singing, and the tiers go up. Only let the song and the work

go on.

Whether this work does in truth prompt singing, let the following letter decide. It is dated July 10, 1889.

DEAR BROTHER:-Your appeal in the religious newspapers for the property fund of the Presbyterian Board of Aid for Colleges and Academies comes providentially at a time when I find myself in a position to carry out the indefinite purpose which I intimated to you at the late General Assembly. I did not see then where to lay my hand upon any available funds with which to honor the Lord with the tenth of the total increase which was made in my possessions by inheritance; but he has answered my prayer for guidance, and made the way remarkably plain and easy.

It is with great pleasure therefore that I announce to you that I am now ready to give $2000 to the property fund of your Board whenever you need it. I believe it is an excellent investment of the Lord's money, and I am willing to leave the disposal of it to the wisdom of the Board, under the divine direction.

I wish this gift to be credited, as was my wife's, to "Tithe of Inheritance," without any personal or local designation.

With gratitude to God for his gifts and his guidance, and with peace and joy in this service, I remain

YOUR FELLOW SERVANT IN CHRIST.

That letter came in the train of other and very great encouragement; but it was read with wet eyes. Here was one whom the reader of the letter had never seen but for a moment, whose regard of this cause was purely spontaneous, itself prompting the interview and the utterance to which the letter alludes; and this was the pitch of grateful service to which his heart rose at the call of this cause! That letter, like the one shining finger of a surf on the beach, had in it the lift of a tide. There never was just one surf. A devout Church of hundreds of thousands never produced just one such letter.

PUBLICATION AND SABBATH-SCHOOL WORK.

MINISTERIAL LIBRARIES. A well-selected library is of inestimable importance to the minister of the gospel. Such a library is a treasury of facts and thoughts. By his books the man of God is informed as to the history of the past, as to the mode of the divine dealing with the Church and the world; by them he is brought into communication with the noblest of the present and past ages.

It has been one of the aims of this Board to furnish the best class of books not only for popular reading, but for the pastor; and to furnish them at the lowest possible price, that they may be within the reach of all.

In the Annual Report of the Board in 1888 the announcement was made that the price of its octavo publications, except the Digests, had been reduced in price to $1.25 net and postage. The statements were then made, and are now repeated, that amongst the thirty-six volumes thus reduced in price. were some of the most valuable publications of the Board, and also that it is probable no set of books of like value, as to contents and manufacture, is now offered to the reading community at so low a price.

A list of these works is subjoined, and it will be seen at a glance that all of them are worthy of a place in a minister's library, and that several are well-nigh indispensable to a Presbyterian minister.

Records of Presbyterian Church.

Minutes of General Assembly, 1789-1820.
Minutes of General Assembly, 1821-1837.
Hodge's (Charles) History of Presbyterian
Church.

Calvin's Institutes, 2 vols.
Calvin's Letters, 4 vols.
Owen on Justification.

Lime Street Lectures.

Hodge's (A. A.) Lectures on Theology.
Daille on Philippians.
Daille on Colossians.
Leighton on 1st Peter, 2 vols.
Commentary on Ecclesiastes (Young).
Graham on Ephesians.

Lathrop on Ephesians.
Davies' Sermons, 3 vols.

Alexander's (Archibald) Practical Sermons.
Life of John Huss, 2 vols.
McCrie's Life of Knox.

Laws of Ancient Hebrews (Wines).
Pastoral Theology (Murphy).
Dale's Classic Baptism.
Dale's Judaic Baptism.
Dale's Johannic Baptism.
Dale's Christic and Patristic Baptism.
Pilgrim's Progress, illustrated.
Bunyan's Holy War, fully illustrated.
Westminster Bible Dictionary.

Are there not many of our young clergymen who will avail themselves of the opportunity thus offered of providing themselves, at little more than nominal prices, with books that will prove invaluable to them? Are there not some amongst our laity who will see to it that their pastors' libraries are replenished? They will reap rich harvests from their liberality.

CONTRIBUTIONS.

The receipts for Sabbath-school work from the opening of the present fiscal year, April 1, to July 31 were $44,749.46, being an increase over the receipts of last year for the same period of $4220.88.

The receipts in the month of July alone amounted to $11,925.72, being $2304.95 in excess of those in July, 1888.

CATECHISM BIBLES.

The interest of our young people in the study of the Shorter Catechism seems to be on the increase. Should the demand for prize Bibles for committing it to memory be continued as at the present time, the Board will be compelled either to suspend the distribution or to call upon the Church for the means of continuing it. The fund applicable to this purpose is nearly exhausted.

238

New Schools in Minnesota-Teaching in Every House. [September,

Since the last report to the General Assembly, April 1, 1889, there have been awarded 1179 Bibles to successful candidates, making a total of 4284 since the offer was first made. Of the Bibles recently awarded, 24 were to young Hindus, as called for by the letter below.

THE CATECHISM IN INDIA.

The following letter recently received by the secretary from Rev. J. M. McComb of Lodiana, India, doubtless will prove interesting to all our readers:

DEAR SIR:-I have charge of the Christian boys' boarding-school at Lodiana, India. Some months ago there appeared in our religious papers a notice to the effect that any boy who should pass an examination in the Westminster Shorter Catechism would receive a reference Bible. Believing that the study of few books would be more beneficial to the boys than that of the Catechism, I directed the classes to study, with the following results: Thirty-seven boys have, in my opinion, complied with the conditions required by you. I do not mean by this that every word was repeated exactly as given in the Catechism, although this was done in most cases, and in every case I believe that the answers were understood, and the few words that were incorrectly used did not alter the meaning. English is very difficult for Urduspeaking lads, and I have made this consideration on their behalf. Twenty-four who have passed in Urdu have repeated the text word for word. Those who have passed in English would prefer to have the Bible sent in English, and as the boys all expect to study English, you may send all the Bibles in that language; however, a reference Bible in Urdu might be more useful to twenty-four of them. . . . Our school work is prosperous and encouraging. firmly believe that the Catechism will awaken a new interest to the study of the Bible, and the reference Bible will furnish our boys with the means of becoming better acquainted with the word.

We

NEW SCHOOLS IN MINNESOTA.

A letter recently received from one of our permanent missionaries in Minnesota con tains the following interesting statement:

The work is going on finely. We have over one hundred schools this year for Minnesota.

TEACHING IN EVERY HOUSE.

A primitive and apostolic method this; as old as the first days of the Church at Jerusalem, when men rejoiced that they were found worthy to suffer and labor for their Master's name. We have heard much lately of house-to-house visitation in cities, as an auxiliary to the work of the preacher. But in the forests of Michigan or the prairies of Dakota, where the distance from house to house must be measured by weary miles, it is the only way to preach at all. This is one special duty of the Sabbathschool missionary. He is expected to see that no family within the bounds of his district is left unvisited.

Many most interesting cases are encountered in these isolated homes. One letter says:

Far away in the woods of north Michigan I found an old Scotchwoman, eighty-four years of age. There was no church within many miles, and she had no Christian neighbors near enough to visit her. I read and prayed with her, and then sang some familiar hymns to the good old Scotch tunes which she used to sing at home. She was completely overcome with emotion, and when I rose to go she caught me by both hands, saying, "Do, do come again! I cannot begin to tell you how much good you have done me!"

An old man, confined to the house by illness, said to the missionary, "I was brought up in Belfast. I had a good mother, and almost the first thing I can recollect is her taking me to church and Sabbath-school. From that time I do not remember missing a single Sabbath until I came to Michigan six years ago. Since then I have never heard a sermon."

The bitter tragedy of human life goes on just the same in those lonely regions as in cities and palaces. Hopes wither and hearts break quite as often, and the missionary finds many a sorrowing soul whom he can point to the only true consolation. One

says:

I visited yesterday a lady in great trouble. She had been forced to leave her husband on account of his intemperate habits, and knew not which way to turn. I counselled her to do

1889.]

God Disposes-Noble Letter-Books.

nothing rashly, but to pray much and trust to God for grace and guidance. After I had read and prayed with her she became more calm, and confessed to me that before my visit she had almost resolved to take her little daughter and end all her troubles by throwing herself into the river.

GOD DISPOSES.

It is no uncommon experience for God's servants, from St. Paul down, to find their way hedged up, so that their best-laid plans fail of accomplishment. But those who faithfully follow the divine leadings are sure to find that the rain and the stormy wind are only fulfilling his word, and the seeming obstacles turn out rather to the furtherance of the gospel. The following illustration comes from one of our Sabbathschool missionaries in the Indian Territory:

Last month I promised to go and help in holding a series of religious meetings among the full-blooded Indians in the southeastern part of the territory. Soon after I started a heavy storm came on. The rain fell for several days, and the streams rose so rapidly that the whole country was flooded for fifteen miles from the river. The roads were utterly impassable, and I was unable to fill my appoint

ments. I stopped in a town of 500 people,

where there was no resident minister and no regular preaching. Some of the people declared that they did not want anything of the kind. But I gave notice of a meeting. Five women and one man came. We appointed another for the next night, and ten persons were present. On Sunday we had 250-one half the population! That day six persons declared themselves followers of Christ, and thirty-three rose to ask for prayer.

Who can estimate the harvest from this seed cast upon the waters?

A NOBLE LETTER.

The following letter, received some time ago by the treasurer, came but recently to the special notice of the secretary. He deems it of sufficient interest and value to place it in the columns of THE CHURCH. Are there not some situated as is our correspondent who will esteem it a privilege to follow her example?

239

DEAR SIR:-A circular letter from the Board of Publication requesting aid for its Sabbathschool work is at hand.

Although my dear husband is no longer among the living, I am sure that in his present existence he must approve of such labors, and being myself in full sympathy with them, I herewith enclose to you a draft for $600, as I learn from the circular that this amount will supply a Sabbath-school missionary for one year. The person to be selected for this purpose, as well as the field of his operation, I leave to the Board.

A Story

UNDER THE PRUNING KNIFE. of Southern Life. By Mary Tucker Magill. This is a strong story. Its characters are well defined and are consistent throughout the book. The pictures of southern life are well drawn. The two sisters, Eva and Lin, are properly the heroines of the story. In Eva we have a woman who lived only for admiration and selfish enjoyment. She was very beautiful in face and form, but lacked those elements of character which are woman's true adornment, showing, on the other hand, gravest faults and blemishes which marred and wrecked her life. Lin position, unselfish, thoughtful, rich in all the was the reverse of her sister, lovely in disqualities of true womanhood. The career of the two sisters is in keeping with their respective characters. Young women should gather much instruction from the story, which is well written and is of a high order of merit. Price, $1.15.

CONFIDENCE IN CHRIST; or, Faith that Saves. By Rev. A. W. Pitzer, D.D. In this little book the author explains and illustrates his subject in a way that will prove helpful to many who desire clear views of a most vital subject. Price, 40

cents.

ISLAM AND CHRISTIAN MISSIONS is the title of a most important pamphlet, just issued by Funk and Wagnalls, New York. It will be specially helpful in preparation for the December Concert of Prayer. It can be ordered from John A. Black, 1334 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Price, 20 cts.

CONTRIBUTED ARTICLES.

FAMINE RELIEF WORK IN SHANTUNG.

From the humble beginning made by Mr. Laughlin, of Wei Hien, early in January, famine relief in Shantung has grown to the proportions of a gigantic work, spreading over parts of four prefectures and covering more or less of ten counties in the northern part of the province.

Starting with less than a thousand dollars in hand, Mr. Laughlin opened up work about the first of January, and doubtfully feeling his way from week to week gradually extended his enrollment until now at the time of closing relief work it amounts to about 33,000, besides 5000 transferred to the care of an adjoining station; while the enrollment at the four other stations in charge of Presbyterians aggregates some 85,000 additional, making a grand total of nearly 120,000; while the English Baptist missionaries have an equal number on their lists. More than 150,000 taels have been sent to the famine field, most of which has been already disbursed, enough, however, remaining to insure carrying on the work through the summer in places where the wheat harvest will be a failure and therefore the people have nothing to look forward to until the autumn crops ripen.

The energies of a large number of the missionaries in Shantung have been diverted through the whole of the spring from regular missionary work to the distributing of relief, not, however, without a most distinct hope that this work may result in large gains to the missionary cause by opening the way for preaching and evangelizing. In February the English Baptists in Chingchowfoo stopped all regular work and devoted themselves as a body to famine relief, while each of our stations in Shantung has had representatives either in the field or engaged, as Dr. and Mrs. Nevius have been, in raising and forwarding funds. Following Mr. and Mrs. Laughlin, who spent two of the winter

months in the work, came Dr. Hunter in February, who after spending a month on the field returned to Wei Hien to build the new hospital there and at the same time do some distributing in destitute regions near at hand. Then came Mrs. Neal and myself from Tungchow in March, first devoting ourselves to helping Dr. Hunter and when he left taking charge of his station, which we are just closing after nearly three months of distribution. Then came Dr. and Mrs. Mateer, who have done seven weeks of hard work already and their enrollment is still proceeding

About the same time Mr. Bergen brought out over 19,000 taels of silver from Chefoo, and he and Mr. William Chalfant have been busy since early in April in a region near their own field, Chenanfoo. Lastly, Mr. Leyenberger came from Wei Hien and has been engaged for some weeks in work bordering on Dr. Mateer's. Mr. Reid, of Che-, nanfoo, was also out for several weeks taking charge of Mr. Laughlin's work during his temporary absence.

The method of distribution is the same as that employed by Dr. Nevius some ten years ago in his famine work, some slight modifications having been made by Mr. Laughlin. After selecting a centre for distribution, all the villages within a radius of several miles. were visited and a list prepared of the most needy persons in each, a personal inspection of every house being made either by the foreigner himself or by his assistants. For each person on the list an allowance of one cent per day was made, the distribution taking place once a week through the medium of the village elders. By dealing with native banks and making the distributions by means of orders on them, all danger of mobs and disturbances through keeping cash on the premises and distributing in person has been avoided. Though this allowance seems so paltry as to be scarcely worth giving, the

« PreviousContinue »