a minute as to its future management, in which this passage occurs:

1866. 20th November. “5. That with reservation of the interests of existing agents all the agents charged with the management of the farm or other industrial departments connected with the Seminary, should hereafter be paid from the proceeds of these departments." 6 provides that "so soon as native congregations are formed, the care of them ought, as speedily as possible, to be consigned to a native pastorate in time to be supported by natives themselves, while the European missionaries should be free to press on to the regions beyond." 8 and 9 urge cooperation and union with the Churches of the Colony, in accordance with the minute of 1864.

After eight years' work on such lines, Stewart returned to Scotland on furlough, to raise funds for a large extension of the institution, which has ever since been an arts, divinity, industrial, and medical college, the first in Africa. Lovedale, under forty years of his work, has evangelized the Bantu race, or the Kafirs, Fingoes, and Zulus south of the equator. Its supremacy, in influence and efficiency, has been acknowledged by the whole Reformed Church. The spiritual and the political results of Lovedale, and its sister institutions at Blythewood, Overtoun, and Kikuyu, every decade reveals.

Dr. Stewart's personal influence on the six colonies and states south of Zambesi, and that of his writings, especially his "Kafir Vocabulary," and "Dawn in the Dark Continent,' was immense.

Dr. Stewart dictated this message to the missionaries of all the Churches just a week before his death:

DEAR SIR: The recommendation of the recent Inter-Colonial Native Affairs Commission, with regard to the establishment of a central native college aided by the various states for training native teachers, and in order to afford opportunities for higher education to native students, has, no doubt, occupied your thoughts. As the proposal is being discussed by natives all over the country, and in view of any action the government may take to give practical effort to the recommendation, it seems well that expression should be given to the opinion of missionaries, and especially of

those directly connected with the education of the more advanced native students. "I therefore write you, and to other European missionaries, to ask you to assist in carrying out this scheme for the advancement of native education throughout South Africa, that we, by cooperation with one another, and cooperation with the governments, may insure the missionary and interdenominational character of the proposed college.

Representatives of one hundred and fifty thousand of the South African natives, who owe all they are to the missionaries, have petitioned the King's High Commissioner, Lord Selborne, and the governors accordingly. The Anglican Bishop of Lebombo, recently addressed to the Bishop of St. John's Bloemfontein, a most catholic testimony to the work of James Stew

art and to its results:

September 2, 1905.

I had opportunity of talking over the rumor that Dr. Stewart feels that the work at Lovedale has been a failure, with Mr. Lennox, and of letting Dr. Stewart himself know that I wanted to speak to him on that subject.

He broached the subject of the rumor to me, and wanted to know in what way the work at Lovedale was to be regarded as a failure-whether financially, or intellectually, or spiritually, or politically, or morally. He most emphatically denied that he considered it a failure in any of these ways, and stated that if he were to begin his life-work over again he would not wish to spend his energy in a different way.

To the financier he would reply that the books of the Institution showed that, from the time when fees were first charged to the end of 1903, the pupils or their relatives had contributed in fees not less than £63.734 towards the expenses.

He would refer the educationalist to the examination records of the Cape University and the Educational Department, which show that between the years 1886 and 1900 the certificates gained by Lovedale students numbered 836.

To the Christian he could point to the men trained at Lovedale who had been thought worthy of office in the ministry of various denominations, or were employed as catechists and evangelists. The figures up to the year 1903 showed that 57 ministers and 55 evangelists or catechists were old Lovedale boys. The ecclesiastical bodies employing them, included, besides the Free Church, the Baptist, Church of England, Congregationalist, Huguenot, Moravian, and Wesleyan.

To the politician he would point out the number of former students who had served their king and country in various branches of the civil service as interpreters, magistrates' clerks, and in postal and telegraph work, 112; in railway and police work, 86; school teachers, 768.

To the moralist he would dwell on the numbers still retained in official positions in spite of the fact that others, either white or black, would be ready at once to step into their places if any moral flaw could be detected which would justify the authorities in declaring their posts vacant.

In one way only did he consider that there had been failure. He was willing to allow that, if he himself and those who worked with him had corresponded more

perfectly to the grace of God, results would have been more satisfactory still.

With proper Christian humility he had spoken of his work in connection with Lovedale as falling very far short of his ideals. It is quite easy to see how this would give rise to the saying that he feels the work at Lovedale to have been a fail

ure.

The Foreign Mission Committee have cordially invited Rev. James Henderson, of Livingstonia, to the office of Principal in succession to Dr. Stewart. This invitation was given prior to his death, and in accordance with his own request.

Upon the surface it would seem far easier than it is, to enlist interest on the part of western Christendom in its missionary task among pagan nations. The Church to whom the appeal is made is a called-out body, supposedly standing apart from the world, with a new nature prompting it to seek the renewal of all men,-a post-Pentecost people, intended to be endued with power through many tongues to reach all nations with the Gospel. Practically, however, it is very much to expect that even this elect body, as a whole, or as yet even in the majority of its membership, will habitually live in the spirit of its ideals. Many as are the bars to the outward extension of Christianity which have been removed, such as territorial separations by seas not yet navigable, difficulties of language, and the corruptions on the part of the Church not yet arrived at a proper self-understanding, nevertheless there still remain difficulties peculiar to this high task. Multitudes have little appreciation of the real status of the heathen; many have little power of imagination to construct

even in thought the practical situation abroad to be dealt with; and the number is yet comparatively few who from training, from insight into world conditions, or from grasp of the Divine program, can easily bring themselves to attack the problem. The fact that this is the most unselfish of all undertakings, is grounded in the deepest paradoxes of Christianity,grasped by few until too late to commit themselves to new enterprises,still further makes it all seem a faroff dream, beyond one's power seriously to grapple. It is for the few, therefore, who do enter into the situation, to make this cause their own, to maintain patience with the multitude in whom indeed the spirit may be willing, while the flesh is weak, and to go on and do the work.

At the very basis of all intelligent and lasting interest in this work is insight into the Holy Scriptures. But this can come only to those who patiently burrow into them, who learn to read between the lines, who live in the spirit of the new vision, and so come into the spirit of the Divine Master. And, even after one has him

self acquired such insight, it must ever be difficult so to expound to others those Scriptures as that they will be brought into the same spirit, and so become rewrought into the new habit of missionary endeavor. Now there is no nostrum for producing this change in men, inasmuch as there is no method, apart from actual experience of deeper things-whereby one may be initiated into the secrets of a missionary Christianity.

The missionary interpretation of the Scriptures then is the fundamental means of deepening interest in missions. It is a sorry thing to have to say that, in many parts, this form of effort is little relied upon, as a practical measure, either in England or America. Indeed, in some societies, the fiscal or business end of the management has by far the greater prominence in the public presentations of the cause. In our judgment, no defect in policy can be graver. The mission cause which is not developing a spiritually interpretative function in setting forth the very genius of the work, as expressing the mind of Christ, has already entered upon its decline: for even Christians will not long be moved to give care or money in directions involving the most costly. self-sacrifice the expatriation of missionaries, the endurance of pestilential climates, and the contact with the grossest moral evils in the human race on the basis of appeals, primarily pecuniary. Men little care to pay for privileges like these. Unless therefore the vision of Christ is experienced by the advocate of missions, and by the Spirit is transmitted to others, little headway will be made in developing the missionary conscience.

Of course, there is much value in the personal narrations and testimonies of exceptionally gifted and heroic missionaries, as from time to time they come before the churches. The presentation of new appointees for service, aflame with exalted ideals, but as yet existing largely in the realm of sentiment, will also evoke considerable sympathy, and shame the stay

at-home portion of the Church into larger benevolence. But even this idealization of the work felt by the few in new qualms of conscience, will not endure unless fed with more heavenly oil.

Even the study of missions, under whatever form conducted, and especially if emphasized chiefly in the intellectual realm, may, after all, leave only a product of speculative value, because something more than mere intelligence is needed. It is often said. that if people only better understood, intellectually speaking, what missions have been and are, they would be more interested. But motive as well as intelligence must be awakened, and to open the inner springs, the conscience, and the will, as well as the understanding, must be moved. Hence the Bible and its most sagacious interpretation, in speech and literature is, after all, the ultimate power, to reach the Church and animate it.

If indeed the missionary deputationer at home on furlough with living accounts of his work, can be seconded by the sympathetic missionary secretary, or, better yet, by the local pastor of the church visited, combining their two-fold testimony, namely, that from experience and that from some principle of God's Word, so that the man of God and the Word of God are joined in the appeal, the profoundest stirrings of heart may be expected.

The use of the missionary conference in important centers, lasting one, two, or three days, to which the writer and many others have been giving themselves, in past years, is an agency of the deepest value, for moving the pastorate to proper cooperation. There is not time in the ordinary annual meetings, which must be more or less formal and perfunctory, to deal with the great principles, the spiritual verities, which lie at the root of the whole missionary undertaking. There is need to develop among circles of kindred spirits the meditative habit under the influence of a face-to-face vision of the Biblical forms of missionary truth,

the concrete statements of the missionary worker from the front, and the normal relationships of a pastor to his flock.

There is, of course, an important place for the presentation of the financial needs of the work, and for the employment of the best skill in securing contributions; but this is always a secondary subsidiary process. If one is to keep the fountain open and flowing, the deeper springs must be tapped; merely to appeal for money over and over again and in ever increasing amounts, apart from the most glowing presentation of the Christian motives, is to draw from a broken cistern. Any missionary society thus doing will dry itself up, will cut itself off from the sympathies to which it is entitled.

But someone will ask, what is meant by the missionary interpretation of the Bible? Will the Church not tire of hearing sermons on the great commission? Yea, doubtless; but if, as one reads the Bible, he comes to find that every narrative, miracle, record of the Spirit's work, as in The Acts; every Epistle, in its multitudinous parts, each and all are alive with the very Spirit of our Lord, then the case will be different. Since all this is essentially Christian, the people will not tire, if presented with freshness and holy elation of spirit. Christianity itself can not be properly interpreted without involving its practical corollaries, and these all are missionary. For example, God's covenant with Abraham, in its compass was missionary. The supreme function of Israel as a people was intended to be missionary, and for the failure to make it so Israel lost her kingdom; the temple itself was intended to be "a house of prayer for all nations." Failing to be this, it became "a den of thieves," as does everything human and earthly, stopping short of the Divine intent. Christ's very incarnation was missionary, his death was such, his resurrection, his ascension, and the gift of the Spirit of Pentecost. The Acts were the outworking of it; the

Epistles, the exposition of it; the Apocalypse, the unveiling of it in destiny; and all together were component parts of the self-realization of the Christ, the new Adam of the

race.

To be yet more specific: in the Acts, (i-2) we are reminded that Jesus "was received up"-in the ascension-"after that he had given commandments through the Holy Spirit unto the apostles whom he had chosen." Observe the reviser's change suggested, literally "the commanding"

rather than the plural "commandments," as in the common version. Of course, a close observation of Scripture only would discern a point like this, but the discernment makes all the difference with the impression received. Luke is virtually saying that Jesus could not ascend to his glory again until he had reached a given goal; that goal, the commanding of the Church to do a specific thing, namely to evangelize the nations. The whole axis then of Christ's incarnate career, as related first to the earth, and then to his continued work in heaven, turned upon the promulgation of the supreme command to evangelize mankind. Everything on earth in Christ's career led up to that goal, and everything on the Heaven side of his exalted service starts from it. If World-Evangelization then, is the most pivotal matter in connection with the work of the Redeemer, then the work of missions is no subordinate, subsidiary thing, optional with the Church to take up or not; but the one vital thing, without which, from Christ's point of view, all else is disordered. Numberless instances like this in which missions are implied as integral to Christianity-as lying at its very heart-abound in the New Testament. The man who is not a careful student of the Word, will never see them, and he who is not in the spirit of that Word will not care to see them: and hence because of ignorance on the one hand, and of indisposition of the carnal heart on the other, the cause dearest to Christ goes