Missionary Prospects in South Africa.

"Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand." 1 Kings xviii. 43, 44.

Dr Livingstone's career must be considered as opening out a new æra for South Africa. Although the missionary prospects of this region were before and are improving, still clouds and sunshine chequer the rising scene. Yet, in the event, the dawn of the morning of joy shall usher in upon this continent and elsewhere, the rising of the Sun of righteousness, which shall be for the healing of the nations, streaming with undiverted ray in azure and purple and gold over the everlasting hills of eternity, dispelling those doubts, fears and perplexities, as well as the unbelief and sinfulness which prevent the soul from seeing and being united with her Creator.

The Mission-field in South Africa.

"Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest." St John iv. 35.

In the infant days of the Church, Africa seemed destined to be evangelized from the north. Such is not at present the prospect. Then were Councils and Synods held by African bishops, the decrees of which went forth apparently as a final authority in matters ecclesiastical, not only in Africa, but also in Europe and Asia. Then was the glory of the early Church upheld at Alexandria and Carthage, these cities being great centres of episcopal authority. Then did African martyrs and African confessors live the lives of saints and die the deaths of Christian heroes. Then were intellect, rank and the best qualities of our nature, sanctified and adorned by Christian gifts and graces, which made Africa appear to be the chosen genial soil wherein grace, mercy and truth might germinate and fructify. But no; all there is now almost a

natural and spiritual desert. The glory is thence departed, but is not to be forgotten. Time hath written Ichabod upon its shattered escutcheon in characters which even the dust of centuries has not effaced. Still some faint spiritual splendour flickers around it, phosphorescent though it be. The light is all but put out in the north, and must now advance from the other three quarters.

Travellers, voyagers, men of science and missionaries are by degrees telling us their wondrous stories of this land of mystery. It is now for the Christian to go in and possess it. The way is open and opening. The Apostles who go must be those of Christ; not those of mammon, of mere adventure, or proud ambition. In too many cases the white man's look on the poor negro has been that of the fascination of the basilisk, leading to harm and destruction. His breath has been that of moral and spiritual pestilence, his feet have been swift to shed blood, and his very presence has been like that of the baleful upas tree. Let not this be the case in central Africa. It is for the Christian Church to occupy this field first with her faithful ambassadors of Christ. Let these speak first of the white man's God; not of mammon, not of reason, not of pleasure, not of this world, but his God-the Trinity in Unity, reconciled by the sacrifice of a suffering Saviour. Let these shew the beauty of holiness by living that Gospel which the Church professes, teaches and believes. Then, if Satan's servants come afterwards, these keen clear-sighted savages will at once discern the wheat from the chaff, and, by God's grace, cling to the white man's good and eschew his blighting evil.

Dr Livingstone says most decidedly that the interior is the most promising sphere for missionary labours. Not only are the people less savage, but such operations may have great influence on the slave-trade. He has presented this odious traffic to the world in a new aspect; enabling us now to know both its real sources and principal abettors in the interior, as well as its probable cure.

wants be met? What shall we do to increase the supply of men? Looking at these questions just now solely with respect to the fact that God does deign to work out some of even his grandest purposes through the instrumentality of human means, we appear to want more systematic and energetic missionary action in our Universities, and increased means of familiarizing the mind with the reality of the work and its pressing needs. A greater familiarity with foreign countries, languages, races, manners, customs, and religions, appears to be a great desideratum.

We would venture to suggest the importance of a good Missionary Museum, and Reading Room, containing an appropriate Library comprising not only books treating directly and indirectly on the subjects under review, but also maps and atlases, as well as lexicons and grammars referring to the languages and dialects the most employed by missionaries in their intercourse with the heathen. To all this, copies of the Scriptures and Prayer-Book printed in the same tongues might advantageously be added; together with a collection of autograph letters written home by missionaries and travellers, as well as a number of their portraits—the reports and current literature of the Home and Foreign Protestant Missionary Societies being added to all. Moreover occasional meetings for prayer, conversational and general missionary purposes, carried on in strict subordination to academical duties and pursuits, must be highly important.

The frequent presence of eminent missionaries and travellers among such a body would also produce an effect of untold consequence. The strangeness and perplexity of idea pertaining to foreign lands and races would perhaps hereby be worn away more effectually by such intercourse than by any other means, except the fact of actually going to see, hear and feel for oneself.

Of course we bear in mind the truth that "the Lord of the harvest will thrust forth labourers into His harvest.” But

Men will go thence in time as labourers in connexion with this Mission'. The proposal made by Dr Wolfe, and by the Rev. G. Williams, of King's College, to establish here hostels wherein to educate native students who are members of the ancient Greek, Coptic, and Armenian Churches, happily meets with favour, and we would say, "God speed" to such a project.

In learning directly from us, such students thus gathered from all quarters of the world, can likewise indirectly teach. They can acquire and carry home our notions of constitutional government, our literature, philosophy, learning, science, and principles of the Christian faith; and they can leave behind impressive lessons how that differences in colour, speech, custom, and nationality do not destroy that grand common sacred truth and tie of all men being brethren, one in blood, children of one Heavenly Fatherfellow-sufferers in one disastrous fall-co-heirs in Christ's one meritorious atonement-partakers of one general judgment, and recipients of one irreversible sentence, awarding them either everlasting happiness or everlasting woe in the world to come.

Very briefly we will now consider this Mission under three titles.

1.

The origin, history, and progress of the Mission. 2. The principles and plan of operations on which this Mission is founded, as well as its prospects of success.

3. Good reasons why this Mission ought to be supported2.

1 I have just received a letter from his lordship, dated Bishop's Court, Cape Town, 19th March, 1860, wherein he says most encouragingly respecting the College :-"My work, I am thankful to say, is going on well. The Kafir College is flourishing. I hope to baptize six of the young men at Easter. I have purchased a fine property with extensive buildings near to Cape Town for the College."

2 These principles will be more extended in the Tract-Manual, "Central Africa; its Missions and Missionaries." In the Companion

1. The origin, history, and progress of the Mission.

"A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps." Prov. xvi. 9.

"Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them; for I have sent them." Acts x. 20.

Origin of the A truthful statement of this origin does not Mission. proceed from egotism on my part, but simply to set at rest a point concerning which many conflicting accounts have already been put forth to the world; some of them being most unjust and injurious to myself. In fact, a statement of the real origin of the Mission has never yet been published.

I met Dr Livingstone in London, in May, 1857. On that occasion I asked him to come and lecture at Cambridge on Africa, promising to try and get the Senate-House, and hereby ensure him an audience of 2000 persons, provided that he came during full term. In reply, he said that he could not come; that he had been to Oxford (which I did not before know) as well as other places, and that he should not lecture again before leaving the country. I represented to him the importance of influencing such an audience in behalf of Africa, especially when he considered the vast questions concomitant therewith. On these representations he consented to come, God willing, in November or December, if I could get him such an audience, and if any good could be done towards stimulating that Missionary zeal which I had told him was so warm and active in the University.

Early in the following November I revived the question by commencing a correspondence on the subject which extended to several letters on either side. In one letter Dr Livingstone's own words are; "As it seems to be of great importance to get the young men of the Universities informed, and perhaps interested in Missions to the heathen, Tract-Manual, facts will be condensed concerning "Central Africa ; its Travellers and their Explorations."