Uganda, thence striking west through Toro, south to Lake Edward, across to the Kongo, and so down to Bolopo, where Baptist missionaries had the pleasure of welcoming him. He has now gone down to the Lower Kongo, and proposes to return to the East Coast via the Kasai, Sankuru, on to the Lualaba, thence south through Katanga to the head of the Cape-to-Cairo Railway, and across to his own mission in the Nyassaland and down the Zambesi. The journey is a remarkable illustration of the wonderful way in which the Dark Continent has been laid open. THE Germany's Loss in Africa HE complete conquest of German Southwest Africa on July 9th was preceded tho the fact was not known until later-by the capture of Ngaundere, an important town in the heart of the German Kamerun, presaging the speedy conquest of that great colony with an area of 191,000 square miles and a population of 2,540,000, the last remaining German colony except German East Africa. The loss of German Southwest Africa was the most serious of all, for that was the most prized of all German colonies and the one which had cost most. NORTH AMERICA The Y. W. C. A. at the Exposition HE building of the Young Women's Christian Association at the Panama-Pacific Exposition is having an average daily attendance of 3,870, and the Club House, erected in the pleasure concession, is rendering a unique service to the girls who are employed in the various attractions. One of the officials of the Exposition has stated "The Exposition management feels itself very fortunate in having the Young Women's Christian Association here. The value of the work from our point of view can not be measured, and our appreciation of all that you are doing can not be put into words." Among the activities that are being conducted are a cafeteria, a rest-room with a trained nurse, a nursery where mothers may check their babies, a night school for women employees, moving-pictures of Association work, and Sunday vesper services, the attendance at which has numbered as many as 2,100. A man passing through he building stopt one day to say, "If this is applied Christianity, certainly the subject is worth investigation," and many young women to whom the building has been indeed "A House of Friendliness," have exprest their intention of joining the Association when they return to their homes. ONE Immigration and the War NE of the marked effects of the European war has been the lessening by about two-thirds of the number of immigrants coming to our shores. An excellent opportunity is thus given to the entire country to consider carefully the heretofore too-much-neglected question of the treatment and protection of the alien after admission. Various agencies are facing this opportunity with seriousness. "The Committee for Immigrants in America" has awakened interest in the naturalization and Americanization of the immigrant. Boards of Education in many cities are united with them in this work. Commissioner Howe and his associates at Ellis Island and commissioners and officers of other ports are giving encouragement to these endeavors, and have inaugurated some excellent plans for improving the methods of receiving the immigrant and caring for those detained. The Home Missions Council and the Council of Women for Home Missions are seeking to formulate some plan by which the denominational forces engaged in this work at the ports of entry may unify their work and bring it into effective cooperation with all other agencies working toward the same end. Evangelistic Work Among Russians THER HERE are about one million Russians in the United States. Some of these are Jews but many of them belong nominally to the Russian "orthodox church." In reality they are largely ignorant of what Christianity really means. Rev. William Fetler of Petrograd, who is now in exile, hopes to devote his time during the present war to the evangelization of Russians in the United States. A Convention of Russian and Ruthenian Christians was recently held under his leadership in New York City, and was attended by fiftyeight delegates, some of whom came from Canada. A Russian Union was formed, and the following plans of work decided upon: The establishing of a brief Bible course for the Russian preachers and pastors and the preparation of a respondence course of lectures for such Russian preachers as could not attend the Bible course; the publication of a Russian religious monthly; the opening of a Russian Christian immigration home in the city of New York, and the sending out of evangelists. The Baptist City Mission Society plans to develop its work among Russians with the help of Rev. Michael Lodsin, a missionary at Ellis Island, who hopes to devote his whole time to reaching Russians in homes, restaurants, factories and on the streets of New York. Mormons and Polygamy "IT is apparent to all close observers that the Mormon Church does not intend to give up polygamy. It is plain, on the contrary, that they intend to establish it more firmly and that they will openly proclaim it again as a divine institution so soon as they think they are in a position to do so. Their every endeavor is to strengthen their position by extending their political control." These statements are attributed to Senator DuBois, of Idaho, and Rev. Frank L. Moore, Superintendent of Congregational Home Missions in Colorado, says that the good Mormon is actually proud of the institution of polygamy, and preaches it and teaches it in his Sunday-schools. He quotes from the most recently published Sunday-school outlines, and a pamphlet entitled "Doctrines and Covenants," including one called "Revelation on the Eternity of the Marriage Covenant, Including Plurality of Wives. Given through Joseph the Seer." In order to make these and similar facts widely known, the National Reform Association has been conducting for months an Anti-Mormon Crusade. BY Prohibition in Canada Y about 15,000 majority the Canadian province of Alberta has voted that the sale of liquor shall be prohibited throughout that domain after July 1, 1916. Under the law all liquors handled for medicinal, scientific, and sacramental purposes after July 1st will be handled by dispensaries under control of the government. Residents of the province may import liquor from other jurisdictions. Alberta's decision will have a profound effect in Manitoba, where a referendum is to be taken soon on prohibition. The nine provinces of the Dominion are now abreast of the United States in the fight on the liquor curse. In Prince Edward Island a provincewide prohibitory law is in effect, and in Nova Scotia a prohibition law applies to the entire province except the city of Halifax. In New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario local option laws have forbidden the sale of liquor in more than half of the towns. In Saskatchewan the private liquor trade was abolished beginning last July 1st, but a government dispensary system was authorized. A provincial license law alone governs liquor sales in British Columbia, while in the Northwest Territories sale of liquor is regulated by the law of the Dominion. A An Attack on Negro Education BILL which was introduced in the Georgia legislature to prohibit whites. from teaching blacks in that state was checked in committee. Leading white men in the state supported colored men in their opposition to the bill, and the press spoke out strongly against it. Its author, Senator Way, who claims to be a friend of the colored people, states that he was led to frame the bill because the students from the A. M. A. school in Dorchester, Ga., were so different from the ordinary type of negroes. Friends of mission schools see in this statement a striking tribute to the effectiveness of such institutions. The opponents of the bill are organized and endeavoring to keep it, if possible, from getting out of the committee, as there might be danger of its passage in case it came to a discussion in which race passion should be aroused. Its passage would seriously handicap, in the city of Atlanta alone, such institutions as Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Spelman Seminary, Clark University, and Gammon Theological Semi nary. T Industrial Training in Porto Rico San HE Polytechnic Institute at German, Porto Rico, is giving a Christian industrial education, and laying the foundations for a trained native leadership in the Church. Most of the boys and girls come from poor homes and have little money, but they are glad of an opportunity to work for an education. The students labor on farm and garden, in the kitchen and dining-room, in the laundry and sewing-room, and in workshops, and so bring the cost of living to the minimum. The Polytechnic Institute has had its main support from the Presbyterian Board of Home Missions; but the Board has decided that, owing to special financial stress, it can not grant the $5,000 required for next year's work. A LATIN AMERICA Mexico Wide Open to the Gospel CHRISTIAN worker in Mexico voices the general opinion of missionary experts, when he says that present unsettled conditions have created among the people an unprecedented desire for the Gospel of Christ. It may surprize some to know that in a great part of Mexico there is comparative peace. Even in districts where fighting is going on, conditions are the same as those found in any war-stricken country. They are not to be compared with the unrest and devastation in the war zones of Europe. "There is not a state of anarchy in Mexico," writes the missionary. "Bandits do not roam about the country plundering and murdering. The great crisis that Mexico faces to-day is one of finances. Mexican money is practically worthless to-day, making it impossible for merchants to import articles. Nevertheless, people continue to carry on their various trades. The worst conditions are to be found in cities. In the small towns and country districts, work goes on almost the same as usual." Dr. John W. Butler, of Mexico City, has made the statement that this is the golden opportunity for Christian work in Mexico. The religious interest manifested has never before been equaled. Missionaries are doing a larger work than ever and Protestant mission schools have more students than they can possibly handle. The feeling against Protestants that strongly prevailed for so many years, is now fading away, since Mexicans are coming to realize that Christ is a vital power to those who trust Him. Several officers in the various Mexican armies are young men who have attended mission schools, and naturally have created a favorable sentiment toward the missionaries. Mexico needs Christ. More than this, Mexico is beginning to realize her need of Christ. Social Service in South America ONE NE thing which the visitor to South America misses from the life of the young people generally, and especially from the lives of the young women, is the absorption in various forms of social service which has in the past few years become almost a passion among large numbers of our Christian young people in North America. The young woman of South America, beautiful and admirable in many ways, has, because of social customs, been taught to look forward only to marriage and home comforts as the ends of her existence. Higher education is therefore considered superfluous for women, and active participation in community betterment movements is almost unknown. In view of that fact, the work of Miss Estella C. Long, in Montevideo, Uruguay, is noteworthy. She has organized the first teacher-training class among young women of South America, and the girls are taking hold of their work eagerly. They are using as a text-book a Spanish translation of the late Dr. Hamill's "Legion of Honor" course, and are engaging in many "through-the-week activities" which are excellent forms of social service. They have organized a cradle-roll, and each girl is responsible for enrolling and caring for ten babies. They have also formed a sewing guild to provide clothing for the poor children of their community. BRITISH ISLES Indian Students in England DURING the year ending June 30, 1914, the British Government, through the Department of the Secretary for Indian students, spent £5,769 18s. 10d. for the purpose of being of assistance to Indian students in England. The Report on the work of the Indian Students' Department is of much interest. There are some 1,600 or 1,700 Indian students in schools in England. The need for the Department arises be cause of the unfamiliarity of prospective students with the conditions, both social and scholastic, which they will meet in England. They need to be informed of what preparation is necessary for entrance to the colleges; of what courses of study they can most profitably pursue, of where suitable lodgings can be secured, of what colleges are best suited to supply their wants, and a multitude of other things need to be made plain to them. E The Kikuyu Controversy Continued heard. Shortly after the publication of the decision of the Archbishop of Canterbury, which was reported in the July REVIEW, a number of clergymen met in Westminster, and adopted the following resolution: "That since the policy of admitting members of separatist bodies to Holy Communion, or of admitting them to preach in the pulpits of the Church, is contrary to ecclesiastical order, those present at this meeting pledge themselves, before renewing their subscriptions to foreign missions or making further collections in their behalf, to obtain in every case assurance that the practises mentioned above will not be permitted within the sphere of the mission to be supported." an It has been stated that 500 clergymen have pledged themselves to support this action. The Church Missionary Review comments: "It would be interesting to have an opportunity of looking over the list in order to discover how much the Church's missionary work will be affected in the event of the assurance demanded not being given. From another point of view, the humor of the position has not escaped some of the more logical minds of the party to which these gentlemen belong. A correspondent asks in the Church Times whether it lies within his province as a layman to demand such a pledge of a missionary bishop. We may press the further query, whether it lies within the province of a missionary society to demand. it ?" THE CONTINENT In the Trenches ONWARD, NWARD, a young people's paper published in Toronto, has the following to say about war and Christianity: "A wounded man, speaking of some of his mates, said that in the barracks they used to tell him that they were infidels; that they did not believe in God nor in Christianity-but that after their experience in the trenches they had lost their infidelity. They pray now,' said he. 'There are no infidels in the trenches.' "These men could deride Christian comrades in the quiet of the barracks, jeer at churches and ministers as they lounged idly in English towns, and applaud with great gusto infidel orators in the parks; but when those comrades were smitten dead beside them, or when they themselves, dreadfully wounded, lay upon the cold earth or languished in the hospitals, their infidelity oozed away, and their minds turned back to a mother's prayers, the simple Sundayschool songs, and the words of the great old Book to find there comfort and hope. "It is the old story which the ages have retold thousands of times over, that the religion of Christ is the one thing which abides all tests-good, supremely good, in peace and in war, in health and in suffering, in life and in death.” gusted with the attitude of the Papacy toward their poor country. They would be delighted to find a form of faith which would not do violence to their patriotism. This opportunity should be seized to start at once a real Christian and Evangelical propaganda, basing itself more especially on the Gospel of St. John, which is so welcome to so many Belgians who have been obliged to give up sectarian and dogmatic teaching. There is, besides, a distinguished Belgian, Comte Goblet d'Alvietta, now Ministre d'Etat and Vice-President du Senat of Belgium, who has always publicly upheld by speech and writings the Protestant propaganda in Belgium." Religion in German Prison Camps PROF. ADOLF DEISSMAN, of Ber lin University, writes that a mosque has been erected in the prison camp at Wünsdorf, for captured Mohammedans. On July 13th this mosque was dedicated in the presence of the Turkish Ambassador to Germany, Mahmud Mukhtar Pasha, and others connected with the Turkish Embassy in Berlin. The Moslem prisoners were told that the mosque was a gift from the Kaiser. Other religious services are held in German prison camps. A Church of England service every Sunday, conducted by Rev. H. M. Williams, the British Chaplain in Berlin, and Mr. A. J. Kemp, of the Hamburg Seamen's Mission. Wednesday evening services are interdenominational and are conducted by British prisoners. Roman Catholic mass is celebrated every morning, and German Protestant services at stated intervals. One notice reads: "In England there has been a great revival of family prayers. The late Lord Roberts started the movement. "In the camp there is five minutes of common prayer evenings at 9 o'clock. "The camp services are got up by men in camp for the camp. Suggestions and advice are always welcome." |