BAPTIST CHURCHES IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL EUROPE (Beginning at the left upper corner.) At Strandebarm, Norway; Rustchuk, Bulgaria: Fourth Church, Stockholm; Ebenezer Church, Hamburg; Kristuskapellet, Copenhagen. MISSIONARY MAGAZINE Vol. 86 FEBRUARY, 1906 No. 2 THE VOICES CHINA, awakened from her sleep of ages, cries loudly in hunger and stretches out her hands to the Western world for bread. While some in selfish greed toss her a stone or poisoned husks, shall not we, who follow Christ, give the bread of life? JAPAN has still her doors wide open to the world of thought as well as trade; she is just now conscious, as never before, of her need of God. Shall we deny to her our Father? Our obliga tion equals our oppor tunity. THE PHILIPPINE tenfold greater har more reapers. SOUTH INDIA, with broad fields, appeals millions starving for Say not ye, There are yet four ISLANDS Would yield vest had we fourfold scattered workers in through its destitute. the truth. Perhaps God has for us, besides the coming of the Sudras, another Pentecost, if we are faithful! BURMA, with 8,500 baptized last year, ASSAM and AFRICA, with chiefs confessing Christ as their Chief, villages asking for teachers, tribes pleading for preachers, races ready for the gospel, three lands utter cails that are commands to the Church of Christ. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. THE ANSWER No heart that is human can fail to heed these calls. The Christian hears also the voice of the Master who says, Go tell the news; go disciple the nations. What is the measure of our obedience to Christ and of our response to the appeal of the world's need and our opportunity? During the last nine months, ending December 31, the Baptists of the North have given through the Missionary Union, $111,602.99, as compared with $110,706.20 last year. To close the year without debt, we must raise $398,977.48. But, Baptists of the North, this does not take account of the 50 per cent. increase to which God calls us! When the work calls for a doubling of investment, can we do less than increase our offering 50 per cent. this year? The year ends March 31. What is your share? Plan and act now. Behold, now is the day of Jehovah's favor. 45 APPEAL OF A STRICKEN PEOPLE T REV. T. S. BARBOUR, D.D. FOREIGN SECRETARY HE movement for relief of conditions in the Congo State, in which the Missionary Union has profound interest, has reached a new era. A commission, appointed by the king as a means of forestalling the international investigation which an aroused public sentiment was demanding, confirms in all essential respects the reports of horrors from which the helpless people of the interior of that state are suffering. It was feared that the investigation by a commission appointed by the government would be superficial and ungenuine, as earlier local investigations had been. But it seems. that the commissioners were overwhelmed by the disclosures by which they were met. The king withheld their report from publication for a period of eight months, and there is evidence that the strenuous influences exerted during this time modified the report in some degree. But the report as it stands suffices. . The facts now made incontestable are unspeakably dreadful. Indeed, in the very awfulness of the story the king has thus far had a form of protection, for few can bring themselves to read the sickening details, and the general public is incredulous. A powerful pamphlet has now been issued by the Congo Reform Association, presenting large extracts from the report of the commission and incorporating with these what the commission's report does not give the evidence laid before the commission by missionaries and natives during their stay in Africa. Ten cents sent - to the Association, 710 Tremont Temple, Boston, will secure this pamphlet, which should have wide examination in the interests of a wronged and dying people whose piteous, hopeless appeal pleads from its pages. Those who read their testimony, I think, will agree that, taken for all in all, it presents the darkest story known to the history of the world, and this in a territory accepted by Western nations as an international trust and under a government which, when its fate hung in the balance, the United States was first to recognize. And what is now to be done? It would seem incredible, in view of the record of infamy now attaching to the government of the Congo State, that the thought of committing to that government reform of the conceded conditions should be entertained. But the king is as plausible in professions of benevolent intentions as he was when originally seeking recognition as ruler of the Congo State. It is announced that he has appointed a body of fourteen advisers to assist him in the effort for reform twelve members of this body having been directly involved with his Congo policy. The peril of the present moment, against which Christian people should guard by every resource of effort and prayer, is that the crisis now reached will carelessly be suffered to pass without intervention by the constituted guardians of this international territory, and that its helpless people will be left for another indefinite period to the pitiless rule under which they are now crushed and well-nigh expiring. The movement for awakening the people of our own country to their responsibility and opportunity in this work is growing in intensity. The Congo Reform Association, with which representatives of the Missionary Union are earnestly cooperating, is now become of large influence. It is just now appealing very widely to pastors, and through them to members of Christian churches and Christian communities, with the aim of diffusing information and arousing public interest and, at the same time, securing funds greatly needed for the prosecution of its work. Combined effort in petitions to senators and members of Congress is earnestly urged. We bespeak from our readers a heartfelt |