yet even little girls trudge with their demijohns of water in baskets swung from their foreheads by bands over their backs. Under this severe ordeal they grow muscular, lose that delicate refinement which we are so glad to see in American girls, talk loud and sing more loudly, so that you might think them happy, while their condition suggests drudgery. When you wish to preach the Gospel you are allowed to have all the boys you wish, if you will feed them for coming to worship or to school. This is to repay them for the time lost from collecting roots for food and from catching mice for the same purpose. But the girls cannot come to school for fear you might gain control over them and tell them the men ought to do the hard work instead of going off carrying to get cloth once a month, and spending the rest of the time sewing scanty clothing for the family, smoking, attending palavers (parler-to speak) and loafing or hunting. The Nganga is at the bottom of this advice and the king has left him to secure his power over both men and Women alike. This sad state of affairs led the early missionaries to ransom the girls and the boys whom they wished to keep under their control all the time, away from the vice of the town, as they might as well set them free as not, since they had to feed them, if they secured their time in the school and the chapel. While woman is kept under by fetichism, man is no less the dupe of the Nganga. Netekele, the Nganga of Palaballa, found Kinkell, the father of Nkoyo, who came to America with Dr. Guinness, and of Nsakala, the cook, and Nkanga, the interpreter, of the mission, coming to the station for medicine for a severe ulcer upon his foot. Netekele was very angry that the mission should take away his business, and stripping himself as if for battle, he brandished a matchet before Kinkella and the people fled to their houses in dismay. The sons, who lived in the mission, came running to me to save their father, and together we returned to the town. I met Netekele coming from behind a palm tree in the dark. To my question, "What is the matter?" he asked. "What would you do with a man who treats you like a dog?" I replied I certainly should not act like a dog. Whereupon the laugh was turned upon the Nganga and he had lost his power. But for such timely intervention there is no doubt death would have been the result. Men condemned to drink poison have run to the mission in Lukunga for protection so that we may look upon the mission station as a city of refuge, not only to save life, but to set at liberty those who are in the power of fetichism. In one case the people outwitted their king, however, who had obtained his position in a questionable manner and was compelled to go to war, as he supposed. to retain it. His people wished to keep him at home as they were weary plodding after him in raids, and they made him believe they loved him sincerely by giving him a brass ring to wear on his leg. Nor this is one of the devices men have fo keeping their wives at home, and thes great clanking rings are welded on the foot so that they cannot be removed without being broken. On the Upper Congo, these rings may reach the weight of fourteen pounds and the neck is adorned with this mark of affection. But this king was now the recipient of a most eloquent appeal to remain at home, and he was conquered by kindness. [We are glad to call attention to the new book, "Pioneering on the Congo," by Rev. W. Holman Bentley of the English Baptist Missionary Society, published in America by the Fleming H. Revell Company of New York, Chicago and Toronto. While chiefly a narrative of personal experience, Mr. Bentley's two interesting and fully illustrated volumes set forth clearly the conditions affecting all missionary work in the Congo region. We cordially recommend the book as a vivid and trustworthy description of life and labor in the increasingly interesting territory of West Equatorial Africa. The facts set forth in the following extracts have been known to us, but we prefer to allow them to be stated by one who cannot be suspected of prejudice. They are especially worthy of consideration at the present time.-Editor.] N 1886 Bishop Taylor, of the Methodist work on the Congo. He had founded missions, and worked in many fields, on the lines of self-support. However possible such a system may be in more civilized lands, where a Christian carpenter, watchmaker, tailor, shoemaker, or other handicraftsman may make a living, it certainly is not adapted to the conditions of life on the Congo. Bishop Taylor's mission is the best, or rather the worst, example of the manner in which a mission to the Congo ought not to be conducted. In the formation of his pioneer party he seems to have accepted all volunteersmen and married families, and single women, old and young. The preaching of this crusade in America stirred a great enthusiasm; he was to form a chain of stations across Africa. A large party of peo ple from all parts of the United States, more or less qualified, placed themselves under the bishop's guidance. Refusing all advice, and without preliminary investigations, he landed his people (thirty or forty) on the rocky beach at Matadi, "trusting in the Lord" for some temporary housing. Every establishment at the time was short of accommodation and their stores full of goods awaiting transport. The poor people were in great straits, and the missionaries of other societies, traders, and others could only find room for some of them. They finally obtained the deserted State station at Vivi. Then followed a terrible time of starvation, privation and death. A few could be helped, but so large a party were beyond the resources of any. Some had money with them, and could return at once; others had not, and died, either among their own folk, or on the stations of the missions; some of mechanical ability were able to find work. Their numbers being thus thinned by death and desertion, those who survived, and remained, could support themselves by such stores as they had. The bishop conducted a party to Stanley Pool, obtained a deserted post of the State at Kimpoko, and left them there. They cultivated a garden, and supported themselves by shooting hippopotami, and selling the flesh to the natives at absurdly low prices. They held on for some years; some died, the rest retired without accomplishing anything, or even acquiring the local language. On the lower river they accomplished even less. They came out with a steamer, in pieces, which was destined for the upper river. It was to be conveyed to Stanley Pool in carts drawn by a traction engine. There were no means at the time of taking the engine beyond Banana, so it rusted on the wharf there for years, until the railway company bought it for pumping purposes. With the engines and iron work of their steamer they built a light traction engine at Vivi, which moved a little way up from the beach, and then they saw that it was useless. They then transported half of the steamer by native porters for fifty miles to Isangila; then they realized that they could never afford to carry so large a vessel to Stanley Pool. so they carried the loads back again, and built the steamer on the lower river, to work as a freight steamer. As soon as she was ready, the ocean steamers began to deliver at Matadi, and her use was at an end. After years, during which she scarcely earned her paint and oil, she was sold. A few people continued at Vivi, living on the produce of their garden, but with no time or energy for other work; and one remained on until 1898, who supported himself by selling vegetables at Matadi until he died. Up a creek near Banana, Miss Kildare lives to this day (1899) in a wooden shanty, beside a small town the Solongo. She has some resources her own, and is the only one who has car ried on any practical mission work. To those who know all the details, a few of which have been only lightly outlined, the story of the mission is heartrending. The sufferings of those earnest people, struggling to carry out the misguided theory of the bishop, and laying down their lives in the attempt, will never be told; I would never write a word in reference to them but of deepest pity and sympathy. They simply acted under orders; the bishop was seldom with them during the year. and then only for a few days at a time: the rest of his time was spent in visiting the other coast missions of his diocese and attending Conference in America For the sake of the memory of those wh suffered and died, one would be dispose to be silent on the subject, but for the jac that missions are not infrequently and run on unsound principles, prom ing great things on a minimum of outlay drawing away support, and hampering th starte operations of missions which are work. on sound lines. ly. Missions are not to be conducted ches The salvation of the world could only be at the cost of the suffering and death Christ; and the winning of the world t Christ can only be accomplished at the cost of much treasure, energy, and life (5 the part of those who seek to obey the Lord's command. Let those who wish t carry on such work beware of “cheap syllabe methods. I would not write a against any true economy, but these false economies, and false systems of mission work, need more frequent denunciation. If "self-support" means that those who are able so to do maintain themselves from private resources, then self-support is most commendable; but when it means that a missionary to Central Africa is to dig, farm, do plantation work, produce his own food before he eats it, and support himself by his own personal energies, and after that do his mission work, the principle of self-support cannot be too strongly repudiated. We never find the day long enough as it is. What would be done if we had first to support ourselves? In 1885 three young men went out to the Congo, in connection with Mr. Simpson's Tabernacle in New York, to establish a Faith Healing mission. They took no medicine, and held the same ideas of self-support and "cheap" mission work. The leader died in a week or two, one entered the service of the American Baptist mission, the other returned. Mr. Simp son sent out another mission in 1889, but this time in connection with a society which is now known as the Christian and Missionary Alliance (American). Some come out from time to time in connection with it, refusing to take medicine of any kind. Fever soon brings about a change; they either "get further light on the subject," or die, or return. These workers are established at Boma, and at six other stations to the north and northeast of Boma, within a radius of sixty miles. The stations are at Boma, Ngangila, Vungu, Kiama, Mazinga, and Kinkonzi. The mission attempted at first, and for a long while, to work on ultra-economic lines, but happily sounder views have prevailed, and they are doing earnest work in a district which otherwise would be untouched. There is good reason to hope for large success, when more of their missionaries have had time to acquire the language, and to carry out the work on the present lines. There is already much to encourage them. THE LIU CHIU ISLANDS Until recently the Liu Chiuans steadily refused to be civilized. But an awakening has begun at last, beginning immediately after the war between China and Japan, so that now a large proportion of the children are in the schools, and the great masses who can neither read nor write feel ashamed of their ignorance and are ready to improve any opportunity that may come in their way. There seems to be no prejudice against Christianity at present. Buddhism has never taken hold there, so there is not that influence to work against. But Christian evangelists who have gone to them have found the people so shy and unapproachable that it has been a problem how to reach them. Our Baptist evangelist, Uchida san, has solved this problem, or rather as he puts it, God has shown him. A kind of banana grows there which bears no fruit and has been useful only for the leaves and stalk. From the latter thread is manufactured and woven into cloth for dress material. But no use has ever been found for the bark until now, and it is brought in quantities to Uchida san and his industrial class to be made into baskets, picture frames, light shoes and other things. This class kept increasing until we had over one hundred names nearly all young women,, some of them walking long distances, and their zeal in study was certainly inspiring. They listened earnestly to the Gospel talk which accompanied each lesson and a number seemed to be coming to a "knowledge of the Truth as it is in Jesus." Often the porch was crowded with visitors, and sometimes I had a meeting with the grand mothers in another room. There is a work to be done also among the Japanese who go there for business. Being strangers in a strange land, they are so glad to meet any of their kinsmen that even a Bible woman is welcomed in their homes, and in some cases their hearts are softened through trying experiences, to listen to her message of peace and salvation. DAISY D. BARLOW. ple from all parts of the United States, On the lower river they accomplished even less. They came out with a steamer, in pieces, which was destined for the upper river. It was to be conveyed to Stanley Pool in carts drawn by a traction engine. There were no means at the time of taking the engine beyond Banana, so it rusted on the wharf there for years, until the railway company bought it for pumping purposes. With the engines and iron work of their steamer they built a light traction engine at Vivi, which moved a little way up from the beach, and then they saw that it was useless. They then transported half of the steamer by native porters for fifty miles to Isangila; then they realized that they could never afford to carry so large a vessel to Stanley Pool. so they carried the loads back again, and built the steamer on the lower river, to work as a freight steamer. As soon as she was ready, the ocean steamers began to deliver at Matadi, and her use was a an end. After years, during which she scarcely earned her paint and oil, she was sold. A few people continued at Vivi, living on the produce of their garden, but with no time or energy for other work; and one remained on until 1898, who supported himself by selling vegetables at Matadi until he died. Up a creek near Banana. Miss Kildare lives to this day (1899) in : wooden shanty, beside a small town of the Solongo. She has some resources her own, and is the only one who has car ried on any practical mission work. Tə those who know all the details, a few which have been only lightly outlined, the story of the mission is heartrending. The sufferings of those earnest people, strug gling to carry out the misguided theory of the bishop, and laying down their lives in the attempt, will never be told; I would never write a word in reference to them but of deepest pity and sympathy. They simply acted under orders; the bishon was seldom with them during the year and then only for a few days at a time the rest of his time was spent in visiting the other coast missions of his dioces and attending Conference in America For the sake of the memory of those wh suffered and died, one would be dispose. to be silent on the subject, but for the fact that missions are not infrequently started and run on unsound principles, proms ing great things on a minimum of outlay drawing away support, and hampering the operations of missions which are working on sound lines. ly. Missions are not to be conducted che The salvation of the world could o be at the cost of the suffering and death c Christ; and the winning of the world t Christ can only be accomplished at the cost of much treasure, energy, and life on the part of those who seek to obey ther Lord's command. Let those who wish t carry on such work beware of "cheap |