EASTERN AFRICA 
 
 AS A FIELD FOR 
 
 MISSIONAEY LABOUE 
 dFour Etttcrs 
 
 TO 
 
 HIS GRACE THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. 
 
 BY THE 
 
 ET. HON, SIE BAETLE FEEEE, G.C.S.I., K.C.B., D.C.L., 
 
 MEMBER OF THE INDIAN COUNCIL, AND PKESIDENT OF THE 
 KOrAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. 
 
 WITH A MAP. 
 
 LONDON: 
 JOHN MUEEAY, ALBEMAELE STEEET. 
 
 1874. 
 
 \JXlOht of Translation reserved.] 
 
By the same Author. 
 
 THE BENGAL FAMINE. How it will be Met, 
 and How to Prevent Future Famines in India. 
 With 3 Maps. Crown 8vo. 5^. 
 
 RESULTS OF INDL\N MISSIONS. Third 
 
 Edition. Small 8vo. 2s. dd. 
 
 " A very important contribution to the history and prospects of missionary 
 enterprise in Hindostan." — Scotsman. 
 
 "This very interesting essay." — Record. 
 
 " Sir Bartle Frere's work is highly valuable for the information which it 
 gives, and as containing the testimony of one eminently entitled to be listened 
 to with respect." — Edinburgh Courani. 
 
 " Sir Bartle Frere gives a most interesting account of the progress of 
 mission work in India."— Z>ai7y Revii'iv. 
 

 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 INTKODUCTOEY .. .. T 
 
 FIEST LETTER:— 
 
 Great Field for Missionary Labour on East African Coast . . 1) 
 
 Classes of Population . . . . . . . . • • • • lU 
 
 L Foreigners .. .. .. •• •• •• W 
 
 Europeans .. .. •• •• 1" 
 
 Americans and Asiatics .. .. .. -• 10 
 
 Arabs -. •• 10 
 
 Indians .. .. .. .. •• ■- •• 10 
 
 11. African Eaces of Mixed Descent .. .. .. 11 
 
 1. Swahili, Inhabitants of Coast .. .. .. 11 
 
 2. Gallas U 
 
 3. Somalis 12 
 
 4. Comoro Islanders .. .. .. .. •• 12 
 
 III. Negro Eaces .. .. .. •• •• •■ 13 
 
 Languages .. .. .. -• •• •• 13 
 
 Philological Works and Translations, completed or 
 
 in progress . . . . .... . . . . 14 
 
 Existing Eeligions .. .. .. .. ■• 14 
 
 Fetish Superstition of Negro Eaces— Position of its 
 
 disciples in relation to Christianity . . . . 15 
 
 A -2 
 
4 Contents. 
 
 FIEST LETTER {couimunV):— 
 
 ^ ' PAGE 
 
 Christianity of former (lays .. .. .. .. 16 
 
 Islam .. .. .. .. .. .. •• 17 
 
 Numbers of various Races within reach of Mission- 
 aries from the Coast . . . . . . . • 20 
 
 SECOND LETTER :— 
 
 ^Missionary Agencies now at work . . . . . . . . 22 
 
 Roman Catholic Jlission at Aden ., .. .. .. 23 
 
 Universities' Mission at Zanzibar and Magila .. .. 24 
 
 French Mission at Zanzibar and Bagamoyo . . . . . . 48 
 
 Church Missionary Society's Mission at Mombassa and 
 
 Ivissoludini .. .. .. .. .. .. •• 59 
 
 Mission of United Methodists' Free Churches at Ribe ,, 60 
 Other Stations suggested as suitable for Missionary Es- 
 tablishments .. ., .. .. .. .. .. 63 
 
 Portuguese Clergy at Ibo and Mozambique .. .. .. 66 
 
 French Priests at Mayotte and Nossi Be . . . . . . 66 
 
 Native Malagash Church at Majunga, in Madagascar .. 66 
 
 Comoro Islands .. .. ,, .. .. .. 68 
 
 THIRD LETTER :— 
 
 Recapitulation as to work to be done on the East Coast of 
 Africa .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 69 
 
 Ideal pattern of a completely organised Christian Mission 
 to uncivilised races .. .. .. .. .. .. 70 
 
 Practice of the early Church in dealing with uncivilised 
 communities .. .. .. .. .. ... .. 71 
 
 Departure from that practice in many of the ]\Iissionary 
 Societies of the Reformed Churches in the eighteenth and 
 nineteenth centuries .. .. .. .. ., .. 71 
 
Contents, 5 
 
 THIED LETTER {confuumT) :— 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Adherence of others to the primitive practice . . . . 72 
 Principle that in Clu'istian Missions nothing should be 
 
 neglected which is necessary to the organisation of a 
 
 perfectly civilised Christian Society .. .. .. 73 
 
 Necessary prominence of clerical element ,. .. .. 74 
 
 Branches in which lay element may be most useful . . . . 74 
 
 Medical Missionaries .. .. .. .. .. .. 75 
 
 A certain amount of medical training should be required 
 
 in all missionaries . . . . . . . . . . , . 75 
 
 Exclusively Sledical Missionaries — their School and College 
 
 Training .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 76 
 
 Nurses .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. HU 
 
 Philologists and Scholars . . . . . . . . . . fe'O 
 
 •Teachers and Schoolmasters .. .. .. .. .. 81 
 
 Printers ,. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 81 
 
 Artisans, Mechanics, and Agriculturists .. .. .. 83 
 
 Note.— The " General Instructions " of the S. P. G., and of 
 
 the London Missionary Society .. .. .. .. 85 
 
 FOUETH LETTER:— 
 
 Means of supplying what is wanted by Missions in Eastern 
 
 Africa 94 
 
 Terms of engagement for Missionaries, clerical and lay . . 95 
 
 Questions of Cehbacy of Agents employed 96 
 
 Objection on score of expense : Answered .. .. ., 97 
 
 Selection of Agency 99 
 
 Connection of each Mission with special localities in our 
 
 own country .. ,. .. .. .. .. .. 100 
 
 Eaising of Funds 101 
 
6 Co7ttents. 
 
 FOURTH LETTER {continued):— 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Connection of Missions with University Life, and studies of 
 
 Churchmen '. .. •• 102 
 
 Example : study of Semitic Languages .. .. .. 103 
 
 Canon Westcott's suggestions . . . . . . . . . . 105 
 
 Direct connection between misbelief or unbelief in Chris- 
 tendom, with the varying forms of Rehgion and Phi- 
 losophy in Heathendom .. .. .. .. .. 107 
 
 Aid to be derived from India. C. M. S.'s African Orphanage 
 
 at Nassick. Free Church Institution, Bombay . . , . 107 
 General Missionary Library in England .. .. .. 113 
 
 Co-operation of difierent ]\Iissionary Societies in this and 
 similar ixndertakings .. .. .. .. .. ..114 
 
 Application of princijiles above stated to Missions in East 
 Africa .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 114 
 
 Opinions of Dr. Steere .. .. .. .. .. .. 115 
 
 Conclusion .. .. .. .. .. .. 117 
 
 The Ma.p of East Africa to be placed at the end. 
 

 INTEODUCTOEY. 
 
 TO HIS GEACE THE ARCHBISHOP OF 
 CANTERBURY. 
 
 My dear Lord Archbishop, 
 
 These pages have grown out of a letter I began 
 writing to your Grace on board H.M.S. Enchantress, on 
 the East Coast of Africa, descriptive of what had been 
 seen and heard by the late Mission to Zanzibar, of a 
 nature likely to be of special interest to you as Metropo- 
 litan of our Established National Church. 
 
 I submit them simply as a collection of notes and 
 suggestions, certain that anything they may contain 
 likely to be useful will be applied in whatever way you 
 may think best calculated to promote the preaching of 
 the Gospel among the races of Eastern Africa. 
 
 I make no apology for anything I have said regarding 
 other branches of Christ's Church which are not in direct 
 communion with our own ; partly because I know that 
 everything connected with any section of the Church 
 at large interests you personally ; but more because — 
 
8 Introductory . 
 
 in the presence of the great superstitions which keep 
 those lands- in intellectual and moral darkness, and which 
 degrade such vast portions of mankind to the level of 
 the beasts that perish — the diiferences of discipline or of 
 dogma which divide us so sharply here at home, are so 
 dwarfed that all seem to fight under one banner. I met 
 in Africa few who would not gladly welcome, as a brother 
 and fellow-labourer, any one who came to work alongside 
 them in the spirit which your Grace has always manifested 
 in dealing with sincere Christians, though they may be 
 here unhappily divided from us by sectarian or doctrinal 
 differences ; and I feel sure that many who in this country 
 might scruple to acknowledge your authority, further than 
 as by human law established, would gladly, if the means 
 of doing so offered, take counsel with you and of you 
 regarding matters of eternal moment to Africa ; and 
 would on those shores recognise, as moved by the Holy 
 Ghost, any teachers who you may send forth animated by 
 the same spirit of Christian love and catholic charity 
 which has directed your Grace's dealings with all who 
 bear the name of Christ in these lands. 
 
 I remain, with sincere respect, 
 Your Grace's faithful and obedient Servant, 
 
 H. B. E. FKERE. 
 
FIEST LETTEE. 
 
 Great Field for Missionary Labour on 
 
 East African Coast. 
 Classes of Population. 
 I. Foreigners : — 
 Europeans. 
 
 Amei'icans and Asiatics. 
 Arabs. 
 Indians. 
 II. African Races of Mixed De- 
 scent : — 
 
 1. Swahili, Inhabitants of 
 
 Coast. 
 
 2. Gallas. 
 
 3. Somalis. 
 
 4. Comoro Islanders. 
 
 III. Negro Races : — 
 
 Languages. 
 
 Philological Works and Trans- 
 lations, completed or iu pro- 
 gress. 
 
 Existing Religions. 
 
 Fetish Superstition of Negro 
 Races — Position of its Dis- 
 ciples in relation to Chris- 
 tianity. 
 
 Christianity of former days. 
 
 Islam. 
 
 Numbers of various Races 
 within reach of Missionaries 
 from the Coast. 
 
 It would be difficult to find elsewhere so wide or so 
 favourable a field for missionary labour as the East African 
 coast and islands present at this moment, from the mouth 
 of the Eed Sea to the Portuguese frontier near Cape 
 Delgado, in lat. 11° S., and including the Comoro and 
 other islands off that coast. In no other country that I 
 know do artificial obstacles to success appear so small ; 
 and there are probably few parts of any continent where 
 so little has been hitherto done by Christian nations to 
 pre-occupy the ground. 
 
J o Eastern Africa 
 
 Eegarded from a missionary point of view, the people 
 may be divided into three great classes : one consisting 
 of foreigners and persons of foreign descent ; the other 
 two of people whose origin is more or less purely African. 
 
 I. 
 
 Leaving for the present out of account the few Euro- 
 peans and Americans who are found on the coast, the 
 foreigners are : — 
 
 1 . Arabs — who are settled as a ruling class on the coast 
 and islands, and at a few points in the interior, from 
 Egypt to the Portuguese frontier. They intermarry 
 freely with the people of the country ; and men with 
 more or less admixture of Arab blood are" found in 
 influential positions, as owners of large property and 
 as local chiefs under the Arab Sultan of Zanzibar, and 
 sometimes as independent rulers in the Comoro Islands, 
 Angoxa, and elsewhere. They are generally Muham- 
 medans of the Ibudivah sect. 
 
 2. Indians — generally traders from the western coasts 
 of India. Two or three of the Hindoo trading castes : 
 Bhattias principally, with a few Banians and Lohanas ; 
 and three castes of Muhammedan sectaries^ — Khojahs, 
 Borahs, and Mehmons — all speaking and writing some 
 form of Guzerati. Though few settle on the coast, and 
 only the Muhammedans take their families thither with 
 them, these Indians seem to have monopolized the detail 
 trade for ages past, and are rich and influential. All these 
 classes are well known to our missionaries in Guzerat and 
 Bombay as industrious traders. 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 1 1 
 
 n. 
 
 The races which are more entirely African, either 
 by origin or by having become permanently rooted in the 
 soil, may be classed as : — 
 
 1. Swahili, or coast tribes, in whom the foreign element, 
 chiefly Arab or Persian, is most marked. They have much 
 landed and territorial influence on the islands and sea- 
 shore, and speak generally one language — African in con- 
 struction and modes of inflection, &c., but abounding in 
 Arabic and other foreign words and idioms. It is readily 
 learnt ; possesses great capacity for adopting from other 
 languages what it does not possess in itself; is univer- 
 sally current along the whole line of coast, and forms an 
 easy introduction to other more purely African tongues. 
 
 The Swahili seems admirably adapted as a general lan- 
 guage for the coast, especially useful to strangers as a 
 first language to acquire. 
 
 Distinct from the Swahili we find a number of African 
 tribes with a great, but very ancient northern, possibly 
 Arab or Ethiopic, admixture, e. g. : — 
 
 2. Gallas — a people of mixed race, with many varieties 
 of type ; some obviously Negroid, others men of large 
 frame and light brown colour, who might pass for Egyp- 
 tians or Arabs, but for a height of cheek-bone and 
 squareness of forehead which are more characteristic of 
 Northern European than of Southern Caucasian or Semitic 
 races. They are more pastoral in their habits than most 
 of the purely Negro tribes. They have a soft, flexible, 
 and copious language, which has been reduced to writing 
 by Christian missionaries in Abyssinia, and is easily ac- 
 quired. Books have been printed in it by the German 
 missionaries at Ankobar, the capital of Shooa, the southern- 
 
iz Eastern Africa 
 
 most kingdom of Abyssinia. The Gallas seem at one time 
 to have nearly enveloped the southern, south-eastern, and 
 south-western portions of Abyssinia, and to have been an 
 aggressive and conquering race; but of late years they 
 have been much pressed on and enfeebled by their neigh- 
 bours, and except on the south, between Mombassa and 
 Lamoo, they have nearly been excluded from the sea- 
 coast. The Northern Gallas are for the most part nominal 
 Muhammedans ; the Southern generally retain some form 
 of old African superstition. 
 
 Among their most dreaded neighbours are — 
 
 3. Somalis — tribes of which people occupy the whole 
 coast from about the mouth of the lied Sea to near Lamoo, 
 in lat. 2^S, Physically, they are not unlike the higher 
 types of Galla, but with more Arab admixture both in 
 form and language ; generally nominal Muhammedans, 
 pastoral in their habits ; an energetic, passionate, wild, 
 and uncultivated people, but with many good qualities, 
 and fair capacity for learning. Till lately they have been 
 often described as irreclaimable savages ; but since the 
 occupation of Aden they have flocked thither in great 
 numbers as labourers and out-of-door servants, in which 
 capacity they have won for themselves a very fair character 
 from their European employers. 
 
 4. The Comoro Islanders are few in number, but im- 
 portant from their intelligence and position. There are 
 many varieties of race — some very large and handsome, 
 and others small and debased. There is, perhaps, -in all 
 an admixture of Malagash or Malay, as well as Arab and 
 Persian and Negro blood. 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 13 
 
 III. 
 
 We have the pure Negro races : infinite in variety 
 of form, from the typical black gigantic Ethiop — such as 
 he is described in romances, and more rarely seen among 
 the tribes of the far interior — down to types little superior 
 to Cape Bushmen. 
 
 Between extreme specimens of each tribe it is easy to 
 see distinctions so marked, that there seems at first no 
 difiiculty in classifying them ; but further experience 
 shows that anything like classification by tribes from 
 external physical characteristics is difficult in the presence 
 of a gradation in the form of every limb and feature, 
 denoting races more intermixed than in most other 
 countries. 
 
 This may be partly owing to social habits, such as 
 slavery, polygamy, and the like ; but more, perhaps, to 
 long-continued political disorder and disintegration. Weak 
 tribes are absorbed by strong ones, powerful races are 
 enfeebled by extended conquest and by the absorption of 
 inferior clans, till the original types become hardly dis- 
 tinguishable. The confusion is rendered greater by the 
 utter absence of literature, or of history reaching much 
 further back than living memory, and by a prevalent 
 child-like inaccuracy of observation in all that does not 
 afiect the physical wants of the individual. 
 
 Varieties of language will, no doubt, hereafter assist 
 classification, when we know more about them. At present, 
 besides the Swahili, or coast language, already alluded to, 
 there appear to be at least five or six well-marked types 
 of language to be met within two hundred miles of the 
 seashore between the Gallas and the Portuguese frontier ; 
 
14 Eastern Africa 
 
 but every scholar who studies these tongues seems to take 
 a different view as to whether the specific difi'erences 
 already recognised are too many, or whether the distinct 
 languages hitherto ascertained do not require further 
 subdivision. Probably more of them must be carefully 
 analysed and reduced to writing before any final and 
 decisive judgment on such points can be formed. 
 
 Meanwhile, if the dictionaries already prepared by the 
 Kev. Mr. Eebmann, of the Church Missionary Society, long 
 resident at Kissoludini and Mombassa, could be printed, 
 they would prove of the greatest value to future scholars. 
 They are said to be complete as regards the Swahili, 
 Nyassa, and Wanika languages, and their publication will 
 mark an era in modern African philology. 
 
 The labours of Dr. Steere, of the Universities' Mission 
 at Zanzibar, have already rendered it easy to acquire as 
 much of Swahili as is needed for practical mission work, 
 and have greatly facilitated the study of three other 
 dialects (Shambala, Nyamwesi, and Yao) ; and, if he is 
 spared to continue the work, I have little doubt that it 
 will, at no distant period, be in the power of a missionary 
 to obtain, in a few months, a fair colloquial acquaintance 
 with the speech of any of the tribes near the coast along 
 the whole line of the Zanzibar territory. The great work 
 of translating the Holy Scriptures into East African 
 languaffes will then still remain to be undertaken. 
 
 Hitherto there are in print only single books of Holy 
 Scripture, and a few selected portions translated by Drs. 
 Kqifi', Eebmann, and Steere, into Northern Galla, Wanika, 
 and Swahili. 
 
 With the exception of IMuhammedanism, which is here, 
 as elsewhere in Africa, an advancing and converting faith, 
 nowhere on the East Coast does there seem to be any very 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 15 
 
 strong pre-occiipation of the ground by any powerful 
 dominant superstition or religion. There is little idolatry 
 or fetish-worship such as is found on the West Coast, and 
 few barbarous or unnatural rites. A childish vacancy of 
 belief, and materialism more or less marked; seem the 
 general characteristics of the religion, if religion it can be 
 called, of the principal tribes. There is great difficulty in 
 getting them to apprehend any kind of abstract idea or 
 to realize any nonrphysicaLagency. 
 
 Intelligent men usually admit the existence of a Great 
 Spirit, who, however, they believe does not much concern 
 himself with human affairs. There is generally some 
 misty notion of the immortality of the soul and of a 
 hereafter, but the present is the only thing they deem 
 really worth thinking of; physical good and evil are, they 
 believe, dependent on natural self-existent laws of being, 
 remotely affected by inferior spiritual natures who are 
 worked on by charms, and who communicate with 
 mankind by portents. These are understood, and the 
 beings from whom they emanate may be influenced in 
 some degree by the initiated. People wiser than their 
 neighbours can always by spiritual agency work some 
 good or evil, inflicting or curing sickness, bad harvests, 
 drought, &c. ; but all the popular notions of the agency 
 by which good or evil are worked are very indistinct. 
 The subject is not one which appears to have much hold 
 on the minds of the people in general. In some tribes, as 
 the Wanika, there are powerful initiated classes, and 
 forms of initiation which are only gone through after 
 long probation, and a great expenditure in eating and 
 drinking. The body of initiated have considerable tem- 
 poral power, and decide in secret council on all important 
 matters affecting the tribe. But the organisation appa- 
 
r 
 
 16 Easter7i Africa 
 
 rently more resembles that of an eating and drinking club 
 than of a religious or political body, and the greatest 
 secret seems to be the whereabouts and mode of beating a 
 huge drum, which is kept in a remote spot in the forest, 
 and ^Yhose sounds inspire a certain amount of awe. The 
 whole belief, as far as I could ascertain, is more like 
 children playing at bogies than the sanguinary super- 
 stitions of the Guinea Coast. ^ 
 
 The doctrines of Christianity to such people are new 
 truths — " possibly," as they might put it, " very good in 
 their way, like the knowledge of the ingredients of gun- 
 powder or the art of ship-building," but not visibly 
 antagonistic to any old belief; " the power of spells and 
 omens being," they would say, " as much matter of fact 
 and experience as the action of quinine." 
 
 It is obvious that in dealing with such a people the 
 process must be essentially different from that of convert- 
 ing people who have a definite religion such as the 
 Hindoos. 
 
 The Africans have, so to speak, no fixed belief, but 
 a multitude of bad habits and baseless fears. They have 
 absolutely no inheritance of knowledge, either in morals 
 or creeds, but ample power to acquire such knowledge 
 w^hen presented to them ; and the few who have a chance 
 of profiting by European or Asiatic education seem quite 
 as apt scholars as the ordinary run of children in other 
 continents. 
 
 It is curious how little trace is now to be found of the 
 Christian missions established on these shores in former 
 days. "When the Portuguese first visited them, there 
 were still some communities of Syrian Christians, and 
 we hear of Syrian bishops — Socotra being one of the 
 sees. Hardly a tradition of these earlier Christian com- 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 17 
 
 munities is now to be found on the spot where they once 
 flourished. The Portuguese conquerors gave large grants 
 to their clergy, and built numerous and magnificent 
 churches, some of the ruins of which still remain.J These 
 and a few forts are almost the only evidences to be found 
 of former Portuguese dominion north of Cape Delgado. 
 I could not learn that they had left any native con- 
 verts behind them in the territories from which they 
 have been expelled during the last century, and their 
 policy in matters connected with religion seems to have 
 differed little from that followed in their civil and military 
 administration, which has left an evil repute behind 
 them on all the coast they formerly possessed. Happily 
 for modern missionaries, the religion they preach seems 
 seldom identified in the minds of their present hearers 
 with that professed by the early Portuguese conquerors^J^ 
 As regards Islam, there can be no doubt it spreads 
 wherever the Arabs go. It is a great step in advance, as 
 compared with the indigenous native African supersti- 
 tions, and tends to raise its converts in the social as well 
 as the moral scale. But it does not appear to me that in 
 East Africa, any more than in India or Egypt, it is an 
 advancing religion in the same sense or to the same 
 degree as Christianity. From a variety of causes there 
 has been during the last generation a kind of revival, 
 which has multiplied the missionaries of Islam, and they 
 have much success wherever the ground is unoccupied or 
 feebly held by any other creed. But where the Moslem 
 preachers are most learned and energetic, despair rather 
 than hope seems, as far as my observation extends, to be 
 their predominant motive, and their enthusiasm and such 
 success as they achieve remind one more of the flicker of 
 the expiring flame than the steady brilliancy of earlier 
 
 B 
 
1 8 Eastern Africa 
 
 victories. Certainly their progress in these days is 
 greatest where there is least mental, commercial, or 
 political activity. The whole current of modern thought 
 and inquiry is against them, and it is daily becoming 
 more difficult for the Moslem student to find any field 
 of intellectual exercise to which he can devote himself 
 without risk to his orthodoxy, save in the somewhat over- 
 cultivated regions of the critical exegesis of his sacred 
 text and traditions. Even then, unless warily kept to 
 the ancient paths, he may find the received creed regard- 
 ing the Prophet and his mission rudely shaken by the 
 results of his historical inquiries. 
 
 But it is only when he comes in contact with Western 
 thought and modes of inquiry that the Moslem enthu- 
 siast incurs this risk. Among the uncivilised Negro 
 tribes he may always be sure of a ready audience ; he 
 can not only give them many truths regarding God and 
 man which make their way to the heart and elevate the 
 intellect, but he can at once communicate the Shibboleth 
 of admission to a social and political communion, which is 
 a passport for protection and assistance from the Atlantic 
 to the Wall of China. Wherever a Moslem house can be 
 found, there the Negro convert who can repeat the dozen 
 syllables of his creed, is sure of shelter, sustenance, and 
 advice ; and in his own country he finds himself at once 
 a member of an influential, if not of a dominant caste. 
 
 This seems to me the real secret of the success of the 
 Moslem missionaries in West Africa. It is great and 
 rapid as regards numbers, for the simple reason that the 
 Moslem missionary, from the very first profession of the 
 convert's belief, acts practically on those principles re- 
 garding the equality and brotherhood of all believers 
 before God, which Islam shares with Christianity ; and 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 1 9 
 
 he does this, as a general rule, more speedily and de- 
 cidedly than the Christian missionary, who generally feels 
 bound to require good evidence of a converted heart before 
 he gives the right hand of Christian fellowship, and who 
 has always to contend with race prejudices not likely to 
 die out in a single generation where the white Christian 
 has for generations been known as master, and the black 
 heathen as slave. 
 
 Making every allowance for the advantage thus given 
 to the missionary of Islam in that particular region, the 
 descriptions we have lately read of the great progress of 
 Islam as compared with Christianity seem to me to require 
 confirmation. They generally, as far as I have read 
 them, strike me as insensibly exaggerated in consequence 
 of the writer's surprise at finding the Muhammedan 
 convert anything better than an utterly untutored savage. 
 
 But whatever may be the case with regard to the West 
 Coast, there can, I think, be no doubt that on the East 
 Coast, as in India and elsewhere, the Muhammedan reli- 
 gion bears all the marks of a decaying creed, which has 
 no chance of success in propagating itself save among a 
 people but little removed from barbarism ; and that as an 
 aggressive growing religion, capable of making conquests 
 in civilised as well as uncivilised communities, its power 
 cannot be compared to that exhibited in our own day 
 by Christianity. 
 
 I am not insensible of a certain amount of acceptance 
 which Muhammedanism finds nowadays among a few 
 classes of our own countrymen : with some the convenience 
 of its moral doctrines has a charm ; with others the severe 
 simplicity of its creed, and the vigour of its early practice. 
 A love of eccentricity influences some, and there is a very 
 considerable amount of real sympathy with decaying 
 
20 Easte7'n Africa 
 
 greatness which lends a sentimental kind of halo to an 
 nnpractical admiration for doctrines connected with much 
 of romance and stirring history. 
 
 The few vigorous thinkers w^ho manifest an admiration 
 for the Muhammedan system seem to be led away by its 
 worship of a God of force. Energy and success may for 
 a time blind us to the real characteristics of the creed 
 as a foundation for a moral or a political system ; but a 
 closer acquaintance with its practical results must, I 
 think, convince the unbiassed inquirer that it is a creed 
 fatal in the long run to human progress and human hap- 
 piness, and that it bears within itself the seeds of that 
 inevitable decay which is everyday becoming more mani- 
 fest in the regions where it has been longest the dominant 
 creed. 
 
 It would be impossible to give anything approaching to 
 accurate statistics of any of the various races referred to 
 above as making up the population between the Eed Sea 
 and the Portuguese frontier. The following figures are, 
 in most cases, little better than plausible guesses of the 
 number of each class which may be within reach of mis- 
 sionaries from the East African coast. In the case of the 
 larger indigenous tribes it is quite possible that the true 
 numbers may be double those here given ; but in no case 
 do I think they are over-estimated : — 
 
 1. Europeans and Americans, only a few individuals at 
 the principal ports. 
 
 2. " Banians " and others of Indian origin, 7000 or 
 8000. 
 
 3. Arabs and persons of distinct Arab or Persian descent, 
 roughly estimated at about ten times the number of 
 Indians — say, 70,000 or 80,000, of whom probably not 
 more than a tithe are of pure Arab descent. 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 1 1 
 
 4. Somalis. The whole race has been estimated at four 
 or five millions ; perhaps one million may be within reach 
 of the East Coast. 
 
 5. Gallas. The aggregate estimate of the various tribes 
 gives double the total of the Somalis ; but probably less 
 than a million are within reach of East Coast missions. 
 
 6. Negro population, on a strip 100 to 150 miles wide 
 inland from the sea, roughly calculated at from fifteen to 
 twenty-two souls per square mile, are set down at from 
 four to five millions. From what I saw of the coast 
 population I should think this very much under the 
 mark. 
 
SECOND LETTEE. 
 
 Missionary Agencies now at work. 
 Rom.in Catholic Mission at Aden. 
 Universities' Mission at Zanzibar and 
 
 Magila. 
 French Mission at Zanzibar and Baga- 
 
 moyo. 
 Church Missionary Society's Mission 
 
 at Mombassa and Kissoludini. 
 Mission of United Jlethodists' Free 
 
 Churches at Kibe. 
 
 Other Stations suggested as suitable 
 
 for Missionary Establishments. 
 Portuguese Clergy at Ibo and I^Iozam- 
 
 blque. 
 French Priests at Mayotte and Nossi 
 
 Be. 
 Native JIalagash Church at Majunga, 
 
 in Madagascar. 
 Comoro Islands. 
 
 I will now briefly describe the Christian Missions 
 which we found existing and devoting themselves es- 
 pecially to the conversion of the natives of the East 
 African coast. I will not attempt to recapitulate what 
 Livingstone and the travellers who have followed him have 
 done to prepare the way for missionaries. Livingstone's 
 work was avowedly and intentionally missionary, and 
 wherever he has gone, he has, like John the Baptist, pre- 
 pared the way for the Gospel ; he has preached the advent 
 of Him who should bring " good tidings to the meek, pro- 
 claim liberty to the captives, and opening of the prison to 
 them that are bound ;" and wherever missionaries follow 
 him, they will find the message they bear recognised as 
 that of which Livingstone spoke. But I will here confine 
 myself to briefly enumerating the various mission stations 
 which are already in existence and maintained by various 
 churches on these coasts. 
 
Eastern Africa. 23 
 
 The following extracts from an official report on the 
 subject of the disposal of liberated slaves* describe the 
 missionary agencies now at work. 
 
 At Aden the only mission in active operation is main- 
 tained by the Eoman Catholics, chiefly as a base of 
 operations for their missions in the Abyssinian kingdom 
 of Shooa. There is an African orphanage, which is thus 
 described in a memorandum by Major Euan Smith, 
 private secretary to the Envoy : — ■ 
 
 " The Lady Prioress of the Convent of the Good Shepherd 
 states that in 1868-69 the convent first began to receive 
 released slaves from Government, and that it is ' principally 
 for them that the nuns of the " Good Shepherd " now remain 
 in Aden.' The convent could not now give accommodation 
 to more than fifty children, including those at present under 
 its charge — eleven in number; should Government wish to 
 place a larger number under their charge, a school would have 
 to be built for them. The average cost of each child per 
 annum is stated to be 7Z., but tlio. nuns would gladly receive_ 
 all children for hi. per head per annum, trusting to the child 
 to earn the rest. 
 
 " The instruction given to the children is in reading, 
 writing, and religion, and also sewing and household work 
 generally. The children remain with the nuns until married 
 or placed in service, but ' those who wish to remain are never 
 forced to leave.' Their age, when received, varies from six 
 to eleven, and though morose and apathetic at first, they soon 
 improve under the influence of kind treatment, and prove 
 themselves, with few exceptions, tractable and intelligent. 
 
 " The Prefet Apostolique of the Eoman Catholic Mission at 
 Aden also expretsses his desire to ' form an establishment at 
 Aden, composed entirely of liberated slaves, who would be 
 broi;ght up to different ti'ades, such as masons, carpenters, shoe- 
 makers, tailors, bookbinders,' &c. For the moment, he says that 
 
 * Correspondence respecting mission to tlie East Coast of Africa, 
 1872-3. Presented to Parliament, 1873. Pp. 121-127. 
 . ' c2 
 
24 Eastern Africa 
 
 ' accommodation could only he afforded for thirty, but after a 
 short time a much larger number might be taken, as a school 
 is already built, and will be vacant after some months.' The 
 Jieverend Father adds that the terms on which the boys 
 would be received are similar to those which the nuns con- 
 sider necessary for the girls, i.e. hi. per annum. 
 
 " These two establishments afford an excellent asylum for 
 liberated slave children at a very moderate rate; and they 
 might very conveniently be made use of for slaves taken by 
 f)ur cruisers within the neighbourhood of Aden. The rate 
 demanded for the children seems small, and they are certain 
 to receive kind and liberal treatment at the liands of the 
 Brethren and Sisters. 
 
 "In the case of slaves remaining at either establishment 
 until grown up and able to earn their own livelihood, tlie 
 Government rate should be reduced in proportion as the slave 
 was able to work for himself. 
 
 " It may be added that, on the inspection of the slave 
 children b}'^ Sir Bartle Frere on his way to Zanzibar in 
 January 1873, all appeared healthy, happy, and contented ; 
 tlie advantages offered by the care of the Sisters and Brethren, 
 the salubrity of Aden itself, and the absolute security assured 
 to the liberated slave, together with the facility of super- 
 vision which might be exercised, if necessary, by the Govern- 
 ment authorities, are strong arguments for the establishment 
 of a small settlement of liberated slaves at Aden." 
 
 At Zanzibar we find — 
 
 I. THE UNIVERSITIES' MISSION. 
 
 " The Universities' Mission was originally organized by 
 Bishop Mackenzie in 1^0 as a mission to the tribes of Shire 
 and Lake Nyassa. Irs head-quarters were established by his 
 successor. Bishop Tozer, in 18(54, at Zanzibar, where they 
 have now commodious mission-houses, schools, two small 
 j)lots of ground for cultivation, and a printing-press. 
 
 " On the mainland they have, at Magila, a small house 
 and plot of land, in charge of a native catechist, a long day's 
 journey inland from I\lorongo, a small port north of the 
 
as a Field /or Missionary Labour. 
 
 ^D 
 
 Pangani Eiver. The station is in the district called Mtangata 
 in the Usamhara country, in the territory of a native chief 
 who considers himself independent of Zanzibar. It is capable 
 of indefinite extension, and is extremely well placed for com- 
 munication with the interior. 
 
 " The missionaries have laboured at Zanzibar to train 
 selected lads for school teaching and for pastoral missionary 
 work, giving, for this purpose, a good deal of attention to 
 both English and the native languages. 
 
 " In both respects they have been successful ; a fair propor- 
 tion of the pupils have a useful knowledge of English, and all 
 have learned to read and write their own language, or at 
 least Swahili, the general language of the coast, in English 
 character, in a manner which has hardly been attempted by 
 other missions, and which leaves little to be desired. 
 
 " This is mainly due to the labours of Dr. Steere, which are 
 more fully described below. He has furnished any one who 
 can read English with the means of thoroughly mastering 
 Swahili, the most generally useful of East African languages, 
 and greatly facilitated the acquisition of tln-ee others com- 
 monly spoken by slaves. 
 
 " Very excellent work, in these languages and in English, 
 is turned out at the Mission-press, the whole being composed, 
 set up, and printed off by negro lads and young men. 
 
 "It is difficult to overestimate the value of Dr. Steere"s 
 labours in these two branches of mission- work ; and nothing- 
 more seems wanting in either, than to continue and extend 
 what has been so well begun. 
 
 " In the benefits of both, as most important auxiliaries in 
 the suppression of the Slave Trade, and in the general civili- 
 sation of East Africa, the Government partly participates. 
 It is to this Mission also that we must, for the present, mainly 
 look for a supply of well-educated interpreters, able to read 
 and write both English and Swahili. 
 
 " Judged as a whole, for secular purposes, such as the dis- 
 posal of liberated slaves, the main defect of the Mission seems 
 to me to be the want of more industrial teaching in mecha- 
 nical arts or agriculture ; many even of the best-selected lads 
 
26 Eastern Africa 
 
 have absolutely no capacit}' fur intellectual acquirement by 
 means of reading or writing, and I have heard of what were 
 called ' lamentable failures,' so called simply because a boy 
 who was quite willing to work in the fields for his living, but 
 liad no capacity for any but bodily exercises, ran away from 
 his lessons. 
 
 " If I might presume to advise the Bishop and the mission- 
 aries, I would introduce a far larger industrial element into 
 their schools. Every one should learn a trade or mechanical 
 art of some kind, or sufficient of agriculture to support him- 
 self. The teaching might be such as a good native artisan, 
 or mechanic or cultivator, could impart — to which might be 
 added tentatively, and with caution, instruction in European 
 methods and the use of European tools, which are not invari- 
 ably adapted to African habits and necessities. Every boy 
 should, I think, be taught to make himself useful in 1)uilding 
 a hut, in cultivating, in managing a boat or fishijigrcanoe, 
 washing, making, and mending his own clothes and shoes, 
 and his nets and fishing-tackle, &c., after the native fashion, 
 with European improvements only when clearly seen to be 
 better than the native ways. 
 
 " Elementary instruction sufficient to read and write in 
 their own language might probably be imparted to all : but 
 only the apter pupils should be required to learn English. 
 
 " There is room for something being done in this way on 
 the ground which Bishop Tozer has already acquired, but 
 more space is needed and might be acquired on the island or 
 on the mainland, if the plans for extension which the Mission 
 has in view can be carried out. 
 
 " On the island it might be found in a small 'shamba' or 
 plantation, such as the Consul would have to provide for the 
 temporary reception of any batch of liberated slaves which 
 might be brought in, pending adjudication or awaiting dis- 
 tribution. The Consul, instead of himself undertaking the 
 maintenance of such a plantation, might make it over to be 
 managed by the Mission, if the latter were able to undertake 
 it, and the arrangement might be made an economical one for 
 both parties. 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour 
 
 ^1 
 
 ^'Nothing could be better placed, for all the purposes which 
 Government has in view, than the missionary outpost at 
 Magila, on the borders of the Usambara country. But unless 
 Mr. Allington, the missionary who selected the station, should 
 return, the Mission must be strengthened, and some tijne must 
 elapse before it would be safe to send thither liberated slaves. 
 
 " The same may be said of Da r-es-S alaam, about midway 
 between the delta of the Lufiji and the delta of the Kingani, 
 near Bagamoyo — to the occupation of which, as a station on 
 the mainland, the attention of the Universities' Mission has 
 been for some time directed. 
 
 " In its present state, this Mission could take charge of a 
 considerable number of children at Zanzibar, if they were 
 gradually added to the present charge; and I understand 
 from Dr. Steere that almost any number which is likely to 
 offer could be taken in charge, if some notice were given to 
 prepare for their reception." 
 
 While at Zanzibar I put some queries to Dr. Steere, and 
 lie was kind enough, in reply, to give me the following 
 information : — 
 
 " 1, The Universities' Mission has had under its care, since 
 its arrival in Zanzibar, 78 boys and 32 girls, in all 110 
 children ; of these, all, except five boys, were released slaves. 
 Fourteen of the boys were taken out of slave-dhows by Seyyid 
 Majid, and put by him under the care of the Mission ; two 
 boys and one girl were procured by Europeans (not Britisli 
 subjects) residing in Zanzibar, and given over by them to 
 the Mission ; the rest were all taken by English men-of-war. 
 Nineteen children have died ; three of the girls are married ; 
 two of the boys are sub-deacons — one is at the Magila mission 
 station, the other is preparing to go there : one old scholar is 
 chief assistant in the printing-office, another is emploj'ed 
 about the Mission premises, one is engaged as servant to 
 Bishop Tozer, four are in service in the town of Zanzibar, 
 three are engaged as pupil teachers in the school, four have 
 in various ways turned out badly. Forty-two boys and 
 twenty-two girls are now in the schools. 
 
28 Eastern Africa 
 
 *' 2. The cost of luaintenance has been calculated at G/. a 
 year, which has hitherto been amply sufficient ; prices are, 
 however, continually rising, and living is perceptibly more 
 expensive than it was a few j'^ears ago. 
 
 "3. The liberated slaves under the charge of the Mission have 
 been taught the ordinary subjects of primary education, in- 
 cluding the English language. They are lodged in the Mission 
 houses, and their conduct has generally been very good. 
 The boys are now printing some elementary school-books in 
 Swahili, as it is desirable that all should learn and be able to 
 teach in that language, while only those who show some 
 special aptitude need be taught English or any other lan- 
 guage. 
 
 "4. One piece of ground was till lately occupied by the two 
 sub-deacons, who made some profit out of it— I cannot say to 
 what extent. Various attempts have been made on a small 
 scale, but the land near the school-house is exceedingly 
 infertile, and that at Mbweni, which is very good, is not 
 conveniently situated in regard to the boys' school. Bishop 
 Tozer purchased it with a view to planting out upon it adult 
 released slaves, but none were ever actually received. It 
 must be observed that the object of our schools was to train 
 missionaries, and only indirectly for the benefit of released 
 slaves. 
 
 " 5. Land can only be purchased in Zanzibar from time to 
 time as opportunity offers. There is no great stretch of 
 fertile land which is not already occupied, and many of the 
 native ownex's are exceedingly unwilling to sell to European 
 purchasers. I do not think that any colony of released slaves 
 could be planted in the Island of Zanzibar itself with a 
 reasonalde prospect of success. 
 
 " (j. The Mission boys do the work of the house, keep the 
 land in order, so far as their other occujmtions allow, and 
 work the printing-press. They have several times been em- 
 ployed in carpentering work under a European teacher, but 
 never with much success, owing partly to failures in health 
 and other defects in the teachers, and partly to the fact that 
 European tools and methods are not very well adapted to 
 
as a Field /or Missionary Labour. 29 
 
 native habits and wants. The fact is that, except for supply- 
 ing the wants of European residents, European or European- 
 izing mechanics are not wanted at all. Our Mission has 
 always aimed at keeping natives still in native dress and 
 habits, 
 
 " 7. The Universities' Mission is at j)resent represented by 
 myself, and 1 have more to do than I can properly attend to. 
 To speak frankly, I think our proper work is among the 
 heathen in their own homes, and not among released slaves. 
 If our friends at home wish it, and will send out two or three 
 competent men, I think a settlement of released slaves might 
 be formed somewhere on the mainland under authority, and 
 on land granted by Seyyid Burgash ; and I should suggest 
 Dar-es-Salaam as a good situation. It would be necessary to 
 maintain all persons landed there until their first crop was 
 ready for use. At present I should be glad to take in ten or 
 twenty girls more, but I had rather not have any increase in 
 the number of our boys. 
 
 " 8. Our station at Magila is intended as a point of depar- 
 ture for preaching amongst the Shambala. It is a long day's 
 journey inland, nearly opposite the middle of the Island of 
 Pemba. Permission to settle there was given by the then 
 King of the Shambala to the Rev. C. A. AUington. The 
 Mission has no definite property, except the houses actually 
 occupied by its members. There is land capable of use for 
 pasturage and for growing corn, but nearly all of it is 
 already occupied. The soil is, I believe, fertile, the natives 
 friendly, and the climate at least as good as that of Zanzibar. 
 The Government is very unsettled ; a war of disputed suc- 
 cession has been going on for ten or twelve years among the 
 Shambala, and is not yet ended, though just now there is a 
 sort of truce arising from the exhaustion of the country 
 generally. The access from the coast is as easy as on most 
 usual roads, but not at all specially so ; and any large settle- 
 ment of released slaves would, I feel sure, be regarded by all 
 parties with great suspicion. I ought to mention that I have 
 never seen Magila, and therefore only speak from what I 
 have heard from those who have visited it. I think that 
 
30 Eastern Africa 
 
 Dar-es-Salaam is the only spot near Zanzibar which offers any 
 special advantages for a new settlement, but I believe that 
 there are many eligible places to the south of Kilvva. From 
 the little I have seen of that coast, I should expect it to 
 prove healthy, but rather barren. I have seen very little 
 really fertile land in Eastern Africa, and I think its general 
 fertility has been very much exaggerated. I think any con- 
 venient harbour under British Government would very soon 
 draw away the trade from Zanzibar, and become the em- 
 porium of Eastern Africa. I think that in most places 
 released slaves would be able to get food f(ir themselves after 
 a season or two. I think that they would soon increase and 
 improve under any regular Government ; but I do not think 
 that European methods could be rapidly introduced, unless 
 Tinder some sj'stem of modified slavery. I think Negroes are 
 most out of the reach of the slave-dealer when residing on 
 the coast. It would be impossible to hold any district of the 
 country as free soil at a distance in the interior without a 
 strong European force. It must be remembered that there is 
 a Slave Trade into the inteiior as well as to the coast." 
 
 Dr. Steere subsequently forwarded to me copies of some 
 of his Eeports to the Committee of the Mission in England, 
 from which I have made the following extracts. One 
 omission regarding the Mission work I wish to supply, by 
 pointing out the benefit that has accrued not only to the 
 Mission, but also to Government, by Dr. Steere's labours 
 in the native languages of Africa, The results are, in 
 my opinion, so important that I consider tliey would alone 
 amply repay the trouble and expense incurred by the 
 Mission. Dr. Steere has established a small printing- 
 press at Kangani, having already published in London 
 the following books : — 
 
 " Steere's SAvahili Tales." Bell and Daldy, 1870. 
 " Handbook of the Swahili Language." Ditto. 
 
as a Field /or Missionary Labour. 3 1 
 
 " Katekismo" fSwahili). Society for promoting Christian 
 
 Knowledge. 
 " Scriptural Reading Lessons " (Swahili). Ditto. 
 " Psalms of David " (Swahili). Ditto. / 
 
 " Collections for the Yao Language." Ditto. i 
 
 " Collections for the Shambala Language." Ditto. 
 " Collections for the Nyamwesi Language," Ditto. 
 
 In addition to these works, Dr. Steere has in preparation 
 and is printing at Kangani elementary books for instruc- 
 tion in arithmetic, reading, &c., chiefly in Swahili. These 
 works cannot fail to be of great use to his fellow- 
 missionaries, and to all foreigners on the coast. 
 
 2. The only other point in connection with the follow- 
 ing extracts, on which I think it necessary to remark, is 
 with regard to the salubrity of Zanzibar. I cannot but 
 • think that Dr. Steere takes too unfavourable a view of the 
 effects of the climate : Zanzibar and the East Coast of 
 Africa appear to me to be unhealthy from the same 
 causes, and apparently not in much greater degree, than 
 the West Coast of India ; and the precautions taken in the 
 latter place for the preservation of health would probably 
 be equally efficacious if strictly observed in Zanzibar and 
 East Africa. Caution against unnecessary exposure either 
 to the sun or malaria, care with regard to drinking-water 
 and food, and other obvious sanitary precautions, would 
 probably go as far to lower the rate of mortality in Africa, 
 as they have done during the memory of living men in 
 India. 
 
 Extracts from a Memorandum on the Present State and Prospects of 
 the Central African Mission. By the Bev. E. Steere, D.G.L., dc. &c. 
 
 " As the Universities' Mission seems to have arrived at a 
 crisis in its history, it is desirable that a clear account of its 
 
$2. Easter 71 Africa 
 
 present position should l>c laid before those interested in 
 its work; such an account I have, therefore, endeavoured 
 to draw up. "We are actually at work in three distinct 
 places : — 
 
 "1. At Magila, among the heathen, 
 
 " 2. In Zanzibar itself we have a girls' school, a vernacular 
 service with an exposition of the Gospel every Sunday after- 
 noon, daily prayers in Swahili and in English, and a weekly 
 evening service with sermon, and Holy Communion twice in 
 the month for the European residents, 
 
 " 3. At Kingani, close to Zanzibar, Ave have our boys' school, 
 and college for mission students. There are, of course, 
 regular services in the chapel in English and in the A'er- 
 nacular. We have a printing-press at work, from which we 
 have just issued, as the first of our school series, a Swahili 
 spelling-book. An elementary arithmetic and a first reading- 
 book are now in the press ; we have also just begun to print 
 Mr, Penncll's version of St. Luke's Gospel. Some hymns, a 
 first catechism, and the Ijitany in Swahili have been printed 
 since my arrival in Zanzibar in March 1872. Some of the 
 boys work a saw-pit, and help in carpentering ; the rest are 
 engaged in bringing the land into order and cultivation. 
 
 " The special subjects on which our friends will look to us 
 for information are, probably, the nature and prospect of our 
 directly Mission-work, the results and present state of our 
 school-work, the share we can take in the crusade against 
 slavery, and the propriety of remaining at Zanzibar in spite 
 of our many losses. 
 
 " I have tried to deal with these several matters as briefly 
 and clearly as possible, and have subjoined an account of the 
 property belonging to the Mission, with a list of its working 
 members. Upon the data thus furnished, our friends at 
 home will, I hope, be able to form a tolerably good judgment 
 as to the results of past Avork, and the best form in Avhich to 
 proceed for the future. 
 
 " Mission-work on the Mainland. — A station has been esta- 
 blished at a place called Magila, one long day's journey from 
 the coast. It is noAV occupied by Samuel Speare, missionary 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 2>?> 
 
 student and sub-deacon, and Francis Mabruki, native sub- 
 deacon. 
 
 " This site was selected chiefly with a view to health and 
 convenience. There is much talk in England about 'healthy- 
 highlands,' but, so far as we can learn, there are none such. 
 The truth seems to be that the fresh, cool air of any elevated 
 region has, for a time, a very invigorating effect; and there- 
 fore every one who stays only for a few days or weeks, feels 
 that the situation must be a healthy one. Such an opinion, 
 however, is not confirmed by longer experience. It will be 
 found that the spots described as unhealthy are chiefly those 
 where some European has made a prolonged stay, and those 
 described as healthy are those which have been visited for a 
 short time only. There are, however, manifest advantages 
 in an elevated location in such a climate as this ; and as 
 our experience on the Morumbala showed that a mountain 
 swept by winds that had passed over a large swampy 
 district was not exempt from the usual marsh fevers, we 
 looked out for high land as near the coast as possible, in 
 order to avoid the miasma. The most promising in every 
 way seemed to be the mountain district known as Usambara, 
 The mountains there come nearer to the coast than in any 
 other place within the scope of our Mission, and they are so 
 near as to be, in very clear weather, visible from the town of 
 Zanzibar. Besides this. Dr. Krapf had always pointed to the 
 Shambala country (Usambara) as peculiarly eligible as a 
 mission field ; and we had the good fortune to make the 
 acquaintance of a singiilarly sensible and intelligent man, 
 named Munyi Hatibu, who lives at Mworongo, the landing- 
 place where the route into the Shambala country leaves the 
 coast. All these considerations determined Bishop Tozer to 
 attempt a first mainland station among these mountains. 
 A vocabulary of the Shambala language was collected, and, 
 as soon as circumstances permitted, the Eev. C. A. Allington 
 was sent up, with two native boys as interpreters and 
 attendants, to choose a site. 
 
 " After long delays and much unsatisfactory negotiation, the 
 king of the country sent him to Magila, as the best 'or only 
 
34 Eastern Africa 
 
 place within his dominions where he wouhl at that time 
 allow him to build or to make any settlement. 
 
 " Mr. Allington was shortly after called Lack to England by 
 a summons that could not be resisted, and then the charge of 
 the Shambala Mission was given to the L'ev. L. Fraser. 
 Mr. Fraser preached in the villages within his reach, and 
 instructed tlie children who were Avilling to be taught. His 
 holy life and conversation had a great effect upon the natives 
 with whom he came in contact, and his lessons are weU 
 remembered. He was hoping soon to have had some natives 
 prepared for baptism, when he was called away during the 
 frightful prevalence of cholera in this part of Eastern Africa. 
 He was to have been succeeded by the Kev. 0. Hancock, 
 after whose sudden " and jDremature death Magila remained 
 unoccupied (except that it was visited twice by Bishop Tozer) 
 untn October 1872, when the two sub- deacons were sent up 
 with instructions to occupy the post, and carry on such work 
 as they could, until a clergyman could be found to super- 
 intend it. Their last letters spoke of themselves as settling 
 down, and making arrangements for commencing a school, 
 and some kind of public catechising or preaching. 
 
 " The Mission has an iron house and two large thatched 
 native huts ; the sub-deacons proposed to set up another as a 
 school and temporary church. 
 
 " The prospects of this Mission cannot be well understood 
 without a short account of the country and its government. 
 
 " The coast is occupied by the Swahili — a mixed race of 
 Arabs and Negroes. They hold only the villages or small 
 towns on the sea, and the gardens and plantations adjoining. 
 The Swahili are all Mahomedans, chiefly of the Shaft sect. 
 Behind their plantations lies a strip of country covered 
 with long grass, and very scantily supplied with water. 
 It is partly occupied by a Negro tribe, the Wadigo, who 
 have their chief settlements to the northward. Where the 
 hills begin to show themselves distinctly lie the villages 
 of the half Swahili peojile, called by the coast men Washenzi, 
 i.e. wild folk, and by the people of the mountains AVaboonde, 
 i.e. valley people. They talk a dialect of Swahili much 
 
as a Field /of Missionary Labour. 35 
 
 mixed with Sliambala words and phrases. The mountains 
 themselves are occupied by the Shambala ; but there is at 
 least one larr^e valley running up among them, which is 
 occupied by the Zegulas, who are their next neighbours to 
 the southward. 
 
 " Mr. Allington was very much disappointed at being sent 
 back from ^ iiga, the chief town of the Shambala, to a place 
 so near the coast as Magila. The reasons which swayed the 
 native counsels seem to have been partly superstitious and 
 partly political. The Shambala are a very shy and separate 
 race. No foreigner was allowed to enter their chief town, 
 and every means was ordinarily used to keep them at a 
 distance; it happened besides, at this particular time, that 
 no place in their own country would have been- really a safe 
 one. 
 
 " In Dr. Krapfs time they were ruled b}^ an old king, named 
 Kimweri, who had a very extensive influence. On his death 
 great confusion followed. The mountain people chose a 
 grandson of his, who took the name Kimweri and was in 
 possession of Vuga at the time of Mr. Allington's visit. The 
 lower country behind the mountains, that is, to the west- 
 ward, was held by a son of old Kimweri's, named Semboja, 
 and there was constant war between the two claimants. 
 Before Mr. Allington left the country, young Kimweri died 
 of small-pox, and was succeeded by a brother named Chenye- 
 gera. The war became more and more embittered, and 
 Semboja, finding that the Shambalas would not receive him, 
 encouraged all the neighbouring tribes to prey upon them. 
 Chenyegera and his great men, finding themselves without 
 money or arms, began selling their own people to the coast 
 Arabs as slaves. Vuga was taken by Semboja and burnt, 
 and a great part of the mountain country was depopulated 
 and relapsed into forest land. At last the people rose upon 
 their chiefs, and killed most of them, and so a peace of ex- 
 haustion has come at last. Semboja is in possession of most 
 of the country, and is rebuilding Vuga. He is a Mahomedan, 
 and has been supposed throughout to have had the silent 
 support of the Zanzibar Arabs. Chenyegera is among the 
 
36 Eastern Africa 
 
 mountains, not very far from Magila. This last place itself 
 has not been touched b}' the war, being geographically and 
 politically in the Shambala country, but in language belong- 
 ing to the valley people. These last have lately been at war 
 with the Dagos, so that just now the coast Swahili are car- 
 rying on all the trade with Magila, the valley people being 
 afraid to venture through the country of their enemies. 
 There is now no actual fighting, and probably there will be 
 no more for some time to come, as all parties are thoroughly 
 worn out. The Shambala wars are said to have increased the 
 population near Magila, many of the mountain people having 
 come coastwards for safety. 
 
 '"The station at Magila may be viewed as the first station 
 among the Shambala, or as a starting-point for missions 
 among them, and an actual occupation of the Boonde or low 
 country ; any station nearer the coast would be surrounded 
 by Mahomedans. Through the Shambala country lies the 
 road to the Wateila, Wassara, Wachaga, and other tribes 
 about Kilmanjaro, the great snowy mountain. 
 
 " It may be worth consideration whether anything could be 
 attempted among the Dagos. The next tribe to the north- 
 ward are the Nyikas, where the Church Missionary Society 
 has long been at work, and the United Free Methodists have 
 also a station. In my own judgment we should do better to 
 attempt the tribes to the southward. 
 
 " South of the Shambala lie the Zegulas, a very warlike and 
 very barbarous tribe; next to them the Zaramos, through 
 whose country lies the direct road to Ujiji and the great 
 lakes. The chief tribe in this direction are the Myamwezi, 
 though many smaller ones lie on the road to them, A Myam- 
 wezi vocabulary has been collected, in 'case it should be 
 determined to make a bold plunge towards the central tribes. 
 At present, however, a war of very uncertain result is going 
 on between the native Myamwezi and the Arab and Swahili 
 settlers in their country, and nothing could be reasonably 
 attempted until that war has been concluded. Indeed 
 the road to Ujiji is practically closed to any but special 
 expeditions. 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 37 
 
 " South of the Zaramos lie the Gindos or Gendwas, and 
 below them the Portuguese coast begins. Among the Gindos, 
 not far from Lindy, between Kilwa and the Eovuma, a body 
 of Yaos have settled, and are giving the coast people much 
 trouble by receiving runaway slaves, and occasionally plunder- 
 ing the coast traders. Behind the Gindos, between them and 
 the Lake Nyassa, lie the Yaos, and bej'ond it the Xyassas and 
 the Bisas. I mention only the most important tribes, and 
 that by their usual names. The Yaos are the Achawa of our 
 earliest reports, and the Mang'aiya were Nyassas, 
 
 " It is in this direction that our work ought most naturally 
 to develop itself, and Bishop Tozer has always contemplated 
 a journey to the Lake Nyassa. The great hindrance has been 
 the devastation of the country by the Maviti, probably the 
 Mazitu of Dr. Livingstone's earlier books. They have swept 
 the country up to Kilwa, plundering and murdering every- 
 where. Their chief seats are said now to be on the Eovuma, 
 they having suffered severe losses in their attacks upon some 
 of the most powerful Yao chieftains. A great stretch of 
 country on the road to the Nyassa is now a wilderness. 
 
 " As a starting-point on the road to the lakes, the caravans 
 usually cross to Bagamoyo for Ujiji, and go down to Kilwa 
 for the Nyassa. Bagamoyo is occupied by an extensive set- 
 tlement under the care of a French Koman Catholic mission, 
 which has also houses in Zanzibar itself. At a short distance 
 to the south lies Dar-es-Salaam, which the Sultan of Zan- 
 zibar's predecessor intended to make the starting-point for 
 all caravans going into or coming from any part of the 
 interior. From Dar-es-Salaam to Kilwa the coast is little 
 known, and is reputed to be very unhealthy. South of 
 Kilwa there are many good harbours; the coast is often 
 hilly, and there are many convenient landing-places. I have 
 always myself thought of Lindy as one that might well be 
 chosen. The further south one goes, the shorter the land 
 journey to the Lake Nyassa becomes. In contemplation of 
 mission-work in this direction, we have collected a vocabulary 
 of the Yao language, and hope some daj'- to be allowed to use 
 the very complete dictionary of the Nyassa language compiled 
 
\ 
 
 38 Eastern Africa 
 
 by the Eev. John Eebmann of Kissoludini, near Mombassa, 
 which now only exists in a jealously^guaJdcd MS. 
 
 " I do not see any reason why stations should not at once 
 be planted among the Zcgulas, the Zaramos, and the Gindos 
 near the coast, or among the Yaos and Nyassas near Lake 
 Nj^assa, or among some of the tribes on the road to Ujiji. I 
 feel sure that missionaries would be safe anywhere, and all 
 the more so if they were known to carry no arms whatever : 
 Kegroes are very seldom violent unless they are' frightened, 
 and, besides, there is nothing so tempting to a native thief 
 ,as European fire-arms. It was a well-grounded boast of Dr. 
 Krapf that he went with only an umbrella where others dare 
 not venture fully armed. I believe myself that arms are a 
 cause of insecurity, and can never be of any use to a mis- 
 sionary. (I'he idea of founding a settlement by force ought 
 not to be entertained for a moment. One may fight one's 
 way through a country, but one can never hold it by 
 violence ; besides that, the secular business of a fighting 
 chief would soon swallow up his missionary character. A 
 king must tolerate many things which a bishop is bound to 
 denounce, j 
 
 " The Slave Trade and Released Slaves. — The complete sup- 
 pression of the Slave Trade and slavery can only come about 
 hy the Christianization of the Africans themselves. The 
 coast Slave Trade is by no means the only one existing; 
 ,^/f slavery is found everywhere; and its mild character in the 
 I interior arises only from the same cause which makes Arab 
 
 (slavery lighter than slavery to Europeans, and that is the 
 smaller difierence, morally and socially, between the slave 
 and his master. 
 
 " Slavery may be attacked politically or religiously — poli- 
 tically we may attack it by treaties with native jiowers, 
 enforced by armed intervention ; religiously it can only be 
 attacked by self-sacrifice, and by acting upon the minds of 
 those who uphold it. The two methods require very different 
 men to carry them forward, and cannot both be attempted 
 by the same persons with any reasonable chance of success. 
 " The way in which slavery was actually destroj-ed in 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 39 
 
 Christendom was by elevating the slave while still a slave. 
 Christian slaves were such extraordinary good slaves that 
 the masters and mistresses began to see a divine power 
 working in them. It is to such a result that St. Paul points 
 continually, and such results did actually follow ; meanwhile, 
 Christian masters became ashamed to use the powers Avhich 
 they by law possessed. A suppression of slavery brought 
 about in this way must be final. 
 
 " Leaving, therefore, to our political leaders the task of 
 external repression, it belongs to us missionaries to aim at 
 the internal work. As things actually are in Eastern Africa, 
 our first thought will naturally be given to the released 
 slaves, set free by English cruisers. It seems politicians 
 consider that their work is done when the gift of political 
 freedom is complete ; we know that very much more is 
 needed. 
 
 " It is sometimes assumed that to put released slaves under 
 the superintendence of Englishmen or Scotchmen is all thatJ 
 is needed. I wish it were so ; but a little experience shows 
 that, just as a European can be much better than a Negro, so 
 he can be much worse, and that when possessed of absolute 
 power, and free from the control of home opinion, he probably 
 will use the Negro only to serve his own selfish ends and cast 
 him off as soon as he has served them. Neither by example, nor 
 in any other way, are such Europeans as ordinarily settle in 
 remote places likely to do any great amount of good to the ; 
 Negro. 
 
 " Politically, the protection of the English name may save a 
 released man in Eastern Africa from being forcibly re-inslaved; 
 but, in order to do him much good, he must have a means of 
 livelihood opened to him, and must be brought at least within 
 hearing of Christian teaching. 
 
 " So much has been said already on this subject, that one 
 need only point out, as the duty of this Mission, to be ready to 
 give all such help as the men and money at its command may 
 allow to any and every scheme for the benefit of the slaves 
 and released slaves within the district in which it works. It 
 must not be forgotten, however, that missions in the interior 
 
 d2 
 
40 Eastern Africa 
 
 are, after all, the chief means by which the regeneration of 
 the Negro must he accomplished. 
 
 " ^^'e have taken in as man}' lioys and girls as our funds 
 allowed, and Bishop Tozer bought some land, with a view to 
 ])lanting out on it grown-up persons ; whether more is to be 
 done in this direction must depend upon our subscribers at 
 home. I think myself that in our poverty the feeding and 
 lodging of any except very promising children, wlio are likely 
 to become missionaries or teachers, are not proper charges on 
 the Mission funds. 
 
 " Mission Schools and College. — The schools at Zanzibar were 
 formed by Bishop Tozer for the purpose of educating mis- 
 sionaries and teachers, and their future wives, for work 
 among the inland tribes. The scholars are now beginning 
 to attain an age at which they may be actively employed. 
 Three of the boys have been set apart as sub-deacons ; of 
 these, one was lost by the cholera, the other two are both 
 married — one, John Swedi, is at present acting as a sort of 
 assistant-chaplain at the school at Kingaui ; the other, 
 Francis Mabruki, is working at the Shambala Mission station 
 at Magila. 
 
 " It was always hoped and intended that these schools should 
 be filled by the children of converts, or by promising young 
 people from the Mission stations among the inland tribes. 
 The only scholars we have yet had answering this description 
 were three Nyika lads from the Eev. John Itobinson's station 
 near Mombassa. They stayed with us about two years, and 
 then returned to their friends. For the rest we have been 
 obliged to depend upon the captures made by English cruisers 
 and seizures made by the Sultan of Zanzibar. There is, of 
 course, always a question how far children so chosen may 
 turn out to have any fitness for missionary work. 
 
 " The future of the schools must depend upon the sources 
 from which they are to be supplied with scholars. If we 
 have the choice of promising boys and girls from our Mission 
 stations, we may hope to be able to lead them on to a much 
 higher style of training than has been as j'ct possible. If, 
 on the other hand, they are to be filled from the slave-dhows, 
 
as a Field /or Missionary Labo2Lr. 41 
 
 it will be necessary to introduce a much larger industrial 
 element. In any case, we hope to give all alike, first, a plain 
 education in Swahili, for which the necessary hooks are in 
 course of preparation, and then to give the best scholars a 
 thorough grounding in English. We are anxious to inci'ease 
 the number of girls, as otherwise our lads, especially the 
 duller ones, who will have to get their living by dail}- work, 
 will be sorely tempted to turn jMuhammedans as the only 
 means of obtaining wives. 
 
 " After the work, which one regards as merely school- work, 
 is completed, there will lemain something of college-work, 
 intended exclusively for our future missionaries. It was 
 with a view to this that the house at Kingani was begun, 
 and the proceeds of the AVells Tozer Fund, and the grant 
 made by the Society for the Promotion of Christian Know- 
 ledge, were applied towards the cost of its buildings. It was \ 
 intended here to join with the native students others from 
 England, who might thus be enabled to make themselves 
 acquainted with the language and manners of the East' 
 Africans while still pursuing their general studies. J Two' 
 students have already joined us, and, under Mr. Pennell's 
 care, were making good progress. It has become necessary 
 for a time to employ them elsewhere, but their studies are^ 
 not wholly interrupted, while the great object of becoming 
 familiar with the details of Mission-work in East Africa is 
 only being the more completely carried out. This college- 
 work is one of very great importance, and it ought not to be 
 difficult to secure efficient help in it, as any clergyman who 
 could leave England for a few years_co uld undertake it, alL 
 th e scholar sbeing either Engiish or Englis h - speakin g natives. 
 We have had an earnest hope that some of the young incum- 
 bents of small rural parishes, who feel that they are in 
 danger of getting rusty for want of real work, might be 
 willing to leave their charges for a time in the hands of well- 
 chosen curates and come to our assistance, and that the heads 
 of the Church would encourage them in so laudable an 
 undertaking. The Bishops have power to grant licences 
 for absence on such works as these, and it is surelv better 
 
 v\/o 
 
42 Eastern Africa 
 
 that an active young man should be so employed than that 
 he should be held strictly to such pastoial work only as a 
 cure of two or one hundred, or even fewer, souls may supply 
 him, under the penalty of giving up all hope of a home for 
 his more advanced age. 
 
 " To be obliged to give up all prospects elsewhere in order 
 to help in such a Mission as ours is a greater sacrifice than 
 it is quite reasonable to expect any great number of English 
 clergymen to make, although as ChrislX soldiers they ought 
 not to be unwilling to adventure it. Even those trained in 
 missionary colleges are likely to prefer healthier and better 
 known spheres. It becomes, therefore, a very necessary thing 
 to give men an opportunity of testing their health and their 
 fitness for the work without robbing them of valuable time. 
 This our Mission pupil scheme specially provides for, by 
 occupying, in mingled study and work at Zanzibar, the years 
 between sixteen and twenty, which a young man with a mis- 
 sion vocation finds it so difficult in England to employ to any 
 advantage. \N hile the missionaries of the future are thus 
 growing up, we must have temporary help from special 
 English sources. There are hundreds who could give it us 
 without any real danger to themselves. 
 
 " Zanzibar and its Unhealthiness. — There is no act to which the 
 credit of Bishop Tozer and his advisers is more distinctly 
 pledged than to the choice of Zanzibar as the point of deimr- 
 ture of the Central African Mission. He was severely 
 censured for this choice, in words, by Dr. Livingstone, Imt 
 was absolved by that great traveller, in deeds, when he him- 
 self chose Zanzibar as his starting-point whence to revisit 
 the Eiver Shire and the Lake Nyassa. The matter is not 
 one on which missionaries have any real choice. The centre 
 of any consideral)le missionary operations must be the centre 
 fixed beforehand by the many circumstances which together 
 have determined the position of the chief city ; missionaries 
 must travel along tlie usual road, and their lines of commu- 
 nication can only be those created by commercial intercourse. 
 
 " The great objection made to Zanzibar is the iinhealthiness, 
 shown by so many deaths among the members of the Mission. 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 43 
 
 This is a very startling consideration, and one naturally asks 
 oneself, How can so unhealthy a place be so great a centre of 
 commerce, and how can it be that European merchants con- 
 sent to live there as they undoubtedly do ? The answer is a 
 remarkable one ; it is that the great mortality is confined to 
 the members of the Mission. There have been a much larger 
 number of other Europeans residing in the town, and the 
 Mission has lost five members, while they have lost only two 
 or three. Ill-health is common, but death is very rare. One 
 Frenchman, who had been settled here more than twenty 
 years, died lately ; but, except this, the deaths have all been 
 among British subjects. In fact, no German, American, or 
 French merchant has died within memory, and yet the mer- 
 chants are more exposed to the sun than we are, and are less 
 temperate livers. The only obvious difference between the 
 Mission and the mercantile houses is, that the merchants 
 seldom remain more than three years in Zanzibar without a 
 change ; only one of those missionaries, however, who have 
 died had lived in Zanzibar nearly as much as three 
 years. It seems to follow that there must have been special 
 causes at work, and it remains to discover and to prevent 
 them." 
 
 [D r. Steere . then enters into details, showing that, of-the 
 missionaries who Jiad died, one^was sufiering from a fatal 
 disease of lon g standi ng ; one died from cholera, which was 
 everywhere fatal ; two from over-fatigue and exposure during 
 a journey into the interior of "the mainland ; and two from 
 dysentery : other ailments always having given way to 
 change of climate. My own impression after very careful 
 observation and inquiry from all best informed on the subject 
 is that Zanzibar and the East African coast may compare 
 favourably with any part of the Indian coast as regards 
 natural salubrity. There are many causes of insalubrity 
 which used to affect the resident on the Indian coast, but 
 which now affect him no longer, owing to better knowledge 
 of localities and more and better appliances to resist the 
 effects of climate. I have no doubt that in time the same 
 will be found to be the case in Africa. — H. B. E, F,] 
 
44 Eastern Africa 
 
 " It seems then to follow, not that Zanzibar shoiild be aban- 
 doned as hopelessly unhealthy, but that very special care 
 should be taken to avoid any known danger to health, and 
 that frequent leave of absence should be given. It is possible 
 that the proposed line of mail-steamers between Katal and 
 Zanzibar may furnish the means of securing a change of 
 climate without entirely quitting the missiouavy field ; and 
 Bishop Wilkinson, before leaving England, actually discussed 
 with me the possibility of an occasional exchange of labourers 
 between the two Missions. It must, however, be remembered 
 that the permanence of any regular communication between 
 Zanzibar and the Cape is very uncertain.* 
 
 " The existence of any really healthy site on the mainland of 
 Africa is exceedingly doubtful. Healthy highlands in the 
 interior are often spoken of, as though their position were 
 well known ; but this is only because the geography of this 
 part of Africa is very little understood. The centre of the 
 continent is, as we now know, nothing but a large swamp. 
 From the coast the land rises very gently to the watershed, 
 and then drops very gradually to the great swampy central 
 basin. Groups and ridges of mountains are scattered about, 
 without any distinct connection with the general rise of the 
 land. There is nothing analogous to the terraces described 
 as existing in Natal, nor is there any particular district of 
 which it can be said that it is high and healthy. These facts 
 were the ground upon which Bishop Tozer based his great 
 plan for training native missionaries. 
 
 " There is no use in dissembling the fact that Eastern Africa 
 is exceedingly unhealthy, and that not on the coast only, but 
 in every part." 
 
 [I very much doubt this being the case as a permanent fact. 
 The same might have been said of India till we found out how 
 to live there and preserve health. I am sure that no men could 
 live in India as 1 saw some of my countr3-men living in Zan- 
 zibar, with such disregard of exposure and neglect of sanitary 
 precautions without losing health, and often, life. — H. B. E. F.] 
 
 * A permanent line of mail steamers, running once a month from 
 Aden to the Cape, has been established since Dr. Steere wrote. 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 45 
 
 " It is only now and then that a man can be found with a con- 
 stitution so well adapted to the climate that he can live safely 
 in it for more than a few years at a time. Even in the case of 
 those who are not attacked by any distinct disease, languor and 
 incapacitj' for mental exertion are sure after a while to show 
 themselves. It follows clearly that a white missionary's proper 
 work must be to train and to superintend native preachers. 
 They must be the permanent missionaries and the regular 
 pastors of the negi'o church. So long as it is expected of our 
 missTonaries that they will stay, say ten years at least, in some 
 particular district, so long it is very possible that the terrible 
 mortality we all deplore may continue. We must arrange for 
 frequent changes, and that place will be best iitted for our 
 centre of operations in which good medical advice, good lodg- 
 ings, and the comforts that are needed in sickness are most 
 easily obtained, and, above all, from which it will be j)ossible 
 for the head of the Mission to send away in time those who 
 will surely die if they stay in Africa, and will surely live if 
 they can get to a more temperate region. These advantages 
 are nowhere to be found so certainly as at Zanzibar. There 
 is nothing we should be more glad to find than a healthy 
 location, and even a comparatively healthy spot would be at 
 once occupied. 
 
 " In any case, however, so long as Zanzibar remains what 
 it is, the Mission must have a home there of some kind. JLt- 
 is very probable jthat if (as has been often proposed) the 
 British Government should establish a colony of freed men 
 neaj^some convenient port, the town, which would soon grow 
 up, mi^ht supplant Zanzibar as a commercial centre, in 
 which case the Mission would, as of course, remove thither 
 its head-CLuarters. 
 
 " Mission Properii/. — The Mission property consists of land 
 and houses for the use of its members. We have — 
 
 "1. In Zanzibar itself, a large house in the part of the town 
 called Shangani, used as a girls' school, and a portion capable 
 of separate occupation as lodgings for the Bishop. The house 
 is close to the sea, and a very fine one, the rooms being large 
 and very lofty. It was procured cheaply, owing to its having 
 
46 Eastern Africa 
 
 been abandoned by the natives from fear of a spirit which 
 was supposed to haunt it. Not having been occupied for 
 some time, it was in need of much repair, and many altera- 
 tions were necessary to adapt what might be described as an 
 Arab palace to our purposes. Although so very large, we 
 found only six rooms available for use. It was at one time 
 proposed to purchase this house for the English Political 
 Residency ;* it may bo worth consideration whether, if a good 
 price is ofiered, it might not bo well to accept it, and 
 to find or build a more convenient school-house for girls 
 elsewhere. The question as to where the Bishop will for the 
 future fix his general residence is, of course, most important 
 in this respect. Extensive repairs were rendered necessary 
 by the cyclone, and are still in progress. 
 
 " 2. A ver}' small house, a short distance behind the larger 
 one. It has been used as a lodging for guests and others for 
 whom there was no room elsewhere, and, when necessary, as 
 a small-pox hospital. 
 
 " 3. A piece of land (perhaps about eight acres) about two 
 miles out of the town known as Ivingani, or among the na- 
 tives as Kinma Mgnu, on which stand the buildings occupied 
 as a boys' school, and sometimes called St. Andrew^s_College. 
 It is admirably situated for health, buF" the soil is very 
 barren. Extensive repairs are going on here also. 
 
 " 4. A small piece of land (perhaps about two acres) con- 
 taining the mud-and-thatch house occupied by the sub- 
 deacon, John Swedi, who cultivates a portion of it. It is 
 near, but not adjoining, to the larger Kingani premises. 
 
 " 5. A piece of fertile land (about thirteen acres) nearly 
 five miles from the town, with a small stone house upon it, 
 known as IMbweni. The house is in very bad repair, and 
 the value of the property was almost entirely destroyed by 
 the cyclone. Out of GOO cocoa-nut trees only 19 were left 
 standing. 
 
 * This, I believe, has since been done, and on Christmas Day, 
 1873, tlie first stone of " Christ Church " was laid by Capt. Prideaux, 
 the ofiiciating Consul-Gcneral, and Dr. Steere, on the site of tlie old 
 Slave Market in the town of Zanzibar. 
 
as a Field f 07'' Missionary Labour. 47 
 
 " 6. At Magila, an iron house and some native buildings. 
 The land was occupied under a special authority from the 
 then king, which is almost the only right in land capable 
 of being acquired among the Shambalas. 
 
 " 7. At Mworongo, the landing-place for Magila, we have 
 helped Munji Hatibu to build an upper room to his house, on 
 condition that we have the use of it on our journey to and fro. 
 
 " Mission Staff in Zanzibar, December 1872. — 1, Eev. E. Steere ; 
 2, Mr. Moreton, General Superintendent at Kingani ; 3, Samuel 
 Speare and Benjamin Hartley, missionary pupils; 4, John 
 Swedi and Francis Mabruki, native sub-deacons. 
 
 " Note. 
 
 " 1. The total number of Negroes who have come under the 
 care of the Universities' Mission since its settlement at 
 Zanzibar is 110, all of whom were received as children. 
 There are now 48 males and 24 females under the immediate 
 care of the Mission. Of these, two males and two females are 
 now adults. There are besides two of the former scholars em- 
 ployed as sub-deacons by the Mission, and four males who have 
 lately left the mission-house to go into service in the town. 
 
 " 2. Of the Negroes now actually under the care of the 
 Mission, 44 males and 23 females were received from Her 
 Majesty's Government. 
 
 " 3. The children under the care of the Mission are in- 
 structed in English and Swahili, with a view to their em- 
 ployment in connection with the mainland stations of the 
 Mission. The elder children act as pupil-teachers : some of 
 the boys (at present six of them) are engaged in the printing- 
 office, others have been taught carpentering; the girls are 
 taught needlework — and all, both boys and girls, take their 
 share in cooking, cleaning the house, and waiting at table, 
 besides keeping the grounds in order, and assisting in any 
 special work that may occur. 
 
 (Signed) " Edward Steere, 
 
 Priest in charge to the Mission" 
 
 I now resume my quotations from the Parliamentary 
 Blue Book. 
 
48 Eastern Africa 
 
 II. FRENCH MISSION. 
 
 " The French Mission has been established for several 
 years at Zanzibar, where they have extensive mission 
 premises in the town, and a small plantation two or 
 three miles off. In the town, besides the accommodation 
 required for the Brethren and their pupils, the chapel, itc, 
 they have a forgo and smith's workshop, where a great deal 
 of engine-work is turned out by the pupils. Besides attend- 
 ing school, where they get a good elementary education in 
 French, they have learned to forni a military band, and some 
 of them prove very apt musical scholars. 
 
 " The Brethren used to have a hospital, where they gave 
 gratuitous attendance and medicine. The institution was a 
 great blessing to the town and to the shipping in harbour; 
 but since the Fren ch Go y ^nment have bee n comp elled to 
 withdraw the servicgs of the sur geon _who was^ formerly 
 fallowed to the institution, the Brethren have been obliged jo 
 blose their hospital to all but special cases of Europeans, who 
 are still received and tended b}^ the Brethren as far as their 
 means and skill allow. 
 
 " But their principal station is at the establishment of 
 Notre Dame de Bagamoyo, near the mouth of the Kingani, on 
 the mainland opposite Zanzibar, to the detailed account of 
 which, as given below, I would request special attention. 
 
 " Here have been established, for about four and a half 
 years, four Sisters of Charity from a convent at Ecunion, and 
 five Brethren under tAvo Fathers of the order of St. Esprit et 
 du St. Cccur de Marie, the head-quarters of which are at No. 
 30, Eue Lhomond, in Paris. They train about 15 adult libe- 
 rated Africans, and about 150 boys and 100 girls, for the most 
 part liberated slaves captured by British cruisers. They 
 have about eighty acres of land reclaimed from the African 
 forest and in cultivation, and had built wholesome and suf- 
 1^ ficient buildings, including a chapel and a library, sejjarate 
 huts for sick and visitors, &c., when the hurricane of last year 
 destroyed the whole, with the exception of one hut; and 
 though, providentially, no life was lost, the whole place was 
 for the time utterly ruined. The Brethren are now, as far as 
 their means will permit, rebuilding everything in a more 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 49 
 
 permanent style. They have never intermitted the hospi- 
 tality with which they treat all strangers and travellers, and 
 which we enjoyed during the very pleasant days we spent at 
 their Mission. 
 
 " I can suggest no change in the general arrangements of 
 the institution, with any view to increase its efficiency as an 
 industrial and civilising agency, and in that point of view I 
 would recommend it as a model to be followed in any attempt 
 to civilise or evangelise Africa. All that can be desired in 
 its secular arrangements — and of them alone I am now speak- 
 ing — is an extension of the means which have been so well 
 applied by Pere Horner and his reverend colleagues. There 
 is little room for expansion where they are now, but a branch 
 establishment may be formed at a little distance in the 
 interior, which would materially aid all the objects of the 
 parent institution. 
 
 " Possibly the Fathers may be able to obtain for themselves 
 all they require for the formation of such a branch establish- 
 ment, or for any additions they may require to the land they 
 now hold near Bagamoyo. But should they require and wish 
 for assistance, I think it should be afforded to them by the 
 British Consul in the same way as I have proposed for the 
 Universities' Mission, without reference to the nationality of 
 an institution so judiciously promoting the objects which the 
 British Government has in view for the freedom and civilisa- 
 tion of East Africa. 
 
 " I gathered from the reverend Fathers that there was 
 practically no limit to the number of children they could 
 accommodate, if they were added gradually, so as to admit of 
 their labour aiding in the expense of their maintenance, or if 
 payments were made for such as could earn nothing for their 
 own support." 
 
 The following information regarding the Mission was 
 kindly furnished to me by Pere Horner : — 
 
 (Translation.) 
 
 " M. LE MiNiSTRE, Notre Dame de Bagamoi/o, Feb. 3, 1873. 
 
 " I have the honour to inclose herewith detailed replies 
 
50 Eastern Africa 
 
 to the questions which your Excellency was pleased to address 
 to me, on behalf of your Government, on the subject of our 
 Mission and its labours. 
 
 "To avoid misunderstanding I wish to give a short explana- 
 tion. Our establishment is not at present in its usual state. 
 In consequence of the cruel hardships and many difficulties 
 we had to undergo after the destruction of our dwellings by 
 the hurricane of the 15th April last, several members of 
 the Mission died or were invalided home to Europe. 
 
 " In all probability five ' religieuses ' are now on their 
 way to reinforce the establishment of sisters ; priests and 
 brethren are expected shortly. I shall, therefore, count our 
 numbers in their usual force, and as we soon shall be. 
 
 " Accept, &c. 
 (Signed) " Horner." 
 
 (Translation.) 
 
 " Ansxiaers to Questions put to the Rev. Ptre Horner, Superior of 
 the Zanzibar French Mission, by Sir H. B. E. Frere. 
 
 *' 1st. The Society to which the Catholic Mission of Zanzibar 
 belongs is called the ' Societe du Saint Esprit et du Saint 
 Coeur de Marie;' its head-quarters are at Paris, Eue 
 Lhomond (ancienne rue des Postes). This society supplies 
 fathers and brothers to the said Mission. 
 
 " The ' Superior- General ' of this society is ' Prefet Aposto- 
 lique ' of Zanzibar ; but he has delegated all his powers to 
 Pere Horner, whom he has named ' Vice-Prefet Apostolique.' 
 
 " The Eev. Pere Horner is also Vice-Provincial ' Superieur ' 
 of the ecclesiastics employed on the Mission. 
 
 " He thus combines a double authority, viz. ecclesiastic and 
 religious. 
 
 " The Sisters, to whom the education of the girls at the 
 Mission is intrusted, belong to the Society of the ' Filles de 
 Marie,' whose head-quarters are at St. Denis in Eeunion. 
 
 " All the Sisters are subordinate to Pere Horner, and are 
 superintended by a ' Superieure Provinciale.' 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 5 1 
 
 " 2ncl. The governing body at the Mission is composed as 
 follows : — 
 
 "(1.) The community of St. Joseph of Zanzibar, possessing 
 two priests and four brothers, with one lay professor of music. 
 
 " (2.) The community of Notre Dame de Bagamoyo, com- 
 prising four priests, eight brothers, and twelve sisters, with 
 two lay brothers employed in agriculture. 
 
 " 3rd. There are at present under the Zanzibar Mission 
 324 Negroes. Of these 324 persons, 73 are adults and 251 
 are children. 
 
 "4th. We have received 172 freed slaves from the British 
 Government. 
 
 " 5th. The occupations of the various classes are divided as 
 follows : — 
 
 " (1.) Children. Primary schools. 
 
 "Including religious instruction. Children pass five and 
 a-half hours a day in the primary school, and the same length 
 of time at manual labour. 
 
 " (2.) Arts and trades. 
 
 " Children who are employed in the workshops, and are 
 learning different trades, only spend one hour in the primary 
 school, and receive half an hour's religious instruction daily. 
 
 "(3.) Agricultural section. 
 
 " This is composed of children who show no aptitude for 
 study. With the exception of half an hour devoted to 
 religious instruction and an hour of the most elementary 
 lessons, all their time, viz. nine hours daily, is spent in 
 agricultural pursuits. 
 
 " Girls, — 1st. Primary school. 
 
 "Very young girls follow the same course as the corre- 
 sponding class of boys, except that some of their time is 
 sjDent in sewing. 
 
 " 2nd. Working section. 
 
 " Girls who have no aptitude for study only spend one hour 
 a day in elementary lessons, and half an hour in receiving 
 religious instruction. Five hours during the day are devoted 
 to working in the fields, and the rest in learning sewing and 
 other household duties. 
 
3-^ 
 
 Eastern Africa 
 
 " 6th. There is a small seminary of nineteen pnpils under 
 the Mission at Zanzibar for the education of a native clergy. 
 
 " Amongst this number there are hopes of finding future 
 Brothers and Catechists to regenerate the country. 
 
 " There is also at Bagamoyo a noviciate of five girls who 
 wish to become native Sisters, 
 
 " These two bodies are drawn from our primary schools." 
 
 (Signed) " Houn'kr. 
 
 ^^ Notre Dame de Bagamoyo, February 3, 1873." 
 
 (Translation.) 
 
 " M. LE MiNISTRE, 
 
 " In accordance with the wishes of 3'our Excellency, I have 
 the honour to forward you a brief memorandum relative to 
 the disposition of slaves liberated by the English Government. 
 
 " Your Excellency can well understand that merely t<.) 
 liberate the Negroes, without according them the succour of 
 Christian civilisation, would be quite insufficient to insure 
 their happiness, or to make them useful members of society. 
 You are come to give the blessings of liberty to the wretched 
 slaves, and we shall be happy to give you our utmost help in 
 so praiseworthy a mission. 
 
 / " Nobody can ignore the fact that the_ natural apathy and 
 indolence peculiar to the negro character form the greatest 
 obstacles to his ' moralisation ;' and it is only by degrees that 
 we can conquer their vices, by inspiring them with a regard 
 S^ \ and love of work according to the principles of Christianity. 
 
 " But it must be acknowledged that this system of education 
 requires material, no less than personal, sacrifices. ) 
 
 " Permit me then to explain to you in detail the conditions 
 of the various classes of liberated negroes who might, at any 
 time, be confided to our care. 
 
 " These liberated slaves can be divided into three distinct 
 categories from this point of view : — 
 
 " 1st. Healthy men, able to work. 
 
 " 2nd. Old men and women, and infirm people. 
 
 L-\ 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. ^2> 
 
 " 8rd. Infants of tender age, who are not able to earn their 
 own living by work. 
 
 " First. — Healthy men, able to work. 
 
 " I have no hesitation in saying that a negro in good health, 
 and of a working age, can earn his own living. But it is 
 easy to understand that the newly-arrived liberated slaves 
 are but little accustomed to work. 
 
 " Consequently it is necessary at the commencement to 
 ' coax ' them (' les menager ') to prevent their running 
 away, and to allow them a great latitude until such time as 
 they may be accustomed to work. 
 
 " During this time these men consume much but produce 
 nothing. Moreover, as on their arrival they possess nothing 
 at all, it is necessary to furnish them with a lodging, with 
 clothing, with the most indispensable household utensils, and 
 also with tools for work. 
 
 " Still more, it is necessary to procure for them a happiness 
 greater than that of the past, to render their life more agree- 
 able, to attach them to their work, and to prevent them from 
 returning to their primitive state of barbarism. 
 
 " To obtain these results, I consider indispensable a sum of 
 125 fr. per man, to liquidate the cost of his first equipment 
 and subsequent entertainment. This sum would only be 
 required once, on the first arrival of the negro. 
 
 " Second. — Old and infirm people. 
 
 " It occasionally happens, though rarely, that there are 
 found, among the liberated slaves, some aged people so 
 ' overwhelmed ' (' accables ') with infirmities that they are 
 quite incapable of work. 
 
 " This class of slaves demands the largest pecuniary sacri- 
 fices, for the following reasons : — 
 
 "Firstly, in addition to the necessity of providing them 
 with the equipment mentioned in the preceding paragraph, 
 it will also be needful to support these men until their death, 
 without their being able to gain anything for their liveli- 
 hood. Besides, as they are deprived of all support from their 
 families, and have no one to administer the attentions so 
 necessary in sickness and infirmity, they will require 
 
 E 
 
54 Eastern Africa 
 
 particular personal attendance to wait upon them. Again, 
 these infirm people Avill require, in addition to medicines, a 
 better description of food. Considering all these expenses, I 
 think that this class of slaves should be estimated to cost at 
 least 60 centimes per day per man. 
 
 " 27<?Vc?.— Children. 
 
 " In this class there are two descriptions of children : — 
 
 " (1.) Children of the age of twelve years and under, who 
 are incapable of earning their living by work. 
 
 "(2.) Children from twelve to fifteen years, who can con- 
 tribute something by work to the cost of their subsistence. 
 
 '• The first class would be entirely supported by the esta- 
 blishment. 
 
 " Taking into consideration the cost of construction, of tlie 
 material for schools, and for the support of the institutors, I 
 do not think a sum of 50 centimes per child per day would 
 be too much. With regard to those children who could 
 already contribute something to their subsistence, I think 
 25 centimes per child per day to be reasonable. 
 
 " Such are the cases in which I shall be happy to co-operate 
 with 3' our Excellency in aiding j^our general plans. 
 
 "' Yet, as the increase of the Negroes would naturally neces- 
 sitate that of the superintendents, I could come to no definite 
 arrangement till I had consulted with the Very Reverend 
 Father Superior, head of the ' Congregation du Saint Esprit 
 et du Saint Cceur do Marie,' under whom I am, and Avho 
 provides the missionaries for the Avork of civilisation 
 (' moralisation ') which I direct. 
 
 " Eeceive, &c. 
 
 (Signed) " Hohnkr." 
 
 (Translation.) 
 " M. LE MixiSTRK, Zanzibar, January 27, 1873. 
 
 " I have the honour to inform your Excellency that, during 
 the last two years, Dr. Kirk has made over to this Mission 
 about 200 freed slaves, who will thus enjoy the advantages 
 of civilisation. 
 
as a Field /or Missionary Labour. ^^ 
 
 " Up till now we have done our utmost to meet his benevo- 
 lent and enlightened views, and have been always grateful 
 to him for his lively sympathy with our work. 
 
 " Till quite recently, by increased labour and sacrifices, "we 
 have been able to carry on our work without asking any 
 support from the Government which he so well represents. 
 Most gladly and willingly would I continue to do so ; but, 
 I\I. le Ministre, the hurricane of the 15th April, 1872, carried 
 away almost all our buildings at Bagamoyo, and financially 
 ruined the Mission. Some of the children sent us by Dr. Kirk 
 are temporarily most wretchedly lodged, and suifer thereby 
 both in health and morals. This makes me trust that your 
 Excellency will look favourably on the confidence I place in 
 3'ou, in frankly explaining to you the great and urgent need 
 of our Mission. I am fully convinced that the Government 
 of Great Britain will come to our aid, and better the lot of 
 the poor Negroes whom they have confided to our care. The 
 state of our finances will cause the rebuilding of our establish- 
 ment at Bagamoyo to be a slow and tedious operation. Con- 
 sequently we shall, now and for some time to come, find 
 great difficulty in providing shelter for an}^ liberated slaves 
 who may be sent to us. 
 
 *' Your Excellency will, I feel sure, understand that real 
 necessity dictates this appeal — an appeal which rests on the 
 confidence I place in your Excellency, and on the generosity 
 of that Government of which you are the noble and worthy 
 representative. 
 
 " Accept, &c. 
 (Signed) "Horner." 
 
 " Bemarlcs hif Mr. Hill , Secretary to the Mission, on Memorandum hij 
 Pere Horner, Superior of the Roman Catholic Mission at Zanzibar 
 and Bagamoyo. 
 
 " The organisation of the French Eoman Catholic Mission at 
 Bagamo3"o is so fully described in the preceding papers that 
 very little remains to be said on that head, but some of Pere 
 Horner's opinions seem to call for a few remarks. 
 
 E 2 
 
56 Eastern Africa 
 
 " The manner in whicli the Fathers carrj' out their theory, 
 that the Negro should learn to be a useful member of soeiety 
 whilst he is being taught the doctrines of Christianity is so 
 admirably practical as to leave nothing to desire to insure 
 the success which attends their efforts. But when Pere 
 Horner insists on the inborn indolence and apathy of the 
 Negro, does he not, perhaps, forget that most of those who 
 come under his observation are unfortunate beings, in whom 
 the sufferings they have undergone since they were carried 
 off from their homes into slavery may have deadened all 
 energy ? And is this lack of energy to be wondered at, when 
 we think that the idea ever present in their minds must be 
 that the work they do brings them no gain, but only profit 
 to a master who shares none of it with them, and who would 
 sell them at once if it suited his pocket to do so ? A very 
 short time under the kind care of this Mission must, I am 
 sure, suffice to disabuse them of this idea, and make them 
 willing workers. We saw so many symptoms of a willing- 
 ness to work when once they were sure that woik meant I 
 prosperity to themselves, and not the labour of a slave for the ( 
 good of his master, that I am convinced the liberated negro 
 is indolent through ignorance morejt han throug h ^nyidle- 
 ness inborn in the East African ra ce. For this reason I think 
 that Pere Horner has undervalued the labour of the adult 
 Negroes on his Mission ground ; and, in future, now that that 
 ground is considerably developed and cultivated, the force of/ 
 example will be stronger on new-comers than it has hithertoj 
 been. 
 
 " His theory of attracting them at first b}^ comforts superinr 
 to those to which they have been accustomed, is indisputably 
 correct in a place where there is no power of physical restraint. 
 
 " Pere Horner says that, within the last two years, he has 
 received from Dr. Kirk, in round numbers, 200 slaves set 
 free by our ships, i.e. at the rate of 100 a-year ; that of these, 
 the adults are soon able to support themselves ; boys and 
 girls of over twelve years of age can contribute something 
 to their own maintenance, while children and the aged or 
 invalid are alone a direct burthen to the establishment. This 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour, 5 7 
 
 burthen, he says, is especially trying at present, when the 
 funds of the Mission are impoverished by the hurricane of 
 1872, which destroyed many of its buildings, as well as by 
 the poverty caused in Alsace b}^ the late war. He remarks 
 on the increased sacrifices thus entailed on the Mission, and 
 estimates the sum which, under the present conditions, he 
 thinks necessary to support our liberated slaves, as fol- 
 lows : — 
 
 " For adults, a bonus of hi. 
 
 " For aged and invalid, 6tZ, per day. 
 
 " For children under twelve, hd. per day. 
 
 " For children over twelve, 2\d. per day. 
 
 " This seems rather a high estimate, for it is partly based 
 on a presumed necessity for continual construction of build- 
 ings, and there can be no reason why this should be, if once 
 a sum of money were found to erect houses sufficiently large 
 to meet the probable requirements. 
 
 " If a subscription were set on foot amongst Engl ish Eo inan 
 Catholics, this want would doubtless be soon met^ 
 
 " It is difficult aTpresent to judge what effect the enforce- 
 ment of more rigorous anti-Slave Trade measures may have 
 in increasing the number of slaves to be cared for ; but with 
 the numerous other means of disposal at our command, it is 
 not likely that there will be many more than 100 per 
 annum sent to the care of the Bagamoyo Mission, and, with 
 the cessation of the Slave Trade, of course this number would 
 correspondingly diminish. Moreover in considering the sacri- 
 fices which, as Pere Horner justly points out, the missionaries 
 are called upon to make on behalf of these liberated slaves, 
 we must not forget the raison d'etre of the Mission is the 
 welfare of the African race, and in no way can a large 
 number of Africans be better or more immediately aided than 
 by the care which is bestowed on these sufferers. 
 
 " It is clear, however, that Great Britain, who has taken on 
 herself the duty of liberating slaves, is bound, even at a 
 large cost, to see that they are not the suiferers by her 
 acts. 
 
58 Eastern Africa 
 
 " There is at this moiiient no place in every way so suited 
 to receive and properly educate them as the Bagamoyo Mis- 
 sion. Instead, however, of" accepting Fere Horner's plan of 
 paj'ing a daily sum for their subsistence, I would suggest 
 that it would be more economical for us, and more advan- 
 tageous to the Mission, now in immediate want of funds, that 
 we should pay a bonus of hi. for every freed slave, young or 
 old, handed over to their care. This would find funds for 
 providing the negro with proper clothing and tools, and, in 
 the case of those over twelve years of age, would maintain 
 them till they were able to earn their own subsistence. 
 
 " Objections may very likely be raised to thus encouraging a 
 .Koman Catholic institution ; but till our missionary societies 
 I will follow their example ■ and train up their pupils to be 
 useful citizens as well as pious Christians, what is to be done ? 
 It is surely better that these pagan Africans should learn 
 Christianity, even in a form with which we do not agree, 
 than that they should be left in their present benighted 
 state. AVhat these Roman Catholic Fathers have done, our 
 Englisn missionaries could do as well ; and an opportunity 
 is now afforded at the Church Missionary Society's station 
 at Kissoludini, near Mombassa, which, if properly taken 
 advantage of and supported by Her JMajesty's Government, 
 would at once form a Protestant home for very many liberated 
 slaves, and a starting-point of the greatest value to civrlisa- 
 tion and to commerce. 
 
 (Signed) " Clkment Ll. Hill. 
 
 " 42"'*^ 12, 1873."* 
 
 * Since this was written, Pere Horner lias returned to France, 
 and, by stating tlie wants of his Mission to the friends of his Cliurch 
 in some of tlie great seminaries and cities of France, has, I am 
 informed, obtained all the aid he required, in men as well as in 
 money. 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 59 
 
 III. CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY'S MISSION. 
 
 " The Church Missionary Society has, for thirty years 
 past, had a mission at Monibassa, with a branch establish- 
 ment at Kissoludini close to Eabbai, about six miles from the 
 head of a branch of the great estuary, the mouth of which 
 forms the port of Mombas^a. The Mission was begun in 
 1844 by Dr. Krapf, who had been for many years previously 
 labouring in Abyssinia. 
 
 " When we visited these places, Mr. Eebmann was the only 
 European missionary present. He probably ranks among 
 the oldest and most learned missionaries now in Africa, and 
 has laboured longer on the East Coast than any one now 
 living there. -He has specially devoted himself to the study 
 of the native languages, and, besides some translations of 
 the Scriptures, has completed three dictionaries of the 
 Nyassa, the Kanika, and the Swahili tongues, two of which 
 are absolutely ready for the printer, whilst the third only 
 requires transcription.)) His health has of late years quite 
 failed him, and I much fear that, unless relieved, he may die 
 at his post, and many of the invaluable collections, the 
 results of so many years of literary toil, may be lost, as he 
 is unwilling to part with them. He has been unable of late 
 years to take much active part in more direct missionary 
 work ; and we found but eight converts at Kissoludini, and 
 five of them belonged to two families which had joined from 
 the African Orphanage at Nassick, near Bombay. Mr. Eeb- 
 mann has insuperable scruples regarding the admission of 
 anything like an industrial or worldly element into the 
 teaching or action of the Mission, and his influence has 
 consequently been limited to the example of a holy life of 
 ascetic self-denial and indifference to all worldly enjoyments 
 and employments, which have had the usual eifect of ex- 
 citing the admiration, without securing the imitation, of the 
 people around him. 
 
 " I gathered, however, from the conversations I had with 
 Mr. George David, a very intelligent catechist whom we 
 
6o Eastern Africa 
 
 found in charge at Kissoludini, that he had no doubt of the 
 success of any extension of the Mission which should give to^ 
 it more of an industrial element, similar to that in which he 
 was himself trained at Xassick. The people around are 
 willing enough to come and listen, and approve of the truths 
 thev hear ; but if, when they ask what they shall do, the 
 missionary declines to follow St. Paul's or St. John the 
 Baptist's example, and simply exhorts them to believe, they 
 are too often inclined to defer compliance to some more 
 convenient season, and to conclude that Christianity is com- 
 patible with no worldly status but that of the ascetic or the 
 salaried teacher of a foreign dogma. 
 
 " Mr. George David had no doubt that, if set to agriculture 
 or other industrial occupations, numbers of the people round 
 would flock to the Mission. It would be difficult to find a 
 better situation for it, in everj^ point of view ; and I feel 
 assured that, if placed under a superintendent who, like 
 Mr. Price at Nassick, added to judicious missionary zeal 
 great powers of organisation, results might be secured far 
 surpassing what I have witnessed at Nassick, for there is 
 a total absence of the old fossilised superstitious caste- 
 prejudices and social difficulties which form so powerful an 
 obstacle to the labours of the missionary in India. 
 
 " The buildings erected by Mr. Eebmann at Kissoludini 
 are well-planned and substantial as far as they are completed, 
 and the establishment is in every way capable of indefinite 
 expansion." 
 
 IV. METHODIST MISSION. 
 
 "Much of what has been stated of Kissoludini is, to 
 some extent, true of Kiliii, the station of the United 
 Methodist Free Churches, where Messrs. New and \Vake- 
 field have been labouring for the last ten or eleven 
 years. Both gentlemen are distinguished for the great 
 additions they have made to geographical knowledge during 
 extended missionary tours to the snowy mountain, Kili- 
 manjaro, and into the Galla country. We saw, at their 
 
as a Field f 01'' Missionary Ladotir. 61 
 
 ordinary Sunday-school assemblies and services, between forty 
 and fifty converts and inquirers, many of them G alias, 
 members of broken tribes harassed by Masai and Somali 
 inroads. They had sought refuge with the missionaries, 
 whose acquaintance they had made during their tours, and 
 they testified to a wide-spread impression that peace and 
 good-will, so rare in their own country, were characteristics 
 of the Christian settlement. 
 
 " Here, as at the neighbouring Mission, the most con- 
 spicuous defect seemed to me the want of a larger admixture 
 of the industrial element — of more direct teaching how to 
 live in this world, as well as how to prepare for that which 
 is to come. 
 
 " I gathered that the experience of Mr. and Mrs. Wake- 
 field, the only Europeans whom we found at Elbe, was in 
 accordance with my own observation, and that they were 
 quite willing to carry out any plan which might be approved 
 by the directors of their Society at home for organising their 
 converts into a civilised in dustrial com munity. 
 
 " I ventured to communicate to these gentlemen the im- 
 pressions made on me during my brief visit, and the sug- 
 gestions which some experience of life in the tropics enabled 
 me to offer. Meantime, till the number of European mis- 
 sionaries is increased, only a ver}^ few liberated slaves can be 
 made over to their care ; but the position is quite one of the 
 best which could be selected for a free settlement, in the neigh- 
 bourhood of an important seaport, and of established lines of 
 communication along the coasts as well as into the interior. 
 
 " I would suggest t h at the Consul be e m powered t oaid in 
 ac quiring a n y plots _ofJ^ d in the neighbourhood of eith er 
 Mission, which may be required to rece j-ve any li berated 
 slaves. I do not anticipate t he slighte st difficulty and very 
 little expense in doing this; but jt_is_ajvEork_ in which the 
 ConsuT~should^ I think, take a part, and the medical officer 
 attached to the Consulate might usefully accompany his chief, 
 and be consulted regarding many of the arrangements. 
 
 " I saw at these stations, as elsewhere in East Africa, 
 much which leaves on my mind the impression that the 
 
62 Eastern Africa 
 
 insalubrity which is now ascribed to the climate is often 
 due to a neglect of sanitary rules, which would cause similar 
 results on any part of the coasts of India ; and I, everywhere 
 in Eastern Africa, found Europeans living in positions and 
 under circumstances which any medical officer of ordinary 
 experience in Indian cantonments would pronounce to bo 
 incompatible with healthy existence." 
 
 After some suggestions regarding the medical staff re- 
 quired for the Consulate atZanzibar,the Keport proceeds : — 
 
 " Much has been said at Zanzibar and elsewhere regarding 
 the small number of actual converts, especially at the Church 
 Missionary station ; but it seems to me that, apart from their 
 literary labours, if judged only by the character they have 
 established among the people around them, Mr. Eebmann 
 and his fellow-missionaries have neither lived nor laboured 
 in vain. They seemed to me to be regarded as beneficent 
 superior beings, whose presence the simple tribes around 
 were glad to secure, and whose precepts and example they 
 would gladly follow. Everj- where the leading men of the 
 petty tribes welcomed us after their fashion, and more than 
 once asked why we did not staj", with no apparent notion 
 beyond the belief that we belonged to the same race, and 
 had the same objects as the missionaries. One of them, 
 however — a very intelligent petty chief at Eabbai, near 
 Kissoludini — gave, as his reason for wishing us to stop, that 
 ' more missionaries would be a protection against the two 
 greatest evils they feared — the inroads of the fierce cattle- 
 lifting Masai, and the efforts of the coast people to make 
 slaves of the Wanika, who had hitherto maintained com- 
 parative immunity from the inroads of slave-hunters.' 
 
 /'" I may remark, once and for all, that Christian missions 
 px'sent to the civil administration in East Africa none of 
 the political difficulties with which we are familiar in India. 
 Educated IVIuhammedans do not sympathize with the mis- 
 sionary ; but, except slave-dealers, they will not oppose him, 
 and the bulk of the African Moslem, who are very illiterate, 
 
as a Field for Missiojiary Labour. 6 
 
 3 
 
 are by no means averse to listen to him. By the Negro, free 
 or slave, he is everyAvhere regarded as a friend. The Africa n 
 is surprised to be told that the Great Spi rit„is^np t in a state 
 of epicurean indifference to mundane affairs, and he is quita 
 incredulous asl:o the non-existen ce of the appara tus of witch- 
 craft and good and evil spirits, by which he believes the 
 world to be governed. As a rule he is a materialist and 
 positivist of the most practical character ; but he has not the 
 slightest objection of any kind, moral or material, political 
 or social, to the missionary, whom he regards as a very 
 amiable and inexplicable, but in many ways most useful, 
 enthusiast, whom he is glad to welcome as doing him good 
 in many ways, and greatly adding to the comfort and im- 
 portance of the tribes in tlie midst of which a mission station 
 is established. 
 
 " It will be seen that, of the eight places specified above 
 as desirable positions for establishments of liberated slaves, 
 four only are occupied : — 
 
 " Mumbassa (Church Missionary Society and Methodist 
 Free Churches) ; 
 
 " Near Pangani Eiver, Magila (Universities' Mission) ; 
 
 " Near Kingani Eiver, Bagamoyo (French Mission) ; 
 
 " Dar-es-Salaam, proposed to be occujoied by the Univer- 
 sities' Mission. 
 
 " Whilst four remain to be provided for, viz. :— 
 
 " (1.) Near Port Durnford, or some other point as far north 
 as possible between Lamoo and Warsheek. 
 
 " To this part of the coast slave-dhows running north are 
 generally obliged to resort for water. There is also a con- 
 siderable local demand for southern slaves among the Somalis, 
 where they fetch a higher price than at Muscat, and from 
 2000 to 4000 are said to be taken annually. High-priced 
 Galla and Abyssinian slaves are also often exported. No- 
 thing is likely so effectually to check this traffic as a free 
 settlement, under resident European superintendence — the 
 farther north the better. Port Durnford is an excellent 
 harbour, easily accessible, and is said to be a peculiarly 
 healthy place ; but the best spot can only be decided on after 
 
64 Eastern Africa 
 
 a careful examination of the coast by the person who is to 
 have charge of the settlement. This remark is generally 
 applicable to the other three places named. 
 
 "(2.) A settlement near Kihva, which would act on one of 
 the principal slave routes, and on the great port of slave 
 export trade of Zanzibar. I have no doubt a comparatively 
 healthy spot niiglit be found on the sea-shore in the neigh- 
 bourhood, from which a jjosition might subsequently l)e taken 
 up further inland. 
 
 " The same may be said of the other two spots named, 
 viz. ; — 
 
 " (3.) Near Lindy, or some other of the ports north of the 
 Kovuma ; and 
 
 " (4.) South of the Rovuma, as near as possible to the 
 Portuguese frontier. 
 
 " The object of all these settlements should be to form a 
 basis, whence it may be possible to carry out Dr. Livingstone's 
 original idea of acting on the Slave Trade from the interior. 
 I found that all the persons best acquainted with the coast 
 and the Slave Trade were convinced that it is only from the 
 interior that any extensive and permanent effect can be 
 l)roduced on the slave-hunting ground. 
 
 " No one seemed to doubt the essential soundness and 
 feasibility of Dr. Livingstone's plans ; but all agreed that a 
 good and permanent base on the sea-coast was an essential 
 preliminary, and this it need not take long to establish. 
 
 " The Universities' Mission has never, I believe, given up 
 the hope of resuming this part of Bishop Mackenzie's plan, 
 and one or other of the four places I have named is very 
 likely to be taken up by them. For the others, I would 
 trust to the efforts of private individuals or missionary 
 societies ; for I believe a very considerable extension of 
 missionary enterprise on this coast may be confidently 
 looked for. 
 
 " The same may be expected of commercial enterprise; and 
 in the event of any respectable European setting up on the 
 coast a plantation like that of Captain Fraser or Mr. Sunley, 
 I would authorize the Consul to deal with him as with a 
 
as a Field for Missionary Laboiir. d^ 
 
 mission, alwaj^s remembering the less permanent character 
 of his establishment. C Sometimes it might be desirable to 
 have a separate Government ' shamba ' or plantation, but I 
 would avoid this if possible, so that the status of the liberated 
 slave might, as nearly as possible, resemble that of an ordi- 
 nary freed man, with the additional protection which he 
 derived from being registered as under British j)rotection^' 
 
 " I have suggested no separate establishments to be formedi 
 by Government, from a sense that Government could not do' 
 the work so well or so cheaply as the missionary societies or 
 private individuals. But Government should contribute 
 effective pecuniary aid ; and I would beg attention to what 
 is said by Fere Hor ner,* as indicating what may be oon- 
 sidered the reasonable expectations of one of the best-informed 
 and best-organised of the existing institutions. 
 
 " I would authorize the Consul to contribute whatever he 
 may consider a reasonable amount, in every case in which 
 the Consul may avail himself of the agency of a missionary 
 society, or of any private establishment, to take charge of 
 children, or of adults who are not in a condition at once to 
 earn their own livelihood. 
 
 " Under no circumstances should anything be allowed to be 
 paid into any British Treasury for the services of a liberated 
 African, either on the ground of paying for his outfit or on 
 any other pretence whatever. I have no doubt that it was a 
 misunderstanding of the reason for some repayment of ex- 
 penses of clothing and keep which gave rise to the misrepre- 
 sentations regarding the disposal of liberated slaves at 
 Seychelles and elsewhere. When a liberated slave is ' as- 
 signed ' to a planter, who pays so many pounds for his keep 
 and clothing before he was assigned, it is difficult for either 
 the slave or the bystander to understand that the liberated 
 slave's services have not been sold as really and effectually 
 as if the money had been paid to the slave-owner before the 
 man was freed." 
 
 Neither, I may. add, in passing, should the system followed 
 I believe by most Eoman Catholic Missions of j)urchasing 
 * Vide siqjva, pp. 50 to 58. 
 
66 Eastern Africa 
 
 slaves _J[)r _ manum ission b^ the Missionaries, be porniitted. 
 I have no doubt it was sanctioned with the best intentions, 
 but^t certainly gives rise to misrepresentation, and there 
 can, I venture to think, bo no quejstion as to the propriety' 
 of that prohibition of tlie practice which is, I believe, strictly 
 enforced in all Protestant Missions. 
 
 Besides these Missionary establishments, we found at Ibo 
 and Mozambique a few Portuguese priests ; but I could not 
 learn that it was considered anj' part of their duty to attempt 
 Missionary work among the Africans ; and even if it were, 
 their numbers are not sufficient to do more than conduct the 
 religious services required for the Portuguese residents. 
 
 The latter remark is also applicable to the French priests 
 who are found at Mayotte and Nossi Be ; but as far as their 
 ability goes, I believe, they are active in missionary work. I 
 was told that they had opened schools, and aiforded religious 
 instruction to Negro and Creole children, and that want of 
 means and numbers only prevented their doing more. 
 
 At Majunga, on the west coast of Madagascar, we found 
 ample evidence of the great results which have followed the 
 labours of the missionaries of the London Missionary Society 
 in that island. 
 
 Majunga is the seat of government and chief garrison of a 
 district conquered about forty years ago by the Hovas, or 
 ruling race, from the Sakalavas. It is on the shores of 
 Bembatuka Bay, a large inlet into which flow several rivers, 
 including one which is navigable to within a short distance 
 of the Hova capital of Tananarivo, where the queen resides. 
 
 There was no English Missionary at Majunga, when we 
 I visited it, nor could I hear of any one having been there for 
 a long time past. All that we saw seemed to be originated 
 1 and directed entirely b^^ jiative agenc}^' 
 
 Nothing was volunteerednby tlie HoL£aa-_in^he _ shape o f 
 iiifbrmation^_noiL_wafi tlie_subject of jreligion broached by 
 them. We found accidentally _that they had twojarge 
 churches, and, having attended the morning service at one 
 of them, W5 were told as the reason of the large congrega- 
 tions which we saw tliat " Christianity Jbeing— now the re- 
 
as a Field /or Missionary Labour. 67 
 
 ligion of the Hova Government, most Hovas and many of 
 
 the subject Sakalavas attended church and were regularly 
 
 instructed." 
 
 I The Sabbath was observed with great strictness, no work 
 
 pr trade of any kind being permitted to be done on that day 
 
 oy any of the natives or Banian merchants in the town. 
 
 The churches were large airy mat buildings, capable of 
 holding from three hundred to five hundred people, built on 
 a uniform and convenient plan. The large congregations 
 which more than filled them were, in about equal numbers, 
 men and women, extremely attentive to a long service, which 
 resembled in its general features a Scotch Presbyterian ser- 
 vice ; nothing could be more earnest and devotional, orderly, 
 and free from the slightest appearance of extravagance or 
 rant. Altogether the impression left on our minds was that 
 the great body of the Hovas at Majunga and many of their 
 Sakalave subjects were at least outwardly Christians — that 
 many of them were very earnest and devoted, and that 
 Christianity had here taken root as the national religion, 
 maintained and ordered in all its formularies by the people 
 themselves without foreign aid or intervention. 
 
 From what we then witnessed and heard, I see no 
 reason to doubt the accuracy of the description given in a 
 late number of a well-informed Indian journal,* that there 
 are in Madagascar "half a million of professing Chris- 
 tians, that twenty thousand children are at school, that 
 there are some seven hundred churches, that the Bible has 
 been translated and many books written in Malagasy, and 
 that above a hundred and fifty thousand books in that 
 vernacular are sold every year. Besides building their 
 own churches and supporting their ministers, the native 
 Christians maintain a hundred and twenty evangelists in 
 the outlying districts. The Government has absorbed 
 Christiftnity into its system just as Constantino did, after 
 failing to stamp it out by bitter persecution. And this is 
 the result of less than fifty years -, for although L'adama J. 
 allowed missionaries to settle in the capital, Tananarive, in 
 * " Friend of India/' Sept. 23, 1873. 
 
68 Eastani Africa. 
 
 1820, the faith was prohibited by Queen Eanavalona his 
 successor, for half that time. A church that remained pure 
 and increased under such horrors as those inflicted on it for 
 a quarter of a century, and that maintains so many mis- 
 sionaries of its own, cannot suff'er much from the political 
 spirit which tries to use it for purely secular ends. As in all 
 the purest churches of Europe, the work began among the 
 middle and lower classes. Polygamy has been abolished and 
 divorce regulated. Domestic slavery remains to be dealt 
 with. The Church is teaching the people self-government. 
 When Dr. Livingstone issues from his lakes and the task of 
 doing justice to East Africa is fairly taken in hand, the 
 Christian revolution in Madagascar will be so far accom- 
 plished as to enable that island to aid in the good work," 
 
 To the places mentioned above (pp. ()3, 64) as eligible for 
 the establishment of fresh missionary stations, I would add 
 the Comoro Islands, especially Johanna, where any mission- 
 ary would find himself able at once to enter on a field of 
 useful labour, especially if he possessed some acquaintance 
 with Arabic, or experience of work among the Muslims of 
 India or Syria. I am unable to account for the little at- 
 tention these beautiful, healthy, and most interesting islands 
 have hitherto attracted from the friends of our Missionary 
 Societies. 
 
THIRD LETTEE. 
 
 Recapitulation as to work to be done 
 ou the East Coast of Africa. 
 
 Ideal pattern of a completely organ- 
 ised Christian Mission to uncivilised 
 races. 
 
 Practice of the early Church in deal- 
 ing with uncivilised communities. 
 
 Departure from that practice in many 
 of the Missionary Societies of the 
 Reformed Churches in the eighteenth 
 and nineteenth centuries. 
 
 Adherence of others to the primitive 
 practice. 
 
 Principle that in Christian Missions 
 nothing should be neglected which 
 is necessary to the organisation 
 of a perfectly civilised Christian 
 Society. 
 
 Necessary prominence of clerical 
 element. 
 
 Branches in which lay element may 
 be most useful. 
 
 Medical ilissionaries. 
 
 A certain amount of medical training 
 should be required in all missionaries. 
 
 Exclusively Medical Missionaries — 
 their School and College Training. 
 
 Nurses. 
 
 Philologists and Scholars. 
 
 Teachers and Schoolmasters. 
 
 Printers. 
 
 Artisans, Mechanics, and Agricultu- 
 rists. 
 
 Note — The "General Instructions" of 
 the S. P. G. and of the London Mis- 
 sionary Society. 
 
 Such are the agencies at work for the conversion of 
 countless myriads of African races lying between the 
 lake region and the sea ; of which vast population at least 
 six millions are within easy reach from the East Coast, ready 
 to trade, ready to learn ; well-inclined towards the white 
 man, and only too ready to follow his lead whether for 
 good or evil ; everywhere recognising the Englishman 
 as the friend and protector of the negro race. In civili- 
 sation they are little advanced beyond the early inha- 
 bitants of Europe before Prometheus taught them arts 
 or Cadmus letters ; but the Negroes are peculiarly docile, 
 
 F 
 
7© Eastern Africa 
 
 and everywhere tend rapidly to assimilate themselves to 
 any more highly-civilised race with which they may be 
 brought into contftct. They seem to need only such 
 a basis of moral law, and such a bond of union as 
 Christianity supplies, to knit them into orderly and 
 progressive communities. At present there is nothing 
 to counteract the action of the cold materialism which, 
 teaching selfishness as the highest wisdom, isolates 
 every man from his neighbour. This perhaps is one 
 of the natural religions of mankind; but by counter- 
 acting the formation of any social ties or organisations 
 higher than those which keep together a herd of bison, 
 it is an efi'ectual obstacle to anything like permanent 
 civilisation. 
 
 Infinitesimally small as has hitherto been the infusion 
 of vital Christianity into the vast mass of East African 
 peoples, it has been sufficient to satisfy any impartial 
 observer that Christianity contains within itself the one 
 thing needful to give coherence to the mutually repulsive 
 atoms of savage life, and to unite the innumerable 
 scattered clans of the Negro race into nations progressive 
 in all human arts of civilisation. 
 
 I will now briefly note the deficiencies which it appears 
 to me should be supplied, with a view to rendering the 
 organisation of the East African Missions more perfect. 
 
 This opens the question, what is the pattern of a com- 
 pletely organised Christian Mission, such as should be 
 aimed at by our Church in offering the Grospel to uncivi- 
 lised communities ? 
 
 In a paper which I submitted to the Church Congress 
 at Bath, in October 1873,* I stated the grounds of my 
 
 * Soo Proceedings of the Church Congress at Bath, published by 
 lliviiigtons, 1873. pp. 
 
as a Field /or Missionajy Labour, 71 
 
 belief that, in dealing with uncivilised nations, we have 
 no warrant of apostolic example for confining our mis- 
 sionary efforts to sending out preachers and teachers 
 merely of dogmas and religious doctrine. 
 
 The records we possess in the canonical Scriptures, give 
 details of missionary work among civilised communities 
 only. We know little of how the Apostles or their 
 immediate successors organised their missions to really 
 barbarous or uncivilised nations ; but our oldest records 
 of mission work among such people show that the earliest 
 missionaries started with a band of fellow-labourers 
 which, as nearly as possible, represented a completely 
 organised Christian community, lay as well as clerical ; 
 and that as long as the Church continued to be a 
 zealously active missionary church it was the object of 
 all missionaries among uncivilised people to teach not 
 only religious dogma and morals, but all the arts of 
 civilised life. 
 
 This example has been but imperfectly followed by the 
 missionary societies of our Church, since the revival of 
 missionary enterprise in the eighteenth and nineteenth 
 centuries. With some societies it has been a rule to allow of 
 no expenditure of funds on any instruction but that which 
 had immediate reference to religious dogma or morals. 
 The principle has not been uniformly enforced, nor has 
 the practice of missionaries always been in exact con- 
 formity with their instructions in this respect ; but among 
 our English missionary societies few have adhered to the 
 early — probably apostolic — -practice of making the Chris- 
 tian missionary a pioneer of material and social civili- 
 sation as well as a preacher of morals and religion ; and 
 when some individual missionaries of great eminence have 
 devoted themselves to civilise as well as to instruct their 
 
 f2 
 
72 Eastern Africa 
 
 savage disciples, their practice has been reluctantly tole- 
 rated and not unfrequently summarily checked by the 
 ruling authorities at home. 
 ^ Some of the most active missionary bodies in America 
 have even gone further and sent out special commis- 
 sioners to enforce on their missionaries the duty of 
 preaching Christianity alone, to the exclusion of even 
 such work as the education of the heathen, who came 
 voluntarily to their mission schools for the sake of the 
 secular education there aflforded in conjunction with re- 
 ligious instruction. 
 
 On the other hand, others — and they are amongst the 
 most active and successful Protestant missionaries — have 
 adhered to the practice of the early Church. Their 
 success in religious teaching among uncivilised tribes 
 admits of no question, and seems to me to be generally in 
 direct proportion to their adherence to ancient usage in 
 this respect. I would cite the examples of the Moravian 
 Church everywhere ; of many, if not most, of the German 
 missionaries, and of some Americans. The great success 
 which has attended the labours of the Presbyterian mis- 
 sionaries among the educated Hindoos always seemed to 
 me to be much connected with their attention to high 
 education in European literature and science; and in 
 estimating the causes of the wonderful results which have 
 blessed the labours of the London Missionary Society in 
 Madagascar and elsewhere, it is impossible to overlook the 
 extremely practical character of the " General Instruc- 
 tions " given to the missionaries regarding secular as well 
 as religious matters. " Our missionaries," the Secretary 
 says, " are encouraged to go all lengths in the work of 
 civilising and uplifting the peoples, and nothing is for- 
 bidden in that direction except personal trading. Our 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 73 
 
 missionaries have built aqueducts, made tunnels, devised 
 schemes for irrigation, and have taught the arts of tan- 
 ning, printing, bookbinding, boat and house building, 
 besides giving to many peoples a written language and a 
 translation of the sacred Scriptures and of many other 
 books." 
 
 I have ventured to quote at length in a note at the end 
 of this letter, the " General Instructions " here referred 
 to. Nothing can be more comprehensive or more spiritual 
 than the " Instructions to the Missionary Clergy " which 
 for a hundred and sixty-four years have been given by 
 our own venerable Society for the Propagation of the 
 Gospel in Foreign Parts for the guidance of the clerical 
 members of their missions ; but I submit that the general 
 rules laid down for the management of missions to un- 
 civilised people, in secular as well as spiritual matters, 
 might go further, and might, without omitting a word 
 of these old instructions, breathe more of the spirit of 
 practical secular wisdom, as well as of fervent piety and 
 self-devotion, which inspired the early missionaries 
 to our land when they founded lona and Lindisfarn, 
 Croyland, Ely, or Canterbury, and which may be read in 
 every page of the statutes of William of "Wykeham and 
 the great founders and foundation visitors and reformers 
 of his age. 
 
 The Chur ch o f Bome has never favoured missions to 
 uncivilised people on any other system ; and, in the recent 
 revival of such missions, the effects of not neglecting the 
 elements of secular civilisation are everywhere noticeable, 
 among the elements of the success which has attended 
 what I have seen of the missions of that church in Asia 
 and Africa. 
 
 I think the principle that the Christian missionary 
 
74 Eastern Africa 
 
 should neglect nothing which is necessary to the organi- 
 sation of a perfectly civilised Christian society holds good 
 everywhere. But it is less obvious in the case of missions 
 to civilised nations in India, China, or Japan, where there 
 is little to teach in agriculture, arts, or commerce. Even 
 there I think it would be well if our missions were 
 oftener organised in the form of a complete Christian 
 community, and less as a separate caste_ of theological 
 teachers and preachers. But, in the case of missions to 
 the wilder and more savage tribes, instruction in the rudi- 
 mentary arts of civilised life should, I think, always be a 
 part of the ordinary and uniform system of- missionary 
 work, and should not be left to be taken in hand or neg- 
 lected, according to the views of individual missionaries. 
 Kor should it be permitted to occupy too much of the 
 time and distract the attention of the clerical members 
 of the mission, who are especially set apart for religious 
 teaching and for preaching the Gospel. 
 
 Nothing should be done to interfere with the position 
 of the clerical element as the directing power in every 
 Church mission. The secular elements of a civilised com- 
 munity should simply be added to such an extent as may 
 be necessary for the daily life of a peaceable and well- 
 ordered society. Arts necessary to this end should be 
 taught by laymen thoroughly imbued with the missionary 
 spirit, but limiting, as Churchmen, their own special work 
 to the calling in which they are masters, leaving their 
 clerical brethren free for the ministry of the Word of God, 
 to the preaching of which they have been specially called 
 and ordained. 
 
 I will now mention briefly a few of those branches of 
 secular teaching in which it seems to me that the lay 
 element may most usefully be called in, supplementing the 
 
as a Field for Missionary Laboitr. 75 
 
 labours of the ordained missionaries, to assist in the 
 great task of a Christian mission. 
 
 Medical Missionaries and Nurses. — There are few more 
 important offices in a perfect mission than that of the mem- 
 bers who can undertake the regular and efficient discharge 
 of duties as physicians and nurses, for which, as far as 
 I am aware, no regular and efficient provision is made in 
 most of our Church missions. 
 
 Much has been done to promote medical missions, but 
 chiefly by bodies unconnected with our Church, and the 
 Eoman Catholics and our own Church at home have some 
 excellent nursing sisterhoods from which many useful 
 practical hints might be gathered. 
 
 Medical Training to he required of all Missionaries.' — I 
 do not think any missionary can be regarded as perfectly 
 efficient, unless he has had sufficient medical education to 
 enable him to deal with the commoner forms of accident 
 or disease likely to be met with in the field of his future 
 labours. Life and health are, I am convinced, often sacri- 
 ficed owing to neglect of such training ; and I would fix 
 a certain course of study and attendance at lectures on 
 the rudiments of medicine, surgery, and practical sanitary 
 science, which should be demanded from every missionary 
 sent out. 
 
 Some medical instruction is now, I believe, given at 
 both our missionary colleges, at St. Augustine's (Canter- 
 bury) and at Islington ; but what is specially useful to 
 a missionary is instruction in at least the elements of 
 sanitary science, in its more comprehensive sense. This 
 is rarely accessible, and never as a part of regular and 
 necessary training to even our best-educated parochial 
 clergy, to most of whom it would be invaluable. Unless 
 they have had a chance of attending the teaching of 
 
y6 Eastern Africa 
 
 Dr. Acland and his colleagues at Oxford, they are generally 
 left to pick it up empirically and haphazard, probably 
 as overworked curates, in the unwholesome streets and 
 lanes of some crowded city ; and invaluable opportunities 
 of doing good are lost, and health and even life itself 
 are often forfeited, in the process of learning. Sound 
 elementary instruction on such subjects should be a part 
 of all liberal and complete education ; and such books as 
 Miss Nightingale has written on '* Hospital Management 
 and Nursing " as well as on " Army and Municipal 
 Sanitation in India and Europe," should form a part of 
 the library of every missionary especially in the tropics. 
 
 Medical 3IiiiSionaries. — But besides such general and 
 rudimentary training as can be required from all mis- 
 sionaries, there should be in every mission a well- 
 trained practitioner in medicine and surgery, qualified to 
 practise and advise on sanitary matters affecting members 
 of the mission, and also to make use of his medical 
 skill, as an auxiliary to the mission work : following the 
 example of Him who relieved all the physical sufi'erings 
 of the afflicted as a preliminary to preaching the Gospel 
 to them. 
 
 I would not require that all, who felt disposed to assist, 
 should of necessity take orders, or bind themselves indefi- 
 nitely to mission work. Much good might be done by 
 even a year or two of active work from a lay volunteer 
 who could not give his services for a longer period. 
 
 But though our societies might usefully encourage those 
 who are ready to ofi'er such temporary aid, it is still more 
 desirable to train men, who could attach themselves per- 
 manently as medical members of a mission, and form a 
 part of its regular staff. 
 
 The following suggestions with regard to the course of 
 
as a Field for Missionary Laboiir. 77 
 
 study and estimate of expense of such education have 
 been kindly forwarded to me by Dr. Theodore Maxwell, a 
 member of the University of Cambridge, who is now in 
 India as a medical missionary : — 
 
 " It is essential that a medical missionary should receive 
 a good medical and surgical education ; he should obtain a 
 degree from a university, or a diploma from one of the 
 licensing corporations in medicine and also in surgery. 
 
 " Four complete years is the minimum course of study pre- 
 scribed by law. 
 
 " The Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society receive students 
 into their institution (40Z. a year being paid for board by each 
 student) and pay the necessary fees to the university or 
 College of Surgeons for their education. The students attend 
 •to missionary work at the society's dispensary in the Cowgate. 
 The society is unsectarian. There are at present in the Insti- 
 tution, members of the Church of England, Independents, 
 Baptists, and Presbyterians. 
 
 " The course I should suggest for a Church of England 
 medical missionary is to go first to Cambridge or Oxford 
 Universities, and then to the Edinburgh Institution. 
 
 " He must reside three years in Cambridge, during the 
 latter two of which he should study medicine, or rather the 
 introductory sciences, anatomy, botany, &c., passing the first 
 and second M.B. examinations before leaving. 
 
 " If he is able to take an arts degree in honours, two 
 more years in Edinburgh will suffice ; but if not, he may not 
 pass the final M.B. examination till he has completed five 
 years of medical study, i.e. till three years after leaving 
 Cambridge. 
 
 " He could, however, obtain a diploma from the Colleges 
 of Surgeons and Physicians (which would suffice if time were 
 an object) in two years after leaving Cambridge. 
 
 "As to expense — in addition to that borne by the Edin- 
 burgh Medical Missionary Society, it might be set down 
 as — 
 
78 Eastern Africa 
 
 " I. Four years' board at Edinburgh Training Institu- £ 
 
 tion, at 40Z IGO 
 
 Four years' clothing, washing, travelling, and per- 
 sonal expenses IGO 
 
 Total for a student who does not go to Cambridge £320 
 
 " II. Three years at Cambridge, everything included, 
 
 at 180/ 540 
 
 Two years at Edinburgh Institution at 80/., exclud- 
 ing fees and booky, given by the Medical Mis- 
 sionary Society 160 
 
 Total for a Cambridge and Edinburgh training . £700." 
 
 In another letter on the same subject to a friend at the 
 Church Missionary Society's Institution, Islington, the- 
 same writer says : — 
 
 " I have just come home, after passing what I really hope 
 is my laal examination (Licentiate of the Royal College of 
 Surgeons, Edinburgh). I am much pleased that some one 
 belonging to our own Church is thinking much of medical 
 missions. This work has, hitherto, been almost entirely in 
 the hands of other churches. If a boy of sixteen or seventeen 
 could get a scholarship of 50/. for four years, I should say — 
 ' Do not send him as ajiprentice to a surgeon — let him pass 
 an arts preliminary examination, and begin at a medical 
 school.' In four years (if he is 21) he could be qualified and 
 could enter Islington for two years, which ought to bo enough 
 for him. The hest thing would be to go to Cambridge for 
 three years, then to Edinburgh or a London hosjiital for 
 eighteen months or two years, and Islington one year. The 
 cheapest plan would be to go at first to Edinburgh, whore the 
 Medical Missionary Society would keep him in their house 
 (where I have just been), charging him 40/. a year for board, 
 but paying for his lectures, hospital fees, and books. In four 
 or five years he could take his M.B. and then go to Islington 
 for a year or two. If a boy is good enough for a school exhi- 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 79 
 
 bition he might get a Scholarship or sizarship at Cambridge, 
 and the Elland Society would give him 40Z. if they were 
 satisfied of his earnestness. There are two C. M, S. men at 
 the Edinburgh Medical Missionary house now who would be 
 much better at Cambridge for the first part of their course. 
 If your friend has any funds at present at his disposal, he 
 couldn't employ them better than by sending those men to 
 Cambridge." 
 
 He goes on to speak highly of the Edinburgh Medical 
 Mission House, but observes, that for a young member of 
 the Church of England Cambridge has many advantages 
 over a Scotch university. 
 
 In May 1870, the Eev. Canon Eobinson wrote in reply 
 to a plea for the appointment of medical scholarships in 
 endowed schools : — 
 
 " We are in favour of providing, in all cases where the 
 endowment will bear it, that there shall be exhibitions from 
 the school, tenable not only at the universities, but at any 
 place of scientific, technical, or professional education or 
 study. By such a provision as this, ' Medicine ' will stand on 
 the same footing as the most favoured subjects of study. It 
 will be open to the holder of one of the exhibitions, to use 
 his exhibition while pursuing his medical studies either in a 
 college or hospital, or as an apprentice to a practitioner. 
 
 " I anticipate that in the middle-class schools, where the 
 training will not have any direct reference to a university 
 career, a large proportion of the exhibitions may often be 
 held by medical students. 
 
 " There will also, possibly, be some special scholarships in 
 science founded in some places ; these will also, in some 
 degree, be in the interest of medical students, to whom the 
 cultivation of science is a necessary condition of professional 
 efficiency." 
 
 And again in July 1871 : — 
 
 " As a matter of fact, the provision referred to is, I believe. 
 
8o Eastern Africa 
 
 made in every scheme 3'et published. But exceptional cases 
 may yet arise, especially among schools of the highest grade, 
 where the connection with the university is direct and 
 immediate." 
 
 Such provision of medical scholarships and exhibitions 
 in connection with Missions appears to be a subject well 
 deserving the attention of our Church Mission Societies as 
 well as of churchmen in general who are connected with 
 endowed schools or colleges.* 
 
 Nurses. — Much more systematic provision should be 
 made in all our Missions for attendance on the sick 
 by means of trained nurses. The professional training in 
 our own home institutions is probably equal to any in the 
 world, but their connection with missionary bodies is 
 only incidental, and never, as far as I am aware, 
 so systematic or practical as may be found in all the 
 Missions of the Koman Catholic Church. The sisters 
 of that church who devote themselves to such work 
 may, I believe, be divided into two classes : the one 
 being nuns or professed permanent members of some 
 religious order; the others being lay-sisters who devote 
 themselves to the work either for life or for a limited 
 period. 
 
 Philologists and Scholars. — There is one branch of secular 
 training and work which has never been neglected by any 
 of our missions, even by those who most strictly confine 
 their missionaries to the work of evangelists and teachers ; 
 I allude to the study of the native languages, their reduc- 
 tion to writing, and the translation into them of the 
 
 * Much useful information on the subject of Medical Missions 
 will be found in the pages of the " Medical Missionary Journal," a 
 small periodical of which I have only seen a few numbers, although 
 it appears to be now in the eighth year of its existence. 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 8 1 
 
 Scriptures and religious books. This work is so obviously 
 necessary as a preliminary to teaching and preaching 
 intelligibly to uneducated savages, that I here allude to 
 it only for the purpose of pointing out that it is in its 
 nature essentially secular work, and that it is work in 
 which laymen may render valuable assistance to their 
 clerical brethren. This seems a branch of work in which 
 the Universities could very effectually aid by means of 
 Travelling Fellowships or Scholarships, 
 
 Teachers and Schoolmasters. — The same may be said of 
 the work of teachers and schoolmasters ; but this has not 
 been so generally recognised as a necessary secular adjunct 
 to a Christian mission as the work of the philologist ; and 
 our societies sometimes place what seem to me rather 
 injudicious restrictions on the expenditure of mission 
 funds for educational purposes. As far as my observation 
 goes, no sound educational work amongst uncivilised tribes 
 can be considered as otherwise than a valuable auxiliary 
 to missionary teaching, provided the teacher be a man of 
 really missionary spirit, and that the great truths of 
 Christianity are made an integral part and a necessary 
 foundation of the educational course. This seems to 
 me equally true of missions to civilised as well as to 
 uncivilised nations. 
 
 Printers.— 1 would place the work of the printer in the 
 same category, as a valuable missionary auxiliary in the 
 conversion of civilised people, and as absolutely essential 
 to making any great impression on the uncivilised. A 
 small printing-press is an almost necessary adjunct to 
 every mission on the East Coast of Africa. But all large 
 work in printing should, I think, be left to the press 
 already established with such success by Dr. Steere at 
 Zanzibar, where a better press and more type are re- 
 
82 Eastern Africa 
 
 quired — the work now carried on having already out- 
 grown the appliances provided. 
 
 Many of the nations to which our missionaries are now 
 called, have languages which are deficient in all the means 
 of giving expression to moral truths or to abstract ideas 
 of any kind ; the popular vocabulary of such nations 
 requires to be enriched by terms drawn from other 
 tongues ; the whole has to be reduced to written charac- 
 ters, and the results multiplied by printing — a task, 
 in fact, has to be accomplished which has occupied some 
 of the foremost nations of Europe for ages, reckoning from 
 the earliest labours of pre-historical pioneers of civilisa- 
 tion, down to the invention of printing. Some of our 
 modern evangelists have shown that all this course of 
 reduction of language to written forms, its enrichment by 
 borrowed terms, and the instruction of large masses of the 
 people in its use, the composition of books in it, and their 
 multiplication by printing, may be compressed into the 
 term of a single life. Our missionaries are well acquainted 
 with these facts, and generally act on them ; but they 
 do not seem to me to be sufficiently recognised by our 
 parent societies at home. The task I have described 
 is hardly regarded in our home committee rooms as a 
 necessary branch of missionary work which may, indeed, 
 be safely and suitably left to laymen, but which should 
 in no degree be dissociated from the general and essential 
 work of the mission. 
 
 Music. — The natives of Africa generally have a passion 
 for music. Their own music is often to our ears very 
 discordant and disagreeable — but they have very correct 
 ears, keep admirable time, and are capable of being 
 trained to a high degree of excellence as musicians after 
 our European fashion, as we saw exemplified in the Choir 
 
as a Field /or Missionary Labour. 83 
 
 of the English Mission at Zanzibar, and still more in an 
 admirably-trained Band of the scholars in the school of 
 the French Mission. 
 
 Artisans, 3Ieehanics, and Agriculturists. — Next in im- 
 portance, I would place the work of architects, engineers, 
 and builders, of agriculturists, mechanics, and artisans, 
 such as smiths, carpenters, masons, leather workers, shoe- 
 makers, millers, &c, 
 
 I have not a word to say against the practice of our 
 missionaries when they endeavour to make themselves inde- 
 pendent of the aid of such auxiliaries, so as to be able to live 
 among the uncivilised inhabitants of Indian or African 
 jungles, in the same simple fashion as the aborigines 
 themselves live. It is doubtless necessary to complete 
 success that a missionary leader should be able thus to 
 live ; but I venture to think it a still higher qualification 
 that, while able and willing in case of necessity so to 
 live, he should have at hand the means of instructing the 
 savages around him in the rudimentary arts of civilised life. 
 He must have the judgment to see when what appears to 
 the European eye uncivilised, merely because it is simple, 
 is, as will often be the case, really more effective than the 
 civilised contrivances to which he has been used. An 
 African thatch may be a better covering in an African 
 climate than slates or tiles or iron roofs, and mud or mat 
 walls may be for some purposes preferable to masonry ; 
 but he who is a master in his craft — and none but a 
 master should be employed — will see where real improve- 
 ment is possible, and be able to select from various native 
 methods of doing the same thing, that which is best 
 adapted to its end. The result will be a real advance 
 in civilisation, leading to modes of life less animal, and to 
 a gradual elevation of the missionary disciples in the 
 scale of humanity. 
 
84 Easter 71 Africa 
 
 How much laymen might assist in this work may be 
 seen by a reference to what Dr. Steere and his brother 
 missionaries have now to do on the East Coast of Africa. 
 There is building, including a Church and Mission House ; 
 printing ; teaching in many departments ; cultivating 
 land ; some road-making ; organising a hospital ; and a 
 variety of other work which the missionary must now do 
 himself, if it is to be done at all. How effectual might be 
 the aid which might be given him, if a few laymen, masters 
 in the several arts required, would consecrate but a few 
 months of their time to go and help him ! They would 
 find themselves none the worse when they got back to 
 their usual field of labour in England, and might to their 
 lives' end continue, in their several parishes, permanent 
 and efi'ective lay auxiliaries to the Mission w^ith the work- 
 ing of which they had made practical acquaintance during 
 the few months of their stay in Africa. 
 
 Steam launch. — Every Mission on the East Coast should 
 be provided with a steam-launch, capable if possible of 
 running up the shallow and tortuous rivers, and also of 
 facing the open sea for a run of some days' duration. Such 
 a boat will be found most useful everywhere, not only as 
 a means of communication and locomotion, but as one of 
 the best restoratives to persons sufi'ering from fever or 
 dysentery, and an excellent means of educating young 
 converts to a calling by which they can always earn their 
 livelihood, either as sailors or interpreters on board our 
 men of war or merchant vessels visiting the coast. 
 
 I have said nothing of subordinate service ; but no one 
 who has observed how much the health and comfort 
 of the community depend on the humbler lay brethren, 
 who act as cooks, and hospital attendants, in a well- 
 ordered French mission, will fail to see that the Apostle's 
 illustration oi the necessity of all members — however 
 
as a Field /or Missionary Labo2ir. 85 
 
 humble — to the completeness of the body, is as true now 
 as in the earlier ages of the Church. 
 
 Beiwrts. — ^Our system of drawing up missionary re- 
 ports is capable of much improvement. They often 
 contain most valuable information of every kind, mixed 
 up with details of minor general importance in a manner 
 which makes it very difficult to separate what is of 
 permanent value from matters which are of very inferior or 
 merely temporary interest. The American mission reports 
 are often models for us in this respect. Their general 
 arrangement is geographical or topographical, and the 
 missionary information regarding each country, province, 
 or district, is preceded by a brief and w^ell-condensed 
 notice of its area, population, characteristic products, &c. 
 These notices are carefully corrected and improved from 
 time to time, as fresh information is obtained — and useful 
 maps are frequently added; so that the report of an 
 American mission often contains, even in India, a better 
 popular sketch of the geography and statistics of the 
 district, where their missionaries are at work, than is 
 acceptable in any other handy form. They are also 
 models of clearness and fulness in the mode in which the 
 missionary statistics and accounts are usually given in 
 tabular forms, omitting small details which are not likely 
 to interest persons at a distance. 
 
 Note. — The following are the "Instructions to the 
 Missionary Clergy " of the Society for the Propagation of 
 the Gospel in Foreign Parts alluded to above, at p. 72, 
 as having been first issued at the beginning of- the last 
 century, and which have ever since formed the standing 
 orders of the clergy of that Society. 
 
86 Eastern Africa 
 
 "INSTRUCTIONS TO THE MISSIONARY CLERGY (1706). 
 
 " I. Tha r they alwaj-s keep in their view the great Design 
 of their undertaking, viz. To promote the Glory of Almighty 
 God, and the Salvation of Men, by Propagating the Gospel 
 of Our Lord and Saviour. 
 
 " II. That they often consider the Qualifications requisite 
 for those Avho would effectually promote tliis Design, A'iz. 
 A Sound Knowledge and hearty Belief of the Christian 
 Religion ; an Apostolical Zeal, tempered with Prudence, 
 Humility, Meekness, and Patience ; a fervent Charity to- 
 wards the Souls of Men; and finally, that Temperance, 
 Fortitude, and Constancy, which become good Soldiers of 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 " III. That in order to the obtaining and preserving the 
 said Qualifications, they do very frequentlj^ in their Retire- 
 ments offer up fervent Prayers to Almighty God for His 
 Direction and Assistance ; converse much with the Holy 
 Scriptures ; seriously reflect upon their Ordination Vows ; 
 and consider the Account which they are to render to the 
 great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls at the last Day. 
 
 " IV. TirAi' they acquaint themselves thoroughly with the 
 Doctrine of the Church of England, as contained in the 
 Articles and Homilies ; its Worship and Discipline, and 
 Rules for Behaviour of the Clergy, as contained in the 
 Liturgy and Canons; and that they approve themselves 
 accordingly, as genuine Missionaries from this Church. 
 
 " V. That they endeavour to make themselves Masters in 
 those controversies which are necessary to be understood, in 
 order to the Preserving their Flock from the attempts of 
 such Gainsayers as are mixed among them. 
 
 " VI. That in their outward Behaviour they be circum- 
 spect and unblameable, giving no Offence eitlier in Word or 
 Deed ; that their ordinary Discourse be grave and edifying ; 
 their Apparel decent and proper for Clergymen ; and that in 
 their jNvhole Conversation they be Instances and Patterns of 
 the Christian Life. 
 
^ 
 
 as a Field for Missionary Labour, 87 
 
 " VII. That in whatsoever family they lodge, they per- 
 suade them to join with them in daily Prayer, Morning and 
 Evening. 
 
 " VIII. That they be not nice about Meats and Drinks, 
 nor immoderately careful about their Entertainment in the 
 Places where they shall sojourn : but contented with what 
 Health requires, and the Place easily affords. 
 
 " IX. That as they be frugal in Opposition to Luxury, so 
 they avoid all Appearance of Covetousness, and recommend 
 themselves, according to their Abilities, by the prudent 
 Exercise of Liberality and Charity. 
 
 " X. That they take special Care to give no offence to the 
 Civil Government, by intermeddling in Affairs not relating 
 to their own Calling and Function. 
 
 " XL That, avoiding all Names of Distinction, they 
 endeavour to preserve a Christian Agreement and Union one 
 with another, as a Body of Brethren of one and the same 
 Church, united under the Superior Episcopal Order, and all 
 engaged in the same great Design of Propagating the 
 Gospel; and to this End, keeping up a Brotherly Corre- 
 spondence, by meeting together at certain Times as shall be 
 most convenient, for mutual Advice and Assistance." 
 
 The " General Instructions " of the London Missionary 
 Society are not more comprehensive or explicit, as regards 
 the conduct of missionaries in their clerical capacity ; 
 but they supply much sagacious and kindly counsel in 
 secular matters which would not be misapplied, if ad- 
 dressed to the lay as well as clerical members of any 
 Mission. They run as follows : — 
 
 "Dear Brother, 
 
 "1. Now that you have been accepted for the service of the 
 London Missionary Society, and are about to proceed to one 
 of its fields of labour, it is with great pleasure that the 
 Directors of the Society address to you a few words, ex- 
 pressive of their interest in vour personal welfare, and their 
 
 G 2 
 
88 Eastern Africa 
 
 desire for the thorough usefulness of your missionary life. 
 And to these they add a few counsels suggested by the 
 Society's past experience, respecting the spirit in which 
 your worlc should he carried out. 
 
 " 2. The consecration which you have made of yourself to 
 the Lord's service will, they ti-ust, often be renewed. By 
 your example, by the principle which rules your life, by 
 your temper, by your diligence in work, and by your fervent 
 preaching, may those who surround you, Christian and 
 heathen, see that you are a living sacrifice, devoted without 
 reserve, to your Redeemer and your Lord. 
 
 " As a minister of Christ may you ' preach the Word, be 
 instant in season and but of season.' May you ' meditate 
 on these things and give yourself wholly to them, that ^'our 
 profiting may appear unto all.' 
 
 " 3. The educational training which you have enjoyed, has 
 fitted you to enter upon the important duties which mis- 
 sionary life involves. But so great are the opportunities of 
 usefulness which every sphere of the Society's work presents, 
 that you will find no amount of acquired knowledge and no 
 range of mental power too great for the demands which that 
 service, in its higher forms, will continually make upon you. 
 And the Directors urge upon you the careful continuance of 
 former studies, that, as your years increase, your fitness may 
 grow with them ; and that so you ma}'^ occupy a high place 
 among the helpers of the Christian Churches growing nu- 
 merous and strong in lands most heathen. 
 
 " 4. Possessing mental and spiritual gilts, and having been 
 ordained to the Christian ministry, jom are now appointed 
 by the Directors a missionary of the Society, and as sucli are 
 attached to the Mission carried on in 
 
 The Directors also place in your hands tlie General Kegu- 
 lations by whicli the Society's Missions are now guided. 
 And while they will be prepared to sustairi' you in comfort 
 in the manner therein provided, they trust that you also will 
 endeavour to rule your conduct and your public work in the 
 manner which those Regulations prescribe. 
 
 V 5. From the date of your arrival at your appointed station, 
 
as a Field /or Missionary Labour. 89 
 
 you will become a member of tlio District Committee which 
 has charge of that and other localities ; and will be expected 
 to co-operate with the brethren of that Committee in carry- 
 ing out tlie range of work committed to their care. Yon 
 will, however, not become a full member of that Committee, 
 with power to vote, until you have been twelve months at 
 your station, and have passed with credit the first examina- 
 tion in the nativejimg.uage (Regulations 7 and 75). 
 
 " 6. The Directiors suggest that, as early as practicable, you 
 should make yourself complete master of all that relates to 
 that field of the Society's eiforts ; the manners of its people ; 
 the early history of the mission ; the plans which have been 
 found most effective in instructing and elevating the con- 
 verts ; the measure of success Avhich the grace of God has 
 vouchsafed to efforts already made ; and the position which 
 the mission at present occupies. 
 
 " 7. They urge you diligently to employ every available 
 means of obtaining an accurate and intimate acquaintance 
 with the native language, and not to rest satisfied until you 
 have so mastered it m its structure and idioms, as to be able 
 to use it in intercourse with the people, in a manner pleasant 
 to yourself, and acceptable to them. After a time you will 
 be expected to offer yourself for a series of examinations in 
 the language, for Avhicli the Local Committee will make 
 arrangements, and the result of which they will report to 
 the Board. 
 
 " 8. All general arrangements as to your work from the 
 outset, and especially when your knowledge of the people 
 and of their language will enalile you to take a more promi- 
 nent share in the public duties of the mission, the Directors 
 leave to the decision of your brethren in consultation with 
 yourself. They need therefore only to urge upon you ever to 
 bear in mind the great purpose for which you have been ap- 
 pointed a missionary. You have been sent, first of all, to 
 preach Christ, in all the purifying and elevating influences of 
 His Gospel, to the people by whom you will be surrounded. 
 May the power of that Gospel ever so deeply affect your own 
 heart, that you may be daily impelled by ardent zeal for God 
 
90 Eastern Africa 
 
 to make known the Saviour whom you serve, that thus your 
 higliest work may be your chief delight. 
 
 " 9. The relation which you will sustain to the mission 
 churches involves questions of the highest importance. On 
 this point the Directorsliavc spoken fully in the Second Part 
 of the Kegulations referred to, and they invite your careful 
 attention to their views. Xhe yfdo not wish you to be,iia:cept 
 for a time, the pastor of a native church. They look upon 
 you and your brethren as advisers and helpers of these 
 churches, by whom they may be stimulated in that course of 
 training which shall end in making them self-reliant, active, 
 earnest Cliristians, supporting all the ordinances of the Gospel, 
 and carrying its work onward to the ignorant bej'ond them. 
 
 " 10. In connection with these efforts they would press upon 
 you the importance of promoting education, especially among 
 the young ; that, by means of schools, you and your brethren 
 may lay a firm foundation for future progress, and thus 
 prepare the way for an intelligent appreciation of the great 
 truths which make wise unto salvation, as well as for the 
 better discharge of the daily duties of life. 
 
 " 11. In conjunction with and subsidiary to these depart- 
 ments of labour, they suggest that any medical and surgical 
 knowledge which you have acquired may often be emplo3'ed 
 as a means of conciliating heathen people ; trusting that you 
 will always so employ the wider access to the people which 
 you may thus gain, as to point them to Him who is the great 
 Physician of souls. 
 
 " 12. In regard to your general conduct the Directors ob- 
 IServe, that apart from that formal instruction, by which you 
 /will exorcise great influence upon the people around you, 
 I you wilLhave much power as an^EXAMPLE. They, therefore, 
 urge you carefully to watch, that that example be of the 
 highest kind. In illustration of their meaning they offer 
 the following practical hints, which you Avill find to be 
 specially applicable to the position and circumstances in 
 which you are about to be placed. 
 
 " a. — Be Orderly. Cultivate system in your daily 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 9 1 
 
 work and general plans. Cultivate punctuality in 
 appointments of duty ; in all payments of money ; and 
 in j-our system of public accounts. 
 
 " 6. — Be the Chrisi'ian Gentleman. In the absence of 
 European eyes, and amid the discomforts of tropical life, 
 there is danger of losing something of the Christian 
 civilisation in which you have been trained, and of 
 sinking into careless and slovenly habits of dress and 
 home life. You cannot, hovvever, do this without injury 
 to your influence. 
 
 " c. — Be Self-i>enying. Natives are shrewd observers, 
 and readily detect inconsistencies in those who are their 
 professed teachers. Avoid display and self-indulgence 
 in your style of life; in your dress; in the food and 
 furniture of your house; and in your personal habits. 
 Eather promote self-denial in those around you, by your 
 own simple and self-denying practice. 
 
 " d. — Be the Student. The man who is compelled to 
 hold constant intercourse with uninformed and unculti- 
 vated intellects, is in danger^f indifierejice to his own 
 inentalculture. Earnest study of special subjects you 
 will find to be a stimulus and a pleasure. Strive to 
 maintain your own mental activity, and you will draw 
 the people after you. Some of your predecessors have 
 found it an excellent plan to adopt some special study 
 as a relaxation from the usual routine of missionary life. 
 
 " e. — Be very PaRE in Thought and Act. Surrounded 
 by peuple of gross habits and language, try to educate them 
 in purity, not only in word, but especially by example. 
 Be watchful at all times over your conduct towards 
 native women. By treating them with marked respect 
 you will help to secure to them a new position in the 
 esteem of their community. 
 
 "/. — Cultivate Personal Godliness, Dread an official 
 piety. Feeling the danger which is common to all 
 Christians, strive most prayerfully to maintain and grow 
 in genuine principle. For this end be diligent and 
 regular in the study of God's Word for your own good. 
 
92 Eastern Africa 
 
 Watch against weaknesses and ' besetting sins.' And 
 pray much for strength and growth in grace. 
 
 " (J. — Bk rATiEXT. Be watchful against an irritahhi 
 temper. A hot climate, and fi-equent worry, will tend 
 to promote such a temper; therefore with the greater 
 danger let there be greater care. 
 
 *' )i. — Avoid Hasty Decisions. Pause over all important 
 cases : pray over them : sleep over them. A hasty 
 decision may prove a thorn in your hand for many years : 
 it may be quoted most annoyingly as a precedent ; and 
 may be a trouble to yonr brethren elsewhere. 
 
 " i. — ENX'OurAGK Industp.y and Lawful Com.merce in youu 
 Peoi'LE, but do not become personally involved in trading 
 transactions ; and have nothing to do with land. Great 
 trouble, loss of influence, and injurious collision with 
 the people, will almost certainlj' result from neglect of 
 this warning. AVhile helping the natives by sugges- 
 tions, keep your OAvn hands perfectly free. 
 
 "y. — Do not allow yourself to be mixed up in Native 
 Politics. Do not in any way accept civil office. Advise, 
 suggest ; and by advice you may help the people greatly. 
 But do no more. 
 
 " It. — Do not Anc:.icise your Converts. Ecmember that 
 
 the people are foreigners. Let them continue as such. 
 
 J I>et their foreign individuality be maintained. Build 
 
 I upon it, so far as it is sound and good ; and Christianise, 
 
 I but do not needlessly change it. Do not seek to make 
 
 the people Englishmen. Seek to develop and mould a 
 
 pure, refined, and Christian character, native to the soil. 
 
 " Z. — Kememl)er again the novelty of your position, the 
 difference in the habits and requirements of the people 
 from those in England ; and your comparative ignorance 
 about them. Therefore pay deference to the judgment 
 of your seniors as to Avhat is best for them. Learn from 
 the experience, successes, and failures of your brethren, 
 and thus escape the bitterness of learning from your own 
 failures. 
 
 " m. — Within the sphere of your mission, you may have 
 
as a Field /or Missionary Labottr. 93 
 
 many colleagues. Unite heartily iu counsel and plan 
 with your brethren when there is opportunity for so 
 doing. Separateness of action always involves and 
 insures weakness. To differ widely in plans from the 
 brethren around you, will cause perplexity to your 
 people, and often prove a hindrance to progress. Be 
 ready to concede a little for the sake of common action. 
 
 " H.— Pausk fou Experience bkfoue you begin to trans- 
 late. Knowledge is necessary to correct and idiomatic 
 translation ; and much time and trouble may be saved 
 by not being hasty in undertaking this work. When 
 you begin to translate, be accurate both on the side of 
 the original and of the native idiom. Do not mind 
 being slow for the sake of accuracy. 
 
 " 0. — Bk hones r and candid to us resi'Eciinc. your work : 
 help us to understand it by faithfully reporting its dark 
 as well as its bright features. Do not exaggerate the 
 good, nor conceal the bad : that while we rejoice in your 
 successes, we may sympathise truly with you in your 
 trials. Be assured that the Directors are prepared to 
 offer you such sympathy in all your difficulties : and that 
 they take a deep interest in everything which affects your 
 personal happiness and the progress of your labours. 
 
 " 13. With these practical counsels, which they offer only 
 with a vicAv to promote 3'our comfort, and to aid you in your 
 work, the Directors affectionately commend you to God, and 
 to the word of His Grace. May the Lord be your helper, 
 teacher, and guide. May He preserve you from all evil. 
 May He deliver your soul from death, your eyes from tears, 
 and your feet from falling. May He give you power as His 
 ambassador. May He abundantly bless your Avork and 
 message. May He grant you a happy missionary life, and 
 make great use of you in His Cause. 
 
 " On behalf of the Directors and of my colleagues, 
 
 " Believe me, affectionately yours, 
 
 " Foreign Secretary." 
 
FOUBTH LETTEK. 
 
 Means of supplying what is wanted 
 by Missions in Eastern Africa. 
 
 Terms of Engagement for Missionaries 
 clerical and lay. 
 
 Question of Celibacy of Agents em- 
 ployed. 
 
 Objection on score of Expense : An- 
 swered. 
 
 Selection of Agency. 
 
 Connection of each Mission with spe- 
 cial localities in our own counti'y. 
 
 Raising of Funds. 
 
 Connection of Missions with Univer- 
 sity Life, and studies of Churchmen. 
 
 Example — Study of Semitic Languages. 
 
 Canon Westcott's susjcrestions. 
 
 Direct connection between misbelief 
 or unbelief in Christendom, with 
 the varying forms of Religion and 
 Philosophy in Heathendom. 
 
 Aid to be derived from India. 
 C. M. S.'s African Orphanage at 
 Nassick. Free Church Institution, 
 Bombay. 
 
 General Missionary Library in England. 
 
 Co-operation of different Missionary 
 Societies in this and similar under- 
 takings. 
 
 Application of principles above stated 
 to Missions in East Africa. 
 
 Opinions of Dr. Steere. 
 
 Conclusion. 
 
 I have endeavoured to show that for a fiekl of labour 
 such as is presented by Eastern Africa, where so much 
 of the work lies among people more or less uncivilised, the 
 . Church should endeavour to send, not merely a few clergy- 
 men with a schoolmaster or two, but a body of men, 
 laymen as well as clergy, under a qualified leader, repre- 
 senting as completely as possible all the elements of civi- 
 lised society, with master craftsmen and foremen artificers, 
 capable of instructing the natives in all those arts of civi- 
 lised life which they now know not at all, or but imperfectly. 
 
 Before considering how what is wanted can be supplied. 
 
Eastern Africa. 95 
 
 it is to be noted that such an admixture of the lay and 
 secular element as is recommended, necessarily implies 
 some modification of the terms under which the mis- 
 sionary societies at present usually engage their agents, 
 and which in the case of the clergy often imply, if they 
 do not actually stipulate for the devotion to missionary 
 service of the whole working days of the missionary's 
 life. For laymen certainly, and I think for clergymen also, 
 it seems very advisable that the terms of positive engage- 
 ment should be shorter, and that the provisions of the 
 engagement should recognise the truth that there is no 
 essential difference between the service of the Church at 
 home and abroad. 
 
 At present there is a vague, unavowed feeling in the 
 minds of many Churchmen that mission work among the 
 heathen of foreign lands is something essentially difi'erent 
 from mission work among the untaught and irreligious of 
 our own country — that it is a work of greater trials and 
 privations, but needing a rather inferior class of mind and 
 less educational training than pastoral work in our own 
 country ; and that a man may do very well as a foreign 
 missionary who would not be considered fit for any but 
 the lower grades of work in the Church at home. 
 
 I need not argue against impressions which, though they 
 may influence action, rarely now take the form of opinions 
 held or avowed by thoughtful or influential men ; but 
 these impressions, no doubt, are the result of opinions 
 decidedly held, avowed and embodied in the records of our 
 societies in days gone by, and which have left their 
 impress on the terms which our societies are in the habit 
 of still ofi'ering to the missionaries they engage, and also 
 on the feeling with which, and the classes by whom 
 foreign missionary work is often undertaken. 
 
q6 Eastern Africa 
 
 If the Churcli generally recognised the fact of the 
 great similarity between the work to he done in the. 
 darkest regions of heathendom and the neglected districts 
 of our own country — that, as in Europe, so in foreign 
 heathendom, there is no talent so great but that it may 
 worthily be employed in the Church's service, no talent 
 so small that it can be superfluous or useless in aiding 
 the work of the Church — we might hear less of the diffi- 
 culty of getting men for the work ; it would less often 
 appear to be the work of a class or a clique, and would 
 more clearly be seen in its true proportions as the noblest 
 work that can be intrusted to man. I shall have occasion 
 further on to quote the opinion of Dr. Steere as to the 
 great service which might be rendered to missionary work 
 in East Africa, by visits from earnest and zealous men, who 
 cannot give more than a year or two to the foreign service 
 of the Church ; and I would only now observe that I do 
 not in the least undervalue the superior efficiency of life- 
 long devotion to one line of labour, and I have no doubt 
 that such devotion will often be the result of labour 
 undertaken with a more limited object in view. The 
 work itself, if undertaken in a proper spirit, will be its 
 best earthly reward ; and, with this conviction, I would 
 make the term of formal engagement as brief as possible. 
 
 Of late years, whenever increase of missionary agency 
 is discussed, we are apt to hear the opinion broached that 
 it is hopeless to expect such a supply of agents as the 
 Church needs, unless under conditions of celibacy, such as 
 admit of many men uniting for one object untrammelled 
 by family cares or expenses ; and this opinion is not un- 
 frequently supported by arguments as to the superior 
 intrinsic efficiency of celibate agency for Church purposes 
 generally. I may be pardoned, therefore, if I oft'er a few 
 
as a Field fo J'' Missionary Labojir. 97 
 
 brief remarks as to the comparative a(Jvantages of insisting 
 on the celibacy of the agents engaged by our missionary 
 societies. My own observation, as a layman, may not be 
 of much value ; but I feel bound to record my strong con- 
 viction, that whatever reasons our forefathers may have 
 had for employing celibates in missionary work, the argu- 
 ments of reason, experience and common sense, in these days 
 are all in the other direction. Family ties in India or Africa, 
 of course, as elsewhere, bring increased cares, and there is 
 even more necessity than at home that the lay associate, 
 who devotes himself to missionary work, should be cautious 
 in the choice of his partner for life, and prudent and self- 
 denying at least to the same extent as the young lawyer 
 or physician, as regards the time when he will marry; 
 but a very large observation of the class from which I 
 should hope for most help, convinces me that, in the long 
 run, something more than a double amount of good work 
 may be expected during the lifetime of the man who 
 has prudently married or who purposes so to marry, as 
 compared with his professed celibate brother, and that the 
 work will generally be better and more permanent if not 
 more rapid. 
 
 The organisation and administration of a mission, in 
 which many of the members were married, would, of course, 
 be, in some respects, a less simple undertaking than that 
 of a mission in which the celibacy of the members was 
 insisted on ; but the experience of many missions — notably 
 those of the Moravians and some of the German societies 
 — proves that the difficulties are neither insurmountable 
 nor incompatible with the strictest economy of means or 
 with conspicuous success of the mission. 
 
 Objection on the Score of Expense. — I would anticipate 
 one objection which may be raised to the suggestions I have 
 
98 Eastern Africa 
 
 offered on the score bf expense. There may at first be a 
 considerable apparent increase in the expense of a mission 
 if, in addition to the clergy, who alone are now provided by 
 our missionary societies, lay aid is to be supplied in the 
 shape of medical men and nurses, schoolmasters, artisans, 
 and agriculturists ; but I have no doubt that, in the long 
 run, the system I venture to suggest will be found the 
 more economical of the two, on the broad ground that it 
 is bad economy to employ costly labour, like that of the 
 educated clergy, on work which can be equally well per- 
 formed by less highly-trained, and therefore less costly, 
 agency. It is well . that the clerical head of a mission 
 should know how all these things are to be done, and 
 even be able to do some of them with his own hands, 
 as an element of governing and directing power ; but it 
 is not sound economy when a man perfectly qualified for 
 the episcopal direction of a large missionary see, is forced 
 to spend much of his time as a master builder, or printer, 
 or carpenter. 
 
 I think, too, by the system I have recommended there 
 would frequently be a great economy of health and life. 
 I can recall within my own experience many cases in 
 which the presence of a good medical coadjutor would 
 have saved the health or life of missionaries when stricken 
 down by disease, and other cases where a medical mis- 
 sionary would have avoided the selection of localities for 
 mission stations, and seasons of work subsequently 
 proved inimical to health, by costly, and frequently fatal, 
 experience. 
 
 It has often occurred to me, when considering the me- 
 lancholy list of martyrs to their work in some missions, 
 especially those of the Komish Church, that much of 
 the mortality was due to the absence of domestic 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 99 
 
 comforts and appliances, by no means incompatible with 
 the most devoted missionary work. I would not for a 
 moment reflect in any way on those noble martyrs who 
 have given their lives in the hope of evangelising the 
 heathen ; but, as members of missionary societies, we are 
 bound wisely to husband and apply to the best advantage 
 the health and strength of our missionaries, as in the case 
 of all other talents committed to our care, and we shall 
 surely not be guiltless if we allow life or labour to be 
 wasted which might have been devoted to the work of an 
 evangelist. 
 
 Selection of Agency. — With regard to the mode in which 
 the lay agency required should be selected, I would 
 leave it as much as possible to the local head of the mission. 
 As in the case of clerical members, so lay coadjutors will 
 generally best be chosen by those with whom they are to 
 work. There are probably few neighbourhoods in the 
 United Kingdom where qualified recruits could not be 
 found by careful inquiry among the middle and lower 
 classes. The first requisite should, of course, be devotion 
 to the mission work for Christ's sake ; the second requi- 
 site, personal knowledge of, and personal affection for, the 
 superior under whose immediate orders they are to do the 
 work of their Heavenly Master. 
 
 Opportunities of enlisting recruits from all classes would 
 ofi'er whenever the leading members of the mission revi- 
 sited Europe, as they should be encouraged to do from 
 time to time, to raise funds and to enlist fresh members for 
 the mission, both lay and clerical. Of course, no general 
 rule on the subject is applicable to all cases ; but, as far as 
 my experience goes, the missions which are best supported 
 with men and money are always those where there is least 
 restriction placed on the visits of the leading ofiicers of 
 
loo Eastern Africa 
 
 the mission to head-quarters, where they can plead the 
 cause of their own mission, and obtain exactly the kind of 
 aid, and choose the precise kind of men they require. 
 
 Of course, the privilege of doing this, like any other 
 privilege, may he abused, and its abuse should be sternly 
 checked by the Church authorities and the parent societies 
 at home. But I have generally observed that where there 
 is most vigorous life in the mission, it is difficult to move 
 the directing head from the scene of his work, even when 
 the most pressing reasons require his temporary absence. 
 On the other hand, where a mission languishes for want 
 of life among its members, the needful impulse may often 
 be given by a requisition to return home and give an 
 account of stewardship. England is, after all, the great 
 heart and centre of our mission activity, and the more rapid 
 the circulation between the heart and the extremities, the 
 quicker and healthier will be the flow of life-blood and the 
 more rapid the growth. 
 
 I believe that the success of missions would be greatly 
 promoted, and the general interest in their progress would 
 be considerably increased, if more care were taken to 
 connect the missions abroad with jDarticular localities in 
 our own country. This has been partially done in a few 
 cases with manifest success ; but I think it should be 
 attempted more on system. Every one who has attended 
 provincial missionary meetings must have been struck 
 by the extraordinary difference in the interest taken 
 by the audience, when any of the facts stated related 
 to fellow-townsmen or neighbours of their own; and 
 there can be little doubt but that, if any of our large 
 towns or metropolitan parishes were to agree to con- 
 centrate effort in the support of some one j)articular 
 mission, it would be far easier than at present, not only to 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. loi 
 
 raise funds, but also to obtain men when required. This 
 need in no degree weaken the connection between the 
 missions and the great parent societies. 
 
 Funds. — As regards the mode of raising funds, I have in 
 a j)revious paper on " Indian Missions " described the very 
 simple and effectual plan by which large sums are raised 
 for missionary purposes in France.* The incumbent 
 selects from his parishioners those whom he thinks most 
 zealous and efficient as collectors, and charges each to 
 bring to the weekly offertory a fixed number of contribu- 
 tions from their friends, at — say Id. each, marking sepa- 
 rately on the wrapping paper any which are destined for 
 any particular mission. When the collector finds that his 
 contributors exceed the fixed number prescribed to him by 
 his pastor, he selects one of his subscribers to repeat a 
 similar process among his friends, and so on, as far as 
 the available resources of the parish permit. A steady 
 stream of small contributions is thus realised, capable 
 on special occasion of expansion ; and the whole is man- 
 aged with no more writing or reporting than the incum- 
 bent's weekly list of sums contributed, and the missions 
 for which they are destined, which he forwards, with the 
 money, to the bishop, by whom it is paid over to the 
 treasuries of the missionary societies. It is, in fact, a 
 combination of a regular ofi'ertory, with systematic and 
 sustained individual exertion in collecting. 
 
 It is probable that great life and energy might be 
 imparted to advocacy of the missionary cause if, in each 
 neighbourhood, many churches could combine to have the 
 same cause pleaded before each congregation on the same 
 day, as is done in some of the northern counties in Eng- 
 land with regard to school funds, and as has been lately 
 * " Indian Missions." 2nd Edit. liondon: J. Murray, 1873; p. 82- 
 
 H 
 
102 Eastern Africa 
 
 tried in London with regard to a Hospital Sunday. It 
 always seemed to me an excellent feature in the north 
 country practice regarding school funds, that the same 
 cause was brought on the same day simultaneously before 
 tlie several congregations, not only of the various parish 
 churches, but in the places of worship of all other 
 denominations to be found in the neighbourhood. 
 
 There is at present no direct connection between our 
 Cathedral Chapters, and Missions, home or foreign. Might 
 not a great amount of writing and reporting and a very 
 considerable expenditure of money and time be saved if in 
 each diocese the collection of funds for missions and church 
 purposes were entrusted to an officer with a fixed and per- 
 manent residence, say, a member of the cathedral chapter, 
 who would receive and convey to their destination and grant 
 acknowledgments for the contributions received from 
 each parish ? Few things connected with our missionary 
 societies in this country strike one more forcibly than 
 the great waste of time, energy, and money which accom- 
 panies the collection of the contributions. 
 
 There remain some points connected with missionary 
 work in this country, regarding which I may be pardoned 
 a few observations. One relates to the almost total absence 
 of any reference to foreign missions in the university life 
 and studies of churchmen. 
 
 Universities. — I have elsewhere ventured to point out, 
 that it is close upon two centuries since the founders of 
 the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign 
 Parts spoke the mind of our English Church regarding 
 her duties as a missionary church ;* and that it is more 
 than two generations since the Church Missionary Society 
 
 * "Tlie Church of England, her Foreign Missions, and the 
 Cnivcrsitics," in " Mission Life " for January, 1874. 
 
OS a Field for Missionary Labour. 103 
 
 gave practical expression to the light in which this, 
 among other long-neglected calls to action, was viewed 
 by the awakened consciences of churchmen ; since then 
 every movement in the Church, whatever . its origin, 
 has borne more or less testimony to an increasing sense 
 of her missionary obligations. During this same period 
 our universities have wonderfully expanded in every 
 branch of national training, yet nothing has been done, 
 as a part of our university system, to aid the Church 
 in this branch of her duty ; and it is still possible for 
 a student to pass through the university course, and 
 never to suspect that his national church had anything to 
 do with missions, beyond treating them as a refuge for the 
 less fortunate members of the two lower orders of clergy. 
 
 The omission can hardly be accounted for by the fact 
 that our universities are no longer exclusively church 
 institutions. The changes which have opened them to 
 all comers ought rather to have the contrary effect. The 
 same obligations, to obey the parting commands of our 
 Lord, have been felt with increasing force by all other 
 branches of His Church as well as by our own. Men like 
 Dr. Livingstone, or Mr. Ellis, or Father Horner might 
 now be class-fellows with such English churchmen as 
 Bishops Selwyn, Patteson, or Mackenzie ; and the ad- 
 ditions to the teaching of the university, which would 
 make students more efficient missionaries, are neither 
 more nor less than those which would be equally needed 
 to train them more efficiently as secular civilisers of 
 mankind in distant regions as Indian civilians, foreign 
 attaches, merchants, soldiers, or settlers, even if the 
 teaching of religion were altogether ignored, 
 
 I would cite as one instance the study of Arabic and its 
 cognate languages — a study which in itself or its results 
 
 H 2 
 
104 Eastern Africa 
 
 is of the utmost importance to diplomatists and adminis- 
 trators, to merchants and manufacturers, as well as to mis- 
 sionaries, divines, and philologists. There was a time when 
 our universities afforded the best teaching in Christendom, 
 as regards Semitic languages ; and we have probably more 
 to do with Semitic races than any other European nation. 
 No libraries have such stores of Semitic literature as ours ; 
 but it can hardly be said that the Semitic teaching of 
 our universities is proportionately comparable with the 
 teaching and scholarship of some continental nations. 
 
 The subject of maintaining the old position of our 
 universities as seminaries of Oriental learning has been 
 very inadequately noticed hitherto by our university 
 reformers, and I have no doubt that, if attention were 
 once directed to it by your Grace and your colleagues, 
 steps would be taken to place our universities in the same 
 relative position that they occupied in this respect two 
 centuries ago. 
 
 The following is the opinion of one who is perhaps 
 better qualified than any living Englishman to give a 
 critical opinion on the merits of modern Arabic scholars. 
 He had been referred to on the subject of a missionary to 
 be employed in Arabia, and he replied : 
 
 " As far as my experience goes, we have not a competent 
 man available for such a post. The ignorance of Islam among 
 the English clergy is deplorable, and no man should be sent to 
 preach the Gospel to Muslims who is not well up in their 
 theology. Equally deficient are we in men hi^ving an 
 adequate knowledge of the Arabic language, without which 
 it would be useless to approach them, and Aden of all places 
 in the world is the worst off for teachers. Any organised 
 attempt to carr}' the Gospel into Arabia should be preceded 
 by the foundation of additional Arabic scholarships either 
 at Oxford, Cambridge, or St. Augustine's, where further pro- 
 
as a Field for Missio7iary Labo7ir. 105 
 
 fessorships should also be.establislied for teaching missionary 
 students what Islam is." 
 
 Dr. Eebmann, whose experience is greater than that of 
 • any missionary on the East Coast, considers Arabic so 
 important t o any one dea ling^jyith^ Muslims, that he 
 assured me he would devote several years to its attain- 
 ment, as a preliminary qualification for his work, were he 
 permitted to live over again the lifetime he has devoted to 
 missionary work in Africa. 
 
 The general subject of the relation of our universities 
 to missionary work has, I know, attracted much attention 
 from some of the most eminent men in the universities ; 
 and I venture to quote the following " Suggestions on the 
 Characteristic Office of Universities with regard to Mis- 
 sionary Work," by the Eev. Canon Westcott, D.D., Begins 
 Professor of Divinity at Cambridge, as indicating modes 
 by which, in his opinion, the aid of our universities can 
 be most useful to the great work : — 
 
 " There are two main lines in which it appears that the 
 universities can assist in furthering missionary work : 
 
 " I. By providing or training men to take part in it. 
 " II. By literary co-operation Avith missionaries. 
 
 " I. With regard to the supply of men for missionary work, 
 two distinct classes must be considered : 
 
 " 1. Ordinary students in the university. 
 
 " 2. Students elsewhere who already contemplate mission 
 work. 
 
 " 1 (a) There can be little doubt from the experience of 
 last December that the claims of Missions can be brought 
 efi'ectively before members of the university by some general 
 service and meeting (held perhaps annually), which shall in- 
 clude special devotional exercises and notices of definite 
 openings in the Mission field. 
 
io6 Eastern Africa 
 
 " (^) There is also good reason to believe that some among 
 the younger Fellows resident in the nniversitics would be 
 prepared to offer themselves for short periods of work ; and 
 that their services might be of great value in the chief cities 
 of India. 
 
 " 2. Students who are preparing for Mission work may be 
 helped in two ways : (a) by exhibitions at the universities ; 
 and {fi) by exhibitions tenable elsewhere. 
 
 " (a) It is imnecessary to dwell upon the peculiar advan- 
 tages which the universities offer to men preparing for one 
 of the most arduous branches of ministerial work. The ex- 
 pense of living at the universities need no longer be a hin- 
 drance to residence. It maj' also be worth while to consider 
 whether it would not be wise to offer opportunities to native 
 candidates for the ministry to pass some time in an English 
 university. 
 
 " {^) It seems desirable to establish, as far as may be pos- 
 sible, some bond of connection between the Faculties of Divi- 
 nity in our universities and the English and native pastoral 
 seminaries already established. 
 
 " If such a connection should prove to be impracticable, it 
 would still be desirable that the contributions of the univer- 
 sities in aid of Mission work should be specially devoted to 
 the support of native pastoral seminaries. 
 
 " II. The literary co-operation of the universities may take 
 different forms. 
 
 " 1. Popular professional lectures on special points of 
 general interest, e.g. ' The Sacred Books of the East,' might 
 be of considerable service to the cause of Missions. 
 
 "2. It might be of advantage to consult from time to time 
 with those actively engaged in Mission work on the issue of 
 expositor)' or controversial tracts to meet special wants or 
 forms of objection to Christian teaching. 
 
 " 3. The experience of teaching on a large scale in the 
 universities might be made available for the determination 
 of a course of reading for native converts and teachers. 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 107 
 
 " It may he further asserted that Mission work amongi; the 
 Mohammedans appears to call in a peculiar manner for the 
 kind of service which the universities are best ahle to 
 render. I may add that, in at least one College in Oxfoul 
 there is a Collegiate Missionary Association, the members of 
 which meet regularly for communicating information regard- 
 ing foreign Mii-sionary work and for supporting a particular 
 Mission in India. This seems to me a system worthy of 
 more general adoption in our Universities." 
 
 With reference to Canon "Westcott's concluding obser- 
 vations it may be remarked, that there is probably no form 
 of misbelief or unbelief which troubles our parochial clergy 
 among the neglected or ill-educated populace of our great 
 towns, with which they would not be better prepared to 
 cope, by attending a few series of lectures on some of the 
 commonest sects and philosophies of the East. Forms 
 of antagonism to Christian doctrine and practice, with 
 which our English theologians rarely grapple in the shape 
 of a regular system and school of thought, may be found 
 by the student of Oriental religions reduced to order and 
 enshrined in works of great repute. And many a fashion- 
 able but pernicious fallacy, which finds . temporary cur- 
 rency among the loose thinkers of the day, will be re- 
 cognised as an exploded Moslem heresy, or a tenet of 
 some Hindoo philosopher, whose system has, ages ago, been 
 shattered into fragments by Sanscrit controversialists. 
 
 Aidj from India. — I have not noticed the extent to which 
 missionaries and teachers who have served inlndia or among 
 the native tribes of the Cape Colony can be useful in East 
 Africa. The value of any practical acquaintance with 
 the Zulu or Basuto language or customs is, of course, self- 
 evident; but I was not aware, till I visited the coast, how 
 widespread and powerful was the influence of the Indian 
 
io8 Eastern Africa 
 
 traders, who everywhere monopolise the oflGice of dis- 
 tributors of imports and collectors of articles of export 
 for the foreign merchant. At all the ports which we 
 saw, to the number of some two dozen, we found all trade 
 passing through their hands, and they are the only capi- 
 talist class. They belong generally to one or other of the 
 six trading castes already enumerated — Bhattia, Banian, 
 Lohana, of the Hindoos ; and Klioja, Bhora, or Mehmon, of 
 the Muslims. All are well known to our Western Indian 
 missionaries, and often to be found in our Mission and 
 Government schools in the Bombay Presidency as apt 
 and willing scholars. From hereditary devotion to trade 
 during many ages, and habitual absorption of all their 
 ideas in money-getting, even in their earliest infancy, 
 and from their often leaving school early to enter the 
 counting-house or shop, European education has perhaps 
 made less impression on these castes than on others 
 in India. Yet they have produced some men, like the late 
 Karsandass Mulji, who, without being professed converts 
 to Christianity, have exhibited a heroism and devotion to 
 the cause of truth and purity which would have done 
 honour to any Christian martyr of any age, and whose 
 conduct may be distinctly traced to the influences of 
 Christian literature and teaching. All have learned to 
 value European education, and with all any one who 
 understands Guzerati, Hindostani, or Hindi may con- 
 verse freely, and easily read such records and literature as 
 they possess. 
 
 Hence it follows that any teacher from a school on the 
 coast of Western India between Kurrachee and Goa would 
 be able at once to converse and teach and be useful among 
 the leading traders in any port of Eastern Africa from 
 the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb to Mozambique ; and, of 
 
as a Field for Missionaiy Labotir. 109 
 
 course, through the traders, access is in due time to be 
 had to the native tribes and their rulers, native or Arab. 
 
 There are also some missionary institutions in Western 
 India "which might be specially useful to the cause in 
 Africa — such, for instance, are the Mission schools at 
 Kurrachee, Surat, Bombay, and other ports on the coast, 
 at any of which a pupil from East Africa, whether of 
 negro or of Indian extraction, would find himself among 
 people to most of whom his race would not be strange 
 or alien, and where he would every day hear the lan- 
 guages of Africa spoken in the streets and shops. 
 
 Among the schools which would be most valuable in 
 this way I would enumerate that of the Church Mis- 
 sionary Society at Nassick, a very sacred town of the 
 Hindoos, near the source of the great Kiver Godavery, 
 about one hundred miles from Bombay on the railway 
 leading to Hindostan and Calcutta. 
 
 The Church Missionary Society has had a Mission 
 in this city for more than forty years ; and one of the 
 results has been the establishment of Saharunpoor (" the 
 city of refuge "), a flourishing Christian village just clear 
 of the suburbs, where, among other institutions for the 
 good of the converts, is an African orphanage, the founda- 
 tion of which was due to what is called a " happy acci- 
 dent " more than twenty years ago. Previous to this 
 period Arab dhows were frequently captured by vessels of 
 the Indian Navy, with slaves on board; and when the 
 slaves were brought to land at Aden or Bombay the 
 adults of both sexes were handed over to the police, and 
 generally allowed to go their own way, whilst the chil- 
 dren were disposed of among such of the inhabitants as 
 were charitable enough to take them and were judged by 
 the police to be sufiiciently respectable to be intrusted 
 
no Eastei^n Africa 
 
 with the charge. But no special care was taken in the 
 selection of the recipients of the children, and they were 
 as often Muhammedans as Christians ; nor was any 
 registry kept of the children nor of their subsequent 
 history. Hence it was hardly matter for surprise that 
 many of the poor savages, old as well as young, thus 
 turned adrift in a foreign seaport town, fresh from the 
 hold of a slave-dhow, ultimately found their way to 
 the brothels and dens of vice which are always to be 
 found in the vicinity .of a great harbour. This attracted 
 the notice of ]\[r. Forgett, the humane and energetic 
 Superintendent of the Bombay Police, and he took ad- 
 vantage of a large capture of some seventy children to 
 recommend to the late Lord Elphinstone, the then 
 Governor of Bombay, that the children should be sent 
 to Nassick, where he knew that the senior missionary, 
 the Eev. William Price, would take every care of them. 
 All these children were thus thrown on Mr. Price's 
 hands, almost without his being previously consulted, 
 and without his having any opportunity of taking the 
 orders of the missionary authorities at home, who at first 
 naturally objected to a diversion of missionary funds 
 subscribed for the use of the Hindoos to an orphanage 
 for African foreigners. It was, however, obviously 
 impossible to cast off the poor children, and the result 
 was the establishment of the African orphanage at 
 Nassick. Mr. Price was every way equal to the occasion. * 
 The children, on their first arrival, were, of course, 
 unmitigated little savages. But they soon improved 
 under the judicious care of Mr. and Mrs. Price, and have 
 since formed an orderly and well-instructed community, 
 recruited occasionally by fresh additions of orphan 
 liberated slave children. All are instructed in industry 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labotir. 1 1 1 
 
 suited to their sex and capacity, all are taught in Maharathi 
 (the language of the country) the truths of Christianity, 
 and a few of the aptest are also taught English. 
 
 The boys are brought up to trades and easily find em- 
 ployment as masons, carpenters, smiths, &c., and especially 
 as cart and wheelwrights ; and the orphanage there has 
 become the chief factory of the district for improved carts 
 and bullock and pony carriages. 
 
 Some of the young people have gone back to Africa to 
 the Church Missionary Society's Mission at Mombassa, 
 where we found Mr. George David, his wife, and a few 
 companions maintaining the character of educated Chris- 
 tians among the Wanika tribes, and likely, I trust, in a 
 few years to become the nucleus of a free and civilised 
 African community. Others have gone with Livingstone, 
 and are the " Nassick boys," who have been so faithful to 
 him. He was much struck with the Saharunpoor 
 Orphanage when he visited it, in 1865, just before he 
 started on his last expedition. He took with him several 
 of the lads who volunteered to accompany him ; and 
 doubtless we shall find, among his letters and notes, some 
 details of their conduct ; but that they had faithfully 
 adhered to his fortunes we know, from the testimony of 
 Mr. Stanley. A second detachment of Nassick youths — 
 of whom Jacob Wainwright was one — volunteered to go in 
 search of the great traveller — the tried friend of their 
 race, — and arrived at Zanzibar just as Mr. Stanley re- 
 turned from his adventurous and successful expedition. 
 These men were sent up with the supplies which Mr. 
 Stanley forwarded from Zanzibar, joined Livingstone, and 
 appear to have since been with him up to the time of his 
 death, and to have aided their companions in bringing his 
 remains to the coast. 
 
1 1 2 Eastern Africa 
 
 I have recapitulated at some length what has been 
 before published regarding the Nassick Orphanage, partly 
 because it illustrates the excellent results of Christian 
 and industrial training on average African children, 
 under circumstances of previous treatment least favour- 
 able to the success of any attempt to improve them, but 
 more because I would beg your Grace to press on the 
 Council of the Church Missionary Society the vast amount 
 of good which may be done to African Missions by main- 
 taining the orphan institution at Nassick as a means of 
 giving an industrial and Christian training to African 
 children in a good tropical climate, and under conditions 
 most favourable to their improvement, but at the same 
 time not likely to unfit them for return to work and life 
 in Africa. I know of no other place, in or out of Africa, 
 where these conditions are so likely to be attained ; and 
 I would gladly see the Saharunpoor Orphanage main- 
 tained as a permanent adjunct to the Mombassa and other 
 East African Missions. 
 
 Another valuable institution in Western India which 
 has done and may do good service for East Africa is the 
 educational " Institute " maintained by the Free Church 
 of Scotland in Bombay, for the purpose of affording to the 
 natives a good Christian education in English as well as 
 in the vernacular tongues of Western India. Dr. John 
 Wilson, one of the original founders of the Institute, who 
 has watched over and directed its operations for more 
 than forty years, has ever taken a warm interest in 
 African Mission work, and has almost always had a few 
 representatives of African races amongst its resident 
 pupils — Abyssinians, Gallas, Egyptian Arabs, Copts, and 
 Somalis as well as pure Negroes. Some who have been 
 educated there have since become leading men in their 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 113 
 
 OAvn countries, in Abyssinia and Shooa, &c. I have reason 
 to hope that the General Assembly of the Scotch Free 
 Church, under the guidance of Dr. AVilson's veteran 
 fellow-soldier, Dr. Duff, and Dr. Murray Mitchell, are 
 likely to start a Somali Mission, to which the Bombay 
 Institute will be a valuable auxiliary. 
 
 Missionary Library. — I may note, in passing, the serious 
 want in England of a library of missionary literature, not 
 confined to the works of any one branch of the Church, but 
 illustrating the labours of the whole Christian Church in 
 the missionary field, since the apostolic era. Some of our 
 societies have libraries which fairly record the work of 
 their own missionaries, and we are rich in libraries of 
 general theology ; but a student must wander in many 
 libraries far apart, and even to other countries, if he 
 would learn the whole story of Christian missionary enter- 
 prise in any one country of the globe, and ascertain, not 
 only what this or that society of our own has done or is 
 doing, but what share of the task is performed by the 
 missionaries of continental Europe or of America. 
 
 Is it too much to expect that there should be either at 
 our great universities or capitals, or at Lambeth Palace 
 or at St. Augustine's, Canterbury, some library where the 
 missionary student might learn what was done in past 
 ages by the early missionaries of the Eastern and Western 
 Churches, and what is now being done by the various 
 missionary bodies of his own country, unconnected with 
 our Established Church, as well as by the Eoman Catholic 
 and Eeformed Churches of the Continent, by the Americans, 
 by the Eusso-Greek Church, and what is now going on to 
 infuse new life into the old churches of the East, Greek, 
 Coptic, Syrian, Arminian, and Nestorian ? Where he might 
 
r 1 4 Eastern Africa 
 
 find the latest reports of all modern Missionary Societies, 
 as well as the folios which record the labours of " holy 
 men of old?" 
 
 If, in the formation of such a library of general refer- 
 ence for missionaries of all sects and churches, the repre- 
 sentatives of all our great missionary societies could be 
 induced to co-operate, under your Grace's general direc- 
 tion, one great step would be gained towards the forma- 
 tion of a body somewhat resembling the Board of Foreign 
 Missions in America, at which men belonging to separate 
 societies might be brought to confer on subjects of im- 
 portance to all, but regarding which their common action 
 need in nowise impair their perfect independence where 
 separate action was desirable. 
 
 I feel assured that the most informal and casual communi- 
 cation and conference upon topics of common interest — such, 
 for instance, as the perfecting of translations of the Holy 
 Scriptures — would lead members of every mission to learn 
 something of what others are doing, which would be useful 
 to the common object they all have in view ; and occa- 
 sionally the opportunity might be thus afforded of settling 
 amicably and speedily difi'erences which now cause pro- 
 longed bitterness between separate societies — such, for 
 instance, as the demarcation of fields of labour, a class 
 of questions now often discussed for years with persistent 
 acrimony, but which might probably always be adjusted by 
 a brief personal conference, and reference to good and 
 neutral maps. 
 
 Immediate wants of our own Church in East Africa. — 
 I would, in conclusion, ofi'er a few suggestions with special 
 reference to the action of our own Church and its mis- 
 sionary societies on the East Coast of Africa. 
 
as a Field f 01' Missionary Labour. 1 1 5 
 
 As regards the Universities' Mission, it is by its posi- 
 tion and constitution calculated to furnish the episcopal 
 element as far as will be needed for some time to come 
 for the whole of the coast, and to afford the means for 
 further expansion whenever the work to be done shall 
 require the formation of other sees. The selection of a 
 wise and pious successor to Bishops Mackenzie and Tozer 
 seems to me the first requisite to give fresh life and 
 vigour to work which, as already stated, has been well 
 begun. 
 
 On this subject I cannot do better than quote the fol- 
 lowing remarks of Dr. Steere, than whom no one has a 
 better right to offer an opinion :— 
 
 " It seems to me that the proposal that any one nominated 
 to our bishopric should first come out and see the work which 
 will lie before him, is a very important one and very sensible. 
 It is impossible for any one who has never seen work in a 
 new country to form any adequate idea of it while at home. 
 We are just now passing through a crisis which ought to 
 terminate in a fresh burst of life and energy. We must not 
 allow the question, What is to be done now ? to be supple- 
 mented by a discussion as to what ought to have been done 
 ten years ago. For myself, if only the men come out, I see 
 no reason why a settlement should not at once be made in 
 Bishop Mackenzie's old country — not the Shire valley, but 
 the Manganja highlands. The road to them is well known 
 and as traversable as African roads are apt to be. Of course, 
 the expenses would be considerable, and we must have good 
 men to go. The road is open, and " — 
 
 After noting the uselessness of further discussions of 
 the past, Dr. Steere adds, 
 
 " while I am in charge here, I will do everything possible 
 to insure their success, and so, no doubt, will the future 
 
1 1 6 Eastern Africa 
 
 l)ishop. AVc can easily find a landing-place south of Kihva 
 from which the shortest possible road to the Lake may be 
 taken. The establishment of this point of departure is what 
 I have myself often mentioned as the next step which I 
 should wish to see taken. There is no reason, if the men are 
 ready, why the advance into the interior should not take 
 place at the same time. Meanwhile a great door is open 
 before us here; the whole town is eager after English educa- 
 tion of any kind, and most are disposed to look pleasantly at 
 our religious efforts. We have made a very deep impression 
 upon the minds of the townsiDcople, and the Hindis, finding 
 us here, expect from us what missionaries have done for 
 them in India, and seem half ready to yield anything we 
 press for. The Indian traders of Zanzibar, it must be 
 remembered, hold all the inland commerce in their hands, 
 and, though they travel little themselves, all the travelling 
 merchants are in their debt, and depend upon them for 
 supplies ; so that the Indian merchant in Zanzibar, Bhattia. 
 Banian, Khoja, or Bohra, as it ma}'' be, is reall}' a power at 
 and beyond the great Lakes themselves. And these men are 
 ready to pa}' any price we please, if only we will give them 
 English teaching, and quite understand that our primary 
 object is, and must be, a religious one. It is for these reasons 
 that I am doing all in my power to get on foot a school in 
 the old Slave Market ; and the Banyans themselves look upon 
 this as entitling us to claim some at least of the land as a 
 gift from Likmidass (the leading Banyan), who professed 
 his willingness, when Sir Bartle Frere was here, to give 
 the ^ lan d, and 70 00 dollars besides , for the purposes of a 
 hospital, or, as they read it, for some purpose beneficial to 
 the community at large, as they all say our schools emi- 
 nently would be. I fancy there would be great difficulty in 
 raising funds to maintain a hospital ; but as to the mere 
 general care of it, if England can send us out some sisters, I 
 think we could find them native helpers and keep it going- 
 better than any other instrumentality. The Indian Govern- 
 ment might assist us in regard to medical help; and our 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 1 1 7 
 
 party even on the Lake Neyassa would find good nursing 
 and medicine here a very important streugthener." 
 
 He then mentions a lady to whom the Mission will 
 for ever remain indebted for her heroic exertions, single- 
 handed, to maintain the girls' school at Zanzibar, and 
 suggests that she might induce to join the mission some 
 of the sisters who are now associated with her in similar 
 missionary works in England, and adds : 
 
 " A good schoolmaster, certificate of no consequence, or pre- 
 ferably uncertificated — if married, so much the better — please 
 to send us as soon as ever you can find us" one. I am the only 
 clergyman here now, ^nd if I fall sick there is no one to take 
 my place." 
 
 I have not the least doubt that if a Bishop were ap-v. 
 pointed, he would be able to collect an amply sufficient 
 body of clergy, and lay helpers of every class, by visiting, 
 before he went out to Africa, our universities and some of 
 the great manufacturing towns — assembling the friends 
 of Mission work, laying before them his wants, and asking 
 for aid and volunteers in carrying out the work before him. 
 
 He need not confine himself to what may be needed 
 for the Universities' Mission proper, i.e. for those who 
 will be paid from the Universities' Mission Fund. He 
 might appeal to the friends of Missions in general, and 
 offer to take charge of whatever may be given either in 
 men or money for the exclusive use of the Church Mis- 
 sionary Society and the Society for the Propagation ©f 
 the Gospel ; for I trust that both the Missionary Societies 
 of our Church will speedily have Missions on that coast, 
 where the former Society has hitherto laboured single- 
 handed. 
 
1 1 8 Eastern Africa 
 
 It may not bo in the power of the Bishop elect 
 at once to make use of all the aid that may be 
 offered to him ; but if he -will note down whence it can be 
 hereafter drawn, he will be able to obtain it by writing 
 when he reaches the future scene of his labours. But it 
 should, I think, be looked on as an essential part of his 
 duty that he and his fellow-labourers should periodically 
 revisit their native country, for the purpose of recruiting 
 not only their own health, but their missionary forces. 
 
 Much unjust criticism has been bestowed by the enemies, 
 and some that is not wise by the friends, of Missions, in 
 reprobation of visits by missionary bishops and clergy to 
 this country. I have not a word to feay in excuse of the 
 missionary who comes home for his own purposes, and 
 whose heart is not in his work ; but, as regards the mis- 
 sionary whose heart is in his work, I feel sure that the 
 difficulty is more often how to get him to visit England 
 as frequently as, for the sake of his mission work, he 
 ought. 
 
 England stands to foreign mission work now very much 
 in the same position as Jerusalem did in the apostolic 
 age ; and the men and the counsel which are needed are 
 not to be got elsewhere than in England, nor without 
 that personal labour and selection for which the best of 
 letter-writing is but a poor substitute. 
 
 The Church Missionary Society has already reinforced 
 their Mission at Mombassa by the return of Mr. Spar- 
 shott, and are, I believe, prepared to devote increased 
 attention and larger means to their establishments there, 
 and at Kissoludini, where the foundations have been 
 laid for very extensive missionary operations among the 
 Wanika Massaions. 
 
as a Field /or Missionary Labour. 1 19 
 
 The Methodist Free Churches' Mission at Eibe will 
 also, I trust, be reinforced, and the work so well begun by 
 Messrs. Wakefield and New carried on into the Galla 
 country, where it is clear a great field is open to those 
 who have the courage and self-denial to occupy it. 
 
 North of the Gallas, as above mentioned, it is possible 
 the Free Church of Scotland may organise a Mission to 
 the Somalis ; but there is room on a coast-line of seven 
 hundred or eight hundred miles in length for more mis- 
 sions than all Christendom could at present organise. The 
 island of Socotra affords a field full of interest, and little 
 known, though it was once the see of a Syrian or Ethiopic 
 bishopric, and is close to the Eed Sea routes between 
 Europe and India, China, or Australasia. 
 
 I have said little, except incidentally, of slavery or the 
 
 slave-trade, the abolition of which was the main object of 
 
 the Mission to the Sultan of Zanzibar. ( This is simply 
 
 because/ 1 regard the spread of Christianity as almost 
 
 synonymous with the extinction of both slave-trade and 
 
 slavery. It has this effect, partly by its direct tea<;hing, 
 
 partly by its bringing with it the seeds of civilisation 
 
 and settled government. Politicians and diplomatists 
 
 may make treaties, and sailors and soldiers may enforce 
 
 them, but les^itimate trade alone can free Africa from the 
 
 . . . . . } 
 
 trade in human beings which drains her life-blood. No-^ 
 
 natural commerce can flourish whilst slavery exists, and 
 Christianity and Christian civilisation and enlighten- 
 ment can alone extinguish slavery. This is no fanciful 
 sequence, but one which we have often seen in former 
 ages in Europe, and see now j)erpetually recurring in 
 other lands. The traveller, the merchant, the missionary 
 lead the way, as pioneers to settled government and 
 
I20 Eastern Africa 
 
 freedom ; but no Government can be so settled, no freedom 
 so extended or permanent as in lands where the Govern- 
 ment and people are Christian. 
 
 Apart from all minor considerations, there is no quarter 
 of the globe whence the call for missionary exertion comes 
 to Christendom with greater force than from Eastern 
 Africa. 
 
 Other portions of the same continent are more rude 
 and savage, and have perhaps more need of the humanizing 
 elements of Christianity, but of no other part of Africa, 
 probably of no other quarter of the old world, can it be 
 said that its. subjugation by a Christian power distinctly 
 lowered the region in the scale of nations, and made it 
 more barbarous than when first discovered by Christian 
 Europeans. Nowhere else is this result so clearly trace- 
 able to systematic neglect by the Christian conqueror of 
 our Lord's last command to His disciples. For three 
 centuries and a half almost all the nations of Europe 
 interested in maritime commerce have, in neglect of every 
 precept and instinct of Christianity, taken their share in 
 preying on the life-blood of Africa : this is no figure of 
 speech, but is strictly and literally the truth, for every- 
 where in Africa, during the greater part of that period, 
 the bodies of living human beings have been one principal 
 staple of the African export trade conducted by Europeans. 
 In many parts what Europeans thus did only rendered 
 barbarism more barbarous, but on the East Coast they did 
 worse, for they destroyed an ancient and probably pro- 
 gressive Indian and Arabian civilisation, which had visibly 
 mitigated the savagery of the aboriginal negro races. 
 Europe has thus more to answer for on the East Coast 
 than in many other parts of Africa. Let us be thankful 
 
as a Field for Missionary Labour. 1 2 1 
 
 that in some respects the great debt appears there most 
 capable of future payment ; meantime the call to, at 
 least, attempt its liquidation is but the more imperative. 
 
 I have barely touched on the fields of labour in Central 
 Africa opened to us by the great missionary traveller, who 
 has so lately given his life to the work. Exaggeration in 
 estimating the effects of Livingstone's labours for the 
 missionary cause is almost impossible, and there is no 
 part of the wide regions he has opened to us which is 
 not connected by direct trade routes with the East Coast. 
 His work therefore has a special value for East Africa. 
 The object for which he laboured, to Christianize and 
 civilise the vast central region, is a step in advance, to be 
 taken as soon as a further base of operations has been 
 established on the coast. From the Straits of Bab-el- 
 mandeb to the frontiers of our Cape Colonies, no mis- 
 sionary can work without in some degree promoting the 
 aim which Livingstone had ever before him, in the visions 
 of that hope which sustained him in all his wearying toil. 
 It is for us to do what comes to our hand of the vast work ; 
 and his example will henceforth nerve all after labourers, 
 whether the share of the task which falls to the lot of each 
 be small or great. 
 
 What we saw in Africa confirmed the belief. I had 
 always cherished, that there is nothing in the circum- 
 stances or the character of the African races to make us 
 despair of their gradual improvement and elevation in the 
 moral, the social, or the political scale. It must be a 
 tedious and very gradual process, often wearying the 
 most patient, and disappointing the most sanguine; but 
 I see no reason to doubt the ultimate result. The most 
 important of all the many elements in the change is 
 
122 Eastern Africa. 
 
 I believe the teaching of Christianity, and it is because I 
 believe our own Church of England holds and prizes 
 among her titles to our allegiance the marks of a truly 
 Missionary Church — obeying, however imperfectly, the 
 last injunctions of our Lord on earth — that I venture 
 to address to the Primate of that Church these few 
 remarks on the work to be undertaken in East Africa, 
 sincerely believing that nothing more permanent can be 
 done for the amelioration of Africa than that our Church 
 should recognise the duty before her in those distant 
 regions, and strive, by God's blessing, to perform it. 
 
 1,ONDON : I'KINTHD »V WILLIAM OI.OWKS AND SONS, STAMKOUU STKEliX 
 AND ClIAUING CKOSS. 
 

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