^y ___^ vL/7 \ 7 '^ W\Y '■ 1 \^ou7hAhskicaC / \\ /) fVhy Invest in Africa? Because the missionary ])rohlem in Africa is critical, and hccausc that vast, needy continent is too often overlooked. The Far Fast— aggressive -Japan, potential China, and restless India — holds our attention; hut Africa — so immense that it could contain all North America and kAiroj)e — hardly arrests our glaiu-e. ^Tt in Africa (diristianity is waging a war on three “fronts” — with the foievs oi unscrupulous v 'ommereialism, of raganism,oi Mohammedan¬ ism. If the forces of (’hri.stianity are not adequately re-enforeed, e(|ui])])ed and maintained, the eoiupiest of the continent for Christ will he indefinitely post))oned. The forces of ('ommercialism (;ertaiuly have not o\’erlook('d Africa. Creat forests, ahundant mineral wealth copper, iron, tin, coal, gold and diamonds — long ago attracted the jirospeetor who wanted to see Africa “developed.” But along with the pro¬ moters of legitimate trade have gone the un,seru])ulous traders, out to ex])loit Africa. The sttiries of the early slave trade, of the (’ongo atrocities, and of the jire.sent-day virtual slavery on the cocoa ])lan- tations of San Thome and Brinei])e show what havoc the.se e.\])loiters can hring to a child race. Wherever the unscrupulous eomuiereial leader has gone, into the ]>orts, up the great river \'alleys into the heart of the eoutinent, along the railroads, or in the mines of the south, there the ('hristian missionary and his African helpers must the nio.st dehasing vices of “civilization.” Mohammedanism has not overlooked Africa. While the ehureh of the Middle Ages was busy with the (’rusades, the opportunity to strengthen the Chri.stian forces in Africa was passing. ^Mohammedanism was taking ])osse.ssion of North Africa. Gradually, IMohammedan forces have progre.s.sed. In recent years a new zeal has seized them, and more rapidly than ever liefore they have marched southward. The whole northern ])art of the continent, nearly to the eipiator, is penetrated by Mohammedan forces. I nless the (diristian forces, sparsely .scattered along the IMeiliterranean and the Nile ^h^lley, and more solidly entrenched in the .southern ])art of the continent, are re-eiiforeed and maintained, that onward, moving army cannot be stopped. Mohammedanism today is claiming not otdy countless pagan tribes but is (‘ven winning over occasional Christian villages, not fully established in (’hrist. And there is Paganism, constituting the third great “front” which (’hristianity faces. Aliont forty million Africans, in the central and southern zones, are held in the grij) of a religion of fear. Myriad ho.stile spirits, superstitions without number, degrading customs, witchcraft, polygamy, hold this virile, promising ’I ! RAW MATERIAL AFRICA wage a cea.seless warfare against I people ill bondage. Wherever the Christian missionary forces have been strongly established thousands of lives have been transformed into Christlike character. But vast regions in the heart of Africa remain unevangelized. Surely Christian forces adequate to occupy these regions must be provided. THE CHRISTIAN FORGES The late Lortl Bryce said, “The Gosiiel and the mission schools are at present the most truly civilizing influences which work upon the natives, and upon these influences, more than on any other agency, does the progress of the colored race depend.” The missionaries have ])ut the light s])ots in dark Africa. Champions of every reform movement, they have struck blow after blow against the slave trade, the liiiuor traffic, and every injustice in whatever name. In 1917, 119 Protestant missionary societies were at work in Africa, thirty-six of them American. The whole missionary force mim))ered 5,300. ('ommunicanls numliered about 730,000. OUR CONGREGATIONAL TASK The American Board has been at work in Africa since 1835. In three regions we have now well-estab¬ lished work. We are strategically located in Natal, where we work among the Zulus, one of the finest specimens of all African peoples. We are established to the north in Rhodesia, and also on the west coast in Angola, where we are res])onsible for five million of the promising Ovimbundu people. In these three fields we have 105 missionaries at work. Our missionaries are not confronted directly by the great problem of Mohammedanism. But they are face to face with Paganism, and with the problems brought by the unscrupulous white man. In South Africa they face pressing race problems between white and black, and also because of the influx of Hindus. Everywhere new problems, as well as opportunities, arise from the growing sense of his own im])ortance, which the black man’s share in the Great War has brought. Our work in Johannesburg, in the Transvaal, is a remarkable example of twentieth century missionary methods, aimed to meet the evils of European “civilization.” Johannesburg is in the heart of the Rand, the great mining region, from which comes 10 per cent of the world’s gold. The white man’s brain, ca]>ital, and energy have developed this gohl field, but the black man has furnished the indispensable “cheap labor.” About 300,000 black men are at work in the Rand. They come from all sections of the sub-continent, work six months or so in the mines, and then return to their kraals, while new laborers take their places. In a year about 500,000 raw heathen come under the spell of Johannesburg, and in its “University of Crime” take full cour.ses in the vices and crimes of civilization. They come + Vw neathcn; k to their kraals “devils,” unless — ! And right here the missionary steps in, not only with his chapels and schools, Imt with a social center, game and reading rooms, gymnasium and swimming pool, moving pictures and other clean amusements. The missionary is the black man’s friend, visiting him in the mine compound, and in the barracks, following him up in slum and saloon. The influence of this work is felt all over the southern half of the continent, for many of these laborers return to their homes Christians, and start new centers of Christian influence. Recently two such centers have sprung u]) without any aid from the missionaries, through the work done by Christian black men re¬ turned from Johannesburg. Part of the task of our missionaries, especially of Dr. F. B. Bridgman, is to follow up the Johannesimrg work, by touring in the outlying fiekl, encouraging and advising these earnest Christian leaders. Another outstanding feature of our work in Africa is industrial and agricultural education. The African peoples need training in the most elementary features of civilized life. At Mt. Silinda, Rhodesia, our brick kiln, saw mill, carpentry and machine shops have helped build Christian character in the men and boys, while the girls have l)een trained in fundamental household arts. Such industries serve also to provide for the growing needs of the surrounding territory, and aid the mission tinancially to some extent. In the West Africa field industrial training is being devel¬ oped chiefly at Dondi, and in the Zulu field at Amanzimtoti. The medical work of the Board in Africa is on a very modest scale, compared with other mission fields. We have only eight physicians at work. Only two of them are equipped witli a building worthy of the name “hospital,” and yet each one is doing a large and exceedingly important work, not only in giving physical relief to the sick, but also in raising standards of living and in forming friendly relations with the people which greatly help the evangelistic worker. In Durban, Dr. McCord is developing a plan to train promising black men as physicians among their own people in meeting the more simple cases of illness. They will help to put the witch doctor with his nefarious practices out of business. Nurses also are being trained in Durban. Underlying all the social and medical work, the schools and the special industrial/and agricultural training, is evangelism. Every missionary is an evangelistic worker, whether he is working with the Bible and hymn book, the school book, the lancet, the plow, or the gymnasium; yet in each mission there are men and women who are giving their whole time to religious in.struction. To them great opportunities are opening up. Just now an unusual evangelistic opportunity is reported from West Africa. Within a year about forty ])laces have been opened uj). A new population of ninety thousand was thus reached, and nearly three thousand children were placed under Christian instruction. What the results of such openings may be can hardly be imagined. WILL YOU HELP WIN AFRICA? For the year 1922 the American Board is appropriating $72,891 for general work and missionary support in x4frica. Of this amount about $27,000 is subscribed l)y churches particularly intere.sted in that field. But that leaves $45,000 unsubscribed. We offer a $10,000 block of this budget to our churches now. When that block is subscribed another will be offered. A share is $25, a convenient sum for individual gifts, for small churches, for young j)eoi)le's societies. For the larger churches a l>lock of shares may be .subscribed. WHAT THE Salaries. Portions of five salaries ,000 BUDGET INCLUDES $4,150 General Work Evangelism. 2,500 Education (including general and industrial). 3,000 Medicine. 250 Social Work. 100 $ 10,000 Subscribing any portion of this — one share or many shares — means having a part in all phases of our work in Africa. It means sharing in the salaries of missionaries engaged in various lines of work: — Dr. Bridgman, in his far-reaching evangelistic work along the Hand, Mr. Phillips, in his important under¬ takings in the Johannesburg social center; Mr. Alvord, trained agriculturist, and Mr. Mather, educational supervisor, l)oth in Rhodesia; and Dr. Hollenbeck in West Africa, physician first, but incidentally promoter of industries, agriculture, and many another activity. It means contributing to the work itself in all its phases, from the enterprises in the big cities like Durban and Johannesburg, to the villages in the heart of the continent, among the people who are “waiting for the words.” It means making an investment which, through church and .school and hospital, will yield rich returns in Christian character. WHO IS THE FIRST TO INVEST ? It will take four liuiidred .shares at $25 jjer share to cover this budget. Almost any church could raise $25 aimually, to subscribe for one share, and certainly many churches could cover two, three, four or fi\'e shares. A certificate will be sent to each subscriber, and three letters a year may be expectetl, full of good stories, and reporting upon the on-goings of the work. See our general circular of information, entitled. Kingdom Investments under the American Board, as lo the advantages, possibilities and con¬ ditions which we offer under these Kingdom Investments in Africa. Under This Plan Each Subscriber Is Given the Opportunity of Sharing in Every Item of the Budget; Hence, It Should Be Kept in Mind That We Cannot Assign Any One Item to One Person or Group. Let Us All Share Together in This Glorious Work for Christ. THE AMERICAN BOARD 14 BEACON STREET, BOSTON ) REV. MERLIN ENNIS ACTING LIKE A REAL DOCTOR AT SACHIKELA GAMBLING INSIDE A MINE COMPOUND AT JOHANNESBURG NEAR THE END OF THE TRAIL M rs. Alvord in Llie luacliila REV. A. E. LEROY ADAMS SERVICE INSIDE MINE COMPOUND JOHANNESBURC MR. A. R. MA'I'IIER MT. SILINDA SAAVMILL AT iMT. SILINDA REV F. B BRIDGMAN J O II A N N RE\ , R. S B U R G E. PHILLIP mt. ■Ij 1 INDUSTRIAL TRAINING, AFRICA'S HOPE FOR THE FUTURE AN ANGOLA iMAID