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Th^ copy filmed her* has been reproduced thanka to the generoaity of: Ralph Pickard Ml Library Mount Aiibon Univanity The imagea appeering here are the beat quality poaaible conaidering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract apacificationa. Original copiea in printed paper covera are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illuatrated imprea sion. or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copiea are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illuatrated imprea- sion, and ending on the iaat page with a printed or illustrated impreasion. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol ^^ (meening "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol y (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. 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Un dea symboles suivants apparattra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, aelon le caa: le symbols --^ sigr^ie "A SUIVRE", le symbols V signifie "FIN' . Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent Mt% filmfo h dea taux de reduction diffirenta. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre repr^^duit en un seul clichA, ii est film* A partir de Tangle supArieur geuche, de gauche A droite, et de heut en boa, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammea suivants illustrent la m^thode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 / Rev. Dr. Coke, Fathek of Methodist Missions. Missionary Scenes IN MANY LANDS. SEOONU SERIES. BY EDWARD BARRASS, M.A., Author of "Smiles and Tears," "Gallery of Distioguished Men," etc. ^ I ^ > * m^^ TORONTO: METHODIST MISSION ROOMS, SI Adklaidb Strbbt East. 1887. PREFACE. JHE author begs to otate that this second series of " Missionary Scenes " is, like its predecessors, a compilation which has been prepared specially for the young people of the Methodist Church. The Missionary Society awards the little book to its juvenile collectors, not only as an acknowledgment of their services, but with the hope that it may increase their interest in mission work throughout the world. The author has gleaned in many fields. He is especially indebted to The Land of Veda, by the Rev. William Butler, D.D. ; Illustrated Travels, edited by H. W. Bates, Assistant Secretary of the Royal Geo- graphical Society; the Canadian Methodist Magazine; Frank Leslie's Sunday Magazine; Conference of Mis- sions in Liverpool, 1860; the Princeton Missionary Review; the Rev. W. Moister's Histoi'y of Wesleyan Missions; Williams* Missionary Enterprises; The Life of Dr. Geddie, etc. The author sends forth the book with the prayer that it may accomplish the end hoped for by the Missionary Committee. E. B. / \ CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. India— The Country— Its Size— Lord Clive— The People- Cruelties of Idolatry — A Hindoo Devotee— Degradation of Woman — Temples and Gods — Offerings to Idols — Pro- testant Missionaries — Wesleyan Missions — Methodist Episcopal Church— Female Agency — Zenana Work — A. L. O. E. — Jumnapuri CHAPTER II. Mbxioo — How Bounded — The Gulf Stream — Conquered by Spain— Visited by Travellers— The People— The Evan- gelista— The Scavenger — The Serono— The Jeroohos — A Rich Church- Mines— Missions — The Roman Catholic Church — the Jesuits — Protestant Churches — Bishop Haven— First M. E. Church— Dr. Butler— Early Converts , — Death to the Protestants— J. L. Stephens — Hernandez —The M. E. Church South— Bishop Marvin— Bishop Keener — Dr. Patterson — An Affecting Scene — The Ladies of tiew Orleans ries 35 CHAPTER IIL Natal — English Colony — Kaffirs — Native Productions — Game - -Bush- pig — The Capital — Zululand — Marriage Customs — Huts — Weapons — Wars — Land Speculators — Missionaries — Wesleyan Missions — J. Archbell — W. Shaw — Success of the Gospel — Progress of the Kaffir Race — Natives in England — Wonderful Accounts — Native Institutions 61 CHAPTER IV. Nbw Calbdonia— Western Pacific Ocean — The Natives — Captain Cook — Influence of Missionanes — French Settle- ments — M. Gamier — An Enterprising Colonist — A Moton \ vm CONTENTS. --A Buih Fire— The Kanaka— Cruel Treatment— A Mas- ■acre — Moaquitoes — Taboo — Harriuanea — Fish — The Chiefa — Tribal Wars — Cannibala— Sheep Abundant— French Miiiionaries • • PASI 81 CHAPTER V. Abobntinb Bbpublio — South America— W. S. Parfitt, C.E. ^^entral Railway — A Young Frenchman — An Uproar — Dangers of Travel — An Enterprising Scotchman — A Faithless Guide — A Midnisht Attack — Hatred of Spain- Romish Institutions — Light in Darkness — M. E. Church — Dr. Dempster — Buenos Ayres — Rosario — Jllducation — El Estandarte — Colporteurs — Brazil — Variou i Denomina- tions — Bishop Taylor— Success of Missions — Sad Results of Intemperance • 106 CHAPTER VI. Bbrmuda — Part of Methodist Church — Climate — Early Dis- covery — Shipwrecks — Expedition to Virginia — Sir George Sommers — Whitefield — A Convict Station— Population — Rev. J. Stephenson Imprisoned — Joshua Marsden — Naval Station— Church at Somerset— Edward Eraser - 137 CHAPTER VII. Erromanoa — Missionaries' Graves— New Hebrides — Climate — Dr. Geddie— The Sandal- wood Traffic — Injuries In- flieted-^John Williams — Successful Labors— Chips Talk — A Monster of the Deep — Visit to England — Return — Killed— Bishop Selwin— G. N. Gordon— White Men Injure Missions — Bishop Patteson — Mrs. Gordon— Second Son— Five Deaths — H. A. Robertson — Church Built — Marvellous Change — Schools — Prospects - - • 167 CHAPTER VIII. Alaska — Thomas Crosby — Port Simpson — Alaski^ Pur- ' chased ,from. Russia — Clah— Labors amons the Indians— Resources — Seal Skins — The Greek Church— Fort Wran- gel — General Howard — Mrs. MoFarland 186 \\ PAsa 81 105 37 INDIA. 57 o S3 m e CHAPTEK I. INDIA. JUR readers are aware that Queen Victoria is not only the Queen of England, but also the Empress of India. India is an empire of itself, and as it forms a part of the British Empire, and has been the scene of many grand mis- sionary exploits, it will not be out of place to devote at least one chapter in describing its more prominent features. As a country it is great in extent. From its south- ern extremity to its northern boundary, the distance is not leas than eighteen hundred miles, and from its eastern to its western limits the distance is nineteen hundred miles. There are not less than eighteen dif- ferent languages spoken in its various principalities; the population exceeds two hundred and fifty millions, or about fifty times more than all the people that liv ..^ in the Dominion of Canada. The climate of India varies. The mountains of Himalaya, with their snow- capped heads, make the northern portion cool, but the other parts are hot. Two grand rivers take their rise 2 10 MISSIONARY SCENES in those mountains, one from the east side, called the Ganges, the other from the west, called the Indus, but the mouths of these rivers are fifteen hundred miles apart. Lord Clive was the great military commander who conquered the Qreat Mogul, who formerly reigned in this vast country. A company, called the East India Company, was then formed, which held possession for trading purposes, very similar to the Hudson Bay Company, which held possession of what is now known as the Province of Manitoba and the North- West Territories. Some years ago, however, the Com- pany's reign was abolished, and India now has a Gov- emor-General and several Provincial Governors. Lord Dufferin, who was Governor-General of Canada, is now the Viceroy of India, but we fear that while his present position may be regarded as the highest gift which a monarch can convey, his Lordship will have a much more difficult position to fill than when he was the Governor-General of our Dominion. Lord Duf-' ferin loved Canada, and Canada loved him. The people of India are mostly Hindus and Moham- medans. There are a few Parseas, or fire-worshippers. The former may be regarded as the aborigines, or na- tives of the country, and consist of various classes, but all are idolaters. They worship gods many and lords many. Some of the temples are magnificent structures, and cost fabulous sums of money. On the occasion of great festivals, thousands of people will . IN MANY LANDS 11 congregate together, and on such occasions the scenes which are often enacted are too horrible to describe. The great car of Juggernath, with its ponderous wheels, formerly crushed thousands of devotees to propitiate some of the cruel deities. Widows were burned to death on the funeral mounds of their husbands ; this was called the suttee, but the cruel custom was abol- ished by command of Lord William Bentinck, when that nobleman was Governor-General of India in 1829. Mothers were accustomed to cast their sickly children — and some that were not sickly — into tie Ganges, to be devoured by the crocodiles, supposing that by so do- ing they would appease the wrath of some angry god. A missionary who labored thirty years in India re- lated the following incident at a missionary meeting which I attended. He said that "one day, accom- panied by a friend, he was passing along the streets of a city in India when they saw a magnificent tem- ple, the doors of which were open, and a large number of people were entering. It was evident that some- thing of more than ordinary interest was in progress. The missionary and his friend entered the temple. At one end of the edifice there stood a huge idol, near to which a priest was standing arrayed in his sacerdotal costume. All the worshippers brought offerings to the god. Just then a man entered, leading by the haad a little boy, who appeared to be five or six years of age. They were father and son, and botli bowed down to the idol. On rising, the father presented the 12 MISSIONARY SCENES boy to the priest, who caused him to pass three *imes around the idol. Just as the third round was com- pleted, the cruel priest took a knife and thrust it into the right side of the little fellow, and in this condition he again marched, or rather dragged, the poor child three times more around the idol, when the inhuman monster (for such we regard him, even though he was a priest) took another knife and thrust it into the left side of the poor boy, whose screams were necessarily of the most heart-rending description, to drown which several persons were making the loudest noise possible on various musical instruments. What next was done we do not know, as the missionary and his friend could not bear to witness the cruel ceremony any longer, and therefore retired, thanking God that they had not been born in one of the "dark parts of the earth which fire full of the habitations of cruelty." As a further illustration of the cruelties which Indian devotees inflict upon themselves we give the following from Dr. Butler : One will lash a pole to his body and fasten the arm to it, pointing upward, and endure the pain till that limb becomes rigid and cannot be taken down again. The pole is then removed. Some of them have been known to close the hand, and hold it so until the nails penetrated the flesh, and came out on the other side. Tavernier and others give engravings of some who have stood on one leg for years, and others who never lie down, supported only by a stick or rope under their armpits, their legs meanwhile growing I . I' IN MANY LANDS. 18 into hideous deformity and breaking out in ulcers. Sticking a spear through the protruded tongue, or through the arm, is practised, and so is hookswinging, running sharp hooks through the small of the back deep enough to bear the man's weight, when he is raised twenty or thirty feet into the air, and swung around. The cruel system of caste is exceedingly prevalent in India, though its evils are not so apparent as they formerly were. The Brahmins have taught the people to believe that caste is authorized by the supreme deity of India, and that the divisions and sub-divisions number at least sixty-four. No man of caste can eat, smoke, marry, or touch the cooking vessels of a person of another caste. The system is not only silly, but it is even inhuman. If a person visit a distant town and there be taken ill, and unable to tell to what caste he belonged, he would be liable to perish, because none of the people of a higher caste would touch him, lest they should break their caste, and those of a low caste would be unwilling lest their contact (on the supposition of his superior order) might irrevocably contaminate him. Thus the man would perish without help. In all countries where Christianity is unknown woman is most fearfully degraded. She is treated in the most cruel manner possible. A distinguished writer says: "In all parts of the East, females are spoken of as being much inferior to men in wisdom, and nearly all their sages have descanted on the ignor- ance of women." In the Hindu book called the Kurral 14 MISSIONARY SCENES IN MANY LANDS. it is declared "all women are ignorant." In another book it is said: "Ignorance is a woman's jewel. Female wisdom is from the evil one. The feminine qualities are four — ignorance, fear, shame and impunity. To a woman disclose not a secret." It is believed that there are one hundred and twenty millions of women and girls in India, and not more than one in twelve hundred have yet been placed under any kind of Christian instruction. The laws of Hinduism in respect to women are excessively cruel. The following is her duty as detailed in the Shaster : "When in the presence of her husband, a woman must keep her eyes upon her master and be ready to receive his commands. When he speaks she s must be quiet, and listen to nothing else besides. When he calls she must leave everything else and attend upon him alone. A woman has no other god on earth but her husband. The most excellent of all good works that she can perform is to gratify him with the strictest obedience. This should be her onlv devo- tion. Though he be aged, infirm, dissipated, a drunk- ard, or a debauchee, she must still regard him as her god. She must serve him with all her might, obeying him in all things, spying no defects in his character, and giving him no cause for disquiet. If he laughs, she must also laugh ; if he weeps, she must also weep ; if he sings, she must be in ecstasy." It has already been stated that Sutteeism, or the burning of widows, has been abolished in India, but 'p; ^^ttW/r"- A Hindoo Woman. 16 MISSIONARY SCENES still the condition of woman when in a state of widow- hood is dreadful to contemplate. The following descrip- tion is from the pen of the Rev. William Arthur, M.A., who was a Wesleyan missionary in India. He says, "When the moment that discrowns a Hindu matron arrives not one relation may approach. When the husband draws his last breath, the widow is stripped of all her ornaments, even though she is l^ut a child of six or seven years of age, and does not know what the word husband means. She must attend the funeral, but nobody will show her the least sympathy, and she may not come within two hundred feet of any other woman. She is regarded as an accursed thing, and at the place of sepulture she is the object of all man- ner of insults and is subjeKed to grievous bodily torture, so that many have been heard to say that they w ould rather choose the suttee, for death itself is a relief to such tortures and indignities as generally befall the Hindu widow, and many of them have been heard to pray that no more women might be born in the land. On the eleventh day after the funeral comes a Brahmin to demand money, oil and other things as death dues. The sum demanded on such occasions from poor persons is thirteen rupees (about six dollars and fifty cents). To a poor person this is a large amount, and cases have been known in which widows have had to labor for months at grinding corn to earn the dues of the priests." We have mentioned the fact that the religion of IN MANY LANDS. 17 India is sustained by a gorgeous system of idolatry which costs an immense sum of money. A traveller, in describing one temple, says "that it is approached by a colonnade, seated beneath which one can admire at leisure the jewels and richly embroidered and costly articles of clothing with which the idol is decorated on feast days. The value of these exceeds five lacs of rupees, nearly two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and pearls are all to be found adorning the mitres, necklaces, bracelets, diadems, and slippers worn by the god and goddess. None of these precious stones, some of which are enor- mous both in size and value, are cut, and nearly every jewel is defective. They are set without taste, and no pains have been taken to assimilate the colors of the stones, neither are they arranged with any considera- tion as to shape and value. Some have been presented by the civil officers on their rounds, who have thought it politic in this way to conciliate the Hindu race who are worshippers of Siva,. Occasionally the Brahmins in charge will uncover the secondary idols, such as Hanouman (the monkey) and Garuda (the hawk) on whose back rides Vishnu. All the horses and other monsters on which the idol is placed on great feasts are gilt, and of heroic or colossal size. Amongst the treasures of the temple is a palanquin, beautifully gilt, and worth fifteen thousand dollars. " In front of the gate of the sanctuary is a small dais, supported by four columns, on the top of which 18 MISSIONARY SCENES is a pyramidal roof, with chains constructed out of a single block of stone ornamenting the four corners. To the left of the entrance a rectangular platform, covered by a flat roof, is supported by twelve rows of eight pillars each. All those of the outer row are sculptured in high relief. A chain constructed out of a single stone hangs above the corner pillar, which is a single block sculptured into the form of three horses, apparently springing forward out of the pillar. Once a month the idol is exhibited to its adoring worship- pers under this dais. Behind this portico of ninety-six columns is the sacred pool in which the faithful per- form their ablutions. In the midst of this pool another smaller dais is erected, where on certain occasions the divinity belonging to the place is deposited. "To the left another sanctuary attracts the eye. In front of it, also, is a colonnade, adorned with sculptures and symbols. "Every Friday the idol is borne on high in proces- sion to a garden belonging to the pagoda, but the principal feast-day is in May. Crowds of monkeys, supposed to be under the protection of Siva, wander about in the sacred enclosure, and woe be to him who dares attack one of these living fetiches — the Hindu devotee would be revenged on him. " Notwithstanding its great reputation, and in spite of many conflicting opinions on the subject, this pagoda can scarcely be reckoned as one of the most beautiful in India. It will bear no comparison with the great IN MANY LANDS. 19 temples of Tanjore and Madura, while there are many others in the south of India more remarkable, both by their size and the sculpturing of the portals." The deity which is worshipped in Tanjore is a colossal bull, lazily reclining. It is said to be the finest specimen of the "Nandon" in existence in India, and is chiselled out of a block of syenite. Notwithstanding the numerous controversies on the subject, this image unquestionably has four extremities three of which are visible, the fourth being half hidden under the body, the hoof merely peeping out. Supposing, indeed, that this mystic animal was provided with three legs, as is believed by some, it would be difficult to imagine how it could sally out nightly to browse in the rich pastures which surround the temple. No Hindu worshipper doubts for a moment the truth of these nocturnal promenades ; nor would he seek to verify the truth or falsity of the supposition, as might so easily be done. Another temple is described as being dedicated to Soubramanya, or the peacock god — this is the war god of the Hindus. As is customary in the Deccan temples, a long dark corridor, supported by columns, gives access to the sanctuary, over which, as usual, is a pyramidal tower. On entering the vestibule two pillars are seen. On the top of each has been sculptured a human figure, bearded and having a moustache, but with hoofed extremities. "To the right, close to the wall of the temple of Soubramanya, is an elegant stone basin, on which are 20 MISSIONARY SCENES IN MANY LANDS. sculptured dancing figures, executed with much grace. This basin serves to contain the water supposed to have been sanctified by the god's ablutions, and for this reason the faithful religiously prize every drop. "At the entrance to the pagoda two little elephants may constantly be seen busily occupied in devouring a mountain of green food; these are the watch-dogs at the gate. They form an important item in religious pro- cessions and are let out by the Brahmins, to the wealthy Hindus who care to hire them, for marriage ceremonies. These animals were at one time a most important source of income to the Brahmins." It has already been stated that persons are not now crushed to death under the wheels of Juggernath in the religious processions ; still, however, this god has many devotees. The town in hich the god is worshipped is called by the name Juggernath. The road leading to the town is often covered with broken crockery, and some which is not broken, which has been left there by the worshippers. Human bones and human carcases are also to be seen, poisoning the air along the whole route, and these near the time of the annual processions used to be so numerous as almost to ensure pestilence. There is no limit to the fantastic extravagances of the fanatical worshippers of Jugger- nath. Some measure the distance by the length of their extended bodies, advancing only from one place to another by lying down flat on the stomach and stretching out the hands as far as possible. Getting up H • 22 MISSIONARY SCBNB8 and placing the feet where the hands had reached they lie down as before, and so advance by a distance of about six feet &i each prostration. The ^reat pa^roda rises from a terrace twenty feet high within the outer enclosure. From a base thirty feet square it rises one hundred \nd eighty feet, taper- ing slightly from bottom to top, and rounded off in the upper part, being covered with a kind of dome. The temple is dedicated to Krishna, who is the principal object of worship in the character of Juggernath, and is an incarnation of Vishnu, but it is held in joint tenancy with Siva and with Subhadra, the supposed sister and wife of Siva. There are idols of each, con- sisting of blocks of wood about six feet in height, sur- mounted by frightful representations of the human countenance. Krishna is dark, Siva white, and Sub- hadra yellow. In front of the altar on which these idols are placed is a figure of the hawk-god Garounda. A repast is daily served to these idols. It consists of 410 lb. rice, 22.5 lb. flour, 350 lb. of clarified butter, 167 lb. treacle, 65 lb. vegetables, 186 lb. milk, 24 lb. spices, 34 lb. salt, and 41 lb. of oil. These articles of food should certainly satisfy not only the gods, but also the holy persons who attend upon them. During the time when the repast is being eaten the doors of the temple are closed, and only some favored indi- viduals can be permitted to enter the sacred enclosure and partake of the numerous viands of which our readers will see there is no lack, so that we may sup- IN MANY LANDS. 23 pose, however devout the favored few may be, there is no necessity for them to feel the pangs of hunger. There is a beautiful summer house or temple, about a mile and a half from the town, to which Juggernath and his associate gods are conveyed once a year. Each god has a car of its own, but that of Juggernath is the principal. It is thirty-five feet square, mounted on sixteen wheels, each more than six feet in diameter, and the whole construction is upwards o^ forty feet high. It is carried by means of six strong cables, dragged by thousands of human beings in the midst of the roost deafening shouts and screams of the pilgrims, and the yet more deafening sounds of the sacred trumpets. The festival to Juggernath is one of the most remarkable in India. The whole establishment is kept up by a tax on the devotees who worship at its shrine. We cannot occupy more space in describing the templos of India, but our readers will readily perceive that in the maintenance of such a mode of w^orship immense sums of money must be expended, for it must be borne in mind that the gods are many, numbering tens of thousands, some even say millions. The late Rev. Alexander Duff, D.D., than whom none could be better able to furnish testimony respecting India, says that "a rich lady in Gugeral erected a temple at an expense of more than a quarter of a million of dollars." He further states that "it is not uncommon for a single merchant to expend as much as two hundred and fifty thousand dollars on such edifices." On one occasion, 24 MISSIONARY SCENES he — Dr. Duff —was visiting a native of hicjh caste and found him sitting with fifty bags before him containing fifty dollars each. In answer to the question what he was going to do with aU this money, he answered, "It is a present for my gods." One portion was sent to Benares, where he had two fine temples on the river- side ; another went to Juggernath, and a third to Gaga. Thus this man spent two thousand five hundred dollars in a single offering on his idol temple and the gods he worshipped. A Hindu has been known to spend fifty thousand rupees (a rupee is equal to fifty cents) at a single carnival, and another on the same occasion sacrificed five hundred goats and fift3^ buffaloes. Dr. Duff" describes a temple at Seringham, North India, which is a mile square, with a tower of immense height in the middle of each side-wall. The pillars of the gateways of the towers are single pieces of stone forty feet high and five feet square. Siva, the god of the place, is of solid gold, fifteen feet high, and the platform on which Siva stands is also of gold. The pearls and jewelry of this god are of immense cost. About six thousand Brahmins continually attend upon this tem- ple and its god, all of whom are supported by the people, who are made miserably poor by the vast con- tributions which heathen worship demands of its votaries. Probably no country in the world has ever had a larger number of missionaries than India. All Protes- tant denominations, as well as the Roman Catholic IN MANY LANDS. 25 Church, have for many years sent a considerable num- ber of their best men to the Indian Empire. It mu3t be allowed that for some years the East India Company did not encourage the labors of missionaries among the people, and it will always be regarded as a stain upon the reputation of that Company that the devoted missionary, William Carey, was not allowed to sail to India in one of the Company's vessels. We feel pleasure in stating that many gentlemen of the Company, and a great number of the military officers, have always been the true friends of Christian missions, and have often given practical proof of their sympathy with the servants of Christ. The introduction of Wesleyan missions to this vast country will ever be regarded as a marvellous work of Divine providence. The venerable Dr. Coke, who has often been styled "the father of Methodist missions," was resolved to plant the standard of the cross on the shores of India. He had already crossed the Atlantic eighteen times, in making missionary tours to the Western world, and now when he had attained the period of life when he might have spent the remainder of his days in quietude, he besought the Wesleyan Conference to allow him to start a mission in the vast empire of the East. Among other expressions which he used at this time are these : "I am dead to Europe and alive to India. God Himself said to me, 'Go to Ceylon.* I am so fully convinced of the will of God that methinks I had rather be set down naked on the 26 MISSIONARY SCENES coast of Ceylon, without clothes and without a friend, than not go there." ^ As soon as the zealous Doctor obtained the permission of Conference to go to India, he lost no time in making the needful preparation for his departure from England. Four zealous young men, one of whom. Rev. B. Clough, was uncle to Dr. Punshon, and another, the Rev. Wm. Harvard, D.D., was some years afterwards a Wesleyan missionary in Canada, where he labored for ten years, during which he was President of the Conference two years, volunteered to go with him. Dr. Coke, how- ever, never saw India, for he was found dead one morn- ing in his cabin as the vessel was in mid-ocean, where he was afterwards buried. The missionaries who ac- companied him were now without a head, but the God whom they served marvellously directed them, and opened their way. Ceylon was the first place where they commenced operations, and a few years afterwards they began their mission in India proper, and from that time, 1817, unto the present, ooth in the island of Ceylon and on the continent of India, Wesleyan missionaries have been successfully engaged in instructing the idolaters of that vast country that "they should worship the Lord God, and Him only should they serve." There are now more than five thousand membeis of the Wes- leyan communion in Ceylon and India, at least thirty missionaries, besides not less than fifty native agents, ia,nd some hundreds of lay members who labor as teach- 111 IN MANY LANDS. 27 ers, catechists, etc. The Wesleyan Missionary Society, like all others, has numerous educational institutions, and orphanages or homes for children, where children and young people of hoth sexes are heing prepared for future usefulness. Great attention is paid to the training of a native agency, and some of those who have had the advantage of a theological education bid fair to be useful ministers of the New Testament. The Methodist Episcopal Church of the United States commenced a mission in India in 1857> The Rev. Dr. Butler was the founder of the mission. His book, the "Land of the Veda," is one of the best we have read respecting missions in India. It must be gratifying to him, as he reviews the labors and trials of the past, to see the marvellous success of the mission which he planted. There are now two Conferences, in which there are more than fifty missionaries employed, including those supported by the Woman's Missionary Society, having under their care between three thousand and four thousand members. This Church is liberal in its support of the Indian missions. Its educational institutions are in a state of great efficiency, and the press is also largely utilized to disseminate wholesome literature. There are many agencies at work on behalf of the evangelization of India, to all of which we wish God- speed ; but we believe that female agency, whether employed in connection with "the healing art," or in teaching, is the best adapted to elevate the women of 28 inSSIONART SCENES India. Many women are confined in what is known as the zenana, that is, a part of a house, or a number of houses, where none but females are allowed to visit for any purpose whatever. Female missionaries, whether as teachers or medical practitioners, alone can gain access to those of their own sex, who are thus confined in the zenanas of the country. The following remarkable fact is only one out of a great number that could be given to illustrate the truth now stated, and which also clearly shows the noble character of our beloved Queen Victoria, whom may God long b^ess : — "The Maharanee of Punna, in Bundeland, was suffer- ing from an internal disease. Social custom preck ded her from seeing a medical man. The inmate of a zenana is only allowed to see her father, her husband, and her brother. The Maharajah sent for Miss Bielby, a medical missionary in Lucknow. By the blessing of God on her treatment, Miss Bielby cured her dis- tinguished patient. Before she left the palace the princess had a private interview with her. Sho charged Miss Bielby, when she returned to England, to tell the Queen how greatly the women in the zenanas suffered when they were*sick. Miss Bielby intimated that she would have great difficulty in obtaining access to the Queen. Shp stated also that it was not in the power of the Queen to make lady doctors. But the Maharanee persisted. * Did you not tell me our Queen was good and gracious, that she never heard of sorrow or suffer- IN MANY LANDS. 29 ing without sending a message to say how sorry she was, and trying to help? Did you not show me a picture of a train falling into the sea, where a bridge broke, and did you not tell me how grieved our Queen was ? Well, it was very sad those people should have been killed, but our condition is far worse. If you will only tell our Queen what we Indian women suffer when we arc sick, I am sure she will feel for us, and try to help us.' Miss Bielby felt she could no longer refuse to promise to convey this message, if possible. The Maharanee next bade her write it down at once, giving her pen, ink and paper, lest she should forget it, and added, 'Write it so small. Doctor Sahiba, for I want to put it in a locket, and you are to wear this locket round your neck till you see our great Queen and give " it h'^.r yourself. You are not to send it through another.' On Miss Bielby's return to England, the Queen, having been told by some of the ladies of her Court of her work and her message, determined, in spite of all diffi- culties and many engagements, jto see her and hear all for herself, and accordingly sent for her. Her Majesty listened with great interest, asking many questions and showing the deepest sympathy. Turning to her ladies she said, 'We had no idea it was so hard as this; some- thing must be done for these poor creatures.' The Maharanee's locket, with its message, was given to the Queen, and Her Majesty intrusted Miss Bielby with a message in reply which was intended for the Maha- ranee alone. But the Queen also gave Miss Bielby a so MlSStOl^AltV SCENES message which might be given to evety olie with whom she spoke on the subject: 'We should wish it generally known that we sympathize with every effort made to relieve the suffering state of the women of India/ " Most, if not all. of the missionary societies in India have recognised the value of female agency, and have one or more female physicians employed, and the results of their services have been of the most grati- fying character. The female teachers who visit the zenanas proceed in the following manner : A district is chosen, all tlie houses of which are regularly visited by the female missionary, whatever may be her peculiar vocation. The first object is to gain the confidence of the inmates. This is soon done, then a portion of Scripture is read, and religious and secular instruction is im- parted and every means is used to fit the women for the discharge of their duties as wives and mothers. Some female missionaries have as many as one hundred houses which they regularly visit ; others a smaller number, and it is a gratifying fact that the number of such agents is rapidly increasing. There are probably not less than two thousand females, including native women, employed by various missionary societies in the manner now described, besides a great number who are not under the direction of any particular Church organization. Some of our readers have no doubt read books in the Sunday-school library which were written by A.L.O.E., IN MANY LANDS. 81 and perhaps, like the present writer, they have won- dered what those letters meant. They mean "A Lady of England." The said lady has been a successful authoress. Some of her books hav9 sold by tens of thousands, and a few years ago this lady invested the money which she had thus earned by the labors of her pen, and went to India, and took with her some other ladies who were like-minded with herself, and has established a female mission which she superintends, and employs Bible-women and female teachers, whom she supports at her own expense. Is not this noble ? Mrs. Peel, of the Baptist mission, accompanied by Ruth, a native woman, takes her stand under a tree in a village, and sings a hymn, while the women of the place gather around them, and to these they talk of the work and Word of Christ. Ruth, not many years before, was in a zenana, where she, with her husband, were both converted through the instrumentality of a missionary lady. A native gentleman desired a teacher to instruct his children in the Bible and catechism. He had been a pupil in Dr. Duff's school. Of course a teacher was sent who was the fruit of the zenana mission. The following illustrates very graphically one pha&eof zenana life, and also strikingly proves how that nothing but a knowledge of Christ will satisfy the soul : Jum- napuri was married at nine and widowed at fifteen. After spending one year as a widow in her father's house, she betook herself to the life of a pilgrim. This 82 MISSIONARY SCENES IN MANY LANDS. she followed for nine years, wandering from shrine to shrine, till at length she reached the shrine of the holy city of Benares. There she heard of the school of the Baptist missionaries. She was already twenty-five; but seized with a longing for education she sought admittance. Here she drank of a stream more potent than the mystic Ganges. After a while she was singing hymns for her friends and reading for them the Holy Scriptures. "What," they cried, "you believe that book ?" " Yes, I do." They asked if, after becoming a 8adu, she would become a Christian. " I left my home, my parents, my friends and my all in order to get salvation. I have made pilgrimages to all the holy cities of the Hindus. I have bathed, performed pQOJahs and done all that Hinduism teaches, but did not find salvation; but now that I have learned of Jesus, and felt convinced that He alone can give salva- tion, shall I not receive Him ?" Let us thank Qod and take courage. No doubt a better day is dawning upon India, and as there cannot now be less than from sixty to seventy thousand female scholars in the various schools, as these grow to womanhood their influence will be potent for good. At least one-fifth of all the mission work done in India is carried on by means of female agencies ; hence it is the duty of the Church to see to it that females every- where are qualified to act well their part in the world's evangelization. M_ MEXICO •| ii' nil MiiiM— III I CHAPTER II. MEXICO. HE modern school geography says that "Mexico is bounded on the north by the United States; on the west by the Pacific Ocean ; on the south by the Pacific Ocean and Central America ; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico." Our juvenile readers will perhaps remem- ber that what is called the " Gulf Stream " takes its rise here, and runs into the Atlantic and gives so much damp and vapour to England ; also gives it and the island of Madeira and Western Europe their mild, moist, genial atmospheres. The whole country was once a Spanish colony, but is now an independent Republic. It is divided into twenty-two States, and has a population of more than nine millions. The people are partly descendants of the old Mexican or Indian race, and partly of the Spanish colonists. The former are mostly the servants, the latter the masters. The upper ranks in Mexico spend much of their time in idleness, or in receiving calls, which are made in much form. They dress in a gay and most showy 36 ItlSSIONAtlT 8CBMCS manner, adorned with the brightest jewels. The broad hats of the men are trimmed with belts of gold, and their loose trousers and jackets are braided in the richest style. The poorer classes, however, are very careless and untidy in their dress. In certain parts of Mexican cities swarms of men may be seen clad in dirty cotton rags, or a torn woollen blanket ; women dressed in tatters, and children without any dress at all. The picture is a most painful one. As early as 1521, Mexico was conquered by C'^rtez of Spain. Texas, California, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona, all belonged to Mexico until the war of 1845- 48, when they were annexed to the United States. A war took place in 1861, in which England, France and Spain were involved with Mexico. England and Spain soon withdrew from the contest, but France maintained the struggle and persuaded Maximilian of Austria to assume the control of affairs. He was Emperor so long as French troops were in the ascendency, but when they were withdrawn in 1867 the Emperor's followers were soon overpowered, and Maximilian was taken prisoner and shot by the Republican forces. Many interesting books of travel have been pub- lished respecting Mexico. That from which we have taken most of the extract^ that are to be found in this paper is known as "lUiistrated Travels," and was written by Captain Mayne Reid, with the title " A Zig-zag Journey through Mexico." From what the Captain states we infer that the cities for the most ji4ki£^ IN MANY LANDS. 87 parfc bear a Spanish resemblance. The scenery is often of whe raosfc charming description. Standing on the deck of the vessel as he was entering the port of one city, " the gaze rested upon a purple expanse, separated by an irregular waving line from the azure of the sky, — mountains, one rising thousands of feet above its fellows, cone-shaped, carrying the eternal snow." Captain Reid had formerly visited Mexico in his capacity as a military officer, and now after an inter- val of several years he went as a traveller, and as he visited several well-known places he was in a position to judge as to the progress of the country under its present form of government, which is, on the whole, very gratifying, and speaks well for the moral forces which are at work among the people. In the seaport towns there is a large influx of foreign population, where the traveller will be aston- ished at the various costumes of the people. For in- stance, " there will be the curaa lounging about in Don Basilio hats and long black robes reaching to the ankles ; monks with shaven crown, cowl, and scapu- lary ; soldiers in straw hats and uniforms of cheap coarse linen ; negroes, clothed in white cotton, jabber- ing at every corner, and violently gesticulating ; the Indians, more silently, seated beside the wares they have brought into the market ; fruits of a score of different kinds ; wild birds in their cages ; fireflies for the adornment of the hair, and, perhaps, an arma- 38 MISSIONARY SCENES dillo or agouti — all will be new to the traveller. And then the'-e is the Creole citizen, of sallow complexion, slight and slender limbed, dressed in half European costume, with short round jacket and pantaloons fitting tight over the hips ; the countryman, in his splendid ranchero dress, with long, bright-coloured cloak, wide, velveteen trousers, and grand spurs ; and last, but perhaps most imposing of all, the grand senora or senorita, in rich silk, with high shell-comb upon her head, and a black mantilla falling over her fair shoulders, going to or returning from church, moving along with that majestic step said to be pecu- liar to the dames of Andalusia." A stranger who visits the cities of Mexico for the first time will be astonished to find three classes of persons, all of whom are numerous. One is called " Evangelista," or public scribe. Here is a description of one : — " He has no connection with the law ; and, notwithstanding the sacred character of his profes- sional title, he has nothing to do with religion — in- deed often rather the opposite. He is simply a pro- fessional penman ; and in a country where education is so little attended to, his services are in frequent requi- sition. . . . He writes letters for persons in business ; congratulatory epistles to friends who have made a stroke of good fortune, or condolence when the reverse ; petitions asking a favour ; notes request- ing payment of an account, or threats in the event of its being refused ; invitations to festivals or fandan- IN MANY LANDS. 39 gos, or solicitations to become comjyad^'e or comadre — that is, godfather or gocI:nother at a christening — an important matter in Mexico. Love, however, is the staple commodity in which he deals, and the prin- cipal source of his support. Not that it is his mHier to make it — only to give it expression on paper. His business is to compose billets-doux for lovers whose education does not enable them to do the epistolary part themselves. Often a pretty belle of the people — a pohlana — may be seen bending beside him, with her lips close to his ear, earnestly dictating the im- pulses of her passion in a low tone and terms of tender endearment ; or, it may be, in dire threats that spring from a sentiment of jealousy. ... At other times it is a lover of the masculine gender who seeks the assistance of the evangelista — some strapping fellow with a seraph around his shoulders, and broad- brimmed hat shading his swarthy face, as he whisper- ingly pronounces the words he wishes conveyed to his sweetheart" The next object that will present itself to the trav- eller is one far less pleasant — the scavenger. " His ear is assailed by the clanking of chains, and, looking around, he sees a number of men of swarth skin and savage physiognomy, half-naked, half-clad in filthy rags, carrying brooms, shovels, and scrapers. They are coupled two and two, and it is the clank of their iron couplings that has caused him to look round. " In their midst, or standing beside them, are two or ■ 40 MISSIONARY SCENES three soldiers, in slouching attitudes and slouching] y attired, but with their bayonets fixed, showing that they have these sana-culottes in charge. It is the chain-gang, composed of prison malefactors, tempor- arily taken from their cells to act as scavengers of the streets. Many of them are known noted robbers, and not a few red-handed murderers. It is not a pleasant spectacle, though it may be a profitable one to many who witness it — in the way of warning. Unquestionably, it is better that these gaol-birds should be thus utilized, instead of, as with us, use- lessly and almost ludicrously employed in picking oakum." " In Vera Cruz the Serono, or night-watchman, is a character sure to make himself known and heard — sometimes to the keeping awake those who would fain go to sleep. He perambulates the pavement at all hours of the night, making it hideous by his shrill treble, as he calls out the time along with the state of the weather, which he does four times in every hour. Like everybody else in Mexico, the Serono wears a broad- brimmed hat and a sort of loose frock belted around the waist. In the cooler hours of the night he is swathed in a ponderous caped-cloak, reaching down to the heels. In one hand he carries a long spear, and in the other a clumsy old-fashioned lantern ; while from his waist-belt is suspended the equally old- fashioned watchman's rattle, wherewith to sound an alarm in ca.se of fire, a discovery of thieves, or a diffi- 1 IN MANY LANDS. 41 culty with drunken roysterers. . . The Serono occasionally takes up a thief, or makes capture of a burglar ; but more frequently permits both to follow their vocation free, himself preferring to enjoy a nap in the portico of some church or convent, with his lantern set upon the step beside him, and not unfrequently he awakes to find it gone, and also his rattle — carried off by the young * swells ' — *jovenes dorados ' — return- ing from gambling-room or ball." Captain Reid describes at great length another class of persons frequently met with in travelling in Mexico. The Jerochos. *' A Jerocho is of medium size, somewhat spare, with limbs lithe and sinewy; his features of oval shape, sharply defined, the lip and chin slightly bearded ; the complexion of clear brown, with a slight cinnamon, or olive tint. . . The Jerocho, like the gipsy, dis- likes regular employment. He is indeed averse to industry of any kind, since it necessitates toil. He has a contempt for the town, as also its people, and prefers the country, and even the solitude of the forest ; where, in his slight shed of a hut, he can dwell undis- turbed, indulging in the dolce far niente of the tropics. Unlike the Zingari, however, he has a fixed home, and is otherwise a respectable member of society — not like them socially, either an outcast or vagabond. Although 4 42 MISSIONARY SCENES I : but a small proprietor, he is master of the scenes around him ; and intermittently follows an occupation ; it may be the herding of cattle, or the burning of char- coal, combined with hunting, fishing, and collecting honey from the hives of the forest. At times he will take a turn at peddling or contrabandism, for which last, the oppressive custom-house regulations of his country give him a plausible excuse ; and the proximity of the coast, indented with inlets, a splendid oppor- tunity. He takes pleasure, and holds it almost a civic virtue, to break through the Government monopoly of tobacco, at Orizava ; and will assist with equal alacrity in lading a smuggler with vanilla from the mountain. ■. and valleys of Misantla, cochineal from Oaxaca, or silver bars from the mines of Real del Monte. No man knows better than he the routes and roads, the paths and passes, trodden by the contrahandista. Although habitually given to a life of lassitude, no one shows m re active energy, or will undergo greater toil, when engaged in any occupation that pleases him. Of these, cattio herding is the most congenial, and looking after horses. In both employments he spends most of his time, riding at a hard rate through the chaparraU, and over the savannas. In horsemanship he is a centaur, and would be ashamed of being seen afoot. His horse, or adante, as he calls the animal, stands at all times ready saddled by his door, tied to a tree, or under a shed near by. If it be an errand of only a few hundred yards, he would disdain to execute it as IN MANY LANDS. 48 a pedestrian. Whatever the business be, it must be transacted in the saddle. His wife tells him there is water wanted for some culinary purpose ; he springs upon the back of his horse, having first slung a pair of cantaroa, that balance one another, by a strap over the croup of the saddle. Thus accoutred, he rides to the nearest stream, spurs his animal into it and wades on till the jars have filled themselves. Then, returning to the hut, he slips out of the saddle, and very often leaves the unloading to be done by his wife, or some other individual of his household. Firewood he fetches from the forest in a similar free-and-easy fashion. A log being selected is noosed in his lazo, and tied to the tail of his horse. The adante then drags it to the house, and often inside, when it is set free, with one end thrust into the cinders. As the point burns off, it is pushed farther up, till the whole is consumed, and another log is required for similar transport." In the year 1848, when the war between Mexico and the United States was about to close, a few of the officers obtained permission to visit some of the places of celebrity.. They visited Guadalupe Hidalgo, which possesses the richest church in Mexico. The town is also famous for having the miraculous paint^ ing of Mexico's patron saint, — "Nuestra SeBora de Guadalupe;" the wonderful vision of the Madonna having occurred on the mountain at the edge of the town. It is, however, in the interior that the wealth of the church is displayed, the chancel been railed 44 MISSIONARY SCENES IN MANY LANDS. : . with an amalffani of ffold, A wealthy Jew is said to have offered to replace it with a similar rail of pure silver, with a million to boot. The shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in the purest alabaster, was shown to the visitors, as well as her effigy, clad and bejewelled in the richest man- ner possible. The soldier travellers visited one of the silver- mines, which was pronounced the richest in the coun- try. Some of the party descended to the bottom of the mine, which was 1,500 feet deep, and is kept dry by a huge engine working night and day. The pro- cess of extracting the silver was watched with great interest. The pulverised ore is spread upon platforms, mixed with common salt and mercury, wet with water to the consistence of mortar, and then trodden by mules until the mixture is thoroughly amalga- mated. It is then shovelled into slightly inclined troughs, the water let on, and the dust and refuse being shovelled away, the amalgam of silver and mercury is left at the bottom. The amalgam, of the consistence of putty, is formed into blocks of about fifty pounds, resembling cuts from a huge Orange county cheese. These blocks are then placed under the subliming bell, the mercury sublimated, and the block of pure silver remains. Various ornamental objects of pure silver are then moulded, even por- traits. *=*« J^ por- H O H Q H b Q < H b O r 46 MISSIONARY SCENES Missions. The Roman Catholic Church was long established in Mexico. Its rule was not favorable to the pros- perity of Mexico. Rev. Dr. Butler thus describes the power of the Roman Catholic Church in Mexico, and the results of its exercise. The Church is rich, and owns one-half of the real estate of the land. Nine bishops drew an aggregate salary of $725,000. The archbishop had an annual income of $155,000. No church property paid tax; national insolvency was imminent ; but the Church had power to overthrow rulers who did not further its interests; and, on an average, Mexico changed rulers every nine months and three weeks. There was but little civil freedom, and education was at a low ebb. One who was thoroughly conversant with the country says : " Little boys and girls are sometimes sent to a day-school, held in a large room. The mistress marches up and down in a very untidy dress, her long hair trailing behind her back. The little ones gather from the lesson as much as they can, or as much as they please, and no more. At times the father gives a lesson to his childrep, but not often. Some of the young ladies can read and write, and manage a little music and sewing ; but much the greater number are unable to do so. They seem to have no desire to learn; the warm climate disposes them to be idle; and, since other girls know no more, they are content. They \ IN MANV LANDS. 47 leave off all lessons at an early a^e. One lady, on being asked if her daughter went to school, replied, quite shocked : ' O dear no ! She is past eleven years old.' After this age there are very few girls that read a book through from one end of the year to the other.' The Government which now rules the country has made a complete severance between Church e.nd State* so that there is freedom for all sects, and no man can suffer by authority of the law for embracing any form of religion. "The Jesuits have been banished from the country ; not one of their order can remain, if discovered, upon the soil of the Mexican Republic. The vast convent and monastery buildings constructed in the palmy days of Komanism, have all been con- fiscated, and their inmates set at liberty to take their natural places in social life." Free schools have been introduced, and there is now every prospect that the country will advance in all that tends to promote national prosperity. Various Protestant denominations, chiefly American, have sent missionaries to teach the people the way of life. Bishop Riley of the Protestant Episcopal Church has labored for several years to establish " The Church of Jesus." He hoped to gather many from the Romish Church, but he has not succeeded according to his expectations. In the city of Mexico he has two con- gregations, and in the valley of Mexico there are some others. In all there are eleven ordained clergymen and several lay readers. 48 MISSIONARY SCENES The Presbyterian Churches and the American Board of Foreign Missions occupy several stations. The Bible Societies of England and America, and the Religious Tract Societies, have all circulated thousands of copies of their respective publications in the language of the people, and have thus prepared the way of the Lord. The Methodist Episcopal Church turned its attention to Mexico in 1871, when the late Bishop Gilbert Haven made an extensive tour in the country, and published his views in a fine volume entitled, " Our Next Door Neighbor." Bishop Haven made two im- portant purchases of property which have proved of immense value to the Society. These were, a part of the San Franciscan Convent in the city of Mexico, and part of the Dominican Convent in the city of Pueblo, which is said to be the very building in which the Inquisition was once established. Here is shown a spot, inclosed by heavy masonry, where the bodies of three victims of ecclesiastical tyranny were found, and who are supposed to have been buried alive. The San Franciscan purchase cost $16,300 in gold, a sum which is now said to be about one half of the value of the property. This convent covered some blocks of ground. So immense was its extent that streets have been cut through its solid walls. The part purchased by the Bishop formed the cloisters, and had been used after its confiscation by the Government as a circus, denominated the circus of Chiarini, and still later as a theatre. IN MANY LANDS. 49 The Rev. W. Butler, D.D., who was the founder o£ the Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church in India, had the honor also of beinor the founder of the Missions in Mexico, with which for several years he was connected. Dr. Butler was ably assisted by a band of missionaries, among whom was the Rev. T. Carter, D.D., who, being familiar with the Spanish language, began at once to hold services among the people. They consisted of prayer and class-meeting, one night per week respectively. Sabbath services, consisting of preaching and Scripture exposition, soon followed, and in a little time the church room proper was ready for dedication. Dr. Butler and other members of his family soon learned the Spanish language, and as he found a great lack of suitable literature among the people, he sought means to supply the lack. Accompanied by his gifted daughter, he took a short furlough and visited several camp-meetings in the United States, where he pleaded for Mexico, and Miss Butler sang several choice pieces in the Spanish tongue, and soon the money requisite was forthcoming, a press was established and thou- sands of small books were printed, as The Dairyman's Daughter, some of Mr. Wesley's sermons, catechisms, lessons on the Berean Leaves ; and larger books, such as the Rev. L. N. Beaudry's Spiritual Struggles of a Roman Catholic; Life of William Carvosso; What Must I Do to be Saved ? by Bishop Peck, and many others. Some of the early converts to Protestantism mani- ff ffO MISSIONARY SCENES fested great zeal on behalf of their Roman Catholic fellow-countrymen, and by means of conversation and ihe circulation of Bibles and other good books, sought to win them to the truth. Their doing so often placed them in extreme peril. Dr. Carter tells of one Daniel Fonsee, who was employed as a colporteur. He was a young man, mild and gentle in his manner, seemingly of little energy or enterprise, one who would hardly be selected to go forth and battle with the enemies of the Gospel. This young man, however, went to all the bigoted, fanatic villages around the city in the prosecution of his work. He was robbed, insulted, struck, persecuted in various ways, and yet he kept on. His life was in constant danger, but he never hesitated to do his duty. When he returned he always spent some time with his employer detailing the inci- dents of his late journey, and he invariably concluded thus : " Where shall I go next ? " Once he was longer away than usual, and Dr. Carter became anxious, lest he .should have been assassinated — no unusual occur- rence in Mexico. His mode of travel was on foot, carrying a box on his back, containing his books. On his return from his long journey, he said with a quiet smile, " I was robbed coming back. Two men attacked and beat me. They took some of my Bibles, b'^t did not get my money. It was under a paper in the bottom of my box, and they failed to raise the paper." A moment after he made the usual inquiry, " Where shall I go next ? " IN MANY LANDS. 51 Another case is recorded of a young man who was a great stutterer, and yet was wonderfully successful in the work of a colporteur. Several other incidents are given respecting some of the early converts, but probably the most remarkable was that of Rojano, who had been a Roman Catholic priest. One Sunday morning he attended service in the church, and at the close asked the privilege of an interview with the minister, which was readily granted. He stated that his object was purely religious Conversation. His age was seventy. Dr. Carter confined his remarks alto- gether to personal piety, and explained that it was by simple trust in Christ alone that we can obtain forgiveness. The priest wept aloud ; and after several interviews he acknowledged him elf a sinner saved by grace, and, like Saul of Tarsus, joined himself to the disciples. He frequented the class-meeting and other services, and soon was deposed from his position by the archbishop ; and as he stated the occurrence he said : " Qod will take care of me ; He said He would. He has assured me that if I seek first the kingdom of heaven, I shall have everything else I need. He has blessed me and forgiven my sins, and I love Him." Qod did take care of him. He was taken sick and died, and here are some of his utterances taken down by Dr. Carter: "I am united to Christ. I had no peace or comfoit in the Roman Catholic Church ; now I have both. I have taken away all my pictures," — meaning images and representations of saints. " I im 52 MISSIONARY SCENES close the day reading one of your hymns ; then I en- gage in prayer ; after which I read another hymn and pray again, oflfering up my petitions for all Pro- testant Churches. God has removed a weight from my soul. I have left the Roman and Latin Church and joined the catholic, apostolic, and Christian Church. Brother beloved, my father, I have peace. I have faith in Christ. I can come direct to Him. It is so easy, so simple, so different from the Romish Church." And thus he passed away into the joy of his Lord. All the Protestant missionaries had to endure much bitter persecution in prosecuting their labors, and all who ventured to join them were sure to be taunted and insulted by their former Roman Catholic friends ; and though the civil authorities protect all classes in their modes of worship, yet when the populace are instigated by their spiritual advisers, it can readily be understood how much suffering some may have to endure. The following proclamation was made to the people of Toluca, and as it was similar to some others we give it entire : — "Death to the Protestants!! " To the People of Toluca : " Either you are Catholics in name or Catholics in fact. If you are Catholic^, in faith, give a terrible blow to these savages, intruders, and adventurers, who, to make themselves appear wise and important, M» IN MANY LANDS. »;{ and to assure to themselves a future withaut labor, attempt that which they do not understand — that band of filthy scoundrels — deluded sons of all the devils. Let us rise in mass to finish at once this ac- cursed race, whose proper place is within the well filled limits of hell. With one sure blow insure their death and the death of their families. Give death — wild as from a wild beast — a death of extermination — to this sect of accursed wretches, who attempt to overthrow the Apostolic Koman Catholic religion, for which we should be ready to die. "Unfurl, proud sons, the standard of the faith, and shout, ' Viva la religiov' and death to the sons of Satan." Such proclamations produced the desired effect, at least to a certain extent. The Rev. John Luther Stephens was connected with the American Board of Foreign Missions. His labors were very offensive to the Romish priest, who mentioned him by name on the Sabbath while conducting service, and said, "The tree that bears bad fruit should be cut down." A few days afterwards a mob attacked Mr. Stephens' house and cried, " Long life to the curate and death to the Protes- tants." The mob destroyed or stole everything they could find. The missionary's head was severed in several parts, and his body was severely mutilated. Happily some of those engaged in this bloody affray were apprehended, and paid the penalty of their lives for their cruelty and bloodshed. But such was the 54 MISSIONARY SCENES I i malignity of the people that it was no uncommon thing for Protestants, as they were returning home from public worship, to be attacked by Romanists well armed, and cases of assassination or bodily cruelty would follow. The Methodist Episcopal Mission is flourishing in Mexico, as the following statistics will show : Mission- aries, American and native, 22 ; members, 463 ; attend- ants on public worship, 966 ; Sunday school children, 827; church property, $44,300; parsonages, $11,900. One of the bishops visits the country every year, and during the present year, on the visit of Bishop Harriss, the work was organised into a separate Conference. The Methodist Episcopal Church South, true to its Methodist ancestry, has not been backward in endeav- ors to supply John Wesley's parish with the gospel. It has now what is known as the Mexican Border Mission and the Central Mexican Mission. The former was inaugurated by Bishop Marvin, who sent Alejo Hernandez to labor there. This man was a Mexican by birth, an ex-soldier against Maximilian. He was intended by his parents for the Romish priesthood, but, while at college, he imbibed the principles of infidelity, which of course destroyed all their prospects. Some years afterwards he found a Bible which he read, and understood that salvation was by faith in Jesus Christ. Shortly afterwards he attended a Protestant place of worship, and under the sermon there preached he found peace and joy in believing. His earnest desire then IN MANY LANDS. 55 was to tell all his people about the new faith which he had embraced. He was received into the ministry and was shortly afterwards sent as above stated. Success attended his labors. Others were sent to his assistance, and now a native ministry has been raised which is carrying forward the work under judicious superin- tendence. The devoted pioneer only survived a few years and then died triumphing in Jesus. In 1873, the city of Mexico was entered, under Bishop Keener, who solicited special subscriptions from private friends to inaugurate the mission. As time rolled on events justified the Bishop's action. Some young Mexicans having embraced the truth, were sent to Emory College, Georgia, to be educated for the mis- sion work. Schools were established both for male and female children, and competent teachers were employed. The Mission Superintendent visited various cities and towns in search of openings to establish new missions. The press w&s called into requisition and a small periodical called Evangelista Mexicana was pub- lished, which was of great service to the mission. Like other Protestant missions, this mission has had its full share of fiery trials. The lives of the mission- aries have often been in great peril. Once when Dr. Patterson, the Superintendent, was travelling in a dili- gence to Cuernavaca, a gang of highwaymen, whom it was believed were directed by the Roman faction, seized the conveyance, and did much injury to the passengers. They were afterwards apprehended, and some of them suffered the extreme penalty of the law. 56 MISSIONARY SCENES The mission prospered to such an extent that at the close of the first year there were 268 members, 12 native preachers, and 8 teachers. An incident occurred at the annual meeting of the mission last year, 1884, which recalls afresh the murder of the Rev. J. L. Stephens and the cruel persecutions of former days. A person named Crysanto accompanied the Rev. Mr. Watkins to the said annual meeting. Crysanto is now a missionary in connection with Mr. Watkins, though he was at one time a bigoted Roman Catholic and was present at the assassination of the missionary Stephens. We give Dr. Kelly's account of what occurred at the annual meeting : — "At the close of the session all eyes were arrested by the embrace and tears of two of the members. When it was explained, we found that one of them was Crys- anto, who had come with the Rev. Mr. Watkins. He was the bandit who liad been induced by the priest to head the mob which killed the missionary Stephens — now an earnest evangelist. The man he held in his arms was with Stephens at the time he was killed, and only escaped death by clioibing a tree to the top of the houses. This latter was one of Dr. Patterson's preachers. The two had not met before since the night of Stephens' murder." This Church now has property in Mexico valued at more than $60,000, and has 2,560 church members, and nearly 2,000 children attending the Sunday schools. The Church in New Orleans has from the beginning taken special interest in the Mexican mission. A few IN MANY LANDS. 57 years ago the ladies of that city sent one of their num- ber ^o conduct a school in the city of Mexico. The ladies of other cities and also certain Annual Confer- ences have imitated the example of cheir sisters in New Orleans, and become responsible for the support of other teachers or missionaries. The Woman's Missionary Society has established day schools at several impor- tant places, the results of which have been of the most satisfactory kind. One of the female teachers, writing from San Luis Potosi, says : " I am]sure if the children knew of the idols the Mexicans worship, they would think that they needed the gospel quite as much as the Chinese. There are a great many different images of the Virgin Mary, and some of the people think their prayers will be answered if made to one virgin, while others prefer another. In one place ' Our Lady of Remedies' is worshipped most. A great many silly stories are told of the diseases she cured ; and when there was any great epidemic, or when any distinguished person was sick in the city of Mexico, she used to be carried in a gorgeous procession through the streets ; but now the Virgin of Guadalupe seems to be the most popular. It is said she appeared to an Indian several hundred years ago and told him to build her a church on that spot. But even if we could believe that the mother of Jesus would ask for a cliurch to be built for her worship, we may be sure it was not she who appeared to the Indian, for the Guadalupe Virgin has a reddish brown face like an Indian. But for all this, her church, two or three 58 MESSIONARY SCENES IN MANY LANDS. miles from Mexico city, is very rich and beautiful. . . . On the walls I saw a great many curious offerings. I wonder what the children would think if they should go into a church some day and see little toy arms and legs, bunches of hair, crutches and ridiculous pictures of peop'a in all sorts of trouble ! Well, in this it means that the people who would bring them there believe that the Virgin of Guadalupe cured them of the dis- eases or saved them from the dangers shown them by the offering. As we came to San Luis Potosi we passed a place where there was an image of some saint brought out before the door of a house, and a crowd of men and boys were kneeling down before it on the ground. I did not know what saint it was intended to represent — it is possible that no such saint ever lived, or was a very bad man or woman. The Mexican children are very attractive to me ; although they are very dark they are generally pretty and have gentle manners. I dare say many of them are very bad, and are badly taught, but I have never seen an act of dis- courtesy from a Mexican ' child, with one exception, since I have been here." It is gratifying to find that every year, notwith- standing the fierce persecution of former years, that pure Christianity is making rapid progress in Mexico, and though cases of bigotry and intolerance still occa- sionally occur, they are by no means so numerous and ferocious as formerly. Every year gives additional proofs that by God's blessing the wilderness of Mexico will one day blossom as the rose. NATAL. ii-Biiauntanm Zulu Warbiok. CHAPTER III. NATAL. ^ATAL, as our readers may know, is one of the colonial possessions of England, and is situated in South Africa. It is compara- tively a young colony, and consequently is not so well known as some other portions of the British Empire ; still sufficient is known respecting its advantages as to induce great numbers of persons from other lands to migrate thither. The climate has always been regarded as being of the most salubrious kind. The land is very productive, and is well adapted to all kinds of agriculture, so that the settler will not be likely to starve, unless he will not work ; and if this should unfortunately be his character, then we know that a high authority has said, " neither should he eat." The native population are designated Kaffirs, who are a fine, tall race of men. Like most aborigines, they are not too fond of hard work, but in general, if carefully watched and kindly treated, they may be ■I 62 MISSIONARY 6CEN£S induced to perform a considerable amount of labor for a reasonable amount of remuneration. They are fond of owning large quantities of cattle. These and other advantages peculiar to Natal caused it, a few years ago, to be regarded as a very desirable field of emigration, particularly to such as intended to live by agriculture. Hundreds, or more correctly, thou- sands, of the yeomanry of England fixed their homes in Natal about thirty years ago. The natural products of the country are varied and abundant ; some portions especially are of the most, superior description. Hence there will be found sugar, coffee, tobacco, cotton, and arrowroot. Then, again, the banana, plantain, orange, lemon, lime, guava, pine- apple, and other tropical fruits, will be seen to grow freely. Of course, it will be understood that all portions of Natal are not equally attractive, but, as a whole, so far as climate and natural productions are con- cerned, it is a country capable of sustaining an im- mense population. Then, too, most English vegetables, and most of the cereals, thrive and yield a good increase. The Kaffirs live mostly on fruit and milk ; and such of them as own patches of land go regularly to the towns with fruit and milk for sale. In the early history of the colony there was an abundance of game, but the increase of the popula- tion by means of emigration, and the wanton destruc- tion by many who indulged themselves in field-sports, IN MANY LANDS. 63 have greatly reduced the game of the country, and in some parts have produced the same results as are now seen in our own North -West, in respect to the buffalo — entire absence. Venison is sometimes obtained, and is regarded as a luxury. Antelopes are often seen, and are pronounced as handsome looking. The bush- buck belongs to this class of animals, and when the male is wounded he is a most dangerous animal, and would not hesitate to test his fighting powers with a number of dogs which might accompany the sports- man. The voice of this animal sounds much like that of a dog ; and upon hearing it for the first time, many have supposed it to be one of the canine tribe. The Kaffir name for the male is inkonka, for the female, mbaballa. There are several kinds of antelopes which go by the peculiar name of hack; some are very small, but all are adorned with straight horns. If caught when young they may become very tame, and may be kept as most beautiful and harmless pets. They vary in color, but in other respects are much alike. An animal known as the bush-pig abounds in some parts of the country. Leopards are also some- times seen. A gentleman who travelled extensively in nearly every part of the country during a resi- dence of seven years, saw only one leopard in all that time. Snakes of all kinds are numerous, and very venomous, though their bites do not invariably ter- minate fatally. The rivers also abound with fish. There are several large towns and a few cities in 64 MISSIONARY SCENES IN MANY LANDS. Natal. We name a few : Durban is near the Port, and is what Americans would regard as "a smart place." It contains a court-house, police-office, a number of respectable stores, good private dwellings, and plenty of hotels. Like most other towns-, it is well supplied with plenty of places of worship, there being churches belonging to the Church of England, Methodist, Presby- terian, and Eoman Catholic denominations. Maritzburgh is the capital of the colony, and is about ninety miles from Durban, with which it is connected by railway. The population is somewhere about five thousand. The Government House and the meeting-place of the Legislative Council are fine buildings. There is a Cathedral of the Church of England, respecting which we may have more to say towards the close of this paper. Lady Smith — so called in honor of the wife of Sir Harry Smith, who was for several years Governor of the colony — is a.'^. inland town situated in a district of country which contains J. large but scattered popu- lation, consisting for the mos: pait of English settlers. Verulam is in Victoria county. It is not so large in population as some other towns, but the county in which it is situated is well settled. There are some flourishing plantations, and many of the people have acquired a considerable portion of this world's goods. What we should designate villages, are kr^own throughout Africa as kraals. The following cut is a correct picture of a Kaffir kraal. >{>v « a >4 D N3 66 MiSStOirARY SCENES Zulu! and adjoins the English colony of Natal, and is inhabited chiefly by natives, who often quarrel among themselves. Tribal wars, and wars with the colonists, have been numerous. There was one a few years ago, when the King (Cetewayo) was taken prisoner by the English army, and was kept a long time in London. The Zulu country is very much like Natal. There is a considerable amount of bush land along the coast, and an immense portion of open grass land in the upper districts. The country is well watered by several fine rivers and numerous small streams. The natives, especially the men, are an in- dolent race. They think it very degrading for a man to work, hence all the hard toil is performed by the women. The men will build and r^spair the huts, and even milk the cows ; but the women must cultivate the maize and millet. In regard to dress, both male and female have but little. The men wear two bun- bles of strips of fur girdled round the waist, which is their sole article of clothing, and is called the mutcha. When the weather is cold they will lounge about their kraals with a blanket over their shoulders. The girls we ■ ; merely a girdle of beads, worked in a pattern, round the hips, from which depends a fringe about three inches in length, made by themselves from some kind of grass, and is called the ibendhala. In respect to government, it may be seid that the king is supreme and is nothing short of a despot. As to thti habits and manners, polygamy is almost IN MANY LANDS. 67 in- uni versa], the father receiving a certain number of cattle for each of his daughters when taken as a wife. The time of a wedding is a season of great enjoyment. Roast beef and Kaffir beer (chualla) are freely used, and there are a great number of dances and ceremonies. The beer is said to be a mild drink and is especially refreshing in warm weather, but it produces intoxica- tion, and just as it is in our own country, when Kaffirs get drunk they invariably quarrel. A traveller states that he once witnessed a Zulu wedding where some of the parties indulged too freely, and in the melee one young man actually bit the top of the thumb off his rival combatant. The married men, and those about to marry, shave all the hair (or rather wool) from their heads, with the exception of a circle round the crown, which they surmount with a ring formed from the gum of a shrub found in the bush. Ifhis badge is called isikoko, and is always kept bright and clean, and its owner would regard himself as greatly insulted if an attempt were made to sieze it or tear it. The married women, and some of the girls previous to their marriage, shave the whole head with the exception of a small knot at the summit, which they daub with a bright red clay. The married women wear a kind of short petticoat of dressed hide, somewhat resembling chamois leather.. Children of both sexes are completely nude, and all of them have their ears pierced, or rather split, at an early age, as it is customary to carry the snuff-box in 68 MISSIONARY SCENES ;:'; the orifice thus formed in the lobe of the ear. All the Zulus are great snuff-takers. Each kraal cultivates its patch of tobacco with great care. The snuff is made from dried tobacco and 'the burnt ashes of an aloe found in the country. Tobacco is not smoked, but Tisango, a kind of wild hemp, is used in its place, the fumes being inhaled from a sort of hookah formed from a cow-horn. This pipe is passed from mouth to mouth, a few whiffs only being taken, as the smoke is a strong narcotic. We hope our readers will avoid the use of tobacco of every kind. Its use is not beneficial, but is frequently injurious, and begets habits which often lead to ruin. The huts in Zululand and those of the Kaffirs in Natal are much alike, made of a strong framework of wattles, bound firmly together, and thatched thickly with grass, or in some instances with grass mats. An aperture between two or three ^feet in height is left for ingress and egress, which is closed at night by a basket-work door. The floor is made of ant-heap, wetted, and then beaten with round stones until quite hard and smooth. There is a round shallow basin in the centre which serves as a fireplace, but there is no chimney. Mats are used for beds, and clay pots for domestic purposes, all of which are made by the .women. The weapons used by warriors are mostly the assegai, a kind of javelin, made of very tough wood, with an iron head, which they throw with great force , IN MANY LANDS. and tolerable precision ; also the knobberry, which is also used as a missile, and is merely a short stick of hard wood with a knob at the top. War-shields of an oval shape are used, which protect the whole body. There have been numerous wars in the country, of which we have been giving our readers a brief account. It is no part of our duty to defend all the acts of the natives, but there is reason to fear that they have been much injured by white men, who, because they could subdue the poor aborigines by brutal means, have gone and taken possession of their land, without giving a fair price in exchange. The poor people could not but feel enraged as they were thus cruelly dispossessed of their inheritance, which had been handed down to them by their fathers for many generations. It must, however, be admitted that it does not seem to be reasonable that thousands of acres of land should remain in perpetuity in possession of people who will not cultivate it ; but in all cases the original occupants should be dealt with honorably. Treaties made should be held inviolate. - Happily, other persons beside land^speculators have gone to Africa. Missionaries of various Christian denominations have explored the " Dark Continent," not that they might find pearls, and frankincense, and myrrh, but that they might find gems of immortal worth which would shine forever in the crown of King Immanuel, whose " dominion shall be from sea to sea and from the rivers to the ends of the earth." 70 MISSIONARY SCENES Many of the most illustrious missionaries that have ever been employed by the Church have labored in Africa. Among others may be mentioned Vander- kamp, Moffatt, Livingstone, Phillips, Campbell, Shaw, and a host of others, who, like Paul, did not count their lives dear Uiito themselves that they might spend and be spent for Christ. The Wesleyan Missionary Society sent its agents to Natal in 1841. Previous to that time missions had been established among other tribes that inhabited adjacent parts of the country. The Rev. J. Archbell was the £?st missionary that unfurled the Gospel banner among the people of this region. There were many English and Dutch residents in addition to the native population. The Kaffirs in Natal are, for the most part, refugees from Zululand or their descendants, of whom there are about one hundred thousand ; then there are also about sixty thousand coolies who have been brought from India as laborers, in the coffee and sugar estates, so that it will be seen the missionary would not of necessity confine his labors to any particular class of the community. As the " friend of all and the enemy of none," he must preach the gospel of the Son of God to all who are willing to hear the message of mercy. Soon after Mr. Archbell opened his commission in Natal, the Rev. William Shaw, who was the General Superintendent of the Wesleyan Missions in that part of Africa, visited him and made arrangements for further extension of the Mission. IN MANY LANDS. 71 The gospel was soon preached in English, Dutch, KafRr, and the Indian Coolie languages. Notwith- standing the diversity of the tongues of the people, the gospel is of such universal adoption that it proved to be the power of God unto salvation. Places of worship were erected, and schools were established for the various classes of the population; and at the present time there are several flourishing circuits in the country, and in the towns the places of worship are both commodious and elegant. Thus it will be seen that as it is in other parts of the world so it is in Natal : as the people improve in their worldly circum- stances, they not only build themselves better resi- dences, but also provide churches more in harmony with their position and commercial prosperity. The evangelization of the Kaffirs, or native Zulus, will ever be regarded as an evidence of the power of the gospel. Missionaries belonging to other sections of the Christian Church have been indefatigable in their labors among the Kaffir race, but the number belonging to the Wesleyan Church has exceeded all others. The Rev. W. B. Boyce had the honor of com- piling the first Kaffir grammar. The Holy Scriptures, hymn books, catechisms, and other religious books, have been published in the language of the people, so that they can now read in their own tongue wherein they were born, the wonderful works of God. This is the more remarkable because that, notwithstanding the fine, noble appearance of the Kaffirs generally, 72 MISSIONARY SCENES they were a degraded race, and did not; seem to have any idea of the existence of a Supreme Being. Dr. Vanderkemp, of blessed memory, tried to get the poor Kaffir to understand the way of salvation, but his labors were of little avail. In one part of his journal he says : — " Satan roared like a lion. It would not be prudent to mention the particulars of his assaults, but it was resolved that I should be killed as a conspirator against the king of this country." And yet this warlike tribe of people, who have given the British Government so much trouble to subdue, have exhibited some fine traits of character. Take the following incident : A missionary was dying. His wife, who was his only attendant, felt sure that she would soon be left a widow, and her two children would be fatherless. Her heart was full of sorrow ; and just at that juncture a Christian Kaffir called at the mission-house. The suffering woman asked him if he desired to see his teacher before the Lord took him to Himself. " Yes," was his reply ; " but T do not like to ask you because I think it will make your heart sore." He then approached and sat down by the bedside. She asked him if he prayed. "Yes," said he. " And what do you pray for ?" "I pray the Lord, as He had brought us a teacher over the great sea water, and hath thus long spared him to tell us His Word, that He would be pleavsed to raise him up again to tell us more of that great Word." She then asked him: "And do you pray for me?" "Yes; I pray that if the Lord should take away your husband IN MANY LANDS. 73 from you, He would support and protect you and your little ones in the midst of this wild and bar- barous people." Some of the Kaffirs have made such advancement in general intelligence, that they have been employed as native teachers ; and a few of them have even been set apart to the full duties of the Christian ministry. In their public addresses they exhibit a beautiful sim- plicity and originality, which must be very interesting to those who are familiar with the peculiarities of the native character. Here is a short address which one of the native teachers delivered. He said : " Wo are all sick, crippled, and blind. This book [holding up the Bible] says so ; and we know that the Book is true, because we feel it to be verily the case. Some have sickness in the head, some in the feeyb, some in the heart, some in the liver, and some have the falling sickness. Jesus Christ tells us that all these sick- nesses come out of the heart. Does your heart ache ? Here is the medicine that can heal it, and mend it, too,, if it be cracked. You know when we are sick in the stomach we want medicine to vomit the bile. We have all bile within us, which makes us loathe food. Here is medicine to cause us to vomit up pride and love of sin. Are you blind, are your eyes sore, so that you cannot bear the light ? Here is the eye- salve — [and then read Rev. iii. 18]. \Te tell you Jesus Christ is the light of the world ; but your eyes cannot bear the light. Here is the doctor who wishes to open 6 74 MISSIONARY SCENES your blind eyes. [Rev. iii. 20 was read]. Are you crippled, do you stagger, do you fall ? Here is a staff to keep you up. It is an old staff, always new. All the saints who have gone to heaven have found it to be a good staff. Old people, when they die, leave their staves behind them ; but this staff you take with you through the valley of the shadow of death. Besides, here you can get a new heart. ' Create in rae a clean heart,' was David's prayer, when he found his hard rogue of a heart would not do. This Book is the Book of books ; it has a medicine for all the world and every disease. It tells us where we can get all these things, and a multitude more, all for nothing. Brethren!" he added, with great emphasis, "our fathers, who died in heathenism, never saw a book like this — they never heard news like this." The Wesleyan missions have been so successful in Na- tal, that there are now about twenty missionaries labor- ing in the district, having nearly two thousand Church •members, and about the same number of scholars in the mission-schools. The work has become so widely extended that a Conference has been formed in South Africa, which is affiliated with the Parent Conference in England. At the Conference of 1884, there were reported in connection with the South African Confer- ence ninety-two ministers, with eighty-two on trial, and nine supernumeraries. The number of Church members exceeds twenty one thousand, with more than nine thousand five hundred additional on trial. Truly the small one has become a strong nation ! \ IN MANY LANDS. 75 Recently, a Native Training Institution has been opened at Edendale, Natal. The dedication service was held in the church, where a large number of natives had assembled. The singing by the natives composing the choir was truly astonishing, some of the more intricate psalm tunes having been rendered, without the aid of an instrument, in time and tune to suit the most fastidious taste. The whole of the European people, led by Sir C. Mitchell, walked from the church to the Institute, on reaching which the gallant gentleman unlocked and opened the front door, and the whole company there- upon entered and proceeded to inspect the building. The company then returned to the church, where some speeches were made. The objects of the institution is not only that of schooling, but of training the natives in habits of in- dustry, self-sacrifice, and usefulness, adapted to the peculiar wants of the people themselves. The cost of the building and furnishing, including every item of expense, was more than $14,000. This year (1875) the Zulus, for the first time, have the whole Bible in their own- language, and it has been exceedingly interesting to see the joy with which the native Christians received it. The year has also been marked by a great temperance movement among the native Christians. Our readers will be interested with the following account of a visit which a number of native Zulus paid to England, where they were kept on exhibition Wpw.- ■m !i 76 MISSIONARY SCENES for some time, and gave several specimens of their virar-dances and other savage exploits. A certain gen- tleman imagined that by such an exhibition he would amass a considerable sum of money, but, happily, he was disappointed ; however, it gave the natives an opportunity to see " the white man's country." When the survivors of the party returned to Natal — for some of them died in England — they were immediately surrounded by crowds of their countrymen, desiring to know what their friends thought of the country on the other side of the "great salt water." A set time having been appointed for a hearing, in the presence of the chief of the tribe to which they belonged, and a large concourse being ass* bled to hear what their friends had seen in E.igland, a young man of their company stood up to speak on behalf of himself and his companions. The following is a literal translation of the principal points in his address, for which we are indebted to the Rev. William Moister : — After telling of the voyage, and how frightened and sea-sick they were on board the ship, he said, " In the third moon we saw England. Then we were told we were in the mouth of a river, and soon after that London was before us. Those who knew London saw it ; our eyes, however, saw nothing but a cloud of smoke, then houses, and presently poles standing out of the water, like reeds iri a marsh, and these were the masts of the London ships. We went in among them, and our ship stood still, and we found ourselves in London, the great place of the English. The place is IN MANY LANDS. 77 very large. Wo never saw the end of it. We tried hard to find it, but we could not. We ascended a high building like a pole (the Monument) to see where it ended, but our sii^hi was filled with houses and streets and people. We heard that many people bom and grown old there never saw the end of it, and we said, ' If such is the case, why should we, who are strangers, look for it?' We gave it up. The people are so many that they tread on one another. All day and night the streets are crowded. We thought that some great thing had happened, and said, ' Let us wait till the people have passed on,' but thej' never did pass. The surface of the earth is too small for the people, and some live under the earth, and even under the water. (Alluding to the shops in the Thames Turn; A.) " When we left London, we travelled in a fine waggon drawn by another waggon, but how I never could understand. I could only make out that the first waggon is like a large kettle on wheels, full of water, with a fire under it to make it boil. But before it boils other waggons loaded are tied on behind it, for the moment it does boil it runs away on its own road, and if it were to boil without the waggons being fastened to it I do not know where it would go to. We saw a number of oxen, but the oxen in England do not draw the waggons, but they ride in them, and are drawn along all together by the big thing with the boiling water in it. We saw many other strange things, more than we can tell you of. We saw men ascend into the skies, and go higher than the eagle. y T m^ T8 MISSIONARY SCENES IN MANY LANDS. The men did not go up with wings, but with a basket. The basket was tied to a large round bag filled with smoke. It looked like a large calabash, with the mouth downwards, and the basket hung beneath. In this two people sat, and when the bag was let go it went up with them. I looked at it until my eyes were tired, and it became smaller than a bird. They took up sand with them, and poured it on the people beneath, and some fell on us. We likewise saw dogs carrying letters, and monkeys tiring off guns. We saw a horse dancing to a drum, and when he had finished he made a bow to the people who were looking at him. We saw elephants, sea-cows, tigers, and crocodiles, living in houses, and snakes handled by hum&n hands. We saw men standing on their heads and walking on their hands for money, and we paid our own money to see them do it." After a minute and intelligent account of an interview with the Queen, with which they were honored, and a description of her palace, guards and equipage, the young Kaffir concluded his address amid loud applause and clapping of hands. The account from which we have borrowed states that ''the young people were delighted, but the old men were somewhat incredulous, and shook their heads in mute astonishment, declaring that they could believe almost everything that their countryman had said, except the account which he had given of oxen riding in waggons instead of drawing them." It will be seen that the address displays considerable ingenuity and keen powers of observation. ^ NEW CALEDONIA. Nativk Chief of Uen. iki^^i X CHAPTEE IV. NEW CALEDONIA. ^|HIS island is situated in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, and is about six hundred miles east of Queensland, in Australia. It is not by any means so large as some other islands in Polynesia, its length being only about two hundred miles, and its breadth, on the average, not more than forty. At present it is in the hands of the French, which is somewhat strange, as that nation does not own extensive colonies in the South Seas, and the means by which it has annexed some of those islands does not reflect much honor upon its fair fame. As an island. New Caledonia is an advantage to any country, seeing that it is a place of marvellous fertility, and the climate is of the most salubrious kind. It is therefore much more healthy than many others. This arises from its locality, which is just within the tropics. It is blessed with refreshing breezes and 82 MISSIONARY SCENES abundant rains. Cotton, coffee, sugar, and other colonial commodities, are extensively cultivated, so that the exports are numerous. The natives have always had the unenviable reputa- tion of being exceedingly ferocious, so that other nations have not been anxious to cultivate their acquaintance* Probably before our readers have finished reading this article, they will not wonder at this, for any attempt to visit the island, either for pleasure or purposes of trade, would be extremely perilous, and would more than probably terminate in bloodshed. Like moat of the islands in Oceania, a belt of coral reefs encircles it at a distance from the shore, which makes a natural canal that is calm as a lake in the evening of sum- mer, and is free for navigation. These coral reefs act as a barrier to the great waves and storms of the ocean, and protect many a gallant vessel which would otherwise be in great danger. Cook, the famous navigator, was the first European that is known to have visited New Caledonia. This was in 1774, wher he made his second voyage around the world. He laBded on the north-east portion of the island, and tarried ceveral days with a tribe who still retain traditions of the visit of their illustrious guest. To him the island owes the name which it still bears, though why he should have selected such a cognomen is unknown. The civilized world owes a debt of gratitude to missionaries which it is slow to discharge. Those IN MANY LANDS. 83 despised and often slandered men of God have repeat- edly been the first to make their abode with savage tribes, and pave the way for the scientific explorer and the man of commerce. But for the influence which they have exerted on the minds of ferocious groups of aborigines, human life would have been of little value, and many parts of the world would have remained closed against those who sometimes boast of being the pioneers of civilization. French missionaries were the first persons to venture to settle in New Caledonia. They did so in 1843, though they experienced much opposition from the natives, and endured many hardships as they prose- cuted their benevolent designs. Ten years after, a French man-of-war took possession of the island and hoisted the flag, and thus annexed the island to France. This was done on September 24, 1853, and the com- mander's name was Rear- Admiral Febvrier Despointes. Two years afterwards, a military post was established, and henceforth various settlements were made, and the island became a place of extensive business. The number of colonists, however, did not increase very rapidly, and after a few years there came a period of hostility, when it seemed as though the Kanaks, as the natives generally were termed, were resolved that no foreign nation should exercise authority over them. More than once they massacred the colonists, and were only restrained from murdering all who dared to land on their shores by the French troops who ; 84 MISSIONARY SCENES were sent to subdue them. In 1858, Governor du Bouzet, who had been recalled home, delivered a farewell address, and as the country was now in a peaceable condition, he congratulated his countrymen on the state of affairs, and said : — " The natives seem now to understand that it is in their interest to live at peace with us, and that we have not come to bring them war, but the advantages of re- ligion and civilization. The murderers of our country- men have been punished, and those of their accomplices who have escaped know that their retreat cannot long remain undiscovered. Peace and security now reign wherever we have established a footing. Thanks to your labors " (colonists, officers and soldiers assembled to bid him farewell) "the tents and thatched huts which sheltered you the first few years are now re- placed by substantial barracks ; you have built store- houses and workshops of stone and wood, you have opened up communication with the interior by means of well constructed roads, you have dug wells, begun to throw up fortifications, have constructed quays and wharves, and have traced the streets and laid the foundations of a new city." There were now two French settlements in Poly- nesia — Tahiti and New Caledonia — of which M. de Saisset was the second governor. He made vigorous efforts to enlarge the colony, but, in 1860, an epidemic broke out which the natives believed was occasioned by some strange despatch- boxes which were conveyed / IN MANY LANDS. m to and from the French settiements. The bearers of the boxes, though Kanaks, were murdered and their bodies eaten. The tribe to which the unfortunate men belonged demanded vengeance, but, as the criminals fled to the mountains, no further hostilities ensued. The best history of the island was written by M. Garnier, a French engineer who visited the country in 1863, and travelled extensively, visiting every place of interest, and sometimes travelling hundreds of miles on foot that he might better accomplish the object of his mission. To his interesting narrative we are indebted for the substance of this paper. In one of his pedes- trian tours he visited the residence of M. Joubert, who is one of the chief colonists of the island. At an early period thivS gentleman obtained a grant of land from the Government, consisting of one thousand eight hun- dred acres, where he established two stations, one for the rearing of cattle and the other destined to become the centre of vast sugar plantations. At the time of our traveller's visit, there were no less than a thousand head of cattle and one hundred horses grazing in the pasture ilelds. The enterprising colonist gave the name of Ko^ to the sugar plantation settlement, which means "locust." The 'traveller found the place full and remained for several days, as his host not only made him welcome, but also aided him considerably in his explorations. The description of Koe and the manner of life there is graphically described, and is said to give a fine idea of 86 MISSIONARY SC VES the squatter's life in New Caledonia. " The house is one storeyed and is built of huge logs, with a wide verandah which is more used than the inner rooms, of which there are four or five, surrounding one large living room in the centre, where the squatter and his stockmen dine together at one long table in perfect equality. The day is thus divided : All rise at six, take tea or coflfee and go to work ; breakfast at ten, on biscuit, salt beef, rice and batatas (sweet potato) ; dine at two, and sup at six- thirty. Meals are announced by the cooks on a conch shell, and are dispatched without much loss of time — excepting supper — then work for the day is over, and the company can afford to linger over their pipes and grog ; it is then especially that a chance traveller or a friend with news from * the old country,' or from town, is a welcome addition to the home circle, and is questioned and listened to with the liveliest interest. Many of the squatters are men who in Europe moved in the best society, and have been driven by adverse circumstances or some misfortune to emigrate. There is scarcely a station that has not its library, and the bushmen are generally great readers. " Round about the dwelling house stand the stables, storehouses and kitchen, and at a little distance the cone-shaped huts, built of straw, where the Kanaks live, who are employed as servants on the estate. All these buildings, and the fruit and vegetable garden, which sloped down from the house, were surrounded by a fence ('fena'). The enclosure, or paddock, as it is \ ^-"caSSSSKSr IN MANY LANDS. 87 called, measures generally about thirty-four acres, and within it the saddle-horses and draught oxen in ordi- nary use are allowed to graze at liberty. All the cultivated fields are carefully fenced round, and over the rest of the estate — the " run " as it is called — the herds wander at will." An amusing incident occurred to the traveller while he tarried at Ko^. Accompanied by a few friends, he went forth on an es^ploring tour, and after wandering several hours in long grass they heard a deep sound, like the bellowing of an ox, which astonished M. Qarnier, as he understood there were no wild beasts on the island. His host, however, whispered in a state of nervous excitement, "It is a Moton!" At the same time he loaded his gun, and telling him not to stir, went quietly with one of the Kanaks. Again the same sound was heard, followed by the report of a gun. M' Gamier then went after his companions, but felt very small when he found that what he thought was a bel- lowing ox, was only a bird of reddish brown, whose strange note invariably deceives those who hear it for the first time. At another time the traveller was greatly discon- certed by a bush fire, which was the first he had seen. His companions were i ,ot the least alarmed. The Kanaks, on seeing his excitement, appeared to take pleasure in troubling him, for they remained unconcerned until the fire was within a hundred vards of them, and then they sprang up, with the wild yells which accompany y 88 MISSIONARY SCENES most of their actions, and ran, flourishing their toma- hawks, to the nearest nianli trees, from wl ^.';h they cut large leafy branches and tied them into brooms. Then snatching some blazing sticks from their own fire they lit the grass and bush- wood all round at a dis- tance of about forty yards from the bivouac. M. Garnier never forgot this night's exploit, though he saw many bush-fires during the three years he resided in New Caledonia. • The natives of the island, like most of the aborigines of the southern world, are known by the generic name of Kanaks. They are a greatly abused race. They do most of the hard work on the estates of the colonists, and if kindly treated and justly remunerated for their toil, they would be equal, if not superior, to the labor- ing classes generally ; but " hard work and little pay'' is the rule of the employers, and not infrequently the food with which they are supplied is inferior in quality and small in quantity. The food of the Kanaks is fruit and vegetables, and sometimes, alas ! human fleshy of which they can eat enormous quantities. The con- trast between the native laboring population and the white laborers is great in everything. The natives, no matter how much they may work, receive less wages, and always have to pay dearer for what they purchase, than white men. Traders seek to take ad- vantage of them almost invariably, and as they must have tobacco, jews' harps, perhaps, and a little cutlery, which they purchase from small traders, who charge \ IN MANY LANDS. S9 leir toma- h they cut ms, Then own fire d at a dis- vouac. «*• though he ^ he resided e aborigines eneric name e. They do ,he colonists, .ted for their to the labor- ed little pay" requently the ■ior in quality le Kanaks is human flesh, es. The con- lation and the The natives, ^, receive less for what they jek to take ad- d as they must a little cutlery, ■rs, who charge extortionate prices for their wares, the poor Kanak often finds at the end of a month that his position is this, " I have worked very hard all the month and have had much scolding, with little to eat and little pleasure ; my money is all gone, and, though it is true the tobacco of the whites is good, if I drop a few seeds in my own ground X shall have as much as I can want; why should I work any more for the whites ? " Whatever may be said against the Kanaks by those who have treated them dishonorably, there are several instances recorded in which some of them have given proof of superior intelligence. One became a clerk in a large establishment, and another — Chatton — is superintendent in the native school in Noumea, is self-educated, and fulfils his duties with the most conscientious zeal. M. Garnier men- tions the name of Captain Paddon, an Englishman, who made an immense fortune in trading with the natives for sandalwood, tortoise shells, etc., and was well respected by all classes. When he died he was greatly lamented, and to-day his name is revered by many of the distant tribes, because he was always honorable, treated them fairly, and yet he could always secure justice even when some were disposed to treat him improperly. Let our readers never forget that the golden rule of Jesus Christ should always govern them, no matter with whom they may be doing busi- ness. " Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them." 7 90 MISSIONARY RCENES A terrible massacre occurred in 1859, the remem- brance of which even now should excite terror, and should only be related to illustrate the character of the people in their native state. A valuable strip of land having been purchased by M. Berard, of the Qov- emment, the owner commenced to make sugar. Not far from his residence there lived a powerful tribe who had not yet been reduced to subjection. One night they assembled in large numbers and massacred every white on the estate in a most barbarous manner. Only three escaped, one of whom was the proprietor's little daughter, who was absent when the attack was made. Summary vengeance was taken on the perpetrators of this massacre, who were guilty of other deeds equally cruel, but eventually the head of Candio, their chief, was photographed. Quindo and Watton, two less powerful chiefs, who had not long before renounced their allegiance to him and submitted to the French, had betrayed him to the Government. One day Garnier met with Quindo and showed him one of the photographs of Candio's head, which he happened to have in his pocket. The man recognized it at once, and exclaimed "Candio!" whilst a look of astonish- ment and terror came over his cunning face. He recovered himself, however, immediately, giving the photograph back to M. Garnier, saying, "Candio wicked man, he kill many French," then turned on his heel and walked off, He was seen many hours afterwards IN MANY LANDS. 91 sitting on the spot to which he first went. He sat all the time with his head bent down. No one could tell what his thoughts were, whether he was revolving in his mind the barbarity of his chief, or feeling accusa- tion for having sold him for reward. On another occasion M. Gamier and his company were sleeping out of doors and experienced the tor- ments of an invasion from an army of mosquitoes, which he thus graphically describes : " Night came on, and we lay doyrn with the beautiful sk;^ for a canopy, and felt our breasts expand as we inhaled the soft fragrance of the evening breeze ; but as everything has its dark side, so we soon paid dearly for our enjoyment. Just as a delicious drowsiness was creeping over us and carrying us off to the land of dreams, a buzzing sound, distant first and confused, then penetrating and close at hand, assailed our ears, and in a moment we were the prey of innumerable mosquitoes. No cover- ing could protect us ; we felt as if thousands of pins were being stuck into us. We fled into a neighboring hut belonging to Jacques Quindo, chief of the tribe ; but, alas ! it was built in European style (used only for state receptions) with doors and windows, and we found no rest there from our blood-thirsty foes. There were five of us, and we had two mosquito nets; no pulling or stretching could induce them to cover us, and the enemy dashed in, now at one breach, now at another. But why dwell on these miseries? Our nights out were always attended with the same results ; IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 1.25 -> s> O /: iZA^ /I / Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. I4SS0 (716)873-4S03 c> 9S MISSIONARY SCENES our bodies were covered with blisters, and all the curses that man could invent were lavished on the mosquito race. When that first morning dawned, one of our companions, an officer of marines, a strong young fellow, turned back to Noumea with his ser- vant and a Kanak guide, the diptera and want of sleep had vanquished him, and he gave up the whole expedition in disgust." The writer of "Illustrated Travels " thinks that there is but one effectual mode of getting rid of the terrible little creatures — that is by smoke — and the houses of the Kanaks possess this advantage that they can soon be filled with smoke, and thus cleared of all sleep-disturbing intruders. The appearance of the houses of the chiefs is not calculated to inspire a stranger with confidence, as around the entrance the skulls of their enemies are suspended — these are their proudest trophies ; and the door-posts and the summits of the domes are decor- ated with rude carvings in wood of the tabu. The tabu is a sacred interdiction used by the priests throughout Polynesia. Any person daring to look at or touch a place or a chief who is tabu is instantly put to death. A piece of ground is sometimes taJbu^ that is, either consecrated to a god or is the burial- place of some chief, and is therefore regarded as sacred. Notwithstanding the salubrity of the climate, pulmon- ary consumption is a very prevalent disease among the Kanaks, though medical men in Australia some- times send consumptive patients to New Caledonia, IN MANY LANDS. and some of them have actually been thus restored to health. The natives always insist that they knew nothing of this and some other forms of disease until white men came to the island. Their mode of treatin|f disease is very singular, and none would suppose that the means adapted would bring convalescence. The great scourge of the island is the hurricane, which is almost of annual occurrence, and produces nearly universal devastation. The approach of this scourge is known, and is indicated with absolute cer- tainty by a sudden fall in the barometer, little squalls of wind, and a cloudy sky. At Noumea the governor immediately sends notice to the town and port, and everywhere agitation and movement are the result. Vessels will either be made fast and secure by casting out their anchors, or will, if possible, hide in some en- closure until the danger is past ; but, in spite of every precaution, great damage is often the result. These hurricanes, which may be regarded as cyclones, gen- erally continue for three days, and are accompanied by such torrents of rain as are seldom seen except in tropical climates. Fish are abundant, and some of the natives devote much time to catching the finny tribe. What is known as the trepang fisheries is one of the great sources of wealth to the island, and is carried on chiefly by European merchants. Trepang is an edible kind of Holothuria, commonly called by sailors sea-cucumbers —soft, fleshy-looking worms from four to flve inches BB 91 MISSIONARY SCENES long, and rather more than an inch thick, that is to say, the largest of them. They are highly esteemed by Chinese epicures, and are exported in great quanti- ties. Each trepang is worth about three cents, and at Noumea the finest quality are sold at more than four hundred dollars a ton, whilst in China they bring double that price. Fish are abundant in the waters of New Caledonia. Their number and variety are truly astonishing. They are easily caught, and the weight of some is enormous. Some of the fish, however, are poisonous, and require to be eaten with great caution. A crew consisting of five persons died soon after they had eaten freely of fish. It is supposed that some food of which the fish partake at certain seasons makes them poisonous. The Kanaks greatly enjoy fishing, and foreigners invariably take some of these men with them when they go out for a day's sport. Turtles and sharks are sometimes seen, and they are tr'ily formidable an.igon- ists, as they are bold and daring when attacked, and can seldom be caught without a great struggle. Fisher- men sometimes have to suffer the loss of a leg from these sea-monsters. There is one fish known as the dugong, whose capture always occasions great excite- ment. The dugong resembles the seal. On one occa- sion a dugong was seen in the water about six hundred yards from the shore, when several of the Kanaks rushed into the water, taking ropes with them. A few of them went under the water, and then immediately IN MANY LANDS. »6 the whole company made towards the shore, dragging their prize after them. When they pulled it ashore it was found to measure fourteen feet in length and seven feet i:i circumference. It is a curious looking animal, with a muzzle very like that of an ox, covered with little horny spikes. " Two sharp tusks, from four to five inches long, growing downwards from the jaw, give it a very fierce expressipn, and are formidable weapons of defence and attack. It has pectoral fins without any claws, and a tail shaped like a double crescent, and notched like a saw, with which it lashes about in a furious manner, and deals its advesraries most violent blows." The f^Apture of one of these animals is a great event, and the chief of the tribe has immediately to be summoned, it being his royal prerogative with his own hand to cut up the carca.:>e and distribute the parts. Some of the chiefs were monsters of iniquity. One named Bomate was a celebrity. He hated the French and did not care to have much dealing with the Eng- lish. Reports say that before the French took posses- sion of the island, that he lived on the flesh of his subjects ; he was especially fond of the bodies of young women and children. He was eventually taken pris- oner by the French -and conveyed to Tahiti, where he was kept in durance vile for five years. He comported himself with dignity even while a prisoner, and on his return he assumed the position of authority, and holds his subjects in control. Onine was another powerful chief, who on one occa« y 96 MlSStONARY SCENES sion headed an insurrection party which committed some serious depredations. The French authorities offered a reward for the heads of the four chiefs who were supposed to have instigated the attack. Three of them delivered themselves up and sued for mercy, but with a view to deter others from making similar attempts at rebellion, they were all condemned to death. They burst their chains and would have escaped, only the guard caught them and killed them on the spot. Onine, the leader, fled to the mountains, where he was safe from pursuit. His property was confiscated, and after a few years he was pardoned, and returned to his former residence ; but some time afterwards he was implicated in the murder of a colo- nist, for which he was imprisoned, but escaped three times and was recaptured. At last he was conveyed to Noumea, the capital of the French colony, and was kept bound with manacles until he died. One de- scribed him thus : " Onine bad man ; long time he kill father, after that eat him." Two tribes had long been deadly enemies. The French governor had planted a guard near the land of one of them to prevent hostilities, but a feast was to be held, which drew great numbers to the place of en- joyment. After some time had been spent in the fes- tivities of the day, a signal was given from one of the chiefs, when, amidst the most terrific yells, the com- batants rushed at each other more like demons than men. One party said : " You did well to come to us at IK MANY LANDS. 97 this time, for we are holding a great festival, and your company was the very thing we desired. Now that you are here our young warriors will seize you, that your flesh may crown our feast to-day." From the opposite bank came the following response : " You are but the dogs of those who have brought thunder into our land — cowards that are not able to defend them- selves, and have called the whites to help them. Send them away and then we shall see you fly as dust before the wind." The battle raged fiercely until one of the chiefs plunged his assegai into the body of the chief of the other tribe, when a fearful struggle ensued to gain possession of the dead body, but the victors drove back the party whose chief had fallen. The body was soon hacked to pieces by the old men who wore not able to fight, portions of which were devoured amid hideous yells, in the presence of the multitude. The victorious chief made a speech in which he said, speak- ing of the fallen warrior : " He thought that his bones would rest among his own people, but his skull shall bleach in the sun before our doors ; our women and children shall laugh when they see it. My warriors shall feast on his flesh, which will make them stronger and braver." In the evening a still more horrible scene took place. M. Gamier says : " A dozen men were seated round the fire ; in them I recognized the chiefs who had taken part in the day's proceedings. In front of them, on widespreiad banana leaves, lay a heap of smoking flesh, / 98 Mi3SI0NART SCENES surrounded by tares and yam-roots. Their eyes gleamed with savage enjoyment as they seized the flesh with both hands, and devoured it with horrible gusto. There, close beside them, was the pit in which that flesh had been cooked ; and there lay the toma- hawks with which their enemies, the captured Pon^- rihuens, had been hewn to pieces, limb from limb, to furnish forth the ghastly feast. I wished that I could hold my breath, so as not to inhale the fumes that rose above their heads, and were borne by the wind in the direction where we were standing. Just opposite to us sat an old white-haired chief, who specially attracted my attention. He looked worn and emaciated, and his appetite was not so keen as that of his younger companions. Whilst they ate voraciously of the solid flesh, he, with the air of an epicure, was deliberately enjoying the brains of one of his enemies. He held the severed head in his lean, sinewy hands, and thrust it again and again into the fire, knocking it on the stones in front of him, so as to empty it without break- ing the skull, which was afterwards to grace the door- posts of his wigwam. I gazed and gazed, and the whole thing was to me like a hideous dream ; and an irre- sistible desire was coming over me just to go up to those monsters, touch them, speak to them, and assure myself that they were not real living creatures. Sud- denly the click of a gun close behind me roused me to a consciousness of my own actual existence ; I turned and was just in time to arrest the aim of Sergeant D., / IK MANY LAKDS. 99 one of my companions, who had loaded his gun and was levelling it at the old man. I dragged him from the spot and we all stole noiselessly and ^hurriedly away, and did not stop or utter a sound until we reached our own hut. " I beg your pardon," said the sergeant to me, as soon as we felt ourselves safe ; " that was too much for me ; it made my blood boil to see those wretches wasting and devouring each other, and in another moment I must have sent a bullet into the head of that old brute." Whereupon Polone, one of our native escort, merely remarked, " Kanak like that ; he very glad {'kalkai') to eat his enemies." Notwithstanding the ferocious character of the peo- ple, there are groups of colonists, who have emigrated from other lands, that have settled in various parts of the island, and are engaged in various commercial pur- suits. They do so at great risk, as ever and anon troubles arise among the natives, and massacres of white people not infrequently follow. Some of the conipanies who have gone thither from England, France or Germany have amassed considerable wealth, though it is to be feared that they have not always done so justly. A French colonist imported four hundred sheep from Sydney, New South Wales, and this number actually increased in a few years to eighteen hundred. Nowhere do sheep flourish so well as in the small hilly islands which form the Bay of St. Vincent. The sheep seldom take foot disease, and are generally in a healthy, prosperous condition. Care, however, needs to be exer- 100 MISSIONARY SCENES cised in choosing a place for the sheep, as in some parts of the island there is a kind of grass which is very common, with long sharp spikes or thorns attached to the seed-vessels, and the belief is that it is this grass which kills the sheep by hundreds, as the thorns are so long and hard that they run through the fleece and remain sticking in the skin. Fortunes have been made by the daring, enterprising colonist, but they have been won at a terrible risk and sacrifice of life. As to religion, it can hardly be said that the people of New Caledonia have any very defined ideas of reli- gion. All travellers agree that it seems to bb next to impossible to convince them that it is wrong to kill and eat one's neighbors. They have some faint idea of a state of future existence, and imagine that their food will be abundant, fisheries will always be successful, those who are old will grow young again, and womeu will be eternally young and beautiful. They suppose that then their chief employments will be feasting and dancing, and that occasionally they will return to earth in the night season to torment and ill-use their surviv- ing enemies, and thus pay ofi" old scores. For that reason the Eanaks dread going out on a dark night, as the spirits of the departed are supposed to have a de- cided predilection for darkness. Missionaries who have gone to New Caledonia have gone thither under the protection of the French flag, but their labors have not made much impression on the na- tive population. Somehow the missionaries are nearly IN MANY LANDa 101 always objects of special hatrod to the natives, and in every outbreak of violence the residences of the mis- sionaries are sure to be the first objecil^s of attack. M. Qarnier, however, testifies that some t^ the mission settlements which he visited gave evidence of much labor and industry. At one place he found more than one hundred converts. The locality was a wide, undu- lating plain, where a church and two mission houses were built, and round these cluster the huts and plan- tations of the natives. The settlement contained un- mistakable evidences of prosperity. Ev )rybody and everything seemed to thrive, and had an air of being well cared for and turned to the best account. Our readers will agree with us that few places can possibly need missionaries more than New Caledonia, and when such prosperity follows the establishment of one mission station like that mentioned in the foregoing paragraph, it is to be hoped that many more may be established, for truly we are reminded by what we have read that the dark parts of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. K9m 1 I Indian — Rio Quarto. CHAPTEK V. ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. jHAT portion of the world with which we now propose to make our readers acquainted, forms a part of South America, which the student of geography will remember consists of an area of six millions eight hundred and fifty thou- sand square miles, and has a population of nearly thirty millions. The republican form of government appears to be the most popular, inasmuch as there are no less than nine republican divisions, one limited monarchy (Brazil), and one European possession (Guiana). The Argentine Republic comprises fourteen provinces and four territories, one of which is Patagonia. Buenos Ayres is the capital city, and contains a population of one hundred and ninety -five thousand souls. The soil is very fertile and the cl'mate for the most part mild. Agriculture has been greatly neglected, but there can be no doubt that in the course of time 8 / 106 MISSIONARY SCENES enterprising emigrants from other lands will find their way thither, and the undeveloped resources of the country will become better known. Aheady a con- siderable number of Europeans and others of the Anglo-Saxon race have made themselves homes in this southern portion of the American continent, who are . the forerunners of a great multitude. It is amazing what delight strong adventurous men take in exploring new countries; it is equally sur- prising how representatives from various countries become associated in new regions, and how varied are the circumstances which have led them to seek for homes in comparatively new and isolated portions of the world, so that if possible their whereabouts may not be known. This train of thought has been suggested from read- ing an interesting paper in '• Illustrated Travels," from the pen of W. S. Parfitt. C.E., F.R.G.S., relating to the Argentine Republic. At the time of his visit he met a considerable number of Englishmen who were greatly interested in the Central Argentine Railway, which had been recently opened. He also found large settle- ments both of English and Scotch people, and almost everywhere, but especially in the cities and towns, he found small " colonies " of those who hailed from the Emerald Isle. British gold and Irish labor are often of immense value in the building of public works. Mr. Parlitt met with a young Frenchman from Bor- deaux who had left his native land in consequence of IN MANY LANDS, 107 being implicated in a conspiracy against the late Em- peior. Having plenty of money and feeling a desire to settle down to a peaceful mode of life, he purchased a large portion of land, and though told that said land was in the vicinity of ferocious Indians, nothing could deter him from hastening to take possession of his property, and he prevailed with Mr. Parlitt to accom- pany him thither. Mr. P. became much attached to his friend from France, whom he found was a perfect gentleman, and could speak both the French and English languages fluently. Mr. Parfitt, Jbeing an old traveller, never cumbered himself with baggage, only taking what he supposed the necessities of the case might require The young gentleman from France was the opposite of this. Guided by the advice of some merchants of Buenos Ayres, who had no doubt been benefitted by the advice given, he had laid in an immense quantity of supplies, not forgetting the medicine chest, which contained " enough physic to kill or cure the whole of the inhabi- tants of the place." Preparations having been com- pleted, the travellers retired to rest, but, alas ! their slumbers were broken by an occurrence such as often takes place when whiskey is freely used. A number of drunken Irishmen and some gauckos (roving horse- men) were engaged in a bloody affray, in which knives from eighteen inches to two feet long were freely used. Revolvers were also brought into use, and several lives were lost on both sides. Again we see the effects of 108 MISSIONARY SCENES strong drink. Let our dear young friends keep from using strong drink of every kind. Mr. Parfitt knew that the journey which they were about to undertake would consume several days, and only a small portion of it could be performed by rail. The road by which they were to travel is debtined to be the longest railway in South America. " The com- mencement is at Rosario, at which place the company have built a fine station and workshops, making their own bricks on the spot by steam machinery. The line is single, five and a half feet gauge, and laid down without timber of any kind, the chairs for holding the rails being cast in one piece, with a large hollow plate, which, resting on the ground, forms are then placed at intervals of about three feet, a sufficient bearing for the rails. * * This railroad has been opened to Cordova, and will soon be extended to (vopiapo, in Chili, when it will form a connecting highway from England to Australia and New Zealand." Bishop Taylor tells of a railway extending from Juliaca to Cusco, a distance of two hundred and fifty- nine miles, which cost three millions of dollars. The workshops are located at Mollendo and employ a great number of English and American mechanics. The wages paid are as follows : Engineers, $250 per month; machinists, $1.50, on an average ; firemen, natives, $90; conductors, $100 ; clerks, from $100 to $150; treasurer, $250. The superintendent of motive power, both in the shops and on the road, receives $450 per month. IN MANY LANDS. 109 The journey, when travelled with horses and at- tended by a guide, was pleasant, with some exceptions, as the sequel will show. At short intervals there would be herds of wild cattle and horses, then there would be large flocks of ostriches and several red deer, and birds of all sizes and colors, from the eagle to the humming-bird. Many of them were good songsters, and their songs enlivened the tedium of the journey. Some portions of the land gave evidence of good cul- ture, and in such instances the travellers often found that there were English farn.ers in the vicinity. Here and there villages had sprung up as the country was developed by means of railways, but it was said that several of the villages owed their existence mainly to the industry and energy of Scotch settlers, who are very numerous in some parts of the Republic. A guide was indispensably necessary, and the one selected by our travellers was a half breed of Spanish and Indian descent, who was of a most repulsive ap- pearance, and his subsequent conduct revealed the base character of the man. The party consisted of three persons, all well armed, who travelled with fi/e horses. Each day they commenced their journey early, rested two hours at noon, and then proceeded again until sunset, and if there was no house of entertainment, they camped in the bush, having the canopy of heaven for their covering. The horses, of ourse, were fastened by the legs and fed on the fine long grass which was everywhere plentiful. Streams of pure water were always easy of access. n ! 110 MISSIONART SCENES At one stopping place they took up their abode with Mr. Ball, who lived in a tine estancia (house built of unbaked bricks ). This gentleman was a native of Scotland, and a man of great energy, who had been successful in his farm enterprise. A description of his residence may not be uninteresting. " The house was built of bricks, surrounded by a parapet, on which were mounted two small brass howitzers, with which our host informed us he had greatly surprised the Indians in their late^ raid ; for, not seeing any person about the piace, they ventured rather closer than is usual with them, no doubt with the intention of steal- ing two good black horses, which had purposely been left outside of the uitch running round the house, as a decoy. Not having any balls, our host had loaded the howitzers with old nails, broken chain links, broken glass, etc., and as the Indians came up, fired them amongst them, badly wounding several men and horses. They turned and fled in the utmost haste, and he . thought they would not attempt again to molest him. There were three rooms in the house, two on the ground level, and one above ; the upper one was used as a bed-room for the owner and his capitaz (a kind of foreman bailiff). Below this was a large room used for a general store-room, but in which beds were made for visitors in wet weather, or in times of danger, otherwise they preferred sleeping outside. " From this room you passed into the general dining and sitting room, furnished with a large rough table IN MANY LANDS. Ill ining table and half a dozen chairs, all more or less damaged and repaired in the usual manner with hide. In one of the corners was an old-fashioned cupboard, in another several rifles, some with bayonets attached ; in a third were tools of various kinds. On the walls were displayed several colored prints, some framed and others not ; one of these was a portrait of Queen Victoria. It was pasted to the wall, and on each side, on a nail, hung two holster pistols, with their muzzles pointed, Fenian like, towards Her Majesty. In other places hung revolvers, riding-whips, and spurs ; but what surprised me most was seeing a handsome gold chronometer with massive chain hanging in one place. Our host in- formed us that it had been the property of an English naval officer, who had made a journey out as far as here for the purpose of hunting pumas (American tigers), but in one of his excursions from this house to a forest at some short distance away, he had received several wounds from a jaguar (resembling the tiger) which he was hunting. He succeeded in getting back to the house, but died the next day from the injuries which he had received. They buried him a few hundred yards from the house, and raised a small cross of wood to mark the spot. " On the outside of the house, but inside of the large trench, was a small hut, one part of which was the kitchen, and in the other lived a man and his wife; the former worked as a peon (day laborer), and the latter as cook, on the estancia. Near this hut stood two / 112 MISSIONARY SCENES ranchas for the other farm peonea. Surrounding the whole was the afore-mentioned deep trench, which could only be crossed by means of a long plank, which plank was removed at sunset to guard against surprise. Beyond the trench were planted prickly cactus plants, which, with the ditch, proved an almost insuperable barrier to foes. "On the outside of the trench was a fine potrero (fenced field) of about six acres of alfalfa, similar to English vetches, where the cattle for ploughing were driven at night, in case of an Indian raid ; farther on was a large corral, in appearance much like a large round country pound in an English village ; the horses are kept here at night. " In a galpon (large shed or barn) the peonea were at work shelling maize, which had been recently picked. " Everything about the place was in ^ood order and appeared comfortable, but a stranger could not at first get rid of a feeling of solitude. Mentioning this to Mr. Ball, he replied that he greatly preferred living here, contented as he was, to anything in the same way that could be offered him at home ; here he al- ways had plenty to eat and drink, raised on the farm itself ; and the sale of cattle and maize, besides paying all working expenses, enabled him to lay by a hand- some sum yearly as a provision for old age ; as for ill- ness in such a climate, he laughed at the very idea. The only thing he seemed to regret was, not being nearer to some town, so that he might get his letters and newspapers from home more regularly." IN MANY LANDS. 113 After leaving Mr. Ball's hospitable residence the travellers proceeded towards their destination, and after having travelled a day or two they were horrified to find that their faithless vaqucano (guide) had taken them a considerable distance out of their proper course. They threatened to shoot him on the spot, but he made some excuse, about the other road being more difiScult to travel, but this did not satisfy the travellers. Night came on, when they resolved to use the greatest cau- tion. They were soon overcome with sleep, but during the night Mr. Parfitt awoke, and by means of the star- light perceived that the horses were loose, and soon saw a man approaching the camp of his companion, and in the act of kneeling down as though feeling for his money and revolver. Mr. P. was about to fire, when the sleeper moved, which caused the villain to get up, but in another instant he had drawn his knife, and was again stooping when Mr. P. fired. Before he could tire again his French friend sprang to his feet, when they perceived that the robber was their faith- less guide, whom they were sure was wounded, but who managed to mount his horse, and also drive off two others which he had made ready for his purpose. As soon as daylight dawned, the travellers, by means of a pocket compasr. and map, formed an idea as to where they were, and resolved on making an attempt to find their way to Rio Quarto, and there get another guide. They travelled as well as they could, but were necessarily full of apprehensions. When night came 114 MISSIONARY SCENES on they slept near each other, with their horses coupled and a strong aoga (long line of raw hide) fast around one of their necks and the other end fastened around Mr. P.'s arm. Sometime during the night they were alarmed by a noise like the tramping of horses, which aroused them, and caused them to prepare to act on the defensive. First an animal of some kind made its appearance, which Mr. P. cut with his knife, causing it to depart making a hideous howl. Worse ene- mies soon appeared, among whom was their late faith- less guide, whom they were delteriuined should if possible be their fi'^st target. The prospect of escape was certainly not encouraging, as several Indians well armed were noA7 distinctly seen. The Frenchman was soon wounded, and be^ ed his companion to shoot him and not allow him to fall into the hands of the savages. Mr. P. spoke to his friend and succeeded in composing him. Both of them tired at some Indians who were about to fall on them, when happily both shots did good execution, as two of the enemy fell dead at their feet. The others retreated, but every time one dared to come within range of the traveller's rifle he was killed or wounded. Matters thus proceeded until about a dozen of the Indians were dead or wounded ; the latter uttered horrid cries. The Indians who could do so retreated as though holding a council of war. when our travellers made their escape, but in the hurry Mr. P.'s revolver fell from his saddle. He dismounted to take it up, and in doing so received a thrust from a IN MANY LANDS. 116 rom a spear into the calf of his lei^. The pain was intense, but he managed to get into his saddle, when he re- ceived another thrust in his right thigh. At this moment the French gentleman shot the Indian who had wounded his friend, and at the same moment an- other Indian speared him in the neck, when he called aloud to Mr. P. that he was fainting. Mr. P. reminded him of the consequences of doing so, and told him that he must arouse himself, and then turned round on his saddle and tired his last shot among the three Indians who had pursued them. This ended the skirmish. Had the Indians continued their onslaught they could easily have captured the wounded travellers. Mr. Parfitt and M. Monstier, his French companion, were not in a condition to bear the fatigue of travel- ling. They bound up their wounds to the best of their ability, but having lost much blood they were in a feeble condition. They travelled most of four days, when they providentially came to the hut of a friendly native, who fed them and nursed them to the best of his ability, and then guided them to a small village a few miles distant, where they received every attention, but were obliged to tarry several days. M. Monstier's neck healed bu^- slowly. His constant use of alcoholic liquors retarded his recovery. He went by rail to Rosario, to avail himself of medical aid. Mr. P. was compelled to remain among his new friends, as he felt sure that entire rest was absolutely essential for his recovery. After a longer stay he fol- mmm 116 MISSIONARY SCENES lowed his friend, whom he found had gone to Buenos Ayres, to enter the hospital there. Mr. P. followed him thither, but did not find him, as after his recovery he departed for Europe, having seen enough of South America. Mr. P. experienced some other remarkable encounters in the course of his rambles in various parts of the world, but he did not call to mind any to sur- pass the scene which he endured with the Calchaqui Indians. Spain, which was at one time much given to mari- time discovery, made an attempt to conquer South America. This was about three centuries ago. The ancient inhabitants of the country had but little inter- course with other nations. Their own lauds were abundantly prolific and yielded an abundant supply for all their wants, so that there was but little neces- sity for the people to perform manual labor to provide themselves the necessaries of life. Spain's well dis- ciplined armies did not find the task of subduing the Incas so easy as they anticipated, though eventually they were the conquerors and divided the whole country into Spanish colonies. " Spain pretended that the object of their invasion was the conversion of the natives to the true faith, hence the explorers were accompanied by several of the priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church, one of whom, through an interpreter, informed the Inca — king — that his Holiness of Rome had made a grant to the King of Spain of all the new world, and entreated that IN MANY LANDS. 117 he should embrace Christianity, acknowledge the authority of the Pope, and Rubmit himself as a v&ssal to the King of Castile. Indignant at this incompre- hensible and presumptuous harangue, the Inca replied that he w&s master of his own empire — that the Pope and King of Spain were unknown to him, and had no concern with his prerogatives — that he would never re- nounce the religion of his ar cestors, or abandon the worship of the sun, that bri.<^ht and immortal deity of his countr}^ — that he would not worship the God of the Spaniards, and degrade himself by rendering homage to him, who like other mortals was subject to death. He demanded of the priest where he had learned those wonderful things on which he had so surprisingly expatiated ? ' In this book,' said the holy father, reaching to him his Breviary. The Inca took it in his hand, turned over the leaves, and holding it a moment to his ear, answered, ' This book is silent, it tells me not a word,' and in a contemptuous manner cast it to the earth. The priest instantly kindled into a rage, and turning to the Spaniards, exclaimed, with all his power, ' To arms. Christians, to arms ! the Word of God is insulted! Avenge this profanation on these impious dogs ! ' " In a very short time there was seen the confusion of arms, and garments rolled in blood ; four thousand of the natives fell, and the Inca was made a hopeless prisoner. The Inca, perceiving that the invaders were in pursuit of gold, offered to fill the room in 118 MISSIONARY SCENES which he was confined as high as he could reach, if he might have his liberty. The offer was accepted, but instead of regaining his liberty he was threatened with death if he would not embrace Christianity. After a severe mental conflict the broken-hearted monarch, hoping for liberty, professed conversion, when the cruel priest congratulated him that he was about to die a Christian, and immediately afterwards he was put to death. Such acts of cruelty perpetrated in the sacred name of religion were not calculated to impress the minds of the people favorably, and it is therefore no matter of surprise that the colonists should be treated with sus- picion ; but as Spanish soldiers filled the land, the people were held in comparatively easy subjection. The greed of gold was intense with the colonists, and as this precious metal was everywhere to be seen in im- mense quantities, they had every opportunity to gratify their cupidity to an ulsnost indefinite extent. An ac- count is given by an early historian respecting one of the ancient temples, from which the Spaniards took away "sixteen hundred and eighty-seven pounds weight of gold and sixteen thousand ounces of silver. A. pilot of Pizarro asked for the silver nails and tacks which had supported the plates of silver, bearing the sacred name of their god, on the walls of the temple, as his share of the spoils ; which Pizarro granted, as a trifling thing, but which amounted to more than thirty- two thousand ounces." No wonder that the early ^' i" IN MANY LANDS. 119 rer. colonial families soon acquired immense fortunes which they handed down to their descendants. The policy pursued by the conquerors of South America was not calculated to elevate the race. They did not introduce a system of education that was likely to raise the moral character of the people. The object which the Government invariably pursued was to keep the people in subjection to imperial rule, hence the less education that was given was the most likely to secure this end. Even the religfion that was taught was of the most superstitious kihd. Of course, churches were erected, convents were established, and even the Inquisition was set up. Vast sums of money were ex- pended in furnishing the usual machinery employed' by Rome in promoting the kind of religion which she propagates. The Jesuits were soon conspicuous among the colonists, and by their zeal and indomitable per- severance they speedily made themselves felt in the community. They became a most enterprising com- pany, and succeeded in accumulating enormous wealth. In some portions of the country they owned whole townships of land, so that their immense posses- sions gave, them abundance of means to establish colleges and schools wherever they might be disposed to do so. The Jesuits became such a powerful con- federation that one of the viceroys of Buenos Ayres declared that they had more vassals than the King of Spain in South America. The Jesuits, however, became so intolerable, that ou the 22nd of July, 1767, every ■RmOMHIIHMHHI 120 MISSIONART SCENES Jesuit in South America was arrested and banished to Europe. We have no wish to bring accusations against the Church of Rome. Some of the representatives of that Church in South America may have been men of the most exemplary character, but if we would be true to the facts of history we must declare that the teachings of the Church did not benefit the people to such an ex- tent as they would have done had the Bible been more extensively circulated and if the Sabbath had been regarded as a holy day; but instead of this, we are assured, on the best of authority, that as soon as the hour of noon arrives the Sabbath proper ceases, and the remainder of the day is spent in all kinds of pleasures and amusements, as may be most agreeable to the wishes of all concerned. Those who have resided in Roman Catholic countries know that such is the result of Roman Catholic teaching every- where. Bull-baiting and masquerade balls were very common in South America on Sabbaths until a recent date, and they are not yet wholly abolished. These are clear indications of Spanish rule.* Still we are glad to know that there were some gleams of light shining in the almost impenetrable darkness. From the time that Spain lost her South American colonies, which became for the most part separate Republics, although the Roman Catholic *BuU-fighting in Buenos Ayres has been abolished through the influence of the missionary. IN MANY LANDS. 121 some rable louth part lolic [h the religion was not abolished, still it ceased to be the only form of religion recognized. The country was ac- cessible for trade and commerce. Other nations have sent their representatives to the chief cities of the various Republics, so that houses of commerce are ex- tensively established, and the European and American nations have large commercial relations with the country. Some of those who have settled in South America for business purposes have not altogether forgotten the religion which they professed in their own lands, but they have become centres of light in the land of their adoption. Those persons have soon felt the want of the religious associations which they enjoyed at home, and in response to their calls various Protestant churches both in Europe and America have sent mis- sionaries to various centres in South America. The Methodist Episcopal Church for many years desired to open a mission in South America, but v^as deterred from so doing by reason of the lack of funds. At length the way seemed to open, and in 1836 the Rev. John Dempster, D.D., opened his commission in Buenos Ayres. He labored there little more than five years, but he was abundantly useful. Our readers will be interested to know that this first Methodist mis- sionary to South America was at one time a Methodist minister in Canada, and was stationed on what was known as the St. Lawrence Circuit. His conversion took place at a camp-meeting in New York State, and 9 122 MISSIONARY SCENES as he was the only convert reported, tlie meeting was considered by some to be a failure. He was at that time a young man, and was known as a "young tin pedlar," whose conversion was regarded as a very ordi- nary affair. But the "young tin pedlar" became a man of great importance in the Churoh, and was the chief founder of biblical schools which have been of immense service to the rising ministry of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. We should never despise the day -^f small things. No one can tell what may be the results of the conversion even of one soul. The mission established by Dr. Dempster in Buenos Ayres was not confined to Church services, but sclwols were also established. Some Presbyterian ministers who labored in the city prior to Dr. Dempster were the first Protestant ministers who labored there, but for some cause they were withdrawn. Dr. Dempster soon succeeded in gathering around him a large number of the English-speaking population, who zealously co- operated with him in various laoora, particularly Sun- day-schools, one of which was taught in the English and another in the Spanish language. Rosario, in the interior of the Argentine Republic, is a city of importance, which early became a centre of Protestant light. An English school was established by the missionary, to which a Spanish gentleman brought his four boys, and said that he desired them not only to be educated, but that the missionary should indoctrinate them with his own ideas in every par- IN MANY LANDS 123 ticular. A great number of Roman Catholics were sent to these schools, who regularly heard the Protes- tant New Testament read every day, accompanied by prayer, and three times a week a lecture was given by the missionary, in Spanish, explanatory of evangelical religion. The establishing of schools has given much annoy- ance to several of the Roman Catholic hierarchy. One of the Bishops, about a year ago, made a vigorous effort to coerce the people from sending their children to the Protestant schools. He wrote a pastoral, which was published in the newspapers and affixed to the doors of the churches, in which the authority of the Councils and Popes of the Roman Church are quoted in favor of the Bishop's views. The vai'ious governments are becoming much inter- ested in national education. In several instances Nor- mal Schools for the training of teachers, male and female, have been established, but here again the authorities of the Roman Church have entered the ranks of opposition, and have contended that as their Church has been the longest established and clain^s the greatest number of adherents, so therefore it should have the pre-eminence, and wherever Protestant teach- ers are employed by the government the priests clamor for their dismissal, and when not successful, do their utmost among the families of their flocks to paralyze their influence. The good work, however, progresses. Some of the f4 1 m u 124 MISSIONABY SCENES municipalities have given such encouragement to the schools that hymn books have been introduced and music is taught in the schools. The teachers have taufifht the children to write out both the words and music of the hymns, and thus learn them by heart. This has greatly pleased the children, who have become fond oi' singing, and there can be no doubt but that if they learn gospel hymns they will, many of them at least, become wise unto salvation. A communication received a few years ago from a missionary in Buenos Ay res stated that an address which he had recently deliveied before the Teachers' Association had been printed as an educational tract all over the interior provinces; and Dr. Echaque, a congressman in that city, had obtained a grant toward printing a course of study drawn up by the missionary for the Teachers' Association. These are certainly encouraging signs of the times. Since the days of Dr. Dempster the Methodist Epis- copal Church has sent frequent reinforcements of mis- sionaries to South America. At present they only have six missionaries, in addition to six female assistant missionaries. The Woman's Missionary Society also have five females laboring under their care, in addition to which seven natives of the country are laboring with great zeal to spread the gospel among their countrymen. At Buenos Ayres the English congregation is self- sustaining, and has become a grand centre of gospel light. Many of the members are zealous workers in / IN MANY LANDS. 125 the Master's vineyard. The city churches, as well as those in other places, hold religious services also in the Spanish language. All the usual machinery employed in Methodism is in active operation, such as Sunday- schools, prayer-meetings, class-meetings, etc. The press is also much employed. A local weekly periodical is issued in the Spanish language. It is called " El Estandarte," every issue of which contains several pages of some such work as "Pilgrim's Progress " or " History of the Reformation." The missionaries also have access to several secular papers, in which they insert articles relating to the various departments of their work, and in this way the Mission is brought before a class of citizens who could not otherwise be reached. The work of the colporteurs is herculean. They are men of heroic character. Their robust frames have been tried severely by the journeys on muleback and on foot, over roads where wheels are unknown, and when travelling in Bolivia they are sometimes at alti- tudes reaching 15,000 feet above the sea-level. They are among enemies, too, who set no value on the lite of a heretic, and who hate them for their work's sake with the same murderous hatred that shed the blood of some who preceded them in the same region some years ago. The Methodist Episcopal Church South has also sent its agents to South America. In 1878 a missionary w&s sent to Brazil, which is a separate dependency par- 126 MISSIONARY SCENES tially monarchial. It has a population of twelve mil- lions, some of which are Indians — half a million — and others negroes, a large portion of whom are still in the galling fetters of slavery, though it is pleasing to record the fact that there are influences at work which seem to indicate thct at no distant day slavery will be completely abolished. A law was passed in September, 1871, which decreed that all children born after that date should be free on attaining the age of twenty-one. One province — Caero-^has even gone further still, as it is entirely free from the cursed system. The policy of the whole empire tends towards abolition. There are fifty German colonies, containing 40,000 Germans, and quite a sprinkling of English and Scotch ; but the great bulk of the population are of Portuguese descent and mixed blood. The religion of Brazil, so far as the state is concerned, is Roman Catholic, and the country is divided into 12 dioceses, 235 vicarages, 1,629 parishes, and 17 curacies, which are served by not less than 2,000 bishops and their priests. All other religions are tolerated, how- ever, under certain restrictions. The agency adopted by the Southern Church is much the same as "that of the Northern Church already men- tioned. The language of the people is chiefly Portu- guese, in which language as well as the English the services are mainly conducted. The mission is divided into two presiding elders' districts, with ten mission- aries and eight teachers, about one half of whom are ta MAIJY LANDS. 127 supported by the Woman« Missionary Society. One of the colporteurs in fourteen months sold 1,153 copies of the Scriptures and parts, and 870 evangelical books, making in all 2,023 volumes, which brought in about $400. The Presbyterians of the United States have done more for Brazil than any other Protestant denomina- tion. The number of their missionaries exceeds twenty, besides six native agents and ten theological students, and a membership of about thirteen hundred. The Baptists also have a mission station at Bahia, the second city of the empire. They have two mar- ried missionaries and an assistant who was once a Komish priest. The prospects of the mission are very cheering. In the latter part of the year 1877 the Rev. William Taylor, now Bishop Taylor, conceived the idea of establishing several self-sustaining missions, on the Pauline method, in South America. He first made an extensive tour through the whole country, spending a considerable portion of time in all the cities and towns, and held religious services at every opportunity. On his return to the United States he published a book, • entitled "Our South American Cousins," which is full to overflowing of interesting incidents and facts respect- ing the country. The plan which Mr. Taylor adopted was usually of this kind: — He would wait upon persons of influence in each place that he visited and lay before them his plt!,n, i ! 1^8 Missionary soENfis which was to send a person or persons who could teach the English branches of education, and such other sub- jects as are usually taught in collegiate institutions; stipulating also that the teachers should conduct reli- gious worship at suitable opportunities, and in par- ticular, form Sunday-schools. He would then take out his blank book and take subscriptions for the support of those that he would send. He also insisted that the people should collect the money themselves and be responsible for its right distribution. The blank books all contained the following proposal : — "Believing a school teacher and a gospel minister to be greatly needed at , I propose to send thither a competent man, combining in himself the twofold character of teacher and preacher. The first engagement to cover a period of at least three years. I respectfully ask the friends of this movement to con- tribute the funds for passage and a guarantee for sup- port till the school shall be self-supporting. It will require $330 paper currency for passage and at least $150 per month for sustentation. — Respectfully sub- mitted, "William Taylor. "June 7, 1877." " We, the undersigned, concur in Mr. Taylor's pro- posal, and agree to pay the sums we here subscribe for the purposes named and do all we can to make the undertaking a success." Then followed the double list of subscribers. Mr. Taylor everywhere met with the most astonishing success, so that shortly after his IN MANY LANDS. 129 return he was able to send out a large staff of efficient persons, both male and female, to commence operations in several important centres. At the present time there are about fifty preachers and teachers engaged in the teaching and evangelizing work in Central and South America, " all of whom depend on God and the people they serve for daily bread. They shall receive their salary in full from our Father in heaven after their arrival in the heavenly Jerusalem. I can get more workers and better on these terms than on any other." The persons who responded to Mr. Taylor's appeal to go as missionaries and teachers were persons in whose hearts there was a burning desire to spend them- selves in the great work of evangelization. One lady was thus addressed, " Are you willing to go to Panama and teach school for the Jamaica people ?" *' Yes, Bro. T , I will go anywhere." They are a people despised by some white people, who derisively call them " Jamaica niggers." " Will you share their reproach and teach their children ?" " Certainly I will, if you decide to send me there." I added, " But, my dear sister, it has the reputation of being a very sickly place. In the construction of the Panama Railroad it is said that three thousand workmen died in making the first seven miles of the road. In attempting to drive piles to secure a foundation for the road, they dropped in a shipload before they found occasion to use the hammer of the pile driver. Each pile as it was let go slipped through ^ 130 MISSIONARY SCENES out of sif^ht ; they could scarcely see the place where it went through, so I don't know how many mission- aries may have to be dropped in there in preparing? the way of the Lord. Can you risk your life in such a place?" "Yes. Bro. T , I am not afraid; I will go to Aspinwall or Panama, or to any place to which you may assign me." Other ladies in their interviews with Mr. Taylor displayed equal heroism, and wen forth expecting to endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. The following illustrates the value of one of the agencies employed by Mr. Taylor — that of schools. When at Tacna he informed a gentleman from Scot- land of his wish to establish a school there. "Ah!" said he, " that touches me ! I sent my wife and four children to Scotland three years ago, for the children's education. Our oldest rs but twelve years old now. To endure this wretched separation from one's family till they all get their education, is a long, lonesome lane to travel. I do hope you will sucpeed in forming a good school in Tacna. I will bring my wife and children back and settle them there, and have my chil- dren educated where I can see them every week." Bishop Taylor thinks there are thousands of cases just like the above. Everybody knows the dangers that beset the path of young people who may be edu- cated in colleges near their homes, but how much more manifold are those dangers when young people are IN MANY LANDS. 131 sent to distant countries. A gentleman of fortune said : " I spent a large sum of money on the education of my two sons in London. They returned after some years, but, alas! the eldest, instead of being a com- plete gentleman and a competent business man, was a confirmed drunkard, and died in delirium tremeua before the year was out." There are those who think that Bishop Taylor is not pursuing a wise policy in establishing self-sustain- ng missions ; but so far the missions which he estab- lished in South America have been very successful. Important schools hava been established in many cen- tral places, and persons have been brought under the sound of the gospel who had not heard it for many years. He found persons from various countries, who, when at home, were religious. God-fearing people, but in South America they had forsaken the religion of their youth, and were living without God and without hope in the world. Of these some were from the United States, others from Canada, and many from England ; among the latter was one who was formerly a Methodist minister. In South America, as in other parts of the world, the drinking system greatly retards the progress of religion among the English-speaking population. A missionary says, " It is truly awful, not only precipitat- ing men and women into drunkards' graves, but effectually .barring all religious progress of many, both young and old." He speaks of a revival of religion and 132 MISSIONARY SCFNES proves its pover by the fact that a great number of those who had become victims to drink had been converted, and further, that in proportion to the in- crease of religious interest, the drink evil is abolished. A Good Templars Lodge had been established, which was the first of the kind in that part of the globe, and the influence which it had exerted over the young people especially " was of the most gratifying kind." A minister who recently returned from South America stated that on board one of the vessels in which he sailed was a passenger from Russia, who greatly ex- cited his pity. The poor fellow was suffering from a drunken debauch — a fine-looking, capable man. He took the minister into his room and told him about his father and mother, now over eighty years old, and writing him to come home and see them before they shall depart from this world. He exclaimed many times, " Oh ! this accursed drink ! I shall never see my fadder and mudder any more ! I can't quit. I try, but the very first day I meet some old friend, who says, ' Come and take a drink.' He thinks me mean and stingy if I no drink with him, and I go and drink." The minister talked with him and prayed for him, and while they were on their knees he got under the bunk, with his face on the floor, and roared in the agony of despair. Drinking and drunkenness have swept away thousands of such men on this coast, and there was not one teetotal minister of the Gospel between California and Valparaiso, a distance of six thousand miles. IN MANY LANDS. 133 Not the least of the moral forces at work in South America is the Holy Bible. The American Bible Society, and the British and Foreign Bible Society, have both circulated thousands of copies of the Scrip- tures, both in English and Spanish, in South America. Colporteurs have been extensively employed, and their self-denying labors have been followed by most blessed results. The Religious Tract Society has also put into circulation a considerable number of its valu- able publications. ' * Some years ago the following incident occurred, which shows at least one instance in which there was a great eagerness for the Word of God. A poor woman saw a Bible in a friend's house. She asked the price and was told she could purchase it for six reals — that is, three shillings. Having a new-littered pig at home, it struck her that this little pig might help to purchase a Bible. She went home, fed the animal as though it were a baby for nearly two months, then walked a long way with it in iier arms, sold it in the city of Guadalajara, bought a Bible, went home rejoicing, and ever since that time she has read the Book, loved it, lived upon it. and taught it to others." " There can be no doubt but that the Argentii. ^ ^ers declare that it is very poor; perhaps^ like most other parts of the globe, there are portions of soil to which both descriptions will apply. It is, however, stated on good authority, that fruits and vegetables are of a superior quality, and that arrow- root, potatoes, onions and palm -leaf are largely ex- ported. Probably as the quality of the soil comes to be better known, an improved mode of cultivation will be adopted, which will ensure more satisfactory returns. The islands of Bermuda were early discovered. Spain, which was at one time the most enterprising nation of Europe, and was noted for its maritime dis- covery, has the honor of first making known to the world the group of islands of which we now write. Early in the sixteenth century Bermudez (Bermoothes) was sailing to the West Indies, and being driven into the immediate vicinity, he made the discovery of the group, which at first he thought was a single island. The only appearance of life which he could see was in the large quantity of flying fish and numerous swarms of birds. The Spaniards, in honor of the commander just named, gave his name to the group. History does not contain any record of Spain ever having formed any colonies in Bermuda. In 1591, an English vessel was wrecked on the shores 140 MTSSIONARY SCENES of Bermuda, and one Henry May, who was on board, with some of the crew were obliged to stay on one of the islands for the space of five months. The poor men thus cast away got a very meagre subsistence; they lived mostly on fowl, fish and turtle. There were some hogs on the island, but they were so lean as not to be eatable. Happily the men saved the carpenter's tools, and with these they felled timber and constructed a small vessel, in which they displayed considerable ingenuity. Mr. May travelled as much as he could, and discovered that there were several islands and some fine bays which could easily be made into harbors of refuge. The shipwrecked mariners having launched their little vessel, bent their course towards Newfoundland. In some nine days they entered a river in Cape Breton, on the shores of which they found a few natives who treated them kindly, and with whom they did some trading by barter. The poor men were afterwards taken on board a French vessel, the commander of which treated them with great kindness. The account which May gave respecting his experience at Bermuda created considerable interest among the people of England. Our juvenile readers doubtless know that the United States was, at the time of which we write, known as so many colonies belonging to England. In 1609, there was a great tide of emigration from the mother country to Virginia. An expedition of nine '^ I .4 IN MANY LANDS. 141 vessels, containing five hundred men, was sent thither under the command of Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Sommers; the former gentleman was to be deputy-governor under Lord Delaware. The vessels sailed in company until they reached the Gulf of Bahama, when, by reason of contrary winds, they became separated, and each vessel was allowed to take such a course as appeared to be the most feasible. The one commanded by Sir George Sommers became de- tached from the rest, and was soon afterwards over- taken by a most fearful storm, respecting which one writer says, that " he had witnessed storms on the most dangerous shores of Europe and Africa, but never any that could be compared with this." At one time, it was "fury added to fury, and one storm urging a second more outrageous. Our clamors were drowned in the winds, and the winds in thunder ; the sea swelled above the clouds, and gave battle unto heaven." Does not this description of the storm at sea remind us of what we read in the one hundred and seventh Psalm, verses 23-37 : " They that go down to the sea in ships, that do busi-iess in great waters ; these see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. For He commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths ; their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man» and are at their wit's end." U2 MISSIONARY SCENES The historian from whom we have copied the account of the storm further says : " The sky poured down not rain, but rivers, yet without assuaging the tumultuous fury of the blast, and still all this seemed nothing compared to the discovery that water had accumulated in the hold to the depth of five feet, cov- ering the ballast and two tier of casks above. Every corner was eagerly searched for the leak, and ten thousand pounds weight of biscuit was turned over in the bread room, but though they found a number of small holes, which were hastily stopped up with pieces of beef, the great one by which their destruction rushed in never could be traced." For three days all on board, including the Admiral, worked incessantly at the pumps, and thus pumped out two thousand tons of water, but as they were now completely exhausted, they fastened down the hatches, took their last meal together as they supposed, and, bidding each other farewell, they were about to resign the ship to its fate, and supposed that they would all be engulfed in the ocean, though some of them hoped that they would meet in a better world. But " the time of man's extremity is God's opportunity." Just when these sailors were giving themselves up for lost, one cried from the poop, " Land !" The Admiral rushed to the spot and declared there was land. Every one on board seemed to have received new vigor, and they went to work with a will and in a few hours they sailed between two rocks, and all got safe to land in Bermuda. v ' IN MANY LANDS. 143 ! ■ : I Sir George Sommers and his companions beinjr cast away on an island had to contrive means for a liveli- hood, and decide as to how they must act in future. Those in whom authority was vested had much trouble, but by a firm resolution discipline was main- tained, and vessels were built in order that the part^ might sail to Virginia. This was accomplished after a lapse of several months. After a consultation with the Governor, it was resolved that Bermuda should be settled, but that the name should be changed to " Sommers." This was in 1612; a company was form- ed who purchased a charter from James I., and every means adopted to encourage emigration to Sommers' islands. Severe laws were enacted in the new colony against " idle and vain persons who spend their time in carding and dicing," while those " who in. bravery of apparel exceeded their means " were ordained to pay double to the public burdens. It will not suit our purpose to give further details respecting the newly formed colony. The population gradually increased, various branches of business were introduced, churches were erected, schools were estab- lished. In one of the Rev. Geo. Whitefield's voyages to America, he visited Bermuda and spent several weeks in the colony, and, according to his usual cus- tom, preached the Gospel both indoors and out of doors. In 1619 a representative government was formed. Many hardships were endured, as, for in- stance, it was stated that at one period no person in 144 MISSIONARY SCENES the colony tasted bread for two years. There were frequent misunderstandings among the people and their rulers, which caused much trouble ; occasionally a very exclusive spirit would prevail among those who made the laws, hence, at one time, no Jew was allowed to land in the colony without a payment of five pounds. It was feared that at the close of the American revolutionary war, attempts would be made to annex the islands to the United States. England, however, held possession, and in 1824 a convict station was formed : one thousand convicts were employed in various public works, which are of ^reat utility at the present day. Encouragement was given to agricul- ture. Slavery at one time prevailed, but happily, not only in Bermuda but in every part of the "'ritish Em- pire, slavery has long since been abolish< Great Britain is rich in her colonies. They have sometimes been described as the " Greater Britain." Bermuda is of immense value as a naval station. Troops are frequently located here. Military men w^ho are often sent to sickly climates need to sojourn at places where they can recuperate, and it is therefore to their advantage to be appointed to Bermuda, while their residence, even for a short time, is beneficial to the country, as thereby trade is not a little benefited. Some retired officers, both of the army and navy, have settled in Bermuda, and there are now several families who claim relationship to these important portions of the community. The whole population is ' IN MANY LANDS. 145 probaV)ly about twelve thousand, of whom about one- half or more are colored. In respect to missionary efforts in Bermuda, a.;cord- ing to the boat information which we have been able to collect, the first Wesleyan missionary sent to the island was the Rev. John Stephenson. Ha went there by the authority of the British Conference, on the recommendation of Dr. Coke. This was in 1799. An officer on board of a British man-of-war vessel had written Dr. Coke, giving a dark picture of the moral condition of the people on the island, and entreated that a missionary shcMild be sent with as little delay as possible. Mr. Stephenson soon found that his mission would be a [)erilous one. As he was no re- specter of persons, but sought the welfare of the most degraded, no matter what might be their social position or the color of their skin, his course was opposed by the white people, as they were full of inveterate hatred towards the poor slaves, whose elevation they opposed by every means in their power. Indeed, before Mr. Stephenson arrived at Bermuda there was a prejudice against him, simply because he was from Ireland, which had lately been the scene of a rebellion, and that he was one of John Wesley's preachers. That holy man was known to be a friend of Wilberforce, wliom all slaveholders hated. Attempts were even made to prevent Mr. Stephenson landing in Bermuda, which would have been successful had not a magistrate appeared at the wharf, and said to the ringleaders of 146 MISSIONARY SCENES the crowd, " Surely you will not banish a man before you know who he is, and what is his crime ? " " Oh," ^ was the reply, "he is an Irishman, a rebel, and a Methodist, and will put all kinds of evil into the minds of the blacks." " There are many things imported into Bermuda that will put more evil into their ruinds than he will. One puncheon of rum will put more evil into their minds than ever he will do all the daj's of his life ; and if he has a good method with him, I am sure we want it here, and therefore we will not banish him until we hear him." Noble sentiments, worthy of the magistrate who uttered them. Com- plaints were made against him to the civil authorities, and in a few months he was apprehended and com- mitted for trial, and by an undue stretch of power on the part of those in authority, he was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, fined fifty pounds sterling, to- gether with all expenses. This was the beginning of Methodism in Bermuda — one of the colonies of Britain, too. We can scarcely realize that such a deed could be perpetrated under British rule. The good man endured his imprisonment with great patience and for- titude, and often testified to the power of saving grace even while he was an ambassador in bonds. Like the apostles at Philippi, he sang praises to God in prison. One says, respecting him, " Having a good voice, he made the prison vocal with his praises, which were so loud that a gentleman living in the vicinity, one of his persecutors, finding his conscience disturbed. IN MANY LANDS. 147 earnestly requested that he would either discontinue them or sing softly, but the good man, having been robbed of his liberty, was not to be cajoled out of his happiness, and so he sang on." He was at last liberated, and for many years visi- tors could read on the cedar door of the room an in- scription cut by the prisoner : "John Stephenson, Methodist Missionary, Was imprisoned in this jail six months and fined fifty pounds. For promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ to African blacks and captive negroes, St. George's, Bermuda, '''^ June, 1801." After Stephenson's banishment from Bermuda it was some time before a suitable successor could be secured. First one and then another weis appointed, but they did not enter the abandoned field. " The apostle of Nova Scotia," as William Black was desig- nated, received the appointment and proceeded to New York, with a view to sail thence to Bermuda. His passage was taken, but when sevefal of the pas- sengers, who were Bermudians, and had been associated with Mr. Stephenson's persecution, found who and what Mr. Black was, they told the captain the}' would not remain on board if he was allowed to be a passen- ger. The captain felt it to be his duty therefore to put Mr. Black's baggage on shore, and thus another I4d MISSIONARY SCENES time the herald of salvation was hindered in his course to Bermuda. The Rev. Joshua Marsden, of Nova Scotia, a man full of faith and the Holy Ghost, was appointed to Bermuda in 1808, and after landing there submitted his papers for examination by the civil authorities, some of whom were not favorably disposed towards him, but his strong faith in God and a more than ordinary prudent course of procedure secured him friends. Once, when al' his money was gone, a gen- tleman who was leaving the island, a perfect stranger to him, accepted his draft for fifty pounds, and thus enabled him to pay all his expenses and left him a sum tor future contingencies. Mr. Marsden met with many difficulties, but he overcame them and succeeded beyond the expectations of man:^. Once he wrote to a friend, " Would you think that some of the same magistrates who sent Mr. Stephenson to prison for preaching the Gospel, would give me a lot of land to build a chapel upon to preach the Gospel in ? and yet so it is." A church was actu- ally built at Hamilton, those in authority often aiding him. The dedicatory services were numerously at- tended, and henceforth Methodism has had a place and position in Bermuda of which no Methodist need be ashamed. Sunday-schools were formed and all the social means of grace peculiar to Methodism were regularly held. Mr. Marsden's labors in Bermuda were abundantly blessed. Persons, both white and he IN MANY LANDS. 149 1 colored, belonging to various countries, claimed him as their spiritual father. The failure of his wife's health compelled him to return to England, and when he arrived in his native land, after an absence of fourteen years, he knelt down and kissed the ground. His last sermon was preached in City Road chapel, London, that grand cathedral of Methodism, and soon after- wards his remains were interred in the same burial ground as were those of Wesley, Clarke, and many others who were eminent ministers in the Wesleyan Methodist Church. It would not suit our purpose to mention all the names of those who have labored in Bermuda. When the present writer was just commencing his Christian career, it was his privilege to often hear returned mis- sionaries tell of what they had seen of the work of God " in the regions beyond." He recalls the names of Dunbar, Rayner, Moore and others, whose memory he greatly delights to honor. All those missionaries had been stationed in Bermuda. The fact has already been stated that Bermuda is a station for the British navy, and sometimes Her Majesty's ships of war call here as they are cruising in the western waters. Some of the men coinntonly called "blue-jackets" on board those ships of war, are exemplary Methodists, and have the privilege, when they are in port, to attend Methodist places of worship. They also hold their own class-meetings and other religious services without let or hindrance. There 150 MISSIONARY SCENES are Wesleyan chaplains in such ports as Bermuda, and they ^0 on board and visit the classes the same as they do in churches. They examine the class-book, and enter the date of the ticket renewal. Such visits are gratify- ing to the men, and are profitable to the ministers. It will interest our readers if we insert an account of a service held at the corner-stone laying of a church at Somerset, in the fall of 1871, under the superinten- dence of the Rev. Roger Moore, who died in England a few years ago, at the great age of ninety-two. The day was beautiful ; the " packet," with the royal en- sign floating at the masthead, left the wharf at Hamil- ton at eleven o'clock a.m., with a considerable number of persons on board, including several Sunday-school children. On arriving at the spot banners were float- ing in the breeze, and flowers were scattered all around. Not the least interesting portion of the programme was the part assigned to a choir of young people of color, who sang the National Anthem with a will. Mr. Moore conducted the service, and Mrs. Moore performed the honorable duty of laying the stone, which she said was well and truly laid in the name of the Holy Trinity. Towards evening the vessel returned with its live cargo to Hamilton, all of whom were delighted with the day's enjoyment Bermuda had the honor of giving Edward Fraser to the Wesleyan ministry. Mr. Fraser was born a slave, but he never knew anything of the hardships of slave-life. He was converted to God while he was IN Many lands. 151 yet young in years, and continued throui^h life a most exemplary Christian. We believe his conversion took place under the labors of the Rev. Roger Moore. His ma.ster had so much re^^pect for him that he favored him with a good mercantile education. As he ad- vanced to manhood, his master made him his confiden- tial clerk, and never had cause to rejjret that he had trusted him to such an extent, for all his accounts were well kept and not the slij^htest error was ever detected in his cash-book. A horse and carriage and servants were always at his dispDsal, so that he had everything that he could desire, except his freedom. No wonder, therefore, that he would often sim Samoa. In four years after Mr. Gordon commenced his labors, the measles visited the New Hebrides, and in some districts at least two-thirds of the population were cut off. In no island was the scourge more destructive than in Erromanga. The heathen portion of the peo- ple were necessarily greatly excited, and some were disposed to charge the missionary as the cause of the calamity. For days there was great uneasiness felt among the Christian natives, some of whom expressed their fears to Mr. Gordon, but he paid little heed to their fears. However, shortly afterwards a native ap- proached him in a stealthy manner and with a hatchet struck the servant of God, who at the first was only slightly wounded, and attempted to rr^^ from his pursuers, but the same blood-thirsty villain, being fleet of foot, soon overtook him, and with two other blows 174 MISSIONARY SCENES accomplished his base end. Another of the company who had agreed to commit this deed of blood, rushed to the mission-house and put to death the beloved wife of the sainted man whose blood they had just spilt near his residence. This was on the 20th of May, 1861. It is but just to say that Dr. Geddie, who visited the island some time afterwards, heard statements which were confirmed by entries in Mr. Gordon's jour- nal, which constrained him to think that the murdered man had not been as prudent in his public ministra- tions as he might have beon. For instance, when preaching he would denounce the heaviest calamities upon the people on account of their apathy towards the Gospel, and when the measles visited the island, the heathen were not slow to connect the calamity with the denunciation. There was, however, a still further cause for this sad calamity. Some of the traders had actually taught the people to believe that the fearful scourge had visited them through the influence of the missionary. In a letter written by Mr. Gordon a short time before his brutal murder he says, " The natives are for the most part like mad tigers, having been stirred up to believe that we are the cause of the alarming disease." Dr. Geddie also found out that a trader had circulated a report that one of the chiefs had died from the effects of some medicine prescribed to him by the missionary. The said trader was known to be a base man whose hands had often been stained with blood, IN MANY LANDS. 176 so that we may be sure such a person would not hesitate to implicate the missionary, if, by so doing, he could divert the attention of the people from his own wicked conduct. Thus we see again that the conduct of wicked white men had something to do with the death of another of the servants of God in Erromanga* As soon as possible after the double murder, the Christian natives gathered the remains of the mur- dered missionary and his wife and gave them a decent burial at Dillon's Bay, not far from the spot where Messrs. Williams and Harris were so cruelly put to death, twenty-two years before. Good Bishop Patte- son was the first missionary to visit Erromanga after the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon, and on the spot being pointed out where their remains were interred, he landed and read the burial service over the graves of the martyrs. In a few years afterwards the name of Bishop Patteson was also added to the noble army of martyrs. He fell a victim to the treachery of the natives of the island of Nakupa, in September, 1871. In due time, though the news did not travel so fast as it does now, the tidings relating to further murders reached Prince Edward Island, and our readers may be sure that there was great sympathy felt for the family whose son had been ruthlessly slain in the far off isldnd of Erromanga. Mrs. Gordon, the mother of the murdered man, was like some other Christian mothers who have given their sons to die in the mission field : while she mourned the death of her beloved boy, 176 MISSIONARY SCENES I'i she rejoiced that she was thus honored in being the mother of one who had laid down his life for the name of Jesus. A mother in London gave her son to the missionary work, and when she heard that he had been murdered by those whom he sought to save, said, " I bless God that He gave me such a son, and I never desir- ed so strongly as I do now, that others of my sons may go and preach the Gospel of salvation to those savage men who have drunk the blood of my son." A widowed mother was told that her son had been asked to be a missionary. She heroically replied, " Let him go, and God will take care of me and my seven fatherless children." Blessed be God for such Christian mothers ! A brother of the murdered Gordon was completing the second year of his theological course when he was told of the assassination of his brother. Like a true disciple of Christ, he intimated his willingness, if the Church saw fit, to go to the post which had so recently been vacated by hia beloved brother. The Mission Board accepted his services, and he bid adieu to his native land, alas ! forever, and sailed to the mission field which a second time had been baptized with blood. Mr. J. D. Gordon's career was destined to be short. He reached his destination in 18G4, and took up the work at Dillon's Bay, where his brother had left it. He remained in a canvas tent most of four months, study- ing constantly so as to be able to preach to the people in their own tongue as sr^edily as possible. The summer had been unusually sickly, and, as before 178 MISSIONARY SCENES wicked men stirred up the people to believe that the presence of the missionary was the cause of the sick- ness. A man named Nerimpow had last two children, to both of whom it was said that Mr. Gk>rdon had given medicine. Nerimpow and another native came to Mr. Gordon on a professedly friendly errand. The man of God was revising the seventh chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, which contains the record of the martyrdom of Stephen. Nerimpow, watching his opportunity, sank his tomahawk into the side of Mr. Gordon's head, inflicting a wound that was almost instantly fatal. It seems that ho had been expecting this, for a few days before he had pointed out the spot where he wished to be buried. And thus there were five deaths perpetrated on the Island of Erromanga in connection with the introduc- tion of Christianity. We do not know of another island of which this can be said. It was long ago said that " the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church." Perhaps it will be so in Erronuxnga. At any rate Eiromanga is not to be abandoned. In two months after the death of the second Mr. Gordon, a noble Nova Scotian, with a charming young wife, said, " Here am I, send me." He was not altogether a stranger to the country in which he was destined to labor for several years in the cause of Christ In 1863, wlien little more than twenty years of age, he had made a voyage to Polynesia in the Day Spring — a beautiful missionary ship which was purchased IN MANY LANDS. 179 by the Sabbath-school children in the Presbyterian churches of the Maritime Provinces. His voyage only increased his desire to be a missionary, and after his return to Nova Scotia he fitted himself for the important duties by attending a theological college, and also pursuing a course of medical study. In due time he was ordained to the work of a missionary, and accompanied by his brave, heroic wife, he left his native land and sailed to Erromanga, where the vessel arrived in May, 1872. But for his heroic conduct it is questionable whether any further effort would have been made to erect the standard of the Cross on these shores, which had so often been saturated with Chris- tian blood. The situation was not a desirable one. The Chris- tian natives were feeling much cast down respecting the death of their late missionary, Mr. Gordon, and about the time of Mr. Robertson's arrival, " seven of the Christians had gone to Potinia Bay and deliber- ately shot three men and one woman as a summary reprisal for the murder of their missionary. Two of the avenging party were Church members and teachers ! This kind of etiquette was certainly not calculated to inspire confidence. During the first few years the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Robertson were often in peril, but, by the blessing of God on their labors, extending over a period of more than twelve years, a happy change has taken place. In July, 18S2, five hundred of the Erromangans attended public worship; 180 MISSIONARY SCEN£S one hundred and ninety partook of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, including several members of the families of those whose hands were stained with the blood of the martyred missionaries ; and five hundred and thirty assembled at Dillon's Bay, on December 8th, 1882, to bid the missionary and his wife good-bye wh'jn they left to visit their native land ; and also* during his absence, no less than thirty-three of his native teachers conducted regular Sabbath services in as many different places on the island. The Rev. Mr. Robertson, after a short furlough in the land of his nativity — Canada — returned to his distant field of labor, which is twelve thousand miles from Nova Scotia by the route which he would travel, via San Francisco and Sj'^dney, New South Wales. His visit to Canada did much good in drawing out the sympathies of the people of the Presbyterian Church, and in deepening their interest in the work in the New Hebrides. During his visit he addressed two hundred and ninety-five meetings, and received up- wards of $7,000 on behalf of his mission, including $1,200 for teachers, and $1,500 for the new mission steamer. He took tea one day with the students of the Presbyterian Church, Montreal, when they gave him $50 to support two teachers at Erromanga, and one at Efate. He carried with him the best wishes and earnest prayers of the whole Church for the wel- fare of himself and family, and for the success of the Lord's work on his island. He is a missionary of whom any Church may well feel proud. \ IN MANY LANDS. 181 The review must surely prompt the enquiry, " What hath God wrought ? " A few years before Mr. Robert- son left Erromanga to visit Canada, he dedicated a Memorial Church at Dillon's Bay, not far from the spot where Messrs. Williams and Harris fell, and near the graves of the martyred missionaries. We will give Mr. Robertson's own account of the dedicatory services : " At both services the church was filled by an attentive and deeply interested congregation, among whom were the sons of the murderer of John Williams. Daniel Usuo, the second eldest, engaged humbly in public prayer. Five years before that day he threatened to take my life, but the Lord had better work for him to do." Many of the children now attend schools in differ-, ent parts of the island. The people have settled down to industrial pursuits. They are clothed and in their right mind. They have better dwellings and live in far sfreater comfort than formerly. The Sabbath is sacredly observed, and the means of grace are largely attended. The people feel it to be their duty to sup- port the institutions of the Gospel which the mission- ary has introduced. One thousand copies of the Acts of the Apostles, ar d one thousand five hundred copies of the Catechism have been printed at their expense, and the four Gospels which were printed in Canada during Mr. Robertson's sqjoura will also be paiH for, eil"»ier in whole or part, by the people. 182 MISSIONARY SCENES IN MANY LANDS. The population of Erromanga was greatly reduced before the introduction of Christianity, so that now it only numbers about two thousand five hundred, of whom about one-half are nominally Christian. There are about two hundred members of the Church, and it is hoped that this number will soon be largely in- creased. ALASKA CHAPTEK VII J, ALASKA. world. ijHE name of the Rev. Thos. Crosby, th(3 well- known Methodist missionary among the Indians of British Columbia, is closely iden- tified with missions in this part of the Some of the Alaskans were brouorht to a knowledge of salvation by their intercourse with other Christian Indians from Port Simpson, the scene of Mr. Crosby's labors. It may be known to some of our readers that Alaska formerly belonged to Russia, but was ceded to the United States in 1867. It was in 1876 that the Indians from Port Simpson, under contract to cut wood for the American Govern- ment, arrived at Fort Wrangel, where there were a great number of American miners, who had all the vices, but few of the virtues of white men. Tht- Chris- tian Indians, who had so recently been reclaimed fro .• heathenism, did not witness the fruits of a Christian 13 >, ^^W. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^> ^% 1.0 I.I li£|28 |25 lU iliS |2.2 S^ 1^ 12.0 ^ — 1 '-^ 11'-^ i ^ 6" ». Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STRCET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-ms abolished ; among others that of dancing around a dead body and con- suming it to ashes. A plot of ground was secured for a cemetery, where the dead were interred with Chris- tian rites. It must have been very gratifying to our beloved In itANt LANi>S. 18t ris- missionary, the Rev. T. Crosby, who visited the Fort about a year after the Indians from Port Simpson had gone thither, to see the position of affairs. Not only had the people remained faithful, and maintained their integrity, but now steps had to be taken for the erection of a church. A meeting was held, and a call was made for subscriptions, when sums varying from ten dollars to twenty-five cents were promised by the poor people. Mr. Crosby exercised a superintendence over the mission, but Clah, before mentioned, resided at the Fort, and commenced to teach a school in addition to his other duties. Many of the people manifested a great eagerness to learn to read, so that not only children became scholars, but about sixty adults were also in attendance. As Clah was both minister and teacher, his duties were truly onerous, for, in addition to teaching during the week, and con- ducting various religious services, the whole of the Sabbath services, usually three in number, devolved upon him. He was greatly encouraged in his im- portant work, as not unfrequently his congregations on Sabbath varied from two hundred to four hundred persons. These religious services were truly an oasis ill the desert. White men who had neglected the duties of religion in their own land were here re- minded by those recently rescued from paganism of their obligations to Christianity and the duty they owed to their Maker. Through the influence of that Christian soldier, General Howard, of the United 188 MISSIONARY SCENES States array, the American Presbyterian Church took charge of the mission, and they are vigorously main- taining their noble band of Christian workers, who have responded to the call of the Church to labor in this new mission field, with which it is the design of this paper to make our readers acquainted. Before describitig the labors of the American missionaries in Alaska, our readers will be interested with a short account of the character and some of the customs of the Alaskans, from which it will be seen how kimch they need the elevating influences of Chris- tianity, for it must never be forgotten that in all parts of the world people are always degraded unless they know something of the Christian religion, to wh|ch we are so much indebted. Our lives and our property are safe because that Christian principles have gained so much ascendency in our country. Let all of our readers ask themselves how much they owe to God for having given them their birth in a land where Christianity prevails. The pagan Indians are often of a very degrading and forbidding appearance, but they make themselves still more repulsive when they tattoo their faces. The word "Alaska" means "a great country or continent"; but many even of the Americans had but little idea respecting its size or worth, hence those who made the purchase of the country from Russia were stigmatized as having made a worthless expenditure of more than seven millions of dollars. Its extreme IN MANY LANDS. 189 or ut Ire le length north and south is 1,400 miles, and the extreme breadth east and west, 2,200 ; the coast line measures 25,000 miles ; and the country covers an area of five hundred and eighty thousand one hundred and seven miles. Its area is therefore equal to the whole of the United States, east of the Misnissippi River and north of Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina. The resources of the country in seal furs are ex- tensive. There is a commercial company which has leased the seal islands for fifty-five thousand dollars per year. The company is bound not to take more than one hundred thousand skins in one year. Every fur seal skin shipped pays a duty of $2.62^, so that with the rental the Government may collect from the company the sum of three hundred and seventeen thousand five hundred dollars per year. Therefore in a financial point of view our American friends did not make a bad investment when they made this purchase from Russia. But we are further informed, on what appears to be unquestionable authority, that in addition to seal skins, Alaska furnishes one hundred thousand dollars worth of sea otter fur, and a variety of land fur animals, including several varieties of fox, mink, beaver, marten, lynx, bear and wolverine. There are also skins of the whistler, reindeer, mountain goat, and sheep, ermine, marmot, muskrat and wolf. Alaska also abounds with extensive fisheries. Many of the Indians obtain a living exclusively from fishing, as agriculture is almost unknown. Salmon of the 190 MISSIONARY SCENES finest quality may be literally pitchforked out of the streams in cartloads. Immense quantities are exported in cans both from British Columbia and Southern Alaska. While the country was under the care of Bussia, the Qreek Church sent some missionaries to labor among the people. At one time this Church had seven missionary districts in the country, with eleven priests, sixteen deacons, and twelve thousand one hundred and forty me abers. A few schools of various kinds were also established, but, strange to say, after the American Government took possession of the country, the Greek Church missionaries were with- drawn, and the schools all dwindled away. In addition to the Greek Church, Russia also pro- vided a Lutheran minister for the Lutherans, Swedes, Finlanders and Germans in the employ of the fur company ; but when Russia gave possession to America, the minister, like the Greek Church mission- aries, was withdrawn. For the space of ten years there were no religious services of any kind held in Alaska, until the Chris- tian natives from Port Simpson took up their abode at Fort Wrangel, as we have already intimated. It is therefore no marvel that the people should become de- generate, and that paganism with all its horrors should become so rampant. We are told that the heathen ceremonies practised were often of the most loathsome description, and consisted of semi-cannibal rites or ■I IN MANY LANDS. 191 ms is- at is e- Id en e or I I hideous orgies, where drunkenness and every form of vice ran to all manner of excess and riot. When General Howard made his appeal to the Gen- eral Assembly of the American Presbyterian Church, that venerable body wisely sent the Rev. Dr. Jackson to make a missionary tour to Alaska. When he reached Oregon he met with a Christian lady, Mrs. McFarland, the widow of the first Presbyterian mis- sionary in New Mexico. She was induced to accom- pany him on his mission, and in due time they arrived at Fort Wrangel, and on passing down the street they saw an Indian ringing a hand-bell. It was Clah call- ing scholars to his school, which he taught in the old dance-house previously mentioned. Mrs. McFarland was now the only Christian white woman in a terri- tory as large as France. For seven months she was the only Protestant missionary in Alaska, and for a year the only one at Fort Wrangel. Mrs. McFarland was a fine specimen of a Christian lady, and the noble work which she accomplished for Christ at Fort Wrangel gives us to see the power of the female sex when it is exerted in favor of the Christian religion. Her example should inspire others of her sex to labor on behalf of poor humanity. All classes of society in the vicinitv of the Fort regarded her as their best friend. Her ear was always open to every tale of distress, and she could always give counsel in seasons of difficulty ; indeed, all the perplexities of the people, whether religiou.s, physical, social or anoral, were b'onght to her for solution » was their physician if „ ^^ ""^ ^«™ «<=k, »he -^conduI/rihedLZ '!";: '"'• ">« ^""-' , "«''«•• between husUnXanH .^''* "''^ «^«° » Pe«ce- of family and tribe fetdt t7"''' "f ""' "'""^ feapecting property, she was LT^ f^?^''"" ""^ }<"y- The Indian equaZ ! .V^u^"' '""y*'' ""l confided in her, henie .^1^' nf.' "'"* ^^''>' the Indian councils si, ? "''"^ 'P'"' »' all of condemned criSals Vl *'' '»""""" '^^'->r <«<) not unfreque" t"y «re^"f*r "«»' -e'ywhe«, distances to take counlTf 'f! ^""'"^ "o™* W ^ort Wrangel. In Zd 'ct rAh T""""-""*' »' «he had an able coadjutor "n'^J't TfT '^"'''=«' she had been one year in Ik ' ''"'' "'»'' '^^""•e ■nan was seized wifh I^nsumnfi""""''^ ""'' ''"^"^'^ ^^iy age of thirty years TT?"' "'"' '"*'' »* the shortened his life m!' ,„, " '^'""^^^ ">»' privation per month. He was a mt'-^n ""^ ""'^ *«" «"«"'«« «d had to proviZA ."^ """' '*'"' ""e child They subsisted,; trih- tr'' '^^ '^'^^y' his great concern „L 1 to K T '" "''"" "' «»<» would e.ist when hrw^go'r bJ'^ *"'^ <"'"<' mercy, Mrs. McFarland assuf^^- x. ""^ *°8:»' "^ be cared for. Thus bt t^^ "" "■*' *«y should was entering the valW o t""!"' '^'*' '"'<' «s he said, "As efrth fad! Twav T ''"'''"^ "' ''^«' •>« Turning to his wTfe wto '" ^'"" ^"Shter.- "Annie,youn.ustrotcrT je""."""'^'"* ""^ '"''d, not cry, Jesus knows what is best." rDs. '6 sick, she the funeral en a peace- fie arbitress ilties arose wyer, and He people, pirit afc all al adviser erywhere, Jonae long i-ruler at * services s! before devoted d at the privation 1 dollars le child, family, his end id child ngel of should 1 as he sath he ghter." > said, > best."