Our missionary work from 1853 to 1889.

Chapter I

Religion of Christ a missionary religion — Missionary history important — Neglecting to provide for the poor is neglecting Christ — The souls of men being more valuable than their bodies, have a stronger claim upon our sympathies — Illustrations of a genuine missionary spirit II

Chapter II

Statistics showing moral condition of the world — Church of Christ has only been playing at missions — The heathen ignorant of God; slaves to superstition; worship their shadows, and gods made of wood, clay, iron, and stone — The gospel of Christ their only hope ; without this utterly impossible for them to emerge from their sad state . 17

Chapter III

Certainty of work being accomplished — True, there is still much skepticism at home and heathenism abroad — Much as the gospel has to contend with, its progress is so marked as to assure final and complete victory — The liquor traffic in heathen countries, and the prostitution of heathen women, permitted by Christian governments greatly hinder the cause of Christian missions. 21

Chapter IV

Missionary century — Dr. Cary, in 1792 — Opposed to missions because "We have no religion to spare" — Giving to others the best way to retain what we have — How a minister in Indiana was made happy — How a man was kept from committing suicide, and was led to help others 23

Chapter V

Work of the last hundred years — Over one hundred missionary organizations— Sixteen million dollars now, instead of five hun-

V

VI CONTEXTS,

dred thousand at the beginning of this century — The Bible translated into many languages, and circulating freely even in Catholic countries — Great success of missions in India, China, Japan, Madagascar, Sandwich and Fiji islands 27

Chapter VI

Sentiment becoming more friendly to missions — Churches which labor most earnestly to enlighten the heathen, grow most rapidly at home — This abundantly illustrated in our own church since 1853 — The old negro's and the Chinaman's remarks — "Lo, I am with you alway, " is better understood now than formerly... 32

Chapter VII

Illustrations of early piety — A boy's logic too much for his father — " We have heathen at home," no reason for not sending the gospel abroad — Practicing self-denial makes us strong in the Lord — The efforts of Cary, Judson, Livingstone, and others quickened into new life the churches they left behind — A minister's remark, that what he had given to God's cause was all he had left to him 35

CHAPTER VIII. From 1853 to 1857

Organization of Missionary Society — Work commenced in Missouri, Michigan, Nebraska, Canada, and California — Missionaries sent to Africa — Co-operation with American Missionary Association — Progress of work upon home, frontier, and foreign missions during the four years 40

Chapter IX

General Conference of 1857 — Illness of secretaries — Publication of Missionary Telescope — Financial crisis — Many conversions — House sent to Africa — Missionaries shipwrecked — The work successful 52

CHAPTER X. From 1861 to 1865

Serious obstacles to overcome on account of debt and war — Money came from unexpected sources in answer to prayer — Fierce opposition from pro-slavery men — Work in Africa not entirely abandoned — Real progress upon many fields — Losses upon a few. 62

CONTENTS. Vll

CHAPTER XL From 1865 to 1869.

Missionary Visitor commenced — Freedmen's mission discontinued — Work resumed In places from which war had driven us — Oregon made self-supporting — Rev. O. Hadley and wife sent to Africa, and what they said — Union sought with the Evangelical Association — Great prosperity on frontier and home missions 75

CHAPTER XII. From 1869 to 1873

Work commenced in Germany — Rev. J. Gomer and wife go to Africa — Frontier work enlarged — Opposition to our work in Germany — Skies brightening in Africa — Rev. J. A. Evans and Mrs. Hadley go to Africa — D. F. Wilberforce comes to Dayton — Missionary Visitor and the work generally successful 87

Chapter XIII

Change of president and treasurer — Women's praying crusade — Return of Missionaries — Work commenced in Philadelphia — Rapid growth in Nebraska — First churches organized in Africa — Woman's Missionary Association — Missionaries going to and coming from foreign fields — Wrong to have missionary debt — Average of one dollar per capita should be given .• 101

CHAPTER XIV. From 1877 to 1881

Missionary bishop for Pacific Coast — Unjust discrimination against color — Missionary quarterly — Wilberforce and wife go to Africa — Boys' home built in Africa — Persecution in Germany — Organization of Mission districts in Africa and Germany — Prosperity at home and abroad 118

CHAPTER XV. From 1881 to 1885

Commencing new mission stations in Africa — Rev. Gomer and wife come home, and then return to Africa — Transfer of Mendi mission to the United Brethren Board of Missions, with money necessary to sustain it— Freedmen's Mission Aid Association of London — Papers published in Africa and Germany — Chinese on the Pacific coast — Rapid growth in all the departments of work... 131

Vlll CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XVI. From 1885 -to 1889

New secretary and treasurer — Foreign bishops' district— Reduced, appropriations— Changes in Africa and Germany — The work continues to prosper in Africa — Rufus Clark and Wife Theological Training-school — Desolating war in Africa — Rapid increase of members — Success in paying missionary debt — Prosperity in all departments 165

Introduction

In 1853, the Home, Frontier, and Foreign Missionary Society of the United Brethren in Christ was organized by the General Conference of the church. This volume contains the history of the work performed, with results tabulated at the end of each quadrennial term, so far as this could be done, in a statistical form. Some of the statements made, though not regarded as essential to the history, are inserted because they are interesting, and may be useful.

Africa has considerable space given it, for the reason that this is the most important mission of the society. It also did more to awaken missionary zeal in the Church than all others. This large continent, much of which is still in undisturbed heathenism, is now fully open to missionaries, who should be sent by hundreds to redeem that dark land to Christ.

Mr. Stanley, in his march of nine hundred and ninety-nine days from Zanzibar across the continent to the mouth of the Congo River, says that in all the fifty million people in the country through which he passed, not one had heard the gospel. The explorations and death of Livingstone, and the heroic sufferings of Stanley, through which the civilized world has obtained a more perfect knowledge of the sad condition of the people of that dark continent, have awakened much zeal and activity in its behalf. The cruelties endured by thousands of the people of Africa, growing out of the slave-trade, the rum-traffic, cannibalism, offering human sacrifices, and the many superstitions of the people, as, for instance, witchcraft, should cause Christians to speedily give them the gospel. The history of our mission in Africa, as given in this volume, shows how truly the gospel is the power of God unto salvation ; also how wonderfully, not to say miraculously, the Master has led our church in its work there.

Our work in Germany, considering the small outlay of money, shows conclusively that God has been with us in the Fatherland. In the new states and territories of the United States, a good work has also been done by the society. In the department of home missions, great strength has been added to the Church, and many precious souls have been saved. As these are not under the control of the parent society,

ix

X INTRODUCTION.

but of its branches, there is not so much said of them , but the quadrennial tabulated statistics of home missions are given as fully as those of frontier and foreign missions. Very much has been omitted for brevity's sake, as, for instance, the names of missionaries, who did much hard and excellent work upon home and frontier missions, of whom space does not permit giving a specific account Names of members of the Board of Missions are omitted for the same reason.

The portraits and sketches of the first and the present officers of the' missionary society, and the sketches of the first two presidents of th? Woman's Missionary Association and several of our African converts, with the cuts representing the Rufus Clark and Wife Theological Training-school, the Mary Sowers Home for Girls, the Rotufunk school, the boys and girls of Shaingay school, and Chief Souri Kessebbe and his wives, will add much to the value of this volume.

The author regrets that the sketches of persons whose lives were so

full of good works and zeal for God's cause as to have furnished matter

for a volume as large as this, had to be compressed into a few pages.

It is a source of pleasure to him that the mere outlines given will in

this way perpetuate the memories of those whom all delight to honor.

August, 1889.

D. K. FLICKINGER.

John Kemp.

(See page 224.)

United Brethren Missions.

Chapter I

Religion of Christ a missionary religion — Missionary history important — Neglecting to provide for the poor is neglecting Christ — The sonls of men being more valuable than their bodies, have a stronger claim upon our sympathies — Illustrations of a genuine missionary spirit.

Before coming to the work indicated by the title of this volume, which is to give the history of our missions since the organization of the Home, Frontier, and Foreign Missionary Society, in 1853, a few general remarks respecting the missionary enterprise will be in place.

The salvation of Christ, so strikingly foreshadowed in the Old Testament, and advanced from promise to fulfillment in the Xew Testament scriptures, in other words, the religion of Christ, is pre-eminently a missionary religion. A life of faith in the Son of God fills the soul of the believer with the same compassion for sinners which the Savior had. All true Christian churches are of necessity missionary churches. The intensity of zeal for mission work may be greatly modified by peculiar surroundings. Our early training, and the interpretation given to the Xew Testament teaching upon this subject, as well as the needs and encouragements of mission fields, all these will have a great influence as to the measure of missionary zeal which

Christians possess. Then, the circumstances of the age in which men live must be taken into account. Some of the great reformers, as, for instance, Luther and Calvin, and even the fathers of our own church, found much in their midst that was wicked, not only among the irreligious, but also in the churches. In short, the dead formality in many of the Protestant churches, the idolatry and tyranny of the Eomanists, and the low type of piety among the communicants cf both, with very few exceptions, in their day, gave these men of God so much to correct at home that they had neither time nor money to attend to any missionary work among the heathen. They did truly a home missionary work which was much needed, and did it with heroic zeal. It is not exaggerating to say that the history of the world, especially since the Christian era, would be incomplete without showing what Christian missions have done. Indeed, the most important or valuable portion of the world's history is either directly missionary history or the outgrowth of missionary effort. All great changes for the better, as those in the a'postles' day, and such as had their origin in the great reformations since that time, are inseparably connected with Christian missions. The religion of the Lord Jesus in the hearts of men is at the foundation of all truly great movements for the welfare of the race of man, both in this life "and that which is to come. Bold as this statement may seem, and as open to criticism as some may regard it, it will nevertheless stand the test.

Persons not professedly Christian are often unconsciously swayed by Christian principles, and in this way have been in some instances not behind real Christians in promoting great benevolent enterprises, the greatest of which originated in the benevolence of God, and was manifested to man in the work which our Savior accomplished by living, dying, and being raised from the dead in our behalf. Christianity having originated in the benevolence of God, inaugurated on earth through the benevolence of Christ, it is reasonable and scriptural that it should be disseminated and perpetuated in all the earth through the benevolence of the Christian church. The following scriptural texts are to the point: "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." As though Christ had said to his disciples, Ye know how full and free my grace has been to you, by a blessed experience, and having freely received, freely give; being saved yourselves, do what you can to save others ; tell them that I " by the grace of God" tasted "death for every man." As compassion for sinners was so deep an emotion and so mighty an impulse of the Savior, so ought it be with his followers., "When he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd." Sad as was this sight to Christ in the days of his incarnation, the condition of the people which so deeply moved his compassion was in every respect more conducive to happiness, both in this world and in the life to come, than is the condition of millions of heathen now living. If, therefore, this sight moved the Savior with compassion, and caused him to say "unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest," then the greater multitudes of our day, who are not only as sheep having no shepherd, but who are "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked," deserve our sincere sympathy, for " Their throat is an open sepulchre ; with their tongues they have used deceit ; the poison of asps is under their lips : whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness : their feet are swift to shed blood : destruction and misery are in their ways : and the way of peace have they not known : there is no fear of God before their eyes."

The duty of the Christian church toward the unsaved, especially the heathen, is scripturally set forth in the following texts: "But to do good and to communicate forget not : for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us : and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" This spirit of compassion and benevolence so forcibly taught in God's word, and so strikingly illustrated in Christ's life, with the injunction of the apostle, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus," so very clearly teaches our duty, as it relates to the suffering poor and unsaved, that there can be no doubt upon this subject. Yea, more, the Savior's description of the day of judgment, and the words of approval which he as Judge will speak to his people, and the sentence which he will pronounce upon those who are not his, are exceedingly significant. Our willingness or unwillingness to care for the needy of earth, in temporal as well as in spiritual matters, according to Christ's teaching in the twenty-fifth chapter of St. Matthew, will determine the question as to whether it will be said to us, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world," or, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." The reason given by the Judge for blessing the one and cursing the other, is in the words, " Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me/' and, " Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me." The two points which should impress us in this narrative are, that Christ regards doing good to the poor as done to him, and neglecting them as neglecting him; and that a great blessing will come to those who help the suffering, and a great curse will come to those who neglect to clo so. TJiose who habitually neglect the suffering poor, do so at the peril of their souls. The following narrative is a good illustration of the spirit that should actuate Christians toward the poor, whether they are suffering for want of temporal or spiritual blessings. It is also suggestive of how the Savior shows his approval of acts of self-sacrifice in behalf of suffering humanity. A Russian sentinel gave a comrade an overcoat on a cold, stormy night, and as a result took cold ; and died ; but before dying he said to others that he saw Christ coming to him clad in the same coat he had given his comrade on that wild, bleak night.

It is scarcely necessary to repeat what has been so often told, and which the Scriptures clearly set forth, namely, that the souls of men are infinitely more valuable than their bodies, and hence have stronger claims upon Christian sympathy and help than the latter. Where there is a true missionary spirit, born of the love we have for Christ, then, as the poet puts it, " labor is rest and pain is sweet" to those who undergo these things for the benefit of others. Mary Jones, a Welsh girl sixteen years of age, walked twenty-five miles to buy a Bible, that she might read it to others and be blessed herself thereby. The announcement, after she had walked so far, that all the Bibles on hand were promised, only made her plead more earnestly that she might obtain the treasure she came for, and thereby she not only succeeded in getting a Bible, but also suggested to others the necessity of a society for the circulation of God's word, which led to the formation of the British Bible Society. This was a genuine missionary spirit.

Still another case must be given. A Welsh woman, while away from her home, heard a minister preach who greatly edified the people. She invited him to visit her neighborhood and hold a meeting of several days. He promised he would when she came for him, little thinking that she would make the long journey of a hundred and fifty miles to where he lived. Returning to her home, and making all arrangements, she announced that at such a time a meeting would be held. At the proper time she started on foot to go to the minister's home, and after a week's travel reached the place. True to his promise, he came, and many souls were brought to Christ. She did what she could.

Chapter II

Statistics showing moral condition of the world — Church of Christ has only been playing at missions — The heathen ignorant of God ; slaves to superstition ; worship their shadows, and gods made of wood, clay, iron, and stone — The gospel of Christ their only hope ; without this, utterly impossible for them to emerge from their sad state.

Mr. Blackstone, of Chicago, who had for years given much attention to figures representing the moral and religious condition of the world, said at the Moody convocation, in August, 1886, that the population of the world was estimated at 1,434,000,000. Of these 835,000,- 000 were heathen, 136,000,000 Protestants, 195,000,000 Roman Catholics, 175,000,000 Mohammedans, and 35,- 000,000 belonged to the Greek Church.

The United States of America gave $65,000,000 to missions, $110,000,000 to education, $900,000,000 for intoxicating drinks, $600,000,000 for tobacco, and $5,000,- 000 for ostrich feathers. In fifteen years, the so-called Christian nations had spent $15,000,000,000 for war, and only $300,000,000 for the extension of the gospel of Christ.

One has well said that the church of Christ has only been playing at missions. It has not undertaken this work yet in earnest. Not a tithe has been attempted which might have been accomplished, even during the last century, which has done more than any other since the apostles' day in mission effort.

Considering the sad condition of the heathen, and the ability of Christians to give them the gospel, as well as the positive command of the Savior to "teach all nations," it is not very creditable to the followers of Christ, that so large a number of the earth's population are yet in the darkness of heathenism.

The fact that Christians are largely in the minority, is conclusive proof that the church should greatly bestir itself to achieve the conquest of earth for Him whose right it is to reign. Though Christ tasted death for every man, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, the ignorance of the heathen respecting these things leaves them in the sad condition in this life that they would be in had no Savior come to the earth.

Of God and his government, the gospel and its blessings, religion and its joys, heaven and its glories, hell and its sorrows, they have no just conceptions. They are emptied of all that is good, and filled with all that is evil, and such will be their condition until the gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation, is given them. No other power can elevate and save the degraded of earth. Without the gospel, civilization, legislation, and education fail to make people what they should be upon earth, and fail to fit them for the society of heaven. All these have been tried, but like the fetters and chains by which the demoniac was bound, they fail to tame the wild nature of men, and cause them to sit at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in their right mind. Christianity alone can do this. This is the power of God unto salvation, and saves men from the polluting evils of heathenism, such as witchcraft, purrowism, cannibalism, polygamy, slavery, and the many debasing cruelties of those who inhabit the dark places of the earth.

A certain writer has well said that man is a religious animal and will worship some object; hence, in the

UNITED BRETHKEN MISSIONS, 19

absence of a knowledge of tiie true Gocl he becomes an idolator. Man also becomes assimilated into the character of the object he worships. If the object be pure and exalted it will tend to the elevation and purification of the worshiper. If on the other hand the object worshiped be earthly, sensual, or devilish, these will be developed in the worshiper. Hence, the importance of worshiping God, who is exalted above all principality and power, and whose pure eyes cannot look upon sin with approval.

It is said that the negroes of Benin, West Africa, at times worship their own shadows, which is quite as rational as to worship reptiles, animals, and many other objects, both animate and inanimate. The writer has seen gods made of wood, clay, iron, and stone, by the heathen of western Africa ; some male and others female ; so horrible and indecent in their appearance, as to make one turn away from them in disgust. How important that a knowledge of the true God be taught all men as the Savior commanded, "Go ye therefore and teach all nations. . . . Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you : and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." The utter impossibility of the heathen being able to emerge from the sad state into which they have fallen, without the gospel, demands that it be given them, as the Savior directed. It is a sad comment upon the zeal and liberality of the professed followers of Christ, not to say a shame, that about two thirds of the human family are still in the grossest ignorance of God and the way of salvation, enduring all that is meant by the words, " The dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty."

The following passages found in God's word, show very forcibly the importance of the mission work enjoined upon the church : "He that winneth souls is wise;" "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament : and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever;" "Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." Two remarks are in place. (1.) The human soul is the most valuable thing on earth. (2.) Winning it for Christ, the wisest enterprise in which anyone can engage. In other words, the salvation of the soul is the greatest blessing Avhich any mortal can gain, and the loss of it the greatest calamity which can befall anyone. This fact is most strikingly brought out in the question asked by Christ, "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" It is also said by the apostle, " There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved," — the name of Jesus. Xow if this be true, that salvation is only in the name of Jesus, and that the soul is worth more than anything else, yea, than all else, in this world, and that we may instrumentally save souls, as is so clearly taught in the scriptural textfc quoted, then the missionary enterprise, and the part Christians are expected to act, have a momentous meaning. The following from St. Paul is to the point : " For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach, except they be sent ? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"

Chapter III

Certainty of work being- accomplished — True, there is still much skepticism at home and heathenism abroad — Much as the gospel has to contend with, its progress is so marked as to assure final and complete victory — A shame that the liquor traffic in heathen countries, and the prostitution of heathen women, permitted by Christian governments, greatly hinder the cause of Christian missions.

The Savior when asked respecting his second coming and the end of the world, said, " And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations ; and then shall the end come." I quote this passage now to show that there is no uncertainty as to the accomplishment of the work of the Master enjoined upon his followers nearly nineteen hundred years ago. Though he made no special arrangements by which it should be done, the fact that he said it shall be done assures us that in his own good time he will bring it to pass. It is true that he organized no board of missions, and has not provided financial support for his messengers who are to preach the gospel of the kingdom. Besides he had no indorsement from the rich and influential, nor had he the patronage of kings, or the sanction of the learned and great of earth. On the contrary, it was but a short time after he said that this great work should be done, that he was betrayed by one of his followers, denied by another, forsaken by all of them, and arrested, scourged, and crucified as a criminal. Even now the prophecy is unfulfilled, though so many hundreds of years have elapsed since it was made ; yet there is much to encourage in what has been done during the present century. Though there is much heathenism abroad, and skepticism and ungodliness at home, the gospel is now preached to much of the world, and Christ has a large following, and of the best people living.

One of the -sad things, and that which much retards the progress of Christianity in heathen lands, is the demoralizing influence of wicked men from enlightened countries, who indulge in the grossest vices among the heathen, who in many instances regard these as representing the religion and civilization taught by Christ and his gospel. It is a humiliating fact that many heathen first hear the names of God and Christ in profane swearing. Then the falsehoods, deceptions, frauds, drunkenness, debauchery, and other great vices perpetrated among the heathen by those from Christian lands, do much to hinder the feeble efforts put forth to bring the world to a knowledge of the truth, as it is in Christ. The progress the gospel has made, considering the fact that it has had tenfold more to contend with than it would have had had the church been tenfold more active in disseminating the truth, is highly encouraging, and is proof conclusive that it will eventually triumph over all opposition. One of the great wants of our time is a higher type of Christian rectitude in the lives and legislation of churches and governments. The liquor traffic carried on in heathen countries, and the licensing of prostitution among the heathen for the accommodation of soldiers and sailors, thus dragging women into the lowest infamy, are things which should bring deep humiliation to the church of Christ, as well as all lovers of morality and good society. The reign of Christ cannot be universal until Christian governments absolutely cease to do evil and learn to do well, and this will be brought about by the combined efforts of the pure and good demanding such reforms.