The influx of Chinese on our Pacific coast aroused the interest of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in 1867 a home mission was inaugurated for their con- version. The present status of this field of labor is as follows: Missionaries, 2; members, 9; 1 church, value $20,000; 1 parsonage, value $1000; missionary collec- tions, $40; missions, 1; money, $3500. The Method- ist Episcopal Church, South, has also very recently com- menced operations there.
METHODISM
166
METHODISM
Near the close of last year a. Methodist mission was establislieil at Japan under the auspices of the Method- ist Episcopal Church. Dr. Maclay, formerly superin- toiideiit of the mission in Cliina, lias supervision, and he hopes to nialie this new effort a glorious success. Al- ready a native of influence and rank in the empire has espoused this cause, and is now preaching.
y. Mcllwdism ill AJ'iica. — Dr. Coke was early drawn towards this field of missionary labor. But all efforts jirovetl unsuccessful until IKll, when a ]\Ietliodist mis- sion was established at Sierra Leone, commencing its labor with a membersliip of 1 10, and three local preach- <'rs, who had fostered the work for some time, (iradu- ally the mission extended to the Gambia districts. In these parts of Western Africa the natives are in process of training, under the Christianizing influences of the Wesleyans, to benefit them by the civilization wliich too often has been made a means of degradation to tlieir race. The majority of the ministers in Africa are natives, edu- catid and trained for their work. Twenty-one mission- ariis laljor in this field, which has 8974 Church mem- birs. '• In tlie Cape Colony, the Orange Free State, Traiis-VaalKe])ubIic,and Natal, the native and European populations are so mingled that it is impossible to sep- arate the returns of the colonial work from those of the missions in Kaftirland and in the Bechuana country. The early history of the mission is identified with the names of Barnabas and William Shaw, the latter, the honored fatlier of the Kaffir mission, is no longer among us, but his work survives. These missions have been, since their bcgiiniing, tried by native wars, and by the inisettlement of the population occasioned by emigra- tion, and by the discovery of the diamond fields; but the work is rapidh' advancing. A large number of the Kaffir ])opulation have been brought under Christian influence ; thousands of scholars have been trained to read the Word of (Jod in their own tongue, and many able native ministers have been raised up. The diffi- culty now is to meet the eidarged educational wants and re(|iiirements of the native people. In these mis- sions x'> ministers labor; the number of (,'hurch mem- bers is i;>,7|s, and the scholars reported are 13,821" (IVrks. in his address alrc'ady <iuot'jd).
The .Methodist Episcopal Church established a mis- sion ill Lilicria in ls:!-_>. By IKjO the formation of an Animal ConfiTence became necessary, and at present a bishop ]iresides over this field. We have the following summary of statistics for 1871: Members, 20Go; deaths, 6.5; jirobatioiiers, 174; local preachers, 37 ; baptisms — adidts, (;2, children, 89; churches, 31, of the probable value of !i!l3.710; parsonages, G, of the probable value of $11,500; Sabbath-schools, 25; officers and teachers, 201; scholars, 1309; day-schools, 15; scholars in day- schools, 4.50; volumes in libraries, 1127; collections for the support of the Gospel, $783. See Libkhia.
The Conference, at its last session, expressed its deep sense of the need of a more thorough training of men for the holy miuistry, and took incipient steps towards the establishment of a Biblical institute. Measures have al.so been taken for the establishment of a mission in the Kong mountains, north and east of Liberia and Sierra Leone, wliere dwell the ilandingoes, perha|)s the most cultivated tribe on the western coast of Al'rica. See Mani)1n<;o. Ten thousand doUars have been approj)ri ated for this work.
10. Afcl/iodisni ill Italy, Spain, and PDi/iir/al. — For some time the Wesleyans have siipjiorted missionaries in each of these coimtries. Late events have given a new imjietus to the work, and it promises to yield fruit in abundance. Besides two English ministers, seven- teen Italians are preaching Methodist doctrines. At liotne the Wesleyans are now in possession of suitable buildings for preaching and educational purposes, and at Najiles the new chapel and schools are advancing to- wards completion, while their educational establishment at Padua is in efficient operation.
The Methodist Episcopal Church in 1871 decided to
establish a mission in that country, and placed the Rev. Dr. A'ernon in charge. Bologna has been selected as head-quarters.
In .Spain, Methodism supported for years a mission at Gibraltar, the only spot available until the new order of things developed. At present there are stations at Barcelona and Port Mahon (in the island of Minorca), and in Portugal at Oporto.
1 1 . Methodism in iSouth A merica and Mexico. — In 183(5 missionary work was commenced in South Amer- ica, but the success of the mission has not yet been fairly established. There are connected with this work 10 ordained preachers and 3 assistants, with 130 members. The Sunday-school numbers 170 teachers and scholars, and the day-school over 100 scholars. About half of these are charity scholars.
In November, 1872, the Methodist Episcopal Church organized a mission for Mexico, under tiie superintend- ence of the Kev. William Butler, D.D., formerly super- intendent of her work in India. The enterprise is too recent to enable us to say much about it.