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Meeting of Managers.

THE half-yearly Meeting of the Managers of the EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE was held at the Guildhall Coffee House, Gresham Street, on Tuesday, July the 11th, 1876. The Rev. J. Viney, the Treasurer, presided. Prayer was offered by the Rev. A. McMillan, after which the usual business was transacted.

The application-papers for renewed grants were examined, and the following table shows the number of each widow on the list of grantees as entered on the Treasurer's book, with her age, and the sum voted:

No.

Age.

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The Secretary reported the gratifying amount of Sacramental Collections already received in aid of the Magazine Fund, in response to the appeal recently issued; and the hope was expressed that this source of income might be considerably increased, so that many more cases, whose names are still waiting on the list, might be speedily adopted.

The importance of sustaining the Magazine, and of increasing its circulation, was strongly urged, not only for its intrinsic excellence, but on account of the benevolent object to which the profits are devoted.

THE Managers acknowledge, with thanks, the following Sacramental Collections in aid of the Widows' Fund:-Highgate, by Rev. J. Viney, £10 7s. 9d.; Bootle, by Mr. W. Rogers, £5; Stoke Newington, by Mr. J. T. Fife, £3 138.; Southport, by Mr. P. Rimmer, £3 33.; Newton Abbott, by Mr. J. Alsop, £2 5s.; Rochester, by Mr. B. Bentham, £2; Banbury, by Mr. T. Watts, £1 18s. 101.; Chertsey, by Mr. W. Clears, £1 10s.; Middlesbrough, by Mr. J. F. Wilson, £1 108.; Atherstone, by Rev. W. S. Shearyn, £1 6s. 4d.; Winchester, by Mr. J. H. Valentine, £1 53.; South Norwood, by Mr. G. C. Collins, £1 1s.; Oakham, by Mr. G. Royce, £1; Halesowen, by Mr. H. Parish, 168.; West Hartlepool, by Mr. J. C. Warwick, 11s. 6d.; Mr. G. Robinson, Donation, 10s.

THE CHRONICLE

OF THE

London Missionary Society.

1.- Survey of Fifty Years' Mission Work.*

UNDER

NDER this heading the "Foreign Missionary," of the Presbyterian Board, for January last, published a very interesting and valuable article of twenty-four pages, since issued as a pamphlet. The paper brings to view, first, the condition of the missionary work fifty years ago, and then the great advance exhibited by its present condition. The extracts given here are from this second portion of the Survey.

AFRICA.

Beginning in our survey of the present condition of missions with Africa, we find that the northern portion is still untouched by the missionary, being wholly Mohammedan. The western coast, from Morocco to Senegal, is inhabited by Moorish tribes. At Senegal missions begin, and along the coast, down to Liberia, we have a portion of country mainly under British protection. In Gambia and at Sierra Leone, the Wesleyan and Church Missionary Societies, and the native church have established strong missions, and here are found some 14,000 members, 7,500 scholars, and 52 ministers, native and foreign.

South of Sierra Leone we reach Liberia, where some 18,000 of AmericoLiberians are found, and a very large number of natives who are heathens, amounting to at least 300,000. In the colony there are about 4,000 communicants. Along the Gold Coast, and taking in the whole of northern Guinea, are interesting missions of our own Church, of the United Presbyterians of Scotland, the Wesleyans, the Church Missionary Society, the Basle, and the Baptist Societies. One of the missions is wholly composed of native preachers under the superintendence of a native bishop. There are over 7,000 communicants connected with the different churches, and in the schools are 4,000 children. The Bible has been translated, in whole or in part, into fifteen different languages.

* From the (American) Missionary Herald.

In South Africa the greatest conquests have been made. In Cape Colony, Kaffirland, Griqualand, Basutuland, Natal, Transvaal region, Namaquas, the Matebele, and Bechuana tribes, are 450 foreign labourers, and 90 native ministers, with a large number of lay agents. There are about 40,000 communicants in the churches, and over 45,000 children in the schools.

The mission to Abyssinia has been twice broken up. In Egypt the most prosperous mission belongs to the American United Presbyterians, whose labours are largely among the Copts. They have eight stations, six foreign and two ordained native ministers, 596 communicants, and in the different schools 1,170 children.

Still more marked has been the religious revolution that has taken place in MADAGASCAR. In 1825 there were very few converts. The field then had been occupied only six years. Now the whole land is open to the missionary; idolatry is overthrown; and Christianity is proclaimed to be the religion of the people. In the churches gathered by the London Missionary Society, according to the last report, are 63,896. The Propagation Society, the Norwegian Missionary Society, and the Society of Friends, are labouring at different centres.

In the island of MAURITIUS, and principally among the coolies from Bengal and Southern India, the Episcopal Church of England is labouring, through its two leading institutions. The membership reported is 333. In these two islands-Madagascar and Mauritius-are 65 missionaries, 292 native ministers, and 65,000 communicants.

ASIA.

In 1825, it is said, there were missionaries in only three distinct fields, -Syria, India and Ceylon, and the Indian Archipelago. Now in Western, Central, and Eastern TURKEY, the American Board has strong and prosperous missions. The Church Missionary Society is labouring in Palestine; the Jewish and some smaller British and Continental Societies are also at work at different points. In Syria, the Presbyterian Board, the American United Presbyterian Church, &c., are endeavouring to reach the people with the Gospel. There are over 5,000 communicants gathered into churches, which are receiving steady accessions from the corrupt sects or from Mussulmans.

From Turkey we pass over into PERSIA, and find a people akin to the Turks in their religion. Besides our own mission, the Church Missionary Society has a labourer at Ispahan, who has baptized several converts. Some of the churches have reached self-support. The number enrolled in the different organizations is over 800.

INDIA.

To-day the missionary work is carried on in India and Ceylon by 35 missionary societies, besides local agencies. In the different Presidencies are 500 ordained missionaries, occupying more than 400 stations, and over 2,000 sub-stations, the latter chiefly manned by native labourers. The statistical tables that have been prepared for each decade in the last thirty years, show some of the gathered fruits of the work. These returns take in India, Ceylon, and Burmah, and are for the years 1852, 1862, 1872. Placing them together, we have the following:

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The successes of the last year or two are proportionately much greater. The additions to the churches for 1874-75 were over 7,000, and the relative gain to Christianity is proportionately larger than to either Hindooism or Mohammedanism. Thus the growth in the Madras Presidency of the three great religions has been, since 1856-Christians, 51 per cent. increase; Mohammedans, 33; Hindoos, 37. Education in India has greatly improved. There has been a wonderful increase in the productions of the Press.

These results of missionary labour are great and wonderful, but other changes, through the pressure of Christian sentiment and the power of truth, have taken place. In 1825, the Government abetted idolatry, and sought no alliance with Christianity. It husbanded the endowments of temples and mosques; it supplied funds from its treasury for repairing temples and roads to sacred places; it taxed pilgrims, and endowed schools for the teaching of error and superstition. Then infanticide abounded; suttees flourished; bloody rites were practised. Then no Christian convert could obtain his rights in regard to property. These and kindred evils existed. Now all is changed. Government protects and aids missionary operations; it has cut itself loose from all connection with idolatry; infanticide is declared a criminal act; suttee is prohibited; and cruel rites have been forbidden. The Koran and the Ganges water are banished from the courts of justice. Converts are protected in their rights, and the legal validity of widows re-marrying is proclaimed. Hindooism is losing its hold upon the many, and the idea is growing that it must disappear under the power of Christianity. There is an enlarging circle that has broken with Brahmanism, though not yet yielding openly to the religion of Jesus. Signs of improvement-material, social, intellectual, and moral-fill the land

In South Africa the greatest conquests have been made. In Cape Colony, Kaffirland, Griqualand, Basutuland, Natal, Transvaal region, Namaquas, the Matebele, and Bechuana tribes, are 450 foreign labourers, and 90 native ministers, with a large number of lay agents. There are about 40,000 communicants in the churches, and over 45,000 children in the schools.

The mission to Abyssinia has been twice broken up. In Egypt the most prosperous mission belongs to the American United Presbyterians, whose labours are largely among the Copts. They have eight stations, six foreign and two ordained native ministers, 596 communicants, and in the different schools 1,170 children.

Still more marked has been the religious revolution that has taken place in MADAGASCAR. In 1825 there were very few converts. The field then had been occupied only six years. Now the whole land is open to the missionary; idolatry is overthrown; and Christianity is proclaimed to be the religion of the people. In the churches gathered by the London Missionary Society, according to the last report, are 63,896. The Propagation Society, the Norwegian Missionary Society, and the Society of Friends, are labouring at different centres.

In the island of MAURITIUS, and principally among the coolies from Bengal and Southern India, the Episcopal Church of England is labouring, through its two leading institutions. The membership reported is 333. In these two islands-Madagascar and Mauritius—are 65 missionaries, 292 native ministers, and 65,000 communicants.

ASIA.

In 1825, it is said, there were missionaries in only three distinct fields, -Syria, India and Ceylon, and the Indian Archipelago. Now in Western, Central, and Eastern TURKEY, the American Board has strong and prosperous missions. The Church Missionary Society is labouring in Palestine; the Jewish and some smaller British and Continental Societies are also at work at different points. In Syria, the Presbyterian Board, the American United Presbyterian Church, &c., are endeavouring to reach the people with the Gospel. There are over 5,000 communicants gathered into churches, which are receiving steady accessions from the corrupt sects or from Mussulmans.

From Turkey we pass over into PERSIA, and find a people akin to the Turks in their religion. Besides our own mission, the Church Missionary Society has a labourer at Ispahan, who has baptized several converts. Some of the churches have reached self-support. The number enrolled in the different organizations is over 800.

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