FILIPINO (feminine Filipina) is the Spanish name for the people of the Philippine Islands, but there are many tribes and dialects. The northern island, Luzon, which has become most familiar to the people of the United States, is peopled chiefly by Tagalos, who are estimated to number about 3,000,000. The central islands of the group are inhabited by the Visayan tribe, estimated at 2,500,000. These two are the most numerous of the Filipino races, including 5,500,000 of the 8,000,000 population of the islands, and are counted as Roman Catholics. Outside of these there are 500,000 other nominal Christians, 300,000 Mohammedans and 1,700,000 heathen. We take pleasure in presenting a letter from Mr. Manikan, the first Baptist Filipino: "I have received your brotherly salutation and Christian love through Mr. Lund, for which I thank you very much. It seems to me no one more than I ought to praise God for what he has done for me. I see clearly his mercy and infinite goodnes, and I will always sing praises to Jehovah, my God. I hope to be able to correspond to your remarkable favors, as I desire to work with decision and enthusiasm to evangelize my countrymen. I hope they will not refuse the Lord's calling, but accept Christ Jesus as the only Savior given to the world.

"The enterprise will be arduous, because our countrymen have for so long time been deprived of the light through the errors of Catholicism, but the Christian can do everything through Christ, who comforts him, and those who are in Christ's hands need not fear. Besides, I am sure that you will help me with your prayers, which will greatly encourage me. I love my countrymen very much, therefore I wish they had the riches that I have.

"Though I have not the honor of knowing any one of your board, I send them my Christian love, and bidding you farewell I place myself at your disposal in the Philippines, where I hope to be shortly."

"BRAULIO MANIKAN."

Are re Our Indians Malays? We notice an item which states that "Ex-Congressman Springer says that an acquaintance of his, a Creek Indian among our volunteers in the Philippines, found a tribe of Malays whose dialect was almost the same as that of the Creek nation. He could understand them and they him." This adds strength to the belief that North America was settled by Asiatics who drifted across the Northern Pacific or emigrated across Bering Sea to our shores. It has always been recognized by ethnologists that the American Indians have a great many physical features similar to those of the inhabitants of Malaysia. The above statement, if correct, suggests a line of investigation of deep interest to philologists. If it should prove that our American Indians are first or second cousins to the Tagalos or Visayans of our new possessions in the Philippine Islands it would seem to give the possession of those islands by the United States an added appropriateness.

he Sketch of William Carey, by Rev. A. C. Chute of Halifax, has been reprinted and can be obtained on application to Mr. Chute in Halifax, N. S., or to Literature, Baptist Mission Rooms, Tremont Temple, Boston, Mass.; price, ten cents.

Of the two men standing in the centre one is a Christian preacher giving rice to the other man who is standing in his turn to receive it. The picture on the easel is a portrait of Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland and Empress of India.

WE

FAMINE IN INDIA

E have been supplied with some interesting statistics regarding famines in India, which will be of interest in connection with the present distress in our Telugu Mission field:

"In the famine of 1833, in Guntur, and other districts in the Madras Presidency, about 200,000 perished. Mr. Dauders says, 'this was the most serious famine which has occurred since the British occupation (i. e., up to that time), and from the fearful loss of life which took place in the Guntur District on the occasion, the scarcity became generally known as the Guntur famine.'

"In 1866 there was an awful famine in the Lower Provinces of Bengal, Orissa, Behar, etc., 1,500,000 persons are reported to have perished.

"In 1877, in Madras Presidency occurred one of the most extended famines on record. The cost to the government of India, in remedial measures and loss of revenue, is estimated at £10,000,000. . . . The Mansion House funds exceeded half a million sterling. . . . The actual amount of mortality occasioned is difficult to determine, the estimates vary so much."

Turning to the "Report on the Famine Campaign" we find that, notwithstanding the immense efforts of the government and of private charity, the mortality from starvation and resultant diseases was appalling.

Here are some of the figures and statements derived from the "Report." The population of fifteen famine Taluqs (i. e., counties), alone, shows this result: by the census of 1871 the population was 2,836,166; an increment of one and a half per cent per annum from 1872 to 1876 would give 219,223, or a total of 3,055,389, yet it was in 1878 but 2,299,885, that is 755,504 less than it should have been. The rate of decrease for these fifteen counties (but samples of the rest) was 23.3 per cent from the population of 1871, plus the one and a half per cent increment. A correspondent of the Madras Times writing in regard to the figures of this 1878 census, and quoted in the "Report," says: "Salem Dis

trict alone lost half a million out of two million." "We have probably lost no less than three millions out of the twenty millions of population severely affected by the famine, and if we add the mortality of Mysore and Bombay, the total losses of the population of South India will not be far short of six millions." This "Report" was published too early to embody final results, but in Hunter's "Indian Empire" there is the statement that the actual loss of life, directly, and as a consequence of the famine, was five and a quarter millions, and the total decrease, reckoning lessened births, etc., over what the normal population would have been, fully seven million.

We have not seen the full statistics of the famine of 1898, but it was less severe than that of 1877. It is already apparent, however, that the present famine will far exceed in severity any known in historical times in India, both in extent and in its disastrous results. No general relief is expected until the rains, which are due in June, and assistance must be afforded to many until September. Contributions may be sent to E. P. Coleman, treasurer, Tremont Temple, Boston, Mass., and will be forwarded to India weekly. At the date of writing Mr. Coleman is sending about $1,800 weekly to India for famine relief.

ROBERT R. MILNE, M. D.

THE very sad news has come of the death of Dr. Milne on the voyage from the Congo to England. Dr. Milne was appointed a missionary May 21, 1894, and was a brother of Mrs. Joseph Clark of Ikoko and Mrs. Charles H. Harvey of Palabala. He will be remembered by many in this country, who learned to know and love him during his visit in 1899. After his return to Scotland, Dr. Milne married a lady who was eminently fitted to be associated with him in medical missionary work, having graduated as a trained nurse, and together they went to the Congo to assist Rev. Joseph Clark and Mrs. Clark at Ïkoko, Lake Mantumba, in the interior of Africa. Several weeks ago information was received of Dr. Milne's serious illness and of the beginning of his journey to England, but it was hoped that his life might be spared. He was able to embark on the steamship "Leopoldville," at Matadi, and seemed at first to improve by the change, but after being on the sea about a week malarial fever set in, which, in addition to the cerebral ænemia with which he was afflicted, was beyond his strength to endure, and he passed away quietly on Friday, March 2. A short time before Mrs. Milne asked him how he felt. He was so weak as to be unable to speak, but spelled the words, "Tired, tired, tired." A friend and acquaintance in the Congo Balolo Mission, Mr. MacGregor, was on the ship, also returning to England, and was a great comfort and help to Mrs. Milne in caring for her husband and conducted the funeral services. Milne was buried at sea and lies in the bosom of the ocean to await the call of the resurrection morn.

Dr.

This is the second death which has occurred in our Congo Mission in several years. American Baptists have great reason to be thankful that they have been so much blessed in the preservation of the health and lives of their missionaries on the Congo. Their experience has been far more favorable in this respect than other missions. Dr. Guinness pronounces the experience of our Congo Mission in this regard as "a miracle." While sorrowing for the young and promising life so soon cut off, let us rejoice in the health and usefulness of those still remaining on the field and pray that they may be kept for still larger harvests for the heavenly fold.

THE statements which are usually put forth regarding the number of converts in Moravian missions and the missionary contributions of that Christian body are so surprising that the matter seemed worthy of careful investigation. If these statements were correct the Moravians would be not only in advance of all other religious bodies, but so far in advance that the reason for the extraordinary difference ought to be clearly understood, and might be expected to furnish a striking object lesson in mission effort to all other Christians. The statements of the Moravian missions vary, but the most common represent the body as having about 20,000 members in the home churches, but 80,000 converts on the mission fields, and as raising about $350,000 for missions.

Desiring to test the accuracy of these remarkable figures, advantage was taken of an opportunity to visit the Moravian headquarters in America at Bethlehem, Pa., several years since. The figures given below are therefore not of the most recent date, but are sufficiently accurate to justify the conclusions reached. The Moravians are in no way responsible for the extraordinary and misleading statements which have been published regarding their missions. The accounts of the Moravian missions are so divided that it is not easy to sum them up in complete form, but the following appears to be substantially correct.

The receipts of Moravian missions have been stated at $350,000; and supposing that this sum was raised largely from the contributions of the churches, as is the case with the most of the missionary societies, this would give about $17.50 for each of the 20,000 members usually reckoned in the home churches. This large sum was probably taken from a statement of "The Missionary Manual and Directory of the Unitas Fratrum or the Moravian Church," giv ing the estimated annual cost of the missions at $359,651. However, only a small part of this is to be credited to receipts from contributions, as these are given in the Moravian Almanack and Year Book as about $115,100. The balance of the cost of the missions is presumably raised chiefly from business operations in Germany and on the various fields.

Of the $115,100 donations to Moravian missions, £7,452 17s. Id., or $36,519.70, was in that year from legacies and endowments; £9,923 15s. 6d., or $48,627.60, from friends of other Christian churches, and £4,801 125. 7d.. or $23,529.80, from Moravian congregations and societies. The members of these numbered 21,302, which gives an average contribution for foreign missions of $1.10 per member. This is a large sum and exceeds the average contributions for the same purpose in any other denomination. When asked how it came about that the Moravians were so much noted for their activity in missions, Bishop Levering replied, "When the converts join the church we try to get them to realize that they are joining a great missionary society." It would be for the glory of God if the leaders of other Christian bodies kept this fact more constantly before the minds of the younger members.

TRev.
Dev. G. R. Robbins, pastor of the Lincoln Park Institutional Baptist Church,

Cincinnati, Ohio, has formed a missionary society in his church on these principles: 1. Only for men. 2. Each member MUST take the BAPTIST MISSIONARY MAGAZINE. 3. Each member must carefully and prayerfully read the MAGAZINE. 4. Each member must pay at least one dollar a year in addition to his usual contribution to missions. If this could be done in all the churches we venture to say the Missionary Union would have no debt, nor lack of funds to enter the open doors so much needing the laborers who should enter in and gather the harvests for the kingdom.

THE NEW CHAPEL AT KIFWA, CONGO

THE picture represents our new Chapel at Kifwa. It is 24 x 50 feet and will seat nearly 500 people. The walls are raised from clay and are one foot thick. The roof is made of round sticks from the forest and thatched with long grass. The walls are whitewashed inside and oiled outside, and the structure looks quite nice, but the best of all the native christians have built it and paid for it themselves. The only help which we rendered were our weekly contribution and the superintendence of the work. We have baptized this year 400 souls. The Sunday-schools number 180 with average attendance of 60. Yours much sincerely, C. NELSON, Kifwa, Congo.

an

Beto bantarza Nzambi

A Dibundu Dia Botuka
Diena mu Kifwa. Beto tufidisa mantondo meto kua nyrangi zelo kuna Amerika, kadi
Luafidisi Bantu mu kamba Beto mambu ma Nzambi ye ma zaikisa beto yesu Kristu
Manini eto. Tutondele mpe kueto mu Lusadusu Lu ku tufidisa Beno mon ka, mon.
Luan Lutusadisi mu kamba mambu ma Nzambi mu mavata mankaka. Beto tusambilanga
Nzambi sedieto keti kasadisa Beno ye sakamuma Beno nyrasi Lua Lenda sadisa Beto
mu Fidisa Nsamu A Nzambi kuna mavata mena Ntama ye ma zolele mambu ma Nzambi.

Nyrolo.
Ndiamosi.
Kikwakwa.

Mpanzu.
Mengi.
Nkumpa.

TRANSLATION

We the Christians of the Baptist church at Kifwa hereby express our most hearty thanks to the Board and Baptist brethren in America for sending us missionaries to tell us the word of God and to make known to us our Savior Jesus Christ.

We also express our thanks for help given us year by year, which has enabled us to send the word of God to many other villages. We pray God our Father to bless you and prosper you so that you may still be able to help us to send the gospel to the many villages far away which are willing to hear the word of God.