Your ShelfYour Projects

Review and Herald, Vol. 82, No. 20.

The Story of Daniel the Prophet
Earlier text: Report of the Secretary of the Religious Liberty Bureau

Department of Education

By Frederick Griggs

Biennial Report for the Period Ending Dec. 31, 1904

THE statistics presented herewith cover all portions of the world except the General European Conference and the South African Conference, from which only partial reports have been received. The reports from the educational secretaries and superintendents concerning church-schools show that 522 schools have been operated during this period. Of these 522 schools we have received individual reports from 317, and all further statistics from church-schools are based upon these reports. They show a total enrolment of 5,591 for the present year. There were also 1,219 enrolled last year who are not enrolled this year, making a total enrolment of 6,810 pupils for two years. The average enrolment per school for the present year is eighteen. Reckoning this average for the 205 schools which have not been reported, we have 3,690 pupils to add to the 5,591 reported, making the approximate total enrolment in the church-schools for the present year 9,281.
From the last Year-book we find that there have been in operation during the last year twenty-nine intermediate schools. Of these twenty-nine schools, we have reports from ten, and all further statistics of the intermediate schools are based upon these reports. They show a total of forty-one teachers. The enrolment for the year 1903-04 was 523, and the enrolment for 1904-05 was 672. This would make the average enrolment in the ten schools for the present year, sixty-seven. Reckoning this average for the nineteen schools not reported, we have 1,273 students to add to the 672, making the total approximate enrolment in the intermediate schools 1,945.
During the biennial period there have been operated eighteen training-schools. Of these eighteen schools we have received reports from fourteen, and the following statistics are based upon these reports. The reports show a total of 138 teachers. The enrolment for 1903-04 was 2,219, and the approximate enrolment for 1904-05 is 2,150, which is no doubt considerably below the actual enrolment. This would make an average of 153 students for each school for the present year. Reckoning this average for the four schools which have not reported, we have 612 students to add to the 2,150 reported, making the total approximate enrolment for the training-schools 2,762. This would make the total approximate enrolment for all schools, based upon the totals of those which have reported, 13,988.
Of the 6,810 pupils from the 317 church-schools which have reported, 2,675 are from families in which the Sabbath is not observed; from the ten intermediate schools, 88; and from the fourteen training-schools, 135. During the two years 425 pupils are reported as having been converted, and 440 as having joined the church as the result of the work in the church-schools; and there are 102 reported from the intermediate schools, and 262 from the training-schools. That there is a larger number who have joined the church than have been converted, is evidently due to the fact that pupils enrolled in the schools had been converted before they entered, but had never joined the church, and that they, with others who were converted during the two years, became church-members. Nothing could speak more loudly of the influence of our schools than these figures. These schools have had the opportunity of teaching the message for this time to a large number of young people and children who came from homes where it is not known, over twenty-five per cent of the entire membership reported being from these homes. This percentage is larger in the church-schools alone, being thirty-nine per cent. And the further fact that nearly seven per cent of the total attendance became members of the church shows that the work of our schools is very directly concerned with the salvation of souls. This seven per cent may not seem large at first thought, but when it is considered that these pupils are children and young people, its importance is enhanced.

Church-Schools

One hundred and twenty-one of the three hundred and seventeen schools have Young People's Societies in their churches. While this is an encouraging number, yet it would at once appear that there should be a larger number of these societies in connection with our church-schools. Being organized, as they are, for the direct purpose of preparing children and young people for gospel work, these societies should naturally go hand in hand with the church-schools, and it would seem that a most earnest effort should be made to thoroughly establish a Young People's Society wherever there is a church-school.
From these schools 195 pupils have entered our intermediate schools, and 127 the training-schools. While this number is not large, it shows a strong current in the right direction. Every young person in our denomination should have a thorough education, and there should be a close co-operation shown between the church-schools and the higher schools. Five hundred and fourteen students are reported as eligible for entrance to the intermediate schools, and one hundred and sixty-four to the training-schools. This shows an encouraging increase of students who are or should be looking toward higher courses of education in the immediate future.
From these schools a total of 119 is reported as having engaged directly in various lines of gospel work, as follows: Evangelistic, 5; canvassing, 67; medical, 11; educational, 32; publishing, 4. The reason that these schools are thus enabled to make such a good showing of workers who have gone directly from them into these various departments of the work seems to be owing to the fact that while they aim directly at the education of children and youth, many of them are so isolated from advanced schools, and are of such an ungraded character, that they have enrolled among their numbers those who are of an age sufficiently advanced to enable them to enter upon distinctive gospel work upon receiving such special training as they can get in these schools.
Four hundred copies of “Christ's Object Lessons” are reported as having been sold by these schools during the two years. This is understood to be the direct result of the work of the schools, as, for instance, when the school was closed for a day, and the pupils canvassed for the book, or where a special effort has been made in some other way directly by the school for the sale of this book. This number would appear to be much smaller than what might justly be expected from this number of pupils for so long a term. The encouraging promises of divine blessing to those who engage in this work should induce our church-schools, as well as those of more advanced grades, to enter heartily upon this important work each year, and should lead them to have special seasons devoted to the sale of this book; for the obligation rests upon all to continue this work, until our schools are relieved of their indebtedness. This limited number of books sold by so many pupils during so long a period should be a means of awakening all connected with our schools to an earnest endeavor to greatly increase this number during the next biennial period.
Ninety-four schools had industrial work connected with them. This work was comprehended in agriculture, domestic work, wood-yard, chair caning, carpentry, mat making, raffia, basketry, sloyd, woodwork, cooking, shoemaking, furniture making, and pyrography. There seems to be no system whatever in this industrial work, and it would appear that in the majority of instances it is supplementary rather than an integral part of the daily program; while we have not the facts to prove this, from the general nature of the reports we judge that such is the case. There certainly is a great line of advance for our church-schools in developing this important feature.
Sixteen schools were reported as having missionary gardens. These sixteen gardens yielded a total return of $422.10, which is an average of over twenty-six dollars for each school conducting these gardens. If the 317 schools reporting had each conducted a garden with the same average results, the total returns would have been nearly $8,500. This number, out of the total of 522 schools, would not seem too many to have conducted these gardens. It would appear that, if rightly entered upon, it would not be a difficult task to make these gardens yield a very substantial sum for missionary purposes. They would also be of great educational benefit.
One hundred and thirty-nine schools were reported as owning their school buildings, thirty-one held school sessions in the church, and seventy-six in rooms other than a school building or the church.
Eighty-two schools were reported as being supported wholly by tuition, seventy-eight wholly from donations, and fifteen by the conference. Forty-eight were reported as being supported partly by tuition, forty-seven as supported partly by donation, and twenty-four as receiving some assistance from the conference.
The rates of tuition varied from thirty cents to four dollars a month, and the teachers' salaries from seven dollars to fifty dollars a month. These low salaries, evidently, included board and room. One teacher reported her salary as being “love and affection, and $1.60 a month.” Here again appears a great lack of uniformity, and it is very manifest that there needs to be much study put upon the financial features of our church-schools. Each school appears to be a law unto itself. It is evident that one great source of failure in our schools is due to this lack of a solution of the financial problem. There is no doubt, however, that there is a proper solution to this question, and to it all concerned about the prosperity of our schools should earnestly address themselves.
The approximate monthly income from all sources of the 317 schools was reported as $3,482.75, which is an average of nearly eleven dollars for each school. The estimated value of grounds and buildings for church-schools was $47,040.75. The estimated value of school furniture and equipment was $7,175. In the way of helps, there was a total of forty-nine globes, 228 maps, and thirty-two charts.
The following report concerning text-books reveals a great diversity:—

Text-Books

Total number text-book series: Bible, 17; history, 30; English, 19; arithmetic, 29; physiology, 16; geography, 20; elementary science, 8; reading, 24; writing, 26; spelling, 24; music, 10; algebra, 5; bookkeeping, 3; French, 1; German, 1; geography, 2.
No. S. D. A. series: Bible, 15; history, 4; English, 1; arithmetic, 1; physiology, 2; geography, 1; elementary science, 2; reading, 14; music, 2.
Total No. S. D. A. books used: Bible, 818; history, 11; English, 729; arithmetic, 289; physiology, 1,514; geography, 880; elementary science, 125; reading, 1,516; music, 132.
We have prepared an itemized list of all books used in the 317 church-schools which have reported, with the total number of each book used in all the schools. It might be interesting to note that the largest number of any one text-book used is Kellogg's Physiology, of which there were 1,330. The next largest was Morton's Geography, of which there were 880, and the third was the Bell's Language Series, of which there were 729. The total number of Seventh-day Adventist books used in the church-schools is reported as 6,024.

Intermediate Schools

Only ten reports have been received from our intermediate schools, out of a total of twenty-nine, according to the last Year-book. It would appear from a comparison of the last two Year-books that ten intermediate schools have been opened during the past year. It is to be observed that the percentage of students engaged in agriculture is very much larger in the intermediate than in any of the other schools, and from this it would appear that these schools are quite largely operated upon the industrial basis.
The percentage of students going into the various departments of gospel work from these schools seems to be good, as the total number reported is seventy-two. These are classified as follows: Evangelical, 5; canvassing, 30; medical, 10; educational, 21; publishing, 6.
The approximate number of “Christ's Object Lessons” sold by these ten schools is reported as 342, which is not quite one book for every two students enrolled.

Training-Schools

It may be suggested that the falling off in the enrolment of 1904-05 from that of 1903-04, is probably due to the fact that the enrolment for 1904-05 is approximate, and is undoubtedly below the actual enrolment.
Attention is called to the encouraging fact that 262 students have been converted and joined the church during the biennial period as the result of the work of these training-schools. That these schools are doing something definite in the direction of the work which they were established to do, is witnessed by the fact that nearly seven hundred students have gone from them directly into different lines of gospel work during the two years covered by this report.
By the direct effort of these schools 2,950 copies of “Christ's Object Lessons” have been sold. Considering the total enrolment for two years, this would be about one book for two students. The remarks previously made in this report concerning the work with “Christ's Object Lessons” in the church-schools apply with greater force to the intermediate and training-schools; for the students in these schools are far more capable of selling these books, and they should naturally have a far deeper interest in their sale, from the fact that the proceeds go directly to the betterment of schools which they are attending, and from the further fact that this work is one which should naturally appeal to those who are fitting for gospel work, since the Lord has called direct attention to it as a duty for this time. The coming two years should see decided improvement in regard to this work; for it brings a direct blessing to the schools which enter into it heartily.
The reported enrolment in the various departments of these schools is as follows:— Collegiate ................................ 91 Evangelical ............................... 10 Music ..................................... 31 Scandinavian .............................. 38 Normal .................................... 54 Academic .................................. 393 Business .................................. 104 German .................................... 33 Canvassing ................................ 42 Nurses ...................................... 6 Intermediate and Preparatory ............. 367 Industrial ................................. 434
The following industries are included in the last item given: Farming, broom-making, printing, woodwork, horticulture, tent-making, carpentry, painting, carriage-making, blacksmithing, and basket-making.
The approximate number of students working their way through school for the two years is reported as 738, which is over eighteen per cent of the combined enrolment of the two years.

Conventions and Institutes

The convention of the Department of Education, held at College View, Neb., June 12-21, 1903, marked an epoch in the school work of the denomination. Representatives were present from the different grades of schools from all portions of the United States. All phases of our school work were considered, and recommendations were made and plans suggested which have tended to increase the efficiency of the schools.
Since this convention a number of institutes and conventions have been held in various State and union conferences with the same good results. The benefits already derived from these conventions would clearly indicate their value, and the necessity for planning in a more regular and systematic manner for future ones.

Text-Books

Considerable progress has been made in the matter of text-books. The attention of all our teachers has been called to the great need of thoroughly prepared text-books which shall properly represent the message in all its phases as applied to the schools. This is further evidenced by the great diversity of texts used in our church-schools only, as already noted in this report.
The educational workers of the Pacific Union Conference have shown especial activity in this direction, and have in preparation various lines of texts. There are also a number of teachers in different parts of the country who are preparing books upon various subjects; but the great problem with which we have to contend, and which in some way we must solve, is that of the publication of these books. Those that are published should most nearly represent the general consensus of opinion of those teachers engaged in teaching the subjects upon which the books are written.

Educational Literature

This has consisted largely of the Educational Department in the REVIEW AND HERALD, which has been conducted for about a year and a half, together with special pamphlets and matter prepared by different educational secretaries and superintendents for the work in their territories. It would seem that there has not been as much activity in this direction as is to be desired. As educational workers, we must realize that we are all learners, and there should be the freest expression and interchange of ideas concerning all phases of our work. The possibilities in the way of specially prepared literature would suggest that much more could be accomplished than has been by means of an exchange, so that matter which is prepared particularly for teachers in special portions of the country could be used by those in other parts. We need, in this particular stage of our work, the most mutual and helpful feelings possible, with no criticism but that of the very friendliest nature. With this spirit controlling, there is little doubt that the next biennial report will show a marked advancement in all lines of our educational work.
FREDERICK GRIGGS, Sec.

Intermediate Schools

School No. Teachers Enrolment 1903-04 No. Sabbath-keepers Approximate Enrolment 1904-05 No. Sabbath-keepers No. Converted and joining ch. Total Value of School Property Total Value of School Apparatus
Adelphian Academy 2 16 2 $ 2,700.00
Anglo-Chinese Academy 4 72 66 75 68 8 12,000.00 $ 200.00
B. C. Industrial Academy 6 185 225 50 6,000.00 100.00
Bethel Industrial School 7 199 7 200 9 30 28,000.00
Boggstown Man. Train. Academy
Cedar Lake Industrial Academy
Colo. West. Slope Indus. School
Cumberland Industrial School
Curityba School 3
Diamante School 3 46 8 2,925.00 50.00
Taquary School 4
Du Quoin Industrial School
Eld Point Intermediate School
Farmington Industrial School
Forest Home Indus. Academy
Gravelford Academy
Harvey Industrial School
Hazel Industrial Academy 4 28 2 21 10 1,000.00 80.00
Iowa Industrial Academy 3 70 16,000.00 1,000.00
Laurelwood Industrial School
Lornedale Academy 3 12 19 2 7,500.00 1,000.00
Maplewood Industrial School
Montana Intermediate School
Nashville Agr. and Norm'l School
Northwestern Training-school
Steltenbosch Training-school
Steltenbosch Training School
Thayer School
Copenhagen Bible School 2 27
Totals 41 523 69 672 88 102 $ 76,125.00 $ 2,430.00

Training-Schools

School No. Teachers Enrolment 1903-04 No. Sabbath-keepers Approximate Enrolment 1904-05 No. Sabbath-keepers No. Converted and joining ch. Total Value of School Property Total Value of School Apparatus
Emmanuel Missionary College 9 250 2 250 3 25 $ 58,289.73 $12,087.42
Fernando College 7 80 4 90 5 25 15,500.00 400.00
Healdsburg College 17 325 30 250 10 40,000.00 300.00
Keene Ind. Academy 9 108 7 115 3 8 25,000.00 4,000.00
Mt. Vernon Academy 11 140 10 135 8 10 26,500.00 800.00
South Lancaster Academy 9 211 10 214 12 57 35,000.00 2,000.00
Southern Training-school 7 92 18 150 10 18 16,692.31 3,522.52
Union College 30 426 40 342 12 16,500.00 15,000.00
Walla Walla College 8 174 5 140 30 27
Avondale School 10 174 1 183 4 38 49,930.50 757.37
Duncombe Hall Train. College 5 56 22 89 2 22 1,500.00 500.00
Swedish Industrial School 3 30 22 40 30 3 11,330.00
Claremont Union College 8 87 10 81 20 35,000.00 71.50
Oakwood Manual Training-school 5 66 71 8 7 15,437.66 120.80
Totals 138 2,210 181 2,150 135 262 $495,170.20 $39,559.61

The Work in Fiji

By J. E. Fulton

J. E. FULTON
FIJI, with its eighty inhabited islands, presents an interesting field for missionary effort. Not only for Fijians is it an important center, but as there are so many Polynesians here, it is sure to become an important training center. The Lord has signally helped in getting the work established among the natives of this group, and we believe that God will choose young men from among our natives who can be entrusted with the work in the regions beyond Fiji. It has been decided that we should have a good training-school in Fiji to work toward this end. We hope to enlist the sympathy of our brethren who are far away, in behalf of our work here.
CALLING TO CHURCH
CALLING TO CHURCH
Not far west are many millions in terrible darkness. Some are in abject heathenism, and we must carry the gospel of Christ to them, and warn them of the events just before us in the closing of earth's history. We all feel anxious here to see the work advance, and we hope that some whose interest is aroused will aid us in doing so. To start this school we shall need means to erect some good native buildings, and a comfortable home for a teacher. We ought to have fifteen hundred dollars. I believe that amount could not be better expended in any other work. Who will help us? We ask your prayers in our behalf, that we may have wisdom, and that God will sustain us in health.
There are many points of interest concerning the work in different islands of the Fiji group where the truth has entered, and where souls have accepted it, which we must leave for future reports.

German Union Committee Meeting

By Guy Dail

GUY DAIL
The third midwinter session of the German Union Committee was held in the new school building, Friedensau, Germany, Jan. 31 to Feb. 4, 1905. Elders L. R. Conradi, H. F. Schuberth, J. Erzenberger, O. Lupke, G. W. Schubert, E. Frauchiger, C. W. Weber, J. T. Boettcher, J. Pieper, and J. G. Oblander, with Brethren W. Kruml, H. Hartkop, Dr. A. J. Hoenes, and, by invitation, B. Severin, W. Ising, and the writer, were present.
The meeting was very interesting, for it closed up the most successful series of winter conferences we have yet had in the German field. The questions to be considered were many, and some of them are of general interest.
It is always a difficult question to know how best to deal with the scattered members in a conference. Up to this time, no very definite arrangements had been in general operation in our field; but it was voted at this time to recommend the formation of a conference church in each local conference, with the president of the field as church elder, and the conference secretary and treasurer as church treasurer and secretary. In this manner it is to be hoped that the isolated Sabbath-keepers can be more carefully cared for in each field.
A new district, to be known as the German Union District, was formed, which contains the Hamburg-Altona and the Friedensau churches, and the German East African and the Transcaucasian missions. The reasons for this action have been referred to in the report of the West German Conference.
It was decided that, in case the circumstances permit, we shall re-enforce the corps of laborers in German East Africa, by the sending of a teacher, Brother Kotz, and two nurses, Brother Ohme and his wife, who are preparing to sail in May. We are sorry to report that our workers, notwithstanding they thought they had secured a place above the fever limit, have been suffering with the fever during the rainy season, and at least one of them has been so ill that he will probably have to leave that climate.
There was a gain of one thousand dollars in the operation of the school, on rent, board, and tuition. The teachers largely receive their wages from conference funds.
The question of the delegation to the General Conference was considered, and it was voted that Brethren L. R. Conradi and J. G. Oblander, and Dr. A. J. Hoenes represent the German field as delegates at the Washington meeting, in May.
One of the most important themes discussed at the meeting was the educational work in the German Union. Formerly, we have been so pressed for laborers that we have urged men and women into the service without allowing them to spend the necessary time in thorough preparation. Our methods at Friedensau have been in keeping with the great demand for workers in the field at large. We have refused admittance to a number of promising young people who were able to pay their way, but who, upon completing their course in school, would not be old enough to engage in evangelical work; and, further, we did not have room for their accommodation. Thanks to the blessing of the Lord, we now have school and boarding room for about one hundred and forty-five students. We are increasing our teaching force, in order to give a more general education. It was decided at this session of the German Union Conference Committee, to prepare a course of three years, and to require close examinations before entering the school, and also during the school year, so that a better grade of scholarship shall be attained on the part of those who visit the institution for the purpose of preparing themselves to labor in the cause of God. Of course it is understood that such as can pass the required examinations will not need to take the first year's work, which is, properly speaking, preparatory. A laboratory, a piano, and an addition to the library was provided for, by a grant of seventeen hundred marks. It was also thought best that greater care should be exercised in accepting prospective students, that the condition of their health be first carefully ascertained, and that all students who do not make the right use of their opportunities be advised to complete their education elsewhere. The number of youth now offering themselves, makes it possible for us to have a great deal better opportunity to make a choice than we could have in the earlier part of our experience in this field.
We are now erecting a laundry and power-house at Friedensau. This, and the new school dormitory have been erected without in the least increasing the indebtedness on the plant. We are very thankful for the liberality of our people which has enabled us to accomplish this. The food factory had only a fairly good year, owing to its having to carry a loss of about one thousand dollars in the Rotterdam branch. However, there was a net gain in the sales amounting to about one thousand dollars.
As to book sales, the German Union colporteurs reported $48,260 in sales, as against $46,159 for 1903; German Union tithe in 1904 was $43,597, while it was $35,640 for 1903; the offerings in 1904 were $8,434, showing an increase of $2,300 over the previous year; and as to the additions, for the twelve months ending last December, we had received 1,089 by baptism, and 458 by vote, making a total of 229 more received than during the previous year. Our membership was raised from 5,156 at the beginning of 1904 to 6,297 at its close. The work among the native Russians made the most rapid progress, as here we received 321 new members, bringing up their membership to 646.
The demand for our literature has so increased that it was voted to provide yet another press for the Hamburg Publishing House, at a cost of about fifteen hundred dollars. This gives us two good, fast presses for paper and small book work, and two good job-presses. Our larger books will still be published in Leipsic, as heretofore, but we now issue quite a number of copies of our regular papers. We print thirty thousand copies of our missionary paper, Herold der Wahrheit; ten thousand of Gute Gesundheit; five thousand of Kleiner Freund; two hundred and fifty copies of our Hungarian paper, and four hundred copies of the Russian paper, and twelve hundred copies of the Dutch paper. We are glad to announce, also, that we have just received a sample copy of “Steps to Christ,” printed for us in Helsingfors, in the Russian language. This has been allowed by the censor. It, as well as our Russian paper, will be a great help to our Russian work.
The auditing of our mission fields was done at the meeting in February. We had enough money to audit all our workers, and received only fifteen hundred dollars appropriations from America. We feel very thankful to our brethren in the States for the way in which they have remembered our European fields, the German Union with the others.
Brother W. Ising, who has had a number of years' experience in America, knows English, as well as German, and is somewhat acquainted with the French, was chosen as secretary, and is to give his whole time to the work of the German Union. It was recommended that Elder J. Erzenberger change his home from Switzerland to some part of the South German Conference, that he might help especially in that field, as well as in other parts of the union conference.
All in all, there was a harmonious spirit present. Principles concerning the economy of workers, and carefulness in management of conference funds, and the necessity of co-operation on the part of all members of the German Union, received special attention. God met with us, and helped us. We were all very glad to see the new Friedensau chapel, which, to our mind, is the neatest chapel in the denomination, so plain, so simple, and yet so very attractive. We left the meeting, thankful for what God had done, and more encouraged to press forward in the future. We enjoyed the hospitality shown us by the students and teachers, and they seemed to appreciate the lessons the brethren present were able to give them from the Word of God. May God continue to give us greater supplies of his grace, is our fervent wish and prayer.

The Isles Wait

By G. F. Jones

G. F. JONES
NEW GUINEA VILLAGE BUILT IN THE SEA
NEW GUINEA VILLAGE BUILT IN THE SEA
It is too true that one-half the world knows nothing, or very little at any rate, and cares less, of the other half, even though we live in the enlightened twentieth century. Only a few days' sailing from Australia lie some of the darkest and vilest lands, where treachery and cannibalism are reveling. We were able to observe a little of the conditions and needs of the cannibal race as we touched at several places in New Guinea, New Britain, etc., on our way to the East Indies.
Cannibalism is practised a great deal, with one tribe preying upon another. We asked them which they preferred to eat, the white man or the native, to which they replied in pidgin-English, “White man, he kaikai, no good,” giving us to understand that his flesh is salt and tough, while the native flesh is of a better quality. Physiologists would say that this condition of the white man's flesh is caused by his partaking too freely of alcohol; and this may not be untrue of many of the traders among the islands, who occasionally become victims of the hungry cannibals' greed for flesh. Their method, when practicable, is not to kill outright, but to eat their captive piece by piece while living. Thus, for one meal a limb is cut off, and for the next meal the other, and so on. Birds and animals are invariably cooked alive. It would not be wise nor justifiable here to misquote the scripture, “Whatsoever is set before you eat.” It is best and safe in all lands to eat only that which is “sanctified by the word of God.”
The following is an instance of the uncertainty of life among the natives: A planter made a contract with a native tribe to work for him, and brought one hundred and thirty-eight persons with him. But after reaching his plantation, one hundred and thirty disappeared to return to their native village; but not one ever got there, all being captured and eaten by other tribes.
Only a few weeks before our visit the natives had planned to massacre every white person at Frederick William's Haven, German New Guinea, but the plot was discovered five minutes before their plans were to be put into action. When the steamer arrived, they had decided to capture her and massacre all on board. There is no time when a white man feels safe; yet he prefers to make this his home, a land of malaria and cannibalism, and is constantly on the alert to protect his life—a very poor compensation, indeed, for the profits of trade. There are, though, a few conscientious missionaries at work, who are loved by the natives, and so pass unmolested. But out of every three sent by the German Protestant Mission, two have died of malaria.
We were only a few miles from the place of the recent massacre of the Catholic missionaries in New Britain.
The natives here are very degraded. The German government has shot a number of them. They say that no white man has ever yet penetrated twenty miles into the interior. Here is a field to develop Livingstones and Patons. What glorious experiences of faith await the missionaries who are “not afraid to hazard their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” in this land. Many who are now doing nothing for the gospel message might deem it a privilege to go with the protection of Heaven to these savages. “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.”
The white people think they have hit upon an excellent plan for protection. As the native tribes are ever at war with one another, the traders import natives of other islands to work for and protect them; for although these are bad and treacherous in their own country, yet they are proud to unite with the white man and his gun in another land, and feel themselves superior to the other natives. They are glad of an opportunity to go out and kill. The gun is the trader's weapon of confidence. There is need of men who know how to wield Christ's weapon of love, which is effective and enduring.
— Singapore, Straits Settlements.
Continue reading: Priest Opposition in Italy