In 1866 the first fruits were gathered from these out-stations. That is just twelve, or rather eleven years ago. What is the result of the eleven years? You will find three thousand converts in a hundred and fifty towns and villages scattered over that part of the province that belongs to us. Five of these Chinese converts are ordained to the ministry of our church. There are seventy or eighty catechists, and a hundred and fifty voluntary workers who go forth in their leisure hours to preach.

How has this result been attained? Not by our strengthening the missionary staff. For fifteen years during the different periods, there was only one missionary present; for ten years only two missionaries, and at different other times only three. How then has it been done? It has been done by native agency almost entirely. The first few men that we got together were sent forth to preach the gospel; and the message of salvation just spread over those beautiful hills and valleys from village to village. Fathers told their children; husbands told their wives; and so it went from family to family. When Mr. Wolfe went round he used to find new villages which had thrown aside their idols and were willing to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. They felt that they were sinners and wanted the Saviour; and they were ready to welcome His evangelists and teachers. Let me give you one illustration of a village called Ang-iong, about fifteen or twenty miles from the city of Ku-cheng, where there was an out-station and a catechist. There was a man named Ngoi-cheng-Kung, a carpenter, who had a half-brother whose name was Ung-Kung, who was a tailor. The carpenter heard the catechist preach, and received the love of Christ in his heart. He told his brother first; both of them came to learn more, and they became regular attendants, coming into the city every Saturday, staying over the Sunday, and gcing back to work on the Monday. Then the carpenter said, "Now I must go out and tell the people what I have heard." He was not very clever, and could not talk much about the beautiful story of the Gospel and the doctrines of the Christian faith. But his half-brother was more intellectual, and more competent to teach those who were first arrested. So the carpenter used to preach the Gospel, and then if they said, "I do not understand this Trinity, or this atonement," he said, "You must go to my brother." One was the evangelist, the other was the teacher. There are now hundreds of people in that village and in the neighbourhood who name the name of Christ, who maintain their religious ordinances to a large extent, and are gathered together Sunday after Sunday for public worship. The Bishop of Victoria, who visited this place a year and a half ago, said it would be safe to say that the whole district was ready to come forward if we only had sufficient strength in the way of men to go in and take possession of it. MR. E. STOCK.

Missionary Cards, Boxes, and Collector's Books, may be obtained on application to Mr. WEBBER, at the Bookroom.

THE METHODIST

NEW CONNEXION MAGAZINE.

MAY, 1879.

THE BENIGHTED CONTINENT.

CHAPTER V.

HOW THEY GOVERN IN AFRICA.

BEYOND Uganda, northward, is a neighbouring chief, scarcely less. despotic than Mtesa, though Speke regards him as much more considerate and merciful. Speke's opportunities of forming a correct judgment, however, were hardly so good as Sir S. Baker's, who visited Kamrasi, of Unyoro, shortly after Speke. Kamrasi sheds human blood, if less plentifully than Mtesa, certainly with as little remorse. He keeps a body-guard of five hundred men, who do as they list. By a system of spies, Kamrasi knows all that goes on throughout his dominions; his favourite punishment-this side beheading, or killing with huge clubs is what is called "the shoe," a large log of wood, in which the culprit's foot or leg is made fast, and which inflicts terrible torture. Any suspected person is pounced upon suddenly, and condemned to execution, or the "shoe." By this means the people tamely submit to Kamrasi's despotism. Yet Baker tells us the generality of the chiefs have little power amongst neighbouring tribes; a dynasty, or a tenure of office, seldom lasting for more than two generations.* Like all cowards, Kamrasi thinks nothing of a man's life. While Baker was at his capital, Kigoona, a man who had been seen speaking to a native of another tribe (which then threatened war on Kamrasi), was seized and beaten to death with huge clubs, till all the bones of his body were broken. The body was then thrown into a plantation, where the vultures in a few moments were feasting on the carcase. The poor man had been guilty, according to Kamrasi's code, of high treason. Persons so charged have no warning of their fate. The signal is given by the king, who touches an officer with a lance or a stick, and the work is done promptly. "There never was," says Baker," a more supreme

VOL. LXXXII.

Sir S. Baker's " Albert Nyanza," vol. ii. p. 248.

† Ibid. vol. ii. pp. 188, 189.

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despot than this king: not only the property, but the families of his subjects are at his disposal." Just previously to Baker's visit, Kamrasi had given to a slave-dealer seventy-two of his people, besides a large number of captives. "He boasted that all belonged to him," and he took what he liked to give to whom he desired. Each of his chiefs was made responsible in his own district; if complained of, Kamrasi decided whether he was guilty or not; and if the verdict was that of guilty, his fate was death, or the "shoe."* In Manyema, west of Tanganyika, the chiefs have little power of any kind, but are very ceremonious.t

We now turn for a moment from these horrible governments in the north of Africa, and cast our eyes southwards, into the regions where Livingstone's early labours were directed. Here we shall probably see the fruits of that great man's exertions before long crowned with a success nowhere else realised, or likely to be realised, for some time to come. The Gospel of the Son of God and an English civilisation are destined, under Providence and British energy, to march northwards, and eventually to break down the strongholds of ignorance and savagedom in central equatorial Africa. Livingstone had here laboured silently but surely for years, till all these regions, far and wide, were ready to worship him. The people learnt from Livingstone that England sought only to deliver their country. For ages they had been told by Arabs and coast men that Englishmen desired only to enslave or to eat them. Many tribes were as frightened at a white face as are rabbits at a hound. But Livingstone removed that feeling, till they were ready to flock round any Englishmen, because they knew it meant, not cannibalism or slavery, but protection, liberty, and aid. ‡ To follow in the steps of Livingstone, the "Universities Mission" was the first. For a few years it had a hard time of it, chiefly struggling with the climate and famine. The missionaries had little trouble with the people, who looked on them as deliverers, settled round them in security, and appealed to them for protection. Most of these men died-amongst them, their good and gentle but brave leader, Bishop Mackenzie. Their graves now adorn the valley of the Shiré; hold the bones-everywhere revered by the natives of true martyrs of the religion of the Cross. These bones are never-to-be-forgotten monuments of willing self-sacrifice, which beckon others to come and labour in that great vineyard, and which, one

"Albert Nyanza," vol. ii., pp. 240, 241.

† Stanley's "Through the Dark Continent,” vol. ii. p. 83. In many respects the people of Manyema are a superior race, though some of them are reputed cannibals; while the finest tribes are fierce and cruel. Even Livingstone lost patience with them.

Livingstone produced the same impression everywhere. In Manyema they show the house he lived in "for many moons," laid prostrate by ulcers in his feet. They call him the "good old white man," and nearly worship him.-Stanley's "Through the Dark Continent," vol. ii. pp. 79, 80.