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“...whose
acknowledged qualifications warrant the belief
that the contents of Tum Missionary Ecuo will
be found worthy the attention and support of
the friends of Free Methodist Missions. That
the new publication may tend to the develop-
ment and increase of the Missionary spirit
amongst us 1s our sincere wish and our earnest
prayer. Jos. Krrsop.
EDITORIAL NOTES.
CHINA.
HY. W. EH. SOOTHILL, during his
temporary residence in Hngland,
is doing excellent service to the
Mission cause. His services as
preacher and speaker at Missionary
anniversaries are highly appreci-
ated. He and his devoted wife return
to China about September, 1894.
# * *
Rey. J. W. Heywoop writes in a cheering
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z
district there are at least 200 inquirers, and
other districts in proportion are being similarly
blessed. He is not without his disappoint-
ments and griefs. He has had in several
cases to insist very strenuously on the apostle
James’ doctrine, that faith has to be shown by
works...”
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“...afflicted
with severe disease of the eyes. He had been
under treatment in Canton, but without success.
Hearing of the medical work in connection with
our Mission here, he came one day and asked
me if I would see the lad. When the lad came
[ saw that I could do nothing in the case; I
also got Dr. Lowry—attached to the Customs—
to see the youth, and he gave the same verdict.
The father was very much troubled, but he saw
our willing-
ness to do our
Missionary. In another case, a mandarin came
from a distance to seek advice, and asked if I
could do anything for him in his affliction.
This case was one which I could successfully
treat, and so another opportunity arose of speak-
ing to another of the class who are so exclusive.
I mention these cases to show that Medical
Mission work is far-reaching, and may be of
immense service to our Mission.”
THE appoint-
ment of Dr.
best, and since
then he has
called upon me
several times,
and this has
given me an
opportunity of
telling him the
Gospel...”
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“...needed for
China and East Africa, and suitable young men
are earnestly entreated to correspond with the
Secretary.
We offered special prizes last year to the
collectors, under a certain age, of the two
highest amounts for our Missions. The first
prize was won
and is very helpful in spreading the Gospel
amongst the Chinese.
* * *
Tur Rev. T. H. Carthew reports that after a
considerable period of probation, and evidence
of the grace of God in the hearts and lives of
the people, he has received into the member-
ship of the Mission at Jomvu, by baptism, 84:
adults and 38 young people.
¥ * *
In a letter, dated October 28, 1893, Mr.
Carthew gives an account of the interesting
service: “It will interest you to know that for
nearly twelve months | have been calling our
people’s attention to the subject of baptism,
and my visit to Jomvu a month ago was to
gather up in this respect the results of my six
years’ labour there among the people. Jama
slow believer in quick returns in Mission work,...”
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“...j
}
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8 DR. ALFRED HOGG, OF WENCHOIF.
mentioned, rising in his or her place. There
were over a hundred names on the list. Of
these, thirty-three are appointed to different
parts of Africa, seventy-three to Asia, and two
to Australasia. Besides these, five Missionaries
recently left for Hastern Equatorial Africa, one
for the Punjab, three for South China, and three
for the North Pacific Mission. By the time
our readers see this paragraph it is probable
all these Gospel labourers will have left our
shores.
* * %
Tur London Missionary Society employs 248
European Missionaries, with a total of 96,118
Church members under their care. The most
fruitful soil is Madagascar. It will surprise
many to learn that two-thirds of the Church
members are found in that island. North India
is exceptionally sterile. The Society has thirty-
four Missionaries there, and has. been at work
for sixty-three years, yet the Church members
only amount to 739. The income of the Society
for last...”
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“...came from
India, a Methodist, had for some time had a
mission of his own in one of the slums, paying
the expenses himself, and he was very glad of
a new recruit.
The question of the heathen and their claims
on the Church at home was brought to his
mind by an incident that occurred one day in
class. One of the students, a Parsee, was
being teased by some of his thoughtless
class-fellows, and twitted about his ‘ hea-
then’ opinions. Alfred took his part, and
this led to an intimacy. between them, and
some talks in the pri-
vacy of their own rooms,
on India, its customs and
religions, and on Chris-
tianity with its universal
claims and powers.
The needs of the great
heathen world were thus
forced upon his attention,
and he began to hear a
voice from afar crying,
““Come over and help us.”
Happening also to come
across a book published
by the China Inland Mis-
sion, entitled, The Evan-
gelization of the World,
the awful state of China
and the other nations which
were sitting in darkness
was...”
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“...who is a daughter of our
senior Missionary in the island, Rev. W.
Griffiths, of Kingston.
CHINA.
In a letter to the Missionary Secretary, under
date October 27, 1893, Rev. J. W. Heywood
writes :—
“For twelve months past and more I have
been able to write that all was at peace on all
our Stations. I am sorry that I cannot still
report the same in this present letter. Just
now our ‘Ts’ing Die’ church is being tried by
the fire of persecution. T’sing Die is a walled
city some 120 li above Wenchow, on the north
side of the river. It has become a very impor-
tant Station, and the work in that district: has
been wonderfully blessed these last two or three
years. At the present time some five or six
hundred students are assembled in the city for
the literary examinations. On Sunday night
last, whilst the usual service was being held in
the hall which is rented by the Mission, some
five or six scholars walked in, and, after listen-
ing to the preaching for a very short...”
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“...the mob,
They escaped
by one of
them (who
was lame) be-,
ing in time to
insert his
crutch in the
gate, which
was being
slammed in
their faces.
Even under
such unto-
ward circum-
stances as
these Chris-
tian forbear-
ance may pro-
duce fruit.
Meekness of
character un-
der all circum-
stances is the
Chinese per-
fect ideal.
Many months
after the riot
the Rey. David
Hill, of Han-
kow, a thou-
sand miles dis-
tant, wrote to
Wenchow that
he had just
received into
churchfellow-
ship an intel-
ligent China-
man who
dated his first interest in Christianity to that
terrible night.
There in the yamen the little band passed an
anxious night, not knowing, as they watched the
glare of their burning homes against the autumn
sky, but that at any moment the mob might
break in upon them and demand their lives.
And what about the native Christians? Did
they waver by reason of this calamity? The
morrow dawned, bringing to Mr. Soothill’s
side Mr. Chang, a man whose devotion to the...”
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“...FIELD.
vw
or
EDITORIAL NOTES.
CHINA.
EV. J. W. HEYWOOD during a
recent month visited ten country
stations connected with the Wen
chow Missions ‘Two of these
places he visited for the first
time. He found that the work of
the Lord was prospering at every
station. Good services were held, many
of the non-Christian population attending.
He baptized a total of thirty probationers, who
had been on trial for terms ranging from one
to three years.
EAST AFRICA.
We have been favoured with the perusal
of the Journal of Rey. R. M. Ormerod, of
Golbanti. He writes of an alarm of insur-
rection which had disquieted the country, but
which, from authentic information, he was able
to assure the Administrator was a false alarm;
of the digging of a well at Golbanti, where,
at the depth of eight feet, he found water
entirely free from the brackishness of the well
sunk by Mr. During; of an abortive leopard
hunt; of the escape of two Mission boys, whose
tiny canoe had been upset by a...”
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“...felt deeply grateful that he
had respended to the call.
Twenty candidates were received into church-
fellowship at Kingston, on Sunday, ‘January
7th, by Rev. W. Griffith,
* * *
Tur Committee has agreed to recommend to
the Annual Assembly the appointment for a
minimum term of five years, a Superintendent
of the Jamaica Mission. An esteemed minister,
who has held important offices in the Con-
nexion, has been nominated.
* * *
Sincu last Assembly Rev. James Proudfoot
and his wife have been sent from Jamaica to
Boca-del-Toro, Rev. J. Chinn to Jamaica, Revs.
CG. H. Goodman and J. H. Leigh to Sierra Leone,
Rev. W. G. Howe and Mrs. Howe to Hastern
Africa, Miss Turner to China, and Miss Todd
to Jamaica. The expense incurred by these
important movements is very considerable.
THE GENERAL SECRETARY’S NOTES.
Tur readers of the Annual Report of our
Missions will find that the names of the sub-
scribers, and the amount contributed, vary very
little from year to year. As the collectors will...”
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“...Wright
(President of the Annual Assembly), Dr. R. F.
Horton, W. EH. Soothill (of China), Geo. Turner,
and Joseph Hocking. The London friends are
doing their utmost to make the forthcoming
meetings a great success, and, as this is a Con-
nexional anniversary, we make an earnest
appeal to the friends throughout the Connexion
for liberal help to the Chairman’s list of sub-
scriptions. There was a deficiency in last
year’s balance of more than £500, and every
effort should be made to make up that deficiency,
and secure a successful anniversary.
We beg to remind our local secretaries and
treasurers that the financial year closes on
the 30th of the present month, and the year’s
accounts should be closed at that time. The
Cireuit statement and list of collections and
subscriptions should be sent to the General
Missionary Secretary immediately after the
date named. And the balance of money due
to the Mission Fund should be, at the same
time, remitted to the Connexional Treasurer.
Prompt attention...”
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“...Missionary Committee, at its last session,
decided to employ lay evangelists on our
Mission stations in Hast Africa, and we are
requested to invite offers of service from our
young local preachers for this important work.
The demand for men consecrated to God, and
filled with Missionary enthusiasm, is very
urgent, and we earnestly appeal to suitable
young men to place themselves in the hands of
the Committee, by writing at once to the
General Missionary Secretary, Wharncliffe
Road, Sheffield.
Tus Annual Assembly of the Victoria
Churches, Australia, has recently been held.
The Rey. E. Turner was elected President, and
the returns show an increase in full member-
ship of sixty-two. A week is to be set apart
for special prayer and thanksgiving. An
enthusiastic Missionary meeting was held
during the sittings, and a foreign Mission fund
was inaugurated, for the ‘purpose of support-
ing a Missionary in China. It was also
reported that there were seventeen societies of
Christian Endeavour connected...”
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“...increase on the
year of 1,589. The year’s income was £404,206,
being an increase of £31,947.
Rey. Tomas Spurgeon has accepted the
pastorate of the Metropolitan Tabernacle. His
father had written to him in 1885: ‘* Get very
strong, and when I am older and feebler, be
ready to take my place.” This has never been
known till now.
THIRTY THOUSAND pounps has been raised
during the last four years by the Wesleyans of
Cornwall towards chapel erections and improve-
ments,
Tuer Missionaries in Shanghai, China, are
uniting in special evangelistic efforts. There
are cr’ -owded services and ; ereat interest. Native
preachers are very ear nest and helpful.
* *
A Wustnyan, Mr. A. Pomeroy, was elected
as churchwarden for Bermondsey parish. He
nominated a Free Methodist, Mr. Henry Hall,
as one of his sidesmen. If warden and sides-
man attend to their new duties, what becomes
of their duties at their own sanctuaries ? Of
all such incongruous selections we may ask
Cui Bono ?
A MISSIONARY TRIP TO BOCA-DEL-...”
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“...THE STORY OF THE WENCHOW MISSION. t
~I
sorry for her at the time, but of course she
soon passed out of my remembrance. What do
you say ? I may be mistaken as to her identity ?
No, that Tam not. Althongh it is nearly four
years since the trial, I could, if needs be, swear
to the fact that your Janet Ashby is in reality
Robert Denton’s wife.
THE STORY OF THE WENCHOW
MISSION.
BY MRS. W. E. SOOTHILL.
Cuaprer IT.—Ovr Arrival ON THE SCENE.
NXIOUS though we were to reach
our destination, we were obliged
to spend New Year’s Eve anchored
some fourteen miles below the city,
the tide being too low to carry us
over the numerous sand-banks in the
river. Here, at the lower anchorage,
we heard that all was quiet in Wenchow,
though threatening placards had been posted
in the streets to the effect that if the Mission
premises were rebuilt they would again be
burnt down.
Early on New Year’s Day we dropped anchor
opposite to the North gate of the city, and my
husband went off at once to the...”
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“...back on the
past twelve months, I find more and more
occasion to rejoice.” Mr. Heywood intimates
with regard to opening up new work that the
difficulty is not in fast-closed doors, but in in-
ability to enter villages where believers reside,
and who often petition to have a preacher sent
to them.
* * *
Two Colporteurs who labour in connection
with our Wenchow Mission have sold, during
the year, several thousand copies of portions of
the Holy Scripture. They are supported by
the Scottish National Bible Society. They
are native converts, earnest, pious men, who
combine preaching with their work as book-
hawkers. - * ”
Wencuow Mission reports this year 421
members, with 350 on trial. This shows an
increase of 102 members on the year.
GOLBANTI.
A number of strangers having taken refuge
in the stockade at Golbanti, on account of a
plundering and murderous horde having paid
them an unwelcome visit, a service was held
in the open-air. Boru Dulo, a Galla “ King,”
attended, and after Shakala preached...”
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“...part of their
training. Tio these must be added the name of
Sister Hmmie, who is studying at the Zenana
Medical College, with a view to Medical Mission
work in China. Mr. and Mrs. Mallinson
kindly defray the cost of her medical training
Since the last report the following
SPECIAL MISSION SHRVICHS
have been held: by Mrs. Lees at Sowerby Bridge,
Rashcliffe, Lostock Hall, and Great Harwood;
by Sister Winnie at lLothersdale, Thorpe,
Hesley, Brighouse, and Silsden; by Sister
Jeanette at Grantham, Hast Kirkby, South
Normanton, and Wirksworth; by Sister May
at Roswick, Mullion, and Ashton; by Sister
Elsie at Lakenham, Pleasley Hill, and Brigg.
In nearly every case the results have been
most satisfactory as to congregations, conver-
sions, and contributions to our funds....”
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“...were to be
their victims. The strength completely left
my limbs, I walked on, how, I knew not, so
when they rushed up a side lane, just before
reaching us—and on some other quest—my
relief was unspeakable.
Here, too, I may add that, though not par-
ticularly nervous, I had been more than a year
in Wenchow before I ventured alone through
the ‘“‘ Dw-ka,” or Big Street. But to the credit
of the Chinamen be it said, that only twice
during the years I was in China was I ever
molested.
BEGGARS
on with their heavy burdens. In Southern
China everything is carried on the shoulder,
swinging from the ends of a supple bamboo;
the men are the “ beasts of burden’’; not evena
hand-cart is visible in Wenchow.
As we go along our olfactory nerves are any-
thing but gratified by the odours arising from
the open cooking-stoves in full activity which
stand here and there; the sight of their pans
of dark-coloured boiling fat (the oil of the tea-
plant berry) in which they fry so many of their
cakes, etc...”
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“...solid hour snipped
away, for a long time oblivious of the fact that
seven Chinamen were gazing in, with their
noses flattened against the window, as deeply
absorbed in the operation as myself. Doubt-
less they at once decided that in our ‘‘barbarous
country ” the women were the barbers, not the
men.
It was to this little home there came, some
few months later, the horrifying tidings of the
massacre of Mr. and Mrs. Houghton at Golbanti.
They had sailed for Africa on the same day
that I sailed for China.
MEDICAL MISSIONS.
A sisHop of the Church of England was
travelling through Africa on a Missionary tour.
Far up in the interior the tents were pitched ;
a Kaffir came to the bishop with a broken arm.
“T am sorry, my poor fellow, that I cando nothing
in that way for you.” “Oh! white man he can
do eberything! Do, father, make my arm
well!” ‘Indeed, Icannot: Jam not a surgeon ;
you need a surgeon to mend itfor you.” “ You
no mend my arm, father? You no can mend?
Well, if you no can mend my arm...”
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“...disasters it should give to Missionaries and the
friends of Missions that the great Founder of
Missions Himself conducts the Missionary en-
terprise, saying to His first disciples, “ Lo, I
AM WITH YOU ALWAY, EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE
WORLD.”
Forward be our watchword !
Steps and voices joined,
Seek the things before us,
Not a look behind.
Burns the fiery pillar
At our army’s head ;
Who shall dream of shrinking
By our Captain led?
EDITORIAL NOTES.
CHINA.
letter, shows that he is greatly
gratified at the condition of the
Wenchow Mission. “To look
round the chapel on a Sunday
morning is well worth coming all
the way to see. Hundreds of faces,
ee young and old, smooth and weather-
beaten, intelligent and dull, are all listening
intently to the reading and address of one of
their own preachers, whose animated gestures
and emphatic language show that he has got
a real hold of the truth as it is in Christ Jesus
himself, and is only too glad to hold forth the
light to others. In each of...”
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“...Hrit was the first place visited.
For six weeks spiritual and medical work was
carried on. The chapel was a dispensary by |
day, and a mission hall at night. Spiritual
work indeed went on throughout the day along
with the medical work—many being brought to
decision, some of whom had heard the Gospel
for ten years. Mrs. Swallow and a trained
woman laid siege to the homes of the members,
endeavouring to get the remaining members of
the families to be consecrated to God. For
more than fifteen miles interest had been
excited; and it continued to increase till the
visit came to an end.
* * *
In a letter to the Missionary Secretary Mrs.
Heywood gives an account of her outward
voyage, her six days’ stay at Ningpo with
Mr. Galpin, of whose kindness she has erateful
remembrance, and her arrival at Wenchow.-
She soon saw what work women could find in
China. Fifty or sixty were present every
Sunday, and on the first Sunday each month
(sacrament day) about 100 would attend.
Both men and women...”
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“...buted for the blind children in our school in
China and the new Mission-house in the Mendi
country.
We call the attention of our schools to
these special efforts for specific objects in our
mission work. And we shall be pleased to be
the medium of communication for any special
object our schools may have in view. We have
appeals before us at the present time from Mr.
and: Mrs. Howe, of Hast Africa, for lantern
slides and suitable clothing for the women and
children of the Mission. Mr. Galpin will be
glad to hear of other Sunday-schools taking a
practical interest in his Chinese boys. The
new Mission House at Tikonko will need fur-_
nishing, and suitable contributions will be
gratefully acknowledged by the General Sec-
retary. These special efforts, however, should
not supersede the usual collections and subscrip-
tions in our Sunday-schools.
* * *
THE new financial year has commenced, and
we urge continuous efforts on behalf of our
Mission Fund. We earnestly recommend the
formation of...”
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