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the year there have been thirty-three students in attendance. The total expense of carrying on this work has been cut down to the lowest possible figure, amounting last year to only $3,848.00, of which $3,100.00 were paid for salaries and $298.00 for incidental expenses.

Four students graduated at the recent commencement and left immediately for fields of labor. A number of undergradu

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ates will also be employed in preaching during the summer. Thus this institution is carrying on the work assigned it. PRESENT FACULTY.

REV. ADAM MCCLELLAND, D. D.,
Catherine M. Edwards' Professor of Biblical
and Ecclesiastical History.

REV. A. VAN DER LIPPE, D. D.,
Van Vliet Professor of Theology.

REV. GODFREY MOERY,
Professor of Arts and Sciences.

The extent of territory occupied by the Kaffir race is very large. It reaches from the Central band of African Kingdoms immediately south of the Sahara to the Cape of Good Hope, and from east to west it spans the continent.-They are a conquering race, and have probably amalgamated rather than destroyed the aboriginal bushmen tribes. In type the Kaffir is like the Negro; but they are not Negroes, and their language is very considerably remote from the Negro groups. The tongue is called "Bantu," because all the languages of this group use muntu, mundu, bantu, etc., for person. But Kaffir, although an Arab word meaning infidel (?), is the most popular and the most convenient designation of the race and its language. The country is not a desert with moon mountains where brownies dance, but a high plateau in which palefaced, practical Europe can live and possess. The great doors that for centuries have been shut against invaders have rolled open of their own acccord to the touch of "pax vobiscum" on the missionaries' lips. The Kaffir is noble enough to obey, and he has a most religious and poetic wonder to declare to us, namely the beauty of obedience. He is the counterpart, the intelligent, equal, powerful, broad-hearted, revered counterpart of our civilization. There he is as much a man as any of us, and in stature far above his depreciators and revilers. Livingstone thought so, so did Colenso, so did Wilberforce, and so does every one who knows, yes, and the many who will not. We might instance in

proof of this the religion of the Kaffir. He believes in one God, creator of heaven and earth, maker of men, divine spirit, father of our spirits, to whom the spirits of the departed return; God the prayer-hearer, the He believes in the posprayer-answerer. sibility of resurrection, in the perpetuated life of the dead. He has no fetish, no idols, no religious superstitions; and his social superstitions are only our social iniquities more crudely expressed than we express them. He has a moral law; his government is like our own; he is exactly what we are as the centuries have developed us, without the scaffolding by which we have reached our present culture; he is our civilization resultant minus the trappings. If some say this is too high a character, I answer it is neither high nor low; high and low smack of civilization as a fish-basket smells of fish. The world is one and has moved as one, and the resultant of heathenism is the resultant of civilization as far as intrinsic humanity goes. The difference is one of function; and the crowning glory of the African is that he is willing to own it in us; the crowning disgrace of civilization that it will not own the truth in him.-Rev. David Clement Scott, B. D., of Blantyre, British Central Africa, in the Mission Record, Sept., 1892.

Rev. J. Hinton Knowles, of the Church Missionary Society's mission in Cashmere, reports great progress in that part of the mission field.

GIFTS-A PLAN.

We are frequently asked by pastors and others for suggestions as to the best method of elicting interest in Foreign Missions and of taking up collections in our churches for this object. Ordinarily the pastor of any church and his session, far better than any one else, can devise the methods of benevolence best suited to that particular congregation.

There is such a diversity in our churches as regards their preferences in conducting their benevolent work that no plan can be very confidently recommended for general adoption. And we are very sure of this, that the best plan to be pursued in any church is that on which the pastor himself feels that he can work with the most complete satisfaction. In all cases success will depend upon his cordial and enthusiastic support.

We gladly suggest to our correspondents one plan for securing gifts for foreign missions which has been found very serviceable in many places, It has not only increased the gifts, but has often increased them many fold.

I.

According to this plan the pastor preaches his foreign missionary sermon not on the day of the collection, but two or three weeks before. A very important step indeed, however, is to be taken on the day of the sermon. This is the time to secure subscriptions for the cause. These to be collected a few Sabbaths later, on a designated day, as explained in Section III.

II.

Immediately after the sermon let persons previously appointed pass down the aisles placing in the hands of each one

of the congregation a slip of paper and a pencil in order that each one, young and old, parents and children, may then write upon the card the amount he is willing to give to Foreign Missions. It is needless to say how much depends upon the sermon, but, in addition to this let the endeavor be made to secure on that day a subscription from absolutely every one present. Invite in a special manner the help of those who may feel able to give only the very smallest sum.

The subscriptions can all be takenthe cards distributed, written upon, and then collected-in the space of a few minutes. The pastor should state at this time distinctly the day which may have been fixed upon for actually collecting the amounts subscribed.

III.

When the day for the collection itself has arrived let each subscriber, at home, place in an envelope the amount of his subscription, write upon it his name, in order that it may be known that his pledge is redeemed, and deposit it in the plate when the collection is taken.

On that day all strangers or others of the congregation who may not have been present to make their subscriptions, should be invited to join in the contribution.

The pivot of this plan is the sermon on subscription day, with the distinct and persuasive statement at that time of the plan itself. These can be aided, or prepared for the week previous, by the distribution in the church of leaflets on foreign missions, such as will be issued by the Board and given in any numbers desired on any pastor's request.

It is to be frankly stated that the subscription is substituted for a collection in

the hope of obtaining a more deliberate and therefore a more generous contribution. The Church has put her hand to this work of Foreign Missions. She is thoroughly embarked in it. To its support not only, but to its advance and enlargement she is irrevocably committed. It is called for both by honor to her distant missionaries and by the most sacred injunctions of our Lord Jesus Christ. An increase in the gifts of the Church is not a matter of mild desire; it is an absolute necessity. For three years in succession the gifts have fallen far behind the annual outlay. The present year opened with a debt of $54,000, which but for some gains in exchange would have been more than $70,000. While our missionaries in united outcry, the voice of our Lord, and the flashing signals of a favoring Providence bid us advance, we are so far from advancing that we have ceased to hold our We do well to consider plans. If plans are not both considered and carried out the foreign missionary arrest which has already begun, so far as the gifts of the Church are concerned, will darken into absolute disaster. Not for more than twenty years has such anxiety weighed on the hearts of the Board's officers concerning the resources for this work as now. Never have they met more frequently for counsel and for prayer. The missions themselves are everywhere waiting and appealing.

own.

There are pastors who, rather than adopt the particular method outlined above, will prefer to approach their parishioners personally, some of them at least, to lay the facts respecting the present exigencies and opportunities of our missions before them. And we can recount instances where this plan of personal approach has accomplished wonders. But governing all possible plans for enlarging foreign missionary contributions is this unquestionable fact: Subscriptions, after an opportunity for full information and

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thought,must take the place of the old plate collections. The method suggested above is dictated by this conviction.

Other methods will in some churches secure equal, perhaps larger results. Not however unless in all and each this idea is embodied, -a deliberate prayerful subscription, sought from every member of the congregation, instead of a mere plate collection. The wide campaign of our Church in foreign lands, whose banners are now planted in Christ's name in the midst of hundreds of millions of heathen, cannot advance on gifts born of momentary impulse and measured more by accident than by prayer.

[The plan above outlined has been issued in leaflet form with blank pledges which may be had on application to the treasurer of the Board, William Dulles, Jr., 53 Fifth Avenue, New York.]

The Board of Foreign Missions and the Women's Boards auxiliary to it are trying to keep pace with the widely extended and rapidly extending "Christian Endeavor" movement. The movement has already a strong hold on the young people of the Presbyterian Church, and it is important that among the various phases of Christian activity pressed upon their attention the "outcry" of the perishing millions in foreign mission fields should not be forgotten. By an arrangement between the Board of Foreign Missions and the Women's Boards connected with it circulars are now being issued to all Christian Endeavor Societies in the Presbyterian Church whose address is known, with a view to stimulating those already interested in foreign missions and of creating an interest on the part of those not yet committed to the work. Societies not yet enrolled as co-operating are given the option of contributing directly through the Board in New York or through the Woman's Board covering the territory within which the society is organized. The circulars referred to present certain

If the exploring party of the Gaboon and Corisco Mission under the leadership of the Rev. A. C. Good, Ph. D., have been able to carry out their plans, they are now pushing their way into the "Bush," in search of a field of labor among the interior tribes, away from the baleful influences of so-called "civilization" along the coast. The undertaking necessarily involves privation and hardship, and may not be without peril. Let the party and their noble enterprise be remembered fervently in prayer!

The subject of foreign missions seems to have been given a conspicuous place in the recent Free Church Assembly at Edinburgh. Some sixty of the students connected with that church have enrolled themselves in the Volunteer Movement. Three of these, representing the Colleges of Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh, addressed the Assembly on invitation. They were all graduates, and are spoken of as men of mark among their fellows. Their addresses made quite an impression on the Assembly. On what is known as

407

"Foreign Mission Night" fifty of these volunteers sat immediately in front of the Moderator, and four of them were among the speakers of the evening. It added immensely to the interest of the occasion. to have the Chairman announce that £3,000 had been received for the purpose of sending out some of the volunteers to the foreign field.

What is now known as the Republic of Colombia gained its independence from Spain, with Venezuela and Ecuador, in It was called at first the Republic

1819.

of New Granada. In 1857 this was changed to Confederation Granadina, made up of eight states. This became the United States of New Granada in 1861, changing two years later to the United States of Colombia. In 1885 the name bebecame the Republic of Colombia. The country is poorly cultivated, the people are unenterprising and the influence of the Church of Rome has palsied all progressiveness of spirit. Colombia is one of the most difficult of all our fields, most needy of patience, persistence and prayer.

Some of the difficulties of missionary life in Bogota may be imagined from the following list of prices: "During the past year potatoes have sold as high as $10, U. S. gold, for every 225 lbs. Corn has sold as high $100 gold (or more) for each 25 Coal oil varies from $1.10 to $1.25 gold, per gal. Wheat flour, 8 cts. gold per lb. Corn meal, 7 to 8 cts. gold per lb. Brown sugar, 10 to 13 cts. gold per lb. Tea, $1.20 to $1.25 gold, per lb. Meat, 15 to 16 cts. gold per lb. Butter, 35 to 52 cts. gold per lb. Chickens, 45 to 52 cts. gold each. Eggs, 15 to 25 cts. gold per doz. Lard, 28 to 32 cts. gold per Grapes, 80 cts. gold per bunch. Large apples, 15 to 50 cts. gold each. Plates, $2.60 gold per doz., common ware.

lb.

Although in the pages specially prepared for the Concert of Prayer, we have no articles or letters on Colombia, it happens that the pictures which we were able to secure are all iliustrative of that country, and we trust that they will serve to give it place in the thoughts and prayers of our readers.

NOTES ON INDIA MISSIONS.

The number of Christians in the Province of Bengal has grown during the last decade from 122,000 to 189,000. And yet some people talk about the failure of missions.

It is said that the Maharaja of Baroda and his queen have visited England, and among other things have dined with Her Majesty, Queen Victoria. A few years

since any Hindu ruler would have done this at the loss of his dominions.

Certain Hindu newspapers are greatly exercised over the work of the Zenana missionaries. They say, "they have opened their schools everywhere, and by their kindness to the people they have acquired so much influence that the people help them with their money and send their children to their schools. Here the girls are constantly taught that they should. abandon the religion of their fathers and accept the absurd teaching of the Bible and so to become infidels."

Another paper after stigmatizing Christians and Christianity as the enemies of the Hindus and Hinduism, says; "Nevertheless we may learn

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Dr.

something from our enemies. Pentecost has said much of the deficiencies of our religion. What he has said is true; we know it, as our leaders also know. And while we have not openly professed ourselves Christians nevertheless we have without any doubt adopted many of their ideas and customs."

Thoughtful Christian men greatly regret the fact that the native Christians are adopting the expensive and foolish funeral customs of Europeans.

The church in India has suffered a great loss in the death of Ram Chandra Bose. Converted under Dr. Duff, he made a profession of religion in connection with the Presbyterian Church. When Bishop Taylor visited India Mr. Bose received a new baptism and devoted himself entirely to the service of his Master. He undertook a special work for his countrymen and by his lectures and philosophical writings did much to overthrow the old religion of India and to build up the kingdom of God in the hearts and minds of the educated classes.

The Fourth Decennial Conference of missions in India will be held at Bombay in December. This will be the largest assembly of foreign missions ever held on earth.