In addition to the work above mentioned, missions of a special character are maintained. Of such is the mission to the lumbermen, instituted seven years prior to the union by the branch of the Church in connection with the Church of Scotland. The object of this mis- sion is to supply the ordinances of religion to the large number of men employed in the forests during the win- ter. These are visited by ministers, and supplied with copies of the Scriptures, tracts, and other literature in French and English. The average number annually employed in this branch of industry, in the valley of the Upper Ottawa, is about 5000 men. The amount expended on their behalf is about $650 per annum.
Perhaps in no department of Church work are there more hopeful and encouraging signs of progress than in that under the care of the Assembly's Board of French Evangelization, which has for its herculean task the emancipation of 1,250,000 French Roman Catholics. Previous to 1875 missionary efforts in this direction had been conducted on a limited scale by- the several churches. Since the union a great impetus has been given to the work, which is now assuming large pro- portions. In the service of the board there are at pres- ent forty missionaries, colporteurs, and teachers, several of whom were at one time priests of the Church of Rome. In Nova Scotia an ordained missionary labors in a wide field with a fair measure of success. He reports 125 Romanists having embraced Protestantism through his instrumentality during the year 1876. In the province of New Brunswick there are three French missions, each making steady progress. In the province of Quebec there are twelve rural missions, maintaining Sabbath- schools, besides the ordinary services. In Ottawa, the capital of the Dominion, the board employs two mis- sionaries, who minister to about 250 persons. In Que- bec city— the stronghold of popery in Canada— a church
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES 540 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES
was erected in 1876, the first French Protestant church built in the city.
2. The staff of fan ign missionaries consists at present often ordained ministers, one catecbist, who acts as su- perintendent of schools, and three female missionaries. These are assisted by a large number of trained native teachers. The salaries of the ordained missionaries av- erage about $1200 each; their assistants receive from $400 to $600 each per annum. The Church contrib- utes annually towards the expenditure, iu connection with the mission-ship Day-spring, $1200. The fields are lour in number:
(1.) Tin- X' a- Hebrides. This is the oldest and most distant It originated with the late Dr. John Geddie, formerly a minister of the United Presbyterian Branch of the Church at Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, who landed on the island of Aneityum on July 13, 1848. This is no place to enter upon the details of l>r. Geddie's life's work. Few missionaries have been more success- ful, and no higher encomium need be associated with his name than these touching words inscribed on a tab- let recently erected to his memory on the wall of the chapel where he was wont to preach: "When lie came here there were no Christians, and when he went away there were no heathens." Since the commencement of this mission twelve missionaries, with their wives, have gone from Nova Scotia to labor in this field.
(2.) Trinidad. — The mission to the Coolies of Trini- dad was begun in 1869 by the Rev. John Morton, also a minister of the Church of the Lower Provinces. In 1871 he was joined by the Rev. I!. J. Grant, and more recently by the Rev. Thomas I Shristie. Fifteen schools have been opened. Churches have also been built, and a number of native assistants take part in the work, which, notwithstanding many difficulties, is making- satisfactory progress. The number of Coolie children under instruction is 500, and the missionary reports that 15 in one school can repeat the whole of the Shorter Catechism. The number of Coolies on the island is aboul 15,000.
i;;. | Formosa. — This is one of the Church's most promising foreign mission fields. It was begun in 1872 by the Rev. G. L. M'Kay, of the Canada Presbyterian Church. In 1875 he was joined by the Rev. J. B. Fra- ser. M.D.. as a medical missionary. In these rive years there have been erected ten chapels and two mission- houses, live hundred of the natives have renounced idolatry, and regularly attend Christian services. Sev- enty-five have, after careful preparation and examina- tion, been admitted as communicants. There arc rive schools with native teachers, and nine native students are under training for missionary work.
(4.) India, — Previous to the union the Canada Pres- byterian Church and the Church in the .Maritime Prov- inces in connection with the Church of Scotland had each broken ground in India by sending female mis- sionaries, in ps? I the Rev. J. F. Campbell, a minister of the last-named Church, offered himself for foreign mission work. He has since proceeded to Madras as a missionary of the Presbyterian church in Canada. At the same time the Rev. James Douglas also accepted an appointmenl to labor at [tidore.
Next to the New Hebrides, the Juvenile Mission to India, instituted by the Presbyterian Church of Canada
in connection with the Church of Scotland, is the old- est foreign mission of the Church. It was originated twenty-live years ago, and has always been supported by a number of Sabbath-schools and the voluntary of- ferings Of a few friends. The annual contributions re- ceived by the treasurer have been steadily increasing for some years, lie-ides supporting four Zenana day- Bchools and a Bible-woman, this juvenile agency pro- vides lor the education ol about forty orphan children iu India.